The cruise dinner scene fell into deathly silence once more.
It felt as if someone had cast a spell, severing all sound!
Under the lights, everyone except Qin Xiaozhi and Su Shiyun, who were privy to Jiang Wuming’s plan, stood like statues. Frozen, their eyes wide, they tracked Yuan Qing’s body with their gaze.
What had happened?
At that moment, Yuan Hao, who had just been vociferously demanding Yuan Qing kill Jiang Wuming, and the wealthy businessmen of the Jiangnan commercial circles, shared a common question.
They hadn't seen Jiang Wuming make his move. All they witnessed was Yuan Qing’s body suddenly flying backward.
It was as if it were a magic trick!
Unlike them, Ren Yun and Yuan Qing himself had seen Jiang Wuming strike.
The former was stunned, as if he had seen a ghost, the very instant Jiang Wuming moved!
Although he was the deputy director of the Martial Department’s Jinling office, unlike Chen Yong, the director of the Sujiang office, he was unaware of Jiang Wuming’s true identity. Like the Yuan brothers, he had taken Jiang Wuming for an ordinary person.
How could he not be shocked when an ordinary person, whom he considered utterly incapable of fighting, suddenly slapped Yuan Qing away?
It was like a beggar on the street suddenly transforming into an emperor; the contrast was too stark!
Yuan Qing himself had naturally seen Jiang Wuming’s move.
In that instant, he too was stunned, even thinking he was hallucinating. He simply stood there, like a wooden post, and was slapped away by Jiang Wuming!
Of course, this was because Jiang Wuming had deliberately suppressed his strength. Otherwise, not only would Yuan Qing have been unable to stand before Jiang Wuming, but even if he were ten meters away, he wouldn’t have been able to evade Jiang Wuming’s attack—within ten meters, a War God’s strike was unavoidable!
And now, Yuan Qing had been jolted awake by Jiang Wuming’s slap!
Even though he had, through battle instinct, used his internal energy to defend the moment Jiang Wuming’s palm connected, the zygomatic bone on his left cheek had shattered. The once stark white bone was now stained red with blood, appearing extremely grotesque and terrifying.
Although Yuan Qing found it hard to believe that the twenty-year-old Jiang Wuming possessed a combat power above an eight-star martial artist, the pain in his face told him it was all true!
Otherwise, even if he had experienced a momentary lapse, he would have been able to dodge Jiang Wuming’s attack, and Jiang Wuming would not have been able to injure him!
However—
Even though Yuan Qing believed this fact, which he found absurd, he still stared at Jiang Wuming with a blank expression, as if asking: Why did he not exude any aura of a martial artist?
“Bang!”
Before Yuan Qing could figure anything out, his body slammed hard against the wall and he collapsed onto the ground.
The dull thud of impact startled everyone present. They all turned their gaze towards the inconspicuous young man who had been standing by the ship’s railing earlier.
“He slapped Yuan Qing away?”
Looking at Jiang Wuming’s calm face, a preposterous thought surged through the minds of the Jiangnan business magnates.
“Brother, what’s going on?”
Yuan Hao also spoke, completely disbelieving that Yuan Qing had been slapped away by Jiang Wuming. He suspected that a hidden powerful figure was on the ship and had made the move against Yuan Qing earlier.
“Are you an eight-star martial artist?”
At the same time, Yuan Qing sprang to his feet with a carp flip, staring at Jiang Wuming with both shock and anger.
No response.
Jiang Wuming directly released his aura as an eight-star martial artist.
He always remembered the instructions of the Heavenly Dragon Daoist: he could not reveal his true identity and strength before meeting the Heavenly Dragon Daoist and learning the truth of his father, Jiang Zhan’s, death.
And to deal with Yuan Qing, the identity of an eight-star martial artist was sufficient!
“My goodness, he’s actually an eight-star martial artist!”
Sensing that Jiang Wuming’s aura was as powerful and terrifying as Yuan Qing’s, many influential figures in the Jiangnan business circles exclaimed.
Swish!
Amidst the crowd, the face of Zhang Xiaoren, the pharmaceutical company owner, turned ashen. He was in a state of panic!
“How… how could he be an eight-star martial artist?!”
At the same time, Yuan Hao, feeling Jiang Wuming’s immense power, muttered to himself with a dazed expression.
Qin Xiaozhi’s cross-level defeat of Yuan Hao had already shocked Yuan Hao, even making him feel as if the world had gone topsy-turvy!
Now, he felt the world had collapsed, becoming utterly alien to him. Otherwise, how could a mere nobody have become an eight-star martial artist?!
“Xiaozhi, spare his dog life.”
Hearing Yuan Hao’s mumble, Jiang Wuming paused and then gave instructions to Qin Xiaozhi.
“Understood, Boss.”
Qin Xiaozhi’s heart stirred. He instantly guessed Jiang Wuming’s intention behind this command.
Huh?
At the same time, both Ren Yun and the Jiangnan business magnates were taken aback.
They had all expected Jiang Wuming to engage in a fierce battle with Yuan Qing next. They had never anticipated that Jiang Wuming would allow Qin Xiaozhi to spare Yuan Hao.
After a brief moment of stunned silence, the Jiangnan business magnates showed expressions of understanding.
In their view, even if Jiang Wuming was an eight-star martial artist, the Yuan family was a prominent force in Jiangnan, with powerful influence and connections in the capital. They were by no means someone Jiang Wuming could contend with!
If Jiang Wuming were to kill the brothers Yuan Qing and Yuan Hao, the Yuan family would undoubtedly retaliate at all costs!
At that time, neither Jiang Wuming’s status as an eight-star martial artist nor the Qin family supporting him would be able to withstand the Yuan family’s wrath!
Ren Yun, however, looked at Jiang Wuming with suspicion.
As a seven-star martial artist and the deputy director of the Martial Department’s Jinling office, he was well aware of what a twenty-year-old eight-star martial artist signified—a martial arts prodigy!
Such a martial arts prodigy must have a master or come from a martial arts family!
A martial arts force or family capable of nurturing a twenty-year-old eight-star martial artist, would they fear the Yuan family?
No.
This was Ren Yun’s answer!
His rational mind told him that Jiang Wuming sparing Yuan Hao’s life must have other purposes.
“You slapped me just now, and you want to let it go?”
As Ren Yun pondered, Yuan Qing wiped the blood from his face and spoke coldly, unwilling to let the matter rest.
After all, he knew very well that if he and Yuan Hao left like this today, they would become a disgrace to Jiangnan and even to the entire Dragon Country!
This was something he could not accept!
He had to regain his honor!
Moreover, through Jiang Wuming’s decision just now, he subjectively believed that Jiang Wuming was very wary of the Yuan family?
Hesitation was the greatest taboo for a martial artist when striking—it made their movements falter and greatly limited their strength!
Originally, Yuan Qing was not confident in defeating Jiang Wuming, but the apparent apprehension shown by Jiang Wuming greatly boosted his confidence.
Furthermore, even if he was no match for Jiang Wuming, Jiang Wuming would not dare to kill him, and he would have preserved his and the Yuan family’s dignity!
“You might have some misunderstanding.”
Jiang Wuming looked at Yuan Qing expressionlessly and directly pronounced Yuan Qing’s death sentence, “He can live for now, but you cannot.”
“What do you mean?”
Yuan Qing’s expression changed, and a sense of foreboding welled up in his heart.
“Director Ren, according to Martial Department regulations, he attacked me, so I can kill him, right?”
This time, Jiang Wuming did not respond to Yuan Qing but turned to look at Ren Yun.
“Yes.”
Ren Yun nodded reflexively, simultaneously confirming his earlier judgment.
“You… you want to kill me?!”
Yuan Qing looked at Jiang Wuming, his face a mixture of shock and fury. Jiang Wuming had asked Qin Zhi to spare Yuan Hao, and then in the next breath, he decided to kill him!
Moreover, when Jiang Wuming spoke of killing Yuan Qing, his tone was so nonchalant, as if he were slaughtering a chicken.
“Being buried in the Dragon River is your honor!”
Jiang Wuming said coldly and stepped towards Yuan Qing.
…