The Young Marquis

At Capital City's harbor, footsteps hurried past, and people practically had to shout to be heard. It was a bustling scene.

A strange smell hung in the air.

Fish, sweat, alcohol, and countless other odors mingled together, making the stench especially pungent.

Seeing such a scene for the first time, Xia Yu and Xia Yao could not help staring, dumbstruck.

After all, Huai City was only a small place.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Where did this little country girl come from? So innocent-looking. Xiao Liu, hurry up and grab her for your young master to play with. This rotten place stinks to high heaven!"

"My father said this would toughen me up, but he's just screwing me over. That old bastard's out to screw over his own son."

Not far away, a young man in lavish clothing happened to spot Xia Yao, and his eyes immediately lit up.

He had slept with more beauties in Capital City than he could count, but he had never tried a pretty little thing like Xia Yao, with her delicate features and unmistakably rustic air.

As for Duanmu Wenshan and Xia Yu, he ignored them outright.

Led by a middle-aged man in lavish clothing, a group of burly men with vicious eyes and wicked grins blocked Xia Yu and Xia Yao, who were still looking around.

Seeing this, Duanmu Wenshan immediately stepped forward and barked, "What are you doing? I'm from the Myriad Treasures Pavilion. Move aside!"

The richly dressed middle-aged man glanced at Duanmu Wenshan and said arrogantly, "You're from the Myriad Treasures Pavilion? You can leave."

"But this woman stays. Our young marquis wants her."

"Young Master Xia and Miss Xia are honored guests of our Myriad Treasures Pavilion. Get lost!" Duanmu Wenshan showed no courtesy.

There were quite a few burly men before him, but they were really just harbor overseers, with cultivation only at Origin Absorption.

Duanmu Wenshan was an elder of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, so naturally, he had nothing to fear.

"Honored guests of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion still aren't members of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion. I'm showing your pavilion a little respect. Don't start thinking that makes you somebody."

"If you spit on the respect I'm giving you, I won't be polite!"

The richly dressed middle-aged man snorted and said arrogantly, "Your Myriad Treasures Pavilion is nothing but a merchants' association. Do you think our Marquis's Residence is afraid of you?"

Duanmu Wenshan was just about to speak when Xia Yu stepped forward.

"You want to detain my sister?" Xia Yu gave him an amused smile.

Had any of Huai City's young people been there, their hearts would have jolted in alarm. When Xia Yu smiled like that, it meant he was angry.

"Our young marquis has taken a fancy to your sister. That's a tremendous blessing for her. Come with me, and don't make me use force!"

The richly dressed middle-aged man's face was full of arrogance, radiating an indescribable sense of superiority.

"Use force?"

Xia Yu's smile grew even wider.

"I can't be bothered wasting words on a country bumpkin like you. Take this woman away."

The middle-aged man swept his sleeve, and the burly men behind him immediately charged forward.

Bang!

The first burly man to charge was sent flying backward.

With a spurt, he sprayed an arrow of blood into the air.

He crashed into several people before falling to the ground.

"Sixth Master, Little Gangzi is dead!" someone shouted.

The Sixth Master was the richly dressed middle-aged man. His eyes narrowed as he said coldly, "You've got some nerve, killing someone from our Marquis's Residence in Capital City. Kill him."

He had barely finished speaking when he saw the men on his side flying into the air, one after another.

Before he could react, a large hand clamped around his neck.

"Kill me? With this lot?"

Xia Yu wore a mocking grin, his gaze icy.

The Sixth Master's expression immediately darkened, and a flicker of panic crossed his eyes.

But a moment later, he regained his composure.

"I'm from the Marquis's Residence. You dare kill me? The Marquis's Residence will exterminate all nine branches of your family."

"Where is your young marquis?" Xia Yu asked coldly.

The Sixth Master froze, then said, his face flushed as he struggled for breath, "You're dead! You're dead!"

"I don't know whether I'll die, but you're dead!"

Crack!

Xia Yu twisted his neck and snapped it.

He no longer needed Xiao Liu to tell him who the young marquis was.

He had spotted the richly dressed young man. That had to be the young marquis; after all, he stood out at this harbor like a crane among chickens, in a rather distinctive way.

Dressed entirely in white, he waved a paper fan in one hand while holding a scented handkerchief over his nose with the other.

His eyes were long and narrow, his gaze cold.

Behind him stood a young man with an icy expression, cradling a sword.

"Not bad. I imagine you're a genius from some little backwater. You've certainly got a temper."

The young marquis said lightly, "I'll give you a chance. Kneel and beg me to take you in-along with your sister, of course. Follow me from now on, and I'll spare your life!"

Xia Yu watched him quietly and smiled.

"It seems you're not convinced! People from little backwaters really have no idea how wide the world is. Who knows how many small-town geniuses like you die in Capital City every day?"

"A Jian, show him that beyond every heaven lies another heaven, and beyond every great man stands someone greater."

The young marquis sneered.

"Yes. Please take a few steps back, young marquis, so you don't get hurt."

The cold young man cradling the sword stepped forward.

Backing away, the young marquis said, "A Jian is a genius Sword Cultivator too, a genius Sword Cultivator from some little backwater. Now he's one of my dogs."

Clang!

At that moment, A Jian drew his sword.

Cold light flashed, and the air shrieked as it tore apart.

A sword strike as swift as lightning.

In an instant, it reached the space between Xia Yu's brows.

A Sword Cultivator of the Profound Origin Realm!

There was no denying that this strike was powerful.

Yet his sword stopped less than half an inch from the center of Xia Yu's brow.

Smiling, Xia Yu said calmly, "I know a pretty young lady who's also a Sword Cultivator. When she admitted defeat, she did it with grace!"

"You don't deserve to be called a Sword Cultivator!"

With a gentle pull of his right hand, Xia Yu withdrew the tip of the Sin Dragon Spear from A Jian's throat.

An arrow of blood shot out.

When A Jian had thrust his sword, the Sin Dragon Spear had already pierced his throat.

"Thank you!" A sudden flicker of release crossed A Jian's eyes.

Xia Yu took a long look at A Jian's body. After a moment of silence, he raised his head and looked at the young marquis again, his smile unchanged.

By now, the young marquis was already frozen with fright.

He had never imagined that A Jian would fail to withstand even a single move.

A Sword Cultivator of the Profound Origin Realm!

Then what realm was this fellow in?

The young marquis's cultivation was not particularly high. He had been frail since childhood, and even after consuming countless treasures of heaven and earth, he had barely reached the Profound Origin Realm.

He had once been unable to withstand even a single move from A Jian.

As Xia Yu approached, that smiling face looked utterly terrifying to him.

The young marquis immediately turned deathly pale.

"Y-you stay away! I'm telling you, I'm the young marquis of the Marquis's Residence. If you dare kill me, my residence won't let you get away with it."

"No, how could I possibly kill the young marquis?" Xia Yu said with a smile.

"Y-you won't kill me?" The young marquis secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The next moment, he seemed to think of something, and his expression immediately regained its confidence.

"You're quite impressive. My Marquis's Residence is one of the most powerful forces in Capital City. Follow me, and whatever you want, you'll have it."

"Kneel and pledge your loyalty to me!" The young marquis's face shone with confidence.

Xia Yu was stunned!

Is this guy an idiot?

How did he survive long enough to grow this old?

Clamping a hand around the young marquis's neck, Xia Yu said coldly, "I'd like to discuss something with you, young marquis."

"If you don't want to die, remember this: don't let me see you again!"

"Otherwise, you'll die!"