Take Them All Down

Huang Nian's voice wasn't low—in fact, it was loud enough for everyone in the Mad Blade Martial Hall to hear. In an instant, anger showed on every face in the hall. Huang Nian's words made it clear he didn't consider them people at all. He had beaten one of the hall's members to death, then mocked him for being too weak to take a hit.

Though the Huang Family was one of the two great families in all of Yufeng Prefecture, at that moment they all wanted to charge forward and tear those arrogant bastards to pieces for treating them like they weren't even human.

They all looked to Ba Dao, waiting for him to give the word. Then they would rush forward without hesitation and fight to the death. They knew they couldn't win, but as long as they were alive, they had to keep some fire in their blood and preserve a little dignity. Without even that much spirit, what was the point of living? Huang Nian had already crossed their bottom line. Even if they died fighting here, they would have no regrets.

"Look at you. You can't keep your cool anymore, can you? Look at your disciples. They want to tear me apart, but what good would that do? Even if every one of you attacked us, could you so much as scratch us? Having some backbone is a good thing, but you have to know when to show it. Being alive is great, so why risk your lives over a little dignity? Tell me, am I wrong?" Huang Nian had naturally noticed the disciples' reaction. Looking at Ba Dao, he spread his hands with an air of indifference, his words as arrogant as ever.

Now, everyone in the hall had red-rimmed eyes. If this wasn't bullying them beyond all reason, what was? And if this wasn't looking down on everyone, what was? Huang Nian was the very picture of it. Of course, given their strength, he had every reason to be confident.

Ba Dao's breathing quickened, and his right hand had already found the massive blade on his back. Seeing this, the disciples outside immediately grabbed weapons from the training yard. They waited for Ba Dao to make his move, ready to charge in and fight those bastards to the death. Huang Nian and his four guards, however, showed no sign of nervousness. They looked entirely at ease, watching Ba Dao and the others with undisguised contempt, as if a giant were watching a swarm of ants draw their swords.

With a ringing clang, the great blade on Ba Dao's back left its sheath. His aura erupted, and he raised the blade to strike Huang Nian, who sat at the head of the hall. The Mad Battle Blade Art hinged on the word "mad": only with a frenzied battle intent and an unstoppable momentum could its full power be unleashed. But this time, Ba Dao's technique accomplished nothing. Before he could even reach Huang Nian, one of the guards kicked him and sent him flying backward. He slammed heavily into the ground.

The disciples charged the moment Ba Dao drew his blade. When they saw him felled with a single move, they hesitated for a moment, but then kept rushing toward the hall.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You really dared to draw your blade on me. You're quite the man. And all those disciples of yours are men too. But I wonder, are your families just as brave?" Huang Nian looked down at Ba Dao, sprawled on the ground, and spoke with a mocking smile.

The disciples of the Mad Blade Martial Hall stopped in their tracks as soon as he finished speaking. They were willing to risk their lives for the sake of their pride, even against opponents they clearly couldn't defeat. But what would happen to their families afterward? How many could bear the pain of parents burying their children? More importantly, judging by what they knew of Huang Nian, the bastard was very likely to go after their families. They couldn't bear that.

Sometimes, people could face death without fear. But bring family into it, and everything changed.

"Hahahaha! This feels so good! Seeing all you weaklings wanting to tear me to shreds, yet able only to glare at me with helpless rage—that makes me feel good all over. Are you still going to kill me? If not, I'll be on my way. That little grudge from yesterday has been completely settled today. I should thank you properly. Here, take these Spirit Stones as my thanks. I haven't been this happy in ages. You're such good people!" Huang Nian laughed heartily, looking pleased as he watched them, not caring in the least about their murderous glares. He tossed a few Spirit Stones onto the ground, stood up, and headed for the hall's entrance.

The disciples of the Mad Blade Martial Hall were filled with resentment and fury, but they could only part to let the men leave the hall with their noses in the air.

"Oh? What a beauty. To find a stunner like you in a place like this—I really haven't come here in vain!" The moment Huang Nian stepped out of the hall, he spotted Xia Xue standing in a corner of the training yard. His eyes lit up, and he let out a lecherous laugh. As soon as he finished speaking, he and his four guards closed in, surrounding Xia Xue and Chu Xiaotian. They moved like seasoned hands at this, clearly not doing it for the first time.

Xia Xue and Chu Xiaotian had been kept from intervening by the Mad Blade Martial Hall's disciples, who said they weren't members of the hall. Xia Xue had wanted to help, but she knew that the two of them couldn't change anything, so she could only fret helplessly. In the circumstances, Chu Xiaotian could only do his best to protect Xia Xue. As for everyone else, there was little he could do.

He knew Xia Xue's beauty would inevitably bring trouble. He had wanted to take her away, but she refused to leave and insisted on staying to find a way to help. So he had stayed with her. Now things were unfolding just as he had feared: Huang Nian had been captivated by Xia Xue's beauty.

"Three at the peak of the Tongmai Realm and two in the early stage of the Pi-Hai Realm. This is a little tricky. But if I'm careful, I should be able to take them all down. These guys are clearly no good. Killing them would be doing the people a favor. I might as well play the hero for once." Looking at the five men surrounding him and Xia Xue, Chu Xiaotian didn't panic. His eyes swept over them as he quietly thought to himself.

"Kid, why are you still standing around? Our young master has taken a fancy to the beauty beside you. If you know what's good for you, get lost now. Don't make things unpleasant between us." As they surrounded the two, Huang Nian kept his eyes fixed on Xia Xue. One of his guards, meanwhile, looked at Chu Xiaotian and waved him away like a pesky fly. After speaking, he too turned his gaze to Xia Xue and swallowed hard. Judging by their many past experiences, their young master never forgot about them once he was done. They had never come across a beauty like Xia Xue before. The thought that he might get a taste of her too made a fire flare uncontrollably inside him.

The others reacted much the same way. They already seemed to be picturing themselves violating Xia Xue, their hearts burning with desire. As for Chu Xiaotian, they ignored him. He was so weak that they didn't think he could cause any trouble. Besides, from their many past experiences, men usually slunk away at times like this.

Chu Xiaotian didn't disappoint them. He gave Xia Xue a lingering look, then stared at the five men with reluctance. Finally, he gritted his teeth, turned around, and walked out of their circle. Huang Nian and his four guards made no attempt to stop him. Their eyes never left Xia Xue.

"Chu Xiaotian, I was wrong about you! I never thought you were this kind of person!" Seeing him simply turn and leave, Xia Xue cried out after him in utter despair. As soon as she finished, a dagger appeared in her hand, and she slashed it toward her own throat. Even if she had to die, she wouldn't let those beasts defile her.

"Easy, little beauty. There's no point in dying for a man like that." Xia Xue didn't get her wish. Huang Nian easily seized her wrist, making the dagger fall to the ground.

"Spit! You beast! You'll die a horrible death! I won't let you go, even as a ghost!" Having failed even to kill herself, Xia Xue could already picture the miserable fate that awaited her. Her eyes blazed with fury as she spat in Huang Nian's face and cursed him.

Huang Nian wiped the spit from his face and was just about to lay hands on Xia Xue when a cloud of yellow mist suddenly descended over his head. His arm had only made it halfway toward her before it went limp. Then his whole body crumpled to the ground like a heap of mud. Before he hit the floor, a powerful blow struck his chest, sending him flying through the air.

Xia Xue had only fallen halfway when she vanished from where she stood. A moment later, she was lying across Chu Xiaotian's arms.

"Sweetheart, you scared me just now. I told you I'd stay by your side even in death, so how could I let those beasts hurt you and run off by myself? I just couldn't beat them head-on, so I had to come up with a plan. Next time, don't go trying to kill yourself over every little thing. How am I supposed to live without you? I promise you, I'll never do that again." Holding Xia Xue's soft body, Chu Xiaotian bent his head and kissed away her tears. Then he spoke gently in her ear. When he finished, he took a tiny red pill from his clothes and gently placed it in Xia Xue's mouth.

Facing five experts like them, he hadn't been sure he could win. So he had pinned his hopes on the packet of Bone-Softening Powder in his hand, which was how he'd come up with the plan just now.

But Xia Xue's reaction had been beyond anything he expected. If Huang Nian hadn't acted quickly, the lovely woman in his arms might truly have died.

Thinking of it, he couldn't stop a shudder of fear. He swore to himself that he would never do this again. He would become stronger, strong enough to defeat anyone who dared to plot against Xia Xue by relying on his own strength.