Settle Old Scores!

The courtyard door was pushed open.

Hu Qingqing stood at the threshold, wearing a light-cyan ruqun, her brows and eyes pretty, though her face carried a certain taken-for-granted impatience.

Behind her followed a gray-robed youth, a saber slung at his waist and a haughty look on his face.

It was Hu Qingqing's own younger brother, Hu Kai.

Only a year younger than Yang Xiao, he was already at the fifth stage of Body Forging and a newly prominent name among the young constables of the Xiangyun County Yamen.

As soon as Hu Qingqing stepped inside, her gaze landed on the Spring Embroidery Saber in Yang Xiao's hand, her eyes brightening slightly.

"You really did take the saber out."

She walked up briskly, reaching out to take it.

"Just in time, Hu Kai is going to see the second head constable tomorrow for guidance. If he can take this Spring Embroidery Saber with him, the second head constable will definitely look upon him with higher regard."

Yang Xiao turned his wrist, avoiding her hand.

Hu Qingqing grabbed nothing, her face immediately sinking.

"Yang Xiao, what do you mean?"

Yang Xiao looked at her, his tone calm.

"Who told you to touch it?"

Hu Qingqing froze; in her impression, Yang Xiao had never spoken to her like this.

Frowning, she said, "Hu Kai is going to participate in the Demon Suppression Division's selection this time. If he can be chosen, he'll be a man of the Demon Suppression Division in the future. This saber of yours just gathers dust sitting at home, so you might as well let him use it first."

"Once Hu Kai enters the Demon Suppression Division, will your benefits be lacking?"

"My benefits?"

In Yang Xiao's memories, every time Hu Qingqing spoke, it was always this same set of lines.

When she wanted silver and copper, she said Hu Kai would remember him when he had a future; when she wanted cloth and jewelry, she said a maiden always had to look presentable, and wearing them out would also save face for him.

Over the years, the original owner's salary and family savings had been almost hollowed out by her.

Now only this heirloom from his father remained, and she still came to take it.

"Hu Qingqing."

Yang Xiao's voice grew flat. "From today on, the affairs of the Hu family have nothing to do with me."

"Yang Xiao, what did you say?" Hu Qingqing's face changed.

Hu Kai at the side finally grew impatient.

"Sis, why waste breath on him?"

He stepped forward, looking coldly at Yang Xiao.

"Yang Xiao, you waste at the third stage of Body Forging, holding the Spring Embroidery Saber is just a waste anyway. If I hold it, perhaps I can accumulate more merits before the Demon Suppression Division selection and have a few more points of certainty in joining the Demon Suppression Division."

"Putting this saber in my hands is what you call making the best use of it!"

Yang Xiao looked at Hu Kai and said leisurely, "You want it?"

"Not bad." Hu Kai raised his chin.

Yang Xiao placed the Spring Embroidery Saber on the table, instead drawing the standard-issue long saber issued by the yamen.

"Then come take it yourself."

Hu Kai was startled, then laughed. "You want me to take it myself?"

Qi and blood surged through his body, the power of the fifth stage of Body Forging manifesting, and an expression of sure-to-win appeared on his face.

"Yang Xiao, did you sleep your mind away? Could it be you think I wouldn't dare strike?"

As his voice fell, Hu Kai stepped out, his right hand hooking straight to grab Yang Xiao's shoulder.

In the eyes of ordinary constables, this grab was already not slow.

Yet in Yang Xiao's eyes, it was full of flaws everywhere.

Shoulders moved first, waist hadn't dropped, steps rushed too eagerly, lower stance floating.

The perfection realm achieved in the Basic Blade Technique brought not just moves, but also eyesight, rhythm, and the timing of the strike.

Yang Xiao crossed his feet, dodging Hu Kai's hand.

The next instant, blade light flashed.

The back of the standard-issue long saber heavily whipped against Hu Kai's elbow.

Hu Kai let out a muffled grunt, his entire right arm instantly going numb.

Before he could react, Yang Xiao had already pressed close, the back of the saber striking horizontally.

Hu Kai felt a tightness in his chest, his entire person flying backward to crash heavily into the courtyard.

Hu Qingqing let out a sharp scream, turning pale with fright.

"Hu Kai!"

Hu Kai hugged his chest, his face filled with disbelief.

"You... how could you..."

He was at the fifth stage of Body Forging, whereas Yang Xiao was clearly only at the third stage of Body Forging!

Yang Xiao stored his saber and stood, his expression calm.

"Fifth stage of Body Forging, just this?"

Hu Kai's face turned flushed red, wanting to crawl up, only to find his right arm still numb, unable to muster strength for a moment.

Hu Qingqing was both shocked and angry.

"Yang Xiao, are you crazy? How dare you hit Hu Kai! He still has to seek guidance from the second head constable tomorrow; if you delay his future, can you afford to compensate?"

"What does his future have to do with me?"

Yang Xiao walked to the table, picked up the Spring Embroidery Saber, and rehung it at his waist.

"No need to come again in the future."

Yang Xiao looked at her, saying word by word, "Everything belonging to my Yang family has nothing to do with you all."

Hu Qingqing froze, her face turning white and red.

"Good, very good!"

Supporting Hu Kai, she gritted her teeth and said, "Yang Xiao, you'll regret this! The Demon Suppression Division selection is right upon us; once Hu Kai enters the Demon Suppression Division, we'll move into the prefecture capital, and you can just stay in this broken county town and be a waste!"

Yang Xiao said indifferently, "Then I won't trouble you to worry about that."

Hu Qingqing trembled all over with anger, but dared not let Hu Kai strike again, and could only support him as they left in a sorry state.

The courtyard door closed once more.

Yang Xiao stood in place, his expression without the slightest fluctuation.

It could be considered clearing away a bad debt left behind by the original owner.

Early the next morning, Yang Xiao arrived at the yamen.

As soon as he stepped inside, he heard several constables discussing in low voices.

"The Demon Suppression Division is arriving in Xiangyun County in seven days."

"If we can get selected this time, it'll be like stepping straight up to the heavens."

"What are you thinking? Is the Demon Suppression Division that easy to enter? I reckon those from our yamen who get selected won't exceed three!"

Yang Xiao's steps didn't stop, walking straight toward the back courtyard.

Head Constable Zhang Hu was practicing his saber.

He possessed a tall build with thick, sturdy arms, and the long saber in his hands opened and closed powerfully, each strike carrying a muffled sound of the wind.

Seeing Yang Xiao approach, Zhang Hu stopped his movements and wiped away some sweat. "Yang Xiao? Looking for me so early, something the matter?"

"Head Constable Zhang, I want to sign up for the Demon Suppression Division selection."

Zhang Hu froze, looking him up and down.

"You?"

"Yes." Yang Xiao nodded.

Zhang Hu frowned and said, "The Demon Suppression Division isn't patrolling the streets of the county yamen; the ones encountered there are all high-grade demons, and you could lose your life at any moment."

"Your father was a stalwart man back then, and I don't want to watch his son throw his life away for nothing."

Yang Xiao said calmly, "The me of the past truly wasted time."

"But from today on, I won't."

Zhang Hu looked into his eyes, falling silent for a moment.

"The Demon Suppression Division is sending people in seven days."

"According to past years' rules, anyone under twenty can sign up. But you must understand, signing up is one thing, and being selected is another."

"Among the young constables of Xiangyun County, only the sixth stage of Body Forging counts as having a chance."

"If your realm isn't enough, you must have a skill you can proudly take out."

He paused.

"Right now you're at the third stage of Body Forging; you're far too lacking."

Yang Xiao said, "There are still seven days."

Zhang Hu couldn't help shaking his head.

"Seven days?"

"Can you train from the third stage of Body Forging to the sixth in seven days, or practice the Basic Blade Technique to Great Accomplishment?"

Even so, as Zhang Hu looked at Yang Xiao's calm expression, he suddenly thought of Yang Dayong from back then.

That fellow in his youth also had a temperament that refused to accept his fate.

A moment later, he waved a hand.

"Forget it. If you truly want to sign up, I'll write your name down."

Yang Xiao cupped his fists. "Many thanks, Head Constable Zhang."

At that exact moment, urgent bell chimes suddenly rang out from outside the yamen.

Clang, clang, clang!

The complexions of the constables in the courtyard simultaneously changed.

This was the alarm bell rung only when the yamen encountered an emergency Demon Plague.

A constable rushed quickly into the back courtyard.

"Head Constable Zhang!"

"The rat calamity at Liu Family Village has expanded, rat demons are besieging the village, and the villagers are trapped!"

"The county magistrate orders that aside from necessary personnel left behind on duty, all other constables must assemble immediately and head to Liu Family Village for rescue!"

Zhang Hu's expression sank, and he hoisted his long saber, walking toward the front courtyard.

"Assemble!"

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