92 - Investing in the Reborn Empress, She Actually Calls Me ‘Husband’

# Chapter 92: Who Laughs Like a Good Person? The not-so-large post station turned into a scene of carnage almost instantly, as blades glinted and flashed in the air. Zuoqiu Yang's short dagger at his waist gleamed wickedly, claiming a life in the blink of an eye. The sound of the blade cutting through the air was enough to make one's heart feel as if it was being devoured by ants. "How strong." Xiao Qin felt a chill in his heart at the murderous aura emanating from his opponent. If it came down to a fight to the death, he wasn't confident he could defeat him. His teacher had told him that among his peers, he was considered an exceptional talent. Yet, Lao Xiao always felt quite ordinary himself. Previously, he had thought it was because the Qingyuan Sect was a place brimming with talent, but now, having left the mountains, he encountered another formidable figure. "So it truly is the Lifeless Blade Technique. For someone of his age to have perfected it..." The Thousand Forms Martial Sovereign murmured in surprise, also amazed by Zuoqiu Yang. "You recognize his martial arts style?" "Of course, I wouldn’t have pointed it out if I didn’t." "Teacher, this post station feels off. Why didn't you warn me?" Xiao Qin retreated to a corner to take cover. In the midst of flying projectiles, he had no choice but to pick up a broken sword to defend himself. "These can't even be considered true assassins." "And besides, they’re not here to kill you." Xiao Qin nodded. He hadn't received any orders from the Hall of Swallows, and there were no innocents involved here. Nevertheless... Suddenly, a projectile he deflected shot through the chest of an unfortunate bystander. "That thick-browed guy, I always suspected he was with Zuoqiu Yang's gang!" "Kill him!" A portion of the chaos headed towards Xiao Qin. The Thousand Forms Martial Sovereign's expression was an ambiguous smile: "Well, now they are." "..." Xiao Qin, speechless, was dragged into the fray. Both he and his opponent were geniuses capable of battling above their current level. And this group of disguised assassins didn't even have a single practitioner at the Internal Breath Jade Liquid stage. The outcome was inevitable. The encounter quickly reached its conclusion. The post station was littered with bodies; the only ones to escape were the disguised chef and innkeeper. All others lay dead. Zuoqiu Yang heavily sat back in his seat, wiped the blood off his face, and started eating noodles, first pushing all the beef into Xiao Qin's bowl. "Is this your way of saying thanks?" Xiao Qin sat down, his mouth twitching slightly. Zuoqiu Yang wolfed down his noodles, shaking his head: "Not really, but I can offer you a piece of advice." "There's still time to leave. Soon, the ones coming for me won't be mere pushovers like those." "More people are coming?" Xiao Qin fell into contemplation. But he was waiting for someone here. Seeing his indecision, Zuoqiu Yang frowned: "Have you heard of the Huai Mountain Trio?" "I've heard of Huai Mountain, there's a town there." Xiao Qin shook his head, having spent multiple years within the Qingyuan Sect, he was not well-acquainted with external affairs. His only memory of Huai Mountain Town was passing through when traveling from Mianhe Prefecture to Ziyang Prefecture. Zuoqiu Yang's expression changed: "The town... is no more. Not a chicken or dog was left. Three years ago, it was seized by bandits." "The leaders called themselves the Huai Mountain Trio, real brothers who specialize in combined attacks." As he spoke, his hands clenched into fists, knuckles turning white. "Oh?" Xiao Qin's expression shifted: "And the authorities and sects do nothing?" He hadn't noticed any missions related to this at the Hall of External Affairs. Zuoqiu Yang sneered: "Huai Mountain is on the border between two prefectures. Ziyang officials say it's closer to Mianhe, not their concern, while Mianhe claims it's across a river from them, leaving villagers seeking help from Ziyang. It's a bureaucratic tangle they might have forgotten to solve." Glancing at the corpses on the floor, he muttered to himself: "Pity that the Huai Mountain Trio were just henchmen. The one who killed my teacher remains unfound..." Sensing his sorrow and hatred, Zuoqiu Yang's short dagger at his waist began to hum softly. The killing intent rose again in the hall, sending shivers down the spine. "It's for your own good to leave," Zuoqiu Yang's voice came, cold and devoid of warmth. Xiao Qin felt a heaviness in his heart. The Thousand Forms Martial Sovereign sighed: "The Lifeless Blade Technique is meant to kill others, and oneself, devoid of emotion or humanity. It's an advanced martial art of the Fine Rain Building." "But those who practice it meet unfortunate ends, dying by another's hands or their own." "He's advising you to go because, if he goes mad, he might end up slashing you too." Xiao Qin: "....." So that's his way of looking out for me. Zuoqiu Yang stopped speaking and quietly amassed his malevolent aura, reaching his peak intensity. Just then. Three more figures emerged through the rain, closing in fast with surprising speed. Bang— Two miserable figures, like discarded sacks, were thrown into the post station, smashing tables and chairs. They were the chef and innkeeper who had escaped earlier. Now, barely clinging to life, they were filled with terror as if they'd seen a ghost. "Huai Mountain Trio?" Zuoqiu Yang's pupils constricted, his heart nearly stopping. Bang—bang— Several more figures crashed in. This time, three men, strikingly similar in appearance, each with a concave chest. Zuoqiu Yang was dumbfounded. Xiao Qin smacked his lips, walked to the door, and called out: "Is that you, Brother Li?" "Sorry, Brother Xiao, I'm late." A young man appeared at the door, untouched by the heavy rain he came in from, as if he'd been out for a leisurely stroll. Yet, he had just defeated the formidable Huai Mountain Trio. It was Li Mo. He surveyed the mess of the post station, raised an eyebrow, rubbed his stomach, and asked: "Where's the waiter? Where did he hide?" "The waiter is over here," Xiao Qin, somewhat embarrassed, pointed at the floor. He had killed him. "And the innkeeper?" "The plump one you just tossed in." "So, the one next to him... is the chef?" "Exactly, Brother Li, you're sharp." "...What's going on here?" ... A quarter of an hour earlier. A carriage descending from the Qingyuan Sect traveled innocently along the road. "People from other sects should already be in the prefectural city by now." "How long until we arrive?" Li Mo, managing the carriage himself for the first time, found the route unfamiliar and missed having any navigation tools. So he lifted the curtain, looking inside. Ying Bing took out the map given by Qian Bufan. She gazed down, then gently pointed with her delicate hand. Li Mo pondered. It seemed far. Why choose a meeting place so far from the prefectural city? Then he noticed. The slender jade finger hesitated, then lifted and pointed to another location. Li Mo, baffled, looked up and saw the frozen expression as she pursed her lips, clearly unsure. After a moment's silence. She gently asked: "Aren't we here for a family visit, right?" "Mm." "Then why are you pointing at my home?" "....." With no other option, Li Mo approached some people at a crossroads, seemingly in conversation, to ask for directions. Initially, he thought, despite their rather ugly appearances, they seemed quite nice. Upon learning they were lost, the group even offered to guide them. Little did he know that the moment they reached the post station door, the strangers showed their true faces, full of menace. And they laughed with an eerie 'kyahaha.' Who laughs like a good person like that?