Chen Shuyao froze, her face drained of color. She dared not utter another word. This youth had overturned the Tang family with a flick of his hand—what hope did her little Taotao Residence have?
At that moment, a sprightly-looking attendant hurried into the courtyard. He glanced at Chen Shuyao, then fixed his gaze on Lin Yi and said, "Young Master, my family's eldest son invites you to a match on the South City arena tomorrow night."
Lin Yi lifted his teacup and took a sip, asking mildly, "Which eldest son?"
"The Luo family's eldest—Luo Chen." The attendant straightened, pride written across his face as he spoke the name.
"Luo family?" Lin Yi blinked, a flicker of surprise passing his features. He hadn't expected the Luo house to send their young master rather than a group of elders to deal with him. Clearly,y this invitation came from Luo Chen himself—no one else would dare risk such a thing.
"He's confident," Lin Yi thought, and then said coolly, "I accept."
The attendant was taken aback by the boy's prompt agreement. What a reckless creature, he thought. Luo Chen enjoyed tormenting opponents in the arena; once this youth stepped onto the platform, he likely wouldn't even have a chance to beg.
The attendant turned to Chen Shuyao. "Madam Chen, my young master also instructed me to tell you: after tomorrow, Taotao Residence should probably close down."
Chen Shuyao trembled. Her worst fears had come true. She had truly invited calamity. If the youth were slain tomorrow, her livelihood—her decade of work—would be ruined.
The attendant left. Tears welled in Chen Shuyao's eyes as she looked at Lin Yi. "I told you to leave, but you wouldn't. Now look—my tavern, the work of so many years, will be destroyed!"
She broke down in sobs. Lin Yi's impatience flared; he snapped, "Silence!"
Her crying stopped instantly. Inwardly, she seethed—my tavern will be ruined because of this monster, and I can't even complain out loud. But she didn't dare speak. This was a man who killed families; one false move and she would be dead.
Lin Yi waved his hand. "Hurry and go."
Chen Shuyao sniffed, glared at him with lingering resentment, then left the courtyard on shaky feet.
Once she was gone, Lin Yi resumed drinking his tea with languid ease. He understood the match tomorrow would not be a simple duel between him and Luo Chen. The Luo family's elders would attend; if he killed Luo Cheninn in the arena, they would not let him leave unchallenged. The City Guard might even intervene.
Lin Yi's lips curled into a faint smile as he contemplated the situation.
"Just as I like it," he murmured to himself."The bigger the trouble, the more it excites me!"
Meanwhile, in the Luo family estate in Qingfeng City.
"Eldest Young Master, that boy… he accepted!"
The attendant bowed respectfully.
"Oh?" Luo Chen raised an eyebrow. "He actually agreed so quickly?"
His mother, Xiao Yue, shook her head gently, her tone calm. "If he hadn't agreed, he'd be dead at Taotao Residence today. Accepting simply gives him another day to live."
Luo Chen laughed aloud. "Mother is right. Then let him live one more day."
He turned to the attendant and ordered, "Go. Keep a close watch on him—don't let him escape. And make sure the city knows about my challenge to this boy."
Luo Chen liked to make a show of things. He wanted everyone in the city to see just how powerless the boy who stormed the city gates and destroyed the Tang family really was before him.
"Yes, Eldest Young Master!" the attendant replied and bowed.
At the South City Guard Hall, in the main chamber.
A wide bronze chair sat at the center. On it reclined a man in white robes, adorned with gold-lined patterns of a white tiger. His features were delicate and almost feminine, but his face was a sickly pale, drained of color.
This was Du Chuan, Commander of the South City Guard.
Before him stood a woman, her hair neatly tied in a high bun, wearing formal armor that accentuated her commanding presence. She was Yun Xiao, one of the four chief captains of the South City Guard.
Du Chuan slowly rose from the bronze chair, his narrow phoenix-like eyes narrowing slightly. "You came to see me. What is it?"
Yun Xiao clasped her hands in respect. "Commander, I bring grave news. Not long ago, someone forcibly breached the South City gates. Shen Lin and Qiong Yuanxiao, the two gate captains, were both killed by him."
"Oh?" Du Chuan's brow furrowed. "Someone dared to storm the city gates?"
The City Guard's authority in Qingfeng City was second only to the city lord's mansion. Even the top families of the city treated them with caution.
"Was this person affiliated with the city lord's mansion?" Du Chuan asked. He could think of no one else in Qingfeng City bold enough to offend the City Guard.
Yun Xiao shook her head, her expression grave. "No. According to our intelligence, he's just a teenage boy from Qingshan County. Not only that, he single-handedly destroyed the entire Tang family—one of the city's second-rank families. Luo family's matriarch's sister, Luo Qiulan, and her daughter, Luo Luo, were also killed by him."
"What?" Du Chuan's face showed shock. Destroyed the Tang family entirely? And even dared to kill members of the Luo family? All of this… by a mere teenager?
He tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of the bronze chair. The hall fell silent.
After a moment, he spoke slowly, "And the Luo family… any word from them?"