It's You

The next day, Li Xingluo finished refining the pills Yan Yun needed and told Liu Yuntian that he planned to leave the imperial capital.

When Liu Ya heard the news, she exclaimed in surprise, "You're leaving?"

Li Xingluo nodded slightly. "I've imposed on you all for long enough. It's time for me to go."

Liu Ya seemed unable to accept that Li Xingluo was leaving. Her voice was gentle, tinged with reluctance.

"Where are you going?"

Li Xingluo had already made plans, but Liu Ya's expression left him feeling a little awkward.

Xiao Yi Xian noticed how reluctant Liu Ya was to see him go. Her hand unconsciously clenched, and her beautiful eyes darkened, as though some emotion stirred within them.

Watching Li Xingluo's retreating figure, Liu Ya's gaze dimmed. A trace of sorrow lingered on her face as she stood lost in thought.

Seeing this, Liu Yuntian shook his head with a sigh. Some things and some people, in the end, were never meant to be yours.

They had traveled only fifty li beyond the city when the black ring gave off a faint red glow. Li Xingluo immediately grew alert.

"What's wrong?" Xiao Yi Xian asked, puzzled when Li Xingluo stopped and stood still.

Li Xingluo made a shushing gesture and rested a hand lightly on the black ring. Seeing him poised as if facing a powerful enemy, Xiao Yi Xian stood back-to-back with him, equally wary as they watched their surroundings.

Almost at the same moment, a deep voice rang out. "You two little fellows are pretty alert."

In a flash, a figure appeared. By the time they could make him out, he was standing just three or five meters away, blocking Li Xingluo and Xiao Yi Xian's path.

"It's you!" Li Xingluo recognized the person blocking their way at a glance: the strange old man he had encountered at the market.

A deathly black aura clung to the Black-Clad Elder, as though he were an emissary from hell.

"Oh, the little fellow still remembers me. Good, good."

"Did you come here for that Bronze Fragment?"

Ever since buying the Bronze Fragment, engraved with a snake on one side and strange symbols on the other, Li Xingluo had studied it. He had even taken it into the black ring's space to examine, but he had found no answers.

Now the old man from the market had appeared again. It was obvious he had come for the Bronze Fragment, and Li Xingluo couldn't help wondering what made it so special.

"You're clever. I like dealing with clever people."

The old man didn't hesitate or beat around the bush. He admitted outright that he had come for the Bronze Fragment.

"I'm curious. What secret does the Bronze Fragment hold? Would you be willing to tell me, old-timer?"

A trace of awkwardness appeared at the corner of Xiao Yi Xian's mouth. Did he really think the other man was an idiot?

Who would tell him? But Li Xingluo didn't seem bothered. In fact, he looked expectant.

Xiao Yi Xian couldn't help covering her forehead and shaking her head. Why had this guy suddenly stopped using his brain?

The old man turned slightly and glanced at Li Xingluo out of the corner of his eye, plainly disdainful.

"Little fellow, you don't need to know. Just hand it over. Otherwise..."

A mass of black Qi slowly gathered in the old man's palm, taking the shape of a little snake that coiled up his arm. When it reached his shoulder, it suddenly hissed at Li Xingluo.

Li Xingluo's brows knitted slightly, his darkened expression resolute.

"Are you threatening me?"

"You could put it that way."

"What if I refuse to hand it over?"

"Death!" The old man spat out the word, crisp and forceful. A chill spread through the area.

Li Xingluo clenched his fist slightly. He had paid for the thing himself, and the old man thought he could simply take it with a few words? Besides, the old man's attitude toward the Bronze Fragment only made Li Xingluo more certain it contained some kind of message.

Li Xingluo quietly sent Xiao Yi Xian a message. "Xiao Yi Xian, draw him away when the time comes. Take the chance to leave."

Xiao Yi Xian refused, grabbing Li Xingluo's sleeve and unwilling to leave. She was even more worried.

"Trust me. Keep the map safe. We'll meet at that place. Remember, don't look back. I think Xiao Lan should be nearby, right?"

Xiao Yi Xian lowered her beautiful eyes. Li Xingluo gently patted the back of her hand, signaling her not to worry.

Seeing the two of them still had time to flirt, the old man felt a surge of displeasure.

"Little fellow, have you made up your mind? With your abilities, you can't protect that Bronze Fragment. Hand it over, and I'll let you both leave."

"Will you keep your word?"

"Of course. I am, after all..." The old man realized he had nearly revealed his identity and immediately clamped his mouth shut, assuring Li Xingluo that he wouldn't go back on his word.

"How do I know you won't? How about this: let her go first. Once she's safe, I'll give you the thing."

"Fine!"

Li Xingluo hadn't expected such a quick, straightforward answer.

From the moment the old man appeared, Li Xingluo had sensed a faint killing intent. Now that he held the Bronze Fragment, if the old man dared take another step forward, he would crush it without hesitation. The old man had probably followed him because he was wary of the Aus Auction House. Otherwise, he would have stormed in and seized it there.

They were now some distance from the Holy Capital. With the old man's strength, he was certainly capable of murder and robbery.

Li Xingluo gave Xiao Yi Xian a reassuring look, telling her to trust him.

"Remember, don't look back. Don't worry; I'll be there as promised."

Xiao Yi Xian looked back, still reluctant to leave. But Li Xingluo insisted, so she had no choice but to turn and go.

Only when Xiao Lan and Xiao Yi Xian swept through the sky did Xiao Yi Xian call down to Li Xingluo, "Xing Luo, don't forget what you promised me. Don't break your word, or even if you go to the underworld, I won't forgive you!"

Xiao Yi Xian rode Xiao Lan away into the distance. The old man stared after them, dumbfounded.

His entire scheme had fallen apart. None of the old man's changes in expression had escaped Li Xingluo's notice.

"Little fellow, I let your sweetheart go. Now you should hand over the thing, shouldn't you?"

The old man approached Li Xingluo. Li Xingluo gave him a wicked smile.

"What thing? I don't remember ever promising to give you anything."

"You little brat, you're asking to die."

"If you want my life, you'll have to prove you're capable of taking it."

Li Xingluo put the Bronze Fragment away in his Storage Ring and assumed a fighting stance.

"Fine, you little brat. You've succeeded in angering me. I was going to spare your life if you handed over the Bronze Fragment, but you're determined to die."

As the old man spoke, he had already struck at Li Xingluo with his palm.

Li Xingluo dodged to the side and urged his Dou Qi, shifting in the same direction to put distance between himself and the old man.

"Hmph, you think I'd believe your bullshit? From the moment you showed up, you never planned to let me leave. Don't think I can't see what you're plotting."

The old man's expression changed at having his thoughts exposed, and he flew into a rage.

His palm strikes came one after another, each faster than the last, until Li Xingluo's arm went numb from the force.

"Snake Art!"

Dozens of black snakes formed beneath the old man, their tongues flicking. With a lift of his hand, he sent them racing toward Li Xingluo.

Snake Art? The Snake-People Tribe? No, he wasn't a Dou Emperor, much less a Dou Zong. He couldn't transform.

As he urged his Dou Qi and swung the Wind Spirit Split-Form Sword to slay the black snakes, Li Xingluo tried to figure out who his opponent was.

If he wasn't from the Snake-People Tribe, then who was he? Li Xingluo's eyes suddenly lit up. Right—the Heaven Snake Mansion. Its members could use snake techniques too.

Could he be from the Heaven Snake Mansion? The old man saw Li Xingluo easily fend off his attack.

He immediately flew into a rage and sent even more black snakes surging toward Li Xingluo.