Crippling the Five Limbs

After inspecting the Night Manor and making a series of arrangements, Bai Yan took up his post there, waiting for the Flower Thief to come to him.

Based on the Flower Thief's pattern of committing crimes every two to three days, he would arrive tonight.

As night fell, the Night Manor prepared dinner.

Ye Youcai and his wife forced themselves to remain calm and toasted a few cups of wine. Ye Lingdang lowered her head, saying nothing, only stealing glances at Bai Yan from the corners of her eyes.

After the meal, Bai Yan told them to return to their rooms to rest. Ye Youcai and his wife, as well as Ye Lingdang, were each assigned a dedicated protector to ensure they wouldn't be kidnapped as hostages by the Flower Thief.

To lure him into a trap, Bai Yan deliberately withdrew a squad of men from outside the courtyard, leaving only two to keep watch at the street entrance. He wanted to create an appearance of lax security that was actually tight, making the arrogant criminal think he had an opportunity.

At midnight, the hour of Hai, the pitch-black night enveloped the land.

Tonight was not a full moon; a waning crescent hung in the sky, like a sharp scimitar, casting a cold, clear light onto the glazed tiles of the Night Manor, reflecting a sense of chill.

Bai Yan sat alone in the garden pavilion of the rear residence. A pot of Huadiao wine, a plate of braised beef, and a small dish of peanuts were laid out on the stone table.

The Huadiao was a thirty-year-old vintage treasured by Ye Youcai, its aroma rich and mellow. He poured a cup of wine and sipped it slowly. Paired with the braised beef and peanuts, drinking alone had its own unique charm.

While Bai Yan appeared relaxed on the surface, his senses were actually heightened to the extreme.

Any slight noise occurring within the Night Manor would be instantly detected by him.

The night was as dark as ink, silent.

The entire Night Manor was plunged into a deathly stillness, so quiet one could hear a pin drop.

The sound of the night watchman outside the courtyard began to ring out.

Accompanied by the crisp clatter of the wooden clapper, a faint voice called out, "The weather is dry, be careful of fire."

It was now deep into the night, the hour of Hai, a time when people are most prone to drowsiness.

The two guards on duty outside the Night Manor's gate were already so overcome with fatigue they could barely hold their heads up, their heads nodding like garlic being pounded. Their eyelids felt as heavy as lead.

Even though they slapped their cheeks hard, trying to dispel the drowsiness with pain, their eyelids continued to droop, and within moments, they both leaned against the doorposts, emitting soft snores.

The night watchman's clapper gradually faded into the distance. The surroundings were filled only with the deep night. No one noticed as a dark shadow glided along the base of the wall like a phantom. With a light touch of its toes on the gaps between the bricks, the figure flipped over the high wall like a willow catkin, landing silently within the Night Manor's courtyard.

Concealed by the darkness, the Flower Thief scaled the wall and moved swiftly across the rooftops, passing through the front courtyard and past the rock garden unimpeded, avoiding the sight of all the Imperial Guards. He arrived in the rear courtyard where the women resided.

He moved here with practiced ease, as familiar as if he were returning to his own home.

"Heh, these are the Imperial Guards?"

He landed in the shadow of the grape trellis in the rear courtyard. Glancing down at the two Imperial Guards staring intently at the ground near the wall, a cold, disdainful smile curled his lips.

"As expected, all show and no substance, useless trash!"

He had known for a long time that Imperial Guards were stationed at the Night Manor, but he hadn't taken them seriously. He had absolute confidence in his Lightness Skill and movement techniques, confident that the Imperial Guards wouldn't be able to detect his presence.

Tonight, he would succeed right under their noses.

Imagining himself breaking through the heavy defenses, snatching Ye Lingdang's purity amidst flashing blades, the thrill sent his blood boiling. He felt more eager than he had during any previous crime.

"Little beauty, I'm coming for you."

The Flower Thief licked his lips, flipped onto the roof of Ye Lingdang's boudoir, a sinister smile playing on his lips.

Just as he was reaching into his robes to pull out a sleeping powder, a cold voice suddenly sounded in his ear.

"What are you looking for?"

The Flower Thief froze and spun around sharply. A few feet away on the eaves behind him, a figure sat there. The person was dressed in a Flying Fish Robe, and the moonlight happened to fall on his face, revealing eyes as sharp as an eagle's. It was Bai Yan.

The moment the Flower Thief scaled the wall, Bai Yan had detected his presence. The Flower Thief, thinking his entry was seamless, was completely exposed in Bai Yan's eyes.

With Bai Yan's internal energy cultivation and movement techniques, the Flower Thief couldn't possibly have detected him, even at such close proximity.

The Flower Thief's instincts, honed by years of crime, made him act without thinking. He instinctively brought his hand forward, transforming it into a blade, and slashed behind him.

Hidden between his fingers was a small, diamond-shaped blade, no more than two inches long.

This item was called a Finger Blade, a type of hidden weapon. Such a small object, easily overlooked, could achieve unexpected results in close-quarters surprise attacks.

He was fast, but Bai Yan was faster.

Before the Finger Blade could touch Bai Yan's clothes, Bai Yan's figure had already approached like a phantom. He extended both hands, transforming his palms into claws, and with pinpoint accuracy, seized the Flower Thief's shoulder blades.

Crack!

Two crisp sounds rang out almost simultaneously. The powerful finger strength crushed his shoulder blades, crippling his arms.

Before he could even let out a scream, Bai Yan's right foot lashed out like a gale. In an instant, three heavy blows landed precisely on his knees and groin.

The cracking sound of shattered kneecaps mingled with a muffled groan as Bai Yan crippled the Flower Thief's legs, including his fifth limb.

Before he could recover from the intense pain, Bai Yan spun and appeared before him. His right palm, carrying a potent internal force, struck his lower abdomen with seemingly ordinary force.

Bang!

The overbearing palm force surged into his body like a raging tide, directly shattering his Dantian and Qi Sea.

The Flower Thief felt his internal energy instantly dissipate, like a punctured wineskin. All his strength vanished in an instant.

The entire process happened in the blink of an eye.

The Flower Thief was sent flying back like a tattered sack, falling straight from the rooftop with a heavy "bang" that kicked up a cloud of dust.

"Pfft—"

A mouthful of blood mixed with internal organ fragments spewed out. He curled up on the ground, letting out a pig-like, miserable wail. Veins bulged on his forehead, and cold sweat instantly soaked his night clothes.

"You... you crippled my martial arts!"

The Flower Thief looked up, staring intently at Bai Yan, who was slowly standing up on the rooftop. Bloodshot eyes filled with malice seemed ready to burst forth.

"I'll haunt you even as a ghost! You'll die a horrible death!!"

His proud Lightness Skill, the martial arts he relied on for survival, and the very root of his evil deeds were all utterly destroyed in that instant.

Bai Yan looked down at him from above, his gaze devoid of any emotion.

Hearing the commotion, the Imperial Guard emerged from the shadows. Two Enforcers stepped forward, drawing their sabers and holding them to the Flower Thief's neck, apprehending him on the spot.

Actually, drawing their swords was almost unnecessary. Bai Yan had not only crippled the Flower Thief's martial arts but also broken all his limbs.

The current Flower Thief was worse than useless; besides being able to breathe and speak, he was just a piece of living, rotting flesh.

"Only scum like you, a Flower Thief, deserve a horrible death."

"I promise you, your end will be more miserable than you can imagine."

Bai Yan's icy gaze swept over the other man's venomous face.

"Once you're in the Imperial Guard's Imperial Prison, you'll understand what it truly means to wish for death. The suffering of the women you harmed, I will make you experience it a thousand times over."

Killing him with a single blow would be too easy.

This case had already alerted the Emperor, and in his rage, this Flower Thief was destined to become an example to deter future wrongdoers, a warning to others.

Bai Yan estimated that his final fate would be death by a thousand cuts, making him pay his blood debt amidst endless agony.

Hearing the noise, Ye Youcai and his wife rushed over, carrying lanterns. Upon seeing that the Imperial Guard had already bound the Flower Thief tightly, Ye Youcai's voice trembled with emotion. He repeatedly bowed to Bai Yan.

"Thank you, sir, for capturing this villain! If you hadn't been here tonight, my daughter... my daughter would have truly fallen victim to his wicked hands!"

"Please accept this bow from my wife and me!"

With that, Ye Youcai and Madam Ye were about to kneel.

Bai Yan quickly reached out to support them, his voice calm. "Capturing criminals is our duty as the Imperial Guard. There's no need for such formality."

"Even if it's your duty, we must express our gratitude!" Ye Youcai quickly said. "Though I, Ye Youcai, am a merchant, I understand the principle of repaying kindness. It's too late tonight, and I wouldn't dare to disturb you further. Tomorrow, I will prepare a humble banquet at the restaurant. I implore all of you, sirs, to grace us with your presence. Please do not refuse!"

Bai Yan nodded in agreement. "I will attend the banquet. However, I must take the prisoner back to the Pacification Bureau to report, so I cannot stay long. We shall take our leave now."

"That is as it should be, as it should be!" Ye Youcai had hoped to use this opportunity to build some connections with the Imperial Guard. In Yongtang City, being able to associate with the Imperial Guard would undoubtedly reduce many troubles in his business dealings in the future.

But glancing at the bloody and mangled Flower Thief still groaning on the ground, a chill ran through him. He truly didn't dare to let this fiend linger in his manor any longer.

"Since you must report, I dare not keep you. I only beg that you will attend the banquet tomorrow!"

"Certainly." Bai Yan smiled, waved his hand, and led the many Imperial Guards to withdraw.

Ye Youcai and his wife escorted Bai Yan and his entourage to the manor gate.

Meanwhile, under the corridor in the backyard, Ye Lingdang was already standing by her chamber door at some unknown time.

She was wearing a plain shawl, gazing silently in the direction Bai Yan had left.

Bound by propriety, she couldn't go forward to see him off. She could only lean against the doorframe, quietly watching the tall figure in the Flying Fish Robe disappear from her sight.