Night fell on Xia City with scarcely a shadow, its prosperity showing through the well-lit streets.
In the south of a city, one dingy alley was the exception. Through its length, a black shadow flitted past, quick and agile as a monkey on the rooftops.
Li Luo and Jiang Qing'e walked into the alley, Lei Zhang at their back.
They paused before a courtyard, where the elite guards of House Luolan lay in ambush.
"Young Lord, Young Mistress, Pei Hao is just ahead," Lei Zhang whispered, his eyes peering forth with wariness.
Li Luo turned to Jiang Qing'e. "How do we do this?"
Pei Hao was an Earth Fiend in strength, far stronger than a second-tier Resonant Master weakling like himself. Tonight, it was going to be the Jiang Qing'e and Lei Zhang show. He was just here to join the peanut gallery.
Jiang Qing'e's beautiful face was bright under the moon. She did not acknowledge Li Luo's question, instead pulling out her sword. She lifted it up, light resonant energy gathering on it, and with a single chop she blew apart the door into wood splinters.
"We do it ," she said mildly, already speeding forward with sword in hand.
Li Luo gave her back two thumbs up.
And then he followed.
Li Luo and Lei Zhang charged in along with the other bodyguards.
Along the way, Li Luo and the others were met with no resistance. In the stone pavilion at the back, they saw a solitary figure, drinking and enjoying the moonlight all by himself.
Seeing his relaxed stance, he must have known beforehand that they were here.
He turned around as they charged in. "Young Lord," he smiled. "It’s been a mere half a year, but look how you have grown."
"Ah, high praise. I must say, your antics these few days have caused us a great deal of trouble."
Pei Hao shook his head. "Mere tricks. They were easily dealt with by the Young Lord, weren't they?"
"Brother Pei Hao, since you're here at Xia City, why not come and rest at headquarters? We're all House Luolan people. No need to refrain."
"Oh, no hurry," Pei Hao said with a hoarse wheeze. "In half a year, there will be no refraining."
Jiang Qing'e had no patience for this polite verbal fencing. "I don't think you have half a year left."
A brilliant flash of light resonant energy burst forth as she swung her sword in a deadly arc. A glowing crescent moon more than ten feet long sliced through the stone pavilion.
Golden resonant power boomed out in response, a metallic, golden rumble of power blocking the attack.
The aftershock was enough to shatter the entire stone pavilion.
Pei Hao shot through the crumbling roof, landing on a fake hill feature in the garden. He was wreathed in a golden halo, a long, golden sword in hand.
He shone like a star, his resonant power so blindingly brilliant that it hurt one's eyes to look at him.
Jiang Qing'e was undeterred, flying after him through the debris. Her light resonant energy danced along her skin in a curious pattern, seemingly part of her flesh.
Pei Hao noted the light runes on her skin. "You're already at the Fiend Body Stage?"
The Earth Fiend Stage was further divided into early, intermediate, and late. The intermediate stage was defined by the fiend body, which became the alternate name for the tier.
The last time they had crossed swords half a year ago, Jiang Qing'e was at the early stage, and already she had moved one up.
Supernatural cultivation speed.
Besides, her power was beyond that of an ordinary intermediate Earth Fiend... Such was the power of a ninth-grade light resonance.
A glimmer of uncertainty shone in Pei Hao's eyes.
Jiang Qing'e ignored his remark, answering only with more attacks, each fueled with a grim and deadly determination. Slowly, her light attacks seemed to catch fire, such was their brilliance.
The rocks at her feet were starting to melt from her light resonant energy.
"Incandescent Flame!" Fiery light swished down, cutting through the darkness.
Li Luo's eyebrows rose. There was anger in Jiang Qing'e's movements, one that had been conspicuously absent from her entire handling of affairs at the Suncreek Villa today.
Finally, an avenue for her pent-up rage to be unleashed.
Pei Hao had been wary of her light resonant energy when they fought half a year ago, but on the whole, he had fought with skill to spare. This time, things were different.
"Golden Swordsplitter!" Pei Hao shouted. His golden longsword vibrated, faster and faster until after-images could be seen, and then suddenly they were full swords by themselves, flying out to meet her flames of light.
The epic clash shook the entire garden.
As they backed away, Pei Hao raised a hand, and the golden swords swam around his body like fish. There was still smoke hissing off them, slightly melted from the light flame attack.
"Incredible strength," Pei Hao muttered to himself.
"Enough with the oohs and aahs," Li Luo said. "Pavilion Master Lei Zhang, everyone, get him!"
“Single combat? What is this, an exhibition match? You think I brought a whole army to spectate an exhibition match?”
Pavilion Master Lei Zhang immediately complied, leaping into the fray.
The entire yard was a blur of people and weapons, all of them attacking Pei Hao.
He was soon surrounded good and proper.
Pei Hao stood his ground on the fake hill, his expression unconcerned as he fought on. His golden swords closed ranks around him in a bristling defense.
Suddenly, a tremendous wave of resonant power swept across the whole field. An eagle claw of tenebrous dark power sent Lei Zhang flying heavily backwards.
Lei Zhang slammed into a wall, cracking it from the impact. His body slumped down in a heap.
The elite guards of House Luolan retreated hastily.
Li Luo turned in dismay in the direction of the attack.
A grey-robed elder stood there.
The old man smiled thinly at him. "It's been many years, Young Lord. How you have grown...
"Perhaps you don't remember this old man anymore. My name is Mo Cheng."
Li Luo's eyes widened in recognition. Mo Cheng, one of House Luolan's Three Great Ancestral Elders.