Sun Ming, the president of the Azure Dragon Society, shivered all over upon hearing Chu Jianghai's words, and his mind finally caught up.
That's right!
If Ling Feng was someone they could handle with force, why would they come to negotiate?
Understanding this, Sun Ming looked at the miserable figure of Niu Zhipeng crawling up from the ground, and felt immensely fortunate.
Fortunately, he wasn't the one who made the first move!
Even a mere subordinate by Ling Feng's side possessed such terrifying martial strength.
What if Ling Feng himself made a move?
"Yang Fei!"
"Yes!"
Ling Feng called out to Yang Fei, who immediately stood by.
While that slap couldn't fully vent Yang Fei's anger, it had at least stunned these scoundrels.
Now they should adjust their attitude and understand how to speak to Ling Feng.
As expected, the sinister look on Sun Ming's face began to recede, and the Niu Zhipeng, who had gotten up, stared at Yang Fei with utter terror.
That slap made Niu Zhipeng completely understand the other party's terrifying power, and he no longer dared to act rashly.
As for Chu Jianghai's smile, it bloomed like a chrysanthemum. The other two dared not speak, so he once again stepped forward and said obsequiously to Ling Feng, "Heh heh, Mr. Ling, please don't be angry. I have always advocated against resolving issues with force. Mr. Ling, why don't we discuss the terms we mentioned earlier..."
Before Chu Jianghai could finish speaking, Ling Feng interrupted him, "You were spouting nonsense in front of me, do you think I'd have the patience to listen?"
His words made Chu Jianghai's face turn extremely red. At his status, when had he ever been reprimanded like this?
But no matter how ashamed and annoyed they were, they didn't erupt at this moment.
After all, Yang Fei beside him was too terrifying.
If he could slap Niu Zhipeng away with one palm, then if he made a move against the two of them, they would definitely be instantly killed.
If they had to blame anyone, it was only themselves for being too arrogant, not bringing anyone with them before coming.
They had originally thought that as long as the three of them stood together, they could walk sideways through the entire Han River, and no one would dare to stop them.
But now they realized they were wrong!
And they were terribly wrong!
Seeing that the three opposite him had finally quieted down and dared not speak further nonsense, Ling Feng let out a disdainful cold snort and said, "Hmph, feeling humiliated? That's your own doing!"
"Since you like to abet evil, you should pay the corresponding price!"
As he spoke, a monstrous killing intent erupted from him.
The three of them felt their bodies tremble at that instant, as if they had suddenly entered the depths of winter.
Vaguely, they saw a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood appear before their eyes. A towering demonic figure stood atop that mountain, looking down at them, its terrifying eyes seeming to devour their souls.
Boundless fear surged like a mighty river.
At this moment, the souls of the three trembled.
It was as if they were facing not a person, but a god!
A peerless demon god!!
"Plop!"
"Plop!"
The three of them fell to the ground in unison, gasping for breath as if they had just passed through the gates of death. Their gazes towards Ling Feng became filled with immense reverence.
"Now, I will give you two choices."
Ling Feng raised two fingers with a detached expression, and the three opposite him tensed up.
"First, tell me who your mastermind is! If you do, I will not hold you accountable for what happened today!"
Upon hearing this, the faces of the three turned even paler, completely caught in a dilemma.
They couldn't afford to offend the person before them, and they couldn't afford to offend the person behind them even more!
"Second, you can choose to say nothing, but four days from now, come to my elder brother's funeral, wear mourning clothes, and kowtow in repentance! Otherwise, I will have everything you rely on erased from Han River, and as for your backer, I will find them myself!"
Ling Feng's words were cold, domineering, and left no room for doubt!
The three exchanged glances and revealed helpless expressions.
At their status, wearing mourning clothes and kowtowing for a commoner would be an absolute disgrace!
They would probably become the laughingstock of the people of Han River!
But did they have a choice?
No!
They had no doubt that Ling Feng would do as he said.
Finally, Chu Jianghai stepped forward, suppressing his fear, and said, "Mr. Ling, we were wrong in this matter. We are willing to accept punishment."
"Oh? So you would rather wear mourning clothes than reveal the name of your backer?"
Ling Feng's counter-question made Chu Jianghai and the other two shake their heads simultaneously.
"Leave, don't let the door hit you on the way out!"
Ling Feng said no more, turning and heading upstairs.
"Scram!"
Yang Fei roared.
The three immediately felt as if they had been granted amnesty and turned to retreat.
After leaving Ling Feng's residence, Niu Zhipeng vomited another mouthful of blood.
After a long while, they finally recovered from their terror, and then felt immensely regretful.
The feeling they had just experienced was too terrifying, terrifying to the point of being unreal.
Thinking back, the three unanimously believed that Ling Feng had used some sort of illusion or mind-control techniques.
The expressions of the three immediately turned grim. If the events of today were to spread, they would have no face left.
Sun Ming sneered with a sinister expression, "Hmph hmph, still want to investigate? This kid is courting death!"
Chu Jianghai waved his hand, revealing his cunning merchant's smile again, "It's precisely because he's courting death that I made that ridiculous choice for the two of you. To ask us to wear mourning clothes for a mere Ling Yan is simply a fool's dream!"
The other two did not have Chu Jianghai's composure. They couldn't smile at all after suffering such humiliation.
The matter was not resolved, and they didn't know what consequences they would face upon returning...
Second floor of the villa.
Ling Feng looked out the window at the scene outside and instructed Yang Fei, who was beside him, "Yang Fei, investigate thoroughly the background of everyone who has visited me these past two days, as well as who they have contacted and what they have done in the past half month!"
"Yes!"
Yang Fei immediately took the order and left!
At the same time, in a quiet courtyard, a young man in white, with his back to a rock garden and fish pond, sat at a plum blossom table in the courtyard.
The young man's long hair was tied back at the waist, and his slender fingers, comparable to a woman's, extended from his wide sleeves, placing a white stone on the table.
On the plum blossom table was a chessboard.
The young man's wrist flipped, and a black stone appeared. Without hesitation, he forcefully placed it on the chessboard! Crack!
This person was playing against himself!
With a single move placed, the young man's narrow eyes glanced slightly behind him and he said slowly, "How did the matter go?"
Whoosh, as if a gentle breeze had passed, a person was already standing behind the young man.
This person's appearance was unclear, as if shrouded in mist, exuding an air of mystery.
Upon appearing, without a word, he bowed to the young man.
"Young master, all those sent to persuade Ling Feng have failed!"
The young man seemed not to hear, hesitating for a long time before placing a white stone, then flipping his wrist and slamming a black stone onto the table again.
Crack!
The mysterious person behind him trembled violently.
Then, the young man spoke calmly, "Since persuasion is futile, then eliminate him."
His voice carried no emotion, as if human life was as worthless as grass in his mouth!
"Yes!"
The mysterious person acknowledged, and with a gust of wind, disappeared again.
Crack...
The bamboo tubes in the fish pond tapped against the stones, and the water flowed murmuringly. Everything was so serene, as if no one else had ever appeared.