Qin Sansi had also heard about the commotion Yue Shi had caused.
At this moment, the old man was clenching his back teeth so hard his cheeks bulged, and a grating, grinding sound echoed from his jaw.
“I clearly reminded him over and over before we came to keep a low profile. How could he still cause such a massive scene?”
He forced himself to suppress his anger. Yue Shi was his ally; he couldn't fall out with him over such a small matter.
Not only that, he had to find a way to help, like erasing traces and the like.
While Qin Sansi was racking his brain to help cover Yue Shi's tracks, Yue Shi was already nearing Thousand Faces City.
The outline of Thousand Faces City spread out in Yue Shi's vision. Clusters of floating buildings were layered upon each other, extending from the ground all the way into the clouds, the entire city wrapped in a cold white halo.
Outside the city was an open wasteland where wild grass poked through the cracks in the ground, swaying haphazardly in the wind.
A wide road extended from the city gates, flanked by tall runic stone pillars of unknown purpose.
Yue Shi maintained a steady, unhurried pace, his long black hair fluttering behind his shoulders in the wind. The snow leopard squinted its eyes, looking listless.
“The Ximen family should already know I'm here. I wonder how they'll welcome me?”
...
Inside the meeting hall on the top floor of the Ximen family's main building, the clansmen were gathered together.
Ximen Aotian sat in the main seat, a faint, mocking smile on his face.
The doors to the hall were suddenly pushed open, and a secretary rushed in with frantic steps.
The secretary's face was pale, beads of sweat dotted his forehead, and he held a communication device in his hand.
“Patriarch, the killer has been spotted outside the city. He is currently walking toward Thousand Faces City.”
The meeting hall fell silent instantly as over a hundred pairs of eyes focused on Ximen Aotian's face.
Ximen Aotian narrowed his eyes. “Oh? He delivered himself right to my doorstep. That saves me the trouble of finding him.”
Ximen Qing frowned, glanced at the side of the old man's face, and then retracted his gaze. “Father, this person was able to kill the Earth Three Immortals. His strength is unfathomable. We should mobilize our entire combat force to surround and kill him at once. We must not underestimate the enemy.”
Ximen Aotian waved his hand dismissively with disdain. “To deal with a rogue who doesn't know the height of the heavens... if the Ximen family were to go out in full force, we'd become a laughingstock if word got out.”
The Second Miss and the Ninth Young Master exchanged a glance. Their gazes met in the air for a moment before they both looked away.
They were both very confused. Their father should know the strength of the Earth Three Immortals, and he should know even better what it meant for someone to be able to kill them.
Why did it feel like the old man was about to do something stupid again?
“Father, the Three Immortals have already fallen by his hand. Do you still think he's just some rogue?” the Second Miss asked in a low voice.
Ximen Aotian glanced at her. “What? Are you trying to tell me how to do my job?”
The cold tone made the Second Miss's back stiffen instantly. She lowered her head and stopped speaking.
The air in the meeting hall solidified, and everyone held their breath.
Ximen Aotian's gaze moved from his second daughter and swept across the crowd before finally landing on a few individuals.
“Ximen Duoyun, Ximen Feng, Ximen Lan. You three go and deal with that killer. No need to take him alive; kill him on the spot.” Ximen Aotian issued his orders right then and there.
The three people whose names were called looked up simultaneously. Their expressions turned sour for an instant before quickly returning to normal.
The Patriarch really has gone senile~
All three were elites among the side branches of the Ximen family, and rumors suggested their strength was not inferior to the Three Immortals.
They didn't dare to resist, as the consequence of resistance might be immediate death. Standing up, Ximen Duoyun was the first to straighten his collar and respond, stepping forward.
Ximen Feng followed behind him with heavy steps, while Ximen Lan walked last, her high heels clicking rhythmically against the floor.
The others in the meeting hall watched the trio's retreating backs with varying expressions, shaking their heads in pity or feeling a bit of schadenfreude.
Almost everyone was thinking the same thing, but no one dared to say it out loud.
“Isn't this just feeding? The enemy has already reached our doorstep, yet instead of sending out all the experts at once for a siege, he's sending them out one, two, or three at a time to die. This is practically a textbook braindead villain move from a novel!”
Ximen Qing lowered his head, covering half of his face with his hand. No one could see his expression, but his heart was in a state of frenzy.
“Damn it, this old geezer, what exactly is he trying to do!”
“Does he think not enough people from the Ximen family have died? Or does he simply not care how many of us die!”
Ximen Aotian completely ignored everyone's gazes, leaning back against his chair with a relaxed and lazy expression.
...
There weren't many people entering or leaving Thousand Faces City at this time, with only a few scattered individuals passing through the city gates.
Ximen Duoyun and the other two saw a figure in the distance walking toward Thousand Faces City.
The distance was still great, and they could only see a blurry outline, with a furry lump perched on the person's shoulder.
Although they couldn't see the face clearly, an eerie and terrifying aura already rushed toward them—a filth that made one feel uncomfortable down to their bones. The very air seemed to become thick and dirty.
Ximen Lan stopped her pace, feeling a bit nervous. “This aura... the opponent is no ordinary expert.”
Ximen Duoyun also stopped, squinting his eyes at Yue Shi. “He is indeed a top-tier expert.”
“The Patriarch's order is to kill him on the spot. Can the three of us really do it?” Ximen Feng asked.
Ximen Duoyun suddenly smiled confidently. “It's precisely because he's a top-tier expert that this is our opportunity.”
“Opportunity?” Ximen Lan was puzzled.
Although everyone in the clan said their strength was not inferior to the Earth Three Immortals, she knew in her heart that the Three Immortals had surely held back during their usual sparring sessions. Because the three of them were named Ximen, the Three Immortals wouldn't actually use lethal moves; they were just helping them build a better reputation.
Now that Ximen Duoyun was so confident, what was he planning? Did he not know his own limits!
Ximen Duoyun took a step forward, standing between the two of them and placing his hands on their shoulders.
“Think about it. How precious would the remains of such a powerful expert be? We might even be able to decompose many authorities from them. If the three of us join forces and kill him, the materials we get will be enough for us to take another step forward.”
Ximen Feng rolled his eyes internally. Who's killing whom here? But he still played along, saying, “You mean...”
Ximen Duoyun patted their shoulders, his tone stirring as he gave a pre-battle pep talk. “Exactly. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us. Let's go together, all three of us striking with full force for an instant kill. Fortune favors the bold.”
Ximen Lan and Ximen Feng exchanged a look, understanding each other's thoughts, and simultaneously began their performance. “Fine. As long as we work together, we can definitely take him down.”
Their voices were loud and their expressions firm, as if they truly intended to sacrifice themselves for the family.
Ximen Duoyun wore a beaming smile, thinking to himself, “Those two idiots. I'll let them go all out while I stay in the back to support and preserve my strength. If they can wound the killer, that's for the best—I'll just swoop in and take the spoils. If they can't win, I'll definitely run faster than them. Better them than me. In the end, all the benefits will be mine anyway.”
Rate on N.U.
