Chapter Seventeen: First Encounter with the Dragon Squad (Part Two)

“Baka yarou!” Fujita Shunichi, seeing that Liu Fan didn’t take him seriously at all, felt deeply insulted and provoked. Enraged to the point of losing control, he wanted to draw his sword and cut Liu Fan down on the spot, only to realize the blade was still caught between Liu Fan’s two fingers. Fujita Shunichi gathered all his energy, trying to wrench the sword free from Liu Fan’s grip, but no matter how much force he exerted, Liu Fan’s fingers remained immovable, his face full of disdain as he looked at him.

At this point, Fujita Shunichi realized he was no match for Liu Fan. His expression darkened, and a malicious gleam flashed in his eyes. Suddenly, with his right hand, he drew a dagger from his waist and thrust it toward Liu Fan’s heart.

But such a petty trick could hardly harm someone like Liu Fan. Calm and unhurried, Liu Fan snapped the katana held between his fingers with a crisp sound. With the broken blade, he blocked Fujita Shunichi’s attacking dagger and then delivered a powerful kick to Fujita’s abdomen. Instantly, Fujita doubled over as if struck by a sledgehammer, flying through the air before crashing to the ground. He writhed, curled up like a shrimp, howling in pain.

Long Yanyu, held in Liu Fan’s arms, watched the scene unfold, her heart pounding nervously for Liu Fan. Yet her impression of him shifted; curiosity blossomed. People say curiosity killed the cat—when a woman grows curious about a man, it’s the first sign of her downfall.

The fifteen Chunin encircling Liu Fan, having witnessed his terrifying strength, shed all thoughts of underestimation and grew wary. They formed seals with their hands, chanting incantations under their breath. Within seconds, they shouted in unison, “Ninja Art: Shadow Vanishing!” and, as if evaporating, they disappeared from sight.

Long Yanyu’s expression turned grave, knowing well the power of this ninja art. She quickly warned Liu Fan, “Be careful! This is the pirates’ invisibility technique!”

Liu Fan only nodded at her, replying with utter scorn, “Hmph, such a clumsy five-element escape technique, yet you dare display it here? It’s nothing but showing off in front of a true master. Today, I’ll show you what real Chinese magic is.” As he spoke, his aura surged, releasing an overwhelming pressure that enveloped the entire factory. The fifteen invisible ninjas suddenly felt like tiny boats tossed in a vast ocean, helpless and lost. Within seconds, they were forced out of hiding, their figures reappearing.

Catching sight of them, Liu Fan immediately locked onto all fifteen with his spiritual sense. He formed a spell with his right hand and shouted, “Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Sect, Demon Vanquishing!” His right hand shaped into a sword, sweeping through the air. Fifteen razor-sharp sword energies shot toward the ninjas. They didn’t even have time to scream before being shredded to pieces, not a single body left intact. Blood and flesh flew everywhere, limbs scattered across the ground. The sword energy blasted through the concrete floor, leaving behind a dozen massive craters as large as water vats.

Long Yanyu, still cradled in Liu Fan’s arms, had never witnessed such overwhelming destructive power. She stood rooted, dumbfounded, staring at the carnage. When she finally came to her senses and saw the mangled remains, she let out a piercing scream. Her stomach churned violently, and she staggered backward several steps before vomiting uncontrollably. Liu Fan, meanwhile, seemed utterly unaffected, shaking his head regretfully and muttering to himself, “Sigh, I still didn’t control my strength well enough. I only used a ten-thousandth of my power, yet I’ve already turned the floor into a pockmarked ruin. Looks like I’ll need more practice in the future.”

“A ten-thousandth of his strength? And he still wants to practice? Is he even human?” Long Yanyu, still retching nearby, was stunned by Liu Fan’s casual remark. Thoughts raced through her mind—after all the dangers she had faced, being chased to this point, it turned out she wasn’t even qualified to be a standard for his practice. The realization was both humiliating and demoralizing.

“Wahaha… I never expected there to be such a young master in China today. But none of you will leave here alive!” As Long Yanyu was lost in thought over Liu Fan’s words, Fujita Shunichi, who had been lying on the ground, suddenly stood up, laughing wildly and shouting with arrogant bravado.

“Oh? Is that so? You really have no shame. I’d like to see what you can do to keep me here.” Amused by Fujita Shunichi’s continued arrogance, Liu Fan’s interest was piqued. What he lacked most was combat experience—especially against powerful opponents. Of course, in this context, “powerful” referred to the ancient martial masters of the secular world, as Liu Fan was the last remaining cultivator in this era.

“Hmph! I’ll drag you all to hell with me. Honorable Shikigami, your servant Fujita Shunichi offers up his life force—please destroy these lowly Chinese before me!” With a thunderous shout, Fujita Shunichi’s face contorted, elongating and swelling until it resembled the head of a wolf. His entire body sprouted dark fur, his back splitting open to reveal a pair of black wings, each spanning four or five meters. As time passed, Fujita Shunichi transformed into a monstrous creature—a wolf’s head with enormous black wings.

“Roar, roar, wahaha! At last, I am free!” The Crow Tengu, finally released, let out a triumphant howl. Just as it reveled in its freedom, a discordant voice interrupted.

“Hey, monster, aren’t you celebrating a bit too soon? You mangy cur—why aren’t you where you belong? What are you doing here in the human world?” The moment the Crow Tengu took shape, Liu Fan recognized its origins. According to ancient legends, the Crow Tengu was once the guardian Cerberus of hell. During the great war between Buddhas and demons in Journey to the West, two of its heads were severed, its body destroyed, and its soul fled from hell to recuperate on the islands of Japan. For its own cultivation, it even bestowed upon the islanders the ability to summon it, each summoning requiring the price of one’s life force.

Though the Crow Tengu had yet to regain its full strength, it remained a virtually invincible being in the mortal realm. Unfortunately, it had met Liu Fan, a transcendent immortal, sealing its tragic fate—after all, the Crow Tengu’s greatest power amounted to no more than an untransformed demonic beast, equivalent to a cultivator in the late Nascent Soul stage. Having just regained a physical form, it was but a shadow of its former self, no match for Liu Fan.

Enraged by this human’s taunts, the Crow Tengu opened its gaping jaws and roared, “Hmph! Pathetic human, you’ll pay for your ignorance with your life! Roar…” Without waiting for a reply, it swung a massive fist at Liu Fan.

Liu Fan, unfazed, only considered the presence of Long Yanyu. Opting for caution, he swiftly scooped her into his arms and leapt out of the Crow Tengu’s attack range. After setting her down, he said, “Stay here and watch. I’ll deal with this mangy cur first.” His tone was so calm and casual, it was as if exterminating the Crow Tengu was no more trouble than squashing an ant.

Long Yanyu, shaken from her initial shock, realized that what she had witnessed today was the most incredible event in her twenty years of life. Though she was a member of the Dragon Squad, specializing in supernatural cases, she had never seen anything so fantastical. She knew the man before her was powerful, yet she couldn’t help but worry for him—a feeling both mysterious and unfamiliar.

While Long Yanyu was lost in thought, Liu Fan and the Crow Tengu were already locked in combat. To her astonishment, Liu Fan fought the beast barehanded, engaging it in a brutal melee. Blow after blow, punch after kick, the two clashed fiercely. At first, due to inexperience with close combat, Liu Fan took a few hits—though they amounted to nothing more than a tickle. If not for his desire to hone his hand-to-hand skills, he would have ended the fight with a single spell.

But as the battle grew fiercer, Liu Fan’s skills became ever more refined, until the Crow Tengu was left utterly defenseless. Despite its tough hide and flesh, it could not withstand the onslaught, howling in misery.

After a long bout, Liu Fan found the fight had lost its appeal. He sprang back, exiting the monster’s attack range, and said with a smirk, “Heh, mangy cur, now you’ve seen what I can do. I’m done playing with you—time to send you on your way.”

“Nine Heavens Divine Thunder!” With a resounding shout, Liu Fan traced a sword gesture with his right hand toward the Crow Tengu. Instantly, the sky above exploded with thunder. The Crow Tengu, sensing the power of heavenly lightning—its natural nemesis—was seized with terror. As a beast born of the demonic realm, it was innately sensitive to the righteous energy of heaven and earth. Seeing what was coming, panic filled its heart.

In a flash, a bolt of lightning, blue tinged with violet, streaked through the sky and struck the Crow Tengu. Its entire body erupted in smoke, and it howled in agony as it was incinerated, burning to ash that scattered on the wind. The abandoned factory’s third floor was blasted open, leaving a gaping hole five meters across—a testament to the thunderbolt’s devastating power.

“Ah! Stretching one’s muscles and bones feels wonderful—so refreshing!” This was the strongest opponent Liu Fan had faced since attaining immortality. Through this battle, he gained many new insights and combat experience. Glancing at Long Yanyu, who stood dumbstruck nearby, Liu Fan more or less guessed their identities. Ordinarily, he had no interest in dealing with government officials, but he was willing to do a good deed—especially for those who risked their lives for the nation. He felt a genuine fondness for such people.

So he walked up to Long Yanyu and called her back to her senses, waving his hand, “Hey, beautiful, the fight’s over. Time to go home and get some sleep.” Then, noticing her wounds, he reached out, intending to heal her, his hand moving once more toward the injury on her delicate chest.