USWHC -Chapter 397 Openly Copying (Part 7)

“My lord, this shrew knows demon arts!” one of the yamen runners suddenly cried out in terror.

The county magistrate was also startled. What? That delicate young girl actually knew demon arts? His face turned pale with fear as he stammered, “W–what demoness are you, daring to wreak havoc here?!”

Hearing his loud shouting, it was obvious he was frightened out of his wits, merely putting on a brave front.

Zhu Jie couldn’t help but sneer. “I told you long ago—you lot aren’t even worthy of laying a hand on me!”

Just then, a loud shout rang out. “How arrogant, you demoness! You only know a few petty tricks, yet you dare speak so wildly!”

The voice carried a hint of disdain. Zhu Jie glanced over—it was that Constable Hao. Brandishing his staff, his face full of swagger, he stepped forward. “Today, I’ll make you kneel no matter what!”

He advanced step by step, holding the staff. To be fair, he did look imposing. With each step—thud, thud, thud—a white footprint was left behind.

Zhu Jie froze for a moment. So he wasn’t just fat for show—this stance clearly showed he had some training. She immediately grew alert. The two yamen runners quickly stepped aside, urging excitedly, “Brother Hao, you’ve got to teach this wretched girl a lesson!”

Constable Hao wore an arrogant expression, clearly intending to display his “peerless martial skills” on Zhu Jie. But to strike at such a young girl—he really had no scruples!

His face flushed red, veins bulging—he was truly putting all his strength into beating a girl, as if using every ounce of force he had.

Even his staff was unusual, with copper wires embedded along both sides, as though reinforced with metal strips. If it struck, one could imagine just how painful it would be.

A flash of yellow light streaked by—whoosh! A wooden staff actually whistled sharply through the air like a fierce gale, smashing straight toward Zhu Jie’s leg. He didn’t even aim for a specific spot—it was clearly meant to break it in one blow!

Zhu Jie felt a chill rush toward her. Not only was this man ruthless, but he also had real strength. Gritting her teeth, she gathered her inner energy—was she really going to meet force with force? Test whether the staff was harder, or her leg?

Heh… that didn’t seem like Zhu Jie’s style.

At the very instant the staff came down, she suddenly lifted her qi, her whole body rising from the ground. With a flip, like skipping rope, she leapt clean over it.

What? She dodged that?!

Constable Hao had seen her brace herself and thought she practiced hard-body techniques, so he had added even more force. But when the staff reached her—she had already leapt away. Where did she go?

With a thunderous boom—dong!—the strike hit the ground directly, smashing a large crater into it.

Constable Hao was instantly annoyed. That’s cheating! But before he could react, a chill wind struck from behind.

Not again—cheating and a sneak attack?!

He had used too much force and couldn’t stop in time. He stumbled forward and flew out, landing flat on his face with a loud smack, sprawled in a perfect five-body prostration.

At that moment, Zhu Jie stood to the side in front of him, smiling. “Oh my, if you want me to kneel, there’s no need to perform such a grand salute. You’re making me embarrassed!”

Constable Hao raised his head in humiliation and fury. “You ambushed me?!”

“Don’t slander me,” Zhu Jie said, spreading her hands with a sly grin and shrugging. “I’m right in front of you—how could that be an ambush?”

Indeed, she was in front of him—so who had attacked?

Constable Hao resentfully turned his head toward Ji Yi and said shakily, “It was you again?!”

Ji Yi couldn’t help but laugh. Then, rather affectedly, he said, “Don’t say ‘again.’ Saying ‘again’ is unfair to me!”

Yes, that last move was his doing—but you couldn’t say “again,” since he had only interfered that one time.

But Constable Hao was already consumed by rage. Seeing Ji Yi’s roguish grin only made him angrier. With a furious shout, “I’ll strangle you!” he charged forward.

Yet in the very next moment—unexpectedly, unbelievably—such a dramatic scene was accompanied by a burst of laughter.

Yes, laughter rippled through the crowd, one after another, as if contagious. In no time, everyone erupted into loud, sharp laughter.

“Look! Look at him!”