Chapter 21: Chapter 18 Li Xin
Li Xin returned home in the dead of night, carelessly shutting the door behind him. He didn't bother to lock it or light a candle, and made his way to his bed in the dark, collapsing onto it with the stiffness reminiscent of a corpse that had gone cold.
"Eh." Li Xin gazed blankly at the ceiling, reflecting on the day's events. Today, he had yet again cleaned up after the depraved scion of the Li Family, who had brazenly barged into another man's home in broad daylight and brutally toyed with his wife until she died, all in front of her husband. Afterwards, he even instructed Li Xin to kill the entire household, both young and old.
Li Xin never considered himself a good person; over the years, he had done plenty of the Li Family's dirty work. Sometimes, he wondered whether he'd descend to the eighteenth level of hell after death. But today's incident had redefined his understanding of beastliness—not out of profit or passion, but pure bestial instinct. What's more, the Third Young Master Li didn't think he had done anything wrong, instead laughing like a child. This was no longer human behavior but that of a beast in human skin.
At that thought, Li Xin heaved a long sigh.
"Why does Boss Li sigh?" A clear voice cut through the silence.
Li Xin sat up straight; in the darkness, a shadow sat quietly at the square table in front of the bed, watching him. Without any light, Li Xin could only discern a figure, yet he felt the shadow piercing into his heart with its gaze.
"Who are you?" he asked as he fumbled for a weapon at the head of the bed, remembering a dagger hidden under his pillow. However, his search turned up empty. He couldn't believe it and felt around again, but still found nothing. Indeed, it had been so long since he'd last used the dagger he had almost forgotten about it; it had been missing since he last changed his bedding and was likely long gone.
Li Xin's tense body relaxed, abandoning any thoughts of resistance. The figure was sitting at the square table less than three feet away from the bed, and Li Xin had just passed by the other side of the table completely unaware. If the figure had harbored any intention to kill, Li Xin would probably have already been on his way to the eighteenth level of hell.
The shadow watched Li Xin's reaction but remained silent.
"Sir, if you have any orders, just say them. As long as it's nothing too outrageous, I, Li Xin, will do everything in my power." Since the visitor wasn't there to kill him, the request must be for something else. Facing life and death circumstances, Li Xin was ready to promise anything to stay alive first and foremost.
"Oh? As the head of the Iron Saber Association under the control of the Li Family, you have helped carry out many deeds that violate the Heavenly Dao, and now you've suddenly taken on the role of a good person. Furthermore, you agree without even asking what it is. What if what I ask you to do is a deadly task? Or something against the Li Family's interests?" Qing Yu curiously remarked.
Indeed, the visitor in the dead of night was Qing Yu, and Li Xin was the leader of the Iron Saber Association within the Li Family's reach. Most of the Association's members were enforcers from brothels, usually not involved in many other matters except for bullying men, coercing good women into prostitution, and the like. Their reputation was a hundred times worse than that of the murderous Five Tigers Sect.
Li Xin responded with a wry smile, "The Heavenly Dao brings reincarnation, and one who commits too many vile deeds must fear retribution. I, Li Xin, know I deserve punishment, but I fear it will fall upon my wife and child. That's why I've never married or had children over these years. I only wish my elderly mother to live out her years in peace. As for the rest, when my life is nearly over, what else can I care about?"
Hearing Li Xin's reply, Qing Yu laughed, "You're not being honest. You only talk about fearing for your wife and children, not your parents. You must be hoping for retribution to befall your irresponsible father, right?"
Li Xin, who had been very composed until now, burst into a rage at the mention of his father. No longer caring if he offended, he shouted, "He's not my father! He's a beast, a beast, they're all beasts!"
"You're full of resentful energy. It seems you truly hate the Li Pingsheng's family." Qing Yu clapped his hands.
Li Pingsheng was the Patriarch of the Li Family, the same beastly Third Young Master Li's father mentioned earlier—and Li Xin's father, the result of a drunken indiscretion.
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"But you're wrong about one thing: your mother was affected after all. This afternoon, while you were dealing with the aftermath, Li Qiuyan was heading home and happened upon her. He killed her on impulse. Of course, to win over a qualified enforcer like you, the Li family has suppressed the news. That's why you haven't received word of your mother's death until now. Perhaps tomorrow, you'll be told your mother died of an illness."
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Li Qiuyan is none other than Third Young Master Li.
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Li Xin collapsed suddenly, sliding from the edge of the bed to the floor. Dead, his mother, the one who had sustained him until now, was dead.
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Why, why? Li Xin found it hard to believe. He had committed so many heinous acts just to make himself useful in the eyes of the Li family, to safeguard his mother. Yet, while he was still cleaning up Li Qiuyan's messes, Li Qiuyan had casually murdered his mother.
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Li Xin had no reason to disbelieve Qing Yu's unilateral account—he knew well the true nature of the beast in human skin that was Li Qiuyan, as well as the Li family's modus operandi. All of this must be true; Qing Yu had no reason to deceive him. Besides, regardless of everything else, the death of his mother had to be true; a falsehood wouldn't fool him. This could only mean that the news suppression by the Li family confirmed their involvement, and it related to a core member of the family.
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Li Xin felt an overwhelming darkness closing in, pressing down on his heart as if it were being crushed by an iron grip, with nothing but darkness before his eyes—a darkness even blacker than the blackest night.
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"I can help you get revenge."
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This voice sounded like a sharp sword piercing through the endless darkness before him.
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Li Xin lifted his head to look at the shadowy figure before him.
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"I'll help you if you help me. I just so happen to have the Li family in my sights. That's why I sought you tonight."
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When Qing Yu heard the news that afternoon, he immediately remembered the profile on Li Xin, the Li family's illegitimate son. Fortune had presented itself suddenly, and seizing the opportunity, Qing Yu chose the perfect moment to appear when Li Xin was most vulnerable, shattering his psychological defenses with a single blow.
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"How can I trust you? Trust that you have enough power?" asked Li Xin, his voice hoarse.
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The leader of the Iron Saber Association might sound imposing, but in reality, he was merely the leading dog among those kept by the Li family, with followers that were paid by the Li family, and the Li family was their object of loyalty.
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Qing Yu's approach to Li Xin proved he didn't have enough power to confront the Li family head-on. Even if he had the strength to strike at the Li family, the other two families would not stand idly by—everyone understood the principle of mutual dependence.
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"To kill a man, you don't always need force; there are many other ways. Tomorrow, you will witness a spectacular show. Trust me, you'll find it very gratifying—a truly excellent spectacle," Qing Yu said softly, uttering chilling words.
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At that moment, moonlight streamed in through the window, illuminating Qing Yu's face.
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Li Xin looked at the somewhat youthful face before him and found it hard to believe that the words he had just heard had come from the mouth of this young man. However, the more terrifying this youth was, the greater his hope for revenge.
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He bowed deeply, prostrating himself on the ground: "If it means making the Li family pay, Xin is willing to lay down his life for you, my lord."
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Chapter 22: Chapter 19: Three Corpses Brain God Pill
The next morning at dawn.
Urgent knocking sounds arose, rapid and chaotic, betraying the door-knocker's haste and tension.
The door was abruptly yanked open, revealing a pair of bloodshot eyes.
"What's the matter?" Li Xin stared at the knocker, whose fist was still raised, recognizing him as one of the two house servants who had followed Li Qiuyan back to the Li Family yesterday.
"You..." The knocking servant took a step back, intimidated by Li Xin's fierce expression, but then remembered he was representing the Patriarch and Mrs. Li. Emboldened, he stepped forward and haughtily declared, "Li Xin, your damn dead mother suddenly fell ill last night, and before the doctor could arrive, she passed away. The Patriarch instructed me to summon you to tend to her body."
Although Li Xin was only an illegitimate son, his martial talent was not bad; he had reached the Postnatal Seventh Realm in his twenties, much stronger than those two good-for-nothing disciples of the Zhenwu Sect. Moreover, he was bold and brave in fights, and had earned the appreciation of the Patriarch, taking charge of the Iron Saber Association. Ordinary servants wouldn't dare be insolent in front of him.
This house servant, who had a knack for brown-nosing and was a confidant of Li Qiuyan, had the audacity to spout such impudence in front of Li Xin, under the guise of borrowed authority.
Although he had learned of his mother's death the night before from the young master, Li Xin couldn't help but feel grief well up from his heart, and large tears rolled down his cheeks.
"What are you crying for? If you have to mourn, do it away from me. It's really damn unlucky," the lackey said, trying to save face from his earlier display of cowardice and to assert dominance in front of Li Xin. In his mind, he was a trusted confidant of the third young master, and Li Xin, the unloved bastard son, was nothing more than a yes-man in front of him.
Unfortunately, he failed to realize that the Li Xin before him was no longer the submissive wolfhound wearing a collar, but rather a rabid wolf, straining at its chains, eager for blood, still stubbornly courting death with his words.
"Your damn dead..." the servant was in full flow when an iron grip suddenly reached out, grabbing his neck and hoisting him into the air.
The servant frantically clawed at the death grip on his neck, trying to break free from its hold, his eyes filled with pleading and begging as they met Li Xin's bloodshot gaze.
"When my mother was dying, she must have looked at you all in the same way," Li Xin lifted his head to look at the servant who had relied on others for power, "Your pitiful struggle in the face of death reminds me of my mother. You deserve to die."
Rage ignited his heart, and Li Xin's grip tightened, swiftly snapping the servant's neck and tossing him aside.
"Let's see what kind of drama the Li Family will have today..." Li Xin thought, anticipating with interest. Then, remembering his innocent mother who had died tragically, grief overcame him once more, his face contorted into an eerie mix of laughing and crying.
When Li Xin entered the room, only the house servant led the way, taking him to his mother's resting place. He saw that his mother was only covered with a white cloth, without even a proper coffin. With the wealth of the Li Family, they could have arranged for a coffin at any time, even before dawn, if they had wanted to. Not to mention, his mother had actually died the previous afternoon, and pitifully, at that time, he was preoccupied with cleaning up after that human beast, Li Qiuyan.
Apart from Li Xin who had just arrived, there wasn't even a single servant or maid in the room, and Li Pingsheng, Li Xin's biological father, was nowhere to be seen. Such desolation of human life was evident.
As Li Xin was immersed in his sorrow, suddenly he heard loud shouts from outside, one after another.
"Someone come quickly, the third young master has gone mad..."
"Hurry, call the doctor..."
"Quick, call the master, the third young master is biting the lady..."
When Li Xin came out, he heard the house servants and maids shouting as they passed by.
He followed a few house servants and made his way to the origin of the disturbance.
After a short walk, they arrived at the courtyard of the Li Family. Upon entering the courtyard, Li Xin saw several house servants struggling together to pry the beast's hands and feet apart, trying to pull him away. On the ground, a lady dressed in luxurious garments was wailing miserably; her face was bloody and indistinct, and she was pressing on her wounds and rolling around on the floor.
Li Qiuyan's face was streaked with bulging veins and his eyes were full of greenish blood vessels, looking like a demon or ghost, his wide mouth filled with fresh blood, still clinging to bits of flesh and skin between his teeth. He was held by the arms by several strong house servants, who were trying to restrain him with great effort. Normally hollowed out by indulgence in wine and pleasure, his body now possessed superhuman strength, and the servants were having some trouble holding him down. Seeing no hope of escape, Li Qiuyan tried to bite the house servant next to him, frightening the others into retreating repeatedly, and in a moment of inattention, Li Qiuyan broke free.
Li Qiuyan pounced on one of the house servants nearby, burying his head and gnawing voraciously, accompanied by screams of pain. The surrounding servants, fearing they couldn't dodge in time, not one dared step forward to rescue.
"Insolence." A furious shout echoed, and a figure appeared in the scene, subduing Li Qiuyan with both hands. The newcomer was none other than the Patriarch Li Pingsheng. Li Qiuyan, realizing he was captured, howled and struggled like a wild animal, his cries piercing and hair-raising.
Li Pingsheng took the iron chains handed over by a servant and quickly bound Li Qiuyan. After that was done, he looked around at the crowd, hoping to identify the assailant through their reactions. However, to his disappointment, the crowd was mostly comprised of house servants and maids, none of whom dared to meet his gaze.
Under the scrutiny of Li Pingsheng, Li Xin also lowered his head to hide the uncontrollable smile at the corner of his mouth.
While Li Pingsheng was surveying the crowd, the miserable wails of the richly dressed woman gradually ceased, as she had fainted from the pain. Seeing the woman's horrific state, Li Pingsheng could not continue his search for the assailant and shouted, "Don't just stand there; fetch a doctor quickly."
The servants and maids came to their senses and the scene descended into chaos.
Li Pingsheng commanded the house servants to detain the mad Li Qiuyan and carried Mrs. Li to the bedroom himself. Before leaving, he gave Li Xin, who was now extremely diminishing his presence, a profound glance.
Deep into the night.
Li Xin sat alone at a square table, pouring and drinking by himself, without even lighting a lamp.
"The play was quite gratifying." A voice came from behind.
Li Xin hurriedly stood up to pay respect, "My regards to you, young master."
"The play was very enjoyable, just that…" Li Xin hesitated slightly.
"Fearful of being cured?" Qing Yu perceived Li Xin's concern.
"Rest assured. The elixir I administered to Li Qiuyan is named 'Three Corpses Brain God Pill.' This pill contains three corpse worms that show no abnormalities after consumption. However, every year at noon on Dragon Boat Festival, if the antidote restraining the corpse worms is not taken in time, they will break out. Once they enter the brain, the person who consumed the elixir will act like a demon or ghost, even biting and eating his own parents and spouse. I peeled away the outer casing of the pill, leaving just a thin layer, causing it to take effect earlier than planned. Once the corpse worms enter the brain, he won't last through the night."
Indeed, the Three Corpses Brain God Pill, originating from the 'Swordsman,' was a poison used by the Sect Hierarch of the Sun and Moon Divine Sect to control his followers. Qing Yu found the formula for the Three Corpses Brain God Pill on the last page of Ping Yizhi's Medical Book. Bold as ever, Ping Yizhi secretly researched the Three Corpses Brain God Pill, his fascination with medical skills outweighing his fear of life and death. The formula for the Divine Pill is highly variable; the maker is the only person who knows the antidote. Just as Sect Leader Ren knows the formula, he couldn't counter the Three Corpses Brain God Pill given by Dongfang Bubai. It's difficult to solve, but researching and creating it wasn't beyond Ping Yizhi's capability, enabling him to devise it.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
9 Power
stone 
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