“Just who are you?”

Hearing this young girl’s calm voice, the black-clothed person shrugged his shoulders helplessly. After a short bit of silence, an aged voice slowly rang out, “I believe you’ve seen me at the Xiao Clan’s home?”

Lightly shaking her snow white legs, Xun Er’s glance roamed around. She offhandedly asked in a soft voice: “Why did you go to the Jia Lie clan?”

“I was entrusted by someone to settle some trouble.”

“Entrusted by someone?” Xun Er hurriedly asked, narrowing her eyes.

“Uh, this is something I cannot disclose.” Yao Lao waved his hands and said.

“But I want to know.” With a faint smile on her exquisite face, Xun Er leaped forward. Her body seemed to float in midair. On her finger, a spiraling pale golden flame with a pointed edge was quickly being formed.

“Heh heh, little girl, I know that you are very strong now but that is not enough to stop this old man.” Yao Lao said with a smile.

Xun Er knit her eyebrows but she did not speak. She raised her finger, causing several more spiraling golden flame blades to continue appearing.

Seeing that Xun Er was refusing to give up, the two men in the black cloak had a headache. Sighing once again, Yao Lao helplessly said, “I don’t wish to fight with you. If I hurt you accidentally, that guy would be heartbroken.”

“Alright, alright. I’m afraid of you. Today, there was someone stupid who took advantage of a girl who was held in high regards by another man. This other man happens to know me so I was requested to perform some task. Oh, do you think it is easy for an old man like me to run all over the place in the middle of the night?”

Xun Er’s long eyelashes lightly blinked, her exquisite face gradually became flushed. She flipped her hand and the flame blades slowly disappeared. Gazing at the black cloaked man, she said with a wide smile, “As expected. Old sir and Xiao Yan ge-ge have a relationship.”

“Heh, what a quick change in the manner you address me.” Yao Lao said with a smile. “I’m afraid that you have already guessed my relationship with Xiao Yan a long time ago.”

“In the past, it was only a guess that I couldn’t be certain of.” Xun Er shook her head with a smile. She bowed to Yao Lao while still in midair and said: “Although I am unaware of the old sir’s background, I believe that you have something to do with Xiao Yan ge-ge being able to be rid of his weakened self from a year ago.”

Yao Lao faintly laughed, neither denying nor confirming her conjunction.

With her beautiful eyes staring at the black cloaked man, Xun Er smiled sweetly and whispered, “Regardless of what was the original motive old sir had in approaching Xiao Yan ge-ge, I hope that you do not have any other intentions towards him. Xun Er will look at anyone who poses a threat to Xiao Yan ge-ge with enmity. Old sir may be very strong but believe me, I have the ability to say such things.”

“Tsk tsk. What a strong girl.” Hearing Xun Er’s slightly threatening words, Yao Lao was stunned as he commented.

“My only wish is that Xiao Yan ge-ge not be deceived and hurt by others.” With a slight smile, Xun Er once again bowed to Yao Lao and said, “It’s already late. I need to return home. I hope that you will not tell Xiao Yan ge-ge what you have witnessed tonight.”

“Rest assured. I will not mention a single word.” Yao Lao nodded his head. Within him, he jokingly added, “Because he has already witnessed everything himself.”

Hearing Yao Lao reply, Xun Er smiled. Just as she turned her body, a green shadow suddenly appeared. After being momentarily stunned, Xun Er’s small hand reached out and drew it into her palms.

Xun Er was startled as she stared at the jade bottle. She shifted her gaze toward the black cloaked man,

“Having used a secret technique, you will likely be weak for the next few days. This bottle contains ‘Energy Replenishment Powder’. Keep it and recover quickly. Otherwise, someone will feel hurt seeing your sickly appearance.” Yao Lao said indifferently.

Hearing this, Xun Er’s small face turned red. Carrying the jade bottle in her hands, she nodded gratefully at the black cloaked man before lightly pressing her feet in the air. Her body quickly shot into the darkness and disappeared from sight.

Standing on the rooftop and watching the disappearing figure, Yao Lao suddenly took in a deep breath and muttered, “Back then, when you stealthily entered the girl’s room and strangely came up with some useless idea of warming blood vessels, you had accidentally got hold of the girl’s heart. Oh, come to think of it, you’re luck is something that others would be jealous of.”

Under the black cloaked, Xiao Yan rubbed his nose. He knew very well that had it not been for the incident in their childhood, the grown up Xun Er would have treated him with the same attitude that she gave others.

Of course, these hypothetical thoughts held no water in front of reality. Heh heh, he had silently entered the heart of a girl at her most fragile moment and unintentionally left a memory which consisted only of him within her heart.

Laughing a little pridefully, Xiao Yan cupped his hands behind his head and allowed Yao Lao to control his body. His body quickly shot toward the Xiao clan’s home.

Once he reached the Xiao clan’s home, Xiao Yan carefully avoided the courtyard where Xun Er’s room was to not alert her about his presence. He landed in the courtyard near his room and rushed into his room, gently closing the door behind him as he did so.

In his room, Xiao Yan hurriedly removed the black cloak and stored it within the storage ring. Only then did he heave a sigh of relief. He weakly lay on his bed and lazily mumbled to himself, “Oh, what a beautiful night.”

......

In the early morning of the next day at the Jia Lie clan’s home.

Jia Lie Bi’s current expression was gloomy and frightening. Threads of cold aura were emitted from his body, terrifying the kneeling beautiful female servant who was trembling in fear.

Sweeping his cold gaze across the room where Liu Xi had resided, Jia Lie Bi’s said crisply: “You said that Liu Xi had disappeared?”

“Yes, clan leader. Yesterday, this lowly servant suddenly fainted without reason and only woke up the next morning. Master Liu Xi was already missing by then. This lowly servant had asked the guards outside but they have not seen Master Liu Xi either.” The female servant cautiously said while trembling in fear.

“From the time he returned to his room yesterday night, I have not detected him leaving. Moreover, there are Dou Si level guards posted at the two entrances into the Jia Lie clan’s home. With Liu Xi’s ability he would not be able to leave the place without anyone noticing.”

“This girl doesn’t know either.” The servant girl’s face was ashened. She was afraid that Jia Lie Bi would put the blame on her.

Jia Lie Bi felt the corner of his eyes twitch. His feelings were in a mess as he took in a deep breath and ignored the quivering female servant. Slowly, he walked to every corner of the room.

Seeing Jia Lie Bi’s action, the servant girl dared not speak. Her kneeling body did not even dare move an inch.

As he was walking through the quiet room, Jia Lie Bi suddenly came to a stop at one corner. His eyes stared at the small pile of ashes at the corner of the room.

With his heart beating wildly, Jia Lie Bi bent down. He used his finger to extract some of the powder and sniffed it under his nose. Instantly, the cold expression turned into fear.

Jia Lie Bi let out a deep breath. He suddenly felt that his legs were a little numb. A cold feeling was slowly but uncontrollably coming up from deep within his heart.

“Liu Xi... was actually murdered under my watch?”