Book 21 Chapter 1 – Swords Flowing Out of The Big Dipper Handle

Jiao Hongjin turned around and pulled his broadsword; he sprang out of his chair, and shot toward the ‘wooden tripod cauldron’ window looking out toward the rear courtyard from the side room. Before gaining steady footings, however, he roared in anger, and bent his body backward.

‘Chi! Chi! Chi!’ repeated swishing sound of seven, eight powerful arrows flitted across only a few cun above his face like lightning flashes, and stuck themselves onto the walls and beams of the side room.

The tail of the arrows were still swaying, the footsteps outside the door cam to a sudden stop.

‘Bang!’

The door was heavily kicked open, big men with weapons in their hands, like wolves and tigers, rushed into the room without saying anything.

Kou Zhong let out a long laugh. Copying Jiao Hongjin, he sprang out of his chair, but his hands grabbed the back of the chair tightly, lightning fast both of his legs flew backward, and hit two men, who were chopping down their weapons, on the pit of their stomach.

The sound of sternums breaking was shaking to the core. Both men spurted blood from their seven orifices [i.e. 2 eyes, 2 ears, 2 nostrils, 1 mouth], the weapons dropped from their hands, their body flew backward like a kite with cut string, knocking the other men, who were rushing behind them, that they fell in a pitiful state, suffering from broken bones or split flesh. Six or seven men went down, not even half was able to crawl back up.

Screams were heard from adjacent rooms.

Kou Zhong’s feet landed on the floor, he said to the angry Jiao Hongjin, “Let us lure the enemy outside, so that they won’t accidentally hurt the innocents.” He soared up, broke the ceiling, and flew out of roof.

Hearing him, Jiao Hongjin stared blankly for a moment, and then followed his example breaking out of the hole on the roof.

By this time Kou Zhong already attacked several archers lying on ambush on the roof that they run like wolves, scurried like rats, and rolled down from the eaves on both sides of the roof.

The entire second story, as well as the space between the building and the courtyard wall, was full of torches. The sound of people shouting and attacking filled the heavens, but no one could directly threaten them.

Jiao Hongjin moved to Kou Zhong’s left side, and he spoke resolutely, “From now on Jiao Hongjin’s life belongs to Kou Ye.”

Kou Zhong pulled him down to evade more than a dozen powerful arrows shot from the ground upward toward them. While scanning the surrounding area, he said with a laugh, “Why suddenly misplace your kindness to me like this?”

Jiao Hongjin willingly said, “Under this kind of circumstances, you can still taking the innocents into consideration, if Hongjin do not follow Kou Ye, whom should I follow?”

Kou Zhong laughed aloud. Reaching out, he grabbed Jiao Hongjin’s shoulders tightly for a moment, and then letting go his arms, he said, “Good Xiongdi! Come!”

Like an arrow, he shot low along the back of the roof, down the eaves, and slipped down like a swimming fish toward the lower floor. He moved in such a high speed that was indiscernible by naked eyes, plus this happened so suddenly that the enemy’s arrows all hit empty space. He was like a tiger entering the flock of sheep; first he moved at lightning speed to seize a lance, and then poking to the left and stabbing to the right, he attacked anybody on his way, so that the more than thirty enemies guarding that position were utterly defeated, and scattered in all direction.

As soon as Jiao Hongjin landed on the ground, Kou Zhong bellowed, “Come! We’ll kill Du Ren on our way.”

Enemy’s reinforcement forces came from both sides, their battle cry mixed with the screams of the girls upstairs; the situation was extremely chaotic.

Kou Zhong and Jiao Hongjin, one in front of the other, attacked their way toward the front gate, where vehicles and horses were parked at the plaza. Due to the space restrictions of the establishment, it was very difficult for the enemy to form heavy siege, hence it was very advantageous to the side with fewer number.

With Kou Zhong taking the lead, they charged their way along the corridors. The lance in Kou Zhong’s hand turned into millions rays of light like flashing lightning. None of those who blocked their way narrowly escaped; if not being swept and thrown out of railings along the corridor, they were poked and thrown back by the lance, crashing against the men of their own side. Indeed it was awe-inspiring on all eight sides, those who tried to block them were swept by the wind.

Jiao Hongjin’s martial art skill was equivalently brilliant; his broadsword went up and down, turned over and flew, he cut down many pursuing enemies.

‘Pow!

Like a streak of lightning Kou Zhong’s lance swept at a shield, jolting both the shield and its bearer, sending him tumbling down backwards. Kou Zhong repeatedly swept the lance across, sending two stabbing spears aside, but in his heart he did not have the slightest delight, yet cried out for the turn of events was not too encouraging.

This moment, he was only about a dozen steps