Chapter 6, Are the girls foolish?

As soon as He Jiyue landed and steadied himself, Xu Jie’s long knife was already rushing towards him, targeting the very moment when He Jiyue was unable to maintain his balance.

Perhaps the youth's eyes still hold anger, anger directed at Yun Shuhuan, who was struck away and left far behind, unaware of the circumstances.

However, this man truly did not expect that his own sect's young lady would fall in this rural area, and to these rural farmers at that. Even this Miss He, if placed in the martial world, is a figure of considerable standing; it is indeed rather perplexing that she has encountered such a situation tonight.

Xu Jie smiled even more broadly and said, "Yun girl, you are too fragile; your martial arts skills are not yet perfected, and you need to put in more effort."

It was the boatman who had just rushed to He Jiyue's side, now holding a drawn sword in his hand, who angrily exclaimed: "Xu Family Town, truly bold indeed. My Fengchi Sect has never been at a disadvantage; what happened today will surely be avenged in the future"

Xu Jie did not consider that he seemed to be inferior to this Yun girl. If it were not for Yun Shuhuan risking his safety to block that blow, there would be no later remarkable feats from Xu Jie. Perhaps Xu Jie was aware of this, but he could not help but tease Yun Shuhuan.

At that moment, a cane suddenly appeared from a distance, colliding with the swiftly flying blade of a knife.

Scholar Xu observed Yun Shuhuan's silent demeanor and found it somewhat uninteresting. He turned to look at He Jiyue, who was also present but remained silent.

Old Xu was momentarily taken aback upon hearing this, but soon regained his composure. As he walked towards the salt goods and the corpses, he remarked, "I don't know what happened; it was just a futile fight."

He Jiyue no longer faced the battle with the same ease as before; a treasured sword danced continuously in front and behind, reflecting the cold light of the moon that flickered incessantly. His figure also kept moving to the other side, attempting to escape this situation of being attacked from both front and back

Yun Shuhuan is not concerned with matters of chivalry and righteousness; after leaping up, he directly positioned himself behind He Jiyue, forming a pincer attack with Xu Xiucai, showing no hesitation. The knife in his hand moved as swiftly as lightning, seemingly even faster than Xu Xiucai.

Yun Shuhuan's expression darkened upon hearing this, clearly unable to tolerate the mention of the words "Yun girl" by Xu Xiucai. However, this time Yun Shuhuan did not remain silent; instead, he said, "She is older than I am"

Having spoken, He Jiyue swiftly made his way towards the small boat, his footsteps light, the white garment still dancing in the wind

Thus, it is even more evident that the people in the town are quite formidable. Not to mention my second uncle, even my eighth uncle is much more capable than I am. There are also several elders who are clearly not mere farmers. Many others, who usually toil in the fields with their faces to the dirt and backs to the sky, can skillfully wield a hoe when in a good mood, and I fear they are also quite skilled.

Xu Jie took a few steps forward, his face devoid of any smile, and said: "Hurry up and move the things, Young Master, I am awaiting your esteemed presence"

However, Xu Jie also turned his head and said, "Eighth Uncle, help that foolish woman move a bit."

Yet the flash of the sword did not cease at that moment, continuing to strike towards Xu Jie

Upon hearing this, Xu Jie’s cold gaze suddenly softened, and his figure involuntarily paused for a moment. Finally, he clearly saw the panicked expression of the woman in white before him, and then glanced at Yun Shuhuan, who had just sat up from the ground in the distance.

Upon hearing this, Scholar Xu did not feel that he was as Xu Zhong described; he simply said: "Second Uncle, when it comes to fighting, what is there to discuss about compassion and the heart of a Bodhisattva? If one is unwilling, then we just fight!"

"Jie'er, that's enough!" Xu Zhong shouted.

However, Xu Zhong did not directly charge into the battle group, but instead stayed close to the periphery of the three-person combat circle, his eyes flashing with brilliance.

After a loud explosion echoed in the air, the sword light paused, and Yun Shuhuan had already flown out like a kite with a broken string, with half of a blade still dancing in the air. Yun Shuhuan's long knife had been shattered into two pieces, the hilt still gripped in his hand, while a section of the blade had already broken off.

In fact, He Jiyue has not had any real combat experience with others. Since childhood, he practiced martial arts in the mountains, and by the age of nineteen, he had only descended from the not particularly high Fengchi Mountain no more than twice a year. When he did come down, it was merely to stroll through lantern festivals and purchase some items for women.

Yun Shuhuan, like a maggot in the bone, moved without the slightest hesitation, seamlessly coordinating with Xu Jie, continuously following in the footsteps of He Jiyue. The two wielded their blades, enveloping He Jiyue in a shroud of light.

Xu Zhong naturally noticed that He Jiyue, after becoming agitated, unleashed his ultimate skill. This skill had already reached the limits of the human body; after leaping into the air, he could still rotate at such a rapid speed that the sword in his hand could only be seen as a shadow. This sword strike, expending all his strength, was indeed a desperate blow in the heat of battle

Xu Jie was also somewhat caught up in the heat of battle, with only thoughts of fighting in his mind, not considering anything else at all. That one strike pursued relentlessly, yet he did not think for a moment that if it were to succeed, there was an eighty to ninety percent chance that a woman would perish as a result.

This sentence, foolish woman, was not spoken softly, and naturally reached the ears of He Jiyue, who had already walked a short distance ahead. Upon hearing it, He Jiyue's footsteps slightly paused, but she did not turn back; instead, she quickened her pace and headed directly onto the boat

Yun Shuhuan touched his legs and feet, then shook his slightly dazed head. Although he felt some pain in his body, he knew that there was nothing serious, and he spoke sparingly: "I am fine"

He Jiyue looked at the blade light of the immense force that was less than a step away from him, his face flushed, and there was a hint of panic in his eyes. He exerted force in his legs to retreat, raising his long sword again, but it was already too late for the long sword.

After speaking, Xu Xiucai walked past Xu Zhong, also bypassing He Jiyue in white, and headed straight for Yun Shuhuan, who was struggling to get up. Upon approaching, he opened his mouth to ask: "How are you, Yun?"

With comparison and experience, Xu Jie finally understood the differences in skill levels. Otherwise, the masters in Xu Jie's mind were either Qiao Feng or Guo Jing, with their Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms akin to tanks and cannons

Yun Shuhuan had neatly tied up her hair, yet she truly fell silent.

The three individuals engaged in battle are, in terms of true experience, essentially novices. This point has clearly been seen through by Xu Zhong. If He Jiyue were a battle-hardened warrior, the outcome of this fight would indeed be open to interpretation. Even in the face of danger, any person from the martial world would instinctively roll on the ground to escape, yet this woman simply refuses to do so. Perhaps this woman is somewhat foolish, foolish enough to prioritize her clean clothes over her life. Even in the face of danger, any person from the martial world would instinctively roll on the ground to escape, yet this woman simply refuses to do so. Perhaps this woman is somewhat foolish, foolish enough to prioritize her clean clothes over her life.

Looking at the side, Lao Ba's expression changed in shock as he exclaimed, "Brother, this woman has gone mad"

He Jiuyue sheathed his sword behind him, had already turned around, and yet said, "Leave a few bags of salt; with their skills, they need not fear anyone coming to their door."

Yun Shuhuan and Scholar Xu both widened their eyes, looking up at the woman in white descending from the sky. Without having time to think of any countermeasures, they heard Yun Shuhuan shout loudly: "I will block, you kill"

Upon hearing this, Xu Jie looked around at Yun Shuhuan's appearance, and indeed, he seemed to have no issues, which made him feel relieved. He then glanced at Yun Shuhuan's disheveled hair and suddenly laughed, saying: "Young man Yun, after that fall of yours, with your hair all over the place, you truly resemble a young lady."

Xu Zhong's cane broke, yet he stood very steadily on one leg, and then said: "Jie'er, your murderous intent is indeed a bit too strong. When engaging in combat, one must maintain rationality and be able to control oneself. This is something you need to practice more."

Scholar Xu was being steadily pushed back by the white-clad He Jiyue, and it was evident to many present that He Jiyue was not exerting his full strength. A person without the intent to kill would not unleash their strongest fighting power.

He Jiyue became increasingly flustered, yet she also displayed her anger. With her brows furrowed, she let out a crisp shout, exerted force with her legs, and leaped into the air, already halfway up. She then began to spin rapidly, and the sword light above the two of them became indistinguishable.

Xu Zhong nodded while turning around, holding a half-length cane in his hand, which served as a walking stick, and its height was just right.

At this moment, He Jiyue might have known that there were perhaps other methods to evade the situation, such as rolling on the ground like a donkey. However, this thought only flashed through He Jiyue's mind for an instant. Dressed in pristine white clothing, she had a personality akin to a cleanliness obsession since childhood, which did not allow her to perform such an action that was both ungraceful and unclean. Thus, she could only exert force with her legs to retreat.

Scholar Xu found some truth in these words. The young woman in white appeared to be at least eighteen or nineteen years old, older than both of them. He then laughed and said, "Yun girl, you are also boasting quite a bit. When I boast about surely passing the imperial examination, I might feel a bit embarrassed. Yet you don't even blush."

Although it was awkward, Scholar Xu did not feel that he had anything to be guilty about. If it weren't for this foolish woman hiring someone to help with the work and not having a good attitude, these subsequent events would not have occurred. Ultimately, it is still this woman who is foolishly self-righteous.

Yun Shuhuan was taken aback upon hearing this, and quickly raised her hand to tidy her hair bun, removing the wooden hairpin and reattaching it to her head.

With just a slight push of Xu Zhong's single leg against the ground, a crutch was already suspended in the air, and his body, relying solely on that one leg, leaped forward for more than two zhang, demonstrating extraordinary skill

He Jiyue did not expect that in the midst of the duel, there would be someone so disregardful of the principles of the martial world, suddenly launching an attack against him as if it were a sneak attack, which left him somewhat flustered.

With a crisp sound, the cane broke into two pieces. The boy's blade also came to a halt in mid-air

The "she" referred to by Yun Shuhuan is naturally He Jiyue in white clothing. The implication of the words is that He Jiyue is older than him, and after two years, Yun Shuhuan is confident that he is not inferior to others

Xu Zhongwen frowned upon hearing this, yet he did not respond, instead directing his gaze towards Xu Jie.

Such a desperate move is usually only employed in extremely dangerous situations when one is fighting for their life. This is because once this move is executed, one will inevitably be left without strength for what follows. If not practiced to perfection, not only will one be left without strength, but it will also be difficult to land and stand firm again.

Xu Jie finally saw the sword light clearly, raised his blade to block, and immediately felt a tremendous force coming at him, causing his body to involuntarily retreat backwards

This statement caused Xu Jie to feel a tightness in his heart, and he displayed an expression of embarrassment as he turned to look at the Nanliu faction ship that had just set sail from the dock, feeling even more awkward.

Scholar Xu could not withstand He Jiyue's assault. Meanwhile, Yun Shuhuan, who was watching from the side, brandished his long sword and, while in mid-air, had already joined the fray

Even He Jiyue's words reveal why this woman said those foolish things before the fight. He Jiyue did not carry as much as one hundred taels of silver on her person, yet she was unwilling to leave two bags of salt here. He Jiyue knew that if she left even two bags of salt in Xujia Town, the Nanshan Gang would surely come to demand them the next day. Therefore, by not leaving the salt, she also intended to avoid bringing trouble from the martial world to this farming town.

At this moment, the situation no longer allowed Xu Jie the luxury of contemplating his next move. He clenched his teeth tightly, exerting force through his legs, retreating four or five steps, and finally managed to halt his backward motion. Subsequently, he gathered his strength and leaped forward.

Looking again at the white-clad figure of He Jiyue as she landed, she truly stumbled and was unable to steady herself. It was not that He Jiyue was unskilled in this particular move, but rather that facing two consecutive powerful impacts had ultimately slightly disturbed her bodily balance.

Xu Jie has evidently become increasingly confident. In the past, he was unsure of the level of martial arts he practiced, but this time he feels that he appears to be like a master, capable of competing even with the experts from major sects.

He Jiyue's previously indifferent expression had already transformed into one of sheer panic. His enormous eyes met those of the boy pursuing him, and he noticed that the boy's eyes were as cold as ice, devoid of any emotion, focused solely on the enemy before him and the battle at hand

At this critical moment, the boatman, who was still on the small boat, had already rushed over, having seen the woman in danger and intending to rescue her. However, the distance was rather too great. This boatman was not an ordinary person; he was also a skilled individual from Fengchi Mountain, for otherwise, he would not have been able to propel the small boat swiftly against the current with just his own strength.

Yun Shuhuan had already erupted, with the long knife pressed against his body, erecting a barrier on one side. His entire body charged straight towards the indistinct sword light.

Yet the speed of retreat cannot compare to the speed of advance. The oncoming flash of the blade is already drawing nearer, showing no sign of letting up.