Chivalrous

Chapter Fifty-Three

Meeting a difficult opponent was exciting until one realized that they were on the enemy's land and surrounded by tons of bandits. What made it worse was that Xiao barely managed to get near the pagoda before getting surrounded. 

As soon as he made it onto the island, coming from the east, he tied the boat to a short stump by the water. Then he ran towards the center of the island where lights shone through the trees. The ground had pits and holes at the most inconvenient and unexpected places, making it hard to traverse. When he neared a tall yard wall, he jumped over. It turned out to be the residence of the bandits. There were loud laughter and a waft of good cuisine. He passed by the rooms, occasionally listening in on some gossip. Someone named Peter was cheating on his wife and someone named Josh was seen killing one of his friends. Xiao rolled his eyes at these - he wouldn't put it past the bandits to do things like this.

He headed towards the pagoda, the tip of which he could see over a small hill. However, halfway there was a rotary board he triggered. It was a miracle that he managed to jump away from it before falling in, but a trill of bells sounded in the night. From all around him, bandits surged out. Without a word, they lunged at him, weapons out.

It was natural selection that all the bandits here were more difficult to kill than the others he had encountered. But that would have been fine if it was just those bandits. Xiao hacked them down by the dozens. However, when Noah Sherman came around, the tide turned.

Seeing him, Xiao's blood boiled. He fought him ferociously. Sherman was good. He used the chained metal ball that officers generally used and swung the long chain about him so no one could come close. Xiao had to dodge the ball and the chain, and strike quickly before backing out again. He could feel all the energy drain out of him. For the first time of this scouting, he wished Cole was with him. By now, the sky had brightened up.

"Noah, leave him to me," someone called. Sherman and Xiao jumped away from each other and Xiao tried to reduce the severity of his pants.

An older man dressed in a scholar's robes came into the circle. The crowd gave him a wide berth. "So, who are you, young knight?"

"Xiao."

"Well then, Xiao, rest a little. Then us two can frolic around."

Xiao nodded and his shamelessness crept up. "Have you got any food and water?"

The older man laughed. "Someone go get him some," he ordered. 

"Wait," Xiao stopped him. "Can I get your name, sir?"

"Just call me doctor," the old man said.

"Well, most reverend doctor, you won't be poisoning me, right?"

The doctor laughed. "What kind of person do you take me for, Xiao?"

Xiao grinned. "Yeah, I thought you wouldn't. Thank you, doctor."

As they waited, he looked the doctor up and down. He was as lean as himself, a bit taller, with a sword hanging by his belt. When the food came, Xiao ate with no regard to manners. With a few bites, he finished the steak and the vegetables, as well as the jug of wine. "Thanks, doctor," he said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "I'm guessing we will see who's better now."

The doctor smiled coldly before unsheathing his sword and aiming it at Xiao's neck. He was fast but Xiao was prepared. He blocked it and started using the Mount Huai sequences. The blows were exchanged. Both leaped around, swords flying up and down. However, soon Xiao felt sweat dripping down his face. Then the rain fell and he didn't know whether it was rain or sweat.

Even if he hadn't been fighting the others beforehand, he wouldn't have been able to beat the doctor. He was as swift as a cheetah and his moves were unpredictable. Throughout all of Xiao's knighthood, he had never met a single person who could go on more than fifty blows around him. Now he realized that he just hadn't met the right people.