Chapter 117: A Duel of Masters

Ten years ago, Lin Qi was rescued by a mysterious figure.

Lu Wanfang had no idea whether this individual was male or female, how old they were, or even how many of them there might be. Song Qingzhu had surfaced as one of them, but it seemed she was not the only one.

As elite experts under Lu Wanfang, Black Eagle and Red Scorpion possessed status, power, and strength. They were arrogant by nature and generally looked down upon everyone else. Consequently, even though they sensed that the Fat and Thin Envoys were not ordinary, they did not take them seriously, convinced that everything would be fine. They were from the capital, after all—what could people from such backwater places possibly do to them?

Little did they know, the Fat and Thin Envoys held almost identical thoughts. As high-ranking members of the Tianji organization, they held the power of life and death, viewing all worldly things as beneath them. They were equally arrogant and conceited. The envoys were not even curious about their opponents' identities; to them, anyone who dared to challenge Tianji simply deserved to be executed.

Both sides were prepared. Four people, four blades. The air was thick with killing intent, and the blades glinted coldly.

"Kill!"

Someone shouted, and the battle broke out instantly. The two sides rushed toward each other and clashed. Black Eagle took on the Fat Envoy, while Red Scorpion engaged the Thin Envoy. The sound of clashing steel rang out incessantly as the four blades tangled, sparks flying in a dizzying blur. For a moment, it was impossible to tell who had the upper hand.

Seizing this opportunity, Song Qingzhu rushed to Lin Qi’s side. "Who are they?" she asked in terror. In her eyes, the Fat and Thin Envoys were already incredibly powerful—true masters among masters—yet those two were managing to hold their own against them! Just what kind of people had Lin Qi offended?

Lin Qi did not answer her. His eyes swept rapidly across the surrounding doors and windows, worried that Lu Wanfang might have sent others besides Black Eagle and Red Scorpion. Fortunately, there were no other signs of an ambush.

"Let's kill them first!" With that, Lin Qi lunged toward Black Eagle, blade in hand.

"Right!" Song Qingzhu did not hesitate. She pulled out a set of silver needles and flung them toward Red Scorpion. Lin Qi had saved her life and gifted her a multi-billion dollar corporation; she had always wondered how to repay him, and now that the opportunity had finally arrived, she gave it her all.

Black Eagle was locked in a fierce struggle with the Fat Envoy, leaving him completely unable to guard his flank. Lin Qi sneaked up behind him silently and plunged his blade deep into Black Eagle’s heart.

"Ugh—"

Black Eagle let out a pained cry. He looked down in disbelief at the blade tip protruding from his chest, his expression shifting to one of shock and despair. With a heavy thud, Black Eagle collapsed to the ground, dead on the spot.

The outcome on the other side was much the same. Distracted by his fight with the Thin Envoy, Red Scorpion was caught off guard by the sudden flight of silver needles. As he scrambled to block them with his blade, the Thin Envoy seized the chance to decapitate him.

It was clean and efficient. Blood stained the carpet. Red Scorpion fell to the ground, his head rolling to one side, his eyes still wide open.

The two envoys sheathed their blades and looked at Lin Qi. Song Qingzhu quickly interjected, "This is the Lin Qi I told you about..."

Lin Qi met the envoys' gaze with a calm expression. Joining Tianji required passing this trial.

"Who were they?" the Fat Envoy asked, gesturing toward the two corpses. Had they been ordinary opponents, he wouldn't have bothered asking, but it was clear after the fight that they were anything but.

"I don't know," Lin Qi replied, his face composed. "I don't recognize them."

"You're lying," the Fat Envoy said. "They came specifically for you, and they knew your name!"

Lin Qi fell silent. The Fat Envoy stepped toward him and said with interest, "You want to join Tianji to hide from your enemies, don't you?"

Lin Qi had no rebuttal and could only nod. "Can Tianji protect me?"

The Fat Envoy erupted into laughter, as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the world. After laughing for a long moment, he said in a cold, low voice, "I tell you this: even if you had offended the Emperor himself, Tianji could keep you safe!"

It was an incredibly arrogant statement, but Lin Qi liked it. Only the truly strong could afford to be that arrogant. He admired Tianji's audacity and became even more determined to use the organization to his advantage.

Lin Qi nodded. "Then I am reassured."

"We still need to conduct a detailed investigation into your background," the Fat Envoy said. "Whether we accept you or not, we will meet here again in three days."

"Agreed," Lin Qi replied.

The Fat and Thin Envoys took the bodies of Black Eagle and Red Scorpion with them. Song Qingzhu called for people to replace the carpet and repair the shattered glass above. Lin Qi circled the villa area once more to ensure no one else was lurking before contacting Tang Long to report what had happened.

Lu Wanfang's men had actually found Lin Qi! This was a matter of grave importance. Tang Long was shocked by the news and immediately arranged to meet with him.

Half an hour later, in a village within the city, Lin Qi, Tang Long, and Black Blind gathered at the home of Song Qingfeng, the man known as "The Ancestor of the King of Hell."