Exterminating the Family

Xie Yuan went to the noodle shop not far from the escort agency, the one he frequented, and wolfed down a bowl of their signature Pea Paste Noodles in a few bites. He sighed in satisfaction. "I'm afraid I won't be able to come here for a long time."

That Arrest Chief who had passed by just now carried an extraordinary bearing. When the man looked at him, Xie Yuan had vaguely felt as though he had been seen through from head to toe. Even his Heaven Concealing Art, which he had not fully activated, seemed unable to hide him from this man. In that instant, Xie Yuan had guessed the man's identity.

"Yu Chunsheng said a divine constable was handling the case. So he wasn't lying? He came for me this quickly?"

Xie Yuan raised his guard and decided not to remain in Yun Zhao any longer.

Unfortunately, after coming back and searching everywhere—both the escort agency and One Blade Martial Hall—he still could not find Moon-Slayer. Who the hell took it?

Xie Yuan scratched his head and sighed.

Now it would be hard to explain this to Situ Qin.

He wiped his mouth, tossed a few copper coins to the waiter, and strolled out of the noodle shop. Yet no one recognized him as Chief Escort Leader Xie, the very man they had been discussing so fervently.

Finding a bookstore, Xie Yuan borrowed paper and a brush, intending to send Situ Qin a letter to let her know he was safe. The escort agency was gone, and he had fled; he did not want his friend worrying about him.

But when he lifted the brush, Xie Yuan inexplicably felt guilty. It seemed he had not contacted her in far too long, and now he had also lost Moon-Slayer...

He hesitated, choosing his words with great care. After forcing out a whole string of explanations, he thought it over and still hinted that he would use the method she knew about to hide within a major sect in the province and cultivate.

Remembering that the Arrest Chief seemed to be investigating him, Xie Yuan did not linger. The letter was extremely brief. Once he finished, he handed it to the bookstore owner to mail on his behalf.

Leaving the bookstore, Xie Yuan looked at the sky, then turned back to glance in the direction of the escort agency. He let out a long breath.

He stepped out of the city, left Yun Zhao, and headed toward Yunshan Mountain.

Inside the noodle shop.

Su Xing abruptly revealed himself, startling everyone in the shop.

He swept through the noodle shop like a whirlwind, then walked to its entrance. His brows furrowed tightly as his eyes swiftly scanned all directions.

Yet all he saw was a bustling flow of people—vendors and common folk, each with a different face but the same ordinary aura.

So Su Xing knew that though they had merely brushed past each other, separated by the thinnest line, he had completely lost Xie Yuan this time.

His expression was grave as he returned to the County Office, dismissed everyone else, and began writing a case file.

"Xie Yuan:

"A native of Small Stone Village, Yun Zhao County, Cloud Province. Seventeen by nominal age. Has practiced martial arts for less than one year. Shows signs of breaking through to the Qi and Blood Transformation Realm. Suspected of cultivating both internal and external arts, and suspected of possessing another inheritance...

"Possesses formidable combat strength and rose rapidly, never suffering defeat locally. Killed the masters of two of Yun Zhao's four great martial halls, and killed the Yun Zhao County Commandant by cruel means. Subsequently fled without a trace; current whereabouts unknown.

"Note One: Joined forces with a Mu Family Grandmaster to counter-kill Deng Wan, Grandmaster of the Golden Dragon Merchant Company. Suspected of possessing an axe-based killing move capable of severely injuring a Grandmaster while only in the External Refinement Realm.

"Note Two: Encountered me face-to-face in the street, then escaped my pursuit. Suspected of possessing a concealment secret art capable of evading a Grandmaster's perception.

"Summary: The above two 'notes' defy common sense, yet their reliability exceeds eighty percent. They sufficiently demonstrate that this youth possesses extraordinary talent, and that his danger far exceeds his realm..."

At this point, Su Xing paused his brush. He recalled that glance Xie Yuan had exchanged with him in the noodle shop—surprise, appraisal, but not the slightest panic—then Xie Yuan had simply gone back to eating his noodles.

Su Xing's face darkened slightly as he added:

"...His temperament is vile, and he delights in provoking the authorities. His arrogance is boundless, he is reckless and audacious, and exceedingly cunning."

Su Xing drew two more horizontal lines beneath the eight words "reckless and audacious, and exceedingly cunning," emphasizing them heavily. He then packed up the case file, sealed it in a special envelope with wax, summoned a courier from the post station, and sent it back to Spring Rain Pavilion in the Capital City.

Spring Rain Pavilion stored martial intelligence from across the world and compiled the Heavenly Dragon, Flying Dragon, and Hidden Dragon Rankings. None disputed its authority.

Though the Hidden Dragon Ranking listed only seventy-two names, Spring Rain Pavilion had recorded case files on far more than hundreds or thousands of martial artists.

He intended for this case file to be stored on the first floor of Spring Rain Pavilion.

Martial artists under heaven were as numerous as stars in the sky. Only those above the Qi and Blood Transformation Realm, and only the outstanding among them, could enter Spring Rain Pavilion's first floor.

Yet though Xie Yuan had not reached the Qi and Blood Transformation Realm, Su Xing did not hesitate to submit his case file and send it into the pavilion. Judging by the strange things Xie Yuan had displayed alone, he deserved close observation.

After submitting the case file, Su Xing's expression remained calm.

He had ultimately missed today's best opportunity and lost half a round.

Although he was not ready to give up and intended to continue investigating in Cloud Province for a while longer, he vaguely felt that he would likely never find the two people who had killed Deng Wan anytime soon.

Perhaps he should start with that fellow Grandmaster of Deng Wan's...

Several days later.

The Yu Residence in Yun Zhao was holding a funeral. The whole estate was draped in white, spirit money filled the air, and weeping echoed everywhere.

As County Commandant, regardless of his reputation, Yu Chunsheng had drawn quite a number of mourners over the past several days—Yun Zhao's gentry and prominent clans, people from every walk of life.

Madam Yu, dressed in mourning white, received and saw off guests alongside Yu Chunsheng's only son. That evening, after finally sending away the last visitor, mother and son stood before the coffin with their heads silently bowed.

Suddenly, a gust of wind swept through the mourning hall, stirring the spirit money into the air. The mother and son raised their heads in confusion. The doors and windows were clearly shut tight—where had the wind come from?

Their hearts tightened when they suddenly saw a burly man standing before the coffin. His skin was dark, and he wore only a sleeveless undershirt, his chest exposed.

Madam Yu's face went pale with fright. Trembling, she asked, "Sir... who are you?"

The burly man turned around. "Did the County Commandant never tell you about me?"

Madam Yu froze for a moment. Then inspiration flashed through her mind, and she cautiously asked, "Are you the Grandmaster who thought highly of my late husband?"

Lu Lao San glanced at her, his eyes flickering, and smiled. "That's right. I heard it was Xie Yuan from that escort agency who killed the County Commandant. Is that so?"

Madam Yu's eyes brightened. Exchanging a glance with her son, she revealed a look of hope. "That's right! It was Xie Yuan of the Soaring Dragon Escort Agency..."

"Good! Tell me everything about him. Once I understand the situation, perhaps I can help you avenge yourselves."

Madam Yu nodded repeatedly and recounted everything that had happened that day, from beginning to end.

After hearing her out, Lu Lao San stroked the needle-like stubble on his chin and pondered. "This Xie Yuan is even more like a fierce bandit than I am. He actually killed an official in broad daylight. Hmph. He is so arrogant that he has exposed his trail. Once I find him, Mu Chaoyun—the woman he's entangled with—definitely won't have gone far. Then I can trade him for the Black Heaven Book..."

He plotted for a while and nodded secretly to himself. Once he could get no more information, he was about to leave when the youth suddenly shook off his mother, knelt before him, and pleaded, "Grandmaster Lu, please accept me as your disciple. Teach me martial arts, so I may avenge my father!"

Lu Lao San was taken aback. He looked at the teeth-gritting youth, then at Madam Yu, who was also somewhat surprised, and sneered. "You want to learn martial arts from me? What makes you worthy?"

"I... I... Father said my aptitude was decent."

The youth was momentarily at a loss for words and muttered softly.

Seeing this, Madam Yu threw caution to the winds. She knelt before Lu Lao San, gritted her teeth, and said, "When my late husband was County Commandant, he was upright and just, making countless enemies. Now that he has ridden the crane west, my son and I are left alone, a widow and an orphan barely able to protect ourselves. Please, Mister Lu, for my late husband's sake, accept my son and teach him martial arts, so he may find a foothold in this world and one day avenge his father!"

She knelt before Lu Lao San, her face pale as white silk, tears clinging to her lashes like pear blossoms in rain. Madam Yu had been a beauty in her youth. She had lived in comfort and maintained herself well; Yu Chunsheng had kept her sheltered from worldly affairs, so she looked only a little over thirty and was exceedingly alluring.

As the saying went, "To look pretty, wear mourning white." Madam Yu was dressed all in white, kneeling prone on the floor, her beautiful, full curves laid bare before Lu Lao San's eyes. His eyes narrowed as he watched.

Lu Lao San stopped mid-step. His feet shifted inch by inch as he slowly said, "Is that so? It's not impossible. But..."

The mother and son's eyes lit up. Madam Yu hurriedly straightened herself and said, "Mister Lu is a Grandmaster, so naturally the tuition gift cannot be lacking. Though my late husband has passed, the family still has some modest savings..."

As Madam Yu straightened, her mature charm was displayed all the more fully. Lu Lao San's throat bobbed. He had been running about in pursuit of the Black Heaven Book for some time and had not touched a woman in ages. At last unable to restrain himself, he gave a lewd chuckle. "As for tuition, there's no need. But Madam Yu, I see that you still have your charms."

When Madam Yu saw Lu Lao San's lustful gaze roaming over her body, how could she fail to understand what he meant?

She instinctively stepped back, her face gradually turning white. Biting her lip, she said, "Mister Lu, my late husband's bones are not yet cold, and you..."

"What is it, Madam? You no longer want to avenge your husband?"

Lu Lao San slowly moved closer, his hands beginning to wander.

Madam Yu was powerless to resist. Yu Dalan's eyes widened, and he rushed forward to stop Lu Lao San. "Stop—"

Before he could finish, Lu Lao San slapped him away, sending him crashing to the ground.

Madam Yu cried out in alarm, "Don't hurt my son!"

"Then that depends on whether Madam will cooperate.

"Madam, you wouldn't want County Commandant Yu to leave no heir behind, would you?"

After Lu Lao San said those words, Madam Yu finally stopped struggling. With a face full of despair, she was dragged aside, right before Yu Chunsheng's coffin.

Yu Dalan lay sprawled nearby, his entire body trembling as he listened to the unceasing screams coming from that direction.

After a long while, the screams abruptly ceased. Lu Lao San, still unsatisfied, pulled up his trousers and looked at Madam Yu, who had already stopped breathing. Dissatisfied, he said, "Boring!"

He walked over to Yu Dalan and looked down at the youth. Suddenly, he felt that the youth was as delicate and pretty as his mother.

As he pondered this, Yu Dalan abruptly pushed himself up and repeatedly kowtowed to him, muttering something so indistinct that Lu Lao San could not make it out.

Lu Lao San dug at his ear and said with a grin, "What? Begging for mercy?"

"No... I beg you to accept me as your disciple and teach me martial arts, so I can avenge my father in the future."

Yu Dalan lowered his head, his voice hoarse.

Lu Lao San was greatly surprised. "You still want to learn martial arts from me?"

Yu Dalan nodded heavily. "Only martial arts can let me survive in this world. Only then can I avenge myself on Xie Yuan."

Hearing this, Lu Lao San looked Yu Dalan up and down and said with a smiling squint, "You don't hate me?"

"I hate you, yet I don't."

Yu Dalan's gaze was calm. "I only hate myself for being incapable."

Lu Lao San was stunned again, then suddenly burst into laughter. "Good! I didn't expect to run into such a talent! So clear-headed. Given time, I'd say you'll surely become someone great!

"Hmm, you have a grudge against Xie Yuan, and I have a bit of a conflict with him too. Since you're such an interesting boy, teaching you a few moves so you can cause him trouble isn't impossible."

Yu Dalan's eyes lit up. He immediately kowtowed to acknowledge Lu Lao San as his master.

He struck his head heavily against the floor and was about to raise it when he suddenly felt an immense force press down on his shoulder, making it impossible to lift himself.

Confused, he said, "Master..."

"I never said I would take you as my disciple. I killed your mother, and if you followed me around every day, what if you truly learned enough to become capable? Wouldn't I be inviting trouble upon myself?"

Lu Lao San chuckled.

Yu Dalan panicked and swore fervently, "I will never hold a grudge against Master! If I break this oath—"

"You can endure even after I fucked your mother to death, and I'm supposed to believe your oath?"

Lu Lao San said with a sneer, "A boy who can endure this much—I wouldn't dare keep a disaster like you around. I'm not one of those broad-minded heroes whose word weighs nine tripods. I'm a horse bandit from the Western Desert. I always cut the grass and dig out the roots. You came to the wrong man."

He applied a little more force with his hand. With a crack, he snapped Yu Dalan's neck in one grip.