Firmament Sword

Xu Luo approached Young Master Xiao, who was lying on the bed. Seeing his eyes shut tight, as if he were completely unconscious, Xu Luo let out a cold sneer. ”I know you’re awake,” he said. ”If you want to die like Wei Zi Yu, I’ll be happy to oblige.”

”Don’t!” Young Master Xiao’s eyes flew open on the bed, filled with a pleading look. ”I’m sorry, I was wrong! Please, spare me! I’ll reward you handsomely in the future!”

”Heh heh, that depends on your cooperation.” Xu Luo smiled, sitting down on a chair by the bed and watching Young Master Xiao at his leisure. ”If you know what’s good for you, letting you live isn’t out of the question. After all, you were also deceived by Wei Zi Yu.”

”Yes, yes! That bastard tricked me! He never told me who the other party was...” Young Master Xiao said hurriedly, though a flash of shame and anger appeared deep in his eyes.

Xu Luo saw it but smiled impassively. ”Indeed. The Wei Family has committed countless evils, and their disciples are capable of any wickedness. Young Master Xiao, you come from a sect. How could you get mixed up with people like that?”

”Sigh, don’t mention it. It was my mistake for being careless in choosing friends.” Young Master Xiao sighed and said, ”I left my sect to gain worldly experience and met Wei Zi Yu. He tricked me with his silver tongue. I was a fool to consider him a friend, never thinking he would use me. A person like that deserves to die. Even if you hadn’t killed him, I wouldn’t have let him go!”

Looking at Young Master Xiao’s furious expression, Xu Luo sneered inwardly. ’He knew you were a sect disciple, so he treated you with the utmost respect, afraid of the slightest neglect. Even when his family was in crisis, his first thought was to hide you away. If my eyes couldn’t see through your hiding place, you really would have gotten away. And yet, you’re so cold-hearted, pinning all the blame on a dead man...’

Xu Luo nodded, then said, ”I have yet to learn which sect Young Master Xiao hails from.”

A glint flashed in Young Master Xiao’s eyes. He was about to name his sect but suddenly had a thought. ’This young man is so brazen. He knew I was from a sect and still dared to wound me this badly. He’s probably from a sect too. My sect is only considered third-rate among the Hidden Sects. If he really knows about them... he’ll look down on my sect completely!’

With this in mind, Young Master Xiao forced a smile and said, ”I’ve brought shame to my sect, so I shouldn’t even say its name. But since Young Master Xu has asked, I will naturally tell you everything. In truth, I am a Tianquan Disciple...”

”Tianquan?” Xu Luo was a bit surprised. He wasn’t sure if the man was lying. Looking at Young Master Xiao, he asked, ”Really?”

’He really does know about the sects!’

Seeing Xu Luo’s expression, Young Master Xiao immediately thought to himself, ’Good thing I said I was from Tianquan. He’s scared!’

Convinced that Xu Luo knew a few things about the sects and understood Tianquan’s power, Young Master Xiao felt much more at ease. He looked at Xu Luo and said, ”How could I lie about my sect affiliation!” But inwardly, he was thinking, ’Forgive me, Ancestral Master. When I get back, I’ll be sure to burn incense for you. I was forced into this...’

A faint, unreadable smile played on Xu Luo’s lips. Looking at Young Master Xiao, he said, ”You’re not being honest!”

As he spoke, a light flashed in his hand...

Young Master Xiao let out a blood-curdling scream. ”AAAH!”

A stream of blood flowed down Young Master Xiao’s leg. His thigh had been pierced straight through by the incomparably sharp Lan. The blood instantly stained his white robes red, a shocking sight to behold.

”I wasn’t even going to hold it against you for harassing my sister-in-law on the street and trying to abduct her by force. Yet you won’t tell me the truth. Frankly... I’m a little disappointed,” Xu Luo said lightly, looking at Young Master Xiao’s face, which was twisted in pain.

”I... I’m not lying... I’m really not, I’m a Tianquan Disciple! Killing me... won’t do you any good... AAH!”

Before Young Master Xiao could finish, his other leg was stabbed. The piercing pain made his face contort hideously. Beads of sweat broke out on his forehead as he screamed incessantly.

”Stop screaming. If you don’t start telling the truth, your third leg is next,” Xu Luo said with a smile.

”Th-third leg?” Young Master Xiao forced himself to endure the excruciating pain from his legs and looked at Xu Luo in confusion. Following Xu Luo’s gaze, Young Master Xiao suddenly felt a chill between his legs. His face changed dramatically. ”You... you... Why must you be so cruel? I admit it... I admit I’m not a Tianquan Disciple! I admit I shouldn’t have harassed your sister-in-law! I was wrong! Y-you... just let me go!”

”Heh heh. Admitting your mistake now, but in your heart, you’re thinking that as long as you get back alive, you’ll never let me off the hook, right?” Xu Luo said, smiling as he watched Young Master Xiao.

”No, I won’t! I absolutely won’t! If I can make it back to my sect alive, I swear... I’ll never take another step out of my sect for the rest of my life, much less seek revenge on you! I’m begging you... let me go.” As Young Master Xiao spoke, tears streamed down his face, and he sobbed uncontrollably. He was truly terrified.

’This young man, so much younger than him, was simply a demon!’

’Smiling while stabbing a short sword into his thigh without a change in expression... This guy is a homicidal maniac! When had Young Master Xiao, a man from a sect, ever encountered such a terrifying person?!’

”Sigh. You’re not being honest at all. How can I let you go?” Xu Luo sighed, his eyes darting over Young Master Xiao’s body as if looking for the next place to strike.

Young Master Xiao felt like a pitiful frog being stared down by a venomous snake. He stammered, ”M-my sect... it’s called Qingtian...”

”Qingtian? Never heard of it...” Xu Luo shook his head dismissively.

Young Master Xiao’s face flushed red. He stammered, ”It’s... it’s a small, third-rate sect...”

”Heh...” Xu Luo looked at Young Master Xiao with a touch of pity. ”A disciple from a small, third-rate sect dares to be so domineering and arrogant out in the world. If you were really from Tianquan, how much more arrogant would you be?”

”I... I was wrong. Please spare me,” Young Master Xiao begged bitterly.

’At a time like this, dignity and face were worthless compared to his life. No matter what, getting back to his sect alive was all that mattered. As for revenge, that was a conversation to be had only after he survived.’

”Why did you come to the Wei Family?” Xu Luo asked, looking at Young Master Xiao. He didn’t believe the story about gaining experience and meeting by chance. If that were true, even if he was from a sect, there was no reason for Wei Zi Yu to suck up to him so much.

”I... I came to the Wei Family because my sect has an agreement with them...” Young Master Xiao didn’t want to tell the truth, but when he saw Xu Luo’s eyes roaming all over his body, he was scared out of his wits and obediently confessed, ”We were supposed to help the Wei Family deal with the Xia Family. In return, the Wei Family would give my sect a large amount of wealth.”

’Just as I thought.’

Xu Luo thought to himself. Then he asked, ”So, targeting the young lady of the Xia Family wasn’t a coincidence either?”

”Yes. Wei Zi Yu told me that Xia Muyao was a peerless beauty and very intelligent. He said that once the Xia Family fell, he would present Xia Muyao to me as a tribute...” A bitter taste filled Young Master Xiao’s mouth. If he had known Xia Muyao had such a powerful younger brother-in-law, he would have never done this, not even if it killed him.

”Then... how did you find out Xia Muyao’s exact location?” Xu Luo asked.

”The Xia Family has a mole.” Young Master Xiao didn’t hide this at all. He spoke with contempt, ”Someone on their inside gave us the information. That’s how we were able to ambush her so precisely.”

”Who is the mole?” Xu Luo asked.

”I don’t know his name. I think it was Xia Bao? I heard he has a pretty high position in the Xia Family.”

”Alright, I understand now.” Xu Luo said, standing up and starting to walk out.

”Young Master Xu, you promised to spare my life!” Seeing Xu Luo about to leave, Young Master Xiao was scared witless. Blood was still flowing from his legs. If no one stopped the bleeding, he would soon die from blood loss.

Xu Luo turned his head back and asked Young Master Xiao, ”Do I look stupid?”

”Er... Young Master Xu is wise and powerful, exceptionally intelligent, and supremely talented... How could you possibly be stupid...” Young Master Xiao was on the verge of tears, forcing out compliments against his will. In his heart, his hatred for Xu Luo had reached its peak. He resolved that if he could just get back alive this time, he would get his revenge no matter what.

Xu Luo looked at Young Master Xiao as if he were an idiot. ”Since I’m so outstanding and not at all stupid, why would I save you? Not killing you myself is the extent of my mercy!”

With that said, Xu Luo turned and walked away.

”AAAAAAAHHHH!”

A crazed roar erupted from Young Master Xiao behind him, but it was quickly cut short. With a single backhanded slash of his sword, Xu Luo completely collapsed the entrance to the basement. Dust and debris rose in a cloud, sealing Young Master Xiao’s roars inside.

Xu Luo turned back. Looking at the basement entrance he had collapsed with a single wave of Sword Qi, he said softly, ”If I hadn’t happened to come to Hongcheng today, I’m afraid even Li Hong couldn’t have stopped you animals. If I had let you go today, who knows how many more people would have died because of you in the future.”

Just then, several figures suddenly appeared opposite him. Their auras were all incredibly powerful as they fanned out and surrounded Xu Luo.

Xu Luo felt a shocking killing intent from them and knew that these men must be the Hongcheng Wei Family’s final trump card. He let out a cold sneer and charged forward to meet them.

”You little bastard! How dare you come to my Wei Family and kill my people! Today... not even the Jade Emperor himself could save you!” The leader, holding a Long Sword, was brimming with immense power. A nearly visible True Essence Aura enveloped him. ”If I cannot cut you down with my sword today, I, Wei Shan, will seal my blade forever!”

”So you’re Wei Shan?” Xu Luo looked at the man before him. Recalling the information Li Hong had gathered on the Wei Family’s evil deeds and all the details about this man, he laughed in fury. ”I hear you’re a big fan of antiques. Well today, this young master will give you a chance to become one!”

As he spoke, Xu Luo executed the Shaking Light Step. His figure flashed like a bolt of lightning, streaking like light. With his sword in his right hand and his left fist unleashing a Great Mountain Collapse, he charged directly at Wei Shan!

BOOM!

The few Wei Family experts roared in anger and swung their weapons at Xu Luo in unison.