C26 Huo Wu

"Who exactly is Huo Wu..."

After hearing Lau Qing speak, Xiao Ling's dark eyes sparkled with intrigue. He developed a keen interest in Huo Wu, the illustrious owner of the Resplendent Building.

The fact that not even the Lord of True Martial City would dare cause trouble here spoke volumes about Huo Wu's formidable capabilities.

Lau Qing grinned and said, "Mr. Xiao, the Resplendent Building has a secret chamber. From there, we can observe how Master Huo Wu handles the Wang family's men."

Xiao Ling nodded, and following Lau Qing's guidance, the group made their way to a hidden room. Peering through a small window, they surveyed the scene unfolding outside the Resplendent Building.

At that moment, a throng of the Wang family's forces had amassed at the entrance. The one-eyed man at the forefront was none other than Wang Houdun of the Wang family.

Behind him, Wang Yi and Huang Ba stood, their faces etched with awe as they gazed upon the Resplendent Building.

The Resplendent Building's reputation was known far and wide!

"Please convey to the Tower Master that we come with no ill will. We're simply here to investigate a fugitive's presence," Wang Houdun said, his face wearing a sycophantic smile as he respectfully addressed a woman who seemed to be the manager, his hands clasped in a traditional salute.

The Wang family certainly wouldn't dare cross the Resplendent Building.

"I shall inform the Tower Master at once..."

The woman, taking in the sizable gathering outside the Resplendent Building, paused thoughtfully before deciding to notify Huo Wu.

"What's this? The Wang family has the audacity to search my Resplendent Building? They truly have a death wish!"

Just then, a voice tinged with mirth rang out, and a stunning face came into view. The woman, clad in a long, seductively red robe, showcased her shapely figure unabashedly.

Huo Wu, the Tower Master of the Resplendent Building in True Martial City, possessed strength that soared to the heavens, having attained the Martial King Stage.

Upon hearing this, Wang Houdun's smile solidified on his face.

With its immense influence, even a personal visit from the Lord of True Martial City would likely end unfavorably at the Resplendent Building.

"Fire Tower Master, my name is Wang Houdun of the Wang family. If I have caused any offense, I humbly ask for your understanding."

Confronted by Huo Wu, Wang Houdun conceded defeat. Yet, he was not ready to depart without a word, and he began, "Our family is in pursuit of a murderer. By a stroke of luck, I came into possession of one of his belongings, and following its trail with my Spirit Rat, I was led here to the Resplendent Building..."

Wang Houdun's explanation was cut short as he was hit by a crushing force, turning his face deathly pale. Staggering back, he collapsed to the ground, coughing up blood.

It wasn't just Wang Houdun; the entire Wang family contingent outside the Resplendent Building sat down hard, their faces ashen.

The might of a Martial King is not to be taken lightly!

"Do you think my Resplendent Building is harboring the fugitive you're after?"

Huo Wu's laugh was both seductive and mocking, her eyes—captivating like a fox and regal like a phoenix—gazed upon Wang Houdun with a cool amusement.

Feeling her gaze, Wang Houdun felt like prey under the watchful eye of a primordial beast, convinced that any further inquiry would seal his fate.

"Fire Tower Master, please disregard my earlier remarks as mere bluster."

Wang Houdun's face tensed as he swallowed his pride and forced out the words.

Even the patriarch of the Wang family wouldn't fare any better in this situation.

"We shall take our leave!"

With that, Wang Houdun gestured to his family, signaling their departure.

"Who said you could leave?" Huo Wu's voice was calm but carried an undeniable command.

Wang Houdun's step halted mid-motion, and he turned back, frustration etched on his face as he bowed and asked, "Tower Master Huo, may I inquire as to why you're detaining us?"

Wang Houdun was seething inside, like a man who had to swallow his own teeth after they were knocked out, or hide his dismembered arm up his sleeve.

He realized that Huo Wu wasn't going to let them off the hook so easily.

"You are indeed perceptive."

Huo Wu declared, "However, attempting to seize someone within the walls of my Resplendent Building is a grave mistake. By noon tomorrow, have every person involved in this affair kneel before the entrance of the Resplendent Building for a full hour. That is the only way to settle this matter."

"That's excessively tyrannical."

Xiao Ling, witnessing the scene, couldn't resist clicking his tongue in disapproval.

Being forced to kneel for an hour in front of the Resplendent Building was a blatant insult to the Wang family!

What decision would Wang Houdun make in response, he wondered?

Wang Houdun's face crumpled as he listened to Huo Wu's words, delivered with a breezy indifference. The rest of the Wang family members also looked on with grim expressions, their eyes turning to Wang Houdun for direction.

"Master Huo, don't you think you're being unreasonable?" Wang Houdun protested.

Complying with such a demand would be a humiliation for the Wang family, effectively ending their standing in True Martial City.

"Unreasonable?"

Huo Wu laughed. "What does it matter if it is? If you fail to kneil as instructed in front of the Resplendent Building tomorrow, don't fault me for paying a visit to the head of the Wang family."

Her bewitching eyes held a chilling depth that made Wang Houdun and the others shiver, feeling as if they had plunged into an icy abyss, their blood running cold.

"Master of the Fire Tower... you!"

Wang Houdun glared at Huo Wu, his eyes filled with fury, his face ashen and his breathing labored. If Huo Wu were to confront the Wang family directly, his own fate would be dire.

"Get out of here, and don't forget to be on time tomorrow," Huo Wu dismissed them with a wave of her hand.

"We're leaving!"

Wang Houdun, seething with anger, stamped his foot and led the Wang family away in defeat.

His only recourse now was to report the incident to the family patriarch and await his judgment.

"Uncle Wang, are we really going to let it end like this?"

Once they were a safe distance from the Resplendent Building, Wang Yi couldn't contain his frustration.

The thought of their humiliating submission at the entrance of the Resplendent Building was maddening.

"We'll have to leave it to the Patriarch to decide."

Wang Houdun's complexion was the color of storm clouds, his insides twisted with regret. Meddling in this mess and offending the Resplendent Building was a foolish move.

"If the Family Head wishes to avoid a feud with the Resplendent Building, we'll kneel at their doorstep tomorrow, appeasing the Tower Master's wrath."

Wang Houdun clenched his teeth and seethed, "As for the kid you mentioned, he's definitely hiding out in the Resplendent Building!"

"I have no way to touch him while he's in there, but I refuse to believe he'll stay holed up in the Resplendent Building forever without ever stepping out!"

Wang Yi's face was a mask of fury, his eyes brimming with a murderous desire. "Uncle Wang, we have to eliminate that kid. It's the only way to quell the rage burning within us!"

Huang Ba's expression flickered between shades of doubt and resolve. Had he known it would come to this, he never would have tagged along.

Now, he too faced the humiliation of kneeling before the Resplendent Building tomorrow.

Their disgrace would soon echo through True Martial City, their shame known in every street and alley.

...

Once the Wang family had departed, those in the Resplendent Building's shadowy chamber breathed easier and retreated to their bedrooms.

"Sister Huo is incredible! With just a few swift moves, she sent those ill-intentioned Wang family members packing!" Lau Miaoyi gushed, her eyes sparkling with excitement and her cheeks flushed with awe. The thought of Huo Wu's commanding presence, which left the Wang family speechless, was utterly thrilling.

Lau Qing and the others wore looks of pure admiration. This was the power of a true master; such strength commanded respect.

"Huo Wu... she embodies the essence of a true master..."

Xiao Ling's dark eyes glowed with aspiration as he envisioned Huo Wu's heroic demeanor.

On the Divine Martial Continent, strength is revered above all else. The might of one's fist is the ultimate truth!

Leaning against the Resplendent Building, Huo Wu was not only of noble status but also possessed the formidable strength of a Martial King, enough to make members of the Wang family think twice before confronting her.

Someday, with enough power, he'd have his revenge, forcing those who annihilated the Holy Martial Institute to pay for their crimes in blood.

The door creaked open, and a stunning woman draped in fiery red allure entered, her presence infusing the room with a delicate fragrance.

"Fire Tower Master!"

Lau Qing quickly bowed with his hands clasped, expressing his gratitude, "Thank you, Fire Tower Master, for your timely assistance and for helping us out of a tight spot."

Behind him, the members of the Dragon Sect Escort Agency looked on with admiration, offering Huo Wu a respectful fist-and-palm salute.

"Let's dispense with the formalities," Huo Wu said with a laugh that brought to mind the bloom of spring. "I've always had a good rapport with the Dragon Sect Escort Agency. Lending a hand was the least I could do."

"Many thanks, Miss Huo!" Xiao Ling stepped forward, bowing with his hands together in appreciation.

Up close, Huo Wu's voluptuous figure and captivating curves made Xiao Ling involuntarily gulp, internally praising her bewitching allure.

"You're the alleged murderer the Wang family speaks of, aren't you?" Huo Wu's eyebrows arched playfully as she flashed a seductive smile. "To think you're so young, yet you've already achieved the Two-star Martial Master Stage. You certainly have talent."

"Two-star Martial Master!"

Lau Qing and the others gasped at Huo Wu's revelation. They scrutinized Xiao Ling more closely, their eyes widening in disbelief.

They could sense that Xiao Ling's aura was now exponentially stronger than before, confirming his ascent to the Two-star Martial Master realm.

Their astonishment was palpable. They hadn't known Xiao Ling long and were aware he was an Eight-star martial artist, but to have advanced to a Two-star Martial Master in less than a day was staggering. Such a meteoric rise was virtually unprecedented!

"I never imagined Mr. Xiao would outpace me so quietly. He's truly extraordinary," Lau Qing said, a touch of bitterness on his face. It was startling how quickly Xiao Ling had advanced beyond his One-star realm, leaving him struggling to adjust. After all, when Lau Qing first met Xiao Ling, he was just a dying youth.

The talent Xiao Ling now revealed was astonishingly profound.

Lau Qing's initial plans to bring Xiao Ling into the Dragon Sect Escort Agency had fallen through. He realized that a prodigy like Xiao Ling belonged to the boundless skies, not within the confines of any agency.

"Xiao Ling, congratulations on your advancement to the Two-star Martial Master level..."

A flicker of melancholy passed through Lau Miaoyi's eyes, her heart seized by a nameless dread. Xiao Ling's exceptional talent was overwhelming, making him more enigmatic with each passing moment.

He was like a shroud of mist, his silhouette elusive, his pace impossible to match.

Perhaps, she mused, only a formidable woman could match a rare talent like Xiao Ling—someone like Ms. Huo Wu...

The more she dwelled on this, the redder her eyes became. She fought the urge to cry, knowing she must not let her emotions interfere with Xiao Ling's path.