“Thud!”
The bearded man crashed to the ground. Blood splattered onto Xiao Shanhai’s face, frightening him so badly he nearly lost his footing and fell down. A chill shot straight from the soles of his feet up his spine!
The assassin leader he had painstakingly cultivated—just killed with a single bang?
“Boss!”
Seeing the bearded man gunned down, the assassins’ eyes widened with fury as they prepared to throw their hidden weapons…
“Swish swish swish!”
Poison Snake and the others moved faster than them. Various throwing daggers and hidden weapons came flying over.
“Thud! Thud!”
In an instant, over twenty Xiao Family assassins all fell to the ground.
Before dying, they couldn’t help but think: “Indeed… indeed masters…”
Witnessing all his subordinates killed, fear appeared in Xiao Shanhai’s pupils. His legs trembled violently because—the Desert Eagle was already pressed against his forehead.
“Steward Xiao.”
Li Luoqiu smiled: “Of all people to provoke, you had to provoke my Iron Bones Sect.”
“Don’t… don’t kill me…” Xiao Shanhai’s voice trembled, his eyes filled with the deepest dread of death.
No one wanted to die—being alive was so much better!
Li Luoqiu moved the gun downward, her face expressionless: “The Sect Master said to eliminate this Xiao Family assassin base completely, leaving no survivors. So, hit the road…”
“Bang!”
The bullet pierced through his chest, blood splattering on the wall.
“Thud.”
The Xiao Family’s external affairs steward fell straight backward.
In his dying moment, he was still wondering how an organization like the Fine Rain Tower had become people of the Iron Bones Sect, how the Fine Rain Tower Master had become a Hall Master.
Couldn’t figure it out—he’d have to ponder it in the underworld.
…
The Xiao Family assassin base that used the Elegant Serenity Residence as cover was completely eradicated under Li Luoqiu’s swift and decisive methods.
Because it was in the underground chamber, the soundproofing was excellent.
The martial artists in the city would never dream that dozens of people had died at the Elegant Serenity Residence tonight.
Honestly speaking, the Xiao Family assassins were too amateurish.
If the Sect Master hadn’t issued a death order to completely eliminate them all, the Fine Rain Hall wouldn’t have bothered deploying so many members.
“Swish! Swish!”
Li Luoqiu led her subordinates jumping out from the back courtyard, landing on a tree: “The person in charge of the assassin base was the Xiao Family’s external affairs steward.”
“Xiao Shanhai?” Xiao Zuiji’s eyes turned cold and fierce.
Jun Changxiao asked: “You know him?”
Xiao Zuiji said through gritted teeth: “When this disciple’s aptitude regressed back then, he constantly humiliated and made things difficult for me in the family.”
Jun Changxiao said: “Bring that guy over here.”
How dare he bully this seat’s disciple—must torture him thoroughly and make him wish he were dead!
Li Luoqiu said: “I shot him dead with one bullet.”
“Dead?”
Jun Changxiao shook his head: “Got off too easy.”
Li Luoqiu asked: “What do we do next?”
Jun Changxiao stroked his chin: “Have all the corpses carried away, then set fire to the Elegant Serenity Residence.”
Carrying away the corpses and burning down the Elegant Serenity Residence would make the Xiao Family restless and anxious.
“Understood.” Li Luoqiu was about to go down and give orders.
Jun Changxiao stopped her: “Zuiji, you set this fire. Burning it down means burning away all connections with the Xiao Family!”
“Yes.”
Xiao Zuiji nodded, then jumped down.
Li Luoqiu ordered her members to take away the corpses of Xiao Shanhai and the dozens of assassins, then quickly vanished into the night.
Coming and going in haste.
“Whoosh whoosh!”
Xiao Zuiji stood before the Elegant Serenity Residence, torch in hand. The firelight reflected on his face in an expressionless state.
Xiao Family.
Today, I, Xiao Zuiji, sever all kindness and righteousness with you.
“Swish!”
The torch was thrown into the Elegant Serenity Residence. Flames consumed the counters and furniture, instantly forming an unstoppable blaze.
Jun Changxiao stood on the city wall, watching the raging fire rise, watching his departing disciple: “Zuiji, you now have only one identity—a disciple of my Iron Bones Clanging Sect.”
…
“Fire!”
“The Elegant Serenity Residence is on fire!”
The blaze that painted half the city red alarmed the surrounding martial artists sleeping nearby. They rushed out from their rooms one after another.
After receiving the news, the Xiao Family immediately dispatched a large number of direct descendants to fight the fire. Unfortunately, no matter how much water they poured, they couldn’t extinguish those magnificent flames.
After daybreak.
The Elegant Serenity Residence had turned into ruins.
“Detestable!”
Standing in the charred ruins, the Xiao Family Grand Elder’s eyes widened with fury: “Who did this!”
With so many assassins in the underground chamber, there was absolutely no way this was an accidental fire. Someone definitely did this deliberately!
“Grand Elder.”
The Second Elder approached and said in a low voice: “There are bloodstains in the secret chamber. Our people are gone.”
The Xiao Family Grand Elder clenched his fists tightly.
At this moment, he could guess that with the teahouse burned and Xiao Shanhai and the painstakingly trained assassins gone, they were definitely in grave danger!
Who!
Who did this!
The Xiao Family Grand Elder could only roar in his heart. He didn’t dare show too much anger on his face, because in outsiders’ eyes, the Elegant Serenity Residence was ultimately just a business property.
…
The Elegant Serenity Residence turning to ashes in the great fire instantly spread throughout Liyang City, becoming a hot topic of discussion.
No one believed it was an accidental fire. It was definitely deliberate. So after in-depth discussion, the conclusion was—the Xiao Family had offended someone.
Who had they offended?
That wasn’t easy to guess, since no one had witnessed the arsonist.
Xiao Family, great hall.
Several elders gathered together. Their faces showed anger, anxiety, and bewilderment—quite a colorful array of expressions.
They had spent a fortune buying the method for training assassins from the Fine Rain Tower. After several years of cultivation, it had gradually taken shape. Now it was all gone in one fell swoop—this was definitely a heavy blow!
Even more tragic—they still didn’t know who did it!
“Slam!”
The Second Elder furiously pounded the table: “Grand Elder, this matter must be thoroughly investigated!”
The Third Elder said: “We don’t even know who came. How do we investigate?”
The Fourth Elder said rather cautiously: “The other party dared to burn down the Elegant Serenity Residence. They might not fear our Xiao Family at all.”
This statement instantly calmed down the angry elders.
The Fifth Elder said gravely: “The person who struck dared to burn down the Elegant Serenity Residence and didn’t leave a single corpse. This is definitely someone coming with ill intent!”
The Grand Elder, who had remained silent the whole time, spoke up: “Could it be the Iron Bones Sect?”
He had thought for most of the day and couldn’t think of anyone the Xiao Family had recently offended. He could only speculate whether the matter of sending assassins to ambush Xiao Zuiji had been discovered by the Iron Bones Sect?
The Second Elder said: “The Iron Bones Sect Master just returned with disciples from challenging the Vast Righteousness Sect. Did they have time to commit the crime?”
The Grand Elder fell into contemplation.
Honestly, he hoped it wasn’t the Iron Bones Sect, because having defeated the Vast Righteousness Sect, that eighth-tier sect was truly formidable!
The Grand Elder said: “Let’s wait until the Family Head comes out of seclusion before discussing this matter further.”
“Yes.”
The elders nodded.
However, they didn’t know that Jun Changxiao, having returned to the Iron Bones Sect, was still proceeding with the second step of his plan.
Eliminating the Elegant Serenity Residence was only the beginning.
Sect Master Jun had to use different methods to retaliate madly against the Xiao Family.
After brief consideration, he said: “Luoqiu, in the shortest time possible, investigate all of the Xiao Family’s business properties throughout Qingyang Commandery.”
Li Luoqiu asked: “What does the Sect Master plan to do?”
Jun Changxiao sneered: “A family’s greatest lifeline is its business properties. Only by imposing economic sanctions can we deliver a fatal blow.”
“Understood.” Li Luoqiu acknowledged.
“Also, that Xiao Family Grand Elder.” Jun Changxiao said lightly: “Keep a close watch on him for this seat!”
Xiao Shanhai was merely an external affairs steward. This so-called Grand Elder was definitely the true mastermind.
All his lackeys were dead—how could he be allowed to live on?