Jia Yong was mortified, his embarrassment beyond all measure. His round face changed color as he stared at Ling Xian'er, unable to speak for a moment. At last he stammered,
"I… I only let you strike first just now, that's how you seized the advantage!"
Such words were truly laughable.
Liu Yun, hearing this from the side, could not help but sneer:
"Jia the Great Hero, your divine skill is truly astonishing!"
Ling Xian'er, hearing him, also couldn't help a speechless laugh. She nodded lightly, then smiled and said:
"Hehe, is the Great Hero Jia weighed down by his mighty fame, unable to fully display his skills? Very well, this time you make the first move."
Jia Yong said,
"I'm going to attack now—do not look down on me!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Jia Yong's body shot upward. In midair he suddenly twisted, let out a sharp howl, and dove at Ling Xian'er, a fierce palm crashing toward her chest.
Ling Xian'er slid her body aside, her left and right hands striking out in quick succession, her body turning as her steps shifted. The two traded palm strikes while their feet stomped, kicked, and swept in alternating rhythm.
Ling Xian'er turned to Feathered Plume Palm; her angles and footwork changed all at once. Jia Yong's raised palm flashed toward her chest—she twisted her torso aside, advancing and retreating, turning and pivoting, shoulders rolling and arms coiling, yielding and evading in one fluid flow. In the next heartbeat she executed "Hidden Without a Trace."
In an instant her body moved with her steps in a circling pattern, her footwork mysterious and unreadable. As she retreated, she dissolved the force of his attack—and then, all of a sudden, a palm came crashing out of nowhere.
Jia Yong was shocked; he could not reposition in time.His left shoulder took the full brunt of the blow and he staggered, feet stumbling.
Having scored a hit, how could Ling Xian'er relent?
"Where do you think you're going!"
she shouted, darting after him. Two more palms roared forth. Jia Yong hurriedly drew back to dodge, yet still took another strike.
Just then, a shadow flashed in. A hand swept through the air and a wild surge of true qi burst forth. With only a single exchange, the newcomer thrust out his right hand and seized Ling Xian'er's left wrist. Ling Xian'er's right palm shot out, but the man met it with his own left palm.
Bang!
The impact shook Ling Xian'er's whole body. She thought to herself, "Not good!" and immediately vaulted backward. Her feet had barely touched the ground when she still found herself forced to retreat several steps. A sweetness rose in her throat and a mouthful of blood spilled from her lips.
The man was none other than Old Master Liu.
Old Master Liu said,
"The two of you must pay a price for what you've done today."
With only a single brief exchange he had shaken Ling Xian'er back with a palm—his martial skill was indeed extraordinary.
Liu Yun flew in at once, stepping in front of Ling Xian'er to shield her. She said scornfully,
"And who might you be, to spout such wild boasts?"
Jia Yong, who had taken two heavy palms and only just steadied himself, now spoke with renewed swagger:
"This man is famed throughout the martial world—known as 'The Lone Walker of a Thousand Miles,' Liu Guang!"
The Lone Walker of a Thousand Miles, Liu Guang, possessed peerless martial skill; rumors said he was in no way beneath the Palace Master of the Nine Heavens Palace himself. Hearing this, Liu Yun and Ling Xian'er both felt a chill in their hearts, thinking:
"Most likely, only Tong-ge could handle this man. Why hasn't Tong-ge arrived yet?"
Just then, from the vault of the heavens came a clear, piercing whistle. A voice boomed across the sky:
"Who dares behave so wantonly upon Tianshan?"
The voice was heard, but no figure was seen. Everyone present started in alarm and turned to look toward the sound. A moment later the rushing roar of something cleaving the air approached, and soon a figure shot into view.
The astounding lightness skill of the newcomer stunned all those present. People glanced at one another in disbelief, all deeply shaken, unable to tell what great master had arrived.
Liu Yun focused her gaze and saw that it was none other than the Tianshan Elder.
The Tianshan Elder's eyes flashed with cold light as his gaze swept left and right. In a deep voice he demanded:
"Who stole Yuan'er's Tianshan Snow Lotus?"
The Lone Walker Liu Guang and Jia Yong both held their tongues, thinking, This man's skill is extraordinary, and each began calculating inwardly.
Liu Yun said,
"Senior, these men schemed against Yuan'er, stole the Snow Lotus, and even wounded him. The two of us stepped in to punish them. Since the Snow Lotus could not be retrieved, we merely demanded that those two kneel and kowtow to Yuan'er in apology."
Ling Xian'er pointed straight at Liu Guang and Jia Yong:
"Who would have thought that then these two came along, throwing their weight around and repeatedly insisting we 'pay a price'!"
At this, the Tianshan Elder's face changed. His anger flared and he could not help but curse:
"You two young ladies have shown great mercy and compassion, yet you rely on brute strength and dare to demand that they 'pay a price'?! If this old man does not teach you a lesson today, I fear Tianshan will know no peace in days to come!"
Jia Yong's eyes flickered. His words faltered and he mumbled,
"This matter… may not be entirely as they said…"
There were naturally things he dared not reveal.
What sort of man was the Lone Walker Liu Guang? On hearing this, he was taken aback for a moment, then burst out laughing:
"You white-haired old Daoist, don't get carried away with yourself! What skill do you possess?"
The Tianshan Elder threw back his head in wild laughter.
"Such big talk! Let this old one test your skill!"
With that, he launched a palm like thunder and lightning, clawing toward Liu Guang's chest. The wind of his fingers hissed with a shrill whistle, his speed unmatched.
Liu Guang raised a hand to block—but his palm met only empty air. The Elder instantly shifted from claw to grip, and the two traded several rapid grappling moves. In a flash, Liu Guang's right wrist was caught.
The Tianshan Elder immediately struck with another palm—smack!—landing squarely on Liu Guang's chest. Liu Guang's body flew backward, crashing heavily to the ground, a mouthful of blood splattering onto the earth.
The Tianshan Elder smiled faintly and said,
"I have no wish to kill. Crawl over and kneel to the two young ladies, kowtow and admit your fault, and I'll spare your dog life."
Just then, a shadow flickered—Jia Yong tried to dart away. But the Elder's body was swifter still; he vaulted forward, cutting off all escape. With a sudden palm—smack!—Jia Yong was sent flying backward and slammed to the ground, badly injured.
The Tianshan Elder said coldly,
"If you know what's good for you, kneel and apologize to the young ladies."
The Elder's martial skill was terrifying. Liu Guang and Jia Yong were frightened out of their wits and knew they could not afford to cross him.
At that very moment, the thunder of hooves rolled across the snow. Wu Tong arrived, leading the Uyghur riders and a large group of women. Seeing two men kneeling before Liu Yun and Ling Xian'er, they all halted, not daring to advance.
The Tianshan Elder barked,
"Good dogs don't block the road! You two—hurry up and kneel, kowtow, and confess!"
Liu Guang and Jia Yong, forced to swallow their broken teeth with their blood, endured the pain in their bodies and dragged themselves forward. Kneeling before Liu Yun and Ling Xian'er, they knocked their heads on the ground in apology, heedless of their shame. It was a scene that would make any onlooker cringe.
Seeing the two kowtow and admit fault, the Tianshan Elder shouted,
"You little bastards, I'll spare your lives today. If you dare return, you're dead for sure! Now get lost!"
The two scrambled to their feet. The Nine Heavens Qian-Kun Right Emissary Ling Yun and Left Emissary Li Han cried out,
"Let's go!"
The four of them used their lightness skill, leaping into the air, racing away across the sky. In the blink of an eye, they had vanished without a trace.
Wu Tong said happily,
"Senior, your skill is unmatched. Those wretches surely won't dare return."
The Tianshan Elder sighed,
"Yuan'er, hurry over and thank the two young ladies."