Where is my money?!

Lai Yiteng was awed to silence until he saw a movement from the corner of his eye.

Gojun Lao was rushing towards Xian Wu after determining him to be a larger threat, but Lai Yiteng rolled across the dirt like a big caterpillar and struck at Gojun Lao's kneecaps with his palms. Only his legs were bound by the chains, so it's wasn't as though he couldn't do anything!

Deflecting his strike with annoyance, Gojun Lao aimed another kick at Lai Yiteng with vehemence.

"Obediently lie there or I will-!"

"Oh. That's right, almost forgot," Xian Wu interrupted, appearing in front of Gojun Lao like a wisp of smoke as he pulled out a curved saber, "you seem to be bullying my disciple..."

In a flash Gojun Lao had raised a large metal fan with snake motifs etched in black from his belt to block the saber. He did so just in time, right before the cold metal blade could pierce through him.

The metals screamed against each other.

Lai Yiteng observed as the two exchanged blows, racing down the street in a blur of movements like flashes of lightening, but compared to an epic battle, he had other priorities of much greater important. Untying his feet!

Exhaling a breath, Lai Yiteng quietly went about untangling the chains.

Gojun Lao's disciple, on the other hand, had his eyes trained on the battle.

"Shifu," he yelped, "take care! That man has needles in his other hand, his martial technique must be much more underhanded and vicious…"

Xian Wu just sneered clumsily, unable to look fully threatening because of his drunkenness. But soon enough a needle flashed out from around his wrist towards Gojun Lao as his saber bore down on him.

The attack was rampant yet elegant.

Graceful Dragon Technique sounded elegant and immortal, like Seven Lotus Breaths, but it was still a dragon that represented it. What are dragons but powerful, magnificent, and brutal? As such, the use of sabers for a blinding whirl of sword art was commonly practiced amongst those at Graceful Dragon Sect.

Poison? Lai Yiteng was not sure how many there practiced that, too. Perhaps Xian Wu was a weirdo.

Gojun Lai firmed his expression as he brought up his fan to block.

A small gust of wind came from the metal slots of the fan right afterwards, and suddenly Xian Wu had a small cut across his forearm. He didn't falter from it and instead twisted his blade to cut through the wind.

So the two continued their heated battle.

By now Lai Yiteng managed to untie his feet. He first raced over to Gojun Lao's disciple and kicked towards him. That disciple was already terrified of Lai Yiteng so he ran into a nearby alleyway to hide, at which point Lai Yiteng did not bother finishing him off.

He decided to help Xian Wu fight the old bastard Gojun Lao.

The giant metal fan of Gojun was pressed backwards on multiple occasions by Xian Wu's saber during this time. The tight movements of the sword provided more versatility, and the martial arts of Xian Wu were merely at a higher bar.

Knowing that he was at a disadvantage, Gojun Lao wanted to break close-range combat and switched to a strategy of kicking up winds and dust with each wave of his fan. Volatile air swirled around the street and caused a few food stands to collapse loudly.

Owners of the stands awoke in fear but didn't dare raise any complaints.

This proved little difficultly to Xian Wu as he swerved left and right, wobbling as though about to fall but somehow remaining standing nonetheless. Little needles stored in his wrist guard along his left sleeve were already coated in poison from preparations he'd made a day ago, and now he was throwing them out at Gojun An without even remembering all that well what kind of poison he'd used. After all, he was drunk and tipsy, these details are touch and go.

Lai Yiteng, on the other time, took note of all these details.

He was watching like a hawk.

The needles were infused with martial technique, they had the velocity and piercing ability to break through wind. His eyes focused onto the wrist guard of Xian Wu and whenever the man tended to throw out a needle. He honed in on that specific timing.

As Gojun Lao send out another burst of wind the flew out like a torrent, Lai Yiteng knew that Xian Wu was going to use it as cover to hide his needle attack.

Lai Yiteng had a creepy smile on his face as he stalked behind the elder's body from the side opposite of Xian Wu. He tore out his dagger and struck at Gojun Lao's back.

At the same time, Xian Wu spun his body to avoid another twister of wind, throwing out a needle at the same time.

Gojun Lao's once unshakable expression faltered.

He could not move backwards from the knife, nor abandon his defense of Xian Wu's saber. And the needle was coming like a glint of lightening.

With a faint twist to the left, he avoided the knife, but the needle touched his cheek. A single cut appeared on Gojun Lao's skin.

The startling pain made his face twist into a grimace as he leapt backwards in retreat.

But it was far too late.

The cut inflamed immediately. Blueish veins like a gruesome spiderweb popped out and spread down his neck. Now Gojun Lao had a cold sweating running down his back. This was not a time to keep up thin appearances. If the poison had such an effect on a martial artist such as himself, it did not bode well...

He cupped his hands at Xian Wu in a hurry.

"I admit defeat! It's my bad fortune to run into such a Master from Graceful Dragon Sect. Although, I'm very curious how it comes to be that you would pick up such a vicious dog!"

The 'vicious dog' was none other than Lai Yiteng, of course.

Lai Yiteng just cocked his head as he circled to Xian Wu's side, biting out the words, "It's a shame that this vicious dog caused you to admit defeat. It can only mean you were no better than a dog to begin with."

Gojun Lao gnashed his teeth, raising his fan towards Lai Yiteng with rage, but Xian Wu was still looming, rather threatening with his sword out.

Then Xian Wu hiccuped and ruined that image. "You don't need to know why~ I picked him up~"

"..." Gojun Lao scowled with bitterness.

This man was so frivolous, confident, and nonchalant...could it be? No, no, why would the Sect Master of Graceful Dragon Sect have business with this misfit Lai Yiteng? Why would he show such a disgraceful image?

It couldn't possible be him.

Gojun said, "This time my disciple and I will retreat. In return, if the Master could provide an antidote...you see, in the first place we have fair business trying to hunt down Lai Yiteng because we came from Lushang Sect. I am not aware why you are involved with him, but it would not be wise if our two sects were thrown against each other over such a trivial matter, would it?"

"Geez, stop whining, old man!" Xian Wu snapped.

Gods this conversation was so dull, he thought, and missed his alcohol.

The expression on Gojun Lai's face darkened at this remark, but Xian Wu just waved his hand dismissively and pointed the tip of his saber at him as he continued, "You'll be finnne. Peachy, even! Just go to a nearby clinic. Ahahaha..."

He laughed in a kind of unhindered manner, so Gojun Lao stroked his beard and narrowed his eyes in doubt. But he could not win against this unknown foe and the poison in his cheek was burning in an unusual manner. If he retreated he could still contact a healing expert in the nearest city, otherwise he could only press Xian Wu to give him the antidote right now.

However, this drunk martial artist was being...unreasonable.

Gojun Lao gave a low scoff of anger, making up his mind with a flick of the sleeve.

"Very well! I'll see to it that you regret your actions later."

It was all bark and no bite, however, and the Lushang Sect elder was only capable of giving a final cold glare as he turned shoulder and strode away. His disciple crept out from the alleyway and ran after him.

Lai Yiteng watched them go vigilantly, then turned to Xian Wu with disbelief. He actually chased them off? Was the poison fatal or not?!

Well, no matter, there was one thing that Lai Yiteng needed to know more than anything else.

How come Xian Wu had to money to go out drinking?!

And to the point he was this horribly drunk!