Dance Of The Dragons
Chapter 278 : Wicked Scheme (3)

Chapter 278: Chapter 278 : Wicked Scheme (3)

"We might have to leave this place sooner than I expected," Xie Jianyu told Mingyu.

As usual, the beta maid combed Xie Jianyu’s long hair after the latter took a bath. She widened her eyes in surprise as she gazed at her master through the mirror.

"Master, do you still want to go south?"

"We will see," Xie Jianyu stared off into the distance.

The person who had been following him for days now did not seem to have any good intentions. He only showed up when Xie Jianyu was practicing swordsmanship with Ah Yan in the secluded forest clearing, away from the bustling Rainbell Town.

The murderous intent came and went, leaving a growing sense of unease in Xie Jianyu’s heart. What was this person’s goal? If they wanted to attack, why not do it already?

On the other hand, Xie Jianyu doubted he could defeat his opponent in his current condition. He had locked his spiritual power to avoid revealing his whereabouts, and without it, he was greatly weakened. He wouldn’t be able to protect Ah Yan if the person decided to attack them.

The hidden enemy left him no choice. He had to lure them away from Lucky Pearl restaurant.

The next day, Xie Jianyu told Ah Yan to rest for the day.

"Ehhhh??? But why, Master? I want to keep practicing!"

Xie Jianyu patted Ah Yan on the shoulder.

"Extremity will yield adverse effects*. Do not push it. We will continue tomorrow."

Ah Yan’s disappointment was evident in his slumped shoulders and downcast eyes. But then, he thought that maybe his master was not feeling well after training him day after day.

He knew that Xie Jianyu was still throwing up violently every morning. He ate as much as he could, but all the food failed to add weight to his slender body.

.....

Aaaah, the lucky master.

"In that case, Master, please rest well."

Xie Jianyu smiled at him.

"En. You too. Go back home right away, do not wander around the town."

Ah Yan giggled. Ever since he started training under Xie Jianyu, he abandoned his habit of hanging around his friends. In fact, his friends had been complaining about him, telling him that he had grown arrogant, and so on.

Ah Yan had to placate them with promises to teach them swordsmanship once he became a master swordsman in his own right.

Xie Jianyu followed Ah Yan home from a distance, keeping himself well hidden in the shadows. After Ah Yan disappeared into the small house he shared with his mother, Xie Jianyu leaped onto the roof of a nearby house.

From his vantage point on the roof, he could see the entire town of Rainbell spread out before him. He took a deep breath and spoke in a clear voice.

"Reveal yourself now."

At first, nothing happened. At nighttime, Rainbell town was steeped in silence, save for the occasional crowing of birds and the rustling of leaves in the breeze.

Then, one by one, men appeared from all directions, their bodies draped in dark clothing from head to toe. Only their eyes were visible, gleaming like embers in the gloom.

"Who sent you?" Xie Jianyu asked.

"It’s not important," one of them answered gruffly. He held a sword in his hand.

Xie Jianyu narrowed his eyes at the sword. He never bothered to remember his opponents, but he usually remembered their weapons.

The sword was a long, curved blade with a sharp edge that could cleave through bone and steel alike. The hilt was made of polished wood, and the pommel was encrusted with precious gems.

Naturally, it was not his own. It was possibly stolen from someone of noble birth. The sword was not made to engage in brutal encounters with all kinds of weapons and materials. The blade surface was scarred and nicked from improper use. Even the gems from the pommel had already fallen out.

The Crown Prince raised his sword, Winter Frost, at the man who had stepped forward. His eyes narrowed in recognition.

"You are one of the robbers who attacked me back then," he said, his voice cold. "The leader, correct?"

The man opposite him widened his eyes in disbelief. So did the others, but they remained silent.

It was not necessary for them to confirm Xie Jianyu’s guess. Their body language said it all.

"So what if I am!"

Once his identity was found out, the leader launched into an attack.

The two blades met in a shower of sparks, the sharp clanging sound echoing through the air.

Xie Jianyu was the stronger swordsman, and his excellent sword techniques quickly gave him the upper hand.

The leader was soon pushed toward one end of the roof. Thankfully, he was not alone.

"Ck!"

Xie Jianyu clicked with his tongue in annoyance when ten additional sharp weapons pointed toward him. He performed a backflip in the air, dodging the robbers’ attacks. Then, Xie Jianyu met the bandits’ attacks head-on, his blade moving in a blur. He danced through the hail of steel, his movements graceful and fluid.

Unfortunately, the sheer number of mountain robbers was overwhelming. Xie Jianyu fought valiantly, but his movements began to slow as fatigue set in. He struggled to keep up with the relentless rain of blades, limiting himself to defense only.

It was the golden opportunity that the leader had been waiting for. He swept one leg up and delivered a powerful kick to Xie Jianyu’s stomach.

At that time, Xie Jianyu sensed the murderous intent again, this time barely concealable. It was as if a cold blade had been pressed against his neck, and he could feel the heat of the killer’s breath on his skin.

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Author’s note :

*Oh, this is one of my favorite Chinese idioms, also mentioned by Jackie Chan during the 2010 Karate Kid movie.

To be specific, he said it when he asked Dre to take one day off his daily training.

This idiom means that you should not push something to the extreme limit, otherwise, you will get the opposite result.