"Without the colorful phoenix wings to fly together, but with hearts connected through a mysterious bond..."
A charming young girl unfolded the scroll, gently reciting the verses written on it. As she read, a smile subtly appeared at the corners of her lips, revealing adorable dimples on her cheeks.
Though the girl wasn't extraordinarily beautiful, not as enchanting as Rose, nor as spirited as Wei Yao.
Yet she possessed a certain cleanliness and brightness. Instead of being wrapped in the romance of wind, flowers, snow, and moon, she exuded a capable aura focused on "getting things done."
"I never thought someone would write a love poem for me, and such a beautiful one at that."
The girl lifted her hand to lightly grasp the fish-shaped pendant at her neck, and then closed her eyes.
The paired fish was a keepsake from her mother, with one fish each representing them, connected by a mysterious bond. Now, she had one, and the other was with her future husband, whom she heard also wore it around his neck.
She felt a long-lost warmth in her heart.
Compared to the cold Tian family after her mother's death, the future husband who shared the name "spouse" with her brought her more anticipation.
In the future, she would grow old together with that man, supporting each other through good and bad times.
When she fell ill, the one caring for her was none other than that man.
When she passed away, the one most heartbroken at her grave would also be that man.
Thinking of this, an additional warmth welled up inside her.
She didn't know much about Li Xuan, but she had learned something about this Eldest Young Master Li.
On the surface, Eldest Young Master Li seemed a dandy, but in truth, he was a person with affection and integrity. Tian Yuan was quite satisfied to be able to marry into such a fortunate future.
At the same time, she could vaguely guess why the Li family sought the marriage alliance with her.
Thus, even while still in the Tian family, Tian Yuan had already started pondering how to help the Li family grow and how to become a supportive wife to her husband.
At that moment...
Knock, knock, knock...
The sound of knocking came.
Tian Yuan asked, "Who is it?"
Outside, a maid replied, "Second Miss, Master and Madam are calling for you."
Tian Yuan thought for a moment, understanding this likely pertained to discussing the wedding date, and transferring the rights of the "Tian Family Chamber of Commerce."
The madam... had long wanted to do this.
She had revitalized a large portion of the once "failing" industry within the chamber, transforming it into a lucrative asset, and many in the Tian family were eyeing it, eager to profit.
Tian Yuan took a deep breath, showing a hint of determination in her eyes. Carefully collecting the scroll, she responded, "Coming."
She would relinquish those powers in her hand, but... she would take all her people with her.
...
...
In a small courtyard.
Li Xuan was drinking tea.
In truth, he usually preferred drinking wine.
But wine would interfere with his judgment, so he never touched it when deep in thought.
Scenes flashed in his mind: the death of Zhangsun Yu, the death of Shan Jian, the death of the magistrate, and the gruesome deaths of those women, along with the developments in recent days...
He was almost certain that Zhangsun Yu was also killed by this flower thief.
"It was my uncle's relentless pressure that led him to strike against my uncle, indicating that my uncle indeed posed a threat to him."
From all the information, Li Xuan naturally deduced the opponent's strength.
The opponent might be very strong, but still within a normal range, certainly not overbearing above all.
"None of Zhangsun Yu's belongings or cultivation techniques had been touched, nor were there any signs of struggle."
"All the deceased made no significant attempts to seek help before their deaths."
"What does this imply?"
Li Xuan pondered.
Then he deduced another: the opponent's strikes were either very swift or highly concealed, so Zhangsun Yu was unguarded, and the victims didn't call for help.
Subsequently, he deduced another hypothesis: the target wasn't skilled martial artists in the world of martial arts, but rather beautiful women.
"However, the opponent also killed the magistrate, makings the local guards virtually paralyzed now."
"So, he selects his victims deliberately rather than killing randomly."
Li Xuan carefully analyzed the opponent's methods, and his expression suddenly shifted. Rising rapidly, he quickly stepped into his father's study.
Beside the study room, the first madam was reverently praying to Buddha. Amid the curling fragrant smoke, she fetched a new banner, folding the golden edges and meticulously copying scriptures, praying for the safety of the whole family.
"Xiaoxuan," Master Li was exhausted.
Li Xuan approached quickly, speaking straight to the point, "Father, send people to ambush the Pure Yang Martial Arts Hall."
"We laid an ambush yesterday, coordinated with three families. It was futile, absolutely futile." Master Li sighed.
Li Xuan responded directly, "Father, there's no deceit in warfare.
The opponent is cunning. When you set a trap, he'd go elsewhere.
If you slack off, he'd come again.
As long as the hall master can appear lax in the following days, the opponent... is very likely to come, possibly even tonight."
Immediately, he recounted the previous incidents, such as "Shan Jian's ambush, but he was misled," "yesterday's provocation by the Pure Yang Martial Arts Hall's master, yet the opponent went to the magistrate's premises" and such.
Master Li said, "These are all your assumptions. What if the opponent doesn't come?"
Li Xuan replied without words, "At least try. If we manage to catch him, everyone can breathe a sigh of relief and avenge my uncle.
If we can't catch him, things would be just as they were before.
But we must ensure secrecy, selecting only the most elite and loyal martial artists for the ambush, ensuring no leaks whatsoever."
Master Li was willing to listen to reason. He thought for a moment, nodding gravely, "Fine, I'll discuss it with the other two families."
Li Xuan said, "Too many pairs of eyes come with too many complications. Our family should act alone.
Besides, could the Tian and Ding families manage anything?"
Master Li frowned, "I'm worried that the thief might come directly to our Li family. If by then our house lacks martial artists, that would be..."
Li Xuan interrupted, "Father, don't you think the magistrate's court was heavily guarded? Was it any good? As long as we don't catch that thief, no one can have peace of mind."
In fact, the Li family had him.
He would safeguard the Li family.
This point, Master Li didn't know, but he himself knew.
The cunning flower thief liked to create a diversion, so... whether it was east or west, he was fully prepared.
Master Li nodded and gritted his teeth, making the decision: "Xiaoxuan, do as you suggested."
Afterward, he secretly instructed his trusted Martial Artist Zhao Kui and several other masters from the family.
Several shadows darted out of the Li family and quietly headed toward the Pure Yang Martial Arts Hall.
...
...
The next day...
A young lady from the Ding family was tragically humiliated and killed.
...
In the following days,
the number of deaths increased, and each family became paranoid, originally planning to eradicate the flower thief, but now tightly shutting their doors, focusing solely on their own safety.
...
Another day, even under the tight guard of the Tian family, a young lady was still killed.
The wedding date between Li Xuan and Tian Yuan was also postponed.
...
Yet another day.
The head of the Ding family's patriarch was hung on the eaves.
The crowd was horrified and almost completely gave up resisting.
Master Li and the patriarch of the Tian family were also frightened, gathering their family's forces to protect their own.
...
Finally, the owner of the Pure Yang Martial Arts Hall also died after the Li family's masters in ambush had left.
Li Xuan was both right and wrong.
Indeed, the flower thief exploited the vulnerability, but his cunning, patience, and even his level of information control exceeded Li Xuan's imagination.
Seeing the owner's head hung up, the Eldest Young Master Li felt a sense of powerlessness and frustration.
He had tried his very best within his abilities to eliminate the flower thief, but he couldn't even catch a shadow, unable to understand why.
The flower thief seemed like an invisible person, toying with everyone and treating this small county like his backyard.
Yet, Li Xuan did not relax; instead, he was tense.
Because... up till now, the Li family hasn't been troubled.
Following the flower thief's style, he's coming soon...
He's about to come...
He won't let the Li family off.
A storm is brewing.
In the darkness, the young man, his eyes... flashing fiercely.
...
...
Another night.
Swirls of mist surrounded him, the desolate demon's body slightly hunched, sitting in the inner chamber's darkness.
Outside the window, the solitary wind and cold rain lashed intermittently, sweeping across the eaves and brushing past the old tree in the yard that had yet to sprout new leaves.
Li Xuan napped during the day, and at night, he remained vigilant, preserving his energy while listening intently.
However, he heard nothing, but suddenly, his blood heated up, veins like crimson wires, his entire skeleton seemingly ablaze.
The demon blood of "Mist Enshrouded Leopard" began to circulate quickly, surging.
The wind and rain were cold, yet Li Xuan suddenly felt a surge of anger.
It wasn't his own anger, but rather the instinctive anger from the demon blood.
The stronger the beast, the stronger their sense of territory.
Demonic beasts... are the same.
He felt his territory being invaded.
Something was coming.
This feeling was familiar; he had felt it before at Red Flower Mountain's foothills.
But now, he wasn't petrified and trembling, as he had been; in this moment... he only felt rage and bloodlust. It indicated that the opponent's power wasn't overpowering him or perhaps was beneath him.
Almost instantly, everything connected in Li Xuan's mind.
"It's a demon!"
"The flower thief is simply a demon!"
"He possesses strange powers, making him extremely hard to capture!"
Excitement flashed in his eyes, he stood up, inhaled deeply, then exhaled abruptly, a white mist breaking through the window, rushing outside, quickly conjuring thick fog in the cold turn from winter to spring.
Cold rain!
Thick fog!
Rainwater sliced through the air like knives.
In the fog, visibility was zero.
Li Xuan leapt out.
Without needing direction, he went straight toward the source of the "demon's" aura.
There, at the entrance of the inner courtyard of the Li family, he saw a young maid holding a lantern.
The lantern's red glow resembled demonic eyes, emitting a blurry light in the rain and fog, illuminating the young maid's eerie complexion.
Seeing Li Xuan appear before her, she abruptly grinned, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth, and leaned forward, growling angrily: "This is my place, my place!!"
Li Xuan was momentarily stunned but quickly understood.
This "demon" very clearly didn't regard him as human, but rather as... the same kind!
Hence, this "demon" was furious about another "demon" intruding on his territory, just like Li Xuan's anger.
So, this "demon" carelessly revealed his identity to expel the intruder.