Continuing the Journey

A long sword was on a roundtable emitting an eerie aura. A tiny pattern of a dragon with some unknown texts engraved on the hilt. The edge appeared so smooth that a clear image would reflect there and the sharpness seemed enough to give a chill behind anyone's back. If a hair landed on the blade, just that lightweight would cut the hair half into 2.

Hou stroke the sword on the hilt and wiped a few strains remained on the edge with a soft piece of cloth, resembling like a professional, however, tiny cuts appeared on his fingers and a drop of blood flowed from the wound.

After a moment, Hou stopped and laid the sword on the middle of the roundtable. He placed his finger in his mouth and sucked the blood to stop the bleeding. Then, he scanned the surrounding people and question.

"Aunt Ling, what happened to the scabbard of this sword?"

"A few years ago, someone snuck into Blacksmith Hong Shun's hideout and tried to steal the sword but the thief could only grab the scabbard before escaping. As for the thief's identity, no one knows it," Aunt Ling replied as she took out a token and a white scroll from her sleeves.

The token looked like a human heart shape and bloody sparks glittered and moved around it, resembling a real throbbing heart.

Aunt Ling placed them on the table and said, "This token represents your identity as a member of our Heart Organisation and the scroll contains the list of names you need to eliminate as your first task."

Hou grabbed the scroll and opened it, revealing a long list of names. He gave a slight nod toward Aunt Ling and threw it toward Lily.

Just as he picked the token, Aunt Ling added with a serious tone, "You must complete the task without alerting anyone nor leaving a trace back to you."

"No problem, leave everything to me," Hou responded to her as he fiddled the token in his hand while thinking too much hassle and wondering whether he should just ignore it. But he needed to complete the task because she helped him with the earlier situation.

As for why he joined the organisation, when he had heard the Blacksmith Hong Shun owned the sword; High Stage Rank 10 Heavenly Mortal Grade, he decided to obtain the sword. So, he hired Aunt Ling, though instead of payment, she placed a condition for him to join the organisation.

Therefore, with the easiest option available for him, Hou accepted her condition.

Although he understood Aunt Ling had a motive, he didn't bother at all. After all, if something bad happened, he would return and hide inside Liu Clan.

Aunt Ling relaxed hearing his reply and stood up from her seat while motioning Ying Yu with her eyes. She glimpsed at the sword and left remarks as she walked toward the exit.

"Beware of the curses of the sword! At least, find the ranked first Blacksmith Zheng and ask him to remove the changes added by the Blacksmith Hong Shun. Or you might have to follow the same path as Blacksmith Hong Shun."

Hou ignored her and passed the token to the curious Long Anqi whose her eyes were glued on his hand. He glanced toward Lily and said as he pointed his finger at the sword on the table.

"Lily, since you lost your old sword in the endless flames, use this sword."

Startled, Lily stopped reading the names from the scroll and looked toward the sword. With hesitation, she asked sensing a bad omen, "but, what about the curses?"

Hou walked toward the shelves and took out a wine barrel from a hidden compartment within the shelves. He broke the seal from the wine barrel and responded.

"Don't worry, I won't leak nor let anyone discover how you kidnapped the girls."

Instantly, Lily, Long Anqi and Ouyang Lanyu broke out in cold sweats hearing his words and kept their mouth shut knowing he might really do it if they rebutted him.

A silence remained in the room creating an awkward and a gloomy atmosphere.

Finally, Lily gathered her courage and asked in a worried voice.

"Young Master, can we first meet the Blacksmith Zheng and ask to fix the sword?"

Hou found their reaction quite amusing. He said that because they would have to waste their time finding that Blacksmith and repairing the sword.

He shook his head and sat on the floor beside the wine barrel before taking a sip.

A satisfied expression appeared on his face after tasting the wine. He hummed a tone before speaking.

"Lily, it's your sword. You can do whatever you want with it."

The girls took a deep breath in relief and ignored him. They wanted to slap him, however, they had no guts to do it.

Long Anqi seemed bored playing with the token, so she exited the room. Ouyang Lanyu dragged her body and entered the inner chamber before she began to take a shower.

Meanwhile, Lily glanced at the scroll in her hand and felt distressed knowing the oncoming trouble. She had an urge to thrash Ying Yue for inviting her Aunt Ling. After all, she understood Hou more than anyone. With his demeanour, she could predict him barging inside the target's home and killing the target in the daylight. She sighed rubbing her head as she tried not to think anymore.

After a while, Ying Yue entered the room and bode her farewell to Hou and the girls with a reluctant expression.

At the same moment, Hou also announced to leave and continue their original journey toward the Forgotten Frozen City.

Soon, Hou and the girls left the building and waited for the Purpled Snow Dove.

Suddenly, a running teen boy bumped into Hou.

Startled, Hou swept his gaze toward the boy. When he caught the boy's face, he became enraged and began to trash the boy.

The girls and the onlookers pitied the unlucky boy, but no one stopped Hou.

After several kicks and slaps, Hou stopped as the Purpled Snow Dove had arrived in front of them.

The unlucky boy had a few broken tooth, broken bones, swelling face and covered in his own blood.

Lily took a gold from her pouch and readied to throw it toward the boy, however, she stopped once she found Hou giving her a cold glare.

Hou spat his spit on the ground and jumped on the Purpled Snow Dove. The girls too followed after him. Then, the Purple Snow Dove flew and left toward Forgotten Frozen City.

The girls seemed like they wanted to question him yet didn't ask the reason. After all, they guessed he would only give a nonsensical answer.

Meanwhile, Hou remained in silence and kept pondering why he became so enraged and beat that boy. He had felt a genuine disgust watching the boy, and it didn't come from his appearance instead sensing an unpleasant aura. However, the boy had no cultivation.

After Hou and the girls left the spot, the unlucky boy stood on his feet and limped toward a corner, ignoring all the onlookers who tried to help him. When he reached there and noticed no one, his wounds healed in a blink of an eye, leaving no traces of injuries.

With a sly smile, the unlucky boy peered his eyes toward a distance and murmured, "Why is that person protecting a kid?"