五月丁香五月丁香激情

Shops lined both sides of the hall, offering everything from herbs, weapons, and armor to rare animal pelts and treasures. As Zhang Xuan strolled, considering where to gather information, a familiar voice caught his attention.

"Mommy, I want candied hawthorn..."

The soft, childish voice was laced with a sweet innocence. Zhang Xuan turned to see a well-dressed woman standing with a child of about three years old at a candied hawthorn stall.

It was Xiao Ying and Xiao Zhuo, the mother and son he had saved earlier.

"You’re sick right now, so no sweets. Once you’re better, Mommy will buy you a big one," Xiao Ying said gently.

Xiao Zhuo pouted but then nodded obediently. "Okay, I’ll wait until I’m better. When I’m better, I want the biggest one, as big as this house!"

"Good boy," Xiao Ying smiled warmly. She was about to pick him up when Xiao Zhuo’s eyes lit up. "It’s Uncle Hero! Uncle Hero!"

He ran toward Zhang Xuan, his little legs moving as fast as they could.

Xiao Ying’s heart sank. She recognized the man—the benefactor who had saved them from Lian Huo and his men, but also the feared master of No Need Hall, Ling Buyang.

Under normal circumstances, she would have been eager to express her gratitude, but knowing his identity now, she hesitated. Still, Xiao Zhuo had already reached Zhang Xuan, and she had no choice but to follow.

Bowing slightly, she said, "We meet again, benefactor..."

Zhang Xuan knelt and smiled at the child. "Xiao Zhuo, right? You want candied hawthorn?"

The boy nodded. "Yes, Uncle Hero. It’s so tasty, but Mommy said I can’t have it until I’m better." His eyes sparkled with longing, but he quickly added, "But it’s okay! I’m getting better, and when I am, I can have as much as I want!"

Zhang Xuan ruffled his hair. "What a sensible little guy."

Turning to Xiao Ying, he asked, "How’s the Red Leaf Grass working? Will it cure him?"

"Yes, it will," Xiao Ying replied quickly, her voice a little tense.

"Good," Zhang Xuan nodded. "I have some business to attend to. Take care."

Seeing that she recognized his identity and was wary, he decided not to linger. He left without another word, while Xiao Ying hurriedly picked up Xiao Zhuo and headed toward the clinic.

The brief encounter left Zhang Xuan unfazed. It was merely a small interlude. Soon, he found himself at a nearby stall, where he casually purchased a trinket and struck up a conversation with the vendor.

"Boss, ever heard of a place called No Need Hall?"

The vendor, a talkative middle-aged man, immediately perked up. "Of course! That’s one of the big halls in the city, located in the northern district. Many people go there to learn, and their Mo Dao techniques are top-notch."

"I’m looking to learn some skills myself. Could you point me to their exact location?" Zhang Xuan slipped him a Source Coin.

The man’s eyes lit up as he gave detailed directions.

Zhang Xuan was about to head there when a group of black-clad men with swords stormed through the crowd.

"Move aside, you blind fools!"

They knocked two people off their feet but didn’t stop, charging ahead with arrogant disregard.

Zhang Xuan frowned.

"Who are they?" he asked the vendor.

"Those are the trading house enforcers," the vendor said. "They handle all matters within the trading house. They’re known for their rough behavior, so it’s best to stay out of their way."

True to his word, the injured parties simply picked themselves up and hurried away without complaint.

Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. The world was full of injustices; he couldn’t intervene in all of them.

Just as he was about to leave, the sound of an explosion came from the enforcers’ direction, followed by the clamor of a fight.

"Someone must’ve broken the rules," the vendor speculated.

Zhang Xuan glanced over to see a crowd gathering, obscuring the commotion.

"Foolish brat! Stealing herbs from the trading house? You’re asking for death!" a loud voice bellowed.

"I didn’t steal them! These herbs are ours..." a weak voice protested.

Zhang Xuan’s eyes narrowed. The voice was familiar.

"I swear, my father didn’t steal! My mother and father gathered these in the mountains..." a child’s trembling voice cried out.

His heart sank.

"Xiao Zhuo?"

Could it be that the Red Leaf Grass Yu Fei had given them was being targeted again? Zhang Xuan’s expression darkened as he pushed through the crowd toward the commotion.

Before he could reach them, the enforcers’ leader snarled, "You little brat, don’t know your place! If you won’t hand it over, I’ll kill the kid first!"

"No! Xiao Zhuo!" Xiao Ying’s anguished cry rang out.

The next moment, Zhang Xuan heard the sickening thud of bodies hitting the ground and Yu Fei’s desperate voice.

"Xiao Ying! Xiao Zhuo! I’ll fight you to the death!"

Realizing the situation was dire, Zhang Xuan forced his way through the crowd.

He arrived to find Yu Fei lying on the ground, one leg broken. Xiao Ying clutched Xiao Zhuo, both covered in blood, unmoving.

Before them stood a sneering middle-aged man, surrounded by black-clad enforcers, their faces filled with menace.

"Stealing herbs from us? You must have a death wish!" the man spat.

A surge of fury welled up in Zhang Xuan.

Yu Fei and Xiao Ying were ordinary cultivators trying to save their child. Did they deserve to die over a single herb?

He knelt beside Yu Fei. "Are you okay?"

Yu Fei’s eyes were dull and unfocused. Upon recognizing Zhang Xuan, he let out a bitter laugh.

"Xiao Ying and Xiao Zhuo are gone... All for a single herb. Hah! If you want it so badly, take it!"

With that, he unleashed a burst of power, shattering the Red Leaf Grass in his hand. The shockwave ruptured his heart, and he collapsed in a pool of blood.

"Yu Fei!" Zhang Xuan shouted, but it was too late.

Desperate, he channeled Heaven’s Path True Energy into Yu Fei’s body while checking on Xiao Ying and Xiao Zhuo. But no matter how powerful his energy, it couldn’t bring the dead back to life.

"You dare destroy our herbs? Chop this bastard’s corpse to pieces and feed it to the dogs!" the middle-aged man bellowed. His gaze fell on Zhang Xuan. "Who are you? Are you with this thief? Grab him too and beat the truth out of him!"

Before he could finish, Zhang Xuan appeared in front of him in a blur, gripping his throat with one hand and lifting him off the ground.

"Say that again," Zhang Xuan growled, his face contorted with rage.

The enforcers surrounded him, shouting threats.

"Our master, Feng Yizhou, is a Ninth-Level Source Pool expert! And his brother is an elder of the Destiny Hall! Kneel and beg for forgiveness, or you’re dead!"

Zhang Xuan’s voice was cold as ice. "Why did you kill them?"

"They stole our herb!" the man gasped.

"Why did you kill them?" Zhang Xuan tightened his grip.

"They—they refused to hand it over. It was for the master..."

Zhang Xuan’s fury boiled over. His grip tightened further until the man’s neck snapped, and his lifeless body crumpled to the ground.

Author\'s Note