This Boy Has Taken the Path to His Own Death!

On the way back to the teahouse, Jiang Yuan pushed the wooden cart carrying the porridge barrels, the burly man's final words echoing over and over in his mind.

Beware the petty people around you?

Could it be Ma Shan?

Jiang Yuan's gaze gradually turned cold.

He had lived more than half a lifetime—what schemes and intrigues had he not seen? Ma Shan's behavior today had indeed been unusual. He was clearly trying to kill with a borrowed knife!

If he had not awakened his cheat ability, he might truly have met his end today.

But why could a mere teahouse attendant like him afford to hire thugs from the Black Market?

"What a Ma Shan."

Jiang Yuan muttered to himself, a cold glint flashing through his eyes.

This boy had already taken the path to his own death!

Outside the teahouse.

Mei Lan paced back and forth anxiously, occasionally standing on tiptoe to peer down the street.

"Ma Shan, why hasn't Old Mister Jiang returned yet? Nothing could have happened to him, could it?"

Her eyes were faintly red, and her face was full of self-reproach.

If she had known, she never should have let Old Mister Jiang go hand out porridge. At his age, if anything went wrong...

"Rest assured, shopkeeper. Old Mister Jiang is blessed by heaven and will be fine."

Ma Shan stood to one side with an honest smile on his face, comforting her in a gentle tone.

Yet inwardly, he sneered again and again.

It would be better if something had happened!

He had spent a fortune to hire two Black Market thugs. Even if that old fool did not die, he should have at least been skinned alive.

Better yet, beaten to death outright!

Heh heh heh.

"But... it's been so long..."

Mei Lan was still uneasy.

"Shopkeeper, don't worry. How about I go take another look?"

Ma Shan said the words, but his feet did not move in the slightest.

Just then, an aged yet vigorous voice came from the street corner:

"Shopkeeper, this old man has returned."

Mei Lan abruptly looked up. Jiang Yuan was pushing the wooden cart with the porridge barrels toward them with steady steps, his complexion ruddy. How did he look even remotely injured?

"Old Mister Jiang!"

Mei Lan hurried over and looked him over from head to toe. Only after confirming that he was unharmed did she finally let out a long breath.

"It's good that you're all right. So good that you're all right."

"Ma Shan just told me that bandits had come to cause trouble. It was all my fault for not thinking things through. I nearly got you hurt..."

As she spoke, tears began falling uncontrollably.

"I made the shopkeeper worry. But am I not perfectly fine?"

Jiang Yuan smiled and patted Mei Lan's shoulder, but his gaze passed over her and landed on Ma Shan.

At that moment, the honest smile on Ma Shan's face had frozen stiff. In its place were undisguised shock and disbelief, as though he had seen a ghost.

How was that possible?!

How could this old fool have returned completely unscathed?

Could it be...

Could this old bastard really be a martial arts expert?

Impossible!

Those two must have been complete trash!

Ma Shan's thoughts churned like stormy seas, but he swiftly adjusted his expression and approached with a smile.

"Old Mister Jiang, you finally came back. I was about to report this to the authorities!"

"Heh heh, it was all thanks to you."

Jiang Yuan looked at him with a faint smile. "That shout of yours gave those two fellows quite a fright."

"Is... is that so?"

Ma Shan's smile stiffened further, fine beads of sweat seeping from his forehead.

What the hell was the Black Market good for?

They could not even deal with an old fool with one foot in the grave?

"Old Mister Jiang, what exactly happened?" Mei Lan asked with concern.

"Nothing. Just two unruly vagrants. This old man already sent them on their way."

Jiang Yuan remained as casual as ever, as though nothing had happened.

The more he acted this way, the stronger the ominous premonition that rose in Ma Shan's heart.

What exactly had this old fool done?

That night, the darkness was like ink.

It was Jiang Yuan's seventieth birthday. Mei Lan made a large bowl of longevity noodles and put together a simple table of food and wine, inviting the attendants in the shop to celebrate with him.

Everyone was delighted. They each drank a little wine, raising cups and exchanging toasts in cheerful harmony.

For a time, they truly seemed like one big family, and there was a touch of warmth in the air.

At the table, only Ma Shan's smile was somewhat stiff.

He truly could not understand how Jiang Yuan had returned safe and sound.

Could the authorities really have happened to arrive in time?

He even suspected that Jiang Yuan's current behavior was deliberately stalling him, while he had secretly already reported the matter to the authorities for investigation.

If that was the case, then if it was discovered that those two men had been sent by him to cause trouble, would he not be taken away by the authorities?

Damn it, that old fool truly deserved to die!

After several rounds of drinks, Jiang Yuan claimed he could not hold his liquor and returned to his room early to rest.

Watching Jiang Yuan's departing back, Ma Shan's face completely darkened.

By then, the lights in the teahouse's rear courtyard were gradually going out.

Jiang Yuan lay on his bed with his eyes closed, resting quietly. His breathing was even, as though he had already fallen into a deep sleep.

Around midnight.

An exceedingly faint set of footsteps sounded, drawing closer from afar before finally stopping outside Jiang Yuan's door.

Then, the door bolt was slowly moved, making a soft click.

The corners of Jiang Yuan's lips lifted slightly. He opened his eyes, which were utterly clear, without the slightest trace of drunkenness.

The next moment, the door was gently pushed open, and a shadow slipped inside.

It was Ma Shan!

He held a dagger in one hand and crept toward the bed on tiptoe, vicious light flickering in his eyes.

"Old fool, don't blame me for being ruthless."

Ma Shan lowered his voice and grinned savagely. "Who told you to block my path?"

He had already planned it out.

Tonight, while Jiang Yuan was drunk, he would kill him outright and throw his body into the well in the courtyard.

An old man losing his footing while drunk was nothing strange, was it?

"Die!"

With a vicious expression, Ma Shan raised his dagger and stabbed down fiercely!

But in the next instant, he sensed that something was wrong.

The dagger pierced into the bedding, yet there was no sensation of it entering flesh and blood.

He abruptly threw back the covers, only to find two pillows and an old garment stuffed beneath them. There was no sign of Jiang Yuan at all.

"Not good!"

Ma Shan's face changed drastically as he turned to flee.

"Since you came, don't leave."

An aged voice sounded behind him, indifferent and icy.

Ma Shan abruptly turned around and saw Jiang Yuan standing at the doorway at some unknown time, blocking the only exit.

Moonlight spilled across his aged face, illuminating a pair of cold eyes.

"Young man, you think you can scheme against this old man?"