Chapter 49: She Wanted to Beat That Old Man's Head Like a Drumstick

The courtyard gate creaked open.

A tall man appeared at the entrance, his voice low and cold. "Stop playing around."

The familiar voice brought a glimmer of hope to Old Madam Su and the others, who turned to look at the man.

The mad old man sitting on the ground rolled his eyes defiantly. "Who’s playing? I’m working on some herbs here, go away!"

"To detoxify."

"No detox, no detox at all!"

Clang—

"You’re threatening me with a knife? You just want to scare them, and now you’re pointing a knife at me?!"

The mad old man stood up and sat under the eaves, turning his back to the man to show his anger. "If you’d come a little later, their poison would have cleared on its own! You want to use Soft Tendon Powder on me right away? Ungrateful and treacherous!"

The Su women looked bewildered.

What did he just say about itching, severe pain, and that after fifteen minutes even immortals couldn’t save them—was that all a lie?

Soft Tendon Powder?

Old Madam Su tried to move and, sure enough, her strength was slowly returning. As for the itching… not a trace of it.

"Lord Broken Blade, do you… know each other?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes." Broken Blade stepped into the courtyard, his eyes half-closed. "I want to eat."

"Xiu’er, go cook. Da Xiang, watch the three children," Old Madam Su ordered without hesitation, then struggled to stand and headed for the main hall. "Yuelan, how are you and Tianbao? Are you alright?"

The woman lying inside the hall gave a weak response, "Mother, I’m fine, Tianbao’s fine too—"

Before she could finish, chaos erupted.

The strange old man who had been sitting under the eaves suddenly darted into the hall, snatched the baby from the woman’s arms, and fled so swiftly he was barely visible.

By the time everyone reacted, they saw only a blurry shadow scaling the wall. "If you want the child, bring me fresh Tianshan snowlotus! Fresh only!"

Old Madam Su stared at the retreating figure, her eyes bloodshot as she cried out mournfully, "Tianbao—!!"

He Da Xiang and Su Xiu’er were stunned, unable to react to the sudden turn of events.

Liu Yuelan burst out of the hall like a madwoman, dropping to her knees before Broken Blade and pounding her head on the ground. "Sir, please, save my daughter! You know that man—he’ll owe you a favor. Please, I beg you, save my Tianbao! I’ll kowtow to you!"

Broken Blade’s face was expressionless. Using the hilt of his sword to block her head, he said coldly, "The poison-bearer has two advantages: poison use and lightness skill. I can’t catch him."

He turned to the woman who could cook but was still standing there in a daze, frowning. "I want to eat."

The woman’s eyes reddened, her face fierce. She spat, "No! You’re all snakes and rats! You kidnap my Tianbao and still want me to cook for you? I’d rather go to hell than cook for you. Get out!"

---

The man’s brow furrowed deeply, his cold eagle-like eyes sharp enough to chill one’s spine.

Su Xiu’er bit her lip hard, forcing herself to stand tall and glare defiantly, refusing to yield to his intimidating presence.

The stalemate lasted only a moment before a storm seemed to sweep through the small Su courtyard.

Moments later, the man turned silently and left.

From within the courtyard came the women’s wailing cries and frightened children’s sobs, a wave of grief and despair spreading.

"Xiu’er, go call your father and brother! We’re going after Tianbao! Right now!"

…

Tianbao was held in one hand by the mad old man as he leapt and bounded through the air, the child swinging precariously in his grasp.

If he slipped for even a moment, she would fall and be crushed.

"Hmph, I don’t use poison unless I have to, but when I do, I never come back empty-handed! You think I’d waste my effort on empty words? Friendship doesn’t fill the stomach! No way!"

The old man muttered nonstop, caring little for the child in his hand.

Yet, after flying so long, the child hadn’t cried or fussed, which was unusual.

He landed in a patch of reeds by the Clear River, raising the child to eye level. "You’ve got guts! Those big black eyes… Hey, why are you staring at me like that? Little one, don’t blame me for kidnapping you. I didn’t want to touch you at first, just scare you a bit. But that bastard Broken Blade had to meddle and ruin my face in front of others. Now that I’ve taken you, just accept it. If your family brings me the snowlotus, I’ll let you go home safely. If not, hmph, I’ll stew you up for dinner!"

He pinched her tiny hands and feet, muttering, "Nothing special… no three heads or six arms… Can she really understand the Moon Chant?"

The little one was soft and limp, well-fed with a pale, round face and chubby body that made pinching her irresistible.

The mad old man stopped pinching for a moment, then resumed.

"Soft, and fragrant," he said, sitting down on a clean patch in the reeds, grinning wickedly as he leaned close. "A stew would taste good for sure."

Tianbao stared quietly at him.

Now that they had landed, she wouldn’t be squashed.

They’d left home, so no more taboos or bad omens.

Good.

The entrance to the space above spun and descended, just hovering over the old man’s head.

Still chattering away, the man pinched the child’s collar with two fingers, ready to make her spin and roll, then cover her with mud to make a mud doll.

Bang!

A loud noise.

The mad old man swayed, eyes rolling back as he fainted before he could cry out in pain.

A fist-sized stone rolled to the ground.

Tianbao, now unsupported, plopped down right beside the old man’s head.

Expressionless, she threw the stone back into the space, her small hand clenched into a fist.

She was going to use that old man’s head as a drum.

The golden sun dipped westward, a breeze swept over the reeds by the river, stirring a rustling sound.

The Clear River flowed gently, carrying a fresh fragrance of water and reeds that soothed the soul.

Amid the beautiful scene, a faint, peculiar thudding sound could be heard.

If you didn’t listen carefully, it would be easily masked by the rustling reeds.

"Had enough fun?" The man’s deep voice suddenly sounded.

Tianbao turned toward the voice, meeting the sharp eagle eyes of Broken Blade. Unfazed, she clenched her small fist and thwacked the top of a bird’s nest with a bang.

Broken Blade’s gaze fell on the unconscious mad old man. The corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily.

The man wasn’t dead, but his breathing was shallow and weak.

Especially his head, badly bruised and swollen.

"Can you understand me?" Broken Blade slowly approached and crouched before the child. He didn’t stop her actions but his eyes showed shock and curiosity.

From the first time he saw her, he knew this child was extraordinary.

Just not this extraordinary.

A baby who hadn’t even learned to crawl was already beating people up.

And with considerable strength at that.

"Let him off," he said, bargaining. "I’ll provide meals for the Su family for two months."

Tianbao looked at him and banged her fist down again, bang.

"Three months. Meals provided, plus protection for the Su family’s peace for three months."

Broken Blade kept watching the little one. Seeing her tilt her head in thought, he reluctantly nodded.