Chapter 135: Chapter 130: The Clown’s Power

Ye Wen Ni’s face went pale, but she didn’t cry out. She bit her lower lip, her expression stubborn. The surrounding crowd gasped, and many began to condemn the young man. ’It’s not like they have some deep-seated grudge,’ they thought. ’How could a noble’s attendant be so ruthless to such a gorgeous young woman?’

Li Qiang was also stunned. He snapped angrily at the young man, "Who told you to hurt her!"

The young man gave a cold smile. "Blades have no eyes, Young Master Li. A battle is no child’s play. Haven’t you already suffered enough at her hands?"

Li Qiang was at a loss for words. It was true; he had suffered a great deal at this woman’s hands. But that was precisely why he was so determined to have her. ’How could those meek, submissive women ever be as appealing as one with such spirit?’ he thought. ’How could he ever feel a sense of accomplishment or satisfaction with them?’

Though Li Qiang was young, as a noble with Royal Family blood, he had already lost count of the women he’d been with. His tastes were far beyond those of an ordinary person; he had long since lost interest in women who feigned purity and gentleness. The moment he first saw the wild Ye Wen Ni, Li Qiang was instantly invigorated, swearing he wouldn’t rest until she was his.

Even when Ye Wen Ni had nearly crippled him, his determination never wavered.

Being publicly rebuked by his own subordinate, and in front of so many students, was a huge loss of face for Li Qiang, who prided himself on his status. He shot a cold glare at this blockhead of an underling. ’This is the first time he’s said more than a few words since he started following me, and it’s to mock me?’ He wanted to lash out but didn’t quite dare. His father had warned him repeatedly never to offend this man and to always treat him with courtesy.

After a heavy snort, Li Qiang thought, ’I am a young master with royal blood; I won’t stoop to your level.’ He then turned to the injured Ye Wen Ni, a look of anguish on his face. Just as he was about to speak, he saw someone emerge from the crowd and walk directly up to her. The person tore the sleeve of her injured arm, revealing her fair, slender limb. Li Qiang felt his heart lurch as if dealt a heavy blow, and he stood frozen in place.

’Ling Xiao! Damn it, how can it be him? How could a heavenly beauty like Miss Ye know Ling Xiao! And she’s not even resisting his indecent gesture! Doesn’t Ling Xiao have a girlfriend? That shy Yisha...’ Li Qiang cursed wildly, running through every vicious word he knew in his mind, but it did nothing to quell his rage. He turned to Ling Xiao and said in a venomous tone, "Viscount Lingxiao? As a fellow noble, your actions put me in a very difficult position. According to the laws of the Empire, Miss Ye is mine now. What do you think you’re doing?"

"Get lost," Ling Xiao said without turning his head. He looked at Ye Wen Ni with concern and asked softly, "Does it hurt?"

"Will it leave a scar?" Ye Wen Ni’s face was flushed a deep crimson, her voice barely a whisper. With so many people watching as her fair arm was exposed, she was overcome with shyness, even though she knew it was a necessary evil.

"It won’t." Ling Xiao carefully applied the ointment to her wound, and the bleeding stopped almost instantly. He used the torn fabric from her sleeve to bandage her arm, then said with a smile, "You did great."

Ye Wen Ni lowered her head, gently biting her lip. She couldn’t feel the slightest sting from her wound anymore. Her heart stirred. ’This isn’t the first time he’s been the only man to treat me with kindness,’ she thought, ’and I’m sure it won’t be the last!’

Ye Wen Ni looked up. Her face was still a little pale, but she gave Ling Xiao a brave smile. "I’m fine. Thank you."

Li Qiang, meanwhile, was about to lose his mind. He bellowed at Ling Xiao, "You disgrace! You have none of a noble’s bearing! Others may fear you, but I don’t! Ling Xiao, do you dare duel my subordinate?"

Hearing his boisterous challenge, one might have thought he was challenging Ling Xiao himself, but it turned out he wanted his subordinate to do the fighting. Many in the crowd couldn’t help but look at him with contempt. Their gazes toward Ling Xiao, however, were far more complex. Not long ago, he was nothing but useless trash in their eyes. Who would have thought that in just six months, he would not only shed the stigma of being a Celestial Vein Master but also become a titled noble!

A guy they had once looked down upon had suddenly leaped far above them, even becoming someone they could no longer hope to reach. Could anything be more frustrating?

Moreover, many of Xie Xiaoyan’s supporters refused to believe that she had framed Ling Xiao. Instead, they thought the Ling Family had used its power to coerce her. The Xie Family withdrawing all its businesses from the Imperial Capital was the best proof of that!

But in this world, the narrative is always controlled by the victors. The vanquished have no right to speak.

Ling Xiao gently patted Ye Wen Ni’s shoulder. "I’ll make him pay for this," he said.

He turned back to face the young man who had wounded Ye Wen Ni, his expression impassive. With a wave of his hand, the Fine Willow Sword appeared. "Come meet your death."

A sneer touched the young man’s stoic face. "If it’s a fight you want, then let’s fight. You think I’m afraid of you?"

Seeing Ling Xiao not only tell him to get lost but also completely ignore him, Li Qiang finally snapped. "Ling Xiao, if you have any guts, fight my man fairly!" he roared. "Hmph, stop throwing your family’s weight around to bully people! Don’t think for a second that nobody knows how Xie Xiaoyan really left! Tsk, tsk. You think you’re so tough, huh? Haha, hahaha!"

Ling Xiao glanced at Li Qiang, his expression utterly blank. His lips barely moved. "Posturing clown."

"You... Ling Xiao! Good... Very good! Meng Li, kill him! Kill him for me now!" Li Qiang was practically hopping with rage as he screamed at his subordinate.

Ling Xiao slowly drew his sword, his expression utterly impassive. When he looked up again, his gaze toward Meng Li was ice-cold.

With a soft cry from Ling Xiao, the Fine Willow Sword erupted in a dazzling flash of light, so bright it made many in the crowd instinctively blink. Meng Li, too, was stunned for a moment. He had likely never seen such a bizarre Swordsmanship, one that could cause the blade itself to burst with such radiance.

But instinct, honed by years of battle, sent him dodging sharply to the side. At the same time, a powerful aura exploded from his body as he unleashed the full potential of a Mad Sword Master, his sword weaving a defensive curtain of light!

Wisps of Sword Qi scraped across the smooth flagstone path, kicking up showers of stone fragments and forcing the gasping onlookers to retreat even further!

At the same time, the eerie blue Sword Qi emanating from Meng Li’s blade grew more intense; there were even faint signs of an impending breakthrough. Some of the more powerful students in the crowd couldn’t help but curse inwardly, ’Madman! This guy is actually trying to break through in the middle of a battle. What incredible nerve!’

Ling Xiao saw the resolute light in Meng Li’s eyes and subconsciously shifted his strike, which had been aimed at the man’s heart, slightly to the side.

SHLICK!

Amidst a collective gasp from the crowd, Ling Xiao’s sword ran Meng Li clean through!

Meng Li spat out a mouthful of blood, looking down in utter disbelief at the blade impaled in his chest. "This... this is... what... what kind of Sword Skill is this?"

"Fiery Sun Sword Skill," Ling Xiao said, glancing coolly at Meng Li. He didn’t withdraw the blade, but asked with a faint smile, "Serve me, or die?"

Meng Li gave Ling Xiao a strange look, then said, "Serve you!" His mouth then clamped shut. It was already incredibly difficult for him to speak; he could feel his abundant strength draining away and didn’t dare waste any more of it.

Ling Xiao nodded. "I know you’re not afraid of death."

A flush of color appeared on Meng Li’s stoic, pale face. His eyes even showed a hint of being touched.

Li Qiang stood to the side, dumbfounded. He sputtered at Meng Li, "But... but you’re my bodyguard..."

Ling Xiao frowned, giving him a look of disgust. "Not anymore."

"Ling Xiao, I’m going to report you to His Majesty!" Li Qiang was like an enraged ram, posturing aggressively but not daring to charge.

Ling Xiao looked at Ye Wen Ni. "He stabbed you once, so I stabbed him once. Feeling better?"

The onlookers were collectively speechless. ’There’s a bit of a difference between the two, isn’t there?’ they thought. ’Miss Ye only suffered a cut on her arm, but you nearly killed the man!’

To Ye Wen Ni, however, those words sent turbulent waves crashing through her heart. ’To be protected by a man like this... what more could I possibly ask for?’

She nodded gently. "I’ll listen to you."

Ling Xiao tossed an Elixir to Meng Li. "Eat this."

Meng Li tossed it into his mouth without a second thought. The Elixir dissolved instantly, and the pain from his wound immediately subsided. He stared at Ling Xiao in astonishment. ’It’s not that I’ve never seen an Elixir before,’ he thought, ’but one of this supreme quality... I’ve never even heard of such a thing! The moment I swallowed it, I felt... if it weren’t for the sword still impaled in my chest, I’d think I wasn’t even injured!’

His gaze toward Ling Xiao was now filled with unshakable resolve. He was a traveling Martial Artist who lived for the sole purpose of advancing his Sword Dao. There was nothing in his world but the sword.

This was also why Ling Xiao hadn’t killed him. As a Sword Cultivator, he could sense those who truly dedicated their entire being to the way of the sword.

"Brace yourself," Ling Xiao said in a low voice. With a flick of his wrist, the Fine Willow Sword was yanked from Meng Li’s body. Meng Li let out a muffled grunt and staggered but quickly found his footing. He then turned and said to Li Qiang with some difficulty, "Please inform your father that our agreement is now terminated!"

Li Qiang’s face was livid. He hissed "Good. Good. Good," through gritted teeth, then glared at Ling Xiao. "Just you wait for a warrant from the Royal Family!"

The words were barely out of his mouth when he felt himself flying into the air. Li Qiang was a Tier Four Sword Master, after all; he managed to somersault a few times mid-air and stumbled a few steps upon landing before he could steady himself. He was doubled over like a shrimp, clutching his stomach. "Ling Xiao... you sneak-attacked me!"

Just then, a flash of white light shot through the air, heading straight for Li Qiang’s eyes. He yelped in fear, instinctively throwing his arms up to cover his head. A diving Snow Mountain Lightning Falcon, moving at incredible speed, tore a chunk of flesh from his arm with its razor-sharp talons. Li Qiang screamed, clutching his injured arm and hopping in pain. Several of his men rushed over, including the one who had just cursed at Ye Wen Ni.

The crowd saw clown circle once in the air. Before anyone could react, it dove toward the man who had insulted Ye Wen Ni. This man wasn’t as lucky as Li Qiang. Caught completely off guard, a large hole was torn in his skull, and his brains spilled onto the ground. His body went limp, killed instantly by a single strike from clown’s talons!

"What a magnificent Magical Beast. I want it!" a voice suddenly declared in admiration.

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I have fulfilled my promise, as always!

To my friends who are still waiting for Xiaodao’s update at this hour, my apologies, and my thanks! (Bows)