Chapter 123: Suppressed and Executed!

Chapter 123: A Massacre!

As the two men bowed to one another in the scholar’s courtesy, the closed house with its shut windows and doors stirred with a faint breeze.

The lantern swaying by the wall, draped in a light veil, flickered gently.

The pale candlelight wavered, stretching the silhouettes of the gathered people.

Chen Yi gazed at Liu Jing, the sixth younger brother of the Liu family, who still smiled endlessly, his expression gradually calming as he spoke:

"Brother Liu, might you tell me why you have found me this night?"

Though he could guess the general purpose, he still hoped Liu Jing would explain his thoughts.

After all, the scheme to take over Linglan Pavilion had clearly failed in Jingzhou, and the merchants like Qian Kuang had all fallen by the wayside.

Even the imperial deputy in Shuzhou, Liu Hong, the left guard of the Liu family, had no intention of standing up for them, let alone cutting down the Xiao family with a single swift stroke.

Why would this Liu Jing, so intent on his plan, not return to Jingzhou but instead seek him out here?

Was it merely to kill him out of spite?

If so, it would show that the sixth younger brother of the Liu family in Jingzhou had no sense at all.

Liu Jing’s laughter ceased, and he scrutinized Chen Yi from head to foot, his eyes gradually revealing a harsh edge.

Yet at that moment,

He still wore a smile, saying, "Of course I have invited you, Chen Brother, to climb to the heights and gaze afar!"

Chen Yi paused, raising his eyes skyward, then looking toward the direction of the distant marquis’s mansion.

He understood.

To climb to the top of this wooden pavilion.

To gaze afar, it was not merely to look toward the distant horizon, but also to observe the marquis’s mansion.

Such a method of revenge, brimming with malice, was indeed not something ordinary people could conceive.

"Brother Liu’s intentions, I must admit, are rather... admirable."

Liu Jing smiled, his lips curved but his eyes cold: "Chen Brother, you are also a man of scholarly grace, which is why I hold you in esteem."

"Yet what I most despise in this world are scholars who, believing themselves accomplished in learning, fail to accord others the respect they deserve. It is quite unreasonable."

"Why should I, with my background, wealth, and followers, bother comparing myself with those two-eared, window-shuttered scholars in matters of learning?"

"Is that not the case, Chen Brother?"

Chen Yi looked at him, thought carefully, nodded once, then shook his head.

"What Brother Liu says is both right and wrong."

Liu Jing hummed in acknowledgment, but the smile on his face vanished entirely.

"Tell me, where is the wrong in it?"

"The grace of scholars may seem worthless, for there is no scale to weigh them."

"But if such a scale existed, Brother Liu’s words would likely prove lighter than a single hair."

Upon hearing Chen Yi’s words, Liu Jing remained silent for a long time, then gestured with a beckoning hand upward:

"Chen Brother, perhaps you might ascend to the rooftop for a word or two. Gazing afar, the view here is superior to this place."

Chen Yi stared at him deeply, then followed him willingly up the stairs to the pavilion.

The other four individuals followed suit.

The rooftop was a study room, meticulously arranged.

Far more opulent than Chen Yi’s own chamber, it revealed countless thoughtful touches.

The wide, flat-topped writing desk of golden sandalwood held brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones of rare craftsmanship.

On either side of the walls hung a qin and a sword, symbolizing the cultivation of both literature and martial arts.

In the hall hung a landscape painting by a renowned master, depicting the misty mountains and red river, its scene profound and far-reaching.

Between them, a veil of green silk partitioned off a tea chamber, adjacent to a corridor leading to the outer eight-sided gate.

Chen Yi surveyed the space, praising it: "This arrangement is truly exceptional."

"From my own hands?" he inquired.

Liu Jing shook his head repeatedly: "Do honor me, Chen Brother. This is merely a temporary resting place for me, I have no time to arrange it."

"Such a pity."

Chen Yi passed through the corridor, standing on the inner side of the railing, gazing at the distant, faintly bright marquis’s mansion.

The darkness of night obscured it.

He could only make out the outlines of the spring lotus garden and the Chao Xing courtyard’s wooden pavilions.

Indeed, it was worthy of the words "gazing afar."

Liu Jing joined him, standing with hands clasped behind his back, also looking toward the marquis’s mansion, smiling: "Chen Brother, how do you find the view?"

Chen Yi nodded, his voice calm: "Not bad at all, Brother Liu, you’ve done well."

He paused slightly, then asked: "To invite me to climb and gaze afar feels a bit of a waste."

"Brother Liu knows well, I am but a minor figure in the Xiao household. Whether I live or die will not shake the very foundations of the Xiao family."

Upon hearing this, Liu Jing smiled again.

"Chen Brother is right. You are but a small role in the Xiao family, and killing you would not move their core."

"But precisely because of this, I have chosen this course, setting my aim upon you."

Liu Jing paused, then smiled: "Do you know why I came all this way? What effort I have devoted to it?"

Chen Yi turned his head to look at him, saying, "I am eager to hear the details."

"This time, I personally petitioned to come to Shuzhou, planning to take over Linglan Pavilion. Though indeed it was to press down the Xiao family’s pharmacy, that was merely a side effect."

"The true reason, however, was for myself."

"If all went smoothly, I would have the opportunity to change the sign of Linglan Pavilion to 'Xinglin Pavilion.'"

Liu Jing’s face revealed a note of resentment: "Do you know what this means to me?"

Chen Yi thought a moment, then understood: "That way, you could establish your footing in the Liu family of Jingzhou and gain a certain inheritance right."

"Exactly!"

"From the main house’s legitimate offspring to me, there have already been six."

"If I do not claim it, I shall never have a day of prominence in my lifetime."

"For this opportunity, I not only submitted a military order to my father, but wagered everything."

When he spoke these words, Liu Jing nearly bit his lip in frustration: "But now all has collapsed!"

"Why is it that the Xiao family could easily close their pharmacy, yet they must oppose me? Why do they resist when they need not?"

"And there is the Bai Caobang, a vile and despicable lot, who, if not for their support, the Xiao family’s pharmacy would already have fallen!"

Chen Ge, you say, facing such a situation, should I hate?!

Upon hearing his words, Chen Yi only stared at him silently.

After a moment of silence, he finally spoke: "Indeed, one should hate."

Liu Jing's face slightly cleared, his expression eased, "You also think so, right?"

Chen Yi nodded, his gaze falling on the night outside the building, calmly saying, "Hate, yes, but it's because you dragged me into this, I suppose I've been a bit foolish."

" Foolish?"

Liu Jing hesitated, his face darkening further, "Brother Chen, I'm only saying this because you're sensible, so I'll say a few more words to let you live a little longer."

"But your words make me feel cold, as if my sincere heart has been fed to dogs."

Chen Yi laughed hollowly, "Using sincerity on Liu Ge, it's truly amusing."

"You?!"

At that moment, an old man stepped forward, interjecting, "A gentleman doesn't need to anger a dying man."

"To avoid a long night with many dreams, let's finish him off quickly, so we can head to Youzhou for a while."

Liu Jing paused, his eyes at Chen Yi's throat turned away slightly, "Indeed, no need to waste words with him, wasting my time."

"Brother Chen, it's late, let's send you to the Nine Springs below."

"When I return from Youzhou, I'll make sure the Xiao family pays for today's grievances!"

He bowed slightly, leaning in to lower his voice, "I've heard that Xiao Wan'er and Xiao Jinghong are two beauties, a pair of heavenly maidens. Liu Jing is truly looking forward to..."

Kech!

Before Liu Jing could finish his sentence, Chen Yi's hand, already gripping the back of his neck, tightened.

With a slight twist of his fingers, he crushed his larynx.

Chen Yi withdrew his hand, his expression cold, "Brother Liu, if you keep talking, it's impolite."

All of this happened in an instant.

Chen Yi's speed was such that the two guards standing nearby didn't notice. The two guards on the porch didn't see it either.

Liu Jing blinked, suddenly realizing his throat was in agony.

He clutched his neck, trying to shout, but no sound came out.

Through a whimpering, breathless sound, he frantically pointed at his throat, seeking help from the old man: "Huff, huff...!"

Only then did those two men become aware of the disturbance.

"My lord?"

As they turned their heads, having noticed the commotion, they glanced toward the outside, only to find their vision suddenly blurred. Chen Yi had already reached them, his inner energy erupting.

He slightly lowered his body, pulled his arms in, his fists coiling with the force of collapsing mountains, his energy coalescing in his hands.

Not giving those two cultivators a chance to act, Chen Yi thrust both palms upward in a single motion.

—Crushing Mountain, Raising the Heavens Style!

In an instant, two faintly glowing layers of energy materialized above his hands, resembling palms.

"You!"

"Brave!"

The two guards, cultivators of at least seven-tiered strength, though they reacted hastily, their reflexes were swift, raising their hands to defend themselves.

Yet even as they lifted their arms, they felt an inexplicable weight pressing down upon them.

They could only watch in horror as the punch landed squarely on Liu Jing's neck.

Kach! Kach!

The sharp, clear sound of the impact.

They saw the two seven-tiered cultivators' necks bend backward, their skulls pressing against their backs.

"Huff, huff... fist... fist..."

Before they could finish speaking, they remained frozen in their stance, utterly still.

Meanwhile, Chen Yi did not cease.

He unleashed the Meteor Butterfly Step, his back turning to the two old men who had rushed forward to call for help, striking them down with both palms.

Then, without pause, he leaped down the wooden stairs, landing behind five men who had just heard the noise and were about to climb up.

The five men froze mid-step, turning to see Chen Yi, their faces red with fury, "What have you done?!"

Chen Yi looked at the five men in the hall, ignoring their accusations, calmly walking into the room and closing the door behind him.

He glanced at the leader, his eyes sweeping over the others.

"You spoke a sentence that was incorrect just now."

"You decide whether I live or die; your lord can't decide that."

Before the words had even fully left his mouth, Chen Yi surged forward.

His body blurred into a line like a meteor, a trail of shadows following him.

The leader drew his blade, "Find death!"

"Kill him!"

The five men formed a circle around him, their blades descending in unison.

Chen Yi's foot barely shifted, sidestepping with ease, his gaze fixed on the leader.

In the blink of an eye, his hands formed fists, the angles of his palms slicing through the blade, striking the man's chest.

The leader's chest caved inward, his eyes reddening as he looked up in shock.

Chen Yi pressed on without mercy, his Hundred Flowers Palm weaving through the steps to the side of another cultivator, now at eight-tiered strength.

He raised his hand, forming a blade, and jabbed his finger into the man's temple.

In an instant, the cultivator collapsed, unconscious, his brain clearly ruptured.

"Big brother?!"

"Two..."

Before the remaining three could utter a sound of terror, Chen Yi’s silhouette blossomed like a unfurling flower, its petals brushing past their sides.

Thud, thud, thud.

Three muffled crashes echoed in succession, and within the main hall, save for Chen Yi, not a single soul remained standing.

Chen Yi cast a sweeping glance, using his Qi-observation technique to ensure all signs of life had vanished before strolling leisurely toward the upper floor.

At this very moment, Liu Jing was utterly paralyzed with fear.

He harbored a desire to leap straight down, yet without the foundation of martial arts to sustain him, he dreaded the fatal plunge.

In a frantic panic, he scrambled back into the room, attempting to conceal himself beneath the desk or behind the screen.

Yet apart from throwing the neat and pristine study into a state of chaotic disarray, he could find no sanctuary that offered the slightest sense of security.

"Ugh, uh-huh..."

As those increasingly distinct footsteps drew near, the terror and desperation in Liu Jing’s eyes reached a fever pitch.

In an act of sheer desperation, he fell to his knees directly at the head of the stairs, hammering his forehead against the floor.

Thud, thud, thud...

Amidst the relentless cadence of kowtowing, Chen Yi’s figure emerged at the bend of the staircase.

He looked up at Liu Jing, a gentle, mild smile unexpectedly gracing his features.

"What is the meaning of this, Brother Liu?"

"Such a display surely diminishes the grand reputation of the Liu family of Jingzhou."

Even as the words left his lips, Chen Yi stepped to his side and reached down to lift him to his feet.

"In truth, I rather fancied that fiercely arrogant demeanor you sported earlier."

"It befitted the proper image of a young master born of a noble clan."

"At the very least, it spares me the feeling that my maiden act of killing was spent on a mere fool, wasting my efforts in vain."

Chen Yi patted his shoulder lightly, "Come, compose yourself."

Liu Jing stared at him in sheer horror, frozen for a prolonged heartbeat before forcing out a ghastly, contorted sneer, "Heh, heh..."

"Not quite right, but... never mind."

Gazing upon that grimace that looked worse than weeping, Chen Yi instantly found the spectacle devoid of savor; he raised his hand and abruptly snapped the man's neck.

Liu Jing's eyes widened in an instant, his head lolling to the side as he stared blankly, that hideous smile still plastered across his face.

Fear, astonishment, a smile.

Chen Yi observed him for a brief moment, then reached out to close the dead man's eyes, restoring a semblance of serenity to his features before casting him onto the floor.

Surveying the surroundings, he noted that all stirrings within the wooden pavilion had ceased.

Chen Yi then began to meticulously erase his traces.

He focused primarily on the imprints left by his fist techniques, palm strikes, and footwork.

Having caught wind of the Judicial Bureau's investigative methods from Wang Ji at noon, he felt compelled to take a modicum of precaution.

After consuming roughly fifteen minutes of time.

Assured that nothing had been overlooked, Chen Yi finally stepped out of the estate and walked toward the distant Marquis of Dingyuan’s residence.

Just as when he arrived, his steps were light and nimble, leaving behind not a single footprint.

Only when he reached the gates of the Marquis's manor did he invoke the Xuanwu Breath-Concealing Art to shroud the true essence residing within his body.

Instantly, the elegant aura of a refined scholar enveloped him entirely.

Chen Yi gazed at the lantern emblazoned with the character 'Xiao' hanging in the distance, exhaled a soft breath, and walked forward with unhurried grace.

Old Li spoke no falsehoods.

Killing a man in ten paces, leaving no trace for a thousand miles.

The word 'trace' should mirror 'form'; reason dictates that no form or vestige ought to remain.

As he drew closer, Chen Yi finally discerned several figures keeping vigil at the entrance.

There was Xiao Die, her face etched with anxiety; Pei Guanli, appearing utterly bored; and even Xiao Wan'er, who seldom ventured out of the Jiaxing Courtyard, stood outside the gates, peering anxiously down the street corner.

Beside them stood Wang Lixing and Old Ge, keeping watch over the ladies.

As if catching the sound of movement.

Pei Guanli was the first to spot Chen Yi's silhouette, and she immediately waved her hand toward him: "Brother-in-law, you've finally returned!"

Hearing her voice, the others swiftly turned their gaze, and upon confirming it was indeed Chen Yi, a collective sigh of relief swept through them.

Xiao Wan'er looked toward the direction from which he had returned, and though a smile graced her face, her tone carried a hint of gentle reproach:

"Brother-in-law, why did you return by this path? Why not take the main thoroughfare?"

Chen Yi smiled and scratched his head, "I stayed a bit too long at the Baicao Hall and thought to take a shortcut back, but I ended up getting somewhat turned around..."

Xiao Die came running over on nimble feet, tears already welling in her eyes, "Master, the next time you go out, you must take someone along. It makes... it makes one so terribly worried."

Chen Yi offered her a word of comfort, then escorted her inside the gates, offering an apologetic bow toward Xiao Wan'er:

"Please forgive me, Eldest Sister, for causing you such distress."

Xiao Wan'er paused, then abruptly turned her head away as she walked further into the manor.

"Who... who was worried about you?"

"Hurry inside, the food has grown cold waiting for you."

Chen Yi answered with a chuckle, "I'm coming right now..."

Once the others had all gone inside.

Old Ge, remaining at the threshold, cast a suspicious glance at his retreating back.

The scent lingering upon the young fledgling seemed somewhat peculiar...