Love born of adversity

The newcomer's sinister eyes flickered, his two long whiskers swaying. It was Huang Daogong.

He swept a disdainful gaze over He An, but perked up at the sight of Han Chanjuan. A trace of lust flashed through his eyes, and a wicked smile spread over his face. "What a pretty little girl. You've got a good eye, you little brat."

Out of the corner of his eye, He An saw several men in black at the alley entrance bow to Huang Daogong. Understanding dawned on him, and he snapped angrily, "Huang Daogong, you still dare attack me? Have you forgotten the lesson Academy Head Wei taught you?"

Huang Daogong's wicked smile froze. His brows shot up, and his face twisted viciously. "You little bastard! If not for you, would I have taken that palm strike? Today is the day you die!"

Before his words had faded, Han Chanjuan gave a sharp cry and lunged forward, punching toward Huang Daogong's shoulder. Her hand turned, revealing a gleaming dagger that stabbed straight at his lower abdomen.

Huang Daogong chuckled. With a hook and sweep of his hand, he blocked Han Chanjuan's storm of attacks. A fierce light blazed in his eyes. The gleaming dagger stopped an inch from his abdomen, as though barred by an invisible wall of energy, unable to advance another fraction.

The color drained from Han Chanjuan's lovely face. She felt a cool touch on her cheek as Huang Daogong's hand suddenly brushed past it.

He rubbed his fingers together, savoring the warm, silky softness lingering on his fingertips. With a lecherous grin, he held them beneath his nose and sniffed lightly. "Mmm... how fragrant!"

He An attacked in fury, unleashing the deadliest moves of the Cloud-Riding Hand against Huang Daogong in a frenzy. Secretly circulating his cultivation method, he sent True Qi surging through his body. His palm struck out with such imposing force that dead leaves flew up from the ground.

This villain had once made him suffer terribly. Even as He An attacked with all his strength, countless thoughts flashed through his mind. Yet in the end, he realized with despair that no matter what he tried, escape would be all but impossible.

Even the Dingding Chancellor's Residence, the closest refuge to this dead-end alley, was more than ten li away. Even if he could notify Ding Wenruo and have her seek help at the Knowledge and Practice Institute, it would clearly be too late...

Huang Daogong's lecherous gaze never stopped roaming over Han Chanjuan. He swallowed and clicked his tongue admiringly. "The more I look at this little beauty, the more I like her!" With a casual lift of his hand, he neutralized He An's fierce assault.

With a clang, Han Chanjuan's dagger was knocked away. Wearing a mocking, lascivious grin, Huang Daogong turned his hand and caught her fair wrist. His other hand shot out with a punch and a finger strike, driving He An several steps back.

The edge of He An's palm collided with Huang Daogong's fist and finger, burning with pain as though struck by a sledgehammer. He was secretly horrified, but when he saw Han Chanjuan held by the wrist, her brows knitted and her lips bitten tight as tears threatened to spill, towering fury surged through him.

"Let her go! I'm the one you want to kill! Let her leave!" He An abruptly closed in, bending low to ram Huang Daogong in a desperate, life-risking attack.

Several thuds rang out. The robes over He An's chest and back split in several places, exposing worn cotton padding mingled with seeping blood-a horrifying sight. Another kick struck his abdomen. The instant he hit the ground, he rolled, snatched up the dagger, and lunged at Huang Daogong again.

"Academy Head, save us!" Han Chanjuan, who had just broken free in the confusion, suddenly looked behind Huang Daogong with delight and called out in a clear voice.

Startled, Huang Daogong whipped his head around, but there was no one behind him. At that same instant, He An pushed his speed to its limit and darted forward, punching Huang Daogong in the waist. It felt like striking an iron plate, and the impact sent searing pain through the bones of his hand.

Without a moment's hesitation, he raised the gleaming dagger again and thrust diagonally upward at Huang Daogong's chest, using a move from the Startled Swan Sword Art. Han Chanjuan leaped up, her palm translucent as jade as she struck toward Huang Daogong's shoulder.

Huang Daogong flew into a rage. With a low roar, his loose robes abruptly swelled like an inflated balloon...

Dead leaves and dust rose into the air in the alley. Snow tumbled from the high walls as an inexplicable surge of abundant energy raged around them. Three figures collided, then burst apart with a crash.

With two dull thumps, He An and Han Chanjuan were hurled several zhang away and fell into a corner by the wall.

He An lay facedown. A sweet, metallic taste surged up his throat, but he forced it back down.

Han Chanjuan's hat had fallen off, her hair was disheveled, and her face was deathly pale. They exchanged a glance, each seeing profound despair in the other's eyes.

The men in black at the alley entrance began to move. His face livid, Huang Daogong waved a hand, and they stopped, raising their Powerful Crossbows to stand guard at the entrance.

A tear had opened in the robes over Huang Daogong's chest. Holding the dagger, he sneered at He An. "You little brat. We haven't met in a few months, and your skills have improved. All the more reason I can't leave you alive." He took two steps forward.

"Whatever you've got, direct it at me... she has no quarrel with you. Let her go, or... the Knowledge and Practice Institute won't let you off. The Academy Head will never spare you either..." Clutching his abdomen and gasping for breath, He An spat out the rebuke through clenched teeth.

Huang Daogong threw back his head and laughed. His expression grew even more savage as he said viciously, "To hell with the Knowledge and Practice Institute! Once I kill you tonight and collect a hefty sum, I'll roam to the ends of the earth, free and happy. Who'll ever find me?"

He glanced at Han Chanjuan again, his face brimming with lust and malice. "After I kill you... I'll strip this little wench naked... and once I've had my fill... I'll lay your naked bodies together. Then I'll send someone to report it to the authorities, saying you lusted after her and tried to force yourself on her, only to get killed instead... let's see where the Knowledge and Practice Institute hides its face then... hahahaha!"

Han Chanjuan sat slumped on the ground. Hearing this, she turned deathly pale and trembled all over. "If you dare lay a finger on me, my... my Han Household will tear you into ten thousand pieces!"

Huang Daogong gave two lecherous laughs, a keen light flickering in his eyes. "Your Frost Ice Heart Method still needs work, little girl. I'm not even afraid of the Knowledge and Practice Institute. Why would I fear your Western Liang Han Family?... Hehe, I'll kill this brat first, then show you what I'm capable of!" With that, he walked slowly toward He An.

He An stared at Huang Daogong, his eyes all but spitting fire. The hand covering his abdomen secretly squeezed a hard object sewn into the corner of his robe. It was the life-saving jade pendant his uncle He Kui had left him, a potent weapon capable of killing a Dao Integration Realm expert.

Watching Huang Daogong draw closer and closer, He An secretly tightened his grip...

"Academy Head, save us!" Han Chanjuan suddenly looked behind Huang Daogong and shouted again.

Huang Daogong refused to fall for it this time. Without turning his head, he cackled eerily. "You little wench, trying to fool me again..."

As he spoke, he raised the dagger and stabbed toward He An. Suddenly, the back of his neck tightened. A large hand had seized him by the neck and lifted his feet off the ground.

Huang Daogong blanched in shock. Without time to think, he drove both elbows backward, only to hit empty air. He raised his right leg, about to kick behind him, when an overwhelmingly domineering energy poured from the hand gripping his neck. It surged through his Great Vertebra point like an electric current and spread throughout his body. He instantly went numb and weak, unable to summon even the slightest strength to resist.

"Who... might... your esteemed self be? Attacking... from behind... is hardly... the conduct of a gentleman..." Limp as a torn sack, Huang Daogong dangled in midair. Terror filled his heart, and he could not help stammering out the question.

"You think you're fit to speak of gentlemen?"

A thunderous voice exploded beside Huang Daogong's ear, and he was slammed hard onto the ground. His legs buckled, nearly sending him sprawling. As he secretly regulated his breathing to ease the intense discomfort that domineering energy had left in his body, he sized up the expert who had seized his neck without a sound.

The newcomer was tall and powerfully built, a full head taller than him, and dressed in black robes. He had straight brows, double pupils, a swallow's jaw, and a tiger's whiskers. Standing there like an iron tower holding up the heavens, he radiated a majestic pressure that made Huang Daogong's heart pound wildly.

At the sight of Cheng Zi Ya, He An was both astonished and delighted. He shouted, "Academy Head, this man tried to kill us! You can't let him go!"

Han Chanjuan had long since exhausted herself. Having held on until now, she finally relaxed and fainted. He An hurried forward to support her.

Huang Daogong was frightened half to death. He waved his hands frantically and stammered, "No... no... I was merely playing around with these two young friends... uh... who might you be?"

He looked at Cheng Zi Ya with a guilty, timid smile. Suddenly, he recalled a legendary figure from the Knowledge and Practice Institute, and cold sweat began pouring down his forehead.

His answer was an exceptionally resounding slap.

Huang Daogong's tall, thin body spun several times through the air. Then, with another smack, he struck the dark brown wall, clinging to it like a gray bat. A moment later, he slowly slid down the high wall and fell to the ground. He twitched a few times like a dead dog, spitting several teeth from his blood-filled mouth as powdered snow drifted down from the wall onto him.

A low hum abruptly sounded in the alley. Dead leaves swirled up from the ground like butterflies, and several silver streaks turned into shooting stars, hurtling toward He An and Han Chanjuan...

Cheng Zi Ya became a blur, moving with terrifying, ghostlike speed. He stood before He An and Han Chanjuan, his broad sleeves sweeping and swirling. The shooting stars vanished instantly, as though swallowed by boundless black clouds. Then he flicked his sleeve, sending several cold streaks shooting toward the alley entrance...

Thuk, thuk, shhk! The sounds of sharp bolts piercing flesh mingled with muffled groans. The men in black holding Powerful Crossbows fell one after another.

Cheng Zi Ya turned, his face dark as he watched Huang Daogong struggle to rise in the corner. With one hand on his hip and the other pointing accusingly, he said, "Killing scum like you would only soil my hands. Very well... I'll cripple you instead!"

Cheng Zi Ya stood imposing and majestic, his voice echoing through the alley like rolling thunder.

Terrified out of his wits, Huang Daogong lay on the ground and clasped his hands in supplication. "Senior... senior... I never meant to offend your tiger-like might! Please show mercy! I... I was only playing around. I promise... I promise I'll never dare do it again... senior..."

Expressionless, Cheng Zi Ya walked up to him and flicked him lightly with the tip of his foot. Huang Daogong's tall, thin body flew up like a bundle of straw. Cheng Zi Ya struck his lower abdomen with a palm, sending him spinning through the air several more times. With a smack, he struck the opposite wall like a bat again, then slowly slid down... and fell to the ground. His chest heaved violently, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

That palm strike shattered the dan foundation and meridians in Huang Daogong's lower abdomen, destroying all his martial cultivation. From then on, he was a cripple, no longer able to whip up wind and waves.

Without sparing Huang Daogong another glance, Cheng Zi Ya walked straight toward He An. He looked at Han Chanjuan, who had already regained consciousness, and praised her. "You're a very clever girl!"

After Cheng Zi Ya checked their injuries and found neither seriously hurt, He An supported Han Chanjuan, and they followed him slowly out of the alley...

Several corpses lay strewn across the alley entrance. The cold wind swept over the blood-soaked ground, sending dead leaves rustling and tumbling along. They slapped against Huang Daogong's bloodstained face as he lay in the corner like a dead fish.