Dejectedly Xu Ziling put the saber back into its sheathe as he sighed and said, "I can't accept losing this way, because just like last time, you are exploiting our kind-heartedness.”
Shen Luoyan pretended to be surprised, "Other than hacking people with your saber, don't you know any other way to subdue others?
Kou Zhong put his saber down, he giggled and said, "We did not lose, because although you entered the room, you did not crash through our barrier. The word ‘crash through' implied some fighting is involved!”
Shen Luoyan glanced at him with the corner of her eye; still with a smile on her face she said, "How about we sit down and talk? Wow! Now the two of you look pretty nice.”
The two boys sat on the chairs leaning against the wall on her left side. Looking straight at her alluring eyes that look just like limpid autumn lake, Kou Zhong said, "You want to talk, let's talk. We still want to visit the brothel!”
Shen Luoyan stared at him angrily, she said irately, "Do you not know that those girls in the brothel are really pitiful? Just with some money in your pocket you feel that you are entitled to toy with them; don't you have any shame?”
Taken aback, Xu Ziling said, "I have never thought about it that way. But if no one visits them, and they don't earn enough money to redeem themselves, won't they continue to live in desolation?”
Kou Zhong stated matter-of-factly, "Isn't that Yihong Courtyard opened by your Wagang Army? Why are you criticizing us?”
And then with a cold humph he added, "Everything is born because there is a demand for it; otherwise, who would want to go to the battlefield to kill or be killed?”
Shen Luoyan knitted her brows. "What are you talking about?” she said, "Yihong Courtyard has always been Du Fuwei's eyes in this area. To us, Wagang Army, it's a business.”
The two boys' countenance changed.
Shen Luoyan smiled and said, "You love to fool around at the pleasure houses, that's enough. Now that Qin Shubao has surrendered to our army, what do you, two little kids, have in mind?”
Kou Zhong sprang up and went to the open door; craning his neck, he looked outside wondered aloud, "The sound of our fighting shook the house, but how come there is no one come over to check it out?”
Shen Luoyan said indifferently, "Are you forgetting that we want to capture you alive? There is an inescapable net outside, even if you, two little demons, grew wings, it would still be difficult for you to fly away.”
With a wry smile Xu Ziling said, "Do you not know that this is called ‘biting the hand that feeds you'?”
Shen Luoyan slyly replied, "I only have your well-being in mind. Right now the whole country is in rebellion. To bring order out of chaos, only Duke Mi one person is able to do it. If not for the fact that you have given me a big favor, I would not have time to invite you to join our army.”
And then, a bit impatiently she added, "Quickly make your decision! I don't have time to waste on you.”
Listening to her tone, the two boys' pride was hurt. With a cold snort Xu Ziling said, "If you don't have time then excuse yourself! We, two brothers, love to roam the wide sea and sky, to live free and easy life.”
A thick, cold murderous aura flashed through Shen Luoyan's eyes; she suddenly rose up and in a flash was already by the door. With her back toward the two boys, she coldly said, "Since I cannot use you, I must kill you. Don't even think of leaving this place alive today.” In another flash she vanished outside the door.
The two boys looked at each other in dismay. It only then did they understand why this ‘Pretty Junshi', whose beauty matched the immortals, was also known as ‘Serpent and Scorpion Beauty' [see Book 3 Chapter 4].
The two boys stared blankly for half a day. Even then, there was still no movement outside. Kou Zhong took a very deep breath and said, "What do you think? Shall we kill our way out?”
Xu Ziling maintained his composure. He shook his head and said, "Rushing out just like that is tantamount to deliver our lives in vain. Perhaps as soon as we step out the door, there would be a big net coming down to catch us, two fools. I say she still wants to capture us alive.”
And then he added in low voice, "Just now when we heard Ol' Die's name our countenance changed. With her keen eyesight plus her skill and knowledge, how could she not hear even half a word about us? Obviously she already knew our background; therefore, she spent so much effort, mentally and physically, to win us over, so that we will willingly offer ‘Duke Yang treasure trove' to her.”
Kou Zhong was astonished, "Xiao Ling, you are really something. Unexpectedly you are able to infer so many things just from her reaction. Ha! I have an idea. Remember what Ol' Chen of Jukun Bang taught us about architecture? This hotel is made up of eight courtyard houses. We are located at the west wing of the east courtyard, the door is facing the flower garden in the center of the courtyard, outside the wall opposite the door is the main garden surrounding the eight courtyards, with towering trees all around. Therefore, if we can get there, our chance of escaping will be a lot higher.”
Xu Ziling looked at the wall opposite the door, where the bed was located; he smiled wryly and said, "We are not Zhai Rang, how could we break through the wall and flee?”
And then he looked up to the ceiling and said with a sigh, "If my guess is correct, there are definitely enemies up there.”
As usual, Kou Zhong always had a plan. First, he closed the door, and then he told Xu Ziling, "Keep watch for me, I am going to loosen a few bricks.” Finished speaking, he pulled his long saber and jumped onto the bed.
Xu Ziling moved to the window by the door. When he looked outside, he saw more than a dozen big men jump down from the roof of the building across the courtyard, and immediately fanned out along the corridor, heading toward their direction.
He was just about to warn Kou Zhong when there was a loud ‘boom!' from above, the roof tiles rained down, followed by an iron-tower like man with a pair of hammers in his hands, falling down.
In that instant Xu Ziling threw away his conjecture that Shen Luoyan wanted to capture them alive; he was well aware that this ‘Serpent and Scorpion Beauty' has indeed chosen the evil scheme to kill them.
At this moment, he was reliving the situation where a mob of gangsters was about to kill him.
Everything became incomparably clear.
He knew clearly when this big man was going to land, as well as his falling speed; so much so that he also knew what the man was about to do next.
The difference was that now he knew how to deal with this situation.
He clearly knew that if he let the opponent unleash the power of his pair of huge hammers, which weighed over a hundred catties each, not only he could easily force Xu Ziling put the door, it would also be extremely difficult for Kou Zhong, who was standing by the wall, to escape with his life.
In this moment where life and death was hanging by a thread, his mind and spirit became crystal clear; he completely forgot about life and death. Focusing his willpower and all the strength he could muster, he readied himself for the exact moment when the opponent would touch the ground. Stepping forward in large strides, his entire being moved as fast as lightning, even his saber chopped down swiftly.
Indeed as Xu Ziling expected, the big man had already made up his mind that as soon as his feet touched the ground, he would borrow the momentum to shoot forward to increase the power of his hammers to thundering tens of thousand catties. Once he sent Xu Ziling out the door, his companions would chop him into thousand pieces, and then he could focus his entire attention to deal with Kou Zhong.
To his surprise, however, as he was exerting his strength, the saber aura already enveloped his body. He felt that no matter where he wanted move to evade, or perhaps to block the attack and launch a counterstrike, he simply was not able to.
When he broke the roof tile, he was really underestimating the enemy; he thought that they were just two kids, it would not be hard to catch them. How could he know that in terms of timing and the angle of attack, Xu Ziling's chop has reached a top quality martial art expert level?
This moment he already had no time to think whether the opponent was indeed very formidable, or he just happened to use a move sent by the gods in heaven. In his extreme panic, he threw his pair of hammers, one to Kou Zhong, the other to Xu Ziling; while at the same time he pushed his palms forward to generate reaction force with strong gust of wind. With no other choice, he clumsily had to jump out from the place where he came in.
In the meantime, Kou Zhong, who was standing on the bed, was about to turn around to help. Suddenly he saw a big iron hammer was flying toward him. "Good throw!” he shouted.
In a flash there was a loud ‘Boom!', followed by bricks and mortar flew everywhere as the iron hammer broke through the wall.
Xu Ziling also easily evaded the other flying hammer. He let the hammer hit the wooden door, sending splinters of wood everywhere. Finally the hammer itself landed on the courtyard outside. Meanwhile Xu Ziling let out a wild cry, concentrated his power on his brows, and charged toward the broken wall.
How could Kou Zhong not understand Xu Ziling's intention? He also exerted his strength and charged toward the broken wall.
‘Boom!' The two boys, along with fragments of brick and stone, leaped into the neighboring room. Outside the door was precisely the big garden surrounding the eight courtyard houses.
They shot forward, burst open the door, and ran outside.
This move was obviously outside the enemy's anticipation, unexpectedly they did not see anybody blocking their way; however, they heard the rustling of the wind from the tiled roof behind them.
The two boys did not dare to tarry, they immediately unleashed the full potential of the ‘Bird Crossing Technique taught by Yun Yuzhen; like an arrow they shot into the park. With several twists and turns, they went deep into the forest.