The inexplicable shackles that the trio felt came undone after Bodhi cracked their weapons, restoring their ability to move again, though they dropped. The left to right swing drew blood without the three realising until they saw their own blood spray across the room.
“What a pity,” remarked Bodhi. “I was hoping to collect your weapons.”
“Y-you,” Elder Fan, possessing vast knowledge of valuable items due to his bandit background, couldn’t quell his shaking as he continued, “Th-that’s Tiezhen Kingdom’s treasure – Sea Deer Hunter?”
“What is… Sea Deer Hunter?” inquired Chigan Sha.
“From what I know, it is credited with Tiezhen Kingdom’s formation and is their imperial family’s glory. It is the equivalent of our imperial seal. How come it is in your hands? Who are you?!” questioned Elder Fan.
“Just a failure,” answered Bodhi, emotional attachment flitting across his face. “Because of how sharp the blade is and how compatible it is with my style, this one always sheds the blood of those he fights, so he seldom wields it in combat. This one is not in his best condition today and needs to reserve energy for other business. Accordingly, he has no choice but to unsheathe it. Please forgive him.”
Elder Fan asked, “What exactly do you want?”
“One, to exchange pointers. Two, to take weapons. Three… to become famous in Huzhou.”
Elder Fan didn’t comment again as he couldn’t put his finger on Bodhi’s true aim. Wuqing, on the other hand, verbalised, “This one is willing to join you.”
“What do you mean?” inquired Bodhi.
“This one is willing to aid you in your cause,” explicated Wuqing.
Bodhi smiled: “This one does not deserve your help.”
“You spared this one’s life. What goes around comes around. This one is returning the life owed, is all.”
In light of Wuqing’s prowess, competence, promptness and decisiveness, Bodhi’s need for helpers and urgency, the latter replied, “In that case, this one would like to give you his thanks in advance.”
Bodhi then staunched the trio’s bleeding via meridian seals and offered some internal energy to relieve them of the discomfort keeping them on the ground. Noticing the awkward behaviour of Elder Fan and Chigan Sha, Bodhi expressed, “Please do not worry. As we have had our spar, Bodhi shall not attack you again, hahaha.”
Moments ago, the trio viewed Bodhi as an invader from Beijiang. Listening to his unbridled laughter now, though, they perceived him to be a heroic figure.
Bodhi filled up four bowls with premium alcohol he had prepared in his room and offered, “Hahaha, it is this one’s honour to be acquainted with you three today. This one grew up with an unquenchable thirst for battle that needs to be quenched daily. This is the first time he has had the opportunity to really enjoy a fight since arriving at Canhu Town. This one is euphoric to have got acquainted with you three via a match. Sorry if he offended you in any capacity. Let us be friends henceforth after this drink.”
Bodhi noticed the disappointment on the trio’s face after the drink due to the damage to their weapons and, therefore, conveyed, “Bodhi knows a skilled blacksmith. Your weapons can still be repaired. Leave it to Bodhi. Bodhi shall drink three cups to apologise.”
Though Bodhi referred to it as a cup, it was technically a soup bowl, so it was larger than bowls for drinking wine, yet he slogged them back casually, winning the trio’s admiration even more. Accordingly, they also drank another bowl each of equal side as a show of respect.
Bodhi noticed Su Xiao keeping his head down by the sound and burst into laughter: “Miss, this one did not break his promise.”
“Are you hurt?” Su Xiao queried with his eyes still fixed on his feet.
Bodhi narrowed his eyes. “What makes you say so?”
Su Xiao stared up at Bodhi: “When you wielded your broadsword, you deliberately decelerated on the left side, or your swing would’ve travelled even quicker. Am I correct to assume that you can’t use your full power?”
Big Boss Sis really is something else. I don’t think any of us noticed that at all.
“You seem to have some knowledge on broadswords, Miss.”
“I am a broadsword user. You are markedly superior to me. You must have had a reason for decelerating, so I speculated you might be injured.”
“You also know how to use broadswords… Your broadsword certainly is a good one.”
Bodhi flicked a flower petal from a flower in the room at Su Xiao, only for Su Xiao to cleave it in two and return his weapon to its sheath in one blazing-fast motion.
“Even though I’m confident I can deal fatal damage with one swing, Big Boss Sis’ speed surpasses mine entirely,” Chigan Sha noted to himself.
Bodhi narrowed his eyes: “That style… Who are y-?”
“Get your lying behind out here right now, you faggot!” An elder kicked the door off its hinges and stomped in, blustering, “I was wondering why you kept clinging to her yesterday. Were you trying to innovate a new way of breaking into someone’s estate?”
Before Bodhi could respond, the elder took off his shoe and threw it straight to Bodhi’s face. Bodhi, for that reason, thundered, “Who are you?!”
The elder rolled up his sleeves and stomped in, fuming, “You don’t even know who I am, yet you had the audacity to commit such an indecent deed?”
Bodhi saw the incoming kick and expected to easily dodge it even at a hair’s breadth away, yet he got tagged.
This elder is form-, it’s him!
Bodhi reached for his broadsword. Alas, the elder caught his wrist to lock it and rocked Bodhi’s head with his fist as if it was on a swivel, sending Bodhi’s qi into disarray.
“Wait!”
The elder refused to listen, smashing a wine jar on the table over Bodhi’s head.
Where were you before, Elder? We could have taken both of his hands if you showed up earlier!