All three martial artists sprang to their feet.


    He Yong was the first to approach the arrogant youth, bellowing, "What choice do you think you have, you brat?! If the King of Jianghu wants to take you, then you will be taken!"


    The fear and bitterness in his voice was hard to conceal. Though he yearned for the manual himself, he had no choice but to speak on Tao Geming''s behalf.


    "He''s right!" Liao Lan pitched in. "You should just consider yourself lucky and go!"


    He Yong grabbed his giant saber. "I ought to cut you down for your disrespect, kid!"


    "Enough!" Tao Geming interrupted them. He approached the young man and stared up at him. He wrapped his fist around Bai Guo''s tunic and began to drag the young man down. Bai Guo felt like he was being pressed down by a mountain. Even without his injuries, he doubted that he could withstand this. He was forced to his knees.


    Now it was Bai Guo who had to look up at the other man.


    Tao Geming barked, "What the hell are you trying to pull here?"


    Bai Guo brazenly met his gaze. "I know what you''re trying to do here. You''re trying to get master indebted to you again. I won''t let that happen."


    "I don''t need your approval, you moron!" Tao Geming yelled at him. "I''ll just drag you back by force. Even if you were in perfect health, I could just do whatever I damn well please with you and you wouldn''t be able to do a thing about it!"


    "Master taught me how to circulate my internal energy," Bai Guo said, "But I taught myself how to circulate it incorrectly! And in my current state, even I can tell that a single mistake would outright kill me. So don''t you dare lay a hand on me, or you''ll earn yourself a golden haired enemy for life!"


    Even Tao Geming couldn''t help but flinch before the absurdity of the young man''s threat. All three martial artists were astonished.


    Liao Lan exclaimed, "You''ve lost your mind, Bai Guo!"


    "You''ve all heard me!" Bai Guo reaffirmed himself. "I''d rather kill myself than become a burden to my master! So step away!"


    Tao Geming ground his teeth in rage. He Yong silently observed, cunning in his eyes, ready to flap along whichever way the wind would decide to blow.


    "You pathetic hanger on! Where did you find the balls?" Tao Geming growled.


    Bai Guo snorted arrogantly, his gaze unwavering.


    But suddenly, Tao Geming flashed an evil grin. "Think you''re clever, don''t you? But you hadn''t thought of one thing. I could just kill you now, have these buffoons here take the blame, then get on your master''s good side by killing them all."


    The other three paled and broke out into cold sweat.


    "That''s absurd!" Bai Guo exclaimed, his composure wavering. "As if she''d ever believe your story!"


    "Your master is easy enough to trick as she is!" Tao Geming laughed. "And you underestimate just how believable a story can sound when there''s only one person around to tell the tale! You thought to compete wits with me? Hah! It''s fifty years too early for you to even try, you naive little brat! Watch what true cunning looks like!"


    "You''re insane! That would never work!" But even as Bai Guo protested, at some level he realized that, whether his plan could plausibly work or not, a killer like Tao Geming might still go through with it. Even if the man himself didn''t believe that his plan might work, he could still kill him as a punctuation point on the matter of his pride. Or on nothing more than a simple whim.


    Tao Geming pressed two fingers into Bai Guo''s chest. Already the young man began to feel something strange surging within him, like his blood was moving according to the man''s will. Fear seized him completely. His teeth rattled. He gritted them as hard as he could, bracing himself.


    ...But nothing happened. Tao Geming eventually took his fingers away, still grinning. Sweat poured down Bai Guo''s face in rivulets.


    "Shit yourself, did ya?" Tao Geming asked and broke out into laughter. Finally, he released his grip and walked away.


    The kneeling Bai Guo dropped on his hands, panting for air. The brush with death had drained him utterly. But as the young man breathed, he noticed a peculiar change. No longer did his chest tighten and ache every time he inhaled. Though his limbs still shook, he regained his full sensation of them.


    Bai Guo scornfully stared at Tao Geming''s back. His internal injuries were gone without a trace. He seethed in silence. "In the end, this bastard still managed to put me in his debt against my will. I hate this! It''s like I lost!"


    "Do as you like with him." Tao Geming dismissively waved his hand as he took his leave.


    They all breathed a sigh of relief when the maniac was gone.


    Liao Lan fanned herself with her hand. "He Yong, how about you show me to my room? I''ve had enough excitement for today."


    He Yong concurred. He left her with a servant. Bai Guo pretended to be feeble as the sect master dragged him over to his personal quarters. For a bed, the young man had been provided a blanket on He Yong''s floor.


    Bai Guo spent the night wondering how to get out of his perilous situation.


    Unbeknownst to him, beyond the door of his room, Liao Lan lurked the halls, studying the layout and pondering a plan of her own.


    ...


    The next day, Bai Guo''s sword had been repaired. The young man inspected his father''s old weapon, and found it to be in decent condition. The blemishes that remained from his battles were only barely visible. He was relieved to have his treasured possession back.


    He Yong allowed him to keep the weapon, figuring that his injured self would be incapable of wielding it regardless.


    "You''ve got guts, kid." He suddenly said, as if to explain his decision. "But you don''t have to go down with the sinking ship. Remember that tomorrow."


    This was, after all, his last day. Bai Guo didn''t grace him with a response.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    As Liao Lan and He Yong mingled, at noon, the servants have announced new guests.


    "Abbot Qing Duyi has come, accompanied by several reverends."


    "Even the Exorcist himself has come to gawk at you, Bai Guo. Is there a big fellow with them?" He Yong asked. The servant hesitated at his question. "I''m asking if the Sleeping Asura is among them."


    "No, sir." The man seemed frightened by the suggestion and shook his head.


    "Let them in."


    A thin, ancient elder stepped forward, his white beard long and thin. He was accompanied by three unfamiliar monks, and a remarkably short monk that Bai Guo immediately recognized.


    When Chun De saw him there, acting the part of the injured and feeble young man, her back straightened and her eyes flashed with fury. She glared fiercely at He Yong.


    The elder spoke sternly. "You have made it abundantly clear that there is no use chanting the sutras to the likes of you, He Yong. But you have forgotten your own ways, broke all of your Taoist precepts in one fell swoop before the entire world! You debase yourself and the ancient history of your sect with such wanton villainy."


    "This is a worldly matter, reverend." He Yong replied. "Keep your bald head out of it. You won''t get away with hiding behind sanctity if you presume to pursue this matter."


    "You hurt and seized a guest you invited into your own halls. Such callous disregard for propriety sets the people ill at ease. They begin to wonder if morals exist within your territory at all. If you keep fostering this attitude, you''ll plunge it all into chaos! Repent! Set your captive free and renounce your evil ways!"


    "I don''t want to listen to a lecture on morality from a man who menaces the people into submission." He Yong rebuked. "Not in a thousand years would you have dared to poke your bald head in here had it not been for the demon you hide beneath your accursed temple. Get lost."


    Chun De gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. Qing Duyi gestured towards her. The girl took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves.


    "I have never used that man to threaten anybody." Qing Duyi replied. "But I would like you to know, that this young man you''ve kidnapped is a friend of our temple, and a friend of Ji Yan in particular."


    "Ridiculous!" He Yong exclaimed. "This boy hasn''t been to our mountains for more than two months, probably even less. You expect me to believe that he made friends with the Sleeping Asura himself? To think that a man of the cloth could lie so brazenly! Get lost!"


    "It is no deception. It is the works of karma."


    He Yong bounded from his seat, his saber in his hands.


    "Get lost, I said!" He bellowed.


    The monks flinched at his display. They bowed their heads and swiftly took their leave.


    He Yong sat back down. A tired sigh escaped his lips. He pondered the abbot''s words and chuckled.


    "I despise those hypocrites." He Yong said before guzzling some wine.


    The hours dragged on. He Yong regularly summoned his sect''s disciples to check for news of the golden haired woman, but there was no sight of her.


    The giant was growing impatient. "Your master really intends to drag this out to the last minute."


    Bai Guo hadn''t replied. He knew that he could trust her. But that didn''t mean that he had to rely on her wholeheartedly; his mind was racing for a solution of his own. He suspected that they would have to help each other if they wanted to get out of this situation.


    He was armed. He was healthy. The latter granted him an element of surprise. And still, what chance did he stand against the master of a sect? And what hope did he have to escape from this mountain, crawling with his skilled subordinates?


    Bai Guo''s eyes inadvertently came upon He Yong''s female companion. It turned out that she was looking at him too. They stared at each other for a time, though Bai Guo''s mind was elsewhere. Suddenly, when He Yong turned his attention away from them, she winked at him.


    Whatever thoughts were going through Bai Guo''s head at that moment had instantly crashed to a halt. The strange woman continued innocuously sipping her wine, refusing to meet his confused gaze again.


    "Why do I always feel like such an idiot around women?" Bai Guo wondered.


    The final night was upon them. As Bai Guo lied on his makeshift bedding, a knock emerged from the door. He Yong rose instantly, his saber already in his hand.


    "It''s me." Liao Lan''s voice could be heard from the other side.


    The sect master cautiously approached and opened a small gap. He positioned himself as if he expected the woman to attack him at any moment. Bai Guo listened to their whispers.


    "I can''t sleep. I''m so nervous about tomorrow." Liao Lan whined. "I need something to calm the nerves."


    "Go to sleep." He replied.


    "It''s so cold in my room..." She pouted, rubbing her arms.


    He Yong seemed to grasp where this conversation was headed. "I need to guard the prisoner."


    "Why?" She asked, innocuously leaning in as if to peer into his room. He Yong widened the gap for a better view. "Is he going to sprout wings and run away? Just lock him in."


    He Yong considered her suggestion. Liao Lan was fidgeting impatiently. Her outward desperation was grinding down He Yong''s patience as well.


    "Come on..." She muttered.


    The sect master had finally decided to step out, taking his saber with him. The woman smiled and led the way with swaying steps.


    Bai Guo''s eyes widened. He got up to his feet and pressed his ear against the locked door, sheathed sword in hand. "This is perfect! Now, how do I make my getaway?"


    Both the doors and windows were locked tight. Without a key, he had no choice but to smash them to escape, but it was tantamount to announcing to the entire house that he was taking his leave.


    Bai Guo kept his ear stuck to the door, praying for some kind of miracle.