Chapter 1181

The white‑clothed man ignored him, still immersed in his own music.

Hu Xiaotian recognized the man; that person was actually the young master of the Falling Cherry Palace he had met in Peak Forest Gorge, Tang Jingyu. Hu Xiaotian really couldn't figure it out: why would Tang Jingyu also appear here? What relation does the Falling Cherry Palace have with Python Flood Island?

Yan Boguang cupped his fists and said, "Sir, may I ask your name?" He did not know Tang Jingyu, assuming this person was also from Python Flood Island.

Hu Xiaotian vaguely felt that something was off today, and via voice transmission warned Yan Nujiao: "Be careful, this is no place to linger."

Hearing his reminder, Yan Nujiao bit her cherry lips, stepped forward and tugged at Yan Boguang's sleeve, saying, "Brother, let's go; I don't want to play anymore!"

The music stopped abruptly; Tang Jingyu's deep eyes gazed at Yan Nujiao, his look revealing a lascivious meaning, the corner of his mouth curling into a faint smile as he said, "Miss Yan, having come, you should stay; why not stay and listen to me play the zither for you?"

Only then did Yan Boguang realize something was wrong; logically, the people of Python Flood Island would not dare be so rude to them. He snapped, "Hey! What are you saying? Do you know who we are?"

Tang Jingyu said, "Who you are doesn't matter; who your father is does!"

Yang Yuan panicked, "Let's go, let's hurry!"

But suddenly a booming sound came from behind; Hu Xiaotian turned to look, only to see the cave entrance behind them already sealed with huge stones.

Yan Boguang's strike was also quite vicious; he raised his hand, and a sleeve arrow shot straight at Tang Jingyu. Since the opponent intended harm to them, he naturally had no need to hold back. The sleeve arrow swiftly arrived before Tang Jingyu; his smile unchanged, he curled his fingers and flicked the incoming sleeve arrow lightly. With a whoosh, the sleeve arrow reversed direction, shooting back at several times its original speed—but the target was not Yan Boguang, but Yang Yuan.

Yang Yuan was the first to flee; the sleeve arrow puffed into the back of his neck, bursting out from his throat in front with a blood hole. Yang Yuan collapsed to the ground without a sound, his limbs still twitching.

Witnessing Tang Jingyu's such divine skill, the Yan siblings' faces turned ashen; Yan Boguang regretted it to the extreme, thinking that if he had known the Crystal Palace harbored such a demon, he would never have come here to play no matter what.

Tang Jingyu softly sighed, saying, "Why bother? Why go through this? Can't we just talk nicely? You force me to act; killing one person is no big deal. But soiling such a beautiful crystal garden is truly a dampener." His gaze turned to Yan Nujiao, instantly softening, and he whispered, "Miss Yan, don't be afraid; I harbor no ill will toward you. As long as you obey me, I will treat you well. How about becoming my concubine?"

This person is extremely rude, yet he expresses such rudeness in a refined and elegant tone, which not only fails to win favor but makes him seem even more hateful.

Yan Boguang snapped, "Do you know where this is? My uncle is the lord of Python Flood Island. Aren't you afraid he'll find out what you've done and kill you?"

Tang Jingyu replied, "Kill me? Does he have the ability? Obey me, surrender willingly. I'll spare your life for your sister's sake; otherwise, I'll have you bleed out right here on the spot!"

Yan Boguang drew his sidearm sword from his waist, placing it before his sister: "As long as I, Yan Boguang, have a breath left, no one shall lay a hand on my sister."

Tang Jingyu nodded, saying, "Good!" As his voice fell, he pulled the zither string with his right hand, a crystal pellet hooked onto the string. With a ding, he released his finger; the crystal pellet shot forth, heading straight for Yan Boguang. Before Yan Boguang could raise his long sword to react, the pellet struck his sword, numbing his tiger's mouth; the sword slipped from his grasp and clanged to the ground.

Yan Boguang's face turned ashen; he knew his martial arts were vastly inferior to the opponent's, and he trembled, "Just who are you? We have no past grudges nor recent enmity; why do you oppose us siblings?"

Tang Jingyu said, "It's not that I wish to oppose you siblings; I merely wish to use you. You should feel fortunate—you still possess some worth."

Although Yan Nujiao was in peril, she did not lose her composure; she secretly observed Tang Jingyu, seeking an opportunity to fire her sleeve arrow.

At that moment she saw the pirate bend down to pick up the long sword from the ground; Yan Nujiao wondered inwardly, not knowing what he intended—could he be trying to protect them?

If it weren't for Hu Xiaotian bending to pick up the sword, Tang Jingyu would have almost ignored this sharp‑mouth, monkey‑cheeked pirate; he looked at Hu Xiaotian with scorn, thinking, "This fool simply overestimates himself."

Hu Xiaotian gripped the sword in his hand, his tiger eyes fixed on Tang Jingyu, and said, "Open the cave and let us go; I'll give you a way out."

Tang Jingyu seemed to have heard the funniest joke in the world, bursting into hysterical laughter, nearly tearing up: "What did you say?"

Hu Xiaotian stepped forward, standing before Yan Nujiao, and smiled, "You're not deaf, and besides, I have no mood to repeat myself a second time!"

"Bold!" accompanied by Tang Jingyu's angry shout, he again plucked the zither string, sending a crystal pellet shooting at Hu Xiaotian at twice the previous speed; this time his aim was not to knock the sword from Hu Xiaotian's hand but to strike straight at his face, intending to pierce the bold pirate's brain.

Hu Xiaotian's eyes locked on the crystal pellet; then he swung his sword, striking the pellet squarely. With a ding, the pellet ricocheted into a nearby corner. The long sword in Hu Xiaotian's hand continued to hum; though this sword was Yan Boguang's sidearm, not a peerless divine weapon, its material was far from ordinary, the blade extremely rigid.

Seeing that this insignificant little pirate could actually send his own crystal pellet flying with a single sword strike, and without changing expression, Tang Jingyu finally realized that the Yan siblings had a formidable figure beside them. He slowly nodded, his expression instantly turning grave; he reached out, and a white‑clad maiden handed him a quiver. Tang Jingyu drew a feathered arrow from it, nocking the arrow's tail onto the zither string, the corner of his mouth curling with a cold smile: "Kid, try catching one of my arrows!"

With a clang, the zither string sounded, and the feathered arrow shot toward Hu Xiaotian's chest. Hu Xiaotian fixed his gaze on the incoming arrow, stepped forward, and swung his bluesteel sword in an arc, hoping to knock the arrow down—but Tang Jingyu, after firing the first arrow, immediately loosed a second and a third; these two arrows were aimed at Yan Boguang and his sister, neither striking a vital point, their purpose being to keep Hu Xiaotian running ragged, unable to attend to both.

The Yan siblings' martial arts were merely average; hearing the three twangs of the zither string, Hu Xiaotian deduced Tang Jingyu's intent. He had just stepped forward, then immediately retreated backward, his bluesteel sword blocking left and right, striking all three feathered arrows to the ground. Though Tang Jingyu's three arrows packed considerable power, they were still noticeably weaker than when Hu Xiaotian had crossed swords with him in Peak Forest Gorge; Hu Xiaotian secretly thought, Tang Jingyu appears still to be holding back his true strength.

Tang Jingyu softly said, "Not bad! Not bad! Being able to block my three arrows, you ought to count as a first‑rate figure in the martial world. May I ask your esteemed name, young brother?"

Hu Xiaotian said, "I'm merely a lowly lackey of Python Flood Island, sent by my island lord's orders specially to protect these two honored guests. Though you don't know me, I know you!"

Tang Jingyu's heart jolted, but then he thought this kid was most likely talking nonsense, deliberately stalling for time while waiting for reinforcements. He subtly gave a glance; the two maidens at the sides dispersed. Tang Jingyu now gave Hu Xiaotian due regard; he slowly raised the zither upright, setting it upon the crystal pedestal.

Hu Xiaotian said, "How dare the young master of the Falling Cherry Palace hide in Python Flood Island's underground cavern, plotting to harm others—nothing but filthy deeds done in the dark!"

Tang Jingyu, hearing his identity exposed in a single sentence, felt a secret shock and became even more convinced that the dark‑skinned brat before him was no ordinary person.

Yan Nujiao saw the two white‑clad women swiftly scatter to the sides, clearly intending to split up and attack; she quietly warned Hu Xiaotian, "Young master, be careful—they plan to attack from different directions."

Hu Xiaotian nodded and said softly, "You look out for yourself as well."

Hearing his voice, Yan Nujiao was certain it was Hu Xiaotian, yet his visage did not match; she faintly guessed he might have donned a disguise, her heart pounding—could it really be Hu Xiaotian? If it truly were him, what a delight that would be!

Yan Boguang, seeing the two mutually concerned, felt a flicker of curiosity—does his sister know this dark‑skinned kid well? Looking at this sharp‑mouth, monkey‑cheeked fellow, he seemed never to have seen him before. Yan Nujiao whispered, "Brother, let's deal with those two white‑clad women."

Yan Boguang grunted in acknowledgment, but his gaze fell on Hu Xiaotian's hand—his sidearm sword was now in Hu Xiaotian's grasp; Hu Xiaotian reversed his grip and handed the hilt back to him, reminding, "Guard your sister well!" As soon as he spoke, he tapped the tip of his foot and sprang into the air.

Tang Jingyu's attention never left Hu Xiaotian from start to finish; the moment Hu Xiaotian moved, his attack unfolded fully— the upright zither's seven strings were plucked in succession, and amid a crisp, pleasant melody seven feathered arrows were shot one after another, the arrows tracking Hu Xiaotian's silhouette, tracing varied curved trajectories in the air, whereas ordinary archers can only shoot straight lines, but this young master of the Falling Cherry Palace can, in an instant, fire arrows along different curves; though the arrows' flight paths differ, their ultimate aim is one: to meet Hu Xiaotian leaping into the air, soaring toward Tang Jingyu like a great bird.

Today there is only the First Update; I hope you'll cast a few more Monthly Tickets! (To be continued~^~)