Rainy Night, No Umbrella, No Knife

Xu Yanwu was dead. There was no earth-shattering event, no grand tragedy, just as he had predicted he wouldn't live past a month. Exactly one month later, he passed away quietly.

Although they had only spent a month together, and as his master, Xu Yanwu had only taught him martial arts without any deeper emotional connection, like the wind, he came and went quickly. Yet, he had imparted a set of excellent martial arts to him.

This person, asking for nothing in return and immediately teaching him martial arts and requiring ingredients, Li Ye genuinely appreciated this kindness.

Under the moonlight, Li Ye silently gazed at the lifeless Xu Yanwu. For the first time, he noticed that his poker-faced master had a rather gentle smile. He must have been a very gentle person in the past.

Pan Zhengyang, standing nearby, looked up. His eyes, reflecting the moonlight, seemed to absorb its glow, but it quickly vanished.

He sighed and walked over to Xu Yanwu, patting his shoulder. "Thirty-odd years, and he was the only friend I truly clicked with. When he was crippled, I was the one who insisted on keeping in touch, otherwise, he would have disappeared long ago."

As he spoke, he picked up a wine bottle and shook it at Li Ye. "Have some? You can keep watch tonight, no problem, right?"

"I'm his disciple, it's only right."

Li Ye called home, then sat with Pan Zhengyang at the stone table. There weren't many dishes, just some peanuts to go with the wine.

"Your master used to be like an older brother, gentle in personality and powerful in strength. He was very popular back in school, but he was too much of an older brother, too concerned with his image. Because of that, someone found an opening and suddenly struck, causing endless harm."

Pan Zhengyang downed a cup in one gulp, lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and exhaled a large ring of smoke. He continued:

"Old Xu back then got into a top Martial Arts University with his cultivation from Nine Dragon Gate. He was unstoppable. I also entered Nine Dragon Gate back then. At first, I was unconvinced, but after getting beaten enough, I submitted."

"But just because I submitted doesn't mean everyone did. There was a son of a noble family in the capital who, after losing, held a grudge and resorted to a sneak attack. But how could he be Old Xu's match? Old Xu, wanting to be benevolent, let him go. And the result? Just two months later, while Old Xu was dealing with demons, that person gathered a group of second-realm cultivators and managed to cripple him."

"This incident caused quite a stir, and the higher-ups used it as an excuse for a major purge. But what good did that do? The man was still crippled. That's why I always say these noble families have original sins. It's unrealistic to kill them all, but killing every other generation makes people uncomfortable!"

Pan Zhengyang raised his glass and clinked it with Li Ye's. "In the future, you should learn from me. When you encounter problems, cut them off quickly. It's best to kill the entire family without leaving any loose ends, only then can you focus on important matters with peace of mind."

Li Ye also drank his glass in one go, lit a cigarette, and asked, "Like the Ren Family?"

"These local powers aren't true noble families, but they're still disgusting."

Pan Zhengyang asked, "Do you know about Skin Painters?"

Li Ye nodded.

Those were typical demons, of course, he knew about them.

Demons that wore human skin, disguised themselves as handsome men and beautiful women, and killed people. They were born from the dead filled with resentment, especially those who died related to lust.

"Recently, a few Skin Painters have appeared in Yunxiu County. They were born in places like nightclubs and foot massage parlors. When investigating the cause, it was either a crime of passion or a lover's suicide. Even more infuriating, some died during orgies."

Pan Zhengyang said, "It's not a big deal for Skin Painters to appear; as long as they're eliminated promptly. But Skin Painters have a characteristic: they peel human skin and devour human flesh and blood. The flesh and blood they devour form an essence. If humans consume this, it can prolong life, enhance vitality, and in a certain sense, benefit martial arts."

Li Ye frowned. "Are you saying the Ren Family is involved in this?"

Pan Zhengyang showed a sinister grin. "That's the greatest harm of noble families. If one person kills, even ten people a day, it's only a little over three thousand a year. When they make a move, they let demons run rampant, and tens of thousands die. It's impossible to distinguish who the real demons are."

"Whether the Ren Family is involved is still unclear. I can't see any clues. If there were any leads, I wouldn't need evidence; I'd go and kill them. But to say they're not involved, I don't believe it. Can a local snake really not get any information about this?"

"If something happens and they don't report it promptly, having influence but not doing the right thing – such existences need to be eliminated quickly. However, it has little to do with you. Just listen. Your current task is to study hard and practice martial arts well. No matter how big the matter, it has nothing to do with you as a student."

"You've also learned the Foundation Building Technique. When school starts and you enter the Martial Arts Major, the first priority is to reach Seven Dragon Gate, get into a good university, and gradually temper and grow. It would be best if you could break through the bottleneck in university. When you graduate, I'll let you take over my position. You've essentially joined the Pest Control Bureau now."

Martial arts advancement also needs to be practical. In ancient times, it was to learn skills and serve the emperor. The same applies now.

Whether it's dealing with demons or stopping evil, martial artists are needed to handle it.

Li Ye wasn't resistant to this at all. Humans are inherently social creatures, and he was going to face more demons anyway. If he had the chance to join the system, why wouldn't he?

Besides, Director Pan had shown him great kindness. Just for that favor, he had nothing to complain about.

The night passed with the two of them toasting and conversing.

Li Ye wasn't a seventeen or eighteen-year-old student anymore, and although Pan Zhengyang was nearly fifty, he was also straightforward. The two of them had a very pleasant conversation.

When daytime arrived, Pan Zhengyang carried Xu Yanwu on his back and headed to the funeral home.

He had no family or relatives, only an orphan. As his disciple, Li Ye handled the arrangements. According to Xu Yanwu's last wishes, he held the ashes and scattered them to the wind on the highest mountain, merging them with heaven and earth.

In the following days, Li Ye continued his part-time job at the Pest Control Bureau as usual, reviewing documents, learning, and then dealing with any demons that needed to be handled. The rest of his time was spent practicing his moves in the large courtyard.

Ten more days passed. Li Ye finished his part-time shift at the Pest Control Bureau, bid farewell to his colleagues on duty, and rode his electric scooter home.

The sky was gloomy today, with rumbling thunder. It was already ten o'clock at night when Li Ye came out. A torrential downpour had begun, and apart from the occasional passing car, there were no people around.

Li Ye, clad in a raincoat, quickly returned to his residential complex. Under the heavy rain, everything around was dim, and nothing could be seen clearly.

Of course, one couldn't see the person using the nearby greenery and darkness to hide, clinging to the wall like a spider.

Wu Yongnian, dressed in black, his sword also deliberately painted black, hung quietly between the fourth and fifth floors. His eyes were fixed on the residential road below.

He and Huang Qingyi had graduated from the same university, studied the same martial arts, and graduated with honors from Six Dragon Gate. He had also joined the Pest Control Bureau and, after a few years, had reached Seven Dragon Gate.

Although the work at the Pest Control Bureau was dangerous, the benefits and status were high. The resources one could access were beyond ordinary people. No matter how much social status one had, they had to be respected.

Wu Yongnian was very satisfied with this job.

The information about Li Ye's magic treasure was also leaked by him.

He knew about Li Ye, just a student who happened to be favored by the director and arranged a part-time job with a white-collar salary. But how could that compare to him, a frontline demon slayer?

He never imagined that just by leaking some information to someone else, he would be investigated and now even fired!

Everything he had was gone!

It was just the Ren Family, and nothing had even happened. He had only disclosed a small piece of intelligence.

Why did it end up like this in the end!

Finding another job wouldn't allow him to be as high and mighty as he was in the Pest Control Bureau. He couldn't accept that kind of reversal. With his aptitude, without the benefits of the Pest Control Bureau, his martial arts path was essentially hopeless.

He practiced martial arts to be superior to others, not to live a mundane life!

Fortunately, the Ren Family approached him, giving him an option. The young master of the Ren Family was going abroad and wanted him to accompany him, providing him with training resources during that time.

Abroad was a good place, much more lawless than the Divine Land.

Wu Yongnian agreed, but his resentment grew. How could Li Ye cause him to be fired? This resentment deepened, eventually becoming a man-eating viper, hating everyone in the Pest Control Bureau, especially that student!

Since he was going abroad anyway, the Divine Land wouldn't be able to control him. He might as well be more direct and vent his anger!

He spent a few days figuring out Li Ye's route. Today, a heavy rain was falling, perfect for covering any tracks.

Heaven itself was helping him.

Through the curtain of rain, Wu Yongnian saw Li Ye, clad in a raincoat and riding his familiar electric scooter. A smirk played on his lips, and he tightened his grip on the sword in his hand.

Here he comes!

Just as Li Ye reached an angle parallel to him, Wu Yongnian pushed off with both feet, charging down from the rain. The sword in his hand vibrated at high frequency, scattering raindrops as he thrust it directly at the person below.

Clear Net Gale Swift Sword—Net Breaking Wind Piercing!

The sound of the sword cutting through the air was masked by the downpour, making any noise inaudible. Under the cover of night and rain, Wu Yongnian broke through.

At this moment, Li Ye seemed to sense something and suddenly turned his head.

For a student to see his attack was already quite impressive.

Wu Yongnian's lips curled into a smile, the tip of his sword aimed directly at Li Ye's forehead. "Die!"

Clang!!

The crisp sound was jarringly out of place in the heavy rain.

Wu Yongnian's eyes widened as he watched his sword strike, capable of piercing solid rock, stop at Li Ye's forehead. Faintly, he thought he saw a trace of blood on the tip of the sword, but it was quickly washed away by the rain.

Li Ye quickly shifted his body, the sword tip grazing his forehead. He pushed off the electric scooter with his feet, leaping upwards. As he left the bike, one hand shot towards Wu Yongnian's chest.

"Golden Dragon Claw!"

Wu Yongnian felt his hair stand on end for no reason. He instinctively tried to turn his body, just as he was about to spin away.

Screech!!

Blood splattered as several large gashes were torn into Wu Yongnian's left ribs, causing him to stagger and fall.

What is this?!

What did he do?!

Isn't this the First Dragon Gate!

Wu Yongnian couldn't hide his shock. The intense sense of danger forced him to push off the ground with one hand, leaping up and fleeing.

Bang bang!

Two gunshots, muffled and soft under the rain, sent blood spraying from one of Wu Yongnian's legs. A hole was blown through his knee and calf, sending him tumbling to the ground and sliding forward for some distance.

He looked back and saw the student, his expression hidden by the raincoat. Blood and bone fragments still clung to the right hand holding a gun, which he slowly approached with in his left.

"Ah—"

Bang!

He was about to scream when, just as the sound escaped his lips, Li Ye raised the gun and blew his head apart.

"My master told me not to be like him."

Li Ye extended his hand, letting the downpour wash away the remnants of flesh and bone from his hand. Then, he wiped at the small scratch on his forehead that had broken the skin.

He looked down at the man in black whose head had been shattered, pulled out his phone, and made a call.