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Chapter 26: Li Xinhuan is All for Show
Chapter 26: Li Xinhuan is All for Show
With those words, Li Xinhuan casually waved his hand.
This was the first time You Longsheng had witnessed Li Xinhuan's knife skills, and he watched intently, his full attention focused on the man. Yet, even with his utmost concentration, he couldn't quite catch how Li Xinhuan threw the knife.
All he saw was a flash of blade, and in the next moment, Yi Ku tumbled through the air. At the same time, blood sprayed out, painting a vivid red streak across the snowy ground.
Yi Ku's figure had already retreated several feet away, and he cried out shrilly, "Li Xinhuan, remember me..."
His voice suddenly trailed off as he whirled around, looking up to the sky. A fierce sword light descended, illuminating his pupils.
"You!"
He suddenly recalled the youth who had climbed the tree—the recently somewhat famous You Longsheng.
Yi Ku held no regard for You Longsheng and had completely ignored him, deeming him insignificant. But that You Longsheng was astute, having climbed the tree early on and kept a low profile, always ready to flee at a moment's notice.
And now, Yi Ku was about to pay the price for his negligence.
Yi Ku had been struck in the neck, the knife embedding itself between his shoulder and neck, deep enough to sever major blood vessels. Blood gushed from the wound.
You Longsheng, perched in the tree, seized the opportunity.
As Yi Ku turned to flee, You Longsheng leaped into action, propelling himself from the treetop. He soared through the air, employing the Divine Dragon's Ninefold Turn technique, and descended from above, sword drawn.
"Chk!"
The crisp ring of the sword was like the grim reaper's call to Yi Ku.
He spun around, facing the sword light, and extended his Green Devil Hand.
However, he could only raise his left hand, as his right shoulder was injured, rendering his right arm useless.
You Longsheng flew through the air, his sword piercing out in a rapid series of seven strikes, weaving through the shadows cast by Yi Ku's Green Devil Hand. It was only on the final strike that their attacks clashed.
"Ding!"
A soft sound rang out as You Longsheng's sword tip tapped the Green Devil Hand, using the momentum to twist and turn in mid-air, then flying off to the side. He landed with a roll, quickly moving away from his original position, his feet sliding and his body turning to face Yi Ku once more, his movements fluid and uninterrupted.
But Yi Ku did not pursue. He stood rooted to the spot.
He didn't look at the cautious and vigilant You Longsheng; instead, his gaze fell on the knife that lay in the snow, not far from him.
In the next moment, Yi Ku's right Green Devil Hand fell to the ground, and he reached up with his right hand to clutch his neck, but he couldn't stop the gushing blood.
Yi Ku lifted his head to look at You Longsheng, his voice strained as he said, "You... y-you..."
You Longsheng finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Not bad, your distance judgment was quite accurate. You kept targeting my hands, and my sword couldn't touch your body. But..."
"But there's still Li Xinhuan's knife embedded in your shoulder and neck. I barely touched it, and the knife cut through your carotid artery. There was nothing I could do."
You Longsheng shrugged. "I'd say you didn't dodge Li Xinhuan's knife fast enough. If you had avoided the vital spots by just a bit more, I wouldn't have been able to kill you."
"You... you..." Yi Ku stammered, his hands clutching his neck as his strength drained away. His vision blurred, and his knees buckled, causing him to slowly kneel and then fall face-first into the snow, all signs of life fading from him.
"Phew!" You Longsheng exhaled, patting his chest. "Finally, he's dead! That was a close one!"
Turning around, he saw the shocked expressions on the faces of Xinmei, the abbot of the Dharma Court, and the four monks. He also noticed Li Xinhuan's appreciative gaze, as well as the complex look in Tian Qi's eyes as he emerged from behind the carriage.
Even in the original story, when Ah Fei faced Yi Ku, he was suppressed by him. It was only due to Yi Ku's carelessness and Ah Fei's unexpected move that he was able to slay him.
Of course, this was also related to Ah Fei being entangled in romantic entanglements at the time, which had disturbed his focus.
Nonetheless, the fact that Yi Ku ranked ninth on the Weapons Spectrum spoke volumes about his prowess. Just look at the tenth-ranked Donghai Yuxiao, who played a significant villainous role in September Eagle Soars.
Regardless, You Longsheng's slaying of Yi Ku would be enough to make him famous in the martial arts world, and the boost it would give him was far better than Ah Fei silently killing him in an empty hut.
Naturally, this would also mean he'd have to be cautious of Yi Ku's lover, Lan Xiezi, seeking revenge.
"In any case, Yi Yiku and Yi Ku have already fallen out, and Lan Xiezi is just a woman. She shouldn't pose much of a problem." You Longsheng considered this and waved off the concern.
Sheathing his sword, You Longsheng then helped Master Xinmei back into the carriage.
"What a vicious Green Devil Hand," Master Xinmei sighed, bowing deeply to Li Xinhuan. "Thank you, Li Xinhuan, for your lifesaving action."
Li Xinhuan smiled faintly. "I didn't save you; I saved myself. There's no need to thank me."
Master Xinmei glanced at Li Xinhuan and then at Tian Qi.
Tian Qi met his gaze and explained, "I just unblocked his right arm's acupoints and gave him a throwing knife."
You Longsheng chuckled. "So, you still don't want to unseal Li Xinhuan's acupoints?"
Tian Qi forced a smile. "Li Xinhuan's reputation is too formidable. I think it's better to be cautious."
You Longsheng turned to Master Xinmei, who pondered for a moment before saying to Tian Qi, "Tian Benefactor, please unseal Li Tan Yue's acupoints. I've also heard of his fame from back in the day."
Tian Qi's expression soured, but Li Xinhuan waved off the offer. "It's fine. With my acupoints sealed, I can't exert any strength, so everything has to be taken care of by Tian Qi. It's quite comfortable, actually."
Tian Qi's expression grew even more displeased, and he really wanted to sew Li Xinhuan's mouth shut.
You Longsheng shook his head, impressed. "Indeed, Li Xinhuan, you're quite the actor!"
Li Xinhuan looked puzzled. "Acting what?"
"Acting dumb! Putting on an act!" You Longsheng clarified.
The others remained silent, unsure how to react.
"I've never heard of anyone enjoying having their acupoints sealed. You're willing to sacrifice yourself just to embarrass Tian Qi—I admire that," You Longsheng said.
"And earlier," You Longsheng continued, "if Yi Ku had lifted the curtain or spoken to you, and you'd made your move then, he would've been dead, and I wouldn't have had to take the risk.
But no, you just had to put on an act, saying, 'Why are you coming to your death?' Clearly signaling your intention to make a move and warning him to be careful!"
You Longsheng imitated Li Xinhuan's tone, adding a touch of childishness to the last two sentences. His mimicry was so spot-on that even Tian Qi, who resented Li Xinhuan, and Master Xinmei, suffering from the poison, couldn't help but smile. As for Li Xinhuan, his face reddened with embarrassment.
Upon reflection, You Longsheng's words made a lot of sense.
You Longsheng stuck out his tongue. "Tsk, you overdid it with the acting. If it weren't for me, he would've gotten away. You know what kind of person Yi Ku is—brutal and bloodthirsty, with no regard for innocents. If he couldn't kill you, wouldn't you worry that he'd take his anger out on the people of Xingyun Manor?"
As his words landed, Li Xinhuan's face lost its color, turning from red to white, and he broke out in a cold sweat.
(End of Chapter)
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