The Man Surnamed Xiao

The Old Butler raised a hand, and the Green-robed Cultivator's sword flew before him.

Immediately after, the sword rang out with a great cry.

The saber-holding man stood unmoving as a mountain, yet a vast aura surged from him. The Green-robed Cultivator's sword seemed to become the chess piece in their contest, flooded by two auras and trembling violently, on the verge of shattering.

The Green-robed Cultivator lying on the ground was heartsick at the sight.

"Uncle Tong was a master!" The White-robed Cultivator had nothing to do with it, but seeing the Old Butler make a move for the first time, he awkwardly discovered that the limping old butler he had considered utterly ordinary possessed the strength to crush him at will.

Come to think of it, how could anyone following Mr. Jiang be ordinary?

Although Xiaoyu was currently only a martial artist at the peak of the Second Realm, her aptitude was exceptional. She would surely become a Grandmaster in the future.

He even suspected that Zhao Si, who so obviously looked like trash, might also be a hidden prodigy.

So the only useless ones in the entire marquis's residence were us two brothers?

That really was a terribly sad thing.

The saber-holding man remained composed and said lightly, "Though you have also practiced martial arts, you have not even entered the Second Realm. You cannot possibly be my opponent. I have heard that Tong Ji is the foremost expert under the Marquis, but now that I see him, he is nothing more than this."

The Old Butler's eyes narrowed slightly. The sword shattered outright, its fragments scattering across the ground like the Green-robed Cultivator's heart.

"Your Excellency is indeed powerful, but defeating me will not be so easy."

He raised his hand again, and the White-robed Cultivator's sword flew up.

"Uncle Tong, wait!"

Seeing this, the Green-robed Cultivator felt slightly better. Good brothers were meant to share hardship, but he had not expected the White-robed Cultivator to speak up so quickly.

Like a child guarding candy, terrified someone might snatch it away, the White-robed Cultivator hid his sword behind his back and said earnestly, "Mr. Jiang has been waiting for Cai Tanggu. We should inform Mr. Jiang first."

Hearing this, the Old Butler fell silent for a moment, then nodded. "Then go report to the Young Master."

As though granted a reprieve, the White-robed Cultivator darted into the marquis's residence.

The Green-robed Cultivator wanted to cry but had no tears. In the end, he was the only one getting hurt.

Jiang Wang strolled out leisurely. The moment he saw Cai Tanggu, he became visibly excited, seized his hand, and said joyfully, "Old Cai, you're finally here! I've been waiting myself to death!"

Cai Tanggu was dumbfounded.

What did this mean?

I came here for revenge.

Why did it seem as though we were friends who had not seen one another for years, getting this excited upon meeting?

The saber-holding man looked suspiciously at Cai Tanggu.

This was quite different from what you told me.

Cai Tanggu flung Jiang Wang's hand away and shouted angrily, "What trick are you playing now?!"

Jiang Wang reached for him again, smoothing the wrinkles from Cai Tanggu's clothes as he said with a smile, "I prayed every day that you would be safe and sound, Old Cai. Hun City must be very far from Fish Abyss Academy. Going back and forth must have been exhausting. How about a cup of tea?"

Remembering how Jiang Wang had once cursed him so thoroughly with his silver tongue that he had nearly fallen into depression, and how he was now showing him such concern, Cai Tanggu felt dazed. Could all that have been a dream?

Was his relationship with Jiang Wang actually very good?

He subconsciously shook his head and said, "It wasn't hard. Forget the tea—I prefer drinking wine."

Jiang Wang hurriedly beckoned to the White-robed Cultivator. "Quick, get Old Cai a jug of good wine!"

Cai Tanggu abruptly came to his senses and flung Jiang Wang's hand away again, humiliated into fury. "What good wine? I came here for revenge! Don't think I'll forgive you just because of this. Jiang, release Su Lingyi at once!"

Jiang Wang said helplessly, "Look at you, why are you getting so worked up? If you don't want to drink, then don't."

Cai Tanggu was furious. He felt that he and Jiang Wang were simply born under clashing stars. They had only met twice in total, yet each time Jiang Wang had angered him half to death.

He looked at the saber-holding man and said, "Brother Chongyang, make your move!"

Dong Chongyang's face remained expressionless as a biting aura rushed toward Jiang Wang.

Jiang Wang frowned slightly and said in his heart, Bird, how is it?

The Night Roaming God said calmly, "Just right."

Jiang Wang beamed and raised his saber in a slash.

That biting aura collided with the Long Night Saber. Jiang Wang stepped forward, as if cutting apart something in empty air. A sound like glazed glass breaking shattered the biting aura as he advanced step by step until he reached Dong Chongyang.

Dong Chongyang's eyes narrowed. That biting aura instantly grew more robust, shoving Jiang Wang back another two steps.

Jiang Wang grinned. "Old Cai is truly loyal. He really found a powerful helper."

Cai Tanggu felt there was something off about those words. He immediately drew his sword and was about to slash at Jiang Wang, but the Old Butler stepped directly in front of him. The White-robed Cultivator's sword ultimately failed to escape its misfortune, flying into the Old Butler's hand and crashing fiercely against Cai Tanggu's sword.

Rong Yulu refused to be outdone and drew his saber as he charged forward. The two Green-robed Cultivators could only fight Rong Yulu barehanded, and the melee erupted.

On a rooftop somewhere along Qixia Street stood a young man and an old man.

Feng Linghuai panted lightly, still somewhat shaken.

Hun City was a hundred li away from there.

Yet being carried by that young man, he had arrived in what seemed like the blink of an eye.

Was this what a great cultivator was capable of?!

Though Feng Linghuai had killed Cave Nether Realm cultivators, he had never heard of such miraculous methods. He did not even dare imagine what realm the man before him had reached.

"That man is Jiang Wang. The Monsters are with him."

The man studied Jiang Wang with interest and said, "Though his aura is very vigorous, it is external power. He has no cultivation foundation whatsoever. That great demon may be a fortuitous encounter of his, or perhaps he carries something even more mysterious."

Feng Linghuai could not understand for the moment.

"Mr. Xiao, is there something wrong with Jiang Wang?"

The Man surnamed Xiao remained silent. Watching Jiang Wang take another step forward and finally shatter Dong Chongyang's biting aura with a fierce slash, he said, "There is a very big problem."

Feng Linghuai glanced sideways and noticed another figure appearing on Qixia Street.

Xie Wuxing had sensed the aura here and flown over directly.

Yet he did not step forward. Thinking of Cai Tanggu and the Qingxuan Bureau, the one fighting Jiang Wang was unlikely to be anyone else. He kept his promise and showed no intention of helping.

As if sensing something, he looked toward Feng Linghuai's location.

The Man surnamed Xiao also turned to look at him.

Xie Wuxing furrowed his brows and flew down onto the rooftop.

"Your Excellency is somewhat strange."

As he examined the Man surnamed Xiao, the faint, indistinct aura around him struck Xie Wuxing as odd.

The Man surnamed Xiao asked, "A swordsman?"

Xie Wuxing nodded. "Your aura also resembles that of a swordsman, yet it differs slightly. And your sword... resembles a young lady's."

The Man surnamed Xiao said, "It is indeed a young lady's sword."

Xie Wuxing asked again, "All swordsmen in the world either come from the Sword Pavilion, Mantang Mountain, or the Xitan Sword Sect. Which sword mountain does Your Excellency come from?"

The Man surnamed Xiao said, "None of them."

Though they had exchanged only a few words, Xie Wuxing already felt a little tired. The man before him truly answered only what he was asked, without saying a single unnecessary word.

He patiently continued, "Though swordsmen may be encountered everywhere, without exception, they all came from these three sword mountains. Xitan and the Sui Kingdom are separated by the Sea of Helplessness. If a Xitan swordsman came to Sui territory, it would be known at once."

Xie Wuxing stared at the Man surnamed Xiao. "I come from the Sword Pavilion. Then Your Excellency can only come from Mantang Mountain. Other than those, where could there be a fourth sword mountain in the world?"

The Man surnamed Xiao said nothing.

He merely looked silently at Xie Wuxing.

After getting acquainted with Jiang Wang, Xie Wuxing was no longer as innocent as when he had first descended the mountain. His first thought was, Could this man have a taste for men? Otherwise, why is he staring at me with such affection?

He subconsciously took a step back.

The Man surnamed Xiao said lightly, "I am indeed somewhat interested in the Sword Pavilion."

Xie Wuxing misheard him. "What? You're interested in me?!"

The Man surnamed Xiao: "..."

After a moment of silence, Feng Linghuai helped repeat the Man surnamed Xiao's words.

Xie Wuxing felt somewhat embarrassed.

It was all Jiang Wang's fault!

Jiang Wang, who was confronting Dong Chongyang, sneezed twice in quick succession. Dong Chongyang's eyes immediately lit up, and he drew his saber. Had Jiang Wang not reacted quickly enough to raise his own saber in defense, his chest might have been pierced through and his life ended on the spot!

Even so, Dong Chongyang's heavy, powerful strike sent him flying several zhang away.

Watching that scene, Xie Wuxing thought, This thing is really accurate?

There was a saying in the mundane world: one sneeze meant someone was thinking of you; two sneezes meant someone was cursing you; three or more sneezes meant stop thinking about it—you were definitely sick.

Xie Wuxing shouted apologetically, "I didn't do it on purpose!"

Hearing him, Jiang Wang looked over, unable to understand what was happening. But at the instant he turned his head, Dong Chongyang's saber attacked again.

He had barely avoided being separated from his head and body.

He cursed, "You fucking did it on purpose!"

Perhaps he and Xie Wuxing were born under clashing stars. First, he had nearly made the troublesome Cai Tanggu disappear, and now he was in a state of embarrassment unlike anything before. He and Dong Chongyang should have been evenly matched, so why was he getting chased all over the place?

Feng Linghuai looked suspiciously at Xie Wuxing.

Could this man also have a grudge against Jiang Wang?

The greatest fear in a fight between experts was distraction. Victory and defeat often came in an instant. What Xie Wuxing had done clearly seemed intended to kill Jiang Wang.

Xie Wuxing could not defend himself even if he had a hundred mouths.

He could only shut up.

And changes had already appeared on the battlefield.

As a Fourth Realm Martial Artist, Rong Yulu already possessed the strength to contend with Cave Nether Realm cultivators. Without Flying Swords, the two Green-robed Cultivators did not dare engage a martial artist in close combat, but Rong Yulu simply would not stop charging forward with no regard for his life. In the end, he found an opening and severely wounded them, sending them to the ground.

At once, he vaulted over the wall into the marquis's residence.

Since he and Cai Tanggu had agreed to help each other, his goal was to rescue Su Lingyi.

At that moment, Su Lingyi and Du Yanruo in the woodshed looked utterly dejected.

They had waited for Xie Wuxing to rescue them, waiting until daylight turned to night again, and little by little, both of them had begun to despair.

They could not understand how Jiang Wang could possibly defeat a true disciple of the Sword Pavilion.

Where exactly had things gone wrong?

Du Yanruo stood behind the woodshed door and said, "There is no one guarding outside. Why don't we escape?"

Su Lingyi lay amid the pile of firewood and said as though it were only natural, "That scoundrel Jiang Wang is sinister. He deliberately left us an opening. The moment we push open the door and go out, we will definitely suffer."

Though those words made some sense, Du Yanruo still said hesitantly, "Could Senior Brother be overthinking it?"