Dong Banpiao turned around in surprise and saw a boy in a gray sheepskin robe, grinning and acting like a scoundrel, talking to him. The boy shouted at the group, "What are you all afraid of? He's too busy taking care of himself. The real trouble is about to begin, and he'll be very busy. If he dares to push us, we'll all shout together. With so many voices shouting, it might not be louder than that Black-Footed Seven's!"
Dong Banpiao scrutinized him, thinking: Who is so audacious, seemingly eager to stir up trouble? One of his men already shouted angrily, "You brat, are you out of your mind?!"
The little boy made a strange face and said with a grin, "No, no, I'm tired of living. I want to ask Yama, the King of Hell, if he wants to take a son-in-law. What's the point of taking my life?"
Those who were cursing him were furious at his shamelessness and tried to grab him, but he twisted his body and disappeared into the crowd, still encouraging them: "Everyone, shout! The real action is about to begin! We didn't get enough of the fight just now, let them have another exciting battle!"
Dong Banpiao's men were furious—they were already annoyed enough by being forced to let Hei Menshen and Wu Jiaoqi go, and now they couldn't stand his provocation any longer. Several young members of the "Five Phoenix Blades" couldn't contain themselves and rushed towards Xiao Ku'er to grab him. Xiao Ku'er ducked his head and screamed, "Help! Help! Masters, young masters, uncles, elders, let's all call for help!"
As he spoke, he began to weave through the crowd. Being small and lazy, he didn't care about appearances and darted between people's crotches and under the table. He was incredibly agile, slippery as an eel, and the group couldn't catch him for a while. Dong Banpiao watched him for a while, then suddenly grabbed his collar and pulled him out from under the table.
The little boy kicked his legs wildly and shouted, "Old man, let me go, let me go!"
Dong Banpiao remained unmoved, only staring coldly at him. The little boy, feeling uneasy under his gaze, grinned and said, "Why are you grabbing me? I didn't hear that incantation—something about 'earth returning to its home; water returning to its ravine'; I don't understand it at all. At most, I'll go out and find some knowledgeable people who are skilled in both literature and martial arts to help me explain it and see what it means." He then slapped his forehead, "That's right, our young master is the most learned; ask him, he'll definitely know."
As he spoke, he stretched his neck and asked the young master sitting there, "Young master, what do you think that line of the song means?"
Dong Banpiao had already sensed that this young master and servant were probably no ordinary people. He looked at the boy and saw that he had delicate eyebrows and a refined demeanor; apart from that, he didn't seem like a martial artist at all. However, he was cautious and always thought things through before acting, so he said to the boy, "Young brother, where do you come from? Do you know that in the ways of the martial world, it's best to observe more and speak less? This is a principle of life. How can you let a mere servant talk nonsense?"
The young man seemed to be poor at words. Just as he was about to speak, he heard the little boy laugh and say, "Hehe, how can you ask about my young master's background? My young master ran away from home secretly. Even if I wanted to tell you, how could I tell you?"
As for me, I'm the hero who helped the young master escape from home. The reason we came out was precisely to say and do whatever we wanted, so how could my young master say I was wrong?"
The young man frowned and glared at Xiao Ku'er. Dong Banpiao's face flashed with a green light, and he said coldly, "Young man, if you don't speak up, do you really want this old man to teach this child a lesson for you?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Ku'er smiled and said, "Young Master, it's not my fault. They're challenging you. Will you save them or not?"
The boy angrily retorted, "If you keep talking nonsense, I won't take care of your affairs anymore."
The little boy turned his head and grinned at Dong Banpiao, saying, "Did you hear that? My young master doesn't want to get involved in my affairs anymore. If you really want to discipline me, then do it yourself." Dong Banpiao hesitated for a moment, then increased the pressure, thinking, "You may be a lazy brat, but I don't believe I can't squeeze your yolk out." Sure enough, the little boy cried out, "Ouch!" and groaned, pleading, "Young master, are you really not going to save me?"
The boy said coldly, "If you want to make trouble, then go play by yourself."
Little Ku'er turned his head with a distressed expression and said to Dong Banpiao, "It's not that I don't want to play with you, it's just that you hurt me too much. It was more fun just hanging upside down like before. I'm getting away." Dong Banpiao didn't believe he could escape from his grasp when he heard a 'poof' sound and a stench hit him. He was holding Little Ku'er upside down, with Little Ku'er's buttocks facing his face. The stench was extraordinary, and Dong Banpiao instinctively covered his nose.
The little boy easily broke free from his grasp. However, since Dong Banpiao was holding his belt, the boy's outer trousers remained in Dong Banpiao's hand during the struggle.
Dong Banpiao never expected this kid to have such a bad trick, and he was stunned for a moment. But he saw that the little boy was not embarrassed at all. He was already standing there with his hands on his hips, and he stretched out a hand towards him with a straight face and said loudly, "Old man, what do you want my pants for? Give me back my pants."
The people in the shop couldn't help but find it ridiculous, and some burst into laughter. Dong Banpiao's men snorted coldly, and the noise immediately fell silent. Dong Banpiao threw the pair of pants in front of Xiao Ku'er and said coldly:
"At such a young age, you are so unruly. If you are not properly disciplined, you will become a nuisance. Put this on. If you can escape from me again after you put it on, I will really let you off today."
The little boy, with a grinning face, put his pants back on and said, "Old Dong, you're not very generous, only letting me off the hook? Let's make a bet. If you can catch me again, I'll call you grandpa three hundred times; if you can't catch me, hehe..."
Dong Banpiao said coldly, "What are you chuckling about? Do you want me to call you grandpa three hundred times?"
The young man glanced at their young master, knowing he would not allow him to act so recklessly, and immediately changed his mind, saying, "That's not necessary. Just release everyone present today."
No one expected him to have such a chivalrous heart, but they couldn't help but worry about him. Everyone knew that Dong Banpiao was ruthless, and if they really angered him, they were afraid they would be in deep trouble. However, many were unwilling to be detained by Manager Hu's men so inexplicably, and they really hoped that they could escape this predicament.
Dong Banpiao didn't look at Xiao Ku'er, but squinted at the young master and said coldly, "Fine, you really believe you have that kind of skill, then come on."
The little boy grinned and said, "But there's one condition: you can't kill me with your bare hands."
Dong Banpiao scoffed, "You'd need to use force to catch me?" He moved instantly, and everyone finally understood why he was called "Dong Banpiao"—his movements were truly fluid and swift. Surprisingly, his grab missed the little boy. The boy ducked, cried out, and slipped under Dong Banpiao's legs. Dong Banpiao couldn't help but exclaim, "Eh!" His second attack was less casual. He swayed to the left, blocking the boy's path, while his right foot concealed a "Kui Xing Kicking the Dipper" move—any further dodge would trip the boy. But the boy's movement was equally astounding. Instead of retreating or running away, he charged straight at Dong Banpiao. Even Dong Banpiao was taken aback. In that brief moment of surprise, the boy had slipped under Dong Banpiao's arm. Dong Banpiao exclaimed "Eh!" again. For the third time, he used the Thirteen Forms of Crane Control from the "Little Dragon Capturing Hand," showing that he was treating his opponent as a real person. He stretched out a hand and slowly pushed towards Xiao Ku'er.
Little Ku'er's expression changed drastically at this moment, and he cried out, "Old Man Dong, you promised not to use your full strength!" His voice was naturally shrill, and this cry showed that Dong Banpiao was using his real skills. As he spoke, Little Ku'er lunged at Dong Banpiao, but this time it wasn't so easy. Although Dong Banpiao's hand hadn't reached him yet, Little Ku'er's body was already controlled by Dong Banpiao's true energy. Little Ku'er panicked and crouched down. Dong Banpiao's hand suddenly quickened, and Little Ku'er's body bounced back, retreating straight away. This time, there was no room for trickery; wherever he retreated, Dong Banpiao followed. This chase and escape lasted for a while, and Dong Banpiao realized that he couldn't defeat this kid today without using trickery. So he increased the force of his palm, as if he wanted to chop Little Ku'er to death. Little Ku'er's face fell, and he turned and lunged back. This time, he played right into Dong Banpiao's hands. Dong Banpiao chuckled and said, "Now you've fallen for it." He had only intended to scare Xiao Ku'er, and with a single grab, he had succeeded. He stepped back, carrying Xiao Ku'er to the center of the hall. Suddenly, he felt his hand lighten. He was startled to see that Xiao Ku'er had broken free again and was standing opposite him. Dong Banpiao was holding Xiao Ku'er's trousers again.
Little Ku'er looked annoyed and said, "Old man, who won this time? Why did you take my pants off again?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the faint sound of horses' hooves could be heard in the distance. Dong Banpiao's expression changed; he knew the job had arrived. With a wave of his hand, he knew he had no time to waste with the poor boy anymore and needed to clear the floor first. He then addressed the guests:
"Gentlemen, please follow my men inside."
He knew there was no need to use force; those guests were all easygoing and wouldn't dare offend him. As for how to deal with them, he'd decide after he dealt with the visitors. Sure enough, the guests obediently followed Dong Banpiao's men into the backyard, and the house was instantly empty. The little boy couldn't stop him either, and could only watch helplessly, while shouting, "Old man Dong, how could you go back on your word?"
The group of guests had already left in an instant. Xiao Ku'er scratched his head and said to Dong Banpiao, "Hurry up and give me back my pants."
As soon as he finished speaking, a burst of silvery laughter rang out in the room: "Strange, senior brother, what do you think that old man was doing holding up that child's pants?"
The voice suddenly rang out, startling even Dong Banpiao. He looked up and saw a man and a woman sitting near the counter. They were both young; the man looked to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, and the woman even younger, only twenty-one or twenty-two. The light was dim, making it difficult to see their faces clearly, but the man was dressed in blue, and the woman in red, both in brocade jackets. In this cold weather, while they looked neat, they appeared rather thin. The woman was laughing and talking; it was she who was speaking—the observant young man noticed that they were the ones who had quietly slipped in from the kitchen just after all the other customers had left.
Little Ku'er was only wearing a pair of underpants when he suddenly saw a female guest in the room, and his face couldn't help but turn red. But being a rascal by nature, he immediately grinned and said, "That's right, even that lady was embarrassed. Old man Dong, aren't you ashamed of your age?"
—He should have been ashamed, yet he clung to the wall, displaying a shameless and shameless swagger, which made the woman in red laugh. Just then, as she laughed, the oil lamp above her head suddenly flickered, its flame bursting open, illuminating her smile as radiant as a red lotus. Little Ku'er felt a sudden brightness before his eyes, reached out and tugged at his young master, murmuring:
"Young master, young master, that girl is a celestial being."
The woman's smile became even more beautiful.
Dong Banpiao had no time to see whether the woman's smile was pleasant or not, and asked in a deep voice, "Who are you two?"
The woman smiled and said to the man, "Senior brother, it seems we haven't been to the border region enough. Even after seeing our clothes and swords, some people still can't guess who we are. Our reputation isn't bright enough!"
As they were talking, the sound of horses' hooves drew near outside. Dong Banpiao's expression turned serious. He opened the door and looked out. He saw two horses galloping towards them in the distance. Even in the darkness, their height, long legs, and exceptional swiftness were evident. He heard the woman whistle, and the two horses neighed joyfully and charged towards them. As they drew closer, he realized that both horses were unsaddled. Dong Banpiao knew who they were. He closed the door, turned to the two men, and chuckled, "You two are quite thoughtful! So you are the renowned 'Green and Red Twin Swords' of the five northern provinces."
Little Ku'er looked at the waists of the man and woman, and sure enough, each of them had a sword hanging from their waist. The woman's was in a blue scabbard, while the man's was in a red scabbard made of sharkskin; apparently, these were their prized possessions. The woman laughed, "My brother and I were just curious why we kept hearing cats meowing all the way from Shili Pu to here. We figured some local thugs were watching us, so we left the saddles empty and let the horses lag behind while we came to check. We never imagined it was—"
—Second Master Dong.
When she said "Second Master Dong," she paused noticeably, her tone clearly carrying a hint of contempt. Dong Banpiao's face flushed with anger; he came from a humble background and was most annoyed by the arrogance of these scions of prestigious families. The woman then continued, "This humble woman is Qin Honglian, and that is my senior brother Zhang Jian. Greetings."
Some of the disciples of the "Five Phoenix Blades" were already dissatisfied with her arrogant tone and started making a fuss. The woman was not afraid at all and instead said to her senior brother, "Senior brother, if the signboard is not polished properly, we should also practice. Otherwise, when our name 'Azure and Crimson Twin Swords' is revealed after we leave seclusion, I'm afraid we will be looked down upon by some scoundrels."
The disciples of the "Five Phoenix Blades" grew even angrier. As Qin Honglian spoke, she stepped into the shadows of the hall, paused briefly to consider her appearance, and then her brows furrowed slightly—only then did everyone see her clearly. As the saying goes, beauty is revealed under lamplight; her face was flushed, her ten fingers slender and white, her eyebrows willow-leafed, her eyes almond-shaped, her arms long and her waist slender. Her gait was graceful and elegant, truly captivating and beautiful. With a short sword at her waist, she exuded a heroic spirit amidst her allure, indeed befitting a scion of a renowned family.
The originally dark tavern seemed to be illuminated in an instant by her red dress.
Some of the disciples of the "Five Phoenix Blades" couldn't help but feel their lips go dry, some even sticking out their tongues to lick them. The woman seemed quite smug, probably used to the men's reactions when they first met her. She glanced back, only to see that the only remaining guest at the table, a young man in a light fur coat, seemed to ignore her. She had no time to pay attention to him. She had barely finished speaking with her senior brother when she drew her sword. She was dressed in red, but wielded a green sword. A flash of green light appeared in the hall, a swift and phantom-like figure, as she slashed at the wick of an oil lamp beside her. The wick burst open, and she had actually split the thin wick in two with her sword. This was the swordsmanship of a master; the eye movements, the body posture, the lightness and heaviness of the blows—it was impossible to fake. A spark caught on the tip of her sword and actually lit up her blade. Then, her red dress swayed, and she leaped straight towards the roof. The roof beams were covered with lanterns, some already greasy—red lanterns originally lit by the shopkeepers for weddings, celebrations, or festivals. Now, she had used her sword to light them, one by one. "Five Phoenix Blades"
The disciples in the tavern all looked up, and saw a red figure fluttering in the ceiling. Wherever the sword light touched, a lantern was lit, gradually illuminating the hall like a Lantern Festival. The woman danced in the air, truly like a celestial being. Her lightness skill was excellent, but that was secondary; what was truly remarkable was how she kept the small flame on the sword tip burning so brightly while her clothes fluttered in the wind. The waiters, the manager, and even the head chef in the tavern were all stunned, and even the disciples of the "Five Phoenix Blades" couldn't help but secretly exclaim, "Wow!" Little Ku'er blinked, speechless, and kept urging his young master to go and see.
The woman's senior brother sat to the side, smiling silently. Then, Qin Honglian gently fell to the ground and smiled at her senior brother, saying, "Senior brother, shouldn't you also show your signboard?"
Her senior brother, however, was much more composed than her. He simply smiled, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "I am Zhang Jian from Taiyuan. My friends in the martial world have given me this nickname, 'Crimson Sword.' I've just met Second Master Dong. —I wonder if Second Master Dong is still lingering in such a small town so late, waiting for my brother and me?"
He spoke politely and didn't use any weapons, but his junior sister's earlier move was enough to intimidate. They were all skilled martial artists; they could see the big picture from a small detail. His junior sister's cultivation was already so high, surely her senior brother couldn't be weaker? Seeing Dong Banpiao's expression, Xiao Ku'er knew this guy's background was probably much greater than that of the "Black Gatekeeper" and Wu Xiaoqi from before. Dong Banpiao's plan had faltered; he hadn't timed it well, and was caught red-handed before he could finish setting up his scheme. Plus, the woman, Qin Honglian, had taken the initiative, making it quite difficult for him to cope. —Speaking of the "Azure and Crimson Twin Swords," their reputation has soared in recent years. "Crimson" and "Light Azure," their skills originated from Emei, and both siblings came from prestigious families. They traveled the Taihang and Lüliang areas year-round; among the outlaws, mentioning Taiping Fort in Shanxi and their names evoked fear in everyone. Originally, Dong Banpiao didn't want to offend the two of them. If it weren't for the fact that his leader, Hu Bantian, had such an important matter to attend to, he wouldn't have gotten involved with this brother and sister. Dong Banpiao pondered for a moment, then coughed and said, "I did hear that you two were passing by, so I waited here specifically to inform you—our leader, Hu Bantian, and Gong Hai'er, the leader of 'Hai Dong Qing,' are having a big fight to settle at 'Da Shu Po' ahead. It's quite a scene, and we don't want our fellow martial arts practitioners to disturb us. We're all people of the same ilk, so I hope you two can just pass by and avoid unnecessary conflict."
His words were delivered with great skill, skillfully avoiding the important point and completely omitting the secret of the martial world that the people in the hotel had just discussed. He was intentionally testing whether the two martial arts siblings knew the meaning of that information and whether they had other motives for coming. If they didn't know, then there was really no need to take action and make more enemies.
After speaking, Dong Banpiao looked at the two martial arts siblings with a serious expression. A single disagreement could easily escalate into a fierce battle, and with his side short-handed, he truly had no confidence in their ability to win. Unexpectedly, Zhang Jian pondered for a moment and then said, "I see. There are such rules in the martial world. Since your leader has matters to attend to, my brother and I don't want to offend anyone unnecessarily by meddling in others' fights or overhearing their secrets. We'll avoid them tomorrow."
Then he said to his junior sister, "Lianmei, we've been rushing all the way, but we still haven't seen a trace of that person."
"Sigh, do you think he really came down from the mountains? Why would he come this way beyond the pass after coming out? He rarely leaves the pass. Sigh, even if we find him, we don't know if he'll accept the letter we delivered. His horse, Qingzhui, is fast, but we haven't seen it for two days. We might have already overtaken him. Anyway, this road is probably the only one to Suiyuan. Since there's trouble ahead, we can wait for him here for a day or two."
His junior sister also hesitated, pondering, "If we can't find him, I'm afraid no one can really control those thirteen villains. Alright, let's just wait for him here for two days."
Dong Banpiao hadn't expected the siblings to be so agreeable today. Judging from their tone, their departure from seclusion didn't seem to be related to his matter, and a smile involuntarily appeared on his face. However, upon hearing that they would be waiting there for a day or two, his brow furrowed again. After a moment's thought, he knew it was inconvenient to speak now, but given the importance of the matter, he still spoke:
"Gentlemen, our boss has decided to have some business with Hai Dongqing in Xinglong Market these past two days. Do you think it's possible for you two to back down or take a detour?"
He himself knew that his words were far too much. Sure enough, before Zhang Jian could say anything, Qin Honglian's eyebrows shot up and her face turned icy. She scoffed, "What? According to the Second Master, my brother and I can neither enter nor stop? A new rule has been added to Liaodong—if Hu Bantian sneezes, everyone in the martial arts world has to give way? What a show of power!"
When she unleashed her power, she truly resembled a fierce tiger. Dong Banpiao's face darkened, and before he could speak, Zhang Jian also said firmly, "Second Master Dong, you've gone too far. The rules of the outlaw world dictate that when two gangs fight, they shouldn't disturb ordinary people. Even if Xinglong Market is your territory, Hu the Great Manager, it's still just a town entrance, inhabited by ordinary people."
How you and the 'Sea Falcon' fight is none of my business, but if civilians are harmed, my brother and I cannot stand idly by."
Little Ku'er was excited at the prospect of another good show. These "Green and Red Swords" seemed to be quite formidable, and he wanted to see how skilled they were. Just as he was about to stir things up and provoke them, he suddenly felt a chill down his spine. A cold wind blew by, and Little Ku'er sneezed loudly, shivering as he cried out, "Old Dong, give me back my pants! What a strong north wind!"
Little Ku'er had only meant to cause trouble with a joke, but after he finished speaking, he suddenly felt a chill run through him, as if a gust of cold wind had flashed and pierced his bones. He couldn't help but turn around and look behind him. Behind him was the large hole that 'Black Door God' had smashed in the window when he was escaping, and it wasn't plugged anymore; the wind was pouring in through it. Little Ku'er looked out the window and suddenly screamed, "Oh my god!" After screaming, he shrank back in fright and hid behind his young master, saying, "Young master, young master, look, a ghost, a ghost, a ghost!"
He was always prone to making a fuss, and no one intended to pay much attention to his cries, but this one seemed exceptionally real, sending a shiver down everyone's spine. After the cry, besides the howling north wind, the only sound was the sound of Xiao Ku'er's teeth chattering. Everyone involuntarily turned to look out the window; even these brave men couldn't help but be startled. —Outside the dark windowpane, a face had appeared. It was a blind man, a few strands of white hair fluttering on his pointed forehead in the north wind. His face was deathly pale; at first glance, it was impossible to tell if he was alive or dead. Most terrifying were his eyes, unlike those of ordinary blind men; they were empty, just two black holes. If you looked into them, it was as if you were sucked in, a feeling of utter terror, as if you were suddenly looking into someone's brain—a feeling beyond description. His mouth was slightly open, and his ear was sticking out—he only had one ear, as if listening. His face was completely bare, except for one ear. He had no teeth; his mouth was just a black hole. This hole, along with his eyes, formed three black holes—no one had ever seen a face consisting of only three black holes. His nostrils were still twitching. The horror of his face lay in its "light"—only holes, allowing one to look straight in; it seemed even nose hairs were absent. Qin Honglian, a seasoned veteran of the martial world and usually confident in her courage, felt a sudden chill run down her spine upon seeing him. She took a step back and whispered, "Senior Brother!"
Her senior brother and Dong Banpiao were no less surprised than she was, staring at that face, their hands involuntarily pressing against their waists.
It seemed that all the world's misery was concentrated on that face; every wrinkle, every dark hole, was a testament to suffering that was unbearable to behold yet inescapable. The blind man seemed to sense the silence in the room as well. He opened his withered lips, moved them twice, and then uttered a dry voice—"Is this...a tavern?"
The voice sounded like that of someone who hadn't spoken a word in thirty years. His suffering and mutilation seemed to be a lash against the health and integrity of everyone present. Little Bitter Boy stammered, "A ghost, young master, it's a ghost!"
Only the boy stared blankly at that face, feeling no fear. Because another emotion suppressed that fear—sympathy. He took the little boy's hand and whispered, "Don't talk nonsense." He rarely spoke, but now, filled with compassion, he said to the blind man, "That's right, this is a tavern. Would you—would you like to come in and have a drink?"
He desperately suppressed the sympathy in his voice, afraid that the blind man would hear it and hurt his pride.
The blind man seemed surprised that someone wasn't frightened by his appearance and nodded repeatedly. Perhaps it was the cold, but his hands, which were holding his cane, were trembling, and the cane head made a clattering sound on the ground. The boy then nudged Xiao Ku'er: "That old man can't see the road, go and help him in."
His tone was quite anxious. Little Ku'er wanted to point to himself and ask, "Me?" Seeing that his young master didn't seem to be joking, he tried to laugh, but his lips moved several times without a smile. He didn't want to go, but he had never been able to disobey his young master since childhood, so his knees trembled as he actually walked towards the shop. The road outside was dark, and coupled with Little Ku'er's fear, it took him quite a while to help the blind man inside. For a moment, all that could be heard was the clattering of the blind man's cane and the clenching of Little Ku'er's teeth. When Little Ku'er and the blind man lifted the curtain, he was no longer as carefree as when he had entered the shop. He wasn't wearing trousers, only boots, and his undershirt looked like it hadn't been changed for days, with faint stains on it. Helping this blind old man made for a very strange scene. The young man watched as he helped the blind old man to a table sheltered from the wind, then nodded and smiled at Little Ku'er, who hurriedly returned. The boy chuckled softly at him:
"You're very brave!"
Little Bitter, praised by his young master, straightened his back, wanting to put on a heroic air, but his teeth still chattered uncontrollably. He said with a wry smile, "Didn't the sage always say that 'carrying Mount Tai across the North Sea is not because he couldn't, but because he didn't want to, and breaking a branch for an elder is not because he couldn't, but because he didn't want to'?"
He was quite shameless, still trying to tell jokes even now, but the jokes were no longer authentic. The young man patted him on the shoulder, seemingly encouraging him, then sighed and instructed the shopkeeper to send the blind old man some brown sugar ginger water to warm him up. He also told him to bring him whatever food the old man wanted and pay the bill there. The tense atmosphere in the shop was suddenly broken by the blind old man's appearance. The woman in red had already noticed the young man earlier—when she had stunned everyone with her swordplay, only he had ignored her; now, seeing him so kind to a complete stranger, she couldn't help but take a closer look. The young man looked only sixteen or seventeen years old, refined and quiet yet with a touch of childishness, quite different from the chivalrous young men she usually saw, and lacking the weak air of ordinary scholars. She couldn't help but look at him a few more times.
The young man was unaware that someone was watching him. Little Ku'er had already come to her senses. Her eyes darted around and she saw it. She nudged the young man with her hand and whispered with a smile, "Young master, it's over. Your rouge tribulation is probably coming."
The young man turned around and his eyes met Qin Honglian's. Qin Honglian smiled, and the young man blushed. Qin Honglian felt her heart skip a beat—a beating that seemed to have no reason, and her heart pounded even harder than after practicing the "Qinghe Swordplay" three times in one go. Qin Honglian's face also turned slightly red, and she turned her head away. Her senior brother was saying to her, "Junior sister, you said..."
Qin Honglian hadn't heard a word; her mind was still filled with the image of the boy's blushing face. Even after her senior brother finished speaking, she was still pondering with her head down: Who is he? He doesn't seem to be one of Old Man Dong's people; judging from his demeanor, he doesn't seem like a figure from the martial arts world; if you say he's scholarly, then he doesn't quite fit the bill—so, who exactly is he?
She probably didn't even realize it herself, but as she thought about these things, a faint smile played on her lips—the smile of a young girl experiencing her first love, fleeting like a night-blooming cereus, a smile that only happens once in a lifetime. In the dim light of the Liaodong Hotel, amidst the presence of heroes, swords gleaming, who knew that a young woman's heart had quietly blossomed?
Those who witnessed it only found her beauty mysterious—people can always see the ripples spreading, but how many can guess the cause? Everyone was talking, but Qin Honglian heard nothing. She only heard a small pebble sinking, sinking deeper into the still waters of her heart, a sinking she herself had almost never noticed. It wasn't until her senior brother shouted, "Lian-mei!" and pulled her aside that she realized a gust of wind had swept past her—the "Five Phoenix Blades."
Someone had already attacked her. If Zhang Jian hadn't pulled her away, the renowned "Light Blue Sword" Qin Honglian would have almost been caught off guard and lost her chance.
When she came to her senses, she saw that the people in the shop were already fighting fiercely. Her senior brother had already started fighting with Dong Banpiao, and more than a dozen of Dong Banpiao's "Five Phoenix Blade" disciples had rushed in, wielding long and short blades, slashing at her repeatedly. One of them shouted, "Second Master, this is tough, what do we do?"
Dong Banpiao shouted, "Don't let anyone in the shop escape! Tell someone from the backyard to send Da Liu'er to the boss first, along with the guests. Don't let anyone in this room run away."
Qin Honglian was enraged; what she couldn't tolerate was the bandit's disregard for human life. But the "Five Phoenix Blades"...
Her disciples were indeed formidable. Although her senior brother hadn't used his full strength against Old Man Dong, it was clear that Old Man Dong was still testing the waters. Once they started fighting, it was possible that it wouldn't be over before a winner was decided. As for the other disciples of "Five Phoenix Blades," they were indeed no ordinary thieves. Once they realized that although Qin Honglian was a woman, her skills were no less than those of men, they quickly gave a whistle, and another twenty or thirty skilled fighters rushed in. They had also come prepared and had practiced a special sword formation to deal with strong opponents. Although Qin Honglian was sharp-sworded and agile, she had only injured one or two people initially and was unable to gain any advantage for the time being.
The "Five Phoenix Blades" gang shouted again, "Second Master, what do we do with this blind old man?"
Dong Banpiao snorted: "You have to ask that? Keeping him around is just getting in the way, just kill him!"
The disciple grunted and slashed at the blind old man with his sword. The young man cried out, "Ah!" Even if he hadn't, Qin Honglian, being a chivalrous person, would most likely have tried to save him, let alone after his cry. Qin Honglian used the "Golden Needle Flying Crossing" technique, attacking the "Five Phoenix Blade" disciple with her sword. The disciple, unable to injure her opponent, hurriedly parried to defend himself. But this added a burden to Qin Honglian. Fortunately, the blind old man was blind; although there were flashes of swords and hissing blades around him, he wasn't terrified.
Seeing an opportunity, one of the Five Phoenix Blade disciples asked, "Second Master, what should we do with these two youths?"
Dong Banpiao was already annoyed with Zhang Jian when they asked him again, which made him even angrier. But he quickly realized that although he knew the young man was probably not easy to kill, he still shouted, "Kill him and be done with it!"
His disciples responded with a roar, and Qin Honglian's face paled. Though young, she came from a prestigious family, unlike those sheltered ladies of high society who only learned martial arts but never used them. She had roamed the martial world, encountered powerful figures, and even infiltrated enemy strongholds and slain notorious bandits at night. But hearing that these people were about to attack the young master and his servant, she was startled. With a swift movement, she lunged towards the table, breaking free from their encirclement in a single move. The young man smiled at her. Little Ku'er was skilled, but his strength lay mainly in his agility, enough only for self-defense. In that instant, the blind old man was in danger, and Qin Honglian rushed to his rescue. The two tables were five or six feet apart. The members of the "Five Phoenix Blades" had figured out the plan and attacked from both sides. After several rounds, Qin Honglian was running left and right, exhausted.
In a flash, without turning back, she rushed to the blind old man's table again. With one hand, she deflected three swords from the "Five Phoenix Blades" disciples, and with the other, she reached for the blind old man's hand, which she had just seen behind her. But for some reason, she grabbed nothing. Qin Honglian was startled, but the boy was already in danger again, and without thinking, she rushed to his aid. After forcing the other attackers away, she returned to the table. Ignoring the old man, she reached out again, intending to pull him to the boy's table so she could look after him. But again, she missed. Qin Honglian looked back; the old man hadn't moved. Qin Honglian felt like she was dreaming. As a girl, she practiced martial arts not with strength, but with perfect coordination of body, hands, and eyes. She could practically grab anything with her eyes closed without making a mistake. Why was she acting strangely today? Without a second thought, she moved to the boy's table and naturally reached out to grab his hand. The boy's hand was slender and his posture was harmonious; with a simple pull, Qin Honglian led him to the blind old man's table. Qin Honglian, however, was no longer comfortable letting go. Relying on her superior skill, she didn't use her left hand to form a sword gesture, but instead used her right hand to wield the sword, leading the boy around a table, and engaging in a fierce battle with the "Five Phoenix Blades" members.
Now that she had no worries, her sword energy grew stronger, and although the Five Phoenix Blade disciples were numerous, they could not gain the upper hand against her for the time being.
Meanwhile, Little Ku'er darted left and right, his mouth never stopping. His own martial arts skills were mediocre, yet he constantly offered criticisms of this and that. However, his lightness skill was exceptional, and he was adept at dodging. Although the disciples of the "Five Phoenix Blades" were annoyed by him, they couldn't do anything to him for the time being. Whenever Qin Honglian made a good move, Little Ku'er would be the first to shout "Good!" His voice was loud and resonant, loud enough to be heard from three people, so although there were only five of them, their momentum was not inferior to their opponents. He would shout from time to time: "Old Dong, your 'Duck Mantis Step' is wrong, you should have used your left foot first!"; then he would shout: "What a fine move, 'Three Flowers Covering the Top'! Miss Qin, you are the most beautiful swordswoman I, Little Ku'er, have ever seen in the martial world!"
Qin Honglian smiled sweetly at him after receiving his praise. Little Ku'er, amidst the fierce fight, did a somersault and laughed loudly, "Young Master, she smiled at me!"
Meanwhile, Zhang Jian and Dong Banpiao were locked in a fierce battle, neither uttering a sound, but showing no mercy in their attacks.
This was no small matter; any blow could be fatal. Dong Banpiao didn't use any weapons, and Zhang Jian, adhering to the rules of the martial world, refused to draw his sword. The two fought from east to west, south to north, through a room full of people and furniture, yet they didn't look down or glance around, and never bumped into anything. Seeing that Qin Honglian had gained the upper hand, but Zhang Jian was gradually losing ground, Qin Honglian cried out, "Senior brother, draw your sword!"
Her senior brother, however, gritted his teeth and shook his head. Qin Honglian knew that her senior brother was stubborn and unyielding, and she was anxious. She wanted to get rid of the enemies around her and join forces with her senior brother, but she had to protect the young man and the blind old man and couldn't get away. Xiao Ku'er also saw that the situation was urgent and quickly came up with a good plan. She looked down and suddenly saw a figure on the ground.
Everyone in the room was fighting, and no one noticed anything amiss except for Little Ku'er, who had sharp eyes. Upon closer inspection, he saw a very short old man crouching on the roof beam where lanterns hung. He didn't know if the man was friend or foe, but in such chaos, for him to leap onto the beam so stealthily was likely the work of a master. At that moment, he only wanted the situation to be as chaotic as possible, and he shouted:
"Who are you?"
The members of the "Five Phoenix Blades" group thought he was just bluffing again, but then they saw Xiao Ku'er's "hidden weapon" already in motion. With a flick of his sleeve, a dark shadow flew towards the roof beam. The person on the roof beam caught it without a sound, about to dissolve the hidden weapon. Then Xiao Ku'er laughed: "Explode!"
With a loud "bang," a bang came from the roof beam. Little Ku'er had thrown a firecracker. The firecracker was loud, but not very dangerous, though it startled the man. He tumbled and fell to the ground, bouncing three feet into the air before landing back down. Everyone was startled by the noise. Dong Banpiao quickly turned around; in this respect, he was no match for Zhang Jian, a scion of a prominent family. Despite the sudden turn of events, Zhang Jian remained calm and focused, fully engaged in his battle with Dong Banpiao. This moment of distraction allowed Zhang Jian to force Dong Banpiao into a disadvantageous position. He counterattacked with all his might, but Little Ku'er seized the opportunity to sneak up, grabbing Dong Banpiao's belt. With a skillful tug, he easily pulled it off. Dong Banpiao felt his pants fall down, and startled, he hurriedly tried to pull them up, staggering backward. Zhang Jian then struck him on the shoulder, causing a burning pain. He glanced to the side and knew it was Little Ku'er who was behind it. Enraged, he slapped Little Ku'er across the face. Little Ku'er, still gloating, barely managed to dodge. He quickly turned his head, and although he avoided the blow, half his face turned red from the force of the slap. But he didn't forget to laugh and say, "Old Dong, you just took off my pants, now I'll take yours off too!"
Enraged, Dong Banpiao was about to give chase when he suddenly heard a loud shout from inside the shop: "Stop it, all of you!"
The shout was so loud that all the wine jars and vats in the shop rattled in response. Everyone felt a buzzing in their ears, and those with less skill saw stars. The ongoing fight was also stopped by the shout. Everyone looked over and saw a short man who had been blasted off the roof beam by Little Bitter standing in the room. He was less than five feet tall and stood in the middle of the shop. Everyone was surrounding him, their shadows completely covering him, but he still seemed to be arrogantly considering himself the tallest person in the shop, looking up at everyone and asking, "Who blasted me off the roof beam?"
He spoke with a fierce tone, trying hard to project an air of dominance, but when Qin Honglian saw his face, she could only laugh. His face was flat and round, wider than long, with round eyes as well. Every part of his body was round, even his nose. It turned out he had been hiding on the beam, intently watching Zhang Jian and Dong Banpiao's fight, when someone fired a firecracker at him. Now, he opened his hands; only his hands were pleasing to the eye, plump and white, like a child's hands. But his left palm was blackened, with a large blister. Dong Banpiao saw his hands, his face showing surprise, his brow darkening as he thought to himself:
"Could it be him?" Qin Honglian and Zhang Jian looked at the hands and seemed to realize something. They exchanged a glance, but one of the disciples of the "Five Phoenix Blades" laughed: "Whose little brother has run out? Look at these little hands!"
Dong Banpiao couldn't stop him in time; he had already spoken. The dwarf, enraged, his features contorted in anger. He leaped forward, reaching the "Five Phoenix Blade" disciple, grabbing him, and dragging him to the center of the arena. Dong Banpiao's swift action left no time to intervene. Everyone was shocked to see his delicate, white hand pluck at the "Five Phoenix Blade" disciple's throat. In a single stroke, the disciple's esophagus and trachea were ripped out, blood gushing forth. The disciple didn't die immediately, his limbs trembling violently, but the dwarf cruelly rubbed them with his small hand, like a child torturing a small creature.
The scene was so gruesome that almost everyone took a step back in fright. Even Dong Banpiao, a man of the martial world, felt a wave of nausea. The disciple twitched a few times before finally dying, his eyes bulging. Only then did the man continue his furious rant:
"Who blew me up?"
Xiao Ku'er involuntarily took a step back, and Zhang Jian and Qin Honglian couldn't help but exclaim at the same time, "Are you 'Child's Claw' Gu Wuming?"
The man stared intently at Xiao Ku'er: "Was it you who threw it?" He took a step forward at the same time. Zhang Jian and Qin Honglian simultaneously drew their swords, but their hearts pounded: given Gu Wuming's fearsome reputation, even if they combined their swords, they didn't know if they could stop him.
The little boy's voice was already trembling with tears as he cried out, "It wasn't me!"
Gu Wuming pressed forward a little further: "You don't dare admit it? It was you!" He was about to attack when Xiao Ku'er's master stepped forward and said, "It was me!"
No one expected that the young boy would have such courage at such a young age.