Chapter 10

"Hey, is there anything else you want to say?" Ye Fei glanced at the trembling youth and said. At this moment, the youth's fierce expression had vanished, replaced by a look of fear.

Hearing this, the youth swallowed hard and said nervously, "Brother, don't kill me. I haven't done anything bad, really. What I said earlier was all a lie. Let me go, and I'll give you all my treasures."

"Lie to me? You were robbing me on the road, and that's a lie too? Do you take me for a three-year-old child?" Although Ye Fei had already seen through the youth's act, he still pressed on with his questions.

"Brother, alright, I'll tell the truth. Actually, it happened like this..." And so, the fierce youth began to recount the events to Ye Fei.

It turned out that the youth's name was Wan Qi, an orphan. A year ago, his cultivation was only at the sixth level of the Qi Condensation stage. He encountered bandits chasing him, and unwilling to part with his treasures, he fled desperately and unfortunately fell into the Thousand Cleft Cliff.

But when he woke up, he found himself not dead but in a cave at the bottom of a cliff, seemingly rescued by someone. However, considering it almost impossible, Wan Qi didn't pay much attention and started looking for a way out.

Once, while being chased by a beast, he accidentally fell into a cave. The beast, being too large to enter, allowed Wan Qi to narrowly escape. Later, he discovered a black longsword inside the cave. Although he couldn't determine its level, Wan Qi felt it was extraordinary because even his initial-stage magical weapon couldn't damage it at all.

With a bit of luck, Wan Qi successfully cultivated to the seventh level of the Qi Condensation stage and recently escaped from the Thousand Cleft Cliff. Bitter about being robbed in the past, he started robbing others to vent his anger. However, Ye Fei was the first person he had tried to rob.

After a good while, Wan Qi finished recounting the entire story.

"Hmm, it sounds like the truth. It seems to be around the same time I fell off the cliff. Alright, I'll believe you, but to seek revenge, you actually killed people?" Ye Fei asked indifferently, not too concerned about the similarities in their experiences.

"Brother, think about it, I just got back. How could I have time to kill anyone? Besides, I don't have the courage. If I could find him, I'd just beat him up, not kill him. I haven't even found that bandit yet. Sigh."

"I'm really unlucky. I just got out of the Thousand Cleft Cliff and ran into you. But I, Wan Qi, swear I never intended to harm you. I was just trying to scare you, hehe."

"And that last strike, even I didn't know it would be so powerful. I was injured too. Brother, take the treasure, don't kill me. I'm not ready to die yet." Looking at Ye Fei, Wan Qi said with a worried expression, his eyes darting around.

After a brief hesitation, Ye Fei's expression turned serious. "I can let you go, but you must never rob again. If I see you doing it again, I won't forgive you. Understand?"

"Absolutely, absolutely, I won't do it again. I might lose my life one day. I'll find a place to cultivate in peace. So, you're letting me go, Brother?"

"Alright, I'll take this black sword as a punishment." Ye Fei nodded.

"What? You're taking it..." Before he could finish, seeing Ye Fei's stern gaze, Wan Qi stopped and closed his mouth.

"What? You don't agree?" Ye Fei asked, frowning.

"No, no, I agree. Consider it a gift from Wan Qi. Hehe, I can't use it anyway. Brother, you're a righteous person. Hehe." Wan Qi nodded rapidly.

"Alright, I'll leave now. Take care of yourself." Ye Fei turned and walked towards the large pit, glancing at it briefly. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he raised his hand and summoned the strange black sword from the pit.

"Buzz."

The black sword trembled in the pit and then stopped. "Hmm? This sword is so heavy? Can't I pull it out?" Ye Fei muttered, puzzled. After all, the spell to move objects from a distance could easily lift a person's weight. Could this sword be heavier than a person? Ye Fei was confused.

In the next moment, Ye Fei raised his hand again, condensed his magical power, and shouted, "Rise!" The black sword in the pit buzzed and shot out with a swoosh, splashing mud as it flew into Ye Fei's hand.

With a "thud," it landed steadily in Ye Fei's hand, causing him to take a few steps back to steady himself.

"Didn't expect this sword to be so heavy. Well, I'll study it later. First, I'll find something to eat in town and rest for the night." Ye Fei put the black sword in his storage bag, touched the gray pouch, and glanced at Wan Qi, his eyes showing satisfaction.

Turning, Ye Fei walked towards the town of Wu Hua. On the way, he wore a faint smile and muttered to himself, "Father, Mother, did you see? I, like Father, also taught a bad person a lesson and made him reform. He said I'm a righteous person, just like Father, who deals with bad people." His smile grew brighter.

After a while, recalling something, Ye Fei's face turned slightly sad. He shook his head slightly, sighed, and then resumed his usual expression.

About an hour later, Ye Fei arrived at Wu Hua Town. Ancient buildings lined the streets, and people bustled about. Some were selling things on the street, while others gathered in small groups, chatting.

Looking down the street, he saw several tall three-story buildings, which seemed to be the residences of wealthy families or large shops.

"Rumble." Touching his stomach, Ye Fei entered a small inn at random.

"Hey, young man, are you staying? How many? Please come in." Seeing Ye Fei enter, a young man in his twenties appeared, holding an oilcloth, apparently a waiter.

The inn was rather quiet, with only a middle-aged woman behind the counter and no other guests. After a quick look around, Ye Fei looked at the waiter.

"Just me, for one night. Do you have food?"

"Yes, our 'Juyuan Inn' has a master chef whose skills are on par with those in restaurants and taverns. What would you like, young man?" The waiter smiled.

"Bring me a bowl of hot noodles." Ye Fei said.

The young man's eyes flashed with disdain, then he smiled. "Sure, a bowl of hot noodles. Follow me, young man. I'll show you to your room, and the food will be brought to you shortly. But you need to pay first." The waiter stared at Ye Fei, seemingly doubting his ability to pay.

Ye Fei didn't mind and took out some silver coins, handing them to the waiter.

"Is this enough?" Ye Fei asked.

"More than enough, young man. Follow me." The waiter's smile widened, gesturing for Ye Fei to follow.

A short while later, the waiter led Ye Fei to a room. The room was dim and had a musty smell. The furnishings were simple, with only a bed, a table, and a chair.

Seeing this, Ye Fei frowned slightly.

Noticing Ye Fei's expression, the waiter quickly explained, "Young man, our inn is one of the cheapest in Wu Hua Town. Although the conditions are average, it's very quiet and reasonably priced..."

Before he could finish, Ye Fei interrupted, "Alright, I'll stay here. You can leave now."

The waiter was taken aback for a moment, then his eyes lit up with joy. He thought to himself, "Young people are easier to deceive. No one usually wants this room, no matter how low the price."

"Sure, if you need anything, just call. I'll leave now." The waiter turned and left the room, closing the door with a creak.

Sitting at the wooden table, Ye Fei felt a wave of fatigue and soreness. He stared blankly at the empty table, lost in thought.

After a while, there was a knock on the door. Ye Fei snapped out of his thoughts.

"Your noodles are ready, young man." The waiter's voice came from outside the door.

"Bring them in." Ye Fei said indifferently.

The waiter entered, placed the hot noodles on the table, said a few polite words, and left the room, closing the door behind him. Ye Fei started eating ravenously.

...

The next morning, in a corner of Wu Hua Town, two suspicious figures were discussing something.

One was a tall, dark-robed youth with a stern face, about twenty years old, his eyes sharp.

The other was a youth in a purple robe, around sixteen or seventeen years old. If Ye Fei were there, he would recognize him as the bandit Wan Qi.

Wan Qi looked at the youth and frowned. "What do you think, Hu Shuang? I've told you everything. Haven't you made up your mind yet?"

Hu Shuang frowned and said softly, "Alright, I'll do it as you suggest. After we capture him, you can take back your treasure. But I must choose one item from the boy's possessions first. Hehe, how about that?" His eyes flashed with a sinister look. (End of Chapter)

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