The Blade

The waterside pavilions and terraces were completely silent.

Xu Yuan was about to help the other man up when he suddenly noticed that the "scholar" in front of him was trembling almost imperceptibly.

After a moment of silence, Xu Yuan narrowed his eyes, looked at Yuan Hao was bowing and making obeisance, and gave up the idea of helping him up.

He must be laughing.

He was trying hard to control his facial expressions so that his freakishness wouldn't frighten Xu Yuan.

Sure enough, a madman will always be a madman.

No matter how gentle and refined one may appear on the surface, one can never hide it when one's excitement is touched upon.

Xu Yuan turned around and looked at the koi swimming in the pond, and casually said:

"Don't be too happy yet. With a knife to your throat, few people will continue to fight to the death."

"I am naturally aware of this."

Yuan Hao finally composed himself, stood up again, and stared at Xu Yuan's retreating figure. "But there's always hope."

Xu Yuan glanced at him sideways, his eyes filled with a strange expression:

"Can killing really be exciting?"

Yuan Hao lowered his eyes slightly, his handsome face bearing a clear smile:

"Doesn't the Third Young Master find the sight of blood and flesh splattering beautiful?"

"Those warm bloodstains, those expressions of despair— Third Young Master, just imagine that wonderful feeling, isn't it exhilarating?"

"Stop."

Xu Yuan cut off Yuan Hao and withdrew his eyes.

He understood.

There's no reason why Yuan Hao is completely insane.

It's exactly the same as in Cangyuan, except that in Cangyuan the other person was just a 2.5D pixelated figure, while now it has become a real madman.

His obsession with killing was like that of artists obsessed with music and painting.

He has no interest in exchanging such insights with the other person right now.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Hao immediately stopped talking, but his eyes showed a hint of melancholy.

Xu Yuan turned around, looked at the other person, and said, word by word:

"Don't do anything underhanded just because you like it."

Yuan Hao's eyes narrowed, and he spread his hands:

"Don't worry, Third Young Master."

Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow:

"So, you're following my father because he can give you what you want?"

"."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Hao looked up, and the image of that person subconsciously surfaced in his mind.

A damp and dark prison cell.

A calm, commanding gaze

A precious sword was thrown in front of him.

And that sentence,

"Become my blade, and I'll give you what you want."

"."

After a moment of stunned silence, Yuan Hao smiled and gave an ambiguous answer:

"Killing prisoners back then affected the overall situation of suppressing the rebellion, and according to the law, I should have been executed, but the Prime Minister saved me."

"Oh? Is that so?"

Xu Yuan murmured, but then a barely perceptible hint of pity appeared in his eyes as he looked at Yuan Hao.

He distinguished himself on the battlefield at the age of sixteen or seventeen, and was destined for high office and great rank in the future.

But even if he makes great contributions in the future, Xu Yinhe will not let him live to see the day when his merits are rewarded.

Even if everything goes smoothly,

Yuan Hao would die on the eve of victory.

The person who takes action may be an enemy or an ally.

The moment Yuan Hao saw Xu Yuan's eyes, he grinned broadly.

"Third Young Master, there's no need to look at me like that. He who kills will be killed in return. How could someone like me possibly have a peaceful end?"

"."

Xu Yuan remained silent for a moment, his eyes very serious:

"You see things very clearly."

"That's just his personality," Yuan Hao.

Xu Yuan chuckled lightly:

"Alright, if possible, give me a copy of the detailed information about the Wanxiang Sect."

After saying that, he walked straight out of the pavilion.

"That's natural."

Yuan Hao readily agreed, then paused, and suddenly called out to Xu Yuan:

"Third Young Master, please wait a moment."

Xu Yuan stopped and looked back.

Yuan Hao took a box from his storage Sumeru Ring containing military supplies and threw it over.

Xu Yuan raised his hand and caught it.

It's half a foot long, has a metallic texture, and looks like a high-end item.

He asked softly:

"What's this?"

Yuan Hao shrugged:

"The Black Scale Guard asked me to bring you this; it seems to be a newly manufactured human skin mask from the Institute of Investigation. They want you and the Fourth Miss to take this to the negotiations."

"."

Xu Yuan was silent for a moment. "Bring this? Is this Father's intention?"

Yuan Hao pondered for a moment, then nodded:

"Probably, since the Black Scale Guard aren't qualified to handle this kind of thing."

After standing there pondering for a while, Xu Yuan nodded slightly:

"Okay, I understand."

Yuan Hao cupped his hands in a respectful gesture from a distance.

"Third Young Master, please take care and don't bother seeing me off."

Xu Yuan waved his hand, put the box into his Sumeru Ring, and walked out of the courtyard without looking back.

"."

Watching the courtyard gate close, Yuan Hao stared intently in that direction for a few moments before silently returning to his chair. He picked up the wine jug to pour himself a full cup, only to find it empty. He chuckled, then glanced in the direction of the Imperial Capital.

The firelight flickered, and the dungeon was dark and silent.

"Give me what I want?"

Piercing through the shackles binding cultivators, Yuan Hao, slumped to the ground, looked at the middle-aged man whose face was hidden in shadow and chuckled softly:

"Prime Minister Excellency, do you know what I want?"

"Murder, mass murder." The voice that answered him was low and flat.

Yuan Hao stared into the other person's indifferent gaze:

"Since you know that someone like me is crazy, how dare you use me?"

"You have never killed civilians." Xu Yinhe.

"Ha ha."

Yuan Hao laughed twice, his laughter filled with sarcasm:

"Xu Yinhe, I'm not killing civilians because I can't hide the fact that there's a large-scale massacre of civilians. It's not because of any pity."

"I know," Xu Yinhe, seemingly unfazed by the other's laughter. "At least you know how to be afraid."

Yuan Hao's eyes narrowed, and his fists clenched slightly:

"Afraid? Do you think someone like me would be afraid of death? Prime Minister Excellency, I'm worried about not being able to kill more people in the future."

"They're all the same."

"."

Quiet.

Yuan Hao took a deep breath and asked:

"Then why should I believe you?"

Xu Yinhe's eyes were as still as a deep well.

"To make knives, of course, is to kill people."

"Who should we kill?" Yuan Hao's voice was a little hoarse. "Killing just one or two people is no fun."

Xu Yinhe looked at the other person quietly and uttered two words:

"Sect."

"What?"

Yuan Hao was stunned for a moment, and a look of astonishment unconsciously appeared in his eyes.

Xu Yinhe did not repeat what he had just said, but simply stared at him quietly with his deep gaze.

For a moment, the only light in the dark dungeon was the flickering firelight.

They stared at each other for a long time.

Yuan Hao's heart pounded faster and faster. He looked at the man opposite him and finally grinned.

"Xu Yinhe, you're a madman, even madder than me! The most I've killed is a dozen or so, but you're going to kill tens of millions!"

Xu Yinhe ignored the other person's words, and simply looked at the other person's youthful face, asking:

So, what is your answer?

"."

"."

Gathering his thoughts,

Turning his gaze away from the direction of the Imperial Capital, Yuan Hao took out a long sword from his Sumeru Ring, gently stroked the blade, and whispered:

"I hope this knife lasts a long time and doesn't break too soon."

One more update, probably in about twenty minutes.