Chapter 670: Face Alone Is Not Enough

Fengyu Merchant Guild, Si Family Manor.

"Master, the young lady has returned."

When the maid reported the news, Si Xingyun, the head of the family, trembled slightly. His teacup shook in his hand. He abruptly stood up and asked, "She’s back? Where is she? She... she’s not injured, is she?"

Even a man of his stature, a formidable figure who had weathered countless storms, momentarily lost his composure.

In contrast, his wife, Kong Xue, remained calm. She coughed lightly and asked, "Did she return alone, or was she escorted back?"

The servant hesitated for a moment before replying, "A chubby man accompanied the young lady back."

Si Xingyun froze for a second before his expression darkened with fury. He instantly knew who that man was.

That shameless, despicable lecher dared to set foot in the Si Family Manor?

A short while later, tension filled the air in the main hall.

"Your son-in-law, Li Qingchen, greets his father-in-law," said Li Xiaofei as he cupped his fists and saluted.

The Si Family was steeped in tradition. From the architecture of the manor to the attire of its servants, everything exuded an ancient charm. So Li Xiaofei played along, adding a few formal words.

"Guards, seize him!" Si Xingyun had no patience for pleasantries. He shouted coldly, "Break his legs and hand him over to the Internal Affairs Bureau."

Dozens of elite guards immediately rushed in from outside the hall. The sound of weapons being drawn filled the air as hundreds of men surged forward from behind the shadow wall beyond the outer courtyard. It was a true five hundred men execution squad.[1]

"Stop." Si Kongxue spoke up in a clear voice. "Father, I have something to say."

"You still have the nerve to speak?" Si Xingyun's face was as dark as soot. "Get back to your room and reflect on your mistakes! You are not to come out without my permission!"

His fury was palpable. He had no desire to hear another word from this rebellious daughter.

"Father." Si Kongxue's expression changed drastically. Her voice was nearly pleading, and trembled as she said, "Can you not harm Qingchen?"

Si Xingyun’s anger was only stoked even more. His usually obedient daughter had defied him again and again.

"Go to your room before I become completely disappointed in you," Her father’s voice had grown cold, like ice scraping across a stone.

Seated to the side, Kong Xue remained composed as she gracefully poured tea. She had not spoken a single word, as if the intense confrontation unfolding in the hall had nothing to do with her.

Li Xiaofei patted Si Kongxue on the shoulder, signaling that she need not worry and should return to her room. He could handle this situation.

Yet, out of nowhere, or perhaps out of sheer recklessness, Si Kongxue suddenly lifted her chin and declared, "Father, Mother, I... I already belong to him."

The weight of her words lay in the last five words. They were so simple, yet the information it conveyed was nothing short of a nuclear explosion. It was the most rebellious sentence she had ever spoken to her parents in her life.

Si Xingyun was momentarily stunned, his hand trembling as he pointed at his daughter, unable to form a response.

Beside him, Kong Xue's teapot quivered slightly in her grasp. She set her teacup down and calmly wiped her elegant, snow-white hands with a warm towel.

It only took her two or three breaths to regain her composure.

"Go back to your room and rest," Kong Xue’s voice was ethereal. It had the kind of tone that lingered in one's mind long after hearing it.

Her words were gentle and had no trace of anger. Yet Si Kongxue knew very well that the true head of the Si Family, her mother, was now furious. Instinctively, she felt fear, but she still wanted to resist.

At that moment, Li Xiaofei nudged her lightly and said, "Go on, get some rest. Leave everything here to me."

Si Kongxue wanted to say something.

But Li Xiaofei cut her off. "Trust me."

She hesitated for a moment before finally turning away. Two maids escorted her out of the hall. Now, only Li Xiaofei, the Si Family heads, and a large group of elite guards remained.

All eyes were on Li Xiaofei. This infamous good-for-nothing was well known throughout the city, especially thanks to his antics some time ago. He had been harassing the young lady on light network with absurd messages, making a fool of himself, and was ultimately rejected by her. The entire city had laughed at him.

And yet, in such a short span of time... It seemed like the young lady had completely fallen for him. How on earth had this fat fool managed that?

Meanwhile, Si Xingyun was seething with murderous intent. His glare burned like fire as he locked eyes on Li Xiaofei, ready to kill him on the spot. Any ordinary person would have crumbled under such immense pressure.

But Li Xiaofei merely yawned. Then, without a care in the world, he strolled over to the tea table, picked up the cup that Kong Xue had just poured, and remarked, "Perfect, the tea hasn't gone cold yet."

He downed it in one gulp. Then, he casually propped his legs up on the tea table with an audible thud.

"I am a man who values face above all else. If someone respects me, I repay them with gold. Everyone wins. But if things get ugly, no one will come out looking good," Li Xiaofei spoke leisurely, his tone unhurried and casual.

"Ha? Hahaha... HAHAHA!" Si Xingyun was so enraged that he could not help but laugh.

This was the first time he had ever encountered such an audacious, reckless, and self-important madman.

"And what if I refuse to give you face?" sneered Si Xingyun. His voice was laced with icy contempt.

Li Xiaofei smirked. "Ordinary people who disrespect me don’t live to regret it. But you... heh, you’re the father of the woman I chose. So, I’ll take a step back. If you refuse to give me face, I’ll just take it back myself."

As soon as the words fell, Li Xiaofei struck with a single thrust. The Flying Snow spear flashed through the hall like a bolt of lightning. The dazzling spear light sliced through the air, drawing gasps from the gathered onlookers.

Instinctively, Si Xingyun turned toward his wife. She was unharmed. Then, he checked himself from head to toe. He was also unharmed. Si Xingyun let out a breath of relief, just about to speak.

But before he could utter a word, three successive gasps of disbelief echoed through the hall.

His head snapped around to look behind him. The three top-tier Planet level warriors hired by the Si Family all stood frozen in shock, their faces drained of color as if they had just seen a ghost.

The Divine-Eyed Golden Eagle, Luo Jianghu, was standing to the far right. A tiny crimson dot had appeared between his brows, and a bead of blood was slowly seeping out.

The Golden Jade Divine Hand, Mo Yuncong, was in the center. A pinpoint-sized droplet of blood surfaced the back of his right hand, as if it had been drawn out by an invisible force.

The Formless Dragon Body, Mo Wu, stood to the far left. On his left shoulder guard, exactly three fingers to the left, was a minuscule hole. It was the exact location of his weak point.

These three men were Planet level warriors, elites among elites in the entire Chongque Realm. Luo Jianghu’s vision, Mo Yuncong’s hands, and Mo Wu’s body refinement were collectively known as the Three Absolutes.

Their reputations preceded them, and each wielded their own unrivaled specialty. Otherwise, the Si Family, one of the four great merchant guilds, would never have paid a fortune to retain them as their personal guards.

And yet, these three peerless warriors had all been struck by a single spear thrust from Li Xiaofei. Each wound landed on the very foundation of their expertise.

It was only after Li Xiaofei retracted his spear that they finally registered what had happened. Had he truly intended to kill them... They would already be corpses on the floor.

They stared at the arrogant, white-robed fatty before them, their hearts filled with terror. Any desire to attack had been thoroughly extinguished.

Si Xingyun was no fool. He immediately grasped the significance of what had just transpired. His mouth opened slightly, but after several seconds, not a single word came out. Instead, beside him, Kong Xue’s agelessly beautiful face suddenly curved into the faintest of smiles.

"All of you, withdraw," said Kong Xue, waving her hand lightly.

In an instant, the warriors inside and outside the hall retreated like a receding tide, leaving not a single trace behind. The tense atmosphere dissipated, as if even the air had become clearer.

Kong Xue slowly walked to the tea table, took a seat across from Li Xiaofei, and resumed making tea. She boiled water, steeped the leaves, and poured the tea gracefully.

Tea culture was highly revered in Chongque City. As the matriarch of the Si Family, one would expect Kong Xue to have countless attendants to serve her. Yet, the way she handled the tea, with refined movements honed through endless practice, exuded an elegance that bordered on the divine.

Si Xingyun observed his wife’s actions with a mixture of surprise and reluctance but said nothing. He merely stood at the side and watched.

Kong Xue poured a cup of tea and gently pushed it toward Li Xiaofei. Li Xiaofei chuckled, withdrew his legs from the table, and sat up properly. He picked up the tea and downed it in one gulp.

"Many thanks, dear mother-in-law," said Li Xiaofei. Then he set the cup down.

Kong Xue refilled it and said, "If you want to survive in Chongque City, face alone is not enough."

Li Xiaofei smirked and replied, "That’s right. One needs strength and wealth as well."

Kong Xue poured the third cup and said, "Good. Once you have both, come back to the Si Family."

After finishing his third cup, Li Xiaofei stood up. His posture was tall and unwavering.

"I will have everything very soon," said Li Xiaofei as he met the eyes of the beautiful and elegant woman before him.

Longevity was a given for cosmic lifeforms. Many powerful women had the means to preserve their youth, remaining as radiant as eighteen-year-old girls for ninety percent of their lifespans.

Kong Xue was stunning. She exuded both warmth and authority, a composed presence that concealed the might of thunder and storm.

Li Xiaofei met her eyes and said, "But remember this, do not make things difficult for Little Xue. She is my woman now. Even a single harsh word against her will pain me, grieve me, and drive me mad. And if I go mad... I will do things that are unreasonable, irreparable, and entirely devoid of benefit."

Kong Xue did not respond. She merely smiled faintly. Li Xiaofei turned and strode toward the hall’s exit.

As he passed Si Xingyun, he nodded slightly and said, "Sooner or later, you will understand. Having the Si Family tied to me is your greatest fortune."

Si Xingyun gritted his teeth and replied, "Fortune? Save yourself first before making such claims."

Li Xiaofei had killed Nan Renyi. Nan Wushuang, the founder of the Azure Swallow Merchant Guild, had lost his only son. The wounded lion was seething with rage and had vowed to tear Li Xiaofei apart limb by limb.

Li Xiaofei merely chuckled and walked away. Compared to Kong Xue, Si Xingyun was almost endearingly simple. It was evident that he was nothing more than a puppet. The true power lay in the hands of the woman who loved making tea.

But none of that concerned Li Xiaofei. He would continue down this reckless path until Eden took notice of him.

Just as he left the Si Family Manor, his phone buzzed. It was Huang Dinggou.

"Brother Chen! Where are you? Hurry back! Something big just happened!" Huang Dinggou’s voice was frantic, laced with urgency.

1. Five hundred men execution squad is a phrase that someone uses in China when he/she wants to portray a strong killing intent. ☜