Consecutive Slashes

Long Yu glared furiously at Qin Yong and snapped, "This is a commander of a thousand men from our Wu Kingdom? Bullying a woman—and your own sister at that?"

Long Yu's anger was not an act, nor had she deliberately done this because she had noticed Qin Yu's change.

She had met Qin Xue a few times and knew Qin Xue's identity and status within the Qin Family. But woman to woman, upon seeing the frail Qin Xue, no matter what had happened, she instinctively took Qin Xue's side. When she saw Qin Xue being lifted like a chick by Qin Yong, the fury in Long Yu's heart could no longer be contained.

Qin Yong turned his head. When he saw Long Yu, his expression faltered slightly. Behind him, Qin Feng first revealed a flash of delight, but when he saw Qin Yu at the side, his swollen face immediately twisted hideously, looking as ugly as though he had eaten shit.

"Thirteenth Princess? This is an internal matter of my Qin Family. Please do not interfere." Qin Yong was no reckless brute. The fact that he had climbed from an ordinary soldier to the position of commander of a thousand men showed his exceptional ability. Naturally, Long Yu's status alone would not scare him off.

"An internal matter? Under the Son of Heaven's feet, you use strength to oppress the weak. Does your Qin Family have no regard for the law? Do you believe I'll report your Qin Family to my imperial father for defying the law? Your Qin Family has had things too easy these past years—you think the whole world belongs to your Qin Family now." Long Yu's words were biting and sharp, ringing out with force. The once-noisy Marketplace fell completely silent, and everyone turned to look at her.

Qin Yong's expression changed slightly. He had not expected Long Yu to invoke the law. Feeling the gazes around him, his face shifted between light and dark. If this matter was not handled properly, it would be especially disadvantageous to the Qin Family.

At that moment, a hand suddenly landed on the hand Qin Yong was using to grip Qin Xue's neck. Qin Yong, immersed in thought, abruptly turned his head, only to see a streak of sword light flash past. A sense of danger engulfed his entire body.

Qin Yong was horrified, and Sha Qi burst from his body—but it was already too late.

Bang! The sound of metal striking metal exploded abruptly. The bracer around Qin Yong's wrist shattered, and piercing pain shot through his right hand.

His arm was severed in two at the elbow, blood spraying everywhere. Qin Xue, who had been held aloft, fell to the ground as well, her little face pale as snow as she stared blankly at the half-arm that had landed before her.

"Ah!" Qin Yong screamed miserably, his face twisted in savagery as his left fist smashed viciously toward the attacker.

Shhk! The sound of flesh and bone being sliced apart rang out.

A streak of sword light flashed by, directly severing Qin Yong's left arm. The fist clenched tight, along with half his wrist, fell to the ground.

The one who had acted was Qin Yu.

Qin Yu stared coldly at Qin Yong and said hoarsely, "What Fellow Daoist Chen despises most in his life are those who use strength to oppress the weak and bully women. This is a lesson. Next time, I'll sever your meridians and turn you into a complete cripple!" As Qin Yu spoke, his gaze seemed to casually sweep over Qin Xue, who was staring blankly at him, before quickly withdrawing.

His heart ached. An urge surged within him to pick Qin Xue up and cherish her with care, but he could not. He could not show too much concern for Qin Xue at this time, or it would only make her situation more dangerous.

Before his cultivation rose, Qin Yu could only endure!

"Kill him for me!" Having both arms severed sent Qin Yong into a rage. He roared shrilly, while the dozen or so soldiers behind him simultaneously erupted with killing intent.

"Who dares make a move!" Long Yu shouted as well. She took out a purple token. On its front was a five-clawed divine dragon, and on its back was the character for thirteen.

Upon seeing it, the dozen or so soldiers' expressions changed drastically. They all dropped to their knees and said, "Greetings, Thirteenth Princess!"

Although Qin Yong had already called her the Thirteenth Princess earlier, leaving the soldiers doubtful, now that Long Yu had produced the princess's token, how could they dare behave outrageously?

Qin Yong's face was savage, his eyes fixed viciously on Qin Yu as though he wanted to swallow him alive. Qin Yu, however, looked grim. He glanced at Qin Yong and toyed with the wooden sword in his hand. "If you want revenge, come find me at the Myriad Phenomena Pill Shop. And you—I'll offer you a word of advice. Do not bring ruin upon yourself." Qin Yu's gaze passed over Qin Feng, whose face had gone deathly pale with fright, before he turned and left.

Long Yu looked at the departing Qin Yu, then at Qin Xue, who had also been frightened senseless. After hesitating for a moment, she crouched down and said softly, "You're Qin Xue, right? Don't be afraid, and don't worry. With your sister here, no one will dare do anything to you."

Qin Yu, who had not gone far, paused slightly upon hearing this. His impression of Long Yu improved by another measure.

"Ahhh! Why aren't you taking me back to the residence yet!" Qin Yong threw back his head and roared. With both hands severed, the piercing pain nearly made him faint. Had his strength not been formidable, he would have passed out long ago.

Qin Yu hurried to the Myriad Phenomena Pill Shop. With his current cultivation, openly falling out with Qin Yong and the Cui Family was undoubtedly unwise. But Qin Yu had not acted on impulse. Otherwise, he would have used the Sword Talisman to kill Qin Yong outright.

Entering the Myriad Phenomena Pill Shop, Qin Yu went directly to the old man who had taken him to see Zi Xun'er last time and said, "Take me to see Zi Xun'er."

The old man raised his head slightly. Upon seeing Qin Yu, he hurriedly said respectfully, "Senior, this way, please."

It was still the loft, still that same room. When Qin Yu pushed open the door and entered, Zi Xun'er was holding a piece of beast hide and examining something. Sensing the door open, her delicate brows furrowed slightly. But when she saw Qin Yu, they relaxed, and she smiled calmly. "You're here."

Qin Yu was startled. Zi Xun'er's tone struck him as somewhat strange, like a wife waiting at home for her husband to return.

As if sensing Qin Yu's reaction, the corners of Zi Xun'er's lips lifted slightly, her smile neither quite a smile nor not one.

Qin Yu glanced at the beast hide Zi Xun'er had set down and said calmly, "Fellow Daoist Zi, I have come to trouble you with something."

"Oh? What is it?" Zi Xun'er's eyes brightened as she looked Qin Yu over with interest. When she sensed his cultivation, she was secretly startled.

Martial Realm Third Level.

In less than half a month, he had crossed from the Martial Realm First Layer to the Martial Realm Third Level? Could it be the effect of those medicinal ingredients from last time?

"I severed Qin Yong's hands." Qin Yu slowly sat down and said calmly. He believed Zi Xun'er could guess why he had come.

"Qin Family's eldest son, Qin Yong? The Qin Family's commander of a thousand men? The grandson of Cui Hong, the Cui Family's grand general?" Zi Xun'er asked in surprise. Last time, she had secretly investigated Qin Feng, hoping to obtain clues about Qin Yu from him. Thus, she knew the Qin Family's circumstances like the back of her hand.

Qin Yu nodded slightly.

"With Fellow Daoist Chen's current cultivation, provoking the Qin Family and the Cui Family is an unwise move." A bewitching smile appeared on Zi Xun'er's cold, proud face. Her slender hand rested on the table, her index finger tapping lightly against it as she looked straight at Qin Yu.

"That is the formula for a fourth-grade Cuiyuan Pill, isn't it?" Qin Yu answered without addressing her words. His gaze lingered briefly on the beast hide before Zi Xun'er.

Zi Xun'er was inwardly shaken. She glanced at the beast hide, then back at Qin Yu, smiling as she said, "Fellow Daoist Chen is making Xun'er more and more curious."

Qin Yu remained perfectly composed.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, what do you think of this pill formula?" Zi Xun'er pushed the beast hide before Qin Yu and asked with a seductive smile.

"It lacks several main ingredients." Qin Yu did not even look at the pill formula.

"Fine, I won't beat around the bush with you. Fellow Daoist Chen, help me complete this pill formula, and I'll handle the Cui Family and the Qin Family. How about it?" Zi Xun'er smiled helplessly. If she kept pretending, she feared she would only disgust this man. Better to throw open the skylight and speak plainly.

"Fine, but you must agree to one condition." Qin Yu said calmly. The value of this Cuiyuan Pill formula was so immense—how could the Qin Family and Cui Family compare? If it were put up for sale, someone might even destroy both families for this formula.

"What condition?" Zi Xun'er hesitated for a moment before asking.

"Within half a year, help me protect someone. I need her to remain completely unharmed." Qin Yu said.

"Who?" Zi Xun'er asked in surprise.

"Qin Xue," Qin Yu said.

"Qin Xue? Qin Family's fourth daughter, Qin Xue?" After speaking, Zi Xun'er fixed her bright eyes on Qin Yu, her gaze flickering. After a long while, she slowly said, "Fellow Daoist Chen severed the Qin Family eldest son's hands and detests the Qin Family's second son. I thought you had become enemies with the Qin Family, but now it seems... Fellow Daoist Chen, wait. May Xun'er call you Fellow Daoist Qin?"