Chapter 6: Killing the Body, Destroying the Soul

"Now that I possess the Water Command technique, killing Steward Liu within the estate would be no difficult feat, but such an act would easily alert the enemy."
"Why not catch a Scarlet Gold Silver-Eyed Fish in Jinzhou Bay, then lure him out to sea? That way, everything could be done without a trace."

The winds and rains over Jinzhou Bay are fickle, and fishermen perish there daily. If a mere steward from the Yang estate went missing, who would care?
Having settled his plan, Shen Yan manipulated the seawater to push the fishing boat toward the shore.

Along the way, Shen Yan noticed his strength had indeed increased greatly. Where once he would be gasping for breath, now he felt not the slightest fatigue.

By the time he returned to the Yang estate, night had fallen.
The events of the day were so bizarre that, although his body was full of vigor, his mind was weighed down. He prepared to return to his room and sleep.

Yet he had barely walked far when his body paused involuntarily. The Celestial Emperor's divine mark on his chest grew warm, and suddenly he sensed a wave of malice from ahead.

"Is this the mark's warning? I never expected it to have such a function!"
Shen Yan was first delighted—so many uses for the Celestial Emperor's mark, more than he'd hoped.

He quickly suppressed his joy; the immediate concern was dealing with whoever harbored evil intentions ahead.

This was within the Yang estate, though merely the outer quarters. There could hardly be common thieves lurking, so those ahead must also be servants of the estate.

"Could it be for the Blood Ginseng Pill gifted by Lady Yang Yun?"
He, a humble servant, owned nothing of value except the pill, which he had already consumed.

"Hey, this boy's quite alert. Since we've been discovered, come out, everyone."
As Shen Yan stopped, a hoarse voice sounded from the corner ahead.

He looked up and saw three men step from the shadows—it was the servants from his own courtyard.

"Jiang Qing, what are you up to?"
Shen Yan asked calmly, his gaze drifting to a nearby water vat.

The Yang estate, grand and sprawling, kept enormous vats every ten yards to guard against fire, ready for immediate use.

The vat to his left was barely a yard away; his Water Command technique could easily control its contents.

"What am I up to? You know the answer. Hand over Lady Yang's Blood Ginseng Pill."
Jiang Qing sneered, gesturing to the two beside him as they pressed in.

So it was as he'd guessed.
Shen Yan, still calm, replied,
"That is a gift from the lady herself. Do you dare seize it by force?"

They burst out laughing. Jiang Qing twisted his neck, bones cracking, and stepped forward with disdain.
"Of course we wouldn't dare rob the lady's gift. But wasn't it you who, after implicating Steward Liu, offered it up willingly?"

The other two servants folded their arms, faces full of malicious glee.

"And if I refuse?"
Shen Yan's expression was as calm as water. Jiang Qing clearly wished to curry favor with Steward Liu, hence this attempt at robbery.

There was no way things would end peacefully; someone would have to yield.

But the pill was already gone, and Shen Yan had no way to produce it.
Even if he still had it, he would not easily bow his head. Now that he bore the Celestial Emperor's mark, if he must submit to mere servants, what purpose would his life serve?

"If you refuse? We're acting under Steward Liu's orders! Hand over the pill now, and we'll pretend nothing happened. Otherwise, don't blame me for what comes next."
Jiang Qing dropped all pretense, his tone chilling.

"Just the three of you?"
Shen Yan suddenly smiled, beckoning them with a provocative gesture.

"You sickly wretch, you've got some nerve. Don't think that stubborn attitude of yours will save you. If I don't beat you until you call me 'grandfather,' I'll no longer bear the name Jiang!"
Fury erupted in Jiang Qing as Shen Yan dared to taunt them three against one; he lunged forward and kicked at Shen Yan.

"Make me call you 'grandfather'? You think you're worthy?"
A flash of anger crossed Shen Yan's face. He had kept his head down all these years, enduring humiliation for the hope of someday rising and avenging his grievances.

Now, with the Celestial Emperor's mark in hand, only necessity would force him to bow again.

Facing Jiang Qing's rage, Shen Yan felt no fear. His body, transformed by the divine mark, possessed power akin to innate strength; dealing with a common servant was trivial.

He struck instantly—left hand seizing Jiang Qing's ankle, right hand chopping down like a blade.

Crack!

A sharp sound rang out as Shen Yan broke Jiang Qing's left leg completely, white bone piercing through flesh, a gruesome sight.

In a single exchange, the man hoping to please Steward Liu fell into Shen Yan's hands, utterly ruined.

"Ah!"
Jiang Qing screamed, curling up in pain, all arrogance vanished.

"Damn!"
The two servants behind him were stunned, wanting to help yet paralyzed by Shen Yan's ruthlessness.

But Shen Yan had no intention of letting Jiang Qing go. He yanked the broken leg, dragging him down, and stomped on his chest.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Three heavy blows shattered Jiang Qing's chest bones; blood spewed from his mouth as he fell unconscious.

"A mere laborer dares to act wild before me?"
Shen Yan snorted, kicking the unconscious Jiang Qing aside, then grinned at the remaining two:

"Come, the Blood Ginseng Pill is right here. Didn't you want it? Take it if you dare!"

The two servants were struck dumb by his savagery.

The always silent, stubborn-as-a-mule Shen Yan—how had he become so ruthless?

"Are you deaf or mute? I told you to come!"

Taking advantage of their shock, Shen Yan moved swiftly, grabbed their hair, and yanked hard.

They were fellow servants, all oppressed within the Yang estate; neither possessed any notable strength.

But Shen Yan, now transformed by the Celestial Emperor's mark, had power nearly equal to innate might. Facing three servants was mere bullying.

Though he lacked true combat experience, years of smoldering hatred had forged his resolve into a blazing fire and relentless ferocity. Now, unleashed at last, his every move was steeped in ruthlessness.