Chapter 267: Chapter 267: The More One Tries to Help, The More One Causes Trouble
It took Shi Xiaole three days to consolidate his cultivation, and he was ready to go to the restaurant for some delicious food. He was alone in the yard, usually just eating some dry food bought from the street. His mouth was tasteless because of it.
Leisure Cloud Restaurant, the best restaurant in Piaopiao City.
Three floors of the restaurant.
Shi Xiaole sat by the window, sipping wine and enjoying the hustle and bustle of the street, feeling quite sentimental.
If he hadn’t crossed over, he might be like countless others in his previous life, finding a stable job, getting married and having kids, then dying in monotony.
Boring but real.
Now, however, he was one of the most promising talents in the Flying Horse Dynasty’s Qingxue State in the East Victory Continent. As unpredictable as life is, what would his future be like?
"Step on fame and fortune, carry justice on both shoulders. In this life, I seek not wealth and rank, but a clear conscience and taking pleasure in defending justice."
He raised his glass to the sky and drained it in one gulp.
"What the young master said is excellent."
Someone applauded loudly nearby.
It was a scholarly young man in blue attire, with a refined and fair complexion, who looked about the same age as Shi Xiaole and had two dimples when he smiled.
The scholarly young man came over and said, "Young master, it seems you are alone. May I sit with you?"
Shi Xiaole hesitated a bit, then nodded.
"May I know the young master’s name?"
The scholarly young man asked.
"We are strangers. What need is there to know each other’s names?"
Shi Xiaole said.
The scholarly young man was taken aback, then laughed, "Well said, young master. You truly are profound." He was quite talkative. After a while, he was chatting about everything in the north, south, east, and west. Shi Xiaole could tell the fellow must come from an extraordinary background and seemed quite knowledgeable.
Thump thump thump.
Just then, orderly footsteps echoed. A group of people came up. The leader was a man with a horse-like face, a large knife at his waist, and murderous eyes.
"Everyone who’s not involved should get lost. We, the Divine Might Gang, have business to attend to."
Someone yelled, immediately scaring the other people on the third floor into a hasty retreat.
The Divine Might Gang was one of the two major gangs in Piaopiao City. Its leader, Ma Rulong, known as the ’Moonlight Blade,’ was a fifth-tier Xuan Qi expert. His Moonlight Slash was difficult for others to contend with. He was universally recognized in Piaopiao City as someone not to be trifled with.
"Boy, I finally found you."
When he saw the scholarly young man, the horse-faced man, namely the ’Moonlight Blade’ Ma Rulong, immediately released a brutal and ruthless aura. Invisible Sword Qi spread out, causing the atmosphere on the third floor to become dangerously tense.
The scholarly young man couldn’t help but look at Shi Xiaole: "Can we consider ourselves friends?"
Shi Xiaole laughed, "No."
The scholarly young man’s face fell, "Just now, you were saying that one must have a clear conscience. Now, can you bear to see a good person like me fall into the hands of a villain?"
Shi Xiaole had been wondering why the other party had come up to him for no reason. So this was the why. But how could he know about his identity and thus believe that he could protect him?
Shi Xiaole gave the scholarly young man a meaningful glance.
"I really am a good person. This Ma Gang Leader wanted to forcibly marry the leader’s daughter from the White Cloud Gang to humiliate them. The two gangs almost started a fight, so I had to step in and stop them."
The scholarly young man’s statement made Shi Xiaole puzzled, asking, "How did you stop them?"
"The crux of the two gangs’ dispute lies in the daughter of the White Cloud Gang’s leader. So, I sneaked into this Ma Gang Leader’s bridal chamber and kidnapped the bride."
The scholarly young man spread his hands, indicating his innocence.
"You... have really made things worse rather than better."
Shi Xiaole was speechless.
No man on earth could probably tolerate the humiliation of having his bride stolen.
Seeing the two of them chatting as if nothing had happened, Ma Rulong pointed at Shi Xiaole and shouted angrily, "Kid, you’d better get lost if you know what’s good for you. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being ruthless."
Whoosh whoosh whoosh.
On the street, a few people catapulted into the third floor of the restaurant, blocking the barrier. The leader was an old man accompanied by a glamorous young woman.
"You scoundrel, I won’t let you go."
The glamorous young woman glared at the scholarly young man, her eyebrows raised in anger.
Without waiting for Shi Xiaole to ask, the scholarly young man explained, "This beauty is the daughter of the leader of the White Cloud Gang, Bai Bingbing. I drugged her and took her away. Later I found out she deliberately let Ma Rulong kidnap her, planning to get rid of him in the bridal chamber."
Shi Xiaole couldn’t help shaking his head and laughing, completely speechless.
The scholarly young man’s eyebrows furrowed, pleadingly saying, "Young master, I was able to sneak into the bridal chamber thanks to drugs and a surprise attack. But now, given the situation, I truly can’t handle it. I can only count on you."
"You crook, you’ve ruined the White Cloud Gang’s plans. Even if you were to beg Heaven King himself, it wouldn’t help. Take him down for me!"
At a gesture from the leader of the White Cloud Gang, five men behind him immediately charged forward. Each of them was a third-tier Xuan Qi martial artist, all full of considerable strength, all aiming straight for the scholarly young man.
Boom!
Five of them came quickly, but left even faster, tumbling down from the railing one after another.
"Kid, you dare interfere in White Cloud Gang’s affairs?"
The leader of the White Cloud Gang was utterly surprised.
To defeat five, third-tier Xuanqi experts with one move, there were not many people in Piaopiao City who could accomplish such a feat. Yet what astounded him most was how young Shi Xiaole was, it was barely comprehensible.
The pupils of the refined young man also slightly contracted in surprise, but he quickly regained his composure.
"Everybody, disperse."
Shi Xiaole gazed at the sunset outside the window.
Neither gang denied the refined young man’s points, indicating that they did indeed have ulterior motives. As for the young man, Shi Xiaole glanced over him and discovered his cultivation was indeed quite low.
Of course, even without his help, Shi Xiaole believed the young man could handle himself. However, since they had a chance encounter, why not lend a hand?
"Friend, your appearance and strength remind me of someone. If you show a lower grade spiritual sword, I’ll acknowledge you and leave."
Ma Rulong gripped his blade. His face smiled while his body exuded the aura of a fifth-tier Xuan Qi, creating a silent pressure that made the refined young man go pale.
Shi Xiaole laughed wryly at his words. The way he phrased it seemed to be insinuating that Shi Xiaole’s power was all due to his lower-grade spiritual sword, and his true strength didn’t measure up to Ma Rulong’s.
On second thought, before breaking through to the Xuanqi Realm, Shi Xiaole might not indeed be a match for Ma Rulong.
"You can still walk away, as this is an affair between the two gangs. Regardless of who you are, we have the just cause on our side."
Seeing the situation unfold, the leader of the White Cloud Gang also unsheathed his sword, releasing an aura that was on par with Ma Rulong’s. The coordinated assault caused cold sweat to drip down the refined young man’s forehead.
"That’s what you get for meddling in other people’s affairs. You better be off, or you might not preserve your reputation."
Bai Bingbing scrutinized Shi Xiaole, revealing a sinister smile.
She wasn’t a saint. Before Ma Rulong claimed her, she’d secretly had several affairs with various men. If she hadn’t figured out Shi Xiaole’s true identity, she would have considered capturing him and having her way with him.
Under these circumstances, the refined young man covertly reached into his sleeve and grasped a hidden weapon, feeling that things were getting out of hand.
"To deal with you, I don’t need a lower-grade spiritual sword. Let alone the need to take action, you might as well leave."
Despite facing threats, Shi Xiaole remained calm. He put his wine cup down.
"It seems some people have been so intoxicated with victory that they start to look down upon the world. Take this attack from me, Lunar Slash!"
Provoked by Shi Xiaole’s arrogance, and assured that he wouldn’t use a lower-grade spiritual sword, Ma Rulong’s arm swelled. In the blink of an eye, a terrifying white blade light horizontally slashed out. It resembled the crescent moon in the sky, its light colder than the moonlight.
"Misty Clouds!"
The leader of the White Cloud Gang was just as fast. His long sword aimed at Shi Xiaole’s forehead, and his swordsmanship was as elusive as the ever-changing clouds, making it hard to dodge.
The powerful attacks from the two fifth-tier Xuanqi masters caused a sense of space compression within the restaurant, an illusion caused by the extreme speed of their blades.
Just when it seemed Shi Xiaole was about to perish under the sword and blade, the refined young man, clutching his concealed weapon, prepared to attack. But, in the next instant, a crisp sword chirp rang in their ears.
A striking display of Sword Qi emerged, moving from left to right. Whether straight or curved, it shattered like glass into countless scorching fragments that filled the sky.
Tables, chairs, wooden pillars -- everything within three yards was riddled with holes. The attacks of Ma Rulong and the leader of the White Cloud Gang faltered, their strikes as disoriented a block of cheese.
Before they had a chance to retaliate, Shi Xiaole flicked his wrist, and Qingyang Sword Qi erupted even more violently.
Thump, thump.
Both Ma Rulong and the White Cloud Gang leader stumbled back. One ended up on his knees, the other turned ghostly pale.
"First-tier Xuanqi realm, you’ve advanced to the Xuanqi realm?"
The White Cloud Gang leader could barely breathe from the shock.
When Shi Xiaole defeated the five White Cloud Gang experts with a single move earlier, the aura he displayed was clearly at the Qi Absorption Realm. Who could have predicted that he had quietly advanced to the Xuanqi Realm?
Ma Rulong’s eyes widened in shock. After a long while, he finally spoke: "If you are him, you would have broken the Martial World record of Qingxue State. Hahaha, I don’t feel wronged by my loss. Let’s go."
With a wave of his hand, Ma Rulong led the still stunned Divine Might Gang members away.
"Dad, we should go."
Bai Bingbing felt her heart pounding. Shi Xiaole’s quick decisive strikes had enthralled her, leading to an infatuated, euphoric state even now.
As the group left, the refined young man took his hand out from his sleeve, turned to Shi Xiaole, and said admiringly, "Sir, you are indeed more impressive in person."
"You better look after yourself."
Having no intention to chat further, Shi Xiaole left two pieces of gold as compensation for the restaurant and left. Surprisingly, the refined young man followed him out, looking slightly embarrassed, he said, "I’m afraid those two gangs might cause more trouble. Let’s part ways after we leave the city."
Shi Xiaole had already planned to leave Piaopiao City, so he didn’t object. When they exited the city, Shi Xiaole strangely observed a large number of martial artists on the official roads, who seemed to be in a hurry as if something big had happened.
"Sir, has something major happened?" Shi Xiaole asked someone passing by.
"Let go, the Heavenly Treasure Ruins have appeared, don’t waste my time!"
The man pushed Shi Xiaole aside and quickly rode away.
The Heavenly Treasure Ruins have appeared?
Shi Xiaole’s whole expression shifted, his eyes becoming especially profound.
