Chapter 38: Broken Sword

Just as five longswords were less than three feet away from Lin Qi, and Enzo rose with drawn rapier, the trembling tip almost touching the bodies of those men, the heavy metal door behind them, adorned with intricate and delicate openwork patterns, suddenly swung open. A massive figure, like a great bear from the Frozen Plains of the far north, leaped out.

“Hahaha, Young Master, you’re back?” The voice roared like thunder, sending a nearly visible shockwave rippling outward. A thick iron chain flew from his sleeve, and with a harsh clanking sound, a black iron hammer the size of a child’s torso tore through the air.

The men’s swords shattered into pieces. The chain, like a monstrous serpent, slammed heavily into their bellies and backs, tearing their flesh open and nearly snapping their spines. The men screamed in agony, spitting blood as they were flung far away, crashing hard into the thick snow and unable to get up.

The huge figure landed heavily behind Arthur. Arthur, who had been stepping back, face changed as his body collided with the exceptionally sturdy figure behind him—it was like hitting a small hill, impossible to budge. Lin Qi’s fist mercilessly and solidly struck. Seizing the moment Arthur couldn’t move, Lin Qi’s punch landed on Arthur’s face. Arthur grunted, clenched his teeth tightly, and was sent flying by the blow.

The instant Lin Qi’s fist struck Arthur’s face, a thin, pale golden glow enveloped Arthur. A sacred, majestic, and powerful golden light flashed briefly and vanished. The immense force in Lin Qi’s punch, enough to shatter a bull’s skull, was completely absorbed by the golden light. Arthur suffered no real injury.

A few tiny ashes drifted from between Arthur’s fingers. Lin Qi retracted his fist, his face dark as he sneered, “A Talisman? Oh, a Talisman of the Sun God, no less. Hmm, and crafted by high-ranking Clergy at that—far stronger than that Dawn Talisman I used last time!”

A faint golden glow occasionally shimmered beneath Arthur’s skin, showing that the Talisman he used was truly powerful. Compared to the defective Talisman Lin Qi had used before, Arthur’s Talisman was a genuine high-quality item produced by the Church’s high-ranking Clergy.

Arthur gave a faint smile. Though he had been punched flying by Lin Qi, he flipped in the air and landed steadily on the ground. He smiled and nodded at Lin Qi, acting as if nothing had happened, and said, “Lin Qi, why attack me as soon as you return? What happened back then is in the past. Have you forgotten our father’s words?”

Lin Qi snorted coldly. Ironhammer, who had just burst out from the gate and nearly beaten Arthur’s five subordinates to death, also snorted coldly. Ironhammer glared fixedly at Arthur and said grimly, “Young Master Arthur, if I ever see your subordinates dare to lay a hand on the Young Master again, don’t blame me for not being polite.”

The long, thick chain and the massive iron hammer were slowly retracted into Ironhammer’s sleeve. With a vicious grin, Ironhammer looked at the men wailing in the snow and snorted, “I remember where your families live! Remember the Young Master’s face! If you ever show the slightest disrespect to the Young Master again, I swear your families will be fed to the winged frenzy sharks!”

The five men stared at Arthur with a mix of terror and despair. Arthur, also looking displeased, obediently gave a slight bow to Ironhammer and said with an apologetic smile, “Uncle Ironhammer, it’s a misunderstanding, just a small misunderstanding. This matter isn’t what you think it is.”

Ironhammer waved his hand arrogantly and tyrannically. His face remained dark as he stated, “I don’t need explanations, and I never listen to them! In short, Young Master Arthur, the Young Master can hit you, but if your people dare to raise a hand against him, this time I only injured them. Next time, though—!”

Ironhammer made no attempt to hide his malice toward Arthur. He gave Arthur a sinister chuckle and raised his hand, making a throat-slitting gesture.

Arthur’s face changed again. He lowered his head and responded dejectedly. The men who had been struck by the chain struggled on the ground for a while, finally staggering to their feet. They limped over and helped up the middle-aged man who had been stabbed by Enzo’s rapier.

Another dark figure darted out from inside the gate. Unlike the massive, bear-like Ironhammer, this man was short, shriveled, and resembled a dried-up monkey. While Ironhammer radiated a fiery, magma-like power, this man brought a chill wind with him. Everyone suddenly felt a cold shiver.

“Young Master, you’re back?” the shadow cried out with immense joy, whirling around Lin Qi like a gust of wind several times.

Lin Qi also exclaimed happily, “Uncle Butcher Knife, it’s been three years!”

With a weird “Hehe” laugh, Butcher Knife halted his dizzyingly swift movements. He was a short, skinny middle-aged man, standing no more than five feet tall. His skin was somewhat pale, but with slanted eyes, raised eyebrows, and a mouth full of rotten yellow teeth, his appearance was truly hard to appreciate. Patches of sparse, yellowish short hair dotted his head, and the rest of his scalp was covered in burn scars.

Lin Qi and Butcher Knife embraced warmly. The robust Lin Qi lifted Butcher Knife as if an adult picking up a child.

Butcher Knife quickly noticed the strange visual effect from their size difference. Grumbling, he struggled free from Lin Qi’s arms and then kicked Lin Qi hard in the rear. “Three years, Young Master—what have you been eating in Borelly? How did you get so big, almost catching up to the master?”

After a few more weird “Hehe” laughs, Butcher Knife’s sinister gaze suddenly fell on Arthur. Arthur shuddered, hurriedly bowed slightly to Butcher Knife, and without saying another word, immediately led his five subordinates, supporting the severely injured middle-aged man, downhill from Black Beech Mountain.

Butcher Knife gave a sinister chuckle and suddenly called out, “Young Master Arthur!”

Arthur instinctively turned back and replied respectfully, “Uncle Butcher Knife!”

Butcher Knife laughed a few times. He gestured toward the cavalry sword the middle-aged man had dropped a few steps away in the snow. A very thin black thread shot from his sleeve, snatching the sword and bringing it to his hand. With a flick of his right hand, several extremely fine cold gleams flashed. The steel cavalry sword broke into more than a dozen pieces with a “crack-crack” sound.

Enzo’s forehead broke out in a cold sweat—Lin Qi’s Uncle Butcher Knife was another monster!

Butcher Knife said coldly, “If I see your people disrespect the Young Master again, it won’t end so lightly next time!”

Arthur didn’t dare to utter a word. He bowed deeply to Butcher Knife, then, with a strained smile, quickly led his men away along the road.

Lin Qi showed a bright smile. Ironhammer and Butcher Knife grabbed Lin Qi’s hands and, overjoyed, pulled him through the courtyard gate. After taking a few steps, Ironhammer turned back and saw Enzo. He swung his large hand, and an iron chain shot out, pulling Enzo inside like a scarecrow.