Chapter 127: Kill One Person!

"Nan, the Nanxuan Sect, Jinxuanzi of the Twelve Profound Immortals?" Upon hearing this, Zhao Yuan looked as if a dog had stumbled upon filth. He was utterly dumbstruck, and behind his shock lay a deep, creeping dread and regret. His burly, broad-shouldered frame began to tremble uncontrollably.

The Nanxuan Sect was the preeminent cultivation power in Nanzhou. Compared to them, his Zhao Manor in the mortal realm was nothing more than a fart. If they truly decided to make an issue of this, let alone his General’s Manor, even the City Lord’s residence in Chang'an could be razed to the ground at their whim.

If Zhao Wenshang were standing before him now, Zhao Yuan would likely have slapped his wayward son to death. He knew exactly what kind of person his son was; it was surely just another case of him setting his sights on some girl and getting caught red-handed.

He had merely assumed that since this was his only son, he had indulged him too much. But now, of all things, he had gone and provoked the colossal behemoth that was the Nanxuan Sect. Even the City Lord would not be able to protect him this time.

"Daoist, please forgive me. I, Zhao Yuan, am just a rough man and lack the grace to speak eloquently. What I said earlier was indeed rash and spoken without thought. For offending your disciple, I offer you my sincerest apologies." Zhao Yuan lowered his head, his imposing stature bowing deeply.

"The person you should be apologizing to is not me, nor is it a matter for you to resolve," Jinxuanzi said, his tone remaining calm.

"Yes, yes, of course, Daoist," Zhao Yuan replied, sensing a glimmer of hope. If Jinxuanzi had truly been determined to wipe out his entire family, it would have been as simple as a wave of his hand, and none of them would have escaped.

No one wants to die when they have a chance to live. Having fought for many years on the battlefield to earn his current status, Zhao Yuan cherished his life all the more.

"Men! Bring that brat out here! Have him offer a proper apology to this young brother of his! And just wait until I get my hands on him!" Zhao Yuan roared at his servants.

"This... I'm afraid that might be difficult for the moment..." One of the two black-clad guards stepped forward, stammering with trepidation.

"What do you mean? Where has that boy gone?" Zhao Yuan suddenly felt an ominous premonition.

"General, have mercy! I did tell the young master not to stir up any more trouble, but he couldn't swallow his pride, so... he..." the guard stuttered.

"So what!" Zhao Yuan grabbed the guard by the throat and bellowed. He felt that if he didn't resolve this immediately, he might not survive the day.

"The young master stole your tiger tally and summoned some men to the Yihong Pavilion. He couldn't let it go; he waited for the young immortal master to leave and planned to make a surprise return to seize that woman," the guard choked out, his face turning purple as he struggled to speak before being throttled to death.

"Bastard! You unfilial wretch! You little worm! You’ve even set your sights on my own command!" Zhao Yuan was incensed. Suddenly, he felt a wave of spiritual pressure that forced him to retreat several steps.

Earlier, when Jinxuanzi had acted, he hadn't sensed any fluctuations in his spiritual energy, leaving him unaware of the true power of one of the Twelve Profound Immortals. But now, he watched as the robes of the disciple standing beside him billowed violently, the intense spiritual pressure causing the nearby stones to crumble into dust.

"Zhao! Wen! Shang! You are courting death!!!" Upon hearing the news, Baili Mo looked up and let out a furious roar. His eyes were instantly bloodshot, and a surge of uncontrollable rage erupted from the depths of his heart, causing his spiritual energy to ripple outward without restraint.

Seeing this, Zhao Yuan trembled uncontrollably. This power was far beyond anything a mortal could reach. Zhao Yuan felt that his life and death now rested on the whim of this youth; this spiritual pressure was far greater than that of the freeloading guest advisors he kept in his own household.

"Calm yourself!" Jinxuanzi frowned slightly. In all the years he had known him, he had never seen Baili Mo show such rage. He felt a flicker of confusion, unsure of the specifics.

Hearing Jinxuanzi’s voice, Baili Mo calmed slightly. He turned to Zhao Yuan and said coldly, "General Zhao, do not blame me."

With those seven words, he made his intentions clear. Without another word, Baili Mo turned and left. To him, any moment of hesitation was a luxury he could not afford.

"Where are you going!" Jinxuanzi shouted.

"Master, I am going to kill someone. I will return shortly," Baili Mo said, pausing to look back. The malice in his eyes was something even Jinxuanzi found unfamiliar.

Then, Jinxuanzi watched as his disciple shot away like a streak of light. He had never seen Baili Mo worry so much about anyone, let alone a mortal.

"Daoist, Daoist, please show mercy. Even if my son has committed many wrongs, surely his life is not the price to be paid, is it?" Zhao Yuan, hearing Baili Mo’s words, feared for his son, but now he could only beg Jinxuanzi for help.

"Tell me, what exactly happened to my wayward disciple today?" Jinxuanzi did not answer Zhao Yuan, but instead spoke sternly to the black-clad guard. He had a very bad feeling.

***

Meanwhile, in just a few breaths, Baili Mo arrived at the Yihong Pavilion. Ignoring the strange looks from others, he wore a dark expression and smashed through the exterior wall and the signboard of the pavilion without a word. Screams erupted instantly as debris scattered in all directions.

"Who! Who dares to touch the sign of my Yihong Pavilion!" A shrill, angry scream rang out as the madam of the house stormed out, only to freeze in place, unable to utter another word.

"I will only say this once: where is she?" Baili Mo asked coldly. His gaze swept across the faces of everyone in the pavilion before settling on the madam, the ferocity in his eyes deepening.

He had never been this angry, nor had he ever used his status as a cultivator to suppress mortals. But this time, he chose to wield his power.

The Yihong Pavilion fell into a deathly silence. Everyone stared blankly at the extraordinary, enraged youth.

"Where... where is she! Why are you all just standing there! Get, get everyone out here!" the madam stammered, turning to her servants after a moment of shock.

One of them turned pale as a sheet, seemingly remembering something, and walked trembling to the madam’s side to whisper in her ear.

*Boom!* A massive sound echoed.

A large section of the Yihong Pavilion collapsed.

"Next time, it won't just be the building that falls." The spiritual pressure radiating from the youth intensified. Next time, he would truly kill.

"Yes! Yes! Whatever you want to say, say it in front of Young Master Baili! Speak quickly!" Seeing her pavilion crumbling and hearing his cold threat, the madam’s face drained of all color.

"Just now... Young Master Zhao came here. He used Young Master Baili’s name to... to make me send Lady Lianhua out. We truly don't know where they went," the servant knelt on the ground, trembling uncontrollably.

"I don't know, I really don't know!" The madam collapsed to the floor, not daring to draw a full breath. That morning, she had been gloating about her connection to the Nanxuan Sect and had planned to treat Lianhua well. Now, she had fallen into an abyss, watching years of hard work go to ruin in an instant.

"Heh. Zhao Wenshang, well played. You really thought I was a soft target," Baili Mo chuckled, though his repressed rage was visible to all.

"Which direction did they go?" Baili Mo asked in a hoarse voice.

"East... to the east," the servant pointed in a direction.

As soon as the words left his lips, Baili Mo vanished instantly, his speed far beyond what any mortal could conceive.

Just as the madam began to breathe a sigh of relief, she heard a scream from nearby.

She turned to see the servant clutching his throat, blood flowing slowly from between his fingers. Within moments, the servant, who could only emit a faint gurgling sound, collapsed into a pool of blood and lay still.

"Ah!!!" the madam shrieked.

"Concealing the truth and aiding the evildoer—death is the only sentence!"

"No one is to enter or leave the Yihong Pavilion. Everyone, wait here. Anyone involved in this matter will not be spared. Anyone who tries to leave, dies!"

A voice, cold to the core, drifted back from afar. To mortals, this was the wrath of an immortal.

Speeding eastward, Baili Mo could see no sign of Zhao Wenshang, and his anxiety mounted.

Suddenly, Baili Mo jerked his head to the right. After a brief pause, he poured every ounce of his spiritual energy into his movement, rushing toward that direction.

His expression grew even darker. His eyes burned with a cold, unprecedented fury, and his clenched fists never once relaxed.

He could feel it. In the direction he was racing toward, she was there.

Because the jade pendant he had given her for protection had just shattered.