He Yuzhu returns in Siheyuan

Chapter 769 Xiao Bao Takes Action

The remaining team members, as if granted amnesty, quickly withdrew their attacks and retreated, their movements riling their wounds and causing them to grimace in pain. They looked at their unconscious companions on the ground—some with arms twisted at odd angles, others with collapsed chests, evidently with broken ribs—and then at Zhang Qi and He Yao, standing calmly across from them, their clothes barely ruffled. Terror was evident in their eyes, and their hands gripping their weapons were trembling slightly.

Xiao Bao stared at the two men intently, his fists clenched so tightly that they crackled, his eyes brimming with rage. The men he had brought with him were all expert fighters carefully selected by the sect. Normally, they could easily handle three or five martial arts masters, but now most of them had been killed, and they hadn't even touched the edge of their opponent's clothes. If word of this got back to the sect, he, the leader, would be blamed. At the very least, he would be sent to face the wall at the cliff of reflection, or at worst, his cultivation might be abolished. But a head-on confrontation would clearly not end well. The opponent's tactics were very tricky. Zhang Qi's swordsmanship was as agile as flowing water, and he could always stab from unimaginable angles; He Yao's palms were as fierce as thunder, and a single blow would break bones and tendons. Xiao Bao could only swallow his anger, his face gloomy enough to drip water.

The remaining members of the team stood wounded, some clutching their heads, some clutching their bleeding arms. No one dared to look up at Xiao Bao. After all, this was truly humiliating—over thirty people surrounded two men, and not only did they fail to capture them, they were beaten to pieces. If word got out, they would become the laughing stock of the entire cultivation world, and they would never be able to hold their heads high again in the sect.

Xiao Bao took a deep breath, suppressing the surging blood and qi. He suddenly changed his tone, speaking with a hint of condescension: "You two are indeed quite skilled and are a good material. Surrender. The sect is in need of personnel right now. I can give you a chance and recommend you to my sect. You will have no worries about food and clothing in the future, and you will also have access to resources for cultivation."

Zhang Qi raised an eyebrow, as if he had heard something funny. "Alright, stop wasting your breath. You might not even be able to keep us here. We're free and easy out there, going wherever we want and eating whatever we want. Why should we go back to your crappy sect and be controlled?"

He Yao laughed too, dusting off his hands. "Yeah, who'd bother going to a place like a sect? Every day is either meditation or sword practice. It's nothing but rules, nothing but rules. Life is more boring than plain water. How wonderful it would be for the two of us to have a couple of drinks at the tavern at the foot of the mountain today, and watch the sunrise at the top tomorrow. It's much more fun than you guys."

The fake smile on Xiao Bao's face vanished instantly, his eyes cold as ice. "Since you refuse my toast and don't want to go back, then you don't have to." He slowly drew the longsword from his waist, the blade gleaming coldly in the sunlight. "All of you, leave it here. Don't worry, I will kindly take your bodies back and show everyone in the sect what happens when you disobey the Law Enforcement Hall."

Zhang Qi and He Yao exchanged glances, each seeing a solemn expression in the other's eyes. They knew Xiao Bao was intent on killing, and a tough battle lay ahead. They needed to work together, with Zhang Qi's swordsmanship holding the enemy back while He Yao's palms delivered the primary attack. This combination of softness and strength would allow them to hold out until they had a chance to escape. As for escaping, the two men didn't even dare to consider it—among the people Xiao Bao had brought, there were still several experts from the Law Enforcement Hall lurking in the shadows, yet they hadn't yet made a move. Those individuals were known for being tough within the sect, and were no pushovers. Any carelessness could lead to their immediate destruction.

Zhang Qi clenched the sword in his hand, and He Yao also lowered his body. The two stood back to back, their eyes fixed on Xiao Bao vigilantly. A life-and-death battle was about to break out.

Zhang Qi and He Yao exchanged glances, then let out a simultaneous low roar, lunging at Xiao Bao from the left and right. Zhang Qi's short staff whistled across, striking Xiao Bao's lower body. He Yao clenched his fists, leaped forward, and thrust his fist directly into Xiao Bao's face. The two men coordinated well, each strike aiming for vital points.

Xiao Bao stood still, only to shift slightly at the moment his fist was about to strike him, sliding half a foot away like a gust of wind. Zhang Qi's short stick grazed his ankle, slamming heavily onto the ground, leaving his palm numb. He Yao's fist missed where Xiao Bao had been standing, and inertia caused him to stumble forward two steps.

"Too slow." Xiao Bao chuckled, and with a twist of his wrist, a thin iron chain appeared in his hand. The iron ring at the end of the chain slapped He Yao's back. He Yao groaned, stumbled, and fell to the ground. A red mark instantly appeared on his back.

Seeing this, Zhang Qi gritted his teeth, turned around and swung another stick, stabbing Xiao Bao in the side. Xiao Bao didn't dodge, and with his left hand, he precisely grasped the stick head, and with his right hand, he chopped down Zhang Qi's wrist, which was holding the stick, with lightning speed. With a light "crack", Zhang Qi felt a sharp pain in his wrist, and the short stick could no longer be held, and it fell to the ground with a "clang". Before he could react, Xiao Bao had already raised his foot and pressed his knee against his lower abdomen. Zhang Qi doubled over in pain, like a cooked shrimp, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back.

He Yao climbed up from the ground, his eyes red as he charged forward again, fists lashing out. Xiao Bao dodged to the side, the chain entwining around his arm like a snake, yanking back fiercely. He Yao lost his balance and fell hard to the ground, his arm bruised by the chain. Xiao Bao tapped his foot lightly on the back of his neck, not with much force, but still immobilizing him.

"Is that all you can do?" Xiao Bao glanced at Zhang Qi, who was clutching his stomach, and then at He Yao, who was being stepped on, with a hint of sarcasm in his tone. He lifted his foot to release He Yao, and with a swish, the chain was retracted into his hand, spinning it around his fingertips.

Zhang Qi and He Yao supported each other as they stood up. Scars covered their arms and backs, and blood trickled down the wounds, spreading a small red patch on the ground. They panted heavily, looking at Xiao Bao with eyes filled with both anger and undisguised fear. This man's skills were truly terrifying, his movements so swift they couldn't even see clearly, and his strength so astonishing that even with their combined strength, they couldn't even touch the edge of his clothes.

Zhang Qi gritted his teeth, pulled a dagger from his waist, and tried to charge again. Xiao Bao's eyes flashed coldly, and before he could even take a step, he lunged forward and kicked him squarely in the chest. With a thud, Zhang Qi was sent flying like a rag doll, crashing into the wall before coming to rest. As he slid to the ground, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

"Waste." Xiao Bao retracted his foot and looked down at him. "I'll give you one more chance. Come on together. If you still don't dare to move, you'll really die here."

He glanced at the pale-faced newcomers nearby, knowing full well they were frightened. But he had to do this—only by letting them witness his absolute strength with their own eyes could he convince them completely. The prestige of the Law Enforcement Hall had always been earned through fighting.