Chapter 13 Yuan Hou's Insults
"BAAAAAAAAIIIIII XIAOOOOOOOOOOO, come out, you bastard!"
Armed men stood in front of Bai Xiao's residence — members of the Yuan clan, led by none other than the head of the local martial school, Yuan Hou.
Bai Xiao had just stepped out into the courtyard, heading toward the kitchen, when the shrill shout shattered the morning calm. His pleasant mood vanished at once. A deep sigh of exasperation escaped his lips.
"And bring out your bastard disciple!" Continued master Yuan.
"And the day had started so well," Bai Xiao muttered.
Auntie Sun peeked out of the kitchen, alarmed. Bai Xiao gestured for her to go back inside.
From the moon gate of the garden, first a head appeared, then the whole figure of Su Zhen, his face wearing an apologetic smile.
"Master Bai, yesterday, I was attacked by the son of Yuan Hou and two of his friends. Anyway, he and his friends ambushed me from behind, and I accidentally broke his arm when I struck back. I didn't want to wake you, so I planned to explain this morning. I didn't think they'd bring their elders over something so trivial… I'm sorry, Master Bai," he rattled off in an apologetic tone.
"If they really did attack him from behind, breaking an arm sounds perfectly fair," Bai Xiao thought.
"Stay here. I'll go talk to them," he said with another sigh.
Bai Xiao opened the gates and stepped into the street. A curious crowd had already started to gather. A town guard, seeing that armed members of the Yuan clan were threatening Doctor Bai, took off at once to alert the garrison commander.
"Aha, the rat comes out. Where's your little ratling?" Yuan Hou snarled.
"From what I've heard, the real rats are your disciples who ambushed my Su Zhen from behind," Bai Xiao replied coolly.
"How dare you?! My disciples are older than your brat, and my son has already reached the first stage of internal form. Why would they sneak up on him?"
"If your son has truly achieved the first stage of internal form, then how did my younger disciple manage to break his arm?" Bai Xiao answered calmly.
"You—! It was you! You were with that bastard and forced my son not to use his defense, just so your brat could have fun! You won't get away with this!" Spittle flew from Yuan Hou's lips in fury.
"Is that what your son told you? He's just trying to excuse his weakness and cowardice."
"You think your friendship with the garrison commander will protect you? Is that why you're so cocky? Bring out your little ratling, and we'll see if he can really defeat my son in a fair fight. Let him face another of my disciples who's also reached the first stage."
Su Zhen, listening behind the gate, sensed his moment.
"If I knock another Yuan idiot into the dirt, maybe this whole thing will resolve itself," he thought.
He stepped out just as Bai Xiao was about to reply again.
"I'll fight your disciple and prove that your son struck first. He just didn't expect me to be stronger."
"Su Zhen…" Bai Xiao tried to stop him.
"Don't worry, teacher. I'm confident in my skills."
"Even if you win, I'm afraid the elders of the clan might sneak-strike you," Bai Xiao whispered.
By now, half the town had gathered to watch the spectacle.
"Don't worry, teacher," Su Zhen repeated. He stepped forward, wearing worn-out straw sandals and tattered work clothes from his time in the garden. His head was still covered by the same old straw hat.
"Sitian, go break that upstart's bones," Yuan Hou barked.
"Yes, Master," Sitian replied and gave a fist-and-palm salute to his master before stepping out.
Sitian was about eighteen — a half head taller than Su Zhen and built like an ox.
He assumed the Yuan Clan's Charging Tiger stance with his hands outstretched and lunged at Su Zhen, who took no stance at all. He simply pushed his hat back with one hand to see better.
"Nothing personal…" Su Zhen said as Sitian charged.
"Who does this punk think he is?" flashed through Sitian's mind.
Sitian closed the distance with frightening speed and unleashed a devastating low kick, aiming to sweep Su Zhen off his feet in one strike.
Su Zhen simply lifted his leg, meeting the blow with his own shin. Their legs clashed in a brutal counterstrike.
CRAAAACK
Sitian's leg snapped like a dry twig.
He screamed in agony and collapsed to the ground.
Su Zhen casually rubbed his shin, pretending that he, too, had at least felt some pain.
"Hopefully, that's enough," he thought.
"WHAAAT?!" The Yuan clan disciples stared in disbelief.
The surrounding townspeople buzzed in shocked approval.
"That brat is really good!
So it wasn't just luck that time with the soldier...
That means he is at least at the second stage."
"Your son thought he could drop me with a sneak high kick too," Su Zhen said evenly.
"You scum!" Yuan Hou shrieked and lunged at Su Zhen, sword drawn.
Bai Xiao moved like lightning. He grabbed Su Zhen by the collar and pulled him aside while hurling a stone — which he had discreetly picked up during the duel — straight at Yuan Hou.
Yuan Hou deflected it with his sword, but the moment's delay was enough for Bai Xiao to drag Su Zhen out of the way.
"Yuan Hou's at about the third stage of internal form," Su Zhen assessed inwardly, letting his teacher pull him back. "Two more at the second stage, five at the first. Sitian's done."
"Have you lost your mind, Yuan Hou?!" Bai Xiao shouted. "Are you possessed?!"
The crowd muttered:
"Yuan Hou's truly gone mad. Is he demon-possessed?"
"Acting like bandits… Bai Xiao's a respected man!"
"Su Zhen saved that girl from the rapist last year!"
Yuan Hou's knuckles whitened around his sword hilt. His eyes bulged, bloodshot with fury. He glared at his disciples.
"Kill them! What are you waiting for?!" he shrieked, voice raw with madness. "Attack! Kill them both!"