Chapter Two: Living Life to the Fullest

Stepping out of the courtyard and traversing the long corridor, Li Wenxuan spotted a group of seventeen or eighteen-year-old maidservants carrying trays of fragrant, appetizing dishes, heading toward the main courtyard.

It was just the right time for a meal.

These delicacies, he realized, were meant for the mistress, Lady Cui.

Since that was the case, he certainly didn't need to be polite.

Li Wenxuan strode forward, blocking the path of the maidservants.

The maids were taken aback. The leader, her willow-leaf brows arching in indignation, scolded, "Where did this beggar come from? How dare you trespass into the General of the North's mansion! Do you know how to write the word 'death'?"

Li Wenxuan paused, but looking down at himself, he realized he was indeed a living, breathing beggar.

Fine!

The servants of this mansion clearly did not recognize him at all.

No matter.

They would have to be more careful in their next lives.

"Wuwuwu—"

A moment later, the five maidservants were huddled on the ground, clutching their swollen, red faces and sobbing.

The food and wine had all been snatched away by this beggar who had appeared out of nowhere.

"This tiger-fur coat and cowhide boots—so warm!"

In Li Wenxuan's dilapidated hut, the smell of urine and blood had been swept away by the cold wind. In the vast General’s mansion, this was the place he was most familiar with.

Having snatched the food, he had broken into the bedroom of General Li Hu, the General of the West, and "borrowed" brand-new cold-weather clothing and slightly oversized fur-lined cowhide boots. He was prepared to battle his enemies right here.

In a familiar environment, he could always gain a slight advantage.

As for life and death...

He was someone who had already died once.

Now, what was there to fear?

"Whoosh—"

Li Wenxuan built a fire to warm his wine before "slaying the thieves."

"So warm!"

Li Wenxuan took a sip of the wine and picked up a piece of the red-braised pork, which was perfectly stewed and succulent.

The strength of this body was also gradually returning.

At sixteen, standing over one meter seventy, with sturdy bones and broad limbs... if he grew until he was twenty, he might even reach one meter eighty or ninety!

And this was despite having lived a life of constant hunger and cold!

If he were well-fed and well-clothed, it was unimaginable.

A promising talent for martial arts!

As he sat by the fire, a question suddenly surfaced in his mind.

Logically speaking, although Li Hu had only attained the position of General of the West through his father-in-law’s influence, he should still have had some ability. Why had he failed to see that this son was a natural martial arts talent?

After a moment’s thought, he understood.

Li Hu never considered Li Wenxuan his son at all!

One could tell just by the names.

The eldest son was Li Siming, the second was Li Sicheng, and he was the illegitimate, hidden son, Li Wenxuan...

If you went out and called them brothers, no one would believe you!

With that realization, he would have no psychological burden when he struck later.

"Thump, thump, thump—"

A chaotic sound of footsteps suddenly echoed.

In the blink of an eye, the space outside the door was filled with house servants wielding sticks, every one of them looking as ferocious as a pack of hyenas ready to tear their prey apart.

"You little beast! You have such gall, daring to commit violence and injure my precious son. I will ensure you have no place to be buried!"

A shrill, sharp voice rang out, filled with endless hatred.

It was a hatred so intense, so eager to tear him limb from limb and grind his bones to dust, that it felt colder than the winter snow.

A graceful, seductive woman dressed in snow-white mink fur walked into the courtyard, like a proud crane descending into a mire.

His stepmother, Lady Cui!

Li Wenxuan stood up, not even glancing at the noble lady, and casually poured the remaining half-pot of wine into the fire.

The flames hissed and flared, growing more intense, filling the air with a hot, restless scent of alcohol.

"Little brother, it was not my intention to occupy your body, but since we are fated, let me avenge you today!"

He spoke these words in his heart as if offering a tribute, then turned around.

He drew his blade.

And faced the enemy.

The elegant, beautiful woman caught sight of the youth in the room, cloaked in the tiger-fur coat and brandishing a three-foot black iron blade. Her expression froze, and then a volcanic rage erupted across her fair, exquisite face!

"You little beast! That is the tiger-fur coat I prepared for the Master for the winter! How is it on you?"

"And that black iron blade—I spent a hundred gold pieces to have a master craftsman forge it specifically for him! How did it end up with you?"

"You, you, you!"

The middle-aged beauty was so infuriated that her lovely face was slightly distorted.

"Rush in! First, strip the Master’s tiger-fur coat off him! Then break his limbs!"

"Yes!" The house servants, upon receiving the order, waved their sticks and crowded forward.

Li Wenxuan remained calm. The door frame of the shed was narrow enough that only two people could squeeze in at once.

One blade against two—even though this body was weak, combined with his ruthless gaze as a grandmaster and his precise, tricky angles, a single vibration of the long blade instantly sent the two men tumbling.

"Pfft, pfft—"

Two sprays of blood erupted. The servants in the front, who had been clamoring to rush in and kill Li Wenxuan, were suddenly terrified and scrambled backward, screaming.

Since when had this little beast become so vicious and skilled?

Those in the front retreated, while those in the back, unaware of the situation, kept pushing forward, leading to a chaotic trampling.

Li Wenxuan gave a cold, mocking laugh. Instead of pursuing, he turned and swept his three-foot blade through the burning fire.

"Whoosh—"

The sky-filling, burning embers showered down upon the servants, who were already a chaotic mess of trampling bodies.

"Ah—!"

In an instant, piercing screams filled the air.

The air was permeated with the peculiar stench of burning hair.

The scene descended into total chaos.

"Now is the time!"

Li Wenxuan charged out of the door with his blade, ignoring the servants who were rolling on the ground, burning and unable to care for themselves.

The blade’s edge went straight for the elegant Lady Cui.

"Clang—"

The chilling, blood-reeking three-foot blade landed firmly against the lady's swan-like, fair, and delicate neck!

To capture the bandits, one must first capture the leader!

Lady Cui was startled, her breathing almost stopping in that instant.

The cold edge of the blade made her clearly feel the breath of death closing in...

She had never imagined that this little beast, who was bullied by everyone on a daily basis, could possess such means.

"Everyone, get out!"

Li Wenxuan’s voice was like a booming bell, suppressing the entire scene.

"My Lady!"

The panicked servants looked on in horror. As one of them stepped forward, Li Wenxuan flicked the black iron blade and sneered, "Whoever dares to be impudent, I will immediately slice open this beautiful face of hers!"

Upon hearing this, Lady Cui turned deathly pale and shrieked, "Get out, all of you! Go find the Master and tell him that this little beast, Li Wenxuan, is rebelling and has taken his stepmother hostage..."

The cold blade pressed tighter against her fair, fragrant skin.

Lady Cui was so terrified she immediately shut her mouth, her body trembling. Her foxy eyes were filled with horror, and her full, rosy lips quivered as she asked, "You... you... what do you want?"

Li Wenxuan let out a brazen, savage laugh: "Hahaha... my dear Lady, don't you know exactly what I want?"