Long Xiao killed all the assassins surrounding him and approached the three-story building. He shouted loudly, "Chai, Long Nian, get out here, or I'll set the place on fire."
Long Nian looked at Chai, who stood beside him, and asked, "Chai, what do you think we should do? Should we go out or keep hiding?"
Chai smiled and replied, "I don't care. If we go out, he can't kill me. If we keep hiding, it's your manor he'll burn anyway."
"Chai, how can you say that? I let you lure Long Xiao to my manor to help you."
"Help me," Chai's expression turned cold. "Are you sure you're helping me, or do you also want to get rid of Long Xiao?"
Long Nian smiled awkwardly and said, "I do want Long Xiao dead."
"If that's the case, we're in a partnership, and neither of us owes the other, am I right?" Chai asked.
Long Nian nodded. "You're right, we're partners."
"Then send your men out and kill Long Xiao," Chai said.
Long Nian shook his head. "My men are no match for him. If we rush out now, it'll just be sending them to their deaths."
"Are you going to let him get away with it?" Chai asked.
"Of course not. I'm waiting for the right moment. Only when the time is ripe will we have a chance to take him down."
Chai looked at Long Nian and asked, "What moment?"
Long Nian shook his head. "I don't know. Let's wait and see."
Long Nian and Chai were talking about Long Xiao. Long Xiao shouted a few more times from downstairs. Seeing no response, he patted his shoulder and said, "Little fellow, come out and start the fire."
The 'Chi Yan Insect' poked its head out and let out a sigh, as if it was stuffy and uncomfortable inside Long Xiao's clothes.
"Why the sigh? Do you want to change your location?" Long Xiao asked.
The 'Chi Yan Insect' nodded, indicating that Long Xiao had guessed correctly. It wanted to move somewhere else and no longer live in Long Xiao's clothes.
Long Xiao was a bit troubled. If the 'Chi Yan Insect' moved too far away from him, it would turn into a ball of fire, setting fire to anything it touched, which was very dangerous. However, if it stayed with him all the time, there was no convenient place to put it.
"Chi Yan Insect, why don't you stay in my pocket for a while? I'll figure out a solution for you later, okay?" Long Xiao negotiated with the 'Chi Yan Insect'.
The 'Chi Yan Insect' tilted its head, thought for a moment, and nodded in agreement.
After settling things with the 'Chi Yan Insect', Long Xiao hadn't seen Chai and Long Nian come out yet. He said, "Chi Yan Insect, start the fire."
The 'Chi Yan Insect' nodded and flew up, flapping its wings towards the three-story building.
About three meters away from Long Xiao, the 'Chi Yan Insect' suddenly transformed into a ball of flames and shot into the three-story building.
The three-story building immediately erupted in flames. Thick smoke billowed from the windows, and soon, flames started to appear from some of them.
Long Xiao had only threatened to set the place on fire, so Long Nian and Chai hadn't taken it seriously. Neither of them expected Long Xiao to start such a massive fire.
The raging fire forced Long Nian, Chai, and Long Nian's men to flee from the three-story building.
Long Nian shouted in panic, "Long Xiao, stop it! I haven't provoked you. Why are you burning my house?"
Long Xiao watched the fire grow larger and smiled. "You haven't provoked me, but Chai has caused trouble for me, and you've harbored him."
Long Nian turned to Chai and said, "Chai, you should leave quickly. Get out of my manor."
Chai was surprised that Long Nian had turned on him. Their relationship had spanned over a decade, and he had done many things for Long Nian.
"Long Nian, are you really going to kick me out for Long Xiao?" Chai asked.
Long Nian nodded. "Yes. If you don't leave, my manor will be completely burned down."
Chai said coldly, "Fine. Long Nian, from now on, we are no longer friends."
As Chai turned to leave, Long Xiao shouted at the three-story building, "Chi Yan Insect, come back!"
A fireball flew out from the thick smoke of the three-story building and headed straight for Long Xiao and the others. Long Nian and his men scattered in fear, and even Chai retreated a dozen steps in fright.
As the fireball approached Long Xiao, it immediately extinguished, transforming into a small, winged insect that landed on Long Xiao's shoulder.
"Go back into my pocket, Chi Yan Insect. I'll find you a new place to live when I think of a way."
The 'Chi Yan Insect' seemed to be in a very good mood. It hopped a few times on Long Xiao's shoulder before burrowing into his clothes.
While Long Xiao was talking to the 'Chi Yan Insect', Chai, taking advantage of the distraction, turned and fled with Zheng Xiaoyi. He was skilled in formations and sorcery, but he knew he was no match for Long Xiao in a direct confrontation.
After settling the 'Chi Yan Insect', Long Xiao looked up and saw Chai running away. He smiled and chased after him.
As soon as he chased out of Long Nian's manor, Long Xiao pulled a 'Five Lightning Talisman' from his pocket and tucked it into his robe. "Little fellow, light it up."
Blue smoke emerged from Long Xiao's robe as the 'Five Lightning Talisman' ignited. Long Xiao flicked his wrist and threw the talisman. With a loud bang, a large hole appeared in the ground behind Chai. The flying stones and dirt injured him and Zheng Xiaoyi in more than ten places.
Seeing Long Xiao use a 'Five Lightning Talisman', Chai became even more panicked. He hadn't expected Long Xiao to possess such a powerful spiritual talisman.
Chai had initially intended to use sorcery against Long Xiao, but now, with Long Xiao wielding such a potent talisman, he abandoned the idea and only wanted to escape as quickly as possible.
Shaking off Zheng Xiaoyi, Chai accelerated his escape.
Long Xiao reached Zheng Xiaoyi but didn't trouble her. He merely glanced at her before continuing his pursuit of Chai.
Chai, relentlessly pursued by Long Xiao, left Long Nian's manor and headed for the mountains.
Having grown up in the jungle, Chai's speed didn't decrease as he entered the dense foliage. Long Xiao, hindered by the trees, slowed down.
After chasing for a few hundred more meters, the distance between them widened. Eventually, Chai vanished into the mountains.
Unable to catch Chai, Long Xiao turned back to find Chai's disciple, Zheng Xiaoyi, hoping to locate Chai through her.
When he returned to the place where he had encountered Zheng Xiaoyi, she was already gone. Long Xiao went back to Long Nian's manor.
Long Nian knew Chai, and Long Xiao wanted to question him about Chai.
Long Nian was annoyed to see Long Xiao, who had run off, returning.
"Long Xiao, why have you come back?" Long Nian asked unhappily.
Long Xiao chuckled. "Long Nian, I've come back to ask you about Chai."
"I don't know Chai well. What is there to ask?"
"Long Nian, we haven't had any major conflicts recently. Don't force me to burn your entire manor down."
Long Nian looked back at the still-burning three-story building and said, "Alright, I'll tell you whatever you want to know."
"I want to know why Chai wanted to kill me, and what organization he belongs to."
Long Nian sighed. "Long Xiao, Chai's organization is extremely powerful. I advise you not to think you're invincible and can pick fights with anyone."
"I'm not picking a fight; I'm seeking revenge. If he dares to provoke me, he must understand the consequences."