Righteousness Reaching the Heavens, Brother Yang!

"A Tiger Chicken cost three thousand taels each, and these were freshly slaughtered on the spot. With my monthly pay as an ordinary waiter, even if I worked for a hundred years, I still couldn't afford nine of them."

After walking into his own little courtyard and tossing the nine Tiger Chickens onto the ground, Yang Xiao could not help sighing with emotion.

Sure enough, no matter when or where, if one wanted to strike it rich overnight, becoming a swindler was the fastest shortcut to Mount Zhongnan!

No!

How could the things of a scholar be called stealing?

"Big Brother Li, this little brother did not mean to deceive you. Truly, I had taken great pains for your own good, lest you be sold by someone in the future and not even know what to do."

Thinking this, Yang Xiao's thoughts instantly cleared, and his heart felt much more at ease.

From Li Weifeng's speech and bearing, Yang Xiao had already understood that compared to others, he was a man of upright righteousness, a clear stream amid chaotic times, truly rare and precious.

But Li Weifeng was still too green after all!

This fellow had committed a crime in Qingzhou, cutting down the Qingzhou governor's illegitimate son with one sword after he had committed violence in the street. Yet he had not hidden his name and gone into hiding. Instead, he had swaggered all the way to the capital of Great Yan Kingdom, and even run into the inner city to strut around arrogantly everywhere.

Did he truly think the hundred thousand "Red Flame Army" under Emperor Ming were vegetarians?

"Qi and blood martial arts" had been created by the Great Yan Founding Emperor himself, then perfected by successive Great Yan emperors.

You, Li Weifeng, relying on your strength alone—did you truly think you could be invincible in the capital and provoke the dignity of the imperial court?

Ridiculous!

"Brother, with your purse empty, you'll be unable to go about being carefree and high-profile, so there'll be no possibility of drawing the court's attention."

"Besides, the Grandmasters' Dao Debate is imminent, and the evildoers of Peace Sect have been stirring up winds and waves lately as well. Nine Tiger Chickens to save a life—cheap!"

After indulging in a bout of self-moved sentiment, Yang Xiao stopped thinking about the matter and let his gaze fall on the nine Tiger Chickens.

"I wonder if, after devouring these nine Tiger Chickens, I can break through in one leap to the First Blood realm without relying on a blood-exchange secret medicine?"

Circulating the Myriad Phenomena Heaven-Swallowing Art, Yang Xiao sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, summoned the illusory figure, and began devouring the Tiger Chickens.

Vermilion Bird Tower.

The rear courtyard of the kitchen.

Hundreds of slop buckets lay scattered carelessly all around, and the air was filled with a fishy, foul, nauseating stench.

Uncle Mute lay on a pile of straw beneath a tree in the corner of the courtyard, seeming to rest with his eyes closed, when in truth he was regulating his breathing and adjusting his energy.

"I didn't expect Confucianism's vast righteous qi to actually have some restorative effect on this old man's injuries."

"Unfortunately, there's too little vast righteous qi, so the pace of recovery is still far too slow."

After a long while, Uncle Mute slowly opened his eyes and raised his head to look at the gray, murky firmament, a trace of regret flashing through his aged eyes.

Mr. Zou was a great Confucian of his generation, with disciples and former subordinates spread throughout the world. Even Uncle Mute was deeply wary of him, so this matter naturally could not be forced.

"So be it. As long as I wait a few more days, this old man can..."

As Uncle Mute was thinking this, a middle-aged odd-job worker carrying a slop bucket suddenly walked over in a panic.

"Did this old man not say that before the Grandmasters' Dao Debate, you and I must not have any contact, lest we sprout extra branches outside the joint? Why have you come here now?"

Uncle Mute's face darkened.

In an instant, the surrounding void seemed to twist, like a meat grinder, making the middle-aged odd-job worker begin to warp at once, as if all the flesh and blood in his body were about to be shredded.

"Mas... Master, this disciple risked coming here for this... this."

The middle-aged odd-job worker was in so much pain he wished he were dead, and he struggled to raise his hand.

A hand-drawn wanted notice was instantly presented before Uncle Mute.

The portrait showed an old man of around sixty, dressed like an odd-job worker, less than five feet tall.

Although the features in the portrait were not clear, and were very blurry, Uncle Mute only glanced at it before his expression turned ugly.

The old man on this wanted notice, whether in temperament, appearance, or the occupational description of "slop-disposing odd-job worker," was shockingly similar to Uncle Mute!

Only then did Uncle Mute's expression ease slightly, and he withdrew his aura.

That terrifying sensation that had nearly suffocated the middle-aged odd-job worker, as if he were facing the might of heaven itself, vanished without a trace in an instant.

Whew!

The middle-aged odd-job worker wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and secretly let out a breath of relief.

"Master, could it be that you have... successfully cultivated the immortal art on the sacred object?"

The middle-aged odd-job worker's heart suddenly stirred, and mustering his courage, he asked with the utmost caution.

"Mm?"

Uncle Mute narrowed his eyes, and as he looked toward the middle-aged odd-job worker, a sheet of cold light abruptly filled his gaze.

"Master, spare me! Spare me!"

Sensing the terrifying killing intent radiating from Uncle Mute, the middle-aged odd-job man was so frightened his soul nearly flew apart. He hurriedly dropped to his knees and kowtowed, his face full of panic.

"If not for the fact that you still have some value, and this old man needs eyes and ears outside—hmph!"

A trace of disgust flashed through Uncle Mute's eyes as he spoke coldly. "Enough. Get up."

"Thank you, Master, thank you, Master." The middle-aged odd-job man hurriedly rose, no longer daring to mention the words "sacred object."

"Speak. This wanted notice—what exactly is going on?"

Uncle Mute said in a deep voice.

"Master, a street fight broke out in the eastern city tonight. Two mysterious people fought fiercely. After deduction, Golden Saber Divine Constable Di Ruhuo personally drew this wanted notice."

"Now the East City Garrison has sealed off the eastern city and is searching the entire eastern city for the culprit."

"If nothing unexpected happens, by tomorrow at the latest, this wanted notice will be posted all over the capital. The Five Cities Garrison will also search the whole city for the culprit. This disciple is worried..."

The middle-aged odd-job man hurriedly said.

"No matter. Vermilion Bird Tower has a transcendent status. No one would dare come here to search!"

"I only wonder what bastard is so outrageous as to impersonate this old man and commit murder in the street!"

"Best not let this old man learn who you are, or this old man will—fuck your mother!"

Uncle Mute waved for the middle-aged odd-job man to get lost, then continued lying on the straw, dozing and feigning sleep. His heart was full of anger, a fierce light surfacing in his eyes.

This wanted notice that had caught him completely off guard gave Uncle Mute an inexplicable sense of crisis.

To prevent extraneous branches from growing out of the matter, Uncle Mute decided that for the next five days, he would go nowhere and would stay holed up in the rear courtyard of the kitchen to recover.

Even the Martial Hall on the top floor—Uncle Mute did not plan to go there!

And of all this, Yang Xiao knew nothing.

In truth, Yang Xiao had not deliberately impersonated Uncle Mute.

He had merely used Uncle Mute as a template and intentionally left a few spider threads and horse tracks near the alley where he killed Boss Zhao.

It was only meant as a smokescreen to mislead the bailiffs.

Inner City · Eastern District · Qinghe Ward.

Inside a quiet little courtyard.

When the moon climbed onto the branches.

Yang Xiao let out a satisfied burp and immediately felt warmth spread through his entire body.

"The current me—if I ran into Boss Zhao again, I wouldn't need to rely on any external force. I could kill him with a single punch!"

Sensing his own unprecedented strength, Yang Xiao felt excited, but he could not help sighing as well.

The flesh and blood of nine complete Tiger Chickens were worth a full twenty-seven thousand taels of silver!

Yet they had only made the meridians throughout Yang Xiao's body become as sturdy as iron skin. They could not allow Yang Xiao to truly step into the major realm of a first blood exchange.

This made Yang Xiao understand that finding the secret medicine for blood exchange had already become urgent, something he could not avoid!

"Fine. I'll set aside the secret medicine for now. Let me see what mystery there really is about this dagger of Boss Zhao's."

Yang Xiao placed the dagger on the table, closed his eyes, and waited quietly.

Very soon, from the alley outside the courtyard, the sound of the night watchman striking his gong rang out.

Midnight exactly. The first hours of dawn had arrived!

In that instant, Yang Xiao keenly sensed that the once-daily use of Qi-Observing Stealing Technique had quietly descended!

Yang Xiao hesitated no longer. His eyes flew open, and he stared fixedly at the dagger on the table...