Before the guards could lay a finger on Xing Jue, however, he flicked his wrist, unleashing a surge of pure Spirit Qi that sent them flying backwards. They slammed against the wall, their bodies crumpling to the floor, lifeless.
A collective gasp rippled through the room. Some of the women screamed, their faces pale with terror. One fainted, slumping to the floor with a thud.
Xing Jue ignored them, his gaze fixed on the closed door.
"Get out here!" he roared, his voice laced with power. "Now!"
He slammed his fist against the door. It shattered, splintering into a thousand pieces, revealing a lavishly furnished room beyond.
Several scantily clad women, their faces painted with terror, came stumbling out, followed by a young man, his hair disheveled, his silk robes hanging open to reveal his pale, pampered chest.
The young man staggered to a halt, his eyes blinking against the sudden light. "Which one of you worthless whores broke my door?! I'll have you–" His tirade was cut short as his gaze landed on Xing Jue.
His eyes narrowed.
"You!" he snarled, sizing Xing Jue up. "You're the one who dares to disturb my…leisure? You and your little temper tantrum? Pathetic!" He let out a harsh laugh. "Do you even know who I am, boy?"
"You're Bai Yin." Xing Jue stated, his voice devoid of inflection.
"That's right, you little runt! I am Bai Yin, son of Bai Feng, head of the Bai Clan, disciple of the Soaring Wind Division! And I don't like being interrupted!" His voice rose in volume, echoing dangerously in the sudden silence. "Now, get down on your knees and beg for forgiveness, and maybe— just maybe—I'll let you live! "
Xing Jue didn't bother responding. It would be a waste of breath.
In a heartbeat, he was in front of Bai Yin, his movements so swift, so fluid, that he seemed to teleport across the room.
Bai Yin's bravado vanished, replaced by a flicker of fear. Before he could react, before he could even utter a sound, Xing Jue struck, his fist connecting with Bai Yin's chest with a sickening thud.
There was a collective gasp as Bai Yin's eyes widened, his face a mask of shock and disbelief. Then, slowly, almost gracefully, he crumpled to the floor, his body lifeless.
Meanwhile, at the Bai Clan estate…
"Master, that boy... he's trouble! What if he finds out what happened to Bai Xiuxiu? What if he discovers…the truth?"
The Bai Clan steward paced nervously back and forth in the opulent study, his face a mask of anxiety and apprehension. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, highlighting the intricate carvings on the mahogany furniture, the expensive silk tapestries adorning the walls.
There was a palpable air of unease in the room, a tension that crackled like static electricity, a tension that had settled over the estate ever since that mysterious young man—Xing Jue—had stepped foot within their gates.
Seated calmly behind his massive rosewood desk sat Bai Feng, Patriarch of the Bai Clan and father of the now-deceased Bai Yin. He picked up a white jade Go stone and placed it on the board in front of him, his expression impassive.
"Calm yourself, old friend! There's no need for alarm! I've already sent word to Bai Zhen. He'll be back from the Soaring Wind Division any day now." He let out a dry chuckle. "That arrogant brat doesn't know who he's messing with! This is the Bai Clan! No one threatens the Bai Clan and gets away with it!"
Bai Zhen. His second son. Less…troublesome…than Bai Yin. And a far more skilled martial artist. With Bai Zhen back at the estate, they'd have nothing to fear.
As if on cue, a heavy thud, followed by a muffled cry, came from outside, breaking the tense silence.
Startled, the two men looked up, their faces etched with confusion.
"What was that?" the steward asked, his voice tight with apprehension.
Before either man could react, something came hurtling through the window—a figure, dressed in silk robes. It landed with a sickening thud on the floor between them, shattering the intricate jade Go board in a spray of jade shards.
"Yin-er!" Bai Feng roared, leaping to his feet, his heart pounding in his chest. His son! His eldest son! What had they done to him?!
"He…he's…" The steward stared at Bai Yin's lifeless body, his face ashen. Even he, hardened as he was by years of service to the ruthless Bai Clan, felt a twinge of something akin to pity.
Before he could voice his thoughts, however, a cold, calm voice cut through the air.
"The Bai Clan owes Bai Xiuxiu a debt. A debt that can only be repaid in blood."
A figure materialized in the center of the room as if stepping out of thin air. It was Xing Jue.
Xing Jue. As emotionless as a stone. And twice as deadly.
"You!" the steward stammered, fear constricting his throat.
Xing Jue ignored him, his gaze fixed on Bai Feng, his eyes cold, unforgiving, his very presence radiating an aura of barely-contained power, a silent promise of violence.
The servants, alerted by the commotion, rushed into the study, only to freeze in their tracks at the sight of Xing Jue standing over Bai Yin's body, his hands stained crimson, his expression unreadable.
"Who…who are you?" Bai Feng stammered, his composure slipping, his face a mask of disbelief and dawning fear. The arrogant confidence he'd displayed moments earlier vanished, replaced by a growing sense of dread.
"You took Bai Yunfei's sister from him. You tormented her. You broke her body and her spirit. You left her to rot, alone and afraid, while your own son… " His voice broke, his hands clenching into fists, his nails digging into his palms. He'd promised Bai Yunfei that he'd protect his sister. That he'd make sure she was safe!
He'd failed.
"Bai Xiuxiu," he said, his voice trembling with suppressed fury, "was like a sister to me. Now tell me, Bai Feng. Knowing that, tell me…who I am! "
As Xing Jue's words echoed through the stunned silence, a wave of comprehension, followed swiftly by terror, washed over the assembled servants and guards.
They hadn't imagined that he'd discover the truth about Bai Xiuxiu's disappearance. Not so soon!
"Bai Feng," Xing Jue addressed the Clan Patriarch directly, his voice as sharp as a well-honed blade. "I'm not here to annihilate your entire clan. Not today. But those who participated in Bai Xiuxiu's abduction…they will answer for their crimes."
He let his gaze sweep over the crowd, settling on the cowering figure of the Bai Clan steward. "Hand them over," he continued, his voice deceptively calm, "and I will spare the rest of you. Refuse…and face the consequences. "
The steward, his face ashen, his legs trembling, seemed about to faint.
"What if I refuse?" Bai Feng spat, his voice laced with venom. He might be afraid— terrified, even—but he was a proud man. And he'd be damned if he'd let some young punk intimidate him in his own home.
Xing Jue smiled, but there was no warmth in it, only a chilling promise of violence. "If you refuse," he said softly, "the Bai Clan will cease to exist."
"You think you can threaten me?!" Bai Feng laughed, but the sound was hollow, unconvincing. He was running out of options, and he knew it. "You're just one man! Take him!" he roared, turning toward his men. "What are you waiting for?! Kill him!"
Suddenly, dozens of figures, clad in the distinctive black uniforms of the Bai Clan guard detail, emerged from the surrounding buildings. These were no ordinary servants. These were the Bai Clan's elite guard, highly trained in the martial arts, their movements swift and deadly, their very presence an intimidating display of force. Even the lowliest among them possessed the strength of a seasoned Martial Artist.
The steward, his heart soaring with renewed hope, allowed himself a smug smile. These were no ordinary guards, no undisciplined rabble armed with broomsticks and kitchen knives. These warriors had been training relentlessly, honing their skills to a razor-sharp edge, just waiting to unleash their fury on any who dared threaten the Bai Clan.
The elite guard spread out across the courtyard, surrounding Xing Jue, their faces grim, their eyes cold and calculating. These were professionals, and they knew their business.
Bai Feng, emboldened by the sudden shift in power, laughed again, this time a genuine laugh, full of cruel amusement. "You've made a grave mistake coming here, boy," he said, a hint of triumph in his voice. "The Bai Clan is not to be trifled with! Now…beg for mercy! Prostrate yourself before me, lick my boots, and maybe, just maybe, I'll consider sparing your worthless life!"
Xing Jue shook his head, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. He'd hoped it wouldn't come to this, but it seemed the Bai Clan hadn't learned their lesson.
Fine.
He'd teach them.
Drawing on his Spirit Qi, he thrust his fist forward, unleashing a surge of pure energy that slammed into the oncoming guards, tossing them aside like rag dolls. Their carefully orchestrated formation crumbled as they were thrown backwards, crashing into each other, into walls, into the carefully manicured hedges that lined the courtyard.
Silence.
The air hung heavy, thick with disbelief and the metallic tang of blood.
The guards lay where they'd fallen, writhing in pain, their uniforms torn, their weapons scattered across the pristine white marble floor, a testament to the ferocity of Xing Jue's power.
Even Bai Feng, his face drained of all color, his arrogant swagger replaced by a dawning sense of terror, remained speechless. He stared at Xing Jue—this youth—this… monster …who'd just single-handedly decimated his elite guard, as if seeing him for the first time.
"Last chance," Xing Jue said softly, his voice deceptively calm, though the air around him crackled with barely suppressed power. "Will you hand them over or not?"
"Bring them," Bai Feng whispered, his voice hollow, devoid of its earlier bravado. He was defeated. He knew it. And something told him that defying this…monster…would only lead to more bloodshed.
The steward, his face ashen, his entire body trembling, slumped to the ground, his carefully constructed facade of indifference crumbling around him like a poorly built house of cards. He closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable.
Several minutes later, ten men, their faces pale with terror, were dragged, kicking and screaming, into the courtyard. They were thrown to the ground, landing in a heap at Xing Jue's feet, and they immediately began pleading for their lives.
"Please, Master! Spare me! I have a wife and children to feed! "
"Master, please! I didn't know what I was doing! I was only following orders!"
"Please! Have mercy! I beg you! I have an eighty-year-old mother who depends on me!"
Xing Jue listened to their pleas, his expression impassive, his gaze fixed on some point in the distance. He felt no pity for these men. They'd participated in the abduction of an innocent young woman. They'd helped to destroy her life. They deserved to be punished.
"Every action," he said softly, his gaze sweeping over them, "has consequences. " He took a step toward them, his shadow falling over them like a shroud. "Perhaps if you'd considered that before you helped to destroy Bai Xiuxiu's life, things would be different. But you didn't. And now…you will face the consequences of your actions. "
With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed a wave of Spirit Qi, not enough to kill, but enough to cripple, to leave them broken and in pain, a constant reminder of their cruelty, their cowardice.
The ten men screamed, their cries echoing through the silent courtyard, their bodies wracked with pain, their eyes wide with shock and terror. Then, one by one, they collapsed, their bodies going limp, their cries fading to whimpers, to silence.
Xing Jue turned his attention back to Bai Feng. The Bai Clan patriarch was staring at the fallen men, his eyes wide with horror, his face ashen. He looked … smaller, somehow. Broken.
"A word of advice, Bai Feng," Xing Jue said, his voice cold, empty of emotion. "Keep a tighter leash on your sons—and your servants. Or the next time someone comes looking for retribution, it won't just be your precious heir who pays the price."
And with that, he vanished. One moment he was there, a figure of righteous fury; the next, he was gone, leaving behind nothing but the echo of his words and the stench of fear.
Bai Feng stood there, frozen in place, his gaze fixed on the spot where Xing Jue had been standing just a moment earlier. Around him, servants wept openly, their bodies shaking with fear. The guards lay where they'd fallen, groaning in pain, their earlier arrogance shattered.
The Bai Clan was broken.
Finally, Bai Feng collapsed to his knees, his shoulders slumping with defeat. "Get…get Bai Zhen, " he whispered, his voice hoarse, broken. "Find him. Now. Tell him…tell him that if he doesn't come home soon… there won't be a home to come back to! "