God Emperor - Chapter 197
Chapter 197: The Black Tiger Hall
Lin Chenyu raised his eyebrows slightly, stared disdainfully at the two warriors and sneered, “Get out of my way before I lose my temper!”
The warrior carrying the massive saber moved to flank Lin Chenyu’s left side. “It seems I was right,” he said coldly. “Only a student from the School of the Martial Market would be so arrogant.”
The one-eyed warrior ran his tongue across his lips.”Such a pretty little girl!” he said, staring at Lin Ningshan’s beautiful body with a sleazy smile.”What’s your age?”
Lin Ningshan’s brow wrinkled. “Your left eye,” she said, “did someone gouge it out to punish your disgusting attitude?”
“Such a sharp tongue!”
The one-eyed warrior’s face fell. “I guess you two don’t know who we are,” he said with a sneer. “We’re the Hong Brothers–– Hong Lei and Hong Meng of the Black Tiger Hall. Little girl, if you behave and serve your uncle well, maybe you’ll come with us to the Earth Blaze City alive. If you don’t, death is your only fate!”
“Black Tiger Hall!” Lin Chenyu exclaimed, a faint spark of light flashing in the pupils of his narrowed eyes.
All in all, the Black Market in Yunwu Commandery was divided into 10 powerful factions. Black Tiger Hall ranked ninth among them in strength.
Though the power of Black Tiger Hall couldn’t be compared to the Hades Department, they were still an evil school that frightened many warriors in the Yunwu Commandery.
Both Hong Lei and Hong Meng were masters of the Black Tiger Hall.
“Run! Black Tiger Hall members are monsters in human form that will devour us whole!”
“I can’t believe it’s Hong Lei and Hong Meng. They said that one lusts after women, the other has a lust for killing and that both are the cruelest villains from Black Tiger Hall.”
…
…
The moment they heard the name “Black Tiger Hall”, all the warriors and citizens in the area fled in a state of panic, as if they’d come face-to-face with ravening beasts or natural disasters.
Hong Lei and Hong Meng looked upon the fleeing warriors with amusement, then turned their gazes back over to Lin Chenyu and Lin Ningshan, looking even more smug than before.
“Black Tiger Hall might be a power to be reckoned with in the Yunwu Commandery, but it’s nothing to write home about in Omen Ridge.” Lin Chenyu told them, voice shrill and scornful.
“So you guys really are students from the Martial Market School. Perfect! Once you’re captured, we should be able to exchange you two for oodles of cash and cultivation resources!”
“Speaking of which,” Hong Meng said, “the little girl’s body and face are first-class. I’m sure I could sell her to Rosefinch Tower for a high price.”
Hong Lei’s eyes were fixed on Lin Ningshan’s chest. “We should have some fun with the girl before selling her!” he said, letting out a tittering laugh.
“How dare you!”
Lin Ningshan clenched her teeth. She drew her saber, eyes burning like twin stars, and thrust at them with blinding speed.
“Sacred Guiding Sword! ”
“Swish!” She hurled an eight-meter line of Sword Breath from the edge of her sword that carved a furrow along the ground as it rushed outward.
“Ha ha! The little girl has a pretty face and brilliant sword skills. Oh, I just can’t contain myself!”
Hong Lei used a martial footwork technique to step sideways and dodge Lin Ningshan’s Sword Breath.
Just as Lin Ningshan prepared to unleash the second movement of her sword technique, Hong Lei materialized behind her back and set his dagger against her neck. “Little kid,” he said, giggling into her ears, “you still have a long way to go before you can catch up to me.”
Lin Ningshan, shocked at Hong Lei’s speed, felt a surge of icy air pouring off his dagger. In moments, her neck was practically frozen from cold; she didn’t dare to move an inch.
Her opponent had defeated her in a single move, even though she was a qualified Martial Arts master that had reached the Dawn State of the Black Realm.
These two Black Tiger Hall heretics truly had strong abilities; they couldn’t be underestimated.
“Her skin is as white as snow. Oh, how i want to kiss it!”
Hong Lei leaned in, lips seeking Lin Ningshan’s snow-white neck. Suddenly, his body shivered and he spat out a mouthful of blood. He clutched his chest with both hands and staggered backwards.
Hong Lei turned and saw Lin Chenyu standing 10 steps away. “You…” he said, voice hoarse. “You…!”
“Bang!”
Hong Lei fell to the ground, blood gushing from his body.
Lin Chenyu held up his bloody sword, a blade that had appeared out of nowhere. He turned his frosty gaze towards Hong Lei. “If you’ve got the guts to mess with my sister, clearly you’ve grown tired of life,” he said with a gentle chuckle.
Hong Meng had been keeping an eye on Lin Chenyu from his position on the sidelines. Even so, he hadn’t seen the stroke Lin Chenyu used to take Hong Lei’s life.
“You’re a Warrior of Division Profound?” Hong Meng stared at Lin Chenyu, hands involuntarily trembling at his sides.
Only Warriors of the Division Profound could be so formidable.
Although Hong Meng’s cultivation had reached the Completion of the Black Realm, he knew that a Warrior of Division Profound could kill him in a single move.
“Lin Chenyu, the 974th name on the Profound Board,” Lin Chenyu said, lips curving up into a smile.
After confirming that he was a Warrior of Division Profound, Hong Meng immediately turned and tried to escape.
“So now you want to run away?”
Lin Chenyu’s eyes narrowed, He swung his sword and hurled forth an arc of Sword Breath.
“Sacred Wave Sword!”
Lin Chenyu also used a Sacred Sword Skill technique, but since his mastery of sword techniques was far above Lin Ningshan’s, his Sword Breath flew dozens of meters.
“SHUNK!”
Hong Meng’s head flew free from his body and landed on the ground like a ball.
Ruby blood spilled onto the earth.
Lin Chenyu sheathed his sword. “Ningshan,” he said. “Take both their heads back to the Yuntai Suzerain. I should be able to exchange them for two third-class pills.”
Now that the Yuntai Suzerain had joined this war, disciples of the Yuntai Suzerain would naturally receive rewards for killing Black Market warriors.
“Awoo!”
A deafening roar echoed down the street from a distance, stirring up a hurricane.
Sand and stones suddenly flew through the air, spiraling up into the sky like falling leaves.
Lin Chenyu searched for the source of the sound. All he could see was a golden-spotted giant tiger wandering around near the far end of the street.
Every step the giant golden-spotted tiger took made the ground tremble.
A man with wild, rumpled hair and a full beard rode on the giant tiger’s back.
He carried a broad, giant silver axe nearly a meter long on his back. Dozens of grim looking warriors followed behind him and surrounded Lin Chenyu and Lin Ningshan.
“Do you think you can just walk away after killing a member of Black Tiger Hall?” the man asked, looking down on Lin Chenyu from his tiger steed. He gave off an aura of power and vigor.
Lin Ningshan’s face turned pale. She retreated six steps and hid behind Lin Chenyu out of fear for this man.
“Who are you?” Lin Chenyu asked, his countenance turning grave.
“Nie Zhenghan of the Black Tiger Hall.”
The man with the giant silver axe over his shoulder shifted his gaze towards Lin Ningshan. “I know you’re students from the Yuntai Suzerain, not the Martial Market School,” he said. “However, you owe the Black Tiger Hall a wergild for killing Hong Lei and Hong Meng. That girl will be our blood price. Come, men; let’s take her back with us to Earth Blaze City!”
“I’d like to see you try it!”
Lin Chenyu leapt into the air. Large amounts of Genuine Qi surged from his body through the sword he held in his hands, activating the inscriptions along the blade.
“BOOM!”
Rays of light spilled from the tip of the sword as it pulled in the surrounding Spiritual Qi.
Nie Zhenghan sneered, drew the silver war axe from his back and jumped off the back of his giant golden-spotted tiger, soaring more than 10 meters into the air. As he descended, he swung his ax towards Lin Chenyu with blinding speed.
“Sacred Plenilune Sword!”
Lin Chenyu mustered all his Genuine Qi as he swung his sword.
“CRACK!”
Lin Chenyu’s sword was sundered by the giant silver axe. The giant axe traced a silver line in the air, cleaved through Lin Chenyu’s body, and severed his right arm.
“AHHH…!”
Lin Chenyu shrieked and put pressure on the bleeding stump of his arm. He fell to the ground, rolling back and forth in the pool of his own blood.
“Pah!”
Nie Zhenghan spat on the ground and shouldered his silver war axe. “Since you’re a disciple of the Yuntai Suzerain,” he said with disdain, “I’ll let you live this time!”
Nie Zhenghan then turned to look at Lin Ningshan, lifting her chin up with his finger to better drink in her beautiful face. “You’re certainly a pretty woman,” he said with a smile. “We’ll bring you back to be the Hall Owner’s concubine.”
Lin Ningshan was in shock, her mind a complete blank. She couldn’t believe what just happened: how could a powerful warrior like her brother get his arm chopped off by a single swing of an axe?
Looking behind Nie Zhenghan, Lin Ningshan was scared to death.
“You…you should let me go…I’m the Seventh Prince’s fiancé…” Lin Ningshan swung her sword, forcing back the two evil warriors trying to seize her.
“Forget about the Seventh Prince. After tonight, you’ll become the Hall Owner’s woman,” one of the warriors said with a chuckle.
“Ha Ha! Perhaps she’ll be shared among the brothers of Black Tiger Hall!” Another warrior said, prowling towards Lin Ningshan.
“Don’t waste any time,” Nie Zhenghan said, sounding a little annoyed. “Tie her up and send her to Earth Blaze City.”
Two warriors who had cultivated to the Final State of the Black Realm simultaneously attacked Lin Ningshan. They quickly took her down, bound her in metal chains, and strapped her to the giant, golden-spotted tiger’s back.
Lin Ningshan had always been a very arrogant individual who never suffered such setbacks. If she was to be taken to Earth Blaze City, she would undoubtedly fall into the hands of a den of monsters.
What should she do now?
The heretical warriors all looked on her with smoldering eyes, seeming to strip the clothes from her body with their gaze. Lin Ningshan felt completely helpless and scared. Tears dripped from her eyes.
Just as the marching warriors of Black Tiger Hall reached the entrance of Lingyue Town, they ran into a young man wearing a metal mask.
The youth, leading a Snowflake Eagle behind him, looked to be in his teens. He slowly strode forward and stopped in front of the gathered Black Tiger Hall heretics.
“You’ve got some nerve, Kid, standing in the way of the Black Tiger Hall!” one of the Evil Warriors grunted. “Are you looking for someone to end your life? If you aren’t, beat it!”
Nie Zhenghan shot a glare at the Evil Warrior. The heretic’s mouth snapped shut and stayed shut.
The other Evil Warriors couldn’t tell how powerful the young man was. Nie Zhenghan, however was able to judge the young man’s strength based on the Snowflake Eagle he held––a third-level savage bird.
A third-level savage bird’s combat power was equal to the ability of a warrior from the Earth Realm.
It could also move much faster than an ordinary Earth Realm warrior.
To tame a third-level savage bird and use it as a mount, the youth had to be someone extraordinary.
Nie Zhenghan stared at the young man and gave him a small cupped-fist salute. “I’m Nie Zhenghan of the Black Tiger Hall. What should I call you?” he asked.
Zhang Ruochen looked at Nie Zhenghan, then turned his gaze towards Lin Ningshan, currently tied up on the back of the giant golden-spotted tiger. “Black Tiger Hall?” he said, keeping his expression blank. “The Black Tiger Hall of the Black Market?”
Nie Zhenghan narrowed his eyes. “That’s correct,” he replied.
Zhang Ruochen nodded. “Good,” he said. “I was looking for you guys. If you bring me to Earth Blaze City, I’ll consider sparing your lives.”
Zhang Ruochen never thought he would encounter heretics of the Black Market in such a small town.
Since he had bumped into them, he decided to build some experience and earn merit…by destroying one of the branches of the Black Market.