"SHIT", Xuanyi muttered loudly.
For the intruders to move so near to them, without both Xuanjing and him noticing was bad news.
"Protect the..."
Before he could complete his sentence, something long came out of nowhere and zapped past us. A large crackling noise was heard when it hit the ground. Some of the bamboo planted nearby cracked and split, next to us.
It boomeranged back. A whip! The whip was now agilely rotating very fast in our path.
Xuanjing grabbed my collar before the whip struck. Off went the both of us, sliding away.
I was nearly suffocated from the collar pressing tightly against my neck.
If I am not slaughtered by those assailants, my killer would be accidental asphyxiation.
Xuanyi was now cut off from us.
"Let's move," Xuanjing urged.
"Bbbbbb...*Cough cough* but Xuanyi, he..."
"Don't fret. He can tackle one on his own. We have to leave now." Xuanjing started pulling me by my arm, after finally realizing that he had almost crushed my respiratory airway.
Um... looks like I have no option in the matter. He was going faster in the direction of our quarters, tugging me along. At least a dislocated arm was better than strangulation.
Then he halted unexpectedly, nearly making me trip. His grip relaxed. His head turned for a brief glimpse. He swung around in a combat stance.
Someone unseen was on our tail. Well, I can't see shit, but he could sense more than I could.
Like a graceful dancer, Xuanjing jumped nimbly out of a flying dagger's approach. Away from me. Two on us now. Loud clanging could be heard from Xuanyi's last position.
Fight or flight. Adrenaline was coursing in swift progression through my veins as my hand instinctively drew out Yoturuki. I can't depend on bodyguards all the time.
Ji Feng's body was not able to use ling qi well, and his po only held memories of basic sword skills. Fortunately for me, there were enough memories of my past training in ... bloody Taichi.
I should have learnt Kendo. Then again, Yoturuki is not a Katana - the sword that is like a mobile guillotine, courtesy of the Japanese. It is a tsurugi like the Chinese Jian sword. Not appropriate for the style of the technique, which offered no comfort for this situation.
Maybe something like Wushu Kung-fu which I gave up as a child because the practice was awfully tough. The amount of beatings on my joints by the old school coach on earth - no thanks. Plus, the flexibility exercises were agonizing. Guess I should have sucked it up when I was on earth.
The sole option was to apply slow a** Taichi since the intruder could outrun me if escape was attempted. A tsurugi did look similar to the Taichi Jian sword.
'Grip, stance, arm forward naturally straight, blade vertical to the ground, rotate, turn and slowly draw a circle in the air with the blade. Keep momentum to the centre. Then return to the same position. Repeat,' the Taichi instructor's slow drawl was reiterating in my head.
Damn memories of Earth.
At least, something usable is better than nothing.
Xuanjing was already in the fight with one. From my peripheral perception, both were going hard at it. They were fast moving blurs zipping to and fro. Jumping here, there and everywhere. One moment, clanging of the swords. The thumping noises of possibly punches and kicks were heard. Followed by more sharp, shrill clanging with background screeches.
And there's us - my opponent and I at an impasse.
My eyes were locked onto my opponent on the opposite. He was most likely deciding if he should strike first. His hand moved slightly. I slid into the regular Taichi stance like a slow slatternly sloth. His eyes were following my movement, studying each move carefully.
Perhaps determining whether I was for real, or to laugh his a** off at me.
"You aren't the guy we are after," he finally declared. Albeit the stinging disappointment in his tone.
"Huh!? WHO?" I asked.
FINALLY. RELIEF. This is the first occasion that I, or rather Ji Feng, was NOT a target. I can live with that. First time for every thing. But who was the target? And why? Sounds like someone in the sect had a precious treasure.
"MEN, it isn't HIM! Just possibly a decoy. WITHDRAW!" My would be opponent yelled while walking away from us.
Xuanjing's attacker broke off the attack by leaping aside.
Phew! A case of mistaken identity.
"Should we..." Xuanjing retreated to my side as the two figures melted into the darkness.
"Follow? No." I shrugged indifferently.
Better that unfortunate person than me.
He rolled his eyes in frustration. "Look for Xuanyi. I can't seem to reach him. After all, they are targeting someone else, not you."
Work smart, not work hard.
Wait, did he say reach? Where's the mobile phone? I don't recall seeing any cellular towers here. Or hearing the telltale ringing tones.
'Ling qi practitioners at level ten cultivation can send telepathic messages. However, telepathy exacts a heavy price on the available ling qi within the practitioner, especially if the target is not in range,' Ji Feng's po whispers in my mind.
No need for expensive iPhones or that pain-in-the-a** 24 month contract plan. Still, no such thing as a free lunch. How much of an exertion on ling qi usage for telepathy? The ling qi battery system sounded worse than the original first generation lithium mobile phone batteries.
Of course, Ji Feng's po did not know. He did not hit that level when he was alive. Nor would I.
"Why can't you reach him?" I fished for the answer.
"He might be seriously injured…," Xuanjing continued walking towards the location where we last left Xuanyi at.
Telepathy is one heck of an unreliable service provider. Can't even contact anyone during an emergency, especially if one is incapacitated. What's the damn point?
"Quickly." he said in an urgent manner.
Sometimes, I did wonder if Xuanyi and Xuanjing were brothers or more. Those two were like peas in the pod. They were definitely not blood related, based on looks alone. The way Xuanjing was frowning while striding at top speed towards where we last left Xuanyi.
Could it be those two are… Nahhh… Can't be.
The burning question returned: what and who was so important that these intruders made such a brazen effort to storm a sect's headquarters?