17: Supporting role, not far from death

Night.

Ten thousand lights illuminated, and Tianqi City, covered in silver, glowed beautifully under the lights, enchanting all who saw it.

"Being on duty is too tiring; I'm going home to sleep."

Xie Weilou walked out of the Tianquan Division and stretched.

Lin Qinghuang, holding the Tianya Sword and dressed in a long green dress, had a graceful figure and hair dancing in the wind. She said in a cool tone, "You've been sleeping most of the day. Are you still tired?"

Except for the Plum Blossom Festival when Xie Weilou made a move, she hadn't made him do anything else. This guy just lay in the main hall sleeping.

And he's tired?

Xie Weilou smiled and said, "With a delicate beauty like Qinghuang by my side, her fragrance is rich, even more fragrant than plum blossoms. I can only watch, unable to taste a bite. With such endurance, how could I not be tired?"

"Go back by yourself!"

Lin Qinghuang said indifferently, then departed.

Tonight, she had to go to the black market. Cao Huaian had intentionally mentioned the black market earlier, so she might find some clues there.

She had to thoroughly investigate the Lin family's affairs. As for whether she would become a tool in someone else's hands, she wouldn't care too much. How could one catch a tiger cub without entering the tiger's den?

"Home."

Xie Weilou waved his hand and walked in another direction.

Someone was watching him at the moment; he needed to resolve that trouble, then go to the black market. He also wanted to see why the Tianya Sword had appeared in the black market before.

In a dimly lit deep alley.

Xie Weilou walked with his hands in his sleeves, head bowed. Heavy snow fell, and a cold wind blew, bone-chilling.

Clink!

The sound of an iron chain came from ahead.

Xie Weilou stopped and looked forward.

Ten meters ahead, a two-meter tall, disheveled, burly man appeared. The man had a full beard, a ferocious scar on his face, thick iron chains wrapped around his arms, a large iron hammer placed in front of him, and a pair of large, bell-like eyes flashing with sharp, eerie light.

His aura was extremely terrifying; he was a strong practitioner in the middle stage of the Tuojiang Realm.

Xie Weilou stared at the burly man and said with a faint smile, "You remind me of someone."

"Who?"

The burly man spoke, his voice somewhat coarse and gloomy.

Xie Weilou smiled and said, "The West Chu Meng Hu Pass's Captain, Tie Hu!"

Meng Hu Pass was a major pass in West Chu. That year, Xie Zhenguo led the Zhenxi Army to break through Meng Hu Pass and capture many of its generals. Tie Hu was one of them.

However, when Tie Hu was being escorted back to Tianqi, he escaped during a chaotic incident and disappeared. Some speculated that he might have been hidden by the Princess, but there was no evidence.

He didn't expect the other party to appear again.

Is the Princess so eager now that he's out of prison? Interesting!

Tie Hu stared at Xie Weilou and said, "As expected of Xie Zhenguo's grandson, you have some insight. Then, do you know that you will die next?"

Xie Weilou chuckled, "Have you heard a saying?"

Tie Hu stared at Xie Weilou, "What saying?"

Xie Weilou said seriously, "When an insignificant supporting character suddenly gets a scene, it means he's not far from death."

"Courting death."

After Tie Hu heard this, intense killing intent appeared in his eyes. He shook his arms, and an iron chain on his arm, like a venomous snake, struck towards Xie Weilou.

"......"

Xie Weilou smiled indifferently and did not dodge.

As soon as the iron chain reached half a meter in front of him, it was blocked by a powerful force, making it impossible to advance even an inch.

"Hmm?"

Tie Hu's pupils contracted. The information was wrong; wasn't it said that Xie Weilou didn't know how to cultivate?

Xie Weilou reached out and casually grabbed the iron chain.

Buzz!

The iron chain was instantly frozen by a chilling force.

Xie Weilou squeezed hard, and the iron chain exploded, its fragments flying towards Tie Hu like swift blades.

Tie Hu reacted extremely quickly, grabbing his hammer and smashing it violently onto the ground. A violent wave of air swept out, cracking the ground and sending ice and snow flying. The chain fragments were scattered, and a powerful hammer shadow, like a giant rock, slammed towards Xie Weilou.

Xie Weilou waved his sleeve, and the hammer shadow was dispersed, along with the incoming ice and snow.

"Die!"

Tie Hu lunged forward, charging directly overhead. He held the large iron hammer and slammed it down, unleashing immense pressure and power in all directions. This single hammer strike could flatten an area of a hundred meters.

Xie Weilou casually extended his hand, and the burial flower sword appeared in his grasp. He glanced at Tie Hu above him, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, and his body, like a ghost, suddenly vanished.

When he reappeared, Xie Weilou was already beside Tie Hu. He held the sword sheath with one hand, not even drawing the sword.

Whoosh!

The long sword, however, flew out on its own, emitting a cold light. In an instant, it shattered the force of Tie Hu's hammer strike, and the sword light, like a swift wind, rapidly approached Tie Hu's neck.

A ripping sound.

The sharp long sword spun around Tie Hu's neck, and a chilling sword qi overflowed.

Clang!

Xie Weilou flew ten meters behind Tie Hu, and the burial flower sword automatically returned to its sheath, making a crisp sound.

"......"

Tie Hu's expression froze, his body trembled, and the iron hammer in his hand dropped to the ground.

A ferocious bloodstain appeared on his neck, and his head flew high into the air. Blood gushed out, and his headless body fell to the ground, already a corpse.

"I told you you weren't far from death."

Xie Weilou flew down, casually put away the burial flower sword, glanced at Tie Hu's corpse, smiled, and then left with his hands behind his back.

——

Five li north of the city, there is a Twin Dragon Mountain, which serves as the entrance to the black market.

Covered in ice and snow, two large mountains face each other, forming an archway that resembles two dragons playing with a pearl, hence the name Twin Dragon Mountain.

In front of the archway.

Two black-robed figures stood there, clutching their weapons, eyes closed, covered in thick ice crystals, unmoving. Those who didn't know might think they were dead. They were the guardians of the black market entrance.

At this moment, some masked individuals were quickly entering the archway, and the guardians at the entrance did not stop them.

"......"

Xie Weilou, having changed into a black robe and wearing a fox mask, stood not far away. He glanced at the archway and happened to see Lin Qinghuang. Her dress hadn't changed, but she wore a white jade mask on her face.

After a brief thought.

Xie Weilou followed her.

After entering the archway.

The surrounding environment instantly changed.

What met the eye was an endless icy street, with numerous buildings on both sides—a building every five steps, a pavilion every ten, multi-storied pavilions arranged neatly, ancient beyond measure.

Above the pavilions, blood-red lanterns hung, their light dazzling and crimson, appearing extremely eerie and creating an inexplicable sense of oppression.

Pedestrians hurried along the street, most wearing masks, unwilling to reveal their true faces.

There were many vendors on both sides. These vendors either had ugly faces, or special patterns and totems carved on their faces, or sinister smiles and piercingly sharp voices, as if not a single normal person could be found among them.

"Commander Lin!"

When Lin Qinghuang entered the black market, Zhao Hu immediately came over.

Today, when Lin Qinghuang learned that the Tianya Sword came from the black market, she had sent Zhao Hu ahead to investigate.

"How is it?"

Lin Qinghuang looked at Zhao Hu.

Zhao Hu whispered, "I've already found out that the Tianya Sword came from the Black Dragon Pavilion."

"Black Dragon Pavilion..."

Lin Qinghuang's eyes narrowed. The forces within the black market were extremely mysterious, and this Black Dragon Pavilion was even more extraordinary and unfathomable. It often contained things that couldn't see the light of day.

Zhao Hu said, "The Black Dragon Pavilion is not simple; I didn't dare to investigate easily."

"Your mission is complete. Go back for now."

Lin Qinghuang mused.

The Black Dragon Pavilion was Weird and unpredictable; she would go herself and wouldn't let Zhao Hu take the risk.

"Alright! Commander Lin, please be careful."

Zhao Hu bowed and then turned to leave.

Lin Qinghuang immediately walked forward.

"Black Dragon Pavilion, huh?"

Xie Weilou mingled in the crowd, quietly following Lin Qinghuang...