Xiao Liang sighed as he watched Huang Wenlong holding the map.
“I never thought Song Changfeng would actually be after this map.
It seems this map is not as simple as it looks!”
But Huang Wenlong just laughed.
“The more extraordinary this map is, the more useful it will be for the Second Young Lady!”
“That’s true!”
Xiao Liang chuckled.
‘As for Song Changfeng, we’ve already offended him.
What’s the worst that can happen?’
‘We’re all prominent figures.
He wouldn’t dare rob us right here in Celestial Fragrance City, would he?!’
But as the auction ended, several people sighed.
“Second Young Master, Master Huang, you should call your guards and leave quickly.”
“Song Changfeng is not like Lord Huang.
Within the Celestial Wind Ninety-Nine Cities, he has slaughtered all kinds of factions, from mountain bandits to city gangs, leaving no one alive!”
“The last major incident was three years ago, the siege of Xiaoming Mountain.
A hundred-thousand-man army surrounded eight thousand bandits, and it was an absolute slaughter.
He doesn’t care about men, women, old, or young.
As long as you were with the bandits, no one was left alive!”
“You can’t be serious…” Xiao Liang was stunned.
‘Is he a reincarnated god of slaughter?’
He spent all his days in Celestial Fragrance City and had no interest in news from the outside world.
‘I can’t believe things like this actually happen!’
“He wouldn’t dare!” Huang Wenlong said furiously.
“This is Dongling Mansion, not Celestial Wind Mansion.
This is Celestial Fragrance City!”
Despite his words, Huang Wenlong knew they shouldn’t delay.
‘Now that I have the map, I’d better deliver it to Xiao Yue’Er to prevent any mishaps.’
“Let’s go!”
The two of them headed out, and many onlookers sighed.
Most of them were from the great families of Dongling Mansion, some wielding profound influence.
‘But who would dare make an enemy of a Mansion Master?’
“Huang Yi, take the shortest route to the Xiao Mansion, and be careful on the way!”
Huang Wenlong commanded, and the guards of the Huang Family and Xiao Family joined forces, forming a large procession heading toward Duke Zhen’s Mansion.
Huang Wenlong sat atop his horse, one hand gripping the reins and the other clutching the map, his eyes scanning their surroundings.
“Mansion Master, they’re almost here!”
Five li into their journey, someone whispered from a street-side stall.
A man like Song Changfeng, who could disappear into a crowd without a second glance, was utterly inconspicuous.
But the old man beside Song Changfeng sighed.
“You brought me all the way to Celestial Fragrance City just to steal a treasure and help me break through?”
“Father,” Song Changfeng said, bowing with cupped hands.
“You are the pillar of our Song Family.
If you’re gone, the great Song Family will fall apart within a few years after I step down as Mansion Master!”
“If it’s gone, it’s gone.
Why must you…”
“I can watch the Song Family break apart, but I can’t bear to watch you…
You raised me all by yourself!”
“In the Song Family, we had no status and no money.
It was you who knelt and begged the main branch!
To feed me, you washed hundreds of pieces of clothing for others every day in the freezing snow.”
“If the main branch was even slightly dissatisfied, you had to wash them all over again.
Your hands were frozen nearly to the point of being ruined!”
“Because of a meat pie the main branch gave you as a reward, you insisted on bringing it to me, hiding it against your chest.
You ended up with blisters all over your skin from the heat.”
“You…”
“You’re my son!” the old man said with a kind smile.
“It’s only natural for a father to take care of his son!”
“But now…
it’s my turn to take care of you,” Song Changfeng said.
“At worst, we’ll break ties with the Huang Family, or even go to war.
I just need you to live!”
“You’re the only family I have in this world!”
Not wanting his father to see his reddened eyes, Song Changfeng quickly turned his head and ordered, “Proceed as planned!”
“Yes, sir!”
In all directions, an unknown number of people lay in ambush.
In a restaurant dozens of meters away, Shuidong Liu and Xiao Yue’Er were seated.
“Sir, why aren’t you in a hurry to cultivate today?”
He hadn’t left the Underground Palace in ten days.
They had all seen how diligent Shuidong Liu was, so this was out of character.
Shuidong Liu smiled.
“Haste makes waste.
One needs to strike a balance between work and rest.
Besides, Yue’Er and I have only just professed our love for each other.
How could I just cast you aside?”
Xiao Yue’Er’s face instantly flushed a lovely shade of pink, so tender one couldn’t help but want to steal a kiss.
Shuidong Liu took one of her hands and toyed with it.
It felt soft and delicate, as if boneless, and was very pleasant to hold.
Watching from the side, Xiaoyu thought Master Shui was being far too bold.
“Master Shui, we’re in public.”
“Hm?”
“You have to be mindful of your reputation!
You and the Young Lady aren’t…
aren’t married yet.
Even if you were, you can’t do that in public…”
Xiao Yue’Er lowered her head as well.
Although she had been bold enough to declare in front of everyone that she would marry Shuidong Liu…
…that was just talk.
Now, however, Shuidong Liu was toying with her hand, which still drew many sidelong glances.
“Sir…”
“I’m just getting familiar with Yue’Er,” Shuidong Liu said, not feeling the least bit shameless.
‘I’m just holding my future wife’s hand, after all.’
‘What’s wrong with a few kisses and cuddles?’
Xiao Yue’Er’s face grew even hotter, but just then, a man strode in from outside, shoved Xiaoyu aside, and took a position by the window, sword in hand, staring down at the long street below.
Xiaoyu, furious, was about to speak when the man said coldly, “If you don’t want to die, shut up!”
“Then die!”
The two words came from Shuidong Liu’s lips.
The man shot Shuidong Liu a look filled with killing intent.
“If you’ve got the guts, just wait.
I’ll kill you after I’m done with my business!”
Everyone else in the restaurant was dumbfounded.
‘Where did this idiot come from?
An outsider?
He dares to provoke the Second Young Lady and Master Shui?
He must not want to leave Celestial Fragrance City alive!’
‘Judging by his stance, who is he planning to assassinate?’
But the man ignored them, his attention completely fixed on the road below.
Shuidong Liu leaned against the window to look, and his brow furrowed.
Xiao Yue’Er had an instinctive feeling that something was wrong.
‘Shuidong Liu doesn’t know many people.
Who could make his expression change like that?’
“Xiaoyu, go downstairs!”
“Trying to leave!”
At Shuidong Liu’s words, the man spun around, sword raised.
He couldn’t let anyone get the message out.
But just as he turned, a palm from Shuidong Liu struck him.
BAM!
The restaurant window shattered, and the man plummeted toward the street below.
The sudden commotion caught the attention of Huang Wenlong and Xiao Liang in the distance, and they pulled their reins to a halt.
Seeing this, Song Changfeng knew things had gone wrong.
“Attack!” he yelled.
‘He knew that if Huang Wenlong’s group turned back now, he would lose his chance!’
At his command, nearly a hundred people appeared from all directions.
Each wore different clothes, some with longswords, others with long sabers.
Their movements were swift and clearly well-practiced as they charged straight for Huang Wenlong and his men.
“The absolute nerve!” Xiao Yue’Er’s pretty face was frosty.
“To ambush people from my Xiao Family on my family’s own territory!”
Xiao Yue’Er slammed her hand on the table and was about to leap out the window, but Shuidong Liu pulled her back.
“Wait.
They’re acting this brazenly for a reason.
There might be other experts.
I’ll go!”
“Sir…”
“I can’t just train all the time!
Martial Arts requires real combat experience!” Shuidong Liu said with a smile, but as he turned his head, his face was already a mask of killing intent.
‘To think someone would dare ambush my brother right in front of me.
They’re courting death!’
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
In the street below, the two sides were already locked in a chaotic battle.
“Huang Yi, hold them back!” Huang Wenlong shouted.
“Young Master, they’re clearly well-trained, and…
every single one of them is in the Qi Cultivation Realm!
Where did these people come from?”
Flashes of sword light and saber energy crisscrossed, shattering the bluestone pavers—each weighing over a hundred pounds—that lined the street.
This wasn’t something an ordinary blade could accomplish.
Bystanders on the street screamed and fled in terror.
Xiao Liang bellowed, “Song Changfeng, get the hell out here!”
“You’re even trying to kill me?
Who the hell do you think you are!”
“Forgive me, Second Young Master.
I have no intention of killing you.
I only want the map in his hands!” Song Changfeng closed the distance with extreme speed, his hand lashing out like a striking flood dragon, snatching for the Wind and Cloud Map in Huang Wenlong’s grasp.
BAM!
Huang Wenlong slapped out with a palm strike, leaping back off his horse.
“You think you’re worthy?”
Song Changfeng was stunned.
“The Extraordinary Realm!
You’re so young, yet you’re already in the Extraordinary Realm!”
But then his shock turned into a vicious grin.
“Even if you are in the Extraordinary Realm, I am getting that map today, no matter what!”
“I will slaughter anyone who stands in my way!”
“Yes, sir!”