"Kid, do you even know what you've done?"
After a long while, Squire Li finally spoke, his eyes blazing with fury.
"That Black Cloud Stronghold may call itself a den of mountain bandits, but in truth, it is a biting dog raised by Grand Commandant Wu Zongren!"
"By killing him, haven't you handed them a reason to move against my Li Family?"
"I'll lay it out plainly: if I am implicated because of this, I will wash my hands of Dongjiang City's affairs. The Shangguan Family will suffer a calamity that overturns heaven and earth because of your recklessness!"
Li Yan paid no heed whatsoever to Squire Li's threat. He merely tossed the blade in his hand casually aside.
"Squire Li, you jest. I have known the Shangguan Family for less than half a month. Today, I merely happened to be delivering a letter. What do their lives or deaths have to do with me?"
"You... Hmph, is that so? If that were truly the case, why did you go to such lengths to find where I was hiding?"
Li Yan smiled but did not pursue the subject. Tossing the blade in his hand aside, he walked over to a square table nearby and sat down, staring straight at Li Fucai.
Li Fucai drew a deep breath. Though deeply displeased, he still stepped forward, pulled over a chair, and sat down.
"Squire Li, why be like this? Didn't the existence of these people trouble you greatly as well?"
"Hmph. They merely caused me inconvenience, but what you did could bring disaster crashing down upon me!"
"Disaster? Are you afraid Wu Zongren will learn that his dog died here and use it as an excuse to make trouble for you?"
"Kid, if all you want to say is this nonsense, then there is no need to continue."
"Ah, why is Squire Li in such a hurry? I killed them, so naturally I have a way to keep you from being retaliated against."
"You have a way?"
Li Fucai's face was full of suspicion and disdain. That kid's blade technique had indeed been formidable just now, but thinking he could contend with Black Cloud Stronghold merely because he knew a bit of swordsmanship was nothing short of a fool's dream!
"Of course. Think about it: only a few people from Black Cloud Stronghold died here. But if even more people from Black Cloud Stronghold died elsewhere, wouldn't the deaths here stop drawing attention?"
"More people dying?"
Li Fucai frowned. Looking at Li Yan, he faintly sensed something ominous.
"That's right. As long as those people suffer even more deaths somewhere else, would anyone still care whether these few lived or died?"
"...For instance, everyone in Black Cloud Stronghold dying on the mountain."
The moment Li Yan said this, Li Fucai could not help but shudder from head to toe. Even his gaze at Li Yan trembled faintly.
The killing intent flashing in this kid's eyes was not false in the slightest. He truly wanted to slaughter every last person in Black Cloud Stronghold!
"You! You really are insane! You can actually say such mad nonsense?"
"Do you know how many people Black Cloud Stronghold has? How could you possibly accomplish that alone?"
"If you go there single-handedly, you probably won't even know how you died!"
At that, the smile on Li Yan's face grew even brighter. "Does Squire Li truly not understand, or are you pretending not to?"
"By your account, although Black Cloud Stronghold has nearly a thousand men, at most it is merely a gang of bandits howling together in the mountains and forests. How powerful can they truly be? They only rely on someone backing them."
"So, as long as I kill people within Black Cloud Stronghold, I will certainly throw it into chaos and buy you time. At the very least, it will be more useful than you hiding here."
The look in Li Fucai's eyes gradually changed. The kid's idea was dangerous, but it was indeed not impossible to carry out.
As long as it was handled properly and Black Cloud Stronghold could be thrown into disorder for a while, it would greatly ease the pressure currently bearing down on him.
"Kid, do you know the risks of doing this?"
"The Grand Commandant's power in the current court far exceeds your imagination. Once you do this, you will be cutting yourself off from Great Wu!"
"That is my own concern. Squire Li need not trouble himself over it."
Li Fucai fell silent once more. What the kid said had its flaws, and one careless step could set fire to himself, but before he could think further, Li Yan's voice rang out again.
"Squire Li, I know you still have many reservations, but you do not have much time left."
Li Yan looked toward the corpses nearby, a smile that was not quite a smile hanging on his face.
That was right. These people were already dead. Even if it had nothing to do with Li Fucai, neither Black Cloud Stronghold nor Wu Zongren would accept that explanation.
With such a fine handle and opportunity before them, those people would never let it go. When that time came, his entire family and vast estate would likely vanish into smoke in an instant.
"Damn it..." Grinding his teeth viciously, Squire Li's heart was locked in a battle between heaven and man. Then he stamped his foot hard. "Fuck it! I'll die if I do it, and I'll die if I don't. Since that's the case, I'll do it!"
Having received the answer he wanted, Li Yan nodded in satisfaction.
Afterward, Squire Li began asking Li Yan about his plan of action. After all, charging head-on into a stronghold with nearly a thousand people would be courting death.
Li Yan did not conceal anything and briefly explained the plan.
"Are you certain? If it is only you, then once you are discovered, that..."
"Squire Li need not worry. Even if I truly fail, I will not reveal any information about you."
"Mm... Tell me, what do you need?"
"Hahaha, I do indeed need a few things."
Squire Li was known as the Treasure Official not merely because he was an official in Duobao Town. Whatever Li Yan requested, this man prepared for him on the spot.
Naturally, that was good news, because he too could not wait to head up Black Cloud Stronghold.
Dongjiang City, Shangguan Family. The three siblings sat in the main hall, their brows furrowed in worry.
Huang Lingyan had moved far faster than they had imagined. On the very night the incident occurred, he had killed Wang Jin and seized control of every major force in Dongjiang City.
Afterward, he had Xu San continuously spread word among the residents, claiming that Wang Jin had died because of the Shangguan Family.
Wang Jin had many disciples in Dongjiang City. Though these people did not dare act openly against the Shangguan Family, that did not mean they could not do other things.
In just a few days, the Shangguan Family's businesses and shops were repeatedly vandalized. Some were set ablaze in the dead of night, while others were stormed in broad daylight and smashed to pieces.
Furthermore, Xu San spread rumors among the common people, painting the Shangguan Family as the chief culprit behind the Fierce Wind Bandits setting their sights on Dongjiang City because they had sheltered villains without regard for the city's safety.
As a result, the public turned a blind eye when Shangguan Family shops were vandalized, let alone provide clues about the culprits.
In this way, the Shangguan Family suffered grievous losses in only a few days.
"Sigh, we underestimated Huang Lingyan. I never expected him to move so quickly." Shangguan Feiyun spoke through gritted teeth.
"We truly underestimated him. I did not expect him to be so ruthless as to kill Wang Jin outright." Shangguan Liuyun also frowned deeply. The situation before him had exceeded his expectations.
"I wonder how Elder Brother Wan is doing now." Shangguan Xiyun was more worried about Li Yan. They knew Huang Lingyan had issued a Martial Kill Order to hunt him down, yet they had no idea what was happening now.
"I fear it does not bode well..." Shangguan Liuyun sighed softly. "I only received the news after he left. The person I sent him to find has also run into trouble, and may not be able to spare attention for us."
"Ah? Then what should we do?"
Shangguan Feiyun was somewhat dumbfounded. Powerful enemies surrounded them on all sides, and if even their support was gone now, their circumstances would be dire.
"Little Sister, do you have any ideas?" Shangguan Liuyun looked to Shangguan Xiyun and asked.
Shangguan Xiyun thought for a moment. "The situation is indeed grim. If we want to resolve it completely, then Huang Lingyan would have to suddenly die."
"How could that be possible?" Shangguan Feiyun scratched his head in confusion.
"Therefore, we can only delay for now."
"Tell us. What do you have in mind?"
"We can give up some of the family's businesses."
At that, Shangguan Feiyun was puzzled, but Shangguan Liuyun nodded in satisfaction. Then he sighed again. "This is only a delaying tactic. I hope Brother Wan will not disappoint you and me."
Before you continue