NOVEL NEXT 165: Pill Popper Extraordinaire
Realizing their gamble of a plan had turned into something she couldn’t really call a plan, Lin Songmei sighed as she looked at the scene unfolding in front of her. She and Yan Mingqing, the true combatants, were standing in the back, hiding their alternate outfits as Han Youhong led Wang Taigang, Zhao Liying, and the other three direct disciples in being as annoying, obnoxious, and demeaning as possible towards the mayor.
With the furled up banner still in his hand, Youhong waved it in the air as Gao Kunshan’s window shattered during his speedy exit from his office. Sending glass shards into the street below, Youhong’s worried glance downward was cut short as he was grabbed by Taigang.
Shouting “INDECENT PICTURES IN YOUR AREA,” while leaping across the rooftops, Youhong trailed the other seven disciples as they kited the mayor towards the deserted neighborhoods where a full-fledged fight could take place.
Still the best at running away, Songmei paced herself to Mingqing’s max speed as they sped away from the pack towards their chosen fighting area. Because she wanted to have a bit of a duel style fight, Mingqing had requested they find a neighborhood where the street ended in a dead-end cul de sac.
Arriving at the neighborhood a fair ways ahead of the others, Songmei and Mingqing came to a skidding stop. Giving Mingqing a couple pats on the back, Songmei offered a high-five. “Catch your breath, it’s about to be a long stretch of fighting.”
“I’m not even out of breath,” Mingqing reassured while returning the high-five. “Try your best to not shoot me in the back or leg. I’ll be showing off a new sword style today.”
“Gemini?” Songmei tapped her chin, staring off into space while imagining what Mingqing had been practicing for the past couple months. “It’s the one for duo fighting, yeah?”
“Yeah, though it's mostly meant for two swordsmen, I adapted it a little so it’d work better with a ranged fighter instead,” Mingqing unsheathed her sword as Youhong’s distant shouts came into earshot. “Let’s go.”
Running off, Songmei pulled out her now trusty bow, strumming the string with light fingers while leaping onto the rooftops. With her quiver filled with glistening crystal arrows, Songmei took position behind a wall as the other six disciples appeared with their enraged target in tow.
Taking shelter behind Mingqing, Songmei stood there with a grin as the mayor came to a stop in front of Mingqing. With Qi channeled into her ears, Songmei listened in on the conversation.
“You all are impudent fools. I know your plan, but you underestimate me.” Gao Kunshan sighed, hands behind his back as he strolled around. Pausing, Gao Kunshan bent over, grabbing his face as faint groans of pain escaped his lips.
Taking a peek, Songmei did a sharp as she watched all of Gao Kunshan’s facial muscles contort and spasm before calming down. That looked... very painful.
Having braced himself to overcome his little situation, Gao Kunshan pushed his hands off his knees to stand back up. Staring off into the sky, Yang Tainshu looked back at the group, only to have his jaw drop. “W... What?!”
“Oh they all left,” Mingqing shrugged, twirling the sword with a lazy smile. “You’re not worth our time.”
“You...” Gao Kunshan growled, pulling out his own greatsword. “I’ll teach you a lesson for your impunity. You vapid, pig-eyed, piece of tra-”
Cutting off Gao Kunshan in the middle of his angry outburst, Mingqing leapt forward and sent a wave of slashes raining down on Gao Kunshan.
With a sword much thinner than Gao Kunshan’s, Mingqing backed off as Gao Kunshan leapt back and gathered himself. Pacing around in a slow circle, Mingqing laughed as Gao Kunshan struggled to get words out. Raising her sword in a ready position, Mingqing wiggled her eyebrows. “Take your time, we have all day. Maybe sounding out your words slowly will help you enunciate better.”
Watching another vein pop on Gao Kunshan’s head, Mingqing grinned. Her smile disappeared though as Gao Kunshan’s momentum began to rise. Gao Kunshan, clenching his sword, looked up at the building up above. “So it’s you and Lin... Don’t you feel like you’ve underestimated me?”
With Mingqing’s answer being the manifestation of her wings, Gao Kunshan nodded with an understanding laugh. “No wonder! No wonder you two think you have the capability of holding me back. Times have changed however!”
Popping a handful of pills, Gao Kunshan’s eyes grew bloodier as his body continued to bulk. “I have experience and power on my side. My cultivation is no longer the same.”
Still standing atop a building, Songmei couldn’t help but be confused. Though the pills raised Gao Kunshan’s Qi, it hadn’t raised it by much. From what they had observed, they predicted a close fight, and nothing seemed to have changed.
Shrugging, Songmei sat back. Mingqing had asked her to sit back and let her try to duel him in single combat first to just see how she measured against him. Songmei just needed to wait until Mingqing was on the back foot and cornered before she hopped in.
With a comfortable position on the wall, Songmei leaned back, watching as the circular pacing continued. Songmei, of course, had no idea why they paced in circles, nor did she care, but it was fun to see nonetheless.
Mingqing, with her sword raised, made slow steps mirroring Gao Kunshan. Taking a deep breath, Mingqing pressed her advantage with mobility. “Constellation Sword Art: Taurus.”
Surprising Gao Kunshan with her sudden spike in Qi and momentum, Mingqing rushed forward. Leading off with two powerful jabs, waves of icy mist began billowing off her sword as the temperature dropped.
Exchanging a flurry of heavy strikes with Gao Kunshan, Mingqing dodged his most heavy downward cleaves while trying to maneuver around him. Leaning back to let a strike sail above her, Mingqing landed on one hand, twirling as she flipped into a kick before backing off.
Mingqing, as always, was such an acrobat. Clapping from her high vantage point, Songmei watched the unfolding scene with interested eyes. As far as Songmei could tell, there was a clear difference in their fighting styles.
Mingqing’s fighting style was clean and precise. After fighting beside Mingqing for so long, Songmei could tell there were certain patterns in her movement and strike stance. Watching Mingqing fight, as far as Songmei could tell, was like watching a dancer absolutely obliterate the dance floor.
Gao Kunshan, on the other hand, had a sword style a little rougher around the edges. It got the same job done, but in a very different way. If Mingiqng’s sword style foundation was built from the artful, precise techniques she trained from childhood, Gao Kunshan’s foundation was built from desperate strikes to keep himself alive.
After those observations though, Songmei didn’t have much else to say. Postulating about sword styles was fun, but, in all honesty, Songmei had no idea what she was saying and if any of it was right.
Songmei could tell Mingqing was on the back foot though. Though Mingqing had a clear upper hand in terms of technique and mobility, Gao Kunshan’s wide sweeping slashes and gargantuan, drug-boosted strength left Mingqing without many options.
Sure, Mingqing had managed to get a couple strikes in, but most of the damage was to Gao Kunshan’s clothes. The skin damage amounted to, as far as Songmei could see, a couple of light scratches.
Gao Kunshan hadn’t landed a hit yet, but Songmei was pretty sure Mingqing wouldn’t fare as well. She wouldn’t be out for the count after a single strike, but she wasn’t escaping with anything less than a long cut.
