Chapter 306 160: Death Building (2)

"So you're also after the Jiaowei Zither."

"No, no, no."

The cook shook his head.

"We're not just here for the Jiaowei Zither. The second piece of compensation… is Young Hero Jiang's life."

"We have no idea who you've offended."

"But someone placed a massive order with the Death Building—a thousand taels of gold—to put you in the top three of our kill list!"

"The Master has already given the order. Taking your life is the Death Building's top priority."

"That's why we've been waiting here for you, Young Hero Jiang."

"So it's the Death Building."

Ruan Yuqing's expression changed slightly.

"When I heard that waiter mention Death Town earlier, I should have realized."

"You know of this Death Building, Miss Ruan? From what the cook said, I take it it's some kind of assassin organization?"

"Young Hero Jiang is correct."

Ruan Yuqing nodded. "The Death Building is one of the three great assassin organizations in the world."

"The Death Building, Jingmie Pavilion, and Forgotten Dust Island."

"These three great assassin organizations aren't confined to one country or region. They have followers and lackeys throughout the Five Kingdoms."

"Miss Ruan is correct."

Scholar Jingtan added.

"I've heard that the Death Building has five of the most elite assassins in the martial world… Each is a peerless martial artist, and they never leave anyone alive."

"The wielder of the Gentle Water Sword is indeed well-informed… but I wonder what to call this gentleman?"

The large, fat man looked at Scholar Jingtan, but continued without waiting for an answer:

"We've only come for our business with Young Hero Jiang. The rest of you are not on the Death Building's kill list."

"If you don't wish to die here, please take your leave."

"After all, we gain nothing from killing you…"

Ruan Yuqing sneered.

"I've long heard of the Death Building's reputation. It's said that many heroes of the martial world have been secretly assassinated by you."

"Even court officials have died at your hands."

"You people are usually well-hidden and extremely difficult to find, yet now you've delivered yourselves to our doorstep."

"Leaving aside the fact that I cannot allow you to kill Jiang Ran,"

"even if you weren't trying to kill him, as a follower of the Path of Chivalry, it is my duty to rid the martial world of this scourge!"

Scholar Jingtan immediately nodded.

"Well said! Well said, Gentle Water Sword! Those are the words and deeds befitting one on the Path of Chivalry."

'It's best if she does less of that looting-corpses-for-money business, though.'

He recited this latter sentence silently in his heart, not speaking it aloud.

"In that case…"

The cook sighed upon hearing her words. "Then there's no other way… Fortunately, a thousand taels of gold isn't a small sum. Killing all of you should just about cover the bill."

As he spoke, he took a step, and his entire body shot forward like a fleshy cannonball.

Five fat, stubby fingers aimed straight for Jiang Ran's face.

Jiang Ran's figure blurred, and the cook's five fingers missed. In a fluid motion, the cook swept his hand over and grabbed the butcher knife stuck in the table.

But before he could attack with the knife, he raised his hand with a CLANG.

He had blocked a thrust from Ruan Yuqing.

The blade trembled with a continuous RATTLE. Like a Spiritual Snake dancing, the longsword twisted and turned, darting toward the cook's throat.

This move was truly unconventional.

The cook himself was startled. By the time he reacted, the longsword was already touching his flesh.

Ruan Yuqing froze for a second. 'Is this cook really so incompetent?'

But just then, the flesh all over the cook's body shifted, creating a crevice of flesh that clamped down hard on the sword's blade.

"What a terrifying Gentle Water Sword!!

"I almost became another soul claimed by your blade!"

Though the cook spoke of fear, his face showed none. Instead, he grinned and rolled on the spot.

"Let go!"

Why would Ruan Yuqing let go?

But she felt a tremendous force trying to rip the Gentle Water Sword from her grasp.

She immediately sank her qi to her Dantian, channeled energy into her arms, and gripped her weapon tightly.

At the same time, she tapped a single foot on the ground. With a HISS, a sliver of Sword Qi shot across the floor, carving a mark into the cyan flagstones as it raced toward the fat cook.

The fat cook seemed to have eyes all over his body; it was impossible to know how he sensed the approaching Sword Qi.

He instantly circulated his internal energy, and with a BANG…

...all the fat and flesh on his body bulged, making him look like a rubber ball.

With a bounce, he shot into the air, the Sword Qi grazing his skin as it passed.

Ruan Yuqing felt the tension in her hand release; she had taken back her longsword.

This brief moment passed in a flash. Only then did Luo Qingyi's mid-air punch reach the cook.

He threw the punch without aiming for a specific spot. The target was huge, after all; he just had to hit it blindly.

But to his surprise, the moment his fist touched the fat cook's body, it felt like sinking into cotton.

There was no resistance, no purchase at all.

Just as his heart tightened, he felt a rebounding force erupt from the point of contact, flinging him backward.

He was about to slam into one of the tavern's pillars.

Suddenly, a hand pressed against his back, dispersing the force.

Luo Qingyi froze. He looked back and was even more astonished.

"You?"

The person who had caught him was Man Shengming!

The man had woken up at some point.

He shook his head.

"Whr?"

He only said one word!

'He's regressed!'

Luo Qingyi blinked, thinking to himself, 'This Seven Yin Annihilation is terrifying.'

Man Shengming already had trouble speaking, and now he was even harder to understand.

"'Whr?' What does that mean?"

Luo Qingyi asked since he didn't understand.

Hearing this, a vein bulged on Man Shengming's forehead. In his agitation, before he could even speak, he spat out a mouthful of black blood.