Chapter 40: Enemies Cross Paths

Leading the members of the Azure Dragon Gang in a grand procession down the street, pedestrians hurriedly made way for us. Wasn’t this a bit too conspicuous? Yet, at the moment, I had nowhere else to settle them, so I had no choice but to bring them along to the gang headquarters. Today is the end of the month—Qin Tian is sure to be holding a meeting at the main office.

Traffic crowded the road, making our passage difficult. We squeezed together and crossed at the traffic lights. Once past the intersection, the way became easier. From afar, I spotted several police cars parked ahead, with officers emerging from them—clearly, they were here for us.

The officers raised their guns, aiming directly at me. I signaled everyone to halt, then walked alone toward the armed police, stopping ten meters away and lighting a cigarette.

“The man in front—listen up! You’re surrounded. Surrender at once or we’ll open fire!”

I remained unfazed, standing with my hands behind my back and right foot slightly forward, striking the pose of a low-level street thug. The police, expecting me to either flee or surrender, must have thought me mad for my composure. They knew nothing of my identity; if only they knew my name, they’d understand everything. But they didn’t—never realizing the fugitive they’ve pursued all this time was an Interpol officer, just like themselves.

I tossed away the cigarette, raised my hands, and walked forward. My aim was to resolve this standoff peacefully; no matter how powerful a group is, it can’t stand against an entire nation. To settle this, I needed to meet their chief. But before I could approach, a car door—previously tightly shut—swung open, and out stepped a long-haired man, locks draping his shoulders, with sharp brows, a hooked nose, and thin lips. Who else could it be but Shi Feng?

Fate truly brings adversaries together! So Shi Feng had also crossed through time, and judging by the situation, he now had connections with the police. What should I do? One on one, I’d never lose to Shi Feng, but with the police and innocent bystanders around, a fight would surely endanger others. Before I could speak, Shi Feng addressed me first: “Li Yunfei, we meet again. The Second Prince wishes to see you. Please come with us.”

Should I go or not? Refusing would lead to a fight, and I didn’t wish to stir trouble in the city center. Steeling myself, I decided to go. No matter how strong Cang Wolf is, he has weaknesses—his overconfidence, which I’d noticed in our previous encounter. If I was cautious, I still had a chance to escape.

I called Yu Jing to join me, instructing the rest to return for now; once this matter was settled, we would deal with the Azure Dragon Gang’s affairs. The police car started slowly, with Yu Jing and me in the back seat, Shi Feng in the front passenger seat, and a police captain driving.

I felt like a fish in a barrel. The police wanted me; I had broken the law and should submit to justice, but I couldn’t. In less than half a year, a calamity would descend upon this world. Before that, I must become stronger, to have any hope of saving lives. Cang Wolf sought my Heavenly Demon Manual. Without it, how could I stand against the Demon God? Both were crucial to me, so I had to resolve this quickly and return to the other world.

The police car drove for an hour before stopping at a large compound. In the chief’s office, Cang Wolf sat behind the desk, holding a cup of Tieguanyin tea. “Li Yunfei, long time no see!” he said, setting the cup down.

The police captain who drove us in left the room. Only then did I notice someone tied up in the corner—a slightly overweight man in police uniform. I recognized it instantly: the coveted chief’s attire. Had Cang Wolf taken the police chief hostage? How audacious! They say even dragons avoid local tyrants, but he came here and seized the chief, putting himself at odds with the nation.

It seemed Cang Wolf didn’t understand the laws of this world. I sat across from him. “You still desire the Heavenly Demon Manual? With your power now, you could dominate your world. Why must you pursue my manual? Do you know that a disaster is coming soon—when the Demon God’s seal breaks, your world will face annihilation. Elder Xiaoxiang said I’m the only one who can stop the Demon God. Can you bear to see countless lives destroyed? You too are of that world; you have family, subjects—can you really watch them slaughtered?”

Cang Wolf lifted his cup and took a sip. “Brother Li, you make good points.”

A surge of hope rose within me. Perhaps he was a man who understood the greater good. But his next words exposed his wolfish ambitions.

“What does that have to do with me! For years, I’ve searched for the Heavenly Demon Manual. Once I master its divine power, none in the universe will be my equal. Heaven and the Demon Realm—they’ll be nothing but a rabble before me. This has been my lifelong dream. Now that I know where the manual is, do you think I’ll give it up?”

With that, his teacup crumbled to powder in his hand. Cang Wolf unleashed his inner strength, pushing the desk toward me. I hastily raised my hands to meet it, but the desk split in two under the pressure. In an instant, Cang Wolf was before me, fist flying at my face. I raised my palm, meeting his thundering punch. The collision flung me several meters back, slamming me into the wall, which cracked under the force. The disparity in strength was clear.

Before I could recover, Cang Wolf’s fist came at me again. Yu Jing darted before me, short sword across his chest, catching the blow. A faint purple glow radiated from the blade. Cang Wolf looked up and sneered, “What a fine Violet Azure Sword. I’ll be taking it.”

“That depends if you live to claim it!” Yu Jing replied coolly, exerting force. The sword's glow intensified, pushing Cang Wolf back.

Yu Jing, sword in hand, spun toward Cang Wolf, thrusting at his position. The blade’s radiance grew stronger. Cang Wolf seemed to realize he couldn’t block such a fierce strike—and the sword moved so fast, he had no time to dodge. Just as the blade was about to pierce his chest, Cang Wolf grabbed Shi Feng and used him as a shield.

Though Shi Feng stopped the fatal blow, the sword still managed to pierce Cang Wolf’s body. Shi Feng stared in disbelief at his chest, the sword buried deep. “You…” he whispered, closing his eyes in unwilling resignation.

Cang Wolf shoved Shi Feng aside. “Impressive swordsmanship. We’ll duel again someday.”

“He actually escaped.” Yu Jing withdrew his sword, gazing out the window.

The Violet Azure Sword was truly formidable, and Yu Jing’s mysterious swordsmanship even more so. If it weren’t for Yu Jing today, I might not have been a match for Cang Wolf. Checking Shi Feng, I found he was barely alive, and paid him no further heed. I untied the chief.

The police chief, trembling, stammered, “Who… Who are you people?”

“Don’t be afraid. I’m the top wanted killer you’ve been searching for.”

“What… You’re… You… You all…”

I sat back, rubbing my chest. “Believe me, it was manslaughter. I’m also a police officer.”

“You’re a police officer?” the chief clearly doubted me.

“Yes. Li Yunfei. You can look up my file.”

The chief dialed a number. Two minutes later, he returned, face awkwardly smiling. “Since you’re one of us, it’s easier to handle. What happened wasn’t impossible to resolve, but…”

He wanted to negotiate. I was curious what he’d offer. The chief cleared his throat. “As you saw, that man broke into the station, took hostages, and ignored the law. If you can apprehend him, perhaps you can make up for your mistake. Only… your actions earlier…”

So he wanted me to capture Cang Wolf, to offset my crime. That suited me perfectly: I could rid the world of this threat and clear my name.

“It’s a long story—I'll explain it all in time. Let’s do it. I promise to bring him in. But he’s extremely dangerous; I’ll need police cooperation if necessary.”

The chief agreed readily. With everything settled, I didn’t linger. Before leaving, I carried Shi Feng away.

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