Inside the training grounds of Liu Shan Men's main courtyard.
The sunset made their three shadows appear longer.
The Emperor's Security Detail's Tie Hanyi held his sabre, but didn't strike. The broadsword slashes went straight past his true qi, revealing a frighteningly sharp edge each time. The sharp qi of the sabre was akin to a blowing wind and comparable to a sun reversing its rays. Tie Hanyi didn't strike, though. He, instead, patiently waited while confronting all of his opponent's slashes that had reached the pinnacle of the combination of sabre techniques and qi manipulation. If his opponent was patient enough to not strike, he would throw a savage vertical downward slash with all his might in the end.
The Qilin Guards' Miss Situo stood to the side. She maintained an elegant posture, with every gesture being most beautiful. However, in her white hands was nine different true qis from a combination of Soft Yang and Hard Yin qis. That was the Qilin Guards' exclusive mental cultivation art, Qilin's Nine Character Manual. She looked to be standing there in a seductive way. Her slender waist looked fragile enough to be snapped with a touch, but she could still use a vicious and heartless method to kill from that casual posture of hers.
In Tang Ye's hand was the ancient sword, Heaven Shocker, the sword he was using to combat Tie Hanyi. The two of them were engaged in an intense duel. It was a battle where two heroes showed their respect for each other. Furthermore, Liu Shan Men and the Emperor's Security Detail don't have any animosity between them, so they've become good friends. The two commonly exchanged pointers with each other to improve their martial arts skills.
Situo, herself, was a frequent guest at Liu Shan Men. She always came when Shen Yiren was away, to try and recruit members to her side or pry for intel. While she was at it, she'd spar a match with Tang Ye, in order to avenge the shame of her previous defeat at his hands. The three of them bumped into each other today. All three were skilled. Situo was the one who suggested sparring, and since the other two were both individuals who loved martial arts, they agreed.
Tang Ye casually got into a hand stance. Regardless of what style it was, he could attack from this hand stance. However, when he saw the way Tie Hanyi twirled his sabre, he was somewhat perplexed, "Is that not the technique Jia Yunfeng once used in front of the Imperial Study?"
Tie Hanyi smiled and replied, "This is a new technique that was inspired by the Qi Sword of the traitorous leader of Mystery. This method is quite impressive. It allows one to easily adjust their posture by using the qi of the blade to control a body from a distance. It's a technique that combines both attack and defence. It would be a splendid technique in combat. I've tried practicing techniques in the forest in the outskirts. I was once able to split a fierce tiger's head with it. It packs quite a punch. I was just about to ask you to give me some pointers with it, Brother Tang!"
Like Tang Ye, it would come to no surprise that Tie Hanyi could slay a tiger with his skills. It's just that anybody who goes into the forests in the mountains would know that slaying a tiger requires you to find its weak spot. There are a fair number of heroes who've managed to split a tiger's head, but you must slash its neck from the side, because its bones are extremely tough, particularly its forehead. The spot below the 'king' character on the tiger's head is always the spot that those who attempt to slay a tiger, avoid.
Tie Hanyi's broadsword is a very thin blade. You could only consider it a light and thin weapon for speed. It's isn't a great weapon, meaning that he possesses profound internal energy, for it's a prerequisite for him to have in order to split the forehead of a tiger with one slash.
Situo covered her mouth and laughed in a graceful manner, "Captain Tie, it took you many years of diligent practice with Iron Palms to gain prominence. You have only just started learning the broadsword and have already achieved proficiency. If you started learning the sabre twenty years ago, there would unlikely be any in the Seventeen Hidden Dragons, who could match you."
Han Tieyi responded with a smile, "My Iron Palms cannot compare to Brother Tang's Iron Hands. What is the point of mentioning it? This may cause you two to laugh, but before I joined His Majesty's security detail, I did consider joining Liu Shan Men to travel the lands and punish evil on behalf of the heavens and protect the welfare of the people with a broadsword. However, after diligently practicing the broadsword for several years, Yan Shisan changed the weapon of Liu Shan Men's constables to iron swords. That left me disappointed; therefore, I joined His Majesty's Security Detail, instead."
Situo responded, "So you're originally a broadsword specialist. I fight using my hands. It's best to not hurt people."
Tang Ye has fought her more than once, and hence, was aware that she was skilled. Therefore, hearing her deprecate herself caused him to raise an eyebrow. Situo, on the other hand, noticed his reaction with her sharp eyes.
In a very blunt tone, Situo asked, "Tang, what's that eyebrow raising business of yours supposed to mean?"
She put her hands on her hips when she spoke. She looked indescribably pretty, but also cunning and vicious.
Tang Ye responded bluntly, "Nothing. Brother Tie is extremely skilled with the broadsword. Please be careful, Miss Si."
"That suspicious attitude of yours tells me that you're lying."
During the short conversation, Tie Hanyi focused on moulding qi. He pushed himself to his peak, evident by his eyes that were full of spirit.
"Miss Si, Brother Tang, be careful!"
Tie Hanyi shouted out and then slashed with half a tonne of force. It was akin a flood of water violently crashing. He used a broadsword move, but it had the vibe of the sword techniques Jia Yunfeng utilised that day. The move he used served multiple functions. While it wouldn't be a powerful attack upon connecting with its target, it was the best method of execution for a one on two fight.
"Beautiful one on two technique!"
Situo fought to intercept it first. Her movement resembled gliding as if she was performing a fantastical move. She brushed her white palm on Tie Hanyi's blade as though her brushing movement was a gentle breeze. It should've been very disadvantageous for her to block the broadsword using a palm technique, but thanks to her magnificent movement, every palm strike allowed her to adjust her posture, so while the broadsword attacks were powerful, she could dismantle each technique in a most composed manner. The powerful sabre attacks akin to crushing waves were dismantled by her clever hand techniques.
Tie Hanyi focused half of his attack on Situo, while focusing the other half on Tang Ye.
"Brilliant broadsword skills!"
Tang Ye poised his sword and went to intercept the attack. They exchanged dozens of blows. The two of them knew each other's strength very well. Tie Hanyi was superior in terms of the strength of their internal energy, while Tang Ye's techniques were intricate. If Tang Ye didn't use Yang Blood True Qi, it would probably take them over a thousand moves to determine the victor between them.
However, Situo attacked from the side. She used two fingers to stab the big meridian on Tang Ye's back, but Tang Ye slipped his left hand under his right armpit and spun his body similarly to a spinning top spinning at top speed. He spun one circle and then attacked with a Spinning Flower Wheel Finger Strike using his left hand, perfectly striking Situo's slender and beautiful fingertip. He then violently struck with the ancient sword, Heaven Shocker, in his right hand.
The three of them were sometimes engaged in a battle royale, then in a two on one, and then the tables would change again.
Their fight was dynamic and exciting. If you listened closely, you could hear people cheering.
"Is this place the training grounds?!"
Tang Ye, Situo and Tie Hanyi all let out their shouts. This was about the end now. One broadsword, one sword and one palm were about to collide together in the air to end the match, but all of a sudden, somebody leapt over from out of nowhere, similarly to a nail coming down from the sky and landing right in between the three of them.
With one glance, Tang Ye noticed it was a young man with handsome features and bright eyes. He wore a simple and honest smile. However, it was too late for the three of them to stop. By the looks of things, the moment the three met would be the moment a tragedy ensued.
What they heard, though, was a clang. Tang Ye's Ancient Heaven Shocker Sword and Tie Hanyi's broadsword made a clang sound akin to metal clashing with metal when they connected with the body of the young man. The feeling in their hands further cemented that suspicion. It was as though they slashed a hard rock, causing them to feel a slight pain. Had the two of them not been strong, their blades would have likely been deflected and thrown out of their hands.
As for Situo, her Qilin True Qi barely managed to wobble him, and he didn't look as though he even suffered an internal injury.
"Ow! What are you doing?! That hurts!"
Upon closer inspection, the young man who took a hit from a sword and a sabre actually looked as though he was still childish, yet he also felt slightly more mature than a young man. You could call him a young adult, too. The young man loudly cried out while shedding tears, despite not shedding a drip of blood.
Being struck by the combined might of the three was no different to being hit twice with a bowstring for him.
Tang Ye looked at his sword with disbelief. Tang Ye had examined the ancient sword of his many times and knew it was an ancient item possessed by the Imperial Court hundreds and thousands of years ago. Although it couldn't be called a famous weapon or divine weapon, it was a rare sharp weapon, yet it had no affect when he slashed the young man's body, so how could he not be surprised?
Tie Hanyi, an expert in hard styles and qi, had his mouth wide with surprise, "Wh-What style is that? He managed to withstand blades without concentrating any qi!"
Tie Hanyi, himself, could withstand a broadsword if he used a hard style, except that his true qi consisted of only true qi. He would, therefore, be just slightly tougher than an ordinary man if he didn't mould qi to his body. Judging from the reaction of the young man, however, he just defied the logic of qigong. Tie Hanyi had no clue what sort of strange style he trained.
Suddenly, a loud voice from the courtyard next door sounded out.
Situo asked, "Kid, who are you? How did you get here?"
"Oh! Look who it is! How dare you barge into our female baths!"
The top floor of Liu Shan Men is occupied by females. Shen Yiren is the Vice-captain, so it's only a matter of course that she has a group of females as subordinates. They are referred to as female constables. They're personally trained by Shen Yiren and usually handle cases with morals involved or those involving females where it's inconvenient for males to handle.
However, they all live in another compound for constables and usually can only be commanded by Shen Yiren.
Tang Ye wondered who was so bold to peep on the female constables when he heard them cry 'pervert,' from their compound. They all know how to fight, after all.
Situo frowned, "How come there are women next door?"
Tang Ye answered honestly, "That is the compound where the female constables reside. There are only women there. I don't know why a man went in there."
All that could be heard was a group of screaming women.
"Baihu Su! Baihu Su, hurry and arrest him. Beat him, beat him!"
In a girly voice intended to sound cute, one called, "Baihu Suuuu, Baihu Suuu, save meee."
The female constables, who were fierce as tigers when on duty, turned into a nest of newborn swallows around Su Xiao, twittering non-stop.
"Sure! You dare barge into our L-Liu Shan Men's females' compound. You looking to die?!"
Su Xiao acted the exact same way as the leader of the female constables of Liu Shan Men. He chased a tough looking young man. The man didn't look handsome… Strictly speaking, he was slightly ugly, disgusting, and ever so slightly perverted, but he wore the expression of a wronged and innocent man.
"This is a misunderstanding! I didn't barge into the female baths! Miss, let me explain! Huh? You're so pretty, and yet, you're not a girl? Ow! Stop! Stop! I didn't barge into the baths. My Third Brother dropped soap inside. I just went in to pick it up! No, it wasn't a gleditsia sinensis!!"
The guy doesn't look skilled, but he's being chased down and beaten by Su Xiao, who's got poor skills. He couldn't evade on several occasions, consequently getting smacked on the head, and he also tripped over his own leg when he tried to run.
'Just how unlucky is this guy?'
Just when Tang Ye and Situo let out a sigh, thinking that they'd just watch and stay out of it while watching the guy trip then crawl to his feet and repeat, a voice suddenly gave them a fright.
"What are you two looking at?"
A tall and lanky young man appeared between the two without them even noticing.
The young man wearing glasses looked at them with a strange look, "What are you so surprised for? Judging from your expressions, you two have so much chemistry…" He pushed his glasses up and then a mysterious urge to laugh flashed in his eyes. While Su Xiao was chasing down Second Brother behind them, he slowly smiled and over the sounds in the background, asked, "Could you two be having an affair?"
Glossary
*"… except that his true qi consisted of only true qi… " - This sounds like the infamous Shiro meme, "People die when they're killed," but here, you have to understand that the idea here is that true qi can be the accumulation of multiple sources of qi to allow a once off use, as in this scenario. I went into a bit more depth on the concept of true qi a few chapters back if you want more information.