C27 Intercepting Halfway

After Wang Fei's departure, and with Ye Wenxuan's Dragon Blood Grass exchanged by another, the Treasure-seizing Organization's event drew to a close. Despite the earnest attempts of the aristocratic young masters to charm Xiao Yu into staying and joining them for further entertainment, he declined all offers. After bidding farewell to Ye Wenxuan, he departed on his own.

"Young master, Wang Fei is known for his pettiness. Having offended him as you did, I fear he won't let this go easily. Please, take care."

As Xiao Yu exited the Drunken Star Tower, a striking figure awaited him at the entrance. She approached him proactively, her smile captivating as she softly spoke. "Thank you for the warning," Xiao Yu responded, eyeing the enchanting woman with surprise.

Yan Ziyu's presence was clearly no ordinary occurrence. Why would she wait here to speak with him? What could her motive be? Nonetheless, given her evidently significant status and his own limited strength, Xiao Yu deemed it wise not to engage further. After a brief exchange of courtesies, he continued on his way.

"What an intriguing man!" Yan Ziyu mused, her smile deepening as she watched Xiao Yu's retreating figure. She had great confidence in her beauty, which typically left men of her generation spellbound. Even those who managed to maintain their composure would reveal subtle signs of being affected, none of which escaped her notice.

Yet, Xiao Yu was different. His attention never seemed to linger on her, and during their exchange, his gaze remained serene. Yan Ziyu saw an unfathomable depth in his youthful eyes, reminiscent of an endless abyss. She couldn't fathom how such a young man could evoke these feelings in her.

The night had deepened, the sky awash with stars, and the streets were now sparsely populated. Xiao Yu continued alone towards the Lin Family. As he approached a dark alley, he paused.

"Been waiting long?" he asked, his voice tinged with amusement, directed at the seemingly deserted space.

"Hmph, you're more perceptive than I thought," came a retort as several shadowy figures emerged from the darkness, their silhouettes vague but their eyes gleaming with mockery.

Although he couldn't make out their faces, Xiao Yu didn't need a second guess to know that the person before him was none other than Wang Fei!

His senses were keen, and upon entering the alley, he had immediately detected the presence of others, yet he remained unfazed.

"Didn't the Lin Family's young miss accompany you?" Xiao Yu scanned the area but didn't spot Lin Xuehan. There were only Wang Fei and a few of his personal attendants.

"Even though you're an outsider to the Lin Family and considered a cripple, you're still somewhat connected to them. Knowing that I intend to kill you, she obviously wouldn't show her face," Wang Fei said, looking down at Xiao Yu as if he were already a corpse.

First, at Tianming Pavilion, Xiao Yu had caused him great embarrassment, turning him into the city's laughingstock. Then, Xiao Yu crippled three of his servants, and most recently, he faced humiliation at the Drunken Star Tower.

Wang Fei had been harboring a grudge against Xiao Yu for some time and was eager for retribution.

This time, seeing Xiao Yu able to produce such an abundance of crystals had only fueled his greed. So, after the Treasure-seizing Organization's event concluded, he didn't return to the Lin Family but instead waited on this very path Xiao Yu would take home, biding his time.

By killing Xiao Yu, he could erase the shame he had suffered and, most importantly, lay claim to a substantial number of crystals.

"I see," Xiao Yu said, his smile laced with mockery aimed at both Wang Fei and Lin Xuehan.

After Lin Xuehan and Wang Fei had parted ways, she likely knew what he was planning. Her absence here, coupled with her failure to intervene, amounted to silent consent to Wang Fei's scheme.

Xiao Yu was no stranger to the indifference and heartlessness of the Lin Family's Heavenly Girl. Yet, he hadn't anticipated she could be so callous as to disregard the knowledge of Wang Fei's intent to kill him.

"I'll give you a chance to say your last words!" Wang Fei declared, brimming with confidence. To him, Xiao Yu was merely a second-level practitioner of the Spirit Origin Stage, while he himself had already achieved the fifth level, not quite reaching Lin Xuehan's prowess but still formidable.

Taking down Xiao Yu should be a breeze, right?

"Are you that sure of yourself?" Xiao Yu remained utterly composed.

He was aware that Wang Fei's cultivation level surpassed his own, but that didn't faze him. Even if Lin Xuehan herself were to confront him, he had strategies to counter her.

As the Ninth Heaven Sovereign, he had an arsenal of techniques at his disposal. Was he someone who could be easily vanquished?

"You're nothing but trash. It wouldn't even take me a few fingers to kill you! The only reason you've survived until now is that the circumstances weren't right. Do you really think you can walk away alive today?" Wang Fei's smirk was laced with arrogance and contempt.

Xiao Yu simply smiled, offering no response.

He was discreetly assessing the individuals accompanying Wang Fei. While Wang Fei alone didn't concern him, a group with significantly higher cultivation levels could pose a real challenge.

Despite his myriad of tactics, he was currently only at the third level of the Spirit Origin Stage. Handling one opponent with a higher cultivation level was manageable, but facing several simultaneously would be a formidable challenge.

"Now you're scared?" Wang Fei misinterpreted Xiao Yu's silence as fear, his face twisting into an even more scornful expression. "You only have yourself to blame for crossing the wrong person. A nobody like you should've stayed subservient within the Lin Family, keeping a low profile."

"Being a nobody isn't your fault, but you had the audacity to offend me, and that's why you must die!" Wang Fei's voice darkened as he recalled his previous setbacks at Xiao Yu's hands.

Delighting in Xiao Yu's apparent terror and his own perceived superiority, Wang Fei spoke with a haughty tone, "I'll give you one opportunity. Kneel and beg for mercy, and perhaps I'll grant you a more honorable death!"

Xiao Yu continued to ignore Wang Fei, his mind racing with thoughts on how to swiftly eliminate all of his adversaries.

He was sure he could take down Wang Fei, but with three other servants present, any escapee could alert the Wang Family and complicate matters significantly.

"Have you lost your nerve, or are you just speechless?" Wang Fei taunted, observing Xiao Yu's silence. "If you knew it would come to this, why bother resisting at all? A weakling like you dares to challenge me time and again. Now, when you finally realize your mistake, it's already too late!"

Xiao Yu's demeanor made Wang Fei reconsider his approach; he felt no urgency to act.

In this situation, he was certain of his ability to kill Xiao Yu, but now he preferred to savor the sight of Xiao Yu's remorse in his final moments.

He intended to make this weakling understand the grave error of crossing someone of his stature, to have him die amidst unending regret and agony, as recompense for the humiliation he had previously endured.

"Come here, kneel before me, and call me 'grandpa' three times. I'll grant you a death with some semblance of honor!" Wang Fei commanded once more, his voice oozing with authority and leaving no room for challenge.