Chapter 405 - 193: Take Down (Part 2)

He immediately gritted his teeth and brought his hands together, executing "Two Flowers Bloom" from the Seven Absolutes of Falling Blossoms. His palms and fingers split to the left and right, mimicking the act of plucking a flower.

It was a technique that appeared delicate but was, in fact, exceptionally fierce.

The movements of each hand were completely different, each containing its own profound mysteries.

Faced with this technique, an ordinary person might be able to counter the left hand, but not the right—and vice versa.

To counter both simultaneously, however, required a level of concentration they simply didn’t possess.

Thus, they were left with no choice but to be hit.

Unfortunately, this exquisite "Two Flowers Bloom" was completely wasted, like winking at a blind man.

Jiang Ran paid it no mind whatsoever, simply unleashing another Heaven-Covering Divine Palm.

The force of his palm howled through the air as if the very heavens were collapsing, smashing down with raw power.

The moment his two "delicate flowers" met the attack, they didn’t create so much as a ripple. Instead, they seemed to wither instantly, and both of Jiang Han’s arms were blasted apart. Jiang Ran’s palm thrust straight for his center, but it suddenly shifted into a claw, locking onto the vital points on Jiang Han’s chest.

A true chill went through Jiang Han. He felt his protective technique count for nothing where Jiang Ran’s fingers landed; the claw simply tore right through it.

Then, a brutal and overwhelming wave of Inner Strength flooded his meridians, paralyzing him completely. Jiang Ran lifted him with one hand and slammed him viciously onto the ground.

SLAM!!!

With a muffled slam, Jiang Han felt as if his insides were on fire.

He heard Jiang Ran say:

"What a pain."

’A pain?’

Just as Jiang Han was wondering what could possibly be a pain, Jiang Ran began to rain down palm strikes on him.

BAM! BAM! BAM!!

Like a blacksmith hammering steel, a relentless flurry of palm strikes descended upon him.

In an instant, Jiang Han was beaten so badly he didn’t know which way was up.

All he could see were palms when his eyes were open and feel them when they were closed. Whether his eyes were open or shut, everything just hurt.

To make matters worse, Jiang Ran’s blows had knocked his jaw crooked, so he couldn’t even manage a scream.

He could only let himself be pinned against the cliff face and beaten senseless.

At this point, however, Jiang Han finally believed what Jiang Ran had said.

He truly wasn’t trying to kill him. Otherwise, given the power of Jiang Ran’s initial strikes, he would have been dead long ago.

For some reason, a wave of relief washed over him.

While he was feeling relieved, the onlookers were completely dumbfounded.

The Gang Leader of the Thirteen Gangs!

Jiang Han, the Alliance Leader of the Flower and Rain Alliance!

To say his might shook the entire martial world might be an exaggeration, but it was no overstatement to say he was the hegemon of his region.

A man of his stature, with his level of skill, had been utterly defeated in just a few exchanges. Now, Jiang Ran had him pinned to the cliff, beating him like an adult beating a child.

The entire area fell silent, the only sound being the sickening thuds of Jiang Ran’s strikes landing on Jiang Han.

’They felt like they didn’t understand the world anymore. Could any Assassin just beat up the Gang Leader of the Thirteen Gangs these days?’

Just as this thought crossed their minds, Jiang Ran ceased his cruel "son-beating."

He casually yanked Jiang Han to his feet, then blurred into motion, reappearing on Sunset Plateau.

He addressed the crowd:

"My apologies, everyone. A small problem arose and gave you all a fright."

The crowd stared at the man he was holding—a bruised and battered Jiang Han, so swollen that his own mother wouldn’t have recognized him.

They all nodded vigorously...

’Of course they were frightened. They were more than frightened—they were utterly stunned by you!’

"Master, are you alright?"

Xuanyuan One Slash hurried forward.

Even Ruan Yuqing was rendered speechless by this.

The other martial artists present rolled their eyes.

’He just beat a man half to death in front of everyone. What could possibly be wrong with him? Are you worried his hands might be sore?’

But now, they finally understood why Xuanyuan One Slash had acknowledged Jiang Ran as his master.

Jiang Ran may have been an obscure figure before, but after today’s battle, no one would ever dare to underestimate him again.

He had beaten the Gang Leader of the Thirteen Gangs as if spanking his own child.

Not even the Sect Leader of the Dao Yi Sect possessed that kind of power, did he?

Jiang Ran, however, simply waved a hand and tossed the bruised, swollen, and utterly broken Jiang Han to Xuanyuan One Slash.

"Watch him. Don’t let him escape.

"After the Tea and Zither Assembly is over, I’ll have a proper ’talk’ with him."

"Yes."

Xuanyuan One Slash nodded.

Jiang Ran clicked his tongue and walked over to another crater, peering down at Gu Renlong inside.

He reached in and hauled him out.

"How long do you plan on lying there?"

"...Cut the crap."

Gu Renlong wasn’t dead, of course. But after taking a single palm strike from Jiang Ran, all the meridians in his body had been shattered.

Though he was alive, he was completely paralyzed.

Fortunately, his heart meridian was still intact; otherwise, he would have long been dead.

He glared viciously at Jiang Ran.

"Kill me or torture me, do as you please..."

"Fine. As you wish."

Jiang Ran nodded slightly. Before the baffled Gu Renlong could react, Jiang Ran’s hand was already around his neck. With a squeeze of his fingers, there was a sharp crack.

Gu Renlong’s head slumped to the side. He was dead.

A collective gasp went through the crowd.

"He actually killed him!?"

"Gu Renlong... he was a ruthless man in his own right. But this Jiang Ran kills without even batting an eye."

"But he showed Jiang Han mercy. Do you think Jiang Han could actually be his son? They both share the surname Jiang."

"What nonsense! Can’t you see Jiang Han is much older than Young Hero Jiang?"

"That’s where you’re ignorant. In the martial world, senior masters with profound Inner Energy often possess techniques to preserve their youthful appearance.

"How can someone as young as Jiang Ran have such incredible skill? If you ask me, his true age could be far greater... It wouldn’t be out of the question for him to have a son as old as Jiang Han. No, wait... maybe Jiang Han is his grandson?"