People no better than ants

Li Ping'an lowered his head slightly, feeling the raindrops slide over his rain hat.

"Young Master Yang, as a cultivator, you ought to understand your heart and see your true nature.

"You received the Great Sui's favors, yet colluded with the enemy on the battlefield, causing the deaths of one hundred and twenty-eight Great Sui soldiers.

"I would like an explanation for that."

Rain soaked into the dust, and an eerie silence settled over them.

Several of Yang Kai's fellow disciples looked at him in surprise.

This was very much in keeping with Yang Kai's way of doing things. Over the years, his fellow disciples had grown used to it.

Even their master could no longer be bothered to scold him.

But helping foreign enemies kill his own country's soldiers...

That really was going too far.

Though the Great Sui was weak and riven by internal strife,

no one would brave the condemnation of the entire world to collaborate with foreign tribes.

What was more, their current sect leader had once led disciples against foreign armies on the frontier.

Everyone had some love for home and country.

A vicious glint flashed through Yang Kai's eyes. Though he himself cared nothing about such things,

now that his fellow disciples knew, it would inevitably drive a wedge between them.

If word reached the Enforcement Pavilion, even his master probably would not be able to protect him this time.

Yet he disdained denying it. What he had done, he had done; what he had not done, he had not done.

That was how a gentleman ought to act.

Besides, everyone had seen his conduct over the years. Even if he denied it, they probably would not believe him.

"An explanation? Which one of them are you seeking an explanation for?"

Yang Kai's question amounted to an indirect admission of what he had done.

"Even if I told you, Young Master Yang, you probably wouldn't remember him," Li Ping'an said calmly. "He was merely the most insignificant of those one hundred and twenty-eight soldiers."

Li Ping'an untied his rain hat, then took off his straw rain cape.

The hat and cape fell to the ground.

Only then did the others see the blades hanging all around his waist.

The weapon in his hand was a short, thick saber.

It remained sheathed, with a layer of white silk wrapped around the outside.

The corner of Yang Kai's mouth curled upward. "You overestimate yourself!"

"Stop!"

A booming voice rang out.

It was Yang Kai's senior fellow disciple, Lu Bin.

Of everyone present, he held the highest seniority and had the deepest cultivation.

With something like this happening, Lu Bin naturally could not stand idly by.

Although Yang Kai had done some excessive things before, he had at least dealt with them cleanly enough not to disgrace the Mountain Gate.

But this time, he had defied all that the world held right and colluded with the enemy.

And someone had even uncovered his identity. If this matter was not handled properly,

it might bring disaster upon their sect.

Lu Bin brought his authority as a senior disciple to bear and glared fiercely at Yang Kai. "We'll discuss everything once we return to the Mountain Gate."

Then he cupped his hands toward Li Ping'an. "Brother, my name is Lu Bin. I am their senior fellow disciple.

"This matter has yet to be settled. Why not return to the Mountain Gate with us, so we can reach a decision?"

"If things truly are as you say, our sect leader certainly won't spare this junior disciple of mine. He will give those unjustly slain soldiers justice.

"But if my junior disciple was framed, that would be another matter entirely."

Li Ping'an was silent for a moment. "If things truly are as I say, how would your sect deal with him?"

Lu Bin pressed his lips together. He knew full well.

With a scandal like this, the sect would probably conceal the matter.

They certainly would not publicize it. They would confine Yang Kai to reflect on his mistakes,

or punish him with hard labor in the temple.

But they would never expel him. After all, if they let someone like him loose, there was no telling what further stains he might leave on their reputation.

As for those one hundred and twenty-eight unjustly slain soldiers...

They were already dead. What else could be done?

Li Ping'an suddenly smiled and stepped toward Yang Kai.

"One last question. As far as I know, you shouldn't have been short of money. Why did you help the Turks kill those soldiers?"

The blue-green sword behind Yang Kai hummed.

It flew from its sheath and began vibrating at tremendous speed.

Only wisps of afterimages could be seen.

"People no better than ants. So what if they died?" Yang Kai said disdainfully.

Li Ping'an drew his saber with a simple, unadorned movement.

"Yes, people no better than ants. But today, you'll die at an ant's hands too."

His movement went from unhurried to slow, seemingly in a single instant.

There was no process of acceleration at all.

The saber in his hand tore through the curtain of rain, as though bearing that young man's pitiful dream, unstoppable.

The blue-green sword radiated scorching heat, shattering the raindrops that landed on its blade.

A sharp, brief sword cry rang out, and a slender, fragmented sword shadow shot forth.

It traced an arc like a fading rainbow, desolate yet beautiful.

The saber and flying sword collided. The violent impact seemed to create an absolute domain around them, barring the falling rain.

Under the tremendous force, the saber broke into several pieces.

But in doing so, it briefly slowed the flying sword's attack.

Li Ping'an drew another blade from his waist, this one long and slender.

He seemed to know these crudely made weapons were no match for Yang Kai's flying sword.

But if one blade was not enough, then two, three, four...

Even a tiny ant could shake an elephant!

Clang, clang, clang, clang!!

Lightning flashed and thunder rolled. Heaven and earth lay silent, as though brewing a rare torrential downpour.

Li Ping'an maintained his headlong charge, yet his hands never slackened, and the blade in his grip never stopped.

Expressionless, he advanced, and kept advancing.

An invisible saber intent passed through his heart.

It reached his mind. This was a wondrous state.

Li Ping'an had carried nine blades at his waist.

Yang Kai's flying sword had broken eight of them.

One slash, devoid of any conscious intent.

It existed only in that instant when heaven, timing, terrain, and human harmony aligned.

The flying sword tried to turn back and save its master, but it was already too late.

It trembled in midair, then fell limply to the ground.

Yang Kai's body toppled into the rain. His head flew more than ten feet away and landed in a pool of blood.

Rain fell from the sky, making the blood spread faster.

Yang Kai's face was already stained red, but it bore none of the agony of "death," only a trace of bewilderment.

As though, even when he died, he had not understood what was happening.

He had not expected Li Ping'an to be so fast, much less to end the fight with such clean efficiency.

He had not yet brought his body into peak condition, had not yet used his sword techniques.

He had not yet circulated his true qi...

And Li Ping'an's blade had already cut off his head.

Li Ping'an frowned slightly. His right arm... seemed ruined as well.

He had taken eight attacks from the flying sword head-on, and its immense Sword Qi had sliced through every inch beneath his skin.

Admittedly, if Yang Kai had been given another chance,

if he had been prepared, Li Ping'an would never have won so easily.

But life never offered a chance to start over.

Li Ping'an let out a deep breath. "My business here is finished. Until we meet again."

Ignoring the others, he turned and walked away, one step at a time.

These people were all Yang Kai's fellow disciples. One of them might well be willing to avenge him.

If they fought again, Li Ping'an would have no chance of victory.