Chapter 495: Infamy Spreads (2)
The Mad Dog's Victory
Golden Serpent could no longer be classified as human. Beyond the external changes, his muscles and bones were transforming into those of a snake. His limbs were incredibly flexible, allowing him to perform movements unimaginable to an ordinary person.
"The Five Sacred Peaks Sect really found a freak!"
Luke sneered and said,
"Don't hold back. Fight him however you want."
"Got it, Big Brother."
Jiu excitedly opened his mouth. He pressed his hands to the ground, bent his knees forward, and moved across the plaza like a beast. His movements were strange, but his speed was frighteningly fast.
The high-ranking members of the Five Sacred Peaks Sect, seeing this mode of movement for the first time, couldn't help but frown.
"What kind of boxing technique is this?"
Humans aren't animals. Why would he crawl on the ground?
One was a Yellow-Spotted Cobra, and the other was a Humanoid Cheetah. This unprecedented spectacle caused the surrounding disciples to hold their breath, their expressions grave.
Jiu had grown up in the mountains and had rich hunting experience. He clearly knew the weaknesses of poisonous snakes and how to deal with them.
He moved quickly on all fours, circling Golden Serpent, his eyes fixed unmoving on the exposed fangs.
Golden Serpent also sensed the opponent's power and dared not attack rashly.
The two circled each other. Unknowingly, three minutes passed. Suddenly, Jiu roared and lunged forward ferociously. Mid-run, he scooped up a rock and hurled it forward with force.
Empowered by the immense strength, the small stone flew like a cannonball, letting out a sharp, cutting sound as it pierced the air.
Golden Serpent quickly dodged backward. Just then, another rushing sound was heard near his ear. A fist-sized stone slammed heavily into his right leg, causing him to stagger painfully.
Jiu stomped the ground, accelerating again. A black shadow darted across the platform, knocking Golden Serpent to the ground.
The two wrestled and twisted wildly on the ground.
Golden Serpent hissed. His limbs wrapped around Jiu's body like whips. Toxic venom dripped from his fangs, and he was about to bite, but Jiu grabbed his head and yanked backward.
The neck stretched, and the throat bones made a crunching sound.
An ordinary person would have died instantly, but only a freak like Golden Serpent could endure such an attack.
His head bent further and further back, nearly touching his back.
Jiu roared, and to the horrified gaze of the crowd, he took a bite out of the opponent's throat.
Pfft!
Blood spurted out. Golden Serpent's pupils contracted. His limbs flailed, wildly whipping Jiu's body, but the latter didn't move. After biting off a piece of flesh, he spat it aside and bit again.
After four consecutive bites, Golden Serpent stopped struggling.
Jiu toyed with his head. After ensuring there was no breath left, he stood up, faced Luke and Linda, and flashed his simple, goofy smile. He was completely unaware of how terrifying he looked with his mouth smeared in blood.
The air was frighteningly quiet.
Even Luke and Linda couldn't hide their astonishment.
This kid really was something...
Luke shook his head, speechless, and stood up.
"Sect Leader Yue, from today on, the name of the Five Sacred Peaks Sect is no more in the Chinese ancient martial arts world."
Having said that, he turned to walk out. Jiu followed, hoisting the name plaque onto his shoulder. After a few steps, Luke stopped and said to the crestfallen crowd,
"One more thing. The day after tomorrow, we will be challenging the... what's-it-called Sect in the neighboring province. Do me the favor of passing the word along."
After the three left, Yue Buqun could no longer bear it and collapsed in a faint on the ground.
The Rising Chaos
The events of the day spread through the ancient martial arts world with unimaginable speed. In barely half a day, nearly all sects knew the names of Luke and Jiu.
Their actions were like a meteorite, shattering the decades of peace maintained by the ancient martial arts world.
A storm was brewing, and the Five Sacred Peaks Sect was merely the starting point.
Over the next ten days, the trio traversed the central provinces. Wherever they went, there was widespread wailing and sorrow. The name plaques of four provinces and nine major sects all ended up in Luke's hands. Jiu, through his series of practical battles, earned the infamous title of the "Mad Beast".
After dealing with the central provinces, Luke set his sights on the South.
Now, the entire martial arts community was in chaos. Major powers scrambled for information. Some even secretly contacted Luke, hoping to use money to resolve the incident.
Luke remained unmoved. He bought a truck, loaded it up with the name plaques of the various sects, and headed south in an imposing procession.
...
"What is that kid trying to do?"
Inside an office building in Hubei Province, Qi Jianqiu yelled in frustration.
"A respectable billionaire and super-genius is wasting his time on such pointless things!"
"Doesn't he know how many people he'll offend if he keeps this up?"
Dai Yunkai was silent.
"Perhaps, that's the very effect he wants."
"What do you mean?"
"He's doing it on purpose. Challenging sect after sect, destroying one ancestral hall after another with almost brute force. He's establishing his authority. If I'm not mistaken, the sects in the South won't escape either. The entire ancient martial arts world will be ravaged by that boy named Jiu."
"He's insane."
"Who knows."
Dai Yunkai lit a cigarette. "The attitude of the higher-ups is ambiguous. On the surface, they're sitting back and watching, but if you think deeper, it may just be helplessness."
"It can't be that bad."
Dai Yunkai smiled bitterly. "Can't you see? Luke Shaw acts arrogantly, but he strictly adheres to the rules. That Zhang Jiu is using the pretext of restoring the glory of his sect to challenge halls. Both morally and legally, it stands firm. Zhang Jiu is a native of Qinghai Province, not an outsider. Even if Luke Shaw is standing behind him, you can't say anything, because the one doing the fighting is Zhang Jiu, not the latter."
"That's the rule. It's a rule established by the ancient martial arts world itself. Since Luke Shaw is operating within the rules, the higher-ups have no reason to intervene. And what about the powered armor..." He paused, then said gravely,
"I strongly suspect that the second compensation proposal was bait thrown out by Luke Shaw. He's using that bait to keep everyone interested, leaving us in a dilemma. At times, we even have to clean up his mess."
Qi Jianqiu frowned. "You mean this is all part of his plan?"
"What else?"
Dai Yunkai exhaled a puff of smoke. "Based on Luke Shaw's past, do you think he cares about the lives of two hundred-plus villagers? No, he doesn't care at all."
"He doesn't care, yet he put forward two incredibly tempting compensation proposals. What do you think that's for?"
Qi Jianqiu felt a chill shoot to the top of his head and sank onto the sofa.
"It's terrifying, isn't it?"
Dai Yunkai took a long drag from his cigarette and flicked the butt into the trash can.
"All of his actions seem scattered and chaotic, but a careful thought reveals a hidden connection. He is weaving a giant net, and by the time you realize it, you're already deeply entangled."
Qi Jianqiu couldn't help but roar, "We can't just watch him act recklessly! This is China, not the United States!"
Dai Yunkai gave a self-deprecating laugh.
"Analyzing the current situation, there are only two ways to stop him: First, defeat that boy, Zhang Jiu. If possible, kill him. Second, find out Luke Shaw's ultimate goal and counter-plan based on that. Since he set up such a massive plan, he must be after something."
"Jianqiu, what do you think he wants?"
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