The treatment ended quickly, but every disciple of the Iron Sword Sect had exhausted their Inner Force, as had the guards present.
Using Inner Force to purge poison had never been easy, much less purging it for someone else.
"We are already utterly exhausted. Isn't it time for you to show yourself?" Cui Xuan said.
He had actually seen through it: this was a chain of schemes. If no one had discovered the poison in the banquet, then once they were poisoned, they would have been helplessly at others' mercy.
And even if someone had discovered it, the Iron Sword Sect—one of the Five Veins Under Heaven and a renowned righteous sect—would certainly not stand by and watch the guests at the birthday banquet die of poison.
If they did, it would damage the Iron Sword Sect's reputation and earn them the vile name of those who saw death and refused to save.
Renowned sects wielded reputation and righteousness as their weapons, and naturally, they would be bound by them as well.
"Utterly exhausted? Yet you, Breeze Swift Sword, seem to have plenty of Inner Force left." A strangely mocking voice drifted over.
Not far away, a servant tore off the Human Skin Mask on his face, then ripped away his clothes, revealing himself as someone else.
Looking again, he drew a Black Scale Soft Sword from his waist. Its hilt was peculiar—a black snake with its mouth open. The sword looked just like a venomous snake flicking out its tongue.
"Black Faced Snake Shi Jiang?" Cui Xuan had not recognized him at first. Only when that distinctive soft sword left its sheath did he identify him.
People of the martial world mostly recognized one another through their martial arts, weapons, and then their nicknames. Otherwise, how could anyone know so many people?
Take Cui Xuan, for instance. He was known as Breeze Swift Sword and wielded a slender sword. Once it left its sheath, it was like a fresh breeze brushing across one's face; before one could gather one's wits, he had already pierced their vital point.
His reputation was great, but Black Face Snake's was no less so.
His Black Snake Tonguing Sword was specially made to counter swift swords, and he was also skilled in poison and disguise. That was why he bore the name Black Face.
"Um, would you mind answering a question?" Lu Xingshi cut in. "You should be here to deal with the Iron Sword Sect and the Shangguan Family. I have neither grievance nor enmity with you, so why did you drag me into this as well?"
Lu Xingshi merely wanted to ask why before sending him on his way.
"Interesting. A wet-behind-the-ears brat actually asks such a question? Your Iron Sword Sect has truly grown more worthless the longer it has lived," Shi Jiang sneered.
He paid Lu Xingshi no attention at all. In his eyes, only Cui Xuan, the Breeze Swift Sword, posed any threat.
Lu Xingshi's face darkened. He had merely asked a question, yet the man dared to mock him.
"Little Friend Lu is not from my Iron Sword Sect," Cui Xuan said calmly, drawing the slender sword at his waist. "Since you have committed such filthy deeds, you will remain here today."
"Perfect. I can see just how well your Black Snake Tonguing Sword counters swift swords."
As he spoke, Cui Xuan rapidly closed in on Shi Jiang. His slender sword shot out, aimed straight for Shi Jiang's throat.
A swift sword was all about one word: swift.
Not only was its lightness skill fast, but its footwork, hand techniques, and swordsmanship were all unbelievably fast as well.
Lu Xingshi could tell that Cui Xuan followed a skill-focused path. He himself was not inherently fast, but once all kinds of techniques stacked together, he became this fast.
Yet Shi Jiang smiled unhurriedly. With a flick of his wrist, his soft sword lashed out like a snake and effortlessly coiled around Cui Xuan's slender blade.
"With this move of mine, Serpent Entanglement, seven out of every ten swift swords under heaven can be restrained," Shi Jiang said. He tugged sharply, and Cui Xuan's slender sword flew from his grasp, trapped by the other man's soft sword.
Cui Xuan immediately retreated in haste. Had he been any slower, Shi Jiang's soft sword might have wrapped around his neck.
The exchange had lasted only an instant, yet victory and defeat had already been decided.
Cui Xuan had skill. Had it been anyone else, they would already have been beheaded by that Serpent Entanglement.
"As expected of Black Face Snake, who specializes in countering swift swords." Cui Xuan's expression was grim. Without his sword, his offensive power had been cut in half.
"Someone was able to hire you and even specifically target me. Saibei Left Path sent you, didn't they?"
Cui Xuan did not believe Black Face Snake had simply happened to be waiting for him here.
Shi Jiang merely smiled. "You only need to know that someone wants your lives."
Naturally, he could not possibly reveal the truth.
"May I ask whether I am included among them?" Lu Xingshi asked as well.
"Mm~ No, you are not. You merely happened to run into me. Consider yourself unlucky." Shi Jiang looked at Lu Xingshi with a teasing tone, like a cat playing with a mouse.
"Go! Split up and run!" Cui Xuan immediately called out. If even he could not defeat him, the others would likely fare no better.
Black Face Snake was a First-Rate Expert who had been famous for many years. His strength was naturally not to be underestimated.
"Your soft sword specifically counters swift swords. I wonder if it can counter a Quick Gun?" Only after most of the others had fled did Lu Xingshi speak.
Shi Jiang's target was Cui Xuan, the Breeze Swift Sword. It did not matter if the others escaped, and the Iron Sword Sect disciples were no concern either. They could not get far.
Shi Jiang simply had not expected Lu Xingshi to stay behind, much less ask such a question.
"Of course I can break it. Never mind a Quick Gun or swift sword—even a swift saber would be no problem." Shi Jiang spoke proudly, supremely confident in his soft sword.
"Very good. I have a gun named Golden Crow."
As soon as he mentioned changing guns, Lu Xingshi pulled out his Hand Cannon, Golden Crow.
"This is a gun?" Shi Jiang had not even processed it before Lu Xingshi had already aimed Golden Crow at him.
Boom! A thunderous blast erupted as a pitch-black shell shot from Lu Xingshi's Hand Cannon.
"Break for me!" Shi Jiang roared, pouring every ounce of strength into his soft sword.
The Golden Crow shell was indeed incredibly fast. Shi Jiang's soft sword could not block it at all. It smashed into his chest, drove him through a heap of tables, chairs, and benches, then slammed him into the wall.
"Run quickly, or it will be too late!" Lu Xingshi immediately warned Cui Xuan.
Though confused, Cui Xuan followed Lu Xingshi and ran outside.
Shi Jiang struggled to his feet. That blow had hit him hard.
"You little thief, don't run!" he roared, raising a leg to chase after them, only to discover that the black iron ball that had struck him seemed somewhat off.
The words had barely left his mouth when the iron ball exploded in an instant, flames bursting forth as countless shards of iron surged in every direction.
"Cannon!!!" Of course he recognized what it was—he had seen one before. But after he shouted, he was swallowed by the explosion, firelight, and shockwave.
BOOM!!! This time, the commotion was enormous. Half the building split apart, and the hall where the birthday banquet had been held directly collapsed.
Fortunately, no one had been inside. Otherwise, even if they had escaped the explosion, they would have been buried beneath the rubble.
"Lu... Little Friend Lu, you call that a Quick Gun?" Cui Xuan could barely speak without stammering.
"Whether it was a gun or not, let's not talk about that. Just tell me whether it was fast." Lu Xingshi meant that his gun was not the spear kind of gun from cold weapons, but the firearm kind of gun from Heat Weapons. They were different breeds, but both were called guns.