Chapter 93: Even in Death, a Romantic
Shi Hao lay under the bed, holding his breath.
He heard the sound of bodies bumping against furniture, something being placed on the table, the table shaking.
The rustling of clothes intensified, accompanied by the woman’s gasps.
Shi Hao focused his mind, using the Sacred Heart Clear Mirror Technique to block out the distracting sounds.
With his Primordial Energy and the Sacred Heart Clear Mirror Technique, he could clearly perceive their every move, while his mind remained calm and clear, like a still pond.
He was too close to Jiao Han. Any fluctuation in his energy flow could betray his presence.
Their clothes were quickly discarded by the bedside, followed by the sounds of… intimacy.
The woman, a “female ghost” meticulously trained by the Ghost Extreme Sect, was clearly skilled in the art of seduction, her ministrations driving Jiao Han to the brink.
Even Shi Hao, “observing” them through his Primordial Energy and the Sacred Heart Clear Mirror Technique, almost lost his composure.
He closed his eyes, the Heroic Deeds Blade pressed against his chest, struggling to maintain his focus.
The bed creaked as Jiao Han, unable to contain himself any longer, lifted the woman and tossed her onto the bed.
The bed creaked again, sinking under their combined weight.
It began to rock rhythmically, their bodies intertwined.
Outside, the night was dark, the lanterns by the door casting faint shadows on the windowpanes.
The candlelight at the top of the stairs flickered.
Shi Hao focused on Jiao Han’s rhythm, channeling his energy into the Heroic Deeds Blade with every thrust.
He would kill the Leopard Gate leader now.
For a seventh-rank martial artist to assassinate a fifth-rank expert was incredibly audacious.
But as Jiao Han himself had said… I doubt they would have survived that.
The two on the bed changed positions, the woman now on her hands and knees, Jiao Han behind her.
With every movement of the bed, Shi Hao adjusted the blade’s position, seeking the perfect angle.
He only had one chance. With Jiao Han’s strength, a missed attack meant certain death.
And even if he struck, if the timing wasn’t perfect, he would still fail.
The two changed positions again, the woman now beneath Jiao Han, her legs wrapped around his waist, her arms around his neck, her cries rising in pitch.
The bed moved faster and faster, her cries growing louder.
Finally, as she reached her peak, her head thrown back, her body arching upwards…
Swish! The blade emerged from her back.
Jiao Han roared, his voice filled with rage.
As a skilled martial artist, he instantly sensed the surge of killing intent, the sudden shift in the woman’s embrace.
But it was the most crucial moment, the peak of passion, his body driven by instinct, hers clinging to him.
The blade, swift and merciless, pierced through the bed, through the woman, and into his chest.
His dying roar was a mixture of disbelief, rage, and the lingering thrill of ecstasy.
Outside, several servants waited, not daring to approach. They had heard the woman’s cries, then their master’s roar.
They exchanged glances, chuckling.
“As expected of Master,” one whispered.
Shi Hao slid out from under the bed, the blade still in his hand.
He looked at the two bodies. The woman’s eyes were wide open, a look of surprise and… pleasure frozen on her face, her limbs limp.
Jiao Han, however, was still alive. He turned his head, looked at Shi Hao, and reached out, “You… you…” Blood gushed from his chest.
Shi Hao’s blade had struck true, piercing his heart. He was only alive because of his internal energy, suppressing the wound.
Shi Hao smiled, “Me? You said it yourself. ‘Even in death, a romantic.’” He swung the saber, decapitating Jiao Han.
With his internal energy no longer suppressing the wound, the blade’s demonic energy erupted within him, his body contorting.
Shi Hao sighed in relief, his own back drenched in cold sweat.
He felt the thrill of the kill, the careful planning, the perfect timing, the swift execution, the escape into the darkness.
It had been a daring gamble. Against an opponent so much stronger than himself, failure meant death.
Yet, he had calculated every move, every moment, seizing the perfect opportunity, his victory assured from the beginning.
It was like the satisfying resolution of a thrilling, suspenseful movie, the release of fear and tension, replaced by a sense of exhilaration.
It was an unforgettable experience.
Ignoring the two corpses on the bed, Shi Hao searched the room, finding a one-hundred-tael silver note and over twenty taels in loose silver on the floor.
He searched the lower floor as well, but he found nothing useful.
The sounds of chaos erupted outside.
Yue Ya’er had arrived with her troops.
He didn’t have time to waste. He slipped out during the commotion.
Daylight had broken, and Dàxīng City was bustling with activity.
The once-vibrant red-light district, however, was quiet, the brothels closed, the courtesans asleep.
The Drunken Spring Breeze was also quiet, its colorful lanterns extinguished, the lavish building seemingly deserted.
Deep within the Leopard Palace, Li Ximing, the Three Extremes Ghost Butcher, and Ghost Howl, the Yin Yang Ghostly Specter, stood beside the bed, their faces grim as they looked at the two corpses.
Jiao Han’s severed head lay on the bed, his eyes wide open in death.
The woman beneath his headless body, her twisted posture still suggestive of her final moments of pleasure.
Li Ximing and Ghost Howl had rushed here after receiving the news outside the city.
Ghost Howl, a small, thin man with wild, disheveled hair, dressed in a grey fur coat, his appearance eccentric, gritted his teeth, “That fool Jiao Han, he didn’t even notice someone hiding under his bed?”
Li Ximing sighed softly, “The assassin must have been incredibly skilled, using some technique to suppress his body heat and mask his presence. Otherwise, even if Jiao Han had been careless, he would have sensed him at such close proximity.”
This wasn’t someone hiding in the rafters; they had been separated only by the bed itself. For Jiao Han, a fifth-rank expert and a gang leader, to not notice someone so close was unbelievable.
What kind of technique could completely mask one’s presence and allow for such precise timing?
Ghost Howl frowned, “Who did this?”
Li Ximing said grimly, “It seems they used the Heroic Deeds Blade stolen from the Yuan Dan Huo family. And that ‘Mad Blade Hero,’ Hao Xinghua, did infiltrate the Leopard Palace last night. Although Jiao Han was certain he had dealt a fatal blow to Hao Xinghua and ordered a search,
“It seems Hao Xinghua wasn’t injured at all. He tricked Jiao Han, hid here, and then ambushed him.”
Ghost Howl’s expression changed, “He’s that daring? He’s only seventh-rank, isn’t he?”
Li Ximing said, “Although he’s only seventh-rank, from what we’ve seen, his background is mysterious. He’s not from the three Evil Lotus factions, but he seems to know their techniques. He even killed two seventh-rank martial artists, earning him the nickname ‘Mad Blade Hero.’”
“He was involved in the God-Sealing Stones incident and is also connected to the Emerald Beauty, but no one knows his true background. We demonic cultivators are known for our secrecy and cunning, but he’s even more mysterious than us.”
Li Ximing’s voice was tinged with regret, “We targeted him because of his connection to Night Lily and the Emerald Beauty. And now, before we even found him, he killed Jiao Han. Alas, perhaps we shouldn’t have provoked him in the first place.”
For him, a fifth-rank demonic expert, to regret provoking a mere seventh-rank martial artist was almost comical.
But he wasn’t laughing.
Ghost Howl also said, troubled, “What do we do now? Besides Jiao Han, although we have other people within the Leopard Gate, for the sake of secrecy, most of them only know him, not the Ghost Extreme Sect. And those who have dealings with the Leopard Gate, the powerful figures Jiao Han cultivated… they all relied on him.”
Li Ximing shook his head, “That’s not the worst part. Jiao Han’s death can’t be hidden. The other gangs will descend upon the Leopard Gate like wolves on a dying animal, fighting over their territory and businesses. Some will want to absorb their resources, others to replace them.
“And we can’t operate openly. If we take over the Leopard Gate directly, we’ll be targeted by the Chongxian Sect. Their main temple in Dàxīng City has at least one of the Eight Immortal Warriors, Lu Jin, the Azure Dragon Immortal Warrior. The Dragon Head Mountain operation is crucial; the future of our Ghost Extreme Sect depends on it.”
“Grandmother Ba is our greatest enemy, our primary target. We can’t afford to provoke the Chongxian Sect now.”
Ghost Howl sighed, “But without the Leopard Gate, we’ll lose our foothold in Dàxīng City. Many of our operations will be affected. What do we do?”
Li Ximing gritted his teeth, “At this point, instead of wasting our resources trying to protect the Leopard Gate from those wolves, risking exposing our presence in Dàxīng City, it’s better to abandon it completely. Recall our people, and eliminate all evidence of our involvement. Cutting off a limb is painful, but it’s better than losing everything trying to save it.”
Ghost Howl said, “But without the Leopard Gate, we’ll be crippled in Dàxīng City.”
Li Ximing said calmly, “No. There’s still someone we can negotiate with.”
Ghost Howl said, “But what about Hao Xinghua? Are we not going to avenge Jiao Han’s death? And what about the Emerald Beauty?”
Li Ximing shook his head, “Jiao Han was a fool. His death is his own fault. Although the Emerald Beauty is important, that Hao Xinghua, despite being only seventh-rank, is too dangerous. Our priority is the Ancestral Altar. We can’t afford to provoke him.”
“And we don’t have to connect Jiao Han’s death to him. We’ll just say he died from some internal energy mishap. Whether they believe it or not is their problem.”
Ghost Howl sighed, “I doubt it will be that simple. Even if we don’t retaliate, he’ll assume we’re after him for killing Jiao Han. Alas… fine, let’s do as you say.”
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