Chapter 54: Loyal Heart, Broken Ties
Qin He wielded his Judge's Twin Pens with extraordinary force. His skill in using them to strike pressure points was unmatched in the martial world. With the pens spinning between his fingers, he thrust straight toward the vital acupoints on Dharma King Zhao Ke's body. Every move targeted pressure points, the pen tips whistling sharply through the air.
Zhao Ke had never encountered such a weapon. Caught unarmed, he quickly dropped his shoulders and dodged, struggling to parry with empty hands. He leaped backward, then swept his arms apart, sending out a gust of wind with both palms. The force surged like a tidal wave. Qin He was startled, but twisted aside, lifting his Judge's Pens and launching another attack without hesitation. His movements were agile and fluid, striking quickly at the vital points.
There's an old saying in martial arts: "An inch shorter, an inch more dangerous." These Judge's Pens were only seven inches long, but like daggers, they were compact and deadly—designed for close-range killing, each move perilous.
Zhao Ke ducked, leaped, and darted left and right, barely retaliating. Fighting barehanded, he was cautious, biding his time for a mistake. He knew that against a powerful enemy, outcomes were hard to predict. Without full confidence, it was better to play defense.
They had already exchanged over a hundred moves when suddenly Qin He changed tactics. His precise, straight "regular script" strokes turned into wild "cursive script" ones. The Judge's Pens began weaving unpredictably, crisscrossing through the air with astonishing grace. The crowd watching could hardly believe their eyes and burst into exclamations of awe.
Then, Zhao Ke deliberately exposed a weakness at his chest, baiting Qin He. Qin He noticed the flaw and smirked subtly. He moved quickly, raising his Judge's Pens for a sudden strike—left pen darting toward the exposed chest.
But Zhao Ke shifted his body in a flash, sidestepping the blow and instantly countering with a move called "Jade Maiden Weaves the Shuttle." His right hand struck forward, his left hand swept across his waist defensively, pivoting on his heel to the right. His elbows guarded while his palms thrust out—smack! Both palms struck Qin He, who staggered back, blood surging in his chest. He coughed up blood, clearly injured. It was a risky maneuver that turned the tide and stunned the crowd into thunderous applause.
Just then, Dharma King Shi Ming watched grimly as his allies fell one after another. The stakes were far beyond honor—this battle would decide whether the Baihuo Cult would side with the Tang or the Yan court. Defeat likely meant death. He could no longer contain his unease. Realizing that Zhao Ke was gaining the upper hand, he suddenly shouted:
"To hell with martial etiquette—everyone attack at once!"
In that instant, the "Black and White Duo" made their move—"White Piece" He Qian and "Black Piece" Xie Guo lunged in with lightning speed. Zhao Ke tried to respond but was instantly overwhelmed. Dharma King Li Rui rushed in to help, and soon the four of them were locked in a chaotic melee. Zhao Ke's hands and feet moved constantly, but his once-composed face now showed urgency. Gritting his teeth, he shouted:
"Shi Ming! You collude with outsiders against our own! I'll never forgive you!"
Shi Ming sneered, laughing loudly:
"Zhao Ke, you can't even save yourself, and you still talk tough? If you kneel now and surrender, maybe I'll spare your life. But wait too long—and it'll be too late."
At that moment, "Long-Browed Eyes" Wu Sheng joined the fray, helping He Qian attack Li Rui. Meanwhile, the previously injured Qin He had recovered somewhat through internal energy circulation. Fueled by fury, he too rejoined the battle, teaming up with Xie Guo to gang up on Zhao Ke.
A few exchanges later, Dharma King Li Rui could no longer hold out. Overwhelmed by four opponents, he was struck twice and thrown down to the ground inside the Sacred Flame Hall. Zhao Ke tried to break through to aid him, but was too late. Shi Ming's men surged in, tying him up tightly in a five-flower bind.
At that moment, Zhao Ke paused just a second too long. Xie Guo struck with both palms, while Qin He resumed his fierce pen technique, targeting pressure points. Zhao Ke dodged Qin He's pens, but Xie Guo's twin palms slammed toward him. Though Zhao Ke deflected one, he couldn't avoid the other—bam! He was struck squarely in the chest, staggering.
In that split second, Qin He struck with deadly precision, piercing three key points: Yunmen, Qimen, and Dantian. A sharp hiss rang out as one pen stabbed a major pressure point—Zhao Ke collapsed instantly, unmoving.
The Baihuo Cult disciples were stunned speechless, paralyzed with disbelief. Taking advantage of the chaos, the Black and White Duo acted decisively. In no time at all, they had captured the Cult Master and the other two Dharma Kings as well.
That night, under a cloudless sky, with a bright moon and stars glittering like embroidery, the decisive battle came to its end. With the help of martial experts, Dharma King Shi Ming seized final victory. He wore a self-satisfied smile. Had he lost tonight, his reputation would have been in ruins. Now, triumphant, he waved his sleeve and shouted:
"Bring them forward!"
Soon, his men dragged the cult leaders forward, bound like prisoners. The five of them were forced to kneel before the Sacred Flame Hall.
Zhao Ke turned his head sorrowfully and said:
"Brother, you gave your life for the cult without reason… I truly cannot forgive myself."
He hadn't expected that Dharma King Li Rui would pay such a price. Fate had played its cruel hand.
But Li Rui answered boldly:
"A man dies for the one who understands him. I have no regrets."
Facing death, the two men exchanged a smile. They had no fear of death—their brotherhood was true to the end.
Zhao Ke lifted his robes into the wind and sighed deeply:
"To have one true friend in life—no regrets."
He recalled that both of them were upright, iron-willed men. And now, at the end of their journey, their grand ambitions had all vanished like a dream. Inevitably, there was sorrow in his heart.
Suddenly, Shi Ming let out a treacherous laugh:
"Zhao Ke, I admit your martial skill is unmatched in your cult. If it weren't for all these martial experts ganging up on you, tonight's outcome would have been far from certain."