Nonfiction Is Not Your Fault

He shut off Ghost Illumination.

The expression on his face gradually turned cold and stern.

" Mystic Boat."

"Go call Elder Wang over..."

A moment later.

Three figures emerged from Qin Mansion, then quickly disappeared into the night.

By then, the wind and snow had gradually subsided.

Inside Han Mansion.

Ruan Chen and Song Wenruo sat in the hall, discussing matters with Han Qingyue. After what had happened the previous night, she was still shaken, so she had called two clan uncles to keep her company. A table of food and wine had been laid out, and they were chatting merrily.

"My junior sister contributed greatly to the matter at Qin Mansion."

"Once everything is settled,"

"how about I decide that the Han Family gets thirty percent of the reward?"

"You're too kind, senior brother."

Han Qingyue smiled faintly and said, "Your junior sister doesn't want anything this time. I only hope that, in the future, you'll look after the Han Family a little at the sect. Qingyue would be deeply grateful."

"Of course, of course."

Ruan Chen laughed heartily, his smile carrying a hint of malice.

Before long.

Several figures in the hall began to sway unsteadily.

They looked just like people who had gotten drunk.

"Who poisoned us?"

"Qingyue, quick, warn the guard team..."

Han Qingyue's expression changed drastically.

Her eyes fixed on Ruan Chen.

Seeing this, he smiled faintly. "This Bone-Softening Powder is a little weak. It actually took nearly half an hour to take effect."

"Senior Brother Ruan, what do you mean by this?"

Han Qingyue wore a stiff smile and said, "Are you planning to attack the Han Family? Don't forget Deacon Baili..."

"Save your strength, junior sister."

Ruan Chen raised a hand and hooked a finger under her fair chin, his eyes burning with desire. "If I hadn't spoken up, the Deacon would have come here himself tonight..."

As he spoke, he turned to look at Song Wenruo.

The latter grinned.

He got up and headed toward the Inner Mansion.

A short while later, he returned with two tearful figures in his grasp.

"Second sister, fourth sister..."

"Ruan Chen, you beast!"

Han Qingyue immediately struggled to get to her feet.

Ruan Chen merely chuckled. "You can't blame me, junior sister. I've pursued you for so long, and you still haven't given me a straight answer. Tonight, your senior brother had no choice but to take matters into his own hands."

"Don't waste your strength shouting."

At that moment,

Song Wenruo grinned too. "Your guards are probably all out cold by now. Save your strength. If your senior brother has his way with you first, there won't be any fun left for me."

"Senior brother, don't bother looking for a room."

"This hall is much more exciting. So many eyes watching—how about trying it like this?"

"Tap, tap."

Suddenly,

a figure came charging into the hall with a knife.

The moment Han Qingyue saw him, she was overcome with terror. "Third brother, get out of here! Run!"

"L-let go of my sister!"

He was a fair-skinned young man with a scholarly air.

His hands trembling, he pointed his knife at the two men.

Ruan Chen's expression darkened. He shoved Han Qingyue aside, strode up to the boy, and clamped a hand around his neck. Then he twisted hard.

"Crack!"

"No!"

Han Qingyue let out a piercing cry.

Her eyes filled with hatred, and she couldn't help remembering what Han Qing had once said.

"If only I'd sent Third Brother away back then..."

"I didn't expect the Han Mansion to be so lively."

As the words rang out,

another figure slowly walked into the hall.

He was tall and lean, with brows like swords and eyes holding cold stars. He strode forward, dragging the Azure Blade behind him.

"Qin Jiu?"

Everyone was stunned.

Han Qingyue was the most astonished of them all. She knew that the young master of the Qin Family had never practiced martial arts, yet here he was, daring to appear at the Han Family's home alone, armed with a weapon. On any other day, she would surely have teased him about it.

But now, seeing this figure,

an immense surge of joy

filled her mind in an instant.

Because if Qin Jiu had appeared, it meant that others from the Qin Family had surely come as well.

"Are you that eager to come die?"

Ruan Chen asked in surprise. "Han Qingyue said earlier that you were a good-for-nothing. Looks like she was misleading me. But even if you know some martial arts..."

Whoosh!

The flash of a blade crossed the hall.

Song Wenruo's head instantly rolled to the ground.

His face still bore the shock that had not yet faded. His body remained upright for nearly two breaths before a stream of blood gushed out, soaking the two figures beside him, who had already given up hope.

"Three Refinements?!"

Ruan Chen's pupils shrank.

In an instant,

he clenched his fist, stomped through the floor, and lunged at Qin Jiu.

The latter neither dodged nor retreated.

He punched back as well.

Bang!

Crack!

The distinct sound of breaking bones echoed through the hall.

Ruan Chen's face turned aghast. The hand he'd just punched with was twisted at a bizarre angle.

"Junior Brother Qin, wait..."

At that moment,

he hurriedly spoke up.

But Qin Jiu's brows held nothing but indifference. He punched the man in the chest again, then drove his arm through Ruan Chen's back with a burst of force.

The horror on the latter's face froze.

He died on the spot.

Han Qingyue stared at the scene, her mind completely blank. She never could have imagined that the former playboy would now kill two core disciples from major sects with just one slash and one punch.

Still reeling from shock,

she hurriedly said, "Thank you, Young Master Qin, for saving my life."

"I will repay you handsomely for what happened today."

"Repay me?"

The indifference in Qin Jiu's eyes did not fade at all. As he walked, he said, "The incense offerings Uncle Han accumulated have been exhausted. From now on, I will personally seek his forgiveness at his grave."

As the words fell,

a flash of blade swept through the hall.

One head after another rolled to the ground.

"No! Second Uncle, little sister... Please, everything is my fault, every last bit of it! Please spare them!"

Han Qingyue broke down completely.

Qin Jiu said nothing.

His blade flashed, and heads rolled one after another.

At last, he stopped in front of her.

"It wasn't your fault alone."

Hum~

The Azure Blade quivered.

A head filled with regret rolled to the ground.

Late that night.

Tongfu Inn.

In an elegantly furnished private room, Baili Ce sat cross-legged, eyes closed, seemingly resting or lost in thought.

The noisy voices from downstairs

had gradually died down by now.

His brows furrowed and relaxed from time to time. Then, at a certain moment, he suddenly opened his eyes and snorted.

"What kind of rat uses such despicable tricks?"

"Did you think a mere poison could hurt this old man?"

"Come out!"

Baili Ce shouted and flicked his hand. The teacup in front of him shot toward the ceiling.

But almost at the same moment,

an Azure Blade pierced through the front door,

swift as lightning,

aimed straight between Baili Ce's brows.

His heart jolted. Realizing there was more than one attacker, he immediately crashed toward the wooden wall in the opposite direction.

"Shing!"

But before he could reach it,

another gleaming blade pierced through the wooden wall.

Baili Ce raised a hand to strike the blade, but the force rippling across it made his expression change drastically.

"Internal Strengthening?"

Crash!

Just then,

the wooden door exploded, and a tall, lean figure in gray martial attire and a face covering charged into the room with a blade in hand.

The Azure Blade instantly transformed into a field of cold light,

enveloping Baili Ce.

His expression grim, the latter drew a soft sword from his waist and met the attack.

Clang, clang, clang!

The weapons clashed,

scattering a string of sparks.

"Three Refinements..."

"You're a Three Refinements martial artist, yet you dare come after me? You're practically asking to die."