In the center of the shop, two men in black spat blood, their mouths spewing froth and a metallic taste.
"Steward Zhou Yan..."
At this moment, a group of onlookers, stunned and speechless, finally reacted. They gazed at Zhou Yan with reverence.
"This young man is truly ruthless!"
"Now there's a good show to watch... the people from the Nether Hall are finished!"
Along the street, many passersby stopped, standing by the roadside to watch the fight.
"Whoosh!"
The next moment, a gentle breeze blew, and two streaks of bright sword light flashed past. Two heads rolled to the ground.
"Ding!"
Zhou Yan flicked his wrist, and his silver spear unsheathed, transforming into a stream of light that pierced through the void, impaling the chest of a man in black. Blood gushed out.
These men in black were all powerful. The weakest was at the peak of Body Tempering Seventh Level, and there were even some at Body Tempering Eighth Level.
Unfortunately, they were still no match for Zhou Yan.
Not far away, a carriage approached.
"Master, there's a fight ahead!"
Inside the carriage, the butler lifted the curtain, poked his head out, and asked Zhou Yan.
"Let me go and see..."
Zhou Yan hesitated for a moment, then leaped into the fray.
He saw two men in black lying on the ground, a thin line around their necks, blood flowing.
"Hiss~"
The onlookers gasped.
These two men in black were from the Nether Hall. They were powerful and brutal, yet they had died so quickly?
"Brother, thank you for the rescue..."
At this moment, the common people who had been chased by the Nether Hall walked up to Zhou Yan, expressing their gratitude.
"It's nothing, just a small matter..."
Zhou Yan waved his hand, signaling them to leave.
For Zhou Yan, defeating the two men in black was not a big deal. It was something to be proud of, after all, it was his own combat achievement!
"Little brother..."
Suddenly, a cute and charming girl emerged from the crowd and timidly said, "You saved us. How can we repay you?"
"Well, I'll give you candy."
The little girl took out two golden candies from her embrace and offered them to Zhou Yan.
"Heh, thank you, little sister. No need to be polite."
Zhou Yan shook his head and smiled, declining.
"No, big sister said we must repay kindness with a spring, otherwise, wouldn't we be ungrateful?"
The little girl pouted and acted spoiled. "My mom always tells me to be grateful."
"Your mother is right. Here, you can have these two candies."
Zhou Yan, helpless, took out two candies and placed them in the little girl's hand.
"Mmm, thank you."
The little girl smiled sweetly, put the candies in her pocket, and skipped away.
"Alas..."
Watching the little girl's retreating back, Zhou Yan sighed softly, his eyes deep.
In his past and present lives, he had accumulated too many karmic debts. This feeling was quite peculiar.
"Huh?"
Suddenly, Zhou Yan's eyebrows twitched, and he looked at a nearby stall, his eyes showing surprise.
On the stall lay a stone, its surface mottled and black, emitting a faint chill.
This stone was the Black Dragon Crystal.
In the black market, Black Dragon Crystals were rare but considered treasures that could increase cultivation.
"Eh..."
Suddenly, an old man's gaze swept over, landing on the Black Dragon Crystal. His expression shifted slightly, a flicker of joy in his eyes. He immediately walked over, cupped his hands, and said with a smile, "Young friend, would you be willing to part with it? This old man is willing to pay ten thousand taels of gold for it..."
"Oh?"
Hearing this, Zhou Yan's gaze deepened. He examined the stone carefully and slowly shook his head, saying, "I'm not selling."
"Uh..."
The old man was taken aback by the reply, then his face showed embarrassment.
He had intended to buy the Black Dragon Crystal to enhance his strength but was met with a refusal.
"Heh, young man, why don't you consider it?"
The old man chuckled dryly and continued to persuade Zhou Yan. "You are young and your cultivation is low. If you obtain the Black Dragon Crystal, it will greatly boost your strength and be of immense help for your future."
"Besides, you're not short of money, are you?"
The old man spoke slowly, trying to reason with Zhou Yan.
"I am indeed not short of money."
Zhou Yan shrugged, impatient. "However, what I don't lack is far more precious than money, a thousand times, ten thousand times more!"
As he finished speaking, Zhou Yan turned around, ready to leave.
"Kid, don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!"
Suddenly, the old man's face darkened, cold light flashing in his eyes. He reprimanded, "If you know what's good for you, hand over the Black Dragon Crystal quickly and avoid physical pain."
"Hmm?"
Zhou Yan's footsteps halted. He turned his head, his gaze sharp and cold. He said sternly, "Old man, are you threatening me?"
"Heh heh..."
The old man sneered, "This old man is an elder of the Profound Yang Sect. I am here on orders to apprehend fugitives from Jiangbei County City. If you cooperate obediently, you can avoid physical suffering. If you resist, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
Hearing this, Zhou Yan's gaze turned icy. He said slowly, word by word, "Old man, if you spout one more word of nonsense, believe it or not, I will lop off your head!"
"Hahaha..."
At that moment, the old man threw his head back and laughed heartily, as if he had heard the funniest joke. "Kid, whose child are you to be so bold?"
"With mere Core Formation realm cultivation, you dare to challenge this old man? You are simply courting death!"
Then, the old man's expression turned ferocious. He said sinisterly, "Considering this is your first offense, if you surrender obediently, you will keep your life. Otherwise, this old man will have to act personally. I will first break both your arms, then dismember your limbs, and throw you into prison for a few years to teach you a good lesson!"
With that, the old man flicked his sleeve. A torrent of powerful spiritual energy surged forth, sweeping towards Zhou Yan.
Rumble!
The vast spiritual energy surged, stirring up a gust of wind that forced the surrounding pedestrians to retreat.
"Core Formation Sixth Level!"
Zhou Yan's pupils contracted. He was greatly shocked.
This old man, though only at Core Formation Sixth Level, was far more terrifying than Elder Wang of the Green Wood Sect.
Such a powerful individual was actually working as a guard in the Black Wind Mountain Range?
"Little brother, my apologies!"
Suddenly, a hurried shout rang out.
Immediately, a middle-aged man rushed over and blocked in front of Zhou Yan.
Bang!
In an instant, the two collided. Zhou Yan grunted, staggered back a few steps, and a sweet taste filled his throat as he coughed up blood.
Gurgle!
Zhou Yan spat blood, his face turning pale. He was shocked and enraged. This middle-aged man's strength was also extraordinary.
"Little brother, I'm truly sorry!"
Seeing this, the middle-aged man quickly stepped forward, holding Zhou Yan's arm, his face full of guilt.
"Cough, cough..."
Zhou Yan clutched his wound, coughing violently, his face pale.
The punch from this middle-aged man contained a powerful impact that displaced his internal organs, causing severe injury.
"Little brother, are you alright?"
Seeing Zhou Yan's disheveled state, the middle-aged man showed a trace of panic and asked anxiously.
"N-no... I'm fine..."