When Li Xinge appeared again, he was already strolling down a street in Qinghua Town.
Qinghua Town was fairly prosperous. Crowds bustled along its brightly lit streets, with carriages flowing like water and horses streaming like dragons.
"Beat her! Beat that little beggar to death!"
A discordant shout reached Li Xinge's ears, and he instinctively frowned.
Looking toward the voice, he saw several half-grown children cornering a scrawny little beggar in ragged clothes in an alley, punching and kicking her.
The little beggar could only curl into a ball, struggling to protect her vital spots.
After they had beaten her for a while, the boy leading them planted his hands on his hips and arrogantly ordered the lackey beside him, "Ah Liang, go get my things back."
"Yes, young master."
The lackey wore a fawning expression.
But when he turned to face the little beggar, his expression became vicious.
"You little cur," he snarled. "Hand over our young master's things, or we'll take your worthless life."
Tears filled the little beggar's eyes. She said nothing, only shook her head over and over.
"Then don't blame me for getting rough."
The lackey loosened his limbs, gave a savage grin, and kicked her.
The kick knocked the little beggar straight to the ground.
He crouched down, seized her hand, and forced her fingers open one by one.
In her palm lay half a steamed bun.
She had clutched it so tightly that it was crushed out of shape.
Ignoring her despairing expression, he took the bun and turned away.
With a ingratiating smile, he said, "Young master, your servant has retrieved it. Here you are."
The boy glanced at the filthy half-bun with utter disgust.
"You idiot! Do you think I'm short of a bun to eat?"
He slapped the lackey across the face, sending stars swimming before his eyes and spinning him like a top several times before he stopped.
"Blind fool. You deserved that."
Clutching his swollen, reddened cheek, the lackey dared not voice his anger. He even had to smile and flatter him. "Well struck, young master. Well struck."
The boy sneered, paid the lackey no further attention, and turned his gaze toward the little beggar on the ground.
"Little beggar," he declared haughtily, "even things I throw away aren't for a lowly peasant like you to enjoy."
Then his eyes rolled craftily. "Still, if you can make me happy, I wouldn't mind showing you some mercy and bestowing this bun on you."
The little beggar stared at the bun in his hand.
Starving, she involuntarily swallowed and nodded.
The boy raised his foot and thrust his shoe before her face, looking amused. "Lick my shoe clean, and this half-bun is yours."
The lackeys beside him immediately joined in. "Little beggar, hurry up! Getting to lick our young master's shoes is a blessing you earned in your past life!"
"Exactly!"
"Other people would love to lick them, but they never get the chance. Isn't that right?"
"Hahahaha..."
Their merciless mockery drained all color from the little beggar's sallow face. She shook her head desperately.
Seeing that she dared disobey, the boy planted his foot on her face and ground it back and forth. "Nobody in Qinghua Town dares refuse me!" he snapped. "Lick it, or I'll kill you!"
Fear flooded the little beggar's already battered, hole-riddled heart.
At that moment, she finally despaired of this world filled with malice. She turned her head aside, her heart reduced to cold ashes.
Rejected by a lowly little beggar, the boy felt he had lost all face before his lackeys.
His humiliation turned to fury. "I offer you face, and you throw it away! Then die!"
He snatched up a stick as thick as a fist and swung it at her head with all his strength.
If that blow landed, it would smash her head to a pulp.
Trembling, the little beggar closed her eyes and quietly waited for death to descend.
Yet the pain she expected never came.
"So young, and already you treat human lives like worthless grass."
A gentle voice sounded beside her ear, and she hurriedly opened her eyes.
The stick that should have struck her head was held firmly in a large hand.
A figure appeared before her, shielding her—a back that, in her eyes at that moment, stood as tall as a god.
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The vicious boy strained with every ounce of strength he possessed, but he could not wrench the stick from that clean, fair-skinned hand.
"Who are you? How dare you meddle in my business! Do you know how many eyes Lord Ma has?"
He bared his teeth at the unexpected intruder.
The intruder was none other than Li Xinge.
"Just an ordinary person."
Li Xinge's voice was indifferent.
"A lowborn nobody dares meddle in my affairs? Get on your knees right now, kowtow three times, and call me Grandfather! Then I might consider leaving your corpse intact!"
The vicious boy's face twisted savagely.
As he stared at Li Xinge, jealousy flashed deep in his eyes. This lowborn wretch actually has something about him that makes me feel inferior. I won't stand for it. He has to die!
Li Xinge remained unmoved.
The vicious boy angrily ordered his lackeys, "What are you standing around for? Get him! Beat him to death! Whatever happens, I'll take responsibility!"
The lackeys exchanged glances, cracked their knuckles, and approached Li Xinge with savage grins.
"Boy, remember to watch who you cross in your next life!"
Li Xinge chuckled.
The Void Cutter Sword left its sheath. Sword light flashed, and several heads flew into the air.
Blood spurted like a fountain, splashing the vicious boy's face. The sight left the pampered boy utterly stunned.
Arrogant and overbearing though he was, when had he ever encountered someone so ruthless that he could kill without batting an eye?
He lost control of his body and wet himself.
His legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground, his teeth chattering. "My father is Zhao Tiancheng! Don't kill me! If you kill me, you'll die too!"
Li Xinge scoffed and shook his head. "Kill you? I'd hate to dirty my sword."
Hearing that, the vicious boy inwardly sighed in relief.
Looks like Father's name still carries plenty of weight.
Of course it does. How many people in all of Qinghua Town haven't heard of him?
Remembering the humiliation he had suffered today, the vicious boy secretly gritted his teeth.
Once I'm safe, I'll have Father deal with this personally and cut this lowborn wretch into ten thousand pieces.
Then everyone will see what happens to anyone who offends Young Master Zhao!
He struggled to his feet and tried to sneak away.
But Li Xinge stopped him. "Did I say you could leave?"
The vicious boy stiffened, and his weak legs began trembling again.
Li Xinge turned and looked down at the little beggar on the ground.
So this is what a god looks like?
As she saw Li Xinge's face clearly, the thought passed through the little beggar's mind.
"Do you want revenge?"
Li Xinge spoke softly.
The little beggar nodded, then immediately shook her head.
"Pick it up. Go kill him!"
Li Xinge pointed at the fist-thick stick on the ground.
Kill someone? The little beggar's face went white, and she shook her head like a rattle drum.
Li Xinge watched her silently, a hint of disappointment seemingly lurking in his long, narrow eyes.
"So be it."
He turned and walked away.
Watching his retreating back and remembering his disappointed gaze, the little beggar felt a wrenching pain in her heart.
I can't let him down!
"No!"
With a hoarse cry, the little beggar suddenly scrambled to her feet.
Drawing strength from somewhere she could not fathom, she snatched up the stick.
Under the vicious boy's terrified gaze, she brought it down on his head again and again.
He screamed in excruciating pain. His screams grew weaker and weaker, until at last he fell silent.
Staring at the vicious boy, now beaten beyond recognition, the little beggar seemed to lose all her strength. She slumped to the ground, gasping for breath.
Li Xinge stopped walking, and an inscrutable smile curled his lips.
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