Chapter 5: 5.第5章 、不速之客

Strolling casually across the rooftops of the bustling marketplace, tiles crunched beneathfoot. The pitch-black night sky was scattered across the endless expanse of green tiles and red walls. Between the abrupt protrusions of flying eaves and the high-flying banners of shop signs, the laughter and clamor from the teahouses and taverns drifted into the ears. Not far away lay the Ji Estate.

The Ji Estate

Nianci Gardens

Ji Kece’s Boudoir

As Ji Kece struggled to prop up her body, preparing to take a bath, she noticed a slight movement on her roof. She turned her head and signaled to Mansui with her eyes.

Mansui nodded and opened the door. After glancing at Kule and Pianfu and looking upward, the two understood the situation immediately. Mansui then closed the door.

Kule and Pianfu both nodded and, using Qinggong, immediately flew toward the eaves to capture the two uninvited guests.

The two figures were dressed in black and seemed to use the same techniques to prevent Kule and Pianfu from catching them. Their faces were masked; one might even mistake them for the same person.

This made things somewhat difficult for Kule and Pianfu, as the martial arts of all four were evenly matched.

Kule engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the Tiandixing assassin, Shun (originally sent to scout the State of Sheng; now that the State of Sheng has been destroyed, it has been incorporated into the Yidu Dynasty).

Assassin Shun felt his blood rushing upward and swung a punch toward Kule's face. Caught off guard, Kule took a solid hit. Letting out a muffled groan, Kule wiped the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, leaped into the air to retreat several steps, and landed on the rooftop eaves.

Assassin Shun moved swiftly toward Kule, reaching out an empty hand to grab the back of Kule's head. However, Kule witsly bent his body and lowered his head to evade Shun's move.

Kule extended his left leg while his right foot lightly tapped the roof beam, preparing to use an "embroidered flower leg" technique to break through Shun's attack. Shun reacted instantly; his left leg was separated from Kule's left leg by a mere hair's breadth, and the two retreated several steps.

Kule and Assassin Shun both extended their "eagle claws," dodging with agile bodies. In an instant, both parties' eagle claws were at each other's throats, separated by only a millimeter.

On the other side, Pianfu and Assassin Jie (originally sent to protect Fei Qingyan, who has since passed away) had fought for several rounds. Both drew the daggers they carried and lunged toward one another.

With the help of the moonlight, the daggers on the other side emitted a faint, cold glint. The reflected light caused Kule and Assassin Shun to lose their will to fight and turn their gaze toward the other side.

Kule and Assassin Shun, who had been fighting hand-to-hand, hurried toward the other side. Their Master had said that they must not harm that woman.

Just as Assassin Jie and Pianfu were about to strike, Assassin Shun and Kule intervened just in time. The daggers of both sides were held a mere three millimeters from each other's hearts.

Both Assassin Shun and Kule broke into a cold sweat; had they been more intent on fighting, those two would likely have become ghosts slain by daggers!

"Jie, have you forgotten the Master's orders?!" As soon as Assassin Shun spoke, Assassin Jie lowered his weapon.

Pianfu also lowered his weapon. Upon hearing the name of the man in black, Kule and Pianfu knew it was a moniker. Jie was one of the top assassins of the Tiandixing Sect.

The Tiandixing Sect had five top assassins: Yao, Shun, Yu, Jie, and Chuan.

Kule crossed his arms, looking down at the two men in black. Their attire was virtually identical. He rubbed his chin, watching them with a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Pianfu glared at them huffily, pointing at them with slight annoyance, "You two... are two of the Tiandixing Sect's top assassins?!"

Assassin Shun and Assassin Jie nodded slightly. Pianfu pointed at them even more irritably, "Why have you come to the Ji Estate so sneakily?! What is your business?!"