Yaoshan Mountain, located in the suburbs of Linjiang City, stretches for dozens of kilometers with rolling peaks. It is perennially covered in lush greenery, brimming with vitality, and truly feels like a paradise on earth.
As it was still early in the morning, there weren’t many visitors around—mostly just people out for morning exercise. Few ever managed to reach the summit, because although Yaoshan wasn’t particularly tall, the climb became increasingly difficult the higher one went…
Xiao Yufan, dressed in loose sportswear, swiftly moved up the stone steps. Each step he took effortlessly skipped over several tiers. His graceful and agile figure darted along the path with such speed that anyone witnessing it would have thought they were seeing a ghost—his pace was simply unbelievable.
Xiao Yufan glanced around at the scenery and took a deep breath of the fresh morning air, feeling invigorated. The entire landscape unfolded before his eyes, but he had no time to linger and admire it. He continued forward, heading toward the peak of Yaoshan, where someone was waiting for him.
“You seem to be late…”
At that moment, Qinglong stood with his hands behind his back atop a massive rock. This stone jutted out from the summit, meaning that one misstep could send him plummeting downward.
“That’s not really being late; you just arrived early!”
Xiao Yufan still held a certain fondness for Qinglong. Like Xiaodao, this man didn’t seem scheming or calculating.
“Maybe so…” Qinglong rubbed his nose slightly, a rare smile appearing on his face. His gaze toward Xiao Yufan burned intensely. Never before had anyone stirred such fierce fighting spirit within him. Right now, all he wanted was an exhilarating battle.
“You’re injured?” Xiao Yufan noticed a fluctuation in Qinglong’s aura and frowned.
“Just a minor issue—already taken care of!”
Qinglong suppressed his aura, showing no signs of abnormality. Yet despite calling it a small matter, it was clear that this “small” issue wasn’t so small after all.
“It must be about the Lone Wolf, right?” Xiao Yufan could only think of one possibility. He had just learned that a fierce subordinate of Chen Jiamin’s, the Lone Wolf, had been killed. Aside from Qinglong, he couldn’t imagine any other powerful figure in Linjiang capable of such a feat.
“It seems your information network is quite effective. I only acted recently, yet you already knew…”
Qinglong didn’t deny it. He was Qinglong—never one to shirk responsibility for his actions.
“The Lone Wolf was by Chen Jiamin’s side. Why would you kill him?”
Xiao Yufan was puzzled. Qinglong had no apparent reason to eliminate the Lone Wolf, especially considering how formidable the latter was. Taking him down wouldn’t have been easy.
“He poisoned me without authorization. He deserved to die. As for those who can’t be friends, I won’t hold back at all.”
“Then should I say I’m glad—at least for now, we’re not enemies. This is just a sparring match.”
“That all depends on the outcome. If you lose, you’ll be a dead man. Naturally, we won’t be enemies then either!”
Although Qinglong felt unprecedented pressure from Xiao Yufan, it only further ignited his fighting spirit. Only a true strong opponent was worthy of Qinglong’s full strength. He thrived on these repeated clashes to grow stronger.
“Perhaps things won’t go your way. I still hope you lose. That way, I might gain a new underling…”
If anyone else had said such words, they wouldn’t have lived to see the next day. But Qinglong was different. This man was definitely worth recruiting. If the Dark Gate gained such a formidable warrior, their strength would rise significantly.
“We’ll see if you have that ability…”
Qinglong smiled. He leaped down from the giant rock. At that very moment, Xiao Yufan slowly raised his hands, his sharp eyes locked onto Qinglong five meters away. His lips curled upward in a perfect arc as his arms lifted.
In an instant, his entire body surged forward, exuding a bold and electrifying aura. This first strike would surely shake the heavens. No extra words were needed—Xiao Yufan knew clearly that only strength could earn Qinglong’s respect.
Qinglong moved too. His speed matched Xiao Yufan’s. The two figures approached at an unimaginable pace, then leapt simultaneously, fists flying. Their attacks rained down like hail upon each other.
“Bang!”
A series of dull thuds echoed through the air. Xiao Yufan’s and Qinglong’s fists collided five times in rapid succession, startling several birds resting nearby. The sound reverberated powerfully across the open space.
Xiao Yufan landed, his toes touching ground again as he spun midair, his right leg sweeping sideways. Qinglong raised his arm to block, enduring the powerful kick head-on.
Xiao Yufan didn’t seem surprised. If Qinglong were that easily defeated, he wouldn’t have even caught his attention in the first place.
Placing his right foot on Qinglong’s arm, Xiao Yufan used the counterforce to lean backward, performing a dazzling back hook aimed directly at Qinglong’s jaw. Qinglong straightened abruptly, dodging swiftly sideways to avoid the forceful kick.
Flipping backward, Xiao Yufan landed gracefully on both feet. His movements were incredibly stylish—if anyone saw this, they’d think they were watching a movie.
A smile appeared on his face, excited. A true opponent was rare to find, and clearly, Qinglong had earned the right to stand against him. Meanwhile, Qinglong, still crouched from dodging, slapped his palms against the ground and shot upright, his eyes fixed firmly on Xiao Yufan’s handsome profile.
“You’re strong, but I will still defeat you!”
In an instant, Qinglong was moving again, his speed increasing another notch. His trench coat began flapping as if caught in windless air.
Qinglong descended, pivoting on his heels, his body twisting as his right leg swept powerfully toward Xiao Yufan. This move had never failed him before, and he was confident now as well.
The sudden shift in Qinglong’s momentum caught Xiao Yufan somewhat off guard. He immediately stepped back twice, his back hitting the railing. A chill ran down his spine—behind him was a sheer cliff. Even if he were as skilled as he was, falling down there would mean the end.
Clearly, Qinglong had noticed this too. No martial artist would pass up an opportunity to press an advantage, and Qinglong was no exception. Xiao Yufan’s vulnerable position was the perfect moment for him to capitalize.
Qinglong’s powerful right leg swept past Xiao Yufan’s chest. As the kick missed, Qinglong leapt upward, launching another heavy kick toward Xiao Yufan, who hadn’t yet fully risen. Qinglong was confident that at this moment, Xiao Yufan had nowhere left to escape…
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