"Stop!"
As the burly man was about to strike the child, Xiao Fan appeared beside him, gripping the man's raised wrist tightly.
"Kid, how dare you interfere in my business! You must have a death wish!"
The burly man was furious, glaring menacingly at Xiao Fan. He exerted all his strength to fling the meddlesome youth away.
To his astonishment, Xiao Fan didn't budge an inch. Or rather, his arm couldn't move at all under Xiao Fan's control.
The burly man stared in shock at the lean, handsome youth in front of him, unable to believe the immense strength hidden in such a slim body.
The onlookers watched with curiosity. This burly man was a notorious bully in town, and they had expected the meddlesome young man to be in trouble. But to their surprise, the feared bully couldn't break free from the youth's grasp.
Even the bully's henchmen were dumbfounded by the scene.
Humiliated, the burly man roared at his subordinates, "What are you waiting for? Cut him down!"
The bully felt utterly disgraced and saw killing Xiao Fan as the only way to restore his honor.
His lackeys, accustomed to their boss's tyranny, drew their knives and charged at Xiao Fan in broad daylight.
The onlookers, fearing for their safety, quickly scattered.
Xiao Fan remained composed, his stance steady. He continued to hold the bully's wrist firmly.
As the henchmen swung their knives, Xiao Fan unleashed a powerful gust of wind, sending them sprawling.
Witnessing such an extraordinary display, the bully realized he had encountered a formidable opponent. He immediately knelt and begged for mercy, "Spare me, great master! Spare me!"
Xiao Fan released his grip and warned sternly, "If I see you causing trouble again, I will take your life."
"Thank you, great master! I won't dare anymore! I swear!"
With that, the bully and his lackeys fled in disgrace.
Xiao Fan watched them go, skeptical that a few words would change the bully's ways. But he had just returned and didn't want to draw too much attention until he knew the situation at the Xiao family, especially whether Leng Feng was still there.
Suddenly, Xiao Fan coughed, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
"It seems I don't have much time left," he murmured, wiping the blood away.
On his journey back, he had practiced the cultivation techniques he had stolen from Qingyun Sect. Despite the toxins accumulated in his body from years of testing elixirs for Elder Zhao, the medicinal properties of those elixirs had also built up in his system.
Using this medicinal power, he had quickly advanced from the Body Refining stage to the Qi Refining stage. However, the flow of energy during cultivation had exacerbated the spread of toxins, shortening his lifespan and causing constant, excruciating pain.
He knew he didn't have long to live. His sole motivation was avenging his parents by killing Leng Feng.
Seeing Xiao Fan's remarkable abilities, the townspeople cheered and praised him.
Xiao Fan frowned, not wanting to attract more attention.
He knelt down to speak to the child he had saved. "It's safe now. Go home and don't worry your parents."
After saying this, he stood up and left the crowd. The child, with wide, curious eyes, watched him go, then quickly followed.
Xiao Fan planned to find an inn to settle down and gather information about the Xiao family and Leng Feng's whereabouts.
Soon, he noticed someone following him.
Xiao Fan's senses heightened. He turned into an alley and quickly caught his pursuer.
Seeing it was the child he had saved, Xiao Fan realized it was a girl dressed as a boy. Her large, expressive eyes and delicate features were endearing.
Xiao Fan knelt down and asked gently, "Why are you following me?"
"Master! I've been looking for you everywhere!" the girl cried, throwing herself into his arms.
Xiao Fan was stunned.
Master?
What was going on?
He gently pushed her away and said, "I'm not your master. You must have mistaken me for someone else."
"I'm sure you're my master," she insisted. "Have you abandoned me?"
Xiao Fan frowned, unsure how to handle the situation. He didn't want to leave the girl alone and vulnerable.
After a moment's thought, he decided to take her with him to the inn and figure out how to find her real master or family later.
"What's your name?" Xiao Fan asked.
"Master, I'm Xue'er! Have you forgotten?" she replied, looking heartbroken.
Xiao Fan sighed, "Xue'er, I really am not your master, but I will help you find him. Stay with me for now, okay?"
"Okay, I'll listen to you, Master," she nodded obediently, though her eyes sparkled with mischief.
Outside the Haotian Mirror.
A cultivator observing the scene remarked, "Doesn't this girl, Xue'er, look a bit like Empress Leng Ruoxue?"
"Now that you mention it, she does!"
"Empress Leng Ruoxue was once the disciple of the Netherworld Demon Emperor. Do you think this girl might be her?"
"It's quite likely!"
"Ha ha ha… Who would have thought that Empress Leng Ruoxue was such a lively, mischievous child, making up stories without blinking an eye just to become a disciple."
"Shh! Be quiet! Empress Leng Ruoxue is looking this way!"
The group fell silent, realizing they had overstepped by joking about Empress Leng Ruoxue.