Chapter 1378

Everyone turned toward the sound and saw three people enter from outside; the one in the middle was tall and sturdy, with a dignified appearance and splendid attire full of noble aura. On his left stood a foreign monk in a red kasaya, thin-built, high‑nosed deep‑set eyes, expression wooden, his facial contours as stiff and cold as a marble sculpture. On his right was a malt‑skinned foreign maiden, handsome features, her head full of small braids, chin slightly raised, appearing very arrogant.

The one who had just spoken was precisely that person in the middle.

The foreign maiden's gaze fell on that big man, then she fixed her eyes on Zhao Wusheng. Suddenly she tapped her toe and, like a wisp of green smoke, rushed toward Zhao Wusheng; midway, the saber at her waist was already drawn, turning into a mist of light, the saber tearing through the air with a strange shrill whistle, slashing swiftly at Zhao Wusheng's neck. Her strike was so swift and vicious that she had already reached the realm of a first‑rate swordsman.

Hu Xiaotian was also startled; he never expected the foreign maiden to strike so decisively and viciously. From her footwork it was clear she had received instruction from a renowned master.

Zhao Wusheng remained calm in the face of danger, but he did not dare to continue being careless. He twisted his body to the right and, taking advantage of the momentum, drew the saber at his waist, blocking her slash with a backhanded strike. Yet he did not expect that when the blades crossed, his long saber would snap at the waist; the saber she wielded was a treasure blade that could cut iron like mud.

Zhao Wusheng hastily retreated, and the foreign maiden launched another horizontal chop. He used the broken edge of his snapped saber to lift upward, trying to shake her blade loose. But the foreign maiden reacted just as quickly, turning her wrist so the blade's edge met his, clang! This time she sliced his long saber down to nothing but the hilt.

Zhao Wusheng threw the remaining hilt at the maiden and then retreated hastily. Seeing his peril, Hu Xiaotian drew his Breaking Wind and tossed it over: "Wusheng, catch!"

Zhao Wusheng lunged forward in a single stride toward where Breaking Wind was flying, firmly grasping it. At that moment the foreign maiden's curved blade whistled down toward his back. He didn't even look, relying on his ears to locate the sound, and swept his blade backward in a backhand block. The blades clashed, producing a resounding "dang!" and sparks flew. The foreign maiden had thought she could cleave Zhao Wusheng and his weapon in two, but Hu Xiaotian's sword—a treasure blade obtained from Python Flood Island—was not inferior to her saber; in fact it was considerably superior. When the blades met at full force, the edge of her saber was chipped a grain‑sized notch.

Zhao Wusheng turned with a smile, sizing up the foreign maiden, and said: "People of the Central Plains always yield first; a respectable man does not fight a woman. Miss, why don't you sheathe your blade?"

The richly dressed man beside the foreign monk said: "Meng Ya, come back!" It turned out the foreign maiden's name was Meng Ya.

Meng Ya seemed not to have heard him at all; she bit her lip, raised her saber, and slashed at Zhao Wusheng again.

Earlier Zhao Wusheng had been flustered only because of his weapon; now Hu Xiaotian had lent him a treasure blade, giving him confidence. Moreover, his martial skill and tactics far surpassed Meng Ya's, and the two traded blows, clanging nonstop in the hall.

Observers could see that Meng Ya's swordsmanship was fierce, yet compared to Zhao Wusheng she still lagged considerably. At first Zhao Wusheng held back, but seeing her relentless, refusing to yield, tightly entangling him, and noticing Hu Xiaotian and the others watching with amused smiles, a competitive spirit rose in him. Seizing the moment, he brought down a full‑force strike. Meng Ya raised her saber to block, but Zhao Wusheng did not intend to injure her—he merely wanted to give her a lesson, to make her Retreat When Facing Difficulty. He had noticed earlier that her saber bore several nicks from being chipped, and he wished to test just how formidable Hu Xiaotian's treasure blade was. He therefore locked his aim onto Meng Ya's saber and, naturally, put his full strength into the blow.

With a clang, Zhao Wusheng's all‑out strike severed Meng Ya's saber in one blow; the broken half‑blade shot like lightning toward her face.

Everyone cried out in alarm—if that broken blade struck Meng Ya, she would surely lose her life. Although many experts were present, no one had anticipated this mishap, and now even rescue seemed too late. At the critical moment of life and death, Zhao Wusheng reacted in time; he shook his Wind‑Slashing Blade and, brushing past Meng Ya's nose tip, slapped the half‑blade aside.

Meng Ya had thought herself doomed, but when the broken blade was still less than half an inch from her brow, Zhao Wusheng struck it down again, pulling her back from the gates of hell; she turned deathly pale, devoid of color.

Hu Xiaotian and the others also secretly breathed a sigh of relief; what had begun as a simple scuffle they certainly did not want to escalate into a deadly bloodbath between the two sides.

The barbarians crowded forward, and Hu Xiaotian's group hurried to shield Zhao Wusheng. Hu Xiaotian said, "Everyone, listen to me: when we're out traveling, nobody has it easy; there's no need to fight to the death over a few rooms. You've come far as guests—please pick first, and leave us seven rooms." Hu Xiaotian wasn't showing weakness; he simply wanted to avoid a meaningless clash.

Although their numbers were double ours, seeing Zhao Wusheng's performance just now, they all recognized the strength of Hu Xiaotian's side, and none dared to act as arrogantly as before.

The richly dressed man nodded at Hu Xiaotian, his eyes showing little hostility; he placed his right hand over his heart and greeted him according to his people's custom: "Sir, please forgive our side's earlier offense." His Chinese was remarkably standard.

Hu Xiaotian smiled: "It's probably just a misunderstanding in our communication; clearing it up will be fine."

The inn's proprietor finally dared to step forward, wearing a bitter face as he surveyed the chaotic hall. The richly dressed foreigner said, "Don't worry, we will compensate for all this." He gave a glance, and someone beside him produced a gold ingot—most generous indeed—saying to Hu Xiaotian, "Since you arrived first, you should pick your room first."

Seeing the other side concede, Xu Mubai also smiled: "Half of the damaged goods are on us, innkeeper—put that amount on our tab. Also, prepare seven upper rooms for us and set out two tables of food and drink." He had his attendant servant hand the innkeeper a banknote.

The innkeeper stared at the note and saw it was a five‑nation redeemable banknote for five hundred taels.

The maid said, "Any extra counts as a tip for you." Xu Mubai's generosity was no ordinary matter.

The proprietor's sorrow turned to joy—the barbarians gave him three gold ingots, and this side gave him five hundred taels in banknotes; not only would fighting here not ruin him, even if they smashed his little shop he'd still profit.

After that scuffle, both sides reached a tacit understanding, neither provoking the other further. Once Hu Xiaotian's group had settled in, they all gathered in the east hall to eat; the proprietor had specially arranged this, separating the two sides to prevent another clash.

Hu Xiaotian and his companions had just seated themselves when they heard a commotion outside; Zhao Wusheng immediately rose and said, "Master, I'll go check it out!"

Hu Xiaotian shook his head: "No need to bother with him."

At that moment a soldier rushed in from outside, panicked, and reported: "It's that barbarian woman."

Hu Xiaotian asked: "How many?"

The soldier said, "One person…" He hadn't finished when another soldier came flying backward through the door, having been kicked in. Then they saw the barbarian woman Meng Ya storm in, eyes blazing with fury at Zhao Wusheng, and she flung two items onto his face with a clang, shouting, "Scoundrel, you broke my treasure blade—pay me back at once!"

Zhao Wusheng could hardly believe it—such a thing existed in the world. Clearly she had provoked him first, chopping his own side‑arm; if Hu Xiaotian hadn't lent him a treasure blade, he would have been chased and hacked everywhere. Now she turned the tables, demanding he compensate for her weapon—truly, these barbarians, even their women, lack all sense of reason.

Zhao Wusheng was about to argue when, from outside, the richly dressed man came running after them, followed by several warriors. This man was relatively reasonable among them; he told the warriors to wait outside and entered the east hall alone, lowering his voice to say something to Meng Ya in their native tongue—which Hu Xiaotian and the others couldn't understand. However, Hu Xiaotian noticed that the emphasis in his speech sounded oddly familiar, and upon reflection he realized these people's speech was not unlike that of Heg and his companions.

The richly dressed man must have persuaded Meng Ya; she stamped her foot in anger, gave Zhao Wusheng a fierce glare, then turned and left. The richly dressed man apologetically said to Hu Xiaotian, "Sir, please excuse my sister's ignorance and offense."

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "No need for ceremony; I detect a hint of familiarity in your accent—may I ask where you hail from?"

The richly dressed man replied: "We come from the Shajia Kingdom."

Hu Xiaotian thought to himself, "Just as I expected," yet he wondered what connection these people had with Heg. He smiled and said, "So you are heroes of Shajia—by the way, I'd like to ask you about someone; have you heard of him?"

The richly dressed man said: "Please, go ahead and ask."

Hu Xiaotian asked: "Do you know the twelfth prince of Shajia, Heg?"

The richly dressed man stared, startled: "You know him?"

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "I not only know him—I'm his close friend."

The richly dressed man exclaimed delightedly: "In that case we're truly kin! I am Herdan, and Heg is my full‑brother. May I ask how you wish to be addressed?"

Hu Xiaotian thought to himself, "What a coincidence!" Never expecting to meet Heg's brother here, he laughed: "I am Hu Xiaotian, and your brother Heg is my sworn brother."

Upon hearing this, Herdan burst into joyous laughter, laughing heartily as he eagerly gripped Hu Xiaotian's arm and said, "Brother, I truly have eyes but no pearls—I actually offended Elder Brother Hu! I've long heard the twelfth elder brother say that in the Central Plains he has a sworn brother, a hero who stands tall and firm. I came this time hoping to steal a moment to meet you, and indeed we are fated to meet." (To be continued~^~)