Panic quickly spread through the crowd as people pushed each other in all directions, trying to escape. They knocked stalls over, people crushed against the doors, and Ayden had no choice but to grab A-Feng and A-Hui to protect them as he turned his back on the mass, cowering on the two youngsters.

     No civilian was going to attack them now, too busy trying to save themselves, but panic made people dangerous and reckless. But they were not the problem. His mind alarmed as he sensed a murderous instinct, and Ayden threw himself aside with A-Feng and A-Hui in his arms to dodge. The next moment, the wood of the door he was against shattered under a sword blow.

      Pushing the two youths aside, Ayden drew his weapon, tearing the cloak to parry a blow.

      The man hissed furiously in his face. “Blending in with the crowd to attack civilians in the middle of the day... You got guts, demon.”

      Growling with annoyance, Ayden pushed his assailant back, sending him flying backwards several feet. “I am not a demon!”

      His opponent smirked. “As if you were going to admit it so easily... Never mind. I’ll get the truth out of you myself.”

      “Young Master, wait!” said A-Hui in vain.

      Pushing aside two other men who tried to attack A-Hui and A-Feng, Ayden turned around in time to parry another attack. But he couldn’t dodge the two others brought by those who accompanied his opponent, and if his hand grabbed a blade to prevent it from piercing his shoulder, the other ended up in his flank. His whole body tensed.

      “Young Master Ayden!”

      “Young Master Huang Yiqiang! He is not a demon! Stop!”

      The pleas of the two young people only added fuel to the fire, and Huang Yiqiang’s expression darkened. “To subjugate disciples of the Beiming Lu clan... Impudent!”

      Ayden raised his head, and when he met the other’s dark gaze, a smirk twisted his lips. His eyes glowed with a delicate red now, and his body emitted a noticeable heat. He pushed Huang Yiqiang back firmly, and his hand holding the second enemy’s sword tightened, pulling the other cultivator towards him before striking him with his own pommel, breaking his nose. His sword arm arced around, forcing the last one to leap back to dodge the blow, not to end up sliced in half. Ayden grabbed the sword that pierced him and pulled it out, throwing it to the ground, drawing more blood. The heat from it seemed to grow even more, and the smoke rose with a low, hissing rumble.

      “And you say it’s not a demon?” Huang Yiqiang said with anger. “Seize them! I will personally send back this demon to the realm of the dead myself!”

      Lu Dehui’s eyes widened at those words. “Young Master Ayden!”

      But Ayden did not turn his attention to A-Hui and A-Feng, despite their calls. Huang Yiqiang would do nothing to them as he believed them to be caught in enchantment and would instead seek to ensure their safety, which would keep his two lackeys busy and leave them face to face. The berserker smiled and beckoned him over with a provocative wave of his hand. The other’s expression twisted into a grimace of anger, and they both charged.

      The clash of blades exploded in their ears, the shock raising the surrounding dust. Ayden may be experienced, but this was the first time he had fought an opponent of this kind. The weight of Huang Yiqiang’s attack was not proportional to his size or his weapon, and his blow was much heavier than it appeared. Ayden felt the blood flowing from his slashed palm, and he tightened his grip on No-Name. They both retreated before coming back to each other.

      Each attack was a thunderclap on this sunny day. The street was now deserted, leaving only the six men. Nervousness grew as they all watched the fight unfold before their eyes in amazement.

      Ayden was standing up to Huang Yiqiang. He was standing up to him and, worse, gaining the upper hand. Each of his blows became heavier, more powerful, and pushed the cultivator back with brutality. He did not have the precision of the latter, but in terms of brute force, he was superior to him.

      The redhead’s usual black eyes were now filled with a dangerous light, his irises the colour of blood. And although his wounds continued to bleed, Ayden did not even seem to feel them and struck his opponent with increasing ferocity. Another blow sent Huang Yiqiang flying into a stall, and the curtain collapsed along with the pillars that supported it. He straightened up just in time to see Ayden charging him and raised his guard.

      A tempestuous hiss echoed above them, and before No-Name could meet the other sword, a breathtakingly white blade deflected the attack, coming between the two men. Lu Yuntu narrowly followed his weapon, falling from the sky, and grabbed his sword by the pommel in a forward somersault to land on his feet. The silence that accompanied the shock of the apparition was deafening. Everyone stared at Lu Yuntu, who he turned to Ayden.

      “Collect yourself, young Master Ayden,” Lu Yuntu said, placing a hand on the man’s chest.

      The palm was cool, almost cold compared to his boiling skin, and its presence and pressure were like welcome ice on a burning fire. Ayden closed his eyes and took a deep breath to regulate his erratic souffle.

      Huang Yiqiang gasped in horror. “Guan Yi, what are you doing…?” 

      Lu Yuntu turned to him, retrieving his hand so he could greet the cultivator properly. Ayden finally opened his eyes, the gleam in his irises slowly fading. The presence of the white-robed cultivator was surprisingly soothing.

      “My apologies, young Master Huang Yiqiang. Allow me to clarify this misunderstanding,” Lu Yuntu said as he straightened up to face his peer. “This man is a distinguished guest of the Beiming Lu clan and is indeed human.”

      “A distinguished guest...” repeated the other in a blank voice. Huang Yiqiang couldn’t believe it.

      Ayden smiled at the stunned expression, taking some satisfaction in his shock. He almost wanted to laugh but restrained himself. He stabbed his sword into the ground for support and brought a hand to his side to press it down, yet unable to stop the blood from flowing on either side. By all the gods, the other had really gone right through him.

      Now that the bloodlust and the rage had subsided, Ayden could sense the blood loss, and as he felt himself wavering, an appeasing presence came by his side. He turned his head to see Lu Yuntu holding him back, his expression still composed.

      “We have to stop the bleeding now,” Lu Yuntu said, helping him.

     Huang Yiqiang watched as the two men turned their backs on him and walked off toward a stall, dumbfounded.