In the pitch-black night sky, the silver moon hung high, its gentle light casting a layer of silver gauze over the ground, making everything appear incredibly mysterious.
After the daytime commotion, Wutan City in the dead of night also fell into darkness and silence. From some houses on the streets, one could occasionally hear the gasps of men and the weak moans of women. (Too scandalous, too sinful - DG)
In the Xiao family's back courtyard, a young man lay on his back on the bed. Within his eyes, as dark as the night sky, a cold glint suddenly flashed.
"Master, in your current state, what is your maximum strength?" After a long silence, Xiao Yan suddenly asked softly.
"Why do you ask?" A casual question came from the dark ring. A moment later, Yao Lao vaguely said, "Although I am currently only in a soul state, with the help of the strange flame, dealing with some Great Dou Masters or minor Dou Spirit fish should be no problem."
Hearing this, Xiao Yan's face showed a hint of joy, and a trace of coldness flashed in his eyes.
"You want to kill that brat from earlier today?" Seeing Xiao Yan's expression, Yao Lao asked with a slight surprise.
"Jia Lie Ao is not worth that much concern from me." Xiao Yan chuckled, speaking softly and indifferently, "Two months are almost up. I've grown a bit impatient with the Jia Lie family. So, I plan to secretly deal with that alchemist, Liu Xi. As long as he dies, the Jia Lie family will have no one to refine healing medicine and will lose their market. By then, even if the family can still survive, their influence will decline, and it won't be easy for them to pose a threat to the Xiao family from then on."
"Oh, is it really because of impatience? With your temperament, you don't seem like an impetuous person." After a moment of silence, Yao Lao's teasing voice came from the ring, "It seems you truly care deeply for that girl named Xun'er. That fellow was merely a bit vulgar in his actions, and you've held a grudge. You truly are a jealous child."
Hearing this, Xiao Yan's face flushed slightly. With his thoughts exposed, he immediately became angry out of embarrassment. "I don't have much time, how can I waste it playing with them? Even if I hadn't met that guy today, I would have used other methods."
"Alright, alright, let's not talk about that girl then..." Seeing Xiao Yan's expression, Yao Lao laughed heartily, his laughter full of teasing, causing Xiao Yan to roll his eyes helplessly.
"If you want to act, then go. I am in a soul state, so I will borrow your hands." Stopping his mockery, Yao Lao said with a smile.
Nodding quickly, Xiao Yan hurriedly jumped off the bed. He pulled out a dark red storage ring from his chest, then took out a pre-prepared large black cloak. He skillfully draped it over himself. Instantly, the originally slender young man's figure transformed into a mysterious, bulky black-robed figure.
"Let's go. You don't need to do anything. Just let me control your body. With my soul enveloping you, you won't have to worry about anyone recognizing your identity from your aura." Seeing Xiao Yan ready, Yao Lao reminded him with a smile.
"En." Nodding, Xiao Yan quickly and agilely moved to the window, looking around like a thief. Only then did he leap out, his body rapidly descending from the air. A powerful force emanated from the ring on his finger.
A mysterious force swiftly enveloped Xiao Yan's entire body. Instantly, his rapidly descending figure abruptly floated in mid-air. Lightly tapping his feet, his dark silhouette, like a raptor hidden in the darkness, silently flew out of the Xiao family, finally disappearing into the hazy night.
Tonight, the sky was clear and the moon bright—a perfect time for murder.
...
The Jia Lie family.
"Master Liu Xi can really refine other elixirs?" In the brightly lit hall, Jia Lie Bi, whose mood had been extremely gloomy, was first stunned when he heard Liu Xi's smug voice, then asked joyfully.
Very satisfied to see Jia Lie Bi's mixed expression of joy and apprehension, Liu Xi picked up the teacup beside him and took a sip. A hint of arrogance appeared on his face: "Besides healing elixirs, I can also refine an elixir that is extremely suitable for mercenaries, called the Strength Accumulation Pill. It can, in a short period, increase the user's strength by about ten percent."
Hearing this, the joy on Jia Lie Bi's face deepened. If such a special elixir could truly be refined, then the Jia Lie family could use it for publicity, attracting considerable popularity. In the end, it might even be possible to suppress the Xiao family once more.
"However, this Strength Accumulation Pill cannot be refined on a large scale like healing elixirs. With my current strength, I'm afraid I can only refine about twenty pills a day at most," Liu Xi said with a hint of regret.
"Ah, twenty pills it is, twenty pills. We can take them to the auction. A high price is fine; after all, healing elixirs are our main product. We're just using this to regain popularity," Jia Lie Bi said with a wave of his hand and a smile.
"Heh, Patriarch Jia Lie, I can indeed refine this Strength Accumulation Pill, but according to our agreement, I am only responsible for refining healing elixirs, am I not?" Seeing that the Strength Accumulation Pill had successfully piqued Jia Lie Bi's interest, Liu Xi's eyes flickered as he suddenly said with a smile.
His expression slightly changed. How could the old fox Jia Lie Bi not know this man's intentions? However, at this point, he could only give a dry laugh and ask, "Then what does Master Liu Xi mean?"
"Ah, don't worry, I know the current situation of the Jia Lie family, so I won't be like a lion opening its mouth wide." Seeing Jia Lie Bi sigh in relief, a hint of lewdness flashed across Liu Xi's eyes: "I merely wish to ask Patriarch Jia Lie for help in bringing that young lady named Xiao Xun'er to me."
The smile that had not yet fully formed on Jia Lie Bi's face instantly stiffened. His eyelids twitched. He had not expected this man to be so audacious, daring to direct his thoughts straight towards the Xiao family.
"Master Liu Xi, if our Jia Lie family touches someone from the Xiao family, Xiao Zhan will have an excuse to declare war on our Jia Lie family. At that time, I'm afraid it will no longer be an economic struggle, but a real clash of swords and spears..." With a sigh, Jia Lie Bi said with a bitter smile.
Tapping his fingers on the table, Liu Xi chuckled, "That's not a problem I'm concerned about. Regardless of whether the Patriarch plans to seize her by force or use a mind-altering drug to bring her here, I only want the result. As long as the Patriarch can bring her to me, I will refine the Strength Accumulation Pills at any time."
Jia Liet Bi’s eyelids twitched again. Even though he was extremely angry, he still forced a smile and said, “How about I think about it? I’ll give you a satisfactory answer tomorrow, how about that, sir?”
“Heh heh, that’s fine. Clan Head, please consider it. If I may be so bold, the Jia Liet family and the Xiao family are already like fire and water. What’s the harm in adding another grudge?” Liu Xi chuckled, stood up, patted his backside, and swaggered out of the main hall, heading quickly towards his room in the back courtyard. The pure and ethereal young lady had ignited a fire in his heart today, and he now desperately wanted to find a young, beautiful maid to cool down.
Watching Liu Xi disappear around the corner, Jia Liet Bi’s face darkened. After a long while, he sighed and calmly said, “That kind of scoundrel, with a head full of women, will sooner or later die because of a woman.”
……
In a room in the back courtyard, Xiao Yan looked helplessly at the beautiful woman lying unconscious on the bed, clad only in a thin nightgown, revealing a large expanse of alluring, snow-white skin.
“That guy is back,” Yao Lao’s soft voice came from within the ring. Xiao Yan quickly retreated into a secret corner, his eyes peering through a tiny crack, taking in everything in the room.
“Creak…” The wooden door slowly opened. Liu Xi’s characteristic smile and lewd voice echoed in the room: “Haha, my darling, I’m back. Tonight, prepare to be tormented.”
“He’s truly a brainless idiot, full of lust. Yao Lao, prepare to act,” Xiao Yan thought, shaking his head with a cold laugh.
“Alright… Wait, there’s a change!” Before he could finish the word “alright,” Yao Lao urgently shouted, making Xiao Yan’s heart jump.
Sweat broke out on Xiao Yan’s forehead from Yao Lao’s sudden shout. His body stiffened, not daring to move.
“To the left!” Yao Lao’s soft voice transmitted again in his mind.
Hearing the reminder, Xiao Yan slowly turned his head, directing his gaze towards the window on the left side of the room. His pupils suddenly contracted…
The window, which had originally been tightly shut, had opened at some unknown point, allowing faint moonlight to stream in. In just a blink of an eye, the empty window now had a young girl in a golden robe strangely sitting on it. Beneath the golden robe, a pair of smooth, snow-white jade legs drew an alluring curve in the air.
The faint moonlight shone on the young girl’s delicate, small face, making her appear like a moon goddess, beautiful and mysterious.
Looking at the young girl who had appeared from nowhere, Xiao Yan suddenly felt a bitter taste in his throat, his voice in his heart almost a whimper.
“Xun… Xun’er?”