"Pfft~~"
Amid the flashing swordlight, a soft sound rang out from the two fighters. A fresh sword wound had appeared on Xia Houwu's left arm, and blood immediately sprayed from it. Wincing in pain, he retreated into the courtyard and pointed his sword at Yan Chixia with his right hand.
"Brother Xia, we've been fighting for seven years, and you've lost every one of them. Still, you're persistent. Wherever I go, you follow." Yan Chixia faced him with his own sword and spoke in a deep voice.
Though he had lost, Xia Houwu showed no sign of discouragement. "Yan Chixia, I never thought that after hiding away in Lanruo Temple, you'd sharpen your sword even further!"
"That's not it!" Yan Chixia retorted. "You've wasted your youth. Your ambition is too great, and you're too eager to make a name for yourself. Your intentions are impure, your movements are erratic, and you're too hotheaded. Your techniques lose their force because of it. And you have another flaw: your sword is fast, but your aim is poor!"
"Yan Chixia, I came here to fight you, not to listen to you lecture me!" Xia Houwu snapped, furious at Yan Chixia's words.
"Yeah~~ Exactly~~ If you're going to fight, then hurry up. If not, I'm going back to bed."
Just as the two glared at each other, a teasing, irreverent voice spoke beside them.
"Who?" *2
The sudden voice startled them both, and they turned toward its source.
Only then did they see that, at some point, a man and a woman had taken seats beneath the eaves.
"Whew~~"
Seeing Hao Shuai and Xin Shisi Niang's harmless faces, Yan Chixia and Xia Houwu both breathed a quiet sigh of relief. They figured they must have been so absorbed in their fight, and the surroundings