Chapter 33. Interfere and Die.

Small factions of the Black Path are often mixed in with commercial areas, but the Black Cat Sect is different. It is situated a bit away from the commercial area, like the mansion of a high-ranking official.

I stared at the main gate of the Black Cat Sect and said to Xiaojunping,

"You wait here for a moment."

"Isn't it better to go in together? We'll end up fighting anyway."

I looked at Xiaojunping.

"True to your word, the Sect Leader of the Black Cat Sect will likely order the two of us to be killed immediately. When that happens, I won't have a choice but to kill everyone who comes at us. So, let's try it my way first. If I can subtly provoke the Sect Leader, we might get a one-on-one duel. If that fails, or at an appropriate time, you can step in. Understand?"

Xiaojunping, who had experienced my insults and provocations, would roughly understand my actions.

"I understand."

Xiaojunping moved towards the wall, and I walked confidently with my large axe on my shoulder, then roughly knocked on the main gate of the Black Cat Sect.

The central part of the wooden gate made a loud 'bang' and opened, revealing a small rectangular space with a pair of eyes.

"Who is it?"

"I am Lihaha from Yiliang County."

The man's eyes examined my face.

"Who is Lihaha?"

I sighed briefly and replied,

"Stop asking questions and open the gate. Before I break it down."

"You're playing games."

The gatekeeper snorted and shouted loudly to the inside,

"A young, arrogant, and disrespectful guy named Lihaha from Yiliang County is here. Is there anyone who knows him?"

I sighed slightly, but it was an appropriate introduction. However, I don't have the patience to wait for the gate to open.

I leaped up with my axe and lightly landed on the main gate.

The entire view of the Black Cat Sect, quite spacious, came into sight.

Thinking of it as a wealthy household, I felt strangely twisted inside.

"You live well. You live very well..."

It was a house that didn't seem to fit as the main base of the Black Path. But if I think it was taken from someone else, it's not surprising.

As I stood on the main gate with a large axe on my shoulder, the people who noticed me were shouting or approaching with stern expressions.

I listened to the curses being hurled at me for a moment.

"Brat, puppy, where will you break? I'll punch your gut..." and other threats followed.

Of course, what else would you expect from the Black Path?

I jumped down after being thoroughly cursed and walked down the central path of the spacious outer courtyard.

I picked up a chair that was sitting alone on the side of the central path and carried it, then placed it in the center of the outer courtyard, stood my axe upside down in front of it, and sat down.

My expression and demeanor, the act of walking leisurely with a large axe and taking a position in the center, and my silence would have made the thugs attack me immediately if they were effective.

However, all these actions created a presence, and for a moment, I exchanged glances with the thugs of the Black Cat Sect without any interference.

During this time, the officers began to appear one by one. The officers arrived in sequence on the platform in the inner courtyard, and the subordinates waiting formed a wide encirclement.

The last to arrive, an old man, asked me,

"Are you Lihaha from Yiliang County?"

I nodded at the old man, who looked like he had been corrupted in the Black Path for a long time.

"It's me."

"Surely you didn't come here alone?"

"Old man, I didn't come to talk to you. Tell the rabbit to come out quickly."

Just then, a deep voice came from inside.

"Who's here?"

"It's Lihaha, who killed the Golden Dragon Pavilion Leader."

From the place where the officers split to the sides, a man wearing a rabbit mask walked out.

I observed the posture and demeanor of the Black Cat Sect Leader. He had an average build, and there was nothing particularly special about his aura.

The Black Cat Sect Leader looked down at me and said,

"Are you that waiter?"

When challenging someone, it's the way of the martial world to respond to a question with a question.

"Are you the old cripple, the slave of the Great Temple, who is notorious for being a rabbit?"

"..."

"Is it a slave rabbit or a rabbit slave? Anyway."

The officers' eyes widened, and a calm silence fell. The Sect Leader's expression couldn't be seen due to the mask.

Before the Black Cat Sect Leader could choose his words, I continued,

"To think a slave who runs a small rural faction would send assassins after me. If you run away from here right now and all your subordinates attack me, will you succeed in escaping, or not? You ignorant black rabbit. Now, open your mouth."

Someone next to the Black Cat Sect Leader evaluated me.

"You're not just any crazy guy."

I spoke clearly and firmly,

"Listen, Black Cat Sect. If your Sect Leader decides to face me directly, regardless of his skills, he is a decent leader. However, if he orders you to attack me first, knowing my skills, he is a piece of trash in the Black Path, a coward, and a useless leader..."

Xiaojunping, who was listening near the wall, shook his head.

"...a slave of the Great Temple, a cripple with no skills, a rat hiding behind a mask, a useless guy who manipulates you based on the Great Temple's false reputation. A useless guy."

As the insults poured like a storm, a different kind of silence fell.

"..."

Meanwhile, some subordinates subtly looked at the Black Cat Sect Leader. In fact, without the curses, my words were correct, and the atmosphere was such that they hoped the Sect Leader would step in to handle the situation.

I extended my hand towards the Black Cat Sect Leader.

"Do you not understand the meaning of this silence? Such a guy is not of the Black Path. He's a cripple. Whose words are these? The waiter from Yiliang County, the Sect Leader of Haowen, a reclusive master who is hard to find an equal to in the region. The common saying that the martial world is vast and there are many masters is said about me, so take note."

I finished speaking and let out a low laugh.

The Black Cat Sect Leader finally spoke.

"What makes you define the Black Path? Lick when told to lick, attack when told to attack, bark when told to bark. That's the Black Path."

"Is that so?"

"The Black Path is inherently like that."

"Did you receive poor early education? Were you raised by the Great Temple from a young age? Like a dog... That's why you're like this."

At that moment, a few officers tried to burst out laughing but quickly managed their expressions. When the enraged Black Cat Sect Leader looked around at the subordinates, they already had stern expressions.

I laughed, shaking my shoulders at the farce between the Sect Leader and the subordinates.

"Ah, this is why the martial world is funny. Subordinates can't even laugh freely."

It's true that in the martial world, you might die for laughing. There's no place as funny as this in the world.

The Black Cat Sect Leader said,

"To summarize, you're challenging me to a one-on-one duel. Do you think a faction leader would easily fall for such provocation? Your thinking is as immature as your face. Your strategy is as short-sighted as your thoughts. Is it because you're a country waiter?"

This guy, check the rhythm?

Suddenly, the Black Cat Sect Leader looked around and realized that even the subordinates hoped he would step in for a one-on-one duel. A sigh came naturally.

The Black Cat Sect Leader looked at me with an angry gaze.

"I'll accept the one-on-one duel."

"Oh..."

"In return, today, those who choose the wrong winner will all die here. Those who think I will lose, move to the waiter's side. Waiter, wouldn't this be more interesting?"

The Black Cat Sect Leader looked around and said,

"Don't hesitate, move freely. What else can you do but die?"

Of course, no one moved yet.

It's natural to think that the Black Cat Sect Leader would win in a duel with the waiter from Yiliang County.

The Black Cat Sect Leader sneered at me.

"Waiter, this is your reality. Understand?"

At that moment, a man leaped from the wall and lightly landed on the outer courtyard floor.

Everyone's gaze turned to the suddenly appearing man. Various emotions mixed in short exclamations burst out from all around.

"Oh."

"Eh?"

Of course, it was Xiaojunping, the Golden Dragon Pavilion Leader of the Black Cat Sect and one of the 300 Jia of Haowen.

The Black Cat Sect Leader sneered at the unexpected appearance of Xiaojunping.

"Xiaojunping, how are you still alive? I clearly told you to kill yourself if you failed. Did you beg for your life?"

Xiaojunping, who had firmly decided on his life's direction, replied calmly.

"Whether I beg or not, Sect Leader, my life is now my own. We didn't have such deep feelings or loyalty that you keep telling me to die or live. I don't think we had that kind of close relationship."

I interjected with a short comment.

"That's true."

The Black Cat Sect Leader's gaze fixed on me.

"Why did you let him live?"

I immediately answered the Black Cat Sect Leader's curiosity.

"Am I you? Idiot. Xiaojunping and I are friends who have shared pork ribs. Isn't that right?"

I suddenly mentioned pork ribs and looked at Xiaojunping, who nodded with a slightly bewildered expression.

"Ah, that's right."

Xiaojunping looked around the Black Cat Sect, trying to reverse the situation.

"Anyway... the two of you should have a one-on-one duel like men. I will decide my fate based on the result. The Golden Dragon Pavilion should come to my side. I'm betting my life on the victory of the Sect Leader of Haowen from Yiliang County."

Xiaojunping thought that through the subordinates' choices, he would know whether he had lived a righteous life or not.

The Black Cat Sect Leader sneered.

"Will they?"

At that moment, a martial artist from the Golden Dragon Pavilion said to the Black Cat Sect Leader,

"Sect Leader, farewell. I'm going to the other side."

A young swordsman immediately approached Xiaojunping and asked,

"Leader, why is your face like that?"

Xiaojunping smiled and greeted the Golden Dragon Pavilion subordinate.

"Why is it like this? I got beaten up."

"It's good that you're alive. Even your beaten-up face is welcome."

The Black Cat Sect Leader couldn't help but feel unpleasant.

"Just one person."

As soon as the Sect Leader finished speaking, another martial artist from the Golden Dragon Pavilion spoke up.

"Just two people."

As he said this, he walked over to where Xiaojunping was, and then five or six more moved at once.

One of them drew a sword, but Xiaojunping stopped him.

"Put the sword away. It's a one-on-one duel, as I said."

"Alright, I understand."

Xiaojunping had no particular expression but was very happy inside. After all, all the subordinates who had shared hardships under the name of the Golden Dragon Pavilion were moving to his side.

Xiaojunping asked me, who was sitting in a chair,

"Sect Leader, are you confident? If you lose, the Golden Dragon Pavilion will all die."

"What confidence?"

"Of course..."

"Shut up."

I grabbed my axe and stood up.

"The duel is a one-on-one between me and the rabbit. If anyone interferes, it doesn't matter. However, I promise that they will definitely die..."

Before I could finish my sentence, something from the left side cut through the air and flew towards my temple.

Whizz!

I didn't have time to gauge the nature of the hidden weapon and quickly tilted my head. A flashing hidden weapon whizzed past my eyes and embedded itself in the wall.

"..."

Everyone's eyes widened in shock and their mouths closed. Someone had launched a surprise attack before the Black Cat Sect Leader and I even faced off. Even the Black Cat Sect's officers frowned and muttered.

"What a despicable act..."

"Who is it? Doing something without being asked."

I glanced and immediately identified the person who had thrown the hidden weapon with a large movement.

I didn't know if he had thrown it on someone's orders or if he had decided to launch a surprise attack on his own.

In such a situation, I was at a loss for words.

I channeled my inner power into the axe and threw it like lightning at the person who had thrown the hidden weapon.

Whizz!

The body of the man who had thrown the hidden weapon was split in two by the large axe, left and right.

Splat!

As a gush of blood shot into the air, the axe flew fiercely and embedded itself in the wall with a loud noise.

By acting on impulse, the axe provided by Longtou Iron Workshop was immediately out of my hands. As I had slightly feared, the dragon head (龍頭) handle and blade of the axe, which had embedded itself in the wall, separated and broke into two pieces. Since I had only used the axe to create an atmosphere, I didn't feel particularly affected.

While looking at the horribly torn corpse, I said in a low tone,

"I said, interfere and die. I don't understand why you value your precious life so carelessly. Is this what the Black Path is?"

In the heavy silence, Xiaojunping said solemnly,

"Don't interfere again. Even the officers... I beg you."

Xiaojunping knew best that my words were not a lie.

If he didn't stop them at the right moment...

The entire Black Cat Sect could die today.