Chapter Seventy-Three: The Underworld’s Black List—Buying Lives

In Ma Xue’e’s understanding, even a tiger, though fierce, will not eat its own cubs.

All along, she had only pretended to despise her biological father and regarded him as an enemy because she trusted Ma Qingyun and did not want to make him unhappy.

Ma Xue’e knew that to hunt someone down, the most effortless way was to have the authorities issue a wanted notice or to buy a place on the underworld’s blacklist.

Whether it was the government’s wanted list or the martial world’s blacklist, both were posted each month outside the entrances of local government offices.

The wanted list was on the left, the blacklist on the right.

The wanted list’s targets were not necessarily criminals of the empire; officials of the rank of third degree and above were also entitled to issue wanted notices for those with whom they had personal vendettas.

On the wanted list, there would be the portrait of the criminal or fugitive sought by the authorities, along with details of their crimes and personal background. However, sometimes the authorities did not have complete information on the suspect, so these details might be missing.

But the underworld’s blacklist was different. Not only was it authoritative, but it was also thorough and detailed, published monthly by the Martial Alliance outside the government offices of all thirteen provinces of Qianwu.

What, then, was this blacklist all about?

It turned out that people in the martial world were prone to making enemies—sometimes they offended others, sometimes others offended them—and once enmity was formed, it was often to the death.

But if the enemy one wished to kill was beyond one’s ability, or if the adversary had gone into hiding and could not be found, then one would spend money to hire help.

If the enemy was of a low level and easy to deal with, a few hired thugs would suffice. For more formidable adversaries, one would go to the Assassin’s House to purchase a killer. Thus, those who made it onto the Martial Alliance’s blacklist were usually martial arts masters or figures whose whereabouts were extremely difficult to ascertain.

Of course, the price was no small sum; it often started at ten thousand taels of gold.

On the surface, the Martial Alliance had a fine relationship with the court and local authorities—almost as partners—so the blacklist was permitted to be posted alongside the government’s wanted notices.

Once a name was put on the blacklist, unless the buyer withdrew it, it would remain until the target was dead; otherwise, the person would continue to be listed.

Take, for example, the famous Yi Xiaoyao, notorious across the entire continent of Yaohua, who remained on the blacklist for three years running. That, too, was a testament to his skill—not only was he deeply hated, but no one could take his life, especially with the formidable Yi family backing him.

Ma Xue’e thought, her brother said their father was powerful and of unusual status, so surely there would be a bounty on the blacklist for the two of them.

And her brother was already a master at the Minor Innate level, which was nothing to scoff at—surely enough to qualify for the blacklist. Moreover, the two of them had lived on Mount Mohui for over six years, making them masters of concealment and difficult to find.

Yet when she went to Heishui County for the martial academy rankings, she had taken the trouble to check the blacklist posted outside the government office.

The entire lime-washed wall was covered with portraits—each not only depicted the target’s appearance, but also detailed their identity, status, weaknesses, close associates, martial cultivation, and techniques.

There were hundreds of names on the blacklist, most of them martial artists at the Peak Innate level or higher.

Ahem. Ma Xue’e thought to herself, her brother was only two levels below that; being wanted on the blacklist was hardly a disgrace.

Right? Yes, it must be so!

She had gone through the blacklist from beginning to end several times but did not find her own or her brother’s names.

So even if she were to leave Qiuhe Prefecture with Aunt Su and Brother Changning to go to Miaonan Province, there would be no problem.

Because she truly did not want to part with them. In these past few months, she had already come to regard Aunt Su, Aunt Qing, and Uncle Zhong as her own family elders.

And Luo Changning was her very first real friend. Apart from her brother, she cherished him as the most important person in her life.

Moreover, for some reason, just thinking of parting with Luo Changning made her heart ache in waves.

It was itchy, numb, sour, and astringent, as if something was clogging her chest and making her unbearably uncomfortable.

She could not bear to be separated from Brother Changning—even more so since with the Blackwater River between them, it would be as though they were parted by a thousand mountains and ten thousand rivers, never to meet again.

Time would pass, and who knew when they might reunite.

By then, would Brother Changning still remember her? Would he remember that there was once a little girl named Ma Xue’e who appeared in his childhood?

Just imagining that one day Luo Changning would forget her altogether and call other girls “little lass” made Ma Xue’e feel utterly dejected.

She did not want such a thing to happen!

Though she could not explain it, Ma Xue’e knew that Luo Changning was different from Xiang Yinglong, Chen Xiangru, and the others.

She could abandon them, but she could not bear to part from Luo Changning.

Ma Xue’e pondered: is it because Brother Changning is my first friend? Why does he weigh so much in my heart?

I have many friends now, not just Brother Changning alone…

But her hopes were dashed, for Ma Qingyun spoke at last.

He said coldly, “Xue’e, we cannot leave Annan Province. At least, not yet.”

Before Ma Qingyun had spread his wings, how could he so easily leave Annan and deliver himself into that man’s hands? Even if he cared nothing for himself, he had to consider his sister’s safety.

“Why not?”

Ma Xue’e pouted, looking as if she were about to cry.

Why was her brother always so cold and detached, as if nothing in this world could move his heart?

Since childhood, even as his own sister, Ma Xue’e had seldom seen Ma Qingyun smile. It was as if he were a walking block of ice—aloof and keeping everyone at a distance.

She had thought that, after meeting Luo Changning and the others, agreeing (most unusually) to help them win the martial academy contest, and then moving down from Mount Mohui to live in the Su family’s little courtyard, he had finally begun to show a trace of humanity and blend into ordinary life.

Yet now, Ma Qingyun was still as cold as he had always been, unmoved even upon hearing that the elders and friends with whom they had shared meals and a home these past months would soon leave for a place far, far away.

Ma Xue’e could not see even the faintest trace of reluctance or regret on his face, as though he were forever beyond reach.

Indeed, Ma Xue’e thought her brother was too cold, too rational.

No matter the situation, he always calculated every gain and loss, proceeding with utmost caution.

Even hiding in a secluded place like Mount Mohui in Qingyang County, he was ever vigilant, setting up traps and formations to keep others away.

It was only because she once strayed beyond the boundary of the formation that she met Luo Changning.

Had she not left its protection, she and Luo Changning would never have met, let alone become friends.

For some reason, thinking of this, Ma Xue’e recalled the little boy she had recently seen climbing a tree, stark naked.

She stole a glance at Luo Changning—surely it was not him.

Though the build was similar, that tree-climbing boy was dark and grubby, nothing like Brother Changning’s clear and fair skin!

Her face flushed slightly, and her mood grew even gloomier.

For Ma Xue’e knew well that once her brother made a decision, no one could sway him—not even his own sister.

Still, her sadness was not only because she would soon part from Luo Changning, Su Meng, and the others, but also because her brother’s unyielding caution made her heart ache.

Though she always called that man their “enemy” and “that person,”

In her heart, he was still her father—the father she had no memory of,

The father she longed to see again…