Liu Jinyuan watched his cousin being bullied by several people, so how could he care less? In a fit of rage, he rushed forward, steel sword in hand, blocking Lin Yueru.
However, having never been in actual combat before, he looked nervous, and with the sword in hand, he didn't feel the slightest bit of security.
"Cousin Jinyuan? What are you doing here? Why don't you get out of the way?" Lin Yueru asked curiously, looking at Liu Jinyuan standing in front of her.
Although her cousin had good intentions, he didn't know any martial arts. Standing up wouldn't help her, and she might even have to divert her attention to protect him.
"Cousin, I, I won't leave. I can protect you..." Holding the sword in hand, although Liu Jinyuan's legs were trembling, his expression was resolute.
A gentleman does what he should do and doesn't do what he shouldn't do. In Liu Jinyuan's view, protecting his cousin was worth it, even if his blood spilled five steps away today.
Alex stood aside, not eager to step forward. This was a perfect opportunity for Liu Jinyuan to gain some practical combat experience.
Honestly, a capable person stepping forward isn't considered brave, but someone without the strength who dared to do so, in Alex's view, was truly courageous.
In the original novel, when Lin Yueru competed for her hand in marriage, Liu Jinyuan, despite knowing no martial arts, bravely stepped onto the stage.
Alex saw that although Liu Jinyuan looked like a weak scholar, he possessed a formidable inner strength and considerable courage.
"Hahaha, I thought he was some kind of expert, daring to step out and save the beauty. Turns out he's just a weak scholar, reckless!" Several Moon Worshipers, observing Liu Jinyuan's trembling appearance, couldn't help but laugh.
How dare such a fellow dare to come forward?
"Sick scholar, get out of the way!" With a look of disdain on his face, one of the Moon Worshipers attacked, wielding his steel blade directly towards Liu Jinyuan.
"Be careful!" Lin Yueru's face paled as she watched this scene, and she cried out in shock.
She was well aware that her cousin knew no martial arts at all. But before she could strike, a dazzling flash of sword light appeared. Though inexperienced and even a bit afraid to fight, Liu Jinyuan, a master of the Dugu Nine Swords, saw the flaws in the Moon Worshiper's tactics as soon as he struck. He swung his sword naturally.
The blade traced a delicate arc in mid-air, instantly breaking through the Moon Worshiper's weakness. A scream rang out, blood splattered everywhere, and a deep wound appeared on the Moon Worshiper's wrist, revealing the bone. Simultaneously, the knife in his hand lost its grip and fell to the ground. He clutched his wrist and screamed in agony, staring at Liu Jinyuan in astonishment. He looked like a weak scholar, but once he started fighting, he realized how incredibly skilled he was.
"Cousin, you, you know martial arts!?" Lin Yueru was dumbfounded. It was unbelievable. When did her cousin know martial arts?
"Oh well, it turns out that we have run into someone who is pretending to be a pig but is actually a tiger..." The three remaining Moon Worshipers looked at Liu Jinyuan with solemn expressions.
As they spoke, they raised their steel knives and rushed towards him.
"Wait, everyone, let's talk it out. A gentleman uses words, not fists..." Watching them charge, Liu Jinyuan retreated in panic and spoke hurriedly.
However, the Moon Worshipers ignored his words and closed in. Their blades nearly covered his entire body.
Whoosh! Although Liu Jinyuan cried out in frustration and looked terrified, his hands moved swiftly. Seeing the three incoming blades, he flicked his wrist, and the fine steel sword slashed through the air in a delicate arc, landing on the wrists of the Moon Worshipers like a venomous snake. Screams erupted as their weapons fell to the ground, their wrists slashed and bleeding.
"Amazing! When did he acquire such advanced swordsmanship? And this technique looks so familiar..." Lin Yueru, standing behind him, was stunned. Even if these men joined forces, she wouldn't have been able to withstand them. But her cousin, who had always been ignorant of martial arts, shouted "a gentleman should use words, not fists" and "no, no," then unleashed astonishingly skilled swordsmanship, easily defeating them all.
"Well, the Dugu Nine Swords is indeed a powerful sword technique, pushing it to its limits. As long as he doesn't encounter a formidable opponent capable of overcoming subtlety with sheer force, or a martial artist with strong physical defense, he should be more than capable of defending himself." Alex watched from the side, nodding inwardly. Of course, the Dugu Nine Swords' skills were copied from him; Liu Jinyuan's swordsmanship was his own, and Alex was well-versed in them.
"What should I do? I've hurt someone. Are you all okay?" Liu Jinyuan, startled by the sudden bloodshed, asked about the Moon Worshipers' injuries.
"This guy, so hypocritical..." Several Moon Worshipers picked up their weapons and, seeing Liu Jinyuan's concerned expression, retreated in fear.
"They almost hurt me just now. Why are you still concerned about them?" Upon hearing Liu Jinyuan's words, Lin Yueru, who was standing nearby, grabbed him and spoke angrily.
"Our bodies and hair are given by our parents. We should not damage them. This is the beginning of filial piety. They too were born from their parents..."
Hearing Lin Yueru's words, Liu Jinyuan replied seriously, quoting from the classics, which only made Lin Yueru roll her eyes.
Just moments ago, when she saw him take action, she thought her cousin seemed a little different. Now it seemed it was only her imagination.
"Godfather, they are all members of the Moon Worship Sect. I didn't expect them to chase us here."
Inside a restaurant nearby, Tang Yu and his companions from Nanzhao Kingdom had witnessed the entire fight through the window. After glancing deeply at Liu Jinyuan, Tang Yu whispered these words.
"Well, these people from the Moon Worship Sect really don't give up easily," Elder Shi said with a solemn expression.
However, while speaking, his gaze rested on Liu Jinyuan, and his eyes carried deep admiration.
It was rare to find someone with such superb martial arts skills combined with such a kind heart.