Chapter - 207 Divine Dragon Shakes Its Tail (10) (2/2)

Ouyang Ke was baffled, ”You are eccentric,” he said in his heart, but his mouth asked, ”How do fight the 'soft' way? And how do you fight the 'hard' way?”

”If we fight the soft way, I attack you three times, you don't counterattack; then you attack me three times, I won't counterattack,” Huang Rong explained. ”If we fight the hard way, we can fight each other at will. You can use your dead snake fist or live mouse stance, I don't care. Whoever steps out of the circle first, lose.”

Ouyang Ke thought for a moment. ”I think we'd better fight the soft way,” he said. ”That way we can avoid injury and won't spoil our friendship.”

”If you chose 'hard' way, you will certainly lost,” Huang Rong said. ”But if we fight 'soft' way, you still have a chance. Good! Let us fight as you wish, the 'soft' way. Do you go first, or I go first?”

How could Ouyang Ke hit her first? ”Certainly ladies first,” he said.

Huang Rong smiled. ”You are sly! Always choosy. You know you will suffer loss if you hit me first. OK, I am being generous to you; let me hit you first.”

Ouyang Ke was going to say, ”That case I will hit you first.” But before he could open his mouth Huang Rong had already called out, ”Watch out!” She immediately sent her palm to attack. Something flashing in her hand; turned out she was throwing some secret projectiles.

Ouyang Ke saw the multitude of projectiles; normally he would use his folding fan to parry an attack like this, but his fan was crushed in Hong Qigong's hand; he could also use his long sleeve to wrap the projectiles, but his sleeves were torn earlier. The steel needles encompassed an area about six, seven feet wide; if he leaped sideways, he would be out of the circle. He had no time to consider any other alternatives, so he leaped about ten feet vertically upward. The steel needles all flew below him.

Huang Rong waited until he was at the peak and was falling back down before she called out, ”Here comes the second attack!” Her two hands launched about a hundred steel needles. It was the 'man tian hua yu zhi jin zhen' [blossoms rain from the sky tossing needles technique] from Hong Qigong. She did not even try to aim, just shot out the needles toward Ouyang Ke.

Even if Ouyang Ke's skill were much higher, his body was midair; there was simply no way he could avoid it. ”I am finished!” he sighed in his heart, ”This slave girl is so vicious.” Right at that moment he felt someone pulled his collar and his body moved back upward; with swishing noise the needles fell to the ground.

Ouyang Ke knew somebody must have saved him. He was thrown back to the ground. It was not too hard, but the energy behind that throw was peculiar – a sign of highly skilled martial artist; he fell left shoulder first. Naturally he tried to stand back up, but he was unable to do so. He was rolling around on the ground before he finally managed to stand. He knew it must be Hong Qigong, because nobody in that vicinity had that kind of skill. He was terrified yet upset; immediately walked out the temple without saying anything. His female disciples followed.

”Master, why did you save this scoundrel?” Huang Rong asked.

Hong Qigong smiled. ”His uncle is an old friend of mine. This kid had committed many disgraceful acts; he deserved to be damned. But it wouldn't be good for his uncle's face if he were injured in my hand.” He patted Huang Rong on the shoulder and said, ”Smart girl, you have given my face much good today. How should I reward you?”