Chapter Fifty-One: Xiao Jianhao

Seeing Lin Fan collapse, Zhang Yi rushed to catch him, his gaze flickering with uncertainty. At that moment, although he felt a sense of awe in his heart, he understood it was due to the effect of that secret art. If he killed Lin Fan, perhaps the soul mark would be lifted…!

Yet, he dared not make a move, for he feared that what Lin Fan said was true—that if Lin Fan died, he would perish as well.

“I don’t believe such a secret art exists! There are countless binding contracts, yet I’ve never heard of one so powerful!” While Zhang Yi hesitated, one of his subordinates by his side suddenly shouted, raising his blade and slashing toward Lin Fan.

Though they felt some fear in their hearts, and though their hatred had lessened, it didn’t mean they had lost their own will. They all knew that the awe they felt came from the soul mark Lin Fan had planted within them.

If they didn’t break free from the soul mark, that sense of awe would only deepen with time, perhaps even affecting their thoughts, turning them completely into Lin Fan’s servants.

Worse still, they feared that they might eventually lose all independent thought, becoming living corpses. What difference would that be from true death?

So, this subordinate decided to gamble—to sever the source of the soul mark, to kill Lin Fan.

This was also Zhang Yi’s most loyal subordinate. Perhaps seeing Zhang Yi hesitate, and unwilling to become a living dead himself, the man had made a sudden move.

Previously, faced with Lin Fan, there had been no hope of survival; they had no power to resist, so they had all chosen to flee. But now that Lin Fan was unconscious, their only hope was that by killing him, the soul mark would vanish, and they would survive.

After all, in this world, they had never heard of a master’s death resulting in the death of contracted followers. Usually, when the master died, the contract was dissolved.

The blade fell rapidly, inch by inch!

Zhang Yi wanted to stop him; even though he longed to be free of the soul mark, he dared not gamble with his own life.

However, his hand had only just reached mid-air when it abruptly froze.

His subordinate’s movements had already ceased. The man’s eyes were wide with terror; he seemed to want to speak but said nothing.

Bang!

A dull sound. The subordinate’s body exploded, shattering into a cloud of blood and flesh.

Blood spattered everywhere, covering Zhang Yi from head to toe, as well as the unconscious Lin Fan in his arms.

Zhang Yi’s eyes widened. For a full quarter of an hour he remained frozen before finally coming back to himself.

“Do as the master commands…”

From that moment, Zhang Yi and his men dared not harbor the slightest disloyalty. The awe in their hearts surged, this time not from the effect of the soul mark, but from true fear.

“Who are you people? Why are you blocking Brother Fan’s door?”

Outside Room 702 of the Four Seas Restaurant, Xiao Shuihan and his companions glared furiously at Zhang Yi and the others barring their path.

They had just received news from the restaurant’s manager via transmission talisman: Brother Fan had been carried back from outside the city, pale as death. They rushed over, only to find these strangers blocking the door.

“Young Master Xiao, and gentlemen, we are the master’s newly recruited followers. He has commanded that no one be admitted. If you arrive, you are to wait a few hours.”

Zhang Yi bowed respectfully. Though Xiao Shuihan and his friends didn’t recognize him, he knew each of these young scions from the great families and dared not show the least disrespect.

“Master? Followers?”

Xiao Shuihan’s eyes narrowed slightly. He had no idea when Brother Fan had acquired such followers, but judging by their bearing, they were all at least mid-level Qi Pulse cultivators.

“Who are you people? Why don’t I know when Brother Fan recruited you as his followers?”

To Xiao Shuihan, though he didn’t recognize any of them, they were undoubtedly experts, not ordinary vagabonds. But if they belonged to other families, why would they now serve Brother Fan?

Hearing Xiao Shuihan’s doubt, Zhang Yi bowed again and said with a smile, “My name is Zhang Yi, from the Zhang family of Panlong City. My men are also from the Zhang family.”

“But as of today, we have no more ties to the Zhangs. We all serve the master now.”

“The Zhang family?!”

Xiao Shuihan was shocked, as were Li Ji and the others, who exchanged uneasy glances.

The Zhang family were sworn enemies of Brother Fan. Earlier that very day, Brother Fan had used Zhang Yuan and Zhang Zhen as bait to lure out the Zhang family’s experts. How had they become his followers?

They hadn’t felt at ease about letting Brother Fan go alone to meet the Zhangs, and had suggested sending skilled guards with him, but Brother Fan had refused, saying Grandpa Lin would accompany him.

Now, Grandpa Lin was nowhere to be seen. The Zhang family’s Qi Pulse masters hadn’t shown up either, yet Brother Fan had returned pale as a ghost, reportedly unconscious. Meanwhile, Zhang family experts guarded the door, claiming to be at Brother Fan’s command. Something was very strange.

Xiao Shuihan exchanged a glance with Li Ji, who nodded, then stepped forward and said coldly to Zhang Yi and his men, “Fine. If Brother Fan wants us to wait, we’ll wait here. But if he doesn’t come out safe and sound after a few hours, you’d best prepare to meet your doom.”

While Li Ji spoke, Xiao Shuihan turned and hurried downstairs.

The two had grown up together and required no words. Li Ji would keep watch on Zhang Yi and his men; Xiao Shuihan was going home to fetch reinforcements.

Bang!

Li Ji kicked open the door of the room opposite 702 and ushered Qian Jin, Sun Hao, Ou Hu, and Shangguan Feihong inside.

“Fatty, have your family’s waiters bring us some food and wine. We’ll wait here for Brother Fan to come out!”

Li Ji turned to Qian Jin, who nodded. But the waiters on the seventh floor had already anticipated their needs and hurried off to prepare everything.

Zhang Yi and his men lined up outside Lin Fan’s door, and when they heard Li Ji’s words and saw the group seated openly across the hall, staring at them with unwavering intensity, they felt a shudder.

“These scions of the great families are clearly close as brothers with the master. In fact, it seems the master is their leader, not the other way around. The intelligence reports were wrong—our master hasn’t climbed up to curry favor; it’s the other way around!”

Zhang Yi’s feelings were in turmoil. If he hadn’t already pledged loyalty to Lin Fan, he’d have rushed home to strangle the family intelligence chief.

He watched Xiao Shuihan depart. With his experience, how could he not guess that Xiao Shuihan was off to fetch reinforcements from the Xiao family?

Considering Li Ji’s words and the current situation, could this be considered currying favor?

If it were, these young lords were certainly humble beyond compare!

Less than half an hour later, the table before Li Ji and his friends was laden with food and drink, yet not a bite was touched. They simply filled their cups with wine, draining them in silence, eyes fixed on Zhang Yi and his men. Not a word passed between them.

The atmosphere was icy cold.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded; Xiao Shuihan reappeared before Li Ji and the others, bringing them hope.

But when they saw the gentle, refined middle-aged man by his side, they all stood up and bowed. “Greetings, Uncle Xiao!”

This man was none other than Xiao Shuihan’s father, Xiao Jianhao—the third son of the Xiao family patriarch, lord of North Xiao City, and a mid-stage Qi Pulse cultivator.

“Sit, all of you. I’ve been briefed on the situation,” Xiao Jianhao said, gesturing for them to be seated. He had only just returned to the Xiao family for the holidays, but his normally obedient son had burst into his room, dragging him out in a panic.

He’d been displeased by such reckless behavior. A man should be composed, not rash. He gave Xiao Shuihan a stern lecture on the spot.

But as Xiao Shuihan explained, his anxious expression moved Xiao Jianhao, and he agreed to come see for himself.

Over the years, his son had only a few close friends—he’d watched them grow up. For a new face to earn his son’s wholehearted trust was remarkable and piqued his curiosity.

Moreover, when he learned the boy was from the Lin family of North Xiao City, and had dared face the Zhangs of Panlong City alone, his curiosity only deepened.

“Father, let’s drink while we wait. There are some cultivation matters I’d like your advice on. But if Brother Fan doesn’t appear safe after a few hours, I beg you to deal with those men at the door.”

Once Xiao Jianhao was seated, Xiao Shuihan spoke, then pointed coldly at Zhang Yi and his followers outside Lin Fan’s room, his voice frosty and murderous.

He made no attempt to hide his intentions. The door to their private room stood wide open; both his gesture and words were in full view and earshot of Zhang Yi and the others.