The Blood-Red Dagger

Translator: CinderTL

The young man glared at Xu Sanyan with intense hatred, gritting his teeth as he said, "I can tell you, but you must let them go!"

Most of the villagers were his relatives and friends, and the young man couldn't bear to see them die because of him. In the end, he had no choice but to yield.

Xu Sanyan flashed a row of white teeth and nodded in agreement. "Good, I only want the item."

"It's buried under the tree in front of my house," the young man said.

"Take me there," Xu Sanyan said, sheathing his long blade.

The two arrived at the tree, and Xu Sanyan used his blade to dig out a wooden box. Opening it, he found a small, inch-long dagger emitting a faint red glow, lying quietly inside.

"Hahaha…"

With just one glance, Xu Sanyan knew this was the Heavenly Earth Treasure he had been seeking!

"You've had this thing for so long. You must know how to use it, right?" Xu Sanyan asked, turning his head.

"Hmph!"

The young man turned his head away.

"Heh, if you don't want to say, that's fine. I'll start by killing two of them, beginning with that child."

Xu Sanyan seemed to find the idea amusing and couldn't help but chuckle.

"You!"

The young man glared at him furiously. Though he knew Xu Sanyan might be bluffing, he didn't dare take the risk and finally spoke.

"After each time this dagger is used to kill a living creature, it produces a few drops of blood. Drinking it enhances one's physical strength."

Xu Sanyan's heart surged with excitement. Truly, this was a Heavenly Earth Treasure!

So, this was how the young man had gained his extraordinary physique.

"Who did you kill?" Xu Sanyan asked curiously.

The young man sneered, "Do you think I'm like you? I only killed animals, never humans."

Xu Sanyan nodded. It was a waste for such a treasure to fall into the hands of someone like him.

Now that he had obtained the treasure, the young man was of no further use. Xu Sanyan gripped the dagger and swiftly plunged it into the young man's chest.

"In your next life, don't be a good person. Good people don't live long," Xu Sanyan said, looking into his eyes.

"Guh… please… spare… the villagers…" Even in his dying moments, the young man was still worried about Xu Sanyan slaughtering the innocent.

Xu Sanyan watched as the young man's body gradually withered, as if all his vitality was being absorbed by the dagger. Before the young man died, Xu Sanyan comforted him, "Don't worry, you'll see them again soon."

The young man's eyes widened, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, no words came out.

Spare the villagers?

Heh…

Xu Sanyan sneered. This secret could only be known by him. Everyone who knew about it had to die!

Moments later, the young man was reduced to a mere skeleton, his blood and vitality completely drained.

On the hilt of the blood-red dagger, a groove had formed, where a few drops of blood were now condensed, emitting a strong, metallic scent.

Though the smell was pungent, Xu Sanyan couldn't suppress the overwhelming greed that rose within him. A voice in his mind seemed to be urging him frantically,

"Drink it! Drink it!"

Xu Sanyan tilted his head back and swallowed the drops of blood.

Boom!

Instantly, it felt as though a furnace had ignited within his body. His temperature skyrocketed, and his blood surged like a raging river through his veins.

In his ears, he could hear the sound of crashing waves.

Deep within his bones, it felt as though countless ants were crawling, a sensation so deeply rooted in his soul that it was both agonizing and euphoric.

Xu Sanyan clenched his teeth, his eyes tightly shut, refusing to let out a sound.

After what felt like an eternity, his body temperature gradually returned to normal, and the intense heat subsided. He slowly opened his eyes.

"Haah…"

Xu Sanyan let out a long breath. His body felt as though it had been rejuvenated, all his ailments and weaknesses gone. He had never felt so light and free.

He flexed his left hand and let out a soft "Huh?" as he noticed that the broken finger joints had completely healed. When he clenched his fist, it felt stronger than ever.

Looking at a nearby tree, Xu Sanyan gathered his strength and threw a punch with all his might.

Crack!

The tree, as thick as a man's thigh, snapped in two.

"Hahaha…"

Xu Sanyan could no longer contain his excitement and burst into laughter.

With this treasure, I'll surely have a place among the world's greatest heroes!

Xu Sanyan gripped the dagger, his heart filled with boundless ambition.

Both Ma Tianqing and the young man from the Fang family were exceptional talents, yet they had both fallen to his blade. No matter how gifted one was, there was always the risk of an untimely demise.

Talent, if not transformed into strength, was just talent.

Xu Sanyan turned and walked toward the villagers.

In the quiet night, over a hundred villagers huddled together, their hearts filled with unease as they looked at the group of armed men surrounding them.

"Mom, I want to go home and sleep," a child whispered, clinging to his mother.

"Be good, just sleep here," the young mother said softly, holding her child tightly.

A villager turned to the Old Village Chief. "Uncle, when can we go home?"

The Old Village Chief's eyes were filled with worry, and he shook his head gently.

Moments later, Xu Sanyan emerged from the darkness. Seeing the villagers gathered together, he smiled gently. "Thank you all for your patience. I'm truly sorry for keeping you out so late."

The Old Village Chief breathed a sigh of relief. The young leader seemed reasonable enough. He quickly waved his hand and said, "Master, you're too kind. As long as you've found what you were looking for, can we go home now?"

Xu Sanyan grinned. "Of course."

"Thank you, Master."

The Old Village Chief bowed repeatedly, then turned to the villagers. "Everyone, go home now. Remember, keep your mouths shut. Don't mention tonight's events to anyone."

The Old Village Chief deliberately said this in front of Xu Sanyan to reassure him. As for what had happened to the young man from the Fang family, they didn't dare ask.

Xu Sanyan shook his head slightly. In his mind, only the dead could keep secrets.

Once the villagers had walked a short distance, Xu Sanyan gestured to his men and motioned toward the villagers. "Go, leave no one alive."

"Boss, this…"

The men hesitated. They were used to fighting fiercely and ruthlessly against rival gangs, but now, facing women, children, and innocent villagers, they found it hard to bring themselves to kill.

Xu Sanyan looked at them coldly, his expression one of utter indifference to human life. "It's either them or you. Choose."

The men exchanged glances, then lowered their heads. One of them spoke up, "Boss, maybe you should reconsider…"

Before he could finish, Xu Sanyan's long blade flew out, and the man's head was severed from his body, his lifeless corpse falling to the ground.

"Three breaths. I don't mind doing it myself."

Xu Sanyan's words were clear. If he had to act, none of them would survive.

He had the power to wipe out the entire village, and he certainly had the power to kill these twenty men.

The men gritted their teeth and spurred their horses forward. "Kill!"

None of them wanted to die, and no one was willing to sacrifice their lives for a group of strangers. Besides, they weren't exactly good people to begin with—they just had a slightly higher moral threshold. Today, Xu Sanyan was helping them lower that threshold once again.

"Ah!"

"Master, we won't say anything, please spare us!"

"Mom, I'm scared…"

…

The scene was chaotic. Some fought back, others tried to flee. Screams and roars intertwined, composing a tragic symphony of blood and flesh. Xu Sanyan turned away, unable to bear the sight.

Sigh, I have no choice. I won't be able to sleep soundly unless you're all dead…

Besides, this is how the world works—the strong prey on the weak. It's your fault for being weak.

If one day Xu Sanyan were to be killed by someone stronger than him, he wouldn't blame fate or others. He would only blame himself for being too weak.

(End of the Chapter)

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