Chapter 103: Chapter 103: The Blood-Stained Bracelet (Thanks to the reader ’Canned Chicken Rice’ for the reward!)
"Kid, scram now, and you might save your life," Uncle Wu said, filled with confidence after demonstrating the second-rate inferior fist technique.
He had never mastered a third-rate superior flying skill, and given they were at the Mist Whirl River, he would have no way of following if Shi Xiaole were to jump out the window.
So Uncle Wu’s plan was to deliver Zhu Xiuling to the Young Master as soon as possible. Once he had a complete understanding of the second-rate inferior fist technique, he would leave the Cloud Triangle immediately.
He figured, even with the combined might of the Justice Sect and Zhu Family, they wouldn’t be able to touch him.
The disciples of the Justice Sect looked on in alarm.
They genuinely feared that if Shi Xiaole simply vacated the premises, even if Zhu Xiuling was not in immediate danger, they would surely be doomed.
"It’s your turn to go," Shi Xiaole retorted.
Placing his dagger back in its sheath, he switched to wielding his sword with both hands.
"It seems you haven’t recognized the gravity of the situation. I suppose I’ll have to beat you until you’re as miserable as a beaten dog before you realize how formidable I am."
Repeatedly belittled, Uncle Wu grew livid. He decided that even if it meant exhausting all his energy, he was going to kill Shi Xiaole.
"Destruction Fist!"
Summoning all his energy and letting out a yell from deep within, Uncle Wu threw another punch.
The formidable and terrifying energy wind rushed towards Shi Xiaole, seemingly intending to crush his body into pieces.
To everyone’s surprise, Shi Xiaole made no attempt to dodge the attack. Instead, with a relaxed stance, he raised his green sword high and slashed downward.
In that split second, a remarkably dangerous atmosphere evolved. The internal power on the sword condensed into a single line and dashed forward like a celestial silk.
Rip!
Astonishingly, the unbreakable Destruction Fist wind was cut into two after less than two blinks following the slash of the internal force line.
The fist wind streamed beside Shi Xiaole, destroying the remaining tables and chairs and blowing his black hair and green robe.
"Ah!"
With a scream, Uncle Wu staggered backward, kneeling on the ground with blood spilling from his chest.
"Your sword technique?"
Uncle Wu stared disbelievingly at Shi Xiaole, his pupils contracting to a pinpoint.
"Slim Hope."
Lu Yan shouted, his voice trembling as he remembered how Shi Xiaole had defeated Ba Renxiong at the Cloud Gate-tournament with that very sword stroke. But compared to earlier, Shi Xiaole’s stroke now was far more formidable. Moreover, the chilling aura was enough to penetrate one’s soul.
Lu Yan was puzzled. Wasn’t it said that it was hard to make progress in sword intention? But it seemed not to apply to Shi Xiaole.
The other disciples of the Justice Sect were also gaping.
Only Zhu Xiuling’s bright eyes shone intensely.
She realized that she had underestimated Shi Xiaole. Or, more accurately, that the rumors in the martial world had severely underestimated this young man.
"The blue hills never change, the clear springs flow forever, I will remember you," Uncle Wu threatened, intending to leave in the face of inevitable doom.
"It’s too late to escape now."
Using the Golden Goose Skill, Shi Xiaole charged forward.
With his experience in Dai Sect, he knew that Uncle Wu’s fist technique was flawed, and the potency could not reach true second-rate inferior level.
Otherwise, no matter how powerful Slim Hope was, it would be no use against Uncle Wu’s cultivation.
Such an opponent was a constant threat.
"You better not push your luck!"
Uncle Wu, in his rage and shock, launched two consecutive Destruction Fist attacks. Unfortunately, they were all shattered by Slim Hope, and he got injured by a further thirty percent.
Moreover, due to the continuous use of Destruction Fist, his internal energy had greatly depleted, leaving his powers less than half their usual strength.
"Boy, if you dare kill me, those behind me will not let you off. You will only have one path left - death!" Uncle Wu warned with an unyielding tone.
In response to his ridiculous threat, Shi Xiaole flung his sword. Taking advantage of the moment Wu blocked it, he transformed his hand into a sword and with a snap, severed Wu’s throat.
This was the unreleased Void Mistake Hand.
The Void Mistake Hand, a technique invented by the Tiance Mansion’s master Pang Yu, converted sword moves into punches. Despite it being a punching technique, its power was not far from an actual sword move, making it one of the unique techniques in the fist palm art.
"Master Shi, thank you for your help," Zhu Xiuling expressed gratefully after the crisis had passed.
"It was only fair. You allowed me on your boat, so I saved your life," Shi Xiaole remarked nonchalantly.
His comment left Zhu Xiuling surprised. His face was smiling, but his tone was detached, almost as if he wanted to sever their connection. What kind of person was he?
The Three Nothing Deadly Poison only requires three 2-hour periods to neutralize automatically.
There was no necessity for Shi Xiaole to take out the Detoxification Pill. Plus, it might not even work. So he simply stayed aside, processing his recent battle.
Slim Hope, with thirty percent unprecedented danger, was surprisingly potent. However, Shi Xiaole didn’t feel joy; instead, he felt a deep sense of alertness.
If Uncle Wu mastered a complete second-rate inferior fist technique today, Shi Xiaole could either choose to run or die.
The martial world was vast. Even if high-level martial arts were rare, that didn’t mean they didn’t exist.
Everyone had their own experiences and ace up their sleeves. It was essential not to underestimate anyone, or else one wouldn’t even know how they died.
"This kid must have intentionally wanted to embarrass me."
What Shi Xiaole didn’t know was that among the disciples of the Justice Sect, Li Zhichong was hanging his head low, his heart filled with resentment towards him.
Shi Xiaole, since you’re such a martial arts expert, why didn’t you show up earlier? Why wait until I had humiliated myself before you stepped in?
Li Zhichong is a man who values dignity.
He knew that the humiliating scene he had just left behind had severely damaged his image in front of others. As for pursuing Zhu Xiuling, it had become a joke.
And all of this was thanks to Shi Xiaole!
The night was calm and uneventful.
Zhu Xiuling and the others had recovered, and under the control of the boatman, the large ship docked smoothly at the pier of Emerald City.
"Young Master Shi, if you get a chance, please visit Mansion Zhu. You have saved my life, and I must repay this kindness."
Zhu Xiuling’s invitations to Shi Xiaole were tactfully declined several times, which made her back down a bit.
In her heart, she felt a bit of chagrin.
Given her reputation as the Cloud Robes Fairy, this was the first time she had so humbly requested something from someone, only to have the person give her no face at all.
"Certainly."
Shi Xiaole had his own considerations.
The Zhu family was large and powerful, with many martial arts experts. If last night’s events were exposed, who knew if anyone would develop thoughts towards him.
To harm others one should not have a heart, but to defend oneself one should not lack one. Shi Xiaole would not rashly enter any powerful martial arts force without absolute trust.
"This Brother Shi, really has a persona."
Watching the back of Shi Xiaole, several disciples of the Justice Sect murmured to themselves. After the events of yesterday night, they had grown fond of Shi Xiaole.
...
Emerald City, Dark Alley.
"I have a job for you."
In a luxuriously decorated room, a young man with a cold face stared at the shadow behind the curtain.
"We, the Red Flower Pavilion, only take assignments to kill people."
The shadow said leisurely.
If anyone was present here, they would be shocked.
Because the phrase, "Red Flower Pavilion," was well-known in Cloud Triangle and even in Qingxue State.
This was an organization dedicated to killing for profit, but it was different from typical assassin organizations.
The Red Flower Pavilion had no specific assassins.
Its method was to propose a decent price according to the client’s target, then distribute it through special channels, and someone from the martial world would secretly accept the order.
It was this fluidity and intermediary nature that made the Red Flower Pavilion incredibly mysterious. No one knew where its headquarters were located or how many members it had for hundreds of years.
"Of course I know, the person I want to kill is named Shi Xiaole. As for the price, you name it."
Li Zhichong said through gritted teeth.
His family, although not a martial arts lineage, was extremely wealthy. As long as the price was not outlandish, they could certainly afford it.
Moreover, the Red Flower Pavilion wouldn’t randomly designate their fee, otherwise, they wouldn’t have been able to maintain their reputation for hundreds of years.
"The Dual Swords Master Shi Xiaole, hails from Golden Phoenix Tower in Feiyan City..."
To the astonishment of Li Zhichong, shortly after he stated the name, the shadow behind the curtain picked up a file that contained all information about Shi Xiaole’s life and achievements.
"This youngster is rising in popularity, if you want him dead, I’ll pegged the initial price at two hundred thousand taels."
The shadow concluded.
"Deal."
Two hundred thousand taels were not a small amount. It was enough for a family of three to live a life of comfort for a lifetime, but Li Zhichong agreed without any hesitation.
To him, as long as he could get rid of Shi Xiaole, no matter if it’s two hundred thousand or one million taels, he wouldn’t hesitate a second time.
...
Emerald City was vast, easily several times larger than Feiyan City. The city was bustling, a sight that dazzled the eyes.
With just a casual stroll around the city, Shi Xiaole easily found his way to a black ruins site.
This was once the Mingliu Villa.
"What could my parents have possibly come here for?"
Full of questions, Shi Xiaole stepped in.
You could tell that Mingliu Villa was once immensely prosperous, even by its size alone - it could accommodate four or five Golden Phoenix Towers.
Unfortunately, no matter how strong or glorious anything was, it all turned to ashes under the fire that lit up the sky that fateful night.
After a quick tour, besides some charred beams and buildings, Shi Xiaole did not find anything useful.
Just as Shi Xiaole was about to leave, he suddenly felt a tremor within him, and his blood began to flow faster for no reason. This was a resonance brought on by blood relation, as if something was calling out to him.
Following the sensation, he headed towards a corner in the east. As he approached, his blood flowed even faster.
In the end, after removing a huge pile of roof tiles, he found a broken bracelet buried deep.
The bracelet glowed with a transparent green hue. Wiping away the dust from its surface, it exuded an even more brilliant radiance. What surprised Shi Xiaole the most was that inside the bracelet, a drop of fresh blood was suspended.
It was this drop of blood that made his entire body tremble, triggering a sudden urge to break down in tears.
"Connected by blood, could this be something left behind by my parents?"
Struggling to suppress the surging emotions, Shi Xiaole suddenly noticed the bracelet in his hand was vibrating towards the ground as if guiding him.
"Since this drop of blood can resonate with me, it surely can resonate even more with my parents’ blood, could it be... "
A revelation struck him, and Shi Xiaole crouched down, knocking on the ground of the tiled pile. It was then that he discovered a hidden world beneath the stone slab by responding to the echo!
