Fitting in

Li Xian carried his saber and walked calmly toward the exit of the Marquis's Residence.

Along his path, every guard, servant, and maid stepped aside of their own accord, watching helplessly as he crossed the courtyard, opened the closed gates, and stepped over the threshold to leave.

There were still thirty or forty people present.

Some servants and maids had even learned a move or two, and quite a few had developed force, yet not one dared step forward to obstruct him in the slightest.

The atmosphere was as silent as death.

Only when Li Xian had gone so far that he was completely out of sight did everyone...

Including the first madam, Mo Caiying, seem to accept a certain fact.

He had left.

Li Xian...

Had really left.

He had just left like that!?

He had come to their Marquis's Residence, slaughtered people, beaten everyone into submission, and taken her, the honored marchioness, hostage, only to demand eighty taels of silver and then turn around and leave?

What on earth was he thinking!?

What on earth was he trying to do!?

Mo Caiying's chest heaved, her thoughts surging.

Panic, anger, shame, and humiliation filled her mind, making her wish she could skin Li Xian, tear out his tendons, grind his bones to dust, and scatter his ashes.

Only...

When she recalled the chill of the blade against her neck, and the suffocating pressure of death brought on by Li Xian's indifferent attitude...

She ultimately forced herself to calm down quickly.

"Madam..."

Her personal maid hurried forward, trying to wipe the blood from her neck with the handkerchief she carried.

"To the inner courtyard."

Mo Caiying's expression was icy as she waved at the guards crowded around her, who had been of no use whatsoever.

"Disperse."

With that, she strode toward the inner courtyard.

Watching the first madam leave, Fang Xin and Tan Zhang knew their performance today must have disappointed her utterly. They exchanged looks, but ultimately could only help the wounded, clear away Head Steward Liu Fu's corpse, and disperse one after another.

"This isn't over! No one can humiliate my Dingfeng Marquis Estate and still roam free!"

Inside the courtyard, Mo Caiying had finished having her injuries treated, and her emotions had returned to reason.

Li Xian's failure to kill her proved that he was not truly as fearless as he claimed.

He did not want to kill officials and rebel either, truly pushing matters to the point where he had nowhere to stay and had to wander to the ends of the earth.

Of course, it was a fact that he was young, reckless, and utterly unrestrained in his actions.

A hot-blooded young man like him might fail to think things through for a moment and, in a fury that sent his hair bristling beneath his cap, dare to spill blood within five paces and perish together with her, jade and stone burning alike.

Thus, although this matter was not over, she needed absolute certainty before making another move.

"Fang Xin!"

Mo Caiying suddenly called out.

Soon, Fang Xin, who had finished handling the miscellaneous matters in the outer courtyard and come to wait at the entrance to apologize, strode into the courtyard.

"Where is Martial Master Zhao? When will he return?"

"The Sword Discussion Convention usually lasts anywhere from ten days to a month. Ten days at the shortest, a month at the longest..."

"Send word to him. Ask him to return immediately!"

"Yes."

Fang Xin promptly answered.

Afterward, he considered for a moment before adding, "This matter... should we report it to the prefectural authorities?"

"Report it to the prefectural authorities?"

Mo Caiying gave him an icy look. "Do you think not enough people know about this already? Besides, what use would reporting it do? It would only beat the grass and startle the snake! Once we drive that little bastard into throwing caution completely to the wind, and he comes killing his way into the Marquis's Residence in the dead of night, who could stop him? You guards!?"

Fang Xin quickly lowered his head, not daring to speak again.

Even Liu Fu, who had achieved Viscera Great Accomplishment, had died.

Although their guards had strength in numbers, humans were not animals and would not recklessly, mindlessly fight them head-on to the death.

Li Xian only needed to pick them off one by one under cover of darkness to kill every last one of their dozens of guards in a single night.

"Investigate! Find out exactly what martial arts Li Xian practices! How could a frail scholar undergo such a change in just one month? Did he practice some sinister demonic art, or consume Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures? Find out everything!"

"Understood."

Fang Xin assented.

They would have looked into this even without Mo Caiying's instructions.

Li Xian injuring Zhang Qing could still be attributed to outstanding martial talent and catching him off guard, but today, surrounded and attacked by more than twenty guards, he had actually killed Head Steward Liu Fu, who had achieved Viscera Great Accomplishment, in a head-on confrontation. Talent alone could no longer describe this.

"Remember to do it in secret. Don't let word get out."

As Mo Caiying spoke, her fierce gaze swept over Fang Xin and the maids beside her. "All of you, be smart. Let today's events rot in your bellies. If I find anyone wagging their tongue behind my back, I will not let them off lightly!"

"Yes."

They hurriedly answered.

Mo Caiying waved Fang Xin away, then turned her gaze toward Zhang Yao, whom a maid had just brought over.

"M-Madam..."

Zhang Yao hurriedly bowed.

Mo Caiying narrowed her eyes without speaking.

Only when Zhang Yao seemed to grow uneasy standing there did she say, "Don't be nervous. Sit."

Then she continued, "Your name is Zhang Yao? You spoke up at a critical moment today. Your courage is commendable. I've already ordered your treatment raised by three grades, and your monthly allowance increased to one tael and four mace."

"Ah?"

Surprised and delighted, Zhang Yao hurriedly said, "Thank you for your graciousness, Madam."

"You earned it."

Mo Caiying said.

She was somewhat unsure whether Li Xian had shown mercy at the critical moment because of Zhang Yao's pleading.

But how precious was her life?

Even the slightest possibility was enough for her to bestow favor on a subordinate.

Besides...

Zhang Yao had been closest to Li Xian during this time and knew the most about him.

She immediately asked, "When did Li Xian begin practicing martial arts?"

"Practicing martial arts?"

Zhang Yao froze, then quickly said, "A month ago."

A moment later, seemingly remembering something, she added, "But he seemed to have mentioned that he had encountered martial arts texts before, studied them carefully, and achieved a thorough understanding on a theoretical level. It was only because he disliked martial arts that he never put anything into practice. Then, a month ago, just after recovering from a serious illness, he suddenly began practicing martial arts and boxing..."

"A month ago..."

Mo Caiying's expression did not change, but her thoughts churned, shifting uncertainly.

A month ago...

Hadn't Li Xian fallen into the river? And been ill for several days after being brought back?

And hadn't that been the day Heir Apparent Yan sent a carriage to take Yanran to a banquet?

Had he seen something and been provoked, leading him to abandon letters for martial arts?

And unexpectedly, this boy possessed astonishing comprehension-not only exceptional talent for reading and literary study, but even the martial aptitude of a genius seen only once in a hundred years?

In just one month, he had already reached internal organ refinement?

Impossible. Unless he was born an Immortal Seedling, who could achieve so much in just one month!? He must have had some fortuitous encounter, or practiced a demonic art!

An Immortal Seedling!?

The students of Pinewind Academy had all been tested. If Li Xian were an Immortal Seedling, he would have been discovered and soared into the heavens long ago, rather than waiting until now.

As for a fortuitous encounter...

He seemed not to have left the Marquis's Residence for a month, so that was not very likely either.

Then had he practiced a demonic art?

"Tell me in detail exactly how Li Xian practiced martial arts over this past month, and what cultivation method he practiced."

Mo Caiying said patiently, "Don't leave out a single detail."

"Yes."

Zhang Yao knew from the madam's tone that she clearly had no intention of letting the matter rest. The more information she gave about Li Xian, the worse it would be for him.

For an instant, she even considered concealing something for Li Xian. If she did, would he remember her favor when he rose to greatness?

But...

She was ultimately a member of the Marquis's Residence.

The education she had received since childhood demanded unwavering loyalty to the Marquis's Residence.

A son-in-law who had joined the household less than two months ago might stir her sympathy, but could hardly overturn that mindset.

In the end, faced with the madam's questions, she answered them one by one, leaving out no detail, great or small.

"We're even."

Li Xian walked out of the Dingfeng Marquis Estate with a calm expression.

As for what he meant by "even," no one knew.

Perhaps even the other person involved did not know.

But that did not matter.

Li Xian...

Only sought a clear conscience.

He lowered his head and looked at his right hand.

The back of his hand was red.

His fingers were swollen.

He was injured.

Even though he had swallowed boundless qi at the critical moment and unleashed Core Force, his sinews and bones were not yet fully developed. Meeting the claw technique of an expert who had achieved Viscera Great Accomplishment head-on had still left the right hand he had clenched into a fist stinging with repeated needle-like pains.

Yet rather than making him uncomfortable, that stinging pain felt...

Utterly novel.

"It's been too long."

Ever since he had achieved embracing qi and forming a core and tested his fists against the world, it had been far too long since he had experienced the pain of fists colliding, force clashing against force, and fighting until muscles snapped and bones shattered.

They...

Had all been too weak.

Ninety percent of martial masters refused to get up after a single punch unless they received thirty thousand.

But now...

A martial master of organ refinement, the fourth martial realm, could actually injure him and cause him pain!

That feeling...

Li Xian raised his hand, admiring the blood-red color between his fingers, his gaze somewhat intoxicated.

"What a wonderful feeling."

Not a steel blade, not a firearm.

Meeting claws with his fist, being wounded by someone's claw technique...

"So strong. If I hadn't achieved Primordial Unity and embraced qi to form a core, I couldn't even have beaten him. Impressive."

Li Xian was filled with joy.

He knew that the martial path in this world had nine levels in all.

Each step led to another heaven.

And now, someone at the fourth level, internal organ refinement, could already wound him...

Although it was because his strength had not yet fully recovered, this injury, this needle-like pain, told him clearly that this was real.

He truly had arrived in a world where martial artists emerged in droves and the mighty gathered like clouds!

If internal organ refinement was like this!

Then what would blood exchange and marrow washing be like?

And there were the first-rate experts described as having an impervious body; the sect-leader-level experts who achieved refining the void into reality and used the power of true qi to establish great sects; the peerless experts with all hundred meridians unblocked, qi flowing throughout their bodies...

And the Pre-Heavenly Grandmasters who achieved returning to the Pre-Heavenly state and lived for more than two sixty-year cycles!

"What a magnificent world!"

Li Xian curled his five fingers.

He let the pain of fingers linked to the heart stimulate his mind to the fullest.

So that he could feel this world more clearly.

Feel the reality of this entire world!

And let himself fit completely into this world that had been confirmed as real.

At that moment, he wanted to spread his arms and sing at the top of his lungs.

"World, here I come!"

The signature lines from those short films about live-in sons-in-law: "My X family will surely rise to become an aristocratic clan!" "Watch me tear your mouth apart!"

What other lines are there? Let's all pool our ideas.

(End of chapter)