A very short cry seed to be heard, but it was cut off before the sound was clearly heard.
However, Huangfu Jingchen heard it clearly; it was Xia Wenjin’s voice.
Huangfu Jingchen’s room was adjacent to Xia Wenjin’s room, with a window between the two rooms separated by about a yard, both facing the sa direction. Outside the window, opening the door outwards, was the inn’s backyard courtyard; opening the window outwards was the street alley outside.
Two different directions.
Huangfu Jingchen quickly recalled the terrain, swiftly moving towards the window. With a push of his hand, he moved like an agile fish, sorsaulting through the air, and exited the room, landing outside.
Outside the window was an alley.
After coming out, he happened to see the window of Xia Wenjin’s room open, and a person carrying a sack erged from inside. Judging by the sack’s shape, it was clear soone was inside.
And the person coming out of the room was a man Huangfu Jingchen had never seen before. Tall and slender, his outfit appeared bluish in the night, unclear, with a white cloth covering his face—indeed, a white cloth, seemingly sothing like a sleeve or handkerchief hastily used as a cover.
The identity of who was in the sack was self-evident.
As the white-clothed masked man left the window, ready to make his escape, he looked up and saw Huangfu Jingchen blocking his path. His eyes squinted, and he spoke in a pinched voice, "Brother, let pass!"
Huangfu Jingchen glanced at the sack, worried inside but showing no sign, simply saying in a low voice, "Put down the sack, and you can go!"
The man’s eyes flickered, suddenly showing a hint of a devil-may-care smile, provocatively saying, "What if I refuse?"
"Then you’ll stay here!" Huangfu Jingchen said, taking two steps forward and striking first before the other could react.
The forceful wind from his fists approached, the man squinted, dodged to the side, and kicked out. Huangfu Jingchen blocked with both palms against his calf, nullifying the force. The man reacted quickly, retreating to steady himself, jumping up and spinning, his feet delivering a series of rapid kicks, each with considerable force.
He warned in a low voice, "Sensibly step aside, this is none of your business!"
Huangfu Jingchen angered, "You abduct my friend and say it’s none of my business?"
Since recovering from his injuries, though Huangfu Jingchen had been practicing martial arts daily, this was his first fight.
He combined fists and feet, shifting his stance, engaging in battle with the man at close quarters.
Both fought swiftly, and within the blink of an eye, they exchanged over a dozen moves.
The opponent was strong; this was the thought in both their minds at the mont.
The man had no desire to prolong the fight, feinting a withdrawal.
Huangfu Jingchen focused on rescuing the person, how could he let the man leave? He imdiately closed in.
The man beca more enthusiastic in the fight, realizing carrying a person was inconvenient; he placed the person aside, freeing himself up to fully engage Huangfu Jingchen.
With empty hands, the man’s martial arts instantly strengthened significantly, a fierce barrage pushing Huangfu Jingchen back three steps.
Seeing the man had put the person down, Huangfu Jingchen had no intention of prolonging the battle. His eyes fixed on the sack, noticing movent inside, suggesting Xia Wenjin was awake or coming to.
He wanted to drive the white-clothed masked man away to check on Xia Wenjin’s condition.
But the white-clothed masked man followed closely, clearly formidable.
Forcing the man to give up seed unlikely.
This back and forth only held both of them in place.
Huangfu Jingchen anxiously called to the sack, "Wenjin, are you alright?"
The sack moved again, and Xia Wenjin was heard moaning softly.
Sowhat reassured, Huangfu Jingchen’s gaze turned sharper upon looking at the white-clothed masked man: "Who on earth are you? Why sneak into soone’s room at night, abducting and causing harm?"
The white-clothed masked man rolled his eyes to the sky, saying, "Would it be better for to sneak into soone’s room, abducting and causing harm during the day?"
Huangfu Jingchen angrily retorted, "No remorse, don’t bla for being rude!"
The white-clothed masked man disdainfully replied, "As if you were polite before!"
The masked man, caught in the act, showed no fear or tension, rather appeared indifferent. Such deanor, such tone provoked Huangfu Jingchen to teach him a lesson.
Confirming Xia Wenjin was unhard, Huangfu Jingchen no longer held back against the masked man’s moves, attacking with a flurry of fingers, palms, and feet, aggressive like a storm.
Seeing the sudden ferocity in Huangfu Jingchen’s moves, the white-clothed masked man remarked, "Seems I have to beat you into submission before you’ll let take her. Let teach you a lesson!"
Huangfu Jingchen thought likewise; until he subdued him, the man seed unyielding. They should apprehend him, hand him to the governnt, unearth any cris he previously committed.
Both shared this mindset, and the fight grew more dangerous, fists and kicks flew, each move carrying powerful inner strength, even dislodging so grit from the nearby bluestone tiles.
Xia Wenjin, placed in a corner, would not be hard by their exchanges.
Huangfu Jingchen grew increasingly amazed as the fight went on.
The masked man’s martial arts were truly formidable, with unpredictable moves, striking however he wished, yet the unconventional approach made it impossible to anticipate the next move. A punch may turn into a finger jab, a kick beneath, or a seemingly fierce move might be a playful feint.
Fortunately, Huangfu Jingchen’s martial skills were solid, allowing him to cope even against such surprising tactics.
Their speed increased as the fight progressed, soon appearing as two shadows darting back and forth.
During the fight, Huangfu Jingchen occasionally glanced at the sack, noticing more movent inside, resolving to capture this rascal and let Wenjin express her grievance after.
After over four hundred moves, both found themselves injured by the other’s strikes; the masked man was punched in the face, Huangfu Jingchen kicked in the leg, enduring more blows was common, but as masters, they minimized damage by leveraging opposing force, sustaining only superficial injuries.
At six hundred moves, both their steps turned sluggish.
After another two hundred moves, the masked man retreated three steps, shouting, "What’s the point of just fist fighting? Dare to use weapons?" As he spoke, he reached behind his waist, drawing out a pair of Ei Water-Splitting Thorns.
Huangfu Jingchen also stood firm, reaching for his waist, where a soft sword was coiled.
This soft sword served as a belt but drawn was a sharp weapon.
The masked man, growing more excited, seeing Huangfu Jingchen draw a weapon, eagerly said, "Let’s go, boy, let teach you a lesson!" He brandished the Water Splitting Needle and charged forward like a bolt of lightning.
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