The one who jumped out at Qin Feng didn't waste any time answering that accusation, and simply struck out at him once more. That left the youngest of the party cursing as he lifted his own arms, including his injured one, to fend off this next attack. He was caught by surprise earlier, but was determined to block this second blow properly.
But the second contact with the black-masked assailant was enough to toss Qin Feng back against Li Changhai, who he had pulled back earlier. Blood spurted from his lips, as he felt his arms burning from the fiery metallic qi. Hurriedly, he began to circulate his own zhenqi, to dampen the power of the blow.
The trio behind him, however, was more focused on the identity of the assailant:
"Zhou Jinhu?"
"Zhou Jinhu? Fatty Zhou?"
The fellow in the black mask didn't answer, but gave out a soft grunting sound as he rushed forward to attack once more. But by then, Lin Liushui had already arrived at Qin Feng's side, and had thrown the Lin Family Dragon Fist technique against the brawny fellow.
[Fierce Dragon Leaves Cave!]
Zhou Jinhu drew his hands back at once, crossing them in front of his chest to block the powerful strike. Even then, he was forced to take three steps back himself, shaking his hands to disperse the residual force Lin Liushui's punch had left in his arms. Then he gave out a loud angry roar, as he turned to flee.
But how could Qin Feng allow him to go like that? He took the opportunity to draw his sword then, and pushed it right at the middle of the black masked man's back!
[Four Seasons Sword: Blazing Sun of Summer!]
The Summer version of the Four Seasons Sword was the fiercest and fastest of the same. And the Blazing Sun of Summer was the most aggressive sword stance that Qin Feng knew. It also drew in a certain style of the Flowing Wind Movement - the Harsh Gale Step! He had practiced this frequently, although he had not any opportunity to use the same. After all, it required that he invoke his anger, and to use the same to burn away his hesitancy, and so speed up and increase the volatility of his assault.
Well, he was angry enough to use it now!
This Zhou Jinhu had hit him once before, merely at the command of that idiot bitch in the Ducal Palace. And it seems he was insisting on finishing that particular job. Too bad Qin Feng wasn't about to roll over and just die like an obedient fellow!
The sword in Qin Feng's hand flashed, and almost touched the black-garbed man's back when Zhou Jinhu gave out another haughty grunt, and sent a fist hurtling towards the tip of the weapon, as though he was intending to smash Qin Feng's sword into fragments.
But it was clear that he had never clashed with someone from the Heaven Sword School prior to this. Nor had he any understanding of the famous Four Seasons Sword.
Sword qi spurted from the tip of Qin Feng's weapon at that moment; to be fair, it was something that Qin Feng had been waiting to do, when the enemy was close enough. It had nothing to do with Zhou Jinhu's fist technique, but rather his distance away from Qin Feng:
Summoning his sword qi was not something that he could do with any confidence. Despite his two years practicing this particular sword-form, he had only manage to do so twice. But he was angry enough, and desperate enough, to give it a try now.
And it worked!
A splash of sword qi shot out from the tip of his weapon, sheathing the sword in a layer of air that seemed to twist around the sword blade before hurtling out at Zhou Jinhu's side. The same protected the weapon from the black-garbed man's fist, and tore a gash across his knuckles. And at the same time, the tip of the sword qi pierced into the waist of the fellow, so much so that his own blow had resulted in the weapon, and sword qi, shifting downwards.
And that left a long, ugly tear in his right hip, that splattered blood liberally over the Yanyun City street!
But he did end up paying a price for it.
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Despite the fact that he had torn up the man's fist, the blow from the same had somehow made it across the sheathe of qi that surrounded the weapon. And the newly purchased sword in Qin Feng's hands - the same one that he had been promised was capable of cutting through the hide of monstrous beasts, and able to withstand their corrosive blood? The weapon in Qin Feng's hand snapped into two, leaving him with merely a foot long shard of metal in his hands!
Which was not much use against the now-furious man in black, who was throwing himself at Qin Feng, with both his fists weaving in a pattern that promised death to the young swordsman!
Within moments, that same fist pattern tore the broken sword out of Qin Feng's hand, and now hurtled towards his face!
Then Du Yan, who had taken it upon himself to stand guard over Li Changhai, stepped forward, and hurled a mighty punch at the assailant's fist pattern. A massive boom exploded even as the two martial arts techniques clashed, throwing Qin Feng back like a limp doll.
Yet, he saw, even as he back-pedaled furiously, that the black-clothed fellow was vomiting blood through his mask, as he tried his best to alleviate the effects of Du Yan's might blow. Needless to say, the brawny fellow's blow had been faster, more powerful, and had came from an angle that Zhou Jinhu could not defend against. Not while he was caught up trying to smash aside Qin Feng's sword.
Nor did Du Yan fail to make full use of his advantage. The large man jumped forwards in pursuit, and sent a second fist at the black-garbed fellow. One that caught in him back, just as he turned and made ready to flee - right where his kidneys were, from what Qin Feng could see. And that was enough to have him throwing up another mouthful of blood!
But, much to Qin Feng's surprise, the fellow was still able to kick off from where he landed, and dash away!
"Alive! Try to take him alive! I want to know who is behind this!"
That was easier said than done, Qin Feng wanted to shout at the Second Ducal Prince. It was taking all three of them close to everything they had to hold the fellow down. And the latter's lucky assist earlier had only been possible because he was aiming to kill the fellow! And Du Yan only managed to catch him by surprise because he had waited for an opportunity.
Now with Li Changhai giving away his intentions like that, it was only going to get a lot harder to tie Zhou Jinhu down!
* * *