A Pawn's Passage

With a flash of a blade, this gaiwan, which was made of fine Guan ware[1], cracked into two. At the same time, there was an explosion in the rain curtain. The splash it created was like a slowly blooming lotus, which soon disappeared.

Qi Xuansu groaned and staggered back from the explosion. The energy around his body surged, which made the surrounding rain curtain waver.

Li Sanxin was still standing under the eaves, not moving an inch.

The gaiwan that Li Sanxin threw out earlier held a secret weapon. The moment Qi Xuansu split the gaiwan in half with his saber, a hidden energy concealed in the gaiwan exploded. Thus, Qi Xuansu was caught off guard and had no time to brace for the impact.

The corners of Li Sanxin’s mouth turned up slightly. He had kept this gaiwan in hand not because he wanted to look arty but because he was secretly storing his qi in it. Seeing this burst of energy was within his expectations.

However, to Li Sanxin’s surprise, the young swordsman did not back down and even advanced without first settling his qi. Is that young man confident or just arrogant?

At this time, the distance between them was only about ninety steps.

Li Sanxin lightly clasped the bronze tiger-head belt buckle around his waist.

The most significant difference between Houtian beings and Xiantian Beings was whether they could release qi outside their bodies. Houtian beings in the Baodan cultivation stage could cultivate qi, but it could not leave the body, limiting them greatly.

However, Xiantian Beings could easily control their qi and release it from their bodies, making it difficult to guard against. The qi released could also be hidden in external objects, like how Li Sanxin hid his qi in the gaiwan.

At this moment, the raindrops falling in the courtyard instantly atomized into a white mist. These minuscule droplets fell to the ground and hit the pillars on both sides of the corridor, leaving a dense patch of holes that resembled pinpricks.

Qi Xuansu kept walking and cutting through this surge of energy with a strike of his blade.

The sword qi on the blade of Qi Xuansu’s saber broke through the blinding white fog. At the same time, a spurt of energy contained in the saber was released.

The qi reverberated around the air, making the raindrops between them move around chaotically due to the abundant energy. The raindrops combined to form water lines, creating small ravines upon landing on the ground.

Using this opportunity, Qi Xuansu closed the distance between them to about sixty steps.

Li Sanxin frowned slightly and clenched his fist over his lower abdomen. His qi attracted and gathered the water pooled on the ground, as if a water dragon were rising from the pool of water, flying freely in the courtyard. The water dragon pounced on Qi Xuansu, who was still advancing.

Qi Xuansu continued forward with no signs of retreat. The sword qi on his Slim Tiger Saber suddenly peaked. Then, he slashed the water dragon using the same technique as before.

Water splashed everywhere. The water dragon was shorter, but Qi Xuansu slid backward from the collision, splashing up more water at his feet. At this moment, the distance between the two men was about seventy steps.

Qi Xuansu’s face was expressionless as the sword qi on his Slim Tiger Saber continued building. Even in the pouring rain, the white glow surrounding his saber was as clear as day. It was no longer illusory. Instead, it seemed almost solid.

Xiantian Beings could kill by merely using flowers and leaves as weapons.

Qi Xuansu leaped forward again, passing through the water dragon while making a series of unnatural clanging sounds that were harsh to the ear.

The next moment, the water dragon collapsed completely and splashed around his feet, like lotus flowers blooming in a pond.

At this moment, there were only thirty steps left between the two men.

Qi Xuansu aimed his Slim Tiger Saber and threw it at Li Sanxin’s head. The saber cut through the heavy rain curtain.

Li Sanxin’s feet did not move. Instead, he abruptly leaned backward at an exaggerated 90-degree angle while keeping his spine straight. He only stood upright after the saber flew past him. That was when he saw Qi Xuansu’s right arm motioning for retrieval.

Under the influence of Qi Xuansu’s qi, the Slim Tiger Saber made a smooth turn behind Li Sanxin, like a swallow whirling around a beam. It was flying toward Li Sanxin’s dorsal spine.

Li Sanxin held down the hilt of the saber at his waist. He did not have time to turn around or draw his weapon, so he placed the sheath of the Slim Tiger Saber on his back to block the attack from behind.

Qi Xuansu’s Slim Tiger Saber stabbed Li Sanxin’s scabbard, creating a harsh clang of metal and stone colliding. The scabbard shattered instantly.

Li Sanxin took advantage of the break and ran forward, leaving the corridor and entering the courtyard. He was only ten steps away from Qi Xuansu when he abruptly turned around and gripped the saber attached to his back.

The Slim Tiger Saber spun around and returned to Qi Xuansu, who quickly grabbed it.

The two of them were evenly matched in the fight earlier. For a while, no one took action, so they fell into a stalemate.

After some time, Qi Xuansu asked, “Where is the Fengtai County Magistrate, Li Hongwen?”

The corners of Li Sanxin’s lips curled up. “He’s a corpse now. You’re a step too late in rescuing him, so don’t waste your efforts.”

Qi Xuansu didn’t care about Li Hongwen’s survival. He simply said, “You’re so bold to kill a county magistrate without permission.”

Li Sanxin sneered. “Who said I killed him? All of this is your doing. The Green Phoenix Guards have lost so many soldiers and even an assistant major for this. After the case is concluded, I will personally deliver the pension money to Brother Zhou’s family.”

Having said this, Li Sanxin glanced at Zhou Feilong’s decapitated head, which had turned into mush. He added, “I will raise his children and support his wife, so don’t worry about it.”

Zhou Feilong was merely an abandoned pawn whose death had long been determined by the chess master. Regardless of whether Li Hongwen handed over the item, Li Sanxin would execute the man on the spot in Fengtai County according to the Lieutenant Colonel’s orders.

Since Li Hongwen was a dignified county magistrate who had earned his title through merit, the Green Phoenix Guard could not kill as they pleased and needed a scapegoat—Zhou Feilong.

Li Sanxin planned to use Zhou Feilong’s life to clear any suspicion against the Green Phoenix Guard. That was why Li Sanxin left Zhou Feilong to fight Qi Xuansu alone.

Only a dead man could remain silent.

Qi Xuansu raised his saber again. This time, they were merely ten steps apart. Thus, Qi Xuansu closed that gap in an instant. His blade struck like booming thunder in a quiet place.

Li Sanxin had to draw his saber to counter this attack.

Their sabers collided, and the two were pushed back from the impact. Countless pieces of gravel scattered in all directions, and water splashed around them.

The next moment, Qi Xuansu drew his saber again and moved his body with the weapon, giving more momentum to his strike. Li Sanxin did not stay put. He dodged the sharp blade with agile steps and brushed past Qi Xuansu.

The moment they passed each other, Qi Xuansu’s blade left a deep wound on Li Sanxin’s arm. At the same time, Li Sanxin’s blade cut across Qi Xuansu’s saber-wielding wrist. Although it was a superficial wound, it was enough to affect Qi Xuansu’s dexterity.

The two of them slid backward on the wet bluestone floor. When they stood still again, Li Sanxin looked at the wound on his arm with a grim expression.

In the meantime, Qi Xuansu expressionlessly moved the Slim Tiger Saber from his right hand to his left. He could also wield a weapon with his non-dominant hand.

Holding the saber with his left hand, Qi Xuansu rushed forward again. Li Sanxin stepped back and retreated hastily, narrowly dodging Qi Xuansu’s blade.

It was clear that Qi Xuansu’s strike with his left hand was less agile than his previous strikes. However, it was heavier. A massive hole about three meters wide and three meters deep was blasted out with just one strike, shooting out countless pieces of gravel and dirt.

While Li Sanxin was retreating, the Slim Tiger Saber in his hand created an arc. The saber also had traces of sword qi as he slashed at Qi Xuansu’s head.

Qi Xuansu blocked the strike with the side face of his blade.

They were both using the same Slim Tiger Saber, and both had the same sword qi. However, one saber was horizontal while the other was vertical, forming a cross.

The Slim Tiger Saber in Qi Xuansu’s hand came into contact with Li Sanxin’s saber. In that instant, the sabers vibrated at a frequency that was undetectable to the naked eye. Qi Xuansu’s sword qi neutralized Li Sanxin’s, and there was even enough qi left for a counterattack.

The Green Phoenix Guards in the back residence finally gathered in the courtyard and witnessed how this intruder was forcing their assistant major to retreat repeatedly. The Slim Tiger Saber in Li Sanxin’s hand had also been bent into a terrifying arc.

Although the Slim Tiger Saber was a rare weapon, it was not a spiritual object. Thus, it could not withstand the excessive force and finally shattered into pieces, creating a loud explosion. Li Sanxin had to bounce back with nothing but the saber’s hilt in his hand.

Qi Xuansu was unyielding and continued advancing. He pointed the blade at Li Sanxin’s chest. The sword qi seemed to be hesitating, like a python flicking out its forked tongue to gauge the situation. The blade had already torn Li Sanxin’s robe across the middle, exposing the Bull Dragon Armor underneath.

At this moment, a green light flashed across Li Sanxin’s sleeves, like a coiled-up small green snake that shot out aggressively.

Qi Xuansu, who had been unfazed throughout the fight, finally looked a little flustered at this moment. Although he had already dodged to the side, the sharp green object managed to gash his chest. Traces of blood started oozing out of the wound.

At that moment, Qi Xuansu was aware that he had had a close brush with death.

The green light flickered before it shot toward Qi Xuansu again.

Fortunately, Qi Xuansu was prepared this time. He blocked the attack with his saber at the critical moment, fending off the green light.

This collision finally revealed the true appearance of the object emitting the green light.

It was an emerald-green miniature sword that was hovering in the air.

It was no more than three centimeters wide and about eight centimeters long. It had a green sword qi lingering around its blade.

Qi Xuansu’s expression suddenly turned solemn.

That was a flying sword.

1. High-quality porcelain with a crackled glazed surface, usually used by officials and the Imperial Court. ☜