Hao Jian suddenly pulled out seven needles and then quickly turned around.
Seven pillars of blood shot up into the sky instantly, as if erupting uncontrollably.
The blood fell like rain, drenching everyone present. They now understood why Hao Jian had worn a raincoat, realizing he had known this would happen all along.
"You bastard, you knew this would happen and didn't tell us in advance?"
Yu Jiayi gritted her teeth, glaring at Hao Jian, her pretty face smeared with blood and looking rather disheveled.
"I don't like it, are you going to bite me?"
Hao Jian scoffed disdainfully. He had done it on purpose. After all, who let these jerks insult him earlier? This was a lesson for them.
Yu Jiayi's teeth were almost clenched to breaking point, but she had no way to deal with Hao Jian.
"Alright, the old man will probably wake up tonight. After he wakes up, feed him light food, absolutely no fried or spicy dishes," Hao Jian reminded.
The folks from Yu Xiatang now truly regarded Hao Jian as a godly figure and naturally took his word without a doubt, nodding their heads in agreement.
"And you, the quack, I warn you, stop using your master's name to swindle people around, or you'll regret it," Hao Jian pointed at Liang Xiaotang and scolded.
Liang Xiaotang's face turned green. He wanted to retort that he was not a quack, but he lacked the courage to do so at that moment.
"Hao Jian, are you just going to leave ?" Just then, Yu Jiayi suddenly looked at Hao Jian with ill intents.
"What else? Do you plan to invite me to dinner?" Hao Jian replied with a smirk.
"Dinner's off, how about a spar instead?" Yu Jiayi suggested with a smile. Now that the old man's illness had been cured, it was time to clear the air with Hao Jian.
"Hey, why are you so shameless, breaking the bridge after crossing the river?" Hao Jian was speechless.
"One thing for another. I'm grateful you saved my grandfather, but that doesn't mean I don't despise you." Yu Jiayi grinned mischievously. If she didn't beat up Hao Jian, her frustration would not be appeased.
"Yu Jiayi, don't be ridiculous!" Yu Xiatang scolded. Hao Jian was now a benefactor of the Yu Family, and he was too grateful to let Yu Jiayi mistreat him.
"Jiayi, come back here!" Yu Mingxiang also reprimanded.
But Yu Jiayi acted as if she hadn't heard and just stared at Hao Jian, "What's the matter, are you afraid? Are you even a man?"
"Whether I'm a man or not, do you want to test it?" Hao Jian responded with a shameless laugh.
"You despicable scoundrel!" Yu Jiayi exclaimed, her face flushing with anger.
"Alright, since you want to settle this, I'll oblige you."
Hao Jian agreed to the duel, knowing that if he didn't spar with Yu Jiayi now, she would likely keep pestering him in the future.
A few minutes later, Hao Jian and Yu Jiayi appeared on the martial arts training ground.
Yu Xiatang and others watched as Yu Xiatang couldn't help but advise Hao Jian:
"Maybe let it go, this girl is not easy to deal with. Once she gets going, even a dozen well-trained soldiers can't handle her."
"A man must not say he can't do it!" Hao Jian said sternly.
"Fine then, I'll go get you some medicinal wine for bruises. Considering you just saved the old master, she probably won't beat you too badly, just a dislocation at worst," Yu Xiatang muttered as he walked away from Hao Jian.
"Choose a weapon," Yu Jiayi said to Hao Jian.
"No need, bare hands are enough to deal with you," Hao Jian sneered, clearly not taking Yu Jiayi seriously.
"Quite confident, aren't you? I'd like to see how you could beat me!" Yu Jiayi said, laughing angrily as she sprinted towards Hao Jian, her military knife stabbing towards his abdomen.
Everyone thought Hao Jian would dodge, but instead, he stood still like a wooden post, not moving an inch.
"What is he doing?" Yu Xiatang exclaimed, shocked. Was Hao Jian trying to commit suicide?
"I don't know either," Yu Ou replied with a wry smile, wondering if Hao Jian intended to atone with his death, which seemed unlikely, given his shameless nature.
Yu Jiayi hadn't expected Hao Jian to act this way, omitting even the most basic evasive maneuvers.
By then it was too late for her to withdraw her hand, as the knife had already thrust forward.
Yu Xiatang and Yu Mingxiang's faces looked terrible. If Yu Jiayi really killed Hao Jian, that would be a disaster since Hao Jian had just rescued the old man, and now they might kill him in turn.
Leaving aside the impact it would cause on the Yu Family if word got out, they themselves could hardly bear it internally.
And to die in such a baffling manner no less.
At this moment, however, there were two people who dearly hoped Yu Jiayi would succeed in stabbing Hao Jian with her knife.
Those were Liang Xiaotang and Yu Zhixun, both of whom despised Hao Jian for humiliating them and causing them deep shame today.
Both were inwardly urging Yu Jiayi to hurry and finish Hao Jian off.
However, just then, a slight smile crept across Hao Jian's lips, and he slightly shifted his stance.
With a faint sound, the military knife was caught firmly between Hao Jian's two fingers.
Everyone stared at Hao Jian as if seeing a ghost; his two fingers had blocked such a deadly blow? Was this guy even human?
Yu Jiayi was stunned on the spot, unable to believe that her hundreds of thousands of practiced deadly thrusts could be so easily blocked.
Hao Jian's fingers were like iron tongs, tightly clamping her knife. No matter how much she struggled, she could not pull it out from between his fingers.
With the military knife wedged between his fingers, Hao Jian calmly looked at Yu Jiayi:
"See the difference between us? To beat me, you'd probably need to train hard for another fifty years, yet it wouldn't matter, because by that time you'll be an old woman, hahaha."
"Old Three, do you remember how the old man described us three brothers?" Yu Xiatang suddenly asked Yu Mingxiang.
"Of course I remember. The old man said you are decisive with a general's demeanor; the second brother is cunning and shrewd, a master strategist; and I am skilled in manipulation, a talent for governance," Yu Mingxiang answered, recalling their grandfather's words from long ago.
Yu Xiatang smiled bitterly, with a hint of self-mockery, "But do you know how the old man evaluated him?"
"The old man evaluated him?" Yu Mingxiang asked in surprise, unaware of this.
"The old man said he embodies Civil and Martial Strategy fit for an Emperor, being more ruthless, cunning, and wise than us. Together, we three brothers don't even compare to him alone. I didn't believe it at first, but now I do," Yu Xiatang shook his head and sighed.
Yu Mingxiang remained silent, not speaking. Had it been before, he surely wouldn't have believed it either, but today's events had completely overturned his thoughts.
Being highly skilled in medicine and superior in combat strength were just aspects that made him respect Hao Jian even more, and he knew this was just the tip of the iceberg, and Hao Jian had much more left to show.