"Tianming, behind you—watch out!"
Shaoyu's warning tore through the night as a dark blur rose at Tianming's back.
"Huh?!"
Feeling the chill at his nape, Tianming spun and slashed without looking.
Clang!
Steel shrieked in the darkness. Yuanhong flew from Tianming's hands and landed by the carriage door, while he himself was blasted onto his backside.
The Wolf King spared Tianming a disdainful glance and snorted. "What is our leader thinking? Why send me for this rabble?"
Being dismissed so contemptuously made Tianming grind his teeth. He scrambled to his feet and charged straight at the Wolf King. Reckless? Absolutely. He was practically running toward death.
"Tianming! It's dangerous—fall back!"
Shaoyu vaulted forward, spear flashing, arriving at the Wolf King an instant ahead of him.
Tianming was saved—only for Shaoyu to be seized by the throat. The Wolf King's bronze wolf-fang claws lifted him bodily into the air.
"Shaoyu!" Fan Zeng and the others cried out.
Zheng—
A cold blade touched the Wolf King's nape. Gai Nie stood there, Yuanhong in hand, voice like ice. "Put him down."
"Gai Nie?!" The Wolf King's eyes narrowed with surprise. He began to loosen his grip—then noticed blood trickling from Gai Nie's sword hand. A cruel smile curved his lips, and his fingers tightened again. "If you want him, why don't you come take him yourself?"
Gai Nie's face was pale, his breath ragged. Red stained the back of his robes; the wound at his waist had reopened.
"You're injured," the Wolf King said coldly. "You can't even protect yourself, and you think to save him from me? None of you will see tomorrow's sun."
He shoved Shaoyu aside and turned fully to face Gai Nie. "I'll start with you. Without your interference, the rest will be our feast. I'll savor every moment."
He spun, claws slashing in a glittering arc at Gai Nie's throat.
Gai Nie's eyes sharpened. Yuanhong lifted and angled, steel whispering as it met the storm of claws—precise, light, and fluid, parrying strike after strike.
Claw and sword rang, the sound grating and sharp. Around them, hearts climbed into throats. This battle would decide all their lives.
Gai Nie's expression was granite, Yuanhong weaving in disciplined patterns. But his injuries told: his steps lacked their former agility, the blade its usual lethal brilliance. His qi wavered; his strength was clearly diminished.
Moments later, the Wolf King caught Yuanhong on his claws and pinned it fast. No matter how Gai Nie strained, he couldn't wrench the blade free.
Smirking, the Wolf King drove his other claw for Gai Nie's throat.
Gai Nie's jaw tightened. He tried to yank Yuanhong back—blood dripped steadily from his wrist. The pain lanced deeper; he could not free the sword.
Starlight flared—cool as moon-glow.
A small, porcelain-pale hand traced a Taiji curve in the air. A fingertip tapped, and that starlight scattered into streams of light.
Pup-pup—!
The sparkling darts shot in like meteors. Under the Wolf King's shocked gaze, a rain of luminous needles punched through his limbs. Blood spattered; he crumpled, helpless.
"Yin-Yang arts? Who—?!"
He toppled across the carriage roof and stared, pupils tightening in disbelief, as a petite figure stepped into the moonlight. "A… child?"
The Wolf King could hardly accept it: felled—so cleanly—by a little girl. Rage seethed in his chest, but his body would not answer; his four limbs were ruined. Escape was impossible.
Around them, the wolves saw their king fall and lost their nerve. The pack broke and fled, vanishing into the night.
"Hello! I'm Yue'er—and I came here to save you," the girl said politely, stopping before Shaoyu and the others.
"You only crippled his limbs? Good. Trash like this isn't worthy of staining my little Yue'er's hands," said a lazy voice.
No one had seen him arrive, but there he was atop a horse—Goku. He looked down at the Wolf King as if at a bug.
"When did he—?" Gai Nie started, startled by Goku's sudden nearness. Then blood loss washed over him; the world dimmed. He caught himself on his sword and dropped to one knee, holding on by will alone.
"Brother Goku!" Shaoyu exclaimed, eyes lighting.
"Yo, Shaoyu. Been a while," Goku said with a mild smile.
'He's not an enemy?' Relief loosened Gai Nie's chest—and darkness claimed him. He slumped.
"Uncle!" Tianming lunged and caught him.
"Relax. He's not dead—just fainted," Goku said calmly. Moon-white radiance flowed from his palm and bathed Gai Nie's body. Before their eyes, wounds drew together and closed.
"Th-that's…" Tianming stared, stunned. "Amazing!"
"Of course it is," Shaoyu said, puffing up. "Kid, the man in front of you is the true number one under heaven." He cupped his hands to Goku. "Brother Goku, I didn't expect to meet you here. I owe you another life."
"Sir Goku!" Fan Zeng and Xiang Liang stepped forward and saluted with deep respect.
Goku nodded in easy acknowledgment.
"Nonsense! Uncle is the strongest!" Tianming protested hotly.
"Open your eyes, brat," Shaoyu said, thumping his shoulder. "See that sword? That's the Demon Sword, number one on the Armory Roll. Your uncle's Yuanhong only ranks third."
"Third? Impossible—Uncle's incredible!" Tianming blurted, then blinked curiously. "Then what's second?"
"Second place is Tianwen," Yue'er answered softly. "It's in Ying Zheng's hands."
"Miss Yue'er, thank you for saving us," Shaoyu said at once, bowing.
"Hmph. Only now you remember to say thanks? Where was that a moment ago?" Yue'er huffed.
"Hehe… my apologies, Miss Yue'er. The fault is mine," Shaoyu said quickly.
"But if Uncle is so strong, how can he be third?" Tianming persisted.
"That's the ranking of weapons, not people," Shaoyu shot back. "Do you understand anything?"
"Sir, I owe you my life," Gai Nie said when he came to, pushing to his feet and bowing to Goku. "I will never forget this grace."
"Think nothing of it. I only healed the surface wounds. For the internal injury—once we reach Mirror Lake Medical Manor, I'll have Miss Duanmu prepare medicine. You'll recover quickly."
Goku was deliberate: if he healed Gai Nie completely, they'd have no reason to visit the manor—and without Gai Nie and the others, the story would lose its flavor.
"Uncle," Tianming tugged Gai Nie's sleeve, "Shaoyu says he's number one. Is that true?"
"Hm?" Gai Nie's gaze dropped to the Demon Sword at Goku's waist, surprise flickering once before he bowed. "So you are the Sword God of rumor. To meet you today is a great honor."
"Just an empty title," Goku said, brushing it aside.
"Sword God? That sounds amazing!" Tianming breathed.
"It is," Shaoyu grinned. "Sword God and Sword Sage—your Uncle Gai Nie is formidable, but he's not yet Goku's match. When Goku simply stands there, Qin troops scatter in terror—"
"What's so great about that? Uncle cut down hundreds of elite Qin soldiers alone," Tianming retorted.
"You really don't know the legends, do you?" Shaoyu sighed. "Fine—here's what I saw with my own eyes. Years ago, we were surrounded by thousands of Qin cavalry, no way out. Brother Goku descended from the sky. With a casual swing, he wiped out hundreds of riders—and split a mountain a thousand meters high clean in half. The Qin cavalry were so terrified they dismounted and surrendered on the spot. Even the famed General Meng Tian had to bow his proud head. It was glorious."
"S-so strong…" Tianming's eyes went round. Then he squinted at Shaoyu. "You're not pulling my leg, are you?"
"What Shaoyu says is true," Fan Zeng said, stroking his beard, awe in his voice. "We saw it with our own eyes. Perhaps Qin kept silent to save face."
"I've long heard of it as well," Gai Nie added, bowing again. "Your attainment in the sword humbles me."
"Even Uncle says so…" Tianming looked up at Goku, half-doubtful, half-awed. "Are you really that strong?"
_____
T/N:
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