"Heh, you old shrew, I saved you, and you point a gun at me."
Ren Yuanhao lit a cigarette, still blocking Xia Xiaomo. He checked the time. One-third of the four-hour mission to protect Xia Xiaomo had passed, but the assassin's location hadn't been found. The threat remained. As a gentleman, he wouldn't abandon his employer.
Smoke rings spiraled slowly in the empty space, shrouding Ren Yuanhao's face in a distorted, paste-like blur. Xia Yun'er's high heels tapped a crisp rhythm on the crystal floor. Though unseen in the dim light, one could imagine her figure swaying and her chest heaving.
"Brat, this is the first time in my life someone has slapped me!"
"There's always a first time. I traded a slap for a life. If I were you, I'd be secretly celebrating. Isn't it worth it?"
Ren Yuanhao remained unruffled, exuding an aura of calm amidst chaos, as if Mount Tai were collapsing before him without him batting an eye. His volatile inner energy was also somewhat obedient tonight; aside from slightly rapid breathing, there were no other after-effects. At this moment, someone surprisingly spoke in Ren Yuanhao's defense.
"Miss Xia, one must know how to be grateful. I believe the assassin still lurking outside the Xia family mansion is here for you. Without this brother, you would now be nailed to pillars or floors like Jesus. With enemies all around, you're thinking of cutting off your own lifeline. It seems the Xia family has been on a path of decline since Xia Zhengnan was paralyzed. If we are fortunate enough to survive today, I will be the first to terminate my business relationship with your family."
The speaker, along with three or four other men, had overturned a heavy marble table and were hiding behind it. He appeared to be at least fifty years old, his hair already receding to form a widow's peak. Perhaps due to the dim light, his face looked haggard, with dark circles under his eyes.
"Elder Zhu, my sister is young and has suffered a terrible humiliation, so her words are a bit confused. As a key business partner of the Xia family, you mustn't take her seriously." Xia Yu tried to maintain his composure and said slowly.
Elder Zhu ignored him and instead cupped his hands in greeting to Ren Yuanhao. "Brother, you are truly noble. May I ask which family's young master you are? I, Zhu, greatly admire you."
"I'm just an accountant, nothing special, and certainly no young master of any prominent family."
Ren Yuanhao took half a puff of his cigarette and then stubbed it out, unconcerned that a gun was pointed at him in the dim light.
"Sister, put the gun down. Don't let these people laugh at us!" Xia Yu pressed his sister's arm, then quickly pulled out his phone. The moment he lit the screen, a pair of emerald eyes stared at him as if alive, scaring him into several steps back. A steel needle suddenly shot through the thick glass, aiming for Xia Yu's face!
The sound of shattering glass made the already startled individuals agitated once more.
The sudden turn of events caught even Ren Yuanhao off guard. He couldn't understand how the steel needle had been fired with such accuracy. Given the distance from Xia Yu, even with his full effort using the "Soaring Dragon's Grasping Cloud Hand," he wouldn't be able to neutralize the danger in just one second.
This was a dead end. In that instant, countless negative thoughts swarmed him like persistent maggots.
He couldn't imagine Xia Xiaomo, who should have lived a life like a princess, now living in this grey-green castle filled with sinister plots as an illegitimate child. Her devilish brother and sister wanted to snatch away what rightfully belonged to her, leaving her with no dignity.
Did people like this need saving?
He hesitated, and hesitation meant death!
In a flash of lightning, Ren Yuanhao's reason finally triumphed over his darker instincts. At this critical juncture, Ren Yuanhao's mind was in chaos. However, perhaps by divine intervention, by sheer accident, Ren Yuanhao casually extended his hand and unleashed the "Star Absorbing Great Technique."
The Star Absorbing Great Technique was akin to turning oneself into a black hole. Though the steel needle was incredibly fast, it was still bound by physics. With the technique unleashed, a strong gust of wind rose from the ground, and a massive suction force instantly altered the trajectories of both the steel needle and Xia Yu. Ren Yuanhao felt a sudden pressure in his chest, and a mouthful of blood surged into his throat. He immediately channeled his internal force, closing his fingers at the "Shaochong" and "Shangyang" acupoints, thus halting the malevolent technique. Xia Yu and the steel needle landed simultaneously, dust swirling and scattering in all directions.
Fortunately, everyone was preoccupied with their escape, and the flickering dim light prevented anyone from noticing Ren Yuanhao's peculiar move. Even Xia Yu, disbelieving, got up from the ground, touching his face dazedly, unable to comprehend his survival from the attack.
Only Xia Xiaomo, hidden behind Ren Yuanhao's body, witnessed all of this. She tried to help the half-kneeling Ren Yuanhao, but he waved her away. The blood that had been accumulating in his throat erupted.
"Little brother!"
Xia Xiaomo rushed to support Ren Yuanhao, who was about to collapse. To her surprise, Ren Yuanhao felt like a mountain bearing down on her. They fell into an awkward, overlapping embrace.
Xia Xiaomo, who had never been held down by a man like this before, felt her entire body go weak. Her breathing became heavy, and only her heart pounded wildly. Her body temperature began to rise.
"Little brother~ You, you're pressing on me. I feel so uncomfortable~"
The dazed Ren Yuanhao was unaware he had taken advantage of her. He felt as if he were on a soft bed, or perhaps a vast black hole, constantly pulling him in. It was only when the sound of shattering glass was heard again that he instinctively reached out and pressed on something, preparing to get up and deal with it.
However, with that reach, the thing he pressed on made Xia Xiaomo's shame surge.
"Little brother~ You~ You~"
A fleeting flash of dim light. Ren Yuanhao felt a soft touch, incredibly comfortable and secure. But as he squinted in the dim light, he realized his hand was on Xia Xiaomo's...
As if electrocuted, he withdrew his hand, his old face flushing red. He placed one hand on his dantian, exclaiming, "Stay away from anything that reflects light. That assassin is likely not human!"
He whispered the latter half of his sentence, as if speaking only to himself.
The mansion had descended into chaos. Chen Tao finally managed to move and find Ren Yuanhao.
"Brother, what's going on? Is someone trying to kill the Xia siblings?"
Ren Yuanhao did not answer immediately because one thing puzzled him. If the intention was simply to kill, why not wait until after the banquet when everyone was tired and defenseless? Why choose a time when everyone was present, thus increasing the difficulty for themselves?
Moreover, with such skill, and the ability to accurately pinpoint a target using the light emitted from Xia Yu's phone, their eyesight was far beyond ordinary. So, why would an ability user, or a cultivator, want to kill these two?