Angry Fist, Farewell to Little Brother

"Brother!"

Li Xiaofan suddenly shouted excitedly. Luo Fang's hackles rose as he circulated his inner energy, lifting his shoulder to shake him off.

Yet he was startled to find that the claw gripping his shoulder was as solid as rock, and the inner energy behind it was immensely powerful. The two streams of inner energy secretly vied against each other. But while Luo Fang's hands were busy clutching Li Xiaofan, Li Xian, who had rushed up from behind, still had one hand free.

He clenched his fist and, in his fury, unleashed the move Fist Settles the Eight Directions. This punch emphasized weight and solidity; the instant it flew forth, all eight directions were flattened.

Luo Fang's scalp went numb. He whipped around, only to find an iron fist before his face, smashing into him with crushing force.

Bang—

That punch carried killing intent and held nothing back. Luo Fang knew there was no escaping it, so he could only circulate his inner energy to protect his cheeks.

But Li Xian had been building up momentum, while Luo Fang had hastily raised a defense. One was prepared, the other caught off guard—the difference was immense. In an instant, his nose bridge was smashed flat, and several teeth flew loose.

His body was blasted away, plowing a trench several yards long through the snow.

Li Xian was like a god of slaughter, his face brimming with Killing Intent. He helped his little brother up and brushed the snow from him. "Little Brother, are you hurt?"

"Brother, I caused you trouble." Li Xiaofan lowered his head in shame.

"You cannot be blamed." Li Xian looked coldly at Luo Fang, his killing intent undisguised, like icy needles.

Within One Accord Manor, Grade-D House Guards conducted linear patrols, while Grade-C House Guards conducted area-based patrols.

They also possessed, to a certain extent, the authority to requisition Grade-D House Guards.

He had heard the commotion outside the manor, and Grade-D House Guards had reported it to him as well. He had immediately come to investigate, only to see Luo Fang forcing his little brother to sign a deed of sale.

Naturally, his fury was impossible to contain.

"Pah!"

Luo Fang spat out a mouthful of bloody foam, striking first to seize the initiative. "Well, well, Li Xian. You dare attack me, a steward, for the sake of an outsider!"

"Do you know that this violates manor rules? You abandoned your post without permission—I will go speak to Commander Pang about this!"

Li Xian said coldly, "Sorry, but patrol duty in this area falls under my jurisdiction, not yours. Now... I am the one holding you accountable. You abandoned your post, and as a steward, you deliberately disturbed the peace of the manor."

"You are nothing more than a mere Grade-D House Guard, yet you have quite the mouth!" Luo Fang was so furious that he stamped his feet.

"Grade-D?" Li Xian pulled out a token bearing the character "C." "Open your dog eyes and look carefully. What kind of token is this?"

Luo Fang steadied himself and looked. He knew this token better than anyone. It was a Grade-C House Guard token. He himself had once been a Grade-C House Guard, but as his seniority increased, he had never managed to rise further.

After his vitality and blood had declined, his energy was no longer what it had been. Left with no choice, he had retired from the House Guards and become a relatively idle chores steward.

"You actually became a Grade-C House Guard?!" Luo Fang's eyes widened, terror appearing on his face.

His fierce and murderous arrogance was immediately suppressed by several degrees.

"Great-Uncle, do not listen to his nonsense! How long has it been since he became a House Guard? There is no way he could be a Grade-C House Guard!" Bi Hao could not conceal his jealousy as he shrieked hysterically.

"Shut up!" Luo Fang barked.

"That is right. I am already a Grade-C House Guard." Li Xian said coldly, "You people are chores workers, yet you do not handle chores. You disrupt the manor's order. According to manor rules, I have the authority to punish you."

Before his words had even faded, Li Xian stepped forward and punished Bi Hao first. He sent a stream of inner energy into the spot where Bi Hao had already been injured.

Martial artists did not fear external wounds. What they feared was inner energy entering the body and being impossible to dispel. It could cause injuries to flare up repeatedly, leading to severe chronic ailments.

Li Xian flashed forward again, gripping the shoulders of the other chores workers with both hands and twisting hard. The sound of bones shattering rang out.

Whichever hand a chores worker had used to touch Li Xiaofan, that hand was twisted broken.

"Steward Luo... save... save us..." Those chores workers, terrified beyond measure, turned to Luo Fang for help.

Yet Luo Fang's expression shifted between dark and pale. How could he possibly speak for them?

Damn it, how did this brat become a Grade-C House Guard?!

This is far too fast. Back then, I muddled through for six years before I barely touched the threshold of Grade-C House Guard. He has only been at it for a little over a month—a little over a month!

Luo Fang did not know whether he was cold or frightened, but his body would not stop trembling.

After dealing with all the irrelevant people, Li Xian slowly walked toward Luo Fang. "Steward Luo, last time you sought my guidance, I did not agree. This time... I seek your guidance. Do you dare agree?"

"This... this..."

Before Luo Fang could answer, he had already shown weakness.

He had enjoyed ease and comfort for too long. Though he had not neglected his martial arts, he could not withstand the loss of vitality and blood. With his years of experience, he might not necessarily lose.

But fists ultimately feared the young and strong...

Once they began fighting, whatever the outcome, he would gain no advantage.

He suddenly came back to his senses. The last time they had met, he had been certain of victory. Yet after only a few days, their positions had become so vastly different.

"Silence means you agree!"

Li Xian kicked at the snow. With a swish, snowflakes scattered in every direction. Luo Fang's heart jolted, and his vision was instantly obscured by snow.

Bang!

The back of his head was immediately struck by a heavy blow, nearly sending him sprawling head over heels. Furious, he snarled, "You have gone too far! Brat, do you really think I am afraid of you?" He turned and swept out a punch.

But it struck empty air. Then he suddenly heard fist wind whistling from his right. He hurriedly raised his arm to block, only to feel pain beneath his crotch as a rising kick struck him between the legs.

"Ahhh!" Luo Fang howled without end.

"When martial artists fight... they must make reasonable use of the terrain to increase their own advantage!"

Though Li Xian was angry, he had not let fury cloud his head. Though confident, he was never arrogant.

After throwing several punches, he would sweep out with a kick, kicking up the snow on the ground and blocking both sides' vision. Li Xian's own sight was hindered as well, but when using the Four Directions Fist, he held an even greater advantage.

His movements became even more unpredictable.

"Enough!"

After they had exchanged more than ten moves, a sudden thunderous shout rang out, scattering the suspended snowflakes.

Pang Long had arrived.

Pang Long was still more than four yards away. Yet with only a powerful shout full of inner energy, he could summon a gale that swept away the snowflakes.

Li Xian was secretly astonished. Commander Pang's cultivation is profound. The sheer abundance of his inner energy is truly beyond imagining!

"Commander... Commander Pang." Luo Fang had been beaten black and blue. He bent over, clutching his lower body, tears welling in his eyes from the pain.

He felt a wave of relief. This brat struck far too viciously. If Pang Long had not arrived, he truly might have beaten him to death.

"I already know what happened. None of you need explain. Let this matter end here." The moment Pang Long appeared, he gave a final ruling on the matter.

Then he gave Li Xian a deep look. "I permit you one day of leave. Go spend time with your little brother."

Li Xian cast Luo Fang a cold glance. Since matters had reached this point, he could only let it go for the moment. "All right. I will obey Commander Pang."

"Brother, the Winter Examination is coming. I must follow the group to Huangtian County."

Li Xiaofan was naturally delighted to see his brother. His eyes were full of admiration. His brother seemed to have become very formidable already.

The bad people would no longer be able to bully the two brothers.

"Do your best." Li Xian smiled easily and gently stroked his little brother's head. "It does not matter if you do not pass. Brother is in a better situation now and can look after you."

"Oh, right."

Li Xian took out a pouch from his clothes. "There are more than three hundred coins in here. Keep them safe. If you need anything, use them. You absolutely must not scrimp."

"As the saying goes, clothes make the man, and a saddle makes the horse. Once you go for the school examination, throw away your old clothes and reveal the clothes inside. That way, people will not laugh at you."

Li Xian let out a heavy sigh. "Once the two of us make something of ourselves, it would be wonderful to buy a proper house in the county, with our own little plot of land. Was that not what Mother had hoped for? She died so early."

"Brother..." As they parted, Li Xiaofan was extremely reluctant to leave, his eyes growing damp. But unwilling to make his brother worry, he put on a proud air and said:

"Brother, if I pass all the way through and become the top scholar, I will buy you a grand residence in the Grand Capital."

"Hahaha." Li Xian laughed. "It is a deal. Having a little brother who is a top scholar will certainly be glorious."

The two brothers chatted for a while longer. Seeing that it was getting late, Li Xiaofan hurriedly left.

In the wind and snow, his thin little figure walked farther and farther away.

Sometimes snow blurred Li Xiaofan's eyes and he could no longer tell which way to go, so he would turn back and look. As long as he could see Li Xian's figure, the direction became clear, and he walked even faster.

Li Xian watched his retreating back and saw him off. He felt both worried and reluctant to part. Once his little brother took this step, there would be less care he could give him.