Chapter 290 - Gleaming Kidney

You An felt a sudden pang of fear. But perhaps because he had experienced something similar not long ago, he quickly realized what was happening. He shoved his way through the crowd and grabbed his sister, who had been watching the commotion with a puzzled expression. Without explaining, he rushed towards the old butler.

He had only taken a few steps when piercing screams erupted, sending the crowd into a panic. Fear began to spread like wildfire.

The woman in the red dress who had been next to You An was now hunched over, trembling uncontrollably. She no longer resembled a normal human but more like a red-furred beast. A raspy growl escaped from her throat.

Her blood spirit's primal instincts had been triggered, making her sense of smell unusually acute. The air was filled with the scent of flesh, which was irresistible to her. She slowly raised her head, baring her snow-white fangs. Her lips were as red as fresh blood. Her crimson pupils scanned the retreating crowd with a cruel smile.

Suddenly, she darted forward with the agility of a predator, her streamlined body exuding power and speed. She was a born hunter, lunging at the helpless flock.

"Get lost!"

A towering man with dark skin suddenly emerged from the crowd. He was almost absurdly muscular, as his chest made his T-shirt bulge at the seams. His exposed arms were thick with muscles, veins bulging prominently.

Bang!

He immediately threw a fierce punch. The woman couldn't react in time. His massive fist slammed into her chin, sending her flying backward and crashing into a display pillar. The sturdy glass case shattered, scattering fragments across the floor. The woman lay on the ground, covered in blood. She shook her head, as her jaw hung dislocated from the force of the punch.

That kind of blow would have knocked out a normal person, but members of the Blood Spirit Society possessed an unnatural resilience. The woman trembled as she attempted to get back on her feet. But before she could rise, a heavy boot pressed down on her neck and crushed her head back to the floor with a dull thud. The dark-skinned man looked coldly down at her for a moment before scanning the crowd.

Several other members of the Blood Spirit Society who had revealed themselves had fared no better. Disciples of the Cloud Dog Fist Sect had quickly charged into the crowd and used their powerful bodies and iron fists to prevent the dark creatures from harming any of the visitors.

"Ahhhh..."

More screams erupted from the east side of the main hall, accompanied by the sounds of combat and destruction.

"I'm going to check it out," the dark-skinned man declared, stomping down hard on the woman's neck until he heard a crisp crack. Then, he sped toward the entrance.

Within seconds, he reached the scene of the battle in the open hall. The visitors had already taken refuge in a side hall, looking on in fear at the chaos outside.

"Fourth Senior Brother?" The man halted, instantly recognizing a familiar figure clad in a black combat uniform. The main sect had sent several capable disciples, including some formidable core members, for this Tulip Antique Exhibition. His Fourth Senior Brother had reached the pugilist level two years ago, meaning his opponent had to be of similar caliber.

"Is the Blood Spirit Society really planning to make a move?" The man thought, uncertain. If it had only been the weaker members they encountered earlier, it could have been dismissed as a disruption. But opponents on par with pugilists were no small matter. His mind raced.

He shouted, "Senior Brother Earl, I'm coming to help!"

He charged forward, accelerating to maximum speed in just a few steps. He activated his secret technique, his muscles rippling with a purple hue as his strength surged. He then threw a punch with all his might toward his senior brother's opponent.

"Good!" Earl's eyes lit up as he dropped into the aggressive stance of Cloud Dog Fist, and charged forward with his own punch.

The blood-soaked figure focused on Earl and dodged his fist, but he couldn't evade the dark-skinned man's strike. The punch landed squarely on his head, causing his skull to vibrate.

Blood trickled from the figure’s ears as he staggered from the blow. Before he could recover, the two disciples attacked in perfect synchronization—one with a kick, the other with a punch—aiming directly for vital spots with devastating force.

"Attack!"

The Blood Spirit Society members hidden in the crowd finally couldn't hold back. Undying-Rank Dead Blood were not common riffraff but elite experts of the organization. The situation had suddenly taken a strange turn, and staying hidden any longer would only bring more trouble. It would be better for all the hidden Blood Spirit Society members at the exhibition to attack at once and break out of the encirclement.

Based on the recent developments, some Blood Spirit Society members reasonably suspected that Cloud Dog Sect might have a way to identify them. Staying within the crowd was likely no longer safe.

They had to get this information to the top executives of the Blood Spirit Society!

In an instant, all the previously concealed Blood Spirit Society members sprang into action, charging toward the three people fighting in the main hall. Their movements were swift, like shadows darting through the air.

"Go!" shouted the dark-skinned man in the midst of the fight. Numerous Cloud Dog Sect disciples immediately burst into motion, chasing after the fleeing shadows.

Chaos quickly spread throughout the Tulip Antique Exhibition as figures clashed. Although no firearms were used, the destruction was immense. A punch to the wall left a deep indentation, while a single kick easily shattered a glass display case.

The panicked crowd were now at the entrance of the exhibition as they rushed outside. Screams echoed as high-heeled shoes littered the ground. Police officers from Kura City, stationed near the square, stepped out of their patrol cars. They moved toward the entrance, hands resting on their holstered weapons.

One officer, a young man wearing a cap, ran ahead of the others. He was clearly a newcomer filled with enthusiasm. He reached for his gun but was stopped by the team leader.

"What are you doing?" The leader asked sternly.

"I'm going to save them! What else?" the young officer replied anxiously, inadvertently talking back to his superior.

"Save them?" the team leader sneered. "This situation doesn't concern us. Just do your job..."

"Evacuating the crowd is enough. Leave the rest to the organizers."

"We're not needed? But we're police officers..." The young man started to protest, but his words were cut short when a nearby floor-to-ceiling window shattered. Two figures burst through the glass, locked in combat.

The pursuer wore a tightly-fitted combat suit. His muscles bulged and his eyes were sharp. He was clearly a martial artist. The one being chased, however, was far more terrifying: it was a red-furred monster, with a deformed body, twisted bones, and hair piercing through torn clothing like spikes of steel.

Faced with this monstrous sight, the young officer instinctively drew his gun and fired. The bullets whizzed through the air, all striking the monster.

But the shots only produced dull thuds as it failed to stop the creature. It barely staggered before charging at the young officer at an even greater speed, its blood-red eyes gleaming with malevolence.

"I'm done for!" The young officer thought, frozen in terror.

But just as the shadow of death loomed large over him, the monster was suddenly sent flying. A punch shattered its jaw, sending shards of flesh and fangs whistling through the air and splattering on the ground.

An elderly man in a brown suit, his face contorted with fury, had appeared out of nowhere.

"How dare you! The Blood Spirit Society has grown far too bold!" he roared. "Did you think you could act recklessly just because I'm injured?"

His voice grew quieter, the suppressed rage making him seem even more dangerous. It radiated through his furrowed brow.

"Earl, what's the situation inside?" the old man asked.

The young martial artist in training gear quickly responded, "The Blood Spirit Society attacked without warning, likely to disrupt the exhibition. At least four elite members, cloaked in black robes, are being held off..."

"Good. Very good!"

Without another word, the old man, Oro, turned and rushed toward the exhibition hall. He left the heavily injured Blood Spirit Society member for Earl to deal with.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The sounds of combat continued near the flowerbeds of the circular plaza. The white stone tiles cracked as the Dead Blood thrashed. Even the marble flower bed had been shattered in half by its blows.

The police team leader walked over to the young officer, who was still rooted to the spot in shock. He patted the young man's shoulder and pointed toward the chaos.

"See? We're not needed here. Bullets are useless. Just focus on evacuating the crowd. They'll handle the rest."

Slowly, the young officer turned his head.

He could only watch as martial artists, their chests adorned with fierce dog emblems, began gathering like a tidal wave from the streets, the square, and even the shadows of the alleys. Their expressions were cold, and their auras menacing.

Meanwhile, the disciples of Cloud Dog Sect were still locked in fierce combat with the Blood Spirit Society elites in the exhibition hall building. Inside the building, Cloud Dog Sect had deployed three martial artists of the Pugilist rank, but there were four members on the Blood Spirit Society's side. For the moment, despite Cloud Dog Sect's superior numbers, they were at a disadvantage.

Shadows interwove as fists and feet collided violently.

Suddenly, a figure with white hair abruptly burst into the exhibition hall. He was far faster than anyone else fighting at the moment. He tapped on the ground lightly, and instantly appeared before the Blood Spirit Society members who were battling Cloud Dog Sect's disciples. A moment later, the elite Blood Spirit Society members were sent flying, severely injured. In less than thirty seconds, the Blood Spirit Society, which had held the upper hand moments before, was completely defeated.

"Harlem, take care of the injured, and provide treatment to the wounded disciples," Oro said slowly to the muscular dark-skinned man beside him.

Then, he began inspecting the Blood Spirit Society members.

Two minutes later, Oro was holding a coin in his hand, his eyes gleaming.

"It's not just the Blood Spirit Society; there's another force involved. Could it be the people from yesterday?" He pondered for a moment, thinking, "The Blood Spirit Society has been outplayed too. What do these people want?"

Oro decided to stop overthinking it. Regardless of the circumstances, the Blood Spirit Society had clearly suffered a loss today. Although the Tulip Antique Exhibition had been disrupted once again, Cloud Dog Sect's goal had shifted after the last attack on the exhibition hall. They no longer wanted to simply host the event. They wanted revenge on the Blood Spirit Society.

The sect master would likely arrive by tomorrow. All the schemes of those lurking in the shadows would be rendered useless in the face of overwhelming strength. Oro glanced at the shattered glass and the disordered exhibition hall, and a thought suddenly rose in his mind.

Maybe...

Cassius tossed a coin in the air, leaning casually against the wall as he waited in the dark alleyways surrounding the Tulip Antique Exhibition hall.

After a long while, he suddenly opened his eyes and cursed, "The Blood Spirit Society is full of cowards! Even their president is a spineless wimp. So many of their elite members have fallen, and he's still holding back from appearing?"

Indeed, Cassius's real goal was not just to cause some mischief; his true intention was to lure the snake out of its hole. Unfortunately, the president of the Blood Spirit Society was extremely cautious. Whatever happened at the antique exhibition must have already been noticed by eyes in the shadows.

Yet, he still remained hidden and had not shown himself. It seemed the deaths of the two vice presidents had alerted him to danger. Unless it came to the final moment, he would continue to stay in hiding.

"Just like a rat in the sewers."

𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Cassius snorted coldly, catching the coin mid-air and stuffing it into his pocket. Beside him, Feng Liusi glanced at Cassius and silently added another label to his already cunning character: insidious. At first, Feng Liusi had thought Cassius's actions were just a perverse, childish prank.

Now, however, he realized he had oversimplified things.

As he pondered this, Feng Liusi suddenly felt another acupoint loosening. He and the two others immediately returned to the Flower Season Hotel, focusing once again on breaking through.

Around 1:00 p.m., they received a letter from the Tulip Antique Exhibition. It announced that the afternoon's exhibition was being canceled due to significant damage to the hall. Tomorrow's event would also be compressed, with the entire day's schedule moved to the morning.

However, there would be an auction in the afternoon. The sudden adjustment came as a surprise. Saint Feinan and Cassius both looked at Feng Liusi. Fortunately, Feng Liusi remained as steady as ever. By 3:00 p.m., he had successfully broken through and taken control.

After sensing his physical condition, he confidently predicted that he would break through the 44th acupoint and reach the fifth stage of Death's Fang energy by afternoon of the next the day.

Sunset came, followed by the rise of the moon, and then dawn approached once again.

Time flowed swiftly, and the antique exhibition had now reached its third day.

In a bedroom half bathed in sunlight and half in shadow, a young man with golden hair slowly practiced his punches, his movements deliberate and forceful. As his limbs stretched, his speed gradually increased until his strikes were accompanied by a strong gust of wind. His body temperature steadily rose, as though he were a furnace heating up the room.

It seemed he had reached a critical moment in his training. The young man's strange breathing pattern abruptly paused, and the blood-red Qi that had almost filled the entire room swiftly flowed back into his body. He froze in a horse stance, hands held out straight before him.

In the dim shadows, the young man's bare upper body stood out.

Three bright spots seemed to be glowing on his waist.