It wasn’t difficult to identify the trio of beauties when it was hard not to see her splendour that covered every inch of her.
“What are you looking at?!” Huofeng, in her black robe, didn’t need another word to tear Ma Liang’s eyes away from her armoured senior sister.
Ma Liang saluted Yu Feiyuan: “Greetings, Interim Patriarch Yu. May this one ask why you…” Ma Liang stopped when he recalled the relationship between Mount Daluo and Wutong Jn Yuxuan. He and his ally weren’t a match for Huofeng even if they ganged up, so fighting Wutong Jin Yuxuan’s trio was folly. Just in case Wutong Jin Yuxuan was passing by and trying to be heroes, though, he asked, “May this one ask if you know her…?”
“Yes.” Yu Feiyuan nodded.
Glad, Ma Liang replied, “As that is the case, we shall take our leave now.”
“Wait.”
Yu Feiyuan went to press her heavy hand on Ma Liang’s shoulder; however, the latter was prepared to pull his left shoulder back as he pushed his right shoulder forward to catch Yu Feiyuan. Due to their close proximity, Yu Feiyuan easily dispelled the force of the thrust with her extended hand. She circled her hand around the spear three times, subsequently directing upwards. Ma Liang let go to stop the spear’s movement, only for Yu Feiyuan to deftly snatch his spear over more technically than he expected of someone known for their herculean strength.
“What is this about, Interim Patriarch Yu? Does our client want to silence us?”
Yu Feiyuan cast the spear and shook her head: “This is a contest. If you can attack others, why can’t this great one steal from you?”
“You classify yourself an orthodox sect, yet you would play dirty? How do you expect anyone to respect you?”
“Are you saying you will exercise respect if we do not sneak attack you?”
“Naturally.”
“Okay.”
Ma Liang’s hair blew behind him as his spear flew back to him. It took everything out of him to catch it without flying and to stand his ground.
“Hold it as tight as you can.” Yu Feiyuan was already in Ma Liang’s face by the time he caught his weapon. “Try stopping this great one from taking it.”
As fast as she was, Ma Liang clearly saw every movement that took Yu Feiyuan’s hand from her side to his spear. Confident she couldn’t take it from his vice-like grip, he ended up letting go when he felt his fingers would crumble. As he let go, so did the blood inside him. While he was spewing blood, she threw the spear to Huofeng and instructed, “Take care of it.”
Now that was an authentic Wutong Jin Yuxuan skill executed proficiently enough to render Huofeng and Lian Qingluan in awe.
Su Xiao, having ducked behind Huofeng, asked, “Why are you here, Interim Patriarch Yu?”
Although Yu Feiyuan “defrosted” when smiling at Su Xiao, her answer was, “This great one is here by pure coincidence.”
“Return my heirloom to me!” thundered Ma Liang.
“Why?” Yu Feiyuan questioned.
“Th-that is my family heirloom. How can I live it down if I lose it?”
“Do you have what it takes to protect it?”
“You pick on someone weaker than you, yet you claim you’re an orthodox sect.”
“So why did you join hands with Ghost-Head Dragonwind Broadsword to do evil? Your ancestors were generals. Five Crowns Spear was formulated during the war and is still a respected style. Had you been training it instead of colluding with unorthodox sects for wealth, how would this great one have defeated you in one move?”
“… This one did not expect you to know that much about him.”
“This great one didn’t.” Yu Feiyuan pointed to Ming Feizhen. “He told this great one.”
“H-he did?”
“He said that Nanjiang’s Five Crown Spear is the descendant of great men and doesn’t want it to end up in the wrong hands. That’s why Wutong Jin Yuxuan will take care of the spear for the next decade. Come see this great one in Hangzhou in ten years. If you can last thirty exchanges, you can have it back.”
Ma Liang, face red, kowtowed to the cavern and then left. From the forest, he stated, “Please take care of the spear. This one will test his mettle with Interim Patriarch Yu in ten years from now.”
The man with the broadsword picked up his men and also skedaddled.
Yu Feiyuan explained why she showed up by the cavern to Su Xiao, but… the summary was, “We just coincidentally passed by.” It never even occurred to Su Xiao that the groundhog sleeping inside orchestrated it all from beginning to end.