Before Lou Feng could react, the man suddenly raised his uninjured hand.
Puff!
A cloud of fine white powder exploded directly into Lou Feng's face.
"Hahaha!"
Despite clutching his broken forearm, the man's face twisted into a sinister grin.
"Did you really think I'd come alone without any preparation?"
He staggered backwards while laughing loudly.
"That powder is a fast-acting poison specially refined to deal with external practitioners. The stronger your physique, the faster your Qi-Blood circulation, and the faster the poison spreads."
Lou Feng's expression immediately changed.
A strange numbness spread from his nose and mouth before rapidly flowing throughout his body.
At the same time, the Spiritual Qi within his meridians instinctively began circulating on its own.
The Qi Eating Method operated at full speed, continuously suppressing the invading poison.
His heart sank.
It wasn't enough.
The poison could be suppressed...
But not completely removed.
Sooner or later, its effects would begin showing.
Without another moment of hesitation, Lou Feng stepped forward.
Bang!
His leg whipped through the air like a steel rod before crashing directly into the man's face.
The tremendous force embedded the man's head into the nearby wall with a sickening crunch before his laughter abruptly ceased.
Lou Feng didn't bother confirming whether the man was dead.
He immediately turned and sprinted away.
Just as he expected...
Multiple footsteps echoed from the darkness behind him.
"They really came prepared..."
His breathing gradually became heavier.
"Master was right..."
"I've become complacent."
Ever since defeating Meng Yun, he had subconsciously begun believing that ordinary acquired martial artists posed little threat to him.
Today's ambush had thoroughly awakened him.
Strength alone wasn't enough.
A battle should end the moment an opportunity appeared.
Every second an enemy remained alive created another chance for unexpected variables.
The poison continued spreading.
With every step, Lou Feng felt his vision becoming slightly blurrier.
Fortunately, the Hundred Refinement Body Forging Method had tempered his body far beyond that of ordinary external practitioners.
His muscles still obeyed his commands.
Behind him, the pursuing figures couldn't help feeling astonished.
"How is he still running?"
"That poison should've dropped him already!"
"Don't let him escape!"
The group chased relentlessly.
Lou Feng ignored every shout.
He continued sprinting with everything he had.
Soon, the familiar streets of the Eastern District entered his sight.
The moment he crossed into its boundaries...
The footsteps behind him abruptly slowed.
Then stopped completely.
Lou Feng didn't even need to look back.
The Wind Tiger Gang.
No matter how arrogant they were, they still didn't dare openly create chaos within the Eastern District.
Not yet.
Only after confirming the pursuit had ended did Lou Feng force himself towards the courtyard.
He pushed open the wooden gate.
Bang.
His body immediately collapsed onto the stone path.
"Feng'er!"
Aunt Wang's frightened cry echoed throughout the courtyard.
She hurried over together with Uncle Wang.
Seeing Lou Feng's pale face and weakened breathing, both of them turned deathly pale.
"Hurry!"
"Help him inside!"
The servants immediately rushed over.
Several carefully carried Lou Feng into his room while another servant hurried deeper into the residence.
She didn't need to knock.
Because Lin Sheng had already sensed everything.
By the time the servant arrived outside his room, Lin Sheng had already walked out calmly.
He entered Lou Feng's room without the slightest trace of panic.
Looking at the black veins gradually spreading across Lou Feng's neck, Lin Sheng immediately recognised the poison.
Without saying a word, he took out a jade bottle.
A medicinal pill was placed directly into Lou Feng's mouth.
The pill dissolved almost instantly.
Warm medicinal energy rapidly spread throughout Lou Feng's body.
"The poison attacks your Qi-Blood first," Lin Sheng said calmly.
"It attempts to suppress its circulation before gradually affecting the body's movement."
"The pill won't completely neutralise it immediately."
"But it'll be enough."
Several minutes later...
The black veins gradually faded.
Lou Feng's breathing slowly stabilised.
Colour returned to his face.
Opening his eyes, the first thing he saw was Lin Sheng standing quietly beside him.
Shame immediately filled his expression.
"Master..."
"I..."
He lowered his head before recounting everything that had happened, from discovering the spy to being ambushed by the hidden poison.
When he finally finished...
The room fell silent.
Lin Sheng simply looked at him.
Lou Feng felt increasingly uneasy.
He assumed his master must be disappointed.
After several breaths, Lin Sheng finally spoke.
"Have you learned anything?"
Lou Feng raised his head in surprise.
He thought carefully before answering.
"Yes."
"I underestimated my enemy."
"I believed strength alone was enough."
"I also allowed the fight to drag on instead of ending it immediately."
"I won't make the same mistake again."
Lin Sheng gave a slight nod.
"Good."
"That's all that matters."
He turned around and walked towards the door.
"A cultivator who never suffers defeat learns very little."
"But someone who survives a mistake..."
"...rarely repeats it."
Those words quietly echoed through the room.
Lou Feng looked at his master's departing figure before silently clenching his fists.
This lesson...
He would remember for the rest of his life.
-‐--- --
Bang!
A deafening crash echoed throughout the room as Meng Jin slammed his palm onto the wooden table. The sturdy hardwood instantly splintered apart, sending broken pieces flying in every direction.
His face was as dark as water.
"You failed!"
The several gang members standing before him immediately lowered their heads, not daring to meet his gaze.
They had succeeded in poisoning Lou Feng.
Yet...
They had still allowed him to escape.
Meng Jin slowly sat back down, though the rage in his eyes had not diminished in the slightest.
After several moments of silence, his voice became unusually calm.
"Tell me."
"Why did you fail?"
One of the goons swallowed nervously before stepping forward.
"Steward Meng... the poison worked."
"We saw it with our own eyes."
"He began slowing down."
"But..."
"He suddenly sprinted toward the Eastern District."
"The poison didn't act quickly enough."
"By the time we caught up, he had already crossed into the district."
Meng Jin's expression grew even colder.
The Eastern District.
Unlike the lawless Western District, that area housed wealthy merchants, influential families and retired martial artists. Openly leading Wind Tiger Gang members there to kill someone would immediately attract the attention of the Yamen.
Even the gang couldn't ignore those consequences.
After a long silence, Meng Jin waved his hand impatiently.
"Get out."
The frightened men immediately fled the room.
The moment the door closed...
An eerie laugh echoed from outside.
"Jie... jie... jie..."
The laughter was unpleasant enough to make one's skin crawl.
The door slowly opened.
A young man wearing the same steward robes as Meng Jin leisurely walked inside, his face carrying a brilliant smile.
Meng Jin's eyes narrowed.
"Gu Chen."
"What are you doing here?"
Gu Chen didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he glanced at the shattered remains of the table before smiling even more brightly.
"I merely came to check on my dear rival."
"I heard about your younger brother."
"What an unfortunate accident."
Although his tone sounded sympathetic...
The delight in his eyes couldn't be hidden.
Meng Jin slowly suppressed the urge to draw his weapon.
He knew exactly what Gu Chen wanted.
To provoke him.
To make him lose control.
"I have nothing to discuss with you."
"Leave."
Gu Chen chuckled.
"Very well."
He turned around and slowly walked toward the door.
Just before stepping outside, he casually added,
"Oh..."
"I happened to overhear something."
"It seems the qualification assessment for the final Inspector position is about to begin."
Without waiting for a reply...
He disappeared into the corridor.
The room instantly became silent.
Meng Jin's face gradually darkened.
Inspector...
That single position had become the obsession of every peak Acquired Realm steward within the Wind Tiger Gang.
Not because of authority alone.
Authority could be earned later.
The true reward...
Was the Innate Pill.
Thinking of that name alone caused his breathing to become slightly heavier.
The Innate Pill.
A precious medicinal pill capable of stimulating a martial artist's Innate Spiritual Light, greatly increasing the probability of breaking through to the Innate Realm.
For countless acquired martial artists...
It represented the opportunity to completely change their destiny.
Once one entered the Innate Realm, everything changed.
Status.
Influence.
Salary.
Connections.
An Inspector not only commanded every steward beneath him but also entered the sight of the gang's higher-ups.
Future advancement became infinitely easier.
More importantly...
There was only one vacant Inspector position.
Every peak Acquired Realm steward was desperately fighting over it.
Because everyone understood the consequences.
The winner would become an Innate martial artist.
The losers...
Would remain stewards.
Perhaps forever.
Worse still...
Once someone became an Inspector, settling old grudges would become effortless.
Meng Jin slowly clenched his fists.
"I can't lose."
"If Gu Chen becomes Inspector..."
"...he'll never let me live in peace."
His thoughts quickly shifted toward Lou Feng.
That brat had already embarrassed him once.
If he could eliminate Lou Feng before the assessment...
It would undoubtedly improve his standing in the eyes of the gang's elders.
Not only would he remove a troublesome enemy...
He would also prove his capability.
A cold smile slowly appeared on Meng Jin's face.
"Lou Feng..."
"You've become my stepping stone."
"And this time..."
"...you won't escape."