Chapters One to Three: The Leopard Woman

Chapter 123: The Leopard Woman

“Xu Yun, a guest is here. Aren’t you going to see me off?” Tang Jiu had already reached the door, only to find Xu Yun showing no intention of standing up. A wave of displeasure surged within her—the feeling of being ignored was something she simply couldn’t accept.

Ruan Qingshuang nudged Xu Yun. “Hurry up and see her off.”

Xu Yun felt almost suffocated by the tight clothing he was wearing, but he could only endure a little longer. Fine, he’d see her off—after all, it wasn’t such a big deal.

Watching the two of them step outside, Guoguo put her hands on her hips and said, “Mom, it’s this late already, and you’re letting Dad go out with a stranger? Aren’t you jealous?”

“...” Ruan Qingshuang gave Guoguo a look filled with silent exasperation. “Go upstairs and get dressed quickly.”

Guoguo stuck out her tongue and hurried back upstairs.

…

The two of them walked out of the herbal cuisine restaurant and reached the car. Xu Yun considered his task complete. “Drive safely. If there’s a chance, definitely come try the herbal dishes.”

Because Tang Jiu’s aura was overwhelmingly magnetic, Xu Yun had come out to avoid being alone with her. He was no cat that didn’t like the scent of blood; if he wanted to avoid making mistakes, he had to handle things at the root.

“Of course,” Tang Jiu snorted, “even though no one in your shop really welcomes me, I wouldn’t miss a chance to enjoy free gourmet food. I’ve heard a lot about the herbal cuisine craze in Hedong City and am looking forward to it.”

“Why don’t you just order a couple of herbal dishes now and take them to go?” Xu Yun smiled wryly. His brother was just being polite; as for agreeing so readily—knowing Tang Jiu’s personality, she’d probably get into a fight with Guoguo right away. And if she ended up quarreling with Qiu Yan as well... sigh, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Tang Jiu rolled her eyes at Xu Yun. “Only fat people eat at this hour.”

Xu Yun sighed lightly. Truly befitting a lady of noble birth, she controlled even her meals and set such high standards for herself. He couldn’t help it—he was very hungry and craving a feast.

After getting into the car, Tang Jiu didn’t rush off. Instead, she passed a bicycle key through the window to Xu Yun. “Don’t worry, I definitely didn’t eat food worth that much.”

Xu Yun took the key with a bitter smile—this was really a bicycle worth over thirty thousand. Damn Jin Biao. If there was another chance, he was determined to settle accounts with him. Jin Biao was already miserable in prison; if he knew Xu Yun was still holding a grudge, he might lose the will to live altogether.

As he watched Tang Jiu’s car drive off in the distance, Xu Yun sensed an unsettling quietness around the herbal restaurant. Logically, Qiu Yan shouldn’t have gone far, yet she didn’t seem to be anywhere near the restaurant.

Xu Yun frowned deeply. A foreboding sense rose within him. Since the Azure Ghost had already arrived, there was no reason not to make a move... Could it be that the Azure Ghost, with such power, was still toying with them? That seemed unlikely.

This ominous feeling tightened the crease between Xu Yun’s brows. Just as Tang Jiu’s car was about to disappear from his sight, the brake lights suddenly flashed on. Xu Yun caught a glimpse of the vehicle’s tail swerving sharply.

Drifting?

That couldn’t be right. After all, Tang Jiu didn’t seem the reckless type. She wouldn’t be drifting alone in the middle of the night for no reason.

Xu Yun didn’t have time to ponder further and immediately gave chase. His keen senses detected a distant threat. He was fully aware that the Azure Ghost had begun to strike. He didn’t want Tang Jiu to be caught up in this turmoil for no reason.

…

Tang Jiu was already terrified. Less than two hundred meters from the herbal restaurant, suddenly a woman clad in leopard-print tight clothing appeared in the middle of the road. Tang Jiu slammed on the brakes, but the suddenness of it all meant that even with timely braking, the woman was still within the car’s stopping distance.

Seeing that she was about to hit the woman, Tang Jiu’s heart jumped into her throat. She had no desire to cause trouble for the Tang family at such a critical moment. That would give her uncles and elders even more reason to undermine her position in the family.

The Tang family’s current prosperity was almost entirely due to Tang Zhengtian’s efforts. Now that his health was failing, the other family members wanted to strip Tang Zhengtian of his status.

The only person who could help Tang Zhengtian now was Tang Jiu, his daughter. Because of respect for her father, Tang Jiu had been reluctant to confront the uncles. But with their pressure mounting, she could only think of finding a place for her father to recuperate, then figure out how to reform the family’s corruption.

If Tang Jiu killed someone today, it’d be a total loss.

Yet, as the car’s front was about to collide with the woman, she suddenly slapped the hood with one hand. The palm print was left imprinted on the car’s cover as the vehicle came to a sudden halt, stranded in the middle of the road.

Tang Jiu, already drenched in cold sweat, was even more stunned. The woman before her was no ordinary person. With that single move, she was clearly a master. This realization terrified Tang Jiu further—what kind of person would send a master to target her?

Without hesitation, Tang Jiu opened the door and tried to escape.

But the woman gave her no chance. Like a swift leopard, she leapt into the air and attacked Tang Jiu’s back!

Just as Tang Jiu thought she was doomed, a silver shadow flashed by. With a powerful punch, it struck the woman’s clawed hand that was reaching for Tang Jiu’s back.

The woman in leopard print retreated swiftly, landing with a right-footed bow stance. She maintained a defensive posture, locking her gaze on the man who had suddenly appeared.

“You should be my opponent, not her,” Xu Yun said, looking at the leopard-clad woman. Noticing her fingers, tough as steel, he smiled slightly. “Leopard Woman, if you can’t even tell who your opponent is, you’re probably not far from death.”

The might of a leopard may not match a tiger’s, but its strength surpasses that of a tiger. Leopards favor jumping and require short, explosive bursts, their whole body tensed with power, fists clenched tightly, fingers curved like hooked bronze. Xu Yun recognized her immediately. Apart from Leopard Woman, who else could wield the Leopard Fist with such mastery?

Tang Jiu was stunned. Watching Xu Yun’s lightning-fast moves, she finally understood why even the captain of the bicycle association couldn’t catch him—Xu Yun was no ordinary person! He was an extraordinary master.

The Leopard Woman did not deny Xu Yun’s recognition and sneered coldly. “No wonder our boss picked you. You really are something.”

Leopard Woman was a first-tier, fifth-stage master. In the underworld, like the Black Widow and other venomous women, she was notorious for her ruthless methods. Though her fame came late, her cruelty far surpassed the brutal Fox Lord Qiu Yan. Since Qiu Yan joined Feng Qiansui’s faction, the underground world’s turbulent women included the Leopard Woman.

“I have nothing to do with her, so don’t mistake who your real opponent is,” Xu Yun said as his vital energy surged outwards, a powerful pressure pressing down on Leopard Woman.

Leopard Woman was taken aback. She and the Azure Ghost had the same thoughts. When Red Scorpion told them he had encountered an opponent who had surpassed the super master realm, they simply didn’t believe it, assuming the other party was at most a first-tier, ninth-stage master. Red Scorpion had exaggerated out of fear of their boss.

From Azure Ghost’s perspective, a first-tier, ninth-stage master was frightening, but if the three he left behind avoided direct confrontation, they wouldn’t necessarily die. Together, they still had a guaranteed chance to win. That was why Azure Ghost chose to leave rather than fight.

Moreover, masters of such caliber were treasures. Azure Ghost was reluctant to kill them, so he devised a plan: the three left behind would control those around him and use coercion to force Xu Yun to join their ranks, making the Azure Ghost faction even more fearsome.

Leopard Woman’s original target was Qin Wan’er, but unexpectedly, complications arose. Qin Wan’er was surrounded by too many police officers. If Leopard Woman made a move, it would be too easy to expose herself. At this moment, Tang Jiu had approached Xu Yun and even escorted him back to the herbal restaurant, which sparked Leopard Woman’s idea to target Tang Jiu instead.

Tang Jiu still didn’t understand what was going on, even believing initially that the woman’s original target was herself.

“Looks like our boss really underestimated you when he left... Hmph. Our targets are only the Fox Lord and that child. You have nothing to do with this. Why are you helping them?” Leopard Woman’s tone quickly turned tense. A super master was someone who could match Azure Ghost’s level. She would never recklessly attack such a person—that would be like smashing a stone with an egg.

Though she was also carrying Yin-Yang pills, she knew well that even with the drugs, she could only contend against a first-tier, ninth-stage master. Against a true super master, the drugs were useless. After all, a super master’s internal energy had transformed into genuine energy beyond her reach.

“Azure Ghost left?” Xu Yun was surprised. He hadn’t expected Azure Ghost to be so arrogant. Still, he cautiously considered the credibility of Leopard Woman’s words. “Why should I believe you?”

Leopard Woman snorted lightly. “Do you really think if our boss were still here, he’d waste time with you like this?”

That was true. Xu Yun narrowed his eyes, a sinister, resolute cold smile curling on his lips. Since Azure Ghost underestimated him, Xu Yun saw no reason to hold back. Anyone who threatened them would be eliminated!

Feeling the overwhelming killing intent, Leopard Woman finally lost her composure. “Killing me won’t help. The violent Fox Lord has probably already been controlled by the Flower Monk. Only I know where they are. If you kill me, don’t expect to find her.”

“What?!” Xu Yun clenched his fists until the bones cracked loudly. No wonder Qiu Yan hadn’t returned after leaving—she’d encountered a formidable opponent.

The Flower Monk was a first-tier master, rivaling Red Scorpion in strength. If it weren’t for Red Scorpion’s superior hidden weapons—the Dharma Beads—perhaps the Flower Monk would have been Azure Ghost’s top enforcer.

Qiu Yan facing the Flower Monk was an even greater threat than facing Red Scorpion. Red Scorpion was simply vicious and merciless, but the Flower Monk was dangerously obsessed with women like a poison addiction. Xu Yun dared not imagine the fate if Qiu Yan lost to the Flower Monk.

“Let’s make a deal.” Leopard Woman could see the fury in Xu Yun’s heart. To save her life, she had to give him a reason to spare her. “Let me go now, and I’ll take you to the violent Fox Lord and the Flower Monk.”

Xu Yun wasn’t blind to Leopard Woman’s small scheme. If he went along, she could team up with the Flower Monk. Two first-tier masters together, both using the forbidden Yin-Yang pills, might stand a chance against him.

Since that was the case, Xu Yun decided to show them what a true super master was. He was also curious to test Leopard Woman’s Leopard Fist and the Flower Monk’s Dharma Beads. So he readily agreed. “Fine.”

A cold smile appeared at the corner of Leopard Woman’s mouth. Only if she and the Flower Monk joined forces would their chances be about forty percent. With Scarface Clown added, their odds might rise above seventy.

[Author’s Note: Starting tomorrow, I will strive to update with ten thousand words daily. It’s been a bit hectic recently, with many distractions clouding my mind. I hope all readers understand and forgive me.]