Chapter 84: Keeping the Line Open
Zhang Yuanqing swept his gaze across the villa's main hall in one quick pass, then sprinted for the second floor.
He stopped at the top of the stairs. The door to the room at the far end of the corridor was shut tight. Standing guard outside was a hulking middle-aged man in a black tank top with large knotted muscles and a savage expression. He looked exactly like a thug or bodyguard straight out of a movie. The villa was deathly quiet. No one else was inside apart from the guard at the door.
Wang Qian's sister should be inside, he concluded. That means Xiahou Tianyuan had her brought here. Tch, if he'd made sure he accompanied her, I could've caught him red-handed and called Fu Qingyang right now.
He poked his head out and studied the layout of the second floor. From his perspective, he could see a surveillance camera pointed directly at the room the guard was stationed outside.
Zhang Yuanqing quietly pulled his head back. If I were Xiahou Tianyuan, I'd have someone monitoring that camera feed around the clock. The moment anything looked off, reinforcements would come running.
At that moment, his Night Wandering duration expired. He leaned against the stairwell wall, recovering his stamina while he thought things through.
He had two options open to him. One, slip away unnoticed and notify Fu Qingyang to send people to rescue the hostage. Second, kill every one of these kidnappers and take Wang Qian's sister away with him.
The first option seemed safer on the surface, but the moment official Walkers intervened, his involvement would inevitably be exposed. Xiahou Tianyuan would know that the great Yuanshi Tianzun had sabotaged his plans.
Before, Zhang Yuanqing wouldn't have been afraid. He had significant merit to his name and plenty of trump cards, but what happened to Wang Qian's sister was a living example of what a man without limits could do. He had to consider whether Xiahou Tianyuan might investigate his real identity and go after his family. Car accidents, sudden deaths—those methods didn't leave room for due process. On top of that, he still hadn't devised a reliable plan to assassinate Xiahou Tianyuan.
By comparison, the second option was more practical, provided he could finish the job fast and keep his identity hidden. Xiahou Tianyuan's first suspects would be people from Slaughter Cessation Palace, not the great Yuanshi Tianzun.
Zhang Yuanqing weighed the feasibility of the second plan carefully. Xiahou Tianyuan wouldn't station a Saint-tier Walker to guard a single ordinary person. Someone at that level wouldn't bother with grunt work like this. At most, it would be a Level 3 Walker holding down the fort.
The Xiahou family was a family of Scholars, which meant they were never short on items. At least one person in this particular group was definitely carrying an item, maybe more. The middle-aged man at the door gave off a strong Fire Sage vibe. His aura ran deep, while the ones outside felt much weaker. He had to be the strongest of the bunch.
After weighing his options, he decided to risk the second plan. He would eliminate the three outside at top speed, then take down the guard at the door before Xiahou Tianyuan's reinforcements could arrive. However, a Level 3 Fire Sage with items at his disposal was a formidable opponent. It would be a real challenge.
If worst comes to worst, I'll use the Red Veil. But I'd have to destroy all evidence afterward, Zhang Yuanqing muttered inwardly, then added, after all, she is the mother of my child.
His decision to rescue the hostage solo had nothing to do with Wang Qian. Half of it was the fury burning in his chest and a desire to strike back at the Xiahou family. The other half was Little Goofball.
I've been raising the kid's son as my own spirit servant. Consider this as repaying the favor.
With his thoughts in order, Zhang Yuanqing opened his Inventory and pulled out the Disguise Ring.
He had long since figured out the ring's functions and limitations. Once he put it on and visualized someone's face in his mind, his appearance would shift to match theirs. The restrictions were simple: no changing gender, and no becoming more handsome than his original appearance. That was the gist of it.
He slipped on the ring and pictured Xiahou Tianyuan's face. A few seconds later, his features rippled, and when the ripples settled, he had become Xiahou Tianyuan.
He activated Night Wandering and crept downstairs in silence.
***
In the backyard, three middle-aged men sat around a circular table, soaking up the late spring sun. One nursed a beer while another picked at his food as they chatted idly among themselves.
"Come to think of it, that woman's pretty easy on the eyes," the potbellied man facing the living room said with a sleazy chuckle as he rubbed his stomach and nudged his companions. "What do you say, boys? Want to have a little fun? Young Master Tianyuan only needs her as a bargaining chip. He won't care, as long as she doesn't die."
His two companions didn't take the bait, continuing to sip their beer or nibble on grilled meat. "Sure. Go ahead and give him a call to ask for permission. If Young Master Tianyuan has no objections, we'll go in and have at her."
The potbellied man gave a deflated laugh. "I'm just bored, that's all. I need a little entertainment."
His expression froze mid-sentence as his gaze wandered into the living room. He stared inside, unblinking. There, on the thick carpet near the doorway, a pair of brand new red dancing shoes bounced up and down, one after the other. It was an eerie and horrifying sight.
"Behind you," he barked at his companions, his eyes narrowing. "Behind you!"
The other two stiffened and whipped around.
While all three sets of eyes were fixed on the Red Dancing Shoes, Zhang Yuanqing materialized behind the potbellied man. He clamped his left hand over the man's mouth while he drew the Bloodthirsty Blade held in his right hand across the exposed carotid artery in one clean stroke.
The other two heard a muffled groan and spun back around. They saw the potbellied man's face twisted in terror, blood fountaining from his neck, and a young man standing behind him with crimson gore splattered across his cheek.
Both men recoiled in shock. "Young Master Tianyuan?"
That moment of stunned hesitation cost them dearly. Zhang Yuanqing lunged and drove the blade toward the man on the left, aiming for his chest. The target reached out on instinct to intercept, but his fingers closed on nothing. The incoming yanagiba shattered like a soap bubble.
An illusion!
The next instant, cold steel kissed his back, and blood erupted outward.
"A Nocturnal... Specter?" He spat through clenched teeth, fury and disbelief coursing through his mind as he crumpled to the ground.
On the other side, the last kidnapper barely had time to react before the eerie dancing shoes came clattering toward him at full tilt.
He swung his fist on pure reflex. A sickening crack rang out as his wrist shattered, the bone punching clean through skin, leaving his fist dangling limply from the joint.
Bang, bang, bang!
The Red Dancing Shoes hammered into his chest in rapid succession, each devastating blow landing with bone-crushing force. The kidnapper flew backward and never got up again.
The entire sequence took less than ten seconds.
Zhang Yuanqing walked over and plunged the Bloodthirsty Blade into the last kidnapper's chest, letting the Enchanting Demon's weapon drink its fill of blood.
Through the hilt, he felt a surge of scorching, overwhelming power flood into his body. The mild fatigue from consecutive uses of Night Wandering evaporated completely. His physical condition did not just return to its usual peak; it exceeded it.
This was the Enchanting Demon's passive ability: Bloodthirst.
***
Blade in hand, Zhang Yuanqing strode boldly into the living room. The instant his foot hit the plush carpet, a flash of fire blazed to life at the edge of the door and detonated against his skull.
But it was only an afterimage.
The hulking guard in the black tank top had donned a pair of red fingerless gloves at some point. As his fist flew through empty air, a flicker of confusion crossed his face.
In that same breath, the real Zhang Yuanqing appeared behind him like a ghost and drove the blade toward his heart from behind.
A Nocturnal Specter's attack was silent and virtually impossible to defend against. Yet the instant the blade tip pierced his skin and bit into muscle, the Fire Sage threw himself forward in an astonishing display of quick reflexes.
The guard rolled to his feet and raised an eyebrow. "A Nocturnal Specter. You're not Young Master Tianyuan. Who are you?"
At least I broke his defense. He'll keep bleeding.
Zhang Yuanqing ignored the question, shut the living room door, then vanished from sight to wait for his opening. At the same time, he quietly produced the Celestial Toad Incense Burner and kicked it under the sofa, then issued a kill command to the Red Dancing Shoes.
Tap, tap, tap.
The shoes broke into a brisk sprint, charging straight at the burly guard. Zhang Yuanqing used the distraction to circle around from the left, aiming to pincer the Fire Sage between himself and the shoes.
Given enough time, he could have replicated the underground garage kill against Ou Xiangrong perfectly. Unfortunately, not every fight came with such favorable conditions.
"Hmph!" The guard snorted coldly, and roaring flames erupted along both fists as he threw a punch at the oncoming shoes.
He quickly experienced the same helpless frustration as his dead companions. Fist and fire passed clean through the lunging shoes, and then two thunderous blows slammed into his chest. The savage flying kicks stopped his heart for a split second and sent him staggering backward.
Now!
Zhang Yuanqing dropped low and launched himself at the enemy like a cheetah. But then he saw the guard dig his heel into the floor, stabilize his stance, and slam both fists together in front of his chest.
BOOM!
It was as if a high explosive grenade had detonated. A wave of heat and concussive force rippled across the spacious living room. The carpet, sofa, and wooden cabinets all burst into flames, tongues of fire leaping high into the air.
Zhang Yuanqing was blasted off his feet. Pain wracked every inch of his body, nearly driving him unconscious. His singed hair curled, his clothes caught fire, and angry red burns blossomed across his face, seeping blood.
The guard's complexion was pale. Clearly, the explosion had blown back on him as well, but he charged forward regardless, the muscles across his back swelling as he cocked his right fist back.
The air itself seemed to rip apart as the guard's arm flew toward him. Half-dazed, Zhang Yuanqing was unable to dodge. He chose the only correct response—he reached into the empty air and pulled out a gleaming golden orb an instant before that vicious fist connected with his face.
Thud, thud, thud. Blow after blow hammered against him, each punch heavier than the last, crashing into his face and chest. He seemed to have forgotten how to fight back entirely, staggering in retreat, each step impossibly heavy, as though he were shouldering a mountain.
A dull yellow glow enveloped his body, its surface rippling outward in tiny concentric waves as each punch landed. The force of each punch bled through the Orb of the Steadfast's barrier. It hurt, but it was bearable.
Tap, tap, tap!
The Red Dancing Shoes rushed in to rescue their useless owner, planting two devastating kicks into the Fire Sage's flank, and Zhang Yuanqing seized his chance at once. He recalled the orb, gripped the hilt of his blade and thrust it forward, driving the tip toward the Fire Sage's abdomen.
In that instant, the guard's body ignited and vanished before his eyes. A second later, he reappeared in a nearby cluster of flames behind Zhang Yuanqing.
He recognized the skill immediately. Fire Walk!
The moment the guard materialized, he whipped his leg out in a kick and launched a searing fireball.
A scorching wind burned its way across Zhang Yuanqing's back as he threw himself forward, letting the fireball scream over his head. It slammed into the wall nearby with a loud boom, leaving a massive, charred crater.
He had barely hit the ground and had no chance to activate Night Wandering before a second and third fireball came hurtling in. He rolled sideways and dodged the first, but the second caught him square in the waist. His clothes ignited instantly, and searing agony tore through him.
Bang, bang!
Two more airborne kicks from the Red Dancing Shoes bought him another precious moment to breathe, and his tumbling form vanished from sight.
The guard sidestepped a frontal attack from the shoes, then suddenly felt a chill on the top of his head. Out of the corner of his eye, he glimpsed the Nocturnal Specter disguised as Young Master Tianyuan materializing on his left, swinging the blade in a wide horizontal slash.
"Hmph, enough of your ghostly tricks!"
This time he didn't bother engaging his opponent directly. He flicked his finger and sent a thread of fire lancing outward, easily piercing through the attacking Specter, which dissolved into nothing.
At that exact moment, the guard's world went black as his vision left him completely. His heart seized with alarm. He made an instant decision and slammed both fists together in front of his chest, unleashing a terrifying wave of flame and concussive force.
BOOM!
The shockwave shattered the television, overturned potted plants, and transformed the living room into a roaring inferno.
There was no ambush. The guard let out a breath of relief. His vision returned, and the strange coolness on top of his head disappeared.
At that moment, he felt an itch creeping up his throat. He couldn't suppress a cough, and the more he coughed, the worse it itched. He doubled over, his face flushing crimson, his body wracked with hacking coughs. His legs gave out and he collapsed to the floor, his limbs swollen and numb with paralysis.
The Red Dancing Shoes pounced on the opportunity, attacking in a frenzy, stomping down on the guard again and again and again.
***
At the foot of the staircase leading to the second floor, Zhang Yuanqing watched the scene in silence. At his feet stood a plump little infant spirit with tears brimming in its eyes, one tiny hand clutching its master's pant leg while pointing at the man in the black tank top with the other, protesting that it had been terrified earlier on.
The cool sensation the Fire Sage had felt moments ago had been Little Goofball perched atop his head. Zhang Yuanqing had then triggered Exchange, swapping away the man's vision.
His goal had been to force the guard into using his explosion technique a second time, since he had keenly observed earlier that it was a move that dealt nearly as much damage to the user as it did to the enemy. All of that had been laying the groundwork for the poison to take hold.
The moment his first backstab had landed, Zhang Yuanqing had conceived an entire battle plan. He would use the Red Dancing Shoes and the Bloodthirsty Blade to wear the enemy down, then let the Celestial Toad Incense Burner deliver the killing blow.
The burner dispersed its toxin continuously into the air. In theory, a single breath was enough to suffer poisoning, but the initial concentration was so faint that even an ordinary person could withstand it. It needed time to accumulate. However, if the target's body was already battered and weakened, their resistance would inevitably drop.
With that in mind, his plan had been to let the Red Dancing Shoes' relentless assault and the Bloodthirsty Blade's bleeding wounds drain the enemy, then let the Celestial Toad Incense Burner finish the fight.
His boldness in deploying the burner wasn't a gamble. He was certain his own resistance to the toxin would outlast the Fire Sage's. The Nocturnal Specter's extraordinary vitality and regenerative ability were his insurance. The Fire Sage possessed no such passive skill.
The guard had finally stopped moving under the Red Dancing Shoes' onslaught, but Zhang Yuanqing still wasn't satisfied. He hurled the yanagiba at the motionless guard like a throwing knife. The razor sharp blade buried itself in the man's lower abdomen. Only then did he relax.
Without wasting any more time, he fished the Celestial Toad Incense Burner out from beneath the overturned sofa and returned the bronze-bottomed, ebony-bodied item to his Inventory. He then collected the Bloodthirsty Blade, the Red Dancing Shoes, and the red fingerless gloves from the Fire Sage's hands, one after another. By this time, the flames had begun to spread in earnest, roaring hungrily with a tendency to consume the entire living room.
Zhang Yuanqing raced upstairs, leaped high, and punched the surveillance camera to pieces with a single strike.
His footsteps thundered along the wooden boards of the corridor. He reached the door at the end in seconds, but then his eyes narrowed as his gaze locked onto something beside the doorframe.
A phone lay there quietly, its screen still lit. There was an active call in progress.
The caller was Xiahou Tianyuan.
