Chapter 232: The Challenge, Xie Xiaofeng

In the narrow alley, there was a chorus of shouts and killing intent.

Just as the family of Lao Miao Zi was about to die under the flurry of blades, a figure clad in black drifted out.

One could see this person walking slowly with his hands behind his back. His sleeves moved without wind, and a smile played on his lips; he appeared to possess an indescribable ease and composure, as if a Heavenly Human had descended to the world.

A person like this should not have appeared in a small town, and even less so in this narrow alley where not even sunlight could reach.

Yet, he appeared nonetheless.

The group of thugs turned their heads back, and upon seeing this person, their minds were unexpectedly shaken; a profound, immense fear instantly flooded their spirits.

The young man in black walked very slowly, yet every step seemed to span a distance of several zhang, and in the blink of an eye, he had arrived before the crowd.

"Who cares who he is! Kill him!"

"That's right, no one here can provoke the Big Boss's men."

The young man had already intruded into the midst of these thugs, his hands still clasped behind his back. The thugs seemed to sense something amiss, and blade after blade flashed with dazzling light as they hacked toward the young man in black.

The young man in black's expression did not change in the slightest.

Yet, with every step he took, one after another, the men holding blades fell backward, dying with their eyes wide open. Their blades also clattered to the ground, a cacophony of clanging sounds ringing out incessantly. And on the foreheads of the corpses, there was an extra bloody hole, with fresh blood gurgling out.

"This man uses sorcery!"

"Kill him!"

"No! Run!"

The rest of the men fell into chaos, scurrying about like headless flies.

Some summoned their courage, acting as if they had gone mad. Others had already been scared out of their wits, taking to their heels, wanting to escape from the other side of the alley.

But the young man in black raised his gaze, and in an instant, the remaining thugs were harvested like wheat in a field, falling to the ground.

Throughout the narrow alley, the scent of blood permeated the air; apart from the young man in black, only the family of Lao Miao Zi and A Ji the Useless remained.

The family of Lao Miao Zi was already trembling all over; the person before their eyes was like a ruthless ghost of impermanence, taking lives without a trace—how could they not be afraid?

"Heh, no need to worry, I am a good person." The young man in black seemed to perceive their fear and smiled slightly at them.

This smile was also filled with a strange, magical power; under this smile, their fear seemed like ice and snow under the scorching sun, melting away layer by layer, and instead, they felt infinite reverence and gratitude toward this person.

After all, it was this person who had saved their family's lives.

"There are very few people I cannot understand, and very few I truly dislike; you happen to occupy both."

The young man in black turned his gaze toward A Ji the Useless and shook his head: "The invincible Third Young Master, actually reduced to carrying manure for survival, and not even daring to fight back when bullied. Are you tempering your heart in the mortal world, or are you being excessively pretentious? I do not understand, I truly do not understand."

He could not see through Xie Xiaofeng, nor did he like Xie Xiaofeng.

As the Third Young Master of the Xie Family, Xie Xiaofeng had enjoyed endless reverence and glory, yet he had suddenly grown weary of everything and resolved to cast it all aside, ignoring even his death-match with Yan Shisan, faking his death to leave.

And after he became A Ji the Useless, because of him, one person after another who cared for him became implicated, even losing their lives.

A Ji was also looking at the young man in black, but he did not speak; his whole person looked just like a piece of wood.

The young man in black added: "I have already been to the Xie Family once and taken away your Xie Family Divine Sword. I originally intended to take down the 'Number One Sword Under Heaven' plaque as well, but Old Master Xie is also a peerless swordsman; I respect him, so I did not take it."

This time, light suddenly flickered in the eyes of A Ji the Useless—a piercing light, like the light of a Divine Sword.

The young man in black seemed not to notice, saying indifferently: "Part of the reason I came here this time was to see the Third Young Master's sword. But I know you are hungry and exhausted now, so I will give you one day to recover. Tomorrow at the hour of the Dragon, I will wait for you outside the city."

He glanced at A Ji's hands: "A Ji may not come, but Xie Xiaofeng will definitely come, because he is the Third Young Master, the Third Young Master of the Xie Family. By the way, my name is Yu Liancheng—flawless white jade, worth a thousand cities."

After saying this, he turned to look at the three members of Lao Miao Zi's family and smiled: "This place is no longer safe. Follow me; we will make do at an inn for a while, and I will arrange things for you properly afterward."

Since he had gone to the trouble of doing a good deed, he naturally could not give up halfway.

"Understood, Young Master..." How could these three defy Yu Liancheng's words? After tidying up a little in the room, they walked out, though they could not help but look back at A Ji before leaving: "He..."

"Rest assured, he is the Divine Sword Third Young Master; apart from himself, there are very few people in this world who can truly hurt him." Yu Liancheng had already strode out. Lao Miao Zi and Wawa hesitated for a moment, then finally supported the old woman and followed behind Yu Liancheng.

The group exited the narrow alley. Yu Liancheng looked back; the three of them were following far behind him, seemingly not daring to get too close.

"Come closer, don't get lost."

Yu Liancheng was somewhat curious. The three of them were all ordinary people. He had used the intangible Soul-Absorbing Technique to influence them, and he had saved their lives, doing them a great favor—why did they still seem afraid to approach him?

Lao Miao Zi's lips twitched twice, and he said: "We are dirty and smelly; we dare not get close to the Young Master."

"Just call me Young Master." Yu Liancheng shook his head again, looking at the bustling street: "Of all the people on this street, few are cleaner than you."

Wawa bit her lip and said: "Young Master, we don't understand."

"Though you are not tidy, your hearts are very clean. As for most of these people, even if they washed ten times, a hundred times, they would still be foul-smelling, and even I am the same."

Yu Liancheng beckoned to the three of them: "Alright, say no more, follow me."

"Yes, yes, understood..."

A Ji stood in the narrow alley.

Like a statue.

It was unknown how much time had passed before he finally let out a sigh.

Once one becomes Xie Xiaofeng, one is Xie Xiaofeng for a lifetime.

The one Yu Liancheng challenged was Xie Xiaofeng.

And Xie Xiaofeng carried the honor of the Xie Family, so he could not run, and he absolutely could not lose.

Tomorrow's battle was inevitable.

Yet, he did not have much confidence in this battle.

That person's martial arts cultivation was absolutely not below his own.

Therefore, he must now conserve his energy and adjust himself to his most complete state.

If possible, he also needed to find a woman.

Most people in the Edo believed that on the eve of a decisive battle, one must never approach female company, as it always caused a loss of physical strength.

But Xie Xiaofeng's view was different from others.

He believed that was not a loss, but a harmonization.

The opponent he encountered in this battle was very likely the strongest one of his life.

Before the decisive battle, he had to let himself completely relax.

And only women could make him relax.