"Little..."
Wang Xuance heard a sound by his ear. Without the slightest hesitation, he flung the pouch of lime powder hidden in his arms straight at the other man's face.
Without pausing, Wang Xuance darted forward and struck the other's chest with a palm!
Bang!
An inconceivable clang of metal rang out between them.
"Body-hardening martial art!"
Wang Xuance's scalp went numb, and his face drained of color in horror.
The man before him was practically a hexagonal warrior. How was he supposed to fight that?
Fortunately, he had plenty of lime. One whole pouch covered the man's face. Since he could not win, retreating was the wisest course!
"Retreat!"
Wang Xuance tapped off with both legs, intending to use the old tree in the courtyard to vault over the wall, when an immense force suddenly surged from his shoulder. It was as though a giant hand had seized him, freezing him in midair.
Then a rough, hoarse voice sounded by his ear.
"Little fellow, it has been a long time."
Outer City, Medicine King Shop.
At that moment, inside an exceedingly elegant side room, medicinal vapors curled through the air. The lamps blazed brightly, turning night into day.
Chen Xuanjing's eyes were dark and unreadable. His arms hung naturally at his sides as he stood at the foot of the bed.
Tear tracks streaked Chen Linger's face. Her delicate body seemed like duckweed without roots as she wept and choked back sobs without pause.
"Master Li, is... is there still hope for my brother?"
By the bed stood a handsome young man with sword-like brows, starry eyes, and phoenix eyes brimming with authority. His face was pale, his breathing weak. Bare-chested, he was covered in silver needles inserted by a lean, refined-looking middle-aged man.
The man's movements flowed