Bab 14: Tables turned

'Well now, this is unexpected. Looks like I'm fucked for sure...' A drop of cold sweat went down the back of my left ear, even though it was hot as hell. My eyebrows twitched. I didn't know at whom I should point my sword.

Ling'er and that masked woman had each held one of the brats at sword tip. If people from the Gang family tried anything funny, they'd most likely kill those two.

Also, the woman in red qipao was at 8th rank of body tempering. Even with all my fancy techniques, it was difficult to get away from her.

'Let's be real here. I'm three ranks below her and I can't use qi either. I do have spirit sense but that's basically useless in a fight with no environmental advantage. Also, I'm limited by this mortal body... Damn it, I wasn't prepared for this!'

They say geniuses can fight their way through no matter how disadvantaged they may be. Transcending realms, using heavenly techniques to keep up with real experts, determination and martial will, sudden enlightenment and breakthrough in battlefield...

All bullshit!

Those were just fantasies. As if it was that easy. Look at her, she has practiced for years, honed her skills step by step, finally reaching the 8th rank. Who dares to be so arrogant to defeat her without doing the same?

"It is me!" roared old man Lang.

"I am the one with whom you should be fighting. Don't you have any shame trying to harm inexperienced juniors!?" he suddenly sounded unreasonably righteous. Even I couldn't help but look at him in new light.

"Don't move," the man behind me said. He was in alert position. I hadn't realised that he was also at 5th rank.

I paid close attention to him, while thinking the best action for me. Which party had the advantage here? I wanted to know that.

The surrounding Gang family practitioners had 4 rank five experts among them. The rest were just rank 2 or 3, with about 10 rank four practitioners. Although the numerical advantage was clearly held by Gang family, it wasn't much considering only Gang Lang was there to lead them.

Unfortunately, Gang Wei didn't come. If he was here, maybe he could've kept that rank 8 woman busy until reinforcements arrived from the family. However, with her here, these rank 3-4 practitioners were just weak mobs to her. Add the three rank 5 practitioners (counting Ling'er), both sides had about equal power.

However, they also had Jin and Qin as hostages. This was a huge advantage. The small force here couldn't keep them from leaving if they wanted to. Clearly, I could see who held the upper hand.

Hop!

By now, almost all people in the streets had ran away from the fight that was about to happen. Thus, only me and a few cultured men were there to catch that divine sight, when she hopped down from the house top.

What a beauty, what beauty indeed...

"I'll kill your whole family," she said, not batting an eyelid.

The old man's gaze widened at that. From one corner, a nondescript rank 2 cultivator quietly started moving back, most likely to inform the Gang household.

Shuuu!

An arrow accurately peirced his temple, going from one end to another as if there was no resistance.

"Old man, keep your ants from moving. I don't like putting extra effort to crush inferior beings," she snapped. This was the first time I'd seen a woman who was both hot and cool.

The tension intensified. Old man Lang and the woman were locked eye to eye. He was sweating while she was waiting for him to make a decision.

"Who are you people? What do you want from us?" he said. I was suprised by the humility I managed to catch in that tone.

She didn't answer and beckoned Ling'er and the masked woman in black to bring the brats. She examined Jin and Qin closely. They were struggling for a while now, trying to 'attack' their enemies but to no avail.

"Aaah! Our grandfather won't let you people off," brave Qin demonstrated a moment of courage. How admirable.

He was rewarded with a tight slap on his one cheek and a sword cut on another. That was enough to shut them both.

"You dare!?" suddenly, the old man went insane and started attacking! His first target was of course Ling'er, the traitor.

For his age, he was really quick. Reaching before Lingling, he performed a fancy move, punching at her stomach.

The old man aimed low but Lingling was quick enough to backstep and counterattack with her sword.

Fight erupted on all sides. Oh wait, all practitioners except the 5th rankers went straight for the masked man.

'Alright, it's my turn,' I waved my sword, making a brilliant arc and chopping the hands of two Gang family practitioners.

Oops, I missed! I meant to chop their heads. 'Maybe I shouldn't be so cruel...'

"What!? Even you... you!!" old man Lang's hands were shaking. I could see the hatred and disbelief in his red eyes, as if I had done the vilest sin.

The woman in red and the masked man were mildly suprised, but it seemed they'd seen it coming. I was an outsider, afterall.

Even I didn't know that I was going to betray the Gang family. It just felt like I should stay on the safe side.

The masked woman and Ling'er formed one team to fight off old man Lang. The woman in red handled all the rank 5 practitioners, while the masked man and me dealt with the lower ranked mobs.

As time went by, the number of practitioners I had to fight with slowly went down.

At first, I had to take on 3-4 of them at once. Rapidly moving from my positions, I'd dodge, parry, slash, and strike in quick manners. At times, some of my enemies would manage to tear my clothes. Some of them would get my blood on their swords as well.

However, I was like a slippery snake. Most of their attacks; I just plainly dodged them. I wasn't in the stage where I could form multiple clones (whatever jutsu it is), but I rarely made any unnecessary moves. That made me more efficient and faster than others.

"Hah!"

"Shura strike!"

Clang! Clang! Clang!

"Take this despicable move if you dare!" I shouted and gave a low kick to my opponent's center.

"Ugh...oO... Aaaaa!" his family jewels were no more.

I menancingly eyed my other enemies, causing them to pay special attention to my deadly feet.

The fight continued.

The sound of men shouting and swords clanging was certainly indicative of a low level fight.

After much of the mobs were down, I started robbing the dead. The main reason I took this job was to earn money anyway. They hadn't paid me, so I had no choice. Though, I suppose I'd have tried my hand at it, even if my pockets were full.

It wasn't much, but each of them had at least 10 silvers with them. They were from an established family, after all. Some of them had nothing. A few of them also had family techniques but those were useless to me.

It was only after I'd stolen tens of golds worth that the others started noticing me. My hands were just that fast.

I stood up after pocketing another gold coin from a rank 4 practitioner. That was a huge find.

Ling'er was looking at me with a "suprised pikachu" face, while stepping over the fallen old man Lang.

Placing the money in my safe pouch, I quickly hid it under my robes. After that, I played with my hair and struck a cool warrior pose, like those shown in movie posters.

The fight was nearing an end. Of the four rank 5 practitioners, no one was left alive. The woman in red just played with them, the gap was huge. It was not just about cultivation; her fighting style was more refined as well.

I'd seen their fight. She hadn't used a single weapon. I internally reminded myself to be wary around her.