192: Bloodstained painted boat

On the pleasure boat, several scantily clad women drinking and flirting on the deck were the first to notice something was wrong. Their screams had barely escaped their lips—

Qin Feng had arrived!

He stepped through the air, leaping thirty feet high, and looked down at the brightly lit pleasure boat. On the deck and at the cabin windows, faces—some drunken, some lewd, some numb—looked up in shock at this uninvited guest.

No nonsense, no warnings.

Qin Feng took a deep breath, and his Hunyuan True Qi surged through his Meridians like a rushing river! The ink plum sword traced a perfect arc in the air, its blade humming and vibrating as if countless petals were blooming, drifting, and regrouping at its tip—

"Finger Sword Among Flowers—Hundred Flowers in Bloom!"

In an instant, Sword Qi poured down like a torrential rain!

Not one, not ten, but hundreds and thousands of Sword Qi threads, as fine as needles and as sharp as knives, showered down toward the pleasure boat below with Qin Feng as the center! Every strand of Sword Qi accurately locked onto a target—the Martial Artists, thugs, and managers wearing Red Lantern Workshop attire!

"Puff, puff, puff, puff, puff—!"

Blood blossoms bloomed simultaneously across various parts of the pleasure boat!

On the deck, a burly man who was hugging a woman and gulping down wine had his throat pierced, his wine pot shattering on the ground; at a second-story window, a manager in a brocade robe counting silver notes had a red dot seep from between his brows before he slumped to the floor; at the bottom cabin door, four guards holding sabers didn't even have time to draw them before blood holes exploded in their chests... Screams, cries of alarm, the thud of bodies hitting the floor, and the sound of breaking plates and cups blended into one!

With just one sword strike, over thirty Red Lantern Workshop Disciples on the pleasure boat—ranging from Martial Masters to Grand Martial Masters—suffered heavy casualties! Blood stained the deck red, dripping along the ship's edge into the lake, spreading into eerie red ripples.

"Enemy attack—!!!"

Finally, a survivor let out a heart-wrenching scream.

And at that moment, Ji Ruxue, Xia Ya, and Xiao Chun arrived!

Like an Asura of the dark night, Ji Ruxue's figure flashed and vanished across the pleasure boat. Every time she appeared, her purple moon dagger would claim a life. Her killing was silent and efficient, specifically targeting the minor leaders who tried to organize a resistance.

Xia Ya was much more simple and brutal. She leapt onto the deck, and her great fang broadsword swept across with a heavy whistling sound! With one strike, she sent three saber-wielding Martial Artists flying, blades and all, crashing through the railings and into the lake. Her left arm's shield slammed forward, striking another Martial Artist who tried to sneak attack from the side, crushing his ribs and sending him flying back as he spat blood.

Xiao Chun opened her yan luo umbrella and spun it. Seventy-two Shadowless Needles shot out from the umbrella ribs, covering a large area. The needles weren't coated with lethal poison but with a potent anesthetic—those hit slumped to the ground instantly, losing their combat capability. She was not bloodthirsty, yet she perfectly controlled the rhythm of the battlefield.

In just a dozen breaths, the largest pleasure boat was basically cleared. The surviving Red Lantern Workshop Disciples were either dead, slumped on the ground, or huddled in corners, shivering in terror.

Most of the women who had been forced to receive guests on the boat were now huddled in corners, clinging to each other and looking in terror at these four baleful stars who had suddenly appeared. Their clothes were disheveled, their makeup smeared by tears, and besides fear, there was a trace of unbelievable bewilderment in their eyes.

Qin Feng landed back on the deck, the tip of his sword pointing at the ground as blood dripped along the fuller. His gaze swept over the women, a hint of pity flashing in his eyes, before he looked up at the other two pleasure boats—they were already in chaos, with some people trying to sail away, some jumping into the water to escape, and others gathering to resist.

However, just then—

"Hmph."

A cold snort came from the top cabin of the largest pleasure boat.

The voice wasn't loud, yet it clearly reached everyone's ears, sounding as if it resonated directly in the depths of their minds. The voice contained a cold, viscous, and uncomfortable pressure, like a venomous snake sliding down one's spine.

The carved wooden door of the top cabin opened inward silently.

A figure stepped out slowly and stood before the third-story railing, looking down at Qin Feng's group of four on the deck.

It was a middle-aged man who looked to be in his forties. His face was pale, even somewhat feminine. He wore a dark red robe embroidered with gold patterns, his long hair was loose, and he toyed with a string of pitch-black bone beads in his hand. His eyes were narrow, and his pupils glinted with a faint dark red luster, like gemstones soaked in blood.

Most heart-palpitating was the aura about him—deep as an abyss, unfathomable! It was definitely not the fluctuation of an Early Stage Martial King, but rather something that transcended a Martial King yet hadn't completely crossed that chasm... a Half-step Martial Emperor!

The Red Lantern Workshop F Fang Master!

With his appearance, six figures emerged like ghosts from various parts of the pleasure boat, standing to his left and right. All six wore deep red combat suits, their auras condensed and powerful—they were all at the Martial King level! Two were Mid-stage Martial Kings, and four were Early Stage Martial Kings!

Six Martial Kings and one Half-step Martial Emperor!

Such a lineup, let alone in Yunmeng City, would be enough to hold high-ranking Elder positions even in a power like the Medicine King Valley!

The F Fang Master's narrow eyes swept over the corpses and bloodstains on the deck, then looked at Qin Feng's group of four. Finally, his gaze lingered on Ji Ruxue and Xia Ya for a moment longer, an unusual light flashing in his eyes as if he were admiring two peerless treasures.

"Good, very good."

He spoke, his voice feminine and smiling, yet it made one's whole body go cold.

"I, this F Fang Master, have presided over Yunmeng Lake for twelve years and have seen many fools who pride themselves on being righteous and come here to 'eliminate demons and defend the Dao'." The bone beads turned slowly between his fingers, making faint clicking sounds. "But someone like Your Excellency... who kills your way onto the ship without a word, kills my two Protectors, slaughters dozens of my Disciples, and wrecks my place—"

The smile on his face slowly faded, and the dark red light in his eyes intensified:

"Is truly a first."

"Your Excellency, you have quite some nerve."

As the words fell, the six Martial Kings stepped forward in unison! The majestic Martial King pressure, like six great mountains, crashed down upon Qin Feng's group on the deck!

The lake wind suddenly grew fierce, causing the red lanterns hanging on the pleasure boat to sway wildly. The flickering lights cast shadows on everyone's faces, alternating between light and dark.

Beneath the water's surface, undercurrents surged.

A fierce battle was on the verge of breaking out.