Chapter Forty-Two: The Society of Radiant Light

Brother Snake casually picked up a broken brick from a pile of construction debris that had been haphazardly discarded. The hospital was in the midst of expansion; apart from the abandoned parking lot whose work had been halted for special reasons, several old residential buildings nearby had also been marked for demolition as part of the project.

As a result, there were quite a few half-demolished old apartment blocks in the vicinity. Beneath these buildings, a handful of businesses remained open, most of them restaurants yet to relocate. The eatery Qin Tian and his companions were headed to was just such a place—an establishment with a century of history, now forced to move.

“Kid, I’ll show you that all your little tricks are useless in the face of true strength! Let’s see where you run now!” Brother Snake flung the brick at Qin Tian. With a slight tilt of his head, the brick whistled past his ear.

At that instant, Brother Snake charged forward, throwing a punch straight at Qin Tian’s face. Qin Tian thrust out his palm, wrapping it around Brother Snake’s fist.

“Hmm?” Though he had blocked the attack, Qin Tian frowned slightly. Brother Snake’s punch had felt strangely soft—more feint than force, a mere distraction.

“Die!” Brother Snake’s face contorted as he drove his knee into Qin Tian’s midsection.

A sharp pain shot through Qin Tian’s body, forcing him to release his grip and double over, sweat beading on his brow. Brother Snake, a seasoned street fighter, had found his mark with ruthless precision; that knee strike was devastating.

But he wasn’t finished. As Qin Tian bent in pain, Brother Snake’s left hand produced another brick fragment. No one knew when he had grabbed it—his left hand had been hidden behind his back the entire time, escaping Qin Tian’s notice.

“I’ll cripple your hand! That’ll teach you a lesson!” Brother Snake raised the brick, aiming it at Qin Tian’s right elbow. A strike like that would surely break the bone, if not shatter it outright.

Qin Tian managed a bitter smile. The pain held him captive; he could only watch helplessly as Brother Snake brought the brick down toward him. He realized, not for the first time, that his loss wasn’t due to inferior strength, but lack of experience.

Gritting his teeth, Qin Tian resigned himself to his fate. Even if he was injured, he had ways to heal himself—though it would be inconvenient for a while.

Just as the brick was about to smash into his arm, a sharp sound split the air. Something flew in from a distance, striking Brother Snake’s hand.

A jolt of pain shot through Brother Snake’s hand, causing him to drop the brick. “Ah!” he cried out again as the bones on the back of his hand collided with Qin Tian’s elbow, sending another wave of agony through him.

Brother Snake’s face grew even darker. Not only had his scheme failed, but now someone had intervened from the shadows—damnably meddlesome.

He glanced toward the mouth of the alley. In the dim, hazy light, a figure stood there, their face lost in shadow, nothing visible but a blurry silhouette.

“Who are you?” Brother Snake scowled.

“A man of your standing—one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Bodhi Society in Wu City—bullying a youngster? Have you no shame?” The voice that replied sounded oddly familiar to Qin Tian, as if he’d heard it somewhere before.

“Who are you, really?” Brother Snake’s frown deepened. Anyone who knew about the Bodhi Society had to be someone from the underworld. And, judging from the skillful throw of the hidden weapon, this person was no ordinary hand. Brother Snake’s mind raced through a list of possible suspects, but none matched the build of the person before him.

The figure stepped into the alley, their features coming into focus. When at last they saw who it was, both Brother Snake and Qin Tian were stunned.

It was Wang Shoucheng, the taxi driver who had previously taken Qin Tian to the outskirts of the city and given him a folding stool for self-defense!

Qin Tian could hardly believe it—this Wang Shoucheng was actually a master? Was this one of those stories where a hidden master retires to live as a humble cab driver in the city?

Brother Snake’s expression shifted from stupefaction to astonishment, then to deep apprehension.

“Wang Shoucheng, so it’s you!” Clearly, Brother Snake recognized him as well.

“As shameless as ever, I see. A so-called ‘hero’ of the Bodhi Society, picking on a junior—does that make you proud?” Wang Shoucheng said with undisguised contempt.

“Wang Shoucheng! You’ve been out of the underworld for years—must you meddle in others’ affairs?” Brother Snake retorted, but Qin Tian could hear the uncertainty in his voice.

Qin Tian grew even more curious. Who had Wang Shoucheng once been, to inspire such dread in Brother Snake?

“Does Qin Tian count as someone from the underworld? I don’t think so. Since you’re targeting a young man who isn’t even part of our world, why shouldn’t I intervene?” Wang Shoucheng shrugged indifferently.

“If the Chongming Society still existed, perhaps I’d show you some respect. But now…” Brother Snake narrowed his eyes.

Wang Shoucheng’s background was once terrifying. The Chongming Society had been a power equal to the Bodhi Society. But they had made enemies of the wrong people and vanished overnight, wiped out as if they’d never existed. The Chongming Society’s influence had spanned the entire nation, even the globe, yet before that mysterious force, they had been helpless.

Brother Snake had always been cautious never to inquire too deeply about that mysterious power. If the Chongming Society were still around, he wouldn’t hesitate to turn and flee at the sight of Wang Shoucheng—without a second thought.

But now, Wang Shoucheng was nothing but a remnant of a defeated gang. Brother Snake didn’t believe he could stir up any real trouble.

“You think my confidence comes from the Chongming Society? You’re mistaken. My confidence comes from my own strength.”

With those words, a powerful aura radiated from Wang Shoucheng.

Qin Tian’s eyes widened in shock. What kind of power was this? Just standing before Wang Shoucheng, he felt an overwhelming urge to submit—this was terrifying.

Brother Snake’s pupils contracted, his face filled with disbelief. “Wang Shoucheng! I can’t believe that, even after the fall of the Chongming Society, you managed to advance further—reaching the Supreme Rank!”

Brother Snake’s chest heaved. He knew that if he didn’t leave now, he would be finished.

“This young man is under my protection,” Wang Shoucheng said coolly.

“Do you intend to start a war with the Bodhi Society?” Brother Snake asked, his face hard.

“A war? I’m afraid your little branch isn’t qualified. If you want Huang Qinhu to come after me, let him come. Tell him Wang Shoucheng is now at the Second Realm of the Supreme Rank.”

At that moment, Wang Shoucheng seemed almost otherworldly, like an immortal sage.

“What? The… the Second Supreme Realm? The Golden Core Realm?” Brother Snake stammered. “Impossible! Absolutely impossible! When the Chongming Society was at its height, with all its vast resources, they produced only two experts at the Golden Core level. How could a mere survivor like you have the means to break through to Golden Core?”

Brother Snake’s face was a mask of terror. The underworld of Wu City was about to change forever.