Flower Stealing Master

Chapter 935: Stealing Talents

Most of the guards in the hall exchanged uneasy glances. Even a master like Gongsun Zhi had been killed by the opponent in a single move—what chance did they, mere foot soldiers, have? They would only be throwing their lives away.  

Qiu Qianren hesitated for a moment and glanced at Ouyang Feng beside him. Noting that the latter remained unmoved, showing no intention to intervene, he seemed to grasp the underlying message and also abandoned any thought of taking action.  

In the end, it was Tudan Alichuhu who first responded to Wanyan Liang’s command. Hailing from the same clan as Tudan Zhen, he shared a deep bond with his clansman. The sight of his companion’s severed head had long fueled his desire for revenge. Upon receiving Wanyan Liang’s order, he roared and charged forward without hesitation.  

Two of the four chief guards, Yelu Yuanyi and Xiao Tanggudai, hesitated briefly before joining the assault. Though their friendship with Tudan Zhen was not particularly close, they understood the principle of “when the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold.” If the three of them combined their strengths and utilized their coordinated attack techniques, they might still overcome Song Qingshu. But if even Tudan Alichuhu fell, all would truly be lost.  

Facing the combined assault of the three, Song Qingshu did not dare to be careless. Although he had not witnessed how easily Xiao Tanggudai and Yelu Yuanyi had subdued Daiqisi earlier, he had seen with his own eyes at Autumn Fragrance Pavilion how even a top-tier expert like Yang Guo had been caught off guard and subdued by them. He knew better than to underestimate them.  

“Be careful!” Daiqisi, recalling how she had been subdued by their coordinated attack, couldn’t help but call out a warning.  

Song Qingshu had not expected her to warn him and responded with a grateful smile, which drew a suspicious glance from Empress Pei Man beside Daiqisi. “Do you know him?”  

Daiqisi, flushed at the memory of that night, shook her head. “No.” She herself didn’t understand why she felt concerned for him. Was it because they had shared a bed that night, giving her a peculiar sense of connection? The thought was absurd—she was no young girl to lose her heart simply because a man had seen her body.  

“If you don’t know him, why are you worried about him?” Empress Pei Man’s innate sensitivity as a woman made her wary of Daiqisi’s unusual reaction.  

“Falling into his hands is still better than falling into the hands of that lecher Wanyan Liang,” Daiqisi replied calmly.  

“That’s just your assumption,” Empress Pei Man said, her cheeks burning as she silently added, “Compared to Wanyan Liang, Song Qingshu is no less formidable in that regard…”  

After watching for a while, Wanyan Liang noticed that despite their aggressive attack, the three guards had not even managed to touch the hem of Song Qingshu’s robe. Anxiously, he rushed over to Ouyang Feng and Qiu Qianren. “Master Ouyang, Leader Qiu, I beg you to lend them your aid.”  

Ouyang Feng replied indifferently, “Your Highness, you may not be aware, but given my status in the martial world, how could I possibly engage in bullying the few with numbers, especially against a junior?”  

Seeing that Ouyang Feng had no intention of intervening, Qiu Qianren was not foolish enough to risk his life needlessly. He adopted a similar stance: “Brother Ouyang speaks wisely.”  

Wanyan Liang was furious. He thought, ‘You eat my food, drink my wine, and I’ve treated you like ancestors all this time. Yet when it comes to the critical moment, not one of you is reliable.’  

He didn’t believe a word of their excuses about disdaining to gang up on a junior. Though he was no expert in martial arts, he could see clearly that none of them stood a chance against Song Qingshu alone, and even together, victory was not assured. What were they trying to prove by putting on airs in front of him?  

Though seething with anger, Wanyan Liang dared not show it. These two were notorious figures in the martial world. Offending them on ordinary days was one thing, but at such a critical juncture, provoking them would bring consequences he could not bear.  

After evading several attacks, Song Qingshu gradually discerned the patterns of their coordinated assault. The next time the three tried to encircle him, he did not retreat but instead advanced, positioning himself preemptively on the path Xiao Tanggudai was taking.  

Just as Xiao Tanggudai was about to take his position, he was horrified to find Song Qingshu already waiting for him. In a panic, he guarded his vital points while hastily leaping aside. 

Yelu Yuanyi, who was nearest to him, rushed to his aid.  

Song Qingshu smiled slightly and did not pursue Xiao Tanggudai, for his true target had never been him.  

A fierce surge of sword Qi shot upward, and Yelu Yuanyi froze on the spot. Though not a single wound was visible on his body, the inside of his skull had been reduced to pulp by the sword Qi. Even a deity could not save him now.  

The reason their coordinated attack was so formidable lay largely in their use of formation tactics, allowing each of them to strike without needing to defend, as the others’ attacks provided cover. This multiplied their offensive power, often catching even top-tier experts off guard and leading to their downfall.  

With Tudan Zhen already dead, their formation had weakened considerably. Now, with Yelu Yuanyi gone, the formation collapsed entirely. Without the cover of his companions, glaring openings appeared in Tudan Alichuhu’s defenses. 

Song Qingshu flashed forward, and the two crossed paths. 

Tudan Ali Chuhu gurgled, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth—his heart meridian had been severed.  

Witnessing two of his companions killed in quick succession, Xiao Tanggudai was utterly terrified. With a shrill cry, he abandoned all thought of Wanyan Liang and leaped into the distance, attempting to flee.  

Song Qingshu gestured casually, and a distant guard suddenly lost his grip on his blade. The sword soared into the air, intercepting Xiao Tanggudai’s escape route. Caught off guard, Xiao Tanggudai impaled himself directly on the blade.  

Song Qingshu turned to Wanyan Liang with a faint smile. “Your Highness, your guard was deserting. I’ve taken the liberty of dealing with him for you.”  

To Wanyan Liang, that smile seemed utterly chilling. He hurriedly hid behind Ouyang Feng and Qiu Qianren. “I beg you, Master Ouyang and Leader Qiu, to take action!” He fumed inwardly, thinking, “Surely you can’t refuse now.”  

Ouyang Feng and Qiu Qianren exchanged glances, silently seeking each other’s opinion. 

At that moment, Song Qingshu spoke up: “Brother Ouyang, we are old acquaintances. Why should we cross swords over an outsider?”  

Ouyang Feng hesitated. “Prince Hailing has treated me quite well these past days. If I abandon him now, what will the martial world think of me?”  

Song Qingshu laughed. “Since when has the mighty Western Poison become a paragon of loyalty and righteousness? Since when do you care about the opinions of ordinary folk?”  

Ouyang Feng’s eyes lit up, and he burst into hearty laughter. “You know me well, kid. Very well, let’s speak plainly. Promise me one thing, and I’ll switch to your side.”  

Wanyan Liang grew desperate. “Master Ouyang, whatever you desire, I can offer you ten times more!”  

Ouyang Feng shot him a disdainful glance and ignored him entirely.  

Song Qingshu smiled slightly. “I know what you want me to promise. Consider it done.” 

Ouyang Feng’s greatest wish was, without a doubt, to deal with Guo Jing and Huang Rong. There was no need to guess.  

“Talking with a clever man is so easy. From now on, I’m with you,” Ouyang Feng said without even confirming if Song Qingshu had guessed correctly, laughing heartily.  

Song Qingshu then turned to Qiu Qianren, who wore an expression as if he’d bitten into something bitter. “And what are your plans, Leader Qiu?”