Chapter 134: Reinforcements
Hearing Li Musheng's reply, Murong Xiaoya shrank her neck down timidly and immediately hugged her teacup with lowered head, as though that one question had already pushed her social anxiety to its absolute limits.
Hu Rui'an gave Li Musheng a long, thoughtful look, feeling that even though this Eighth Prince had only recently had his identity acknowledged, the air and manner befitting a prince was already remarkably well-formed.
Just then, Wu Shang, standing to one side, let out a quiet sound of surprise and looked down at the street below.
The two young men who had traded blows to a draw earlier and each retreated had both gotten back to their feet, and were now facing each other down. But at that moment, a crowd of people armed with blades and swords suddenly came pouring out of the shops on both sides of the street.
These people had originally been passersby on the street or the owners and staff of the shops, who had all hidden inside when the bronze gong rang out earlier. Yet now they seemed to have assumed an entirely different identity, each one wearing a fierce and menacing expression as they surrounded the muscular young man in a tight ring.
Then the sound of urgent hoofbeats came thundering from one end of the street, and before long three tall horses pulled up to a stop at the center of the main road.
Astride them sat three middle-aged men. The one in the lead wore a white robe, kept a fine beard, had narrow elongated eyes, and wore an expression of sinister cunning.
He swept his gaze across the street, then clasped his hands toward the tall young man with the spear, saying, "You've worked hard, young nephew Sun. Now that you've taken the measure of this man's martial skills, leave the rest to me."
Hearing this, Sun Shao gave a light nod, drew the long spear back from where he had extended it and stood it upright at his side, then said slowly, "This man's saber technique is formidable, and he clearly has a prestigious sect behind him. If I am not mistaken, he and that earlier group are very likely from the Tianhe Blade Sect in Qing Province."