Chapter 980

Seeing Wanyan Tian Yue's arm drawing ever nearer to the tabletop, Hu Xiaotian was overjoyed, and Xue Shengjing also curled his lips in a smile, but just then Wanyan Tian Yue suddenly bellowed, 'Hai!' The situation instantly reversed; Xiang Qin seemed to abandon her resistance in an instant, Wanyan Tian Yue flipped his wrist, reversed her arm and slammed it hard onto the stone table, Wanyan Tian Yue panting, his eyes staring at Xiang Qin in disbelief—others might not know, but he himself could not be clearer: he had thought he was about to lose, yet at the crucial moment Xiang Qin deliberately let him win, allowing him to turn the tables and win the match.

Xiang Qin acted as if nothing had happened, lightly saying, 'Sir, you won, I admire you, I admire you!'

Those around were dumbfounded; Hu Xiaotian and Xue Shengjing stared at each other—these two are both sharp folks, and even sharp folks sometimes misjudge: Xue Shengjing misjudged by putting too much trust in Hu Xiaotian's mind, while Hu Xiaotian never imagined Xiang Qin could turn the tables on him at the crucial moment; thinking it over, it's only natural—who let me earlier promise Xiang Qin that if I lost I would take her punishment, so from then on she must have schemed this, laid the groundwork, and my momentary carelessness let me fall into her trap; willing to accept the loss, Hu Xiaotian nodded and said, 'Skill inferior to others, I accept the loss!' Yet as he spoke his eyes stayed fixed on Xiang Qin—not because Xiang Qin lost, but because he had lost to Xiang Qin.

Hu Xiaotian picked up a jar of wine and laughed heartily, 'I'll drink these two jars!' He himself had bet one jar, and Xiang Qin had lost one jar.

Seeing Hu Xiaotian so readily admit defeat, Xue Shengjing couldn't very well deny it, and also picked up a jar of wine, saying, 'I'll drink with my brother!'

Huoge cheered from the side, 'Refreshing, truly refreshing! Seeing you so refreshed, I feel an itch I can't bear, I'll join the elder brothers and also drink a jar.' Originally it wasn't his business, but he insisted on getting involved, also hoping to make connections with Xue Shengjing. Huoge is also a person who is rough on the outside but careful within.

The three raised their wine jars and drank together, but unexpectedly Huoge finished first, Hu Xiaotian second; he set down the empty jar and picked up the second one, while others finished a jar and completed their task, yet he needed two jars, and just as he was about to continue drinking, a commotion came from the garden: a man in a gray long robe walked in slowly.

The gate warriors originally wanted to stop him, but the gray-robed man shifted his feet, and in a flash of a clear silhouette he had already bypassed the two warriors' obstruction and entered the garden, his movement as agile as a ghost.

The gray-robed man looked about forty or older. His expression was sinister, his eyes sunken, his gaze filled with resentment as he looked at Xiang Qin and said, 'Just now who injured my young master?'

Xiang Qin said, 'Your young master? Oh! So that foul-mouthed, abusive brat is your young master!'

The gray-robed man was Yang Yuanjie's tutor, Feng Xianlin, a notable figure. He came from the Sword Palace, being the junior fellow disciple of the Sword Palace's master, Qiu Xian Guang; in terms of martial prowess he was not inferior to Qiu Xian Guang, and back then he had openly and secretly contended with Qiu Xian Guang for the position of Sword Palace master. After his defeat, disheartened, he simply left the Sword Palace. After wandering, he arrived in Xichuan, later taking service under Xiezhou's governor Yang Daoquan, becoming the tutor of his son. Although Feng Xianlin's martial arts were high, he never taught his students; Yang Yuanjie had studied under him for over ten years, yet his skills remained mediocre, which stemmed from Feng Xianlin's own stubborn and eccentric temperament, and of course also from Yang Yuanjie's own laziness and lack of comprehension; over time Feng Xianlin lost interest in teaching him, and most of the time he functioned more as Yang Yuanjie's bodyguard.

Feng Xianlin gave a cold snort: 'Lowlife, seeking death!'

This time Xiang Qin did not show the ferocity she had just displayed; on the contrary, she screamed in fright, turned and fled to hide behind Hu Xiaotian, pretending to be a frightened bird, her voice trembling as she said, 'Sir, save me, sir, save me!'

Hu Xiaotian naturally understood; she was basically trying to drag him into trouble. Anyone who again says women have long hair but short sight, I'll argue with him! Actually, besides Hu Xiaotian, the others all brought guards, but no one would step forward first in such a situation, because the opponent was targeting a courtesan; if it were for a beautiful woman, acting righteously, bravely protecting flowers, that could still be justified, but for someone like Xiang Qin of such looks, if word got out that he stood up for her and fought others, wouldn't that make the whole world laugh out loud?

Moreover, Prince Yan Xue Shengjing was present, he was the host; since he remained silent, no one dared to act rashly. Xue Shengjing deliberately said to Hu Xiaotian, 'Brother, we'd better not get involved in others' grudges.' He truly is a Lao hulí—on the surface he advises Hu Xiaotian not to meddle, but in fact he openly declares his stance before everyone, hinting that he will not intervene in this matter; actually, given Xue Shengjing's status, it's indeed unnecessary for him to stand up for a courtesan.

After Xue Shengjing said that, the others fell silent; Wanyan Tian Yue had just experienced Xiang Qin's true strength, knowing that the only reason he had managed to beat her earlier was because she had deliberately let him win—otherwise he would surely have lost embarrassingly. Although Feng Xianlin arrived with great menace, he might not fare well if he crossed swords with Xiang Qin.

Although Feng Xianlin's purpose in coming was to seek justice for Yang Yuanjie, he also knew that anyone able to reach Zhong Xiang Lou was either rich or noble, no ordinary folk; he cupped his fists to the crowd and said, 'I am Feng Xianlin; my disciple was innocently harmed, I have come specially to seek justice for him; this matter concerns none of you, please forgive any disturbance.' His words were also considered to have given everyone due face.

Hearing Feng Xianlin's name, Xue Shengjing's heart stirred; the Sword Palace itself lies in Da Yong, and Feng Xianlin's name had once been mentioned alongside Qiu Xian Guang; he bore the epithet One-Piercing Heart, and his swordsmanship is evident—Xue Shengjing secretly sighed, never expecting such a formidable swordsman to appear here.

Hu Xiaotian did not know Feng Xianlin's great name; standing before Xiang Qin, it was not that he voluntarily stepped forward to protect her, but because Xiang Qin had hidden behind him, forcing him to become the one who sticks his neck out.

Feng Xianlin's gaze fell on Hu Xiaotian's face: 'Sir, this matter has nothing to do with you; I hope you will not interfere.'

Hu Xiaotian laughed, 'She is the beauty I summoned; whoever seeks ill fortune for her is crossing me.' He spoke without yielding an inch, clearly intending to stand up for Xiang Qin to the end.

Feng Xianlin's face instantly froze over, and he coldly asked, 'May I ask your exalted surname and name, and which school do you belong to?'

Hu Xiaotian said, 'You're not trying to stand up for your disciple, are you? Then bring it on—why all the nonsense?' Originally Hu Xiaotian didn't want to blow things up, especially after realizing Xiang Qin deliberately wanted to drag him down; he instantly thought of turning the tables, and with so many people around he wasn't afraid of making a scene—if it really alarmed Li Tianheng, everyone would lose face, and the one who would lose the most face would surely be Xue Shengjing, who once had people chase and try to kill me on the road, a score still unsettled.

Seeing Hu Xiaotian so arrogant, Feng Xianlin's anger flared, and he glared at Hu Xiaotian, saying, 'Sir, if you're sensible, you'd better not meddle in others' affairs.' Although angry, after all he didn't want to make more strong enemies.

Meanwhile, Xue Shengjing deliberately reminded Hu Xiaotian, 'Brother, this is the one known in the jianghu as One-Piercing Heart Feng Xianlin, the great hero, from the Sword Palace.'

Feng Xianlin heard this and was stunned; he never expected this portly middle-aged man to have already recognized his identity—although he had formerly come from the Sword Palace, he had never had the chance to meet Xue Shengjing, so he was not familiar with him.

Hu Xiaotian had been a bit hesitant, but hearing the name Sword Palace, he instantly became unusually firm, sneering, 'These days does any random person dare to call himself a great hero? Even if the Sword Palace master Qiu Xian Guang came himself, he'd still be my defeated subordinate.'

Feng Xianlin heard this and flew into a rage: 'Impudent brat!'

Hu Xiaotian laughed, 'As always, if you're sensible, apologize to this young lady now, and I might still consider letting you off; otherwise I'll beat you so badly your own father won't recognize you.'

Feng Xianlin was made so angry by Hu Xiaotian that smoke seemed to pour from his seven orifices; he was never good with words, and in his fury he could say nothing, merely pointing at Hu Xiaotian and then jabbing his finger hard at the ground.

Xiang Qin wasn't afraid of a big scene; she laughed gleefully from the side, 'Sir, you're so handsome, you're so powerful, everyone loves you to death!'

Hu Xiaotian secretly sneered, today's affair was entirely provoked by you, this girl; Xiang Qin's appearance here shows that Xi Yan is very likely nearby.

Xue Shengjing hypocritically said, 'Brother, there's no need to act rashly.'

Hu Xiaotian had already stepped forward toward the open space, his back to Feng Xianlin, saying, 'Since you bear the epithet One-Piercing Heart, your swordsmanship must be exceptional—come on, let me learn a few high techniques from the Sword Palace.'

Feng Xianlin was challenged to a duel by a young junior before his very eyes; if he refused, he would surely lose all face. In fact, although Feng Xianlin bears the epithet One-Piercing Heart, he does not lightly draw his sword—when he does, it is to draw blood, and often his opponent ends up dead.

Hu Xiaotian slowly turned his body, and with a Clang! drew a soft sword from his waist; the soft sword quivered like a silver snake in the moonlight, the frosty moonlight continually dancing along its blade, and to everyone's eyes the soft sword seemed to have come alive.

Seeing Hu Xiaotian draw his sword first, Feng Xianlin's pupils contracted sharply, a piercing cold light flashing out; his hand also fell on the sword hilt, and his draw was slow—his sword was antiquated and worn, even looking somewhat shabby, the hilt merely wrapped with ordinary hemp rope, badly frayed, the blade narrow, length three chi seven cun, its flexibility excellent. Judging from the weapon Feng Xianlin uses, his swordsmanship ought to be light, agile, and swift.

Hu Xiaotian did not wait for Feng Xianlin to fully draw his sword; with a shake of the soft sword in his hand, Hiss! the soft sword straightened, thrusting straight toward Feng Xianlin's chest; the Spirit Snake Nine Swords is a high technique granted by the Sumeru Heaven Sect, certainly not a trifle—Hu Xiaotian led off with a Spirit Snake Piercing Heart strike, striking first to gain the upper hand, to see whether your One-Piercing Heart Feng Xianlin is fiercer or my Spirit Snake Piercing Heart stronger.

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