All the furnishings had been cleared out of the room. Only a table remained by the door, with a small candle standing on it. Its dim light could not reach even ten paces.
"I'm glad to talk with you," Shangguan Fa said casually, without a trace of contempt. He made a small circuit of the room to gauge its size and layout.
The gesture seemed more like a sign of respect, showing that he already regarded the Dragon King as an enemy worth taking seriously.
Gu Shenwei knew the City Governor's residence well and had no need to look around. He had drawn the Five Peaks Saber in advance and set its scabbard on the table. The candlelight fell on his left hand, revealing a thick blue vein that writhed like a little snake.
"I'm glad too," Gu Shenwei said. He walked to the middle of the main hall and swung his saber a few times.
Shangguan Fa went to the table by the door and rested his right hand on its corner, less than a foot from the scabbard. "You took a palm strike from my right hand. Later, try my left. Be careful. If you feel the force of my palm sweeping toward you, it'll already be too late."
Gu Shenwei nodded. "I'll do my best to strike first. When I search for a target in the dark, I don't rely on my eyes or my ears."
Shangguan Fa nodded too. "Is there anyone you especially want me to spare? If he behaves himself, I can let him off."
Gu Shenwei considered the question seriously. "No."
"Mm, that's right. If he wouldn't avenge your death, why spare him? If he insists on avenging you, sparing him won't help. Good."
Neither man behaved like an assassin, or even like