“Commander, you’re old now. Your blade has slowed down,” Bu Lei said.
At this moment, Zhu Zai and Bu Lei had been fighting and running, covering about a li.
The distant rumbling could still be heard.
But both of them were veteran Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards), not lacking experience in life-and-death struggles, and both knew that with the opponent’s tenacity, if they were distracted, they might die by the other’s hand.
While Bu Lei was speaking, his hands did not stop at all, and he suddenly swung One Slash towards Zhu Zai’s shoulder.
Zhu Zai blocked it with his horizontal blade, and he was not at a disadvantage verbally either.
“I’m old, but you’re too tender. It doesn’t take much effort to chew you.”
In an instant, the two raised their blades and attacked each other.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
In the darkness, sparks suddenly lit up, dimly illuminating their grim expressions.
Both of them originated from the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards), learned the same martial arts, and performed similar duties. Even their realms were equally peerless.
The difference was that Zhu Zai was older, with profound true qi and refined moves.
Bu Lei, however, was young, full of strength, and more courageous and diligent in his mental state.
Coupled with their thorough understanding of each other’s moves, for a time, they were evenly matched.
The outcome of this struggle depended only on who exposed a flaw first.
Therefore, both were frantically attacking with their hands, and their mouths were also incessant, constantly attacking each other’s minds.
“Commander, you are an imperial relative and hold a high position, how could you commit such a rebellious act!?”
Bu Lei rotated his arm, directly striking Zhu Zai’s blade with his hilt, intending to break it.
“You still know I’m an imperial relative? What’s so rebellious about me, an imperial relative, killing two of my Zhu family’s servants!?”
Zhu Zai rotated the long blade in his hand, gripping it in a reverse hold, pressing his elbow against the back of the blade, and suddenly slashed at Bu Lei, attacking a vital point that forced a defensive move.
“What kind of bewitching potion did Li Miao give you, that you protect him so much!?”
“Protecting him is better than protecting you, an ungrateful wolf cub!”
“If you hadn’t protected him, I wouldn’t have done this!”
“Do I owe you something? Who I find pleasing is none of your business!”
The two fiercely clashed once, then flashed back, adjusting their breath and recovering their true qi.
“The Emperor is already dissatisfied with the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards). If you kill me and kill Grandmaster Wan, you won’t have a good explanation.”
Bu Lei stared intently into Zhu Zai’s eyes.
Zhu Zai sneered.
“If there’s an explanation, it’s to the Emperor. You two dead men won’t be able to hear it anyway.”
“Besides, the Emperor has had this idea for several months now, and I’m still perfectly fine.”
“Do you think I’ve been Commander for these decades for nothing?”
“You!?” Bu Lei roared in anger.
“Don’t think you’re certain to live. Between you and me, it’s still unknown who will win.”
“Li Miao and I entered the sect together. You and I both know what his comprehension was like back then.”
“Although I don’t know what crooked path he took to reach this point today, his age is there. He definitely can’t defeat Grandmaster Wan!”
Bu Lei sneered.
“If you lose, I’ll kill you. If you win, Grandmaster Wan will kill you.”
“Even if both of you manage to escape with your lives, the Emperor will still kill you.”
“Old scoundrel, you’re doomed.”
Since they had already fallen out, Bu Lei also dropped his pretense and no longer showed any respect to Zhu Zai.
“The Emperor doesn’t need a Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) of Zhu Zai, but he will need a Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) of mine.”
“With you and Li Miao dead, Liu Zhe is useless, and the two Tongzhi are both from the Ministry of War.”
“This position of Commander belongs to no one but me.”
Bu Lei smiled sinisterly, pulling his long blade through the crook of his arm to wipe away the blood.
Both he and Zhu Zai were already injured. He was young, with vigorous qi and blood, so the impact was not significant. But Zhu Zai was already old, his qi and blood were decaying, and he would eventually be unable to sustain himself.
Zhu Zai had actually anticipated Bu Lei making today’s choice.
He was very much like Zuo Lishan.
Equally arrogant, equally ruthless, equally talented, and equally dismissive of others.
The difference was that when Zuo Lishan practiced martial arts, there wasn’t a Li Miao by his side.
If Zuo Lishan had had an opponent like Li Miao since childhood—one who was sharp-tongued, ruthless, and always beat him like a son—then he might not have died so carelessly, but would have become… much smarter.
Once he became smarter, he would have learned to follow rules, to endure and to be respectful.
Zhu Zai had long seen through Bu Lei; if he could always keep Bu Lei suppressed, then Bu Lei would be his loyal dog.
But if Zhu Zai showed a weakness, the first one to pounce and bite his neck would also be Bu Lei.
Zhu Zai said coldly, “You think quite well.”
“But you’ll have to survive my hands first.”
Before his words finished, he immediately flashed forward, his long blade striking down!
To be honest, Zhu Zai couldn’t be sure if Li Miao could win.
After all, the only information he had was Wang Hai’s retelling and Li Miao’s few words tonight.
In fact, Zhu Zai couldn’t even be sure if what he was doing was correct.
Li Miao always angered him, always went against his wishes, and always looked at him with a half-dead expression, as if he would resign and retire if given any more tasks.
In the version where every single one is correct!
He was always disrespectful to him, always casually took money from his treasury without even a greeting.
He, a dignified third-rank official, an imperial relative of Great Shuo, a high-ranking court minister, never received a birthday gift worth less than a hundred taels.
Only Li Miao, walking with a swagger, directly entered the back hall, pulled out a pancake from his Pregnant, and said that he found a stall while strolling today that made it very flavorful, and brought it for him to taste.
Damn it, that day wasn’t a holiday!
You skipped work to stroll around and then boast to me!?
Infuriated, Zhu Zai cursed Li Miao again, and the pancake was thrown at Li Miao like a hidden weapon.
But, perhaps because of this, after cursing for so long, he couldn't bear the thought of not having this person to curse in the future.
Bu Lei was right, Zhu Zai was old.
When people get old, they have more thoughts.
Their hearts soften.
When their hearts soften, their blades slow down.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
The long blades continuously clashed, their edges already shattered.
Fragments flew, cutting streaks of blood on their faces. But neither dared to close their eyes to dodge, focusing entirely on striking at the vital points of the other.
Zhu Zai was gradually falling into a disadvantage.
In an instant, the long blades clashed, emitting a resounding clang.
Clang—
Both embroidered spring blades broke simultaneously!
The broken blades flew towards them. Bu Lei ignored them, letting the broken blade embed itself in his shoulder.
Zhu Zai, however, could only turn his head, dodging the broken blade aimed at his face.
This dodge exposed a flaw.
Bu Lei grinned sinisterly, the half-broken embroidered spring blade in his hand slipping into the gap, aiming directly for Zhu Zai’s heart!
“Old scoundrel, die!”
Zhu Zai could only raise both palms, intending to clamp the blade.
But he knew that their martial arts were similar. He didn’t practice body-hardening techniques, so the hope of catching the bare blade with his hands was slim.
Just as Zhu Zai’s palms were about to clamp the blade.
Thump.
A soft sound.
Bu Lei’s head tilted to the side, a spray of blood erupting.
The broken blade lost its force and fell softly.
Zhu Zai clamped empty air.
“Commander, is this what you meant by ‘not having absolute certainty’?”
“It only took me a little over half an hour on my side, how could you be losing already?”
Li Miao walked over, gripping Zhu Zai’s pulse, and circulated Jia Yi Divine Skill to heal Zhu Zai.
Zhu Zai suddenly lost his strength, propped his hands on his knees, and gasped for air.
While panting, he said coldly.
“I… I was faking a weakness… for him—*huff*.”
“If you had come a little later, I would have won—”