The middle-aged man moved like a phantom. His eyes instantly turned crimson, shot through with blood, and Xu Yao froze in place. Her heart stopped for a beat, as if she were being stared down by an Evil Ghost.
"Stop!"
At the same time, a sharp cry came from the guest seats behind. A handsome, middle-aged man in a suit shot to his feet, shielding Xu Yao in two short steps.
If Xu Guanren could win people over and recruit masters like Wang Wei, then so could Xu Yao.
This man, Xiao Taoming, was Xu Yao's trusted confidant. He was the one who protected her whenever she traveled, whether on trips or for overseas business.
Facing the charging man, Xiao Taoming stomped a foot on the ground. His hands formed into claws as he lunged for the other man's throat.
ROAR!!
The sudden burst of power sent a shockwave through the air, creating a boom like the roar of a ferocious tiger.
Tiger Form Fist—Fierce Tiger Pounces!
Power erupted from his entire body, concentrating in his five fingers, enough to rip a man's windpipe out.
But in the next instant.
The charging man met his attack with a claw of his own. His technique, however, was bizarre; the veins on his hand bulged, turning a blackish-purple.
This was no beast's claw, but a ghost's claw!
Their auras locked. As Xiao Taoming met his opponent's gaze, his pupils contracted violently.
In that moment, he felt as if Fierce Ghosts were wailing in his ears. He saw visions of people struggling in pools of blood. The intense Evil Qi and condensed resentment shook him to his core.
A classic martial text states: Majestic Spirit Capturing Soul; the will of a mere man can startle ghosts and gods.
A Fist Technique has its Great Trend, and Fist Intent can shatter the Soul!
In that instant of mental shock, the ghost claw seized Xiao Taoming's arm and twisted it viciously.
CRACK!!
The sickening sound of bone and sinew being dislocated filled the air. A wave of intense pain jolted Xiao Taoming, shattering his stance. He stumbled backward, crashing into Xu Yao behind him.
"Come back."
The man was about to press his attack, but at a single, calm word from Mr. Ruan, he stopped dead in his tracks as if under a spell and retreated to the younger man's side.
"Unorthodox Martial Arts Dao!"
Xiao Taoming clutched his twisted and dislocated arm, sweat pouring from his brow, and growled as he stared fixedly at the man.
The Martial Arts Dao itself isn't divided into righteous and evil, but its training methods are divided into orthodox and unorthodox paths.
The orthodox path works from the outside in, conditioning body and mind to cultivate the Great Trend of a Fist Technique. It is balanced and peaceful, progressing step by steady step.
The Unorthodox Martial Arts Dao, however, relies on shortcuts.
For example, someone might train in a cemetery for years to stimulate their mind. Their techniques would then become infused with a gloomy air and brimming with killing intent.
This path leads to faster progress, but the side effects are severe. Its practitioners are prone to mental instability, paranoia, and extremism.
There is no shortage of such unorthodox Evil Techniques in Nanyang.
With this man's strength, his Fist Intent was like a possessing Evil Ghost, instantly shocking the soul. A master of Tonghui Internalization would be no match for him.
"Old Xiao! How are you?!"
Xu Yao rushed to kneel and check on Xiao Taoming. She then looked up at Mr. Ruan and Xu Guanren, shouting, "What in the world do you think you're doing?!"
'She hadn't expected them to act so brazenly. It was utterly lawless! This wasn't their turf in Nanyang!'
"My subordinate can be heavy-handed. I hope you'll forgive him, Ms. Xu. I was merely trying to persuade you to stay. There is an old saying in Donghua: he who understands the times is a great man. By the way, to ensure everyone's safety, my men have temporarily taken over security in the vicinity of the conference room. This matter must be resolved today."
Mr. Ruan still wore a gentle smile and seemed perfectly amicable, but his words were chilling.
The other members of the Xu Family stared at the floor, feigning ignorance. This man was clearly someone not to be trifled with, and no one dared to stick their neck out.
The color drained from Xu Yao's face, and her heart sank.
'This time, they came prepared. It was a classic carrot-and-stick approach, and she had nowhere to run.'
'With Xu Guanren and the senior executives allied against her, and a force from Nanyang pulling the strings, it seemed she truly had no choice.'
BANG!!
Just then, a tremendous bang echoed through the room. The sudden noise startled the Xu Family members, nearly making them jump out of their seats. All eyes shot toward the conference room entrance.
The locked doors blew open with the bang. A tall figure strode into the conference room. He was carrying two suited security guards, one in each hand, as if they were nothing more than chicks. As he entered, he casually tossed them to the floor.
"Beidou?"
Xu Yao stared, stunned, at the figure who had just burst into the room. A few of the Xu Family executives who recognized Yi Beidou also looked shocked.
Yi Beidou's gaze swept across the room, immediately landing on Mr. Ruan and the brawny man standing behind him.
His keen intuition told him that there was something different about those two—an aura that set them apart from ordinary people.
Mr. Ruan, on the other hand, felt Yi Beidou's glance like a needle prick. His relaxed posture instantly tensed. Seeing that the men he'd posted outside had been taken out, he knew at once that this newcomer meant trouble.
"Ba Xiong."
Mr. Ruan said softly.
SWOOSH!!
The next instant, the man beside him—Ba Xiong—shot toward Yi Beidou like an arrow loosed from a bow. His eyes instantly became bloodshot, his aura surged, and he activated his soul-capturing technique.
Yi Beidou immediately felt a wave of intense Fierce Evil Qi wash over him.
Within this Fierce Evil Qi, he saw visions of struggling people. They were being tortured, their endless howls and curses filling the air as their flesh was carved away, inch by inch. And in this blood-soaked environment of pain, hatred, and screams, a man whose body was covered in crimson patterns was practicing his techniques.
This was the Unorthodox Martial Arts Dao that Ba Xiong cultivated.
Evil Ghost King Talisman!
It involved using living people for training. He would torture them with cruel methods to provoke their pain and hatred, using the process to hone his own mind beyond human limits. His every action was like that of an evil spirit, his Evil Qi surging to the heavens. Ultimately, he sought to embody a Ghost King and thus gain transcendent power.
"Be careful!!"
Xu Yao couldn't help but cry out in alarm.
But in the next instant, Yi Beidou's expression transformed. The calm vanished from his eyes, replaced by a terrifying killing intent.
BOOM!!
Ba Xiong reached Yi Beidou, but the Evil Qi in his own eyes had already given way to terror.
He had practiced a heretical art, transforming himself into an Evil Ghost, but standing before him was a true demon.
That pure, unadulterated killing intent instantly stunned his spirit, sending an uncontrollable shiver of fear through him.
Celestial Demon Fury, setting the world ablaze.
"Using living people for training… you deserve to die!"
Yi Beidou's voice boomed in Ba Xiong's ears, like a heavenly decree of punishment, like Yama himself pronouncing judgment.
A palm descended, seeming to carry the weight of the heavens.
ROAR!!
Ba Xiong's eyes bulged, blood-red. At this life-or-death moment, he let out a great roar and raised both arms to block.
CRACK!!
The horrifying sound of splintering bone erupted from his blocking arms as they snapped instantly. The descending palm, its path now clear, slammed down onto the crown of his head.
THUD!!
A muffled thud echoed out. The immense force had driven Ba Xiong's entire skull down into his chest cavity. Only the very top of his head remained faintly visible.