This woman was injured, and her injuries were quite severe.
This thought immediately crossed Li Yi's mind, and he quickly considered several escape plans, but in the end, he had to give up. While these plans could provide him with a chance to escape, they would undoubtedly attract attention from all sides afterward. Besides, Li Yi wasn't sure how much trouble he had caused before. So, sometimes it was better to keep some cards hidden.
Moreover, the hidden killing intent emanating from this woman, which was deeply concealed, piqued Li Yi's interest. Could it be that he had finally encountered a fellow practitioner?
Thinking this, Li Yi let out a soft sigh and said in a low voice, "Miss, is this how you treat your customers? No wonder your business here isn't doing so well."
Li Yi's words carried a double meaning, and he wondered if the woman would catch on.
The woman let out a faint sigh and spoke after a moment of silence, "Who are you?"
Her voice was even colder, as if it could freeze someone at any moment.
Li Yi smiled faintly and replied, "Who could I be? Just an ordinary customer. I believe, Miss, you can sense that although I have some abilities, I'm not even a Fighter. In your eyes, I'm probably not even as valuable as a chicken. How about you let me go, and we can have a proper chat?"
The woman remained silent for a moment before asking, "How did you figure out my identity?"
Li Yi rolled his eyes and continued, "Your fragrance is so strong that it's hard not to recognize your identity."
"I see," the woman nodded, "I thought you were sent by those old guys. Hmph... But don't blame me. Who asked your nose to be so sharp?"
As she spoke, the woman's dagger had already moved towards Li Yi's chest.
"Clang!" A soft sound rang out as Li Yi flicked his fingers, hitting the end of the dagger just right to deflect it. Then, with a quick movement of his right hand, he aimed to seize the woman's wrist.
The woman let out a muffled sound, and the dagger changed its angle, heading towards Li Yi's palm. However, Li Yi's shoulder moved quickly, causing her attack to miss.
In almost an instant, the two had already clashed dozens of times. Despite the increasingly fierce attacks and intricate moves, neither of them expanded the fight. They didn't even use any Dou Qi. Instead, they relied solely on their skills to try to outwit and outmaneuver each other.
This small-scale combat was much more dangerous than facing an opponent head-on. If they made a single mistake, they could lose their lives.
Seeing the woman's dagger becoming more and more aggressive, and her techniques more intricate, Li Yi's eyes lit up. Although he had killed numerous people in his previous life, he rarely encountered such a dangerous opponent.
Their movements became faster and faster, almost like shadows, and with each change of technique, the other would quickly adapt. Neither took a defensive stance; they both focused solely on attacking.
"Click!" Li Yi's two fingers clamped down on the woman's dagger. He sighed softly and whispered, "You've lost."
The woman snorted and said, "Not necessarily!"
She released her grip on the dagger, and her fingers twitched slightly. A dark blue Dou Qi shot towards Li Yi's forehead.
Li Yi grunted, quickly shook his shoulder, and narrowly evaded the woman's left hand. His head tilted backward.
The surge of Dou Qi passed right by Li Yi's forehead and shot into the sky. But if Li Yi had been even slightly slower, he might have lost his life right then and there.
Even with his strong mental fortitude, he couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat at that moment.
The two figures were now pressed close together, and Li Yi could vaguely feel the woman's alluring curves. However, in this life-threatening situation, he didn't have the mind to think about such things.
"You... can't kill me," Li Yi suddenly sighed, "I admit you're very skilled. Among all the women I've met, you're undoubtedly the most formidable one. But you still can't kill me... So, if you want to silence me, you might want to think of another way."
The woman coldly chuckled and said, "If I weren't seriously injured, I could kill the likes of you with ease. Why waste time talking?"
Li Yi nodded and continued, "I admit that. For example, just now, if I hadn't moved quickly, I might not have a head right now... But in this world, there are no 'ifs.' Since you're already injured, you have two options."
"First, kill me, then expose your location. Of course, killing me won't be so easy. Second, you might as well ask for my help..."
"Seeking death!" With an angry shout, the woman's right hand once again emitted a dark blue Dou Qi. However, at this moment, her body suddenly trembled violently, and then with a "whoosh," a mouthful of crimson blood sprayed out.
Li Yi quickly reached for the dagger the woman had dropped earlier and pressed it against her waist. Perhaps the intense battle with Li Yi had exhausted all her strength, and this time, the woman couldn't dodge.
Li Yi's face approached hers, and he casually pushed aside her right hand. He said calmly, "I think there's something you understand. Since you want to kill me, I can kill you too. And right now, it seems you've fallen into my hands... So, you might as well ask for my mercy. I might spare you."
The woman chuckled coldly but didn't respond. Her fingertip's Dou Qi had dissipated, indicating that she also realized that she had made a mistake. Based on Li Yi's performance just now, if she resisted, this seemingly weak young man, who was actually extremely cunning, would probably eliminate her instantly.
"You're very clever..." Li Yi sighed, "I originally wanted to kill you on a whim since you tried to take my life. Besides, with my identity, killing someone in this city wouldn't be a big deal. But you're lucky. I'm in a good mood today, and I'm quite interested in the things you're selling... So, I've decided to buy both the goods and the person. My instincts as a lecher tell me that a woman who smells so nice can't be ugly..."
"Of course," Li Yi's smile on his face became even more charming, "I don't have any money on me, so I won't pay a single gold coin..."
The woman said calmly, "Since I've fallen into your hands, everything is up to you. Why so much talk?"
Li Yi smiled and said, "This isn't just talk. I've always disliked forcing people. If you're not willing to come with me voluntarily, I'll become the villain. Isn't that bad? So, why don't you ask me nicely? Ask me to take you away?"
The woman snorted but remained silent.
Li Yi shook his head slightly, his interest in the woman growing. Of course, Li Yi wasn't a lecher, but he found the woman's demonstrated skills intriguing. For the current Li Yi, if he could become stronger, even forcing a woman a bit wouldn't be a big deal...
Li Yi used his broad sleeves to cover the dagger in his hand. He laughed heartily, attracting countless gazes from the mercenaries around him. He cradled the woman in his arms.
This inexplicable scene immediately drew the attention of numerous onlookers.
At this moment, Li Yi wanted precisely this effect. If he didn't want anyone to know what he was about to do earlier, now he wanted everyone in Wanchao City to know that he had forcibly taken a woman.
Even he couldn't imagine that the identity of a lecher would have this effect at a critical moment.
"Listen up, everyone," Li Yi said calmly, "I just bought this entire stall, including the lady in my arms. This is a fair trade, not me forcibly taking a woman. I hope everyone here can be a witness!"
"By the way, you... and you..." Li Yi casually pointed at a few seemingly ordinary mercenaries, "Help me move all these goods to the Li Clan in Wanchao City. As for the reward, how about ten gold coins for each of you?"
With that, Li Yi, under the complex gazes of countless people, walked toward the Li Clan.