"Why didn't you just kill him!"
Feng Xiao glanced at the boy, then at the two people "battling" inside the room, his face a mask of confusion.
As soon as he and Nie Yun had entered the room, they saw Nie Liu acting like a wild beast. Any trace of doubt in Feng Xiao's heart vanished, and he came to completely trust the boy who was so much younger than him.
Trusting him was one thing, but Feng Xiao had always been confident in his own willpower. He hadn't thought that consuming the Thousand Desire Flower would truly make someone lose all control. But when he saw that Nie Liu couldn't even tell the difference between a man and a woman, he broke out in a cold sweat!
'This drug is way too potent! At this rate, forget me—even an Immortal probably couldn't resist it! If the boy hadn't shown up, and I had taken that drug…'
At the thought of himself pouncing on anyone he saw, unable to tell man from woman, Feng Xiao's face turned pale and his expression grew grim. At the same time, his gaze toward Nie Yun filled with gratitude.
'If he hadn't exposed Nie Liu, my reputation would be in ruins right now!'
'This boy looks so much younger than me. How did he not only uncover this plot but also maintain a disguise so flawless that no one saw through it?'
Thinking this, he couldn't help but admire Nie Yun. 'But admiration aside… what is he doing now?'
The two of them had entered the room just as the steward, Nie Lin, was dodging Nie Liu's embrace. Feng Xiao had been about to step in and handle Nie Liu himself, but Nie Yun unexpectedly acted first. He didn't attack Nie Liu, however, but Nie Lin, sealing his strength with a single move...
And so, Nie Lin met a tragic fate. He was pinned down by the "peerlessly intelligent" young master, letting out a series of wretched screams that could make the heavens weep and gods shed tears...
'He deliberately knocked down Nie Lin to let Nie Liu "have his way"... What on earth is he planning?'
'Does he want to watch... a man on man... ahem, he can't possibly have a hobby like that, can he…?'
"Kill him? He dared to plot against my sister. Wouldn't letting him die just like that be letting him off too easy?"
Nie Yun had no idea what Feng Xiao was thinking. His hands danced, forming one hand seal after another. In front of him rested a small, flawlessly clear Crystal Stone.
"Done!"
A moment later, Nie Yun withdrew his hands. With a mischievous chuckle, he picked up the Crystal Stone.
"Letting him off too easy? Is there something special about that Crystal Stone?"
Not understanding why the boy would say such a thing, Feng Xiao scratched his head as he stared at the Crystal Stone.
The boy had just casually picked it up from somewhere in the restaurant; it was just an ordinary decoration. 'I have no idea what he's up to, but I couldn't understand a single one of the hand seals he was just making. That alone tells me he must have a plan.'
"What's so special about it? Heh, you'll see in a moment!"
With a chuckle, Nie Yun funneled the Spiritual Qi from his body into the Crystal Stone in his palm. Instantly, an image appeared on the crystal's surface: the "backdoor battle" happening right in front of them!
"Image recording..."
Seeing this, Feng Xiao instantly understood, his eyes widening in shock.
'Recording an image onto an ordinary Crystal Stone... I've never even heard of such a technique!'
"Heh heh!" Nie Yun chuckled and casually tucked the Crystal Stone away.
'I learned these image-recording hand seals from the Demon Race People in my past life. They can record scenes into an ordinary crystal, which can then be replayed on command. I only learned it for fun back then and never gave it much thought. I never expected to actually use it.'
'Hmph, you dared to plot against my family, so I'll give you a taste of your own medicine! With this recording, I don't care how clever you think you are, Nie Liu. You'll do exactly as I say... unless you want your reputation utterly destroyed!'
One does not get the title Blood Prison Demon Venerable by being a good person. As an old monster who had lived for hundreds of years, Nie Yun's methods for dealing with his enemies were not limited to simple murder.
If there was a better alternative to killing, why wouldn't he take it?
Hearing the boy's laughter and seeing his actions, the corner of Feng Xiao's mouth couldn't help but twitch.
'Even in a world this progressive, relations between two men... that's still not acceptable, is it?'
'Once this gets out, Nie Liu will surely be executed by the Nie Mansion under the pretext of bringing shame to the family! With that kind of leverage, how could Nie Liu not hang on his every word?'
'So ruthless!'
'To kill without batting an eye, to plot against someone with a smile... such methods, such cunning, such a ruthless style...'
'I must never make an enemy of this kid in the future!'
For some reason, this thought suddenly surfaced in Feng Xiao's mind.
"You... what did you do to me..."
After his "session," the drug's effects on Nie Liu began to fade. He gradually regained his sanity, and when he saw that his actions had been recorded, he was on the verge of tears.
He could never have imagined that the situation he had so painstakingly created would end up like this!
"What did I do? Don't worry, we're going to have a nice long talk about it," Nie Yun said with a laugh as he walked over.
Feng Xiao knew Nie Yun must have his own reasons for doing this, and as an outsider, it wasn't his place to listen in. He walked to the center of the restaurant, found a stool, and sat for a while.
Earlier, Nie Liu, afraid of causing a commotion, had only left three bartenders in the entire restaurant. Two had been killed, and the other was Nie Yun. The main hall was now completely empty, which saved Feng Xiao the trouble of using his fists to clear it.
After about the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn, the boy emerged. Although Feng Xiao didn't know what agreement they had reached, judging by Nie Yun's beaming expression and Nie Liu's look of utter despair, it was clear the former had come out with a massive advantage.
"I am endlessly grateful for what you've done today, Feng Xiao. I will be sure to repay this debt in the future!"
Feng Xiao was a man of principle. He now owed Nie Yun a great debt. He cupped his fist, spoke his piece, and turned to leave.
"Young Master Feng Xiao, don't be in such a hurry. I have something to discuss with you," Nie Yun said.
"With me?"
"I heard the Feng Family has a Thousand-Year Beardless Grass in its collection. I wonder if you'd be willing to part with it? I'm willing to pay double the price!" Nie Yun said suddenly.
Beardless Grass was a type of Healing Holy Medicine and was exceptionally precious. In all of Luoshui City, only Feng Xiao had managed to obtain a stalk through a stroke of luck. It was the main medicinal material for refining the Healing Holy Medicine, the Heart Returning Pill!
The Heart Returning Pill, as its name implied, could supposedly even restore a lost heart. While this was an exaggeration, it spoke to the Elixir's incredible power!
'My father's Qi Sea is damaged, and he can't use his Dantian for Cultivation. If I had a Heart Returning Pill and combined it with the Spirit Rhinoceros Body Refining Technique, it might not be so difficult to help him make a full recovery!'
"How do you know we have Beardless Grass?" Hearing the boy's words, Feng Xiao raised an eyebrow. A flash of intense killing intent crossed his eyes. It seemed that if the boy before him wasn't his savior, he would have already attacked.
'Beardless Grass is a medicinal material as precious as a Royal Family's Skill. If word got out, it would surely cause a bloodbath. After the Feng Family acquired it by chance, they never spoke of it to anyone. How could this boy possibly know?'
"Uh..."
'Ah...' Hearing the question, Nie Yun finally remembered. The news that the Feng Family possessed the Beardless Grass wouldn't get out for another eighteen months. Afterward, the Four Great Families would fight amongst themselves over the herb, greatly damaging their Primordial Qi. Only then would Luoshui City be attacked by the Demon Race and completely destroyed.
'I have the memories of my past life, so I'd forgotten about that detail.' But having lived two lives, he was already incomparably composed. He gave a faint smile. "You don't need to concern yourself with how I know. I'm only asking if you're willing to part with it."
Although Feng Xiao was not the Patriarch, he was the primary heir. And since he was the one who had obtained this Spirit Grass, it wasn't surprising that he had the authority to decide the fate of the Beardless Grass.
"You helped me today, and I will repay that debt in the future. But if you think you can use that as leverage to make an outrageous demand, know that the Feng Family fears no one!" Feng Xiao declared, flinging his sleeve and turning to leave.
In his eyes, the boy must have lost his mind. 'He may have saved me from humiliation today, and I do owe him for that, but to think he can trade that favor for the Beardless Grass... he's dreaming!'
'The Beardless Grass is a treasure I found in Ancient Ruins! To a Qi Sea Cultivator, it's as good as an extra life. I would never give it to someone else, no matter how high the price!'
"Brother Feng, don't be in such a rush to leave. I have one more question. Is it true that you still haven't been able to activate your Bloodline Factor?" Despite his memories from his past life, Nie Yun felt it was best to confirm.
"Hmph!"
Hearing him not only make an outrageous demand but then ask such a question, Feng Xiao nearly died of anger. The sliver of goodwill he had just developed for the boy vanished instantly.
'Who in all of Luoshui City doesn't know that I can't activate my Bloodline Factor? Are you asking this just to humiliate me?'
"There are two possibilities for an unactivated Bloodline Factor. Either you don't have one, or you have one but are unable to activate it. If I'm not mistaken, Brother Feng, you fall into the latter category, don't you?" Nie Yun continued, ignoring the other's fury.
"That's none of your business!" Feng Xiao's fists clenched. He found the boy before him incredibly obnoxious; he was so angry he felt his lungs might explode.
'Everyone in Luoshui City knows my Bloodline Factor is congenitally blocked. I don't need you to mock me for it!'
'Does saving me give you the right to mock me like this? How can such a detestable person exist in this world!'
Ignoring the other's furious outburst, Nie Yun smiled faintly. "If you have a Bloodline Factor, there must be a way to activate it. Heh. What if my bargaining chip for the Beardless Grass... is my ability to help you activate your Bloodline Factor?"
His voice wasn't loud, but it struck Feng Xiao like a clap of thunder, causing his entire body to go rigid as if he'd been struck by lightning.
PS: There's another update coming at midnight tonight! Don't forget to vote with your recommendation tickets, and keep those member clicks coming! A new book needs all the support it can get to climb the rankings, so please, go crazy with them! Lao Ya thanks you all!!