The door opened as the words fell. Wang Gang stood in the doorway, dressed entirely in white, a smile on his face but his eyes cold as frost.
"You... when did you get here?" Li Qingluo's voice trembled, her face white as paper.
"When you were imagining your wonderful life in Dali." Wang Gang kept smiling.
"It's not like that. Let me explain!"
Agitated, Li Qingluo tried to step forward, only to freeze under Wang Gang's cold stare.
Duan Zhengchun stepped forward and shielded Li Qingluo behind him, cupping his fist. "Everything that happened today began with me. Whether you wish to beat me or kill me, Young Master Wang, direct it at me. Do not make things difficult for A-Luo!"
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Wang Gang's smile broadened as he applauded. "Prince Duan sacrificing himself for a beauty. How deeply moving!"
His smile slowly faded, and he said slowly, "It seems I didn't leave a deep enough impression on Prince Duan last time!"
"Enough nonsense! I'm taking A-Luo away today!" Duan Zhengchun raised his fingers.
"So your power has recovered!" Wang Gang was not surprised. Duan Zhengchun was, after all, a prince of a kingdom, and the Duan Clan enjoyed considerable renown in the martial world. Finding a few miraculous pills to restore his internal power was nothing unusual.
"And what is your decision, Li Qingluo?"
"I... I..."
Li Qingluo did not know how to answer. Being caught by Wang Gang today made her instinctively want to escape, but leaving with Duan Zhengchun would amount to confirming her improper conduct.
"She seems quite torn!" Wang Gang looked at Duan Zhengchun, unconcerned by his Solitary Yang Finger, and took a step forward. "Then let's settle our accounts first!"
"I've never offended the Dali Duan Clan, as far as I know, yet you've humiliated me time and again! That is also an insult to my Wang Family!"
Wang Gang took another step forward. "That must be washed clean with blood! Quite reasonable, wouldn't you say?"
"If you want my life, let's see whether you have the ability!"
"No!" Li Qingluo anxiously blocked Wang Gang's path. Duan Zhengchun had practiced the first-rate martial art, Solitary Yang Finger, since childhood. He was also gifted, having mastered its use through all ten fingers in his youth.
Although Wang Gang had great martial talent and could wield a swift sword after only a few days, he had, after all, only practiced martial arts for a short time. He was certainly no match for Duan Zhengchun.
"A-Luo, stand aside!" Duan Zhengchun said coldly. "I won't take his life. I'll only make him suffer a little and teach him a lesson!"
Li Qingluo looked straight into his eyes and felt that he did not seem to be lying. She also felt Wang Gang deserved a lesson for always being so suspicious, so she gently moved aside.
"Don't worry. I know how far to go!"
Duan Zhengchun's lips curved upward. He flicked a finger, sending finger force piercing through the air. This time, he had rebuilt himself after being broken, and his power had grown another thirty percent.
Although he had come off worse in their previous clash, he had also discovered that Wang Gang possessed no internal power. He had merely been careless and fallen victim to a surprise attack that "turned his own methods back on him."
As the Solitary Yang Finger came at his face, Wang Gang remained unhurried. He spread one hand, opening a space, and with one intake and release, sent the finger force straight back.
Realizing this, Duan Zhengchun dodged sideways. He was just about to seize the chance to strike Wang Gang again when a sudden, burning pain flared in his shoulder.
As he dodged, Wang Gang had quietly unleashed a Flame Blade. His aim had been off, however, and it struck Duan Zhengchun's shoulder.
With the blow landing, Wang Gang pressed his advantage. His figure flickered like a phantom, and his sword left its sheath, turning into a streak of lightning that thrust straight for a vital spot.
Duan Zhengchun was shocked. He had assumed his opponent knew only that one surprise attack, never expecting that he had concealed his abilities and possessed such sharp swordsmanship. He immediately drew his sword to fight back.
But Wang Gang's swordsmanship was fierce and astonishingly fast. After several exchanges, Duan Zhengchun was already struggling to defend himself. With his injured shoulder also hampering his Solitary Yang Finger, he grew anxious and took several sword strikes.
Wang Gang's expression remained cold as his sword moves abruptly changed. One move drew Duan Zhengchun's sword aside and exposed an opening. He seized it to thrust straight for his throat. By then, Duan Zhengchun had no time to parry. He could only close his eyes and cry inwardly, My life is over!
"My lord, flee!"
The familiar shout filled Duan Zhengchun's heart with wild joy. Opening his eyes, he saw a long, slender cord wrapped around Wang Gang's blade. The cord was attached to an iron rod held by a youth in yellow.
"Thank you, Brother Chu!" Having escaped death, Duan Zhengchun turned and ran without hesitation.
The corner of Wang Gang's mouth lifted. He gripped his sword in a tug-of-war with Chu Wanli, then turned and struck with his palm after Duan Zhengchun passed him.
"Watch out!"
Li Qingluo had noticed and blurted out the warning in her anxiety.
But they were too close. Duan Zhengchun had no time to dodge. He felt a tremendous force strike his back, sending him flying, followed by excruciating pain and a burning sensation.
Wang Gang had begun gathering power for this palm strike while fighting Duan Zhengchun. Its force was immense.
On closer inspection, even Duan Zhengchun's clothes were scorched yellow. A long wound ran down his back, but no blood flowed from it. The flesh had been charred.
"You're courting death! How dare you hurt my lord!"
Chu Wanli roared and pulled hard. The cord suddenly drew taut, bending the blade as though it would snap.
Wang Gang was utterly unafraid. These guards of Duan Zhengchun's would only be second-rate even more than a decade later, let alone now.
Internal power surged into the blade, and the bent sword instantly straightened. The cord stretched even tighter, while the youth's forehead streamed with sweat and his veins bulged.
Seeing that the time was right, Wang Gang struck with his palm, sending a Flame Blade slashing toward the cord.
Snap!
The cord broke. With the resistance in his hands suddenly gone, the youth flew backward. Wang Gang rushed toward him almost simultaneously, and before he could rise, the sword tip was already before his eyes.
"Don't hurt him. He's only... loyal. If you must kill someone... kill me!" Duan Zhengchun lay facedown on the ground, his voice clearly lacking strength.
"Argh!"
Chu Wanli screamed as Wang Gang's sword pierced his shoulder.
Deaf to his scream, Wang Gang looked at the people in the room and sneered. "Weren't you going to teach me a lesson? Where's the suffering? Did you leave it behind because you were in a hurry to get here?"
He then looked at Li Qingluo and raised his eyebrows. "This lover of yours isn't up to much!"
"Does he make his way through the world on the strength of his mouth alone?" Wang Gang stabbed down again.
"All the blame lies with me. Don't hurt him!"
Wang Gang fixed his gaze on Duan Zhengchun and said earnestly, "Prince Duan, where's that arrogance you had a moment ago? Bring it back!"
As he spoke, he stabbed again. Chu Wanli screamed and shouted furiously, "You scoundrel! If you're going to kill me, make it quick!"
"Scoundrel? Take a look at where you are." Wang Gang pierced his palm with his sword and said indifferently, "Whether by the Song Penal Code or your Dali's laws, I'm not the criminal here, am I?"
Chu Wanli was speechless! He was still young and had a sense of shame!
"Wang Yukun... what do you want?" Duan Zhengchun asked.
"What do I want?" Wang Gang smiled. "I'm a scholar, most scrupulous about obeying the law. Naturally, when I catch criminals, I turn them over to the authorities!"
"Dali's Prince Who Pacifies the South sneaked into a Great Song citizen's home late at night and was caught attempting an illicit affair. I imagine our Great Song emperor would certainly take an interest. Our county magistrate would have a promotion to look forward to as well! Hahaha..."
"Stop insulting me! Just kill me!" Duan Zhengchun roared in agitation. If Wang Gang truly handled the matter as he said, Duan Zhengchun certainly would not die. After all, Dali had always enjoyed friendly relations with Great Song. But he would lose all face-not just his own, but that of Dali's imperial family as well. When that happened, every step the Duan family took in Dali would become even harder.
Wang Gang gestured with his lips toward the sword Duan Zhengchun had dropped nearby. "Want to die? Do it yourself!"
Duan Zhengchun reached out and found his sword, his gaze resolute.
"No, my lord! While the green hills remain, there's no fear of running out of-"
Before Chu Wanli could finish shouting, Wang Gang slapped his sword across his mouth. Blood immediately spilled everywhere.
Wang Gang said casually, "Hurry up, Prince Duan! Once you're dead, I'll tie stones to you both and throw you into Lake Tai. In just a few days, the fish and shrimp will have eaten you clean! No one will know where you are!"
"Wang Gang, you misunderstood what happened today! Don't kill him. Let him go!"
Seeing that Wang Gang truly was about to force Duan Zhengchun to his death, Li Qingluo hurried forward, trying to catch hold of Wang Gang and explain.
But Wang Gang shifted aside and avoided her hand. Without even looking at her, he said coldly, "Don't touch me! I find you filthy!"
Li Qingluo's face instantly turned deathly pale, her lips pressed tightly shut. Only those words remained in her mind: "I find you filthy!"