Wang Hai stepped forward to greet him, and Zhao Dehua rose to respond warmly.
On one side was an experienced Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards), well-traveled and accustomed to receiving guests with Li Miao. On the other was a seasoned Jianghu Escort Head , shrewd and deliberately trying to ascertain the background of Li Miao and his two companions.
The two enthusiastically chatted, and Zhao Dehua invited Li Miao to join them for a meal, which Li Miao readily agreed to.
After the meal, both sides had a general understanding of each other.
Li Miao’s group was Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards), so of course, they couldn't tell the truth. Wang Hai said that the three of them were sworn siblings and were traveling to Mount Tai to visit relatives.
Zhao Dehua didn't find any flaws in their story and felt somewhat relieved.
By the time the meal was finished, it was completely dark outside, and the two groups returned to their respective rooms to rest.
Li Miao's three rooms were adjacent. As they reached the doors, Wang Hai was about to push his door open to rest when Li Miao called out to him.
“Xiao Hai, go sleep with Xiao Si tonight,” Li Miao suddenly said.
“Ah!? My… My Lord, I… I…” Wang Hai’s face instantly flushed to his ears upon hearing this. Despite being a Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards), he was still an inexperienced youth, and he harbored some secret feelings for Xiao Si.
Hearing Li Miao say this so abruptly, he was instantly flustered and stammered, unable to speak.
“What are you thinking?” Li Miao chuckled, “Xiao Si is someone I picked up and raised since she was four or five. Do you think you can do anything without a betrothal gift?”
“I'm telling you to protect her. I have something to do tonight and won't be able to look after this side.”
Wang Hai immediately calmed down.
After all, he had been a Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) for many years and had followed Li Miao for a long time. As soon as he heard it was serious business, he got into the zone.
“Yes,” he responded, and entered Xiao Si's room.
Li Miao returned to his room, first unhurriedly taking a sip of tea, then lying on the bed for a while.
Outside, the watchman’s three gongs sounded, indicating it was the third watch. Only then did he get up, open the window, and with a flash, he was gone.
————————
The autumn wind was bleak, and the moonlight was obscured by clouds.
Not far from the inn where Li Miao and the others were resting, a person was crouched on top of a civilian house.
It was the Masked Woman who had ambushed Zhao Dehua last night.
She was dressed in a night-traveling outfit and still wore her mask.
She hadn't left after last night, secretly following Zhao Dehua's group. When the night was quiet and she estimated Zhao Dehua was likely resting, she prepared to act again for revenge.
Just as her toes left the ground to leap.
She suddenly heard someone speak behind her.
“You won’t be able to beat him like this.”
“!!!”
The Masked Woman's pupils constricted sharply.
Who was speaking? She had been concentrating and on guard, yet someone had managed to get behind her without her noticing at all!?
At this moment, with both her feet off the ground, she couldn't change direction, making it the most dangerous moment!
In her desperation, the Masked Woman no longer had many reservations. She reached behind her into her satchel and drew out a short sword.
With a sudden burst of power from her waist, she forcibly twisted half a circle in mid-air, thrusting the sword straight behind her!
Clang!
The Masked Woman couldn't help but reveal a look of utter horror.
Because the short sword she had thrust out was now clamped between two of someone's fingers, not moving an inch.
At this moment, the Masked Woman's feet landed, and she immediately leveraged the force to thrust straight, using all her life's cultivation, trying to force the sword through those two fingers and stab the person speaking.
However, no matter how much force she exerted, the short sword was like it was inserted into a giant rock, not moving at all.
“That’s more like it.”
The person said.
“Watching you fight last night, I felt something was off. Your hand techniques were decent, but your footwork seemed like that of a beginner, not suited for close-quarters combat.”
“Drawing your sword is much better. This is the martial art you practice.”
“Hua Mountain Swordplay, direct lineage. Are you a Hua Mountain disciple? Why are you concealing your identity to deal with an escort leader?”
The Masked Woman's eyes turned cold as her sect's lineage was revealed. She let go of the short sword.
She retreated several steps, drew a long sword from her satchel, and coldly looked at the speaker.
Her conflict with Zhao Dehua was a personal vendetta, and she didn't want to involve her sect, so she had avoided using sword techniques in combat. Even when startled, she had drawn a short sword to fight, not her most familiar long sword immediately.
Since her sect's lineage had already been seen through, there was no need to pretend anymore, so she naturally used her most comfortable long sword.
The Masked Woman clearly saw the person speaking and exclaimed in surprise: “It’s you? Who exactly are you?”
“Now it's my turn to ask you,” the person said calmly. It was Li Miao.
The Masked Woman snorted and said, “After I stab you a few times, it will be my turn to ask you.”
“Don’t think that just because you saw me fight that old dog without a sword, you can take me lightly.”
“You might be able to clamp my short sword, but you might not be able to clamp my long sword!”
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With that, she held her sword horizontally in front of her, preparing to attack.
Instantly.
Only a “Swoosh!” could be heard.
Buzz—
The sword in her hand actually snapped into two pieces instantly!
The broken blade fell to the ground, making a crisp sound.
The Masked Woman cried out in pain, gripping her right hand with her left, blood continuously seeping from between her fingers.
In that instant, she felt a massive tremor from the sword, which directly shattered her palm.
At this moment, Li Miao’s voice came: “Palm techniques, finger techniques, short sword, long sword.”
“Whatever martial art you use, whatever weapon you use, it makes no difference to me.”
The Masked Woman looked up to see Li Miao holding the short sword he had taken from her in his right hand, the tip of the short sword missing a section, while his left hand had just dropped from in front of him.
She couldn't help but be horrified: “You used the sword tip!?”
Li Miao had actually broken her short sword in that instant, then flicked the sword tip, breaking her long sword!
What kind of martial art was this!?
Hua Mountain was a famous and powerful sect, and as a direct disciple of Hua Mountain, the sword she used was naturally not ordinary.
It would be understandable if a weapon broke during a clash with a master.
But who could shatter a hundred-refined iron sword with an unarmed hidden weapon technique?
A sword is not a saber, and Hua Mountain Swordplay does not use heavy swords, but rather flexible, lightweight swords. They can bend and have toughness ! Yet, it was broken into two pieces with one strike.
Not to mention that the person used the tip of a short sword. Leaving aside the act of breaking it with bare hands, a sword tip is light and thin. It's plausible for it to cause a cut, but how could this person flick it out like a battering ram!?
Her internal energy protected her body, yet her right hand was just grazed by the residual shockwave from the sword, and it was covered in blood.
Is this even human?
Must escape! Quickly escape! This person's martial arts are unheard of; she is definitely not his match!
The Masked Woman rose to flee, and again heard a “swoosh” sound.
A strand of hair floated down in front of her, and her masked face covering also fell off.
Li Miao leisurely said, “This short sword of yours, excluding the tip, I can break it at least seven or eight more times.”
“How could you think you could leave?”
“Behave yourself. I have something to talk to you about.”