After Xuefeng finished getting ready, he and Wuying left the Liu Clan territory, heading toward the famed Golden Phoenix restaurant. The city streets were alive with activity, the hum of voices blending with the clatter of carts and the occasional bark of a street vendor hawking their wares. Though Xuefeng's reputation as the clan's Young Master preceded him, few knew what he actually looked like. For now, anonymity was his ally, allowing them to weave through the crowded streets without drawing unwanted attention.
Just a block away from the restaurant, Wuying stopped abruptly, her keen senses prickling. A murmuring crowd had gathered nearby, encircling what looked like a brewing altercation. The atmosphere was charged, the tension almost tangible.
"What's going on there?" Xuefeng asked, following her gaze.
Wuying frowned. "Something feels off," she said, her voice low. She scanned the scene, her sharp eyes narrowing as she caught snippets of raised voices and a glimpse of movement within the circle of people.
Before they could move closer, Ling's voice echoed in Xuefeng's mind, sharp with excitement. Xuefeng, there's Fate Qi in the air! There must be a Fate Spirit Herb nearby.
Xuefeng's pulse quickened. A Spirit Herb infused with Fate Qi was too rare an opportunity to ignore. "Let's check it out," he said, already making his way toward the crowd.
The throng was packed too tightly to push through. Frustrated, Xuefeng felt a familiar warmth on his hand as Wuying activated her Spirit Art. In an instant, the world around him blurred into a gray haze. When clarity returned, they were inside the circle, standing in the heart of the commotion.
What they saw made Xuefeng's stomach churn.
A young boy, no older than twelve, knelt on the ground, his frail body covered in dirt and blood. His small hands clung desperately to the leg of a man in a black robe. The man sneered, kicking the boy hard enough to send him sprawling, but the child didn't let go.
"Give me my herb back!" the boy cried, his voice hoarse and desperate.
"I didn't take anything from you!" the man snarled, raising his leg to kick again.
The boy's thin arms trembled, his defiance unwavering. Blood dripped from his mouth as he screamed, "Liar!" He lunged forward, sinking his teeth into the man's calf.
The black-robed man howled in fury. "You little brat!" he shouted, drawing a long, wicked-looking knife. He raised it high, his intentions clear.
The blade never landed.
A sharp metallic clang echoed through the street, freezing the crowd. They gasped collectively as Xuefeng appeared, his glowing rank 5 sword intercepting the strike. The force of the impact sent sparks flying, and the man stumbled backward, his eyes wide with shock.
"What do you think you're doing?" Xuefeng's voice thundered, his tone slicing through the murmurs of the onlookers. He pressed the edge of his blade to the man's neck, his expression cold and furious. "And what about all of you?" he shouted, sweeping his gaze over the gathered crowd. "You just stood here and watched! A child could've been killed!"
The crowd shifted uncomfortably, avoiding his fiery gaze. Shame hung in the air like a heavy fog, but no one dared to speak.
The man in the black robe swallowed hard, his bravado faltering under Xuefeng's glare. "Who—who are you?" he stammered, his voice shaking.
The boy's in bad shape, Xuefeng, Ling said urgently in his mind. He has internal bleeding. If we don't intervene, he won't make it.
"Hold still," Xuefeng said softly to the boy, ignoring the man entirely. He knelt beside the child, placing a hand on his forehead. Ling worked swiftly, channeling her energy through Xuefeng to heal the boy's injuries. Within moments, the boy's labored breathing eased, and his eyes fluttered open.
"Are you alright?" Xuefeng asked gently.
The boy blinked up at him, dazed. "Why…why did you help me?" he whispered.
Xuefeng smiled, his expression warm despite the simmering anger still coursing through him. "Because it was the right thing to do."
The boy's lips trembled, and his small hands clutched at Xuefeng's sleeve. "Big brother, can you help me?" he pleaded. "That man stole my herb. It's all I have!"
Xuefeng's gaze snapped back to the black-robed man, his fury reigniting. "You have five seconds to hand over the herb," he said coldly, pressing the blade harder against the man's throat. "Or your head will roll."
"You—you don't understand," the man stammered, his desperation mounting. "It's my herb! This kid's lying!"
"Shameless!" the boy cried, tears streaming down his face. "He's lying, big brother! Don't believe him!"
"I'm not going to repeat myself," Xuefeng said, his voice like ice. "One…two…"
Before he reached five, the man fumbled in his robe, pulling out a flower with delicate white petals and three golden stamens that glowed faintly. He held it out with shaking hands, his expression twisted with hate. "Take it! You'll regret this!"
Xuefeng took the herb, ignoring the man's threat. Is this the one, Ling?
That's it! There's not much Fate Qi, but it's still valuable, Ling confirmed, her excitement palpable.
Xuefeng turned to the boy with a warm smile, his voice calm yet firm. "Boy, you said you were trying to sell this herb. How about selling it to me? It's a very rare find, and if I give it back to you, someone else might try to rob you."
The boy looked up at him, eyes wide with a mixture of awe and gratitude. "Thank you, big brother!" he exclaimed, clutching the herb tightly. "Actually... could I trade it for a Spirit Awakening Pill instead? I want to become a cultivator like you."
Xuefeng's gaze softened as he crouched to meet the boy's eyes. "I see. So you haven't started cultivating yet," he mused, glancing at Wuying, who gave him a subtle nod of approval. "How about this? We'll contact the Trade Union and exchange the value of this herb for Spirit Awakening Liquid. It's more potent than a pill and should give you a better start."
The boy's face lit up, hope shining through his dirt-streaked cheeks. But not everyone shared his enthusiasm.
In the shadowy edge of the crowd, the thief who had tried to snatch the herb earlier stiffened. His face flushed with rage, and his eyes blazed with unrestrained hatred. To him, Xuefeng wasn't a savior but a competitor who had robbed him of his prize. His hand twitched toward the blade hidden in his sleeve, his determination hardening into desperation.
As Xuefeng exchanged a few more words with the boy, the thief seized his chance. Silently, he stepped into Xuefeng's blind spot, his movements swift and precise. A blade glinted in the sunlight as he lunged for Xuefeng's neck, his face contorted with malice.
"Big brother!" the boy screamed, his voice cracking with panic.
But the warning came too late—or so it seemed. The blade never reached its target.
In a blur of motion, Wuying intercepted the attacker. Her daggers sliced through the air with lethal grace, and the thief's momentum was abruptly halted. For a heartbeat, there was silence—then a sickening thud as the thief's head hit the ground, rolling a short distance before coming to a stop. His lifeless body crumpled, a dark pool of blood spreading across the cobblestones.
The crowd gasped, the sharp tang of blood cutting through the air.
"Remember this for the future," Wuying said coldly, her voice carrying an edge that demanded attention. "Never take your eyes off your opponent." She delivered a swift kick to the corpse, sending it sprawling out of the boy's sight.
Xuefeng stood frozen, his eyes wide as he registered what had just happened. A warm wetness trickled down his cheek. He raised a trembling hand to touch his face, pulling it back to find it smeared with blood. The metallic scent filled his nostrils, mingling with the nauseating sight of the thief's mutilated body. His stomach churned, but he forced the bile down, his jaw tightening as he struggled to maintain composure.
"Clean up the body," Wuying commanded, her tone brisk and unyielding. From the surrounding shadows, several figures materialized—Shadow Guards clad in dark uniforms, their movements efficient and practiced.
"The show's over. The Liu Clan will handle the aftermath," Wuying added, her words cutting through the murmurs of the gathering crowd like a blade.
The mention of the Liu Clan sent a ripple through the onlookers. Fear and curiosity mixed in their expressions as they began to disperse, though their whispered speculations lingered in the air.
"So they're from the Liu Clan Shadow Guard? They should've said that earlier."
"Do you think that blond guy is... you know, the Young Master? The one with black talent?"
"Must be. No one else would step in like that."
Wuying turned back to Xuefeng, who still hadn't moved. His normally confident demeanor had cracked, replaced by a quiet shock that rendered him uncharacteristically vulnerable. Her expression softened as she stepped closer.
"Let's get you cleaned up," she said gently, taking his hand in hers. He didn't resist as she led him toward the nearest fountain, the blood on his face a stark reminder of how close the attack had come.