At the branch headquarters entrance.
Lu Shaoyou led over a fast horse and swung himself into the saddle.
At the entrance, Wei Tuo watched his retreating figure gradually vanish, his face still wearing a complicated, horrified expression.
"Branch Master, Young Hero Lu... is he really going to the Black Tiger Hall?" A trusted steward edged closer, his voice trembling.
Wei Tuo wiped away the cold sweat that had somehow seeped onto his forehead and waved a hand. "Go? Of course he has to go. If he doesn't, should he wait for the Blood Saber Sect's other people to come knocking?"
The steward swallowed. "But Hall Master Xiong Tai died here. The Blood Saber Sect will probably..."
"That is exactly why we must be quick!" Wei Tuo cut him off, a barely perceptible tremor in his voice. "Immediately! Clean up Xiong Tai's corpse and those of his men. Do it discreetly. Do not leave behind a single trace!"
"Yes, yes! This subordinate understands!" The steward answered repeatedly and hurried away to make arrangements.
Wei Tuo gave another order to someone else. "Prepare a boat. I must return to the main headquarters at once. This matter must be reported to the Chief immediately. The skies over Azure Province are likely about to change."
He looked once more in the direction Lu Shaoyou had gone and muttered to himself, "Lu Shaoyou, Lu Shaoyou... are you a dragon, or an even fiercer tiger?
"Am I inviting the wolf into the house, or killing with a borrowed blade?"
Tiger Roar City had been named for the Black Tiger Hall's presence there.
Lu Shaoyou led his horse into the city. The atmosphere within was even more oppressive than at Dragon Snake Crossing, and fear showed on many pedestrians' faces. After asking for the Black Tiger Hall's location, he headed straight there.
He reached a fairly broad street.
Suddenly, a burst of clamor erupted, mixed with a woman's shrieks and a child's crying.
Smack! A crisp whip crack rang out.
"You stinking hag! Don't refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit! This young lady taking a fancy to your lousy hairpin is already doing you an honor! And you still dare ask for money?" A shrill female voice rang out, utterly overbearing.
Lu Shaoyou looked over and saw a group of vicious servants dressed as household retainers surrounding a jewelry stall.
A girl of about seventeen or eighteen, dressed in silks and satins, with passable looks but a face full of harshness, was brandishing a leather whip and gesticulating at a middle-aged woman kneeling on the ground and begging for mercy.
The woman cried, "Miss, spare me! This hairpin has been passed down through my family. I truly cannot..."
Smack! Another lash struck the woman's face, instantly splitting her skin and flesh.
"When did it become your turn to say no to something this young lady wants?" The girl's willow brows shot up.
A little girl of seven or eight rushed over crying and hugged the woman's leg. "Mother! Mother! Don't hit my mother!"
"Get lost, you little bastard!" With disgust, the girl kicked the little girl in the chest. The child let out a muffled groan and rolled a long way away, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.
"Waaah—" The little girl burst into loud sobs.
"You're so noisy!" A vicious glint flashed across the girl's face. She actually took a small white jade porcelain bottle from her sleeve and sneered. "Keep crying? Keep crying, and this young lady will make sure you can never cry again!"
As she spoke, she pinched open the bottle, making as if to pour it into the little girl's mouth.
The surrounding townsfolk scattered away. Though pity showed on their faces, not one dared step forward.
The people nearby watched from afar, their faces filled with anger and pity, yet not a single person dared go forward to stop her.
"Miss Xiong, let it go. She is only a child..." At last, a kind old man could no longer bear to watch and spoke in a trembling voice.
"Old fool, are you tired of living?" Xiong Jiaojiao's willow brows rose sharply. With a flick of her whip, she was about to strike the old man.
"Stop." A calm voice rang out.
The girl froze mid-motion and looked toward the sound. A young man in blue robes, leading a horse, had somehow appeared nearby.
Lu Shaoyou's gaze was icy. He had seen clearly just now that when the porcelain bottle opened, an extremely faint fishy-sweet scent had drifted out. It was clearly some kind of potent poison.
"What are you? How dare you meddle in this young lady's business?" Xiong Jiaojiao sized Lu Shaoyou up and down. Seeing his ordinary clothes, she curled her lip disdainfully.
Lu Shaoyou ignored her. He stepped forward, helped the trembling little girl up, and used a thread of Inner Force to soothe her internal injuries.
"Are you deaf?!" Seeing Lu Shaoyou ignore her, Xiong Jiaojiao flew into a rage and shrieked, "Men! Break his legs for this young lady! Cut out his tongue and feed it to the dogs!"
"Yes, Miss!"
Seven or eight vicious servants grinned savagely as they drew short cudgels and sabers from their waists, preparing to close in.
"You do not know whether to live or die." Lu Shaoyou shook his head and gently pushed the little girl into her mother's arms.
The first vicious servant to rush over swung his blade at Lu Shaoyou's head.
Without even turning around, Lu Shaoyou backhanded him with a slap.
Smack! A clear handprint appeared on the servant's face. Teeth mixed with blood flew from his mouth, and his entire body was sent flying sideways. He crashed into a wall, slid to the ground, and went still.
Slaughter Value +10.
The movements of the remaining servants stalled.
Lu Shaoyou slowly turned around and looked at the girl.
"Y-you... what are you trying to do?" Xiong Jiaojiao's skin crawled beneath his gaze, but she immediately thrust out her chest again. "I'm telling you, my father is the Hall Master of the Black Tiger Hall! If you dare touch even a hair on my head today, he will definitely tear you into ten thousand pieces!"
At those words, Lu Shaoyou's expression flickered.
"The Black Tiger Hall's Hall Master?"
The next moment, an inexplicable curve appeared at the corner of his lips. "He will be seeing you very soon."
"What do you mean?" Xiong Jiaojiao's heart lurched.
Lu Shaoyou did not answer. He simply walked toward her step by step.
"Stop him! All of you, get him!" Xiong Jiaojiao backed away in panic and screamed at the remaining servants.
The servants looked at one another. The sight of their companion being slapped to death was still vivid before their eyes. How could they dare step forward?
"You useless trash!" Xiong Jiaojiao was beside herself with rage. She pulled out a gem-encrusted dagger from her waist and shouted fiercely though she was weak within, "Don't come any closer! If you come any closer, I... I won't be polite!"
Lu Shaoyou walked up before her and stopped.
"Your father, Xiong Tai—I have already sent him on his way for you."
Xiong Jiaojiao's pupils suddenly contracted. "Y-you said what? Impossible! My father is a Super First-rate Master! You're talking nonsense!"
"You will soon find out whether I am talking nonsense." Lu Shaoyou reached out.
"Ah! I'll fight you!" Xiong Jiaojiao shrieked and wildly stabbed at Lu Shaoyou with her dagger.
Lu Shaoyou easily dodged. With a flick of his finger, he struck Xiong Jiaojiao's wrist holding the dagger.
"Ah!" Xiong Jiaojiao cried out in pain, and the dagger fell from her hand.
The next instant, Lu Shaoyou's hand closed around her throat.
"Urgh... let... let me go..." Xiong Jiaojiao's feet left the ground as she struggled desperately, her face turning red.
The surrounding people watched in terror, yet a trace of satisfaction stirred within them.
"Someone like you only wastes grain by staying alive." Lu Shaoyou tightened his five fingers.
Crack. A soft sound rang out.
Xiong Jiaojiao's struggles stopped, and her head drooped limply.
Slaughter Value +200.
Lu Shaoyou casually threw her corpse to the ground. Then he picked up the dagger and, without the slightest hesitation, raised his hand and brought the blade down.
A head, still bearing an expression of terror and unwillingness, rolled onto the ground.
He picked up that head, blood dripping from its hair.
He mounted his horse, holding the head in one hand and the reins in the other, and galloped toward the Black Tiger Hall.
A deathly silence lay over the street.
Only the clatter of hoofbeats remained.
Before you continue