Maintain Style!

Yan Xiangma was a perfectionist.

His appearance was perfect, his background was perfect, his personality, knowledge, character, and skills were all perfect—anyone who said he wasn't perfect was stuffed into a sack and thrown into the wild beast forest to feed the wild boars.

However, he just couldn't understand why he had hired such a dog-like subordinate to handle things for him.

Wasn't this level of intelligence an insult to his master?

Hadn't someone once said something like, "What kind of people associate with what kind of people"? If others thought the master and the subordinate had the same intelligence, would Yan Xiangma still have the face to meet anyone? "Li Dalu, how many times have I told you?" Yan Xiangma thought about it more and more, feeling the issue was serious, and prepared to have a good talk with this trusted henchman.

"Young Master, what have you told me—how many times?"

"I told you to keep your eyes peeled when you go out to handle business."

"Young Master, my eyes are already peeled." Li Dalu strained with all his might to widen his eyes and said, "Young Master, look—"

Pfft—

The singing girl was amused by the master and servant duo. She couldn't continue her song and quickly bowed apologetically, saying, "Sir, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I just couldn't hold it in for a moment—"

"Alright, alright, you can go," Yan Xiangma had lost the mood for listening to music. He tossed the mung bean cake in his hand onto the plate, wiped his hands with a silk handkerchief, then picked up the Dragon Spine Fan from the table and began to beat Li Dalu on the head, shouting, "You idiot, who wants to see you widen your eyes and act cute—we're handling important business, can you please be serious, damn it?"

"Yes, yes, Young Master, don't hit me anymore, you'll make me even dumber—" Li Dalu covered his head and begged for mercy.

Yan Xiangma finally stopped. He looked out the window at the street and said, "Didn't you say Li Mu Yang would definitely come this way? Why hasn't he set off yet? If he doesn't hurry, the exam time will be here soon, and the examination hall will close."

"Yes, I'm also wondering about that," Li Dalu said with a look of agreement.

Yan Xiangma was about to lose his temper again. He shouted, "When your Young Master asks a question, you dog-like subordinate must find a way to solve it—are you waiting for me to analyze the answer for you?"

"I wouldn't dare," Li Dalu quickly apologized and said, "How about I find someone to check Li Mu Yang's house? You know, that kid usually doesn't study well and is late for class every day. Maybe he overslept again today, or maybe he ate something bad and has diarrhea—"

Yan Xiangma fanned himself with his fan, thinking it over. "We should go to his house to remind him."

"Remind him?" Li Dalu was a bit confused. "Young Master, aren't we kidnapping that kid precisely to prevent him from taking the exam?"

"Yes," Yan Xiangma nodded.

"Since there's a problem on his end, then we don't need to do anything, right?"

Yan Xiangma thought it over again and hit Li Dalu on the head with his fan, scolding, "Do you need me to tell you something this simple?"

"Young Master—" Li Dalu was scared of being hit and stood far away, asking in a small voice, "Are we still going to kidnap him or not?"

"We are," Yan Xiangma said. "If we don't, then didn't we prepare all morning for nothing?"

"What Young Master says is right," Li Dalu said. "I'll take my brothers to surround their house."

"Go ahead," Yan Xiangma waved his hand. "Be civilized, have some style."

"Young Master, kidnapping also requires style?"

"Nonsense. Have you ever watched 'The Legend of Chu Liuxiang'? Although Chu Liuxiang was a petty thief, look at how he stole things. Before committing a crime, he would leave a note for the owner: 'I heard you have a white jade beauty, exquisitely carved, with unparalleled grace. I yearn for it greatly. Tonight at midnight, I shall come to take it under the moon. Knowing your refined taste, you surely won't make my journey in vain.' To be a thief to that extent, even if you're stolen from, you'd be willing."

"Young Master, should we also write a note and send it over?"

Yan Xiangma wanted to hit his head again, but Li Dalu had already run too far for him to reach.

"You idiot, if you send a note saying I'm going to kidnap your son and you should have him ready—won't they report it to the authorities and surround you?"

"—"

Dressed in black, wearing a black hat, his entire body wrapped in a black robe.

A black aura emanated from him, making him look like a moving smokestack.

Crow!

The assassin Crow!

Li Mu Yang didn't know his name, but he recognized the man's face.

This was the guy who disguised himself as a waiter and committed the attack at Cui Xiaoxin's Beast-Faced Pavilion.

He had been driven away last time, but this time he had chosen himself as the sniper target.

Li Mu Yang was extremely nervous, staring intently at him.

"Mu Yang, who is this?" Luo Qi asked.

Her first reaction was to think he was Li Mu Yang's friend, but she immediately remembered that Li Mu Yang had no friends at all. So, Luo Qi rushed forward like a mother hen protecting her chicks, blocking Li Mu Yang with her body and shouting, "Who are you? What do you want?"

Li Yan was washing dishes in the kitchen. Hearing the commotion outside, he jumped out of the kitchen window.

He casually pulled out the spear he usually used for practice from the corner of the wall and walked over to shield his wife and son behind him.

"Who are you, sir? What is your business?" Li Yan asked in a deep voice. "We are an ordinary family, we have no enmity with you. I believe you have the wrong person?"

"I haven't found the wrong person," Crow said, staring expressionlessly at Li Mu Yang. "Someone paid me to kill him."

"Who?" Li Mu Yang was astonished and quickly explained, "I'm just a student who can't even lift a chicken, why would someone pay to kill me?"

"Me," Crow said. "I gave myself a gold coin and told myself to kill you."

"—" Li Mu Yang felt that the person outside was utterly shameless. How could they do such a thing? If that were the case, I could give myself a gold coin every day and tell myself I'm a handsome young man—is there no law? Is there no justice?

"I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you." Li Yan secretly gathered his energy, his long spear humming. It looked as if it had come alive, trembling non-stop in Li Yan's hands.

"Heavenly King Spear? Are you from the Lu Family of Tiandu?"

"I'm not from the Lu Family," Li Yan denied. "I'm just the child's father. If you want to touch him, you'll have to step over my dead body first."

"Brother—" Li Sinian came downstairs, carrying her schoolbag. Seeing the scene in the courtyard, she was truly terrified and quickly called out, "Brother, are you alright?"

She used her body to shield Li Mu Yang, staring fiercely at the assassin Crow, and said, "Who are you? I'm telling you, I've already reported you to the authorities. You better leave quickly—"

"So, the whole family is here now, right?" Crow asked, looking at Li Mu Yang and his family.

Then, he shook his head and said, "It's a shame no one bought the lives of the others. Otherwise, I could have killed them all."

"—"

Li Mu Yang's eyes flashed red, and his voice was cold and devoid of emotion. "You'd best leave immediately. I could stop you last time, and I can still stop you this time—"

"That won't do. I expended energy to find you, and I specifically chose the day of your written exam to bring you a surprise—How can I leave at this time?" Crow refused, shaking his head.

"My classmates will be here soon to pick me up to go to school. If you don't leave, you'll be severely injured like last time—They've been looking for you." Although Li Mu Yang didn't know the full details, he figured the attack on Cui Xiaoxin must have stirred up the sensitive nerves of countless people. Those people would certainly not let such an assassin continue to wreak havoc in Jiangnan City and prepare for the next assassination.

Crow's expression slightly stiffened. It seemed Li Mu Yang had hit a nerve. He was indeed wary of the bodyguard beside that Imperial Bright Moon, Ning Xin Hai, whose strength was unfathomable. He wasn't confident he could escape from him.

If, as Li Mu Yang said, his classmates were on their way to pick him up for school, then his time was indeed running out.

Crow grinned and said, "Since that's the case, let's make haste—Don't worry, I'll be quick and won't take too much time."

As he spoke, his figure disappeared from his original spot, and a mass of black mist lunged towards where Li Mu Yang was standing.

Li Sinian moved.

No one expected that the first to counterattack would be the seemingly delicate, fair-skinned, and adorable little sister, Li Sinian.

She flung off her schoolbag from her back, hurling it at the mass of black shadow.

Then, she threw a punch.

Pa pa pa—

Countless fist shadows flickered in the air.

The fist prints behind pushed the fist prints in front, and then that long line of fist prints connected together, transforming into an overwhelming and unparalleled force that blasted towards the black shadow.

Fist Break!

The first move of the Body-Breaking Technique, using the power of the fist to draw upon the power of nature. Fist prints layered upon each other, breaking force with force.

Bang—

The black mist was dispersed, turning into scattered black clouds that flew in all directions.

Crow's body flew backward, staring at the panting and heaving Li Sinian with a face full of horror.

"This is Fist Break? You know how to use Fist Break from the Body-Breaking Technique?" Crow's voice was hoarse, his eyes fixed on Li Sinian. "Who is Daoist Master Ziyang to you?"

"He's my master," Li Sinian replied crisply. She thought that since this bad guy knew her master, it proved her master was a very powerful person. If she could scare him away using her master's name, it would be even better.

"So, you're Daoist Ziyang's disciple. I was truly impolite today," Crow said coldly. "However, you've only learned this little bit of superficial knowledge. I'm afraid you can't stop me from killing, can you? Little girl, I advise you to move aside. Otherwise, Daoist Ziyang will lose his beloved disciple—"

"Don't even think about hurting my brother," Li Sinian said, refusing to budge, her attitude firm. "If you dare to kill him, I will kill you."

"Little girl, have you ever killed anyone?" Crow laughed heartily. "Killing is an art; it's not something you can do just by talking—Do you feel your voice trembling?"

"There's always a first time," Li Sinian said. "Killing him is meaningless to you, but many people will applaud your death—Do you want to be mocked by those who despise you?"

"Are you threatening me?"

"We can make a deal."