56: Assassination

Xu Sanyan tilted his head, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he said with an unchanging smile, "How does Yang Qiyuan know?"

Yang Qiyuan lowered her head and said, "I've been good at observing people's expressions since I was a child. I just saw my husband's demeanor and made a random guess."

Xu Sanyan nodded slowly, not denying it, "Does Yang Qiyuan have a solution?"

Yang Qiyuan was conflicted. On one side was her father's inner treasury, and on the other was her husband, which put her in a difficult position for a while.

Although her father wasn't good to her, he was still her father.

Xu Sanyan didn't force her. Instead, he reached out and gently stroked her hair, then wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his embrace, saying softly, "Although I want to go to the Prince's inner treasury, I can't bear to make Yang Qiyuan difficult."

Yang Qiyuan was touched. She leaned her head against Xu Sanyan's chest, listening to his strong heartbeat.

Because of her appearance, no one had ever been so close to her for so many years, except for her mother. Even her father and several brothers were very distant from her.

Before marriage, she thought her husband married her to curry favor with her father, but after spending time together, her husband never treated her coldly; instead, he was always gentle and kind.

Yang Qiyuan wished time would stop at this moment and never flow again.

Xu Sanyan looked down at Yang Qiyuan in his arms, his heart as calm as a still lake, without a ripple.

Love is the most impulsive thing.

And he had no love.

The sky gradually darkened, and the Xu Residence was close at hand. Xu Sanyan's ears twitched slightly, and undisguised footsteps came from behind the carriage.

The footsteps were steady and light, following the carriage unhurriedly. No matter how fast or slow the carriage was, the sound followed precisely twenty paces behind.

How could Xu Sanyan not understand that the person was coming for him? His mind turned, and he looked at Yang Qiyuan in his arms, an idea forming in his mind.

Whoosh—

In front of the Xu Residence, the two were still nestled in the carriage when a sharp whooshing sound attacked, piercing directly towards the two inside the carriage.

Xu Sanyan was prepared, but he still feigned panic, "Assassin!"

He then pushed Yang Qiyuan aside with a palm. A long saber narrowly passed between them, cutting off Yang Qiyuan's flowing hair and piercing through the right chest of the coachman in front.

Bang!

The carriage suddenly exploded. Yang Qiyuan fell out of the carriage. Xu Sanyan flew forward to meet the enemy, and at the same time, he shouted to her without looking back, "Run!"

Yang Qiyuan knew that staying would only be a burden, so she limped in the opposite direction, planning to circle back to the Prince's Residence for help.

Xu Sanyan didn't bother with her. He focused on the street corner and saw an old man in a gray robe, with his hands behind his back, calmly looking at him, ignoring the fleeing Yang Qiyuan.

"Who are you?" Xu Sanyan asked in a deep voice.

Judging from that one strike alone, this person's strength was probably not much weaker than his. He should have the cultivation of the Heavenly Human Realm Perfection.

"My surname is An."

The old man didn't seem to be in a hurry to act. Instead, he looked him up and down with interest, "A Heavenly Human Realm at twenty, your talent is truly remarkable. If you were born in the Central Continent, you might have become another Prodigy. What a pity..."

With that, the old man shook his head regretfully, as if waiting for him to ask what was a pity.

Seeing that there was no one around and Yang Qiyuan had already run far away, Xu Sanyan no longer hid his strength. A smile curled at the corner of his mouth, and he didn't respond.

The old man saw that he still had the leisure to smile and couldn't help but ask curiously, "What are you laughing at?"

Xu Sanyan slowly raised his right arm, Inner Energy erupted, and the long saber in the distance suddenly flew into his hand. "I'm laughing at how good you are at showing off."

"You!"

The old man's face darkened, and he flicked his sleeve, scolding, "Vulgar!"

Clang—

Under the dim twilight, a chilling saber light appeared. Xu Sanyan's knees bent slightly, and he suddenly burst forth, the long saber like an arrow fiercely slashing towards the old man's head.

A bright light flashed in the old man's pupils. The saber's edge was already in front of him, and he couldn't help but be startled. This boy's speed is so fast!

This is definitely not the strength a Heavenly Human Realm Early Stage should have!

This morning, when the Eldest Young Master sent someone to invite the old man surnamed An, he only said that the target was Xu Sanyan, a Martial Artist in the Early Stage of the Heavenly Human Realm, and did not inform him of anything else.

The old man quickly dodged sideways, while at the same time, he brought his two fingers together. A faint golden light appeared on his fingertips, as if coated with a layer of gold paint, and he thrust them towards Xu Sanyan's throat.

Clang—

Xu Sanyan twisted his wrist, bringing the back of the saber across his body. His fingertips collided with the long saber, producing a metallic clang.

Xu Sanyan's eyes flickered. What powerful fingers. Their hardness must exceed metal.

He wondered why he trained his fingers to be so hard. Was it to replace a certain part that couldn't get hard?

Xu Sanyan found it amusing and even grinned.

The old man looked bewildered. They were in a life-and-death struggle here, and he still had time to laugh?

Was he looking down on him?

The old man's heart flared with anger, and he no longer held back his strength. He crossed his arms, and with a "bang," his sleeves suddenly burst open, revealing two golden arms.

"Hmph, let me show you my Golden Arm Technique that I've cultivated for many years!" the old man snorted coldly.

"Golden Arm Technique?"

Xu Sanyan looked at it with interest, then shook his head, flashy but impractical.

"Hmph, boy, even if you are Prince Rui's son-in-law, you won't escape death today!"

With that, the old man swung his arms and attacked fiercely. The surrounding air was compressed by the Qi waves, producing bursts of sonic booms, truly an imposing Aura.

The old man's martial art was indeed fierce and powerful.

Xu Sanyan was not flustered at all. He bent his knees slightly and met the attack with a single palm.

Bang—

With a dull thud, their fists and palms collided. The old man's eyes widened, his heart filled with shock. He actually... blocked it with just one hand!

Xu Sanyan's footsteps didn't even retreat; only the stone bricks beneath him sank slightly, and then fine, web-like cracks spread in all directions.

"You..."

The old man raised his head with an incredulous expression. He couldn't understand how this boy's slender body had managed to block his punch, which weighed over a hundred thousand catties.

Even if he had dodged, it would have been understandable, but he actually took it head-on!

Xu Sanyan lightly tapped with his right palm, and the old man involuntarily retreated a few steps.

Xu Sanyan smiled faintly. He simply didn't understand what heaven and earth treasures were!

Comparing strength with him?

Xu Sanyan's body had been strengthened by heaven and earth treasures, and he himself wasn't sure how strong his physical qualities were.

"You are definitely not in the Heavenly Human Realm Early Stage!"

The old man's lips trembled, his arms' golden glow had dimmed, and his arms couldn't stop shaking.

With that last blow, he had suffered a backlash of force. Although he appeared fine, he had sustained a significant internal injury.

"Who sent you?"

Xu Sanyan already had a guess in his heart. Besides the Cui Family, it was the Eldest Young Master. Besides them, no one could afford to invite a Martial Artist at the Heavenly Human Realm Perfection.

The old man gritted his teeth, his expression already showing an intention to retreat. This mission had failed, and he might not even be able to save his life.

"If you tell me, I'll let you go." Xu Sanyan seemed to have guessed what he was thinking and spoke at the opportune moment.

"Really?" the old man hesitated.

Xu Sanyan nodded, "Of course. I always keep my word."

The old man pondered for a moment, then nodded heavily, "Alright, I hope you keep your promise. The Eldest Young Master hired me to kill you."

The old man sold out his employer completely. He wasn't an assassin, so he had no professional ethics.

Xu Sanyan wasn't surprised. Instead, he asked curiously, "How much does it cost to hire a Martial Artist of your caliber?"

"Money? I want Spirit Medicine." The old man said, while tentatively retreating.

"Spirit Medicine?"

Xu Sanyan's spirits lifted, and he became interested.