《Drifting Clouds, Sheltered Storms (DROPPED)》 Under the Guise of the Thunder God, Lei Gong Part 1 The smile of the moon was hidden behind a curtain of rain. The storm poured its sorrow from Heaven''s wineglass; thunder of anger crashed as the sky met the mortal earth; lightning flashed like a whip, striking the farm fields and plate-shingled roofs. Wind howled throughout the uneasy night, causing the pellets of raindrops to strike like arrows. The roosters and hens were unable to sleep and squawked anxiously and cooed like a dying spinster. The hounds and mutts responded to the howling wind with cries. The horses and cows stampeded in their stalls and bellowed discontent. It was an uneasy night. Mere mortals who tended to the animals could not understand their lunacy. It was only thunder. The pigs and bulls and chickens and dogs and horses have all experienced thunder before. And they were never as startled as this. Soon the tenders grew impatient and began to strike the beasts. Still, they kept on moaning their displeasure and fear. Though mere mortals could not sense what was going on, the keen spiritual instincts of the beast could. If one of the night guards or drunkards looked up, high above the mortal earth they would see a man traversing the skies! This man could be discerned to be of of an extraordinary background from just his clothings. He had on a robe the deepest shade of lilac embroidered with dragons. Yet, the man did not fit the clothes. The man looked to be middle-aged and possessed a slenderness which made people want to shelter him. And this desire to protect him was only helped by his still puerile face like white jade. The man certainly did not fit the extravagant clothing which radiated tyranny and overwhelming strength. Yet the fact that he flew through the sky with no assistance but the support of his own two feet was a testament of his strength and ability. The man bounded and leapt through the air in that manner under the cover of the storm. In his arms, he carried a young girl in a princess hold. The girl looked perhaps five years old. She was doll-like. Petite and beautiful like flowers growing off the side of a cliff. Long black hair ran down her slender back like ocean waves. She possessed light brown eyes which glimmered with strength. This strength was contrasted by her pale skin which made her seem impossibly fragile and made one desire to protect her. "Papa, where are we going," the girl asked softly as she moved closer into the embrace of her father. The night wind was becoming stronger. "Mama will follow us, right?" "Ah, Xiao Qing, go sleep. We will be there soon." "What about Mama?" "You understand Mama is always busy. She will come meet us later," he said with conviction. Even a child could see that conviction was constructed with mud instead of baked bricks. Xiao Qing became anxious at this point. "Papa, tell me the truth. Where is Mama?" Fear flashed through the man''s eyes. He quickly covered his daughter''s mouth. "Xiao Qing, please calm yourself! Damn, he must have sensed us now." Covering the girl''s mouth would be of no use now, so he removed his hand. Instead, he doubled his speed. Everytime he stepped off, a soft ripple in the air followed. He did not care about being quiet now; the man he was running from would certainly have sensed the disturbance in Xiao Qing''s qi. "Papa, Papa, why won''t you tell me what is going on?" The girl asked with tears in her eyes. She struggled to move. "Xiao Qing, please stop moving. I beg of you! You will catch a cold if you get wet. We are almost there." "Halt!" A voice boomed through the night sky. At his proclamation, the world below halted. The thunder stopped; the rain slowed; the roosters and hens all tucked their heads behind their wings. None of the hounds howled. The cows and horses all backed deep into their stalls. The wind which has been blowing fiercely seemed to have been silenced by that one man''s command. The mortals below dared to look up at the night sky. Gasp! All of them immediately slammed their heads back down to admire the wetness of the earth. In life, one must know when to bow, when to talk, and when to make conversation with the dirt. This was one of those times to become friends with the manure, to foster a relationship in preparation for the planting come tomorrow morning when they all would forget the events which transpired tonight. All of them hoped they could forget, lest they get involved. It would be absolute death if they got involved. For up in the skies ¡ª though hidden by the rain and clouds ¡ª were two immortal cultivators! Cultivators, those trained in the Way. Cultivators, those who stood shoulder with the gods themselves; cultivators were those who had the qualifications to defy the Great Heavens! Cultivators, madmen and demons who could slaughter one''s clan if one even looked them in the eye without the status to do so. Stolen story; please report. The lowly mortals were satisfied that their animals have stopped making noise and most quickly ran back into their houses and blew the candles out. Some, the stupid ones, the reckless ones, and the bold, stayed and began to gaze at the night sky. Soon, two monsters shall collide. Bang! The storm resumed with newfound resolve. Yet, neither man moved. The two studied each other: their posture, their facial expressions, and their breathing. The other man¡¯s attire was no less tyrannical than the purple-robed man. His face was hidden behind an opera mask. Only his eyes showed. The mask was dark blue with the contour of the eyes shadowed a pitch black making him appear particularly fierce. The forehead region was decorated with twin peach petals extending to the tip. The man dressed in drab burnt auburn rags, much like a turban for the torso. The rags did not make him seem cheap, rather a sense of deadliness and precision emanated from him. In a battle between experts, a single mistake would spell death. "Papa¡ª" "Not now, Xiao Qing." "Cute daughter you have there, Senior Sun. Would be best if you simply came with me. Your wife, the elegant General Yin Hong, is waiting for all of you back in General Bo Ling''s mansion." "What have you done with my wife," Senior Sun growled. Xiao Qing grew cold from the rain and still from the other man''s gaze. He had a pair of brown eyes just like hers, yet rather than the color of the tilled-earth, it was the tone of muddy flow of the Yellow River. Just like how the river carried the uncleanness from all the empire, his eyes held an unclearness such that it was as if he did not exist. "My, my," he chided, "should Senior Sun really use such a tone? Afterall, if your wife, the great General Yin Hong, has been subdued, what can a third, no, perhaps fourth, no, no, no ¡ª what can a hack cultivator like you do against me?" Senior Sun swallowed his anger. "Good. Good words. Befitting of a young hero. However, I have no time to educate you of the young generation tonight." With that, Senior Sun, hugged Xiao Qing close to him, and he pushed off against the sky. Immediately, he covered the distance of the width of half a city. The other man''s eyes took on a glint. "Those words are not for you to say, nor is there a choice!" One man leapt through the sky; the other slithered through it like a serpent. He was a true cultivator. He has mastered the profound movement skill to let him dash through the sky unimpeded by wind or rain. He has mastered the Soaring Dragon, Sifting Leaves technique; he was a dragon, yet also blessed with the properties of the leaf ¡ª resolute, yet flexible. The sky was his domain. Despite Senior Sun''s head start, already the other man has caught up. "Hoh," he shouted as he dived in at Senior Sun with his hands like the claws of a hawk. Senior Sun quickly spun around and blocked it with his feet. With a grunt, he used the force to launch himself off the other man''s claws and gain more distance. The other man sneered in amusement. "Run! Let me see how far you can run. The world is only so big," the other man laughed. "Xiao Qing, listen to me," Senior Sun spoke rapidly. His vision was already beginning to blur. He never did have the best stamina. In fact, he has been supplementing his qi with soul vitality since the chase began. "Listen to Papa, don''t cry. Didn''t Mama always tell you that if you cried, you would end up that way forever? Good. Good. Don''t cry. Listen to me closely. The place I am taking you to well take care of you." "Papa," the girl whimpered. "What is going on?" "Xiao Qing, there is no time to explain it." Senior Sun sensed the hunter closing in. He smiled. He also sensed his destination closing in. Up ahead was a mountain. A series of great mountains which pierced the skies. The stars was its crown and the mist was its garment. And its venerableness was its shield and sword. Senior Sun has reached it. The home of the Yue Yun Sect! Author''s Note: It''s certainly more fast pace than my other story, The Drop Sinister. It also have easier places to break into smaller chunks. I guess this would be me learning how to pace my stories and implement cliffhangers. Maybe I''ll upload another chapter later tonight. Depends on personal life. Under The Guise of the Thunder God, Lei Gong Part 2 The Yue Yun Sect was carved into the mountain range. The sect grew strong from the moon essence gathered in the foundation of these mountains. And similarly, it was that moon essence which kept Senior Sun from entering. He had tried to enter but immediately crashed into a barrier. The barrier was constructed of moonlight and given power using the Traditional Characters. The rigid characters spelt out GATE, and the characters interlocked to become a boundary.Senior Sun pounded against the mystical barrier. He shouted for the Sect Elder, the Gate Guardian, anyone who held the chant to open the gates. ¡°Papa, your hands are beginning to bleed,¡± little Qing cried as she cradled her papa¡¯s bloodied-fist. He pushed her hand away and pounded with greater vigor. ¡°My, my, Senior Sun, is this the legendary Yue Yun Sect?¡± A voice echoed behind them. Senior Sun spun around with a crazed look in his eyes. The man continued, ¡°Odd. This can¡¯t be the origins of Senior Sun and one of the Eight Generals. It is too much of a dump. Only mountains and some trees? What a backwater sect indeed!¡± ¡°You hold your tongue!¡± ¡°My, Senior Sun, I advise you to not scream. I heard that yelling is harsh on the heart. You must take care of yourself in your old age. So come back with me; General Bo Ling has prepared a nice cell for you to live out the rest of your days.¡± ¡°Pah, to hell with General Bo Ling!¡± From within his sleeves, he pulled out a fan. ¡°Xiao Qing, ah, hold on tight.¡± ¡°My, my, Senior Sun, do you not know it is bad to swear in front of your little girl?¡± He shook his head in mock lament. ¡°Truly, you are beyond salvation. It is a pity. I, Ling Wei Zhao, under the righteous name of Lei Gong, shall discipline you and your foolishness!¡±With that both men launched at each other. Wei Zhao moved through the air like a serpent, as if he was a great viper slithering through the air. His odd movements made it difficult for Senior Sun to grasp the other man¡¯s position. Wei Zhao¡¯s position was further obstructed by the intensifying rainfall.Senior Sun, on the other hand, had to move through the air as if he was stepping on stones to get across a rapid. Every step he took was deliberate and specific. It was remarkably easy to figure out where he would step next. Xiao Qing¡¯s heart pounded against her tiny chest. Her body heated up. ¡°Papa,¡± she cried. The rain was not kind to her. The girl¡¯s already pale face took on a ghastly complexion. And it was at that moment when Senior Sun looked down at his daughter that Wei Zhao struck. He who has been circling above his prey crashed down like a comet. His claws extended and sharpened. Wei Zhao swung his claws around and gathered lightning ¡ª the lightning coiled around his sharp nails like obedient boas. Senior Sun quickly brought up his fan and forced his qi into it. The fan held but for a moment. Wei Zhao gave one push with his claws. The fan exploded into pieces. The shrapnel cutting deep into Senior Sun¡¯s fist. The lightning coursed down Wei Zhao¡¯s claws and up Senior Sun¡¯s left arm, all the way to the middle-aged man¡¯s neck.Senior Sun flew backwards from the resulting shockwave. Even so, his first instinct was to shield his daughter. The shockwave slammed him into the barrier. Senior Sun laid against the barrier as if embedded into it. His head tilted down and blood dripped from the corners of his lips. No. He coughed and the entire front of his robes became dyed in red. In Xiao Qing¡¯s fear, the red reminded her of when her parents took her to view the colorful flower gardens in the Royal Palace. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Papa?¡± The girl weakly called out. The man¡¯s eyes twitched slightly and opened. ¡°Y-you aren¡¯t...hurt?¡± ¡°Oh, still alive? My, Senior Sun truly lives up to his title as a veteran of the society.¡± Wei Zhao exclaimed and clapped his hands slowly. ¡°Truly a legend among man to withstand the second form of my Piercing Hawk Strike ¡ª despite only being a hack practitioner of the Way. Truly disgraces the name of the Yue Yun Sect, no?¡± Senior Sun paid his pursuer no mind. Despite one eye looking up at the Heavens and the other facing Yama, he still rapped his fist against the barrier. He called out ¡ª whispered ¡ª for the gates to open. Wei Zhao scratched his head. ¡°My, my, Senior Sun. Still calling for help, eh? I wonder if that strike made you senile.¡± The man laughed. ¡°Stop insulting my Papa,¡± Xiao Qing lashed out. The man stared into the girl¡¯s eyes. ¡°How brazen of you. Perhaps, I really ought to discipline you along with that trash you call Papa.¡± Wei Zhao dashed forward. His long hair adrift wildly in the wind. In front of him, he held his claws proudly with bloodthirst drenched in his muddy brown eyes. The lightning grew more fierce and soon it was as if golden horns adorned each of his fingers. The air crackled as Wei Zhao thrusted forward. Xiao Qing closed her bright eyes and wasn¡¯t even able to let out a pitiful shriek. Clang! The sound of metal striking against claws rung out through the night. Xiao Qing tentatively opened her eyes. In front of her stood a woman as beautiful as her mother. She was like a fairy descended. Her skin flawless and gleaming like a reflection of the moon. Similarly short white hair crowned her head like a lunar halo. And on the back of her white robes was embroidered the symbol of the Yue Yun Sect, an outline of the crescent moon against the flat top of a mountain peak! Wei Zhao frowned but immediately recovered. He flung his claws toward the sides and dispelled the lightning. He clasped his hands and bowed. ¡°May I have the honor of learning senior¡¯s name?¡± The mysterious fairy paid Wei Zhao no mind. She merely glanced at him and then turned her attention to Senior Sun. Wei Zhao dared not attack. He swallowed his anger which was as big as a grapefruit. Even from the short exchange which pushed him back, he felt the fairy to be several levels above him in both cultivation and technique. Surely, a person he cannot offend easily. Senior Sun weakly muttered, ¡°Senior Sister, you...you came.¡± Similarly, the fairy gave the battered man a single glance before averting eye contact with either man. ¡°Sun Yan¡¯zhi, why have you come back! This Yue Yun Sect of mine have exiled you more than ten years ago. This Yue Yun Sect and all its disciples have no relations to you. Yet you dare show your face and bring about trouble to our gates! As the 73rd generation Sect Master, I, Mo Yun, demand you to leave at once, or face my fury!¡± Author''s Note: I suppose people who frequent the site would know the general terminology. But here''s a refresher. Senior Sun and Mo Yun are not blood related siblings; it''s simply common to call people close and people respected brother or sister. Sort of like a brother born from another mother deal. The last passage should indicate Mo Yun becoming Sect Leader since Senior Sun being exiled. Hope that is clear. If you have any feedback, you should tell me. Under The Guise of the Thunder God, Lei Gong Part 3 Mo Yun hovered in front of Senior Sun. One hand rested on the handle of her sword. Wei Zhao similarly positioned his claws cautiously. The sect master gave off an exceptional air of tension, similar to the taut string of a bow before release. Though she possessed a heart-shaped face, her sharp monolid crescent eyes reminded both men of the cold blade of a sword. She narrowed her eyes and a flurry of wind ruptured forth from her. ¡°Sun Yan¡¯zhi, how long will you remain wordless?¡± Xiao Qing saw the fairy¡¯s lips tremble for a short spell. The fairy continued, ¡°Say something, you damn scholar! Where are your flowery lies now?¡± Wei Zhao massaged his neck awkwardly. He then clasped his left hand over his right fist and said , ¡°Oh, esteem Sect Master Mo ¡ª¡± She whipped her head around and barked, ¡°What? Do you not see me talking?¡± Wei Zhao almost barked back. He bit his bottom lips till he tasted the familiar flavor of blood. ¡°Yes, however, the man you are conversing with is not only an exile of your great Yue Yun Sect, but a wanted criminal. I am in charged of his capture under orders of General Bo Ling. As the entire Empire knows, General Bo Ling is the not only a blood brother, but the actual brother-in-law, of Emperor Zhou ¡ª may He live ten ten thousand years.¡± She raised her eyebrows. ¡°Oh, how strange that my Yue Yun Sect is great and noble and strong? I swear to the Heavens that I could have sworn some mutt slander my great sect¡¯s name by calling it a dump.¡± Wei Zhao looked up at the moon and avoided eye contact with the fairy. ¡°My, that fool¡¯s brain must have gone addled from this storm perhaps. Truly, a strange thing to utter. And to the mountain¡¯s face at that!¡± ¡°You say this man is a criminal? Sun Yan¡¯zhi may be an exile, but before I was Sect Master, he was my junior brother. He did not have any talent for cultivation and was quite the flower boy of the sect, and it was for that fact he was exiled for being impure. Unless he has made a pass at the Empress ¡ª may She live a thousand years ¡ª which I highly doubt as he is a coward, what crime could he have committed?¡± Wei Zhao drew his eyes onto the Sect Master¡¯s, ¡°His wife, General Yin, is suspect in the assassination of Emperor Zhou. Even now, the court awaits the Royal Physician¡¯s report. It has already been at least a couple hours since she has locked herself within the Emperor¡¯s chambers.¡± Wei Zhao studied the Sect Master¡¯s reaction. The fairy¡¯s expression was as still as a mirror¡¯s. There was no shortage nor quickening of breath. As expected of a master, the flow of qi remained uninterrupted and contained even if she was startled. ¡°And the girl?¡± She asked. ¡°Pardon?¡± The fairy jabbed her blade at Xiao Qing. The width between the little doll¡¯s eye and the tip of the blade was less than the space a mosquito could fly through. Wei Zhao widened his eyes tremendously. His lips suddenly felt very dry. Yet even after running his tongue over his lips several times, the lips remained dry. ¡°The girl. This one I¡¯m pointing to.¡± Wei Zhao swallowed a breath and said, ¡°She is of course a criminal as well.¡± The fairy tilted her head. ¡°You are a talented cultivator, no?¡± ¡°My peers believe me to be.¡± ¡°How old is that girl?¡± Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Wei Zhao blinked like a frog. ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°The girl. Age, in years if possible.¡± ¡°About 5. But¡ª¡± ¡°I see. Does the great General Bo Ling suspect a five years old girl to be capable of murdering the Dragon of our Empire, the great Emperor Zhou?¡± ¡°How dare you insult General Bo Ling!¡± ¡°It was merely a question. Calm yourself. This is still the territory of my Yue Yun Sect, and I will not tolerate your crazed accusations.¡± ¡°Tolerate? Tolerate! You have been tolerating that criminal over there for nearly half an hour now. And now you dare question the commands of General Bo Ling and defend the criminal¡¯s daughter. I say you are intent on harboring these criminals on basis¡ª Oof!¡± Wei Zhao grunted as he caught Senior Sun. ¡°Do not sully the name of my Yue Yun Sect or my name. You have your criminal. Now go.¡± ¡°The girl also. The sins of the tree naturally seeps into its fruit.¡± ¡°She is but a young girl.¡± ¡°She is a wanted criminal. The General will hear about this.¡± ¡°My Yue Yun Sect has been regarded as righteous and loyal to the Emperor since time immemorial.¡± ¡°A single mistake will cast you from the favor of the Son of Heaven.¡± ¡°Then perhaps you should not dawdle around and deliver that garbage of a man to General Bo Ling.¡± Wei Zhao glared at the Sect Master. He unleashed all of his qi at once. Bang! Bang! Bang! Three successions of pops resounded as the storm collided with Wei Zhao¡¯s anger. The force exuded was so great that as soon as the water pellets met one of the shockwaves, the water would evaporate into steam immediately. The fairy waited patiently for the steam to dissipate. She wanted to make eye contact with Wei Zhao. ¡°Are you done?¡± She asked. The Sect Master too released her qi. There was no explosion of strength or anger. There was no noise at all. However, if one looked closely, one would realize with unfathomable fear and surprise that the pellets struck an invisible armor encasing the fairy. As the pellets struck the armor, rather than becoming steam as was the case with Wei Zhao, the water merely rolled off the armor. That was a true testament of strength: control, stability, and power. There was no special technique involved. It was simply the basics of qi manipulation expanded to its highest form. ¡°And this is my power. A power loyal to the Emperor, to the Empire, and to righteousness. Do not insult my nobility, Junior. Report this matter however you wish, but know the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and the Heavens understand the loyalty possessed by my Yue Yun Sect. A loyalty proven for generations. Now leave!¡± Wei Zhao snorted and left with Senior Sun. Mo Yun looked at the frightened girl, ¡°I suppose I should get you out of those soiled robes.¡± Author''s Note: Mostly talking in this chapter, but I felt like it made the most sense. I wanted to capture Wei Zhao''s inability to force Mo Yun to hand over his prey, but also Mo Yun''s inability to outright refuse imperial orders. The next chapter will be a semi-length fight scene. I spent so much time reformatting. That was so tedious; I never want to reformat anything manually ever again. The Sun Rises Ling Wei Zhao carried Senior Sun under his arms. The distance between Yue Yun Sect and General Bo Ling¡¯s mansion would be considered quite large even for a cultivator¡¯s standards. After an hour¡¯s travel, Wei Zhao has only reached the town over which he sensed Xiao Qing¡¯s disturbed qi flow. It was then that Wei Zhao felt the familiar trickle of qi emanate from his prisoner. Whereas, Wei Zhao¡¯s qi flowed through his meridians like coursing serpents riding rapids, Senior Sun¡¯s qi was akin to a broken water system. At places, the qi was thick and would flow quickly and haphazardly. On many places in his meridians, however, the circuit had gaps. The pressure of the previous heavier flow would seep out through those gaps to a great extent and severely inflame the meridians. Less than ten percent of the prior flow originating from the dantian would complete a full circuit. Yet, at this moment, Wei Zhao felt the qi expand and pour forth as if overflowing from a geyser. With narrowed eyes, Wei Zhao flew even faster, moving his waist as a snake would slither quickly across sand. By the time Wei Zhao reached a forest, Senior Sun¡¯s disposition had taken a drastic turn. The qi flowing had somehow reached a level impossible for a man with Senior Sun¡¯s inherent lack of latent talent, lack of a spiritual reservoir or base, and lack of a complete circuit. And as far Wei Zhao¡¯s intel had gathered, Senior Sun did not possess a divine physique nor had all 54 heavenly points opened; neither did rumors tell of Senior Sun possessing a mystical artifact or tool of a demonic nature. The sudden explosion of qi in the middle-aged man¡¯s meridians had cause his skin to gradually bloat up and turn an oily black. Wei Zhao felt sick from the residue sweat which drenched through the man¡¯s robes. Senior Sun¡¯s cute boyish charm had vanished. His face was now more masculine and squarish ¡ª boorish, in fact. Long tusks protruded from his lower lips as well like great ivory scimitars particular to the natives of the West. As Wei Zhao studied the demonic changes to Senior Sun¡¯s face, he found the middle-aged man to be bleeding from the center of his forehead. Wei Zhao felt as if his entire being was grasped by an absolute force as he stared at the bleeding. It was as if a massive claw had gripped his soul and slowly drove itself deep into his being. ¡°Argh,¡± he screamed as he threw Senior Sun to the side and averted his eyes. To his great surprise, Senior Sun floated in midair. Wei Zhao swallowed his soul back into his body. Senior Sun exerted a far more oppressive force than even General Bo Ling. The middle-aged man¡¯s muscles bloated to such extreme that his robes ripped. The bleeding on his forehead stopped and with a deafening noise a slit opened up on his forehead to reveal a third eye. It had no pupil. Senior Sun¡¯s other two eyes flickered open. The demonic man transformed unleashed a scream. That single scream was filled with such force that the rain caught in its path became spears. Wei Zhao swore and immediately activated the highest form of Soaring Dragon, Sifting Leaves that he had comprehended. The movement skill allowed him flight as a basic principle (a coveted ability to fly through the air before stabilizing a base). Wei Zhao had cultivated the ability up to its fourth step of five. The second step allowed for an empowered linear burst ¡ª much like a soaring dragon ¡ª which would appear as though the user teleported to the untrained eye. The third step allowed one to move in such a profound and mystical fashion that one became like the leaf, untethered by wind. The fourth step was a union of the prior two steps. And it was in this fashion that Wei Zhao managed to dodge each and every spear thrown at him while minimizing the blow of the roar! As he bolted forward, he was like leaf ¡ª flat when need be, yet supple. He would burst to one side to dodge one spear, immediately stop and bounce back like a leaf, and rush forward. In the time of a single breath, Wei Zhao had moved into his range to strike. Without delay, he activated the absolute highest form of Piercing Hawk Strike. At the tenth form, Wei Zhao was able to extend each of his talon to a meter in length and width! Not only that, but the electricity generated would be several times more fierce to the point that the talons no longer resembled talons but lightning in its purest form. Crackling. Chaotic. Unpredictable. As Wei Zhao descended swiftly like a hawk with his claws, Senior Sun did not bother to block. He flew forward with his fists flying. The collision created such an unforgiving aftershock that the forest which they battled above became cleared land. For every strike that Senior Sun launched, the claws would decrease drastically in power. Yet for every punch he gave, Senior Sun¡¯s fists would become further charred. By the end of it, both had backed off with only a distance of a hundred meters in between them. A paltry distance manageable in a single breath. The reserves of qi Wei Zhao possessed had diminished by nearly two-thirds. A crestfallen expression adorned his face. Senior Sun continued to overflow with qi, yet he was more severely injured. His fists had become charred to the point that the skin peeled back to reveal the white of bone. Blood had begun to pulsate from all three of his eyes and trickle down from his lips. The disregard for defense had even left his chest battered, as if whipped, from the flare of lightning. The two men recognized each others as equals. The storm had died down, as if the rain god has grown tired of throwing her tantrum and half-heartedly threw out tears. The wind similarly dulled to a whisper. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Wei Zhao spoke first. ¡°You are a mad man, Senior Sun.¡± ¡°I do not believe I can classify as a man any longer,¡± he replied. It was a coarse voice. It sounded as if he spoke across a raging ocean from within a dark cave. ¡°That is one of the forbidden demonic techniques. Though I do not recognize which one.¡± ¡°It is one of Yin Yin¡¯s own creations. She came up with it specifically to allow me to circumvent my incomplete circuit. Naturally, my absorbtion of qi is high enough that not all qi is lost before completing a circuit. And if a rapid is fierce enough, it will leap across any gap like a pack of tigers.¡± ¡°Yin Yin?¡± Wei Zhao asked with a smirk. ¡°This face cannot form expressions well, but if it could, I would be frowning.¡± Wei Zhao covered his mouth, a certain shine in his eyes. ¡°I am not judging. I think it is sweet of you, Senior Sun Sun.¡± ¡°You brat.¡± ¡°My, my, the adrenaline high must be melting our brains. So what is the technique called?¡± ¡°Azure Sky; she never did have the best naming sense.¡± ¡°Is that why your daughter has such a common name like Qing?¡± Wei Zhao chuckled. It was evident that it was the first time in a long time that the man laughed genuinely. ¡°Oh shut up. I am sure you figured out the technique¡¯s weakness from our clash.¡± Wei Zhao¡¯s eyes darkened. He cracked his neck. ¡°Of course, I am a subordinate of the great General Bo Ling. It seems the energy exerted is unstable, hence why you are not attacking me. If you were to attack, even though you do not use any skills, your meridians would implode and your dantian will collapse. Second, you can only enhance your physical body as the mere thought of using any special skills would kill you. Third, such a technique of pulling strength from nowhere into a trash vessel would result in death. Time is severely limited for you: either you run out of steam and die, or you overexert yourself and explode.¡± ¡°Truly deserving of being General Bo Ling¡¯s man. Though, rather than pulling strength from nowhere, the technique is a stockpile of almost two decades of qi.¡± ¡°That explains why it smells of old man.¡± ¡°At least, I do not smell of death.¡± ¡°What can I say? I am best at what I do.¡± The wind died down. The rain ceased. The clouds lifted. The smile of the moon beamed down blinding both men. Senior Sun squinted. Wei Zhao left. A game of cat and mouse where both men were mice and both were the arrogant feline! ¡°I just have to survive.¡± Wei Zhao concentrated all his efforts in maintaining the second step of Soaring Dragon, Sifting Leaves. He kept moving toward General Bo Ling¡¯s mansion in bursts. Wei Zhao grimaced, though amusement danced on his lips. He felt the distance between Senior Sun and Wei Zhao decrease more and more. ¡°I should not spare even a glance behind me.¡± He grunted as he flooded his meridians with more qi than he ever managed to prior. Yet, the distance continues to close to smaller and smaller margins. As the distance became increasingly smaller, Wei Zhao felt both an excitement and desperation he felt he had lost. As the game of cat and mouse continued, the sun began to rise. Wei Zhao had flew the entire night. So much sweat and blood has been shed that Wei Zhao felt as if he transcended mortality. The light danced in front of him, and he chased it. He laughed for his body was as light as emptiness. Wei Zhao forgot he was running away. He simply flew toward the light. At last, Wei Zhao felt Senior Sun¡¯s body collide with his back. The sudden moment knocked Wei Zhao out of his movement skill. He suffered a massive backlash as he coughed up blood by the pint. Wei Zhao was prepared to die. Yet, he found Senior Sun¡¯s body simply lying on top of his back. ¡°Ah,¡± Wei Zhao said with realization. He felt no qi emanating from Senior Sun. He turned his head and looked at the corpse. It no longer even resembled anything that could have at one point been alive. Rather, it was a mangled pile of flesh. Shaking his head, a certain muddiness and dullness returned to his eyes. Wei Zhao closed the lids on Senior Sun''s dead eyes the best he could. Ling Wei Zhao carried Senior Sun under his arms. The distance between here and General Bo Ling¡¯s mansion would be considered a short distance by a cultivator¡¯s standards. The sun hung over the two like a drop of gold. He carried the corpse under his arms and glided slowly toward General Bo Ling¡¯s mansion, toward the light. Author''s Note: Did anyone think Senior Sun would live? Or was his death completely predictable? I feel like in this chapter, Wei Zhao gets developed a bit more, but I''m wondering if his development felt too out of character. Thanks for reading. Auspicious Name Xiao Qing felt warmed by Sect Master Mo. Though the fairy¡¯s complexion was of pure snow, the little girl could feel warmth flow from the young woman¡¯s porcelain hands to her own as the Sect Master brought her up the mountains. The security system of the Yue Yun Sect required all members to proceed to the top of the mountains from the main stairs. Only in emergencies were the disciples allowed to use their abilities to quickly depart from or arrive at the top of the mountains where all the main buildings were located. The stone stairs were well-kept. Even so, the night dew made the steps wet and slippery. Sect Master Mo made sure the little girl did not hop about. She thought the girl to be very obedient for her age. ¡°Girl, what is your name?¡± A brusque tone; more of a command than a question. Mo Yun¡¯s pale white eyes studied Xiao Qing. Xiao Qing¡¯s body quivered. She averted her eyes from the fairy and glanced at the peak. The way to the top was long and winding, and the pair was still only in the bottom-most region. ¡°Are you not going to answer your savior? Have your parents not taught you honor?¡± Sect Master Mo asked. She dragged Xiao Qing¡¯s head to face her own. The young girl¡¯s mouth parted and her eyes became wide like the moon. ¡°Sun Qing,¡± the girl replied. Her voice shook with the timbre of glass. She lapped at her lips. The Sect Master released her grip. Xiao Qing went to immediately massaged her cheeks. Tears formed in her eyes. Her legs had already begun to tremble more and more with each subsequent step. ¡°What a dull name,¡± the fairy remarked. ¡°It is too plain and too simple for this Yue Yun Sect of mine.¡± Xiao Qing being so young, tilted her head in response. The pair continued up the stairs with only the song of the clouds above and the conversation of their steps to accompany them. About a quarter up the mountains, the scenery changed from mere trees and and more trees to trees accompanied by Buddha statues. Some merciful, though their smiles became broken by age. Others vengeful and angry. Most of the statues had closed eyes and sealed lips, rested cross-legged on crumbling lotus flowers. ¡°Why are the statues not beautiful?¡± Xiao Qing asked. The fairy seemed to have been contemplating something, for the little girl had to voice her question several times. ¡°The lower regions is to intimidate the mortals. This region is where we cast aside our past. Like these crumbling statues, we must let our mortal desires crumble away into nothingness. There is no room for emotions in the Yue Yun Arts. Do you understand?¡± Xiao Qing glanced at the statues behind her and scrunched up her face. She slowly nodded. The Sect Master saw this and nodded with approval. The little girl waited for the fairy to continue speaking. She did not. The two returned to climbing in silence. Though the girl was tired and yawned quite often, the two did not stop. The fairy made sure to slap the girl¡¯s behind if she showed any inclination of slowing or stopping. Halfway up the mountains, the fairy stopped. ¡°How do you feel?¡± She asked. ¡°My head feels weird.¡± Xiao Qing responded as she massaged her temple. ¡°My chest feels tight too.¡± ¡°Good. To embark onto the path of immortality is to suffer. Now, tell me. What do you desire?¡± The fairy¡¯s voice resounded. The frost-tipped trees sang their approval. Xiao Qing made a difficult face and tilted her head. ¡°I want to be happy.¡± ¡°No!¡± Sect Master Mo chided as she slapped the child¡¯s wrist. She asked the question again. ¡°I-I want to be happy,¡± Xiao Qing responded in the same way. She did not understand the fairy¡¯s frustration and tears formed. ¡°What of your father? What of your mother?¡± The fairy¡¯s voice shook with passion. Her usual complexion like the snow contorted and became flushed. ¡°What do you desire?¡± ¡°I just want to be happy!¡± Little Qing cried as she tore her hand from the grip of Sect Master Mo. She shoved her face into her palms. ¡°I want to be happy. Mama, Papa, where are you? Mama!¡± Her display of emotions caused an odd light to shine in Sect Master Mo¡¯s eyes. She grabbed hold of Xiao Qing¡¯s arm and threw her. The little girl flew through the air and slammed her back against a step higher up. Blood blossomed over the gray stone step laced with frost. The young girl was immediately assaulted with both an excruciating lack of air and an burning cold. Xiao Qing quickly rolled into a fetal position. Snot covered her pitiful doll-like face. The light in her brown eyes dimming to the tone of dried earth. The fairy did not move to retrieve or comfort the girl. From the midpoint of the ancient stairs, Sect Master Mo asked her question once more. The howling wind distorted her voice and each word seemed to cut deep into Xiao Qing¡¯s skin. Frost soon covered the little girl¡¯s eyes and hair. Her lips were as blue as irises. Her movement had stilled to a stop. The child struggled to move her lips, but it was fine; though her voice was as quiet as the sound of leaves, the fairy heard her. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. With a mighty leap, the fairy skipped dozens of dozens of steps and landed next to Qing¡¯s freezing body. With one sweep of her hand, the frost and cold fled Qing¡¯s body in less than half a breath¡¯s time. ¡°You want to live, then you must desire strength and power above all.¡± Sect Master Mo proclaimed as she helped Qing up. The fairy reached inside the sleeves of her robes and pulled out a charm. She stuck the yellow talisman onto the young girl¡¯s back. Immediately, the little girl breathed easier and colors returned to her face. The two held hands once more. Though Qing¡¯s hand was more slack than before and seemed to slip through the fairy¡¯s grip to nestle sheltered in the dark recesses of Sect Master Mo¡¯s palm. ¡°In our Yue Yun Sect, there are four commandments: ¡°One, strive for glory above the moon. Two, to seek power is cast aside one¡¯s mortality and be alone. Three, one must not possess emotions if one seek the truth path of our Yue Yun Arts. Four, remember pain and remember suffering and weakness. Never forget that is your end if you have no power.¡± The fairy looked at the small child holding her. A new coldness supported the light in Xiao Qing¡¯s eyes now. Mo Yun¡¯s own eyes shined with slight compassion. ¡°I have decided. Your new name will be Qiu¡¯yue; you will not bear a family name from this day on. I will not teach you the characters; learn that on your own time. Simply know it is a good name meaning Autumn Moon.¡± Xiao Qing stared at the fairy. ¡°What do you mean? My name is Sun Qing! My father is Sun Yan¡¯zhi, so I have the family name Sun; my mother is Hong Yin and she gave me this name of Qing!¡± The fairy narrowed her gaze. ¡°Child, this is the midpoint of these Earth-Parting Stairs. You either toss away your past and become a disciple of my Yue Yun Sect. Or,¡± she pointed down the stairs, ¡°I take back my talisman and you can walk down back to the mortal realm by yourself in your soiled garments. Now choose.¡± Xiao Qing¡¯s mouth gaped wide open. She could¡¯ve fit a dragon inside of her mouth. With no other choice, the little girl started to cry. However, fear seized her the moment Sect Master Mo raised her hand, as if to slap her off the stairs. The girl quickly waved her hands. ¡°I¡¯ll do it! I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Greetings.¡± The fairy spoke. The young girl was only five years old and did not yet understand the way of the world. ¡°Hello,¡± the girl responded. She winced from the sharp slap she received on her wrist from Sect Master Mo. ¡°When you meet a senior, you must clasp your hand like so.¡± The fairy demonstrated: an open left palm layered on top a closed right fist. ¡°And you must say ¡®Junior Qiu¡¯yue pays respect to elder¡¯ and bow slightly with your head. If that elder, or even junior, is in a higher standing than you, then you must also bow deeply with your entire body. Pretend that your waist is an oar, bow deep to pave way for those in high standing!¡± The girl couldn¡¯t help but mutter, ¡°But I never had to do that back at the palace.¡± ¡°Idiot girl!¡± The fairy chided and slapped the girl¡¯s wrist once more. ¡°Was it in the Royal Palace, the Forbidden Palace, or your own insignificant general mansion? Regardless, you have abandoned your mortal life. You no longer have anyone or anything to rely on beside your own self, your determination, and your latent talent. That is the path of cultivation.¡± ¡°What about Mama and Papa?¡± The girl asked. She quickly hid her hands behind her back, afraid of getting punished again. The fairy flicked her forehead. The girl crouched down and clutched her forehead with slight tears. ¡°Forgot about the mortal life.¡± The fairy then started walking again. Qiu¡¯yue gasped and struggled to catch up to the fairy¡¯s long strides with her undeveloped body. The fairy held out her hand and the newly named child grabbed hold of it. The two climbed the stairs once more in silence. The pair climbed until the sun rose and hung over their heads like a pale mirror. Qiu¡¯yue breathed heavy and sweat glued her robes to her skin. She looked over at the fairy whose beauty continued to shine. The fairy stopped. She pointed toward a beaten path off to the side of the main stairs. It led into the woods. ¡°That will lead you to your new home. You will become an official disciple of our Yue Yun Sect once you achieve some proficiency with the Way. Do not follow me. The current you right now is but a mortal. If you follow, your internal organs would burst from the pressure.¡± After finishing her words, the fairy began to climb the stairs to the top by herself. Qiu¡¯yue watched the crescent moon until she could no longer see it, disappeared into the horizons. With both hands held tightly to her chest, the aspiring cultivator walked slowly into the wilds. Author''s Note: Our main character finally gets to begin her journey. Yay! How do you guys like her new name? Tiger and Dragon The Royal Physician, Gu Hua, paced outside the Emperor¡¯s bedchambers. Plopping heavy steps back and forth along the empty halls, Gu Hua¡¯s round face was an expression of worry. Sighing, she looked at the sky. The golden drop of light which bright shine to her soon became devoured by the clouds. The middle-aged spinster stamped her foot angrily and cursed while swinging her arms about. Despite her pure white robes symbolizing her prestige, if one were to chance upon her now, the Royal Physician would be mistaken for a criminal stripped of her identity bitterly waiting to wash her neck. ¡°Argh, Ling Ling is going to have my neck! Chopped up, sliced, and then skinned,¡± she grumbled to herself. Moaning, she crouched against a pillar and began to beat on it with both fists. ¡°I should never have taken this job no matter how good the pay was. How will I enjoy life if I am dead?¡± ¡°Who is going to die? The Emperor?¡± A gentle voice drifted down the long stretch of halls. Those who heard such a melody would swear it was as if the voice was Heaven¡¯s tears washing away their sins. To the current Gu Hua, it simply felt like rain. Wet and uncomfortable rain. Raising her head, she slowly turned to face General Bo Ling. She then closed her eyes. Dressed in his armor, the handsome man strolled toward Gu Hua. With each step, Gu Hua envisioned the silver dragons coiled around the general¡¯s shoulders to come to life and bite off her head. With every passing second, Gu Hua predicted it would be soon when the demonic dragon emblazoned on the chestpiece to start to breathe fire. With each breath, Gu Hua felt it would have been best to die rather than suffer the insane pressure choking her stomach. The general stopped walking. Gu Hua opened her eyes. Staring back at her was a pair of blue eyes as profound as the oceans. ¡°Gu Hua greets General Bo Ling, may he prosper nine thousand years,¡± she quickly kowtowed. The Six Generals of the Blooming Lilac Empire were all half a step from godhood and were all a half step from falling. With a single gaze, General Bo Ling could rupture the internal organs of a normal mortal like Gu Hua. She may be the genius healer in all the Empire, but even she cannot put back together organs if the organs became tofu pudding. ¡°Why are you kowtowing? Aren¡¯t I just Ling Ling?¡± He asked with a smile. He stopped the middle-aged spinster before her head could bleed. ¡°We can¡¯t have that smart head of yours break now, can we?¡± The Royal Physician waited for the general to stand up before she also stood. ¡°Now, what is the condition of the Emperor ¡ª may he live a thousand thousand years,¡± the man inquired as he strolled toward the courtyard garden to admire the lotus pond. With a wave of his hand, a wind swept through the garden and brought the biggest lotus in the pond to his hand. Sniffing at the scent, the famous general looked like an unassuming poet. Unlike Wei Zhao who had murky muddy eyes, or Mo Yun with her sharp dagger-like eyes, the general had sleepy eyes which hardly seeme to ever open beyond a slit. ¡°A coma,¡± the royal physician whispered. The general did not respond. Gu Hua knew her words were heard. The poet began to tear apart the lotus apart. He scattered the petals into the pond. The petals were thrown with such weight that ripples tore through the water and drowned the prior petals. Bo Ling did this silently. One petal at a time. When he threw the last petal into the pond, he threw the stalk at Gu Hua¡¯s feet. The stalk pierced the earth. ¡°Hua''er, did I not tell you to call me Ling Ling,¡± the man muttered with a glum expression. ¡°Yes, Ling Ling,¡± the physician said anxiously. ¡°The Empress Dowager told you to do your best, did she not?¡± The general asked with crossed-arms. ¡°Yes, she did.¡± ¡°And I told you to do your best too, right?¡± ¡°Yes, you did, but that fox¡¯s poison was just ¡ª¡± ¡°Only General Hong concocts such poisons, yet you could not even do your work properly? If the Emperor was saved, you would be hailed as a Buddha reincarnated. If you had failed, no one would blame you, after all, only General Hong concocts such poisons. Yet, you are now stuck between a dagger and a sword. One might say you botched up the surgery on purpose.¡± The man¡¯s eyes opened wide. Those great blue ocean orbs. ¡°One might suspect you are in cohorts with the assassins.¡± The physician paled. ¡°Well, this is the outcome. I cannot do anything more about this. How likely is the chance of the old tiger waking?¡± ¡°I, I don¡¯t know. Since he is of the White Tiger¡¯s lineage, these things are hard to judge.¡± ¡°Ling Ling, you forgot to add that. Again,¡± he muttered. ¡°General Bo Ling! General Bo Ling!¡± A young servant called for the man. The boy ran up to the man and handed him a hawk and a common sparrow. Then he quickly left, tripping over his own feet. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Reading the letters attached to the two birds, General Bo Ling¡¯s face contorted more and more with every line. After finishing the two letters, General Bo Ling had Gu Hua go into the Emperor¡¯s chambers to borrow paper and ink. He quickly wrote two replies in large, swift unruly strokes. The hawk flew toward west and the sparrow fluttered its wings toward the south. ¡°W-What did the letters say?¡± The Royal Physician asked with a squeak. She clasped her hands uneasily. The general only ever opened his eyes when he felt extreme emotions. ¡°Wei Zhao let the girl go, and Senior Sun is dead.¡± He said and closed his eyes. Hesitantly, the middle-aged spinster asked, ¡°What are we going to do?¡± ¡°I need you to restore Senior Sun¡¯s face. If possible, find a puppeteer. If not, then the matters concerning Hong¡¯er would become exceptionally tedious, and people will suspect you to be in on the conspiracy.¡± ¡°Me? Why me? I¡¯m the Royal Physician!¡± General Bo Ling snatched her cheeks and pulled her face toward his. ¡°A Royal Physician who botched a job.¡± The spinster tore her face away from his hold and said bitterly, ¡°Everyone knows you were exceptionally close to that fox.¡± ¡°We all were. It was the three of us who won that throne for the old tiger.¡± The general glanced at the Emperor¡¯s chambers. ¡°It is a heavy feeling to have old friends betray one another.¡± The spinster narrowed her eyes and made a difficult expression. She sighed and changed the subject. ¡°What of the girl?¡± ¡°We need the girl. However, it seems she is under the protection of the Yue Yun Sect.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see the issue. We can easily oust the sect from the Empire¡¯s favor on basis of not only the fox and her husband being from the sect, but the sect holding the daughter of those two criminals. Then we can take the girl.¡± The general smiled. ¡°Oh, this is exactly why your peach blossom has not bloom in all 29 years of your life. Not only are you grossly naive, you are slow. Idiot girl! If we oust the sect with such a motive, the Empress Dowager, no matter how emotionally exhausted she is, will protect the girl. Not because she is the incarnation of Guanshiyin. But because no one who has survived in these courts survive because they are righteous. ¡°We cannot get the girl for now, but it does not matter. If the girl cultivates the Yue Yun Arts, she will die. Let us not worry about something we do not possess or control. We shall oust the Yue Yun Sect, if only to appease some of our aggravations. Rather, I need you to brew some medicine. My sister is in a state of hysteria because of last night. I need to pay her bedchambers a visit regardless.¡± ¡°The same as last night¡¯s?¡± ¡°Yes, but make sure all the bowls and pastels are clean. No, I will have my men send you an entirely new set. It never hurts to be cautious.¡± The Royal Physician nodded and gave thanks. ¡°...and what of the Emperor¡¯s son. I believe he was witness to last night¡¯s events. He may be useful.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± the general snorted. He laughed cordially. ¡°You truly will never see the bloom of Spring, Hua¡¯er. You truly fit your name, Bone Flower. He is the Emperor¡¯s son, even if by a low consort, he is the next in line. We have no right to speak to him, even if the Empress Dowager allowed it. No matter what he saw, being so young, he will not remember or understand it.¡± ¡°We should still send men to watch over him. For safety¡¯s sake.¡± The general nodded as he went over to the pond once more. ¡°What of Consort Mu?¡± The Royal Physician widened her eyes and then squinted suspiciously. ¡°You almost never ask for my opinions.¡± ¡°A woman¡¯s intuition is best when dealing with other women.¡± ¡°Send men to watch over her. It is unknown whether the Empress Dowager will extend kindness to her. It is likely in any case.¡± The general nodded and then left. The red cape behind him waved about heroically. The Royal Physician looked at the sky and saw the clouds darken further. ¡°Better go and mix the herbs,¡± she muttered to herself. ¡°Deer antlers, reishi mushrooms, gingers¡­¡± Author''s Note: I tried to write this chapter so everything was somewhat ambiguous, but also somewhat obvious. I am unsure as to how well it worked. Tell me in the comments. Thanks for reading. I will post another chapter later. Today was simply a long day. Whispers in the Night Part 1 Sect Master Mo lived at the peak of the Yue Yun Mountains. Rather than a grand temple, the sect master resided in a simple small cottage. Outside the cottage grew a grove of bamboos and a small pond with a few colorful fish. The sect master was doing some late night accounting when someone knocked on her door. There were only a few in her sect who both held the ability and permission to visit her cottage. Most of them she was not particularly close to. ¡°Guang-ling, you may enter,¡± the fairy responded as she put the accountant books back into the drawers. She got up from her desk and walked into the living room to brew tea. ¡°I am in the mood for chrysanthemum tea [juhua cha]. I personally dried the flowers myself.¡± ¡°I will have black dragon tea [oolong tea] if you have some in stock,¡± a brusque voice responded. The owner of the voice had a very chiseled chin. The sharpness was comparable to a dagger¡¯s. The man also sported a very impressive physique with muscles which bulged visibly underneath his robes. If not for the two thin whiskers on his face which reached the floor, the man would be most intimidating and handsome. ¡°I am out of black dragon tea. Chrysanthemum tea?¡± The man slapped his forehead in response. ¡°This is why even though you are sect master, no one but me visits you! Mo-mo, you are too inconsiderate. At least apologize for not having black dragon tea.¡± The fairy narrowed her eyes and tilted her head. ¡°Why should I apologize when you are a guest barging into my home? Not to mention, you are barging into the home of this Yue Yun Sect¡¯s master. If anything, I should have you flayed fifty lashes.¡± The man shook his head with much incredulity, causing his whiskers to sweep the floor like brooms. He walked over to the center table and took a seat. ¡°Nevermind that, give me a cup of tea.¡± ¡°I only have one cup since I rarely receive visitors.¡± The fairy responded with a rare smile as she also sat down and sipped her tea. ¡°Bullshit!¡± He stamped his feet like a child would. ¡°Even after all these years, you still tease me. Just pour me a cup of tea.¡± When the fairy placed her cup back down on the table, her smile was already replaced by her usual cold face. From within her robes, she pulled out another cup and poured tea for her guest. The two sipped tea in silence for a spell. ¡°You took in their daughter.¡± Guang-ling finally spoke. ¡°So I did. This is some good tea.¡± A vein popped on the whiskered-man¡¯s forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t just dismiss the subject just like that!¡± ¡°I did not dismiss the subject. I finished talking about the subject. Now I move on to a new topic. Guang-ling, you are already 47 years old come this October. Learn how to hold a conversation.¡± ¡°Well, I am not done with the conversation!¡± ¡°If you were less stubborn, you would have a wife waiting for you. If someone has moved on and you haven¡¯t, then you are a bother.¡± The sect master chided. Guang-ling shook his whiskers and tied them around his neck. ¡°Mo-mo, I would not have a wife even if I was less stubborn. The commandments of our sect prohibits such immoral relations. Tsk, so what if I am a bother? I will continue to bother you until you speak properly on this subject.¡± ¡°Your tea is getting cold. If you let the flowers I dried myself go to waste, I will end our friendship immediately.¡± ¡°You get worked up over the oddest and most trivial things, you,¡± he grumbled as he gulped down his entire cup in one swoop. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare complain about my way of drinking tea. Hand me the teapot.¡± He poured himself another cup, then handed the pot back to his host. ¡°Now, if you don¡¯t want to talk about it, I will. I will talk until it no longers enter one ear and out the other. I will talk until it enters your ear and carves itself into your brain and then comes out bleeding on the other end.¡± He gulped down another cup and burped. ¡°Ah, it really is good tea. Now, why did take in their offspring? Didn¡¯t you sever all relations with them the day the two were exiled?¡± His eyes widened and his mouth gaped. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you are still in love with that bastard poet? The reason Sect Master Fan exiled them was because the two were caught in the act of yin-and-yang in one of the courtyards!¡± This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Shut your mouth, Grand Elder Lu. It was not for him. Remember the four commandments of this Yue Yun Sect since time immemorial. Emotions are not needed if one wish to pursue the enlightenment of our arts. No, I did not do it for him or that fox.¡± The man stroked his whiskers and rolled his eyes. ¡°Mo-mo, the more you deny something, the more stupid you will look ¡ª not saying you are not idiotic half the time regularly ¡ª when you finally admit to yourself the truth.¡± ¡°If you dare slander my good name any longer, I will cast you off these mountains personally. Would I still be human if I took in that fox demon¡¯s and bastard¡¯s offspring?¡± The grand elder poured himself another cup of tea. ¡°I think that would be the most human thing I¡¯ve seen you do since the two of them were exiled. But, before you unleash the wraths of the venerable ancestors on me, let us say you did not do it for him, why did you do it?¡± ¡°Leverage.¡± The sect master said one word. Yet, that one word seemed to have caused time to stop. ¡°Oho, leverage you say?¡± Guang-ling inquired as he leaned forward. ¡°I would believe offending the Emperor¡¯s brother-in-law would be the farthest thing away from leverage.¡± ¡°General Bo Ling¡¯s man was desperate to capture the girl. The girl holds an importance to him; whether it is to pressure the fox or some other purpose, the girl is of high value.¡± ¡°That still doesn¡¯t translate to leverage. It is now inevitable that the sect is cast from the Empire¡¯s favor. If you are going to make up a reason to save the girl, at least make an excuse which will sate the outrage of the other elders when the Empire¡¯s men inevitably come knocking on our gates.¡± ¡°If you do not think the Sect Master¡¯s words would sate those old farts, what do you think will?¡± The fairy went to pour more tea, but found the pot to already be empty. She never did like using the same tea leaves more than once. Sect Master Mo scooped up the petals and began to chew on them, releasing a sweet fragrance in her mouth. ¡°I suggest you tell the venerable elders that the girl is in possession of amazing latent talent.¡± ¡°What if she isn¡¯t?¡± ¡°Even if she is the daughter of Sun Yan¡¯zhi, she is still also the daughter of that fox. There¡¯s a fifty-fifty chance of her being a genius.¡± ¡°What if she isn¡¯t?¡± ¡°I will pack my bags and leave for my ancestral home. Whether in a casket, only time will tell,¡± the man laughed heartily. The fairy swallowed her petals. ¡°Fine, that will be what I will tell the elders. A year to reach the tenth qi condensation stage would be a fair requirement, yes?¡± The man nodded and got up. ¡°I will see you tomorrow for the announcement then. These old bones of mine need some rest, else my junior down there may develop extreme fatigue. Hohoho.¡± ¡°Get out. Now,¡± the fairy said coldly. Her eyes narrowed like the impending strike of a sword. With a tap of his two feet, the man disappeared out the door, leaving only the scent of chrysanthemum. The fairy refilled the teapot with some black dragon tea leaves and poured hot water into it. She uttered some bizarre chant and the water rippled as the steam cleared. Soon the reflection on the pool of tea changed. It showed Qiu¡¯yue walking deeper into the woods! Qiu¡¯yue was much more pale than when her father carried her. Her palms were dirtied from falling so often due to fear or simple exhaustion. Remnants of snot showed on her face as well. Yet, the strong light in her eyes showed she had not given up as she continued to walk despite being faced with the unknown. The fairy watched intently as Qiu¡¯yue finally reached the mountains¡¯ Village of Lost Orphans. Author''s Note: Double Release, ayy. Told you, I would release two chapters. So tired. What were your thoughts on this chapter? What do you think the Village of Lost Orphans is? Thanks for reading. Whispers in the Night Part 2 Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s felt as if her entire innards had been chewed away by hunger. She walked and walked through the woods, yet all she ever saw were trees. There was no variety in the trees either: all were of the simple oak variety. No animals could be seen either, or heard for that matter. It was complete silence save for the constant crunch of the autumn-dried leaves as the girl walked. The girl moaned and complained as she walked. She was so tired and sore, she did not even care to hum a tune to entertain herself. Under such heavy monotony, the girl hardly realized the scenery finally shifted until loud hisses like steam came rushing forth from the thickets of the woods. ¡°Who¡¯s there,¡± the girl squeaked as she fell onto her bum from shock. Her lovely face contorted into terror as the hissing approached with every second from all directions. She picked up a stray branch and began to swing it in front of her. ¡°Stay back! Mama, Papa, save me! Save me!¡± ¡°Oi! Brat, you calling for your ma and pa?¡± A figure dashed in front of Qiu¡¯yue in a single step. One moment, the boy was hidden perhaps ten meters away judging by the projection of his voice. The very next moment, the boy was in front of Qiu¡¯yue crouched on one knee with a prominent scowl. His eyes like the openings of a bamboo flute gleamed with deep anger. A boy as young as seven should not possess such hate. ¡°No one can save you here. Except yourself.¡± ¡°Junior Brother Cai, are you not being too harsh on the girl?¡± A figure admonished gently as he appeared from underneath the earth from behind Qiu¡¯yue. The girl gasped in surprise with a tinge of disgust and scooted toward the mean-spirited boy. The reason for Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s rudeness was understandable. Senior Brother Sha had a face which would make ghosts flee. One eye drooped toward hell; the other eye never moved from staring straight forward. The young man, perhaps only ten, was already bald in several places on his scalp. It was as if he decided to become a monk, but backed out of the ritual midway through. And when he spoke, an odor which would put to shame foul-mouth-ghosts was emitted. Worse of all, the boy had a stomach which bulged and hung. ¡°Hmph, Senior Brother Sha, this brat clearly does not deserve our help. How can a maiden do something as unsightly as gasp from meeting your eyes?¡± The boy named Cai growled as he spat at Qiu¡¯yue. The spittle landed pompously in her hair. The girl gingerly touched her hair. A clump of spit was trapped in her beautiful brown hair. She wiped her hand on one of the leaves on the ground. Her expression was unreadable. Senior Brother Sha smartly chose to burrow back into the earth. The girl rushed at Cai. The boy simply rolled his eyes and sidestepped the charge, and, in the process, trip the girl. The girl screamed pitifully as she tumbled into a tree. Qiu¡¯yue hit her head rather hard on the trunk and rubbed her head with tears in her eyes. ¡°This brat, this brat!¡± Cai mumbled as he pounded the air with his fists. ¡°I didn¡¯t even have to use qi to defeat you. Oi, brat, listen closely. This is the Village of Lost Orphans, and we do not need baggage.¡± ¡°Brother Cai, aren¡¯t you being mean?¡± A pair of tired voices called out from the distance. A pair of twins emerged from the thickets. One was a young bald boy around eight years old who wore glasses; the other was a girl with long hair which reached her shins. ¡°You know we can¡¯t travel as quickly or as often as you. Look at Meili, she¡¯s out of breath now. If she catches a fever from tonight¡¯s events, I am going to beat you up. I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re at the 3rd condensation stage ¡ª I will paint you black and blue.¡± The boy muttered as he hugged his sister¡¯s neck. The girl, Meili, tried to remove her brother¡¯s arms from her body. Her veins pulsed on her hands as she tried to use qi to force the boy¡¯s arms from her. ¡°Ge-ge [brother], stop hugging me!¡± Stolen novel; please report. ¡°Oh, Meili, you¡¯re so adorable. Don¡¯t overexert yourself though,¡± the boy chuckled. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re biting me? Aww, I just want to eat you up.¡± Meili munched angrily on her twin brother¡¯s arms. ¡°Ah, Meili and Jang Guo! You two are finally here,¡± Senior Brother Sha appeared behind the two. Immediately, his face was met with Jang Guo¡¯s fist. The senior brother stumbled backwards and clutched his nose. ¡°Senior Brother Sha, how many times have we told you not to sneak up on us? What if Meili got scared and died? Where would I be then? You would certainly be dead though.¡± The bald boy said with a frown as he pushed up his glasses. ¡°Ge-ge, stop hitting Senior Brother Sha. We don¡¯t want him to get even more deformed. I already have nightmares every night.¡± ¡°Hoho, nevermind that now. Who has the new clothes for our new friend?¡± Senior Brother Sha laughed, albeit the sound of crying could be heard mixed-in. The twins walked toward Qiu¡¯yue as one and threw the clothes onto her head. The clothes were drab grey robes. On the back, there was a large white circle with the character for ¡°service¡± drawn in it. ¡°She¡¯s the new girl?¡± Jang Guo asked. ¡°She looks spoiled. And weak. And short and sickly pale and ¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, yes, and she is our new friend,¡± Senior Brother Sha interrupted. Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s face got more and more dismayed with each word spoken. ¡°I just want to go home,¡± Qiu¡¯yue muttered. Senior Brother Sha crouched down in front of Qiu¡¯yue. The girl recoiled from the older boy¡¯s crooked yellowed teeth. ¡°Now, now. This is your new home now. You¡¯ll come to like it. Stand, stand. It is getting much too late now. You are tired, right? For now, just follow us, and we can talk tomorrow.¡± Qiu¡¯yue nodded with hesitation. She went around the tree to change. Cai and the twins already left by the time Qiu¡¯yue finished changing. ¡°You should leave those clothes there.¡± Qiu¡¯yue shook her head and hugged her clothes close. Senior Brother Sha extended his hand, only to be met with disgust. Still, Senior Brother Sha laughed it off and began to walk slowly, making sure the young girl behind him would not fall too behind. Qiu¡¯yue followed from a distance behind the older boy. The senior brother constantly hummed and joked and laughed. It did not take long for Qiu¡¯yue to feel ashamed for not holding senior brother¡¯s hands and ran toward him. Qiu¡¯yue felt shivers as she saw Senior Brother Sha smile up close once more, but she also felt very happy. The two of them walked toward the homes of the Village of Lost Orphans. When the pair got to there, Qiu¡¯yue gasped and widened her eyes in amazement. It was a spectacular scene which she never found in the palaces or her family mansion. Author''s Note: Late upload. Personal life is a pain. What are your thoughts on this chapter? Thanks for reading. Whispers in the Night Part 3 A great tree blossomed in the middle of a clearing within the woods. The clearing was as green as polished jade and had absorbed the essence of the world, for the slim tendrils of green glew bright and danced without the blowing of the wind. The tree itself towered insurmountable above the earth: Its trunk majestic in its girth; its branches mesmerizing in its reach; its blossoms awesome in its beauty. The petals were heart-shaped and the gathering of so many made the tree seem like the heart of the earth as the branches swayed. Some petals were red and pink, others were blue and green and of such incredible shades of lilac! White and silver and gold blossomed as well, along with so many more colors like apricot and orange and all the variations and tinges imaginable. Yet, the colors did not strain the eye. The colorful sight was enchanting like a firework ablaze as the petals scattered about. And even when the petals fell and immediately became dust, a new one would instantly sprout. ¡°Pretty,¡± Qiu¡¯yue exhaled. Senior Brother Sha chuckled. ¡°The Village of Lost Orphans graciously welcome you to our humble abode, Lady Qiu¡¯yue, the Tree of Ten-Thousand Fire Blossoms!¡± ¡°You guys live here,¡± the girl said with wide eyes. Then she realized and asked with confusion, causing her face to scrunch up cutely like a doll¡¯s, ¡°Where are the houses?¡± Before the older boy could answer, one of the petal bore a white gourd. Qiu¡¯yue stared with mixed fear and wonder as light erupted from the gourd. The light condensed into one stream and landed in front of Senior Brother Sha. It was Cai! A boy had somehow came from a gourd born from a tree. How peculiar! How magnificent! ¡°Senior Brother Sha, this junior welcomes you home,¡± he bowed with clasped fists. Cai gave the evil eye to Qiu¡¯yue and snorted. Qiu¡¯yue stuck out her tongue and hid behind Senior Brother Sha. The older boy blushed, which made for a somewhat disturbing sight as the red made him seem like he was suffering a heat stroke. ¡°Junior Brother Cai, there is no need for you to greet me so formally. Everyone in this village of ours is family!¡± He gave a hearty laugh as he slapped his stomach. ¡°Of course, if you want to celebrate our new sister¡¯s arrival, then ¡ª¡± ¡°No need. Both Jang Guo and Mei¡¯er are tired from today and are resting. Furthermore, we have not prepared for her sudden arrival. And, we have not approved of her. It would not be festive regardless.¡± The boy said bluntly. ¡°Now, Senior Brother Sha, I must go rest. May you have a peaceful evening.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, good night, Junior Brother Cai,¡± Sha said in a daze. The younger boy instantly turned into a shower of light and flew into one of the petals. ¡°I¡¯m going to start living here too?¡± The girl asked with gleaming lights in her eyes. ¡°Well, uh, not quite,¡± Senior Brother Sha said as he fiddled with his robe. Qiu¡¯yue tilted her head. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to sleep outside.¡± Senior Brother Sha looked away. He thought to himself, Ah, Qiu¡¯yue truly looks like a doll ¡ª especially with such a deadpan expression. Qiu¡¯yue began to cry. ¡°Senior Brother Sha, you want to bully me too!¡± The older boy immediately began to shake his hands and head. ¡°No, no, no. Of course not! Why would I, little Qiu¡¯yue. You are so cute, I want to protect you.¡± The young girl stopped crying and wiped her tears with her sleeves. ¡°Then why do I have to sleep outside?¡± ¡°You see, this magical tree is actually really sinister!¡± Senior Brother Sha flinched as the tree behind him began to shake violently. ¡°Not sinister, my mistake, my mistake! Well, uh, you see, this tree is already quite generous for letting us stay inside of its petals and have a good night rest. The tree also keeps the dangerous spirit beasts away. However, the payment is somewhat harsh for its services. And if you do not have enough qi to pay every night, then ¡ª¡± Senior Brother Sha made a slicing motion across his throat. Qiu¡¯yue being so young tilted her head and asked, ¡°Senior Brother Sha, do you have an itchy throat?¡± The magical tree behind them heard this and understood immediately. It shook its branches once more and caused a ruckus. A gourd was bore once more and Cai popped out of it once more. He dashed in front of the little girl and hissed, ¡°Stop with the ruckus! If I have to waste more qi entering and leaving the tree one more time, and then die because I don¡¯t have enough qi to give to the tree, I will come back as an evil spirit. I will haunt you. I will kill you.¡± With a stomp of his foot, the young boy turned into light and returned to the tree once more. Senior Brother Sha wiped sweat from his forehead. ¡°Essentially what Junior Brother Cai said.¡± The girl pouted and asked, ¡°How much qi do I need?¡± ¡°At the very least, you need to reach the second qi condensation. At that level of comprehension of the Way, you will be able to survive a night sleeping in the tree. However, I recommend cultivating until at least the third qi condensation stage as you will have a greater reserve of qi and definitely would not die. You will probably reach the second qi condensation stage in half a year,¡± the older boy finished with a smile. ¡°Half a year!¡± The girl cried as she counted on her fingers. ¡°That¡¯s six whole months, senior brother!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry, junior sister.¡± Senior Brother Sha led Qiu¡¯yue behind the tree where she found a shelter made of branches and leaves. There was also a poorly sewn blanket made from squirrel pelt. ¡°You can use this until you reach the second stage. You just have to work hard! Be earnest and studious, and the world will be at your feet. ¡°Come, come,¡± he said with a smile as he led the Qiu¡¯yue who was in tears into another part of the clearing. ¡°Let me show you how to comprehend the Way and guide you to the first step of cultivation. Now tell me, what do you know about the Way?¡± The girl shook her head as her face drew a blank. ¡°No matter, no matter. The Way is the Path and the Path is Enlightenment. The Way is the gods¡¯ gift to us mortals. From studying the Way, we are able to comprehend the truths of the world and bend it to our will. It is by pursuing the Way, that a man can become an immortal, a living-god! Now, how do we comprehend the Way? Follow my every move, junior sister,¡± Senior Sha said with excitement clear in his rapid movements. First, Senior Brother Sha sat cross-legged in a lotus position. He rested one palm on the other above his navel. The senior brother sat up straight and faced directly forward. And he closed his eyes. Qiu¡¯yue tried to follow the movements but got her legs caught and fell flat on her face. ¡°This is hard,¡± she frowned to herself. Senior Brother Sha paid her no mind. From the stillness of his breath and the whisper of the wind around his body, it seem he had already entered meditation. Qiu¡¯yue tried a few more times before finally being able to sit cross-legged with the correct hand formation above her navel. She too closed her eyes. Barely a breath passed before she said, ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± She played with the fabric of her old clothes. Her sadness made her beautiful like the deep black of night. With not much to do, the young girl called for Junior Brother Cai after she found herself unable to penetrate the curtain of wind sheltering Senior Brother Sha. The girl had to yell Cai several times before the familiar flurry of light appeared. ¡°Oi, brat! Do you want to fight?¡± He growled as he jabbed at the young girl¡¯s temple. ¡°Did I not warn you that I will haunt you to death? If not for the twins, I would have ignored you until the end of time. Now what do you want?¡± Rubbing her throbbing head, the girl answered, ¡°I want you teach me cultivation.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why?¡± The girl asked with a glare. ¡°I don¡¯t like you.¡± ¡°Teach me.¡± ¡°No.¡± This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. This exchange went on for the length of half an incense before Cai finally thew his arms into the air and screamed, ¡°Fine!¡± The pair returned to where Senior Brother Sha was. ¡°He got too into it again.¡± Cai sighed. He rolled his eyes and kicked the senior brother, ¡°Senior Brother Sha, wake up! Wake up! A fairy has descended!¡± Senior Brother Sha¡¯s eyes flashed open. His head jolted on that thick neck of his. ¡°Where? Where?¡± Cai bowed and apologized. ¡°Ah, I must have gone too deep into my cultivation again,¡± the senior brother sighed. Qiu¡¯yue made another face of confusion. ¡°When someone cultivates, his soul is essentially spliced off from the rest of the world. If one forced one¡¯s comprehension of the Way, he may become insane; lose himself to the Way and become catatonic; or become consumed by Desire.¡± Senior Brother Sha answered with a serious tone. It did not take long for him to break into laughter and remark, ¡°It is fortunate then that I am so easily roused from meditation!¡± Junior Brother Cai nodded and then said. ¡°Senior Brother Sha, I hope it would not be too much a bother if you went and catch a few spirit beasts.¡± A glint of understanding shone in the older boy¡¯s eyes, ¡°No problem! No problem at all. Place your hopes on Old Sha, and I will deliver!¡± The senior brother waved farewell to his juniors and burrowed deep beneath the earth. Cai looked at Qiu¡¯yue and scowled. ¡°Give me your old clothes,¡± he barked. Without waiting for an answer, the boy grabbed it out of the girl¡¯s hands. He fixed the robes and used it as a cushion for his bum. ¡°What are you waiting for? Go on, start meditating.¡± With a scowl, the girl sat in lotus position with her palms above her navel. ¡°Good. Straighten your spine. Still your breath, brat. Now, I¡¯m going to say this mnemonic once, so you better memorize it. Chant this mnemonic in your head and maybe you will get lucky. ¡°The boundless infinite without ultimate, Wuji, births the limits, Youji. From Youji comes the Absolute, the Supreme Ultimate of infinite potential. We call the Absolute, Taiji. From Taiji, there comes two forms: the son, Yang, and the daughter, Yin. From the union of Yin and Yang, we return to the Supreme Ultimate, the Absolute, Taiji. From the infinite potential, we come upon Youji, and from Youji we fall back into the boundless infinite without the ultimate, Wuji.¡± Cai saw the girl looked at him with amazement. ¡°Wow, big brother, you¡¯re so smart.¡± ¡°Senior Brother Cai, you brat. So, have you memorized it?¡± ¡°Can you repeat it one more time?¡± The girl asked quietly. ¡°No. Moving on. Using this mnemonic ¡ª¡± ¡°Wait, I haven¡¯t memorized it yet,¡± she cried. ¡°You are slow even for a five years old.¡± The boy muttered. ¡°To save myself a headache, I am going to repeat it one more time. If you have not memorize the mnemonic after the second time, have Senior Brother Sha write it down for you to study!¡± After repeating the mnemonic once more, the boy moved on to the next lesson. ¡°Using this mnemonic, one is able to better comprehend the Way. The Way is Taiji and Wuji. Qi is but what comes after Yin and Yang. Whereas Yin is the cold energy, and Yang is the warm energy, qi is life energy. And qi flows through the entirety of the cosmos. By comprehending the Way, one is able to better absorb and store qi; one is able to better circulate qi; and one is better able to project it as martial skills. And as one accumulate qi, so too do our bodies change to better accommodate the presence of qi. Now, I don¡¯t expect you to understand a word of what I just said, but those are the basics ¡ª and I am not repeating them again.¡± The boy closed his eyes and quickly fell into a deep slumber. Left with little else to do, the girl returned to meditation. She closed her eyes. Quietly, she chanted the mnemonic and attempted to seek out the qi which flowed throughout all the cosmos. By the time, Senior Sha returned, appearing right behind Junior Brother Cai, a slight wind whispered about the young girl. Junior Brother Cai looked on with slight interest through one open eye. ¡°She learned quick,¡± Senior Brother Sha whistled. ¡°I say the opposite.¡± Cai got up and clapped his hands in front of Qiu¡¯yue using qi. The clap produced an extremely loud boom! Frightened, the girl fell backwards with her feet a tangled mess. ¡°What did you do that for?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t taught you how to end your meditation properly. I did not expect you to actually be able to comprehend even the first step of the basics.¡± ¡°Now, now. Junior sister, do not get angry. Brother Cai did take time to properly teach you, and you have succeeded. Now what do you say?¡± Senior Brother Sha said quickly. Qiu¡¯yue being so young obeyed without commotion and cheerfully gave thanks. ¡°What beast did you bring back, senior brother?¡± Sha chuckled proudly. ¡°I was able to catch this!¡± The older boy pulled a strange rodent from the sleeves of his robes. It was a rodent the color of gold and 1 meter in length. Its teeth were quite sharp and measured the length of three fingers. If one were to touch its fur, one would discover ¡ª to his surprise and pleasure ¡ª that the fur was quite soft despite sticking up like needles. ¡°Senior Brother Sha, you really are the senior brother!¡± Cai laughed as he kowtowed to his senior brother. ¡°Ah, Junior Sister Qiu¡¯yue, let me explain,¡± Sha spoke at once after he noticed the confusion on the girl¡¯s face. ¡°These spirit beasts are common even in the mortal landscape. However, the ones domesticated and raised by humans often lack the special qi which makes these beasts perfect for increasing one¡¯s cultivation. Take for example, this Pale Dawn Fieldmouse. By eating its flesh, one¡¯s comprehension ability would increase for a duration, and one¡¯s leg strength would increase permanently by a not-small amount, though also not-big. Of course, if we could bring the mouse to the dan department of the Sect and not be ripped off, the dan would also make our meridians more compatible with the particular qi of this forest. And if our meridians are more compatible, our cultivation would naturally be much faster.¡± ¡°Enough talk! Let¡¯s eat! Let¡¯s eat!¡± Cai interrupted with a frown. ¡°Should we call ¡ª¡± ¡°No! Who told the two to be such children and go to bed. Before we are children, we are cultivators! Ah, fire! Let me start the fire. Senior Brother Sha, I will have to bother you to skin the beast. Brat, just continue meditating. Even if I don¡¯t call you, Senior Brother Sha definitely will.¡± ¡°How do I end meditation by myself?¡± The girl asked. ¡°Just think of wanting to end, and you will be able to end. Unless, you too suffer from Senior Brother¡¯s Sha¡¯s condition.¡± Satisfied, the girl resumed meditation. Soon a slight wind picked up around her body. When the faint scent of meat reached her nose, the girl opened her eyes. She wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth. Senior Sha beckoned her to come join them over the fire pit, handing her a stick with one of the mouse¡¯s leg skewered through. ¡°Delicious!¡± ¡°Mmm!¡± ¡°This is the stuff!¡± Under the delight of good food, the trio conversed meaninglessly about various topics. Once the entire mouse was devoured, the trio lazed around for a while. Ultimately, the three all entered meditation to enjoy the boon that the mouse had brought them. As the night continued, the wind surrounding Qiu¡¯yue grew in strength, though not to the prowess of her senior brothers. Author''s Note: I enjoyed writing this chapter. Did you enjoy reading this chapter? I hope the theory behind the cultivation made sense. Feedback is always wanted. Thanks for reading. With this Sword, Cut Me Down! The Yue Yun Sect was once two separate sects before being unified under one symbol by the man who would become the Sun Engulfing Moon. One was the Clear Moon Sect; the other was its rival, the Listless Cloud Sect. The two sects were most different in their philosophies, people, and martial arts. The Clear Moon valued discipline and righteousness above all; the Listless Cloud Sect respected benevolence and a desire for glory. The Clear Moon Sect favored exclusively the swift grace of swords and held a fascination for the cold arts. And the Listless Cloud prefered the eccentric weapons ¡ª fans, the guqin, and even the sleeves of robes ¡ª which complemented their profoundly mysterious arts. Whereas the Clear Moon Sect produced warriors and knights and heroes, the Listless Cloud Sect sometimes moonlighted as a merchant guild, a gathering of artisans, and even flirted with the Beggars¡¯ Association! Thus, it was no surprise, that great panic arose, when the Sect Master called for a meeting of both divisions. The Yun Division shuffled their feet toward the Grand Halls: the younger disciples in a fit of irritability, the older disciples in a cloud of rage, and the venerable elders arrived a full quarter incense late, stroking their beards as they took their places on the left side of the halls. The members of the Yue Division shook their heads in disgust. The younger disciples looked at the other side once and returned their attention to waiting for their Sect Master. The older disciples tapped their fingers on their scabbards, gazed at the raucous Yun Division, or closed their eyes in meditation. And the elders pretended niceties with the elders of the other division. Some of the elders grumbled along with the Yun Division. It was barely the break of dawn. The elders were not roosters! Guang-ling strolled over toward the other side. The two divisions paid him little mind ¡ª except for some of the newer disciples who did not know of Guang-ling¡¯s personality, who made some commotion as they have never seen people of different divisions interact cordially. ¡°Ah, Scarlet Fairy of Dreams, to see you so early in the morning, is truly the Heavens smiling upon my brow,¡± he bowed. The woman dressed in a tight-fitting red dress nodded (causing the many ornaments in her bun to clatter together noisily) and hid her smile behind a fan. The woman was not beautiful in the traditional sense. When she smiled, crow¡¯s feet marked the corners of her eyes; when she moved, it was with a slow gait carried forth with the rhythm of rain; and when the light caught her hair, it was her golden ornaments which shined, not her dull-gray hair. Despite those factors, or because of those factors, the woman held an elegance befitting of a fairy. ¡°Grand Elder Lu, is this meeting, perhaps, about the much desired abolishment of that archaic law?¡± Guang-ling flipped his whiskers and snorted. ¡°Hmph! Meng Yue, you know how Mo-mo is.¡± She sighed and fanned herself. ¡°Then why are you here talking to me, Big Brother Lu.¡± ¡°Eh, we¡¯re already dropping the formalities? Ah, perhaps, Little Sister would like to exchange pointers after this meeting, then?¡± Guang-ling smiled as he patted his stomach. The lady closed her fan and placed it against her brow in exasperation. ¡°Honestly, Big Brother Lu, I doubt we can. Or do you not care about the daggers being sent at you?¡± The elder looked behind him to see a thick-browed man glaring. Guang-ling rolled his eyes. ¡°Peh! I can take him with one bare hand.¡± The thick-browed man scowled and walked with dignified and slow steps toward the chatting couple. He bowed first to Lady Meng, ¡°Yun Leader Meng, good day to you. Your attire never ceases to make me speechless.¡± ¡°Yue Leader Dao, those rats you call your eyebrows never ceases to make me without words as well. Mighty impressive, indeed.¡± The red fairy responded as she flapped open her fan again and began to fan herself. The man surnamed Dao smiled. ¡°As sharp a tongue as ever, Yun Leader Meng. However, is it as sharp as my blade? As swift? As fierce?¡± ¡°Who knows, but it certainly is not as repetitive or as predictable,¡± she replied as she shut her fan and began to mock duel Yue Leader Dao with it. The entire gathering of the Yun Division laughed like roosters and geese. The Yue Division turned shades of green and red; some even turned blue from lack of breathing due to shock. ¡°Silence! Grand Elder Lu, why are you laughing as well? Stop talking with these vagrants and come with me. You must act your part as Grand Elder,¡± he fumed. The blue tint on the edge of his collar contrasted nicely with his bright red face. Grand Elder Lu shrugged. ¡°What I do as Guang-ling is separate from what I must do as Grand Elder. I do not recall an avoidance of the Yun Division being a part of either my obligations nor restrictions as Grand Elder.¡± A glint of silver flew as a sword unsheathed, a ring like bells hung over the halls. Exploding in a single breath was an array of 72 sword strikes. Pang! Pang! Pang! Each one was blocked by Guang-ling¡¯s scabbard. With each block, Guang-ling would glance his scabbard off Yue Leader Dao¡¯s blade and immediately bring it down with greater force like a hammer. Every successive block, the force of every blow became more and more fierce that Yue Leader Dao was unable to keep up. He lost control of his blade after the 72nd strike, unable to withstand or overcome the block of Guang-ling¡¯s scabbard which was like a mirror. He swept his blade downward at Guang-ling¡¯s chest but was blocked by the scabbard, Yue Leader Dao¡¯s blade bounced upwards slightly. Without a breath wasted, Guang-ling thrusted his scabbard like a spear. Yue Leader Dao blocked it successfully but his blade ricocheted off the scabbard with such momentum that his entire torso became defenseless as his silver blade guarded the empty air beside his right shoulder. Seeing such a great chance, the Grand Elder flicked his thumb against the pommel of his sword. The sword unsheathed with a cry, revealing a dull jade sword. Mimicking its owner¡¯s finger movements, the sword flew forth like a dragonfly. With these erratic movements, the flat-face of the sword slammed into the Yue Leader¡¯s throat. With a sweep of his hand, the sword was once again sheathed. The Yue Leader stumbled backwards with a hand on his throat. His thick eyebrows quivered like caterpillars. He pointed at Grand Elder Lu and shouted, ¡°You, you dare!¡± ¡°I do dare.¡± Guang-ling said as he flicked a booger onto the ground. ¡°Well, at least you managed to keep your sword in your hand this time. Great improvement, Yue Leader Dao.¡± With a flushed face, the Yue Leader walked back to his place with his tail between his legs. Though, his sword remained unsheathed and he continued to grip it until his knuckles turned white. The halls were speechless. The elders in the Yun Division began to cry from laughter and patted Grand Elder Lu¡¯s back. The majority Yue Division simply sighed. ¡°Why isn¡¯t Grand Elder Lu the Yue Leader?¡± A recently-inducted disciple whispered in shock. A Yue elder slammed his cane onto the floor. ¡°Because that idiot over there refused!¡± ¡°Calm down, old bonehead. At least the entire sect is under Mo Yun¡¯s leadership instead of that witch Meng Yue.¡± Oh how this elder would soon regret his words. ¡°Who¡¯s a witch? My hearing has been getting bad in my old age. I wasn¡¯t able to hear,¡± Guang-ling asked causing the elders to shut their mouths. Before the heat in the halls could rise any further, a servant announced the arrival of the sect master. Sect Master Mo entered the Grand Halls wearing the traditional sect master attire passed down through generations: a cerulean robe embroidered with clouds and a great round moon on the back; a scabbard on the right hip and banana leaf fan on the left; and a white fox mask with red inscriptions. As she walked down the Grand Halls, the members of the sect ¡ª no matter which division ¡ª bowed. When she sat in her throne with the statues of the Three watching over her and down the entire landscape of the halls, the sect all stood firm and erect. ¡°We greet Sect Master Mo,¡± the entire halls boomed as the voices coalesced into one tone. The sect master waited for complete silence. ¡°We will soon lose the favor of the Empire.¡± All the Yue elders coughed up blood and had to lean on a disciple or a pillar for support. The Yun elders paled but were otherwise fine. The one who showed the biggest outburst was Yue Leader Dao who pounded at his chest with clenched teeth and quick breaths. Several elders, from both the Yun and Yue divisions, shot him looks. The ones nearest to him swore they heard laughter hidden underneath his panting. ¡°Sect Master Mo, please clarify your words,¡± Yun Leader Meng asked with clasped fists. Sect Master Mo glared at the red fairy from underneath her mask. ¡°I have taken in the daughter of Sun Yan¡¯zhi and Yin Hong.¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Several elders glanced around in confusion. The sleeves of their robes fluttering about like butterflies caught in a windstorm. ¡°We have exiled and cut relations with both of them. However, Yin Hong is one of the Six Generals of this Blooming Lilac Empire. Why would we lose favor for taking in their daughter?¡± One of the elders asked. The others all agreed. ¡°You all sound like noisy hens,¡± Guang-ling barked at the muttering crowd. Meng Yue silently giggled at his outburst. ¡°If the sect master says that is the reason, then it obviously there is more to the situation. Let her finish first, you old farts.¡± ¡°Indeed, excusing Grand Elder Lu¡¯s bluntness, let us be patient and listen to Sect Master Mo entirely. She must have a reason for everything.¡± Meng Yue seconded. ¡°Even so, very few reasons would suffice in exchange of the generous gifts and status and glory that being favored by the Empire gives us,¡± Yue Leader Dao spoke out. ¡°Think of our disciples, our life-blood and heroes. How will they compete in the world if the Empire stops sending us heavenly treasures? How will they grow if we no longer have the Empire¡¯s gold to fund expeditions? How will they meditate in peace if we do not have the Empire¡¯s, or even the other sects¡¯, protection and support?¡± The disciples rallied behind Yue Leader Dao¡¯s words and became rowdy again. ¡°Silence!¡± Her words thundered through the halls. Chasing quickly after was a shockwave which clawed at everyone¡¯s eardrums. The younger disciples all passed out, while the older disciples could no longer hear anything but the roar of the ocean, quickly collapsing with bitter moans. ¡°Yin Hong has been suspected of being the mastermind behind an assassination attempt on the Emperor. That is why we will lose the favor of the Empire.¡± ¡°Then why are we taking in that traitor¡¯s daughter! Especially when we have declared no relations with her or Sun Yan¡¯zhi long ago!¡± ¡°She will definitely bring glory to our sect, and we can then reclaim the Empire¡¯s favor. I sense in her unfathomable potential. This girl ¡ª¡± ¡°Bullshit!¡± Yue Leader Dao shrieked. ¡°All the elders know that you loved Sun Yan¡¯zhi. Mo Yun, you dare bring personal emotions into sect matters! And to such an extent. Have you forgotten our Yue Yun Sect¡¯s chief commandments?¡± The sect master stood from her throne. With one step, she was already in front of Yue Leader Dao. She slapped the man with the banana fan. The slap echoed through the halls. The man was hit with such force that his eyebrows would have flown off ¡ª if not for the eyebrows being sentient rats which clung onto his face for dear life. ¡°Insolent.¡± Sect Master Mo said as she placed the fan at her hips. ¡°I will not stand for it. I absolutely will not. You may criticize and scold my decision on any other factor, but you may never question my observance of the commandments. That, I will not idle passive as you mock me.¡± The sect master returned to her throne but did not sit. She pulled the sword from its scabbard. It was a simple yet beautiful sword. As the morning light caught the blade, it immediately refracted and dispersed into tens of thousands of beams. ¡°This is the Sky-shearing, Cloud Dispersing Sword passed down since the unification of our two ideals. When I first became Sect Master, I used this sword to cut my hair, renouncing all relations with the mortal realm. I live only for the Yue Yun Sect.¡± Sect Master Mo tossed the sword to Yun Leader Meng. Her gaze narrowed and the people in the halls could feel the temperature plunge. ¡°Should my decision be harmful to the sect, then use that sword to cut me down!¡± The halls once again turned silent. Even Guang-ling was speechless. ¡°Sect Master Mo, to cut you down, it would be too excessive,¡± Yun Leader Meng uttered with shock in her voice. She inspected the sword gingerly, running her finger over the polished blade. When she saw how clear her reflection was in the blade, her heart pounded. It was a good blade, a pure and heroic blade. ¡°I am unable to cut you down, especially not with our sect¡¯s heirloom. Please, Sect Master Mo, your sword.¡± The red fairy laid the blade at the feet of the sect master. ¡°But we can¡¯t not have a punishment either,¡± Yue Leader Dao grumbled. The elders all agreed. ¡°We must set conditions and punishments to ensure that we have indeed gain a bounty rather than baggage. That would only be fair. In addition, we must give compensations to our junior disciples.¡± ¡°Of course, that was my plan,¡± Sect Master Mo declared. ¡°If she can reach the tenth stage of qi condensation in a year, then she is a genius. As for compensation for our junior disciples, they may each retrieve a treasure from the Sacred Pavilion; our senior disciples may do the same but will also receive one Winter-Heart Meridian dan or one Summer-Wind Muscle dan.¡± ¡°The compensations are satisfactory,¡± Yue Leader Dao nodded. The disciples who were still conscious also nodded. ¡° However, the requirements for the girl is much too simple. We gave up the favor of the Empire. To simply get a brat who has some talent in cultivation would be too little! She must reach the tenth qi condensation stage in a year, defeat an inner disciple of both divisions, and receive the approval of both Division Leaders.¡± ¡°I say that those involved in establishing the conditions do not interfere with the trial. The child simply has to gain Yun Leader Meng¡¯s approval. Furthermore, since she must fight an inner disciple with only the strength of a tenth qi condensation, she is allowed to fight in a team. And should she do all this, she be elevated to an inner disciple status upon success.¡± ¡°Hmph, fine. We shall accept those requirements,¡± the man looked toward the elders for confirmation, ¡°only if you accept the punishment with no objection.¡± ¡°I, Mo Yun, swear to the venerable ancestors, to the gods and immortals, and to the Heavens above that I, as the 73rd sect master of this Yue Yun Sect accept the punishment no matter what the punishment may be. Should I go back on my words, may lightning strike me dead.¡± The sect members all nodded in approval. ¡°Hmph, Sect Master Mo, should your gamble turn out to be bad, you will be placed into solitary confinement at the Forbidden Cave of Unmelting Ice for a decade to reflect upon your decision. The duties of the sect master will be delegated evenly between the two Division Leaders. The heirlooms of the sect will be placed with the Division Leaders on a rotational system for safekeeping. Furthermore, the skills possessed only by the sect master shall be written down and locked in a safe should an emergency fall upon you or the sect.¡± Sect Master Mo nodded her head in confirmation. Yue Leader Dao smiled. No sooner has the contract been verbally confirmed that an official messenger from the Royal Palace asked to be let in. One of the lesser elders went to greet him at the bottom of the mountains. He returned with the official decree ousting the Yue Yun Sect from the Empire¡¯s favor. With bitter-sweet faces, the members of the sect left the Grand Halls. Yue Leader Dao left in somewhat higher spirits as he chatted delightfully with some other elders. Yun Leader Meng stayed behind. She told Grand Elder Lu to leave before her. ¡°Is the girl truly a genius,¡± the red fairy asked. ¡°She is the daughter of that fox,¡± the sect master replied. ¡°She has her blood.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The red fairy looked for the sect master¡¯s eyes behind that fox mask. ¡°Little Sister Mo, have you started trusting me once more?¡± ¡°Address me as Sect Master Mo, Yun Leader Meng. Do not forget our relation. And what of trust? We are of the same sect. We trained under the same master.¡± She answered. The red fairy opened her fan and replied, ¡°I miss those days.¡± ¡°Are you done?¡± Sect Master Mo asked. ¡°I am.¡± Without saying farewells, the red fairy walked out the Grand Walls gracefully, her voluptuous figure swaying like the drifting moon. Alone, the sect master sat down on her throne. She examined her reflection on the Sky-shearing, Cloud Dispersing Sword, tracing the edges even as the blade drew blood without thought. Author''s Note: Late Release, sorry about that. I passed out in bed when I got home from school. Then I had to do other stuff. I didn''t have time to proof-read this, but hopefully it is readable and interesting. If you catch any errors, it would be most kind of you to point them out. I am unsure if I will have time to upload another chapter Friday, or have time to do it tomorrow. APUSH exam Friday. Gonna die. Thanks for reading. Acceptance by Rice Wine The Village of Lost Orphans were each hard at work. What could they be working hard at? Perhaps it was cultivation? Qi manipulation? Maybe martial arts? No. None of those tasks were important to them at that moment. ¡°Oi, brat! Hurry up,¡± Cai shouted. Tied around his back were three sacks of rice; strung around his neck was a yoke with four buckets of water on both ends; and he held a fat stack of lumber under each arm. He was barely sweating. Currently, the Village of Lost Orphans were all earning their livelihood: Each day began with traversing to the bottom of the mountains at the crack of dawn. At the bottom of the mountains, several caravans would be waiting, and, along with the regular servants, the Village of Lost Orphans would transport the necessities of daily life to the boundary which divided mortals and cultivators. From that point on, a group of outer sect disciples would transport everything to the entire sect using their bags of holding at noon. ¡°Junior Brother Cai, little Qiu¡¯yue is barely at the first stage of qi condensation ¡ª and she is the youngest of us all! She simply cannot carry that much weight and move quickly, or over such long durations,¡± Senior Brother Sha chided. He was in a similar situation as his junior, though a basket of fruits and vegetables was also tied onto his balding head. ¡°Stop chatting! Meili is going to catch a cold, or faint from a sunstroke,¡± Jang-Guo cried. ¡°Mmm,¡± the younger twin moaned. ¡°Ge-ge, you¡¯re holding my hand too tightly.¡± ¡°Preposterous! A brother¡¯s love can only be transmitted through holding hands, and this is not even the extent of my eternal love ¡ª for this is not even my final form,¡± Jang-Guo shouted and leaned in close to Meili¡¯s disgusted face. ¡°Ge-ge, please concentrate,¡± the girl frowned. With a tsk the older brother retracted his face. The twins were the oddest out of the entire group of child laborers. First of all, the two were able to leisurely hold hands despite both of them carrying the same things as Senior Brother Sha, with the only difference being that the twins carried nothing under their arms. It was the method by which the twins carried the assortment of miscellaneous items that was of particular interest. While Jang-Guo¡¯s right hand held onto his sister¡¯s, his left arm was held outstretched. Bound to his left arm with short rope were pots of vinegar and wine, and entrapped by his left palm was a basket containing various fabrics, medicine, and tools. This arrangement was identical for the younger sister. Despite the clutter and fragility of their arrangement, the twins managed to be at the top of the pack without causing any mishap. Qiu¡¯yue who was at the very end of the pack with the regular mortal servants carried only a sack of rice and had already stumbled quite a few times. ¡°Do not fret, little girl,¡± one of the servants who hiked beside her said with a smile. He carried the same weight as Senior Brother Sha. ¡°Your friends have trained for much longer than you; it is only natural that their body is more resilient and stronger. And the twins are of a more peculiar sort than the rest of us. Do not fret, do not fret. This is the last round, hang in there, little girl.¡± ¡°It hurts,¡± the girl responded as her face contorted like a dried date. Her knees buckled together as she lugged her burlap sack up the stone stairs. Sweat covered her nubile body. The girl would most likely catch a cold. ¡°It really hurts. I don¡¯t want to do this anymore.¡± ¡°No one help her. If anyone helps her, she will not be given food tonight,¡± Cai shouted and blocked Sha with his body. Sha whipped his head around and glared at Cai. ¡°Senior Brother, do not forget! the fourth commandment. We must engrave pain and suffering into her very bones. Only then will we accept her. For, pain is suffering; suffering is strength!¡± Step by step, sweatdrop by sweatdrop, the girl continued to drag herself up the stone stairs. She watched as the Village of Lost Orphans disappeared from her view. Her chest continued to heave as the kind servant left her behind. One by one, the servants all left her behind. Only she was still climbing up the stairs; the mortal servants who had finished their task began their swift descent. She climbed with tears streaming down her face. With every step, her grip on the sack loosened. Senior Brother Sha glanced at the pale-faced girl and then glanced at Junior Brother Cai. The young boy shook his head fiercely and his queue coiled around his neck. He then sat cross-legged and began meditation. Senior Brother Sha then glanced at the twins. The brother sat against a tree stroking his sister¡¯s long hair while she used his lap as a pillow. ¡°Do not think of helping her,¡± Cai said with closed-eyes. Senior Sha spat on the ground and began to pace across the stairs. He silently watched as the girl struggled to complete the last few dozen steps. When the girl neared the last five steps, she collapsed. While lugging the sack up the stairs, she stumbled, fell, and scraped her elbows. The sack fell in such a way that it fell a good dozen steps below. Walking unsteadily down the stairs with her arms limp at her side, the girl picked up the sack of rice again. At this point, her body was no longer moved by her will or determination, but rather by a soul-less desire to get everything done and over with. Finally, step by step, the girl carried the sack up to the place where Sect Master Mo left her. Plopping the sack down onto the stone step, the girl wobbled over to where the rest of the orphans were gathered. She tripped over her own feet and stumbled. Senior Sha caught her. The girl¡¯s throat quivered and vomit dribbled out of her mouth which hung open. ¡°Junior Brother Cai, you went much too far. None of us had to go through what she just did.¡± The older boy screeched as he carried the girl toward Cai. Cai opened his eyes and got up. He told the twins to go on ahead, so as to prevent Meili from falling ill. The young boy faced his senior brother. ¡°The girl¡¯s a brat.¡± He said bluntly. He held up a hand. ¡°Before you get angry, that is not only my opinion. It is the opinion of the twins as well. I may not like the girl, but it would be troublesome if she continues to be an outcast. I was hoping her completing her first time without support would improve the twins¡¯ image of her.¡± Senior Sha looked down at his feet. He chewed on the inside of his cheeks. ¡°Do you think it worked?¡± Junior Brother Cai shook his head. ¡°Of course not, this is not some naive tale of romance and friendship. So what if she completed the task? She still acted like a brat.¡± The young boy glanced at the girl being hoisted up by senior brother. ¡°Senior Brother Sha, that is not the way you should carry a girl.¡± Cai knelt down and presented his back. Senior Sha gasped in surprise and placed Qiu¡¯yue onto Cai¡¯s back. ¡°Senior Sha, go on ahead of me. They usually go by seniority. I do not want you to be late.¡± Senior Sha bowed and patted his junior brother¡¯s shoulders. Then he walked off the stone stairs and onto the dirt path. He burrowed under it and disappeared. Cai glanced at Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s face which rested on his shoulders. He felt an urge to just bite her nose as punishment. ¡°Troublesome brat. Making me, of all people, carry you. I can¡¯t even dash because of you.¡± The boy shook his head and sighed heavily. He walked as quickly as possible without disturbing the girl¡¯s stomach further. It took the boy a full incense to arrive at the Tree of Ten-Thousand Fire Blossoms. The boy saw three unfamiliar faces standing under the tree. The twins and Senior Brother Sha were huddled a great distance from the unfamiliar trio. One was a gray-haired woman in a tight red dress. The other two were inner sect disciples: a young woman from the Yun Division who dressed in white robes and a young man from the Yue division who dressed in cerulean robes. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. The young woman wore very heavy makeup. Her powder was so thick that it was as if snow masked her entire face. The red dye which dotted her cheeks, eyes, and lips gave her a comical appearance. Her long auburn hair was tied in a fish-braid which reached her butt. The young man was the definition of a Han! Despite the cold season, sweat lined his entire body like jewels and his earthy tan made him appear exceptionally dignified. He also towered over Cai and possessed a square face resembling that of boars. Both disciples looked to be the age of no less than 16 and no more than 20. The other orphans noticed Cai¡¯s arrival and called him over. He did so and laid Qiu¡¯yue onto the ground under the shade of a tree. Representing the Village of Lost Orphans, Cai walked up to the trio and bowed. The seniors did not bow back, nor did they acknowledge his existence. The young boy remained with a bent back. ¡°Junior Cai greets senior brother and senior sisters. May junior have the honor of knowing why seniors have come to visit the Village of Lost Orphans today?¡± ¡°How dare you address me, Gui Fa [Name basically meaning Rose], as senior sister?¡± The white-robed girl said with her hands on her hips. ¡°You are but orphans, not even official disciples of even the outer sect! Not to mention who you harbor in your company. It disgusts me.¡± ¡°Oh, calm down, Gu-gu [phrase meaning aunt; gu can also mean bone or poison]. Stop being so unruly over this morning¡¯s events,¡± the Yue disciple said with crossed arms, his eyes not even looking at Cai, rather ogling Gui Fa¡¯s rather endowed breasts. ¡°Gu-gu?! How dare you call me, Gui Fa, Gu-gu! And stop staring at my breasts, Li Da Gui [li]!" [li] Cai ignored the bickering between the two disciples. He waited for the third person to speak. She did not. The lady in red smiled at the boy with a twinkle in her eyes before pulling out a fan to entertain herself. Frowning, Cai turned his attention back to the two disciples. ¡°Excuse me, senior sister and senior brother, where are Hanfu and Jian-yan? Usually, those two outer disciples would be here to conduct our entrance exams.¡± ¡°Do not call me senior sister, or are you deaf?¡± Da Gui covered Gui Fa¡¯s mouth. The young woman protested by flailing her arms and legs about. ¡°Do not mind this insane Gu-gu. Simply put, there is no entrance exam to the outer sect for the Village of Lost Orphans today.¡± Cai lifted his head and looked directly into the senior brother¡¯s eyes. ¡°How can that be? Every day, there is the exam to determine whether we orphans are to be accepted to the outer sect. It has been that way since the Village¡¯s establishment!¡± ¡°Quiet your tongue, before I slice it off.¡± Da Gui said as he tapped the scabbard of his blade. Cai bit his tongue and lowered his head once more. His hands clenched into fists. He gave a furtive glance at the lady in red. He saw her frown at the other two¡¯s behavior, but still did not speak. Cai understood that she must be the most important of the trio because she was the most prideful since she has not spoken at all. In addition, the two disciples gave a noticeable territory to the lady in red. ¡°Oi! Gu-gu stop biting my hand before I chop your long hair with my sword.¡± He cursed as he unsheathed his sword and waved it around crazily. Rolling his eyes, he sheathed his sword and relented. ¡°Oh fine, I¡¯ll remove my hand from your mouth. Just don¡¯t say anything stupid. It¡¯s a promise, Gu-gu.¡± ¡°Da Gui really is a ¡®da gui¡¯ [homonym meaning big turtle],¡± she mumbled under her breath. Biting his lips, Cai asked his seniors once more what their purpose was. ¡°This matter does not concern the entire Village of Lost Orphans. It only concerns Qiu¡¯yue.¡± Da Gui spoke and pointed at the shortest member of the gathering. ¡°We are here to explain to her the conditions of her being accepted as a inner sect disciple.¡± The twins overheard that and immediately looked away from Qiu¡¯yue and pulled at the grass around them. Even Senior Brother Sha could not help but chew on his lips. ¡°I see,¡± Cai said. ¡°Let me go wake her then.¡± Cai slapped the cheeks of the unconscious girl until she woke. He dragged her to the two inner court disciples. When the lady in red saw Qiu¡¯yue, she finally took interest. To the surprise of everyone, the red fairy skipped over to the young girl and crouched in front of her with a big smile. Qiu¡¯yue hid behind Cai which caused the red fairy to frown. Qiu¡¯yue took notice of this and began to play peek-a-boo with the red fairy, causing the fairy to be happy one moment and sad the next. ¡°Brat, what are you doing?¡± Cai scolded the young girl with a knock to her head. The red fairy frowned at that action, but then laughed as if remembering something long past. She stood up and motioned for the other orphans to come as well. Before speaking, the red fairy also replaced the talisman on Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s back and handed Cai a supply of them. She told him to reapply them daily, at least until Qiu''yue reach the third stage of qi condensation. ¡°I am the leader of the Yun Division, the Scarlet Fairy of Dreams, Meng Yue.¡± The fairy paused and allowed for the excitement to die down before continuing. ¡°Our Sect Master Mo has deemed little cute Qiu¡¯yue here a child of potential. However, for circumstances best left unexplained, her existence has caused the sect to be ousted from the favor of the Empire. Therefore, you all have no need to be jealous of little Qiu¡¯er ¡ª Can I call you Qiu¡¯er? ¡ª here. Simply put the conditions are very harsh and only a genius can accomplish them.¡± The red fairy explained the conditions to the children. The twins felt their jealousy soothed when they learned that the girl will not be helped or spoiled. ¡°Since we are allowed to help the girl, will we also be able to directly become inner disciples if we too satisfy the conditions?¡± Cai asked with clenched fists. Yun Leader Meng thought for a while. ¡°If you children also complete a separate task which I deem worthy, I will accept you into my Yun Division. Keep in mind, the ten-years old restriction is still in place. After becoming ten, you must leave this place and return to the mortal realm if you do not become accepted into even our outer sect. Of course, Qiu¡¯er, with your special conditions, if you do not pass within the year, you will be exiled without question.¡± ¡°What of the Yue Division?¡± Cai asked, almost pouncing onto Yun Leader Meng with his thirst for knowledge. ¡°I am only in charge of the Yun Division. But no need to pout. I studied under the same master as Sect Master Mo; I know what she likes best. I am sure I can find a condition in which you can move her heart.¡± The red fairy replied with a smile. She then got up. Unfurling her fan, she gestured toward the two inner court disciples. ¡°Now little Qiu¡¯yue, I would like you to fight this older brother and older sister. Alone. Just to gauge your strength.¡± The two inner disciples released their qi. It was as if a great ocean engulfed the Village of Lost Orphans. Instantly, Qiu¡¯yue coughed up blood and buckled at her knees and collapsed, barely staying afloat in her consciousness. Senior Brother Sha fell onto his knees and struggled to keep his teeth from shattering. Junior Brother Cai was only slightly better off, being forced onto only one knee. The twins were barely able to stand due to their particular ability. Despite not saying it out loud, the girl thought she heard everyone say, ¡°I will offer you rice wine from this day forth. [Basically saying they will offer her good wine on her death anniversary, because Qiu''yue is fucked].¡± Author''s Note: As always, thanks for reading. Anyhow, I realized that I have not been explaining certain cultural aspects as much as I should. Sometimes, it just slips my mind that some things is not common knowledge. Currently, I''m going to place explanations in brackets. If you guys don''t think that is too distracting, I''ll keep using that and go back to earlier chapters to do the same. I also always seem to upload really late in the evening... Umbrella Gu-gu The red fairy rolled her eyes, ¡°Enough showing off. Since the girl is only at the first stage of qi condensation, limit yourselves to the power output of the tenth stage of qi condensation.¡± The gray-haired woman smiled with a twinkle in her eye. ¡°But of course, please do not refrain from exhibiting your true strength.¡± The disciples did as the woman commanded. With the ocean of qi dispersed, the Village of Lost Orphans were all able to breathe easier. Senior Brother Sha helped Qiu¡¯yue up. She was quite pale and her left hand would not stop shaking. Yun Leader Meng tossed Senior Sha an Eight-Herb Recovery Pill, which Sha fed Qiu¡¯yue. The girl¡¯s complexion instantly gained color and painted her cheeks red like a pair of lanterns. Her breathing also slowed and she herself felt filled with strength, standing on her two feet. Seeing the child has recovered, the Yun Leader situated the rest of the Village on the branches of the Tree of Ten-Thousand Fire Blossoms. Senior Sha who was afraid of heights chose to remain on the ground. Once the red fairy situated herself amongst the colorful blooms of the tree, she snapped open her fan and announced with a smile, ¡°Match begin!¡± ¡°Little girl, let¡¯s set some limits on the fight,¡± Da Gui said as he unsheathed his simple sword. The young man plunged the sword into the earth and drew a 3 meter by 3 meter ring around them. ¡°This is to ensure fairness. After all, we can move very fast over long distances, and you can¡¯t. With a ring this size, even if I can cover the entire distance in a single breath using qi, I can probably do the same just by sprinting. The ring will also ensure you do not simply run around stupidly.¡± Hearing these words, Qiu¡¯yue nodded with puckered lips. ¡°That makes sense.¡± Gui Fa squinted her eyes and shot a look toward Da Gui. Yun Leader Meng noticed that furtive action and frowned. She gripped her fan tightly. The three stepped into the ring. ¡°Gui Fa, rank 100 in the inner sect and of the Yun Division. Remember my name, brat,¡± the young woman greeted with a nod. She pulled out a bag of holding and from the bag of holding she retrieved a bright yellow umbrella with colorful ribbons at the end. ¡°Don¡¯t mind the Gu-gu, girl. This big brother here knows you will mature into a ripe peach one day,¡± Da Gui said with a smirk. He placed his sword perpendicular in front of him, the light glistening on the simple blade like it was the surface of a lake. ¡°Li Da Gui, rank 89 in the inner sect and of the Yue Division. Now who do you want to face first?¡± The girl shuffled her feet and fidgeted with her hands. After entering the ring, she felt trapped like a grasshopper. Even if she screamed, she somehow knew no one would help her. The girl swallowed her saliva. And she felt a cold wind assault her back whenever she looked past the confines of the ring, as if warning her to not even think of escaping. She pointed at Gui Fa, ¡°Umbrella Gu-gu.¡± Da Gui bent over and clutched his stomach, tears flowing from his eyes, laughing. ¡°You heard the girl, Umbrella Gu-gu. Please, go first.¡± The young woman shot daggers at the man as he left the confines of the ring. Her face reddened to such an extent that her white makeup seemed to have melted off. ¡°Brat, don¡¯t die now.¡± Gui Fa opened her umbrella and threw it into the air. She began to chant. Responding to the chant, the umbrella began to spin and the ribbons attached to the bottom bled into one another like a rainbow. Qiu¡¯yue having never fought simply stood frozen in awe and confusion. ¡°Oi, brat!¡± Cai shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there! Go and attack her.¡± The girl heard the older boy¡¯s words but still stood there dimwitted for a moment. She shook her head in realization and charged at Gui Fa. Gui Fa sliced her index finger open with her teeth as she continued to chant. She drew the character for Buddha (·ð) repeatedly. The blood character coagulated into a solid mark in less than five breaths. The solid mark contorted into the form of a gigantic palm which measured one meter from the top to the bottom. Gui Fa thrusted the giant blood palm toward the girl. Despite being made of blood and being big, the palm swam through the air quickly. Qiu¡¯yue who was not used to fighting was unable to react. The palm slammed into her ¡ª pushing her back to her initial position ¡ª and flattened her into the ground. After the cloud of dust cleared, Qiu¡¯yue laid in a giant palm-shaped crater. The girl moaned and crawled up the hole. Her entire body was already bruised and cut. Her pants were in tatters and barely covered any skin below her knees. By the time the girl had gotten out of the hole, she found the entire Village, including the aloof twins, pointing at the sky and screaming at her to do the same. The girl looked up and felt the urge to cry. The red fairy fanned herself and smiled sadly, her eyes crinkling up. ¡°Aiyah, that is going to burn.¡± The umbrella which continued to spin in the sky had grown to encompass the entire 3 meter by 3 meter ring. Amidst the colorful swirls of the ribbons, lightning danced as a storm was fostered underneath the umbrella. First came the downpour of rain. Then the wind began to blow, causing Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s wet hair to mat against her face and mouth. Finally, thunder rumbled and shook in anticipation. Da Gui took a few steps back from the ring. He quickly glanced at Yun Leader Meng before looking at Gui Fa. The lightning deepened in color until soon the bolts which dashed and ruptured in the cloud became purple. Seeing this, Yun Leader Meng screamed and leapt into the air. ¡°Gui Fa!¡± However, it was much too late. The bolts struck the earth like a hail of spears, each as thick as a human boy¡¯s arm. There was no escape from the onslaught. The storm decimated the ring and a blanket of dust made it impossible to see. When the storm stopped, the umbrella quickly shrunk back to its original size and flew back into Gui Fa¡¯s bag of holding. The ring which had been a luscious green field became a black desert. Amongst the desolate wasteland was Qiu¡¯yue. If not for her cultivating to at least the most basic qi condensation stage, she would not even be in a charred state. The girl would be dead. However, perhaps death would be better. Exhausted, Gui Fa fell to the ground. The sweat caused her make-up to smear and she appeared deranged. The red fairy saw this destruction and she cracked her fists. The various ornaments holding her hair together scattered and flew like daggers, piercing Gui Fa¡¯s hands to the ground. Meng Yue¡¯s hair danced wildly about like a hive of hornets. The Yun Leader slashed her fan at Gui Fa. The earth below exploded and dust scattered. Gui Fa hurtled into a tree and spat out blood. Da Gui who was near to the impact, plunged his sword into the earth and withstood the explosion, albeit with some minor internal bleeding. Senior Brother Sha ran over and helped Qiu¡¯yue to her feet. Cai glanced at the two disciples and clenched his fists. The twins also looked at the inner sect disciples with disgust. The red fairy landed with such force that she created a crater. ¡°I wanted you to gauge Qiu¡¯er¡¯s abilities ¡ª not cripple her!¡± This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Gui Fa laid battered on the earth. Her robes were obliterated, and it was more fitting to call them rags rather than robes. There was not a single place on her body that was not cut or bruised or punctured. Blood gurgled up her throat and spilled forth from her lips. She darted her eyes up toward her division leader, opened her mouth and then closed it. She shifted her eyes away from Yun Leader Meng¡¯s gaze. ¡°Junior Gui Fa is sorry .¡± The red fairy slammed her foot down onto the ground and a rift tore open and it reached Da Gui, threatening to swallow him alive. ¡°And you! Li Da Gui, why did you not stop Gui Fa? You two train often together. You must have known that the purple lightning clearly indicated a power output of at least the 5th stage of qi consolidation.¡± The young man quickly tilted his head down. He kowtowed and did not lift his head. The red fairy jolted her head away from the sight of the two and spat at the ground. She rushed over to Qiu¡¯yue. The girl barely breathed. It was never noticeable when a person breathed regularly, however, in the case of the girl, her chest was so still that she was indistinguishable from a corpse. Yun Leader Meng placed a finger against the girl¡¯s nose and was met with the same weak response. By then the rest of the Village had made their way down the tree. They all waited in silence. Cai clenched his teeth; Sha was on his knees and weeping; and Meili even allowed Jang-Guo to embrace her as hard as he wanted. ¡°Not good, not good,¡± the fairy grumbled. She blew her bangs away from her eyes and then slammed her hand down at her thigh. ¡°Da Gui come here and drag Gui Fa with you.¡± The disciple did so. Yun Leader Meng laid Qiu¡¯yue gently onto the ground. She screamed at everyone but the inner sect disciples to stand back. ¡°You two have caused this, so you two will fix this,¡± she barked. The usual grace she possessed was gone, and a raging wrath has taken its place. ¡°What we will now perform is called the Triplicity of Innumerable Lotuses Ritual. We must sacrifice three levels of our cultivation each, our vitality essence, and I will give her a tenth of my lifespan.¡± The two disciples simply nodded. The orphans who heard this looked at each other in wonder. Senior Sha felt hope return to his heart. Then the red fairy looked toward the children with a difficult expression. Her fingers kneaded her palms. "And the girl will be unable to learn any external martial skills or engage in the forceful styles of combat. Her body will become very susceptible to blunt blows and her bones will be more brittle than other cultivators; furthermore, a simple cut may fester or simply bleed much more. Though, her natural regeneration will be higher." Cai opened his mouth to speak, but found Senior Brother Sha''s hand covering him. The senior brother told the red fairy to proceed. Cai closed his eyes and tapped on Senior Sha''s hand to let him go. He too nodded in confirmation. With difficult sighs, the twins also nodded. The trio arranged themselves into the shape of a triangle and enclosed Qiu¡¯yue within. All three of them sat cross-legged in the meditation posture. Gui Fa represented the Essence of the cosmos; Da Gui stood for the energy of the cosmos, qi; and Meng Yue embodied the Divinity of the cosmos. Each of them chanted completely different mnemonics. The individual mnemonics were odd and disconcerting. Yet when layered over one another, a perfect harmony was reached. The longer they chanted, the more full the chord became. As the trio chanted, the Village observed with incredible awe. Light flowed out of all of them in a triangular form. The triangular light overlaid over Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s charred body. Little by little, the triangles formed a lotus flower, becoming magnificent white petals. As the image of the lotus flower became clearer and clearer, the girl¡¯s charred skin would flake away like rust to reveal white skin reminiscent of seashells, and her lips would become more full and redder than sunsets. Yet, as the girl was being reborn, the trio¡¯s condition increasingly worsened. Gui Fa who was already at the edge of death meandered in and out of consciousness. Her face became more pale than her white make-up. As she chanted, she could not help but shiver and clack her teeth due to the cold she felt. Her chest heaved in pain and distress. Da Gui was only slightly better off. His toned body paled to the color of jaundice. His lips turned blue as his bangs turned an ashy-gray. Surprisingly it was the Yun Leader who was worse off. Blood poured from her ears, eyes, nostrils, and mouth. Her nails cracked and shattered, only to quickly regrow causing intense pain. The gray-haired woman also had to constantly fight a want to arch her back from the immense pain, so as to not disrupt her qi circulation. As the ritual continued, the woman aged more and more as her already existing wrinkles deepened and new ones formed. After the endurance of 4 incense burnings, the ritual was finally complete. A holy lotus hovered above the girl, shining with the brilliance of bell chimes. The lotus flower pulsed. Once, twice, and a third time. Then it bursted into the triangular lights which formed it in the first place. The lights seeped into the girl and when the last triangular light entered through her forehead, it left a tiny white lotus mark on the top of her brow. The bodies of the trio glowed, though in different places. For Gui Fa, the spot above the crevice of her breasts glew and a lotus marked formed. However, it was much lighter than Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s and was almost invisible. For Da Gui, the mark formed above his navel and was a deep gold. For Meng Yue, the mark formed on her forehead, where the third eye was postulated to exist, and was a dark red, almost a pitch black. The Yun Leader got up, almost falling to the ground a few times. Her legs shook and her hands trembled. She told the other two disciples to get up too, and for the both of them to go get some medicinal pills and training dan later. ¡°I am sorry for what transpired today. These two will be disciplined come this evening,¡± she said as sweat rolled down her face. She licked her lips. ¡°Tomorrow, this will not happen. And of your conditions, I¡¯ll inform you four after tomorrow¡¯s performance.¡± With that, the trio left the tree, each being propped up by the other. The Village of Lost Orphans watched them disappear. Then they looked at Qiu¡¯yue who was now sleeping, hugging herself, with a smile. They all had on a somewhat difficult expression. Should they be happy that the girl is alive? Or should they be angry at the obvious display of favoritism in such an environment? If one of them had been injured in the same way, would Yun Leader Meng have done the same for them? The distance which Cai had sought to close seemed to have widened even further than when the girl first joined their small tight-knit family. What was clear though was that boosting Qiu¡¯yue to an acceptable level had became the new unspoken goal of the group. Author''s Note: Yeah, I''m sorry for the late-ish upload (12:06 A.M. ugh)...I also planned this to be longer too....I blame it all on my AP Lang Exam today. Knocked me right out. But that''s all over now (Free at last!) So yeah, this is like 90% finished...I originally planned to feature Da Gui''s fighting style as well. And some other stuff. I''ll add it probably Friday...Thanks for reading, as always though. (I need to step up my game though...) Overturning Heaven and Earth Part 1 When the sun sank into the horizons, behind the staunch mountains which constituted the scene, the entire world was extinguished into darkness. Unlike the previous night, the moon was not up and about ¡ª her shapely form hidden by the heft of drab gray clouds. Under the net of nightfall, the synchronized breathing of the Village of Orphans resounded through the air as they meditated, their faces hushed as autumn. Qiu¡¯yue slept still, curled up and sucking her index knuckle. The lotus mark had faded, submerged underneath her own pale skin. The girl slept gently for a few before waking. Her earthen eyes were tired so she rubbed at them. In a stupor, the girl yawned and called for tea, lost in her dreams. With her head bobbing as she seated herself on her bottom, the girl suddenly cried for her mother and father, and she stuffed her bunched fists into her eyes. ¡°Can you stop crying? You¡¯re disturbing me and Meili; we¡¯re trying to meditate, unlike a certain spoilt brat.¡± Jang-Guo stood up and marched himself to where Qiu¡¯yue was. The boy grabbed the girl and lifted her easy into the air. He scowled and threw the tear-stained girl onto the ground, whom Senior Sha caught as he shot up from beneath the ground. Meili looked at the exchange with sunken lips. She plucked a white clover from near her and began to dismember its petals one by one. ¡°Jang-Guo, that¡¯s enough,¡± Cai said with sharped tilted brows. He seized the bald boy¡¯s arm. ¡°Do not forget what Yun Division Leader Meng told us.¡± Jang-Guo shook Cai¡¯s grip off him and walked back to Meili. He cuddled her from behind, though his piercing hawk eyes never left Cai. Senior Sha placed the girl on her own feet. He asked the girl how she felt. She responded that she was well, fantastic even. Cai walked over to the girl and whipped his queue around his neck. He asked for Senior Brother Sha to step aside. In front of the uneasy girl, he demonstrated his strength: It was an explosive strength. There was no other way to describe it. All other words were mere derivatives, specifics, of that raw explosive intensity; that simple fierceness of gravity¡¯s plunge; that suddenness of Spring love; and that overwhelming pressure of ancestral edicts. One moment, there was stillness, emptiness. And in the next instant, a tsunami of force, a barrage of ten thousand fists, had assaulted the target, carving a hole in the pit of the soul with intent alone, and immediately the fist would be back in a rest position ¡ª as seamless and impromptu as the creation and dissolution of the Supreme Ultimate, Taiji. And that force was just experienced second-hand by Qiu¡¯yue. The girl had blinked and in that frame of lost time, Cai¡¯s fist was stopped a centimeter from her nose. The discharge of wind slashed at her coldly, and she felt scars form despite no blood having been shed. Stupidly, the girl even fell backwards after the display of strength has concluded. Her entire body shook, as if the last of the onslaught of that tsunami had not yet dissipated from the fiber of her soul. Senior Brother Sha looked confused at the junior brother. ¡°Junior Brother Cai, what was the point of that.¡± ¡°Do you remember what happened today?¡± Cai asked the girl. He slapped the girl out of her hysteria. And then he slapped the other cheek to shake her of the tears. ¡°Answer me.¡± Both of her cheeks quickly swelled into plums. Senior Brother Sha gasped at Cai and then shook his head away from Cai. The younger boy merely presented the palm of his hand to the senior brother and pointed at Qiu¡¯yue. The girl nodded as she kneaded both her cheeks. As she did so, it was evident that the bruising was already becoming much better. ¡°Brat, do you want to learn what I just did and get revenge?¡± The girl nodded furiously with wide eyes. ¡°Well, you can¡¯t.¡± Cai responded as he flicked the girl¡¯s nose. ¡°That was the price to save you. And, yes, you did almost die. Do you know what you can learn? Meili¡¯s set of skills: her soft-fist boxing. Of the people here, only she studies the soft-fist.¡± The girl looked terrified. She even clutched onto Cai¡¯s clothes. ¡°I can¡¯t, big brother. She hates me.¡± The boy pulled back his neck and pulled the girl¡¯s paws off his being. ¡°I dislike you too, and I still taught you.¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. The girl shook her head and stomped her foot. ¡°Big brother, you don¡¯t really hate me. Your eyes don¡¯t hate me. But whenever I catch a glimpse of Big Sister Meili¡¯s eyes, I feel cold. She hates me.¡± ¡°Then make her not hate you,¡± Cai said and then left the girl, dashing away to resume meditation right next to the twins. Qiu¡¯yue spun around, her hair catching against her face. She implored Senior Brother Sha. ¡°Senior Brother Sha, teach me how to burrow underground. Tell me I don¡¯t have to go over there.¡± The older boy scratched his head and looked away with an airy laugh. ¡°Well, little Qiu¡¯yue, what Cai said was undeniable ¡ª it was the truth. The only person you can learn from is Meili.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I learn from you?¡± The girl screamed. She yelped when she noticed Meili observing her outburst. Qiu¡¯yue looked away and peered into Senior Brother Sha¡¯s droopy eyes. ¡°If you learn from me or Cai or Jang-Guo, you will die. The external martial arts are all about explosive strength. If explosive strength is applied to you, your body will burst like one of my pimples.¡± ¡°Senior Brother Sha,¡± the girl cried quietly. ¡°Big Sister Meili hates me. She really hates me.¡± The boy rubbed his neck and looked around the field before placing a hand on the girl¡¯s head. ¡°Little Qiu¡¯yue, if you want to live, you are going to have to learn how to fight. Only Meili can teach you that.¡± Before Qiu¡¯yue could respond, the older boy had burrowed himself down into the ground. He emerged next to Cai and hastily began meditating. Jang-Guo scowled at the two other boys. ¡°Don¡¯t you try anything funny around Meili, you hear?¡± Meili sighed and wrenched herself away from her brother¡¯s hold. She drifted toward Qiu¡¯yue like mist. Little Qiu¡¯yue ran ¡ª tearing through the field. But how could a girl barely at the first stage of cultivation, and a girl inexperienced in all matters of life, compare to Meili? Overtaking Qiu¡¯yue, the older girl appeared in front. In a single moment, the earth was overturned with the heaven. Suddenly, Qiu¡¯yue face was absorbing the essence of the earth as Meili laid on top of her restraining her arms in a cross formation. The older girl leaned forward and whispered, ¡°I hate you. I really hate spoiled rich brats like you. But I¡¯m also going to teach you. However, in the event that my training kills you¡­¡± The girl did not continue her thoughts. Rather she got up off Qiu¡¯yue. Meili walked deep into the forest, her hair trailing behind. Her voice echoed, ¡°Are you coming or not?¡± Feeling the killing intent in her words, Qiu¡¯yue quickly got up and threw herself into the depths of the forests in chase of the senior sister. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you go follow her?¡± Cai asked. ¡°Are you mocking me right now? My sister can take care of herself, better than me in fact,¡± Jang-Guo responded and puffed his chest out. ¡°I mean, to stop her in case she has one of her mood changes.¡± ¡°Mmm,¡± Jang-Guo closed his eyes. ¡°If you worry about that brat so much, why don¡¯t you follow her?¡± At that, Cai sighed and also returned to meditation. Author''s Note: I keep posting the chapters after midnight lol. A short chapter today. Definitely short...I usually take like a few minutes spacing the paragraphs; today I took a few seconds. Much Apologies for the Short Chapter *bows*. Thanks for reading as always though. P.S. I''ve been watching Bahamut the anime, and I feel like it''s the Seinfeld of anime. Nothing much ever really happens in the episodes but it''s so interesting and it feels like 5 minutes has passed when I have already wasted an hour watching it. Overturning Heaven and Earth Part 2 ¡°Do you know which style of martial arts is the most supreme under the Heavens?¡± Meili asked Qiu¡¯yue as they walked deeper into the forest away from the clearing. Being autumn, there were no bugs. This lack of life meant there were no sounds either. To Qiu¡¯yue the unexpected shattering of this silence startled her. She ran to catch up to the senior sister. Her steps crushing the crisp leaves into tattered pieces. Meili glanced at her with a frown before turning her sight directly forward. The tall trees loomed over them with their fading beauty. ¡°Uh, Big Sister Meili, what are martial arts?¡± Meili stopped, causing Qiu¡¯yue to knock into her. The older girl turned around and pulled on Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Aiyah, you really are a brat,¡± she said with a frown. She pulled on the little girl¡¯s cheeks until she was satisfied. Smiling at how beaten up the girl¡¯s cheeks had become, Meili let go and continued walking. Qiu¡¯yue followed and found herself massaging her cheeks again. ¡°If normal arts is expressing intent through ink, and if poetry is expressing the soul through crafted words, then martial arts is expressing strength through the use of qi.¡± The little girl nodded quickly despite not really understanding any of it. All she understood of art was that her mother often painted and that her father often composed poems; and she thought of those creations as both exceedingly beautiful and hard to understand. ¡°Now, let me tell you the various styles of martial arts and then you will answer my question. If you get the question wrong, there will be a punishment.¡± ¡°Big Sister Meili, can I not answer the question?¡± Qiu¡¯yue glanced up at Meili with begging eyes. ¡°If you don¡¯t answer the question, I will spank your butt without mercy.¡± Meili responded with a sharp grin as the pair arrived at another clearing, though more desolate from the clearing in which the Tree of Ten-Thousand Fire Blossoms grew. The clearing was covered in frost, and, to Qiu¡¯yue who had never seen such a pristine coating of white crystals, it felt like a place where the living should not trespass. Meili simply marched confidently with large strides to the center of the field and patted the space in front of her for Qiu¡¯yue to sit. Still, the fence of large naked trees with far-reaching claws which surrounded the clearing made Qiu¡¯yue hesitant. It was only when she felt Meili¡¯s cold eyes that she scuttled over quickly like a rabbit. ¡°Ultimately, in martial arts, there are two main styles of the craft: the external school and the internal school. ¡°The external school is what most people think of when martial arts is brought up. It is like a dance, full of energy and movement ¡ª sharp and sudden. The core traits of the external school is to use qi to strengthen the body and unleash an unrelenting storm on the enemy; to overwhelm the enemy in a single strike similar to the first beat of a drum; or to shatter the entire willpower of the enemy with sheer force. Of course, the external school is not just limited to kicks and punches. There are external schools who utilizes qi to manipulate the elements to unleash horrific catastrophes. And this type of martial arts is the one that you cannot learn.¡± Qiu¡¯yue whose eyes were shining with wonder darkened. Meili asked Qiu¡¯yue to make a fist. The older girl saw Qiu¡¯yue cannot even form a proper fist and had to teach her the correct posture: knees slightly bent, one foot pivoted outwards, and the fists inward to the chest with the thumbs resting on the outside of the other fingers. Qiu¡¯yue punched the air with the force of all her qi. A screaming pierced the sky as successive booms erupted, an aftershock exploding forth from the strength of the punch. The girl¡¯s entire right sleeve, tattered and ripped, revealed innumerable lacerations on her arm. She screamed and tears flowed forth as she bent down onto her knees and clutched her bleeding arm. That only aggravated the pain. ¡°This was the trade-off for mending your body from the serious burns that you received when you were struck by that inner disciple¡¯s lightning. You will easily over-exert your body if you practice the arts of the external schools; if you do, you will die.¡± ¡°Big Sister Meili, it hurts!¡± The girl cried. She did not say anything more and kept bawling as her right arm hung limp. Meili rolled her eyes, ¡°Aiyah, stop worrying, you brat. Yun Leader Meng said you can heal wounds quickly now too. This is a good time to find out how fast you can heal. Now stop whining.¡± Qiu¡¯yue whimpered from how the air felt on her wounds but kept quiet. Her arm continued to dribble out blood but less so and slower. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°And this leaves only the internal school. The only type of martial arts that you can practice, and the type of martial arts that I now realized I had the misfortune of choosing.¡± Meili said with a twitching of the eye. ¡°Now if I have to compare the internal school, it would be less of a dance and more of a song. Whereas the external school embodies power and speed, the internal school is one of precision and tempo¡ª and is ultimately the pinnacle artform of timing and sense. Rather than using qi to empower one¡¯s attacks, we internal users use qi to enhance our senses and direct the course of battle. ¡°Consider the external school as a whirlpool, we internal users are the oars which can completely stop the motion ¡ª therefore, existence ¡ª of the whirlpools, and even overturn the direction. We are the users who focus more on counter-attacks, foot-movement, proper stances, and controlling the flow of the battle. Of course, that also means the internal school is filled with odd martial arts like acupuncture, the sound arts, and other such mystical spiritual skills. We internal schools prefer efficient execution of qi rather than explosive raw strength. "To summarize: the external users can be thought of as forcing all the strength they have in every strike; we internal users merely layer qi over our bodies for protection and rely on footwork and many other factors to kill. "Now nod your pretty little empty head if you understand.¡± The girl nodded with squinched eyes and tight lips. In a half-incense of time, the arm had stopped bleeding. However, the repair to the actual flesh had not quite began. ¡°Good,¡± Meili smiled. ¡°Now, tell me, which martial art is supreme under the Heavens? The explosive might of the external school? The precision of assassination techniques? The profoundness of movement arts? The many exotic arts which cannot be classified? I¡¯m only going to count to a hundred. I expect an answer by then, brat.¡± A hundred counts passed by extremely slowly for Qiu¡¯yue. The gnawing pain on her right arm made it impossible for her to think clearly. The slightest irritation to the wound would inflame it and cause the wounds to burn. And when the wounds finally showed signs of healing, itchiness became engaged to the pain. ¡°100!¡± Meili finished counting. ¡°Now, brat, what¡¯s your response?¡± ¡°The external school?¡± Qiu¡¯yue squeaked out a response as she bit into her left index finger to fight the pain which persisted on her right arm. ¡°Wrong!¡± Meili sang happily. ¡°The most supreme martial art is the one which I practice: the art of countering! Force can be neutralized, diverted, or even used against the enemy. If we ourselves do not have strength, we can still direct the enemy¡¯s force for our own purpose! Is that not the most supreme martial art under the Heavens?¡± Despite the pain, Qiu¡¯yue still managed to retort Meili¡¯s words. ¡°You never gave me that option, Big Sister Meili!¡± The senior sister flicked Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s nose. ¡°I never said you had to choose from the arts which I listed; they were simply ones I happened to use as examples.¡± ¡°What about countering umbrella gu-gu¡¯s lightning?¡± Qiu¡¯yue asked fiercely as she held herself back from poking at her wound. Meili pulled her head back and went quiet. She chewed on her lips and furrowed her brows. ¡°Aiyah, brat, I don¡¯t know, but the art of countering is definitely the most supreme martial art under the Heavens! It definitely is because the person who taught me it was definitely the strongest!¡± This statement made Qiu¡¯yue puzzled to the extent that she forgot about her right arm momentarily. ¡°Who was it?¡± Meili rolled her eyes. ¡°It does not concern you. Instead, you should be concerned about your punishment. I¡¯m determined to train you so that you won¡¯t die in a fight at least, for both yours and my sake. So, once that arm of yours is healed, I will engrave the basic throw and grapple into your body through personal experience!¡± Sensing Meili¡¯s terrible mood, Qiu¡¯yue stopped talking. Meili retreated into meditation, leaving Qiu¡¯yue alone in the silence as she waited for her arm to scab over. Author''s Note: I wanted to make this chapter longer, but there were issues with my internet so I didn''t actually get to work on it until late at night. I''m not satisfied with how this chapter turned out since it was mostly talking and exposition. As always, thanks for reading. Overturning Heaven and Earth Part 3 It took the entire night for Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s arm to fully heal. Due to the miscalculation on Meili¡¯s part regarding the miraculous regeneration properties possessed by the other girl, no teaching of martial arts occurred, instead both girls retreated into individual cultivation. By the time morning arrived, Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s arm seemed more flawless than before, causing the girl to look at her arm in sheer wonder ¡ª even Meili was amazed as she pouted with glittering eyes. ¡°Maybe we should break your body more often,¡± the older girl remarked as she leaned forth and ran her finger down Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s shoulder to the girl¡¯s wrist. Qiu¡¯yue quickly backed away. ¡°If you can become so much prettier by breaking your body and healing, why not become a part of the external school?¡± Qiu¡¯yue shook her head fiercely. ¡°No! It really hurts, Big Sister Meili. I don¡¯t want to be pretty if it hurts ¡ª I¡¯d want to be ugly, as ugly as Senior Sha!¡± Meili looked at the girl with raised brows and one cheek pushed out. She repeated the words of Cai, ¡°Pain is suffering; suffering is strength. Brat, if you cannot stand pain, then how are you going to become strong? Why cultivate?¡± ¡°Because I have to.¡± Qiu¡¯yue responded, a slight frown on her face. The little girl twirled the loose ends of her hair as her frown deepened out of confusion. ¡°I want to see Mama and Papa again. I want to do a lot of things.¡± ¡°Then why are you cultivating? Why not leave? You won¡¯t ever find your parents if you stay,¡± Meili responded with a biting tone. ¡°Big Sister Meili, why do you cultivate?¡± The girl asked and searched for any semblance of clarity in the older girl¡¯s eyes. She found Meili¡¯s beautiful black pearls to be guarded intensely from any taint, its secrets unresolved. ¡°To become strong, of course. In this world, all people must bow to those who have are strong enough to be called gods, who have become true governors of this world. Only then, can you be happy.¡± Meili replied, though her focus was not on the girl in front of her ¡ª rather, those black pearls of hers glanced past the girl, and off into the distance where her dreams lied. She stood up abruptly and pulled Qiu¡¯yue up. ¡°Aiyah, forget what we just talked about. We have to go carry rice and wine and medicine now. The inner sect disciples are paying another visit today too. Hurry up now, you rotten brat.¡± The two girls walked away from the desolate clearing. From the usual poise of the older girl flowed a certain wave of cold loneliness as the wasteland behind sank into the horizon. Qiu¡¯yue felt this loneliness and reached out to hold the older girl¡¯s hand. Meili swatted Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s kindness away. Both girls glared at each other; Qiu¡¯yue stuck her tongue out and looked away. The Village of Lost Orphans went through their daily ritual of work. The same old tedious transport of the many necessities needed to nurture a sect as old as the Yue Yun Sect. Qiu¡¯yue was much slower than before. Unlike the prior day, she was unable to exceed even 25% of qi output at once without feeling her ligaments begin to fray and her tendons snap. Still, to be able to carry a sack of rice while being only a little girl is more than impressive; however, whispers amongst the boys carried down by the wind placed heavier weights onto the little girl¡¯s shoulders. Even Senior Brother Sha worried if she has become completely crippled. Jang-Guo turned his nose up and replied, ¡°Isn¡¯t the answer clear? The brat can¡¯t even learn external martial arts. The girl basically have no strength, endurance, or any use!¡± Meili flung away her brother¡¯s hand. Immediately, the twin brother stumbled, carried forth by the unexpected momentum. He scrambled to support his left side with his right arm. However, the force immediately caused the pots attached to his left arm to crash into one another. Little by little, cracks formed on the bottom, like hatching eggs, and, in one great gush, everything spilled out. The sweet scent of rice wine filled the air and caused the many servants to crinkle up and to breathe in deeply. It did not take long for the sighs of content to twist into coughs of pain as the thick miasma of vinegar bore into their noses. The yoke of water which flew off the boy¡¯s neck cascaded down on him ¡ª one of the bucket even landed on his head, covering his eyes. Blind, the boy managed to stumble his left foot into one bucket which had broken away from the old, fraying rope which fixed it to the yoke. Confused, the boy flailed his arms and tried to reassert his position but failed miserably and ended up as if someone had mistaken him for the waste barrel. Cai laughed, ¡°Jang-Guo, you look like shit! Are you accepting donations? Let me unload my garbage too.¡± Meili held onto her basket with both hands. ¡°Idiot ge-ge, I practice the internal school arts!¡± The girl fumed with anger as if storms resided inside her and marched away. ¡°Oi! How am I going to explain this to the outer sect disciples? Meili! Meili, come back here! Oi!¡± Jang-Guo shouted as he wiped the mess off his mess. He turned to Senior Brother Sha. ¡°Can you believe her? How can she do that to her big brother who loves her very, very much. She¡¯s going to get struck by the righteous lightning god one of these days, I swear to the Heavens that she will.¡± ¡°Quit your whining, boy,¡± one of the servants barked as he shouldered past Jang-Guo who blocked the way. ¡°This is work. Not play-time.¡± Jang-Guo blushed and lowered his eyes but still retorted. ¡°Hmph! You¡¯re so old and you¡¯re just a servant. I am a cultivator, aren¡¯t you afra ¡ª¡± The boy gasped as his intestines were met with the force of a mountain. The old servant had uppercutted the boy, and Jang-Guo was in the air, as if impaled, skewered through. The old man slammed the young boy onto the old stone steps. After a delay, as if the stone themselves were shocked by the sudden impact, cracks erupted forth underneath from the boy. Pain shot through the young boy¡¯s body and he wondered for a short moment whether he would have preferred that his qi did not instinctively reinforce his body, so that he could rush straight to the afterlife and be relieved of the terrible burning agony. The old servant pulled his fist back and cracked his neck. ¡°Boy, I would say you haven¡¯t even started weaning from your mother¡¯s tits ¡ª but wait, you don¡¯t even have one.¡± Cai stopped Senior Sha from rushing forth. Cai mouthed the words, ¡°Consolidation, first stage.¡± Senior Sha smartly stopped. Cai stepped forward. The servants all rushed to form a crowd around the fight, leaving Qiu¡¯yue alone as she lugged the sack up the stone steps. Sweat poured forth from her. Her muscles screamed. The beating of her heart sounded like lightning wrecking through her brain. Yet, the girl inexplicably smiled and felt strong. Since young, she had been sheltered, and the electricity of adrenaline felt mesmeric to the girl. Meili who saw the commotion as she came down the steps to apologize broke into a sprint when she spotted her brother being pummeled. As Cai stepped forward, Meili pulled him back. Cai nodded with a smirk. He briefly bowed to the Heavens and muttered a Buddhist chant; Senior Brother Sha mimicked him, though his smirk made him look grotesque and evil, rather than handsome and playful. ¡°Oi! Did you do this?¡± Meili shouted as she barged her way to the front. The other servants glanced down at her. Some began to laugh. Others started a moderate sized betting rig. Most simply thought the girl was beautiful, but it was a pity that she was as addled in the brain as the boy who laid crushed. The servant turned to the girl. ¡°So what if I am? Do you think I give a flying damn?¡± ¡°I apologize for my older brother¡¯s behavior.¡± She knelt and bowed down to the man. The old servant became flabbergasted. He scratched his stubble confused and squinted his eyes at the girl. ¡°What tricks you pulling?¡± ¡°My brother is an idiot. I am sure that this was not your fault. But did you do this?¡± The girl asked again as she glanced up from her apology. By this time, Qiu¡¯yue had arrived at the point of interest. She left the sack of rice and squeezed her way to the front. The old servant nodded. ¡°I spanked him good.¡± Cai stepped forward as well. ¡°You carry yourself differently and is at the first stage of consolidation, may junior have senior¡¯s name?¡± He laughed and responded, ¡°Name¡¯s Tian Rukun. Worked as a bodyguard for the elites.¡± He pointed to his abdomen. ¡°Blocked a deathblow a few years back ¡ª decimated my cultivation base. And my boss threw me out. So it¡¯s understandable if I get a bit murderous if some brat insults my age and status.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s also understandable if I challenge you to a duel then?¡± Meili got up and looked Tian Rukun in the eye as she said this. Several of the observers muttered how the girl was doing so well. Tian Rukun silenced the chatter with a single look, cold as needles. ¡°I may not be as strong as I used to be, but I am strong. And I will not hold back.¡± ¡°My parents taught me to uphold one¡¯s personal pride. It was all they ever talked about.¡± Meili smiled and cracked her joints. ¡°This isn¡¯t a fight about my brother¡¯s honor; it¡¯s all about me ¡ª my pride. Only I can bully my older brother!¡± The old servant laughed until tears came out of his eyes. He pointed at the pouting girl. ¡°You, you are quite bold, are you not?¡± The girl met his words with an upturn face. ¡°Fine. Let us duel.¡± A circle was soon formed. Those who were not at the front could not see and so was delegated the task to carry the remaining necessities up the stone stairs. Senior Sha dragged the unconscious Jang-Guo over toward Qiu¡¯yue. Cai similarly went over. ¡°Is Big Sister Meili going to be ok?¡± Qiu¡¯yue asked, her eyes stuck on the scene before her. The two fighters stood at the far ends from each other. Tian Rukun had taken off his shirt to reveal bulging muscles and a rippling back much like a tiger¡¯s, and his chest was adorned with scars. The old servant clasped his fists together and bowed. Meili returned it and adopted her battle stance. ¡°I thought you hated Big Sister Meili?¡± Cai teased. ¡°Big Sister Meili hates me. There¡¯s a difference.¡± Qiu¡¯yue replied with a pout. ¡°Do you know what the biggest advantage of the inner school is?¡± Senior Sha asked with a smile. The two fighters started to pace around the circle. ¡°It¡¯s the ability to defeat a person with a much higher cultivation. Of course, external school users can do that too ¡ª if they are a genius that is.¡± Senior Sha glanced at Cai. ¡°Otherwise, how can a small kitten beat a grown tiger? It would be like trying to crush a mountain with a pebble; but a river can easily carve that mountain into two halves.¡± Tian Rukun exhibited a very wide stance: his legs were very far apart and his body was kept low to the ground, and when he moved it was with the hidden prowess of a leopard ¡ª swaying his body back and forth, making him as unpredictable as a typhoon. His right arm was held out in front like a bulwark ; both hands were coiled into fierce talons. A heavy atmosphere hung over him as he discharged all his qi at once. On the other side, Meili moved softly and slowly in odd circular motions. With every step, her arms would coil around each other, as if they were the arms on a loom. In this case, the loom weaved qi, rather than thread, into bigger and thicker strands. These strands coiled around her open palms like pugilist bandages. ¡°An inner school user, eh? And counter too.¡± Tian Rukun whistled in surprise. ¡°I guess I can¡¯t exactly end this in one strike.¡± ¡°Then can I?¡± Meili asked with a smirk. Tian Rukun also smirked. He pounced forward. Such force was exuded that debris scattered into the air and pummeled down on the nearby spectators. With a swift deft movement his left claw hidden behind his bulwark shot out like a hawk. Colliding with Meili¡¯s two coiling palms, the girl followed through with the momentum, stealing some of the force for her own while deflecting much of the strike¡¯s initial impact as the strike grazed off her palms. She stepped in forward, closing the range. In that split second, her left palm coiled around Tian Rukun¡¯s exposed arm and slithered up. Tian Rukun also rushed forward, but with the momentum carrying the force of a tsunami, and slammed his bulwark toward Meili¡¯s face. The girl flung her head backwards, her back sinking down. She spun her head and slipped under the bulwark into Tian Rukun¡¯s space. Rukun quickly brought his bulwark back to position to slam down on the girl¡¯s head. However, she retracted her left arm from Rukun. She pushed off from Rukun¡¯s chest with her right palm and launched away like a geyser. She spun as she retreated, ensuring the momentum gained and qi wrapped around her body would not dissipate. Constantly, the arms coiled around and around; the qi became thicker and thicker around her palms. Tian Rukun did not halt his assault. He flung himself at the girl with his bulwark raised and descended upon her like a meteor. ¡°In a battle against an internal school user, the priority is to disrupt the opponent¡¯s momentum.¡± Cai commented. His still-girlish voice carried over the crowd like a bird song. ¡°Right now, the girl is generating qi and momentum in preparation for a one shot kill. Each time Tian Rukun Senior attacks, the girl blocks. From the deflections, some of the energy would obviously transfer to the girl¡¯s own palms. And she seeks that golden second ¡ª that single moment where Rukun Senior is unguarded due to overcommitment to an attack ¡ª where she can counter with all the qi she has wrapped around her palms ¡ª shattering bones, bursting veins and meridians, and breaking one¡¯s very conviction.¡± ¡°Then what happens if our Old Tiger Ru messes the girl up?¡± One of the servants huddled in the illicit gambling rig asked. ¡°All the momentum she had gathered would of course stop. Consider a pinwheel, the more wind it gets, the faster it can spin by itself. But if an opposite wind blows and it cannot adjust, it would stop or even become crippled.¡± Hearing this, the shameless gamblers immediately began making various remarks about the girl¡¯s body. It did not take long for Cai to put an end to that non-sense. ¡°What if someone is so strong that deflecting the strikes would still hurt?¡± Cai looked at Qiu¡¯yue. ¡°Idiot girl, if you pick a fight with someone like that, then you deserve to die! Would a mouse pick a fight with a dragon? No, he would not.¡± Tian Rukun continued to chase after the girl. With every strike deflected, the qi wrapped around the girl¡¯s palms had become so thick that when the girl rotated her arms, her palms sliced through the air and emitted the crisp sound of a sword unsheathed. On Rukun¡¯s bare upper body, there were red palm imprints everywhere. If struck enough, even water can wear away a mountain thin. The deciding moment of the duel came rather unexpected. Tian Rukun slammed his bulwark and thrusted his left claw toward Meili. The girl deflected the strikes. However, rather than retreating, Rukun threw caution to the wind and continued his barrage. With such swift strikes, Meili found no opportunity to counter even if Tian Rukun¡¯s qi reinforcement ceased for a second or even two seconds. Meili frowned. She did not understand why the former expert would unleash such a vain barrage. With every deflection, her palms became quicker and fiercer. Caught in that cycle of exchanges, Meili failed to realize the tiger¡¯s hidden tail. With a mighty roar from Tian Rukun, Meili was momentarily stunned ¡ª though she never ceased rotations of her arms and deflection of the barrage. The old tiger swiftly pulled back his own strikes. The girl, caught in the cycle of deflection and barrage, failed to realize the change in circumstances. She had struck out, expecting a stronger force to push her back. The momentum pulled her forward and though she desperately tried to strike Tian Rukun with her palm, the old tiger merely side-stepped and leapt backwards. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. All the force gathered during the bout bursted forth into empty air. The air ruptured. Bang! Bang! Bang! The palm which strike empty air imprinted a palm image in a tree off in the distance. The force of the blow shaved the top of some of the onlookers¡¯ head. Meili cursed but followed through with her strike, stepping in and twisting her entire body with the strike ¡ª so as to reduce the own strain on her body ¡ª and then pulling her palm back. Tian Rukun smirked and pounded his chest. He rushed forward. And he poked Meili in the forehead. ¡°You lose!¡± ¡°Match End!¡± Cai announced. ¡°Tian Rukun is the winner.¡± Tian Rukun laughed at the sight of Meili pouting. ¡°You are still lacking in actual battle experience, little girl.¡± Then his voice turned grim as he inspected the imprint on the tree far away. ¡°Though, in the future, I expect you would become a rather feared and respected woman.¡± The girl turned around with clenched fists. She stomped away to where the rest of the orphans were gathered. She pulled them all away from the crowd. She turned back one last time. ¡°If you could¡¯ve beaten me so quick, then do so! Don¡¯t make me look like a fool!¡± Tian Rukun frowned. ¡°You think I was actually going easy? Girl, look at your palms.¡± It was then that Meili noticed how torn up her palm was. ¡°I was hitting you with the full force of the first stage of the consolidation stage. Your palms were deflecting strikes with the force of a hundred men. That was the only technique I had at my disposal. If you had noticed, my entire jaw would have been shattered from your strike.¡± Hearing that, Meili turned away and began to walk. As soon as the Village of Lost Orphans entered the forest, Meili broke into a toothy grin, her front teeth prominent like a rabbit¡¯s, and she hummed a uplifting song. The trio from the revered inner sect were waiting underneath the Tree of Ten-Thousand Fire Blossoms, identical to yesterday. The two inner disciples both wore frowns, particularly Gui Fa whose eyes were as sullen as a desert ¡ª her white makeup was sloppily placed on, as several places featured her natural golden skin tone. Qiu¡¯yue refrained from participation. Her eyes glowed as she anticipated seeing the rest of her peers¡¯ abilities who were all part of the external school. First up was Senior Brother Sha. If Yun Leader Meng was repulsed when Senior Sha came up to greet her, she did not show it. ¡°Ten years old and already at the 7th stage of cultivation. Very nice. Even if you do not pass Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s trials, you can still enter the outer sect before you become 12.¡± Senior Sha nodded but grimaced at the red fairy¡¯s last words. No one but Cai noticed, as Sha¡¯s ugly face made his grimaces indistinguishable from his regular expression. ¡°Gu-gu, ah, gu-gu, this Da Gui doesn¡¯t feel well. You go fight. Go redeem yourself from yesterday¡¯s display.¡± Gui Fa frowned but stepped forward. Instead of using the umbrella from yesterday, this time the girl pulled out a pipa [Chinese banjo]. Immediately, Senior Brother Sha burrowed into the earth. The inner disciple did not care much for that novel trick. She strung the pipa with her qi imbued in her pick. The sounds emitted became tangible, visible waves distorting the fabric of the air which slammed against the earth all around her like a blade made out of wind. Senior Brother Sha¡¯s hands shot up from the earth like gnarled roots and wrapped them around the inner disciple¡¯s ankles. The young woman merely pointed her pipa at the hands and strung. The blades of sound sliced at the boy¡¯s wrist and he had to retreat back under the earth. Underneath the earth, Senior Sha muttered to himself, ¡°I wish I had a knife.¡± Meanwhile, the inner disciple continued to play her pipa. She also began to wail out a sad song imbued with qi. The song tore at the spectator¡¯s eardrums and it did not take long for everyone to jab their thumbs into their ears. The song traveled all the way into the earth. ¡°Stop! Stop! I give up,¡± Senior Sha shouted as blood leaked from his ears and eyes. ¡°I see, a burrowing art. Rather tailored for assassinations ¡ª or burglary,¡± Yun Leader Meng said with a gleam in her eyes. ¡°Ugly Dwarf, your special task would be to steal a rare fan from a rival sect of ours. The fan originally belonged to me. Of course, you are not yet at the level ¡ª nor has Qiu¡¯yue passed her own trial. So do not worry for now.¡± Next up were the twins. ¡°We¡¯re a package,¡± Jang-Guo said and poked his finger into his sister¡¯s cheek. ¡°Hmm, the girl is on the 8th stage and the boy is teetering on the 9th stage. It would be unfair to send only one.¡± As such, it was decided both inner disciples would go out at the same time. ¡°Ge, you take care of the ghost lady; I¡¯ll stall the swordsman.¡± The twins broke into two streaks of blue. Jang-Guo charged at Gui Fa, scooping up dirt as he approached. When his arms emerged from the earth, a great claw gauntlet made of dirt encased his arms. The gauntlets extended his reach by at least a meter. Caught by surprise, Gui Fa hastily blocked with her pipa. The gauntlets struck the pipa¡¯s strings and quickly broke them. ¡°How dare you do that to my pipa!¡± The woman roared, her shrill cries imbued with qi ripped apart the casing around Jang-Guo¡¯s arms to rip. Jang-Guo paid no mind. As far as he could see, the inner sect disciple was now unguarded ¡ª easy prey. On the other half of the ring, Meili deflected Da Gui¡¯s sword strikes with her bare palms which had been trained to withstand sword strikes to an extent. Da Gui¡¯s sword strikes were lustrous like starlight and gleamed and shined with such magnificence that it blinded. Meili despite being able to deflect all the strikes with perfection, she was unable to close in on her target. As she deflected each strike, Da Gui would use the momentum from the same clash to hop away. Back to Jang-Guo, the situation had reversed. Jang-Guo who had launched an assault on Gui Fa in his feral fighting style was now on the defense. He erected great walls of earth with every swing of his gauntlets, only for them to be torn apart by Gui Fa¡¯s shrill screams. However, that was not the only reason why Jang-Guo was on the defense. Gui Fa who had started crying, imbued qi into her tears and manipulated that thin strand of connection between herself and the tears to create many water pellets which she hurled at Jang-Guo as she bawled her eyes out. These water pellets weighed as heavy as decent-sized rocks. Slamming against the earth walls, numerous dents were created. ¡°Meili, regroup!¡± Jang-Guo shouted as he soon became unable to bear the madness, facing Gui Fa alone. Meili nodded as she was having difficulty slipping into Da Gui¡¯s sphere. Spinning away from Da Gui in flips, Meili found her back against her brother¡¯s. Meili flung her left hand out toward Da Gui in the hope of getting lucky. Da Gui plunged his sword down and sliced the palm strike. She kept the other hand rotating as she looped her fingers around her brother¡¯s. Something miraculous occurred. As Meili rotated her arms, she also moved her arms up and down her side. Afterimages formed, and soon 4 arms were gathered on her right side. Jang-Guo¡¯s left arm bulged with tyrannical strength. He plunged his arm through the earth once more and formed a gauntlet in the appearance of a western dragon¡¯s arm: this huge bulking arm with thick, sharp talons. Furthermore, a sandstorm made residence around this gauntlet of his, and each sand particle sliced out like a hornet. The pair charged at Gui Fa first (mostly because they found her singing to be atrocious and annoying). Before either of them could land a single strike on her, Da Gui had dashed in front of their assault and blocked both the twins¡¯ attack. His sword rappelled off each of Meili¡¯s palms, parrying each with extreme precision, before unleashing a series of thrusts against Jang-Guo¡¯s monstrous arm. The thrusts wore away the dragon arm and at the final strike, completely broke the gauntlet and exposed the dragon for what it actually was: dirt. Seeing the boy¡¯s unprotected arm, Da Gui swung his blade. What he did not expect was for the bald boy to smile. Jang-Guo flung his own sister in front of him. Meili used the momentum of the swing and struck out her arm to meet the sword like the blade of a windmill against the wind. The unexpected obstruction made it impossible for Da Gui to retract his blade. Meili connected with the blade and forced it to swing down with all her force. The blade struck the earth. Meili gave it one final successive palm strike and the blade shattered. Da Gui pulled by the momentum inevitably connected with Jang-Guo¡¯s reformed dragon gauntlet. And he disappeared. Vanished as soon as the strike connected. The twins looked at each other and both cursed. Gui Fa who was hidden by Da Gui¡¯s body during that exchange stopped crying and smiled. She laughed hideously. In her hand was a mirror, and entrapped in it was her own qi. The inner disciple flicked her wrist and the mirror shot that qi out in a single ray of light. It struck Jang-Guo in the face and blinded him before tearing into his face, burning him. Then Gui Fa unleashed a hail of water pellet and sound waves onto his body. Meilie did not have the luxury to worry about her brother. Da Gui grabbed Meili¡¯s throat and squeezed. ¡°Enough.¡± The red fairy announced. Instantly, Gui Fa stopped and retreated into herself. Da Gui tossed Meili onto the ground. Then the red fairy gave both the twins restoration pills. ¡°Fascinating. Both of you would definitely fit in the Yun Division! Since you two are a package, I will give you just one task: enter a fighting tournament and gain first and second place. Don¡¯t worry, there is a tournament hosted by the rival sect I mentioned before at the end of one year. You two can serve as distraction for...uh...that Ugly Dwarf over there.¡± Fortunately, Senior Brother Sha¡¯s ears still hadn¡¯t fully recovered and he did not hear Yun Leader Meng¡¯s mean nickname for him. Cai stepped forward next. The red fairy gasped and flapped open her fan. ¡°Boy, what is your name?¡± ¡°Cai.¡± ¡°You are only 7 years old.¡± The boy nodded. ¡°And you are already half step into the tenth stage.¡± The inner disciples glanced at the boy who merely smirked in response. ¡°What a pity that you want to join the Yue Division above all else.¡± Yun Leader Meng sighed into her fan. ¡°Well, pick out of those two. And please, lose spectacularly so I could feel better about losing such a talent.¡± Cai pointed at Da Gui. It was finished in an instant. The boy dashed forward, and weaved himself splendidly through the array of sword thrusts, before leaping up and grabbing the young man¡¯s head and then slamming it onto his knee. Cai followed up with a pound down onto the young man¡¯s head with his fists gathered into one great boulder. And to finish it off with style, the boy jumped and did a spinning kick onto Da Gui¡¯s neck like an ax. The red fairy slammed her fan closed and pouted. ¡°So why aren¡¯t you in the outer sect? Clearly, you are Chosen by the Heavens: incredible latent talent, superb battle sense, and that dash of yours, it is not so simple ¡ª am I right?¡± Cai cracked his joints. ¡°I made a promise to enter the outer sect with everyone. Real men keep promises. And the dash is a secret~¡± ¡°Hmph, one of these days, you will tear a ligament doing that dash, and when you are at my division¡¯s medicinal halls, I will force the secret out from you.¡± ¡°So what¡¯s my task?¡± ¡°Mm, Little Sister Mo is currently stuck in her cultivation. If you can find a Bleeding Tendril Heart Flower, that could help her breakthrough.¡± ¡°Let me guess, there¡¯s probably an auction at the rival sect for the flower.¡± ¡°Wrong!¡± The red fairy laughed. ¡°It actually grows somewhere in the mountains north of here. It¡¯s quite rare to find. So good luck. Remember, my Yun Division will always welcome you~¡± With those words, the red fairy left, followed closely by Gui Fa who lugged Da Gui¡¯s unconscious body. Cai and the boys went into meditation, excited at the prospect of jumping directly into the inner sect at the end of one year. Meili had Qiu¡¯yue follow her back to the desolate clearing once more to formally teach her the basics of fighting. Author''s Note: Well, late upload again. (Ambiguous usage of late, kinda.) I had some personal stuff to do today so I didn''t finish as early as I had hoped. It''s longer than usual so there''s that (but 5000ish words is really just an average chapter by standards...) Everyone''s fighting style has been introduced. Except maybe Cai, but badasses don''t need explaining. Jang-Guo''s style is a bit boring, but if he can encase his arms with the earth, imagine when he can encase his whole body (or most of it since he still need to touch Meili to have boosted strength) and become a literal earth dragon. Is Meili''s countering style hard to follow at all? It''s based very loosely on baguazhen for those curious; that''s why there''s so many revolutions and rotations. The squad is gonna finally love each other like an actual village/family starting next chapter, maybe chapter after that. Can''t wait. Qiu''yue is finally going to grow from a useless spoiled brat into someone who can actually hold her own. It''s gonna be lit. The next chapter is going to be titled "The Tomb of Scorching Ice Part 1" for those curious. Thanks for reading, as always :). Tomb of Scorched Ice Part 1 Author''s Note: Whoa! At the beginning instead of at the end? First off, I am deeply sorry for such a late upload. Should''ve been uploaded at midnight at the latest (like usual), but Friday URF came back in League of Legends, so I just wasted sooooo much time messing around with friends. Anyhow, I am uncertain how plausible girls fighting could result in friendship. But fighting against someone is one of the more passionate thing in life. Anyhow, let''s go spelunking in the next few chapters~ Btw check out the story of this friend of mine. Uploaded a new chapter yesterday: G.R.I.M. - This Grim World of Ours A month had passed since Qiu''yue''s induction into the Village of Lost Orphans; little progress passed. Cai continued to treat Qiu''yue with neutrality bordering on exasperation before lurching to the far end of simple cordiality. And Senior Sha continued to drench the girl in sincerity. Only the twins continued to exhibit aggression. Jang-Guo had made a streak out of insulting the girl at every opportunity. Meili was less subtle in her continued hazing. Qiu''yue herself had grown. No longer did she wake up and called for her parents. There was no time for that ¡ª and even if there was time, she was exhausted day to day. At sunrise, she would work alongside the servants. Her muscles would be worked more than her peers, as she could never rely entirely on her qi to support her load. As such, at the end of every route, she brimmed with sweat. And it refreshed her to feel the repair of her strained sinew and broken stretches of muscle. But Jang-Guo still harped on her lack of progress regarding cultivation. Qiu''yue continued to sit at the middle of the first stage. Her battle sense and techniques saw little improvement. Though it was not due to Meili neglecting to train her ¡ª rather, Meili''s training often broke Qiu''yue''s body down, leaving her battered and torn ¡ª as such, the girl''s body slowly became more resilient and beautiful, similar to the growth of the lotus from which the ritual borrowed its name. The other orphans made little progress in regards to their battles, except for Cai. Fighting against Da Gui who used his full strength brought full tides of nourishment to the young boy''s mental fortitude and battle sense. Established as ritual, after the individual battles, Meili and Qiu''yue journeyed deep into the forest, walking toward the desolate clearing. The boys meditated in their absence. Jang-Guo broke into the ninth stage during that span of one month. Growls clawed forth from Qiu''yue''s stomach. "Big Sister Meili, I haven''t eaten in a week." Meili twisted her head to face the girl. Her brows dug deep trenches as she slowly said, "We all have not eaten anything in a week." Frowning, the girl asked, "Senior Sha caught something when I first came here. Can''t he go hunt?" Taking a deep breath, Meili unclenched her fists. "You can survive another week without food. Now be quiet." Prattling on, Qiu''yue ran to be at Meili''s side. "Big Sister Meili, aren''t you hungry too?" Meili stopped. She stabbed Qiu''yue in the chest with her finger. "Brat, if you want to hunt, go do it yourself. I am not going to waste my energy catching something that might not even be worth it." Meili started to walk again, marching forward with large strides. "But the leftovers won''t come to us until the end of this week," the girl cried as she struggled to keep up on her shorter limbs. Meili stopped again and pushed the chasing girl. Qiu''yue toppled backwards and sliced her palms on the pebbles. Quick streams of blood flowed out, but the wound quickly dammed up. Towered over the girl, Meili threw her fists all over the air as she shouted. "You are so spoiled! I am sick and I am tired. Aiyah, it''s been a month already and you''re still stuck at the first stage. I''ve been teaching you for a month and you are still shit! You''re cow dung. You think you''re the only one hungry? I''m hungry too; everyone is hungry. Before you came, we waited months before getting left-overs. So stop complaining!" Holding back her tears, the little girl scrambled up and trudged up to Meili. The two girls looked at each other. The younger girl lowered her head first. A soft voice drifted from her, "I''m sorry I''m not talented. I''m sorry I''m an idiot. I''m sorry." She then raised her tear-stained face and with quaking lips shouted back. "But I''m trying! I''m trying so hard. Senior Sha told me that if I try hard, we can be friends. S-so," she cleared the snot from her mouth, "so why are you still so mean, Big Sister Meili?" Meili laughed. "You are trying so hard. I mean, look at how much you improved! You can definitely clear the trials at this rate." Qiu''yue tilted her head down. She balled up her hands. "But, but I am trying Big Sister Meili. You just don''t teach me well." The girl screamed as Meili lifted her by the collar. "Are you joking right now? I don''t teach you? I make you do basic training, stances, throws, and so much. You''re just acting spoiled and blaming your own shortcomings on me." "But I''m not," Qiu''yue cried. "How do I not teach you well then?" The other girl tilted her eyes down. Meili threw Qiu''yue to the ground. Her eyes sank ¡ª then looked away. The girls started walking again and not a sound was made until they reached the desolate clearing. While Meili went to the center of the clearing, Qiu''yue lingered at the entrance fidgeting with her clothes. "Brat! Why are you still at the entrance? You''re wasting time," Meili yelled. "Big Sister Meili, you''re still mad." "Of course I am. You''re wasting my time, you spoiled brat." "It''s just that your training always end up making my body break if you''re mad." "And whose fault is that? For not learning anything despite it being a month." Qiu''yue looked at Meili with tears. She scowled and shouted. "But you only ever point out what I''m doing wrong! You never say if I''m doing anything right at all. And when I mess up, you just get angry and make me do it again!" Meili spat at the frosted earth. "Brat, I''m not one of your tutors whose paid to compliment everything you do." "But shouldn''t you still care about my well-being?" Qiu''yue screamed, shouted, and screeched; the young girl flung her arms to the sides and stomped at the ground. "You''re just a tool to get the rest of us into the inner sect as fast as possible. Senior Sha is being nice because you''re just a little cute. Cai wouldn''t even care about you if there wasn''t such a good deal on the line." Qiu''yue charged at her. "You really hadn''t learned anything," Meili growled. Effortlessly, as Qiu''yue approached, Meili stepped forward like a surging wave and hoisted Qiu''yue up, then throwing her against a nearby tree. The older girl turned around. She was surprised that Qiu''yue had already gotten up. Meili snarled. "I''m going to beat the spoil out of you tonight, or else my name isn''t Tong Meili!" "Big Sister Meili, you''re too unfair! You''re too mean! Why do you hate me so much?" Qiu''yue cried. She adopted the stance Meili had taught her, or been trying to teach for a month now: the River Splitting Mountain Stance. It (and its variants) served as the foundation of most counter arts and was able to be used without qi. One leg slightly extended forward like a snake, the other bent like a bow; one arm outstretched and the other held close. Her back sloped like a willow. Qi flowed out at a steady and gentle pace. Meili laughed. "You haven''t gotten a successful counter at all since you learned that stance. Fine, I''ll play, you stinking brat!" She too adopted the stance. Qiu''yue became worried and her stance lost the stability it possessed. She remembered the main flaw of the counter arts. "Brat, listen up, the counter arts are strong because they turn a greater force back onto the other person. But if the other person is also a counter type, then the strongest person physically or the one who has cultivated the highest will often win. This is impossible for you who can only use 25% of your qi at a time. That''s why all counter arts have special intimidation techniques and feints to goad the enemy into attacking into a counter." Meili smirked. "I''m going to enjoy stomping on you. I taught you everything. You think I won''t know your feints, stupid girl?" Qiu''yue bit her lips. With uncertainty, she inched forward. Meili did the same. As the two martial artists met, instantly a blur of motions erupted. The moment their outstretched arms glanced each other, a riptide of punches scattered. A fluttering of clashing and claps like thunder. In a match between two counter martial artists, two games are played simultaneously: the game of entrapping the other in one''s own rhythmic tempo, and the other is to overwhelm the other''s flow through sheer abundance and speed of the punches and counters ¡ª in essence, using the reciprocal strength of countering to exude the tyrannical assault of the external school. At the climax of the clashing of these two rivers, a geyser bursted from the final impact and Qiu''yue flew back, striking the same tree, while Meili merely skidded half a meter from where they had met. Enduring the pain, Qiu''yue stood up again. She resumed the same stance. And she inched forward. The two went through the same dance over and over ¡ª until Qiu''yue''s palms were ripped of skin, revealing red sticky flesh, and her back was bruised and battered. "Why are you still getting up?" Meili shouted. Her arms in a frantic flurry. "You haven''t been able to land a single hit at all! I know how you fight; I taught you how to fight. Your counters, I can see them all; your feints are as clear to me as the moon above." With tears, the little girl said with great strain, "I just want to be friends with you Big Sister Meili. Senior Sha is kind, but he''s not like a big sister. Cai is too distant and cold. And Jang-Guo hates me ¡ª I''m scared of him. I just want to have a friend." With a bitter expression, Meili responded, "You''re really a spoiled brat." The two martial artists met once more. Their arms weaved in and out of the cascade of whips and fists, ricocheting off each other''s'' palm strikes. Meili''s strikes strike harder and faster, and would bounce back with more force, like the string of a bow. Qiu''yue attempted a feint, striking forth at the other girl''s face with all her accumulated strength. Simultaneously, the young girl also sent out a left hook toward the other''s girl sternum. Meili rolled her eyes. This technique was the only feint she had taught the girl: Moon Reflected in Flowing Water. In a drawn out fight, sending out such a deliberate and forceful punch would draw the opponent''s attention for a split second. If immediately followed up by a simple left hook to the sternum, the opponent would be too distracted to properly guard. The distraction worked on two fronts: Delivering a powerful right fist would put the opponent on guard to the right punch, but the opponent would also seek an opportunity to strike back during such an exposed fight. If successful, the feint would goad the opponent into getting hit in the sternum to deprive him momentarily of his breathing. The right fist which served as the distraction would be deprived of qi gathered from the bout, due to either being blocked or dodged. However, the opponent would''ve surely attempted to attack once he has blocked or dodged that right straight ¡ª and that is where the name of the technique is derived from. The opponent''s returning fist would strike nothing, similar to the illusion of a moon in a moving body of water. Rather, due to the interruption of the opponent by the left hook, the martial artist would use the forward momentum of the enemy attack to throw and then pin down the opponent ¡ª or to grab the enemy''s fist or leg, and then use that forward momentum to strike the sternum again to fracture it. This technique could also be the beginning move against another counter martial artist. Not only does it set the tempo in one''s favor if the opponent counters, but if the opponent dodges, there is no loss of the qi or momentum gathered through continuous countering. Meili who had taught this move clucked her tongue. She dodged the right straight by swerving her head out the way. The girl also grabbed Qiu''yue''s right elbow, restraining it. Simultaneously, Meili raised her left leg to block the hook by lifting it way up into the air before entrapping the incoming strike in the nook between her thigh and calf. Her left hand shot forward like a glaive at the Qiu''yue''s exposed chest. That left hand which had been wrapped in the qi essence of not just herself, but also the other girl''s, had a weight which would easily shatter through the younger''s girl''s breastbone and spine. Qiu''yue looked at Meili in the eyes and smiled. "I win," she poked her tongue out. Meili was at first confused. That confusion quickly turned into fear when she found a burst of qi emit from Qiu''yue''s lower body. Even as Qiu''yue''s legs tore and ripped and bursted into pieces, the little girl continued to will her legs into motion. Her teeth clenched onto each other as sweat poured from every pore, and as her veins popped and blood dripped from her eyes. Meili''s only thoughts consisted of "Aiyah, this crazy brat used 100% at once" and "What a stupid girl." Qiu''yue forced all 100% of the qi she could store into her legs. Kicking off with her right leg, she leapt forward with great intensity like a star in the sky. First, the girl was immediately greeted Meili''s strike head-on and with great force. The result was inevitable: cracking like the sound of autumn echoed the clearing loud as blood was throw up from the girl''s mouth like a gurgling spring. Even so, the girl was unable to stop, as the initial burst of motion still had not finished. Second, the girl''s entrapped left arm was snapped at the elbow, leaving two disjointed halves jutted out at odd angles. The pain sent a billion fire ants up her senses. White faced, the girl bit the inside of her cheeks to remain conscious. Third, her left foot struck Meili squarely in the chest. Meili who had realized the threat beforehand, immediately released her restraints on Qiu''yue. Once that heavy force connected, Meili had already placed a layer of qi at the point of impact. Using the momentum of the kick, Meili spun in the angle of the kick and tumbled onto the ground to reduce the impact. Even so, she coughed up blood and her eyes became unfocused as the entire scene blurred in front of her. "That brat fractured my sternum," Meili said weakly. She placed a hand on her sternum and winced. The girl filtered qi through her injury and found a few major fractures coupled with numerous minor cracks. The qi of the entire cosmos lessened the pain. "Still a pain to breathe." The older girl unsteadily dragged her feet to where Qiu''yue was, a hand still on her sternum. Qiu''yue was in a much worse condition. The entirety of her robes was torn and bloodied. A cragged bone poked out from her arm as blood poured out. Her entire face was a tributary of blood. The girl''s breathing was so shallow, Meili was worried if she had died. The older girl bit her lips and looked uncertain. Still, she knelt and moved the two broken halves of Qiu''yue''s left arms together ¡ª causing the girl to moan and howl in pain. Miraculously, as Meili held those halves in place, she saw new sinew and muscle and skin proliferate as Qiu''yue''s lotus body fulfilled its purpose. Watching such a fascinating phenomenon became quite boring after a single incense''s worth of time. Still, Meili found herself unable to abandon the pitiful girl. Besides, she still had to teach the girl a lesson for fracturing her sternum. Holding the girl''s broken arm in place, Meili fell asleep. A day passed and when she awoke, Meili found the arm still to be incomplete. Gingerly, she moved Qiu''yue over so that the girl''s back may rest on her lap without disturbing the healing of her arm. Meili found Qiu''yue to breathe much easily now and her face, though crusted with brown blood, was more beautiful than before the fight due to the propagation of new skin. With pouting lips, Meili poked at Qiu''yue''s nose. "You''re such a spoiled brat." She frowned and massaged her sternum silently. "Spoiled brats should just act spoiled and not do whatever you did last night." The girl was still unconscious and did not respond. Meili clucked her tongue and went into meditation. Once night fell, Meili found herself to be replenished of strength. She carefully carried the younger girl in a princess hold. The girl made sure to move slowly back to the Tree of Ten-Thousand Fire Blossoms so as not to hurt Qiu''yue further. Upon seeing the state of Qiu''yue, Senior Sha became frantic. Cai smartly told Senior Brother Sha off. With a hunched back, Sha retreated into the Tree. Jang-Guo received a glare from his sister and similarly retreated into the Tree. "Oi, what funny thing did you tell this girl?" Meili shouted. "It isn''t in this brat''s nature to fight so hard." "Why do you care?" Cai responded with a smirk which melted into a frown. "Don''t you hate her?" "I do hate her. I''m just confused." "Does it matter the reason behind her effort? She clearly still made the effort. And judging by the state of your breathing, I would say she exerted the greatest efforts." With those words, Cai too retreated back into the Tree. Left alone with the girl, Meili rested herself against the rough bark of the ancient tree, while Qiu''yue rested her body on Meili''s lap. Pulling on her lips with her teeth, Meili furrowed her brows. Growling at herself, the girl placed a hand on Qiu''yue''s forehead. Warm qi flowed gently from her to Qiu''yue, assisting in the recovery process. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. While Qiu''yue rested, Meili couldn''t help but think, "It isn''t fair for someone to be so cute." Meili kept this posture and action until Qiu''yue''s arm was recovered, which took in total 2 days. After that, the older girl found some brush and salvaged some piles of leaves to make bedding for the girl to rest in. The girl also gathered extra water from the well each day to make soup out of the forest creatures that she would go hunt each night. Using a pot and bowl borrowed from the servants, the girl would prepare soup only for the injured girl that not even her brother may savor. It took one week for Qiu''yue to fully recover and come out of her coma. "Big Sister Meili...?" Qiu''yue asked as she got up. The older girl was asleep against the mystical tree. A slight moan floated from Qiu''yue''s lips ¡ª her body was still quite sore ¡ª as she got up and crawled over toward the older girl. It was currently night. The stars above danced and twinkled like the ocean waves. A cool breeze sauntered over the clearing every so often. Seeing the usual frowning cold Meili sleep with her mouth opened made the young Qiu''yue smile. The young girl giggled as she wiped drool from the corners of Meili''s lips. Qiu''yue noticed her clothes were new and crisp. She frowned and became flustered when she thought about who had changed her clothes. Her father always told her to be cautious of who she allowed to change her clothes. The girl''s erratic motions jolted Meili from her sleep. She yawned and smacked her lips. Upon seeing Qiu''yue close to her and awake, the girl scrambled backwards, a slight frown adorned on her face. "You''re awake. How are you feeling? Aiyah, I made sure to change your clothes, so stop worrying." Meili said to the worried girl. Qiu''yue tilted her head and then gasped. "Ah, the fight! Big Sister Meili, are you alright?" Meili pulled on the young girl''s cheeks. "Brat, you fractured my sternum. Well, seeing how you''re so energetic, your body is probably fine. I can''t say anything about your brain though." "Eh, is your sternum fine then?" Qiu''yue exclaimed as she rushed over to Meili. The older girl kept Qiu''yue at an arm''s length. "Oi, brat, what the hell you being so friendly for? I''m fine even if my sternum is fractured a bit, so stop worrying!" Qiu''yue pouted and knelt on her knees. "Mm, Cai said that he and Senior Brother Sha became best friends after fighting. Oh, and he told me how Jang-Guo became his little brother after fighting him. We respect and admire each other now that we fought, right?" The young girl looked at Meili with stars in her earthy brown eyes, as if there was an ocean of wishes possessed by her. "We''re friends now, right?" Meili flicked the younger girl''s forehead. "Aiyah, what in the Heavens did Cai teach you! His fights and our fight are two different things." Her frown softened when she saw the girl tilt her head and sulk. "You are such a spoiled brat... I won''t accept you as a friend. But! ¡ª if you kowtow to me and become my little sis¡ª" Instantly Qiu''yue kowtowed three times. Beaming up at Meili, the girl said, "Big Sister Meili~" The girl waited for a response. After a while, she tilted her head sideways and closer toward the older girl. Meili leaned back. "What?" Her lips twitched. "Oh, fine! ...Mei-Mei [Little Sister], are, are you happy now?" Qiu''yue giggled. "Big Sister Meili, you''re blushing." "No, I''m not! Shut up," Meili growled. "Why do you want to become close to me anyways? You nearly died attempting that stupid stunt of yours." "Mmm, I was lonely and you were the only girl?" Qiu''yue said honestly with a finger on her temple. Meili pulled on her cheeks again. "Oi, brat! Haven''t your parents taught you modesty? Flattery?" Qiu''yue rubbed her cheeks and shook her head. "What''s that?" Meili palmed her own face. "You have so much to learn ¡ª too much for me to teach." Cai who came out of the Tree some time ago smiled as he watched the scene perched on a branch. After talking some, Meili suddenly adopted a somewhat apologetic face and looked away from Qiu''yue. "I suppose I haven''t really been a good teacher to you. From today on, I''ll be more fair." "Does that mean you''ll praise me?" Qiu''yue asked as she tried to weave her hand into Meili''s. "Maybe, I don''t know. And stop trying to hold my hand. I''m not going to hold your hand." Meili scolded. Then she smiled. "How about this, if you never complain no matter how difficult something is, I''ll praise you." Qiu''yue nodded eagerly. Cai stifled a laugh from his perch above. From then on, Meili''s training became a hundred times more taxing. Though, Qiu''yue never minded the harshness as long as Meili praised her. Furthermore, in order to supplement the harsh training, Meili often caught forest creatures to make into soups ¡ª a task later delegated to Qiu''yue herself. At sunrise, Jang-Guo and Senior Sha both came out the tree in grandeur. Cai blended himself into their entrance. "Hmm, the useless brat''s awake now?" Jang-Guo asked as he yawned. Meili frowned and flicked a rock at Jang-Guo''s forehead. Her brother caught it and shouted. "Hey! How can you do that to your older brother, Meili?" "Then how can you say such rude things to our Mei-Mei, ge-ge?" Meili said with a pout as she pulled Qiu''yue close to her. Jang-Guo contorted his entire body. "Huh? What? Since when did that thing come out of our mom?" "She became my blood sister yesterday." Meili said bluntly as she crossed her arms over Qiu''yue''s small body. "Since she is my blood sister, she is your sister now too." Jang-Guo snorted and threw his hands up to the sky. "I''m going down first. And stop treating that spoiled brat like that. Do you hear me, Meili?" Senior Sha whispered to Cai, "Uh, is this what you meant by gathering the squad together?" Cai smirked. "I didn''t expect Meili to want Qiu''yue as a sister, but that''s fine." "Are we going to take little Qiu''yue with us then?" "Depends on Jang-Guo''s decision. We can''t leave until the end of the month anyways. Everyone must accept her first ¡ª we can''t afford tense feelings during life-and-death situations. And, the girl must reach out for strength out of her own initiative first." "Junior Cai, you talk much more wisely than I do." Senior Sha commented. "Wisdom is not dictated by age; nor is skill." Cai said that and followed the girls down. Senior Sha made a difficult face before following. A week then passed. In that span of time, the relationship between Qiu''yue and Meili became much better. Though Meili wouldn''t openly display affection or often, Qiu''yue felt less lonely. Qiu''yue also learned at a faster pace and attained the second stage of Meili''s River Carving Fist [He Diao Quan; ºÓµñÈ­]. The second stage was when one successfully interspread the revolution of the arms into the basic stance. On the day when Qiu''yue reached the second stage, Meili had her sit down at the center. Qiu''yue waited patiently as her big sister dug at the center of the desolate clearing. When finished, Meili called Qiu''yue over. At the center of the clearing laid a rotting corpse. Maggots swam through the corpse''s flesh, eating away everything. The maggots had started from the head first, as that was the most decomposed. Only a thin patch of flesh remained on the bleached skull in the corner of the head. The corpse was dressed in servant clothings, however his short stature indicated he was a child about the age of twelve. Clasped in the corpse''s arms was a bamboo manuscript. "Mei-Mei, meet Liu Bai''Hu [Áõ°×»¢; Liu surname like Liu Bei, could mean conquer; Bai''Hu means White Tiger], our former leader of the Village of Lost Orphans. He was the one who taught me the countering arts." Meili said as she knelt down. She placed her palms together in prayer. Qiu''yue looked at the corpse once more before closing her eyes and kneeling to pray. After paying their respects, Meili looked at Qiu''yue and stroked her cheeks. The young girl shivered from the touch. Meili rested her hand on Qiu''yue''s cheek. "He was a kind older brother to all of us. Senior Sha was already there when he was leader." Meili said. Qiu''yue had never seen Meili''s eyes get red before; she also placed a hand on Meili''s cheek. "Cai joined the Village a few weeks before us. Ge-ge and I were the children of artists sponsored by a local noble east of the Yue Yun Mountains. There was another boy; he was the son of the noble. We three came here because there had been a raid by some bandits. Some Yue Yun Sect members were in town that night for business, and by coincidence had saved us. We all should have been grateful to Liu Da-Ge [Big brother], but that filthy spoiled brat betrayed us all one day. He stole Liu Da-Ge''s glory and ascended into the outer sect." "Is that why you and Senior Jang-Guo hates me?" Qiu''yue asked. Meili nodded and patted the little girl''s head. "Ge-ge was extremely close to Liu Da-Ge. I guess he doesn''t respect the inner school now, because maybe if Liu Da-Ge trained in the external school arts, he would have lived." "But isn''t the countering martial arts the most supreme under the Heavens?" Little Qiu''yue asked as she wiped the tears from her big sister''s face. Meili nodded with a wistful smile. "But martial arts cannot do anything against flowery false words. That bastard lied and cheated Liu Da-Ge; he framed Liu Da-Ge and took his glory. The sect crippled Liu Da-Ge;s cultivation base after that incident, and Liu Da-Ge, he, he ¡ª" Qiu''yue hugged Meili and rubbed her back. She felt warm tears fall onto her shoulder and roll down her back. The girl never realized that Meili was actually the same size as her, since Meili always looked down on her and was always so much stronger. "Liu Da-Ge, we found him hung from a tree, going down the mountain the day, the day after he was exiled. It was all that brat''s fault." Meili wailed as she squeezed Qiu''yue as if she would disappear. Qiu''yue also cried. Being so young, simply seeing someone else cry made her cry. The two girls cried until their well of sadness dried up completely. "Mei-Mei, you look the same as the first day you arrived here," Meili laughed as she brushed away Qiu''yue''s tears. "Big Sister Meili, you cried too." Qiu''yue joked back with a wobbling smile. Wiping away her own tears and stifling her sniffles, Meili bowed once more toward the corpse and proceeded to retrieve the bamboo manuscript from the corpse. Qiu''yue helped Meili cover up the grave again. Meili handed Qiu''yue the bamboo manuscript. Qiu''yue looked at it confused. She said to Meili, "Big Sister Meili, I can''t read difficult words." "The bamboo is special; send your qi into it." Meili said, prompting her with her hand. Qiu''yue did so and in an instant her hair fluttered up into the air. Her eyes peeled wide open as she went into a trance. After waiting for an incense worth of time, the girl came out of her trance. "Big Sister Meili, I didn''t understand all of it, but the Four Shifting Forms described by this sounds amazing!" Qiu''yue explained as she looked at the bamboo manuscript in awe. "This sounds like an even more powerful countering art than the River Carving Fist." Meili nodded. "This was Liu Da-Ge''s dream. And it is my legacy; now it is yours." "Mine? Big Sister Meili, are you sure? Why?" "The Four Shifting Forms will replace the River Carving Fist; the two countering arts cannot co-exist, the Four Shifting Forms will reign supreme. The Forms may be my legacy, but the Fist is how I keep Liu Da-Ge alive." Qiu''yue looked up at Meili, a bit uncertain. "I have to be at the fifth stage of qi condensation to start learning the Forms. I''m still only at the second stage." Meili pinched Qiu''yue''s cheeks with a grin. "It''s fine. You have to be at the tenth stage by the end of the year. You''re bound to reach the fifth stage before long. Now, let''s go back to the others. It''s getting late." Qiu''yue was unable to say anything else. She nodded with her head down. The girl shuffled her feet after her big sister. She clutched the bamboo manuscript tightly to her chest. It felt as if a heavy weight had been placed on her. Qiu''yue looked down at her hands: Ten months is only ten fingers. Once they arrived back at the Tree of Ten-Thousand Fire Blossoms, Meili said goodnight and went into the Tree to sleep. Counting to a hundred, Qiu''yue felt sure that Meili had fell into a deep sleep. She then called for Cai. "Ugh, what do you want?" Cai muttered as he came out of the Tree, the stream of light blinding in the deep darkness. "I want to get stronger." Qiu''yue said bluntly. "Oh," Cai smirked. He crouched down and looked at the girl from head to toes. "Why?" "I don''t have to tell you," Qiu''yue responded bluntly. "Fine by me." Cai answered, getting up. "But you''re going to have to wait until everyone wakes to hear my answer." "Eh? Wait," Qiu''yue shouted and grabbed onto the boy''s sleeve. "I want to learn the Four Forms and be of use to everyone. I don''t want to be taken care of by Big Sister Meili, or Senior Sha, or Cai anymore. I like you guys too much." Cai turned around and placed his face close to Qiu''yue''s. The girl let go of Cai and pulled her head away. "Oh, that''s the least spoiled thing you said since you''ve arrived, young miss. Well, goodnight then. Thanks for the answer." Cai chuckled and retreated back into the Tree before Qiu''yue could say anymore. Qiu''yue stomped her feet and could only patiently wait for sunrise. She decided to cultivate instead of sleep. At sunrise, the entire Village of Lost Orphans gathered at the base of the Tree of Ten-Thousand Fire Blossoms. Meili was being embraced by Qiu''yue on one side and smothered by her brother on the other side. Senior Sha stood near Cai who stood in front of the rest of the members. "As you know, the Tomb of Scorched Ice opens up again at the end of the month." Cai announced. Everyone but Qiu''yue nodded. "I plan to have everyone go." Jang-Guo leapt to his feet and pointed at Qiu''yue. "Cai, you''re really thinking of letting this girl go with us? She''ll get us all killed like that bastard got Liu Da-Ge killed! You can''t be serious." Cai shot a glare at Jang-Guo. Meili moved further away from her own brother with a frown. Qiu''yue hugged Meili''s arms as they changed locations. "Before interrupting, at least listen to all that I have to say, Jang-Guo. I will have everyone go as long as each member is unanimously allowed to go." "Good! Because I will never let this brat go." Jang-Guo shouted. He scooped up earth with his right arm and slashed at the ground with his earth-gauntlet. He pointed his gauntlet at Qiu''yue. "I will definitely, definitely never let her go." "You can''t just vote no without a reason." Cai responded. "Does anyone else want her to go?" Jang-Guo shouted and clawed at the earth with his gauntlet. The sun bounced off his bald head and painted dazzles about his crown. "Well?" Everyone else nodded. Cai murmured his approval. He looked back at Jang-Guo. "Well?" "You''re all just against me! Don''t you see? She''ll get us all killed! Killed!" Jang-Guo stomped his feet and cursed and spat at the earth. "How about a fight right here? Right now?" Cai suggested as he cracked his joints. "Oi, don''t think that you can beat me just because you''ve beaten me once." Jang-Guo muttered as he too cracked his neck and back. "Oh, I''m not the one you''re fighting," Cai chuckled. He pointed at Qiu''yue. "You''ll be fighting her." Meili palmed herself on the forehead. "Oh, what the hell is that battle-maniac thinking?" "Fine! I''ll prove right here and right now that the little shit over there is useless!" Jang-Guo shouted as he encased his other arm with earth. Tomb of Scorched Ice Part 2 Author''s Note: Late upload because I was not satisfied with the chapter even after reading it over until midnight. I feel like I''m losing the direction of the story with how many fights there has been. There needs to be more adventure and interesting character exchanges, so this arc should bring some of that back. How are the elaborate descriptions of the fights? Do you simply skim over it? Should I make it shorter? As always, thanks for reading. ¡°Mei-Mei, it is acceptable if you do not win,¡± Meili told Qiu¡¯yue as the younger girl climbed to her feet. The girl frowned. ¡°Big Sister Meili, don¡¯t you know you¡¯ll be struck by lightning if you lie?¡± ¡°Brat, didn¡¯t your parents teach you the Confucian ideals?¡± Meili pulled Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s hand, holding her still. ¡°Promise me, promise me ¡ª swear on Lei Gong [referenced earlier in thestory; Lei Gong is a righteous god figure who punish evil with his lightning conjured by a chisel/hammer] ¡ª to not use more than 25% of your qi.¡± Qiu¡¯yue leaned in and unexpectedly kissed Meili on her brow. The mischievous brat poked out her tongue. Meili, overcome by embarrassment, became flustered. Cai also pulled Qiu¡¯yue aside as she walked toward the center of the clearing to meet Jang-Guo. The older boy smirked at Jang-Guo as he tilted his body down and whispered something to Qiu¡¯yue. ¡°Oi, oi! Aren¡¯t you all being too unfair? Especially you, Meili! I am your real brother for Heaven¡¯s sake! Carved from the same flesh and bone, sharing of the same blood and birth date,¡± Jang-Guo shouted indignantly. He waved his two gigantic gauntlets erratically, causing himself to stumble like a drunkard due to the excitement. ¡°Aiyah, aiyah,¡± Meili groaned as she plugged her ears with her fingers, looking away from her brother. ¡°Ge-ge, you are too annoying! Meili hates you!¡± ¡°If my arms weren¡¯t covered with earth right now, I would roll up my sleeves, and spank you! Can you believe such a child? I¡¯m her actual brother ¡ª her twin even!¡± ¡°Oh, shut your whining,¡± Cai scolded. The boy took his place in the shadow casted by the ancient tree. His hands placed neatly behind his back. Children tended to do these things to appear more mature ¡ª though, in actuality, those things they did were simply childish things carried into adulthood by habit. The two fighters met at the center of the clearing. A distance of 5 meters between the two. ¡°Cai looks old,¡± Qiu¡¯yue commented, stifling her giggles with her hand. ¡°Mm, Cai, who are you trying to be? Jian-Yan?¡± Jang-Guo laughed as well, his eyes wide like a turtle egg. Cai glared at the two. Though his increasing blush around his cheeks caused Jang-Guo to laugh even more fiercely than before. He choked on his own spittle laughing. Enduring enough of the humiliation, Cai swung one of his hands to the front up into the sky. The faint reverberation of a sword hung in the air, silencing the surrounding with the majesty of the stars. He held the hand there, as still as the blade of a guillotine. The blade dropped. A burst and a roar. Jang-Guo plowed his body through the clearing, tearing up the grass and dirt, digging deep ditches into the earth with each step. The boy drove across the emerald ground on four. His front claws grew large as they launched him across the air with the velocity of an albatross. When he landed on his powerful hind legs, a squall of dust bloomed behind him ¡ª and the aura of a beast with golden eyes towered behind him. Rather than meeting the beast at full force, the girl hopped backwards. As she hopped backwards, the girl twisted her waist and spun her body like a bamboo dragonfly. Every time her toes landed, pristine spirals formed. While she spun, her hands moved in front of her, sweepingly in arcs¡ª their movements created a large circle, much like the union of Yin-and-Yang, in front of her, resolute against all threat and overbearing in fortitude! However, a bamboo dragonfly cannot match up to the ferocity of the beast. It did not take long for Jang-Guo to catch up. He leapt forward into the air and somersaulted into position: his two mighty gauntlets clasped together, he hammered his meteor down causing the air to rumble. Contrary to expectations, little Qiu¡¯yue hopped to the side, rather than back. Though the hammer struck deep into the ground, causing great ridges to spring up, most of the debris scattered forward and missed Qiu¡¯yue completely. The impact of the falling meteor still assaulted the girl and flung her to the side. Utilizing one of the more extravagant parts of internal martial arts, the girl spun and landed on one of her palms and cartwheeled. Such a maneuver attained much momentum and qi for Qiu¡¯yue. The girl stopped her cartwheel by digging her heel into the clearing and sweeping her foot forward in an arc, kicking up dirt and grass. Her palms now moved in such a mystical way that the thick layer of qi manifested to the naked eye and left traces long after the movement of the palms. An illusion of the Yin-Yang union came forth in the span of the girl¡¯s circular motions -- two rivers of movement engaged in harmony. The unyielding rage of a golden-eyed beast, and the shifting, almost ash-like, illusion of the union of Yin-and-Yang. With the two gathered, the fight truly began. No longer running, the two approached one another with careful steps. Qiu¡¯yue tested her path with circular sweeps and successive taps of the forward way. Jang-Guo stalked the unofficial circular ring with an arched back and sharp shoulder blades. Yet, the instant the two forces collided, the circular formation of Yin-and-Yang shattered. With one mighty roar and a single swipe, Jang-Guo crushed the illusion and sent Qiu¡¯yue flying. The young girl managed to spin as she flew through the air and landed in a sweeping motion. She quickly resumed her circular rotation of the arms. That one encounter had swollen her two palms. Blood trickled out not only her mouth, but her ears too. The impact had sent shocks throughout her system. ¡°Junior Cai, does little Qiu¡¯yue stand a chance?¡± Senior Brother Sha scrambled his way toward Cai. Cai held a hand out. ¡°Senior Brother Sha, even though you are my senior, I am currently the impartial referee. Please, go back to the viewing stand.¡± With balled up hands, the senior brother scrambled his way toward Meili who rested her butt on her thighs. ¡°To tell the truth, this fight is too difficult for Mei-Mei right now,¡± Meili said as she nibbled on her bottom lip. ¡°Ge-ge¡¯s cultivation level is much higher than Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s, and that is why she is unable to keep her formation stable and counter.¡± Each time Qiu¡¯yue formed the illusion with her palms and confronted the beast, it was shattered by Jang-Guo¡¯s mighty ocean-sweep. ¡°Aiyah, don¡¯t look so glum, Senior Sha,¡± Meili quickly said. ¡°It makes you look even more terrifying if you are depressed. The fight is not decided yet. Though Mei-Mei is being pushed back, if she can somehow land a single counter, the fight should result in her favor.¡± ¡°How can she land a counter if she keeps getting pushed back?¡± Senior Sha cried with urgency in his voice. He got up and began pacing around his area. ¡°Junior Sister Meili, what would you do?¡± Meili watched the fight before responding. Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s palms had swollen to such a point that blood flowed from the tips of her fingers due to the congested blood in her palm. She once again met the beast only to be swatted away. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Meili muttered. ¡°Why is Mei-Mei still meeting him with the same strategy? Aiyah, Cai better not have told her something stupid again...¡± Senior Sha repeated his question. Meili looked up at him before diving her face back toward the fight. ¡°If I was at her level of training, I would shift my body weight at the moment of ge-ge¡¯s blow. Pivoting on my foot, I would step inward, and borrowing the momentum of his sweep, I would twist my waist along with that motion, and then backhand his head. Ge-ge could never cover up his head since he can never make his earth-helmet cover all his face while leaving holes for his nose. Then while he is stunned, I would pivot my foot again and spin my body one more time and palm strike his spinal region on his neck. ¡°But I have battle experience, and she doesn¡¯t. Still, even an idiot would stop using the same method if it kept failing ¡ª unless someone with authority told that idiot otherwise.¡± Senior Sha stopped pacing and screamed silently. He plopped himself back onto the ground. ¡°Who would do such a thing though?¡± Meili palmed her forehead. She pointed at Cai who observed the fight with a knowing smirk. ¡°That battle idiot must have said something to Qiu¡¯yue. I am going to chop his little brother off one day if this continues!¡± Instinctively, Senior Sha inched away from Meili and covered his crotch area. Farther away, Cai felt a cold and shivered. He turned and saw Meili glaring at him. Cai waved. Meili got up and walked toward Cai. She poked the boy in the chest. ¡°What did you say to Mei-Mei this time? The last time you were like this, you almost got her killed.¡± ¡°You guys became sisters. Don¡¯t forget that,¡± Cai said. Meili backed away without even realizing. His eyes flashed the same hatred present when Qiu¡¯yue first met him. He looked away. ¡°I told her that Jang-Guo will still hate her if she doesn¡¯t defeat him using your River Carving Fist.¡± Meili blinked. Her mouth hung opened. ¡°So you didn¡¯t tell her how she had to fight in this one way?¡± Cai shook his head. He smiled. ¡°It is rather impressive in its own way.¡± Meili sank to the ground and hugged her knees. ¡°Aiyah, my little sister is as dumb as a pig.¡± ¡°I do not recall you being any better when you first came, Meili Gu-Gu [Gu-Gu means aunt, in case you''ve forgotten. Basically, Meili thought being called gu-gu would be a sign of respect...but not really],¡± Cai chuckled. ¡°You were five then too, right?¡± Meili jumped to her feet with reddened cheeks. ¡°I-I, you, ugh! I told you to never bring that up ever again! I was young and stupid, ok?¡± Cai waved his hand. ¡°Yes, yes. Calm down, Meili Gu-Gu. Let¡¯s just watch the remainder of this fight in peace.¡± ¡°Oi! Are you going to keep doing the same thing over and over again?¡± Jang-Guo paused in his pursuit and shouted. Qiu¡¯yue innocently nodded. Though her hands kept swelling up, it never took long for her body to fix her bruising. Jang-Guo almost palmed himself on the forehead. He realized in time that encased on his arm was earth with spike protrusions. Instead, the boy slammed his claw into the earth and ripped it apart. ¡°Are you making fun of me?¡± Jang-Guo shouted. Qiu¡¯yue shook her head. ¡°Then stop wasting my time!¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not,¡± Qiu¡¯yue cried in fear. Her face flushed and she shook her head furiously. ¡°Then fight me seriously.¡± The voice floated from the boy quietly, but once it left his lips, it crashed through the torn-up field of green and washed over the young girl. Drenched in killing-intent, the girl stopped still of breathing. Seized up by fear, the girl no longer possessed the ability to cry; her mind retreated into the depths of its body ¡ª the only course of survival was to fight. With a steadfast heart, the girl adopted her stance once more. The old, bloody skin peeled off. Underneath, two spades fashioned from jade glittered underneath the rain of pale light. The two forces collided once more. All eyes bursted open. The Yin-and-Yang illusion held. The transparent, almost ash-like, formation became more real as Qiu¡¯yue followed through before the window of opportunity expired. The formation holding, the girl pushed back against the beast¡¯s strike with the force of her whole body. Gliding her palms over Jang-Guo¡¯s earth gauntlets, the girl prepared a strike at his exposed neck. Not giving the girl such a chance, Jang-Guo sweeped his arms outward and unleashed a torrent of claws. Qiu¡¯yue responded with her formation: sweeping away swipes, gliding over thrusts and stepping further into Jang-Guo¡¯s range, palms ricocheting off the multiplying fists. Senior Sha leapt to his feet and ran toward the other two observers. He clamored, ¡°She¡¯s doing it! She¡¯s doing it, right? Junior Sister Meili?¡± ¡°The body granted by Yun Leader¡¯s Innumerable Lotus Ritual is too impressive,¡± she breathed her words out with awe. The constant repairing of the arms led to a drastic increase in durability and Qiu¡¯yue barely withstood an impact, when some 2 incenses ago she was unable to. Meili furrowed her brows and grabbed both Cai¡¯s and Senior Brother Sha¡¯s arms. Pulling the two boys close to her, she whispered, ¡°But why would she do such a thing for Mei-Mei?¡± Cai opted not to open his mouth yet. Senior Sha made a difficult face and merely responded with, ¡°Nevermind that ¡ª little Qiu¡¯yue is holding her own right now! And we all heard what Yun Leader Meng said about the conditions about Sect Master Mo.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the point, Senior Brother Sha,¡± Cai said with a frown. ¡°Everyone knows Yun Leader Meng fought against Sect Master Mo in the succession trials. It would have been more beneficial for Yun Leader Meng if Qiu¡¯yue had become a cripple that day. But she didn¡¯t because of Yun Leader Meng¡¯s intervention and sacrifice.¡± Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Senior Sha rubbed his patches of hair. Unfathomable thoughts flitted across his eyes. He scrunched up his lips before saying angrily, ¡°Yun Leader Meng seem to know Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s parents. Why are we even worrying about this right now?¡± The three observers turned their attention back to the fight. Both fighters bejeweled by silver drops of sweat, sighed content as the autumn wind swirled around them playfully. The two stood at a distance. Visible on Jang-Guo¡¯s neck and collar were red palm marks demonstrating signs of swelling as bluish tints bled through the red, approaching bloating and compression of the throat. Jang-Guo smiled. The smile stretched his face, pulling the cheeks backwards as if broad tusks occupied the corners of his mouth. Thick veins bulged on his neck and ran from the edges of his brow to meet at the center of his bald head. Sharp brows folded down to meet on the bridge of his nose. The golden-eyed beast behind him snarled. Qiu¡¯yue breathed heavy. Her left leg shook. The girl neared the exhaustion of her qi. The beast leapt forward. The golden-eyed aura blotched out the sun and the beast plummeted to earth ¡ª a meteor¡¯s drop. Meeting the impact stood the mirror of Yin-and-Yang. Qiu¡¯yue moved her hands in fascinating circular ways in front of her body. The meteor struck the mirror. Inevitably the mirror shattered and broke to pieces. Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s arms buckled and the illusion became lost. Strained from the pressure and force, the girl¡¯s arms quickly bursted and blood poured forth. However, inevitably also was the meteor to be reflected by the mirror of Yin-and-Yang. Before the girl¡¯s arms gave out, her legs stepped forward in a sweeping arc, her body twisted, and she threw Jang-Guo overhead. The beast crashed into a tree and a cloud of dust swelled up like a blanket. The girl sighed and fell onto her bum. Cai, the self-proclaimed referee, stepped forward. He waved his hand to clear the dust. Jang-Guo struggled to pull himself from the trunk of a tree. His butt wiggled and shook unceasingly. The boy tried to force his head from the trunk with his two great gauntlets. However, it was much too painful on the boy¡¯s neck, and everyone could see how the tree would crush the boy if Jang-Guo himself broke the tree. ¡°Oi! Oi!¡± He called. ¡°Someone help me. I¡¯m stuck!¡± Cai looked at the two combatants. He smirked and rubbed his chin. ¡°It would seem that our two fighters are both incapacitated! Naturally, the first person to stand would be the winner.¡± ¡°Oi! Oi! Cai, you bastard, what the hell are you saying?¡± Jang-Guo shouted. ¡°I clearly can¡¯t get out without killing myself!¡± Cai pushed his lips out. ¡°In a real battle, if the enemy got up before you, would that not spell your death regardless?¡± ¡°That brat simply got lucky and threw me into a tree. I broke both her arms. She can¡¯t do donkey shit!¡± ¡°She still has her legs. One good kick to your family jewels ¡ª¡± Cai didn¡¯t need to finish the sentence. The sentiments got across wonderfully. Jang-Guo hopped and jumped and shook his entire body about as he attempted to dislodge himself from the tree. ¡°Oi! Meili come help your brother!¡± Meili frowned and crossed her arms. She turned away from the view of her older brother¡¯s butt. Instead she called out to Qiu¡¯yue. ¡°Mei-Mei, stand up! You¡¯ll win if you just stand up.¡± The beast¡¯s struggle to extract himself from the tree intensified. ¡°Oi! Shit, Meili, what the hell are you doing? Come help me.¡± ¡°Aiyah, ge-ge, you¡¯re being too annoying. And your butt looks too funny!¡± Qiu¡¯yue who was on her bum had difficulty standing up without the use of her arms to push herself off the ground. Hopping in place. It surprisingly did not take long before she managed to hop to her feet. Recalling something about family jewels, Qiu¡¯yue asked Cai. ¡°Mei-Mei, there¡¯s no need for you to do any of that. Don¡¯t pay attention to the battle idiot,¡± Meili exclaimed and jump to her feet. She turned to Cai. ¡°Just announce the winner, will you?¡± ¡°Oi! Can someone please help me first?¡± Jang-Guo yelled at the top of his lungs. Senior Sha held Jang-Guo at the waist with his head tilted down toward the earth. Cai looked at Senior Sha who nodded. Cai helped Jang-Guo split the tree in order to free his head from the trunk. As soon as the tree was split, the two halves tumbled down. Senior Sha took his junior brother and burrowed into the earth before reappearing away from the felled tree. ¡°Do you think we can trade the lumber for some cultivation dan?¡± Meili asked. She held Qiu¡¯yue close. The damage to Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s arms turned out to be not as severe and already healed quite a bit. Cai shook his head. He faced Jang-Guo with a devious smile. ¡°Anyhow, Jang-Guo, you lost this fight.¡± With a snarl, the boy responded, ¡°Fine! She can come with us. But I refuse to be nice to her.¡± Then he angrily stomped his way away from the clearing, muttering underneath his breath, ¡°She didn¡¯t even win fairly...¡± Cai and Meili made a difficult expression toward one another. Senior Sha bit his lips but nevertheless celebrated for Qiu¡¯yue. Over the course of the remaining month, the group devised and followed an intense schedule in order to prepare Qiu¡¯yue for tomb hunting. After the usual events in the morning, the transport of goods and Yun Leader Meng¡¯s visit, the rest of the day filled with sparring. First, Qiu¡¯yue trained with Cai. The purpose of fighting against Cai was to improve Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s battle sense. The more the two trained, the more impressed Cai became. Impressed by Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s slowness at least; however, if given hints, the girl would quickly figure out the answer. Next, the girl sparred with Senior Brother Sha. When the two first began, Qiu¡¯yue went in with an attitude reminiscent of cotton. That first day, the girl ended up badly bruised and cut. Senior Sha fought much like a spider would ¡ª hiding until an opportune chance. The purpose of sparring with a spider was to improve the girl¡¯s reaction and prediction in a real life-death situation. Third, Jang-Guo tortured and made use of Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s special body. After exhausting Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s qi, the beast would continue fighting her without the use of his own martial arts. The purpose was to rebuild the girl¡¯s body and drastically improve her body¡¯s own physical endurance. Lastly, before Qiu¡¯yue trained in her River Carving Fist, Meili would send Qiu¡¯yue to hunt enough forest creatures to make soup. Such an exercise trained Qiu¡¯yue to relinquish her morality, to hone her senses, and to make her hungry. By the end of the month, Qiu¡¯yue held quite well against Jang-Guo for much longer, despite not having progressed too much in either cultivation or in her River Carving Fist. On the night before the day to venture to the tomb, Qiu¡¯yue meditated quietly by herself. It did not take long for her to come out of cultivation with a glum look. She uncrossed her legs and laid them onto the grass. Qiu¡¯yue leaned back and rested her head on the soft grass. Peering up, the girl tried to spot constellations through the clouds. Her musings became interrupted by someone leaning over her, blocking the view. It was Meili. They smiled at each other. The relationship between the two girls were exceptionally well. Taking a spot next to the younger girl, Meili asked, ¡°What¡¯s my cute Mei-Mei doing still awake? It¡¯s not a good night for star-gazing either.¡± Qiu¡¯yue pushed out her lips and rolled to face Meili. ¡°Big Sister Meili, do you think I can do it?¡± Meili stroked Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s face. She played with the younger girl¡¯s bangs. ¡°Your hair has grown long.¡± Confused, Qiu¡¯yue nodded. ¡°But I don¡¯t feel like I grown older or bigger, Big Sister Meili. How does anyone know they have grown? My mama used to tell me that I will know when my chest becomes bigger.¡± Meili looked at the starless sky and palmed herself on the forehead. ¡°Mei-Mei...I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s exactly right. So what if you don¡¯t know if you have grown bigger or older? We have grown closer.¡± Qiu¡¯yue poked Meili on the nose. ¡°Big Sister, that was really lame.¡± Blushing, the older girl slapped Qiu¡¯yue lightly on the forehead. ¡°Brat, didn¡¯t your parents teach you to listen respectfully to your elders?¡± Qiu¡¯yue nodded. ¡°But mama also told me to not let people say stupid things and get away with it.¡± That statement earned Qiu¡¯yue a lengthy session of her cheeks being pinched. ¡°Brat, don¡¯t worry about it. We still have ten months, and you still have me and Cai and Senior Sha.¡± ¡°I thought I was just a tool for you guys to use to enter the inner sect,¡± Qiu¡¯yue said with a pout and turned away from Meili. ¡°Why you little,¡± Meili laughed and proceeded to tickle Qiu¡¯yue. The little girl flipped over to counter-attack. Tears came from both girls due to laughing to hard. ¡°Will you two quiet down?¡± Cai growled as he appeared before them in a stream of light. ¡°We are going to be in a tomb starting tomorrow.¡± ¡°Oh, quiet down, Cai. Can¡¯t you act your age?¡± Meili muttered. A twinkle gleamed in her eyes and before Cai could react, she pulled the boy to the ground and began tickling him. It did not take long for Qiu¡¯yue to join in. The boy writhed like a fish as laughs bursted from him. ¡°Stop it, both of you,¡± he laughed unwillingly and began tickling both girls at the same time. It took less than the time to brew tea for the three to collapse side by side in exhaustion. ¡°Qiu¡¯yue are you ready?¡± Cai asked. ¡°For tomorrow?¡± Meili hugged Qiu¡¯yue. ¡°Of course she is, she has me.¡± Cai rolled his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re turning into your brother, Meili Gu-Gu.¡± The three talked about various odd topics, the stars, cultivation, and food they want to eat. Meili fell asleep first. ¡°Hey, Cai. When¡¯s your birthday?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have one.¡± Cai responded with a straight face. Qiu¡¯yue frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t you know liars will get struck by lightning?¡± Cai smiled. He got up to his feet and swore, ¡°If I am lying, let Lei Gong strike me down.¡± Nothing happened and he lied back down onto the grass, though that did not prove much of anything. ¡°Then what do you mean that you don¡¯t have a birthday?¡± ¡°I threw it away. And that¡¯s all you need to know.¡± Cai said with a stern voice. He looked at her with the same hate-filled eyes she saw the day they met. He turned away. ¡°When¡¯s your birthday?¡± Qiu¡¯yue realized at that moment that she didn¡¯t know much about the people around her. She knew very little, too little. Whether the names they have are the names their parents gave them; why they cultivate in the first place; and not even simple things like their birthdays. ¡°The twelfth month of the year, 22nd day.¡± She responded. ¡°Your birthday coincides with the Dongzhi Festival [Winter Solstice Festival; family gathering],¡± Cai commented. ¡°It will be your first festival with your new family.¡± Qiu¡¯yue nodded. She yawned. The two bid each other goodnights and went to sleep. The following morning, the air greeted the sun with a certain tension ¡ª similar to the wait when fishing. The Village of Lost Orphans completed their last transportation of goods for the foreseeable future. The Village informed the Yun Leader and saw the trio off. Trekking through the forest, the Village arrived at the desolate clearing. Cai stopped the group. ¡°Qiu¡¯yue stay near the entrance since this is your first time.¡± Meili informed her. Then she joined the rest of the group in pacing around the clearing. Meili asked, ¡°Do you think the opening this time is near Liu Da-Ge¡¯s grave?¡± Qiu¡¯yue lingered near the entrance of the clearing as she was told. She rocked back and forth on her heels. In a daze, it was not until a great gaping rift opened up underneath her that she noticed and screamed. ¡°Shit, that brat,¡± Jang-Guo cursed and dove after the young girl into the hole since he was the closest to her. The rift quickly closed, leaving Meili stunned on her knees beyond belief. Tomb of Scorched Ice Part 3 Author''s Note: Please don''t hurt me~ So, I missed two update days this week. I was way too busy with school. I was also busy with some personal stuff; I will be spending a month in the wild without technology sometime in July -- I will discuss more about that hiatus period once mid-June saunters along. Anyhow, I think this chapter will be entertaining, if only because of the method the "boss" in this chapter is brought down. Chinese Holy Water is certainly top-grade 11/10 stuff. And I''m thinking of doing side-chapters to supplement (I know, I just mentioned how I''m busy, but this is more a for you audience thing and something at my pace) the story. I mentioned fights that would probably be entertaining, but weren''t as integral, so if you want side stories, leave some comments. And yes, the fights will probably have unexpected ways for them to kill the "boss". As Always Thanks For Reading. ¡°The next entrance will open at sundown,¡± Senior Sha declared, consternation dripping on his face. He stuffed the thin blue book back into his robes. ¡°There¡¯s little we can do but wait. Meili, stop pacing and come sit with us.¡± Cai pointed to the crisp blue sky, a lone halo of gold hung above. Crestfallen, Meili half-stomped and half-shuffled her way toward the center of the clearing. She plopped herself onto the withered grass. Senior Sha scooched closer to Meili. ¡°It is going to fine, Junior Sister Meili. Jang-Guo is with little Qiu¡¯yue. And Qiu¡¯yue is no weakling.¡± Meili looked at Senior Sha and crinkled her nose. Her eyes melted and she sighed, ¡°But my ge-ge is an idiot.¡± ¡°That is simply one of the undeniable truths of the world,¡± Cai agreed and rubbed his chin. ¡°Hopefully, we manage to meet up with them.¡± Senior Sha coughed and rubbed his belly. ¡°According to the book, that entrance has occurred only twice in all the decades the Village had been recording the secrets of the Tomb¡­¡± Meili and Cai both slapped Senior Sha on his head. Meili pulled away her hand quickly due to how alien Senior Sha¡¯s patchy head felt. ¡°Senior Brother Sha, please learn to read the mood,¡± Cai pleaded with excessive arm movements. ¡°Does the book describe how difficult that entrance is?¡± Meili inquired as she played with her hair. ¡°How close is it to the usual landmark?¡± ¡°...the book doesn¡¯t say.¡± Senior Sha replied slowly while also moving away in case of being hit again. ¡°Aiyah! So useless! So useless,¡± Meili shouted. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s useless¡­¡± Senior Sha muttered and pulled out the thin blue book again and embraced it. Cai leaned over and patted Senior Sha¡¯s shoulder with a pitying smile. ¡°What if we don¡¯t end up meeting each other?¡± Meili asked. ¡°We will meet up after the month¡¯s end,¡± Cai replied. The area in which Qiu¡¯yue and Jang-Guo fell through had only a single page-spread devoted in Senior Brother Sha¡¯s book. However, the spread was the one immediately after the page titled in bold sweeping slashes, ¡°Tomb of Scorched Ice: The Village¡¯s Boon¡±. The area, simply named the Chrysanthemum Chambers, was mapped vaguely ¡ª though marked up extensively on the map appeared to be an atrium. The few legible notes read: ¡°The mantle of ice glowed with such magnificence and intensity, one could confuse this underground Tomb with the Emperor¡¯s chambers streamed with light and glittering with abundance. Yet when placed one¡¯s hand onto the ice, it took no longer than a single breath ¡ª not even the breath of man, but the brief existence of laughter ¡ª for the hand to turn as blue as my servant robes. And the hand would be entombed ¡ª shackled¡ª by the encroaching ice in but a single blink. That night we had to chop off Laughing Peacock¡¯s entire left arm. The mystical ice sought warmth too desperately, as if it lived, and it had prized the entirety of Laughing Peacock¡¯s body. We decided to call this area the Chrysanthemum Chambers; at least, Peacock convinced us all to call it that. Said that this was surely the backend of the tomb. What a child. [Chrysanthemum looks like the opening of the butthole.] ... ...In the month we have been here, we have grown each by a whole cultivation level! The profound atmosphere of the tomb and our numerous life-death encounters must be the cause of such growth. Jiangshi were our first major concerns for the first week. Inexhaustible; durable. Impossible to kill unless the talisman on their head are removed. ...Besides the many monsters, there were many trials ¡ª we were stumped and unable to proceed further. A pity, for surely that must be the final gate to pass...Taoist harmony? Five Points; Constellations...And the traps, by far the worst, for they would magically reset each night. Though we know not what lies beyond, the scent of Heavenly treasures waft from beyond. So it is with great longing that we step through the beams of light to take us back to the desolate clearing above.¡± Qiu¡¯yue responded with great wonder at the tomb. The air was cold and a glass cloak hung over them. Her reflection laughed back at her, distorted, stretched at some places, flattened at others. She reached out to touch her mirror clones. Jang-Guo slapped her hand away. ¡°Brat, don¡¯t ever touch the walls.¡± The bald headed boy explained the circumstances. Qiu¡¯yue shivered and nodded. Jang-Guo looked around his surroundings. He frowned and kicked the ice-crusted ground. Qiu¡¯yue covered her ears as he cursed. The boy turned and jabbed his finger at the girl¡¯s forehead. ¡°This is all your fault, you spoiled brat!¡± Jang-Guo roared at her. ¡°You want the first grab at the treasures right? Well, here you have it! An entire Tomb of Ice!¡± He scattered his hands about to show the extent of the halls in which they stood to the first set of gates at the end ¡ª measuring some dozens length of men. ¡°Ice, ice, ice! Cheat us all of this, please.¡± Qiu¡¯yue cowered away from Jang-Guo. Still, the girl responded, ¡°I¡¯m not like him.¡± Jang-Guo snarled and kicked at the earth. ¡°Can¡¯t even use my Western Dragon Arts at full power until we meet up with Meili!¡± The girl tilted her head. Jang-Guo rolled his eyes. ¡°Do you see any earth here? Stupid girl. Aiyah! And I don¡¯t even know when, or if, we will meet Meili at all. I hope she doesn¡¯t catch a cold. We¡¯ll rest a bit and then get going.¡± The boy stomped his way toward the other side of the rather moderate-sized halls. The pair did not rest long. Jang-Guo was much too restless, and the prospect of adventure called for Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s child-heart. The two walked side by side down the center of the halls to the end, where rectangular doors stood, each measuring the impressive width of three men and the height of two. The doors themselves, though formed from an unfathomable pitch of black stone and centered on each a dragon-faced door knocker, delivered a rather unremarkable tension. Hollow ¡ª that was the feeling Qiu¡¯yue felt in her heart upon seeing the doors: a deflation of the anticipation knocking about inside her and the growing missed arrows striking emptiness and nothing. Jang-Guo simply felt exhausted laying his eyes on the dark stone, and he sympathized with the dragon-faced door-knockers with a long yawn. Crash, the boy kicked the set of doors opened. Creaking along after the initial momentum, the doors scratched their way along the ice floor. Completing a full sweeping arc, the doors stopped. Qiu¡¯yue gasped and covered her mouth. Coffins. They lined the entire perimeter of the great cavern which the doors led into, those blackish-red oak coffins with both ends curved up like porcelain pillows [China used stone pillows, jade or porcelain. They¡¯re an actual thing]. Carved in the walls were rectangular openings in which two coffins could reside in. In total, there rested perhaps a 150 coffins. In the very center of the cavern a miniature step temple stood prominently. The coffin resting on the top of the temple was a meter in width and nearly 3 meters in length. Decorated in gold and pearls, the coffin sculpted entirely from the whitest purity of jade bellowed its existence and authority. Jang-Guo glanced at the girl and clucked his tongue. He boldly entered with disregard. The moment he stepped into the cavern, that fragile shell of silence cracked, shattered, broke ¡ª like the crackle of a storm, the enragement of beasts. Bam! All at once, in the time of a blink, the lids of every coffin ¡ª but the center on ¡ª popped open. The sound of the lids falling to the ground reminded the children of the clatter of spears. From each coffin, a stiff body emerged arms first, their bodies like the corner of houses. Some remained as youthful and jovial as life, unblemished and of skin like snow; others more grotesque souls groaned as their flesh peeled and worms swam through the drainage of their veins and sinew. Regardless, each possessed a yellow talisman with the same inscription scribbled in red blood, and each wore the same dark blue (almost black) uniform of court officials with a heron contained in a cloud-bordered box embroidered on the center. Almost cutely, each corpse had a hat neatly fitted on its head. And all at once, these corpses leapt from their coffins, landing onto the ground with a dull thud. Arms outstretched, the corpses all faced Jang-Guo, the lone boy, with outstretched arms, as if hidden wood planks braced their arms, and a similar wood brace propped up the corpses¡¯ impeccable posture. The army of the dead; the hopping corpses; revenant of the damned; the devourer of qi, lifedrinker, and blood-maker. Jiangshi. One jiangshi could send a martial artist into cardiac arrest. Ten jiangshi qualified as an epidemic, a supernatural plague. Fifty jiangshi spelled the deprivation of life and energy of an entire region if one possessed not the tools of exorcism. And a hundred jiangshi, this army faced by Jang-Guo, elicited fear from the essence of life itself ¡ª one hundred unkillables, one hundred dead, one hundred monsters. ¡°Good, good. This old daddy here needs to let off some steam,¡± Jang-Guo laughed as he cracked his knuckles. ¡°Come at me. My qi smells delicious, doesn¡¯t it. Hahaha!¡± Alerted by the intruder¡¯s loud voice, the army sprang forth at Jang-Guo with their arms outstretched in search of his precious qi. The corpses¡¯ already tattered lower robes bursted and ripped further as an explosion bloomed as they leapt toward the boy. Jang-Guo tore deep ridges into the ice as he launched forward into the mutilated ocean of flesh. At the climax of the collision, the boy stomped his feet into his stance which emitted the aura of the golden-eyed beast. Against the clear ice and reflected in the eyes of the army of cadavers, the beast became visible and vivid, alive. Four-limbed, slim, yet bulged with muscles at the most necessary places, two great arches of golden fire regaled along those which were its wings. Surrounded, the beast laughed. With a sweep of his claws, the ocean parted. Two great waves heaved up toward the Heavens itself before crashing back down onto itself. With a single punch, limbs flung off from their owners and danced risque with flesh not of its own. Pounding away at the mass of flesh like a rain of falling stars, a mist of blood washed over the cavern. Yet, in ten breaths past, the boy became overwhelmed. A jiangshi can only be stopped through very specific methods: sunlight, mirrors, the eight trigrams, rice and handbells, sacred weapons fashioned from peach trees, black dog blood, and thread stained with black ink. And to return the jiangshi into the exile of the abyss, one must remove the talisman on the corpses¡¯ foreheads. Jang-Guo had but that one option at his feet. He felt his qi drain at a rate much faster than he anticipated; a hundred and fifty cadavers constantly absorbed and stole from the boy his qi. The boy was not suitable for the job however. Though his fists struck like the fangs of dragons, tearing apart the cadavers to slushes of flesh, and his sweeps knocked about the undead soldiers like mere sapling trees, and his hammers like meteors, it was in vain. It took but a single breath for the undead yang qi of the cadavers to snake out from the flesh and link up with the other regions of their body. By the strength of their qi, the cadavers shot out sinew and sewed up their own bodies with little effort. Even if the head was pounded into a pulp of blood, if the talisman still remained on the corpse, the monster will not cease to move ¡ª that was the horror of the undead, of jiangshi. One must manually tear away the talisman ¡ª and then burn the yellow charm, eventually to ensure that whatever remained, ash or flesh, does not revive. True to their name, these hopping corpses stood up, and hopped back toward the boy. Opening their mouths, sharp fangs protruded from their fangs, and a great suction came forth from their gaping gulps. Jang-Guo scowled in irritation at the tickling sensation of having his qi sapped. He dashed backward toward the entrance where Qiu¡¯yue stood enthralled by the fight. ¡°Brat, the Song of Empty Riptides, Second Verse ¡ª Surging Waves, Uproar Gales!¡± He shouted as he grabbed the wide-eyed girl and threw her. Yes, he threw her deep into that ocean of flesh and death. Jang-Guo prayed his sister had taught the brat well. Though surprised, Qiu¡¯yue calmed down. Registering the boy¡¯s words, the girl spun and landed in the depths of that ocean with her leg sweeping the air in a confined arc. Simultaneously, she twirled her hands above her head like two intertwined rivers, circularly. At the apex of the leg sweep, striking the faces of the cadavers, the girl brought her leg down like an axe onto the shoulder of one corpse. ¡°Good! Quickly, Third Verse ¡ª Swelling Tides, Billowing Clouds, aim at the talismans!¡± Jang-Guo called. Obeying, the girl brought her foot off the jiangshi and assumed the proper stance. Hands in front of her, the slight illusion of the Yin-and-Yang union appearing, the girl repelled back the horde of jiangshi. As the corpses encroached with their outstretched arms, the girl flowed with her arms and waist: gentle, yet forceful; the illusion of the Yin-and-Yang union expanding, rippling, encapsulating the girl in eight directions ¡ª the front, the back, the two sides, and the diagonals. As the jiangshi leapt forward with their fangs, their sour breath melting the very essence of life, Qiu¡¯yue simply flowed with the force, and grabbed the cadaver¡¯s stiff arms, stepped forward, and elbowed the corpse in its sternum before spinning to rip away the yellow talisman. Once the talisman was torn off, the corpse simply fell still to the ground, crumpled with arms now at the side. And if the corpse already rotted, at the collision with the icy earth, the jiangshi bursted into ash and dust. Jang-Guo sat down and laughed at the girl who struggled to put to rest that army of jiangshi. He rested one hand on his crotch and leaned slightly on the icy earth. ¡°Ah, that was good. I¡¯ve let out some steam and the brat is suffering. What a good day! What a good day!¡± Jang-Guo sighed content to himself. In the two incense of time it took for Qiu¡¯yue to dispose of all the corpses, an ocean of yellow talisman replaced the ocean of jiangshi, Jang-Guo had a good rest. He woke up and yawned jovially, ¡°Oh, brat, you finished. Good, good. Haha.¡± Qiu¡¯yue drenched in sweat and trembling on her feet, spoke thus, ¡°Jang-Guo! I used up all my qi; I¡¯m so tired.¡± Then she collapsed onto her knees with a long groan. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Jang-Guo stood up and sauntered over toward the girl. ¡°Well, it¡¯s my turn now.¡± The large coffin at the center of the cavern rumbled ¡ª growled and howled, anguish and pain, a great shrieking of misery which chilled the living and crushed the dead into dust. ¡°Meditate now! Gather all the qi in this room,¡± Jang-Guo ordered. The coffin shook and the numerous pearls flung away from the casket. Crashing into the walls, the pristine pearls cracked and a pungent thick black smoke ¡ª this miasma ¡ª leaked out, crawled forth from the pits of evil. ¡°I¡¯m trying,¡± Qiu¡¯yue cried with legs crossed. ¡°The qi here is much too cold!¡± The girl¡¯s teeth chattered and her already fair face paled even more. ¡°I don¡¯t care. Just do it.¡± The gold on the coffin decayed as if a plague of rust devoured the once glowing glimmer. Turned pitch black, the gold lining of the coffin emitted the same black smoke as the pearls. The miasma seeked into the jade. That snowfield of jade weeped black tears as the miasma corrupted it. The black rivers of tears ran down the step temples and converged into a greatsword with a serrated blade at the bottom. The black coffin cackled with glee. The shaking stopped. Bang! The coffin exploded and the corpse leapt down the tall step temple onto the ground. The pieces of the coffin flew about the air around this monstrosity and formed piece by piece into a great black jade armor for the abomination. This beast was of a peculiar kind to the other jiangshi. It, being the general in his particular army of jiangshi, was able to move its joints rather well. The General Jiangshi cracked its joints and lumbered over to its sword. It howled in joy and pounded his chest twice with his left fist. It picked up his sword with his right hand. Jang-Guo rolled his eyes. ¡°Brat, if I threw you up to this stupid monster¡¯s shoulder, can you tear off the talisman?¡± Qiu¡¯yue stood up. Her face was pale, but she stood steady. With slight hesitation, she nodded. Jang-Guo cracked his joints as well. Spinning his shoulder, the boy sauntered over to the hulking General Jiangshi. ¡°Aiyah, let this grand-daddy give you a gift,¡± he spat at the beast. ¡°Kyah!¡± Qiu¡¯yue screamed and covered her eyes. Jang-Guo had loosened his trousers and he began peeing on the General Jiangshi. The boy moaned in pleasure, ¡°Ah, I needed to piss for a while now.¡± As that golden shower struck on the General Jiangshi¡¯s armor, the jade armor became white again, washed clean. And when the armor became white jade again, the armor cracked and broke off the General Jiangshi, dissolved into dust before slamming into the ground. And when Jang-Guo¡¯s pee landed on the General Jiangshi¡¯s flesh, the beast screamed and flailed its arms wildly. Steam and smoke rose from the jiangshi¡¯s flesh as the golden liquid soaked into the rotting flesh, burning it. The General Jiangshi howled and attempted to strike his sword down onto the boy. Pointing his tool of exorcism onto the ice in front of him, the boy quickly painted a golden line. The evil greatsword crashed into a golden thin barrier manifested by the golden line. Whistling, the boy continued to unleash his holy water onto the General Jiangshi¡¯s legs. After a while, the golden liquid trickled out, and Jang-Guo thrusted his pelvis forward to get the last drops onto the General Jiangshi¡¯s crotch. Jang-Guo laughed, ¡°Ah, that felt too refreshing!¡± ¡°Jang-Guo, why did you, that, argh,¡± Qiu¡¯yue screamed. Her face red and her entire being flustered. ¡°The pee of a virgin boy subdues all evil! I hold holiness in my bladders,¡± Jang-Guo declared proudly and tilted his head high up towards the ceiling. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you just do that before!¡± Jang-Guo pulled his head back in disgust. ¡°Brat, for a five-year old, you sure are lewd! Do you want to see my little brother [Chinese Slang for Penis]; I will gladly show it to you, if you want. And do I look like I can pee an ocean, you imbecile!¡± Qiu¡¯yue looked down and screamed once more. She covered her entire face. Jang-Guo rolled his eyes and dragged the princess over to the golden line. Qiu¡¯yue pinched her nose. The girl glanced at Jang-Guo; the golden-eyed beast hung over his head, a smile stretched from ear to ear. The boy threw her up at the General Jiangshi. The girl shot directly at the rotting corpse¡¯s head. Miraculously, as if she was a horsefly, she weaved through the General Jiangshi¡¯s furious sword strikes. Her hands clasped onto the end of the talisman. She used the momentum of her flight, twisted her body, and rolled herself up with the talisman. Pulled by gravity, the girl¡¯s weight tore the talisman off the General Jiangshi¡¯s head. Instantly, the gigantic creature wailed as his entire body shook as if possessed by a seizure. Its eyes peered up at the ceiling; its left arm reached forth at the Heavens ¡ª before exploding into black miasma. The miasma engulfed the rest of his body and his screams. The miasma gathered up the fallen ash and rushed back toward the center step temple. It deposited itself back onto the platform and condensed into the beautiful pure white jade coffin, as if the corruption never occurred. The yellow talismans littered on the ice floor rose and flew back to its respective coffins, stuck themselves on the bottom side of the lids, and closed the lids over the coffins once more. The gigantic yellow talisman did the same and left Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s embrace. The girl screamed as her body raced to kiss the ground. ¡°Aiyah, brat, stop screaming,¡± Jang-Guo scolded with annoyance. The bald headed boy strolled forward and caught the girl. Then he threw her back onto the ground. ¡°Wait, Jang-Guo, let¡¯s sit awhile first,¡± Qiu¡¯yue asked. She breathed heavy and sweat lined her brows. Jang-Guo glanced at her. ¡°No.¡± Without looking back, the boy walked toward the new set of doors emerged from the other end of the cavern. Half-sighing, half-groaning, Qiu¡¯yue got up and ran to catch up to the older boy. The boy stopped and Qiu¡¯yue crashed into him. The pair stood 5 meters from the set of black doors. ¡°Brat, you did most of the work, so why don¡¯t you do the honors,¡± Jang-Guo looked at Qiu¡¯yue and shoved her forward. The girl glanced back and chewed on her lip. Jang-Guo frowned and made a shooing motion. The girl stepped forward. No sooner had her foot landed, that she leapt back and rolled. A pit opened up over where the girl previously stepped. The girl crawled forward and peeked her head over the pit. She gulped. ¡°Hm, quite lovely, don¡¯t you think, brat?¡± Jang-Guo chuckled and placed his hand on her neck. He squeezed it a little. ¡°Don¡¯t be so stiff. Look at this pit, ain¡¯t it lovely? Snakes, spikes, steel swords. All it needs is some sex to complete the Unholy S-Quartet!¡± Jang-Guo rose from his crouch and leapt over the 3 meter long pit. He whistled and tapped his foot. Qiu¡¯yue frowned and leapt over the pit as well. She screamed, slipping on the ice. Jang-Guo cursed and grabbed the girl¡¯s hand and pulled her away from the edge of the pit. Qiu¡¯yue gave thanks, embarrassed. Jang-Guo grunted and jabbed the girl¡¯s forehead. 2 meters divided them from the door now. Qiu¡¯yue went first again. She tapped the floor with her left foot to test the path. This time arrows shot out and the girl sprinted across the remaining distance to safety. Jang-Guo laughed over all this. He hugged his tired stomach as he walked across the path strewn with arrows. He picked one off the ground. ¡°They sure like their poison~¡± Qiu¡¯yue kicked the boy¡¯s legs when he arrived. She turned away with a ¡°Hmph!¡± Jang-Guo grinded his fist on the girl¡¯s head. ¡°Brat, don¡¯t make me throw you into that pit.¡± Qiu¡¯yue stuck her tongue out. Jang-Guo clucked his tongue. The two opened the doors. Both sighed. ¡°Aiyah, the party really doesn¡¯t stop,¡± Jang-Guo laughed. Rather than gold or medicinal pills or even a garden of herbs, the cavern was stuffed with animated armor and halberds. The moment the two stepped into the cavern, the floating weaponry and clanging armor rushed forth at the two children. Working side by side, it took the pair an incense and a half to clear the cavern. Jang-Guo smashed through the metal with sheer force. Qiu¡¯yue threw the incoming projectiles at one another ¡ª the collisions also producing useless scrap metal, squashed together like a paper fan. Once the entirety of all 300 animated halberds and armor became scrap metal, the pieces swirled together in a massive tornado. Once the crying of wind died, a full set of animated armor grasping a halberd took up the entire cavern. It measured from the ground all the way up to the margins of the ceiling and its girth bloated like a balloon stretched from end to end. The two executed the animated metal with great effort: Running up the halberd to kick the helmet. Diverting the fierce swing of the halberd with a palm thrust. Synchronized punches to the joints of the ¡®body¡¯, namely the shin guards. Little by little, the pair brought the giant to its knees through a harmonious concert of hard punches and soft kicks. Finally, Qiu¡¯yue sent a palm strike directly at the chestplate while Jang-Guo leapt up into the air to pound its helmet with a meteor strike. The simultaneous strikes sent two shockwaves. One exploded outwards, tearing away at that which held it together; the other rushed downward, crushing the armor. ¡°Fuck this fucking part of the fucking Tomb! Fuck!¡± Jang-Guo shouted. ¡°Why the hell did we have to fight 2 guardians in a row?¡± He turned to Qiu¡¯yue and screamed at her. ¡°Ugh, this is all your fault! The Tomb must have sensed your deceit and delivered this barren hell as divine punishment!¡± Qiu¡¯yue simply crossed her arms and waited for Jang-Guo to finish his tantrum. It took a whole incense worth of time for Jang-Guo to stop shouting. Then the pair, one well-rested and the other rather crazed still, walked toward the end of the cavern toward the set of black doors. Reiterating the theme of the Chrysanthemum Chambers, the two avoided more traps. Then the pair came about another open cavern filled with monsters. By the time the pair reached true exhaustion and reached a door that that the pair were unable to open, they have fought against: Jiangshi, animated armor and halberds, hungry ghosts, an army of diluted Ox-Head and Horse-Face [The sentries of hell], bone-eaters, skin-takers, and nine-tail foxes (Jang-Guo had particular trouble with these wily demons when they changed into beautiful women). The pair also survived many traps, some only by the bare width of their skin: hidden arrows, gas chambers, pitfalls, hail of boulders, shower of fire, and other devious machinations of the Tomb¡¯s unknown creator(s). Jang-Guo shoved his entire weight on the set of doors. It was different than the previous doors, all of which were the black doors with a dragon-face door-knocker. Rather than the boring black stone, these doors were fashioned from the drunken coral shade of peach wood. That pleasing scent of the heavenly fruit floated toward the children and tickled their noses. And that incited Jang-Guo¡¯s desire and hopes. ¡°Oh, calm on and open already! Stupid thing,¡± he grunted. ¡°Oi! Brat, help me open this.¡± ¡°Call me by my name first,¡± Qiu¡¯yue said. ¡°What am I? Your lover? Pei! I refuse,¡± Jang-guo cursed as he leaned his back onto the doors and kicked at the icy floor with his feet. ¡°Open, open, open!¡± Qiu¡¯yue sighed and glanced at the long path behind her. The black doors. She frowned. In all the previous events, the doors had disappeared after them. She walked over toward the black doors and opened them. She giggled madly to herself. The doors opened up to the cavern the two had just completed. The girl felt a certain delight in the dead carcasses of the fox ladies. Deep in her heart, something about the pretty ladies made her want to drive a knife into their backs a thousand times. The girl frowned. All the other times, the carcasses of the slain beasts simply disappeared or reverted into the initial state. These fox demons did neither and remained present, gathered around the gigantic white fox which had served as the guardian of the cavern. ¡°Oi, brat, Qiu¡¯yue, come help me!¡± Jang-Guo called. Smirking to herself, the girl put the suspicions into the corner of her mind and skipped over to the bald-headed boy. ¡°Yes?¡± She asked. She tilted her head sweetly. Jang-Guo wanted to punch her head right off. ¡°Help me.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Qiu¡¯yue, junior sister ah, help your fucking Senior Brother push this door open before I fucking slaughter you!¡± ¡°Ok~¡± The girl responded with a smile. She too pushed against the door. Qiu¡¯yue even drove all 100% of her qi through her body in an effort to budge the doors. Both exhausted, and one heavily bleeding, the two decided to meditate and reconvene on the matter when both wake up. Truly, the sacred properties of the peach held strong. In meditation, due to the peculiar qi and the life-death experiences encountered in a single day, Qiu¡¯yue actually broke through to the third stage of qi condensation. Only a month ago, she had gotten to the second stage of qi condensation. Her eyes snapped open and glittered. She giggled and then calmed herself down with a hush. Qiu¡¯yue returned to meditation with unbound glee in her heart. ¡°What a stupid girl,¡± Jang-Guo muttered to himself upon sensing Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s fanatic reaction. Still, the bald-headed boy laughed quietly to himself at the girl¡¯s antics. The First Trial The children woke at time, as was ritual. Both Qiu¡¯yue and Jang-Guo took a while ¡ª rubbing their eyes and stretching with a yawn ¡ª before reacclimating to their circumstances. The two had grown used to the chill which surrounded them and the wounds on the girl¡¯s body had healed also. The two, in a good mood, commenced the task of opening the peach-wood doors once more. Some half incense worth of time later, the two collapsed against the doors in sheer frustration. Breathing heavily from exertion, Qiu¡¯yue mentioned her suspicions from the night before. Jang-Guo slapped her head and scolded her for not mentioning it sooner. The two walked quickly down the halls to the other room. Jang-Guo cried a little when he saw the bodies, both human and fox, strewn about. Softly and pitifully mourning to himself, ¡°Perfection! Most sweet, most loving, and most beautiful and elegant.¡± Qiu¡¯yue felt a sense of accomplishment at having slain most the foxes ¡ª vindicated in her disdain of the foxes. ¡°Stop your cooing, Jang-Guo, Big Sister Meili would be ¡ª¡± ¡°Sad, yes, you¡¯re right, brat. I must be a man. I am her big brother. I have to act strong.¡± He exclaimed to himself and marched to the gigantic fox laid in the center of the cavern. The glow of the light amongst the cavern ice ricocheted off his bald head, a surreal halo above him as if Enlightened. Giggling to herself some, Qiu¡¯yue said softly, ¡°Big Sister would be murderous and kill you.¡± Then she caught up to the older boy. The girl fell back when she reached the mass of corpses. She felt her stomach lurch and she threw up. In the proximity of death, one never has the chance to consider that before him: only of one¡¯s own self. The corpses gathered near the gigantic fox corpse as if seeking saving warmth startled the girl. The foxes she did not mind. Often, in her family mansion, there were feasts of venison, foxes, and pheasants. However, the mutilated carcasses of the foxes¡¯ human form strained the young girl¡¯s emotions. She glanced at her own hands; they were bloody hands¡ªwhether of those blood or her own, she did not know, and that frightened her. ¡°Oi! Brat,¡± Jang-Guo called and walked over with worry. He crouched near her. The boy followed her sight and then he sighed. He slapped the girl. Qiu¡¯yue stared through him with wide eyes and a slightly opened mouth. Jang-Guo grabbed her face and squeezed. ¡°Brat, they weren¡¯t human. Besides, cultivators should never show mercy ¡ª mercy is useless no matter what Confucius or Buddha says. And regret is even worse, so stop it.¡± The boy threw her face away from his. ¡°They looked human. They looked perfectly like humans ¡ª and they were alive. Brother Jang-Guo, how can you be so carefree about killing? We¡¯re both just children,¡± Qiu¡¯yue whispered. Her eyes were still locked on to the glazed open fish-eyes of the dead. ¡°You¡¯re just a child. I¡¯m a cultivator.¡± Jang-Guo said angrily. ¡°Now get up; I want to at least get some treasure before the month is up.¡± Swallowing her doubts, the young girl stood up and walked back to the center of the cavern. The girl placed her hands on her heart. So fragile; one step and their skulls would be crushed ¡ª and then a whole river of unpleasantry would follow. Averting her eyes from the human carcasses, the girl helped the boy search the white fox. After searching for the length of time it took to make tea, the two found nothing. Jang-Guo looked at the fox and without warning punched his fist into the ribs of the mighty beast like a spade. Piercing through muscle and skin, the boy carved open a slit and then pulled it open into a gaping hole. Innards spilled out like rice from a burlap sack. Though the scent was greasy and rather sour, nonetheless, the children¡¯s stomachs growled. ¡°If only there was fire,¡± Jang-Guo grumbled miserably. He proceeded to dig his head into the opening. He called for Qiu¡¯yue, ¡°Oi, brat, Qiu¡¯yue, hold it open! I can barely see.¡± The girl did as she was told. Her brows furrowed when she was able to do this task easily but found herself irritated by the human corpses. Though, as the boy continued to search through the insides of the majestic white fox ¡ª burrowing his whole body into the abyss ¡ª the girl grew slightly more used to the human eyes which stared back without life. The boy came out of the carcass. The moment he did, the white fox faded into dust along with the other nine-tail foxes. The children watched silently before walking back to the other room; the black doors disappeared behind them. Jang-Guo held in his palm a glowing orb the size of a date lit a dying green. ¡°It¡¯s cold,¡± Jang-Guo whispered. He cradled the orb in both hands. ¡°This must be the nine-tails fox¡¯s po [The primal part of the soul; part of Chinese afterlife concepts].¡± Qiu¡¯yue inched her hand forward before rushing it back. The yin qi of the po overwhelmed the stability of Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s own soul. ¡°Jang-Guo, how can you hold such an evil thing? It¡¯s too cold.¡± ¡°Hmph! Must be because I¡¯m overflowing with yang vitality,¡± Jang-Guo replied. It was a shaky and hesitant reply. Then he said, ¡°Maybe this will open the doors.¡± He hurried over to the peach doors and illuminated it with the green light. The light floated upwards and as the light passed over the coral doors, black characters became burnt into the wooden doors, reading: ¡°The duality of souls; Hun and Po, [Hun, the intelligent part of the soul] Heaven-Bound Star and Earth-Sank Regret. Which gives forth desire? Serenity of the still pond, fishing? Passion of the summer beat wind? That which beat upon the aged heirloom drum, Skin wrapped tightly, Made from Qilin flesh. Strike with blood and tears, Mother¡¯s and Father¡¯s Legacy, I cry out under the night stars: Winter snow! Summer rain! Spring flowers!¡± Jang-Guo read the lines to Qiu¡¯yue. Though his voice remained that of a boy, the words thundered out majestic and bold. The children conjured no ideas pertaining to the meaning of the poem. As such, Jang-Guo relented to the incessant nagging of Qiu¡¯yue to teach the characters on the doors to her. While doing so, the bald-headed boy reached Enlightenment! He stared at the dying green light, that wistful illusion which casted his shining bulb into a pitiful crown, and leapt up and down in joy. ¡°Brat! Brat! I found it! I found it!¡± Jang-Guo shouted in absolute joy. He calmed down quickly and spoke hurried on his thoughts. In Taoist philosophy, the concept of duality was core: yin-and-yang, harmony in two conflicting forces. Throughout the poem, the concept of duality had been referenced in nearly every stanza ¡ª except for the last. Why? The seasons ordered out of sequence as well. It all signalled for the overturning of earth and heaven! And of what natural course of life does the poem wish to overturn? With its reference to the Heavens and stars, of parental legacy, and souls! ¡°Brat, the bastard who wrote that poem wants to bring the dead back to life!¡± Jang-Guo exclaimed with fevered spit flying about. ¡°My old man once told me this story about bringing the dead to life. You have to prepare a body and gather up the two pieces of the soul! We already have one, the po from the white nine-tails fox; we just need to find the other parts and ¡ª Shit!¡± Inexplicably, the boy began to curse heavily and kick the peach doors. Qiu¡¯yue who had been listening enamored, fell back out of fear. After banging his foot badly on the resolute coral doors, Jang-Guo limped his way back to Qiu¡¯yue and collapsed onto his butt. ¡°Brat, Qiu¡¯yue,¡± he said quietly, ¡°just sit. There¡¯s no more hope.¡± The girl gasped and asked the reason. He glared at the girl. ¡°Stupid brat! Don¡¯t you see? The guardians we fought were the pieces to the puzzle! The jiangshi was the flesh and hair; the animated armor would have been the hun; the bone-eaters would have provided the skeleton; the skin-takers the skin; the hungry ghosts desire and blood; and the notebook hidden on Ox-Head and Horse-Face would have relinquished the life essence of the dead from the underworld! But we only have the stupid po, useless.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there anything else we can do?¡± Qiu¡¯yue asked. ¡°Have you not been listening to anything I said, you stupid, spoiled brat!¡± Jang-Guo screamed. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do. The Tomb rigged us from the start. We¡¯ll just have to wait for the month to be up. And it¡¯s only the fucking second day!¡± The girl also sat down. She hugged her knees close to her. Jang-Guo fumed and found himself unable to meditate. He threw the glowing orb against the wall far away, retrieved it, and threw it again ¡ª he repeated that deep into the presumed night. ¡°What if, what if I become the body?¡± Qiu¡¯yue suggested. She quickly stole a look at Jang-Guo before darting her eyes back onto the sickly green glow. The boy narrowed his eyes and scowled. ¡°Brat, I may not like you. I can say I hate you with passion. But I hate seeing Meili cry real tears the most. I don¡¯t care how miraculous that stupid body of yours is. We are not risking your life for a chance ¡ª and from the monsters we¡¯ve fought, I would say it isn¡¯t even a big chance ¡ª of glory and treasure.¡± Qiu¡¯yue bit her lips and got up to her feet. She walked close to the older boy and stared down at him with fists on her hips. ¡°Big Brother Jang-Guo, I want to prove that I am not like him. I don''t want you to get nothing just because of me!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve proved it already by even suggesting that crazy idea.¡± Jang-Guo retorted. ¡°Now just go meditate. The atmosphere here is pretty good. Maybe you¡¯ll get lucky and advance another stage by cultivating for a month without rest.¡± ¡°Then I want to prove that I am a cultivator. Big Brother Jang-Guo, I want you to accept me,¡± Qiu¡¯yue replied the moment Jang-Guo closed his mouth. ¡°Please cut me and use my flesh.¡± Jang-Guo squeezed his palm, as if strangling some invisible demon, and he cried, ¡°What the hell is wrong with you? How many times do I have to say no, you damn brat!¡± Qiu¡¯yue stuck her lips out and kneeled. Then she placed her forehead onto the ground. ¡°Aiyah,¡± Jang-Guo moaned. ¡°I almost wish you stayed a spoiled little girl! No means no.¡± The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The boy ended it at that and, in his desire to escape the uncomfortable scene, entered a deep cultivation. Qiu¡¯yue remained in her kowtow. The third day passed. Then the fourth. On the fifth day, Jang-Guo finally relented. As he sliced the skin off the girl¡¯s shoulder with his nail, Qiu¡¯yue noticed his eyes were not as cold or distant, though still a bit dreary. Blood flowed easily from the cuts which the po lapped up like much needed rain. The more blood the orb absorbed, the stronger the green light glowed, more substantive. Qiu¡¯yue endured the pain ¡ª the sharp slices and throbbing of her bones and the raw burning as sweat ran into her open flesh ¡ª tearing deep marks into the torn away fabric from her sleeve. The girl refused to faint. If she faint, she would give more work to Jang-Guo. If she faint, she would be less than the fellow cultivator in front of her. If she faint, she would never make a friend other than Meili and Senior Sha. She promised herself to not faint. Even when Jang-Guo accidentally drove his finger into the reddened flesh of her bicep she kept her vigilance. Even when she began to feel dazed and hallucinatory, she counted to maintain her mind. Even when she wanted to flinch from how fragile her arteries and meridians were in open display, she stopped herself. The blood lost that day would have killed her. It should have killed her. But it didn¡¯t. Jang-Guo channeled his own qi and vitality through her to lessen the effects; the lotus body granted to the girl also meant the healing process was in constant effect. By the time Jang-Guo had peeled off the skin wrapped around the left arm, the upper portions of the arm showed signs of healing. And it was only by the manipulation of qi by Jang-Guo that the arm did not fall apart completely at all. The boy told the girl to rest. As the girl rested, Jang-Guo layered the flap of skin over the glowing orb with one hand. The boy took a sharp intake of breath due to surprise and wonder as the skin crumpled and crinkled around the po and formed the outline of a human body. Though due to the lack of flesh or bones, the outline appeared like ginger. The boy allowed himself a relieved smile. He turned to Qiu¡¯yue and opened his mouth. The girl had fainted, but kept herself upright and dignified. The boy nodded at her. ¡°You did good,¡± he said and channeled qi through her to assist in the regeneration process. Come the following day, Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s arm was not completely heal or even halfway healed. The good news discovered by Jang-Guo brought her great relief. ¡°We do not have to carve up your entire body. The po accepted just the skin of your arm as basis for its body,¡± Jang-Guo told her. Then he frowned. ¡°But I am unsure how much flesh I should carve out. And then there¡¯s the amount of bone.¡± He paused and looked at Qiu¡¯yue with a cold glint. ¡°Brat, if I were to ask to cut up your entire arm to sacrifice as bone and flesh, would you let me?¡± The girl went through several honest phases: shock, doubt, hesitation, and finally resolution. She nodded. The boy nodded too. He grunted. ¡°Brat, I honestly rather you acted spoil more than anything else.¡± Without saying another word, the boy tore out the nails from his left hand. All five in quick succession: pluck! pluck! pluck! He howled in pain. Quickly, he placed his left hand on Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s right shoulder again and channeled qi through her. ¡°B-Brother Jang-Guo,¡± Qiu¡¯yue said hushed. Her eyes wide like tea cups flickered about in surprise and confusion. The boy threw the five bloodied nails onto the fledgling human body. The nails sank through the skin as if like seeds, or devoured hungrily by famine, and the body gained a skeleton. One nail became the skull, spines, and ribs. The other four nails became the four limbs. Jang-Guo laughed. ¡°I, Tong Jang-Guo, had laid out only a few rules for myself. Take care of my sister, take of myself, and take care of my friends! I follow only those three rules. Those who I deem enemies will not be given mercy; those I value as friends must not suffer alone!¡± As he said those last words, his eyes sharpened tremendously as if polished by a river. The boy looked at Qiu¡¯yue and proclaimed, ¡°From today forth, brat, you will be my Little Brother! Qiu-di! [Di means little brother; kinda the style to just attach di to a name to be intimate.]¡± That declaration made Qiu¡¯yue confused at first. She thought she heard wrong due to the state of her body inducing auditory dysfunction in her. ¡°Little Sister, right?¡± Jang-Guo shook his head and scowled. ¡°Brat, don¡¯t get spoiled. I only have one little sister, and that¡¯s my cute Meili! You are my Little Brother, Qiu-di.¡± Qiu¡¯yue did not know whether to laugh or cry. So, the girl simply smiled pitifully while she cried on the inside. Nonetheless, the girl felt happy. ¡°Big Brother Jang-Guo, I never had a big brother before. I¡¯m very happy. Papa and Mama were always too busy.¡± Qiu¡¯yue said with bright eyes. Jang-Guo rolled his eyes and grunted. ¡°Stop with that Big Brother crap. Only Meili can call me ge-ge. You, Little Brother, call me Tong-ge!¡± Qiu¡¯yue nodded gratefully and happily, calling him Tong-ge. After a good rest, Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s arm had healed a quarter of the way. The two returned to the issue of the matter of flesh. The two came to no pleasing solution and moved on to the matter of hair. Jang-Guo chopped Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s beautiful black hair. It no longer reached the end of her butt, but rather rested at the small of her back now. The boy threw the hair onto the fledgling body and the body gained hair which reached the bottom of its feet. A long strand of hair also linked Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s right index finger to the fledgling body¡¯s head. [In reference to Chinese voodoo dolls.] ¡°Now we only have three problems left. The flesh, the hun, and the life essence.¡± Jang-Guo frowned. He yawned and covered up his mouth with his left hand. He winced. The boy thought he had gotten used to the biting cold always assaulting his naked fingertips, worn bloody and raw. However, the fresh sensation of warmth blasted a billion sorrows across his miserable fingers. ¡°What if ¡ª¡± ¡°Qiu-di, brat, no. I know what you are going to say, and no.¡± Jang-Guo immediately denied her with a light slap to the forehead. The two returned to thinking. Then, Jang-Guo blushed and coughed. ¡°I think I may have found a solution to the, uh, life essence problem. Qiu-di, I need you to close your eyes. And no matter what,¡± Jang-Guo stared daggers at her, ¡°do not open your eyes. Just concentrate on regenerating your arm. Do you understand, brat?¡± Qiu¡¯yue nodded, a bit surprised, but not really. Jang-Guo was weird like that. The girl closed her eyes. She heard some furious noises and after a few moments, the boy announced that he was done. The girl opened her eyes. She raised her eyebrows in surprise. The fledgling miniature human looked more alive. The thing gained a face and a sense of vitality was felt coming from it. Qiu¡¯yue looked at Jang-Guo who accomplished such a feat. He was frantically trying to wipe his right hand on his trousers. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Jang-Guo replied to Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s stares with a glare. The two then worried more about the remaining two issues: the hun and the flesh. Deciding there was no other choice, Jang-Guo carved bits and chunks from the girl¡¯s still visible flesh, mainly from her palm. The girl grimaced and howled through clenched teeth throughout the process. Jang-Guo fed the flesh to the fledgling human. The boy cursed in his heart at the thing¡¯s greed. He felt as if he would see bone appear before the thing would become satisfied. Fortunately, that was not the case. Gaining flesh, the fledgling human looked almost real, as if she was simply a human shrunken small by vengeful powers. Deciding there was no more need for flesh or skin or blood, Jang-Guo tore the sleeve from his own robes and wrapped it around the girl¡¯s exposed arm. It was to prevent the arm from irritation or infection. Kept wrapped up, Jang-Guo hoped the arm would heal faster. Having made so much progress, the two soldiered on. At last, the two concluded that qi may be substituted for qi. As the hair was linked to ¡ª and much of the body belonged to ¡ª Qiu¡¯yue, the two concluded only her qi would be viable. Though weakened, the sweating girl sent qi through the hair into the miniature human. ¡°Shit, why isn¡¯t it working,¡± Jang-Guo mumbled as he wiped sweat from the girl¡¯s eyes. The instant he said that, the human moved. In joy, he turned to Qiu¡¯yue and found her eyes to be wide opened, though strange symbols had taken place of her pupils. He returned his attention to the miniature human female. She moved ¡ª stumbled and tripped ¡ª across the ice like a doe before stopping in front of the peach doors. Green light flashed forth from her eyes as she placed her hand on the doors. The black characters burnt into the wood faded as new ones replaced them. The doll¡¯s job done, it collapsed into dust. Similarly, Qiu¡¯yue exhausted also collapsed inward onto herself. Jang-Guo, with not much else to do, entered a light state of meditation. On the seventh day, Jang-Guo helped Qiu¡¯yue to her feet. The boy offered the girl a shoulder to use as support. Qiu¡¯yue declined, as the boy was taller than her and would not make a good walking cane. The two went over to the peach doors. Qiu¡¯yue giggled at the ash remains. Blood and tears, and the fledgling human died a short unfulfilled life. Jang-Guo read the new message on the peach doors: ¡°Greetings, intruders, tomb raiders, and most obviously orphans. If you know anything at all, then you will know my name: Sun Devouring Moon. Since you figured out the puzzle, this first trial if you will, you no doubt have uncovered my desire to overturn life and death. Let me tell you something, orphans, there is no overturning of life and death. For no one can change fate. I, a great deity ¡ª this great founder and unifier ¡ª cannot even bring my daughter back to life. Yet, if I ever near death, some miraculous elixir, some alignment of the stars, or some hidden strength unbeknownst to even myself shall manifest and save me. It has saved me on my journey to supreme power, and continues to save me against my adversaries and traitors; yet, I find myself increasingly in want of rest, but no longer could. Since you passed this trial, there are but six more. Remember my words, for if you desire my legacy ¡ª you who possess of strength, wisdom, and luck ¡ª you must remember my words. Now open these doors, and claim your destiny!¡± Feeling a great fire in their hearts, the two children cracked open the stubborn peach doors and stepped through, a great sense of excitement and wonder beating against their chest loud as festival drums. Author''s Note: Well, this chapter had a lot going on. Bonding moments like real men, some crude humor, and Qiu''yue displaying that growth as a cultivator. Though, maybe it felt a bit abrupt, but after living a month in such conditions, people have to change or simply die. The other trials probably won''t be a chapter each...depends on which idea I like best while writing. Some deserve a chapter each; other deserve half or maybe even a third of a chapter. Also, can you feel the inkling of both an actual arc''s end nearing and starting? There''s also some hint at sect civil war (rebellion?) nearing with that last part too. As always, thanks for reading. The Second Trial Jang-Guo rejoiced with a punch to the air and a yawp as the new scene greeted him. He rushed forward ahead of Qiu¡¯yue who simply stood in complete awe. Though the cavern was still spacious and covered with ice, an innumerable mounds of treasures gathered at the center: gold piled high, jewels glittered bright, scents danced sweet, and various others enticed with its own particular charm ¡ª from potteries of blue porcelain to armor made of dragon scales. ¡°This can¡¯t be real!¡± Jang-Guo exclaimed as he stopped short of touching the treasures. Qiu¡¯yue stood next to Jang-Guo and her eyes shined on a beautiful hanfu [type of Chinese dress]. It featured a pure white upper garment and a long white skirt, fresh green ribbons tied around the waist, and a lovely purple overcoat. As Qiu¡¯yue stepped forward to get a feel of the dress, Jang-Guo stopped her with a slap. ¡°Brat, Qiu-di, ah, don¡¯t be stupid now,¡± he remarked. ¡°Remember how the bastard threw so many traps at us ¡ª and even rigged that last trial!¡± The girl nodded in agreement. The two children weaved their way carefully through the mountains and lakes of treasures and reached the end of the cavern. This time a set of metal doors painted red with golden bumps lined the surface stood as the divider between rooms. Carefully, the two children pressed their hands on the doors and pushed ¡ª to no avail. Qiu¡¯yue furrowed her brows while Jang-Guo introduced the girl to a series of new expletives. Looking around the space around the doors, the children hoped to find clues as to what they must do to succeed in this obvious trial. Without any other option, the two decided to pick up one of the many treasures. The two returned to the beautiful hanfu at the beginning of the labyrinth of temptations and Qiu¡¯yue was given the honor to pick it up. Qiu¡¯yue felt the fabric to be very smooth and it felt like she was holding a gentle river in her hands. Thus, it greatly alarmed her when the sleeves of the hanfu shot forward and wrapped around her like a viper, covering her eyes. The girl screamed horribly as the fabric dug into her left arm which had not healed fully. When Jang-Guo leapt forward to help the girl, the ribbons shot forward as well and coiled themselves around Jang-Guo¡¯s throat and gagged his mouth while restraining the boy¡¯s limbs. The two were pulled together and the clothing engulfed the two and buried them into darkness. Deprived of air, the two succumbed to the darkness. As their consciousness died, a new light bloomed in their vision. The two consciousness were transported to an illusionary scene. The two stood side by side ethereal as a story unfolded before them. Floating above the scene oddly devoid of colors, the two spectrals watched the joy of a thin and bearded man as he threw a young girl into the air. This young girl was dressed in the purple hanfu. A handsome woman seated herself slightly away and smiled. The sun beat down mildly on the family as the flowers swayed with the gentle wind. As suddenly as the laughter struck the two spectators, the scenes jolted when the mother called for the father and daughter to come eat. Qiu¡¯yue gasped and cried in surprise and sadness; Jang-Guo grimaced and turned his eyes away. A blade jutted out from the mother¡¯s mouth. It was comical in a way, this odd metal shaft protruding from a woman¡¯s throat ¡ª however, the wheezy cries and the crumpled body as the blade left the woman¡¯s body dyed the scene anything but comical. The girl in the purple hanfu lied a fair distance from her mother. Her head was nowhere to be found. The beautiful purple hanfu soaked in a thick pool of blood. The man, presumably Sun Devouring Moon, entered the scene and collapsed onto his knees. He too had seen better days: battered from the head down, an arm hung limp, and a gaping wound at his ribs. Sniveling, the man crawled to his daughter as rivers of blood ran down his cheeks. He cradled the headless torso as he gazed regretfully at his wife. The scene ended and the children¡¯s consciousness was thrusted back into their own bodies from the illusion. The beautiful purple hanfu was now splotched with red, as if the colors was inherent to the design like stars or flowers. Qiu¡¯yue dropped the hanfu as she collapsed onto her knees and cried. The dress withered into dust. Jang-Guo similarly blinked tears away as his eyes turned a bitter red. No one knows which pain is greatest: that of the loveless orphans, or that of the parent who is bursting from the heart with love for someone who has no ability to receive the love? Jang-Guo patted the girl¡¯s shoulders and told her to get up, ¡°We are cultivators first; children second.¡± ¡°S-should we pick up something else?¡± Qiu¡¯yue asked as she stood up. Jang-Guo shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s too dangerous. And it feels too intrusive,¡± Jang-Guo concluded. Rubbing his bald head, the boy suggested to go back to the doors and see if anything changed. New characters lined the space beside the set of doors. Jang-Guo read them aloud for Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s sake. ¡°Orphans, perhaps it was sentimentality, or simple stupid luck. Regardless, you chose correctly. If you had chosen any other treasure in this cavern, you would not have come out of the illusion with your soul intact. Choose a sword, and you would have been sliced apart; choose the golden coins and I shall have stuffed your intestines with molten light; choose the armor and you shall have been buried alive in a coffin. Since you have progressed to at least this extent, I have warmed up to you ¡ª though these words are but recordings. I will give you another hint: the Way is a cycle, unbroken and forever. That is also fate. Now, do not think this is the end of the second trial. From the pile of treasures, I wish you bring me that which is most useful. Remember the Way, orphans.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Jang-Guo sighed. ¡°Qiu-di, I know this is the founder of our sect, but I really want to kick him in his balls.¡± Qiu¡¯yue nodded. ¡°I liked that dress.¡± Jang-Guo looked at her with a strange stare. ¡°Aiyah, maybe you are a spoiled brat.¡± Qiu¡¯yue blushed. ¡°It¡¯s not like that! I just, it reminded me of Mama. It felt really warm, right, Tang-ge?¡± Jang-Guo gave a slight nod. He touched his throat. The red marks did not fade yet, and though it stung, it felt warm. The two searched the labyrinth of treasures some more. Jang-Guo excluded the obvious from the candidates: swords, armors, gold, and jewels. That still left numerous artifacts left. Sentimental portrait paintings laid unfurled off to the side of mountains of jewelry chests. Unused clothing and cloth folded into neat towers of squares stood guard amongst rivers of statues and pots. And there were countless numbers of books as well. Libraries about medicine, history, martial arts, and even cooking. These things all possessed a use of some sort. They existed, so surely they must have a place in the world. Jang-Guo muttered to himself, ¡°It¡¯s too unclear. Who is it supposed to be useful to? And how?¡± Qiu¡¯yue nodded. ¡°I would want a fan when it¡¯s summer, but I would hate to only have a fan when it¡¯s winter.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s agree that Sun Devouring Moon senior is a cultivator first before he is anything else.¡± Qiu¡¯yue nodded at Jang-Guo¡¯s words. ¡°Now, does that mean the weapons and armors and martial arts are the closest?¡± Qiu¡¯yue thought for a moment before shaking her cute little head. ¡°Mm, I don¡¯t think so. Weapons can break, and it probably wouldn¡¯t be too good to depend so much on weapons. I think the same thing for armor. I don¡¯t know about the books about martial arts.¡± ¡°Brat, you are smart at times.¡± Jang-Guo rubbed his bald head. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the martial arts books. There is pride in one¡¯s martial arts and the family it belongs to, but the martial art one develops himself or is taught is more valuable than one found in books. And there¡¯s also arrogance in one¡¯s martial arts, so the books on the martial arts probably aren¡¯t useful.¡± ¡°Wah, Tang-ge, you¡¯re actually really, really smart,¡± Qiu¡¯yue exclaimed with wide eyes. Jang-Guo pulled her cheeks. ¡°Oi! Of course I¡¯m smart!¡± ¡°Mm, it¡¯s just that Big Sister Meili always tell me how stupid you are,¡± Qiu¡¯yue giggled through the cheek-pulling. Jang-Guo snorted. ¡°Hmph!¡± The two returned to searching for the useful item amongst the sea of valuables. At the very thick of the forest of tantalizing prospects, the two found an old bowl. The bowl was lined with cracks and showed signs of repair, very obvious repairs which made no attempt at hiding the flaws. The bowl itself was a simple brown clay bowl often used to hold beans, beads, rice, or wine, and unconventionally hold anything imaginable. It stood out amongst the glittering, entrapping treasures despite being very plain. Rather, it stood out because it was plain. It was like finding a simple farmer amongst a crowd of royalty and cultivators. The boy picked the bowl up. Nothing happened. Qiu¡¯yue bit her lower lips. Despite the doubts gnawing at their hearts, the two felt a certain promise held in the bowl. The two brought it back to the set of red metal doors and placed it in front of the doors. Nothing happened. Coughing, Jang-Guo stepped forward and proclaimed with his voice cracking, ¡°I present the most useful valuable in this room!¡± The doors creaked open as the bowl shattered into a billion pieces. Jang-Guo hopped back at the sudden explosion. The shattered pieces assembled into characters, reading: ¡°Well, orphans, you are wise beyond your years. Most would have brought armor or swords. Perhaps medicine or clothes. That is not the Way. Remember what I speak of prior. Remember the foundation of the Way. Of everything and nothing. That is the foundations. A bowl may hold nothing if viewed simply. However, in that nothing exists infinite potential waiting to be occupied by genius! A bowl may be filled with dirt and be home to life. A bowl may be filled with water and save one¡¯s life. A bowl of wine may remind one of good times and allow conflicts to be buried. And a shattered bowl can easily be pieced back together with time ¡ª nothingness and absoluteness. Now, I congratulate you on the second trial. Though you did not have to exercise your qi in this trial, I suggest you rest regardless. The next trials will push your qi to the extent ¡ª and I will not mourn your passings, for I do not know you.¡± Jang-Guo gathered the shattered pieces as best as he could and placed them in one of his pockets. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be caught off-guard like we were with the first trial.¡± The older boy decided to rest for a full day after examining Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s arm. The upper portions returned with such purity and softness that tofu would be jealous. The bottom portions remained inflamed and raw and butchered. It should be healed after a night¡¯s rest considering Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s circumstances. As the two rested, both minds drifted toward their lives before becoming cultivators: of art and music, of gold and flowers. Author''s Note: Short chapter today. Honestly, could have written trial 3 and maybe even 4 into this chapter. However, I''m currently writing some short stories to get into a creative writing program for school next year. The next chapter will be more exciting and less conceptual than this chapter. Mostly because Jang-Guo''s going to end up breaking his leg -- next time on D***** B**** Z. As always, thanks for reading. The Third Trial; Hidden Danger? Jang-Guo smashed into another boulder. He clung to the rock, but the currents crashed into the boy with great unbearable force. As if a fierce tiger, the river knocked about the boy stupidly. The waves drenched the rock and made it slippery. It took no time at all before Jang-Guo became unable to retain his grip on the rock. The boy slipped away from the boulder and the rapids rushed him toward the wall covered with protruding spikes of ice. Cursing, he gathered qi in his left arm and smashed the spiked wall to pieces. It was not enough. Jang-Guo howled with pain as the pieces stabbed into his arm. He plucked the rather large pieces from his arm. Qiu¡¯yue watched with nervousness at the end platform of the Third Trial, given a proper name: the Primordial Drifting Chaos, Wuji. The girl pulled her head and moved to the swirling portal which surely led to the Fourth Trial. The portal took the form of the yin-and-yang union. With a difficult look, Qiu¡¯yue poked her head over the stone ledge high above the Third Trial once more. ¡°Tang-ge,¡± she whispered and bit at her lips. The girl had passed the trial long ago. The concept of Wuji did not come naturally to people, though Wuji, the state of nothingness, was an integral part of the inner school martial arts. Jang-Guo had been at the Trial for one double-incense worth of time. He was battered and bruised. Besides the many cuts and holes all over his body, under his left eye ran a gash. The young cultivator was simply unable to comprehend the mystical and obtuse concept of Wuji as manifested in the Third Trial. The Third Trial took the form of a great whirlpool of currents. The currents, impossible in nature, was kept alive by the profound qi left by Sun Devouring Moon. The currents ran counterclockwise, clockwise, intersecting, and any other way. The point of the Trial lied in its chaos. From the start, the Trial was in session. Torn into the mass of chaos, the cultivator would be bashed into rocks, spikes, and other such hazards until he either died or internalize the concept of Wuji. Then, the cultivator would be able to reach the end of the Trial and climb up to shore and enter the portal to the Fourth Trial. Qiu¡¯yue finished within the first half-incense of time. She drifted along with the currents and ricocheted with little harm. Carried by the natural chaotic currents, the Trial deposited the girl at the end goal. Jang-Guo on the other hand was unable to replicate the same process. His training and innate battle instinct dictated him to smash through all obstacles. It simply seemed utterly ridiculous to meet a boulder or a spike with a gentle force ¡ª surely that would cause one¡¯s own death! Of course, Jang-Guo respected and admired the famous inner school martial artists who focus on the softness and gentleness of the art: Xiaolongnu [Cultural reference to Return of the Condor Heroes :p], his own sister, and Liu Da-Ge, of course. However, admiration and respect does not translate to belief and trust. Jang-Guo pursued the most extreme path of the external school: raw power, explosive momentum, and tyrannical pressure. The boy simply held no personal belief or understanding in regards to the inner school¡¯s concept of Wuji. Another incense of time passed. Qiu¡¯yue gave her words of advice, but she was unable to Enlighten her honorary big brother. Partially because she did not know the right words, the best words, to communicate the concept due to her youth, but also for the reason that Jang-Guo did not have the leisure to grasp a lecture on a high-level concept while being assaulted by a barrage of obstacles. All Jang-Guo understood was to do nothing in order to progress, to surrender oneself to the force, and other inner school basic mantras -- which made absolutely no sense to him! With little progress made, the girl retreated to cultivation. Her meditation was marred with anxiety and she made little progress as well. A loud scream broke her concentration. She rushed over to glance over the edge. Terror gripped her face as she covered her mouth. A great ice spike impaled Jang-Guo¡¯s leg, puncturing through his thigh. The boy bravely gritted his teeth. However, the symptoms of qi exhaustion showed on his body. Jang-Guo was pale; he shook and trembled all over, and his breathing was rugged. Qiu¡¯yue pounded at the barrier preventing her from diving to save Jang-Guo. The words of Sun Devouring Moon resounded in her mind: ¡°None shall interfere in the Trials!¡± As she pounded the barrier, the bulwark constructed of solidified words ¡ª all meaning GATE ¡ª the girl¡¯s right hand became battered like the holding cushion for pins and needles. The girl slammed against the barrier with her left arm too. She held in her screams. Still, the barrier merely trembled, the words cascading like a curtain of water, before it continued to stand tall and stable. With no choice left, the girl watched with fear. Jang-Guo lost all strength and succumbed to his exhaustion. The currents carried the unconscious boy, his body nearly submerged and a gaping hole in his thigh. With no ability to fight against the currents, the boy surrendered himself to fate by default. By this absurd turn of circumstances, the boy fulfilled the most basic step to understanding Wuji. As such, after a quarter incense of time, the currents carried him to the end of the Third Trial. Qiu¡¯yue rushed down to greet her honorary big brother. She pulled the boy onto shore. The girl placed her delicate head on Jang-Guo¡¯s chest. Qiu¡¯yue bit her lips. She held her breath. Concentrating to her utmost ability, she tuned out the crashing of the water. One second. Two second. Three. Ba-bump. The girl¡¯s heart clenched and stuttered in relief. Then she gasped and furrowed her brows. The heartbeat was faint, extremely so. The girl tore off the cloth around her left arm revealing the lingering patches of dead flesh. She wrapped it tightly around Jang-Guo¡¯s wound after cleaning it with water. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. The boy did not even groan in pain. He was simply in too great of suffering that he could not respond. Surely, he was shuffling his feet along in the line for reincarnation. Placing her hands on Jang-Guo¡¯s chest, the girl channeled her qi through the boy¡¯s body. She forced everything through, causing small rips to flower across her body and drip blood. Her qi flowed through Jang-Guo¡¯s body, searching desperately and madly for the older boy¡¯s dantian and life essence. Finding it, the spine of the girl jolted upright and her hair flowed upward. Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s eyes snapped opened to show two wide golden orbs ¡ª great suns with a black abyss running across the middle. The girl howled as veins and meridians popped on her entire body. Great gray wisps flooded from her eyes, nose, and mouth. Jang-Guo also howled. That was a good sign: he still lived. Only those alive still scream and react to pain. Yet, a peculiar mysterious scene occurred. The boy became like a sponge! His being would bloat up before withering away to become like a corpse. It was as if his very soul was being dragged back from death''s grip! The boy struggled to be set free. Qiu¡¯yue remained with her frightening appearance as her hair wound themselves into nine braids which flowed heavy across her back. The nails on her hands elongated and sharpened into claws. With one strong jolt, as Jang-Guo felt an absolute kiss with death itself, the connection broke. Jang-Guo¡¯s eyes flashed opened. Beads of sweat lined his face. He breathed heavy. Qiu¡¯yue was out cold. Her eyes were closed now, though the nine-tail braid and claws remained. Jang-Guo tore open his robe and inspected his chest. He grimaced. Two bloody red prints stood out against his tanned chest. The boy felt weak, especially with the throbbing at his thigh. He wiped the beads from his face. Jang-Guo thought to himself. Qiu¡¯yue saved him. But it felt as if his soul was pulled away from death to be swallowed instead. It felt evil and primal ¡ª unfit for the living. He swallowed his spit. Some clung to the walls of his throat. The boy made a fist with his right hand. He filled it with qi. Then he gasped. ¡°My cultivation fell by one whole stage!¡± He exclaimed. Quickly he inspected Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s cultivation. He pulled back ¡ª cradling his burning thigh ¡ª with horror. ¡°Qiu-di is at the fourth qi condensation stage! Impossible! It can¡¯t be ¡ª just a few days ago, she broke through to the third.¡± Jang-Guo made a fist once more. He looked at the fist; then he glanced at Qiu¡¯yue sleeping peacefully. His fist shook with more than just the qi overflowing through him. He threw his fist to the side. The built up qi dispersed and shot out toward the wall. Bang! Ice shattered forth, spinning and sliding to Jang-Guo¡¯s feet. A great crater was made from just Jang-Guo¡¯s punch to the empty air. The boy examined himself in the crater, his features distorted. He frowned, but shook his face clear of emotions. ¡°The Trial was a difficult one...it, it isn¡¯t that strange that Qiu-di gained a level. Yeah, of course. What else can it be.¡± Still, Jang-Guo stared at the girl with a frown. A frown filled with fear and awe. ¡°Qiu-di, exactly who the hell are you?¡± The boy slammed his fist against the ground. ¡°What are you thinking! She¡¯s your little blood brother, and she saved you. She saved you.¡± But did she? A voice echoed in his head. Are you sure she wasn¡¯t trying to suck out your soul? Your life essence and cultivation? Thump! And Jang-Guo¡¯s head whipped back as he struck himself with his own fist. Bloody-lipped, the boy receded into cultivation. Yet, wracked with doubt and fear, Jang-Guo¡¯s cultivation was consumed by images of Hell and demons. It did not take long for him to cough up blood. Jang-Guo watched Qiu¡¯yue and he wondered. And he feared ¡ª for what, he did not know. Jang-Guo simply watched with deep fear gnawing at his child heart. Author''s Note: Short chapter again. Skipped a day again. Sorry. School. Short stories. Portfolio. Finals. Family. Etc. Fellow teens please sympathize. Also, to those who think I''m not sticking to my guns of not making an OP character, I am. Well, at least until the very last few arcs. It''s been hinted at (quite obviously) as to Qiu''yue''s mother being special in addition to being strong. Genetics are a thing. And such a ability will obviously have drawbacks and other conflicts. Also with Jang-Guo literally being a step from death, the Trials will probably be more interesting to read. The first trial consisted of battles, and with Jang-Guo helping, that didn''t seem that hard. Besides, Qiu''yue literally carving herself to pieces. Second Trial was more conceptual than physical. And this one more of less focused on Jang-Guo and foreshadows things. Hopefully next chapter would be more in-depth. Fourth Trial is pretty simple, and I don''t wanna give another less than 3000 word chapter, so Fifth Trial will probably also be included. As always, thanks for reading. Two Trials; Uncertainty Qiu¡¯yue woke up with a headache. She found that her Tang-ge was watching her with an odd look. His fists tightly clenched frightened the young girl. Qiu¡¯yue tried to get up, but a burning at her chest assaulted her, and she coughed up blood. Jang-Guo did not respond. The innocent Qiu¡¯yue told herself that it was because of his leg. With her heart pounding like flames, the girl wiped the blood from her mouth. It was then that she noticed her new claws as the light glanced off with a sharp glint. Qiu¡¯yue grew more frightened. She turned to Jang-Guo, but found him turned on his side, back facing her, and asleep. Something about him struck great caution in the girl. Qiu¡¯yue retreated her pleading hands. The girl cradled herself, curled into a ball. Qiu¡¯yue inspected her reflection in her sharp silver claws. The girl thought the nine-tails braid adorned on her head to be pretty and elegant ¡ª but her bloodlust toward the slain white nine-tailed fox reignited and she quickly undone it to let her hair flow freely. The girl coughed up blood once more. Her entire body felt embittered with a coursing fire. Paled further than normal, the young girl¡¯s cold face like the moon proclaimed the presence of death. Wracked with fire, yet shivering, the girl hugged herself until she too fell asleep. Jang-Guo turned to face the young girl after he confirmed her to be sleeping. Squinting his eyes, the boy contemplated something dark deep within him ¡ª grew frustrated, cursed, before retreating into sleep. When the two children woke up, the awkward air drift over them from before lingered. It coiled around their throats and squeezed, pulsating like a drum. ¡°Qiu-di,¡± Jang-Guo greeted with an empty smile. It faltered, wobbled like a man hopping across stones, before it collapsed and fell into an icy cold river of regret. Jang-Guo glanced up to shield his face from the girl. ¡°Let¡¯s get moving, ok, brat?¡± Biting her lips, the young girl nodded. ¡°Tang-ge, little Qiu¡¯yue will help carry you.¡± ¡°No!¡± Jang-Guo shouted, spit flying everywhere. Qiu¡¯yue stepped back with alarm. She lowered her head and rubbed her arm. Jang-Guo cursed under his breath. ¡°Qiu-di, what I mean, is, that as a cultivator, I have pride. I will crawl if I have to.¡± Qiu¡¯yue nodded as if she accepted and understood her big brother¡¯s words. She looked at Jang- Guo and said, ¡°Tang-ge, at least let me wash your wound. Papa always washed Mama¡¯s wounds when she came home from war. I don¡¯t want your leg to get infected and get cut off.¡± Without waiting for a response, the five-years old girl ran to gather water in her hands. Manipulating her qi to seal up any crevices, the girl brought over water to Jang-Guo. She allowed Jang-Guo a sip which he cautiously took, as if he was placing his head inside a lion¡¯s mouth. Then Jang-Guo untied the cloth around his thigh. Qiu¡¯yue washed it real good. ¡°Aren¡¯t you nervous about seeing so much blood?¡± Jang-Guo asked as she worked. Shaking her head, the girl responded, ¡°Mama always came home with worse.¡± She glanced at her own body. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m a cultivator, right, Tan-ge?¡± Not getting a response, the girl silently worked. When she was finished, Jang-Guo nodded. True to his words, Jang-Guo began crawling to the portal. Qiu¡¯yue followed close behind him. He paused before he entered. ¡°Qiu-di, who were your parents?¡± The girl tilted her head. ¡°Papa usually stayed home with me. He wrote a lot of poems about ponds. Mama ¡ª¡± the girl paused, and frowned, ¡°I don¡¯t really know. Mama always told me she was a genius in war.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Jang-Guo said to himself. He asked another question. ¡°What do you want in life?¡± The question caught the young girl off-guard. She was just five years old, and only two months had passed since her induction into the cultivator¡¯s realm. All she possessed of life were the memories in her: kite-flying, mooncakes, and her Mama and Papa smiling along with her. She was too young to crave power or love or any of that; but raised in an elite household, she was also too old to say to another person about her silly dreams. The girl had told that she cultivated because she wanted to find her parents, yet she felt as if those words were hollow. And it was at that moment that Qiu¡¯yue realized she was empty ¡ª as all inexperienced children were. She still believed that her parents were fine. Jang-Guo took the girl¡¯s silence as an answer and dragged himself through the portal. Qiu¡¯yue quickly followed, worried about Jang-Guo¡¯s wound. The girl covered her eyes as the portal transported her to an octagonal room. Decorating the entire containment were red candles. At the center of the room was engraved some words: ¡°Fourth Trial: Devouring Stars like the Eclipsing Moon, Ziran. [Ziran refers to spontaneity and individuality.]¡± Jang-Guo noticed a deep emotion swam deep in her brown eyes. He scanned the room once more and found only red candles ¡ª some floated but nothing mystical. After all, he and the other orphans lived inside the flowers of a living tree. Therefore, Jang-Guo found himself confused at the emotion shown by the girl: not yet fear, nor does it seem like sadness or grief, and certainly the emotion was not a happy one. ¡°Qiu-di,¡± he called. The girl did not respond. Caught in a tanglement of memories, the girl simply stood there. Ka! A ghastly howl streaked across the dark sky. Several blue-robe clad servants slumped over dead ¡ª yet no wound or bleeding was visible on their body. Their bodies lined the ground from the closed gates all the way to the main halls of a magnificent mansion. At both the gates and the doorway of the main halls stood a stone tablet in the five-fingers shape of Mount Tai. Both stone tablets inscribed with blood ancient incantations were split down the middle. The dead totaled 30 people. The howl increased as if someone was capable of hurting a beast able to produce such a horrendous sound. Rickety-rickety! Rickety-rickety! Strange clacks of ancient peach wood blocks. Ding! Ding! Ding! Chimes from golden bells. Yet the beast entrapped in the octagonal cell formed of hand mirrors remained vengeful. Eyes like the sun but sliced with an infinite abyss. Nine beautiful white tails flowed like silk. And the beast¡¯s hair billowed despite no wind. White fur covered the beast¡¯s long slender forearms, though the underside remained bare. A man garbed in yellow robes stood opposed to the beast. The man¡¯s ashen face was illuminated by the hundred of red candles which lit the halls. He was the one clacking the peach wood blocks. He was the one controlling the golden bells ringing out at the beast. He was the beast¡¯s husband. ¡°Ka!¡± The beast howled. Twisting her face into a smile, green blood smeared at the corner of her lips, the beast cried, ¡°Idiot! Idiot! You think you can keep the Celestial Fox under such common chains?¡± ¡°You are no Celestial Fox; the Fox is a noble immortal of gold,¡± the man replied coldly in response. ¡°Your white tails invite only death.¡± The beast hissed and laughed. ¡°What cold words to say to your wife.¡± ¡°You are not my wife. You are but a demon in need of an exorcism!¡± The man said sternly, threw down his blocks, and pulled from his sleeves a peach wood sword. ¡°Ha! Mirrors no longer work. Bells no longer work. Now, you use a peach wood sword,¡± the beast growled. ¡°Are you not afraid of slaying your actual wife?¡± ¡°You are a coward ¡ª you will give me back my wife before I actually kill you,¡± the man frowned. ¡°And you are but a hack cultivator,¡± the beast smirked. The beast coughed up more blood which quickly turned green. She got up from her stomach, her tails waving about madly. ¡°Ka!¡± All the mirrors shattered and the man took a step back. A thick mist exuded from the beast as she hissed once more. The mist converged on the candles and plunged the man into darkness. With one grand flick of her wrist, the bells fell dead. With neither sound or sight to assist him, the hack cultivator cautiously held his peach wood sword close to his body. The beast lunged forth. Ching! The hack cultivator sliced through empty air. ¡°Dear, I love you,¡± the beast whispered with a giggle behind the man¡¯s ear. Swish! The man pivoted and leapt back and cut down with his sword. ¡°Dear, how can you do that to me?¡± She whispered into his ear again. ¡°I am your wife.¡± The man leapt back and swung his sword madly. The knot on the top of his head became undone in his panic. His long black hair fell loose and obscured his eyes. The beast paced around the halls. Scampered up pillars. Scurried across ceiling ledges. Leapt about loudly; pounced and tumbled. The beast giggled in the wife¡¯s voice. The man grew furious. Ching! The beast struck with her claws. Intercepting the blow with his peach wood sword, the man slid his blade against the sharp claws and moved in. Glancing his sword off the beast¡¯s claws, the man proceeded to strike. The beast blocked it. Several more blows ensued. A brutal exchange of claws against blade. After a mere breath, the two leapt back from one another. Not a single one of them was hurt. Though the man was certainly more tired. He slid back and clutched his chest. He gurgled and coughed up blood. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. The beast cracked her joints. Illuminated by the moon above, the beast¡¯s smirk shown through and mocked the man. Sensing victory, the beast bursted with yin qi! A coldness took over the halls, chilling the very air into ice, coating the pillars with frost. Her entire body vibrated with strength and bulged with muscles. Exploding with raw power, the beast swung her entire body at the man. ¡°Ka!¡± Blood spurted from her mouth. Her claws merely inches away from the man¡¯s face, as if stopped short of caressing him shortly. Shaking, her eyes drifted down to her ribs. The peach wood sword impaled through her. The hack cultivator pulled his sword back with a stone face. The beast stumbled backwards and fell onto her knees. One hand placed over her wound, she glanced at the man with a questioning face. He answered, ¡°As much as I hate to admit it, you fight the same way as Yin Yin. Even a child boy can slay you if he knew your openings.¡± The beast glared and growled as she coughed up blackish blood. ¡°You will use your qi to save me, so you can save her. And I will simply return from my slumber then. If not, you will have killed your wife ¡ª a grave unforgivable sin!¡± ¡°Just go back to sleep, beast. I will save your wife. I have saved her from you before,¡± he growled back. The beast laughed weakly. ¡°Flowery poetry does not work forever.¡± She closed her eyes and her body slumped over. Then she fell over onto her unwounded side. Rapidly, her tails shrunk back into her and the claws and fur fell off. The man rushed over and pressed his head against the woman¡¯s chest. He cursed. Not a pulse was heard. He recited some poetry, some beautiful declaration of love. Nothing happened. ¡°Shit, shit, shit,¡± he cried. The man grabbed one of the fallen claws and sliced his wrist. He pressed the spring of blood against his wife¡¯s lips. As the blood poured down her throat, her face regained a peach hue. Still, the man felt no sense of life from her. Left with no choice, he pressed his wife¡¯s palms against his chest. Instantly, the man screamed and his back arched as he felt his wife absorbed the very life from him. While she absorbed qi and life from him, he took his peach wood sword and pressed it against his wife¡¯s forehead and muttered incantations. When her wound healed, her eyes snapped opened to reveal golden suns ¡ª instantly! the hack cultivator slapped his sword against the woman¡¯s forehead three times in quick succession and breathed out bindings. The beast howled as she was pressed back in her weakened state into a deep slumber. His wife fell unconscious and slept gently in her husband¡¯s arms. Her hand stabbed half the way into her husband¡¯s stomach. He grimaced and pulled his wife¡¯s hand from his innards. He gently laid her down onto the floor. With a pale face, he tore one of the nearby dead servant¡¯s robe and wrapped it around his wound. From the doorway, a little girl of about three watched with fearful awe. ¡°Oi! Brat,¡± Jang-Guo shouted and grabbed a hold of Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s shoulders. The girl snapped out of her haze and screamed. With one great exertion of force, which caused numerous rips to erupt on her flesh, the girl spun around and swept the entire room with her qi and snuffed out all the candles. The entire room plunged into darkness ¡ª yet at the center, with Qiu¡¯yue as the epicenter, it felt as though the very moon was given life. ¡°Brat?¡± Jang-Guo called again. ¡°Qiu-di, are you fine?¡± The boy remembered the palm prints on his chest and dragged himself away rather than forward. Qiu¡¯yue followed Jang-Guo¡¯s voice and responded quietly, ¡°Tang-ge, I, I¡¯m fine. Something just came over me.¡± Jang-Guo nodded with hesitation. Qiu¡¯yue smiled weakly in response. With the trial cleared, the sound of a door opening reached the two. Jang-Guo and Qiu¡¯yue went through the doors onto the next trial. The two children had been stuck on the fifth trial for quite some time ¡ª a few days had passed. The fifth trial named appropriately by Sun Devouring Moon was called, ¡°Labyrinth of Sand, Meditation on the Way¡±. Taking the form of a complex puzzle, the trial constantly teased the two children. The exit was always visible to the children ¡ª a grand set of blue doors seemingly made of porcelain and water. No matter where the children went or how the walls made of sand shifted or changed, the doors always stood above the maze and mocked the two stupid children. And the trial was utterly boring ¡ª no monsters, no scenery, nor did they get hungry or tired. It was simply sand and the relentless march of time. The children had tried both spontaneity and stillness to solve the puzzle. They attempted to punch through the walls toward where the doors stood. Yet, the doors either physically hopped up into the air and away or the children felt as if the distance never shortened. And when they simply sat still, hoping the puzzle would solve itself similar to a finger-trap, nothing happened. Though the shifting sands moved the children, often it moved the children close to the children only to move them further back. Taking a break after mindless walking, the two children decided to sit ¡ª maybe they¡¯ll get lucky and the sand will carry them to the exit. With no hunger or need for sleep or even desire, the children simply sat. Not knowing how much time has passed, Jang-Guo opened his mouth to engage in conversation ¡ª small talk ¡ª yet no words came out of his mouth. He closed it and inspected his wound for what might be the 42nd time. ¡°Tang-ge, I thought we became blood brothers,¡± Qiu¡¯yue spoke, interrupting Jang-Guo¡¯s courtship of the dead skin around his wound. Jang-Guo looked away. ¡°We are blood brothers, Qiu-di.¡± Qiu¡¯yue started to cry. Jang-Guo tried to leap to his feet, but his wound prevented him from doing so. Flustered, the boy shouted, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Qiu-di?¡± ¡°You hate little Qiu¡¯yue,¡± the girl responded bluntly. ¡°I don¡¯t hate you.¡± ¡°Yes you do. You hate me just like how my parents hate me.¡± Jang-Guo facepalmed. ¡°Brat, the fuck you thinking? Of all the times you choose to be spoiled...Your parents don¡¯t hate you. And I don¡¯t hate you.¡± ¡°Papa left me. And Mama haven¡¯t looked for me.¡± She looked at Jang-Guo. ¡°You¡¯re scared of me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know for certain that your parents aren¡¯t looking for you,¡± he responded. ¡°And, brat, Qiu-di, I just don¡¯t know exactly who you are.¡± Qiu¡¯yue sniffled. ¡°You all told me that they weren¡¯t looking for me.¡± Jang-Guo grimaced at that statement. ¡°And I don¡¯t know who I am. I don¡¯t know anything about myself.¡± Qiu¡¯yue frowned. Not knowing what to do, Jang-Guo simply waited for Qiu¡¯yue to finish crying. When she finished crying, the boy crawled over despite his worries and patted the girl¡¯s head. ¡°You have Meili, right? I¡¯m not giving her to you though, just, you have her, right?¡± Jang-Guo said. The girl nodded. Jang-Guo also nodded. ¡°Then good. Let¡¯s solve this stupid puzzle and move on. Cause Meili is surely missing her big brother right now.¡± (Meili sneezed. She shook her head with a sneer before returning her attention to picking out her part of the loot. Her eyes glittered at a golden bracelet with a blue jewel.) Wiping her tears from her face, the girl stood up. The pair resumed walking. That was the only solution allowed for cultivators ¡ª to keep moving, walking their own paths and clambering over their own obstacles. The Way was simply such. What is will be; what was will remain. Holding such realizations, the children kept on moving chanting the mantra in their heads. After a few more days of walking, the sand labyrinth collapsed and only the blue porcelain doors remained. ¡°Two more trials,¡± Jang-Guo muttered. He smiled at Qiu¡¯yue. There was still some uncertainty in him ¡ª though much of it has submerged underneath after unavoidable interaction with the young girl. ¡°Qiu-di, let¡¯s do this!¡± Qiu¡¯yue smiled. Her eyes were still red from constantly crying and her face was paler than before. The two stepped through. Author''s Note: Well, one more chapter and the trials will be finished. Gonna have an boss fight, yay. I like writing these chapters more though, probably better too. A lot of foreshadowing here. Like way into the future too...I dragged the trials on way too much. Hmm. I really just wanna jump into the more exciting stuff now. Long drawn out stories like this was a bad idea for someone who is just starting out... Also, this friend of mine was watching Ultraman in class today...nostalgia af. Am I the only one who think Ultraman 80 is the best one? Best opening theme song at least? As always, thanks for reading. The Legacy of Sun Devouring Moon: First Half The Sixth Trial took the form of the open wild: a lush forest, soaked with a mist of aspiration and bloomed with fruits and flowers. Bamboo groves rose interspread like the remnant of a shower of jade spears. The two children looked around. Above stretched without end the open sky. Glancing back they found the blue doors gone ¡ª instead, a vast ocean shorn by a black beach greeted the two sloping downwards. Rather than venture into the forest potentially filled with beasts, the two made their way to the shore. Jang-Guo allowed himself to be supported by Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s shoulder so as not to hurt himself when going down to the beach. On the beach there stood a red banner embroidered with gold letters. Jang-Guo read the banner for Qiu¡¯yue. The two looked at each other with a puzzled expression. Rather the only expression to be conjured up was confusion. The banner had only this poem embroidered (in a poor, amateurish fashion) : ¡°Visiting the Taoist Priest Dai Tianshan [Bring Heaven and Mountain] But Not Finding Him [A poem by Li Bai...intertextuality is an amateur¡¯s wet dream : P] A dog''s bark amid the water''s sound, Peach blossom that''s made thicker by the rain. Deep in the trees, I sometimes see a deer, And at the stream I hear no noonday bell. Wild bamboo divides the green mist, A flying spring hangs from the jasper peak. No-one knows the place to which he''s gone, Sadly, I lean on two or three pines.¡± ¡°What the hell does that mean?¡± Jang-Guo shouted. With a ¡°tch¡± he spat onto the black beach. ¡°Does he want us to find a goddamn priest? We just did this trial! Qiu-di, what do you think?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Qiu¡¯yue gasped. She furrowed her brows. ¡°I guess? But Papa used to read me poetry and I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what it means.¡± Jang-Guo nodded. ¡°My old man did too. Me and Meili memorized all of Kongzi¡¯s [Confucius¡¯s Chinese name] poems. Maybe Li Bai wrote this one when he was drunk.¡± Qiu¡¯yue puffed out her cheeks. ¡°My father loves Li Bai¡¯s works the most.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not mocking his works ¡ª I¡¯m mocking his character. It¡¯s well known he drowned trying to kiss the moon reflected in a river.¡± Qiu¡¯yue sighed angrily. ¡°Well, at least we can agree on what the poem means right?¡± Jang-Guo nodded. ¡°But that has nothing to do with this trial right now. Sun Devouring Moon is surprisingly sentimental. Perhaps he once fought against the Great Swallow years ago [Reference to An-Shi Rebellion], or with. Though, cultivators should not worry about the matters of dynasties ¡ª they rise and they fall.¡± Qiu¡¯yue agreed, though the political philosophy left her lonely. She looked at Jang-Guo who spouts righteous passion and found him with an unbearable look. And then she smiled. ¡°Tang-ge, let¡¯s change the cloth around your thigh with the banner.¡± As they made their way over to the banner, Jang-Guo spoke again. ¡°Qiu¡¯yue, is Meili beautiful?¡± At first, Qiu¡¯yue did not answer. She was simply too joyed and awed by her Tang-ge calling her by name. ¡°Big Sister Meili is really beautiful. And kind. And strong.¡± ¡°Beautiful women live beautifully short and tragic lives,¡± Jang-Guo said. ¡°My old man always said that. He always worried about Meili getting in trouble because of that. I worry too ¡ª she¡¯s my little sister. I hope she never becomes like Yang Gui Fa, or Xi Shi, or Diaochan [Ancient Beauties of China].¡± ¡°Little Qiu¡¯yue doesn¡¯t really understand, but Tang-ge will protect Big Sister Meili, right?¡± Jang-Guo nodded, ¡°Even if it is an immortal, I will protect Meili.¡± Qiu¡¯yue giggled and caused Jang-Guo to frown. ¡°Oi, brat, why the hell are you laughing?¡± Qiu¡¯yue didn¡¯t answer and went to work. After a little while, the red banner was wrapped around Jang-Guo¡¯s wounds. The two rested on the black beach, listening to the waters kissing the shore. Wide-eyed, Qiu¡¯yue exclaimed, ¡°Sun Devouring Moon Senior is amazing. Are you sure this isn¡¯t an illusion, Tang-ge?¡± ¡°Does it matter if it feels so real?¡± Jang-Guo replied. ¡°This much probably isn¡¯t even worth the peh of an ascended cultivator like Sun Devouring Moon.¡± ¡°Tang-ge, what should we do? Go into the forest?¡± Qiu¡¯yue asked. The two ventured into the forest. A great sense of calm came over them, the instant they stepped foot into it. Abandoning their worries and flinging their fears to the ground, the children explored the forest in merriment. They plucked flowers to sniff, fruits to ravage, and fell asleep under the gentle thickets of bamboo. Yet, even in their sleep, the two continued to move about after a short moment of rest: eating, playing, and singing. From outside the forest, the ocean waves swelled until a great big swath of blue crashed down like thunder. Yet, no great boom occurred. Rather as the great wave fell the black sand rose to greet the surging tyrant. Transformed into a typhoon the leaves of the nearby forest rushed toward the tyrant¡¯s commands. Gathered in one place, the phenomenon consolidated into a man. Without a doubt, that man could only be Sun Devouring Moon. A strange mist surrounded him, a pure white cloud. He glided over toward the sleeping children. The man nodded in approval as he watched from a distance. ¡°So these two are the candidates for my legacy,¡± he whispered to himself. He grunted and an overwhelming force exploded from him. Sun Devouring Moon contained it like a sturdy armor around his body. A great writhing third eye opened on his forehead and the blue eye inspected the children. The man relaxed his body and the eye closed. ¡°The boy is good: righteous, hot-blooded, and compassionate ¡ª he will wield my Art well,¡± Sun Devouring Moon smiled. A frown quickly replaced his smile. Looking at Qiu¡¯yue who was frolicing about in her sleep, he clenched his fist but changed his mind and released it. The man sighed. ¡°Little girl, you are much too dangerous. Not only are you the offspring of that fox, but your body absolutely cannot cultivate all of my Art ¡ª nor of my Yun Yue Sect. Perhaps, I should kill you now. But to kill a child would mock my title as Sun Devouring Moon. ¡°And you did conquer the other trials. The First Trial, you showed courage and resolve. The Second Trial, you showed humanity. The Third and Fourth tested your comprehension of the Way. And the Fifth tested our Fate. Yet, Fate is of no consequence without Willpower ¡ª that is the Way.¡± The ascended cultivator chuckled to himself, the creases on his face stretching. ¡°Little girl, you may just make things more interesting around here.¡± With that, the man snapped his fingers. Collapsed into a puddle of water, sand, and leaves. Only the faint scent of fire remained. Within the minds of the children, a sweet dream played out. A wonderful paradise in which everything was fine ¡ª ensnaring the pure hearts of the young cultivators with sweet promises of nothing. ¡°Qin Kuai, today you shall pay for Liu Da-Ge¡¯s death!¡± Jang-Guo shouted. The boy was now a man who towered above that despicable traitor from years ago. A helmet with iron flames fashioned on the side donned his bald head. Wrapped around him was a set of heavy scale armor sculpted from blessed black steel with spiked shoulders and dragon decor. Visible from the face obscured by the helmet stretched a fierce pointy beard. ¡°By my given name, Tang Jang-Guo, my blessed divine title Sage of Unconquerable Earth, I will bring justice under the watchful eye of Lei Gong!¡± Opposite the avenger stood Qin Kuai ¡ª perfection. Despite being older, he looked younger, yet exuded an air of arrogance ¡ª won and deserved ¡ª which smothered any sense of greatness from Jang-Guo. His frame was delicate like the stem of a lily yet possessed of fortitude like magnolia trees. A heroic face curled in an elegant mocking smile ¡ª one in which you felt justified, for you are but a worm underneath the feet of this great immortal god. Clean-shaved and handsome, long flowing hair flowed down his back graceful like a river. Qin Kuai¡¯s gray eyes glanced at Jang-Guo once. Pulled out a fan from within his white robes and fanned himself as he yawned. ¡°To think, to believe, I find a letter days past,¡± the god began, ¡°challenging me to a fight, a duel and feast of death ¡ª only to be met with a bald mad thief stolen of a better man¡¯s name and armor.¡± Jang-Guo clenched his fists causing his metal gauntlets to clatter. ¡°Thief? Oi, Qin Kuai, don¡¯t you fucking play with me! You, you are the thief. All those years ago, you stole from Liu Da-Ge and caused his death. And today, on the anniversary of his death, I will avenge him!¡± Qin Kuai surveyed the surroundings. ¡°It seems you brought but yourself. Ridiculous. Hmph, since there is no crowd, I have no desire to give you even a sliver of face. Come, let this old daddy show you King Yama.¡± At that, Qin Kuai closed his fan and dashed forward. As the god dashed forward, he shouted with a mighty ¡°Hoh!¡± and ten dozens sword blades bursted from behind him, shadowing his flight as if metal wings. With a roar, he leapt and slammed down, rolled forth as layers of gold covered his entire body like fur or a thin layer of gold leaf. Then, the god shot forward like a divine spear. Jang-Guo laughed with force and slammed his palms together and struck the earth. From that meteor strike a great cataclysm tore the earth, rupturing the ground and splitting the very leylines. As Qin Kuai dodged the earth-ripping strike by leaping into the air, Jang-Guo charged forth. The earth clambered up his arms and formed great thick claws for him. The metamorphosis continued onto his ribs, encasing the exposed parts of the metal armor with protection. From the encased ribs grew three sets of arms. Jang-Guo continued tearing into the earth. Qin Kuai rained gold needles and silver blades down onto the charging lunatic from above. Jang-Guo¡¯s extra arms guarded against it and took in the metal thrown at them. The excess earth flowed up Jang-Guo¡¯s arms to become swords, spears, shields, and bows! Qin Kuai retreated properly like a heron. ¡°Hmph, and I was expecting an interesting martial art. That is merely the most basic of basics! Brute strength cannot go against a blessed chosen being like me.¡± Qin Kuai moved his body skillfully and he shot forward. Too Fast. Even spectators would only be able to think such. Yet, similarly, those spectators would think Too Strong of Jang-Guo. Though Qin Kuai shredded through Jang-Guo¡¯s earth in a single breath, in the very next breath Jang-Guo had repaired it. ¡°So you have an abnormal affinity for the earth, so what? It does not deny the basic mundane commoner art that you practice!¡± Qin Kuai laughed. With a mighty sweep of his fan, the gold peeled from his body and shot forward like quail feathers along with his flying blades. Those ten dozens blades diverged into ten dozen more blades, then more and more until the entire sky became warped in silver and gold. The blades fell inevitable like rain. Qin Kuai turned his back with a snort. But stopped. As the dust cleared, he felt life emanate from behind. Muttering to himself he turned. Smack! Cursing, he guarded against the sudden blow with his fan. Blown back by the impact, he landed on his feet daintily. ¡°So, you lived.¡± He responded. Then he raised his brows. ¡°And without a single scratch.¡± ¡°This may be the commoner¡¯s art, but the commoners always emerge above the blood of the elite!¡± Jang-Guo declared with fire in his eyes. The two immortals collided once more. This time with more force. With more speed. With more blood and determination. And this time, the collision left wounds ¡ª minor ones ¡ª but wounds nonetheless on both. Qin Kuai cracked his neck. ¡°Peasants should stay peasants lest they be slaughtered for feast,¡± he said. The storm of swords behind him condensed in his hand into one beautiful immaculate white sword. The gold fell back onto his skin and sharpened. The air crackled with life: movement and chaos. The ground shook with anticipation: death and rebirth. And the two men glared at one another with hatred: pride and longing. The third collision turned into the fourth and the fourth turned into the hundredth! Until finally, both deemed time to put an end to this farce. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Gathering everything into one sudden swift blow contained with the force of the Heavens, Qin Kuai bled from his eyes. Jang-Guo shifted his weight and prepared himself to meet the final strike with his own secret move. Gathering all the earth onto himself, he became encased ¡ª becoming an avatar of the earth itself. Several meters tall and blessed with eight arms, each held a potent weapon. And its face reminded Qin Kuai of a devil with curved fangs. The two struck. A great explosion erupted and leveled the land around them: mountain, rivers, trees. At the center of the crater, Qin Kuai¡¯s sword pierced through Jang-Guo¡¯s avatar. Cracks appeared on that earth-built form to reveal the bloodied man inside. But the victory lied with Jang-Guo. Though seven of the avatar¡¯s arms were annihilated by the weight of the sword, one remained and pierced through Qin Kuai¡¯s chest. The god fell dead and Jang-Guo stood over him in glory. And then the scene shifted. Jang-Guo is a hero. He is surrounded by women of all kinds ¡ª and he drinks and laughs with rosy cheeks. Then everything collapses as his wife¡¯s face turns into Qin Kuai¡¯s, as does his son¡¯s and daughter¡¯s. He shouts angrily and begins to slaughter all for that is his duty as the avenger. And once everyone is dead, he cries. But the scenery shifts again, and he is glorious once more ¡ª accomplished and surrounded by victory after revenge. And so the cycle continues. Sun Devouring Moon sighed as the fifth iteration of that dream played out in Jang-Guo¡¯s mind. He did not know whether to cry or laugh as he watched from his place of seclusion. ¡°That boy is like me,¡± he laughed sadly to himself. ¡°Revenge, what of it, if not that. "He even has that poem wrapped around his wound. To find Tao is to let go. Boy, can you let go? Can you find it? And can you leave it? That is the purpose of this Trial." Then Sun Devouring Moon peeked at Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s dreams and found once more a great oddity. ¡°That girl may not be able to solve this trial. She is far too young and inexperienced. There lies no greed or thirst or semblance of even revenge in her. Yet, she is of that fox ¡ª so perhaps¡­¡± It was understandable Sun Devouring Moon¡¯s concerns. The Sixth Trial tested one¡¯s Willpower: both the will to chase after a goal, but also the will to keep oneself from straying from the Way. ¡°That girl possesses no goal at all. Though it is heartwarming to see her live happily with her parents.¡± Then Sun Devouring Moon frowned. ¡°Though, that fox makes me want to just slaughter her spawn without mercy.¡± The old man sighed once more and resumed his observation. ¡°Only two weeks left before the month is up.¡± Several days passed. By now the pleasant dreams had turned into severe nightmares for Jang-Guo. He was trapped in a bitter cycle of revenge. So great was the illusion that his fists were bloodied and his eyes stained with red. Qiu¡¯yue on the other hand was playing as a five year old girl should. Yet, to onlookers, a certain sadness was to be felt from watching a little girl talk to a mother and a father who simply were not there. ¡°Perhaps, they are not Fated to succeed my legacy after all,¡± Sun Devouring Moon said to himself. He sighed and a wistful look entered his eyes. ¡°Tomorrow is Dongzhi Day. Ha, what is the use of such a day for an immortal ¡ª especially one with no family.¡± The old immortal anticipated no changes from the two children and retired from observing them for the day. On the following day, Dongzhi Day, Sun Devouring Moon found Qiu¡¯yue to exhibit the first signs of a nightmare ¡ª though more appropriately a sense of reality. Qiu¡¯yue was eating tangyuan [kinda traditional food] with her family when a great aching overcame her. She clutched her head and her peach wood chopsticks fell to the ground, causing a clatter and commotion. ¡°Qiu¡¯er, Qiu¡¯er, are you alright?¡± Her Mama called with concern. Tears came to the little girl¡¯s eyes. ¡°Mama?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s your Mama, Xiao Qiu,¡± her Papa confirmed. The little girl¡¯s parents gathered around her with concerned looks. Her Papa sent for a doctor. Taken to her bed, she was examined by the doctor who declared her to be healthy. ¡°Qiu¡¯er, are you alright now?¡± Her Mama asked. Surprisingly, Qiu¡¯er shook her head. ¡°Mama, Papa, I feel like I¡¯ve forgotten something ¡ª something very important,¡± she cried. ¡°Shh, nonsense,¡± her Papa told her. ¡°Xiao Qiu, Papa and Mama are both here, there is nothing wrong. Nothing at all.¡± Frowning, the little girl brought her face close to her doting parents¡¯ faces. Her frown increased. ¡°You aren¡¯t Mama!¡± And she pushed away the woman. And she pushed away the man. The little girl grasped her aching head with tears flowing down her cheeks. ¡°My name is Sun Qing! Mama calls me Qing¡¯er; Papa calls me Xiao Qing! Sect Master gave me the name Qiu¡¯yue. Not Mama or Papa! ¡°And I have friends: Tang-ge, Big Sister Meili, Senior Brother Sha, and Cai! I have to become strong. Ugh,¡± the girl moaned as a flood of memories engulfed her. ¡°And I have to find Mama and Papa. I have to.¡± Rather than reacting violently to the exposed truth, the two fakes smiled and leaned forward. ¡°Xiao Qiu, what are you saying? Papa is right here.¡± ¡°Qiu¡¯er, you are such a funny girl,¡± her Mama giggled. ¡°You have been dreaming too much.¡± ¡°No, I haven¡¯t,¡± Qiu¡¯yue screamed back. ¡°I talked with Cai about it.¡± The two parents looked at each other concerned. ¡°Maybe you should call the doctor, dear.¡± ¡°Maybe, I should, darling.¡± The girl leapt up and said with tears, ¡°Mama never calls Papa, dear! She calls him Yan Yan. And Papa calls Mama, Yin Yin!¡± ¡°Qiu¡¯er, you¡¯re being too agitated. It¡¯s not good for your body,¡± the woman chided gently. Qiu¡¯yue sat back down. ¡°Mama, do you know what day today is?¡± ¡°Dongzhi Day,¡± she replied with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s my birthday,¡± Qiu¡¯yue said sadly and quietly. The girl¡¯s eyes opened and she wiped the wetness from her eyes. She said to herself that she was a cultivator. Sun Devouring Moon sighed and decided to materialize himself in the Sixth Trial once more. Qiu¡¯yue noticed the odd happenings but was more concerned about Jang-Guo¡¯s state to pay further attention. The old immortal observed the girl with his third eye once more. ¡°A pity, a pity,¡± Sun Devouring Moon sighed to himself. ¡°Though you are certainly the one who shall complete my legacy, you will not become a sung hero. I am sorry to burden you with this regret of mine, you who have both resolve, will, and humanity.¡± Sighing one last time, the old man left the site of the Sixth Trial. He headed for meditation, his mind disturbed by the girl¡¯s intrinsic chivalry. Qiu¡¯yue shook her Tang-ge¡¯s shoulders, but he would not wake. She called his name, but he would not wake. She inserted her own qi into his body, but he would not wake ¡ª and Qiu¡¯yue grew frightened and retreated from her Tang-ge. She looked at her palms. Qiu¡¯yue thought herself useless. Yet, after an incense passed, she grew angry at her self-loathing and returned to shaking and calling her Tang-ge¡¯s name. Biting her lips, the girl also began to punch the boy in hopes of shocking him back to reality. Then, the girl remembered something Cai told her. Something which Big Sister Meili explained with a blush. The naive and young girl clenched her hand into a fist and looked at it. Qiu¡¯yue closed her eyes and uttered a prayer. With one swift motion, she punched Jang-Guo¡¯s crotch. In Jang-Guo¡¯s dream, he was about to deliver the killing blow. But the punch to his little brother in reality jolted him and he was slain. ¡°Fucking hell! Your mother, oh my father,¡± he screamed and cradled his crotch. Qiu¡¯yue quietly slipped away and watched from a distance. ¡°Qiu-di! Come back here, you brat!¡± As Jang-Guo cursed, the scenery around them melted away. The two were transported into someone¡¯s living room ¡ª though lacking of windows and decor. Rather, it was nothing like a living room at all. The young cultivators were in a cavern reminiscent of the Chrysanthemum Chambers. Only a table and three chairs occupied the center rather than monsters. One of the chair was occupied by Sun Devouring Moon. The man waited for Jang-Guo to finish cursing before addressing the two children. He told the two to take a seat. ¡°You two have suffered much,¡± Sun Devouring Moon remarked as he poured the two roasted tea. ¡°And that is a good thing.¡± The two cultivators were unable to argue with that. The mantra was carved deep in their souls: Pain is suffering; suffering is strength! ¡°Now, before you undertake the last trial, I want to talk a little.¡± The two children nodded. ¡°My legacy consists of two parts; almost everything in life is of two opposites. That is the Duality of the Way, no?¡± He took a sip of his tea. The children mimicked him. ¡°Along with a treasure ¡ª no complaining on that part, you hear? ¡ª there will be a task you must accomplish. From the trials, no doubt you gathered some idea of what that task might be.¡± The children nodded. ¡°Good, good. Now let me tell you the task plainly as possible.¡± He looked at the children with hard lonely eyes. ¡°Someone from my past has infiltrated my Sect for years now ¡ª and I want them dead.¡± He watched the children for any reaction. Jang-Guo remained blank-face. Qiu¡¯yue paled noticeably. ¡°Girl, what is your name?¡± ¡°Qiu¡¯yue, Sun Devouring Moon Senior.¡± ¡°If you cannot kill, you will die.¡± Before Qiu¡¯yue could reply, he turned to Jang-Guo. ¡°And you, boy?¡± ¡°Tang Jang-Guo.¡± ¡°Good name, good name. But that is a name from another life ¡ª dead now. Do not let it consume you.¡± The two children glanced down at their feet. ¡°Yes. Thank you for your wise words, Sun Devouring Moon Senior.¡± ¡°Now that we have rested and discussed the main parts of the legacy, shall we commence the Final Trial?¡± The two children nodded earnestly. Sun Devouring Moon nodded and stood up. He began to strip his clothing, causing Qiu¡¯yue to cover her eyes and blush. ¡°Girl, stop covering your eyes.¡± He commanded. The girl obeyed. Sun Devouring Moon sat a little from the center cross legged. Only his crotch was covered. The old immortal was impossibly skinny. He was exceptionally bony to the point of being like a stack of twigs. The two children stood up uncertainly and walked over to the old man. Sun Devouring Moon looked at the children and said to them, ¡°Kill me.¡± Author''s Note: Inconsistent updates lately. I''m sorry for that. I honestly can''t remember how to do chemistry....and I have like a few more days to cram before Finals. Ughhhh. Anyhow, wrapping up the Trials. This was suppose to be a long chapter, but I want to practice writing cliff-hangers, so I am sorry for that too. Lol. As always, thanks for reading. P.S. I just realized I''ve been calling him Sun Devouring Moon when I first introduced him as Sun ENGULFING Moon...man, what a slip up. The Legacy of Sun Devouring Moon: Second Half Author''s Note: Finals left with time...but no energy. So tired. So much summer work. Bleh. Anyhow, enough personal bullshit. Here''s the chapter. I tried to do a lot in this chapter. Double line breaks show change in setting. Hope you enjoy the chapter. As always, thanks for reading. ¡°Well?¡± Sun Devouring Moon senior spoke after a lengthy silence. He gestured at his bony frame. ¡°Scared of an old man?¡± Qiu¡¯yue bit her lips uncertainly and fidgeted with her clothes. Jang-Guo looked away with clenched fists. He closed his eyes and chuckled wryly. ¡°I suppose such is the best course of events.¡± He opened his eyes to reveal them inverted ¡ª black sclera encircling a white iris concerned of a deep red pupil, as if miniature suns were trapped inside. The immortal looked directly at Jang-Guo and stroked his beard. ¡°If you had charged without hesitation, I would have retaliated with all my strength from the very start.¡± ¡°Does that mean we pass?¡± Qiu¡¯yue asked. Laughing, the immortal shook his head. Then he stabbed his chest with his own hand. Blood spluttered out from his mouth. A thick red mist coagulated around his frame and formed six more bony arms attached to his back. These six arms seemed more like sharp swords with exaggerated elbow blades and depressed indentions, as well as black swirls marked all over. ¡°Jang-Guo, was it? Is this what you wish to achieve?¡± The old man asked as he cracked his shoulders. Jang-Guo nodded. Sun Devouring Moon senior scoffed. ¡°Pathetic. If that is the extent of what you want ¡ª then you disappoint me.¡± Livid, Jang-Guo trembled. ¡°At least you have some idea of where to take your craft. Girl, I have seen little of what you want or is heading ¡ª and that is far worse.¡± Sun Devouring Moon stood up. One pair of arms became set in flames; one pair of arms seized up into fists; one pair of arms lay still at the sides like mirrors; one pair of arms, that of flesh, held themselves out like the darting beaks of cranes. The air became heavy ¡ª suffocating ¡ª heart-crushing. The children paled and cold sweat broke out. The two knew not what cultivation the senior exuded, only that it far surpassed anything they¡¯ve felt before. Though the two did not collapse or strain to move, both felt as if snakes surrounded them, poised to strike at any moment. ¡°Qiu-di, support me,¡± Jang-Guo shouted. ¡°You¡¯re slow to gain momentum, so I¡¯ll cover.¡± Qiu¡¯yue did as he said and supported the boy with her left side; she kept her right hand in front in the usual swirls particular to the River Carving Fist. Sun Devouring Moon senior advanced forward. One sweep, fire danced. One wave, a gust of wind. One flick, a gatling of piercing strikes. One swing, the cry of a crane. ¡°Of course, I will always stop before you die. Though, crippling you and such will simply be fate.¡± Pale gray smoke poured from his mouth and curled around him like a guarding spirit. ¡°Show me your strength and kill me!¡± ¡°Sun Devouring Moon?¡± Wei Zhao asked the Old Beggar. The general¡¯s loyal dog crouched and leaned forward to hear the Old Beggar better. Surrounded by the raucous shouting of drunk men and the clinks of gambling dice, this abandoned monastery contained all sorts of characters: beggars most commonly, but also mercenaries and bandits, gamblers and traveling artisans. ¡°Yes, Sun Devouring Moon. He was famous long, long ago.¡± The Old Beggar replied. He took another sip from the wine gourd Wei Zhao brought him. Even through the mess of facial hair, the Old Beggar¡¯s red nose poked through like a beansprout. He hiccupped and wiped his mouth. ¡°Few people ¡ª these young people ¡ª know him now. But he was the one who united that pain in the ass Clear Moon Sect and that irritating Listless Cloud Sect into one, the Yun Yue Sect. And for years, that Yun Yue Sect stood amongst first of many in power, influence, and courage. One of the Five Great Clans, at times! It was all because Sun Devouring Moon was an incomparable genius. He truly understood duality in his pursuit of the Way. According to stories, he was able to fight with several different styles at the same time ¡ª combining both yin and yang arts together. A madman, but one who stood above us all.¡± ¡°Then this Sun Devouring Moon senior ascended?¡± Wei Zhao inquired. The Old Beggar nodded. ¡°Aye, that bastard, from what I¡¯ve heard, united the two sects to become an immortal. Maybe he cared for the sect he founded. Maybe not. Regardless, once one becomes an immortal, there are certain rules ¡ª and the prohibition extensive involvement with mortals and cultivators is one of the Sacred Laws.¡± ¡°Did he leave the Yun Yue Sect? Or is he acting as the sect¡¯s Divine Guardian?¡± ¡°No. There exists a legacy of his ¡ª and one does not create a legacy only to leave it unattended. And since no one knows of Sun Devouring Moon these days, I can say with certainty that he has not left yet. Though, whether he will leave once the legacy is passed down, I cannot say.¡± Wei Zhao bowed to the Old Beggar and left. Old Beggar hiccupped and downed the rest of his wine gourd and threw it. The gourd tumbled through the air and elegantly, but forcefully, struck the head of a bulky man clad in tiger skin know simply as Fu. Old Beggar stood up with wobbling steps. Fu stomped his way over to the beggar. Blessed with an aura of splendid heroism, Fu towered over Old Beggar by several heads. ¡°Oi! Old man, old man,¡± he clamored and pointed at the small bump on his head. ¡°You, you see this? This is your fault. I don¡¯t care if you are old, or a beggar ¡ª or one of the Three Pure Ones! Kowtow to me! Kowtow to me!¡± The Old Beggar yawned and smacked his lips. Twitching, veins popped on Fu¡¯s forehead. ¡°Oi, Fu¡¯s going to kill someone again,¡± someone shouted over the noisy gambling. An excited wave of noise spread throughout the monastery. A crowd gathered. Though the size quickly dwindled to half once they saw the victim to be a drunken old beggar. ¡°Place your bets! Place your bets,¡± a feeble attempt at excitement sounded. No one in their right mind would bet on the Old Beggar. Of course, in an abandoned monastery, there was no lack of the odd. A few bets ¡ª some very big ¡ª were placed on the Old Beggar. Curiously, those few bets were all from beggars, estranged artisans, and poor scholars. Graced on each of them was a sly smile and held on their waist were small brown pouches. ¡°Old man, I¡¯m talking to you,¡± Fu yelled once more. He reached to grab the old man but missed. At the very last moment, the Old Beggar stumbled back and Fu¡¯s haughty claws swiped empty air. Furrowed his brows slightly, Fu swiped with his claws again in quick succession. Surprisingly, the Old Beggar survived all that ¡ª whether by dipping at the right angle, stumbling at the right time, or simply doing odd things in a fight befit of a drunkard. Old Beggar curved his fingers into almost a hook, as if mimicking a small wine cup. Staggering with great force, the man smashed his fist against Fu¡¯s head. The tiger-skin clad man swiftly dodged, but the blow grazed his cheek. A thin cut appeared. Fu wiped the blood from his cheek. Murmurs of the ¡°Drunken Fist¡± rippled through the crowd. More people returned to observe the fight. ¡°Drunken fist, peh!¡± Fu spat at the old man. Old Beggar did not dodge and simply allowed for the spit to hit his hair. Then Old Beggar yawned. ¡°Are you done? I showed you face. I gave you exactly 18 hits. I responded in kind with one good strike,¡± Old Beggar said to Fu. Then he burped. ¡°Why you!¡± Fu shouted and rushed at Old Beggar. The Old Beggar tumbled out of the way and tripped the charging brute. As Fu got up with rage, he was suddenly seized by hesitation. Old Beggar no longer seemed drunk, rather the old man stepped forward in the time of a single blink and struck forward with his arms like a dragon rushing through the paddy fields. An explosive power reverberated throughout Fu¡¯s body as the twin fists struck his chest. Fu collapsed onto his knees as his chest caved in and he vomited blood. ¡°F-Fu is dead.¡± A lone voice remarked the obvious. Those words spread throughout the crowd of people. The few who decided to bet on the Old Beggar collected their hefty winnings and furtively bowed to Old Beggar as he stumbled his way out the monastery. Old Beggar too had the same brown pouches, eight in total. As he stepped out of the monastery, he tripped and rolled down the stone stairs. Getting up, he patted the dust off and went over to a nearby tree to throw up. When done, the Old Beggar pulled out a wooden whistle from one of his pouches. He blew on it. Shortly after, a pack of dogs, mangy mutts, came to the Old Beggar. He pulled out some paper and ink and brush from another pouch, drew some pictures, pulled a wooden thin small barrel from another pouch, stuffed the paper into it and fitted it onto one of the dog¡¯s neck with string. ¡°Bring this to the Clan Leader, old friend.¡± The dogs left. Old Beggar tilted his head to the cloud-covered skies. ¡°A storm is brewing.¡± ¡°A storm?¡± Old Beggar turned and found a poor scholar. The old man nodded. ¡°Yes, a storm.¡± ¡°A good storm? A bad storm?¡± The scholar mused. ¡°One which brings blessed rain? One which brings floods?¡± The Old Beggar spat onto the ground and yawned. ¡°What do you think?¡± The scholar toyed with his brown pouch. ¡°You heard that the Empress has been blessed with child. That should be an auspicious sign ¡ª but the Emperor¡¯s coma¡­¡± ¡°Do you believe the rumors?¡± ¡°Which one?¡± The scholar laughed bitterly. ¡°The green hat, or the deceiving fox?¡± Old Beggar shrugged and broke off a branch from a nearby tree. He used it as a walking stick and left. The scholar titled his head up to the heavens and sighed. After Wei Zhao left the monastery, he rode his steed back to his cottage by a lake. He took off his mask and made himself tea. A look of doubt hung on his surprisingly handsome face, though one marred with one great scar diagonally across his face. As he drank his tea, he recollected the morning¡¯s conversation with General Bo Ling. The two had met at the general¡¯s favorite brothel, the Northern Peony Banked by Moonlight. General Bo Ling always treated his loyal men well. When the two met, General Bo Ling spared no expenses. He ordered an entire feast. There were singers, dancers, and musicians ¡ª all the most beautiful flowers the brothel had to offer. Then he sent them all away once the food was finished eating. When there was business to discuss, he took care. ¡°Do you have news of the girl?¡± He asked. ¡°Yes. It seems she has fallen in with the orphans that the sect takes care of. According to one of the merchants, it seems that they are going on an expedition to a tomb of some sort.¡± ¡°Scorched Ice?¡± General Bo Ling asked as he stared into his wine cup. Wei Zhao nodded. With a hint of surprise, he confirmed his general¡¯s thoughts. ¡°General Bo Ling, what is our next move?¡± Commanding silence, the general opened the window and a hawk flew in. He took the message and read it. Then the hawk was sent away. ¡°More wine?¡± He asked with a smile. Wei Zhao nodded out of politeness. The two drank to their plans. ¡°Wei Zhao, the puppeteer is close to succeeding. You know how to compensate the puppeteer afterwards, no?¡± Wei Zhao nodded. ¡°General Bo Ling, and the girl?¡± ¡°Well, even if she stays at the Sect, I doubt she will become a threat. Even if she meets Sun Devouring Moon, I doubt she will become an obstacle.¡± General Bo Ling responded. He poured himself another cup of wine. ¡°I rather we prepare for the upcoming Black Pearl Sect Spring Festival. Consort Mu¡¯s son will be attending the event as an esteemed guest in three months. What a farce! Sending a broken boy to such an event ¡ª though, we do not want anything to happen to him, now do we? And it would be great if we get our hands on the prizes.¡± Wei Zhao nodded. Then the two talked about things unrelated to the general¡¯s aspirations. They invited the flowers back and spent some time with them. Yet Wei Zhao cared too much for General Bo Ling. And so he sought out Old Beggar to inquire more information. Wei Zhao took another sip from his tea. Despite General Bo Ling¡¯s confidence, Wei Zhao felt Sun Devouring Moon to be a factor to be considered. The man shook his head free of worry. He must prepare for the grand plans in but a few months ¡ª poison, disguises, currency, and more. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Sun Devouring Moon senior slammed his two fists against Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s ribs again. The girl barely blocked it, though the impact left her with a huge opening. Sensing an opportunity, the other six hands struck. The flaming hands slashed flame like dancing whips at the girl. The darting beaks flitted to and fro with cutting motion. And the still arms at the sides flung out like the rolling waves. ¡°Qiu-di,¡± Jang-Guo yelled despite being bruised and battered all over. The girl spun her body. Jang-Guo stepped forward with his one good foot and punched. The punch smashed through the flames, broke through the array of flitting crane strikes, and shattered the lunging palms. Yet, the smoke which surrounded Sun Devouring Moon senior acted. Jang-Guo¡¯s powerful strike simply soaked gently into the smoke. Then the smoke seized up like ice trapping the boy. Sun Devouring Moon senior then once more unleashed the barrage of strikes. Qiu¡¯yue spun herself to guard the trapped older boy. Despite her best efforts, she was not quick enough in her counters to deflect everything. She blocked the fists successfully, but it left her with a major lag time, and she was not able to properly guard the other strikes. The fire burnt her hand black. The darting beaks sliced her cheeks and arms. And those rushing palm strikes were more fluid than her own. As Qiu¡¯yue attempted to weave her palms through the rushing palm strikes, Sun Devouring Moon senior countered each one and landed palm strikes on her abdomen. Bang! The two children flew back. Jang-Guo clutched his throbbing arm. Qiu¡¯yue stumbled back and regained her stance. ¡°Tang-ge!¡± She shouted with concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he coughed up blood. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Ha, brat, you should worry about yourself.¡± Qiu¡¯yue dribbled blood from her lips. She shook her head. ¡°Little Qiu¡¯yue is a cultivator!¡± Senior Sun Devouring Moon smiled, but also coughed up blood. One of his hands patted his chest, and one other patted his back. He muttered, ¡°Hmph, what a weak corporeal body.¡± The immortal mocked the children. ¡°Are you two not fit to even receive my blows? How can those who bear my legacy be so weak!¡± Bam! The air around them became several more times heavier. Rather than arms, tens of dozens of tentacles shot forth from the immortal¡¯s back formed of red mist. ¡°It has been a double incense worth of time ¡ª if you have a special technique, then I suggest you two use it now.¡± Lightning flashed from the immortal¡¯s mouth and shot forward at the two young cultivators. Qiu¡¯yue took Jang-Guo by the arms and leapt away. Boom! Boom! Boom! The ground shattered and sharp shards sprayed forth like fireworks. ¡°Now!¡± Jang-Guo shouted and threw Qiu¡¯yue at the immortal. He himself rushed forward immediately afterwards with a grimace. Fresh blood flowed down his thigh as his wound reopened. The bald-headed boy threw himself at the immortal and intercepted Sun Devouring Moon¡¯s attention on Qiu¡¯yue. As Jang-Guo and Sun Devouring Moon senior exchanged heavy blows, Qiu¡¯yue spun through the air and landed behind the immortal. Her revolving palms formed the illusion of the union of Yin-and-Yang now that both her hands were free. She thrusted her palms straight through the twisting tentacles. Forcing 30% of her qi, the girl sliced through the red mist as she countered all the defensive strikes. The children had noticed that the smoke which guarded Sun Devouring Moon only focused on one side. As spreading the smoke throughout would spread the effect too thin to be effective. ¡°Good! Good!¡± The old immortal laughed brightly. However, even after overcoming the peculiar gray smoke, Qiu¡¯yue encountered a new problem: the elbow spikes. As Jang-Guo distracted Sun Devouring Moon senior with his heavy strikes, he became more pale with each subsequent exchange. Sweat glistened on his face. No matter how Sun Devouring Moon senior moved, the blades extending from his elbow would always jab back at Qiu¡¯yue. The girl used that to generate momentum for herself. Twack! With one quick flurry of palm strikes, the girl broke off all the elbow blades. Yet, the fight continued. Senior Sun Devouring Moon simply spun his body so that one side faced Jang-Guo and the other faced Qiu¡¯yue. ¡°Are you fucking joking with me?¡± Jang-Guo weakly laughed. ¡°Ambidexterity!¡± Ambidexterity, a skill peerless and envied by all martial artists. An incomparably difficult technique to train and master. If learned, one can use two different styles of martial arts independent of one another. And since Sun Devouring Moon was already learned in using so many styles at the same time, with ambidexterity it was as if Sun Devouring Moon was ten people instead of just one or two! As Jang-Guo came at the old man with his hard and fierce fists, Sun Devouring Moon senior received and neutralized those strikes with his palms. The fire on his left arm completely vanished to be replaced by the pale gray smoke. The pale gray smoke formed itself into three long flexible claws, like the sleeves of dance robes. First the smoke wrapped itself with the incoming strikes. Then the palm redirected the force with a simple stroke. After, the fist and the beak unleashed fury upon the vulnerable boy. With Qiu¡¯yue the opposite occurred. The immortal¡¯s palm shifted into a spade. Those darting beaks formed into savage tiger claws. And the flames only grew stronger. Besieged by a hurricane of blows, Qiu¡¯yue found no opportunity to strike. ¡°Qiu-di! One chance!¡± Jang-Guo shouted. ¡°Hoisting Dragon Surging Sky to Make Rain!¡± Jang-Guo suddenly kicked at Sun Devouring Moon. It was a clumsy kick to the immortal¡¯s legs. However, the old man did not expect it ¡ª rather, Jang-Guo¡¯s martial arts relied on steady legs to deliver fierce punches. To suddenly deliver a kick was not only unexpected but practically suicidal, and with the bad leg holding him up too! The kick struck the ice and it clouded Sun Devouring Moon for a partial second. Immediately after, Jang-Guo threw a punch toward the man who caught the fist with a slight grin. Jang-Guo smiled back. In that split moment of distraction, Qiu¡¯yue had slipped behind Jang-Guo and struck his back with all her force. Blood bursted from her as her skin ripped into tiny streams. Jang-Guo swallowed his blood with a grunt. He forced the qi back to Qiu¡¯yue who received it with her palms. The expulsion of qi also gushed through Jang-Guo¡¯s fist, exploding out at the end and striking Sun Devouring Moon senior in the face. The immortal stumbled back. Quickly, Qiu¡¯yue pivoted around Jang-Guo and stroked her palms through the air like two mighty oars and pounded them against the senior¡¯s chest. Three successive shockwaves ruptured from the point of impact. Sun Devouring Moon senior flew back, his feet dragged against the ice. He stood. But he did not move. The two children collapsed onto each other. Both had exhausted their qi with that final suicide move. Jang-Guo was beyond pale. Qiu¡¯yue used what remained of her energy to assist in maintaining her Tang-ge¡¯s consciousness. ¡°Hm, very interesting maneuver. Even though I was already weakened, such an attack proved to be both unexpected and deadly,¡± Sun Devouring Moon senior¡¯s voice remarked. The two children snapped opened their eyes and looked through their haze. All they saw was the rapidly decaying body of Sun Devouring Moon senior. ¡°Children, no worry. That is simply one of my disposable corporeal bodies. And, congratulations, you two have by both fate and fortune become the first and only to receive my legacy!¡± Hearing the great news, our heroes promptly passed out. Chuckling, the disembodied voice of Sun Devouring Moon took the form of a glowing white orb. It looked over the two sleeping children who wore tired smiles. When the two children woke up, they celebrated with hearty pats on one another¡¯s backs. The orb similarly oscillated with content. Sun Devouring Moon transported the two children out of the cavern. The two children gasped with absolute astonishment and excitement at what they saw. In a cavern shining with polished ice there hovered a brilliant sword at the center. A beautiful and powerful sword. Measuring one meter, the sword featured an elegant silver fuller and stunning gold edges on both sides. The guard of the sword was shaped like a crescent or the thorns of a rose garden. And the pommel was this great bulb fashioned into the face of a demon. Underneath the sword was a simple jade tablet the size of a rice cake. ¡°That sword is called Duality,¡± the white orb shimmered as it began to explain the sword. ¡°If one mastered it, one can storm up a sea of fire with one slash ¡ª or cast a thousand strikes without anyone realizing like the shadow of the moon. Its weight is profoundly mystical. If one strike with force, it weighs as heavy as the sun; if one moves gently, it flows like paper with the wind. However, I cannot give you two it.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± Jang-Guo shouted. ¡°Because there is only one sword. But there are two of you.¡± Sun Devouring Moon responded. The orb floated over to the sword. ¡°However, this sword is but two blades joined together.¡± With a blast of white light, there now hovered two swords. One was a saber with a broad serrated blade. Powerful grass calligraphy was etched into the black blade in gold. The other sword was a long blade which seemed to refract all light. It was an elegant blade. Senior Sun Devouring Moon called the two children forward. ¡°Hop onto the swords.¡± The children did so and found that they could actually control the blade to fly! With slight shifting of their weight, the children moved the blade in any direction. After they got off, the blades shot back to hover over the jade tablet. ¡°Jang-Guo are you content with the saber, Ten Suns? Qiu¡¯yue are you content with Quiet Thoughts?¡± ¡°Sun Devouring Moon senior,¡± Qiu¡¯yue said with a worried expression. ¡°I think my sword is too big for me to use.¡± The orb twinkled as if laughing. ¡°No matter. The sword is magical; it can shrink to fit your size. Now, cut your finger on the blades and blood bond with them.¡± The children did as they were told. It was a strange experience. With a small cut made, blood poured from it to form a red mist around the blades. The metal drank in the blood mist greedily. Spinning around, the two blades suddenly shot forward. Quiet Thoughts shrunk as it shot forward and fitted itself in Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s hair like an ornament. Ten Suns shrunk so that a child could use it but stuck itself into the ice in front of Jang-Guo instead. It was too proud to be sheathed or changed into a mere ornament. ¡°And the second part of my legacy is the jade tablet.¡± The orb got quiet. ¡°Though, Qiu¡¯yue cannot learn it.¡± The girl tilted her head. Jang-Guo got angry and complained about the injustice toward his Qiu-di. ¡°It simply is not fit for Qiu¡¯yue. It details my Twelve Beastial Strikes ¡ª something an external practitioner like yourself will find great use in, but not something the internal practitioner would really desire.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Qiu¡¯yue nodded with a smile. ¡°Tang-ge it¡¯s fine. I have another martial art I want to learn anyways ¡ª the Four Shifting Forms.¡± ¡°The Four Shifting Forms!¡± The orb shot forward, causing Qiu¡¯yue to hop back. The girl nodded. ¡°I see. If you do intend on pursuing the internal school, the Four Shifting Forms is certainly on par with my Twelve Beastial Strikes.¡± ¡°Four Shifting Forms?¡± Jang-Guo asked. ¡°It was an art I admired greatly when I had not ascended. I had tried to learn it, but it required an absolute devotion to the countering arts to learn. Though I have seen its brilliance in combat and experienced it myself, I cannot say what secrets it truly holds. But I now have something to compliment that art, little Qiu¡¯yue.¡± The orb touched Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s forehead. Qi flowed steady from the orb into Qiu¡¯yue, and with it, a stream of information. Yet the girl found herself unable to comprehend any of it except for the murky outline of the barest basics. ¡°What I just transferred was my Rippling Water Acupuncture. I devised it before I realized I would not be able to use the Four Shifting Forms. It should make your countering a dozen degree more devastating if mastered, and your basic strikes with a certain force not to be underestimated.¡± Jang-Guo similarly felt the entirety of the Twelve Beastial Forms stream into his soul once he touched the jade tablet. Sun Devouring Moon then transported the two to a paradise. There was a refreshing healing spring. A forest with fragrant fruit and wonderful herbs. ¡°You who possess my legacy, I offer this final boon. In this spatial paradise, your comprehension of the arts and cultivation will surely rise dramatically.¡± With that, the orb vanished after a final burst of light. Qiu¡¯yue and Jang-Guo smiled at each other. Without saying another word, the two hopped into the refreshing waters and laughter filled the air. Quick Announcement Potential Hiatus coming. I will be going into the wilderness as part of a summer program for a few weeks starting July 12. I will not have any access to technology, since the point of the program is to distance teenagers from technology. However, I am trying to stockpile chapters. Whether the chapters do get posted, well, it depends on my friend. If she remembers to post them and don''t mess up badly, it will be as if I was never gone. Hopefully, I don''t suffer some major accident while on my trip. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.Also, Very Sorry about lack of updates. Always feel bad when I don''t update. But busy with finals, this trip thing, and other stuff. Expect 2 chapters tomorrow....maybe 3 [kinda want to save them, but eh]. May be short chapters. Who knows. An arc basically just ended. But yeah, flying swords -- nothing original -- but still flying swords; fucking cool, right? At least, I think so...I always feel hyped when I see flying swords in Asian dramas. Like flying swords, am I right? Ok...I''ll, I''ll stop. Lotus Killer; The Chicken Strike Jang-Guo was flapping his arms. Like a chicken would rustle its feathers in attempts at flight or fight, the boy too waved his hands up and down. He kicked with a jump. Coupled with the bizarre accompaniment of flapping his arms, the boy was unable to land properly and fell on his feet. Deepening his wounded pride, Jang-Guo saw he did not even connect with the tree in front of him. ¡°The Chicken Strike is truly one of the most difficult one to learn,¡± the light orb known as Sun Devouring Moon commented. ¡°But once mastered! You shall strike with the ruthless abandon of a cock!¡± ¡°Master Sun Devouring Moon,¡± Jang-Guo looked at the orb with dead eyes, then fell back onto his back, ¡°this can¡¯t be one of the Twelve Beastial Strikes.¡± The orb glowed bright and threatened, ¡°Boy, I gifted this legacy of mine to you, and I am even taking time out of my day to guide you through it! Don¡¯t make me regret this and leave.¡± Groaning, Jang-Guo got on his knees and kowtowed, ¡°Master Sun Devouring Moon, please teach me what to do.¡± ¡°Boy, I am not your master. I merely handed you the martial arts. I do not accept disciples. How many times do I have to tell you that?¡± The orb glowed yellow as if slightly pleased and jubilated. Jang-Guo raised his head and pounded his chest. ¡°I, Tang Jang-Guo, respects the order of Heaven and Earth. Master Sun Devouring Moon gave me one of his own martial arts. This makes you my master!¡± ¡°Aiyah,¡± the orb flickered and dimmed, ¡°boy, th-that¡¯s not how it works.¡± Jang-Guo rubbed his bald head in confusion. Then his eyes lit up. ¡°Ah, your loyal disciple is sorry! I have never poured Master a cup of wine. Please, punish this insincere disciple.¡± ¡°Boy, please quiet down,¡± the orb sighed. ¡°If you quiet down, I¡¯ll show you the Twelve Beastial Strikes again.¡± Jang-Guo nodded earnestly with a smile and knelt attentively. The orb floated high above in the sky and projected a spiritual body. Rather than one appearing exactly like Sun Devouring Moon, the spiritual body was like a silhouette. The shadow figure went through all 108 steps of the Twelve Beastial Strikes. Each Beastial Strike consisted of 9 steps. Tiger Strike consisted of a wide stance followed by aggressive stalking of the prey. After the prey show weakness, the Tiger would pounce forward with fearsome explosive strength. Then the Tiger would unleash a bout of claw strikes and tear into the prey without mercy. ¡°Master the Tiger within to tame the Dragon,¡± Sun Devouring Moon told Jang-Guo. ¡°Imbue each strike with qi and each strike will be as if you are wielding a tiger¡¯s roar in each hand. Blast away all obstacles! Rip apart evil itself with righteousness!¡± Dragon Strike consisted of merely foot movements. Long sweeping footwork which made the waist supple like the string of a zither. Yet when the shadow moved quickly, Jang-Guo felt as if a raging fire burned underneath the shadow¡¯s movements. ¡°Use the Dragon to position and intimidate the enemy! Then snap your waist and launch your body forward. This is how you will link each Strike!¡± As soon as the shadow figure launched forward, it immediately transitioned into the Deer Strike. Pivoting on its heel, the shadow leapt away. Bounding across a great distance with one push. Then it moved unsteady like a newborn fawn yet from its unpredictable movements, one was able to sense the profound potential of it. And when Jang-Guo least expected it, the shadow kicked forward and the illusion of a blade struck through him. ¡°Never be afraid to run away; it is a strategic retreat!¡± ¡°Is that not dishonorable, Master Sun Devouring Moon?¡± Jang-Guo asked. ¡°As cultivators, must we not always do good?¡± The light orb flared up and momentarily blinded Jang-Guo. ¡°If you can live through certain death, then you can come back and talk then, boy!¡± Finishing his outburst, the immortal turned his attention back to controlling the shadow. ¡°Next, these few strikes can be linked from the Deer Strike tremendously. To turn tail on an opponent is a great insult, and from that anger, one can strike with great effectiveness!¡± The shadow abruptly stopped and kicked from behind. Then it turned and kicked some more, a flurry of indistinguishable shadow kicks emerged. This flurry of kicks gave birth to the illusion of a sandstorm. Then it tumbled around like a monkey, taunting its invisible foe. With sharp almost whip-like fashion, the shadow monkey knocked about its invisible foe silly. After that, the monkey hooked its arms around its opponent like two surging vipers. Gripping the opponent, these twin vipers moved its prey aggressively like the prey was nothing more than a puppet. With such violent movements, if the prey was real, surely its joints would be forcibly dislocated or entire limbs broken in two. ¡°Scorpion: never be afraid to fight from the shadow. Monkey: combine the gentle illusion of flowing arms before propelling those whips to break mountains. Snake: entwine your very being and break the opponent''s¡¯ spirits.¡± Then the shadow figure took up a stance much like a chicken. Jang-Guo looked away for a short while in embarrassment. The chicken leapt forward and unleashed a hail of kicks as it descended. Once it landed, the chicken flapped its wings at its opponents, hammering away with heavy fists. ¡°The Chicken Strike is an arrogant strike. You leave yourself extremely vulnerable, but in that openness is the trap. As the opponent encroaches, strike fiercely,¡± Sun Devouring Moon proclaimed with a heroic tone. ¡°Master, did you create this strike as a joke?¡± Jang-Guo asked. He and the orb stared back at one another. ¡°...I was hungry for chicken,¡± the orb finally admitted. ¡°You could have been hungry for phoenix meat, or a more impressive beast than chicken,¡± Jang-Guo lamented. ¡°Boy, did your parents not teach you to respect your seniors? At least be thankful to the Heavens that I was not hungry for pig.¡± Next, the shadow performed the Swallow Strike. Each hand acted independent one another, as if the mind and body was perfectly divided down the middle. One fist would strike from above, the other would hover below. The nine forms truly captured the poetic flight of two swallows in love. ¡°This Swallow Strike was the first of the Twelve Beastial Strikes. Originally, it was called Sixteen Swallows Flying Through Moon Water; now, it is simply another fist bearing my idiosyncratic style.¡± Jang-Guo nodded with great respect and seriousness. Then the shadow demonstrated the Mantis Strike. This beast¡¯s nine forms consisted of hook fingers diverting the opponent¡¯s strikes before it also striking. ¡°Be like bamboo when striking with the Mantis. It is one of the more pronounced internal-external hybrid strikes of this series.¡± The Eagle Strike consisted of numerous elbow and knee strikes all targeting joints, as well as kicks and sharp claw strikes. Within its nine forms were an innumerable variation of how a practitioner could link the nine forms. ¡°The Eagle is free. Remember that; of all the Twelve Strikes, this is the most versatile.¡± The eleventh strike was the Cat Strike. The shadow moved about slyly and strike only with sweeps or low kicks. Similar to the Monkey Strike, it too featured the use of acrobatics. ¡°Master, did you run out of ideas?¡± Jang-Guo asked. ¡°No, a cat saved my life once. When I was very young,¡± Sun Devouring Moon responded with fondness, ¡°a pure white cat found me a rare herb after I was injured by a poison dagger after being betrayed while treasure hunting. From that point on, I have honored cats.¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. The final strike was the Horse Strike. The shadow adopted nine stances, each being held for around a breath. Then the shadow faded to nothing. ¡°The Horse Strike is centered around stability. It is a defensive ¡®Strike¡¯. It acts as a foundation for all your other Strikes primarily.¡± Sun Devouring Moon finished. The orb dimmed visibly. ¡°It seems today will be the day you leave me. I am going to leave for a moment. Practice your Strikes. When I come back, we will go to the girl and then talk.¡± With a burst of light, the orb vanished. Sighing, Jang-Guo decided to deepen his understanding of the Dragon Strike rather than fail at the Chicken Strike again. The bald-headed boy stretched his waist by bending left and right, twirling his body around like a wine bottle, and going up and down. Then, he launched into a repetition of the nine forms of the Dragon Strike. By the time Sun Devouring Moon returned, the boy was drenched in sweat. Deep grooves lined the earth and long ridges were carved into the barks of several trees. Sun Devouring Moon observed the boy as he combined the Dragon Strike with his own Western Dragon Arts. The boy would move about, ravaging the earth like unquenchable fire, before launching forward ¡ª scooping up the soul of the earth ¡ª and striking with ferocious punches at a tree. The force sent leaves scattering down like rain, and using the Dragon Strike, Jang-Guo repositioned to punch through as many leaves as possible before they fell to the ground. ¡°Very nice,¡± Sun Devouring Moon beamed. ¡°Now, let us go meet with Qiu¡¯yue. She should be at the spring?¡± Jang-Guo nodded. The two made their way toward the spring. They found Qiu¡¯yue submerged up to her neck by the water while meditating. Sensing the arrival of Jang-Guo and Sun Devouring Moon, Qiu¡¯yue opened her eyes. She smiled and swam her way to shore. ¡°Any progress?¡± Jang-Guo asked. Qiu¡¯yue shook her head. Her Tang-ge comforted her by saying, ¡°Well, at least you¡¯re at the fifth stage of qi condensation.¡± ¡°Is the Four Shifting Forms really so hard to comprehend?¡± Sun Devouring Moon inquired. Qiu¡¯yue showed him what little result she had of the First Form: Light Scattered Broken. The basic form was similar to River Carving Fist¡¯s union of Yin-and-Yang, swirling circular palms creating the illusion of that union. A vague third palm manifested at Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s side before quickly dissipating. Then the entire thing collapsed. The girl pouted and stomped her foot in frustration. ¡°The instructions are all so vague and the pictures are so blurry!¡± ¡°Light Scattered Broken, if mastered, should manifest in an impenetrable fortress encasing one¡¯s own body: a thousand palms converged into the union of Yin-and-Yang. Thus, one can always redirect an incoming strike with a throw or counter-strike,¡± Sun Devouring Moon remarked. Then he said apologetically, ¡°It truly is a matter of comprehension on the inner working of the martial art.¡± Then Qiu¡¯yue smiled. ¡°Sun Devouring Moon senior, I¡¯ve mastered the first stage of Rippling Water Acupuncture. Look, look!¡± She hurried back toward the center of the spring and knocked her fist against the still surface. At first a slight rippling expected of the disruption occurred. Then less than a breath after the rippling reached the shore, a more tyrannical and agitated burst exploded across the waters in awesome waves spreading out toward the shore before reconverging back onto the center. ¡°Very impressive,¡± Sun Devouring Moon exclaimed. ¡°Of course, since it is an art I devised, of course it would be impressive. Now, come here child. We must talk.¡± The three gathered into a misshapen circle. ¡°As you have figured out, there remains a traitor in the Yun Yue Sect. As part of accepting my legacy, you must kill this intruder. This parasite on my sect. ¡°Normally, I would not concern myself with the sect¡¯s affairs or pursue this grudge ¡ª but this traitor is without a doubt, the person who orchestrated the death of my daughter and wife. He was once my best friend and right hand man. So, before you kill me, I want you, if possible, to find out why he betrayed me.¡± Remembering the scene of death from the Second Trial, Qiu¡¯yue became sad and cradled her arms around the orb. Sun Devouring Moon was surprised and he flared up brilliantly. ¡°Master,¡± Jang-Guo pounded on his chest, ¡°as your loyal disciple, I will avenge Master¡¯s family!¡± The orb beamed down at the children with such emotion and brightness that the two shielded their eyes. ¡°Good! Good!¡± Sun Devouring Moon declared. ¡°What good inheritors of my legacy I have! Truly, I have never been more blessed. Now, let me tell you about the traitor. ¡°He is a master of disguise. A god, even. Once, while the rebellion still raged, we had to sneak into a town occupied by the enemy. He disguised himself as a beautiful woman completely. To preserve his cover, he even got into bed with the captain of the battalion occupying that town ¡ª then he murdered him while he slept. ¡°He is also a fearsome internal and external school practitioner. Defeating opponents several stages above him seem to be an easy job. The arts he has mastered rivals my own. If there is one defining feature about his style is beauty. Whether it was wine or women or himself, he wanted everything to be beautiful. But that is not saying much since the martial arts taught in my sect are often elegant and inspiring. ¡°But there is one identifiable thing about him even if he disguises himself. Somewhere on his body, there will definitely be a lotus tattoo. It¡¯s a flaw of the transformation art he practices.¡± Jang-Guo raised his eyebrow and asked, ¡°Is there anything else special about that tattoo? Anyway to distinguish it from another martial art which would also feature a lotus tattoo?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ve seen the lotus appear in different areas, in different colors, and different sizes. But that¡¯s only one part of the list. On a night when the moon is completely hidden by darkness, he will become extremely weak with pale blue veins visible all over his body, except his face, hands, and feet¡ª even if in disguise. A lasting wound I gave him. He will definitely seek a Golden Buddha Relief dan to fight against the pain without fail. And lastly, the sight of spiders will send him into a destructive panic.¡± Qiu¡¯yue chewed on her lips, ¡°Sun Devouring Moon senior, do you really think we can kill him?¡± ¡°No, but if you can gather evidence, then the sect will surely kill him then. I feel he has gathered quite a bit of influence through the decades he has lurked here. A great fear rest in my being that he may be close to whatever despicable plan he is envisioning.¡± ¡°Master, no worry, I will definitely make you proud.¡± ¡°Mmm,¡± Qiu¡¯yue nodded earnestly, ¡°little Qiu¡¯yue will work hard.¡± The orb glowed bright as if smiling, ¡°Good, good. It is time for you two to go now.¡± ¡°Master, will we meet again?¡± ¡°Boy, I am not your master,¡± the orb chuckled and vanished. The paradise around the two children also disappeared. The two were now in a cavern with walls of ice surrounding them. Up above, a white portal opened up. Author''s Note: Basically...exposition town this chapter was. But it''s setting up for future events, ya know. Anyhow, 25th chapter! Woo! Milestone! As always, thanks for reading. Also, 2nd promised chapter will be done...soon. Worse case scenario, expect one uploaded tomorrow; Best Case Scenario, expect the next chapter to be like 2 A.M. in the morn. Cause this chapter was short, so I don''t want the next chapter to be short either. Except 2 scenes for that chapter would be perfect since it is the start of the next arc so yeah. Rambling aside, yeah. And Chicken Style is an actual, legit thing. Looks nothing like how it''s portrayed here. More like pulling on a rope kinda deal from the one video I saw. Senior Shas Stagnation ¡°Oi, Senior Sha, where the hell are they?¡± Meili shouted and wrangled the breath out of the ugly dwarf. Turning blue, the older boy tore at the hands clenched around his neck. ¡°We got out of the tomb early morning. Now it¡¯s already noon!¡± ¡°Meili, you¡¯re going to kill Senior Brother Sha,¡± Cai scolded and freed Sha from the would-be murderer. ¡°Senior Brother Sha, are you fine?¡± He nodded, but coughed. He turned toward Meili, ¡°We still have an incense time left, Junior Sister Meili.¡± Meili blinked her eyes slowly. Glared with murderous rage and said coldly, ¡°We only have an incense time left.¡± Then she broke down into a crouch and began crying with anguish. ¡°Oh, why didn¡¯t I reach her in time. Senior Brother Sha! If something bad happen to my sweet Mei-Mei, I will never forgive you ¡ª even when I¡¯m dead, I¡¯ll haunt your descendents¡¯ descendents!¡± ¡°What about Jang-Guo?¡± Cai asked as he conducted inventory of their loot for the fifth time that day. It was the only thing to do. The trio¡¯s haul was a good one despite being limited by what they could carry as they explored the tomb. Any herbs the trio found, they devoured immediately; the same went for medicinal pills and dan that they ventured upon. Gaudy jewelry hung around their necks and limbs like cocoons, while ornaments were trapped in Meili¡¯s hair as if entangled in a spider¡¯s web. Weapons which they came across, they tied onto their back with strips of cloth ripped from their own clothing. Any coins were safely pocketed by the individual. A pile of martial arts techniques ¡ª bound into books, etched into bamboo strips, or inscribed into jade ¡ª lied gathered. The orphans found the techniques to either be incompatible with their own ideology/physique, or simply were trash. A mysterious bottle filled with clear liquid sat on the pile of books. ¡°Ge-ge can take care of himself,¡± Meili responded without missing a beat. Her eyes surveyed the desolate clearing for any hint of her little blood-sister. ¡°But Mei-Mei is too young, too naive, too innocent ¡ª she¡¯s bound for the beasts! At least with ge-ge, he¡¯s an idiot, but he¡¯s strong.¡± ¡°Meili, how can you call your brother that! Your actual big brother whose red blood flows the same as yours,¡± Jang-Guo cried with childish anguish from below the earth. Senior Sha glanced at Cai in surprise; Cai watched Meili with amusement; Meili stared at the earth and backed up. The entire clearing shook ¡ª rumbled as if a sleeping dragon beneath awoke with vengeful pride. A cold wind swept the clearing causing the light layer of snow piled in the children¡¯s absence to swirl up into a graceful dance. Reaching a climax, the sun and the moon erupted from underground through two transcendent milky-white portals. These two streaks of gold and silver bursted through the stark crest of dull clouds draped across the sky. A rupture in the seams ¡ª this great gaping hole ¡ª pale light streamed down. Hanging on the apex of their soar for a single breath, the twin stars fell rapid like fire, causing bated breaths. But before that fatal collision, the streaks of light swooped up and drove forth horizontally ¡ª slowing, then stopped. Leaping off Ten Suns, Jang-Guo bolted for a nearby tree. Retching, a storm of bile spewed forth from his mouth. Qiu¡¯yue stepped off Quiet Thoughts and fitted its shrunken form on her hair once more. Both she and Meili went over to comfort the baldy. ¡°Ge-ge, there, there,¡± Meili whispered sweetly and patted his back. ¡°Tang-ge, hang in there,¡± Qiu¡¯yue consoled the wretched boy. Meili turned to Qiu¡¯yue with surprise [Calling someone as ¡°Name Big Brother¡± signal intimacy; usually signal a fated pairing in romance stories]. She raised a finger accusingly and cried, ¡°Mei- Mei, you¡¯re cheating on me with my own brother? How could you?¡± ¡°Big Sister Meili? What does cheating mean?¡± The innocent Qiu¡¯yue asked. She saw her big sister was agitated so she looped her arms around Meili¡¯s neck. The older girl blushed and her white hair stood out brilliantly. She pushed Qiu¡¯yue off her with an expression which left Cai in unkept laughter. ¡°B-brat, what are you doing!¡± Lost in their banter, the two left their older brother suffering his stomach pains alone. After he recovered, Jang-guo scolded Meili first, ¡°Meili, how could you abandon your actual real brother? And Qiu-di! You dare make a move on my little Meili while I was gone? Was I wrong in making you my blood brother after all?¡± ¡°Wait, Qiu-di? Blood brother?¡± Meili interrupted with absolute exasperation bleeding through. Placing a palm on her forehead, she closed her eyes. ¡°Make a move?¡± Little Qiu¡¯yue placed a finger on her forehead in confusion. Cai finally walked forward and broke the comedy routine up. Clapping, he said, ¡°Now, now. Let¡¯s save this for another time.¡± Turning to Jang-Guo, he pointed at Ten Suns and remarked, ¡°It seems you two found some real treasures this time.¡± Nodding, Jang-Guo and Qiu¡¯yue gathered everyone in a circle and told their story. The children reacted with awe but also fear and solemnity. Hearing Qiu¡¯yue had to suffer through a process similar to the ¡°death by a thousand cuts¡± [lingchi] to pass the First Trial, Meili hugged the younger girl¡¯s neck. Qiu¡¯yue giggled. Running his hand over Ten Suns with a strange look, Cai commented, ¡°This is a fierce saber. Worthy of a hero. Ah, but what of the traitor?¡± Jang-Guo took back his sword. He glanced at Qiu¡¯yue; the girl nodded. ¡°We think it may be Yun Leader Meng.¡± ¡°No! It can¡¯t be,¡± Senior Sha exclaimed with fear in his eyes. ¡°It makes sense,¡± Meili nodded her head. ¡°There was the lotus flower and she is the leader of the Yun Sect. Internal school practitioners almost always have elegant martial arts.¡± ¡°But, but that would mean she¡¯s actually a man!¡± Senior Sha lamented with real tears flowing from his eyes. Meili looked at him with more unbridled disgust than usual. Cai comforted his senior brother with a pat to the back. ¡°Senior Brother Sha, there is no conclusive evidence that she is the traitor. Nor do we want to startle the snake by wrongly beating the bush,¡± Cai said. He looked at each of the children one by one. ¡°This secret task will not be leaked.¡± Everyone nodded. Qiu¡¯yue asked, ¡°Why does Cai think it isn¡¯t Yun Leader Meng?¡± Cai held up four fingers. ¡°One, the only lotus we saw was from that ritual. Going by that faulty logic, it can be Da Gui or Gui Fa as well ¡ª it can even be Qiu¡¯yue. Two, we don¡¯t know if Yun Leader Mo is also skilled in the external school arts ¡ª and elegant arts at that. Three, we need to confirm she uses or at least requests Golden Buddha Relief dan. But if she has a supply, that would be hard. Four, we don¡¯t know if she is scared of spiders; most people are scared of spiders in general!¡± Meili played with Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s hair and muttered, ¡°That makes sense. Ah! We¡¯ve been so busy talking about Mei-Mei¡¯s ¡ª¡± ¡°And ge-ge¡¯s,¡± Jang-Guo said with a moping tone. Meili pouted at her brother, ¡°I was going to mention ge-ge anyways! Hmph, let¡¯s just compare our cultivation growth.¡± ¡°Big Sister Meili,¡± Qiu¡¯yue said, ¡°aren¡¯t you going to us your adventures?¡± ¡°Brat, we fought some goblins and slimes and ¡ª¡± ¡°Wrong genre, Meili,¡± Jang-Guo interrupted, blushing enough to cover Meili¡¯s portion of embarrassment. ¡°Ge-ge¡¯s an idiot!¡± She retorted with slight tears in her eyes. Trembling, the girl continued on. ¡°We fought some monsters. Found some herbs. Ate the herbs. Found some pills. Ate the pills. Got a cultivation boost. Normal tomb robbing stuff, ok?¡± Qiu¡¯yue and Jang-Guo comforted the still blushing white-haired girl. After Meili recovered through a series of brotherly love ¡ª coupled with sisterly abuse ¡ª and Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s cuteness, the entire group compared their cultivation levels. Meili finally broke through to the ninth stage. Cai remained at the tenth stage of qi condensation, though he told the others he might break into the consolidation stage. And Senior Sha remained at the seventh stage of qi condensation. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Mei-Mei¡¯s already at the fifth stage,¡± Meili exclaimed. Then she checked her brother and pouted. ¡°Ge-ge, why are you still only at the ninth stage? Have you been slacking?¡± Cai and Jang-Guo shared a look. Cai followed up on Meili¡¯s small comment and pulled him aside to ¡°educate him on the value of hard work¡±. Looking at Jang-Guo, Cai spoke bluntly, ¡°Something else happened that you didn¡¯t tell us. It involved Qiu¡¯yue, right? Jang-Guo, you¡¯re barely at the ninth stage. And it¡¯s simply too strange for her to be at the fifth stage! Fourth, a bit believable. But, fifth ¡ª that¡¯s too abnormal!¡± ¡°Cai, look, Qiu-di¡¯s progressing quickly. We should be happy,¡± Jang-Guo answered Cai. But he would not look Cai in the eyes, and his hands were clenched tightly. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯re being suspicious for no reason.¡± Cai sighed. He whipped his queue around his neck and said, ¡°If you say so.¡± The two returned to the group. They noticed a strange air hung over Sha. The oldest member of their group was laughing but also crying. ¡°Isn¡¯t it wonderful? Little Qiu¡¯yue is already at the fifth stage! In 3 months, she¡¯s already at the fifth stage,¡± Senior Sha laughed painfully. ¡°Seventh...for two years, seventh!¡± ¡°Senior Sha,¡± Meili uttered, chewing her lips. Just as suddenly as he started, Sha stopped his crying. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s fine. Nevermind me. It¡¯s getting late. Junior Brother Jang-Guo is going to start yelling ¡®If she catches a fever from tonight¡¯s events, I am going to beat you up¡¯ at this rate.¡± Senior Sha went over to the pile of loot gathered and carried some back toward the Tree of Ten-Thousand Fire Blossoms. The others shared a look before also gathering some of the loot and carrying it back home. Most of the loot, they decided to sell to the merchants early tomorrow in exchange for food and minor luxuries. The mysterious bottle was given to Senior Sha in hopes that it might be a miraculous to him breaking through. That night, Qiu¡¯yue finally got to sleep inside the flower of the tree. She found the interior to be cozy and sweet-smelling. The insides were lit by the Tree¡¯s own qi and contained a warm feeling because of that. Curling herself like a cat would, the girl fell asleep, partially submerged into the cushy interior of the flower. ¡°I need more pills,¡± Sha told himself as he paced around inside his own flower room. His face was melting with sweat. The ten-years old boy clawed at his neck with distress. Rapid breathing and unpredictable stomping of his feet, Sha was at the end of his ropes. ¡°I need herbs! Spirit beasts! Dan! Divine treasures!¡± He broke down and collapsed on his butt. Two steady rivers of tears flowed down his disfigured mountain-like face. With unsteady eyes, he pounded his temples. ¡°Even little Qiu¡¯yue is going to surpass you,¡± he scolded himself. Weeping and unable to control his breathing, his words came out sporadic and with odd emphasises and pauses. ¡°Senior Brother! Peh! Peh, peh, peh!¡± Sha curled himself into a ball and leaned against the wall. ¡°Two years, and I¡¯m still stuck at the seventh cultivation stage,¡± he laughed. It was a bitter, choked-up laugh. Sha clutched his temples. ¡°Everything hurts. Why does my head hurt so much! Why? Why!¡± Knocking his head against the wall violently, the Tree responded with a thrust of its own in retaliation. Sha continued to laugh and cry. Soon his face became sticky with snot. ¡°I¡¯m a failure,¡± he said to himself. ¡°I¡¯m not a hero. I¡¯m not anything but an Ugly Dwarf. No wonder, ma and pa threw me into the mountains.¡± Sha leapt to his feet. He paced back and forth with crazed energy. Shaking his head, tears began to flow again. ¡°I can¡¯t give up! I can¡¯t,¡± he muttered angrily to himself. ¡°If I give up, I¡¯m going to be alone again. No, no, no!¡± The patchy-haired, limped-eye boy began to hyperventilate. ¡°Why are the walls closing in? No, no!¡± ¡°Stop! Stop! Don¡¯t throw me away! Ma! Pa! Please!¡± ¡°Hero! I¡¯m a hero, a cultivator!¡± ¡°Pills! I need pills! Pills!¡± ¡°My heart hurts; it hurts! It hurts so much!¡± ¡°Please! Someone, save me; please save me!¡± Surrendering himself to the bleakness of the road of cultivation, the young boy, yet old cultivator, collapsed into a tear-drenched slumber. The next morning, Sha woke up early. He woke up because he dreamt of only nightmares. No energy was left in him to sleep anymore. With trembling hands, he wiped the cold sweat from his face. Yet, as he did so, he began to cry again. ¡°Wait, the bottle,¡± he cried to himself. He pulled it out from inside his robes. ¡°What if this is a godly treasure?¡± Sha looked at the clear liquid. He smelled it. He felt it with one finger. It seemed like water through and through. Crestfallen, the boy wondered, ¡°What if this is just water? I wonder it be poison. Maybe if I survive poison at least, I may be able to develop new abilities. But what if this is poison...then I would definitely die if I drink the entire bottle.¡± Sha looked at the bottle. He sniffled and wiped the wetness from his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll drink a little bit. If I do that, I won¡¯t die at least ¡ª right?¡± Tempering his nerves, the young boy took a tentative sip of the mysterious liquid. It tasted like nothing. With close eyes, he waited for death. Nothing happened. With furrowed brows, the boy entered a cultivation state. When the Tree woke him up to commence the day a little later, the boy checked his cultivation. Nothing. Frowning, the boy got angry. He was tempted to throw away the bottle but he lacked the energy to do so. Besides, the bottle was garnered from a tomb left by Sun Devouring Moon ¡ª there must be some use, some value. Sighing, the boy decided to pour some of the liquid onto his hands. Partially out of boredom, and partially out of contempt for the mysterious liquid. Nothing. Absolutely nothing happened. Yet, when Sha became filled with contempt and wrath from that nothingness ¡ª so much that he wanted fire to burn everything ¡ª fire lit up on his hands. Sha¡¯s eyes widened. He felt a slight qi flow from that fire, but no warmth. Nor was there light or shadow. The qi exuded most definitely would not be able to create a fire, or even a spark. ¡°An illusion?¡± Sha brought his fiery hands close to his face, and laid them on his cheeks. He was not burnt. He was not warmed. All he felt were his normal hands. Then he stared at the bottle with amazement. ¡°This liquid must allow me to create illusions. How mystical!¡± Despite his initial enthusiasm, Sha quickly grew tired of the bottle and stuffed it back inside his robes. ¡°Illusions aren¡¯t going to cause me to break through,¡± he said sadly. With a gnawing pain at his heart, Sha left to begin a new day. ¡°It really hurts.¡± Author''s Note: Well, there''s a good reason for me breaking my promise of 2 chapters (never making promises again...cause I suck). I had no internet all of yesterday until this afternoon because my family decided to change internet providers. I keep everything online....Anyhow, the next arc is going to be a deconstruction of pills in Xianxia -- if that wasn''t obvious from Sha''s angst. I''m gonna have fun writing this arc...mostly because it''s gonna make Meng Hao''s (and Chu Feng''s) ingestion of pills look like gateway casual recreation. P.S Not being connected to the internet led me to play some Shin Megami Tensei...Mudo and Hama are so annoying -- completely forgot. Ended an hour of progress...save points stupid! Keep Moving Forward; A Mantra It was mid-January when Qiu¡¯yue finally stabilized the 3 hands needed to truly begin mastering Light Scattered Broken, the first of the Four Shifting Forms. With most countering arts, the two hands acted as a shield ¡ª deflecting the blow and redirecting force. Inevitably, with such a structure, the shield will become weak if the practitioner decided to attack or counter-attack. Yet, the Four Shifting Forms, one of the most profound and tyrannical of countering arts, solved this issue with its Light Scattered Broken ¡ª the third hand, and all subsequent hands, can strike while two hands maintained the frontal shield! The perfect combination of the shield and the spear! ¡ª in theory at least. In practice, the young girl still lacked much in her execution. And this inexperience is no better displayed than in the fights against the inner sect disciples: Da Gui and Gui Fa. Yun Leader Meng deemed it appropriate for Qiu¡¯yue to face both disciples at the same time now that she was at the 5th qi condensation stage. Of course, Qiu¡¯yue was allowed a team. Cai immediately declined the position as he was a ¡°lone beast¡±. Senior Sha declined as well, with a voracious need to cultivate from sunrise to sunset. Thus, it was decided Qiu¡¯yue, Jang-Guo, and Meili would be one team against the inner sect disciples. ¡°Meili! Qiu-di! Da Gui!¡± Jang-Guo shouted and the trio dispersed like lightning clouds. Dashing into battle with Deer Strike, Jang-Guo lashed out with his Western Dragon Arts. With earth gauntlets on both fists, the boy unleashed a shower of fists against Gui Fa. The woman leapt backward, and, with a slap to her bag of holding, her yellow umbrella flew out spinning. The colorful ribbons lit up with fire, creating a torrent of flames which engulfed Jang-Guo¡¯s fists. With a roar, Jang-Guo threw his all at the yellow umbrella but found the umbrella to be as strong as metal! Due to him encasing his arms with earth, the boy quickly suffered from the flames and had to retreat. Without a doubt, the flesh underneath the earth was as red as lanterns. Gui Fa wasted no time to expand her umbrella and hid behind it. Strange and ancient chanting rose up from behind the umbrella. Jang-Guo cursed and summoned Ten Suns. The golden saber flew into his hands and the boy shot it toward the umbrella. These two mystical artifacts collided with a bang! As the cloud of snow cleared, the two tools engaged in a fierce aggressive battle. Ten Suns kept aiming for Gui Fa, but the yellow umbrella simply blocked each of the saber¡¯s mighty swings. Clanging and clacking, the two artifacts took to the sky where each blow resulted in a heart-pounding explosion. With Gui Fa unguarded, Jang-Guo launched forward, zig-zagging. Stopping in front of Gui Fa, legs flowing like water, Jang-Guo bent his knees, his waist stretched like a pouncing dragon; his back muscles rippled against his clothes, tearing into pieces, and Jang-Guo jabbed both dragon claws forward with the power of a surging river. ¡°Dragon Devouring Nothing!¡± True fear entered Gui Fa¡¯s eyes and she quickly spat out the last few words of her incantation. Scrambling backward, a stream of hand-mirrors flowed out from Gui Fa¡¯s bag of holding. These mirrors circled around Gui Fa and when the sunlight caught on their surfaces, the polished bronze captured the light and fired it back like a cannon. The light shredded the earth off Jang-Guo¡¯s arms, but Jang-Guo¡¯s fists wrecked havoc onto the armor of mirrors which Gui Fa hid behind. Tearing through the light and shattering the mirrors, a great explosion bursted between the two tyrannical forces. Cracks ruptured in the earth and a small crater came into existence as the two fighters were flung away from one another. Gui Fa coughed up some blood, trickling down her pale face. All 64 mirrors broke and emitted a black smoke which clawed at its owner, slicing at Gui Fa¡¯s arms. Weakened, Gui Fa tried to take a step, but stumbled and fell to her knees. Jang-Guo, however, was in the worse state. Being only eight, Jang-Guo¡¯s small body was unable to withstand the blast. Flung several meters, he slammed into a tree. The earth encasing his arms was completely gone. Severe lacerations lined his arm. Fighting the urge to throw up blood, the boy clenched down his teeth. Drenched with heroic sweat, Jang-Guo fainted. Similarly, the raucous explosions above stopped as Ten Suns lost all will. It became as still as a boulder and fell. Defeated, it fell next to its owner, sinking lifeless into the snow-covered earth. Yun Leader Meng went over to him and pulled out a lotus flower from her sleeves. One which she had brought with her ever since the fights had become increasingly dangerous. She waved it over the unconscious boy. A sprinkle of water and seeds fell on Jang-Guo. The lacerations mended, his complexion improved, and he awakened. The young boy cursed his weakness but thanked the red fairy for the treatment. Watching the girls, Jang-Guo saw they did not fare well against Da Gui either. Da Gui danced around the two girls with the elegance of the night wind, the agility of a stag, and the prowess of aged wine. His sword, simple but no less elegant and fierce in true battle, weaved through the myriad of strikes like intricate mandalas ¡ª light ricocheting off the blade. Quiet Thoughts attempted to strike at the man¡¯s blind spots, flying about like a wasp, yet the movement of his wrist was so fluid that with a single flick, he would block the silver blade before returning his attention to the girls. Da Gui was not ranked 89 in the inner sect for no reason. Unlike Cai or Jang-Guo, Da Gui used every part of his body. He wielded his blade in one hand. He controlled his opponents with the other. And he balanced, pivoted, moved, and distracted with his legs. At times he moved with the explosive power of a tiger; other times he struck out his leg to keep one girl at a distance similar to a crane. Ching! Ching! Ching! The airs of blade clashing against blade filled the air. The thumps and clacks of Da Gui¡¯s blade blocking the girls filled the brief moments of silence in between the duel between the simple blade and Quiet Thoughts. Yet despite the seemingly ease which Da Gui handled the two girls, sweat gathered on his face. Each short skirmish of the hand against the blade left his simple sword rattling all the way to his elbow. Each move Meili made, whether to grab him or to hit him, was imbued with a killing intent thick enough to bludgeon him into meat buns. And though Da Gui was using his right hand to control the girls, it was not effective. At the beginning of the battle, he had underestimated Qiu¡¯yue and received a simple palm strike at the elbow region. Since then, his entire right arm had been shaking and absolutely throbbing at the elbow region ¡ª inciting sharp pain when he had to make sudden pushes or blocks. Gui Fa, though wounded, noticed Da Gui¡¯s injury and launched a gigantic blood palm, a meter long, at the fight. The blood palm swam through the air quickly. Da Gui saw Gui Fa¡¯s actions and grew terrified instead of relieved. ¡°Shit,¡± he cried. Meili saw the blood palm and, using her River Carving Fist, redirected the palm toward Da Gui after trapping it in between her palms. Da Gui blocked it with his sword and, with a scream, pierced through the blood palm. Immediately, he wrenched his arm back to block Quiet Thoughts. He kicked at Qiu¡¯yue who had rushed forward. The girl blocked it and her third palm launched forward at the vulnerable underside of Da Gui¡¯s leg. The Yue Division inner disciple tried to intercept it by bringing his leg down like an ax ¡ª however! the third palm created by Light Scattered Broken was merely an afterimage of one of Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s own limbs; that third palm was simply condensed force! Despite tearing through that third palm, Da Gui still suffered a blow to his calves. The force rippled through his entire left leg and numbed it. Da Gui leapt back. Chasing after him like a slithering serpent, Qiu¡¯yue and Quiet Thoughts continued their barrage. Meili left Qiu¡¯yue to her own devices to finish off Gui Fa. Her warcry was, ¡°Only I can bully my older brother!¡± Wielding her closed umbrella, Gui Fa blocked Meili¡¯s palm strikes. With an intense exchange which left Gui Fa unable to utter any chants, Meili was able to land a palm on Gui Fa¡¯s abdomen. Nails digging into Gui Fa¡¯s flesh, Meili shifted her feet and threw the older woman onto the ground. All hands on the yellow umbrella, a struggle ensued between Meili and Gui Fa. However, due to the fight transitioning from a quick exchange of fists to a slow struggle, Gui Fa was able to focus on chanting again. Meili furrowed her brows in panic and anger. She rammed her knee into the older woman¡¯s stomach. Though Gui Fa choked and grunted, she clenched her eyes and continued with her chant. As she chanted, she also imbued qi into her voice. Blood started to leak from Meili¡¯s ears and nose. Still, the young girl continued ramming against the older girl. Bam! Bam! Bam! Meili kept ramming not just her knee against Gui Fa, but also her forehead and Gui Fa¡¯s own umbrella. Bloodied and bruised, Gui Fa completed her chant. The umbrella expanded and knocked Meili off of Gui Fa. While Meili was still in the air, the umbrella slammed into her and began spinning. A miniature tornado engulfed the young girl. When the storm ended, Meili fell to her knees ¡ª battered and cut everywhere. Gui Fa also fell as she tried to get up. Though Meili also fell, she avenged her brother. Yun Leader Meng sprinkled the lotus flower over both girls and they recovered. Da Gui¡¯s and Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s fight also quickly drew to a close. With a stilted left leg, Da Gui moved less fluidly. All Qiu¡¯yue needed was that one single counter. Clang! Clang! Ching! Quiet Thoughts sought blood from above. Weaving about like a river of stars. Qiu¡¯yue redirected force with her shield and her third palm struck at the short-lived openings left by Da Gui when attacking. Da Gui simply needed to find the crack in Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s shield and pierce through with all his might. In the end, it came down to the imbalance of qi cultivation. Da Gui who rested at the 7th stage of qi consolidation simply had more qi in reserve and was able to recover qi from his surroundings much more effectively. As Qiu¡¯yue ran out of qi, her third palm became less stable ¡ª inevitably phasing out. And since she has lost her spear, when she counter-attacked or simply attacked, she will be vulnerable. Hoping to seize that split gap between Da Gui blocking Quiet Thoughts before returning the blade¡¯s attention to herself, Qiu¡¯yue leapt forward with all she possessed, even exceeding her qi limits by forcing 50% of her qi through her veins. With everything contained in that one palm strike ¡ª muscles ripping, tendons popping, veins bursting, and blood spilling forth like a watering hole ¡ª Qiu¡¯yue prayed with her all heart that the blow connect. Not just as a young girl forced into these conditions, but simply as a cultivator intent on becoming great. Truly and simply great. And it did connect. Da Gui felt a fiery force surge throughout his body. Pain assaulted his liver like a shower of spears; an intense seizure of his lungs, a desperation for breath, rocked his entire being; and his heart felt stopped for a whole second ¡ª before bursting and spilling blood, rushing out of his mouth in bitter coughs. But the blow connected because Da Gui allowed it to connect. Quiet Nights also landed a fierce slash across his shoulder. Da Gui knew that Qiu¡¯yue would now be vulnerable when she struck ¡ª regardless of whether it was a counter or not. She no longer possessed that mystical third palm. And that was the chance for victory. Taking those two blows, Da Gui immediately launched his own attack at Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s opening ¡ª that small gap between her two arms. Striking with his sword handle, Da Gui roared and the image of a wolf charged forth along with his strike. Connecting with Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s chest, the girl was flung back as a explosion occurred. The snow cushioned her fall. After delivering that last blow, Da Gui plunged his sword into the snow as he slid against it, exhausted. Yun Leader Meng went over to both and sprinkled the lotus flower over them, healing both. ¡°I was so close,¡± Qiu¡¯yue cried quietly to herself. She looked at the red fairy, Meili, and her Tang-ge. ¡°I was so close.¡± ¡°Go tell that Ugly Dwarf and Genius Brat to stop cultivating,¡± the red fairy told the three children. ¡°Oh, and you three did well today, so stop crying. Oh, Qiu¡¯er, little Qiu¡¯er, if you don¡¯t stop crying, Auntie Meng is going to start crying!¡± Hiding her face behind Meili, or perhaps Meili shielding Qiu¡¯yue, the trio went over to Cai and Senior Brother Sha. Cai came out of his cultivation easily. Upon seeing tears on everyone¡¯s faces, he awkwardly offered words of encouragement. Senior Sha did not come out of his cultivation easily. Even when Cai whispered into his ear about a ¡°fairy descending¡±, the older boy did not respond. Everyone got worried at this point, even the inner sect disciples. ¡°Everyone, step aside,¡± Yun Leader Meng commanded with a flustered expression, her face turning as red as her dress. Hastily, she took out the ornaments adorning her hair. With a fevered expression, she asked, ¡°How long has he been cultivating? I need to know his daily cultivation schedule.¡± ¡°From sunrise to sundown,¡± Cai answered. ¡°But that¡¯s not out of the ordinary for cultivators! Some cultivate for months before coming out of it.¡± ¡°This child goes too deeply into his cultivation ¡ª you must have known that!¡± The red fairy scolded as she ripped open the senior brother¡¯s clothes to reveal his chest which had taken a tinge of blackness. ¡°Help me take off his clothes ¡ª all of it.¡± Cai and Jang-Guo did as she commanded. ¡°Even the ¡ª¡± ¡°Yes ¡ª when I said all, I meant all,¡± Yun Leader Meng said impatiently. ¡°Qiu¡¯er and the other girl, go somewhere else. Da Gui! Gui Fa! Accompany the two. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let this boy die until he steals back my fan, rest assure!¡± With anxious glances, the girls left, followed by the two inner sect disciples. Doing some quick calculations on her fingers, ¡°Seven days; twenty hours...135 needles!¡± In addition to the twenty or so pointy hair ornaments, the red fairy also pulled out a bag of acupuncture needles: thin, long, and silver topped off with a wooden handle. ¡°You two, I need you to hold the boy down. Do not let him throw the needles off.¡± Jang-Guo held down Senior Sha¡¯s left arm; Cai held down his right. Sweeping her bangs from her eyes, the Yun Division Leader scouted all the points she needed to pierce. Fifteen needles in nine intervals lasting a breath each. Sweat dripped down her face. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. With a flourish of her wrist, she inserted fifteen needles into Sha¡¯s right pectoral muscle. Then with another flourish, another fifteen in the other pectoral. It was at this point that Senior Sha started to thrash about and howl. Milky black miasma gurgled out from where the needles were inserted ¡ª even the silver of the needles became corrupted with blackness (though the ornaments remained as it were). With every interval, the howls grew more rabid and tortured. Blood sputtered out from Sha¡¯s mouth ¡ª but the blood was thick like mud and blackish. ¡°Let me go!¡± Sha cried. His eyes shot opened, showing pitch black voids. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll kill you all! Let me go! Power! Give me power!¡± His cries distorted into one which sounded as if he had glass stuck in his throat as he spoke. After nine quick ¡ª yet long ¡ª breaths, all 135 needles were in place: thirty on the chest, thirty on his stomach, sixty on his back, seven on each shoulder, and one at the center of the forehead. With all the needles in place, Senior Brother Sha no longer vocalized his anger with words, only with beastial ramblings. The black miasma dispersed and melted the snow around him. Black blood coagulated around his eyes and crusted around the opening of his ears. ¡°What now?¡± Cai asked urgently. His face an absolute mess, absolutely panting ¡ª chest heaving up and down. ¡°W-will, Senior Brother Sha be alright?¡± ¡°We have to wait. Keep holding him down. Let him exhaust himself,¡± Yun Leader Meng replied. Cai and Jang-Guo looked at their old friend, each the painting of uncertainty. After a long while, the red fairy placed her two palms on Senior Sha¡¯s head. And she shoved down with great force. The embedded needles popped out as a shockwave travelled from the top of Senior Sha¡¯s head to the earth. Senior Sha coughed blood ¡ª red blood ¡ª and then passed out. Sprinkling her lotus over Senior Sha, the ugly boy recovered. Despite the healing received, pain assaulted him ¡ª because his injuries surpassed the physical and harmed his soul as well. ¡°Yun Leader Meng, will my Senior Brother be ok?¡± Cai asked, seeing Sha awaken with his normal eyes and attitude. But then he and Sha turned bitter, frowning. Jang-Guo did not understand until he checked Sha¡¯s cultivation. ¡°He, he will still be able to cultivate,¡± the red fairy told them. With a regretful and pitying look, she added, ¡°A lost level ¡ª it¡¯s not that hard to recover.¡± But it was. At least for Senior Sha, it was as irrecoverable as a child. He and the two friends around him knew that. Not only was Senior Sha in a state of stagnation ¡ª Senior Brother Sha was already ten years old, soon to turn eleven in just a few months! How many years, no! months, did this leave Senior Sha? Not enough. Senior Sha was not a genius like Cai; nor did he have that special synergy of the twins; and clearly, as apparent by his god-given face, he was not lucky like Qiu¡¯yue either. Not knowing all of that, Yun Leader Meng smiled and left to join the girls. That smile was insulting. Condescending. Overflowing with bitter, venomous ridicule. It left Senior Sha crushed. Absolutely ruined. Hopeless, wallowing in despair. ¡°S,senior brother,¡± Cai began. He lifted his hand uncertainly, then lowered it. With not much to say, he patted his senior brother¡¯s back. That broad back which already showed the beginning of manhood. ¡°Senior Brother Sha,¡± Jang-Guo spoke to his senior brother politely. He helped Sha to his feet. ¡°You know me, I will never abandon my friends. Senior Brother Sha, we will get through this ¡ª you and I, we¡¯re invincible together; we¡¯ve gotten through so much. We can get through this.¡± ¡°Yeah, Senior Brother Sha,¡± Cai echoed. He lent his arm to Senior Brother Sha as well. He did not mind that his sleeves got wet from Senior Brother Sha burying his face into it. After all, what else was he able to do for him but offer him that one solace. As they made their way to the others, the girls saw their approach and leapt to their feet. Coming to meet them with worried eyes, Meili¡¯s and Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s innocent, big, youthful eyes shattered when they learned of Senior Brother Sha¡¯s misfortune. Senior Brother Sha was not the brightest. He was not the fastest or strongest. But he was still their Senior Brother. He cared for each and every one of them ¡ª whether it be with failed attempts at laughter or kindness, he cared for them. ¡°Senior Brother Sh ¡ª¡± Qiu¡¯yue began and reached out a hand to comfort her senior brother. Unexpectedly, filled with anger and loathing, the usual kind Senior Brother Sha lashed out and barked, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Then more quietly, and more painful, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me. Hehehe. I wouldn¡¯t want any of my misfortune to rub off on you geniuses! So, just leave me alone. Please, leave me.¡± He brushed away Jang-Guo and Cai. Lifelessly, he stumbled his way to his own little area, resting his head on his knees. Though hurt, Qiu¡¯yue held back her tears. Yun Leader Meng felt like scolding the Ugly Dwarf for hurting her little Qiu¡¯er¡¯s feelings ¡ª but as a cultivator, she understood the devastation the child must be going through. The two inner disciples who had encountered setbacks to their cultivation more than a few times felt uncomfortable. It may be difficult to regain lost time ¡ª but that ten-year old boy seemed as if he had been told he will die soon. ¡°Ahem,¡± the red fairy coughed. ¡°As I explained at the beginning, uh, today will be our last battle for some time. You three did well; surely, you will defeat Mr.Turtle here and Ms.Umbrella. No laughter, ok. Two major reasons why there will be no battles for some time. One, these two have been slacking in their contributions to the sect. They¡¯re going to go hunt for rare spirit beasts or bandit syndicates ¡ª or just gather a lot of herbs. And two, the Black Pearl Spring Festival is coming up. So even if these two weren¡¯t such slackers, they would not come here to spar. Rather, they would be sparring with other inner sect members to get the chance to represent our Yue Yun Sect.¡± Hearing the words ¡°Black Pearl Sect¡±, Senior Sha¡¯s eyes lit up. The Black Pearl Sect, otherwise known as the Pill Empire, was a strange sort of sect. Rather than specializing in combat as was the case with most other sects, the Black Pearl Sect reflected everything that their name stood for: medicine and defense. They were a well-established and smartly-allied sect. Everyone wanted dan and pills, so no one dared to offend the Black Pearl Sect. Besides, their entire sect was akin to a large city ¡ª and just as difficult to siege. ¡°Is there a chance for me to attend also,¡± Senior Brother Sha asked. The red fairy looked over at me and slowly nodded. ¡°There will be a lottery system to decide eight other places besides the winner of the Inner Sect Tournament and the runner-up. We elders think it would be a good experience for those still in the outer sect. But, including the names of you children ¡ª especially little adorable Qiu¡¯er ¡ª should be acceptable.¡± Hearing that, the other children became excited and had shining eyes. But remembering the sheer size of the outer sect, the children were brought back to reality. It was not soul-crushing, but a nagging indifference masking a real burning desire to be chosen. The red fairy expected the same emotion ¡ª or a soul-crushing one ¡ª from the Ugly Dwarf, but she found a burning determination instead. That worried her. ¡°Of course, to ensure that people will be deterred from messing with the lottery until the drawing at the beginning of next month, there will be extreme punishment for those who are caught ¡ª death is a possibility. In addition, the lottery box will be kept in the Grand Halls under security by both me and the Yue Leader Dao.¡± Despite her words, the fire did not die in Senior Sha¡¯s eyes. The red fairy dismissed the Village of Lost Orphans. She and the inner disciples left. The other children tried to approach Senior Sha again. He smiled ¡ª though it was a terrifying sight ¡ª and the others felt relieved, particularly the youngest, Qiu¡¯yue. Senior Brother Sha apologized and returned to his lovable idiot self. He played and trained with the other children. However, after night fell and the others went to bed, Senior Sha changed back to a more bitter self. Leaving the flower of the Tree of Ten-Thousand Fire Blossoms, Senior Sha made his way to the old stone stairs. The boy pulled out the bottle which gave birth to illusions, he gave it the name Bottle of Hope. Senior Sha looked at his Bottle of Hope for a long while. Then, he looked at the steps in front of him leading up to the outer sect. He placed a hand on the vast pressure behind the first step. Gritting his teeth, he pushed against the incredible pressure. The entire weight of the world fell on him as he pushed himself through to the first step. It felt as if an entire ocean was overflowing his lungs or a fire raged in them ¡ª he felt unable to breathe at all. Collapsing, he continued to crawl, moving his heavy limbs forward ¡ª dragging his sack-like body forward. Forward, forward. Those were Senior Sha¡¯s thoughts; that word was a cultivator¡¯s mantra. Forward. The desperate ten-year old boy kept at it. Striving against pressure and fear to move forward. Senior Sha kept doing so until the sun began to come up. At that point, he turned himself around with a struggle. Grunting with each step. Sweat covered his entire body as he left the gigantic pressure which separated the outer sect ¡ª the true sect ¡ª from the Village of Lost Orphans. Breathing heavily, Senior Sha made his way back to the Tree. Then, the ten-years old boy proceeded to train his Soil-Ground Arts [Tudigong, a pun of sorts. Referencing an earth-digging god, but can also mean Soil-Ground Art]. Disappearing under the earth like it was water; reappearing at the other end of the clearing in an instant; decreasing the consumption and emission of qi as best as possible. The boy sought to make himself native to the earth underneath rather than the sky or light above. If he was to move forward, he must take his self-invented art to the next level. Then, Senior Sha sat underneath the Tree and proceeded to meditate until the others woke up ¡ª though at first, he decided not to, but he needed to do everything in his power to catch up. Senior Sha was not gifted or special like the other children; deep in his bones, he knew he was completely ordinary compared to even Qiu¡¯yue. So, he had to live alongside the border of death, of exhaustion, to move forward. Senior Sha repeated this every night after he finished his routine with the other children. Night after night, he would subject himself under excruciating pressure ¡ª and little by little, he climbed those long winding stone steps. However, such an intense schedule meant Senior Sha got little rest. It was inevitable for him to collapse while carrying supplies up the mountain. When he did collapse, the others made sure to take care of him. Particularly Jang-Guo, Cai, and Meili ¡ª the people who have been cared for when sick or injured by the senior brother, who have personally felt the magnanimous heart he possessed despite being weaker. Yet, as Senior Sha watched the others advance from the sidelines, he felt a crippling fear that threatened to consume all of him ¡ª and make him actually utterly useless, as if tossed aside like a side character and never mentioned ever again [throwing them genre-savvy shade, lol]. Meili and Jang-Guo enhanced their already amazing synergy now that Jang-Guo supplemented it with the Twelve Beastial Strikes, now that Meili was at the ninth stage. Cai was simply a genius, yet a hardworking one too. His dash became more and more incredible. And Qiu¡¯yue, the girl younger than him, less experienced of the world than him, became more incredible. Her amazing fortunes bestowed her a golden body, a mystical profound countering art, and even a legacy from the founder of their sect! Watching the others, so much younger, speed ahead from him, Senior Sha felt a suffocating loneliness. Literally, Qiu¡¯yue and Jang-Guo were able to fly up into the heavens using their swords. Knowing that, despite being overworked, Senior Sha kept at his routine. And something miraculous happened. It got easier. Despite being on the verge of collapse, the senior brother found a way to stand up! To get up and move forward like a man, on two strong and steady, unwavering legs. One step. Two step. A hundred steps up the stone stairs. Senior Sha looked at his feet, then behind at his conquered progress, and marveled at what he accomplished. He found himself able to breathe. He felt alive. Despite what should be killing him ¡ª the tyrannical pressure, the pain all over his body ¡ª he felt alive. Senior Sha still felt the pain hurting him, but it ¡ª it was like electricity, giving him new breath. Laughing genuinely for the first time in months, Senior Sha ran up the stairs like a child would. Like a normal child would, coming back from toiling in the fields, from school, but always to a warmer place. Of course, he caught himself before the outer sect caught him. Senior Sha smiled with tears in his eyes at his success after nights and nights of subjugating himself to this madness. Then he ran back down to perfect his Soil-Ground Arts. Yet, as soon as he left the crushing pressure of the outer sect, he felt dead again ¡ª crushed by his exhaustion. Senior Sha stepped back through the pressure. He felt alive again. Though he found it peculiar, he did not complain. Thus, he cultivated and practiced his Soil-Ground Arts under the crushing pressure of the outer sect. It was at that point that Senior Sha discovered another obstacle. Stone. And then he realized, surely the Grand Halls would be layered with stone, not soil. Gritting his teeth, the fires burned even brighter in his eyes. The young cultivator has already come this far, he was prepared to go even farther. Thus, he smashed his head against the stone. Again and again and again. He did this every night, until finally, instead of hurting himself like an idiot, his head submerged into the stone instead. Finally, a few days before the drawing, Senior Sha stood outside the entrance to the outer sect pavilion to scout out the situation. Author''s Note: Focusing a lot on Senior Sha, but Qiu''yue, our beloved main character, will return to the foreground. Especially next chapter -- outrageous things are coming. But Senior Sha is such an interesting character. He literally embodies the useless friend that every xianxia comes across -- except he is given proper development time (not that Li Fugui from ISSTH isn''t the best best friend of xianxia protags). But honestly, he was never supposed to have such a big part in the original outline, yet he''s now integral to the pill deconstruction. That''s why I love writing; everything is given life. As always, thanks for reading. I should change this to Author''s Ramblings : p Cutting Off Ones Hand to Feed Ones Mouth Senior Sha bunny-hopped in front of the entrance to the outer sect pavilion. He stretched and gyrated his hips. Breathing in strongly, holding the breath until his face turned blue before exhaling, Senior Sha fanned himself. The boy clapped his palms together and pushed his buttocks out, facing the stone earth ¡ª then he squatted 100 hundred times. After squats came 50 lunges and 50 praising of the sun. Slapping himself ¡ª leaving a red mark ¡ª the young boy clutched his chest as the sheer weight of what he was about to do ¡ª needed to do ¡ª washed over him. But the thought of being left behind stilled his trembling arms. With bitterness creased all over his face, Senior Sha dove into the earth. Not knowing the layout of the outer sect at all, Senior Sha shimmied his body up so that his face partially ebbed through to the surface. Haunting the night with his ghost-face, Senior Sha rushed along the pavilion in search of the Grand Halls. Wandering the pavilion, Senior Sha came upon a cultivator pissing against a tree. Logically, this meant the cultivator also came upon Senior Sha. At first, the cultivator squinted at the odd bump in front of him. Then he started laughing ¡ª that awkward pulsating meandering laugh ¡ª before bolting away. He did not pull up his pants yet and tripped, slamming into the ground. Pulling up his pants, he fled on all four. ¡°A ghost! There¡¯s a ghost,¡± he screamed with tears. Those curious, or enraged, enough to peek out their bedroom doors threw their shoes at the frantic madman. ¡°The only thing otherworldly here is the Yellow River running down your leg!¡± Someone shouted before throwing a potted plant at the screaming man¡¯s head. The blue pot slammed into the man¡¯s forehead and promptly knocked him out. ¡°Hmph! Drunken bastard!¡± Senior Sha who heard the madman¡¯s words teared up. He said with sunken cheeks, ¡°I¡¯m not a ghost though.¡± Sulking, a lingering shadow over his brow, Senior Sha wandered the pavilion some more. Some of the cultivators decided to investigate the ¡°ghost¡± as they were unable to fall back to sleep. The screams of a ¡°ghost¡± reached the two division leaders guarding the entrance to the Grand Halls. Yue Leader Dao laughed as he brandished his sword. The silver blade trapped the elusive dancing of the torce next to him. ¡°As if mere ghosts can penetrate our protective charms!¡± Meng Yue flapped opened her fan and sighed. With slight wrist movements, she churned the torch beside her to erratic heights. ¡°Then it must be a stupid outer sect disciple trying to sneak into the Grand Halls.¡± ¡°The screams came from the opposite direction ¡ª nowhere near here,¡± Yue Leader Dao retorted, poking the air around Yun Leader Meng. ¡°Perhaps you are getting old ¡ª paranoid ¡ª dear Sister Meng.¡± Using her fan to divert the blade away from her, Meng Yue ran her hand through her hair. ¡°Yue Leader Dao, we have severed our kindred relations on that day ¡ª nor have you ever apologized. Never to me, nor to Little Sister Mo.¡± She gripped the blade with her other hand until blood filtered down the sword . Looking at Yue Leader Dao with sharp, narrowed eyes, she growled, ¡°If you ever do anything bad to Sect Master Mo, I will personally dig your grave. Never act familiar with me again, you Xiao Bai Lian [ Yay~ Another Chinese culture lesson! An insult translating to Little White Face. This insult is not a racist one. Rather it means the person is naive and feminine ¡ª like a eunuch for example. I.e. not a man in any sense at all. С°×Á³].¡± Yue Leader Dao wrested his blade back, causing a deeper cut in Yun Leader Meng¡¯s palm. Sneering, he smoothed his caterpillar brows, ¡°I will keep your words in mind, Yun Leader Meng.¡± ¡°I really hope the stupid disciple comes here soon,¡± Yun Leader Meng said as she fanned her face flushed red. Yue Leader Dao rolled his eyes and swung his sword about, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it was just another disciple gotten drunk from wine again.¡± ¡°Or it could be an entire conspiracy to distract our attention.¡± ¡°You should keep to your carefree, gentle image, Yun Leader Meng. I heard paranoia causes the yellowing of the skin to quicken.¡± ¡°Was that supposed to make me mad?¡± Meng Yue hid her smile behind her fan. Before Yun Leader Dao was able to supply a not-so-witty comeback, a group of disciples ran past the two division leaders. Realizing their mistake, they backtracked, scrambling over one another, to pay their respects. ¡°Junior disciple greet Yun Leader Meng and Yue Leader Dao,¡± blared their collective shouts. Rubbing his ears, Yue Leader Dao told them to stop. He asked, ¡°Why you all still up?¡± ¡°A ghost, Yue Leader Dao; we¡¯re going to exorcise it,¡± one of them chirped. ¡°Or is that ¡®ghost¡¯ a disciple in disguise trying to cheat the lottery?¡± Yun Leader Meng paced the immediate surrounding of the entrance. She dispersed her qi ¡ª chilling the already cool night air. Tiny snow crystals bloomed into existence, hung in the air like fireflies. ¡°See, Yun Leader Meng, you¡¯re worrying too much. There¡¯s no invisible person caught in your Snow Flower Bringing Spring Array. And now you¡¯ve gotten our fine, young disciples covered in frost ¡ª what if they catch a cold?¡± Yue Leader Dao stared at the group of disciples until they started sneezing and coughing. Stopping her use of qi, the air warmed. Yun Leader Meng smiled apologetically at the group of disciples. She warned the disciples to go back to their own rooms. Bowing, the disciples left. Senior Sha exhaled the breath he had been holding for a while. Immediately after, he laughed weakly, clutching his chest and whimpering. Those disciples had been chasing him without rest. Even though the disciples was unable to sense his qi at all, Senior Sha remained vulnerable to the martial arts the disciples executed blindly. At least he knew the general layout of the pavilion and where the Grand Halls were now. But as Senior Sha prepared to leave, he felt the death-glare of a goddess and froze. A perennial fear seized him ¡ª from the tiniest toe to the quivering heart thick with blood inside of him. It was not that oscillation and fluttering of the heart ¡ª no, that was anxiety, and anxiety can never compare with fear. Nor was it that petrification so often felt and confused with fear ¡ª no, that was doubt, the death of a part of one¡¯s soul; fear ravages the human spirit much more efficiently and severely. Fear was the seizure of the soul: one was chained by the knowledge of hope but also the inevitability of failure; one was seized but fear and left the acrimonious, brief respite in which one was able to act ¡ª yet, found unable to even blink, much less breathe. And Senior Sha felt this fear hurtle toward him in vast titanic waves, swallowing him whole, from a pair of eyes gone red. The moniker Scarlet Fairy of Dreams thrusted onto Yun Leader Meng Yue was partially derived from the fairy¡¯s wardrobe. But, the consummate radiance conjured by the red fairy¡¯s signature move: the Cycling Grief of Feng and Huang. The red fairy tossed her paper fan into the fire next to her. From her robes she retrieved a hand fan of crane feathers. She flung it into the air. Upon reaching the apex of its ascent, the feathers scattered and swirled in the air above. Crackling flames raged and soared up to greet the turbulence above. Melding with one another, the swirl of wind and burst of flames became a set of Wind-and-Fire Wheels, with the crane feathers being as sharp as honed steel. Flying back to Meng Yue, she caught them in her hands and leapt into the air, spinning. Floating down with the urgency of a meteor, she struck the earth in front of her. The stone-laid path rippled, followed by chasing flames, devouring the crevices in-between stones. The clashing tremors penetrated deep into the earth. Senior Sha felt his organs flatten into mud ¡ª that enclosed balloon rupturing with blood. He slammed his teeth and eyelids closed as blood swarmed up in his throat. Swallowing it down, he held back a silent gag from the gritty asperity of iron-copper. Meng Yue continued her war-dance above. The flames became great birds of prey ¡ª wings flapped against the wind ¡ª who swept the surroundings. Each thrust, each lift, and every gently laid step produced seismic palpitations, stabbing deep into Senior Sha¡¯s soul. And at the climax, the fire-birds and the Wind-and-Fire Wheels came together as one and dispersed into a storm of needles and stars. Completing her dance, with a flick of her hand, the fires died and the crane-feathers became a fan again in her hands. Meng Yue pocketed the fan back into her robe. ¡°Yun Leader Meng, do I need to inform the elders that you have gone addled in the brain?¡± Yue Leader Dao spat and readied his sword. ¡°Look at the crater you have made!¡± She fanned herself with another paper fan. Hiding her face, she responded, ¡°I thought I saw a rat. That¡¯s all. The reparation of the path can be punishment for the disciples who were wandering around earlier.¡± As the two division leaders engaged in meaningless talk, Senior Sha crawled through the earth, gasping as blood spilled from his mouth. With half-closed eyes, Sha somehow found his way back to the entrance to the outer sect pavilion. Breaking through to the surface, he flopped over and vomited. With paper-limbs, Sha crawled down the stone steps. Reaching the end, he positioned himself and meditated to hasten the healing of his body. Senior Sha found he was able to manage his qi much better under the oppressive aura of the outer sect. However, he remained at the 6th level of condensation. After recovering some, Senior Sha left the enclosure of the outer sect and walked back to the Tree. His face was white as lice and his entire body trembled like an unstopped gong. Yun Leader Meng knew it was him. But she did not have evidence ¡ª only suspicions, he told himself. If he doesn¡¯t get caught ¡ª he just has to not get caught. Nothing else mattered. A new plan, he told himself. He needed an appendix to his plans. Sha pulled out his Bottle of Hopes and kissed it with tears. Exhausted, Senior Sha skipped his usual cultivation and slept. On the eve of the lottery, Senior Sha was swimming through the earth. He arrived in front of the Grand Halls. It was time to execute his plan. First, he sent a small tremor from where he was toward the Grand Halls. Yue Leader Dao felt the insignificant tremor and moved to intercept it with his sword. Then controlling that tremor, Senior Sha sent the tremor off elsewhere. However, Yue Leader Dao refrained from chasing the tremor. Instead, he grunted and went back to his post alongside Yun Leader Meng. In addition, he gave the red fairy a pouch of coins. Extending the reception of his ears, Senior Sha eavesdropped on their conversation. ¡°Hmph, do you know who the rat is?¡± Yue Leade Dao asked. ¡°You realized there was one a few days ago.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Yun Leader Meng responded. She scanned the earth for any semblance of movement. ¡°As long as we stand guard here, we will be fine.¡± Senior Sha breathed out. His eyes narrowed into fierce slits; he foresaw this course of action ¡ª but he did not want to execute the next part of his plan. The more pressure Senior Sha felt, the stronger he became. At least, that was his logical conclusion after his weeks of training under the oppressive pressure of the outer sect. With his body as the epicenter, Senior Sha gathered all his qi and released it. A terrible trembling rocked the entire pavilion. Snow fell from the roofs; dust fluffed up into the air; the buildings danced, causing the shingles to crash down and lamps to topple over. The pavilion roared as it was set ablaze. A great clanging of gongs reached the division leaders¡¯ ears. The two division leaders looked at each other with alarm. Yue Leader Dao rushed to help put out the fire stirred by the continuous trembling of the earth, as well as check up on the less experienced disciples. Yun Leader Meng¡¯s face twisted into a harsh look of disappointment. Her eyes shined red ¡ª a raw maroon like flesh ¡ª and performed her Cycling Grief of Feng and Huang. She waited with readied weapons in both hands for the terrible scum to move. Senior Sha kept producing the rumbling until he felt the destruction and confusion to the pavilion was enough. He simply needed to rush into the Grand Halls and sprinkle some of the magical liquid over the paper slips in the lottery box. And then a thought came to him ¡ª was the lottery box even kept in the Grand Halls? Senior Sha slapped his brow. He must not doubt. It has to be in the Grand Halls. It has to be. He swam deeper into the earth and covered himself with the soil. He bolted for the Grand Halls. Yun Leader Meng spun and slammed her Wind-and-Fire Wheels onto the ground in front of her. A seismic rumbling clashed and blew through the lingering resonance from Senior Sha. The rumbling extended down into the ground and Senior Sha crashed into it and bounced back. ¡°Ugly Dwarf,¡± the red fairy said quietly. ¡°Leave now. I still need you to steal back my fan ¡ª if you are caught, I will not be able to protect you.¡± Gritting his teeth, Senior Sha rushed for the Grand Halls once more. Closing her eyes with a harsh sigh, Meng Yue plunged her weapons into the ground and whipped her arms up in a flourish. A rift carved opened, the flames from the Wind-and-Fire wheels rushed through the rift. Senior Sha braced himself and with great strain, bursted through the flames and the seismic rebound to enter the foundation of the Grand Halls. Not missing a beat, Yun Leader Meng rushed into the Grand Halls as well. She caught the sight of a silhouette tampering with the locked chest. The figure plunged his hand into the chest as if the laws of matter meant little to him. Then the figure disappeared completely ¡ª even Yun Leader Meng became unable to sense his qi. Sighing, she walked over to the chest. She deliberated on whether to report the incident. Playing with one of her hair ornaments, she decided not to do anything. She needed the boy. And it was shameful of her to let the boy get past her in the first place. Besides, everyone knew the transparency of the lottery: kept in the Grand Halls, guarded by the two division leaders. To report the incident meant preparing a new box. And the people will not be satisfied by the results no matter what. The already rampant internal strife will deepen ¡ª and Meng Yue was not yet prepared for war. With this, worst comes to worst, the sect has a scapegoat readied to be tossed to the flames: an orphan with allegiance to no one ¡ª a throw-away side character. On the day of the drawing, the Village of Lost Orphans was fetched by Da Gui and Gui Fa. The two were not the representatives for the inner sect. They handed the children a special talisman to reduce the oppressive air of the outer sect. With little space to showcase the majesty of the outer sect, the children were led quickly to the Grand Halls. The Yue Division stood at one side, and the Yun Division the other side. The inner sect disciples occupied the inner sanctions of the halls with the least valued outer sect disciples trailing the crowd. The children belonged to neither division and so gathered at the doors off to the side. Everyone bowed as Sect Master Mo entered the Grand Halls. Qiu¡¯yue lifted her head slightly, trying to catch a sight of the fairy who gave her this new life. Sect Master Mo noticed this and frowned, but gave no other inclination toward the girl and sat on her throne. The mass of disciples rose. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°Today, we honor the strength and cunning of our sect,¡± Sect Master Mo announced with regal dignity. Her chin held so high, the crowd replaced her chin as her eyes. ¡°These two disciples have been both blessed with skill and the perseverance befitting to represent us in the Black Pearl Spring Festival.¡± The crowd applauded and laughed as one disciple stepped forward from both divisions. The Yue Division disciple was a handsome man possessed of a slender frame, yet exuding both arrogance and elegance. All the orphans except for Qiu¡¯yue tensed up. None of them realized until Qiu¡¯yue complained about the force Meili and Jang-Guo exerted on her hands. Cai pointed at that Yue Division disciple and told her that he was the one who killed the man he respected most. Qin Kuai walked up to the throne and kneeled at its steps. Beside him was the Yun Division disciple, a man with a goofy smile and moppy hair ¡ª the runner up to Qin Kuai. Sect Master Mo addressed Qin Kuai first. She stepped forward and tapped his shoulder with her sword, ¡°As the winner of our tournament, Qin Kuai, be certain to claim glory for our Yue Yun Sect. Be sure to come back wiser, stronger, and more understanding of the world and oneself.¡± Then Sect Master Mo turned to the happy Yun disciple and tapped him on the shoulder with her sword, ¡°And Gai¡¯zhi, though you lost against Qin Kuai, do not think yourself less. It was a good fight ¡ª one which shall inspire your fellow cultivators to strive to become worthy of their arts.¡± With that the two representatives returned to their respective divisions. Gai¡¯zhi received the jubilant crowd with shy nods and a smile. Qin Kuai smirked and held out a palm to the encroaching mass of admiration. ¡°I hate that guy,¡± Jang-Guo muttered. ¡°Mm, Qiu¡¯yue hate him too,¡± Qiu¡¯yue agreed after witnessing Qin Kuai¡¯s treatment of his admirers. ¡°Papa always told me to treat people well.¡± With the ceremony completed, Sect Master Mo signalled for the lottery chest to come to her. She shattered the lock with her sword. And then she proceeded to pull out eight paper slips. Sect Master Mo raised an eyebrow and flicked her eyes at the orphans gathered near the entrance. Yun Leader Meng saw the sect master¡¯s actions and closed her eyes and fanned herself. ¡°I will now read the slips chosen ¡ª surely by the Way ¡ª and they will also attend the Black Pearl Spring Festival,¡± Sect Master Mo announced. Her grip on the pieces of paper was strong, crumpling them. Her eyes pierced the crowd with unforgiving righteousness. ¡°Gu Jin. Long Yong. Yaohua Xiu. And by some miracle: Qiu¡¯yue, Cai, Tang Jang-Guo, Tang Meili, and Sha.¡± At first, the crowd, beside Meng Yue and Qin Kuai, did not understand why the last five names called was attributed to a miracle. Then, the crowd realized, the last five names all were technically outsiders. This realization made the crowd boil with anger. The angry shouts and stomping of a crowd of more than hundreds of people rattled the foundation of the Grand Halls even. ¡°This is clearly the work of a cheat!¡± One elder exclaimed as she shook her staff in the air. ¡°An even more outrageous outcome than if the Yun division had cheated!¡± Another elder shouted as he brandished his blade. ¡°You mean the Yue Division!¡± Someone yelled as he also brandished his own weapon. ¡°Silence,¡± Sect Master Mo said. She did not scream. She did not even raise her voice. Rather, her ice-still face lost some of its luster as faint grooves appeared. With a limp wave, she silenced everyone. ¡°Without a doubt, the lottery had been tampered with. Yun Leader Meng! Yue Leader Dao! Report!¡± The two division leaders flew out from the sides and knelt in front of the throne. ¡°Sect Master Mo, I was assisting in the fire crisis last night.¡± With a furtive glance over at Yun Leader Meng, he finished with a sly smile, ¡°I can offer no more. Only Yun Leader Meng truly knows what happened.¡± All eyes layered on the red fairy ¡ª all eyes, except for the orphans by the entrance. Senior Sha kept his eyes low, at the ground. He pretended the questioning stares of the others did not exist ¡ª especially not the wide eyes of Qiu¡¯yue whose eyes he was unable to flee. Holding back a breath, Yun Leader Meng raised her head to face the sect master. ¡°I have no evidence ¡ª nothing concrete ¡ª but the culprit is most likely the boy called Sha. I was unable to get a good look at the person who did tamper with the box since he covered himself in soil from head to toe. But the martial art of travelling under the earth is very similar to Sha¡¯s.¡± ¡°Why did you not report this incident before?¡± Sect Master Mo asked as she massaged her eyes. ¡°The chest was locked ¡ª I did not believe he had tampered with the chest.¡± ¡°Or you are conspiring with the boy,¡± Yue Leader Dao accused. This statement caused murmur to ripple through the crowd. ¡°Silence,¡± Sect Master Mo commanded as she slumped back into her throne. ¡°Regardless, we have our culprits. Drag them up here.¡± ¡°Culprits,¡± the children gasped in unison. The disciples surrounded them and dragged them to the front. ¡°What do you have to say?¡± Sect Master Mo asked and looked at Sha who would not look back. ¡°Not even an apology?¡± Qiu¡¯yue leapt to her feet with a stomp. Biting her lips, she turned to face the crowd and shouted with tears, ¡°Senior Sha did nothing wrong!¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Guang-ling murmured in surprise. He was the only tame reaction in the crowd. The others hurled insults and death-threats at the girl. ¡°Little girl, you are the one who costed us the favor of the Empire, are you not?¡± Yue Division Dao remarked and pointed his finger at her. Qiu¡¯yue was confused, but Yue Division Dao continued. He presented himself to the crowd and reiterated his claims loudly, ¡°This girl is the one who costed us the favor of the Empire! She is the daughter of traitors to the Emperor ¡ª may He live a thousand thousand years. Foolish to trust her words!¡± ¡°But Senior Sha didn¡¯t do anything!¡± Qiu¡¯yue continued despite the raucous. Even after the crowd started throwing stuff at her, she continued speaking. She even stood in front of the kneeling Senior Sha. ¡°Senior Sha is kind and generous! He¡¯s a good person! He didn¡¯t cheat!¡± Qiu¡¯yue kept crying those words. The others looked at each other and joined their voices in with hers as well. ¡°Stop it,¡± Sect Master Mo commanded. The voices died down and the throwing of stuff halted. She closed her eyes and said, ¡°The evidence all points to the boy ¡ª and by extension the rest of you.¡± ¡°No!¡± Qiu¡¯yue shouted. To the surprise of everyone, she even marched up the stairs to the throne. ¡°That idiot,¡± Cai cursed. ¡°Now¡¯s not the time to be spoiled.¡± Then, the little girl kowtowed to Sect Master Mo. ¡°Senior Brother Sha did not cheat.¡± The sect master rose from her throne and stepped on the girl¡¯s head. She pushed the girl¡¯s head deeper into the ground. She looked down at the girl who tried not to let her tears out. ¡°Do you think baseless compassion surpasses justice?¡± ¡°Senior Sha did not cheat,¡± Qiu¡¯yue grunted those few words out. She cried out as Sect Master Mo stepped on her back next. Yue Leader Dao hid his smile. Having come to a decision, Yun Leader Meng stepped forward and kowtowed as well. ¡°Please, Sect Master Mo, excuse the transgressions of the young and foolish,¡± Yun Leader Meng begged. The crowd went into another uproar. ¡°She was part of the conspiracy!¡± Someone shouted. ¡°Hmph, the Yun Division will always be filled with unruly scum,¡± someone laughed bitterly. ¡°Death! Death! Death!¡± The Yue Division began to chant. The Yun Division remained silent ¡ª as their own division leader were protecting the dishonorable cheats. ¡°To kill children is not part of my ideology,¡± Sect Master Mo said cooly and silenced the crowd as her qi seeped out of her. Mo Yun removed her foot from Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s body. Frost appeared all over the red pillars and Mo Yun readied her sword. ¡°Qiu¡¯yue, why are you so certain of Sha¡¯s innocence.¡± ¡°Because Senior Sha is always so nice and so kind and ¡ª¡± ¡°Then why did he only care about himself when cheating the lottery?¡± Sect Master Mo interrupted. She ran her finger over her blade and pointed it at Sha who remained kneeling, avoiding everyone¡¯s stares. The orphans and everyone else, including Meng Yue, stared at Sect Master Mo with wide eyes. Qiu¡¯yue glanced back and forth between Sha and Sect Master Mo. ¡°Tell me, why did such a kind and nice senior brother only somehow tamper with one of the slip? Every other slip was untampered. It truly was a genuine miracle that the other names appeared. There was no trickery in that, only Fate.¡± ¡°Senior Brother Sha?¡± Cai looked at the older boy with trembling hands. Jang-Guo and Meili found themselves even unable to look at the senior brother. ¡°Senior Sha...he¡¯s...he¡¯s,¡± Qiu¡¯yue struggled to form words ¡ª any coherent thought. She slumped back and glanced at Senior Sha who still would not meet the girl¡¯s looks. ¡°And Sha, you believe some cheap illusion would get by the master of this sect? You think something as stupid as manufactured illusion can escape the eyes of someone at the Earth cultivation stage ¡ª almost the Star cultivation stage? The paper actually reads Han Yu, not Sha.¡± Sha finally looked at Sect Master Mo but did not say anything. ¡°Hereby, as the sect master, I shall crip ¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± Qiu¡¯yue cried and clung her hands around Sect Master Mo¡¯s arm. ¡°Senior Sha just made a mistake. Please, don¡¯t. Please, please, please.¡± Sect Master Mo shook the girl from her arm. She poked the girl¡¯s shoulder with her blade, ¡°Why do you care so much about someone who almost caused you to be exiled? Someone who betrayed you.¡± ¡°Because Senior Brother Sha cares for all of us; he really does,¡± Qiu¡¯yue asserted with trembling fists. ¡°He always asks about our days and training and everything!¡± ¡°A kind criminal is a criminal, nonetheless,¡± Yue Leader Dao said with disdain. ¡°And this criminal did not even steal to feed his family ¡ª but his selfish stomach.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong!¡± Qiu¡¯yue shouted. ¡°Move,¡± Sect Master Mo commanded. She directed all her killing intent and all her qi at the girl. Struck by the aura of death, Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s eyes changed for a split second ¡ª but Mo Yun saw. It reminded her of that fox, and it only served to enrage her further. Unable to bear the brunt of the force, Qiu¡¯yue coughed up blood and collapsed. Still Qiu¡¯yue refused to step down, dragging herself to cling to Mo Yun¡¯s ankles, she pleaded, ¡°Don¡¯t, please, Sect Master. I¡¯ll do anything. He¡¯s the older brother I never had.¡± The crowd was unable to quite decide how to react. The Yue Division followed the tirade of its division leader and began to act up again. The Yun Division glanced at each other and sighed. A young man stepped forward from the Yun Division. He bowed with clasped fists. ¡°This junior is Han Yu. This junior greets Sect Master Mo. Please, I am unable to watch this any further. I am moved by the young girl¡¯s compassion. Please, Sect Master Mo, allow me to relinquish my spot ¡ª for, even though the boy cheated, that may be Fate.¡± That was the final straw. The entire Yue Division exploded. ¡°What a farce! A joke!¡± Yue Leader Dao exclaimed. ¡°This is not the first time such blatant favoritism has been tolerated! First the girl, and now this boy!¡± ¡°Silence!¡± Sect Master Mo finally screamed. She threw her sword forward. As it struck the ground, the entire floor froze ¡ª and everyone felt the ice sap away their strength. Sinking onto their knees, everyone looked at the sect master. Mo Yun ran her eyes over everyone. ¡°Fine! Since Han Yu himself relinquishes the spot, I will allow the boy the spot. But a crime deserves punishment. Boy, pick up that sword and cut off your own left hand!¡± Qiu¡¯yue wanted to say more, but stopped herself. Even though she was young, she knew that she had done all she was able to. The girl turned her attention to the senior brother. Sha slunk over to the sword and picked it up. Feeling the weight of it in his small hands, he inspected his disheveled reflection. Closing his eyes, he held the sword over his left hand and hacked away at the wrist. With a burning scream, he made a deep trench at the wrist. The pain caused him to faint for a short second as everything went white and he dropped the sword. With heaving chest and shaking hand, he picked the sword again and clenched it tight. With another scream, he hacked at the bone further. Blood spluttered out and painted the floor around him. Qiu¡¯yue looked away from the sight with close eyes. The others ¡ª Cai and the twins ¡ª watched Sha as he did it. The senior brother felt their piercing stares ¡ª he truly had done them wrong. He knew how important the sect and martial arts were to each of their goals ¡ª and he almost costed all of that for them, people he could call family. Sha hacked at the bone again, but the sword caught when he tried to bring it back up. With a fierce twisting, he wrenched the blade through the flesh. Paled, the boy brought the last strike with all his strength, and he severed his hand from his wrist. The shaking left hand flopped onto the ground. Sha placed the blade gingerly next to him with trembling motion. He tore off cloth from his collar with his teeth, and he wrapped the strip of fabric around his stub. Then, he bowed to everyone, and left limping sluggishly. Sect Master Mo swallowed her saliva and picked up her sword. She dispersed the crowd. After witnessing such an act, no one truly desired to contest the results of the lottery anymore. Han Yu nodded at the orphans before he followed his division out the doors. Qiu¡¯yue went back to Cai and the twins and offered a weak smile. Meili responded with a forced smile of her own ¡ª one which obviously tore at her soul. The boys glanced at her and then sighed. And it was with these difficult emotions that the ten Yue Yun Sect people departed from the Yue Yun Mountains. Author''s Note: Late Upload today. Talking about Wednesday. Probably won''t be able to upload today''s actual chapter. I never like uploading work that I''m not happy with -- and I was not happy with the first half of this chapter, so I spent time rewriting it plenty. Anyways, finally gonna turn the focus back to Qiu''yue because that''s the main character. Falling outs are always fun to write. How will Qiu''yue react with the tension now surrounding the group? Hmm, kukuku. Road to Black Pearl Sect Part 1 Author''s Note: Sorry for the late upload, and also not upload, and all that. Did you have a good Fourth of July? Eat good food? Fireworks exploded in your face? Cool. To my non-American readers, I bet Monday still sucked, and I''m sorry. Was really hard writing this chapter...cause it was a large scale battle, and that''s hard -- too many factors. Had to split it off into two parts...so I can actually think. Anyways, as always, thanks for reading. The light of the stars ¡ª pale dew ¡ª seeped into the cracks sheared across the Buddha statues lined along the stone steps of the Yue Yun Mountains. Snow and frost veiled their closed eyes as the frozen ice further chipped at their shoulders bare. Yue Leader Dao walked down past the legion of Buddha statues. He walked down the steps in quick, small steps, but his face was drawn up in an anticipating smile. Leaving the sanctuary of his sect, Yue Leader Dao¡¯s eyes waned and he brought out a bell from inside his robes. Headed north in large strides, with each step he rung his little silver handbell. The reverberation echoed out and obscured his presence. Once the Yue Yun Mountains disappeared into the horizons, Yue Leader Dao stowed away his bell and whistled. As he whistled, he drew blood from his fingers with his teeth. A tourbillion of cool water droplets, lingering oscillation of chimes, and the sharp scent of night carrying mellifluous incense and bitter soil gathered around the cultivator. He unsheathed his silver blade, holding out the sword to catch the drizzle of starlight. The communion of light, sound, and scent caressed and kissed the blade ¡ª parting with black burns and blue tears. Yue Leader Dao painted the final strokes with blood. And the silver blade revealed its true form: a glittering artifact fashioned from ice and star-dew, bound by blood and the very essence of the night; one side illustrated with the sun, the moon, and stars; the other side was simply black as shadow. Yue Leader Dao swung his sword elegantly, rowing his blade outwards. A crisp slice emerged, and trees beside him fell with a dull thud. Taking on an air of solemnity, Yue Leader Dao smiled with heavy cheeks. ¡°Qi Xing Long [Seven Stars Dragon], I will have to rely on you again,¡± he said and swiftly dashed forward, cutting at the snow-ladened earth with precision rivaling a skilled calligrapher ¡ª erratic and bold, unrestrained by either gravity or air. As he sliced at the earth, the wind coiled around him, becoming his armor, his lover. The very open cracked open, filtering out golden shadows: dragon-lines, through which the earth¡¯s energy flowed through. Finishing his sword-dance which churned up the earth as butterflies stirred the wind, Yue Leader Dao exchanged his robes for common clothing. He also donned a wooden mask, with only holes for the eyes and nothing else. Then the golden shadows streamed out from the unfathomable crevices swallowed him and the man was gone. Using the dragon-lines, Yue Leader Dao travelled to a nearby city, Taiyuan. He promptly slit the throats of the few loitering beggars caught sight of his appearance. No one will miss them, he thought to himself and stepped on their boiled-ridden, scraggy bodies. Their tattered cloths will be salvaged, and that will be there unceremonious delivery into the afterlife. Grimly chuckling at the fate of the weak, Yue Leader Dao stepped into the city streets well-lit by lanterns and torches. ¡°My, handsome man, looking for some company?¡± The madam of a brothel solicited as Yue Leader Dao walked by. He released a bit of his qi and the plump madam squealed, quickly retreating back inside. The other passersby fell down and spat out blood. Yue Leader Dao smiled like a hyena and ventured into the brothel regardless. Despite the mask shielding his face, the man can¡¯t but help groan. Walking into a brothel was to risk the annihilation of one¡¯s sense of smell. The concoction of perfumes cumulated into thick clouds. Smoke from incense obscured one¡¯s eyes as well. And the unforgettable musk of crow¡¯s piece bombarded the crowd without pause. Yue Leader Dao scoffed at the establishment. It was filthy, without class, and reeking of death. A place of only carnal pleasure, nothing else. There was no poetry, music, or debate of the learned mind. Only the flow of influence for obedience. He loved places like this. Pushing aside prostitutes with depressed cheeks, Yue Leader Dao shouldered his way up the stairs to the third floor reserved for the most valued customers. He called out for his contact. There came a knocking from a private room at the end of the halls. Ten people occupied the room. One was a man with needles stuck all over his body along with these special cylinders. These wooden cylinders contained various herbs and were heated up, then suctioned onto the person¡¯s back. His bloodshot eyes stared at the newcomer. Reclining on his seat, he raised a finger as he finished up his business with the nine entertainers he paid for. Yue Leader Dao drank tea as he waited. ¡°Are you the one with the request?¡± The man bellowed out as he pulled his pants up. Yue Leader Dao showed his bare back to the man. ¡°A scar in the shape of a lotus flower, and you radiate power. Very nice,¡± the man replied as he grunted. All the needles and cylinders popped off of his body. He finished dressing and pulled out a pipe. ¡°So, Gentleman Mi, what do you need of me and my band of tiger brothers?¡± Leaning forward, Yue Leader Dao spoke simply, ¡°The road leading to the Black Pearl Sect, come the next few days, I want you to kill some people travelling that path.¡± ¡°Assassination of high-profile figures is not what we do,¡± the man inhaled with a moan. Coughing, he laughed. ¡°Man, this is the good life. But yeah, assassinations are too risky. Getting caught up in intrigue is too messy for my brothers.¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Yue Leader Dao responded. ¡°You just need to kill a group of children. Not a single one of them older than ten. You can also sell them into slavery if that works better. I just want you to make sure they can never return from where they came from.¡± ¡°Children,¡± the man said with a drawl. ¡°That¡¯s sick. Why don¡¯t you do it yourself?¡± ¡°My good brother, then there would be no need for people like you if I do it myself,¡± Yue Leader Dao replied, injecting killing intent into his words. ¡°Calm down, Gentlemen Mi. Our policy is never ask, never tell,¡± the man replied and played with the wisps of smoke condensing around him. ¡°So what level of security?¡± ¡°Two men at the cultivation of the first stage of petrification. One of the man wields a sword ¡ª you must not harm that young man. If harm befalls him, I shall hunt down each and every one of your brother. I will make clothing with their flesh. Do you understand,¡± Yue Leader Dao asked, lifting his mask slightly to make sure the other man can see his smile. ¡°And the other young man?¡± ¡°Kill him if you want. Actually, I will award you a bonus if you do slay him. There will also be three other people older than the children, but I do not care what will happen to them either. Those three and the children will not exceed the first stage of consolidation of qi. Finally, there will be two escorts, each at the first stage of soul-severing. I do not wish for the escorts to be harmed, but if you must harm them ¡ª then do so.¡± The man leaned back and exhaled smoke from his nose. Lifting up the jug of wine, he smashed it over his head. ¡°Ah, what good wine,¡± he rejoiced, licking his lips. ¡°Consider it done, Gentleman Mi. If they are only at the stage of soul-severing, they will not be a match for me and my brothers. Please, contact me and my tiger brothers if any trouble arises in the future.¡± Yue Leader Dao stood up and left. Returning to the alley, he found the dead beggars stripped naked. Slicing at the ground, he reopened the dragon-lines and returned home. Whistling to himself, his caterpillar-brows wiggling in joy, Yue Leader Dao drifted up the stone steps. From nearby, the red fairy furrowed her brows. Resting her fan on her chin, she asked herself, ¡°Should I report this to Sect Master Mo? Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Wah, Big Sister Meili, look at the pretty flowers,¡± Qiu¡¯yue shouted, pointing at a patch of red blossoms growing off the side of a cliff. Meili smiled and stroked Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s hair. Qiu¡¯yue looked at the other¡¯s for any response. Cai was meditating as always. Jang-Guo grunted with a nod. Senior Sha, he was off in the corner of the carriage, meditating. But every so often, he would emerge with sweat, clutching at his stump. Sighing, Qiu¡¯yue leaned her head against Meili¡¯s shoulder. This awkward mood had been going on for three days now. Qiu¡¯yue had run out of things to talk about. Everyone simply did their own thing: often, this meant staring into nothing, and occasionally at the window. The young girl sighed and patted her chest. She has long accepted the people around her as family, but the people around her has ceased to even speak to each other. ¡°Hey, Tang-ge, people are complicated,¡± she remarked. Then she turned to her blood sister, ¡°Big Sister Meili, why can¡¯t people just get along?¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± Jang-Guo shouted and slammed his fist against the wall. Pulling back his fist, he rubbed his cheeks and repeated what he said. Meili closed her eyes and sighed heavily, her shoulders sunk like weights. She pulled Qiu¡¯yue closer. ¡°I don¡¯t know Mei-Mei. That¡¯s why I like you. You¡¯re still so young and simple and innocent.¡± Qiu¡¯yue didn¡¯t know what else to say. The carriage rolled along the road some more. Then it stopped. The elder handling the carriage, flipped open the thatch cover preserving the interior privacy. ¡°Listen up,¡± he grunted, ¡°I absolutely loathe you -- especially the Ugly Dwarf. However, you are still members of our sect, so listen up. Me and Grand Elder Wu has sensed a mass of killing intent surrounding us. All are at least of the consolidation stage; a mass of qi like the sun gathers on both sides of this passing.¡± ¡°What do you want us to do?¡± Cai asked and cracked his shoulder joints. ¡°Fight, of course,¡± the elder chuckled. ¡°I have a spare blade and a dagger. Who wants what?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take the blade,¡± Cai answered and received a iron sword. ¡°Senior Sha can take the dagger,¡± Meili said tersely. Senior Sha took the dagger with his one hand. ¡°Good, we are all armed and ready. They no doubt know we know they¡¯re up there on the cliffs, waiting to jump us.¡± The elder smacked the arse of the horse and the carriage sauntered forward once more. ¡°We do not have time to coordinate with the others. But don¡¯t just react to danger; act to become danger. You five are known to each other ¡ª I do not believe you cannot laid down tactics in an instant!¡± Without speaking, Senior Sha dove out of the carriage into the earth. The others shared a look; Cai reassured the others that Sha will be fine. Jang-Guo and Qiu¡¯yue positioned their flying swords to shoot out at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°Get ready to jump,¡± Senior Sha shouted, poking his head from the earth. His voice carried to both carriages, echoing against the two walls of the pass. The mercenaries stationed above the pass cursed and pushed boulders down the sides. Forced to go forward, the elders yelped with glee, and the horses bolted forward. Immediately after clearing the falling boulders, everyone leapt from the carriage and rolled. Those unfortunate horses continued forward, setting off explosives hidden underneath the snowy earth. Their front legs blown off, the two horses skidded forward into the minefield of death. Smoke engulfed the pass and the mercenaries above immediately leapt down with their swords glinting like primal eyes. Charging forth, the smoke dispersed, revealing fifty men occupying the width of the pass with swords swinging. Yet, in a single breath, those fifty men were sent flying by the two elders. Acting as vanguard, the two grand elders wielded their own martial arts. Grand Elder Wu struck furiously on the strings of his pipa [Chinese lute], thick vibrations imbued with qi bounded forward. With a collective shout, the fifty men neutralized the onslaught of qi vibrations. Having failed the first assault, the mercenaries pulled out bombs and ropes and talismans. They threw the bombs behind them to collapse the pass, closing off the singular path to safety. Then, attaching various talismans to the ropes, they threw them to lay out a formation. As the mercenaries took their time to set up their traps, the Yue Yun Sect people quickly surveyed the situation. They were trapped on all sides: boulders blocked off their retreat and mercenaries halted their advance; on either sides were steep cliffs with no steady hold, as the sides were composed of soil and slippery snow. Only Senior Sha could travel underneath the earth. And the sky was impossible for most of them ¡ª even if they took to the sky, they would be shot down without much difficulty. Twenty-five men each occupied the cliff-edge on both sides. In addition, observing the situation were five men, each at the soul-severing stage of qi cultivation. The leader was currently slouched over, smoking his crow¡¯s piece. A pair of twins with the physique and disposition of tigers guarded his sides with halberds. One man wielded a pair of steel clubs, the size of cantaloupes. The last man held a staff in his hands, frowning. ¡°Oi, boss, you sure you want to do this?¡± He asked. ¡°We¡¯ve kidnapped governors¡¯ daughters, pregnant wives, and more. What does killing children matter?¡± The leader responded as he refilled his pipe. ¡°Yea, Mu Song, you¡¯ve killed your own mother and sold your sister into a brothel; you really going to spout some bullcrap now?¡± The man holding the steel clubs responded. ¡°We all know it¡¯s cause Mu Song is a child lover,¡± one of the twins remarked as he picked at his ear wax. Blushing, Mu Song dropped the issue. ¡°Ay, boss,¡± the man holding the steel clubs said. ¡°Should we unleash the arrows now?¡± Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°Tian-Wei, there is no need to hurry. Let them get caught in our trap first,¡± the boss answered with a lazy smile. ¡°Then, the rest of us will pounce forward like tigers. Remember Song Jiang¡¯s poem, brothers, remember his words.¡± Down below, the grand elders shouted orders. ¡°Those bastards above are waiting for when we are weakened to send us off with arrows,¡± Grand Elder Yan cursed. ¡°And those bastards in front are just waiting for us to move forward. This is absolutely shitty.¡± ¡°There is no time to erect a good strategy. Grand Elder Yan will charge forward with his sword; I will act as auxiliary. You are cultivators, so act as you see best.¡± Dashing forward, Grand Elder Yan immediately stopped, becoming withered by the talismans. It was as if mountains weighed down on him, and his muscles bulged as he struggled to move forward. The moment he used qi to push forward, the talismans exploded. In the veneer of the smoke, the fifty mercenaries jumped forward. Each swallowed a pellet, and, in an instant, their meridians bulged as they leapt from the consolidation stage to the petrification stage. The fifty men divided into squads of ten. In each squad, they further divided themselves up into eight trigram pieces, with two men situated inside the formation. The two at the center bled qi into the eight guards surrounding them. Those five groups of ten plowed through, unaffected by the talismans laid down by them. ¡°Arrows! Ready, fire!¡± Tian-Wei shouted and the arrows came down like a plague of locusts, blocking out the sun. Whistling through the air, each fired precisely with the intent to kill, the three outer disciples sprung into action. As true disciples of the Yue Yun Sect, they have been taught the sect¡¯s basic arts and formations. ¡°Brothers! Peach Orchid Formation,¡± Long Yong yelled. Yaohua and Gu Jin jumped into action as well, surrounding the others in a triangular formation. Each wielding swords, each at equal distance from the center and each other, each used their sword to deflect the onslaught of arrows. As the fighting continued, the three kept rotating ever so slightly, such that their footsteps became grooves in the snow. In theory, this triangular formation allowed no blind spots and a quick response time to danger. Meili slipped under and through the formation and raised her palms at the shower of arrows. She was never one to go on the defense. Using her River Carving Fist, she spun and grabbed the arrows by their shafts. With a bunch in hand, she used them to deflect the other arrows, but also launch them back at their owners. Several of the arrows found their marks and lodged themselves in the shoulders ¡ª and even eyes or throat ¡ª of the mercenaries clad in tiger hide. Grand Elder Wu struck his pipa furiously, such that his fingers bled. Those vibrations sent at the fifty mercenaries were easily countered. As sonic booms approached, the mercenaries¡¯ eight trigram formation would intercept it. One squad with slice at it, then another squad took over to slice at it again; this method continued in quick succession until it was no more. The mercenaries used the same method against Grand Elder Yan. Grand Elder Yan was but one man ¡ª a strong man, but still one man. In addition, every time he used his qi, an explosion would occur. He fought against five squads of ten, each alternating like a spinning top. Whereas, Grand Elder Yan dealt ten strikes in one exchange, the enemy dealt a hundred back. However, there was a limit to boosting one¡¯s cultivation forcibly. Those bulging meridians showed signs of rupturing completely. Grand Elder Wu also directed an all-encompassing vibrational blow every so-often. The vibration erupted from him and caused explosions at the cliffs. Archers fell to their death, unprepared. Qiu¡¯yue and Jang-Guo directed their artifacts to take out the archers as well. As the battle continued, the tides naturally changed ¡ª from the high tide of onslaught to the diminishing will of low. Senior Sha using his Soil-Ground Arts snuck behind enemy lines. First, he ripped apart the various talismans, unopposed. Then he sliced, jabbed, and cut at the mercenaries¡¯ tendons. Unable to move, those mercenaries naturally fell. With any formation, if one falls, the entire formation collapses. As the mercenaries fell, those above, lept down with spears and swords and hammers raised to call upon death and thunder. Qin Kuai and Gai¡¯zhi leapt forward to assist Grand Elder Yan with their brilliant arts. With elegant swordplay, those who leapt forward met death at the hands of Qin Kuai. Gai¡¯zhi threw out a string of talismans and coins which promptly exploded and arced lightning all about. Cai understood that he was in no position to act. So he simply waited. ¡°Well, time for us to act, no?¡± The boss sighed as he took another puff from his pipe. All his men has fallen: either from the rupturing of meridians, the cutting of tendons, or simply from being impaled by the swords. However, at the same time, the Yue Yun Sect people were exhausted. In particular, Grand Elder Yan. He bore the brunt of that battle: arrows stuck out of his back and shoulders like antennae and burnt marks marred him like the face of the moon. At his words, his four generals slid off the side of the pass. Each radiated power and killing intent. Everyone got goosebumps. Qiu¡¯yue rubbed those odd little bumps and felt chills creep up on her back. ¡°Bonehead, you think we can get out of this alive?¡± Grand Elder Yan shouted as he moved in front of the group. ¡°Maybe they¡¯ll sell us into slavery...well, maybe only me. I still look very good,¡± Grand Elder Wu responded in an attempt to lighten up the mood. ¡°We are the Five Tiger Brothers,¡± Mu Song shouted, gesturing with his staff. ¡°We simply want the children ¡ª that is all.¡± ¡°I knew it, Mu Song¡¯s child loving has no boundary,¡± Tian-Wei clucked his tongue, shaking his head. ¡°Please, keep work and your personal affairs separate!¡± ¡°You think we will give up our own disciples?¡± Grand Elder Wu shouted with an angry strung of his pipa. Tian-Wei met the furious vibration with his steel clubs. An explosion occurred, but he did not move back. ¡°They dress in servant''s garb.¡± ¡°Hmph! Even so, the Yue Yun Sect is not so cowardly!¡± Grand Elder Yan rebuked. ¡°Then, this is your burial ground,¡± one of the twins grunted. ¡°Hmph, so what if it¡¯s five against ¡ª¡± Grand Elder Yan shouted but stopped. He and the others felt an enormous wave of qi emanate behind them. Thick smoke imbued with qi coiled around the corpses of a hundred men. Those whose tendons were not cut, stood back up. Those whose tendons were cut crawled forward, and that was scariest. Everyone traced the qi back to the boss lounging at the top of the cliff. The man was at the fifth stage of soul-severing ¡ª and his pungent qi engulfed the pass. ¡°Man, using all my strength is really tiring,¡± the boss yawned and moaned as his eyes squinted and became even more bloodshot. ¡°What the hell is your boss,¡± Grand Elder Wu barked. ¡°Such a filthy mystical art.¡± ¡°Do not insult our boss,¡± one of the twins snarled. ¡°He is a great man who brought us four brothers to a better life.¡± ¡°Then what about the corpses of your other brothers?¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Mu Song snorted. ¡°Merely slaves picked up from the black market. Not true brothers at all!¡± With that exchange finished, the four generals launched forward. As soon as they launched forward, the hundred corpses also struck. Grand Elder Wu smiled. With one mighty flick of his pipa, the entire pass rumbled. ¡°Don¡¯t think I was just playing around,¡± he laughed as he strung his instrument of destruction. An avalanche came forth and buried the corpses around them. The four generals were able to escape with minor injuries. A ring formed due to the collapse of the loose soil. ¡°Always have a backup plan!¡± ¡°So you weren¡¯t just sending out random vibrations,¡± Tian-Wei nodded in awe. ¡°But now you¡¯re trapped in here with us and the boss.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Hearing him being addressed, the boss groaned. ¡°I have to fight too? Oh, fine, fine.¡± He leapt down from his place, in front of his four brothers. ¡°Wait, he can fight too?¡± Grand Elder Yan grimaced. ¡°Aiyah, two against five. Old Bonehead, we are getting too old for this shit.¡± ¡°Beansprout, you¡¯re still only eighty years old; I¡¯m already one hundred and sixteen!¡± Grand Elder Wu sighed. ¡°The Black Pearl Sect is literally only moments from here. Disciples, get there safely; buy plenty of incense to burn for us!¡± Grand Elder Yan held his saber in both hands and swung. A great cleave wrecked the pile of earth blockading any hope of escape. The fierce blow also stalled the rush of the mercenaries. Grand Elder Wu strung his pipa, and the vibrations shielded the young cultivators from the impact of Grand Elder Yan¡¯s strike. Quickly, the young cultivators dashed out and away. The mercenaries tried to give chase, but the grand elders blocked them with one mighty sword slash and one burst of sound. Despite their efforts, the twins wielding halberds slipped past. Linking up their hands, the twins synergized their identical qi flow, becoming much stronger. Within breaths, the two tigers overtook their prey. A mighty sweep of their halberds and the children were blown away. Senior Sha shielded both Meili and Qiu¡¯yue with his own body, bearing the brunt of the pressure himself. Jang-Guo diverted the force best as he could using Ten Suns. Though being an amateur with swords, the process of doing so tore a ligament near the armpit. Cai escaped the majority of the impact by dashing. The two inner sect disciples protected the three outer sect disciples using their individual martial arts. The outer disciples fainted, not being used to facing opponents with cultivation so much higher. It was as if wading through a river of mud as it began to hail and shower meteors while the wind struck from all sides. And the fear of going through all that placed incredible strain on one¡¯s chest, tightening like a vice or grinding it like a grains mill. Simply, that sudden and intense stimulation popped Yaohua Xiu¡¯s heart, and he died. Deciding to use everything at his disposal, Qin Kuai grabbed the recently deceased Yaohua and tossed it at one of the twins. Gai¡¯zhi got serious and from his sleeves shot out a chains with a sharp dagger attached at the ends. Simultaneously, he threw out powder and a storm of talismans. Each twin with a single slash blew away all obstruction, scattering sound and light kilometers apart. ¡°You are at the petrification stage,¡± one of them boomed. ¡°We simply want the children.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Gai¡¯zhi snorted and stuck out his pinky. ¡°Don¡¯t look down on this little man! If we hand them over, there¡¯s no guarantee you won¡¯t kill us anyways! And what kind of man would I be if I just handed children over.¡± ¡°Tsk,¡± Qin Kuai clucked his tongue. He rolled his eyes and held out his blade. But then, with a cunning light in his narrowed eyes, he said, ¡°Gai¡¯zhi, the Black Pearl Sect cannot be far from here; it would be better if at least one of us survive. I am famed for my speed. Let me take them, and you hold them off.¡± Gai¡¯zhi stomped his feet. ¡°Oi, Qin Kuai! Aren¡¯t you taking this little man to be too big a buffoon? I may be the village idiot, but I am not your stupid fool!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think we can all get out of this alive, do you?¡± Qin Kuai smirked. He stuffed the two unconscious outer sect disciples into his bag of holding. ¡°Now, you are obliged to fight for me, scum.¡± And without missing a single step, Qin Kuai rushed away on his speedy legs, hair flowing behind like the remnants of autumn. He headed toward the Black Pearl Sect where he will surely be praised by the people as a hero for rescuing the two outer sect disciples. ¡°Boy, we offer this one last chance,¡± the twins roared. ¡°Even as mercenaries, we loathe men like him. He uses people well like a fox. We have no business with you, so you may leave -- go take your revenge. No one will blame you.¡± Gai¡¯zhi glanced back behind his shoulders at the children. None of them even twelve yet; not a single one of them were adults. Then he gave them a wry smile, bowed his head. ¡°Please, forgive my dishonesty in the afterlife,¡± Gai¡¯zhi looked away. Then he too fled. ¡°Smart man.¡± One of the twins laughed and flexed his arm. He looked at the children. ¡°Well, here¡¯s another choice.¡± ¡°We just want to kill the girl, that young one. You can all either die with her, or be sold into slavery.¡± Senior Sha stood up with trembling knees. Knocking at his thighs with his stump, he straightened up. He spat at the ground. ¡°Fuck you and your great-aunt¡¯s mom! These are my brothers and sisters!¡± "I rather be dead than be a slave," Cai growled and cracked his knuckles. The two tigers sneered. ¡°Anyone else? Hmph, everyone, ay? Oh, brats these days...all so eager to die.¡± Road to Black Pearl Sect Part 2 Author¡¯s Note: Sorry for lack of updates. My friend was supposed to update for me when I was gone. She messed up; lol. Anyways, I''m back from the woods. Pooped in a bag and hole. Learned a lot. As always, thanks for reading. Tell me if you think this chapter was well-planned or somewhat BS. I don¡¯t think it is, but who knows. Jang-Guo stepped forward. He held his hands up and commanded Ten Suns to rest upon the snow. Without facing the others, he said to the tiger twins, ¡°Can¡¯t you spare me and my sister? As a favor, twin to twin? I¡¯ll do anything.¡± ¡°Ge-ge, what are you saying?¡± Meili shouted with gaping mouth. She walked one step forward, but felt a smothering expulsion of killing intent from Jang-Guo. The younger sister took a few hurried steps backwards, almost stumbling over her long white hair. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Cai clenched his hands and glanced at Meili. She trembled and tears formed. Senior Sha stared at his stump, then looked at Jang-Guo with wide eyes and lips which struggled to take definite shape. Qiu¡¯yue went over to Meili¡¯s side and thought of how things turned out like this. With furrowed brows, she stroked Meili¡¯s back. ¡°Well, boss only said the girl was the most important target. Right, brother?¡± One of them said and rubbed his chin. ¡°Wait a minute, brother. This could simply be a trap.¡± Jang-Guo snorted and yelped. Instantly, Ten Suns bursted from the snow and shot backwards at Qiu¡¯yue. Gasping at the miniature sun charging for her head, Qiu¡¯yue flicked her wrist and Quiet Thoughts stormed forward to meet the challenge. Ten Suns carved a fiery path through the land, two surfs of snow on both sides evaporating into mist. A conjuration of ten suns emerged in the smoldering aftermath. These ten suns converged into one, linked up like lodestones, coursing like a golden dragon with the saber as its impeccable killing horn. Quiet Thoughts streaked forward, her thin blade a mirage of silver butterflies intertwined with ¡ª sipping on ¡ª the flurry of snow petals flourished from the sword¡¯s whirlwind of cuts. The blinding whiteness condensed into a single bulbous cage ¡ª anticipating of spring, contained an ocean of stars helmed by resplendent needle. ¡°Run!¡± Qiu¡¯yue shouted and punched the air in front of her, delivering the final stretch of the joust. Similarly, Jang-Guo rammed the space in front of him, throwing his waist like a lurching dragon. The gilded dragon smashed the bulb of swirling snow; a glaring cleave of light accompanied the sundering of the pastel sky. The cracking of whips echoed the chilled air ¡ª like thunder before the flash of steel bolts. Then, a brief silence: the cumulation of a collective held breath, followed by the sharp intake of desperate air as reality hammered on. Everything was blasted away. Though, if a passing farmer on his water ox or a carpenter on his way to haggle his wares saw the scene from afar, he would think, ¡°Ah, what a beautiful light. The divines and faeries must be dancing and drinking ¡ª while we freeze in the cold. How cruel!¡± At first, neither sides knew what exactly happened. The explosion began like the flickering ember of a paper lantern, a slight, simmering meniscus of light upon the shallow horizon. But the ember flared and it consumed, devoured, ravaged with the voracity of the dead ¡ª that faint flickering spark bloated up, and it floated heavenly upwards by the pocket of currents it produced. Reaching the zenith, the growing flare blossomed: casting golden shadows over the pale blue snow as light slashed at everyone¡¯s eyes, before everything ruptured and fell with a deafening howl after the silence of false calm. The roar of dragons and demons flooded everyone¡¯s ears. Thick billows of smoke, snow, and sparks lunged out like fleeing frogs and rabbits as the bulb of snow crumpled from the entanglement of beastial warlords. These refugees of the disaster, expunged in such quantity and mass, conquered the sky, before falling like a tsunami wave ¡ª crashing onto the pursuers, blinding them and choking them with the ill residue of ash and dust. A black scourge remained at ground zero, a watery halo around the terrible epicenter. The children were gone ¡ª save for the lingering trace of the qi used to escape. Jang-Guo coughed and fanned his eyes from the pungent fumes released by the massive collision of two fantastical swords. The twin tigers grunted and swung their halberds to clear the smoke. One of them grabbed Jang-Guo by the collar and breathed onto his face. ¡°Brat! You think we won¡¯t kill you? You think we won¡¯t make sure your pretty little sister get sold to some fat, old merchant? Hell, you think we don¡¯t have a child lover in our ranks, boy?¡± He hollered as indigo veins popped on his neck, almost like chains squeezing him, causing him to lose breath. Jang-Guo clambered onto one of the twin¡¯s legs with one of his arms. The other one was in perpetual oscillation due to the drastic use of Ten Suns. With tears streamed down his face, he cried, ¡°Please don¡¯t! As a twin, you also understand, right? Protecting your other half is the most important thing in life! I didn¡¯t cause that explosion on purpose. Please, don¡¯t sell Meili to a sexual deviant! Please!¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying you didn¡¯t cause what was basically a smoke bomb and an explosion on purpose?¡± The other twin laughed, then scowled. He slammed the flat side of his halberd onto Jang-Guo¡¯s back, causing him to spit blood. ¡°Do you think I was born yesterday, brat?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t! I didn¡¯t! You saw I poured all my strength into that blow ¡ª how can you think I planned that explosion? That explosion nearly killed all of us! Why would I do that at risk of my little sister? That magical saber of mine was a gift; I honestly don¡¯t know all its properties or capabilities,¡± Jang-Guo protested and wiped the blood from his mouth. He pounded his chest. ¡°I, Tang Jang-Guo, am a very honest and righteous man! I only want to protect my sister; please, don¡¯t sell her into the sex business.¡± ¡°A righteous man who betrayed his friends,¡± the twins clucked their tongues. ¡°Hmph, then are you willing to die to guarantee your sister¡¯s purity?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Jang-Guo responded with flinching from the two brothers¡¯ cold halberd covered in a thin layer of snow. He stared into the blackened depths of the twins¡¯ eyes, even pressing his neck deeper into the teeth of the halberds. ¡°There is nothing I won¡¯t do if it keeps my sister safe. You two understand that same bond, right? It¡¯s stronger than your loyalty to your boss, right?¡± The three shared a look. The twins pulled their halberds from the boy¡¯s neck. Jang-Guo stood up, only to receive a double kick to his chest. Cushioned by the snow, Jang-Guo felt only a slight inflammation near his chest. ¡°We do not trust you with your sword,¡± one of them growled. ¡°I am not a swordsman,¡± Jang-Guo responded with a scowl. ¡°Regardless, me and my brother will retain possession of the sword ¡ª and your life,¡± the other twin said quietly. The two tiger brothers marched over to the gleaming gold blade at the center of the blacken scourge. Jang-Guo staggered behind his superiors. ¡°Where did the other blade go?¡± One of them asked, picking up Ten Suns from the scorched earth. Then, he inspected the saber with his sharp, diamond eyes. ¡°And doesn¡¯t this sword of yours look different than before?¡± ¡°Maybe, the explosion completely destroyed Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s sword,¡± Jang-Guo offered after scanning the extent of the explosion. ¡°The explosion was pretty bad. Or she could have retrieved it immediately after the strike ¡ª it¡¯s thin enough to cut through the air unlike my saber. And my sword always looked like that.¡± ¡°Where are its serrated teeth, boy?¡± The man thrusted the sword out in front of Jang-Guo¡¯s eyes. ¡°And what¡¯s with the silver fuller?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean. It¡¯s always looked like that,¡± Jang-Guo asserted, scrunching up his face. ¡°Do you think I, Tang Jang-Guo, am a liar?¡± ¡°No, we think you are bald, both up here and down there,¡± the twins spat in unision. ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving. They¡¯re exhausted and are children. They¡¯re probably not far ahead.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll definitely not harm my sister, right?¡± Jang-Guo asked. He received two grunts. Grunting himself, the bald boy stumbled in line behind the two twins. The trio raced toward the naked forest dressed in powder snow off in the distance, laid sparse with evergreens puncture through earth high above. Behind the forest were mountains ¡ª and a city carved into it, from it, and out of it, stretched across base to apex, coiled as if a copper serpent around a diamond. Even at the fast speeds possessed by cultivators, it took the trio a little over an incense of time to reach the forest entrance. Partly due to the cumbersome sword one of the twins had to hold, impeding his movement. But also partly to reserve qi so as not to be caught off guard in case Black Pearl Sect members were in the forest. And also for the significant factor that their targets were only at the condensation stage ¡ª so as long as the tigers were a bit faster, prey cannot escape. ¡°How are you going to fight while holding my sword?¡± Jang-Guo asked, pointing with his one able hand. ¡°Hmph, as if we need full strength against brats still wet around their lips,¡± the twin holding the twin sneered. ¡°And my name is Zhima Shi, so address me by it.¡± ¡°My name is Zhima Bao.¡± The other twin added. ¡°Does it mean ¡ª¡± Jang-Guo began before being met with a terrifying glare. ¡°Yes, it means sesame bread. When the boss picked us up, he was hungry, ok?¡± Zhima Bao growled. Then he said quietly, ¡°I think it¡¯s a good name, because the boss gave it to us.¡± ¡°What about your boss?¡± Jang-Guo asked as they waded through the thick snow piled up in the forest. With every movement of the wind, some snow stuck in the branches fell like rain, causing everyone to brush away at the annoyance with a slight frown. ¡°Boss is boss. That¡¯s all you need to know,¡± Zhima Shi answered. ¡°Hmm, they¡¯re masking their qi pretty well despite being children. Still, that doesn¡¯t matter since they¡¯re going toward Black Pearl Sect ¡ª if they move in one direction, they have no place to hide.¡± ¡°But it certainly is impressive the level of qi control they possess,¡± Zhima Bao remarked. ¡°Of course, my sister is a genius,¡± Jang-Guo smiled and puffed his chest out. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ll protect her; she¡¯s my treasure.¡± Hearing that fierce declaration, the tiger twins eased up slightly. Instead of checking up on the boy every 3 steps, they checked him every 5, then 10. ¡°They¡¯re near.¡± Zhima Shi pointed in front with Ten Suns. ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll give chase. You wait here with the boy.¡± Speeding forth with a twisted smile, Zhima Shi arrived at a small clearing. Off in the distance was the mountain path to Black Pearl Sect on the horizon. However, the four pinpoints of qi felt suddenly condensed into one ¡ª coming straight at him from above. Zhima Shi smiled as the qi advanced onto him. How preposterous! Without even moving, he released his qi like a tiger¡¯s roar: he was the king of beasts. How can a child at the condensation stage overcome the soul-severance stage? His qi was denser, thicker, of higher quality ¡ª refined, even visible to the naked eye. The child¡¯s pitiful droplet of qi would simply be devoured by his virile roar. That was what was suppose to happen. But it didn¡¯t. As Zhima Shi¡¯s roar of qi jolted toward the child, he felt that singular qi point split into two again. One was thrusted toward the ground away from the onslaught of qi; the other one seemingly blinked across the surging wave of qi ¡ª entering Zhima Shi¡¯s personal sphere. Recognizing the force as a possible threat, Zhima Shi dropped Ten Suns to better wield his halberd. He swung his blade, but missed Cai¡¯s head by a slight margin. The mercenary¡¯s muscle memory did not factor in the fact that Cai has not hit his growth spurt yet ¡ª where a normal adult¡¯s chest was, Cai¡¯s head barely reached that. Instantly, Cai took hold of the dropped sword and dashed away. ¡°Shit,¡± the mercenary yelled and immediately gave chase. Cai was not running to the mountains but deeper into the forest. Zhima Shi carefully sent his qi out to scout the situation. The odd movements of qi from before worried him, where four became one then two. ¡°They aren¡¯t actually trying to fight, are they?¡± Catching up to Cai, Zhima Shi swung his halberd at his legs in a wide arc. Instead of dodging to the side, Cai twisted his body and jumped. Suddenly, the boy¡¯s queue struck Zhima Shi¡¯s nose, followed by the boy using the older man¡¯s head as a launch pad. In mid-flight, Cai screamed as Zhima Shi caught hold of his ankle. The tiger mercenary threw the boy onto the ground. The snow cushioned Cai¡¯s fall slightly. With skilled movements, Zhima Shi drew his halberd down onto the vulnerable boy¡¯s waist. Cai blocked with the golden saber. Though, the halberd was successfully blocked ¡ª Zhima Shi even moving back to stabilize his stance ¡ª Cai felt the full impact of the strike. The saber may be as still as a pond, but Cai¡¯s arms trembled like church bells.His bones were numbed to their marrow. ¡°Damn sword,¡± Zhima Shi cursed. He placed his halberd on Cai¡¯s neck. ¡°Call out your other friends. Oi, brats, your friend¡¯s going to get eaten! Aren¡¯t you going to save him? Cold friends, you have, brat.¡± ¡°They¡¯re all gone by now,¡± Cai laughed with coughs mixed in. ¡°Don¡¯t you find it odd how the qi points were moving? Four becoming one becoming two? You stupid oaf!¡± The mercenary stomped Cai¡¯s left thigh, grinding on it. Cai¡¯s face contorted as voiceless howls came from him. Foam gathered round his mouth as his eyes tightened in pain. Arching his back, his other leg twitched uncontrollably. ¡°Shit, guess I¡¯ll go report to brother,¡± Zhima Shi groaned and reached to grab Cai. ¡°Going to be a pain to sneak into the Black Pearl Sect¡¯s festival.¡± As Zhima Shi leaned to take hold of Cai¡¯s collar, he sensed qi erupt behind him. Cai smirked and shouted, ¡°Now!¡± Ten Suns exploded in a burst of light, and Quiet Thoughts shot forward. Honed by death, the mercenary was not so easy to be surprised. He lifted his halberd to block the incoming projectile. His weapon was easily shattered. Eyes widening, he jerked his head sideways. Screaming, Zhima Shi swung his headless halberd at Cai like a broom. Quiet Thoughts sliced the rest of the staff into pieces. The blade positioned itself onto the mercenary¡¯s neck. Qiu¡¯yue stepped out from behind a tree. She swallowed her anxiety and walked until ten steps separated him from her. ¡°I am going to retrieve my friend,¡± Qiu¡¯yue said loudly. ¡°Please, don¡¯t move. I don¡¯t want to kill you.¡± ¡°Kill me?¡± The tiger mercenary laughed. He clenched his hand around Quiet Thoughts and squeezed. No blood spilled. ¡°My hands have hardened that a blade with no skilled master cannot harm me. And that shit you brats pulled with the explosion required a lot of qi, right? I¡¯m going to kill this brat here. And there¡¯s nothing you can do to stop me.¡± ¡°You know, people who say that usually die,¡± a voice commented cheerfully from above. Without giving Zhima Shi a chance to turn his head upwards, Gai¡¯zhi snapped his fingers. The snow gained life and wrapped around Zhima Shi like scales, became ice and punctured through his qi barrier past skin into flesh. The snow became spikes and ice ruptured the man¡¯s back from the inside. Zhima Shi gave a final gasp, dilated pupils faced down at the innumerable protrusions from his chest. Wordless, the mercenary collapsed onto his knees as the spikes overtook him, grown ice flowers thick with thorns over his carcass. Gai¡¯zhi jumped down from his perch and hurried toward the two children. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you retained consciousness,¡± Gai¡¯zhi laughed as he pulled a talisman from his sleeves. He placed it over Cai¡¯s leg. ¡°This will relieve some of your pain by cutting off your senses. Still, we must hurry ¡ª it would be problematic if frostbite sets in.¡± ¡°Senior Brother Gai¡¯zhi, your plan worked,¡± Cai said weakly with a slight chuckle. Qiu¡¯yue frowned and flicked snow onto Cai¡¯s face. Pouting, she turned to Gai¡¯zhi, ¡°If Cai has to cut off his leg, I¡¯ll come after you. Cai¡¯s actually an idiot who doesn¡¯t know how to take care of himself!¡± ¡°What are you saying,¡± Cai complained as his breathing slowed. ¡°Is the sky spinning for anyone else? I think I¡¯m going to sleep for a while.¡± Qiu¡¯yue slapped Cai. ¡°No! If you sleep, you die.¡± Then she turned to Gai¡¯zhi, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the others be back by now?¡± ¡°If it went according to plan, yes,¡± Gai¡¯zhi replied with a shrug and an apologetic smile. He turned to the others¡¯ general direction and flapped his sleeves. Talismans flew out, becoming yellow birds, and flew away. ¡°It¡¯s going to be fine. I promised you guys, right?¡± Qiu¡¯yue furrowed her brows and hugged Cai who was drifting in and out of consciousness. She yelled at Gai¡¯zhi, ¡°Come help me warm up Cai!¡± Snuggled between two people, Qiu¡¯yue waited for the plan to complete itself. She thought deeply about whether there was anything overlooked in Gai¡¯zhi¡¯s plans and of their frantic escape only mere moments before from their fierce hunters. After the explosion, the four children had escaped into the forest. Each of them was wracked with indecision regarding Jang-Guo. ¡°Cai, what should we do?¡± Meili asked, crying. Seeing her big sister cry, Qiu¡¯yue stroked her back. She too looked at Cai. ¡°That idiot brother of mine! Risking his own life...Ge-ge¡­¡± Cai bit his lips and glanced at Senior Sha. Senior Sha gestured for Cai¡¯s thoughts. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous to go back and help,¡± Cai concluded with a bitter look. Everyone reacted with surprise. ¡°Junior Brother Cai, you can¡¯t be suggesting we leave him to die? Sooner or later, they¡¯ll realize Jang-Guo¡¯s act and kill him. Even if they don¡¯t, he¡¯ll still be sold into slavery,¡± Senior Sha shouted and flapped his one arm. ¡°You think I don¡¯t realize that?¡± Cai screamed back. ¡°And Senior Brother Sha ¡ª who are you to act like Buddha?¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°Everyone shut up!¡± Qiu¡¯yue cried. She turned to Cai. ¡°We¡¯re saving Tang-ge! We have to; he¡¯s family.¡± ¡°But we can¡¯t. We¡¯ll die.¡± Qiu¡¯yue chest tightened when she saw Cai¡¯s tears. Covering his eyes, he continued his argument. ¡°He knew we won¡¯t be able to fight them ¡ª so, so he...Let¡¯s not waste his effort by being idiots and go back! If we can save him, I would have been the first one into the tiger¡¯s den.¡± ¡°No,¡± Qiu¡¯yue stopped running and stomped her feet. ¡°We have to find a way. There has to be a way. Big Sister Meili, isn¡¯t fighting higher level cultivators the number one strength of the external school?¡± Meili stopped running. Closing her eyes to hold back tears, she knelt on the ground. ¡°You guys keep running,¡± she said. She turned to Qiu¡¯yue. ¡°Mei-Mei, we can¡¯t fight them. We can¡¯t. So keep running.¡± ¡°But ¡ª¡± ¡°Brat! Keep running,¡± Meili screamed. ¡°They definitely want you dead, so just keep running. Ge-ge and I will be fine. Besides, it will help my idiot brother¡¯s lie. So what if they sell us into slavery? We won¡¯t be dead. We can train and then escape. We¡¯ll come back to the sect then. So run. Please.¡± ¡°No,¡± Qiu¡¯yue cried. ¡°No, no, no. You¡¯re lying like Papa! If I leave, I¡¯ll never see you again.¡± ¡°Uh, would it be a bad time to interrupt?¡± Everyone glanced up to see Gai¡¯zhi grinning. He leapt down from his perch. ¡°You, didn¡¯t you run away?¡± Cai asked with clenched fists. ¡°Of course I ran!¡± Gai¡¯zhi pouted. ¡°But I didn¡¯t run all the way to the Black Pearl Sect. And it seems I made the right decision.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°If I risk my life for incompetent people, I would definitely die. But you guys made it this far. That means I wouldn¡¯t die if I do help you.¡± ¡°Why would you help us? It doesn¡¯t make sense for someone who ran away so selfishly!¡± Cai retorted sharply. Sha flinched slightly at those words. ¡°Because what kind of person would I be if I let children die,¡± Gai¡¯zhi asked with a stomp. ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to fight them then. But I can now.¡± ¡°But if we were incompetent, you would have let us die,¡± Cai responded with a frown. ¡°No, if you guys were incompetent, I would not have let you die. Let implies I had the ability to do something else. And why should I throw away my own life vainly? Wouldn¡¯t that be a worse sin?¡± Gai¡¯zhi pouted and placed his hands on his hips. ¡°Can you save him then?¡± Meili asked eagerly. ¡°Can you save my brother?¡± Gai¡¯zhi nodded with a wide smile. ¡°If my plan works, yes. After all, the number one strength of the external school is to defeat higher ranked people.¡± Gathering the children close, then having everyone run again, Gai¡¯zhi explained his martial art and plan. Gai¡¯zhi practiced Yinfujing [Evil Protection Essence], a type of martial arts specialized in alchemy, talismans, and formations. He explained that, despite his flashy explosive talismans, his core strength lied in his intricate formations to control territory. Even though he remained unable to contest against the tiger twins fairly, he was certain he can kill them with his traps. However, to set up his formations, it often took an incense of time by himself. Everyone felt the encroaching pressure of the tigers behind. Someone must act as decoy to buy time for the formation to be completed. At the same time, there was the issue of Jang-Guo¡¯s rescue. Gai¡¯zhi brushed the role of decoy aside for the end. However, Cai volunteered. ¡°Junior Brother Cai, I¡¯ll be the decoy. My Tudigong makes escaping easy,¡± Senior Sha contested the position. ¡°Senior Sha, I know you want to gain everyone¡¯s trust again, but this is a life-or-death situation,¡± Cai responded without meeting Senior Sha¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Qiu¡¯yue frowned. ¡°Cai, Senior Sha is just trying to help.¡± ¡°But he won¡¯t be able to help me,¡± Cai said. ¡°If it¡¯s just him, they¡¯ll sense only one person¡¯s qi ¡ª that isn¡¯t enough. But with my Wuzhen Quan¡¯s [Realize Truth Fist] first form, dukkha, I can trick them.¡± He got up and dashed in rapid succession, leaving behind afterimages lasting a breath each. In between the dashes, only the faintest of presence was felt ¡ª but from each image came qi rivaling the actual person. However, the demonstration left Cai visibly drained. ¡°But you have to keep it up for at least half an incense,¡± Gai¡¯zhi remarked with concern. Cai shook his head. ¡°They expect us to be at least near the exit. So at most, a quarter incense. And with Senior Sha¡¯s martial art, he can traverse the area quickly.¡± ¡°Fine, what about ¡ª¡± ¡°Bring me with you,¡± Qiu¡¯yue said. ¡°I won¡¯t be as useful setting up talismans since I shouldn¡¯t use all my qi in the first place. I can help you out. And what happens if you get caught? At least I can ¡ª¡± ¡°Be there to die?¡± Cai snorted. Qiu¡¯yue shook her head. ¡°Do you notice anything? Quiet Thoughts is gone. She¡¯s fused with Ten Suns again. When we get caught, I can summon her for a surprise attack.¡± ¡°How can you be certain the one with the sword will come?¡± Cai argued. ¡°I think Mei-Mei should go with you Cai,¡± Meili intervened weakly. ¡°If Ge-ge¡¯s alive when they enter the forest, either both twins will chase or the one with the sword. They would not allow someone they don¡¯t trust near his weapon. Please, if only for luck.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Cai reluctantly obliged. ¡°Oh yeah, if you can, try to get as much snow onto their halberds as possible,¡± Gai¡¯zhi said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like any of them own any magical weapons. If their halberds are normal iron and wood, the cold should make the metal brittle enough to shatter. And since they¡¯re mercenaries, I doubt their martial arts are too extraordinary.¡± Qiu¡¯yue and Cai nodded. Then the roles for Sha and Meili were delegated. Senior Sha and Meili would assist in Gai¡¯zhi set up his formations. After that, they would ambush the twins to retrieve Jang-Guo. Though, if Jang-Guo had already been killed, Senior Sha would bring Meili to safety. After discussing the last of the plan, everyone felt the presence of three people near. Meili and Qiu¡¯yue looked at each other and smiled in relief. Then, Senior Sha grabbed Meili and dove beneath the snow. Gai¡¯zhi nodded at Cai and Qiu¡¯yue and hopped back onto the branches. After Zhima Shi left to capture the children, Zhima Bao blew his lips. He glanced at the bald boy behind him. ¡°So, do you feel colder because you don¡¯t have hair covering you?¡± He asked. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know. Maybe.¡± Jang-Guo shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve been bald my entire life.¡± ¡°Hmm, so if I put a wig on you, I can sell you off to a brothel too?¡± Zhima Bao smiled. Jang-Guo glared at him. ¡°Calm down. It was a joke. We tiger brothers always keeps our words. We will not sell you or your sister separately, or to a brothel.¡± Jang-Guo stayed silent for a moment. He glanced at the snow with a sad expression. ¡°You and your brother are good people deep down, huh?¡± ¡°Hmph, you think so?¡± Zhima Bao snorted. ¡°Boss always told us we were bastard sons from a good family.¡± ¡°Maybe you are,¡± Jang-Guo nodded, staring intently at the snow. ¡°I guess Fate isn¡¯t so kind.¡± ¡°Brat, you should read some more Mozi,¡± Zhima Bao criticized. ¡°Fate is what you make of it.¡± ¡°I guess it is; I¡¯m sorry,¡± Jang-Guo apologized as he saw a flock of yellow talismans approach. Zhima Bao cursed and cleaved through the talismans, resulting in several explosions. He screamed as smoke quickly surrounded him. Spinning around, the mercenary whipped her halberd ¡ª clearing both smoke and assaulting the intruders behind him. But there was no one there except for Jang-Guo. Zhima Shi frowned and scouted the area for any presence of life beside the boy. One. From under the snow. Meili jumped from the cover of snow and struck. Having just completed a very powerful strike, Zhima Bao¡¯s right flank was open, and he was in a poor position to defend. But not an impossible one. As a mercenary from childhood, he has lived through worse ambushes. Twisting his wrists, Zhima Bao jabbed his halberd forward at the girl¡¯s chest. Exhaling, Meili sank her foot into the snow, and slammed her palms against the blade. The halberd skidded through the initial clasp, ripping at skin, stopping after it penetrated the skin of the girl¡¯s chest, making a long slit. Meili backed away immediately. Her task was complete. Two yellow talismans attached themselves to either side of the halberd. ¡°My brother is mine alone,¡± Meili snarled. Senior Sha grabbed both Jang-Guo and Meili and disappeared under the ground. Zhima Bao made to gave chase, but the moment he moved, a pulse of electricity exploded from both sides of his halberd and his weapon shattered as both arms became paralyzed from shock. ¡°Shit,¡± Zhima Bao slammed his head onto the ground. He jolted his head and bit his lips. ¡°Brother, please be fine.¡± ¡°See, everything went according to plan, like I told you,¡± Gai¡¯zhi bragged, touching his nose. He greeted Senior Sha¡¯s group. Qiu¡¯yue grew flustered and fidgeted. She turned to Gai¡¯zhi and apologized. ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine,¡± Gai¡¯zhi waved it off with a smile. ¡°You were just angry I ran like a coward and that all these bad things happened. It¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s get going, though. My barrier may hold out for a while ¡ª but I¡¯m not sure about the boy¡¯s leg.¡± Everyone nodded. Gai¡¯zhi picked up Cai. Meili helped her brother along. As they left the confines of the forest, the mood grew lighter. ¡°Oi, were you the one who came up with the plan?¡± Jang-Guo barked at Gai¡¯zhi. ¡°What were you going to do if my cute, little sister got hurt, huh? Wait, she did get hurt! How are you going to compensate?¡± ¡°Ge-ge,¡± Meili scolded and slapped his bald head. ¡°You¡¯re even worse! Honestly, were you planning on having me bury your dead body?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m your older brother,¡± Jang-Guo argued. ¡°Besides you did get hurt, so we should be compensated. That¡¯s only just and right!¡± ¡°I saved you?¡± Gai¡¯zhi shrugged. ¡°And I also saved your sister from suffering emotional trauma?¡± ¡°And what if she died,¡± Jang-Guo pouted. ¡°Tang-ge, you¡¯re being mean,¡± Qiu¡¯yue scolded. ¡°Senior Brother saved us all!¡± ¡°Ah, what a precious little flower,¡± Gai¡¯zhi beamed as he patted Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s head. Senior Sha trailed behind the pack some. He felt he was not yet forgiven. ¡°Uh, Senior Sha, uh, thanks,¡± Meili said, looking at him. ¡°Yeah, without you, the formation wouldn¡¯t have been done so fast,¡± Gai¡¯zhi gave him a thumb up. ¡°Let me treat you to your first woman once we get Cai here some medical attention.¡± ¡°[Insert whatever image you want],¡± Senior Sha went into a daze after hearing the promise. ¡°No!¡± Both Qiu¡¯yue and Meili shouted. ¡°That¡¯s impure.¡± ¡°Yeah! Those bastards were going to sell Meili to one,¡± Jang-Guo fumed. The only ones who has not quite acknowledged Senior Sha¡¯s presence were Cai and Jang-Guo. Cai was out cold. Jang-Guo left Meili¡¯s arms and went to Senior Sha ¡ª and punched him. ¡°Senior Brother Sha! Next time, tell us if you¡¯re going to do something stupid, dangerous, or crazy ¡ª or dangerously, stupidly crazy.¡± Jang-Guo started to cry. ¡°We may not show it, but we do care about you a lot. That¡¯s why you should trust in your junior siblings.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re trying to fill in Liu Da-Ge¡¯s shadow, but you can just be yourself,¡± Meili said also. Hearing those words, Senior Sha started to bawl ¡ª and with his face, the slew of snot made the wasteland called his face worsen exponentially. Jang-Guo backed away slightly with a gag. Still, he extended out a hand to pat his senior brother¡¯s back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, guys,¡± Senior Sha cried. ¡°I was just really afraid of you guys leaving me behind. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Ah, the spirit of youth,¡± Gai¡¯zhi laughed. ¡°Will you all just shut up!¡± Cai shouted, launching up from Gai¡¯zhi¡¯s arms. Then, moaning, he fell unconscious again. Everyone smiled, then laughed, as the city resting at the base of the mountains came into reach. The boss sighed. Took a long drag of his pipe, then threw the damn thing onto the snow and crushed it. Closing his eyes, he placed a hand onto Zhima Bao¡¯s shoulder and told him to go to him. Zhima Bao looked at the others. Then at the snow. He thought back to that boy¡¯s sister, ¡°Ah, her hair was like snow.¡± The man trusted ¡ª even liked ¡ª the boy¡¯s dedication to his sister. It reminded him of his own love for his own brother. He glanced at the sky. It was nearing night, and the colors was a mismatch of black and pink and blue. He and his brother were mismatch pairs, born into a world where they were not needed. They had each other though ¡ª had, no more, though. Tian-Wei slammed his steel clubs against a tree. Then the ground. He rampaged as tears streamed down his eyes, until craters covered the ground. Surely, when spring rain came, they would become shallow pools, a cesspool of vermin. Mu Song reacted in a way the others never knew he was capable of. Absolute confusion. He looked at his tears dripped onto his palms. He glanced at the body. Then he simply sat down and cradled his staff. Zhima Bao took the first step forward, stumbled, got up, and continued. He dully dragged his feet through the snow forward. Reaching the body, Zhima Bao opened his mouth ¡ª whimpered ¡ª then closed it. Closing his eyes, mouth wavering with no control, he flung his arms around his dead brother. The mercenaries gave their tiger brother a proper burial. They marched as one, crushing Gai¡¯zhi¡¯s barrier under their might. ¡°We are going to kill those brats,¡± the boss breathed out as he swallowed his anger. ¡°Fuck the Black Pearl Sect. Fuck any sect who will interfere. We are going to kill them, even if we die and become ghosts. We are going to kill them.¡± The brothers solemnly nodded and roared. Approaching the base of the mountain, something stopped the bloodthirsty pack. It was a sensation like death. Slick, sharp, and unexpected. The boss stopped moving; everyone stopped moving. Stepping out from seemingly nowhere was a man with a mask. ¡°You wish to kill someone yes?¡± He asked. The boss evaluated the man. He was soul-severance stage ¡ª the same as the rest of them. Yet, something told him the man was capable of wiping his brothers out. The boss nodded. ¡°You can¡¯t just charge into the universally acknowledged number one sect specialized in defense, you know. Even assassins rarely manage to slip in; some do, but most do not.¡± He told them. Then he pointed at some bodies lied bloody in the snow. ¡°I¡¯m an assassin. I was going to use those dead bodies to stir up commotion. But you guys can cause more chaos, right?¡± The boss swallowed his breath and laughed. He nodded. The masked man nodded as well. ¡°Good. Come forward, please.¡± The boss stepped forward. In a moment, everything was over. The masked assassin wrapped his hand with lightning and plunged those talons into the boss¡¯s temples. Shuddering, the boss gasped as the man retracted his claws. ¡°Y-you,¡± Tian-Wei shouted. ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s fine,¡± the boss said with a laugh. ¡°He just sent me the details about one of the bodies over there.¡± One by one, the masked man transmitted new identities to the mercenaries. Then, the masked man gave everyone a complete makeover. ¡°It is fortunate that all of you fit the body types of the dead.¡± ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s fate,¡± Zhima Bao said bitterly. ¡°Maybe,¡± the masked man repeated. Then, he disappeared. Laughing madly, four rabid tigers entered the city renown as the Iron Shell. A bloodbath was sure to ensue. Do You Want Pills, Children? Author¡¯s Note: Let the pills rain from the skies like chocolate rain, for oompa loompa and children alike ¡ª let the wise cultivators get some of that viagra and Tylenol. As always, thanks for reading. (And this chapter was also supposed to be uploaded when I was gone. Miscommunication is a terrible thing.) ¡°Aiyah, your friend is hurt! What happened, what happened, tell Granddaddy Dugu,¡± a bent little old man with a scraggly beard greeted them. ¡°That leg is hurt badly, very badly! Granddaddy Dugu has pills! You need pills right? Come, come!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t trust him,¡± Cai coughed weakly from Gai¡¯zhi¡¯s arms. Gai¡¯zhi smiled. ¡°Aigoo, if my little prince thinks you¡¯re bad, then you¡¯re bad. Sorry, old man.¡± ¡°Prince,¡± the old man chuckled and opened his eyes. ¡°Did you say prince?¡± ¡°Yeah, this man is bad news,¡± Gai¡¯zhi chuckled. He stepped around Granddaddy Dugu. Signalling with the jolt of his head, ¡°Follow me kids~¡± ¡°Kukuku,¡± Granddaddy Dugu laughed. ¡°A prince!¡± The old man snapped his spine straight and lunged forward. Pulling out a tiny dagger from his crotch, he plunged it forward. Eyes bulging with redness, a twisted laughter born from the carcass of hope, Granddaddy Dugu flung himself through with his measly first stage of qi condensation. Meili frowned and dislodged the weapon from the old man with one deft flick of her palm. Then she held Granddaddy Dugu by his wrists. ¡°Prince! Hahaha!¡± Meili released him when foam frothed at his lips. Granddaddy Dugu kept laughing as blood bursted from his veins. ¡°Prince! Kill the prince; money, gold, taels, pills! Granddaddy Dugu has pills! Pills!¡± Blood spluttered up from his throat as he ripped at his clothes. His pale face marred by blood lit up when his hands clutched around something. Laughing, he stuffed it into his mouth. ¡°Pills, pills, Granddaddy Dugu has pills,¡± he laughed as he choked down dead rats and live centipedes. Then, squirming as a final jolt ricocheted through his body, his eyes jumped open, froze, and his arms collapsed onto the ground. ¡°D-did, did I kill him,¡± Meili jumped back, panting. She pointed at the body for Gai¡¯zhi to see. ¡°No, we¡¯re simply in the slums of the great Black Pearl Sect. That¡¯s all,¡± Gai¡¯zhi smiled, though his eyes were downcast. He pointed at the alleys. A group of children came out from the shadows and rushed for the dagger. After a brief scuffle which left one boy without an eye, a victor was crowned, leading the pack of ruffians back into the alleys. ¡°These things happens all the time in slums ¡ª though addicts are worse here than anywhere else. That¡¯s why, kids, never take too many cultivation dan, they¡¯ll cripple your mind and body~¡± ¡°But the houses are all nice houses,¡± Jang-Guo pointed out. ¡°Who says slum people can¡¯t be nice people? Or addicts to be good people?¡± Gai¡¯zhi chuckled. ¡°On this mountain, anyone who is not in the Black Pearl Sect or one of its wealthiest merchants or investors, is part of the slums. Though, that is not to say some merchants are not addicts.¡± ¡°Hey, Senior Brother Gai¡¯zhi, what do you think he meant by prince?¡± Qiu¡¯yue pointed at dead Granddaddy Dugu. Her hands were bloodied from her closing the old man¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s the sect¡¯s annual Spring Festival. If the royal prince does not attend, then what face does Black Pearl Sect have? Though, with the Black Pearl Sect, even the royal family strives to be on their good side.¡± ¡°Oi, are you guys forgetting my goddamn leg wound?¡± Cai shouted with forced breaths. ¡°Yes, yes, my little prince,¡± Gai¡¯zhi whispered into Cai¡¯s ears, much to his annoyance. ¡°We shall hurry on up to the official sect.¡± Like that, the older disciple and Cai became mere dots on the slope. Leaving behind four children was never a good idea. Despite the slight incident at the outskirts of the miniature kingdom the Black Pearl Sect has built, the children met with little oddities for a little while. It seemed the kingdom was built in an organic way. It was only natural for the Black Pearl Sect, the largest and most grand labyrinth of structures, to be at the apex of the mountain. A snake only needed its head to survive. The tail was irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Crime and poor living decreased the further one ventured in the city ¡ª however, at the same time, the severity of individual crime increased. Having walked for an incense, passing by the old crippled by withdrawal, children playing tag or with wooden balls composed of bound twigs, and wives gossiping, the children all reacted with shock when they ventured upon their next incident: a gang-war. From the onlookers¡¯ conversations, the young cultivators were able to gather what was going on. Both gangs were controlled two of the kingdom¡¯s top merchants. Since both gangs supplied to the residents, it was inevitable for the gangs to lash out for blood. ¡°Oi, you egg-bastards, what the hell you doing on our turf?¡± ¡°Your turf? Excuse you, since when did illegal peddling of pills have actual legal authority regarding territory?¡± ¡°Since when did drug dealers fight in the open?¡± A voice called out. Stepping in between the two rival gangs was a young boy. He had not yet hit his growth spurt and possessed a baby-doll face like a girl¡¯s, round and full. Black hair laid over his eyes like claws. He wore black pants and a white shirt. This boy was certainly a member of the Black Pearl Sect. ¡°Drug dealers? Huh, what could you possibly mean, Young Master Lin?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. No illegal drugs here. Certainly not in the open; certainly not days before a public festival. Nope, not at all.¡± With those simple words from Young Master Lin, the two sides retreated. The crowd parted, with one half flocking to one dealer and one half flocking to the other. One catered cosmetic pills, health pills, and such; the other dealt cultivation pills and pills which temporarily boosted one¡¯s strength. ¡°Do you guys sense that?¡± Senior Sha gulped down his surprise. ¡°Yeah,¡± Meili whispered. Her slight wound on her chest tingled. ¡°He¡¯s at the petrification stage.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Jang-Guo snorted. ¡°He¡¯s probably just doped up on his sect¡¯s drugs ¡ª probably at a bottleneck.¡± ¡°I can hear you,¡± Young Master Lin called out coolly. ¡°If you wish to say something, say it to my face. Come on now. Say it. I dare you to, brat. Apologize now and I¡¯ll leave you with your head attached.¡± Jang-Guo blushed. Meili knocked on her brother¡¯s bald head. Qiu¡¯yue walked up to the boy and bowed. ¡°Uh, little Qiu¡¯yue is really sorry for her Tang-ge¡¯s stupidity. Please don¡¯t kill us.¡± Young Master Lin pointed at the other¡¯s general direction. ¡°Is this sister of yours retarded? Who the hell apologizes like that? Where''s my kowtow? Where''s the fresh breeze of her crawling between my legs while jumping through fire and knives? Does she take me for a fool? No, is she a fool?¡± ¡°Hey, who are you calling retarded,¡± Meili shouted. She shoved past poor Senior Sha and marched her way to the Black Pearl Sect member. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you are the young master of the entire Black Pearl Sect, but my sister is the smartest and cutest girl!¡± ¡°Of course you would think that,¡± Young Master Lin snorted. He rolled his eyes and jerked his nose up with a sneer. ¡°With an ugly face like yours, any girl would be cuter. With a personality like that, any girl who can keep her mouth shut would be smarter. Hell, I suspect you aren¡¯t a girl at all, but some twisted and confused demon!¡± ¡°No one insults my dear sister like that! What if her fragile heart becomes emotionally scarred,¡± Jang-Guo roared and pounced forward with his Tiger Form. Swiping with his claws, the boy was easily repelled with a single fist. Slamming into a wall, Jang-Guo coughed up blood. ¡°My, my,¡± Young Master Lin chided. ¡°You two really want to fight?¡± Senior Sha helped Jang-Guo up. With Jang-Guo leaned against his shoulder, Sha walked toward the two girls. ¡°Little Qiu¡¯yue ah, you are super cute,¡± Senior Sha declared. Then he turned to Meili and said, ¡°Junior Sister Meili ah, you are a real beauty, so don¡¯t let anger twist your face. Calm down, calm down.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Young Master Lin laughed. ¡°A confused demon, a weakling, and a disabled coward, and a retard. What an adorable bunch.¡± Senior Sha held his head down, gripping his stump. He raised his head and bared his fangs. Senior Sha smiled. When an ugly person smiles, it never equated to a good sign ¡ª especially one filled with such bloodlust. ¡°This pressure feel so good,¡± he smiled. Young Master Lin grew disgusted with Senior Sha¡¯s lascivious face and dealt a blinding kick at Sha¡¯s head. Reacting with a speed unseen by the others before, Senior Sha dove into the ground and dodged the strike, then popped his head up and slammed his fist up Young Master Lin¡¯s groin. Squealing, the young boy buckled and fell onto the ground in pain. ¡°Senior Sha looks scarier than usual,¡± Qiu¡¯yue remarked. ¡°Mei-Mei, that¡¯s just how he is when he¡¯s angry,¡± Meili responded. ¡°It¡¯s the only time Senior Sha is useful.¡± ¡°Junior Sister Meili, how cruel,¡± Senior Sha cried. Then he screamed as Young Master Lin stood back up and kicked his left hip into the ground. ¡°You must all be wishing for death,¡± he whispered. He dragged Senior Sha by the collar and stared down at Qiu¡¯yue. He grew angry when the girl simply stared back at him ¡ª like he was a delicious meal. ¡°I don¡¯t like how you¡¯re looking at me, girl.¡± Qiu¡¯yue pouted and slapped Young Master Lin¡¯s cheek. Then the other cheek. And then his forehead. ¡°You are looking at death,¡± he breathed. His qi shot forth from him like steam. Qiu¡¯yue stuck out her tongue. ¡°Young Master Lin, Sect Master Lin is looking for you,¡± a voice said. It belonged to a young boy with white eyes and beautiful red hair. That fiery hair was only accentuated by the deep maroon scarf he wore along with his Black Pearl Sect uniform. And this boy blocked Young Master Lin¡¯s powerful strike with his bamboo walking stick. ¡°You must not make your father wait.¡± Growling, the young master sped away for the labyrinth of buildings at the apex of the mountain. Then the mysterious young boy turned to face the four young cultivators. Stolen novel; please report. ¡°I do not care if you four are guests,¡± he spoke in a monotone, ¡°cause trouble and I will kill you. Do you smell that odor of iron? Do not become like them by my hands.¡± Tapping along the cobblestone road, the boy walked up the mountain, scarf flying with the wind. ¡°That was a foreigner, right?¡± Jang-Guo spoke first. ¡°He was pretty,¡± Qiu¡¯yue said. ¡°His hair was really, really pretty.¡± ¡°More importantly than that,¡± Senior Sha swallowed his breath, ¡°he was at the soul-severance stage.¡± ¡°Ge-ge. Mei-Mei. Senior Sha.¡± Meili took in a huge breath, then exhaled. ¡°We are so underleveled for this.¡± ¡°Wrong genre again, dear sister,¡± Jang-Guo said. ¡°They¡¯re obviously doping. There¡¯s bound to be side-effects.¡± ¡°Do you think we should check the alleys?¡± Qiu¡¯yue asked. She tilted her head and said she was going to check the alleys. Then she skipped away. ¡°Hey, Ge-ge, did something happen when you two were trapped in the Tomb of Scorched Ice?¡± Meili frowned. Jang-Guo¡¯s face flickered for a second but then the shadow passed. ¡°No, nothing weird happened at all. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Mei-Mei seems more impulsive than she was before,¡± Meili spoke with worry. ¡°Right, Senior Sha?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah, little Qiu¡¯yue does seem more reckless,¡± the senior brother nodded his head in agreement. ¡°Nothing happened,¡± Jang-Guo asserted. ¡°Let¡¯s catch up to Qiu-di. You two are being weird for no reason at all.¡± As the trio approached one of the alley, they saw Qiu¡¯yue back away from the alley with the speed of a storm. The young girl¡¯s face was pale as she vomited all over the ground. She collapsed onto all four. The girl gestured to the alley behind her. Peeking into the alley was a river of bodies. They still breathed, simply asleep. However, smeared across the walls was bits of flesh. It was surprising how much space one human can cover in actuality: the small intestine could be 10 meters in length by itself. Already flies gathered, buzzing about, as rats crawled from cracks sniffing at its feast. The other children paled as a tightness grasped at their chests. Turning away from the scene, they turned their eyes toward the road in front of them. Even if that foreigner was doping, the strength garnered was still genuine. Gulping, the children continued upwards toward the Black Pearl Sect. The Black Pearl Sect was the number one sect in defense, not just in individual martial arts, but also in terms of the design of their sect. Reaching the top third of the mountain, the air became shallow and much colder ¡ª the fact people lived in such an atmosphere was a badge of honor for cultivators. They were one step closer to becoming gods. Numerous stairways and tunnels were in place. Outsiders easily got lost due to the magnitude and complexity of the paths. Guards were stationed at every major intersection. On their way to report as guests, the children were stopped no less than ten times. There was an incident where the buildings physically moved ¡ª rotated. The sudden movement shook the children up, but filled them with awe and a thrill for their stay. After presenting themselves at the reception area, a pair of servants led the four to where the other Yue Yun Sect members were. They were led to a miniature pavilion. Two houses lied perpendicular to one another, opening up a courtyard and a small pond with the perimeter lined by flowers. Currently, the courtyard had a deep groove drawn down the middle. Qin Kuai and the two outer disciples occupied one side. Gai¡¯zhi and Cai occupied the other, the one nearest to the exit. The other children joined him. ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± Meili gestured with a tilt of her head. She crossed her arms. ¡°Their death stares are really annoying.¡± Gai¡¯zhi smiled, ¡°Mm, you know, normal inter-disciple relations. Qin Kuai wants to kill you and leave your heads outside for the mercenaries to claim.¡± Senior Sha breathed frantically, practically hyperventilating. ¡°He¡¯s a psychopath like usual, huh, Junior Brother Cai.¡± Cai grunted. Then he narrowed his eyes. ¡°Then again, I would do the same if I was in his shoes. The mercenaries are clearly after us. Even more so now that we killed one of their blood brothers. And their boss doesn¡¯t seem to be the most sane person with how much crow¡¯s piece he smokes. So, with Black Pearl Sect being the grand capital of pills, this is most likely the worst scenario.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not like anyone without an invitation can get inside the sect in the first place,¡± Gai¡¯zhi said. ¡°And I doubt those mercenaries are sneaky enough. Besides, I¡¯ll lay out some formations to guard against evil intent ¡ª I would have done it anyways since Qin Kuai is here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being awfully nice to us, Senior Brother Gai¡¯zhi,¡± Qiu¡¯yue smiled brightly. ¡°Aigoo, a flower and a prince, so cute,¡± the older cultivator exclaimed as he snatched both Cai and Qiu¡¯yue into his embrace. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you guys are actually competent children!¡± Cai and Qiu''yue reacted with varying levels of disgust. Jang-Guo whistled and pointed at Cai¡¯s leg, ¡°The Black Pearl Sect is strong, huh. It¡¯s already healed. Hey, Sha, you think they can grow your hand back?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, uh,¡± Senior Sha shrugged. ¡°I think I¡¯ll keep my hand like that.¡± ¡°Definitely!¡± Gai¡¯zhi nodded his head with excitement. ¡°It¡¯s cooler that way. Boy, you hacking off your own hand was one of the manliest thing I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± The oldest of the children blushed and smiled awkwardly. ¡°Oh yeah, this is your first time at the festival right?¡± Gai¡¯zhi asked with a wide smile. The children nodded. ¡°Do you want to hear about the things you¡¯ll see and do?¡± They nodded again. ¡°Ahem, well, the days leading up to the main 3 days event is known as the Gourmet Pills and Dan event. The Black Pearl Sect holds a demonstration of the fruits of their research into pills among other things. Last year, they also held a special tour through their manufacturing system. You¡¯ll also get chances to get free pills ¡ª some of them are prototypes, so don¡¯t actually ingest those. That¡¯s why outer sect disciples are encouraged to come here, besides witnessing how strong the inner disciples are.¡± Then Gai¡¯zhi leaned his head forward. In a low volume, he told the children something else of interest. ¡°Apparently, the prince was bored with just the fighting tournament last year, so they may add another competition open for anyone not entered in the fighting portion.¡± ¡°How can the prince be bored with the fights?¡± Qiu¡¯yue pouted. Her irritation at that fact caused Quiet Thoughts to threaten to come out of ornament form. "Everyone train so hard!" ¡°Well, some of the sects obviously are not as strong as others, resulting in a one-sided massacre. Other sects often feature the same style or method of attacking, and that becomes tiresome to the untrained eye. And I heard the prince is a very carefree prince.¡± ¡°But that changed hasn¡¯t it?¡± Cai spoke up all of a sudden. His eyes sharpened and a deep intent flowed from him. More surprisingly, Cai pulled back that intent when he felt a more viral, primal force assault his. At first he thought it was Qin Kuai, but his eyes landed on smiling Qiu¡¯yue last. Gai¡¯zhi nodded with crossed arms. ¡°After the failed assassination on the Emperor, the prince became withdrawn. It¡¯s a very bothersome affair.¡± ¡°Do you think my Mama really did it?¡± Qiu¡¯yue asked with clenched fists. Her eyes were like bubbles on the verge of collapse. ¡°Mm, I don¡¯t know or care,¡± Gai¡¯zhi laughed. ¡°If it¡¯s interesting and fun, that¡¯s good enough for me. It¡¯s getting late, children. Even Qin Kuai has gone inside.¡± At that, no one else offered a response to Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s question. Everyone went inside the building and into bed. At first, Qiu¡¯yue slept in her own bed, but after a series of uncomfortable intervals of sleep and no-sleep, she rose and snuck in between Jang-Guo and Meili, squished cozy with a smile. The prince was staring blankly outside the window. In the two days he has been within the Black Pearl Sect¡¯s walls, he has done nothing else. Musicians failed to stir his spirit. Artisans failed to amuse him. Stories never roused him. Food left the room as they arrived, save for one spoon less of every dish. His royal retainer, Zhao Gao, was at a complete lost. At least back in the palace, he was able to sneak the young prince to his mother. Here, he was alone. Here, he was vulnerable. Here, he was as close to death as possible. Not just physical death, but a spiritual one as well. And before either of those, quite possibly a social decline too. Though rumors have propagated regarding the prince¡¯s mental trauma and retardation, they remained rumors. If the prince showed no change, those rumors would become reality. His own fate was tied in with the prince¡¯s. Sighing, he left the room as well. Once the young prince confirmed the dog of his relatives was gone, he placed his finger on the wooden windowpane in the shape of a cross. It was his signal for his loyal servant. ¡°Prince Shun-qi, your faithful servant, Yao Ye, is here,¡± a handsome man dressed in blue robes greeted the young prince. The prince knew he must not talk above a whisper. He walked over to Yao Ye and spoke directly into his ear, ¡°When will we finally kill General Bo Ling? I want him dead! Dead, dead, dead!¡± Yao Ye listened to his prince¡¯s tantrum until he exhausted himself. Then once Prince Shun-qi¡¯s stomach growled, he handed him a pair of meat buns. The prince gorged on the plain meat buns like they were dragon meat. ¡°We must be patience,¡± Yao Ye said. ¡°There is a great likelihood of an assassin sent after you while you attend this event. We cannot simply throw down all our cards so soon, we must wait.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± The prince growled. ¡°I¡¯ll keep playing the fool. No, I am a fool.¡± ¡°Good, good, the Emperor, may he live a thousand thousand years, would be proud,¡± Yao Ye commended. The assassin listened to the exchange from his hiding place. Smiling behind his mask, he left his post and sent a letter by bird. Pill Festival and Overdose Author¡¯s Note: Man, this is the first chapter since I left for the woods (though I lived on a small pulling boat ¡ª slept on oars man, 10/10 would recommend ¡ª for 12 days). I forgotten how these things go...though rambling is inherent to all of this. Not posting for 3 weeks really means I need to grind out chapters; my friend is so embarrassed that she forgot. Needed to review prior chapters and the outlines I planned before leaving to refresh myself ¡ª that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t upload for a week. Gonna be a slow transition back to civilization. Anyhow, I recommend listening to Exo¡¯s Overdose on repeat while reading this if only for the thematic cohesion. And as always, thanks for reading. Street vendors crowded the narrow cobblestone-laid path and a thick mist stank of herbs flooded the air. People stampeded over one another like bulls, each eager to snatch up the free samples. Not all the samples were manufactured by the Black Pearl Sect. Many of the samples were of lesser pill manufacturers aligned to the sect ¡ª endorsed by the pill kingdom¡¯s good name. The pill festival took place in the middle region of the mountain: an equal distance from the base and from the apex. This arrangement allowed for regular mortals, such as merchants or landowners, to sample the health dan so crucial to longevity. At the same time, due to how prestigious the event is amongst the cultivating world, this arrangement allowed for cultivators to attend without ever really mingling with the lesser mortals. The arrangement also saved the Black Pearl Sect face, as placing the festival at the base of the mountain would be insulting to the guests and much too arrogant for the sect; placing the event at the very top would be too familiar for anyone¡¯s liking. Qiu¡¯yue and the other children looked on the event with wide eyes. Though rather than becoming golden-eyed at pills bright with every pigment and creamy with sweet scents, they drooled at the vendors selling candy and other food. Excited beating of the heart, a blush upon their cheeks, as the five orphans discovered toys and masks and games lined the streets as well. They all turned their eyes at Gai¡¯zhi who simply laughed and handed each of them several copper coins. ¡°Don¡¯t wander too far from each other,¡± Gai¡¯zhi warned, leaned forward wagging his finger. However, before the last word left his lips, Cai was already gone, leaving only an afterimage ¡ª and even that left after a breath. Gai¡¯zhi chuckled and scratched his head. He mused, ¡°Guess even our little prince is a kid at heart. Well, I¡¯ll be off for the local brothels. Take care not to get lost. And if you get into trouble, always aim for the crotch, chest, or head.¡± And with no other words, Gai¡¯zhi leapt into the air, with quick strides, disappeared into an old establishment stuffed with intoxicating perfumes. The twins held hands and sped off toward stalls dripped with oil, salt, and sugar. Senior Sha drooled at the swarm of stalls stocked to the brim, bustled and plump, with pills. Turning to Qiu¡¯yue, Senior Sha smiled and the two rushed off into the congested beast that was the pill festival. The two first stopped by the stalls offering little games and challenges, the standard distractions and occupations offered to children. Both of them found they were absolutely horrendous at Seven Pieces when not using qi. Qiu¡¯yue did the best: having caught six of the smalls pebbles and thrown the last one ¡ª only for one pebble to slip from her palm as she caught the final piece. Due to how close Qiu¡¯yue was to actually winning, the stall owner gave her a piece of candy regardless. Senior Sha and Qiu¡¯yue also tried their luck at archery, riddles, and a poetry competition. Though Qiu¡¯yue embarrassed herself at archery ¡ª the arrows nearly impaling the stall keeper ¡ª she proved her noble background with riddles and poetry. The rest of the small change Gai¡¯zhi gave them, they combined to buy one great steaming meat bun to share. Qiu¡¯yue also shared the prizes she garnered from the other games, mostly hard candy. Despite having ate full, Senior Sha felt an indescribable hunger as they passed the stalls. Though Gai¡¯zhi warned them of the dangers of overdosing and the general instability of prototypes, Senior Sha devoured every dan and pill offered. Qiu¡¯yue only accepted the more basic ones ¡ª some cosmetic for her skin, a few for her cultivation, and also pills to improve muscle elasticity. By the midway ¡ª or what the children assumed to be the midpoint ¡ª of the line of pill samples, Senior Sha had earned himself more experience in some 3 incenses worth of time compared to his entire life. Of those pills, a few were of particular fascination. One dan, named Dragon¡¯s Heart Tyrant, caused his entire face to swell and withered, almost becoming like red dragon scales ¡ª before a fiery sensation clawed up his throat to produce a burst of flames into the air. One other dan, the Beastial Soul Conquerer, filled him with uncontrollable speed. He shook constantly and was unable to be still for a greater part of an incense; the side-effect of fur covering his entire face did not help Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s attempts to stifle her laughter. A third dan, Celestial Lightning Soul, cloaked Senior Sha in lightning ¡ª yet the aftereffects of the dan was too harsh. Not only did the lightning scorch his body, he also suffered internal damage. Due to this incident, the stall owners gave him several healing pills in addition to the numerous free samples as an apology. And one pill which was especially unfathomable was a new line of medicinal pills offered by the Black Pearl Sect itself. Not only did they not turn away the citizens wracked with clear dependence on pills, the sect disciples welcomed them warmly. Once ingested, those addled and mad citizens visibly calmed and regained a human nature to them. To normal people, the pills also had a profound effect: whether it was a coldness of the lungs, a chill of the bones, or even the simple itchiness of Senior Sha¡¯s face after the Beastial Soul Conquerer dan wore off, the pill made it disappear. Most importantly, the pills tasted sweet. Qiu¡¯yue had to drag Senior Sha away from the stall. Onlookers did not know what embarrassment they felt. Was it embarrassment for the ugly dwarf¡¯s lack of etiquette? Or was it the embarrassment of their own self at the sight of a young girl dragging an older boy who must weigh at least double her own weight. However, those thoughts quickly reached consensus in a few short breaths. The pill festival was a massive event. Obviously, people needed to have shifts. As the exchange of shifts occurred for a few Black Pearl Sect disciples, Senior Sha moaned as if his water broke. And then, he threw up all over their feet. This group of six was not pleased. Livid. Furious. Absolutely pissed. Qiu¡¯yue quickly bowed her head and apologized. If it had ended there ¡ª well, this story would be quite boring, and our heroes much happier ¡ª but Senior Sha had ingested pill after pill like candy. His stomach had become a concoction of unknown properties. Though one was quickly displayed: stupidity of the highest kind, an almost-beautiful state of recklessness and ignorance. Senior Sha got up and threw up onto the shoes of the Black Pearl Sect disciples once more. Then, he flipped them off, farted with a pleased smile, and used the sleeve of one of the disciples to wipe his mouth. And then he turned to one of the disciples and remarked on how beautiful she was ¡ª especially her peaches. Then he turned to another of the disciples and cried at how hers resembled a cutting board. Finally, he sneered at the male disciples and remarked on their mothers and sisters. At that point, a crowd had gathered. There was laughter. There was awkwardness. And there was a communal embarrassment of the highest kind for the clearly drug-drunk boy, even greater pity for Qiu¡¯yue. The group of six cultivators flared up with qi: two were at the consolidation stage, three were at the petrification stage, and one was at the fear-inspiring soul severance stage. The explosion of qi rushed out and knocked the spectators into the air. Crashed against the stalls,they all coughed up blood, but smiled nonetheless from the numerous drug samples. However, the stall owners were not smiling and crowded around the Black Pearl Sect disciples, ruddy-faced ¡ª allowing Qiu¡¯yue to quickly grab Senior Sha and dash away further into the festival. Roaring, the six cultivators sent most of the stall owners flying into the air with a single strike. The few owners who possessed some cultivating strength took two blows. There was nothing left of them except for a mangled pile of crushed flesh. Then, they gave chase. The four men stampeded through the crowd like rhinoceroses, causing the ground to quake. The two women took to the sky, scaling up the mass of buildings and leaping across the maroon roofs like fairies. Sensing the terrible vibrations of the rampaging men behind her, Qiu¡¯yue similarly took to the top of the buildings. She dashed into an alley and wall-jumped, though she forgot the addition of Senior Sha in her hands, leaving him battered and bruised ¡ª knocking him out. Qiu¡¯yue realized this fact once she landed on top of the roof, almost slipping off from the unstable clay shingles. She laughed nervously when she felt two masses of qi approach from behind. Qiu¡¯yue looked back and closed her eyes with a defeated smile. The beautiful woman was at the consolidation stage; the ugly woman was at the soul severance stage. Both were flushed and gripped swords in their hands. ¡°Stupid Senior Brother Sha,¡± Qiu¡¯yue muttered and placed him down carefully. With a snap of her fingers, Quiet Thoughts shot forward from her hair and grew to her full size. Spinning, Qiu¡¯yue sent the silver blade shooting forward, leaving a sharp, bright sound hung in the air. Within a few breaths, Qiu¡¯yue began to laugh. The others were right; those who dope often held a fatal weakness. At first, Qiu¡¯yue frowned as the fight was in the favor of the two Black Pearl Sect women. The young girl felt as if she was a single raindrop clashing against a torrent. Her Quiet Thoughts moved with intent, but was unable to penetrate through the quick and strong receives of her two opponents. Instead, in three exchanges, Qiu¡¯yue had to wield Quiet Thoughts in her own hand and assume a defensive posture. Yet the girl held a firm belief in victory. The two cultivators were absolute amateurs. Neither of them moved with any deliberate intent. There were many chances for a pincer attack or to simply overwhelm Qiu¡¯yue, but the two amateurs did not see those chances. Neither did the two use any martial arts ¡ª perhaps they never learned any, or perhaps they believed they did not need to. In addition, despite their overwhelming strength, they used their qi haphazardly. Qiu¡¯yue felt sick from the abundance of their qi. There was no need for that. Such a continued abundance use of qi served little purpose. The shock value of this voluminous qi already vanished. To put such force into their entire body left their bodies stilted. Even for external school users, typically, they would reserve the use of all their qi as a sort of finisher ¡ª one punch, one kill. And before that, those external users would concentrate qi into a specific part of their bodies for greater effect with each and every blow. Simply put, the two women wasted their qi. In particular, the soul severance cultivator. If the ugly woman simply concentrated her qi, even if Qiu¡¯yue blocked with her sword, the sheer shock would still tear apart the young girl¡¯s arm. But she did not. It was as if the ugly woman was handed the world¡¯s most powerful sword. Sure, she could cut down a mountain without effort, and even an army. But in a fight, she was akin to a child holding a knife ¡ª a danger to herself, and of no danger to an adult. As Qiu¡¯yue moved backwards, she kicked the shingles underneath to buy herself more time. To dodge, these two amateurs continued to use their qi at full force, causing the shingles beneath them to loosen ¡ª making them exert even more effort to stabilize their assault. Still, each block felt as if defending against a falling mountain, causing Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s right arm to jolt in dangerous angles. The spinning of her body inherent to her style reduced much of the shock. In addition, the powerful metal from which Quiet Thoughts was crafted protected her own frail body even more from the shock. Though, only the adrenaline rush of death kept the girl going despite the increasing stretching pain of her tendons and joints in her right arm. And only the sheer experience of her time in the Tomb of Scorched Ice kept her from death¡¯s grip. Whereas the opponents hoarded extreme qi and force, Qiu¡¯yue retaliated with deliberate strikes. She used everything she learned in her months of learning. The diversion of force with her blade. The simultaneous use of both hands. The sheer bliss of witnessing the enemies¡¯ surprise when a kick was throw in. Everything that she learned, she used ¡ª becoming a fantastical whirlwind to be reckoned with. Despite the harsh pressure, Qiu¡¯yue slowly came out on top. The young girl even felt exhilaration burn through her veins as her mind dipped into a blank haze. While exchanging blows, Qiu¡¯yue blocked one of the strikes with her own palm out of necessity. Without the reduction provided by her sword, she felt the full strength of the consolidation stage. Her entire arm rippled and exploded and the young girl cried, face contorted. The assault became stronger. The ugly woman pursued death with an eager fervor as foam bubbled up her mouth. Soon, the ugly woman began to pant. Her veins popped against her pockmarked skin and blood oozed out her eyes. Halting to catch her breath, the ugly woman gave Qiu¡¯yue her chance. Launching forward, a blossom of piercing jabs and slices bloomed in front of the ugly woman. The ugly woman was able to block the first wave, but not the second, third, or fourth. The front of her torso quickly became a mesh of thick blood, wiry flesh, and white bone. ¡°Beautiful,¡± Qiu¡¯yue remarked and stepped forward in a daze. ¡°Stop it, you monster!¡± The beautiful woman screamed with tears, her shrill voice oscillating like the temperament of the seas. She looked at the ugly woman and shuddered. ¡°You monster! We¡¯re higher cultivation than you! Higher cultivation!¡± Qiu¡¯yue tilted her head and replied, ¡°You guys are weak.¡± The beautiful woman narrowed her eyes, knuckles white as snow, and screamed, ¡°I¡¯m not weak! I¡¯m strong, definitely strong. I¡¯m not your slave to trample over!¡± With a look not befit a child, Qiu¡¯yue regarded the woman in front of her with no emotions. Neither contempt nor a victor¡¯s joy; it was as if the woman in front of her was so weak that she was undeserving of even Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s emotions. That petrified the beautiful woman. The beautiful woman felt an unnerving, monstrous aura flow from the girl ¡ª seep from her like encroaching shadows. Despite being new to the cultivation world, the beautiful woman had felt killing intent before. Some choked her throat like miasma; others chilled her bones; few jabbed deep into the underside of her nails until it pierced her heart; most stifled her nose some, and never for long. None felt as primal as the young girl¡¯s. It felt ancient ¡ª maddening so. The thick aura exuded a strength far beyond those of star cultivators, even matching ¡ª no, deserving ¡ª of a divine arrogance. Crippled by complete fear, the beautiful woman became unable to breathe or concentrate qi. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Dashed across the clay shingles as if she was an arrow, Qiu¡¯yue swooped under the beautiful woman¡¯s blade and pierced through her throat with a single strike. Retrieving her blade, she shook it clean of blood before changing Quiet Thoughts back into a hair ornament. Qiu¡¯yue walked over to the ugly woman and knelt beside her carcass. Yet as she placed her right hand over the dead woman¡¯s chest, she recoiled. The girl looked at her fingers frayed and bloodied. Frowning slightly, she turned her attention to the beautiful woman¡¯s body instead. The young girl placed her hand over the beautiful woman¡¯s chest, eyes a faint golden glow. Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s battered arm ¡ª originally a scrap fray of torn flesh ¡ª quickly wove itself back together, becoming whole again, though faint stretch scars remained. Her right hand healed as well. However, before anything of impact occured, Senior Sha woke with a groan. Jolted from her daze, the girl coughed up a great deal of blood, leaving her more pale than before. Still, she wiped the blood from her lips and smiled, almost as if she did not register the events of the last few minutes. Qiu¡¯yue skipped over to Senior Sha. Then she launched into a lecture with her pout reminiscent of peaches, using words borrowed from Gai¡¯zhi and Cai ¡ª which of course quickly degenerated into a mess of a speech as the child got her words confused, leaving Sha to correct her with stifled laughter. The two¡¯s moment were broken when the two felt the ground absolutely tremble in fear. The fighting had attracted the attention of the other four cultivators. Senior Sha knelt with head bowed, ¡°Qiu¡¯yue, I¡¯m so sorry I got you dragged into this mess. I¡¯m such a useless senior brother, aren¡¯t I?¡± Qiu¡¯yue nodded with a pout, ¡°Yep.¡± Senior Sha looked up with slight exasperation, ¡°Isn¡¯t this the part where you comfort me instead!¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Qiu¡¯yue responded with a giggled. Then she gestured to the two dead women with a frown, ¡°I had to kill again, Senior Sha. I killed a human being.¡± The girl tilted her head down and muttered, ¡°And I didn¡¯t feel anything wrong with it.¡± ¡°O-of course you didn¡¯t! They were trying to kill you, so of course you had to kill them,¡± Senior Sha explained with flustered hands. ¡°Uh, it¡¯s the law of the cultivating world. Don¡¯t worry about it...except we have to, since we killed their disciples in their own home¡­Even if they¡¯re only outer sect disciples, we basically slapped the sect master¡¯s face in his own home...¡± ¡°Senior Sha, I realized you¡¯re actually a really gloomy person,¡± Qiu¡¯yue remarked. ¡°Blame my face,¡± Senior Sha retorted with a humph. Then, his face took on an uncomfortable expression. ¡°If we kill the rest of them, they probably won¡¯t chase it back to us. After all, we¡¯re only condensation stage cultivators.¡± ¡°Do you think the other four practices the Black Pearl Sect¡¯s martial art?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t think so,¡± Senior Sha replied with slight hesitation. ¡°If the woman over there is soul severance stage and doesn¡¯t know martial arts, maybe the rest don¡¯t either.¡± Qiu¡¯yue nodded, but then frowned. She told Senior Sha of her exhaustion. At the very most, she was able to summon Quiet Thoughts for but a single breath. A dizziness swelled in her head, evident of her pale complexion, and she worried she would only hinder if she joined the fray directly. The older boy nodded grimly, almost a fitting expression for his natural unnatural face. Senior Sha moved over to the two dead women. He said his Buddhist prayers and closed the two women¡¯s eyes. He also apologized to them as individuals. Then, he took one of the woman¡¯s blade and handed the other to Qiu¡¯yue. As he was doing so, he noticed the branding on the beautiful woman¡¯s neck. The character boldly read ¡°Slave¡±. A great sorrow seized Senior Sha¡¯s heart. He lamented his indulgence of pills. Such a beautiful fairy, dead! She who was a slave, now a cultivator donned with a gold necklace and happy, was killed by him. The young boy stopped his weeping and slid off the roof and just before impact, he dove deep underground with his blade. Even with experienced martial artists, assassins posed great danger to them. There was a piercing mental exhaustion associated with those dwelled in the shadows. To constantly be on guard quickly becomes tiring exertion and a chain upon living. To not be on guard was to ask for death. There lied the dilemma of the hunted ¡ª after all, until one reached the apex of the petrification stage, or some particular martial arts, one still retained a body of a human when not bolstered by qi. Thus it was of no surprise to Senior Sha when he successfully shorn the tendons of the lone consolidation cultivator. It was a rather difficult task to imbue one¡¯s tendons with qi ¡ª and a quaint thought in the first place to do so. The anguish cries of the fallen drew his brothers¡¯ attention. Yet, before anyone caught a glimpse of Senior Sha, he already dove back under the ground. A gush of blood bursted through the fallen consolidation cultivator¡¯s mouth. Eyes rolled back, the young man died at the tender age of twelve. Senior Sha simply impaled the young man¡¯s stomach directly underneath his body. Faced with an opponent seen, one often possessed hope in spite of circumstances, dire or pleasing. Faced against a shadow, one often degenerated into disorder. ¡°Xuan Gui Guarding Pearl!¡± One of the petrification cultivators shouted. Instantly all three of the remaining Black Pearl Sect disciples¡¯ skin turned black as iron as muscles bulged grotesque. Then the cultivator shouted, ¡°Kun Formation!¡± Cautiously and quickly, the three placed each other¡¯s backs against one another. They raised their palms up like massive shields in front of them. And the three waited. And thus laid the dilemma of the hunter. A successful assassination consisted of two paths: to cull the weak and throw the strong in disarray, or to slay the strong in one strike and feast upon the meek. A drawn out skirmish ¡ª this war of attrition ¡ª did not fit Senior Sha¡¯s strengths. Nor did it fit Qiu¡¯yue even if she was at full strength. These trio of men knew what they were doing ¡ª though what weakness and side-effects of pills possessed was unrevealed. Perhaps the trio suffered bone deterioration and was unable to move quickly ¡ª though that was often irrelevant for someone whose purpose was to be a bulwark. Or perhaps these three will never surpass their limits and remain merely at the petrification stage ¡ª a harsh detriment but of no impact currently. And perhaps, the three will run out of qi and stamina quickly, similar to the ugly woman. That possibility existed but was unlikely. Senior Sha noticed the three had synchronized their breaths and motion. These three were no amateurs! ¡°Na, should we simply run and report it to sect master?¡± One of them asked. ¡°Ne, you idiot! If we go report this embarrassment to sect master, we will die! We¡¯re only outer sect disciples ¡ª people with no future.¡± The third cultivator growled, ¡°Na is right. Besides, these brats are only condensation cultivators. Didi died because she was inexperienced; Nuna died because she was an idiot who took too many pills and didn¡¯t stabilize the rapid growth ¡ª leading to her health issues! Besides, we actually know martial arts.¡± ¡°Ni is right. As soon as we see them, we just punch them with full force. Until then we can simply defend against whatever shit they send our way!¡± Qiu¡¯yue looked on from above with worry, crouched over, she waited for Senior Sha¡¯s signal. It was do or die. There was no running. If the two ran, they will simply be hunted down by the entire sect. It all depended on Senior Sha¡¯s execution of the plan. The earth, still as autumn, rippled with anxious energy. The three cultivators remained attentive as oaks against winter wind. Qiu¡¯yue watched from above, her eyes gone dark and fierce. Unknowingly, all five players breathed in unison, thought in unison; but they did not act in unison. Bursting from the center of their formation, earth scattering like crows, Senior Sha¡¯s loan sword sliced across their legs. Rather than breaking their legs, their legs broke the young boy¡¯s blade ¡ª snapped in half. Grasped by surprise, their formation broke as each of them tried to pummel the ugly dwarf into a rice cake. Before the three cultivators could, Senior Sha already dove back into the ground. And before the three could reinstate their formation, Senior Sha popped up like a ghost once more, throwing dirt at their faces. Naturally, the response would be to cough the dirt out and wipe their eyes. Senior Sha smiled in anticipation. He quickly pulled the pill samples he got from the festival and threw them all into each of the cultivator¡¯s mouth. Then he signalled Qiu¡¯yue to attack before diving back into the earth, but perhaps Qiu''yue did not even need to do that. Instantly, the pills showed their effects. Even when Senior Sha ingested the pills one at a time, the effects took a toll on his body. When mixed together, the effects became an abomination upon the human body and mind! Perhaps due to the mixture of the different pills, the effects blossomed quickly like wildflowers. The sudden shock of lightning and fire from the inside burned their internal organs, causing their defenses and concentration to weaken drastically. However, rather than simply breathing fire and sheltering a cloak of lightning inside them, stranger things took place. The flames rushed out of the cultivators¡¯ eyes ¡ª most likely a mutated effect caused by the Celestial Lightning Soul pill. And the lightning took on some properties of the Dragon¡¯s Heart Tyrant pill as well, shooting forward and injuring those nearby. The most interesting mutation of the pills lied in the Beastial Soul Conquerer pill. Originally, it simply made one overflow with speed and fur. Combined with the other two pills, rather than being a moderately useful pill, it became poison. The rapid contractions of muscles caused their tendons to tear. These contractions extended to their internal organs and within a breath of taking in the pills, their major organs ruptured. Combined with the trio¡¯s extensive history of doping, the aftershock numbed the tiniest blood. Blood simply spilled out from the dead three as they collapsed onto the dirty alleyway street, charred to a crisp. Qiu¡¯yue hopped down from her perch. Senior Sha greeted her with a grim victory smile. They did it. They killed all six of their pursuers. A slow clapping came from above. The pair of children looked up and felt their chests tighten ¡ª crushed, even. Floating down from the rooftop was a beautiful fairy. Possessed of flawless skin, her complexion was that of a toned warrior. Yet, despite its dark hue, the tan only served to enhance the raw beauty of her fierce eyes. Of her tight and thin, red lips. Of the majestic disposition suited of royalty. The beautiful fairy wore the Black Pearl Sect uniform, similar to the ones worn by the dead around Qiu¡¯yue and Senior Sha. However, the color arrangement was inversed. She was an inner sect disciple! And a disciple at the peak of soul severance. ¡°What a wonderful performance,¡± she said, halting her approach. No smile donned her face ¡ª only a thin scowl. ¡°Even I would have a hard time living through that concoction if I was not prepared. Ingenious even ¡ª to improvise such an execution. Guarding the internal organs is tricky, but to guard it so suddenly ¡ª only death remains for them. But the most clever of the concoction was our own sect¡¯s Rainbow Calming dan. Not only did it stifle their reaction time ¡ª but they did not even realize their own deaths until it was too late. Absolutely brilliant!¡± Qiu¡¯yue and Senior Sha gulped. They wanted to move. They needed to move. Absolutely needed to run away before they die. But they were unable to. Whereas the ugly woman also was at the soul severance stage, she did not know how to use qi effectively. The beautiful woman in front of them concentrated the impact of her qi like sunlight, piercing through their very hearts with killing intent. And the woman always kept her qi circulating, so as to always oppress the children one way or another. With every step that she took, the pressure increased ¡ª as did the volumes of blood coughed up by Qiu¡¯yue and Senior Sha. The woman stopped in front of the kneeling children. Children unable to bear her pressure. She stepped on Senior Sha¡¯s back and grinded it with her heel. ¡°Tell me, you ugly little dwarf, were you the one who killed Nuna?¡± She asked. ¡°Were you the one who pierced her throat ¡ª who took her sweet life away?¡± Senior Sha felt a deep throbbing in his heart. He became unable to respond, frozen by fear. All he did was cough up blood and nothing else. The strength difference was too heavy. ¡°N-no! I killed her,¡± Qiu¡¯yue coughed, sweat pouring down her face. Chest heaving, she pushed herself off from the ground and stood up, leaning on Quiet Thoughts. ¡°I killed her. So let my senior brother go.¡± Eyes narrowed, the beautiful woman kicked Senior Sha. An explosion bursted and Senior Sha shot out the alley into the open streets. Blood guzzled from his throat. Surely, his internal organs had been rearranged. ¡°Senior Brother!¡± Qiu¡¯yue cried, head turned away from the beautiful woman. That was a mistake. The Youths of Bian Qiao Part 1 Author''s Note: Inconsistent uploading, I know. Doing summer homework. Less time. Also had to update other story. Further confession: I like jumping around when writing...so I''m working on stuff that should be less prioritized, but is more interesting to me at that moment. As Always, Thanks for Reading. A red-haired youth walked the streets of the festival, bamboo stick a strict pace. Those new to the pill kingdom laughed at his disability ¡ª only for him to jab them in the solar plexus with deadly accuracy and a cold gaze. Those who knew of his reputation made way for him; some even bowed despite the knowledge of his blindness. The young boy stopped in front of a humble stall of wooden branches and tattered cloth. Despite its appearance, a crowd engulfed the small establishment. A portion of the crowd was curious of the juxtaposition of the humble stall with the colorful and bursting stalls around it. The rest, a small elite, knew of the owner¡¯s reputation. Yet, there was nothing about the owner to suggest greatness. Like the stall, he was a simple and aged man. Wrinkles decorated his kind face and white hair brushed the dirty ground like a broom. Though, one thing of interest was this: rather than thrusting piles of pills into open palms, the old man took the people¡¯s palms into his own to study. Then he would peek at their tongues, eyes, and even chest. He did all of this before doing one of four things: For a curious housewife, he simply sent her away with no pills. For a simple peasant, he burned moxa on his sun-wrinkled back. For a plump merchant complaining of sudden nausea, the old man gave him a list of herbs to make into soup ¡ª and not much else. And for a cultivator who was afflicted with severe internal after-effects from a fight, the old man merely massaged the poor girl with qi flowed to the tips of his fingers. The humble old man gave no pills. The red-haired youth tapped his way toward the front. He waited patiently for the old man to finish his last examination. The old man gave specific directions to avoid wet places to an old woman. Then the old man broke down his stall, fitted it into his wicker basket. Finally, the crowd dispersed. ¡°Hai¡¯Deng!¡± The old man greeted the youth with a hug. Hai¡¯Deng pushed the old man away when he leaned up to kiss his cheek. Then Hai¡¯Deng frowned, ¡°Elder Wang, why do you insist on calling me Hai¡¯Deng? My name is Yi¡¯ge Nei-Xiu Si the Third, of the Lei¡¯Yo-La House [Ignatius of the Loyola].¡± Elder Wang picked up his gnarled walking stick and slammed it down onto the cobblestone road. Pouting, he replied, ¡°Because Yi¡¯ge Nei-Xiu Si is very hard to say! And that name doesn¡¯t even mean anything. It¡¯s just a bunch of random characters thrown together so we can pronounce foreign words; it¡¯s stupid. ¡°At least my name has meaning. And it¡¯s a good name too; if I had a son, that would be his name. Hai¡¯Deng! Ascending Seas! Add in my clan name, and it¡¯s King Ascending Seas! How grand! How brilliant! Poetry at its finest!¡± Hai¡¯Deng continued to frown. He shook his head, ¡°Elder Wang, you know my name is the only thing my parents left me.¡± Elder Wang snorted and began walking forward. The red-haired youth followed by the old man¡¯s side. Elder Wang responded to the boy¡¯s claims, ¡°Bull-crap that your name is the only thing they left you. Don¡¯t you have your bones, flesh, and soul? Who do you think those came from? And you also have your sister and that red scarf! Can¡¯t you give this lonely, old man close to death this one pleasure?¡± ¡°Elder Wang!¡± Hai¡¯Deng groaned. ¡°Can you please not joke about your condition? And, can¡¯t you just respect the name my parents gave me?¡± ¡°Only if you respect what I want to be called,¡± Elder Wang smirked with eager eyes. In tune with his response, the bamboo stick slammed against the cobblestone road as it landed, ¡°No, Elder Wang.¡± Elder Wang stopped walking completely. He spun to face Hai¡¯Deng and slammed his walking stick against the boy¡¯s. ¡°Why not? I think Handsome Boy Shuhe is an excellent name!¡± The boy pulled his bamboo stick away. He threw his hands up into the air and half-yelled, ¡°Because that¡¯s simply ridiculous, Elder Wang!¡± Elder Wang puffed both his cheeks out. ¡°Hmph, then, I think Yi-whatever-the-shit-it¡¯s-called is stupid! I¡¯m calling you Hai¡¯Deng, and that is final.¡± As the odd pair bickered, they chanced upon Senior Sha¡¯s collapsed body. ¡°Elder Wang, I smell blood,¡± Hai¡¯Deng remarked with contempt. He sniffed the air and turned to the alley beside Senior Sha¡¯s body. The red-haired boy¡¯s ears perked up. He growled, ¡°Someone is causing trouble during my pill festival!¡± ¡°Aiyah, Hai¡¯Deng, what is wrong with that brain of yours,¡± Elder Wang shook his head in amazement. He pointed at Senior Sha¡¯s mangled form and exclaimed, ¡°You smell blood! Clearly that means there is someone who is injured. As healers and pill makers ¡ª as part of the great Black Pearl Sect ¡ª is it not our duty to look after those hurt first!¡± ¡°And who better to hand that duty to than you, Elder Wang, blessed Sage of the Pulse,¡± Hai¡¯Deng remarked with a bow before dashing into the street alley. ¡°Aiyah, just because this old man ¡ª wait, no, handsome old man ¡ª is gifted, they think I¡¯m a god,¡± Elder Wang grumbled to himself. Regardless, he saw to Senior Sha¡¯s injuries. ¡°Let¡¯s see: ruptured organs, excessive bleeding, shock, and impotency. My, just because I¡¯m the Sage of the Pulse doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m a miracle worker!¡± Still, he took out his supplies from his wicker basket. First, he applied some moxa on the poor boy¡¯s back and face. Next, he jabbed a few silver needles near the joints and various qi points. Once he ensured the immobilization of the young boy¡¯s movements and the restriction of shock, he fed the boy a few select pills. Finally, Elder Wang shot his palms forward, striking the boy¡¯s back ¡ª transferring warm qi to direct the natural healing of the body. Digging his nails deep into Senior Sha¡¯s back, drawing blood; however, more of the old man¡¯s qi flowed into Senior Sha¡¯s body. This warm qi accelerated also the effects of the pills. As the pill was ingested, a burst of energy and herbs exploded throughout Senior Sha¡¯s body. Very quickly, the organs repaired itself. Within moments, Senior Sha breathed normally again. And soon after, he opened his eyes and gasped. Wiping sweat from his brow, Elder Wang said, ¡°Well, young whippersnapper, aren¡¯t you a lucky ¡ª Oh my Buddha! May the devas forgive me! Where did I go wrong? Perhaps it was a sin to be called the Sage of the Pulse. My child, I am so sorry. Your face, it¡¯s ¡ª I, well, perhaps a knife and some pig skin will fix it.¡± Senior Sha teared up. He looked up at the old man and muttered, ¡°I was born ugly.¡± Elder Wang perked up and laughed. Stroking his beard, he exclaimed, ¡°Ah, as expected, I am the Sage of the Pulse.¡± Hearing Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s screams, Senior Sha grabbed hold of the elder¡¯s leg. ¡°Please, can you stop the fight? You¡¯re the Sage of the Pulse, right? That means you hold influence in the Black Pearl Sect, right?¡± Elder Wang tilted his head and explained, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m an outsider. In fact, the head of the Black Pearl Sect despises my guts and innards. And people who do respect me usually do not engage in murder without reason. Finally, I have little combat skills to speak of. Now, I ask you, why would a Black Pearl Sect disciple try to kill you?¡± Senior Sha made a bitter face and looked down at his feet. Hearing Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s screams, he glanced toward the alley. ¡°You can tell me as we walk,¡± Elder Wang spoke. He picked up his walking stick and marched into the alley. Senior Sha followed. ¡°And do not worry too much, a friend of mine has gone ahead of us. Though he is a bit reckless and hot-headed.¡± ¡°Then why hasn¡¯t he stopped the fight yet?¡± ¡°He is blind. Finding his way through alleys has always been a challenge for him even if he can sense qi and sound at a heightened level. Though, him being geographically challenged has to do with him being directionally challenged more so than being blind. The better question is why haven¡¯t you told me why you and your friend were attacked.¡± ¡°I, I threw up on some outer disciples.¡± ¡°Ah, that is why children should never take so many pills. It is a danger. Still, that is not all. Outer disciples ¡ª especially ones indulged in pills ¡ª are not able to completely rearrange one¡¯s internal organs with a single strike.¡± Senior Sha hesitated, but replied. ¡°We killed the outer disciples we offended. It was self-defense!¡± Elder Wang spared him a look. An indescribable look filled with shadows. He smiled, ¡°Impressive. However, though I am ultimately an outsider to the Black Pearl Sect, I and they consider each other family regardless.¡± Senior Sha¡¯s face paled. He gulped and lapped his lips. ¡°Will we be killed?¡± ¡°You will definitely be punished. We lose too much face if we do not. Face is the currency of the martial society. To give face is to have face; but to lose face is to lose everything. You having killed outer disciples on our own territory ¡ª on top of offending them prior ¡ª is simply too many slaps to our face.¡± ¡°I was the one who threw up on the outer disciples to begin with, I¡¯m the only one who should be killed!¡± Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Elder Wang stopped. He turned and shook his head. With a grim smile, he said, ¡°That is not your choice to make. It is to the victors.¡± The two neared Qiu¡¯yue and the beautiful fairy. Hai¡¯Deng was nowhere to be found. The scene arrived at was a gruesome image. Rather than killing Qiu¡¯yue outright, the fairy sought reparations ¡ª an eye for an eye. There was no sign of the cute little girl to be found in the alley, only a battered doll. No, she was a mutilated doll, deprived of soul and sense. Humanity stripped away, only the most primal of instincts remained. But it was not fear. It was hate and anger which Qiu¡¯yue held. Despite the bloodied eyes puffed out like tulips; despite her becoming a blue flower, myriad shades of blue and violet draped in red; despite flesh flayed from skin like fish scales, set aside in layers; despite her face stomped upon by the fairy; despite all that, she growled with bared fangs ¡ª a golden glint like liquid sun in her eyes. ¡°What a fascinating girl,¡± the fairy remarked. She gasped when Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s flesh wounds healed in but a few breaths. ¡°Everytime, remarkable! This time, it took a quarter of a breath less. If I butcher your flesh and sell your blood as pills, I wonder, perhaps ¡ª¡± ¡°Perhaps what, Xi Shi?¡± Elder Wang stepped forward. His walking stick slapping the ground with every step. ¡°If you wish to punish the girl, I can allow even this torture. However, I do not recall human pills being the way of the Black Pearl Sect.¡± Xi Shi glanced over. She covered her smile and tipped her head high. Laughing, she responded, ¡°And I do not recall you being a Black Pearl Sect elder, Mr.Wang.¡± ¡°However, I do have influence, Xi Shi. Do not make regrets, make peace.¡± Xi Shi stomped on Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s back, cracking her spine. The growling little girl coughed up blood as her breathing became more erratic. She then promptly lost consciousness. The fairy said as she twisted her heel, ¡°She has killed someone from my faction. The girl has slapped me over a thousand times over ¡ª no, she and that ugly brat over there has pissed all over our Black Pearl Sect¡¯s home. I will not make peace.¡± Elder Wang stroked his beard. He chuckled, ¡°I did not mean making peace with these children; they will be punished. I meant make peace with me and do not ever think of human experimentation ever again.¡± ¡°Elder Wang, there exists people who very much like to see an outsider gone from our sect. You cannot fight, nor is any of your followers here to guard you. If I killed you, I wonder how prosperous I will become.¡± ¡°Prosperity is found not from suffering, but from love.¡± ¡°And I do love killing.¡± The fairy smiled coldly. Xi Shi kicked Qiu¡¯yue toward Elder Wang and dashed forward like a snake. Elder Wang caught the girl gingerly. He clucked his tongue, ¡°Youngsters today, no patience at all.¡± Frowning at those words, Xi Shi immediately turned to intercept Hai¡¯Deng¡¯s strike. The bamboo stick held despite the great impact. Though it showed signs of simply bursting apart. Hai¡¯Deng flicked his wrist and the bamboo stick coiled around Xi Shi¡¯s fist. Then he diverted the fist toward the ground before quickly striking her chest five times. Like the crashing of the seas on shore, Xi Shi sprayed a mist of blood. Retrieving his bamboo stick, Hai¡¯Deng slammed it down onto Xi Shi¡¯s shoulder. The fairy crumpled onto her knees. Yet she made no sound. Rather, she opened her mouth to scream but no words came. Hai¡¯Deng tapped around until he found Xi Shi¡¯s head. He leaned forward and growled. ¡°Who are you to cause chaos during the festival, Xi Shi JieJie [Big Sister]? Remember, I am this sect¡¯s mad mutt. I will not tolerate any disturbance. Especially not from a person not even fit to lick my feet.¡± Though she was unable to speak or move, the fairy tried her hardest to show her understanding. Hai¡¯Deng nodded. He said, ¡°Good. Now let us begin your punishment. How about taking all your other senses as well? And not in the usual way. What I mean, is that you will need both reconstructive surgery and several types of pills. Oh, you don¡¯t want that? Why, I want that.¡± With a swift jab, Xi Shi was left with silent screams, as rivers of blood gushed from her eyes, nose, and ears. Then Hai¡¯Deng turned to face Elder Wang. He scowled. ¡°I hear two extra sets of breathing. And they sound quite familiar.¡± Immediately, Senior Sha stopped breathing. Hai¡¯Deng turned to him and smiled. ¡°Oh, I was unsure exactly where you were. But now I know.¡± Before Hai¡¯Deng could do anything, Elder Wang stopped him. ¡°Hai¡¯Deng, stand down.¡± ¡°Elder Wang ¡ª¡± ¡°What are the four steps?¡± Elder Wang tapped his walking stick onto the ground like a gavel. ¡°Looking. Listening. Inquiring. Taking.¡± Hai¡¯Deng recited those four steps quickly and with confidence. ¡°Yes, as doctors: We must first look at their tongues and appearance. Then we listen to their voice. Next, we inquire their condition. And then we take their pulse. As doctors, we must apply the four steps to even this! Let us first look at the situation ¡ª though with this ugly bastard over here, we should simply declare him a leper afflicted with syphilis.¡± ¡°Uh, I¡¯m a virgin boy.¡± Senior Sha responded with a blush. ¡°Oh, good. We needed to make virgin boy eggs. There¡¯s been quite the yin deficiency lately. Oh cheer up, boy. On the bright side, this probably mean you won¡¯t be executed.¡± ¡°I rather if he did die,¡± Hai¡¯Deng muttered as he swung his stick around like a blade. ¡°You know how I am when people break the rules ¡ª especially a law as sacred as not killing on other people¡¯s home soil.¡± ¡°It, it was self-defense!¡± Senior Sha cried. ¡°You are but some back-mountain country hick. And one barely at even a mediocre level of cultivation,¡± Hai¡¯Deng said with a laugh. ¡°So what if it was self-defense? Compare to your sect¡¯s face and our¡¯s, which is more significant?¡± ¡°Now, now. Before we jump to any executions, let us first exercise our roles as doctors first,¡± Elder Wang said with a roll of his eyes. Taking Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s wrist into his palm, his expression changed rapidly. At first it was curiosity, then intrigue, intrigue revealed shock and awe, but awe led to fear. With a fevered expression, he turned to Senior Sha and shouted, ¡°Boy! Who the hell is this girl?¡± ¡°I-I,¡± Senior Sha stuttered and fell onto his bum. Elder Wang approached and slammed his walking stick in between Sha¡¯s legs. The Sage of the Pulse leaned forward and hissed, ¡°Who. Is. She?¡± ¡°She¡¯s an orphan, Elder Wang,¡± Senior Sha replied. ¡°Whose orphan?¡± ¡°The general who betrayed the Emperor,¡± Senior Sha whispered. With a complicated face, Elder Wang pulled himself back. He stroked his beard as he watched Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s body repair itself. ¡°Elder Wang, why are you so surprised?¡± Hai¡¯Deng asked. He faced Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s general direction. ¡°General Yin Hong was my first student ¡ª from even before I was given the title of Sage,¡± Elder Wang chuckled wryly. ¡°Impossible!¡± Hai¡¯Deng exclaimed. ¡°Elder Wang, you¡¯re nearly 500 years old. You became Sage when you were at the end of your first soul-severance at 135 years old. General Yin Hong is in her thirties at most. And she was still just a condensation stage cultivator when she joined the Yue Yun Sect. It does not add up.¡± ¡°There are stranger things than that. She herself has ascertained that she and my first student are one and the same.¡± ¡°Is that why you don¡¯t believe she betrayed the Emperor?¡± Hai¡¯Deng asked after a brief pause. Senior Sha was silent with anxiety in all this. Elder Wang ignored the question and turned to Senior Sha, ¡°Something was done with her body, right? I assume it was the Scarlet Fairy of Dreams, Meng Yue.¡± Senior Sha nodded. ¡°A Lotus Ritual.¡± ¡°I know which one,¡± Elder Wang replied. He fed Qiu¡¯yue a pill from his basket. ¡°Her body¡¯s regeneration ability has far surpassed even some cultivators. She shall be fine after some rest.¡± ¡°What about their punishment, Elder Wang,¡± Hai¡¯Deng asked, carving deep grooves into the dirt with his bamboo stick. ¡°They¡¯ve killed our own.¡± Senior Sha looked at Hai¡¯Deng, then at Elder Wang. The Sage of the Pulse sighed. ¡°There must be justice. Regardless of all else, there must be justice.¡± The Youths of Bian Qiao Part 2 Author''s Note: A bit of a short chapter today, but I reached a cliffhanger moment -- so, yeah. And didn''t Hemingway say end the day wanting to write more anyways? As Always, Thanks for Reading. The Great Halls of the Black Pearl Sect was not built to impress. It was never built with the intention of entertaining guests. The actual structure of the building was humble and of wood. Recipes of pills and descriptions of medical conditions lined its walls and pillars. And the sect master¡¯s throne was formed from slabs of white stone. Sect Master Lin filled his throne, excess ambition spilling out. He was a rough man with large palms and a face marred by burns. Pulling at his fiery brows, he remarked, ¡°I hope your explanation will be a rather entertaining one, if nothing else.¡± Hai¡¯Deng stepped forward first, dragging Xi Shi by her hair. Throwing the beaten fairy onto the stairs leading up to the throne, Hai¡¯Deng then bowed. He greeted his sect master. ¡°Sect Master Lin, it is as you see.¡± Hai¡¯Deng bowed again to indicate he has finished speaking. Sect Master Lin slammed his palm onto the armrest of his throne. The white slab held, but the entire foundation shook. Tilting his head, he asked, ¡°That was not entertaining. Nor did it explain anything at all. Lei¡¯Yo-La, I did raise you into this sect¡¯s needed guardian, assassin, and executioner. Those people do not have a voice, I understand ¡ª however, they always respond to their master, no?¡± ¡°Yes, Sect Master Lin. And the explanation is as you see.¡± ¡°I find it rather ridiculous a blind person is saying such a thing.¡± ¡°Yes, it is ridiculous.¡± ¡°Ah, you understand, Lei¡¯Yo-La. It is rather ridiculous to be suddenly presented six corpses with no explanation. But also rather more odd to be presented an inner sect disciple mentally scarred ¡ª I would assume ¡ª and physically ruined.¡± ¡°There are pills and surgery.¡± ¡°Did I ask for you to speak? No, I did not. But even more odd are the two children beside Elder Wang. I¡¯ve already taken in you and your sister; taking in another two is simply ridiculous.¡± ¡°Yes, this entire situation is ridiculous, Sect Master Lin.¡± ¡°So what is the explanation?¡± ¡°It is as you see.¡± ¡°I want to get angry. But I don¡¯t want to waste resources by breaking someone or something. And hitting this Silvery Barbarian Kindling Throne of mine is not satisfying, as it refuses to crack. I assume Elder Wang told you to repeat such a line.¡± ¡°Indeed, I have, Yin Chai,¡± the sage responded with a nod, stepping forward as Hai¡¯Deng retreated. ¡°Elder Wang, do not forget you are an outsider.¡± ¡°I have not. I am an outsider; you are not my sect master. Neither are you my senior. And I repeat, it is as you see.¡± ¡°With any other person, I would assume there is a point to that statement. With you, Elder Wang, I think only every eighth sentence from your mouth holds meaning.¡± ¡°How rude, Yin Chai. I once changed your soiled trousers ¡ª and you treat this old man so?¡± ¡°Wang Shuhe, you may be this sect¡¯s eternal esteemed and venerable guest, but I will not tolerate such blatant disregard for my words within my own home.¡± ¡°Again, Yin Chai, it is as you see.¡± ¡°And I see an old man dead from flagellation,¡± Sect Master Lin growled. Then he closed his eyes and breathed out. ¡°Lei-Yo¡¯La, answer honestly! Why does Elder Wang wish to save those two children. Despite having killed six of our outer sect disciples?¡± ¡°Elder Wang desires justice,¡± Hai¡¯Deng responded after a pause. ¡°Ha, justice? Is it justice when six of my children are dead and those two still breathes? Is it justice when Xi Shi is mutilated and scarred by your hands no less, and those two unharmed?¡± Elder Wang stroked his beard. He spoke calmly, ¡°It is justice when it is self-defense. It is justice when the inequality of the situation becomes balanced. ¡°I admit the two children have offended the six deceased disciples. One threw up onto their feet. However, such an offense required no death ¡ª at most, the children should have been forced to eat the vomit off their shoes and then kowtow to each of them. That offense warranted no death ¡ª perhaps maiming, but not death.¡± ¡°Yet, I see only those six dead. Can one be sure it was not simple malice from the perpetrators?¡± ¡°Further investigation revealed the six had killed numerous pill makers ¡ª some of them successors to certain recipes ¡ª from other medicinal sects. And there was also extensive damage caused during their rampage,¡± Elder Wang smiled, though his eyes never creased. ¡°It would be insulting to those medicinal sects if we do not repay blood with blood.¡± Sect Master Lin leaned forward in his throne. He gripped the armrests with such force, that if the throne was not so durable, it would have broke. The sect master barked, ¡°Does nameless sects deserve the Black Pearl Sect¡¯s apology?¡± ¡°Even if the Black Pearl Sect is desired by all, if all the other medicinal sects form their own alliance, there would finally exist an entity able to rival ours.¡± ¡°Ha! Elder Wang, you¡¯ve gotten addled in your time of long living. Even if all the other sects become one, can quantity defeat quality?¡± Elder Wang smiled and nodded. ¡°I have lived quite long ¡ª though, I am but middled-aged in the view of others. To the common sects, it is often quantity that they prefer, not quality. To the greater sects, they desire quality, but quantity shall suffice. If one quality pill costs ten taels and increases the effectiveness of cultivation by 200%, that is very good. But if one can buy several cheaper pills for one tael , yet still achieve 200% overall with no side-effects, that is even better. ¡°Young Yin Chai, what we have now is a brand and a monopoly. If our monopoly is gone, our brand will naturally fall due to competition. We will not be ruined, but we will decline ¡ª your kingdom will fall. We must keep amicable relations with the other sects.¡± Sect Master Lin grunted, ¡°But that still does not grant them freedom from punishment! If one touches a tiger, then it is only just for the fool to be eaten.¡± ¡°Yin Chai, the boy who threw up ate one of the sect¡¯s new pill right before vomiting. Even if the cause was truly him ingesting too many pills, the public will react with anger if we kill them. After all, it is a prototype despite our branding. If news gets out that the children are dead, we will be caught up in a whirlwind of news concerning the cover-up of unsafe pills. It is better if they lived.¡± ¡°Fine! They live, but justice must still be served. After all, Xi Shi was punished harshly by Lei¡¯Yo-La for causing trouble. Why are the children unharmed?¡± ¡°As sect master, I believe you should decide,¡± Hai¡¯Deng spoke suddenly. He pointed his bamboo stick at the two children. ¡°Though they are guests, they are apparently treasured disciples of the Yun Yue Sect.¡± ¡°Hmph, that declining sect? Wasn¡¯t it recently that they even got casted from the Emperor¡¯s favor? Furthermore, I believe the traitor of the Empire, General Hong Yin, was once a disciple of that sect.¡± Elder Wang nodded, ¡°That is correct. However, to have once been granted the favor of the son of Heaven, that means they were once extremely powerful ¡ª and who is not to say that continues to stand. After all, they were not casted from favor because they have become weak, but for their connections to the traitor.¡± ¡°Strong? So what if this one sect is strong. The Black Pearl Sect has the support of the Empire and our many patrons and clients,¡± Sect Master Lin scowled. He turned to Hai¡¯Deng and shouted, ¡°Speak honestly, boy! Why does Elder Wang protect those two children?¡± Hai¡¯Deng pulled at his scarf, but spoke with confidence. ¡°Justi ¡ª¡± ¡°The truth, boy,¡± Sect Master Lin growled. Hai¡¯Deng faced Elder Wang who responded with a simple, ¡°Yes.¡± The boy then answered, ¡°The girl is the daughter of General Hong Yin. General Hong Yin was the student of Elder Wang.¡± Stolen story; please report. Sect Master Lin laughed. He reclined in his throne and sneered. ¡°Elder Wang, this is treason, is it not?¡± ¡°The sins of the parent does not fall to the child,¡± Elder Wang answered with a hard look at Sect Master Lin. ¡°But it does. Under the Zhou Dynasty, collective punishment is a rather popular form of management and deterrence. After all, if an entire family is punished ¡ª why, does not the sentiment, ¡®Fuck you to your eighteenth great-aunt¡¯, become so much more true?¡± ¡°Then I suppose, I am showing my age ¡ª of a life from before the Tiger took the Dragon¡¯s Throne.¡± ¡°There are no more Dragons, dear Elder Wang,¡± Sect Master Lin said with a far-off look in his eyes. He closed them and sighed. ¡°But a lost memory.¡± ¡°You are right,¡± Elder Wang nodded. The three children looked about in confusion, in particular Hai¡¯Deng, who was unable to see the nuance of either man¡¯s face. ¡°But that is not the point. The point is, this is clearly treason, Elder Wang,¡± Sect Master Lin scowled as he tapped his armrest. ¡°And I assert it is not.¡± ¡°But it is. If there is collective reward, there is collective punishment. That is the way life goes about. A child is able to enjoy one¡¯s life if one¡¯s parents are capable; the opposite obviously is true as well.¡± ¡°However, even if that is true, General Bo Ling himself has excused the child of sin. After all, the girl still lives.¡± ¡°Even if that is true, why must I, someone at the Earth cultivation stage fear the Yun Yue Sect? Who will help them if they seek vengeance?¡± ¡°The master of that sect, Mo Yun, is someone at the Star cultivation stage ¡ª and unlike you, Yin Chai, she still possess the ability and potential to continue. And who will help them? Do you forget that those held in the Empire¡¯s favor are all sects who produced legendary figures? Though those who ascended to become deity do not interfere with mortal affairs, the sect¡¯s founder will.¡± Sect Master Lin narrowed his eyes. He leaned forward and breathed deeply. ¡°And what proof do you have of that?¡± ¡°Qiu¡¯yue, show Sect Master Lin your sword.¡± Qiu¡¯yue stepped forward. She bowed. Then she summoned Quiet Thoughts. The silver blade resonated as if meeting an old friend. Shaking uncontrollably, Qiu¡¯yue lost her grip on the blade. Set free, the sword shot forward at Sect Master Lin. Grunting, Sect Master Lin tightened his muscles, adopting the Black Pearl Sect¡¯s most prized defensive art: his skin became as black as metal and a mist seeped from his pores. However, the blade stopped at the Silvery Barbarian Kindling Throne and circled around it, slicing through the air with the laughter of chimes. Sect Master Lin released his martial art and stood up. His eyes were as large as the moon. He said in awe, ¡°This, this is a mystical treasure on par with my Silvery Barbarian Kindling Throne!¡± Elder Wang nodded. ¡°There is no method of faking the spiritual resonance of legendary artifacts. Take a closer look. I know you have read the books.¡± Sect Master Lin whispered, uncertain and unsure. ¡°This is Quiet Thoughts ¡ª one half of Duality.¡± ¡°Yes, even the founder of Yue Yun Sect, the ascended deity Sun Devouring Moon, treasures this child. To give up his own blade, is that not almost as if saying she is like a daughter to him?¡± ¡°But one ¡ª¡± ¡°Even if no one cares for the Yue Yun Sect, the deity known as Sun Devouring Moon still strikes awe and fear into mortal hearts and cultivator souls alike! If he summons up old friends, who would refuse? And even if no one responds, that does not dilute the power he possesses as an ascended deity. Perhaps your sect backed by other sects will emerge victorious, but at what cost? How many will fall to his strength and knowledge? And suppose, somehow, you chance upon a deity with the same attachment to mortal affairs as Sun Devouring Moon ¡ª how will one repay a debt to a deity?¡± ¡°Fine! We will not harm these two,¡± Sect Master Lin threw up his hands in exasperation. ¡°Are you happy now, Elder Wang?¡± Elder Wang chuckled and stroked his beard. ¡°Yin Chai, I¡¯ll be happier if you call me Grandpa like you used to. And, I never said not to harm them. However, I was merely explaining why these two are treasured and why the Yue Yun Sect should not be looked down upon. I am a strong purveyor of good medicine. Good medicine is bitter. If a child has done wrong, he must be punished.¡± Sect Master Lin rubbed his eyes and groaned. ¡°Fine! Let these two be flogged in public a hundred strokes to ¡ª wait, what cultivation stage are you two at? I am so infinitely stronger that I cannot sense it at all.¡± ¡°Fifth stage,¡± Qiu¡¯yue responded. Sect Master Lin tilted his head at that information. ¡°Sixth stage,¡± Senior Sha said. ¡°A thousand strokes for each,¡± Sect Master Lin decided. He waved his hands and ordered, ¡°I wish to be left in peace now. Lei¡¯Yo-La take Xi Shi to be treated.¡± ¡°However, simply punishment would be too harsh in the public¡¯s eyes. And the knowledge that these two killed six of our outer disciples ¡ª even if they are outer disciples ¡ª will cause us to lose face.¡± ¡°You suggest covering up their crimes,¡± Sect Master Lin scowled, clenching his fists. ¡°Yes. It is common knowledge the overconsumption of pills have many undesirable side-effects,¡± Elder Wang looked at Sect Master Lin with a pitying look. He continued his thoughts, ¡°If even the students of the Black Pearl Sect are so heavily afflicted with side-effects to lose so badly, well, we would be seen as impotent basically. And we should mask the punishment as well.¡± ¡°To shift the perception as being harmful and involuntary to being a fair deal of sorts,¡± Sect Master Lin interrupted. ¡°Right?¡± ¡°My, Yin Chai, after near 50 years, you finally understand economics and social engineering!¡± ¡°And I suppose, you want something along the line: Two bold and bright, young disciples. An ardent desire to participate in the contest to be named a Youth of Bian Qiao! Yet, unable to due to their young age ¡ª so they strike a deal with the cordial and charismatic and powerful Sect Master Lin. Endure 1000 strokes with the public as witness, in return, an invitation to the pill festival¡¯s new games in honor of the prince!¡± ¡°Exactly as you say, Yin Chai,¡± Elder Wang chuckled. ¡°This new competition is to become a Youth of Bian Qiao ¡ª the rewards are too tantalizing: a set of over a hundred bottles of pills, a copy of Bian Qiao¡¯s Study of Herbs and Poisons, and a secret technique known only to his last living student, you, the Sage of the Pulse! There''s even a fancy title presented by the prince himself! It''s a chance to rub shoulders with the future Emperor. Even if some of the trials are not life-threatening, their competitors will be ruthless; for, that is the law of the cultivators.¡± ¡°Again, good medicine is bitter. Haven¡¯t I always told you that, Yin Chai? The trials will be a good lesson to foolish children with no forethought.¡± ¡°Fine, we will do that.¡± Smiling, Elder Wang bowed and led the two children beside him outside. Hai¡¯Deng stayed behind and took Xi Shi¡¯s body into his arms. The battered fairy writhed and moaned. It was as if the mind of a worm was trapped in a human¡¯s body. ¡°Lei¡¯Yo-La, do you not care for your sister?¡± The sect master stood from his throne and leapt down in front of the boy. ¡°I know you are blind, so you are not fearful of my eyes. But a blind man is not also a retarded man, no? You understand your position as my mad mutt. I own you. Do not forget whose hands feed you ¡ª it is not his.¡± ¡°Yes, Sect Master Lin,¡± Hai¡¯Deng nodded and swallowed his frustration. ¡°How is the plan coming along?¡± ¡°It¡¯s coming along, but it¡¯s slow.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because you aren¡¯t trying. You know I have no use for trash.¡± ¡°Yes, Sect Master Lin.¡± ¡°Though I can¡¯t fault you when you¡¯re trying to poison the Sage of the Pulse.¡± Indulgence of Masochism Author''s Note: I was gone because school. My uploading schedule is gonna be hella weird until things stabilize. I may upload on just the weekends. Anyhow, thanks for reading, as always. A crowd gathered quickly. The murmurs of crows spread the announcement through the festival roads and crevices like an autumn shower: Two children, disciples of the famous Yue Yun Sect, were to be flogged a thousand times. Why? No one knew at that point, causing faces to be flushed with vulgar anticipation. Mixed into the flood of rosy-cheeks were four masks of varying paleness and depth. ¡°Those two idiots,¡± Cai growled under his breath. His eyes narrowed as he plucked at the air for any hints of their presence. Clenching his fists tight until knuckles cried, he let loose a roar of exasperation, startling the other onlookers. ¡°My prince, what an unexpected reaction,¡± Gai¡¯zhi smiled as he poked his head over the shoulders of the crowd. He pulled out a mirror and threw it all the way to the front. Landing at the feet of a wealthy businessman, the man picked it up. To his surprise, a pair of hands came pouncing through the surface lacking a reflection. This wealthy businessman suddenly found himself near the end of the crowd, surrounded with no escape. At the very front of the crowd, Gai¡¯zhi chuckled and pocketed his mirror and then yawned. The three children were by his side. ¡°Did you like my trick, my little prince?¡± Gai¡¯zhi asked. ¡°Senior Brother Gai¡¯zhi, I do not have the patience for your stupidity today,¡± Cai said roughly as he tightened his fists. Gai¡¯zhi smacked Cai¡¯s and the twins¡¯ backs and gave them a thumb up. He declared, ¡°Do not worry. I am sure there is a reason. And that things will be fine.¡± ¡°But what if things aren¡¯t,¡± Jang-Guo shouted. His face like a bloodshot eye. ¡°What if something happened. And things aren¡¯t fine? What then, Senior Brother?¡± Gai¡¯zhi raised his brow and pulled out a gourd from his sleeves. He took a sip of the drink and asked, ¡°You say that like you know something.¡± Cai glared at Gai¡¯zhi. ¡°And you sound like you know something too, Senior Brother Gai¡¯zhi.¡± ¡°Aiyah, aiyah, my little prince,¡± Gai¡¯zhi blushed. ¡°We all have secrets. For one, I actually did not stop wetting my pants until I was nine years of age.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I ¡ª¡± Cai started but was stopped by the blaring of horns and the clanging of bells. Meili hesitated but pulled at Cai¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Qiu¡¯yue will be fine right? And Senior Sha?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know; that¡¯s why I¡¯m angry.¡± The crowd parted like a gulf and a storm of Black Pearl disciples surged to the front where two children stood under an old oak tree. Though stood was a generous term. In truth, Qiu¡¯yue and Senior Sha were both bound by chains, blindfolded, and gagged (the cloth was for the children¡¯s own benefit). An inner disciple with the face of a shrew stepped forward. Placing his talons together, he explained the situation. ¡°Oh, honored guests! Is Spring not the time of youth? Of courage and memories? It is. And these two children here are at the peaks of youth! As one have heard, there will be another tournament of sorts beside the annual fighting tournament. And that tournament is one with an age requirement ¡ª yet these two are brave and yearn for glory!¡± The announcer paused and molested the crowd with his beady eyes. He waited until a roaring applause ensued. Smiling, he continued. ¡°And to prove their worth, these two children will withstand a thousand strikes of the whip without using their qi to protect their mortal bodies. Now, how will we know no qi is used? The chains are special. Yes, a tool manufactured only by the Clear Rain Sect ¡ª the material saps qi like a root near water.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit cruel to hit children?¡± A housewife asked as she hugged her own boy. The announcer sneered. ¡°Children? These two are cultivators foremost. Now, let us loosen their ties to the oak and begin!¡± With a flourish, the disciples untied Qiu¡¯yue and Senior Sha from the oak. They forced the two onto the ground. Instantly, the chains wrapped taut around their small frames once more. Hearing those words, the twins regained color in their cheeks. On the other hand, Cai¡¯s plum face only darkened further. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, my prince,¡± Gai¡¯zhi asked with a knowing smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have an idea, Senior Brother Gai¡¯zhi,¡± Cai responded. The twins looked at each other with confusion. Cai sighed and remarked, ¡°There¡¯s no way in hell Qiu¡¯yue would do something so outrageous. We all know she¡¯s impulsive but she¡¯s definitely too shy to stand in front of a crowd like so. I bet the blindfold is to keep her from being too much of a nervous wreck.¡± ¡°Something¡¯s questionable is going on then?¡± Gai¡¯zhi smiled from ear to ear. ¡°You damn pervert,¡± Cai muttered under his breath. ¡°Oh my, little prince, your mask! What happened to your mask?¡± Gai¡¯zhi chuckled. ¡°I can ask the same. Senior Brother,¡± Cai smiled wryly. The twins held onto each other a bit tighter. Meili whispered into her brother¡¯s ear, ¡°Ge-Ge, I¡¯m so glad you are my brother.¡± Jang-Guo overcome with emotion embraced Meili wholeheartedly ¡ª causing him to experience his own public beating. Meili smiled, a brightness in her eyes, and held onto Jang-Guo¡¯s arms, her face nestled on his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m happy you¡¯re so simple. If you were smart like those other two, I would die of exhaustion.¡± Despite the statement being a clear insult, Jang-Guo beamed happily nonetheless. Within a quarter of an incense, the crowd thinned considerably. The sky donned a pale amber glow and the wind began to sing a lullaby. Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s and Senior Sha¡¯s whimpers and moans became a pattern with no variation. The beat of the lashes were of a strict pace. There was no flourish or flair. Even the announcer paid his respect to the ceremony by standing in silence. The only people left were the cultivators and eccentrics, those kinds of people, the insane and mad. And those people soon brought out gourds of wine and rice crackers from their sleeves. Enjoying the haze of night, they waited with gleaming eyes for the results. The blue servant uniforms became battered and bloodied. A grid of lacerations cried out on the two children¡¯s backs. Strangely, Senior Sha¡¯s face became flushed and his moans came quicker and more heavy ¡ª causing the deliverer of lashes to squirm. Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s moans became like those of beasts ¡ª a harried, angry one. With every snap of the whip, the two children¡¯s cries became fiercer. It was as if the splitting pains woke them to a new plane of existence ¡ª each lash jolting them out of potential unconsciousness. After an incense of time, the lashing ceased. A thousand strikes. Those blue uniforms became black with the pigment of blood. Flies gathered on the open flesh, flitting about. The slightest hint of white bone peeked through the maroon. The announcer smiled and removed the restraints on the two children. Senior Sha breathed heavily with a strange smile. He lied there like a sow even as the wind sliced across his open back. The boy shuddered with a content sigh. When they removed Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s restraints, the girl immediately leapt for the nearest prey with her hands formed into claws. Saved by instinct, everyone leapt back, causing the girl to strike the cobblestone instead. A small crater formed, cracks rippled across the ground. Her eyes glowed a muted gold under the night sky. Qiu¡¯yue twitched, unable to remain still ¡ª blood flowing freely from her orifices and weeping from her back. She howled, but made no motion ¡ª waiting for an opening. ¡°Interesting,¡± Gai¡¯zhi remarked. ¡°Interesting? Everyone seem intent on killing her,¡± Cai muttered and gestured around. ¡°They think she¡¯s a threat.¡± ¡°Well, she is.¡± Gai¡¯zhi smiled and shrugged. ¡°Well, nothing we can do. Let¡¯s just go home and sleep. We can plan a happy and fun funeral tomorrow.¡± ¡°You ¡ª¡± The twins shouted but stopped when they felt the murderous glares of the other spectators. Biting their lips, they asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t there anything to do?¡± Gai¡¯zhi glanced at Jang-Guo. ¡°You knew something was strange about her, didn¡¯t you?¡± Without waiting for an answer, Gai¡¯zhi walked away. ¡°Nevermind. I do not like tangling myself into difficult things in which I am not certain of living.¡± Meili and Cai looked at Jang-Guo. Jang-Guo fidgeted before finally relenting. ¡°Fine. Something may have happened in the Tomb. But nothing like this! All that happened...well, Qiu-di somehow stole a cultivation level from me.¡± ¡°What! That¡¯s impossible!¡± Meili exclaimed. ¡°Maybe not,¡± Cai mumbled with furrowed brows. ¡°Cultivation is to absorb the spiritual power of the cosmos to strengthen our mortal bodies in order to become gods. In theory, it is possible to drain spiritual power and add it to one¡¯s own.¡± ¡°But what about the meridians?¡± ¡°In the end, stealing cultivation is simply forcing the body to change. I would think that if one took on cultivation too dense for one¡¯s meridians, it would simply burst. But adding a level one or two higher should be possible ¡ª if painful. Maybe that¡¯s why Qiu¡¯yue is not moving. All the opponents most likely have cultivation levels too high for her to endure.¡± Cai paused in his speculations. ¡°And most likely, she has entered this primal state because she felt her life threatened. Though, by the strain of her muscles, I doubt she could use more than 25% of her qi still.¡± ¡°What ¡ª¡± ¡°We watch,¡± Cai responded. He narrowed his eyes. ¡°They won¡¯t hurt Senior Sha.¡± ¡°But ¡ª¡± ¡°If Qiu¡¯yue is a danger to us, then why should we help her.¡± Cai responded, glancing over at the twins before returning his cool gaze at the scene. ¡°We each have a goal that we must accomplish ¡ª I don¡¯t want to have my life or time wasted.¡± ¡°You really are cold sometimes, Cai,¡± Jang-Guo spat bitterly at the ground. ¡°No wonder you¡¯re still single,¡± Meili muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t see the two of you jumping in,¡± Cai whispered. Someone moved. As if like a single stone cast into water, everyone else rushed forward as well. However, a streak of red overtook all others. Diving behind Qiu¡¯yue, Hai¡¯Deng struck several points on the girl¡¯s body with his bamboo stick and she fell unconscious into his arms. Then Hai¡¯Deng yelled, ¡°Hold your ground!¡± Recognizing the red scarf, the cultivators stopped their approach, mere inches from the two. Everything took a single breath. No one disobeyed. Hai¡¯Deng¡¯s reputation was one to be feared and respected. A lone elderly man walked forward. Elder Wang announced, ¡°Well, the two endured the lashes. They will compete in the tournament. That is all. And of what you saw today, well ¡ª I¡¯m really, really sorry! You see, well, how embarrassing. I was mixing some new pills...and it seems the side-effects has finally kicked in. It would be too shameful for me to even leave the house if news of this gets out. Please, will you young heroes respect this old one¡¯s wish?¡± The cultivators looked at each other. Some were satisfied with the explanation and left. Others held their skepticism but bowed and left as well. The announcer stared at the Sage of the Pulse a little longer and remarked, ¡°I will report this to sect master, regardless. Forgive this junior¡¯s lack of manners.¡± Then the Sage of the Pulse looked over at the three children. He smiled, ¡°My, what a pretty girl. If I had a grandchild, I would want her to look exactly like you...though a wife like you wouldn¡¯t be too bad either! Hohoho.¡± Jang-Guo frowned and stepped forward. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the Sage of the Pulse,¡± Elder Wang laughed. ¡°I was going to heal your two friends over there for free, but now I feel like sleeping.¡± Meili pushed aside Jang-Guo (who fell back with an oomph) and asked, ¡°Really? Can you please?¡± Elder Wang stroked his beard, ¡°Well, if such a pretty girl asks, I can¡¯t say no, now can I?¡± Cai stepped forward and bowed. ¡°Excuse me, Sage of the Pulse. Despite Meili¡¯s pretty looks, she is not yet even of twelve years. You may think she is simply one of those who retain such youth even into the evening of life, but she is not.¡± Elder Wang pouted. ¡°Oh please, the wife part was a joke. I¡¯m much too old for one anyhow. Though I did mean it when I said I would want a granddaughter like her.¡± Hai¡¯Deng brought Qiu¡¯yue and Senior Sha over. ¡°Now, please go and rest. I will heal your friend and they will be well tomorrow.¡± Cai smiled and bowed. ¡°Sage of the Pulse, before you go, are you not going to explain why you care so much for Qiu¡¯yue? Are you not going to explain to her family what exactly happened?¡± ¡°Family?¡± Meili exclaimed. Cai smiled, ¡°You and Jang-Guo are her sister and brother, respectively. I guess I can be the father. And Senior Sha suits the role of a worrying and worrisome mother.¡± ¡°My, what good friends,¡± Elder Wang smiled. ¡°I already explained. The pills I made had unforeseen side-effects. I feel responsible. Please, go and rest, young boy.¡± Without heeding any more words from the three, Elder Wang and Hai¡¯Deng left. The three children frowned. ¡°Cai, you really scares me sometimes,¡± Meili whispered. ¡°One moment, you didn¡¯t care if Qiu¡¯yue died; the next, you called her family.¡± Cai said nothing and started walking. Elder Wang lived in the more modest sections of the Black Pearl Sect. After years of living in the sect, he requested the home to be refashioned into a cozy cottage of sorts. He had Hai¡¯Deng lay Qiu¡¯yue and Senior Sha onto his bed. ¡°Elder Wang, what was with the girl back there?¡± Hai¡¯Deng asked. ¡°Her very qi felt completely different from usual...it was disgusting and terrible.¡± ¡°Hai¡¯Deng, even I do not know. However, it has made one thing clear. She is truly the daughter of Yin Hong.¡± ¡°She¡¯s dangerous,¡± Hai¡¯Deng said angrily. ¡°I know. But so is medicine and fire and even the life-giving water.¡± ¡°Elder Wang,¡± Hai¡¯Deng scolded. ¡°Start the preparations for the boy, please,¡± Elder Wang asked. Hai¡¯Deng bit his cheeks but complied and left for the medicine room. Elder Wang brushed aside Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s bangs. He checked the girl¡¯s pulse and felt it has returned to a more stable state. However, it was heavily strained and broken still. The girl¡¯s internal wounds far exceeded expectations. ¡°She really does look like Yin Hong.¡± Hai¡¯Deng returned with the supplies. Elder Wang and him proceeded to apply balms and pastes and needles. Elder Wang bid Hai¡¯Deng farewell after the operation. Once the old man ascertained Hai¡¯Deng has left, he returned to the girl. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I have to do this again in this lifetime,¡± Elder Wang smiled wry. He placed the girl¡¯s palm against his chest. Instantly, the girl¡¯s nails protruded like talons and dug into his flesh. Elder Wang bared his teeth as he felt himself drained of both vitality and cultivation. Once he felt Qiu¡¯yue was back in a better state, he wrenched the palm from his chest and applied some green cream onto the wound. Hai¡¯Deng who hid in the shadows felt the exchange of cultivation. Exchanges of cultivation was not unheard of in the cultivating world. Dying masters who were unable to achieve divinity often transferred all their cultivation to one (un)lucky soul. However, those exchanges were either of: a forceful giving of cultivation, or a mutual acceptance. Hai¡¯Deng felt the opposite. He felt Elder Wang¡¯s cultivation forcefully dragged through his meridians through a wound into one¡¯s own soul and body. Hai¡¯Deng knew it was not the boy. The blind boy with the red scarf made for the sect master. Before leaving, he faced toward the people inside and apologized, ¡°I am sorry. Please, gods above, punish only me, and never the sister I do these things for.¡± If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Qiu¡¯yue woke up the next day at noon. The stream of light tickled her eyes and she greeted the day with a great yawn. She sat up and found herself in an unfamiliar place. Getting off the bed, she explored the room. It was a quaint little room with a wooden table and wooden chairs and a wooden bed with a wooden pillow. Unlike the stone buildings of the Black Pearl Sect, strong and cold, the place Qiu¡¯yue found herself in was made of entirely wood. Though it was spring, the mountain air was still chilly. She wrapped herself with the blanket on the bed. Hearing the voice of Senior Sha, Qiu¡¯yue followed it outside to the courtyard. The voices stemmed from a large cabin marked with the plaque ¡°Herbs¡± over the door entrance. She entered it and gagged from the intense mixture of odors. ¡°Ah, you finally woke up,¡± Elder Wang greeted with a smile. Senior Sha rushed over to Qiu¡¯yue and patted her up and down. ¡°Little Qiu¡¯yue, are you ok?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah, Senior Brother Sha,¡± Qiu¡¯yue responded. With a tired grin, she asked, ¡°What are you two doing?¡± Senior Sha beamed up ¡ª which was a curse upon Elder Wang¡¯s eyes. He who possessed the face of a demon being excited was as if a sadistic beast baring his teeth at a feast of prey. ¡°Little Qiu¡¯yue, ah, listen to this! I figured out why I¡¯m stagnating!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Qiu¡¯yue exclaimed with a smile. ¡°Yeah, Elder Wang tested my pulse and found something really special!¡± Senior Sha said all this quickly and feverishly. ¡°I¡¯m finally going to break through my bottleneck! I can keep being with all you! I, I can keep being with you guys.¡± ¡°Hohoho, what an emotional boy.¡± Elder Wang walked over toward the pair. ¡°Even I was amazed to find someone possessing your body, boy. To think you were of the long lost Ai¡¯Nue Clan [Masochism Clan]!¡± ¡°Ai¡¯Nue Clan?¡± ¡°Yeah, little Qiu¡¯yue, my parents who abandoned me must be powerful warriors! There must be some hidden intrigue and plot and I may have a unpredictable and wonderful future! I may have a legacy to call my own! The Ai¡¯Nue Clan,¡± Senior Sha said the name of his clan with a smile. ¡°It would make sense for the Ai¡¯Nue Clan to have a person of your...aura,¡± Elder Wang said after a pause, paling at the sudden bursting of acne on Senior Sha¡¯s forehead. ¡°The Ai¡¯Nue Clan has a special body in which the more pain one feels, the more pressure one endures, the stronger they grow. They are, in theory, cultivators with no limits but that of Heaven. This boy has been stuck because he has not been stimulated enough ¡ª he simply need to increase his regiment¡¯s intensity. We were trying to figure out a pill ¡ª well, a poison ¡ª which will render him immune against illness and garner him a resistance to the elements. Come, help us search for my pet scorpions.¡± Qiu¡¯yue paled and smiled nervously...before leaping onto Elder Wang¡¯s sleeves, crying. ¡°Scorpions? I hate bugs! Hate them, hate them!¡± Senior Sha, on the other hand, had an expression of pure pleasure. ¡°Ah, come little scorpions, come and bite me. My butt is really meaty, you know!¡± Qiu¡¯yue glanced at Elder Wang, ¡°Senior Sha...is he ok?¡± Elder Wang stroked his beard. ¡°The people of the Ai¡¯Nue Clan are always a strange deviant bunch. I think his true self is simply being realized. Heh, one of my old friends from the clan once had his family jewels crushed in attempt to achieve Nirvana and breakthrough to the Star cultivation stage. It didn¡¯t happen...but the girl who crushed his testicles and him eventually married and had children.¡± Qiu¡¯yue looked into Elder Wang¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°Elder Wang, am I also strange?¡± ¡°...Yes, you are strange as well. Do you remember what happened?¡± ¡°No...I don¡¯t remember anything at all,¡± Qiu¡¯yue answered. ¡°That was the same with your mother when she studied under me. However, she knew what went on despite not remembering. I learned she came to me in order to control her rampages...or maybe to improve them.¡± Elder Wang stroked Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s hair. ¡°I believe, Hai¡¯Deng can help you with your issues.¡± ¡°The blind boy,¡± Qiu¡¯yue asked. Elder Wang nodded. Qiu¡¯yue frowned, ¡°He¡¯s mean.¡± ¡°He¡¯s just in his own circumstances. Do not blame him,¡± Elder Wang smiled. ¡°Besides, he is in the same boat as you.¡± Qiu¡¯yue tilted her head. Elder Wang sighed. He moved to help Senior Sha search for his scorpions, motioning Qiu¡¯yue to follow. As they searched the many cabinets and crevices and boxes, Elder Wang told Qiu¡¯yue about Hai¡¯Deng. ¡°The boy is also impaired in his use of qi. Where you can use 25% of your qi, he can only use 10%.¡± ¡°But he¡¯s so strong; I¡¯m not,¡± Qiu¡¯yue remarked with yearning. ¡°Well, his qi is denser and more mature. 10% of soul-severance qi is still stronger. But martial arts is not about how much more developed your cultivation is. Otherwise, why would anyone truly obey the Emperor? And why would the Empire be at relative peace?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Qiu¡¯yue answered. ¡°That¡¯s because those were rhetorical questions. When you use martial arts, you use qi to fuel those arts. Like feeding kindling to fire. Now, let us imagine a competition of keeping fire alive. One side has a lot of kindling; the other side has little. Keeping a fire alive, is not simply about feeding kindling mindlessly or in one fell swoop. There¡¯s the consideration of technique and how one tend it with the wind.¡± Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°The big pile of kindling is like the external school! The fire might grow really big but it might not last as long or be as controllable. The kindling might even squash out the flame!¡± ¡°Exactly so, with martial arts, technique and experience are more essential than cultivation level. Otherwise, everyone will simply resort to doping. Honestly, all these misconception that a higher cultivation level means a better fighting force! This is why the Black Pearl Sect has gone astray from the right path! Hmph, excuse my rambling. Hopefully there will be a change in things. Tomorrow, there will be a person participating in the tournament who is of a special clan ¡ª one who uses no qi in their martial arts at all. The Mu Clan.¡± ¡°The Mu Clan,¡± Qiu¡¯yue repeated with awe. Then she furrowed her brows, ¡°Then why do people cultivate?¡± ¡°To become deities. Cultivating is to change the mortal body into one which can last beyond normal years. It is to strengthen the soul. Once one has an immortal body and a golden soul, one can ascend to become more than human. That¡¯s why some gods are war gods and others are merely medicine gods.¡± ¡°Ohh, war gods can use their power to better fight, right? Because they know how to really use their powers to fight?¡± Senior Sha jumped in with sparkles in his unfocused eyes. ¡°Indeed. Though it is unheard of, there are people who have never cultivated, but through sheer devotion to martial arts has ascended to become gods after death. Those people are the real monsters ¡ª performing inhuman feats with the ease of cultivators.¡± ¡°Wow,¡± Qiu¡¯yue exclaimed. ¡°Those people exist?¡± ¡°Yes, long before cultivation became commonplace, it was those heroes who slew demons and conquered barbarians. Through sheer training, they strengthen just their bodies until they too can cut a boulder with their hands.¡± ¡°Then who would win in a fight? A cultivator or one of those people?¡± ¡°It depends,¡± Elder Wang answered. ¡°Asuras and cultivators once fought a lot. No side has ever achieved definite victory.¡± ¡°How?¡± Senior Sha cried. ¡°Cultivators have magical tools and magic and special abilities.¡± ¡°And if our core is destroyed? If our meridians burst? We would be weaker than regular humans. There once lived an asura who fought against one hundred cultivators even after his two arms were torn off.¡± ¡°Wow, asuras are really strong,¡± Senior Sha laughed. ¡°Now, don¡¯t go mentioning asuras to anyone old. Though asuras do not live forever, and the mere existence of such a madman is rare, for some cultivators the wounds of fighting against asuras has never passed.¡± ¡°Then why do people try to become gods?¡± ¡°Because they are powerful. Gods, those who have reached divinity, are the most powerful entities on this plane of existence. Some wanted to bring about miracles; others wanted to bring back the dead; most wanted to do the impossible. There are some gods who became gods out of boredom or curiosity. Most gods never really do what they want. There are laws when one become deities ¡ª everyone think they can ignore or change those laws, but that¡¯s foolishness. And most gods eventually grow bored of humanity and of life. However, asuras believe those who absorb the energy of the cosmos are not truly relying on their own strength. Qiu¡¯yue frowned. ¡°Then I must be really weak then.¡± ¡°Little Qiu¡¯yue, how can you be weak? You saved me from those cultivators from before, right?¡± ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t I be able to beat someone a lot stronger than myself if cultivation levels don¡¯t matter.¡± Elder Wang struck Qiu¡¯yue on the head with his stick. ¡°Idiot girl, just like your mother. What did I just say? Experience and technique. Xi Shi is older than you, more experienced, more exposed to death and violence. How can a wet pup like you compare? Honestly, it is better you lost. If you won, I cannot even imagine the brutal training and exposure one would have to suffer to become a killing god like so: condensation beating soul-severance. Though, those things happen enough in war, that I have plenty of answers.¡± At that, Elder Wang grew silent. The three searched for the scorpions and found them nibbling on some herbs. ¡°Do scorpions usually eat leaves?¡± Qiu¡¯yue asked. ¡°Those herbs attract scorpions...I was going to use it to make an aphrodisiac! Damn it,¡± Elder Wang cursed. ¡°An aphrodisiac?¡± A voice asked. ¡°Sounds interesting!¡± Gai¡¯zhi entered the room with a carefree and dumb smile. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s legal, right, Mr.Sage of the Pulse? If I had this, fufufu, all the sect¡¯s women will belong to me! Oh, it¡¯s got to be better than even the drugs offered at the brothels, right? Right, right?¡± ¡°Elder Wang, do I have the position to kill this idiot?¡± Hai¡¯Deng asked shaking his bamboo stick. ¡°On the way here, he was constantly buying food, getting lost, and harassing the women from our sect!¡± ¡°Oh, Hai¡¯Deng, good to see you,¡± Elder Wang said happily. His hug was denied with a glare. ¡°Mei-Mei,¡± Meili called happily and embraced Qiu¡¯yue with a smush. Jang-Guo came over and patted Qiu¡¯yue as well. During the chaos and noise, Cai stepped forward. Kowtowing, he thanked the sage. ¡°My, what a deep appreciation,¡± Elder Wang said with surprise. ¡°It is only natural,¡± Cai responded. ¡°You saved those two.¡± ¡°It was my pill¡¯s fault, afterall.¡± ¡°You still hide the truth, elder?¡± Cai asked with a smile. His eyes becoming fierce. ¡°When humans found out the truth, the world ended, and death and disease and war and pestilence and famine plunged the world into suffering. I believe that answers your curiosities for now.¡± ¡°And if the truth reveals itself later on? When we do not have time or resources to deal with it?¡± ¡°You speak wise for a brat,¡± Elder Wang smiled. ¡°I simply do not want one to regret.¡± ¡°And if we regret not acting sooner?¡± ¡°I know nothing more other than the girl might not be fully human. I see her as I see Yin Hong. I guess, it is my own selfishness that I wish the best for Qiu¡¯yue,¡± Elder said as his eyes closed onto Qiu¡¯yue squeezed in between Jang-Guo and Meili. Cai got up and thanked the elder. Gai¡¯zhi came over and slung his arms over Cai¡¯s shoulders. ¡°So, what were we whispering over here? Some unimaginable secret?¡± ¡°Nothing which will concern you.¡± ¡°Oh, but the girl¡¯s lineage most definitely does.¡± Cai and Gai¡¯zhi exchanged a look. The younger boy brushed off Gai¡¯zhi¡¯s arm. ¡°For now, I will protect Qiu¡¯yue. Do not think of anything questionable, Senior Brother Gai¡¯zhi.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a strange one,¡± Gai¡¯zhi whistled. After getting scolded by Hai¡¯Deng for their misconduct and helping to clean, the Yue Yun Sect left Elder Wang¡¯s abodes. Elder Wang promised Senior Sha to finish up a poison capable of killing a god before he leaves. No one knew if Elder Wang was joking or not. Returning home, Qiu¡¯yue learned of Cai¡¯s official apprenticeship under Gai¡¯zhi. ¡°Our little prince is trying something rather stupid,¡± Gai¡¯zhi smiled. ¡°He wants to merge the internal and external schools¡¯ foundations into one. If he fails, he may just cripple himself~¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you stop him then?¡± Qiu¡¯yue scowled. ¡°My little vixen, he is a cultivator. We chase after death because we wish to become gods. There is no reward without risk,¡± Gai¡¯zhi chuckled. ¡°Qiu¡¯yue, Senior Brother Gai¡¯zhi is right. Why don¡¯t you go and rest,¡± Cai said with a glance before focusing his attention back onto Gai¡¯zhi. His posture informed everyone he will not be bothered, that he should not be bothered. Qiu¡¯yue turned to the twins and found them focusing on their own training. ¡°Qiu-di, we¡¯re sorry, but we want to become strong. This is a good time for us to train in our synchronization,¡± Jang-Guo informed her. ¡°That¡¯s right! Just watch and rely on your big sister to protect you!¡± Meili grinned. Qiu¡¯yue nodded and turned to Senior Sha. Upon seeing...his new method of training, she decided against interacting with him. Anyone who opted to cut his own flesh then apply healing balm repeatedly was someone to not be trifled with. Sighing, Qiu¡¯yue entered her room. Jumping onto her bed, she felt a surge of anger ¡ª and frustration. Silently, she punched the wall. The young girl felt useless. ¡°What am I doing,¡± she cried. Qiu¡¯yue thought about the months she lived since separating from her Papa. She wanted to become strong to leave the sect and find him. She also wanted to gain the trust of the other orphans. She wanted to protect people close to her. She wanted to fulfill Sun Devouring Moon Senior¡¯s wish. She wanted all these things, but she was weak. ¡°I hate this! I hate it so much.¡± ¡°Do you really hate it?¡± A voice like the taste of cherry tea sounded. ¡°If you want power, you can trust in me.¡± Qiu¡¯yue jolted her head in search of the voice. She found nothing. ¡°Up here,¡± the voice told her. Glancing up, she found the nose of a cute fox peeking down at her. The fox was a young kit with gray fur like burnt ash. The fox¡¯s pale pink nose reminded Qiu¡¯yue of the beautiful hanfu her mother wore. ¡°Who are you?¡± Qiu¡¯yue asked. ¡°I am the cutest existence in the world,¡± the fox answered with a pur. Leaping into Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s arms, she buried her nose into the girl¡¯s collar. Peeking up with those seductive black orbs, the fox told Qiu¡¯yue her name. ¡°You may address me as the Celestial Fox. Call me Xing¡¯Er, since I like that better.¡± Celestial Darkness Author''s Note: Busy with school. Short chapter. Mental meltdowns everyday all day yay. ¡°Celestial Fox,¡± Qiu¡¯yue whispered to herself. She gulped as the strange vixen¡¯s stare sent shivers, gnawed at her marrow, to the nails of her toes. ¡°Do you know Papa? And Mama?¡± ¡°Did I not tell you to call me Xing¡¯Er? No matter.¡± The fox curled its lips upward to reveal its sharp canines and stretched its long, slender back. ¡°I know not of the Papa you mention. But I may know your Mama. After all, if I know you, I must know your Mama.¡± The young girl bit at her lips. Her chest was tight and a bead of sweat dripped down her cheek. ¡°Who are you?¡± Xing¡¯Er sighed with exaggerated motions. ¡°Stupid child! Did I not tell you? I am the Celestial Fox; call me Xing¡¯Er, for I like that better.¡± ¡°But what exactly is the Celestial Fox?¡± Qiu¡¯yue cried. ¡°I keep dreaming of something, something scary and sad. The Celestial Fox is always mentioned!¡± ¡°Ridiculous!¡± The vixen nipped at the girl¡¯s hair. Xing¡¯Er growled, ¡°The Celestial Fox is a noble and pure creature! It is in the name: Celestial, stars and the sky and freedom and the beautiful night. Fox, is there any animal more sensational? How can I be a subject of nightmares.¡± Seeing the bristling hair and quivering whiskers on Xing¡¯Er, Qiu¡¯yue reached out with a shaking hand and stroked the creature¡¯s back. Tears forming, the girl confessed what she knew to the creature. The fight. The possession. The rampages. Her mother and father. Everything. ¡°That must be an imposter!¡± Xing¡¯Er muttered. ¡°I am the real sacred beast! I am your lineage¡¯s guardian spirit, most definitely. I am intertwined with your spirit, your soul and blood, most definitely.¡± ¡°My lineage?¡± Qiu¡¯yue asked with wide eyes. ¡°Did you not know? Truly, your mother, I must have a word with her,¡± Xing¡¯Er wiggled her ears out of frustration. ¡°Put simply, you are part demon. Congratulations! And if you are not dumb, you would know you are descended from some powerful fox spirit. And, yes, we vixens are rather...jealous of each other to the point of unrelenting genocide.¡± Qiu¡¯yue blushed. She said quickly, ¡°My tutors told me I should never become a fox spirit or vixen. Wait, do I have to eat humans then?¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± the fox spirit laughed. ¡°Your tutors, despite their words, must have dreamt about your mother, hoping she was a vixen in heat! And, oh, you will devour men ¡ª in all the ways and manner.¡± ¡°Xing¡¯Er! I, I don¡¯t know what you mean, but I don¡¯t think that was nice,¡± Qiu¡¯yue scolded. Then she frowned. ¡°I, I don¡¯t want to hurt anyone.¡± Xing¡¯Er glared at the girl. ¡°You must think of me as a cute baby fox. Perhaps, like a doll. And that is why you disrespect me so ¡ª but you must know of your rampages. I am the source of that power ¡ª do not push my patience, child.¡± Qiu¡¯yue paled and quickly bowed her head. ¡°Yes, Xing¡¯Er Gu-Gu.¡± ¡°Auntie! You, you ¡ª¡± Xing¡¯Er foamed at the mouth and staggered into the leg of a table and fell. ¡°I, I am young! I am a spirit! We are always, for eternity, young!¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Qiu¡¯yue smiled wide. ¡°That means I¡¯m your big sister right? You have to listen to your big sister, Xing¡¯Er. I always wanted a little sister. Mama said I was going to have one in the summer.¡± Xing¡¯Er frowned. ¡°You said your mother was missing?¡± ¡°She¡¯s strong though!¡± Qiu¡¯yue stretched apart her arms. ¡°Yes, yes. If she is your mother, then she must have her own fox.¡± Qiu¡¯yue frowned. ¡°Mama¡¯s fox is scary.¡± ¡°Stupid! That fox must be something else. Celestial Foxes are pure and good!¡± Qiu¡¯yue pointed at Xing¡¯Er¡¯s dirty coat of fur and one tail. ¡°Papa said Celestial Foxes have gold fur. Mama¡¯s fox had nine tails.¡± Xing¡¯Er looked away and barked. ¡°Well, maybe, I¡¯m not mature yet¡­but that¡¯s your fault! You were suppose to have started cultivating since birth! You are seven years late.¡± ¡°Papa and Mama never let me. They told me young ladies don¡¯t need to cultivate. I was always in bed because I always felt cold.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Cold?¡± Xing¡¯Er asked. ¡°Wait, then why are you cultivating now?¡± ¡°Because, I have nothing else.¡± Xing¡¯Er prowled forth. ¡°If you have always been cold ¡ª are you sure you wish to study the Yun Yue Arts?¡± ¡°Mm, I want to keep being with Meili and Jang-Guo and Senior Sha and even Cai until I find Papa and Mama,¡± Qiu¡¯yue nodded. Xing¡¯Er smiled and leapt into the girl¡¯s arms. ¡°I see. It is good to have dreams. I think the Yun Yue Arts are good too. It might fix your coldness.¡± ¡°Mm, actually since the Tomb, I haven¡¯t felt cold anymore.¡± ¡°Fool! That is because of my power. I have absorbed your enemies¡¯ vitality and warmth and cultivation in times of emergency!¡± Qiu¡¯yue¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Xing¡¯Er, I want you to stop going on rampages. It hurts people.¡± ¡°Cultivation itself hurts others. Besides, it is an innate mechanic which I hold no control over. Simply put, if you are in danger, I must save you.¡± ¡°I guess, I will have to find the foreign boy tomorrow,¡± Qiu¡¯yue pouted. Xing¡¯Er¡¯s ears perked up. ¡°Oh, a boy? How nice. Do you wish to learn my techniques? I promise you, after hearing my methods of seductions, even the most stoic of men will fall at your feet!¡± Qiu¡¯yue blushed and shouted, ¡°No!¡± The doors slammed open and Meili rushed in. ¡°Mei-Mei, are you alright? I heard a scream.¡± ¡°Tell them a lie,¡± Xing¡¯Er giggled. ¡°People of her cultivation will not even be able to sense me, much less see me.¡± ¡°Oh really, then I suppose hearing you makes me a genius then,¡± Gai¡¯zhi laughed as he entered the room. ¡°Wait, what are you talking about, Senior Brother Gai¡¯zhi,¡± Meili asked with a frown. ¡°Mei-Mei?¡± Under the two intense stares of Gai¡¯zhi and Xing¡¯Er, Qiu¡¯yue stammered out a response, ¡°I, it was a cockroach.¡± ¡°Cockroach?¡± Meili¡¯s face paled. ¡°Haha. Good thing, Senior Brother Gai¡¯zhi is here. Um, uh, forgive me, Mei-Mei!¡± She ran out the door and hid behind Jang-Guo who laughed. Cai stared into the room until Gai¡¯zhi closed the doors. ¡°Senior Brother Gai¡¯zhi, you can see her?¡± Qiu¡¯yue asked tentatively. ¡°Nope. I can hear her though.¡± Gai¡¯zhi laughed. ¡°And don¡¯t you know it is bad for those of opposite genders to be alone in a room?¡± Qiu¡¯yue tilted her head. ¡°Why?¡± Xing¡¯Er sighed. ¡°Sex.¡± ¡°Indeed, strange voice! A pervert after my own heart!¡± Qiu¡¯yue paled and quickly backed away from Gai¡¯zhi. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it was a joke. You are not yet ripe,¡± Gai¡¯zhi laughed. ¡°More importantly, why do you have a spirit hanging around you.¡± ¡°I am her guardian spirit, that is all.¡± ¡°I suppose, you are the source of her rampages?¡± ¡°You can see, I do my job well.¡± ¡°Well, that means you are bound. That¡¯s all I needed to know. Qiu¡¯yue, know this, though, guardian spirits are often domesticated demons. All demons are harmful by nature.¡± Gai¡¯zhi left the room. ¡°Hmph, how rude. Well, you heard him. I am still a useful companion!¡± Xing¡¯Er declared proudly. She then yawned. ¡°Well, it seems taking up a physical form is too tiring. I must sleep now. Goodnight, little girl.¡± Qiu¡¯yue sighed. ¡°Mama, why didn¡¯t you tell Qiu¡¯yue these things?¡± DROPPED Well, this is awkward. Simply put, I''m dropping all the stories I''m writing (namely this and Sinister). I can''t find enjoyment in writing this series. Honestly, this story was a prototype that should never have been public. It''s immature and unpolished. I''m not happy writing this. I thought I planned it out well: outlined it, dissected it, refined it. But I haven''t. The scenes are ill put together, leading to shit pacing, leading to a plot which drags and becomes convoluted. The characters were illogical and inconsistent. But yeah, this story was not meant to be published. Maybe, I''ll revisit the concept in the future. For now, I find myself being more motivated to write stories privately. I realized I''m the type to write several versions of the same chapter, or even scene, before being satisfied. This doesn''t really mesh well with the need to upload often to remain relevant. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.To those who do truly like reading this, I''m deeply sorry. However, if you do like my writing, look forward to something that''s properly polished and refined with a tight narrative that doesn''t have pacing spasms. And I know I ended this on a really sour note since I can''t even be bothered to conclude the bloody arc. Honestly, this was really hard to do. I''m a disappointment to my aspirations, but it''s better than trudging on -- wasting time and energy -- when I could divert those resources to starting anew with something that I can polish in private. I''m sorry and thank you. Rate this however you want.