When Lu Ming heard the name 'Xue Zong', he almost stumbled and fell to the ground.
He had expected some important figure, only to find out it was the dog that Han Shichong kept. What was most infuriating was that Lu Ming had just put this dog in a 'cage' and locked it up, so how did it escape to cause harm again?
Wang Tong, however, thought Lu Ming was about to fall from fear. He stroked his beard and looked at Lu Ming disdainfully, thinking to himself: In the end, he's just a common man, so terrified by the mere mention of Mr. Xue's name that he can't even stand steady.
But before Wang Tong could gloat for long, Lu Ming directly lifted his leg and kicked the door fiercely.
One kick, and the door was open!
Everyone present was stunned, having not expected Lu Ming to be so formidable.
"You!!!" Wang Tong was too shocked to speak.
With a bang, the door slammed hard against the wall. Lu Ming strode in without hesitation.
This was a presidential suite with three rooms and two halls.
As Lu Ming entered, he saw a bald old Taoist priest in a robe sitting on the sofa in the living room. On the floor of the living room, a talisman array had been drawn with chicken blood.
What was going on?
Where was Xue Zong? Where was the child?
Lu Ming patted his war dog, which immediately barked towards the inner room, indicating that the child was inside.
As Lu Ming walked further in, a voice came from the inner room at the same time: "What's that noise? Clanging and banging, how is Fuyao's business being run?"
That was indeed Xue Zong's voice!
Lu Ming strode to the doorway and looked inside. He saw Xue Zong happily drinking a bowl of old hen soup, and two children were securely tied up in the room!
A boy and a girl, both around five years old.
Hearing footsteps, Xue Zong looked up towards the doorway. He thought it was the old Taoist priest, but instead, he saw the person he least wanted to see in his life – Lu Ming!
In an instant, Xue Zong froze. The old hen soup in his hand suddenly lost its appeal.
"How... how are you here?" A million metaphorical beasts rushed through Xue Zong's mind.
He had suffered greatly before when Lu Ming sent him to the police station. Fortunately, Han Shichong had personally intervened, and he was barely bailed out.
Xue Zong dared not be ostentatious and was temporarily staying at the Fuyao Hotel to lie low.
Because he had suffered some hardship, he wanted to recuperate, so he sought help from Huang Wenyuan, one of the "12 Cadres," to tend to his health.
Huang Wenyuan was a Taoist priest, the very one sitting in the living room now.
Although a Taoist priest, Huang Wenyuan studied unorthodox arts. Seeing Xue Zong's weak health, he actually suggested using the hearts of virgin boys and girls as medicinal ingredients to treat Xue Zong's 'illness'.
Wasn't this the same as Daji wanting to eat Bi Gan's heart, or the White Deer Spirit wanting to eat Tang Sanzang's heart?
Xue Zong agreed to such unreliable advice without even thinking.
In his eyes, Huang Wenyuan was an omnipotent god, mysterious and powerful. Apart from the Sleeping Dragon, Xue Zong admired Huang Wenyuan the most.
At this moment, Huang Wenyuan had finished drawing the talisman array and was preparing to extract the hearts of the two kidnapped children to perform a ritual. Unexpectedly, Lu Ming, in his search for Qiao Qianqian's child, had tracked them down here.
The little girl was Qiao Qingqing's child. As for the other, it was a pitiable child stolen or snatched from some unknown family.
He had arrived very timely. If he had been half an hour later, the two children would likely have lost their lives.
Lu Ming, being so intelligent and discerning, instantly understood what Xue Zong was up to upon seeing the scene. The anger that had already been suppressed erupted immediately.
He clenched his fists so hard that they creaked, scaring Xue Zong so much that he fumbled the bowl of old hen soup, which crashed to the floor, spilling the soup everywhere.
"What... what do you want to do?" Xue Zong was truly terrified of Lu Ming.
Lu Ming's power was formidable, his methods ruthless, and he wasn't afraid of the Sleeping Dragon's reputation, which Han Shichong possessed. Unless the Sleeping Dragon himself appeared, ordinary people could not subdue such a man.
However...
Xue Zong quickly calmed down. Xue Zong was not alone here; there was also Huang Wenyuan, the most mysterious among the "12 Cadres"!
He laughed heartily, "Lu Ming, I don't know why you're here, but I'm glad you've come to die."
Lu Ming said coldly, "Xue Zong, you're just a centipede, a legless worm. Even without Sang Biao today, you can still laugh?"
"So what if Sang Biao isn't here?" Xue Zong shouted, "Daoist Master Huang, save me!"
Before his voice even fell, Huang Wenyuan picked up a treasured sword and stood at the doorway, blocking Lu Ming's retreat.
Looking at Xue Zong, then at Huang Wenyuan, Lu Ming chuckled and said, "Last time, I subdued so many people. This time, it's just the two of you, and you still think you can take flight?"
Xue Zong's lips curved slightly, and he said, "The situation is different, you idiot. I admit your skills are good; you subdued a master like Sang Biao in one blow. However, Daoist Master Huang's power is not martial arts, but immortal magic! No matter how strong your martial arts are, they are no match for Daoist Master Huang's immortal magic. You scoundrel, just wait to die!"
Immortal magic?
Wasn't this some feudal superstition again?
Lu Ming wasn't in a hurry to deal with Xue Zong. Instead, he turned to look at Huang Wenyuan and said, "You sorcerer, what trick did you use to fool this fool Xue Zong?"
Huang Wenyuan stroked his beard and sneered, "Fool? This Daoist master never deceives anyone."
Lu Ming was amused. "So, you can indeed perform immortal arts?"
"Naturally."
"Alright then, let me witness your immortal arts."
"Then watch closely!"
With that said.
Huang Wenyuan directly waved his treasured sword, muttering incomprehensible incantations. As he chanted, he even took out a talisman.
He shouted, "Rise~~~!!!"
The talisman rose by itself in the air, then instantly exploded.
Xue Zong clapped his hands and said, "See? This is immortal magic!"
Lu Ming almost burst out laughing. This was just magic tricks! If you put it fancily, it was just stage magic, how could it be immortal magic?
It wasn't over yet.
Huang Wenyuan extended two fingers and pointed at Lu Ming, sternly saying, "Bold demon, how dare you disturb the celestial being's rest? Today, this Daoist master will act on behalf of heaven and eliminate you, this evil spirit. In this vast world, grant me divine power to subdue the demon!"
With a loud shout, a thick fog suddenly appeared in the air around Lu Ming.
Xue Zong excitedly yelled, "Dizziness spell! This is the dizziness spell! Anyone trapped by this spell will certainly faint within three seconds. You scoundrel, just wait to die."
The fog grew denser.
Huang Wenyuan confidently put away his treasured sword and extended three fingers, counting down: "Three, two, one, fall!"
Xue Zong, Huang Wenyuan, Wang Tong, and others simultaneously looked at Lu Ming.
They were all waiting for Lu Ming to collapse, ready to tie him up and throw him into a pot once he fainted.
However.
After half a minute, there was still no movement.
Another half a minute passed.
Lu Ming walked out of the thick fog, waved his hand, and said with a look of disgust, "Who farted? It stinks so bad."