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Chapter 50: Seeking Vengeance

The sun and moon turned as time flowed by.

A full day passed, and Old Xiang finally stabilized his breakthrough.

He had fully settled the once-fluctuating spiritual power into his dantian.

Now, he was a true Qi Refining third layer cultivator.

Old Xiang boiled two large pots of water, poured them into a wooden tub, and took a thorough bath.

He scrubbed away the impurities on the surface of his skin.

Thanks to the marrow cleansing and meridian washing that came with becoming a cultivator, internal filth was expelled like rotting mud from his pores, sticking to his skin and clothes, foul as ditch sludge.

As the moon rose to the treetops and crows grew sleepy, Old Xiang changed into a new robe. He even trimmed the wick of his oil lamp, a luxury he once avoided to save money, making it shine brighter.

He ground ink, picked up a brush from the stand on his desk,

In less than fifteen minutes, he finished, blew it dry, and folded it neatly.

Then he tidied his home inside and out and even rebuilt the graves of his wife and child in the backyard.

But after thinking it over, he decided to exhume their remains.

If he died on this revenge quest, and someone else bought his house later, it would disturb their rest.

So at dawn, Old Xiang found Shizhu.

Shizhu grabbed his waist knife immediately, ready to follow Old Xiang out the door.

But Old Xiang stopped him, shaking his head. “I’ve already broken into the Innate Realm. If I succeed, good. If not, I’ll take the mastermind down with me.”

“But before that, I have an important task to entrust to you.”

“Speak, Boss Xiang,” Shizhu said gravely.

Breaking through to innate stage should’ve been a joyous occasion, but now it was shadowed by blood.

Old Xiang said bluntly, “If I die out there while taking revenge, you must help bury my wife and son properly.”

“This is all I have, everything I own. I leave it to you.”

Shizhu tried to refuse, holding Old Xiang’s hand to stop him. “Boss Xiang, I’m not after your money.”

“I know. But this is important.”

“Truly, very important.”

Without giving him a choice, Old Xiang shoved the bundle into Shizhu’s hands, eyes sincere.

“There’s a pouch and a sealed letter inside. If I die, open the pouch, retrieve the hidden item, and deliver it with the letter to the heir of Marquis Jing’an.”

Old Xiang’s tone was extremely serious.

His honesty moved Shizhu to tears.

With misty eyes, he nodded. “Alright!”

“Then I can go without worries.”

Old Xiang turned and walked away.

Shizhu watched him go, clutching the cloth bundle, and locked the door behind him.

...

Old Xiang walked toward Marquis Jing’an’s estate.

It was the Chen hour(7-9am), clear skies, crisp air, and the rising morning sun.

The Hour of Chen, when the dragon leaps from the abyss.

Sword in hand, Xue Yi intercepted Old Xiang at the estate gate. “So you’ve come.”

Old Xiang showed no change in expression, calm as ever. He didn’t even reach for the saber at his waist. “I should’ve come a long time ago.”

“I sympathize with you. But the nobles of the Marquis’s estate, they cannot die,” Xue Yi said, drawing his sword, his tone dim.

He had learned from Wen Yue what had happened to Old Xiang’s family. Eventually, he’d traced it back to the Second Branch of the Marquis household, who had ordered the steward to act.

No wonder Old Xiang had seemed aggressive at their first meeting.

The second time, he’d come full of killing intent.

Back then, Xue Yi could’ve slain Old Xiang, but the heir lacked guards, so he held back.

He had even taken Old Xiang to meet the heir.

But now, the man had returned to the Marquis estate again.

“I know I can’t persuade you. But what you’re about to do will put the young master in a tough spot.”

Xue Yi exhaled deeply, synchronizing his breath and stance, sword pointed at Old Xiang. “Have you forgotten who saved your family back then?”

A manic smile twisted Old Xiang’s face.

“Just taking a life in return,” he said. “What I owe the young master, I’ll repay.”

He had held it in for a whole month.

Anyone who stood in his way would die.

His meaning was obvious.

He would repay the heir’s kindness, but not with the deaths of his wife and son.

Someone must pay.

For the heir’s sake, and because Xue Yi had accidentally let him go once, Old Xiang had not yet drawn blood.

That was already showing restraint.

He hoped Xue Yi would not push his luck.

“I’ve prepared everything.”

“You can’t stop me.”

Old Xiang’s hand moved toward his saber. Bloodshot eyes flared as a violent aura burst from his body.

Xue Yi laughed.

Old Xiang was far too arrogant.

Even if he had stabilized his internal cultivation, he couldn’t possibly match him.

Their last clash had proved that.

What could possibly change in just one month?

He said this only to avoid personally cutting down Old Xiang, it would be like cutting off the heir’s right hand.

But if Old Xiang was determined...

Then he would do as he must.

It was better to eliminate those who brought death in their wake sooner rather than later.

Boom!

Old Xiang moved.

Same opening move as last time.

But the moment he acted, Xue Yi’s expression changed drastically.

Too fast.

So fast that even he, a veteran Organ-Refining expert from the military, couldn’t react.

It was the exact same technique as before.

He could see it, his body just couldn’t keep up.

Clang!

He barely raised his sword to block.

Sparks flew as he was blown away by a terrifying force.

Like being rammed by a savage beast.

He flew backward several meters,

Crashing into a wall.

He coughed up blood violently as pain surged through his organs.

Blood spilled from his mouth. Xue Yi collapsed to the ground, unable to stand.

His arms had gone numb, completely useless, unable to even grip the sword that clattered nearby.

It reminded him of a nameless beast he once faced after reaching the Organ-Refining stage, eagle head, bear body, lightning-fast and impossibly strong.

He was shaken.

What had gone wrong?

Why did he feel so weak?

Then he realized, he wasn’t weaker. Old Xiang was stronger.

Far stronger than he was now.

“You’re not at Organ-Refining stage...”

“Innate?”

“You’ve broken through to Innate Stage!”

Lying on the ground, Xue Yi stared at Old Xiang.

It sounded like a question, but more than that, it was a desperate search for the truth.

Old Xiang walked past him and slowly sheathed his saber. “Yes... and no.”

He had indeed broken through to Innate, but because his internal energy had become saturated, he had simultaneously converted it to spiritual power, becoming a Qi Refiner.

In other words, an Immortal cultivator in the eyes of the common world.

With his current physical strength, even if Xue Yi broke through to the Innate stage, he still wouldn’t be Old Xiang’s match.

That was the difference between a cultivator and a mortal.

Spiritual power guarded the body, poison held no threat, weapons couldn’t break through.

As long as one’s spiritual power remained, no number of martial experts could bring down a Qi Refiner.

...

A thunderous sound shook the Marquis estate awake.

The guards all rushed out, weapons in hand, facing Old Xiang head-on.

He walked calmly among them, his expression unchanged.

Their formation was instantly shattered, soldiers thrown to the ground like rag dolls.

Servants gathered, maids panicked. The once-quiet estate plunged into chaos.

“Who dares intrude on the Marquis estate?!”

The old marquis finally appeared, clad in armor and gripping a weapon, drawing his sword at the intruder.

Then, seeing Old Xiang’s face clearly, he was taken aback.

He was somewhat familiar with the heir’s retainers, and this man, despite having only one arm, was definitely someone he recognized.

The old steward stumbled forward, trying to shield his lord.

"Baihu Commander Xiang?” the marquis asked, stunned.

Old Xiang walked past him without a word.

Boom.

One swing shattered the courtyard gate.

With the gate smashed, the people inside the Second Branch were exposed.

Surrounded by servants stood a pale-faced woman in richly embroidered robes, and beside her, the second branch master, lips red and teeth white, trembling in fear.

Old Xiang gripped the knife at his waist, teeth clenched, face twisted with fury. “Over a month ago, the second branch of Jing’an Marquis Estate ordered the steward to have the Wild Dog Gang cripple my son, to leave him paralyzed in bed!”

“Today, I’ve come for the one behind it all. Anyone who stands in my way dies.”

Nothing burns redder than the eyes of vengeance. Xiang stormed forward, long blade in hand, pointing it directly towards the second branch noblewomen.

“I ask you only one thing, why?”

(Chapter End)