The prison chamber was vast, comparable to a small plaza in size; the walls around the chamber were constructed from diamond stone and aluminium alloy, exceedingly hard, and breaking through them with martial power would be a fool’s errand for ordinary folk. At the very least, someone of Li Feng’s current strength could not shake them.
The prison chamber was not a single room; inside were forty-nine separate cells, each surrounded by massive iron pillars.
No one knew why Li Feng had built so many prison chambers.
At this moment, in one of the rooms, a man sat in the corner, his appearance dishevelled, fear flickering intermittently in his eyes. This was none other than Li Quan.
He had been confined in this prison for several days now, and Li Quan had long since fallen into despair.
That day, upon receiving Wang Xiong’s call and arriving at the Horizon Pavilion, he had witnessed Li Feng unleashing his divine prowess; he had been terrified at the time, never imagining Li Feng possessed such formidable skills. If Li Feng truly defeated Wang Xiong and the others, killing Li Feng this time would be impossible. To avoid exposure, Li Quan had not shown himself immediately.
Fortunately, Li Feng’s triumph had been short-lived; Wang Xiong and his group had produced guns, and in that instant, Li Quan was certain Li Feng was doomed. So what if Li Feng’s skills were peerless? No matter how high one’s kung fu, one bullet could fell you.
To humiliate Li Feng thoroughly before his death and vent his pent-up glee, Li Quan had stepped forward. He knew emerging now meant tearing all pretence with Li Feng, but so what? Li Feng was about to die anyway; if he did not mock him mercilessly beforehand, how could he justify years of fawning and grovelling to Li Feng, years of meticulous scheming?
Yet ideals are fine, reality cruel; his glee had lasted but moments before the world upended. Li Feng had subdued Wang Xiong, seized control of the scene, and one of Li Quan’s arms had been hacked into four segments by Li Feng’s subordinate.
Li Quan had thought himself done for then, yet Li Feng had not killed him. He did not know why Li Feng spared him, but without an arm and locked in this lightless prison, it was no different from death.
What baffled Li Quan was how, having followed Li Feng since childhood, he had never known of such skills. Wang Xiong had told him earlier that Li Feng had annexed the Sun Group, but in Li Quan’s heart, Li Feng’s success stemmed from Hu Yuanyuan scheming behind him.
Skills, however, were another matter; such prowess could not develop overnight, and having trailed Li Feng so long, it was impossible he had missed it. Had he known Li Feng harboured such abilities, he would never have surfaced so rashly; he would have devised another way to kill Li Feng. But now, it was all too late.
Tap tap tap…
Footsteps echoed, yet Li Quan did not raise his head. Each day, aside from meal deliveries, no one visited this prison; in Li Quan’s view, this must be food arriving.
“Li Quan.” A cool voice sounded.
Li Quan shuddered all over; this voice was too familiar, Li Feng’s voice. Li Feng had come.
Struggling to look up, he saw Li Feng standing before him, gazing coldly, eyes like still ancient wells.
“Li Feng.” Li Quan ground his teeth, yearning to lunge and tear his flesh, drink his blood; without this man, how could Li Quan have fallen so low?
“You hate me greatly?” Li Feng’s tone was even.
“Hate? Without you, how would I be in this plight? Tell me, should I not hate you?” Li Quan glared icily at Li Feng; if looks could kill, Li Feng would be diced a thousand times over.
“That is your own doing. Had you not schemed every way to put me to death, you would not face this end. This is karma.” A cold gleam flashed deep in Li Feng’s eyes.
“Hahaha, karma, karma, to hell with your karma; this is heaven’s injustice.” Li Quan laughed maniacally, his face twisting as he stared at Li Feng. “Why were you born the Li family heir, the Li family young master, while I am mere collateral, a dispensable branch scion? I refuse to accept it. A wastrel like you as heir? Why not I, Li Quan?”
“That is your greed unbound.” Li Feng glanced at him, saying coldly: “You are Li family blood, collateral though you be, yet from youth you enjoyed vast resources, privileges no ordinary clan scion could dream of, and still you are unsatisfied, coveting the heir’s seat. Do you think me dead makes you the heir? Hmph, a fool’s delusion.”
“A wastrel like you can, so why not I, Li Quan?” Li Quan’s face contorted, glaring coldly at Li Feng. “I should have killed you long ago; how did I end up like this?”
“Hmph, unrepentant.” Li Feng sneered. Though his memories held scant family details, as someone reborn twice, he knew full well that grooming an heir in a great clan like the Lis was no simple task. Forget his prior self’s inadequacy; even this Li Quan was utterly unfit.
Li Quan had some petty cunning, but a crooked heart; such a one as heir would drag the clan into ruin. Unless the Li elders were idiots, they could never let him take the seat.
What was more, had this Li Quan truly slain him, would his nominal parents spare him? From memories, they doted on him exceedingly, even scheming to wed him to Hu Yuanyuan. If Li Quan killed him, with their means, unearthing the truth would be child’s play.
Pity this Li Quan still failed to grasp that his so-called plots were laughable trifles.
“Hmph, unrepentant I am, so what? Li Feng, gloat not; without your deep schemes, the dead one would be you.” Li Quan glared coldly at Li Feng.
Thinking how he had shadowed Li Feng for years without truly knowing him, Li Quan chilled at Li Feng’s cunning.
“Hmph, on schemes, you plotted ceaselessly to kill me; what right have you to speak of cunning with me?” Li Feng would never tell Li Quan he was no longer the old Li Feng. Even if he did, Li Quan would not believe.
“I want to know, when did you first suspect me?” Li Quan voiced a question long buried in his heart. He believed he had hidden well from Li Feng, yet knew not how Li Feng had seen through his machinations.
“The last drag race incident was likely your doing, no? Hmph, in hospital, you seemed most displeased at my survival.” Li Feng said coldly.
“So that is it; you suspected me then. I should have realised; from your thrashing of Sun Xipeng, I ought to have known you had changed. Pity, I still took you for a wastrel. Thus, seeing Song Zhiyuan at Horizon Pavilion, though I knew you had used me, I deemed it coincidence.” Li Quan’s face fell in desolation.
Li Feng gazed at him coldly.
“You have come to kill me, have you not?” Drawing a deep breath, Li Quan glared coldly at Li Feng; from the moment of his confinement in this sunless prison, he knew escape impossible. With Li Feng’s ruthlessness, he would not be spared; only he had not expected this day so swift.
“But even if you kill me, you shall not fare well.” Li Quan’s face twisted, murder glinting in his eyes.
“Fear not, I have no desire to kill you yet.” Li Feng dismissed Li Quan’s threat utterly, gazing faintly at him.
“You would not visit out of kindness, surely.” Li Quan glanced at Li Feng, saying coldly: “What do you want?”
“I merely wish to ask a few questions.” Li Feng looked at Li Quan, saying slowly: “I want to know how you connected with the Emperor’s Pavilion and the Black Stone Gang.”
“You wish to know that; do you think I shall tell you?” Li Quan glared coldly at Li Feng, sneering: “I tell you, you shall learn not a word from me. The Black Stone Gang and Emperor’s Pavilion will see you buried without a grave.”
“Hmph? Am I not thriving still?”
Li Feng looked at Li Quan, saying faintly: “What is more, with my skills, do you think I would come to harm?”
Li Quan sneered inwardly; no matter Li Feng’s kung fu, mishaps happen. Killing him would be easy for the Black Stone Gang and Emperor’s Pavilion, especially the latter, they were…
“What is more, do you still believe the Black Stone Gang exists in Tianhai City?” Li Feng continued.
Li Quan’s pupils contracted, his expression shifting: “You destroyed the Black Stone Gang?”
“Clever, worthy of Li Quan.” Li Feng grinned.
“Impossible!” Li Quan looked utterly incredulous.
“Impossible? Do you think me lying, with need to deceive you? When you, Liu Shichao, Wang Xiong and the rest schemed against me, why did I know it a trap yet plunge in?”
Before Li Quan could ask, Li Feng said: “Had it not been for Wang Xiong’s Black Stone Gang, or Liu Shichao’s Emperor’s Pavilion, do you think you, Li Quan, would live till now? Last time at the suburban warehouse, why did I delay the stone unveiling? Because I lacked power to match the Black Stone Gang and Emperor’s Pavilion then. Now that we have fallen out, the Black Stone Gang’s forces are needless.”
“How is this possible? How could you wield such might?” Li Quan remained incredulous.
“Could it be the family…” Li Quan looked up, shocked at Li Feng. “Have you gained family backing? Impossible, a wastrel like you gaining family support? If you had, the Emperor’s Pavilion, they…”
Here, Li Quan abruptly fell silent.
“What of the Emperor’s Pavilion?” A sharp glint flashed in Li Feng’s eyes as he pressed.
