CHAPTER 72: CHAPTER 72: CLIMB HIGHER, JUST KEEP RUNNING

The door was kicked open, and sure enough, he saw his younger brother, Li Xiaofan. His mouth was blocked, unable to speak, his face had a few red palm prints, but his expression was very defiant, glaring angrily at Li Xian.

"Brother, it’s me."

Li Xian said, removing the white cloth from Li Xiaofan’s mouth.

"Brother!"

Li Xiaofan’s eyes lit up, finally recognizing Li Xian, and said joyfully, "Brother, you’ve come to rescue me?"

Immediately, his expression tightened, "It’s very dangerous here, they dare not kill me, brother, you should escape quickly."

"What are you talking about?" Li Xian smiled, "I’m taking you away."

Untying the ropes, Li Xiaofan was just over ten years old, with a thin and weak body, so he couldn’t run fast. But he wasn’t heavy, carrying him wasn’t much of a burden.

They exited the woodshed.

Seeing the southeast corner ablaze, black smoke rolling, they knew the fire was still spreading. Li Xian dared not delay and quickly fled.

...

On the other side.

"Hurry, hurry! Put out the fire for me!"

"If anything happens to my little Xiang, I’ll make you pay with your lives!"

The seventh young master, Zheng Caiqi, looked ferocious, having learned that his beloved horse might be burned to charcoal, his heart felt like it was bleeding.

He grabbed two servants and threw them towards the fire, saying, "Quickly save my horse!"

However, the fire was fierce, and it was feared that the horse had already perished.

"Hmm?"

Zheng Caiqi’s personal guard, Yang Cheng, suddenly saw from a distance people from the Black Water Gang coming over, picking up buckets and throwing water, more energetic than the servants.

He couldn’t help but frown slightly.

This fire breaking out in the middle of winter was truly peculiar.

"Who told you to come?" Yang Cheng asked.

"Huh?" One of the gang members said, "Didn’t the young master ask us to come and put out the fire?"

Yang Cheng furrowed his brows in tight. As soon as the fire broke out, he and Zheng Caiqi had rushed over. Although Zheng Caiqi was the young master, he usually lacked quick wit, only knowing to be anxious.

In a moment of urgency, how could he think of getting the gang members involved in putting out the fire?

It could be seen that there was something fishy about this matter.

Could it be...

Yang Cheng’s heart skipped a beat, "Could it be a diversionary tactic!"

A fire in winter, if not man-made, he would not believe it. Yang Cheng shouted, "You, you, take people and come with me!"

Leading the way on horseback, he rushed towards the west courtyard.

When he reached the woodshed where "Flower Picking Boy" was held, his heart trembled, seeing the door wide open, ropes scattered on the ground, with no one inside.

"Indeed!"

At this moment, Yang Cheng shouted angrily, "Little thief, where do you think you’re going!" Leaping over a courtyard wall, he saw a figure running into the woods.

"I’ll go ahead and catch that little thief! You all, quickly follow!"

Yang Cheng ordered, immediately jumping down from the courtyard wall, pursuing into the woods.

"Brother, he’s coming!"

Li Xiaofan said, turning his head.

"This guy is quite smart, seeing through so quickly." Li Xian felt a bit uneasy, but did not panic.

"He’s so fast." Li Xiaofan clicked his tongue, seeing the distance being closed step by step.

"Little thief, where do you think you’re going!"

In no time, Yang Cheng had caught up close, reaching out to grab Li Xiaofan, with Inner Qi circulating, locking onto his target, making it extremely difficult to avoid. Li Xian suddenly turned back, employing the "Four Directions Fist" to confront him.

With a "bang," Li Xian’s hand bones slightly cracked, causing immense pain. Fortunately, he recently benefited from the Tiger Blood Pill, Bear Gall Pill, and Hundred Beasts Bath, strengthening his body. His bones were tenacious, with considerable strength.

Otherwise, this move just now would have crippled his right hand.

Yang Cheng angrily said, "Was it you who set the fire to burn the horse?" Greatly astonished, he didn’t expect this young brat to be able to withstand his Palm Power. While speaking, he attacked again.

Li Xian dodged while saying, "It’s a pity about the Snow Jade White Horse, now it’s probably well-done. Hahaha."

"Brat, facing death, yet you dare to be cheeky." Yang Cheng said, "I’ll capture you alive and see how the young master deals with you!"

He suddenly changed his move, delivering a powerful and terrifying kick without warning.

This Yang Cheng was proficient in Martial Arts with "Qi Circulation."

Li Xian dodged aside.

Yang Cheng’s kick struck a big tree behind, a "thud" sounded as the trunk caved in at that spot.

However, at this time, sudden changes occurred.

Several objects fell from the treetop, before Yang Cheng could see clearly, Li Xian had already grabbed the narrow blade, slashing towards his right leg!

"Not good!"

Yang Cheng immediately withdrew his leg, only to see Li Xian’s revealing a smile, the narrow blade traced an arc, switching from a vertical slash to a horizontal slash!

The mastery of the Four Directions Fist was complete and fully understood, even holding a knife, it could be used as a fist!

Yang Cheng was caught off guard, although experienced, being able to discern ordinary "Diversionary Tactics" or "Illusion and Reality."

But the strength of the Four Directions Fist lay in that it didn’t use feigned attacks; every move was genuine, but through subtle physical adjustments, the force line shifted, drastically altering the angle of a killing move in an instant.

He didn’t expect this change, knowing he fell into a plan. Unable to avoid it, Qi Circulation, forcibly took this slash.

Flesh tore apart.

The pain cut deep into the heart!

But it wasn’t over yet. Yang Cheng tapped his toes on the ground and widened the distance. Unknowingly, this played right into Li Xian’s hands.

Li Xian, using his blade as a dart, actually hurled it directly. Yang Cheng, extremely helpless, could only dodge once again.

At the same time, Li Xian caught the "Deer Hunting Bow," already pulling it like a full moon, and shot three consecutive arrows.

"Damn it!"

A chill ran through Yang Cheng’s body. The power of these three arrows was formidable, one aimed at his throat, two at his knees, all three enclosing him from different angles.

The intent was obvious and vicious. This person was not only an expert archer but also remarkably calm and scheming.

From the moment of pursuit, he had already figured out how to counter me.

My Inner Qi cultivation, martial arts mastery, and combat experience are clearly much higher than his.

Yet, I’m being led by the nose.

"Bastard!"

Yang Cheng’s anger rose, and he resorted to a risky move. If he wanted to survive, he would have to avoid the arrow at his throat. But by doing so, his knees would get shot, rendering him immobile, also a death sentence.

The only solution.

Is to not dodge any of the three arrows, but use small body movements so they only graze him.

Yang Cheng, being a person with quick wit, managed to do just that with a slight shiver of his body. His throat was cut open, blood streaming out but his windpipe wasn’t severed.

Both knees were shot, the arrows embedded in the flesh but not reaching the bones.

"Good!"

Li Xian admired, such a response truly opened his eyes. Just after he spoke, he turned around carrying Li Xiaofan on his back, and fled deeper inside.

"Coach Yang!"

The confrontation between the two was, in reality, just a split second.

Now, the members of the Black Water Gang arrived belatedly.

"Chase! Chase after them for me!"

"Cough, cough..."

Yang Cheng clutched his throat, shuddering at the thought, then anger took over his heart.

He had achieved "Qi Circulation," and was half a step into "Blood Solidification and Aperture Closure," slowing the blood flow, then simply bandaging the wound.

The injury is neither too severe nor too slight.

Under normal circumstances, a few days of good rest would be necessary. But today, with the death of the Young Master’s cherished horse, he had no excuse if he didn’t capture that little thief.

He personally entered the forest to capture Li Xian.

"Big Brother, you’re amazing!"

Li Xiaofan gazed adoringly.

"You’re amazing as well, picking flowers at such a young age." Li Xian smiled.

"Hehe." Li Xiaofan scratched his head.

"Xiaofan, today I’ll see you out of Huangyu County. After that, you have to walk your own path."

"Even if Big Brother wants to help, it’s beyond his reach."

Li Xian said solemnly.

"Mm, Big Brother, I will not let you down." Li Xiaofan nodded vigorously, a trace of firm tenacity akin to Li Xian flashed across his young face:

"I’ve heard a lot lately, about things like prosperity and literary energy, it’s rather elusive."

"They all say I’m a mud splatterer, and my family is too, not fit at all."

"I don’t care much. I only know that I’ll never let people bully Big Brother and me again."

"Being a guard is tough, I know. Now that I’ve picked flowers, I will rise higher and higher."

"Big Brother, wait for me."

Saying this, Li Xiaofan clenched his fists, touching the red mark on his face. It still stung.

Li Xian felt quite gratified.

At this moment, suddenly deep in the forest, there was a grey horse, its eyes askew, hideous to the extreme.

When the stable was burned, this least noticeable horse was the first to run out.

Li Xian’s face lit up with joy, he mounted the horse. Though never trained in riding, by relying on his martial arts, subduing the horse wasn’t a challenge at all.

It was actually late in the night.

Pursuers were closing in step by step.

Yet in front was a pitch-black scene.

In the world between heaven and earth, snowflakes fluttered. Li Xiaofan clung tightly to Li Xian’s jacket.

"Who cares, let’s go!"

In front, pitch black, utterly unable to tell whether the road was a pothole or a cliff, relying only on luck. But... he just urged the horse to gallop, and if there’s no road, he would make one.

Since arriving in this world, Li Xian has experienced much injustice, much oppression, though relying on diligence, the situation has been improving, but often he could feel a gap between people, difficult to bridge.

Often felt stifled.

But at this moment...

Clearly, the situation is dangerous, the ugly horse running beneath him.

The snow and wind blowing through hair strands, enveloped in darkness, the heavens and the earth seemingly void, but within his heart arose an untimely sense of heroism.

Li Xian patted the horse’s back.

Imagining a scene in the vast night:

An ugly horse carrying the nursing home, the nursing home carrying a child. Snow and wind mingling with pursuing soldiers, in the distance, flames roared.

Angry shouts drowned in the snow and wind.