Chapter 3: Ten Steps to Kill a Person

Li Xin stepped forward, his sword blocking the incoming saber strike. With a flick of his wrist, he severed the opponent's tendons, causing the saber to drop from their hand. As he glanced again, Li Xin's figure glided, and with a swift motion, he slashed at the opponent's waist, blood gushing forth

This set of swordsmanship was taught to me by Master Zhu of the Li family. I have been practicing for over a year, and I believe that three to five ordinary men would not be my match at all. Li Peiran took a precious sword from a servant; the sword gleamed with a cold light, adorned with a crimson gemstone, and appeared extremely noble

Zhao Ke, with his tassels and embroidered cap

Indeed, this swordsmanship of yours, dear brother, is truly exceptional and rare even in Zhao County. After a moment, Li Peiran sheathed his treasured sword, and Li Shixiong immediately nodded and laughed heartily.

"Brother Li, I have recently practiced a set of sword techniques, and I would like to ask Brother Wang for some guidance." Just as Li Xin was about to leave, he suddenly heard Li Peiran's voice, which caused Ye Zichuan to stop in his tracks and look towards the training ground. He saw Li Peiran approaching with a man and a woman, his face beaming with smiles, as if he were a servant meeting his master, displaying utmost respect.

"You want to kill me!" Li Xin's eyes gleamed with cold light as he touched his side, his hand covered in blood. He immediately picked up the treasured sword from the ground and pointed it at Li Peiran, saying: "You want to kill me, don't you?"

You, are you looking for death!" Li Peiran's handsome face turned red, and he slapped Li Xin on the head.

The frost and snow shine brightly on the Wu hook

Although he did not possess the Fangtianhua halberd, it did not hinder his mastery of halberd techniques. The long staff became his weapon of choice. In this era, finding a wooden stick was quite easy. Although it was not as heavy as the Fangtianhua halberd, Li Xin had tied sandbags to his arms, adding up to over ten pounds. Initially, it was quite inconvenient, but after a few days, he gradually adapted. What the Fangtianhua halberd could achieve, the long staff could also accomplish. Every morning, he engaged in rigorous training, diligently practicing the halberd techniques of the Fangtianhua halberd. Apart from the Li Gao family, no one was aware of this. However, Li Xin had tied sandbags to his arms, which weighed over ten pounds. Initially, it was quite inconvenient, but after a few days, he gradually adapted. What the Fangtianhua halberd could achieve, the long staff could also accomplish. Every morning, he engaged in rigorous training, diligently practicing the halberd techniques of the Fangtianhua halberd. Apart from the Li Gao family, no one was aware of this.

"Good." The voice of Li Shixiong was filled with magnetism, making it very pleasant to hear.

What of killing you? You are merely the son of a maid, not even comparable to the legitimate sons of the Li family. Killing you is like killing a dog. Cough, cough!" Li Peiran laughed heartily, and finally could not help but cough loudly, saying: "Quick, kill him, I will reward you with a hundred guan and a bolt of Shu brocade. Hurry, kill him." Li Peiran shouted loudly.

Kill! Finally, someone could no longer endure it and swung a steel knife towards Li Xin. Following closely behind, several others charged in, each wielding various weapons. These individuals were inspired by Li Peiran's words. In this era, local tyrants sometimes exercised immense power in their regions. The disregard for human life was a frequent occurrence.

"Li Hao, is the Zhao Jun Li family also made up of such people?" A cold voice came from beside Li Shixiong, belonging to a beautiful woman dressed in a white long dress, resembling an ice mountain, her words revealing no hint of respect for Li Peiran.

That morning, after Li Xin finished his training and was about to head home, he suddenly heard a commotion ahead. Looking over, he saw a group of people practicing martial arts in the training ground. In this era, the scions of noble families were held in high regard, not only for their literary talents but also for their martial skills. This was especially true for the Li family of Zhao County, where the young nobles were proficient in archery and horsemanship, and were well-versed in military affairs. For instance, Li Yuan could shoot two targets with one arrow, and Li Shimin was known for charging into battle. In the Li family of Shouyang, the expectations for the family members were similar; while literary talent was important, they could not be completely inept in physical strength. Although they did not practice martial arts every day, they were required to train at least once every ten days.

"Impudent, this is a matter of my legitimate wife, you should withdraw at once." Li Xin's gaze was fierce as he swept over the crowd, causing everyone to be taken aback. Although Li Xin was born of a maid, he was, strictly speaking, a legitimate son of the main wife, and his status was above that of the collateral branches.

Unfortunately, he felt a sudden pain in his wrist, only to realize that at some point, his wrist had already fallen into Li Xin's grasp. He felt as if his wrist was about to be crushed, and he couldn't help but let out a cry of agony

Be careful

"Li Xin, hurry up and let me go, are you all fools? Why aren't you coming to rescue me?" Li Peiran shouted angrily to the Li family members behind him. The training ground was in chaos, and it was at this moment that everyone finally reacted. It should be noted that although the Shouyang Li clan is a branch of the Zhao County Li clan, it is still a small family. Within the Shouyang Li clan, there are distinctions between the main branch and the side branches. Li Xiong is the head of the family, and his son is the main branch. Li Peiran, being the son of Li Xiong, is a direct descendant of the main branch. The people on the training ground are all from the side branches, and even some are born into the family. At this moment, they all stepped forward, preparing to snatch Li Peiran away from Li Xin.

Li Xin observed Li Peiran's swordsmanship and secretly shook his head. It appeared to be as agile as a startled dragon, with boundless power, but in reality, it was merely a display of superficial techniques. If swordsmanship were truly that easy to master, one would expect everyone to be figures like Hong Fu Nu.

"Kill him, and I will inform my mother. The Li family is under my mother's authority. Killing him is akin to slaughtering pigs and dogs. Once he is dead, even the authorities will not hold you accountable." Li Peiran shouted loudly, "I will tell the officials that he intended to kill me first. You are merely assisting me in capturing him, and if he is accidentally killed, no one will come after you. Kill him, and I will reward you with fertile land, beautiful women, and countless treasures of gold and silver. Hurry up and do it. No one will come after you. Kill him, and I will reward you with fertile land, beautiful women, and countless treasures of gold and silver. Hurry up and do it."

Hmph! Am I embarrassing myself? At the very least, it's much better than your pretentious antics, which have completely tarnished the reputation of the Shouyang Li family. Li Xin originally did not want to engage in conversation, but Li Peiran's words were too offensive, prompting Li Xin to retort.

Pei Shimei laughed it off. Although Peiran Xian's swordsmanship had some areas that were a bit rusty, there were still some commendable aspects. Li Hao smiled awkwardly, showing no signs of dissatisfaction on his face, but Li Xin could see that there was a hint of discontent in his gaze towards Li Peiran.

Although this body spent seventeen years in a state of confusion and was regarded as a fool by everyone, its strength is truly remarkable. After recovering, Li Xin discovered the secrets within. Initially, he worried that his body had already fully developed, and even if he practiced martial arts now, he might not achieve much in the future. However, things are different now; with divine power, he believes that his future is certainly in his own hands.

The onlookers from the Li family's collateral branch or the family members were momentarily taken aback, some displaying a hint of excitement on their faces. However, they hesitated to act, mindful of the Li family's strict family rules. After all, killing is not the same as fighting, especially when it involves the illegitimate son of the Li family head. Once the incident occurs, severe punishment is inevitable. Although money is appealing, it is only worth enjoying if one has their life intact.

"This person, Li Xiandi, although Peiran Xiandi has said some inappropriate things, he is still your elder brother. We are all family, so why must it be like this?" Li Hao frowned and advised from the side. Although he is from a collateral branch of the Li family, he is still part of the Zhao County Li family, and losing face in front of the Pei family does not sit well with him

"After all, they are merely a side branch and cannot produce any outstanding talents." The woman with the surname Pei glanced around and said disdainfully

"What are you doing here, Li Xin?" Li Peiran felt a surge of embarrassment and anger as he suddenly spotted Li Xin by the edge of the woods. Infuriated, he strode forward, pointing at Li Xin and scolding, "Why aren't you staying in your room? Have you come here to embarrass yourself? Get back there right now."

Li Xin thrust his long sword forward, unable to suppress the loud recitation from his mouth. His fighting spirit soared, and the gloom in his heart vanished without a trace, transforming into a passionate fervor. At this moment, he seemed to be born for the purpose of slaughter.

After taking a few steps, a gust of sword wind came from behind. Li Xin's expression changed, and he quickly rolled to the side. A sharp pain shot through his waist. Turning around, he saw Li Peiran wielding a treasured sword, striking towards him, with blood still on the blade.

"He is a bastard; kill him, and I will reward you," Li Peiran shouted loudly. He felt an unprecedented humiliation, having been captured by Li Xin, especially in front of the Li family of Zhao County and the Wen Xipei family. This was more painful than death itself; he wished he could kill Li Xin immediately.

Someone once said that when God closes a door for you, He will surely open a window. Li Xin used to think this saying was incorrect, but now he feels the truth contained within it

Hmph! It is truly embarrassing to need an outsider to plead on one's behalf. Li Xin snorted coldly, casually pushing Li Peiran aside, and turned to leave with the stick in hand

"Seeking death." Li Xin looked at the crowd rushing towards him, his expression darkening. He was momentarily taken aback, and then he was filled with complete rage. Having been born in a time of peace, he had never been so pressured by others before. At this moment, as he gazed at the crowd's blood-red eyes, his own expression turned ferocious. He kicked out with his right foot, and the wooden stick whistled through the air, striking two people charging at him, the immense force instantly knocking them back. His right hand thrust out the treasured sword like lightning, eliciting a scream from the opposite side, a spray of blood erupted as one person's shoulder was pierced in an instant, executed with a direct stab.

Li Shixiong nodded, and then saw Li Peiran holding a treasured sword, letting out a long howl. The training ground was illuminated by the flashing sword light, resembling scattered cold stars, enveloping Li Peiran and making the sword dance impervious to the wind and rain. The Li family disciples practicing nearby cheered in response, and Li Shixiong nodded repeatedly. Only the woman beside him remained silent, and even Li Xin could detect a hint of disdain in her eyes.

Damn it. Li Xin's expression darkened; Li Peiran intended to kill him. Without a moment's hesitation, he swiftly thrust the wooden stick in his hand, striking Li Peiran in the armpit. A sharp pain shot through Li Peiran's right hand, causing the sword he held to fall to the ground. Immediately afterward, a tremendous force struck his chest, sending him flying a distance of over ten feet, landing on the ground in a disheveled state.