Chapter 159: The Li Family of Luo River

"How strange!" Liang Yan muttered inwardly.

He had practiced the *Mixed Breath Art* for a long time, and that sensation just now could not be wrong. Clearly, someone was secretly watching him, though he could not determine the exact direction.

Even so, this was enough to put Liang Yan on high alert. He turned around, intending to take Li Xiaosong away from this place first. However, as his gaze swept across the area, the gambling tables were crowded with figures, but Li Xiaosong was nowhere to be seen!

Liang Yan was greatly startled and immediately looked around. Yet no matter how he searched the entire hall, he could not find the little girl with twin braids.

He had always been astute and knew that at this moment, he must not lose his composure and reveal any flaws to the person hiding in the dark. Therefore, despite his inner astonishment, he did not show the slightest change on his face. Instead, he calmly began to observe his surroundings.

"Li Xiaosong has been here before. If that group in the dark wanted to deal with her or the Fragrance-Scenting Sect behind her, they would have made a move long ago."

"For them to strike only today, this group is likely targeting me. As long as I do not act rashly, Li Xiaosong's life should not be in danger."

Having figured this out, Liang Yan actually grew calmer. He gave a slight cold hum and thought, "I would like to see what kind of medicine you are selling in this gourd!"

Sure enough, it wasn't long before a servant-dressed lad walked up to him. Standing still before him, the lad gave a slight bow and asked:

"Pardon me, are you Young Master Hao Chou?"

Liang Yan looked at the person before him, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I am indeed. How may I help you?"

"My young master requests your presence." The lad bowed slightly, gesturing an invitation.

"Oh? Who is your young master? Do I know him?" Liang Yan did not move.

Upon hearing this, the lad only lowered his head and said, "You will know once you meet him."

"And what if I refuse to go?" Liang Yan countered.

"Hehe, there is no need for the young master to be impatient. Just take a look at this first." The lad seemed to have anticipated this. With a faint smile, he reached into his robe, drew out a small hammer, and handed it to him.

Liang Yan lowered his gaze. He still remembered this small hammer; it was the spiritual tool Li Xiaosong had used half a year ago during their first conflict with the members of the Fragrance-Scenting Sect.

Liang Yan's face instantly darkened as he demanded, "What have you done to her?"

"Hehe, the young master need not worry. Just accompany me for a trip, and you will naturally see her. But if you refuse, I guarantee that the next thing delivered to your residence won't be a spiritual tool, but rather a piece of this little girl's body."

Liang Yan's expression shifted through a gamut of emotions. After a long while, he nodded as if having made up his mind, and said, "Lead the way ahead, then!"

The lad smiled faintly, turned around immediately, and led Liang Yan away from the crowd.

The underground hall was extremely spacious. When the two reached a corner in the northwest, the lad stopped and pressed against the wall in a certain sequence.

Suddenly, with a rumbling sound, the wall in front of them slowly slid open, revealing a passage leading inward. The lad entered the passage first, and after a brief moment of hesitation, Liang Yan followed him inside.

The passage was not long. After walking just a few steps, they reached a stone door. The lad gave it a push, then stood respectfully by the doorway and uttered only one word:

"Please!"

Ignoring him, Liang Yan stepped across the threshold. Then, sweeping his gaze across the room, a smile that was not quite a smile appeared on his face as he said:

"It really is you!"

It was a moderately sized secret chamber. In the very center sat a grand master's chair, upon which a youth in blue robes was seated, a long saber belted at his waist and a haughty expression in his eyes.

It was none other than Li Huan of the Blood Saber Sect!

"You don't seem surprised at all." A cold smirk tugged at the corner of Li Huan's mouth, and his eyes stared at Liang Yan like a hunter watching his prey.

Beside Li Huan, standing to his left and right, were two elderly men, both possessing the cultivation of the ninth layer of Qi Refining!

As for the two sides of the secret chamber, there were over a dozen enforcers above the fifth layer of Qi Refining, all watching Liang Yan with cold sneers.

"Young Master, why waste words with him? Let this old servant execute him directly and vent your anger!" the green-robed elder to Li Huan's right lowered his head and said.

Liang Yan said nothing. Sweeping his gaze, he spotted Li Xiaosong tied up tightly against the right wall of the chamber, a piece of cloth stuffed in her mouth, looking at him with pitiful eyes.

"What? Cat got your tongue? Mute now?" Li Huan ignored the green-robed elder's suggestion and asked with a smile.

"I wonder why Brother Li has invited me here?" Liang Yan's mind raced, but on the surface, he only asked indifferently.

"Hmph, still playing dumb? You blind, lowly cultivator, daring to provoke the legitimate son of the Luo River Li family, you deserve a hundred deaths!" the black-robed elder to Li Huan's left said coldly.

"Hehe, Hao Chou, oh Hao Chou. My original intention was to deal with you personally at tomorrow's Luo River martial tournament. But I didn't expect you to be so unlucky as to wander right into my territory. Since that is the case, of course I must play the gracious host!" Li Huan said with a smile.

"You want my life?" Liang Yan's expression grew steadily colder.

Hearing this, Li Huan stood up, stroked the hilt of his saber at his waist, and said arrogantly:

"Don't say I'm heartless. I'll give you a fair chance to duel right now. If you can defeat the blade in my hand, what harm is there in sparing your life?"

"Young Master, you mustn't! Caution above all else!" The green-robed elder beside Li Huan immediately tried to dissuade him.

"A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall. Today, either Poison Elder or I can easily and securely execute this fellow. Since the Young Master is still young, why bother doing it yourself?" The other black-robed elder also chimed in with advice.

"Nonsense! You two old dogs, do you really think this young master cannot defeat a nameless nobody?" Li Huan rebuked angrily.

"This old servant wouldn't dare!"

Seeing Li Huan fly into a rage, the two old men immediately bowed and offered repeated apologies.

"Hmph, attend to your own duties. If you dare interfere with this young master's decision again, I'll make sure you regret it when we get back!" Li Huan sneered, then turned his gaze back to Liang Yan, smiling grimly:

"Kid, do you know my favorite thing in the world? My favorite thing is to carve up arrogant rats like you piece by piece until you die!"

With that, he drew his saber with a fierce slash. As the long saber left its scabbard, a surge of crimson light shot into the sky, transforming into thick blood mist in mid-air.

A rolling murderous intent swept over them. Before Liang Yan, it was as if a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood had materialized, mixed with endless malevolent Qi.

"So this is the *Blood Sea Infinite Blade-Transforming Scripture*..." Liang Yan muttered, looking at the blood-red malevolence before him.

The *Blood Sea Infinite Blade-Transforming Scripture* was an cultivation method that achieved Dao through slaughter; every time it took a life, it had to drink its blood. Over time, the blood malevolence adhered to the blade, transforming into a thick baleful Qi. The more people killed, the heavier the baleful Qi, and the greater the power of the technique.

At this moment, the blood mist churned above Li Huan's head, actually condensing into a blood-red saber in mid-air.

As he slashed forward with his blade, the blood-red saber in mid-air also came crashing down toward the top of Liang Yan's head...