Chapter Forty-Eight: Yang Ze Must Die

Fan Yongnian spoke with deep apprehension, “Why did you bring up that name out of nowhere?”

Feng Lixuan shook his head, “I only want you, Master Fan, to understand the gravity of this situation. We have no room left for maneuver. If we let Yang Ze continue to act unchecked, the consequences will be dire.

If there was still any possibility for compromise between us and him, there would be something to discuss. But for him to demand we withdraw from Four Directions Square—that is impossible. You must realize, the territory you and I still control is already dwindling; we cannot give up a single inch lightly. Not just for ourselves, but for our descendants as well.

And regarding our last attempt to ambush Yang Ze, do you really think we can keep that hidden from him?”

Hearing Feng Lixuan’s final words, Fan Yongnian fell silent.

Last time, they had joined forces with several of Yang Ze’s mortal enemies from the martial world, gathering hundreds of men to try and kill him. Unexpectedly, Yuan Heng and Bai Fei appeared midway, not only saving Yang Ze but nearly escalating the affair into a major scandal. Luckily, their families were no strangers to such matters, and managed to avoid being implicated.

“Yang Yuanzhen probably never imagined his own son would possess such ability. Had Yang Ze been merely at the early stage of Qi Induction, he would have been expelled from Xiangyun Street long ago by the others. Yet now, the entire street has fallen into his hands,” Fan Yongnian said slowly.

“Master Fan, I suspect Yang Ze harbors a great secret. As far as I know, for a long time, Yang Ze had no presence in the Yang family—he was barely acknowledged, suppressed by his elder brother Yang Hai.

His talent was especially poor; only at eighteen did he break through to the early stage of Qi Induction. Remember, he is the second young master of the Yang family, not some commoner. Because of this, Yang Yuanzhen didn’t think much of him and sidelined him.

But in the past year, Yang Ze has changed dramatically, advancing swiftly in power, as if his talent suddenly improved. Don’t you think he’s hiding something extraordinary? Don’t forget, since ancient times, there have been tales of people gaining remarkable strength after some miraculous encounter,” Feng Lixuan said.

“You see it, and so do I. But I have also investigated Yang Ze—he rarely left the Yang estate before, so how could he have stumbled upon such fortune while staying home?” Fan Yongnian paused, then spoke.

“Master Fan, this isn’t what we should be worrying about now. Yang Ze’s transformation will attract more than just our attention; others at our level are certainly watching him as well. Now that he stands in direct conflict with our interests, if we don’t act now, when will we? When Yang Yuanzhen went into seclusion, Yang Ze had yet to change so much. Once he emerges, we may no longer have the chance,” Feng Lixuan said, his tone sinister.

“You’re right. If Yang Ze falls into our hands, he’ll be at our mercy. But as he is now, only you and I can take him down,” Fan Yongnian stroked his beard.

“Then let us do it ourselves. Too many people will only alarm him. Two peak Qi Induction experts like ourselves—surely we can capture Yang Ze!” Murderous intent flashed in Feng Lixuan’s eyes.

“Don’t be so quick to kill, Master Feng. Remember, our main goal is to capture Yang Ze alive and extract his secrets. That’s far more difficult than killing him,” Fan Yongnian reminded.

“What’s wrong, Master Fan? Are you lacking confidence?”

“Hmph, do you underestimate me? A mere advanced Qi Induction practitioner is hardly worth my concern,” Fan Yongnian slammed the table in anger.

“Ha ha ha, no need for anger, Master Fan. Still, Yang Ze managed to kill Poison Master, which proves he’s not simple. We should wait for the right moment. Also, after we capture Yang Ze, we can’t bring him back to our estates. I happen to have a private residence in North City; we’ll take him there,” Feng Lixuan said, smiling.

“This matter needs careful planning, but remember—Yang Ze must die!” Fan Yongnian’s expression suddenly turned grave.

Feng Lixuan nodded, and the two began to discuss the details, continuing until dawn approached. Only then did Feng Lixuan leave the Fan estate with his entourage.

After Feng Lixuan had gone, in a shadowed corner at the edge of the Fan estate, a black figure slipped away under cover of night.

...

On Xiangyun Street, under Yang Ze’s patronage, the whole area seemed reinvigorated, as if injected with new life. Everyone was working hard to restore order after the recent chaos.

Yang Ze, meanwhile, remained in his small courtyard, focused intently on cultivation, never leaving.

He had originally intended to reorganize the loose alliance, establishing more positions to solidify his control. Yet on second thought, he realized he might not stay here long, and there was no need to make these arrangements now. Better to first strengthen himself.

He knew well that his recent actions had surely drawn the attention of those with ulterior motives. If not for his current strength, someone would have already come knocking.

Yet this was only temporary. He had no idea how many people were watching him from the shadows, so he had to become stronger as quickly as possible, to ensure his survival in Yuyang City’s martial world.

After his battle with Poison Master, Yang Ze could roughly gauge his own strength. Among advanced Qi Induction practitioners, he was virtually unrivaled.

He had defeated Poison Master, a top-level expert, without forcing him to use his full power. As for the peak of Qi Induction, Yang Ze couldn’t say he would win, since he’d never faced one directly, but he was confident he could at least protect himself.

Still, erring on the side of caution, Yang Ze refused to waste any moment available for cultivation. He now took out the Nine Revolutions Finger technique and began to study it.

Indeed, he had set aside the Flying Swallow Thunder Blade for now, choosing instead to practice Nine Revolutions Finger.

He had considered carefully: he already mastered a blade technique, and the Black Tiger Blade at its perfected level was powerful enough for his current needs. But if he lost his weapon, his strength would be diminished. Thus, he must train in a martial art using fists and fingers. Nine Revolutions Finger was simply the best of the techniques he’d acquired, so it was the obvious choice.

Of course, he wasn’t abandoning the Flying Swallow Thunder Blade altogether. His time with the black stone was limited, so he would use it to fully master Nine Revolutions Finger, while relying on his own talent to practice the blade technique.

Nine Revolutions Finger, as the name suggests, is a finger art: channeling true energy into the fingers to unleash attacks. In its highest form, a single finger could pierce metal and stone.

That was what the manual described. Yang Ze glanced over the technique, finding it impressive, but reading was only the beginning.

Next, Yang Ze took out the black stone and entered its mysterious space. The grey figure appeared and began demonstrating Nine Revolutions Finger.

Yang Ze followed the figure’s movements, practicing repeatedly for three hours before ending his training.

Not long after, Old Xie entered, carrying a bowl.

“Second Young Master, this is ginseng soup.”

Yang Ze spared no expense, sending Old Xie and Mr. Cheng to search for medicinal herbs. Even before leaving Xiangyun Street, they had procured many ingredients, and now every day they brewed a portion into soup for Yang Ze.

He picked up the bowl and drank it in one gulp, letting out a satisfied sigh.

Now this was the life. Back at the Yang family, there was no way he could enjoy daily herbal tonics, not even Yang Yuanzhen had such privilege. Only now, with no need to worry about supplies, could he indulge in such luxury.

Yang Ze thought to himself how wonderful these days were, and he felt no guilt—he had fought tooth and nail for everything he had. Why should he feel guilty?

As soon as the ginseng soup entered his stomach, Yang Ze felt a faint warmth radiate from the black stone resting on his chest. The soup’s power transformed into energy, infusing his body, and his fatigue quickly dissipated.

“All right, you may go. Unless there’s something urgent, don’t disturb me.”

Once Old Xie had left, Yang Ze’s face lit up with joy. Over the past days, he had consumed many medicinal herbs, and each time, the black stone could transform their essence into energy within him.

At first, he thought this energy merely relieved fatigue, with no other effect. But just now, he felt a significant boost in his vitality, as if all his hidden reserves had erupted at once.

Excited, Yang Ze stood up and performed a set of martial arts, his fists whistling through the air. The surge in vitality fed back into his body, filling his true energy reserves even further.

“Wait, I don’t feel the usual sluggishness in my training lately. Could my very foundation be improving?”

Yang Ze’s eyes gleamed. Only now did he realize the black stone was truly a peerless treasure—not only could it evolve martial arts to perfection and assist in cultivation, but it could also enhance his physical aptitude. Though the improvement was slight and required vast sums spent on medicinal herbs, it was nothing short of astonishing.

Yang Ze drew deep breaths, eager to resume his training.

...

Ten days passed in this manner. On a certain night, in a secluded alley of North City, two masked figures met.