Chapter 18: Vajra! Vajra!

Hearing Xiao Wu's words, Mei ground her teeth so hard they emitted a sharp CREAK. Her hand tightly gripped the hilt of her sword, but she ultimately did not draw it. It wasn't that she didn't dare, but that she couldn't. She knew very well that once her sword left its sheath, there would be no room to turn things around. The Xiao Family was too powerful; their influence was far beyond what Doctor Zhou could currently withstand.

So she merely stood there, blocking the space between the oxcart and Xiao Wu. "Retreat? Impossible! If you want to take this Young Hero away, you'll have to get past me first!"

Taking the initiative to attack was out of the question, but passively blocking him was perfectly fine.

Xiao Wu looked at her, a hint of pity in his eyes. "Forgive my offense."

After saying those words, Xiao Wu made his move. His Martial Arts were just like the man himself—always emphasizing the word "proper." Proper didn't mean righteous, but rather rigid and structured. Every move and stance followed a strict method, never overstepping boundaries and never acting recklessly.

Xiao Wu executed a set of Palm Skills. Beneath his feet, he treaded the Xiao Family's unique Wandering Dragon Step. His body glided as if walking on water; it appeared extremely slow but was actually dazzlingly fast. As his palms fluttered, a burst of energy erupted, pressing down so heavily it made it hard to breathe. The wind arrived before the palms did, and the fierce, forceful power caused the leaves on both sides of the alley to fall endlessly.

Mei finally drew her sword. The sword light unfurled like a streak of brilliant white, as fast as a bolt of lightning. There was nothing flashy about her swordsmanship; every strike aimed directly at a vital point—steady, accurate, and ruthless. The sound of the sword tip tearing through the air was extremely light and thin, but if one listened closely, it was incredibly piercing. However, she seemed to have misgivings and continually held back. Did this woman not realize the sheer gap in strength between her and her opponent?

Xiao Wu's palms moved faster and faster. He was neither rushed nor flustered; every palm strike was executed perfectly, measured without the slightest error. Using the Wandering Dragon Step, he wove through the sword light, his figure erratic and elusive. Even though it was an extremely fierce Palm Skill, in his hands, it carried a flowing, seamless grace.

The two exchanged blows for no more than a dozen rounds. Mei thrust her sword, but the momentum of her attack had already spent itself. Xiao Wu stepped sideways to evade it and lightly slapped his right palm against the flat of her blade.

This strike seemed casual, but Mei felt as though she had been struck by lightning, and half her arm went numb. Gritting her teeth, she changed her move, sweeping her sword horizontally to slice at his wrist, but Xiao Wu had already anticipated this. His left hand had somehow already latched on, his five fingers locking around her wrist like iron tongs. Following the momentum, he twisted and pulled.

The longsword flew from her grasp, tumbling through the air a few times before it buried itself into a brick crevice in the alley wall with a sharp SHINK, its hilt trembling non-stop.

Xiao Wu released her hand and took a step back, still maintaining his perfectly neat appearance. Not a single strand of his hair was out of place.

Cradling her wrist, Mei's chest heaved violently. She glared daggers at Xiao Wu, her lips bitten until they bled, yet she couldn't utter a single word. Xiao Wu stopped looking at her. He bypassed her and walked toward the oxcart.

Lin Yan had been sitting on the cart shafts the entire time, watching the scene unfold. It wasn't until Xiao Wu approached that he said slowly, "You said Doctor Zhou was making a fool of himself."

Xiao Wu stopped in his tracks.

"What do those villagers, who are on the brink of dying from illness, mean to you?"

Xiao Wu froze. He hadn't expected this poor cart driver to ask such a question. In his worldview, those lowly peasants were never a topic worth discussing. Whether they lived or died, no one in this world would care. So he shook his head slightly, his voice devoid of any fluctuation. He paused briefly, his gaze landing on Lin Yan's face, and his tone softened in a rare display of mildness.

"Your question is completely meaningless. Those lowly peasants are like weeds by the roadside; if they die, they die. Eventually, more will just grow back.

"You are still young, little brother. Do not be stubborn. Even though you did something that displeased my master, inviting you over this time might not necessarily be a bad thing. In fact, it might even be a great stroke of fortune."

These words were not mere platitudes. He genuinely felt that although the young man in front of him was youthful, he possessed a solid foundation of martial skills. If he was willing to submit to the Xiao Family, he might very well achieve something great in the future.

"Fortune?! Heh... then on behalf of those villagers about to die of illness, I'll gift you a stroke of fortune too!!"

Lin Yan's voice was freezing cold yet brimming with fury. In an instant, his palm transformed into a gilded gold color. Carrying a devastating, overwhelming momentum, he slammed his palm toward Xiao Wu.

The alley suddenly lit up, as if a bolt of golden lightning had exploded out of thin air. Xiao Wu's expression changed drastically. In his haste, he thrust both palms forward, pushing his Inner Power to the absolute limit to meet the golden palm shadow bearing down on him.

When their palms clashed, Xiao Wu's entire body shuddered. The bluestone slabs beneath his feet shattered with a loud CRACK, and spiderweb-like fissures spread out in all directions. He gritted his teeth and exerted all his strength, but he felt as though he were blocking a meteorite plummeting from the heavens. The bones in his arms groaned, and his knees trembled. Immediately after, that force pressed down with overwhelming, earth-shattering might, completely robbing him of his balance and sending him crashing to the ground. The impact sent crushed stones flying.

Level 10 Vajra Indestructible was already domineering and unmatched in the world. With the added enhancement of the Golden Bell Shield, the combination of the two was far more profound than simple addition.

Lying amidst the rubble, Xiao Wu struggled to stand, but he could no longer lift his arms. He exhausted all his strength to raise his head and look at the young man in coarse linen clothes sitting on the cart shafts. The golden luster was fading, revealing the expressionless face beneath it. Lin Yan withdrew his palm, looking at Xiao Wu with an apathetic gaze.

"I should have killed you, but this matter has not yet reached an irreversible point, so I don't want to engage in excessive slaughter. Go back and tell your master that if he comes looking for trouble again, don't blame me for starting a massacre!"

He never considered himself a particularly noble or merciful person. Helping out when seeing an injustice on the road was just a result of his long-term upbringing. But if someone tried to bully him, he would naturally retaliate ten or a hundred times over.

Xiao Wu opened his mouth. His body had long lost its former neatness, and his hair was disheveled, making him look incredibly miserable. However, he couldn't care less about any of that right now; his mind was entirely consumed by the images of their brief exchange. He wondered how someone so young could be so powerful, and whether the boy was the disciple of some reclusive Martial Venerable.

Just as these thoughts swirled in his mind, Lin Yan had already driven the oxcart far away.

The female guard, Mei, had also been captivated by the golden light from moments ago. Now, watching his retreating back, her expression shifted continually. "Kindred spirits need not be old acquaintances," she pondered, chewing over those words in her heart. She suppressed her impulse, pulled her sword from the wall, and turned to walk in the opposite direction. Only Xiao Wu remained, sitting blankly on the ground.

Meanwhile, at the Shen Family estate.

Shen Liu had received Shen Qingci's commission, but he didn't immediately set off to execute it. Instead, he sought out Mr. Shen, who was writing a letter in his study.

"Mr. Shen, the First Miss ordered me to find the cart driver who brought her back."

"Oh? What is so special about that cart driver?" Mr. Shen asked expressionlessly, setting down his pen.

Since Shen Liu had come here, he had naturally already inquired about a few things. Although the Shen Family was currently in decline, even a fading giant casts a long shadow. Figuring out this bit of information was incredibly easy. It was nothing more than spending a bit of money. After all, there was no shortage of people making a living this way in Qian Country.

"The cart driver is quite young, but his Horizontal Training is extremely formidable. Earlier on the road, he even beat the head of the Black Wind Stronghold to death."

"Heh..." Mr. Shen shook his head gently. "It seems this girl already knows. Never mind, let her look for him if she wants. However, you must thoroughly investigate his background. Do not invite a wolf into our home."

"Understood!" Shen Liu respectfully withdrew from the study.