Chapter 59 Clearing the House

Qin Chao gave a cold laugh. The threatening intent from the other side couldn't have been more obvious. The man in black was hired by Li Chao, clearly targeting him.

"I say, Young Master Li," Qin Chao began, raising his glass of red wine. "I ought to toast you first here." He continued, "I greatly appreciated the gift you bestowed upon me last time. However, I have a good habit—I don't like to be indebted. Young Master Li, I'll repay this favor sooner or later."

Finishing his speech, he drained the red wine in one gulp.

"Hmph, who do you think you are? You want to drink with me, Li Chao? Look at your own status first," retorted Li Chao.

"Li Chao, don't go too far!" Su Ji, hearing Li Chao's words, lost all her smile. She turned to him and said, "I don't want to see you. Please disappear from my sight immediately."

"Oh, Su Ji, you really think you're a princess, huh?" Li Chao replied, laughing out of anger and crossing his arms. "I pursued you only because you are attractive and your family has money. Let me tell you, there aren't many women in Sunan City who dare to talk to me like that! If I wanted to ruin the Su family, it would only take a few phone calls!"

"Well then, give it a try." Su Ji was not afraid at all. "You are so intimidating as the secretary of the City's Party Secretary. I'm so scared! I'll just sit here and watch you. Make your call. If you're worried about your phone bill, I can sponsor you."

"Okay, so you like it tough. If I had known, I wouldn't have wasted so much effort."

Li Chao laughed, suddenly turned his head, and called out to the lobby manager, "Get everyone out of here."

"This..." The lobby manager was in a dilemma. The guests here were either wealthy or influential, how could he just drive them away?

"Do my words not carry weight?" Li Chao smirked menacingly, making the lobby manager shudder. Wealth, after all, couldn't stand up to power. These business magnates were no match for Young Master Li.

In Sunan City, no one dared to underestimate Li Chao's power.

It seemed that Miss Su was out of luck today. Even if Li Chao subdued her, she would have nowhere to complain.

Here, Li Chao's father was the all-powerful one. Plus, he was now the secretary of the City's Party Secretary. One phone call from him, and everyone would assume it was the party secretary's directive.

Even at the provincial level, even at the center, Deputy Director Li Fumin had powerful backing.

In fact, even before the lobby manager could speak, the dining guests began to pack their things and quietly leave.

With a sigh, the lobby manager went downstairs with a few waitstaff.

"Do you see now?" Li Chao said smugly. "In Sunan City, there isn't a place where my words don't hold weight. Today, right here, in front of this security guard, I'll have you. Let's see how you'll dare to defy me!"

As Li Chao spoke, he reached towards Su Ji.

A flash of silver light cut through the air, followed by a painful yowl from Li Chao. It turned out that Qin Chao had reached out, holding a fork that was plunged into Li Chao's hand, pinning it to the dining table. The fresh blood stained the tablecloth.

"Ah!" Li Chao cried out in unbearable pain, his hand throbbing as if it would burst, yet he didn't dare touch the fork. From his childhood until now, he had never experienced such torment. No one had ever so much as slapped him.

This time, however, he got a taste of the pain of bleeding.

"One shouldn't recklessly extend their claws," Qin Chao said, picking up a napkin to wipe his mouth. "Doing so in the wrong place could end badly."

The eyes of the man in black brightened, as if a machine had been activated. His skeletal, thin hand extended from his sleeve, ignoring Li Chao with the impaled hand, instead aiming a palm at Su Ji.

But who was Su Ji? A disciple of the Buddhist school at the Foundation Building stage. The moment the man in black harbored lethal intent, she sensed the danger.

Subconsciously, she tilted her head to the side. However, with Qin Chao present, he would never allow anyone to attack Su Ji.

"Bang!" Qin Chao's fist collided with the man in black's palm. A great force rebounded on Qin Chao, surprising him. How could someone who looked so skinny possess such strength?

"Ha!" Qin Chao roared, his arm instantly transforming into a black beast claw.

And upon seeing the man in black again, a faint flush, similar to that of drunkenness, appeared on his pale face.

"Bang!" The dining table beneath them shattered in half, the wine glasses and dishes breaking into pieces. Qin Chao felt a twinge of pain. Damn, thousands were wasted on this meal, all for it to end in such a mess!

"Go apologize to the hard-working farmers!" Qin Chao roared, releasing a surge of power from within him, all of it crashing into the man in black.

The latter's face reddened further, and he was hurled backward, crashing clumsily onto a table, toppling the table and chairs.

Food and wine still adorned that table, none of it wasted, all of it smearing onto his body. His black clothes were now dotted with colorful stains.

"Are you from the Rakshasa Sect?" The man shoved the chair off himself and rose nonchalantly, a trickle of blood hung from the corner of his mouth, which he wiped away.

"Where did you spring up from?" Qin Chao retracted his beast claw. The bystander, Young Master Li, was dumbfounded. His expression resembled someone watching an alien invasion, quite dramatic.

"I am from the Yama Sect, one of the Six Sects of the Demonic Path. I am on a mission, so I would kindly request you, friend from the Rakshasa Sect, to step aside. Otherwise, don't blame me for disregarding our fraternal bonds."

The man's voice was raspy, like an old cassette playing, making it uncomfortable to listen to.

"Is your mission to kill Su Ji?" Qin Chao asked, frowning, standing protectively in front of Su Ji.

"I'm sorry, I can't disclose that."

"I'm not interested in your mission either, but if you intend to harm Su Ji, I'm sorry, but you'll have to step over my dead body first."

"People from the Rakshasa Sect, always stubborn and hard to kill," the man in black sneered. He raised his hand, in which a ball of blue flame hovered, "When you die, remember to mention my name to the King of Hell. I am Zhou De!"

With that, he swallowed the ball of blue flame. Zhou De's face suddenly twisted, a layer of pale blue light flickering over his body. He, who was originally around 1.8 meters tall, seemed to grow, shooting up to about 1.9 meters. Moreover, his eyes also emitted a blue fire.

"Ghost Possession..." Su Ji whispered a warning from behind Qin Chao, "Be careful, although this is an entry-level technique of the Yama Sect, it's quite twisted."

As she spoke, Zhou De, transformed by Ghost Possession, let out a long howl. The shrill sound tore through the air. With that howl, Zhou De's body crossed more than ten meters in an instant, appearing right in front of Qin Chao.

His fingers had grown black nails, his hands as white as jade, peculiarly ominous. He struck out again toward Qin Chao. This strike was much stronger than the last, with the air resonating from the force.

"Bring it on!" An energy welled up in Qin Chao, and he instantly transformed into his demonic form, his arms covered in black scales. He stepped forward heavily, the ground trembling in response. His right hand formed a fist, and with all his might, he threw a punch at Zhou De's hand.

"Boom!"

"Crash!" Their hands collided, sending an elliptical shockwave radiating outwards. The wild energy swept half the restaurant, and the windows, unable to withstand such power, shattered, allowing the cold autumn night breeze to pour in.

Qin Chao was forced back three steps, each leaving a footmark on the ground, before he managed to steady himself. Zhou De, on the other hand, fared worse. Like a cut kite, he flew across the restaurant, knocking over a number of musical instruments before crashing into the wall on the other side.

When he fell, there was a person-shaped crater in the wall.

"Worthy of someone from the Rakshasa Sect... truly domineering..." he mumbled, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. His rising posture was odd, as if his right arm was broken.

Zhou De's right arm hung limply by his side, but he seemed unconcerned, as if a broken arm was insignificant to him.

"I, Zhou De, will remember today's incident and repay it in the future." Saying so, he leaped lithely towards the window, agile as a monkey.

"Think you can escape?" Qin Chao felt a dull pain in his abdomen. It seemed he had sustained some internal injuries. However, now was not the time for rest. He felt this was a conspiracy against Su Ji. If Zhou De escaped, Su Ji would be in danger in the future.

"Ask my Soul Lock first!" With that, Qin Chao pulled the Soul Lock from his ring and threw it towards Zhou De, who was at the window.

Upon seeing the Soul Lock, Zhou De's previously unflappable expression drastically changed. His body twitched, the blue flame in his eyes faded, and simultaneously, a transparent soul cried out as it flew from his body, crashing into the lock.

"Bang!" The Soul Lock ensnared the soul, and Zhou De seized this moment to leap from the third floor.

"Roar!" After the soul was entwined, it suddenly expanded and exploded. Cold, gloomy winds, carrying an air of despair, danced in all directions, assaulting Qin Chao.

Qin Chao was taken aback. He had no idea how to deal with such a thing.

"Ah!" Fortunately, a disciple of the Buddha was standing behind him. Su Ji extended her wrist where a Buddhist bead bracelet resided, her red lips softly spoke, and a Buddhist mantra was released.

A green Buddhist seal was summoned, which quickly shredded the howling gloomy winds as it spun around.

"Handled." Su Ji retrieved the Buddhist seal, flashing Qin Chao a big smile.

At this point, Qin Chao also dispelled his demonic state. He stood next to Li Chao and noticed that his bravado from earlier had faded; the man had wet his pants.

The foul smell made Su Ji cover her nose.

Li Chao dumbly watched as Qin Chao walked over, shivering from head to toe.

"How are you, Young Master Li?" Qin Chao asked with a grin, lighting up a Red River cigarette and placing it in Li Chao's mouth. "Here, this will calm you down, don't be scared."

With that, he reached out and yanked the fork out of Li Chao's hand as swiftly as lightning. Li Chao yelped in pain, clutching his trembling hand.

"Don't worry, it's just a puncture in the palm, you won't die," Qin Chao said with a cold smirk, "So, Young Master Li, are you satisfied with the gift I returned to you?"