Chapter 229: The Empty Building, the Mysterious Assassin of the Mingyue Clan

Guided by a servant nearby, Lan Laojun finally snapped out of his reverie. His clothes were already soaked through from the tea, but he seemed unconcerned. He slowly stood up and walked over to the table where Ye Luobaihua and Liu Yi were seated. Then he pulled up a stool and sat down.

Lan Laojun’s greedy eyes kept staring at Ye Luobaihua, as if Liu Yi didn’t even exist. It wasn’t really Lan Laojun’s fault—on the day of the marriage selection, he had never seen either Ye Luobaihua or Liu Yi, so naturally, he paid them no attention. With his lustful nature, how could he pass up the chance to see Ye Luobaihua now?

Ye Luobaihua seemed annoyed by Lan Laojun’s gaze and snapped up, “Who gave you permission to sit here?”

Lan Laojun was about to deliver a prepared reply, but when he saw Ye Luobaihua’s beautiful face, he found himself unable to speak. Her eyes shone like stars, her teeth were pure white, her skin was as fair as snow, and her long hair hung softly. Her face was extremely beautiful, and her pleasant voice made it impossible to feel angry.

But Lan Laojun quickly recalled a familiar sensation—her voice was indeed pleasant, but it seemed like he had heard it somewhere before. He couldn’t remember right away, but seeing her angry expression, he stopped thinking about it.

Liu Yi was about to speak and drive Lan Laojun away, as he didn’t want any more trouble. There were still many things to do. Just as he was about to act, a crisp “thwack” sound reached his ears. Looking closely, he saw a piece of roasted meat hitting Lan Laojun’s face and slowly sliding down. Turning his head, he saw Tieshi laughing loudly at the table.

Lan Laojun had been focused on Ye Luobaihua and had ignored everything around him. Now, hit by the roasted meat, he snapped back to reality and shouted, “Who did this?” The person he was shouting at was one of the servants behind him. But at that moment, those two servants seemed even more focused than him—saliva dripping from their mouths, eyes glazed over, all their attention on Ye Luobaihua.

Lan Laojun glanced at the monkey laughing at the table, then turned his gaze to Liu Yi and said, “Did you throw the meat at me?”

Liu Yi already had no good feelings toward the Lan clan. Hearing Lan Laojun speak to him in such a tone, he replied even colder, “It wasn’t me who threw it. But you’re not welcome here. You can leave now.”

Lan Laojun slammed the table and said to Liu Yi, “How dare you! Do you know who I am?”

Liu Yi didn’t even look at Lan Laojun and simply said coldly, “I don’t care who you are. If you don’t leave, don’t blame me for being merciless with my sword.” After going through many things, Liu Yi had completely changed. Whether it was the effect of his martial arts or his true feelings, in his eyes, life meant only life or death. If a fight was inevitable, he would never spare anyone’s life.

Lan Laojun slowly stood up and suddenly burst into laughter. “Good, good! It’s the first time someone has spoken to this young master like this. Today, I really want to see what you’re made of—just the right time to take care of you and take the beauty back to bed.”

Hearing Lan Laojun’s words, Liu Yi felt an inexplicable annoyance surge in his heart. Instinctively, he gripped his sword tighter. A desire to kill made his gaze turn cold as he stared at Lan Laojun. Seeing Liu Yi’s icy look, Lan Laojun unconsciously stepped back.

But this playboy wasn’t just a paper tiger after all. After all, he was the third young master of the Flame Star Palace. Relying on both his background and what he had learned from the Flame Emperor, he had always acted tyrannically and done as he pleased. No matter how Liu Yi acted, his arrogant demeanor didn’t waver in the slightest. “You damn fool, trying to scare me…” By the time he said those words, his voice was already weak, as if he could no longer speak.

Liu Yi was surprised. Suddenly, he thought, “This isn’t good.” Just as he realized what was happening, a figure in green appeared in front of Lan Laojun in a flash. With a silver-white flash, a cut appeared on Lan Laojun’s throat. Though the red mark was faint, it marked Lan Laojun’s death.

Lan Laojun’s eyes were wide with fear. The two servants behind him quickly supported his falling body, shouting, “Young master, young master…” At that moment, the green-clad figure vanished in a flash. Liu Yi immediately stood up and turned to look. Another green shadow appeared at the entrance of the restaurant. By the time his eyes blinked again, the green shadow had disappeared. Looking out the window, he saw the green shadow moving forward ten zhang each time it flashed, appearing and disappearing rapidly as it disappeared into the darkness…

Ye Luobaihua, having witnessed what had just happened, blurted out, “Are they from the Mingyue clan? That move was their clan’s Hidden Transmission Illusion.” As he explained, he watched Liu Yi’s complex expression.

Liu Yi slowly sat down and turned to look at Lan Laojun, who was already dead. Seeing the red blood mark on his throat, he thought to himself, “What fast! They cut his throat to prevent blood from flowing.”

The two servants, hearing what Ye Luobaihua had said, seemed to realize something. They turned and carried Lan Laojun’s body outside, quickly disappearing into the darkness. Since the green-clad figure had acted so quickly and made no sound, no one around knew that someone had died in that instant. After the two servants left, everyone continued eating and drinking as usual…

Liu Yi asked Ye Luobaihua, “How did you know they were from the Mingyue clan?”

Ye Luobaihua replied, “That illusion technique is unique to the Mingyue clan. It’s only passed down within the clan’s royal bloodline and is never revealed to outsiders. Moreover, I saw he used a ‘Moon Blade’—a weapon commonly used by the Mingyue clan. It’s crescent-shaped with the blade’s center serving as the handle. It’s very difficult to use, so only people from the Mingyue clan would possess it.”

Liu Yi asked, “Didn’t you say that people from the Mingyue Clan never participate in clan wars?”
Ye Luobaihua explained, “That’s only for clan wars. I didn’t mention personal grudges. People from the Mingyue Clan don’t have a fixed residence. They might live within the territory of the Lan Clan or the Ye Luo Clan. Their actions are never restricted—just like… like ronin, going wherever they want.”
Liu Yi seemed to understand more and nodded thoughtfully, saying, “But… why would he want to kill Lan Laojun?”
Ye Luobaihua shook her head and said, “I don’t know. Personal grudges are possible too. Lan Laojun is a petty person who stirs up trouble everywhere. I guess many people want to get rid of him. If it weren’t for the support of Yan Jun, he would have died many times already. Meeting someone from the Mingyue Clan this time is bad luck for him. The Mingyue Clan’s whereabouts are unpredictable, and they don’t care about any of the Lan Clan’s territories.”
Liu Yi nodded and said, “Maybe so. If what you said is true, and the people of the Mingyue Clan are scattered, it’s really hard to find them. In such a vast world, finding one person is like searching for a needle in a haystack. And since they keep moving around, it seems the Lan Clan really can’t do much about them.”
Ye Luobaihua put down her chopsticks and said, “If that person hadn’t intervened just now, would you have killed Lan Laojun too?”
Liu Yi smiled and shook his head. “How could I? I don’t want trouble. Besides, although Lan Laojun is despicable, I’m not going to kill him just after a few words. If I did that, I think few people in this world would be safe.”
A strange glint appeared in Ye Luobaihua’s eyes as she asked, “You really never thought about killing him?”
Liu Yi shook his head. “No. I just wanted to scare him. If I had to act, it would only be to teach him a lesson.”
Ye Luobaihua wanted to say more but stopped asking questions. Based on what Liu Yi had said earlier, something seemed missing. There had clearly been a murderous intent in Liu Yi’s eyes just now. If that person hadn’t intervened, Ye Luobaihua felt Liu Yi would definitely have killed Lan Laojun. But… why would he lie? If he wasn’t lying… then what did that mean? A series of questions popped into Ye Luobaihua’s mind.
Seeing Ye Luobaihua’s thoughtful expression, Liu Yi said, “How about it? Tired? Go upstairs and rest. We’ll continue our journey tomorrow.”
Ye Luobaihua didn’t say anything because she had a badpremonition but couldn’t put it into words. She simply nodded and said, “Mm, okay.” Then, guided by the innkeeper, the two went to their respective rooms.
As soon as they entered the room, Tieshi asked, “Why did you lie just now? I saw clearly that you wanted to kill Lan Laojun.”
Liu Yi gently sat down at the table in the middle, listened to Tieshi’s words, and asked back, “Did I really want to kill Lan Laojun just now?”
Tieshi nodded and said, “I could sense the killing intent in your heart. If that person hadn’t acted first, it would have been you who killed Lan Laojun.”

Liu Yi shook his head, seemingly trying to recall something. Ye Luo Baihua had seemed to have the same issue just now—so why hadn’t he noticed? What was missing from his memory at this moment? Why didn’t he feel anything when he killed? Could it be… the Heart of Murder? Liu Yi linked what had happened to his own mental cultivation techniques. He had always used the 13th-level techniques, which might have been consumed by the Heart of Murder. But it seemed that even without it, the demonic powers were gradually devouring him. He hadn’t been able to sense these changes before—seemed… there wasn’t much time left.

Liu Yi glanced at Tie Shi and said, “Perhaps I really don’t know. My time is running out. I think I should find a way to contact the consciousness left by the Nirvana people, see if I can locate it in this space, and ask if there’s any way to buy time.”

Hearing Liu Yi’s words, Tie Shi suddenly realized he didn’t understand a single word. With a normal sigh, he fell asleep on the table. Liu Yi looked at this ridiculous guy, sat down on the bed, removed the ‘Sorrowful Dream’ sword and placed it on his lap, then closed his six senses. He circulated his vital energy through his meridians and stroked the sword’s blade.

In the dark world, there was no end in sight—no sunlight, no life. Only Liu Yi was there. This was his enclosed world. He intended to try to find the Nirvana people here and inquire about the secrets of his mental cultivation techniques, hoping to break free from the Heart of Murder and extend the time he needed. He still had many things to do and didn’t want to become a senseless demon before finishing them.

The entire room was utterly silent. Tie Shi slept on the table, while Liu Yi sat on the bed, searching for that consciousness. Stars filled the sky outside, with occasional meteors streaking by. Before he knew it, when the first rays of dawn entered the room, the entire night had passed, and it was already morning.

Liu Yi slowly opened his eyes, recalling the results of his search in that infinite space—empty, nothing at all. Only he was there. Could it be… the Nirvana people’s consciousness had disappeared? Why couldn’t he find it? Although Liu Yi wanted to know the answer, now wasn’t the time to think. Looking at the rising sun, he sheathed the ‘Sorrowful Dream’ sword and said, “It’s time to meet Lord Lei. I wonder what’s happened to him after all this time.” With that, he shook Tie Shi awake on the table and headed outside.

Below in the tavern, Ye Luo Baihua was already sitting at the table. The breakfast on the table was still steaming, but she gazed out the window at the desolate landscape, seemingly lost in thought.

Liu Yi went downstairs and sat down beside her. “Eat something. Don’t overthink things. We still have to travel soon.”

Ye Luo Baihua examined Liu Yi’s face carefully, as if searching for an answer. Liu Yi naturally knew what she was thinking—perhaps she was worried that he might turn into a murderous demon king she didn’t recognize at any moment. Liu Yi took a sip of tea and casually asked, “Have you had enough? Is there any change?”

Ye Luobaihua seemed to realize her mistake only then. Her face turned red as she hurriedly said, “Oh, no, enough, um, let’s eat.” Her words were messy, but Liu Yi understood what she meant and couldn’t help but smile helplessly.

After checking out, the two rode ‘Chasing Wind Horse’ once again and headed south. The morning breeze was refreshingly cool, and combined with the speed of ‘Chasing Wind Horse,’ their moods improved significantly. Ye Luobaihua suddenly smiled and said, “We’ll get news about July today. You should be happy, right?”

Liu Yi looked at Ye Luobaihua, not sure what she meant. But he felt that even if he learned about July’s situation, his only desire was to rescue her. As for happiness… that word seemed far away from him. All he could do was smile.

As they walked and talked, time passed quickly. It was already noon. They didn’t know how far they had traveled, but given the speed of ‘Chasing Wind Horse,’ it was definitely not a short distance. Ye Luobaihua took out a sketch and compared it with their current location, saying, “We’re already very close to Leiri Xinggong. At this speed, we’ll arrive in less than half an hour.”

Liu Yi nodded and said, “Okay, let’s go then.” He wanted to make the most of every moment because he couldn’t reach Nie Ren’s consciousness. Even if he could one day, he probably wouldn’t have the power to overcome delays. All he could do now was to minimize his regrets and accomplish more of what he hadn’t finished before he completely fell.

During the final stretch of the journey, their main topics weren’t about Lord Lei, but rather the mysterious man in green who appeared in that restaurant and some legends about the Mingyue clan. Liu Yi listened with great interest, and Ye Luobaihua was willing to talk. In this way, as they chatted, they unknowingly arrived at Leiri Xinggong at the fast pace of ‘Chasing Wind Horse’.

What had been a flat and desolate path now led to a steep cliff. Between the cliffs stood an exceptionally magnificent ancient building. The building consisted of twelve structures of varying heights, with a brownish-black exterior that looked truly spectacular. At the topmost structure, a black flag fluttered in the wind, bearing a large character for “Lei.”

Seeing the ancient building between the cliffs, Ye Luobaihua said, “This is Lord Lei’s palace. Many people say Lord Lei has a fiery temper, is arrogant, and gets along poorly with other palace lords, which is why his palace is located outside the group.”

Liu Yi stared at the magnificent building, which reminded him of Tianji Xinggong in the human world. Although Leiri Xinggong didn’t seem as luxurious as Blue Shadow’s palace, it exuded a mysterious aura. Liu Yi dismounted from his mount and said, “Then let’s go pay him a visit.”

Ye Luobaihua also dismounted and said, “Okay.” At the entrance of Leiri Xinggong stood four guards in blue robes. Seeing the two dismount and approach, one middle-aged man, seemingly the leader of the guards, stepped forward and asked, “What can I do for you?”

Liu Yi looked at the man before him. Though his words weren’t very polite, his voice was extremely kind, which made Liu Yi feel a sense of goodwill. He simply replied, “Oh, we’ve come from afar to visit Lord Lei.”

The middle-aged guard sized them up before suddenly smiling and saying, “You must be friends of the lord, right? Unfortunately, the lord suddenly said he had matters to attend to and left yesterday. He’s been gone for a long time and is not in the palace now.”

Hearing what the man said, Liu Yi felt that his tone wasn’t like that of an ordinary guard, yet it sounded convincing. He blurted out, “Then do you know where Lord Lei has gone?”

The middle-aged guard glanced at Liu Yi, seemingly deep in thought, before replying, “The lord never explains his plans to his subordinates. But this time he left in a hurry, as if he had some urgent matter to attend to. I only know the direction he went; as for what he’s doing, I have no idea.”

Liu Yi nodded and asked, “So where did he go?”

The middle-aged guard replied, “Lord Lei headed north.”

Liu Yi looked at the guard again and said, “Then I’ll take my leave. If Lord Lei returns, please convey a message saying Liu Yi came to see him.”

The guard nodded and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely pass on the message.”

Liu Yi nodded and said to Ye Luobaihua, “Let’s go.”

Ye Luobaihua agreed silently and asked as they walked, “Is it possible that Lord Lei is avoiding us?”

Liu Yi shook his head and said, “If a person is so proud that they can’t even get along with their own companions, how would they refuse to see me? Arrogant people never fear any provocation. I think… the guard is right. Lord Lei must have gone out to handle some matters.”

Ye Luobaihua asked doubtfully, “That doesn’t make sense. Lord Lei hates getting involved in worldly affairs the most. Why would he go out without reason?”

Liu Yi mounted his mount and said, “Well, it depends on what he’s doing. Since Lord Lei isn’t in the palace, we have no choice but to leave as well and head north, hoping for luck.”

Ye Luobaihua also mounted her mount and said, “Hmm, we have no other choice. I wonder what could possibly disturb Lord Lei…”