C22 Hidden Dragon Gang

Qiao Gao glanced at the massive crater in the boulder and turned sharply, his voice stern, "Come out, enough with the sneaking around!"

From a jumble of rocks in the distance of the wasteland, three figures emerged.

Leading them was Choo Guang, a burly man in a yellow robe with triangular eyes, followed closely by two skinny and sleazy men.

Choo Guang eyed Qiao Gao with suspicion, thinking to himself, "How does this kid seem to have eyes in the back of his head, almost as if he can predict the future, dodging the monkey's surprise attack?"

The Hidden Dragon Gang was no stranger to highway robbery and murder, executing their plans with seamless precision.

Yet this time, they had failed?

Was it merely an accident or a strange twist of fate?

But as Choo Guang's gaze fixed on Qiao Gao, any flicker of doubt vanished without a trace.

Qiao Gao was slender, especially in comparison to him, and most crucially, Choo Guang detected no trace of elemental energy fluctuations.

Even a master at the Soul Connecting Stage would emit a detectable level of energy, which meant that if Qiao Gao were such a master, he couldn't possibly conceal it from Choo Guang's discerning eye.

Since he wasn't a Soul Connecting Stage expert, there was nothing to be concerned about.

A cruel smile crept across Choo Guang's face as he led his henchmen with swagger towards Qiao Gao.

"Kid, you've crossed someone you shouldn't have," Choo Guang bellowed, his voice booming with potent elemental energy that would have terrified any ordinary Three-vein Connection martial artist.

Qiao Gao's eyes narrowed, his smile tinged with a cryptic depth. "Oh? Are you referring to Zhou Qing from the black market cultivation room's front desk?"

Choo Guang's glare intensified, a flicker of astonishment crossing his rugged features. He had planned to intimidate the big fish before slaughtering him, which would have made things much simpler.

Typically, young scions from wealthy families with a bit of pocket change were pushovers, easily frightened into submission.

Choo Guang hadn't anticipated Qiao Gao's unflappable demeanor.

"This kid seems more complicated than he looks," Choo Guang mused internally. Despite being somewhat taken aback by Qiao Gao's performance, he didn't really consider him a threat.

Judging by the Yuan Power emanating from this youngster, his strength is definitely below the level of the five meridians. I'm curious to see what kind of stir he can cause," Choo Guang reflected silently.

"If you're aware that you've offended someone, then make amends," Choo Guang said, extending his hand. "Zhou Qing is under the protection of my Hidden Dragon Gang. To offend her is to offend the entire gang!"

"Hidden Dragon Gang?" Qiao Gao repeated to himself. He was familiar with the name; it was a notorious group from a small town near Great Flame City, infamous for their unscrupulous deeds, including murder and robbery.

"You have the audacity to cross the Hidden Dragon Gang? Compensate with ten thousand crystals, and sever one of your arms!" Choo Guang declared coldly, his voice leaving no room for doubt.

"Fine, ten thousand crystals and one arm it is!" Qiao Gao replied with a hearty laugh.

"Oh? You're sensible, after all," Choo Guang's eyes gleamed with a predatory light. "This scion of a great family is truly spineless. A little intimidation, a mention of the Hidden Dragon Gang, and they crumble in fear. The gang's 'illustrious achievements' over the years have certainly made an impact – they're enough to strike terror into anyone's heart!"

Qiao Gao shook his head, still smiling. "Actually, it's you who will give me ten thousand crystals and sever an arm to spare yourselves!"

The wasteland fell into an eerie silence, punctuated only by the chilling whistle of the wind.

"What did you just say?" Choo Guang was flabbergasted, thinking he had misheard. His triangular eyes glinted with malice, fixating on Qiao Gao as if ready to shred him to pieces at the slightest provocation.

Narrowing his eyes, Qiao Gao repeated with an unwavering smile, "You heard me. Hand over ten thousand crystals and cut off one of your arms. That's your ticket to survival."

"Boss, this kid's messing with us!" Monkey exclaimed in fury.

"Take him out!"

Choo Guang's smile was laced with cruelty. It had been years since anyone had the nerve to defy him. With a swift gesture, he signaled his henchmen, who immediately lunged at Qiao Gao.