Cui Shen brought his sworn brother into the guest room and prepared them both some tea. The two men sat together in tense silence. Cui Shen was never one for conversation to begin with, and Bai Guo was not in the right state of mind to worry about filling the dead air. He could do little more than stare at the steaming cup in his hand.


    After patiently going through half of his beverage, Cui Shen finally spoke. "Brother Guo, what happened to senior Long was certainly regrettable. But is that the only reason you came all the way out here?"


    Bai Guo seemed to grow even more uneasy at the observation. "...Yeah, more or less." He replied vaguely.


    "Did something happen between you and your master?" Cui Shen asked.


    Cui Shen''s question made Bai Guo''s hand tremble. The young man set down his cup.


    Bai Guo sighed. "I just came to realize that, even after all the time we spent together, I still know nothing about her. If, one day, the truth comes out, what if it turns out that she''s not who I imagined her to be?"


    Cui Shen closed his eyes. "I''m sure you considered that possibility long before you agreed to take her as your master."


    "Of course I did. And I should consider myself lucky, because for the longest time there hasn''t been anything serious for me to gripe over." Bai Guo nervously wiped his hand across his face. "But recently, I began to develop doubts. Doubts over her true character; doubts over just how much I''m willing to compromise in the pursuit of martial arts. But I can''t act on any of this because it''s all based on hearsay and speculation. And it''s frustrating, but I simply don''t know enough about her to make up my mind."


    Bai Guo continued, "When it came to you, brother Shen, and the incident with senior Long, on some level I just knew that you weren''t the kind of man who''d stoop to that without justification. I just knew that I could come here and settle it instantly. But when it comes to master... I have no idea what I''m supposed to think..."


    Cui Shen shook his head. "Brother Guo, you know I can''t elucidate you on the subject of your master. I''m just as in the dark about her as you. Probably even more than you. But if you suspect that she has done something you cannot abide by, then it is something you should confront her about directly, just like you did with me."


    Bai Guo frowned; he was already aware of that. But it wasn''t so simple, he wanted to say. Yet the young man held his tongue, keeping his frustrations within.


    "I know what you''re thinking." Cui Shen said. "''That headstrong woman wouldn''t listen.'' But I''m sure she knows by now that you''re quite headstrong yourself. As long as you speak your mind plainly and don''t cave in to her rebuke, your words may have more sway than you might expect."


    "But if I press and she doesn''t yield any ground, I..."


    "At that time, if you feel that you must put an end to your pact, then do not hesitate." Cui Shen said. Bai Guo paled at his words. "Don''t feel stifled by your status as her disciple. Since she has intentionally withheld information from you, the responsibility for any misunderstandings that happen as a result cannot be considered yours alone to bear. And if the transgression is not so severe that you''re willing to go that far, then consider letting the matter be. Though I doubt you would be bringing this up if that were the case."


    Bai Guo contemplated his words. Though some uncertainty remained, tension gradually seeped out of his features. "...Thank you for your advice, big brother."


    The young man had a sip of tea. They both drank in silence for a time.


    "I must say," Cui Shen spoke up, "You''ve really changed since I''d seen you last. I could barely recognize you when you arrived."


    Though a little befuddled by his words, Bai Guo seemed eager to move on from their previous subject.


    "Really? I don''t think I look that different." Bai Guo said, sheepishly scratching the back of his head. "I''m even still the same height... I might not grow any more than this..."


    "It''s not about that. It''s the way you walk. The way you breathe. You''re like a completely different man. You must have really stepped up your training after you left."


    Bai Guo couldn''t hide his confusion at his brother''s praise. He nevertheless nodded. "We did. It''s a pretty long story..."


    "Nevermind the story." Cui Shen set down his empty cup. "I would like to experience it firsthand. What do you say to trading a couple of stances with me?"


    "I don''t know, brother Shen..." Bai Guo grinned nervously at the suggestion. But a concerning thought suddenly crossed his mind. "We probably shouldn''t, considering your health and all..."


    "Lady Ouyang has generously provided me with a few treatments for my condition. Though my time remains no less limited, it has relieved some of my pain. It''s been much easier to handle than during my days on the road. I can even pursue my usual training again. So don''t worry about me. I can handle this. In fact, I''ve been itching for a chance to shake off some rust."


    As Bai Guo continued to waffle about with hesitation, Cui Shen suddenly stood up. The young man felt compelled to follow along. They stepped out into the courtyard outside, a clear patch of grass surrounded by the short outer walls of the residence that separated the mansion from the colorful flower field.


    "They don''t train with the sword here, so we don''t have any practice weapons." Cui Shen explained. "We''ll just use our own swords. So to be safe, don''t go all out."


    The young man''s face swam with a weird smile as he drew his sword. "What the heck are you talking about, brother Shen? Are you trying to pull a prank on me? You think I don''t know what''s about to happen here?"


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    For just a moment, Bai Guo could have sworn that he caught the barest hint of a smirk on Cui Shen''s face.


    Suddenly, Cui Shen lunged at him. He used little more than just his wrist to deliver a quick slash. Bai Guo moved his weapon to intercept his brother''s strike, and it landed heavily upon his father''s sword. As he strained to hold back this casual attack, the difference between them instantly became clear to Bai Guo. He had to use both of his hands just to push it back.


    Bai Guo performed an exploratory jab with his blade. He hadn''t even pretended to hold back, going as hard as he could despite his brother''s earlier words. Cui Shen shifted ever so slightly. He not only evaded the blow but moved closer, stepping deep into Bai Guo''s range. The young man hadn''t had the time to draw back his arm. Cui Shen punched at his foe''s sword hand with the hilt.


    A numbing pain shot through Bai Guo''s fist, and he had just barely managed to hold on to his weapon. He finally found the chance to draw back, warding off his brother''s advance by interposing the sharp blade between them.


    After giving him a moment to recover, Cui Shen began to pepper Bai Guo with quick attacks. Though the young apprentice couldn''t find the opportunity to slip in a blow of his own, he kept his cool as he endured the rain of steel.


    "Considering your teacher, I suppose it''s no surprise that you''ve learned nothing of swordplay." Cui Shen called out, his relentless assault continuing uninterrupted.


    "No, she did teach me something!" Bai Guo''s stance suddenly shifted. He thrust out with his sword, performing the first of the Fifteen Heroic Sword Steps. Cui Shen''s eyebrows rose as he rushed to parry the explosive attack; it was the first time during their bout that he had acted with any degree of urgency. The blade slid along his own, sparks flying off into the grass. The tip of Bai Guo''s sword just barely missed Cui Shen''s hand and almost cut into his flapping sleeve.


    But close as it may have seemed, it was nevertheless a miss. Cui Shen stepped forward, nearly pressing his body up against Bai Guo''s. The young man had no real recourse, unable to withdraw his commitment so soon after his attack. Cui Shen shoved, and as Bai Guo was forced back, he tripped over his brother''s leg.


    Bai Guo took a hard fall. Before he had had the chance to regain his footing, Cui Shen already stood over him, extending him a hand. With a resigned smile, the young man had been helped up to his feet.


    "At your age, I thought it may have been too late to make a difference, but you''ve made incredible progress." Cui Shen praised. "The Bai Guo I remembered wouldn''t have lasted a single strike."


    "It''s not me. It''s master who did all the work. And from what I understand, there may not be much room left for improvement." Bai Guo sighed.


    "Even if your quickest gains are behind you, there still remains a lifetime of work ahead of you. Commit to it with all due diligence, and you will become a formidable warrior in your own right." Cui Shen sheathed his sword.


    He stared at Bai Guo with a contemplative look. "In fact, it''s so quick that I''ve never seen anything like it. It may not be my place to speak on this, but I have heard certain stories about those who were lucky enough to come into sudden power. I believe you should exercise great care as you proceed with your training. The kind of method that could elevate you so quickly may not be entirely safe to cultivate."


    "So it would seem... Master used to interrupt me frequently to berate me about the way I breathed, saying it was dangerous..."


    "With her unique ability, I suppose it''s no wonder that she was able to guide you through such a difficult method."


    Bai Guo grunted in agreement. "She seemed to know what was going on in my body even better than me."


    As the conversation dwelled on that golden haired woman once more, his eyes began to cloud with worry again. Perhaps noticing his brother''s growing plight, Cui Shen stepped forward and patted off some of the dirt from the young man''s arms. The young man seemed to snap out of it.


    Cui Shen said, "Now I know that I have nothing to worry about when it comes to you. No matter what may come, I''m sure you''ll manage one way or another. Knowing this, I can rest easy."


    Bai Guo smiled. "You''re really overrating me here, big brother. I can''t even claim my progress to my own credit."


    Cui Shen patted him on the shoulder one last time. The two of them headed back to the mansion. Cui Shen helped Bai Guo get properly settled in, and the two of them exchanged stories of their adventures long into the night. Though Bai Guo was loath to part for the night, the weariness from his hasty trip was beginning to get the better of him, and the sworn brothers reluctantly decided to call it a day.


    On his way to his room, Bai Guo came across Ling Ling passing through the halls. Her eyes stubbornly avoided his. Bai Guo greeted her, and while it prompted the young woman to stop, her gaze remained downcast. She eventually threw a hesitant glance his way and bowed her head to return the greeting. She was then intent on walking right past him.


    Bai Guo couldn''t handle her odd behavior and asked, "Is something wrong, Ling Ling?"


    His question forced her to halt again. Her shoulders tensed, her lips pursed. She remained uncomfortably stiff. When she finally turned, coldness seeped through her dark eyes.


    "I think you''ll be glad to know that I''m leaving with mistress Ouyang in the morning. So there''s no need for you to keep up the pretenses." Ling Ling flatly declared.


    Bai Guo was at a loss for words. He stared at her, his mouth moving but failing to utter a single sound.