Chapter 173: Stealing Emotions

Zuo Shuqing had assessed Wen Shilin's capabilities. He casually took an iron rod from a nearby thug and slowly walked towards Wen Shilin, who was groaning on the ground.

"Wen Shilin, do you realize how many people you've offended? There are countless people in Aurora City who want you dead right now. Perhaps in a couple of days, the newspaper will report your accidental death... If I'm lucky, I might even get to write an obituary for you myself."

The iron rod scraped across the uneven ground, making a clanging sound. Wen Shilin lay on the ground, his face covered in crimson blood.

"Is that so...? Well, thank you in advance," he said hoarsely, struggling to lift his head.

"You don't believe me?" Zuo Shuqing stopped beside Wen Shilin and continued, "Aurora City must be peaceful and beautiful. Anyone who tries to unearth its deepest darkness is an enemy of the entire domain... You've dug too much, known too much, and your mouth isn't sealed... If you don't die, how can Aurora City find peace?"

"Of course I believe you. I know better than anyone who I've offended," Wen Shilin grinned. "But they won't find it easy to kill me..."

Zuo Shuqing sneered, "With your meager skills, what's the difference between killing you and killing a chicken?"

"Is that so?"

A cunning glint flashed in Wen Shilin's eyes. He abruptly pushed himself up with both hands, swinging a taut fist that whistled through the air, aiming it at Zuo Shuqing, who was standing close by!

Wen Shilin's sudden outburst was too unexpected. Everyone had been deceived by how easily he'd gone down from a single blow, never anticipating he could get back up so quickly. At such close range, Zuo Shuqing had no time to block.

With a dull thud, Wen Shilin's fist landed squarely on Zuo Shuqing's cheek, sending him stumbling back several steps and nearly causing him to fall to the ground.

Seeing this, Chen Ling's eyebrows raised slightly.

"Indeed, it's an ordinary skill. Both the strength and speed are unremarkable. However, the spiritual power contained within this punch is quite good."

Wen Shilin struggled to stand firm, his blood-stained face displaying a rare look of determination and resolve.

Wen Shilin's punch stunned the surrounding thugs. They stared blankly at Zuo Shuqing, unsure whether they should step in to help.

Zuo Shuqing clutched his cheek, his lips trembling uncontrollably. He seemed to feel something foreign in his mouth; after chewing for a moment, he spat forcefully onto the ground. A broken, blood-covered tooth landed there... He froze for a long moment, then looked at Wen Shilin with eyes that seemed to spit fire in their fury!

"Beat him!"

At Zuo Shuqing's command, the waiting thugs swarmed forward!

In the ensuing chaos, sticks and fists rained down on Wen Shilin, surrounding him. Knowing he couldn't take on so many opponents, Wen Shilin skillfully crouched down, covering his head and vitals with his hands. He endured the beating like a punching bag, letting out muffled groans of pain.

"Let him go!"

"Damn it, let's fight them!"

Seeing this, the people from District Three immediately rushed over. After all, Wen Shilin had come to stand up for them, and they couldn't just stand by while he was being beaten.

Zhao Yi, a hooligan from District Three, was best at brawls and gang fights. He immediately picked up a brick from the roadside and charged menacingly, leading the way towards the thugs.

"A bunch of rioters!" Zuo Shuqing snarled. "Get them all!"

The thugs and the survivors from District Three clashed, and the scene instantly devolved into a chaotic brawl. Zuo Shuqing retreated behind his men, watching the melee with a cold gaze.

Meanwhile, Chen Ling's eyes narrowed slightly... To be honest, he didn't really want to get involved with District Three anymore. He had already done more than enough by bringing these people into the city. How they survived within the city walls was not his concern; after all, he wasn't their babysitter.

However, the chaotic situation before him was exactly what Chen Ling wanted. One of his reasons for coming to the outer ring was to find an opportunity to test his 'Heart Python' skill, and now seemed like the perfect time to act.

He wondered to what extent he, being only a second-tier practitioner, could utilize the Heart Python.

Chen Ling's gaze locked onto Zuo Shuqing, who had retreated from the battlefield. With a slight flick of his fingers within his sleeve, an invisible python emerged from between his eyebrows and moved directly towards Zuo Shuqing.

This invisible python was the physical manifestation of the Heart Python, imperceptible to anyone but Chen Ling. It silently coiled around Zuo Shuqing. Its head examined Zuo Shuqing's skull, its tongue flicking slightly, as if observing something.

With a thought from Chen Ling, the Heart Python suddenly bit into Zuo Shuqing's mind.

As Chen Ling narrowed his eyes, he could see faint strands being pulled out by the Heart Python. These appeared to be Zuo Shuqing's recent memories, but no matter how hard the Heart Python tried, it couldn't fully extract them... With his current mental strength, he was simply unable to steal memories, not even a small fragment.

The Heart Python tried for a long time, only managing to bite off a thin layer from the surface of the memory strands. At the same moment, Zuo Shuqing suddenly shuddered.

He stared at the distant chaotic battlefield. The anger in his eyes vanished, replaced by a blank and bewildered calm... He gazed down at his own hands in a daze, unsure of what had just happened.

"I still can't steal memories, but I can steal emotions?" Chen Ling murmured, raising an eyebrow in surprise as he looked at the small fragment held in the Heart Python's mouth.

In Chen Ling's perception, Zuo Shuqing's mind was like a physical body: memories were like flesh and blood, and the emotions he had just extracted were like the skin attached to immediate memories... Beneath the flesh and blood of memory lay deeper elements, like bones, but Chen Ling couldn't yet discern their full structure.

Initially, Chen Ling had worried that with his current tier, he might not be able to use the high-tier Heart Python skill at all. Now, it seemed that wasn't the case.

Even if he could only steal emotions at this stage, Chen Ling had already envisioned countless extended uses for it... He had a feeling that this skill would be incredibly compatible with him.

After a moment's thought, Chen Ling walked directly towards Zuo Shuqing and patted his shoulder from behind.

Zuo Shuqing turned, his eyebrows unconsciously furrowing at the sight of a young, unfamiliar face.

He spoke coldly, "Who are you? I advise you not to meddle..."

Bang—!!

Before Zuo Shuqing could finish speaking, a fist whistled through the air and slammed hard into the other side of his cheek!