The Flower Thief Strikes

"Chen Xun, what's been going on with you lately? I see you sleeping every day."

"Don't you sleep at night?"

Yang Feng questioned Chen Xun.

Snowflakes drifted outside, while inside, it was warm as spring.

Some people were sleeping like Chen Xun, while others were diligently cultivating.

Beside Yang Feng, Li Peng stared at Chen Xun with a smug look on his face.

Clearly, he had taken the initiative to report Chen Xun to Yang Feng.

By both sentiment and reason, Yang Feng had to come over and ask about it.

Chen Xun had just woken up when he was suddenly questioned like this, and a flare of waking anger inevitably rose in his heart.

Fortunately, he had excellent control over his emotions. After taking a deep breath, he suppressed his anger and forced a smile onto his face.

"Brother Feng, it's all because of that Flower Thief causing trouble lately."

"What, are you worried the Flower Thief might take a liking to you?"

Before Yang Feng could speak, Li Peng sneered.

The moment those words came out, several people in the room could not help but laugh aloud.

Chen Xun looked at Li Peng, narrowing his eyes as a trace of killing intent stirred in his heart.

This brat had picked fights with him time and again, and he had never bothered to respond.

But Li Peng was becoming more and more excessive. Did he really think Chen Xun was made of clay?

When Li Peng caught that killing look in Chen Xun's eyes, his heart skipped a beat. It felt as though what had swept over him was not a glance, but a flash of blade light.

"What was that just now? Why did I suddenly feel cold?"

However, Li Peng did not take it seriously.

In his mind, Chen Xun might not even be stronger than him, so naturally Chen Xun could not pose any threat to him.

He only assumed that a cold draft had blown in and never realized it was his spiritual sense warning him.

"Watch your mouth."

Seeing this, Yang Feng could not help shooting Li Peng a glare.

Li Peng immediately did not dare interrupt again.

"Go on."

Yang Feng lifted his chin at Chen Xun, signaling him to continue.

Chen Xun could only go on. "Brother Feng, you know that the Flower Thief targets everyone regardless of age or status. He's extremely dangerous."

"I have a younger sister at home. For her safety, I've been guarding her at night, so I'm inevitably a little tired during the day."

The moment he said that, one of the people who had laughed the loudest earlier immediately felt his face burning.

"The fire in this room is burning a little too fiercely."

To hide his reddening face, he made an excuse to go outside and cool himself down.

"So that's how it is. You're a good older brother."

Yang Feng could not help sighing.

"My parents are gone. She's the only sister I have left, so naturally I have to cherish her more."

Once he said that, even more people made excuses to go outside and cool down. They were all the ones who had mocked Chen Xun earlier.

The louder they had laughed before, the more clownish they looked now.

"I wrongly blamed you, Chen Xun."

Yang Feng was straightforward and directly apologized to Chen Xun.

Chen Xun hurriedly replied, "Brother Feng, you didn't know about my family. Seeing me slacking off and sleeping, it was only natural for you to come ask. There's no need to apologize for it."

"No. Wrong is wrong."

Yang Feng shook his head. "I know about your situation now. Keep sleeping. If there are any tasks, I'll send someone else first."

"Then thank you, Brother Feng."

Chen Xun quickly thanked him.

"It's what I should do."

With that, Yang Feng took his leave. Before leaving, he glared fiercely at Li Peng. If not for this fellow, he would not have made such a scene.

He could not help regretting taking money to let this brat into the Hunting Team.

Li Peng shrank his neck and grumbled inwardly, Why are you glaring at me?

Watching Chen Xun escape another disaster, Li Peng fumed inwardly, Damn mudleg, his luck is too good. Why is he fine every single time, while I'm the one who ends up unlucky?

With a cold snort, Li Peng also ran outside.

"Don't let me find an opportunity."

Chen Xun watched Li Peng's departing back, a cold gleam flashing through his eyes.

Li Peng often stayed at the Li Estate. Even if Chen Xun wanted to get rid of him, he had no opportunity.

The Li Estate was heavily guarded, and no one knew how many experts lurked in the shadows. It would be difficult for Chen Xun to kill someone here without making a sound.

Even if he managed it, given his relationship with Li Peng, he would probably be the first person suspected.

And if someone died in the Li Estate, it would be a blatant slap in the face. The Li Family would definitely not let the matter rest.

But if someone died outside the Li Estate, the Li Family would not make a huge fuss over a servant. At most, only Li Peng's family would pursue the matter.

So if he had the chance, it would be best to eliminate him outside.

In an instant, Chen Xun thought through many things before ultimately suppressing that sliver of killing intent.

The day passed just like that. Chen Xun did not take on any tasks all day, hiding in the room by the fire and feeling thoroughly comfortable.

Thus, after catching up on sleep, he swallowed a [Blood-Strength Pill] and began cultivating.

That night, he continued cultivating while taking the enhanced [Blood-Strength Pill], all while keeping watch beside Chen Qingqing's bed.

"Brother, are you tired?"

Chen Qingqing lay sprawled on the bed, wrapped in her blanket like a caterpillar.

"Not tired."

"Then are you cold?"

"Not cold." Chen Xun still shook his head, then seemed to realize something and asked, "Go ahead. What do you want? You're usually never this concerned about me."

"Um, Brother, did Sister Ye write to you?"

"Did she say when she'd come back?"

Hearing that name, Chen Xun froze for a moment before answering as if nothing had happened, "No."

"As for when she'll return, it probably won't be until spring at the earliest. The snow is getting heavier, and I heard many roads have already been blocked."

"Ah, I see."

Disappointment appeared on Chen Qingqing's face. Then she turned over, placing her back toward Chen Xun.

"Then I'm going to sleep, Brother."

"Sleep."

Only when he heard Chen Qingqing's breathing gradually even out did a complicated expression appear on Chen Xun's face.

"I hope time can help you slowly forget her."

Chen Xun decided to hide this matter from Chen Qingqing for the rest of her life.

If Chen Qingqing learned what had happened to Ye Ying, she would certainly be heartbroken.

Nothing happened that night. When Chen Xun arrived at the Li Estate yawning, he found the atmosphere within the estate grave.

His tired expression immediately vanished, and he became alert.

"What happened?"

Chen Xun entered the room where people were on duty and immediately asked Luo Tao, who had already arrived.

Luo Tao looked around, then carefully leaned close to Chen Xun's ear and whispered in a grave voice, "That Lustful Thief came to the estate yesterday."

"What?"

Chen Xun's pupils contracted, and his heart jolted.

"Did they catch that bastard?"

"No. That Lustful Thief's Lightfoot Skill is truly extraordinary. They say even the estate's strongest Grand Elder took action but still couldn't keep him. He got away."

Luo Tao lowered his voice even further.

"That..." Chen Xun did not know what to say.

The Grand Elder was said to be a great expert from the Li Family's previous generation. After retiring, he had taken up the position of Grand Elder.

Within the Li Family, elder positions were all honorary roles. They normally did not interfere with the estate's affairs and would only appear when the Li Family was invaded or faced grave danger.

The Li Family had three elders in total, and every one of them was immensely powerful.

"Of course, although that Lustful Thief escaped, they say he took the Grand Elder's palm strike from afar and vomited three pints of blood on the spot."

"Isn't that a bit exaggerated?"

Chen Xun asked skeptically.

"Haha." Luo Tao scratched his head, looking a little embarrassed. "I don't know about that. Anyway, that's what I heard people saying."

Before long, more and more people gathered in the room. In the end, even Li Tiangang came over.

"You don't need to stand guard here today. Come out and search for him with me."

"That Lustful Thief was injured by the Grand Elder's palm strike. He definitely can't have gone far."

"Our Li Family has already discussed it with several other families, as well as the authorities. We'll join forces and root out this Lustful Thief, so that more innocent women won't suffer harm."

Thus, Chen Xun could only drag his exhausted body along with the others as they searched from house to house.

A whole day passed without any gains.

Chen Xun was finally able to rest properly for a while.

He hurried home and seized the time to sleep.

At midnight, Chen Xun, who had been deeply asleep, suddenly opened his eyes.

A terrifying feral gleam filled his bloodshot eyes.

"The smell of sleeping incense."

"They actually set their sights on my home."

Chen Xun immediately held his breath, then took an antidote for sleeping incense from his Inventory Space and quietly slipped it into his mouth.

With Chen Xun's medical skill at Major Accomplishment, since he could make sleeping incense, he could naturally make its antidote as well.

Next, Chen Xun continued pretending to sleep.

About ten minutes later, Chen Qingqing's door was pushed open.

A small, thin figure dressed in black slipped inside.