Chapter Two: Schemes and Deceit (Part II)

Then Fei Chuan leisurely returned to his seat, picked up a money pouch, weighed it, and tossed it to Ye Xin.

Ye Xin caught the pouch, poured its contents onto the table, and the golden coins spilled across half the tabletop, ringing with a melodious sound. He began counting them one by one, meticulous and serious.

After several seconds, Ye Xin had counted more than a dozen coins, yet he was still far from the total. Fei Chuan discreetly exhaled, exchanging a knowing glance with his guard, then stood and walked back to the coffin, gazing at the corpse inside.

The Poison Widow lying in the coffin was his greatest nemesis; with her gone, another worry was lifted from his mind. Now, Fei Chuan could finally savor his victory. A smile curled at the corner of his lips and slowly bloomed.

Ye Xin’s hands suddenly froze mid-count. He turned his head, silently watching Fei Chuan’s back. Though his face was shrouded in darkness beneath the heavy cloak, Fei Chuan could still feel the piercing gaze, like nails driven through the gloom, stabbing at his back.

“Black Robe, you’re vigilant enough, but… it’s too late,” Fei Chuan’s voice dropped to a low murmur.

Ye Xin extended his hand, and somewhere along the way, it had acquired smudges of bluish-grey, darkest at the fingertips. There was no need to seek answers—the coins had been poisoned.

“Boss Fei, you’re truly formidable!” Ye Xin sighed. “When I entered, I saw you fiddling with those coins, and the payment you gave me came from that very pile. It lulled me into complacency. Counting money is a pleasure everyone enjoys; it never occurred to me that you’d tamper with the coins themselves… Remarkable!”

“I recall you’re not much of a talker. What’s this? Trying to think your way out? Haha… You have no chance.” Fei Chuan’s face twisted into a sneer. “Black Robe, I used to think you were the most promising warrior in Tianyuan City, which is why I went to such lengths to befriend you. But you turned out to be so foolish! My words just now were clear: either become one of mine, or be my enemy. Since you’re so determined to die, don’t blame me.”

“I don’t understand. Why?” Ye Xin paused, unwilling to accept his fate.

Fei Chuan fell silent, squinting as if pondering deeply. Then, word by word, he answered, “Because you’re too full of hostility.”

“Oh? I still don’t understand,” said Ye Xin.

“One of my brothers among the Poison Widow’s people told me she was planning to post a bounty—twenty thousand gold coins and ten refined spirit crystals for my head. She’s done this before, but no one ever dared to accept. This time, she doubled the reward… That’s how badly she wants me dead!” Fei Chuan spoke slowly. “To retaliate, I posted a bounty first: two hundred gold coins for her life.”

“I… seem to have been played…” Ye Xin sighed.

“You were tricked more than once! Someone like you, living on the edge, would never fathom the schemes of us lords!” Fei Chuan laughed coldly, and perhaps worried Ye Xin wouldn’t appreciate his cleverness, he explained in detail, “My elder brother is not in Tianyuan City, so now is not the time to break with the Poison Widow completely. She offered twenty thousand gold coins and ten spirit crystals for my head, while I posted just two hundred gold coins for hers. Haha… To me, the Poison Widow is worth no more than that. If she takes my bounty seriously, she’ll become the laughingstock of the city. It’s like slapping her in the face for nothing, and she can do nothing about it. Really, I just needed to stall for a few days—my brother will be back soon.”

Ye Xin said nothing, listening quietly.

“But I never imagined… two hundred gold coins? For the Poison Widow’s life? Who would take such an absurd contract?” Fei Chuan paused. “When my men reported someone had accepted, I bit my own tongue in disbelief! At first, I thought it was some scheme, so I ordered a thorough investigation of you. Finally, I learned what kind of person you are.”

Ye Xin lowered his head, studying the bluish-grey stains on his fingertips.

“Seven months ago, a little girl from a hunter’s family west of the city was violated by members of the Blood Fury Society. You took a bounty of ten copper coins from the hunter, and single-handedly wiped out the entire Blood Fury Society. Though they weren’t the strongest, they still had over thirty warriors, all slain in one night! Three months ago, two beggars startled Qiu Da’an’s prized horse on South Street. The elder was kicked to death by Qiu Da’an, leaving a child behind. You took a handful of spoiled rice from the child’s begging bowl, then went after Qiu Da’an. Three days later, you killed him at the gates of Da’an Manor! Black Robe, you… you’re something else!” Fei Chuan raised his thumb to the black-robed youth, but his expression twisted into a snarl. He slammed his palm onto the coffin. “Are you a madman or a fool? What do you want? Justice? Let me tell you, every warrior in Tianyuan City has blood on their hands, none are clean—so in your eyes, are we all fair game?”

“Boss Fei, you overestimate me,” Ye Xin chuckled softly. “I simply like doing things that bring me pleasure.”

“Like?” Fei Chuan’s fury abruptly cooled, replaced by a chilling calm. “You think you can do whatever you like? The lords of Tianyuan City are not incompetents. I don’t know why you disliked the Poison Widow, but let’s be clear—ten copper coins drove you to annihilate the Blood Fury Society, a handful of spoiled rice made you seek out Qiu Da’an, and two hundred gold coins sent you after the Poison Widow. One day, you’ll decide I deserve to die—what then?”

Ye Xin shook his head and sighed again.

“Black Robe, you’re too much of an outlier. You don’t belong in Tianyuan City, nor should you be here at all. Tianyuan City has everything except justice; those who spoke of justice died long ago.” Fei Chuan said, “I value your talent and gave you a chance, but you refused. Now, with the Poison Widow gone and her backers still powerful, my brother may not be able to hold them off. Someone has to answer for her death.”

“In the end, that’s all that matters, isn’t it?” Ye Xin replied coldly.

“Heh… I’ve said so much just so you’ll die knowing why. Even now, I admire you—it’s a real shame! And don’t dream of finding an antidote; Deadly Linglong has no cure.” Fei Chuan said, “Black Robe, I’ll be frank: first, Tianyuan City is not yours alone. Thinking you can carve out a legacy with nothing but courage is sheer fantasy; second, once you walk this path, everyone becomes a pawn—survival of the fittest, let go when you must, change when you must, stubbornness is not virtue.” With that, Fei Chuan clasped his hands behind his back and nodded to the guard.

The guard’s eyes gleamed with a chilling murderous intent. He drew his sword and advanced toward Ye Xin, but after three steps, his body suddenly stiffened.

Ye Xin, at some point, had produced a small knife. He carefully scraped at the bluish-grey stains on his fingertips. Astonishingly, the stains peeled away, collecting in white layers on the blade. Ye Xin’s fingers remained unscathed, as if they were coated in thick grease.

Fei Chuan and his guard grew tense. Though they had thoroughly investigated Black Robe, they only knew what he had done, not his true strength. Besides, the Poison Widow’s corpse lay right here. If Black Robe could kill her, he was certainly a threat to them.

“Boss Fei, I’ll be frank with you too. Besides my preferred pursuits, sometimes I do other things,” Ye Xin said as he scraped away the stains. “And actually, I’ve long wanted to join Dragon’s Mouth Hall, but someone forbade it.”

Fei Chuan never expected such a turn at this moment. His brows shot up and he hurriedly asked, “Who? Who dares forbid you?!”

“Me!” A voice suddenly rang out from the coffin, and the Poison Widow’s corpse sprang into the air.

Fei Chuan’s attention snapped to the corpse. He retreated, reaching for his battle spear, but in that instant, a flash of black light shot from the bottom of the coffin, stabbing directly into Fei Chuan’s chest.

A killing strike!

The angle and speed were flawless; even had he not been distracted, Fei Chuan might not have escaped. Now, he was caught in a trap.

Fei Chuan let out a thunderous scream. His hand was less than an inch from the spear, but his arm dropped limply. The coffin exploded, and a graceful figure emerged from the debris, charging straight at the stunned guard. She didn’t even glance at Fei Chuan, as though he was already dead.

Fei Chuan slowly lowered his head, looking at the mangled wound in his chest. The flesh was charred and blackened, even the blood pouring out was tainted.

“You…” Fei Chuan strained to raise his hand, weakly pointing at the black-robed youth. “You… you…”

“I warned you,” Ye Xin said calmly, “Sometimes I do other things. For example, earning twenty thousand gold coins and ten refined spirit crystals.”