Chapter 57
Greedy Justice (III)
Everyone slowly erged from wherever they were hiding, joining as the audience. Dai Xiu seed a bit concerned, but others... yeah, they were here just for a good show.
"When you're plundering his treasury," Long Tao chid in from the side. "Look and see if he has Silver-Tipped Viper's glands."
"Sure. Anything else?"
"Maybe a bit--"
"--I was being sarcastic."
"Tsk."
Ignoring the click of the tongue, the strange look on Light's face, and Hua's barely veiled snickering, I focused back on Xi Zhao, who stepped forth and faced the two other ones. They were on the older side of things, closer to twenty than Xi Zhao's age, and looked the part, too.
One had already grown a beard--well, calling it a beard was a bit too much. It's like how high schoolers back on Earth grow 'beards'. It's like soone grabbed a fistful of pubes and threw it at their glue-addled face, seeing what sticks.
Anyway, I had nothing against them, even as they taunted and snickered and spat and insulted --okay, I started having so things against them, but, ultimately, they were just kids following the whim of their greedy Master.
Who looked as gleeful as one could get--eyes wide, lips curled into a sneer, shoulders relaxed, arms locked behind his back... He looked so assured you'd think the fight was between an MMA fighter in his peak and a coughing baby. Well, I'm sure that's how he saw it.
"Begin," I gently called out as they got into position, and the two imdiately coordinated an attack together.
They were still smart about it, driving from the flanks at Xi Zhao, who didn't even draw out his sword; well, he did lift it up, but with the scabbard still on, as he didn't want to hurt them too much.
... hey. Why aren't those two using the sword? Did that bastard teach them so Fire Sun martial arts? Does he really think everyone here is stupid enough not to notice it?!
Anyway, it didn't matter.
A leg ca flying toward Xi Zhao's head as he ducked underneath, blitzing forward and using the dull hilt to gently strike at the boy's jaw. The latter yelped in pain and staggered backwards while Xi Zhao spun in place and easily blocked the other incoming kick.
Deflecting it, he broke a few feet of distance, letting them gather their bearings and attack him again.
... smart. I couldn't help but smile. Look at that little bastard. Hah! All this while I just thought he was an enthusiastic kid and not much else, but... he's a devious little bastard. Beating them with ease would be one thing, but it would also cut off all our future paths; tsk, look at him, pretending to stagger, to be hit, to struggle.
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He even did actually take a few hits just to bruise himself. All the while, however, he inflicted more and more damage, drawing blood more than once.
"He's learned well," I heard Long Tao mumble.
"You taught him?"
"Yes."
"Good job."
"He he."
"He he."
"He he he he."
Khm.
Dai Xiu and Light looked at us oddly, Hua seed to nod in silent acknowledgent, and the battle just about ended.
Xi Zhao appeared short of breath and as though he was barely hanging on, but the other two were just a tad worse off. Just then, he went in for a 'kill', stabbing one of the boys with a scabbard directly toward his ribcage as the sound of a cracked bone mingled with a howl of pain, and imdiately seeming to use the last bout of his energy to strike the other at the right forearm, also happening to crack yet another bone.
He retreated imdiately after, seeming a mont away from collapsing, but the other two had collapsed, lying flat on the ground, crying in pain.
That relaxed deanor Elder Zhang ca with? Yeah, that shit was gone. He was confused, befuddled, angry, incensed, and whatever other fancy word for 'pissed off' I forgot about.
"Good job, Xi Zhao," I praised, putting on a shocked expression. "That was quite close."
"Indeed, Master! I have barely not embarrassed you..."
"Oh, you could never embarrass . But you shouldn't train for a little while after and instead use the ti to recover."
"Of course, Master," our convo was obviously spoken at full volu, and I must say... he, too, was starting to scare the shit out of . Was he really fourteen?
"Okay, go inside and have your Senior Brother help bandage you up..."
"Yes, Master!"
Others dispersed too, leaving by my loneso. Ah! Loneso Peak! Rather appropriate, isn't it?
"I've been lucky, Elder Zhang," I must have added more fuel to the fire because I genuinely felt the air around us heat up. He seed an inch away from losing it, so I backed away; all else aside, the man in front of was a whole major realm stronger and could probably incinerate within a second. While he would be punished, why the hell do I care? I'd be dead! And I very much like being alive.
"You. Indeed. Have. Been," he squeezed every word as though he was struggling with a thousand demons within, gnashing his teeth until they were clattering like wind chis... except not pleasant at all. "Good. Good. Very good, Lu Qi. I will rember this."
"Khm. Yes. About the bet..."
"What bet?"
"... hm?"
"I would never bet with a vermin like you."
"Hoh. Is that so?"
"If I were you, I'd sleep with one eye open," he said, taking out a sword, jumping on it, and flying off.
Alright.
Cool.
No biggie.
...
ARE YOU KIDDING ?! Jesus, dude, at least take the kids back with you! What the hell is your problem?!
Ah, this pisses off. So, so, so much money... and he thinks he can walk back on the bet? He thinks he can screw over? Ha Ha. Alright. Okay. Pretend your pretending, you old bag of skin.
"He refused to pay?" Long Tao erged from the seeming nowhere, startling 'till I nearly scread. Hm? Did he already learn the art?
"Hm. Don't worry about it. I'll make him pay. Oh, will I make him pay."
"... as much as I love this oddly vengeful side of yours," he said. "Don't worry about it."
"Hm?"
"Before going out to visit the place my father told about," he said. "Maybe I accidentally get lost at, I want to say, Verdant Arch Peak? And in being lost, I desperately try to get back on the road and accidentally sweep up a few things..."
"..." You know, I realized sothing. This world is changing . "Before you leave, swing by so I can give you the spatial satchel."
"With all the stones in?"
"You know, maybe if you get lost, just stay lost?"
"Ah, I would never, Master. I love it here far too much."
"Tsk. Did you bandage Xi Zhao?"
"Bandage what?" he shrugged. "That kid's a natural actor. I can't wait to take him out so we can swindle--I an, so we can have fun adventuring together."
... will it be considered stealing? I an, we did bet. Inasmuch as gambling is a good thing, taking what belongs to is too, right? Haah. I just hope he doesn't blow up my entire mountain once he finds only dust and weeds in his treasury, 'cause I have a feeling Long Tao isn't leaving anything behind...
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