I Can Merge Techniques-Chapter 60 - 59: Meeting the Blood Saber Sect Members Again

Chapter 60: Chapter 59: Meeting the Blood Saber Sect Members Again

The sun was high overhead.

Chu Fan, dressed in a simple tunic, walked out of the Seven Stars Gang headquarters shoulder to shoulder with Zhao Tianxing, his back as straight as a pine.

They hadn’t gone far when four people suddenly emerged from an alley outside the Seven Stars Gang’s main gate.

The one in the lead was none other than Zhang Shuyao, the very person Zhao Tianxing had berated and sent away the other day, who had then turned her anger on Chu Fan.

Zhang Shuyao had previously goaded Jiang Yuanfan into seeking out Chu Fan for a "spar."

In the end, Jiang Yuanfan had lost both silver and face, becoming a laughingstock.

Now, Jiang Yuanfan and two others trailed behind her.

Zhang Shuyao’s brow was furrowed, her gaze like a poison-dipped needle.

She stared at Chu Fan’s back, as if trying to pierce it through with her glare alone.

Trailing behind her, Jiang Yuanfan clenched his right fist, his expression dark and uncertain.

Having learned that Chu Fan was headed for Xingning Street, the four of them had skipped lunch and waited by the Seven Stars Gang’s main gate, hoping to catch him alone.

To their dismay, they waited until their stomachs were growling with hunger before that bastard Chu Fan finally appeared at the gate.

What infuriated them even more was—

Zhao Tianxing was with him!

Zhang Shuyao’s fists tightened, and she ground her teeth with an audible crunch.

They knew Zhao Tianxing’s capabilities better than anyone—

even all of them together would be no match for him.

The four could only trail behind them at a distance, like a persistent tail.

Tailing them all the way, Zhang Shuyao and her group watched as Chu Fan and Zhao Tianxing turned onto Xingning Street and walked straight into the Drunken Immortal Tower, the most lavish establishment on the block.

"Damn it! Instructor Cao treats them this well? They actually have the silver to go into the Drunken Immortal Tower?!"

Zhang Shuyao gritted her teeth, her fury barely contained as she stared at the tavern’s ornately carved and painted facade.

She poked Jiang Yuanfan’s arm. "You and Lishan keep watch here. I’m taking Qiao Yun to buy some food so we don’t starve and lose our strength."

Jiang Yuanfan nodded, but his eyes were glued to the windows of the Drunken Immortal Tower, his heart a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.

Ever since he lost to Chu Fan and was called a "simp," the label had stuck to him like glue, impossible to remove.

Every time he heard someone call him a "simp," he was driven mad with rage. He had only helped Zhang Shuyao challenge Chu Fan because his head had been turned by a few words of flattery like, "Yuanfan, you’re so amazing," and "You’re the only one who can put him in his place."

’I’m not Zhang Shuyao’s simp.’

’Lishan, and Qiao Yun who just left with her to buy food, *they’re* her real followers!’

’But now Zhang Shuyao is treating me like her personal servant, ordering me around without a second thought!’

’This is outrageous!’

"Chu Fan..."

Jiang Yuanfan gritted his teeth, his knuckles turning white. "This is all your fault, Chu Fan!"

"You only won last time because you tricked me. This time, I’ll get my revenge with interest!"

At that moment, on the street corner diagonally across from the Drunken Immortal Tower, Zhao Hu was squatting on the ground, arranging his fishing baskets.

The woven bamboo baskets had a faint sheen. His six-year-old son, Doubao, sat on a small stool beside them.

Doubao clutched a piece of malt candy, his cheeks puffed out.

"If I can sell two of these today, I’ll buy you some osmanthus cake."

Zhao Hu smiled and ruffled his son’s hair. The words had barely left his mouth when three coarse voices called out.

"Zhao Hu! Where’s the protection money? It’s time to pay up for the month!"

Three men in black tunics approached.

A blood-red short saber was embroidered on the chest of each of their robes—they were Blood Saber Sect Members.

The leader kicked one of the fishing baskets, making the bamboo strips CREAK loudly.

Zhao Hu scrambled to his feet, a forced smile on his face. "Sirs, I’ve only just set up my stall. I haven’t made a single sale yet. Could you give me a couple more days? As soon as I sell something, I’ll bring the money right over."

"A couple more days?" The leader sneered and kicked Zhao Hu square in the chest. "You dare to bargain with me?"

Zhao Hu grunted, collapsing to the ground like a ragdoll. He coughed up a mouthful of blood that splattered across the stone pavement and stained the bamboo baskets.

The other two men closed in, and a rain of fists and kicks fell upon Zhao Hu.

Terrified, Doubao fell off his stool and burst into tears with a loud WAIL.

He reached out to pull his father, but one of the men shoved him away with a foot, sending him tumbling to the ground!

The surrounding passersby were furious but dared not speak out.

In a nearby teahouse, a young woman seated by a second-floor window stood up, her expression darkening.

Had Chu Fan seen her, he would have recognized her as Second Miss Fang of the Fang Family, one of the Four Great Clans of Cyan Yang Ancient City.

"Second Miss, please calm down,"

a female guard beside her urged in a low voice. "The Fang Family has never been on good terms with the Seven Stars Gang or the Blood Saber Sect. If you interfere, you might provoke an even greater disaster."

Second Miss Fang pressed her lips together, the fury in her eyes practically boiling over.

She did not sit back down. She continued to stare silently at the Blood Saber Sect Members committing their violence below, her gaze growing ever colder.

...

Inside the Drunken Immortal Tower, Chu Fan held the menu, his finger gliding over "Steamed Sea Bass" and "Braised Venison."

Zhao Tianxing, sitting across from him, broke out in a sweat. "Chu Fan, we came here to buy medicinal herbs, and you’re ordering all these expensive dishes... If we don’t have enough silver, this is going to be embarrassing."

Without looking up, Chu Fan added "Snow Lotus and Pheasant Soup" before handing the menu to the waiter. "Don’t worry, I have enough silver."

The words had barely left his mouth when a commotion erupted from downstairs, a mix of a man’s pained cries and a child’s weeping.

Chu Fan frowned.

Those cries sounded vaguely familiar.

He turned to look out the window. When he saw that it was Zhao Hu being beaten, a fire of rage ignited in his heart.

Chu Fan braced his left hand on the windowsill and vaulted out.

"Hey! Chu Fan—" Zhao Tianxing yelped in surprise. Without a second thought, he vaulted out the window after him.

"Stop!"

Before he even landed, Chu Fan hooked a nearby carrying pole with his foot.

The pole whistled through the air, flying straight toward the three Blood Saber Sect Members beating Zhao Hu.

"Hm?"

One of them spun, and with a single knife-hand strike, split the incoming pole in two!

The other two stopped their assault and stared coldly at Chu Fan.

"Well, well. Isn’t this the kid from the Chu Family?"

The man who had shattered the pole sneered at Chu Fan. "Haven’t seen you fishing lately. You’ve gotten bold, haven’t you? Daring to stick your nose in my business!"

Chu Fan’s face was grim as stone.

’I didn’t expect to run into familiar faces. These three were the enforcers from the Cyan Yang Ancient City Fishery!’

’In his memory, the body’s original owner had suffered immensely at their hands during his two years as a fisherman.’

’The Fishery Tyrant who had beaten that man from the Liu Family to death in the street was nothing but a low-level goon working for these three.’

’The one who spoke was Ding Hong, nicknamed "Ding Bapi"—Ding the Skinner. His methods were sinister and ruthless; he was the type to pluck a feather from a passing goose.’

’For every single fish a fisherman caught, he would take his "skin"!’

’If anyone caught a valuable fish and dared to sell it privately, they would most likely end up like that man from the Liu Family—beaten to death in the street!’

Chu Fan shot a cold glance at Ding Hong, then looked at Zhao Hu on the ground and the wailing Doubao.

The surrounding crowd grew, but no one dared to step forward.

Seeing Chu Fan approach, Zhao Hu frantically waved his hands, signaling him to stay away.

Chu Fan’s gaze grew colder as he slowly, deliberately, walked closer.

"I’m talking to you. You gone mute?"

Ding Hong saw that Chu Fan just kept walking toward him without a word, and a flash of Evil Qi flared in his eyes.

When they were less than three meters apart—

Ding Hong stomped his right foot!

BAM!

The bluestone paver beneath his foot shattered as he shot toward Chu Fan like an arrow loosed from a bow, his hand whistling through the air as it flew at Chu Fan’s face!

If that slap landed, even if it didn’t kill him, it would tear the skin from his face!

Gasps of alarm erupted from the crowd!

In a flash—

Chu Fan leaned back and to the left, dodging the palm strike. In the same motion, he unleashed his charged Bear Form Shattering Fist, slamming it heavily into Ding Hong’s chest!

A dull THUD and Ding Hong’s wretched scream exploded at the same time!

Ding Hong’s large frame was launched into the air, flying backward!

...

Aside from Zhao Tianxing, everyone present was momentarily stunned!

Jiang Yuanfan and Lishan, who were hiding in the crowd to watch the show, were utterly stupefied.