On the other side, Xu Yang, having left the Lu Family, didn't pause for a moment and rushed back home at full speed.
"Open the door!"
"Brother!"
Li Hongyu opened the door and, seeing Xu Yang returning with both hands empty and in a hurry, was somewhat puzzled, "What's wrong, no pigs to slaughter today?"
"Close the door!"
Without offering an explanation, Xu Yang dropped this single line and headed straight for the inner room.
Seeing this, Li Hongyu also realized something and quickly shut the door, following him into the house.
Inside the house, Xu Yang took off his bloody and dirty clothes and threw them aside, then took out new clothes from the wardrobe to change into, after which he put on a shoulder-protected leather armor vest.
Noticing Xu Yang donning armor, Li Hongyu grew even more anxious, "Brother, what's going on?"
"Where's Qinghe?"
Xu Yang did not explain, instead, he took down a bow and arrows from the wall and slung two quivers around his waist.
"Brother!"
Li Qinghe ran into the room and, witnessing Xu Yang with bow and arrows in hand, changed his expression, "What happened?"
Xu Yang, still without elaboration, pulled a long case from under the bed and opened it; inside was a Nine Ring Broad Blade, thick-backed and heavy: "Put on the armor, take the bow and arrows, and bring everything we've practiced with!"
After saying this, he inserted the broad blade into its back scabbard and, with bow in hand, walked outside.
Go where?
To the Lu Family?
Just because of the recent conflict?
Of course not!
Although Xu Yang was decisive and ruthlessly efficient against his enemies, he was not the kind of person consumed by madness. He would never seek to annihilate a whole family over a minor verbal spat, and besides, regarding the earlier incident, he wasn't in the right. A servant hiding profits warrants punishment from their master; it's only fair and square.
If it were merely this trivial issue, Xu Yang would bow his head and tolerate it.
But the present situation was no small matter, or rather to say, behind this minor conflict lurked a greater cause.
Dividing up the meat among butchers was an unspoken rule tacitly permitted; no one would expose it without cause, as that would only embarrass everyone, and the master's family wouldn't be able to save face.
Xu Yang was no exception; did the old master of the Lu Family truly not know about his doings?
He did, but he merely turned a blind eye, silently consenting—after all, with Xu Yang's current proficiency, taking a little advantage of his position was justified. He would be worried if Xu Yang didn't take it.
So why did Lu Ming find fault with Xu Yang now, making things difficult for him? Could it be that the third young master of the Lu Family had nothing better to do?
Certainly not, at least Xu Yang didn't think so.
There must be a reason for this occurrence!
Given Xu Yang's current capabilities, the Lu Family would never unreasonably cause him trouble or create rifts. The fact that Lu Ming came to find fault with him definitely had a reason behind it.
What reason?
Xu Yang didn't know, but he was aware that the Lu Family's attitude towards him had changed. And this reason for the Lu Family's shift in attitude and difficulty had to be out of the ordinary, otherwise, they wouldn't so abruptly turn against him.
Seeing the bigger picture from a small clue, Xu Yang didn't think the Lu Family would continue to get along with him amicably.
So...
To strike first is stronger, to strike later is to suffer!
Xu Yang was not the kind of person who, knowing fully well the enemy's intent, would wait for them to strike first.
"Brother!"
"Are you all ready?"
"Ready!"
Soon enough, Li Qinghe and Li Hongyu, also dressed in leather armor for protection and each carrying a large bamboo basket, appeared in front of Xu Yang.
It was clear that they had practiced before.
"Let's go!"
Without any hesitation, Xu Yang pushed open the door, leading the two of them towards Little Yellow Mountain.
Even though he was taking preemptive action, he wasn't foolhardy enough to drag Li Qinghe and Li Hongyu into a death match with the Lu Family.
His plan was to lead the two of them into the mountains first, to hide in a covert base they had previously established, then he would return to resolve the issue.
But unexpectedly...
"Hurry, hurry, hurry!"
Not long after the three had left, they saw a group of people approaching them head-on, with the limping Li Laojiu at the forefront.
"Li Qinshan!!!"
Xu Yang saw Li Laojiu, and Li Laojiu also spotted the three of them. He excitedly shouted, "You also have today, attack, grab these ingrates..."
"Swoosh!!!"
Before the words were finished, a sharp arrow pierced the air, flying towards them.
"Thud!!!"
Li Laojiu didn't know what happened when suddenly a warm splash hit his face. He turned in shock to see a person next to him stumbling back, an arrow piercing through their right eye and into the brain, then collapsing to the ground.
"Murder, someone's been killed?"
"Murder!"
"Murder!!!"
The others finally came to, and the scene instantly descended into chaos.
Meanwhile, a hundred steps away, Xu Yang, regardless of the commotion, drew his bow and let loose another arrow, downing another of the Li Family house guards near Li Laojiu.
Craftsman (bow crafting, leatherwork, durability, endurance, bamboo craftsmanship)
Archery (hit a willow branch at 100 yards, Three Stars Connected Beads, rapid shooting)
The sturdy and finely crafted bamboo bow, coupled with the archery skill to "hit a willow branch at 100 yards," meant that not just any ordinary servant, but even ferocious beasts in the mountains or a martial artist with some level of cultivation, would not dare to face Xu Yang's arrowhead directly.
"Ah!!!"
"Quick, run!"
That's when Li Laojiu and the others finally came to their senses in horror, screamed, and turned to flee.
However...
Xu Yang pursued them with long strides, drawing his bow and shooting vigorously, and in the blink of an eye, he had shot several men to the ground.
"Thud!"
Li Laojiu fled with his back turned, but his speed was severely slowed down by his limp leg, which had not yet healed. He had not gone far before he was knocked to the ground by a surge of intense pain. An arrow had pierced his uninjured right leg; the iron-tipped bamboo shaft had gone through flesh and bone, and blood was oozing out gruesomely.
"Ah!!!"
Li Laojiu let out a mournful howl, clutching his right leg in spasms. Before he had a chance to call for help, he saw a terrifying shadow looming over him.
"Qinshan, it's not, not my fault... spare me, spare me!"
Looking at the tall and mighty Xu Yang, with a physique as strong as a tiger's, Li Laojiu finally realized the truth and began to plead incoherently for mercy.
But Xu Yang didn't care at all, and grabbed his shoulder in one go, lifting him up as easily as one would pick up a chick.
And so, Xu Yang carried the wailing Li Laojiu, along with the panicked Li Qinghe and Li Hongyu, toward Little Yellow Mountain outside the village.
There were no further obstructions along the way, and the villagers nearby all hid in terror at this sight. There was no sign of the large contingent of men from the Li Family and the Lu Family, as if they had not yet realized what was happening, allowing Xu Yang and the others to leave the village smoothly.
After leaving the village and entering the wilderness, Xu Yang finally stopped and threw the hoarse-voiced Li Laojiu to the ground, then pulled out the Nine Ring Broad Blade strapped to his back with a reverse grip.
"No, no, don't kill me!"
Li Laojiu's face had already turned pale, his consciousness dimming from the shouting and loss of blood from his wound, but faced with the terrifyingly sharp broad blade in Xu Yang's hand, he immediately woke up: "It's not my fault, it's the Li Family, Li Qingyun, he came back, he wants you dead, it's not my fault..."
Li Laojiu frantically tried to defend himself, but Xu Yang did not care for such talk, and placed the Nine Ring Broad Blade, purchased at a high price from the Mansion City's blacksmith, directly on his neck: "Speak, what's going on?"
The cold blade edge and the sharp pain shocked Li Laojiu, making him tremble like chaff, as he quickly said: "It's Li Qingyun, the second young master of the Li Family, he came back from the Hundred Sword Sect, and he's gotten together with the second daughter of the Lu Family; the Li and Lu families want to unite through marriage..."
"Li Qingyun?"
"Hundred Sword Sect?"
Xu Yang frowned and continued to press for answers: "How did the Li and Lu families suddenly decide to unite through marriage?"
Li Laojiu swallowed with difficulty: "I, I don't know, I really don't know, it's not my fault..."
"Huh?!"
Xu Yang's eyes sharpened, and he pressed the blade even harder.
A sharp pain shot through the neck, causing Li Laojiu to shudder and cry out: "I heard... the eldest young master of the Li Family made connections with some influential person in Mansion City, and the Lu Family got wind of it. Knowing that the Li Family was going to prosper, they sent a message to the second daughter at the Hundred Sword Sect, urging her to seduce Li Qingyun who was also studying there. Before long, they got involved, and the Lu Family proposed a marriage..."
"An influential person?"
Xu Yang's brow furrowed: "What influential person?"
"I don't know, I really don't know."
Li Laojiu cried profusely: "Qinshan, I was wrong, it's my fault, I deserve to die, let me go, for the sake of our shared clan and bloodline..."
"Thud!!!"
His words were cut off by a thud, followed by a horrifying splash of crimson blood mixed with the glint of the blade, and a head rolled to the ground.
"Hmm!!"
This scene turned Li Hongyu's face deathly pale, her hands covering her mouth tightly.
On the other side, Li Qinghe wasn't doing much better, clenching his teeth in an effort to stop himself from vomiting.
"Let's go!"
Xu Yang didn't care for any of that, sheathed his blade, and led the two of them deeper into the mountains.
Things were clear now.
The Lu Family had sold him out.
Over the years, in order to gain more resources and ensure their own development, he had been taking the lead in the Lu Family's battles, serving as a pawn against the Li Family, and with his growing strength, he had made the Li Family suffer a great deal.
Originally, this mutual development had been beneficial for both sides. The Lu Family was very happy to use him, a traitor of the Li Clan, to strike a blow against the Li Family, and therefore their relationship with him had always been good. Old Master Lu had become increasingly appreciative of him, repeatedly showing goodwill and wanting to thoroughly win him over, to bring him under his control.
However, luck and misfortune come unexpectedly. The Li Family, somehow, had managed to curry favor with someone influential in Mansion City, and it seemed they were on the verge of rapidly rising in status and fortune. Seeing the situation turn unfavorable, the Lu Family quickly sought to ease their relations with the Li Family, not only arranging a marriage between their children but also casting him away like a sacrificial pawn.
What happened earlier at the Lu Family mansion, with Lu Ming's actions, were spurred by these developments, seeking to publicly sever ties with him, pin the blame of betrayal on him, and thus kick him out.
In doing so, they not only showed goodwill to the Li Family but also maintained their own dignity, a clever move indeed.
The key to it all was the influential person that the Li Family had attached themselves to in Mansion City.
Who was that influential person?
Xu Yang didn't know, nor did he have any interest in knowing.
He only needed to know one thing, that the Li and Lu families had made their break with him official.
So...
"Wait here for my return. If after three days I still haven't come back, do as I previously instructed!"
Xu Yang, having led the two through twists and turns in the mountain forest, quickly arrived at a secluded bamboo house.
This was his secret stronghold in the mountains, built for exactly this day.
"Brother!"
Seeing Xu Yang about to leave on his own, Li Qinghe grew anxious: "Must you really go?"
Li Hongyu was even more worried: "Right, we can't confront them, but can't we just hide? Let's just stay hidden in these mountains, they can't possibly catch us, right?"
"A man of honor in this world can tolerate certain matters, but some things... must be fought for!"
Xu Yang shook his head, leaving two people behind who couldn't understand his words: "Wait for my return!"
With that, he ignored their reactions and turned to leave the bamboo house.