Chapter 39: Pipa Princess

Chapter 39: Pipa Princess

Du Huan had despised Peng Yi Hu and his six companions for a long time. He and the Wu Brothers were assassins sent by the Kucha rebels to kill the King of Kucha.

But Peng Yi Hu had not only crossed the desert safely—he’d returned the Paradise Star.

More importantly, the Peng family had arrived intact, all seven of their "Tigers" present.

This shattered their assassination plan completely.

At the very least, they no longer held the advantage in numbers.

Seven Peng clansmen, Situ Meteor, and an unknown man named Wang Chong.

That was nine people.

And they had only seven assassins.

The "Five Tigers Severing Gate Blade" technique was legendary in the martial world.

Though Du Huan wore a green robe and carried himself like a formidable martial expert, he knew he’d struggle to escape unscathed if he faced even one of Peng Clan’s Seven Tigers alone.

Seven against nine. Even with the Wu Brothers already earning the King of Kucha’s trust, Du Huan calculated in his mind that abandoning the assassination was now inevitable.

If the Peng family could deliver the Paradise Star, they’d likely gain the king’s favor far more easily than the Wu Brothers ever could.

Now, seeing Li Chaofeng rudely confront the king, followed by Hu Tiehua treating the monarch like a fool, Du Huan—though ruthless—knew when to seize an opportunity.

Sowing discord was simple enough, even for a brute.

The moment the words left his mouth, he launched from his seat. His thick left palm shot toward Hu Tiehua’s chest.

“Brave move!”

Before Hu Tiehua could react, Peng Yi Hu had already glared furiously. No matter how impolite Hu Tiehua had been, he was Peng Yi Hu’s savior—and certainly not someone to be attacked.

In the presence of a monarch, drawing weapons was inappropriate. Peng Yi Hu stood, palm raised like a blade, and unleashed the Whirlwind Leaf Sweep to force Du Huan back.

But Du Huan’s strike had been a feint. Seeing Peng Yi Hu attack empty-handed, he smirked.

His left palm suddenly shifted, and his wrist clashed with Peng Yi Hu’s.

Peng Yi Hu’s heart jolted. As he tried to twist free, Du Huan’s right hand slithered from behind like a viper, aiming for Peng Yi Hu’s exposed chest.

Under the flickering lamplight, five black rings glinted on that right hand—coated with a deadly poison that killed on contact.

Just as Peng Yi Hu’s life hung in the balance, Hu Tiehua—who had been watching from behind—suddenly moved. His body twisted like a dragon through water, carving a black “person” shape across the tent.

In a blink, he’d reached Peng Yi Hu’s side, kicking savagely at Du Huan while cursing.

“Dare you harm my elder brother? Who do you think you are!”

Hu Tiehua’s words were crude, but his Lightness Skill stunned every martial artist present.

Except Li Chaofeng, who knew the move but executed it stiffly compared to Hu Tiehua’s fluidity.

Had Hu Tiehua not shifted his weight slightly, Li Chaofeng would’ve joined the fray.

Even Ji Bingyan was surprised. He’d seen Hu Tiehua’s straight-line speed rival Chu Liuxiang’s in the desert, but he never expected Hu Tiehua’s Lightness Skill to bend mid-air.

No, the real marvel wasn’t the turn—it was the sudden halt without losing momentum. It defied logic.

Others had never seen such a technique. All understood one thing: this burly man was no Peng clansman.

If Hu Tiehua were one of the “Seven Tigers of the Peng Clan,” the group would’ve renamed themselves the “Seven Flowers of the Peng Family.”

Du Huan took the full kick, flying sideways like a ragdoll. He crashed through the tent’s fabric, vanishing into the night.

The King of Kucha blinked in shock. Peng Yi Hu was merely a bodyguard, and while the king had hoped to recruit him against the rebel martial artists, he’d considered Peng Yi Hu just an ordinary expert.

But Hu Tiehua’s kick—dismissing someone the king had deemed formidable—revealed him as a top-tier martial master.

Wait, hadn’t that burly man introduced only three companions earlier? Snake, Flower, and Chicken.

That meant the Seven Tigers of the Peng Clan had only four true members. Snake, Flower, and Chicken weren’t Pengs at all.

Scanning the seven faces, the king confirmed his suspicion. The four Peng Tigers shared subtle familial traits, but Snake, Flower, and Chicken bore no resemblance to the others.

“Father, what are you all up to?”

As silence hung over the group, a sweet, feminine voice chimed from the tent entrance. Moments later, a girl entered, cradling a pipa.

Her face was like peach blossoms, her eyes shimmering. Draped in gau(End of Chapter)

Chapter end