Since Sun Changbiao's death, his four daughters had been taken away by Steward Sun, while Madame Liu, who had led Sun Changbiao to join the Spirit Infant Sect, lost her unborn child due to the shock and was expelled from Xu's Courtyard by Second Shopkeeper Xu Beihu for joining the sect.
Steward Sun then found a place outside for Madame Liu to spend her confinement period.
Since Sun Changbiao's four daughters had not joined the Spirit Infant Sect, Li Che had not killed them, but Sun Changbiao's wife was different...
She had willingly joined the sect and even led Sun Changbiao in a plot to harm Li Che's daughter, making her the ringleader of the crime.
Initially, a witness was needed; thus, her life was spared to provide testimony.
Li Che feared that this woman would continue to lead Spirit Infant Sect followers to endanger Xi Xi in the future.
So...
Indeed, it was time to clean up this mess.
Dressed for travel, Li Che plunged into the blizzard and, moments later, arrived south of Fei Lei City.
Within a dilapidated courtyard piled high with thick, fluffy snow.
In the courtyard, a stove burned fiercely, boiling water bubbling out steam that warmed the house.
Li Che, his face covered by a mask and wearing a wide-rimmed hat, clad in black, silently landed inside the courtyard wall, moving as quietly as falling snow, quickly approaching the house.
Inside the house, incense sticks were lit, and grey smoke incessantly filled the air.
Li Che poked a hole in the window paper and looked inside to see a thin figure kneeling before a "Three Heads and Six Arms Angry Spirit Infant Statue," ceaselessly kowtowing and wringing her hands.
"The Holy Spirit teaches, cleanse the worldly dust, reincarnation without worry, achieved by innate wisdom without being taught..."
"Divine above, this humble woman will ensure the Spirit Baby of the Li family is restored to its position, please bless this humble woman's child to reincarnate..."
Madame Liu chanted non-stop, devoutly worshipping.
Watching the angry Spirit Infant Statue, the skin under Li Che's Cute Bull Mask twitched, and a hint of a murderous intent slowly emerged in his pupils.
Raising his arm, the sleeve crossbow shot out a swiftly arched crossbow arrow!
Bang!
It directly penetrated the head of the angry Spirit Infant Statue, nailing it to the wall.
This noise instantly caught the attention of Madame Liu inside the house; she became frightened, and Li Che, not wanting to waste any more time, fired another arrow from his sleeve crossbow, piercing Madame Liu's throat.
Madame Liu's eyes widened, but she turned and stared fixedly in the direction from which the crossbow arrow had shot.
Her face showed no fear of death, blood bubbling from her throat, as a mad grin spread across her face.
"Deputy Incense Master... please..."
Li Che remained calm.
He expected deception; it was all within his expectations.
With a heavy step, the ground shook, and the plentiful snow explosively soared up, Li Che, huge and mountainous like a cannonball, catapulted towards the outside of the courtyard.
"Bold thief, where do you think you're going!"
A scream, both mournful and maniacal, abruptly came from outside the courtyard.
Li Che glanced under his mask in that direction, seeing a figure leaping forward, dressed in a gray robe, carrying a side knife, wearing a mask of a crying boy, his eyes burning intensely.
Besides him was another bulky figure, wearing a girl's mask, carrying a Bagua Staff, crouching on the courtyard wall, his eyes holding a mocking smile.
Intense vitality burst forth, melting the snow, intertwining murderous intents, and the howling wind sounded like the wails of ghosts!
"Indeed, you intentionally attacked my Spirit Infant Sect follower... Who exactly are you?"
A cold voice came from the person with the side knife.
Li Che stared at the knife-bearer, feeling a vague sense of familiarity. He lowered his voice, hoarse and probing, echoing in the courtyard: "Zhao Chuanxiong?"
The courtyard fell silent instantaneously; after a long while, low, deep laughter resounded.
Boom!
Suddenly, a flash of knife light erupted, and the sharp air swept through the courtyard.
Li Che stomped fiercely, like a divine dragon's roar or a giant elephant's bellow!
The deep snow underfoot exploded wildly, the flying snow spraying like hidden weapons!
The slash of the knife met a thick mound of snow.
Hmm?
The knife cut through the snow, its force already halved, and the next moment, he only felt the air emit a low hum, as if something sharp was rapidly slicing through!
His eyes under the mask narrowed suddenly!
A thread!
A silver thread!
Extremely thin, extremely sharp!
As he held his long knife horizontally, he felt a slight force graze the blade, sparking a flurry of sparks.
Then, successive sounds of whooshing accompanied by "shoo, shoo, shoo" noises... three arrows, almost simultaneously, whistled toward him!
Damn!
So tall and large but employing such treacherous and ruthless methods!
The deputy incense master with the boy's mask wielded his long sword, the light of the blade swirling around as he stepped back on the snowy ground. After three consecutive collisions, he finally managed to block all three crossbow arrows.
But he hardly had time to catch his breath.
Underneath Li Che's cute cow mask, his pupils seemed to ignite with flames as he raised an arm. His muscles tensed as if a strong bow fully drawn!
His body shot out like a military crossbow. His nearly two-meter tall frame brought an extremely intense sense of oppression.
His fist flew out like a missile head, blasting the snow in the sky into a foggy mist!
It wasn't a martial technique, just a simple yet pure punch.
Suddenly, in the blink of an opportunity, he had closed in right in front of the deputy incense master.
The blade fiercely swept out, skimming past Li Che's punch, blade energy raging, forcefully withstanding Li Che's punch. However, the force of two thousand kilograms exploded out, the tearing airflow brutally smashing down!
With a booming sound, accompanied by the whining of the collapsed airflow!
It mercilessly struck the deputy incense master's boy's mask, causing the mask to explode into pieces and hair to become disheveled. A face that Li Che was all too familiar with suddenly came into view.
"Zhao Chuanxiong..."
Li Che coldly observed the face, confirming the identity of this deputy incense master, indeed it was the yamen arrest officer.
Killing Madame Liu and confirming Zhao Chuanxiong's identity...
Today's objectives were all achieved.
"Act now! Stop watching! Let's kill together this sinister and cunning villain Bull Demon!"
Zhao Chuanxiong's face was extremely gloomy, staring fixedly at the cute cow mask, feeling like it was a demon incarnate.
Truly a genuine thousand-kilogram strength Bull Demon!
The figures on the walls of the courtyard also stood up, slowly drawing the Bagua staff from behind, with a strong surge of blood and energy intertwining.
"This Bull Demon must be a martial artist with bone tempering minor accomplishment, comparable to our levels, not to be underestimated!"
Zhao Chuanxiong said in a cold voice.
"Heh heh, he doesn't even know martial techniques... what's there to underestimate."
The figure on the high wall with a girl's mask sneered and suddenly leaped down, brandishing the staff with one hand and charging towards Li Che.
Li Che frowned, feeling some pressure.
It seemed, it was time for a big move.
His tiptoes tapped the ground, and Li Che's figure propelled back. His clothes under the robe, however, suddenly swelled up.
"Bull Demon, take my Bagua staff technique!"
One staff struck heavenward, countless staff shadows intertwining, blurring the vision!
With an overwhelming force, the wind spread out, and the flying snow spiraled to the sides!
Martial technique!
Li Che immediately felt the pressure — he had yet to learn any martial techniques in all his martial arts practice until now.
But, Li Che did not panic. With a grab and a pull of his fingers, numerous Silver Spider Threads densely spread out, wildly swirling within the entire courtyard!
With the skill of an Immortal Artisan, he countered the martial technique!
Li Che raised his hand and then the sleeve crossbow followed, firing rapidly.
Three arrows in succession pinned down the martial artist wielding the Bagua staff, his feet stomping heavily, a springing leap landing him on top of the courtyard wall.
"Thinking of escaping? Where will you go?!"
"Frenzied Blood Knife!"
At this point, Zhao Chuanxiong had regained his breath, drew his side knife and burst forth, the blade light swirling, hummed brilliantly, the blood energy violently surging and boiling, also a martial technique, then slashed towards Li Che.
Li Che casually glanced at him.
With a shake of his hand, a "Guanyin Blood Lotus" suddenly emerged in his wide, fan-like palm — the last of his three secret mechanisms, and the most powerful one!
Crushing the kindly-faced Guanyin wood carving, leaving only the lotus base, it was then lightly tossed out by Li Che.
"This sinister Bull Demon... has hidden weapons, too?!"
Zhao Chuanxiong was startled, but the long knife in motion was difficult to stop mid-swing; he had to grit his teeth and continue the slash.
However, that blood-colored lotus base eerily hovered in mid-air.
"Explode."
Then, accompanying the bursting light, it started to spin at high speed.
With a hissing sound,
Countless, fine as ox hair wooden needles shot out like rain in the human world, as if Guanyin were shedding tears.
Thousands of them burst forth.
ps: Monday, critical moment in the PK, seeking monthly tickets, recommendations, and support for following!