"BOOM!!!"

A dull thud rang out as a majestic force swept forward like a tidal wave.

It felt as if he’d been struck by a colossal hammer, his internal organs violently shaking.

"PFFT—!!"

A mouthful of fresh blood sprayed out, and Lin Yan’s figure was instantly sent flying backward.

Even as a Neutralizing Force Martial Artist, he could feel the overwhelming might of the impact.

He circulated his Power and managed to stabilize himself with great difficulty, but the Power that had entered his body rampaged like a wild bull.

His blood roiled!

Only by circulating his own Power could he barely suppress this foreign Power.

’He’s at the Neutralizing Force level!’

Lin Yan’s expression was one of pure terror, all his previous composure gone.

In that brief moment of collision, he had felt it with absolute clarity.

Fang Xing had reached the Neutralizing Force level.

And his Cultivation was at the Late Stage of Neutralizing Force.

His Power was far more profound than his own.

He couldn’t even expel the Power that had invaded his body; he could only barely suppress it.

’Run!’

In an instant, Lin Yan made his decision, spinning around without hesitation and bolting toward the courtyard exit.

"Trying to run? Do you think you can get away?"

A faint voice drifted to his ears. Suddenly, Lin Yan stopped in his tracks. Fang Xing was already blocking his path.

’So fast!’

Looking at Fang Xing before him, Lin Yan’s eyelid twitched. Then, with a savage look, he circulated his Power. A layer of crimson light enveloped his fists, and the surrounding temperature rose slightly.

His fists tore through the air, containing terrifying strength as they rocketed toward Fang Xing at extreme speed.

’If I can’t outrun him, I’ll fight for my life.’

’As long as I can create even a sliver of an opportunity, there’s hope of escape. As for the Constables outside, once I get past Fang Xing, I can break free.’

"Still trying to resist? Stubborn fool."

"CRACK!"

In the next instant, his fists were brought to an abrupt halt.

Fang Xing hadn’t dodged. He met the attack head-on with both hands, which clamped down on Lin Yan’s fists like iron pincers, holding them immobile.

’Impossible!’

Lin Yan was horrified. Just as he was about to erupt with Power, Fang Xing gave him no chance. He lifted his leg and kicked out like a hurricane, slamming it squarely into his chest.

His Protective Force shattered, and his chest caved in.

His body slammed heavily into a large tree in the courtyard—a tree as thick as a man’s waist—and snapped it in two.

"Pfft..."

After snapping the tree, he spat out a large mouthful of blood, the light in his eyes dimming.

"WHOOSH—!"

Fang Xing vanished with a single step, reappearing before Lin Yan as swiftly as a gentle breeze.

A layer of black light enveloped his fists. Veins bulged on his arms as majestic Power gathered.

"CRACK—!!"

The sound of breaking bones was followed by a wretched scream that echoed through the residence.

The major tendons in his body were snapped by the force.

"THUD!!!"

The next instant, he slammed a fist down like an iron hammer, landing it heavily on his heart.

The Power penetrated his body, rupturing his internal organs.

"You..."

Lin Yan’s eyes widened as he stared at him, filled with intense unwillingness to accept his fate.

Though splattered with crimson blood, Fang Xing’s expression remained unchanged.

Lin Yan lay motionless on the ground, devoid of any sign of life. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Silence!

Utter silence!

All eyes were fixed on the corpse on the ground, filled with disbelief.

Dead!

A Neutralizing Force Martial Artist, dead just like that!

This was one of the top-tier figures in Qingshan County.

The Red Gang had run rampant for so many years, but today, with their Gang Leader dead, only one fate awaited them: annihilation.

"Anyone who resists will be charged with the same crime!"

Fang Xing’s voice rang out, shattering the silence.

Several of the Red Gang’s lieutenants snapped to their senses. They were about to beg for mercy, but it was too late.

Fang Xing took a step forward. Afterimages flashed as the wind howled.

In just a few short breaths, the remaining Red Gang lieutenants fell to the ground.

Even a Neutralizing Force Martial Artist couldn’t stop him, let alone a few Dark Force Level lieutenants.

"Leave some men to seal this place. The rest of you, go arrest the remaining criminals."

Fang Xing gave the order, and the few Constables immediately came to their senses, nodding frantically.

Fang Xing stepped out of the residence with Chen Shan following close behind, heading for the Red Fire Gang’s next stronghold.

...

One hour later, every single lieutenant in the Red Fire Gang had been dealt with.

This behemoth that had dominated the South District completely collapsed.

As for the rest, Fang Xing no longer needed to worry about it.

A gang without Martial Artists was nothing but a pack of stray dogs. The Constables were mobilized to arrest the guilty and seize over a dozen properties.

Gambling dens, taverns, brothels...

Nearly every property under the Red Gang’s control was seized and sealed.

News of this event quickly spread throughout the South District.

Fang Xing’s great purge had wiped out nearly every faction in the South District.

The only one left untouched was the most powerful faction in the South District, the Wang Family.

A titan among the three great families.

The factions in the South District were a tangled web, and most of them had ties to the Wang Family.

But under Fang Xing’s iron-fisted operation, not a single underworld faction remained, aside from the Wang Family.

「South District.」

Wang Family Estate.

Figures gathered in the Inner Hall.

Almost all of the Wang Family’s upper echelon had gathered here.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the Inner Hall was tense.

The expressions on all the Wang Family leaders’ faces were grim.

No one had anticipated Fang Xing’s purge.

Nor had they expected him to act so swiftly.

The leaders of factions large and small were nearly all dead, and every one of them had died at Fang Xing’s hands.

’That guy is practically a God of Slaughter!’

And the most terrifying part was that even the Red Gang’s Gang Leader had died by his hand.

He was a Neutralizing Force Martial Artist, and one in the prime of his life at that.

Not even the Wang Family could have taken him down so easily.

But Fang Xing had done it alone.

He had slain the Gang Leader of the Red Gang.

And he had also wiped out all the Martial Artist lieutenants of the Red Gang.

In all these years, no Constable had ever been so ruthless, nor had any Constable possessed such terrifying strength.

By killing a Neutralizing Force Martial Artist, Fang Xing’s strength sent them a dangerous signal.

’Will this madman come after the Wang Family?’

"I’m sure you’re all aware of the recent developments. Tell me, what should we do?"

In the Inner Hall, a middle-aged man seated at the head of the room scanned the crowd.

This man was the Wang Family Patriarch, Wang Chaoyang.

Hearing Wang Chaoyang’s words, the Wang Family’s upper echelon remained silent. After a long moment, a Wang Family elder finally spoke.

"Patriarch, why would this Fang Xing strike so suddenly? Is there something fishy going on here?"

The moment he finished, another middle-aged man from the Wang Family spoke up. "Patriarch, a few months ago, Fang Xing was only at the Dark Force Level, yet now he has reached Neutralizing Force. What’s more, he was able to kill Lin Yan, who was at the Early Stage of Neutralizing Force. For him to improve so rapidly, there must be someone backing him, right?"

Hearing this, everyone turned to look at the speaker. Wang Chaoyang’s eyes narrowed as if he had thought of something. Looking at the man who had spoken, he asked, "Are you suggesting... the Observatory?"

The Wang Family member who had spoken nodded. "I believe it’s highly likely. Fang Xing must have caught the Observatory’s eye, which is why he has improved by leaps and bounds."

"I’ve also investigated his background. He was once completely unremarkable."

"He wasn’t even a Martial Artist a year ago, yet in less than a year, he’s become a Neutralizing Force expert with the ability to kill others at the same level. Besides the Observatory, with its vast resources, I can’t think of any other explanation."

Wang Chaoyang fell silent, listening to his analysis.

"Then what do you all think we should do?"

Wang Chaoyang asked, looking at the assembled men.

"Patriarch," one man said, "this man is powerful and has close ties to the Observatory. We probably can’t afford to offend him, or there will be significant trouble."

"I think we should try to get on his good side. Go even further, in fact. Someone so highly regarded by the Observatory, who is also extraordinarily powerful himself... forging a closer relationship with him can only bring benefits, no harm."

"But what if he decides to move against our Wang Family, too?" a voice interjected.

Wang Chaoyang’s brow furrowed. He pondered for a moment before looking at everyone and saying, "For now, let’s keep an eye on him. Gather more information. We’ll discuss this again later."

Hearing this, everyone nodded.

For now, it was all just speculation. They needed to understand the situation clearly before they could be certain of anything.