Nine Chapters of Strange Cases

Chapter 382 Fighting Requires a Group Braw

The boy with tiger teeth chuckled, seemingly having already planned out a grand entrance for a "martial arts master."

He did a somersault in the air and landed in front of Huo Ting with a whoosh, almost touching Huo Ting's face.

He doesn't seem like a master; he looks more like a monkey who failed at juggling.

Huo Ting was startled by the suddenly enlarged canine tooth and couldn't help but take a step back. Yan Junyu gave him a thumbs up, "Are there such innocent young masters in Chang'an? Knowing that my sword is long and it's not good to stab someone if you get too close, you even took a step back."

Yan Junyu spoke with a smile on his face, but every step he took with his long sword was a deadly move.

Zhou Zhao wasn't worried about him at all. Yan Junyu was the enforcer of the Yan family's sword manor in Nanyang. Back then, he had single-handedly subdued one of the outer halls of Tianying City.

He is a renowned swordsman in the martial arts world.

Unlike Yan Junyu's "dazzling" appearance, Jing Yi didn't say a word, like a silent ghost, and went straight for Xing Lao.

The old man stood there motionless, his expression calm. He reached out and swayed Li Yang toward Jingyi, then looked at Zhou Zhao.

“Li Yang, you are no match for her. Let this old man take your place.”

Upon hearing the word "girl," Yan Junyu trembled and looked over with a horrified expression. "The one with a full beard is a girl, then what are you with a white beard? A white girl or an old girl?"

The old man seemed not to hear, his expression remaining unchanged.

He looked at Zhou Zhao calmly, his long sword remaining motionless.

Zhou Zhao looked at him, raised his hand and flicked it, sending another coffin nail flying directly towards Huo Du, who was standing to the side. This coffin nail was fast and fierce, heading straight for Huo Du's body.

Huo Du's eyes widened in horror, and he roared, "No!"

With a roar, the coffin nail passed right through his groin, pinning his armor to the wall.

It was only a hair's breadth off.

If he had gone up a little further, Huo Du would have become a eunuch.

All the men present trembled, and Yan Junyu dared not utter a sound.

The old man opposite Zhou Zhao could no longer maintain his composed and dignified demeanor. The long sword in his hand moved like a snake, stabbing towards Zhou Zhao's heart.

"Shameless brat!"

Old Xing's face was ashen, and he couldn't help but curse.

Zhou Zhao smiled, but was very cautious in his heart.

Su Changying launched a surprise attack and surrounded the Grand Commandant's residence. The Huo family acted decisively, sending Huo Yu and Huo Ting to delay them while their eldest son, Huo Du, and eldest grandson escaped to ensure the continuation of their bloodline. Huo Du was the eldest son, and the one he held in his arms was the eldest grandson; both were extremely important.

Therefore, the people assigned to their sides must be the best of the best.

She had fought Li Yang before. Li Yang was skilled in martial arts, but his foundation was unstable. Although he was a master, he was not a top-tier fighter.

If we encounter ordinary pursuers, that's fine.

But if they were to encounter either her or Su Changying, they would be no match for them at all.

This shouldn't be the case.

Seeing this old man now, I finally understand that he is the source of Huo Du's confidence left by Grand Commandant Huo.

As Zhou Zhao pondered, the dagger in his hand touched the strange longsword. The moment the weapons clashed, Zhou Zhao felt his center of gravity slip. The longsword did not have the hard feel of metal; instead, it felt like a soft ribbon, and there was no point of impact when he struck it.

Just as she was marveling at it, the soft sword suddenly wrapped around her wrist, instantly drawing blood.

Looking at the red mark on his wrist, Zhou Zhao exclaimed in genuine admiration, "Your sword is quite good, but mine is not bad either."

Upon hearing this, Old Xing followed Zhou Zhao's gaze and looked down, only to see a wound that had appeared on his chest at some point.

His clothes were torn, and a line of blood appeared on his chest, making him look like a red worm lying there.

"good."

Xing Lao's eyes also became more cautious as he looked at Zhou Zhao. Although Zhou Zhao's attack had missed, she immediately followed up and stabbed him in the chest. Although it was just a line of blood, if the dagger had been poisoned, he would be dead by now.

Of course, if his sword were poisoned, Zhou Zhao would also be dead.

They were evenly matched and equally upright.

"You are a very good opponent," Old Xing thought, a hint of admiration in his eyes.

"Grand Commandant Huo's rebellion is doomed to fail. Why don't you abandon the darkness and embrace the light?"

Hearing Zhou Zhao's words, Xing Lao shook his head. "Grand Commandant Huo has been kind to me, and I promised to serve him for ten years. This is the last year. If I am fortunate enough to survive this time, I will invite you to drink again next year."

A hint of regret flashed in Zhou Zhao's eyes.

"Next year during Qingming Festival, I'll go to your grave and invite you for a drink."

Old Xing shook his head. "What arrogance."

As they talked, the two started fighting again.

Zhou Zhao grew increasingly alarmed as the fight progressed. Old Xing's internal energy was like a vast ocean, with wave after wave stretching endlessly.

But that's not the most powerful thing; the most powerful thing is the soft sword in his hand.

This sword is as soft as flowing water, impossible to grasp; yet as tough as iron, impossible to pierce.

She had tried to attack five or six times, but had not found any weakness in Xing Lao's defenses.

Of course, he also failed to find any flaws in her defenses.

This won't do. The plan she and Su Changying devised is interconnected, and she can't linger here too long and miss the opportunity.

As she was thinking, her eyes flickered, and three coffin nails suddenly slipped out of her left sleeve pocket.

Huo Du, looking at the huge, black nail, was already terrified. Although that blow hadn't turned him into a eunuch, it had definitely scared him into one.

Now, just seeing this thing makes him feel like he's dying, and he trembles with fear.

"No."

Huo Du let out a shrill cry.

Zhou Zhao slightly raised his left wrist, making a feint. Hearing Huo Du's shout, Elder Xing's expression changed, and he placed his soft sword directly between Zhou Zhao and Huo Du... Now...

Zhou Zhao anticipated the direction of Xing Lao's sword and waited for him to make that move before opening her front door wide, taking advantage of Xing Lao's attention being on the coffin nail in her left hand.

Her ghostly right hand suddenly stabbed directly into Old Xing's chest.

The old man was a master among masters. Even though he realized he had fallen into a trap and there was no way to avoid it, he still managed to move his body so that Zhou Zhao's attack avoided a vital spot and deviated from the location of his heart.

Xing Lao reacted and thrust his long sword directly at Zhou Zhao, who had gotten close.

Every inch shorter, every inch more dangerous.

Zhou Zhao was using a dagger. If she were to draw the dagger now, she would be unable to attack for a moment.

In a battle between masters, a single moment can be fatal.

A fleeting thought of "what a pity" crossed Xing Lao's mind. Zhou Zhao possessed exceptional martial arts talent, which he greatly admired. It was a pity they were enemies; he had to kill her and take Huo Du away.

Now that she has a weakness, she is doomed.

As he was thinking, he suddenly felt his longsword miss its mark. He saw that the girl in front of him did not stab and pull out the dagger like an ordinary person would. She suppressed her fighting instincts and used the force of the dagger piercing his chest to lift herself into the air.

Almost instantly, it climbed up his neck and flipped over behind him.

not good!

Old Xing felt a pang of panic.

He hurriedly thrust the longsword in his hand toward his own neck.

The moment Zhou Zhao climbed up, he suddenly pulled out the dagger and thrust it towards Xing Lao's neck without hesitation.

She was on his back, her arms around his head. Her move was swift, ruthless, and precise, leaving no room for escape.

With a muffled groan, the soft sword pierced Zhou Zhao's arm.

The dagger in Zhou Zhao's hand pierced through Xing Lao's throat.

She lightly leaped down, ignoring her own wounds, and walked towards Huo Du. "Are you two done yet? If not, I'll pry the Huo family's eldest good-for-nothing off the wall and take him away!"