The Mask Falls, the Game Begins

In the private booth on the second floor of the inn, the Third Young Master sprawled arrogantly in the main seat, his eyes lazily narrowed as he stared down Uncle Li.

Uncle Li returned the gaze with a faint smile. Behind him stood the vegetable-selling girl, now shrinking timidly, casting fearful glances at the young master.

Standing beside her was Brother Yun—the very same brat who'd been tapping the bamboo stick in the alley. Now that his trick had succeeded, he'd dropped the beggar act completely.

To the left and right of the Third Young Master sat Du Xiaoyan and Qiao Wei. Du Xiaoyan seemed entirely oblivious to anyone else in the room. Her chin rested dreamily on her delicate hand, her eyes filled with adoration as they stayed fixed on him.

Qiao Wei, on the other hand, sipped his tea slowly, casting alternating glances at the Third Young Master and Uncle Li, a knowing smile dancing on his lips.

"Didn't catch your name," the Third Young Master finally said, unable to restrain himself any longer.

Earlier, the old man across from him had taken a direct hit from his 遮天手—Heaven-Covering Palm—and walked away without a word, dragging the vegetable girl with him. The Third Young Master had been sorely tempted to slap him into paste, but Qiao Wei had held him back without explanation, insisting he follow them upstairs instead.

Since sitting down, not a word had been spoken, even after food and wine had been served. They'd simply stared each other down in silence.

Truth be told, though the Third Young Master had lived two lives, he still lacked Uncle Li's composure.

With a slight smile, Uncle Li replied, "The humble name is Hu Li. Folks in the underworld, out of respect, call me Uncle Li."

The Third Young Master gave a mocking chuckle. "Hu Li? That's got to be fake. I've never heard of any 'Hu Li' in the martial world who could pull off that kind of palm technique. Hah! Not many people these days can take a hit from my Heaven-Covering Palm and walk away."

Before Uncle Li could reply, Du Xiaoyan suddenly jolted upright. Her dreamy gaze snapped into horror as she gasped, "You… you used the Heaven-Covering Palm? Then that means… that means…"

The Third Young Master turned to her, his expression soft, voice tender, and eyes full of sincerity.

"Yes, it's true. My real name is Qin Ren—Third Young Master of the Qin Clan. Xiaoyan, I'm sorry I lied to you. It was never my intention. But if I hadn't hidden my identity… would you ever have accepted me? I did it because I love you. I love you so much, I had no choice. I don't expect your forgiveness. I only ask… that you remember our love. Remember my love for you."

The final words seemed to drain the strength from his body. He slumped forward, hands weakly resting on the table, his head bowed in despair.

Tears brimmed in Du Xiaoyan's eyes. After a moment, they spilled over and streamed down her face.

She stood, backing away in disbelief, shaking her head.

"You lied to me… you're Qin Ren… the lecherous demon the whole martial world wants dead… How many innocent girls have you ruined? And now you come for me? I'll never forgive you. Never!"

With a sob, she fled the booth, her hands covering her face as tears fell like pearls on the floor.

"Xiaoyan, I really love you!" the Third Young Master cried after her. "No matter who I am, no matter what lies the world tells about me, Heaven knows my love for you! Let the sun and moon bear witness to my heart!"

Her silhouette paused at the doorway, but she didn't turn back. A soft sob escaped her lips… and then, without another word, she leapt out the second-floor window and vanished without a trace.

The Third Young Master stared blankly at the spot where she disappeared, his face twisted in deep sorrow.

A heavy silence hung in the booth. Uncle Li, Brother Yun, and the vegetable girl all stared at him, stunned—none of them had expected such raw emotion from a man like him.

Qiao Wei snorted a quiet laugh. "Third Young Master… she's long gone."

"Mm, I know," Qin Ren replied, his voice suddenly calm again. "But I figure she might've left someone behind to spy on my reaction. Had to keep up the act a little longer."

Uncle Li and his companions all did a collective facepalm in disbelief.

Having bared his "heart," the Third Young Master now looked completely at ease, as though a great burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

"We should probably get moving," Qiao Wei said, concern creeping into his voice. "You just revealed your real identity. What if Du Xiaoyan brings back reinforcements? Dingzhou isn't far from Tianping Villa, and with the martial arts conference going on, there's no telling how many top-tier fighters are wandering the area…"

Qin Ren waved him off with a grin. "Don't worry. Right now, I'm undergoing a class change—into a 'Romantic Hero.' I'm gambling on whether she really loves me or not. If she comes back with a lynch mob, then I failed. If she doesn't, well, then I've succeeded. Wahahahaha!"

He kicked back in his seat, crossing one leg over the other, wine cup in hand, his face the picture of carefree arrogance. But behind that gleam, his eyes carried a shadowy edge.

"Now then… where were we? Uncle Li, was it? I don't care who you are. No one has ever dared to snatch someone from under my nose. You've just made history. Now I'm pissed—and when I'm pissed, things get messy. So… got a plan to make me feel better?"

Uncle Li chuckled. "How about a million taels in silver, two hundred thousand in gold, a handful of pearls, and two boxes of assorted gems?"

Qin Ren snorted. "What good is money? I've got more treasure than I could ever spend. That won't cut it."

Uncle Li gave him a thumbs up. "Indeed, the Third Young Master truly sees wealth as dung—admirable! Then how about this: one beautiful woman, one powerful underworld syndicate in Yan Province, and one top-tier bodyguard. Deal?"

Qin Ren grinned roguishly. "A beauty? That's more like it. As for the syndicate and the bodyguard—nah. With my skills, I don't need protection. But let's see the girl. If she pleases me, maybe I'll let this slide. But if you try to fool me…"

Uncle Li's expression turned serious. "Third Young Master, with all due respect—though your martial skill is unmatched among the younger generation, you'd do well to remember that the world is vast. Hidden masters lurk in the mountains and forests, and many more serve in secret for the imperial court. While the renowned names are few, the unknown ones are no less dangerous. You've seen my palm strike. What did you think?"

Qin Ren nodded. "I'm nothing if not honest. That strike—your power, timing, control—was all superior to mine. If we were evenly matched, the shockwave from our clash could've killed everyone in this room. But you dispersed my attack without a sound, and walked away unscathed. That alone proves you're above me."

Uncle Li's praise was sincere. "You are humble without being self-deprecating—confident without arrogance. A true dragon among men. To be blunt, only five people in the world can survive a joint attack from me and Old Qiao."

He ticked them off. "First, His Majesty, the Qin Emperor Ying Shengjun, conqueror of the world. Second, Ximen Wudi, Supreme Master of the Demonic Sect. Third, your father, Qin Xiaoyao—the man behind the Heaven-Covering Palm. Fourth, your uncle, Tie Kongshan the Iron Fist. And the fifth…"

A rare flicker of fear appeared in Uncle Li's eyes.

"No one knows who he is. No one knows what he looks like. But of the five, he is the most terrifying. The first four… none of them can beat him."

Qin Ren scoffed. "Absurd. The emperor hasn't fought in decades. Who knows what power he still has? As for my father and uncle—South Qin and North Iron—no one in the righteous martial world can match them. I've never heard of anyone walking away from a fight with either of them. And now you tell me there's someone stronger than both?"

He turned sharply to Qiao Wei. "Wait a minute… you said Old Qiao. Don't tell me…?"

Qiao Wei gave him a gentle smile. But this time, it wasn't the smile of a sycophant.

"Third Young Master, forgive me. I've never revealed my true identity. I had my reasons. But the martial world is on the brink of chaos, and I can't watch you walk into danger unprepared. Meeting Old Li here… it's time you knew."

He looked over at Brother Yun and the vegetable girl.

"Old Li… these two kids?"

Uncle Li nodded. "Don't worry, Old Qiao. They're family. This is Little Ye, my adopted daughter. And Yun is my named disciple—loyal to the bone. It's time they heard the truth too."