Chapter 41: Killing them all is the best protection

Wind and snow fluttered, the night was dark and deep, the intensity almost impossible to dispel.

In the alley, it was three parts darker.

An old man led a big-headed boy with his hair tied in Nezha braids, bathing in the snow, standing quietly, looking at the brightly lit Xu Ji Mu diao Pu.

"Master, the Soul Infant Sect seems to have set its sights on that spirit-child seedling you value..."

"Should we act? The Soul Infant Sect has colluded with the government of Fēiléichéng; the experts in this shop have all been transferred away, leaving it empty all at once, and the Soul Infant Sect will likely strike tonight."

Lu Chi furrowed their brow; though young, they were very mature.

The old man shook their head: "For now, let's watch; if I can avoid acting, I will. I also want to see who exactly in Fēiléichéng is preparing to sacrifice to the Guiyi Miao, who has become the temple god's lackey..."

"What if that spirit-child meets with harm? Master… you said that spirit-child is a rare supreme spirit-child, didn't you?"

Lu Chi tilted their head, asking doubtfully.

The old man smiled, glanced at the big-headed Lu Chi, and said: "If forced, you shall act; I'll give you a chance to be the hero who saves the beauty, how about that?"

Lu Chi rolled their eyes: "A two-year-old girl called a beauty? At two you can't even tell anything!"

The old man stroked their beard and smiled, their eyes deep: "I hadn't expected that the spirit-child over twenty… is the father of the supreme spirit-child; such pure, flawless divinity giving birth to a supreme spirit-child is only natural."

"Someone is coming."

The old man's smile faded, taking Lu Chi's hand and pulling, as if completely merging into the darkness.

A sudden gust tore through the cold air, the fluttering wind and snow fell down, then were torn to shreds.

Several ghostly silhouettes stood on the roof, bearing the biting wind, seemingly accompanied by eerie laughter like wailing ghosts.

These silhouettes wore black robes and donned child masks with various expressions—crying faces, laughing faces, ugly faces, angry faces, and so on...

Altogether five silhouettes, some wielding broadswords, some gripping spears, some shouldering iron hammers, and so on.

The swirling qi and blood almost melted the falling snow filling the sky.

"Xu You has been transferred back to Nei Cheng; the sole Blood Exchange Martial Artist in Xu Ji Mu diao Pu, Chen Dabao, has also been imprisoned—only tonight do we have a chance, for tomorrow Xu You will return and Chen Dabao can no longer be imprisoned..."

"To take that spirit-child away, tonight only success is permitted."

"Besides, using me as bait, you'd better take it slow—be sure to rescue me quickly!"

The words fell.

Several silhouettes, accompanied by eerie crying, laughing, and angry voices, unleashed martial arts, their bodies light as they leapt over the high wall of the Xu Ji manor.

The courtyard, utterly silent.

A lamp burned inside the house, its flickering flame casting two silhouettes onto the paper window.

Indoors.

Zhang Ya's complexion slightly pallid, she held the sleeping Xixi; a woman's intuition, together with her husband Li Che's abnormality, let her realize that tonight… there might be some danger.

She looked toward the distance; there, a lifelike wood carving sat on the chair, resembling Li Che by seventy to eighty percent, though unpolished, its carving marks coarse.

Yet through the lamp's light, it could cast a shadow on the paper window nearly identical to Li Che.

It gave the impression of a husband and wife both staying indoors, a cozy illusion.

At first… Zhang Ya didn't understand why Li Che would do this—staying indoors nicely, protecting them, isn't that good?

But when Li Che took out a thin wooden board, sat on the chair, and slowly carved a cute ox mask with his chisel, covering his face…

Zhang Ya was completely stunned.

She covered her mouth, gazing at that utterly unfamiliar husband, her eyes bursting with unprecedented astonishment.

"Ox… Ox Demon?"

Zhang Ya asked softly.

Nowadays, the Ox Demon—who in Fēiléichéng doesn't know? Who hasn't heard?

Specializing in hunting the Soul Infant Sect's followers who target children, although their wanted posters have long hung on the notice board.

Yet they have become the hero in the hearts of Fēiléichéng's common folk!

And now, this hero… is actually her husband Zhang Ya?

"No… not the right husband, the Ox Demon's build is far too different from yours."

Zhang Ya shook her head, speaking softly.

This is the first time Li Che reveals his identity, showing it to his wife so she knows; and the wife… will also be the first to know his Ox Demon identity.

Without further words, Li Che silently activated the 【Dragon Elephant Golden Strength】 Dao Fruit.

In an instant, countless muscles bulged like coiling dragons, twisting and growing, instantly swelling to become mountain‑like in stature, the fierce and overbearing pressure surging within the house.

In Zhang Ya's dazed gaze, Li Che immediately released the transformation, returning to his normal physique.

"My dear, I will let no one harm you two; therefore… you must also trust your husband."

Li Che gently stroked Zhang Ya's face, lifting her fallen black hair, and spoke softly.

Zhang Ya snapped out of her daze, her heart surging, her mind buzzing, her husband… actually able to become that huge!

Is this what a Bone‑Tempering Martial Artist is?

But she had never heard that a Bone‑Tempering Martial Artist… could grow large or shrink.

Obedient as she was, she asked no more, knowing this should be her husband's secret; she need not understand it fully, only believe and trust.

Between husband and wife, it's natural to keep some little secrets.

As for Li Che's Ox Demon identity, as for those who died at the Ox Demon's hands…

Zhang Ya didn't care; all she cared about was her own husband.

However, Zhang Ya inexplicably felt troubled; she seemed to have no secrets left before her husband.

Remember the way I taught you to activate the Wood Ferry Crow…

Li Che rubbed Zhang Ya's head, kissed her forehead, and instructed.

Zhang Ya nodded solemnly.

Li Che glanced again at the sleeping Xixi.

Wife and children, a warm kang—he only wanted to stay with his family and live peacefully in this world…

Whoever dares to move his daughter, he will…

Kill who!

…

…

Li Che activated the Sleeping Dragon Elephant ability of the Dragon Elephant Dao Fruit, his qi and blood completely retracted, his essence, energy, and spirit as if wiped away from heaven and earth.

The effect of restraining his breath was excellent.

He hid into the dark alleys surrounding the Xu Ji Manor, put on a straw hat, covered himself with a cute ox mask, and on the windy snowy night, transformed into the Ox Demon.

"Zhao Chuanxiong, openly flaunting his yang scheme with great fanfare, primping and posing, extremely arrogant… this doesn't quite suit his style of hiding and scraping by for the past year."

Li Che pondered, yet his mind already grew somewhat clear.

Zhao Chuanxiong knew the Ox Demon was looking for him, yet he still blatantly carried out these actions, as if he were… fishing.

"Zhao Chuanxiong as bait, to fish for me?"

"The work of the Spirit Infant Sect?"

"Tonight's yang scheme is a two-birds-with-one-stone yang scheme…… aiming to both seize Xixi and get rid of the Ox Demon……"

The alley was utterly silent.

After a long while, a soft exhalation sounded, bringing with it a chilling killing intent.

"Heh."

"Truly greedy."

Li Che lifted his head, gazing at the dark sky, his eyes shining brightly.

"No matter what schemes or plots……"

"I want to protect my wife and children……"

"Killing you all is the best protection."

…

…

In the black night, ghosts spark fire; in the freezing sky, geese cry and frost falls!

Tonight the temperature rose a little; the snow falling from the sky turned to rain, drizzling down in the darkness.

Each drop of rain was bitterly cold, piercing to the bone.

Zhao Chuanxiong wore a long sword at his waist, his unkempt black hair flowing freely, and donned a boy's mask full of smiles.

He tapped the tips of his feet on the heavy snow on the ground, shattering the falling rain and snow from the heavens, arriving like a ghost.

He landed outside the wall of Fang Che's small courtyard.

Because he had previously visited Li Che, he… easily found his way to this courtyard.

Under the boy's mask, Zhao Chuanxiong's eyes showed little emotion; he indifferently gazed at the brightly lit interior, at the two figures reflected on the paper window.

"What a warm family……"

"Too bad, they gave birth to a spirit child."

"Talent is fortune, yet also…… disaster."

Zhao Chuanxiong drew his brilliantly bright long sword; the blade trembled and emitted a long hum.

The heavens and earth were utterly still.

Inside Xu Ji Woodcarving Shop…… there was not a sound.

Those old masters, although Xu You had instructed and pleaded with them, …… they ultimately, for the sake of preserving themselves, still did not act.

Even if they already knew that tonight someone would attack Li Che's courtyard to take Xixi away.

Zhao Chuanxiong gripped his sword with one hand, scanned the surroundings; snow and rain mixed, and fundamentally no one appeared to block him.

Beneath the mask, his face gave a cold smile: "Human nature……"

"In this world, those who dare to be heroes…… are ultimately few."

"Except you!"

Boom!!!

On Zhao Chuanxiong's sword blade, in an instant burst forth a fiery red qi and blood like flowing fire, fiercely slashing backward.

The crimson sword light shattered the wind and snow filling the sky, the torn air waves cascading down from both sides!

"Ox Demon!!!!"

A terrified yet explosive roar erupted from deep within Zhao Chuanxiong's throat!

Behind him, a burly figure loomed up like a ghost!

Black robes fluttering, beneath the straw hat the cute ox mask resembled a hellish soul-reaper, a pair of eyes icy and brimming with killing intent fixed on him.

Not a word of excess or nonsense.

The Ox Demon's huge palm, as large as a cattail leaf, rose up, fingers like hooks, and clenched tightly.

Beneath the skin, every pore erupted with boiling qi and blood, like intertwined blood pythons coiling around his thick arms!

White Tiger Raging Wind!

One punch!

From top to bottom!

High above, striking down!

Boom—smash!

Zhao Chuanxiong's turning slash blade light was instantly smashed to pieces by the overbearing, tyrannical force!

The force of that punch was not yet exhausted; the residual energy continued to burst forth!

Zhao Chuanxiong blocked with his long blade, yet the fine-iron long blade's body instantly bent under the smash!

The extremely unfamiliar fist force, as if accompanied by a tiger's roar, pierced the blade and ruthlessly slammed into his chest, crushing it.

Crushing his chest…

Zhao Chuanxiong's boyish mask instantly exploded, revealing a terrified expression, his eyes almost popping out!

His knees slammed hard onto the ground, the blue bricks shattering, the snow covering them exploding upward in high curtains all around.

Crackling—whether it was bones breaking or snow falling, the sound echoed incessantly.

"Exchange… blood exchange?!"

"As expected…"

"Being fish bait…… means you're going to be eaten…"

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(End of chapter)