"Amitabha." The Wine-Drinking Monk sighed. "Since Taizong's time, my family has received imperial favor generation after generation. Though I have now entered the Buddhist path, the karmic debts of the past must still be repaid. This time, I will certainly protect His Majesty."
Wang Chongyang laughed aloud. "Perfect. Our wagered duel at the pavilion last time also left some unfinished karma. Today, we shall continue that old bond." Before his words had even faded, he thrust out with his sword.
Given his cultivation, he normally had no need for a sword when facing enemies. But this opponent was no ordinary foe, and he did not dare be careless. From the very start, he drew the sword he had once carried at his side.
"Protect His Majesty!" The Imperial Guard with Weapons and the other guards hurriedly drew their blades and formed up around Zhao Gou. Although that sword strike was not aimed at His Majesty, with the opponent's martial arts at such a level, who knew whether he might change his move midway? By then, how could they possibly react in time?
Li Yanshi's throat felt dry. He had always considered himself one of the foremost experts in the martial world, and his status as an Imperial Guard with Weapons had given him a certain detached sense of superiority over martial artists. Yet now, merely standing far away from that casual sword strike, he already felt overwhelmed by its force. If that sword had been aimed at him, could he really have blocked it?
He looked worriedly at the Wine-Drinking Monk, wondering whether he could receive that strike. Though the two were experts of the same level, the sword in Wang Chongyang's hand gleamed with cold light and radiated sharpness. It was clearly no ordinary weapon. The Wine-Drinking Monk was