Chapter Nine: Heterodox Paths and Malevolent Arts, Men Like Ghosts

The middle-aged man moved like a phantom. His eyes instantly turned blood-red, thick with crimson veins. Xu Yao froze in place, her heart skipping a beat as if she were being stared down by a malevolent spirit.

"Stop!"

At the same time, a sharp shout erupted from the side table. A handsome, middle-aged man in a tailored suit stood up abruptly, blocking Xu Yao’s path in two strides.

Just as Xu Guanren had the means to recruit experts like Wang Wei, Xu Yao had her own protectors. This man, Xiao Taiming, was Xu Yao’s trusted confidant, responsible for her safety during every trip and overseas inspection.

Facing the charging man, Xiao Taiming stomped the ground, his hands morphing into claws as he lashed out toward his opponent’s throat.

Roar!

The sudden release of power caused the air to vibrate with a thunderous boom, sounding exactly like a tiger’s roar.

Tiger Claw Style, Ferocious Tiger Pouncing on Prey!

All the force of his body gathered into his five fingers, capable of tearing a man’s windpipe clean out.

However, in the next instant, the charging man unleashed his own claw attack. His technique was bizarre and eerie, his hands bulging with black-purple veins.

It was not a beast’s claw, but a ghost’s claw.

As their energies locked, Xiao Taiming met his opponent’s gaze, and his pupils contracted violently. In that moment, he felt as if wailing ghosts were screaming in his ears, replaced by visions of humans struggling in blood. The intense baleful energy and resentment condensed, shaking his very soul.

As the boxing manuals say: "The spirit captures the soul; the will of a man can startle ghosts and gods."

Martial arts have momentum; the intent of the fist can shatter the soul.

In the brief moment of his mental shock, the ghost-like claw seized Xiao Taiming’s arm and gave it a violent twist.

Crack!

A sickening sound of dislocated bone and sinew echoed through the room. The intense pain jolted Xiao Taiming’s mind, causing his stance to collapse as he stumbled backward, colliding with Xu Yao behind him.

"Come back."

The middle-aged man prepared to pursue, but at the calm command of Mr. Ruan, he stopped as if under a binding spell and retreated two steps to the young man’s side.

"Heretical martial arts!"

Xiao Taiming gripped his twisted, dislocated arm, sweat pouring down his forehead as he glared at the attacker.

Martial arts are not inherently good or evil, but the methods of training are divided into orthodox and heretical paths. Orthodox martial arts build from the outside in, tempering the body and mind to nurture a grand, steady momentum—upright, balanced, and methodical.

Heretical martial arts, however, are shortcuts.

For instance, some practitioners train in graveyards to stimulate their minds, resulting in techniques that are cold, gloomy, and filled with lethal intent. These paths offer faster results but carry severe side effects: mental instability, paranoia, and extreme behavior.

In the Nanyang region, such heretical practices are not uncommon. With this man’s strength—his fist intent acting like a demonic possession to terrorize the mind—even experts of internal cultivation were no match for him.

"Old Xiao! Are you alright?"

Xu Yao knelt to check on him, then looked up at Mr. Ruan and Xu Guanren, shouting, "What exactly are you trying to do?!"

She had not expected them to be so lawless; this was not their territory in Nanyang!

"My subordinate does not know his own strength. I hope Ms. Xu will forgive him. I only wish to persuade you to stay. There is an old Eastern saying: 'Those who understand the times are the wise.' By the way, to ensure everyone’s safety, my people have temporarily taken over the security around this conference room. This matter must have a conclusion today."

Mr. Ruan kept a warm, gentle smile on his face, but his words were bone-chilling. The other members of the Xu family kept their eyes lowered, not daring to be the first to speak out against such an obviously dangerous man.

Xu Yao’s expression shifted repeatedly as her heart sank. The opposition had prepared for every contingency, using both carrot and stick. She had nowhere to retreat. With Xu Guanren and the company’s upper management colluding with Nanyang forces, she seemed to have no choice left.

Bang!

Suddenly, a deafening crash echoed through the room, startling the Xu family members so much they nearly jumped from their seats. Everyone turned toward the conference room doors.

The locked doors were smashed open. A tall figure stepped into the room, carrying two security guards like sacks of grain, and tossed them carelessly onto the floor.

"Beidou?"

Seeing the figure, Xu Yao was stunned. The high-level executives who recognized Yi Beidou also looked on in shock.

Yi Beidou scanned the room, his eyes instantly locking onto Mr. Ruan and the middle-aged man behind him. His keen intuition sensed an aura about them that was distinctly different from ordinary people.

On the other side, Mr. Ruan felt as if he had been pricked by a needle under Yi Beidou’s gaze. His relaxed posture went rigid; seeing that his outside security had been dealt with, he knew the newcomer was a serious threat.

"Ba Xiong," Mr. Ruan said softly.

Whoosh!

The next moment, the middle-aged man shot toward Yi Beidou like an arrow released from a string. His eyes flooded with blood as he unleashed his soul-shattering technique.

Yi Beidou immediately felt a wave of intense, malevolent energy rushing toward him.

Within that aura, he saw visions of people struggling—tortured, wailing, and cursing as their flesh was sliced away inch by inch. Amidst this bloody scene of pain and resentment, a man covered in crimson patterns practiced his craft.

This was the heretical art Ba Xiong practiced: The Fierce Ghost King Talisman.

It involved torturing the living to harvest their pain and hatred, tempering one's own mind to transcend human limits, and acting like a vengeful spirit until one achieved extraordinary, monstrous power.

"Watch out!" Xu Yao cried out.

But in that instant, Yi Beidou’s gaze changed. The calm in his eyes vanished, replaced by a terrifying, boundless killing intent.

Boom!

As Ba Xiong reached him, the baleful aura in his eyes was replaced by terror. He had practiced the heretical path to become a demon, but standing before him was a true monster.

That pure, unadulterated killing intent instantly suppressed his spirit, filling him with an uncontrollable tremor.

The Heavenly Demon’s Wrath, burning the world to ashes.

"Using the living to train? You deserve to die!"

Yi Beidou’s voice exploded in Ba Xiong’s ears, sounding like a divine judgment from the King of Hell. A palm descended, heavy as the heavens.

Roar!

Ba Xiong’s eyes bulged, and in his life-or-death struggle, he let out a roar, bracing his arms upward to block.

Crack!

A gruesome sound of shattering bone erupted as his arms snapped instantly. The palm, having broken through his guard, struck the top of his skull with unimpeded force.

Thud!

With a muffled sound, the immense force drove Ba Xiong’s entire head down into his chest, leaving only the top of his skull still visible.