As he looked at the somewhat sweetly naive girl before him, the ferocity in Lian Youming's eyes softened a little, though it did not disappear completely.
But the moment he took a step, the Swallow Sect successor who called herself Li Yinhuan jolted, bracing as though facing a formidable enemy. She stammered, "Y-you stay back. I'm afraid you'll get carried away killing and kill me too. I..."
They were only going through the motions anyway. Any sort of fighting would do; circling around twice would count.
But seeing her sect elder repeatedly signal with his eyes, Li Yinhuan sighed and could only steel herself, assume a stance, and charge at Lian Youming with a shrill cry.
This was a fine opportunity to make a name for herself. There was no need to fight to the death; merely exchanging a few moves would let her claim afterward that she had fought so-and-so for dozens of exchanges without losing ground. Besides, after these vicious fights, who could fail to see that, if Lian Youming survived this ordeal, he would surely become a formidable, ruthless figure? Black-hearted and vicious, killing with a lift of his hand-he might well become another fiend whose fearsome reputation spread far and wide.
Not to mention that they could befriend him in the process.
Lian Youming had now fought two consecutive bouts, and what he needed most was a breather. The Swallow Sect drawing the third lot was practically a gift of charcoal in the snow. They need not say or do anything; merely putting on a show would earn them a favor.
And that favor could prove small or great.
If he someday became like Li Da, his name known throughout the land and his might shaking the martial world, that favor would be enormous-enough to save