Chapter 38: Acting Without Authorization?

Outside the stronghold of the Black Tiger Gang, the perimeter was heavily guarded. A squad of over twenty figures clad in black lay in ambush within the nearby thicket. As the night deepened, they merged into the shadows, concealing their presence.

"Brother, it is dark enough now. Shall we move?" A masked youth leaned in, whispering to the leader. The long blade in his hand seemed to thirst for action.

The leader’s expression was grave yet composed. "We wait until the Lion-Tiger Beast is asleep; our chances of success will be greater. This time, besides rescuing the captives, we must eradicate the Black Tiger Gang entirely."

"Understood!" the others responded in low voices.

The Black Tiger Gang had committed countless atrocities in Lion-Tiger Town. By day, they terrorized the townspeople, and they had even abducted members of the Sulfur Fire Mercenary Group. This squad had finally reached its limit, lying in wait for the opportune moment. They all knew the gang was guarded by a ferocious Lion-Tiger Beast, a creature that had also undergone seven stages of Spirit Refining. It was at least as strong as the gang leader, Meng Xiangyu, and posed a formidable threat that required extreme caution.

"Everyone, keep your faces covered. Do not leave any trail that might implicate our eldest brother," Feng Yi warned, pulling his own mask up until only his eyes remained visible.

"Don't worry, brother. Even if we are seen, this operation has nothing to do with him; it will not implicate him," his companion whispered back.

***

Seeing Ling Dehai’s intense concern regarding the youth mentioned by Ji Gang, Meng Xiangyu grew curious. "What is this boy’s name? What is his cultivation level?"

"His name is Qin Liang, a Fifth Spirit Refining stage cultivator," Ji Gang replied truthfully, adding a warning: "It is said his strength is not to be underestimated. Chief, you must not be careless."

"Hmph!" Meng Xiangyu sneered. "Only the fifth stage? Not worth worrying about. I trust Vice Chief Zhu will have him captured and brought back before long."

"The Chief is wise," Ji Gang immediately flattered.

"Bring the captives forward." At a wave of Meng Xiangyu’s hand, gang members dragged the tightly bound Ling Fei and the others into the grand hall.

"Fei’er, are you alright? These scoundrels didn't hurt you, did they?"

"Father, I am fine. They were worried you wouldn't lead the way, so they haven't dared to touch me yet."

Seeing each other, father and daughter were overcome with emotion, struggling frantically despite their bonds. Unfortunately, the ropes were woven from special spirit vines, possessing a tenacity that made escape impossible.

"Not touching you yet doesn't mean we won't soon," Meng Xiangyu sneered, waving his hand again.

Two men beside him leered, stripping off their outer garments as they stepped toward Ling Fei.

"What are you doing? You bastards, let my daughter go!" Ling Dehai panicked, his body erupting with spiritual radiance as he struggled with the ferocity of a cornered beast.

"Meng Xiangyu, you scum!" Mu Chuan roared in fury.

Meng Xiangyu grinned maliciously. "Ling Dehai, it is not too late to agree to lead the way. Otherwise, you know the consequences. As the chief, I would prefer not to see things go that far."

"What are you doing? Don't come closer! Get away, get away from me!" Ling Fei shrieked, her body trembling violently. She had encountered such threats before, but the terror never faded. Powerless against her captors, she could only spit curses at the men approaching her.

"You bastards, you will meet a wretched end!" Ling Dehai and the others bellowed.

"Very well. As neighbors, I will give you one last stick of incense to reconsider. If you refuse to lead the way after that, don't blame the Black Tiger Gang for being merciless." Meng Xiangyu sneered and signaled the two men to stop.

Just then, a beast-drawn carriage appeared in the distance outside the mountain gate. A pair of antlers shimmered with a silver-white light in the darkness, like streaks of lightning. Qin Liang stepped out of the carriage, now dressed in black to facilitate his nocturnal mission. He drew his Origin Weapon sword embryo and whispered to the Silver-Horned Deer, "Stay back. Don't let them spot you."

The deer nodded, pulling the carriage back over a hundred meters and hiding behind a large tree. Qin Liang then engaged his Wind-Walk steps and charged toward the gate of the Black Tiger Gang. It was time to strike!

Under the cover of night, a black shadow dashed forward, swift as a gale, reaching the gates in an instant.

"Who goes there?" The sentries spotted Qin Liang at once, raising the alarm with loud shouts.

However, the words had barely left their lips when a flash of sword light erupted. Two heads flew into the air, their eyes still wide with shock, having never even seen their killer. Blood sprayed in pillars. The act was too sudden; the two Fourth Spirit Refining stage guards stood no chance against Qin Liang.

*Clang!*

Before the headless corpses could even hit the ground, Qin Liang kicked the gate open and charged inside.

"Who is acting without orders?" In the nearby forest, Feng Yi’s face darkened. He had explicitly ordered them to wait. If someone was acting on their own, they were clearly disregarding his command. If this implicated his elder brother, how could he answer for it?

"Brother, we are all here," his companion said, quickly counting the men. They looked at each other in confusion. "That youth... he truly isn't one of ours."

"Where did this person come from?" Feng Yi frowned, quickly weighing their options. Should they follow him? By the hour, the Lion-Tiger Beast should not have fallen asleep yet. Charging in blindly would easily alert it, which would surely lead to a desperate situation. Yet, if they didn't enter, the youth would certainly meet a grim fate.

"Judging by his movements, there is no spiritual radiance; he hasn't reached the sixth stage. He is far too reckless," Feng Yi thought, silently chiding the unknown youth.

"Brother, it has come to this. Should we charge?" his companion gripped his sword hilt. The youth's goal aligned with theirs—they had come to save the captives. They could not simply watch another life fall into the hands of the Black Tiger Gang. The element of surprise was already lost; they could wait no longer.

"Let’s go!" Feng Yi gritted his teeth and gave the order, leading his men out of the forest toward the stronghold.

As they approached, they heard the sounds of fighting and chaos echoing from within. The battle was clearly intense. They reached the gate and charged in under Feng Yi's lead, but when they saw the scene before them, they froze in their tracks.

"This..."

On the spacious grounds, corpses lay scattered in every direction—dozens of them. A dozen gang members were surrounding the youth, yet they were unable to touch him. The boy moved through the crowd with agility, his sword flashing periodically. Every strike sent a spray of blood into the air. Among the gang members were several Fifth Spirit Refining stage cultivators, yet none could withstand a single blow from the boy.

"He is this ferocious?" Feng Yi stood stunned, scouring his memory, but he did not recognize this resolute youth.

"Qin Liang! I was just about to come for you, and here you are delivering yourself to my doorstep!" An elderly man in hemp robes appeared on a high platform. His body emanated a powerful spiritual glow, his gaze cold and sharp. He drew his long sword and struck, intending to subdue the uninvited guest.

However, his refined iron sword was like mud against Qin Liang’s Origin Weapon. It snapped in two instantly, and the elder's head followed, severed before he could even mount a defense. He had been careless; otherwise, a Sixth Spirit Refining stage cultivator would not have fallen so quickly. But it was too late for regrets.

Qin Liang turned back and saw the masked men standing at the gate. "More of you?"