Return to the Hundred Flowers Sect at Last

Zhu Ming sent the carriage driver to take him outside the city, to verify whether Jiang Shuo's words were true.

Jiang Shuo had barely stepped down from the carriage when the watching soldiers spotted him and immediately surrounded him. Time was pressing, so Jiang Shuo cut through the mess with a sharp blade, making short work of the enemies in three strokes and five cuts. Just as he was about to charge inside, he looked up and saw a figure already standing before the steps, waiting for him with a cold sneer.

"Zhao Zhi, do you still intend to stop me?" Jiang Shuo stared hard at the ill-intentioned Zhao Zhi.

Zhao Zhi folded his arms across his chest, a smug smile curling his lips. "Jiang Shuo, you abducted Young Master Chen and are now wanted throughout the city. Not only have you failed to repent, you have gone from bad to worse and even provoked General Meng. Luckily, I was wise enough back then to see through your arrogance and ignorance at a glance, and did not formally accept you as one of the Hundred Flowers Sect Disciples. Otherwise, with your reckless and willful nature, I fear even the Hundred Flowers Sect would have suffered because of you. You had best not resist. Come with me obediently and confess your crimes. Otherwise... hehe, I would not mind taking action myself and cleansing the sect on behalf of the Hundred Flowers Sect."

"There's no one else here, so there's no need to put on this sanctimonious act. You speak with such righteousness, but in the end, aren't you simply coveting power and trying to curry favor with Chen Zhiqing? You call yourself a teacher and role model, yet you have no shame in doing such vile things. Again and again, you've targeted me, and you would not even spare Miss Yu. Heh, scum like you actually has the nerve to stand before me and prattle on. Listening to such words is an insult even to my ears." Jiang Shuo's words were razor-sharp. Since this wall could not be circumvented, he could only tear it down. "Move aside!"

Zhao Zhi's expression darkened. Flinging his sleeve, he shouted furiously, "Stubborn to the bitter end! I think you're courting death!"

"Enough nonsense. Come." Jiang Shuo crossed his fists, pushed off the ground, and shot straight toward Zhao Zhi like an arrow loosed from the bow.

Too much time had already been wasted. Not another instant could be squandered.

"Hmph! If you want to die, I'll grant your wish!" Zhao Zhi roared and struck out with a palm. The wind from his palm was fierce, whistling through the air. He bore no deep grudge against Jiang Shuo, but Jiang Shuo was far too stubborn and did not take him seriously at all. That had wounded his pride.

Jiang Shuo's eyes narrowed. Just as the two were about to collide, he abruptly halted his charge. His feet seemed rooted to the ground; using them as an axis, his body rode its momentum beneath Zhao Zhi's armpit, and he drove a heavy punch toward Zhao Zhi's lower ribs. Zhao Zhi froze, never expecting Jiang Shuo's Movement Technique to be so nimble. He bent at the waist, drew in his abdomen, and clamped his arms down to shield his vulnerable lower ribs, forcibly taking Jiang Shuo's blow. At the same time, he raised his knee and drove it into Jiang Shuo's lower abdomen. It was as though he had been struck by a solid iron rod swung with full force. Jiang Shuo flew sideways, spinning once through the air before barely regaining his balance. The pain at the injured spot was unbearable, and his internal organs churned violently. Clutching his abdomen, he looked at his opponent. He had not expected Zhao Zhi's character to be so poor while his Martial Arts were so formidable. It seemed that when Zhao Zhi had stopped their group last time, he had still shown mercy for Yu Yuhan's sake.

"With such paltry tricks, you want to defeat me? What a joke!"

Zhao Zhi shook out his arm. Aside from Jiang Shuo's impressive Movement Technique, he also possessed brute strength, and the blow had numbed Zhao Zhi's arm. His expression turned grim as he strode forward and sent a Tiger Claw toward Jiang Shuo. Jiang Shuo raised his right arm to block, but Zhao Zhi's hand slipped around his force like a loach and latched onto his wrist. Jiang Shuo was startled. If his joint were seized, he would likely lose on the spot. Zhao Zhi's hand clung to him like a maggot to bone, impossible to shake off. Jiang Shuo made a swift decision, using both fists and feet and exhausting every trick he had. His attacks poured down like a violent storm, trying to force Zhao Zhi to release him through a mutual destruction of jade and stone. The corners of Zhao Zhi's lips lifted slightly. He did not become flustered in the least, but dissolved every move one by one. Though he appeared to be in danger, he remained completely unscathed. Jiang Shuo felt as if Zhao Zhi had grown several extra hands; everything blurred before his eyes, and his strength seemed to sink into a ball of cotton without producing any effect. By the end of the fight, Zhao Zhi's grip had instead tightened like iron pincers.

"Get on your knees!" Zhao Zhi viciously twisted Jiang Shuo's wrist, and a chilling, faint crackle came from the grinding joint.

"Ah—" Jiang Shuo screamed. Though he resisted with all his strength, the pain made his whole body tremble, cold sweat covering his head.

"You do have some backbone. Let's see how long you can hold out." Zhao Zhi increased his strength again, and Jiang Shuo's wrist had reached its limit. At first, Jiang Shuo had still been able to strike back a few times, but now his seized wrist restrained him so completely that the pain left him unable even to speak, much less attack.

After all, Jiang Shuo had been introduced to the Hundred Flowers Sect by Elder Bian, so Zhao Zhi did not dare go too far. He had originally only intended to torture Jiang Shuo a little and teach him a lesson, forcing him to beg for mercy. Yet Jiang Shuo displayed an unyielding will, gritting his teeth and resisting desperately. Where was there even the slightest sign of submission? This only stoked Zhao Zhi's anger.

"You will pay the price for your stubbornness. You brought all this upon yourself." Zhao Zhi gritted out, intending to snap Jiang Shuo's wrist completely.

Just then, Jiang Shuo suddenly moved. He was not surrendering; instead, he ruthlessly exerted force first, twisting against the direction of Zhao Zhi's strength.