With a single command from Bu Ou, one of his followers, a skinny, lanky man, shot into the air like an arrow, streaking toward the window of Qin Ren's booth. His hands were like eagle talons, and the dark hue of his fingers suggested an expert in martial arts. The other three stood motionless, seemingly confident in their status, unwilling to gang up on Qin Ren.
Qin Ren remained seated, an expression of calm composure on his face as he watched the incoming attacker.
Though Qin Ren's lightness skill might not have been the absolute best in the world, it was certainly within the top five. He quickly saw through the man's graceful but flawed movements. The way his legs shifted through the air had glaring weaknesses.
As the man drew near, Qin Ren nonchalantly picked up a silver chopstick, poised it, and jammed it upright into the window frame.
At the perfect moment, the man's foot landed directly on the chopstick, impaling the sole of his foot with a sickening crack. A shriek of pain erupted from the man as he fell backward like a sack of potatoes, crashing to the ground with a loud thud. The room exploded with a collective gasp, followed by eerie silence. Only the girl on Qin Ren's lap remained unfazed—no one could comprehend how the man had been defeated.
Qin Ren laughed, clapping his hands. "Well done, well done! Brother, your lightness skill is truly impressive. I'm truly humbled. Could you be Liu Dema, the 'King of Eagles Who Soars to the Sky' from the Four Kings of the Bu family? My apologies, my apologies!"
Even before the man had performed his lightness skill, Qin Ren had already seen through his techniques. He had realized that the man's energy flow was concentrated at his foot's Yongquan acupoint. And when the man landed, it was the exact moment his breath shifted—making his body completely vulnerable. With Qin Ren's strength, driving a chopstick through that pressure point was child's play. Liu Dema's martial arts were utterly ruined, and the famed title of "King of Eagles Who Soars to the Sky" was now meaningless.
One of Bu Ou's other followers hurried over to help Liu Dema, but upon seeing the result, his face drained of color. He shouted to Bu Ou, "Master! Liu Dema has been ruined by this young man!"
Bu Ou's face turned ashen. Slowly, his frail body stood, trembling with fury. His white hair seemed to move as though stirred by a violent wind. Though it looked as if he was terrified, in truth, he was barely able to suppress his rage.
Qin Ren, however, gave no attention to Bu Ou. He casually drew a fan from his waist, snapping it open with a flick. Waving it slowly, he spoke with a playful tone, "So the remaining three must be the 'King of Ten Thousand Poisons' Gu Fucheng, the 'King of the River Dragon' Zhong Xueyou, and the 'King of the Mountain-Shaking Tiger' Li Ming? I've long heard of the Four Kings!"
Intent on provoking Bu Ou, Qin Ren praised the other three while deliberately ignoring Bu Ou's presence.
Bu Ou didn't immediately explode with rage. He realized that a young man capable of taking down Liu Dema with ease was not someone to be underestimated. Though his pride burned, he forced himself to remain calm, raising his hands in a gesture of respect. "May I ask your name, young sir? I, Bu Ou, do not know you, and I wonder why you seek to oppose me?"
Qin Ren smiled, shaking his head. "Master Bu, your words don't make sense. I came here to this pleasure house simply to enjoy myself. You paid to spend the night with Miss Xiang Yue, so why can't I? This is not an opposition—it's just fair competition. As for my name, we're not familiar enough for me to share it, and besides, I have no need to buy you drinks."
Bu Ou's expression darkened. "Young man, the reason I ask your name is that I might have dealings with someone from your family. I don't want to make things difficult later. If I were to take action, it might be hard to explain."
Seeing Qin Ren's calm demeanor, Bu Ou knew this young man came from a powerful family. Some families in the martial world were not to be trifled with, and Qin Ren's abilities suggested a background of immense influence. Bu Ou, despite his arrogance, knew when to be cautious.
Qin Ren's smile grew, his gaze sharpening as he stood. With an air of superiority, he looked down at Bu Ou. "Bu Ou, if I tell you my name, you must be prepared to bear the consequences! My surname is Qin, my full name is Qin Ren, and my nickname is 'The Lover'!"
Bu Ou was momentarily stunned. Then, he sneered. "I've never heard of you. Heh, what a name. It's not impressive at all!" His expression suddenly shifted, turning deadly cold. "Kill this boy!"
Qin Ren was momentarily taken aback, his mind racing. Is my name so powerless? I am the Third Young Master of the Qin family! Surely my parents and brothers should have earned me some respect!
But he didn't realize that in the vast Qin Empire, the surname Qin was ubiquitous. Simply stating his surname did not give him the weight he imagined. Moreover, Qin Ren had yet to announce his return to the martial world, so no one knew that the Third Young Master of the Qin family had stepped out into the world. To the others, his name meant nothing.
Bu Ou's command was swiftly followed by Zhong Xueyou, Gu Fucheng, and Li Ming—all three of the remaining Kings lunged toward Qin Ren.
Of the four, Liu Dema had the best lightness skills, but the others were each masters in different fields: one in poison, another in water techniques, and the third in body conditioning.
Gu Fucheng was the fastest of the three, flying ahead. As he neared the window, he scattered a cloud of powder toward Qin Ren. This was poison, but it had no effect on Qin Ren. However, the girl sitting on his lap was vulnerable.
Seeing the poison coming toward him, Qin Ren swung his fan with a fierce snap. Though his martial arts were not extraordinary, the depth of his inner strength allowed him to summon a gust of wind that blew the poison back toward Gu Fucheng, Zhong Xueyou, and Li Ming.
Gu Fucheng, underestimating Qin Ren's abilities, was caught completely off guard. The poison he had released could not normally be blown back by a fighter with just a few decades of experience. But as the powder blew back toward him, Gu Fucheng quickly held his breath, shut his eyes, and stuffed two antidotes into his mouth.
But Zhong Xueyou and Li Ming were less fortunate. The poison hit them full force, and they screamed in agony as their bodies convulsed and disintegrated into pools of blood.
Gu Fucheng, although he had eaten the antidote, was too focused on survival to correct his flight path. He flew straight ahead, eyes closed. Seeing him careening toward him, Qin Ren didn't hesitate. With one swipe of his fan, he severed Gu Fucheng's throat. In an instant, the poison master was dead.
In the blink of an eye, Qin Ren had taken down three of the Four Kings. His skill in reversing the poison, combined with his deep inner strength, stunned everyone in the room—especially those who knew martial arts.
Bu Ou, the so-called "Devil," stood in stunned silence, watching as the three best fighters in his service fell like leaves. He couldn't help but wonder: Who is this Qin Ren?