C8 Subduing Tiger Shocking Ghost Picture

Their gazes locked.

Qin Loong felt as though millennia had slipped by, with cold sweat streaming down his temples.

This seasoned bandit chief, who had roamed the lands far and wide, was reduced to a rabbit caught in the gaze of an eagle in the presence of Yang Xiu. A profound fear churned up from the depths of his heart.

A memory suddenly surfaced for Qin Loong.

When he first entered the world of martial arts, he encountered an elderly man in a dilapidated temple.

The old man's gaze bore a striking resemblance to Yang Xiu's at that moment.

Uncannily similar!

No, Yang Xiu's gaze was far more terrifying than the elder's!

...

"What are you up to, young man? Stay still and put down what you're holding."

As the man with the scar and his underling entered Tang Family Castle, Yang Xiu was picking up an object dropped by a blood-robed youth. It was a scroll, ancient and full of gravitas, with intricate patterns that marked its extraordinary nature.

"Boss, that kid must have a treasure. Let's grab it from him, quick!"

The bandits' eyes glinted with greed, like ravenous wolves.

"Grab what?!"

The scarred man was on the verge of tears, slapping his henchman hard. Qin Loong was not like his clueless followers.

The man before them was no pushover.

He was, unmistakably, a formidable figure capable of wiping out a family without a second thought.

"Young master, we failed to recognize your greatness. Please, spare us."

Then, to the astonishment of his followers, Qin Loong, a towering figure, knelt before Yang Xiu, pleading for mercy.

"On what grounds do you beg for mercy?"

Yang Xiu didn't even look up, his attention fixed on the scroll in his hands, his eyes brimming with curiosity.

If he wasn't mistaken, this was the Subduing Tiger Shocking Ghost Picture the blood-robed youth had spoken of. And what intrigued Yang Xiu was the faint presence within the technique of the Mountain Sea Immortal Cultivation Realm.

"We have such scrolls in our stronghold too."

With a grimace, Qin Loong divulged his greatest secret, prompting his followers to fall to their knees alongside him.

"Oh..."

Yang Xiu's interest was piqued as he fixed his gaze on Qin Loong.

Qin Loong's stronghold was atop a nearby mountain peak.

The mountain, resembling the shape of a chicken's head, was known as Chicken Cry Mountain. Each morning, as the sun ascended, it cast a distinctive aura over the peak.

"That scroll was left by an old Taoist. A few reckless souls tried to cultivate it, and they all met mysterious ends."

As time passed...

The scroll became something no one dared to touch."

Qin Loong volunteered the information without prompting from Yang Xiu.

"I wonder if you would be willing to teach me the ways of cultivation, Senior. If so, I, Qin Loong, am ready to offer all my wealth in exchange."

Qin Loong spoke with a steely resolve.

His words energized his followers, who stood behind him with renewed vigor, their eyes fixed on Yang Xiu.

If he truly intended to accept disciples...

They were all ready to be taken under his wing!

"Let's take a look first."

Yang Xiu's voice was calm and nonchalant, giving off an air of inscrutability that left Qin Loong and the others in awe.

In reality,

Yang Xiu's demeanor had nothing to do with being inscrutable. His body was devoid of Star Power, and he had no intention of wasting energy on idle chatter with Qin Loong and his crew.

Thankfully, he possessed the Whole Heaven Star Map.

As he channeled the cosmos, wisps of Star Power began to regenerate within his meridians. By the time he approached Chicken Cry Mountain,

he had quietly returned to his peak condition!

Three hundred and fifty strands of Star Power!

Following a fierce battle, Yang Xiu's abilities had advanced further, increasing by fifty strands of Star Power.

"How... How did this happen?"

"Who's responsible for this!!!"

Upon reaching Chicken Cry Mountain, the group was greeted by a gruesome sight. Bodies were strewn about, and Qin Loong was instantly enraged. His Chicken Cry Mountain had been decimated.

Qin Loong had originally commanded a group of twenty to thirty bandits.

Now, aside from the few he had taken with him, the rest had been mercilessly killed.

His fury was uncontrollable!

"Who dares to challenge Chicken Cry Mountain? I swear they'll regret it."

"Damn it."

"Show yourself, now!!"

The term "bandits" might not be the most savory, but the individuals it describes are certainly full of vigor. Their eyes were ablaze with blood-red fury as they howled, searching for the culprit behind the village's massacre.

Yang Xiu observed the chaos with a steely gaze, remaining silent.

Out of nowhere, a massive fire erupted from the mountain's rear, surging toward Chicken Cry Village with alarming speed. It was clear that accelerants were at play, as Qin Loong and his companions were forced to beat a hasty retreat before the advancing inferno.

Amidst the chaos, Yang Xiu stood resolute and unflinching.

"These are just a few insignificant ruffians. Their deaths are inconsequential. Why the outrage?" he mused.

"Haha, you're absolutely right, big brother. They had it coming," another chimed in.

"With the gold we've plundered from destroying Chicken Cry Stronghold, we three brothers can live it up for a while," a voice rang out, cutting through the roar of the flames.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The sound of figures cutting through the air drew Qin Loong and the others' attention. They watched as three towering figures effortlessly navigated through the flames, coming to a stop before them.

"It's the Three-essence Sect!"

Recognition dawned on them as they took in the attire of the newcomers, and their faces drained of color.

"You recognize us as members of the Three-essence Sect, so you'd better kneel quickly and beg for mercy," one said.

"If we're feeling generous," another added, "we might just spare your lives."

The trio bore a striking resemblance to one another, a set of triplets with refined features and chilling smiles. It was evident at a glance that they were trouble.

Qin Loong's face contorted with dread as his eyes turned to Yang Xiu.

"What now?" he wondered aloud.

"Wasn't the leader of Chicken Cry Stronghold that man with the scar? When did he get replaced by this fellow?"

"It doesn't matter. Let's just finish him off," the triplets said dismissively, paying no heed to Yang Xiu.

"Where's the scroll?"

"It's... It was all burned in the fire," Qin Loong stammered, but quickly realized the gravity of the situation as the calamity had been redirected their way.

"I had no intention of killing you initially, but you've given me a compelling reason to do so," Yang Xiu declared, each word deliberate and measured.

He had only intended to retrieve the scroll and leave, never anticipating that three deranged individuals would emerge and lay waste to Chicken Cry Stronghold, leaving nothing behind.

Not only did they do that, but they also set the mountain ablaze.

It was utterly unforgivable!

Without killing this fiend, his rage would remain unquenched!

"Haha, what an enormous joke. They think they can kill me."

"Kid, have you ever heard of me? I am Zhao Qing An of the Three-essence Sect, and I never change my name nor my seat."

"I feel like I've seen this kid somewhere before!"

The person on the far left cried out in surprise, and in the next instant, Yang Xiu was upon him, throwing a punch that sent Star Power piercing through the air like a dart, flooding into the man's body.

It wreaked havoc within him!

Puchi!

Blood spurted out, and the man's body resembled a punctured water bag, with blood ceaselessly streaming out.

With a sweeping punch,

He struck the head of the man in the middle, unleashing the force, and the sizable head burst open in an instant.

In the span of a breath, the once insurmountably arrogant trio of brothers was reduced to a sole survivor. Gazing upon Yang Xiu, who appeared as a fearsome deity, Zhao Qing An felt as though he had plummeted into a pit of ice.

"Remember, the man who will end you is Yang Xiu. There will be no peace until death."