Chapter 452: Chapter 451: Fulfilling the Promise
"Tearing Sky Hand!"
He’d only been momentarily stunned. The Third Elder quickly mobilized all of his strength, reaching out to grab Shi Xiaole from mid-air, intending to disable him in one fell swoop.
"How foolish."
He laughed heartily in his mind.
Suddenly, it dawned on him that since his opponent had just come out of the Jade Sword Palace, he would surely have more valuable items. Wouldn’t all these fall into his own hands?
But the problem was his opponent was too impatient. Since learning his disguise skills, he had become particularly careful, always on guard even against Luo Wenxu.
The palm force rumbled forward.
With eyes as sharp as knives, Shi Xiaole seemed to ignore everything. His body suddenly jumped up, carrying a whirlwinds of dust untouched by worldly affairs, like an radiant sword light descended from the heavens.
Clunk!
The ground in the courtyard cracked under the impact of these two people.
A figure flew into a wall, spat out a mouthful of fresh blood and went pale. Who else could it be but Third Elder?
Both at the Fifth Tier of the Dragon Gate Realm, their strengths were not the same.
The inner strength and routines of Third Elder had only reached the mature stage. Therefore, he was at the very bottom among the masters of the fifth tier of the Dragon Gate Realm. How could he withstand Shi Xiaole’s full attack?
"Your...strength..."
The Third Elder’s voice was hoarse.
How could it be? Within less than a year, the other party had defeated him in straight combat. Could it be that the previous sword technique was acquired in the Jade Sword Palace?
The dazzling sword light brightened again, leaving no room for the opponent. Shi Xiaole swiftly issued the second sword.
He wanted to signal the other masters of the branch, but the Third Elder’s speech couldn’t keep up with the speed of sword. He could only turn his head and his chest had already been pierced by the Hidden Edge Sword.
"You... the Tianluo Sect... will not let you go..."
The Third Elder said in disbelief, his head tilted, and then he was dead.
Drawing his sword and coming out, Shi Xiaole searched the body of the other man, found nothing good, searched the study for a while, and then escaped into the night using his flying skill.
Although he disguised himself as Luo Wenxu, he did not enter or exit openly for fear of someone noticing and suspecting the existence of disguise skills.
Shi Xiaole was very fortunate that this Third Elder did not like idlers to approach his court, otherwise their fight would have been discovered long ago.
But at this point, the real revenge was not yet achieved because Luo Wenxu had not died yet.
...
Racing Boat City, an insignificant town in Xuanwu State.
The Fragrant Pavilion in the city was full of song and dance, laughter from men and heavy breathing from women could be heard everywhere.
"Greetings, Master."
In the quiet room, a group of people bowed to the square-faced man in the centre.
If Shi Xiaole were here, he would see Luo Wenxu among this group.
"Everyone, please rise."
The square-faced man sitting in the middle waved his hand and smiled charmingly: "How has everyone been? The Saintess misses you all very much."
Everyone knew these words were not true, but they still couldn’t help showing excitement. One of the younger men said: "Thank you for the care from the Saintess and the Master, the operation has been going smoothly."
No sooner had he finished speaking than he took two secret manuals out of his sleeve and put them on the table.
The others followed suit, each taking out their manuals.
"You guys are each the cream of the crop in your respective factions, do you not resent giving away your faction’s secret manual to us?"
The square-faced man asked with a smile.
"Master, what are you talking about?"
The people hurriedly said.
With the same smile on his face, the square-faced man nodded: "The Saintess indeed has a good eye for people! We martial artists should not confine ourselves to the narrow views of one faction, otherwise how can the Martial World progress? The Saintess once told me that she is very happy to travel with you all, striving to create a flourishing, perfect Martial World! As for what others say and don’t understand, let it be."
Everyone was excited after hearing this, the little bit of shame and guilt initially remaining in their hearts disappeared in front of this noble ideal.
Looking around, the square-faced man took out a porcelain bottle, poured out the same number of black pills as there were people present, and said: "This is your supply for this month. Be careful in everything, please."
Everyone vied to collect their pills, bid the square-faced man a brief goodbye, and quietly left through a hidden door.
"It seems that things are going smoothly."
The old mistress of the Fragrant Pavilion came in.
"Who among the men in the world can resist the charm of the Saintess? Moreover, they were all given a pseudo-demon bone. After experiencing the tremendous progress brought by the demon pill, who can resist its allure?"
The square-faced man responded casually.
The old mistress seemed worried: "The pseudo-demon bone is still unstable, and an aura will be exposed sooner or later."
"Haha, by the time its aura is exposed, they will no longer be useful. Relax, research on the demon bone is still in progress, especially since we obtained the diagram of the Jade Sword Bone Transformation Array recently, the faction has a new plan. I believe we will succeed sooner or later. At that time, you and I will be able to follow the Saintess and rule over the Martial World!"
...
The follow-up to the Jade Sword Palace was still developing, and the entire Martial World was not calm. However, the Tianluo Sect didn’t have time to worry about that, because their Third Elder and genius disciple Luo Wenxu had both been murdered.
No one knew who did it.
On the square of Tianluo Sect, looking at the two bodies with horror frozen on their faces, the expressions of the masters were dark.
"Sect Master, over the past three years, Luo Wenxu has offended many people whereas the Third Elder has rarely interacted with others, keeping a low profile. However, it is known that a year ago, he once pursued and attempted to kill a certain person..."
After hearing the report of his subordinates, the Sect Master of Tianluo Sect said in a grave voice: "So you’re saying that the day before the Third Elder’s death, that Shi Xiaole was still drinking with the Crown Sword Marquis in the northern Dasong City?"
Dasong City and the ancient ruins are far apart, one cannot possibly make it in one day. From this evidence, it can be determined that Shi Xiaole is not the murderer. Rightly so, how could a master of his abilities kill the Third Elder, who had reached the Fifth Tier of Dragon Gate Realm?
So, who was it then?
Everyone present furrowed their brows in deep thought.
"Sect Master, even if Shi Xiaole is not the murderer, he does have a motive. We could possibly bring him back for questioning," suggested an Elder who was particularly close to the Third Elder.
The Sect Master of Tianluo Sect nodded in agreement: "Naturally, also, continue investigating and if need be, question the Divine Strategy Academy."
With the investigation up to this point and no clear leads, relying solely on Tianluo Sect for answers would be futile. As for the Divine Strategy Academy, although they are well-informed, they aren’t omnipotent and they might not yield any results.
One could only put their best foot forward and leave it up to fate.
"Whoever dared to lay a hand will face my wrath; I swear to grind your bones into dust!" the Sect Master of Tianluo Sect roared through gritted teeth, filled with both rage and hatred.
...
"The Luo Family of Blue Sea City moved to Xuanwu State hundreds of years ago?"
Having dealt with his adversary, Shi Xiaole was going to fulfill his promise with the master of the Purple Extreme Dagger. Following some investigation, he found out that the Luo family, who the master had spoken about, had already settled down in Xuanwu State.
Shi Xiaole was taken aback for a moment.
Because Luo Tianxi, the one who saved the master of the Purple Extreme Dagger, was someone who existed over nine hundred years ago. Then, in which era did the master of the Purple Extreme Dagger belong to?
From their conversation, it was implied that he wanted Shi Xiaole’s sworn brother to find a successor, as though he believed his sworn brother was still alive?!
Could a martial artist live that long?
"When I go back to the Eight States next time, I should ask the two old, half-blind men. Maybe they know something."
Collecting his thoughts, Shi Xiaole rode Qingfeng and embarked on his journey to the Tianhe Region in Xuanwu State. This time, he did not rush, instead he maintained a regular speed to avoid any suspicions.
Fireworks City, a mid-sized city in the Tianhe Region, had a population of millions. The buildings in the city were not towering but were exquisitely decorated, mirroring a picturesque scenery.
Leading his horse into the city, after asking around, Shi Xiaole soon found himself in front of a magnificent mansion in the eastern part of the city. The plaque outside the mansion was emblazoned with the golden words "Luo Residence".
"What brings you here, young master?" asked the gatekeeper upon seeing Shi Xiaole.
"Sir, I’m here to visit Mr. Luo Zhenxing, the head of Luo family, for an important matter," Shi Xiaole replied.
The gatekeeper glanced at him, asked him to wait for a moment, and then went inside. He soon returned and courteously led Shi Xiaole into the mansion, escorting him to a side hall.
From this encounter alone, Shi Xiaole could tell that the Luo family was no ordinary family.
After a short while, a middle-aged man with a broad frame and a shining complexion, strode in and laughingly said, "I heard that the young master wanted to discuss some crucial matters with me?"
The Luo Family made a living by producing fireworks and firecrackers, hence business was always bustling. However, Luo Zhenxing had some free time today. Therefore, hearing the gatekeeper’s report, he came over out of curiosity to see what was concerning the young man.
What could this greenhorn want with him?
However, the moment he laid eyes on Shi Xiaole, Luo Zhenxing dropped any presumptions he may have had.
Some individuals leave a deep impression the moment you lay eyes on them.
Though he has seen countless individuals throughout his career in trading, Luo Zhenxing has never come across such an extraordinary young man.
With the population’s fixation on appearance and body type, a character like him should stand out in the crowd. However, for some reason, he was elusive, like a flower in the mist. His exceeding ordinariness gave him an allure far more captivating than ostentation. The humble demeanor differentiated him from the flamboyantly extravagant, exuding an elephantine aura of invisibility.
"Master Luo."
Shi Xiaole got up.
Luo Zhenxing felt an absurd sensation of being flattered and laughed, "Please, take a seat, young master." So, they sat.
Shi Xiaole began: "Master Luo, my name is Shi Xiaole. One of my ancestors was a recipient of your family’s kindness, but was unable to repay this debt. Hence, they instructed me to do so. If there is anything that I can assist with, I hope you wouldn’t hesitate to ask."
"Could you perhaps elaborate on these circumstances?" Luo Zhenxing asked, having recovered from his initial surprise. Although Shi Xiaole did not seem to be untrustworthy, he couldn’t possibly accept his offer without fully understanding the situation.
"Your ancestor Luo Ximing saved a senior of my family," Shi Xiaole explained.
It was impossible for him to mention Luo Tianxi; otherwise, people might mistake him for a lunatic.
Luo Zhenxing chuckled.
Indeed, his grandfather was well-known for his charitable deeds and kindness. Since the guest didn’t elaborate, it would be improper to probe further. Doing so might give the impression of suspicion. He replied: "Young Master Shi is thoughtful. In this case, you’re welcome to stay with us in the mansion for a few days. I would be delighted to play host."
Shi Xiaole now understood that his offer hadn’t been taken seriously by Luo Zhenxing. This discernment made him wince.
Over the next few days, Luo Zhenxing was as good as his word and treated Shi Xiaole with great hospitality. Apart from his eldest son who was away, the rest of the Luo children took turns in keeping him company. It was to an extent that Shi Xiaole felt obligated to stay.
In the late hours of the night, on the fifth day of Shi Xiaole’s stay with the Luo family, a rush of frantic knocking sounds broke the silence, "Master, it’s awful, your eldest son has met with an accident!"
