A young girl suddenly sprang from the bushes, thrusting her sword at Wu Zhirong's chest.
Wu Zhirong turned around and saw only a sheet of cold light before his eyes, frightening him out of his wits. He had fallen behind the main group and knew no martial arts. Her sword strike had been poised for a long time, and he should have had no chance of escape. But he was timid as a mouse; the fright made his legs give way, and he could no longer stand. He tumbled down the steps before the temple, narrowly dodging the girl's killing thrust by sheer luck.
The girl missed her strike and froze for a moment. She had intended to kill him in one blow and flee far away, but she had never expected to fail. If she did not retreat at once, she feared even she would be in danger.
Yet when she thought of the Zhuang family's deep blood feud, she clenched her teeth and continued pursuing him with her sword. She would rather perish together with Wu Zhirong than watch him remain free and unpunished.
By then, however, the nearby guards had reacted and swarmed forward. Though the girl was highly skilled, the guards serving the chief ministers of the Jin Dynasty and Qing Dynasty were no ordinary men. Before long, she was in grave danger.
Song Qingshu had already recognized the girl, and his heart gave a start. Wasn't that Shuang'er, whom he had not seen for a long time? What was she doing in Yangzhou? Just as he was about to call out and stop his men, Suo'etu spoke first. "Do not hurt that girl. Take her alive!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than the girl's acupoints were sealed from behind by a guard, and several