Chapter 114: Visceral Reformation Perfection, Outwitting Ge An

Chapter 114: Visceral Reformation Perfection, Outwitting Ge An

This was the third day Cheng Zhuo had spent observing Su Chen.

Nothing unusual had occurred. This fellow's life was as tranquil—and as dull—as his own.

Each day passed with nothing more than meals, sleep, and martial arts practice, occasionally punctuated by a decent meal outside.

Though his residence was secluded, there were clear signs the man had money.

He preferred low-key wealthy individuals—those who kept their riches discreetly hidden. Assassinating them rarely stirred up trouble.

Three days of surveillance stemmed from his innate cautiousness. In his line of work, even a single reckless move could mean annihilation. Luck might grant one success, but survival required meticulous preparation.

He'd lost many comrades to missteps, leaving him utterly alone.

Truthfully, he admired this target. In this restless world, few still possessed such peaceful indifference.

But admiration meant nothing. Offending his employer left no choice—Ding Peng had to die.

After three days of observation, Su Chen's routines were etched into his mind. Time to strike.

Another target remained hidden—Tong Bo. The employer had provided both names. He'd already identified Ding Peng as this man before him, but Tong Bo remained elusive. Even Zhu Yan had only met him once.

No rush though. He knew Tong Bo appeared at the start of each lunar month. First, eliminate Ding Peng, then hunt the more elusive prey.

As dusk deepened, Cheng Zhuo glanced at the thin crescent moon and sparse stars. No wind. Perfect conditions.

When Su Chen's candle finally extinguished, Cheng Zhuo stretched, his joints crackling softly. He donned his black garb, loading his arsenal—needles, poisons, Silver Poison Needles, and other tools. The bulky equipment wouldn't hinder his lethal agility.

After three deep breaths to steady himself, his eyes sharpened—like a caged beast sensing freedom.

"Hmph. These feeble traps might deceive others, but not me."

He leapt over rooftops to Su Chen's courtyard. Eyeing the crude mechanisms, he smirked.

Three days of study hadn't been wasted. Though Su Chen rarely left his house, Cheng Zhuo had memorized every trap using his professional expertise.

Admittedly, the traps were amateurish—but decent for a non-specialist.

Disarming the outer defenses, he slipped inside. Moving like a shadow, he bypassed inner traps and reached Su Chen's window.

Producing a Smokeless Tinder rod, he pierced the paper window. Wisps of odorless smoke curled inside.

He waited until the ember burned completely before withdrawing.

This device, resembling mundane tinder, was his specialty. Its fumes incapacitated even Visceral Reformation cultivators—let alone ordinary Vital Force practitioners.

Better safe than sorry.

Entering silently, he approached the bed. One palm strike severed Su Chen's heart meridian.

Confirming the kill through pulse checks and breath observation, he scoured the room for treasures.

After a quarter-hour search, he found only 100 taels of silver—pathetically below expectations for a wealthy recluse.

Pocketing the coins, he exited, closing the door with a soft thud.

Another quarter-hour passed while he observed through the keyhole. Satisfied, he smiled.

By nature, he always double-checked. If the target faked death...

But no need tonight.

He vanished into the night with swift, silent steps.

He didn't notice Su Chen's icy eyes snap open the moment he departed.

Su Chen had sensed surveillance three days prior but feigned ignorance.

Cheng Zhuo's patience impressed him—three days and nights of relentless observation.

While Cheng Zhuo studied him, Su Chen studied Cheng Zhuo.

This assassin possessed professional discipline. Capturing him risked suicide or poisoning. Better to let him strike first.

When Cheng Zhuo finally attacked, Su Chen's plan unfolded perfectly.

Now, the hunter became the hunted.

Maintaining distance, Su Chen tracked Cheng Zhuo through secluded alleys. Half an hour later, his target reached a mansion.

"Ge Mansion? The Hex Union's vice leader Ge An?"

Su Chen frowned. He'd healed Cai Liuliu's wounds weeks prior—had that offended Ge An?

Infiltrating the compound, he observed Cheng Zhuo meeting a young man indoors.

Memorizing the face, he confirmed Ge An's involvement.

Following Cheng Zhuo's return to his residence, Su Chen waited.

Three days passed. The corpse should've decayed, yet the house remained eerily silent.

"Has Zhu Yan not noticed Ding Peng's death?" Cheng Zhuo wondered.

Approaching the window, he froze—

The body was gone.

Cheng Zhuo spun, narrowly dodging Su Chen's strike.

"Your reflexes are impressive", Su Chen admitted, launching another attack.

"You're Ding Peng?!" Cheng Zhuo shouted, realizing his mistake.

Dodging again, Cheng Zhuo's patience snapped. "I overlooked you as a Vital Force cultivator, yet you press me?!"

"Fivefold Annihilation Palm!" he roared, unleashing a palm strike glowing with Vital Force.

Su Chen countered, his own Vital Force surging like a tangible wave.

The Iron Palm lashed out, compressing the air until it hissed violently.

Bang!

Clashing palms echoed like colliding steel, sparks flying as energy waves erupted from the impact, rippling outward.

Crash!

A figure soared backward like a broken kite, slamming into the ground. Dust exploded into the air, stones shattering on impact.

“Dead already? Was he... really this weak?”

Su Chen froze, stunned. He’d only used seventy percent of his Vital Force! How had Cheng Zhuo died so easily?

Approaching the body, he checked for breath—nothing. His expression darkened. With a swift strike, he smashed Cheng Zhuo’s crown to prevent any possibility of resurrection.

“Truly dead. No faking it.”

Seeing no reaction even after crushing the skull, Su Chen finally accepted he’d accidentally killed him. A helpless sigh escaped him. He hadn’t expected Cheng Zhuo to be this frail, unable to withstand even eighty percent of his power.

“At least I uncovered the mastermind. You died for a purpose!”

Muttering, he disposed of the corpse before returning indoors to pack his belongings.

Time to relocate.

“If Ge An learns I’m alive, he’ll send more assassins. Changing houses will buy time to plan. I’m no match for him now, but this grudge won’t be forgotten.”

Back at the library, Su Chen had studied the Hex Union’s hierarchy—its leader Cai Liuliu, and the Vice Leader Ge An, whose cultivation had reached the Bone Tempering Minor Mastery, two realms above Su Chen.

Revenge against Ge An was impossible... for now. But his family was fair game.

Like Ge An’s son, Ge Honghui.

After packing, Su Chen visited Cheng Zhuo’s home. Three days of surveillance had exposed its location.

“These traps are clever. Pity they’re mine now.”

Dodging the mechanisms, he ransacked the house but found nothing. Some hid treasures on their person; others, in secret stashes. Cheng Zhuo was the latter—and a master at it.

Beyond smokeless tinder and hidden blades, Su Chen found no treasure. The house was barren. Cheng Zhuo had buried his secrets too deep. After three days of fruitless searching, Su Chen gave up, vanishing into the night.

---

The next day, Su Chen settled into a new residence. Information soon reached him: Ge An’s son was Ge Honghui.

Observing the brat for two days revealed his habits—ge Honghui spent evenings chasing courtesans.

Perfect timing.

Tonight, Ge Honghui left the mansion late, flanked by guards. A shortcut would hasten his arrival at the brothel.

An opportunity.

Su Chen struck. The guards fell silently.

“I’m Ge An’s son!” Ge Honghui cried, panic flickering before he regained composure. “Let’s talk. No need for violence.”

“Someone paid me to kill you.” Su Chen rasped.

“Who?!” Ge Honghui paled. “Name your price—double it! Spare me!”

“Hand over your treasures. Satisfy me, and you live.”

Ge Honghui scrambled to comply, stripping himself bare.

“Two thousand silver notes, four Vital Energy Pills, and a fan worth five hundred. Let me send for more!” He bared a desperate grin.

“No need.”

Su Chen shook his head. As he stepped forward, Ge Honghui’s face twisted with malice. His folding fan snapped open, firing a volley of Silver Poison Needles.

Zing! Zing! Zing!

The needles sliced through the air like a storm. Ge Honghui leapt, fleeing.

Su Chen deflected the barrage effortlessly, then retaliated—needles flying like rain.

Aaah!

Ge Honghui crumpled, pierced. Su Chen approached, kicked a stone into his ribs—crunch—then looted the body.

No deception. The loot was real.

---

The Ge Mansion burned with lanterns, yet the air suffocated like a tomb.

“Who Dare?!” Ge An’s roar shook the hall, his face contorted, veins bulging.

He seized a guard, eyes bloodshot. “Tell ME!”

“I—I don’t know!”

Crack!

The guard’s neck snapped. “Die!” Ge An snarled. His only son’s corpse lay before him, a void in his chest.

A wail pierced the room. Ge Honghui’s mother staggered in, fainting at the sight.

“Ge An! I’ll carve the killer alive!” she screamed.

Her collapse cooled Ge An’s rage. “Take her away,” he ordered, staring at his son’s body. Hatred smoldered in his eyes.

The news spread like wildfire. Many recoiled—killing Ge An’s heir was suicide. Others watched coldly.

Su Chen, however, relaxed. Ge An’s wrath would fade soon enough.

---

Zhu Yan navigated alleys to meet Su Chen, puzzled by the secret summons.

At a corner, a one-armed man waved him. Zhu Yan recognized Su Chen’s disguise.

“Benefactor! Another ‘justice mission’?”

Su Chen ignored the question. “Did you bring the Pills?”

Zhu Yan handed him a vial. “Twenty!”

Su Chen frowned. Five short of the Iron Shirt Krptonite Elixir’s requirement.

“You seem troubled,” Zhu Yan noted. Su Chen’s caution raised questions.

“I’m leaving for a while,” Su Chen said. “Hold the next batch—and Tong Bo’s share, too.”

Zhu Yan hesitated, but Su Chen vanished.

“Something’s wrong,” Zhu Yan muttered, resolving to ask Cai Xiaoyue for answers.

A pair of concealed eyes lingered over a hundred meters away, silently witnessing the recent commotion.

After Zhu Yan departed, the observer withdrew his gaze, preparing to follow—

“Hey!”

But as he turned, he suddenly found a man standing behind him. A closer look revealed this was the same person who had just conversed with Zhu Yan.

“You’ve got nerve, lurking behind someone like that! You want me to kill you?” the observer snarled, his pupils contracting before he quickly composed himself, glaring at Su Chen.

Su Chen merely smirked, offering no reply, before suddenly slapping him.

When the man finally regained consciousness, he found Su Chen seated leisurely, sipping tea.

Noticing his awakening, Su Chen loomed over him, eyes sharp as he stated coldly, “I ask, you answer. Speak too much, too little, or lie—die. Understand?”

The gagged man hurriedly nodded, his muffled “Mmm!” indicating comprehension.

Su Chen removed the cloth from his mouth, then inquired, “Who ordered you to follow Zhu Yan?”

“This… this…”

Slash!

The dagger plunged into the man’s thigh, drawing a scream. Su Chen remarked, “Hesitate, and you lose a limb.”

“Ge An’s men!” the man gritted out, his eyes wide with terror.

Su Chen remained unfazed. He’d already deduced this—that the man was a Hex Union spy embedded by Ge An.

“Specifically?”

“Ge An’s estate manager.”

“Why track Zhu Yan?”

“To monitor his contacts. If he leaves the estate, we report immediately.”

“You’ve already reported?”

“Yes.”

“Where do you meet?”

“In…”

After several questions, the man confessed everything. Yet he knew little—why Zhu Yan was targeted remained a mystery.

Snap!

Su Chen ended his life, leaving him sprawled on the ground.

“Still need five Vital Energy Pills. Time to gamble. Ge An’s affection for Ge Honghui will decide this.”

Though the man revealed little, his words sparked an idea. Why hide? A bold move might offer a chance at Ge An himself.

Resolving, Su Chen swallowed a Vital Energy Pill and headed to the meeting location.

An incense stick later, he encountered Ge An’s envoy in a secluded alley, the man’s face etched with anxiety.

After receiving the spy’s message, he’d rushed here, only to find the spy absent. Without the spy’s markers, he stood clueless, afraid to act recklessly.

Su Chen captured him, employing the same interrogation tactics. Though sterner than the first, this man broke swiftly.

After extracting the needed information, Su Chen granted him a swift end.

Over the next days, Su Chen monitored Ge An’s estate. The longer the killer remained at large, the fiercer Ge An’s rage grew.

The entire estate simmered under oppressive tension. Guards patrolled relentlessly, yet Ge An’s fury remained unquenched.

Ge An, grieving Ge Honghui, vowed to tear Big Feng City apart to find the killer.

He offered a reward: any information, any price.

“Vengeance has turned Ge An into a rabid dog,” Su Chen mused, a smirk curling his lips. Finally, his opportunity had arrived.

Ge An wanted revenge? Su Chen would deliver himself, and test Ge An’s prowess.

Nightfall.

Guards lined the courtyard, weary but rigid—Ge An’s wrath made relaxation suicide.

“Useless! All of you are useless!” Ge An roared, his voice echoing across the estate, audible a street away.

Amid his fury, a servant stammered, “Master, someone claims to have information on the killer…”

“Bring him!” Ge An barked.

Moments later, a tall, unshaven man entered, Su Chen’s calm gaze meeting Ge An’s piercing stare.

“You claim knowledge of my son’s killer. Do you know the price of deception?” Ge An’s voice sliced like ice.

Su Chen nodded.

“Where is he?” Ge An’s pupils narrowed, his voice betraying a flicker of emotion.

Su Chen scoffed, “Hex Union’s Vice Leader asks such a foolish question?”

Ge An’s eyes froze, but he held back. “If you won’t speak, I’ll break your silence.”

Before he could strike, Su Chen interjected, “If negotiation’s not your aim, I’ll take my leave.”

Ge An halted, forcing a smile. “Name your terms.”

“Hundred Vital Energy Pills. Hundred Mystic Essence Pills.”

“You dare mock me?” Ge An’s voice darkened.

Su Chen shrugged. “I thought you valued your son. Guess I miscalculated.”

Ge An’s face twitched; his guards shuddered.

After a tense pause, Ge An countered, “Thirty Vital Energy Pills.”

“Deal off.” Su Chen turned to leave, but Ge An blocked his path.

“Thirty pills and thirty thousand silver taels,” Ge An growled. “Enough to buy a hundred pills. Don’t overreach.”

“Plus Hundred Mystic Essence Pills,” Su Chen reminded.

Ge An hesitated. “Mystic Essence Pills are scarce. Even Xuan Shui Sect hoards them. Impossible.”

Su Chen studied him, then nodded. “Agreed. Half the pills now. Rest after the killer’s dead. Seven days’ time.”

“Dare you play games?” Ge An’s aura flared.

“Just stating terms.” Su Chen’s calm held.

Silence thickened. Then Ge An relented. “How to trust you?”

Su Chen seated himself. “Remember the assassin sent to kill Zhu Yan’s friend? Dead. Not Ding Peng—another. The same who killed your son.”

Ge An’s face paled. “Cheng Zhuo?”

Su Chen shook his head. “Another name. You’ll know in seven days.”

“Seven days. If you lie…” Ge An’s threat lingered, but he retreated, returning with a box containing fifteen Vital Energy Pills and thirty thousand taels.

After Su Chen’s departure, Ge An confirmed Cheng Zhuo’s mysterious disappearance. Doubt lingered, but hope prevailed.

Seven days passed.

Ge An monitored Su Chen: Days 1-6, Su Chen idled—sleeping, eating, bathing.

“Tomorrow, all reveals,” Ge An muttered. “My coin isn’t spent easily. You’ll repay it—tenfold.”

Su Chen lounged in his bath, when his Progress Panel flashed.

“Cultivation Breakthrough!”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end