Stranger still, when this girl was flaunting her skill, her voice, carried by her internal energy, moved indeterminately to the east and to the west, floating without any fixed pattern, so that it was difficult to determine her position.
Ba Fenghan rolled his eyes; muttering under his breath, he said, "Here we go again!”
Naturally Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling knew what he meant, because that voice belonged to Chunyu Wei.
No need to mention, Tuoba Yu must have arrived as well.
Just like a hanging-boots ghost, they were always following Ba Fenghan.
From the lower level of the building to their right, an old-sounding voice said, "I am Qi Bazhou of the ‘Luoyang Eight Scholars', this time knowing that Shi Lang [Minister Shi, not sure who that is] is holding a hero feast at Tingliu Pavilion, it was laofu who is in charge of making arrangement in everything. Since Wanggong has not arrived, laofu ought to be entitled to say a few words.”
This man spoke with pride of his old age and experience, and relying only on his age. Listening to him, the crowd felt that it was a time-wasting nuisance.
Kou Zhong sprang up and shouted, "There's not much time. Shangguan Long, do you still want to be the turtle who shrinks its head?”
Sweeping over to Xu Ziling's side, he leaped up and made three somersaults in succession, over the more than ten zhang empty space, and landed on the pool wall on the other edge of the pond in the middle.
There was a thunderous applause and cheer.
Kou Zhong stood proudly, lifting his head high, and raising his cupped fist to salute, which immediately provoked another wave of cheers.
Xu Ziling swept his gaze around; he saw the several hundred people in all the rooms stood up one after another and moved toward the railings of their respective balcony to have a better look at Kou Zhong's elegant manner. Turning toward Ba Fenghan, he said with a laugh, "This kid is so impressive. Unexpectedly he snatched away Fenghan Xiong's leading style.”
Ba Fenghan's eyes shone with spirited flashes; he looked at Kou Zhong in the middle of the garden, shook his head and said with a sigh, "If I were Shangguan Long, I won't meet the enemy head-on, no matter what.”
Xu Ziling nodded in agreement.
This moment, a sudden shout like a thunder scorching flat ground rang out, followed by a shadow flashing. Shangguan Long finally showed himself on the arena, landed on the gravel path about three zhang away from the fishpond. He stood opposite Kou Zhong, separated by the pond, with a steel staff with dragonhead in his hand, in such an imposing manner.
This Luoyang Gang Leader appeared to be around fifty years of age, he had a pair of protruding ears, his stature was not tall, yet he exuded an overbearing and tough impression. He was gorgeously attired, but his face looked pale, with puffy eyes, so that those with discerning eye could easily see that he had been indulging himself in wine and women for a long time.
This moment his eyes shot vicious look as he spoke with a cold snort, "You say I am Yin Gui Pai man, what evidence do you have?”
Voices gradually subsided.
Everybody was holding their breath, waiting to hear Kou Zhong's answer.
Although there were a thousand Sects [pai] and ten thousand schools [men] in Jianghu, in term of evil reputation, nobody surpassed Yin Gui Pai.
Not only because their members were sinister and were used to savage method, but also because the way they trained was heretical, which was very different from the internal energy cultivation method and the xinfa of orthodox schools. Therefore, Jianghu people disdained them, it's just that they were incapable to deal with them!
If Kou Zhong was able to confirm Shangguan Long's true identity, he could forget to have his subordinates' support as the Gang Leader.
‘Qiang!'
Kou Zhong drew the Moon in the Well, and laughed aloud, "You want evidence? That is easy. If within ten moves I am unable to force Shangguan Bangzhu to reveal the cloven foot [i.e. unmask one's true nature], the Ol' Kou will pour a cup of tea to admit my mistake to Bangzhu.”
Shangguan Long immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
He thought that even though Kou Zhong's move was extremely brilliant, it definitely would not work on him.
In order to conceal his devilish skill, these past ten years or so he had painstakingly trained new martial art, creating ‘Ying Feng Zhang Fa' [Facing-The-Wind Staff Technique], which had 102 styles. If Kou Zhong thought that within ten moves he could force him to expose his tail, it was no more than lunatic ravings.
From Bian Bufu and Wanwan's lips he already had a clear idea of the depth of Kou Zhong's skill. Upon self-inspection, he was confident he would be able to withstand about a hundred of Kou Zhong's moves, and even had a chance of victory.
Shangguan Long stomped his dragonhead staff to the ground, creating a shockwave like a muffled thunder, so that the entire garden seemed to be shaking a little bit.
Nobody ever expected that his power was this profound; they could not help feeling worry for Kou Zhong.
In the room upstairs, Ba Fenghan spoke in astonishment, "Zhong Shao seems to be too full of himself.”
Xu Ziling shook his head and said, "Our skill will be forced out, Zhong Shao must have his way.”
Shangguan Long's laugh filled the sky above the garden; after repeatedly saying "Good!” he said, "Kou Zhong, don't you renege on your own words. Do it!”
Finally verbal sparring has turned into decisive battle.