Fang Shuwen was ultimately at a disadvantage for not knowing any Lightweight Technique. The three-li distance wasn't exactly far, but it wasn't close either. He hurried as best he could before finally arriving at Lake Heart Cottage.
From a distance, he saw a man and a woman fighting, and it was clear the woman was losing.
He didn't have to guess who was who. He saw that the young woman was about to be killed by the man in the black robe.
He immediately let out a shout and, with a flick of his wrist, threw the single-edged saber that hung from his side for decoration.
He didn't know any Hidden Weapon techniques; he threw the saber purely on instinct.
But Fang Shuwen possessed the Muscle Strengthening Scripture at the Great Perfection Level, and his hand-eye coordination was far beyond ordinary. Even without knowing the proper technique, his aim was impeccable.
The blade whistled through the air, heading straight for the black-robed man.
Although the black-robed man didn't know who the newcomer was, he didn't hesitate to retract the blow meant to kill Zhou Qingmei.
With a SNAP, he flicked open the folding fan in his hand, using its surface as a shield to protect his chest.
There was a dull THUD!
The force behind the saber far exceeded the black-robed man's expectations.
The fan, forged from Profound Iron, was instantly shattered, and the saber slammed violently into his chest.
The relaxed expression on his face vanished. His eyes bulged as if they would pop from their sockets, his features contorting as he completely lost his composure.
The immense force sent him flying backward with a WHOOSH.
He flew much farther than Zhou Qingmei had, soaring over ten zhang. He tried to right himself and land on one knee as she did, but the overwhelming force made it impossible.
He could only tumble across the ground like a rolling gourd for another three to five zhang.
He finally came to a stop, sprawled wretchedly on the ground. He coughed up several mouthfuls of blood, his hair disheveled, his previous dignified image completely shattered.
He couldn't help but glare furiously at Fang Shuwen.
"Who… Who goes there?"
"A Zhou Family's Guard."
Fang Shuwen actually took the time to answer him as he reached Zhou Qingmei's side.
Zhou Qingmei was heavily injured. In addition to the internal damage from that palm strike, she had several external wounds.
She stared at Fang Shuwen, her expression a mixture of shock and doubt.
"You're… a Zhou Family's Guard?"
"How is the Zhou Family!?"
"Everything was fine when I left. I'm not sure about now."
He looked at Zhou Qingmei and decided to confirm her identity.
"You are the young miss of the Zhou Family, Zhou Qingmei?"
"That's right."
Hearing this, Zhou Qingmei's anxious heart finally settled a bit, but she couldn't help asking:
"Are you really one of my family's guards?"
It was no wonder she was so skeptical. How could a mere guard—not even one of the esteemed retainers—possess such incredible Martial Arts?
"My name is Fang Shuwen. You can find it on the roster in the Zhou Family Accountant's office."
"If you don't believe me, Young Miss, feel free to go and check."
"Master Zhou entrusted me with ensuring your safety… It's a good thing I arrived in time."
As he spoke, Fang Shuwen helped Zhou Qingmei to her feet. It wouldn't do for her to keep kneeling.
Then, he walked over to the black-robed man.
A hint of surprise appeared in his eyes.
"Your Inner Strength is that profound? And you're still not dead?"
"???"
The black-robed man's eyes were already splitting with rage, and he looked as if he wanted to flay Fang Shuwen alive.
Now, hearing those words, his fury was mixed with bitter indignation.
This was an absolute, utter humiliation!
'If my Inner Strength were truly so profound, how could I have possibly ended up like this?'
To make matters worse, Fang Shuwen looked utterly sincere, which only deepened the man's humiliation.
He didn't know that Fang Shuwen's words were, in fact, from the bottom of his heart.
Having mastered his Inner Strength, every move Fang Shuwen made now contained immense power.
In his haste, he had used considerable force. While it was still a far cry from his full strength, based on his experience, if a blow like that had landed on the middle-aged man from earlier, it would have likely blown him to smithereens.
Yet this man was still alive. It was clear he was no ordinary opponent.
He was the most powerful of all the people Fang Shuwen had encountered tonight.
"…You can kill me or torture me, do as you please! But do not… do not humiliate me!"
The black-robed man, oblivious to Fang Shuwen's thoughts, had just stammered out the sentence when Fang Shuwen grabbed him by the scruff of his neck. He lifted him like a baby chick, hauled him over to Zhou Qingmei, and tossed him onto the ground.
The poor man, an expert in his own right, was now so grievously injured he couldn't resist. Being tossed like that, he ended up with a mouthful of dirt.
For a moment, tears almost streamed down his face.
The pain was secondary; it was the sheer indignity of it all.
'When had he ever been treated like this?'
"I'm just a Family Guard. Whether to kill or torture him, shouldn't that be up to my employer?"
Fang Shuwen glanced at Zhou Qingmei.
"Young Miss, he says to kill him or torture him, as you please."
The black-robed man's eyes rolled back, and he GAGGED, spitting up another mouthful of blood.
Purely out of rage.
'It was supposed to be a defiant statement, so how did it sound so completely different coming from Fang Shuwen's mouth?'
Zhou Qingmei was a bit dazed herself, but she collected her thoughts, looked at the black-robed man, and asked in a low voice:
"Who exactly are you people?"
The black-robed man sneered.
"Zhou Qingmei, don't think you've escaped your fate today…"
"You… You did something you shouldn't have done. You offended… you offended people you shouldn't have offended…"
"I'll go on ahead. On the Yellow Springs Road, I'll be waiting for you… both!"
He specifically glanced at Fang Shuwen before adding that final word.
After saying this, he suddenly spewed a mouthful of blood and breathed his last.
Zhou Qingmei's expression was grim as she checked his pulse.
"He severed his own heart meridian."
Fang Shuwen, however, frowned.
'From what the black-robed man said, it seemed their main target was Zhou Qingmei.'
'If that was the case, it would explain why they had already infiltrated the Zhou Family, and why Song Li was killed so early on.'
'Yet they didn't make their move right away, instead waiting for nearly an hour…'
'They were using that time to find someone!'
'But if that's the case, things seem to have gotten a bit troublesome.'
Fang Shuwen glanced at his mission. As expected, there was no indication it had been completed.
He looked again at the dead black-robed man on the ground, and finally, his gaze fell on Zhou Qingmei.
"Who on earth did you offend?"
As the saying goes, a wretched life is better than a good death. Even though the black-robed man was severely injured, with his level of Inner Strength, he might have had a chance to survive if he'd wanted to.
Yet he chose to end his own life.
That wasn't something an ordinary person could do.
Such an act was reminiscent of a death-sworn warrior.
Either that, or he had a secret he was willing to protect with his life.
But either way, it meant this man's identity was anything but simple.
Recalling the man's dying words, it was clear that there were more experts behind him. Zhou Qingmei's crisis was not over just because this man was dead. This incident was far from finished.
But for Fang Shuwen, this was not good news.
'Although this would extend the duration of my doubled Talent, the current situation makes me feel like I've been dragged into a very troublesome mess.'
Zhou Qingmei opened her mouth, about to say something, but before she could utter a word, she coughed up another mouthful of blood.
Then, her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed, unconscious.