Is it a Pig or a Tiger

Orsi could not help but curse his subordinates in a rage; it was not just Orsi who found the scene extraordinary.

Song Xue was equally astonished. She had witnessed Li Xingluo's capabilities just yesterday, yet she had not expected him to bring her even more shock today.

Li Xingluo did not even glance at the sand bandits lying on the ground, their groans and screams echoing incessantly.

His gaze remained fixed on Orsi, his expression calm yet grave.

"Good, good, good."

The sand bandits had never seen such a display of force. After twenty or thirty of their men were slaughtered, the remaining dozens looked at one another, weapons in hand, but dared not take another step forward.

"Take her! I don't believe he can still fight back."

Orsi pointed at Song Xue behind Li Xingluo, and the bandits, snapping out of their stupor, naturally moved forward to seize her.

Seeing this, Song Xue drew her whip to fend off the incoming bandits, while the others held Li Xingluo back to prevent him from reaching her in time.

This action thoroughly infuriated Li Xingluo, and this time, he chose a simpler, more effective method.

With a wave of his hand, a fine powder was released, permeating the entire battlefield. The bandits attempting to block Li Xingluo dropped their weapons, clutching their throats as they collapsed to the ground, convulsing uncontrollably.

Foam bubbled from their mouths, and within moments, their faces turned purple, and they ceased to breathe.

Seizing an opening, Li Xingluo struck down the ten men surrounding Song Xue one by one.

"Brother Luoxing."

Orsi could hardly believe his eyes; of the seventy or eighty men, fewer than twenty remained.

They looked at each other, none daring to meet Li Xingluo's gaze, as terror took hold of their hearts.

Li Xingluo met them with a cold stare, and the survivors instinctively retreated. Orsi realized he had kicked a steel plate.

"You—you just wait!"

Orsi turned to flee, only to find Li Xingluo hovering directly in his path, blocking his escape.

The Sky Feather behind Li Xingluo made Orsi gasp, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard.

"A Dou King? A Dou King under twenty years old?"

Watching Orsi lose his nerve, his face turning ashen and his will to fight vanishing entirely, Li Xingluo felt a sense of satisfaction.

"Speak. Who sent you? Tell me, and perhaps I will spare your life. Otherwise, die."

As Li Xingluo spoke, he did not forget to tighten his grip, as if he could crush Orsi at any moment.

Orsi had never encountered such a situation; terrified, he threw down his long blade, knelt on the ground, and began kowtowing incessantly, begging for mercy.

Upon hearing Li Xingluo's ultimatum, Orsi revealed the mastermind behind the plot.

When Song Xue heard the name, she instinctively stumbled, a look of agony washing over her face as she uttered the unbelievable truth.

"This... how, how is this possible? How could he..."

Orsi continued to kowtow, swearing that what he said was the absolute truth while offering his own analysis.

"My—my lord, I have told you everything I know. Can you let me go now?"

A thick wave of killing intent radiated from Li Xingluo's brow before vanishing just as quickly. He waved his hand, signaling that Orsi could leave.

As if granted a reprieve, Orsi and his dozen men scrambled to kowtow, fleeing in a panic without even stopping to retrieve their weapons.

But then, screams rang out once more. Several sword shadows flashed, and not a single fleeing bandit escaped.

Orsi turned slowly, pointing a finger at Li Xingluo, and stammered, "My... lord, you did not keep your word."

What a joke. Why would I keep my word to a sand bandit? Besides, where did that arrogant, overbearing attitude of yours go? Where did that desire to see me dead go?

Li Xingluo sneered, not even bothering to look at Orsi.

At this moment, Song Xue stood dazed, collapsing to the ground; she could not believe what Orsi had said.

Seeing Li Xingluo approach, she reached out as if grasping at a life-saving straw.

Her eyes remained dim, and with a voice filled with sorrow, she asked, "Brother Luoxing, what he said isn't true, is it? How could Second Uncle do this? How could he want Grandfather to die?"

The name Orsi had uttered at the end was indeed Song Xue's second uncle, Song Zhu.

In truth, Li Xingluo was not surprised by this answer. Whether it be families or sects, examples of people betraying their own kin for power and profit were everywhere.

Moreover, how could outsiders have known the route Song Xue took back, or that she carried the Seven-Colored Immortal Orchid?

One had to know that the path Song Xue chose to return to Ink Cloud City was not the main road, but a secluded trail.

Unless it was someone close to her, it would be difficult for outsiders to know; after all, everyone who had set out with Song Xue was dead. It was unlikely someone had sacrificed their own life just to set a trap.

"I don't know either. Perhaps he made it up to save his own life."

"Really?" Song Xue's naive, adorable expression was truly heart-wrenching. Hearing Li Xingluo say this, she seemed to believe him again.

Li Xingluo could not bear to see the simple, kind-hearted Song Xue carry such a heavy burden, so he nodded slightly.

"I knew it! How could Second Uncle harm me? He has doted on me since I was a child. He would never harm Grandfather either."

Song Xue wiped the remaining tears from the corners of her eyes and smiled happily. She climbed to her feet and brushed the dust from her purple dress.

Watching Song Xue's simple and kind nature, Li Xingluo smiled along with her. I hope so.

After burying the corpses, the two set off once more on the road back to Ink Cloud City; without a care in the world, the silly smile on Song Xue's face was truly healing.

At that time, in a small alley within Ink Cloud City, a figure dressed in black robes, wrapped from head to toe with nothing exposed, stood waiting.

Before long, another person dressed in similar black attire, with only their eyes visible, walked into the alley.

The two immediately bowed in salute, but the person who had been waiting first waved a hand, signaling them to forgo the formalities.

"What is the situation? Has any news come from Orsi?"

"Reporting to my lord, no news has arrived yet."

Upon hearing this, the eyes of the first black-robed figure, the only part of them exposed, sank slightly in an instant.

They then turned around, pacing back and forth on the spot while muttering something under their breath.

The two people behind them looked at each other, shaking their heads in unison.

Suddenly, the black-robed figure turned around and issued an order to the other two.

"Both of you, leave the city immediately to scout for information. If there is any news, report back at once."

"Yes!" Seeing the black-robed figure's demeanor, the two subordinates responded immediately and vanished into the streets.

The black-robed figure clenched their fists, muttering: According to the timeline, news should have been sent back by now. How could it be like a stone sinking into the ocean, without a single trace? No matter what, she must not be allowed to bring the medicine back—absolutely not.

The more the black-robed figure thought about it, the more agitated they became, throwing a punch that instantly caused cracks to spiderweb across the nearby wall.

"Just you wait!" Having spat out these words, the black-robed figure turned, leaped onto the rooftops, and disappeared after a few bounds.

Meanwhile, inside the Song Clan of Ink Cloud City, a guard pushed a wheelchair along the corridor.

The person sitting in the wheelchair had a sharp gaze, showing no signs of sorrow despite being confined to the chair.

"Didn't Xue'er say she would be back in a few days? Why hasn't she returned yet?"

The guard replied, "The Eldest Miss sent word a few days ago; she should be arriving soon. Once the Eldest Miss retrieves the Sacred Medicine, the Clan Head's illness will be of no further concern."

The person in the wheelchair signaled for them to stop, then turned to look toward the direction outside the city where Song Xue would be returning from.

"Xue'er has never traveled far from home. Not only is she bringing back the Sacred Medicine this time, but she is also handling things on her own. It seems she has truly grown up."

Mentioning Song Xue, the person in the wheelchair revealed a gratified smile; in their eyes, this child who had never ventured far had truly been impressive this time.