The two parties remained in a silent, terrifyingly quiet standoff.
Yang Shifei's mind raced, numerous guesses flashing through his thoughts in an instant.
But, this person was definitely extremely dangerous!
At the same time, he leaned back slightly, revealing a surprised expression. "Brother, what might you be doing here?"
"…Ah, just by chance."
The man in black in the thicket spoke in a low voice, "I'm from the yamen, currently pursuing a nearby bandit. That's why I'm hiding here. I hope little brother won't spread the word, lest we startle the villain."
Yang Shifei nodded in realization. "I won't say anything. Brother, please be careful. But do you know where this villain might be?"
"It seems he's hiding somewhere around the Luo Residence."
The man in black's voice grew heavier. "Little brother, have you seen any furtive figures around here recently?"
"I haven't seen any such thing," Yang Shifei said in a low voice. "I only arrived in East City two days ago to seek refuge with the Luo Residence."
"Oh? What is little brother's relationship with the Luo Residence?"
"Er, it's not convenient to discuss this matter."
Yang Shifei's peripheral vision caught a glimpse of a silver glint within the thicket.
It was a saber.
Goosebumps erupted all over his body.
Having lived in a peaceful era for twenty years, seeing such a savage weapon naturally triggered a sense of crisis.
Yang Shifei remained outwardly calm, secretly tightening his grip on the wooden stick in his hand, and forced a sheepish smile.
"Brother, you continue with your business. I won't disturb you."
With that, he intended to flip back down from the wall and leave.
—Clang!
The saber's edge suddenly tore through the thicket, slashing out in an instant!
Yang Shifei held his breath, the cold energy feeling as if it exploded throughout his body. He instinctively leaned back, dodging the sharp blade, his feet pushing off the wall to propel him several zhang away.
After scrambling and rolling on the ground to stabilize himself, he quickly looked up towards the original spot, only to see the man in black leaping towards him, bringing the saber down in another overhead chop!
"Fuck you—!"
Before Yang Shifei could finish his curse, he hastily got up to dodge again. The blade practically grazed his forehead as it struck the ground, sending dust flying.
The man in black, seeing his two strikes miss, let out a soft "Yi?" of apparent surprise, but the saber in his hand didn't pause in the slightest. He twisted his wrist, stepped forward, his movement technique incredibly fast as he closed in.
Yang Shifei dodged left and right, continuously and perilously avoiding the blade's edge. At the same time, he retreated rapidly, grabbing nearby wooden racks and bamboo baskets and throwing them haphazardly.
But the man in black's offensive grew even fiercer and more ruthless. His continuous saber techniques easily swept aside the obstacles, a flurry of horizontal sweeps and diagonal slashes flashing under the moonlight, the glint of the blade erratic.
Tzzt!
Yang Shifei stumbled backward, rolling, and felt a searing pain on his shoulder.
He didn't have time to catch his breath before he immediately grabbed a handful of dirt from the ground and flung it forcefully.
"Hmph!"
The man in black swung his saber horizontally, deflecting most of the scattered dirt. Just as he was about to press his advantage, he saw that Yang Shifei had already retreated more than ten zhang.
Seeing this, his attack paused slightly. His eyes couldn't help but narrow, a sense of strangeness in his heart.
This kid's footing was unsteady and scattered, not like someone who had learned movement techniques. His panicked posture even less so resembled a martial artist. But his physique was unbelievably good; he could actually rely on pure reflexes to repeatedly avoid fatal situations.
Where did this freak come from?
"Hoo—"
Yang Shifei's eyes were wary as he cautiously steadied himself.
His heart was currently pounding furiously; he could almost hear the dull thumping in his ears.
But at this moment, he surprisingly didn't feel the panic of a life-or-death situation. Instead, his mind was inexplicably clear. The cold energy that had been docile within his body was now circulating rapidly, transforming into a ceaseless flow of strength that filled his entire being.
Yang Shifei quickly noticed the change in himself but didn't have time to dwell on it. With a grim face, he spoke,
"I don't believe I've provoked anyone."
"You live here, and you still want to disassociate yourself?"
The man in black sneered, pointing his saber straight at him. "Mere Body Tempering. With my internal cultivation, killing you is but a single slash."
Yang Shifei's mind was clear. He immediately realized this matter was related to the Luo Residence next door; he had likely been unwittingly dragged into it.
But with danger imminent, he had no choice but to retreat again, leaping towards the surrounding wall, simultaneously throwing the wooden stick behind him without looking back.
"Kid, where do you think you're going!"
The man in black's eyes glinted with murderous intent. His thick palms tightened around the cloth-wrapped hilt of his saber, his figure moving like a black shadow as he charged. The long saber in his hand trembled lightly in the wind, humming as it easily parried the incoming stick, its edge slashing towards Yang Shifei's back like a crescent moon.
But just then, Yang Shifei stepped on the wall and pushed off in the opposite direction, leaping like a fish out of water, flipping acrobatically in mid-air, and narrowly grazing past the saber's edge.
Before the man in black could turn his saber for another strike, Yang Shifei, with lightning-fast reflexes in mid-air, grabbed the man's cheekbone. His waist and abdomen suddenly exerted force, and he spun, delivering a vicious knee strike to the back of the man's head.
Thump!
With a muffled sound, the man in black cried out in pain and stumbled forward, his body swaying.
Yang Shifei landed, barely managing to stay upright. He ignored the pain in his knee, his eyes gradually becoming bloodshot, and rushed forward, unleashing a barrage of furious punches.
Thump, thump, thump!
Heavy fists rained down relentlessly, causing the man in black to cough uncontrollably.
But perhaps sensing mortal danger, the man in black, who had been disoriented, suddenly spun around and delivered a horizontal slash with his saber.
This slash was incredibly fast. Yang Shifei didn't even react in time, only subconsciously raising his right arm—
The next moment, both their expressions froze.
The saber's edge bit into flesh and blood, but that was all.
Disbelief filled the man in black's eyes. He had practiced this slash for over ten years, killed countless people. He had thought this strike would at least sever the boy's arm, but the sensation was like striking refined iron. The recoil instead made the web between his thumb and forefinger ache fiercely, and he almost lost his grip on the saber hilt.
Yang Shifei, at this moment, felt no pain. He only saw bloodstains spreading on his sleeve. What followed was an unbelievable calmness, as if he had transformed into a precision machine. As the gears turned, his past morals and etiquette were torn to shreds, and an extremely meticulous killing technique spontaneously arose in his mind.
In the next instant, he twisted his saber-wounded right arm to grapple his opponent, swept his leg against the back of the man's knee, forcing him to kneel. Simultaneously, he kneed the long saber from the man's grasp, then clenched his left fist and smashed it forcefully onto the back of the man in black's head.
A series of direct hits to vital points made the opponent howl in pain. Instead, it seemed to ignite his ferocity, and he delivered a backward kick, heavily striking Yang Shifei's chest and abdomen.
Yang Shifei gritted his teeth, his entire body tensing as he retreated several zhang, his shoe soles carving two tracks on the ground.
He felt a metallic taste welling up in his throat, and his chest felt tight and panicky. But as the cold energy circulated, this discomfort quickly faded.
Not far away, the man in black was swaying as he stood up, glaring hatefully before abruptly turning to flee.
"Damn it!"
Seeing this, Yang Shifei's heart filled with ferocity. The muscles in his legs tensed abruptly, and he gathered his strength to give chase.
In the midst of a life-and-death struggle, he couldn't consider much else, but that look in the man's eyes… He absolutely couldn't let him escape!
Although he didn't know the man's identity or background, if he allowed him to get away easily, endless trouble would surely find its way to his door in the future!
"Don't even think about leaving!"
The tables had turned.
The man in black heard the explosive shout from behind him and was both shocked and enraged.
To think that he, who held some renown in the East City area, would ever be in such a sorry state!
He had just leaped over the courtyard wall when, turning his head, he saw Yang Shifei also leaping out, a fist smashing towards his face.
Thump!
Their fists and palms collided, a muffled sound reverberating.
The man in black retreated several steps, sucking in a breath, feeling his arm go terribly numb.
Yang Shifei, however, pressed forward relentlessly, raising his fists and swinging.
A series of muffled thuds followed as their arms intertwined, fists and palms exchanging blows. They had actually started to trade moves.
But after only a few exchanges, the man in black was beaten back steadily. After taking two punches to the face, he was almost completely dazed.
What the hell was this!
He simply couldn't understand where this young man, who possessed not a shred of martial skill, got such a formidable physique. Moreover, he showed no fear of pain, no cowardice, and truly embodied the principles of speed, precision, and ruthlessness to the extreme. Every punch was aimed at a vital point.
This wasn't some ordinary person unskilled in martial arts; this was clearly an out-and-out bloodthirsty madman!
After their fists clashed head-on once more, both retreated several steps.
"Wait!"
The man in black shouted urgently, raising a hand to stop further combat.
Yang Shifei's steps halted, his face grim. "What do you mean?"
"What is your relationship with the Luo Residence?"
The man in black gasped for a few breaths, cold sweat beading on his forehead. "There might be a misunderstanding between us."
Yang Shifei's thoughts stirred, and he deliberately said, "I have no relationship with the Luo Residence. I just recently rented this place."
"It truly is a misunderstanding!"
The man in black endured the severe pain in his arms and hurriedly cupped his fists. "Please forgive me, brave sir. I thought you were from the Luo Residence, and I acted rashly in my urgency. I have offended you greatly. I will compensate you handsomely."
Saying this, he took out an ingot of silver from his robes and tossed it over.
Yang Shifei turned sideways to avoid the silver, not catching it recklessly.
Seeing this, the man in black assumed he was merely being overly cautious. He took out a small porcelain bottle, placed it on the ground, and cupped his fists again. "This is my humble self's healing medicine. Brother, apply it to the wound on your right arm for a few days, and it will heal. Afterwards, I will personally visit to apologize."
"I've just arrived in East City. I don't know about the grudges between you all."
Yang Shifei said coldly, "What kind of blood feud was it that made you visit late at night, intending to take the lives of those in the Luo Residence?"
"Brother, please calm down. I didn't come to take lives either. It's just that this Luo Residence has overreached, so I came specially to give them a little warning."
The man in black forced a couple of sheepish smiles. "Who knew I'd bump into you, brother, and cause a misunderstanding."
Good, I've managed to stabilize him.
Seeing Yang Shifei lower his arms, a fierce glint flickered deep in the man in black's eyes.
This person must have a deep connection with the Luo Residence; otherwise, he would never be living in this mansion. His stopping to talk now was likely to extract information. Once he was done asking, he would surely strike to silence him.
But for myself, this was an excellent opportunity.
He secretly glanced behind him. The two had leaped out of the courtyard and chased each other for some distance; they were not far from the Luo Residence now.
As long as I can leap into the Luo Residence and capture Miss Luo, I can turn the tables and control this bizarre, brutish man.
Thinking this, the man in black quickly put on a look of remorse. "Brother, those fists and kicks of yours just now were truly formidable. I'm still feeling a bit dizzy. I must go back and recuperate properly now, so I won't trouble you any further."
Saying this, he bowed respectfully, then turned as if to leave.
Whoosh—!
In an instant, the sound of rushing wind exploded from behind him!
The man in black broke into a frantic sprint almost simultaneously. He stepped on the outer wall of the Luo Residence, and with a light touch, he vaulted over and into the compound.
Yang Shifei, seeing his surprise punch fail, also followed closely, leaping into the Luo Residence, his heart sinking.
Although Eldest Miss Luo had the identity of a female ghost, whether she could actually fight was still an unknown. If this desperate bandit went berserk, he might even injure the other two servants of the Luo Residence, whose natures—human or ghost—were also unclear.
His thoughts barely took a moment. Yang Shifei saw lights illuminate within the Luo Residence and shadowy figures quickly emerging. He knew he had to end this quickly.
He stomped hard on the ground, his entire body's cold energy seeming to erupt, kicking up a gust of wind. He shot across the courtyard's flowerbeds at incredible speed.
The man in black hadn't stopped, but he vaguely sensed a bone-chilling killing intent. He subconsciously turned his head in astonishment, and Yang Shifei's face, as cold and demonic as a ghoul's, filled his vision. Before he could even turn to dodge, a fist, like a heavy cannon, smashed into the side of his face.
"Pfft!"
The man in black was sent flying by the punch, the sound of breaking bones audible. He spun three times in mid-air before crashing to the ground, leaving a trail of blood.
"Hoo… hoo…"
The battle abruptly ceased. Yang Shifei lowered his right arm, which had delivered the punch, blood dripping from his fist.
His breathing was ragged. He stared blankly at the man in black lying on the ground, his life status unknown, then looked at his own fist, veins bulging.
Only after the victor was decided did he belatedly realize what he had done. Yet, his heart felt no revulsion or discomfort from killing someone. Instead, his mind was as calm as still water, which felt increasingly strange.
Was it this cold energy within him that had done something to him?
"…Young Master Yang?"
A slightly puzzled, soft inquiry sounded, causing Yang Shifei to look up. He saw Miss Luo and Tanxiang appear before the main hall. "What are you doing—?"
"I happened to encounter this bandit spying on the Luo Residence late at night with ill intentions, so a conflict arose."
Yang Shifei took a deep breath. "Unexpectedly, this person tried to force his way into the Luo Residence to attack you all, so I struck a bit heavily."
He shook his head, suddenly finding that the cold energy within him was receding like a tide. A wave of fatigue, arriving late, washed over him, and his vision became somewhat blurry.
Miss Luo clutched her shawl and walked over quickly. She looked at the man in black on the ground, whose life force was gradually fading, then turned her gaze back to Yang Shifei's face.
"Tanxiang."
"Present."
"Quickly take Young Master Yang back to his room. Prepare healing medicine."
Miss Luo met Yang Shifei's increasingly blurry vision, her pink lips slightly pursed. "Many thanks, Young Master Yang."
"For acting righteously, there should be some reward, ah…"
Yang Shifei felt dizzy, unsure how he'd managed to say those words. He was then helped by Tanxiang to an empty room.
"…"
A cold wind swept through the courtyard. The lights were extinguished, making it appear even more sinister.
Miss Luo stood quietly in place, like a solitary lotus in the dark night, silently watching their departing backs.
A moment later, she slightly raised her fair wrist and spoke coolly, "Moli, refine this corpse."
"Okay~"
A lazy response echoed faintly in the darkness.
And in the next moment, the limbs of the man in black, originally lying in a pool of blood, began to twist. The crisp sounds of bones breaking could be clearly heard. His entire body, as if squeezed and folded by a terrifying external force, was thoroughly kneaded into a ball of flesh. All the blood seeped into the cracks in the ground.
A sinister flame suddenly ignited, engulfing the ball of flesh.
After a few breaths, the courtyard was once again clean and tidy, without a single trace left behind.
A shadowy figure materialized beside Miss Luo, speaking in human tongue, "What should be done about that man?"
"Don't harm him."
Miss Luo's face was indifferent. "This person is not bad."
"Indeed, one cannot judge a book by its cover. He looks fair and clean, yet he fights with such valor and ferocity."
The shadow chuckled. "But that 'spirit cat' seemed to have played some tricks that day. Young Brother Yang probably saw Miss's true form. When he was chatting with Miss, he was just pretending to be calm."
Miss Luo hummed in acknowledgment, her expression still serene.
"I could tell."
"Then Miss means…"
"This person… is quite good."
"…"