Chapter 31: When the time comes, be bold (Please add to your collection, please follow)

"Boom..."

The palms met.

Issuing a sound as clashing as gold against jade.

Zhou Ping'an's entire right side of the body went numb and cold as if he had sunk into the depths of a frigid sea, his breathing momentarily halted by the force of the palm strike.

He flew backward, propelled by the force of the blow, traveling five or six zhang away.

His left side was coated in white frost, with tiny icicles forming at the corners of his eyes and brows...

The figure in the black robe with a masked face, clutching the bleeding wound at his waist, also leaned back slightly, retreating two steps.

He cursed under his breath, "Good lad."

Just as he thought to pursue his advantage.

Suddenly, he looked up, his pupils contracting...

His ears caught a clear, piercing shriek, like the cry of a phoenix or the call of a crane.

A streak of black light, both real and illusory, was already before his eyes.

...

At the same time Zhou Ping'an sensed something was amiss and engaged the black-robed, masked person in a crazed flurry of slashes, fighting a battle to the death.

Lin Huaiyu was also in a panic.

The moment the rooftop lurker had pounced.

She knew that Zhou Ping'an wouldn't be able to withstand someone of this person's cultivation.

Not only he couldn't withstand, no one else present could match this foe.

Even if they all attacked together, it would be futile.

She made a swift decision.

With this thought, the long sword in her hand suddenly resonated with the sound of a dragon's cry, as if a bolt of lightning had exploded in mid-air.

The air around became like gel, waves upon waves wrapping tightly around as if they were real seawater.

"Du Long," his Fine Iron Spear spinning like a windmill in his hand, suddenly became incredibly sluggish, his strength drawn away as if caught in a vortex.

Before he even noticed something was amiss and started retreating frantically,

The sword light roared like thunder, slashing across his throat.

A head soared a zhang into the air.

And "Qing Jiao" reacted extremely fast.

The sight of Lin Huaiyu's face suddenly flushing with an abnormal shade of crimson, the sword emitting dragon-like roars, he did a backflip, throwing the Nine Section Whip in his hand with all his might, and fleeing backward as fast as he could.

Not a shred of will to fight remained.

As expected.

The sword light that was unbelievably quick and unimaginably heavy first severed "Du Long's" head, then shattered the Nine Section Whip he threw, growing even more intense as it pursued him.

Even though he had reacted quickly and retreated rapidly, the right side of his body was still caught by the edge of the sword, his right arm at the shoulder exploding into a mist of blood.

His flesh vibrated into dust by the formidable Sword Energy.

At the same time, a backlash surged into his organs, striking straight for his heart and lungs.

"Qing Jiao" had time only to spit out a mouthful of blood before he hit the ground, hardly daring to stop, tumbling and scrambling straight into the vast night.

Not daring to look back even once.

Lin Huaiyu, having beheaded "Du Long" and wounded "Qing Jiao" with her blade, now had an extremely pale complexion, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.

But she paid it no mind, using the momentum of her spin to grasp the Fine Iron Spear that hung in midair, about to fall, and with a "whoosh," she hurled it outward.

The spear became a black afterimage.

"Pop, pop" consecutively.

It pierced through the trunks of the ginkgo trees in the courtyard, shattered the vermilion wooden door, and with a rumbling roar, charged straight for the black-robed, masked figure.

"What a fierce little lady..."

The black-robed, masked figure's pupils were now constricted to the size of needle holes.

The previously unassailable, violent momentum, had completely disappeared.

He barely managed to strike a horse-riding stance, a fiery red and a dark green palm coming together in the gesture of an adoring child worshipping Guanyin.

The spear was too fast.

Having just forcefully clashed with Zhou Ping'an, and then being wounded by a sword at the ribs, he was already injured.

It was too late to dodge.

In the heat of the moment, he could only brace himself to block the spear.

Sizzle...

A grating, tooth-aching noise emanated from the masked man's hands.

The spear was indeed caught by his hands.

But he couldn't hold it steady.

Amidst faint white vapor...

A tremendous impact surged through him.

He slid backward as if on ice, pushed back by the force.

The spearhead stubbornly penetrated.

Veering only slightly off course, it plunged into the right shoulder of the black-robed, masked figure, nailing him firmly to the shadow wall.

A muffled roar resounded.

Bricks tumbled down...

The black-robed, masked man's face twisted in pain; he struggled mightily to pull out the spear, casting a venomous glance at the woman in the green dress in the distance, but his fighting spirit was lost.

He staggered a few steps, then with several quick leaps, cleared the roofs and walls, fleeing towards the back courtyard.

Fearing that if he slowed down, she would catch up, and it would be a fight to the death.

Lin Huaiyu did not give chase.

It was not that she didn't want to.

Having just unleashed all her strength, she triggered her old injury's Fire Jin, and now felt an unbearable churning in her stomach.

Standing still, she steadied her breathing, her Internal Breath circulating, pressing down the injury once again before she took up her sword and approached.

"Miss..."

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"Sister, wuu wuu, Brother Ping'an," Xiao Jiu jumped to the ground and hurriedly checked on Zhou Ping'an, seeing half of his body faintly frosted and the other half steaming with heat, her heart filled with extreme anxiety.

"It's not serious, just Cold Force entering his body... That person, though clad in black attire and masked, exposing nothing, so certainly revealed his identity with that move 'Two Poles of Yin and Yang.'"

Lin Huaiyu coughed lightly behind her hand, then stealthily wiped the blood seeping from her lips, fury hidden beneath her pale face. She took out a Jade Vial from her bosom, pouring out a fiery-red pill.

She slowly approached Zhou Ping'an and softly said, "No need to muster your strength anymore; the external foes have all gone—either dead or fled... Swallow this 'Zhengyang Pill,' let your intent move your blood, and dispelling this chill will not be difficult.

Rest well for now; my thanks for today's deeds."

Upon hearing those words, Xiao Jiu and the others saw Zhou Ping'an's body slacken, his forced stance of resistance immediately collapsing...

Lin Huaiyu hurried to support him.

She fed him the fiery-red elixir, lightly pressing at his chest to guide it into his stomach, before turning to say, "Bring two people; help him inside to rest well."

She signaled to two Guardian House Servants to take care of Zhou Ping'an.

"Could it be Baicao Hall's Great Elder, Yin Yang Elder? With such a status and reputation, he stoops to commit such acts," Xiao Xue said indignantly.

Lin Ziqi and the others were dumbfounded.

In Baicao Hall, aside from the Hall Master 'Divine Healer Celestial Child,' the three Elders held the most power and the highest martial arts skills.

And this Yin Yang Elder, known for his charitable deeds and sterling reputation, unexpectedly directed tonight's assault.

Lin Ziqi, who had been cooperating with the Official Government in recent days to sweep out the Black Mountain Bandits and remnants of the Red Lotus Army, had also worked alongside the forces of Baicao Hall.

They knew all too well.

Baicao Hall's Great Elder had reached the Five Viscera Realm—a true Great Martial Master.

Remembering how Zhou Ping'an had carried the Ninth Miss, cutting down Strength-Training Martial Masters, and even clashed with a Great Martial Master from the Training Viscera Realm—inflicting injury on the opponent...

Without receiving a grave injury himself.

With that in mind, Lin Ziqi's gaze towards Zhou Ping'an grew more peculiar.

Although a powerful ally's appearance was welcome, for some reason, his heart felt even more uncomfortable.

...

Lin Huaiyu too was secretly astonished.

Previously, Zhou Ping'an had virtually single-handedly sliced through the enemy, rescuing the little sister from the jaws of danger.

Facing someone two levels above, who had mastered both Five Viscera Heart Fire and Kidney Water, 'Yin Yang Elder,' yet he managed to fight to a standstill through injury, exchanging seven or eight moves to force the opponent from advancing.

It's rare, maybe not unheard of, that a Strength-Training Martial Master who had cleansed their marrow could block a blow or two from a Five Viscera Realm Great Martial Master.

But to come to an impasse with a higher-ranked Five Viscera Realm master—this was virtually unheard of.

Even after his long saber had shattered and his left arm frozen, his Qi-Blood hindered...

He still held his spirit and intent, preserving that last ounce of strength, preparing to deliver the fatal blow.

This perseverance, this relentlessness...

Even Lin Huaiyu found it slightly shocking.

Of course, there was also a strange sense of relief...

When she had approached Zhou Ping'an just now, she could even feel a faint sense of danger.

It seemed that his final, desperate move could pose a lethal threat to her.

This was odd.

His saber was broken, empty-handed, clearly wounded and impaired in movement...

Where did this capacity to counter from dire straits come from?

Despite harboring deep doubts in her heart.

Lin Huaiyu had no intention to probe deeper.

The thought merely flitted through her mind.

And she did not dwell any further.

Watching as two Guardian House Servants supported Zhou Ping'an inside to rest and recuperate, she turned her head, her gaze frosting over.

"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."

"We'll leave others aside for now; Baicao Hall is powerful and not easy to deal with, which requires long-term planning.

But, since the Yin Yang Elder has made his move, he must not be allowed to escape... Keep a close watch at home, I will return shortly."

Having said this, she picked up the long saber and followed the direction in which the masked figure in the black robe had fled.

No one can attack the Lin Residence without paying a price.

...

Lin Huaiyu was known for her relatively gentle demeanor in her actions.

She rarely provoked others without cause.

But once someone brought trouble to her doorstep.

She was not inclined to let it slide.

The assailants from the Black Mountain Bandits were almost entirely annihilated.

Only the Third Householder 'Qing Jiao,' who had lost his right arm and had fled deeply into the city with severe injuries...

You can run, but you can't hide; with thorough searching, he can be killed.

As for the main force of the Black Mountain Bandits, the Lin family is currently unable to confront them directly.

But as soon as an opportunity presents itself, they must likewise be eradicated.

The Black Mountain Bandits are extremely powerful; even the Official Government has been unable to extinguish them. Allowing such a force to continue lurking, ready to strike in shadow, was insufferable.

Any thought of peaceful coexistence was out of the question.

After all, several householders had already been killed...

And many of the Lin Residence's Guardian House Servants had died.

It was a battle to the death for both parties; peace talks were impossible.

The same principle applied to Baicao Hall.

Now that the facade had been torn apart and the attack had reached their doorstep.

If they do not capitalize on the momentary injury of the enemy's Great Elder to sever his arms and legs, what are they waiting for—allow him to celebrate the new year?

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