Kang Luo glared at Ning Chen. "Are you going to kneel or not?"

Ning Chen laughed coldly. "Kang Luo, isn't it about time you ran for your life?"

He guessed the rider had just brought Kang Luo word that... the Nanyue army was out of Yangzhou.

Which meant it was time for Kang Luo to make a run for it, too.

Kang Luo knew there was no getting Ning Chen to kneel, and he really did need to pull out now.

He said coldly, "Mount up!"

Every Nanyue archer swung into the saddle, but their bows stayed trained on the townspeople.

Kang Luo called out, "Ning Chen, until we meet again!"

Ning Chen narrowed his eyes. "You think you can get away?"

Kang Luo gave him a defiant look and a scornful laugh, then said, "Pull out!"

"Leaving?" Ning Chen leaped onto his horse and shouted, "Everyone, make way... After them!"

The townspeople hurried to clear a path.

Ning Chen led his men after them at a full gallop.

"Hyah! Hyah! Hyah!"

Ning Chen kept urging Diaochan on.

But Kang Luo was riding a fine steed too, and for a while there was no catching him.

Kang Luo and his men charged for the south gate.

Every so often he glanced back, taunting him.

Ning Chen was furious.

Goddammit... If Kang Luo got away after all this, wouldn't that be a slap in his face?

Suddenly Ning Chen sprang up from the saddle, pushed off Diaochan's back with one foot, and shot forward like a rainbow piercing the sun. (TL Note: Literally "a long rainbow piercing the sun," an old image for a streak of light across the sky, here for a body launched straight ahead.)

Each bound carried him many feet. He skimmed over the ground as if flying, faster even than a horse.

Yuan Long and the others stared, stunned!

At full stretch, Ning Chen really was faster than a horse, but he couldn't keep it up for long.

The breath inside him was draining fast.

Kang Luo glanced back and saw Ning Chen flying over the ground.…