Demon Lord Tai Sui

Yang An crushed the white snow beneath his feet and suddenly charged at the gang of ruffians with lightning speed, shattering the snowflakes in his path.

In the blink of an eye, he was right in front of the rowdy group!

Though his fury burned like wildfire,

Yang An’s mind remained razor-sharp!

He knew the key to defeating thieves was to capture their leader first. Ignoring the others, he focused solely on Chen San, the ringleader! With a powerful swing, he raised his fist from below and slammed it hard into Chen San’s abdomen!

Chen San, though possessing some martial skills,

was caught completely off guard and couldn’t dodge Yang An’s sudden punch. He took it head-on!

*Bang!*

A muffled thud echoed!

The invisible force of the punch scattered the snowflakes around them!

Yang An looked slender and weak, his thin arms and legs giving no hint of strength. Chen San had initially dismissed him as no threat, thinking a single hit wouldn’t hurt much and that he could easily endure it.

But the next moment, he realized something was terribly wrong!

What struck him wasn’t a fist—it felt like a hammer, a fully swung iron hammer! The searing pain in his abdomen instantly numbed his body!

Chen San tried to pull Yang Ning’s hand off him but found himself powerless to do so.

Cold sweat broke out on his forehead; his waist bent like a shrimp. Clutching his liver, he trembled uncontrollably before collapsing heavily onto the thick snow.

His head lolled to the side, foam bubbling at the corners of his mouth as he fainted!

One enemy down in an instant.

Yet Yang An’s anger did not subside; if anything, his rage deepened, and a red gleam flickered in his eyes. Striding forward, he pursued the others scattered across the snowy ground.

“Beasts! And you all too!!”

His roar made the ruffians shudder!

Their leader was taken out in one blow!

With just a few weaklings left, who still had the nerve to act tough? They hurriedly hoisted the unconscious Chen San onto their shoulders and fled like the wind, shouting as they ran, “Murder! Yang An Er Lang is killing people!!”

“Don’t run, you beasts! I’m going to kill every one of you today!!!”

Seeing Yang An in hot pursuit,

the terrified gang’s eyes brimmed with tears as they dashed faster. The snow was slippery, and those who fell couldn’t get up in time—they scrambled on all fours like dogs, crawling to escape!

Their fear was so intense they didn’t dare look back.

Only after putting some distance between themselves and Yang An did they dare to howl back, “This isn’t over! Just you wait!”

Then, they vanished into the snowy wilderness, leaving behind a chaotic trail of footprints.

Yang An’s murderous rage gradually faded.

As his tense body relaxed, he exhaled great clouds of white breath. A dull ache radiated from the muscles in his right arm—the one he had just used to punch. Then, a message surfaced in his mind.

Awakening Talent: [Demonic Sovereign Tai Sui]

Effects:

[Heaven-Sent Demon Sovereign]: No bottlenecks, no unstable realms; as long as there are resources, continuous breakthroughs are possible!

[Fierce God’s Might]: No limits on comprehension; capable of learning all martial arts!

[Destined by Tai Sui]: Under normal conditions, all abilities—combat power, defense, perception—are tripled! When actively triggered, they soar tenfold!

In the biting cold wind,

Yang An caught his breath and flexed his numb fists.

Calming down, he thought to himself,

Is this my bonus for transmigrating? My golden finger?

No wonder this frail scholar could knock out a ruffian with a single punch just now. It seems that in my fury, I inadvertently triggered the [Destined by Tai Sui] ability!

Excellent! Such a straightforward and domineering power—I like it!

Reading the information in his mind, Yang An didn’t notice that his sister, Yang Ning, standing beside him, was already wide-eyed and speechless.

Her own younger brother—gentle and refined.

The kindest of gentlemen.

He was always either reading or writing; when did he ever learn to fight?

And yet, he had just beaten someone so badly!

He even made them vomit bile!

Yang Ning was so shocked that she completely forgot the ruffian’s earlier rudeness toward her.

Snapping back to reality, she saw that Yang An was dressed lightly and barefoot in the snow. Hastily, she took off her own coat and wrapped it around him before pulling him back inside.

“Why did you run out without shoes? What if you caught a cold?”

“You still have a wound on your head!”

“Are you feeling unwell, Er Lang? If so, you have to tell your sister immediately!”

Because Yang An had an older brother who died young, everyone who knew him called him Er Lang.

Yang Family’s Second Son…

Er Lang…

Wu Song? Yang Jian?

Emmmm...

Hearing the overflowing concern in Yang Ning’s voice, warmth blossomed in Yang An’s heart. “I’m fine, sis. After a nap, I feel much better.”

To reassure her, Yang An even bounced a couple of times in front of her.

He jumped quite high!

The melting snow left a few comical footprints on the dark ground.

Satisfied that her brother was truly okay, Yang Ning finally exhaled in relief. Then her eyes reddened, and tears welled up, streaming down in a heart-wrenching display.

“Sis, why are you crying? I’m fine now,” Yang An hurriedly comforted her. Then he saw Yang Ning suddenly whip out a rolling pin from somewhere. With tears still falling, she started hitting him hard and fast.

“You damn brat! You say you want to kill yourself, and you go ahead and do it!”

“You’re the only family I have left in this world! If you die, how am I supposed to live?”

“How am I supposed to face our parents in the afterlife?!”

“I’ll beat you to death!!!”

Yang An: ?

Yang Ning wielded the rolling pin with masterful skill.

Her strikes were even denser than the snowflakes drifting down around them. Before he knew it, Yang An had taken several blows.

Look at that technique.

It was obvious she often disciplined her brother.

Yang An ran while shouting, “If you’re so good at this, why didn’t you use it on that ruffian just now? Why hit your own brother instead?!”

“Hmph! How dare you talk back! Are you mocking your sister?!” Yang Ning wiped her tears and hit him even harder.

The siblings, one running ahead and the other chasing, circled around the old wooden table.

“Cough, cough, cough…”

Only when the urgent coughing came from the master bedroom did they stop and exchange a glance.

“It’s brother-in-law waking up!”

“Your brother-in-law!”

Yang Ning dropped the rolling pin and hurried back to the master bedroom.

Yang An followed closely behind. As soon as he entered, a sharp medicinal smell hit his nose. A kerosene lamp flickered in the room, its flame dancing with the breeze from the open door, casting a dim, stifling light.

Brother-in-law Li Yan lay on the bed.

Once broad-shouldered and robust, he had grown several sizes thinner. His complexion was pale and waxy like gold paper, his lips and eyelids tinged a bluish-purple.

“Wife… Er Lang…” Li Yan croaked hoarsely, calling out to the Yang siblings.

Seeing her husband in such a state, Yang Ning, who had just stopped crying, almost broke down again. She hurried to his bedside and grasped his hand tightly.

“My husband.”

Li Yan forced a smile.

“Why the long face... I’m awake now.”

“I thought you wouldn’t wake up!” Yang Ning wiped her tear-filled eyes, choking on her words. “You’ve been unconscious for a whole day and night. How are you feeling now?”

Yang An stood nearby, concern etched on his face. “Brother-in-law, are you feeling any better?”

“A lot better.”

Li Yan nodded, his eyes catching the white cloth wrapped around Yang An’s head. “How did Er Lang get hurt...” Before he could finish, his expression darkened. “Did those thugs from Wang’s Money House beat you up?”

Yang An lied quickly, “No one beat me. I just wasn’t careful and fell.”

“Don’t lie to me! No one falls like that by accident! It has to be those scoundrels from Wang’s Money House! Those wolves, Wang Gou’er and his gang, must have bullied you!”

Hearing the name Wang Gou’er, a notorious rogue in Yunzhou City, Yang An’s heart sank.

Wang Gou’er had made a name for himself as a troublemaker, rising through the ranks of martial artists thanks to his fierce fighting skills and the favor of a powerful patron. Later, he opened Wang’s Money House.

Backed by his influence, Wang Gou’er acted with impunity. Once he set his sights on someone, even mountains of gold couldn’t save them from ruin.

Li Yan had killed a ferocious beast raised by that patron to save someone.

Now, he not only needed money to treat his leg but also had to raise compensation to the patron.

The Yang siblings, desperate for funds, had no choice but to turn to Wang Gou’er.

They had signed a contract promising to repay the debt in two months.

But today, Chen San had already come demanding repayment!

It was simply outrageous!

Not wanting to worry Li Yan, Yang An forced a smile. “Don’t think about it. Nothing happened.”

Yang Ning quickly changed the subject. “You’ve been unconscious for so long, you must be hungry. Er Lang must be hungry too. There’s porridge simmering in the pot! I’ll go get it for you right now!”

“Er Lang looked at your brother-in-law.”

With those words left hanging, Yang Ning hurried to the kitchen.

She lifted the lid off a huge copper pot the size of a millstone. Inside, only a thin layer of porridge remained. Yang Ning scraped the bottom of the iron pot clean with a ladle before finally scooping out two bowls.

Growl growl—

Yang Ning herself had only eaten half a bowl in the past two days.

She was hungry now too.

Using the steam rising from the pot, she dipped half a bowl of cold water in to rinse the grains stuck to the bottom, then poured the cloudy water into a bowl as thin porridge.

Not a drop was wasted; she even licked the ladle clean.

After finishing, Yang Ning grabbed a white cloth to wipe her mouth but then thought better of it, deliberately leaving a small stain of rice water at the corner of her lips.

Carrying the two bowls of thick porridge, she returned to the main bedroom.

She smiled at Yang An and Li Yan. “Er Lang, husband, eat while it’s still warm.”

Yang An had also been unconscious for half a day.

His stomach was empty, and the aroma of the porridge made him hungry. Taking the golden porridge from Yang Ning’s hands, he sniffed the millet fragrance and eagerly gulped down several mouthfuls.

Before long, the bowls were empty.

Still feeling hungry, he was about to ask if Yang Ning had more when he noticed she had brought two bowls.

One for himself.

One to feed his brother-in-law.

Then what was she eating?

Yang An hurriedly asked, “Sis, why aren’t you eating?”

“I just ate in the kitchen. You should eat quickly,” Yang Ning smiled, wiping the rice water from the corner of her mouth as she sat by the bed, spoon-feeding Li Yan.

Yang An finally relaxed.

Still hungry, he asked, “Sis, is there any more?”

“There is. Once your brother-in-law finishes eating, I’ll cook some more for you. Eat well—only then will your body recover faster.” Yang Ning’s delicate, willow-leaf-shaped brows curved into a beautiful smile.

She blew on the porridge to cool it and fed it to Li Yan.

Just as the rice porridge entered his mouth, Yang An suddenly saw his brother-in-law start coughing violently, spewing out the spoonful he had just taken!

Yang An hurriedly put down the bowl.

He gently patted Li Yan’s back, trying to comfort him.

After a while, Li Yan’s complexion, pale and dull, lay on the bed with sunken eyes, unable to eat anything.

Not even water would go down!

“What’s wrong? What’s happening? Weren’t you feeling a bit better just now?!” Watching Li Yan fall ill again just after waking up, Yang Ning panicked. “Er Lang, watch over brother-in-law. I’m going to call Old Mr. He from next door!”

Yang An said, “Sis, let me go instead.”

“You still haven’t recovered your head injury. Don’t go wandering off,” Yang Ning said anxiously, rushing out the door.

Watching Yang Ning’s worried figure, Yang An felt a deep pang in his heart.

He sighed and took a towel to wipe the sweat from Li Yan’s neck. Just as Li Yan was about to lose consciousness, his eyes suddenly opened again.

Yang An was overjoyed: “Brother-in-law, you’re awake!”

Li Yan smiled faintly and said, “Er Lang, your sister has gone far away, hasn’t she?”

“She has, but she’s gone far,” Yang An replied hesitantly, looking at Li Yan’s condition. “Brother-in-law, you wouldn’t be pretending, would you?”

“As expected, you’re the smartest one in the family,” Li Yan chuckled heartily.

Yang An was a little angry. “Why would you do that?!”

Li Yan pointed at his legs and smiled bitterly. “I’m done for. These times are tough. How are you and your sister supposed to live taking care of a cripple like me? If I die, at least I won’t be a burden…”

“Li Yan! What nonsense are you talking?!” Yang An snapped.

Though Li Yan was big and burly, with a dark complexion like a farmer, standing next to his beautiful sister, it was like two different worlds.

But he was honest and gentle.

Yang Ning was soft on the outside but strong inside. When Yang An was young, he was often beaten with her rolling pin.

Brother-in-law Li Yan would always step in to stop her.

When Yang An got into fights at school and lost, too afraid to tell Yang Ning, he would secretly confide in Li Yan, who would then take him out the next day to restore his honor.

He would even buy him a big meat bun on the way back from school.

In Yang An’s heart,

Brother-in-law and sister were the same—

Both were family he could never live without.

Calming himself, Yang An comforted Li Yan, “Brother-in-law, don’t think like that. Your sister and I will find a way to cure you. We definitely will!”

Li Yan shook his head and sighed, “It’s no use, Er Lang. I know my legs. They’re beyond repair. Besides, because of me, our family still owes Wang Gou’er money. That guy can chew up a person’s bones and squeeze out the marrow.”

“If we don’t pay him back, he’ll come knocking.”

“He’s a warrior of the Entry Rank. You and your sister can’t handle him. I’m already crippled. Staying alive will only drag you both down.”

“Brother-in-law doesn’t want to be a burden…”

“What burden are you talking about?! Aren’t we family?!” Yang An gripped the towel tightly and shouted.

Tears welled up in Li Yan’s tiger-like eyes.

He grabbed Yang An’s arm and took a deep breath. “Er Lang, listen to me! Although my brother-in-law is just a low-ranking clerk at the government office, at least he holds an official position. If I starve myself to death, it won’t be considered suicide. Then you and your sister can receive a few dozen taels of silver as compensation.”

“And besides, I’ve been to the battlefield, earned merits, and hold a noble title.”

“When I die, you should go to Chief Clerk Qian at the office and arrange to inherit my title. After that, you and your sister will receive a few taels of silver every year.”

“Wang Gou’er is ruthless.”

“Take the silver and escape from Yunzhou as soon as you can.”

“Take good care of your sister, and whatever you do, don’t tell her about this—she won’t be able to bear it.”

Hearing these words, Yang An felt as if a knife was twisting in his heart; the pain was unbearable, and he couldn’t find the words to speak.

“Old Mr. He, please hurry!”

Old Mr. He lived just across the alley. Before long, Yang Ning had already invited him over.

They heard the sound of footsteps approaching.

Fearing that Yang An might refuse and tell Yang Ning about this, Li Yan anxiously grabbed Yang An’s arm so tightly it hurt. “Er Lang! Yun Shen! You have to agree! If you don’t, even if I die, I won’t rest in peace in the afterlife!”

Yang An was not made of stone.

How could he refuse?

When he still didn’t answer, Li Yan became so desperate he tried to bite his own tongue. Yang An was shocked and quickly stuffed a towel into Li Yan’s mouth, but it couldn’t stop him!

Blood was already starting to trickle from the corner of Li Yan’s mouth!

Yang An ground his back molars until they nearly shattered. “I agree! Brother-in-law, please let go! I’ve agreed, isn’t that enough?!”

Before Yang Ning and the doctor Wang entered the room,

Li Yan smiled with relief, as if he could now die peacefully.

Yang Ning returned.

As soon as she stepped inside, she urged, “Old Mr. He, please take a look at my husband!”

“All right, Mrs. Li, please don’t be anxious.”

Yang An looked over at the speaker. The man was nearly seventy years old, with white hair, leaning on a cane as he followed Yang Ning inside.

This was Old Mr. He.

He was the only doctor in their Wanshou neighborhood.

Yang An moved aside from the bedside. Yang Ning helped him sit beside Li Yan and carefully took his pulse.

Old Mr. He’s medical skills were quite remarkable.

Whenever Yang An had a cold or minor ailment, he would visit Old Mr. He, take a few prescribed herbs, and recover within half a day.

Grasping Li Yan’s wrist,

Old Mr. He frowned deeply. He hurriedly pried open Li Yan’s mouth to examine his tongue coating, then lifted his eyelids to inspect his pupils. After a moment, he shouted angrily, “What quack doctor! How dare they prescribe Jiuyelan Grass for Li Buliang!”

“Jiuyelan Grass is a blocking herb!”

“It’s usually used to treat poisoning by obstructing the meridians. Li Buliang already injured the muscles and bones around his waist. What he needs now is to invigorate the blood and unblock the meridians. Using such a fierce and harmful herb only worsens his condition, severing the meridians around his waist!”

Jiuyelan Grass was exactly the medicine prescribed by Huichuntang!

Seeing Chen San arrive,

Yang An vaguely suspected that the people from the Wang family’s bank had conspired with Huichuntang to set a trap and frame their family.

Although he had been mentally prepared,

at this moment, anger surged uncontrollably within Yang An. He couldn’t understand how, living a peaceful life, they had offended Wang Gou’er and his gang so deeply that they would be subjected to such a plot!

He looked at the unconscious Li Yan.

Yang Ning fought back tears. By now, she no longer dared to hope that Li Yan would wake up—just staying alive was enough. “Old Mr. He, my husband has been unconscious and unable to eat for a long time. What kind of illness could this be?”

“Unconscious? Unable to eat?”

Old Mr. He paused briefly, then carefully examined Li Yan once more.

Li Yan’s heart was filled with a will to die.

No matter how skilled Old Mr. He’s medical expertise was, he couldn’t determine the cause of the illness.

After all, there was no medicine for a wasting disease like this.

After much effort,

Old Mr. He only prescribed a formula to nourish the blood and replenish the qi.

“Old sir, is there really no hope for my husband?” Yang Ning clutched the prescription tightly as she asked with difficulty.

Old Mr. He sighed and shook his head.

Yang Ning felt dizzy for a moment.

Her legs weakened, and she collapsed onto the edge of the bed.

Having witnessed so many partings between life and death, Old Mr. He knew that no words could help now. Without disturbing her further, he leaned on his cane, picked up his medicine box, and prepared to leave.

Suddenly, Yang An steadied him. “Old Mr. He, let me see you out.”

Old Mr. He was somewhat surprised.

Supporting him, Yang An led the way out of the Yang family compound toward his home.

Along the way,

Yang An rolled up his sleeve, took out the handful of silver coins he had been saving for years, and pressed them into Old Mr. He’s hand. Bowing respectfully, he asked, “Old sir, is there any chance my brother-in-law’s injury can be healed?”

Old Mr. He glanced at the silver, then sighed. “Li Bu Liang’s injury is grave—his spine is damaged. The chance of recovery is slim unless you can find a miraculous herb that can reconnect tendons and mend bones. Otherwise…”

“Old sir, do you know where such a herb can be found?”

Yang An refused to give up and pressed on.

Old Mr. He stroked his graying beard, looked at Yang An a few more times, then said, “Such a miraculous herb does exist. Outside Yunzhou City lies Yunling Mountain, where the Black Jade Lotus grows.”

“But unfortunately, it’s the dead of winter now. The cold freezes the land and heavy snow seals the mountain. The snowy ridges are home to fierce beasts, and the herb grows only on sheer cliffs guarded by these beasts. Even the most experienced mountain folk dare not venture out to harvest it at this time.”

Black Jade Lotus?

Yang An’s heart leapt with hope. He carefully questioned Old Mr. He about the herb’s appearance, learning that it resembled a lotus flower with a jet-black hue.

Having crossed countless bridges and endured countless hardships,

Old Mr. He was no fool.

He saw through Yang An’s determination and warned, “Second Son, think carefully before you act. The world is harsh, and Li Bu Liang has already fallen. If you risk your life and something happens to you, how will Lady Yang survive alone?”

“Surviving well is the greatest repayment to those closest to us.”

“That’s enough from this old man. I’ve said too much already.”

“You don’t need to see me out, Second Son.”

A cold wind swept snowflakes between them. Old Mr. He returned the silver coins to Yang An’s hand, then hobbled away with his cane back to his own courtyard.

“Thank you,” Yang An said deeply, bowing to the retreating figure.

Back at home,

He faced his despairing sister,

His brother-in-law, who was sinking into a death-like sleep after refusing food.

Without a word, Yang An returned to his room, layered himself with several thick cotton garments and leather armor, tightened his belt, strapped on a short dagger, slung a longbow over his shoulder, and packed a quiver full of arrows.

With the sun still high,

He stepped into the biting wind and snow without looking back, heading straight for Yunling Mountain.

“Forgive me, brother-in-law, Old Mr. He.”

“I understand the reasoning.”

"But... asking me to abandon my family just to survive is out of the question."