Chapter 455 - 248: To Strike 2
Chapter 455: Chapter 248: To Strike 2
"Who’s there?" Liu Xunfeng shouted.
His own talent was average, but he had a powerful father with Celestial Essence Cultivation. His father had used a mountain of Spirit Medicine to forcibly raise him to the level of a Martial Artist with Bone Marrow Cleansing Cultivation. As soon as someone appeared within three zhang of him, his five senses instantly detected them.
However, the other party’s cultivation was far more formidable than he could have ever imagined. The words had barely left his lips when a large hand was already gripping his neck.
"Don’t move. If you do, I’ll snap your neck."
A hoarse voice spoke. Liu Xunfeng trembled all over, his face etched with terror.
Anyone who could render him powerless and subdue him in a single move could definitely snap his neck with ease.
"Please, don’t do anything rash. I am Liu Xunfeng. My father is Liu Qingyuan, an Elder of Tianquan Peak in the Purple Sun Sect. If you’re short on money, friend, just name a price. My Liu Family loves to befriend people of the Jianghu and will not be stingy. Harming me will do you no good," Liu Xunfeng said hastily.
’First, I have to stabilize this audacious madman.’
"I don’t want money. Do you have any Spirit Medicine?"
The hoarse voice spoke again. Liu Xunfeng looked up and saw that the other person was wearing a mask, hiding their true appearance.
’He doesn’t want money, only Spirit Medicine... This must be a Martial Artist driven mad by the pursuit of cultivation. He’s capable of anything.’
"I do!" Liu Xunfeng said hurriedly.
’Spirit Medicine is important, but my life is more important.’
’As long as I meet his demands, he probably won’t kill me.’
"Where is it? Get it out, now! And don’t try any tricks!"
Xu Yang hadn’t expected there to actually be Spirit Medicine here.
He had initially just planned to act the part of a common brigand. He never thought this unassuming pharmacy would actually contain Spirit Medicine.
"One moment, friend!"
Liu Xunfeng took a key from his waist, stood up, and pulled aside a painting on the wall, revealing a hidden compartment.
He inserted the key into the compartment and turned it. An iron box appeared before him.
Liu Xunfeng stepped forward, took out a Jade Box from the iron box, and lifted a corner of its lid. Inside, a perfectly preserved Dragon Beard Root lay quietly.
A sharp glint flashed in Xu Yang’s eyes. He hadn’t expected it to be a Dragon Beard Root, the main ingredient for refining the Dragon Tiger Great Golden Pill.
"Friend, you can let me go now, right?" Liu Xunfeng said with a smile.
Xu Yang snatched the Jade Box and smiled. "Of course."
The next moment, a strand of Golden Blade Qi materialized, and waves of heat rolled through the air. It was Xu Yang’s Fiery Sun Gang Saber, which he hadn’t used in a long time.
Before Liu Xunfeng’s despairing eyes, the Golden Blade Qi pierced through his body, leaving a trail of green smoke.
"TSSSK!"
Before he could even let out a scream, Liu Xunfeng was split in two on the spot. The smell of scorched flesh filled the air.
Xu Yang stepped forward and opened the iron box hidden in the wall. Inside, he found a thick stack of silver banknotes, as well as some rare medicinal herbs. Several of them were ingredients needed to refine the Dragon Tiger Great Golden Pill.
He stuffed everything into a bag he had prepared beforehand, then transformed into a black shadow that shot up into the air, quickly vanishing into the night.
"Ahhh—!"
Not long after, a scream tore through the night. It was Liu Xunfeng’s concubine. Having waited for him for a long time, she had come looking for him, only to faint at the horrific sight she discovered.
Soon, the Liu Family guards from the pharmacy arrived.
"The Blazing Blade! It’s the Blazing Blade! That monster is back at it again!"
Based on the traces left behind, the Liu Family guards quickly determined that the crime was the work of the infamous Blazing Blade. Their faces paled as they hurriedly reported the matter to the Cyan Yang City Law Enforcers.
A group of Cyan Yang City Law Enforcers rushed to Liu’s Pharmacy. When they learned that the person killed by the Blazing Blade was the son of Elder Liu Qingyuan, they immediately locked down Cyan Yang City and sent someone to ride through the night to report to the Purple Sun Sect.
「Tianquan Peak.」
In the dead of night, a figure sped up Tianquan Peak, heading straight for Liu Qingyuan’s main hall.
"Who goes there? Halt!"
He Song emerged from the darkness, blocking the person who had come up from the base of the peak. He saw that the visitor was dressed in the uniform of a Cyan Yang City Law Enforcer, panting for breath. He wondered what would bring them running up Tianquan Peak so late at night.
"I am a Law Enforcer from Cyan Yang City! Take me to Elder Liu at once! Something has happened to Young Master Liu Xunfeng!" the person shouted.
He Song’s expression changed drastically.
’Ah, I’ve got it.’
Liu Qingyuan suddenly slapped his thigh. He had finally thought of a way to deal with Xu Yang.
’Elder Huoyun is protecting Xu Yang, and the Master of Li Fire Peak won’t allow outsiders to meddle in his peak’s affairs. Even though I am an Elder of Tianquan Peak, I can’t just force Xu Yang to leave the Purple Sun Sect.’
’Before, he had been wracking his brain over how to make the Master of Li Fire Peak stop protecting Xu Yang. Now, he realized he’d been approaching the problem from the wrong angle.’
’The Master of Li Fire Peak and Elder Huoyun would never give up on a talent like Xu Yang. Even if Zhang Jingyuan himself intervened, Li Fire Peak would still protect him. Trying to get to Xu Yang through Li Fire Peak was simply impossible.’
’Doesn’t Xu Yang have a sister? I hear he dotes on her. All I have to do is lure his sister away from the Purple Sun Sect and get her under my control. Then, I’ll be able to manipulate Xu Yang however I please.’
"That’s it!" Liu Qingyuan said with a laugh.
’At first, he had only wanted to kill Xu Yang because of what happened to Liu Xunjiang. But after Xu Yang reached Marrow Cleansing Great Success, his reason for wanting him dead was no longer just about Liu Xunjiang.’
"Master, it’s terrible! Something’s happened!"
Suddenly, he heard the voice of his disciple, He Song, calling from outside, tinged with panic and anxiety.
Having just thought of a way to deal with Xu Yang, he was in a great mood. He couldn’t help but frown. "What’s all the panic about? Tell me clearly what happened."
He Song pushed the door open and walked in, his face full of grief. "A Law Enforcer from Cyan Yang City has come to report... Brother Xunfeng has been murdered by a villain!"
’My son... murdered?’
BOOM!
A terrifying aura erupted from Liu Qingyuan, nearly blowing the roof off. The entire hall trembled slightly, and dust rained down from the ceiling.
A horrifying glint shot from his eyes. He said, word by word, "Say that again!"
’He hoped he had misheard.’
He Song knelt on the floor and said sorrowfully, "Master, please accept my condolences."
Hearing this, Liu Qingyuan’s body swayed as if struck by lightning. The powerful qi radiating from him shattered the bed beneath him, which collapsed with a crash.
He seemed completely unaware, his mind consumed by one piece of news: his son, Liu Xunfeng, had been murdered.
"Master, this just happened. The people from the Law Enforcement Hall have already locked down Cyan Yang City. If you go yourself, you might be able to catch the villain and avenge Brother Xunfeng," He Song reminded him.
’This isn’t the time for grief. It’s time to rush to Cyan Yang City, find the killer, and drag out that beast, the Blazing Blade.’
"Yes... revenge. No matter who you are, I, Liu Qingyuan, will tear you to pieces and slaughter your entire family!"
Liu Qingyuan’s eyes looked ready to split with rage. The terrifying killing intent was almost tangible, causing a bloody light to surge around his body.
Liu Xunfeng was his only son, his only child.
Celestial Essence Martial Artists were transcendent beings, making it extremely difficult for them to have children. This one and only son of his had been born before he broke through to the Celestial Essence realm.
"You! Gather everyone immediately! Tell them to descend the mountain and await my orders!"
With a flash, Liu Qingyuan’s figure vanished, his voice the only thing left drifting from afar.
He Song dared not delay. He spent the night gathering Liu Qingyuan’s disciples, and they quickly rushed toward Cyan Yang City.
***
’So rich!’
Xu Yang took stock of his haul. He found nearly thirty thousand taels of silver alone. And that was just what was in the shop. Liu Xunfeng’s entire fortune was probably over a hundred thousand taels.
In addition, he had obtained rare medicinal ingredients like Tiger Bone Vine and Pure Yang Grass. Including the Dragon Beard Root, he now had nearly half the ingredients needed to refine a furnace of Dragon Tiger Great Golden Pills.
’With his only son dead, Liu Qingyuan should quiet down for a while.’
He didn’t know if Liu Xunfeng was innocent or not, nor did he care. All he knew was that Liu Qingyuan wanted to kill him, and because of that, he was capable of anything.
Xu Yang put everything away. As long as Liu Qingyuan remained quiet for a while, he could use the time to break through to the Celestial Essence realm. After that, he would no longer have to fear any of Liu Qingyuan’s schemes.
Early the next day, news that the Blazing Blade had murdered Liu Xunfeng and robbed Liu’s Pharmacy spread like wildfire throughout the entire Purple Sun Sect.
It was said that Liu Qingyuan was incandescent with rage, leading his disciples to search door-to-door. The entire Cyan Yang City was still under lockdown.