"Hey, how's it this fool!"
Sha Lifei clearly recognized the man, instinctively hunching his shoulders and tucking in his chest. But seeing Li Yan standing tall, his left hand gripping the hilt of his blade, Sha Lifei's face soured, and he straightened up too.
"Everyone, I'm back."
Master Zhou snorted, preparing to lead them into the courtyard.
A bare-chested, heavyset man nearby grinned mockingly, "Yo, Master Zhou, you're a man of your word. We brothers were just thinking, if you didn't show, we'd go in ourselves…"
"Get lost!"
Before he could finish, a hand shoved him, making him stumble.
The heavyset man was about to curse but shut his mouth when he saw who it was.
It was Meng Haicheng.
He looked at Li Yan, eyes gleaming with delight, "Well, well, enemies do meet on a narrow path! Damn it, I was just thinking of hunting you down!"
Li Yan gave a faint glance, "Still not satisfied? Want another go?"
Hearing their exchange, Master Zhou was stunned.
He hadn't expected the young man behind Daoist Wang to have a grudge with the Iron Blade Society.
"No way I'm fighting you again!"
Meng Haicheng's face reddened as he cursed, "Look at where we are—Xianyang! Brothers, take this kid down!"
"Got it, Brother Hai!"
The group of thugs swarmed forward.
"Hey, hey, hey…" Sha Lifei panicked, shouting, "Meng Haicheng, have you no shame? Ganging up like this—don't you care about martial world rules?"
Meng Haicheng sneered, "Rules? You think you're worthy?"
*Swish!*
Before he finished, a figure charged forward.
It was Li Yan, suddenly lunging, his left hand thrusting forward, his right dipping low.
"That move again!"
Meng Haicheng's temper flared at the sight.
Last time, Li Yan had used this stance to land a solid elbow strike to his chest, forcing him to abandon his wheat reapers and flee in disgrace.
He knew his days as a reaper leader were over.
Forget the mockery from peers—abandoning his reapers mid-journey, no matter the reason, meant no one would follow him again.
As for Li Yan's hope of confronting Zhou Pan, that was wishful thinking.
Meng Haicheng knew his master too well. If he disciplined Li Yan, fine. But if Zhou Pan learned he'd been humiliated, Meng Haicheng would be in for it.
So, he kept quiet, fearing the news would reach Zhou Pan's ears.
After much thought, with no future as a blade-wielding reaper, he gritted his teeth, came to Xianyang, and joined his senior brother as a lackey.
Seeing Li Yan charge, Meng Haicheng didn't dodge.
He crouched low, twisting his waist, his right hand forming a defensive shelf, looking every bit like a big monkey squatting on the ground.
It seemed laughable, but it was a lethal move taught by Zhou Pan.
If Li Yan pressed with the elbow strike, Meng Haicheng could counter with "Old Ape Falls from Branch," flipping his foot to target Li Yan's lower body, aiming to cripple him.
If Li Yan switched to a side kick, Meng Haicheng could use "Nimble Monkey Wraps Silk," clawing at the eyes or tearing the face to shreds.
He had counters for upper, middle, and lower attacks, each vicious and precise.
This time, prepared, he wouldn't suffer like before.
But Li Yan's hand, dipping to his waist, suddenly gripped the hilt of his blade and, with a swift change, drew it in a flash.
*Clang!*
The blade gleamed like cold light, slicing through the rain.
Guanzhong's fast blade was no trifling matter. Before Meng Haicheng could react, a blade rested against his neck, its chilling edge already cutting the skin.
To onlookers, it was a comical scene: Meng Haicheng squatting like a monkey about to be slaughtered by Li Yan's blade.
Humiliated again, Meng Haicheng roared, "We're sparring with fists, and you pull a blade? That's against the rules!"
Li Yan raised an eyebrow, "Rules… you think you're worthy?"
"You…"
Meng Haicheng was so furious his head buzzed.
Before he could speak, his face paled, and he stumbled back.
Li Yan advanced with the blade, forcing him to retreat into the courtyard, then turned calmly, "Anyone steps past this gate, I'll send their head as a gift."
Unfortunately, his words didn't deter the Iron Blade Society members outside.
These men, though not blade-wielding reapers who lived with their lives on their belts, were reckless types who lived day-to-day.
In the previous dynasty, Daxing called them "roaring tigers"; the Golden Horde called them "masterless rogues"; various groups dubbed them "lifeless societies"—all outlaws.
Like the gangs in Tianjin, where "pot brothers" drew lots for death duels, facing boiling oil, three stabs and six holes, or eye-gouging, without flinching to prove their mettle.
Guanzhong folk—wild, brash, stubborn—were no less bold.
A man stepped forward, one eye big, one small, brandishing a short blade, glaring sideways, "Oh, pulling a blade, huh?"
He pointed at his own neck.
"Come on, let him go, strike here. Kill me, and you're a real man. Brothers, watch closely!"
"Hahaha…"
The thugs roared with laughter, fearless.
They'd seen plenty of blade-wielders and had ways to deal with them.
Their method? Play dirty!
The Great Xuan Dynasty's laws were strict. Whether martial or mysterious path folk, all were treated equally. Killing someone meant an immediate warrant, especially in broad daylight.
As for them, they had no fear.
First, the Iron Blade Society had their backs, with silver spread among officials.
Second, they held a debt note and were just loitering at the gate. Even at the yamen, they'd come out unscathed.
Against blade-wielders, their mindset was simple: if I die, it's my bad luck, but you won't have it easy either. The authorities will hunt you, and the gang will put a bounty on your head.
But if you don't kill me…
Heh, today's your day to make a name!
Navigating the gray area between black and white, they had their tricks.
Facing these rogues, Li Yan couldn't be bothered to argue. With a cold chuckle, he pressed his wrist, and the blade sank into flesh.
Blood gushed from Meng Haicheng's neck, staining half his body.
"No, no, no!"
Meng Haicheng's face turned white with fear, his scalp prickling as he shrieked, "Stay back! This guy's a lunatic! You trying to get me killed?!"
The Iron Blade Society members outside stopped advancing, but their looks at Meng Haicheng were now filled with mockery.
This guy was the gang leader's junior brother. His death would be hard to explain.
They hadn't expected the loudmouth to be such a coward at the critical moment.
Li Yan ignored the rogues.
Their way of life was entirely different from martial world folk. They seemed brazen but were just playing dirty, using the law to pressure martial artists while bullying common folk with their fists.
In a lawless wilderness, they'd have been wiped out clean.
The commotion had already stirred the people inside the courtyard.
A crowd poured out from the dilapidated mansion—men, women, old, and young, mostly ordinary folk without martial skills.
A tear-streaked, homely girl clutched a broom, an elderly musician shakily held a short blade, and even children brandished wooden sticks.
Of course, there were plenty of young men, all glaring fiercely.
Li Yan could see why Master Zhou, despite his skills, didn't dare resist these thugs.
A shadow puppet troupe typically needed singers, puppeteers, and musicians.
Sometimes singers doubled as musicians, playing while singing, and with a dedicated puppeteer, two people could form a troupe for temple fairs.
Clearly, the Spring Breeze Troupe was a large group.
Besides performers, they likely brought their families and children.
This was unavoidable. With land consolidation rampant in Shenzhou, people clung to their roots. Who would drag their family into the martial world unless they'd lost their land?
"It's fine, it's fine."
Though caught off guard by the turn of events, Master Zhou forced himself to stay calm, saying, "This is Daoist Wang, whom I invited. Go back inside and don't add to the mess."
He glanced at Li Yan, wanting to speak but stopping short.
He was helpless. He hadn't expected his savior to also be a troublemaker, drawing a blade at the slightest disagreement and already at odds with the Iron Blade Society.
If this hothead had his way and left, the troupe would face the Iron Blade Society's retaliation.
At this thought, Master Zhou was at a complete loss.
Seeing this, Wang Daoxuan's expression softened, and he nodded, "Master Zhou, rest assured. One matter at a time. Your job, this poor Daoist will take."
Seeing this, his doubts had largely faded.
With such a mix of old and young, they didn't seem like the type to skin humans or dabble in evil practices.
Even so, he looked to Li Yan.
Li Yan, one hand holding the blade, formed the Yang gesture with the other, took a deep breath, and the scents within a hundred meters flooded his nose. Then he closed it with the Yin gesture.
The smell from the troupe's puppet boxes was all from livestock.
There was no trace of sinister or malevolent odors in the troupe.
He nodded to Wang Daoxuan, then suddenly kicked up a stone from the ground, caught it, and flung it over the courtyard wall.
This "flying locust stone" technique was common in the martial world.
He'd once herded sheep at home, striking their horns to guide them back, so he was quite skilled.
"Ouch, you damn fool!"
A scream came from beyond the wall.
A thug had tried to sneak over the wall to grab someone from the troupe as a hostage to trade for Meng Haicheng but was spotted by Li Yan.
Li Yan smirked, tapping Meng Haicheng's face with the flat of his blade, saying calmly, "This matter—want to settle it today or in a few days?"
Meng Haicheng gritted his teeth, "Today, how do we settle it?"
"Simple!"
Li Yan raised an eyebrow, "I'll slaughter you first, then wipe out the trash outside, get hunted by the court, and hide out elsewhere."
Meng Haicheng swallowed hard, "And in a few days?"
Li Yan looked up, "Then we follow martial world rules. After this job's done, I'll take you on. Bring whoever you want for a life-or-death arena fight!"
In this situation, Meng Haicheng had no choice but to spit out a threat, "Fine, don't you dare run!"
Li Yan scoffed, "Li Hu's son, running in Zhou Monkey's territory? You'd like that, but I wouldn't!"
With that, he kicked Meng Haicheng out the gate.
Meng Haicheng, with his martial skills, stumbled but steadied himself, turning to roar, "You little bastard, three days from now, I'll collect your corpse!"
"Let's go!"
With that, he led his men away.
After they left, Li Yan turned, "Uncle Sha, go spread the word. Tell them Li Hu's son is here. They won't dare skip this fight!"
"Got it!"
Sha Lifei understood immediately and rushed off.
Once he was done, Wang Daoxuan nodded and said to Master Zhou, "The rain should stop tomorrow. Prepare everything quickly."
"Tomorrow night, we head to the mass graveyard!"
*(End of Chapter)*