Chapter 2 The Knock on the Door
The next day, Li Xuan's door was knocked open.
To Li Xuan's surprise, the person standing outside was the girl he had met just yesterday. Seeing her tear-streaked face, Li Xuan couldn't bear it and let her into his room.
Amidst the girl's sobs, Li Xuan grasped the rough outline of the situation.
The burly man had died on the street. Before he died, he had asked this girl to find Li Xuan. What Li Xuan found peculiar was that the burly man knew which inn Li Xuan was staying at.
"Alas, let's consider this repayment for yesterday's drink," Li Xuan sighed, then stood up and looked at the girl, "Do you want to go out with me, or stay here?"
The girl immediately looked at Li Xuan and asked, "Are we going to collect his body?"
Li Xuan shook his head, "He treated me to drinks yesterday, and today he entrusted you to my care, which I agreed to. Thus, my karma with him is settled. If I were to help collect his body, I'd be at a great loss. I don't do business that loses money."
The girl, angered by his words, glared at Li Xuan and bit her lip, "Just consider it me begging you."
Li Xuan smiled, "Yesterday, you were timid and cowardly. Today, you seem like a different person. Moreover, begging someone is not done with that tone."
Li Xuan turned and walked towards the door, not looking back at the girl.
*Thump!*
As Li Xuan stepped out of the room, a thud reached his ears.
Li Xuan paused, glanced back at the girl kneeling on the ground, staring directly at him, then sighed helplessly and walked away.
Seeing that Li Xuan still hadn't agreed, the girl's eyes welled up with tears. However, she quickly stood up and rushed out of the inn. After looking around, she hurried to catch up with Li Xuan.
The wine shop was only a mile away from the inn. Before Li Xuan reached it, he saw a figure kneeling in the middle of the street. A long spear was lodged in his chest. This was the burly man from yesterday.
Li Xuan stood silently before the man for a moment. The girl, breathless, arrived. Perhaps seeing the tragic sight of the burly man, the girl's tears flowed again.
"You must understand, tears are the most useless thing in this world. Especially in a world where strength reigns supreme, no one will spare you because of your tears. So, if you want to collect his body or even avenge him, I don't want to see your weak side again."
Li Xuan glanced around at the onlookers. As he finished speaking, he stepped forward, lifted the burly man, and walked towards the city gates.
The girl, who was initially angry at Li Xuan's words, her anger faded when she saw Li Xuan lift the burly man. A brilliant light flashed in her eyes, and she quickly followed him.
Outside the city gates, Li Xuan chose a hill and struck it with his palm, creating a large pit. He glanced at the girl, then threw the burly man into the pit and struck again. In an instant, the burly man was buried.
"Kowtow to him three times. After all, he protected you on your journey," Li Xuan told the girl, then his gaze shifted to the void.
A powerful aura was already surging towards them.
Sigh.
Li Xuan sighed. His heart was still too soft.
At the same time, the girl finished her three kowtows and looked up at Li Xuan. Li Xuan, with a thought, took the girl into the first level of the Town Prison.
"Have you considered the consequences of your actions?" The newcomer was a middle-aged man with scarlet eyes that gleamed with ferocity. He licked his dry lips as he looked at Li Xuan.
Li Xuan smiled, "I couldn't help it. My heart is soft."
"What a coincidence. I ate a hard heart yesterday, and today I feel like having something to cleanse my palate," the middle-aged man sneered.
Li Xuan fell silent. When he had carried the burly man out, Li Xuan had noticed that his heart was missing. He hadn't expected the burly man's heart to have been eaten by the person before him. Such an act made Li Xuan frown.
At the same time, the middle-aged man attacked. With a simple punch, the heavens and earth changed color.
Li Xuan took a deep breath, activated his Lingxi Armor, and lunged forward. He, too, threw a punch.
*Bang!*
The two fists met with a deafening crash. Li Xuan was sent staggering back a hundred paces, while the middle-aged man only retreated fifty. The gap between them was evident.
"Interesting. A mere Heaven's Secret Realm advanced cultivator can withstand my punch without dying. But I wonder how many more punches you can take!" A flicker of surprise flashed in the middle-aged man's eyes. He then sneered and threw another punch.
Li Xuan, with a thought, summoned his Immortal Sword. With a sweep of his blade, sword energy permeated the surroundings, blocking the middle-aged man's punch.
"Sword cultivator?" The middle-aged man's gaze became even more intense as he looked at Li Xuan. He then grabbed at the void, and a long spear flew out, landing in his hand.
"Die!"
The middle-aged man let out a fierce roar, his eyes flashing with malevolence. A terrifying pressure spread throughout the area. He was at the peak of the Samsara Realm. The spear in his hand plunged towards Li Xuan.
"This kid probably can't withstand Mo Tu's spear strike," countless figures watched the battle between Li Xuan and the middle-aged man from the city wall.
"What was this kid thinking, going to collect that burly man's body? If not for this, why would Mo Tu have attacked him?"
"I heard that the burly man fought Mo Tu last night and was impaled through the heart and killed in less than fifty moves."
"If this kid has no trump card, he's likely to meet his end here."
"..."
The crowd chattered, but no one intervened. They were not familiar with Li Xuan, and Mo Tu's fearsome reputation preceded him.
Li Xuan felt an intense sense of danger, but his expression remained unchanged.
"Shan Jian," Li Xuan murmured softly. Shan Jian flew out from the Town Prison.
*Clang!*
A sword cry echoed. Li Xuan grasped Shan Jian and slashed down with his sword.
"Sword Sweeps the Nine Heavens!"
Nine sword lights shot out, instantly meeting Mo Tu's spear.
*Crack!*
As if unable to withstand such immense power, the space itself began to crack. The spear and the sword collided with a resounding impact.
*Boom!*
As the sword lights were gradually dissolved, Li Xuan and Mo Tu were once again forced back by a thunderous roar.
This time, Li Xuan retreated over a thousand meters. Mo Tu was also pushed back eight hundred meters.
*Pfft!*
Li Xuan spat out a mouthful of blood, and a fierce light appeared in his eyes. xxs壹贰
"I underestimated you," Mo Tu said, glancing at Shan Jian in Li Xuan's hand, his expression slightly solemn. Clearly, Mo Tu recognized Shan Jian as a sacred sword. Otherwise, that spear strike would have ended Li Xuan's life.
Li Xuan smiled. After taking a deep breath, he looked at Mo Tu again.
Mo Tu looked at Li Xuan and remained silent for a moment before saying, "Enough. If you retreat, I will not pursue this matter further."
The crowd was puzzled, clearly not understanding why Mo Tu had suddenly changed his usual demeanor. Even with Li Xuan's sacred sword, Mo Tu still held the advantage. After all, their cultivation levels were vastly different, and a mere sacred sword couldn't turn the tide.
However, since Mo Tu had spoken, Li Xuan's life was at least safe.
Just as everyone expected Li Xuan to leave, Li Xuan smiled and shook his head.
"A swordsman never retreats."