Chapter Nineteen: For Their Own Good
The Twin Snakes of Crimson Blood belonged to the underworld; killing was merely a means to an end, and kneeling was naturally just another tactic.
When White Snake regained consciousness, he knelt alongside Black Snake before Li Xunhuan.
They were given new names: Black Dog and White Dog.
Was it humiliating?
Of course.
But to them, the enigmatic and charming Li Xunhuan was unfathomable, and the bearded giant could effortlessly crush them with a single blow.
They had no choice but to comply!
“Such a pity,” Li Xunhuan sighed as he looked at the three dogs. “You are far too weak!”
“When you go out bearing my name, you’ll likely be hacked to death in this martial world!”
Li Xunhuan said with some distress, “It matters little if you die, but I lose face!”
The three men’s eyelids twitched, unsure how to respond.
Li Xunhuan declared, “Since that’s the case, let me make you a little stronger!”
With that, Shi Fei rose from the other side of the wine table.
Only then did the three men notice Shi Fei and realize there was yet another person seated opposite Li Xunhuan.
Who was this man?
Why had they subconsciously ignored him?
They did not know; all they saw was Shi Fei pressing down on Black Dog’s head, causing him to emit wretched screams.
Next, White Dog and their leader, Zhuge Lei, took their turns.
Zhuge Lei, thinking it some cruel torture, pleaded repeatedly with Li Xunhuan, “Scholar Li, Scholar Li... I still have value! Don’t kill me!”
Soon, Shi Fei’s hand pressed down on Zhuge Lei’s head, and he felt a torrent of true energy rushing into his body, unblocking his Ren and Du meridians and transmitting power to him!
He felt his Ren and Du meridians, along with the eight extraordinary vessels, completing a great cycle in a short span. How could he not feel pain?
He howled like a slaughtered pig, drawing Shi Fei’s gaze for a moment—a rare loud wail indeed.
When Shi Fei finished transmitting power to all three, they felt themselves grow stronger—not merely by a small margin but significantly so!
Was it twice as strong?
The power surged within them, reaching levels they had never dared to dream of.
They looked at Shi Fei and Li Xunhuan with complex expressions—both reverence and fear.
Li Xunhuan nodded approvingly and said involuntarily, “This is not bad. At least now you can hold your own against the martial world’s experts!”
“Power, I have plenty! Authority, when I dominate the martial arts world, I will grant you as well! All I ask in return is your loyalty!”
Black Dog and White Dog immediately pledged their loyalty loudly, “Willing to spill our blood and brains for our lord!”
In this martial world, having backing and support is not a curse but a great blessing!
Serving anyone is just serving, especially when Li Xunhuan is so generous!
Zhuge Lei hesitated, for he was an old acquaintance of Li Xunhuan. To suddenly become a lackey tore at his heart.
“Scholar Li...”
Before his words finished, Li Xunhuan’s expression shifted, and he snapped his fingers gently.
Zhuge Lei felt his true energy surge uncontrollably, the energy Shi Fei had gifted him running rampant inside his body!
His meridians felt like they were being sliced with blades; blood poured from his nose and mouth as he howled in agony.
“Li... no, my lord! Have mercy!”
He writhed on the ground, begging in pain.
Black Dog and White Dog looked at Zhuge Lei coldly, not a shred of sympathy in their eyes.
In the martial world, some people simply fail to recognize their place!
After half a quarter of an hour, Li Xunhuan snapped his fingers again, and Zhuge Lei’s cries ceased.
“Considering it’s your first offense, I’ll spare you this once!” Li Xunhuan sipped his wine lightly, a hint of puzzlement in his tone:
“You led trouble eastward just now, yet I neither hold a grudge nor punish you. Instead, I gave you power. Why then do you still withhold your loyalty?”
“Is your loyalty less important than your life?”
At this moment, Zhuge Lei lost all restraint, prostrating himself before Li Xunhuan, repeatedly saying, “I am loyal to my lord! Loyal to my lord! I am a good dog! I am a good dog!”
His kowtowing was so vigorous that blood flowed from his forehead, covering his face in crimson.
“Since that’s the case, you may go!” Li Xunhuan told the three, “Find the whereabouts of Shangguan Jinhong for me, and make my name known throughout the martial world!”
“When your mission is complete, you will know how to find me!”
This time, the three spoke in unison, “We will obey our lord’s command!”
Li Xunhuan said no more, and the three departed.
After they left, the bearded giant donned the golden silk armor.
Shi Fei smiled at him and said, “Wonderful, wonderful! Now you’re the little iron-clad treasure!”
Li Xunhuan suddenly realized he could speak and said, “He’s not the little iron-clad treasure; he’s the Iron-Clad Vajra!”
The simplest way to humiliate a person is to give them a nickname, to change their name.
“Isn’t he your servant?” Shi Fei asked.
Li Xunhuan shook his head, saying, “No, he’s my family!”
In his heart, he regarded the Iron-Clad Vajra as kin.
Shi Fei said casually, “Oh~ You sure treat your family well!”
For a moment, Li Xunhuan couldn’t tell if Shi Fei was complimenting or mocking him. He looked at the bearded giant, Iron-Clad Vajra, and asked, “What did you do to him?”
It wasn’t just Iron-Clad Vajra who acted strangely; earlier he had also said some odd things uncontrollably.
Now Iron-Clad Vajra said, “Young master, I’m perfectly fine! I feel great... I did things I usually wouldn’t dare to do! I feel fantastic!”
Li Xunhuan frowned, knowing that this was not how Iron-Clad Vajra would normally speak.
He glanced at Shi Fei.
Shi Fei looked at Iron-Clad Vajra and said, “In the martial world, people often harbor regrets in their hearts. They feel that way because they lack power. Once they have power, those regrets vanish.”
“That’s how little Iron-Clad Treasure is. Over the years, he’s been burdened with many frustrations. You only care about yourself, never considering him!”
Li Xunhuan fell silent. In the martial world, who doesn’t carry some burden in their heart?
He held a throwing knife, three inches and seven points in length, forged from refined steel.
“Why is it like this?” Li Xunhuan asked.
Shi Fei answered, “Because we are friends, brothers!”
“You treat your friends and brothers like this?” Li Xunhuan said coldly. “Your friends and brothers are truly unfortunate.”
Shi Fei said, “I only take care of my friends and brothers in my own way! For their own good!”
Li Xunhuan said, “I’d rather not be your friend or brother.”
Where else could one find friends and brothers who manipulate you like puppets?
Shi Fei looked at him, smiling, “Weren’t you the same before? Didn’t you also deny him and her a choice, using your own way?”
Li Xunhuan was struck like lightning, speechless for a long time.
With a “clang,” the throwing knife slipped from his hand to the ground.
Yet he had no strength to pick it up.
Not all wounds are inflicted by swords and blades—words can hurt too.