The man was clad in a dark cyan robe, his body exuding a strong scent of blood.
With sword-like eyebrows and piercing eyes, his resolute face bore a long scar on the left forehead.
His bloodshot eyes still retained a hint of a fierce and unyielding aura.
Though he was about the same age as Li Guanqi, his hands were calloused, and the backs were crisscrossed with numerous scars.
The youth noticed Li Guanqi's gaze, turned his head towards him, and offered a slight smile.
Then he raised his wine cup and drained it in one gulp.
Li Guanqi was somewhat taken aback, not expecting the other to detect his gaze.
He quickly lifted his own cup and stood to drink it down as a subtle apology.
Although Li Guanqi noticed a flicker of confusion in the other's eyes, he didn't dwell on it.
On the stage in the hall, a lady in a pink dress with a veil gracefully ascended.
Someone set up a guqin, and as her jade fingers swept across the strings, the melodious sound filled the tavern, amplified by a sound-enhancing array.
The noise of the crowd turned to hushed whispers.
As the music reached his ears, Li Guanqi felt as if he were in a tranquil paradise.
With the sound of spring water tinkling and animals softly calling, a breeze caressed his face over a lush green meadow.
When the song ended, the lingering notes left the listeners yearning for more.
Li Guanqi pulled out a silver ingot and said with a soft chuckle, "Give this to the girl downstairs as a tip for the tea."
The woman beside him accepted the silver ingot with a smile and went downstairs.
Before long, the guqin player from below appeared at Li Guanqi's table, accompanied by Qinghe.
They hadn't approached when Li Guanqi caught the faint scent of osmanthus.
The lady in pink approached Li Guanqi's table and bowed slightly.
Her ethereal voice murmured, "Thank you for the generous tip, young master. My name is Xiangyue, and I can play a piece just for you."
Li Guanqi smiled and replied softly, "Thank you, Miss Xiangyue."
A waiter brought the guqin to the table.
It was only then that Xiangyue noticed the person beside Li Guanqi.
She paused, bowing quickly to the youth.
The youth's voice was deep as he said, "Do what you need to do, don't mind me."
Li Guanqi observed all this, but his Divine Sense detected nothing unusual about the youth.
However, judging by his vitality, even if he wasn't a cultivator, he would be considered a formidable figure in the martial world below.
Just as the woman began to play the guqin, a sudden whooshing sound erupted!
Bang!
Li Guanqi leapt up, drawing his sword to deflect an incoming dagger!
The dagger exploded on impact, but its sharp fragments embedded deeply into the guqin.
The strings snapped, and a shallow cut appeared on Xiangyue's face.
A sharp voice suddenly rang out from the second floor.
"Hmph! I thought we had some big shot here?"
"To think he ignored our young master's invitation to come here and play music!"
"It seems like the Drunken Flower Pavilion doesn't want to stay in business, huh? A lowly brothel girl dares to defy our young master's orders!"
Li Guanqi's expression darkened.
A Qi Refining seventh-layer cultivator had attacked a defenseless woman!
Had he not intercepted that strike, the woman before him would have undoubtedly died!
Li Guanqi sheathed his sword and scoffed coldly, "These days, even being a dog can give one a sense of superiority. I've truly learned something new."
The man was no taller than six and a half feet, with a long face and triangular eyes, his appearance unspeakably sleazy.
Yet he wore a white brocade robe, which seemed rather out of place on him.
The second floor of the Drunken Flower Pavilion fell silent!
Those who could afford to be here had some wealth and were worldly.
At first, they were all eager to watch the excitement.
But when they saw the person on the third-floor staircase, they immediately lowered their heads!
A murderous intent flashed in the man's eyes as he licked his lips and scanned the room.
He barked, "What are you looking at? Keep staring and I'll gouge out your eyes!"
Then, with narrowed eyes, he turned to Li Guanqi.
"Wow, even the blind come to brothels now?"
"What's the matter? Here just to listen to music? Hahaha."
"Pretty bold, aren't you? Don't you know who Shu San is?"
Before he finished speaking, two more men appeared beside the short and thin man.
Li Guanqi sneered, too lazy to even respond.
"Three Qi Refiners and so arrogant? Whose young master is throwing around such weight?"
"Could it be a cultivator family?"
Li Guanqi mused to himself.
The leader of the newcomers, a burly man, frowned and said sternly.
"Shu San, what's taking so long? The young master is waiting!"
At the mention of "young master," Xiangyue's delicate frame shivered as if she had heard something terrifying.
Watching the three lackeys, Li Guanqi sneered, sat down, and propped his feet on the table.
He asked softly, "Any more strings?"
Xiangyue, somewhat at a loss, nodded and handed him the strings from her sleeve.
Li Guanqi chuckled, "What do I need these for? I can't play the guqin."
"Replace them and continue playing!"
The three men sneered at Li Guanqi's attitude and drew their long knives from their waists.
"Kid, you're not from around here. I'd advise you to mind your own business."
Li Guanqi laughed in frustration, "Damn it, you've taken all the reason for yourselves, making it seem like I'm the bully."
"Get it straight, you came to my table to cause trouble!"
After a pause, Li Guanqi stood up with his sword, shrugged, and said, "Why bother reasoning with you?"
The tavern's madam hurried over and pleaded, "Oh dear, esteemed guests, please don't draw weapons and ruin the peace."
"Young master… If you step back, I'll immediately send our most beautiful girls over, alright?"
Then she turned to the men on the third floor and bowed, "Gentlemen, I'll send Xiangyue to play the guqin for Young Master Zhang right away, along with Xizi, Luhua, and Tianxiang to accompany you."
"Please, show some mercy and give us face?"
"My little establishment has just opened… Can you be magnanimous?"
Slap!
The man called Shu San slapped the madam across the face, knocking her to the ground.
He spat on her face and stepped on her, his eyes filled with malice as he said, "Give you face? What face do you have?"
"Brothers! Take down this blind man!"
As his words fell, the sound of a guqin with a murderous tone rang out!
Zing! Zing, zing!
The three men charged towards Li Guanqi!
But as they passed the youth, he suddenly sprang into action!
His eyes ablaze with killing intent, his blade flashed viciously towards Shu San!
Even Li Guanqi hadn't expected this turn of events, but the other two continued their assault on him.
Onlookers only saw a white figure darting swiftly through the fray like the wind.
Then, a cloud of blood mist burst from the limbs of the two men!
In two breaths' time!
"Ah!!!"
Screams of agony rose behind Li Guanqi as the two men's tendons were severed!
Li Guanqi stood with his sword, looking at the youth amidst the chaos and said softly, "Need help?"
The youth hesitated for a moment before nodding.
Swoosh!
Three strikes!
Shu San was left crippled, his limbs useless as Li Guanqi grabbed him by the hair and lifted him into the air.
Shu San knew they had kicked an iron plate this time, but his eyes still glared venomously at Li Guanqi.
He said, "You're dead! Do you know who I work for? I am…"
Crack!
Li Guanqi's fingers formed a blade and plunged into Shu San's throat!
Shu San's eyes bulged, disbelief etched on his face as he died, not expecting Li Guanqi to dare kill him!
Usually, wasn't he supposed to declare his background first…
Li Guanqi casually tossed the body aside, muttering, "How can you be blinder than me, unable to see the situation?"
Proofreader & Editor: Lotas