Huo Xiao Di's hand trembled, and even his body couldn’t stop shaking slightly. His face alternated between pale and flushed, while the veins on his forehead throbbed incessantly.
Slowly, his short sword began to rise, as though it weighed a thousand pounds. The Yin Yang An in his hand emitted a chilling “hiss,” like a black venomous serpent, poised to coil and deliver its deadly kiss.
The sword seemed to carry a dark energy. With its venomous aura, a faint stench of decay accompanied the hissing sound, drifting into the air.
The black blade reflected Zhan Ri Fei’s face, which, to Huo Xiao Di’s astonishment, remained calm and composed.
After a moment, Huo Xiao Di gritted his teeth, and with a sudden flick of his toe, he released the pressure points he had sealed on Zhan Ri Fei’s body.
This unexpected move surprised Chang Hong Bi, whose puzzled gaze now shifted to Huo Xiao Di.
But Huo Xiao Di didn’t return the look.
Through clenched teeth, he spat, “Draw your sword!”
Chang Hong Bi almost thought he had misheard.
Even Zhan Ri Fei couldn’t help but ask, “What?”
Huo Xiao Di’s eyes brimmed with a mixture of anger and pain, his teeth still clenched tightly. His words sounded as though they were forced through his teeth.
“I caught you off guard and restrained you. You must be feeling humiliated.”
With a swift kick, he sent Zhan Ri Fei’s longsword sliding across the floor toward him.
He continued, “The honor of Ling Long Manor cannot be tarnished in my hands. If you have any dignity, draw your sword!”
A sudden warmth flickered in Zhan Ri Fei’s eyes, yet he made no move to rise from the ground.
—Could it be that he no longer had the strength to stand?
“Unfortunately,” Zhan Ri Fei said softly, “my sword is not meant for friends.”
Huo Xiao Di’s voice rose sharply. “Who said I’m your friend, you demon! Draw your sword! Ling Long Manor does not kill unarmed men!”
Zhan Ri Fei looked at Huo Xiao Di calmly and replied, “If you’re certain I’m a demon, then there’s no need for the rules of Jianghu. To be honest, I no longer even have the strength to draw my sword.”
Huo Xiao Di’s voice cracked with frustration. “Why are you telling me this?! Do you think by admitting your weakness, I’ll go soft on you? That I’ll find an excuse to avoid this fight?!”
Zhan Ri Fei didn’t respond. His gaze shifted to the window, and in an instant, his expression turned ashen. His lips moved, as though trying to speak, but no words came out.
Huo Xiao Di followed his gaze to the window. The crescent moon hung high in the sky, casting its pale, cold light. Its reflection shimmered faintly on the blade of Yin Yang An, which suddenly trembled in his hand with a soft “clang.”
—Midnight had arrived.
Huo Xiao Di’s face turned as pale as the moonlight itself.
“It’s already midnight.”
“And your ‘Old Friends at First Sight’ poison has begun to take effect.”
Zhan Ri Fei couldn’t utter a word. His face twisted in agony, his lips bitten to the point of bleeding. The turmoil within his body, the sensation of being slashed by a thousand invisible blades, rendered him silent. To Huo Xiao Di, it felt like witnessing a nightmare—a nightmare eerily familiar. Memories of Tang Tian Hao flashed vividly through his mind, as clear as if they had just occurred. For a moment, he didn’t know what to do.
Suddenly, his sleeve was tugged. Looking down, he saw Chang Hong Bi clutching it tightly, his face as pale as death itself.
Huo Xiao Di tried to comfort him. “Don’t worry. As long as I’m here, he won’t harm you.”
His words seemed to calm Chang Hong Bi, but the sword in Huo Xiao Di’s hand wavered, rising and falling indecisively. He couldn’t bring himself to strike.
Despite the torment of the Old Friends at First Sight poison, Zhan Ri Fei’s eyes remained sharp, unwavering, as though they could see through everything. Chang Hong Bi couldn’t stand it; he wished he could gouge out those piercing eyes.
Huo Xiao Di’s frustration boiled over. “Do you think that just because your poison has flared up, I won’t dare kill you?”
Even he couldn’t explain why the thought of Zhan Ri Fei deceiving him hurt so much. After all, he had only known him for two days. Their encounter was fleeting, a chance meeting as ordinary as any other in the Jianghu, where travelers’ paths cross only to part again.
Yet, despite his pain and weakness, Zhan Ri Fei’s lips twitched into a faint smile—a proud smile.
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