Chapter 5: Cold Blood and Warm Intent

The two sides stood frozen in silence, frighteningly quiet.

Yang Shifei’s thoughts raced, countless guesses flashing through his mind.

But this person was definitely extremely dangerous!

At the same time, he leaned back slightly and showed a surprised expression. “Brother, why are you here?”

“…Ah, just by coincidence.”

The black-clothed man in the tree spoke in a low voice. “I’m from the government office. I’m currently pursuing a bandit nearby, which is why I’ve been hiding here. I hope you won’t speak of this, little brother, so as not to alert the villain.”

Yang Shifei nodded in sudden understanding. “I won’t say anything. Be careful, brother. But may I ask where that villain is?”

“He seems to be hiding somewhere around the Luo Residence.”

The black-clothed man’s voice grew heavier. “Have you seen any suspicious figures nearby recently, little brother?”

“I haven’t.” Yang Shifei lowered his voice. “I only arrived in Eastern City two days ago to seek shelter with the Luo Residence.”

“Oh? What relationship do you have with the Luo Residence?”

“Uh, that’s not convenient to explain.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Yang Shifei vaguely caught a glint of silver cold light inside the branches.

A blade.

Goosebumps rose all over his body.

Having lived in peaceful times for twenty years, seeing such a fierce weapon naturally gave him a sense of danger.

Yang Shifei remained calm on the surface, secretly tightening his grip on the wooden stick in his hand, and forced an embarrassed smile.

“Brother, please carry on. I won’t disturb you.”

After saying that, he prepared to climb down from the wall and leave.

Clang!

The blade suddenly tore through the branches and slashed toward him in an instant.

Yang Shifei held his breath. The coldness seemed to explode throughout his body, and he instinctively leaned back to avoid the edge. His feet kicked off the wall, sending him flying several zhang away.

After rolling clumsily across the ground and barely steadying himself, he quickly looked up at the original spot, only to see the black-clothed man leaping toward him and chopping down again.

“Holy shit, you—”

Before Yang Shifei could finish cursing, he hurriedly got up and dodged again. The blade nearly grazed his forehead before striking the ground, sending dust flying.

Seeing that two strikes had failed, the black-clothed man seemed somewhat surprised and let out a soft sound of doubt. But the blade in his hand did not stop at all. With a turn of his wrist and a step forward, he closed in at extreme speed.

Yang Shifei dodged left and right, narrowly avoiding the blade again and again. At the same time, he retreated rapidly, grabbing wooden racks and bamboo baskets along the way and throwing them at random.

But the black-clothed man’s attacks were even fiercer and more ruthless. His continuous blade technique easily swept aside the obstacles. Under the moonlight, he slashed horizontally and diagonally again and again, flashes of steel flickering unpredictably.

Rip!

Yang Shifei stumbled and rolled backward, feeling a burning pain on his shoulder.

He had no time to catch his breath. He immediately grabbed a handful of dirt from the ground and flung it hard.

“Hmph!”

The black-clothed man swept his blade horizontally, dispersing most of the incoming dust. Just as he was about to press the attack, he saw that Yang Shifei had already retreated more than ten zhang away.

Seeing this, his offense paused slightly. His eyes narrowed, and he secretly found it strange.

This kid’s steps were unsteady and chaotic, nothing like someone who had learned movement techniques. His panicked posture looked even less like that of a martial artist. Yet his body was unbelievably strong, actually allowing him to dodge deadly situations again and again through pure reaction speed.

Where had this freak come from?

“Huff—”

Yang Shifei’s eyes were guarded as he carefully steadied himself.

His heart was pounding wildly, and he seemed able to hear its muffled thudding beside his ears.

But at this moment, he did not feel the panic of being on the brink of life and death. Instead, his mind was inexplicably clear. The cold air that had been quietly settled inside his body was now circulating rapidly, turning into an endless stream of strength that filled his whole body.

Yang Shifei quickly noticed his own changes, but he had no time to think carefully. With a grim expression, he said,

“I don’t think I’ve offended anyone.”

“You’re living here and still want to pretend you have nothing to do with it?”

The black-clothed man sneered and pointed his blade straight at him. “A mere body-tempering novice. With my internal cultivation, killing you only takes one slash.”

Yang Shifei’s mind was clear, and he immediately realized this matter was connected to the Luo Residence next door. He had probably been dragged into this for no reason.

But with danger right in front of him, he had no choice but to withdraw and retreat again, leaping toward the surrounding wall while throwing the wooden stick behind him without looking back.

“Boy, where do you think you’re running?!”

The black-clothed man’s eyes were filled with killing intent. His thick hands tightened around the cloth-wrapped hilt, and his figure shot forward like a black shadow. The long blade in his hand trembled lightly against the wind, humming as it easily deflected the flying stick. Its edge swept toward Yang Shifei’s back like a crescent moon.

But at that moment, Yang Shifei stepped onto the wall and kicked backward instead. Like a fish leaping out of water, he flipped through the air and barely brushed past the blade’s edge.

Before the black-clothed man could turn his blade and counterattack, Yang Shifei reached out with sharp eyes and quick hands, clamping onto the man’s face bones midair. His waist and abdomen suddenly exerted strength as he spun with the momentum, driving a knee viciously into the back of the man’s head.

Bang!

With a muffled sound, the black-clothed man cried out in pain and staggered forward, his body swaying.

Yang Shifei landed and barely steadied himself. Enduring the pain in his knee, his eyes gradually bloodshot, he rushed forward and swung his fists in a furious barrage.

Thud, thud, thud!

Heavy punches landed one after another, making the black-clothed man cough and groan repeatedly.

But perhaps sensing mortal danger, the black-clothed man, who had still been dazed, suddenly turned and slashed horizontally.

The slash was extremely fast. Yang Shifei did not react in time and only instinctively raised his right arm—

In the next moment, both of their expressions froze.

The blade cut into flesh, but that was all.

The black-clothed man’s eyes were filled with disbelief. He had practiced this slash for more than ten years and killed countless people. He had thought this strike would at least sever the boy’s arm, yet the feeling was as if he had chopped into refined iron. Instead, the impact made the web between his thumb and forefinger ache, and he nearly failed to keep hold of the hilt.

As for Yang Shifei, at this moment he felt no pain at all. He merely glanced at the blood spreading through his sleeve. What followed was an unbelievable calm, as though he had turned into a precise machine. As gears turned within him, the morality and etiquette of ordinary days were torn to shreds, and extremely meticulous killing techniques naturally emerged in his mind.

In the next instant, he twisted the right arm wounded by the long blade and seized the other man. With one kick, he swept the back of the man’s knee and forced him to kneel. Then he raised his knee and knocked the long blade from the man’s hand, before clenching his left fist and smashing it with all his strength into the back of the black-clothed man’s head.

After consecutive blows to vital points, the man could not help letting out a howl of pain. Instead, as though his ferocity had been stirred, he kicked backward and struck Yang Shifei heavily in the chest and abdomen.

Yang Shifei gritted his teeth and tensed his whole body as he slid several zhang back, his shoe soles carving two lines into the ground.

He felt a fishy, bitter taste rise in his throat, and his chest and abdomen felt unbearably tight. But as the cold air circulated, the discomfort quickly faded.

Not far away, the black-clothed man staggered to his feet, glared at him hatefully, and clearly intended to turn and flee.

“Fuck!”

Seeing this, ruthlessness surged in Yang Shifei’s heart. The muscles in his legs suddenly tightened, and he gathered his strength to sprint after him.

In the midst of a life-and-death fight, he could not think about much else. But that look in the other man’s eyes… he absolutely could not let him leave!

He did not know the man’s identity or background, but if he let him escape easily, endless trouble would surely come knocking in the future.

“Don’t even think about leaving!”

The situation had already reversed.

When the black-clothed man heard the furious shout behind him, he was both shocked and enraged.

He considered himself rather renowned around Eastern City. When had he ever been in such a sorry state?

He had just leaped out over the wall when he looked back and saw Yang Shifei also flying out after him, a fist smashing straight toward his face.

Bang!

Fist and palm collided with a muffled crash.

The black-clothed man retreated several steps, inhaling sharply as his arm went violently numb.

Yang Shifei pressed forward relentlessly and raised his fist to swing.

A string of muffled impacts rang out. The two men’s arms crossed and shifted, fists and palms alternating as they began exchanging moves and counters.

But after only a few exchanges, the black-clothed man was beaten back step by step. After taking two punches to the face, he was almost completely stunned.

What the hell was this?!

He could not understand at all where this young man, who had not a trace of martial skill, had obtained such a powerful physique. And he did not fear pain or show fear. He had practically pushed the words fast, accurate, and ruthless to the extreme, every punch aiming for a vital point.

How was this an ordinary person who had never studied martial arts? This was clearly a full-blown bloodthirsty madman!

After the two of them clashed head-on with their fists, both sides retreated several steps.

“Wait!”

The black-clothed man hurriedly shouted and raised a hand to stop the fight.

Yang Shifei halted abruptly, his face gloomy. “What do you mean?”

“What is your relationship with the Luo Residence?”

The black-clothed man gasped several times, cold sweat pouring from his forehead. “There may be a misunderstanding between us.”

Yang Shifei’s heart stirred, and he deliberately said, “I have nothing to do with the Luo Residence. I only just rented this place.”

“It really is a misunderstanding!”

Enduring the severe pain in both arms, the black-clothed man hurriedly cupped his fists. “Please forgive me, hero. I thought you were someone from the Luo Residence and acted out of urgency. I greatly offended you just now. I will compensate you handsomely.”

As he spoke, he took out a silver ingot from his clothes and tossed it over.

Yang Shifei turned aside to avoid the silver and did not recklessly catch it with his hand.

Seeing this, the black-clothed man merely assumed he was being overly cautious. He then took out a small porcelain bottle and placed it on the ground before cupping his fists again. “This is my healing medicine. Brother, apply it to the wound on your right arm for a few days and it will recover. Afterward, I will personally come to apologize.”

“I’ve only just arrived in Eastern City and don’t know about the grudges between you.”

Yang Shifei said coldly, “What kind of blood feud made you visit late at night, intending to take the lives of those in the Luo Residence?”

“Brother, calm down. I didn’t come here to kill anyone. It’s just that the Luo Residence’s reach has grown too long, so I came specially to give them a warning.”

The black-clothed man forced an embarrassed smile. “Who would have thought I would happen to run into you, brother, and cause a misunderstanding?”

Good. He had stabilized this man.

Seeing Yang Shifei lower his arms, a fierce glint flashed faintly in the black-clothed man’s eyes.

This man definitely had a deep relationship with the Luo Residence. Otherwise, there was no way he would be living in this residence. Now that he had stopped and started talking, he was probably trying to draw out information. Once he finished asking questions, he would surely kill him to silence him.

But for him, this was an excellent opportunity.

He secretly glanced behind him. The two of them had jumped out of the courtyard and fought along the road for some distance, and they were now not far from the Luo Residence.

As long as he could seize the chance to leap into the Luo Residence and capture Miss Luo, he could turn things around and use her to restrain this strange brute.

Thinking this, the black-clothed man quickly put on an ashamed expression again. “Brother, your fists and kicks just now were truly powerful. My head is still dizzy. I should go back and properly treat my injuries now, so I won’t disturb you any longer.”

As he spoke, he respectfully bowed. Only then did he turn as if to leave.

Whoosh!

In an instant, the sound of wind suddenly rang out behind him.

Almost at the same moment, the black-clothed man sprang away and ran wildly. With one foot landing on the outer wall of the Luo Residence, he lightly tapped it and flipped through the air into the estate.

Seeing that his sneak attack had failed, Yang Shifei immediately jumped into the Luo Residence after him, his heart sinking.

Although Miss Luo had the identity of a female ghost, whether she could fight was still unknown. If this desperate bandit went mad regardless of life and death, he might even injure the other two maids of the Luo Residence, whose identities as human or ghost were also unclear.

His thoughts lasted only an instant. Seeing lights come on inside the Luo Residence and vaguely spotting figures quickly walking out, Yang Shifei knew he had to cut through the mess swiftly.

He stomped the ground hard. The cold air around his body seemed to erupt completely, stirring up a gust of wind as he shot across the courtyard flowerbeds at extreme speed.

The black-clothed man’s steps did not stop, but he vaguely sensed a trace of killing intent that made his blood run cold. He instinctively looked back in shock, only to see Yang Shifei’s face, cold and sinister like a malicious ghost, reflected in his eyes. Before he could dodge sideways, a fist struck his cheek like a heavy cannon.

“Pfft!”

The black-clothed man was sent flying by the punch, the cracking of bones ringing out. His entire body spun three times in the air before crashing to the ground, leaving a trail of blood.

“Huff, huff…”

The battle came to an abrupt end. Yang Shifei lowered his right arm, blood dripping from his fist.

Breathing rapidly, he stared blankly at the black-clothed man lying on the ground, his life or death unknown. Then he looked at his own fist, veins bulging across it.

Only after victory and defeat had been decided did he belatedly realize what he had done. Yet no nausea or discomfort from killing someone rose in his heart. Instead, his mind was as calm as still water, making everything feel even stranger.

Had the cold air inside his body done something to him?

“…Young Master Yang?”

A soft sound of doubt rang out, making Yang Shifei look up. He saw Miss Luo and Tanxiang standing before the main hall.

“What are you…”

“I happened to run into this bandit spying on the Luo Residence late at night with ill intentions, so I clashed with him.”

Yang Shifei took a deep breath. “Unexpectedly, this man tried to force his way into the Luo Residence and attack all of you, so I struck a little heavily.”

He shook his head and suddenly discovered that the coldness inside his body was receding like a tide. Fatigue surged up belatedly, and even his vision began to blur.

Miss Luo gathered her shawl and quickly walked over. She looked at the black-clothed man on the ground, whose life was gradually fading, then turned her gaze back to Yang Shifei’s face.

“Tanxiang.”

“Here.”

“Quickly take Young Master Yang back inside and prepare healing medicine.”

Miss Luo met Yang Shifei’s increasingly blurred gaze and pressed her pink lips together slightly. “Thank you, Young Master Yang.”

“I performed a righteous deed. I should get a little reward…”

Yang Shifei was dizzy and muddled, not even knowing how he had said those words. Then Tanxiang supported him and helped him into an empty room.

“…”

The cold wind brushed through the courtyard. The lamplight went out, making the place seem even more eerie.

Miss Luo stood quietly where she was, like a solitary lotus in the dark night, silently watching the two of them leave.

A moment later, she slightly raised her pale wrist and spoke coldly.

“Moli, refine this corpse.”

“Okay~”

A lazy reply faintly sounded beneath the night sky.

In the next instant, the limbs of the black-clothed man lying in the pool of blood gradually twisted. The crisp sounds of bones breaking could be clearly heard. His entire body seemed to be squeezed and folded by some terrifying external force until he was completely kneaded into a ball of flesh, while all the blood seeped into the cracks in the ground.

A cluster of sinister flames suddenly ignited and swallowed the lump of flesh.

After a few breaths, the courtyard once again returned to being clean and tidy, without leaving the slightest trace.

A shadowy figure appeared beside Miss Luo and spoke in human words.

“What should we do about that man?”

“Do not harm him.”

Miss Luo’s face was indifferent. “He is quite good.”

“Indeed, one cannot judge by appearances. He looks so fair and clean, yet when fighting, he is so brave and ferocious.”

The shadow laughed. “But that ‘spirit cat’ seemed to have done something that day. Little Brother Yang should have seen Miss’s true form. When he was chatting with you then, he was only pretending to be calm.”

Miss Luo gave a soft hum, her face still calm.

“I could tell.”

“Then Miss means…”

“This person is quite good.”

“…”

[End of Chapter]