The Killing

“Five Steps to Death Powder? I've never heard of this poison before?”

She didn't believe it and took a step.

“Uh...”

At this moment, a scorching hot feeling rose up from her lower abdomen!

It turned out to be just as the note said!

“How is this possible? Is he really a master poison maker?” Xiao Qingruo was shocked in her heart, and felt more and more incredulous about this audacious guard.

“Impossible, impossible! He must be bluffing. That white smoke is probably some indecent medicine!” she thought to herself.

Her body felt a little strange. Although she was only seventeen, she understood about such matters in her previous life, and had read the learning materials as well.

At this moment, the reaction in her body was very similar to the effects of a certain indecent medicine, so she still didn't believe it was the Five Steps to Death Powder.

She didn't believe it and took a second step.

Then she only felt dizzy and almost fell down.

“How...how can this be?!” Xiao Qingruo was shocked.

She tried taking a third step.

Then in an instant she felt her limbs go soft and her whole body involuntarily fell down and sat on the ground.

“Xue Yi! This dog has actually used potent poison!”

Xiao Qingruo only felt her heartbeat accelerate a lot, and her breathing became difficult. Her whole body was filled with an extremely unbearable feeling.

“What to do...”

She was a little scared.

This world wouldn't give her scientific explanations. There were plenty of odd and bizarre things.

If there really was a medicine that could kill you after five steps, would she, an empress, really meet her end here?

Huff...

Huff...

Xiao Qingruo panted, her vision began to blur, her eyes flushed red, and her skin became fiery hot.

“So hot...can't see clearly... oh well, just wait for him to come back. Anyway he won't do anything to me, at most he'll give me a beating, and I can shamelessly gain more shamelessness value, I have nothing to lose...”

Xiao Qingruo softly collapsed on the ground, unable to move.

The wooden chest was placed to the side. She desperately forced her eyes open to look at it several times, trying to find a way to save herself, but to no avail.

She could only obediently stay in place, letting her consciousness sink into a dizzy state, not moving an inch as she waited.

...

In the city.

Xue Yi once again arrived at Qingyu Teahouse.

“Customer, what would you like?” The shop assistant recognized this big-spending Holy Might Manor guard, and enthusiastically greeted him.

“One bowl of Qingyu dew, I'm waiting for someone.”

Xue Yi sat down at a table.

There were fewer people today, so the assistant was quite free.

After he brought the Qingyu dew, Xue Yi called for him and asked, “Assistant, do you still remember that sword-carrying maiden from yesterday?”

“I remember, I remember! Sir, you gave her 100 taels of silver, very generous indeed!” The assistant said.

“Mm. Has she come today? Or have you seen her passing by nearby?”

“I haven't seen her today. It's not noon yet, not the busiest time. Perhaps she'll come later,” the assistant replied thoughtfully.

Teahouses like these, most people wouldn't come every day. He had come today purely to try his luck, and likely wouldn't run into that female swordsman Yan Chengxue.

But since he was already here, he might as well wait for a while and drink a fruit tea that young girls loved. It wouldn't hurt.

“Thank you, go about your business.” Xue Yi didn't ask further. He sat quietly by the window watching the people coming and going on the big street, waiting for the maiden swordsman to appear.

Soon, half an hour had passed.

He had finished one bowl of tea, but the maiden swordsman still hadn't arrived.

Xue Yi was thinking of ordering another bowl, and getting some lunch as well.

At this moment, several familiar figures suddenly appeared across the street facing the window!

Luo Hongfei and Fang Jie!

The two of them appeared at the street corner, also with three other cultivators. Together they walked over in this direction.

They had also seen Xue Yi, and looked intent on tracking him down, heading straight for him!

“Relentless ghosts...” Xue Yi frowned, sensing that among the crowd behind them was a master, wearing black clothes and a mask, who looked not easy to deal with.

In the blazing sun of high summer, he was actually still wearing black clothes and a mask, presumably having some special identity that prevented showing his face.

“Xue Yi!”

Fang Jie and Luo Hongfei quickly strode over.

The latter coldly said through the window: “Your time of death has come!”

Xue Yi carefully assessed these people.

Aside from Fang Jie and Luo Hongfei, the other three could be considered masters.

One was a fat brute with fleshy cheeks, at the peak of the Internal Gang realm, looking quite old in years, his martial arts skills were probably very solid.

The second had the aura of a first layer Hole-Opening realm cultivator, his expression cold and stern. Judging by the waist badge, he was from the Luo family.

The last was the masked man. His aura surpassed the others by a stretch, reaching the fifth layer of the Hole-Opening realm!

“A couple of trash, with a bunch of fox and dog friends. What, didn't get your fill of the lesson yesterday?”

Although they had the advantage in numbers, Xue Yi did not fear them.

Not far from here at this eastern street intersection was a Holy Might Manor shop. With his current identity, people would naturally come to help.

Moreover, although these people had decent strength, if they wanted his life, they probably still lacked the qualifications!

“Still stubborn when facing death? Da Yong, Luo Xing, seize him for me!” Luo Hongfei waved his hand, and the fat brute and that Luo family master directly smashed through the wall of the teahouse and charged in.

Boom~

Dust and debris flew.

The sudden fight frightened the people in the teahouse. Shrill screams of girls rang out as innocent people ran around in panic.

The shopkeeper and assistant were also stunned. Seeing it was master fighters brawling, they didn't dare interfere, and hurriedly ran out to go inform Holy Might Manor, lest the fight become too fierce and wreck their little shop.

The two joined hands and attacked. One at the peak of the Internal Gang realm, the other at the first layer of the Hole-Opening realm, both formidable.

But Xue Yi showed no fear. With a movement of his foot he grabbed a long bench and swung it overhead.

Bang!

Wood fragments flying everywhere. The bench smashed into the fat brute Da Yong's head, but with his solid Internal Gang martial arts, it didn't faze him at all. He swung his iron fists down ferociously at Xue Yi.

Xue Yi raised his arm to block the blow, feeling a dull pain in his forearm. This guy's brute strength seemed a bit stronger than his own.

Luo Xing also attacked, his flying kick carrying sturdy true qi hurtling over.

The Hole-Opening realm and Internal Gang realm were different concepts. True qi completely overwhelmed Internal Gang energy.

Wanting to avoid injury, Xue Yi shifted his body to evade, then drew the Beheading Dragon Blade from his waist. Internal Gang energy surged forth from within him.

Shing!

A bright flash of the blade burst out.

Da Yong thought Xue Yi was just an ordinary guard with an ordinary sword, and believed he could withstand it with his solid Internal Gang martial arts. Relying on that, he recklessly charged forward, wanting to trade injury for injury and take down Xue Yi.

But how could he have expected!

Pffft!

With one slash, the Beheading Dragon Blade's unrivaled sharp Hanshan Divine Iron, imbued with sturdy Internal Gang energy, directly broke through his protective Internal Gang energy and chopped into his flesh.

No matter how formidable Internal Gang arts were, they were no match for Hanshan Divine Iron!

With just one strike, Da Yong's entire body was cleaved in half!

Pffft~

Blood sprayed wildly, powerful spurts of it shot up to the ceiling and spattered everywhere, leaving bloodstains all over the teahouse.

"Ahhh!"

The young girls who hadn't gotten far were scared witless, some directly fainting.

“Da Yong!” Luo Xing cried out.

Xue Yi starting off by instantly killing someone frightened Luo Xing and Luo Hongfei.

They hadn't expected Xue Yi to dare make a lethal move, and be so decisively ruthless right off the bat!

“Xue Yi, you actually dare use weapons in the city!” Luo Hongfei gnashed his teeth furiously.

Da Yong had been a loyal servant of his household for three generations, such an obscure death would surely bring punishment when he returned home.

Xue Yi flicked the blood off the Beheading Dragon Blade, the blade completely clean: “Oh? You can clamor to kill me, but I can't kill you? Luo Hongfei, stop hiding back there. Take one step forward, I'll slay you as well!”

“Outrageous!”

Luo Xing was enraged. To dare speak of killing the Luo family's young master right in front of him, he was clearly looking down on them.

He too drew out the sword at his waist, and charged murderously at Xue Yi.