Chapter 278: Black and White Xuanshan (Part 2)

"Greetings, everyone from Flowing Sand," Daniel said with a smile as he entered the large room on the third floor of Zilan Xuan, addressing everyone present.

At this moment, the members of Flowing Sand, except for Princess Red Lotus, were all there—Zhang Liang, Wei Zhuang, Zinu, and Nong Yu. Besides them, Lord Shang and Gai Nie were also in attendance.

Lord Shang was currently playing a game of chess with Han Fei by the window, away from the others. Due to Daniel's involvement, Lord Shang's evaluation of Han Fei had slightly diminished. Nevertheless, it didn't affect his overall assessment of Han Fei, who still managed to handle situations impressively, earning Daniel's admiration.

When Daniel greeted the group, Wei Zhuang merely cast a cold glance his way. However, Zhang Liang, Zinu, and Nong Yu nodded back with polite smiles, acknowledging the substantial wealth Daniel had provided to Flowing Sand.

Lord Shang soon conceded the chess game, as his skill in the game couldn't match up to Han Fei's. Even Zhang Liang couldn't best Han Fei when it came to playing Go.

"Brother Shen, I didn't expect to see you here," Han Fei said, approaching Daniel with a drink after finishing the game. The unspoken reason for his surprise was understood by all.

"You're too kind, Ninth Prince. I should be the one thanking you for your hospitality during my stay. As I'm about to leave, perhaps I should deal with Ji Wuye for you before I go."

Daniel's words left everyone stunned. Wei Zhuang's gaze grew even colder. If Ji Wuye were so easily dealt with, Wei Zhuang would have already taken care of him. In the past, Wei Zhuang had attempted to assassinate Ji Wuye, but even though Ji Wuye couldn't match Wei Zhuang in single combat, he had a vast number of guards. Overwhelming numbers made it impossible for Wei Zhuang to succeed.

"Thank you, but that won't be necessary," Han Fei said after a brief pause.

"Are you sure, Ninth Prince? As far as I know, Ji Wuye has his sights set on Princess Red Lotus. That Fourth Prince also seems keen to arrange a marriage. If the King decrees a marriage between them, what will you do? Stop it or let it happen?"

Before Han Fei could respond, the sound of glass shattering filled the room. Wei Zhuang had crushed the glass goblet in his hand.

"The King loves Princess Red Lotus, but we all know why. It's simply to increase her value."

Being a royal princess may seem glamorous, but in reality, that glamour is only on the surface. The primary role of a royal princess is to marry into an influential family, either within the country or abroad. As for marrying for love, that's a mere dream.

In this era, even a woman as exceptional as Dongjun Yanfei was initially just a pawn. Others like Nong Yu, Snow Maiden, and Lian Yi were also pawns in the grand political game. The only one with true freedom might be Xiaomeng from the Taoist Heavenly Sect.

Han Fei remained silent. He was fully aware of Red Lotus's situation, but there was little he could do to change it unless he overthrew his father and became the King of Han himself.

"Ji Wuye has such plans?" Zinu asked, surprised.

In the minds of Han Fei, Zinu, Zhang Liang, and the others, they had assumed that if Red Lotus were to marry, it would be to Ji Wuye's son, Ji Yi Hu. The idea of her marrying Ji Wuye himself seemed unthinkable.

"Why not? You all know what kind of man Ji Wuye is. Ninth Prince, you still haven't answered me—if the King decrees the marriage, will you stop it or not?"

Daniel's words made Han Fei's expression turn serious. He then turned his gaze to Wei Zhuang. "You want to marry Princess Red Lotus, but it's a long and difficult road, even if you both have feelings for each other."

This statement left Han Fei, Zinu, Zhang Liang, and even Gai Nie surprised, their eyes all turning to Wei Zhuang. Under their scrutiny, Wei Zhuang's expression grew darker.

"Brother Wei, you—" Zhang Liang exclaimed, shocked.

In truth, Zhang Liang and Princess Red Lotus could have been a potential match. The Zhang family held significant influence in Han, serving as chancellors for five generations, making them a suitable match. However, neither Red Lotus nor Zhang Liang had shown any interest in such a union.

"So, you all didn't know?" Daniel found their reactions amusing. One of his reasons for revealing the relationship between Wei Zhuang and Red Lotus was to see how Han Fei would react to the news that Wei Zhuang was pursuing his sister.

The other reason was that both Wei Zhuang and Red Lotus were rather reserved individuals. If no one broke the ice, who knew how long it would take for them to finally come together? Watching their interactions in *The Legend of Qin*, Daniel couldn't help but feel anxious for them.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm only doing this for your own good," Daniel said with a chuckle as he met Wei Zhuang's gaze, which was now filled with killing intent. "Afterward, I'll go kill Ji Wuye. That means you'll owe me a favor."

"Ninth Prince, while there's still time, you should think about what to do after Ji Wuye is gone. And Zinu, I'd appreciate it if you could take over the wealth from Fei Cui Hu. I don't need anything else, just leave Lanxiu Manor for me. I might return someday, and I'll need a place to stay."

With that, Daniel ignored the stunned expressions of Han Fei, Zhang Liang, and the others, walking over to Lord Shang. "Lord Shang, the enemy has appeared. It's time to leave."

"Farewell," Lord Shang said as he bid goodbye to Han Fei and immediately left. Gai Nie nodded to the others before following closely behind.

"Although I don't want to say this, I have a feeling we'll be meeting again very soon," Daniel said, nodding to the members of Flowing Sand before departing.

Not long after he left, a palace attendant arrived, summoning Han Fei to the palace.

"Zifang, I'll leave things here to you," Han Fei said as he hurriedly left, not even having time for a few parting words.

Daniel's words had deeply affected Han Fei, Wei Zhuang, and Zhang Liang. However, they had no time to dwell on them, as Ji Wuye's soldiers soon surrounded the area, forcing them to proceed with their original plan.

"Hold on tight. Room: Slaughterhouse." As Daniel, Ying Zheng, and Gai Nie neared the city walls, just as Gai Nie was about to speak, Daniel acted first. Moments later, Ying Zheng and Gai Nie realized the surroundings had changed—they were now outside the city of Xinzheng.

Originally, according to Han Fei and Zhang Liang's plan, Gai Nie was to follow Li Si, as Gai Nie's identity was too recognizable. If he stayed with Ying Zheng, it would be too easy to expose their movements. But with Daniel's arrival, the plan changed. With a simple space swap, they could leave the city without a hitch.

"The Taoist technique of Dreamlike Escape?" Gai Nie asked, surprised as he surveyed the surroundings, then fixed his gaze on Daniel.

"No, just some lesser-known methods. I'll leave things here to you," Daniel replied before vanishing from sight. Gai Nie watched as a stone appeared where Daniel had disappeared, his expression growing solemn.

He quickly led Ying Zheng away.

"Yo, killing again, are we?" In a nearby alley, standing among a pile of corpses, the assassin Mo Ya was about to finish off his next target when he heard a voice behind him. He quickly darted aside, abandoning his kill.

"This matter is no longer your concern. Leave," Daniel said calmly, not even looking at Mo Ya, who had leaped onto the roof.

"Let's go," Tang Qi, the leader of the underground forces in Xinzheng, realized that such matters were beyond him now. He knew who Mo Ya was, after all.

"One piece of advice: I'm going to kill Ji Wuye next. You should think about what comes after," Daniel said, looking up at Mo Ya with a smile.

"You think you can kill the General?" Mo Ya's cold gaze fixed on Daniel.

"It seems you don't believe me. I know your speed is impressive, but no matter how fast you are, you can't beat this." Daniel flicked his right foot, sending a sword flying into the air. In the next moment, the sword vanished, and Mo Ya found himself caught by the throat, Daniel's hand gripping him tightly.

"Now do you believe me?" Daniel asked as he tossed Mo Ya aside. Mo Ya flipped in midair, landing lightly on the ground, his eyes filled with shock.

"Why didn't you kill me?" Mo Ya finally asked after a moment of silence.

"It would be a waste to kill someone like you. I'm going to unleash havoc on Ji Wuye's forces soon. If there are people you don't want to see die, you'd better keep them away from Ji Wuye. I've said my piece. Do as you will."

After a brief hesitation, Mo Ya quickly used his light-foot technique, disappearing into the night.

"Black and White Xuanshan against Wei Zhuang, huh?" After Mo Ya left, Daniel made his way to Zilan Xuan, arriving just in time to witness the fight between Wei Zhuang and Black and White Xuanshan. Both were skilled swordmasters, but Wei Zhuang, being younger and less experienced, gradually began to lose ground as the battle wore on. His body was now riddled with injuries from Xuanshan's relentless attacks.

On the sidelines, Zhang Liang and Nong Yu, who was disguised as Zinu, could only watch in growing concern. Their martial skills were far inferior to Wei Zhuang's, let alone Xuanshan's.

"So, they're here too. It seems Han Fei did manage to ally with Tianze." Using his Observation Haki, Daniel sensed the presence of Tianze, Yanling Ji, and the rest of the Baiyue team nearby.

"Forget it," Daniel muttered to himself as he watched Tianze prepare to intervene. Though their intervention might ease Wei Zhuang's predicament, it would likely lead to the destruction of Zilan Xuan in the ensuing chaos. Moreover, the Baiyue team was no match for Xuanshan, who was far stronger than Blood-Clad Marquis.

"This place is lively, isn't it?" Daniel called out just as Xuanshan was about to close in on Wei Zhuang again, forcing him to halt. With Daniel's arrival, Tianze and his group decided against joining the fray.

"A master-level swordsman, Black and White Xuanshan... what a pity," Daniel remarked, stepping in front of Wei Zhuang to block Xuanshan's path. He looked at the domineering and confident Xuanshan, shaking his head lightly.

Xuanshan was a tragic figure. Once a notorious thief, he had turned his life around after meeting a gentle woman named Wei Xianxian, seeking to retire from the world of crime. However, he was manipulated again, and when he sought revenge, he was thwarted by both the Ghost Valley disciples and the Net Trap organization.

"You can rest now. The man you wanted to kill is dead, stripped of all his power and left to die in disgrace. There's no need for you to keep fighting," Daniel said as he slowly approached Xuanshan.

Xuanshan's gaze flickered with uncertainty at Daniel's words but quickly hardened into a murderous glare. He raised his twin swords, his powerful qi causing the air around the blades to tremble.

"Die!" Xuanshan roared, his voice filled with killing intent as he unleashed a cross-shaped strike aimed at Daniel. The attack was one of his deadliest, a move that few in the martial world could withstand.

But Daniel was no ordinary opponent. As the lethal strike approached, Daniel calmly extended his right hand, catching the intersecting blades between his fingers. To everyone's shock, the powerful sword qi veered off course, leaving deep gouges in the ground on either side of Daniel, while his hand remained unscathed.

"This ends here," Daniel said coldly, disarming Xuanshan with ease and sending him flying with a single kick.

"These swords have a nice feel to them," Daniel remarked, tossing the twin blades in his hands, appreciating their balance. They were even finer weapons than the red and white swords of Blood-Clad Marquis.

With the swords in hand, Daniel shifted his focus back to Xuanshan, who had struggled back to his feet. Xuanshan's eyes were filled with disbelief as he watched Daniel approach.

"Goodbye, Xuanshan," Daniel whispered as he suddenly blurred into motion. In an instant, he appeared before Xuanshan and drove one of the swords through his chest.

"Wei Yong is dead," Xuanshan muttered, his voice weak as his memories flooded back to him.

"Yes, he lost everything before his death—power, status, everything."

"I see..." Xuanshan breathed out, his eyes slowly closing as a peaceful expression settled over his face.

As Xuanshan took his final breath, Daniel felt a strange, malevolent energy radiate from the swords. The energy seemed to reach out towards him, but Daniel quickly shattered it with a pulse of his own power. In doing so, several ghostly figures appeared around Xuanshan's corpse—manifestations of the other souls he had absorbed.

In seconds, the apparitions faded, and Daniel summoned a purifying flame that consumed Xuanshan's body entirely.

"You want to fight me?" Daniel asked, turning his gaze to Wei Zhuang, who was now standing with a renewed sense of determination.

"I'm going to kill Ji Wuye now. I'll leave the rest to you."

___________________

Read Ahead

P@treon.com/Mutter