For a time, countless people in Wu Tan City gazed up at the sky, their low-voiced discussions a mixture of excitement, fear, and curiosity.
As Zhou Changqing and his companion descended, those at the Dou Shi level and above could rely on their keen eyesight to roughly make out their figures. Upon seeing the Dou Qi Wings on their backs, they became absolutely certain.
The arrivals were truly Dou King experts!
And there were two of them!
Everyone who witnessed this couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath of cold air. Such powerful experts were an extremely rare sight, even in the Imperial Capital, the very heart of the empire!
And now, they were fortunate enough to see them right here in Wu Tan City!
More than one, at that!
The news spread like wildfire. Even ordinary people, their curiosity now outweighing their fear, either ran into the streets to watch or peeked from the safety of their windows.
The major powers within the city, especially the Mittel Auction House and the three great clans, were all thrown into a state of alarm. Their upper echelons hastily convened to discuss the situation. The arrival of a Dou King was no small matter in any city; a single misstep could bring a cataclysmic disaster upon their entire clan.
"Why would Dou King experts come to Wu Tan City? Are they just passing through? No, they aren't leaving. They're descending. Their destination is Wu Tan City!"
"I can't imagine what Wu Tan City has that could attract a Dou King."
"Regardless of their purpose, Great Elder, send word for our clansmen to behave themselves. Though the sons of our Xiao Clan are rarely wastrels, there are bound to be one or two rotten apples."
"If I find out anyone has provoked these two, I, the clan head, will flay him alive!"
"Understood. I will see to it at once."
In the main hall of the Xiao Clan, Xiao Zhan and a group of elders gathered, discussing the two arriving Dou Kings. It was not just the Xiao Clan; the Jia Lie Clan, the Ao Ba Clan, and the Mittel Auction House were all doing the same.
The various young masters, who normally spent their days bullying others and stirring up trouble, received orders from their clans and immediately went quiet, like quails in a storm, not daring to step out of line. Likewise, the local tyrants and petty thieves who plagued the city all ceased their usual activities, becoming models of obedience.
But in everyone's heart, the same question burned: what was the purpose of these two Dou King experts?
High above, Zhou Changqing looked down at the city, at the dense crowds of people that looked like ants from this height. He couldn't help but recall the time he had spent here. Three years ago, if a Dou King had descended upon the city, he would have been one of those ants, staring up in awe.
"Time to settle some old debts. Everything else can wait."
His gaze swept across the city, finally settling on a luxurious mansion in the western district. With a flicker, the lightning on his Dou Qi Wings flashed, and he vanished, leaving only a shimmering afterimage.
Medusa disappeared as well, leaving behind a streak of brilliant crimson.
In the western district of the city, inside a certain opulent courtyard, a bald middle-aged man was speaking with several other men.
"Have you all heard me clearly?! At a critical juncture like this, you will all keep a close watch! If anyone dares to cause trouble for me, I'll have their entire family wiped out!"
"Rest assured, Boss. None of us would joke with our own lives."
"It's best you don't. Now get out and make the arrangements," Qie Erluo said, waving his hand at his bowing and scraping subordinates.
At the same time, a knot of fear tightened in his heart.
"Dammit, I've never even seen a Dou King in my entire life, and today two show up at once. I hope nothing goes wrong."
The thought of the consequences of offending such an expert made Qie Erluo shudder involuntarily. His gaze drifted, and the simmering irritation in his heart erupted into fury. "What the hell are you all standing there for? Didn't you hear what I said?!"
He had noticed that his managers, who were supposed to be leaving, were all frozen in place, staring blankly. The sight made the already on-edge Qie Erluo even more furious. He felt like killing the lot of them!
Two years ago, it was because of this bunch of useless oafs that they had failed to capture that little bastard. Not only had they missed out on the forging technique for the treasure weapon, but his own beloved son had died a miserable death! If not for the fact that he had many sons, he might never have recovered from such a devastating blow.
"Bo-boss, he… he…" one of the managers stammered, his finger trembling as he pointed to the sky above the hall. His voice was broken, filled with an extreme terror, as if he had seen something horrifying.
"He what, you damn good-for-noth—!"
Though he was cursing, a terrible premonition bloomed in his heart. Qie Erluo looked up, following the manager's pointed finger. The moment he saw what it was, his scowling face froze, and the curse died on his lips.
Qie Erluo's rather portly body began to tremble uncontrollably.
"You… you… you…"
There, hanging in the sky above his mansion, were two figures. On each of their backs was a pair of wings, each a different color! This was a telltale sign that Qie Erluo couldn't possibly mistake.
If it were just that, he wouldn't have reacted this way. At most, he would have been afraid, then groveled and done everything in his power to please them. Dou Kings weren't bloodthirsty maniacs; they wouldn't just slaughter him without cause or provocation, would they?
What truly made Qie Erluo's pupils constrict in horror was the face of one of the two figures!
Though he had never met the man in person, he had seen that face countless times in portraits!
That little bastard!
Zhou Changqing!
"Heh, what's the matter? Don't you recognize me? I, for one, have remembered you all this time," Zhou Changqing said with a pleasant smile, looking at the bald middle-aged man before him. He was dressed in white robes, his long hair tied up with a crown, his features impossibly handsome.
Though his smile was as gentle as a spring breeze, making him seem warm and approachable, Qie Erluo felt a bone-deep chill, and cold sweat streamed down his back. Large beads of sweat formed on his forehead, rolling down his temples and jaw with each frantic beat of his heart, dripping onto the floor below.
The sight of the Dou Qi Wings on the young man's back dealt a crushing blow to his psyche.
"I…"
How could this be possible!
It had only been two years!
The little bastard who was just a Dou Shi, someone he could have crushed at will, was now capable of manifesting Dou Qi Wings! That was a power reserved for experts at the Dou King level and above!
Despite having been a major player in Wu Tan City for years, a powerful arms magnate with considerable status, the scene before him completely overturned everything he knew. The foundations of his world crumbled.
Seeing the man practically driven mad with shock at just the sight of him, Zhou Changqing's smile remained. "It seems you still remember me, old bastard. I wonder if you also remember the time you tried to have me killed."
"Tsk, you and those other clans really put me in a sorry state back then. You never imagined I'd be back to find you so soon, did you?"
"Have you decided how you want to die? I'm getting a little impatient to send you down to see that dear son of yours."
As he spoke, Zhou Changqing bared his white teeth in a wide, brilliant grin. At the same time, a terrifying pressure of Dou Qi erupted from his body, crashing down on everyone present