“Thief, quickly hand over the treasures you stole from Lingyu Manor!”
Seeing his father entangled in a fight with one of the men in black, Zhao Gang turned to Meng Xiaoyu, who was holding a millennium snow ginseng in one hand and a sword in a defensive stance, and shouted.
Meng Xiaoyu merely glanced at Zhao Gang after hearing his words, then turned her attention back to Ling Yuer and the middle-aged man fighting.
“You… take this!”
Ignored by Meng Xiaoyu, Zhao Gang was furious.
Remembering the humiliation of being defeated by another thief in black earlier, his impulsive nature took over, and he charged at Meng Xiaoyu with his sword.
Meng Xiaoyu, who had been alert to her surroundings, easily noticed Zhao Gang’s move and sidestepped his attack.
She then kicked Zhao Gang’s right hand, sending his sword flying.
“I don’t want to hurt you, so don’t provoke me,” Meng Xiaoyu said coolly, turning away from Zhao Gang, though she still kept an eye on him.
Zhao Gang, stunned by the loss of his sword, couldn’t believe it.
He stared at his empty hand, muttering, “How is this possible? Just one move… one move…”
Meanwhile, Zhao Tianyu, who had been watching Meng Xiaoyu, moved in front of Zhao Gang, his eyes fixed on Meng Xiaoyu.
“Gang’er, step back,” he ordered.
“Uncle, I…”
Zhao Gang was at a loss for words, but under Zhao Tianyu’s gaze, he reluctantly stepped aside.
Zhao Tianyu, seeing Zhao Gang retreat, turned to Meng Xiaoyu with a smile.
“Little girl, we meet again.”
“Meet again? I don’t remember meeting you before. You must have mistaken me for someone else!”
Meng Xiaoyu denied, feeling uncomfortable under Zhao Tianyu’s gaze.
“Heh, perhaps you’ve forgotten the Hero Conference a month ago?”
Zhao Tianyu continued to smile despite Meng Xiaoyu’s denial.
“Hero Conference? What Hero Conference? I don’t know anything about that,” Meng Xiaoyu insisted.
“Never mind if you don’t remember. But could you return the treasures you stole from Lingyu Manor?”
Zhao Tianyu’s tone turned stern as he demanded the return of the stolen treasures.
“Treasures? What treasures? Where are they?”
Meng Xiaoyu feigned ignorance.
“Heh, aren’t the treasures on you?”
Zhao Tianyu chuckled, though his eyes remained cold.
“On me?”
Meng Xiaoyu looked at herself, then feigned realization.
“You mean this snow silk armor and the millennium snow ginseng?”
She laughed, “These are indeed treasures, but they’re not yours. I bought them from a merchant. You can ask her,” she said, pointing to Ling Yuer, who was still fighting.
Zhao Tianyu’s face darkened.
“Since you refuse to return them, I’ll have to take them by force,” he said, attacking Meng Xiaoyu.
Seeing Zhao Tianyu attack, Meng Xiaoyu dodged and defended, saying, “You’re so annoying, old man. I told you I bought these from a merchant. Are you trying to rob me?”
“Heh, the snow silk armor, millennium snow ginseng, and the Ziyun Twin Swords in your hand are rare treasures passed down in my Zhao family.
How could a mere merchant have them?”
Zhao Tianyu said, his attacks swift and fierce.
“You say they’re family heirlooms, but where’s your proof?
Do they respond when you call them?”
Meng Xiaoyu retorted, blocking Zhao Tianyu’s claw aimed at her shoulder.
“Hmph, since you won’t admit it, I won’t waste words,” Zhao Tianyu said, intensifying his attacks, each move filled with killing intent.
Meng Xiaoyu narrowly dodged a strike aimed at her head, glancing at the tree trunk behind her, now marked with deep gouges.
She thought, “That was close. If I hadn’t dodged, I’d be dead.”
With this in mind, she became even more cautious.
As Meng Xiaoyu and Zhao Tianyu fought, Ling Yuer and the middle-aged man, the third master of Lingyu Manor, were also locked in a fierce battle.
Zhao Gang, who had been ordered to stand aside, raised his hand and commanded the guards, “Everyone, attack! Capture those two thieves!”
As soon as Zhao Gang gave the order, the guards, who had been watching, rushed forward.
“This isn’t fair!”
Meng Xiaoyu cursed, dodging Zhao Tianyu’s attack and kicking down a guard who charged at her with a knife.
No one paid attention to her complaint.
Blocking another of Zhao Tianyu’s powerful strikes, Meng Xiaoyu used the sandalwood box containing the millennium snow ginseng to smash the head of another guard attacking her.
“Wife, don’t fight head-on. Look for a chance to escape,” Ling Yuer shouted to Meng Xiaoyu while fighting off guards and the middle-aged man.
However, she was distracted and took a punch to the stomach.
“Hey, are you okay?”
Meng Xiaoyu asked worriedly, fending off attacks from Zhao Tianyu and the guards.
“I’m fine. We need to find a way to escape.
If this continues, we’ll be at a disadvantage,” Ling Yuer replied, defending against the middle-aged man and the guards.
“Escape? Easier said than done. My sword skills aren’t great, and I’m struggling just to defend myself. How can I find a chance…”
Meng Xiaoyu’s eyes suddenly lit up as if she had an idea.
She dodged Zhao Tianyu’s attack and quickly raised her left hand.
“Old man, you want your treasures back? I’ll give them to you now,” she said, channeling her inner energy and throwing the sandalwood box containing the millennium snow ginseng far away.
“I’m returning the millennium snow ginseng and the Xuanfeng Token!” she shouted.
Zhao Tianyu initially didn’t care when Meng Xiaoyu threw the box, but his expression changed when he heard her mention the Xuanfeng Token.
He leaped towards where the box had been thrown.
Taking advantage of Zhao Tianyu’s distraction, Meng Xiaoyu used the Wind Walking Steps technique to swiftly move among the guards.
Her movements were fast and unpredictable as she quickly slashed the tendons of the guards’ legs, incapacitating them.
Ling Yuer, seeing the guards fall one by one, was shocked but then smiled.
“I underestimated Xiaoyu’s skills,” she thought.
However, she was distracted again and took another punch to the stomach.
“Hey! Be careful!”
Meng Xiaoyu quickly moved to Ling Yuer’s side, her tone anxious.
Ling Yuer, supported by Meng Xiaoyu, tried to smile and say she was fine, but instead, she coughed up blood.
Seeing Ling Yuer cough up blood, Meng Xiaoyu grew worried.
But before she could say anything, the middle-aged man attacked again.
Meng Xiaoyu had to set Ling Yuer aside and engage the man.
Fueled by anger, her attacks were fierce and filled with killing intent.
However, her lack of swordsmanship skills left her with many openings, and she was soon forced into a defensive position by the middle-aged man, who had also drawn a sword.
