Second Trial 4

"Get back and leave these fools to me!"

There was a flash of something green then, sweeping right in front of him. Qin Feng barely registered that it was a woman's robe, as he watched it charge at the Barbarian that was still on his feet. And the scarred youth barely had a chance to cry out, his glaive still out of line, before his throat was pierced through!

"Impudent! Name yourselves!"

The cry came from the grey-haired, grey-bearded man at once, the moment that he saw the last of his people fall. But Qin Feng merely heard a sniff from the green-garbed figure standing before his eyes, as she tilted her head up.

"Hmmph! Why should we bother with someone who's about to die?" she said clearly, in a voice that was loud enough to carry.

"You dare to insult ..."

The old man's face had turned purple at her deliberate reply, and he had already taken two steps in her direction when a flurry of thrusts from the white-robed figure forced him back with a growl still hanging on his lips.

But try as he might, he couldn't break through the wall that had suddenly appeared in his way, keeping him from reaching the girl in green.

That seemed enough to make him lose his temper.

Not that it helped.

The two women's swordplay seemed more than enough to keep him occupied at the moment. Which was more than enough for the former Heaven Sword School disciple!

A soft brushing sound from his side drew Qin Feng's attention then. And he turned just in time to see one of the Barbarians that he had knocked down earlier push himself off the ground. His feet were still unsteady, and he was clearly leaning heavily on his axe. But the glare that the Barbarian youth was throwing at him made it obvious that he hadn't given up on killing Qin Feng yet!

Which was enough to turn him immediately into a target.

Qin Feng rushed at him at once, semi-consciously noting that the pair behind the Barbarian was still alive, and similarly trying to get themselves off the ground. Well, he would have to deal with them later, wouldn't he?

The blood that covered the young Barbarian's chin, and the way that he was trying to ignore the pain in his chest as he lifted his axe, was more than enough to tell Qin Feng that the youth had suffered some injury to his lungs.

Not surprising, considering how much force he had thrown at the fellow earlier, when he hit him with the White Jade Hands. He was certainly not a match for Qin Feng in his current condition. Not that the black-garbed youth cared about that!

Qin Feng avoided the weak blow that his opponent threw at him easily, and quickly punched at the Barbarian's face. The zhenqi that surrounded his fist was more that sufficient to crack the youth's skull, tossing him back down into the snow once again.

Not that he cared. Qin Feng was certainly not about to hesitate finishing off this scum who had just tried to kill him earlier. So he picked up the heavy axe that the brawny Barbarian youth had dropped, and slammed it down on the young fellow's neck.

There! Decapitated just like the soldiers that they had ambushed!

The two remaining Barbarians gave up on trying to regain their feet and were crawling on the snow when he got to them. And it didn't take more than a swing of the axe each, to send them off to join their companions in Hell.

Only when he was done did Qin Feng turn back to the battle that was taking place in the distance. Whose participants seemed to have completely forgotten about him at the moment.

Which wasn't too much of a surprise to Qin Feng.

Both of the women were facing him now, with greater vigor than he had expected. Qin Feng could see that their swords were flashing all around him rapidly, faster than he could see, forcing him back.

It was clear that the two women were winning. The old man in black seemed to be at a disadvantage, from what he could see. And there were rips and tears on his sleeves, and a rather long cut on his left thigh. Clearly, he was no match for the pair when they teamed up.

Just the one in white was more than enough to hold him off. And now that there was a second woman there, joining in the assault on him, it seemed rather obvious who was going to be taking a beating!

Still, they were taking longer than he had expected. Perhaps, they were just playing with the old fellow? If that was so, didn't that mean that he would be in danger, if they decided to give up on their assault?

He slipped behind the closest tree as soon as that thought crossed his mind. And started to cover his qi as quickly as he could.

He had already spent more than two-thirds of his zhenqi in the earlier fights, so he would not have much to rely on, if he really had to flee. It wouldn't last him more than a quarter of an hour, if he channeled it at a maximum, using his Lightness-of-Body movement.

Still, the trio were still fighting, so he was not in a rush to get away just yet.

Then, all at once, it was over!

The women's swords flashed suddenly, and the old man gave out a soft cry, as he collapsed into the churned up mess of snow and dirt. He had taken a sword to the chest, bare moments after the girl in green sliced off his right arm at the elbow, depriving him of his sabre, and his defense. The one in white didn't waste any time taking advantage of that. And pierced him directly in the heart.

Qin Feng found himself gathering his qi at once, ready to flee if they turned their swords on him. But neither of the women seemed to have that intention, judging from the way that they were cleaning and putting away their weapons.

"You can come out now. He is dead, and you are not our enemy."

It took him a moment, but he realized that the voice that had warned him earlier had been the same. He also caught sight of the pair of women that were stepping out from the woods. One of them, dressed in pure white, was retrieving a sword from the air as she did so.

Apparently, neither of them seemed to bear him any animosity.

Which was a pleasant change from the rough reception that he had to endure, just moments ago. And at the hands of smelly Barbarians, no less!

Of course, he now had to figure out just who these two people were. And why they had helped him against the Barbarians and that mysterious old man!

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