Chapter 50 Today, in the Desert, I Reign Supreme! (First Update)

Liusha Town, sleepless through the night.

As the central figure in this unfolding drama, Jiang Yu remained oblivious to the commotion outside his window, leisurely enjoying tea with Gu Feifei. He brewed a pot of Xinyang Maojian, sitting beneath the open sky in the courtyard. The moon was bright, stars sparse, accompanied by a beautiful companion—nothing could be more delightful.

Gu Feifei’s slender fingers lifted a delicate porcelain cup. She took a sip, savoring the endless fragrance. As a workaholic, she constantly rushed about the stage, often subsisting on cold boxed meals. Yet, because of a recent mishap—almost being blacklisted—she found herself blessed with rare leisure.

“Mr. Jiang, why do you think tea leaves differ in quality?” Gu Feifei blinked her beautiful eyes, playful and charming.

After several days together, she noticed Jiang Yu was mostly silent, rarely uttering more than three sentences a day. Others found him dull, but Gu Feifei enjoyed the tranquil atmosphere he brought; it seemed as if he could see through her thoughts with a single glance.

Jiang Yu smiled. “Let me ask you: why are people divided into different ranks in this world?”

“Huh?” Gu Feifei pursed her cherry lips, momentarily speechless.

Jiang Yu, hands behind his back, stood and gazed at the stars. “Because it’s the law of nature. Living under this law, unless one day you rise above it and break free, only true strength gives you the confidence to look down on all things. In my eyes, all things in this world are equal.”

“Only the weak distinguish between high and low, dividing people into ranks. When you become strong enough, you’ll realize that, no matter how powerful or dazzling someone is, in your eyes, they’re no different from the ants on the ground.”

Gu Feifei smiled gently. What a phrase—‘all things in this world are equal.’

She twirled the porcelain teacup in her hand and joked, “Everyone wants the strength you speak of. No matter how many obstacles, they wish to cut through them with one sword. Yet, how many can truly achieve that? Mr. Jiang, your ambition and even the way you speak remind me so much of an old acquaintance of mine.”

Jiang Yu’s smile was enigmatic. “Oh? Who is this acquaintance you speak of?”

Gu Feifei bit her lip, her tone aggrieved. “He was a clueless fool, insensitive to feelings. Let him be damned.”

Jiang Yu laughed. Clearly, Gu Feifei harbored strong opinions about this ‘old acquaintance.’

The helicopter circling above Liusha Town had departed, leaving a haze of dust in its wake. Jiang Yu looked toward where it had flown and sneered, “Perhaps, one day you’ll meet that old acquaintance again.”

Gu Feifei’s mood dimmed, recalling that imposing figure with a pang in her heart. “I hope so.”

Around midnight, Xia Qinghan, Lin Dong, and their group gradually returned.

Young Liu and his friends chattered excitedly, faces alight with enthusiasm. “Damn, this trip was worth it! I never believed it before, but now I’m convinced—there are people in this world almost like immortals. Young Wang, did you see it? That guy jumped from a hundred meters up and came out completely unscathed!”

Wang too was animated. “Can people really reach such heights through some mysterious discipline? I used to think those movies with people leaping across rooftops were all nonsense. Seeing it tonight with my own eyes, I realize our vision has been far too limited.”

They were all scions of noble families, worlds away from the realm of martial artists. At most, they had heard tales of martial prowess through various channels, always assuming the stories were mere exaggerations. Thus, they never believed such people truly existed.

Seeing it firsthand tonight, their understanding of the world was overturned in an instant.

Gu Feifei smiled. “What happened?”

She had only seen a helicopter hovering above Liusha Town earlier, thinking some wealthy person was making a dramatic entrance to attract attention.

Young Liu couldn’t wait to sit beside Gu Feifei, bouncing with excitement. “Feifei, you have no idea! We saw someone leap directly from the helicopter without any equipment—just jumped! It was so shocking. The spot below was smashed into a huge pit.”

Gu Feifei covered her mouth. “Are you sure you saw it right? Jumping from such a height—wouldn’t he be dead?”

Lin Dong shook his head, his tone grave. “Liu and the others weren’t mistaken. Someone did jump from a hundred meters up. Shen Wan’an, renowned overseas, second in the Shadow Kill organization, had already reached the threshold of grandmaster five years ago. Now, after five years, he’s likely glimpsed the grandmaster’s realm.”

Xia Qinghan remained silent, clearly shaken by tonight’s events.

Even a grandmaster-in-waiting was involved; it seemed this year’s Jiangbei Tournament would be anything but peaceful.

A grandmaster’s bearing—like a celestial dragon!

Such a figure was invincible within their domain. Now, arriving in Liusha Town so conspicuously, accidents were bound to happen.

Those who witnessed the spectacle were still deeply shocked. Normally, these young nobles would never have the opportunity to see such a scene.

Everyone felt this trip had been worthwhile.

Li Mengxue, who never believed in the supernatural, was still dazed.

“Brother Dong, was that grandmaster-in-waiting here for the tournament? If so, no one else stands a chance.”

Wang now addressed Lin Dong respectfully as ‘Brother Dong.’

Since witnessing the spectacle, he had become a fervent admirer of martial artists.

Lin Dong explained, “Last night, a master from Shadow Kill and three experts at the peak of their discipline were slain by someone unknown. Shen Wan’an came because of this incident. Losing so many experts at once, Shadow Kill couldn’t sit still.”

Shadow Kill?

The name was unfamiliar to everyone.

Gu Feifei was curious. “What is Shadow Kill?”

Lin Dong explained slowly. “Shadow Kill is an assassin organization active overseas, passed down since the Republic era, once as famous as Hongmen and Qingbang. Nowadays, it’s a professional group specializing in the world’s toughest assassination jobs, never failing. In recent years, it’s been rumored to overshadow Hongmen.”

“My teacher told me Shadow Kill even trains its own mercenaries, stirring up trouble in some small countries in Africa and Europe. Rumor has it there’s a grandmaster in the organization who’s lived since the Republic era.”

Young Liu and his friends were stunned.

It sounded like something out of a fantasy—utterly outrageous.

Lin Dong smiled. “You’re just ordinary people. There are many things in this world you can’t see. Even Shen Wan’an has arrived; perhaps the one who killed Zheng Tianming will show up soon.”

Li Mengxue, who had been silent, suddenly spoke. “You’re all amazed by Shen Wan’an and Shadow Kill’s strength, but you’re overlooking the most important thing—the one who killed a grandmaster and three experts. What kind of existence is that?”

A look of yearning appeared in Young Liu’s eyes. “If I had to choose, I’d worship the one who killed Zheng Tianming even more.”

His fists clenched, his whole body trembling with excitement.

The path of the martial artist truly deserves the world’s admiration.

“Tomorrow the tournament begins. Will that person appear?”

The real heavyweights would arrive tomorrow.

Everyone discussed the day’s events. Young Liu, Young Wang, and the others spoke with reverence, mentioning Shen Wan’an and the mysterious figure as if they were gods, worthy of worship.

Gu Feifei pursed her lips, lost in thought. “In my heart, my teacher is the most invincible of all.”

“Come on, let’s drink!”

Young Liu raised his glass, and everyone toasted.

Lin Dong smiled. “Jiang Yu, you see? This is the true world of martial artists.”

Jiang Yu nodded quietly. “Whatever you say, I’ll accept.”

Tonight, countless big shots visited Shen Wan’an, eager to witness the grandmaster’s aura.

In one hotel, wealthy guests arrived in droves. The owner personally greeted them. When facing Shen Wan’an, everyone was cautious; the name Shadow Kill was known and feared by all.

Many underground organizations came to pay their respects to this dragon-headed leader.

It seemed, for this Jiangbei Tournament, Shen Wan’an would be the supreme figure.

In his room, Shen Wan’an was full of spirit, dressed in a Zhongshan suit. In the Republic era, Shadow Kill had followed Dr. Sun Yat-sen. Members of Shadow Kill, in normal times, wore Zhongshan suits as a tradition.

He stood at the window, a group of powerful figures bowing in deference behind him.

“Xu Cheng of Jiangbei, pays respect to Grandmaster Shen!”

“Zhou Xu of Huaizhou, pays respect to Grandmaster Shen!”

Though only on the threshold of grandmaster, in the eyes of these leaders, he was no different from a true grandmaster.

Then, one of them quietly asked, “Mr. Shen, how can you be sure that mysterious figure will appear at the tournament?”

Shen Wan’an’s true age was well over eighty, but he looked no more than forty. His build was ordinary, not as flamboyant as Zheng Tianming, but everyone could sense the surging energy within him.

He gazed out over Liusha Town, his voice calm. “He will appear. That is the pride of a consummate master.”

Today, in Liusha Town, I am supreme.