Xu Tao

"Wake up."

Dawn had barely broken, and chill air swirled around them as Jiang Ping An shook Meng Jing awake.

"No~ I want to keep sleeping."

Meng Jing wriggled unwillingly on the bed like an earthworm, her body swaying back and forth.

"Your Blue Flower Saber was stolen," Jiang Ping An said.

"What? Who dared steal this Miss's saber?!"

Meng Jing suddenly sprang up with a shout, baring her little tiger teeth in a fierce display.

Seeing that the Blue Flower Saber was still beside the bed, Meng Jing realized she had been tricked.

Seeing that the sky outside was still dim, she wanted nothing more than to bite this man to death. "What time is it? Even the chickens aren't on the clock yet, and you're waking me up!"

"Let's go."

Jiang Ping An said nothing more and turned to head outside.

"This Miss is furious! I'll definitely beat you up later!"

Meng Jing grumbled angrily. She hated nothing more than getting up early or being woken by someone.

She put on her little boots and walked outside.

When she reached the doorway, Meng Jing saw several pools of blood on the ground, and her steps halted.

Her drowsiness instantly vanished without a trace.

Downstairs, Meng Jing saw the innkeeper lying facedown on the floor.

Meng Jing was clever and had already guessed what had happened. She quickly followed Jiang Ping An onto Little White and left.

Little White was extremely fast. By the time the sun rose, they had already raced several hundred li away and passed through two county towns.

"Did that fat man come last night?" Meng Jing asked fearfully. She had not heard a thing.

"Mm." Jiang Ping An's expression was incomparably grave.

"I told you the outside world was dangerous. A lot of people do evil for no reason at all. Sometimes, they might kill you just because you looked at them once."

Noticing Jiang Ping An's solemn expression, Meng Jing comforted him.

"Don't worry. The enemy can't catch up. They didn't find us all night, so it's even more impossible for them to find us now. After all, they don't even know which direction we went."

Jiang Ping An remained grave as he asked in a low voice, "Can your saber move faster than a Martial Master now?"

Meng Jing paused, unsure why he was asking. She took a bite of Sugar Cake and said, "That depends. Martial Masters are divided into three realms: low, middle, and high, roughly corresponding to the Foundation Establishment Early Stage, middle stage, and late stage."

"If it's an ordinary low-level Martial Master, I'm confident I can surpass them. But if they're especially powerful, there's nothing I can do."

Jiang Ping An asked again, "What if the opponent is Xu Tao?"

"Xu Tao is about as strong as my father. In saber speed, he definitely can't match me, but in an actual fight, I definitely can't beat him."

Meng Jing stuffed the Sugar Cake into her mouth, then raised her head and stared at Jiang Ping An in puzzlement. "You're being so strange today. You're actually saying so much."

Jiang Ping An did not respond. Instead, he stared straight ahead with a grave expression as Little White gradually slowed down.

Meng Jing froze for a moment, then abruptly looked ahead.

The cold wind howled in gusts. On a large rock beside the road stood a middle-aged man with stubble all over his face, holding a broadsword.

Seeing him, Meng Jing's face changed drastically, and she cried out, "Xu Tao!!"

Wasn't he in the Spirit Terrace Kingdom? How had he appeared here?!

During the battle between Flat Water County and Continuous Mountain County, Xu Tao had fled on his own when he saw the situation turn bad.

She had never expected him to appear here!

Right—Xu Tao might have known about the Hundred Counties Tournament and had deliberately come here to intercept and kill them!

"Run!" Meng Jing shouted anxiously.

Jiang Ping An did not move. "We can't run. We'll settle this today. Otherwise, we'll never have peace of mind. If we don't deal with him, he might even secretly attack Uncle Meng and Old Li."

He did not like having a nail lodged in his foot, forcing him to tread with caution at every step and never letting him rest easy.

"Are you an idiot?! He's a Martial Master! The two of us can't possibly beat him!"

Meng Jing roared. Jiang Ping An had always been cautious—why was he being such an idiot today? Did he think being a genius meant he could cross an entire major realm to kill an enemy?

Jiang Ping An shoved two Blood Qi Pills into Meng Jing's mouth. "I'll restrain him. You swing the saber."

"Jiang Ping An!"

Xu Tao's eyes were crimson with Baleful Intent, and a desolate air emanated from him as killing intent surged.

"You killed my son, destroyed my position, and got me punished by the Spirit Terrace Kingdom. Today, you will die!"

Xu Tao locked onto the two of them, broadsword in hand, and walked toward them step by step.

Everything he had once possessed had vanished because of this brat's appearance.

Because of his rash impulsiveness, Flat Water County had fallen. His superiors wanted to execute him as a warning to others, and now he could not return.

Unless he killed Jiang Ping An, his fury could not be quelled.

Jiang Ping An dismounted and said coldly, "You were the one who first imposed heavy taxes on us commoners, driving my parents to death. Your son was also the one who tried to kill me first."

"Shut up! You lowborn peasant who stepped in dog shit and got lucky—how dare you compare yourself to my son?! Trash peasants like you were born to be enslaved! What right do you have to resist?!"

Xu Tao flew into a rage, not believing in the slightest that he had done anything wrong. A terrifying aura burst forth, blasting the surrounding stones away.

Dragging his broadsword, he charged at Jiang Ping An at extreme speed.

Little White fled in terror, and Meng Jing's face changed drastically.

It was over. They were dead for sure this time.

She had never imagined that Jiang Ping An would drop the ball at such a critical moment and actually try to fight a Martial Master to the death.

But even if they were going to die, they had to fight!

Meng Jing struggled to stop herself from being afraid and gripped the Blue Flower Saber tightly.

As a Martial Master, Xu Tao was incredibly fast. In the blink of an eye, he had rushed before them.

At that instant, Jiang Ping An's eyes suddenly widened. He drove the power of his right eye to its limit and roared, "Meng Jing!!"

Xu Tao, who had been charging at extreme speed, suddenly stalled. His force was cushioned away and dissipated.

Xu Tao's face changed. What kind of power was this?

Meng Jing, who had long been prepared, activated her saber technique with all her strength. Arcs of electricity flickered across the blade.

This was the reward Ninth Princess Xia Qing had given her—the Thunder Saber Technique, famed for its extreme speed.

She transformed into a streak of light and swiftly charged forward.

"Bang!"

Golden light burst from the black pendant around Xu Tao's neck, blocking Meng Jing's attack.

Xu Tao and Meng Jing's faces both changed drastically.

Xu Tao was utterly shocked. If not for the defensive pendant, that strike would have certainly killed him!

This little girl's speed was actually so fast! She absolutely could not be allowed to live!

Her strike having failed, Meng Jing was horrified and tried to flee, but Xu Tao kicked at her.

Meng Jing despaired. He was a Martial Master—there was no way she could block that kick.

At that moment, four green lights erupted from Meng Jing's body.

"Bang! Boom!!"

Four Protective Barriers shattered.

The Protective Barriers cushioned the force, and Meng Jing used the momentum to retreat explosively.

Xu Tao and Meng Jing were both stunned again.

Meng Jing looked down at her waist. At some point, five green jade pendants had been hung there!

Meng Jing immediately realized Jiang Ping An had put them on her.

She shouted anxiously, "Run! We're no match for him at all!"

"Run? No chance!"

Xu Tao grinned viciously. "Though I don't know what power you used to stop me for a moment, such petty tricks are useless."

"My protective talisman is better than yours. It can withstand the sustained attacks of a Foundation Establishment Early Stage Cultivator for half a shichen."

"I'll chop you into pieces and use you as meat to go with my wine! I'll also send your heads to that old bastard Meng Kuo!"

"Let's see what trump cards you still have this time!"

Xu Tao swung his saber again, and the sound of it tearing through the air howled.