Chapter 54: The Poisoned Oath

Su Yi acted before he spoke. Though wounded, he had not finished speaking before his figure lunged at a slender silhouette, his right hand flashing out like lightning to grip the person’s throat.

This was a time of utmost urgency—he must not let anyone know he had killed a member of the Ao Ben clan’s fighting masters, or endless trouble would ensue. Therefore, the moment the other showed any sign of resistance, he would have to take their life without hesitation.

His hand pressed against the throat, and Su Yi’s first sensation was the smooth, delicate skin beneath his fingers, followed by a faint, feminine fragrance. It was a woman?!

Startled, Su Yi focused his gaze, his pupils shrinking at once. The person before him was—

Lie Feifei!

At this moment, Lie Feifei’s face was deathly pale, a sheen of cold sweat on her brow. Her gem-like dark eyes shone with pain and terror, staring at Su Yi in shock and fear. Her fair, delicate neck was gripped in his hand, fragile as porcelain—one slight increase in force and it would shatter.

Feeling her chill beneath his fingers, her body trembling minutely, Su Yi quickly suppressed his surprise and doubts. His eyes narrowed, his voice carried a chilling menace: “What are you doing here?”

Listening to Su Yi’s icy words, each syllable seeming to squeeze through his teeth, Lie Feifei felt a wave of bone-deep murderous intent. Her fear intensified. As the pampered daughter of a noble family, she had never experienced anything like this. Terrified, she could barely speak: “I... I...”

Su Yi’s expression hardened, and his grip tightened.

The powerful force made Lie Feifei’s breathing quicken; the veins on her neck bulged alarmingly. A suffocating, painful feeling flooded her chest, and she almost thought she was about to die. The will to survive made her cry out, nearly screaming: “Su Yi... cough... you can’t kill me... I’m Lie Chen’s daughter... if you do... the Lie family won’t spare you!”

“Is that a threat?” Su Yi’s lips curled into a smile that was part mocking, part disdainful. He glanced at the corpse of the fighting master nearby, chuckling softly: “I was just troubled about how to deal with this body. Your arrival couldn’t be better…”

“You... you... what are you planning?!” Sensing the malice in his words, Lie Feifei’s eyes widened in terror, panic overwhelming her.

Su Yi smiled faintly, addressing her with a casual tone: “If I kill you here, strip you both and arrange the scene to look like a rape followed by murder, what do you think would happen when people discover it?”

Lie Feifei’s face turned even paler, filled with terror. Instinctively, she struggled, attempting to escape—but how could her strength match Su Yi’s? She was completely subdued; the more she fought, the greater her agony.

Su Yi’s gaze flickered as he continued: “At that point, even if your family suspects something, even if they know it has nothing to do with the Ao Ben clan, the shameful scene and the city’s rumors will force them, for the sake of face and reputation, to confront the Ao Ben clan.”

As for others, I’m not so sure. But knowing your father Lie Chen’s temperament, seeing his precious daughter’s naked body exposed for all to see, he would be furious—his rage would sweep across Changling City. The Ao Ben clan would surely become the scapegoat—already their bitter rivals, and now there’s the undeniable fact that one of their own violated the Lie family’s eldest daughter.

Hearing these words, Lie Feifei nearly broke down. Her beautiful eyes brimmed with despair. She had been protected since childhood, cherished by her clan, rarely suffering even minor injuries. Now she faced not only death, but disgrace—even in death, her innocence would be lost, her body defiled, exposed to the entire city.

She was only seventeen, had just broken through to the rank of fighter, her future bright, her life barely begun. She did not want to die!

Su Yi looked at Lie Feifei, increasing the pressure of his grip. “To be honest, many men in the city have fantasized about your body. If I really did this, they might even thank me.”

Suddenly, Lie Feifei felt her breath falter, dizziness overwhelming her, her body slipping from her control, as if her soul would float away. The intense pain and threat of death made her cry out in despair: “Don’t! Don’t kill me! Cough... I... I’ll do anything you ask! Please don’t kill me... sob...”

Under the unbearable pressure, Lie Feifei’s spirit broke. Helpless and desperate, she sobbed, feeling she would do anything if only he spared her life. Never before had she faced such adversity; under the threat of death, she finally yielded.

Watching the woman who had always regarded him with disdain now pleading in terror, Su Yi felt a subtle satisfaction. He eased his grip slightly and spoke in a calm tone: “Is that so? You’ll truly do anything?”

Feeling the pressure lessen, her breathing eased. Lie Feifei emerged from her terror, nodding frantically in supplication: “Yes, yes, whatever you say, I’ll agree...”

“Then from now on, you must obey my every command. Can you promise that?” Su Yi gazed at her quietly.

Lie Feifei hesitated only a moment, then immediately agreed under the threat to her life. She nodded weakly: “I—I promise. I’ll obey you in all things.”

Su Yi chuckled. “Frankly, I don’t trust your promise. I’m afraid you’ll betray me as soon as you return—then I won’t even have a place to cry.”

“No, no!” Lie Feifei said anxiously. “As the Lie family’s eldest daughter, my word is my bond!”

Su Yi shook his head with amusement. “But from my own experience, reality doesn’t match your words.”

At this, a faint blush tinged Lie Feifei’s pale face, embarrassment and awkwardness showing. She mumbled, unable to reply, knowing Su Yi referred to how she once favored him, but after he lost his power, ignored him.

“Then let’s do this.” Su Yi released her neck, placing his right hand on her left shoulder, speaking slowly: “If you want me not to kill you, you must swear a deadly oath.”

“A deadly oath? That...” Lie Feifei’s expression changed, struggling inwardly. But recalling the terror she had just endured, she finally nodded in reluctant agreement.

“I, Lie Feifei, swear here by the name of the Battle God: from now on, I will obey Su Yi in all things. Whatever he commands, I shall do. If I break this oath, let my entire family suffer miserable deaths! Let all ancestors know no peace! Let Lie Feifei herself suffer a thousand cuts, struck by thunder, body reduced to ashes, with no grave, never to be reborn!”

Having finished the oath, Lie Feifei looked uneasily at Su Yi. To convince him, she had sworn a particularly vicious oath, leaving herself trembling.

Su Yi glanced at her in surprise; he hadn’t expected her to make such a deadly vow. But honestly, he was not moved by such oaths. In the world he came from before crossing into this continent, such vows were commonplace, spoken without thought.

Here, too, the binding power of oaths was weak. To break a promise was the privilege of the strong; only the weak blindly believed in such nonsense.

Therefore, I must become strong—neither relying on others’ promises nor bound by anyone or anything.

Su Yi looked at the still anxious Lie Feifei, and felt a strange emotion. The proud, untouchable Lie Feifei, one of the three great beauties of Changling City, seemed so weak and fearful in the face of death, lacking her usual pride and backbone, yielding without much resistance.

Yet, after all, how many in this world can face death without wavering? Su Yi mused with self-mockery.

After the oath, Su Yi relaxed slightly. Truthfully, he didn’t want to kill Lie Feifei. If killing a Ao Ben clan guard invited trouble, killing the Lie family’s beloved daughter was sheer insanity.

If not for the disparity in power, the Lie family, as the city’s foremost clan, would have no difficulty finding the murderer of their eldest daughter.

He realized that his earlier plan was not foolproof; among the last people Lie Feifei had contact with before “death” would be himself, witnessed by many. Now that she had followed him here, if the Lie family investigated, he would surely be a suspect.

At this thought, Su Yi paused, then turned to Lie Feifei and asked—

“By the way, to return to my earlier question: why are you here?”

(End of chapter three. Please support!)

Martial Peak 54—Chapter Fifty-Four: Deadly Oath, update complete.