Chapter 58: Breaking Through the Door

"Ahhh!"
In her panic, Liu Yan'er bit down hard on Su Liuwu's fat hand, making him howl in pain. She seized the chance to escape, scrambling to the door and pounding on it for help.
Through the crack, she glimpsed two of Su Liu's henchmen standing guard outside, one on each side. The door was locked with a heavy padlock, and the key was on Su Liuwu himself.
The two men pretended not to hear her, unwilling to intervene; after all, this wasn't the first time. The one on the left closed his eyes and exhaled, secretly wishing he could help her.
Seeing their indifference, Liu Yan'er felt utterly hopeless, at a loss for what to do. Su Liuwu rushed at her, wrapped his arms around her from behind, his face pressed tightly against her back.
He closed his eyes, savoring her, burying his face in her back to breathe her in, even knowing that this was forced and not by her will.
"Let go! Let me go..."
"If Li Goudan realizes I'm missing, he'll track me down here. It's not too late to stop—don't make things worse!"
Liu Yan'er kept hitting him, hoping to threaten him with Li Goudan's name. She thought he would back off, but instead, hearing Li Goudan mentioned enraged Su Liuwu.
His emotions surged; he tore open Liu Yan'er's outer clothing, exposing her pale shoulders. She hurriedly crossed her arms, covering herself.
He lost all control.
Su Liuwu gripped her arms, lowering his head to kiss her. At that moment, the sound of horse hooves thundered outside the door.
"Who are you?"
"Stop!!"
His henchmen shouted from outside. Su Liuwu, uneasy, turned to look. A shadow crashed through the wooden door, bursting in.
It was Li Pingyang!
He was astride a white horse, sword in hand, murder in his eyes, making Su Liuwu tremble.
One henchman was thrown to the floor, buried beneath splintered wood, curling up in pain.
Li Pingyang, not yet skilled in riding, had rushed over from Zhou Changkun's pharmacy after borrowing his finest horse, barely arriving in time.

Leaping from the saddle, Li Pingyang kicked Su Liuwu to the ground, seized him by the collar, and landed a punch square on his face.
Blood spurted from Su Liuwu's nose; he wiped it away and spat on the floor.
Grabbing a bundle of cloth nearby, Su Liuwu hurled it at Li Pingyang. Li Pingyang swung his sword, slicing the bundle into countless pieces mid-air.
Terrified, Su Liuwu made a break for it, shoving a henchman toward Li Pingyang as a shield, shouting for help as he ran.
His cries brought several retainers charging in, weapons drawn, surrounding Li Pingyang. Seeing this, Su Liuwu grinned smugly, hoping to watch Li Pingyang beaten.
But he had misjudged his opponent.
His triumph lasted barely a moment before fading into terror. Li Pingyang did nothing but glare, and the men were flung in all directions as if by some invisible force.
The scene was like a lotus in full bloom, Li Pingyang at its heart, the others scattered outward.
They were struck down by a power unseen—true energy.
Su Liuwu stared at Li Pingyang in disbelief, blood streaming anew from his nose.
"It's a misunderstanding! All a misunderstanding! Brother Li, I—"
Before he could finish, Li Pingyang kicked him down again, sheathing his sword and grabbing Su Liuwu's collar, raining punches upon him.
At first, Su Liuwu threatened him with his father, Su Baichuan, but this only enraged Li Pingyang further. He landed a heavy blow to Su Liuwu's abdomen, silencing him with pain.
After a flurry of strikes, Su Liuwu lay battered and swollen, collapsed atop the heap of torn cloth. Li Pingyang was about to continue when Liu Yan'er stopped him.
One henchman crawled away while Li Pingyang wasn't looking, slipping out to summon reinforcements and inform the master.
When Liu Yan'er grabbed his arm, Li Pingyang lowered his fists. She rushed into his arms, clinging to him and crying in anguish.
Her sobs grew louder. In Li Pingyang's embrace, she finally shed her mask, no longer needing to feign strength. Had Li Pingyang not come, she would have been lost.
Her clothes were torn, her skin exposed; she couldn't leave like this.
Li Pingyang gently patted her shoulder, then tore a piece of cloth from above and draped it over her.

He took Liu Yan'er by the hand, leading her through the fallen men and out of that dreadful place.
Just as they reached the door, Su Baichuan arrived with a crowd, blocking their path.
"Father, save me! Father, he's going to kill your son!"
Su Liuwu squinted through swollen eyes, his face unrecognizable, only a narrow slit left.
"I'll fight you to the death!"
Su Baichuan stood outside, heartbroken and furious seeing his son beaten so badly. In a rage, he drew a sword from a retainer's waist to attack Li Pingyang.
That retainer, the master who had knocked Li Hu unconscious, was named He Yuan. Seeing the situation, He Yuan hurried forward to restrain his master, lest greater trouble arise.
He Yuan sensed that Li Pingyang was no ordinary man. The fallen retainers hadn't been struck, yet were seriously injured—he must have used true energy.
He Yuan could feel that Li Pingyang was holding back his fury; with his power, he could easily have killed them all.
But he had shown mercy, his restraint evident.
He Yuan held Su Baichuan back, who was left gasping with rage, his eyes fixed on Li Pingyang, swearing silently to make him pay.
Li Pingyang, supporting Liu Yan'er, passed by with the white horse. From Li Pingyang's cold gaze, one could sense a latent murderous intent.
Su Liuwu stumbled out, a servant propping him up, still calling after Yan'er, oblivious to the gravity of his predicament.
"Wretch! Shut your mouth!"
Su Baichuan cursed loudly, raising his hand as if to slap his son—a habitual gesture. Yet seeing his son's battered face, he could only pause mid-air.
He sighed, his hand awkwardly scratching the air before dropping it. He quickly ordered He Yuan to find the best doctor for his precious son.
Su Baichuan, who had a son late in life, was always torn between anger and affection for his foolish boy, helpless and weary.
Now, after relaxing his grip just a little, this disaster had unfolded. He had hoped to use Li Pingyang to get close to Old Lin, but now that hope was lost; sooner or later, this wretch would ruin him!