A Knife

Xiang Jingpeng and the three men with him entered the elevator first.

Su Yan was the last to step in.

As the four turned around, they caught sight of a stunning beauty joining them.

Unable to resist, they exchanged knowing glances at Su Yan’s figure.

Finally, egged on by his three mentors, Xiang Jingpeng took the initiative and said to Su Yan:

"Hey beautiful, you look really familiar!"

"Have we met somewhere before?"

Su Yan flashed a mocking smile.

Without hesitation, she turned to face him and replied,

"Oh? You seem like a complete stranger to me."

Xiang Jingpeng’s heart raced when the beauty turned to engage with him.

Even though Su Yan wore sunglasses,

her curvaceous figure and flawless features

sent a surge of heat through him.

Puffing out his chest, he proudly introduced himself:

"Ever heard of the War God Martial Arts Academy in Jiangcheng City?"

"Well, I’m the master of that very academy."

Su Yan feigned surprise.

"So you’re the shady master of the War God Academy?"

"I’ve heard your place is a total mess—full of freaks."

Xiang Jingpeng was speechless.

He hadn’t realized his academy had such a terrible reputation.

Damn that Chen Feng and his rumors.

Awkwardly, he defended,

"That’s all just lies spread by Chen Feng."

"Our academy is harmonious, filled with love, kindness, and beauty."

Su Yan nearly laughed out loud.

She pressed on, "Is that so?"

Xiang Jingpeng put on a solemn face.

"Of course! If you don’t believe me, I can take you for a tour."

"If you’re free, I can take you right after I finish my business here."

Su Yan pretended to be thrilled.

"Really? You’d do that for me?"

"I’d love to see what the War God Academy is really like."

"Let’s go together—just wait for you to wrap things up, okay?"

Xiang Jingpeng smirked, feeling his scheme was working.

"Absolutely!"

Once this beauty stepped into his academy,

he had countless ways to force her into submission.

Su Yan stayed by Xiang Jingpeng’s side, not leaving the elevator,

until they arrived at Chen Feng’s doorstep.

The three mentors subtly gave their master a thumbs-up.

Xiang Jingpeng’s ego swelled with satisfaction.

One mentor stepped forward and knocked.

Soon, the door opened.

The moment Liu Weiwei saw Xiang Jingpeng,

her brows furrowed. "What are you doing here?"

Xiang Jingpeng chuckled.

"I’m here to give you an opportunity."

"Chen Feng is finished. Joining the Devouring Sky Club is a serious crime."

"As the academy master, once he’s arrested, the Chosen Martial Arts Academy will cease to exist."

"Return to the War God Academy, and I’ll give you the highest treatment."

Just then, Jin Youxi appeared behind Liu Weiwei.

Seeing Xiang Jingpeng trying to poach another disciple,

she recalled how Xiao Ruohan had been lured away before.

Anxiety crept into her as she watched Liu Weiwei,

afraid her junior sister might choose to go back.

How heartbroken their master would be.

Without thinking, Jin Youxi wrapped her arms around Liu Weiwei’s.

Sensing her distress, Liu Weiwei quickly reassured her,

"Don’t worry! I won’t betray Master like Xiao Ruohan did."

"I’ll always have only one master."

BANG!

The door slammed shut.

Xiang Jingpeng scowled, humiliated in front of the beauty.

He shouted at the closed door,

"Don’t you dare disrespect me!"

"I could crush you with a snap of my fingers—make you beg on your knees!"

With that, he turned to his men.

"Let’s go."

"Just wait and see how I deal with her."

"A mere martial apprentice, thinking she’s untouchable?"

"I’ll make her crawl back to me."

Su Yan revealed a mocking smile.

"The gym owner is really impressive, huh!"

Xiang Jingpeng cleared his throat awkwardly.

Realizing he had gotten carried away and lost his composure.

"I'm not usually like this."

"But in Jiangcheng, very few dare disrespect me like this."

The three instructors beside him quickly chimed in:

"Liu Weiwei is utterly ungrateful, forgetting all the training our War God Gym provided."

"Now that Chen Feng's identity with the Devouring Sky Club is exposed, she still refuses to wake up."

"The owner is too kind-hearted for taking her back—no one else would dare."

Listening to them, Su Yan understood exactly what kind of "kindness" they meant.

She decided to give them a taste of her own brand of kindness.

Xiang Jingpeng personally drove Su Yan to the War God Gym.

He gave her a grand tour of the facilities.

"That's our training hall."

"Over there is the martial arts archive."

...

Finally, he led her into his office.

"This is my office—make yourself comfortable."

"Let me brew some tea for you."

Su Yan chuckled.

"No need for formalities. I prefer things... direct."

Direct?

Xiang Jingpeng froze.

Were young people this bold nowadays?

Not that he minded.

Then Su Yan sat on the sofa and raised her palm toward him.

Activating the Star-Swallowing Technique instantly.

Xiang Jingpeng staggered, his body lurching forward uncontrollably.

As a master-level fighter, he barely stabilized his stance.

Pointing at Su Yan in shock, he gasped,

"You know martial arts!"

"What... what technique is this?"

The overwhelming suction force reminded him of one legendary skill.

Su Yan grinned.

"It's called the Star-Swallowing Technique. I'm sure you've heard of it."

Xiang Jingpeng's eyes widened.

The confirmation matched his worst fear.

Before he could react, Su Yan channeled all her energy into the technique.

Chairs and furniture flew toward her in the vortex.

Xiang Jingpeng, too, was dragged forward helplessly.

"Wind God Legs!"

Knowing he stood no chance, Xiang Jingpeng refused to surrender. He launched a desperate counterattack.

But a violent repulsive force smashed against his legs,

sending him crashing into the wall.

Bookshelves splintered into flying debris.

Outside the office, the three eavesdropping instructors heard the commotion.

They banged on the door, shouting:

"Owner! Are you okay?"

"What's happening in there?"

Xiang Jingpeng grasped at this lifeline.

He tried to yell, but blood gushed from his mouth instead.

Then the suction returned—stronger this time.

Defenseless, his body hurtled toward Su Yan.

With his last strength, he screamed:

"HELP!"

The word barely escaped before Su Yan's palm seized him.

Abandoning the Star-Swallowing Technique, she switched to the North Star Divine Art.

Xiang Jingpeng convulsed as if electrocuted, his body paralyzed.

His life force surged violently into Su Yan's grasp.

The three instructors kicked down the door—

only to see their once-portly owner now emaciated,

his face ghostly pale, eyes vacant.

A terrifying organization flashed through their minds.

Devourer Club!

They never expected that the woman the gym owner brought back was actually from the Devourer Club.

The three of them knew their limits.

Seeing that even Xiang Jingpeng, a master-level cultivator, was no match for her,

they understood that as mere advanced martial artists, they stood no chance either.

Without hesitation, they turned and fled, intending to call for reinforcements.

But in front of Su Yan, an grandmaster-level fighter,

these advanced martial artists weren’t even qualified to struggle.

The Devouring Star Technique activated once more.

Like an autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves,

the three were helplessly pulled back, unable to resist in the slightest.

With a wave of her hand, Su Yan shut the office door again.

Gazing at them with a playful smile, she said:

"Let’s hurry this up—I still have to get to Sacred Capital soon."

"Who’s going first? Or would you prefer to come at me together?"

"Either way works for me."