Chapter 60: Eagle-Bro, Save Me!
In Qingshan Town, a huge crowd had gathered. The Fierce Tiger Mercenary Group, now fully recovered and led by Yan Hu, had assembled in front of the Myriad Medicines Pavilion, drawing plenty of spectators.
"Sigh, it was bound to happen sooner or later—Qingshan Town's rare case of a doctor-patient dispute," one mercenary among the crowd commented.
"Still, that Yan Hu's a man of principle. A year ago, when things went south, he didn't act recklessly. Didn't lash out over personal grudges," another whispered, referring to the infamous mountain fire from the year before.
Outside the pavilion, the short but powerfully built Yan Hu stood with arms folded, eyes closed, armored bracers on his forearms. Behind him, his mercenaries formed a semi-circle, blocking outsiders from approaching.
Finally, under the watchful eyes of the masses, the Myriad Medicines Pavilion's doors opened. Master Yao stepped out, dressed in simple robes, looked around, then sighed and addressed Yan Hu.
"Sigh… Was all this really necessary?"
"If Master Yao dislikes crowds, we can spar inside the pavilion's courtyard. No one else has to witness the outcome," Yan Hu replied calmly. He actually held great respect for Master Yao, but still couldn't resist wanting to punch that eternally calm face of his.
After all, it was with that exact same serene look that Master Yao had once told him: "It's hopeless. Cut it off."
And so Yan Hu became "Yan Hu" (虎 = tiger; 虍 = castrated joke). He lost his, well… you know.
He'd wanted to punch Master Yao for a long time, but with the pavilion's reputation, he hadn't found a reason persuasive enough—until now.
"Since it's come to this…" Master Yao sighed again, resigning himself to what was inevitable.
"Hold on!"
A clear, confident voice interrupted him, drawing everyone's attention.
"Huh? That kid's not dead after all!"
"Knew it. Too bad his weapons shop's been closed—I haven't been able to get decent gear."
"…He looks even prettier now! If I were a guy, I'd totally fall for him!"
"…???"
Jiang Lin, dressed in black martial robes, squeezed his way through the crowd. He'd taken a bit too long parking his bird, nearly arriving late enough for Master Yao's face to meet Yan Hu's fist. That would definitely earn him a lecture from Xiao Yi Xian.
"Captain Yan Hu! I accept your challenge!" Jiang Lin shouted boldly the moment he stepped forward.
Yan Hu simply looked at him silently, then nodded. "Put on your armor. Let's fight."
Whether punching Master Yao or Jiang Lin, all Yan Hu really wanted was to fulfill one last wish—then leave Qingshan Town without regrets.
Jiang Lin shook his head. "No, no, armor would only limit my performance."
Yan Hu's brow twitched. "You sure? Even if you're just letting me vent, I won't go easy."
"No problem! Everyone clear some space! Even if Captain Yan Hu turns me into a pig's head, I, Jiang Lin, won't make a sound!" Jiang Lin quickly waved the crowd back. Last thing he needed was for a stray arrow to take out a random bystander.
"…So touching!" The crowd was oddly moved by Jiang Lin's self-sacrificial bravado.
"Don't worry, Xiao Linzi! If the captain goes too far, we'll gang up on him!" someone from the Fierce Beast Mercenary Group shouted. Apparently, even after a year of rebuilding, there were still rebels in the ranks. Yan Hu's face turned black as he glared back—damn it, the ringleader was his vice-captain!
"Captain's got a weak stance—strike low!" another shouted, already exposing Yan Hu's weaknesses and offering last-minute advice. Of course, he didn't know Yan Hu had long since perfected his lower body.
Face dark with irritation, Yan Hu shouted at the still-organizing Jiang Lin, "Are you fighting or not?!"
"Let's go!" Jiang Lin yelled back. With a click, he pulled out the Black Feather Bow. The wings unfurled, the bowstring twanged, and several Dou Qi arrows shot toward Yan Hu in a surprise attack!
"Damn! That black bow is awesome!"
"Master Jiang, name your price—I want that bow!"
Thankfully, the big bird hadn't shown up yet, or Jiang Lin would've completely lost it.
"That's… a Dou Artifact Bow! And Dou Qi arrows! Master Jiang's craftsmanship has really advanced!"
The appearance of the Black Feather Bow—its elegant mechanical design combined with intricate Dou Artifact aesthetics—instantly sent the crowd into a frenzy of admiration.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
The Dou Qi arrows barely rippled against Yan Hu's Dou Qi armor. He stared intently at the bow in Jiang Lin's hands, realizing: his investment had paid off!
Still, acknowledgment aside—he was going to beat this kid. Maybe not too hard, but hard enough to teach him what it meant to face a Dou Grandmaster.
Bang!
With one explosive step, the stone beneath Yan Hu cracked. He charged like a mountain tiger, ignoring the weak arrows as he dashed straight for Jiang Lin.
His supposed "bad legs" were only an issue against opponents of the same level. Against a mere Dou Practitioner, his burst speed was terrifying!
And then—
Boom!
Yan Hu missed. Jiang Lin, seeing him charge, quickly retracted his bow and activated the special effect on his boots and his Burst Step technique, sprinting away at full speed.
"Trying to kite me? Nice try! Tiger Leap Step!" Yan Hu growled. His pale yellow Dou Qi formed a faint tiger shadow. With each leap, he gained on Jiang Lin.
"Crap! Eagle-bro, save me!" Jiang Lin shouted as he heard thunder rumbling behind him. One glance back showed Yan Hu gaining rapidly—his Tiger Leap Step outpaced Jiang Lin's Burst Step! If he got caught without armor, he'd be toast!
SKREEEE!
Right on cue, a massive eagle burst from a nearby rooftop. Its piercing screech startled the entire town.
"A magical beast?! Are we under attack?!"
"No, look—it's the blue eagle from the Myriad Medicines Pavilion!"
"Look at Master Jiang's move! That airborne escape's more underhanded than a low blow!"
Amidst the chaos, Jiang Lin leapt upward, grabbed Blue Eagle's talon, and flipped himself gracefully onto its back. In perfect sync, the eagle spun and caught him mid-air.
Click!
The wings of the Black Feather Bow expanded again. Jiang Lin, riding the wind above the stunned crowd, nocked an arrow and aimed coldly at the speechless Yan Hu below.
"Just a mere Dou Grandmaster… Even standing still, I, Jiang Lin, can defeat you from above!"
Yan Hu could only stare dumbfounded at the sky, where Jiang Lin stood tall, fully transformed into a radiant figure.
After a long silence, Yan Hu growled, "Fierce Beast Mercenary Group, we're leaving!"
"Next stop—Black Rock City!"
(END CHAPTER)
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