《Help! Assassin BOSS Has Become A Child!》


 The Esteemed Guests

    Lan Manor, Ring City, Phoenix Empire


    A young boy stood in an open courtyard in his chamber. He was clothed in a loose green robes patterned with soaring ostriches, its ends fluttering in the light wind. He looked wiser than his age, which was ten years, with the way he stared into the distance like an old sage.


    Lan Chen''s mind was in tumult. The Li family patriarch, Li Zhenming, the most influential business and political mogul in the Imperial Capital, was paying a visit to the Lan Manor with his family! All of the previous week, Lan Chen had been unable to wrench himself from the tutelage of his mother, Madam Lan, who had found fault with every inch of his etiquettes and berated his nanny ceaselessly. But Lan Chen knew there was a cause. After all, to successfully chummy up to the Li family, being a second class family themselves, was a once in a lifetime opportunity! They had to present their best side! One word from Master Li could change the course of his father''s business overnight, causing them to also rise into the ranks of a first class family!


    But Lan Chen sensed that there was more to the visit than that. Business deals were in the offing, yes; but perhaps there was a betrothal as well! Lan Chen shivered. To be betrothed to the young lady of the Li family! It was like slapping a stamp of "SOLD" onto his forehead.


    "Young master!" Chun''er, Lan Chen''s personal maid and nanny, ran up to him, withsweat beading on her forehead and her maid uniform clinging tightly to her body. Her two plaits tied in a bun atop her head was the same as all the other serving maids of the Lan Manor.


    "Come and change! The Li family have arrived already!"


    "They have?" Lan Chen snapped out of his daze. "Did you see them? How many are they?"


    "I didn''t see the Li family, but I saw their carriages outside. They brought two carriages and one wagon. Their servants were bringing in gifts for Master and Madam when I came in. The gifts are treasures!"


    Chun''er kept chattering with a dreamy look as the two entered Lan Chen''s chamber and as she brought out the embroidered silver robe Madam Lan had spent a fortune on. Chun''er dressed him in a hurry, not ever running out of things to say. She combed his hair and tied it, holding it in place with a matching silver headpiece. She brought out a pair of clean white socks and golden colored shoes that had a pointed tip.


    "What''s with your expression, young master?" Chun''er finally looked up when she patted down Lan Chen''s robes. The boy was pouting.


    "Why must we make so much effort to coddle up to a first class family just so they can do business with us? Why aren''t we contented with what we have already? We''re also rich. Mid-tier families would kill to have what we have. Must this go on forever?"


    Chun''er was startled. Had she always been looking at her young master with the eyes one looked at a child with? The privilege of being born into a second-tier family made him more mature than his peers!


    "About that," Chun''er got up, "I don''t know much, but I believe Master and Madam are doing this for the future. Nothing is permanent. And it is good to try and get to the top while one still can. Times change. It is easier for a second-tier family to slip back into the pool of ordinary families than for a first-tier family to." She pulled Lan Chen''s hand, "alright. Let''s go. Master must be ready to introduce you already,"


    The main hall where the Lan family received guests was located in the middle of the manor. It took Chun''er and Lan Chen five minutes to walk there from Lan Chen''s chamber. They met Madam Lan at the entrance, and she took her son from the maid and led him into the hall, not before telling him to put on his widest smile.


    A loud ring of laughter assaulted Lan Chen''s ears when they stepped into the hall. It was his father, Master Lan, Lan Huifan, laughing really hard at something Master Li must have said. Lan Chen quickly scanned the Li family. They were just four. He heaved a sigh of relief.


    "Oh, here they come!" Lan Huifan spotted his wife and son and rose, "this is my wife, Rui Danyi. And my son, Lan Chen,"


    Lan Chen and his mother greeted the guests courteously. Master Li was a tall sturdy man with a well kept beard. His face was calculating yet warm. He nodded at Madam Lan.


    "This is my wife, Ren Zimimg," Master Li, Li Zhenming, introduced his family, "and my daughters, Li Sihan and Li Silan,"


    Lan Chen blinked. Were they two? He thought the little girl seated next to Madam Li was holding a big round ball. It was actually a baby! A very fat baby!


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    The girl was putting pieces of banana into the baby''s round pink mouth. Feeling eyes on her, she looked up.


    Her eyes were very black, like orbs. Cold and emotionless. They seemed to suck life out of one. She glanced once at Lan Chen and he felt goosebumps all over his body. Why did this tiny girl seem like a 500 year old yama?!?


    The aura coming from her was fluctuating, a little sinister, but no one else noticed. Despite himself, Lan Chen fixed his eyes on her. This did not seem right!


    "Sihan, greet our hosts," madam Li said to her daughter.


    "Hello," the girl said in a deep low voice, her eyes fixed on the baby in her arms. Madam Li shook her head in exasperation.


    "She just doesn''t want to learn ant manners," she smiled apologetically at Madam Lan, who beamed and brushed it off as childish behavior. The two women thus started chatting.


    "Yeeet!" Screamed the baby.


    "Little Bun, what else are you ''yeeting''?" the girl murmured, "you''ve ate every single snack I packed for you,"


    "BunBun hungry!!" The baby howled. Lan Chen was a little surprised actually, that she could talk. She seemed to be only a year old.


    "Why do you call her Little Bun?" Lan Chen asked the stoic-faced girl by way of conversation. She raised her eyes and surveyed him. Those dark orbs flickered.


    "That''s her nickname. Isn''t she like a bun?"


    It should be Little Pig, instead, Lan Chen thought. Li Sihan pinched the baby''s fat cheeks. She herself was not in any way fat. She was lean and healthy, a little spindly, like a normal eight year old. The only thing was that her demeanor was terrifying!


    "Mother," Li Sihan suddenly called her mother, "Little Bun is hungry. When will we eat?"


    Black lines appeared on Madam Li''s face. She opened her mouth to rebuke her daughter but Master Lan talked first.


    "Ah, we''re impolite hosts! Children are in their growing stage, their meals should not be neglected. Please," he got up and gestured to Master Li, to lead them to the dining table. Master Li gestured back to him to lead the way. Li Sihan got up nimbly and followed her father, carrying the baby effortlessly. Lan Chen wondered if the girl worked out regularly. She was a little muscular.


    "Yeeet!" Little Bun screamed excitedly at the sight of the magnificent spread on the table. Lan Chen almost sniggered. The second generation of the Lan family was indeed something!


    Throughout dinner, Lan Chen fixed his eyes on the Li sisters. Madam Li noticed this and laughed.


    "Danyi, look, your son is already smitten with my daughter!"


    Lan Chen''s eyelids twitched. The two women were already on first name terms!


    Madam Lan seemed to have won the lottery, with the smile that blossomed on her face.


    "You know what, Zimimg, I''ve been thinking -- why not let them marry each other in the future? Our Lan Chen is a wise boy. You won''t have to worry about a thing!"


    Ren Zimimg glanced at her husband. For business moguls, having someone to inherit their estate was paramount. The Lis, though, had two daughters. Master Li had already declared Li Sihan as his heir, but the problem was that they had to find a prospective husband for her that could manage the Li family''s businesses on her behalf. The daughters of the Li family were just a notch below being princess. The lawless business world was not suitable for their delicate skins. Their husbands would do all the work.


    Li Zhenming was engrossed in his conversation with Lan Huifan and didn''t notice his wife''s look or what the women were talking about.


    "I will talk to Zhenming about it," Ren Zimimg smiled.


    Li Sihan looked up and scowled at Lan Chen. She abruptly rose.


    "I''m full," ignoring the enraged baby''s wails, she left the main hall.


    "Excuse me," Madam Lan smiled as she pulled Lan Chen up to a side of the hall.


    "Now son, I''m going to talk to you as if you''re an adult. Do you know what Li Sihan is called? The little princess of the Li family. Do you know that she''s the heiress of the Li family, the one to inherit all the businesses and assets in the future? In the next few years, she will become the most eligible spinster noble lady. All the capital''s young masters will seek her hand in marriage. Even some princes will join the queue. It will be stiff competition for you, son. Unless you seize the chance granted you by the heavens now. If she has the title of fiancee of the Lan family, other suitors would hold themselves back out of giving our family face. I am sure you understand me now. The best thing is that we have Madam Li on our side. I don''t know how you will do it, but you must make Li Sihan like you!"


    Rui Danyi returned to chat with madam Li while Lan Chen headed for the Spring Pavilion, the chamber prepared for the Li family during their stay.


    Lan Chen walked through the front garden. He heard voices out in the gazebo on the pond and headed towards it.


    Li Sihan was seated at the tea table placed in the gazebo, reading a book. Her sister was propped in a chair near her with pillows. The baby was snacking on sweets.


    "Hey," Lan Chen smiled at the girl.


    "What do you want?" Li Sihan replied in a low growl, as she flipped the pages of the book absently. Her eyes were on him.


    "You must be bored. I''ll bring you somewhere nice to play,"


    "Who invited you here. Who said I want to play. I don''t play. Go away," Li Sihan waved her small hand hand. Right then her aura was like that of an ordinary little girl. Suddenly it fluctuated and her two eyes turned sharp and shone, glinting with a strange light.


    "Ahhh," she let out a turbid breath, "this is not good,"


    Lan Chen suddenly noticed a thick scent emanating from her. It was sandalwood, but he did not know this. It was dispersing quickly all over the pavilion.


    "Phooo," the baby in the chair covered her nose with her tiny hand while sucking on a large sweet. Li Sihan put the book down on the table and got up suddenly. She picked up her sister and left the gazebo in a hurry. Lan Chen was puzzled. He could have sworn that it was someone else that left just now. Even the gait was different. It was almost like another soul was inhabiting the young girl''s body intermittently. And, Lan Chen realized with a jolt, the person seemed to be the owner of the sinister evil aura. What should he do! Her parents wouldn''t believe him! He decided to pretend he didn''t notice anything and silently observe that person''s behavior and see if they had any bad intentions.

 The Slaughter in the Night

    Spring Pavilion, Lan Manor


    Two bodies were visible under the sheets of a pink and blue bed. Little Bun was fast asleep, a finger stuck in her mouth. Li Sihan''s eyelashes were fluttering intermittently.


    Cough, cough. Li Sihan sat up and wiped the trickle of blood on the corner of her mouth away. The whole room was suddenly covered in a heavy pressurizing aura as the last vestiges of the former Li Sihan slowly disappeared.


    The still wind outside changed direction, blowing against the windows. In the soft moonlight, figures that blended with the surrounding darkness seemed to appear out of nowhere. They flew down from trees like birds and settled upon the roof of Spring Pavilion. They slid down effortlessly and drew their weapons. They were about thirty in number, all in black, and masked.


    Inside, a small smirk was playing on Li Sihan''s face. She chuckled, but the laugh seemed to come from a very dark pit.


    "Looks like the mice are out to play," she muttered, "a good time too. They suppose I''m at my weakest. Perhaps they would have succeeded if they came a little while ago. Ah, fate''s little game,"


    Meanwhile, the dark clothed figures surrounded one who looked like their boss.


    "Our orders are to capture her alive,"


    "Yes!"


    They charged towards the main door of Spring Pavilion and knocked it down. But they couldn''t proceed as a shimmering hot dome activated at once and repelled them with a loud bang! They all flew backwards while spitting out blood and crashed on the paved ground.


    "This is impossible!" The leader cried out as he got up quickly, "change of plan! Fatal Sting Strike!"


    "Kill!" The others responded and rushed forward, activating their magic fight skills. The courtyard blossomed into what seemed like colorful fireworks, but it was actually death.


    A snaking rope of what appeared to be live flames encircled the assassins. It rose suddenly, almost sentient, and started attacking them!


    "Ahhh!" The agonized screams and the commotion woke master Li and his wife. Clutching their chests in horror, they rushed first to their children''s bedroom right next to theirs.


    "Silan!" Ren Zimimg snatched up her child at once, "where''s Sihan!! Zhenming, Sihan is not here!"


    Blood rushed to Li Zhenming''s head as he ran towards the door. What he saw shocked him!


    By the flashes of light coming from the magic being utilized, he saw, spinning between thirty or so masked assassins, Li Sihan cutting them down like she was cutting wheat! They fell one after the other, all dying gruesomely! Master Li felt sick as he witnessed his daughter plunge a sword straight into one''s eye! The assassin''s scream went on even after he fell to the floor!


    Li Sihan''s long raven black hair streamed behind her as her petite figure spun like afterimages as she killed them all!


    The last one of them dropped to the ground. His own sword stuck out of his middle. A blooming red mandara flower started to appear on all of their chests. Before the shocked eyes of everyone that had gathered, the bodies all vanished!


    "Hah," Li Sihan scoffed, wiping the sword she held in her hand on her sleeve, "that old man of the Scorpion Hall had not changed his tricks," she smirked to herself.


    Master Li felt his scalp tingle when he heard the name Scorpion Hall. Before he could stop himself, he cried out.


    "Are you saying -- these assassins are from the Scorpion?!! Who are they after?!!!"


    Li Sihan raised a pair of shining pitch black eyes.


    "Me," she replied shortly.


    "What?-- what?!!" Li Zhenming could never believe it. This made no sense!! What was the Scorpion Hall? An organization of assassins, renowned in the whole continent. Who was he? Who was his daughter? No one virtually knew her yet. As for him? He was just a wealthy merchant. He hardly got into frictions with his competitors. He had even just recently left the Capital Party, or he would have thought that it was his political enemies behind this. It was even more ridiculous to suggest that they were after Master Lan. To the Scorpion Hall, he was just a nobody.


    And now his daughter was telling him they were after her?!! But that was not the main issue.


    "Si--Sihan--you-- are you alright!" Master Li ran towards his daughter, almost slipping on the spilled blood. Apart from the blood from the sword she had wiped on her sleeve, there was no speck on her. The Lan Manor guards started cleaning the blood, as Li Zhenming earnestly searched his daughter''s face. But she stood rooted to one spot, unmoving.


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    Shiiinggg! Everyone shuddered and gasped as the air changed. It felt as if a cold sword that had killed a thousand people was pressed against their necks! A draft of freezing air blew past. Madam Lan whimpered and crept close to her husband!


    A person dropped nimbly onto the ground. He was robed in deep icy blue, and had a scarlet belt around his waist. On his face, was a skull shaped helmet mask. The veins on master Li and everyone else''s heads rose. Who was this one now?!!


    "You are here," Li Sihan turned around to face the newcomer, who was on one knee with his face towards the ground. It seemed to be a sort of salute.


    "Yes, Grand Chief," his voice was deep and low, but it was heavy. It seemed as if a great mountain was pressing down on everyone''s chests. They couldn''t breathe! Li Sihan, though, was not bothered, and didn''t even seem to notice anything amiss.


    "The Scorpion Hall ants got here before you, though," she just said nonchalantly.


    "Shall I mobilize the Seniors and go destroy their hall?" the young man growled.


    "Tsk. Nonsense. I have more pressing matters. I will send for you tomorrow."


    Li Sihan turned and went inside, leaving everyone else in perplexity.


    Master Li approached the gazebo cautiously. It was the following morning, and Li Sihan had taken Little Bun to eat snacks merrily, as if nothing gruesome had happened the previous night. Little Bun munched on an apple as she stared at the newcomer, the man who had appeared mysteriously last night. He was still dressed in the deep blue robe, and a skull mask covered his face. He had an imposing aura. Other children would cry, but Little Bun was already used to the tyrannical aura of her big sister.


    "Big Sis, who?" she asked with her head on one side.


    "This is Jun Ru," Li Sihan replied expressionlessly. "Oh, that''s right. Come over here, you,"


    Jun Ru stepped forward respectfully.


    "Kneel," Li Sihan ordered.


    He knelt on one knee. Li Sihan got up and carried Little Bun. She took one of the baby''s fat, chubby hands and placed it on the head of the man. Little Bun felt a tingling sensation in her hand and she pulled it back.


    "Huh?" she looked up at her sister inquiringly.


    "One day, if you''re in danger, and Big Sis isn''t there, you can call him, and he will come to you," Li Sihan explained patiently to the one year old.


    "Oh?" Little Bun examined her hand, "he good? Bun Bun like?"


    Li Sihan frowned, and Jun Ru shivered.


    "No. Don''t like him." Li Sihan decided eventually with a shake of her head, "He''s no good. Do you know what he does for a living? No, no way. Big Sis is the only one you should like,"


    Ace assassin Shadow Claw Jun Ru, the fifth ranked most ruthless and deadly assassin in the continent, right hand man of the Grand Chief of the Si Lak Mercenaries, chuckled bitterly in his heart. If he were not aware, he would have said that the residue of the real Li Sihan''s soul was the person that said that last statement. His eyes turned sharp as he remembered what had been the cause of all this.


    The Si Lak Mercenaries was the most renowned existence in this world. It was more than simply an assassin organization, like the Scorpion Hall was. The Si Lak Mercenaries was the place that cultivated the most deadly and lethal warriors and magic users in the entire continent!


    And, like their name implied, they were mercenaries who could work for anyone as long as those that wanted their services had enough treasures to pay them. That was another reason why they were the most feared organization all over the world!


    A few years, ago, the Si Lak Mercenaries, who''s headquarters had always been unknown, suddenly stopped interfering in the affairs of the world. Those who had once been on the receiving end of their fury, celebrated in the underworld. And those, like the Scorpion Hall and the Yan Temple, who had always coveted Si Lak Mercenaries position at the top of the world, swung into action.


    The Grand Chief of the Si Lak Mercenaries, an unparalleled existence on the continent, was gravely injured after a combined attack from both the Scorpion Hall and the Yan Temple. The news had shook the continent at that time. Singlehandedly, the Grand Chief of the Si Lak Mercenaries had faced off with several senior prodigies that must have been at the cultivation rank of Martial Overlord from the Yan Temple and Scorpion Hall and had escaped! That showed just how powerful she was!


    Disgruntled with the fact that the attack brought more fame rather than hurt for the Si Lak Mercenaries, the Scorpion Hall laid in wait for the Grand Chief, knowing the extent of her injuries.


    The Grand Chief dragged herself back to the headquarters, her soul badly damaged, and fell into a vegetative state, even after the enormous care that the medicine prodigies in the Mercenaries gave to her. Suddenly, the public heard that the Si Lak Mercenaries was willing to do anything for anyone that possessed a Soul Transfer Matrix. The Scorpion Hall seized their chance! They created a Soul Transfer Matrix that would allow them to track the soul and rush over to eliminate her at her weakest point and immediately take over the Si Lak Mercenaries.


    Even though they erased all traces that could have let the Mercenaries know the Matrix came from them, they were shortsighted. The geniuses in the Si Lak Mercenaries tampered with the Soul Transfer Matrix before using it! The Grand Chief had fully assimilated the new body and had recovered more than half of her original strength before she could traced.


    Master Li walked into the gazebo while Little Bun repeatedly patted Jun Ru''s head from her perch in Li Sihan''s arms.


    "Hem hem," he had to cough to be noticed.


    "We''re returning to the Imperial Capital." Master Li said to his daughter first, "this place isn''t safe. We don''t know when those people might come back --"


    "What do you mean?" Li Sihan raised her flawless eyebrows, "they can''t come back. They are dead," she said. After a beat, she added, "but you could be right though. The Scorpion Hall will definitely use those bodies as war puppets. So they could come back,"


    Master Li shivered.


    "You-- how do you know that?! How do you even know that they are from the -- the Scorpion Hall?! It can''t be. They can''t bother about me. It must be some small gang who I''ve annoyed,"


    "I already told you they''re not after you, but me," Li Sihan looked away, "anyway, forget it. Let''s go back home," she started to walk towards the residence when she suddenly swooned! Jun Ru disappeared and reappeared by her side in a blink and caught her before she could fall.


    "Grand Chief!"


    Master Li flinched. Why was this man calling his daughter Grand Chief? Who was he even?


    "About that," he went up to them, "Sihan, who is this person --"


    Li Sihan gritted her teeth. She didn''t look a good sight. Veins propped up on her forehead. A low gurgle came from her throat and she spat out a mouthful of blood!


    "Li Sihan!" Li Zhenming cried out in horror. Before he could do anything, Jun Ru picked up Li Sihan, who still carried Little Bun in her arms, and flew into the Spring Pavilion.

 Our Sihan--

    Li Sihan was panting as Jun Ru hastily laid her onto the bed, taking Little Bun from her hands and laying her beside her sister. Little Bun reached out worriedly and took Li Sihan''s hand, murmuring affectionately.


    "Jun Ru," Li Sihan called with difficulty.


    "Grand Chief, I am here!" Jun Ru knelt by the bed.


    "I need-- something that-- can produce cold energy--" Li Sihan coughed up another mouthful of blood. Jun Ru hastily wiped it off. Li Sihan looked really helpless.


    "The Soul Transfer Matrix is burning -- burning my soul essence --!"


    Jun Ru disappeared from the room. Li Sihan started to drift into unconsciousness, feeling the Soul Transfer Matrix burning her. Hah. So the Scorpion Hall actually had this last trump card.


    Li Sihan withdrew her presence into her Oasis. She noticed the Transfer Matrix jade in her conscious. It was beaming red hot. Li Sihan inhaled deeply and started creating waves of ice energy with the little strength she had left. The Oasis soon became turbulent as the Matrix jade flew everywhere as it avoided the icy energy.


    "--ef!"


    Li Sihan raised her head.


    "--Chief!"


    Oh, seems like that dumb boy was back. She exited her oasis and returned to her body.


    "Grand Chief!" Jun Ru was pale, with sweat at seeing her rigid, lifeless figure. Then the person started breathing again and her eyelashes fluttered open.


    "---" Jun Ru clutched his chest. His heart had started to palpitate. The Seniors back at Headquarters would chase him to the seventeen levels of hell if the Grand Chief died under his watch. No no, why was he even thinking such inauspicious things?


    Li Sihan sat up by herself and held out her upturned palm to Jun Ru. The ace mercenary immediately delivered the pure white 700 year old glacier fruit into her hand.


    Chom, chom. Li Sihan was unaware of how cute she looked right now, with her slightly disheveled hair covering her eyes as she munched on the glacier fruit. Little Bun, dozing off beside her, heard the telltale sounds of eating and sat up at once.


    "Yeet!" She cackled happily. Li Sihan shook her head.


    "No way. Not this. This is not a snack,"


    Little Bun squashed her fist into her mouth and made a pitiful face.


    "Peesh!" (Please!) "Bun Bun be good. Let Bun Bun yeet!"


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    Li Sihan cocked her head to one side and seemed to be contemplating the matter.


    "Well, you have a good foundation, so it won''t hurt you," and she stuffed the rest into the baby''s eager waiting hands.


    "----!!!" Jun Ru''s eyes grew wide! Enlightenment, this was enlightenment! Who fed glacier fruit to a baby, no matter how great her so called ''foundation'' was?! And why was the baby burping happily after devouring it?! Were her meridians not supposed to be undergoing an ice cold baptism? From what mould were these two oddballs carved?


    "Jun Ru," the mention of his name by the yama made his hair stand on end.


    "Yes, Grand Chief?" He lowered his head respectfully.


    "Go back and tell those Seniors of yours to meet up with me at the Li Manor in the capital. I want to see all of them there,"


    "Yes, Grand Chief!" Jun Ru received the order and rose, departing from the room speedily.


    Master Li and Master Lan concluded their business in a hurry. Lan Huifan kept laughing at odd intervals -- it was clear that he was exceedingly happy. Madam Lan did not quite share her husband''s enthusiasm, however. Her eyes turned red when Madam Li told her they were leaving. She cursed those damn assassins five hundred generations in her heart. This would have been the absolute best way to get her Lan Chen betrothed to Li Sihan! How unfortunate! How unfortunate!


    Li Zhenming gave his wife an heads up and told her to talk to her daughter in the event that they could perhaps understand what happened exactly that night the assassins came.


    "Li Sihan,"


    "Yes mother?" the stoic responded.


    "We have a lot to talk about,"


    "Is this about Lan Chen again?" The air changed. Jun Ru had not understood it, when he was still around. Why was the Grand Chief not leaving? Why was she sticking with this Li couple?


    "No, it''s not about the Lan boy," Ren Zimimg felt goosebumps on the back of her neck. It was midday! Why did she feel as if she was in a nightmare?


    "What then?" The young girl concentrated on stroking Little Bun''s small head devotedly.


    Ren Ziming rubbed her aching forehead. It was like she was talking to a wall.


    "How-- how come you were able to defeat those assassins?" She said in a rush. Speaking about it was troublesome. Her heart still raced.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Agh! You! You''ve never held a sword in your life, Sihan! You''re just eight years old! How come you can kill! Those were human beings, those were people! They were almost thirty! And you killed them all, Sihan! You didn''t even whimper!"


    "Hah," Li Sihan scoffed, "I see now,"


    Ren Ziming frowned angrily. What the hell was she seeing?


    "I didn''t know your daughter never held a sword," Li Sihan finally said.


    Ren Ziming flinched. The tone was different. It was as if a huge mountain was pressing down on her chest. Blood drained from her face.


    "--Sihan--"


    "Yes?" Li Sihan looked straight back at Ren Ziming with her pitch black eyes that could drown a soul.


    Ren Zimimg was suffocating. She clutched her chest in horror. Li Sihan withdrew the oppressive aura. Ren Zimimg felt the pressure on her chest lifting, as if it had never been there. But she couldn''t deny what she had seen and felt.


    Master Li came into the gazebo.


    "It''s time to leave, Ziming,"


    The butler led the four Lis to the carriage waiting outside the Li Manor. The Lan family were standing by it to see them off.


    "It was a pleasure having you, Master Li," Lan Huifan had a huge smile on his face as he formally bowed. Li Zhenming cupped his hands to him.


    "I will be looking forward to hosting you anytime you visit the Imperial Capital,"


    They exchanged brief pleasantries while Rui Danyi approached the Li family women with Lan Chen in tow.


    "Please have a safe trip, Madam Li," Lan Chen bowed. Madam Li smiled. Li Sihan climbed into the carriage.


    "Visit us, Danyi," Ren Ziming urged madam Lan, "when you come to the capital. I will introduce you to some of my friends,"


    "I will!" Rui Danyi nodded, "I will write to you,"


    "Great! Goodbye,"


    Li Zhenming and his wife also entered the carriage and the driver pulled the reins of the horse.

 The Si Lak Mercenaries!

    Imperial Capital, Phoenix Empire


    The lively streets of the Imperial Capital bustled with raucous crowds and milling patrol guards. Commerce ran undisturbed and everyone''s spirits were high. It was noon, and the bigshots of the Capital were meeting at private teahouses to discuss politics and business.


    But something changed.


    A long train of all black horses with riders robed in deep purple armour and scarlet belts, several of them flying a black banner with two crossed swords superimposed on a skull; galloped into the capital. All of the riders wore helmets or masks in the shape of grotesque animals. On the banner were two glaring dominating characters stamped in red: Si Lak!


    The dense aura emanating from these prodigies doused the entire capital in: awe and dread. The before time bustling city was suddenly extinguished. Mothers snatched their children to their chests. Street hawkers dashed into open shops. Carriages pulled up out of the way. People peeked out at the horde in fear, feeling as if a bloody dripping sword was pressed to their throats. What were the Si Lak Mercenaries doing charging into the Capital in broad daylight?? And a horde of them too, flying their banner?!! Was this the end of the Phoenix Empire?! Was this war? Were the Si Lak Mercenaries interfering in the matters of the world again?


    The horde charged through the capital and made straight for the Li Residence. It was another shockwave. The enemies of the Li family raised their wine goblets up in jubilation! Finally! Someone couldn''t stand it anymore; perhaps it was the Imperial Family; the Li family would be anihilated! Hurrah, they cheered, starting to make plans on how to seize the Li family''s assets once they were murdered in cold blood by the Mercenaries.


    Li Zhenming was a puddle of cold sweat as he rushed over from socializing with one of his friends, when he received news that the Si Lak Mercenaries were headed towards his manor! Why, why in the world, why him?! First some damn assassins, and now this?! Who wanted to kill him so badly? To the extent of moving the Si Lak Mercenaries, who had stopped interfering in the matters of the world? What type of treasure had that person used to hire them? And why was that person using a sledgehammer to crush an ant? He, he was actually very easy to kill, ah. Just one charge of treason was enough to end his life, ah. Even, not going that far, a simple mole planted in his manor was enough. So why, why in the world, why the Si Lak Mercenaries?!


    Li Zhenming arrived at his manor a moment before the horde pulled up at his gates. He rushed down from his carriage and hastily approached the horde in all meekness and apprehension. Maybe, maybe they are lost, ah. Maybe they''re after the Imperial Family. Yes, yes, that was the kind of person the Si Lak Mercenaries could be concerned with. Not him, ah. He was just a simple businessman!


    "Erm--" Li Zhenming was at a loss as to how to address these prodigies way way above him in status. Who was he? They were even way above the Emperor!


    The leader of the masked mercenaries, stiiting astride a pure white stallion, spoke first.


    "Are you Li Zhenming?" Though the voice belonged to a female, it was the most terrifying voice that Li Zhenming had ever heard in his four decades of existence.


    "I-- yes-- I am--" Li Zhenming stumbled over his words. Should he have said he was not? Did he just confirm the death toll?


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    "We have been summoned here by the express order of our Grand Chief. Please show us inside quickly,"


    It was like an hammer was slammed on Li Zhenming''s skull. Did-- did she just speak to him courteously?


    "Hurry!" The sharp tone brought him back to his senses.


    "Yes? Ah-- open the gates! Open the gates!" Forget whatever they said. Grand Chief of no grand chief? At least they weren''t killing him yet. But still. The Si Lak Mercenaries were known for eating and drinking at their victims place before eventually murdering them.


    The gates to the Li Manor were thrown open by the guards who almost cursed their master in their hearts. Was he mad? But they couldn''t disobey an express order. Ah, the suffering of servants!


    The manor was actually a mini- palace, and not a manor at all. The opulence was just a notch below that of the Imperial Palace, but... That didn''t matter to the Si Lak Mercenaries one bit.


    The leader jumped down from her horse after riding in. With a swish, the horse vanished into her oasis, the same with all the others with her, leaving the stablemen who were rushing up speechless.


    "Shadow Claw," the leader called one of those behind her, and he took off his mask to reveal a handsome boyish face with an angled jaw and deep set eyes.


    "Yes, Senior Xi Yun?"


    "Bring us to the Grand Chief. I can''t sense her aura." The leader said with a hint of worry in her tone, "you-- are you sure she is well?"


    "Come with me," Shadow Claw Jun Ru moved and started walking towards the Agate Pavillion, where Li Sihan and her sister resided.


    The bells in Li Zhenming''s head tolled. His heart raced. What?! Could-- could it be that-- that these people were really after his daughter?!


    The Mercenaries marched forward after Shadow Claw Jun Ru without looking back and presently arrived at the Agate Pavillion. Coming to a halt at the entrance, they all went down on one knee and chorused:


    "These subordinates salute the Grand Chief! Please punish us!"


    The spectators first reaction was to be flabbergasted. And then worry and dread kicked in. Did-- did these people really mean-- mean to to say that--that their Grand-- Grand Chief was here?! Here in the Li Manor? The Grand Chief of the Si Lak Mercenaries! Here?! How?!


    Li Zhenming was the one who was shocked the most. Then-- then-- who was it? Who was their Grand Chief?!


    A tiny figure stepped out from within the residence of the Agate Pavillion. She was dressed in a short white hanfu, her hair falling free. She carried a fat baby in her arms. Her expressionless face changed slightly when she saw the kneeling people.


    "Ah," she muttered, "Little Bun, look. Friends,"


    She glanced at the person in front.


    "Its been a while, Xi Yun,"


    "Grand Chief!" Flaming Spear Xi Yun, the top ranked assassin on the planet, cried out with emotion. It had been a year. They had not seen, or heard from their Grand Chief for a year. Originally, the Grand Chief was supposed to inhabit Xi Yun''s body. Xi Yun was loyal enough to willingly give herself up for the Grand Chief to go on living. Their Grand Chief had been in a vegetative state for so long, ah. Xi Yun had been willing to give herself up. Si Lak Mercenaries was not the same without the Grand Chief. And who dared to sit in her place?


    "Please punish me, Grand Chief!"


    Seeing their Senior said this, the rest took up the chant as well.


    "Why are you asking me to punish you?" Li Sihan raised her eyebrows a centimetre.


    Flaming Spear Xi Yun lowered her head further. Argh, the Scorpion Hall and the Yan Temple, you''ll pay for this!


    "We were unable to help the Grand Chief when you needed us the most. And we took so long to find you. Please punish us!" A man kneeling next to Xi Yun spoke on behalf of the rest.


    "Hah. Since you want to be punished so much, I really can''t object. Fine then. All of you can visit the Boiler for a week,"


    The people kneeling on the ground broke out in cold sweat. The Boiler was the most horrifying prison in the Si Lak Mercenaries, condensed from the Grand Chief''s dark energy.


    "-- Sihan?!" Li Zhenming finally got back his voice. He was pointing at Li Sihan with a shaking finger. In fact, his whole body was shaking.


    Li Sihan glanced at him coolly. Then she returned her eyes to the kneeling people.


    "Will you stay there forever? Stand up,"


    "Thank you, Grand Chief!"


    "Little Bun," Li Sihan cradled the baby, "I''ll introduce these nice big brothers and sisters to you,"

 The Luck of the Li Family

    Li Palace -- Main Hall


    Li Sihan sat on a throne-like chair set in the Main Hall of the Li Residence. Li Zhenming and Ren Ziming were standing near Li Sihan''s chair, Madam Li''s face as white as a sheet.


    "Little Bun, here-- this is Xi Yun, a pretty big sister for you," Li Sihan rubbed Little Bun''s fat cheeks and casually pointed to Flaming Spear Xi Yun. Jun Ru''s mouth twitched. Pretty big sister? She started killing when she was nine. She was currently the top ace assassin with a fetish of digging out her victims eyeballs. Flaming Spear was not nice at all. It was only when facing the Grand Chief that she was docile like a baby cat.


    Flaming Spear quickly went down on one knee. Cupping her hands over her sword, she lowered her head respectfully.


    "Xi Yun greets the Grand Chief''s sister,"


    "Young Miss," Li Sihan corrected.


    "Xi Yun greets the Young Miss!"


    Li Sihan introduced three others; Charming Leopard, Red Monkey and Storm Sword, the second, third and fourth ranked mercenaries on the continent. They were also the three other Seniors of the Si Lak Mercenaries, the Grand Chief''s own disciples. Li Sihan placed Little Bun''s imprint on them just as she had done with Jun Ru.


    "I have a task for you--" Li Sihan''s expressionless face turned sharp, and everyone in the room straightened their backs subconsciously.


    "My lord--" the butler of the Li family opened the door to the main hall at this moment. He felt the oppressive aura of about thirty people directed at him and broke out in cold sweat.


    "What is the matter?" Li Zhenming hurried over to him and asked, afraid of disturbing the unparalleled existences in the main hall.


    "There-- there are many people outsode-- wanting to see you," the butler reported, "representatives of prestigious families-- even the Imperial Family sent the Fourth Prince--!"


    It was actually like this. The detractors of the Li family sent some spies to find out what befell the first class family such that the Si Lak Mercenaries came knocking at their door. But they got nothing after half a day. Then they began to get frightened. Perhaps-- perhaps they were mistaken? Could it be that the Li family had summoned the Si Lak Mercenaries with a priceless treasure? Were they doomed then, as Li Zhenming''s enemies?


    Other prestigious families who were not on bad terms with the Li family were stunned when they heard that it did not seem that the Si Lak Mercenaries meant any harm. Then they got really jealous. Forming a connection, no matter how little, with the Si Lak Mercenaries?! Li Zhenming was really lucky! They desperately wished they were in his place. And then they thanked their ancestors that they were on neutral ground. Then they hurried to cosy up to him! Perhaps a few benefits could get to them too!


    The Imperial Family was greatly displeased at the news. The Emperor immediately summoned his best sons to an emergency meeting.


    "Whatever the Si Lak Mercenaries want, they should have come to us first," the third prince, Xi Ziyun, spoke pompously, "Even if they wanted to kill Li Zhenming, wouldn''t we deliver him to them on a gold plate?"


    "Shut up, Ziyun," the crown prince, Xi Zimin hissed. They were both sons of the empress, the crown prince being the elder. Xi Ziyun sniggered and rolled his eyes. He had been spoilt by his mother and elder brother, so he took no one seriously.


    "What do you know about the Si Lak Mercenaries," Xi Zimin chided him, "they act as they please and no one tells them what to do. Learn!"


    The Emperor set down his goblet.


    "Well, they''re not killing him. They''ve come to our Phoenix Empire and they made straight for the Li manor. And now everyone wants to lick Li Zhenming''s boots. Even the Prime Minister has sent his younger brother and eldest son there. Our Imperial Family is tossed aside. We are nothing in the eyes of the Si Lak Mercenaries." The emperor gritted his teeth.


    "Royal Father," the second prince, Xi Huayu, spoke up, "you should not be aggrieved by this. The prestigious families will of course rush to Li Zhenming''s door. They are not there for him. He was nothing as at yesterday. But the involvement of a single entity can turn the tides. This entity is so powerful that they can''t be ignored. We have heard countless stories about the Si Lak Mercenaries that they are almost becoming legends. At the moment, Li Zhenming is the most powerful person in our Phoenix Empire, being the Si Lak Mercenaries host,"


    "Royal Father," the second prince continued, "you must calm your heart and stop to think of what must be going on in the minds of our neighbouring empires now. They will be on their teethers, fearing we have come into an agreement with the Mercenaries with the aim of unifying the continent under Phoenix''s banner. And that is why we must. People don''t catch a glimpse of the Si Lak Mercenaries throughout their lifetime. And here they are in our own kingdom! What will we say befell us if we don''t have anything to show for it?"


    The second prince''s speech swayed the emperor. He nodded with satisfaction. This was truly his best son. If only he were not born to a concubine, he would have been the crown prince.


    Xi Zimin the crown prince felt threatened when he noticed the emperor''s satisfied expression. With just a few words, Xi Huayu had changed the emperor''s mood! He quickly opened his mouth as well.


    "Let us also take this opportunity to see the Mercenaries then," he said, "who shall we send to the Li Manor?"


    The emperor was silent for a while, then he turned to Xi Huayu. The crown prince gritted his teeth. Xi Huayu glanced at him unconcernedly and smirked lightly.


    "It would be best if we sent my royal brother, the fourth prince, to the Li Manor. Permit me to out forward my reasons," Xi Huayu paused, and the emperor nodded so he continued, "First of all, the fourth prince''s mother, Consort Ruang, is the Li patriarch''s cousin. Li Zhenming would without doubt receive his nephew with open arms. Second, the only thing that the Si Lak Mercenaries care for is strength, and the fourth prince is the only one of us blessed with cultivation talent. He needs a place to hone his skills. That being the case, we would present him to be accepted as a disciple by the Si Lak Mercenaries,"


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    "You want Us to release Our son to be trained as an assassin?" The emperor growled.


    "That''s not the only thing the Si Lak Mercenaries do," a soft voice like a gentle passing breeze murmured. His aura was fluctuating and almost non-existent. One would not even know he was in the room if he didn''t speak. He was the fourth prince, Xi Huazing, a handsome young man with peach blossom eyes, clear and vibrant.


    "The Si Lak Mercenaries train unparalleled cultivators," he said, "I will go to the Li Manor to pay my respects to my uncle, and secure for the imperial family the unwavering support of the Si Lak Mercenaries,"


    Across the capital, the Prime Minister''s manor, in his study, he was seated at his desk and his eldest son Ji Hanming stood before him.


    "Hurry to the Li manor and secure us a place as Li Zhenming''s supporter before nightfall. Take your uncle with you. You are wise, I don''t have to tell you what to say,"


    "Yes father," the young man bowed and exited the study.


    Many families more prestigious than the Li family sent representatives to congratulate Master Li, Li Zhenming, on his "good luck" and "prosperous return to the capital" with priceless treasures and expensive gifts. He was suddenly the most sought out person in the empire, who before time was just only quite notable. Li Zhenming walked to the entrance of his manor in bewilderment. It was his great mental strength that prevented him from going mad, what with all the emotional upheaval he had been through in just a few hours.


    "My lord--" the butler of the Li family was hopping from one foot to the other. All those delegates, ah! His pockets and sleeves were full to the brim with bribes!


    The gates were thrown open. Li Zhenming''s face turned dark at seeing the crowd. The fourth prince''s royal carriage stood out, the opulence of the imperial family being communicated without words.


    "..."


    Master Li approached the fourth prince''s carriage first. That scheming emperor-- he surely knows my weak spot is my nephew, he thought. Xi Huazing got down and greeted his uncle respectfully.


    "How is your health? Mother asks after you everyday," he smiled softly.


    "What brings the fourth prince here?" Li Zhenming was neither friendly nor cold. He was fully aware of the imperial family''s schemes. They were here to snatch the meat, if they couldn''t have some of it.


    "Can we talk inside?" Xi Huazing gestured towards the manor, "I want to pay my respects to aunt too,"


    Li Zhenming pursed his lips and frowned slightly.


    "I have important guests, and my whole manor is currently at their disposal. My hands are tied, forgive me for my impoliteness, your highness," Li Zhenming was not yet completely sure of the situation within his manor. He couldn''t disrupt the mix now. Who knew what would happen if these people out here annoyed those existenses? In the end, who would carry the blame? They would not take responsibility. They were here to cosy up to him solely because of the presence of the Si Lak Mercenaries. In that case, he would also thicken his skin and treat them impolitely.


    Xi Huazing smiled and nodded gently as if he understood all his uncle''s concerns.


    "Uncle Zhenming need not be anxious. I am your near kin; I might as well be a member of this manor. My servants are well trained. They will cause no commotion,"


    Li Zhenming shook his head obstinately.


    "Those people cannot be offended in the slightest. Having another visitor while they are in full control of my manor is akin to slapping them on the face. Don''t make things difficult for me, your highness,"


    "Alright then," Xi Huazing relented, "Uncle," he suddenly took on the face of a quirky inquisitive teenager, "may I ask why the Si Lak Mercenaries are here in our Phoenix Empire?"


    Li Zhenming was caught off guard. He really did not know. They had just barged in, saying they were summoned by their Grand Chief-- who turned out to be-- he was not willing to disclose this yet. What if those people were mistaken-- he shuddered you think about the outcome.


    Xi Huazing noticed the flustered expression of his uncle and smirked. It was just as he guessed; the Li patriarch couldn''t make sense of the visit. His own hypothesis was this: the Si Lak Mercenaries had a business to do in the Phoenix Empire,and they barged in, as was their custom. Then they realised, rather to their consternation, that they had nowhere to stay. They looked down on all the inns and avoided the imperial palace because they didn''t have the strength to deal with the crowds cozying up to them without really getting anything tangible in return. Therefore, they sought out a beautiful manor that belonged to a small nuclear family: the Li manor!


    Xi Huazing opened his mouth to say something, but the other ''well wishers'' had gotten impatient. Hey, they were here too! Why was the Fourth Prince monopolizing the Li patriarch? The first to approach was a Marquis Rong, a high ranked court official in the crown prince''s party. His son, Jia Xuhei, the crown prince''s reading partner, also accompanied him.


    "Master Li!" Marquis Rong cupped his hands to Li Zhenming, "your Highness, fourth prince," he lowered his head curtly, but he was clearly looking down on Xi Huazing. Jia Xuhei also greeted the two.


    "I didn''t know Marquis Rong came personally," Xi Huazing cupped his hands.


    "Haha, of course! Li Zhenming is my friend! I have to congratulate him on his great luck!" Marquis Rong replied obsequiously. Li Zhenming raised his eyebrows. He had never seen the tassel of Marquis Rong''s robes before, much less be on speaking terms with him! So when did he become this great man''s friend?!


    But, with Marquis Rong taking the lead, all the others also rushed towards them. Li Zhenming''s face grew dark as these ones didn''t have any scruples at all. They simply started asking questions and making requests! One small patrician family offered their eldest daughter to be his concubine. Marquis Xu of the Palace Affairs Bureau wanted to initiate a business venture with the Li family. The Empress''s estranged sixth brother, wanted to apprentice his son to Li Zhenming. All of them were trying to make connections with the Li patriarch in every and any way possible! To whoever went against them, they would say, I know Li Zhenming, and Li Zhenming knows the Si Lak Mercenaries!


    "Why is there so much noise?" A deep voice suddenly boomed. Everyone looked in the direction of the interruption and froze. It was a man standing on the steps that led up to the gate of the Li Manor, dressed in the Si Lak Mercenaries colours of purple, scarlet and black, with a viscous eagle mask covering his face. Li Zhenming''s eyelids spasmed. Did the noise of these delegates go all the way to the main hall in the centre of the Li Manor?! But then, maybe the prodigies sensed a lot of people outside the manor and that bothered them.


    When all present became mutes and wouldn''t even so much as breathe, Li Zhenming resigned to his fate.


    "Esteemed Senior--"


    "Don''t call me that," the man snapped back at once. Hells, the Grand Chief probably took this man being her father seriously. What would happen if she were to hear her father calling him esteemed senior? He still needed this measly life of his, ah.


    "You can call me Tao He," he said, causing everyone to gasp. Sword Saint Tao He! The number one swordmaster in the entire continent, who had joined the Si Lak Mercenaries six years ago!"


    "Esteemed Master! It''s my honour to meet you!" Xi Huazing immediately paid respect. Six years ago, all the arrangements were made and he was about to become this man''s disciple! And then Sword Saint Tao He had joined the Si Lak Mercenaries, causing Xi Huazing to lose a once in a lifetime opportunity. It was part of the reason why so many people could look down on him now, including that idiot Marquis Rong. Would they they dare if this unparalleled man was his master?


    While everyone else was feeling immensely lucky to meet the Sword Saint, Li Zhenming was doused with sweat instead.


    "Sword Saint Tao He, this--"


    "Please don''t call me Sword Saint either," the man obstinately shook his head, "and anyway, what are all these people?"


    Li Zhenming lowered his head.


    "It''s my mistake for allowing you to be disturbed-- Lord Tao,"


    Sword Saint Tao He pinched his forehead.


    "There is no need to apologize, Master Li. My Seniors wish to meet these people,"


    The crowd was flabbergasted. They-- they would be able to meet with the Seniors from the Si Lak Mercenaries face to face! Sheesh, what luck! They would boast about this throughout their lives!!

 Childe Ji

    Main Hall-- Li Manor


    The orders of the Grand Chief was still ringing in the ears of Flaming Spear, Charming Leopard, Red Monkey and Storm Sword, the four Seniors of the Si Lak Mercenaries, second only to the Grand Chief in authority.


    "I think it''s time to change the way I do things. Now that I''ve determined to wipe out the Scorpion Hall and Yan Temple, we have to prepare accordingly. That involves accepting more disciples. And we also need eyes everywhere. Those people out there are here to suck up to my dad now. I don''t think he can handle them. Help him deal with them,"


    The thirty from the Si Lak Mercenaries sat at a long table with Flaming Spear Xi Yun at the head. On the left side were the other Seniors, followed by eight mercenaries referred to as the Vanguards, among whom was Shadow Claw Jun Ru. On the other side sat twelve from the Weapons Guild, and the other six, three on the right and three on the left, were prodigies of unlimited talent in alchemy and cultivation. A dense suffocating aura, the trademark of anyone from the Si Lak Mercenaries, emanated from each and everyone of them.


    The fourth prince, Xi Huazing, solemnly bowed with apprehension in his heart. This-- these people were the ones his elder brother the third prince dared speak casually about? Who his father the emperor dared grit his teeth at?


    "Xi Huazing pays his respects to Esteemed Seniors and Masters. I''m representing my father, the Emperor of Phoenix Empire, who sends his regards to the Seniors of the Si Lak Mercenaries. May I present a token of his recognition," he withdrew from his sleeve a ruby encrusted sword and presented it with lowered head. A snake shot out from one of the Mercenaries'' sleeves, wrapped around the sword, and withdrew it from Xi Huazing''s hand at a speed that shocked him. He only faintly saw the slitted red eyes before it was gone.


    The mercenary unsheathed and examined the sword.


    "Hmm-" he stroked his beard, which protuded out from under his beaver mask, "good make," and the sword disappeared.


    "Speak," Flaming Spear Xi Yun growled.


    Xi Huazing swallowed a mouthful of saliva. To think the Dragon Bone Sword, the treasure of the Phoenix Empire, would be treated with such contempt! However, he opened his mouth quickly.


    "My imperial father envisions a time when relations between the Phoenix Empire and the Si Lak Mercenaries will be for mutual benefit--"


    "What mutual benefit?" A mercenary growled, "what do you have that can enter our sights? Just because we took your toy doesn''t mean you weigh much in our eyes!"


    T--toy?! But Xi Huazing began to reel off the imperial family''s priceless treasures.


    "Our humble imperial family possesses a third grade armament weapon, the Mutinous Hammer-- seven beads of crystallized Phoenix Tears-- a five hundred year burning Perpetual Flame-- a mid tier concealment matrix--"


    "A concealment matrix?" a masked Senior, Red Monkey, opened her mouth. Everyone at the table glanced at her quizzically, even Flaming Spear Xi Yun.


    "Sister Red Monkey-- what do you need a concealment matrix for?" Flaming Spear Xi Yun asked.


    Red Monkey shook her head slightly, the black doupeng covering her face parting slightly to reveal the flawless fresh face of a nineteen year old girl. Xi Huazing was shocked.


    "What are you looking at?" Tao He growled, and Xi Huazing retracted his gaze immediately.


    "Well," Storm Sword opened his mouth, and his voice was rough and boorish, "Big Sis Red Monkey seems to need this concealment matrix of sorts--" Xi Huazing licked his lips in anticipation, and Storm Sword continued, "hey, Weapons Guild folks, don''t you have so many concealment matrices lying around all the time? Give twenty top tier ones to Big Sis Red Monkey on my account. Heh heh, Big Sis Red Monkey, you owe me one!"


    "Roger, Senior," about four or five youngsters replied at once.


    What?! Xi Huazing was shocked. Twe-- twenty!! Twenty top tier concealment matrices?!!


    Flaming Spear Xi Yun hissed in annoyance.


    "Seems like this imperial family of the Phoenix Empire is only so-so,"


    "No, no!" Xi Huazing hurriedly said, "they still have me! I''m a fifth rank initial stage cultivator! The only cultivator in the capital!"


    There was silence for a moment.


    "Hahahaha!" Sword Saint Tao He burst out laughing, "you call that talent? Do you know what the Si Lak Mercenaries are? Do you know what we call talent? A mid-rank Martial Grandmaster, at a maximum of eighteen years of age! That''s talent,"


    Blood drained from Xi Huazing''s face. A -- a what?! He-- he was not even a Martial Practitioner yet! With his current progress at twenty-two, he would only reach the second rank of Martial Grandmaster when he was thirty years old! And that-- that was if he entered closed door cultivation for the space of a year every three years!


    If that was the case, then these people-- what stage of cultivation were they, to set such unachievable standards?!


    "This Phoenix Imperial family is too presumptuous, sending us a small cultivation fry. We have no interest in your mediocre ''treasures''," Tao He spat.


    "You--," Xi Huazing''s entire life seemed to crumble before his eyes, "we-- really-- have more than this--" the bells tolled in his head. If he were unable to secure the Si Lak Mercenaries support... Wouldn''t his father short of disown him? "We are willing to give anything-- everything-- to serve-- whatever it is that you require of us, we are willing to do it--"


    "Oho," Charming Leopard chuckled, "do you think there is anything that we can''t get ourselves?"


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    "Since the Phoenix Imperial Family is of no benefit to us--"


    "Wait," Red Monkey spoke unconcernedly,  but it seemed like the light at the end of a dark tunnel to Xi Huazing, "I want to see your concealment matrix,"


    "Yes, Esteemed Senior!"


    "Big Sister Red Monkey, didn''t I already ask these kids from the Weapons Guild to give you twenty? Why are you so interested in this kid''s cheap toy?" Storm Sword grumbled.


    "Enough," Flaming Spear Xi Yun cut in, her eyes sharp, "let Sister Red Monkey do as she pleases,"


    "I''ll go inform my royal father of your request right away," Xi Huazing bowed and hurried out before these yamas could change their minds. Waiting outside was his personal eunuch, who had been with him since he was a child. Li Zhenming standing a little further away, noticed Xi Huazing come out of the main hall, so he signalled to the next person.


    "Uncle Zhenming," Xi Huazing called out.


    "Please enter, Lord Ji," Li Zhenming said to the prime minister''s son, then turned around, "yes, your highness?"


    "Thank you for your help," Xi Huazing smiled delicately, "and you''re making me uncomfortable calling me your highness. We''re family, after all,"


    Li Zhenming pursed his lips and did not reply. Instead, he asked, tilting his head towards the hall:


    "How was your meeting with them?"


    "It was not bad," Xi Huazing replied composedly, "I''m on my way to inform royal father that they requested for a concealment matrix,"


    "A concealment matrix?" Li Zhenming was slightly shocked, "So the Imperial Family has this treasure,"


    Xi Huazing merely smiled. But inside, he was screaming. With those two good for nothing elder brothers of his, the crown prince and the third prince, how would he convince the imperial family to hand over the concealment matrix? Thankfully, he had a support in the person of the second prince, but he did not fully trust the latter either. Who knew what nasty schemes were lurking behind that stoic face?


    "I''ll be leaving now, Uncle Zhenming. Please take care of yourself," Xi Huazing pushed all this to the back of his mind, maintaining the image of a filial nephew instead.


    "--Your highness," Eunuch Tan helped Xi Huazing into the carriage, "how did it go?"


    "My cultivation is virtually nothing in the eyes of the Si Lak Mercenaries," Xi Huazing narrowed his eyes, "they want a Martial Grandmaster of eighteen years,"


    Eunuch Tan: !!!!!


    People awakened their cultivation talent at fifteen years, some sixteen, and it took one full year to advance through the Initial Stage cultivation ranks, before eventually breaking through to become a Martial Practitioner and discovering their element affinity. From here, cultivation depended on one''s skill, luck, and diligence, therefore there was no really set time laid down. Yet, the average was three years of cultivation and training as a Martial Practitioner, before breaking through to Martial Skills. At this stage the cultivator would choose a fighting skill, from the likes of weapons, armaments, flames, elements or contract creatures. Another three years down the line as a Martial Skill would lead to breakthrough to become a Martial Master, and also another four years before eventually becoming a Martial Grandmaster! That was an average of eleven years of cultivation before a person reached the level of Martial Grandmaster! The cultivator would be at least twenty six years old! That was if they encountered no bottlenecks or unforseen circumstances. So how did the Si Lak Mercenaries come about eighteen years? Did they expect the person to have started cultivating in the womb?!


    "But we still have a chance. One of the Seniors wanted one of the imperial family''s treasures that I mentioned. She''s called Red Monkey, and I briefly saw her face. She''s really beautiful!" Xi Huazing smiled as he remembered the flawless face of Red Monkey. Yes, he thought, when he entered the Si Lak Mercenaries in the future, he would woo her, ke ke ke.


    "What treasure did they ask for," Eunuch Tan asked, bringing Xi Huazing out of his fantasy. The fourth prince pursed his lips as he replied forlornly.


    "The mid-tier concealing matrix procured by the former emperor during the Winter Moon Hunt,"


    Eunuch Tan:!!!!


    "What will the imperial family get in return then?"


    "What do you mean? It''s simply a blessing to be able to serve them. How dare I ask?! Now, with this gift, they already have a connection with the Phoenix imperial family, and me, Xi Huazing. On a day when we need their help, that''s why they will answer us. If they don''t know us, will they care if we perish?"


    "But wait till the crown prince or third prince or even my imperial father confronts them. Sword Saint Tao He, that was so renowned already decades ago, joined the Si Lak Mercenaries and isn''t even one of the higher ups! Even he calls others Seniors. But I guess I''m lucky, because it''s one of those Seniors that asked for the concealment matrix. I just hope my third brother won''t spoil all my hard work," the carriage rolled away.


    Back at the Li Manor, Ji Hanming, the prime minister''s eldest son,was sweating profusely in the face of the pressure from the Mercenaries. His uncle wasn''t doing too well either.


    The ledger of the Ji family''s top-tier treasures was directly handed over humbly for the Mercenaries to peruse and pick what they wished.


    "Why do I feel that the Prime Minister''s family is even more well to do than the imperial family?" Xi Yun asked, as she casually flipped the pages. Her hand paused slightly when she came to a part of the ledger.


    "Spider Lily, what''s the name of that herb you''re always harping about again?" She asked someone from the Alchemy Guild.


    To have the support of the Si Lak Mercenaries alchemist... Ji Hanming was estactic, but he remembered to keep his head down.


    "Wilted Fawn Leaf," Spider Lily opened his mouth and replied, "Is there a problem, Senior?"


    "It''s here," Xi Yun replied, and Spider Lily jumped up from his seat, exclaiming as he rushed to Xi Yun''s side, snatching up the ledger. All the others expressed their displeasure at his behaviour.


    "Spider Lily?! What''s up with you?" Charming Leopard grunted.


    "I can''t believe it''s here! I''ve searched for it for over two decades! It''s part of the reason I joined the Si Lak Mercenaries back then! Senior," he turned earnestly to Xi Yun, lifted his robes and knelt, "thank you!"


    Xi Yun glanced at the Ji duo.


    "You have seen that our Alchemist is interested in your herb. State your price,"


    Ji Haoran, the prime minister''s brother, only now dared to look up. He cupped his hands respectfully.


    "If Esteemed Senior is not offended, our only wish is to have our young master enter the Si Lak Mercenaries,"


    "I hope you don''t regret this," Xi Yun smirked, "Luo Bai!"


    A grainy image of a hefty man with a side cornrow hairdo appeared next to Xi Yun.


    "Yes, Senior Master?" His voice was full of static too.


    "Bring this person back," Xi Yun said.


    The man called Luo Bai glanced at Ji Hanming with his heterochromatic eyes. In a second, he vanished and reappeared next to Ji Hamming. Luo Bai grabbed his hand and activated a teleportation matrix. Ji Hanming''s eyes widened as he saw the room dissolve. He caught his uncle''s flabbergasted expression. This! This was not what he anticipated!


    They appeared in a dimly lit passageway. Luo Bai didn''t let go of Ji Hanming''s hand and marched him to the end of the passage, where there was a heavy iron door built into the wall. Luo Bai placed his palm against the door and a faint orange light shone on the door, then was extinguished. Luo Bai pushed the door open and marched Ji Hanming down the flight of steps leading into a pitch dark room.


    "Where-- where are we going?" Ji Hanming finally found his voice.


    "We are already here," Luo Bai replied ominously. Ji Hanming suddenly felt himself being pushed against a wall. A beam of light shone as magical shackles locked him in place. By the light, he saw that the room was actually a long one, and only a foot away from him was another boy chained, and another, and another!!


    "What are you doing?!" Ji Hanming cried out in shock!


    Luo Bai stood back after making sure that the chains and the shackles were secured.


    "Checking to see if you''re really worthy," and he turned his back and walked away.


    "You!--"


    "Conserve your energy," the person next to him suddenly spoke, "there''ll be no water and no food; only cultivation essence, and there''s no telling how long you''ll be here,"


    Ji Hanming: !!!!

 Beauty Feng

    Main Hall, Li Manor, Phoenix Empire


    Feng Huiran, the father of Feng Chusan, eldest lady of first class family Feng, top socialite of the imperial city, of unparalleled beauty and grace, whose hand hundreds of outstanding bachelors constantly sought after; continuously reminded his daughter that marrying a pig head from the Si Lak Mercenaries was absolutely better than marrying the most eligible bachelor in current Phoenix Empire. Feng Chusan had nodded obediently, but her sights were set far too high: the Grand Chief. Being spoilt since young, and having a seriously bloated sense of self, she considered that a lady of her station could only stand next to the peak existence in this world.


    Feng Huiran humbly paid his respects to the unmatched powerhouses gathered in the room.


    "Esteemed Seniors, this subordinate hereby presents the greatest treasure of my Feng family," and he shifted to the side.


    Feng Chusan lowered her head bashfully in the face of the direction of everyone''s gazes towards her. Damn, she thought, why were they all masked? Were they really pig headed as her father had said, ashamed to show their faces? But their Grand Chief would be unmatchably handsome, right? Even if he was originally ugly, he would be able to alter his appearance once he reached a certain level of cultivation, right? Just look at the case of Sword Saint Tao He. People who had seen him till six years ago before he joined the Si Lak Mercenaries spread word that he was extremely handsome and dashing! And that Sword Saint was not even a Senior. That meant that there was no way around it: the Grand Chief was absolutely good-looking. Perhaps he had even ordered these subordinates of his to always cover their faces so they wouldn''t compete with him.


    Yes, it was only such an outstanding man that deserved her. Feng Chusan finally raised her head proudly. Why should she be terrified of these people? They would be her servants in the future! Watch out, everyone who has a feud with Feng Chusan! The Si Lak Mercenaries will come after you with fury!


    "Where is the treasure you are speaking of?" Shadow Claw Jun Ru finally broke the silence with a deep growl.


    Feng Chusan: !! Did they not see her?!


    "This--" Feng Huiran attempted to laugh to clear the air, "my daughter, Feng Chusan," he held her by the shoulders and steered her forward.


    "Why the hell is your daughter the treasure of your Feng family?" Tao He swore, "what do we look like to you? Cannibals?"


    Feng Chusan: !!! To think she would ever be insulted like this!


    "Ah-- heh heh, Esteemed Senior, your joke really frightens this subordinate," Feng Huiran cursed Tao He''s ancestors in his heart. Did this damn man expect him to explain everything in detail? Even if the other Seniors knew nothing about this, he had spent at least seventy years in the mortal realm, though?!


    "If my humble daughter does not irritate you, I will gladly give her over to your side," Feng Huiran eventually acquiesced, smiling bitterly.


    "What, this monkey?" A young grumpy voice from the Weapons Guild sounded, "that''s an insult to all our Sisters!"


    Feng Chusan: this dwarf did not just call her a monkey, right?!!


    "Ha haha, Boar Claw, are you kidding me?" Storm Sword laughed, "children shouldn''t interrupt when adults are talking. What do you know about beauty or no beauty?"


    Then? Feng Huiran raised his head hopefully. If this Senior took a fancy to his Chusan-- that would be the good luck his Feng family had accumulated for ten centuries! Thinking of this, Feng Huiran started smiling.


    "This is good news for my Feng family. I''ll have to trouble Esteemed Senior to look after our Chusan in the future," and he bowed.


    Silence. All the people from the Si Lak Mercenaries turned to stare at Storm Sword. Feng Huiran paused, confused.


    Finally, someone from the Alchemy Guild coughed.


    "Senior Storm Sword-- I always thought you had a crush on Senior Red Monkey. Turns out I was wrong. Yet, I didn''t expect you to have such strong weird tastes,"


    Everyone around the table nodded twice and shook their heads pitifully on Storm Sword''s behalf.


    Storm Sword: !!!!!


    "When did I say something wrong for you all to misunderstand me like this! Hey, Herb Oracle, are you stupid? Hey, Big Sis Red Monkey, don''t mind him! Please don''t misunderstand me! I don''t like this skinny monkey at all, wu wu wu!"


    Flaming Spear Xi Yun smirked. Feng Huiran was appalled, but he maintained his composure.


    "It is my earnest dream to have my daughter enter the Si Lak Mercenaries --"


    "So what do we get in return?" Xi Yun almost yawned; she was so bored. But this was the Grand Chief''s orders, so she could only grit her teeth through it.


    Feng Huiran choked. This? He was already on the loosing end of the deal, ah! He was the one giving up his daughter!


    He started stammering as he tried to explain this. Spider Lily cut him off.


    "Enough of this garbage. Take a leaf from the Ji family. They offered us a top grade herb and we took their son in. Stop the yammering that your daughter is some great treasure of the Feng family. If you really mean it, hand her over to our Weapon Guild to be made a war puppet,"


    "Yes, give her to me! Give the ugly monkey to me! I want to hear her screams as she goes through my furnace!" Boar Claw eagerly said.


    The Fengs: !!! The Si Lak Mercenaries were really as cruel and cold blooded as the rumours made them out to be!


    "This subordinate has made a grave mistake. In that case, I''ll offer Esteemed Seniors the transport creature of my Feng family, the Blueplume Eaglet,"


    Feng Chusan did not think this treasure was too much to bring out for the sake of her entering the Si Lak Mercenaries. She even felt that it was proper. After all, she was going to be the Grand Chief''s woman. He would look down on her if she didn''t have a huge dowry. She drew her head up even further and cast a provocative look at Storm Sword. He would be ashamed now, right?


    Unfortunately, Storm Sword did not even look in her direction and only turned, like the others, to Flaming Spear Xi Yun to hear her decision.


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    "That Blueplume Eaglet of yours isn''t tame and is put under restrictive matrices, right? Xi Yun spoke.


    "This-- Esteemed Senior is correct!" Sweat dribbled down Feng Huiran''s back. There were no cultivators in this generation of his family. How would they tame a ten-pound vicious ferocious transport creature?! The amount of money spent by the Feng family each year to reinforce the restrictive matrices placed on it still made his heart bleed.


    "Puppet King, you can have that," Xi Yun finally agreed. Feng Chusan was estactic. This lady was the topmost Senior of the Si Lak Mercenaries . For the time being, she must not be offended. Feng Chusan hoped with all her heart that this lady was not already the Grand Chief''s woman. Otherwise, why would she have such a high position? Feng Chusan bit her lip.


    "Thanks to Esteemed Senior, thanks to Esteemed Senior," Feng Huiran kept bowing, "hey, Chusan, pay your gratitude,"


    "Chusan thanks Esteemed Senior," Feng Chusan finally decided to adopt the attitude of an absolute innocent little sister next door with Xi Yun until she secured the Grand Chief''s affection.


    "Nalan Yu," Xi Yun called a name, and a beautiful lady appeared next to her. It caught Feng Chusan by surprise! Didn''t-- didn''t everyone from the Si Lak Mercenaries cover their faces?! This-- this lady was more beautiful than her!!! Was there a person who was more beautiful than her?!!! Was there?!! Was there?!!


    "Yes, Senior Master?" Nalan Yu saluted.


    "Bring this girl back,"


    "Yes!"


    Nalan Yu appeared next to Feng Chusan and grabbed her hand. Before the latter could shriek, they were hurtling through a dark void. In the blink of an eye they arrived in a small room with a poster bed, a dressing table and a mirror. Feng Chusan was dragged to sit on the low bench in front of the mirror by Nalan Yu. Before she could come to terms with her new surroundings, Nalan Yu grabbed a scissors from the dressing table, pulled out the hairpins in Feng Chusan''s hair, roughly untied the exquisite bun hairstyle, and snip! Snip! Snip, snip, snip, snip!!


    "What the hell are you doing?!" Feng Chusan almost ran mad! This devil was cutting her hair! Her hair! Her beautiful hair!


    "No! Damn you! Stop! Let go!"


    A catfight broke out in the room. Feng Chusan fought back with all her might, scratching for all she was worth. But that didn''t deter Nalan Yu from her task.


    "You devil! Let go of me! Let go!"


    Nalan Yu stopped suddenly, and, through her streaming tears and snot, Feng Chusan looked in the mirror and gazed at herself in the mirror. All her hair was gone. The pieces littered the floor. What was left on Feng Chusan''s head was an uneven chopped mess.


    "Argghhh! Go to hell, you--!" She swung round to hit Nalan Yu, but she suddenly found out that she couldn''t move an inch.


    "Damn you! You devil! Wait till the Esteemed Senior hears of this! You were asked to bring me back! You were probably jealous of my beauty, right, that''s why you brought me here to ruin me?! I know! The Grand Chief doesn''t like your sultry looks! He prefers an untainted beauty like me! It''s your envy that took over you, right? Wait till the Esteemed Senior hears of this!"


    Nalan Yu was stunned for a moment, then she burst out laughing. That enraged Feng Chusan the more and she started screaming again.


    "Shut up! You-- I''ve never seen a much more brainless girl! But you''re not at fault. Let me set you straight. First of all, our Grand Chief," her face shone with an adoring smile, "is not a man, but a woman!"


    What?!! Feng Chusan was shocked!


    "Look at your stupid face! I guess that''s all I have to tell you! Now get up!" Nalan Yu dragged the dazed Feng Chusan up and walked to the door of the room they were in. Nalan Yu pushed it open and they walked along a corridor until they came to another door. It was opened by a matrix Nalan Yu created and Feng Chusan was roughly pushed in. The sight that met her eyes was jarring. There were about thirty girls in here, some seated on the floor, some lying on bunk beds that occupied most of the space in the room. All of the girls had shorn heads.


    "Tutor Nalan!" the first girls who noticed the duo that just came in shrieked excitedly, "have you come to select another person?" The joy on their faces was not concealable. Feng Chusan was puzzled.


    "No. This girl is joining you," Nalan Yu pushed Feng Chusan forward again, and she tripped and fell. One of the girls jumped up and caught her, but Feng Chusan pushed her away angrily.


    Slap! It resounded in the room. Feng Chusan was dazed. This-- this ugly girl slapped her! She--!


    "Good," Nalan Yu praised unexpectedly, "I''m sure you girls will teach her the proper way of life of a Si Lak Mercenary in no time,"


    Did-- did she hear wrongly? They-- they wanted to train her to become a mercenary


    ?! No! That was not what her father intended! She was supposed to marry someone powerful! Maybe not the Grand Chief now, but a Senior!


    "Leave her to us, Tutor Nalan," the girl that slapped Feng Chusan grinned, "have a safe trip back," Nalan Yu nodded to the girl and left the room, locking it behind her.


    Have a safe trip back?! That meant that, yes, she was already in the Si Lak Mercenaries camp, yay! But that also meant that this place was some back of beyond which was no where near where the Grand Chief or any higher-ups resided! How was she supposed to find a powerful man now?!!


    Feng Chusan is online, asking for pointers...!


    "You damn girl, what gave you the courage to push me? Tutor Nalan pushed you, and I caught you due to the overflowing kindness of my heart. But you had to push me away?! How cheeky! Who the hell do you think you are? I thought Tutor Nalan had talked some sense into you. I suppose not. Tsk, tsk, look at your hair. You''re so ugly--"


    "You''re equally ugly!" Feng Chusan yelled, "you''re bald!"


    "Yes, I''m bald," the girl replied proudly, "meaning I was still and obedient. But you must have resisted, and that''s why you look like a mad woman,"


    "You''re the mad woman! Your whole family are mad women!" Feng Chusan lunged at the girl. How she so wished to scratch this girl''s spotless face! She was! She was more beautiful than her!


    "Arggg! Go to hell!"


    Who expected the girl to kick Feng Chusan''s stomach, causing her to fly backwards and hit the wall?


    "Aaarghh!" Feng Chusan screamed.


    "Yue Li, can you keep it down a little," all the other girls had ignored them once Nalan Yu left, and were now doing their own things. The girl that spoke was sitting on one of the upper beds, knitting what looked like a head scarf.


    "Sorry, Sister Meng Yue. I''m just teaching this damn girl a lesson," Yue Li acquiesced at once. It seemed that there was an hierarchy among the girls.


    Meng Yue was not bald, but her hair was very short. It seemed that it had been growing again, meaning that she had been here quite some time.


    "New girl, what is your name?" Meng Yue asked from her perch. It irritated Feng Chusan, who had always been the one looking down on people. She gritted her teeth.


    She was calming down and assessing the situation. It was true. How would she find a powerful and rich husband with just her looks, in a cultivation world? She needed to be powerful too! That would bring her more prestige, and people would line up for her hand as they had done before. But now, they would respect her as well. She would be a Si Lak Mercenary!


    "I am Feng Chusan," she raised her head.


    "I''m Meng Yue. I''m everyone''s Big Sister. I''ve been here one hundred and twenty days," she pointed to the wall next to her bed, where there were chalk marks for everyday she''d spent here. Feng Chusan noticed that similar chalk marks were next to all the other girls'' beds as well, but they were not as much as Meng Yue''s.


    "All of us here, were brought into the Si Lak Mercenaries in one way or the other. It doesn''t matter anymore. Our backgrounds also don''t matter anymore. Whether you were a princess, a socialite, a noble lady, a entertainer, a commoner, or a slave, all doesn''t matter anymore. If you get in trouble, your identity can''t help you. As you are here now, from now on, you are a Si Lak Mercenary."


    It never occurred to Feng Chusan that she could join the ranks of people who stood at the peak of the continent -- she had thought the best she could was to stand next to one of them as his wife and bask in the admiration and jealousy of all her peers. But no. Her goal had changed. Sweet though it might be to ask the Grand Chief to help her get revenge on her enemies....she wanted to do it herself.


    "Gu Wenwen, give Feng Chusan a piece of chalk," Meng Yue said to the girl in the bunk beneath hers. The girl got up and picked a black chalk from a box on the floor and handed it to Feng Chusan, scowling at her.


    "Find and empty bed and be quiet. You''ll settle in soon," Meng Yue waved her away.


    Feng Chusan got up from the floor and sought out an empty bed. A young girl of about eleven years called to her. The bed above hers was empty.


    "Welcome," the girl smiled shyly, showing small white teeth. Even she was beautiful!


    "I''m Han Yuefeng," Feng Chusan glanced at her wall. There were only six marks there.


    Feng Chusan climbed up the ladder and arranged the bed. She found an old piece of cloth with which she rubbed off the forty five marks which the former occupant had etched on the wall. This person was a true Mercenary already. A resolute look came to her face. She would work hard to become an ace mercenary too!

 The Mandate

    Main Hall, Li Manor, Phoenix Empire


    It was evening, and the mercenaries were exhausted. Meeting people turned out to be  this tiring! Thankfully they had met everyone, even the small patrician families. Li Sihan, who had been blissfully playing with Little Bun in the Li manor artificial hot springs all day, finally returned to the Main Hall. She sat down under everyone''s gaze.


    "Shall we return to the Headquarters, then, Grand Chief?" Flaming Spear Xi Yun asked.


    Li Sihan contemplated the suggestion. Then she slowly shook her head.


    "Little Bun''s cultivation cannot withstand the terrain of the Headquarters yet,"


    What-- what?! Their Grand Chief was not returning -- because of that baby?!!


    "Grand Chief--" Xi Yun felt her head throbbing.


    "I can''t leave Little Bun behind!" Li Sihan barked.


    "I dare not suggest that!" Xi Yun went down on one knee, "but everyone at the Headquarters has been pent up and worried for a whole year--"


    "Tell them I''m well then. Who else is worried? Is this not all of you seniors?"


    "Well--" Xi Yun thought quickly, "how about we stay by your side? The Scorpion Hall and Yan Temple might make a move while we''re gone?"


    "The Scorpion Hall already made their move. And am I a child? If I can''t protect myself, can you?"


    Everyone: ...Yes, you are a child, Boss!!


    "What I want you to do is this. Investigate the Headquarters of the Scorpion Hall. I want to kill that old man myself. And the Yan Temple. They can dream all they want, but they will never become like the Si Lak Mercenaries!"


    "Yes!" Everyone''s voices rang out.


    "Jun Ru, you will remain with me,"


    "Yes, Grand Chief!"


    The envious gazes from the others made Jun Ru swell with pride.


    "Grand Chief, I''m also skilled, especially with dealing with pesky people. Let me stay here as well!" Sword Saint Tao He pleaded.


    Li Sihan cocked her head to one side and seemed to be considering the matter.


    "Grand Chief, me too!"


    "Grand Chief, Young Miss probably needs some pills to increase her foundation, let me stay!"


    "Grand Chief, I''ll also stay!"


    "Ditto!"


    Li Sihan: "...."


    "Enough," Li Sihan frowned, "Jun Ru and Tao He will stay,"


    "Thank you, Grand Chief!" Tao He bowed. He cast a provocative glance at Jun Ru. Young kid, you may be my Senior, but it''s not for nothing I''m an old man!


    Finally, Li Sihan asked.


    "By the way, why are all of you wearing such ugly masks? Do you want to scare my Little Bun?"


    Everyone: "...."


    Jun Ru had taken off his mask earlier but had worn it again when they were tasked to meet with the representatives from the prestigious families. His face was chiseled, hard lined, but his eyes were lit up with a mischievous light.


    Xi Yun was a beautiful young woman in her mid twenties. Her raven-black hair, like Li Sihan''s, fell in tresses about her shoulders. The greatest attraction were her soft purple eyes, with fluttering eyelashes that made one think one was in a dream.


    Tao He was like a well meaning uncle next door. He had a well kept beard that greatly enhanced his charm. His eyes were slightly curved upward, and gave one the impression that he was always smiling. Although his biological age was above seventy, he only appeared to be middle aged.


    Red Monkey was an ethereal beauty. Her cheeks were rosy, and her lips were pink. Her locks were golden, and tied with a simple ribbon at the back.


    Charming Leopard, truly middle aged, was reserved. His long hair fell down to his shoulders and his heterochromatic eyes, like Luo Bai''s, made onlookers feel ill at ease. He had very pale skin that could almost be seen through.


    Storm Sword was hair all over. Wild untamed hair, hairy arms, bushy beard, he looked like a bear, but friendly.


    Spider Lily was a wizened old man with a short white beard. Though the rest of his body betrayed his age, his face was devoid of wrinkles.


    These seemingly harmless people were all ace killers! Don''t fall a prey!


    Royal Palace, Phoenix Imperial Capital


    Xi Huazing was green with envy. How?!? How could the Si Lak Mercenaries have rejected him and chosen Ji Hanming, who did not have one single drop of cultivation talent in his meridians?! The Ji family now dared to look down on the imperial family!! The prime minister kept receiving congratulations from all and sundry, even at court! It was no small matter, his eldest son had been accepted into the Si Lak Mercenaries. The Si Lak Mercenaries! Other than the daughter of the Feng family, he was the only one who was accepted during the Si Lak Mercenaries visit to the Phoenix Empire. Of course, with Feng Chusan''s unparalleled beauty, and the Feng family''s undying prestige, how would those hot blooded mercenaries pass up a beauty like her?


    But people talked. The Phoenix imperial family''s fourth prince, born of the Emperor and Consort Ruang, who was the Li patriarch''s cousin; a prodigy of cultivation talent, was not selected! Did the Li patriarch not put in enough of a good word in front of the Mercenaries for him? Or was the Li patriarch unconcerned? Quite a number of people knew the beef between the Li patriarch and his cousin Li Ruang. The lady had relied on him for most of her adult life, but after she married into the imperial family, she shunned her cousin completely. Now, she had the guts to visit the Li manor and try to guilt trip her cousin as to why her son was not already in the Si Lak Mercenaries right now. The bystanders reported that the fiery young miss of the Li family had sent the consort packing back to the imperial palace in dismay. And-- and-- there was a much much more flabbergasting piece of news circulating the capital; Sword Saint Tao He and Shadow Claw Jun Ru, two top echelons of the Si Lak Mercenaries , remained in the Li Manor! What was this?! The Li patriarch still called the shots! Who was Shadow Claw, who was Sword Saint? These people were not to be trifled with!! Other people surmised that it was these two prodigies that silenced the airheaded consort rather that the little miss of the Li family.


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    The Emperor sat on his throne, displeasure and unwillingness written all over his face. Kneeling on the floor was Consort Ruang, tears streaming down her face, being supported one one side by her daughter, the eight princess Xi Huan, and on the other side by Xi Huazing.


    "Consort Ruang, when did We ask you to seek an explanation from our subject Li Zhenming on this emperor''s behalf?" The emperor asked, comforting himself in his heart. Yes, Li Zhenming was still his subject, as long as the man resided in the Phoenix Empire. He had asked the Grand Chamberlain to summon the Li patriarch to the imperial palace. The man was already on his way.


    "Your majesty--" Consort Ruang didn''t have anything to say and just kept shedding tears, hiding her face behind her sleeves. If one could see her heart, one would know that these were not crocodile tears at all! Oh, how her heart bled! When she became a Consort, she had thought that she had reached the pinnacle of existence; that she would be forever at the top, receiving everyone''s respects. So she shunned her cousin. She shunned her cousin who had taken her in when she was at her lowest point, who had disregarded past grudges with her parents, his uncle and out. The relationship between Li Zhenming and his cousin, Li Ruang, had always been a bittersweet love hate one, but the majority of the blame rested on Li Ruang or her side of the family.


    First of all, Li Ruang''s parents were Li Zhenming''s benefactors. He became an orphan at a young age, and thus was taken in by the older Li couple who had always wanted a son, but only had Li Ruang in their old age. The senior Li doted on Li Zhenming a lot, and no one knew he was only their nephew. Little Li Ruang also took to her new ''ge-ge'' with gusto, and was always seen running after him, calling out shrilly: "Zhenming ge-ge! Wait for Ruang-er!"


    However, this blissful family life ended when the older Li couple disagreed with Li Zhenming over a seemingly trivial issue by the time he was in his late teens. They wanted him to be apprenticed to senior Li''s friend to learn business, but he refused and went for someone else, someone who senior Li detested. The disagreement escalated quickly, with old matters being brought up, and Li Zhenming was eventually thrown out of the house to fend for himself.


    A few years later when Li Ruang became an orphan as well, she fled to the capital. She had had it rough when at first, having no money or kin, deceived a few times, and even nearly being sold to a brothel! Then she caught a very familiar name on people''s lips, and soon the story of her cousin''s success reached her ears. Battered and haggard, she had found her way to his house. He received her warmly and took charge of her for over a decade. As her cousin progressed financially, she also progressed in status, and soon became friends with several noble young ladies of the capital. With these high-standing friends of hers, the former simple country bumpkin was unrecognizable, as she started attending functions in the palace. Soon, she ''fell in love'' with the Emperor! Her problems with her cousin had begun at this point. Li Zhenming preferred her to settle down with a low ranked scholar or minister and live a quiet peaceful life. But the glamorous palace life was what she desired. Despite her cousin''s rebuttals, she had entered the harem and became a consort. Her cousin''s support ended here and her struggles began. Poison in teas. Needles under the sheets. Fake disloyal maids. Scheming eunuchs. Embarrassing herself in front of the emperor. Unknowingly insulting the empress dowager.... What didn''t she face in that hell called the harem! She managed to safely deliver the pregnancy of the Fourth Prince and that was when she could finally rest easy as her status was affirmed. But one could never let down one''s guard in the harem. Sometimes she wondered if it would not have been better to have listened to her cousin all those years ago.


    "Li Zhenming pays his respects to the Emperor!" A strong steady voice resounded in the Emperor''s court. Li Zhenming was dressed in a brown and gold court robe patterned with sparrows and a befitting silver headpiece to match. He kowtowed to the Emperor and to the Empress, who sat next to the Emperor in her own throne, watching the proceedings without much emotion.


    "You may rise," the Emperor was a little but conflicted. He had, at first, been thinking to coax Li Zhenming into forgiving the Consort Ruang so the last vestiges of the honour the man had for the imperial family would not be fed to partridges. But now, when the man himself had arrived, the man that had somehow gained the support of the Si Lak Mercenaries, a man in whose manor the fifth ranked assassin on the continent, and the most renowned sword master In Phoenix Empire remained after the Mercenaries had left. What was he supposed to say now? Was the man really still his subject?


    An idea suddenly struck the Emperor.


    "You have a young daughter, don''t you?"


    Li Zhenming was a little confused. He pondered whether the matter of his daughter being the Grand Chief of the Si Lak Mercenaries had been leaked. But he had strictly threatened everyone in his manor who had witnessed it that day. Did the emperor have a spy in his manor?


    "Yes, your majesty. Your subject had two young daughters," Li Zhenming replied.


    "I knew it. You are a most beloved subject of this emperor. Our families shall be united. I will grant your elder daughter the mandate of Princess Weiyu and betroth her to the seventeenth prince,"


    Li Zhenming''s mouth twitched. Was this damn emperor kidding him right now?!! He didn''t even know his Sihan''s name, yet he had already casually decided his beloved daughter''s future just like that?!?! Even when he was just Patriarch Li, the top business mogul of the Phoenix Empire, he would never allow this! Much less now that he was Patriarch Li, the father of the Grand Chief of the Si Lak Mercenaries!! If he could not reject this simple thing on behalf of his daughter without her hearing about it at all, was he still worthy of being her father???


    Li Zhenming bowed.


    "Your majesty, please forgive this subject for rejecting your goodwill. My family is not worthy enough to accept this mandate. And about my daughter," Li Zhenming looked regretful, "I am afraid that I cannot say she is mine anymore. During the Si Lak Mercenaries trip to our Phoenix Empire, one of the Seniors took a fancy to her and has accepted her as a disciple. Soon, she will enter the Si Lak Mercenaries. My younger daughter as well. Your majesty, please take back your gracious mandate,"


    Shock was written on the faces of everyone in the emperor''s court. Of course! Li Zhenming still called the shots! Two! Two of his children had been accepted into the Mercenaries, two little girls who still smelled of milk!!! He was the greatest winner, of course! Who knew what other hidden deals they''d cooked while they were still in his manor! This man was already way out of league! The prime minister would be forever grateful to him as he was the one who had facilitated his son''s acceptance into the Si Lak Mercenaries. Would he not at once jump to the man''s aid if needed? The Feng family were also in his debt. How he would scoff at the emperor''s decree! What princess Weiyu, what seventeenth prince consort? The emperor felt like an idiot. Even if it was crown prince consort, would Li Zhenming agree? One had to know that he detested palace harem schemes the most! And that was what being a prince consort was all about.


    "I understand you can''t make decisions on your daughter''s behalf anymore," the emperor collected his thoughts quickly, "but We still want to reward you. How about this, I will throw a banquet in your honor. Bring your family into the palace. Your daughters will still receive princess mandates, and they will be regarded as royal family members,"


    Li Zhenming was not pleased at this forced gesture. He knew exactly what the emperor was after. To have him bring Sword Saint Tao He into the palace so Xi Huazing could present himself as the disciple that got abandoned six years ago.


    If only he could keep up the pretense of the motive of Sword Saint and Shadow Claw''s staying on in the Phoenix Empire! If there was a banquet, and Sihan entered the palace, Shadow Claw and Sword Saint would accompany her for sure!


    "This subject thanks your majesty''s benevolence," Li Zhenming bowed and excused himself. Xi Huazing offered to accompany him back to the Li Manor but he hastily refused.


    Returning to the court after seeing the Li patriarch outside the door, Xi Huazing was charged strictly by the emperor.


    "I don''t know what you will do this time-- but Sword Saint Tao He must become your master,"


    "I''ll enter closed door cultivation," a resolute look came into those peach blossom eyes. He had lost two opportunities. This last chance must be seized!


    "Good. Try your best to breakthrough to Martial Practitioner. And also master the Four Winds Sword Technique Scroll bestowed by the Empress Dowager," The emperor said.


    "Yes, father. I shall not let you down," Xi Huazing bowed and exited the court. The emperor soon dismissed everyone else.

 Breakthrough!

    Eastern Palace, Imperial Palace


    The Empress, Crown Prince and the Third Prince were seated around a table in the crown prince''s chamber. On the table were what looked like old worn out scrolls, pill bottles, and a small wooden box.


    "What''s all this, mother?" Xi Ziyun was the first to grumble, after the empress had dismissed all the servants waiting on them.


    "These are cultivation scrolls and prowess enhancing pills from the Dawn Empire. My brother sent them to me. Why should Li Ruang''s son be the one to reap all the benefits of the coming banquet?"


    "But we can''t cultivate, mother," the crown prince objected.


    "Who says you can''t? There are other methods of awakening cultivation talent," the empress pushed one of the scrolls to the third prince, who loosed the rope binding it.


    "Essence Transfer Matrix," Xi Ziyun read aloud, "transfer of cultivation essence from one person to another,"


    "What?!" The crown prince exclaimed, "that is possible?"


    "Of course," the empress answered him. "We just have to find some cultivators who will transfer their essence to you, and Ziyun; and a matrix practitioner to help create and hold the matrix,"


    "But which cultivator would agree to that? Cultivation essence is worth more than even a person''s life blood!"


    "Do they have to agree?" The empress countered coolly, "what matters is if you and Ziyun want to do it. Don''t tell me that you don''t know Li Ruang''s ambition. Have you not heard that she plans to give the eighth princess to the Tian Empire''s second prince, who is engaged in a battle for the throne against his brothers? It''s very likely that the second prince of Tian will become their next Emperor. Do you know what that means got Li Ruang and her son? And even, put him aside. That son of a concubine, with his mother dead, still managed to survive and become successful, earning a place in court. Who knows what his support is? In all this ruckus concerning the Si Lak Mercenaries, he hasn''t interfered much. He even gave up his chance to shine over to the fourth prince. But I know why he made this move. He doesn''t want to be targeted by us,"


    "Yes," the crown prince agreed, "and he has succeeded in that. All our attention has been on the fourth prince. If Huazing successfully gains the support of Sword Saint Tao He, won''t my position be threatened, mother?"


    "It will be threatened," the empress said ominously, "and that is why you and Ziyun must become cultivators. Leave the rest to me after that,"


    "That''s why mother is the best," Xi Ziyun smiled widely.


    ***


    Li Zhenming put off informing his family about the emperor''s bestowal until the last minute. Madam Li, at first, was ecstatic that her daughters would receive princess mandates, until she heard Sword Saint Tao He hiss.


    "What kind of trashy empire is this?" Sword Saint Tao He did not care that he was also from Phoenix Empire, "what trashy mandate are they giving our Grand Chief? Do they really want to give us face? Then they should just hand over the imperial throne,"


    "Grand Chief, are you going to go?" Shadow Claw Jun Ru turned towards the decision maker instead.


    "Grand Chief, are you going to go?"


    Li Sihan stroked Little Bun''s fat cheeks. She opened her mouth unconcernedly and asked the baby.


    "Little Bun, do you want to go?"


    The baby cocked her head to one side.


    "Bun-Bun yeet?" she cooed. Li Sihan glanced up at her father to answer the question.


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    "Uh--? Yes?" Li Zhenming felt a headache coming on.


    "Bun-Bun go!" The baby cackled victoriously, and black lines appeared on everyone''s forehead. Except Li Sihan, of course.


    "Summon the cook here for me,"


    "Ah--?" Li Zhenming was a little shocked. Did the yama want to bring along her own cook to the palace?


    "Yes, call him here. What''s up with the food he makes? Little Bun is never satisfied,"


    Everyone: "...." So that was it.


    "Erm, Grand Chief," Tao He scratched his beard, "based on my knowledge of babies, I don''t think it''s the cook at fault,"


    Li Sihan looked up at Tao He, waiting for more information.


    "The thing is, the young miss knows that she''ll get food whenever she asks for it, so she always does,"


    "Yeet! Yeet!" Little Bun was largely aware that the conversation was still centered on food, and she didn''t see any of it coming in, so she clamored, jumping up and down on Li Sihan''s knees.


    "So you mean to say," Li Sihan said slowly, "that she has become a glutton?"


    Tao He, feeling what seemed like a sword at the back of his throat, smiled bitterly and nodded.


    "Yes, Grand Chief,"


    Li Sihan turned her eyes to the baby and examined her at length.


    "She doesn''t seem very fat to me," she said at last.


    Everyone: "...."


    "When she''s twice this size, I''ll stop indulging her," Li Sihan decided eventually, "so that banquet thing is tomorrow evening, right? Tao He, go into town and buy some dresses for Little Bun and I to wear,"


    "Shouldn''t I do that instead?" Madam Li asked nervously.


    "Uhh-- you might not know our Grand Chief''s tastes. Let my junior do it instead," Jun Ru smirked as Tao He shot a glare in his direction.


    "What junior? I''m three times your age, spindly lad!"


    "But you''re still stuck at Martial Sage," Jun Ru goaded, "I don''t even know why you''re called Sword Saint-- what Sword Saint? You''re no Saint,"


    Martial Saint, was the highest cultivation prowess one could achieve on the continent. Lower ranks were Sovereign, Overlord, Sage (which was currently the peak for most cultivators), Lord, Grandmaster, Master, Skills and Practitioner.


    "I''m a Saint when it comes to sword skills," Tao He argued grudgingly.


    "Tsk," Jun Ru turned his head away and said nothing more. Such was the atmosphere in the Li family, as opposed to the Imperial Palace, over which, now at the eve of the banquet that would have prodigies from the Si Lak Mercenaries as guests, a feverish air hung due to overwork. Consort Ruang was running helter-skelter alongside the eunuchs and palace maids, workers from the Foods Office as well as those from the Office of Imperial Entertainments, making sure everything about the banquet, from the table arrangements to the drapes, was in favor of her Huazing. The Empress allowed her without comment, and even mildly encouraged her gleefully. It was not without reason. She was the happiest woman in the world, and a thousand consorts and concubines couldn''t disturb her bliss! Her Zimin and Ziyun had become mid-rank Martial Practitioners after draining the essence of about a dozen cultivators. Even though it had affected their aura and made it slightly sinister, as if they had drunk blood, what about it? Were the Si Lak Mercenaries some nice monks? Why was everyone so afraid of them? Was it not because of their highly sinister auras? Her sons would blend in just fine!


    The fourth prince emerged from closed door cultivation towards midnight. Consort Ruang and his sister, Xi Huan, were waiting outside his cultivation room, and hurried to him at once.


    "How is it? Were you successful?" Xi Huan, the eighth princess, asked her elder brother anxiously. The self satisfied smile on Xi Huazing''s face answered her question.


    "Great! Big brother, this is really good!" Xi Huan was ecstatic. The Consort Ruang also heaved a sigh of relief.


    "You''re a Martial Practitioner now. If all goes well with your Master tomorrow--"


    "It will go well, mother!" Xi Huan hastily interrupted.


    "Yes, yes! All will go well. That will mean that your status had gone up another notch. Once Ru Ziyan becomes the Emperor over at Tian, we will be able to make our move for you to become this crown prince,"


    "Mother," Xi Huazing sneered lightly, "haven''t you realized that there are more important things than becoming crown prince? Haven''t you seen the arrogance of top experts like the Si Lak Mercenaries ? Even the emperor is nothing in their eyes. Don''t you wish for me to become someone like that, mother?"


    Consort Ruang has taken aback.


    "What do think becoming Sword Saint Tao He''s disciple means? Don''t you know already? Six years ago at the foot of Mt. Tian, did those seniors give our Phoenix Imperial Family any face? Was I not subjected to the same test as everyone else? Did Sword Saint Tao He even come down the mountain at all? Was the next thing we heard not that he had left Mt. Tian, and abandoned all his disciples to join the Si Lak Mercenaries? Mother, the prestige of a cultivator surpasses that of any royal family or noble family. Mother, let me tell you my ambition: I want to become someone like Master. Look what lengths we''re going through in order to please him now. Are you looking down on me and thinking I can''t achieve it?


    "No, no! No, I''m not saying--" Consort Ruang was still drinking in this new idea. It was true, the prestige.... What riches would the mother of someone like Sword Saint Tao He enjoy.... And that would pave the way further for Huan...


    "Alright, son. Mother will support you,"


    "Big brother, you know I''m always on your side," Xi Huan also said, "if you need anything, I''ll talk to Brother Ziyan for you,"


    "Of course, Huan is the best," Xi Huazing smiled at his sister, "I''ve let you and mother worry so much. Let''s all get some sleep now,"


    "Sure, sure," Consort Ruang felt okay in her heart now. Her son was a Martial Practitioner. His Master would formally acknowledge him tomorrow. She would finally be able to surpass the empress, whose own sons could not cultivate! Li Ruang went to sleep extremely contented that night.

 The Banquet

    The banquet thrown by the emperor to honour his beloved subject Li Zhenming. Hah, the populace scoffed. Who was the imperial family kidding? They all knew, alright? The imperial family didn''t get any benefits from the Si Lak Mercenaries trip to the Capital, making them the laughingstock. And, knowing that two tip echelons of the Mercenaries remained with the Li family under unknown circumstances, they decided to invite them personally into the lion''s den: the imperial palace.


    Banquet guests arrives at the West Gate of the imperial palace in their stately carriages. The Ji family, with their heads held as high as it could be, sneered down at everyone else with newfound pride. The Feng family, wishing they could plaster the sign: our daughter is in the Si Lak Mercenaries, on their foreheads. The Han family, who had also secured the recognition of the Mercenaries with an undisclosed prize treasure. The Li family.


    The small nuclear family was the interest of everyone. Patriarch Li stepped down from the carriage, followed by Ren Ziming, his wife, in a beautiful hanfu of purple and gold, enhancing her beauty. In the second carriage that followed them, a maid helped the Li family''s young miss down, a young girl carrying her little sister in her arms. People''s eyes flickered over them briefly. These two were rumoured to have been accepted into the Mercenaries despite their young age and lack of cultivation talent. Instead, everyone craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the real important people. Sword Saint Tao He and Shadow Claw Jun Ru. Where were they? Did they not come?


    "They''re over there!" Someone from the peanut gallery suddenly hooted excitedly, and everyone started looking back towards the direction of the Li family''s two young misses. Oh! There they were! There was no mistaking someone from the Mercenaries. They were dressed in purple armour, scarlet belts, and a terrifying mask covered their faces.


    Consort Ruang, Xi Huazing, and the eighth princess, Xi Huan, emerged from within the palace to welcome the Li family.


    "Cousin," Consort Ruang did a little curtsey. Xi Huazing and Xi Huan called out "Uncle" and "Aunt" quite clearly as they greeted the Li couple.


    The thin line Patriarch Li''s lips had formed did not ease. He greeted the Consort Ruang formally and addressed the fourth prince and eighth princess by their official titles, rendering them speechless. Madam Li did the same.


    Li Sihan strolled towards them. Patriarch Li eyes get covertly, and when she arrived in front of the Consort, he said:


    "Greet the Consort, Sihan,"


    Tao He and Jun Ru exchanged incredulous glances, even though all they could see was esch others eyes.


    "My dear niece," Consort Ruang bent slightly, "how have you been?"


    To curry the favour of her niece Joe meant that she would put in a good word for Huazing with the Senior that took her in if needed!


    Li Sihan stared at the consort quizzically, then up at her father.


    "Is she my aunt?"


    The question that seemed to come from an innocent eight year old actually carried great importance that only Jun Ru and Tao He were aware of.


    If Li Zhenming told the Grand Chief that Consort Ruang was her aunt, that would be the absolute end of the consort''s troubles for a thousand generations, for the Grand Chief would take her in just as readily as she had taken Li Zhenming, Madam Li, and the young miss as her family.


    But if he said no...well, Consort Ruang would never know what she missed.


    "Haha-- my dear niece, of course I''m your aunt!"


    "I asked him, not you," Li Sihan retorted coldly, causing several people to gasp. Li Zhenming quickly interrupted.


    "Consort Ruang, please forgive my Sihan. She hasn''t had much contact with outsiders, so she doesn''t know much,"


    Li Sihan raised her eyebrows. Had she spoken rudely to this woman? And why was her father using honorifics when he spoke to her? Hmph.


    "Sihan, this is Consort Ruang. Apologize for your rudeness," Li Zhenming coaxed.


    "Oh. Sorry," Li Sihan said distractedly. Shadow Claw and Sword Saint shuddered. That was the end.


    "Come this way, uncle, aunt, Esteemed Seniors," Xi Huazing''s eyes were darting to and fro from the two men in masks. He was not yet sure which one was his master.


    Li Zhenming led his family into the palace. The two Mercenaries had not said a word so far, and Xi Huazing was getting anxious.


    The party arrived at the Banqueting Hall, where the other guests had already arrived and were socialising. There was a hush as the prestigious families came in. People came forward to greet them one after the other, while Xi Huazing led the Li family to the seat of honour, amidst envious gazes.


    "The Emperor and the Empress have arrived!" A stout eunuch raised the call. Everyone rose to their feet. Keen to leave a good impression on Sword Saint Tao He, the emperor did not delay in arriving at all.


    "May the Emperor live for a thousand, thousand, ten thousand years!"


    The emperor beamed in what he thought was a benevolent manner, his eyes on no one but the purple clad Mercenaries, who, he was surprised to see, were on their feet as well.


    "We are glad that you are all here. We wanted to honour Our subject Li Zhenming for his selfless service to Us and to the people, with this feast. And also, to grant his daughters princess mandates, for their filial piety and excellent character,"


    Anyone who witnessed Li Sihan''s character outside the West Gate smirked. Just say you wanted to get in their good books early.


    "Li Zhenming, rest assured. With your two daughters under the protection of the imperial family, people will think twice before harming them,"


    Li Zhenming rose and bowed.


    "This subject thanks your majesty!"


    People clicked their tongues in envy. Under what sort of lucky star had this pair been born?! Born with a silver spoon into a first-tier family, accepted into the Si Lak Mercenaries as toddlers, and now, receiving the gracious mandate of County Princess, with the entirety of the imperial family ready to dote on them like mad! With this mandate, they had the right to call the Emperor father, and the empress mother!!!!


    The emperor signalled the decree bearing eunuch, and he walked forward, opening the yellow scroll.


    After the eunuch finished reading it with a loud voice, Li Zhenming said: "I accept the imperial decree," and received it while kneeling in front of the emperor''s throne, with both hands.


    The feast officially started and the emperor first of all made a toast to the two masked Seniors from the Si Lak Mercenaries.


    "Your presence in our Phoenix Empire makes us feel immensely honoured," the emperor drank to them. The two drank a cup of wine back and raised their goblets respectfully to the emperor.


    At this moment, Xi Huazing approached the Li table very nervously, holding a cup of wine. When he was a feet away he stopped and called out:


    "Master!"


    It was exactly the aggrieved voice an abandoned disciple would use.


    Sword Saint Tao He was startled as he looked up. After all, all of Shadow Claw Jun EU''s disciples, if he had any, were at the Si Lak Mercenaries.


    "You are?" Tao He asked politely.


    "I''m Xi Huazing-- your disciple! Master!"


    Behind his mask, a frown appeared on Tao He''s face. This kid? His disciple? Was he not a prince?


    "When did I have a disciple like you?"


    The question sounded offensive, and everyone was starring at the duo.


    "Six years ago--" Xi Huazing began.


    "I didn''t accept any disciples six years ago," Tao He retorted coldly.


    "But the acceptance test at Mt. Tian--"


    "If everyone who takes the acceptance test calls themselves my disciples--"


    "But I passed!" Xi Huazing was aggreived.


    "How dare you interrupt me?" The tone was now laced with killing intent. The emperor was alarmed as things were getting out of hand and was about to intervene.


    "Ah! I''m-- I''m so sorry, Master!"


    "If you damn kid call me Master one more time--"


    "What''s the matter?" A serene voice cut in. Everyone expected, with the aggressive way Tao He had reacted to being interrupted just now, that the person''s head would go rolling. But Sword Saint Tao He turned and replied respectfully.


    "I don''t know this kid and he keeps badgering me," Tao He said in an almost childish complaining tone. Li Sihan smirked and said nothing more. Xi Huazing had the faint notion that his cousin was mocking him. What right did she not have to mock him? Was she not already the apple of a Senior''s eye, causing the dispatch of two top echelons like his master and Jun Ru to watch over her. Yes, as always, Xi Huazing had his own theories, and this time it was not too far from the truth. However, whether that knowledge would do him good--


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    "Cousin--" Xi Huazing suddenly appealed to the boss, "talk to master for me--"


    There was a muffled thump, and Xi Huazing suddenly found himself unable to make a sound. He clutched his throat in horror and made sickening retching sounds as his eyeballs bulged out. Sword Saint Tao He had merely flicked his fingers! This! This must be a Silencing Matrix! Xi Huazing made another choking sound and gesticulated wildly. Consort Ruang and Xi Huan rushed to his aid at once, the empress smirking lightly. Consort Ruang pounded Xi Huazing''s back, to no avail-- this was a matrix inflicted problem! This outrage! Harming the fourth prince right in front of the emperor!


    "Your majesty!" She was unable to take it any longer, "Huazing was just trying to acknowledge his master! This! This is truly unnecessary!"


    "I did clearly tell him not to call me master again. It is very much necessary," Tao He responded to the consort immediately. She paled.


    "Please don''t be offended, Senior Sword Saint," the emperor said, calming his anger, "I''ve let senior witness my shortcomings in educating my son,"


    Tao He merely grunted and turned his head to the other side. Consort Ruang was shocked. This was the power a cultivator had! Even the emperor could do nothing!


    "But Sword Saint Tao He, if you will hear this emperor out-- the fourth prince did pass the acceptance test at Mt. Tian and a senior disciple informed him that he had been accepted,"


    "Maybe accepted as that one''s disciple. When I left for the Si Lak Mercenaries I called all my disciples together and dispatched them. Go to Mt. Tian. There''s no one there now. I don''t know this boy,"


    Unable to say a word and feeling his last chance with Tao He slipping between his fingers, Xi Huazing''s eyes turned red. In a fit of anger and helplessness, he released his aura unconsciously, and a massive suffocating blanket seemed to have descended upon yhe Banqueting Hall. Consort Ruang and Xi Huan, who were closest to him, felt the impact first and stumbled back several steps before falling heavily to the floor. Everyone''s faces shone with shock and interest. So this was the power of a Martial Practitioner!


    Tao He glanced at Xi Huazing and scoffed loudly.


    "What''s the use of an outburst? Five hundred steps away from me and I know what level of cultivation you are already. If you caught my eye I would have told you. In any case, I''m not taking disciples,"


    "You really have a lot of time for nonsense, Tao He. If you don''t want him, show it clearly," a crisp voice rang out. Why, it was the Li family''s young missy!


    Tao He waved his hand lightly and Xi Huazing was sent flying across the hall. He hit a wall and there was a sickening ''crack'' sound. The guests did not dare to gasp.


    "Like that?" Tao He asked Li Sihan.


    "Exactly." The stoic replied, "you''ve just wasted your saliva,"


    It took five seconds for Consort Ruang to realise what had happened. Letting out a scream, she ran to her son, who had passed out.


    "Huazing! Huazing! Look at me! Huazing!" Consort Ruang raised her head, "your majesty! Your majesty, what have they done to my Huazing?!"


    "Summon the imperial physician!" The emperor was full of wrath in his heart. He had completely lost all his face today, and there was nothing he could do about it! That was what angered him the most. He knew he had to take it out on someone or his insides would rupture.


    "Li Zhenming!"


    Patriarch Li raised his head. What did all this have to do with him? Did he ask for some damn banquet on the first place? Was it not the emperor''s greed that caused all this?


    "Yes, your majesty?" Li Zhenming answered respectfully, though, rising.


    "I would have been pleased if you were able to stop your daughter from infuriating Sword Saint Tao He to the extent of causinmg injury to the fourth prince,"


    Li Zhenming''s eyes twitched. He had no idea that that was what his daughter was going to say, alright?!


    "Please forgive this subject--"


    "Enough," Li Sihan slammed her hand on the table in front of her, making a noise that was far too loud for her little hand.


    "Sit down," Li Sihan looked her father in the eye.


    "What?!--" Li Zhenming was shocked, "Sihan, be quiet! I must not disrespect his majesty,"


    "Tao He," Li Sihan simply said. Tao He got up and gently helped Patriarch Li back into his seat, leaving everyone stunned. Li Sihan resumed feeding Little Bun in earnest. The emperor''s face turned ugly. This! He could not take this! How dare the girl who still smelled of milk disgrace him, not once, not twice, in the presence of his subjects! If it went on line this, would anyone still recognise his authority?!


    At this moment, Xi Ziyun, the third prince, got up and approached the Li table. As he came, he unleashed his aura. Again, a heavy blanket-like suffocating air descended on the Banqueting Hall. There were gasps of shock that greatly satisfied Xi Ziyun''s ego. So the third prince had also become a cultivator! His aura was a little strange though. It felt like scabbed hands were reaching out of a dark well. It was terrifying, much like the Mercenaries.


    Those whispered comments gave Xi Ziyun another much needed boost. He arrived in front of Jun Ru (Tao He said he wasn''t taking disciples anyway, so there was no need to waste this prince''s time with him).


    "Greetings to Senior," Xi Ziyun said pompously.


    "I only accept disciples at the rank of Martial Grandmaster or higher," Jun EU''s cold voice rang out from behind his skull mask as he stated blandly.


    Xi Ziyun''s face contracted for a moment.


    "Well then, what about cousin? Cousin, will you take me as your disciple, heh heh,"


    It took Li Sihan a moment before she realised that he was talking to her. She burst out laughing. It was a high, cold, terrifying laugh that seemed to come from the darkest soul.


    "Am I your cousin?" Her reply shocked Jun Ru and Tao He. They were expecting her to say something else. How many disciples did the Grand Chief have? Just four. And they were at the peak of cultivation! It was the dumbest thing to say!


    "Am I your cousin?" Li Sihan repeated, locking her black eyes with Xi Ziyun''s. He felt creeped.


    "Ye-- yes. After all, Consort Rusng is my stepmother,"


    "Is Consort Ruang even my family member?" Li Sihan smirked, "my father didn''t tell me,"


    Consort Ruang could help feeling something wasn''t quite right.


    "I, Li Sihan, only have Li Zhenming, Ren Ziming, and Li Silan as my family. And I have sworn to protect them from any hurt. Aside from these three, anyone who claims ties with me, shall face my wrath!"


    The Grand Chief herself had never had a family. None of the Si Lak Mercenaries knew her past, but they''d never heard her speak of her original family. Now that she was Li Sihan, and belonged to the Li family, she''d decided to protect them!


    "Heh," Xi Ziyun seemed to have come to himself as he smirked, "but even so, you are part of the Phoenix imperial family now, so you are my sister. Sisters always help their brothers out, so, help me and your brother Zimin enter the Si Lak Mercenaries. If you can enter, a child, without cultivation talent, and that lass Feng Chusan, who has nothing but her pretty face, and that lad Ji Hanming, also a non-cultivator; how much more the crown prince and I? Don''t worry, when you enter the Si Lak Mercenaries in the future, as long as your big brother Zimin and I have preceded you, we will not allow any one to bully you under our watch!"


    It seemed like a good bargain to the unaware ones who were listening, and even the emperor''s heart softened. He would forgive this girl for embarrassing him in the presence of his subjects, as long as two of his sons could enter the Mercenaries. He had to maintain the image of a benevolent emperor anyway, and she was only a child, ah.


    Of course, it was just a load of claptrap in Jun Ru and Tao He''s ears. Li Sihan herself was not even bothered.


    The empress decided to lend her voice to the matter.


    "County Princess Li, you should speak to the Senior that took you in on behalf of your two brothers. This empress will personally make sure that the time before you leave for the Mercenaries; be it a dozen years; will be spent in the personal care of this queen,"


    "Yes," the emperor agreed.


    WHAT LUCK! Everyone glanced at Li Sihan to see her reaction. This! What kind of lucky loli was this! Just how?!!!


    "What Senior?" Li Sihan frowned slightly. "Who told you that a Senior took me into the Si Lak Mercenaries?"


    The emperor''s first thought was that Li Zhenming had committed an offence against the directions of the Senior by making the matter public, and, inspite of himself, felt gleeful.


    Tao He and Jun Ru raised their heads up from the sumptuous dishes they were indulging in. Li Sihan was starring at the Empress.


    "Eh? Your father was the one who told us--" the empress opened her mouth.


    "County Princess Li," the emperor interrupted, "as a matter of fact, this emperor wanted to do further than bestow you a princess mandate. I also wanted you to become the seventeenth prince consort--"


    Tao He spewed out the wine in his mouth and set his goblet down with a thud. He swore under his breath-- he was so shocked!


    "--but your father said that was impossible as a Senior had taken you in. Is there a mistake? If that is so, this emperor is still willing to declare you the seventeenth prince consort on the spot,"


    Li Sihan''s lip was raised in a sneer. She addressed her father.


    "Where did you get this tale from? With everything that unfolded before your eyes, you still don''t understand?"


    "Sihan--" Li Zhenming''s face was pale, "please listen to father just this once," he said in a very low voice, "it''s-- it''s for-- it''s for your safety,"


    "Safety?!" Tao He rose angrily, "why does she need to be safe? Who dares to go against her?"


    "Silence, Tao He,"


    The flabbergasted guests eyes bulged out in shock as Tao He bowed reverently and sat down again.


    "Father," Li Sihan was still addressing Li Zhenming, "I, Li Sihan, am not afraid of anyone. I do not hide behind likely stories. I do things plainly. If I did not want you to know who I am, would I not have decided so? If I did not want family, would I not have killed the lot of you when I first arrived? So why, why would you be afraid on my behalf? Even if it was the Scorpion Hall or the Yan Temple, would I cower? I am not afraid of anyone, and I do not need you to help me spread likely stories, understand?"


    Li Zhenming wiped the sweat dribbling down his face nervously.


    "O-- okay. Father will listen to you from now on,"


    "Good," Li Sihan turned to the clamouring Little Bun and raised a goblet to the baby''s lips. Xi Ziyun was thus left standing, ignored by the stoic.


    "Well?" Xi Ziyun said impatiently.


    "My Si Lak Mercenaries does not take in entitled and arrogant bigheads with no talent," Li Sihan fed Little Bun calmly, "that is not how we got to the top of the world. If I brought you back, you would just be locked up in the hatcheries and never see the light of day forever,"


    There was silence after Li Sihan spoke. Her words were a little shocking. Didn''t a Senior just promise to take her in? Why was she talking as if she had been in the Mercenaries all her life? And what were the ''hatcheries''? Everyone was curious.


    "I don''t care," Xi Ziyun''s eyes were suddenly full of fiery heat, "just bring me there!"


    "Did you not hear what she said at first?" Tao He was pissed, "the Si Lak Mercenaries will not take trash!"


    As always, Sword Saint Tao He''s choice of words were more aggressive. But perceptive people noticed the way he called the name of the Mercenaries as opposed to Li Sihan...


    "Sister, you don''t know whether I''m talented or not! Do you even know cultivation ranks? I''m talented, just bring me back!"


    "Get lost," and with this the third prince was hurled against the wall as well.


    The emperor had had enough.


    "Li Zhenming!" He roared, "you have really fallen short! Receive my decree! Your mandate and that of your daughters are hereby revoked! They will be taken from you and subjected to strict etiquette training in the Heitian Courtyard! Your properties, assets and business are hereby confiscated by the imperial family! Guards!"


    "What the hell?" Tao He swore loudly.


    Li Sihan handed Little Bun to Jun Ru as armed guards poured in and surrounded the Li table. The baby being carried by the legendary mercenary was a sight that hurt the eyes.


    Li Sihan rose, and patted down her graceful hanfu, even as the guards closed in and her parents were starting to panic. In a second, her leg was placed on the emperor''s head.


    Everyone blinked and gasped in horror! There had not even been a sound, and the emperor was no longer on his throne but on the floor!


    "Xi Luyan, it was reported to me when you were born. You seem to be very proud of your emperor status, huh? A title that I could casually throw to my father if he coveted it. Is it because I''ve been very low key since I arrived in your empire? Is it because I did not tell my mercenaries to trample your palace to ashes because the sight of it annoys me? Is it because I spared you since this banquet began even though you''ve crossed my bottom line a few times? How many seconds longer do you think people live when they''ve irritated me? You''re definitely the record breaker!"


    The emperor''s face alternated from red to green to white. Only he knew how heavy this girl''s foot was!!! He-- he didn''t think he could hold on any longer---!


    "You-- you--" blood started to seep from the emperor''s eyes, nose, mouth and ears, "who-- are--- you--?"


    "Isn''t it obvious? I am Li Sihan, the Grand Chief of the Si Si Lak Mercenaries !"


    At this declaration, Jun Ru and Tao He fell to one knee!


    "These surbordnates salute the Grand Chief! Our life and our hearts belong to you forever!" They said with utmost seriousness!


    Li Zhenming''s face completely drained of colour. So did the emperor''s, for a clearly different reason.

 The Hatchery

    Feng Chusan drearily drew the eighth line on her wall. She couldn''t believe it. She''d been in the Si Lak Mercenaries for a week. There was no mirror to check her appearance with. She raised her hand and touched her hair. It was matted and uneven.


    "Morning, Sister Chusan," Han Yuefeng climbed up onto Feng Chusan''s bed, "I hope you didn''t forget that we have kitchen duty today,"


    "What?" Feng Chusan frowned, "I thought it was Gu Wenwen and Lu Xiyin''s turn!"


    "Hush!" Han Yuefeng put her hand over Feng Chusan''s mouth, "don''t wake everyone!" she removed her hand, "I know it''s Wenwen and Xiyin''s turn, but Sister Yue Li changed it to us yesterday!''


    "It''s that damn girl again! What have I done to her!" The stress was breaking Feng Chusan down.


    "I know right, but what can we do? She''s the one that allocates kitchen duty,"


    "Can''t we report to Meng Yue?"


    "Big Sister? If we do, we might get off today, but Sister Yue Li will get back at us another day!"


    "It''s another day, right," Feng Chusan started climbing down, "I need today''s rest,"


    Meng Yue was sewing when Geng Chusan got to her. She was among the few that woke up very early. Her hair was past her ears now.


    "Morning Sister Meng Yue," Feng Chusan growled grudgingly.


    "What''s the matter?" Meng Yue seemed to be in a bad mood, which was unlike her.


    "Yue Li changed today''s kitchen duty from Wenwen and Xiyin to Yuefeng and I! We already did ours this week!"


    "Do as Yue Li says and don''t complain!" Meng Yue snapped, "a Si Lak Mercenary obeys orders. When I''m gone, Yue Li will be you guys'' Big Sister. You must work out your differences and cooperate with her. And you know the tutors must not hear of any beef, or everyone will be punished, so be careful,"


    Feng Chusan was very very angry. She stormed away from Meng Yue and called Han Yuefeng.


    "Let''s go!"


    They trudged out through the back door into the cold and made for the kitchen in the back courtyard. Han Yuefeng lit up the stove and they both warned themselves.


    "What should we cook?" Teeth chattering, Han Yuefeng asked.


    "I don''t care. I''m going to pour salt in that damn girl''s food,"


    "That''s silly. She would know it''s you," Han Yuefeng shook her head, "there''s no better thing than getting her in trouble with the tutors,"


    "How am I going to do that?" Feng Chusan asked, as she started carrying the dirty dishes outside to the vat of water in the courtyard.


    "Tell them what she''s doing!" Han Yuefeng replied when she came back in. She was scrubbing the pots.


    "But Meng Yue said not to!"


    Han Yuefeng set down a pot with a clang. She looked the other girl in the eye.


    "Because Big Sister Meng Yue knows she''s the one that will be punished."


    "She said all of us will be,"


    "The tutors are not idiots, you know. Big Sister Meng Yue has been here for one hundred and twenty eight days. She''s frustrated. She wants to leave. So she doesn''t want anything to tarnish her,"


    When the meal was served, some of the girls complained.


    "Ugh, tasteless!"


    "Why is it you guys? Isn''t it Xiyin and Wenwen''s turn?"


    "You guys can''t cook! You shoud join toilet duty instead!"


    "Of course, Yuefeng is too young and this one is obviously a spoilt brat. Toilet duty it is,"


    "Sister Yue Li, we''re suffering!"


    "Surely you yourself can see how bland the food is!"


    CREAK.


    All the girls put their bowls down and jumped up.


    "Greetings to Tutor Nalan!"


    Feng Chusan was surprised. It was actually Nalan Yu, the lady that had brought her here. She had not seen her once since that day.


    "The Spear Squad is ready for a new member," Nalan Yu said without any preambles. The girls drew in their breaths in anticipation. The Spear Squad! That was the Squad headed by Flaming Spear Xi Yun and her disciples! It was the most popular and coveted school to belong to in the Mercenaries! Meng Yue involuntarily stepped forward.


    "I did not call your name,"


    "Sorry, Tutor Nalan!" Meng Yue blushed. Her eyes turned red.


    Nalan Yu scanned the girls, walking among them.


    "What is your name?" Nalan Yu finally stopped.


    "Lu-- Lu Xinayi!"


    Feng Chusam gritted her teeth. First she didn''t do her work, now she was going to get picked into the Top Senior''s school! How unfair life was!


    "What is your element affinity?"


    "Wind!"


    Nalan Yu pulled Lu Xinyi out from among the girls. Briefly, she ran her hand over Lu Xinyi''s head, which had sparse hair. Immediately, Lu Xinyi was sporting a double cornrow hairstyle, the type on Nalan Yu''s head.


    "Welcome to the Spear Squad. Let''s go,"


    Lu Xinyi did a happy skip, waved to her friends, then promptly followed Nalan Yu out.


    Thud! The door slammed.


    Howl! The sound caught the girls by surprise. It was Meng Yue, who had fallen to the floor, sobbing.


    "Why--why am I not good enough-- for any of them?! What am I missing? What haven''t I learnt? What?--" she cried earnestly, covering her face in anguish.


    Somehow, Feng Chusan felt vindicated, seeing the almighty Big Sister in tears. She sat down stiffly and resumed her meal.


    No one went over to comfort Meng Yue. She kept on sobbing till their drill instructor, Ning Fulan, arrived.


    "The matter with you?" Ning Fulan asked the girl. She was tall, heavy set, and had the cropped hairstyle of the Riding Squad. She carried a long menacing looking whip.


    "I -- I wasn''t selected!"


    "Tsk," Ning Fulan ignored her, "drills, now!"


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    The girls followed their instructor to the training ground. Feng Chusan was already feeling anxious before they even arrived. Drills were her bane. She had sustained a lot of injuries on this damned training ground; and she had only been here for a week! Her greatest fear was that those injuries might leave scars! On her beautiful skin!!! Wuuu!


    "Run!"


    The girls started doing their laps around the field. Feng Chusan lagged behind and even Han Yuefeng was several places ahead of her.


    She came to her senses when she felt the sting of Ning Fulan''s whip behind her legs.


    "No Si Lak Mercenary dawdles! Close your mouth, regulate your breathing, pick a pace, and run!"


    No matter how many times Feng Chusan heard these instructions, no matter how much she tried to follow them, she just couldn''t.


    "Aaah!" she cried out when another whiplash landed behind her shins; the thin layer of fabric didn''t help! She had intentionally chosen a long robe today, even though Yue Li had worn it the previous day and that disgusted her!


    "Dawdle, and your days in the hatchery will only pile up!"


    Meng Yue, who was ahead, heard that remark and burst into tears again, stopping mid-run and causing those behind her to crash into her, resulting in a complaining pile-up.


    Ning Fulan strode over to them and after landing about a dozen whip lashes on the heap of bodies everyone got their bearings and resumed running.


    "As a female mercenary, much is expected of us! We don''t have time for fussy tears! What did I say?"


    "No time for fussy tears! The girls chorused.


    "Good! Now, halt!"


    The girls stopped running and returned to their tutor, crowding round.


    "Pair up! Close combat!"


    Feng Chusan found Han Yuefeng and had the upper hand because the other girl was smaller. This did not escape Ning Fulan''s notice.


    "Girl in red, come at me!"


    That meant that someone was about to take a major thrashing. By the time Ning Fulan was done with Feng Chusan, she was howling loudly as she clutched the places the instructor''s blows had landed on all over her body. It was Han Yuefeng that was comforting her.


    Just as Ning Fulan was about to continue, a young woman strolled onto the drill field. Ning Fulan immediately stood at alert.


    "Greetings to Senior!!"


    Senior?!?!?! Only the Four Seniors of the Mercenaries were referred to that way! A wave of awe, admiration, respect, and a little fear, washed over the girls. Feng Chusan was amazed. This Senior was insanely beautiful!! It must be the famous Senior Red Monkey! And so it was. Her golden hair was even more famous than her face. Today she let it fall freely to her shoulders. She was wearing a purple riding armour and high buckled boots. Her deep brown eyes and her supple pink lips topped off her appearance and she looked nothing like a mercenary, more like an immortal princess. But upon unleashing her aura that pretty teenage face became a living nightmare.


    "Hello, Fulan," Red Monkey greeted Ning Fulan familiarly, and the latter beamed with joy at this, "are these the current hatchlings?"


    "Yes, Senior!"


    "I see," Red Monkey waved her hand lightly, and a simple wooden chair materialised out of nowhere. She took her seat gracefully.


    "Display your cultivation level,"


    All the girls immediately sat down cross-legged on the ground. Meng Yue, Yue Li, and some others quickly unleashed their prowess. Feng Chusan and the others could only look on enviously. They were not cultivators!


    "Enough. These girls are supposed to have left the hatchery," Red Monkey glanced at Ning Fulan, "what are they still doing here?"


    "Replying to Senior, the Squad leaders didn''t choose them yet," Ning Fulan answered respectfully.


    "Why is that?" Red Monkey frowned slightly. Her spotless face shone in the gentle morning sun. Feng Chusan bit her lip. She remembered seeing this lady the day her father had brought her in to the Si Lak Mercenaries. That day, Red Monkey had been wearing a doupeng mask. But apparently, everyone kept their faces open here in the headquarters. Feng Chusan had seen lots of beautiful women; drill instructions, squad leaders-- she had started to wonder how beautiful the Grand Chief herself would be.


    Red Monkey caught Feng Chusan''s gaze. Startled, Feng Chusan lowered her head.


    "Why have these ones not started cultivating?" Red Monkey asked Ning Fulan.


    "Meng Yue, answer the Senior!" Ning Fulan called Meng Yue''s name as she was only their combat drill instructor and had no idea of the reason.


    "Re-- Replying to Senior-- our-- our cultivation drill instructors have not been visiting the hatchery!" Eager to impress the Senior, Meng Yue stumbled over her words.


    "Xun Yifei," Red Monkey called a name, and the grainy apparition of a stunning young lady appeared next to her. The lady went down on one knee.


    "Greetings to Senior Master," she said. So this was one of the Senior''s disciples, from the Archery Squad! Meng Yue and the other girls immediately glued their eyes to her.


    "They said you have not been visiting the hatchery. Why?"


    Xun Yifei went pale. This particular set of the hatchery infuriated her and so she did not create time to go tutor them. She had ignored them intentionally! How was she to explain to her master now?!


    "Master, the thing is--"


    SLAP!


    Everyone jumped in shock. Red Monkey was ruthless. She had stood up from her chair and slapped Xun Yifei with her left hand, without using any extra cultivation power.  For whatever reason, Ning Fulan went down on one knee.


    "Are you aware," Red Monkey spoke slowly, "that my Master, the Grand Chief, ordered that training of new mercenaries is to become priority?! What do you think will happen to me if she finds out about this?!"


    "Master -- Master, I''m sorry!" Xun Yifei grabbed hold of Red Monkey''s feet, "please forgive me!"


    Red Monkey shook her off and sat down again.


    "All my disciples, converge!" She spoke to the air. Immediately, grainy images of about five ladies and four young men appeared. Soon, their real bodies teleported to the location as well. Xun Yifei had also arrived in person.


    "Greetings to Senior Master!" Red Monkey''s disciples greeted, all going down on one knee.


    "I called you here to witness the fact that Xun Yifei is no longer one of you,"


    "Master!" Xun Yifei let out a heart rending shriek.


    "I, nor the Si Lak Mercenaries, will not tolerate those who neglect their duties. My disciples are now nine in number,"


    "Master! Master, no, please!"


    "Your disciples have received your decision!" The rest chorused in one accord. One or two of them glanced pitifully at Xun Yifei.


    Red Monkey received a small token from her conscious, and crushed it. As soon as she did that, Xun Yifei coughed up blood due to the backlash of Red Monkey''s imprint and mind link with her being terminated.


    "Leave," Red Monkey spat out the word, and all ten disappeared. She then stared hard at the hatchlings and their instructor, Ning Fulan.


    "You have all seen how ruthless I am. Now, which one of you wants to be my disciple?"


    All the hatchlings said yes, eagerly. Red Monkey smirked lightly.


    "You," she pointed at someone, and Yue Li jumped up excitedly. Feng Chusan gnashed her teeth! What kind of unfair world was this?! Meng Yue was in an even worse mind state.


    "What is your name?" Red Monkey had fished out a small token like the one she just crushed.


    "Yue-- Yue Li, Senior!"


    Red Monkey inscribed Yue Li''s name on the token. Yue Li coughed up blood, falling to the floor.


    "That''s why I take Martial Grandmasters as my disciples," Red Monkey commented lightly and got up, dragging the unconscious Yue Li after her and disappearing after some steps. The chair she had conjured vanished soon after.


    Ning Fulan got up.


    "You can see--" she was interrupted by Meng Yue''s anguished cry.


    "Nooo! No, why Yue Li! Why her?! Why not me?! What have I done wrong--?"


    "Shut up!" Ning Fulan brought her whip down angrily on Meng Yue''s head, "have you forgotten what I taught you just now? Remind her, the rest of you!"


    "We have no time for fussy tears!" The hatchlings choroused promptly, fearing their drill instructor''s pitiless whip.


    "Yes! So why the hell are you crying? What are you crying about? Be quiet!"


    "The Grand Chief, the Four Seniors, the Vanguards, the Weapons Guild Masters, the Prodigies and the Squad Leaders; have all reached the stage where they can do as they please! Natural laws or sentiments cannot hold them back! If you want to be noticed by them, you have to work harder! Nothing comes on a platter of gold out there in the world, much less here in the Si Lak Mercenaries, where we are known to train the best if the best! If I hear one more whimper from you, Meng Yue, or any other person among you, I will send you down to the Boilers and forget you there!"


    The girls all shivered. The Boilers?! It didn''t sound like a nice place at all!!!


    "Yes, that''s right! The Boilers is where mercenaries who have committed heinous wrongs are punished! Your instructor Xun Yifei is lucky that she wasn''t sent there, for disobeying the orders of the Grand Chief is the greatest crime to commit in this world! Bear that in mind!"


    Ning Fulan left shortly afterwards, and the girls returned to their room. Meng Yue climbed up into her bed and sobbed silently to herself. Feng Chusan had other matters though. She approached Su Hanlin, one of the girls who had displayed her cultivation prowess earlier, with Han Yuefeng in tow.


    "Yes?" Su Hanlin raised her eyebrows when they came to her.


    "Can you teach us to cultivate, Sister Hanlin?" Feng Chusan was truly respectful for the first time in her life. Su Hanlin smiled lightly.


    "Okay, no problem. But I''m only answering you because of Yuefeng. She''s the best out of everyone here,"


    ****


    Ji Hanming had no idea what day it was. Hah! If he had known that this was what it meant to enter the Si Lak Mercenaries, he would not have asked for this at all! He had completely lost feeling in his entire body, chained up as he was to the wall. Once or twice in a while, a man would come in and ask one of the other boys a question, and if the boy answered it according to whatever the man had in mind the boy would be unchained and led out.


    Ji Hanming wondered what his family were doing at this moment. Partying and boasting to whoever would listen that their son was a Si Lak Mercenary? No, this was not fun at all!!


    The door to the hatchery opened and Ji Hanming didn''t even bother to open his eyes. The man that came in approached the boy next to Ji Hanming.


    "Who are you?" The man asked in a low voice.


    "I am a Si Lak Mercenary!" The boy promptly replied with a voice that didn''t betray his weariness. He also unleashed his cultivation aura.


    "Hmm," the man murmured, "why do you think you are chained to the wall?"


    "Because a Si Lak Mercenary must never bend their back!"


    "Interesting. You seem to have reflected a lot," the man said, "although--" he added as he turned around a started to leave.


    "Wait! I know, I know! The only person a Si Lak Mercenary must bend to is the Grand Chief!"


    "Impressive," the man snapped his fingers and the matrix chains holding the boy disappeared, making him fall suddenly to the ground with a thud.

 Rescue Mission

    Agate Pavilion, Li Manor


    Jun Ru brought a cultivation manual to Li Sihan.


    "What is this?" Li Sihan raised her eyebrows.


    "Senior Xi Yun''s gift to the Young Miss. She recently went on a treasure seeking trip with her disciples in the Upper Prefecture. This cultivation manual was the most valuable thing they brought back,"


    "Oh," Li Sihan said in passing, "thank Little Yun for me,"


    Little Yun was the Grand Chief''s nickname for Flaming Spear Xi Yun.


    "Little Bun," Li Sihan cradled the baby, "your nice sister Xi Yun sent this to you," she waved the cultivation manual in Little Bun''s face.


    "Bun Bun yeet it?"


    Jun Ru''s eyelids twitched. Li Sihan frowned.


    "Why is it you think of nothing else but food?"


    Jun Ru:....ask yourself that, Grand Chief!...


    "Look at you," Li Sihan continued, "you''re so fat," she pinched her cheeks, "aah-- but you''re so cute!"


    Jun Ru and Tao He:....this won''t end well, Grand Chief!...


    "Bun Bun hungry!" Little Bun cashed in on Li Sihan''s distraction, "Bun Bun starfing,"


    She had even upgraded her vocabulary!


    "Tao He,"


    Tao He couldn''t cry. From being the renowned ''Sword Saint'' of Phoenix Empire, to becoming the disciple of Storm Sword after joining the Si Lak Mercenaries -- he was now Little Bun''s exclusive chef! How much worse could his life get!? The-- the Grand Chief would surely not also put him and Jun Ru in potty training duty for the Young Miss, right!??!


    "Yo, Tao He, everyone has been giving gifts to the Young Miss-- what are you going to give her?" Jun Ru asked Tao He in Agate Pavilion''s kitchen.


    "Ahh-- don''t bother your head, young one. This old man will shock you guys!"


    "Who are you calling ''young one''? If not for the fact that you''re preparing the Young Miss'' meal, I would have whipped your butt," Jun Ru scoffed.


    "Hah," Tao He smirked, "we shall know whose butt shall be whipped! I''ve never really pitted my strength against yours, have I?"


    "If I catch wind of you two dueling here in the Li Manor--" a cold voice suddenly sounded behind them and they jumped, "I will kill you both!"


    "Forgive us, Grand Chief!" Tao He and Jun Ru couldn''t breathe in the face of Li Sihan''s pressurizing aura. Damn! Did someone offend their Grand Chief?!


    Yes, someone did. After finally making sense of the Banquet Day''s events, Consort Ruang and her son and daughter had come wailing at the Li Manor gates. How blind they were!!! The greatest bigshot of all time was actually their near kin! They needed to seize the chance!


    Unfortunately for them, there was no chance whatsoever to be seized. It had been decided already, once Li Zhenming had failed to introduce them as family. The result: they got kicked out of the Li Manor!


    "Anyone that has ever treated my family unjustly," Li Sihan had declared, "and anyone that wants to from now on-- shall face the wrath of the Grand Chief of the Si Lak Mercenaries!"


    Certainly no one in their right senses would ever think to annoy the Li family from that point on! Their eldest daughter was basically the Grand Chief! The Grand Chief! It took Phoenix Empire a long while before they could accept this fact.


    Tao He respectfully served the Young Miss her meal. The baby had developed a huge liking for this jolly faced uncle and gurgled happily whenever she saw him.


    "Bun Bun like Tao He!"


    Silence. Li Sihan raised her eyes. Tao He sweated through all his pores.


    "I have half a mind to send you back to the Headquarters for this. Since when have you and I been sharing my sister''s affection?"


    Already seeming to be in dire straits, Tao He appealed to the Young Miss through his mind link with her.


    "No!" Little Bun grabbed Li Sihan''s hair aggressively, "Tao He not go! Tao He stay! Tao He stay!"


    Li Sihan extricated her hair from the baby''s grip with surprise and a little alarm. She held the baby at arms length and examined her thoroughly.


    "What''s wrong with-- aah?" She stopped mid sentence, becoming visibly enraged as she seemed to have discovered something, "Tao! He!"


    Jun Ru lit a candle for the dumb Tao He in his heart.


    "How dare you," Li Sihan spoke slowly now, but her voice was filled with raw anger, "place your imprint on Little Bun without my approval?!"


    Tao He knew at that moment that he was done for. He immediately went down on one knee. Damn! He''d only been in the Mercenaries for six years! And it was a whole lot of hard work that enabled him to become a Vanguard in such a short time!


    "Do you think your mediocre strength is enough to protect her? Do you think I didn''t have my reasons for only placing Xi Yun, Gu Yan, Fei Ning, Hao Ren and Jun Ru''s imprint on her?"


    Tao He''s eyes widened as he was learning the names of the other three Seniors of the Mercenaries for the first time today! He didn''t even know his Senior Master Storm Sword''s real name all these years!


    Little Bun sensed that something was wrong. Her domineering big sister was angry at the lovely uncle Tao He who made delicious meals and snacks!


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    "Big sis-- big sis--" she started clamoring for Li Sihan''s attention, "Bun Bun good. Bun Bun like ''oo. Bun Bun like Big Sis!"


    Li Sihan sighed in exasperation before finally waving Tao He away.


    "Visit the Boiler for a week,"


    This Boiler again! When they''d all first arrived in Phoenix Empire, she had punished all of those who came, (if not because of Senior Xi Yun and the others'' stupid clamoring, Tao He thought angrily) with a stint in the Boilers! He would definitely do that punishment whenever he returned to the headquarters, be it a hundred years from now. Now another entire week was added to his own punishment! What a life! What a world!


    "Tao He has received your order,"


    ***


    Gaizhong Residence, Hushai Province, Tian Empire


    Tian Empire''s second prince, Ru Ziyan, sighed heavily as he rose from a study table and walked a short distance to the window, arms behind him, as he started ruminating on the highly detailed letter he had just finished reading. The letter was from his sweetheart, and contained all that had happened over at Phoenix. Even before it had arrived, he had heard news that the Si Lak Mercenaries had visited the Phoenix Empire, but he had no idea that the situation was like this!


    He hissed in annoyance, wishing to crush something to expend his current frustration. His future mother in law was so dumb! In fact, as he saw it, all of Phoenix Empire royalty was dumb and they all needed a good brain resetting slap! Imagine if it was Tian Empire that these prodigies visited! How, how his heart bled!


    And now, the Grand Chief of the damn Si Lak Mercenaries itself turned out to be his stupid sweetheart''s cousin! And she couldn''t-- she couldn''t get one step close to her! That was why it was important to maintain good relations with your family members no matter what! Even though he was currently engaged in a "battle for the throne" with his brothers, it didn''t mean that they wanted to slit one another''s throats! Tian Empire was innately different from the other empires on the mainland in this respect. Their emperor was a monogamist, so even with that, the princes, no matter how much they could come to hate each other, would never kill themselves. Otherwise, how would they explain to their mother?


    Ru Ziyan turned a second lap around his study. He seriously considered calling off his engagement with the eighth princess of Phoenix. If she was this stupid and dumb, wouldn''t she only cause endless troubles for him if he married her?


    Now he wanted to visit the Phoenix Empire, but he couldn''t travel under the identity of the fianc¨¦ of the eighth princess. What to do?!


    He returned to the table and sat down on his chair with a soft sigh. He glanced at the sheaves upon sheaves of parchment and Xi Huan''s light graceful calligraphy. He put all the pages together and put them to one side.


    "Who''s out there?"


    An aide entered, carrying a sword loosely at his waist, and bowed.


    "Si Hang, your highness,"


    "Tell me," Ru Ziyan crossed his fingers and rested his chin on them, "how can I get into Phoenix Empire without anyone knowing I''m the second prince of Tian-- or Princess Xi Huan''s fianc¨¦?"


    The aide thought for a minute.


    "Your Highness can just become a simple young master of an imaginary noble family,"


    "Hmm," Ru Ziyan murmured, "I suppose I could. Very well then. Prepare. We''re leaving tonight, if we can,"


    "Yes, your highness!" Si Hang bowed and left the room immediately.


    Ru Ziyan straightened out a clean parchment and dipped his quill in ink. He paused for a while as he did some quick thinking, then put the brush to the paper and wrote a short message to his royal tutor.


    I think I might be able to get a BIG support this time. Remember to keep an eye on the others for me. Ziyan.


    ***


    Imperial Capital, Phoenix Empire


    The four flamboyantly dressed madams approached the gate of the Li Manor nervously after descending from their respective carriages. After the capital had caught wind of the fact that the daughter of the Li family herself was the Grand Chief of the Si Lak Mercenaries, everyone gave the manor a wide berth. They simply did not want to offend the yama existences and meet an untimely death while at it!


    These madams came on invitation to Madam Li''s tea party but that did not relieve their tenseness. Of course, their husbands and their families had encouraged them heartily! This could be the only avenue yet to form a connection with the Si Lak Mercenaries! That was why they even plucked up the little courage to come. Otherwise, they would just send a decline letter stating some excuses! But wouldn''t the scary bigshot mercenary be offended that her mommy''s friends didn''t come to her mommy''s party? What to do?!


    They were led inside and escorted to a lovely gazebo with a picturesque scenery, where, to their horror, Madam Li was seated with her two daughters, expecting the guests!


    Their eyes flew to the two silent sentries behind the Li family''s eldest miss and they shuddered.


    "Ahh," Ren Ziming, who had become accustomed to the Mercenaries and did not notice anything amiss in this happy setting, rose, beaming, to welcome her friends, "you''re here!"


    They returned weak smiles, already loosing feeling in their legs, which were fast turning into jelly. Li Sihan got up suddenly, causing the four to jump at least three feet into the air!


    "Mother, Silan and I are going to the garden,"


    Madam Li glanced at her daughter quizzically.


    "Alright, go on. Be careful, and don''t expose yourself to the sun,"


    "Tao He, Jun Ru,"


    "Yes, Grand Chief," the two mercenaries packed her things; Little Bun''s rocking cart, Little Bun''s bucket of snacks, Little Bun''s tub of ice cold drinks; and followed the pair of sisters. The madams shivered and jumped out of the way as they approached.


    "Sit down, sit down!" Ren Ziming beamed at her guests. Now that the pressurizing aura had lifted, they started to relax, and sat down around the table in the gazebo. These ladies were not nobodies! The madam of the Nangong family a big mercantile conglomerate, Wu Meiyu; the madam of the Han family, bigshots of silk and textile, Qin Jiajia; the madam of the Ren family, a high-standing ducal family, Lan Yifei; and finally, the madam of the Wei family, the only other paramount business mogul in the Imperial Capital, Xiao Anrou. These were Madam Li''s friends.


    The servants of the Li family served this small party, and, now in their element, the ladies began to banter. Madam Li received the latest gossip from these ladies-- the ministry of rites was preparing for the coronation of Xi Zimin.


    "Aah," Ren Ziming had put her hand over her mouth, "what will now be the fate of Consort Ruang and her children?"


    The madams immediately supplied her with the information. Li Ruang and her son and daughter had been banished by the Empress about to be Dowager. The trio had gone to seek asylum in Tian Empire with the eighth princess'' fianc¨¦.


    After exhausting the juicy tirade on the royal family''s matters, the talk turned to the Madam Li''s flourishing personal enterprise. They eagerly asked if their daughters could come and ''learn a few things'' from Ren Ziming. With her consent, they were over the moon!


    Li Zhenming returned home early in the evening. His business had stabilized again, as, before, huge deals had come in from various neighboring empires, rocking them and almost getting out of control. But, to his surprise, his daughter had sent for someone called Gold Spirit from the Si Lak Mercenaries to help him. In no time, Li Zhenming had become an even greater bigshot that he already was!


    "Welcome, my lord," the butler greeted him respectfully.


    "Where are the madam and the children?" Li Zhenming asked as his outer robe was taken off him.


    "In the Heilan Pavilion, my lord,"


    The scene was as he expected; Ren Ziming being waited upon by two maids, Li Sihan feeding her sister; the two sentries from the Si Lak Mercenaries standing guard.


    "Hubby," Ren Ziming rose, smiling happily. Li Zhenming smiled back at her dotingly. This was the life, wasn''t it? He had all he wanted, a happy wife, and two beautiful (and insanely powerful) daughters!


    The Lis enjoyed a heart dinner. Just as the butler and the servants were clearing the table, the air fluctuated, and a grainy image of Flaming Spear Xi Yun appeared.


    "Grand Chief," she went down on one knee, "we are under attack. Charming Leopard and I are in Yulian Empire-- tracing a lair of the Scorpion Hall. However, they''ve cornered us. We''re on the east peak of Mt. Guobei,"


    The atmosphere changed as killing intent surged into Li Sihan''s eyes.


    "I will come," she said, and Xi Yun''s image disappeared, "Tao He, Gold Spirit--" Gold Spirit appeared on the spot, "you will stay here and guard Li Manor. Your Seniors, Jun Ru and I will go save Xi Yun and Charming Leopard,"


    Li Zhenming was worried, but he had seen how powerful his daughter was. Besides, nothing he said would stop her from going.


    "Be careful, Sihan," was all he said. Li Sihan glanced at him, and then nodded.


    "Sure,"


    She rose, handing her sister to her mother. Before the perplexed eyes of the onlookers, she drew a pattern with her fingers in the air.


    "Si Lak Mercenaries," she intoned, and with a bright flash, she was gone,"

 Her Strength

    A woody mountainside, Yulian Empire


    Three masked adults surrounded a little girl who was drawing something on the ground with her fingers. It appeared to be a matrix formation, which was spreading from that place along the ground all over the woods they were in.


    "Gu Yan is injured," Li Sihan said lightly, raising her head. She was wearing riding attire, black, and her hair was held up with an headpiece. Her eyes surveyed the expressions of the others; unsightly, even though she could only see their eyes.


    "That means we''re up against a couple of Martial Sovereigns at the minimum," said Storm Sword.


    "So what?" Li Sihan extinguished the matrix, "you have me,"


    "Grand Chief, what is our plan?" Red Monkey asked.


    "Charge straight at the bastards," was the reply. Li Sihan flew into the air like a bird, landing on the branch of a tall oak tree, leaping onto another almost immediately. The three on the ground flew up at once, following the blurry shape of their leader as she flitted easily between the tops of trees. The terrain changed and became less woody, and more rocky. Atop the last tree, Li Sihan scanned the jutting rocks and sheer cliffs with distaste. The minions were invisible. Xi Yun and Charming Leopard had probably also used concealing matrices to keep themselves hidden.


    "Yo!" Li Sihan shouted, startling Jun Ru so much he almost fell off the branch he was perching on, "Scorpion Hall ants, your granny is here! Show those ugly faces of yours now while I''m still in a good mood! If I have to rat you out, you won''t like it!"


    Her childish voice echoed all over the mountain. In the next second after it died away, a long vicious looking chain with what looked like a spear tip at the end struck out from under one of the jutting rocks straight at Li Sihan''s eyes!


    WHOOSH! CRACK! BOOM!


    With a palm, with a small dainty little palm, Li Sihan shattered the oncoming chain. The fragments flew back like bullets towards the jutting rock and exploded!


    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!


    An avalanche of arrows descended upon the tree Li Sihan was perched on. With awe striking dexterity, she avoided them, flying off her perch. In midair, she conjured a crossbow of her own, which she started shooting at the crevices of the rocks.


    Not wanting to be idle, her subordinates swung into action as well. Throwing up what appeared to be a purple gleaming core, Red Monkey drew a poison formation in the air. It connected to the suspended core and a thick black mist surrounded her. Flinging her arm out as if throwing a knife, the poison mist dispersed all over the area.


    Thwak! Li Sihan stopped shooting suddenly.


    "Alright, I''m no longer in a good mood,"


    Deng! About twelve people suddenly appeared. Startled, they glanced at each other in alarm.


    "Who?! Even those two couldn''t terminate our concealing matrix!!" They exclaimed.


    "Open your eyes clearly and take a look at your granny," Li Sihan replied unconcernedly. One who appeared to be a leader of the men raised his head skeptically to take a look at the girl in the air.


    "Who are you?" He asked with a deep frown, "do not interfere in the matter of the Scorpion Hall and their enemies!"


    "How will I not interfere when you''re chasing my people?" Li Sihan responded immediately.


    "I''m afraid you''re mistaken. A cultivator of your station must be from the Upper Prefectures. Since when did the people of the mainland become your people?"


    Li Sihan rolled her eyes.


    "Upper Prefectures, Upper Prefectures! That''s all you''ve ever ranted about in the martial arts world! And it''s not like there''s anything there; tombs and stupid tunnels that lead nowhere. Open your eyes clearly. You have my people!"


    "Leader," one of the other old men spoke to the first, "I think this is the Si Lak Mercenaries'' rescue party,"


    The first old man suddenly threw his head back and laughed.


    "Hahahaha! What kind of body is this that you got for yourself, Si Lak?"


    ''Si Lak'' was usually the name used to refer to the Grand Chief by others in the martial arts world. Her name was not known; and her enemies would never use her title.


    "You Scorpion Hall ants seem to have grown some balls since I saw you last," Li Sihan shook her head lightly.


    "Who would have thought I could engage in friendly banter with the legendary Si Lak today!" The old man laughed. One or two of those with him however, were already feeling anxious. They sidled up to him.


    "Venom Sting, will we be able to leave this place today?" He whispered out of the corner of his mouth to the leader. This was the Si Lak herself, ah!


    "Hawkeye, are you really so easily intimidated?" Venom Sting laughed loudly, "have you not heard of what they call cultivation regression? What are the symptoms; diminishing stature!"


    A vein throbbed in Jun Ru''s forehead. He wanted to crush this Venom Sting into a pulp of blood! How dare he!


    "Venom Sting! I-- I don''t really think so--"


    "Enough," Venom Sting waved his hand, turning back to Li Sihan who sat cross-legged in mid air, "yo, little aunt, are you still looking for your minions? The boy must be nearly dead by now; I tested out my Deranged Sickle on him," he cackled as he beckoned to Li Sihan, "why don''t I use you as my next test subject? I might become Second Hall leader if I present your supple flesh--"


    Guuurrrggg! Venom Sting suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.


    "Leader!" The others were frightened out of their wits. She! She didn''t do anything! Did she create a matrix with her mind!


    However, Li Sihan looked surprised and glanced at Red Monkey. It was her poison that had actually got to him. Idiots, Li Sihan thought, sighing.


    "Let''s go find Gu Yan and Little Yun," she said, landing gracefully on the ground, "I really thought that old man had sent some big shots this time around,"


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    "They''re big enough of shots to injure Senior Charming Leopard," Jun Ru pointed out as he and Storm Sword slit their throats one by one; Red Monkey''s poison had immobilised all of them.


    "Duh-- probably caught him unawares," Li Sihan replied. The last body fell to the floor. A blooming red madara flower appeared on the chests of the bodies and they all disappeared. Jun Ru still managed to chop of the leg of one before it vanished.


    "I bet Big Sis Xi Yun really concealed herself and Big Bro Gu Yan this time around," said Red Monkey, after looking around for a while and seeing no traces of either''s aura.


    "Big Sis Red Monkey," Storm Sword sidled up to her, pulling off his mask and revealing a boorish smile, "can you call me Little Bro Hao Ren?"


    Jun Ru quickly coughed out loud. Hacking coughs, ah. Something just got into his throat, yes. His eyes watered as he quickly turned around to suppress his mirth.


    Red Monkey stared at Storm Sword and said nothing, turning away. Storm Sword hunched over in despair.


    "Grand Chief-- huh?" Red Monkey stopped mid- sentence. Li Sihan was squatting next to a curiously shaped glittering piece of rock jutting out of the ground. She retrieved what looked like a sharp blade from her storage oasis and slice! She had cut through the rock!


    "This will make a nice toy for my Little Bun," she said to herself with a self satisfied smile. Jun Ru''s head throbbed.


    "Grand Chief-- can we go find Senior Xi Yun and--"


    "Oh, all right!" Li Sihan snapped. She huffingly drew a complicated matrix in midair. It ignited and a teleportation portal appeared at her feet. Red Monkey and Jun Ru immediately jumped within the matrix.


    "Hao Ren, hurry up!" Red Monkey called out anxiously, and, face lit up like fireworks, Storm Sword took a running leap into the matrix from where he was almost ten feet away. He was just in time too, as it activated the next second and hurled them away almost two miles distance from where they were.


    "Senior!" Jun Ru was the first to notice Xi Yun and Charming Leopard huddled within a cave. Xi Yun''s face was white and her lips were pale. On closer inspection she was seen to be holding up a matrix that was the cause of her exhaustion. The matrix was a restraining one and it was placed by her on Charming Leopard, whose eyes were rolled back in his head completely.


    "Grand Chief!" Xi Yun gasped with relief, "Brother Gu Yan, he-- he''s not himself!"


    Li Sihan took a look at Charming Leopard. He definitely looked haggard, and appeared to have hurt both himself and Xi Yun before he had been restrained.


    "It must be that Deranged Sickle that bastard mentioned," Red Monkey said as she quickly knelt by Xi Yun and took over the restraining matrix from her, "Grand Chief, what do we do?"


    "Was it a poison or a weapon?" Li Sihan asked Xi Yun.


    "I don''t know; I wasn''t even there. I was fighting some of them on the other side when I heard Brother Gu Yan scream. I had to throw my own opponents off to see what the matter was. I found him bleeding but the person who injured him was not visible,"


    "Hmm," Li Sihan stroked her chin, "in any case, it''s a job for Spider Lily. Let''s go back to the headquarters,"


    "Yes, Grand Chief!"


    *


    "Master! Master!" A young disciple wearing a yellow and red robe was seen running up a slope to a small eastern style house on a hill, a little way away from which was a bamboo forest on one side, and a low lake on the other. Clutching his chest as he came to the door, the disciple banged on the door loudly.


    "Master! They''re calling you! They say the Grand Chief is back! Ma--"


    The door swung open. The boy almost fell face forward and quickly grabbed the frame. Spider Lily frowned up at him; he was shorter.


    "What''s up with you, Yan Zi? Have you forgotten all the rules? Never come up to my refining cottage except it''s an emergency or the matter has to do with the--"


    "--Grand Chief!!" The boy called Yan Zi wheezes excitedly, "didn''t you hear what I said?! They''re calling for you at the East Hall! They said the Grand Chief is back!!!"


    Spider Lily frowned.


    "Impossible. The Grand Chief clearly stated that she wasn''t going to come till the Young Miss could withstand the terrain of the headquarters. I was there and I heard her with my own ears."


    "Well I don''t know but Guardian Luo Bai told me to run up here and call you down immediately!" Yan Zi pulled Spider Lily''s arm, startling him, "quick, Master! Let''s go!"


    "Hey!" Spider Lily pulled back his arm, "but, did Luo Bai really tell you that?"


    Yan Zi nearly frothed at the mouth due to infuriation.


    "YES! Just come with me first!! If it turns out to be wrong and the Grand Chief isn''t back, you can just punish me afterwards!"


    Spider Lily grunted as he stepped out in the end. Yan Zi was hopping from foot to foot in impatience and excitement. Hells, he might see the Grand Chief with his own eyes today, ah!


    "Master, hurry!"


    "I''m hurrying, you damn brat!" Spider Lily huffed as he increased his speed grudgingly. Could the Grand Chief really be back? If she wasn''t -- ah, Yan Zi was really going to get it!! Who knows, it might be an elaborate prank set up for him by his disciples with this nasty boy as the spearhead. Spider Lily, despite his terrifying exterior, was actually the most easygoing with his disciples in the entire Si Lak Mercenaries and they regularly fooled around with him as a result. But...bringing the Grand Chief''s name into this...that would be unacceptable. They might even go for a stint in the Boilers!


    He had actually been researching in his refining cottage and had actually not started refining at all. Wilted Fawn Leaf... Spider Lily closed his eyes in delight as he thought about the treasure lying snug on a red cushion in a secret chamber somewhere he knew. Decades! Once he finished refining the pill... Ooh la la... Don''t think about it, don''t think about it, he thought.


    "Master, let''s teleport!" Yan Zi suddenly cried, bringing Spider Lily rudely out of his reviere. With another snort, the duo teleported to the East Hall of the Si Lak Mercenaries.


    It was the home of the Grand Chief; a huge edifice. The courtyard had a cultivation room (long disused), a study, a bedchamber, a library, a wide training ground, artificial hot springs, and whatnot. Oh, it also had the Boiler. Except the Boiler, every other place in the East Hall, in fact, the entirety of the East Hall itself, was out of bounds to everyone in the Si Lak Mercenaries except summoned.


    Spider Lily and his disciple Yan Zi arrived in front of the main building and first had to pay their respects. Yan Zi helped his master up and only then could they enter the main hall.


    "What took you so long?"


    Spider Lily immediately went down on one knee.


    "Pardon me, Grand Chief. I simply couldn''t believe my disciple''s word that you had indeed returned.


    Li Sihan pouted. She was munching on what looked like a replica of the glacier fruit Jun Ru had brought to her once. Yan Zi stood in one corner in dumbstruck disbelief. This?!?! This was the Grand Chief?!?!?!?! What was she, like seven?!? However, he kept all that to himself.


    "I called you to come take a look at Gu Yan."


    "Who?" Spider Lily asked, for even he did not know the name of the other Seniors.


    "Gu Yan," Li Sihan repeated stiffly, "Charming Leopard," she said with a sigh, "one idiot from the Scorpion Hall injured him with some Dandy Spider? Deadly Stick?" Li Sihan cocked her head to one side, "Delay Serpent?"


    Shadow Claw Jun Ru, who had just come in, clapped his hand to his forehead.


    "Deranged Sickle," he muttered expressionlessly.


    "Oh, right," crunch, munch, Li Sihan ate the fruit. Spider Lily didn''t know where to put his whole body.


    "He''s in my chamber," Li Sihan continued, "Fei Ning is holding the restrictive matrix,"


    "Who?"


    "Senior Red Monkey," Jun Ru supplied.


    "I think Little Yun is with her as well," she took another bite, "hurry," she barked.


    "Pardon me, Grand Chief-- but I-- I don''t know the way to your chamber --"


    "Oh?" Li Sihan got up, "come with me, then,"


    With the boss leading the way, the rest could only follow. Li Sihan opened a door on the west side of the hall and stepped out into the sunshine of the open courtyard. Opposite this courtyard was an impressive palacial looking residential house. Guarding the door was a huge tiger. Spider Lily and his disciple were surprised. The tiger lumbered up to Li Sihan and attempted to snuggle under her arm.


    "I don''t have your time, Little Pie; I''m going to bring a lovely friend for you soon," Li Sihan said in passing as she shoved the tiger away. Enlightenment!! No wonder the first thing the Grand Chief did was nickname her sister ''Little Bun''! Little Bun, Little Yun; it all made sense now!! However, who in their right senses named a tiger, a tiger, a ferocious twenty pound eight feet tall tiger Little Pie?!?!?!

 Charming Leopard Gu Yan

    "Senior," Spider Lily greeted Xi Yun and Red Monkey. They were both seated on what could only be Li Sihan''s bed. The Grand Chief really had some taste. This could pass as an emperor''s bed! The interior of the room was also top-notch. Paintings, calligraphy, ornate vases and furniture...


    "You''re here-- quick, come take a look at Brother Gu Yan!" Xi Yun said. Spider Lily moved closer. Charming Leopard''s eyes were still rolled back in his head, and he appeared limp.


    "Senior Red Monkey-- can you take off the restrictive matrix on him?" Spider Lily asked.


    "I don''t think that''s a good idea," Xi Yun interrupted at once, "I put it on him because he seemed to have lost his mind,"


    "Well, we have the Grand Chief here with us, don''t we?" Jun Ru pointed out.


    "Hm? Me? Hey-- I want to return home to Little Bun as fast as I can! I don''t know how to deal with crazy people," Li Sihan commented lightly, "what am I still even doing here? Alright, I''ll leave you guys to it,"


    "Grand Chief!" Xi Yun rushed in front of her and knelt on the floor with a thud. "Grand Chief, please! Don''t abandon us!"


    Li Sihan frowned.


    "I knew it. I set foot on this soil; you won''t let me leave again. I''m sure once I''m done with Gu Yan, you and your juniors will cook up something else to keep me occupied again. Before I know it, ten years have gone by and my Little Bun is all grown up!"


    "Grand Chief, we dare not! Just-- please, help Brother Gu Yan!" Xi Yun started to kowtow.


    "Alright. Alright!" Li Sihan pinched her forehead in frustration, "fine! Fei Ning, remove the matrix,"


    "At your order, Grand Chief," Red Monkey took at deep breath, and then flew back, terminating the matrix. The rest of them (except Li Sihan) subconsciously also took a few steps back.


    "Aaaaarrrrgggg!" Charming Leopard let out a hoarse scream, startling them. He bolted up like a spring that had been repressed for too long, and charged straight at Xi Yun.


    Flick! A set of magical shackles immediately restrained him from moving further. He roared as he struggled against them, his eyes almost popping out from the strain.


    "Restrain him back!" Spider Lily frantically shouted as Charming Leopard started frothing at the mouth, "Senior-- Grand Chief, stop, he''s going to die!"


    Li Sihan frowned, and with a flick of her hand, changed the shackles to a restraining matrix without looking spent. Even Xi Yun and Red Monkey looked at her with awe. Their Grand Chief was powerful! First of all, using a single shackle to hold back Charming Leopard, who was at the rank of Martial Overlord, was no small feat! But the singular act of swapping between matrices was the deal breaker!! That took like a second! And she didn''t break a sweat! It wasn''t for nothing that she was their Grand Chief!


    "Yes?" Li Sihan asked, not at all understanding why five pairs of awe struck eyes were shining back at her, "so what are you going to do now, Spider Lily?"


    Spider Lily was quite worried at the moment, as a matter of fact.


    "As far as I''ve seen and heard, Senior Charming Leopard was injured by a weapon called the Deranged Sickle?" He glanced at Jun Ru for affirmation, "and seems to have lost his mind. I have to really look into what kind of poison might have been on the weapon--"


    "Herb Oracle," Li Sihan called into the air. Spider Lily''s face contracted slightly. Was the Grand Chief looking down on him? He knew all about herbs and poisons and plants, alright! He, he was the Supreme Head of the Central Alchemists Alliance, the organisation that served all alchemists of the mainland! He--


    "Herb Oracle greets the Grand Chief," Herb Oracle had teleported from wherever he was to the East Hall. Spider Lily was still incenced. What, what could this spindly lad know about herbs and poisons and plants that he, Spider Lily, did not?!?!?


    "Take a look at your Senior," Li Sihan said, "what poison was he struck with?"


    Herb Oracle marched over to Charming Leopard. He bent by him and examined him at length, pulling down his eyelids and checking the colour of his fingernails.


    "Seems to be the Mind Bane," Herb Oracle stood up, "but it''s actually a poison made from the core of a crazy mystic creature and a thornseed plant," he said. Spider Lily frowned.


    "Since when have you been researching poisons?"


    Herb Oracle gave him a side-eye and refused to respond.


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    "So," Li Sihan drew out her words, "what exactly will make him right again?"


    "It''s a pill that has to be refined,"


    "I''ll do it," said Spider Lily at once, refusing to lose relevance.


    "Okay," said Herb Oracle, and he crossed his arms.


    "Don''t be an ass," Jun Ru frowned at Spider Lily at once, "go on," he gestured to Herb Oracle.


    "I''ll be needing permission to enter the storage house of the Alchemy Guild,"


    "Go ahead," said Li Sihan. Herb Oracle bowed and exited at once. Spider Lily immediately found some excuse to follow him, and dragged his disciple out as well.


    Li Sihan walked around the room and sat down on an armchair. She then fished out the shiny rock she had cut earlier as well as a chiseling tool and started chipping away at it.


    "Are you making something for the Young Miss, Grand Chief?" Xi Yun asked. She was still slightly dumbstruck at the fact that the Grand Chief was holding a restrictive matrix with her mind, and could still do other things! Was the difference between a Martial Sovereign and a Martial Saint so great?!!


    That''s right, Flaming Spear Xi Yun was at the second to the highest cultivation rank of Martial Sovereign. How she had achieved that at twenty five years old was anyone''s guess. Well, first of all, she learnt from the best, so...


    We might want to use this opportunity to actually state in layman''s terms how exactly powerful the cultivation ranks of the mainland were. An initial stage cultivator, which had six sub-stages, was just a little more strong than the average non-cultivator warrior in terms of agility and speed, but not strength. A Martial Practitioner, on the other hand, could take on five strong warriors in a fight, as well as being able to project an aura quite suffocating to normal people. A Martial Skill could take on two Martial Practitioners, and also had a much more broader spectrum of abilities than the latter. A Martial Master was almost equal to three Martial Skill cultivators, while a Martial Grandmaster was double that figure. Now most cultivators of the mainland got stuck at this stage, having immense trouble breaking through to upper cultivation levels due to a variety of reasons. However, there were still those few privileged or lucky folks who were able to breakthrough to Martial Lord, which was almost an insurmountable persona. High ranking generals, or top-tier alchemists, skilled matrix practitioners, bounty hunters or adventurers, were usually the ones that managed to reach this highly coveted level. Much prestige and power came with this breakthrough, for the strength of a Martial Lord more or less equalled those of five Material Grandmasters.


    Martial Sage was the next cultivation rank. In all of Phoenix Empire, perhaps only Sword Saint Tao He and a couple other unknown prodigies were able to reach this cultivation rank. In an unbiased fight, a Martial Sage could easily overpower ten Martial Lords! The boost! It was unprecedented! However, in the eyes of a Martial Overlord, a Martial Sage was nothing, just as a Martial Lord was nothing in the eyes of the latter. But the difference shrunk suddenly when it came to a Martial Sovereign, who could only take on two Martial Overlords.


    However, how powerful was a Martial Saint??!?!! Even Flaming Spear Xi Yun did not know! Li Sihan was overthrowing the norms like a bowl of spoilt beans at every interval! What to do?


    "Yes, I''m making a toy for my Little Bun," Li Sihan said with a small smile, "hmm, I''m wondering what shape to carve this thing into?"


    "Maybe a star?" Red Monkey suggested.


    "Right," and Li Sihan fell to working with gusto.


    Groan. Charming Leopard rolled around on the floor where Li Sihan had left him restricted.


    "Gr-- Grand Chief, are you sure he can breathe and all?" Xi Yun asked anxiously.


    "Check," Li Sihan said unconcernedly. Xi Yun bent down next to Charming Leopard and examined him. His eyes opened a bit.


    "Brother Yan?"


    His face was contracting; he seemed to be in extreme pain. Xi Yun''s heart ached. She wished she had been the one to kill that bastard.


    "Grand Chief!" A boorish voice sounded. Storm Sword lumbered into the room. He went down on one knee.


    "You may rise," Li Sihan said without looking up. Storm Sword got up. He was carrying a food box. He approached Red Monkey and held it out.


    "Big Sis Red Monkey, here," and he grinned.


    "Is this for me?" Red Monkey asked.


    "Yes! I asked Old Lin to make it for you, seeing you haven''t eaten all day,"


    "And what did you give Old Lin for him to do that?" Xi Yun asked, a little pissed. The four Seniors actually had their own little domestic affairs among themselves. It was a given that Storm Sword had a very serious crush on Red Monkey, and was fond of giving her (everything he set his hands upon) more attention than anyone else. Xi Yun was often irritated by this. To even things out Charming Leopard became more friendly with her.


    "Never you mind, Big Sis Xi Yun," Storm Sword chuckled in his loud boorish way. He stared at his hand which had been outstretched for a while now, "go on, Big Sis Red Monkey, take it!"


    Reluctantly, Red Monkey accepted the food box.


    "We can share, Big Sis Xi Yun--"


    "No, thank you," Xi Yun snapped. Red Monkey shrunk into herself. Storm Sword sat down beside her.


    "Don''t be upset, Big Sis Red Monkey-- Big Sis Xi Yun is only worried about Big Bro Charming Leopard, that''s all," he made to put his arm around her but at that moment Li Sihan looked up.


    "Get up from my bed!"


    As if scalded, Storm Sword and Red Monkey shot up. Xi Yun smirked and turned away.


    *


    By evening, Xi Yun was on her knees again in front of Li Sihan, who was clamouring to leave.


    "Grand Chief, please!"


    "Have the Weapons Guild make a restraining matrix-- I am going home to my Little Bun! Why, she must be crying right now!"


    Jun Ru privately thought that as long as the Young Miss was well fed she wouldn''t really miss her sister all that much. But, hey, he might be wrong!


    "Grand Chief--"


    Li Sihan extricated herself from Xi Yun''s grasp. She drew a formation in the air.


    "Phoenix Empire!"


    With a bright flash, she was gone.


    "See you," Jun Ru disappeared the next second as well. Xi Yun burst into tears. Yes, the ace assassin Flaming Spear, she actually started crying.

 The Hapless Young Master

    "Halt here," an aide on horseback said to a coach driver next to him. The carriage clattered to a halt in front of a Yingguo Teahouse. The aide got down from his horse and helped a noble looking young master down from the carriage. The two then proceeded to enter the teahouse, where a butler welcomed them.


    The two headed upstairs and took a seat at a balcony. The aide ordered some food and then sat down opposite.


    "Here we are, your highness," Si Hang said in a low voice after the server taking their order had left.


    "Phoenix Empire, hmm?" The noble young master was actually Ru Ziyan, second prince of Tian Empire. His eyes, a curious shade of red, surveyed the bustling street through the open window. Just opposite this teahouse, was a large textile shop owned by the Li family. Ru Ziyan watched as people flocked in and came out, large smiles on their faces. He noticed two burly guards at the entrance. He sighed imperceptibly.


    "Here''s your orders!" The cheery server arrived and laid the food on the table.


    "Please call if you need anything further!" The server replied after receiving a fat bag of silver from Si Hang. Si Hang nodded curtly and waved him away.


    "Did you send the letter ahead as I said?" Ru Ziyan asked the aide.


    "Yes, your Highness,"


    "Good. Then if Li Zhenming is a man of his word, he should arrive soon," Ru Ziyan glanced out of the window as he picked up his chopsticks.


    A few minutes later, the steward poked his head in through the door of the balcony where they sat.


    "Uhh-- excuse me. Someone is here and he says he has an appointment with you,"


    "Yes, let him come, please," Ru Ziyan smiled. Si Hang rose from the table and stood at the side. A man wearing an ordinary male hanfu appeared behind the steward. However, his dignified aura could not be concealed. Ru Ziyan rose as the steward retired. He cupped his hands.


    "Hello, Master Li!"


    Li Zhenming nodded. Ru Ziyan spread his arms and invited him to sit.


    "Please,"


    They both sat down. Ru Ziyan took his time and poured the older man a cup of wine, not saying anything.


    "What did you want to see me for?" Li Zhenming accepted the cup of wine and cut to the chase. He was now a sensitive individual, ah. He couldn''t just be meeting people anyhow. If not that this kid was threatening him with blackmail, even...he would not be here if he had a choice. Those Scorpion people were still after his daughter. She had not yet returned... Li Zhenming''s heart ached. His Sihan...he hoped she was all right.


    "Can I call you Uncle Li?" Ru Ziyan asked first. Li Zhenming raised his eyebrows. The term ''uncle'', for obvious reasons, didn''t sit well with him.


    "Call me whatever you want -- I don''t have all day." He finally said with a huff.


    "Very well. Uncle Li, I have a proposal for you. My grandfather is a silk importer in Tian Empire, and we''ve been looking a long time for a honest dealer. Since Phoenix is nearer to the sea, I came here to see if I could find one. By happenstance, I happened to hear about you. I''m willing to make you our sole dealer. The Tian Empire market is large; I''m sure you wouldn''t want to miss this opportunity,"


    Li Zhenming gulped down his wine.


    "I understand all that. What I don''t understand is how you know about ''that'' matter with which you brought me here," he snarled.


    Ru Ziyan smirked.


    "I have heard that Uncle Li is a very busy man, who will not at all see any riff-raff. I have no intention of ruining your reputation; I just had to see you,"


    "That thing happened before you were born. How did you, who live in Tian, manage to know it?" Li Zhenming pressed.


    "I didn''t," Ru Ziyan smirked again. Li Zhenming narrowed his eyes. What was he even doing? One word to Sword Saint Tao He and this spangly boy would be crushed to a pulp of blood-- but he had never been that type of person. And he did not want people, especially Ren Ziming, his wife, to know of that matter.


    "I''m not someone you can threaten," Li Zhenming said.


    "Oh, I know!" Ru Ziyan said at once, "Uncle Li is not listening to me. I''m not threatening you! I just had to find a way to meet you!"


    "Becoming a business partner is not what you want," Li Zhenming leaned back, "you want to meet the Si Lak Mercenaries, no?"


    "We have to start somewhere," Ru Ziyan sighed, "but I''m glad Uncle Li is laying things out plainly. Yes, I want to meet the Si Lak Mercenaries, if I can,"


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Li Zhenming privately chuckled. Another hapless young master to be sent to the hatcheries! Well, that was none of his business.


    "Are you a cultivator? Or do you have a truly priceless treasure you have to offer them?"


    "Never mind that; I just want to see them,"


    "I''m trying to rid you some stress here!" Li Zhenming snapped. Seeing this boy''s face...it was just reminding him of that matter. Ren Ziming would not believe it was a mistake...


    "Whatever. Come to the Li Manor tomorrow around the ri chu* time-- you will meet Sword Saint Tao He,"


    Ru Ziyan immediately rose and cupped his hands.


    "Thank you, Uncle Li!"


    "Tsk," Li Zhenming privately thought that, soon, like Ji Hanning, this hapless young master would also be bawling out his eyes in the hatchery...


    "I''ll be leaving, then," Li Zhenming rose, "I don''t have to tell you what will happen to you and your entire family should ''that'' matter--"


    "Ah, rest assured, Uncle Li. It never happened,"


    Li Zhenming pursed his lips and shook out his sleeves in slight annoyance as he left.


    Si Hang went down on one knee and cupped his hands over his sword.


    "Congratulations, your Highness!"


    "Don''t congratulate me yet," Ru Ziyan said with a slight scoff, "we have to still succeed where my stupid brother in law to be failed,"


    "Yes!"


    "I want all those legend books about Sword Saint Tao He,"


    "Si Hang has received your order!"


    *


    Sword Saint Tao He was currently practicing his stances in one obscure backyard of the Li Manor. With his Mapleblade Sword, he was currently going through the steps of the Reverse Strike Stance, which was the last lesson his master Sword Saint had thought his disciples before they had all been summoned to meet the Grand Chief back then. His bare upper body shone in the just rising sun, his muscles contracting and arching with each swing of the sword. By the time he had gone through one hundred steps, he was covered in sweat.


    "Ah ah ah," Tao He flung his sword down as he doubled over and held his knees. Out of the three hundred and one steps of the Reverse Strike, he had still only mastered hundred! He was secretly glad he had remained at the Li Manor this time, or Storm Sword would definitely have scolded him.


    "Is it because I''m old?" Tao He muttered to himself. Those youngsters of the Sword Guild under Storm Sword were way ahead of him! Ginseng Blade (Tao He always privately chuckled at this person''s name) had mastered two hundred and seventeen steps! No one knew how many he had mastered right now! Those insane prodigies... Tao He clapped a hand to his forehead. That was why he had jumped at the opportunity to join the Si Lak Mercenaries back then! Though he was very revered in Phoenix Empire''s jianghu, in the outer world, beside unnatural inhumane experts like the Si Lak Mercenaries, he was nothing!


    He was the only one, however, who seemed to realise this fact...


    CRASH!


    Tao He looked up quickly. This place was a deserted corner of the Li Manor...who? Was someone spying on him?


    "Who''s there?" He called out in a calm voice.


    "So--sorry if I''ve disturbed you," a face peeked out from behind a column, and then the person came into view. Tao He was shocked. The person was a maid of the Li Manor, her clothes gave her away. Currently, her face was beet red.


    "That-- um-- would Esteemed Senior like a drink of water?" She got her wits together and asked. Tao He blinked. In the next second, he had retrieved a robe from his conscious and hurriedly draped it around himself. The girl blushed even more, if that were possible. Her face seemed to be about to explode, but, surprisingly, she looked Tao He straight in the eye.


    "Oh? Yes? Yes, I''d like some water," Tao He finally replied. The girl grinned, and dashed away. Tao He flicked his hand and summoned his sword from where he had dropped it, and kept it in his conscious. He then walked to a low bench at the side of a wall and sat down.


    Ding! He suddenly felt a weird sensation. That-- the Grand Chief didn''t have his imprint, so that must mean it was the Young Miss calling! Tao He was a little shocked-- the Young Miss could now use her imprint to summon people?! That was something only a Martial Master was capable of doing!!


    However he didn''t dwell on this and instead stood up and hurried towards the main courtyard, and from there took his course to the Agate Pavilion...


    Liu Meiyin, who had arrived back at the secluded courtyard with a cup of water, was speechless when she found no Tao He waiting. She pouted and lowered her head in defeat. Why didn''t he wait for her? Was she that repulsive? But-- but he had talked kindly to her. Even though, as a mercenary, his first reaction to being spied on should have been flying darts; he hadn''t done that. Did-- did she have a chance?


    "Meiyin! What are you doing there?" Yang Hongmei, another Li Manor maid, was passing by carrying a basket of laundry and saw Liu Meiyin standing in the middle of the courtyard with a cup of water in her hand and a teary dreamy expression on her face.


    "What''s up? What are you doing?" A lover of gossip, Yang Hongmei set the basket down and hurried at once to her friend.


    "I-- I saw him today," Liu Meiyin mumbled.


    "Huh? What did you say? I didn''t hear you," Yang Hongmei pulled her hand, "speak louder,"


    "I saw him, I saw him!" Liu Meiyin raised her flushed face, "he saw me too, and spoke to me!"


    The other girl put on a puzzled expression.


    "Who? Who are you seeing? Who are you taking to? Ah--?" She suddenly had an epiphany, "''He''?! Meiyin, are you taking to a man?! You''ll be punished!"


    "He''s no ordinary man," Liu Meiyin splashed the cup of water on her hot face suddenly. Yang Hongmei leapt a foot away.


    "What''s wrong with you? Are you going crazy? Look here," she suddenly grabbed Liu Meiyin''s shoulders, "be careful and stop whatever silliness you''re up to! You can''t elope with a man, it''s dangerous, it wrong, its--"


    "It''s Sword Saint Tao He," Liu Meyin interrupted. Yang Homgmei''s mouth fell open.


    "You! You really did it, did you?! You said you''d follow him to see where he went in the mornings, and you really did?! This silly girl, are you not afraid of death?!?"...


    Away at the Agate Pavilion, Tao He realised that the Young Miss had called him for her father.


    "Tao He, papa want ''oo," Little Bun smacked her lips.


    "Oh; yes, young miss." He turned to Li Zhenming, "yes, my lord?"


    Li Zhenming refused to dwell on the change of address. He instead pointed at the seated Ru Ziyan.


    "He wishes to see you," and he rose, picking Little Bun out of her high chair. The baby screeched, having not finished her snacks.


    "Who are you and how may I help you?" Tao He gave this stranger the residual respect accruing to the father of the Grand Chief. Ru Ziyan rose and cupped his hands.


    "I am Tian Empire''s fourth prince, Run Ziyan. I would like to come into cooperation with the Si Lak Mercenaries,"


    Tao He raised an eyebrow.


    "That''s not my call to make. Why don''t you wait till our Grand Chief comes back?"


    Ru Ziyan was a little conflicted. If he met the Grand Chief, she would without doubt see him first of all as Xi Huan''s fiance. He didn''t want to be kicked out of the Li Manor!


    "Then, how about this? I would like to come into a cooperation with Esteemed Senior,"


    "Me?" Tao He thought for a while, "well, no problem, then,"

 Shes Back

    Tao He was extremely pleased with himself. Ahh, since when had he been accorded such respect and honour?! Not since he had been the top expert of Phoenix Empire''s pugilistic world. To think he was now the second prince of Tian, an emperor candidate''s backer! Yum, look at this Pinebreadth Sword as well! Interesting, interesting! If not that he was quite attached to his Mapleblade Sword, and the wealth of battle experience that sword had, he would have started learning the Reverse Strike Stance all over again on this one!


    Tao He kept the treasure into his conscious with a satisfied expression. It was just in time too, for that annoying brat, Gold Spirit, was approaching. Tao He made his face impassive. He did not like this man.


    "Yo, Tao He," Gold Spirit took a seat next to Tao He in Little Bun''s gazebo. Currently, the master and madam of the house and the young miss had gone out. To Tao He and Gold Spirit''s disconcertion, Li Zhenming had refused to have them accompany, insisting that the Li Manor guards were enough. Currently now, Tao He and Gold Spirit were sitting on pins and needles for fear that their Grand Chief might arrive and scold them for something that was out of their control.


    "That''s not how to greet a Vanguard," Tao He replied to Gold Spirit''s statement.


    "Haha, vanguard," Gold Spirit laughed, "I''m still wondering what underhanded methods you used to become one,"


    "Skill," said Tao He, looking straight ahead.


    "Skill?" Gold Spirit replied mockingly, "dare to duel?"


    "The Grand Chief forbade it,"


    "She''s not here now. What, are you scared?"


    Tao He frowned.


    "I don''t want to visit the Boilers again,"


    Gold Spirit laughed long and hard, clutching his chest at one point.


    "Oh, I forgot! Poor Tao He! Poor silly Tao He has spent two weeks in the Boilers! Two solid weeks! Tell me how it was, scary?"


    "Yes," Tao He replied shortly.


    "Ah!" Gold Spirit snorted, "indeed,"


    "Shut up; you don''t know how it is in there,"


    Gold Spirit rolled his eyes. He pulled out of his conscious a jar of wine and an ornate gold cup. Tao He watched him as he poured and drank.


    "Are you going to enjoy all that yourself?" Tao He grunted. It was not as if he wanted the wine; he just wanted to poke at Gold Spirit a little, too.


    "Of course," Gold Spirit replied unconcernedly.


    "Part of the reason you''re not a Vanguard, or anything, for that matter," Tao He concluded. Gold Spirit glanced at him.


    "Who cares? I''m recognised by the Grand Chief herself,"


    "But you''ll still get stepped over by all those spangly younglings,"


    Gold Spirit sighed and closed his eyes. He swirled the wine around in his mouth, then suddenly opened his eyes and spat the mouthful at Tao He''s face.


    "You-!!" Tao He was shocked and rose angrily. He immediately siphoned off the wine, "mad, are you?!"


    "Speak again," Gold Spirit threatened.


    "And then what? I''m a Vanguard with authority, among the Chief Thirty of the Mercenaries! How dare you insult me!" Tao He had retrieved his sword and had it at Gold Spirit''s throat.


    "Hah," Gold Spirit grabbed the sword, and Tao He pulled it back. The other man leapt up and drew his own weapon, swinging it at Tao He''s head. Tao He parried the strike and there was a loud clashing sound that startled the serving maids and servants of the Agate Pavilion.


    Tao He dealt fast swift blows with his sword; blows that Gold Spirit found difficult to block. No doubt practising the Reverse Strike Stance gave him the upper hand, for naturally Gold Spirit was not a swordsmaster to be trifled with.


    "You--!" Gold Spirit threw Tao He back with a wide slash, "since when were you this skilled?"


    Tao He smirked and didn''t reply as he closed in and followed up with another strike, and another and another, utilising a sword technique called the Trailblade. Gold Spirit leapt, doubled back sideways, turned his body at awkward angles, even as he kept blocking the blows with his own sword. He was totally unable to make an attack of his own, and was fully on the defensive.


    He suddenly frowned and threw back Tao He with a gust of wind. He drew upon his essence and worked a matrix formation in the air with his sword.


    "Repell!" He shouted, and brought his sword down upon Tao He with a vertical cut. Tao He raised his sword horizontally above his head to block the blow, even as a wide blue shield formation was activated by him with his other hand. Gold Spirit with a terminating matrix destroyed Tao He''s shield formation, and slashed at his neck. The first blood of the duel was thus drawn.


    Enraged, Tao He, who had been holding back, with a whirlwind of slashes, returned to his original position with a flick of his sleeves. Gold Spirit, after the dust that had blown up around him had settled, was seen sporting half a dozen serious injuries at the minimum.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    "Admit defeat," Tao He spat, and only then noticed the extent of damage they had done to the Young Miss'' gazebo. His jaw dropped open. The stone table had cracked in half, the dainty stools, and the young miss'' high chair, were ripped and broken; everywhere was in chaos.


    "Quick!" He spoke urgently, "let''s restore the young miss'' gazebo!"


    Gold Spirit was examining his wounds and did not appear to hear him. The next second, the man shouldered his sword with a huff and started walking away.


    "Hey!" Tao He called after him. Gold Spirit neither looked back, or responded. Cursing under his breath, Tao He started restoring the gazebo, but not quick enough...


    "Little Bun! Big sis is back -- huh?"


    Li Sihan had just teleported into the gazebo, dressed in a black and red hanfu robe and her hair done up in one simple ponytail. She glanced around the wrecked gazebo with unconcealed surprise. Then she noticed Tao He.


    "What''s going on here?" Her cold tone was unmistakable.


    "Greetings to Grand Chief," Tao He went down on one knee.


    "I don''t care for your stupid greeting-- where''s Little Bun?"


    "Replying to Grand Chief, my lord and lady as well as the young miss went out today and are yet to return,"


    "Went out where?" Li Sihan frowned.


    "This subordinate does not know," Tao He replied honestly.


    "So--" Li Sihan surveyed the carnage, "what happened here?"


    "Replying to Grand Chief, this subordinate was correcting Gold Spirit,"


    "You dueled with him?" Li Sihan asked in rage. Tao He lowered his head.


    "No, Grand Chief. Gold Spirit spat a mouthful of wine at my face--"


    "Gold Spirit!"


    He teleported to the gazebo at once, going down on one knee.


    "Grand Chief,"


    "Return to the headquarters and visit the Boiler for a week. Then you shall return to the hatcheries,"


    Gold Spirit looked up in astonishment.


    "Grand Chief--!"


    "I have spoken," Li Sihan frowned. Gold Spirit choked on his words. The Boilers?! And then the hatcheries?!? This--! Which squad leader would dare to re-select him?!?


    "Grand Chief-- forgive me!"


    "Leave!" Li Sihan roared, and leaping back in alarm, Gold Spirit immediately teleported away from the gazebo. Whether he now returned to the Mercenaries was up to him.


    "Jun Ru,"


    Jun Ru, who was taking his sweet time returning to the Li Manor from where he had teleported to at the other side of the capital, suddenly felt the Grand Chief''s summon and had to teleport immediately!


    "Grand Chief,"


    "Make sure to discipline Gold Spirit," Li Sihan dropped the word before leaving the gazebo with a huff.


    Jun Ru looked up at Tao He, who was heaving a sigh of relief. He shook his head lightly. Now he would chase Gold Spirit even to the seventeen levels of the underworld to discipline him to fulfil the Grand Chief''s order! What a life! Wasn''t it better to just return to the Headquarters at this rate?


    "What the hell happened?!" Jun Ru got up and asked Tao He, who was also rising.


    "That bastard spat a mouthful of wine at my face,"


    "What did you do to him first?" Jun Ru raised an eyebrow. Tao He frowned.


    "Hey, you brat! Can''t you leave it at that?!"


    "No. I don''t believe that for no reason Gold Spirit would spit at you," Jun Ru replied, joining Tao He in clearing the debris.


    "He''s always hated me. Half of those second tier mercenaries back at the Headquarters hate me because I surpassed them when I got chosen to become a Vanguard and later as Storm Sword''s disciple,"


    "Hmm," Jun Ru stroked his chin.


    "Gold Spirit has always been one annoying bastard, anyway," Tao He swept off the cotton fluffs from the pillows of the floor, "he had it coming to him,"


    "But you still had the nerve to duel here when the Grand Chief forbade us to,"


    "What was I supposed to do when he spat in my face? Sit there?"


    "You''re simply lucky this time," Jun Ru commented darkly. He returned the last cushion to its proper place and teleported.


    *


    "Big Sis!" Little Bun cried with excitement when she saw her sister lounging in the gazebo. Held in her mother''s arms, she struggled to leap out. Madam Li was quite surprised and exclaimed.


    "Hubby, perhaps Silan is ready to walk?"


    "Put her down and let''s see," Li Zhenming replied with a big smile, his eyes crinkling at the edges. Ren Ziming then bent over and placed the baby on the ground, on her two fat feet. Little Bun wobbled, tried to place one leg ahead of the other, and plop! She fell face forward!


    "Oh!" Ren Ziming picked her off the floor at once, "my baby, did it hurt?"


    "Waaaah!" Little Bun cried loudly, "big sis! Big sis!"


    Li Sihan got up, quite unbothered, and walked over to her father and mother. She glanced at the heavy baby.


    "Put her down, mother,"


    "Ahh, she''ll fall and hurt herself again!" Ren Ziming was unwilling.


    "I''ll heal her if she gets hurt. Put her down,"


    "Okay," Ren Ziming lowered her daughter to the floor again. Little Bun stood on her own two feet for a quarter of a second, and plop! Once Ren Ziming released her, she fell onto her butt again!


    Li Sihan frowned.


    Li Zhenming felt an headache coming on.


    Ren Ziming was helpless.


    "How old is she again?" Li Sihan suddenly looked up and asked her mother,"


    "She''ll be two years old in the autumn season," Ren Ziming replied honestly. Li Sihan''s face turned dark.


    "Well," she turned with a sinister smile to the bawling Little Bun on the floor, "I think it''s time,"


    Poor Little Bun felt goosebumps all over her body. Oh no! What was her big sis about to say?!


    "No more snacks," Li Sihan dropped the bombshell, "no more extra food. No more sweets. No more candies,"


    Waaaahhhh! Little Bun couldn''t express the injustice she felt with words. She rolled onto her back and started kicking her legs in the air.


    "Bun Bun yeet! Bun Bun yeet!"


    "And from now on," to her consternation, this scary yama wasn''t done yet, "you will learn to walk with your own two feet,"


    Little Bun choked on her tears. Why?! Was she not cute again?! Why was she being subjected to such miseries? Was it just because she couldn''t walk yet?


    "Big Sis, Big Sis!" She started clamouring, "carry Bun Bun, big sis!"


    "No,"


    Waaaaaaahhh! However, Ren Ziming couldn''t stand her daughter crying, even if they were fake tears.


    Little Bun: ...no they aren''t fake tears!! Didn''t you hear her say no more snacks?! Waaah!...


    Ren Ziming picked her daughter up.


    "Alright, we''ll take it slowly, Sihan. First we''ll start with holding her hands and helping her totter, then slowly she''ll learn to walk herself,"


    "Hmm. Alright," Li Sihan shrugged, "however," she locked eyes with the baby, "No. More. Snacks,"

 Being a Mercenary

    "Cough, cough,"


    A figure was huddled under at least four quilts on a upper bunk bed. Beside the person, Han Yuefeng used a wet towel to continuously mop her forehead. Feng Chusan''s face was pale white, and her lips were parched. She appeared to be having feverish dreams, and kept mumbling incoherently and shaking convulsively. Han Yuefeng appeared strained herself, and after a while removed the towel from Feng Chusan''s head, and climbed down from the bed. She traipsed across the room to Meng Yue''s bed.


    "Big Sister! I''m afraid Sister Chusan can''t take it any longer! We have to find medicine for her!"


    "Go ahead," Meng Yue said unfeelingly.


    "I can''t -- I don''t know where to go!" Han Yuefeng was on the verge of tears. She wrung her hands.


    "Neither do I," Meng Yue snapped.


    Su Hanlin climbed down from her own bunk. She came to stand by Han Yuefeng and held her shoulders, then glanced and Meng Yue and spoke to her.


    "If you know you can''t lead us and help us when we need help, then quit being Big Sister!"


    Meng Yue looked up quickly. Her eyes turned red with rage.


    "How dare you!"


    "Why not?" Su Hanlin retorted, her eyes sharp, "you aren''t doing what you''re supposed to do! Someone is sick, and you sit here uncaring,"


    "Was I the one who asked her to get ahead of herself and walk into the Glacier Cave?" Meng Yue snorted, "why should I care? Yuefeng seems to be doing that already,"


    "Yes, it''s because she was the one who ventured into the Glacier Cave and received the tutor''s praise that you''re mad at her!" Su Hanlin shouted, "you''re mean, Meng Yue!"


    Meng Yue jumped down from her bed and slapped Su Hanlin. Her hand hit Han Yuefeng as well. The other girls looked on with apprehension. After pushing Han Yuefeng out of harm''s way, Su Hanlin retaliated Meng Yue''s assault. The two started cat-fighting.


    "Stop it, stop!" Han Yuefeng tried to intervene, but another girl pulled her back. Su Hanlin pushed Meng Yue away hard, and she stumbled back and fell.


    "Who wants to have me as their Big Sister!" Su Hanlin cried out, as she stood over Meng Yue and held her down.


    "I!" A couple of girls immediately responded. Meng Yue''s eyes popped, disbelief spreading across her face and she propelled Su Hanlin back and stood up quickly.


    "You-- you guys-- are staging a coup?"


    "Yes!" Su Hanlin and her supporters answered without fear, "we won''t have you if you won''t take care of us!" Su Hanlin added.


    "There can only be one Big Sister in the hatchery at a time!" Meng Yue screeched, "and that is the girl who has stayed the longest! That''s the law!"


    "That''s what you think," Su Hanlin sneered.


    "The tutors won''t recognise you!"


    "I don''t care. All I want to do is take care of everyone till I am selected," Su Hanlin turned around, "I''ll start by getting medicine for Feng Chusan. Or should she die?"


    "No!" Her supporters answered.


    "It''s just a fever-- she won''t die! That''s not a good reason for your insubordination!" Meng Yue was furious.


    Su Hanlin ignored her. She scanned the girls on her side. Fourteen! That was almost a third of the population of the hatchery! Soon, other girls would join them when they noticed how those under her flourished.


    "Come," she beckoned to the girls, and led them to her bunk. Her own bunkmate, Min Haofei, had not supported her, so Su Hanlin glared at her and chased her off temporarily, replacing her with another girl. She then turned around and addressed her people.


    "Meng Yue''s crazy. We all know that. So never mind her from now on. We''re not eating or working with the rest again. We''ll cook our own meals and clean our own restroom ourselves. Don''t be afraid of the tutors. They don''t have to know anything. I''m going to go out tonight and find medicine for Chusan. While I''m gone, Gu Liwei is my assistant,"


    Gu Yuwei, a tall strong bulky looking girl who most of the hatchlings feared, nodded. She had just been brought in three days before, but had formed a fast friendship with Su Hanlin. Gu Yuwei reminded most of the girls of their instructor Ning Fulan, and even some gossiped that there might be a relation between them, for as yet, Ning Fulan had not landed a single stroke of whip on the girl. Or maybe it was still too early to say that.


    "Where are you going to get medicine from, Sister Hanlin?" Han Yuefeng asked. Su Hanlin leaned in and lowered her voice.


    "I''m going to enter the main Si Lak,"


    The girls gasped.


    "It''s out of bounds-- how are you even going to get there, you don''t know the way!" One of them said.


    "I do," Su Hanlin smirked, "that day Tutor Qifei took us to the Lingwu Summit to cultivate, I ventured to the edge of the cliff and saw the whole camp and town in the valley,"


    "Can-- can I accompany you, Sister Hanlin!" a girl said at once. She wanted to see the real Si Si Lak Mercenaries camp for herself too!


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    "No-- I''ll have to go alone. So that if I get into trouble, it''ll be me alone that''ll be punished,"


    "Sister Hanlin, you''re noble!"


    "Yes-- to think you''d put yourself on the line for that Feng Chusan!"


    "She doesn''t deserve it!"


    Su Hanlin frowned deeply at these comments. The girls shut up at once.


    "Feng Chusan wasn''t the absolute best darling when she arrived here; not like Yuefeng at least; but she''s getting better. I''m doing this for Yuefeng anyway,"


    "Hmm, Yuefeng is the best."


    "Alright Sister Hanlin, you can rest easy. We''ll take care of her till you get back,"


    "Be safe!"


    "Be careful!"


    Su Hanlin emerged from within the huddle of heads and pulled on a black cloak. Meng Yue watched her with scorn. She was still incensed, and had decided to complain about her to the first tutor that walked in the following morning.


    *


    Su Hanlin climbed down from the last jutting rock with difficulty. She was glad she had prepared for this, otherwise she would have met her certain doom several times already. She could see lights in the distance, and buildings. She knew she had to get to the Medicine Guild, but that would prove, she was starting to see, a tough hurdle. From the summit of Mt. Lingwu, all the houses and buildings had seemed close together. However now, she noticed that they were very far apart, with complex corridors, courtyards, pavilions and pathways linking them all. The Si Lak Mercenaries camp was like a very huge palace, taking into consideration the outlay and plan. Su Hanlin, from where she was at the foot of the Lingwu mountain, seemed to be at the outskirts of this palace, with about a mile''s distance from there to the nearest wall.


    After the wall was a building. And after that building was a courtyard. And after that courtyard was another wall.


    But she was a cultivator. Su Hanlin activated her light body skill and with a running leap arrived at the first wall within a few minutes. She clambered up it without any scruples and from there leaped onto the roof of the first building. She glanced at the houses within the courtyard and by the light of a burning torch in a bracket on the outside of one of them she could read the overhead plaque: Jingding Hall.


    She leapt from roof to roof, running soundlessly along the tiles and scouting whether she had happened to come to the main area of the camp, where she surmised a big institution like the Medicine Hall would be located. She had passed a number of training arenas, and was certain these places were the schools of some less known squads, for they were small.


    After a while she reduced her speed, for she had come to areas where there were sentries. She jumped down into a deserted backyard, took off her black cloak, and stored it in her conscious. Then, making her face as innocent as possible, she walked out of the backyard and into the open towards the sentries.


    "Who goes there?" One of them stopped and shone the torch he held in his hand in her direction. Su Hanlin did not flinch.


    "I''m going to the Medicine Hall-- could you tell me the way?" She asked rather calmly as if this was a normal request. The guard''s eyes dilated and became hazy.


    "Oh? Yes," his mouth opened of its own accord, "go towards that way," he pointed at the road in front of the building he was guarding, "and follow it till you come to the main street. You''ll see the Alchemist''s Guild. The Medicine Hall is behind it. Be careful of Guardian Yi Hei,"


    Su Hanlin nodded and concealed herself immediately he finished talking. The guard''s eyes came back into focus. He stared around, and scratched his head in confution.


    "Why did I stop?"


    Su Hanlin was already at least five roofs away. She followed the road the guard had mentioned with her eyes until she came to a wide space which appeared like a central courtyard of the camp, or the outside of an emperor''s throne room. She glanced at the buildings surrounding this place: East Hall, much further back; Qingding Pavillion; Weapon''s Guild; ah ha, Alchemist''s Guild.


    She had a hard time scaling these buildings'' walls. Eventually, quite spent, she made it to the front of the Medicine Hall. Again she took off her cloak. She wondered who this Guardian Yi Hei was and whether she would encounter him. Just as she walked forward and attempted to climb the steps leading up to the Medicine Hall, a repelling shield matrix activated and almost knocked her down.


    "Pass?" A voice breathed next to her ear. She jumped about two feet away, startled. There wasn''t anyone there.


    "I need medicine," she wondered if her befuddling mind skill would work on this invisible person.


    "Which squad or guild are you from?"


    "The Riding Squad," was the first that came to mind. She was feeling slightly anxious now. What was the point of making it this far if she wasn''t even going to enter?


    "Please, my friend is dying," she murmured.


    "What type of medicine do you want?" The voice asked.


    "Fever medicine,"


    "Fever?" The voice started laughing. The cackles grated on her ears, and she put her hands over them.


    "Please, hurry," she interrupted. The cackling stopped.


    The blue hue surrounding the Hall that had repelled her back suddenly disappeared. Su Hanlin rose up from where she lay. She took tentative steps towards the stairs. She placed her feet on the first one gingerly.


    "I thought you were in a hurry," the voice sounded by her ear again, and she ran up the dozen steps and came to the huge wooden double doors of the Medicine Hall. She reached out a nervous hand and pushed it open. The interior of the hall was quite dark, poorly lit. She stepped into what looked like a high roofed domelike room, long and wide. There was a long table at one side, and doors on the other.


    "Ha!" Someone shouted behind her. Su Hanlin froze and turned back slowly. A thin man in a white robe, looking like a ghost, was what she saw. He had a wide smile on his face. His eyes were bulging and red.


    "Since when have I seen a hatchling with such courage," the man cackled. Su Hanlin knew her hair had given her away. She did not know what to say.


    "Hmm," he suddenly approached, and she shrank back. He stopped, and stretched out a brown paper packet in his hand.


    "Fever medicine," he smiled.


    "Thank you," Su Hanlin breathed, and gingerly took the packet without making contact with him.


    "Ha," he scoffed, "you''re my disciple now,"


    Su Hanlin looked up quickly.


    "Pardon?"


    "I said you are now my disciple," the man crossed his arms, "deaf?"


    "No-- but, I''m not good with herbs or medicine," she responded. She did not want to be his disciple at all. He was too scary.


    "Who cares? You''ll learn." He turned around, "you''ll remain in the hatchery though, until I decide to come get you; what''s your name?"


    "I do not wish to join the Medicine Hall," Su Hanlin said firmly.


    The man turned around.


    "Why?"


    "I just don''t like medicine," she replied. He snorted. With a snap of his finger, a ball of smoke went up around him, and then it dispersed. Standing where the scary ghost man had stood was a refined looking young gentleman with almond shaped eyes, flawless skin and toned body shape, wearing a combat attire of purple, scarlet and black.


    "My name is Yi Hei; I just wanted to have some fun scaring you earlier. This is how I really look," he said with a teasing smile. Su Hanlin was stumped. She-- she still didn''t want to learn medicine, no matter how handsome he was!


    "Hurry and give your friend the medicine; here''s a teleportation token to the hatcheries," he handed out a silver tally. Su Hanlin took it. It activated immediately. She caught a glimpse of Yi Hei waving at her before landing heavily in the hatchery backyard.

 From Here on Out

    Ning Fulan strode into the hatchery early in the morning, even before the hatchlings had their meals. Meng Yue walked up to her at once, feeling nervous however.


    "Tutor Ning-- I have something to report to you,"


    Ning Fulan put her hands on her hips and nodded shortly.


    "That -- one of the girls, Su Hanlin, has broken the rules and made herself leader of a number of others, not listening to me again and going against my orders. She-- she also went to the main camp yesterday,"


    "To do what?" Ning Fulan asked.


    "I-- I don''t know," Meng Yue lowered her head, "but she went and returned sometime after midnight,"


    "Su Hanlin!" Ning Fulan called loudly. Su Hanlin got up from Feng Chusan''s side and approached the drill instructor.


    "Yes, Tutor Ning,"


    "Is what Meng Yue said true?" Ning Fulan asked. Su Hanlin felt like saying: what did Meng Yue say? But she knew that would only infuriate their instructor, and she didn''t want to be whipped, so she said:


    "Yes, tutor,"


    Ning Fulan raised her eyebrows. Su Hanlin returned her gaze steadily, as opposed to Meng Yue who was starting at the ground and shuffling her feet.


    "What is the meaning of that behaviour, then?"


    "Meng Yue refused to get medicine for Feng Chusan; and has been really useless in leading us for quite some time now, ever since--" Su Hanlin paused, glanced at Meng Yue and shrugged, "ever since Yue Li got chosen as Senior Red Monkey''s disciple,"


    "You--!" Meng Yue raised a finger at Su Hanlin angrily, shocked she would say such a thing.


    "Enough!" Ning Fulan interrupted, "if you will be a better Big Sister for these girls I don''t mind that," she said to Su Hanlin, "how many days have you been here?"


    "Seventy eight days, Tutor," Su Hanlin replied. Meng Yue was looking on with shock and surprise.


    "Tu-- tutor! --," she stammered.


    "Be quiet! Now, everyone!" She called out, and all the hatchlings converged around her, "Su Hanlin is now your Big Sister!"


    "Tutor!" Meng Yue shouted in disbelief. How-- how did it end like this?!


    "Yes, tutor!" Those that had accepted Su Hanlin of their own accord responded happily, while those loyal to Meng Yue remained silent. Ning Fulan didn''t care.


    "Drills--"


    "But tutor-- she went to the main camp!" Meng Yue cried out.


    "Yes, that''s against the rules!" Her supporters also lent their voice.


    "She should be punished!"


    "She went to the main camp!"


    "Silence!" Ning Fulan roared, and they scuttled back in alarm, "Su Hanlin is now your Big Sister, and her word is law. If she''s capable of going down to the main camp and returning unscathed, maybe you guys should look up to her instead of tooting like stupid parrots! The behaviours you were bringing from the outside world before you entered the Mercenaries are still exposing themselves! What have you learnt? Here, Meng Yue still remains in the hatchery after how many months, oblivious to the cogent lesson she hasn''t learnt! Enough of this nonsense! Drills! Now!"


    Feeling furious, Meng Yue and her girls hurried to the training ground. At the back, Gu Yuwei said to the instructor:


    "But, Tutor Ning, we haven''t eaten,"


    Ning Fulan stopped short. She examined Gu Yuwei''s face, then said to her.


    "I''ll just drill you guys for a few minutes before returning,"


    "Okay, Tutor," Gu Yuwei smiled. Feng Chusan, who had been restored to health, with Han Yuefeng beside her, exchanded incredulous glances. Few minutes! Since when had their ironbrand Tutor Ning cared whether they had eaten or not? She used to drill them just the same! Who was this Gu Yuwei, they wondered.


    "Alright!" Ning Fulan turned to the hatchlings on the training ground, "I''ll be teaching you a fight stance today!"


    The girls tittered excitedly. Finally!


    "It''s called the Swing Kick," Ning Fulan said, "very basic; it was developed by Tutor Yang Yumo, a retired master of the Bear Squad. Pay attention!"


    One girl from Meng Yue''s circle pushed Feng Chusan, who was standing in front of her, to the side so she could see the instructor clearly.


    "Hey!" Feng Chusan staggered and glared daggers at her.


    "Shut up!" She hissed back.


    Ning Fulan had began showing the steps to the stance. She steadied her frame on two feet wide apart, cleched her fists and held them rigid at her side. She then channelled cultivation energy to her fists such that they glowed red, took a running leap, ducked down at the last second, and brought her fist through the air in a way that would have crippled a person she was fighting with. The air sizzled as her fist went through it, and left an afterimage of scarlet and a cloud of vapour. She was that powerful!


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Chu Gumei!" Ning Fulan called one of the girls who was one of the few cultivators in the hatchery, currently at the rank of Martial Master, and very proud of it. She went forward.


    "Let''s see if you''ve learnt anything," and Ning Fulan attacked her immediately using the Swing Kick. Chu Gumei jumped backwards, and tried to blow the instructor back with a blast of air. Ning Fulan shook off the hot air as if a robe was thrown onto her head, and kicked at the girl again. There was a sickening crack sound. Many of the girls gasped and covered their mouths. This! This was what she called basic?!


    "Aah!" Chu Gumei''s short cry did not mean the injury done was little! That was her leg, ah! She fell to the ground immediately as colour drained from her face, clutching her leg with both hands.


    Ning Fulan walked up to her.


    "That''s the pain your enemies will feel when you''ve mastered this stance. Good day!"


    "In-- instructor!" Meng Yue and Chu Gumei cried out at the same time, "won''t you-- won''t you do something for her leg?" Meng Yue asked worriedly. Ning Fulan had started walking away!


    Ning Fulan stopped by the small wicket gate surrounding the training ground and turned around.


    "Am I supposed to do something for her? Go and find her medicine if you care," and with that she teleported. Coughing up a mouthful of blood, Chu Gumei fainted from the excruciating pain coming from her broken leg. Her friends screamed in alarm and rushed to her at once, gingerly carrying her inside. Meng Yue stood in the middle of the training ground in shock and disbelief. The other girls glanced at her once and turned away to do their own tasks.


    "Everyone!" Su Hanlin called out. A few girls looked up warily.


    "I want to address those who see me as their Big Sister. In the kitchens, hurry,"


    A number of girls hurried over to the kitchen at once. Meng Yue watched them leave and she clenched her fists under her sleeves, biting her lips till it bled. This! Why?! Why was all this happening?! Why was she still in the hatcheries, and why was it that with each day her prestige fell more and more till she was almost nothing?!?!


    Su Hanlin, in the kitchen, assessed those that had come over. Twenty-two! Damn, she thought, Meng Yue''s girls were really loyal! With the declaration from Tutor Ning, only eight extra people accepted her leadership. However...


    "Welcome, girls. As we all know, Tutor Ning has appointed me officially to be you guys'' Big Sister--"


    "But what about the other tutors?" One girl at the back asked. Su Hanlin frowned. She did not like being interrupted. She pursed her lips.


    "Let that be for now. If Meng Yue reports to another tutor again, we''ll see their own stance. As I was saying," she got back on track, "I''m responsible for your well-being and safety. We all have to be careful. As of now, we''re the minority. Meng Yue''s girls will want to bully us. Stand your ground. Report anyone who hurts you to Gu Yuwei and I. We''ll do our best from there,"


    "Big Sister Hanlin," another of the new girls that joined them spoke up, "how will we now divide the foodstuffs here?"


    "That''s exactly why I called us here," Su Hanlin nodded, "we''ll take from the grains what we need normally,"


    "Let''s take more!" A girl called Ye Haobei grumbled.


    "Why''s that?" Han Yuefeng asked.


    "Tutor Ning has said you''re the Big Sister; you should take control of everything, Sister Hanlin!" Someone else clamoured.


    "That''s right! It''s only Tutor Ning that usually asks about the goings on in the hatchery; the other instructors don''t care. If tutor Ning says you''re Big Sister, then you are!" Another girl spoke up with conviction, "you should exercise your authority! Tutor Ning said your word is law. That means you can punish anyone who doesn''t obey your orders!"


    "Yes!"


    "That''s true!"


    "She''s right, Sister Hanlin!"


    Su Hanlin was quite surprised. She gazed at the girl who had spoken, a plump sweet looking girl with, however, sharp calculating eyes.


    "What''s your name?"


    "Li Beiyao, Big Sister," she replied.


    "Interesting. Well, we''ll listen to Beiyao and take full control," Su Hanlin concluded.


    "Yay!"


    "Yes, that''s great!"


    "We''ll be the ones doing the bullying, not the one being bullied!"


    "Take all the foodstuffs!"


    "Let''s store it in our spatial spaces!"


    "Go on, quick!"


    "I''d like to see the looks on their faces when they realise there''s no food for them!"


    "Hahaha!"


    The girls bantered as they worked. Very soon, the store of the kitchen was wiped clean of all supplies. Su Hanlin pinched her forehead with worry. However, she said nothing about it.


    "Let''s cook!"


    "Yeah, let''s!"


    The girls then brought out of their spatial spaces the ingredients they needed and started cooking. Feng Chusan stood at the side of the kitchen, her arms crossed with a slight smirk on her face, with Han Yuefeng and Gu Yuwei, watching the others.


    "Hah, to think I''ll be on the powerful side for once," Gu Yuwei lightly commented. Feng Chusan glanced at her, intrigued.


    "Why do you say that? Were you always on the weak side before?" Never one to mind rules, Feng Chusan had always been curious about the pasts of everyone in the hatchery before they were brought into the Mercenaries.


    "Never mind," Gu Yuwei said, lightly touching her shorn head, "it doesn''t matter anymore,"


    Feng Chusan pouted.


    "Come on; tell," she gave Han Yuefeng a side eye and the latter also nodded. Gu Yuwei shook her head.


    "There''s no need. Hey, didn''t you want to hear about how Sister Hanlin got you the medicine anymore?" she changed the subject. Feng Chusan''s eyes brightened, and she nodded excitedly.


    "I want to! You guys were telling me before Tutor Ning arrived. Go on!" She looked eagerly from Han Yuefeng to Gu Yuwei.


    "Alright. So, last night--" Gu Yuwei opened her mouth just as the girl called Ye Haobei approached them, carrying a stack of dirty plates.


    "Hey! Won''t you guys help? You might not know how to cook but at least you can wash," she frowned at them, "this is a new regime! Everyone must cooperate! No idling!"


    Feng Chusan and the other two girls rolled their eyes but followed her nonetheless. Ye Haobei walked in front of them, her head held high, her cheeks inflated. She dumped the dirty plates in her hand by the vat of water in the kitchen backyard and then turned to return inside, swaying from side to side as she walked.


    "Pfft," Feng Chusan couldn''t keep in her laughter anymore, "bwahahaha! How''s that one going to become a mercenary beats me!"


    "Stop it!" Han Yuefeng looked shocked, "she''s not gone yet, she might hear you!"


    "So what?" Feng Chusan shrugged, "I''m still being kind. I''m not like Fan Yurou who calls her the Mad Hippo,"


    "She''s mean," Gu Yuwei said, as she started scrubbing the plates Ye Haobei had dumped for them.


    "Yurou? Of course," Feng Chusan replied, picking up the drying cloth, "but she''ll stop now we''re in power. I''ll make sure of that,"

 Berserk

    "Sister Meng Yue!" a lackey ran to Meng Yue who was cultivating under a tree in the front courtyard of the hatchery, "you can''t believe what they''ve done now!!"


    Meng Yue opened her eyes. They were misty. She turned slowly towards the girl.


    "What?"


    "They-- they''ve taken all the foodstuffs in the store!! We have nothing to eat now! What do we do?!"


    "What?!" Meng Yue jumped up at once, "what did you say?!"


    "They''ve taken all the foodstuffs!" The girl replied angrily, "A lot of girls are threatening to join them now! And the girls are also asking what you''ll do for Sister Chu Gumei. She needs medicine for her leg!"


    Meng Yue did not reply to the last statement. She stormed towards the main house immediately.


    "Su! Han! Lin!" She shouted as she involuntarily released her aura. A couple of the girls in the room scampered back in alarm. A hot mass of air was billowing around Meng Yue. She scanned the room impatiently and finally noticed Su Hanlin, who was seated on her bed. She strode towards her at once.


    "What is the meaning of what you did?! Why have you taken all the food in the kitchen?!" Meng Yue screamed. Su Hanlin looked quite unbothered on the surface.


    "Because I''m now in charge," she replied tonelessly.


    "Since when did I ever remove foodstuffs from the kitchen into my personal spatial space when I was Big Sister?!" Meng Yue demanded.


    "You''re still our Big Sister, Sister Meng Yue!" Several girls rallied around her at once, although they weren''t able to come close to her because of her billowing aura.


    "You never decided to," Su Hanlin replied Meng Yue''s question, "and, by the way, not one grain of rice or salt or vegetable is in my spatial space,"


    "Then where is it?" A Meng Yue supporter, Gu Wenwen, shouted. Her status was high among the girls because she was the best friend of Yue Li, the girl they said was now Senior Red Monkey''s disciple!


    Su Hanlin spread her hands and indicated her girls. Meng Yue ground her teeth and clenched her fists.


    "So," she spoke through clenched teeth, "you want us to starve?"


    "Nope," Su Hanlin smiled, "kneel and accept me as your Big Sister and your portion of foodstuffs will be allocated to you,"


    "Sure," said her own girls.


    "Yeah, just go ahead and kneel,"


    "Yum, this food is delicious; you wouldn''t like to starve, guys,"


    "Hurry!"


    "You--! Go to hell, Su Hanlin!" Unaware of what she herself was doing,


    "Help!" Han Yuefeng stumbled outside just as Feng Chusan bolted out of her arms to go help Gu Yuwei, who had received a hard blow to the head from her opponent. Han Yuefeng ran to the fence with restrictive matrices placed on it that prevented the hatchlings from leaving. But Su Hanlin had left. Han Yuefeng vaulted over the fence and immediately found herself in another place. She didn''t stop to think of where she was and instead, at the sight of a silhouette further ahead, ran up crying at the top of her voice.


    "Help! Help! In the hatcheries! They''re fighting! Someone''s going to die!"


    The person she was chasing stopped and turned around abruptly, clearly startled. Han Yuefeng didn''t know the person and when she had run up to her dissolved into tears as she threw herself on her.


    "Please help! Please; my friends! They''re in trouble! Quick, please!"


    "Calm down, will you!" The woman, first shocked at the appearance of an hatchling in her courtyard, then at the hatchling crying into her arms like she was her mother, shouted.


    "I can''t calm down!" Han Yuefeng raised her head and sobbed, "one of those fighting seems to have gone crazy! Her eyes are red and she can''t control her powers anymore!"


    "What?!" The woman exclaimed, clearly shocked, "is that true? Berserk powers? Is there really someone with berserk powers in the hatchery?!" She shook Han Yuefeng urgently.


    "Yes! Quick; let''s go save my friends!!"


    "Luo Bai!" The woman called, and the man called Luo Bai appeared beside her immediately.


    "Senior Master," he went down on one knee. Han Yuefeng jumped back in alarm as she now took a good look at the woman whom she had soaked through with her tears and snot. Surely---!!!


    "Summon Nalan Yu back from the Jinhu Tower with the Return Tally at once!" She ordered, and grabbed Han Yuefeng''s hand as she hurriedly drew a teleportation matric to the hatcheries in the air.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    They landed in the courtyard almost immediately. The noise coming from the main house convinced Xi Yun that something was really going on. She hurried in, Han Yuefeng in her wake. Xi Yun pushed the door open and a scorching hot breeze was the first thing that blew onto her face. She raised her arm to cover her face as she raised her head to look at the girl now suspended four feet in the air, who had repelled back all her opponents and from whom hot fumes and licking flames issues at odd intervals. Meng Yue''s eyes were completely scarlet, and her hair billowed around her head. Xi Yun reacted immediately, drawing a complex restraining matrix the like of which she had used on Charming Leopard. The winding silver light emanating from the matrix traveled through the air to create a formation around the suspended Meng Yue, who swung around, enraged, and launched an attack at her assailant. Xi Yun repelled the attack with a shield, and increased the speed at which the restrictive matrix converged upon Meng Yue. Realising she couldn''t fight the woman, Meng Yue began to hack at the curling silver light ropes of the restrictive matrix with a transparent sword coagulated from her cultivation essence. Xi Yun, however, did not let her achieve this. With her other hand she launched another matrix that numbed Meng Yue and knocked her unconscious. The girl went limp and started falling towards the floor. The restrictive matrix took shape and caged her in, and when she fell to the ground with a loud thud she wasn''t physically hurt.


    Xi Yun strode forward and examined her. Meng Yue''s eyes, wide open, purely scarlet. Xi Yun raised her head and glanced at the others in the room, injured, bleeding, unconscious.


    "What in the name of the Grand Chief happened here?!" She couldn''t help but exclaim. Nothing, nothing like this had ever happened in the hatcheries since the Grand Chief founded the Si Lak Mercenaries!!


    None of the girls in the room was in any condition to talk; even Su Hanlin, who had been the recipient of many of Meng Yue''s billowing heat attacks, was in a bad state. Therefore, Han Yuefeng timidly approached the Senior.


    "That-- um--"


    "Hatchery instructors!" Xi Yun ignored her and shouted instead. Han Yuefeng jumped back in alarm as all of the instructors of the hatchery started teleporting. The cultivation instructor, the etiquette and history instructor, the horsemanship and archery instructor, the sword and weapon instructor, some instructors Han Yuefeng had never seen, and, ahh, Ning Fulan.


    "Greetings to Senior!" All the instructors chorused loudly, even as, with almost popping eyes, surveyed the state of the hatchery.


    "I need some explanations!" Xi Yun shouted. They all flinched. Ning Fulan bit her lip, then went on one knee with a thud.


    "I''ll take responsibility, Senior! This is my fault!"


    Xi Yun raised her eyebrows, surprised.


    "Speak on!" She barked at Ning Fulan, who nodded and continued.


    "Ever since Senior Red Monkey selected one of the girls as her disciple, this one," she pointed at the immobilised Meng Yue, "the hatchlings Big Sister, has become dispirited and morose. The girls complained that she was not doing her duties so I gave this one," she pointed at Su Hanlin, "who seemed capable, my approval to become the new Big Sister. However, a fight must have broken out between those still supportive to this one," she pointed at Meng Yue, "and those that accepted the new Big Sister,"


    Xi Yun glanced at Su Hanlin and waved a hand in her direction. Immediately, colour returned to Su Hanlin''s pale cheeks, and some of her external injuries even disappeared! She blinked, and then pushed herself up, even though her legs were shaking. She glanced nervously at Xi Yun.


    "Gre-- greetings-- to Senior,"


    Xi Yun crossed her arms over her chest as she examined her. Su Hanlin crept away until she stood against a bed frame. However, she maintained eye contact with the Senior.


    "Who brought you into the Mercenaries," Xi Yun opened her mouth and asked at last. Su Hanlin paled slightly.


    "I-- I don''t know their name-- "


    "Describe the person," Xi Yun snapped. Su Hanlin gulped. She wrung her hand together.


    "That-- the person wore purple and black; and -- and a yellow mask,"


    "What type of mask?" Xi Yun pressed.


    "That--" Su Hanlin lowered her head, "a beaver mask,"


    "Yellow beaver," Xi Yun frowned slightly, thinking, "Ahh," she finally seemed to have remembered something, "Crane Kill? Poison Wind?" She shook her head as she muttered to herself, "can''t be," she looked at Su Hanlin again.


    "Would you like to be my disciple?" Xi Yun asked. Su Hanlin raised her head in shock. Again?


    "I''d -- I''d like to-- but--" she had wanted to say yes but she suddenly remembered ghost man/handsome man, "I -- I''ve been chosen by someone," she murmured.


    Xi Yun surprised yet again.


    "If you''ve been chosen, why are you still in the hatchery?"


    "The person said he''d come to pick me later," Su Hanlin blushed in spite of herself.


    "Who is that? Do you know their name this time?" Xi Yun asked.


    "Yes," Su Hanlin nodded, "Guardian Yi Hei,"


    "Yi Hei," Xi Yun called out without preamble. The air distorted as Yi Hei appeared, looking grumpy. He held an half eaten apple in his hand, and the some of its seeds had stuck to his robe. His hair, though held up by a gold headpiece, was rough and untidy.


    "Hello," Yi Hei waved at Xi Yun casually. Everyone gasped. He glanced around unconcernedly, "what? Do you all expect me to kowtow to her?" He laughed, picking one of the seeds stuck to his robe and flicking it towards the Senior, "what, Little Yun, you want me to kneel and greet you?"


    Xi Yun''s face was unsightly, but she did not respond. Instead she asked.


    "Is it true you chose this girl as your disciple?" And pointed at Su Hanlin. Yi Hei took a bite of his apple and looked over at where Xi Yun was pointing.


    "Oh, why, yes I did!" He smiled his charming disarming smile, but all Su Hanlin could see underneath was scary ghost man. Xi Yun frowned.


    "What, you want to haggle over a disciple with me?" Yi Hei drawled, "is she that good? Oh," he turned his head and surveyed the carnage done to the room, "did she do this? Ah," he sighed and crunched the rest of the apple in his mouth, "see, it''s always you women. Back at the male hatcheries, ruckus like these don''t happen. Everyone is chained to the wall. Tell me," he stroked his chin, "no, I can guess what started the fight." He laughed, "a piece of clothing. No, a fancy jewellery. No, no, a handsome man," he patted his own face vainly.


    "Get out," Xi Yun said through gritted teeth.


    "What, you called me here in the first place," Yi Hei yawned lazily, "I''m not leaving again."


    Xi Yun turned around.


    "I guess I''ll be having you, then," she pointed at Han Yuefeng, and walked over to her, putting her arm over her shoulder, "clean up the mess," she said to the instructors, and strode out.


    "Chusan!" Han Yuefeng with teary eyes ran to her bunkmate and friend, "I have to go-- I''ll miss you!"


    "I''ll miss you too," Feng Chusan grumbled. This was the first real friend she had ever had in her life! Tears came to her other eye that was not swollen.


    "I''ll make sure you join me soon," Han Yuefeng grabbed her hands and gripped them tightly in hers, "goodbye!" She then raced out of the hatchery after her new master.

 Despair. Spear Squad.

    The instructors were thus left to clear up after the two big shots had left. Ning Fulan and some others cleared the debris, while the rest tended to the injured. Meng Yue was fed an antidote to her beserk cultivation state, and after a while she blinked as she opened her eyes, which had returned to their normal color.


    "Tutor Sal!" She pushed herself up onto her elbows, "what-- what happened?"


    The cultivation instructor, Sal Qilan, ignored her question and moved on to tend to another person. Su Hanlin had joined them and was currently applying ointment that Sal Qian had retrieved from her spatial space to Gu Yuwei''s injuries. Ning Fulan strode over.


    "I''ll do that. Go take care of the rest,"


    "Ahh- yes, tutor," Su Hanlin got up and approached Feng Chusan instead, who was crying.


    "It''s okay, Chusan. You still have me and Yuwei," Su Hanlin comforted her. Feng Chusan hiccuped.


    "But-- but you''re already also chosen; and Yuwei might be too anytime-- what will happen then? I''ll be all alone!"


    Su Hanlin shook her head, as she pressed down gently on Feng Chusan''s swollen eyelid with essence imbued into her fingers.


    "Keep training hard and make sure you''re at your cultivation peak any waking moment. You''ll be chosen,"


    "But-- what if I''m not chosen to the school you''re in. You''re in the Medicine Guild; Yuefeng has gone to the Spear Squad -- what am I to do?"


    "Don''t think about it like that. I''m sure we''ll be able to see each other," Su Hanlin said, "don''t worry,"


    "What!?" Meng Yue exclaimed from where she was. Did-- did she hear correctly?! Han Yuefeng had been chosen by the Top Senior?! And- and-- Su Hanlin had been accepted into the Medicine Guild?!? Then-- then what about her??! What about her?!? Would she rot in this hatchery forever?! Would any squad leader select her now once the news of what she had done reached everywhere? Fighting in the hatcheries! Berserk cultivation! What should she do?!? She felt like dying.


    "Tutor," she got up and approached Sal Qian, who had her back to her, "Tutor!" She shouted.


    Sal Qian heaved a long sigh and rose up. She turned around to face the panicking girl.


    "Yes, what now, Meng Yue?!"


    Meng Yue flinched. Her face was pale and she was trembling all over. She burst into tears and knelt down with a thud.


    "Tutor-- please-- accept me as your disciple! Please!" She grabbed the tutor''s robe, "please, don''t abandon me, Tutor Sal!"


    The other instructors gathered around them. They had finished clearing things up and taking care of the injured. Sal Qian glanced at them. Their faces were impassive. It was up to Sal Qian if she wanted to accept Meng Yue or not.


    "I-- I can''t," Sal Qian said eventually, "sorry, Meng Yue," she reached out and raised the girl off the ground. She then took a deep breath and turned to leave the hatchery. The other instructors also left one by one, till it was just Ning Fulan remaining.


    "Let there be no more fighting," she said tersely, addressing everyone, "understood?"


    "Yes, tutor," all the girls said meekly. Ning Fulan glanced at the still shock Meng Yue, but she didn''t have anything to say to her, so she just nodded at Gu Yuwei, and left the hatchery as well. The girls were silent for two minutes, then all arranged themselves wordlessly. Su Hanlin''s twenty-two, all chose beds surrounding that of their leader. Fifteen girls came forward and knelt before her, accepting her as their leader. Gu Wenwen and the three remaining ones (the lackey girl, the crippled Chu Gumei whose legs had been mended surreptitiously by the instructors and Fan Yurou) approached Meng Yue and led her to her bed... Gu Wenwen got up and came to Su Hanlin.


    "Give the five of us our share of the foodstuffs," she said tonelessly. Su Hanlin nodded at Ye Haobei, who brought out commensurate items from within her spatial space. Gu Wenwen collected them and walked away.


    "Is this the end of it?" Li Beiyao asked Su Hanlin, who shrugged and smiled.


    "It could have been much worse, if not for Yuefeng,"


    "That''s true! How did she manage to get the Top Senior here?!" Li Beiyao spoke with a reverent hush, "I wish she wasn''t gone so we could ask her!" She crunched her face unhappily.


    "Yeah," Feng Chusan sighed. Li Beiyao put her arms around her, startling Feng Chusan.


    "I know you''ll miss her the most, but we''ll all do. Cheer up. She might even talk to the Top Senior about you!"


    "I wish," Feng Chusan sighed again, "I hope she''ll be fine. Yuefeng is young. Who knows whether they''ll bully her in the Top Senior''s school?" She asked worriedly.


    "They wouldn''t dare," Su Hanlin commented, "her status is different. She''s the Top Senior''s disciple. Others are just students of the Spear Squad,"


    "But, Sister Hanlin, you''re really lucky!" Li Beiyao suddenly chuckled with a blush on her face, "your master is sooooo handsome!" She covered her face in ecstacy, "I was so embarrassed when he appeared; I looked terrible, and he looked in my direction!"


    In another time Feng Chusan would have been behaving in exactly the same way Li Beiyao was; after all this was the first time she was also seeing the ''ethereal beauties'' of the Si Lak Mercenaries without masks on too! But she scoffed.


    "So?"


    "So!" Li Beiyao seized a pillow and lugged it at Feng Chusan, "if I could be his disciple-- starring at him would be what I''d be doing all the day long!"


    "Stop it," Su Hanlin frowned; all she was remembering was ghost man, "he''s not fine at all. That''s just a facade. He''s very terrifying,"


    "Who cares?" Li Beiyao laughed, "if a facade is that handsome, then a facade is all I want!"


    Su Hanlin sighed and rubbed her aching forehead. Li Beiyao continued to rant and drool about Yi Hei all morning.


    *


    It was one of those rare times Meng Yue dreamt of her past. Perhaps it was because she had been thinking too much, but what else could she do? After eating the meal Gu Wenwen and the others had cooked she had climbed up into her bed and thrown a quilt over herself and cried herself to sleep and slept for the whole day. She had found herself, despite wishing for a dreamless slumber, back in her childhood home; if the torn down shack in which she and fifteen other children bundled in when night fell could be called a home. Meng Yue had been a street child, after her parents had died and her insane grandmother had thrown her out. She was fourteen years old back then and the second only reason she was not in a brothel was because she could fight off her abductors every single time: she was a cultivator. Meng Yue found solace from the stark misery of the streets by cultivating, and she was already a Martial Skill at this age. Her cultivation had reached a bottleneck because there was no where she could go to in order to secure a Skill Scroll to practice. But she never stopped trying to cultivate, even though it went nowhere and the esscence she was absorbing was just layering up in her oasis without converting to cultivation strength. One day she had even tried to create a Skill of her own, procuring a rough broken knife and trying to form some combat steps. She did everything she could!


    That day another brothel abductor had raided their shack. She fought back trying to protect the kids with her but she was overpowered. Though they still hadn''t been able to take her they had taken some of the girls away. Meng Yue experienced despair and hopelessness that day, riddled with injuries and an even greater hole in her heart. She had ran away from that town to another, and there encountered the Mercenary that took her in, Whistle Night, who was surprised and intrigued at a seventeen year old Martial Skill cultivator with far too much acquired essence with which she should have broken through to another stage. She had pleaded with him to please follow her to the next to the neighbouring town to free some of her friends from a brothel. Not exactly bothered, Whistle Night had obliged and had helped raze down the brothel. Those girls were brought back to Si Lak town while Meng Yue herself had been deposited in the hatchery. Naive her had thought he was going to come back and get her some days later...


    Meng Yue woke up with a start. Whistle Night. Perhaps she could ask around about him, and become his disciple. After all, Su Hanlin had gone down to the main camp. Han Yuefeng had as well, and encountered the Top Senior! Sitting in here and pining away was not going to help. She had to take matters into her own hands.


    Meng Yue slipped down from the bed soundlessly. Yet, she woke Gu Wenwen as she crept by her, who rubbed her crusty eyes.


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    "Where are you--"


    "Shh!" Meng Yue put a finger to her lips, "I''m just going outside for some air," she said quietly, "sleep,"


    Gu Wenwen rolled back in her bed. Meng Yue nodded satisfactorily. She slipped into her sandals and retrieved from the clothes box in the room the black cloak Su Hanlin had used that day. She then stealthily crept out of the hatchery.


    Once outside, Meng Yue did not delay and made towards the path that led from the hatchery to Mt. Lingwu at once. She had overheard the girls talking among themselves in the aftermath of Su Hanlin''s return from the main camp that this was where she had passed through to get there. Meng Yue went up the hilly incline with great anticipation in her thumping heart. It would soon be over...it would soon be over...it would soon be...


    That damn Su Hanlin! Meng Yue cursed in her heart as she retched into a bush. She sat with a thump on a boulder, huffing. Was this a prank?! Did that girl really pass through this place to get to the camp! Why, she''d come to the end! It was a cliff! A damn sheer drop cliff about a hundred feet high.


    She crept to the edge carefully. Ah! Lights! Silhouettes of houses! Turrets and towers! Wide acres of training fields! This! This was the Si Lak Mercenaries!!!


    How had Su Hanlin gotten down? Meng Yue examined the cliff and noticed that it could be climbed down. However, that would take a very dexterous and experienced person! What was she going to do?!


    She decided to jump. First of all she conjured a large bubble shaped mass and threw it down. Hopefully she would land on that and not fall somewhere else and break all her bones. She took a deep breath as she noticed where the mass had fallen.


    Heave!


    Waaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!


    Thump!


    Thump!


    Thump!


    She had landed, yes, on the mass. But she had sprained her ankle for her weight fell onto her leg. Meng Yue sat up and examined her ankle. She quickly poured in healing essence unrestrainedly. Before long, she could now stand on it again.


    Meng Yue looked up. It was so far away! She plucked up courage, however, and ran towards it...


    *


    Han Yuefeng stood in the wide courtyard with a feeling of homesickness, holding to her chest a bundle of clothes wrapped in a quilt. Even though the courtyard was bustling with activity and people came in and went out of all the surrounding buildings all around her, she felt very lonely. She would rather be in the hatchery with her friends rather than here, but...


    "Hey," finally, someone noticed her standing there all by herself and going nowhere. A tall spangly boy wearing the red and white uniform of the Spear Squad. His hair was held up with a headpiece, but he still had his hair braided at the sides. He carried a longsword with a tassel, and carried himself with a sense of pride and confidence.


    "Hello," Han Yuefeng scuttled back a step and looked up at him. He was almost twice her height.


    "Are you new?" He asked her.


    "Yes," she replied quietly.


    "But your hair hasn''t been made tho!" He shouted, drawing attention to them both. Han Yuefeng looked around wildly as other students started to surround them.


    "What''s the matter, Yan Xiao?" Someone of authority asked among them. Yan Xiao made way.


    "Umm, this girl-- she claims to have been selected, but she still has her ''hatchery hair'',"


    The other young man frowned as he surveyed Han Yuefeng from head to toe.


    "Who brought you back?" He asked sharply.


    "Um-- Se-- Senior-- the Top Senior," Han Yuefeng stammered. The onlookers paused for a second.


    "Hah!" Yan Xiao suddenly snorted, "really!"


    "Where did you encounter her?" Another student laughed as well.


    "Yeah-- in your dreams?"


    "Hahahaha!"


    "So hilarious!"


    Han Yuefeng was on the verge of tears. She hid her face into the bundle she was carrying and wished to disappear.


    "What are you all doing there?" A stern voice coming from the entrance of the Spear Squad school suddenly sounded. The students surrounding Han Yuefeng straightened their backs unconsciously as they stood at alert.


    "Elder Nalan!" They all bowed to her at a respectful ninety degree.


    "Rise," Nalan Yu waved her hand, "what''s happening here?"


    "Replying to Elder, this girl walked in and said she''s a new student and we noticed she didn''t have the Spear Squad''s hairstyle, so we reckoned she was lying," Yan Xiao piped up at once.


    "Oh! I''ve been looking for you all over!" Nalan Yu strode over to the befuddled Han Yuefeng, "so you came here. Are you alright?"


    "Hmm," Han Yuefeng nodded, wiping the lone tear that had sneaked out of her eye. Nalan Yu frowned.


    "What! Have you been bullying her?! Do you know who you are bullying?! Pay your respects to the Fifth Elder of the Spear Squad!"


    "Ahh?!?" The students were flabbergasted! Fi-- fifth elder?!?! How come?!?


    "What are you standing there for?!" Nalan Yu barked.


    "That--" a pretty girl raised her head and spoke up, "Elder Nalan, has-- has she really been chosen as Senior Flaming Spear''s disciple?!"


    "Yes!" Nalan Yu glared daggers, "now go ahead and pay your respects!"


    "Ahh-- the disciples of the Spear Squad greet the Fifth Elder!" All of them had no option but to obey, and gave Han Yuefeng the same respect they gave Nalan Yu.


    "Good! Let''s go," Nalan Yu took Han Yuefeng by the arm, taking the bundle she carried and throwing it to the pretty girl who had talked earlier, "You, carry the Elder''s load!"


    "Ye-- yes, Elder Nalan!" The flustered girl caught the bundle in a jiffy, her face red. She hurried after the duo at once. Nalan Yu brought Han Yuefeng to a beautiful manor-like house behind the Spear Squad school. The plaque overhead read Limitless Potential.


    "This is your house," Nalan Yu commented.


    "Mi-- mine?!?" Han Yuefeng was shocked. Even the girl behind them had her jaws dropped!


    "Yes," Nalan Yu nodded as she pushed open the door, revealing an exquisite main room. The door on the left side of the room was opened to a medium sized courtyard with a small stone pool in the middle, a cultivation room at the far end, a kitchen, and even a gazebo!


    "I know you wouldn''t be able to manage it on your own so I''ll go into town to find some maids for you," Nalan Yu said.


    "That-- Elder Nalan, can I serve her?" Luggage bearer immediately spoke up. Nalan Yu turned around to glare at her.


    "So how are you going to learn to be a Spear Squad member if you spend all your time here serving the Elder?"


    "That--" She stalled. Nalan Yu hissed.


    "If you have nothing better to say, just keep quiet," she snapped, "drop the load and return,"


    "Ye-- yes, elder!" Her face even redder than it already was, the girl dropped the load on the wooden table in the room and ran out.


    Nalan Yu turned to face Han Yuefeng.


    "So, do you like it?" She smiled. Han Yuefeng was blown away by her beauty. Blushing, she nodded.


    "Come. I''ll bring you to where the others are. Let''s teleport this time," Nalan Yu grabbed Han Yuefeng''s hand.


    "The others?" Han Yuefeng asked, but they were already hurtling through a void. They landed inside a long hall.


    "Hey! Nalan Yu shouted to the people inside the hall, who were basically lounging around.


    "What''s the matter?"


    "You''re back already?"


    "Yes, and I''m back with the fifth!" Nalan Yu smiled widely as if she had been given all the candies in the world.


    The three people in the room approached them. The first, Luo Bai, with his heterochromatic eyes.


    "Hello," he nodded to Han Yuefeng, "you can call me Brother Luo. My name is Luo Bai,"


    Han Yuefeng gulped as normally a man Luo Bai''s age was supposed to be her father! But she smiled instead.


    "Hello, Brother Luo,"


    Luo Bai froze as if shot. The younger man beside him grinned as he shove him to one side and introduced himself.


    "I''m Si Jihei," he smiled widely, showing pointed canines. Half of his hair covered the side of his face, and the other half was held back with a ribbon. He wore a loose robe open at the chest, deep red with blue stripes at his shoulder line.


    "Hello, senior Si,"


    "No, no, you can''t call me senior!" Si Jihei panicked as he waved his hands quickly, "that title is only reserved for Master and the other Seniors. Best you can do is call me Brother Si or Second Brother or just my name,"


    "Oh," Han Yuefeng nodded and smiled, "I''ll learn,"


    Si Jihei held his chest in mock fright as if he was going to get an heart attack from Han Yuefeng''s smile.


    "Ahh! Why is our fifth so cute?!?? Where did Master pick her up from?" He shouted. Luo Bai glanced at him and shook his head. The last person finally came forward.


    "I''m your third martial brother, Mu Tianjin," he was more reserved than the others, and wore a black robe with an intricate crane pattern.


    "Hello, brother Mu," Han Yuefeng had now realised why Nalan Yu was quite happy. It turned out that she had been the only female disciple of the Top Senior for a while.


    "Alright, after this, you can just ignore them," Nalan Yu said happily as she turned around with Han Yuefeng.


    "Hey!" Si Jihei shouted at their backs, "we don''t even know the tiny one''s name yet!"


    "Oh!" Han Yuefeng turned around, "I''m sorry!--"


    "What a weird name; Sorry?" Luo Bai commented. Han Yuefeng blushed.


    "No, I mean--"


    "Haha!" Si Jihei laughed, holding his belly, "you''re sorry! Hi, sorry, I''m Si Jihei!"


    "Do you seriously feel the need to do that?" Mu Tianjin raised his eyebrows.


    "I''m-- I''m Han Yuefeng,"


    "What a beautiful name," Si Jihei held his cheeks like a smitten fan girl, "don''t mind Nalan Yu and come visit your big martial brothers often! I promise I''ll give you lots of goodies!"


    "Let''s go," Nalan Yu pulled Han Yuefeng out. They were outside when she talked again, "and don''t mind him-- I''ll give you everything you want,"


    *


    Agate Pavillion, Li Manor, Phoenix Empire


    "Waah! Bun Bun not do again! Bun Bun not walk! Bun Bun want snacks!" Li Silan fell to the ground with a loud bump. The before time round ball of fat was now almost unrecognisable; she now looked like a normal human being! She was still big, but had already lost about half of her original weight.


    Her driller stood over her with a menacing expression. Some distance away, Tao He and Jun Ru didn''t know whether to be laughing or crying.


    "Get up,"


    "Nooooo! Mother! Mother! Bun Bun want Mother!" She started crawling away from this scary personage. Wu wu wu, where had her caring Big Sister gone?! Who was this stranger and what had she done with the lovely indulgent Big Sister, waah!


    The only person in the entirety of the Li Manor who could go against (not strictly speaking) this frightening girl who was not her Big Sister was her mother! However, Li Sihan was not the Grand Chief of the Si Lak Mercenaries for nothing. She only made sure to do Li Silan''s (she had even stopped calling her by the nickname) weight loss drills when the madam of the house was not around. Today, the couple had gone out again and yup, they refused to have scary blood-thirsty mercenary escorts. Li Sihan had been low-key annoyed by that but Madam Li had cajoled her.


    No one could tell Li Silan that her sister wasn''t transferring aggression onto her! Waaah! Why not just let her continue to eat her snacks in peace?! Now, her meals had been reduced to seven per day, wu wu wu! She wasn''t allowed any more sweets and snacks! What a life! What a sad sorry life!!


    "Young miss!" A servant dashed into the Agate Pavilion in a hurry, "it''s bad! It''s bad!"


    "What''s bad?" Li Sihan drawled lazily. Jun Ru and Tao He, however, had stood at alert at once.


    "I received a pigeon from the butler at the summer home that Master and Madam had yet to arrive still!"


    "They could be taking their time," Li Sihan waved her hand, unbothered.


    "I-- this servant doesn''t think so! It''s been twelve days and they should have arrived on the seventh! Don''t -- don''t you suppose a mishap has happened?"


    "Why are you thinking ominously," Li Sihan retorted. Jun Ru walked up to her.


    "Grand Chief, I reckon we should really look into this to make sure my lord and lady are alright,"


    Li Sihan pouted.


    "Could there be anyone with the guts and balls to do them harm after I declared my identity?"


    "Yes," Jun Ru''s face was straight, "the Scorpion Hall,"


    Li Sihan''s face turned ugly.


    "They. Don''t. Dare," she stood up immediately. Her expression was so dark and scary it frightened even Tao He and Jun Ru, much less the poor hapless servant.


    "Let''s go!"

 Her Past? The Upper Prefectures.

    Li Sihan stared at the wreckage of the overturned carriage with an unconcealed rage and hatred that chilled her subordinates blood. See, the Grand Chief had never been much of an expressive person, even when she had still been in her original body. She was a very stoic faced personality who was never fazed at the direst of circumstances. Yet ...


    Inside Li Sihan''s mind she couldn''t care less what her subordinates were thinking. The jarring scene of this carriage accident was doing things to her soul. Terrifying things. She seemed to be remembering a very dark memory, darker than the Boiler itself...


    Li Sihan had always been Li Sihan. As in, the Grand Chief of the Si Lak Mercenaries had always been the daughter of the Li family! In her past life, Li Zhenming, Ren Ziming and her little sister, Li Silan had died in a carriage accident and she was the only one who had survived; because her cultivation spirit had awakened so she didn''t easily die of blood loss. Walking away from that carnage scene had been the hardest thing she had ever done in her life. Now, the Scorpion Hall dared to remind her of her past...she knew Li Zhenming and Ren Ziming weren''t dead because she had surreptitiously placed her imprint on them and would know... She would know if those damn bastards dare lay even as much as a finger on her parents...


    "Mobilise the Trackers!" Li Sihan commanded, and Jun Ru used a special summon token to create the tear in space that only the Grand Chief was capable of doing to bring the Trackers over to where they were. Hearing that the Scorpion Hall had kidnapped the Grand Chief''s parents, the Four Seniors accompanied them as well.


    "Greetings to the Grand Chief!" They all went down on one knee. Li Sihan nodded. The Trackers rose and fell to work immediately without having anyone have to explain what they had to do to them. The three surrounded the carnage wreck and starting creating an immense complicated tracking matrix. Within minutes, what had started as three small strands of silver light had become a humongous network of crisscrossing, zapping, flashing, booming matrices.


    "Done!" The three Trackers were covered in sweat, their faces pale. They had burnt a lot of cultivation esscence.


    "We now have a location, Grand Chief!"


    "Yes?" Li Sihan raised her head.


    "Maoyang Mountain, Qinding, in the Upper Prefectures!"


    "Hah," Li Sihan spat, "very well. Seems like I''m just going to wipe off this whole Upper Prefectures this time,"


    *


    Si Lak Mercenaries Headquarters


    A wizened old man stood in front of the group of people upon the mountain. His loose robes fluttered behind him in the string breeze.


    "Why have you summoned me, Grand Chief?" He croaked at the little girl in front.


    "Open up the gateway to the Upper Prefectures," Li Sihan ordered.


    "Has the Grand Chief gotten over the unspoken beef you have with that place?" The old man laughed. Li Sihan glared at him and he flinched, then laughed nervously again to cover his awkwardness.


    "Of course. I''ll open the gateway immediately, Grand Chief," he bowed obsequiously.


    Turning around, the old man raised his hand towards the sky and seemed to be pulling something down. Slowly, a illusory transparent stairway started to drop from the skies. Beads of sweat appeared on the old man''s forehead as he continued to make pulling gestures. By the time the stairway was halfway down, he seemed to reach a certain limit and he spat out a mouthful of blood.


    "Ha, ha, ha," he gasped as he tried to catch his breath, wiping his mouth with his sleeve, "Grand Chief, this subordinate is getting too old for this. You should select another guardian for the gateway. I can''t bring it any further down,"


    Li Sihan turned down her lips.


    "You''re right," she sneered, "I''ll select another gateway guardian," she stomped hard on the ground and flew into the air. Five blurs of light streaked after her.


    "Grand Chief, be careful!" Xi Yun, the blur of light in front, cried out as the trials of the gateway started. Bolts of lightning started zapping around them as soon as Li Sihan stepped her feet on the first step. She avoided them dexterously, refusing at that moment to stop the stupid one by one climbing and simply kept on flying. After a while, the lightning stopped and a very dark mist fell upon them. Xi Yun, who was an old hand at visiting the Upper Prefectures, immediately advised the rest.


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    "Don''t panic, just keep climbing!"


    Li Sihan couldn''t care less. She continued flying upwards at a very fast speed, with, she was quite surprised to notice, worry in her heart. Her mother was probably very scared. She could imagine her sobbing into Li Zhenming''s shoulder, that is, if they didn''t keep them separately... She increased her speed! Little Bun was also waiting for her at home, in the care of Tao He and a dozen other Mercenaries.


    Deng!


    Shwaa!


    Had they set an ambush for her as soon as she arrived?!


    "Hahahahaha!" A quite familiar laughter rang in her ears, "gotcha now, Si Lak!"


    Li Sihan frowned. She reached out and touched the soft mass that had enveloped her. Zing! She pulled her hand back sharply as it stung!


    "Hahahaha! Does it hurt, Si Lak?"


    Li Sihan withdrew into her oasis. From her spatial storage she retrieved a small round object. Very small, even than her pinky finger.


    "Si Lak! Hey, Si Lak! Wake up, are you dead already? That''s not fun!"


    Thwak!


    As soon as Li Sihan opened her eyes she flung the object at the mass.


    Riiiiip!


    "Hey!"


    Once free of the mass, Li Sihan scrunched her eyes in deep concentration. Riiiip! Another tearing sounded.


    "No, do you think you can get to me that easily!" All the mirth had disappeared from the voice, "it''s not for nothing I''m the Hall Master of the Scorpion Hall!"


    "Guess you still want to lurk some more," Li Sihan shrugged, "where have you put them?"


    "Who?" The voice growled.


    "That couple you kidnapped from the mainland,"


    "Ha! Guess!"


    "Maoyang Mountain," Li Sihan rolled her eyes. She could almost in her mind''s eye see old Scorpy''s jaw dropping open. Whoosh! Since he was not bold enough to face her in a 1v1, she decided to go rescue her parents instead.


    However... If it wasn''t for her Space Tearing Meteor, wouldn''t that old man have gotten her this time? Even as she flew she examined the small burn mark on her finger. For this, she would make sure to destroy in flames that pesky Hall! How dare him--!


    She surveyed the jagged terrain with distaste. Yes, this was what she hated about the Upper Prefectures. It was bare and lifeless. Where was this Maoyang mountain?


    Boom!


    Another ambush?


    About twelve black robed surrounded her in midair. Li Sihan was forcefully reminded of the time the Scorpion Hall and Yan Temple had jointly attacked her. However, she was not entirely unhappy about *that* attack, for it was what made her able to be reborn again! Whether it was rebirth or transmigration she was not even certain, but she was happy.


    Not right now.


    There was a stalemate as the twelve cultivators examined her reaction. Li Sihan was trying to probe their level of cultivation. They were Martial Sovereigns, real ones, not like those that had fought against Yun and Gu Yan. But she was not afraid. She was just a little worried that it would not be like the last time. The deja vu feeling was too much.


    "Do you know what we want from you?" One of the cultivators eventually broke the silence with a hoarse grunt. Li Sihan turned to look at him.


    "The cultivation formula with which you broke through to Martial Saint!" He suddenly shouted. Li Sihan rolled her eyes.


    "Even if I gave it to you, would you be able to achieve what I achieved?" She retorted coldly.


    "Si Lak, you are going to die today," another of the cultivators said, "why not do some good before you go to the underworld?"


    Li Sihan snorted.


    She raised her hand and automatically her assailants raised matrix shields. She chuckled derisively.


    "Bunch of jumpy sooty bastards," she insulted them, "why are you so scared?"


    "Hmph!" The first one suddenly launched an attack, "Soul Tearing Formation!"


    The eleven others raised their hands and added their own cultivation essence to the towering formation which swelled and then morphed into a single silver arrow that shot straight at Li Sihan''s chest.


    She imbued her hand with cultivation energy and caught the arrow an inch to it piercing through her heart. She turned it around and threw it back at the assailants. They scattered in different directions as they avoided it!


    "Tsk," Li Sihan snorted, "okay, next,"


    "Don''t be too arrogant!" One of the experts retrieved his contracted weapon and zoomed like a flash of light to battle Li Sihan one on one. The eleven others surrounded them back and started shooting different debilitating matrices and seals at her. Li Sihan raised a shield to deter the onslaught, and turned to whack the weapon carrying cultivator away with a blast on energy. He staggered back a hundred steps in midair before returning with a crazed expression again for another attack.


    Boom! Blast! Boom! The seals and matrices being created by the others kept crashing against the infallible shield... Li Sihan waited till the first assailant was within whacking distance before whacking him again. This time, he coughed up a mouthful of blood, clutching his chest in horror. Li Sihan raised her hands and created a very technical matrix; one like which the two princes of the Phoenix Empire had probably employed to become cultivators. But this one was not an Essence Transfer Matrix; it was an Essence Absorbing Matrix. While the former might have, even though crippled, still left the victims alive; this one would ultimately destroy the life force of whoever was the unfortunate recipient as well.


    "Activate!" Li Sihan shouted, and a round ring-like object was formed by the intertwining of the silver matrix strands. The ring flew up above Li Sihan''s head and exuded, with a blast, a sparkle of light. All twelve assailants suddenly found themselves unable to move, and, to their horror, beams of white light started to pour out of their orifices and pour upwards into the ring. Eyes wide open with shock, the cultivators lost their lives in the most gruesome manner. Li Sihan raised her hand and snatched the essence absorbing matrix ring out of the air. With a hmph, she teleported.

 The Hostages

    "Where are we, Senior?" Shadow Claw Jun Ru asked. Xi Yun looked around the bare surroundings. Her brows furrowed.


    "Where''s the Grand Chief?"


    The others also glanced around and realised the little moe loli was not among them.


    ¡±Huh? Where''d she go?" Storm Sword''s jaws dropped.


    "This is a trap," said Xi Yun darkly, "the Scorpion Hall knew as soon as they kidnapped the Grand Chief''s parents she would come running to save them. They must have set a Diverting Matrix formation at the entrance to the Upper Prefectures. They''ve spirited the Grand Chief elsewhere, so let''s head to Maoyang Mountain at once. Or else..."


    She started drawing a teleportation matrix at once. Almost immediately a mist descended on them and an irritated voice barked at them.


    "Hey! Mediocre cultivators! This is the Upper Prefectures! You can''t just do as you please. No teleportation matrices are allowed here in Luyang Fief!"


    Thump!


    Jun Ru located the loud mouthed tooter and dealt him a blow to the stomach. The wiry headed man was shocked! How come! But that was the end of him. Xi Yun quickly completed the matrix she was drawing and all the Seniors and Jun Ru jumped into it at once. A wild ride later, they had descended on the craggy peaks of Mt. Maoyang. There seemed to be a cultivation school there for as soon as the five''s feet touched the ground a siren sound went up and several brown robed disciples cultivating on the peak went into disarray; some running down to call for assistance, and the others assuming a combat stance immediately.


    "This is the Xuelu Sect! No trespassers are allowed!" A fat bellied middle aged man immediately shouted, pointing a shaking finger at the mercenaries. Their attire had scared him out of his wits! Even though they Upper Prefecture people always boasted and pretended that they were the peak masters of the world; they knew who the Si Lak Mercenaries were! This scarlet and black robe was too famous in a bad way, ah! Not here, please! He needed his life so he could still find a pretty sect girl to marry later!


    Xi Yun ignored him. She turned to Jun Ru instead.


    "Shadow Claw, you were the one who stayed at the Li Manor the longest. You should be able to trace the aura of the Grand Chief''s parents, right?


    Jun Ru furrowed his brows.


    "Senior, you forget the Grand Chief''s parents are not cultivators. They have no aura!"


    Xi Yun''s expression turned ugly as well. If only the Grand Chief were here with them!


    "Alright. The hard way it is, then," she pursed her lips and spoke. Storm Sword shouldered his humongous sword immediately, a leering smile appearing on his face. All these brown robed people were already corpses in his eyes.


    "Junior," Red Monkey spoke, and he snapped out of his rampaging mood at once, turning to face her with puppy dog eyes, "don''t kill unless necessary. Maiming is alright," Red Monkey instructed. Storm Sword grinned widely.


    "Of course, Big Sis Red Monkey!" And he lumbered at the Xuelu disciples at once. Cries went up around him almost immediately. Xi Yun and the others charged in unabated while Storm Sword cleared the way as if clearing weeds. Thus they descended into a courtyard hollowed out of the mountain where almost the entire population of the Xuelu Sect was now assembled, weapons drawn for battle. An old man in the centre surrounded by several other elderly ones addressed the Mercenaries in a loud voice.


    "What grudge do you have with our Xuelu Sect?!"


    "If you have a mainland couple hidden somewhere, hand them over to us and we will be gone," Charming Leopard spoke. The old man''s eyes constricted at once. Xi Yun smirked.


    "We have no scruples about killing everyone here," she said.


    "You--?! This is slander! What mainland couple? There is no one like that here! Everyone on this mountain is an Upper Prefecture citizen!"


    "Kill them all," Xi Yun dropped the command, and her juniors charged forward at once. She herself headed in the other direction where there seemed to be a cluster of houses. The Grand Chief''s parents should be here somewhere... She kicked doors open even as she maintained a presence sensing matrix with her other hand. She came to a flight of stairs in one of the more decorated rooms leading down into what appeared to be dungeons. Though with a second''s feeling of suspicion, Xi Yun charged forward without stopping. She went down the stairs in a hurry and came to a dimly lit underground cave. Looking around, she scanned the place for human presence when a low laugh sounded in her ears.


    "Compel!" The voice shouted at once, and Xi Yun saw for the briefest moment a red afterimage of a small silver arrow before it hit her and all went dark.


    Meanwhile outside, the sect leader of the Xuelu sect was battling the three Seniors of the Mercenaries and Jun Ru, and was already looking worse for the wear. Hundreds of bodies were strewn on the ground; Red Monkey''s poison handiwork. After cutting down one of the elders, Jun Ru looked up and reckoned he should go after Yun to look for the Grand Chief''s parents. He thus withdrew from the fierce battle and ran towards the cluster of buildings on the other side of the open courtyard where the fighting was. Xi Yun''s aura placed her underground, and Jun Ru felt a rush of excitement as he presumed she had found the Li couple already, so he hurried even faster. Arriving at the decorated room Xi Yun had entered earlier, Jun Ru glanced around once before he spotted the half concealed stairwell leading down into the dungeon. But just as he made to hurry down, Xi Yun came up.


    "Senior!" Jun Ru was a little started as he hadn''t felt her presence on the stairs at all, "they''re not there, are they?"


    Xi Yun turned her head to look at him, and Jun Ru jumped back in fright. Her eyeballs had rolled back into her head. A weird aura issued from her, as if she had been turned into a war puppet. Jun Ru''s eyes widened in shock and fear. Who had done this?! There was a trap down there, and the person who had restrained Xi Yun was still possibly lurking there, waiting to harvest more people. Jun Ru thought quickly, even as the controlled Xi Yun started tottering towards him like a zombie. He turned around and ran as she launched her first attack, sending him crashing to the floor. Was this the Scorpion Halls doing? Jun Ru thought as he jumped up and activated a shield matrix at his back and continued to run outside. Did they intend to bring down the Mercenaries from the inside by their own blade?!


    The battle in the open courtyard was still fierce; the Xuelu sect''s cultivators were not mediocres. Jun Ru shouted for Charming Leopard. Gu Yan flew up into the air backwards out of the tussle and landed next to Jun Ru.


    "Senior''s been restrained by some sort of mind locking matrix!" Jun Ru reported at once. At that moment Xi Yun crashed out of the buildings. Charming Leopard took one glance at her and understood. He immediately raised his hand.


    "Activate!" He shouted, and even Jun Ru had no idea what he was activating. However, a red light blinked near Xi Yun''s neck and she fell to the ground unconscious. Gu Yan ran to her and caught her before she hit the ground. He raised his head to look at Jun Ru.


    "Clear things up," he ordered. That meant they had no time to waste fighting these Xuelu Sect people again. Jun Ru shouted to Red Monkey and Storm Sword to retreat and then obliterated the rest of the surviving Xuelu people with a Meteor Blasting Core projectile. Gu Yan immediately drew a concealing matrix and added a layer of all senses deterring formation to it. He jumped inside with Xi Yun in his arms and the others followed suit.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Report," Gu Yan nodded at Jun Ru.


    "Senior seemed to have gone down into one dungeon where some hidden person must have cast a controlling matrix on her. Seeing as she attacked me it was definitely not of her own free will,"


    "That''s not the most important thing," Gu Yan furrowed his brows, "where are the Grand Chief''s parents?!"


    "I don''t know," Jun Ru had a pained expression, "the Grand Chief should have placed our imprint on them too!"


    "This is not the time to be criticising the Grand Chief''s decisions!" Gu Yan snapped angrily, "this is what we do. We''ll divide ourselves into two. Red Monkey and I will go rat out that bastard in the dungeons. You and Storm Sword should comb the rest of this mountain for the Grand Chief''s parents. Understood?"


    "Roger, Senior,"


    "What about Big Sis Xi Yun?" Red Monkey asked nervously.


    "I''ll leave her within this matrix. No harm will come to her. She''ll be unconscious until I take off the seal I placed on her. Let''s go!"


    Instead of five, four cultivators emerged from the concealing matrix. Charming Leopard and Red Monkey ran towards the houses at once, while Storm Sword and Jun Ru started searching other places. Two equally concealed cultivators watching the happenings frowned in confusion. These Mercenaries were truly deft and capable! They had thought being in control of at least one of them would prove insurmountable to the rest, who would have to be avoiding her attacks without reacting for fear of hurting her. But they had knocked her unconscious and dragged her into a concealing matrix! Two were now headed towards their comrade who was still holding the elaborate controlling matrix that could control someone of Xi Yun''s cultivation stature! He must already be very exhausted right now, and two ace cultivators were headed his way!


    "Should we tell Dong Hai to terminate the controlling matrix so he can defend himself against those ones?" The second cultivator asked at last.


    "Do you know how much it cost the Hall Master to create that matrix! And it''s not even been used for its purpose yet!" The other one grumbled.


    "But if Dong Hai is still holding it up, he won''t last one exchange with those ones! The matrix will become useless in the end, and we will lose an ace cultivator!"


    The first one frowned deeply. Then he sighed.


    "It''s too late," for, very clearly, the screams of their comrade Dong Hai echoed all over Mt. Maoyang.


    "What do we do now?!" The second panicked.


    "Relax," the other patted his arm, "we have the most important things here," and he looked over his shoulder to glance at the tied up Li Zhenming and his wife, who were glaring daggers at him even though they were restrained with essence shackles binding their bodies and mouths. The cultivator smirked and turned back around.


    "With these, we''ll have Si Lak hand over the cultivation scroll with which she became a Martial Saint," he concluded.


    "But what if she doesn''t?" The other complained, "Hall Master insisted we shouldn''t kill them. Why? I reckon killing them would make things easier,"


    "Idiot!" The first berated, "you''ll kill your hostages? That''s the only thing that will bring Si Lak here!"


    "Well, we can double-cross and kill them once we get what we want," the other frowned deeply, "we must avenge Dong Hai and our other martial brothers! You do realise the fact that if Si Lak makes it here, that means she managed to get out of the Conflagration Matrix, and also past our Venom Twelve!"


    Li Zhenming''s face went pale as his heart clenched in his chest. Even though he did not fully understand all they said; was that... was that what all these people really set in store for his daughter?!? Would...would his little Sihan really be able to overcome all that?! Li Zhenming''s head became oddly light and he felt like fainting. But that was nothing to what his wife was feeling! He willed himself to remain conscious and turned his head with difficulty to check on his wife. Her face was very pale, almost lifeless, but her eyes, though teary, shone sharp and clear. What was keeping her going was probably the love she had for her daughters...and the one in her belly...


    The couple''s eyes met and Li Zhenming tried to use his to comfort his wife. She seemed to understand and nodded with difficulty. Their Sihan...their Sihan would definitely find a way...


    "Jun Ru, Hao Ren!" Charming Leopard and Red Monkey stumbled out of the wreckage of houses, covered in soot. Jun Ru and Hao Ren heard the summon and hurried over.


    "How far?" Gu Yan asked, "Fei Ning and I have dealt with that one. Big Sis Xi Yun should be fine by now,"


    Jun Ru and Hao Ren shook their heads dolefully. A nerve jumped up on Gu Yan''s forehead.


    "What do you mean?" He shouted, "you really can''t find them?!"


    "Yes," Jun Ru''s teeth were clenched, "they''re not here,"


    "They''re definitely here!" Gu Yan boomed, "the Trackers gave this location. That can''t be a lie!"


    "Maybe they''ve moved them since we arrived," Hao Ren shrugged. Gu Yan glared at him and he quickly tried to put on a serious expression.


    "So you mean to say we have to wait till the Grand Chief arrives before we can do anything else?!" Gu Yan stomped his feet in rage, "fine! Let''s wake Sis Xi Yun first," he stormed towards the direction of the concealing matrix. The rest made to follow him but he waved his hand impatiently so they hung back. Storm Sword put on a pitiful expression and came to stand in front of Red Monkey.


    "Big Sis Fei Ning," he pouted, "I''m sad-- Big Bro Hao Ren scolded me,"


    Red Monkey turned in the other direction and even Jun Ru couldn''t laugh. He glared at Storm Sword and shook his head sternly. Storm Sword lumbered next to him and raised his eyebrows.


    "Hey!" Jun Ru hissed, grabbing Storm Sword away from where Red Monkey could overhear, "you need to know the right timing for things!" He berated. Storm Sword shrugged.


    "You said I should ask her to uphold justice for me whenever I was wronged," slow witted Hao Ren mumbled.


    "Yes, but this is a bad time!" Jun Ru pressed, "besides, I think it''s not that much of a good idea anymore. Senior Ning seems to be annoyed with you already. You have to stop acting cute. It doesn''t fit you,"


    Hao Ren touched his chin as he thought about the matter.


    "You''re right," he said at last, "she seems to like Big Bro Hao Ren now. Should I start acting like him?"


    Jun Ru clapped a frustrated hand to his forehead. Being a relationship counselor for the mercenaries was hard!


    "No," Jun Ru replied, "just be yourself,"


    "Alright," Hao Ren shrugged. He had immediately wiped off the lumbering bootlicking persona. He turned around and walked towards Red Monkey.


    "Big Sis,"


    Red Monkey turned around. She was a little surprised to see Hao Ren standing tall, not hunched over, and without that stupid ingratiating smile on his face.


    "What?"


    "I like you, Big Sis Fei Ning," Storm Sword had on a serious expression, and his upright handsome charm was starting to show, "that''s why I''ve been behaving the way I have. I was trying to get your attention,"


    Red Monkey tried hard to stop her jaws from dropping open. She was more than aware of the fact that Hao Ren liked her a lot (who in the Si Lak Mercenaries didn''t) but he had always irritated her with his blundering behaviour. Never had he talked to her so seriously before!


    "And it doesn''t seem to be working," Hao Ren continued, "so I''ll stop. But I still like you,"


    Red Monkey blinked. She didn''t even know what to say. Storm Sword smiled sheepishly, and walked away. Red Monkey blinked again.


    Fwoosh! A dust cloud was raised as the boss herself finally landed, a dark expression on her face. The four quickly went down on one knee. Li Sihan surveyed the carnage done to the mountainside. She frowned.


    "Where are my parents?"


    Cold sweat dripped down from her subordinates backs. Gu Yan and Xi Yun emerged from the concealment matrix and also bowed.


    "Grand Chief,"


    "Where are they? Where are they?! Huh--" Li Sihan stopped shouting suddenly as she trained her eyes on a spot in the air. Raising her hand a loud slashing sound was heard and exposed to everyone''s gaze were the two Scorpion Hall experts, and, levitated in mid air behind them, the Li couple.


    "Si Lak--!" Before the first expert could finish speaking he found himself coughing up his intestines!!! The second''s eyes constricted as he saw this scene and he made to quickly raise a shield matrix but that was his last thought as his head exploded almost immediately. Jun Ru and Xi Yun ran forwards as the essence shackles binding the Li couple terminated upon the death of its casters and they started plummeting towards the ground. The Mercenaries caught them and set them down on their own two feet. Li Sihan surreptitiously wiped a trace of blood off the corner of her mouth but sharp eyed Li Zhenming had seen it and he cried out.


    "Sihan! Are you hurt?"


    Li Sihan ran up to her parents and shook her head. She then jumped into her father''s embrace. Yes, she had the mind of a centuries old woman, but she hadn''t, in her first life or now, experienced a childhood or the thrills and joys that came with it. After this scare she had decided to put her little stature while she still had it, to good use.


    Ren Ziming also hugged her daughter and her husband. The three Lis stayed there like that for a minute, then pulled back. Li Sihan remained in Li Zhenming''s arms, carried quite securely. She turned and glanced at Xi Yun.


    "Is it possible to create a teleportation matrix to the mainland?"


    Xi Yun, who was still stunned at the scene she was witnessing, unconsciously shook her head. Li Sihan pouted.


    "So we have to go through that stupid gateway again,"


    Xi Yun nodded. Li Sihan shrugged.


    "Alright. Father, mother, let''s go,"

 A Sibling? The Ren Family.

    Agate Pavillion, Li Manor


    The Lis ate dinner as if nothing had happened at all. Cashing in on her sister''s distraction, Li Silan, who had started eating by herself, stuffed her cheeks full with almost every dish on the table. Li Zhenming kept urging his wife to eat more, and she kept declining with a shy smile.


    "About that," she turned towards her daughters, the elder one sipping lemon tea and the younger one wolfing down food as if there was no tomorrow "mother has something to tell you both,"


    Li Sihan raised her head. Ren Ziming took a deep breath.


    "That-- you girls are going to have a little brother or a sister soon,"


    Li Sihan raised her eyebrows and immediately turned in her seat to look at her mother''s belly, which seemed normal. She glanced at her father and he too nodded with an embarrassed smile.


    "Oho?" Li Sihan grinned, "another little cute fatty for me,"


    "Big Sis, Big Sis!" Li Silan started clamouring, "I''m your fatty! I am! Bun bun is!"


    Li Sihan ignored her sister, who started beating chopsticks against her plate. She glared at her and the toddler pouted and stopped at once. She got up from her seat and traipsed over to her mother.


    "..."


    Li Sihan put out her hand and rubbed the slightly bloated tummy. Ren Ziming smiled. Li Sihan''s eye were deep, and her thoughts were unsearchable. After patting her mother''s belly, she turned around and returned to her chair.


    "Tao He,"


    "Present," Tao He went down on one knee at once.


    "Get my mother some nourishing tonics,"


    "Roger, Grand Chief,"


    "Ah--?" Ren Ziming waved her hand, "Sihan, there''s no need to trouble him. Granny already send me some. About that, Granny and some other extended family members will be visiting --"


    "Let him be troubled," Li Sihan interrupted concerning Tao He, who had left the gazebo at once, "and you both," she stared hard at her parents, "can''t tell me you''re going somewhere without proper guard again,"


    "Yes, yes," Li Zhenming agreed immediately, "we''ll listen to you on that one. I had no idea the people after you were so ruthless. Many of our Li family''s guards were killed mercilessly. I had Butler Wang to send things to all their families,"


    Li Sihan shrugged.


    "If that''s what you want to do, no problem."


    "Sihan-- your mother was saying something--" Li Zhenming pointed out.


    "Ah, yes. I was saying that my mother and siblings will be visiting the Li Manor tomorrow." Ren Ziming said, putting down her chopsticks, "if not for the trouble that happened, your father and I would have gone and come back from the summer house; that was why I set tomorrow as the date for them,"


    "I don''t mind," Li Sihan pursed her lips, "as long as they don''t mistreat mother,"


    Ren Ziming glanced across at Li Zhenming, who spread his hands helplessly. As for him, the only surviving member of his family was the exiled Consort Ruang, and by extension her children. But that was not the case for his wife. The whole Ren family seemed to be visiting this time, and while he was not exactly going to be annoyed if they wanted to ride on his daughter''s coattails, it was up to them to behave properly in a way that would not irritate the yama.


    The following morning three carriages pulled up in front of the Li Manor. A sagely looking matriarch was helped out of the first. She scanned the surroundings and then gazed upon the opulent gates of the Li Manor, with uniformed guards manning the entrance. More people descended from the other two carriages, and surrounded the matriarch, Shu Wenyi.


    "Looks descent," said a man next to her, the eldest son and currently the head of the Ren family, Ren Hongyu, "ah, won''t that boy come welcome us?!" He frowned. His mother turned towards the lady beside him.


    "Yuwan, I''ve always told you to restrain your husband. And you too, Hongyu, be careful. If those people slice your throat and pretend it''s a mistake, all we''ll do is weep for a few days before we all forget about you entirely,"


    Ren Hongyu shivered as goosebumps rose on his neckline.


    "Mother, with the way you talk sometimes," the second son, Ren Honglei, sudden laughed, "you should be a mercenary yourself!" He chuckled as he pulled his own wife''s hand, "let''s enter!"


    All in all there were seven adults from the Ren family who had come to visit their in-laws (not counting the servants and maids they''d come with). Shu Wenyi, the matriarch, Ren Hongyu and Ren Honglei, her sons, their two wives, and then Ren Ziyan and Ren Aiming, the misses of the Ren family, Ren Ziming''s sisters. Except Ren Aiming, the other three had been borne by the matriarch. Ren Aiming was born of the Second Madam of the Ren family. There were also three young ones in the party; the Ren brothers'' children.


    Li Zhenming met them in front of the main hall. He bowed formally.


    "Welcome, in-laws. I apologize for not receiving you properly," he did not, however, give an explanation.


    "You''re too courteous. I just came to see how my Ziming is faring, and these annoying ones decided to tag along," Shu Wenyi waved her hand.


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    "This way, please," Li Zhenming led them into the main hall. They followed him in. Chairs had been arranged in the main hall (just like the time the Mercenaries had visited, but without the long table) and three were currently occupied. A maid helped Ren Ziming up. She beamed widely at seeing her family.


    "Mother," she called out. She hadn''t really seen them in a long while. Shu Wanyi hurried over to get daughter.


    "Ahh, don''t rise, don''t rise! Careful, now," she helped her back into her seat. Li Zhenming smiled a little. He showed the others into their seats. Then he turned to his daughters.


    "Here, Sihan, Silan-- this is your mother''s family,"


    Li Sihan waved an unbothered hand.


    "Hi," she drawled. Li Zhenming was speechless.


    "Ahh-- my granddaughter!" Shu Wanyi moved over and reached out to pinch Li Sihan''s cheeks, "I haven''t seen you since you were this small!" She cupped her hand to show how small, and pinched the yama''s cheek again. Li Sihan''s face turned dark. Li Zhenming gulped.


    "Ah, mother in law, you''ve had a rough journey! Why don''t you take a seat?" He put his arm on Shu Wanyi''s shoulder and quickly steered her away to the seat of honour. It wouldn''t be good if the matriarch''s arm was suddenly chopped of, ah!


    "Serve tea!" Li Zhenming hollered to the butler, and the servants scurried off. He decided to introduce the little ones instead.


    "Ahh, here are your cousins!" The Ren children were two boys and a girl, ages ranging from ten to four. If only Li Sihan had been a normal kid, Li Zhenming thought privately, she would really have been excited to meet--- ah?


    Li Sihan had got up. She stalked towards the little girl in her eldest aunt''s arms. Her lips curled upwards, sending chills down everyone''s spine for no reason.


    "Cute,"


    Li Zhenming held his chest as he heaved a sigh of relief. That--! That had been too scary!! She looked as if she would suddenly gobble up the little girl, ah! He had seen Qiao Yuwan, his sister in law, tense and flinch!


    "Give her to me," the yama demanded. Sweating profusely, Qiao Yuwan could only oblige. Ren Aoyu, the little girl, on her part, happily jumped into her cousin''s arms.


    "Play with me!"


    Meanwhile, a certain fatty''s face had turned dark. She jumped off her chair and waddled over to her sister and the "sister-stealer", so fast that even her parents blinked in surprise!


    "Get off my big sis!" Li Silan cried loudly, "get off, get off! My big sis no like you!!!"


    "Li Silan, behave!" The yama snapped, but this time, the fatty wasn''t having it! She grabbed the ends of the pretty blue hanfu her cousin wore, and riiiiip!!!!


    "Silan!!" Ren Ziming cried out in shock! What kind of oddballs had she given birth to?!?!?! One was a yama, the other one was showing signs of being a yandere! Who knew what this one she was carrying would turn out to be?!?!?


    A couple of minutes later all was well again; Ren Aoyu had been given a change of clothes, Li Silan had been reprimanded, and the children had all gone to play in the hot springs! The women sat in the main hall and talked among themselves; the men had headed off to sightsee the capital with Li Zhenming as their guide.


    "Sister in-law, this one must be a boy," Qi Meimei, the wife of Ren Honglei, patted Ren Ziming''s stomach as she ''advised''.


    "It doesn''t matter," Ren Ziming replied with a smile.


    "Yes it does!" The oblivious Qi Meimei frowned, "you need to have an heir for the Li family!"


    "Sihan is the heir; Zhenming said so,"


    "Pah; that''s because you didn''t have a boy yet. Who makes a girl an heir? How can she manage the Li family''s businesses? And she will marry away too--"


    "You really believe that?" Tao He snorted. It was like that now; Tao He was in charge of the madam''s security, while Jun Ru was Li Zhenming''s guard. The women hadn''t even noticed he was in the room until he spoke. Qi Meimei and Qiao Yuwan blushed immediately; they had said so many womanly matters in his hearing!


    Ren Ziyan and Ren Aiming, however, were pleasantly shocked to discover a handsome man in the room! They had been getting bored silly with the older women''s talk and Aiming had even wanted to suggest them going to join the other children at the hot springs as well. However! That was now out of the question! This guard was so handsomeeee! She wasn''t engaged yet, ah! Perhaps -- perhaps her cousin could matchmake them!


    Unfortunately for her, her half sister, Ren Ziyan, was thinking the exact thing! Ren Ziyan was the legitimate second young miss of the Ren family and if anything, she would have more courage to broach this to her sister, the ''mother of the matchmaker''!


    But Ren Aiming was smarter. Getting everything being delivered to her on a silver platter made Ren Ziyan entitled and quite bratty. Ren Aiming, on the other hand, knew how to flatter, how to coerce, and how to sweet talk, to get what she wanted. Already hatching a plan, she poured a cup of the fragrant plum tea held by the servant next to her and got up.


    "What should I call you?" Ren Aiming flashed a charming smile upon arriving in front of Tao He, who was now standing half concealed behind one of the many pillars inside the main hall. Ren Ziyan''s face turned white upon seeing her sister''s plan and she clenched her fists under her sleeves as she formed a counter plan of her own. She was the legitimate second young miss! She would have whatever she wanted! She had her mother, her brothers, and her sister; even her niece now, as her support!


    Tao He blinked. When had this girl suddenly appeared in front of him?


    "My name is Tao He," bashing the skull of a family member of the Grand Chief was not acceptable. Besides, she was beautiful. The genes for prettiness was quite strong in the Ren family. Their Grand Chief seemed to have gotten her raven black hair from that side. Ren Aiming, though she hadn''t known she was going to see any fine looking men here in the Li Manor, however had spent quite some time on her get-up. The hanfu she wore accentuated her curves, and the peach rogue on her face, as well as the fragrant pouch that hung on her waist, could enchant any hot-blooded man.


    "You must be thirsty standing guard like this all day," Ren Aiming smiled meekly, blushing a little, and held out the cup, "here, have a drink,"


    Tao He was forcefully reminded of another person who had once offered him a drink. Though, if he wasn''t wrong, except that that one didn''t have expensive make up and jewellery, that one was more beautiful than this one.


    Tao He reached out and took the cup. Ren Ziyan, over in her chair, paled even further. She-- she had thought he was going to reject it?


    "Thank you, young miss," Tao He downed the cup in one.


    "Umm-- my name is Ren Aiming,"


    "I know," Tao He replied. Ren Aiming was startled.


    "Oh? You -- you do?"


    "My line of work has me periodically digging up people''s identities. It''s become sort of an occupational disorder for me," Tao He flashed a smile.


    Ren Aiming covered her mouth as she chuckled elegantly. She was already in love!!! Ahhh-- he was so fine!!!


    "So,--" however, at that moment Ren Ziyan decided to call out loudly.


    "Sister Aiming!"


    Ren Aiming frowned deeply in her heart. How dare her half sister interrupt her moment with Tao He! Nevertheless, she turned slightly, choosing to use this distraction to her advantage and deliberately displaying her flawless side profile to her intended.


    "Yes, Ziyan jie-jie?" She flashed a triumphant smile. Ren Ziyan got up and came over.


    "Let''s go view the plum blossoms in the garden. Eldest Sister said they''re in bloom." She pulled Ren Aiming''s arm with an equally fake smile. Annoyed, Ren Aiming pulled her hand back.


    "I''d rather remain here. You go on, Ziyan jie-jie,"


    But the other girl was relentless. She turned to the matriarch at once.


    "Mother! I said we should go view plum blossoms--"


    "Let''s all go," Shu Wanyi rose, "and let your eldest sister show us around,"


    "Is it okay for her to walk around so much, though?" Ren Ziming''s principal maid declined at once, "let me show around you the manor instead,"


    "Haofei, it''s alright," Ren Ziming rose, "come, everyone,"

 Jun Ru VS Yi Hei

    Qiunan Garden, Li Manor


    By evening they were all having dinner in the largest gazebo in the Li Manor. The men sat apart at one round table; the women at another, and the children at the third. Tao He and Jun Ru stood guard and the Ren sisters seemed to have reached an unspoken truce. So there were two guards! However, Jun Ru was young and more handsome! Another wordless battle seemed to have started.


    "Niece," Ren Aiming got up and joined the children''s table, carrying a crab in oyster sauce dish, "here, try this,"


    Li Sihan, who had just been sipping lemon tea all the while, took the dish and placed it on the table. She picked up her chopsticks and picked up a piece of crab meat. She then put in in her mouth and chewed with a concentrated expression that almost made Jun Ru burst from trying to keep his laughter in. She raised her head.


    "I don''t like it,"


    "Ah?" Ren Aiming was surprised, "oh, I''m sorry. Then, what does niece like?"


    "Our Grand Chief likes stuffed meat dumpings, fermented tofu, braised pork belly, and--" Tao He stopped talking at once seeing Li Sihan''s dark expression. He swallowed, "ah? Am I wrong?" He turned his head to ask Jun Ru, who snorted.


    "Silly you," Jun Ru reached out and knocked Tao He''s head, "always trying to show off!"


    Tao He glowered as he rubbed his head. Ren Aiming covered her mouth as she chuckled. She was tickled at the Mercenaries'' interaction.


    "Niece, you are in your growing stage; you should eat more," Ren Aiming started filling Li Sihan''s plate, "don''t just keep drinking tea, or else you won''t grow tall,"


    "..."


    Jun Ru lit a candle for the pretty idiot in his heart.


    "Here, eat now, or I''ll report to Eldest Sister," Ren Aiming ordered. Li Sihan expressionlessly picked up her chopsticks again, and soon finished all the food in her bowl. Ren Aiming poured fragrant digest inducing soup into another small bowl.


    "Here, drink this,"


    Li Sihan took the bowl and gulped it down in one shot. She then looked up at the domineering aunt.


    "Are you done now?"


    Ren Aiming chuckled.


    "I''ve never seen a child who refuses to eat. Niece, you''re the first. Look at our Haozi; he''s almost eaten everything on this table," she pointed out Ren Haozi, the eldest third generation Ren descendant, "and even your sister--"


    "Silan!" Li Sihan shouted immediately. Li Silan raised her head guiltily from a braised duck dish, sauce dripping from the corner of her mouth. Her cheeks had started filling in with flesh already.


    "Yanyan, take the food away from before the Young Miss," Li Sihan ordered her principal maid. An Yanyan curtsyed and obeyed at once. Li Silan pouted and opened her mouth to start making a din, but Liu Meiyin, her own maid, reached out from behind and covered her mouth at once. She then smiled sheepishly in Li Sihan''s direction.


    "Niece-- no, I''ll call you Ah-Han from now on," Ren Aiming had a maid bring her stool from the women''s table over to Li Sihan''s side, "so, what do you like doing in your spare time?"


    "Killing people,"


    "Ah?" Ren Aiming was shocked at Li Sihan''s nonchalant attitude, "pui, pui! Ah-Han, don''t say things like that again!"


    "Have you ever seen someone die?" The tsundere yama was peeved at this clingy auntie and wanted to scare her away, "or a person''s gut entrails?"


    "Ah?" Was all Ren Aiming could say, her eyes wide.


    "Or bashed brains still pulsing? What about an open gut freshly cut?"


    "Sihan-er, are you talking about food?" Ren Haozi raised his head from the table where he had lain after having been stuffed full, and asked.


    "No. I''m taking about corpses," Li Sihan replied, "aunt, I''ve done all those things I listed. I recently imploded some bastards--"


    Thump.


    "Ah! The third young miss has fainted! The third young miss has fainted!" The maids immediately raised the alarm. Li Sihan smirked and left the gazebo with a flick of her sleeves. Jun Ru and Tao He glanced at each other and shook their heads.


    "Aiming?!" Ren Ziming made to get up but she was too quick so she swooned. Li Zhenming hurried over to her side at once.


    "Ziming!" He caught her just as her maids were steading her, "take the third young miss inside and revive her," he ordered the maids, "I''ll bring the madam inside,"


    "What? What''s wrong?" The uncles only saw their sisters being carried away. They turned to the children.


    "What happened? Why did your aunt faint at first?" Ren Hongyu asked his son. The boy got up.


    "Father, just now, youngest aunt was bothering cousin, so cousin started scaring her,"


    "Yes, yes," the other children agreed. The adults were puzzled.


    "But Aiming is not a kid. What could she have said that made her faint from fear?" The second uncle tsked dismissively.


    "She-- she was talking about--" Ren Haozi, who was forgetful, scratched his head, "umm-- was it pot? Hot? Hotpot?"


    "No, I know, I know!" Ren Haoyan, the second uncle''s son, spoke up instead, "Haozi is too stupid; he got it all wrong. What cousin said was this: have you seen a person die before? Have you seen gut entrails before? Have you seen a cracked head before? And-- what''s the last one--?"


    "I know!" Ren Haozi cut in quickly, "an open gut! Gut! An open gut freshly cut!" He clapped as he was happy to have remembered, "however," he scratched his head, "I wonder why aunt was so scared. I wasn''t scared at all,"


    The uncles glanced at one another. Gulping, they left Qiunan Garden and hurried after their brother in law to check on the women. The matriarch and wives followed as well. Only the children and Ren Ziyan were left in the gazebo.


    Ren Ziyan got up and approached Jun Ru, who was now leaning against a pillar and watching the children. Tao He had left. She twisted her silk handkerchief nervously.


    "Hello,"


    "I''m betrothed," Jun Ru said. He wasn''t one for long dramas and discourses, just like he had outrightly refused the third prince as a disciple back then at the banquet. Ren Ziyan blushed.


    "I-- I-- I just wanted to get to know you," she murmured, lowering her head.


    "There''s no need. You''re only staying in the Li Manor for a short time. Soon you''ll return to your home. We''ll never see again after that. What''s the point of getting to know me?"


    "But-- what if-- what if I entered the Si Lak Mercenaries?" Ren Ziyan asked boldly. Jun Ru smirked.


    "You can''t. It''s very harsh; and you are not a cultivator--"


    "I am," Ren Ziyan cut in. She closed her eyes and opened them back. A thin shroudy mist enveloped the gazebo.


    "Look, aunt''s doing that thing again!" Ren Haozi called out to his cousins and sister. The children were surprised and touched the floating puffs of air in front of them, wafting them around and playing with them. Ren Ziyan looked up at Jun Ru.


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    "Well?"


    "This isn''t cultivation," Jun Ru shrugged, "this is element manipulation. You have an air element affinity. Interesting,"


    "You-- you don''t take people like that?" Ren Ziyan, who had considered herself a cultivator all her life, was speechless. Element manipulation? What was that?


    Jun Ru sighed.


    "It''s not up to me to bring people in. Our Grand Chief is your niece. If you really want to join the Mercenaries, you can talk to her,"


    "Then-- will I see you often?"


    "I''ve already told you I''m engaged. Don''t harbour any false hope about me. But look at Tao He. Tao He is single. You can like him all you want,"


    "What? What happened to Tao He?" Tao He, who was returning to the gazebo on the Grand Chief''s orders, heard his name from afar and shouted. Ren Ziyan looked up and watched him from the distance as he approached, flanked on both sides by rare plants and blooming flowers, carrying a sword with an heroic aura, the ends of his robe fluttering in the wind...


    "That''s right," Jun Ru pointed out to the daydreaming girl, "you can have him,"


    Tao He reached the gazebo at last. He glanced at the handkerchief clutching young lady and gave a perfunctory nod, then turned to Jun Ru.


    "Hey, the Grand Chief heard that her mother fainted after she left. Now she''s asked us to go back and fetch everything we can lay our hands on at the Medicine Guild,"


    "Ugh. Did she really?" Jun Ru made a puking expression, "you go. I don''t want to deal with that psycho Yi Hei,"


    "What?" Tao He pulled Jun Ru''s crossed arms at once, "me go? Me go? Do you think I wouldn''t have gone and come back if I didn''t need you to deal with the Guardian?"


    "I can''t deal with him," Jun Ru crossed his arms back, "the bastard doesn''t even obey Senior Xi Yun, much less me,"


    "Tsk. So what do we do now?" Tao He grumbled, "the Grand Chief has spoken. We''re here dallying. Let''s head back first and then we''ll think of how we''ll deal with the guardian on the way,"


    "Alright, alright," Jun Ru sighed deeply. He pulled a space tearing teleportation seal out of his spatial storage. He glanced up at Ren Ziyan.


    "You better stand back," he threw the seal upwards and it activated in mid air. He and Tao He disappeared almost immediately. Ren Ziyan gasped. She had never seen something like this before.


    "Look, look! The two uncles disappeared!" The children shouted.


    *


    Si Lak Mercenaries Headquarters


    Tao He and Jun Ru landed in the main courtyard of the Mercenaries, looking haggard. They both patted down their disarrayed robes and wind swept hair. Jun Ru turned to Tao He.


    "So? Got a plan?"


    Tao He sighed.


    "You said that lunatic doesn''t even respect Senior Xi Yun, and you expect me to have a plan?" He said with a displeased expression, "you''re the brain guy. Come up with one,"


    "There''s got to be one person who scares that guy," Jun Ru put his hand to his chin as he stared pacing.


    "The Grand Chief. Who else?" Tao He said dismissively. Jun Ru stopped pacing.


    "That''s it. The Grand Chief!"


    "Yes? So? How''s that going to help? You think just mentioning her will set him quivering?"


    Jun Ru started pacing again.


    "He might be rude to Senior Xi Yun," Jun Ru stopped again after a while, "but-- but he can''t defy all Four at the same time can he?"


    "We''ll be lucky if even one Senior is around right now. After that last time, I heard they all went into closed door cultivation,"


    "How come you have more intel about what''s going on here than I do?" Jun Ru growled.


    "Tsk," Tao He shook his head, "come on. Time''s going. Think of something quickly,"


    "My disciples, converge!" Truly at his wits end, Jun Ru called out. Almost immediately, about four youngsters appeared. They went down on one knee.


    "Greetings to Master!"


    "Rise. I have a problem," Jun Ru cut to the chase, "the Grand Chief has tasked me to get medicine from the Medicine Hall--"


    "Ah? The Medicine Hall?!" One disciple shouted out in fright. Jun Ru glared at him. He slapped his mouth at once.


    "I''m sorry, Master,"


    Jun Ru pursed his lips.


    "We have to get medicine by all means. The Grand Chief is the owner of the entire Si Lak Mercenaries! An ordinary Guardian shouldn''t put us all under duress like this. I am a Vanguard! After the Grand Chief and the Four Seniors, I am next in rank! Why would I be scared of some stupid Guardian?"


    Tao He: ...it sounds like you''re just psyching yourself, Jun Ru!...


    "Yes! We''re not scared of Guardian Yi Hei!" Jun Ru''s disciples chorused at once, "give us an order, Master!"


    "Let''s go," Jun Ru set his eyes straight forward.


    "Ah?" Tao He was shocked, "we''re charging straight in? Uhh... You know what, I''ll just wait for you guys here ..."


    "By my authority as the head of the Vanguards, I order you, Tao He, to follow us at once!"


    "Ahh-?!" Tao He was startled that Jun Ru would use his authority to compel him. Putting on a bitter expression, he bowed, "yes, Vanguard Jun Ru,"


    The six people soon arrived in front of the towering Medicine Hall. Jun Ru placed his leg on the first step and the repelling array set around the Hall activated at once. With a snort, Jun Ru terminated the array. He climbed up the stairs. The others followed him at once. Jun Ru had reached the upper landing and pushed open the door.


    "Well?" A thin pale faced bony man reclining on a wooden chair with a jar of wine in one hand spoke, "what''s this?"


    "We''re here for medicine, Yi Hei," Jun Ru said.


    "Who''s sick?"


    "The Grand Chief''s mother," Jun Ru placed an emphasis on the second and third words.


    "Boo," snorted Yi Hei, "what a pity. There''s no medicine. Get out,"


    "Yi Hei, I have no time for jokes." Jun Ru turned slightly, "Search!" He ordered his subordinates.


    "Don''t move," Yi Hei muttered softly, "if you die, it''s not my fault," and he took another gulp of wine.


    "Search!" Jun Ru barked at the disciples and Tao He, "the whole Si Lak Mercenaries is the Grand Chief''s! Whoever goes against her will be punished by the rules!"


    They swung into action immediately, rushing towards the rooms at the back. Yi Hei, who had been lounging in a relaxed manner set the wine jar down and suddenly swooped up with a flutter of his loose white robe. Twack! In midair, he knocked his leg against the side of Jun Ru''s head. Jun Ru reached out and grabbed the leg, turning around three sixty degrees and flinging Yi Hei away to crash against a side wall. Yi Hei used the momentum to his advantage and instead of crashing used the tip of his toes to propel himself back at Jun Ru, his hands clasped together stretched out with two fingers of each hand pointing forward.


    "It''s the Piercing Thrust!" Jun Ru''s disciples, who had rushed back at seeing their master being attached, stood to the side and watched with bated breath. One of them recognised the technique Yi Hei was currently flying at Jun Ru with. It had been created by the Grand Chief herself, one of the legendary fight skills of the Mercenaries and taught to a select few. How had Guardian Yi Hei learnt it, much less mastered it?


    Tuk! Tuk! Yi Hei separated his hands when he was a metre away from Jun Ru, and pulled the left one back, first hitting him with the right, then following up with the left. Jun Ru raised a essence imbued palm, and smacked Yi Hei''s forehead, then stomped his feet on the floor and rose up in the air to battle at Yi Hei''s level. He swung his right arm around in a circular motion, gathering energy, and then slammed the resultant fist straight at Yi Hei''s chest.


    Yi Hei caught Jun Ru by the wrist and deftly threw off the attack, sidelining Jun Ru. He himself pulled back his left fist and a red blur shot towards Jun Ru''s eye next.


    "Master, watch out!" Jun Ru''s disciples cried out but it was of no use. The fist hit Jun Ru''s eye. Jun Ru clenched his teeth and his fingernails elongated all of a sudden. With the claws he swiped at Yi Hei''s belly, which was left unguarded. Three lines appeared on Yi Hei''s stomach immediately, and soon dyed his robe red. Yi Hei launched a counterattack almost simultaneously, pulling Jun Ru''s head in and then throwing him over his shoulder. Jun Ru grabbed Yi Hei''s leg as soon as his head almost touched the ground and also flipped the Guardian over, slashing his face with his claws.


    "Master''s winning!" Jun Ru''s disciples roared.


    The two duelists staggered apart. Yi Hei was the only one bleeding, but Jun Ru had a swollen eye and sizzling red marks on his neck where he had been hit with the Piercing Thrust. He clutched his throat.


    "Master!" His disciples rushed to him, "master, are you alright?"


    Jun Ru raised his fast reddening eyes to look up at Yi Hei.


    "What-- what did you do-- ptui!" He spat out a mouthful of blood at once. Yi Hei smirked.


    "Have you ever heard of the Piercing Thrust? Even your disciples know it,"


    "You--!" Jun Ru raised a finger, "only the Grand Chief knows this technique as she''s the one that created it, and she only taught it to her disciples! How did you get your hand on it? Who taught you?"


    "That''s the question," Yi Hei snorted, "who taught me? Answer it yourself, Vanguard," he turned around, retrieving a porcelain bottle from his spatial space, and sitting cross-legged on the ground he began to treat his wounds.


    Jun Ru wiped the trace of blood from the corner of his mouth.


    "Yi Hei. This is pointless. Give us the medicine for the Grand Chief''s mother."


    Yi Hei ignored him. He took off his robe and started applying the medicinal paste to the viscous looking claw marks on his stomach.


    "What''s the point of the Grand Chief spending so much resources to build and fund the Medicine Hall if all you''re going to do is behave like a lunatic and not supply the Mercenaries with much needed medicine?!" Jun Ru suddenly burst out in rage, "does the Grand Chief have to come here by herself to get something just because you''ve become this high and mighty person?!"


    Yi Hei raised his head.


    "Shut up," he said, and went back to treating his wounds.


    "Fine! Since you are determined to be disloyal, then I''ll go all out to discipline you on the Grand Chief''s behalf!" Jun Ru pulled out his sword and lunged at Yi Hei. Another battle, more fiercer, started, with red flashes, booms and bangs. Everytime Jun Ru was pushed back into the receiving arms of his disciples, he sported one extra viscous wound, before charging at Yi Hei again.


    "What-- what should we do!" The fourth disciple asked the others, hopping from foot to foot in worry, sweat pouring from all his pores.


    "Fetch the Seniors! Fetch the Guardians! Fetch anyone you see!" The senior most of them immediately responded.


    Running at full speed towards each of the Four Schools, the three disciples and Tao He had the same cry on their lips.


    "Help! Guardian Yi Hei is going to kill Vanguard Jun Ru! Help!


    The first ran into the Spear Squad, meeting Nalan Yu, and Han Yuefeng behind her, teaching a complex stance to a courtyard of Spear Squad disciples. His shout diverted them, and Nalan Yu silenced him with a matrix at first before letting him talk.


    "What did you say? Speak slowly so I can understand,"


    "Elder Nalan-- my master is fighting Guardian Yi Hei in the Medicine Hall--"


    Nalan Yu''s eyes constricted.


    "Fetch Master," she turned around to Han Yuefeng and followed the disciple at once.

 Asylum

    Tian Empire


    "Mother," Xi Huan entered a bare room. The Consort Ruang was lying on a bed with a quilt up to her neck, shivering and coughing intermittently, her face pale.


    "Mother," Xi Huan went over quickly, "I''m here. Huan-er is here,"


    "Huan?" Li Ruang opened her eyes with difficulty, "Huan-er? My Huan?"


    "It''s me, mother. How come you''re like this!"


    Li Ruang was trying to sit up. Xi Huan immediately helped her.


    "Nanny Bai and Court Lady Chun took off with the little valuables we brought," Li Ruang seemed to have been energized upon seeing her daughter, "I came down with a fever soon after. Only Fei Nia remained loyal to me. When I saw that the fever wasn''t breaking, I sent her to call you back," she coughed violently. Alarmed, Xi Huan patted her back.


    Li Ruang waved her hand impatiently.


    "All this does not matter. How is it at your end? Have you and Huazing been able to see Ru Ziyan?"


    Xi Huan put on a defeated expression. She shook her head.


    "No, mother. Ge-ge and I have camped outside the South Gate for over a week. I even showed the guards my betrothal token." She shook her head again, "if not for ge-ge, I don''t know what they would have done to me,"


    Li Ruang leaned back.


    "Oh no. What are we supposed to do now? Ru Ziyan is our last hope. If he doesn''t acknowledge you-- then what difference is left between us and mere commoners?"


    Xi Huan twisted her hair in her hand. Her cheeks were slightly sunken, and her mother noticed.


    "Oh, my Huan-er! It''s mother''s fault you''re like this! Its all mother''s fault! I should have let you get married earlier!"


    Xi Huan sighed.


    "That''s all in the past. We have to make decisions now. But I''m certain of one thing. Ziyan ge-ge is not in Tian. I know him more than anyone else. He loves me. No matter what, he would see me at the very least,"


    "So, what do we do now?" Li Ruang sighed.


    "I''ll go look for the empress,"


    "What?" Li Ruang frowned, "hah," she scoffed, and it turned into a cough, "they don''t even allow you to see Ru Ziyan; and you think they''ll let you see her majesty?"


    "No. I''m not going to sit in front of South Gate again. Back then, when I used to visit Tian, she used to bring me along to her favorite haunts. I''ll go there one by one. I''ll ask Fei Nia to call back ge-ge so he can stay and take care of you,"


    "But you''ll need to be protected if you''re going to be tramping all around the capital!" Li Ruang escaped, "what if, heavens forbid, something happens and you''re not able to get word to us?"


    Xi Huan shook her head.


    "It''s not as if I''ll be indefinitely going all over the capital. I''ll go out in the morning and return in the evening,"


    "Still--" Li Ruang sighed, "even if you see her-- you know how the world works. As it is now, you have no value you can bring to Ru Ziyan. That is how she will see it. What if she seizes the betrothal token from you and kicks you out?"


    Xi Huan pursed her lips.


    "Thinking about that is not going to help. Here you are, sick. We have no means of sustenance. I have to try my best at first; then come back to weigh the options we have left,"


    She left not long after. Xi Huan stood on one side of the bustling road of the capital and tried to remember where the Sheng Opera House was located. When her memory failed her, she asked around and eventually, panting from the long walk, arrived in front of the gleaming entrance.


    Timidly, she climbed up the steps leading up into the building, many people entering and exiting alongside her. A servant who was seeing a noble off noticed her.


    "Hey," she stood in Xi Huan''s way, "what do you want here?"


    Xi Huan was unfazed.


    "Sister," she reached out with a sweet smile and hooked the girl''s hand, "can you help me ask if Madame Wu is visiting today?"


    The girl yanked out her hand from Xi Huan''s grip.


    "What''s up with you? Why are you asking that?"


    Xi Huan smiled again.


    "I promise," she held up three fingers, "if you''re able to help me see Madame Wu, I''ll give you a better life than this. Let me tel you a secret," and she leaned in and whispered some words into the girl''s ear.


    The girl''s eyes widened, but then she frowned and sized Xi Huan up.


    "Hmph. How do I know you''re telling the truth?"


    "You have nothing to lose if I''m lying. But think what you''ll gain if I''m truly--" Xi Huan did not complete her sentence. The girl finally gave in.


    "Alright. I''ll go in and check,"


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    "Thank you!"


    The girl turned around and entered the opera house while Xi Huan sat down on the steps. She tried to steady her breathing and decide what to tell the empress when...if, she was able to see her.


    A few minutes passed. The sun was rising high in the sky. Xi Huan was getting restless. A few men had tried to harass her already. Eventually, the girl returned outside.


    "Hey,"


    Xi Huan rose at once. She scanned the girl''s face.


    "Your Madame Wu is inside, alright. The play she''s watching is almost finished. You can''t go in and disturb her; that''s against our Sheng Opera House rules. You can only wait until she comes out,"


    Xi Huan clenched her hands.


    "How long until the play ends?"


    "Umm," the girl shrugged, "a few minutes,"


    Xi Huan sighed. She had no option.


    "Thanks. What''s your name?"


    "Qin Jiajja," the girl pouted, "you mustn''t forget your promise!"


    "I won''t," Xi Huan took Qin Jiajia''s hands in hers, "I promise; if I''m able to succeed, you will become my principal maid,"


    Qin Jiajia smiled satisfactorily. She pulled her hands back again.


    "You look famished. I''ll get you something to eat,"


    "Thanks," Xi Huan smiled.


    *


    She almost missed her. She had been expecting at least a dozen people with her; her court ladies disguising as her friends. But Madame Wu was alone. She nimbly descended the steps and started walking away quite casually. Xi Huan had a fleeting sense of deja vu before she jumped up and ran after her.


    "Madame!" She grabbed hold of the woman''s sleeves. Madame Wu turned around, her eyebrows raised.


    "Mo-- mother, it''s me, Xi Huan!"


    Shock written on her face, Madame Wu; that is, Empress Zhen of Than Empire, pulled Xi Huan after her and soon they arrived where a carriage was parked waiting.


    "Your majesty," the coachman bowed.


    "Bring us back to the palace at once," after climbing in the empress ordered. She examined Xi Huan who sat opposite her with an expression of pity.


    "I heard that the emperor of Phoenix died," she said at last, "I didn''t expect that your mother couldn''t establish her position to this extent, though,"


    Xi Huan lowered her head.


    "My half brother born of the empress became emperor. So that my brother wouldn''t pose as a threat, the empress dowager wanted to kill him. We fled before that could happen. We''ve been in Tian for a while. I''ve been trying to see his highness, but the guards wouldn''t believe me. My mother is ill too--"


    "Enough," Zhen Yiwu raised a hand. Xi Huan gulped.


    "Hah," the empress scoffed, "your mother was quite powerful in her better days. Why doesn''t she have a single backer. What of her family?"


    Xi Huan clenched her robe.


    "That-- actually, my cousin turned out to be an unparalleled person. But-- but my mother and brother didn''t listen to me and messed up instead. Now we have no choice but to plead your majesty''s mercy,"


    "Ziyan is not yet the emperor," Zhen Yiwu stated, "neither are you yet his wife. He needs all the support he can get. When you were the princess of Phoenix, at least you could support him a little. Your brother was also the fourth prince, and had some iota of claim to the throne per se. But now, you''ve been expelled from Phoenix, you''re no longer a princess; both you and your brother have to rely on Ziyan, and, according to you, your maternal family has also turned their back on you! Do you really believe you can still be Ziyan''s wife like this?"


    Xi Huan''s heart raced.


    "Your majesty-- but-- his highness, he, he loves me--"


    Zhen Yiwu scoffed.


    "Love? That is of no consequence. Think, Xi Huan. Think of it. You are nothing now. Yet, your cousin, your cousin, Huan! Your cousin is the leader of the strongest organisation on the continent! But she won''t acknowledge you! So what do you expect me to do?"


    Xi Huan paled.


    "Your majesty, I -- I believe all is not lost yet--"


    "All is lost," Zhen Yiwu countered, "you''re a banished princess-- you''re not even a princess. You have no ties to your maternal family in the tiniest way; they despise you. All you have," she sighed, "is your beauty, and, yes, I admit, Ziyan''s love. But those are fickle! There are so many beautiful girls in Tian and elsewhere. And, I''m afraid to say, if Ziyan has heard what happened to you, his affection for you will diminish,"


    Xi Huan burst into tears.


    "Well, alright. I accept my fate, your majesty," she wiped her eyes, "but, can''t you help me-- my mother is ill. I need medicine for her,"


    Zhen Yiwu was quite surprised. She sighed, looking away.


    "I''m bringing you back to the palace; you haven''t asked why. If I intend to abandon you, would I go to such extent?"


    "Ahh?" Xi Huan immediately knelt on the floor of the carriage, "thank you, your majesty!"


    "Sit down," Zhen Yiwu sighed, "I have a tricky assignment for you. I''ve been searching for a suitable person for ages; and you happen to be in a predicament,"


    "I''ll do whatever your majesty asks of me," Xi Huan said at once.


    "Fine. Don''t regret it later,"


    The carriage pulled up in front of the West Gate. The sedan chair that would convey the empress back to her Kunning palace was waiting. All the attendants bowed as Zhen Yiwu descended from the carriage. She beckoned to one of them.


    "Nanny Cai,"


    The elderly nanny approached.


    "Yes, your majesty?"


    "Bring miss Xi to Princess Yu."


    The nanny glanced sideways at Xi Huan. After obliging the empress, she gestured to Xi Huan to follow her. They took another way.


    "Hello, nanny Cai," Xi Huan said as she started following the shuffling woman, "have you been well?"


    "Yes, thank you, miss Xi," nanny Cai replied stiffly. Xi Huan pursed her lips.


    "Well, who''s this princess Yu that we''re going to?" She asked. Xi Huan was aware that the emperor and empress of Tian had no female children.


    "She''s a lady that once saved the empress when she was travelling incognito. With approval from the emperor, the empress adopted her and she was conferred the title of princess,"


    "Oh, really." Xi Huan was still confused. The empress had said she wanted her to do something tricky. What did that have to do with this princess Yu?


    "Then-- what am I to do there?"


    "Her majesty and princess Yu have discussed it beforehand, I suppose," nanny Cai said dismissively, "or else she wouldn''t have just sent you over without saying anything,"


    Sent you over? Xi Huan clenched her fists. Was she going to be-- a servant to this princess Yu?


    Eventually they arrived at a little palace with the plaque overhead reading Eternal Sunshine. Xi Huan followed nanny Cai to a room within the main building. Nanny Cai bowed to a young girl sitting at a round table in the room. She was wearing a blue hanfu, her hair tied up in a masculine knot. Xi Huan was surprised. This was not the image of the princess she had in her mind!


    "What is the matter?" Ru Yu raised her head.


    "Her majesty asked me to bring this lady to you," nanny Cai said deferentialy.


    Ru Yu glanced at Xi Huan.


    "What''s your name?"


    "Xi Huan, your highness,"


    "Xi Huan? Aren''t you Brother Ziyan''s fiancee?" Ru Yu frowned, "why are you here?"


    "This servant will be taking her leave," nanny Cai interrupted. Ru Yu waved her hand. Nanny Cai bowed and left.


    "You don''t know why she sent you here, do you?" Ru Yu asked Xi Huan. The latter shook her head.


    "I thought so. Well, I''ll tell you," Ru Yu rose, and walked over to stand next to Xi Huan. She was several inches taller. Xi Huan looked up at her beautiful face.


    "I. Need. Someone. To. Die. In. My. Place,"

 Cultivation

    Medicine Hall, Si Lak Mercenaries


    It took the combined effort Xi Yun, Gu Yan and Nalan Yu, to repress Yi Hei. Three restrictive matrices casted, and yet he could still struggle a bit. Xi Yun narrowed her eyes.


    "You''re stripped of your Guardian rank today, Yi Hei; and will be confined to the Boilers to remain there until the Grand Chief says otherwise,"


    Yi Hei snorted, but he didn''t respond. Due to him being restrained, Xi Yun was able to draw a teleportation circle beneath his feet which transported him immediately to the Boilers. She then turned to stare at the debris wreaked in the Medicine Hall, and at the badly battered Jun Ru.


    "Where are the other disciples of the Medicine Hall?" Xi Yun shouted loudly, and, timidly, a couple of white robed students entered.


    "Give Vanguard Tao He the medicine required by the Grand Chief; and take care of Vanguard Jun Ru''s injuries,"


    They all bowed.


    "Yes, Senior!"


    Xi Yun turned around to leave. On second thoughts, she raised her hand and cleared off all the debris. She then left with Gu Yan and Nalan Yu in tow. When they reached a fork in the road, Gu Yan turned aside to his own Riding Squad while Xi Yun and Nalan Yu continued on till they reached the Spear Squad main courtyard. The students who were standing around casually immediately stood at alert. Xi Yun ignored them and beckoned to Han Yuefeng instead. She said in passing to Nalan Yu behind her.


    "Carry on what you were doing before,"


    "Yes, Master," Nalan Yu bowed.


    Han Yuefeng followed Xi Yun upon her prompting. They arrived at Xi Yun''s living quarters. Just like the East Hall, there was a cultivation room at one side. The courtyard had a stone bench next to a fountain, and here Xi Yun sat.


    "How have you been?" Aside the day she brought her back, Xi Yun had not set her eyes on her newest disciple. Hells, she didn''t even know her name!


    "Good, Master," Han Yuefeng addressed her the way Nalan Yu had. Xi Yun smiled.


    "That day, I was so occupied with all that happened I didn''t even ask your name,"


    "I''m Han Yuefeng,"


    "Oh? Who brought you to the Si Lak Mercenaries?"


    "I don''t know,"


    "You don''t know what they look like also?"


    Han Yuefeng shook her head. Xi Yun shrugged.


    "Alright. You should pick a Mercenary name one of these days. What''s your element affinity?"


    "Water," Han Yuefeng replied.


    "I see," Xi Yun stroked her chin, "alright. Let''s start from here. First of all, manifest your element,"


    Nodding, Han Yuefeng scrunched up her face in concentration and held up both palms. After a short while, suspended above each was a blob of water.


    "One is enough," said Xi Yun, "and let it be more than that,"


    "Mn," Han Yuefeng clenched her left palm and the water above it disappeared. She then concentrated on her right and slowly, the mass of water increased.


    "Good," Xi Yun nodded, "now, try to condense it into the shape of a sword,"


    "Ah?" Sweat beading on her forehead, Han Yuefeng raised her head, her eyes wide, "I-- I don''t think I can do that,"


    "Don''t limit yourself," Xi Yun rebuked, "you can do anything as long as you set your mind on it,"


    Han Yuefeng nodded, and took a deep breath, looking at the rotating blob of water suspended above her right hand. To make a sword...why?! To even make simple shapes like circles and squares were hard! Anyway...to make a sword...she would need more water than this...


    Sweating profusely, Han Yuefeng continued to materialise more and more water. After she reckoned it was enough, she started forcing it into a defined shape. She formed the hilt as a rough circle connected to a small cylinder. She added another short horizontal cylinder, and then a long pointy water spear.


    She grabbed hold of the hilt and turned the whole thing to ice. She then looked up.


    "Wonderful," Xi Yun clapped twice, "I''m going to give you a technique scroll related to your water affinity," Xi Yun retrieved a yellow scroll from her spatial storage, "I give you ten days to master it,"


    Han Yuefeng bowed as she received it.


    "Thank you, Master. I won''t let you down,"


    *


    Li Manor


    "Are you sure about this?" Shu Wanyi held her daughter''s hands in hers. Ren Ziyan nodded stubbornly. The older woman frowned.


    "Ziyan-- you''re only a young girl. Why do you want to go there?"


    "I want to hone my skills!" Ren Ziyan pouted, "and there''s no need to worry. After all, niece is the owner of the Si Lak Mercenaries. No one would dare bully me," she raised her chin upwards with a small smile. Shu Wanyi groaned. Ren Ziyan glanced at her.


    "Come on, mother! Come and let''s tell Ziming-jie. Hurry," Ren Ziyan dragged her mother up and they both went over to the pavilion where Ren Ziming was. The latter smiled when she saw them.


    "Come over, mother, sis. You can never have enough of me, huh," she chuckled.


    Shu Wanyi sighed as she sat down. Ren Ziyan went over to cling to her sister''s arm instead.


    "Jie," she cooed. Ren Ziming reached out fondly to pat her head.


    "Our Yan-er is all grown up. What is it? What do you want from big sis?" Ren Ziming asked with doting eyes.


    "I--" Ren Ziyan glanced at her mother, who nodded resignedly, "sis, I want to join niece''s organisation,"


    Ren Ziming raised her eyebrows in shock.


    "You what?"


    "I want to join the Si Lak Mercenaries," Ren Ziyan stated without fear. Her older sister ogled her.


    "Why?"


    "I want to train my skills," Ren Ziyan supplied the same excuse she gave her mother. Her sister''s eyebrows went further up.


    "What skills?" Ren Ziming asked with a frown.


    "I am an element manipulator," Ren Ziyan said self-importantly, raising her chin proudly. Now that she had thought about it, this sounded even better than saying she was a cultivator.


    She showcased her mist skill to her mother and sister to their surprise and admiration. After she stopped, Ren Ziming''s face turned serious.


    "Yan-er, you have to understand that I can only tell Sihan. There is no certainty that she will accept you, so bear that at the back of your mind, alright?"


    Ren Ziyan pouted. She pulled her sister''s arm and clung tighter to it, placing her face against Ren Ziming''s chest.


    "But, you can convince her, no?"


    "Yan-er; Sihan only takes the best of the best. She doesn''t care for anything else, that much I know. So you have to work hard to impress her,"


    Ren Ziyan started to grumble. Impress her niece? She didn''t want to do that! But she didn''t say anything. Ren Ziming gestured to the maid behind her.


    "Go to the Agate Pavillion and call the first young miss here,"


    "Yes, my lady," the maid bowed and left at once. Ren Ziyan sat up straight and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. Shu Wanyi poured herself a cup of tea as she started complaining about her daughter.


    "Isn''t she supposed to find a nice man and settle down as you did?" She said to her elder daughter, "look how well Zhenming treats you. If she can also find someone like him, my heart would be at rest! Instead, she wants to join a mercenary organisation --" Shu Wanyi tsked, "you won''t be the end of me, Ziyan! Even Aiming is becoming more sensible than you!"


    Ren Ziyan''s face turned dark at the mention of her half sister. Ren Ziming chuckled instead.


    "Mother, it''s alright to let her have fun for a few more years. Also, that place is full of peerless experts. She might find someone she likes there,"


    "Hmm," Ren Ziyan nodded, but her mother glared at her. Footsteps were heard and the three women turned their heads. Walking briskly towards them were Li Sihan and the maid sent to call her. Today the Grand Chief was wearing a small sword at her waist. Her hair fluttered behind her as usual.


    "I''m here," Li Sihan said when she reached the pavillion. Ren Ziming smiled.


    "Have a seat, darling,"


    "I''m busy,"


    "Oh?" Ren Ziming shrugged, "alright. Mother will go straight to the point." The maid bowed and retreated at a look from her lady.


    "Your aunt wants to join the Si Lak Mercenaries," Ren Ziming stated. Li Sihan raised her eyebrows.


    "She''s serious about it, huh?" The stoic face crossed her arms, "Jun Ru told me she was an element manipulator. So what?"


    Ren Ziming chuckled.


    "Please, darling? Can you do it as a favor to mother?"


    "No,"


    Ren Ziyan rose.


    "Niece--"


    "You must call me Grand Chief if you mean it," Li Sihan stared hard at her, "can you stand strict training? You''ve been spoilt all your life. I expect you''ll rot for a while in the hatchery,"


    Ren Ziyan flushed. She was angry and furious to be talked to this way by, a child she was old enough to mother. She frowned.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "I''m capable of great things if I''m given a chance," she spoke through gritted teeth.


    Li Sihan scoffed.


    "Ever since I saw the pair of you I knew this would happen. To save myself further headaches, shouldn''t I just let the other one go as well? Purple Wind," she called a name. A mercenary who had been dispatched as part of the Li Manor''s guards appeared almost immediately. She bowed.


    "Grand Chief,"


    "Bring the two young misses of the Ren family back to the headquarters,"


    Purple Wind raised her head and surveyed Ren Ziyan with unconcealed distaste. However, she nodded.


    "I have received your order,"


    Li Sihan turned around to leave and disappeared after a few steps. Purple Wind beckoned to the maid to fetch Ren Aiming. The said girl stumbled out of a nearby bush all out of breath.


    "I''m -- I''m here,"


    "You were eavesdropping on us?!" Ren Ziyan pointed angrily at her. Ren Aiming shook her head. Purple Wind coughed.


    "Please, ladies," she already had a teleportation matrix drawn at her feet, "hurry,"


    Ren Ziyan ran over to hug her mother before leaping into the matrix after her half sister. A blinding flash of light, and the three women vanished. Shu Wanyi sighed deeply.


    "It''s alright, mother," Ren Ziming comforted her with a laugh, "they''ll be fine,"


    As if.


    .


    .


    .


    "The rules of the Mercenaries are thus," said Purple Wind as she deposited the two ladies on stools facing a mirror, "anyone brought in shall forget their past completely. This is signified by cutting off all their hair,"


    Silence.


    Purple Wind picked up a scissors from the dresser in the room and approached Ren Ziyan first. She shrank back.


    "You''re -- you''re serious?!"


    Purple Wind narrowed her eyes.


    "Do I look like I''m joking to you?" She asked with a growl.


    "But-- but -- my niece didn''t say that--!"


    "Does our Grand Chief have the time to detail everything you''ll face here to you?" The mercenary hissed, "you were warned. This is only the first rule, and you''re being disobedient. You can''t go back. It''s too late. You''re here, that means you''re here."


    "I''m willing," Ren Aiming said instead, "come cut mine,"


    "Who said I won''t? Whether you''re willing or not, you will abide by the rules," but Purple Wind still went over and snip! Within a few minutes, Ren Aiming was shorn. She was crying silently. Her half sister watched in stupefied horror.


    "Done," Purple Wind threw the last lock over her shoulder, "now, you?"


    Ren Ziyan gulped.


    "But--"


    "No buts!" Purple Wind growled, "I don''t have much time. I have to go back to my duty post," she strode to the other girl and hurriedly also cut off all her hair. The girls were still shocked.


    "Now-- I''ll be taking you to the hatchery," said Purple Wind, "that''s where you''ll learn some basic skills. You''ll stay there until you are selected into a school. While there, you must obey all orders given by the girl who''s in charge,"


    "Yes," the two girls replied meekly in a low voice. Ren Ziyan sniffed. Ren Aiming wiped her eyes quickly. They rose up and followed her out of the room. Going along a corridor, it opened up into a wide courtyard. A number of girls were milling about there. Some were cultivating, others were chatting. They all stood up and arranged themselves at the sight of the intruders.


    "Hello," Purple Wind raised one hand. All the hatchlings bowed. They didn''t know how to address her as she was not a tutor or a Squad Leader.


    "Where''s the current Big Sister?"


    Su Hanlin stepped out of the dormitory room and bowed.


    "It''s me-- elder?" she wasn''t sure how to address this mercenary either. So she used the term she would have used for a moderately ranked person.


    "These are new girls joining you," Purple Wind gestured to the sisters, "take charge of them,"


    Su Hanlin bowed again.


    "Yes, elder,"


    The mercenary turned to leave almost immediately, and disappeared after a few steps. The Ren sisters were still looking about them. To their little relief, they realised all the other girls were shorn as well.


    "Welcome," said Su Hanlin with a nod; she wasn''t overtly friendly or cold, "what are your names?"


    "Ren Ziyan,"


    "Ren Aiming,"


    "You''re sisters?" Li Beiyao came up to them at once.


    "Yes," said Ren Aiming,


    "And I''m the Grand Chief''s aunt," Said Ren Ziyan, announcing loudly.


    SILENCE.


    Gasps.


    Su Hanlin frowned at once.


    "Weren''t you told the first rule of the Si Lak Mercenaries?" She was suddenly very stern, "once you stepped into the grounds, your past identity doesn''t matter anymore!"


    "What do you mean by past identity?" Ren Ziyan raised her chin proudly, "there''s no such thing. I am who I''ll always be,"


    "Hah; you''ll rot here," Feng Chusan laughed. All the hatchlings outside immediately surrounded the duo.


    "Let me give you one advice you''ll need," said Gu Yuwei, "never ever say that in the ears of a tutor!"


    "Especially Tutor Ning," Li Beiyao said with half a smirk in Gu Yuwei''s direction.


    "Do you hear that?" Su Hanlin frowned at them.


    "No!" Ren Ziyan was very annoyed already. She hated being repressed. She always had things go her way. How dare these shorn headed girls speak so rudely to her? She had expected them to all fawn on her at her identity reveal!


    Ren Aiming stepped forward and bowed to Su Hanlin.


    "Please don''t mind her. She''s very full of herself. The person that brought us here; Purple Wind-- she told us the rule! But my sister--"


    "Shut up!" Finally given an avenue where she could bully Ren Aiming to her heart''s content without having to look out for people who would scold her, Ren Ziyan did not hold back. She pushed her sister roughly, "be quiet, now!"


    Su Hanlin shook her head gravely. This was bad, very bad.


    "Beiyao," Su Hanlin said, "tie her up," she nodded at Ren Ziyan. The latter frowned and tried to counter, but found her hands already tied firmly by an aura belt conjured by Li Beiyao.


    "Hey! How dare you!"


    "Five minutes in the hatcheries you''re already causing trouble," Su Hamlin shook her head again. "I can assert that you''re not going to enjoy your time here. I''m being very liberal. If it was the tutors," she chuckled drily, "it''d be worse. There''s no need for all this. We can all get along. The rules are simple: your past identity doesn''t matter anymore; never speak about it. No bullying. No lying. Obey the Big Sister. Obey the tutors. Do your share of work with honesty and humility. Don''t complain. Is that too much?"


    Struggling against the ropes, Ren Ziyan wanted to retort to a number of the rules she didn''t agree to. But everyone was now watching her like a puppet show. She gritted her teeth.


    "Fine!"


    "Good," Su Hanlin nodded, "to learn your lesson; your hands will remain tied until I say otherwise,"


    "What?! You-- you can''t do that!"


    "I can," Su Hanlin was getting very irritated already, "don''t make me more annoyed." She turned her back, "Haobei, give the two separate beds no where near each other,"


    "Yes, Big Sister!" Ye Haobei clapped her hands, "come with me!"


    She led the two inside the dormitory.


    "You, go over there," she pointed Ren Ziyan to the furthest bunk against the wall on one side, "and you, over there, " and Ren Aiming in the opposite direction. She also supplied them with blankets and pieces of chalk. Ren Ziyan couldn''t collect hers as her hands were tied, so Ye Haobei called the girl who was to be her bunkmate to help her.


    Ren Aiming, bent on carving a stellar impression of herself, meekly accepted her own arrangements, greeted her bunkmate with an humble bow and a smile, and shyly asked where the bathroom was.


    The two girls settled in. A couple of minutes later, Ye Haobei approached Ren Aiming, who she felt was more cool-headed.


    "So," she said, "Sister Yuwei had allocated you to kitchen duty, so you''ll work under me,"


    "It''s my honour," Ren Aiming looked eager, "I do know how to make a few dishes,"


    "Oh-- interesting," said Ye Haobei eagerly, for as yet in the hatchery no girl was a chef, and their meals were ordinary and boring.


    "I-- I don''t know your name yet, sister?" Ren Aiming murmured.


    "Ah. Yes. I''m Haobei of family Ye,"


    "Nice to meet you, Sister Haobei," Ren Aiming beamed. The girl was taken aback. Here in the hatchery, no one called her so respectfully. All some did was even laugh and make fun of her. This...


    "Anyway," Ye Haobei rubbed her nose in embarrassment, "that''s it! I''ll-- I''ll tell you when I need you. We''re having lessons in a bit, so get ready. Sister Yuwei also asked me to allocate your sister to toilet duty--" she bustled away.


    Ren Aiming flashed a triumphant smile. If she was not wrong, she had this fat bumpkin under her palm already...


    Sal Qian strode into the hatchery, her hanfu flowing after her. The girls all converged in the courtyard. The sun was quite high in the sky, so the cultivation instructor led them instead to the clearing in the small forest not far from the hatchery within the boundary. The girls all sat cross-legged in front of her, and she herself conjured a boulder which she climbed up and sat on so everyone could see her.


    "I''ve brought you guys something," Sal Qian said with a mysterious cheeky smile. The girls all tittered excitedly. If they were not wrong, it was cultivation enhancing pills! The instructor had been lobbying for these pills at the alchemy guild for some time now. Perhaps she had finally gotten it!


    "Three cheers for Tutor Sal!" Cried out Su Hanlin as Sal Qian retrieved a whole box of porcelain bottles from her spatial space.


    "Yay! Yay! Yay!" The girls clapped and hooted. They were very excited. Cultivation enhancing pills! Once they used this to level up their cultivation, the chances of them getting out of the hatchery would increase!


    "Alright," Sal Qian waved her hand and the cheers seized, "finally, I got these pills for you. You mustn''t disappoint me!"


    "We won''t!" The girls chorused. Sal Qian beckoned to Su Hanlin and Gu Yuwei and they got up and went over to her.


    "Listen up. We''ll give preference to less endowed hatchlings. Five pills for those that haven''t started cultivating at all, so they can catch up. Three pills for Martial Practitioners; two for Skills, and one for a Martial Master,"


    "Yes, tutor,"


    Thus the two girls divided the pills among the others. When it got to Chu Gumei''s turn, she frowned.


    "Hey, hey hey! Don''t think I didn''t see you give your girls five pills! Why am I getting just one?"


    "Yes, why?" Asked Fan Yurou, who got two. Gu Wenwen, who also got one, added her voice as well.


    "You think you can get away with this, Hanlin? The tutor''s right here!"


    Su Hanlin sneered and passed by her. Gu Wenwen immediately pulled her back.


    "I''m taking to you!"


    "What''s the matter? What''s happening?" Sal Qian called out. Su Hanlin snatched back her sleeve and turned to the tutor.


    "Based on your instructions, Tutor Sal, I''ve distributed the pills. However, Chu Gumei and Gu Wenwen seem to be dissatisfied with your arrangement," she smirked. The girls frowned in confusion. Was it... Was it the tutor that ordered this?


    "Chu Gumei, Gu Wenwen!" Sal Qian called angrily, "since you look down on the pills I spent so much energy and time to get, hand them over!"


    "We-- tutor-- no!"


    "They-- they didn''t tell us it was your order!"


    Eventually, even Fan Yurou was stripped of her own two pills. Fuming, they glared daggers at Su Hanlin and Gu Yuwei, who were in extremely good spirits.


    "Who are these ones?" After giving an extra pill to the Big Sister and her assistant, Sal Qian still had two pills on hand. She noticed the Ren sisters who had surreptitiously sat together. Ren Ziyan''s hands were still tied.


    "Oh, they''re new hatchlings someone called Purple Wind brought back," said Gu Yuwei, who paid great attention to detail and had remembered the name of the mercenary.


    "You, how dare you call her name so casually!" Sal Qian tapped Gu Yuwei on the head with a finger.


    "Ah? Who is she?" Gu Yuwei rubbed her forehead but she was very interested in knowing.


    "That''s Vanguard Purple Wind, the fourth vanguard. She not far behind Vanguard Shadow Claw in terms of strength," said Sal Qian with a nod, "have you heard of Vanguard Shadow Claw?"


    The girls shook their heads.


    "That''s a very important person," Sal Qian said with a small fangirly smile, "he''s the next most authoritative person after the Four Seniors. Some even call him the Fifth, but he''s not a senior. I''ve had the honour to receive his teaching before," she smiled again.


    "Ohh," the girls cooed, "wow! Tell us more, Tutor Sal!"


    Sal Qian looked surprised at their expectant faces. She sighed.


    "Fine. At least you''ll be able to show proper respect if you come across them. I''ve heard a rumour. Instead of picking one by one as all the Schools have always done; I heard there''ll be a mass selection,"


    "A mass selection!" The girls were thrilled.


    "Yes. It''s said that a representative will come from each School and Squad. There will be a series of tests they''ll each set. And, you, Hanlin, make sure you do well. Don''t keep relying on Guardian Yi Hei. He''s in serious trouble as we speak; in the Boilers,"


    "In the Boilers!" Some of the girls shouted. Gu Yuwei glanced worriedly at Su Hanlin.


    "What is she now to do, tutor?" Gu Yuwei shook her head, "Hanlin, you should have just gone with the Senior that day!"


    Su Hanlin shook her head.


    "Everything is for a reason. Besides, what about Yuefeng? Yuefeng saved us; she deserved to be selected as the Top Senior''s disciple,"


    "Listen to me," said Sal Qian, "I''ve provided you all with what can be considered a cheat code now. What remains is your own passion to be a great person. Let''s cultivate!"


    Su Hanlin and Gu Yuwei hurried to sit down. Sal Qian gave the extra two pills in her hand to the Ren sisters to their surprise and delight.


    "All together now; a pill at a time: consume! Enter the cultivation mode!" Sal Qian ordered.


    Ren Aiming, alongside the others, threw one pill into her mouth and swallowed it. She then closed her eyes as her meridians were activated under supervision by the tutor and started to absorb the cultivation essence in the surroundings. It was as if her senses were heightened; no, that another sense which she didn''t know she had was suddenly activated. She could now sense cultivation essence, auras, and the flow paths in her body! She could feel as the essence seeped through her pores and dispersed all around her system! She could sense that the pill she consumed was what made the essence rush wildly towards her and her body quickly assimilated it! Wow! It was thrilling! So this was what it meant to cultivate!


    "Time up!" All too soon, Sal Qian''s voice sounded in her ears. She opened her eyes, her face flushed. She could feel a wild raging power in her system. Was this her own unique prowess?


    "Newbies, don''t consume anymore pills. Those of you that have been cultivating for a while, you can go ahead and keep on consuming the pills until!" Sal Qian''s gaze turned sharp, "until you feel the first; the very first pang that says you can''t take it anymore. Please don''t overwork yourselves; take it easy, alright?"


    "Yes, tutor,"


    "By the way," Sal Qian frowned, "where''s Meng Yue?"

 Four Schools, Two Guilds, One Hall!

    There was silence as the girls all glanced at one another. Su Hanlin rose.


    "You can ask her friends; Gu Wenwen and Chu Gumei. As for us, we just woke up one morning and realised she was gone,"


    "Gone? Gone where?" Sal Qian turned towards the two seething girls. They turned up their noses and shook their heads.


    "We don''t know,"


    "And you didn''t raise an alarm?!" Sal Qian was furious, "what if she went and killed herself?! I know after all that happened you despised her, but I expected better from you, Su Hanlin!"


    Su Hanlin immediately knelt down.


    "Pardon me, Tutor Sal! I-- I reckoned she might have also --"


    "You reckoned?" Sal Qian repeated, irritated. "Enough of this! All of you, inside at once! I''ll have her searched for!"


    "Yes!" All the girls scurried inside. After a while, Sal Qian left.


    "Hmph, serves you right that you were scolded," Fan Yurou bumped into Su Hanlin on her way to her own bed. Ye Haobei immediately pushed her in retaliation.


    "Watch your neck," the bigger girl said threateningly, "I might come strangle you in your sleep,"


    Terrified, Fan Yurou scuttled over to Gu Wenwen. The other girls smirked. Su Hanlin stood in the same spot with a frown on her face, but soon cleared up.


    "Well, it is what it is. Girls, let''s not dawdle. You heard Tutor Sal talk about the mass selection that''s going to happen. Let''s all prepare hard!"


    "Yes!" The girls'' morale was boosted.


    "She didn''t say when it was going to be!" One of them pointed out.


    "No matter when; let''s do our best," Gu Yuwei replied.


    "Mn!" Fired up, most of the girls climbed up into their beds and started to cultivate. Those that had reached a bottleneck went out into the courtyard and started practicing fight stances. Time went by swiftly, and most of the cultivating girls started exiting their modes and began clamouring due to hunger.


    "Haobei; let''s go cook," Gu Yuwei stretched and yawned, "I''m famished,"


    "Can-- can I come as well?" Ren Aiming rose up shyly.


    "Sure," said Ye Haobei. The three girls thus departed for the kitchens. Over at her corner, Ren Ziyan sulked. To think her half sister was already getting close to the second in command! While she, her hands were still tied; the girls didn''t even look in her direction though she had clearly stated her identity; and her bunkmate acted as if she was air!


    Evening brought with it the history and etiquette instructor, Wei Yinan. The girls lit lamps and sat around her in the now darkening courtyard.


    "I bet you''ve been told about the mass selection that will happen soon," she started. Gu Yuwei raised her hand.


    "Yes, tutor. But, can we know when it will be?"


    "It hasn''t been decided. But it will be soon; very soon. On that note, I''ll be telling you all about the various schools, sects, guilds, halls and squads within the Si Lak Mercenaries. Instead of training blindly, after hearing about each one, you will be able to decide where to put your attention on in order to increase your chances of being selected."


    "Wow, thank you, tutor!"


    Wei Yinan waved her hand lightly, showing that it wasn''t worthy of thanks.


    "You have to know that we your instructors also rely on you in a way. The more of you get chosen and selected, the more we stand the chance of getting promoted also. Anyway," she cleared her throat, "there is a popular phrase that is used in the Mercenaries to describe the major powers. The phrase is: Four Schools, Two Guilds, One Hall. Remember this."


    "The Four Schools," she continued, "as you may be guessing, are the schools founded by each of the Four Seniors; that is: the Spear School, the Riding School, the Archery School, and the Sword School. Each of these is headed by a Senior. Senior Flaming Spear, as you know, is the founder of the Spear School--"


    Gu Wenwen raised her hand.


    "Pardon me, Tutor. But; there are also Squads named after these schools? Are the squads and schools the same thing? For example, my friend," she raised her nose, "was chosen by Elder Nalan to join the Spear Squad. Was she just selected into the school then?"


    "No," Wei Yinan shook her head, "and I am getting there, if you will be patient. Yes, there are squads named after each of these schools, and more. But squads are not part of the powers or pillars of the Mercenaries. I am talking about the powers first; the most important sub-groups of the Si Lak Mercenaries. We are all under the same banner of the Grand Chief," she cupped her hands to one side, "but we are also under several other banners. The strongest pillars of the Mercenaries are the Four Schools, Two Guilds, and One Hall. It would be a great honour if you were chosen into one of these,"


    "Yes, tutor!" The girl''s faces were already ablaze with a fiery heat.


    "Now, as I was saying, the Spear School was founded by the Top Senior. Though the preferred weapon and element affinity of this school is the Spear and Flame; it does not mean people with other weapon prowess and element affinity are not welcome there. As opposed to the Spear Squad, whose members are the best of the best of those who wield the Spear and Flame."


    "Right next in rank to the Spear School is the Riding School, founded by Senior Charming Leopard. As the name suggests, the school favours those with contract mystic and battle creatures. It is one of the most difficult schools to be selected into, due to the scarcity of mystic creatures and the difficulty of taming and contracting them. If I would advise you, don''t set your sights on this school,"


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    "The Archery School of Senior Red Monkey is next," Wei Yinan continued, "if you''re good with a bow, you would think you stand a good chance of getting selected, but no. Senior Red Monkey only handpicks the exceptional talents--"


    "Like my friend Yue Li," Gu Wenwen ''whispered'', "she was selected as Senior Red Monkey''s own disciple!"


    "We know, we know," Feng Chusan rolled her eyes.


    "--so you must work really hard to be noticed by whoever the representative sent is," the tutor was saying.


    "I''ll definitely work hard and join the Archery School," Gu Wenwen clenched her fists, "or the Spear Squad, where my friend Lu Xinyi is!"


    "We know!" Feng Chusan turned around; Gu Wenwen was seated behind her, "can you shut up for a second?"


    The girl glared at her, but huffed and turned away because the tutor was present. She continued hooting about her friends in a bare whisper to those beside her, though.


    "And finally, the Sword School," Wei Yinan was still talking, "headed by Senior Storm Sword. The preferred weapon and element affinity, as you might have deduced, is Sword and Wind. That''s it about the Four Schools. After them we have the Two Guilds, namely, the Alchemy Guild and the Weapons Guild. The former takes talents versed in alchemy, while the latter grooms weaponsmiths and weapon practitioners. I would advise you again, to not set your sights on these two Guilds. So far I have never heard an hatchling being chosen by them."


    "And then we have the One Hall: the Medicine Hall,"


    Li Beiyao elbowed Su Hanlin with a sly smirk. Su Hanlin reddened a little but kept her face facing forward.


    "While the alchemy hall produces pills, elixirs, tonics and what not for several issues like cultivation, mystic creature taming and contracting, and so forth; the Medicine Hall is centred on natural medicine and bodily health. However," Wei Yinan''s face turned slightly pale, "the head of the Medicine Hall is not a simple person. Do not, and I repeat, do not do anything that would make you chosen by them if you like yourself,"


    "But tutor," Li Beiyao raised her hand, "what about Su Hanlin who''s already his disciple?"


    "Guardian Yi Hei is incarcerated," Wei Yinan shook her head, "she should take this opportunity to be selected into another school,"


    "You can go to the Spear School," Feng Chusan murmured to her, "after all, The Top Senior wanted you as her disciple that day,"


    Su Hanlin said nothing.


    "You''ve heard all about the major powers." Said Wei Yinan, "After them are the Squads. Besides the Four Squads which are offshoots of the Four Schools, there are about seven other squads. Each of these are named after their leader''s contract creature, so we have the Bear Squad, the Wolf Squad, the Deer Squad, the Tiger Squad, the Eagle Squad, the Falcon Squad and the Pheasant Squad,"


    There was a snort of laughter at the last name. Even Wei Yinan''s mouth twitched.


    "Yes; it''s the least popular," she commented drily. "Anyway, after these there are countless other small sects and schools. Some old elders and retired vanguards, guardians and tutors might also come to watch the fun and scout out a ''disciple'', to take care of them in their old age,"


    The girls all shivered. That did not sound nice at all!


    "So be wary of them. Alright. It''s late. Good night," she rose.


    "Good night tutor Wei!"


    The hatchery was a buzz of activities over the following days. Every single tutor and instructor also reinforced the imminent mass selection in the ears of the hatchlings. The details of the event was also slowly becoming more and more known. All the hatchlings, both male and female, would be escorted to the main courtyard in the Si Lak Mercenaries camp to display their talents and to take tests and overcome challenges set by each of the schools and guilds. The girls were all in a state of frenzied excitement mixed with worry and nerves. All of them had used up all the pills given them by Sal Qian and were now at their respective cultivation peaks. The girls had even segmented themselves into small groups of fours and fives and were each working on a collective method of being noticed by a preferred school or guild or sect. Of course, Su Hanlin, Feng Chusan, Li Beiyao and Gu Yuwei had all decided on joining the Spear School. Feng Chusan had convinced them that there was a slight possibility that Han Yuefeng would be the representative and therefore they should make it easy for her to select them. Her idea had swayed the rest.


    Finally, the hatchlings woke up another morning as usual to continue preparing, when Ning Fulan strode in.


    "Girls!" She called sharply, "change into presentable dresses," and with a flick of her hand several huge wooden boxes appeared in the courtyard of the hatchery. The girls threw them open and found they were full of clothes and accessories, weapons and even artefacts!


    "I give you two hours," said Ning Fulan, and she left. The hatchery almost descended into chaos as the girls started fighting over weapons and artefacts if not for Su Hanlin''s timely caution.


    "I''m sure the assessment has started from this moment. If we behave in an uncouth manner, we will all be punished!"


    Thus the girls quieted down and agreed to line up by each box and await their turn. They were more focused on the weapons and prowess enhancing artefacts rather than the dresses and accessories (as opposed to Ren Ziyan). After taking their pick, they hurried inside to change.


    When Ning Fulan came back, she had with her a tall man with the same cropped hairstyle on her head.


    "Are you all ready?" Ning Fulan asked.


    "Yes, tutor!" The girls responded.


    "Let''s go," with the man''s help, a very wide teleportation matrix was created by Ning Fulan, "at the word go, jump in. Go!"


    Whooooshhh!


    "Ugh!"


    "Ow!"


    Many of the girls clutched one another for support when they landed, their eyes spinning, their faces pale. Then after calming down they looked about them. Oh! So this was the main courtyard of the Si Lak Mercenaries! It was so so wide! Very wide, it could contain almost a thousand people! The fifty plus girls from the hatchery felt swallowed up by the seemingly unending space. After a while, about seventy boys and young men also appeared next to them, accompanied by another Riding Squad member. Ning Fulan activated a voice enhancing artefact on her and addressed the hatchlings.


    "Arrange yourselves. In a short while, the representatives of the schools and sects will arrive."


    Su Hanlin was surreptitiously pushed to stand at the very front of the hatchery girls. She hugged herself, feeling quite nervous. Seeing that Ning Fulan and the two other men were talking among themselves, Feng Chusan poked Su Hanlin''s back.


    "Are you alright?"


    "I''m fine," Su Hanlin replied, "you?"


    "Good. Oh!"


    A number of people entered the courtyard. They started erecting booths at different places, with flags over each one. Others brought furniture and arranged them. A table was placed under each booth, and three chairs behind it. On each table was a affinity revealing artefact; a round glassy orb. An inkwell, sheaves of paper, and a quill were also prepared.


    All this was done quite quickly, and, as if premeditated, the representatives, accompanied by at least two people each, started to arrive. Upon locating their respective flags, they settled behind the booths. More equipment for the assessment were retrieved from their own spatial storages. For example, the man from the Riding School brought out a viscous looking mystic eagle almost five feet tall, and tethered it to one of the poles of his booth.


    "Look, it''s Yuefeng! Yuefeng is the representative of the Spear School!" Feng Chusan, who had her eyes trained to the people under the spear and flame flag booth, suddenly exclaimed. Su Hanlin quickly hushed her.


    "Yes, it''s her! We''re in luck!"


    Beside them, Li Beiyao and Gu Yuwei were also excited. Han Yuefeng looked very different from the last time they saw her. She wore her hair in a delicate knot atop her head, a sparkling azure phoenix hairpin holding it in place. Her face seemed more stern and firm than it used to be. She carried strapped to her waist a sword, too, and her bearing was confident and assured.


    Tears almost came to Feng Chusan''s eyes. How many months had it been, yet, her Yuefeng was already so dashing!

 Five Exchanges!

    There were about twenty booths in total, all over the wide courtyard. As if communicating status, some were bigger and larger than others; some had more people accompanying the representatives, and so on. Ning Fulan walked to the middle of the courtyard and bowed towards the booths of the Four Schools, Two Guilds and One Hall. She ignored the rest.


    "May I present the hatchlings?"


    "You may," all the reps chorused. Ning Fulan bowed again, and then turned around.


    "You may approach the school or sect you want to join." She said to the hatchlings. Immediately, they all swarmed in different directions.


    "Wait," Su Hanlin said to her girls, "let''s go slowly," and they joined the throng already heading for the Spear School''s booth.


    "Ugh,"


    "Move,"


    "Shift,"


    "I can''t see what''s going on in front!"


    They jostled one another. Su Hanlin deliberately pulled her girls towards the back of the line.


    "What are you doing, Hanlin!" Feng Chusan, who was ready to push others for all she was worth, suddenly found herself being pulled back by Su Hanlin.


    "Relax. Remember what I told you about conduct and etiquette?"


    Sure enough, the line was soon straightened up by whip-lashes from a Spear School disciple. She noticed the four standing patiently at the back and nodded involuntarily.


    "See?" Su Hanlin whispered, "we''ll get to the front in the end. Just be patient."


    Feng Chusan leaned to the left, stood on tiptoe and craned her neck. She was able to faintly see what was going on.


    "I think they''re checking element affinity with that artefact," she informed the others.


    "Hmn. I reckoned they would do that," Su Hanlin nodded. She looked towards the other booths, which were also crowded. As expected, the booth with a pheasant flag flying overhead was deserted. She smirked lightly.


    "Dismissed! Dismissed! Dismissed!" They suddenly heard this word coming from the front.


    "Are they eliminating those whose cultivation is not up to the standard they want?" Li Beiyao asked worriedly.


    "I suppose," Su Hanlin nodded.


    "So what is their standard?" Gu Yuwei raised her eyebrows.


    "Wait," Su Hanlin put a finger over her lips. She stepped an inch out of line and "psst!d" a girl who had been eliminated and was now on her way to try her luck at another booth, "Jiani, what''s your rank?"


    "Martial Practitioner, rank three," the girl replied quickly with a frown before running off to the Archery School booth.


    "Pfft," Feng Chusan sniggered, "What''d she expect?"


    "She better head to the Pheasant Squad," Li Beiyao snorted.


    "Come on, it''s not her fault," Su Hanlin pinched them playfully, "she just joined the hatchery not long ago,"


    "I''ve been seeing her around for almost a month," Feng Chusan countered, "that''s enough time to have broken through to Martial Skills at the very least,"


    "You know what you said is impossible out there in the outside world, right?" Su Hanlin pointed out, "this mercenary camp is located in a place permeating with thick undiluted cultivation essence. That''s why we can cultivate and advance so easily. Normally, a person has to cultivate for almost two years to become a Martial Skill from the Martial Practitioner rank,"


    "Rank one, right?" Feng Chusan said, "I know. I''m not saying she should have used a month to go all the way from Practitioner to Skills. As far as I know, she was only two ranks away from Martial Skills when she came to the hatchery. And she got five pills from Tutor Sal! She should be at Martial Skills rank two at the very least now!"


    "She could have had a bottleneck," mused Gu Yuwei, "and cultivation journey for each person is usually different. There''s no fixed time for breakthroughs,"


    "You''re right,"


    They were slowly edging forward the line. More and more people got disqualified. Li Beiyao was nervous. She was the lowest ranked cultivator among the four; a Martial Grandmaster rank one.


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    "You''ll make it," Su Hanlin reassured her, "you remember that even Senior Red Monkey said she selects Martial Grandmasters as her disciples, Chusan? Back then, Yue Li wasn''t even a Martial Grandmaster, yet she was chosen. So relax,"


    Li Beiyao nodded and took a deep breath. They were behind about twenty people now. By leaning out of the line, they could see what was going on under the booth.


    "Dismissed!"


    "What''s she doing there?" Feng Chusan pointed at Ren Ziyan, who had now started walking away from the booth, "hah. Who does she think she is?"


    "The Grand Chief''s aunt," Su Hanlin smirked, "I''m surprised she didn''t pull that one on them,"


    "I guess she learnt her lesson when you had her tied up," Gu Yuwei said.


    "Idiot," commented Li Beiyao, "I''m surprised we believed her for even half a second. Who is the Grand Chief? Who is she? How can she be the Grand Chief''s aunt? Aunt? It''s impossible,"


    "What makes you think so?" Su Hanlin smiled.


    "Perhaps niece could be very remotely possible. Or rather, great-great-granddniece. Do you know how old the Grand Chief is? Do you know how long the Si Lak Mercenaries has been in existence? Where did she get ''aunt'' from?"


    Su Hanlin shrugged.


    "It''s almost our turn," Feng Chusan stood on tiptoe again, "oh, come on, they should hurry up!"


    "Hey, look!" Li Beiyao, who had been looking around, suddenly pointed toward the Deer Squad, "I think Ye Haobei has been selected!"


    "Not selected; I don''t reckon it''s going to be that simple. Maybe she simply wasn''t disqualified," Gu Yuwei countered. She raised her hand and waved at Ye Haobei. The girl waved back with a big smile and a nod.


    "I guess she''s passed the, what, first stage? Her cultivation meets their requirements? Isn''t she a Martial Skill rank three?" Li Beiyao wondered aloud.


    "Yes," nodded Gu Yuwei.


    "Good for her," commented Feng Chusan. "I suppose they''ll work off her fat,"


    "Chusan!"


    "Sorry, alright!" Feng Chusan laughed sheepishly at Su Hanlin and Gu Yuwei''s collective glare.


    "Your turn, Chusan," Su Hanlin said suddenly. Feng Chusan turned around in alarm. She had reached the front of the line! She hurried towards the table at once, bowing to the seated people.


    The whip bearing disciple gestured to the orb artefact. Feng Chusan placed her palm on it. The smoky white substance in it turned blue.


    "You''re of the water affinity too," said Han Yuefeng softly. Feng Chusan lowered her eyes and nodded. She was afraid if she looked straight at her she would do something silly (for example, leaping over the the table to hug her and squeeze her cheeks). She couldn''t afford to make a mistake because of the vast difference in their status now, and also because of the Spear School disciples next to her.


    "What''s your cultivation level?" The man seated next to Han Yuefeng snapped.


    "Martial Grandmaster, rank three,"


    "Elder Han?" He turned towards Han Yuefeng, who nodded once.


    "Write your name,"


    Feeling ecstatic, Feng Chusan took the quill and shakily wrote her name on the sheaf of paper. There were only three other names aside hers as yet.


    "Stand by," said the whip carrying disciple. Feng Chusan nodded and stood beside the others who had met the cultivation requirements. Su Hanlin had stepped up to the table. She bowed.


    "Affinity," she was also gestured to the orb. It turned red.


    "Flame, finally," the whip carrying girl (Yan Mi) commented.


    "Cultivation level?"


    "Martial Lord, rank one,"


    "You finally broke through!" Han Yuefeng smiled. Su Hanlin looked up at her and nodded with a smile.


    "Do you know her, elder?" Yan Mi muttered jealously.


    "Of course. Next,"


    "Is she dismissed?" Yan Mi asked with a glint in her eye.


    "Absolutely not," Han Yuefeng frowned. Pouting, Yan Mi pointed towards where Feng Chusan stood with the three others after Su Hanlin had written her name.


    Gu Yuwei and Li Beiyao also passed the first requirement. Li Beiyao heaved a sigh of relief and gave Han Yuefeng a tiny wink.


    "So we have seven candidates," Han Yuefeng commented.


    "Yes, elder," the man beside her (a Spear Squad member, Jing Yu) nodded, "shall we proceed?"


    "Yes," Han Yuefeng agreed. Thus, Jing Yu rose from his seat and came in front of the small group. From his waist he unsheathed his sword.


    "If you can last five exchanges against me, you''ll pass this stage,"


    Ah?!


    They were to duel him?!


    This Jing Yu was tall, sturdy and muscular; the standard image of a mercenary. His sword was also a top armament who knew what grade! He had years of battle skill and experience to rival an average general in the outside world!


    But of course, it wasn''t as if they had a choice. One of the boys from the male hatcheries stepped up to him at once. He had with him a low grade silver dagger.


    "May I duel with you first, elder?" He asked.


    "I''m not an elder, but you may," Jing Yu nodded and took a battle stance at once. It was clear he was not here to joke!


    The boy ran towards him and swiped horizontally with his dagger. Jing Yu avoided the strike easily and countered with his own blow, which was a semicircular whip of flame that shot out of his sword as he swung it towards his opponent. The boy threw himself face down, and quickly got up again before the sword came crashing down. He flung out his sleeves and three bolts shot towards Jing Yu''s face, thorax and chest. Jing Yu deflected them with his sword even as he sidestepped the bolts. He swung his sword in a semicircle again, and another flame whip shot towards the boy, grazing the side of his face as he was not able to quickly avoid it. In retaliation, the boy flung out his sleeves again in quick succession, and a swarm of bolts flew at Jing Yu.


    Deng! Jing Yu raised a shield matrix. The bolts were flung back at their owner. Again, the boy threw himself face down, not being capable of a shield matrix. This time, Jing Yu was fast and he swung his sword again! The whip of flame hit the boy, eliciting a squel of pain as it burnt him.


    "Hasn''t it been five exchanges yet?!" Li Beiyao was clutching Feng Chusan''s sleeve in worry. This boy seemed to have had some skill before he was probably brought into the mercenaries, yet he was so hard pressed to last five exchanges with Jing Yu!


    "Eliminated!" The boy collapsed on the fourth exchange and Jing Yu put his sword to his throat. Yan Mi thus proclaimed his disqualification.


    "Next!"

 The Legendary Guardian

    The assessment was proceeding according to plan. Su Hanlin and the others had already reached the fourth stage of the Spear School''s tests, and none of them had been disqualified yet, though Feng Chusan and Li Beiyao were looking worse for the wear. All the other booths were rife with activity too. While taking a moment to rest and prepare for the next test, Ye Haobei ran over to the girls.


    "Sister Hanlin, Sister Yuwei!" She pulled up short in front of them, panting hard, "you guys can''t believe it!!"


    "You got accepted into the Deer Squad?" Li Beiyao asked with excitement.


    "No; I was disqualified long ago. But; but, an honourable elder from the Alchemy Guild accepted me as her disciple! She said I have talent to become an Alchemist Grandmaster!" She gushed with a big smile.


    "Sister Haobei, is that really alright?" Gu Yuwei asked worriedly.


    "Yes, sister Yuwei is right!" Feng Chusan agreed with an aggressive shake of the head, "have you forgotten what Tutor Wei said!? She just wants you to be taking care of her in her old age!"


    "No matter what," Ye Haobei spread her hands in defeat, "I have no choice; do you expect me to return to the hatchery? I''ve been shooed away from all the other sects; and only this elder spoke kindly to me--" she hung her head as her eyes turned slightly red. Gu Yuwei immediately put her hands around her.


    "Sister Haobei; don''t give up on yourself! You''re perfect and genuine in your own way! If you feel okay following the alchemy elder, then you are free to make your decisions. However, never ever settle for less if you have a better alternative. You also deserve all the good things in this life,"


    Ye Haobei smiled at Gu Yuwei through her tears.


    "Sister Yuwei, you''re the only one that has ever treated me sincerely since i joined the hatchery. I''ll miss you; thanks. Sister Hanlin, Beiyao, Chusan," she turned around and waved to the others as well, "goodbye! I''ll be going with my master now! We''ll see each other at the top!"


    "Bye!" The girls waved with mixed feelings as they saw Ye Haobei follow after her master, an almost stooped over old woman from the Alchemy Guild. Ye Haobei carried the bundle the old lady came with and left the main courtyard without looking back.


    "Ugh, she truly deserves better," Li Beiyao stomped her feet.


    "Hush. She''s in a better place than us now; at least she has a master," said Feng Chusan, "what about us? How are we sure the Spear School''s going to accept us?"


    "Yuefeng," Li Beiyao whispered.


    "Her hands may be tied. Even if she does help us, what if she can''t select all of us?" Feng Chusan continued, "don''t waste your time feeling sorry for Haobei. We still have out own destinies ahead of us,"


    "Chusan''s right," Gu Yuwei sighed, "oh, look! Gu Wenwen got selected,"


    "Which School?" The others asked at once.


    "The Tiger Squad." Gu Yuwei reported, "hah. She looks so pleased with herself," Gu Yuwei still bore on her body the marks of their last fight back then. She absolutely detested the other girl.


    "Yuefeng should hurry up," said Li Beiyao, craning her head to see where the people under the Spear School''s booth were discussing, "everyone''s getting selected left and right,"


    "Yeah. Chu Gumei just got selected too," said Gu Yuwei again; her eyes were the sharpest, "into the Pheasant Squad, hah!"


    "Did all the other squads reject her?" Feng Chusan snorted.


    "Dunno. Oh! Tutor Ning is coming our way!"


    Ning Fulan strode up to them.


    "What''s up, girls?"


    "We''re alright, Tutor," Su Hanlin replied with a nod.


    Ning Fulan approached the booth behind them.


    "Greetings to Elder Han," she cupped her hands over her whip, "may I know why the best girls in the hatchery are being delayed by you? If they are too mediocre for your Spear School, why don''t you let them try their luck at other booths? The sun is going down; some booths are already packing up. Do you want these girls to return to the hatchery at the end of the day?"


    Han Yuefeng reddened. She pouted in spite of herself as she turned to frown at Jing Yu.


    "It''s not my fault tutor-- I mean-- it''s not my fault!" Han Yuefeng crossed her arms over her chest, "he''s the one who''s making things difficult for them!" She pointed at Jing Yu, who flinched, "and despite all the hurdles he set, they''ve managed to pass everything! And now, he''s telling me that we have a quota! A quota!"


    "That-- that, elder, calm down!" Jing Yu was slightly flustered and raised his hands nervously.


    "What part of the Spear School can''t accommodate four more students!? What sort of quota do we have? Tell me!" Han Yuefeng continued to raise her voice. Jing Yu shrank back.


    "That-- elder; that''s how it has to be done! We only have one spot! It''s not my rules! It''s the rules set by the Senior1!"


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    Han Yuefeng frowned deeply. Ning Fulan was quite unbothered, on her part.


    "If that''s the case; quickly select the person you want and let the other three try their luck elsewhere," she said, and strode away. Han Yuefeng bit her lip. She-- she didn''t like this scenario! If she only had to select one person; who would it be? Wouldn''t the others be angry and annoyed?


    Su Hanlin, who had long ears2, smiled lightly.


    "Very well." Han Yuefeng muttered to Jing Yu in a resigned voice, "then who do you think should be selected?"


    "The girl Su Hanlin has wit and rare talent," Jing Yu spoke up at once, "she''s also a Martial Lord. Some disciples of the Spear School haven''t even reached that stage. Naturally, we should select her,"


    "What about you, Yan Mi?" Han Yuefeng turned to the other girl who accompanied her for today''s assessment, "what do you think?"


    "Replying to elder," Yan Mi replied respectfully, "I agree with senior sect brother Jing."


    Han Yuefeng frowned again. But before she could come to a decision, a loud commotion broke out due to a group of people dressed ostentatiously barging into the courtyard.


    "Well, well," said the man in front, "how nice. Hey, who''s in charge of this assessment?!" He shouted loudly.


    With pursed lips, Ning Fulan approached him and bowed respectfully.


    "This junior greets Guardian Yi Hei,"


    The hatchlings, especially the girls, were already starstruck and drooling. Ahhhh! To think such a beautiful man like this was breathing the same air as them?!? And they didn''t know?!? He was so handsomeeee!


    "You know why I''m here, don''t you?" Yi Hei flicked open his fan and narrowed his eyes slightly, "or have you all thrown this esteemed guardian to the backs of your minds since your fussy Senior sentenced me to the Boiler? Where''s my girl?"


    Ning Fulan frowned slightly. Hadn''t Xi Yun said this infuriating man was to remain in the Boilers until the Grand Chief said otherwise? Then...did that mean that the Grand Chief had really spoken to release him? How close was this person to the Grand Chief exactly? What was their relationship?


    "Hey!" Yi Hei brought his fan down on Ning Fulan''s forehead with a whack, "didn''t you hear me? Why are you starting at me? Get me my disciple!"


    "I-- I don''t know who it is, Guardian," Ning Fulan lied with a straight face.


    "Hah," Yi Hei scoffed, "well, out of the way. This esteemed guardian will go look for her myself,"


    Yi Hei, with his disciples trudging after him, made directly for the Spear School booth. His face cracking into a smile, he spotted Su Hanlin immediately.


    "Yes, you! I''m here for you! I''m a man who keeps my word. Who knew that they would do some stupid mass assessment all of a sudden? You don''t know what trouble I went through in order to make it here on time!" Yi Hei laughed.


    Su Hanlin stared at him. He was so flamboyantly dressed that she almost didn''t believe him. The gold headpiece he wore was too distracting, the red hanfu looked like a wedding robe. This was too much!!! Her face reddened involuntarily. Beside her, Li Beiyao and Feng Chusan (who was in a good mood today) were almost hyperventilating.


    "Let''s go!" Yi Hei reached out at once and grabbed hold of Su Hanlin''s hand.


    "Pardon!" Jing Yu shouted from behind them. He came forward at once.


    "I''m sorry to disappoint you, Guardian, but this lady has been selected by our Spear School!"


    "Hahahaha!" Yi Hei burst out laughing, "what a joke! This girl has been my disciple from day one!"


    "Guardian, if you do not mind-- let''s have a spar. If I win, she will be our Spear School''s student. If you win, you can take her way," Jing Yu offered. He was itching to pit his strength against this man. Perhaps he might have a battle enlightenment! When did chances like this appear in the Si Lak Mercenaries? Almost never! To have a battle enlightenment, most cultivations had to go in search of ferocious mystic creatures. But here was an expert free of charge!


    "You? Spar with me?" Yi Hei looked disgusted, "brat, who do you think you are?"


    "Yes! How can you insult our master like this?" Yi Hei''s peanut gallery disciples immediately shouted, "even the least of us can bash your guts in!''


    Jing Yu was unabashed.


    "If Guardian will not agree-- then you can only leave this lady to our Spear School," he said firmly. Yi Hei''s eyes flashed.


    "Brat, did you hear the reason I was ''banished'' to the Boilers in the first place?"


    "Guardian need not be long winded," Jing Yu was extremely stern, "or is it that you are afraid to duel this junior?


    That did it.


    "Fine! If you want to die, so be it," Yi Hei shrugged, and took a few steps away to a clear part of the courtyard. Jing Yu immediately followed him and unsheated his sword. The two then took their battle stances, to the surprise and awe of all the spectators.


    "I ask Guardian not to go easy on me," Jing Yu raised his sword to chest height. Yi Hei sneered.


    "I''m  going to kill you and take my disciple away. You asked for it,"


    Swoosh!


    Jing Yu activated his light body skill and by stepping hard on the ground rose up into the air and shot towards Yi Hei like an arrow, sword outstretched. Deng! He collided almost at once against Yi Hei''s matrix shield. With a flick of Jing Yu''s other hand, the shield was breached, and he launched his speciality attack: flame whips, in quick succesion. Yi Hei sidestepped some, and deflected some with a sword that he had produced from his spatial space. Then with a frown, he stomped hard on the ground and also flew at his opponent like a zap of lightning.


    Clang!!!


    The first exchange shook the ground! Jing Yu staggered back about fifty steps before regaining his stance. Yi Hei didn''t wait for him though. He had swooped up on him again and was bringing his sword down on Jing Yu''s head.


    Clang!


    Jing Yu raised his sword and parried the blow with difficulty, his eyes bulging from the impact. Throwing him off with all his might, he retreated another fifty steps even while launching a matrix attack.


    "Go!" Three very deadly looking harpoon like chains shot out from the whirlpool of aura that was the matrix. Deng! They collided with Yi Hei''s raised shield matrix, but tore through it. Clang! Clang! Clang! Yi Hei deflected them with his sword and then quickly drew a matrix formation that redirected them at Jing Yu.


    "Disintegrate!" Was the only thing Jing Yu could shout. However, the matrix had created an opening. Yi Hei appeared in front of him before he could put up his guard. Clang! Clang! It took every shred of Jing Yu''s battle experience to be able to parry these blows! Yi Hei struck quick and fast without stopping, wearying his opponent.


    Eventually, the two flew apart. As expected, Jing Yu sported over two dozen injuries all over his body from all the strikes he had been unable to parry, while Yi Hei looked fresh and not at all as if he''d been in a battle. Jing Yu despite his injuries immediately went down on one knee and cupped his hands over his sword, even as blood dribbled from the corner of his mouth.


    "This junior thanks Guardian for your lesson!"


    Yi Hei merely sneered and turned around with a flick of his sleeve.


    Nonplussed, the hatchlings stared with open mouths as Yi Hei marched over to Su Hanlin with a dangerous looking smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.


    "See? You''re mine now! Let''s go!"


    "Yes, master!" His disciples immediately led the way towards the Medicine Hall.

 Birth. Zhuazhou.

    Li Manor


    Li Sihan sat in the gazebo with a dark expression, her little sister on her lap. Li Zhenming was pacing to and fro, his brows furrowed, his hands balled into fists. This--! This was unacceptable!!


    His wife had gone into premature labour. The Li Manor''s servants kept running helter skelter, carrying basins of hot water into the madam''s room. Every time the door opened Li Zhenming would start, and rush towards the servants for updates. All of them, with their faces covered with cloth masks, would just hurriedly shake their heads as they kept up with their work.


    "Sihan--" Li Zhenming stopped pacing and crouched by his daughter, "look at me behaving like this. I''m the one supposed to be comforting you and your sister--but, I''m all worried..." He trailed off. Aside from his daughters, Ren Ziming was his only family. He... He couldn''t afford to loose her--pssh! I mustn''t think inauspicious things, he remained himself quickly.


    "All will be well," Li Sihan muttered. That was the best renowned physician in Phoenix Empire in there. Nothing could, must, go wrong. Or else-- well, someone might be decapitated.


    An hour.


    Three hours.


    Nine hours.


    The door to the madam''s room burst open again. One of the middle aged nannies serving Ren Ziming hurried up to the trio.


    "My lord! My lord!"


    "What is it?" Li Zhenming straightened up from his crouch immediately, trying to stop his hands from shaking, "is-- is Ziming alright?"


    "Yes, my lord!" The nanny pulled off her mask and revealed a wide grin, "her ladyship has delivered safely! It''s a boy! The Li Manor finally has an heir, my lord!"


    Li Zhenming exhaled and almost collapsed onto  the bench in the gazebo.


    "Can I -- can I see her now?"


    "No, my lord. You have to wait a bit," the nanny grinned at the Li sisters, "Young misses, you now have a little brother!"


    "Bun-Bun no want brother," Li Silan huffed, "return. Send back,"


    "Silly," Li Sihan lightly flicked the toddler''s forehead. She turned to her father instead.


    "Well, what are we naming our "heir"?" she deliberately drew out the last word. Li Zhenming chuckled.


    "I and your mother were still discussing. We didn''t know he would come so quickly. Do you have any suggestions, Sihan?"


    "I''m not good at naming things. You can ask Jun Ru. I might end up calling the poor chap Little Tiger or something."


    "Yes! Let''s call him Xiao Laohu!" Li Sihan agreed.


    Li Zhenming gave his daughters an exasperated sidelong glance but he said nothing. After a while (that seemed too long to the anxious man) a maid finally came out and said that they could now come in. Li Zhenming collected Li Silan from her sister while the latter got up and dusted herself down. Li Silan had let herself go and had ate a lot of snacks while no one paid attention. The three quickly approached the room and entered.


    Lying in bed Ren Ziming looked rather worse for the wear, though her eyes were quite bright. She carried the wrapped very tiny baby in her arms. Li Zhenming put Li Silan down so she could climb up next to her mother. She put her face almost up to the baby''s.


    "Duh." Said the toddler upon pulling back, "want a sister. Send back,"


    "Hush," Ren Ziming smiled, "you wait until he grows up a bit; brothers are the best. Sihan," she said to her older daughter, "do you want to carry him?"


    "No thank you," Li Sihan promptly replied. She wanted him to be a little bigger and less squishy. There was also the fact that he was premature. What if she squeezed him too hard and he popped? Ahh-- that would not be too good, would it?


    "These subordinates congratulate the Grand Chief!" A shout was suddenly heard from outside, making them all jump. Li Sihan''s eyes narrowed at once. What were the idiots congratulating her for? Was she the one who had given birth?


    "Zhenming," Ren Ziming did not look bothered in the slightest that a number of ace mercenaries were outside her door after recovering from her initial surprise, "have you chosen a name?"


    "No. Do you have any ideas?" Li Zhenming asked. Ren Ziming had named both their daughters, and he was happy to go along with whatever she chose.


    "I''m thinking-- Li Siyuan?"


    "It''s perfect," Li Zhenming reached out and gently caressed her forehead, "He''ll be called just that,"


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    "Three cheers for the Young Master!" The obnoxious mercenaries suddenly shouted again. After the cheers the Lis could distinctly hear them quarreling over who would be his first master--pssh-- tutor. Would he learn alchemy? Medicine? Matrix casting? Mystic creature taming? Swordsmanship? Spear-wielding?


    "Enough!" Li Sihan shouted. The noises quietened down at once. Li Sihan turned back to her family.


    "Well, I like Li Siyuan as well. Congratulations, mother,"


    Ren Ziming smiled so widely her eyes turned into crescents. Li Silan also grudgingly muttered that she would share her snacks with him and "never let him go hungry". Li Zhenming and Ren Ziming laughed. Li Sihan smirked. Ahh. Another cutie to feed in the future...


    *


    "Has it been a year already?" Li Sihan rubbed her eyes as she surveyed the exceedingly large amount of items scattered around the floor of the Li Manor main hall. Her eyes narrowed as she saw each Senior trying to make their own things more appealing.


    "How is he even supposed to know what to pick?" She sneered. The four people paid no heed to her. Storm Sword straightened up after propping a bowl of candy next to the silver dagger that he had retrieved from his spatial space. He then grinned and went to stand at one corner.


    "Here comes the young master!" A Li Manor maid crowed. Ren Ziming entered, carrying the celebrant, a beautiful boy with a head of black hair like his sisters. His eyes were big, round and curious. He waved from his perch at Storm Sword, who had, lately, against the Grand Chief''s express directives, taken him for a wild ride on his shoulders through the grounds of the Li Manor at high speed, something Li Siyuan had enjoyed immensely. Storm Sword winked back at him.


    "Jie!" Li Siyuan grinned widely at the sight of his big sister, who had lately not been around. Li Sihan smiled slightly, stunning the mercenaries present. She--! She actually smiled! Ahh, what couldn''t cute beautiful children do to the darkest of souls? They knew that her cold heart was already thawing when she had first encountered Li Silan, but it now seemed that it was up to the bubbly young master to finish the job!


    "Father''s here. We can-- start," Li Sihan sighed. Nodding encouragingly, Li Silan took her brother from her mother, into her own arms. She gestured at the mess of objects.


    "Xiao Laohu, go pick anything you like," and she set him down. Li Siyuan wobbled slightly, and then got down on all fours and crawled determinedly across the floor. Storm Sword''s face fell; his silver dagger had been the closest.


    The spectators watched as the baby continued across the room, not stopping next to all the shinier things. Eventually, he paused and reached out--


    "Yes!" Red Monkey jumped up and clapped. He picked up a small toy crossbow! This was a disguised way of them laying claim to the young master! Red Monkey hurried quickly and snatched him up before he could pick something else.


    "Yay! The Young Master has officially joined the Archery Squad!"


    The others rolled their eyes, disgruntled.


    "Put him down," Li Sihan snapped. Red Monkey set Li Siyuan down at once.


    Just then, the butler of the Li Manor entered.


    "My lord, there are some people outside requesting to see--" he gulped, "the young miss--" he really couldn''t bring himself to call out her title.


    Li Zhenming frowned.


    "Who--"


    "Xi Yun, deal with it," Li Sihan ordered, and instead clapped her hands, which made her brother start to crawl towards her. Seeing that the Grand Chief had requested their Senior to deal with the visitor, the other three followed her outside as well.


    There were actually three people, dressed in flowing white robes with a black strip of cloth tied around their foreheads. Behind them, their subordinates carried a flag, yellow, with the characters Yang Sect on it.


    "It''s so rare to meet experts from the Si Lak Mercenaries," the man in front, looking to be in his forties, with long hair held up by a golden headpiece, who was obviously the spokesperson, made a perfunctory bow in Xi Yun''s direction.


    "Long time no see, Elder Qin," Xi Yun replied, responding with a fist and palm salute. The Yang Sect was not far behind the Si Lak Mercenaries in terms of power and renown. That was why she was quite respectful to this Elder Qin.


    "May I ask what brings you to Phoenix Empire?" Xi Yun asked.


    "Hah, isn''t this place now where the excitement is at?" He chuckled drily, "I am here to send my regards to your Grand Chief on behalf of our venerable sect leader. Also, I have come to invite and grant the Si Lak Mercenaries a spot at the Cultivators Gathering,"


    Xi Yun almost sneered. Since when had they ever had to participate in such mediocre competitions? There was no need to prove it: the Si Lak Mercenaries were simply the best.


    "Elder Qin needn''t have come all this way for such a trivial matter, seeing as we will decline the invitation anyway,"


    "Will Senior Flaming Spear just decide on your own?" Elder Qin smirked, "I could understand that when your Grand Chief was indisposed, but now that she is back, shouldn''t she be the one to decide that?"


    Xi Yun pulled herself to her full height and glared at the man.


    "Since when has it been the Yang Sect''s right to meddle in our Si Lak Mercenaries'' affairs?


    "I''m not, I''m not," Elder Qin raised his hands, "I''m just wondering if Senior Flaming Spear isn''t just being too hasty in your decision. After all, everyone in the martial world knows the benefits that comes from participating-- or even winning, the Cultivators Gathering. Benefits that your Si Lak Mercenaries has been turning their noses up at all this while," he chuckled, "did not deter our venerable sect leader from still reaching out, due to the history and old ties between him and your Grand Chief,"


    "Old ties?" A serene voice suddenly chuckled. Xi Yun and the others immediately straightened their backs and parted to let her come forward. Li Sihan stared at the so called Elder Qin.


    "What old ties and history do me and your sect leader have? Oh, do you mean the time he kept following me about the martial world like a shadow or a tail, begging me to teach him the Five Palm Strike Technique?"


    Elder Qin''s eyebrows twitched, then he and the others immediately made very respectful salutes.


    "It''s these junior ones great blessing to see your venerable person,"  quite a lot was going through the minds of these delegates... especially the nagging question: why was she so small?...


    "Since your Yang Sect can''t wait to have your eager faces slapped by my prodigies, we''ll give you what you want. Goodbye!"


    Bowing reverently, they took their leave. Xi Yun immediately went down on one knee.


    "Please punish me, Grand Chief. I couldn''t even handle such a simple matter--"


    "No; I''m the one who wanted to remind them exactly what kind of ''old ties'' their leader has with me. Go ahead and send some people to compete,"


    "Yes, Grand Chief!"

 Tao Hes Spring. Preparations.

    "Hyah!" Sweat dripping from his forehead, Tao He completed all three hundred and one steps of the Reverse Strike Stance. Nearby, applause accompanied by a squeal sounded, and then Liu Meiyin quickly approached with a cup of water. This had been their custom over the past year; Tao He practised and Liu Meiyin watched. They were now quite familiar with one another, and the love-struck girl was eagerly awaiting him to pop the question.


    "Thanks," Tao He flashed a charming smile that did a -9999 damage to the poor girls heart. She blushed and looked down, twisting the handkerchief she held.


    "That--"


    "That--" they both spoke at the same time.


    "You first," Liu Meiyin said quickly.


    "No, ladies first," Tao He grinned.


    "I-- I don''t remember what I want to say again. You go first,"


    Tao He chuckled.


    "I wanted to say that I''ll be returning for a while. There''s a chance that I might be chosen as one of the Si Lak Mercenaries representatives at the Cultivators Gathering,"


    "Oh--" Liu Meiyin looked downcast. She twisted her hanky even tighter.


    "So;" Tao He continued, "I want to give you something before I go,"


    Liu Meiyin looked up quickly, hope shining in her eyes. Tao He retrieved a jade bracelet from his spatial space. It looked quite old.


    "It used to belong to my mother--"


    Liu Meiyin needed no further telling. She happily collected it from him.


    "Wait till I come back," Tao He reached out and gently rubbed her hair.


    "I will!" She smiled, "I-- I have something to give you as well... Please don''t laugh,"


    "Why would I laugh?"


    Liu Meiyin took out a jade tassel from her sleeve.


    "I noticed that you didn''t have a tassel for your sword-- I bought this cheaply; I know you won''t care for it--"


    But Tao He collected the tassel as if it was the greatest treasure in the world. He fixed it to his Mapleblade Sword at once.


    "I''ll remember you when I''m on the field," he murmured, and touched his forehead to hers as he clasped her hand in his.


    "Phew!" Jun Ru whistled after the girl left to do her duties, "I thought the dog food would drown me,"


    "Well I''m glad I''m not a single dog like you," Tao He retorted.


    "Tchah," Jun Ru snorted, "have you forgotten I''m engaged?"


    "Wait, who are you engaged to?" Tao He frowned.


    "None of your business," Jun Ru raised his nose in the air, "I''ll just have you know that the Grand Chief was our matchmaker," he chuckled proudly. Tao He was flabbergasted.


    "A Senior?"


    "No way! The Seniors are coupled up already,"


    "A Vanguard?" Tao He guessed again.


    "Nope," Jun Ru shook his head.


    "Spear Squad? Archery Squad? Medicine Guild?"


    "Eww no. Why would my bride be under that psycho?" Jun Ru shuddered.


    "Save me the headache and tell me,"


    "Ain''t," Jun Ru goaded, "wait till I marry her?"


    "When you''re forty?" Tao He teased.


    "Look who''s talking," Jun Ru shot back.


    "I forbid you to tell Meiyin my real age,"


    "I''ll whip your ass. Have you forgotten I''m your superior?"


    "Tao He, Jun Ru!" Someone called from a distance.


    "That''s Senior Hao Ren," Tao He knew his master''s voice and the two quickly hurried towards him.


    Storm Sword looked forlorn, but he quickly rearranged his expression when the two reached him.


    "We''re all going back. The Grand Chief reckons the shadow guards can protect the Li family for the time being."


    "Shadow guards?" Tao He raised an eyebrow. Jun Ru and Hao Ren snorted.


    "You can never know all of the Si Lak Mercenaries'' secrets. Even I don''t," Hao Ren shrugged, "come on, let''s go,"


    ***


    The chief thirty of the Si Lak Mercenaries and several of their disciples gathered in one of the larger halls of the camp to decide who was going to join the Cultivators Gathering.


    "I don''t reckon we Four should go; at least not to compete. Storm Sword and Red Monkey are enough to represent the Grand Chief though,"


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    Storm Sword grinned, but Red Monkey pouted.


    "The matter?" Xi Yun almost glared at her.


    "Nothing! Nothing. Go on, Sis Xi Yun,"


    Pursing her lips, Xi Yin raked her eyes over those assembled.


    "I''m not even very aware of how this competition is run--"


    Tao He raised his hand.


    "I do, Senior. I''ve participated along with my disciples before,"


    "Oh," Xi Yun nodded, "intimate us about the procedure, then,"


    Tao He nodded, ignoring an aside from one of the Weapon''s Guild brats who asked if Tao He''s sect hadn''t been the loser of the competition. He instead walked forward to where everyone in the hall could see him.


    "The Cultivators Gathering has four stages. The first stage is like an opportunity to show-off. Each participating sect is asked to display their unique skills. It''s also a means to even the playing ground and let contestants know the strengths and weaknesses of their competitors. After this stage a lot is then drawn by the host-- the Yang Sect-- to select those who will compete in the next stage, which usually has to do with defeating a beserk mystic creature,"


    "Those selected by the lot from each sect have to work with all the others to defeat the mystic creature, but of course I don''t have to tell you that it doesn''t really happen that way. Anyway, the cultivator who manages to get the head of the mystic creature is deemed the winner of the second stage."


    "The third stage is an alchemy competition--" here the members of the Alchemy Guild clucked excitedly, "and during the fourth match every single sect that participated will duel chosen members of the Yang Sect,"


    "What kind of trash is that?" Storm Sword booed, "why the Yang Sect? I thought that there''d at least be a chance for us to repeatedly whack everyone else''s butts,"


    Tao He shrugged.


    "That''s how it is, Senior Master,"


    "So how is the winner selected?" Xi Yun asked.


    "There usually is no winner because of how the competition is arranged. The Yang Sect insists that it''s just a gathering and not a competition,"


    "Well there''ll be a winner this time," Red Monkey narrowed her eyes, "they should come take a leaf from us as to how to organise competitions. I''m sure our Triennial Trials trumps this,"


    "Definitely," Tao He nodded. He had witnessed two so he knew what he was comparing.


    "Well fine," Xi Yun covered her yawn, "So I''ve said you both will go," she gestured to the third and fourth Seniors, "then, who else?" Before Jun Ru could raise his hand she said, "Jun Ru is too big a cultivator to compete,"


    "Aw, come on," Jun Ru rolled his eyes, "aren''t we going to show them our might? I reckon slapping a Martial Overlord in their faces is a good first step,"


    "Remember the Grand Chief said the Scorpion Hall are after our cultivation techniques. The Yang Sect coming to invite us to a stupid competition we''ve never ever paid attention to at this critical point should make you all be on your guard. We don''t know whether the Yang Sect have allied with the Scorpion Hall. Let''s keep our eyes open,"


    "Isn''t that all the more reason to send me?" Jun Ru argued. He was itching for a fight so bad.


    Xi Yun ignored him.


    "I''m thinking this through, and I reckon the Grand Chief would agree with me too; that Yi Hei is a good person to pick,"


    Ooh! Jun Ru and Tao He exchanged excited glances! So this was it! Senior Xi Yun was not over what Yi Hei did. Jun Ru was pleased.


    "Besides, you''re a Vanguard, Jun Ru," Xi Yun suddenly addressed him again, "and the closest to the Grand Chief. I don''t want you there,"


    "No problem, Senior," Jun Ru smirked.


    "So, Yi Hei, step forward," Charming Leopard said in a low voice. All eyes on him, Yi Hei sullenly stepped out from the crowd, fanning himself with an ostrich feather fan.


    "Next--" Xi Yun stroked her cheek, "hmm. Spider Lily,"


    "Yes, Senior!" Spider Lily went forward at once and lifted his robes as he knelt. Yi Hei snorted at his attitude.


    "You''ll be our contestant for the Alchemy competition. You too, Swan Sight,"


    Another mercenary came forward and knelt next to Spider Lily.


    "Then, how about you suggest those to deal with the mythical creature?" Xi Yun turned to Charming Leopard, who nodded.


    "My first disciple will do. Eagle Beak," Gu Yan called out, and the girl stepped out with the others.


    "How many people are we even sending?" Storm Sword asked.


    "As many as will do," Xi Yun replied


    "Let''s ask Tao He how many most sects come with," Gu Yan offered.


    "And add about a dozen on top," Jun Ru grinned.


    "Yes, Tao He?"


    "I took twelve of my disciples back then. Most sects come with ten or twelve,"


    "Twenty four then," Hao Ren chuckled, liking Jun Ru''s idea.


    "We''ll send twelve," Xi Yun decided. "We already have Yi Hei, Spider Lily, Swan Sight and Eagle Beak. Supply one person, Vanguards,"


    "Tao He," Jun Ru said.


    "Alright,"


    Tao He gave Jun Ru an high five and then stepped up to join the others.


    "Weapons Guild?" Xi Yun prompted.


    "Boar Claw," the youngsters pushed him forward.


    "He''s too young," Xi Yun countered.


    "I''m fourteen!" Boar Claw complained.


    "Bring someone else,"


    "Icy Wind," the youngsters finally decided after some whispering.


    "Taken. I will send Nalan Yu. Red Monkey, someone from your side?"


    "Yu Han," Fei Ning called one of her disciples, who stepped out at once.


    "What about me, Senior?" Hao Ren asked.


    "Tao He is your disciple."


    "Hey, but that was Jun Ru''s slot!"


    Xi Yun sighed.


    "Fine. Who do you want to send?"


    "Ginseng Blade,"


    "Taken," Xi Yun scanned the crowd. "Phoenix Tail? Will you go?"


    An alluring young woman stepped out.


    "Yes, Senior,"


    "Hmm. We need two more people,"


    A commotion broke out immediately.


    "I, Senior!"


    "I''d like to go!"


    "Please, pick me!"


    Xi Yun raised her hand for silence.


    "Puppet King, you''ll be the show-off. I know your displays are very gory and appalling, so don''t think I''m insulting you if I tell you to even make them more so at the competition,"


    Puppet King with her sallow face stepped out. She nodded.


    "I won''t let you down, Senior,"


    "One more person," Xi Yun sighed.


    "Please, Senior, let me go!" Boar Claw was almost in tears.


    "Fine! Boar Claw makes up the number. You guys go prepare. I don''t care if the Yang Sect doesn''t select winners. We must show everyone that we are the best and we''ll always be,"


    "Yes, Senior!"


    ***


    "Grand Chief, Senior asked me to ask your approval over the list of people we''re sending to the cultivators gathering," Jun Ru handed the paper to Li Sihan, who scanned it with pursed lips.


    "Why isn''t your name on the list,"


    Jun Ru made a puppy dog face.


    "In Senior''s words, I''m too big a cultivator, and I''m the closest to you,"


    "What does that mean? Strike off Yi Hei''s name and take his place,"


    "What?" Jun Ru was surprised. Li Sihan raised her eyebrows.


    "I mean-- why-- why Yi Hei?"


    "What''s Yi Hei doing in a place like the Cultivators Gathering? He''s just a physician,"


    "But-- but he has good combat skills," the words felt sticky in Jun Ru''s mouth.


    "Good combat skills?" Li Sihan repeated as if Jun Ru said she had just sprouted a couple of horns, "Yi Hei?"


    "Ye-- yes?" Jun Ru was getting more and more confused, "didn''t you even teach him the Piercing Thrust? I still have the scars," Jun Ru raised his head to expose two dark patches on his neck. Li Sihan narrowed her eyes. She retrieved a Summon Token from her spatial space.


    "Yi Hei!

 The Guardians Origins

    Spring of thirty years ago.


    "Hyah!" A horse charged through a bustling street at high speed, the rider passing by in a red blur. Seated at a table in front of a teashop with a hood over her face, a pair of onyx eyes seemed to catch the image clearly, though, even noting the jade token on the young man''s waist. A sly smirk curved up the peach coloured lips of this mysterious stranger that no one paid attention to, even though she stuck out among the crowd like a sore thumb.


    She rose and lifted her feet from behind the teashop''s table, and then literally vanished into thin air, the dust stirring up where there had been feet just a second ago.


    A horse with an impatient rider charged through a disused trail in a green forest. Presently the horse reared up against its owner''s will, snorting violently and attempting to buckle it''s rider. The owner responded by whipping it severely, which only served to increase the horse''s fury.


    "Damn!" The young man swore as he jumped up the horse and with a flick of his sleeve stored it in his spatial space. He glanced anxiously around the terrain and leaped behind a dense bush. It was just in time too, for the surrounding atmosphere seemed to shimmer and melt as a bright light appeared next to where the horse stood just now. The light widened and took on the shape of a door and the hooded figure from earlier stepped out of it. Behind the bush, the young man''s eyes widened. Space Tearing Arts?!? But...how?! Who was this expert and why were they here now??!


    "Come out," the hooded expert said in a low voice, but one could still tell it was feminine, "do you want to die or not?"


    The young man gulped. What kind of wording was this? It seemed like she was the one intending to kill him, rather than the one saving him. He got up shakily fron behind the bush and took three cautious steps forward.


    "This-- why is such an expert as your venerate here?" He finally managed to ask. Since when had such techniques as such as the Space Tearing Arts appeared in the Lower Prefectures? Only... Only a Martial Saint was capable of utilising it!! He shook in his boots...a Martial Saint?!?? Was this expert one? Oh my, oh my, the young man was almost hyperventilating...to think! To think he would be breathing in the same air as a Martial Saint....! No..pshh, to think he was within ten metres of a Martial Saint?!?!!


    The woman under the hood sneered. Suddenly, she raised her hand. About five projectiles shot out from her sleeves and hit several points in the forest with low thuds. Or was the sound the elite tracking team of the Lan Sect dropping dead? The young man shivered again.


    "There. I''ve helped you deal with your enemies. How will you pay me back?"


    "That," biting his lip, he could not come up with a reply, "your venerate must have had your own reasons for rescuing an hapless worthless idiot like me--"


    "Don''t say that," the tsubdere shot back.


    "--so this junior will do whatever is required of me," the young man qui kly lifted his robes and knelt on the forest floor with a thud. The visible mouth under the hood curled up in a smirk.


    "Stand up,"


    "This junior doesn''t dare," he couldn''t stand for much longer anyway. The euphoria of being so proximate to a Martial Saint, as well as the slowly creeping toxin of the Yan Sect that was now paralysing his muscles, all worked together to make him unable to remain on his feet. This person...she was probably also after the Icy Heart Technique.... But still he wondered, with her level of cultivation, why would she need something like that? The young man closed his eyes as he suppressed the urge to spew out a mouthful of blood. Actually...he did not mind handing over the Technique since she had saved his life. However..., He just had one final request.


    "Your venerate," the blood was now dribbling out of the corner of his mouth, "this junior is willing to hand over the Icy Heart Technique. However, this junior has a final wish that I dare ask your venerate to help me fulfil,"


    "What Icy Heart Technique are you talking about?" the tone was slightly mocking and also seemingly uninterested. He forged on though.


    "Since things has come to this, and this junior also doesn''t have much longer to live; and I also owe you for not letting the Technique fall into the hands of the Yan Sect; then please allow this junior to see your face. I want to remember the face of my benefactor so in my next life I might be able to repay your kindness. Oh, by the way, the Technique is fused with this junior''s body. As long as the life force of this junior is completely drained, the scroll will appear."


    "For someone on the brink of death, you definitely have a lot to say," said the hooded expert as she lifted her feet and took three steps towards the almost collapsing young man. Crouching by him, she turned her hand palm up and a ornate pill bottle appeared in her hand. Pulling off the cover, the poured out a singular shiny yellow pill which she then stuffed into the young man''s mouth. An handkerchief appeared in her hand next, and then she cleaned off the trickle of blood on the corner of his lip.


    (¨‘?¨‘)!!!!


    His eyes bulged as, after wiping his mouth and tossing the bloodied handkerchief over her shoulder, she reached up and pulled off her hood. Her hair fell free, falling gracefully down her back and across her shoulders like an inky waterfall. Her face was...was... ethereal? Stunning? Astonishing beautiful? Yes, but what made the almost petrified young man unable to fully describe it like that, though it was all those things and more, were her deep, stern, harrowing jet black eyes that stared at him emotionlessly, as of boring through his very soul. Asides her eyes, the rest of her face was...beautiful!!! Was it her fluttering eyelashes he should speak of, or her straight dainty nose, or her round cheeks and her full peach lips? Her complexion was so fair, (and here it seemed he was already delirious) that the sunshine sparkled of it, and so fresh, that a primordial urge in him wanted to feel it very badly. Psshh! No, no! A Martial Saint, she was a Martial Saint, he quickly reminded himself. She could squish him to a pulp with just a thought.


    "Well?" the expert drawled, "I have fulfilled your wish? You aren''t dying though, and I have no interest in your what-did-you-call-it technique. I''m after you personally,"


    Me?!?!?!?!? He almost had an heart attack!


    "That-- that-- what does your venerate require of this bumbling idiot?"


    "I said," the expert narrowed her eyes, "do not refer to yourself like that again," and she reached out and flicked him on the forehead.


    ....!


    Alright, he decided not to overthink it.


    "Forgive me, your venerate,"


    "I don''t like that title. You can call me Li Sihan," she rose from her crouch


    "Pa-- pardon? This junior doesn''t dare," as an aside, he suddenly realised he was feeling invigorated. He also could no longer detect the steady progress of the toxin, "that-- may I ask? The pill esteemed senior fed me, what was it?"


    The expert turned and crossed her arms.


    "I-- I mean-- Hero Li? the young man lowered his head bashfully as he experimented with this title. To his surprise, the woman, or rather, young lady (she appeared to be in her early twenties) laughed.


    "Hero Li?" She repeated incredulously, shaking her head as she turned back towards him, "that''s pretty bold of you,"


    "Can i--"


    "No. My name is Li Sihan. What''s yours?"


    He bit his lip.


    "I am Xuan Hou."


    Li Sihan sneered. She reached out her arm to him.


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    "Get up. I don''t like this your name,"


    "Hero Li can call me anything she likes," he quickly said as he grabbed hold of her hand and lifted himself up, "this junior doesn''t like my name either,"


    Li Sihan examined him. His eyes seemed to be clearing. With her hand holding his she used the opportunity to conduct a swift examination of his meridians and cultivation paths. The toxin fed to him by the Yan Sect seemed to have been mostly dispersed by the effects of the pill. However... She narrowed her eyes.


    He had no idea that she was examining him, so he was a little flustered at her wistful expression that suddenly became displeased. He pulled out his hand from hers.


    "That-- Hero Li still hadn''t answered my question?"


    "You''re quite a stubborn lad. What did you ask?" Li Sihan was prone to not paying a lot of attention to people. I will have to remedy this habit of mine...she thought privately, now that I have someone I want to listen to...kekeke.


    "I-- this junior asked what kind of pill was it that you fed me. In all my time at the Yan Sect, I''ve never come across something like it,"


    "Of course," Li Sihan smirked, "you can never,"


    "Well?" This Xuan Hou was extremely, to a fanatic extent, interested in medicinal alchemy. It was a pity though, that he had so far been unable to pursue his passion.


    "It''s called the Meridian Cleansing Pill."


    ....?


    That wasn''t a lot of information now, was it? Unconsciously, Xuan Hou hit his feet on the ground in frustration. Li Sihan smirked.


    "Are you annoyed?"


    He looked quite cute when he was pouting with crossed arms.


    "Yes, Hero Li," Xuan Hou grumbled. Li Sihan chuckled mirthlessly.


    "Too bad. Well, let''s get out of here," she turned around.


    "Where are we going? Where does Hero Li live?" Xuan Hou was quite giddy. Did Martial Saints live on the precipices of mountains as the legends said?


    "I''m temporarily staying in a dirty hut on the other side of the empire,"


    ....?!?!?!


    How were they going to get there then? Besides, who described their houses like that?


    Li Sihan waved her sleeve. A winged horse suddenly appeared and landed on the ground in front of them. Xuan Hou leaped back and gripped her sleeves in fright. Li Sihan sneered.


    "It''s just a transport creature, what are you scared of?" She secretly liked the way he clung to her, though, "say hi to Kang Kang,"


    The mountainous creature turned its head and lowered it with a snort in Xuan Hou''s direction. It then stomped its feet rather impatiently.


    "Let''s go," Li Sihan pulled Xuan Hou and flew up onto the back of the horse which was almost twice their height. She sat behind him and wrapped her arms around him.


    "Hmm," murmured Li Sihan as the horse reared off into the air, "I think I have a name for you now,"


    *


    Over the next few days the two, ahem, cultivators lived an idyllic life in Li Sihan''s quaint little ''dirty'' hut near a haunted wood. Xuan Hou, who Li Sihan had given the name Yi Hei, loved to wander in the woods and pick up medicinal plants. All he lacked was a cauldron and pill formulas, or he would have made a heap of pills already.


    Seated on a boulder twirling the knotgrass leaf in his hand, Yi Hei smiled wistfully as he recalled the previous day. His...ahem, his benefactor seemed to belong, or rather, owned a mysterious powerful organisation. She had left since yesterday to deal with some matters that had cropped up. Saying goodbye had been... quite difficult for her .... He smirked as he tossed the knotgrass into the basket at his back and got up, stretching. He was glad that he had eventually summoned up the courage to ask her to bring back a cauldron for him. She had chuckled indulgently and nodded.


    This person... Yi Hei unconsciously turned his steps towards a darker part of the wood where he had not ventured before. He was consumed in his thoughts and a faint blush was visible on his face. Lifting his foot to take the next step, his entire body suddenly froze.


    Turning around quite slowly, he locked eyes with a viscous looking humongous fox which had its mouth open in a snarl. Yi Hei assumed a fighting stance immediately. Yum, if his... If his benefactor arrived this evening, she would have some fox meat.


    A growl tore through the fox''s throat as if it heard Yi Hei''s thoughts. A bloody fight started almost immediately. Yi Hei had overestimated his own strength though, and soon he was knocked down by a flying paw.


    Thud! His back hit a nearby tree and he heard something crack. Alarmed, he flung out his sleeve quickly, deterring the oncoming berserk creature with an exploding projectile which had been given to him by Li Sihan. To his surprise and consternation, the fox merely stumbled back and then shook itself off, it''s injuries starting to heal almost immediately.


    Yi Hei paled. Gritting his teeth, he quickly drew a matrix in midair, and then activated it with a flick of his hand. The fox leaped at that same moment, and collided heavily with the matrix formation. A painful howl was torn your from its throat as its body began to corrode at a fast speed. Yi Hei spat out a mouthful of blood from the essence the matrix was consuming. He nevertheless quickly poured more essence into the matrix. Before long, all that was left of the seven feet tall and three feet thick fox was a puddle of yellow liquid and matted fur.


    Glug! Yi Hei coughed up blood again and clutched his chest. His cultivation oasis seemed to be drained. He quickly got up to leave the forest and return to the hut so he could cultivate safely and replenish his essence. However, he wobbled and fell face forward on his first step.


    "Hnng. Cough, cough," his eyes watered as he struggled to keep them open. Since he could not make it to the hut in this state, he decided to risk his safety and cultivate here in the forest. Closing his eyes, he hurriedly started to absorb the surrounding essence, directing its path to his depleted oasis. Every thirty seconds of this he opened his eyes to see whether another crazed mystic creature had not sneaked up on him.


    Li Sihan found him there passed out on the forest floor. Picking him up in a princess carry, she leaped just once and they were back inside the hut. Space tearing arts again. She lay Yi Hei across the mattress and quickly passed him some of her own cultivation energy. Before long, he opened his eyes.


    "You''re-- you''re back?"


    Li Sihan rolled her eyes. She flicked his forehead lightly.


    "You can''t even take care of yourself for a day? Why did you enter the King Fox''s den?"


    "I didn''t!" He asserted.


    "Why did I find you there then?"


    "I didn''t-- was that it''s den?" Yi Hei scratched his chin. Li Sihan sighed.


    "Yes, you dummy. None of the creatures here bother me because they''re so scared, and they are also benefitting from my essence. However, that doesn''t mean that they''ll ignore a piece of meat that voluntarily walks up to them asking to be eaten," she poked his chest. Yi Hei winced. Li Sihan immediately checked his injuries.


    "Tut tut. Why are you so fragile?" She poked him again this time his forehead, and gentler.


    "I''m not," Yi Hei pouted.


    "Heh." She scoffed, retrieving a pill from her conscious, "there you go," she fed it to him, lingering her finger on his pouting lip.


    "Umm, did you bring back what I asked you to?" Yi Hei finally asked nervously.


    "What if I didn''t," Li Sihan smirked. Yi Hei frowned and tugged on her sleeve.


    "No! Please, please, did you?"


    "Hah. Fine, you dummy. Here you go," she flicked her sleeve towards the floor in front of the mattress and a colossal looking refining cauldron emerged from her spatial space. It had two flame entrances, and appeared to be made of brass.


    "Wow," Yi Hei breathed. Of course he knew she would get him something legendary! His obsession with alchemy allowed him to fully appreciate what a treasure this was! This--! This was the Sky-Grade Yang Cauldron! It was worth a dozen empires wealth combined! Yi Hei peeked at Li Sihan, who was watching him quietly.


    "You-- where did you get this from?" He asked timidly.


    "I took it from my treasury," Li Sihan replied.


    "Your-- your treasury?"


    "Yes. There are hundreds of thousands of things there. It''s all the things I picked up during my wanderings. A few might interest you. Do you want to go back and take a look someday?"


    "Someday?" Yi Hei grumbled, "not soon? I thought-- I thought-- when we left here... You would take me home...to your house,"


    Li Sihan reached out to rub his head.


    "My house? It''s not somewhere you can enter easily. I''m not a nice person,"


    "I know," Yi Hei mumbled, "and I don''t care. As long as you are there, it''ll be my home,"


    "Just because you''re mine doesn''t give you any rights or power. You''ll have to submit and learn from other people...for a long time. Probably forever,"


    "I don''t care," Yi Hei pursed his lips and held her hand, "please bring me there. I''ll be useful to you too,"


    "You don''t have to be useful," Li Sihan barked a mirthless laugh, "just be yourself. Asking you to bow to others is already a lot. You can just behave however you like,"


    Yi Hei smiled.


    "And you said I didn''t have any power," he leaped into her arms, "I have you,"


    *


    "There are Four Seniors; Xi Yun, Gu Yan, Fei Ning and Hao Ren," Li Sihan combed through Yi Hei''s hair the next morning, "and then the Vanguards, headed by my closest confidante, Jun Ru,"


    "Is he as close to you as I am?" Yi Hei smirked, attempting to be playful. Ever since he had insisted on joining his ...benefactor''s organisation yesterday, she had been in a mood.


    "Shut up," as expected, Li Sihan growled immediately, "those five are not to be offended. If they punish you, I will not overrule it. Do you understand?"


    "Yes. I also won''t cause trouble," Yi Hei responded meekly.


    "Fine," Li Sihan threw the comb onto the dressing table with more force than was required. She turned the stool around and crushed Yi Hei against herself rather roughly and ungently as well.


    "Let''s go," she said after pulling away. Yi Hei nodded. Raising her hand she drew a special matrix.


    "Si Lak Mercenaries!"

 Reasons

    "Greetings to the Grand Chief!" They had landed in the middle of a wide courtyard that looked like the front of an emperor''s throne room. Yi Hei glanced around him in wonder. A number of the mercenaries who were on one knee had their faces covered with grotesque looking masks. Li Sihan paid them no mind and marched forwards, towards the big building marked as the ''East Hall''. Yi Hei quickly followed after her, trying hard to ignore the appraising stares of the kneeling mercenaries.


    The two emerged not long after; Li Sihan had fashioned him a mask. Outside, the crowd was larger, trying their best to look inconspicuous and failing. They all straightened up when the Grand Chief came outside again.


    "This person will be the Guardian of the Medicine Hall," Li Sihan announced in a low voice, yet everyone present heard it. Guardian was fine, though quite a number of mercenaries were miffed. However, what was the Medicine Hall? There was no such thing in the Mercenaries.


    "Grand Chief-- we -- we don''t have a Medicine Hall. We only have an Alchemy Guild," Flaming Spear spoke up. Li Sihan shrugged.


    "We will now. Go down into town and get builders. Bai Xian, draw up a plan for a three floor structure. Liu Lan will be in charge of the protective matrixes cast on the site."


    "Yes, Grand Chief!" The people who were named quickly left to do their tasks.


    "Grand Chief, who will be in charge of inducting this-- guardian?" A older mercenary asked.


    "I have done that myself," Li Sihan crossed her arms. A low murmur ran through the crowd.


    "Grand chief, this--"


    "Be quiet. You may all leave,"


    That was how Yi Hei had become a Guardian upon stepping foot into the Si Lak Mercenaries. A lot of people were displeased with this, but unable to go against the orders of the Grand Chief. In the early days of his stay in the Mercenaries, Yi Hei was an envied person. Occasionally, some hot blooded angsty second and third tier mercenaries would dare to barge into the Medicine Hall and cause trouble. However, after everyone saw the consequences: detention in the Boilers, relegation to the hatcheries, and even once, expulsion from the Mercenaries! They all gave the Medicine Hall a wide berth. Offending Guardian Yi Hei became tantamount to offending the Grand Chief. The man himself also started achieving exemplary cultivation prowess. A small consolation for the other meeceneries, though, was that despite his strength and influence, Yi Hei never made it into the Top Thirty Mercenaries.


    ***


    The present, Li Manor


    Yi Hei stood in a glum mood next to a gleeful Jun Ru and Tao He. His expression was not as readable as his mood. Ever since Li Sihan had switched bodies, he had not set his eyes on her. He would have pouted if these two annoying snotrags were not present.


    "Well?" Li Suhani set down the cup she had been drinking from. Lemon tea again. "I heard you fought with Jun Ru,"


    "Yes," Yi Hei shrugged.


    "When did you learn the Piercing Thrust?"


    "A few years ago," Yi Hei responded. It was no good hiding things from this yama.


    "A few years ago? Meaning around the time I was ambushed by the Scorpion Hall and Yan Temple and fell into a vegetative state?"


    Yi Hei clenched his fists under his sleeves. That time had really scared him, and once the silver of thought that she might be gone forever entered his mind, his ambition skyrocketed. He had not even been aware that he had such designs. Before he knew it, he had broken into the Grand Chief''s treasury and gathered several forbidden techniques. He entered secluded cultivation and learnt all of them in a jiffy. Then, horrified by the thoughts running through his head, he started to hatch a plot of how he would overthrow the Four Seniors, especially Flaming Spear Xi Yun. On the day he stepped out to act on the first step of the plan was the same day the Si Lak Mercenaries, under the charge of Xi Yun, sent out a notice that they would do anything for anyone who had a Soul Transfer Matrix. Yi Hei had been rooted to the ground, confused. Was there hope for...for the Grand Chief? Was she not dead already?


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    That night he sneaked into the East Hall and for the first time looked at her broken body. She wasn''t even breathing. Yet it seemed that she was still alive? How?


    He suddenly had another obsession. Sneaking around the Four Seniors gave him bits and pieces of information he added together on his own. His Li Sihan...the Grand Chief, was still alive, but her body could no longer hold her soul. They would have to find a body for her to inhabit. Both Flaming Spear and Red Monkey had volunteered. Storm Sword had vehemently disagreed with Red Monkey, causing a rift between them. Charming Leopard wasn''t pleased with how things had turned out as well, but he eventually agreed to Flaming Spear''s idea. In terms of cultivation, strength, and others, it seemed Flaming Spear was the best alternative.


    Yi Hei had returned to the Medicine Hall aghast. Xi Yun...? Xi Yun would become Li Sihan? How would he look at her from then on? Yi Hei had never liked Xi Yun. The first Senior made it one of her life''s callings to make things difficult for him. There was also the fact that after the Grand Chief, her word was law in the Mercenaries. Yi Hei did not like her laws.


    But now? The Grand Chief...his Li Sihan, was going to inhabit Xi Yun''s body? No!! Every cell in Yi Hei cried out vehemently against it. But what could he do, what? He had no say. A number of mercenaries had been expelled already for saying the wrong things, or for showing too much ambition. Xi Yun was almost manic. Only Charming Leopard was capable of restraining her.


    Resigned to his fate, Yi Hei entered secluded cultivation again. If Xi Yun... If Xi Yun became the Grand Chief, then he never wanted to see the light of day again....


    So he had not been there to witness the good news. By utilising the Soul Transfer Matrix, the Grand Chief''s soul appeared in Phoenix Empire. Jun Ru was dispatched at once; he was the one most familiar with her aura. Not long after, he returned with jubilant news. The Grand Chief had successfully transmigrated! She was now alive again! However, the Scorpion Hall already knew her identity. Also, the body the Grand Chief inhabited was that of a seven year old.


    The Top Thirty Mercenaries had been summoned not long after. Yi Hei had exited closed door cultivation to meet a deserted camp, devoid of the powerhouse expert. Was this a good time to rebel? He imagined sitting on the Grand Chief''s bronze seat. A passing disciple of the Spear Squad snapped him out of his dangerous aspirations.


    "Guardian, the Seniors and the Top Thirty has gone to see the Grand Chief! Perhaps she will return with them! Finally!"


    Yi Hei had been stumped. Wasn''t the Grand Chief inhabiting Xi Yun''s body? What happened to that plan? Who was the Grand Chief inhabiting now? Red Monkey?


    "No," the disciple had shook his head, "the Grand Chief''s soul is somewhere in the Phoenix Empire. We juniors are not allowed to know who she is yet; but she will always be our Grand Chief!" He had added with a fiery passion. Yi Hei had escaped from the main courtyard hurriedly. Not Xi Yun, not Red Monkey, that was all he could think about. He returned to the Medicine Hall in peace.


    However, would she believe him now? Would she emphasise with his reasons? Or would he just be branded a traitor and expelled?


    "I--" Yi Hei opened his mouth.


    "Give me your hand," Li Sihan interrupted. Yi Hei was slightly surprised, but he thought nothing of it. He moved forward and placed his large hand in the small dainty one. Li Sihan drew a matrix formation on his palm and activated it. Immediately Yi Hei''s head felt light and dizzy. All the thoughts he had just now swam before his eyes again. Li Sihan sneered. She let go of his hand. Yi Hei lost his balance and fell, clutching the gazebo table for support on his way down. Jun Ru and Tao He were puzzled and curious. This reaction...had the Grand Chief performed the Mind Reading Arts on him? Ahh-- what wouldn''t they give to also become Martial Saints! This power was extraordinary!


    "Yi Hei, Yi Hei," Li Sihan sighed and shook her head. Yi Hei rose up and lowered his head. He had completely forgotten about the Mind Reading Arts. This was why he had refused to appear before her in the first place. But now she knew everything. What did she think of him? What...what was she opening her mouth to say now? Was this...was this the end? Would he be expelled from the Mercenaries now? Would he be homeless once again?"


    "You''re such a dummy," Li Sihan smirked, "a silly dummy. Go, return," she sighed, "go and prepare for the Cultivators Gathering. You might meet your old nemeses from the Yan Sect there, so be wary. I was always too lazy to wipe them off for you,"


    Tao He and Jun Ru exchanged glances. What was this situation? What had the Grand Chief read from Yi Hei''s mind? Why was she not punishing him for learning the forbidden technique? Why was she still letting him go to the Cultivators Gathering? Jun Ru suddenly felt really annoyed. Was he still the Grand Chief''s closest confidante? Or had he been one-upped by this annoying bastard? Jun Ru gave it careful thought. But Yi Hei had never been in close rapport with the Grand Chief ever. He was always holed up in that dank ugly Medicine Hall of his. Jun Ru sighed. The Grand Chief''s word was law. If she said Yi Hei was going, then he, Jun Ru, should forget about it. After all, he consoled himself, staying here at the Li Manor and guarding those the Grand Chief loved the most were of more importance, than a stupid Cultivators Gathering.

 First Mission. Scratch That.

    Seated at a round table drinking and eating  with fellow Spear School disciples, a lean but healthy looking girl dressed in a red and white fitted chivalric looking hanfu, without any hair accessories but a single headpiece holding her hair up in a ponytail, Feng Chusan was almost unrecognisable. If any of her family members saw her now, they could never reconcile the haughty, rude, airheaded silver spoon born socialite with unrealistic aspirations to this sensible, responsible and upright mercenary. In the short years that had passed since her induction, Feng Chusan had indeed grown a lot.


    "Big sis Chusan," one of the female disciples crooned, tugging on her sleeve, "Elder Han placed you in charge of selecting those to assist you on your first mission. Please pick me, alright?"


    Feng Chusan chewed on a piece of fish as she considered the matter. She was giving it a lot of thought. First missions were a great deal. It was after successfully completing this daunting obstacle that mercenaries received their code names. Feng Chusan was looking forward to this. She envied Han Yuefeng, who had been specially granted her name, Night Whisper, by the Top Senior. Though she had not received the details of this mission of hers yet, she knew she had to make sure her team was well rounded with at least one person from each of the cultivation disciplines; alchemy, weaponry, medicine and matrices.


    "Which discipline does your strength lie in?" Therefore, she asked the girl this. The girl sat up straight and put down her chopsticks.


    "Um, I''m quite good with the sword,"


    Feng Chusan sighed. This was not what she meant.


    "Well fine. How many sword technique scrolls have you mastered?"


    "Huh?" The girl looked slightly shocked. What was this senior disciple talking about? How hard was it to master all the stances in just one random technique scroll!! No, how hard was it to even reach the stage to select a technique scroll!!


    "I-- I''m still learning," she mumbled, "but I have known all the spear school''s sword stances by heart,"


    Feng Chusan sighed again and shook her head, rising. Several of the disciples at the table quickly put down their own bowls of food and rose with her as well. Feng Chusan gave the girl a perfunctory smile.


    "You have to work harder, Yu Wan,"


    Yu Wan''s eyes reddened as she realised she was being rejected. However, she also quickly joined the small crowd following after the senior disciple. Feng Chusan rubbed her forehead in exasperation, but she couldn''t really shake them off. She struggled to remember when exactly it was that she had become so popular in the spear school, so much so that all the disciples currently here were willing to clean her boots and wash her dirty socks at a word from her.


    Since it had come to this, Feng Chusan thought, she guessed she would have to carefully select her teammates. And how better a way to do so than organise a competition? First of all, though, she had to  take permission from an Elder.


    "Senior disciple Feng is going to Elder Han''s office," the disciples behind her whispered among themselves, "has she already chosen her team? Do you know who she chose?" They asked one another.


    "No, I don''t," they all confirmed. Sharing a quick glance, they straightened those faces and followed after her at a closer pace, trying and failing to be inconspicuous.


    Feng Chusan quickly entered the front room of the Limitless Potential house. Han Yuefeng sat behind a table shuffling through the paperwork of the Spear School. She looked up at the sound of someone entering. Feng Chusan bowed.


    "Greetings to Elder Han,"


    "Chusan," Han Yuefeng sighed, shaking her head, "I''ve told you to ignore formalities when we''re alone,"


    Feng Chusan straightened up. She crossed the room and went to stand behind the elder.


    "Look," Han Yuefeng pulled out an envelope from under a pile, "I think Su Hanlin wrote to you,"


    Feng Chusan collected the envelope. Contrary to their expectations back then when they were leaving the hatchery, the friends after being separated into different guilds and schools did not see much of each other over the following years. So, they had resorted to writing letters to one another. Feng Chusan was very happy that she had at least been chosen into the same place as her best friend. Otherwise, with Su Hanlin apprenticed to the Medicine Hall, Li Beiyao in the Tiger Squad, and Gu Yuwei in the Riding Squad, communication would have been more difficult. Now, all the friends had to do was disguise their letters as official documents intended for the elder of the Spear School.


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    "She has received her mercenary name!" Feng Chusan announced after reading the first paragraph of the letter. Han Yuefeng raised her head with interest.


    "Really? What is it?"


    "Red Plum. Isn''t it too cute? Please remember not to give me a name like that, Yuefeng," Feng Chusan begged. Han Yuefeng smirked.


    "That name must be the doing of Guardian Yi Hei. I wonder when the two will eventually tie the knot," she chuckled.


    "Come on, Yuefeng," Feng Chusan complained, "how many times will Hanlin explain that there''s no such relationship between them? That''s just how Guardian Yi Hei is. His charming demeanour makes everyone think he likes her. Su Hanlin said he doesn''t, at all,"


    "Hear, hear," said Han Yuefeng drily, "I don''t agree."


    "Hmph," Feng Chusan was annoyed and instead continued reading the letter, "Wow, she said her master was chosen to be one of the contestants for the Si Lak Mercenaries in the Cultivators Gathering. How nice. Oh, Beiyao wrote to her and said this is the fifth time she''s punished Gu Wenwen this week. I wonder when Beiyao is going to eventually unhand her. I almost feel for the poor girl,"


    "Have you forgotten so soon how mean Gu Wenwen used to be to us in the hatcheries?" Han Yuefeng signed a document, "seems like Beiyao''s memory is better than yours, at least,"


    "Well, true, the hatchery seems a long time ago to me," Feng Chusan replied, "but Beiyao''s dislike for Wenwen should have waned by now. She wasn''t even the one Wenwen injured back then. If it was Gu Yuwei doing this I wouldn''t have said anything,"


    "Then maybe she''s doing it on Yuwei''s behalf," Han Yuefeng figured, "how do you know it wasn''t Yuwei who said to Beiyao to help her get even?"


    "Fine, I give up trying to understand," Feng Chusan chuckled, folding the letter, "right, I almost forgot what I came here for.  Since I''ll soon be getting my mercenary name and I don''t want something silly like Red Plum, so bear that in mind; I want permission to hold a small contest so I can select my teammates,"


    "You can do anything you want. No need to ask me," Han Yuefeng replied, "I wanted to ask you to train class three anyway. Use that opportunity to do what you want,"


    "Thanks, Yuefeng, you''re the best!" Feng Chusan gave her a swift hug before running out. Han Yuefeng smiled slightly after her. Sometimes she wished she was as free as her friend, not having the weight of duties bearing down on her...


    Someone knocked on the door.


    "Come in," Han Yuefeng said with a sigh.


    The door opened and Yan Mi came in. She bowed.


    "Greetings to Elder Han,"


    "You may rise," Han Yuefeng muttered. Yan Mi rose upright and approached the table.


    "Elder Nalan asked me to hand you this," she respectfully placed a brown envelope in Han Yuefeng''s hand.


    "Alright. You may leave,"


    "Yes," Yan Mi bowed and left.


    Han Yuefeng tore open the envelope and unfolded the letter in it. Her eyes widened with delight as she read the words:


    Yuefeng,


    Master asked us all to take a week off. Myself and your senior sect brothers are going to the Upper Prefectures to level up. Since you can''t go yet, why don''t you visit Si Lak town? I''m sure you haven''t been there before. It''s pretty interesting and will come with a lot of surprises. You can also use this opportunity to meet up with your friends who you haven''t seen in a while. Write to them to clear up their schedules and then use your elder token to summon them. I''m sure none of them have risen up the ranks so much as to ignore that, haha.


    Make sure you enjoy yourself. I''ll also bring back some treasures from the Upper Prefectures for you. You enjoy mint flavoured candy, don''t you?


    Nalan Yu.


    "Who''s out there?" Han Yuefeng called out quickly, unable to hide the excitement in her voice. Damn Feng Chusan''s first mission, that could happen later! They should seize this chance to tour Si Lak town with Su Hanlin and the others! Even Ye Haobei who Feng Chusan had said was apprenticed to an old Alchemy Guild elder could also come along. Han Yuefeng grinned even wider.


    "I said, who''s out there?"


    A passing class four disciple heard her voice and entered, nervous. He bowed.


    "I-- yes, elder? What is your request?"


    "Call me Feng Chusan, quickly! I asked her to train the class three disciples, so look for her there,"


    "Yes, elder!" The disciple scurried away at once. He had been so scared. He thought she heard him outside and that disturbed her. Even worse, he thought his lurking and stalking days were over. He-- he really liked the elder, so...pssh! Wiping his brow, be hurried towards the class three building at once.


    He found Feng Chusan quickly.


    "Classmate Feng!" He called out. One could say he was friends with her. Since she was very close to elder Han, he hoped to use her to find out the elder''s likes and dislikes. However, Feng Chusan had seen through him at once and given him a serious warning that he could never forget. It didn''t help that he was Yan Xiao, and the elder was prejudiced against him as the first impression she had of him was a bully.