Chapter 87: Only Death

Chapter 87: Only Death

The night was late, and not a breath of wind stirred.

Li Tianyun, holding a lantern, came hurrying alone to the back garden.

In the pavilion by the small lake, Xie Shen was embracing a singing girl and chatting.

Li Tianyun approached, wiped his sweat, and reported the matter of the county government office.

"He's a warrior who has killed demons. If a few sour scholars can't deal with him, that would be strange," Xie Zhongliang didn't feel disappointed either, "But from his actions, he seems ruthless!"

"It's going to rain tonight," Xie Shen glanced at the sky, seeing the stars hidden and the moon concealed, and said in a deep voice, "He's just a useless guard of a useless royal family. Is there a need to be cautious? Let's go straight to the county government office and kill him. I don't want to stay in this broken place any longer!"

"Young Master," Xie Zhongliang quickly advised, "The Eldest Son said that Chen Shouzhuo has been a ranked official for over a decade. He must have some ability. Let's wait until Meng Yuan leaves, then we'll board a boat and cross the river. At least we'll make it difficult for him to live."

"Why are you so impatient?" Xie Shen was getting annoyed.

"Young Master, why get angry? The night is perfect for drinking and enjoying ourselves," the singing girl swayed seductively as she raised a cup of wine.

"Do you have the right to speak here?" Xie Shen waved his hand, knocking the wine cup away, and grabbed the singing girl's hair, throwing her into the small lake in front of him.

The singing girl was terrified, floundering in the water for a moment, and cried out for help a few times before falling silent.

Xie Zhongliang didn't pay any attention and continued to persuade Xie Shen.

After a few words of persuasion, Xie Shen finally calmed down and waved his hand, signaling Li Tianyun to leave.

Li Tianyun didn't dare say anything and immediately picked up the lantern to return.

The night grew darker, with no stars or moon in sight.

The garden path was intricate, and Li Tianyun walked slowly. But after taking about a hundred steps, he suddenly fell, and the lantern rolled away.

Xie Zhongliang's senses were sharp, and he immediately noticed. But they were too far apart, separated by flowering trees, and the night was so dark that he couldn't see clearly.

They had arrived at noon and had been avoiding people. There were no others in the garden.

Xie Zhongliang whistled three times, but no one responded. Aside from Xie Shen and Xie Zhongliang discussing matters in the pavilion, the others were resting in the neighboring courtyard, having already eaten and drunk their fill after the journey.

Xie Zhongliang whistled three times, but no one appeared. He knocked over the lantern in the pavilion and protected Xie Shen, saying, "Our people are not weak. Lao He is an eighth-rank warrior, and there are five ninth-rank warriors. But the opponent infiltrated without a sound and killed without a sound. His strength is likely already at the seventh rank. Even if he's at the same eighth rank, he's probably already at the pinnacle, and possesses several ultimate skills."

Xie Shen wasn't foolish and immediately understood. He quickly grabbed his sword.

Both of them were on high alert when they saw someone approaching from a distance.

The person wore black, carried a longbow, and had a drawn sword in his hand.

Xie Zhongliang recognized the newcomer and was surprised that he had only arrived at noon, yet the matter with Li Tianyun had already been discovered.

This person had come and gone, killing without a sound, indicating a high level of skill and familiarity with the area.

Xie Zhongliang realized that just as they wanted to kill the newcomer, the newcomer was also determined to kill them.

To the point that the newcomer couldn't wait, even after the matter at the county government office was resolved, he rushed over directly.

"Brother Meng, it's really unnecessary," Xie Zhongliang felt, knowing that even he and Xie Shen together might not be able to hold the newcomer, and even their escape would be difficult.

"When you wanted to kill me, was it necessary?" Meng Yuan raised his sword and charged forward, aiming for Xie Shen.

"Young Master! We only have two people together... Don't run!" Xie Zhongliang had a plan, but before he could act, Xie Shen had already taken off running.

Xie Zhongliang had no choice. He knew the newcomer was more familiar with the area than himself, and running would mean certain death. Only by fighting could there be a glimmer of hope.

Xie Zhongliang saw that Meng Yuan didn't perform any fancy moves or techniques, but simply charged with his drawn sword.

"You want to clash with me head-on?" Xie Zhongliang met the attack with his sword, feeling a powerful force pressing down, like a mountain, unable to move even slightly, and couldn't help but feel a sense of despair.

Xie Zhongliang heard a loud crash as his long sword shattered, and Meng Yuan's sword continued its momentum, slamming into his body.

"Brother Meng, why?" Xie Zhongliang was covered in blood, his face pale, and pleaded, "Spare my life, and I'll do anything you say..."

He collapsed on the ground, one hand holding his spilling entrails, watching as Meng Yuan stood five steps away, having switched to his longbow, and fired arrow after arrow, all of them disappearing into the darkness.

A painful cry was heard, clearly from Xie Shen, who had been hit by an arrow.

But Meng Yuan continued shooting, firing five arrows in quick succession before finally stopping.

"Brother Xie, I'll spare you." Meng Yuan sheathed his bow and drew his sword, "When you killed that family of three, did they beg for mercy?"

Xie Zhongliang hesitated and was about to argue, but before he could, the other's sword had already descended.

The world spun, and as Xie Zhongliang watched his broken body grow distant, he realized his head had been severed.

Meng Yuan didn't spare another glance and immediately pursued Xie Shen.

A hundred steps ahead, Xie Shen lay on the ground, his back pierced by six arrows, and his body drenched in blood.

An eighth-rank warrior without the protection of the Heavenly Insight Divine Ability, even with a physique far surpassing ordinary people, could not withstand such a barrage of arrows.

These arrows had already injured his internal organs and flesh, and Xie Shen no longer had a trace of his former arrogance.

"You can't kill me!" Xie Shen, seeing Meng Yuan approach, immediately panicked, "I'll ensure you a life of wealth and honor!" Clearly, he had already been castrated.

Meng Yuan truly halted his sword.

"Spare me, and I'll guarantee you a lifetime of prosperity!" Xie Shen, seeing Meng Yuan's silence, thought he had been moved. He spat out two mouthfuls of blood and hurriedly continued, "Brother Meng, you have exceptional martial talent and innate divine strength. You'll definitely reach the seventh rank in the future! I'll give you the Heavenly Insight Map!"

"Anything else?" Meng Yuan asked.

"An official position! I can get you an official position! A high-ranking one!" Xie Shen, seeing Meng Yuan's inquiry, became even more desperate for survival. He stumbled and said, "With your talent, what future can you have under a reclusive prince? I'll recommend you! You just need a patron!"

"Really?"

"Really!"

"You're not lying to me?"

"I'm not lying to you!"

Meng Yuan sat down and said, "Tell me in detail."

"With your talent, an eighth-rank warrior capable of killing several peers, you're definitely not suited for civil service. You should pursue a military path!" Xie Shen's face regained some color, and with a touch of madness, he said, "If you want to join the Demon Suppressing Bureau, my brother-in-law is in the Thousand-Man Commandery. Once you reach the seventh rank, the Songhe Prefecture Garrison will be under your command! If you want to join the military, my father has a fellow scholar at the border pass. Once you reach the seventh rank, you can also secure a future for your wife and children!"

"In the end, it still depends on reaching the seventh-rank realm; otherwise, it's all an illusion." Meng Yuan sighed.

"There's no other way; the seventh rank is a turning point! But with Brother Meng's talent, it'll only take a year or two, at most two or three!" Xie Shen was exceptionally polite and persuasive, "At that time, I'll also give you two unique Heavenly Insight Maps. Won't you soar to new heights then?"

"That's true." Meng Yuan nodded, "Where's the map?"

"It's at my home." Xie Shen wasn't foolish.

"When did you arrive in Donghe County?" Meng Yuan asked curiously.

"We just arrived at noon." Xie Shen replied.

"What did you do?" Meng Yuan inquired.

"Nothing much. I went with my brother to meet a friend." Xie Shen answered.

Meng Yuan remained silent, only looking up at the sky.

The night was deep and quiet, with the stars and moon hidden. The wind sank, and the clouds lowered, clearly signaling the imminent arrival of rain.

"Young Master Xie, you wouldn't think I'd actually let you go, would you?" Meng Yuan drew his sword from its sheath.

"Then you..." Xie Shen could no longer force a smile, and he stumbled backward.

"You gave that family hope, only to cruelly kill them later. I gave you hope, and now I'll kill you." Meng Yuan advanced with his sword.

"Let me go! I'll change!" Xie Shen crawled forward, attempting to escape, while shouting, "My mother is a vegetarian, and she never harms a soul. My brother is also a good person! I can save a hundred people like that! Save a thousand! Save ten thousand! I'll change! I want to be a good person! I want to do good deeds!"

As he crawled and shouted, it seemed as if he were speaking from the depths of his heart, with utmost sincerity.

Meng Yuan bent down, his knee pressing against Xie Shen's back, and the sword tip against his back, "How can someone like you change?"

The sword slowly pierced, and Xie Shen, gritting his teeth, struggled, but it was as if a mountain pressed down on his back, leaving him powerless to move his limbs, unable to utter a word.

Meng Yuan slowly pressed down with his sword, encountering resistance at the spine, but the sword seemed to flow like water, unstoppable. "Only death!"

After a long while, Meng Yuan stood up and sheathed his sword.

Looking around, he saw the dark rain approaching, yet felt a sense of freedom and vastness.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end