65: For this day... it's all worth it.

"Xie Qingfeng? The 'Living Yama' Xie Qingfeng?"

Although the middle-aged man was a trusted aide to the Marquis of Anding, he had spent his early years wandering the pugilistic world. In this world, those who wielded blades were as numerous as crucian carp crossing a river, yet if he, the 'Living Yama,' claimed second place, no one in the world would dare claim first.

No one knew who Xie Qingfeng's master was; it was only known that in his early years, he wandered the pugilistic world, challenging others to duels everywhere—the kind that determined both victory and life or death.

Belligerent, ruthless in killing, and incredibly arrogant, Xie Qingfeng had defeated many, but he had also offended many. Until one time, the relatives of those he had defeated and killed spent a fortune to hire assassins from Partridge Sky to assassinate Xie Qingfeng.

The entire pugilistic world still tells tales of that fierce battle, but ever since then, Xie Qingfeng had vanished without a trace. Some said he died, while others said he escaped with severe injuries.

It was not until more than a decade later that a middle-aged Xie Qingfeng appeared in the pugilistic world once more. The man who once favored the ghost-head blade had switched to a slender, straight blade, and his originally broad and sweeping techniques had completely changed in style.

Yet, after disappearing for so many years, Xie Qingfeng had not regressed; instead, he was even more formidable than before. His cultivation realm even seemed to have improved, and although he was still ruthless in his attacks, he now gave people a strange feeling.

If the past Xie Qingfeng was a violent gale, the later version was more like a calm sea, yet beneath this tranquility, dangerous undercurrents surged. After reappearing, Xie Qingfeng always killed with a single strike, and no one had ever seen him use a second one.

"Oh, I haven't been out for so many years, yet there are still people who remember me?" Xie Qingfeng smiled. "I went into seclusion after taking on a Disciple, and I haven't been drifting through the pugilistic world for years. I thought I had long been forgotten..."

"O-Old Senior, we have no past grievances and no recent grudges, why are you doing this?" The middle-aged man's body trembled as he instinctively took two steps back. "When has the Marquis of Anding's estate ever offended your distinguished Disciple? Please, give this junior an explanation."

"The Zhenfu Division Banner Commander, the Imperial Son-in-Law who will marry the Legitimate Princess tomorrow—what do you people call him again? Oh, right, the 'Smiling Yaksha'." Xie Qingfeng gripped the hilt of his blade with his right hand. "I am a person who is very protective of my young ones. Although this brat loves to talk back to me, he is, after all, my only Disciple, my only successor."

"Old man, this is all a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding..."

"Misunderstanding your mother!"

Xie Qingfeng did not give him any chance to explain: "I've been listening outside for half a day; do you really think I'm old and hard of hearing, huh? Don't worry, I won't kill you; I'll even let you go back. But you must tell your master: I won't kill him today, but if he dares to covet my good Disciple's life again in the future..."

"I will definitely make him, this Marquis of Anding, lose his head and body, dying without a complete corpse. If anything truly happens to my Disciple, I will kill his entire family right in front of him, letting him watch his own loved ones die one by one under my blade, and only then... will it be his turn!"

The killing intent on Xie Qingfeng's body receded significantly. He looked at the middle-aged man and then pointed to the door: "Alright, get lost. Leave the silver banknotes behind. It took so much effort for me to come here to kill you all; taking some compensation for my hard work isn't too much to ask, right?"

The middle-aged man wanted to cry but had no tears. Is that old guy speaking human language? You suddenly come here and kill several of us, and then we have to pay you for your hard work? Are we that pathetic or that stupid?

Yet he dared not resist a single word. This old guy was too terrifying. Having followed the Marquis of Anding for so many years, he wouldn't have been able to handle such dirty work if he didn't have some skills himself.

But just now, he simply hadn't seen clearly how Xie Qingfeng had killed them. Against an expert who wasn't even on the same level as them, being able to save his own life was already enough.

But before the man had walked two steps, Xie Qingfeng suddenly pressed down on his shoulder: "Hey, tell me, to pass on a message, is having a mouth all that's needed?"

"W-what do you mean?" The middle-aged man trembled uncontrollably. "D-didn't you say you would let, let this junior go back?"

"Yes, I'm letting you go back and sparing your life, but I didn't say... you had to return in one piece, did I?" Xie Qingfeng smiled with an extremely benevolent and kindly expression. "Your subordinates are all dead, yet you, the leader, suffer no pain at all—you've taken all the good, haven't you?"

A series of shrill screams echoed from the small courtyard. Several city patrol soldiers rushed over upon hearing the noise, but unexpectedly, several men dressed as Imperial Guards suddenly blocked them. The leader among them pulled out a waist token: "The Imperial Guards are on official business; bystanders, step back!"

These city patrol soldiers looked at each other. Although they didn't know what was happening, since the Imperial Guards were here, they certainly shouldn't interfere or ask too many questions.

Are you kidding? How much nerve would they need to interfere in the affairs of the Imperial Guards? Who knows if this was an order from The Emperor! The city patrol in this capital couldn't afford to offend the Pacification Bureau, and they certainly couldn't afford to offend the Imperial Guards.

"Yes, yes, yes, please continue, we'll be leaving now!" The leading patrol soldier nodded quickly. "Don't worry, we understand the rules; tonight we didn't see anything and didn't hear anything."

After speaking, they turned and left, completely ignoring the wails and screams from inside. After a while, the gate of the small courtyard opened, and Xie Qingfeng wiped his hands with a handkerchief: "Send him back to where he came from, and let this dog deliver the message himself!"

"Yes, we will handle it immediately."

The leading Imperial Guard nodded, then waved his hand, and four men entered the small courtyard together. Xie Qingfeng, however, seemed unsatisfied, his eyes still filled with killing intent: "Tell me, where is the Grand Chancellor's residence?"

"This, you'd better not go, right?" The Imperial Guard said somewhat awkwardly. "The Duchess said not to let you interfere in this matter..."

"Bullshit!" Xie Qingfeng interrupted him extremely rudely. "I only have this one damn Disciple. If he dares to scheme against Yingqi, I'll kill him—do you think I'm keeping him for the New Year?"

"Oh, Junior Brother, why is your temper so big?"

A playful woman's voice suddenly rang out behind Xie Qingfeng. The moment he heard this voice, Xie Qingfeng, who had just been like a Yama from hell, had his first reaction... to turn and run!

"If you dare to run, I will cripple one of your legs as soon as I catch up. It can be healed anyway, want to try?"

Two maids, one on the left and one on the right, accompanied an elegantly dressed old woman as she walked out from the shadows. Although she appeared to have half-white hair, the old woman still looked beautiful and moving.

"Junior Brother, for this day, my two precious granddaughters have put in a lot of effort..." The old woman smiled. "Whatever they ask you to do, it is worth it for them, so, just do what you are supposed to do..."

"Don't do anything extra; otherwise, don't blame your Senior Sister... for turning against you, okay?"