"I suppose that's all I can do," he muttered, looking toward the room where his sister-in-law was being held. "If I survive this, I promise I'll come back to save you. If I don't, I'll be waiting on the other side to thank you for all you've done."
He steadied his breath and began to meditate. Facing three Foundation Establishment cultivators was no trivial matter. Finally, there was a knock at his door.
"Sir, Elder Cheng Gen has arrived with a carriage to take you to the White Tiger Merchant Guild," Mo Xiorong's voice called.
"It's time," Xue San said quietly. Oddly enough, a sense of calm settled over him. He was about to walk into the tiger's den, and he knew only one thing for certain: either he would die, or they would. There was no middle ground.
Cheng Gen wore a constant smile as the carriage rumbled along, making small talk that felt more like a hunter's soothing words to keep his prey unsuspecting. When they finally arrived at the White Tiger Merchant Guild, he gestured grandly.
"Here we are, dear customer. Everyone's inside, waiting for you!" he announced, that sickening grin never leaving his face.
Xue San couldn't help noticing the predatory gleam in Cheng Gen's eyes. Nonetheless, he followed him into the building, where he was led to a different chamber this time—one far less lavish. Unlike the previous rooms he'd seen, this one was practically barren, containing little more than a plain table and a few chairs. Metal and stone reinforced the walls, and various strange symbols were etched into the surfaces.
Catching Xue San eyeing those runic markings, Cheng Gen hastened to explain, "They're just simple formations to keep out unwanted interruptions. We value our clients' safety above all, after all."
Xue San merely nodded, all the while scoffing inwardly. "So much trouble", he thought, "just to kill me, a mere Qi Condensation cultivator."
It didn't take long for the top brass to appear. On the left, was none other than Left Claw—Xue San recognized him from the Sakura Palace. The other, to the right, must be Right Claw. His face was concealed by bandages, but the distinctive blue hair made him easy to identify.
Finally, there was Tiger Head, the Boss himself. Contrary to Xue San's expectations, Tiger Head was a strikingly handsome man in his early thirties, with deep blue eyes and equally blue hair, a thin mustache, and a small scar beneath his left eye. By now, Xue San was starting to suspect that every member of the Long Clan was born with blue hair.
"So, you're the one selling that Midstream Pill, boy?" Left Claw asked bluntly, making no effort to hide his threatening tone.
"Yes," Xue San answered simply.
"Show me," Tiger Head demanded.
Xue San tossed him the bottle containing the pill. Tiger Head caught it and was about to inspect the contents when Xue San seized the moment. While they were distracted, he leaped backward and hurled not one or two, but three Wood-Stone Poison Pills.
But he had underestimated the reaction speed of three Foundation Establishment experts. The instant he jumped back, Right Claw was already upon him.
Xue San swiftly summoned his Hundred Phantom Hands technique, conjuring four phantom arms before him in a defensive posture. He barely had time to brace himself when Right Claw's attack landed, shattering the phantom arms into tiny fragments and slamming Xue San against the wall.
Left Claw, though slightly slower than his partner, also charged in. His fist glowed with blue energy in the shape of a dragon's head, aiming to finish Xue San in a single strike. Unlike last time, Xue San didn't suffer a significant backlash from losing his Phantom Hands. He quickly conjured a single phantom hand to shove himself clear of Left Claw's blow.
Tiger Head watched impassively at first—until he noticed the green gas swelling around them. "Left Claw, Right Claw, that poison is no joke. Finish him quickly so we can get out of here!" he snapped.
Though he didn't recognize the exact toxin, Tiger Head felt little concern. A Foundation Establishment cultivator's body was typically hardy enough to resist most poisons, and they expected to dispatch Xue San before any serious damage could be done.
Still, the kid's readiness to use pills and the desperation in his attacks confirmed one thing for Tiger Head: Xue San had no influential backer. If someone like him were in the exact situation as Xue San, he would've revealed his backing immediately.
Meanwhile, Xue San seized the brief lull to grab the jade talisman. Moving with lightning speed, he activated the protective barrier around himself.
"Yes, Boss," Left Claw and Right Claw answered in unison, attacking again. They struck the barrier with a thunderous crash—yet not even a fracture appeared in Xue San's shield. All three men gaped in disbelief.
"Where the hell did this brat get such high-quality defensive gear?" Left Claw muttered.
Just then, a strangled groan sounded from behind them. "B-Boss… save… me…" It was Cheng Gen, whom they'd all but forgotten was in the room. The trio looked on as he collapsed to the floor, his limbs rigid as stone.
"What the—?" Right Claw exclaimed. He hadn't expected the poison to kill a sixth-stage Qi Condensation cultivator so quickly.
Left Claw, voice trembling with panic, added, "M-my head feels heavy… This stuff is affecting us already. We need to get out of here!"
Xue San snorted in contempt. "By all means, run. Spread the poison through the entire building if you like. And by the time, I can also flee and tell evryone that the Long Clan is behind the White Tiger Gang—well, I wonder how that will go."
Their eyes widened at the mention of the Long Clan. They could not believe this stranger knew about their origin, if this somehow afected the Patriarchs plans, the trio trembled just thinking about it.
"Kill him—now!" Tiger Head roared, genuine alarm edging his voice for the first time. "We'll handle the poison later. No matter what, he doesn't leave here alive!"
All three launched themselves at Xue San with renewed fury. Were it not for the reinforced walls, the entire building might have collapsed beneath their barrage. Even so, deep cracks began spreading along the fortress-like stone, threatening to shatter the room if the battle continued much longer.
Xue San clung to his life, pouring every ounce of his Qi and spiritual power into the jade talisman, both of which were dwindling at an alarming rate. He could manage Left Claw and Right Claw, but Tiger Head's attacks were so devastating that each blow left a fresh crack in his shield.
"Damn it, I don't know how much longer I can hold on," Xue San snarled inwardly. Then it happened.
Left Claw, poised to strike again, suddenly grunted and dropped to his knees, the poison taking hold at last. Right Claw collapsed an instant later, leaving only Tiger Head to continue his barrage of attacks. He showed no concern for his fallen companions, not even glancing their way.
"You damned little turtle," Tiger Head roared, "once I get my hands on you, I'll tear you to pieces!"
Xue San sneered in response. "Let's see if I don't smash your head like a watermelon first," he taunted.
Tiger Head paused his assault briefly, gathering Qi at a staggering rate. He formed a series of hand seals, and the image of a water dragon materialized behind him.
"Long Clan's Third Technique: Water Dragon Roar!"
He opened his mouth, as did the spectral dragon, and a piercing roar blasted out—so loud that people beyond the Guild's walls might have heard it.
"ROOOOOOOOOARRR!!!"
Xue San felt as if his entire body were about to be ripped apart from within. His shield cracked bit by bit before finally shattering like glass, its pieces scattering and then vanishing. He dropped to his knees, letting out a tortured scream.
Seeing him so vulnerable, Tiger Head didn't hesitate. He lunged to deliver the killing blow—only to discover, too late, that his legs no longer responded. They had gone rigid as stone. He had spent too much Qi on that last technique, leaving him unable to stave off the poison any longer.
"Not now!" he snarled. This was the perfect opportunity to finish off that wretch.
Mustering what remained of his Qi, he gathered a final burst of power in his palm to end Xue San once and for all.
Xue San, battered and bleeding from his seven orifices, saw Tiger Head's intentions. Summoning the last remnants of his will, he conjured a single phantom hand.
He poured every shred of strength into it, launching his attack just as Tiger Head unleashed his own. The strikes nearly hit simultaneously, but Tiger Head's arrived a fraction of a second sooner—until a figure emerged from Xue San's shadow and intercepted it.
In the next heartbeat, Xue San's phantom hand slammed into Tiger Head, smashing his skull in a spray of gore.
"Ahh… I interfered after all," Shadow Seven muttered to herself, materializing beside Xue San. "I wonder what the Guild Master will think of that. As if I could guess what that crazy old fool finds 'interesting.'"
She eyed Xue San, who lay bleeding profusely. "At this rate, he'd probably die," she remarked. "Might as well do it properly." Producing a pill from her spatial ring, she slipped it into Xue San's mouth. Then, as though her task were done, she vanished. Strangely, the poisonous miasma seemed to avoid her entirely, as if guided by fear or an unseen will.
After an unknown span of time, Xue San awoke to find his injuries fully healed. He felt astonishingly refreshed.
His first reaction was to cry out in relief and triumph. He had actually survived. He had fought three Foundation Establishment cultivators, and, despite relying on a series of fortunate circumstances—locking them in a poisoned room so they couldn't escape, while he hid inside behind a shild like a turtle—he had still emerged victorious.
The room remained choked with toxic gas, but to Xue San it posed no threat. He stepped over to Tiger Head's corpse, gazing at the man's shattered skull. "I told you I'd crush your head like a watermelon," he murmured.
He began searching the bodies for anything valuable, placing each item into his storage ring. Later, he would take a closer look, he was pleasantly surprised when he saw that Tiger Head actually had a spatial ring too. As a precaution, he crushed the skulls of the other fallen foes as well, unwilling to risk them somehow surviving. After all, they werent truly dead but more like turned into a statue, and a Nascent Soul powerhouse could potentially purge the poison from their bodies, which was a risk he refused to take.
Swapping his blood-soaked garments for a fresh set of clothes, Xue San slipped out of the store unnoticed. By then, night had already fallen.
He couldn't guess why no one had come down to investigate during his unconscious state, maybe he was just that lucky, but he was unaware that Shadow Seven had thwarted any intruders. Anyone who ventured near the basement heard only Tiger Head's voice bellowing, "Get lost and don't disturb us!"—a ruse Shadow Seven had orchestrated perfectly.
Now that he'd dealt with the White Tiger Merchant Guild, Xue San's next objective was to help his sister-in-law
At the Sakura Palace, Mo Xiurong reveled in her sadistic amusement, discovering yet another way to torment Cai Jin. She had bound her tightly to a chair, forcing her to watch as a grotesquely corpulent man— a wealthy merchant—took pleasure in the agony of a young girl.
"Just imagine, Cai Jin," Mo Xiurong sneered, her laughter cold and sharp as a blade. "Next time, it will be your daughter beneath him."
Cai Jin's voice, though hoarse from countless cries, erupted with venom. "Mo Xiurong, you despicable bitch! I swear, I will tear out your tongue, gouge out your eyes, and shatter every bone in your wretched body. I will make you pray for death every single day of your miserable life!"
Mo Xiurong smirked, unfazed. "Ah, so you still have some fight left in you. How delightful. Let's see if that defiance lasts once your daughter is in my hands." She turned her attention to the fat merchant, her tone dripping with mock sweetness. "Dear customer, I know of another flower, as fresh and radiant as a rose—just five years old. Wouldn't you like a taste?"
The merchant let out a guttural laugh. "Hahaha! Miss Mo Xiurong, you know me too well!"
She tilted her head, her smile sinister. "Shall I bring her to you tomorrow? What do you think?"
The man's piggish eyes gleamed with greed. "Triple my usual payment if you bring her to me tonight. This one is already used up." He stood, revealing the limp, lifeless body of the young girl, no older than eight years old, beneath him. Her vacant eyes still glistened with tears, a testament to her final moments of terror and pain. The fat man had violated and extinguished her life in one grotesque act.
"Five times the price," Mo Xiurong countered smoothly.
"Done," the merchant agreed with a satisfied leer.
The exchange snapped something deep within Cai Jin. Her mind teetered on the edge of madness when, without warning, the air shifted. The corpulent man was suddenly yanked into the air, his screams silenced as he was crushed into an unrecognizable pulp—blood, bone, and flesh smeared grotesquely onto the ground.
"Scum."
It was just one word, but the voice that followed was as cold and bottomless as the abyss itself, reverberating with an eerie calm that froze Mo Xiurong in place. She turned, her smirk faltering as dread seeped into her expression.