Iron Saber Gang.

"Dead?"

Vice Gang Leader Han Tie’s eyes narrowed, sensing that something was amiss.

He had just ordered the Zhu Family to investigate that True Disciple named Bai Yuan. Shortly after, Wu Xin was killed and the Zhu Family fled. No matter how he looked at it, it was too much of a coincidence.

Rather than believing Bai Yuan was the killer, he was more inclined to think this was the work of an expert from Huwei Arts Hall.

He had confirmed during the initiation ceremony that Bai Yuan was merely a disciple at the Bone Forging Pass; killing a Yijin Martial Master was simply impossible for him.

’Old Scoundrel Xue, and here I thought you’d decided to live out your days in peace.’

’Daring to take something that belongs to the Divine Mansion Sect... you’re courting death.’

A murderous glint flashed in Han Tie’s eyes.

Other factions might fear Huwei Arts Hall, but his Iron Saber Gang did not. He couldn’t care less about offending them.

"Send men to keep a tight watch on Huwei Arts Hall," Han Tie commanded the subordinate at his side.

"Yes, sir!"

...

Huwei Arts Hall.

A dead silence descended upon Loyalty Hall, broken only by the chattering of teeth.

Old Xue still sat ramrod straight in the Grandmaster’s Chair, but his previous air of leisure was gone, replaced by an icy mask.

"Master, Grandmaster, I was wrong! Please, spare me this time! I didn’t know that man, Wu, actually wanted to harm our Junior Martial Uncle."

A youth of about seventeen or eighteen knelt trembling in the center of the hall, not daring to lift his head.

He was the one who had sent the message to Bai Yuan in Chu Yuan’s name, luring Bai Yuan into a deathtrap.

’In his heart, the youth had already cursed Elder Wu a thousand times over.’

’Damn him to hell!’

’He clearly said he just wanted to befriend my Junior Martial Uncle! That’s the only reason I accepted the hundred taels of silver with a clear conscience. Who could have known that old bastard actually wanted him dead?’

’If I’d known, I wouldn’t have dared, not even for one thousand taels!’

Four of Old Xue’s five True Disciples were in the hall; only Liu Jiuyan was still away.

Chu Yuan stared at his disciple, his face a mask of bitter disappointment.

He sincerely clasped his fists toward Bai Yuan. "Junior Brother Bai, it is my failure. I was not strict enough in my disciple’s upbringing. I am also responsible for your ordeal."

If not for that Old Immortal who had seemingly descended from the heavens, Huwei Arts Hall would have lost a genius who had mastered the Blood Tiger Saber.

Bai Yuan shook his head.

He was already certain Chu Yuan had been kept completely in the dark, and had told Old Xue as much.

"Junior Brother Bai, how we deal with this traitorous disciple is entirely up to you," Chu Yuan said, taking a deep breath as he made his decision.

He had truly held high hopes for this disciple, but since a mistake was made, punishment had to be served—even if it meant paying the price in blood.

Ma Dingjun and Cheng Li stood silently to the side, showing no intention of pleading on the boy’s behalf.

’Betrayal of the sect, even if unintentional, was punishable by death!’

Bai Yuan gazed at the youth, who was now kowtowing, banging his head repeatedly on the floor.

"According to the Martial Arts Hall’s rules: three cuts and six holes. If he manages to survive, it proves the Ancestors won’t take him, and he’s meant to live."

’He knew this youth had been played by Elder Wu.’

’But his own greed was also to blame. When you take money you shouldn’t, you have to pay the price.’

At the phrase "three cuts and six holes," despair flooded the youth’s eyes. Crying out, he shuffled on his knees toward Chu Yuan.

"Master, Master, save me!"

Chu Yuan turned his head away and said flatly,

"We will do as Junior Brother Bai says."

Seeing that his master had made his stance clear, the youth collapsed to the floor. Stunned into silence, he was hauled out by several disciples from the hall.

The Martial Arts Hall’s "three cuts and six holes" was not a simple matter of a few stabs in a fleshy area. It meant one cut each to the chest, abdomen, and thigh. The victim was then thrown into a cell. If he was still alive after three days, it was proof that the Ancestors would not claim him, and he was allowed to live.

A heart-wrenching scream echoed from outside the hall.

The punishment had begun...

The five people within the hall remained impassive.

There was no fault to be found in Bai Yuan’s decision; a transgression had occurred, and punishment must follow.

The screams gradually faded to silence. Whether the youth would live now depended entirely on his own fate.

Old Xue’s expression finally softened.

’Bai Yuan was only injured, not dead. The situation wasn’t as bad as it could have been.’

"Who exactly was this old man you mentioned?"

"I don’t know, either. He visited the Five Flavors Pavilion once before. I cooked him a meal, but he... didn’t pay..."

"..."

A strange look came over Old Xue’s face. ’A life in exchange for a meal... this disciple of mine has some truly heaven-defying luck.’

According to Bai Yuan’s description, Wu Xin and a group of Assassins from the Soul-Chasing Tower had all been killed in an instant. Even at his own peak, he wasn’t sure he could have accomplished such a feat.

’That old man is a Strong Organ Pass Martial Master at the very least!’

’A Strong Organ Pass Martial Master whose origins and movements were a complete mystery... Even the three great powers would be incredibly wary of such a figure.’

A sense of foreboding settled over Old Xue.

He could already smell the iron tang of blood in the air—the prelude to a storm.

"Master, about the Zhu family...?" Chu Yuan asked tentatively.

A cold light flashed in Old Xue’s eyes. "They dared to harm my disciple. They no longer have a reason to exist."

"I understand."

Perhaps because his own disciple had been involved, Chu Yuan decided to personally lead the men to hunt down the members of the Zhu family, who had already fled in the night.

Zhu Shiping could never have imagined that even after escaping to another county, he still couldn’t escape the annihilation of his family.

Too much time had passed. He had long forgotten that Old Xue was once known as the Living Yama.

After receiving the three cuts and six holes, Chu Yuan’s disciple died that same day from blood loss.

Surviving for three days and then coming back for revenge was a plot from a power fantasy novel. Even a story’s protagonist would die after being stabbed three times.

...

Bai Yuan returned to the Five Flavors Pavilion.

He was alone in his room. For her safety, he had sent Xiao Qiaoniang to stay at the Martial Arts Hall for a while. With Old Xue watching over things there, no major trouble would break out.

’Elder Wu killed, the Zhu Family wiped out.’

’The Iron Saber Gang has to be suspicious by now. And for them, a mere sliver of suspicion is reason enough to kill.’

He sharpened his blade alone in his room, waiting for the Iron Saber Gang to appear.

’This is a perfect opportunity for a kill. I can’t let it pass.’

Three days went by, and not a single person from the Iron Saber Gang showed up.

’No poison... no kidnapping... not even a sneak attack in the dead of night.’

’Are gangsters these days really so proper?!’

Bai Yuan could only put away his Firewood Cutting Saber with a sigh.

Whatever the Iron Saber Gang was planning, the assassination he had anticipated never came.

’What a shame...’

’I had my taunt active, but no mobs came to swarm me. I’m actually a little disappointed.’

’With my current strength, as long as the Iron Saber Gang Leader himself doesn’t show up, anyone else they send is just a walking bag of experience points.’

...

The area in front of the Qinghe County Magistrate’s Office bustled with people.

Within the crowd, a young man and woman stopped before the vermilion-lacquered gates of the magistrate’s office.

The man stood over nine feet tall, a full head above even Ma Dingjun. He stood out in the crowd, causing passersby to turn and gawk.

The woman was delicate and beautiful, dressed in a goose-yellow gown. Unfortunately, she was not even five feet tall.

The towering man and the petite woman created a stark difference, and the visual contrast was striking.

What was most curious, however, were the Jade Pendants hanging from their waists, each carved in the shape of an old woodcutter gathering firewood.

Anyone with a discerning eye would have been shocked, because this Jade Pendant was the identity Token of the Divine Mansion Sect.

This man and woman were from the Divine Mansion Sect!