Chapter 0057: Wind Chasing the Moon

“You still dare to fight back? You’ve got some guts.” Zhang Xiaofan let out a cold snort, then swung his fist as well—no flourish, just direct force—meeting Brother Niu’s punch head-on.

A crisp crack rang out. Brother Niu’s face twisted in agony. The tremendous strength from Zhang Xiaofan’s fist broke his wrist instantly.

A scream escaped Brother Niu’s lips, the pain making him feel as though his bones might burst from his skin. He realized now that this fierce man wasn’t just a tough opponent—he was utterly outmatched, helpless to fight back.

Zhang Xiaofan sneered, reached out, and gripped Brother Niu’s throat. With minimal force, he made the man gasp for breath, his face contorted in pain.

“Brother, what crew are you with? Spare me, please?” Brother Niu pleaded, terror-stricken, all bravado gone.

“I’m a good man—I’m not with any crew,” Zhang Xiaofan scoffed. “Now talk. Who sent you? Tell me, and I’ll let you live.”

Feeling the chilling menace radiating from Zhang Xiaofan, Brother Niu was truly afraid. He didn’t think Zhang Xiaofan would kill him, but crippling him was entirely possible. There was no point hiding anything—he confessed immediately. After all, he hadn’t expected that idiot to make him offend someone so formidable.

“I’ll tell you. It was the head of HR at Lin Group, some guy named Ji Ba. He gave me ten thousand yuan to teach you a lesson.”

“Ji Ba? Just as I thought. That fat bastard has more nerve than I gave him credit for,” Zhang Xiaofan raised an eyebrow, realizing the man really did hold a grudge.

“Big brother, please—let go, I can’t take it anymore.” Brother Niu’s forehead was covered in sweat, his breathing labored.

“Since you’re cooperating, I’ll spare you. But from now on, if you see me, you go the other way. Understand?”

Zhang Xiaofan released his grip. Brother Niu collapsed to the ground, gulping in air as if it were the sweetest thing in the world.

“President Lin, you heard him. It was that fat bastard who came after me, not the other way around,” Zhang Xiaofan said, turning to Lin Sixue with a smile.

“When we get back this afternoon, I’ll have him fired,” Lin Siyu said angrily. Ji Ba had actually hired someone to retaliate against Zhang Xiaofan—this violated her principles completely.

“Sis, that fat guy is awful,” Lin Sixue pouted, clearly displeased.

“All right, let’s eat first. We’ll deal with it back at the company,” Lin Sixue said.

Both she and Zhang Xiaofan agreed, and they found a nearby restaurant for a simple lunch.

…

That afternoon, at Lin Group’s Human Resources Department.

“Useless! You call yourself a big shot, and you can’t even handle a bodyguard?” Ji Ba slammed down the phone in frustration.

At that moment, the door to his office swung open. A colleague from Administration entered.

“Ji Ba, you’ve been dismissed. Pack your things and go.”

With those words, the colleague placed the dismissal letter on his desk.

Ji Ba was stunned, his eyes narrowing to slits, fat cheeks squeezing together—looking as ugly as ever. He simply couldn’t believe it: he’d actually been fired!

He’d been with the company nearly ten years, and now he was out just like that. With a monthly salary of twenty thousand, a generous wage in Jinghai City, plus year-end bonuses, jobs like this would be hard to find again—especially with a termination by Lin Group on his record. Any company checking his file would steer clear.

“Damn it, it must be that kid’s doing!”

Furious, Ji Ba blamed everything on Zhang Xiaofan. In his heart, he was already plotting revenge.

“So you like that bitch? I’ll make sure I sleep with her!” Ji Ba raged inwardly, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes.

…

“Yue’er, that fat bastard has been fired. You won’t have to worry about him harassing you anymore,” Zhang Xiaofan said as he lounged on the sofa, smiling at Hua Yue’er.

“Brother Fan, you’re amazing! Are you related to President Lin? She always stands up for you,” Hua Yue’er asked, delighted. Ji Ba had harassed her often, but she’d been afraid to resist, fearing he’d cause trouble for her because of his position.

The job as a receptionist paid several thousand a month—a precious opportunity—so even when Ji Ba groped her, she dared not complain.

“Yeah, I call her Sister Lin. Don’t worry, if anyone at the company ever bullies you, let me know. I’ll stand up for you,” Zhang Xiaofan said with a grin.

“Why are you always so nice to me?” Hua Yue’er asked, giggling.

“Because you’re pretty. Isn’t that reason enough?” Zhang Xiaofan replied, smiling.

Blushing, Hua Yue’er glanced at his handsome face, her heart pounding uncontrollably.

After chatting for a while, Hua Yue’er went off to handle some tasks, and Zhang Xiaofan wandered to Lin Sixue’s office.

“Xue, come play a few rounds of games with me,” he called, leaning against her desk.

“Play games? I’m busy, you dummy,” Lin Sixue snapped, though her dedication to work was clear.

With nothing better to do, Zhang Xiaofan sprawled on the sofa to rest.

Soon, it was time to leave work.

They climbed into Zhang Xiaofan’s Hummer—he was, of course, the driver.

As they crossed the seabridge and entered a remote road, Zhang Xiaofan’s eyes narrowed. The road ahead was strewn with caltrops, and a man stood nearby, watching the vehicle coldly.

Clearly, this was no accident—someone was here to cause trouble.

There was no time to swerve; even a sharp drift would put the rear tires over the spikes. But Zhang Xiaofan didn’t intend to avoid them anyway. The Hummer’s tires were no ordinary rubber—even bullets couldn’t pierce them, let alone a few spikes.

Easing the brakes, he drove straight over the caltrops. He wanted to see who this fool was and what he wanted.

“Stay in the car and don’t come out,” he instructed the two women, then got out and calmly faced the stranger.

The man was about five-foot-seven, in his thirties, dressed in a traditional tunic suit, a flute tucked at his waist, an odd look about him, and a beast-like tattoo wrapping his wrist.

“Did you kill my junior’s spirit python?” the man’s face was grim, radiating menace.

“The spirit python? You mean that big snake? Yes, I killed it. Tasted pretty good, too,” Zhang Xiaofan replied coolly.

“So, you drank its blood as well. We cultivated that python for fifty years; it was almost perfect, and you destroyed it. Now, I have no choice but to kill you and drain your blood in return,” the man said icily. “You dare offend the Beast Taming Sect? Today, you must die.”

“Beast Taming Sect?” Zhang Xiaofan’s expression changed minutely. He knew of them—a hidden clan specializing in raising and training beasts, living deep in the mountains and forests.

He’d suspected as much after the giant python attacked Lin Siyu’s villa, but hadn’t expected it to be someone from the Beast Taming Sect. This was turning into a bigger issue.

Any hidden sect was not to be underestimated. But if you want my life, I don’t care if you’re god or demon—I’ll fight you all the same. Besides, this man didn’t seem to warrant much concern. Whatever comes next, there’s no point shrinking from it.

“Actually, I’m quite reasonable. Your junior tried to kill us with his snake. That snake’s death is its own fault. If you seek revenge, fine—but just remember, if you make a move, I’ll kill you as well,” Zhang Xiaofan said coldly. “The Zhao family sent you, didn’t they?”

“Heh, a mere deputy mayor could never command me,” the man sneered.

“You’re quite skilled, but in my eyes, you’re still lacking. Let’s see who kills whom today!” He let out a wild laugh, murderous intent blazing.

It had been his junior who sent the python after Lin Siyu; not as strong as the beast itself, he’d reported back after the failure, prompting this man—Feng Zhuyue—to come for Zhang Xiaofan’s life and blood.

Without another word, Feng Zhuyue launched a powerful punch at Zhang Xiaofan—a simple strike, but brimming with savage force.

So, this Feng Zhuyue was a late-stage Transcendent martial artist! No wonder, given his sect’s heritage—such skill at his age was impressive, and also the source of his arrogance.

Zhang Xiaofan sneered inwardly. He met the attack with his own fist, holding back to match the late-stage Transcendent level—after all, given the sect’s influence, it was best to hide his true strength.

Their fists collided with a dull boom. Zhang Xiaofan took a single step back, while Feng Zhuyue staggered seven paces, the difference instantly clear.

Zhang Xiaofan’s body had been tempered through years of torment by Old Man Qingyun, and he had just undergone another round of body refinement—not something Feng Zhuyue could match.

Feng Zhuyue narrowed his eyes. He’d already estimated Zhang Xiaofan’s strength generously, but had still underestimated him. How could someone at the same stage possess such physical might?

His face darkened. He knew he couldn’t win in a contest of strength. Though reluctant, he had to accept this reality.

A cold glint flashed in his eyes. Reaching for his waist, he drew his short flute—the greatest strength of the Beast Taming Sect lay in their mastery over beasts. Although he couldn’t bring many wild beasts into the city, he still had his signature abilities.

But Zhang Xiaofan wasn’t about to let him succeed.

A silver needle flashed in Zhang Xiaofan’s hand and shot out like lightning, a cold gleam trailing its path. Feng Zhuyue reacted instantly, but the needle still pierced his palm, pinning his hand to a tree behind him.

His attempt to play the flute was thwarted. In a flash, Zhang Xiaofan closed the distance and landed a straight punch, sending Feng Zhuyue flying seven or eight meters before crashing to the ground, teeth scattering and blood filling his mouth.

Still, for a late-stage Transcendent, such injuries meant little.

In the car, Lin Siyu and her sister watched anxiously, worried for Zhang Xiaofan’s safety.

“Come on, get up and try to kill me,” Zhang Xiaofan taunted, approaching with a wild, unyielding look.