Chapter 567: Chapter 493: This Knife Now Belongs to the Yang Family! (Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!)
Recalling the slender figure outside his room last night, Yang Xiao couldn’t help but shiver, "Damn it, could it be that while I was unconscious, my sister took advantage of me?"
However, after a few seconds, his anxious expression gradually softened, and he sighed, "Forget it, just let her be, it’s not the first time anyway."
"Thump."
"Thump."
"Thump."
Footsteps echoed from the staircase, someone was coming up, and they were intentionally making their steps heavy. Then came a knock on the door.
Donning a new set of clothes, Yang Xiao pulled open the bedroom door and walked towards the front door, asking in a deliberately casual tone, "Who is it?"
"Sect Hierarch, it’s me." Ling Yanyu’s respectful voice came from outside.
Opening the door, Ling Yanyu stood on the threshold. Upon seeing Yang Xiao, his furrowed brows finally relaxed, and he spoke in a low voice, "Sect Hierarch, I’ve received news that Xinjin Pawnshop was wiped out last night, including the shopkeeper Hao Laojiu, more than ten people are dead."
"Is that so?" Yang Xiao feigned shock.
"It’s true. Guardian Snake even went there early in the morning to check out the commotion, but the courtyard was sealed off, and he couldn’t get in." Ling Yanyu paused before continuing, "Since this morning, someone has been inquiring house by house in the town’s hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies, asking if anyone with severe injuries came in for treatment in the early hours, specifically mentioning a man with a severed left arm."
Yang Xiao turned and sat down next to the sofa, then raised his left hand, gesturing for Ling Yanyu to sit opposite him. He then picked up a cup of overnight tea and took a sip, "It seems that the Yu Yuan Sect has offended someone they shouldn’t have, and got exterminated by them."
"That’s what I was thinking too. I first thought it was you, Sect Hierarch, who acted, worried that you were injured. I was even planning to secretly bring a doctor to you." Ling Yanyu finally heaved a sigh of relief.
Setting down the teacup, Yang Xiao shook his head, "Yanyu, you must always be vigilant in your actions. Let me ask you, if this was indeed my doing, wouldn’t bringing a doctor expose my identity? The relationships between the various powers in Xiang Ma Town are intricately complex. They have been operating here for many years; there isn’t a wall without cracks. Aren’t you concerned about being exposed afterward?"
Ling Yanyu nodded earnestly, "Sect Hierarch, rest assured, I’ve already considered this. If a doctor was indeed called, regardless of the outcome, he could not be let go."
Hearing this, Yang Xiao leaned back against the sofa, his face revealing a satisfied smile, "Good, you’re finally showing some decisiveness. Remember, those who achieve great things don’t sweat the small stuff. Do nothing or go all the way!"
"Who are those people inquiring at the clinics and pharmacies?" Yang Xiao inquired with an air of nonchalance.
"Guardian Yun mentioned they’re from the west side of town, most likely people of Pingxi Marquis. The reason Xiang Ma Town’s nights aren’t completely lawless is, aside from Peace Hotel visibly keeping order, there are four other major powers dividing up the town’s east, west, south, and north. Pingxi Marquis is one of them. Anyone doing business on his territory has to give him a cut of ’respect money’, which is essentially protection money." Ling Yanyu explained, "This Pingxi Marquis is really tough to deal with. Normally, he dresses like a white-clothed scholar, but it is said his skills are extraordinary, even the Ghost Slaves who patrol at night give him face. Oh, and he has a You Character Mask."
"A member of the You Generation?" Yang Xiao’s voice rose.
"Yes, according to the records." Ling Yanyu nodded.
"It seems Xiang Ma Town truly has hidden dragons and crouching tigers. During these times, you all must act with caution, lay low in this time of trouble and wait for things to unfold."
"I shall follow the Sect Hierarch’s command!" Ling Yanyu stood up and cupped his hands in salute.
After Ling Yanyu left, the image of the Pingxi Marquis once again surfaced in Yang Xiao’s mind—clad in white clothes purer than snow, yet with a ruthless heart and deep schemes. The two magic artifacts in his possession were also top-notch choices, a blue-thread-bound ancient book, and that inkstone. Had Daoist Qingfeng not arrived in time last night, he would have died at the hands of this man.
Even though the opponent had started with a teasing attitude, he himself was completely no match, being outclassed throughout the fight. The You Generation Angel Envoys were indeed terrifying to this extent!
Speaking of magic artifacts, Yang Xiao was still thinking about the one stored in the Mirror World, a true treasure of Ghost Level. The Head of the Wounded Door was truly a blessing in disguise for him.
There was still the Mirror Ghost in the Mirror World, and fearing that the longer the night, the more dreams may disturb, Yang Xiao changed into a Drama Robe and put on a loose-fitting garment over it. He took out the Soul-Capturing Mirror and, after a few turns, returned to the backyard of Xinjin Pawnshop. Of course, he did not appear in the real world; he returned to the Mirror World that corresponded with reality. It was there that he found the young man tied up like a zongzi.
The young man was lying on the ground, eyes closed, not moving, with a silver hand-carry case tied to his left wrist.
Yang Xiao thought he was dead and went over to kick him, not expecting the man to suddenly sit up and shout, "Hero Master, don’t kill me! Don’t kill me!"
Pulling off the cloth that covered the young man’s eyes, Yang Xiao took out a key from his pocket and was about to open the case, but it was as if something suddenly occurred to him, and he paused in his actions. A few seconds later, he handed the key to the panicked young man, ordering, "Go on, you open the case."
"Me?" The young man was a bit puzzled.
"Yes, you," Yang Xiao said, then began to retreat, moving back ten meters, hiding behind a low wall before he peeked out with half of his torso and commanded, "Alright, you can start now."
The people from the Resentment Sect were not kind, and one couldn’t guarantee they wouldn’t play some trick inside the case. One had to be cautious.
It was obvious that the young man was also scared, with beads of sweat rolling down his forehead, but he did not dare disobey Yang Xiao’s imposing order.
"Click."
Trembling hands inserted the key, and with a gentle twist, the case opened. There were no messy traps such as explosions or poison gas inside; there was only a lonely kitchen knife.
The kitchen knife looked very old, at least a few decades old, with a damaged edge and hilt stained black and red. It seemed as if the blood had seeped into the wood, while the blade itself was mottled with rust and remnants of coagulated blood. To put it bluntly, if you were cut with this knife, the first thing to worry about wouldn’t be death from the cut but from poisoning.
Wrapping the hilt with the sleeve of the Drama Robe, Yang Xiao held the kitchen knife up, looking at it from all angles, but couldn’t discern anything special, so he had to ask the young man, "What’s this all about?"
To his surprise, the young man was even more bewildered than he was. According to the man, he didn’t know what was inside the case either. His only instructions were to carry out the exchange and to bring the silver case back safely.
Even though he couldn’t understand it himself, since it was valued by the Head of the Wounded Door, it must be a good treasure. With the example of the Soul-Capturing Mirror in mind, Yang Xiao had great trust in the taste of the Sect Hierarch.
"Anyway, this knife is now a Yang!"
Yang Xiao stowed away the kitchen knife, the Soul-Capturing Mirror in his left hand, holding the young man with his right, and left contentedly.
Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth, farming dungeons is too low in cost-effectiveness; it’s more substantial to take action and rob directly.
