Chapter Twenty-Four
Kaihime stared at the old man spouting nonsense before her, utterly bewildered. "Is this my future superior? Is this the noble warrior of Great Xia?"
"Who dares to fight in the camp?" A sharp shout came from behind the tent, and a ruddy-faced man appeared in Kaihime's sight. His left arm was missing, making him disabled, but Kaihime felt a strong sense of danger, making the hairs on her body stand on end.
"It's this sissy! I kindly asked her if she was one of the young master's men, and she drew her sword at me instead! She's really gone too far!" Old Man Li complained to his parent like a child who had been bullied outside.
Xu Liyan looked helplessly at the old man Li. Despite his advanced age, he was still so timid. His martial arts skills were not low, but he was just afraid of trouble. If it weren't for the fact that they were old brothers for decades, he really wouldn't want to deal with him.
"What are you doing here, girl? Don't you know that private fights are forbidden in the camp?"
"Reporting to my superior, I was sent by His Highness the Crown Prince to learn the art of healing. However, I have long admired the martial arts of the Great Xia Dynasty, so I wish to have a spar with this officer. I am ignorant of the rules, so I hope my superior will forgive me." Seeing that the red-faced man did not immediately attack but instead questioned her, Kaihime took the opportunity to sheathe her weapon and respectfully greeted him.
"I am also very interested in the Fusang sword technique. Today I have the honor of witnessing it." Xu Liyan could tell from Kaihime's expression that she was only outwardly convinced but inwardly not. If he did not make her truly convinced, who knew what trouble might arise in the future.
Xu Liyan drew his sword and struck a pose, seemingly casually. However, Kaihime, sword in hand, circled him halfway around and found herself at a loss for what to do. A sharp aura naturally emanated from Xu Liyan, causing Kaihime's fighting spirit to tremble slightly. She was both nervous and excited, realizing that she had encountered a true master.
The two remained locked in a stalemate for a moment, neither making a move, like two wild beasts who were wary of each other suddenly encountering each other in the wilderness. Neither side would easily reveal their fangs until they were certain of victory.
Finally, Kaihime couldn't hold back any longer and slashed diagonally with her sword. A flash of light instantly reached Xu Liyan's face. Xu Liyan maintained his casual stance, dragging his sword upwards. With a loud clang, both of them took a step back.
Without further hesitation, Kaihime charged forward again. Her wrist was slightly numb; the force from the opponent's blade in that previous attack was extraordinary, and more importantly, it possessed a profound resilience. This told her that Xu Liyan was not an ordinary warrior, but a cultivator, a formidable opponent she had never encountered before. However, her swordsmanship emphasized an unstoppable momentum. Now that she had begun fighting, no matter how powerful her opponent was, there was only one path: to advance to the death.
The clanging of weapons rang out continuously, attracting more and more soldiers, mostly middle-aged men, who surrounded the two, pointing and commenting. However, only a small number of them praised the martial arts skills of both sides; most of them had their eyes fixed on Kaihime's long, slender legs.
"Who is this girl? Isn't that Japanese armor she's wearing?"
"This is the Japanese female leader who had an affair with the Crown Prince. I didn't expect her to be quite capable."
"How come she's so tall? She's so much taller than all those Japanese men! The young master has good taste. Look at those long legs, they're really something." The people around him let out a lewd laugh, indicating that they agreed with his words.
Kaihime's attacks had been relentless, and her arm was throbbing from Xu Liyan's counterattacks. Hearing these old scoundrels spouting nonsense, she felt even more ashamed and indignant. She had displayed unique talent in martial arts, and years of arduous training had honed her will to an unwavering strength. But now, it seemed as if a crack had appeared in her resolute Dao heart.
In Fusang, all the masters who taught her martial arts ultimately fell to her. However, as a woman, no matter how talented she was, she couldn't obtain the cultivation techniques, even though Fusang's cultivation methods only reached the Profound Realm—a half-baked, incomplete system. She came to Daxia not only to find good homes for the women under her command, but also to fight to the death and achieve great merit, hoping her master would grant her a copy of the "Breaking Technique." But now, facing a one-armed disabled man, she felt an overwhelming sense of resistance.
Kaihime was only distracted for a moment when she felt her hand go lightly, and her katana was sent flying several feet away. A bitter feeling welled up inside her, and she stood there stunned for a moment, thinking of her own wishful thinking, two streams of tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Girl, why are you crying? You can't even take it? I've been beaten by Old Xu countless times and I've never cried once. Do you know what he used to do?"
"It's that annoying old man Liu again. It's all because of him that we rashly challenged Xu Liyan. Now we're stuck in a dilemma, all thanks to him." Kaihime glared at the gloating drunkard, her eyes blazing with anger, the raging flames overshadowing the despair in her heart.
"Why are you looking at me like that, girl? I'm the commander of the wounded soldiers' battalion, your superior. Let me tell you, this Old Xu used to be the old prince's personal bodyguard, a master of the Profound Realm! It's only natural that you lost to him!"
"Boo!" A burst of laughter erupted around them. The way Kaihime looked after her weapon was knocked away was truly hilarious to the group of old men. It was exactly like their own nephew thinking he was all grown up and ready to fly, only to get a good beating and look completely disoriented.
"A Xuan Realm cultivator?" Kaihime's heart was instantly filled with shock. She knew the status of a Xuan Realm cultivator. In Fusang, Xuan Realm cultivators were like kings; even the strongest in Fusang, Miyamoto Musashi, was only at the Xuan level. The dwarf leader, known as the Thunder God Clan, was a Di-level expert.
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