Chapter 5: Peerless National Scholar

In the sky, Yagyu Ichiro glided with the help of his bat wings.

On the ground, Tang Xiao chased closely on horseback, while drawing his bow and arrow on the horse's back, aiming at Yagyu Ichiro in the sky and shooting an arrow.

The sound of the bowstring rang out, and the arrow traveled through the air, emitting a "whoosh."

Facing the incoming arrow, Yagyu Ichiro in mid-air had no leverage and could only barely twist his body. The arrow grazed his waist, pierced through the bat wing on his back, and tore a large hole.

Yagyu Ichiro immediately lost his balance, falling crookedly from the sky. Using the forward momentum of the fall, he did a forward roll on the ground. When he stood up again, he was already gripping his Tachi, striking a ready stance.

Tang Xiao had also arrived on horseback. With a kick of his feet, he flew from the saddle, landed steadily on the ground, and then pulled out the Embroidered Spring Blade from his waist with a "clink," the blade pointing at Yagyu Ichiro.

There was a distance of about five meters between the two, coldly confronting each other.

"Who are you?"

"You don't need to know."

"Can you let me go?"

"No!"

After two simple sentences, neither of them spoke again. Veins gradually appeared on the back of Yagyu Ichiro's hand gripping the blade, and Tang Xiao's eyes also began to sharpen.

Suddenly, both of them rushed forward, the Tachi and the Embroidered Spring Blade slashing together fiercely. A dense *ding-ding-dang-dang* sound rang out, mixed with the sound of fists and feet breaking the wind.

In the blink of an eye, the two had exchanged dozens of moves.

Perhaps because he had just fought a big battle, Yagyu Ichiro felt more and more powerless as he fought. He had risked attacking several times, but the Embroidered Uniform Guard opposite him was like a reef in the sea; no matter how the waves hit, he remained unmoved, and even seized a flaw in his moves, leaving a wound on his thigh.

If he kept fighting like this, his situation would probably become more and more difficult.

If he waited for the Embroidered Uniform Guards on the ship to arrive, he would be completely finished here today.

Thinking of this, Yagyu Ichiro gritted his teeth, brushed his left hand across his collar, and then waved his hand covertly. Several black Ninja Darts suddenly flew out from his palm, striking at Tang Xiao.

This was extremely sudden, but Tang Xiao's combat experience was very rich, knowing that these river bandits would jump over the wall like dogs, so he had been carefully guarding against it.

Seeing the Ninja Darts flying toward his face, at the most critical moment, he blocked with the Embroidered Spring Blade in his hand, waving it rapidly.

*Ping-ping-ping*, a series of sounds rang out, sparks flew, and those Ninja Darts were all blocked and deflected by him.

Seizing this rare opportunity, Yagyu Ichiro turned and fled into the distance.

However, he was already lacking in physical strength, and coupled with the wound on his leg, his speed was greatly affected. Not long after running, he heard the sound of Tang Xiao's footsteps chasing him getting closer and closer.

A trace of despair rose in Yagyu Ichiro's heart. However, at this moment, he saw two children, a boy and a girl, five or six years old, playing on the river beach not far away. They looked like siblings.

Yagyu Ichiro rushed over without thinking, grabbed the girl, and held her waist tightly with his left hand, pulling her into his arms.

The boy rushed over to save his sister but was kicked away by him, falling several meters away, clutching his chest and unable to climb up, a trace of blood flowing from the corner of his mouth.

"Stop!" Yagyu Ichiro turned and roared at Tang Xiao, while holding his Tachi across the girl's neck. Only then did the little girl cry out loud.

Seeing this scene, Tang Xiao couldn't help but slow his pace. There was less than ten meters between the two.

These river bandits were all ruthless people, and Tang Xiao had no doubt that he could lay a hand on an innocent child.

But if he let this bandit leader go to save this child, it would be releasing a tiger back to the mountains. In a few years, the river bandits would return, and by then, how many more innocent people would suffer?

"If you don't want this child to die, throw away your blade." Yagyu Ichiro shouted hysterically, the Tachi in his hand applying slight pressure, and a streak of bright red blood flowed down the little girl's neck.

Tang Xiao gritted his teeth, feeling somewhat reluctant. However, throwing away the weapon in his hand at this time was not a wise move. This bandit leader Yagyu Ichiro was ruthless and cunning. He could still deter him with a weapon in hand; if he had no weapon, heaven knows what he would do.

"Calm down! Must stay calm!" Tang Xiao said to himself in his heart, while trying to show an indifferent expression on his face.

"Threatening me with a child, are you stupid?" Tang Xiao pointed to the Flying Fish Suit on his body and said, "Haven't you heard of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's style of doing things? Do you think I care about the lives of one or two ordinary people?"

Hearing Tang Xiao's words, Yagyu Ichiro froze for a moment, seemingly beginning to evaluate the value of this hostage in his heart.

Tang Xiao struck while the iron was hot and continued, "I think you can be considered a character, so I will make an exception and give you a chance. As long as you can take ten moves from me, I will let you leave."

This proposal clearly made Yagyu Ichiro somewhat tempted, but he felt somewhat unwilling and cowardly to let go of the hostage he had finally found and continue fighting.

"No, I admit I am not your match." He gritted his teeth and said, "But it won't be that easy for you to kill me. Why must we both end up hurt?"

"If you don't want to end up hurt, you can also surrender."

"You are forcing me to die." Yagyu Ichiro hesitated and suddenly said, "I have money, a lot of money, enough to buy my life. You can name a price."

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard does not do business with bandits." Tang Xiao interrupted him directly.

"Don't be naive. Do you think you Embroidered Uniform Guards are that clean?" Yagyu Ichiro sneered, "Some people take money until their hands are soft, and it's you fools who come out to risk your lives."

"So what?" Tang Xiao looked at him coldly and raised the Embroidered Spring Blade in his hand. The four characters "Guoshi Wushuang" were engraved on the blade, shining brightly in the sun.

"This blade was bestowed upon me by my Master. When he bestowed the blade upon me, he once said a sentence to me, which I have never dared to forget." Tang Xiao gripped the hilt and said word by word, "Let others be petty and scheming, I shall be a Peerless National Scholar!"

This sentence was said decisively and righteously. The girl in Yagyu Ichiro's arms stopped crying, and the boy who had fallen to the ground spitting blood also looked at him with an expression of admiration.

However, at this very moment, Yagyu Ichiro, who had been begging bitterly, suddenly surged forward. His left hand exerted force, throwing the girl in his arms toward Tang Xiao, while he hid behind the girl, using the girl's body as a shield, and rushed toward Tang Xiao rapidly.

The Tachi in his hand flashed with cold light, and Yagyu Ichiro let out a crazy howl: "Shine!" (Go to hell!) ===== CHAPTER 6 =====