《Can You Conquer The World With Martial Arts?》


 Chapter 1 - Golden Witch (I)

    In one of the most reputable inns across the vast territory ruled over by the Wuyi Sect, a martial arts expert was leisurely partaking in drink and the attention of the locals.


    Wei Qing, colloquially known as the Heart Seeking Finger, was a dark haired man with a long, remarkably smooth, glistening beard, across which he ran his deadly fingers with great frequency and delight. He had killed dozens of men, and a dozen of them had some renown to their names. He was not oblivious to the tension present in the air even as every word of his was showered with praise by the group of wealthy scions and merchants hovering over his table, for the men present knew that he could kill them all on a whim. He was well aware of his own reputation, and found it no shame at all to enjoy the fruits of his labor. His chief amusement lied in nitpicking their words for things at which to take offense, only to laugh it off and pretend that he had merely been speaking in jest.


    He would then keep mental notes of those with whom he tried to pick a fight, and had they been foolish enough to neglect to make an apology to him in the form of a gift within the next week, made trouble for them.


    And yet the wealthy strove to endear themselves to him not just for his powerful connections as one of the most senior disciples of the Wuyi sect''s headmaster, but for the chance to put his famous skills and ruthless subordinates to use for their own benefit. They laughed at his jokes, cheered at his stories, and showered him with compliments and drink.


    Wei Qing''s merry evening had ceased abruptly when a stranger entered the inn. People of all sorts passed through the establishment, and yet this particular individual drew the silence of not only the sycophants and the subject of their unceasing flattery, but the rest of the patrons as well.


    A tall, young woman wearing a pale blue robe gracefully walked across the room. Although the gentle roundness of her facial features alone could be considered attractive enough to draw attention, what truly lulled the crowd into such shock was her hair, which, untied, reached down slightly below the woman''s waist and looked as though it was made of gold.


    Heedless of the onlookers, she approached the counter and placed her hand upon it. The sleeve of her robe was so long that even the proprietor, who stood right in front of her, never got the chance to see a single finger of her hand. The oppressive silence was interrupted by something thumping against the wood.


    "Please show me to my room." The woman''s voice broke the silence for good. The patrons seemed to take it as a cue to regain their wits and began to gossip in hushed tones. None present had ever seen a woman with such eccentric appearance.


    As the woman slid her sleeve away, a golden tael was left on the counter, the sight of which helped the proprietor come back to his senses. The pudgy man clasped his hands together and began to nod eagerly with a big, silly grin on his face, gesturing towards the staircase as he began to lead the way while chattering on and on about the menu, the locale, the services, the weather, and whatever else came to mind.


    The woman turned her head in the opposite direction. Her gaze picked Wei Qing out of all the other patrons and lingered on him. The old master''s heart began to thump. They stood halfway across the large room, but his extensive cultivation gifted him with eyesight that was better than most. The woman''s eyes were the same color as her hair, only ever so slightly darker. He found himself somewhat unnerved at the sight, and began to rub his smooth beard. Suddenly, the woman smiled. It was a small smile, almost like a smirk. Wei Qing clenched his beard. The slight nervousness he felt was instantly evaporated by the heat of his excitement.


    Although, he was still at a loss about what he should have done next. As he hesitated, the woman turned away and followed the proprietor upstairs. Wei Qing''s hand finished one last lap across his beard and returned to his cup. He chuckled to his fellows. All of them asked what his relation to that mysterious woman was, but Wei Qing kept things vague.


    Later that night, as the merriment winded down and the guests retired for the night, Wei Qing snuck out of his room. The wooden floorboards did not creak nor even budge beneath his feet, as if the old man was entirely weightless. He stopped next to a door and perked up his ears, listening. After a while, his ears hadn''t picked up on anything out of the ordinary - or much of anything at all - from within that room, so he set his hand down on the doorknob and gently pulled. The door squeaked lightly as it opened, and he slowed down even more. When the gap was wide enough for him to fit through, he had entered the room in a single swift, silent movement, just as gently pulling the door behind him to a close.


    He took his time with it. His eyes ran across the spacious room, illuminated by nothing but a speck of moonlight seeping through the closed window. In the large bed on the other end of the room, with only her head above the covers, a woman lied on her back, her long hair haphazardly thrown about across her pillow and sheets.


    As soon as the door closed, Wei Qing leaped towards the bed. His fingers struck out at several of the woman''s pressure points. Wei Qing''s expertise was such that even through the woman''s loose robes he could perceive the finer points of her anatomy; even with her body hidden beneath a heavy blanket, his accuracy was unimpeded. Even had the darkness been absolute, he would need only to feel the outline of a stranger''s body no more than once for the location of all of their pressure points to reveal itself within his mind''s eye. If he could not manage even that much, then he could make guesses with a frightening degree of accuracy.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    In the unforgivingly precise art of pressure point sealing techniques, such things were practically unconceivable.


    His 5 strikes had begun and ended in the blink of the eye. With those pressure points sealed, the woman would not be able to move any of her limbs. Wei Qing threw aside the blanket and mounted her at the waist. The expression beneath his beard was giddy, and he breathed heavily. His fingers greedily grasped the mounds beneath her nightgown, and soon he went higher, exploring her collarbone, her shoulders, her armpits, her neck, her face. Wei Qing parted her lips with his thumb, ogling at the pearly whites and tongue underneath. The breathing Wei Qing felt on his moist fingers was deep and steady.


    By now, his vision had adjusted to the dark as well as they ever would. Wei Qing looked into her eyes, and found the woman staring back at him. The only thing expressed in those yellow eyes was indifference. Once again he began to felt that same pang of fear he had felt when their eyes met for the first time.


    Suddenly, he felt something digging into his armpits. He found himself getting lifted up off the bed. His heart skipped a beat, and would never get the opportunity to beat again. The final thought running through his mind was that he hadn''t checked the room thoroughly enough, that someone else was hiding in it. Wei Qing flew backwards across the room like a shot arrow.


    As his head collided with the door, his neck broke instantly. But even if Wei Qing had had the rest of his natural lifespan to mull over that night''s events, he would not have ever arrived at the conclusion that it was the woman who had lifted up her legs, dug her toes into his armpits and flung him across the room with humongous power. First of all, her pressure points were sealed; to the master, this matter was simply unquestionable. Second of all, even with full control of all their limbs, who could possibly exert that much force from such an awkward position?


    As Wei Qing smashed through the door, his limp body rolled up to the wall on the opposite end of the hallway. The explosive sound had woken all the patrons, on this floor and the next. One by one they began to step out of their rooms to take a peek outside, candles in hand. They gasped. Not one of them failed to recognize the master''s broken body, and not one of them was foolish enough to speak to someone who was so clearly dead.


    The plump proprietor, too, had arrived, and screamed at the grisly scene. "Master Wei?!" In his shock he had nearly dropped his lantern. He turned back behind him and shouted. "Guo''er! Bai Fan! He Ru! Hurry!"


    A young man ran up from behind a corner, his dark hair tied up into a low ponytail, and a sword on his hip. "Uncle, what happened?" He asked the proprietor. Their way of addressing each other hinted at a familial tie, which would make the new arrival''s given name Guo. As he examined the scene, the young man''s eyes widened in shock. "Master Wei?!"


    Guo was of half a mind to approach Wei Qing, but the crowd had suddenly heard a footstep from the room from which the master had been so violently tossed out of. The patrons gasped again, slinking back into their rooms, terrified. After all, who knew what went through that killer''s head? No one was willing to put their life on the line just to sate their curiosity. Guo''s uncle was sweating profusely, and clearly wanted nothing more but to hide somewhere just like his guests. Guo himself nervously clutched at his sword.


    The golden haired woman stepped out of her room, dressed up in her pale blue robes. Without sparing the onlookers a glance, she crouched next to the corpse and began to go through Wei Qing''s pockets. Eventually, she had plucked out an object and hid it beneath her long sleeve. With that done, she began to walk away.


    Guo had finally mustered up enough courage to raise his voice. "Wait!" Guo''s uncle gestured at him frantically as he had done so, unambiguously suggesting that they not draw her attention. But the woman continued on her way, soon turning a corner towards the stairs down.


    "What are you thinking!" Guo''s uncle hissed, berating his nephew as loudly as a whisper could allow. "Against someone who could kill Master Wei, what chance do you have? If she''s going, then good for her! Let her!"


    The next moment, two more swordsmen arrived. Guo''s uncle commanded them. "Go let the Wuyi Sect know! If they blame us for this, we''re doomed."


    Guo spoke up again. "Uncle, who was that?"


    "I don''t know." The plump man replied. "That lady has been the talk of the inn, but nobody knows her."


    Guo squatted down next to Wei Qing''s corpse. He gently lifted up a part of the dead man''s gray shirt, examining a dot of blood seeping through. "He was stabbed by a blade no wider than a finger. I can see five wounds at least." Guo stepped away from the corpse, rubbing his chin in contemplation. "How could there be a martial artist even greater than Wei Qing with such remarkable appearance that no one has ever heard of before?"


    "That''s what the Wuyi Sect will want to know too! What if they don''t believe us? Oh, heavens..." Guo''s uncle leaned against a wall, his feet weak, the back of his wrist up against his forehead. "Perhaps she''s wearing a disguise... Perhaps it''s not a woman at all!" He raised his voice, and, fearfully catching his own excitement, lowered himself back to a whisper. "After all, have you ever seen a woman as tall as her?"


    Guo mulled over it some more. "Uncle, you may be right. That''s why I must look into this while she''s still here."


    "While she''s still here? What are you thinking? Are you mad?" Guo''s uncle exclaimed as his nephew broke out into a run. "Stay away from her, it''s too dangerous! Bai Guo! Bai Guo, come back here right now!"


    But Bai Guo would not stop, the loud voice of his uncle soon fading behind him. He chased after the mysterious woman, who by now had left the inn. Even this late at night, the bustling streets were well lit and filled to the brim with crowds. Bai Guo''s eyes darted around the streets, and he could just barely spot a glimpse of golden locks at the edge of his vision. He sprinted after them.


    ...

 Chapter 1 - Golden Witch (II)

    Swift as he was, he soon realized that he had gotten no closer, and eventually lost her in the crowd. Figuring he would have better luck spotting her from above, Bai Guo leaped towards a house three stories tall, scaling the wall in a few outrageous jumps. As his head emerged over the edge of the roof, he found a golden haired beauty standing right where he intended to plant his foot.


    Bai Guo shouted and lost his balance. Just as he was about to fall, he found himself suspended in midair. The woman held him by his forearm, neither pulling him up nor letting him drop. Bai Guo planted his feet back onto the wall and finished his ascent. The woman stepped back, letting go of his arm. She was taller than him by half a head, and Bai Guo had never felt his height to be inadequate up until then.


    "What are you doing?" She asked, her voice borderline monotone.


    Bai Guo broke out into cold sweat, finding himself at a loss for words. He cupped his hands and bowed deeply. "Thank you, senior, for your help."


    No response came. Without rising, Bai Guo continued. "For lifting me up." When no response came yet again, he introduced himself. "I am Bai Guo. If I may ask for the senior''s esteemed name and the name of your esteemed sect."


    His two questions were answered by two more. "Why are you calling me a senior? How old are you?"


    Bai Guo felt his throat drying up. "I''m 17 years old. How... how would you like me to address you?"


    His words were met with a chuckle, the woman''s voice perking up with amusement. "So why did you address me as senior?"


    Bai Guo felt he was being toyed with, but continued to respond in earnest. "Because you are my superior not only in age, but in martial arts, too... I only meant to show my respect."


    As Bai Guo spoke, he dared to raise his head just a little bit. Both of the woman''s long sleeves were by her side. From his angle, he could just barely see her fingertips. The young man suddenly found himself unnerved by the sight. Despite the great length of the sleeves, her arms were still long enough for her hands to be only barely covered by them. He set his head back down, forcing the thought aside.


    Once again, the woman laughed. "That''s okay then. Say, you are a local here, aren''t you?"


    "Yes, ma''am."


    "Stop talking to the floor." Amusement had suddenly left her voice.


    Bai Guo raised his waist, setting his arms at ease by nervously jerking them to his sides. The senior revealed an object in her hand, a black wooden token with the white words "Wuyi" on it, and asked a question. "Do you know what this is?"


    "That''s..." Bai Guo gasped. "That''s the Wuyi Sect''s token."


    "What is the Wuyi Sect?" The woman followed up without hesitation.


    Bai Guo thought the question strange - after all, who wouldn''t know something like this? But he decided to answer directly. "The rulers of this kingdom, of course..." He hadn''t meant to let those last two words slip out. But the woman seemed to pay it no heed.


    "Where is it located?"


    "Their main headquarters are in the Wuyi Mountains, but they have many branches, one of them in this city."


    "If you could point me in the direction of the Wuyi Mountains, I would appreciate it."


    It was now that Bai Guo had finally been unable to answer immediately. He could certainly have given her the directions to the office of the local branch with ease, but this was a lot more complicated.


    Sensing his hesitation, the woman asked. "Are you, perhaps, a member?"


    "No, ma''am..." Bai Guo answered honestly. An idea had suddenly flashed through his head like a bolt of lightning. "If you would like, I can lead you to their headquarters."


    His proposition was met with silence. A small smile slowly crept up on the woman''s face. "You aren''t a member, yet you know where they''re located well enough to lead me there? I don''t see any mountains around, so it can''t be that close, right?"


    Bai Guo clasped his hands and dropped into another bow. He hastily began to explain. "Senior, I went there once when I was younger, to apply for membership within their sect. But my aptitude was deemed insufficient during the trials, and they threw me out. Now I work as a guard at my uncle''s inn..."


    "Stop talking to the floor."


    Bai Guo raised himself again. The woman continued with her questions. "How far is it?"


    "About two weeks of travel."


    Her smile grew. "And may I ask why you''d be so courteous as to guide me there at such great inconvenience to yourself?"


    Bai Guo''s throat was completely parched by now. He swallowed heavily, though there was nothing to swallow. His reply came out hesitantly and after a pause. "If I may be so bold, I would like senior to take me on as her disciple."


    The woman''s smile faded away. Bai Guo desperately continued. "Martial arts have always been my passion, but without the expertise of a true master, my skills have never progressed beyond those of a journeyman."


    The senior regarded him with surprise. "Did I, perhaps, get in the way of a similar plan of yours by killing that man?"This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    "No... Master Wei was part of the Wuyi Sect, and as I''ve mentioned before, they already refused me."


    The rooftop descended into silence. The ruckus of the crowds below them could not overpower the sound of Bai Guo''s heart thumping in his ears. Finally, the woman spoke again.


    "If you bring me there, I''ll consider it."


    It was as if a stone dropped from Bai Guo''s chest. Bai Guo bowed again, then fell entirely to his knees.


    "That''s enough of that." The woman spoke with a tinge of annoyance. "We''re heading out right away."


    "Right away?" Bai Guo parroted as he hastily got back up. "But we need to prepare for the trip... We need food, and... and other supplies... We won''t be able to get a horse this late."


    "Is there something wrong with your feet?"


    Bai Guo was shocked, and waited for her to say that she was just kidding. When he realized that no such thing was coming, he protested. "But, senior, then the trip is going to take much longer than two weeks! Would they even let us past the gates at this hour?"


    "Let me ask you something. Do you know martial arts at all?"


    "My father taught me a few skills."


    "So then are you, perhaps, slow in the head?" The woman turned away from him, walking towards the edge of the roof.


    Bai Guo remained in awkward silence.


    "The people at the gates are not martial artists. If you can''t get past them one way or the other, then there''s nothing I can teach you." She stopped at the edge. "From which gate would we be departing?"


    "The... the west one."


    "I will meet you there. If you take too long, I''m leaving without you." She stepped over the edge and fell. Bai Guo sprinted after her, but when he looked over, there was no trace of the mysterious woman.


    Left to his own thoughts, the young martial artist weighed his options.


    He was hoping to continue the dialogue a little longer to glean at least some information over what had just occurred in his uncle''s inn, but she departed without giving him much opportunity. Was it worth pursuing this matter any further?


    Was the risk of being painted as that woman''s accomplice worth the possible payoff of being the one who brought her in to the authorities?


    Her intentions confused Bai Guo greatly. Without that missing piece of the puzzle, accurately weighing the risk was next to impossible.


    But whether by earning himself a spot in the Wuyi Sect, or by extracting a secret from the mysterious senior during their travels, he stood to gain greatly from this situation...


    ...At great risk to his life.


    Although his mind was already made up, he still needed a few minutes to muster up courage. He stood stock still on the rooftop, mulling over what he should be doing next.


    "Unless she''s putting on an act, she''s clueless about the local affairs. She has obviously come from somewhere far away... That senior must have already taken care of all of the travel preparations. I don''t have much money on me, and most stores are closed at this time. Going back to the inn is out of the question. My uncle would never let me go through with this... And I can''t give him the chance to persuade me because he just might be able to convince me! I should just get going now while I still have the courage!"


    With those thoughts rampaging in his head, Bai Guo hopped off the roof and made his way towards the city''s west gate. "I just hope she''ll share her food with me."


    As he left the night district behind, the crowds had rapidly thinned out. Contrary to what the mysterious woman had said, almost all of the city''s guards were either martial artists themselves or amateur warriors directly under their employ, which not infrequently meant that they would have some semblance of familiarity with a martial arts technique or two. Although the techniques of the Wuyi Sect, as well as just about every sect that had a name in the world, were a secret, it was ultimately impossible to prevent people from catching a glimpse of them in action and imitating the motions, and even such a half-baked imitation presented a great deal of danger when wielded against a human being.


    Therefore, Bai Guo was on guard. He hadn''t had the silver tongue it would take to talk his way past the gatekeepers, so his only option was to slink past them under the cover of darkness like a common criminal. He approached the gates both swiftly and silently, taking detours through poorly lit streets and shabby neighborhoods.


    He suddenly heard the clopping of horse hooves behind him. From the amount of noise and its erratic pattern, he surmised that there were multiple riders. He questioned why someone would cause such a commotion in the middle of the night, but the answer dawned on him immediately.


    "Uncle''s men must have reported Wei Qing''s death!" Bai Guo disregarded stealth and began to run as fast as he could. If he had not managed to get out of the city before they heightened security, there was no way he would be able to get past the experts that would arrive to lock down the city.


    The city walls were a little short of 10 meters tall. Their age and inadequate maintenance meant that, ordinarily, they were easy to climb. Had it not been the middle of the night, Bai Guo would have been over them in just a few seconds. But in this darkness, his footwork skills were too dangerous to use. He had to scale the old-fashioned way. As he slowly made his way up, he had to brush his hands across the wall to fill out loose stones to serve as potential grips.


    Even climbing like this, his progress could not have been called slow by any reasonable stretch. But with the watchmen about to put the entire city on high alert, Bai Guo felt his heart sink with every moment he had to waste on seeking out a good grip.


    And once he had nearly made his way to the top, his situation had gotten even worse - Bai Guo noticed a moving light around the point he was intending to climb over. Most likely drawn by the commotion from the city, a guard with a pot helm was peering over the streets, an oil lamp in hand. The idea that someone was currently scaling the walls had clearly not crossed his mind, but he was staring idly, and it seemed that he intended to stand about for at least some time.


    Bai Guo decided that horizontally scaling the wall in search for a better exit point was out of the question; there was simply no time. "At this point, it''s either down or up!" With that in mind, he crept ever closer towards the edge, slower than he had ever climbed before.


    Suddenly, bells rang out from the city, quickly growing louder as more and more joined the cacophony. It was at that moment that Bai Guo leapt up, crossing the scant remaining meters of the wall. The blaring alarm had silenced the stones loosened up by his rapid ascent.


    Like a bat out of hell, Bai Guo emerged where the light of the lantern was at its dimmest. The guard had finally noticed something in the periphery of his senses and quickly turned.


    But there was nothing left for him to see. Nevertheless, the watchman was overcome by a growing suspicion. He had suddenly heard a noise, as if, on the other side of the walls, something fell down. He rushed up to the other edge and shined his lantern down.


    But there was nothing to see there either. With that, his suspicion had been contented, and he finally resumed his patrol.


    Unbeknownst to the guardsman, in the darkness, Bai Guo was sprinting for the tree line ahead of the city, clutching his arm which he had hurt after a bad drop from the walls. It was not his intention to so boldly descend, but in his panic he had lost his grip about halfway down and tumbled.


    Bai Guo hid behind a tree and sat down, breathing heavily not from exertion but from the fear. Now, with the city behind him, it had struck him that, should he fail in his little plot, he might never be able to come back to this city even if he were to get away with his life.


    A woman''s voice emerged from the darkness. "You made it."


    Bai Guo''s wandering mind was startled, and he let out a gasp. He recognized the eccentric senior''s voice, though he could hardly make out her features in the dark.


    "...Yes, ma''am." He answered.

 Chapter 1 - Golden Witch (III)

    "Are you hurt? That looked like a bad fall."


    "You saw?" Bai Guo felt surprised. Their little rendezvous was taking place quite a long way from the walls, yet she could still peer through the darkness to watch his clumsy acrobatic escapades. The young martial artist''s surprise was quickly overtaken by embarrassment. He moved his arm around, and would describe the pain as moderate. "Ah, I don''t know... I think it''s okay."


    The sparse woods descended into silence. Bai Guo was eager to say something, but found himself at a loss for words, his mind in turmoil. After a while, the senior would finally speak up.


    "Lead the way."


    Bai Guo stood up and took in his surroundings. "Senior... It''s so dark, I''m not sure that I can..."


    "The road only goes one way from here."


    "But I don''t even see the road..."


    "Follow me." The woman began to walk, and Bai Guo followed her fleeting figure. "Here we are. I''ll tell you when there''s a fork in the road."


    Bai Guo no longer felt grass beneath his feet, so the senior must have been correct. They both began to follow along. "The darkness doesn''t bother you one bit, does it, senior...?"


    The senior offered no response to that, and they proceeded in silence for a while. The pace at which they moved ended up rather frantic. What apparently passed for a walk for this woman was very nearly a jog for Bai Guo. Rather than guiding her somewhere, she was the one in the front.


    Bai Guo couldn''t tell how much time had passed before the senior spoke again. "Needless to say, if you see someone approaching us at this hour, hide."


    "Of course..." Bai Guo replied. His eyes darted towards the heavens, and he briefly prayed for a swifter dawn. "Senior..." He began. She didn''t say anything in response, and Bai Guo mustered up the boldness to presume that he could continue. "May I be so bold as to ask you for even a scrap of your background?"


    Once again, silence. Just as Bai Guo''s frustrations began to mount, the woman finally replied. "Ask me something more specific."


    "Well... For starters, what is your name?"


    "The jianghu will come up with a name for me in due time." Her response carried a note of amusement.


    Bai Guo found himself befuddled by such an enigmatic answer. "But... How do I address the esteemed senior during our travels?"


    "Address me however you like." She turned her head to him as they walked. From the way she was talking, Bai Guo thought she was smiling. "Why don''t you come up with my very first title?"


    Bai Guo chuckled awkwardly. "There is no way it would be senior''s first title... Right?"


    The golden haired woman turned her attention back towards the road. As their conversation was once again about to revert to silence, Bai Guo scrambled to salvage the situation.


    "What I mean to say is that, since in my ignorance the esteemed senior''s great achievements elude me, I would not be able to come up with a title that would serve as adequate representation of your radiant self." Bai Guo nervously rubbed his hands as he spoke.


    "Achievements, huh..." The woman sighed. "I killed that man earlier, did I not?"


    "Indeed! May I ask what your relationship was?"


    "We didn''t have one. That was the first time we''ve met each other."


    Bai Guo found himself thoroughly confused. "But then... how did he end up in your room?"


    "He snuck in with ill intentions."


    "Ah... I see..." Bai Guo mumbled awkwardly. "So this meeting was... just coincidence?"


    "Not entirely." Her reply peaked Bai Guo''s curiosity. "I came to this city because I''ve been meaning to speak to him about a matter that you may find difficult to believe."


    "...What would that be, senior?"


    "It will be easier for me to show you. About a day from here, we will take a slight detour." The woman''s words had once again left him rather mystified, and next to none of his curiosity had been sated. "Anyways, about my first title...?"


    "Ah, of course... Uh..." Seeing as the senior had apparently found the conjuration of her first title an interesting enough subject to peel back some of her taciturn attitude, Bai Guo rallied his voice with some enthusiasm. "How did you slay the man? Which one of the esteemed senior''s techniques had been used to bring him down?"


    "I did not use any techniques. I just threw him."


    "But, uh..." Bai Guo meekly protested. "I saw a few puncture wounds on Wei Qing''s body."


    "Would you really describe that as a technique...? I imitated the pressure point sealing strikes he performed on me as I threw him out."


    Bai Guo''s protests had suddenly turned enthusiastic. He replied immediately. "I certainly would describe such a skill as a technique, senior. I, for one, couldn''t perform a pressure point sealing strike..."


    "If you know where the pressure points are located, you can just strike them."


    Something about the way she had so callously trivialized the struggles of countless martial artists all over the world had suddenly sapped at Bai Guo''s ever dwindling reserves of patience. He praised the heavens for the fact that she was walking ahead of him, for the involuntary grimace on his face had made his displeasure quite unambiguous. He took a moment to gather himself and mustered up the will to continue this conversation.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "But traditionally, such strikes are performed with the fingers, correct? The senior used a weapon. May I ask which weapon the senior favors?"


    "I didn''t use a weapon."


    "He... had puncture wounds...!" Bai Guo wanted to object in a more polite fashion, but ended up blurting it out.


    "I must have struck out a little too hard."


    "You punctured him with your fingers?!" Bai Guo was baffled. The woman vaguely hummed to the affirmative. "You said Wei Qing performed the strikes on you, did he miss your vital points?"


    "He connected quite cleanly. It was pretty impressive considering the circumstances. But he didn''t put enough of his internal energy into the strikes, so I could unblock my meridians right away."


    "You... You can just do such a thing? The Wuyi sect is most famous for its finger and acupressure techniques, you do not mean to tell me that they can be undone by some trick!"


    "It''s not really a trick. Even you can do it. It might take you more time, but that''s all." From the tone of her voice, it was evident that the woman did not regard the conversation with much gravity.


    "...Senior, you overestimate me. I wouldn''t even know how to begin accomplishing such a thing."


    She had suddenly turned around, startling Bai Guo. Dawn was approaching, and it had gotten bright enough that he could make out the unique color of her vibrant locks. As she drew closer, Bai Guo stilled his breath, afraid that he had somehow offended her.


    The woman had reached out to his arm, her large sleeve drooping. She pressed a finger against his left shoulder. "You were hoping to learn something from me, right? Then how about this for a start?" She pressed harder, hard enough for his already injured limb to hurt even more. But suddenly, the pain faded away completely. "Channel your inner energy and try to unblock your meridian. You can work on this on the road."


    "Senior... Did you heal my arm?" Bai Guo moved it around and still couldn''t feel his injury.


    "Not really. I just numbed the pain. The meridian will unseal itself after a few hours even if you do nothing. So take this as a chance to get a better understanding of how internal energy runs through your body." The woman turned away and continued down the road.


    "Thank you, senior." Bai Guo performed a hasty bow which she did not see, and swiftly followed her.


    After they walked for a while, Bai Guo spoke up again. "How about... Golden Finger Mistress?"


    The woman chuckled, and did not respond. Bai Guo did not take it as a good sign. Perhaps noticing his confusion, she spoke. "Wouldn''t it be laughable if I nitpicked every title I''m called by? However... I did just mention that I don''t particularly care for finger techniques."


    Bai Guo felt bitter that his excellent idea had been rejected. "...But you would agree that the word "gold" would not be out of place in the senior''s title?"


    The senior brushed through her hair. She spoke with a sigh. "I stand out quite a bit, don''t I?"


    "To put it lightly..."


    "After wandering around for so long, I haven''t seen even a single person who looks like me."


    "What about the senior''s family?"


    "My parents didn''t look like me either." She sighed. "So perhaps it''s inevitable that the word "gold" is going to be in at least some of my titles... Not that I mind."


    "Where are you from, senior?"


    "I could hardly tell you. But at the moment, I am backtracking."


    Bai Guo couldn''t figure out how to even begin approaching such an answer. Who doesn''t know where they come from? The senior was clearly making some kind of joke at his expense, and he didn''t want to play along with this tomfoolery. Ultimately, he decided to steer the subject back to the part where it felt like they were making progress.


    "Well... Then how about "yellow jade" instead?"


    Suddenly, the senior grew annoyed. "I said I wouldn''t nitpick it. Gold is fine."


    Bai Guo grew nervous as her temper flared up. "Then... how about just Golden Mistress?"


    "You''re still asking...? What did I just say? Call me whatever you want, that''s the whole point." Her long sleeve fluttered as she gestured at him.


    "My apologies." Bai Guo said. "But I don''t know enough to make a suitable title without offending the senior. If you could share some of your exploits, then I could strive to do better."


    "I''m not offended." She replied curtly.


    But that did little to avail Bai Guo''s fears, so he dared not broach the subject again.


    They walked and walked, the sunlight slowly creeping up their backs. Farther up ahead, they spotted houses.


    Bai Guo''s stomach growled. His eyelids felt heavy. He found it increasingly more difficult to follow along at the woman''s rapid pace.


    "Senior... how about we rest for a bit in that village? I''ve been here before, there''s a nice inn right there..." Bai Guo pleaded.


    "Would half an hour of rest really help you?" She asked. Once again, Bai Guo found himself perturbed by her strange question, but she was quick to elaborate. "There are horsemen riding up behind us. They''re probably after me."


    Bai Guo turned around, but saw nothing. Nevertheless, he believed the senior, and shuddered. "How did they know? Did anyone see you leave the city?"


    "I doubt it. The sect must have sent out people to spread the word that I''m at large."


    "Then we can''t stop here. We can''t even pass through here! The whole village is going to make us out from a mile away."


    The senior twirled and turned to face him with a strange smile on her face. "How could we not pass through there? Should we fly over?"


    Bai Guo was disturbed by her lighthearted attitude in a situation like this. He had no idea what was a joke with this woman and what was real. Maybe she really could fly, and he was being the fool here for not taking her at face value.


    "We can go off the road, and make our way through the wilderness." He proposed.


    "How could we not stop there? Are you not hungry anymore?" She continued.


    Bai Guo was not a hunter, and didn''t know how to subsist off the land. "Well... Perhaps the senior could share some of her rations with me?"


    The woman chuckled. "I don''t have any rations."


    Bai Guo was at a loss. The woman''s grin grew larger as she approached. "You''re hungry, but you won''t eat. We need to move quickly, but you''re too tired. You''re awfully needy and high maintenance, aren''t you? Are all disciples like this?"


    "...Are you really suggesting that we just go right in?" Bai Guo stepped back. He was of half a mind to just let her go through with the unreasonable, bullheaded approach she seemed to be hinting at, and let herself get caught. But part of him had an inkling that her eccentric attitude would lead to bloodshed. What were the odds that the people following them now were experts with the skills required to take this woman on, and not just some grunts sent out to sniff out her trail?


    This entire half-baked plot of his began to feel like a huge mistake.


    As Bai Guo silently wallowed in his regrets, the senior had suddenly brought out two gold taels out from her sleeves. "Let''s try your way. Go buy some food and two horses. I''ll be waiting on the other side of the village. Nobody will see me."


    Bai Guo stepped back again, shocked. That was more money than the young man had ever handled in his life. Not even the richest patrons at his uncle''s inn had ever paid with gold. The woman stepped after him, the amusement on her face fading. Bai Guo bowed.


    "Thank you, senior." He said, secretly dreading the thought of trading with the villagers with gold. It was bound to attract attention, but he got the impression that trying to bargain with her any more would only spurn her.


    Just as they were about to part ways, the senior spoke up. "And also, buy a shovel."


    "...Why? If I may ask?" Bai Guo carefully questioned.


    "You''ll see."


    With that, they split up. Bai Guo went directly to the village, while the senior walked off into the woods.


    "Maybe Golden Witch would be a better title for her..." He thought, shaking his head.


    ...

 Chapter 1 - Golden Witch (IV)

    While shopping for the necessities, the riders the senior had somehow previously sensed had arrived. They had put up a notice with a portrait of the mysterious woman''s face, and questioned the townspeople. Although the locals hadn''t dared to disrespect the authorities openly, it was easy to tell that none of them believed that such a person could even exist. The riders seemed to sense their attitude as well. Their questioning didn''t go for long, and they left further up the road.


    When Bai Guo realized that they weren''t looking for him at all, he felt a little relieved. Of course, making it through the rest of this ordeal with his reputation intact would be quite challenging. In fact, after the scant few hours he spent with the eccentric senior, he had abandoned almost all hope of accomplishing that.


    Bai Guo realized that if he were to head home now, he could probably return to his ordinary life completely unscathed. But the thought of returning to his mediocrity - of fully embracing it once and for all - had infuriated him even more than the idea of herding the fickle senior. Furthermore, if she was telling the truth, it was Wei Qing who was in the wrong, so the woman herself was not acting without justification. And maybe, just maybe, even if they did get caught, he could explain his plan to them and get away with it...


    Bai Guo slapped himself on the cheeks. His fatigue had subsided for just a moment, and he used that moment to regain his courage.


    He bought everything he needed with just one golden tael. As he began to ride out of the town on his newly purchased horse with another one in tow, he heard a familiar voice.


    "How was it?" The woman asked him. She was leaning against the wall of a wooden house. On her chin, she nestled the upper edge of a white mask depicting a crying woman.


    Bai Guo nearly fell off his horse. "You shouldn''t have come this close! People will see you!" His eyes were drawn to the mask she held. "What is that?"


    "Just a little souvenir I picked up here."


    "Please don''t tell me you bought that!" Bai Guo''s voice was pleading.


    "Of course not." The senior replied as if she just heard the most ridiculous thing.


    "But stealing it isn''t exactly much better!"


    "Is my future disciple really such a stickler for the rules? You''re helping a wanted murderer, so why make a fuss over something so trivial?"


    "That''s obviously completely different!" Bai Guo exclaimed.


    She approached the spare horse and hopped into the saddle. Sitting in it, the woman looked unstable. "How do I make it go forward?"


    "Squeeze its sides with your legs like this." Bai Guo demonstrated, and they began to ride along the road. "Hurry!"


    They rushed towards a hill, and after concealing themselves from the town on the other end of it, Bai Guo felt at ease.


    "Just so you know, I don''t intend to keep hiding from every town we come across." The senior said.


    Bai Guo sighed. "Fortunately, now that we have food, we won''t need to go into settlements for a while."


    They traveled for the rest of the day. When the sun had set fully, they were in the middle of nowhere, and decided to sleep under the cover of some trees by a river. Bai Guo was resourceful enough to have bought a blanket along with the supplies, which he used as makeshift bedding for himself, resting his head on his bag. He had also brought rope, which they used to tie up their horses, and the rest of which the senior used to make her own sleeping arrangements: she tied both ends up to two different trees, and lied down on the rope.


    Bai Guo was at a loss for words. Eventually, he mustered some up. "...Are you really going to be comfortable like that, senior?"


    "Go to sleep." She replied. Bai Guo kept observing her bizarre sleeping ritual as he was lying down. He watched as her long hair hovered just inches above the ground. He didn''t last long; having spent more than an entire day on his feet, his concern that the senior might drop was promptly overcome by fatigue.


    He awoke from his dreamless sleep only when the sun was high in the sky. It took him a moment to remember where he was, and he dreaded the continuation of his misadventures with the inscrutable martial arts master.


    The senior refused to take any of his rations. He hadn''t seen her eat or drink anything the day before either. But even Bai Guo had heard that once one''s cultivation was sufficiently advanced, they would have little need of food and drink. Of course, hearing about it and seeing it for oneself were two different experiences, even when it came to subtle things such as this. Bai Guo''s admiration for her martial arts and his resentment of her whimsical personality continued their fierce battle within his heart.Stolen novel; please report.


    They traveled for half a day more, when the senior decided to take a detour. "It should be right around this way."


    She led them to a small village. Bai Guo was wary of being seen here, but he quickly realized that the village was empty. It did not put him at ease, as the scene immediately became eerie.


    "What is this place?" He asked, but the senior silently rode through the street. As he followed her, he noticed broken doors, hoof prints, and blood drying on the ground and on the walls of buildings. The unease instantly turned to dread.


    "What happened here? Where is everybody?" He asked again. They went to the outskirts of the village, and then traveled a good deal farther, following what Bai Guo soon noticed to be tracks. As he was not a tracker by any metric, the trace told him little, but even he could tell that an entire crowd had been trampling through these parts. Bai Guo''s nose began to pick up a strange, unpleasant scent. The senior led him to a large patch of soil that, upon closer inspection, was clumsily covered with plucked out grass.


    "Dig here." She said. Caked in cold sweat, his head pounding, Bai Guo did as she said. The deeper he dug, the more revolting the smell became, and soon he found himself overwhelmed and lost his nerve.


    He turned back to her and began shouting. "Could you please just tell me what''s going on?!"


    The woman''s golden eyes coldly stared him down. "I''ll explain after you see it."


    That answer didn''t satisfy Bai Guo, and so he angrily stared back at her. But it became evident that she wouldn''t relent, so he continued to dig.


    Soon, he struck something hard. As he brushed aside the dirt, his worst fears came to pass. He came face to face with a decomposing human head.


    He leaped out of the hole with a terrified scream.


    "They are all here." The senior said.


    "Who... Who would do such a thing?!" Bai Guo ran off the disturbed soil. Only now has the vastness of the field covered over by grass truly stood out to him.


    "I was passing through this place one night," The woman began. "When masked riders arrived, rounded them up, and killed them. I followed their leader and eventually ended up in that city where we met... what was it called again?"


    Bai Guo was dazed, and took a moment to register her question. "You mean Ningde?" When the senior hummed in agreement, another realization had struck him. "You mean Wei Qing did this?!"


    The senior continued. "...If you dig some more, you''ll find that it''s actually only the male villagers."


    "I''m not digging anymore!" Bai Guo tossed the shovel aside.


    "Then you''ll have to take me at my word. The women had been taken away."


    "But why? And where?"


    The woman smiled slightly. "With your help, we just might figure it out."


    Bai Guo found her casual attitude greatly disturbing. He frantically rubbed the back of his neck and tried to calm down, but his indignation boiled over.


    "You should be taking this more seriously, senior! You''re saying they took them to the Wuyi Mountains? The Wuyi Sect is responsible? I just don''t believe it!"


    "If you don''t believe me, then keep digging until you do."


    "This is no laughing matter!" Bai Guo gripped his head. "If they did this, who could possibly bring them to justice? They''re the people that were supposed to be protecting us! We should be running away from them, not towards them! I need to go back to my uncle and convince him to flee... I need to let everyone know about this!"


    "Do you really think they''ll leave you be if you start talking about this?" The senior reclined a bit in her saddle.


    "Then I won''t tell anyone. I''ll just flee with my family!"


    "And how will you convince them to run away without telling them about this?"


    Bai Guo was at a loss. "But... Then... You! What about you? What are you planning to do by coming right to them? You may be a master, but that place is full of masters just like you! Are you saying you''ll take them on all by yourself?" He waved his hand at her. "That''s just rubbish!"


    The woman closed her golden eyes. "Of course not. I have a plan."


    "And that is...?"


    "Why should I waste my breath, sharing it with you? A skeptic like you, who can hardly believe even the things right before his eyes?"


    "This is just unbelievable!" Bai Guo sprayed his arms in frustration. He paced around, wondering what to do.


    The senior spoke. "Think about it this way. If you leave me now, it will take me longer to find the sect. And the longer it takes me, the more time they will have to continue doing these things."


    "Word after word... All that comes out of your mouth is absurd!" Bai Guo gripped his head, on the verge of tearing out his hair.


    The woman flipped a leg over the saddle and hopped down. As she stepped closer, Bai Guo warily edged back, fearing that the senior had had enough of his discourteous talk. "Bai Guo, why did you decide to follow me?"


    "Why...?" Bai Guo mumbled. Just moments ago he had a pre-prepared answer to this question. But now, things were different, and his mind was in turmoil. He gestured towards the mass grave, and yelled. "It''s because, one way or the other, I need to become stronger! So things like this won''t happen to me or anyone I care about!"


    "Then regardless of whether I succeed, you stand to gain something to that end, don''t you? Remember, your only role is to bring me there." The woman offered him an eerie smile. "When we arrive, you can go and announce me to them right away. That way, you can get some good will from the Wuyi Sect."


    A chill ran down Bai Guo''s spine. Did she see through his little plot back when he first made her the offer?


    Bai Guo shook his head. "I don''t want any good will from them... Not after I''ve seen this. Whatever your plan is, I hope you succeed, senior. And I''ll help you."


    On Bai Guo''s insistence, they returned to the empty village. The young man had spent a while idly looking around. The senior observed him without a word. Bai Guo picked up a fallen sign and brushed aside the dirt.


    The village used to be called Qiaodu.


    ...

 Chapter 1 - Golden Witch (V)

    The two had traveled for over a week, and the mountains were finally in sight. They elected to stop in the nearby city of Shanlu to rest and resupply one last time. While Bai Guo set out during the day, the senior had decided to enter the city at night to minimize attention.


    As Bai Guo was finalizing their accommodations at the local inn, he heard a man calling his name.


    "Bai Guo! Is that you?"


    His heart sinking, Bai Guo turned to face the man. The older man - tall, skinny, and well dressed in white and blue - regarded him with a smile. A short goatee protruded down from his chin, eternally warped into a curl by the man''s habit to wrap it around his finger.


    It took Bai Guo a moment to recognize his father''s sworn brother. "Uncle Jin?"


    Uncle Jin spread his arms wide, and the two shared a hug. "It''s been so long since I''ve seen you! But why are you here? Where is your uncle Zhong? I should go greet him too."


    "Uncle Zhong isn''t here..." Bai Guo muttered.


    "You came here all the way from Ningde alone?" Uncle Jin''s eyes widened as he asked. "And your uncle allowed this?"


    Bai Guo briefly hesitated before proudly puffing out his chest. "Uncle Jin, in every man''s life there comes a time when he feels compelled to wander the jianghu."


    Uncle Jin regarded him with a suspicious smile as he began to thumb at his goatee. "You ran away, didn''t you, you little rascal? And you''re really wandering around alone? Or were you the victim of a bad influence? Let me guess - is it a woman?"


    Bai Guo pretended to be offended. "Is this Investigator Hou Jin speaking, uncle?"


    Uncle Jin laughed. "That''s right, young man! And you''re lucky that Investigator Jin is too busy with a case to drag you back to Ningde by the ear!"


    Bai Guo pounced on the opportunity to change the subject. "What are you investigating, uncle Jin?"


    Fortunately for him, Uncle Jin was always eager to talk about his work. "A murder case most gnarly and peculiar, Guo''er. You must have seen the wreckage down the road on your way here."


    "I don''t believe I did..." As Bai Guo had not been following any roads to get here, he had no clue what his uncle was talking about.


    "Really? I thought you came in from the eastern road. Now I''m even more curious about what you''ve been up to, Guo''er."


    "Uncle, so what''s this about wreckage?"


    "A carriage of the Xiong clan had been attacked, and the patriarch, his wife, and his bodyguards and servants had all met bizarre deaths." Uncle Jin outlined the grizzly matter with great enthusiasm.


    "Bizarre how?"


    "Ah!" Uncle Jin exclaimed and waved his hand. "It is too gruesome to be talked about in public, I''m afraid. Are you interested? Is this perhaps the budding Investigator Bai Guo speaking right now?"


    "Uncle Jin, you know how I feel about joining the Investigative Bureau... Or more importantly, how Senior Investigator Long feels about it."


    "Well, of course." Uncle Jin said, and then lowered his voice to a whisper. "But remember that Senior Investigator Long is in his twilight years will not continue to work forever, and unlike him, I personally consider aptitude for detective work to be more valuable than one''s aptitude for martial arts in this field of work. And don''t think I had forgotten just how much you contributed to catching your father''s killer."


    Bai Guo once again felt compelled to change the subject. The matter of his father''s early death brought him nothing but misery. "...A man like senior Long just might outlive us both with how seriously he takes his cultivation."


    "Or, more likely, that man will outlast us both by sheer bitterness alone."


    They both exchanged a laugh.


    Uncle Jin continued. "If you would like to become a little braver and maybe learn something new, aspiring young hero of jianghu, then I can take you to the crime scene."


    "Is that allowed?" Bai Guo had found his sense of curiosity incited by his uncle''s infectious enthusiasm. And if, as his uncle said, it was a chance to prove his value as a potential candidate for the Jianghu Investigative Bureau, then all the better.


    "That''s up to the investigator in charge." Uncle Jin closed his eyes with a smile on his face. "And the investigator in charge would like to show his nephew the scene."


    Moreover, uncle Jin''s company was a welcome change of pace compared to his unpredictable master-to-be.


    They ventured beyond Shanlu''s walls; the pebbled stone road split to one of dirt, down which they walked. They soon arrived at a set of barricades surrounding a considerable area guarded by people dressed in white and blue. Uncle Jin greeted one of them, and they handed him something.


    "Is this normal?" Bai Guo asked. "Why was such a big area walled off?"


    Uncle Jin approached his nephew and handed him a damp cloth, his eyes wandering around the cordoned area as he pondered his question for longer than he needed to. "Ah, no. It isn''t normal at all."


    When Bai Guo received the damp cloth, he was more than a little confused.


    Uncle Jin continued. "It has to do with the murder method. Cover your mouth and nose with this, and breathe only through it."


    "...What exactly is going on here, uncle Jin? And what is this?"Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    "It''s a cloth soaked in some medicine. Just a slight precaution. It''s almost certainly overzealous, but it''s better to be safe."


    They walked past the barricades. It took them a few minutes of walking for Bai Guo to finally catch a glimpse of the wrecked carriage. But what drew his attention was not the vehicle itself, but the round patch of barren dirt that surrounded it, sticking out in what was otherwise a lush green field. Already, the young man could feel a sense of foreboding.


    Within that patch of dirt were the black, rotten remains of shrubs and trees, and four black, rotten corpses, one of a horse and three of men. Even their clothes had decayed into rags.


    "What do you think happened here, Guo''er?" Uncle Jin preempted the young man''s question.


    "It''s like a bomb went off here..." Bai Guo muttered.


    "Did it really?" Uncle Jin goaded him on.


    "Well, no, not literally..."


    The two approached closer. Uncle Jin grabbed his nephew by the shoulder.


    "Look closely, but do not touch anything here. After you''ve taken a look around, I want you to take a few guesses as to what happened here." Uncle Jin said.


    Bai Guo nodded, and began to inspect the scene. A question quickly sprang to mind.


    "How many people were attending the Xiongs?"


    "Two bodyguards and one servant."


    "So then why are there only 3 corpses here?"


    "Xiong clan attendants came by when they realized that their master was running late. They brought the bodies of the husband and wife back to their estate." Uncle Jin explained. "The servants that brought them back grew deathly ill within the hour, and passed away three days later. They did not carry back the rest."


    Bai Guo began to feel lightheaded. "...Is it really safe to be here?"


    "We''ve made a few rounds already. As long as you don''t touch anything and breathe through the cloth, there''s nothing to be afraid of."


    "Then this must be the work of poison... But it''s like an entire barrel''s been emptied out here."


    Bai Guo''s uncle said nothing. The young man found that next to two of the corpses was a weapon. One of them died beside a sword, the other, beside a club.


    "These must be the bodyguards." Bai Guo muttered. The corpses were so thoroughly ravaged by poison that little to no flesh remained on their bones, and what little was left was pitch black. Remarkably, they smelled of nothing, not even when Bai Guo took the medicinal cloth away from his nose for a brief moment.


    Bai Guo found these corpses easier to observe than the ones back at the slaughtered village, though he struggled to put the reason into words. Perhaps it was because these bodies did not even look human in their current state.


    The two bodyguards were spread far apart from each other, while the third corpse, most likely that of the servant, was right next to the carriage. The corpse in front of the cart was lying next to a strange round indent in the dead soil. On closer inspection, the swordsman''s leg had been cut cleanly in two below the knee.


    "They were fighting somebody. This man''s leg has been cut off. The other one must have tried to run away, but didn''t make it. There''s no obvious wound on the other bodies, so maybe they died from the poison." Bai Guo pointed at the indention. "What is this circle...? Is this where the bodies of the wife and husband were found?"


    "No, they were next to the carriage." Uncle Jin said.


    "Then what is it? It''s like something was lying here. Maybe a big rock, or a barrel? But... right next to the bodyguard?" Bai Guo looked at the sliced bone that made up what was left of the man''s leg. "The angle of the slash is low and awkward. What if the attacker cut his leg off... while sitting down here..?"


    "Is that right?" Uncle Jin said. "Do you think you could kill a man sitting down, Guo''er?"


    Bai Guo shook his head. "Sorry, uncle Jin, but I really don''t know what could have done this. If the man was sitting here, then he''d be in the very center of this withered field. I think we''re short a corpse."


    "You''re sure it was a man, not an object?"


    "An object, like a barrel rigged to blow up, maybe?" Bai Guo shook his head again. "Well, it wouldn''t have cut this man''s leg off."


    Uncle Jin nodded his head. "Then where did the corpse go?"


    "I don''t know. There''s nothing in the dirt to make it look like it''s been dragged away, or any footprints to indicate that anyone approached this place at all."


    "Indeed, it does not."


    It was at this point that Bai Guo grew tired of playing the guessing game. "So, what, then, uncle?"


    "Well, I don''t blame you for getting stuck here, since this is more of a test of one''s knowledge of the jianghu''s many vicious martial arts. You see, it is not unheard of for a poisoner to be immune to his own poisons. The leading theory is that the attacker spread poisonous smoke, which is what killed the family and devastated the vegetation. After conducting his business, the killer simply left, utilizing a lightness technique to leave no trail in the soil."


    "Is this kind of poison common?" Bai Guo was shocked.


    "Not at all. Speaking collectively for the entire Investigative Bureau, this is the first time we''ve seen anything like this. To be more exact, there are some ferocious venoms out there that may be able to cause this much damage on an individual scale, like to a single man perhaps, or to a tree. But gas, so potent and over such a wide area? No..."


    "Why didn''t they run away when they saw the smoke?" Bai Guo asked. "One of them did run, but since the servant and the Xiongs died right next to the carriage, I think he ran because he saw his friend''s leg get cut off."


    "Perhaps it''s invisible." Uncle Jin grimly stated. The thought sent a chill down Bai Guo''s spine. "Now, let''s get out of here. The less time spent in this place the better."


    On the other side of the barricade, Bai Guo was glad to breathe in fresh, unfiltered air.


    "I must say, you did very well, Guo''er. Those were some solid deductions, very close to what we ended up with ourselves. And you have heart. You faced those grizzly corpses head on, hardly even blinked!" Uncle Jin patted the young man on the shoulder.


    As they headed back to town, Uncle Jin continued to explain. "We in the Bureau have taken to calling this man the Desolator of Life. The Bureau has been employed by the Wuyi Sect to find this man."


    "Can you really defeat someone like that, uncle?" Bai Guo asked, worried.


    "Fortunately, we don''t have to. After we find and identify the criminal, the Wuyi Sect will have to handle the rest. I don''t think even the senior investigators are equipped to deal with this." Uncle Jin shook his head. "This is why I value investigative skills more than martial arts. When we fail, we fail not because we get beaten by the criminals in combat, but because we never find them in the first place."


    Uncle Jin crossed his hands behind his back as he continued. "But of course, Senior Investigator Long''s point of view is not without merit. There may come a time when, in the pursuit of truth, an investigator needs to defend himself or others. The exemplary investigator must sharpen both his mind and his sword."


    "Even so, missing one is enough to make you ineligible." Bai Guo muttered, dejected.


    "There is plenty of time for you to prove him wrong, Guo''er. That''s why you mustn''t slack off in your training or your duties." Uncle Jin turned to him. "That is to say, you should go back to your uncle instead of wasting time and money on women."


    "My reason for being here is not unrelated to martial arts!" Bai Guo blurted out.


    "Oh? Is that so?" Uncle Jin asked with a smile.


    "I may have found a teacher." Bai Guo said vaguely.


    "Who is it?"


    "The person in question... prefers to maintain their anonymity."


    "Sounds like a scam. If you could tell me this would be master''s name, I might be able to tell you if you''re getting swindled. We handle these kinds of cases all the time."


    Bai Guo suspected that even his uncle had no knowledge of the mysterious golden haired senior. Just as he was thinking of a response, his eyes wandered onto a poster depicting said senior''s illustration and a description of her crime. He had nearly tripped over his own feet at the sight.


    Uncle Jin traced his eyes to the poster, and chuckled. "I know what you''re thinking, but they didn''t forget to color the hair. Apparently, there''s a woman with yellow hair and white eyes running about!" He laughed again. "The Wuyi Sect certainly got played for fools."


    "...What do you mean, uncle Jin?"


    "Obviously no such person exists. A bad witness must have led them astray. The sect reached out to us too, but what can we do if they blundered at the very first step?"


    Bai Guo smiled nervously.


    ...

 Chapter 1 - Golden Witch (VI)

    They had dinner at the inn, during which uncle Jin continued to discuss the matter of the Desolator of Life.


    "Since there were no witnesses, it may be that we''re stumped until he strikes again. What remains of the Xiong estate hasn''t exactly been cooperative either. All things considered, this attack does not appear random. I would have liked to see their correspondences to try to nail down a potential suspect, but I was strictly forbidden from entering the estate by what remains of the clan, and they refused to show me their letters."


    "Surely a martial artist like uncle Jin could just sneak in?" Bai Guo asked, which elicited laughter from his uncle.


    "Silly boy, that would be a crime. And you get those kinds of thoughts out of your head right now!" Uncle Jin admonished him with a smile. "The Bureau is not part of the Wuyi Sect, or any other sect. We cannot just do as we please without express permission from the local authorities. And the Wuyi Sect has not approved our request either."


    "If the Wuyi Sect hired you to investigate this, why wouldn''t they grant you permission?"


    "It could be a bureaucratic delay..." Uncle Jin twirled his goatee and continued in a hushed tone. "But I don''t believe that. Who knows what dealings they may have had with each other? And the disappointing thing is, it might not even be related to the incident."


    While his uncle was uncertain if it was unrelated, Bai Guo, having seen the things he''d seen, had already made up his mind on the matter.


    They chatted about less gruesome subjects before retiring for the night.


    The next morning, Bai Guo slunk out of the city without a proper goodbye. A couple kilometers up the road, he reunited with the eccentric golden haired senior.


    "I brought you some sweets, senior." Bai Guo said, handing her a small bag with some pasties inside. The woman''s yellow eyes went wide; she very eagerly accepted the gift.


    "Are these good?" She asked, peering inside.


    "I don''t know..." Bai Guo answered. "But they look good, don''t they? With the little flower-shaped candy at the top..."


    She ate them all without delay. Bai Guo felt a little hurt that she didn''t even offer to share, and the thought quite clearly never crossed her mind no matter how much he stared at her expectantly. When they were all gone, he sighed.


    "There are going to be checkpoints past this point." Bai Guo said. "We won''t be able to stay hidden any longer."


    "It''s not too late for you to turn back. I imagine I could find the rest of the way on my own."


    Bai Guo shook his head. "No... There''s no need. I''ve decided to see this through to the end."


    Just as Bai Guo had said, the path took them to a gated mountain pass. As they approached the gatehouse, Bai Guo noticed something strange.


    "I don''t see anyone around..." He said.


    When they rode through the open gate, they discovered the scene of a massacre. Sliced and blackened corpses wearing the black-and-red uniforms of the Wuyi Sect were scattered around the empty courtyard. The checkpoint reeked of blood and death. The bodies were fresher than the ones Bai Guo had seen the day before, but they were without a doubt slain by the same method.


    "The Desolator of Life!" Bai Guo gasped. As the young man, in his panic, startled his horse, the senior regarded him with idle curiosity, unmoved by the carnage before them. He briefly explained to her the meeting with his uncle and what he had seen.


    "I need to tell uncle Jin...!" Bai Guo blurted out. On the path ahead, a large patch of grass had wilted in the peculiar shape of a cone, like a round arrow unambiguously pointing in the direction of the killer. Perhaps as the killer walked off, the poisonous smoke must have receded the further he went.


    "The smoke was emerging from the man himself?" Bai Guo wondered.


    Since his uncle''s intentions were to inform the Wuyi Sect about the man''s whereabouts rather than actually fight him personally, Bai Guo realized that there was no sense in notifying him. The Desolator of Life was, after all, already headed right for them.


    The senior began to ride ahead. "We''d better hurry before he kills everyone."


    "Senior!" Bai Guo exclaimed, riding up to her. "Do you know how to deal with that kind of poison?"


    "Well, more or less." She said. She then wordlessly turned to him and stared for a while, as if pondering something. When she turned away, she continued. "Worst case scenario, every poison user has an antidote on them."


    Bai Guo did not find her words persuasive, but her confidence was staggering enough in its own way. She simply wasn''t worried at all, and the young man found it hard to rebuke her.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    They rode at full gallop for the better part of an hour. They discovered a second outpost, and with it, a second gruesome scene.


    In the center of a stone tiled platform serving as a training field sat a sickly pale man surrounded by dozens of corpses. His disheveled, long black hair nearly touched the ground. His black clothes were covered by a transparently thin white garment, customary for one in mourning.


    Bai Guo and the senior had both guessed the range of the poison gas to be about 20 meters, and both stopped just outside of that area. They left their horses a little further behind.


    "Are you the Desolator of Life?" Bai Guo asked, sweat on his brow.


    The man opened his eyes; the darkness in them radiated the coldness of bare steel. A sheathed sword rested in his lap, a spherical, fist-sized bell chained to the bottom of the hilt. His hand slowly crept towards the handle. He spoke in a low voice, but on the lifeless mountain, his impassive tone was heard with ease.


    "I swore that I would kill every last man dwelling in these mountains." He stared at the golden haired woman. "But since I know that you are their enemy, I will give you one chance to turn around and leave."


    Bai Guo felt an indescribable tension. Every last cell in his body was screaming at him to flee. The great distance between them offered no relief whatsoever. And it was quite evident that he was only in the periphery of the ruthless killer before them; he shuddered to imagine what it would be like to be in the senior''s place, receiving the full brunt of his killing intent.


    As both parties remained motionless, a new sound disturbed the dead - that of a sword leaving its scabbard. The Desolator of Life pointed his blade at the woman.


    "I can cross the gap between us in two steps." He said. "You may have the skills to back up your fame..." The sword tip slowly shifted towards Bai Guo. "...But what about the runt over there?"


    Bai Guo staggered a step back. "We may be on the same side here!" He desperately shouted.


    The Desolator of Life had shifted from his sitting place and lunged forward like a loosened arrow. True to his word, it took him only two steps to soar across the entire field. As Bai Guo''s heart jumped to his throat, his senses were just barely sharp enough to tell that the man wasn''t leaping at him.


    A deafening clang reverberated throughout the mountain range as the senior and the Desolator of Life had clashed swords. Bai Guo realized a moment later that his own sword was missing from its sheath - the senior had taken it at some point during the Desolator''s two steps. He gawked, and couldn''t help but blurt out. "When did she...?!"


    The Desolator of Life spoke in the midst of their sword press. "Perhaps I was mistaken about your skill. With form as terrible as yours, it''s a miracle that your sword hasn''t snapped in two."


    Their swords separated. The Desolator of Life''s sword rose up towards the heavens, and was swiftly lowered back down onto the woman''s head. When their steel clashed again and erupted into another thunderous sound, he repeated the motion again. His seemingly crude movements carried with them an incredible amount of force, and even Bai Guo had gotten the impression that there was more to it than appearances would suggest.


    Each collision was louder than the one that came before. Their battle reverberated throughout the mountain range. After the senior had successfully blocked four of such successive strikes, the Desolator of Life widened his eyes and backed away.


    As the traces of their clash still echoed across the mountains, the two of them stood motionless. Once the echoes faded, the senior spoke.


    "Bai Guo, how are you feeling?"


    Her question terrified the young man, because he realized her implication immediately. After all, they drew the ire of a man with an utterly ruthless method of fighting.


    "I''m okay." He said, his voice quivering with uncertainty.


    "Then may I perhaps take this as a sign that the Desolator of Life is willing to engage in discourse?" She asked. The Desolator of Life said nothing. "Bai Guo, you were saying?"


    "We know of the Wuyi Sect''s crimes! We''re here to stop them!"


    "And how do you intend to do that?" The Desolator of Life asked.


    Bai Guo turned to the senior. She still hadn''t told him what her plan was.


    "I''ll strike at the head of the sect." She said.


    "Then we are at odds after all." The man shook his head. "My intentions are to kill every last man on this mountain, Deng Hong included! And I will not be satisfied unless they all die by my hand!"


    He began to swing his sword again. The tip of it just barely touched the earth; a light clink betrayed its collision with something hard. Bai Guo made out a whistling sound as pebbles began to fly through the air towards the golden haired senior. She batted a couple of rocks out of the air with Bai Guo''s sword, while two more flew past her.


    Their horses neighed and dropped to the ground. The improvised projectiles hit them square in the head and slayed them immediately.


    The Desolator of Life began to dash away from them like a bat out of hell. Bai Guo never even imagined that a man could move with such alacrity.


    "Senior... What are we going to do?" He asked. "He''s really going to kill everybody in the Wuyi Sect!"


    The woman sighed. "He killed our horses so we''d take longer to catch up to him. But I was not planning to rush in the first place. Let''s let him take his time."


    She began to walk. Bai Guo chased after her.


    "But... It couldn''t be that all of them are guilty of those atrocities! There must be thousands of people living on these mountains! Are you really going to let him just kill everybody? You could catch up to him right away, couldn''t you?"


    The senior regarded him with a strange look. "My goal has always been the head of this sect alone. And if he gets killed by the likes of the Desolator of Life, then my interest was misplaced to begin with."


    "What do you mean, senior? Why do you want to kill the head of the Wuyi Sect?"


    "I don''t want to kill him. All I want is to see is his strongest technique."


    "...To what end?"


    "Test of skill."


    Bai Guo opened his mouth, but couldn''t find the words. He decided to ask something else.


    "...What about all the people they''ve killed?"


    "After I defeat him, I can just put an end to that. He''ll have no choice but to accept it or die." She dismissively waved her hand before turning back around and continuing on her way.


    Bai Guo''s eyes wandered over the buildings as he once again found himself questioning the decisions that brought him here.


    "Wait, senior." He said. The woman stopped. "I''ve been to this place when I was a kid. This is where they held the tryouts for joining the sect. Come with me, please..."


    He took her into a building which contained the black and red uniforms of the Wuyi Sect. Bai Guo put one on. "Would you like to wear one too, senior?" He asked.


    The blond haired woman smiled in response. "Do you really think I''ll fool anyone with that?" Bai Guo realized the folly of his question. She continued. "Why did you even bother wearing one yourself?"


    "...It might keep me out of harm''s way." He mumbled. The senior began to walk out, still with a smile on her face.


    ...

 Chapter 1 - Golden Witch (VII)

    Deep within the Wuyi Mountains sprawled a walled settlement, the majestic scenery of untamed mountain wilderness supplemented by lavish and colorful architecture. As the spring day drew to a close, the Wuyi Sect was tinted in shades of vermilion. Two tired men in black and red stood guard at the entrance of the sect, chatting idly about trifle matters.


    Their conversation abruptly came to an end when they noticed a dark silhouette at the edge of the mountain road. As the two guards observed the unidentified man, they found themselves growing nervous. The speed with which he was approaching boggled the mind. The distance between them was shortening rapidly.


    "Stop!" One of them shouted as he drew his short sword. This had startled the other into drawing his blade as well. "This is the territory of the Wuyi Sect!"


    But not only had the black figure not stopped, the guard could have sworn that it sped up even more. The distance between them had already dwindled next to nothing. The guard turned around and was about to shout again, but a sharp whistle cut through the air. A rock struck the man squarely into his temple, and he crumpled to the ground.


    The guard''s fellow couldn''t help but spare a stray glance to the fate of his unfortunate comrade in arms. He screamed out in alarm, desperation, and fury all at once, and stepped forward to thrust his sword at the rapidly approaching Desolator of Life.


    The man clad in black twisted his body. The short blade harmlessly flew past his shoulder. The Desolator of Life''s sword decapitated the man with a single flick of the wrist. Before the man''s head touched the ground, the invader had already gone through the gate.


    The alarm was raised. Members of the Wuyi Sect swarmed the Desolator of Life. Their signature short swords could not stop his mad dash, only slow it down. The unceasing cacophony of steel clashing with steel, of one sword clashing against many, was supplemented by the sounds of sliced flesh, of spilled blood, and anguished screaming.


    The resistance was thinning out. Although none dared to outright flee, the younger members remained at a distance, hesitant to engage outright. Those with the skills for it showered the intruder with large needles, but they, too, crashed uselessly against his sword like raindrops bouncing off roof tiles.


    Even those with seniority began to falter, for they realized that the Desolator of Life would not target those who kept out of his way, and the temptation to preserve one''s life wreaked havoc on their will to continue fighting.


    But everything changed when they realized that even those who stayed away would not be spared. Even those who stayed well beyond the reach of his sword fell to the ground, wracked by sudden bouts of agony.


    "Poison!" Someone screamed. Panic spread throughout the already flimsy ranks, and while still no one dared to retreat completely, no one dared to approach, either. But even this was not enough, for people continued to die.


    "How is he doing this?!" They yelled, and the gap of their encirclement continued to widen.


    Suddenly, The Desolator of Life bellowed. "Deng Hong!" His shout, elevated by his vast internal energy, carried across the mountain range.


    The sect members clenched their teeth. "We can''t let him get to the sect master! We need to stop him!" With newfound resolve, they braced themselves to jump back into the fray.


    Another voice, elderly, calm, yet easily audible across the entire settlement, had interrupted them. "Stand at least 20 meters away from this man. I will take care of this."


    The sect members heeded the order immediately, dispersing.


    At the end of the street stood a robust grey haired man in robes of blue and white, his hands behind his back.


    "Senior Investigator Long Delun!" Someone in the crowd shouted in surprise.


    The Desolator of Life stopped in his tracks. He had instantly recognized the new arrival as a member of the Jianghu Investigative Bureau by his uniform and the distinctive crest on his shoulder, yet regarded him with the same disdain as the rest of the sect, for his presence here alone betrayed his cooperation with the Wuyi Sect. "This does not concern you or your organization, old man. Stay out of my way and no one will blame you."


    "Your inhumane killing method is of concern to the entire Jianghu. Do you know what we''ve taken to calling you?"


    "I don''t care."


    "The responsibility of disposing of a monster such as yourself falls not only on the Wuyi Sect, but on every man who considers himself to be of righteous demeanor." Long Delun brought his large hands into view and drew his sword.


    "I don''t want to hear one of Deng Hong''s cronies talk about righteousness." He spat out in response. "You know as well as anyone else here that the moment you take a step forward, you''re dead."


    "Poison won''t kill me so easily, not even yours. I will have enough time to put an end to you."


    "And then you will still die!" The Desolator of Life suddenly lost his composure, his brow creasing in fury.


    "What value does my life have at my age?" The tone of the old man''s voice seemed to regard the matter with the utmost triviality. "It has never been my intention to live this long in the first place."


    The Desolator of Life clutched his sword until his white knuckles grew even paler. The thought that this old man really meant what he said, and was about to die not for the treacherous Deng Hong, but out of a misguided pursuit of justice, infuriated him greatly.


    In his frustration, he had ceded the initiative. Long Delun lunged forward, and crossed the distance between them in two steps.


    The clash of their swords was like thunder. The Desolator of Life was forced to step back just to endure the blow. The old man towered over him, and yet when he drew back his sword, the dexterity of his massive arms was such that there was scarcely a moment for one to lay an eye on the steel before it would disappear again, flashing like a bolt of lightning towards its target. And lightning struck lightning as the Desolator of Life parried the blow.


    Their battle was indeed like a great cloudless storm erupting in the middle of the mountains.


    The bell hanging off the Desolator of Life''s sword did not impede his swordsmanship, but neither was it being used for any apparent purpose. Suspicion glinted in Long Delun''s eye, and his swordsmanship began to subtly change, his strokes and feints guiding the enemy''s blade in different directions. The Desolator of Life was almost immediately privy to the shift in the old investigator''s strategy, but they were so evenly matched that opposing Long Delun''s adjustments would put him at great risk.


    While the man in black was no stranger to gambling with his life, he was no fool either; his victory was already all but assured if he simply bided his time.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Veins bulged out on Long Delun''s forehead. The old man''s face was beet red. Heat radiated from his skin as he mustered up every last bit of his internal energy to fight both the Desolator of Life''s sword and the invisible poison wracking his body.


    The Desolator of Life was waiting for the strain to open up an opportunity for a decisive strike, but no matter how many blows he deflected, no matter how many feints he threw out, no such chance was presenting itself.


    Long Delun would not allow his bodily suffering to hinder the integrity of his stances. His nerves, sturdy as the steel he held in his hand, would not be overcome by panic or impatience. He relentlessly and wordlessly goaded his opponent into following his rhythm.


    The Desolator of Life realized that he had made a mistake. Upon deflecting another one of Long Delun''s strikes, the small chain on the hilt of his sword rattled and brought the bell forward.


    Long Delun swung with all his might, abandoning all pretenses at self-preservation. The Desolator of Life almost instinctively lunged at this opening.


    The old man was stabbed through the chest. The chain snapped, and the bell fell to the ground.


    As if oblivious to his own demise, Long Delun struck again. The tip of his blade went through the iron bell as if it was made of paper, and then sunk deep into the paved stone tiles. A wisp of white smoke seeped through the gaps in the pierced metal.


    The Desolator of Life gritted his teeth in frustration. The old investigator coughed up blood; it almost sounded like a chuckle.


    "I thought to myself, what kind of a bell doesn''t ring?" Long Delun strained to get the words out. Dark blood stained his clothes and dripped to the ground. "But it was an incense burner..."


    "Well done." The Desolator of Life bitterly praised his foe. He pulled out his sword and stepped away. Long Delun tried to remain standing, and for a few precious seconds, with a hole in his heart, he had managed to achieve just that. But then, he fell.


    The crowd gasped. "Senior Investigator Long!"


    The Desolator of Life walked forward.


    "The poison was in that bell! He can''t use it anymore!" Even as the sect members had said so, they hesitated to approach the ruthless killer before them.


    Another voice boomed across the sect.


    "To think that the so called Desolator of Life would turn out to be Cui Shen."


    The Desolator of Life''s eyes widened. The crowd parted to make way for the man whose soft voice reverberated across the mountains, their postures respectful and their eyes downcast in shame.


    The man was tall and slim, his black hair tied back into a long ponytail. His sharp features would have made him stand out from the crowd even had it not been for the authority he unambiguously possessed and wielded like an unsheathed blade. He looked down his nose at the Desolator of Life, and he had done so with insidious derision; his glare must have been cultivated with decades of perpetual arrogance and casual contempt.


    "How long has it been, Cui Shen? About five years, was it? My, how you''ve grown." When the man spoke, it was though every word was coated in a veneer of sarcasm.


    "Deng Hong...!" The malice contained in Cui Shen''s voice seemed as though it could grind down stone.


    "Are you surprised that I still remember you?" Deng Hong asked, seemingly on the verge of laughter. "It''s not often that you see a man abandon his woman so shamelessly."


    Cui Shen charged him with a roar. The sect members stepped forward to defend their master, but the man spoke again. "Stay out of this."


    Cui Shen swung his weapon like a man possessed. Deng Hong weaved around the strokes without much urgency, as though he was being pushed about by a light breeze, and avoided each strike.


    Moreover, he continued to speak. "With that being said, you might be surprised to hear that I don''t remember your woman''s name. I suppose after all these years I don''t think much of them anymore. But I do recall that your woman in particular was a most delectable morsel."


    Cui Shen''s next strike came with such vigor that even Deng Hong could not avoid it. His hand darted to his belt and drew out a short sword. Sparks flew as steel collided.


    "It took you five years for you to come up with that poison of yours? A clown''s trick." Deng Hong smirked. "For one seeking revenge, time is of the essence, you little fool. What would you have done if I had died during all those years? You would have become the laughing stock of this world and the next."


    Their swords clashed again, and they pressed against each other, coming up face to face. Upon taking a closer look at his opponent''s features, Deng Hong said, "You''re paler than I remember. Was that the price you paid for your training? Lucky for you. Perhaps you would have taken fifty more years if you hadn''t forcefully stripped yourself of your available time."


    Deng Hong pushed Cui Shen back, laughing. "But I''m glad you returned! I truly am. I''ve been more amused in these scant few minutes than I''ve been in months. However, that''s enough of that."


    All the playfulness left Deng Hong''s features. He struck out with his short sword, and Cui Shen scrambled to parry. His defense was successful, but he was forced back. As Deng Hong made to strike again, Cui Shen backed away even farther. He was not pursued.


    Deng Hong drew a long breath. Suddenly, a strange chill descended over the street. Cui Shen felt an indescribable pressure stiffen his body.


    "What is this?" The question involuntarily slipped past Cui Shen''s lips. He had never felt anything like it before. Black veins began to bulge out of Deng Hong''s skin.


    "What is this, you ask? You see, even a rabbit can sense its imminent demise. That''s what you''re feeling now." Deng Hong sheathed his short sword. He waved his black sleeve and assumed a stance. "There are no women around to save you this time, Cui Shen."


    When Deng Hong moved, Cui Shen had not even recognized it as movement. But what his eyes couldn''t see, his instinct could sense. Cui Shen tilted his body, placing the tip of his sword in the path of Deng Hong''s fingers.


    The gap between their abilities was so vast that Cui Shen''s sword had no hope of reaching his foe even while the latter was in the midst of an attack. Deng Hong was, however, forced to make a slight concession. His blackened fingers narrowly missed the vital acupressure point in Cui Shen''s chest by about an inch, and the strike landed closer towards the shoulder.


    Cui Shen hopped back, wildly slashing with his sword in hopes of preventing a pursuit. But Deng Hong wasn''t chasing him.


    Cui Shen''s vision rapidly began to darken. An excruciating pain wracked his body, as though lava flowed through his veins and arteries. Just holding onto his sword became a torturous affair. As he vomited blood, he heard Deng Hong''s voice.


    "My mastery of the Soul Plundering Finger has reached a point where it brings certain death even without striking a pressure point."


    With his fading senses, Cui Shen just barely felt Deng Hong''s approach. His free hand darted into his pocket, and he violently threw out a small object to the ground. With a bang, gray smoke erupted. Deng Hong, with a swift step away, was out of its reach before it had even fully dispersed.


    As the observers backed away, someone in the crowd exclaimed, "Poison?!"


    Farther back, more voices erupted. "He''s getting away! Capture him! Without his invisible poison, he''s no threat to us!"


    Deng Hong stuck his nose in the air and backed away from the smoke cloud, heading back to whence he came. Most of the disciples ran after Cui Shen, while some remained to tend to the wounds of others.


    An older disciple approached him, confused. "Master, what about Cui Shen?"


    The sect master''s reply was dismissive. "Chasing a dead man through the wilderness at night is beneath my dignity as a sect master. Let the young ones amuse themselves with the chase. They might catch him before he dies from my technique, and get some satisfaction for those he''s killed. Regardless, he''ll be dead in minutes."


    "But what about the disciples suffering from poison? Surely he has an antidote on him, we may be able to save a few."


    Deng Hong gave the disciple with a derisive look. "You haven''t caught on yet, have you? There is no antidote. He must have somehow made himself immune to his own poison. That''s why he looks like a dead man walking. Whatever he put himself through to achieve that must have wreaked havoc on his body." He continued on his way.


    The disciple bowed and followed. He found his master''s arrogance to be reassuring.


    The sun had set. The Wuyi Sect''s disciples chased Cui Shen through the dark. The mountainous terrain was treacherous, but it was their home ground, and only the least experienced among them were in danger from it.


    Although at death''s door, Cui Shen was initially faster than his pursuers. But his body was rapidly deteriorating, and the disciples were gaining on him. He could not navigate through the darkness with his diminished senses, and tumbled down a steep slope.


    His consciousness faded in and out on his way down. After reaching the bottom, he could faintly make out a man''s silhouette standing over him. Distant, dim light illuminated his black and red uniform. To Cui Shen, his voice came out muffled even as he shouted at the top of his lungs.


    "He used his invisible poison! Help me!" The man then began to scream in agony.


    A reply came from beyond Cui Shen''s vision, more indistinct shouting that was no more audible to him than a mumble. "He still had it?! Get back, get back! Stop the pursuit! Let''s return to the sect master!"


    And then the voices faded.


    ...

 Chapter 1 - Golden Witch (VIII)

    "Good thinking." The golden haired woman said. Her voice echoed through the cavern they took up as shelter.


    "I''m just glad we didn''t have to fight them all, senior." Bai Guo said, a lit torch in hand. He was kneeling beside the unconscious Desolator of Life, his robe stripped off of him. Black lines stretched across his body like a web. "I can barely feel his pulse, but I don''t see any injuries. He must have been poisoned."


    "It''s not poison. Can''t you sense that? It''s all over him." The woman sounded incredulous.


    "Sense what, senior? What do you mean?"


    They exchanged mutually confused looks.


    The senior broke up their stare and knelt beside the injured man. "The qi flowing through his meridians is strange. I''ve never felt anything like this before. It''s destroying him from the inside."


    Bai Guo was a complete stranger to matters of internal energy. "Can you help him?" As soon as he asked the question, he wondered whether or not they should. The senior, meanwhile, wondered over whether or not she can. She covered her lips with one of her long fingers, staring at the man''s bare chest as she pondered.


    "There''s something I want to try." She eventually said, and placed her palm over his chest. With a grunt, she pressed down. Black blood erupted from the Desolator of Life''s mouth, and his eyes half opened. Bai Guo propped up the man''s head so that he wouldn''t choke.


    Staring at the golden haired senior, he weakly muttered, "Meili?"


    "Rotate your dantian." She said. "Your internal energy is out of balance. I shared some of my yin qi with you; circulate it throughout your meridians, keep it flowing to maintain some semblance of balance. In time, your balance will restore itself."


    The Desolator of Life''s eyes quivered in confusion, but his brows lowered, and he began to follow the woman''s instructions.


    Bai Guo asked, "Is your name Meili, senior?"


    "No." She replied and stood up. "Feel free to ask him what it means. I''ll go fight the Wuyi Sect headmaster. You should consider, perhaps, staying here. I won''t be able to protect you during the battle."


    "Senior...! Are you really sure about all this? Look at what they did to this man, and he''s no weakling either!" Bai Guo''s voice was racked with fear.


    "Of course I''m sure. It''s what I came here to do." The woman smiled slightly. "And besides, I think it might be easier now than it would have been a few minutes ago."


    A raspy, gurgling voiced emerged from the Desolator of Life''s throat. "Why... Why did you save me?"


    The man looked into the woman''s yellow eyes.


    "I wanted to see if I could." She replied, and walked away. Cui Shen''s mouth opened and closed, but he couldn''t muster up the strength to ask her anything else before she disappeared from sight.


    The cave descended into an eerie silence. Cui Shen closed his eyes, but his face remained tense; it was clear that he was still conscious. Whether he was following the senior''s instructions or not, Bai Guo couldn''t tell.


    After a while, Bai Guo spoke up with a question.


    "I must ask you something. Why did you attack the Xiang clan?"


    Cui Shen''s brows twitched slightly when he heard the young man''s voice. Bai Guo knew that his question had been heard, but no response came. Bai Guo decided that, in his precarious state, Cui Shen should be allowed to take his time; but whether he was actually deserving of Bai Guo''s patience depended entirely on his answer. Despite his desire to remain impartial, as the seconds dragged on, frustration mounted. Bai Guo grew conscious of the sword on his hip.


    With his eyes still closed, Cui Shen finally parted his lips, speaking with the utmost resignation. "They gave my beloved to Deng Hong."


    Cui Shen''s bitter reply brought Bai Guo some relief. It seemed that they had not rescued a villain after all.


    Cui Shen continued. "They employed her for her martial arts... But her skills, her life were less valuable to them than that maniac''s favor." His voice rose, as did the black blood coursing through his veins. He erupted into violent coughing.


    Bai Guo waited for him to calm down. "You should have let us help you. With you and the senior working together, we might have..."


    Cui Shen interrupted him. "There was only one way for me to wash away my shame. Now... that opportunity has passed. Even if Deng Hong were to die, it would all be useless. I scurried away with my life like a common roach. There is no longer a place for a wretch like me in the jianghu. At this point, even death won''t be enough."


    Bai Guo hadn''t had the words to alleviate him.


    After another pause, Cui Shen half-opened his eyes and asked, "Your name is Bai Guo, isn''t it? I''m afraid I couldn''t recognize your companion."The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Bai Guo still didn''t know her name, and the idea of telling as much to Cui Shen embarrassed him greatly. He felt that the man deserved to at least know how to refer to his savior.


    "That was the Golden Witch." He said.


    "...I''m afraid I don''t know anyone by that title." Cui Shen replied. "Why ''witch''? Can she use magic?"


    "That''s how it feels to me sometimes." Bai Guo answered with a small smile.


    Cui Shen seemed to have caught on to Bai Guo''s predicament. He closed his eyes. "Someone of her skill must be a master in disguise. But if she didn''t tell you, there must be some reason..."


    "Was your brief battle really enough for you to evaluate her skills?" Bai Guo asked.


    "I used four stances from the Bronze Sundering Blows to test her. The second strike in the sequence is strong enough to cleave a man-sized bronze bell in two, and they continue to get stronger after that. And yet that woman was unperturbed after four." Cui Shen continued with more hesitation. "I was worried I''d break my own sword if I continued to test her, so I had to back away. Needless to say, her inner energy is one of a kind. I suspect she is far older than she looks."


    "Do you think she might win against the sect master?"


    Cui Shen hadn''t answered for a long time. "Who can defeat who is a perennial, complicated question, especially when it comes to masters. But Deng Hong possesses immense internal energy, and has mastered one of the most evil finger techniques in the world. Without an ace up her sleeve, the Golden Witch will not come out victorious."


    Bai Guo nervously swallowed. If the senior perished, he thought, their chances at making it out of these mountains alive were slim to none.


    ...


    As the night continued, the Wuyi Sect remained on high alert. The countless torches and lanterns made the mountain town seem like it was the middle of the day.


    Within the sect''s main hall, in a spacious, dimly lit hall befitting royalty, the Wuyi Sect''s headmaster Deng Hong sat on a throne of bronze. He let his hair down, and was staring through his dark locks at the closed iron double doors that served as the hall''s entrance. An old man with a long, greying beard stood next to him in grim silence.


    In the reddish light of the lamps, they were waiting for something.


    Deng Hong broke the silence. "Can you hear something?"


    The old man''s ears twitched. "Not at all."


    "Indeed, it''s far too quiet. The patrolling disciples must have been taken out already." Deng Hong said. His voice was suffused with utter nonchalance. As he continued staring at the door, he looked almost bored.


    "To take all of them out in complete silence is a feat worthy of admiration." The old man replied.


    Deng Hong did not seem impressed by this veiled praise. He idly brushed some of his hair aside. "Ordinarily, that may be the case. But Cui Shen had most likely gotten his poisonous little toy by taking on the Five Venoms Devil as his master, so naturally, his companions must be her disciples as well."


    "And victory through poison is no feat at all." The old man concurred.


    One of the two heavy doors began to slowly slide open. In the dim light of the lamps, the two men caught a glimpse of a pale blue sleeve. A tall, golden haired lady almost sheepishly emerged from the opening. She was wearing a wooden mask depicting the crying face of a woman.


    She began to slowly walk towards the center of the room. The two men stared at her for a time before she spoke.


    "Now that I can feel you up close, it''s all becoming clear to me."


    Deng Hong remained outwardly impassive, but his eyes glinted with mild curiosity. "Feel me? What is that turn of phrase? Are you not well-acquainted with the local language? And what is the meaning of the mask? Is it symbolic? Do you mean to represent the women I have slain thus far?"


    In truth, the thought hadn''t crossed her mind, but now that Deng Hong had pointed it out, she found it clever, and her chest swelled up with pride.


    Deng Hong continued. "Or is it a disguise? Well, if you were hoping to disguise yourself, you should have started with that lantern you have for a head."


    The old man beside him, despite putting in a visible effort to stop himself, snorted with laughter. Seeing his reaction, Deng Hong burst into laughter. It was as if a dam had been blown open; the two began to cackle fiercely as though they were competing to see who could laugh the loudest.


    Under her long sleeves, the intruder clenched her hands into fists. Hidden beneath the mask, her expression was inscrutable, but she was not pleased.


    After a short while, the two men had calmed down.


    Deng Hong rested his chin on the back of his hand. "But to think that you were the one in cahoots with Cui Shen. What do you think, Liao Cai? Do you dare to test your mettle against Wei Qing''s killer?"


    The older Liao Cai gave his beard a rub. His tone was that of a sycophant. "Who in this whole wide world would be foolish enough to miss out on such a great opportunity to impress master Deng Hong?"


    Liao Cai stepped towards the masked woman and drew his short sword.


    Deng Hong called out behind him, instructing the older man. "She doesn''t have any weapons on her that I can see, and those long sleeves are ideal for concealing projectiles. Very fitting for a disciple of Five Venoms Devil. Watch out for poisoned hidden weapons. Don''t take any chances. Kill her as quickly as possible."


    The old man replied, "Yes, master!" and began to slowly approach. When Liao Cai was roughly ten steps away, his body blurred, a burst of speed instantaneously carrying him the rest of the way, his cautious stance preserved in its entirety. The short sword in his hand was thrust towards the woman''s chest.


    She moved backwards, just barely out of the reach of the blade. Liao Cai made to withdraw, but before he could, the masked woman''s hands reached for his outstretched right arm. Her right hand latched onto his wrist, while her left hand grabbed his upper arm, above the elbow.


    Liao Cai''s eyes widened. Never would he have guessed that his opponent possessed such long limbs that he could have been grabbed in such a manner beyond the reach of his weapon. In all his years as a martial artist, he had never seen anyone with a build as absurd as this.


    The momentum he had intended to use to retreat had been instantly neutered by the woman''s vice-like grip. She had full control of his arm. Liao Cai felt himself getting pulled forward, and despite resisting with all his might, could not stop it. He was dragged along to his left side by his right arm, spinning back-first towards his foe.


    And in such fashion his entire body ended up under her control. Restrained from behind, Liao Cai found his own arm thrusting his own blade into his neck. The moment he had the idea to drop his weapon to save his life, the woman adjusted her grip by grabbing his fist. Her hand, the fingers on which turned out to be considerably longer than Liao Cai''s, began to crush his, and he lost the chance to get rid of his sword.


    The old man''s struggles bought him mere seconds. Already, the short sword had pierced through the skin of his neck. His face turned red and sweat poured down his brow, but all his efforts were in vain. Suddenly, the embedded sword slashed across his neck. Finally, Liao Cai was freed from the vicious grasp.


    As blood sprayed across the polished stone floors, he stepped away from his foe and turned back around to face her. He gripped his cut throat, but could not stop the bleeding. With rage, frustration, and fear all in equal measure over his face, he stumbled backwards, his life extinguished.


    ...

 Chapter 1 - Golden Witch (IX)

    Deng Hong observed the entire fight in shock. When the woman turned her head towards him, when the reality of the situation had struck the sect master in its entirety, fury briefly flashed across his face. He regained his composure in but a moment.


    With his nose upturned, Deng Hong threw back his long black hair, and began to tie it up with a hairpin. As he was doing so, he asked, "Am I to presume that the disciples guarding my palace had met the same fate?"


    "No, they''re alive." The woman answered. "I just got a little angry just now."


    Deng Hong wrinkled his nose at that reply. With his hair done, he stepped down from his throne, and, short sword in hand, began to walk towards her.


    The woman asked, "Is it common for the master to be younger than the student?"


    Deng Hong''s face twitched, as though he was recoiling from the question. "What are we, making small talk now?" Even so, after a pause, he continued. "It isn''t rare. No matter your age, nothing but raw talent dictates how far you can go. But though I was their superior in martial arts at almost half their age, I was no match to Liao Cai and Wei Qing when it came to worldly experience."


    His voice carried a hint of wistfulness. The masked woman picked up the sword that lied in the blood pooling up around Liao Cai''s corpse. She swung the blade to her side, cleaning some of the blood off the blade.


    Deng Hong was enraged by her actions. His face contorted with such fury that he resembled a snarling beast. "This kind of mockery will cost you your life! Pray that you die in this fight, because if you survive, I''ll make you live through a fate worse than ten thousand deaths!"


    Deng Hong darted forward. The woman, too, had moved. Their figures flickered out of sight. When they appeared again, their swords had clashed at some point, and the only evidence of such taking place was the clatter of steel.


    Deng Hong''s hawkish features regained their composure during that fleeting moment. Even infuriated as he was, he would not allow his emotions to guide his sword.


    He charged back in, performing several more exploratory strikes. Deng Hong learned from his disciple''s mistakes, and kept wary of the woman''s long limbs. But even so, her reach advantage meant that it was not easy to approach, and all his attacks ended up parried or avoided.


    With no good opportunity presenting itself, Deng Hong had decided to create his own. He assumed a stance and dashed in again, the steel in his hand flickering left and right. The woman finally bit on one of the feints and moved her short sword to defend against it.


    Deng Hong suddenly thrust towards her neck with unprecedented speed from an unexpected angle. A clap resounded through the room as the air was torn apart by the swiftness of this strike.


    The woman waved her unoccupied arm, placing her long blue sleeve in the path of the lethal edge.


    The sword could not pierce through it. Upon coming in contact with the fabric, the strike gradually, yet swiftly, and at the same time as gently as though it had landed onto a soft pillow, lost all momentum, like an arrow shot into the blue sky that reached its highest point.


    It was a method commonly used to brush away miniscule throwing weapons like needles and caltrops, but it was the first time Deng Hong had ever seen it used on a melee strike performed backed up by the full weight of one''s arms and body.


    He tried to draw his sword back, but found it stuck firmly in place. The masked woman''s hand had moved underneath her robe to grip it with her fingers. Somewhat amused, Deng Hong pulled back again with his entire might. The woman twisted her wrist slightly. With a reverberating crack, their mutual struggle snapped the blade in two.


    Deng Hong made some distance and spoke. "Looks like our internal energies are evenly matched." He cast aside the broken short sword. The woman had neither said anything nor pursued him. It gave Deng Hong a moment to consider his situation.


    A thought struck him that he would never dare mention aloud.


    "Evenly matched? If that was the case, wouldn''t the sword get somewhat bent at most? If it was made of a brittle or inflexible material like wood I can maybe understand, but how can high quality steel that carried my internal energy just snap like a matchstick? Not to mention that she stifled my sect''s Iron Butterfly Flicker technique with just her sleeve... Maybe I could do that to a novice, but no one in the entire world can use this technique better than me!"


    He realized that the words he had spoken moments before were just his instinct affecting his emotions; he was unsettled before he could even wrap his head around the reason, and spoke up impulsively.


    His thoughts rushed on, "The more she evaded me, the more recklessly I attacked. During that time, I find it unlikely that I presented no openings, yet she never capitalized on any of them. What is she planning? In any case, I need to be more careful from now on."


    The golden haired woman had suddenly interrupted his train of thought with a question. "Was the technique you used just now your strongest move?"


    Deng Hong''s mind went blank. He once again found himself enraged. He could neither think up a response nor continue to strategize.


    The woman tossed aside her own sword. The act of mutual disarmament had infuriated him even more. Deng Hong was so mad he couldn''t even hear it clang against the stone floor. But he heard her voice. "Or do you perhaps mean to tell me that mere hours after your last fight you had developed a hint of common sense?"


    Deng Hong was instantly struck with a sense of ill foreboding. "What are you saying?"


    "Do you really think I can''t tell how little of your internal energy you were using?" She asked. Deng Hong could almost feel her sneering underneath her mask. "Have you suddenly attained enlightenment and decided to scorn your lousy foundation? But what a bad time you''ve picked to change your evil ways."


    As the woman chuckled, the things she was alluding to unnerved Deng Hong deeply. Cold sweat ran down his back.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    The masked woman tilted her head and continued, "Or perhaps you drained so much from the Desolator of Life that you can''t handle even another drop?"


    Deng Hong began to shout her down. "Just who are you?! Show me your face! Enough with this masquerade! Take off your mask!"


    The woman shook her head. "I''m not someone you''d recognize even if I did take it off."


    Deng Hong did not believe her, and his emotional state was in such disarray that he could not stop himself from prattling on. "So then why wear it? Do you find yourself to be so clever, representing my victims, that you can''t resist wallowing in your own smugness? You''re a woman yourself, aren''t you?! If you claim to be unknown to me, your own face would represent them all the same!"


    The woman tapped her wooden visage. "This mask has nothing to do with your insecurities." She did not elaborate past that.


    "...If you''re not seeking justice, if we have no personal connection, then why in the world have you come here?" Deng Hong managed to force a question past his gritted teeth.


    The masked woman paused, as though she needed a moment to think. "Test of skill."


    "You''ve made an enemy of my entire sect just to measure your skills? Are you mocking me, you..."


    "Moron." The woman interrupted him. "The skills being tested here are yours."


    "Impudent!" Deng Hong''s voice erupted like a thunderclap. He could not endure a single more breath of mockery.


    Suddenly, the temperature plummeted. The full extent of Deng Hong''s internal energy was so vast that it even affected the surroundings. As he took up a stance, the masked woman observed him, unmoving, her arms at her sides, hidden beneath her long sleeves.


    "All of your guesses were mistaken!" He bellowed out.


    Deng Hong struck out with two of his fingers. The cold air shifted along with him, a bone-chilling wind trailing the path of his attack; but the strike carried such speed that the frost would not have the chance to settle onto the woman''s skin before the attack had concluded.


    The woman thrust out her chest towards his fingers. Deng Hong had no time to bask in his shock over such a response. Even a master such as himself would struggle to redirect his attack at this point, and Deng Hong, with his mind clouded by unprecedented rage, had no intention of even attempting such a thing.


    His fingers connected with her solar plexus, hitting a vital acupuncture point.


    The two martial artists remained still for a single heartbeat.


    Suddenly, the masked woman retched, black blood dripping past the bottom of her mask and onto her blue robe.


    Deng Hong sneered. He began to laugh, but instead what came out of his throat was a wet cough. His eyes widened as black ichor gushed out of his mouth. His fingers left the woman''s chest as he staggered backwards, coughing. A horrible pain began to wrack his insides.


    "What the...?!" Deng Hong sputtered, unconsciously clutching his chest. His heart beat erratically, and each beat intensified the pain. The flow of his blood worsened the damage to his organs. A thought came to mind. "Is this poison?!"


    The masked woman''s shoulders began to shudder. Her golden locks shook. A soft chuckle emerged from beneath her mask.


    "It''s not poison." She said. "This technique of yours absorbs yin energy. To do that, it naturally entails creating a pathway between your meridians and those of your target. I gave you my energy, just a bit more roughly than you''re used to getting it. And I directed it right towards your dantian, to disturb the hodgepodge of foreign energies there. The energies you took from your previous victims."


    Deng Hong continued to back away, his features contorting in agony. His body felt cold like ice, yet the blizzard raging within did not numb him to the pain.


    The woman put her hand over her mask. "You know, if I knew you would be so eager to kill yourself, I wouldn''t have bothered with this."


    Her little finger dug underneath the mask, and with her nail, she severed the strap keeping it secure. The crying woman''s face fell into her palm. Slowly, she shifted it aside. A golden eye peered down on the dying man. Black blood dripped down her lips, spilling from her chin. The bloodied lips were contorted into an unsettling smile.


    Deng Hong fell to one knee. Her previous words were true; he didn''t recognize her. As he looked into the woman''s eye, fear began to wrack his heart.


    It was not the look of one taking begrudging satisfaction from having delivered justice; neither was it the vicious glare of a ruthless and ambitious killer so prevalent to this era.


    She was leering down at him with the peculiar bashfulness of a child mischievously peeping in on something she knew was forbidden, but simply couldn''t help herself but look regardless. The sight of it disturbed him to no end.


    Deng Hong began to shout and protest with whatever came to mind, trying to deny her with all his might. "Nonsense... None of that is possible! I tamed their qi! You poisoned me!"


    The woman lowered the mask in her hand. The top of it covered only her blood stained lips.


    "The thought that this was possible earnestly never even crossed your mind, did it?" She asked. "On the other hand, I had a hunch all along about your stupid little technique. My mind can only think of things in terms of martial arts, you see. The first thought that came to mind when I happened upon the scene of one your slaughters was, what purpose could killing the men and kidnapping the women serve for one''s martial arts? In other words, why get rid of those strong in the yang and keep those strong in the yin?"


    Deng Hong coughed; more blood spilled onto the floor. He could not force his knee off the ground. The woman''s voice grew increasingly louder as she continued.


    "So I assumed there was some technique I didn''t know about that let someone make use of it. And therefore there''s a reason you had to take the women away instead of just killing them on the spot. I always had a hunch, but your little skirmish with the Desolator of Life made me all but certain. You couldn''t handle all that foreign yin energy entering your body all at once, so you had to pace yourself. And with the amount that you ended up with, it would take decades even for me to tame it all. And you didn''t even have the wisdom to recognize that you weren''t truly making it yours. You were alleviating the symptoms while letting the disease fester. It''s true that you had more internal energy than me, but not only couldn''t you use most of it, you couldn''t even stop it from hurting you!"


    "Why... Why did the Soul Plundering Finger not work on you?"


    "It did work to an extent. But you don''t know how to control even your own qi, so how could you presume to control mine? I just stopped you from taking more than I wanted you to have. But even so, it hurts quite a bit even with this much missing... So I shall now be taking it back."


    The woman dropped the mask and took up the stance Deng Hong demonstrated at the apex of their battle.


    "You couldn''t possibly be..." Deng Hong edged back. His knee still wouldn''t rise, so he fell completely and began to crawl backwards. "You... you just said you didn''t know...! That you were merely guessing that it existed!"


    "It''s not like I''ll ever get another chance to use a technique as flawed as this." She said.


    The woman dashed forward, her fingers thrusting out. Deng Hong tried to defend himself with an outstretched hand, and the fingers struck a pressure point on his wrist, but The Yin Plundering Finger cared little for which acupuncture point it struck.


    The energy that had been drained out was relatively miniscule, but it worsened the unstable whirlwind raging through Deng Hong''s meridians. He crumpled to the ground, his body twitching in pain, his face seething with hatred.


    The golden haired woman continued to stare at him with a smile on her face. She said nothing as she watched him suffer.


    A thought had suddenly crossed her mind, briefly knocking her out of her twisted reverie. "Ah, right. Where are the women you''ve captured?"


    It was nothing more than an afterthought.


    "They''re all dead. You were too late." Deng Hong spat out, depriving a drop of satisfaction out of sheer spite.


    As Deng Hong was lying in agony, his veins and arteries had finally ruptured, and the black ichor of his inhumane technique leaked out of every pore, granting him bitter and permanent relief. He died under the gaze of those yellow eyes, twinkling with wicked joy.


    "I didn''t think I''d guess it all in one try. The jianghu is such a wonderful place."


    She stared for a while longer, but voices from outside knocked her out of her reverie, and she took her leave under the cover of darkness.


    ...

 Chapter 1 - Golden Witch (Final)

    The mysterious senior soon returned to the cave, her robe and face stained with blood.


    Bai Guo ran up to her in concern. "Are you alright, senior?"


    "I''m fine." She replied.


    Cui Shen, sitting cross-legged against a wall, spoke up next. "You were not gone long. What happened?"


    "Deng Hong is dead." She declared.


    The two regarded her with shock, and neither could muster up a response.


    The woman sighed. "It''s not like I did it on purpose. But it turned out that way."


    Cui Shen furrowed his brows when he heard her reply. "You did not kill him on purpose? Then what was your purpose in seeking him out?"


    "I needed to know if any of his techniques were worth taking for myself."


    Bai Guo realized something. "Test of skill..." He said, and the senior nodded.


    Cui Shen closed his eyes. "I suppose it doesn''t matter how he died; only that he did. Though I will regret that it was not done by my hand for the rest of my life... in truth, I have no pride or honor left to speak of. It is of no consequence. Therefore, I am grateful to you. I have little time left. Tell me if there is some way for me to repay you, Golden Witch."


    The woman''s eyebrow curved. "What did you just call me?"


    Bai Guo''s heart chilled. He didn''t expect the title he made up to be sprung on her like that.


    Cui Shen did not seem to expect such a reaction. After a pause, he spoke. "...It''s what the martial arts society has taken to calling you."


    Bai Guo warily peeked at the senior''s reaction. His eyes widened.


    She was grinning ear to ear. She bashfully brought her sleeves up to her cheeks, gleefully muttering to herself. "That''s such an enigmatic title... People think I can use magic?"


    Bai Guo sighed in relief. Apparently it was received favorably.


    The Golden Witch, after wallowing in her amusement for a time, brought down her hands. "There just might be a way. Do you know of someone called Five Venoms Devil?"


    "...May I ask why you''re asking?"


    "Test of skill."


    Cui Shen''s brow creased at her answer. "Five Venoms Devil is nothing like Deng Hong. There is nothing to learn from fighting her. You will die even if you win. And even if by some miracle you survive, you will wish that you hadn''t. She cannot be reasoned with and kills all strangers on sight."


    "You''re not a stranger, are you?"


    "No. You could say that she is my master."


    "Then may I ask you to bring me to her?"


    "Out of the question..." Cui Shen replied immediately, but his voice was hesitant.


    "Then I can''t think of a way for you to repay me, Desolator of Life..." The Golden Witch sighed. "I''ll still be going there on my own, though."


    "Without someone she''s familiar with around, you''ll certainly be killed. Wait..." Cui Shen said, still hesitant. "Even a wretch like myself can''t stoop so low as to hurt my own master. But if you give me your word that you will not harm her, even if it costs you your own life, then I can take you there."


    For a time, the Golden Witch stared at him. "...Very well."


    Bai Guo paled at the idea. "Why do you want to meet this person so much, senior, that you''d even stake your own life like this?"


    "He''s right that just fighting her would be meaningless. You can learn the secrets of a conventional technique by seeing it, but you can''t learn anything about a poison by just looking at its powder, and sometimes not even by ingesting it and suffering its effects. This test of skill must be conducted in a different way." She explained.


    It did not do much to alleviate the young man''s worries. Suddenly, the Golden Witch began to stare at him.


    "Moving on from that matter, what about you, Bai Guo? Do you still wish to become my disciple?"


    Though that request had initially served as the catalyst for him to begin his journey, when confronted with it so directly, Bai Guo could not help but hesitate. Cui Shen half-opened his eyes to watch this exchange.


    "I intend to travel the world," the senior said, "and see the jianghu''s greatest techniques with my own eyes. I took great care to stay hidden all throughout our trip here because you were doing me a favor. But I don''t intend to continue hiding anymore. If you agree to this, you understand the risks involved, right?"


    As they stared at each other, Bai Guo struggled to muster up the last bit of courage. The danger turned out to be even bigger than he initially anticipated, but so did the rewards. Someone on a sect master''s level was a one man army. All the surrounding kingdoms were ruled by individuals of such caliber, the fates of nations were decided on the ends of their swords. And that there could exist someone who was perhaps even above those titans was a thought that defied all common sense.


    Bai Guo knew that he could not let this opportunity slide, but neither could he bring himself to speak. So first, he bowed.


    "This Bai Guo wishes to become senior''s disciple!" He finally shouted.


    "Ah, well, sure, I guess..." The young man''s earnestness seemed to catch her off-guard.


    "Please guide me through the rite!"


    "What rite? Isn''t it good enough that we both know that you''re my disciple?"


    "What are you saying?" It was Cui Shen who spoke up, flabbergasted. "There is a proper order to these things. I can understand how the boy may not know the details, but how could an expert like you claim to be oblivious? Do you really mean to claim that you''ve never had to take on a master, or bore witness to such a ceremony?"


    "It was my father who taught me my skills, so I never had to do that..." The Golden Witch muttered uncertainly.


    "Likewise." Bai Guo, sensing that the senior was being put in an awkward position, decided to back her up. "All my skills were taught to me by my late father as well. So I don''t think it''s unreasonable to not know."


    Cui Shen sighed. "Well, be that as it may, you at least understand the implications of a master-disciple relationship, do you, boy? To agree to this is to put your life in your master''s hands. Once it is done, you will never be able to turn back. It is a lifelong contract, and to renege on it is to become the lowliest of scum."


    "Of course!" Bai Guo exclaimed, his resolve carrying through his voice. On the other hand, the senior''s eyes briefly flickered with uncertainty, though she remained silent.


    Cui Shen stared the young man down, but there was no hint of hesitation no matter how long he waited. He spoke, "The disciple must kowtow eight times to the one who shall become his master and swear an oath of loyalty before the heavens."


    And Bai Guo did so. As Cui Shen observed, he spotted a hint of embarrassment trailing across the woman''s face.


    When Bai Guo was done, his forehead remained pressed to the ground. Cui Shen closed his eyes. The more he thought about the Golden Witch, the more mystified he found himself, yet in his position could not ask any of the many questions on his mind, and felt that even if he had overstepped and done so, he would not be left with any answers.


    "He can''t rise unless you tell him to." Cui Shen explained.


    "Get up." The Golden Witch spoke with exasperation. "We should get out of here. There''s no telling what the sect members will do now that their master is dead. It will be easier to escape while it''s still dark."


    Both the newly made disciple and Cui Shen stood up. The Golden Witch took the latter''s lack of protest as a sign that he was in good enough shape to flee together with them.


    As they left the mountain, they saw no trace of pursuit.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ...


    A few days later, the news of Deng Hong''s death had spread throughout the entire region. As the Wuyi Sect would not divulge any details, rumors and speculations festered across the country.


    One such conversation unfolded in a shoddy inn a few days away from the Wuyi Mountains amongst a 5-man band of unaffiliated martial artists.


    "I heard," one of the armed men said, idly swirling the contents of his cup. "That Deng Hong died shortly after meeting that maniac, the Desolator of Life."


    "It seems that even after all the leaps and bounds that have been made to advance the world''s martial arts, emperors and kings can still be killed by mere poison alone." His companion scoffed.


    "I heard," another one of the men pitched in. "That the Desolator of Life butchered a hundred disciples with just his sword."


    "What use would a poisoner have for sword skills?" The second man protested, and the third found it difficult to argue against his point.


    Suddenly, an unlikely arrival stopped their conversation dead in its tracks. A tall, golden haired, golden eyed woman had stepped into the inn, her long blue robe splotched by dried blood and the wear of travels. She strode across the room towards the innkeeper while boldly refusing to acknowledge the heavy silence and the dozen pairs of eyes gawking at her, and ordered 3 rooms and a bath. Very fittingly, she flashed even more gold to pacify the innkeeper.


    After a while, four of the five men had all turned towards the fifth. The man in question, his eyes wide, hadn''t even realized he was being stared at until the nearest fellow patted him on the shoulder. He hadn''t needed to hear a word to instantly realize what was expected of him. He reached for his back pocket, and hastily pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from within. On it was a portrait of the woman in question, along with a few lines describing her all too remarkable appearance and the grave crime of murder of a high ranking member of the Wuyi Sect.


    The other four leaned in to compare her to the poster, but it''s not as if such meticulousness was necessary; they all already knew as soon as they laid eyes on her. They simply couldn''t believe that such a person truly existed.


    The five gripped their weapons and made to stand up, but one of their band had raised his hand. The others took it as the gesture it was meant to be: to remain where they are, though they couldn''t tell why. Their friend''s eyes were peeled to the door.


    Two more had entered the inn: a man and a youngster. Their attire, too, was worn down by travel. The group recognized that the youngster''s attire denoted him as a disciple of the Wuyi Sect, which made it all that much more difficult to properly recognize the man in his company.


    The leader of the band''s hand dropped to the table. He paled, and sweat began to run down his face. His companions regarded him with confusion.


    Quietly, he hoarsely whispered. "That''s the Desolator of Life!"


    As the others took measure of the man again, they realized that their compatriot was correct.


    "Holy shit..." One of them muttered, planting his eyes down to the table to minimize his presence.


    They all began to sweat. None dared to look for more than a moment in fear of reprisal. The two approached the golden woman and began to casually converse.


    "Why is there a Wuyi Sect disciple with them?"


    "I don''t know. Let''s just get out of here before they start killing people again."


    The others concurred. While the mysterious trio engaged in conversation, the five took their leave as subtly as they could manage.


    None of them dared to look back, and thus none of them noticed the young man watching them go.


    "Do you think they''re going to cause trouble?" Bai Guo asked.


    Cui Shen, without even turning his head, spared only a brief glance at the fleeing party. The Golden Witch didn''t care at all, and went with the proprietor to check their lodgings.


    "With Deng Hong dead," Cui Shen said. "And with the leading theory being that we were responsible, independent martial artists like those are not going to dare to step up to us themselves. And I suspect the Wuyi Sect itself will not make any bold moves against someone who they believe to have bested their strongest expert, so even if they report us to them, it''s of no consequence. In all likelihood, the Wuyi Sect is currently bracing itself for an attack from the neighboring kingdoms. But with two out of three of their most senior disciples killed by your master, the Wuyi Sect''s days may be numbered."


    "Well, that''s a relief." Bai Guo sighed. But why didn''t you tell us all that before we spent four days running through the wilderness, was his unspoken question. "I need to write a letter to my uncles. Uncle Zhong must be worried sick about me, and uncle Jin must be losing his mind trying to figure out what went on at the Wuyi Sect. I could at least help his investigation."


    "...Your uncle is an investigator? Of the Jianghu Investigative Bureau?" Cui Shen warily asked.


    "Yes. Why?"


    "Nothing..." Cui Shen shook his head. Bai Guo seemed to think nothing of it.


    "Say, sir Shen... What do you think is my master''s background?" He asked.


    Cui Shen shook his head again, this time in disapproval. "I think it is not appropriate of you to gossip about your master behind her back."


    "You''re right, but... But can''t you help but be curious too? I''ve already spent so much time with her, yet I can''t piece anything together. Perhaps someone with more experience such as yourself could glean something?"


    As one whose life centered on martial arts, Cui Shen could hardly help but be curious about her origins as well. "She''s not very knowledgeable on the matters of the jianghu. Either she is sheltered, or she is pretending. But that she hides her background at all means there is a reason for that, and you would do well to respect your master''s boundaries, boy, and not question her judgment."


    Bai Guo felt grateful, for in Cui Shen''s rebuke were mixed in his observations. "You are right, sir Shen."


    It was at that moment that the Golden Witch had returned from her tour of the rooms upstairs.


    "I can''t take a bath until I have something clean to change into." She said.


    The other two concurred, and headed to the local tailor.


    From the tailor, Cui Shen asked for an identical set of the clothes he was already wearing. He discarded the mourning white cloak, and walked in his pure black. Bai Guo picked out a fabric that most closely resembled his previous attire. The Golden Witch, on the other hand, was a lot less decisive about what she was going to wear.


    Eventually, she settled on a robe of white silk.


    "Young miss, you don''t have to settle on only one color, you know..." The whisker-mustached tailor, sensing an opportunity, coyly suggested.


    "Master, are you sure white is the best choice? Considering our, you know, lifestyle..." Bai Guo chimed in.


    "What!" The Golden Witch exclaimed, her long fingers running across the roll of fabric. "But I think it will look good! And since we won''t be snooping around anymore, I don''t think it will be a problem... But maybe you''re right; it could be quite the hassle to wash..."


    "Well, while the young miss makes up her mind, let me go take your measurements, young man. Follow me." The tailor still held out a bit of hope, and decided to stall for a bit of time.


    As the two left to another room, Cui Shen felt a subtle pressure as the golden eyes began to probe him.


    "What is it?" He couldn''t endure, and asked.


    "You know, the truth is... I don''t really know what a master is supposed to do."


    Cui Shen sighed. Ever since their meeting in the cave, he had a feeling that that was the case.


    "The relationship between the master and the disciple is not something that can be explained in a scant few words. The duty of the disciple is to take care of the master. The duty of the master is to take care of the disciple. The disciple obeys the master in all things. Much like the son obeys the parents and they guide him through life, so does the disciple obey his master and they guide him through martial arts. There is no method for this that can be imparted or learned. It is a matter of experience and judgment. His life and future is in your hands; do with it as you think is best."


    "I don''t understand. He must serve me, and you said he cannot leave. But what incentive do I have to teach him anything?"


    Cui Shen closed his eyes as he continued to explain. "First of all, it is a matter of integrity. It is simply your duty to do so. But even if you were an unscrupulous individual, those who have taken you as their master will not hide the fact that they have done so, and therefore will represent you directly in the jianghu with everything they do. A good disciple signifies a powerful master. An inept disciple makes a fool of his master. Needless to say, in the current age of strife and chaos, honor is not the guiding force that it once used to be. Yet neither is it completely gone, and still holds a great deal of value to all those who live a life of combat. You would do well to remember that."


    The Golden Witch silently mused on his words for a while. "Thanks." She eventually muttered.


    Bai Guo and the tailor returned at that time.


    "Has the young miss decided?" The tailor asked with a smile.


    "I''ll be taking the white." She said. With a smirk, she glanced at Bai Guo. "...Since I''ve got a disciple to wash it."


    Bai Guo''s face soured. It was exactly as he feared.


    Cui Shen opened his eyes as he realized something. "Maybe having your male disciple wash your clothes would not be appropriate."


    The realization had suddenly dawned on Bai Guo as well.


    The Golden Witch seemed indifferent, brushing the matter aside with her long sleeve. "Don''t take his side on this. It''s already decided."


    Cui Shen and Bai Guo both swallowed their words.


    The tailor interjected. "Please come with my little sister to have your measurements taken, young miss."


    Because the Golden Witch had once again audaciously overpaid in gold, her attire was completed overnight.


    The Golden Witch swapped her blue robe for one of a stark, pure white. Her already extraordinary appearance became positively ethereal. The woman waved her new sleeves about. She seemed to take delight in their length, or perhaps comfort in the fact she could hide her hands within them.


    Meanwhile, Bai Guo set about writing his letters, moving his brush with a heavy and uncertain hand.


    "Uncle Jin,


    I hope this letter finds you well. There comes a time when the baby bird must leave the nest, and for me, that day has come. In pursuit of martial strength, I have been fortunate enough to be taken in as the disciple of an incredible expert.


    I must first confess that I have deceived you. During our brief meeting in Shanlu, I let you remain under the impression that Wei Qing''s killer was fictional; that is not so. The golden haired woman the Wuyi Sect had been looking for was not my master at that particular time, but I was assisting her in the pursuit of justice against the Wuyi Sect.


    Deng Hong, the sect master, had been using an evil technique to progress his cultivation by reaping the lives of innocents. I urge you to visit a small village called Qiaodu northeast of Ningde, and venture an hour north past its outskirts. There, you will find the evidence of sect master Deng Hong''s crimes. The entire sect is complicit, so please exercise caution if you choose to investigate further.


    The sect master had also conspired with the Xiong clan to kill the wife of sir Cui Shen, whom you know as the Desolator of Life.


    Justice was delivered by the hands of my master. She refuses to dispense with her name freely, and elected to go by the title of Golden Witch. But as we continue our travels, I imagine she will earn many more names.


    With her tutelage, I will not allow anyone I care about to meet the same unfortunate end as my father."


    As Bai Guo wrote the last strokes, his hand began to shake. He wanted to write more. He wanted to meet his uncles again, and exchange words and feelings that could not be expressed through the written word. He wanted to reassure them, and be reassured in turn. He realized that he might never see his family again.


    His letter to uncle Zhong, his blood related uncle, the inn proprietor back in Ningde, ended up even more curt than his letter to uncle Jin, because he did not include anything related to the Wuyi Sect, and he couldn''t bear to write much more.


    He could write to them whenever he pleased, but they would have nowhere to send their replies. Under his whimsical and eccentric master, his travels were sure to be hectic.


    ...

 Chapter 2 - King and Beggar (I)

    Deep into the night, so late that the summer''s early morning sunrise had already brought some color to the clouded sky, a group of men, tense and terse, were gambling inside a shoddy teahouse. The clatter of dice and currency against the wooden table blended in with the incessant battering of heavy rain. Outside, on the dilapidated, empty street, the dirt road resembled a mud river.


    The gamblers were greasy with sweat, their eyes deeply focused and reddened with fatigue. The hot, stuffy air clung to one''s skin. The windows were shut tight to muffle out the sound of the rain, to little avail. They played in grim silence, sparing not a single word more than necessary to keep the game moving. They expressed their losses with grunts and sighs, and celebrated their victories only with bigger bets. Every once in a while, they shifted about in their chairs to relieve some of the tension in their bodies.


    Their entire night was spent glued to these chairs.


    Finally, at the end of one round, a man''s face sunk into his hands. A light chuckle finally escaped from the man''s compatriots, the only hint of levity any of them could remember ever since their game began.


    The man had gambled away his last dime.


    As the poor sod quietly wallowed in his misery, a knock came from the door. The gamblers paid it no heed. An elderly man, hunchbacked by his age, emerged from the kitchen to let the new guests inside.


    A group of armed men, 4 of them in total, entered the establishment. The old man''s face lit up, and he exchanged pleasantries with the mustached man leading the crew. Clearly, they were no strangers to each other.


    The mustached man, whom the man referred to as brother Ru, looked over the room, smirking as he observed the gamblers.


    Brother Ru nodded at them. "Nice game you''ve got going here. But we never got your tax for it, old Gen."


    The mood had suddenly shifted. Old Gen''s face turned glum and confused, the man''s question putting him on the spot.


    "I''ve paid all my dues to little Li. We had an agreement..." The old man prattled out, nervously clutching his sweaty hands.


    Brother Ru''s hand smacked the old man square in the mouth. The elder fell, knocking over a chair.


    The attention of the gamblers was finally drawn to the entrance.


    "Little Li got ran out of town weeks ago, old Gen!" Brother Ru explained, picking the man up and raising his hand again. The old man cowered at the sight, unable to muster up a word. "Big Money Yan calls the shots now. Thought you''d sneak in a little coin for yourself in all the confusion, did ya? Well, it doesn''t work that way!"


    Brother Ru never brought his hand down like old Gen feared. He instead gave the man a shove back into a table. "Get out of here!" He barked at the gamblers, and they all sprung to their feet without delay, grabbing what was theirs and nearly running out of the tea house.


    ...All except for one. That down on his luck gambler remained in his seat, his face still in his hands.


    The skinniest man of the band approached him, a wooden club in hand. "You deaf? Get up!" He called out.


    The absence of a response instantly dissipated what little patience the man had down to nothing. He struck the gambler across his back, a meaty thwack briefly overpowering the sound of pouring rain.


    It was like the man hadn''t even noticed that he had been struck. So the skinny man swung his club again. And again, and again, and again...


    The second strike was already enough to provoke a response. Without a word, or so much as a grunt of discomfort, the man slowly rose from his chair even as the other continued to pepper his defenseless back with strikes. In his growing confusion, the skinny man began to aim higher, soon reaching the man''s neck, and finally his head.


    But when not even the blow to the back of the head had managed to faze the mysterious stranger, all courage left the man''s features and he made to flee.


    He was struck before he could escape. The gambler swung at him with a similar motion to what one might use to swat a bug, and sent the skinny man practically flying across the tea house, knocking over chairs and tables until he had finally slid up to a wall, groaning in pain.


    Another of the gang exclaimed, "Brother Ru! It''s a martial artist!"


    They all stared at the man who attacked one of their own, a mix of fear and disdain in their eyes. The martial artist in question was remarkably shorter than almost all of the men present, and would have been surpassed even by old Gen in height if only the elder had been in the prime of his youth, or at the very least had shared birth years with the middle aged unlucky gambler. His black hair was cut to a very short crop, as though he had been shaved clean mere weeks ago, and a prominent widow''s peak drew two waves across his forehead.


    Brother Ru lowered his body. The next moment, he pounced like a wild beast, his sword unsheathed in the blink of an eye, its steel tip flying like a loosened arrow towards the gambler''s neck.


    There was an unsettling metallic twang as the sword came upon the skin.


    Pushed forth by brother Ru''s great momentum, the flexible sword bent itself into nearly half a circle. It pressed into the flesh and failed to draw even a drop of blood.


    Brother Ru''s eyes widened in shock.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    The man''s hand began to move. Before he could reach brother Ru, the latter bolted backwards in a full sprint. In his retreat, he surrendered his sword, and it bounced off the man''s neck like a loaded spring, clattering heavily against the wooden floor.


    The gambler''s lethargic motion ceased abruptly. He made to put his hands in his pockets, and before he had even done so, brother Ru was already out the door. It took his henchmen a moment to catch up to what was happening, and it seemed insurmountably difficult for them to believe their eyes.


    Finally, they screamed and ran. The skinny fellow with the club had made it to his feet, and began to limp away after his brethren as fast as he could.


    The man began to walk after him, and it brought out in the skinny thug speed and endurance he never believed himself to be capable of. By the time the gambler had reached the exit, the cripple was already dredging through the dirt outside.


    The gambler closed the door to keep out the rain.


    Old Gen observed the entire affair, speechless. He didn''t know whether to laugh or cry.


    "Sir... Sir!" He finally called out to the man, who seemed intent on walking back to his table. "I am grateful for your help, but you need to get out of here. Ru''s gang has many martial artists. Big Money Yan is notoriously cruel and violent! There was no need for you to do all this, truly..."


    The martial artist stopped and gave him a sideways glare.


    Old Gen recoiled upon a new realization, clutching at what few gray hairs remained on his head. "Oh, goodness! I need to escape, too! My old wife doesn''t know I''m doing all this, what was I thinking, getting involved with those criminals? It just might stress her to death!"


    "I''m not going anywhere," The gambler suddenly barked. "And neither are you, old man!"


    Old Gen, startled, began to pale.


    The man continued to yell at him. "Go cook me a meal! I''ll eat until they''ve arrived."


    "Y-Y-You wish to wait until they come?" Old Gen stuttered in reply. "And what then?"


    The gambler, having apparently had enough, turned to face the old man, fury marring his face. "Only way you''re getting out of this alive is if you do as I say! Now get to it!"


    Old Gen fled into the kitchen, and with shaking hands, warmed up some roasted chicken he had prepared for the night. He returned to the sight of the mysterious martial artist sat back at the gambling table, twirling his dice between his fingers.


    "M-May I know the esteemed expert''s honorable name? Mao Lian brought you to this game, didn''t he?" The old man asked as he set down the tray.


    "Tao Geming."


    The name meant nothing to old Gen. With the exception of the ruling Royal Sect, his knowledge of the martial arts world had not extended past his neighborhood.


    "I wonder how he came to make your acquaintance..." Old Gen muttered.


    Tao Geming dove into the small chicken with his bare hands. Within the minute, nothing but bones were left.


    "Bring out more!" He barked again. "I haven''t eaten in hours."


    And so, as the rain died down, as the sun continued to climb, Tao Geming''s feast continued in silence.


    Whenever the strange guest was preoccupied with eating and had had no use for him, Old Gen nervously paced around the stuffy room, not daring to so much as open the windows to let in some much needed cool air. He was even afraid to stand too near to them.


    Finally, they heard a voice from outside.


    "Old Gen! Come on out! And bring your friend!"


    The old man clutched his hair again. "Ah, it''s all over! They''re here! They''re going to kill us both!"


    Tao Geming spat out a fishbone, his chair scraping against the floor as he stood up.


    The old man dared not follow him outside; he observed the affair through a thin gap in the door.


    By then, the gray clouds had parted, letting through morning sunlight. The dirt road had had just enough time to dry up a little after the rain, the street no longer sharing form and function with a swamp.


    A rough crowd had gathered outside, too many to count at a glance, maybe 40, 50 men, all wielding a chaotic assortment of weapons, of wood and steel that came in just about every variety imaginable.


    Brother Ru was in the crowd, and he pointed Tao Geming out to the tallest among them, a bald man resting a long club spiked with iron studs on his wide shoulders. "Big brother Yan, that''s the guy!"


    "You gave my brothers a scare, little man." Big Money Yan''s voice boomed with heavy bass. "But since you didn''t kill nobody, we can still be friends. How about you work for me?"


    Tao Geming kept his hands in his pockets as he approached. "You''re not embarrassed at all? Pleading for your life like this in front of all your subordinates?"


    The henchmen jeered at Tao Geming. The big man frowned as he heaved his weapon off his shoulders and gripped it with his sausage-like fingers. "If you don''t wanna pay with your skills, you''ll pay with your life!"


    A sharp crack pierced the air as the mountain of meat named Yan took off with frightening speed and brought the heavy weapon down onto the shorter man''s head. There was a thud as it made contact, and Tao Geming''s feet sunk into the soft earth.


    Big Money Yan''s face scrunched up. He cringed, having never heard such a disappointing sound in his life, a sound that was missing that exhilarating, that all-too-important crunch of the bone that motivated his martial arts. It felt like he had struck a lump of iron.


    As he attempted to lift up his club, he had found himself incapable of the feat. He saw Tao Geming''s fingers wrapped around it, and as Yan applied more force in an effort to pull back, he was drawn forward instead.


    A pair of fingers flashed in his peripheral vision, jabbing him squarely in the stomach. Big Money Yan, feeling nothing but slight discomfort, thought nothing of the attack as Tao Geming pulled back his hand. Figuring that the man had fumbled his technique and missed a vital pressure point, he once again pulled his weapon...


    ...Only to find his fingers slipping off the handle, his hands grasping at nothing but air.


    As Yan stared in confusion, he began to walk back. Almost immediately he realized that he was doing so involuntarily, and even to the onlookers his gait looked unnatural, as if he was being pulled back by invisible strings.


    Some in the crowd called out to their boss. Their voices grew louder as the man''s face twisted in pain. His mouth was open, yet no sound came from within. Something beneath the skin began to wiggle and bulge as if trying to escape.


    Interrupting a concerned shout, Big Money Yan''s back burst open like a water balloon, the blood spilling out in the thinnest of showers, almost like a mist. Miniscule fragments of bone flew out like shrapnel, injuring many.


    Four limbs and a head, all that remained of the man, crumbled to the ground. Even the organs were nowhere to be seen.


    As the crowd beheld the horrific sight, it was evident that most of them could hardly even understand what it was that their senses had just been assailed by, the scene so stupefying that the shock alone could kill, so thoroughly defiant of common sense that it did not feel appropriate even for one''s worst nightmares.


    "That''s the Invincible Blood Sea!" One of the men screamed at the top of his lungs. The rest of them, too, began to shriek in terror, and parted like a sea of their own, fleeing in every direction.


    Tao Geming looked at his handiwork with cold-blooded indifference. Not a drop of gore fell upon his gray tunic. By the time he lifted his eyes up, he couldn''t see a soul left on the streets.


    Even so, he called out.


    "I am the King of Jianghu. Run!"


    An enormous internal energy carried his soft voice a vast distance. For every one of the fleeing gangsters, it felt like he was hot on their heels, whispering right into to their ear, and so they ran with renewed vigor, not daring to throw even the briefest of glances behind them.


    A piece of gold had fallen from the mangled corpse. After plucking it out of the dirt, Tao Geming put his hands back in his pockets and walked away.


    ...

 Chapter 2 - King and Beggar (II)

    Out in the wilderness, during that same morning, a young man was scaling a sheer cliff with a large boulder tied to his back.


    Halfway to the top, as the end still remained far out of his reach, he began to slow until he had stalled entirely.


    "Master," He pleaded. "I can''t climb any higher than this..."


    Down below, as she leaned against the cliff, a golden haired woman turned her head up.


    "If you try to go down with that rock on your back, you''ll fall." She said.


    "I''m serious, I can''t go any higher! And it''s so slippery after the rain!" Bai Guo groaned as he hugged the rocky surface with his body. "If I fall, you''ll catch me, right, master?!"


    The woman''s golden eyes glinted with cunning. "Is that why you''re half-assing this? Because you think I''m going to catch you if you drop?"


    "I''m not half-assing it! I''m at the end of my rope here...!" Bai Guo shouted.


    He felt a sudden gust of wind as something white flickered by his eye. As he lifted his eyes up to the top of the cliff, he caught just a glimpse of a woman''s sandaled ankle beneath a fluttering white robe.


    She twirled around and sat by the very precipice, staring down at him with her golden eyes. Resting her chin on her hand, she spoke with utter boredom. "See, how can I catch you now? So put your back into it."


    Bai Guo pressed his forehead against the cliff in frustration, before a sudden realization struck him. "Sir Shen is still down there, he''ll catch me if I fall! Right, sir Shen?!"


    As he called out, he was greeted only by his own echo.


    "I told Cui Shen to take a hike so I can train my disciple in private."


    Bai Guo pressed his face back into the cliff and yelled, his voice muffled by stone.


    "Hurry up. I want to get to a town soon." The Golden Witch stared at her nails.


    After Bai Guo took some time to vent, he upturned his head with newfound determination and continued the agonizing ascent.


    Eventually, he reached the precipice, and crawled onto solid ground. He seemed content to keep his face in the dirt as the boulder pressed into his back. "Get it off me please." His muffled voice came out again.


    Although he never got the chance to see it for himself, the Golden Witch undid the knots on the weight with a small, proud smile on her face.


    With the rock gone, Bai Guo rolled onto his back, breathing heavily. "Master... How come in these past few months, you''ve had me do nothing but run, swim, climb, and lift weights? When do I get to learn some real martial arts?"


    "Your body isn''t strong enough yet. You''ve hardly trained at all before you met me, so there''s a lot to catch up on. And on the road, we have to improvise."


    "I trained almost every day back home!" Bai Guo protested. "And besides, I''ve never seen you do a single physical exercise yourself, master! Clearly there''s more to it than that. Like that internal energy thing you talk about from time to time!"


    "I don''t know what you were doing back home, but it certainly doesn''t pass for training. As for me, I''m long past the need for physical exercise." The Golden Witch turned away her golden eyes, and brushed a hand through her long hair.


    "And all those old fart masters, none of them look like they exercise either..." Bai Guo continued to grumble.


    The woman''s face wrinkled with annoyance. She stared at her own hair for a time, seemingly unable to think of a response. "Physical fitness and internal energy go hand in hand. For a novice like you, someone who can''t even make full use of their muscles, dabbling with the meridians would just be a waste of time."


    "But how does that work? I just don''t understand..." Bai Guo stared into the cloudy sky, basking in the cool wind. As the disciple relaxed, the master''s frustration was mounting. She simply couldn''t figure out a way to explain.


    After a while, she stood up and dusted herself off. "Let''s climb down and find a town."


    Bai Guo pressed the back of his head into the earth and groaned.


    The young man''s master quickly alleviated his concerns. "Forget about the rock. You can climb down without it." Instantly, the disciple''s face lit up with relief, and he carried on with the task.


    "I''d like to sleep in a house today." The Golden Witch stepped over the edge. She plummeted down to the bottom instantly, and yet landed as softly as a blade of grass drifting in the wind, soundlessly, gently, as though she had merely taken a step over flat ground.


    Bai Guo, startled at first by her master''s sudden attempted suicide, stared in wonder at the unbelievable outcome. "Physical fitness can''t do that..." He grumbled some more as he began his descent. He made swift work of the cliff this time around, but the young man could hardly force himself to take pride in it when faced with the capabilities of his eccentric master.


    They reunited with Cui Shen, whose black attire seemed to meld into the shade of the tree he was resting under even as his sickly pale face practically glowed against the morning sunlight.


    A short walk brought them before a large settlement, a town called Jiuqin.


    "Look, Bai Guo, you won''t have to wash my clothes today! Aren''t you happy?" The Golden Witch exclaimed, smiling.


    Bai Guo went beet red. "Could you please not speak about that matter in public? It''s bad enough that you make me do it, but please don''t go around letting other people know, master!"


    "I still don''t get what the big deal is..." She replied.


    "It''s just inappropriate!" Bai Guo hissed. "And let''s leave it at that!"


    "If it really bothers you so much, I could stop making you do it..."


    "Then what would I do as your disciple? What would be my contributions? You don''t charge me with any other tasks! I''d just be an ungrateful, unfilial little freeloader!"


    "Well then." She stared directly at him. "Aren''t you happy that we''re staying in a town tonight?" She repeated herself with a straight face, but it quickly gave way to another smile.


    "Yes..." Bai Guo turned away from her and stubbornly shuffled his tired feet into the city.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    As they wandered through the busy city streets in search of lodgings, the Golden Witch had abruptly stopped, the tip of her nose darting towards the sky. "Do you smell that?" She asked, sniffing at the air repeatedly.


    Her two compatriots exchanged confused glances. The woman took a sudden turn in a different direction, and after following her for a time, Cui Shen spoke up. "Now I do."


    His ordinarily gloomy expression turned even graver.


    They walked upon a street that had seemingly been bathed in blood, littered with curious bystanders who kept a healthy distance. Even Bai Guo''s nose was now assailed by the metallic odor.


    In his shock, Bai Guo blurted out, "Did someone slaughter a cow in here? Maybe it''s someone''s idea of a prank?" He then clarified, "I see a lot of footprints, but recently a cart rode up to only one edge of the pool there, so maybe there was only one carcass to pick up."


    Cui Shen said, "Maybe there were several bodies close together."


    Bai Guo argued back. "The bloodstain goes out pretty far, and the mud doesn''t look like any bodies have been dragged through it."


    Cui Shen seemed to agree, and grew silent.


    As Bai Guo turned to his master, he found her golden eyes wide, staring in something resembling wonder. He could almost hear the gears turning in her head, and correctly surmised that his idle chatter fell on deaf ears. She noticed him staring, and, after a moment, snapped out of it.


    "What if a martial art did this?" She asked, and had done so almost innocuously. But Bai Guo did not buy her forced nonchalance for even a second.


    "You mean to a single man?" It took everything the young man had to not shudder at her suggestion. The thought of her being right, and the thought that the person capable of using such a martial art was currently in the same city as them filled him with dread.


    But he also saw a rare opportunity to prove himself. He turned to Cui Shen. "Sir Shen, how about we ask the locals about what happened here?"


    "I don''t see the point." Cui Shen hadn''t been intrigued much at all. "Even if it was a fight between martial artists, it''s no concern of ours."


    "On the contrary, sir Shen, I think it''s prudent that we keep an eye on the local affairs, so that we best know how to avoid trouble." As he spoke, Bai Guo glanced twice in the direction of his master.


    Cui Shen seemed to catch on to the meaning of his gesture. "I''ll accompany you."


    It did not take them long to learn that the remains of a man had been moved to a nearby cart, its grisly contents draped over by a dirty sheet. According to the townspeople, the grave keeper was supposed to ferry it away, but had wandered off for one reason or another.


    The three of them cast aside the cover and peered within. Immediately, Bai Guo''s face turned a shade of green, as what awaited them in the cart was not so much a corpse, but a bundle of skin, some limbs and a head. He turned away and gripped his knees. As curious onlookers peeked into the now uncovered cart, they, too, reacted with regret.


    "Well, it''s definitely a martial art..." Bai Guo mumbled in a strange voice as he fought the urge to empty his stomach. "Nothing else is going to do that to a man."


    The other two were like steel. Cui Shen strained to hide his disgust, and had done so perfectly, with iron-clad resolve; the Golden Witch struggled to hide her fascination, and had done a stellar job of it as well.


    "Where are his organs?" The woman asked, her eyes of amber scanning the pool of blood and turning up nothing.


    They heard Bai Guo''s strained voice behind them. "There were lots of people stomping around in the mud here recently, so why''s there only one corpse? This much blood couldn''t have come from just one man, right?"


    After a break, Bai Guo continued to question the people. He found them either unknowing or uncooperative, until he entered a tea house directly in front of the scene, and spoke with old Gen.


    "Oh yes, I saw it all. Let me tell you, young man, nothing good can come out of sticking your nose into this affair. Decent folk like you would do well to keep as far enough away as you-" The old man had suddenly found himself flabbergasted as he watched a golden haired woman step into his establishment, so tall that she had almost bumped her head on the upper end of the doorway.


    It took a few moments for Old Gen to come out of his daze. He had, for some reason, suddenly changed his tune. "...A powerful martial artist came through here and got in trouble with a local gang. I knew little Yan since he was just a little boy playing around in the neighborhood, and sure, he may have grown up to be a good-for-nothing criminal, but to die in such a gruesome way, my heart still weeps for him... At least the others got away..."


    Bai Guo asked, "Did the gentleman in question introduce himself?"


    "Oh yes. His name was Tao Geming."


    Cui Shen''s languid eyes flew wide open. "Tao Geming? The Invincible Blood Sea? He''s real?"


    The old man nodded. "Certainly. He introduced himself to me by his given name, and then one of the gangsters referred to him by that title when they fought."


    The Golden Witch and Bai Guo both stared at Cui Shen. Evidently, neither the man''s given name nor his sobriquet told them anything.


    Cui Shen began to explain. "I''ve heard stories about a villain who goes around the world killing and stealing as he pleases. He is called Invincible because it is said that he has never once been injured, and they call him the Blood Sea..." He turned back to the crimson street. "...because that is all he leaves in his wake."


    Old Gen shuddered. The Golden Witch asked of the old proprietor, "Perhaps you witnessed the technique he used to cause all of that?"


    "I don''t know. I truly don''t." The man replied. "I saw no weapon. Little Yan struck Tao Geming on the head, and then, suddenly, little Yan just... He just..." Old Gen shook his head over and over.


    The Golden Witch, realizing that nothing useful would be gleaned from this conversation, turned away. Bai Guo asked about Tao Geming''s whereabouts, but the old man had little to say in that regard.


    Bai Guo then questioned the man on Tao Geming''s appearance, but old Gen hemmed and hawed until the young man had had enough, and ultimately, the only descriptors of worth he had managed to extract out of the proprietor was the color of the man''s tunic and the miniscule length of his hair.


    As they were about to leave, old Gen called out to them. "You masters are not with the Royal School, are you?"


    The three stopped, and Bai Guo asked, "The Royal School?"


    "The Qin Royal Dynasty Sword School. I can see you are not from around these parts, so I must insist on my previous advice - for you to stay out of this matter. The Royal School is looking into this matter as well, because, this Tao Geming, he uttered a great taboo..."


    The Golden Witch lifted a brow. "What did he say?"


    "Oh I dare not repeat it aloud, and I''m sure you''ll find no one else that will. But it is something that the king does not abide by, and his Royal School will no doubt be seeking retribution for the things that were said. When it comes to dealing with the Royal School, it is of the essence to stay out of their way. They keep the peace, but they... well... Just remember this old man''s advice, okay? I wish good luck to the lady and her attendants." Old Gen bowed.


    Bai Guo hastily returned the bow before they parted ways.


    As they once again stared at the mayhem outside, the young disciple pondered aloud. "I wonder why the old man was so taciturn when it came to the details of his appearance. I didn''t get the impression that he didn''t get a good look at Tao Geming, and, not to be rude, but he seemed quite sharp for his age..."


    Cui Shen closed his eyes as he spoke. "Now that I think about it, I''ve never heard a description of the man either. Maybe in the same way that certain people are unforgettable after a single glance, others can be uniquely nondescript."


    "Or maybe the old man is scared." Bai Guo supposed.


    "Scared of what exactly?" Cui Shen glanced at him. "He already shared far more information than he was obliged to."


    "Maybe there''s no good way to describe the man without it coming off as an insult. Like, for example, if he''s really ugly. And if word spreads that the old man called him that, he might come back..."


    Cui Shen pondered his words in silence.


    "It doesn''t really matter." The Golden Witch suddenly spoke up, her eyes still peeled to the pool of blood. "I''ve been thinking how I might go about achieving something like this myself, and while I have a few ideas, they all involve..." Her speech trailed off; her neck began to slowly tilt, her mouth slightly agape. "...Perhaps..." She mumbled. A few moments later, she seemed to catch herself lolling off and regained her wits. "Well, it would require a great deal of mastery over internal energy. So if we come anywhere near the man, I would sense him instantly."


    Bai Guo found no joy in those news. With an awkward chuckle, he said. "One of these days you should teach me how to sense internal energy just like you do, master." So that I can do the opposite of what you do and avoid all these murderous psychopaths, he thought.


    The woman''s brows furrowed, still only half-present mentally in the conversation. "I can''t teach you that any more than I can teach a deaf man to hear. Even my father couldn''t do it."


    Cui Shen''s interest was piqued by the sudden change of topic. "So it was not something that you were taught, and from the way you describe it, neither was it something that you had to learn on your own? It was just something you could do?"


    "...Hm? Right, like smelling with your eyes or seeing with your nose." She muttered, jumbling up her words.


    Cui Shen sighed. "Bai Guo, would you be so kind as to pry your master away so that we may set about securing our accommodations for the night?"


    Bai Guo carefully approached. "Master..."


    The Golden Witch waved her long sleeve. "I''m going, I''m going..."


    She had gotten dragged away.


    ...

 Chapter 2 - King and Beggar (III)

    Tao Geming wandered the cruddy streets, his face contorted into a perpetual scowl. As he came across a lone beggar, the intensity of his expression loosened slightly. The man was sat on the ground, his muddy clothes still not completely dry after the night''s downpour, and his face covered by a wide straw hat.


    Tao Geming, with a flick of his fingers, sent the golden tael in his pocket into the man''s empty begging bowl. Its heavy weight nearly toppled the clay bowl over. As Tao Geming made to leave, he heard a gruff voice emerge from beneath the straw hat.


    "That smells more like iron than gold. Just how much blood did you spill to get this, mister?"


    Tao Geming stopped dead in his tracks. He turned back to the beggar.


    "Never seen a picky beggar before." He spat. The beggar shook his head, the straw hat atop it angling back to reveal his bearded, broad, tired face. The two stared each other down.


    "If a guy like me gets seen carrying gold, who knows what might happen?" The beggar complained.


    "If you don''t want it, throw it away."


    Unabated, the beggar continued. "If you''re in the mood to make some amends, surely someone like you could think of a better way than offloading your ill-gotten gains on strangers? Or maybe you''d like to hear a few suggestions?"


    "I''ve got nothing to make amends for. Save your little sermon for when it might make a difference."


    "When could it possibly make a bigger difference than now?" The beggar asked. "Wouldn''t you say that it''s people like you that turned the world into what it is now?"


    "What in the blazes are you yapping about, you bum?"


    "It''s because you and every other fellow with a lick of strength in them proclaim themselves king that things have gotten so bad."


    Tao Geming chuckled. "So you watched me fight. Just where do you find the courage to talk back after that, old bum? Had enough of your shitty life?"


    The beggar continued. "Mountains of corpses cannot be used to purchase legitimacy, not even in an age as depraved as this. Keep sailing up the river of blood, and you''ll eventually find yourself drowning in it."


    "Ha! Who do you think you''re bullshitting, beggar? If you had even a lick of strength of your own, you''d be out there fighting and killing for the good life just like all the rest of us. Listen well - there will be no retribution for anything I''ve done. Karma exists only in the bitter dreams of the downtrodden. I''ve wandered the world twice over and found not a single man that could be my match. So spare yourself the mental anguish and get those naive thoughts out of your head. The next man you mouth off to might not be so magnanimous as to let you off the hook."


    "You say that, but aren''t you forced to wander because you aren''t welcome anywhere? So how are you better than me?"


    "I go where I please and take what I want. That''s what it means to be king!" Tao Geming swelled up with pride. The beggar just wrinkled his nose.


    "I, too, go where I please, and for anything I need, I beg. But it seems to me that neither of us has got anything to truly call our own. People are never happy to have me around, and I''m guessing the same goes for you, too. But even so, I''d wager folks would rather have me around than you."


    Tao Geming burst into laughter. "You''ve certainly earned that gold, beggar. If you throw your lot in as a jester, you just might joke your way into a decent life."


    Tao Geming waved him off and walked away. The beggar watched him leave, a sullen look in his eye, and then covered his face with his hat.


    But little did the poor man know that his nap would last hardly an hour before a long shadow hid the sun from him once more.


    ...


    While the Golden Witch and Cui Shen explored the market stalls, Bai Guo was charged with getting them all rooms at a nearby inn. He had accomplished the task uneventfully, and took his time as he began to leave, taking in the wafting scents of roasted meats and captivating spices, the lavish decor, and even the colorful garments of the refined clientele.


    "Uncle Zhong could learn a thing or two from this place..." Just as the thought crossed his mind, his heavy feet got tangled up with each other, and Bai Guo ended up plunging face-first into the floor. His hands desperately spread out for something to latch onto. He was fortunate enough to grasp a table, only to find it coming down together with him, dragging along its many contents.


    The commotion caused by the falling boy and the deafening clatter of silver was overwhelmed by a frustrated scream. "Oh, for the love of...!"


    Before Bai Guo had the chance to get back on his feet, he found himself getting pulled up by his clothing.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "Look at what you''ve done!" A young man around his age shouted at him indignantly. His attire of yellow-and-red was soiled by a sharp-smelling beverage. Right beside him, a young woman wearing an identical uniform stared at the spilled drinks and dishes in shock, her mouth covered with her hands.


    "Senior martial brother!" She wailed. "Now the whole day is ruined!"


    Bai Guo bowed his head low. "My apologies! I tripped."


    The young man turned up his nose. "An apology isn''t good enough! Do you see this? I am Hou Wencheng, the apprentice of a third rank expert!" Bai Guo lifted his head to find the martial artist pointing at some emblems emblazoned on his shoulder. He saw the symbol for "Qin", and the number one.


    "I don''t know what that means..." He freely admitted, to the continued shock of the young man and his female companion.


    "It means I am a member of the Qin Royal Dynasty Sword School, you nincompoop! What backwater did you crawl out of that you didn''t even know that? Who let you into this place?" The young man shot his cuffs. "What it means is that you''re in a world of trouble if you don''t recompense me for my uniform and my order immediately!"


    Bai Guo, having had just give his lone gold tael to the proprietor, had nothing to give. He lowered his head again. "I don''t have any money on me now, but if you just let me go fetch my master, you''ll be compensated."


    "A likely story!" Hou Wencheng scoffed, and continued to press. "Who''s your master?"


    "The Golden Witch is my master."


    After a pause, he heard laughter. "You''re a real riot! Oh, oh, let me guess. Your senior martial brother must be the Silver Sorcerer. And you yourself must be the Copperless Conman! Shall I wait for the Money Fairy to leave the compensation under my pillow?"


    His companion giggled. The observing patrons, too, derived a chuckle out of his words.


    It was only then that Bai Guo began to feel frustrated. Ridiculing him for a blunder that he had truly made was one thing, but what the disciple of the Qin was saying now could very well constitute an insult against his master.


    "You don''t have money, but you''ve got a sword. Give it to me, I can pawn it off." The young man suddenly demanded.


    "This is my father''s sword..."


    "Mmm. Let me guess. He''s the Iron Soothsayer?"


    Laughter picked up again at his joke. Bai Guo raised his head, resentment on his face. The Qin disciple placed one arm behind his back and put the other one forward, waving the young man forward with just his fingers.


    "Hand it over, or I''ll take it myself."


    As the ultimatum was declared, the inn turned silent. Anyone with any amount of martial aptitude in the room recognized that the disciple had taken up a fighting stance.


    Neither of them was willing to budge on this matter. As their staredown continued, tension grew.


    Finally, Bai Guo lunged forward with great alacrity.


    Hou Wencheng''s eyes widened, his body moving desperately to counter.


    Unexpectedly, Bai Guo slipped on the drinks he himself had spilled, and ended up barreling towards his opponent''s legs. Hou Wencheng''s punch, aimed at where the young man''s head would have been, had missed the mark entirely, and he found himself tumbling to the floor in tow with his foe.


    They both tangled with the other. Back and forth they rolled, exchanging curses but hardly a single blow, each trying to wrestle back the initiative.


    The scuffle soon ended in Bai Guo''s favor as he secured his place at the top, his fist lifted high into the air.


    But once again he had found himself being dragged about by his clothing, something pulling him by the collar of his shirt so fiercely that he was nearly suffocating.


    Bai Guo heard the grumbling voice of an older man. "They''ll let anyone into the Clear Essence Pavilion these days..."


    Hou Wencheng, watching his opponent getting slid along the floor, shouted, "Master Kang Shi!" His female companion echoed his words, and they both bowed respectfully.


    No matter how much he struggled, Bai Guo could not get free, the man''s fingers like a steel vice. Soon, they were right by the entrance. They briefly halted by the closed door, though Bai Guo suspected that this was not quite the end of the road for him. As the man opened it, to the young man''s surprise, his transit was halted completely.


    "Oh my!" The man dragging him along exclaimed. Bai Guo contorted his body - Hou Wencheng''s master still refused to let go of his collar - and peered past his sleeves.


    "Master!" Bai Guo was greatly relieved to see the peerlessly tall figure of the Golden Witch tilting over to peek through the doorway.


    "Would you, perhaps, care to explain what you''re doing to my disciple?" She asked.


    The man chuckled. "Your disciple? Your disciple has caused a great deal of trouble, and I was just about to toss him out."


    "Really? What did he do?"


    "He spilled my disciple''s food and, when pressed for compensation, started a fight with him." The man explained.


    "Did he win?" Her next question caught him off-guard. He laughed.


    "Of course not! As if some country bumpkin could beat a member of the Royal School."


    "So are you, perhaps, cleaning up after your disciple?"


    Kang Shi found this question far less amusing than the last. There were several implications contained within, all of them insulting to his reputation and dignity.


    He forced out a smile. "Why don''t we stop disrupting the guests here and continue this conversation outside? You call yourself a martial artist, don''t you? While we''re at it, if you would be so kind, how about giving me some pointers? What was your esteemed name again...?"


    The Golden Witch turned away, suddenly speaking to someone out of sight. "What does that phrase mean? To give some pointers?"


    "...It means he wants to fight you." Cui Shen''s glum voice came from the side.


    Bai Guo, still stuck on the floor, sweated profusely.


    "That''s fine, then." The blonde woman replied lightly, stepping away. As her grandiose figure ceased looming over the entrance, the other master followed, and the three disciples as well as most of the patrons came rushing out to watch the show.


    The townspeople seemed to immediately recognize the situation for what it was, steering clear of the two martial artists. Foot traffic had immediately grown sparse.


    Kang Shi''s long dark hair had begun to gray around his temples, but the man''s complexion was healthy and ruddy, only a scant few thin wrinkles around his forehead. Bai Guo''s eyes were drawn to the number three emblazoned on his shoulder. Kang Shi crossed his arms behind his back as he stared down his amber eyed foe from a few meters away.


    "Well?" He broke the thick silence. "Shall I make the first move?" He sarcastically added, "Care to grace us with your renowned name before we begin?"


    "Go ahead." She replied. Kang Shi felt a pang of frustration prod at his heart as the woman repeatedly refused to name herself.


    The distance between them was gone in the space of a single breath. The observers gasped at his dexterity.


    ...

 Chapter 2 - King and Beggar (IV)

    Kang Shi struck at her midsection with a kick. His leg whipped like a lunging snake, but had been caught by the Golden Witch''s hand. The man dug his heel in and pulled his leg back with a great deal of strength, but no matter how much he heaved and struggled, he could not pry himself out of her grip.


    The master seemed to give up on it and snorted. "Amusing ourselves, are we?"


    The corner of the woman''s mouth jerked ever so subtly upwards. The older man sprang into action again, hopping off with his remaining foot and spinning himself around for yet another kick, this one aimed at her head.


    It had struck the other palm of the Golden Witch with a loud clap, and another limb had been caught into her steely grasp. The upper body of the man continued to soar through the air, briefly suspended by the fierce momentum of his second attack. He leaned forward, thrusting out his palm towards the woman''s now defenseless torso.


    The Golden Witch straightened out her arms upwards and swung the man over her shoulder like he was a sack of rice. She threw him roughly to the ground, and the man struck the dirt hard with his rear.


    He swiftly began the efforts to regain his footing, but ceased his attempts after just a few scant twitches. His face turned stark red and sweat began to run down his face. He remained lying there to the confusion of the crowd.


    "Well," The man suddenly blurted out, crossing his arms behind his head. He leisurely leaned back into the dirt. "If you''re not going to be taking this seriously, then neither shall I."


    He suddenly closed his eyes. As the middle aged man lounged on the ground like he was trying to plunge into a nap, the crowd exchanged confused glances. The Golden Witch stared at him with her mouth slightly agape as if she was about to say something, but after a time, seemed to decide against it. She turned around and began to walk away, only to stop a step and a half later and turn right back around.


    "Which sect did you say you were from?" She asked.


    Kang Shi snorted. "Vagabonds you may be, but to not even know whose lands you''re treading through is simply ridiculous. It is the Qin Royal Dynasty Sword School."


    "Would you, perhaps, tell me where your sect is located?"


    The man snorted again. "Perhaps you''d like me to walk you there, too? Ridiculous!"


    The Golden Witch''s brows creased like she just ate something sour. She walked away.


    Bai Guo ran up behind her, hoping to dispel his confusions. "Master, what happened?"


    "I don''t know." She replied. "I think he hurt himself when he fell and can''t get up anymore. And when he started acting like that, I... I don''t know... It was just embarrassing to be near him, so I''d rather go do something else."


    "Why don''t you press the issue? What if the crowd ends up thinking that you''re conceding?"


    "I don''t care what they think." She waved her long sleeve to dismiss the issue.


    Meanwhile, the old master remained lying there. His two disciples approached, no less confused than everybody else. Hou Wencheng had suddenly found himself getting pulled towards the ground by the ear, whimpering at the mistreatment. Kang Shi hissed at him with venomous whispers.


    "Foolish disciple, what good are you? Going around picking fights with everybody and anybody, not knowing how high the sky is, not knowing who you''re even fighting! You are nothing but a burden! It took every last drop of my wit to salvage our school''s reputation, and to spare all of us from humiliation and death. Now I am wracked by terrible pain every time I try to stand. Let''s see how you''ll enjoy your day off now! Keep the commoners away from me until night falls, then we''ll be leaving this place under the cover of darkness, so that no one can see me in my disgraceful state!"


    Kang Shi threw his disciple back. The young man began the watch duty as his ear still burned.


    With their accommodations for the night secured, the Golden Witch continued to roam the city streets with her disciple in tow. Nearly around every corner she would find a confectionary or a souvenir to acquire, which would require her disciple to intervene and prevent her from obscenely overpaying in gold, and then again to stop her from simply stealing whatever it was that caught the fancy of her yellow eye. Despite Bai Guo''s constant meddling, the young woman seemed to be enjoying herself.


    "By the way, master, I''ve been meaning to ask... How many taels do you have left in your possession?" Bai Guo asked.


    "About two."


    "Only two?!" Her answer frightened him. It was not as if a golden tael, let alone two, was by any stretch of imagination a small sum of money. But it was always a struggle to exchange it for smaller currencies on the road, and thus it was inevitable that they would have to overspend everywhere they went. They spent an absurd amount during their travels, and they had done so with such levity that Bai Guo had never even suspected the problem to creep up on them this way.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    It was certainly a problem unique to the laughably wealthy.


    Bai Guo seemed on the verge of panic. "Master, we can''t keep spending like this! If we run out of money, what are we going to do? Get a job? Doing what exactly? Would you please let me have the last two taels so that I could try to ration our money out a little better?"


    The Golden Witch fluttered her sleeve and procured the two remaining pieces of gold. She seemed to think absolutely nothing of her wealth, or the impeding absence of it, and dispensed with it as freely as she did with words.


    Bai Guo felt uneasy as he put the two heavy pieces into his pockets. He was always nervous carrying even just one of them around to make menial purchases, and now, in their scarcity, they felt heavier than ever.


    As the young man''s mind dwelled on the economical, his master''s eyes were drawn elsewhere.


    "Say," She began. "The two of you have heard of the Beggar''s Sect, right?"


    Bai Guo shook his head. "What is that? What sect would call itself that?"


    Cui Shen raised an eyebrow. "I''ve heard of that story. Why do you ask?"


    "Story?" She repeated.


    "The old folk''s tale about a secret gang of beggars who use martial arts to protect the common people. Or did you mean something else?" Cui Shen asked.


    "They''re not real?" She seemed genuinely surprised to hear that.


    "Of course they''re not real..." Cui Shen closed his eyes. "Anyone with the skills to lead their own martial arts sect would not be out begging on the streets. It''s just a legend that people tell their children."


    The Golden Witch pursed her lips in contemplation. "Well, that can''t be right..." She muttered.


    With that subject seemingly settled, Bai Guo consulted with Cui Shen on how to get the most value out of their gold. As they asked the locals for directions to one thing or another, the Golden Witch had suddenly wandered off.


    Bai Guo was struck with panic when he noticed her absence, and he felt like quite the fool for losing track of what may have been the most visible person in the whole wide world. To his relief, he easily spotted her blonde head poking out above the crowd and made his way towards her.


    He found her standing over a straw hatted beggar, a peculiar smile creeping onto her face. The beggar flicked his hat away from his weary eyes, and was instantly bewildered by what he had seen.


    "Senior," The woman before him spoke. "Would you care to give me some pointers?"


    As the Golden Witch loomed over the sitting beggar, he nearly shuddered under the intensity of her gaze. He rued his bad luck, thinking, "Just what is it today? Must be true what they say. Blessings don''t come in pairs, and misfortunes never come alone."


    "Never before have I been so unsettled by a pretty girl''s attention." The beggar said, grimacing.


    The golden haired woman before him asked, "Your name does not happen to be Tao Geming, does it?"


    "Believe it or not, I''ve just seen the man walk past here not so long ago." As he saw her smile grow just a little wider, he shook his head. "...But I get the feeling that you don''t believe it."


    "Well, you certainly don''t make for a very convincing beggar." She scooped up the man''s clay bowl with the golden tael in it, hardly needing to bend her waist to reach the ground.


    "Don''t you think that even a beggar can have bouts of good luck? And bad..." The man sighed.


    "If Tao Geming is a filthy beggar," The Golden Witch said, "It would fit my disciple''s clever theory about why it''s so hard to get people to describe someone as unsightly as you."


    As Bai Guo overheard her say that, his brows furrowed in skepticism. Evidently, he hadn''t shared her view on the matter. But he also believed that his master wouldn''t approach this beggar for no reason, so he quietly watched the scene unfold.


    She sniffed the air before continuing. "You picked this gold piece off that bloody street, didn''t you? I can still smell the blood on it. It''s even the same kind."


    "If Tao Geming is a filthy beggar," The beggar responded, "Then how could he also be a martial artist of such preposterous skill and cruel demeanor? Don''t tell me that nose of yours can sniff out not only a man by his blood, but his martial arts too."


    "It''s not the nose."


    "Well, it certainly can''t be the nose, because then it would be mistaken." The beggar smiled a little.


    "No, if it was the nose, it would be correct. You know, there''s really no need to play the fool. Beggars can be martial artists. The tales about the Beggar''s Sect are very well known." She stated the last part with less confidence than she intended to, led astray after her brief discussion with her compatriots.


    The beggar laughed. "You seem to have taken quite well to those stories, miss. But I hate to break it to you, but they''re all simply tall tales. Beggars all over the world tell them to chance upon a free meal, and I''m just another one of them. But even if you harangue every homeless man you see, you won''t find a single martial artist among them. These days, men with skills seek fortune under the banners of sects."


    The woman''s smile disappeared. "That holds true for most of them, but I know you''re not just any beggar." As she said that, the Golden Witch suddenly dropped the clay bowl. By some miracle, it remained whole as it impacted the ground, the heavy tael within loudly clattering about. "I''ve been polite with you so far. Senior." She added the last word after a momentary pause, having nearly forgotten to do so. "But you surely understand that what I''m asking of you here does not require this much courtesy. I''m very generously giving you a chance to get ready, take out the stick you use as a weapon, and trade a few stances with me."


    They stared each other down for a time. Finally, the beggar sighed and covered his eyes with his hat. He grumbled, "Most times, people only talk to me on two occasions: they want me to go away, or they want me to tell them story. But no one''s ever mixed those reasons together the way you just did, young lady, by threatening me with a beating because of the stories I''ve told. I''m telling you, you''ve got the wrong man, and if you bothered to ask anyone around, they''d be eager to vouch for my homelessness."


    The foot of the Golden Witch darted forward. She struck the bowl with her toe, and sent it flying at the beggar''s head with such great speed that the tael in it spun out into the dirt.


    The projectile was caught into the beggar''s palm. Unbeknownst to the two, a small crowd had gathered around to watch the tall blonde stranger harass the homeless, and some of them gasped in wonder at the beggar''s feat. Even Cui Shen, who had been idly observing the scene without much interest up to that point, couldn''t help but widen his eyes.


    "Even if you''re really not Tao Geming," The Golden Witch said, her smile slowly coming back. "That doesn''t change anything. See? You do have some skill."


    The beggar hissed in frustration. "I should have just let it hit me."


    ...

 Chapter 2 - King and Beggar (V)

    The man leaned back to once again glimpse the woman past his hat. He scowled at her with reluctance, but, having been caught in his lie, had no room to talk back anymore.


    But an idea had suddenly struck him. "Well, be that as it may, I don''t think you''ll get the fair match you''re looking for. After all, months ago, I traded my Dog-Beating Stick for a few drinks and meals to a fool just like you, a fervent believer in the Beggar''s Sect."


    The Golden Witch''s growing smirk had suddenly sunk like a rock. "Who did you sell it to?"


    The beggar crossed his arms behind his head. "As if I''d tell you. And you can throw as many bowls at my head as you want, lady, or treat me even worse, or even beat on me til I''m dead. But there''s no way I''m putting an innocent man into your sights."


    A man in the crowd interrupted him, shouting, "I know who he gave it to! I know!"


    Everybody turned to the stranger in surprise. "I''ll tell you in exchange for that tael by your feet, miss!" He said.


    The Golden Witch gladly tossed it over. The piece had somehow managed to land softly into the man''s hands despite its great weight, to the continued wonder of the observers.


    He spoke about a clerk who lived down the street.


    "Bai Guo, Cui Shen," The Golden Witch called out. "Would you go get the man''s stick?"


    Bai Guo, after some hesitation, nodded. "Yes, master!"


    "I''m not taking part in this..." Cui Shen staunchly refused.


    "As you wish." The woman replied.


    As Bai Guo ran off to carry out the task, he pondered whether or not he should actually strive to succeed at it. "Maybe if I fail to fetch this stick they talked about, master would let the beggar go. He does not appear to be like Deng Hong, who deserved to be on the receiving end of her skills. He was even willing to put his own well-being on the line to protect this clerk. But I would also hate to disappoint my master, especially since I haven''t been particularly useful to her as a disciple of late. But what she''s asking doesn''t quite sit right with me... Ah, what should I do?"


    The beggar watched the disciple run off to do the errand, a frown on his bearded face. His eyes then glimpsed further down the street, the same street that Tao Geming had unhurriedly walked through after their brief verbal spat. An idea came to his mind.


    One moment, the beggar was lying down; the next, he had sprung into action. His hands and arms were like a second pair of feet and legs, so briskly he crawled along the ground, like a spider, that he may as well had been running upright. Without breaking pace, he had somehow managed to stand up, and broke out into a mad dash for the woman''s disciple.


    The Golden Witch almost immediately set upon the beggar, so close behind him that he was not even a full foot out of her reach. The beggar jabbed at Bai Guo''s back with a finger; the unfortunate youngster had been only just beginning to grasp his peril, and, in the speeds those other two were dealing with, was still half an eternity away from turning around and adequately defending himself.


    The beggar''s sudden attack had forced a momentary flaw in his bizarre gait, permitting Bai Guo''s golden haired master the opportunity to catch up. Her long arm pushed the young disciple out of the path of the man''s attack, and her other hand flew out towards a vital pressure point. The beggar bent his body and spun out of reach, forced to abandon his strike to keep himself out of harm''s way.


    The chase continued. The beggar possessed the uncanny ability to slip through crowds as if they weren''t even there, and knew how to shove every cart, crate, bag, and passerby into the woman''s path to turn them into a dynamically shifting obstacle. The Golden Witch hadn''t had any of his strange skills, or knowledge of how to deal with them, and as such, despite her edge in raw speed, was continuously forced to concede ample space to the man in order to maintain the pursuit. Like a pair of deft swallows drifting perilously close along the earth, they frantically maneuvered back and forth around the many hindrances of the city.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Cui Shen followed after them as well as he could. Bai Guo, after calling out to him and his master, joined the chase. Cui Shen was outmatched by both the beggar and the Witch, and soon had only brief glimpses of her golden shadow to guide his path. Bai Guo fared even worse, and instead of chasing his master, had to chase Cui Shen, who never seemed to remain in his sight for more than a fleeting moment.


    Their race soon carried them beyond the city limits, and the beggar had taken to the outdoors as well as he took to the streets. He leaped and flipped across trees and branches like a monkey, carrying himself on hands and feet, but no matter how many tricks he performed, he couldn''t shake the blonde stranger off his trail.


    But suddenly, her eyes had darted to the side, and she made a sharp turn. As the beggar stopped himself atop a tree, he breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Well, would you look at that! It''s like she really can smell the martial arts on someone." The beggar thought, observing as the mysterious woman got in the way of a short man''s steady trek down the road. "Turned out to be a good thing, too, because I had no idea how I was going to convince her that that''s the man she was looking for. So how about that, Tao Geming! You said karma isn''t real, well, let''s see how you fare now!"


    He lingered on the tree for a moment longer to watch his handiwork. "Though I wish I could watch the entire thing unfold, there''s more trouble waiting for me when they''re done. We''d all be better off if they both killed each other, but I doubt I have that much luck banked up, so I''d better skedaddle while I still have the chance!" With that in mind, the beggar fled the scene.


    The remaining two stared at each other for a while.


    The Golden Witch opened her mouth, but hardly half a word had left her lips when Tao Geming interrupted her.


    "Get out of my way, clown."


    He then continued his stride as though he was intending to walk right through her.


    The Golden Witch swallowed her words back down. She glanced around before picking up a rock.


    "They call you Invincible," she said, "Let''s see what that''s about."


    Her arm cracked through the air like a whip as she threw the boulder at Tao Geming''s head. It hit him dead center in the middle of the forehead. He hadn''t even flinched; it flopped meekly towards the ground, falling gently into the man''s hand.


    The woman''s golden eyes glowed with a sudden realization. "So that''s how you do it!"


    Tao Geming paid no heed to her strange exclamation. "I hope it amused you. Enough for you to die without regrets."


    The rock resounded like a thunderbolt as it was sent flying back at the Golden Witch. The curious look on her face gave way to intense focus.


    She defended herself, if it could even be called as such, in identical fashion, by taking the projectile directly to the head. The rock bounced off and the golden haired woman yelped and recoiled, nearly falling to the ground.


    "Ow! That really hurt..." She nursed her bruised forehead with her sleeves, tears welling up in her eyes.


    Tao Geming was so flabbergasted by the sight that he couldn''t prevent himself from mouthing an incoherent question. "...What?"


    With the strength with which he had thrown that rock he was expecting to uproot a tree, or for the wood to part like water. The thought that it would leave just a tiny bruise on a girl''s forehead could have never crossed his mind even in his wildest fantasies.


    As she observed his reaction, the Golden Witch smiled mischievously. "I still can''t do it quite as quickly as you, but now that I know how, I''ll learn."


    Tao Geming''s perpetual scowl deepened. "Who are you?"


    Her smirk only grew at the question, to which she offered no reply.


    Tao Geming gnashed his teeth. "No, what I really want to know is, how could I have never heard of a martial artist who walks on stilts and colors their hair like a clown?"


    Her amusement faded somewhat. "Stop calling me that."


    "Forget it. It doesn''t matter what hole you crawled out of or what you call yourself. Soon, nobody''s going to refer to you as anything but a smear."


    Tao Geming tensed his posture. The ground shook. A fierce gale broke out. The Golden Witch had experienced something similar once, when Deng Hong mustered up the entirety of his unwieldy internal energy at the climax of their fight. But she was able to experience it on more than just the physical level; the natural phenomena meant little to her compared to the hurricane she could feel raging out of Tao Geming''s dantian.


    And unlike how it turned out in the fight against Deng Hong, she saw no easy solution to this one, no fatal flaw in the foundation to take advantage of.


    ...

 Chapter 2 - King and Beggar (VI)

    Bai Guo was the last to arrive at the scene, and as he shielded his eyes from sand flung about by unexpectedly strong winds, he took up position next to Cui Shen. As he took a guarded look at what had been unfolding further down the road, he couldn''t help but ask, "What''s going on?"


    The Golden Witch and Tao Geming, their hands locked together, were vehemently pushing against each other in a test of strength.


    "I think they are competing in internal energy." Cui Shen explained. "Though they definitely picked an unusual way to hold their contest..."


    And so fierce was the clash of their inner powers that it could not contain itself to just their bodies, and manifested externally as a miniature whirlwind.


    The possibility that the sudden windstorm could be the result of their clash had not even crossed Bai Guo''s mind until that moment. "Wait, sir Shen... Are they the ones causing this? Is this even martial arts?!"


    The dark Cui Shen held himself with the utmost composure, but even his mask was cracking at what he beheld. "Yes. I felt something similar once before. When I fought Deng Hong."


    Bai Guo swallowed heavily. "That man is as powerful as Deng Hong? Could that be Tao Geming?"


    The wind picked up in that moment and he never got to hear Cui Shen''s reply. But he knew.


    As they struggled fiercely against each other, their faces were contorted into masks of fury. The difference between the heights of the two combatants was great, but in this battle, her size advantage brought no relief to the Golden Witch.


    No, even more than that, it was the shorter Tao Geming who seemed to have had the better control of the situation, for it was his persistent pressing that made the heels of the Golden Witch draw the longer lines in the dirt.


    The Golden Witch cried out and lowered her head, redoubling her efforts. It turned out to be a mistake. Tao Geming took advantage of her awkward posture and thrust his foot into the air. His kick struck the woman hard in the chin, instantly straightening out her back. Their hands separated, and the Golden Witch retaliated with a punch, which Tao Geming took on the cheek in his usual unyielding fashion, and yet failed to receive it with the same grace as every other strike he had taken that day.


    He was forced to step back, dazed by the blow. He regained his wits momentarily and fought back, and the two traded a flurry of blows, parrying them all in an uncharacteristically conventional manner before finally retreating to catch their breaths.


    Something fell out of Tao Geming''s pocket as he had taken his final step, a document that had partially unrolled itself on the way down. The Golden Witch quickly scanned its contents, and even from afar her sharp eyes managed to read that it was a traveling permit to a city called Yiqin, though they were not signed in Tao Geming''s name. He threw the piece of paper up with his foot, and it rolled back into a neat cylinder that he grabbed into his hand.


    As he put it back into his tunic, he spoke. "Your energy feels unusual. Just what method have you used to cultivate it?"


    The Witch''s eyes lit up in wonder. "You can feel qi too?"


    "What a stupid question. How could I not have felt it during all that?"


    "Ah, that''s what you meant..." Her interest instantly evaporated.


    "What else could I have been talking about?" Tao Geming, on the other hand, grew suspicious.


    "It doesn''t really matter..." The Golden Witch answered his question with an innocent smile as her yellow eyes evasively wandered all around, towards the forest, the grass, the skies...


    Suddenly, her eyes glimpsed at the ring finger of the man''s left hand.


    "What are you looking at?" Tao Geming asked with a grin of his own. The Golden Witch immediately looked away, clicking her tongue in frustration. He had concentrated his qi there just to draw her attention. "You can tell what I''m doing with my internal energy without even having to come in contact with it- no, without even having to look at me! I''ve never seen that before. Now the strange way you''ve been talking makes sense. It must be how you learned the trick to what the plebeians call invincibility just by seeing it once. Hell, with that kind of extrasensory perception, you might be able to learn any of the world''s techniques just by seeing them once or twice simply by feeling the flow of qi in someone''s body."


    The woman rolled her eyes. "Well, even if you figured it out, so what?"


    Tao Geming''s smile had faded. "True, it is inconsequential. What matters to me more is just how young your internal energy feels."


    The Golden Witch met his intense gaze with a sideways glance.


    Tao Geming continued. "Your qi feels like it belongs to someone not even half your age. You''re cultivating a method that not only slows your aging, but reverses it!" His fist clenched, he stepped forward. "Teach it to me!" He commanded.


    Bai Guo instantly turned to Cui Shen. "Could that be true, sir Shen? Does there really exist such a thing?"


    "I do not know. I''ve never heard of it." Cui Shen couldn''t answer any of his questions; even a seasoned martial artist such as himself felt no less out of his depth than the young man by his side. He hadn''t even dared to make a guess.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    The woman quirked a brow. "Am I to take those words to mean that you desire to become my disciple?"


    Tao Geming scoffed. "Foolish woman. The only thing that stands above me are the heavens themselves. I''m simply offering you a deal - impart the secrets of your method to reverse aging to me, and this King of Jianghu will spare your life."


    "I don''t feel like my life is in danger, though." She said, brushing a hand through her long blonde hair. But she began to regard him with far more gravity than before. Something vicious began to set in those golden eyes.


    "But you have felt it, haven''t you? No, you still feel it even now. The fact is, my internal energy is superior to yours." Tao Geming asserted.


    "I must disagree with your assessment. Even with the most generous estimation in regards to yourself, we''d still be far too close for the outcome of a battle to be certain, wouldn''t you agree?" She questioned.


    But Tao Geming seemed adamant. "Don''t make me laugh. Gaps in internal energy are insurmountable."


    "What if I have a technique to bridge the gap? You really haven''t considered that? You yourself have said that it''s a trivial matter for me to learn such things, so shouldn''t you be worried?"


    Tao Geming guffawed. "No matter how many of those you''ve picked up, it makes no difference. Techniques are meaningless in the face of real power. They''re nothing but a clown''s tricks!"


    "...But isn''t it the case that you make use of them? Your title is even based on them."


    "That, too, is nothing but chicanery. I amuse myself with it. It terrifies the plebs so much they even titled me after it. Those "techniques" work only on the lowliest of the low, who don''t know a single thing about their own meridians and let me do with them as I please. A true expert could never be killed by the little trick I use to turn my lowly foes into pink mist."


    Tao Geming''s continued gloating had caused the two observers, Bai Guo and Cui Shen, to grow irritated; they could hardly help but take his words as a personal affront to their life-long training. To them, what he was saying seemed simply absurd.


    The Golden Witch, on the other hand, seemed to regard his words in earnest.


    "There might be some truth to what you say." Her sudden concession had come as a shock to both of her companions. With two experts so far above them arguing against what was essentially their way of life, they had nothing with which to fend themselves against the shame of such brazen ridicule.


    Tao Geming, too, seemed almost surprised to hear her say that. "In that case, do you accept my terms?"


    The Golden Witch closed her eyes. The road had grown completely silent. Not even the birds dared to make themselves heard before these monsters.


    "Let me ask you... Why do you think I''ve come all this way to face you in this manner?"


    Tao Geming readily admitted, "I haven''t the faintest idea."


    When she once again opened her golden eyes, indescribable cockiness glowed within them.


    "Test of skill."


    Tao Geming had nearly popped a vein in rage. Just from her attitude alone, he could tell whose skill it was that was being tested here.


    The air grew heavy as once again they brought the full extent of their powers to the fore. This time, the phenomena seemed even more intense, and Bai Guo could have sworn that he felt the ground quivering beneath his feet. To his surprise, Cui Shen fell to the earth entirely, pressing his ear against it.


    He rose back up just a moment later, calling out to the Golden Witch, "Riders are on their way here. Dozens of them."


    The woman''s eyes shifted towards Cui Shen, regarding him with the utmost disdain. It was as though she had taken grave offense at the idea that such a trivial matter had been brought to her attention. But when she caught glimpse of the young man beside him, her glare had suddenly softened. Frustration began to beset her features.


    Tao Geming impatiently asked, "What is it? Don''t tell me you''re scared of a few pissants in yellow."


    The Golden Witch stared at her opponent, irritated, though it seemed as if her grievance was not directed at him. It took some time for her to tame her emotions, and she looked away while repressing a resigned sigh.


    "...Cui Shen, get us out of here." She suddenly ordered.


    In that instance, a round, fist-sized projectile flew at Tao Geming''s feet. He made no efforts to avoid it, and when it hit the ground, it erupted into a massive cloud of gray smoke. The Golden Witch darted out of it, tossed her disciple over her shoulder, and departed at blinding speed together with Cui Shen.


    Tao Geming stepped out on the opposite end of the cloud, heading to wherever it was he intended to go before he had been interrupted. Despite all his fury, he had made up his mind to let them go.


    "If she can sense me from afar, then trying to chase her around would be useless. However, she knows where to find me. Though it loathes me to go about it this way, I''m going to have to wait for her to come to me. And not that I believe that it might, but if cowardice does overtake her, I can still find her myself. After all, not only does she practically glow like a lamp post, but that''s Deng Hong''s killer she''s travelling with. There could hardly exist a party that could be easier to find."


    His thoughts were soon interrupted as the riders began to draw near. Predictably, they were dressed in the yellow and red uniforms of the Qin Royal Dynasty Sword School, and every last one of them wielded a long spear.


    They promptly surrounded him, the stampeding horses kicking up another smokescreen of dust. One of the group, a man with the number four emblazoned on his shoulder, stepped down from his mount and pointed the tip of his spear at Tao Geming.


    "Tao Geming! You have been accused of misappropriating the royal title. Come with us posthaste. Unless, of course, you wish to surrender your life without trial, you vagabond!"


    "What an interesting manner you''ve chosen to fetch me a horse." Tao Geming walked right into the pointed spear.


    The Royal School member thrust it into his side, but it failed to cut through more than the man''s gray tunic. Tao Geming grabbed it and brushed it aside with the same ease that one might use to shift a low-hanging tree branch out of their face, then his body blurred as he crossed the entire length of the weapon in the blink of an eye to punch the spearman squarely in the stomach. The blow was so fierce that the man was lifted off the ground by Tao Geming''s fist, and the Invincible Blood Sea readjusted his grip to keep him suspended in the air. Blood flowed freely out of his mouth; the single blow had dealt immense damage to his internal organs.


    Though the man weakly struggled in his grasp, he seemed no longer capable of putting up a meaningful resistance.


    "Listen well," Tao Geming said, his booming voice overtaking the cacophony of beating hooves. "Next time, if the one to come after me isn''t Qin Yan himself, that snot-nosed brat you fools call your king, then I won''t be so generous as to leave even one of you with anything left to bury!"


    Upon his exclamation, Tao Geming twisted his grip and the spearman''s head burst into mist, showering his fellows in gore. The horses were no less terrified than their riders, and they all scattered in every direction, the gruesome scene forever imprinted into their minds.


    Tao Geming held back the lone riderless mount, and, after pilfering the headless man''s valuables, began to ride the blood-splattered steed to his destination.

 Chapter 2 - King and Beggar (VII)

    Meanwhile, the three returned to the city. On their way back to the Clear Essence Pavilion, they saw Kang Shi still pretending to lounge in the dirt, his two disciples having brought him an umbrella to shield him from the sun. The Golden Witch stared at them like she just ate something sour, and seemed glad to hide away from them in the inn.


    They convened in one of their rented rooms to discuss the day''s events.


    "Master, should we really remain in this town? Aren''t you worried that Tao Geming might come after us?" Bai Guo asked.


    "I''ll know if he''s coming. He''ll never catch us unless I want him to." The Golden Witch said, completely unconcerned. "But in any case, it''s not as if I wish to avoid him. I want to finish our match."


    "Well, master, in that case, why exactly did we retreat...?" Bai Guo meekly asked, though he had already suspected what the answer was.


    His master gave him a long look, and then said, "I want to fight him without any distractions. Those Royal School swordsmen would have gotten in our way and made a mess of things. It wasn''t worth dealing with."


    Bai Guo thought she was only being half-truthful; it wasn''t the Royal School she was worried about. He apologetically lowered his head.


    If the Golden Witch noticed his gesture, she hadn''t let it show. She brought up another matter. "Do any of you know where Yiqin is? He had traveling papers to that place."


    Cui Shen spoke up. "I know where it is. I traveled these parts twice over, and this is one of the few regions that haven''t changed significantly during both of my trips. Though I must warn you, that city happens to be the capital, where the primary branch of the Royal School makes its base."


    "Then we shall be making our way there tomorrow to settle this matter." She decided, getting up to her feet. "Bai Guo, let''s go play around in the city some more."


    The young man''s mind was in turmoil. He reacted with delay. "Ah, yes, ma''am."


    As he ventured out of the room, his thoughts continued to dwell. "I keep putting my master into these awkward positions... Even just today, she had to save me on three separate occasions. I take but do not give, and even worse, I almost stooped to deceiving her for the sake of some beggar. After everything we went through in Wuyi, how could I doubt her morality and convictions? I need to reevaluate my mindset, and I need to figure out a way to contribute. But... how? Even sir Cui Shen struggles to keep pace with her, let alone me, someone who''s not even half the man he is. And at the pace I''m going, maybe I never will be..."


    After Bai Guo set off with a heavy heart, the Golden Witch lingered in the doorway, her head half-turned back to Cui Shen.


    Cui Shen voiced his intentions to stay behind. "I''ll join you later."


    But she remained for a time longer, and as the seconds dragged, Cui Shen''s eyes filled with torment. When the woman finally took her leave without a word, she shut the door behind her, a gesture that filled the pale man with gratitude.


    Cui Shen erupted into a violent cough, staining the carpets black with ill blood that seeped past his fingers.


    As master and disciple wandered the city streets, their minds seemed elsewhere. But when a golden eye caught glimpse of a particular item through the window of a store, she found herself suddenly reenergized.


    "Bai Guo." She urged the young man to follow her inside. She pointed at what she desired. "Buy me that."The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Bai Guo couldn''t stifle his smile at the childish manner in which she had made her request, or rather, issued her demand.


    "Another mask, master? I remember that other mask you... picked up," he stumbled over his words, narrowly avoiding accusing her of theft, "back in that village, back when we first met. Not that I''ve ever seen you wear it, though..."


    The Golden Witch gawked at herself in the mirror from several different angles as she pressed the white fox mask against her face, like she was trying on any regular item of clothing. She soon stowed it into her robe without ever having properly put it on.


    She seemed quite pleased.


    "Is it like a hobby, collecting those?" Bai Guo asked.


    "Hmmm." Her satisfied smile turned a little embarrassed. "No, it''s not just about collecting. I do like to wear them, but only in private."


    Though Bai Guo remained oblivious to the meaning behind her words, he, too, felt pleased, having learned something new about his enigmatic master.


    ...


    A week later, they had all arrived at Yiqin.


    Late in evening, when the summer sun had nearly set, as Cui Shen was quietly suffering through another bout of his disease, a voice emerged from the door.


    "May I come in?"


    It was the Golden Witch. She had the fortunate timing to arrive when the fit was at its weakest, so he had permitted her to enter and rose to greet her.


    Only a single candle lit the room.


    They both kneeled on the floor. Cui Shen waited for her to speak, his eyes only half open, absent-mindedly staring off at nothing in particular. He was relishing his few moments free of pain.


    "I would like to apologize." She suddenly said.


    Cui Shen sluggishly raised his eyes to meet hers. In the candlelight, her unforgettable features seemed ethereal.


    She explained. "I dragged you around on unnecessary diversions for far longer than necessary. I failed to take your well-being into consideration."


    Cui Shen closed his eyes and, for a time, pondered her words before replying. "When we set out on this journey, we both agreed that you''ll dedicate some time to training Bai Guo. The boy is already almost too old to build a proper foundation, and the fact of the matter is, his aptitude for martial arts is unremarkable. But that is what makes it all the more important to remedy his issues as soon as possible. The boy''s time is simply far more valuable than mine. I''ve committed enough mistakes in my life. I won''t jeopardize Bai Guo''s future as well."


    "The impression I have of Bai Guo could, perhaps, be wrong, but he seems to me like the sort who would resent you if he knew about our agreement. And resent me, as well." She said.


    A rare chuckle escaped his lips. "I see you''re finally catching on to the kind of person your disciple is."


    "Still, I should not have let it get to this point..."


    Cui Shen shook his head. "You have nothing to worry about. I''ll survive long enough to deliver you to your destination. I am not even yet so far gone that I''m unable to fight."


    "You say that... but I can tell just how bad it has gotten. I may not know much about medicine or poison, but I can feel what it''s doing to your meridians. If you fought in that state..."


    Cui Shen closed his eyes again. "I see nothing eludes your divine senses."


    The Golden Witch continued. "...And besides, this is not about your task. I get that it''s, perhaps, inevitable... but there are better ways for you to be dealing with this than the rigors of the road."


    "I understand the sentiment. But there is nothing for you to apologize for. I was always prepared for the consequences."


    The room descended into an uneasy silence.


    "...How am I going to train him without you?" She suddenly asked.


    "You''ve always known everything you need." He stared idly at the flickering candle, on the verge of burning out.


    "That''s not true. Half of what I put him through were your ideas." She rested her chin on her sleeved hand.


    "My input was never necessary. You simply lacked confidence. You''re ready to take on the world at the drop of a hat, yet a boy intimidates you so."


    "Why is it so, I wonder...?" She cocked her head.


    "Martial arts teach us how to take lives, but not how to nurture them."


    "What will Bai Guo do without you around? He seems to rely on you even more than he does on me."


    "I began to excuse myself from your training sessions so he could get used to it." Cui Shen either coughed or chuckled again. "And haven''t you realized? He relies on me in an effort to lessen the burden on you."


    His words set her heart aflutter. She found herself glad that Cui Shen wasn''t looking her way.


    The Golden Witch suddenly stood up. "Even so... Even so, I stand by what I said."


    Cui Shen looked up. High above, he found those golden eyes staring down at him with pity and determination in equal measure.


    "There will be no more delays. I''m ending this tonight."


    She left just as the candle had gone out.


    Inside her room, she sat by the window and ran her long finger along the edges of the fox mask. She stared at it as though mesmerized, anticipating the night that lied ahead.


    Finally, she put it on.


    ...

 Chapter 2 - King and Beggar (VIII)

    Earlier that day, two dour old men overlooked a map of the city in a spacious room lit up by lanterns, their arms crossed behind their backs. Soon, another bearded man entered the room. They all wore identical uniforms of yellow and red, the number six on their shoulders.


    "This entire affair was your idea." The man with the grayest beard rebuked the new arrival. "How come we had to wait for you, Zhou Zhu?"


    "Apologies, elders." Zhou Zhu bowed his head a little, a smile on his face. "It took some effort to dissuade the second prince from joining us tonight."


    The other two regarded him in silence. Though they wanted to criticize him some more, his excuse was worthy.


    "That precious second prince of ours," The gray haired elder began, sarcastically, "Is always eager for a chance to prove himself. But his unique combination of status and martial arts ability make it quite the challenge to find him suitable opportunities..."


    "A hair off his body means a head off our shoulders." Zhou Zhu shook his head. "And his fifth rank makes him very uninclined to take lip from those below him regardless of how their martial arts compare to his."


    Nobody present wanted to be burdened with babysitting during such a perilous operation.


    They all turned their eyes to the map, countless buildings upon it speckled with red little flag posts.


    "As you all know," Zhou Zhu began, "Our target is the Invincible Blood Sea. I have it on good authority that he will be gambling tonight, though where exactly, I do not know. Therefore, we will have the disciples raid all of these establishments. Once they find Tao Geming, the three of us will put an end to him."


    "You''ve mentioned your plan before, but here''s what I don''t understand," The man with the shortest beard spoke, "Once the disciples begin causing a ruckus, how do you aim to prevent the Invincible Blood Sea from fleeing before he is discovered?"


    "We will coordinate with fireworks." Zhou Zhu explained. "Once we have given the disciples enough time to reach their designated positions, we will shoot one off into the sky to herald the start of the operation. The raids will begin simultaneously, and he will be caught no matter where he is."


    The other man nodded.


    The gray bearded one shook his head. "Your plan is full of flaws. Even if they find him, the lower rank disciples can''t possibly hold him off, so he would get away all the same."


    "Each team will be issued a signaling rocket of their own. Once they find Tao Geming, they will fire them into the air to alert us to his position. We will then converge on that location and show him no mercy. There will be no escape."


    "Even so," The elder persisted, "Those lower rank disciples unfortunate enough to find him will certainly die before we get there."


    "Naturally." Zhou Zhu replied. "But this man''s presence here is tantamount to war, and in war, sacrifices must be made. The integrity of our entire Qin Kingdom is at risk while he remains here."


    The elder pursed his lips, but presented no rebuke.


    "Will his majesty be making an appearance tonight?" The elder with the short beard asked.


    "There is no need to inconvenience his highness. If us three elders can''t handle it on our own, we''ll lose all face." Zhou Zhu replied. "Speed is of the essence in this plan. Make sure you tell your disciples to go through every house quickly and thoroughly. If any civilians are foolish enough to get in their way, don''t hesitate to cut them down. Any other questions?"


    The other two remained silent.


    "Excellent. The operation shall commence tonight."


    Once the sun set, hundreds of Royal School disciples split into teams of five to ten warriors each and sprawled out across the streets under the cover of darkness. Those few residents participating in the capital''s night life had immediately recognized that something was afoot and made themselves scarce.


    The three sixth rank elders formed a triangle over the city and observed the streets from the tops of tall buildings. When Zhou Zhu figured that enough time had passed, he gave the order to light the fireworks. His order was met with acknowledgment, but no matter how long he waited, the firework had not been fired.


    "I told you to shoot!" Losing his patience, he yelled.


    "I''m sorry, master..." His squatting disciple replied apologetically as he loomed over the fuse with a lit torch. "But I can''t seem to get it to... Aha!"


    The fuse had finally ignited. With a soft hiss, the lick of flame began to slowly climb up the rope.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Zhou Zhu turned away, contented. But then his keen ears picked up a violent commotion further down the street.


    "What is the meaning of this?" He asked. "The signal hasn''t been sent yet!"


    But none of the surrounding disciples had an answer for him. Zhou Zhu snorted and let the matter be, figuring that if it was truly important, they would have sent a signal.


    Finally, once the rocket launched into the sky and erupted into a cacophony of noise and colors, their operation truly began. The city erupted into chaos as the hundreds of disciples stormed the various inns, tea houses, betting parlors, and restaurants. They busted through doors, smashed up furniture, broke even the walls and the floors, and interrogated the people at swordpoint.


    The resting place of the Golden Witch and her entourage was one of the scant few places spared the treatment; one of the three elders was a frequent customer and had vouched for its integrity.


    Zhou Zhu was unable to tell from his position, but his plan had not been flowing as smoothly as he was expecting. The group of disciples that he had heard causing a disturbance before the operation commenced had sprung into action prematurely upon noticing a man that fit Tao Geming''s description. It turned out that he was not the Invincible Blood Sea, but he was, in fact, an independent martial artist, who, upon getting treated with hostility, decided to fight back. And they were not the only group that had experienced a similar situation.


    The capital was so large that some of the disciples who were positioned on the far outskirts of the city had missed the signal entirely, and only had the citywide commotion to use as their cue, starting with considerable delay.


    And, of course, even in the dark, the movements of the countless Royal School disciples had not gone unnoticed to those citizens that were still awake. Especially not to their target.


    ...And especially not to a certain masked, golden haired individual lurking in the dark alleys, who had been observing a particular squad of yellow robed warriors taking up position beside a certain restaurant, inside of which she had sensed a certain man.


    Upon receiving the signal, they barged into the building. Half a minute later, one of them came flying out through the half-broken door, sent tumbling unceremoniously across the street like a ragdoll. The first rank disciple''s life had been ended.


    Even outside the restaurant, the thick stench of blood became palpable. The inside had been painted a vibrant red.


    A lone disciple ran out, tears streaming down his face. He tripped over the restaurant''s porch and had to crawl away.


    "He''s here! He''s here! The Invincible Blood Sea! At the Chicken Soup Lobby!" He screamed. Though the nearby teams had heard him, they hadn''t been taught the names of any of the restaurants they were raiding other than the one they were tasked with, and neither had any of them frequented these parts of the city. His words had done nothing to guide them. With only the sound of his voice to go on, they needed some time to figure out where it was coming from.


    "You pieces of shit! I was winning!" Tao Geming bellowed as he followed the young man out. He lifted the Royal School disciple with a single hand. "Where is Qin Yan?"


    "H-H-His highness resides in t-t-the palace." He stammered, pointing in a direction.


    "You mean he didn''t come out for this?! Did none of you listen to what I said?!"


    "I don''t know! I''m sorry!"


    "I told you that none of you... None of you will be spared!" Tao Geming raged.


    From around the corner, another squad of disciples had finally arrived.


    "It''s really him! Light the firework!" One of them exclaimed, and a young woman planted the rocket into the ground, trying to light the fuse. As the flame made its way up, her and the firework both were slammed into by the poor unfortunate that had been in Tao Geming''s grasp just a moment ago. The rocket broke, its fuse went out. It was the only one that their team had had.


    As the Invincible Blood Sea descended upon them, the blonde woman hiding behind him hopped onto the roof to better follow his trail of slaughter. As time went on and the bodies began to pile up, she realized that he was not killing at complete random, but instead had been cutting a steady path towards the city''s center.


    Finally, after far too long, one of the disciples had managed to send off the rocket. The masked woman tilted her neck up to watch its rapid ascent even as it flew nearly directly over her head. When it exploded, she was startled by the eruption of noise and color. Once the cover of darkness had been stripped away from her, she was spotted in an instant.


    In the distance, someone exclaimed. "Who goes there? Identify yourself!" A higher ranking disciple had been making his way along the rooftops and spotted her remarkable figure from well beyond the range of her sensory ability.


    Though she leaped out to assume a different hiding spot, now that the firework had gone off, the disciples from all over the city began to converge on her location, quickly leaving her with less and less places to be.


    That included the three elders, of which Zhou Zhu had happened to be the closest to the conflict zone. By the time he had arrived, he found the Royal School forces in disarray, and called onto a fourth rank disciple to explain the situation. "Qian Chen, where is Tao Geming?"


    Qian Chen replied, "We have briefly lost sight of him, but as far as we could surmise, he seemed quite intent on heading in that direction."


    "If you know where he''s headed, then why am I seeing disciples roaming all over?" Zhou Zhu asked sternly.


    "They are keeping an eye out for the yellow fox."


    "What in the world are you babbling about?" The elder''s voice was tinged with budding fury.


    Qian Chen quickly chattered out a response to alleviate the master''s temper. "A martial artist with yellow hair and a fox mask has been spotted multiple times by our disciples. He seems to be shadowing the Invincible Blood Sea. We suspect that it''s an ally of his. His martial arts are quite proficient; he killed a rank two disciple, and was even able to escape from me at one point."


    Zhou Zhu gave him with a steely look before eventually nodding, his doubts dispersed. "Immediately notify me when either Tao Geming or this "yellow fox" has been spotted."


    Qian Chen bowed and continued the search. As Zhou Zhu stared in the direction Tao Geming was purported to be heading towards, his eyebrows flew up as a realization had suddenly struck him.


    "Fools!" He exclaimed. "The royal palace is in that direction! Quick, notify the other elders, tell them to head over there at once!"


    After Zhou Zhu had heard some replies to the affirmative, he began to dash towards the palace. His swiftness was astonishing. He jumped along the rooftops as easily as a man treads solid ground.


    The Royal School disciples scattered to carry out his orders, but had found it extremely challenging to find the other elders in the dark and chaotic streets.

 Chapter 2 - King and Beggar (IX)

    Upon his arrival at the palace, almost a miniature city in and of itself, Zhou Zhu found the vast outer courts of the royal residence undisturbed. After notifying the patrolling disciples of the imminent danger, he had deigned to join them in the patrols as he waited for the other two elders to make their appearance.


    However, he had found himself waiting a long time, far longer than it should have taken for them to make their way from just about any point in the city. Evidently, he thought, his orders had not been adhered to. As he rued the incompetence of his subordinates, a loud bang erupted in the direction of one of the entry gates, almost like an explosion. Before he managed to arrive at the scene, the sound had occurred once more, this time closer to the inner areas of the palace.


    The entrance to one of the grand halls leading into the inner courtyards had been smashed to bits. The double doors were reduced to nothing but splinters, and the bronze studs adorning them were turned into deadly projectiles to slay the disciples guarding within.


    The other end of the hall had been similarly destroyed. It looked like a cannonball had gone right through.


    Some of the incapacitated warriors, those few lucky enough to have survived, began to rise upon noticing Zhou Zhu''s presence. They affirmed the elder''s fears: Tao Geming had come through this place. More palace guards poured into the hall. Those who had overheard the report dashed eagerly after the Invincible Blood Sea.


    "Halt!" Zhou Zhu ordered, and the disciples stopped in confusion. Swallowing heavily, the elder continued. "We wait for the other two elders."


    Put bluntly, Zhou Zhu was unwilling to rise to the challenge with so few fighters at his side. To make matters even worse, none of the palace guards held a rank above three, and even those made up only a scant few.


    "But elder Zhou, what about his highness...?" One of the disciples asked.


    Zhou Zhu scoffed. "You dare to imply that some vagabond could best our king in battle?"


    The disciple in question bowed profusely. "No, sir, no! You are right, the thug would surely be vanquished by his highness!"


    The elder turned away from the offending youngster. However, his obstinate frown had been instantly shattered by surprise as he spotted an intruder by the entrance.


    Meekly peering into the busted entrance was a golden haired, white robed woman, her features concealed beneath a fox mask. As she made her way into the hall, her head turned here and there to inspect the scene.


    "The Yellow Fox!" Zhou Zhu exclaimed, drawing her attention. His expression hardened as he barked out more orders. "Take off your mask, woman! Identify yourself immediately!"


    But instead of complying, the Yellow Fox broke out into a rapid dash, intent on making her way past the Royal School members. Though her speed was prodigious, Zhou Zhu still overtook her in an instant, barring her path. The woman jerked back, startled by his sudden reappearance.


    The other disciples were quick to react. "Kill her!" They exclaimed, brandishing their spears.


    Two spearmen flanked her from the left and right, striking in perfect synchronicity. The sleeves of the Yellow Fox fluttered, her arms darting to the sides as she gripped the shafts of both spears just below the sharp heads. Suddenly, the two disciples found themselves carrying out their charge with far more vigor than they had intended. They had little choice than to barrel forward clumsily as they struggled to maintain their footing and the grips on their weapons.


    As the Yellow Fox crossed her arms in front of her, she loosened her grasp and allowed the spears to slide past her palms, ferried forth by the uncontrolled momentum of the two disciples. They both inadvertently injured the other, suffering grievous wounds to the chest and crumbling to the ground.


    The next disciple came up behind her, thrusting out from a fancy stance, a maneuver that Zhou Zhu recognized as a rudimentary skill from their school''s curriculum. The Yellow Fox twirled out of the way and struck the spearwoman on the head with a palm, sending her flying across the hall.


    Zhou Zhu sprang into action the instant she turned away, jabbing at her back with an identical strike. The Yellow Fox stomped her foot, her heel seesawing a discarded spear into path of the elder''s lunge. His eyes widened as he was forced to make a hasty adjustment to his attack. His feet drifted across the wooden floor as he careened to the side. He felt fingertips below his wrist as the woman made to grab him.


    Zhou Zhu used the firmness of her grip to flip himself over, performing an impromptu swinging kick towards her head. His inventive strike had forced her to renege on the grapple, and the two drifted apart. A bead of sweat dripped down Zhou Zhu''s brow; the woman had missed a vital pressure point on his wrist by just a hair. As they stared each other down, the masked woman picked up a spear.


    "Stand back!" Zhou Zhu commanded the disciples. His masked foe seemed to have eyes on the back of her head. The others were not useful even as a distraction.


    Suddenly, the Yellow Fox lifted her leg, mimicking a stance that she, by all rights, should have never even had the chance to see.


    Then, the skill was performed for the third time in a row.


    Zhou Zhu was flabbergasted by this development. The opportunity to properly counter the technique had already slipped him by. It was all he could do to put the pole of his weapon into the path of the attack.


    The internal energy Zhou Zhu had channeled into his weapon proved to be no impediment to the lightning-quick strike. His spear was cleaved in twain. Steel penetrated his chest.


    "The Crane Plucks the Pearl!" The Royal School members immediately recognized the technique. "How could this be? She''s from the Royal School?!"


    Zhou Zhu''s life was swiftly draining from his body. Their confused voices were the last thing he heard; the crude mask - the last thing he beheld.


    The Yellow Fox released the spear, letting the man fall with the weapon still sticking out of him. As she turned to gaze at the remaining disciples, their fighting spirit had finally wavered. They scattered in all directions.


    Following Tao Geming''s trail, she ventured deeper into the palace. In the chaos caused by the Royal School''s massed raids, she had lost track of her quarry multiple times, feeling his internal energy darting in and out just beyond the border of her preternatural sense. She was unable to commit to the chase in earnest because of the disciples swarming around her like locusts.


    The affair had taken up most of the night. The earliest rays of morning were already peeking over the horizon.


    After wandering for a time, she was able to pick up the presence of several people. Though none of them turned out to be her target, something gave her pause. She turned her head up to a lone decorative tree and ran her hands across its bark. With a sudden leap, she plucked out an exceptionally long, straight branch. She stripped it of leaves, and sharpened one end with a rock. Then, with another leap over the walls, she landed in a vast, vibrant garden.


    One last jump had her settle on the branch of a plum tree. She observed a small group sipping wine on the porch of a little cottage down below, five women surrounding a lone man. All six were dressed in light robes. The Fox''s nose twitched as it picked up the stench of sweat seeping past their perfumed bodies.


    She seemed content to eavesdrop on their muted conversation as they joked and flirted.


    At last, one of the women had spotted her. She dropped her wine cup with a gasp, drawing the attention of the others.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    "My..." The man scratched the thin stubble on his flushed face, lighting up with a smile. "You are not at all what I expected. But you really are a yellow fox..."


    "Are you the king?" She asked.


    "The one and only! Qin Yan, at the service of the people." He exclaimed.


    "I came here to challenge you," She declared, "But maybe you''re too drunk to fight."


    "Alcohol has no power over me." Qin Yan slurred. "Hasn''t for years! But you know this too, right? You had to be quite skilled yourself to make it here. Those like you and I, we have to practically force the alcohol to settle in our bodies, and then we can just flush it all out with a flick of the wrist!"


    "I wouldn''t know. I don''t drink." The Yellow Fox replied.


    "You don''t drink?! To deprive yourself of one of life''s greatest pleasures is..." He seemed to have forgotten what he was going to say. "Well, I couldn''t do that..."


    "The flavor is unpleasant."


    The king laughed. "The point isn''t the flavor. But even when it comes to flavor, well, in this place, you''d find so many varieties that it would be impossible to hate them all..."


    He rose his cup before her as if to toast, downed it, then poured himself another one.


    He suddenly asked a grim question. "How many of my subordinates have you killed on your way here?"


    "At least five."


    Qin Yan bitterly stared at his cup. "What a shame. If you hadn''t killed anyone, we might have talked about having you join us." As the king took another sip from his cup, his companions exchanged baffled glances.


    Sitting atop the plum branch, the Yellow Fox playfully kicked her feet. "I wouldn''t be interested anyways."


    Qin Yan chuckled. Though he hadn''t been able to see her face, he could tell that she was in a good mood.


    "Your highness," One of the women suddenly spoke up. "What are you saying? Why are you chatting with her like this? She is an intruder, a murderer! If someone else saw you treating an enemy this way, what would they say? Just what would happen to the Royal School''s name? You are giving her far more face than she deserves. Let me and my martial sisters avenge our fellow disciples."


    Qin Yan hadn''t even looked her way, his face scrunched up in something resembling derision. He instead spoke to the Yellow Fox. "Miss, what was the highest rank of the person you''ve slain on your way here?"


    "How would I know that?" She asked.


    Qin Yan chuckled again; the question seemed ridiculous in these circumstances. "Well, what was the highest number you''ve seen on their shoulders?"


    "Six."


    Qin Yan''s female companions paled at her words. He himself had furrowed a brow as he turned to them. "Would you still like to give it a go? Perhaps one of you has been training in secret?"


    As they meekly lowered their heads, the Yellow Fox asked, "How many ranks are there?"


    Qin Yan looked back up at her, a small smile on his lips. "It adds up to seven all in all, but the seventh rank has only one holder. Me!" He finished another cup. "Xiaoli, be a dear and fetch me my spear."


    Xiaoli, the young woman that had previously admonished the king, bowed before rising, and soon brought back a remarkably long wooden spear hooped with gold rings at both ends of the shaft, with a triangle-shaped head at the top. Xiaoli kneeled before Qin Yan as she presented it, and the king placed it across his knees.


    With his hand, he made a gesture. The others began to leave. Xiaoli remained, whispering something. Qin Yan tenderly brushed his hand through her dark hair and whispered something in return.


    Despite their hushed tones, the Yellow Fox had made out every word. Her legs stopped moving, her ears perked up as she listened more to their sickly sweet exchange. Xiaoli muttered of love, of fear, of self-sacrifice. Qin Yan murmured reassurances with gentle confidence.


    Finally, Xiaoli went on her way with the others.


    After they left, Qin Yan brushed back his long dark hair as he spoke to the Fox. "You know, despite the circumstances, there might still be a place for you here at my side."


    The playfulness instantly drained out of her voice. "Unbelievable. You waited until they were all gone to say that."


    Qin Yan smiled. "I''m quite serious. I could give you the rank of a sixth rank elder from the very start. The sixth rank is handpicked by me, and it''s rare indeed for us to train up an expert to that level. You would be the first woman in the Royal School''s history to obtain it."


    "Those girls weren''t sixth rank elders?" The Fox asked, sarcasm in her voice. "They certainly looked handpicked."


    Qin Yan chuckled. "Well, they do have some potential..." The king''s light smile faded. "But your place here doesn''t have to be anything like theirs. If the affections of a king are not to your taste, then consider the status, the prestige, the wealth that await you. The Qin Royal Dynasty Sword School has thousands of strong, loyal members. As a sixth rank elder, hundreds of them could become your direct subordinates overnight. Your duties would be few, and if you would like a few special privileges that the other elders do not get, privileges that would be unique to you, well, I am also willing to arrange that. For example, I am building myself a new palace, but I could bestow it upon you when it''s complete..."


    The Yellow Fox hopped down. "Sorry." Her apology was not completely bereft of sincerity, and even tinged ever so slightly with regret. She held her branch behind her as she approached. Her voice was firm as she continued. "But my only desire is to have nothing stand above me but the heavens themselves."


    Qin Yan conceded. "That''s a privilege that is indeed beyond even the king''s ability to grant. But, my, what a profoundly arrogant thing to say." As he watched her approach, he lightly whistled. "My, aren''t you a tall one. But I can''t say I dislike that at all..." He smiled again. "And though I may not be able to see past that mask of yours, but I can tell just by your voice that there''s a pretty face behind it."


    She scoffed. "You can''t tell that by someone''s voice."


    But Qin Yan continued his ramblings with a sigh. "It''s why it doesn''t surprise me to know that you must already have someone else."


    "...You really know how to spin a yarn. But your jokes won''t make me feel bad over what I''m about to do to you. And after I''m done, you might feel regretful, having fed me so much honey."


    Qin Yan sighed. "At least tell me it''s not that Tao Geming who captured your heart!"


    Suddenly, the Yellow Fox stopped. Not a word came from underneath the fox''s mask.


    His eyes widened. "It really is him?!"


    "No," She denied, "Of course not. Why would you even think that? Perhaps you''ve never met him before, that you would think so?"


    "Just the once, and it was not a fortuitous encounter by any means," Qin Yan explained, "But you two did emerge at nearly the same time, so it makes one think..."


    The Yellow Fox pointed her sharpened stick at the king. "Stand up."


    "Well, if it''s inevitable..." Qin Yan began, "Then how about we make it a little more interesting? What say you to fighting, hmmm, over there?"


    He innocuously nodded his head in the direction of a bamboo grove growing over a steep artificial hill. The emerald green stems had been stripped of leaves, their bare, thin poles quivering in the wind.


    "You''ve been doing such a lovely job of stalling so far," The Yellow Fox answered, "But this is your worst effort yet. Stand up."


    He shook his head as he stood. "Since you''ve proven to be such a lovely guest yourself, I just thought I''d give you a chance to save some face. But I guess you don''t know - in my Qin Royal Dynasty Sword School, the spear is above all. You might guess, then, that if the sword isn''t first, it must be second. That isn''t so. The true power of the spear can only be brought out with one''s legs. What this means is that, in all the world..."


    In that moment, Qin Yan had disappeared. The golden eyes of the Yellow Fox next witnessed something gray blurring towards her neck. While half a heartbeat ago they were both standing well outside the reach of each other''s blades, now the king was well within range to lop her head off with the swing of his spear.


    The Yellow Fox bent her waist backwards and the strike narrowly missed her. Now, Qin Yan had overreached, and it should have been a prime opportunity to readjust one''s position and counterattack as the king had to draw back and straighten out his long polearm.


    However, no such opening presented itself. Instead of controlling the spear with his arms, he used his legs. He stepped back, set his spear straight, and thrust it back into his foe, his footwork alone granting the tip profound killing power. His feet seemed glued to the earth, his steps so quick that they were completely invisible, as if he was gliding along the ground.


    The Yellow Fox leaped back, buying herself precious moments that could not even be measured in seconds. She swung her branch and just barely managed to swat the deadly steel off its path.


    "...Our lightness techniques are second to none."


    Qin Yan began to move backwards. Though his feet never rose from the grass, there was no word that could be used to describe his movement other than flight. The Yellow Fox gave chase, but her sprint could barely keep pace.


    They reached the distant grove in seconds. Qin Yan took off, bouncing back and forth between the bamboo stalks as though they were sturdy stone walls, making his way ever higher.


    The Yellow Fox pursued without hesitation. Her ascent bent the pole she was scaling, and she improvised by climbing up in a swift circle to balance out the stress. She had found Qin Yan patiently sitting with his legs crossed atop the blunt tips of the bamboo, waiting for her.


    "Do you see now? The king fights where he pleases." He smugly declared as he watched her try to balance herself on the stalks, which bent and tilted under her feet. "Welcome to my personal training ground."


    The Yellow Fox had soon found some scarce comfort of stability in an incredibly awkward posture, with one leg bent at the knee and the other straightened into the side of a pole.


    Qin Yan''s smile turned into one of pity. "I''d like to let you know that I''ll accept your surrender at any time, however, I must warn you, as soon as we begin, you will find it very difficult to find another opportunity."


    The Yellow Fox, in her strange position, spoke with wavering confidence. "You are, perhaps, discounting me too soon."


    Qin Yan sighed as he lifted himself to a single foot. The bamboo he was standing on hadn''t budged at all. "That you survived my first two stances so easily means I can''t discount you at all. That''s what makes this so regrettable."


    Though his face still bore the hints of a smile, his eyes grew cold. The icy tip of his spear briefly glinted in the morning sun before it had been brought to bear against the foe once more.


    ...

 Chapter 2 - King and Beggar (X)

    As Qin Yan''s spear drew near, The Yellow Fox attempted to hold him at bay with the sharpened end of her improvised weapon. But as she balanced on the bamboo stalks, her footing proved too volatile to carry out her intentions, and it was trivial for the king to slip right past her feeble threats.


    He jabbed out towards her stomach. The masked woman launched herself to the side with unexpected dynamism, like she had been shot out of a sling. She evaded the blow, and even kept some control of her aerial trajectory by swinging around the poles. Qin Yan''s blows struggled to reach her as she spun around the grove like a monkey. Instead of a king, Qin Yan resembled a fisherman struggling to skewer a deft little koi swimming around a pond.


    But though it may have bordered on the amusing to an outsider peering in, both combatants knew that this was not a winning position. Beneath her fox mask, she was sweating bullets as she struggled for her life with every last cell, her mind racing for a plan. The fight would not even truly begin unless she first got out from underneath him.


    But the only thought that came to her was the countermeasure to her own antics. And to her dread, Qin Yan came up with that same idea.


    He twirled his spear in a deadly whirlwind. One by one the bamboo stalks began to fall down, and with them, the surfaces that had been preserving her life. To continue maneuvering along a lower point of the bamboo forest would require preparation that she had simply not performed. With realistic options for defense all but taken away from her, offense and desperation were all that remained.


    The Yellow Fox thrust her crude spear at the king''s foot. She kicked the top of the shortened piece of bamboo behind her with her heel, to provide herself with maybe a tenth of a proper foothold and gift herself with a drop of momentum. Though in her clumsy position the very idea seemed preposterous, the move had by some miracle granted her the boost she sought, and her edge was delivered forth with unexpectedly lethal speed.


    With his spear still chopping down bamboo, Qin Yan lacked the means to repel the strike. It was his fortune that his intuition was as sharp as it was; her strike, which, having come from a foe that was entirely airborne and seemed like it should have no power behind it, he inexplicably recognized as a threat. He moved his foot out of the way. On such perilous ground, even something so trivial involved a huge commitment of repositioning oneself onto an entirely different stalk, which bought the Yellow Fox the moments necessary to save her life.


    With her free hand she had gripped the tip of a bamboo pole, and in a feat of immense strength, hurled herself up into the air with just her arm. When she landed with each foot on a stalk of bamboo, they bent again, but hardly by much. She had now returned to being face to face with her foe, or at least as closely as their chosen fighting ground had allowed, for the naturally grown bamboo poles varied in height even before Qin Yan had shortened a number of them.


    As Qin Yan observed, his eyes widened. "You..." He began, but failed to muster up the words. The origin of the sudden momentum she had displayed a moment ago was beginning to dawn on him, but he found it difficult to accept.


    "Sorry about that. We can now begin." Audaciously, the Yellow Fox had suddenly gone on the offensive. She crossed the distance between them in the blink of an eye, and her lone thrust was reinforced by the renowned footwork that Qin Yan had been bragging about. Qin Yan ducked out of the way and struck back thrice, but two of his attacks met with nothing but air, while his last attack, having had cut through another piece of bamboo the Yellow Fox was using for her footing, hadn''t had the desired effect of challenging her balance; the severed piece failed to even detach from the stem until the Fox had jumped away.


    As they parted, Qin Yan spoke with furrowed brows. "I don''t understand. Were you just pretending? You knew how to use the Sky Dancing Steps all along?"


    The Yellow Fox now balanced on a single foot, just like Qin Yan. The bamboo hadn''t curved even slightly beneath her weight. The pole even swayed gently in the wind.


    "Though at first I thought to respect that mask of yours," Qin Yan began. "I simply can''t help but ask. Who are you, and what exactly is your purpose in coming here?"


    High in the sky where their battle was taking place, a strong wind picked up. The Yellow Fox''s white attire billowed in the gale; she resembled a ghost.


    "This is a test of skill." She replied.


    Qin Yan smiled, even as the chilly wind made him conscious of the sweat on the back of his neck. "I''d say that you have passed it stupendously. Surely there''s no one in the entire world that would question your skills."


    The Yellow Fox held her tongue. There was something about her silence that gave Qin Yan a dreadful feeling. His intuition screamed at him in tongues he was unable to comprehend, had never heard before.


    As the Fox''s hostility grew, Qin Yan stilled his drumming heart. They leaped at each other simultaneously, their figures flickering in and out of sight as they exchanged countless strikes, the only evidence of their trades being the frequent thumping of wood against wood, and the rare flash of deadly steel as it reflected the rays of morning sunlight.


    The poles they were fighting on hadn''t swayed at all.


    Qin Yan''s suspicions mounted as they continued to trade stances. "The first strike she performed on me was far more vicious than the ones she''s peppering me with now. Why? What am I missing? Until I figure it out, I shouldn''t fully commit either."


    Inadvertently, during one exchange, they had both retreated at the same time, and the gap between them ended up bigger than they anticipated. Neither party desired to approach from this distance in fear of leaving themselves open to attack.


    The Yellow Fox used this lull in the action to speak. "I would like to ask you something."


    By now, all of the playfulness had been drained out of Qin Yan, and he answered with stern silence.


    The Yellow Fox continued. "This meek attitude that you have adopted all of a sudden - and of course I''m talking about your martial arts - I''ve seen this once before, and I would like to know what causes it."


    Qin Yan''s brows rose. Even though they both knew they were holding back, their pace was still not something lesser fighters could keep up with. He wagered that even his sixth rank subordinates would have perished a few strikes in.


    Qin Yan asked, "May I ask where the lady has seen it before?"


    "When I fought a man named Deng Hong." She gave the information away freely. It seemed to hold little weight to her.


    Qin Yan instantly disputed her words, "The Wuyi sect''s master was killed by the poison of the Desolator of Life."Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    But even though he had proclaimed that with a great deal of confidence, he began to pale. The gears in his head were beginning to turn, giving loose shape to a disturbing theory.


    He had, in fact, heard a report about a week ago that a man greatly resembling Cui Shen, the Desolator of Life, had been sighted in the lands of the Qin.


    Moreover, he subconsciously leaped to the conclusion that Deng Hong''s encounter with her had turned out fatal. As he had caught himself on this presumption, the grim reality of his current situation had truly struck him. His subconscious fears became quite conscious.


    "No..." The Yellow Fox shook her head. "He wasn''t poisoned. But I suppose I can see why someone might assume that. He died from a qi deviation." Perhaps realizing that she made his death sound incidental, she added, "That had been induced in him by me."


    Her long fingers touched her mask.


    "Qi deviation...?" Qin Yan mouthed the words. He had a hundred questions running through his mind, but had only managed to mumble just that lone phrase. Of course, he knew what the term meant. Any martial artist who had cultivated their internal energy to certain heights was in danger of injuring their own body with it; this was a blanket term for all such phenomena.


    The Yellow Fox cocked her head. "It''s a long story. How about you answer my question now?"


    Qin Yan tightened the grip on his spear. A cold light glinted in his eye as he assumed a strange stance. The Yellow Fox took her branch into both hands, sensing sudden danger.


    Qin Yan leaped towards her, his figure blurring atop the bamboo grove. He had to take an extra step to get around the area of shortened stalks that he had cut down earlier in pursuit of his elusive foe at the start of their fight. This provided the Yellow Fox with a brief moment before the attack came, so she twirled her improvised weapon, making a slash through the bamboo pole she was standing on. Even though she used the thick, half-blunt tip of her hastily sharpened branch to slice through, the cut had turned out so seamless and thin that the plant remained seemingly undisturbed.


    Qin Yan jabbed his spear with exquisite form bordering on perfection. The air it had cut through heated up to the point it left a trail of thin smoke in its wake. The strike was swift enough to appear instantaneous; there was simply no avoiding it. And the power it carried was so enormous that even if one were to stay well beyond the reach of the spear, they would still not be safe as long as they existed within its direction.


    The Yellow Fox blocked the strike by placing her branch in its path, as though she had been handling the world''s slimmest shield. Despite the prodigious amounts of internal energy that she had channeled into the branch, Qin Yan''s spear had effortlessly slid halfway into it at once. In the next instant, when the spearhead began to feel just a hint of resistance, the impact shook the grove with an immense shockwave. Realizing that her defense wouldn''t hold, the woman slightly shifted her foot.


    The upper piece of the bamboo that the Yellow Fox had previously cut through flew right off the stalk together with her, the power of the spear technique flinging her away. The forest crunched and snapped as she descended through it like a cannonball. It took her several seconds to regain her wits. The Yellow Fox''s fall had suddenly slowed. She grabbed onto a piece of the tall grass, throwing herself back to the top.


    Her balance remained unsteady for several moments. Though on the outside, she appeared unharmed, Qin Yan surmised that she had suffered an internal injury.


    "You''re the first to survive my Divine Thunder Lance." Qin Yan said. His confidence was coming back. "As a farewell gift to you, I suppose I might as well answer your question, just to send you off with less regrets. It''s nothing complicated, really. When you''re so obviously holding back and waiting for something, it puts people on their guard."


    "Asking people..." The Yellow Fox began, her voice gurgling; Qin Yan surmised it to be blood. She swallowed heavily, and her tone normalized. "Just coming out and asking people to use their best technique on me feels like it would have the opposite effect."


    "Well, I suppose you''re correct. The truly experienced ones are somewhat prone to overthinking." Qin Yan shook his head.


    "But going as hard as I can from the beginning and killing by accident would be even worse, wouldn''t it?"


    Qin Yan burst into laughter. "Even in your current state you still have the heart to be this arrogant! What an incredible woman you are. You barely survived the first one, and naturally I can perform this strike many times over."


    The Yellow Fox continued as though she hadn''t heard him. "So then what am I to do...? I have no idea what suddenly made you decide to use your strongest technique. If I keep relying on the unfathomable flights of fancy of you people, I''ll get unlucky one day and spoil the results." She suddenly gasped. "It already happened once! What if I never find that beggar again...?"


    Qin Yan seemed content to let her remain in her own little world, until she suddenly turned to him and asked, "That WAS your strongest technique, wasn''t it?"


    The king had only exhaled sharply in response. He assumed the stance of the Divine Thunder Lance, preparing himself to deliver the technique once more.


    The Yellow Fox muttered, "Then we are done here."


    She mirrored his stance.


    Qin Yan chuckled. "Women always face death in the most interesting ways. But, you know, instead of a fox, you''re acting more like a monkey, don''t you think?"


    His light attitude flowed smoothly into absolute focus.


    The winds ceased. The air grew cold.


    They both faded from sight simultaneously. They appeared again in range of each other''s spears. Their attacks began in the same moment, and pursued identical paths. Inevitably, they had collided halfway to each other''s hearts. As the fierce powers contained at the tips of their weapons collided, they erupted into a mighty blast. The end of the branch had chipped, though it only served to make the point narrower and sharper. They both channeled a drop of internal energy into the stalks they were balancing on, causing those two poles to be the only ones to remain upright in the sweeping shockwave.


    The Yellow Fox had solidified her bamboo footing less firmly than her foe, and it swayed back by just a smidge.


    The collision threw off the trajectories of both of their attacks, and the ends of their weapons had both been sent upwards, towards each other''s heads.


    Qin Yan''s spear reached the end of its path just an inch away from her right eye. The fierce gale at the tip of the spear sprung onto her mask and chipped off a part of it. For just a moment, he glimpsed the golden eye underneath gaping wide with viciousness that bordered on madness, the black pupil like a pin needle. In the next instant, he was assailed by indescribable pain, his head flung back as something rammed into his own right eye.


    Qin Yan screamed. As he was forced to lean up towards the heavens, he felt the spear in his hands getting pulled away from him. He had little choice but to give up on it, as struggling would have driven the Fox''s branch deeper into his skull.


    Once he had surrendered his weapon, she took the stick out of his eye in a motion that was mercifully swift and mercilessly efficient, but nevertheless had caused the king untold suffering.


    Blood splattered onto the emerald green stalks.


    Though Qin Yan''s spear was slightly longer than her branch, the Fox''s arms were far longer than his own. The miniscule delay caused by their brief clash had given her the opportunity to exploit this difference in natural reach.


    Gripping his injured eye, Qin Yan knelt down, his head low. He dared not even look at his foe, and remained still.


    But, as the moments dragged, his patience grew thin.


    "Do it!" He shouted, only now looking up at the Yellow Fox. In her lone eye, he had found none of the wickedness he saw before. Since the sight of it was so fleeting, he began to doubt the veracity of what he had witnessed. But even so, he couldn''t bear to look at her, as that vague image flashed through his mind, interposing itself over her currently nonchalant features.


    As he made to lower his eyes again, he felt cold metal under his chin. His head was propped up by his own spear. As he was forced to stare at her half-masked visage again, he could tell by her slightly narrowed eye that she was grinning.


    "What exactly would you like me to do?" She asked.


    "Enough of this circus! You''ve made your point. Just kill me!"


    As he pleaded, he felt the spear tip pressing into his neck. It drew a drop of blood before being pulled away.


    The Yellow Fox dropped both of her spears to the ground far below. She pivoted on her foot, turning away from the kneeling king. She took off her mask, and let it fall from her hand.


    "What are you doing? Claim my life!" He yelled.


    "I already have." A cold gust blew by as she glimpsed at him over her shoulder. Her hair spilled over her face, covering all but the lone eye that Qin Yan had seen before. "And one day I shall return to make use of what I have claimed."


    Using his Sky Dancing Steps, she disappeared.


    Qin Yan remained still atop the grove, overwhelmed.


    As the battle came to a close, the observer furrowed his brows.


    Far off in the distance, perched on the roof of a neighboring pavilion, Tao Geming had been watching the fight unfold with crossed arms. The longer he mulled over the events, the darker his expression grew. He hopped off, fleeing back towards the city unnoticed.


    ...

 Chapter 2 - King and Beggar (Final)

    When Qin Yan''s concerned subordinates, led by the two elders, flooded the grove, he had finally descended. They all regarded his wounded, miserable state with utter shock. They found it difficult to even begin to assess the situation. A man stepped out of the crowd, his yellow-and-red robe adorned with dragons.


    "Father! You''re injured!" The prince exclaimed. "Was it that Tao Geming? Where is he now? I knew I should have joined this operation, but...!"


    The prince''s questions emboldened the rest of the crowd into echoing his concerns. The king shushed them all with a wave of his sleeve.


    He then suddenly barked out an order. "The enemy escaped! Fan out and secure the palace!"


    With an affirmative bellow, they scattered. As the grove grew silent, he picked up his spear and the broken fox mask. For a time, he simply stared at it, his hands shaking.


    Later that day, after receiving treatment for his injury, Qin Yan still kept the mask close. When Xiaoli entered the room, he hid it into his robe. She knelt down beside him. He received her gentle touch in taciturn silence, his lone unbandaged eye staring off into space.


    It was a long time before Qin Yan spoke. "The doctor said I''ll never see from that eye again."


    Xiaoli said nothing, only hugged him close.


    "In the twenty years since I claimed the crown, my martial arts have stagnated. I hit a barrier that I could not overcome no matter hard I trained. But even so, I thought the world was still within my reach. Now I realize just how much of a fool I was." With a sigh, Qin Yan turned towards the ceiling. "I don''t want to live in a world where monsters like that exist."


    "Don''t say that..." Xiaoli pleaded. "You''re being too hard on yourself, your highness. Don''t become like the man from the proverb: once bitten by a snake, one is scared even at the sight of a rope. It was the enemy that had to run away from you, after all..."


    "Right..." He mumbled. Qin Yan hadn''t had the heart to admit what really happened. And he dreaded the day the golden eyed woman promised would come.


    He brushed Xiaoli aside as he stood up. "I need to get ready for court."


    In the evening, the most influential masters of the Qin Royal Dynasty Sword School had gathered in a regal, opulent hall. While the king was still missing, hushed gossip reverberated across the room.


    "So even Zhou Zhu had fallen victim to that Tao Geming..."


    "I heard it wasn''t Tao Geming that killed him. Some disciples are claiming it was the Yellow Fox."


    The comment spurred another man to scoff. "Those same disciples have said that the Yellow Fox used the techniques of our school to slay him. I find that hard to believe. And if you''d only heard how the disciples describe this "Yellow Fox," you''d find it hard to believe in this magic animal, too."


    "Someone could have leaked our techniques to an outsider. It has happened before."


    "Moreover, Zhou Zhu wasn''t turned into a smear on the walls like so many of his victims."


    "Most accounts can''t even settle on whether the Yellow Fox a man or a woman." A fourth rank elder shook his head. "And some even claim that this creature was as tall as two people. Surely we''d notice someone like that wandering our city."


    "Some citizens do claim to have seen such a woman earlier that day, though..." The skeptic creased a brow when he heard that.


    "It''s true." Another pitched in. "Regardless of any exaggerations, it is confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Yellow Fox exists."


    "I''ve also heard..." A third rank elder whispered. "That it was not Tao Geming at all that his majesty fought in that battle..."


    The room grew abnormally silent. The rumormonger paled as he felt the presence of dozens of eyes. "Are you trying to lose your head?" Someone warned. "Keep that to yourself."


    It was then that the one eyed king had arrived, cleanly shaved, wearing his majestic crown and dragon robes. He walked briskly towards his throne and assumed his seat, his lone eye sternly looking over those present. The court session commenced, and the elders had set about the lengthy task of reporting the damages of last night''s operation.


    Qin Yan''s mind seemed elsewhere as he listened to the reports. Ultimately, it had been decided that the crown would pay limited compensation to some of the citizens.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    And at the end, the king had issued a decree.


    "Employ the Jianghu Investigative Bureau at once! Find out what happened to Wuyi Sect''s headmaster Deng Hong! Pay them any sum they ask!"


    ...


    As Bai Guo sat together with Cui Shen in his master''s room, the young man was restless. Every now and then, he would stand up to briefly look out the window before quickly growing impatient and sitting back down. They caught on to her absence early in the night, having been woken up by the ruckus of the Royal School''s raids, but on Cui Shen''s suggestion, had done nothing but wait.


    When the golden haired woman entered the room, Bai Guo sprung to his feet. Her white robe was mucked by dirt and blood.


    A question flew off the young man''s lips. "Master! What happened?"


    "Tao Geming got away..." She hissed. "Those Royal School idiots let him escape. We never even got to fight."


    Though he made a sympathetic face that seemed to indicate some semblance of regret, Bai Guo was secretly relieved.


    She spoke again. "Bai Guo, would you fetch me my spare set of clothing? There''s no time to wash this now. We need to head out immediately."


    "Ah, of course." Bai Guo nodded. "But may I ask what the rush is? Not that I wish to stay in this place after what happened last night..."


    "As I was searching for Tao Geming, I ran into the king..."


    "You killed him?" Bai Guo asked in a quivering voice.


    "No... But we didn''t part amiably either. We should leave as soon as possible."


    "Right away." He ran into his room; all their spare supplies were in his backpack.


    As the young man left, Cui Shen asked, "How many sect masters have you fought for so far?"


    "Just the two."


    "Well? How do they compare to each other?"


    "Qin Yan was a little weaker than Deng Hong, but his foundation was stable, so overall he was the harder fight." She summarized.


    "And compared to Tao Geming?"


    The Golden Witch silently frowned for a time before suddenly digressing. "You know... I hadn''t noticed at the time, but now that I think about it, I may have fallen prey to the same scheme twice. I ran into Tao Geming while chasing that beggar... and I ran into Qin Yan while chasing Tao Geming."


    Cui Shen closed his eyes. "You may want to trust your intuition on this one. One of the stories I''ve heard about the Invincible Blood Sea is that he killed even his own master in cold blood. That he would simply leave without taking vengeance seems unlikely."


    The Golden Witch gasped. "If that Tao Geming swooped in like a vulture upon the Qin Yan that I had weakened...!" She sighed at the thought. "I''d be so disappointed..."


    Her frustrations mounted. But when Bai Guo returned, her grief seemed instantly dispelled.


    "If that happened," Cui Shen said, "We will certainly hear of it before we even leave Qin territory."


    After the Golden Witch had gotten changed, she addressed her disciple again. "Bai Guo," She spoke hesitantly, "I would like to pause your training until we reach the Five Venoms Devil."


    Bai Guo bowed. "I understand."


    His words came as a surprise to the Witch. "You do?"


    Her words, too, came as a surprise to Bai Guo. "Yes, I do."


    "Well, good..." She seemed greatly relieved.


    The conversation ended there. Although he hadn''t had his master''s unique senses, Bai Guo was not oblivious to Cui Shen''s precarious state.


    They were both glad to have come to a mutual understanding so easily for once.


    But it wouldn''t last, as Bai Guo soon brought up another matter.


    "Master, I would like to spend your last golden tael to purchase supplies for the road."


    "Sure." She nonchalantly replied.


    "It''s your last tael." He emphasized.


    "So you''ve said." She became somewhat confused.


    "We can''t rest at inns anymore. Especially not the expensive ones you always choose."


    She turned to him, wide eyed. "Why not? I like the inns."


    "We won''t have any money to pay for our stay."


    "So can''t we just get some more money?"


    "And just how would we go about doing that, master?" Bai Guo asked her sternly.


    For a time, they both glared at each other. Bai Guo knew what his master was about to say; the Golden Witch knew how her disciple would react to her words.


    Even so, she boldly pressed on. "We can just take what we-"


    "We can''t just go around robbing people like common criminals!" Bai Guo exploded. "It''s out of the question, master!"


    The Witch rolled her eyes and turned away from him.


    As master and disciple continued to quibble, Cui Shen looked back at the devastated city. His dark eyes were riddled with doubt over the days to come.


    A little while later, as Bai Guo finalized his purchases, the shop clerk stared at his last golden tael in wonder.


    "Young master, where did you get this?" The rail-thin man asked.


    Bai Guo had been caught off-guard by the question. "Why do you ask, sir?"


    "It''s quite the old piece you have here is all. I believe this one must have been minted back when the empire was still a single whole! Unbelievable." He shook his head. "My brother back in the old capital is an academic. He studies the histories of the dynasties of old. He would love to see this."


    The man then respectfully bowed to Bai Guo.


    Though the young man had noticed long ago that the gold in his master''s possession came in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and bore all kinds of mintings, he deemed it to have been the spoils of her previous adventures, wherever those may have taken place. In this age, gold was gold, and people accepted it in whichever form it took. But this revelation reignited the flames of curiosity over his master''s past, flames which he had only recently managed to quench over the course of their travels.


    "Which place did you mean by the old capital?" Bai Guo asked.


    "Ah, I''m afraid I misspoke. I meant the current capital of the Tang."


    Bai Guo knew just enough history to recognize that the city the old man spoke of was the seat of the old empire that had splintered in the wake of a grand rebellion long ago, and now was part of what little territory remained under the control of the imperial family. Unfortunately, it was also quite far out of their way, so an educational excursion was out of the question. He exchanged bows with the man, and left with his purchased supplies.


    While Bai Guo was once again forced to wrestle against the urges to ask his golden haired master about her past, the three set off to meet Cui Shen''s master.


    ...

 Chapter 3 - Lady Ouyang (I)

    Over the following days, the Golden Witch and her two companions rapidly crossed plains, mountains, and rivers without break, soon leaving the lands of the Qin far behind them. They briskly skipped past most settlements and roughed it out in the wild during the night. Cui Shen turned out to be no stranger to the great outdoors, and taught Bai Guo a great deal about surviving in the wilderness. The two of them subsisted on game and dry rations, while the Witch seemed perfectly sated with just air and sunlight, and only touched food when the day''s haul seemed particularly tasty.


    One afternoon, Bai Guo, in hopes of pleasing his enigmatic master, presented her with a basket of blueish berries.


    The golden haired woman stared at them strangely for a time, before finally saying, "I don''t eat blue berries."


    Deeply confused by her statement, the young man couldn''t help but ask why.


    "The last time I had blue ones, I got sick." She explained.


    "But the old lady in the village vouched that these are safe to eat.  Sir Shen and I have been eating these all day, and we''re fine. They''re quite delicious. Are you sure these are the same berries you''ve had before?"


    The Golden Witch threw another suspicious glance at the basket. She eventually turned away. "I''m not hungry right now."


    Bai Guo''s shoulders slumped in exasperation. Before the day had ended, he filled his basket with red berries and presented it to her again. These ones, she chowed down happily.


    Bai Guo sighed, but took his victories where he could find them.


    As they drew closer to their destination, the already taciturn Cui Shen grew even more distant. Flanked on both sides by the aloof, Bai Guo felt restless, and of the three, ended up missing the comfort of the cities the most.


    They eventually came across a large mansion in the countryside with green tiled roofs and red walls.


    Cui Shen offered the rare word. "It''s less than a day from here."


    Bai Guo glimpsed at the sun, far to the west, and said, "It''s getting late. Maybe those people can house us for the night?"


    "There''s no need for that." Cui Shen seemed adamant, and since his master seemed content with this course of action, Bai Guo had little choice but to begrudgingly follow along.


    As they were passing the mansion by, they heard an old man''s voice calling out to them.


    "Young master! Young master! Is it really you?" An excited servant was rushing after them as briskly as his old age would permit, broom in his hand.


    "Is he talking to us?" Bai Guo asked as the bearded man approached.


    But the most surprised of the three was Cui Shen. "Old Yang...?"


    Old Yang was bald, and his messy white beard resembled whiskers. He was beside himself with joy once the recognition turned out to be mutual, and seemed intent on dropping to the ground to kowtow. Cui Shen gripped him by the arms to stop him.


    "There''s no need for that at your age, old man..." He reassured, and old Yang nodded happily. Cui Shen turned to his companions and offered an introduction. "This is servant Yang. He served the Cui family for generations."


    "This manor is yours, sir Shen?" Bai Guo gawked.


    "Not anymore..." He vaguely replied.


    "Young master, how long has it been?" Old Yang asked, a big grin on his face.


    "So long that I''m neither young nor your master anymore, old Yang." Cui Shen released the man. "We were just passing by. No need to tell the new masters that we were here."


    "No, no, no, young master, you''ve picked a great time to visit! The masters have gone to visit their relatives in the city; they''ll be gone for a long time. It''s just us servants now. We would be happy to give you a proper welcome!" The servant stepped away to greet Bai Guo and his golden haired master.


    He tried to offer a shaky bow, but Cui Shen stopped him again. "There''s really no need for that..."


    "Young master keeps the company of immortals." The servant said, his hands respectfully clasped together. Though he spoke with politeness and eloquence, he could hardly help but stare at the peculiar woman towering over them all. "I pray his exalted companions will not be offended by the meager hospitality of our humble abode."


    The Witch''s yellow eyes twinkled with amusement.


    "Forgive us for intruding." She said, a cunning smile on her face, stepping forward to follow along.


    Cui Shen glared at her indignantly, but before the beaming old man, he seemed utterly disarmed of wit, and failed to muster more than half a word in protest as they were all ushered into the guest hall.


    After Bai Guo had introduced himself and his master, the servants feasted the visitors with a variety of meats and dishes.


    Cui Shen grumbled as he sipped his wine. "I''m surprised you managed to make me out from that far away, old Yang. The years have treated you well." Even though you must be a hundred years old now, he thought.


    "They don''t call me Eagle Eyed Yang for nothing, young master." The old man bragged.


    "So, young master," The Golden Witch began smugly as she popped a boiled egg into her mouth. "How come you didn''t tell us that this was your manor?" She asked, still chewing.


    "It is not my manor. By the time I had inherited it, I was living far away, in the lands of the Wuyi. There was nothing to do but to sell it."


    "This place really is quite the long way from Wuyi." Bai Guo chimed in. "What made you move so far away, sir Shen?"


    Cui Shen sighed. "The same thing that''s made me return."


    "The Five Venoms Devil?" The young man asked. Some of the servants gasped upon hearing that name; others grew pale. Unexpectedly, his question had marred the merry atmosphere in the room. Only Old Yang scoffed derisively, unafraid of the title.


    Cui Shen explained, "In my youth, I had done something to offend her, and needed to escape."


    Old Yang snorted like a raging bull. "Day after day we pray for some brave fellow to come by and put an end to that witch. Nobody feels at ease living next door to a poisoner of such cruel renown. Guests won''t take our food, the neighbors live in fear. And just because young master favored the young mistress, he got chased out of his own home! Unthinkable!"


    "That''s enough." Cui Shen''s voice was like ice. "I don''t wish to keep talking about this."


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    For a moment, the old servant wore a stubborn expression and seemed like he was about to persist in his grumbling, but ultimately, he obeyed and dropped the subject. He turned to the Golden Witch.


    "Is the wine not to your liking, young lady...?" He asked, noticing that she hadn''t touched her drinks at all.


    "I don''t drink wine." She said.


    Old Yang clapped his hands. "Bring some tea for our guest, quickly!"


    The servants hastily obliged, and the picky guest seemed satisfied.


    "But you know, Cui Shen," The Golden Witch said. "Since we''re about to meet with her, I think it would do us all well if you told us as much about your history with her as you could."


    Cui Shen closed his eyes. "I thought you of all people would be more understanding of someone unwilling to talk about their past."


    The Golden Witch furrowed her brows, but had no good response. She looked at Bai Guo as if expecting something from him. Bai Guo peered at his master past his wine bowl as he finished another drink, but he seemed to grasp the meaning behind her petulant stare. The young man took a moment to think.


    "With all due respect, sir Shen," He began. "I think your relationship with the Five Venoms Devil may prove instrumental to the resolution of this matter."


    "Is that so?" Cui Shen parried. "Perhaps I could offer even better advice if your master would divulge her intentions in more depth than that of a single phrase. But it seems like we will have to make do with what we have."


    His frustrations seemed to be mounting in earnest, so both master and disciple reneged.


    After a long silence, Cui Shen seemed to regain his cool. He took a swig from his wine bowl, and despite his earlier reluctance, began to tell the story.


    "The Five Venoms Devil kidnaps young girls to train them as her successors in the poisoner arts. Back when I lived here, her disciple used to frequently sneak out of the Devil''s territory, and we met each other by chance. One thing led to another, and, when it became clear that neither of our guardians would approve of us, we decided to run away together."


    "Is this woman''s name Meili, by any chance?" Bai Guo asked.


    "It is. How did you know?"


    "When master brought you back from the brink of death, it was the first thing you spoke."


    "Really? I don''t recall..." Cui Shen repressed a sigh before continuing. "...But to make a long story short, as I''ve told you before, Meili was eventually betrayed by her employers and killed. I returned to her master seeking help, and she gave me the tools and training I needed to kill Deng Hong."


    The Golden Witch regarded him with a bitter expression. "And it''s because of her training that you''re suffering now. Whatever she did to you to make you immune to that poisonous air, it..."


    "I don''t regret it." Cui Shen asserted. "And I don''t hold any grudge against her. I was always intending to throw my life away for revenge. She only did as I asked."


    Bai Guo asked, "Is the poisonous gas you used one of the five venoms from her title? Though I understand that it''s technically not venom, but still..."


    "I believe, in a way, it is." Cui Shen said. "She simply modified it for my purpose."


    "For a suicide run..." Bai Guo shook his head.


    Old Yang wiped at his eyes. "But at the very least... in the end, the young master slayed that treacherous villain. Word of his heroic deeds has reached us even out here."


    "The world is mistaken about my part in it." Cui Shen said. "In truth, the hero who killed Deng Hong and saved me from certain death is sitting over there."


    The servants trailed his stare to the strange golden haired woman. Suddenly, they all dropped to the floor, kowtowing before her.


    "Thank you for avenging the young mistress! Thank you for saving the young master!" They exclaimed. The recipient of their gratitude shook her head as she looked all around at the surrounding servants, befuddled and embarrassed by the treatment.


    "Please rise..." She said meekly when it became clear that they would not do so of their own volition.


    After the servants got back to their feet, Cui Shen continued. "Overall, there is little I can tell you about her poisons. She armed me with a single formula, and I only understand how to produce it. Most of the principles behind its workings elude me."


    A silence descended upon the room. The Golden Witch apologetically stared into her teacup for a time. "You were right. This really didn''t clear up how we might be received. Sorry for pressing you on this."


    Cui Shen waved his hand. "Forget it. My words were without much meaning as well - in truth, I think I have some understanding of what your intentions are."


    Bai Guo''s ears, already red from the wine, perked up at that. "Really?" He asked, but both of his seniors ignored him. As the mood began to grow strange, after asking for more wine, he continued. "Well, tomorrow is going to be a difficult day! Since things have turned out this way, let''s just enjoy these people''s hospitality."


    "You''re right." The Golden Witch and Cui Shen spoke in unison.


    They wined and dined until late into the night.


    Eventually, Cui Shen decided to end the feast. "Your masters are surely not going to be pleased with how much food and wine you graced us with, old Yang. We can''t impose on you any more than this. We should retire for the night."


    "Nonsense!" The old man protested. "If the masters were here, they''d entertain you far better than this old slave."


    But Cui Shen insisted, and the servant eventually conceded.


    Bai Guo had had so much wine that the young man could hardly stand upright, and had to be helped to his room by a servant.


    Cui Shen said, "It won''t do you well to be hungover tomorrow. Why did you drink so much?"


    "Sorry, sir Shen," The young man slurred as he apologized. "But it''s been so long since we last got to visit a place as nice as this. And the wine they have here is so good!"


    Cui Shen shook his head as he followed the young man into the guest rooms.


    The Golden Witch skeptically looked back at Bai Guo''s half-filled bowl of wine. She picked it up and sniffed its contents, hesitating for a great deal of time before finally taking a sip. Her eyebrows flew up in surprise, and she quickly finished the rest. The woman set the bowl down where it was and went with the others to retire for the night.

 Chapter 3 - Lady Ouyang (II)

    It took until noon for them to sleep off the fatigue of their travels. Old Yang noticed that Bai Guo was walking about with a hangover, and cooked him up a bitter remedy for his heavy head. The rest of the servants rose early in the morning to supply the three heroes with food for their journey. After a late and filling breakfast, they thanked the servants for their hospitality and parted after exchanging bows.


    They soon entered a sparse forest, and as they ventured further, the air grew thick and humid. It was not long before it turned into a swamp seething with the sounds of toads and snakes.


    "Be very careful." Cui Shen cautioned. "Almost everything you''ll find here is either poisonous or venomous, plants and beasts alike. Even if you think you recognize something as harmless, think again. This is a unique place, a territory that has been especially cultivated with the purpose of producing the deadliest toxins. There are things here you won''t find anywhere else in the world. Don''t touch anything."


    Bai Guo grew pale as he listened. He soon started jumping at every noise and shadow.


    "I''ll handle the introductions," He continued. "But you''ll have to handle the rest on your own."


    "That''s fine." The Golden Witch replied.


    "Don''t forget about your promise." Cui Shen cautioned her.


    "I won''t harm her." She reassured.


    Suddenly, Bai Guo yelped, leaping away from a bush. His fear shifted to surprise as he inspected the thing that gave him such a scare. "There''s a basket here with grass in it..."


    As Cui Shen glanced at the item, his dark eyes became warm.


    The Golden Witch whispered, "There''s someone approaching us from over there."


    "Let them approach." Cui Shen said.


    As they waited, they soon spotted some shrubbery shifting around. Perhaps noticing them, the presence had suddenly become meek and evasive, and it became difficult to see any movement at all.


    After a time, a young woman, about Bai Guo''s age, emerged from hiding. "Junior martial brother, is that you?"


    The girl wore loose, long-sleeved clothing of dark green that blended into the backdrop of the swamp. Her gloved hands were caked in so much dirt that it was difficult to make out the color of their fabric. She seemed to be almost hiding her pale, sweat-slicked face beneath her wide-brimmed hat, her dark eyes warily peering past it at the trio.


    Cui Shen bowed to her in greeting. "Senior martial sister."


    "It really is you!" She exclaimed. "We all thought you were dead... After we had heard that you succeeded in your task, we even held a funeral for you. We all mourned you, even the mistress..."


    "I''m sorry. We''re here to meet lady Ouyang."


    She gasped. "You know that can''t be done! You should leave this place before she finds out you were here! Even if you hadn''t brought outsiders, she still wouldn''t welcome you. I''m glad to know you still live, but you know what the mistress is like. You shouldn''t be here!"


    "I know, Ling Ling. However, this must be done." Cui Shen insisted.


    "I can''t lead you all to your deaths..."


    "I still remember the lay of the land. We can get there on our own."


    "It wouldn''t do at all to leave you unattended, either..." Mumbled Ling Ling. After some waxing and waning, she eventually bowed in greeting to the other two. "I''ll guide you there. Maybe I can convince the mistress to stay her hand... Please call me Ling Ling."


    "This young man is Bai Guo, and this is his master, the Golden Witch." Cui Shen introduced.


    As they all exchanged greetings, Ling Ling couldn''t help but stare at the towering blonde. Though the girl''s mouth opened at times, she couldn''t force out whatever question she may have had. Ling Ling eventually managed to pry her eyes away and led the way.


    But even as they trudged through the swamp, she continued to steal glances at the Witch whenever she could. Unbeknownst to Ling Ling, the Golden Witch could always tell when she was staring, no matter how well she hid herself, or from how obscure of an angle she observed her. Bai Guo''s mischievous master had soon made a game of meeting Ling Ling''s eyes at the most inopportune times, prompting the girl to abruptly avert her gaze. The longer their strange game went on, the sharper their movements became, both catching and evading. To Ling Ling''s continued chagrin, she soon became unable to look her way for longer than a single blink of the eye.


    Inevitably, she gave up on the idea altogether, her pale face reddening as she began to catch on to the fact that she was being played with.


    "Excuse me, but may I ask you something?" Bai Guo''s question brought her some much needed relief, taking her mind off the matter. "I couldn''t help but notice the way you and sir Shen address each other. Is he really your martial junior?"


    The girl, despite being almost half Cui Shen''s age, called him her junior.


    It was Cui Shen who answered. "Despite our difference in age, she spent more time as lady Ouyang''s disciple, so that technically makes her my senior. However, lady Ouyang had never formally accepted me as a disciple to begin with, so there''s no obligation for her to call me that. I''m still not sure why you do it, Ling Ling."


    "Please don''t take this as me trying to lord my seniority over you, martial brother..." Ling Ling spoke apologetically.


    "I''ve never looked at it that way. The way I see it, you''ve done me a big courtesy by accepting me as a fellow disciple. It''s more than I deserve. The most I can do is return the courtesy."


    "Back then I was just happy to have someone who studied the arts with me..." Ling Ling smiled. "I couldn''t share that with the other girls."


    Bai Guo asked, "How many disciples does lady Ouyang have?"


    "I''m the only one." She answered. "Well, there''s also junior martial brother, but that''s a little complicated... The other girls just live here. Together with the mistress, there are seven of us all together."


    Bai Guo turned to Cui Shen, a question at the tip of his tongue that he wasn''t quite sure how to word without causing offense.


    Cui Shen seemed to grasp the meaning behind his look. "There is only ever a single apprentice at a time, but Lady Ouyang occasionally offers refuge to those who need it."


    That seemed to address the young man''s concerns.


    Daylight dimmed as the forest around them grew thicker. The sounds of beasts became deafening. Ling Ling expertly led the three along thin, winding paths.


    When they eventually emerged in a clearing, the daylight briefly overwhelmed their senses.


    They came upon a field of countless flowers. They grew everywhere the light touched, and it was as though they had been harmoniously arranged by color; as one ran their eyes across the field, it smoothly flowed from one hue into another. A gentle breeze blew over the clearing, cooling their bodies from the stuffy humidity of the swamp and drawing vibrant waves in the innumerable blossoms, turning the plain into a living sea of colors.


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    An old, dark manor stood in the center of the incredible spectacle, surrounded by a moat and walls so low that they were nearly obscured beneath some of the taller flowers.


    "This is incredible." Bai Guo was the first of the three to come out of stunned reverie. "It''s like something out of a picture..."


    Ling Ling stared at him with wide eyes. "You really think so?" She asked excitedly, beaming with a big smile. It seemed to take Bai Guo considerable effort to take his eyes off the flower field. He nodded at her, still awestruck.


    Cui Shen said, "Senior martial sister has truly outdone herself. This place didn''t look like this when I was here last."


    "It smells amazing..." The Golden Witch added, closing her eyes as she took in the scents. "Hard to believe there could be something like this in the middle of a swamp."


    Ling Ling looked like she was on the verge of erupting into glee.


    "You did this all by yourself?" Bai Guo asked in disbelief.


    "The other girls help me from time to time..." She meekly replied. "Though mistress Ouyang would rather we did something else..."


    With the flowers shifting behind her and her features lit by her joy, Bai Guo felt like he was looking at a completely different person. They stared at each other for a long time, and it took them longer still to realize what they were doing.


    Ling Ling twirled away to hide her flushed face. "Mistress Ouyang might not have returned yet. We should wait for her inside."


    A small stone bridge took them across the moat. There, they were coldly greeted by four girls even younger than Ling Ling and an old nun. The girls stared at the newcomers in worry, while the nun glared with disapproval. None of them dared to utter a word, and they all swiftly left once the strangers drew near.


    "We don''t get guests very often." Ling Ling sounded apologetic. "So please don''t mind them..."


    As she tried to usher them inside, Cui Shen waved his hand. "Taking it any further than this could land you in hot water, martial sister. We will wait here."


    The girl nodded. They all took a seat on the grass, and began to wait.


    "May I ask why you''d like to see the mistress?" Ling Ling asked.


    "Bai Guo''s master wishes to consult lady Ouyang in the arts." Cui Shen said.


    "She would never share her secrets..." Ling Ling shook her head. "But junior martial brother must have known that already..."


    "And I had told her as much." Cui Shen sighed. "But I owe her a great deal, and this was the only way for me to return the favor. But even if the venture proves in vain, I believe we will part amicably."


    Cui Shen attempted to assuage fears the girl didn''t seem to hold; there was not a hint of suspicion in her demeanor.


    "How did you meet each other?" She asked.


    "We were both after the killer of your senior martial sister. She saved my life." He explained.


    Ling Ling gasped and turned to the tall woman. As she scrambled to her feet to show her gratitude, to her surprise, the Golden Witch had stood up before she could. She was staring off into the distance.


    Cui Shen and Bai Guo both realized what her action had indicated. The young disciple nervously sprang to his feet; the other made his way up languidly, not at all eager for the events to come.


    Ling Ling was the last to catch on. When she noticed an old woman standing at the edge of the moat, she bent swiftly into a bow. "Mistress Ouyang!"


    The woman had been dressed in the same dark green outfit, but hers was adorned with half a dozen pouches tied across her belt and legs. She was wearing a heavy backpack that was packed so thoroughly with herbs that the grass was nearly spilling out. Her long white hair was tied up into a single large bun.


    Her wrinkled face was long and narrow, and made her seem taller than she really was. Her dark green eyes seethed with intense derision in a sharp contrast to her relaxed expression. Though she carried herself with remarkable dignity and gave off an almost noble air, there was a strange intensity about her, like she was also a savage snake ready to pounce upon its prey.


    "You unfilial brat." She intoned. Her calm voice was like an envenomed blade. "Why did your bring outsiders to our home?"


    Ling Ling trembled.


    Cui Shen bowed. "Master."


    The old woman''s eyes darted towards him like lightning. "Don''t call me that, you buffoon. You''re no disciple of mine. I had just one disciple, and you took her away from me. Then you had her killed. I knew I was making a mistake when I allowed you to live after you came crawling back. But fool that I was, I hoped the poison would kill you before you had gotten the chance to hurt me again. But I should have known. A cockroach like you always finds a way to survive."


    Cui Shen shuddered and dared not straighten his waist.


    Lady Ouyang continued. "Did you think you would be welcome here after killing Deng Hong? What depths of stupidity compelled you to come back? I''ll hear your answer before I claim your life."


    Her eyes suddenly shifted to the Golden Witch. She had perceived a tinge of hostility.


    Cui Shen spoke, his head still lowered. "It was not me who killed Deng Hong. It was the woman you see before you. She avenged Meili and saved my life from certain death."


    "Don''t you dare utter my beloved disciple''s name." Lady Ouyang hissed. "And to think that you''d be shameless enough to admit that even with all that I had given you, you still needed a woman to do the job for you. What a failure you are."


    Cui Shen spoke through gritted teeth. "In return, she asked me to bring her to you, so that she may consult you on the arts of poison."


    "You varlet! You really brought an enemy here to plunder my secrets. The contempt I have for you cannot be expressed in words."


    The Golden Witch''s patience had run out. She spoke up. "I''m not an enemy. I swore an oath that I wouldn''t harm you."


    Bai Guo broke into cold sweat. He whispered, "Master, you shouldn''t have told her that...!"


    There was a brief, subtle shift in the old woman''s expression; amusement and viciousness in equal measure flashed across her features. "Hoh. Well, I made no such oath in regards to any of you. Shall we put your vow to the test?"


    The two women stared each other down. The air grew tense.

 Chapter 3 - Lady Ouyang (III)

    Bai Guo dared not even breathe too loudly as the standoff between the two masters continued. He glimpsed at Ling Ling, and found her in a similar state, covering her mouth in shock.


    But no matter how much time had elapsed, neither party sprang into action.


    Cui Shen rose from his bow and said, "It appears that revealing the oath may have been the right call after all. Perhaps lady Ouyang has realized that pushing your master may not result in a beneficial outcome."


    The corners of lady Ouyang''s lips briefly twitched downwards.


    Cui Shen continued, "Since, after all, this is the person who defeated Deng Hong. The fighting style you taught me precludes working in tandem with another, which means that she achieved the merit without my help. And having traveled with this person for some time, I believe that master is making the right call. I don''t imagine someone of the Golden Witch''s temperament is capable of enduring much scrutiny."


    "Just where do you find the courage, worm, to talk to me that way? Your new mistress must be quite skilled indeed for you to grow so fearless." Lady Ouyang kept her eyes firmly affixed on the Golden Witch as she spoke. "What a shame for her that she has not yet realized how disloyal of a stray she''s picked up."


    Finally, she directed a question at the Witch. "What do you want?"


    "Teach me about poisons." The Golden Witch answered plainly.


    "What a ridiculous demand." She scoffed. "You don''t even realize the weight of what you ask, do you? However skilled you might be, you''re not very bright."


    "I''ll accept you as a master if that''s what it takes."


    "Your dog was just finished telling me that your word is next to worthless. Even if I was interested in a new disciple, you would be my very last choice."


    The Golden Witch frowned. "What a flimsy excuse."


    "An excuse is more dignity than you deserve. But I don''t need a reason to reject you. You wasted your time coming here. Go back, and take the mutt with you. His diseased flesh is not even good for soup."


    "I''m not going anywhere until you teach me."


    Lady Ouyang breathed out sharply. "What are you, a child?"


    But the Golden Witch was resolute. "I''ll stay for as long as it takes for you to change your mind."


    "If it pleases you." To the surprise of everyone present, Lady Ouyang had suddenly conceded.


    Cui Shen turned to the golden haired woman with worry. "Must I really explain what makes this a bad idea? Master is someone who can kill without ever drawing a blade, as quickly or as slowly as she likes, as subtly or as openly as she wants. You got a definitive answer. She''s not someone who will ever budge on this. You should get out of here while you still can, this is already a far better outcome than I expected."


    But she only waved her sleeve at him. "I''m not giving up on this. I''m waiting as long as it takes."


    When the matter seemed settled, lady Ouyang took a step forward.


    But suddenly, a man''s voice boomed across the clearing.


    "Don''t waste your time. I can settle this for you right now."


    The sound seemed to come from endlessly far away, and yet as if carried on the waves of his own voice, the speaker had abruptly appeared on the edge of the flower field.


    Tao Geming glared at them all through his perpetual scowl.


    Of all present, none had been more surprised by his appearance more than the Golden Witch. "It''s you! How did you...?"


    "You may be strong," He replied. "But you''re easier to trick than a child. Now keep your mouth shut before you spill all your secrets to this old bag as well. I''ll explain later."


    Cui Shen clutched his sword. "Why are you here, Invincible Blood Sea?!"


    "The Yellow Fox showed me something good, so I''m returning the favor."


    Lady Ouyang slipped her backpack off her shoulders as she turned around to face the new intruder. Her back became straight as an arrow.


    The Golden Witch was fuming. "What are you talking about?"


    Tao Geming said, "I''m going to definitively prove to you that you''re wasting your time on this hag. I''ll do this by beating her to a pulp. I''m not restrained by some stupid promise, after all."


    "I''ve done nothing for you. You don''t owe me any favors."


    But the Invincible Blood Sea paid her no heed, and began to slowly approach lady Ouyang. "Poison is just a toy for women and children, and it only works on those as weak as women and children! Shower me in as much of that crap as you want. It won''t work! Before people like us, it''s nothing more than harmless rain."


    Lady Ouyang''s face hadn''t flinched, but fury raged in her dark green eyes. "What a strange hobby you have, Tao Geming, going around seeking death."


    Cui Shen threw a glance at the Golden Witch. He found her staring at the intruder with scorn, but it quickly became clear to him that she had no intentions to act. Bitterness washed over him; he gripped his sword until his pale knuckles grew red.


    He was the first to move. Flashing his sword, he reached Tao Geming in two vast steps and slashed at the man''s neck.


    A blunt, metallic sound blared over the field. Without even looking his way, Tao Geming stopped the bare steel with his palm and wrapped his fingers around it. Cui Shen struggled to move his sword.


    "Sir Shen!" Exclaimed Bai Guo, drawing his own sword. No fool to the folly of his action, the young man turned to the Golden Witch. "Master!"


    But his voice died in his throat when he came to the same realization as Cui Shen - though she appeared frustrated on the surface, it was clear that she had decided that now, of all times, would be the moment for her to exercise the rare restraint.


    Finally, the Invincible Blood Sea spared Cui Shen a derisive glance. "Just by feeling out the qi contained in your sword, I can tell what a sorry state you''re in. I could kill you now without even touching your body. Consider yourself lucky to have the friends you have. Now withdraw your internal energy before you hurt yourself."


    "You think I''ll let you do as you please?" Cui Shen asked through gritted teeth.


    Lady Ouyang sighed. "What a worthless gesture. Don''t presume to act on my behalf, Cui Shen. Retreat. You are not his match without my tools."


    No matter how hard he tried, Cui Shen could not regain control of his weapon. At his master''s words, intensity drained from his demeanor. Tao Geming released his weapon.


    Cui Shen drew back, his head lowered.


    "Well, granny?" Tao Geming taunted. "Need a moment to go fetch your powders?"


    "Cocksure buffoon." Lady Ouyang flicked her sleeves, producing two long needles. "Poison is not all there is to my arsenal."


    She flung one of them at his eye with preternatural accuracy. It flew faster than a loosened arrow, and crossed the field in an instant.


    Tao Geming lowered his head, and the needle struck him above the brow. It plinked harmlessly off his forehead as though it was made of iron.


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    A small sphere whistled through the air as it shadowed the needle, shattering on the ground between the man''s feet and erupting into a gray cloud. The smoke hadn''t spread far, and it seemed to possess a peculiar weight, as it promptly began to cling to the earth. The flowers it touched had wilted almost immediately.


    Lady Ouyang disappeared from her original spot as soon as the bomb had burst. She darted around the field, sending a barrage of needles from every conceivable angle into the smoke cloud, her speed so incredible that only a scant few torn flower petals indicated her passing.


    Once the smoke dissipated completely, the old woman had stopped. Tao Geming stood where he was, utterly unphased. The dozens of needles she had thrown at him were scattered all over the ground.


    "Are you done?" He asked, turning to face her.


    But a sharp pain suddenly stiffened his motion. Tao Geming looked down on his side.


    A needle was sticking out.


    Lady Ouyang flashed a creepy smile. Her first outward display of emotion proved deeply unpleasant. The old woman''s face seemed thoroughly unused to assuming such a position.


    Tao Geming gripped the needle and pulled it out. His blood trickled down the metal, but his sharp nose also detected a trace of a toxin on the projectile.


    He cast it aside, and it clattered against the metal covering the blackened grass. "So that''s where your namesake comes from. The Five Venoms must correlate to the five senses. I couldn''t hear that last needle because my hearing has gotten worse."


    Lady Ouyang''s joy began to fade into her usual unflappable expression. "I correctly surmised that you are only "invincible" to that which you can perceive. You have impressive control over your internal energy, yet you waste it on tricks such as these. In your arrogance, you ceded the initiative and allowed me to deal the first strike, and with that alone, this fight is as good as over."


    Tao Geming stretched out his hand. Something dark flowed through his skin, converging into a black spot on the tip of his little finger. Lady Ouyang stared intensely as two purple drops seeped through the skin and dripped to the ground. The darkness in his flesh dissipated.


    "I let you do as you please, and this was all you could manage." He said, withdrawing his hand. Tao Geming lowered his stance. "Now let''s see what I can achieve in the same amount of time."


    He made a mad dash for the old woman. Lady Ouyang''s movements were fast, but also subtle and soft in a way that kept the flowers only lightly disturbed; in contrast, Tao Geming trampled across the field like a raging bull.


    Though she made to retreat, he was soon upon her. Her hand darted into one of her pouches and flung red dust into his eyes. Tao Geming took it in stride. Though his eyes watered and reddened, it hadn''t slowed him down. The man swung a heavy hand at her, and she was sent flying and tumbling underneath the tall flowers.


    "Mistress Ouyang!" Ling Ling screamed.


    He gave chase, and, making out her clothes on the ground, stomped at a limb. Under his foot he felt not flesh, but straw, and from within, green smoke erupted into his face. Tao Geming brushed it aside with his palm. He also felt a pang of pain on his sole. Lifting up his leg, he discovered that iron caltrops were hidden in the strawman. They pierced through his skin ever so slightly, failing to even draw blood, and he brushed them off.


    Tao Geming''s ears picked up the old woman running behind him, and he turned. To his surprise, she stopped, her head lowered. The arm he had struck was dangling at her side, bent at a sickening angle. She made a show of discarding her weapons and untying her pouches.


    "I concede." Lady Ouyang solemnly declared. "There is nothing I can do to you. It''s your win."


    Tao Geming snorted. "Do you see now?" He addressed the Golden Witch. She didn''t seem pleased at all.


    He began to walk towards the manor. "I''m not spending the night in the swamp. Accommodate me."


    "Little Ling, house the guest in a room in the eastern wing." Lady Ouyang promptly said.


    "But mistress...!" The girl mustered up a protest, but the woman pacified her with a glare.


    "Since it''s getting dark, the rest of you might as well stay too." Her suggestion shocked the three martial artists, but they didn''t refuse; even Cui Shen seemed disinclined to the idea no longer. As they were passing lady Ouyang by, she stopped the Golden Witch. "As for you... I''ll house you somewhere else, away from the men, in the room opposite to mine. Little Ling, lend your room to the guest."


    The disciple bowed, and carried out her master''s instructions.


    Bai Guo entered Cui Shen''s room to try and make sense of the day''s events. "How did he find us? How did master not notice him? What in the world was he talking about, and why did he do all that?"


    Cui Shen patiently endured his barrage of questions. "I don''t know. But all awfully convenient."


    Bai Guo was flabbergasted by his statement. "What do you mean, sir Shen?"


    "Your master received the benefits of my guidance and managed to conduct her test of skill in the usual fashion that she enjoys, all the while holding to her word on a technicality."


    The young man shook his head. "That''s impossible. We were all together the entire way here. When could they possibly have had a chance to collaborate like this without us knowing?"


    "She spent that entire night in Yiqin chasing Tao Geming alone. They could have colluded during that time. It explains how he eluded her senses on the way here - she simply ignored his presence."


    "I don''t think so." Bai Guo denied it without even thinking. As his thoughts ran, he began to justify his position. "Tao Geming is an expert in the arts of internal energy; he might have come up with a method for evading master''s senses. Maybe that''s how he got away from her that night. And using that same method, he could have trailed us here."


    "And I would have been inclined to agree with your theory had he used his advantage to harm your master instead of helping her."


    Bai Guo shook his head again. "Come on, sir Shen. You know what she''s like. This is not like her at all, she wouldn''t do this."


    "We don''t know what she''s like, boy. Don''t let your feelings cloud your judgment. If we look at things objectively, the fact is that we know next to nothing about her, not even her name."


    "We don''t know master''s background, but after spending so much time for her, I''d say we do have an estimation of her character. And this is just not how she goes about things."


    Cui Shen had nothing to say to that. While still not entirely convinced, he found it difficult to disagree.


    They both heard someone stomping down the hall. A door had been flung open. They perked up their ears and listened, though there was no need to strain, as the furious voice of the Golden Witch reverberated across the entire wing.


    "Explain yourself!"

 Chapter 3 - Lady Ouyang (IV)

    Tao Geming sat on his bed cross-legged, his eyes closed. He slowly opened them.


    "Be specific." He uttered harshly, as if he was the one being done a disservice here.


    "How did you find us?" She asked.


    "I followed you from Yiqin."


    The Golden Witch scoffed. "You, perhaps, take me for a fool. You were nowhere near us the entire time!"


    Tao Geming erupted into a laugh. "Standing atop a mountain, I can see every beast across the entire range. If you think I had to be anywhere near you to pursue, you really are a fool! I had an entire night to watch you flounder around like a fish, running from those Royal School morons. You thought I wouldn''t learn anything from that? I grasped the limits of your extraordinary sense as if it was my own!"


    He shifted in his seat, gripping his knees. "See, this is what I was talking about. You have brute strength, but you don''t have the slightest bit of cunning in you! The way you are now, the jianghu will chew you up and spit you out like a bitter root. You''ve been getting on well enough because nobody knows who you are, but see just how quickly your fortune can change when someone is prepared for you! If I had bad intentions, where would you three be now?"


    The Golden Witch wasn''t pleased at all to hear any of it. Her blonde locks shook as she half-turned to leave several times during his speech, but somehow forced herself to stay.


    "Why did you attack lady Ouyang?" She asked next.


    "Since you straddled yourself with an unnecessary promise like the fool you are, I had to do what you originally intended on your behalf."


    "I''m asking you why!" She erupted.


    Tao Geming suddenly hesitated.


    "I stated my desire quite clearly during our first meeting."


    "That stupid idea you got in your head? Something about reversing your age?" The Witch groaned. "You were mistaken! I can do no such thing."


    "There''s no point playing the fool now. You have something I need; I have something you need."


    The Golden Witch couldn''t help but laugh. "What could you possibly have that I need?"


    "Experience!" Tao Geming exclaimed. "I spent my entire life as part of the jianghu, and for over 40 years I wandered it by myself. I know every trick and every scheme. Instead of letting a kid and a dead man keep herding you into trouble, let me guide you!"


    "This is absurd. Get lost!"


    "You get lost!" Tao Geming lost his nerve. "This is my room!"


    The Golden Witch turned away indignantly and left. "If I catch you following us again, I''ll kill you!"


    She slammed the door on the way out.


    As she passed Cui Shen''s room, Bai Guo peered out. "Master..." He called out.


    She twirled around on her foot and barked, "What?!"


    When she found her disciple gaping wordlessly at her outburst, she tried again more gently. "What?"


    When still no response came, her patience quickly wore thin. "Just come with me." She said, walking away. Bai Guo followed.


    They stepped out of the manor and climbed the roof. They gazed at the field of flowers from above, though the beautiful view had been marred by Tao Geming''s rampage. They saw Ling Ling working to pluck out the ruined flowers and dig up the soil tainted by her master''s poison.


    "How''s Cui Shen?" The Golden Witch asked.


    "Well, he''s not very pleased about what happened with his master..." Bai Guo tried to summarize it diplomatically, but the woman was nevertheless downcast by his words. "Master, I have to ask, why didn''t you stop Tao Geming?"


    Her mouth in her knees, she muttered. "It''s as he said.Whether I like it or not, he did do me a favor. It was convenient. It''s why I haven''t killed him still. The truth is, even after all this time, I had no real plan coming here. Maybe I really am a fool."


    "If you get swayed by that man''s words, then you really are, master!" Bai Guo exclaimed. "He''s a vagabond who wastes his life wandering around alone, what advice could he possibly offer?"


    She sat there in silence.


    "Master... I understand why you might have felt apprehensive asking sir Shen about how to persuade his master to teach you the poison arts, but why didn''t you ask me? I assumed you had a plan already, so I didn''t ask about it. I''m sure we could have figured something out, even with just the two of us."


    As she remained quiet, Bai Guo grew a little indignant. "You know, master, as your disciple, it really bothers me that you don''t rely on me for anything. I may be lacking in martial arts, but I have other talents! Even if you don''t think I can help, bring the problem up to me anyway, and you might be surprised!"


    She turned her yellow eyes towards him. "Okay..."


    They were both silent for a time.


    "Also, if it makes you feel better, I don''t think sir Shen will stay angry for long..."


    The woman sighed. "I don''t imagine he''ll wish to travel with us anymore, though..."


    "I don''t think that was his plan to begin with, master. Maybe if his health was a bit better..."


    "That''s true, but I was thinking that we could perhaps find him a decent place to settle down before we must part."


    Bai Guo pondered her words. He had then been loudly interrupted by his grumbling stomach.


    "Tonight is going to be tough..." He whispered.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Well, I''m not planning to eat in a place like this, that''s for sure, so I''ll have to sleep hungry." Bai Guo explained. Though she hadn''t shared his woes, she smiled in understanding.


    Nevertheless, that evening, they had been invited to dinner, and Ling Ling pestered them until they agreed to attend.


    Bai Guo sat there, picking at his vegetable dish, unconvincingly pretending to eat. The Golden Witch hadn''t even bothered to pretend. Cui Shen and Tao Geming ate without reservations. The other four girls and the old nun had joined them as well, as well as the Five Venoms Devil and her young disciple. Not a single word had been uttered at the table.


    Ling Ling, sitting beside lady Ouyang, whispered something to her, glancing at the other master-disciple pair in confusion. The old woman''s quiet reply caused her to gasp.


    Ling Ling suddenly stood up and yelled at them, indignant. "You really think us so wretched, that we would stoop so low as to poison our own guests?!"


    Bai Guo, startled, nearly dropped the chopsticks that he had been pretending to use. Breaking out into a sweat, he hastily began to eat in earnest. The Golden Witch felt pressured into nibbling her meal as well, if only to prove her good will.


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    Contented, Ling Ling sat back down.


    Then, Tao Geming looked up from his plate and grumbled. "Why am I being subjected to a monk''s diet? Don''t you have any meat and wine?"


    Ling Ling meekly lowered her gaze and dared not say a word.


    Her master replied, "Go prepare the guest some frogs, little Ling. And give him some of that wine you made with the other girls."


    The girl stood up again. "Would any of the other guests like to have some, too?" She intently stared at Bai Guo.


    After some hesitation, the young man responded. "If it''s not too inconvenient..."


    The Golden Witch said, "I''ll try a frog."


    After the additional dishes had been served, they all finished them in gloomy silence, and then retired to their rooms.


    The next morning, as the Golden Witch was getting herself ready, Ling Ling came into her room.


    "Breakfast will be ready soon." She said. After the woman nodded at her in acknowledgment, the girl asked, "Would you like some help? I can brush your hair."


    "If you don''t mind." The Golden Witch replied. Ling Ling sat behind her and began to run her hands and brush through the woman''s long blonde locks.


    "I''ve never seen anyone with hair like yours." The girl mused. "Mistress Ouyang told me that people from very far away have light hair like you. Would you tell me which land you hail from, and what language do they speak there? I hope you don''t mind me asking, it''s just that the other girls keep pestering me about you, but I don''t know what to tell them..."


    As Ling Ling mumbled her excuses, the Golden Witch responded, "I''m not from very far away, and this is the only language I speak. I used to live near the lands of the Wuyi. I''ve never met anyone that looks like me. I don''t even share a resemblance with my parents..."


    "Could you tell me more? Who were your parents?"


    But the woman suddenly grew quiet. Ling Ling didn''t dare to prod any further and allowed the conversation to peter out by focusing on the work.


    At one point, the girl subtly brought the hair closer to her nose and took a quick whiff.


    But the Golden Witch had noticed. "...What are you doing?"


    Ling Ling glowed in embarrassment and hid from the mirror behind the woman''s frame. She stuttered out a reply. "Nothing! I was just a little curious. I thought since it looks different, maybe it might smell different, too... That''s all..."


    "Well, how was it?" The woman laughed.


    "It was good. I mean, there''s nothing wrong with it." She stammered. "It smells like hair."


    "Would you perhaps like to have a taste, too, to make sure there''s nothing wrong with it?" The Golden Witch joked.


    "No!"


    After that exchange, Ling Ling continued to brush until her shame had cooled.


    "What do you think?" She finally asked, glancing into the Witch''s mirror.


    The Golden Witch briefly took her own measure. "It looks good. Thank you."


    "Have you ever thought about tying it up? I could help and lend you some hairpins."


    "No, I like it better this way." She stood up. "And it''s more practical."


    Practical, how? Ling Ling wanted to ask, but as the woman''s tall figure suddenly rose and began to tower over her, she found herself overwhelmed. She scrambled to her feet, but still needed to crane her neck to look her in the eyes. Staring in wonder, she said, "You''re so tall. You must draw eyes everywhere you go."


    "That''s true." The Golden Witch sighed.


    "You don''t like that?"


    "There are times when I''d rather look like everybody else."


    Ling Ling nodded, though she could hardly understand her woes. "Breakfast will be ready soon. I''ll call on you."


    As the girl left, the Golden Witch reconvened with her two companions.


    Or at the very least, that had been her intention at first. She frowned before saying a word, and went to Tao Geming''s room.


    He greeted her with a shout. "Stop barging into my room uninvited, you hag!"


    "Why are you still here?" She shouted back.


    "What business is it of yours? I can stay as long as I like!"


    They glared at each other for a while.


    The Golden Witch suddenly asked, "Why have you still not expelled the poison from your body?"


    "I''ll do it when I damn well please! Now get out!"


    She slammed the door on him and stomped back over to Cui Shen and Bai Guo.


    "We can''t leave before he does. He''ll just follow us around again!" She complained.


    Cui Shen concurred. "I can''t leave while he''s still here, either. There''s no telling what he might do. It wouldn''t be right to abandon my master at a time like this."


    Realizing that he was speaking as if he had already excluded himself from their group, the Golden Witch and her disciple exchanged defeated glances.


    Bai Guo changed the subject. "Master, what was that about the poison in his body?"


    The Golden Witch replied. "It''s strange, but I could have sworn that he had already gotten rid of it yesterday. But today, I can feel its presence disrupting his internal energy again."


    Bai Guo paled. "Did they poison our food after all?"


    Cui Shen sternly rejected the thought. "Lady Ouyang isn''t just a run of the mill poisoner. She is also a martial artist of the jianghu, which means she has her principles. Even if she intended to kill us or Tao Geming, that''s not how she would go about it."


    The woman''s yellow brows curved. "I don''t really understand, but I''ll trust your judgment. That still leaves the matter of how the poison returned."


    "Master, I''m not entirely sure why you''re interested in this at all, to be quite honest. Even if the Five Venoms Devil found some other way to poison Tao Geming, as long as she''s not targeting us, what difference does it make to us now?"


    The Golden Witch pressed her sleeve against her chin. "It could be that he had been poisoned again without knowing, but it could also be that, perhaps..." She trailed off.


    Bai Guo''s hair stood on end as he recognized a peculiar glint in his master''s eye of vibrant yellow. It was that same fascinated glimmer that, in his experience, always heralded the approach of a brand new unsavory incident.


    But at that moment, Ling Ling summoned them for breakfast.

 Chapter 3 - Lady Ouyang (V)

    Their morning meal proceeded in dour silence. Tao Geming had refused to attend, and Ling Ling was not very persistent in her persuasions, mistakenly assuming that the man''s absence would have improved the mood.


    The mind of the Golden Witch seemed to be elsewhere. She stared off at nothing in particular, but her yellow eyes seemed almost anxious, so engrossed she was in her own thoughts.


    Lady Ouyang refused to even look at her guests, her disdain seeping right through her unflappable outer shell.


    Ling Ling reluctantly held her tongue, afraid of displeasing her master. Bai Guo, likewise, had no idea how to defuse the awkwardness. The eyes of the two disciples wandered about until they eventually met. Bai Guo showed an exasperated smile. Deriving some amusement from their mutual anguish, Ling Ling couldn''t stop herself from smirking as well. She briskly turned back towards her bowl.


    Their gathering soon dissolved to the relief of everyone involved.


    The Golden Witch wordlessly dragged her disciple away to a secluded section of the old mansion.


    "Bai Guo, I need you to do something for me tonight." She spoke in whispers.


    "Yes, master?" He asked in the same hushed tone.


    "Don''t sleep tonight. Keep a lookout. If you notice somebody moving between the rooms, tell me."


    "Very well... But may I ask why?"


    "I want to make sure that nobody is poisoning Tao Geming in secret."


    Bai Guo raised an eyebrow. "Should I be telling sir Shen about this?" He asked his question with a leading tone, already suspecting what the answer would be.


    The golden haired woman paused before replying somewhat uncertainly. "No."


    Bai Guo nodded. "Am I to take it that we''ll be staying here a while after all?" He sighed.


    "We can''t leave until Tao Geming is gone."


    "...And he might be disinclined to leave before figuring out who it is that keeps poisoning him and how." Bai Guo sighed again. "But, master, what exactly are we going to do if we figure it out before he does? If it''s sir Shen doing it, then obviously we can''t tell him, but if it''s the others..."


    "As long as we figure it out first, we''ll figure out what comes next." The Golden Witch carried herself with an air of severe determination.


    "Is there anything else I can do to help before night time, master?"


    She began to ponder his question. Bai Guo followed up. "Master, do you have any guesses about what''s happening to Tao Geming?"


    "I do have a theory... Well, just think about it. If you were trying to poison Tao Geming in secret, how would you go about it?"


    "Well, I''d poison his food... But I guess since sir Shen said it''s not an option, then... I have no idea..." Bai Guo scratched his head.


    "That''s right. Tao Geming isn''t just anybody. His senses are as sharp as mine even if he''s one short. So even when he''s asleep, do you really think you could catch him off-guard?"


    "But, master, just because the Five Venoms Devil isn''t the one poisoning his food, doesn''t mean someone else couldn''t have done it."


    The Golden Witch placed a finger on her chin. "But Ling Ling told us she was the only one being taught the poisoner arts."


    "But that still leaves at least two people with the skills to do so, namely sir Shen and Ling Ling herself. And there''s also that old nun who''s never spoken a word. There''s no telling what she can do."


    "No, she''s not a martial artist. Her internal energy is not cultivated at all." The Golden Witch asserted.


    "Even so, master, you don''t need any particular cultivation or even training to pour poison into someone''s drink or food. Even those little girls could have done it. It''s not like they would have to make the poison themselves."


    "That''s true..." She admitted almost begrudgingly. "But it looks like Tao Geming will be solving that mystery himself - he''s not taking their food anymore."


    "Then I guess there''s not much to do for us but wait and see..." Bai Guo shrugged. "Though I worry that he might do something drastic if he can''t figure it out fast enough. He could hurt them, or worse. In fact, I''m surprised he hasn''t started doing so already. Hard to imagine patience is one of his strong points."


    "If you had said all the things he said, like how poison doesn''t matter to you at all and anyone using it is a weakling, would you really so readily eat your words and admit that you were wrong by acting out?"


    Bai Guo was momentarily stumped by her logic. Yet she spoke as if it was the most natural thing in the world, to risk one''s life over such a petty reason. Moreover, it appeared that her question wasn''t rhetorical. She awaited his answer.


    The young man smiled awkwardly. "Though you sometimes act otherwise, you''re pretty well versed in the ways of the jianghu, master..."


    It was the Golden Witch''s turn to be confused. "Thanks." She said uncertainly.


    "So what was your theory, master?"


    The Golden Witch brushed her sleeve and looked away. "I don''t wish to share it now. You''re right, we should gather more information first."


    Impatience pricked the disciple''s heart like a needle.


    As she began to walk away, she told him, "Just take it easy until tonight. I need to take a look around."


    Left to his own devices, Bai Guo struggled to come up with a plan of productive action.


    He wandered outside, and found Ling Ling working in the flower fields. His offer to help was met with cries of alarm, her voice muffled by a cloth covering her mouth and nose.


    "Please don''t step any closer!" The girl exclaimed, and, with both of her hands clad in thick mittens, gestured at him to stop. "It''s dangerous!"


    "It''s because of the poison, right?" Bai Guo guessed. "I had to deal with something similar when I was looking for your junior martial brother, you know..."


    Ling Ling was immediately intrigued, but still concerned.


    Bai Guo continued. "Do you have any spares of those gloves you''re wearing? I can''t just eat your meals for free without putting in some work. Let me help."


    The girl soon relented and equipped him at a nearby shed.


    As they worked at removing the destroyed flowers and digging up the tainted soil, Bai Guo told the story of his meeting with Cui Shen.


    Ling Ling''s eyes welled up with tears as she listened to his tale. Kneeling in the grass, she paused her work and brushed her face with her sleeve. The girl''s reddened eyes were filled with fury.


    "I''m glad you helped him kill that villain." Her expression then softened. "And I''m grateful you brought him back here."


    "It''s my master you should be thanking, really." Bai Guo said as he helped her up to her feet. "How about we take a little break?"


    "It''s about time for me to go cook anyway..." She muttered.


    "Let me help you with that, too." Bai Guo offered.


    "You''ve already done so much! I can''t let you do that." Ling Ling protested. They took off their gloves and face wrappings and dumped them in a nearby basket. "And besides, I heard men are no good in the kitchen, so you don''t need to force yourself..."


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    Bai Guo seemed hurt by her words. "Who told you that?"


    Ling Ling, surprised by his reaction, found herself at a loss for words.


    "I''ll have you know," Bai Guo huffed up his chest. "Back at my uncle''s inn, I used to help out in the kitchen all the time, and we''ve never received a single complaint from the customers when I was working!"


    "Really?" Ling Ling remained doubtful. "Well, I don''t know... I just don''t think mistress Ouyang would be happy to find you in our kitchen..."


    Bai Guo sighed. "I guess that''s true."


    "But we could... That is to say, after the meal, there''s still work to be done here, so..." She trailed off.


    "Well, I''ve got nothing better to do. I''ll help."


    Ling Ling nodded and left so quickly she practically ran away.


    Tao Geming had missed that meal, as well as the meal after that. The Golden Witch visited the eastern wing and sensed him sitting in his room, the poison once again absent from his body.


    After they had all retired for the night, the woman lied in her bed, her yellow eyes open wide. While the guests were quite far out of the way, the mansion''s other residents were all close enough for her to perceive with her extraordinary sense. Though the Golden Witch perceived no movement from any of them the night before, because she was fast asleep, she was riddled with doubt over the validity of her findings.


    Feeling restless, she stood up. Moments after she had done so, the old lady Ouyang sprung up from her bed as well and silently strode over to her closed door. She pressed her head against it.


    Their rooms were directly opposite each other. The Golden Witch had been intending to leave, but suddenly found herself at a loss. Her room had no windows; there was no other way out.


    No matter how long the Golden Witch had waited, lady Ouyang remained where she was. The woman sat back down onto her bed. Shortly after she had done so, the mistress of the house had finally relented and slowly returned to her own bed.


    The Golden Witch was about to try again, but a thought had suddenly crossed her mind. "If she has some way of knowing when I''ve gotten off this bed, then if I start experimenting with it, she might realize that I can tell when she''s getting up as well. It''s bad enough that Tao Geming knows about my special sense; I don''t want her to figure it out too."


    Her next thought was to put something heavy on the bed, but the room had only a small table for furniture. With a sigh, the Golden Witch accepted her fate and laid her head on the pillow.


    "This was originally Ling Ling''s room, wasn''t it...?" She wondered.


    As she kept vigil, she also considered her next actions. A few loose ideas began to take shape.


    The next morning, master and disciple reconvened in Bai Guo''s room. Both of them had heavy eyelids.


    "Tao Geming changed rooms before going to sleep. Nothing else happened." The tired Bai Guo''s report was brief.


    "Good work." She replied, stepping out into the hall.


    Bai Guo tried to point out the room for her, but she already knew which one it was.


    The Golden Witch stopped before the door, her hand grazing the handle and bouncing right off as if she had grabbed something hot. With a reluctant sigh, she knocked.


    "Get lost!" Was the reply from within.


    Her pool of courtesies dried up right away. She swung the door open with a frown. Tao Geming was sitting on an unclothed bed, a potted plant on the floor.


    "It''s back again, isn''t it?" She asked, but the smugness in her tone betrayed her certainty.


    "It''s back again. The yellow feathered harpy, that is." He spat.


    Her frown deepened. "What are you going to do next, Tao Geming? It''s obvious that the five venoms are more than you bargained for."


    The man only scowled at her.


    "It''s not the food." The Golden Witch glanced at the leafed stalk beneath his feet, which hadn''t wilted like the many flowers outside. "It''s not the air. And I''ll just tell you right now, it''s not any of the people, either. Shall I lend you a hand?"


    "I don''t need your help." He hissed through gritted teeth.


    She glared at him with disdain. "Is that so? Well, you should have thought about that before you stuck your nose where it wasn''t needed. Now I''m simply returning the favor!"


    Tao Geming scoffed. "All poison is the same. I can unravel this stupid little trick on my own, using nothing but my internal energy, just like I''ve done a hundred times before! Just wait and see!"


    "Then keep at it for as long as you want!" She exclaimed, turning away. "But come to breakfast. No point starving yourself anymore, is there?"


    Tao Geming fumed in silence as he watched the Golden Witch leave.


    When the time had come for the morning meal, she was the last to arrive.


    "Lady Ouyang." The Golden Witch addressed the lady of the house. "I''d like to issue you a challenge."


    Most of the people present gawked at her. The old woman raised her eyes without much interest.


    The Golden Witch declared, "I will cure Tao Geming of your poison. And if I succeed, you''ll teach me everything you know."


    Something resembling amusement sparked in lady Ouyang''s eyes. "Our esteemed guest has gotten poisoned again? My, my..."


    Her voice was thoroughly sardonic. As she looked at the livid martial artist in question, she continued. "But there should be no issue, right? He is invincible, after all."


    Tao Geming slammed the table, giving most of the crowd a jolt. He glared at the old woman, but spoke to the one behind him. "You yellow eyed jester! You''ve made a mockery not only of yourself, but of me as well! What nonsense are you spouting? When did you become an expert on poisons?"


    Lady Ouyang cast down her eyes. "As laughable as this challenge may be, I can''t turn it down so easily. I''ll accept with one condition. It''s quite simple. Should you fail, you will ingest whatever I will tell you to ingest. Are you still willing?"


    Bai Guo paled as he heard her terms. Ling Ling stared in shock, her mouth covered with her hands.


    "Certainly." The Golden Witch replied without hesitation. "I won''t need more than a year to get this done."


    At those words, lady Ouyang could not contain herself any longer. Her face contorted into a grin so vicious that for a moment she resembled a snarling hyena.


    "There''s no need to fuss over a time limit, girl." The old woman chuckled. "I would only like to suggest that you aim for the miracle cure within the next two months, give or take. Or you just might find yourself having lost through no fault of your own."


    Not oblivious to the provocation in her words, Tao Geming clenched his fists, forcing a smirk of his own. "Well said! You just might lose by default, Yellow Fox, because I''ll be rid of this crap without your help. And don''t expect me to lie on your behalf! The credit will be mine alone."


    The gazes of the two elders had met again. This time, it was Tao Geming who looked away first. He began to shovel the contents of his bowl into his mouth with sudden alacrity. With his meal finished in mere moments, he walked away.

 Chapter 3 - Lady Ouyang (VI)

    The Golden Witch had finally taken her seat. Her two compatriots looked like they had things to say, and strained greatly to hold their tongues.


    The two people involved seemed to be the only ones left with an appetite. They ate in silence, not even so much as sparing each other a glance.


    When they parted, the three hadn''t managed to so much as wait until they reached the guest rooms.


    Cui Shen sounded utterly exasperated. "You''ve truly outdone yourself this time."


    It was all Bai Guo could do to stop himself from voicing his agreement.


    "Master must have a plan." He said instead, and had even managed to muster up some conviction. They stopped near their rooms.


    The Golden Witch turned to face them. "Cui Shen, I need you to teach me about poisons."


    Cui Shen closed his eyes in frustration. "Weren''t you listening to me? I was never tutored in poisons. I only know a single formula. My knowledge of the poison arts is nothing but the scraps I could surmise from just that."


    The Golden Witch seemed undeterred. "But it isn''t just any poison. You said it was based on one of the Devil''s five venoms. For this particular case, it''s hard to think of a better foundation."


    As Cui Shen pondered her words, he opened his eyes. He seemed to be slowly coming around to the idea. "If you''re hoping for the formula to include an antidote, then you''d be disappointed."


    "I figured... However, there''s time for me to create one. The more I figure out, the easier it will get."


    Cui Shen sighed. "There is one thing you''ve forgotten to consider. Lady Ouyang is my master. To help you like this would be tantamount to betrayal."


    The hallway grew silent. Neither Bai Guo nor the Golden Witch had anything to say. Though their time as master and disciple was relatively brief, they understood the dilemma he was facing.


    Lady Ouyang''s voice emerged from around the corner. "What nonsense are you saying? You''re no disciple of mine. And I tire of repeating myself."


    Among the three, only the Golden Witch was unsurprised to hear the old woman''s voice.


    She stepped into sight, impassive as ever. "You dog, you must think me quite the fool. You really thought I would teach you anything that might compromise my secrets? Stop fluffing up what''s little left of your pride by making a show of clinging to bonds we do not even share. It makes me sick to my core to have a sniveling little worm like you dredge up my name to pat himself on the back with his delusional fantasies."


    Cui Shen couldn''t even look her in the eyes.


    "Teach her." Lady Ouyang said. "Go ahead and teach her everything you know. She won''t learn anything useful from you. The only joy you can ever bring me is by stripping away any excuses this woman might have for her inevitable loss."


    "Then there''s no issue." Cui Shen forced out through his teeth.


    Bai Guo wished to say something, anything, in Cui Shen''s defense, but he was cowered by lady Ouyang''s boundless confidence. Just when a ray of hope had seemingly presented itself, it had been snatched away.


    The young man glanced at his master, and found her staring back at him.


    "Master..." He began, but couldn''t go through with the question on his lips.


    "I don''t have another plan." She declared. That both answered the disciple''s unspoken concerns and filled him with dread.


    But suddenly, a smile began to stretch across the lips of his golden haired master. Though she had very clearly tried to hold it back, it seeped out like water through a cracked dam.


    In that moment, he felt like there was a lot of meaning in those yellow eyes of hers, but he couldn''t understand what she was trying to communicate. For a moment Bai Guo was reminded of a kid getting caught in an obvious lie, but he had no idea what to make of his association.


    Lady Ouyang never got to see the Witch''s strange smile. She turned around to face the old woman with steely conviction.


    "I think you are bluffing." The Golden Witch accused. "Cui Shen, let''s go."


    "Master, do you need me for anything?" Bai Guo anxiously asked.


    "No." His master replied. "Go find something to do."


    The two of them left, and lady Ouyang followed them.


    "Will you be following me around from now on?" The Golden Witch asked without turning her head.


    "I must make sure you don''t cheat." The old woman said.


    "We haven''t worked out the rules in much detail yet, have we?"


    "When you first arrived, you swore you wouldn''t harm me." Lady Ouyang reminded her. "So then that shall be our only rule. But of course, if you attempt to go after any of my girls, I''ll leave you with no choice but to break that rule."


    The Golden Witch shook her head. "Oath or no oath, it''s not in my interest to get on your bad side, madam Ouyang. Think of this challenge as a way for me to demonstrate my qualifications to be your disciple."


    "I could hardly imagine a person that could be less qualified than you."


    "I may not know much about poisons now, but I''ll catch up in no time."


    Lady Ouyang scoffed. "Your knowledge of the poison arts should be the least of your concerns."


    The Golden Witch turned her head. "Meaning what exactly?"


    "A disciple isn''t chosen by her skills." Lady Ouyang explained. "The only thing that matters is her character. And just from the way you act and the company you keep, you could not possibly be further from a desirable candidate."


    The younger woman frowned. "Tao Geming forced his presence on me, just like he has done to you."


    "Don''t try to feed me this nonsense. Our circumstances are nothing alike." Lady Ouyang sneered. "My life and the life of my girls are up to his whim. He stays his hand solely because I found a way to exploit his pride. You think that''s the same as being the subject of his fancy?"


    After a snort, she continued. "I don''t care to exclude him from my evaluation of your character. Your group encompasses every last loathsome facet that made me withdraw myself from the jianghu. The lowly, the crude, the cowardly, the imbecilic. Birds of a feather flock together; how true those words ring now."


    Her anger mounting, the Golden Witch faced forward. They walked in tense silence until they emerged outside.


    "Well then..." Cui Shen sighed. He looked completely out of his element. "I suppose first of all I should demonstrate how to create the Body Dissolving Incense. I''ll show you which ingredients are required, how to combine them, and how to use the poison."


    "I''m in your hands." The Golden Witch said.


    The three of them dashed off into the swamp.


    As Bai Guo watched them leave, he rued his circumstances once more. "Again master took matters into her own hands without consulting me at all. She has no faith in me. But maybe she''s right. After all, what am I supposed to do here? Even if she asked, what help could I offer?"


    His eyes wandered the flower field and caught glimpse of a girl in the distance. Ling Ling was waving at him with a smile.


    Hoping to clear the clouds over his head with the tedium of labor, Bai Guo approached, and the two disciples pressed on with their task.


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.As he worked, Bai Guo couldn''t help but notice that Ling Ling seemed less restrained than before. She spoke more and laughed more.


    "Must be because her master is gone." The young man silently figured. But while the young woman seemed to find some relief in her master''s absence, Bai Guo felt anxious over the absence of his. The routine helped little to dull his rambunctious thoughts.


    Nevertheless, he entertained the girl with stories of his work at the inn, even as all he could think about was his master''s strange expression before she left. Just how was he supposed to interpret that? "Master usually means what she says, so should I take that at face value, too? She really doesn''t have a plan again?" He pondered.


    Ling Ling took to his stories with surprising amounts of scrutiny. "You must be exaggerating! The way you talk, it''s almost like there''s a hundred people coming to your inn every day."


    The distracted Bai Guo needed a moment to understand the source of her confusion. "A hundred is just what fits in the inn at a time, and that''s just the first floor. We serve more than a hundred customers per day, far more."


    Ling Ling stared at him wide eyed. "You''re not lying?"


    "If we only served a hundred people a day, we''d be out of business in no time."


    Ling Ling shook her head, still in disbelief. "If this is all true, I should be calling you ''young master'', I think..."


    Bai Guo''s smile was filled with pity. "It''s really nothing special. Have you really never been to a big city?"


    "Mistress Ouyang sometimes brings me along to the nearby villages when she has something to do there..." Ling Ling said. "But I''ve never seen more than maybe twenty people in the same place at once. A hundred people all crammed together in a little house... It''s hard to even imagine. The smell alone must be overwhelming..."


    "Well, sure, the city air isn''t as clear as in the countryside, and the streets are always packed with people. But there are so many things to do, to eat, to see! You''d have to try real hard to get bored." Bai Guo chuckled a bit. "The city life is so addicting that even my master ended up squandering all her riches after I taught her how to enjoy the city life."


    Ling Ling gasped. "Really? Even someone like her?"


    Bai Guo scratched his head. "Well, she treats money like water, so it was only a matter of time with or without me..."


    The young girl looked back at the mansion, her eyes filled with regret.


    "I don''t know..." She began to mutter uncertainly. "There''s too many people there... I don''t think I would like it... It just sounds too dangerous... And mistress Ouyang would never let me go..."


    As Bai Guo listened to her mumble, something of an idea had finally crossed his mind. He shrugged. "Yeah, she definitely wouldn''t. "


    Ling Ling seemed crushed by his words. They worked in silence for a while.


    The girl eventually spoke up again. "What is it like, traveling with your master?"


    For a time, Bai Guo pondered how to answer her question. His face began to slowly contort into a grin. "She can be a real slave driver sometimes. She just can''t sit still. We''re lucky to spend more than a day in the same place. And she walks so fast, I''m always tired. And she always gets into trouble. You wouldn''t even believe some of the stories I have..."


    The young man''s grin was infectious; Ling Ling pursed her lips to hide her smirk. "Even though you''re grumbling, you''re smiling so much."


    Bai Guo began to turn red. Though he tried to shelf his grin, his face wouldn''t listen.


    Ling Ling chuckled. "I''ve heard of speaking ill behind someone''s back, but I don''t think that saying was meant for such roundabout praise."


    "Who''s praising her?" Bai Guo protested. "I''m trying to vent a little while she''s gone!"


    They both wandered over to a basket to dump some dead flowers. They stalled at that spot, suddenly unwilling to part. Bai Guo sat down. Ling Ling kneeled next to him in the grass.


    "I don''t know if you''ve noticed," Ling Ling said. "But when you''re talking about your master, it''s like you''re glowing. I think it''s wonderful. I''m so..."


    The girl trailed off, nervously tugging at her sleeves. "...I wish I could be as filial as you." She concluded.


    Bai Guo sighed. "It has nothing to do with you. Our masters are just very different people. I mean, sir Shen told us about..."


    Now it was Bai Guo who had abruptly left her hanging. Ling Ling glanced at him impatiently, her curiosity almost overflowing.


    The young man turned up his head. "Ah, forgive my loose lips, it''s nothing. Sorry, let''s get back to work."


    He tried to stand up, but Ling Ling suddenly grasped his sleeve.


    "Please tell me." She pleaded.


    Bai Guo found himself at a loss. He hadn''t expected her to be so insistent.


    "Sir Shen told us about how lady Ouyang finds her disciples - by stealing them away from their households."


    "That''s not true!" Ling Ling exclaimed, but she seemed surprised by the lack of strength in her own voice.


    "You mean that hasn''t happened to you?" Bai Guo asked.


    The young woman quivered. "Mistress Ouyang told me my parents didn''t want me, that they gave me away..."


    "So you don''t remember your parents?"


    "I''ve lived here since I was little. I don''t remember my life before this place..."


    Bai Guo shook his head. "Well, I don''t know. Sir Shen told us that your senior martial sister was one of those who were kidnapped as a child."


    "I''ve never met her... She left before I was born. I''ve only found out about her at all because of junior martial brother''s return." Ling Ling gripped her shaking hands. "But... even so, the girls here, none of them were kidnapped. Their village got destroyed, and they wandered into the bog by accident. One of them ended up getting bitten by a snake, and mistress Ouyang saved her and took them in. And elder Lai has been here before I was even born. I just don''t think she''s anything like you say..."


    The young man sighed. "See, this is why I didn''t want to talk. If these rumors get to lady Ouyang, knowing her temper, there''ll be hell to pay for all of us."


    Ling Ling gasped. She seemed terrified by the idea. "I won''t tell her! But you''re right, we should maybe stop talking about this... I don''t hold it against you..."


    She turned left and right, warily glancing all around. She was greatly relieved to find nobody peering in on them.


    "Fine by me!" He said, standing up. He grabbed her shuddering little hands and helped her up as well.


    Her eyes widened when Bai Guo grabbed her. Ling Ling''s mind raced for a coherent thought as they held hands.


    "It''s about time for me to go cook." She stammered as they separated.


    "Too bad I can''t help with that."


    "I don''t think they''ll be coming back for lunch." Ling Ling began, immediately overcome with something that resembled regret. But it was too late to take back her words; she kept going. "It takes a long time to assemble the ingredients for junior martial brother''s poison. They might be busy until late."


    "Well then... I''ll take the risk." Bai Guo declared.


    Ling Ling led the way back to the mansion, blood rushing to her face as soon as she turned away.

 Chapter 3 - Lady Ouyang (VII)

    The Golden Witch and Cui Shen swiftly made their way through the humid swamp. Lady Ouyang trailed them like a shadow. Most of the time she stayed far behind, but on some occasions she would speed around them at a wide berth to stay ahead for a while, only to then circle back to her original position.


    Cui Shen was keeping his eyes peeled for the herbs they needed and safeguarded them both from the countless poisonous threats lurking in the bog. Keeping track of the old woman''s movements was a tall order even to someone undistracted, so he remained oblivious to her activities.


    Only the Golden Witch was aware of her bizarre movements, and yet she showed no signs of awareness, paranoid that it could reveal her special ability.


    Cui Shen frowned, yet again sharply changing course. "Things have changed considerably since I''ve been here last. The beasts have made a mess of my usual gathering spots."


    The woman rolled her eyes in frustration. It was not because of what Cui Shen had said, but because she knew that the one responsible for his confusion was no beast at all, and her inability to do anything about the trickery at hand irritated her greatly.


    By noon, they had not gathered even half the ingredients they required.


    Cui Shen suddenly stopped. "There it is." He nodded at a patch of grass.


    The Golden Witch approached with a sickle in hand. "Do I cut it like this?" She asked, demonstratively brushing the tool against the plant.


    "No, that part needs to remain whole. You should cut from here, like this." Cui Shen guided.


    Lady Ouyang, meanwhile, had neared and sat down by a tree to watch them work.


    Cui Shen''s dark eyes darted along the grass patch; despite the painfully stale swamp air, the plants were shifting. He spotted a bright red toad lurking beneath the vegetation.


    "Get back!" He exclaimed with sudden urgency, not only leaping to his feet, but dragging the golden haired woman along with him. The toad croaked, spewing a clear liquid from its mouth. It traveled almost two full meters, and would have hit one of them had they tarried for a moment more.


    More croaking erupted throughout the patch of grass, revealing that the toad was not alone.


    "Bad luck." Cui Shen sighed. "Looks like, while I was gone, they made themselves a nest here."


    The Golden Witch glanced back suspiciously at the old woman observing them. Though she had been intending to remain seemingly oblivious to the antics of their spectator, a sarcastic remark slipped past her lips before she knew it. "Bad luck, huh..."


    Lady Ouyang''s wrinkled face remained impassive, but a peculiar glint in her eyes granted her stony features the illusion of a smile.


    "Disturbing the grass alerts the snake, as they say." The old woman smugly quoted a saying.


    The younger woman pried her golden eyes away before she gave in to the temptation to respond in kind.


    "We need to find another place." Cui Shen said.


    "Let''s just get some rocks and kill those frogs." The Golden Witch suggested.


    "Their secretions must have already tainted the plants. We have to move on."


    The Golden Witch frowned so deeply that it very nearly turned into a pout. "You told me this has never taken you longer than a day. It''s already past noon and we''ve only gathered 2 of the 8 herbs we need."


    "We''ve been unlucky every step of the way. In all likelihood we''re not getting this done today."


    Her long white sleeves flickered as she waved her hands in frustration.


    "Keep it together." Cui Shen sternly said. In contrast to the golden haired girl, he was the very picture of patience. "You won''t amount to much of a poisoner if you lose your temper over every hurdle."


    But his words seemed to only make her angrier. Nevertheless, she broiled in silence. Cui Shen began to lead the way again.


    By the time the sun had begun to set, they gathered only 5 out of 8 herbs.


    "We''ll have to come back tomorrow." Cui Shen said.


    "I can still keep going." The Golden Witch insisted.


    "Just how do you intend to navigate this place in the dark?" He asked. She looked like she was about to reply, but a glance at the old lady caused her to still her tongue.


    Her unwillingness almost palpable, she allowed Cui Shen to lead her back to the Ouyang estate.


    By the time they arrived, it was completely dark. Ling Ling, lantern in hand, greeted them with a deep bow. She treated them all to a late dinner, and the three wordlessly retired for the night. Bai Guo was already fast asleep by the time they arrived, overwhelmed by his restless vigil the night before.


    At first light the next morning, they set off again. The remaining ingredients had finally been obtained by the time the sun had reached its zenith. Cui Shen produced a foldable, miniature wooden table, a mortar and pestle, and a variety of flasks and pouches.


    "Watch carefully. Here''s how you make the Body Dissolving Incense." Cui Shen then began the process. Some of the herbs he reduced to fine powder; others he boiled or distilled, and some he turned into a paste. Though the plants were few, the process had turned out to be rather complex.


    Her golden eyes observed with the utmost focus. She seldom even blinked. She hadn''t uttered a word throughout the entire process, and although Cui Shen tried to be as thorough as possible with his explanations, her silence left him with the sneaking suspicion that she hadn''t understood much of anything.


    A few hours later, his efforts resulted in just a pinch of nondescript white powder. "When exposed to high temperatures, the resulting vapors produce no trace, and are immediately fatal. However, it will just burn up in an open flame, so don''t expose it directly. You''ll understand why I won''t be giving a demonstration."


    "That''s it?" Was the first question from the woman''s mouth.


    Cui Shen nodded. "You can produce as much as you need if you have the ingredients, but the ratios are exact, so keep that in mind."


    "I have to ask, how exactly did you use this stuff in combat?" She asked. "It seems impractical to warm it up during a fight. And besides, where did you store it?"


    "True, it would be impractical." Cui Shen closed his eyes as he explained. "You may recall the bell that once used to be chained to the hilt of my sword. That was, in fact, where I had kept the incense. During battle, I used my internal energy to channel the heat generated by sword clashes into the burner. This way I could make sure that the poison would begin its work only when I needed it without distracting myself during a battle."


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "That''s quite well thought out." The Golden Witch couldn''t help but admire. "I have only one more question - how do you survive exposure to it?"


    "In medicine, it has been observed that consistent overuse lessens the effects of medicinal drugs. Fundamentally, poison and medicine are two sides of the same coin. Therefore, lady Ouyang had theorized that constant exposure to a particular poison may likewise reduce its effects. She used my body to prove her hypothesis. Long term exposure to a diluted variant of the Body Dissolving Incense has, for the most part, immunized me to its effects."


    "But in the end, that was still poison running through your body..." She muttered, her yellow eyes downcast.


    "Yes. Needless to say, it is not without adverse effects." Cui Shen concluded.


    After a pause, the Golden Witch asked, "Is there anything else?"


    Cui Shen scooped up the end product into a small pouch. "Next, I would like you to try making it yourself."


    "There''s no need. I''ve memorized the process." She stated with relentless confidence.


    Her words dumbfounded not just Cui Shen, but the old woman observing their work.


    "...We need to make sure of that." He tried to explain.


    "Is there nothing else you can teach me?" The Golden Witch continued, her impatience growing.


    Cui Shen frowned ever so slightly. "There''s no point in beginning the next step until you''ve solidified your knowledge here."


    A brief chuckle erupted behind them. They found lady Ouyang wearing a small, crooked smirk.


    "Though this incense was designed to be so simple that even this simpleton could create it," The old woman mocked. "If the poisoner''s arts were as easy as you seem to believe, it wouldn''t be something worth calling an ''art'' at all. You frog in a well, you speak far more boldly than I can permit. How about we put your confidence to the test? Are you willing to make another bet?"


    As the golden eyes glared at her, lady Ouyang continued. "If you can recreate the Body Dissolving Incense by dusk tomorrow, I will give you a hint for producing the antidote to my Five Venoms. If you fail, then you will imbibe a single poison of my choosing."


    Cui Shen saw the woman was about to speak and rushed to intervene. "Don''t let her provoke you. You might have gotten used to picking up martial arts with ease, but this is a completely different skillset. It was not so long ago that you couldn''t even tell berries apart."


    The mention of berries made her turn red up to the very ears.


    But shame hadn''t had the effect Cui Shen desired.


    "I accept." The Golden Witch proclaimed.


    "And of course, that roach over there can''t assist you." Lady Ouyang clarified.


    "Of course." She brushed a hand through her blonde hair. "Cui Shen, you stay here. I''ll be needing your alchemical set very soon."


    Cui Shen watched her go, confusion on his face.


    Lady Ouyang stood up. As the Golden Witch made to pass her by, the tall woman made a derisive remark. "Perhaps you should remain here too, madam Ouyang. It would be inconvenient for me to wait for you."


    Her grey brows had barely had time enough to furrow before the Golden Witch had taken off like a yellow bolt of lightning. The old woman''s eyes widened and she hurried to pursue. But it was to little avail - she could only catch a distant glimpse of the Witch''s white robe billowing behind the golden woman like a cape, and soon lost sight of her altogether.


    Lady Ouyang''s only saving grace was that she knew where her challenger was headed. But whenever she arrived at the places that Cui Shen had brought them to before, she would find the patches of grass already harvested beyond what they had been previously, or the golden haired woman rushed in the moment she arrived. The strangeness of it all left her mystified and agitated.


    If she were to take what she was witnessing at face value, then her guest''s speed was simply absurd. But then again, so it appeared to be. Though she had been tempted to believe in some sort of ploy, a trick, reality seemed grim and straightforward.


    But unbeknownst to her, the Golden Witch had in fact deceived her. To prevent the old woman from sabotaging her harvest, she had never strayed too far and stalked her just out of her sight with her supernatural sense, arriving wherever lady Ouyang had been intending to go.


    At the eighth herb, lady Ouyang had once again arrived second.


    The Golden Witch walked past her. She very theatrically rolled her yellow eyes.


    "Well, what did I say? Now I''ll have to wait." She lamented sarcastically before dashing off once more.


    Lady Ouyang hadn''t budged from her spot. Her face was unflinching, but a furious storm raged in her green eyes. As some bitterness had finally slipped past her mask of stone, she turned around and continued the forlorn chase.


    They had soon reunited by Cui Shen''s arranged alchemical set. The Golden Witch had been waiting with her long arms crossed.


    The blonde woman kneeled before the tiny table and set to work. The sun had set during the process, and she was forced to finish the task in almost complete darkness, with only the miniature flame she used for heating shedding a very dim light on her workplace.


    Another pinch of white powder had soon been produced.


    "Well? Shall we test it out?" The Golden Witch asked, bringing the flame dangerously close.


    "There''s no need." Lady Ouyang approached, dabbed her finger into the powder, and brought it to her tongue. She brushed off the specks that remained on her digit, and hissed through gritted teeth. "It''s correct."


    The Golden Witch stood up. "Perhaps you weren''t aware, lady Ouyang, but I can replicate a martial art just by seeing it once. It doesn''t matter to me if it''s demonstrated in person, illustrated on a wall, or written about in a book. Did you really think some flasks and grasses would give me pause? I think the two of you need to start taking this more seriously."


    Even Cui Shen hadn''t managed to escape the venting of her ire. He offered a rare smile. But it quickly faded as he glanced at the unmoving, kneeling figure of his master.


    The old woman grimly broke her silence. "The poison that Cui Shen''s Body Dissolving Incense had been derived from consists of 54 ingredients."


    The Golden Witch seemed rather satisfied with the hint. "So it is based on the same formula. And an exact number of ingredients narrows it down quite a bit..."


    And although she hadn''t said it, she found the number to be rather daunting. And if the title of the Five Venoms Devil held true, it was only one of five parts.


    The challenge was just beginning.

 Chapter 3 - Lady Ouyang (VIII)

    The next day, they were once again back at the bog.


    "The Body Dissolving Incense was made to be not only simple, but versatile." Cui Shen explained. "The ability to be assembled in any which environment and on the move was a vital part of its design. There are countless possible substitutions for the eight core ingredients. I will try to teach you about every single one that I know of, and how they affect the ratios during the creation process. My knowledge on the subject is by no means exhaustive. After I''ve taught you everything I know, you will have to pursue the art on your own."


    From dawn to dusk they wandered the swamp, sifting through plants and venomous critters.


    Well over a month had passed, and the three were spending less and less time at the house. Bai Guo found his master to be growing increasingly more tense; he guessed that she hadn''t been making progress as quickly as she had hoped.


    As the days dragged on, Bai Guo and Ling Ling became nearly inseparable. Every chance they had to work on something together, they took. Progress on the flower field had gradually dwindled to nothing, as the two were too engrossed in each other to pay any heed to productivity.


    But neither of them was oblivious to the way they looked, and whenever they sensed prying eyes, they attempted to act with the harmless cordiality that proper decorum demanded of them.


    And yet Bai Guo could tell that their efforts were unconvincing. And even Ling Ling began to realize her folly when the old nun brought the four younger girls to help them in their task. A short and stern-looking woman, she communicated entirely in gestures.


    "Sister Lai..." Ling Ling first bowed respectfully. "The girls shouldn''t be here, it''s too dangerous. Mistress Ouyang''s poison seeped into the soil, there''s no telling what might happen."


    But the old woman stubbornly shook her head again and again. The young disciple was forced to relent. Now, surrounded by people for most of the day, their private time became scarce and fleeting. Their only relief was that the others had daily duties of their own. Much to the old buddhist nun''s chagrin, she could not maintain the constant watch she very clearly desired.


    But it only served to make what little time they could scavenge to themselves that much more precious.


    One day, when the two coincidentally found themselves a private moment in the kitchen, Ling Ling took the opportunity to grumble as she was cutting a cabbage.


    "I wish mistress Ouyang would just agree to teach your master the arts. All of us learning together, it would have been wonderful. I''d love to have a martial sister like her."


    Bai Guo sighed heavily. Ling Ling sensed that he wasn''t merely responding to her words, and set her knife down to come closer. "What''s wrong?"


    "It''s all my fault." He declared. "It''s because of me that she''s risking her life for lady Ouyang''s secrets!"


    "How do you mean, young master?" Ling Ling sheepishly ran her fingers across his sleeve in an attempt to console him. She had indeed begun to address Bai Guo as young master, but only when they were in private. It had turned into a term of endearment.


    "She is a peerless expert. Mastering a martial art for her is as easy as taking a breath. But me, I''ve got no talent for it." Bai Guo shook his head. "There isn''t much she can teach me, and I''m slow even at what little is left for me. All her efforts are in vain. But I know her well enough by now to know that she''s too stubborn to give up on anything, even on a wretch like me. She must have figured that the poisoner arts would suit someone like me better, so she came here. She''s probably right, but even so... "


    Bai Guo sighed again. "I mean, just think about it - with her martial arts as sublime as they are, even if she stands to benefit from your master''s teachings, surely she wouldn''t so senselessly risk her life for them like this? If you had a mountain of gold, would you gamble with your life for a few more coins? So she''s doing this for a different reason."


    She gripped his sleeve harder. The girl''s agitation was growing in tandem with his. "Did your master say that?"


    "Of course she wouldn''t tell me that. It would be tantamount to admitting that she thinks I''m hopeless. She must think my pride couldn''t take it. But I''d be a fool not to know."


    Ling Ling swallowed heavily. "What if I taught you some of the arts?"


    "It wouldn''t do any good. First of all, her pride would be destroyed if someone did a better job of teaching me than her - nothing short of teaching me herself would set her at ease. Secondly... She can''t back out of this challenge now. It''s all well and good for Tao Geming to suffer the consequences for his actions, but I worry that master will meet the same fate."


    "But then what can we do? I can''t teach your master in secret. She spends every waking moment together with mistress Ouyang, and they even sleep in adjacent rooms." The girl seemed at a loss.


    They suddenly heard footsteps coming from the hall and separated in the blink of an eye. The mute nun returned from her errand, cutting their private moment short.


    They hadn''t had the chance to speak again before that day ended.


    Cui Shen returned much earlier than usual, alone. Bai Guo asked him about his master.


    "I taught your master everything I knew. Sticking around would just slow her down. Her memory is something to behold." Cui Shen explained, though his tone was far from hopeful. "But though her progress boggles the mind, I doubt it will be enough. Perhaps if she had the full year she initially asked for... No, even then it seems unlikely. And she''s working under a much tighter time constraint than even that."


    "Master has always found a way to exceed expectations." Bai Guo tried to offer a more optimistic perspective, but in truth, he was also doubtful.


    "Let''s see if we can''t find out just how much time she has." Cui Shen suggested. He headed towards Tao Geming''s room. Bai Guo grabbed his sword before following the dark-clothed man.


    The door was slightly ajar, so they peered in. Tao Geming sat cross-legged on his bed, his eyes closed in intense concentration. A clay basin on the floor contained a thin pool of black liquid.


    "What do you want?" Snarled the Invincible Blood Sea. His eyes remained shut.


    "How much time do you have left?" Asked Cui Shen.


    "More than you, cripple."


    Cui Shen impassively continued. "The two months lady Ouyang gave you are almost over."


    "The old bag is in for a surprise, then." Tao Geming sneered.


    Realizing that the conversation wasn''t about to go anywhere, the two left.


    Bai Guo sighed. "He seems confident at least."


    "So he does. With Tao Geming''s character, if he sensed urgency, I suspect he wouldn''t act so composed. It seems that your master still has some time left to work with. They both keep exceeding lady Ouyang''s expectations, which I believe bodes well."


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    Their observations brought them both some semblance of relief.


    "Now I''d like to ask you something, Bai Guo." Cui Shen began. "What are your intentions towards Ling Ling?"


    Caught completely off-guard, Bai Guo sputtered, no coherent reply coming to mind. Blood rushed to his face.


    "I overheard the girls gossiping about you two." Cui Shen said. "But it''s not as if it wasn''t obvious enough already."


    Bai Guo suddenly fell to his knees and kowtowed. "Sir Shen, I should have asked for your permission...!"


    Cui Shen seemed baffled by his reaction. "What are you doing? Why would you need my permission?"


    "You are her elder brother!"


    Cui Shen sighed. "I''m her junior martial brother, and even that makes for a strenuous relation at best. Enough of this, stand up."


    He helped the young man up to his feet.


    "I don''t think that''s true at all." Bai Guo insisted. "You''re one of her most cherished ties, no different from a brother by blood. I really should have asked."


    "It''s not my place to give you permission. Only one person in this household constitutes her family."


    Bai Guo suddenly paled.


    Cui Shen shook his head. "Naturally, you understand that it''s impossible, don''t you? And if she finds out about what you two get up to while she''s gone, I don''t think even your master could force her to stay her hand."


    "What do you think I should do, sir Shen?" Bai Guo asked, his voice quivering.


    Cui Shen closed his eyes, pondering the question. "That''s something only you can decide. You already know what I had done when I was in your shoes. And you know that it brought me nothing but regrets."


    His dark eyes wistfully stared off at nothing. "...Well, I suppose it wasn''t all regrets. Even if I was given a chance to live my life all over again, hopeless fool that I am, I suspect I would just squander it on the same mistakes."


    After a few moments of silent reminiscence, Cui Shen turned to Bai Guo. "The only advice I can give you is this - if this is not something you''re willing to stake your life on, then don''t bother."


    As the young man bowed to show his gratitude, Cui Shen walked away.


    That night Bai Guo found himself ill at ease, wracked by guilt. "Oh, Bai Guo, you really are a wretch! You''ve even deceived a true brother..."


    Time continued to pass. Cui Shen had attempted to help around the house at first, but when he realized that sister Lai was using him just so she could maintain a stricter vigil over the two young disciples, he began to act like his condition had taken a turn for the worse, and confined himself to his room.


    When the second month of the challenge began, The Golden Witch frantically rushed into Tao Geming''s room with a bowl in hand.


    "Drink this." She demanded without ceremony while presenting the container.


    "What in the world is this? It smells foul." Tao Geming recoiled at the liquid within.


    "Would you not waste my time? This could be the antidote." The woman impatiently pressed the bowl ever closer to his chest.


    "Could be? If you aren''t sure, test your crap on animals, not me."


    "There''s only one animal here with the right poison running through its veins!"


    "Why you little...!"


    "You agreed to play the game, so follow the rules!"


    Tao Geming finally took the bowl from her. He gulped it down, his face as bitter as his drink.


    "How do you feel?" She asked.


    "I don''t feel anything."


    "And the poison?"


    "Well we''re going to find that out tomorrow, aren''t we?!" He shoved the empty bowl back into her hands.


    The Golden Witch rushed out as quickly as she arrived, frowning all the while.


    No longer had she been spending her days in the swamp. Instead, when Cui Shen''s miniature alchemical kit proved insufficient for the scope of her work, with lady Ouyang''s taciturn permission, she appropriated the old woman''s laboratory and spent most of her time there.


    Lady Ouyang patiently observed every moment of her work from the corner of the room.


    But the golden eyed woman was stumped. Already past the first deadline, she still hadn''t felt like she was approaching anything resembling the solution. She realized that assembling even the first part of lady Ouyang''s poison was turning out to be an extreme time sink, and instead of reverse-engineering it outright, she decided to try to create the antidote directly.


    Slouched over a bronze table littered with flasks, powders, and reagents, the Golden Witch massaged her scalp with her long fingers, contemplating her next moves. But little came to mind; she was simply too anxious for the results of her first experiment. She waited for the relief that would come from narrowing down some of her chaotic thoughts.


    The next morning, her hopes turned out to be in vain, as her potion had had no effect whatsoever. She analyzed the dark liquid that Tao Geming had taken to habitually expelling each day through his fingertips, but scrutinizing it unveiled nothing of worth. Somehow, it was little more than inert, discolored blood, as if the poison vanished the moment it made its way out of the body.


    The Golden Witch was back to square one, rethinking her entire approach. A sudden regretful realization dawned on her.


    "I made a mistake..." She muttered. Lady Ouyang''s ears perked up as she listened. "I had it drilled into my head that the only path to mastery is through dogged commitment to the way, and yet here I am, jumping from one measure to the next like a startled rabbit."


    The old woman responded with contempt. "What good is that hollow aphorism to you now? You don''t have time to pursue anything properly. Your current approach of shooting in the dark is certainly desperate, but there is at least a chance of making a correct guess, however miniscule it may be."


    "No..." The Golden Witch hissed in frustration. "Shut up."


    Lady Ouyang stared daggers into the woman''s back, nonplussed by her callousness. But the mistress'' stern brows suddenly relaxed. Ever since the Golden Witch had showed her up with the Body Dissolving Incense, the old woman had never looked more confident.


    The younger woman began to ramble frantically. "People like you might be content to live their lives the way you do, in that lackadaisical, half-baked manner, but I''m different. I need to do this. I need to do this right. If I compromise, it will all be in vain. Our stupid game doesn''t matter to me anymore. I can''t worry about Tao Geming''s life. And if I can''t overcome this, if I can''t do it the way it should be done, it''s not worth fussing over my life either."


    Lady Ouyang listened with restrained amusement. "Dying for your master''s teachings. How commendable. It seems that even someone of your shoddy character is not bereft of decent qualities. I''ll be sure to record it on your tombstone."


    The Golden Witch straightened her back and took a deep breath.


    Her work continued.

 Chapter 3 - Lady Ouyang (IX)

    A few days later, disciple and golden haired master had properly convened for the very first time since the challenge began in earnest. Cui Shen had attended their meeting as well, his expression even darker than usual.


    "Bai Guo..." The Golden Witch hesitantly began. The young man had never seen his master so drained and gloomy, so thoroughly exhausted that even the natural radiance of her unique features seemed to grow dim. "You should leave this place. Without me."


    "Master...! What are you saying?" Bai Guo was shocked beyond coherent words.


    "Tao Geming is getting worse. He might not show it, but I can tell. The poison is resurging in increasingly larger amounts, and it''s taking a toll." She explained. "At this point, there''s no telling how this whole affair might end. If I fail, there''s no guarantee the Five Venoms Devil would just let you go. You should get out of here now while she''s too busy keeping an eye on me to do anything to you. Cui Shen will lead you out of the swamp. If I make it out of here, come find me at a later time. I''m sure you''ll find me."


    "Master...! Master!" Bai Guo vehemently shook his head. "You really think me lower than dirt! I''m not going to abandon you! And I don''t care if I''ll end up dead for it!"


    "There''s no use in following me to the grave, Bai Guo..." The woman was adamant. "Go. I order you as your master."


    Bai Guo fell to her feet. "If I''m forced to break my oath to you one way or another, then this is how I choose to do it! By staying by your side until the very end! Take your disobedient disciple''s life now if you must!"


    In the face of the young man''s bout of stubbornness, the Golden Witch sighed in complete exasperation. And yet her eyes glinted as she regarded his crumpled figure.


    "You...!" To her own surprise, she nearly choked up as she spoke. "You''re such a...! The one time I ask you for something, this is how you act!"


    But a tired smile sluggishly curled her lips. Though she had suddenly looked more vigorous than she ever had over these past few weeks, she couldn''t find the strength to shake her disciple off.


    "Fine then, stay. But don''t blame me for anything that might happen. Stand up!"


    The master raised her disciple up with a stern expression.


    "Thank you, master!" Bai Guo bowed his head as she still held his shoulders. Had she not been holding him upright, he would have dropped again. "Thank you!"


    "Well, aren''t you happy!" Her golden brows furrowed as she grumbled. "You''ve made your master look really indecisive. I really ought to punish you when I have time."


    The Golden Witch turned away from him with a snort.


    "I''ll prepare myself, master." Bai Guo kept bowing as she left. Cui Shen spared the disciple another glance, his dark eyes flickering with pride, and then followed his master.


    As always, lady Ouyang had been listening from just around the corner. "Done amusing yourself, are you?"


    The Golden Witch walked right past her without a word; the old woman continued. "With just a few words that boy spun your head right around. And you were all too pleased to dance in the palm of his hand. If this is how you act before strangers, I shudder to imagine how you two must disgrace yourselves in private."


    The blonde woman flicked her head right around. She was grinning viciously, her teeth clenched. "And you''re not used to taking lip from your disciples at all, I know. I''ve been told. And where has that brought you? How many of your girls ran away from you? In your decrepit age, do you have even a single successor? Will Ling Ling be ready before you keel over?"


    Lady Ouyang had suddenly found herself avoiding those golden eyes. She breathed sharply. "It''s all because of that worm beside you, that wretch, that Cui Shen...!" She spat his name like it was a curse. "If he hadn''t stolen her away from me... My beautiful, clever little girl... There was no better successor to the Ouyang name than her. Now, because of him, my legacy might cease to exist under that dimwitted, good-for-nothing Ling Ling."


    In that moment, Cui Shen spoke to her with unprecedented boldness. "The way Meili would tell it, you had never graced her with a single kind word in all the years she spent with you. But now that she''s gone, what''s this? You have nothing but praise. If only she could hear you now."


    The old woman''s face flashed with fury. "You worthless ingrate!" Her wrists twitched, and as her sleeves shook, needles appeared in her hand. But the Golden Witch had taken just half a step towards her, and the mistress immediately froze midmotion.


    The two women stared each other down. Lady Ouyang slowly regained her composure. Her arms relaxed, and the weapons disappeared back into her sleeves.


    "Hiding behind a woman again." She snorted. "I can''t believe you still haven''t ended yourself out of shame. Let me tell you, if you''re still alive by the time she''s gone, I''ll make you wish you had taken the easier way out."


    "Are you done?" The Golden Witch intervened. The hallway had suddenly gone quiet.


    The blonde woman continued on her way, her watcher in tow. Cui Shen had been tasked with gathering some ingredients for her research.


    The Golden Witch continued her work in remarkably high spirits. Though lady Ouyang had been frustrated by her elation, she took solace in the understanding that it wouldn''t change the outcome.


    Later that day, while helping clean around the house, Bai Guo and Ling Ling ended up alone.


    There was a great deal of tension between them, but not the kind that they ordinarily enjoyed.


    Bai Guo was not in the mood to entertain her with any of his usual tales, and Ling Ling seldom had much to say to begin with.


    After exchanging just a scant few words, Bai Guo made up an excuse about his health, and they separated. He went to his room and collapsed on his bed, utterly defeated.


    Unexpectedly, Ling Ling quietly followed him in.


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    "Young master." She announced herself with a whisper and closed the door behind her.


    Surprised by her appearance, Bai Guo sat up. The girl sat next to him. Bai Guo stared off at nothing; though he had been making it very clear that his mind was elsewhere, his heart thumped heavily in his chest. This scenario brought with it an atmosphere more intense than what even the two of them were used to.


    As their mutual silence stretched on, Bai Guo could feel her eyes boring holes into him.


    The girl audibly gulped before she had finally gathered the courage to speak. "I know how to help your master."


    He finally turned to her, surprised.


    Ling Ling was pale and anxious, and looked just about ready to outright flee from the room at any moment.


    Bai Guo couldn''t take her silence anymore and asked, "How?"


    "Mistress Ouyang''s teachings are recorded in three manuals. I study them often as part of my training. I''ll sneak them into your master''s room so she can read them in secret."


    "Ling Ling... That''s..." Shock and joy mingled in equal measure in Bai Guo''s heart. "Do those books have the antidote for your master''s poison?"


    "No... Everything about her strongest poisons is a secret she''s kept even from me. But, but still... Don''t you think it would help?"


    "Of course. Of course it would still help." He grasped her shaking hand. "But are you sure about this? No, I can''t ask you to go through with this. You''d be going against your own master."


    "Mistress Ouyang always says that I''m no good. And I know she''s right. I''m just like you. I''m stupid, and I can barely grasp any of the arts that she teaches me. And I know that none of this should make any difference, and that I''m merely her apprentice, but... I know that, deep down, she does care, and I value that more than my life."


    Ling Ling tightened her grip on Bai Guo''s hand. "I thought about this for a really long time. I realized that if your master were to succeed, it would be the best outcome for all of us. She''d become mistress Ouyang''s disciple, the talented disciple she always wanted, and nobody would end up hurt. You and junior martial brother would all get to stay here. And even though Tao Geming will live, I''m not afraid of him with all of you here. I''m sure we could get him to just leave. And then we would all live and study together, and it would be wonderful."


    Bai Guo sighed in delight. "You''re right, it would be. It really would be... Ling Ling... Thank you."


    They embraced each other tightly. Just as they were about to forget themselves entirely, they heard the creaking of floorboards outside the room.


    They both felt like they''d been doused with cold water, so quickly their passions had cooled. Immediately they separated and stared fearfully at the door. Soon they heard another footstep at the end of the hall, indicating that the presence had passed them by.


    Ling Ling stood up from the bed and breathed in deeply. "I''ll go do it." She whispered.


    After she left, Bai Guo fell back on his bed. He sighed again, his lips stretched into a grin.


    "Master, oh master..." He thought to himself, elated, practically giggling to himself. "I''ve finally pulled it off! Your disciple isn''t as useless as you thought after all! If only you knew! If only I could tell you about it!"


    His glee gradually faded. "Maybe I played it too carefully. I could have probably gotten it done sooner. I hope there''s still enough time for this to make a difference."


    Afterwards, the Golden Witch had retired to her room quite late at night, as had become usual for her. As she lied down, she felt a lump pressing into her back.


    She lit a candle and inspected the bed. To her great surprise, underneath the mattress, she discovered three thick tomes.


    As she flipped through just a few pages, her eyes widened. She sat back down on the bed, one hand gripping the candle and the other guiding her frantic eyes along the contents of the manual.


    Her intense focus was broken only when the hot wax of the burned out candle scalded her hand. She discarded what was left and appropriated the small bundle of candles in her room that originally belonged to Ling Ling.


    The Golden Witch had completely lost track of time. Though she had been reading at an incredible pace, every page was densely packed with information, and even the first book stretched on and on, seemingly endless.


    "This must be her life''s work." She marveled. Her heart beat like a drum as the many mysteries that tied her mind into so many knots began to unravel with every passing moment.


    She had only barely finished the first volume when she sensed the residents waking up. And it was only at that moment that she had begun to wonder just how those books ended up in her possession.


    "Obviously Ouyang hadn''t done this, she''s with me every single moment. So I can''t let her think that something''s changed." The Golden Witch realized. She hid the books back under her bed and stepped out. "Until I''ve finished them all, I can''t give away the fact that I''m learning anything!"


    Though no good ideas were coming to mind, as she passed her disciple in the hallway, she had suddenly found herself staring at him foolishly.


    But there seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary about the young man. He cordially bowed to her in greeting and went on his way.


    Somehow utterly mystified by this mundane exchange, the Golden Witch tried to cast aside the strange sensation and went about her day, pretending to struggle as usual while lady Ouyang continued her stubborn vigil.


    Realizing that she''d be forced to waste her time one way or the other, The Golden Witch played at being overcome by a bout of frustration and set her head down on the table. She took the opportunity to doze off and make up for some of the lost sleep.


    Lady Ouyang had naturally noticed, but was all too happy to let her opponent squander precious time.

 Chapter 3 - Lady Ouyang (Final)

    Three successive nights the Golden Witch had spent wide awake, trawling through lady Ouyang''s manuals with a candle in hand. Not a single thought entered her mind other than the ones described in countless words etched onto the aged pages, even as the delight of solving the puzzles that tormented her for so long threatened to overwhelm her concentration.


    With bloodshot eyes she had finished the old woman''s work and hid the books back under the bed. She rested her golden haired head on the pillow and, satisfied beyond measure, promptly fell asleep. After only a couple of hours she was woken up by the presence of her rival, her wrinkled face sternly peering in from the doorway, waiting for them to begin their usual day.


    The Golden Witch stood up and began to ponder her next step. She figured that her best course of action was to first cover her tracks, but as to how to go about it, her ideas were few. Therefore, she had decided to delegate the task.


    During her routine time in lady Ouyang''s study, while scrawling herself some notes about her progress, she wrote the words "it''s done, take them away" on a piece of paper that she inconspicuously hid into her long sleeve. At noon, she had decided to make the rare appearance during lunch. Ever since their game began, she and lady Ouyang had seldom dignified the dining room with their presence, for one of them had little need for food, and the other had to maintain an obsessive watch over the competitor.


    The Golden Witch had then sneakily flicked the piece of paper into her disciple''s lap. The young man tucked the message into his pocket and conducted himself innocuously for the rest of the meal, like he hadn''t noticed anything at all.


    Afterwards, for the sake of insurance, she made lady Ouyang chase her around the swamp as she pretended to look for various herbs and beast venoms. Though the main goal was to divert the old madam''s attention from household affairs, the Golden Witch had also taken the opportunity to assemble the resources she believed she would require in the future.


    When she went to sleep that day, she couldn''t feel the bump beneath her bed. The books had been taken away. A foolish grin emerged on the woman''s face.


    "That Bai Guo of mine... It really was him. Just how did he pull this off?" She pondered. In her elation over her disciple''s deeds, from the excitement for the work that was to begin tomorrow, the Golden Witch could hardly force herself to fall asleep.


    When the two women met each other again the next morning, lady Ouyang had noticed immediately that something was off about her foe. There was a confidence in her eyes that she hadn''t seen ever since she first arrived. The woman''s unease continued to grow when the Golden Witch embarked upon her work with an assertive hand.


    In the labyrinth of a thousand different turns, she had suddenly began to sprint unerringly along every right path. Her progress flowed like a tumultuous river, sweeping every obstacle out of its path.


    Though the three tomes hadn''t held the formulas the Golden Witch was looking for, they meticulously recorded every step of lady Ouyang''s journey as a practitioner of the poisonous arts. They may not have been the treasure itself, but they were the map that showed her where to find it.


    The Golden Witch made tremendous breakthroughs over the following days. The many scattered discoveries she had made over the course of her amateurish experiments had merged and solidified into a foundation as firm as stone. Her knowledge advanced by leaps and bounds.


    Lady Ouyang was greatly alarmed by her progress. She knew that her opponent had been suffering from bouts of sleeplessness as of late, so at night, she inspected the secret compartment in sister Lai''s room that contained the secret manuals meant for Ling Ling''s training. She found them still in place. Both the books and the locks that secured them were untouched.


    The true answer hadn''t even crossed her mind. Lady Ouyang would rather ascribe her opponent''s sudden headway to sheer talent, even if it meant admitting that the Golden Witch was far more gifted than herself, than ever consider the sole remaining alternative.


    And though it pained her to admit it, over the course of their match, lady Ouyang''s expectations for the blonde woman had been gradually shifting until they became as tall as a mountain. Even before her current bouts of sudden advancements, the possibility that someone could have progressed as far as the Golden Witch had, practically on their own and from next to nothing, would have never been considered in the old woman''s mind.


    Though befuddled, lady Ouyang had little left to do but continue to observe. She hoped that the Witch''s sudden inspiration would run out, but with each passing day her hopes were dashed.


    It also became obvious to her that the Golden Witch had began to derive a great deal of enjoyment out of her work. Now that she had learned how to approach the many mysteries of the art, the many hurdles became satisfying to ponder and to resolve. Her enthusiasm was so infectious that it had gotten to the point where Ouyang herself had become gradually drawn into the woman''s research as a practitioner of the arts rather than her referee. Even she was beginning to learn something new, rounding out the rough edges of some of her personal untested theories, and awakening her hibernating passions for the discipline of poisons.


    By the end of the month, the scope of the work had narrowed down so much that the Golden Witch had gone back to using Cui Shen''s miniature alchemy set, wandering the swamp for the remaining pieces of the puzzle.


    At some point, it had dawned on the tall woman that truly recreating lady Ouyang''s Five Venoms would remain a daunting task that would take her far longer than the single year she had initially bragged about. But she had also realized that there was no need to recreate it fully to counteract its effects.


    Though her understanding of the Five Venoms was very rudimentary and fundamental, she believed it was enough to create a working antidote.


    Kneeling down by the tiny table, she heated and mixed powders and poultices, watching them change colors with such interest that she barely remembered to even breathe.


    At the conclusion of one such experiment, the Golden Witch somewhat uncertainly exclaimed, "I think I did it!"


    She urgently turned her head towards lady Ouyang. Her yellow eyes glimmered with joy. There was not a trace of spite on her youthful face.


    Lady Ouyang hesitantly rose and approached. In that moment, she saw nothing more than a child begging for approval. The old woman observed every step of her process, so she already knew the answer. Even so, just to pacify the Golden Witch, she pretended to carefully inspect her work over the woman''s shoulder.


    "It''s correct. Well done." Lady Ouyang declared. There was no resentment in her voice. It had even been tinged with a drop of pride.


    The exultation on her face when she heard those words was like nothing lady Ouyang had ever seen before. The Golden Witch turned back to gaze at the smoking powders arranged on the table. A fulfilled sigh escaped her lips.


    Unbeknownst to her, lady Ouyang''s eyes were still glued to her back. The woman''s green eyes were heavy with indescribable emotion. She stared unmoving for a long moment.


    Her right hand flickered to her belt. A bare dagger glinted in the rays of the afternoon sun. She thrust directly into the other woman''s back to cut through the heart hiding beyond.


    But lady Ouyang had never learned that the Golden Witch could see without eyes.


    The white robed figure shifted rapidly. Before lady Ouyang could even finish her stab, she found the yellow eyes staring back at her once more, glaring with such primal hatred that she seemed no different from a wounded beast.


    A long arm whipped out towards her, striking the weapon out of her hand. The limb continued undeterred, the nails slashing the old woman across the eye. They cut through her flesh like a knife, spraying the dirt with bright red blood.


    Lady Ouyang was thrown to the ground by the blow. It happened so fast, so suddenly, that she needed a moment to regain her wits. How the Golden Witch went about detecting her silent strike utterly mystified her. That the Golden Witch had such reflexes seemed unfathomable to her.


    But before she could afford that precious moment, she had been lifted out of the dirt by her neck. Her feet dangled helplessly above the ground as she was once again forced to behold the furious woman. The Golden Witch squeezed her neck in bitter rage, and lady Ouyang hadn''t had the strength to pry apart her iron grip.


    Lady Ouyang could do nothing. Those long arms seemed to stretch on and on forever. Her hands hardly reached past even the woman''s forearms; not even her legs could make any contact with her body. No matter which pressure points along the long limbs she squeezed her fingers into, it was to no avail, as though the arms were made of metal rather than flesh.


    The old woman found the light fading from her eyes. As her vision turned dark and her head began to turn purple, she was unceremoniously dropped back into the mud.


    Knocked back into consciousness by the fall, lady Ouyang frantically gasped for air.


    "Stay down if you want to live." The Golden Witch ordered, her eyes directed elsewhere. It was like she couldn''t even bear to look at her anymore.


    "You should have just finished it." The old woman hatefully sputtered, clutching her wounded eye. "You undid my life''s work. What reason do I have to keep going?"


    Lady Ouyang felt a great coldness as the yellow eyes glanced at her. Ouyang couldn''t endure it, and averted her gaze.


    "You''re right. Now that I''ve unraveled your Five Venoms, you have nothing to offer me." The Golden Witch peered down at her with immense disdain. "But I promised Cui Shen I wouldn''t hurt you. He''s the only reason you still live."


    Lady Ouyang silently wallowed in the mud.


    "And you know what?" The Golden Witch continued. "Now that we''re done, after I leave this place, your life will still depend on him. Bury the hatchet. Tell him he can live out the rest of his days here if he so chooses. Take care of him. I will check in every once in a while."


    The old woman snorted in contempt. But she kept silent.


    "Make it convincing. I know he has no other place to go, so if he decides not to remain here, I''ll kill you." The Golden Witch inspected her bloodied nails, which were still perfectly intact. "I''m giving you one last chance to continue your clan''s legacy. If you aren''t happy with my terms, then don''t bother coming back."


    The woman assembled the alchemical set and scooped up the fruits of her labor into a little pouch.


    She then dashed off with great strides, leaving lady Ouyang alone.


    The residents were greatly surprised - and worried - to find the Golden Witch returning by herself, with blood on her hands.


    "Master!" Bai Guo ran up to her, voicing a question that the shocked Ling Ling next to him wasn''t brave enough to voice. "What happened? Why is there blood?"


    "Nothing worth mentioning." She replied impassively, making her way to Tao Geming''s room.


    Ling Ling finally couldn''t take it, raising her voice. "What happened to mistress Ouyang?"


    "She''ll be back soon."


    The taciturn remark brought the girl some semblance of relief, but she was still anxious and suspicious.


    The Golden Witch entered the room and tossed the pouch into the lap of the pale man sitting on the bed. He sluggishly opened his eyes. His usual scowl seemed awfully weak. He inspected the contents, and found a few small pills within.


    "Take one now," The Golden Witch said. "And then one every morning until you''re cured."


    From the unprecedented confidence in her voice, he could tell that this was the one. Tao Geming could also tell that the woman was in a truly foul mood.


    The sitting man grunted arrogantly. "Don''t go thinking that you won just yet. I finally realized how to overcome this on my own."


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    Her yellow eyes widened. Flabbergasted, she took some time to ponder his words.


    "You idiot." She exclaimed. "You''re thinking you could build up an immunity over time, just like Cui Shen did."


    Tao Geming smirked.


    Her eyes were still wide. "It''s true, you could do it that way. But you''d end up crippled just like him. You''re really going to go that far just to spite me?"


    With a sigh, his confident facade crumbled. "Though it pains me to admit it, there would be no point in it. I didn''t come here just to show you up. I came here to place you in my debt. But since you were able to resolve this without my help, I blundered."


    He popped one of the pills into his mouth. "And to make matters worse, now I even owe you."


    His concession brought the Golden Witch an unexpected amount of relief. She watched him bitterly chew on the pill.


    "Well?" Tao Geming asked. "What are you gonna use the favor on?"


    The blonde woman sighed and looked away. She silently thought about something for a while, and, very hesitantly and slowly, words began to leave her mouth. "Forget it. You couldn''t overcome the poison, but you did teach me something valuable. I doubt I could have done it without you."


    "Which was...?"


    "You don''t owe me anything. Let''s just leave it at that." She hadn''t answered his question. "But what I said before holds true - if I catch you following us again, I''ll kill you. So stay away from me."


    The man said nothing. In his shame, Tao Geming wanted to speak as little as possible.


    "Stay a few days to make sure it works, then get out." The Golden Witch declared, taking her leave.


    At that time, Lady Ouyang returned, nursing her maimed face.


    Ling Ling ran up to her with a wail. "Mistress Ouyang! What happened?"


    The old woman glared bitterly at her disciple.


    Ling Ling was beside herself. "It''s bleeding! We must treat it right away! Sister Lai, please come quickly and help! Mistress Ouyang, what happened?"


    The scorn in lady Ouyang''s green eye slowly softened as she watched her frantic disciple.


    "A beast attacked me." She eventually said. "It''s nothing worth mentioning."


    But her words had done nothing to soothe Ling Ling. The other residents all rushed her inside, and sister Lai and the disciple both tended to her wound.


    "Mistress Ouyang, it doesn''t look very deep. Your eye might heal." The young woman said, but her master seemed to pay the matter little heed.


    "Ling Ling, go tend to our guests." The mistress ordered. "You''ve helped with the worst of it. Let sister Lai take care of the rest."


    Though greatly hesitant, she could not disobey. After a bow, she left, leaving lady Ouyang alone with the old nun.


    When she was gone, lady Ouyang spoke. "When were you going to tell me, Lai Jie?"


    The nun seemed to understand her question, but said nothing. She kept wrapping the bandage around her face.


    "It was because of that boy, wasn''t it? I heard the rumor. But I assumed that if it had any merit, you would handle it. But if it was that serious, you should have told me."


    Lai Jie shook her head and gave the woman a stern look.


    They glared at each other. Lady Ouyang soon sighed in bitter defeat. "Of course, I would have done something drastic. And just like with Meili, I would have lost her too. Is that what you''re trying to say?"


    Lai Jie grabbed her hand. Lady Ouyang was on the brink of tears.


    "And that stupid traitor is supposed to be my successor?" She lamented. "At least tell me those two haven''t gone too far."


    Lai Jie shook her head again. The mistress brushed her eye with her sleeve.


    "Since I dared to show my face around here again, I might as well stick with the path I have chosen." Lady Ouyang stood up unsteadily, helped by the nun. "Time for me to go preserve my legacy."


    Meanwhile, in the guest rooms, Cui Shen addressed the Golden Witch. "Those injuries did not look like they were left by a beast. What exactly happened?"


    "When I discovered the antidote, she attacked me. I retaliated on instinct." The Golden Witch succinctly explained the situation. "I hope you won''t hold it against me."


    "I suppose if lady Ouyang doesn''t wish to make a grudge over it, then neither should I."


    When he spoke of the Five Venoms Devil, she suddenly appeared.


    "Cui Shen," Lady Ouyang began. "After the other guests leave, I would like you to remain here. Because I''ve heard that you have made no other arrangements for yourself."


    Bai Guo was surprised on multiple levels. "We''re leaving?" He first asked his master.


    "That''s right." She confirmed. "We''ve changed the terms of our contest. I won''t be her disciple anymore, so we have no reason to remain after Tao Geming has been cured."


    They then all turned to Cui Shen, who seemed unable to find his tongue.


    Lady Ouyang continued. "I would like to put the enmity between us to rest."


    "There''s... no need." Cui Shen hesitantly replied. "There''s no need. It really was my fault. I accept your blame. And I won''t burden you with my presence anymore."


    "You don''t understand." Lady Ouyang shook her head. "I am earnest in my intentions."


    Suddenly, she dropped to her knees and knocked her forehead against the wooden floor again and again.


    "I will not accept that our grudges have been settled until you accept my offer! To prove my sincerity, this Ouyang Chen will kowtow until either you agree, or her head has been dashed against this floor!"


    "No!" Cui Shen urgently exclaimed, rushing to raise her kneeling figure. "I accept! I''ll stay here, so stop this, master!"


    As Bai Guo observed in complete shock, he felt his master dragging him away by the arm.


    "What in the world happened?" The young man asked, stupefied.


    "Looks like Cui Shen found himself a good place to live out the rest of his days." His golden haired master replied with a smirk as she observed the vast flower field outside.


    "Did you do it? Just how did you convince her, master?"


    But the Golden Witch had merely regarded him with an enigmatic smile. Bai Guo, realizing that he had also had some things he couldn''t explain while they remained in this place, smiled back.


    "Get our things ready." She said. "We''re leaving soon."


    When Ling Ling later learned that Bai Guo was planning to leave, she became inconsolable. Unable to maintain the pretense of mere politeness, she locked herself in her room and refused to come out.


    By next morning, Tao Geming was already gone. He left much sooner than they had all anticipated.


    The Golden Witch scoured the area to make sure he wasn''t merely hiding somewhere in the vicinity, ready to trail them again. Her suspicions were sated by noon.


    They were ready to embark. All of the residents came to see them off. Even Ling Ling had come out of her room, though tears still welled in her red eyes.


    "Will you ever visit us again?" She asked, her voice quivering.


    "Of course." It was the Golden Witch that spoke, throwing a glance towards Ouyang Chen. The old woman''s bandaged face remained unmoving.


    "Was there anything else?" Lady Ouyang asked, not quite as unwilling to part as some of the people present.


    "There''s only one thing." Bai Guo said. He approached Cui Shen and bowed deeply. "Sir Shen, please accept me as your sworn brother!"


    The man was pleasantly surprised. "Though I''d love nothing more, are you sure you wish to go through with this? In my state, I will not be a useful brother, and neither will I remain one for very long."


    "I don''t care even if it''s only for a day!" Bai Guo exclaimed. "It would still be my greatest honor!"


    The two men exchanged kowtows and accepted each other as brothers. And then, they bid each other farewell.


    Bai Guo bowed again. "I hope to see you again soon, elder brother!"


    Cui Shen returned the gesture. "Brother Guo, I am grateful for everything you and your master have done for me. It is my great loss that my ailing body will not allow me to accompany you any further."


    Then Bai Guo approached Ling Ling. They suddenly found each other tongue tied. They exchanged stiff bows.


    "Thank you for taking care of us, sister Ling." Bai Guo managed to force out. Ling Ling could only bitterly nod.


    Though loathe to part, they had eventually forced themselves to.


    Master and disciple had finally left the swamp and took in the dearly missed fresh air of the peaceful, endless plains.


    The Golden Witch asked, "Just how did you do it, Bai Guo?"


    "It was all Ling Ling." He humbly explained. "I just nudged her a little in the right direction."


    "Is that so?" The Golden Witch chuckled. "She looked like she really liked you."


    "She''s quite nice herself." Bai Guo smiled a little.


    "It almost looked to me like you didn''t want to leave." The woman teased.


    "Sister Ling is nice and all," Bai Guo glanced at his master. "But girls aren''t what I set out on this journey for. I''m wholly committed to you, master!"


    He suddenly bowed. Flatfooted by his earnestness, the woman nervously brushed a hand through her long hair.


    "Good to know..." She muttered in acknowledgment.


    As Bai Guo rose, he asked a question in turn. "I have to ask, master, what was it that Tao Geming had taught you?"


    "He taught me to trust you." The Golden Witch beamed with a smile. "He was right that I still haven''t developed that cunning he talked about, so I decided to leave it to you, just like you asked."


    It was Bai Guo''s turn to be embarrassed. But he was also incredulous. "Y-You knew I would persuade Ling Ling to help us, master?"


    "I didn''t know what you''d do. I just knew that you would do something. You said it yourself, right? To rely on you when I''ve got a problem I can''t solve."


    He smiled and kept prattling. "Well, still, in the end, it was master''s talent that got us out of that house..."


    "Would you stop trying to avoid my praise? It''s not a blade..."


    They walked for a time.


    "Where are we going next, master?" Bai Guo asked.


    "We don''t have any money, so perhaps we should look for a way to earn some." The Golden Witch suggested.


    "So long as it does not involve robbing people." Bai Guo''s reminder caused his master to frown, but she didn''t argue.


    Luckily, they were graced with a solution only a few days later.


    While passing through a town, the Golden Witch grabbed a poster and pushed it into his chest. "Bai Guo, look!"


    His eyes skimmed it. It was the announcement of a martial arts competition.


    "Master Tan of the Kunlun Sect is looking for a talented disciple." Bai Guo narrated. "There will be three separate tournaments as tryouts, one for the fist, the sword, and the saber. The winner of each tournament may become eligible to be master Tan''s disciple... and earn a prize of ten golden taels for every contest!"


    Though energized at first, as he read on a bit more, his hopes suddenly deflated. "But, master, only those younger than 18 are eligible to participate."


    "I wondered about that. How does one prove their age?"


    "Well, you just need an identification document. I have my papers on me, for example. They''re from the Wuyi, but I''d be surprised if they were picky about it."


    "You''re still not 18 yet, right?"


    The question frightened him. "...Master, are you saying that I should join this?"


    She observed his reaction with a smile. It appeared that that was exactly what she implied.


    Bai Guo erupted into protests. "I don''t stand a chance! For that kind of money, half the world will be attending! And you know my skill level as well as I do, master!"


    The Golden Witch took the poster from him. "It says it''s taking place in two months from now. That leaves us with some time to prepare. Perhaps it''s about time for you to learn some real martial arts, Bai Guo."


    Before the woman''s mischievous grin, Bai Guo was helpless.


    He dreaded the days to come.

 Chapter 4 - Dreaming Asura (I)

    As master and disciple wandered the roads in search of their destination, they had been caught unaware by the change of seasons. In the peculiar domain of the Five Venoms Devil, the humid climate seemed entirely unaffected by the passage of time, but once the two had stepped out beyond its reaches, the cold winter air began to gnaw at their skin.


    Though the Golden Witch seemed to take to it quite well, her disciple handled the onset of frost rather poorly. To fight off the chills, he had hunted down a wolf and made himself a coat of it, just like Cui Shen had taught him to do during their travels. But he lacked experience and made shoddy work of the poor beast, so it offered limited comfort.


    The golden haired woman he had taken for a master looked on at his struggles with pity, but had little help to offer him.


    Neither master nor disciple was familiar with the locales. It had taken them the better part of a month to find the mountains which the Kunlun Sect had made its home. As Bai Guo predicted, it snowed freely there, and the temperatures had plunged to cruel lows. In her pure white attire, the Golden Witch seemed to blend into the snowy backdrop.


    But as they ventured through the mountains, they found them to be a den of ceaseless activity. Countless people, most not even martial artists, passed them by, going every which way. Buildings had been erected just about everywhere that a solid foundation could be laid, and the settlements seemed to stretch on and on endlessly across the entire mountain range.


    The two of them were barred from scaling the tallest peak by gates of stone. The gruff martial artists that were working guard duty that day were not at all eager for conversation, but Bai Guo managed to slowly coax the relevant information out of them.


    The sign ups were taking place within the settlement surrounding the sect''s walled off headquarters. As Bai Guo was about to enter the building in question, he began to count their scant few remaining silver coins and ingots.


    "What''s wrong?" The Golden Witch asked.


    "I doubt things here are all that different from how they were back home..." The young man set roughly half of their silver aside. "I might need to grease some hands."


    He handed what remained back to his master. "We should be able to survive on this for a month as long as we''re frugal. Could you look for a place for us to stay, master?"


    "You don''t want me to come to the registration with you?"


    "Well, I''ve thought about it on the way here, master... This tournament is so that some guy can find himself a new disciple, right? So I think it''s better if we act like we have a different relationship. Otherwise, if they realize that I''ve got no intentions of joining them, they might send me packing."


    "Perhaps you''re right." The Golden Witch pondered his words with a finger on her chin. "But I don''t think we''ll be able to hide it all that well in a place like this. I''m going to be training you after all, and there are people everywhere."


    Bai Guo shrugged. "If someone bothers to question us and we simply don''t admit to it, I think we''ll be alright. Just tell them you''re giving me pointers for a favor you owe."


    Though she seemed a bit doubtful, the woman nodded her head. They had agreed to meet again by a Buddhist temple they previously crossed by, and parted ways.


    The young man sheepishly entered the registration office. Despite being the only one there at that time, he was still forced to wait. He had eventually been seated before a dour clerk.


    "Name. Age. Residence. Profession." The man droned out the questions, his hand steadily brushing the young man''s answers onto a piece of paper. "Are you a member of or affiliated with any martial arts organizations?"


    Bai Guo was somewhat surprised by the turn the questioning had taken. "No."


    The clerk seemed to take the slight delay in the young man''s response as a challenge. He lifted a skeptical brow.


    "Young man, you say you''ve come from the lands of the Wuyi, yet claim that you are not part of the Wuyi Sect?"


    "That''s right." Bai Guo replied. But it seemed that, with his suspicions roused, the man would not relent. "Oh, I''ve forgotten to give you something." The young man suddenly said, presenting the pouch of silver.


    The clerk took a brief peek inside. His strict face unmoving, he set it beside him on the desk.


    "Well, I suppose it''s not that unusual." He said, noting something down. He then continued with the questions. "Is the young master literate?"


    "...May I ask why literacy is a requirement?"


    "Well, you see, young master, this tournament is for the sake of finding the perfect disciple for master Tan Huan. And what''s the esteemed master going to do with someone who can''t even peruse a martial arts manual? So, young master, can you read and write?"


    Before Bai Guo could answer, the clerk produced another brush and sheet of paper. "Please demonstrate by writing down the following passage: ''Round off sharp edges; resolve confusion; harmonize with glory; act in unity with lowliness.''"


    And once again before Bai Guo could even take the brush, the clerk produced an entire tome. "If the young master could not hear me clearly, you can find the phrases in the fourth verse. Just please close the book before you begin writing to keep things fair. Let me know when you''re done."


    With that said, the man stuck his nose into some documents and pretended to be busy.


    Bai Guo smiled and thought, "Look how a handful of silver could change a man. Maybe I really should start calling myself the Silver Sorcerer."


    Being quite decently educated, he had had no trouble at all with writing the passage down even without the proffered help.


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    "Well done, young master." The clerk complimented in monotone, taking the paper away from him. "And finally, which tournament did you wish to join? The contest of the sword, the saber, or the fist?"


    Overcome by a sudden idea, Bai Guo asked, "Can you join multiple competitions?"


    "Of course. The tournament of the sword shall be taking place first, then a week later, the saber, then the week after that, the fist."


    After pondering for a bit, the young man decided, "Please sign me up for the contests of the sword and fist."


    "Good. Good... Come back tomorrow, we will let you know the final decision. But if I were you, I would begin preparing for the preliminary trials set to take place three days before the competition officially begins. They entail a test of physical conditioning and martial skill, though more specifically than that, I cannot say."


    "Are you a member of the Kunlun Sect, sir?"


    "No. The sect has entrusted the registration to ordinary civilians such as myself." The clerk replied.


    "You see, I''ve arrived only recently, and I still can''t tell the members at a glance. Does the sect not have a traditional uniform?"


    "Well, within the sect, their uniforms are only donned for formal occasions, or when they must represent the sect to outsiders. I suspect you won''t even see much of the uniform during the tournament, since it will be taking place in their own halls. If a particular member wishes to be readily identified, they usually strap a token on their belt or shoulder."


    "I see. Thank you." Bai Guo stood up, bowed, and left.


    To his surprise, he had found his master already waiting for him at their allotted meeting spot. She stood beneath the dark red walls of a Buddhist temple, her tall and golden eyed figure drawing the glances of every passerby.


    "How did it go?" She asked.


    "They''ll give me their final decision tomorrow, but I think it''s all but assured."


    "Good. With that in mind, we''ll start training right away. I managed to find us a very secluded spot..."


    But Bai Guo was concerned with something else. "What about our accommodations, master?"


    She led him through several seedy alleys before they finally arrived at a run-down inn. The young man''s face grew dark before he had even stepped foot inside. And once he had made that mistake, his nose began to twitch, picking up strange and unpleasant scents through the persistent wafts of cooking oils and spices.


    "Master..." He hesitantly began, a few cursory glances revealing more to him about the establishment than he had ever wished to know. "You may be brave enough to sleep in a place like this, but I''m not."


    "What''s wrong with the place I''ve chosen?"


    Bai Guo prayed that she was joking, but her question seemed relentlessly earnest. "Master...! I can see ants and rat droppings! And that smell, that''s got to be mold!"


    The Golden Witch frowned slightly. "You said we had to be frugal. I couldn''t find a cheaper place than this."


    "Well there''s still a limit, master! It''s not like we''re completely impoverished! I mean, your senses are much sharper than mine, and you still don''t mind any of this? Would you really be content to spend a month in this place?"


    The woman turned up her nose. "Whatever. If you hate my choice so much, try finding something better."


    She begrudgingly followed him outside. To her chagrin, it hadn''t taken him long at all to settle on a different place, one that made for a far less ferocious attack on the senses, and that he bargained down to being within their means. With a resigned sigh, the Golden Witch was forced to cease her grumbling.


    But by the time they settled in, the brief sunlight of the winter day had already slipped them by.


    "I suppose it''s better if we start tomorrow. It''s already dark." Bai Guo mused.


    "Not a chance." But his master had other plans. She dragged him out by the arm. "Days are short now. We''ll never get anywhere if we restrict ourselves to just the daylight hours. We''ll start now."


    The training spot she had picked out for them was inside a mountain. It was a spacious cave with a vast opening in the ceiling, though at this time, it had neither the light of the sun nor the moon to let seep through. As Bai Guo illuminated the area with torches and lanterns, he had discovered that the rain and snow regularly pouring through the crevice had formed a sizeable body of water in the middle of the cave, and it was warm enough in the cave for it to remain unfrozen by the winter chill. The young man found himself wishing for a clear sky and a full moon, eagerly anticipating the picturesque quality that its pale luminescence would grant the landscape.


    The Golden Witch kneeled down on the rocky ground. "Well then. Which tournament have you signed up for?" She asked.


    "I signed up for the contests of fist and sword." Bai Guo explained. "The sword will be the first tournament. I would have signed up for the saber contest as well - more chances to win, right? - but I''d never even held one of those things in my life, let alone learned any techniques."


    "I see. Then let''s start with the sword. Show me what you know."


    Bai Guo drew his sword and set about the task. His blade twirled and danced through the air as he went through a variety of stances that made up three distinct techniques in all. A swift jab, a wide swing, and an overhead strike.


    "These are the first three stances of the Fifteen Heroic Sword Steps!" Bai Guo proudly explained. "I never got to learn the rest, unfortunately..."


    When his demonstration concluded, he turned to his master, eagerly awaiting her thoughts. But to his surprise, the woman sat there completely unmoved. The look on her face resembled pity.

 Chapter 4 - Dreaming Asura (II)

    Once she had caught on to the earnestness in his gaze, the Golden Witch flinched away from eye contact. Her expression turned placating.


    "That first move was quite good." Her words were slow and measured. "It was quick and simple."


    Bai Guo was downcast by her tenuous praise. "The three steps form a complete set... You''re supposed to use them in sequence..."


    The next words out of her mouth were much quicker. "Don''t use the other two during the tournament."


    Bai Guo sighed. "My father taught me these moves... Are they really no good? If an expert like you says so, I suppose it''s true..."


    "Come on, I said the first one was okay. And it''s not like you need more than one."


    The young man shook his head. "Surely you jest, master. If I only use one technique, won''t I be too predictable?"


    "Predictability has nothing to do with it." She replied. "Even if the enemy knows what''s coming, your execution of the move should be proficient enough to leave them with no viable recourse. We don''t have time to learn a better technique, so we''ll have to make do with what we have. That first step of yours seems like it would be the easiest one to get to that point."


    "Master..." Bai Guo offered an awkward smile. "While I can certainly imagine that someone of your skill can approach their battles like that, I''m... Well, I''m not like you, so I don''t think it''s possible for my swordsmanship to ever reach that level, let alone in just a month."


    His master stood up with a heavy sigh. Bai Guo felt a tinge of nerves as he watched her gigantic figure approach. She grabbed hold of his hand and gently pried his fingers apart to take his sword.


    The Golden Witch imitated the first of Bai Guo''s three stances, her sword thrusting out along the water. A fierce gale picked up at the apex of her strike, threatening to put out all their lights. The still waters came to life. A great ripple had been sent across the small lake, and the waters nearly parted completely before the tyrannical might of her blow. Once the force had passed, the water rolled back into the gaps in small waves.


    Bai Guo''s heart beat like a drum as he observed.


    "Even if you knew that was coming, what could you do about it?" The blonde woman handed him back the weapon. "The answer is nothing, right? So our first priority is to get you out of that dead end state. Even if, as you say, you can''t reach that level, just getting close to it will do you more favors than wasting your time figuring out how to get around the need to get there. If you''re looking for those kinds of tricks and shortcuts, sorry, I can''t teach you any. And it''s not that I''m greedy; I just don''t know them."


    The golden eyes glinted in the dim light as they observed him. "One mastered technique will serve you better than a dozen that only work as tools with which to surprise. That''s why it''s so necessary to ensure that your technique of choice is worth the full commitment of your time. And I''ll just say it bluntly - none of your techniques are good enough. But since we have only a month to work with, we have to make the most of what we have."


    Bai Guo bowed. "This disciple is in your hands, master!"


    The Golden Witch waved her long sleeves. "Sheathe your sword and take a seat."


    The white robed woman loomed over him, circling around him. Bai Guo felt her finger prodding into his back. She drew lines across his body, making brief stops to call out the name of a particular pressure point. She''d done it again and again, until she demonstrated 9 pathways along his back and 5 across his chest.


    Bai Guo found it difficult to concentrate under her touch, but he''d done his best to memorize what he was being taught.


    When her hand was gone, she spoke again. "Now, repeat after me..."


    She droned out a sequence of complicated, borderline incoherent phrases. The Golden Witch had taken her time to ensure that Bai Guo memorized every last word. The young man''s only saving grace was that the scripture she chanted mentioned the meridians that she had pointed out to him, and he used that to guide his memory.


    "Now, take a deep breath and circulate your internal energy according to the instructions I just gave you."


    The cavern had gone silent. It had taken the better part of an hour before the young man made something resembling progress, which he had only managed to recognize as such by the strange warmth suddenly coursing through the upper half of his body. Just as he felt emboldened enough to pursue that sensation, he felt his master jabbing him in the back once more, this time with far more strength than before. Bai Guo''s body went limp, and he crumbled to the ground.


    "Wrong!" His master chastised. "Are you trying to cripple yourself? Repeat what I told you!"


    With half his face pressed against the stone floor, Bai Guo did as he was told, and repeated the entire passage. Only after he was done had the Golden Witch cured his paralysis with another poke.


    "But I don''t get it, master..." The young man grumbled.


    "If you don''t understand something, just ask!"


    But as he started with his questions, the Golden Witch quickly ran out of patience and began to raise her voice. Their discussion sounded more like a one-sided debate. It had taken a considerable time before Bai Guo felt that his confusions had been dispelled enough for him to try again.


    But before long, his concentration was once again crudely interrupted by the woman above him.


    "You''re doing it again! What sense does it make that I can feel the flow of your internal energy better than you? Repeat the passage!"


    Their training continued in that fashion for a few hours more, at which point the Golden Witch decided to call it a day.


    Somehow, the master seemed even more tense than the disciple. She tried to relieve some of that tension with a long sigh.


    "Tomorrow, first thing in the morning, you''ll continue practicing the breathing method until noon. Then you will drill your father''s technique for four hours. After that, we will learn combat together ''til night."


    Bai Guo was greatly worried by her words. "Master, don''t you think that''s a little extreme? The breathing exercises are one thing, but I can''t swing a sword for four hours straight! My arms are gonna fall off! And you want me to keep going after that? And when will I even eat?"


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    Her brows creased in annoyance, but she did ponder some of his words. "Right, you do need to eat... Well, don''t worry about that. I''ll bring you your meals."


    "...And everything else?"


    "By hook or by crook, even if your arms really do fall off, you''ll just have to get it done. We''ll be following this schedule every day until the tournament." She turned away, a hand brushing through her long hair. "You seriously stand no chance if you can''t even put up with this much. Don''t get complacent - just because you''re as old as the tournament rules allow doesn''t mean that you''ll be at an advantage. In this tournament, I wouldn''t be surprised to discover kids younger than you yet far stronger."


    Bai Guo, feeling his own frustrations mounting, exhaled sharply and left it at that. The exercise that amounted to little more than sitting around had left him surprisingly exhausted. He welcomed the warm embrace of his soft bed and fell into a deep sleep in the blink of an eye.


    ...And his blissful rest, too, lasted for what felt like no more than a moment. He wasn''t sure when exactly he had noticed his master''s yellow eyed figure peering down on him, because he couldn''t recall her saying a single word to wake him up. Though it was early, well before first light, they set about their plan for the day.


    Bai Guo was allowed to cultivate for hardly more than a few minutes at a time before his master would unceremoniously stop him by sealing one of his meridians. And every time it happened, the Golden Witch showered him with verbal abuse.


    Ever since yesterday, the aloof and mysterious master he had gotten so used to over the course of their travels had undergone a sudden transformation into a cruel taskmaster. He wondered what prompted such a change in character, but was too afraid to ask, and instead focused on the training.


    After the breathing exercises concluded, the Golden Witch had briefly taken her leave. She returned with a large tray of meats and dumplings.


    "They don''t serve that at the inn we''re staying at..." Bai Guo suspiciously noted even as he was practically drooling. "And there''s so much... Where did you get these? How much did it cost?"


    "You should perhaps consider using that mouth of yours to eat instead."


    The disciple hadn''t had it in him to argue; the training blessed him with a ferocious appetite. Even though the tray had been carried through the cold winter air, the food retained its heat. He wolfed it down faster than he expected. He then ran back to the registration office and received a round wooden token upon which were written the words "Kunlun Preliminaries," as well as an identification document to prove his successful application.


    Then came the allotted hours for practicing the first of the Fifteen Heroic Sword Steps. Predictably, by the end, Bai Guo felt like his arms were made of lead.


    "I''m surprised I managed to last to the end at all." The young man thought to himself. "Must be because of all the exercises that master forced me to go through on our way to the Five Venoms Devil."


    The Golden Witch armed herself with a stick roughly the length of Bai Guo''s sword. "Now we''ll put what you''ve been drilling into practice. I''ll let you go first."


    "...What exactly are we doing, master?"


    She pointed at him with the stick. "Free sparring. Attack me."


    "How exactly should I go about that, master...?"


    The Golden Witch only smiled at him strangely.


    Bai Guo felt compelled to keep talking. "I can perform the First Step, but that''s not really the same thing as actually fighting for real, right? I''m just not very experienced with combat, master... I don''t really know how to attack or defend properly, so shouldn''t you teach me first?"


    "You foolish disciple," She teased. "There''s nothing I can teach you. You have to learn on your own and develop your own style."


    "Okay... okay..." Bai Guo nervously glanced around. "Did you get me a stick, master?"


    "Just use your sword."


    "I''m not coming at you with live steel!" Bai Guo exclaimed. "What if you get hurt?"


    The Golden Witch sputtered for a moment before erupting into laughter so fierce that she began clutching at her stomach.


    Bai Guo had never seen his master laugh so fervently, so closely bordering on outright hysterics. His face burned with shame and twisted with anger.


    "If that happens," The Golden Witch managed to force out through her wheezing. "If that happens, then I''ll become your disciple, how about that?"


    Finally reaching his limit, the young man suddenly rushed at her, sword in hand. He began a swing, intending to just give her a scare. But unexpectedly, Bai Guo''s vision filled with wood. He ran full speed into the end of her stick, which turned out to be as sturdy as a post, and nearly fell to the ground from the unexpected impact.


    Bai Guo heard her voice as he struggled to regain his wits. "You''d get to order me around..."


    Seething with frustration, he struck at her improvised weapon. To his surprise, the keen edge of his father''s sword couldn''t cut through it, like he had just pressed a blunt knife against a great oak.


    "...And make me wash your dirty laundry..." As she kept narrating, their weapons pressed against each other. The clash had ended in an instant when the Golden Witch rallied her strength and pushed him back with a slight flex of the arm, very nearly sending her disciple tumbling over.


    "...And do all the camp chores..." By some miracle the young man maintained his footing. Bai Guo''s next strike was made in earnest. The white robed figure of his master flickered like a pale shadow, and his sword passed cleanly through her as if she was a mirage.


    "Yeah, right! Keep dreaming!" Her voice came directly beside him. She swung her hip into his side. Bai Guo felt like he''d been struck by a battering ram. All the air fled from his lungs, and, to his continued humiliation, this was the attack that finally sent him crashing to the floor.


    "Okay, you made your point!" Bai Guo yelled as he made his way back to his feet. But the woman kept grinning ear to ear, and he found her smug expression utterly unbearable. So overwhelmed was he by the urge to be taken seriously that he had nearly forgotten the pain wracking his arms.

 Chapter 4 - Dreaming Asura (III)

    But the raging waves of Bai Guo''s fighting spirit could do nothing but harmlessly crash against his master''s impenetrable defense. And any time he had deigned to slow down to ponder a different approach, the woman''s branch struck him where it hurt, spurring him to retaliate once more.


    The mounting pain and fatigue caused Bai Guo to adopt an increasingly meeker posture until he was soon no longer attacking at all, but merely attempting to weather the storm.


    "I always noticed that master''s arms were pretty long," Bai Guo thought, his body ducking and weaving to avoid the blows, and yet receiving every last one of them. "But now that I''m on the receiving end of them, they just feel endless! I can''t even get near her! This isn''t fair!"


    The Golden Witch, meanwhile, seemed to be having the time of her life swatting her angry disciple with her stick.


    "You can''t expect the enemy to stop for no reason!" The Golden Witch called out, the beating proceeding without pause. "Fight back! Force me to defend myself!"


    But things had quickly deteriorated to the point where Bai Guo was outright running away from his master''s stick.


    After getting beaten black and blue, Bai Guo''s first day of training had finally come to a close.


    The Golden Witch smiled at his crumbled form. "Go rest. We''ll go again tomorrow."


    The next morning, Bai Guo was shaken awake from a dreamless sleep. His body hurt all over, and he had given up all hope of getting through the day before they even stepped foot into the cave. Nevertheless, he pressed on.


    He began to take his seat on the ground, flinching and hissing all the way down as though he was getting submerged in hot water, bit by bit allowing his body to adjust to the discomfort of his shifting posture. As he had set about performing the breathing exercise, to his surprise, Bai Guo felt his pains lessening bit by bit.


    ...Or so it had been during the brief periods of time where his master allowed him to remain undisturbed, before once again paralyzing most of his body with a touch for mistakes he could barely comprehend.


    Though his allotted time slowly grew over the successive attempts, it could still be measured in mere minutes.


    By noon, the burdens of his aching flesh had been greatly relieved. Bai Guo hadn''t even thought to link this development to the peculiar breathing exercise and instead ascribed it to the hours of rest borne from sitting around since morning.


    The Golden Witch continued to deliver an overabundance of food for the disciple''s meals, each one brought in on a new kind of tray and bowls of ever changing make.


    "Master..." Bai Guo began again. "You''re really stealing them, aren''t you...?"


    The Golden Witch rolled her eyes. "I should start timing your meals. I think you''d be less inclined to complain then."


    The young man sighed. "At least let me know which establishments you''re getting these from. I''ll pay them back after I win."


    "You have until I count to one hundred. One, two..."


    Bai Guo lunged at his food as though he had witnessed it attempting a getaway. With her message received, his master stopped her count at ten and allowed him finish in peace.


    Then came the tedious hours of swordplay, followed by the beatings that the Golden Witch called combat training.


    His master, so irritable and unforgiving in the mornings, became a no less of a cruel taskmaster by the evenings, yet one that grinned ear to ear to the ceaseless irritation of the struggling disciple. Bai Guo was driven solely by the desire to wipe that smirk off her face.


    ...But it was to no avail.


    Their days together continued uninterrupted. Bai Guo finally began to form something of a fighting style of his own. The Golden Witch''s relentless bullying gave birth to a swordplay that was highly defensive, deliberately measured, endlessly patient, deft and agile, an in-and-out style that bordered on the outright cowardly, an approach to combat where an attack was nothing more than another form of defense, just a trick served to distract and buy the fighter a few precious moments of safety.


    "That¡¯s enough for today." The Golden Witch declared. Bai Guo yearned for those words each and every single day. He collapsed to the ground and simply breathed. Taking a brief rest in such a fashion had become something of a daily ritual. The tall woman observed his crumbled figure with a small smile.


    To Bai Guo''s surprise, on this particular day, his master deigned to lie down beside him. Immediately, half of his ritual had been interrupted - the young man stopped breathing, so conscious he had suddenly become of her proximity. The Golden Witch elevated her head on her hand, her golden eyes studying the young man from above.


    "Do you like it?" The next words out of her mouth dumbfounded him even more.


    He swallowed heavily before asking, "What do you mean, master?"


    The Golden Witch seemed mystified by his confusion. "The training."


    Bai Guo sighed heavily, throwing his head back. "Are you kidding me? Every day I spend hurting and exhausted. Which part of this am I supposed to enjoy?"


    The young man then continued to enjoy his little rest. The Golden Witch stared at him for a while longer, her golden eyes perplexed. She stood up and set about putting out their lanterns and torches. It was a clear, cloudless night; a full moon shone brightly in the sky. Its reflection in the surface of the pond illuminated the cavern with a pale blue glow.


    Their eyes were drawn to the water. As the Golden Witch approached the lake, Bai Guo found himself staring at her radiant figure of white and gold.


    Bai Guo approached her. "Master, I didn''t mean to sound ungrateful. It''s not that I don''t appreciate your efforts, but... it''s just that..."


    "Don''t worry about it." She interrupted him.


    The young man failed to discern anything from her composed expression. He sighed. "You''re not offended?"


    She shook her head. "No. I understand. It''s just... I just love it so much. It''s all I can think about."


    Bai Guo was taken aback once more. "...Our training?"


    "Martial arts." Their eyes met. Her golden ones shone like two miniature suns. "Every part of it, and as it turns out, including the training we do here too. I just never expected that this would be part of it. But watching you fight, seeing you make mistakes and watching your swordplay subtly shift as you comprehend your own shortcoming and try to learn from them, that''s fascinating to me. And the way I can affect those changes by varying up my own fighting style... I can mold you any way I like. It''s just amazing. Teaching you the right things, making sure you don''t pick up any bad habits, guiding you along the right path; it''s like its own little game. And even in just this small aspect of it all, the permutations seem endless. It turns out that there is yet another part to it that I could dedicate my entire life towards and perhaps still never master completely. The more I learn, the more there is to learn. It''s all just so exhilarating..."


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    Her frantic speech ended with an elated sigh. The Golden Witch turned her dovelike gaze back to the lake. Her surging passions gradually cooled.


    Bai Guo couldn''t pry his eyes away from her. During their adventures, he would, on rare occasions, catch glimpses of her obsession, but he had never seen it as unrestrained as it was now. A whirlwind of emotions, an inexplicable fear chief among them, kept him helplessly mute. He had always been frustrated by her mysterious airs, and yet when faced with the opportunity to unravel some of the mystery, he found himself unwilling.


    Suddenly, the Golden Witch spoke again.


    "We just enjoy different things." She seemed to conclude the subject. Her words snapped him back to reality. "I''m not so petty as to hold that against you."


    They watched the moon in silence for a time. The Golden Witch turned to her disciple and asked for his sword.


    Bathed in moonlight, her white robed shape went through the motions of the first two of the Fifteen Heroic Sword Steps. But suddenly, her stance shifted; she performed a move that Bai Guo had never shown her.


    The young man''s eyes widened as she performed a dozen different sword strikes, concluding with the third step that Bai Guo had demonstrated previously.


    "Those stances...! It''s just like my father showed me back when I was a kid! Only the order is different. But how...? Where did you learn this, master?"


    "I thought about the moves you showed me and improvised the rest." The Golden Witch explained. "I doubt they''re completely accurate. You''ve perhaps simply forgotten some of the details. But I believe it should be about correct. It just makes sense to link them this way."


    Bai Guo opened his mouth to offer some praise, but the words died on his tongue. His lip trembled.


    The Golden Witch continued. "The first step is always the same - a quick, efficient opener. The third step, as you know it, is always the last. However, the remaining twelve all flow almost freely into one another. It''s a clever, versatile set of strikes."


    Bai Guo averted his gaze. "But in the end, they''re all useless, as you said. Maybe if he had done as you taught me and mastered just one of them... Maybe then he wouldn''t have died..."


    His master offered him back his sword. "Your father may not have taught you all of them, but he had given you enough for you to figure out the rest on your own. He didn''t leave you with just this sword alone..."


    Gritting his teeth, Bai Guo hesitantly took back his father''s sword. "Master..."


    "...He also left you with a legacy."


    Bai Guo listened to her words with a deep frown. "And what good is this legacy to me?" He spat. "Even though my father could wield these moves freely, he was still killed at the whim of some no name vagabond."


    Bai Guo''s eyes flashed with fury. His knuckles turned white as he fiercely gripped the sword.


    "I set out on this journey so that I wouldn''t be doomed to repeat his mistakes! So that my life and the lives of those precious to me would be firmly in my own hands! Next time, I''ll slay the bastard right then and there, not weeks later, when it''s too late to make any difference!"


    He seemed a hair away from smashing the blade against the hard ground. But as he stared at the sword, his ire grew impotent. Tears began to well in his eyes.


    Just as his expression was about to crumble completely, he bowed before the golden haired woman.


    "Master...! I''m sorry!" Bai Guo pleaded with a quivering voice. Tears wetted the stone beneath his feet. "Please forgive this lowly, useless disciple! I... I will have to disobey you again! To honor my father''s memory, I will have to go against your teachings and split my martial focus! Though these moves may be useless, they are all that I have left of him!"


    The Golden Witch offered a little smile.


    "Just what am I going to do with this disciple of mine?" She questioned with a sigh, not a single note of chastisement in her voice. "I don''t resent you for our differences, Bai Guo. As long as you promise to treat me the same way, you can do as you like."


    "Master..." Bai Guo choked up.


    "Just do me a little favor and hold off on that until you''ve won, okay?" She added.


    "Yes!"


    From the following day, Bai Guo redoubled his efforts.


    As the day of the preliminaries approached, their frantic pace became manageable. Bai Guo''s cultivation could go on uninterrupted for well over an hour. No longer forced to fight on the brink of exhaustion, he began to refine his style.


    But there was simply too little time.


    Their final day was dedicated to rest and recuperation.


    As Bai Guo prepared to leave, he bowed to his master in her room. The wooden token that identified him as a participant of the preliminary round was strapped to his shoulder.


    "As we''ve discussed," The Golden Witch said. "We shall be keeping our distance until it''s over. They can''t catch on to the fact that you don''t intend to join them."


    "I''m sorry that I won''t be able to pay proper respects to you in the battles to come." He apologized.


    "You can make up for it by bringing me gold." The Golden Witch waved her sleeve.


    "Yes, master!"


    Their farewells complete, Bai Guo set off towards the tallest mountain to join the qualifiers.


    But as the golden eyes saw him off, they glinted with mischief. Shortly after the disciple had departed, the master, too, had taken her leave.

 Chapter 4 - Dreaming Asura (IV)

    Over a hundred youths had gathered at the foot of the Kunlun Goddess Peak, the tallest mountain of the entire range. The heavens had blessed the aspiring martial artists with a clear sky, the scarce warmth of the winter sun easing some of the burdens of the freezing cold. Yet still the young men and women shivered in their coats as they waited for the instructors of the Kunlun Sect to verify their identities. No different from the rest of the crowd, the disciples of the sect wore heavy clothing to ward against the weather. Only the badges on their shoulders denoted them as members.


    Looking up from below, none could see the mountain''s upper reaches. Stone forts and towers littered the endless expanses of snow along the way to the top, marring the purity of the view.


    As Bai Guo looked around, he found himself to be among the oldest of his peers. While awaiting his turn, he took in the mountain air and idly basked in the rays of the sun. Though he felt the chill prodding at his skin, he was not discomforted by the cold. He hadn''t realized just how much he missed the freedom of the vast outdoors; he had passed the previous month confined to a cave with only his master for company, and what little time they had spent apart, he was asleep in his own room.


    Bai Guo derived a great deal of comfort from mingling with the crowd. Despite their age, they displayed their discipline through stern silence, only speaking when spoken to. The disciples of the Kunlun Sect had soon concluded their checks.


    One of the older disciples addressed them.


    "Greetings to you all, and welcome to our mountain. We shall now lead you aspiring martial artists to master Tan Huan. Follow the disciples - you can recognize them by the Kunlun emblems on their shoulders. We ask of you to keep pace, or else you will be left behind."


    To Bai Guo''s surprise, the disciples had broken out into a run. The crowd hesitated for just a moment before absolute chaos took hold. The youngsters began to push and shove as they attempted to follow. Bai Guo got tackled and fell to the ground. He looked up from the snow and saw the culprit - a spectacularly tall and bulky young man, his long black hair tied back into a single braid. As he charged off, more participants had been brought down by his relentless advance.


    "That guy is supposed to be my age?" Bai Guo grumbled, picking himself up. "There''s no way that''s true. He''s as tall as master!"


    After the initial mayhem, the chase began in earnest. The disciples were leading them at a peculiar speed that was neither slow enough to pass for a jog, nor quick enough to be an outright sprint. The terrain turned what would have otherwise been a tolerable pace into a grueling procession. The thick snow weighed heavily on the legs, and the paths were uneven and treacherous.


    They traversed the mountain by foot and sometimes by hand, forced to scale sheer cliffs and slopes in pursuit of their proctors. At times, they had to follow them downwards or run around in what appeared to Bai Guo to be a circle. Some had the presence of mind to voice their complaints over this discovery, but their words were met with laughter and derision from the Kunlun disciples. Most hadn''t even had the breath to spare on such trifles, already worn down beyond speech.


    The aspiring martial artists were dragged along for hours. The number of overseers around Bai Guo had considerably lessened, as had the size of the crowd surrounding him. Bai Guo surmised that, contrary to what they had been warned about, the disciples were not actually willing to leave any stragglers behind; as the crowd thinned out along the mountain due to the differences in individual speed and endurance, so did the disciples that had to guide them across the mountain.


    Next to Bai Guo, a contestant had slipped and began to tumble towards a cliff. The sparse coverage left the sole guiding disciple in the vicinity of their group too far to react in time. Bai Guo acted without thinking, leaping after his unfortunate peer. Just as the aspirant fell over the edge, Bai Guo had managed to halt the fall by grasping at a forearm.


    The participant''s hood had been tossed back, revealing a bald head and a youthful face. The monk felt surprisingly light in Bai Guo''s grip.


    "This kid can''t be older than twelve!" Bai Guo was shocked. "What was he thinking, coming here?"


    Bai Guo struggled to find proper stability in the snow to heft him up. The two ended up helplessly staring at each other as they slowly slid to their doom. The little monk mouthed something, but Bai Guo heard nothing. At that moment, the young man got grabbed from behind, and the two of them got pulled up by a Kunlun Sect disciple.


    He berated them both. "If you can''t even handle a little jog without dying, then just turn back now!"


    Without a word, the boy ran off further up the mountain. Bai Guo, too, continued on his way. He quickly lost sight of the little monk.


    The sun had been long past its zenith by the time they finally arrived at their destination. It appeared to be a training ground, a wide, elevated stone platform at its center, surrounded by several buildings. More disciples had been waiting for them there.


    Bai Guo wasn''t the first aspirant to arrive, but neither was he anywhere near the last. Out of the roughly one hundred contestants, he arrived as the tenth. The martial artists before him were on the brink of complete exhaustion. Some had collapsed on the cleared out roads, desperately panting for breath.


    The young man had been asked for his name by a disciple and told to take his place beside the other arrivals. Unlike his peers, Bai Guo breathed with ease. The long trek had hardly made him break a sweat. He ascribed the difference to proper pacing; though it had cost him first place, it left him in a far less miserable state than the others.


    Suddenly, a disciple called out to them. "Pick yourselves up, you lot! Master Tan Huan is on his way. If he sees you like this, you think he''ll want you for a disciple?"


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    The boys sprung up to their feet and straightened out their backs. After a few more contestants had successfully defeated the trek and took their place in line, a man of middle age had arrived, his eyes sharp, his black eyebrows thick and flowing just like his moustaches. He confidently strutted along the clear path, his arms crossed behind his back. In the harsh winter air, he wore no coat, only a purple robe embroidered with willow branches outlined in golden thread. Bai Guo had at some point caught glimpses of similar outfits beneath the thick garments of the other disciples, and assumed that it was their uniform.


    "Master Tan Huan!" The disciples of the Kunlun Sect bowed; the aspirants promptly mimicked the gesture. When they straightened out their backs, Tan Huan walked along the line, his sharp eyes taking careful note of every individual present. His gaze lingered on Bai Guo. The master was ever so slightly shorter than him.


    "Your name, contestant?" He suddenly asked.


    "This contestant is called Bai Guo." The young man bowed again. Tan Huan departed without another word.


    The master walked over to a disciple sitting behind a desk, brush in hand. Though he had assumed that they were too far away to be overheard, Bai Guo nevertheless perked up his ears. To his surprise, he had somehow managed to pick up a scrap of their conversation.


    "Contestant Bai Guo receives ten points. The others are at your discretion."


    The disciple''s brush moved. Bai Guo wasn''t sure what to make of what he had heard. He burned with a desire to glance at the papers the disciple was filling out, but it wasn''t meant to be.


    "Brother Guo?" A young woman beside him whispered. A dark haired beauty gazed up at him from below, her pale face slick with sweat. Despite her coquettish smile, her eyes glinted with cunning. Bai Guo had immediately put up his guard, his instincts assailing him with inexplicable suspicion.


    "Do we know each other?" He asked.


    "I am Shao Luli. Nice to meet you."


    Bai Guo forced a smile and politely nodded her way, only to turn away and stare straight ahead.


    "You''re the only one here who has been personally spoken to by master Tan Huan." Shao Luli pointed out. "Why did he deign to address you?"


    Bai Guo shrugged. During the awkward silence that followed, he could feel the girl''s eyes boring into him.


    Moreover, he felt her edging ever so slightly closer. Soon she had gotten so close that he could pick up the fruity scent of her perfume. Bai Guo had finally reached his limit, unable to ignore her any longer, and glanced at her.


    But Shao Luli had preempted his complaint. "You''re not breathing hard at all. You''re not even sweaty. Did you really run all the way here just like the rest of us?"


    "Sister Luli must believe I can fly, then." Bai Guo made a dry joke as he stepped away from her.


    As she continued to smile, the girl slowly raised one of her thin brows. She faced ahead, joining him in innocuously staring at nothing. "Would brother Guo like to know how they grade our performance?"


    Bai Guo''s curiosity had been instantly piqued. But he forced his mouth to remain shut. He thought, "I feel like if I let her lead me along now, I''ll be stuck dancing to her tune for a long time."


    Mustering up as much confidence as he could, he answered with a guess based on what he had just overheard. "They grade us on a scale of one to ten."


    "Oh, so you do know." Shao Luli sounded disappointed. Their conversation ended there, and after a short while, the girl left his side. Bai Guo breathed a sigh of relief.


    "So my guess was right!" Thinking to himself, Bai Guo was elated as much as he was confused. "But what have I done to earn the highest grade? It''s not like I was first. I suppose they value pacing more than speed."


    In the meantime, Tan Huan had stepped up onto the elevated platform and waited, observing the path leading to the training grounds.


    Over the next couple of hours, more and more people trickled in, each and every one of them just about ready to keel over from fatigue. Among the later arrivals, Bai Guo caught glimpse of the little monk, most likely the shortest individual in their entire group, and the prodigiously tall man who had forced him off his feet at the start of the marathon. The two of them exchanged a brief, tense glance with each other. The big guy seemed surprised to find that Bai Guo had ended up getting ahead of him. But he hadn''t let it show for long - putting on a mask of indifference, the man with the braid took his place in line.


    Bai Guo had also spotted Shao Luli soon hovering around him. They exchanged a few words, and the giant seemed instantly taken in with her. The two eventually began to throw glances his way, chuckling to themselves. Bai Guo''s poor impression of the two had deepened.


    "That''s enough." Tan Huan suddenly declared. "If any more arrive, turn them away."


    A disciple ran off to deliver the message.


    Bai Guo looked around. Of the initial hundred or so, only about sixty remained.


    "Well done making it this far, contestants." Tan Huan praised. "Follow me to your next test."


    They were brought to an open courtyard where side by side stood three massive boulders, each bigger than the last. The smallest one was bigger than a grown man, roughly the same size as the person that Bai Guo had been tackled by, and wide enough that it would need at least three people to wrap their arms around. The largest was as big as a house.


    Tan Huan explained the challenge. "When your name is called out, step forward and push any boulder of your choice! You will be graded by weight and distance. Make as many attempts as you like until you are told to stop."


    Shortly after, the first name had been called out. "Chun De!"


    The little monk hesitantly stepped forth.

 Chapter 4 - Dreaming Asura (V)

    Beneath the gazes of the crowd, the diminutive monk seemed to shrink even more. As he closed in on the smallest of the three stones, Chun De had to crane his neck up to see the top. Scarce chuckles emerged from the crowd of observers. The young aspirants had caught on to the fact that the Kunlun disciples weren''t berating them for chitchat, so loose talk began to spread.


    Chun De pressed his mittens up against the boulder and, with a grunt, began to push. Soon, the frozen earth quaked as the stone began to shift. The smiles of the onlookers quickly disappeared. The stone kept moving farther and farther, until a proctor had called the test to a stop.


    The little monk collapsed, panting. Though he had done it, it hadn''t come easily.


    Murmurs erupted among the crowd, trying to make sense of what had just unfolded.


    "Maybe the rocks aren''t that heavy." Some wondered.


    Bai Guo began to view the little monk in different light.  "This boy who felt barely any heavier than a bag of rice in my grip could actually pull that off? I guess I was wrong - he''s not here by mistake."


    After Chun De had scraped himself off the ground, the disciples continued calling out names.


    Emboldened by that underdog performance, the youngsters grew overconfident. Many had attempted to shift the largest obstacle, and all of them failed. After wasting the last scraps of strength that remained after the first test, some hadn''t had it in them to move even the smallest boulder, leading to complete embarrassment. Soon the young martial artists had learned from the mistakes of their predecessors, and the showboating stopped. None dared to try the third rock again.


    Bai Guo noticed that each competitor was allowed to try their hand at all three weights if it so pleased them. The time between the attempts also seemed inconsistent. But ultimately, whatever the result, none of the contestants walked away feeling scorned by anything but the limits of their own ability.


    "Zhu Da!" The next name had been called.


    The giant with the dark braid stepped forth. He tossed his coat out onto the snow, and just as readily discarded his upper garment. His broad and ruddy chest bare, he confidently strutted towards the largest stone.


    Fighting the urge to roll his eyes, Bai Guo tried to find somewhere else to look. He caught Shao Luli staring at him. As though startled by the unexpected eye contact, the girl practically recoiled as she turned back to the stones.


    "Brother Da, show them how it''s done!" Shao Luli cheered him on. The crowd, spurred on by the girl''s rambunctiousness, laughed and echoed her words with sarcastic encouragement of their own.


    "Was she waiting for me to look her way?" Bai Guo wondered. "So annoying!"


    Zhu Da hugged the boulder, his muscles rippling, and began to push without so much as a grunt. After a slight delay, the enormous stone started to slide ever so slightly along the ground. The jeering aspirants had instantly been silenced.


    "Good!" Master Tan Huan himself had offered his praises. "That''s enough!"


    Zhu Da stepped away from the rock. Shao Luli rushed out from the group and picked up his garments to hand them back to him. The big man seemed extremely pleased with himself as he rejoined his begrudging peers.


    The next examinee had then been called forth.


    "Bai Guo!"


    The young man in question had been preoccupied with keeping his mounting annoyance in check. He took his leave of the crowd very slowly, trying to figure out his plan.


    "I can tell that girl''s trying to goad me into making a mistake. And there''s no way I''m just being paranoid! She''s definitely out to get me!" Bai Guo grumbled to himself. "Well, I know that''s her game, so there''s no way I''m falling for it."


    But his feet still brought him before the tallest boulder. The crowd heckled him. Nobody believed that a miracle could happen twice in a row.


    Bai Guo paused before it, his mind reeling.


    "Ah, what good is knowing, if I just plunge right into the danger anyways?! And it''s not like this is the first time I do this! This stupid temperament of mine is exactly how I ended up here, so many miles away from home!"


    Bai Guo hesitantly pressed his hands against the stone. "Zhu Da didn''t have to move this thing far before they stopped him. I think I can move it that much... But even if I mess this up, I can just try the smaller rocks. I''m not tired at all, not like the others, so I think it''s possible. Worst case scenario, I''ll come out of this embarrassed, but at least I shouldn''t flunk out of the tournament."


    The young man sighed heavily as the thought had crossed his mind. He took measure of the miniature mountain before him once more.  "...Look at me, trying to bargain down my failure before I had even given it a proper try. Master could probably push this thing back with a single arm."


    As he thought back to that golden haired woman, something stirred inside him. "Ah, what was I even thinking! Forget some stupid Shao Luli! After all the hard work that master poured into me, if I can''t even move some stupid rock, how could I ever face her again?!"


    With a rallying cry, Bai Guo rammed himself into the boulder. The crowd stilled their breaths. Though no one present earnestly believed that he could do it, after being shown that it is indeed possible, nobody had had the confidence to doubt him openly.


    But they couldn''t help but erupt into cheers when the great weight gave way beneath the young man''s strength.


    "Enough!" Master Tan Huan called out. He smiled, his hands crossed behind his back. "Well done!"


    Bai Guo collapsed to his knees. Drawing out strength he never knew he possessed had utterly exhausted him.


    The spectators regarded him with a sprawling mixture of shock, admiration, envy, and wariness. For a lot of the people present, the competition turned out to be fiercer than they had anticipated.


    Bai Guo took his place among his peers with a small smile. Though he was satisfied with his accomplishment beyond measure, he restrained himself. He avoided looking at the girl that roused his ire, because he worried that it would prove impossible to maintain his composure depending on the severity of her expression.


    Shao Luli had eventually had her turn, successfully overcoming the smallest obstacle. She, too, avoided Bai Guo''s eyes as she went back into the crowd.


    Once everyone had been given the chance to try the challenge, the test had concluded. By the end, no one else had managed to shift the largest stone.


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    The next examination was conducted indoors, with the aspirants called into a vast hall one by one to demonstrate their techniques before three seated older disciples and master Tan Huan.


    Bai Guo bowed before the proctors. He drew his sword and demonstrated three of the Fifteen Heroic Sword Steps.


    "Was that all you wished to demonstrate, contestant Bai?" One of the elders asked, very obviously unimpressed.


    Bai Guo was not oblivious to the man''s leading tone, but he had nothing else to show, and as such, had simply nodded his head.


    "You are also signed up for the contest of the fist." The elder reminded.


    Bai Guo was instantly overcome by panic. "I completely forgot!" He thought. "If these people were disappointed with my three sword moves, then they just might laugh me out of the competition when I show them the only fist technique I know! And I hadn''t practiced that move at all!"


    Swallowing his anxiety, the young man demonstrated his sole attack - a punch from a wide stance, the Mountain River Strike.


    The elder that had been giving him lip a moment prior couldn''t suppress a smirk when the brief demonstration had concluded. In a polite effort to conceal it, he turned his gaze towards his desk and wrote something down.


    The other proctors were not amused at all.


    Master Tan Huan had then instructed, "Try any one of your sword techniques on the target there. Strike as hard as you can. You only have one chance."


    The target in question was a rectangular block of wood, about as wide as an arm on all sides, held up by wooden boards. Bai Guo performed the First Step, jabbing into it with a yell. His father''s sword had pierced through the solid block as easily as through silk, penetrating it up to the hilt.


    The young swordsman himself seemed shocked at the result. He tried to get his weapon out, but no matter how much he tugged and pulled, it remained firmly in place.


    "Young man..." Master Tan Huan stood up, a gentle smile on his face. "Stop that. You''ll break your sword."


    The master came over and, with a quick flick of his wrist, retrieved the stuck blade. Embarrassed, Bai Guo bowed as he accepted it back.


    Tan Huan chuckled. "Contestant Bai seems unaware of his own strength. I wonder how this came to be. Who taught you, young man?"


    Bai Guo hesitated, wondering how to answer the question. "My late father taught me the sword."


    "What was this esteemed man''s name? How did he die?" Tan Huan asked.


    "Bai Yang. He perished in combat, protecting me."


    Tan Huan''s moustache quivered; though he failed to recognize the name, he nevertheless seemed moved. "The world is full of heroes." He placated.


    The master patted Bai Guo on the shoulder. "Young man, your father left you with an impressive foundation. If you prove yourself in this competition, then under my guidance, I guarantee it will not go to waste. I can polish you into an outstanding martial artist."


    Though Bai Guo knew that Tan Huan''s praise was mostly misplaced, he still couldn''t help but feel a tinge of pride. Not for himself, but for his father, and his master.


    They had then had him demonstrate the power of his unarmed technique by having him crack a number of sturdy wooden boards. Twelve had been stacked up against the wall, and twelve were smashed beneath his fist.


    Once again Bai Guo had found himself flabbergasted by his own feats. "I poured so many hours into the First Step, so I can accept what I can do with it now. But this one I hadn''t practiced at all! What''s going on? Why is it so strong? Is brute force really all it takes to be a martial artist?"


    He thought back on his master''s brief battle against Tao Geming, when the two had briefly discussed the core tenets of martial arts. Tao Geming eschewed formal techniques in favor of cultivating the kind of raw power that could turn any move deadly. But even though what had just unfolded before his eyes seemed to further prove that man''s beliefs, and even his master hadn''t disagreed with him at the time, Bai Guo was loathe to accept his point of view.


    Bai Guo could tell that the examiners seemed far less conflicted about his results than the young man himself. They wrote something down and sent him away.


    By the time the third trial had concluded, it was already dark. Because the Kunlun Sect disciples were unwilling to guide the aspirants down the mountain in these conditions, they provided them with lodgings in the barracks.


    With the girls segregated into a different building, about fifty young men were housed in a single large room. Bai Guo found that the little monk was, coincidentally, bunking right next to him.


    "Brother De, good work out there." Bai Guo approached with a friendly smile.


    Chun De stared at him with wide-eyed surprise, and then his eyes began to wander all over as he treated his peer to awkward silence. Finally, after a long pause, he offered his gratitude. "Thank you, brother Guo."


    Chun De''s voice had a naturally high pitch, and the little monk went through a very unconvincing effort of making it sound gruffer and lower. Bai Guo''s eyebrows flew up when he heard it, instantly struck with suspicion.


    "His voice didn''t even break yet?" He thought. "No... I don''t think that''s it... Could it be...?"


    So shocked was Bai Guo that he had neglected to hide his surprise. Witnessing Bai Guo''s strange reaction, Chun De''s bald head began to glow with a shade of red.


    The little monk suddenly bowed, still speaking in that forced voice. "I never got the chance to thank brother Guo for saving my life."


    "Ah... Don''t worry about it! Really, it''s nothing." Bai Guo hastily raised the bowing monk. The more he heard Chun De speak, the firmer his impression grew.


    Though Bai Guo smiled politely, his mind was racing. "No wonder Chun De was so hesitant to speak. It''s a dead giveaway! I''d better cut this conversation short before anyone else overhears and realizes that the monk is actually a nun! While I''m sure she has some reason to hide her true identity - I didn''t exactly come here for legitimate reasons either - other people might feel less inclined to keep her secret from the disciples."


    "Well, I''ll leave you to it." Bai Guo said, chuckling strangely. "I''m sure you''re tired after a day like that. I feel the same way."


    As the participants went to sleep, Bai Guo had found himself remarkably self-conscious, spending the entire night on one side, his back turned to Chun De.

 Chapter 4 - Dreaming Asura (VI)

    The next morning, as the aspirants were about to reconvene outside for an announcement from the Kunlun disciples, the gigantic Zhu Da approached Bai Guo.


    "Word from the disciples is you''ve had a rather impressive showing, brother Guo." His bassy voice seemed to shake the walls. "Your place in the tournament is all but assured."


    "Oh, so brother Da has friends among the Kunlun disciples?" Bai Guo noted with a smile. "I suppose your spot was never under question, then?"


    Zhu Da paused. The gears in his head seemed to slowly turn as he grasped the implication.


    "Now I get what sister Luli meant. You really do have this arrogant air about you." Zhu Da snorted. "Are you really still bitter over our little scuffle during the race? What are you, a little girl? Get over it. It''s a competition. Don''t tell me you''re going to hold a grudge over something so petty. We could very well be facing each other in combat soon, and you''re this sore over a little shove?"


    Bai Guo pretended to be surprised. "We''ve hardly exchanged so much as a word until now, and yet you and sister Luli have already developed such a long-winded impression of me. I didn''t realize I was a topic in your conversations."


    Zhu Da began to loom over him. "I came here to extend a hand in friendship, but I see that you would rather cling to petty grievances."


    Bai Guo raised an eyebrow. He crossed his arms behind his back and craned up his neck to face the giant. "And are you going around offering friendship to every person you''ve pushed around, or are you making a special exception for me?"


    "Of course you''re an exception, brother Guo."


    "And what makes me so exceptional, I wonder?"


    "Of course, it''s because you proved yourself as a true man in these trials." Zhu Da spoke as if it were a thing most obvious.


    Bai Guo scoffed. "So just because we can both move the biggest rocks, we should be friends?"


    Zhu Da was unamused by his remark. "In the jianghu, men bond over martial strength as a matter of course."


    "Well, I don''t ascribe to that principle." Bai Guo shook his head. "The only strength that matters to me is strength of character. I''ll not be a friend to someone who bullies the weak. Extend this same friendship to all the others you stomped beneath your boot, and I might reconsider my opinion of you."


    Zhu Da frowned deeply, and spoke after a pause. "So you''re saying that my character is weak?"


    Bai Guo chuckled at the question. "We''re holding people up, brother Da. Let''s wrap this up before the disciples scold us."


    The other boys had indeed circled around them, eagerly anticipating that the argument would escalate into a fight. Zhu Da kept staring the shorter Bai Guo down.


    Bai Guo added, "And when it comes to accurately judging people by first impressions, I think I have sister Luli beat. You can let her know I said that during your next round of gossip. And keep that in mind yourself."


    The young man stepped around Zhu Da and took his leave.


    Outside, the aspirants were made to stand on attention atop of the elevated stone platform as the Kunlun Sect''s disciples conducted a headcount. A box of scrolls had been brought up onto the stage. Master Tan Huan stepped forward to address the young men and women.


    "We have examined your performance in yesterday''s trials and wrote down our evaluations in these scrolls. At the end of these reports is my final decision regarding your candidacy. You will have either qualified as a competitor or as a reserve, to replace the primary contestants if any of them end up unable to participate. Some of you here who have failed to qualify for the contest are young enough to try again in the Kunlun Sect entry examinations this summer. You won''t have the privilege of being my personal disciple, but there is still hope for you as a martial artist. We have pointed out your strengths and weaknesses, so use this time to polish your shortcomings and rise through the ranks conventionally."


    Master Tan Huan paused as he looked over the crowd. "...And for those of you too old to apply, I recommend pursuing a different path in life. When your name is called, come forth and receive your evaluation."


    One by one the aspirants stepped forward to take their scrolls. Disappointed sighs emerged from all around as they read their personal reports.


    Bai Guo was very careful when he received his report. He unraveled the scroll and quickly ran his eyes across, looking for the decision.


    "Qualified" had been stamped twice onto the end, one for the contest of the sword and one for the fist. The young man sighed in relief as he rolled the scroll back up. Looking all around, he had found his peers being far less careful with their reports. Though the evaluations of those who failed to qualify held little value, the future contestants were baring their secrets for all to see.


    Bai Guo noticed Chun De, the bald monk he very strongly suspected to be a girl in disguise, carefully scrutinizing the contents of her scroll, surrounded by people on all sides. The young man approached and quickly glanced at her report, finding three qualification seals present. He tapped her on the shoulder.


    As she looked up at him in confusion, Bai Guo suggested that she hide it before other people had the chance to see. Chun De immediately caught on and did as he suggested, wordlessly nodding with what looked like gratitude.


    They heard Zhu Da''s booming voice as he hooted at his own success. The girl beside him stared freely at the contents of his scroll as she offered her praises, her own evaluation already tucked away somewhere into her clothes. Bai Guo, inspecting her happy expression, suspected that Shao Luli was jubilant not on Zhu Da''s behalf, but because she, too, had qualified.


    Bai Guo sighed, thinking, "I hope she only signed up for the saber tournament."


    After the reports had been distributed, those who failed to qualify had been led away by the disciples.


    Twenty four aspirants remained on the stone platform. Master Tan Huan had congratulated those present and began to explain the tournament rules.


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    "Each bout will be conducted with live steel. To win, you must either slay your opponent or force them to surrender."


    His words made Bai Guo''s blood run cold. The attentive silence from the aspirants turned tense and eerie.


    Tan Huan continued. "There will be a referee overseeing each match. If it is deemed that the outcome of the battle has become obvious, then to preserve the lives of the contestants, the bout may be stopped at any time. This may be determined even before a contestant has been injured. This means that you must visibly defend yourself at all times. Naturally, if the referee tells you to stop, you are to cease fighting immediately, at risk of disqualification and further punishment. They are also at liberty to use force if the situation demands it."


    Bai Guo found some scarce relief in this amendment. "Surely these people know what they''re doing," he hoped.


    "When it comes to the rules of engagement, there is only one - you may only use the main weapon of the tournament. Beyond that, there are no restrictions to how you may fight. You may use your body as you please - kick, punch, grapple if you dare. The way I see it, the flow of battle is unpredictable, so there''s no telling what tool you might need to use at any given moment. And if you can overcome an armed foe barehanded, then it''s a testament to your skill. Therefore, every kind of unarmed maneuver is allowed. The same applies to the tournament of the fist - you are not restricted to any particular techniques, and may fight as you wish, so long as it is without weapons. The fights will have no time limit; you will fight until one of you surrenders, dies, or the referee puts an end to the battle."


    The young man breathed slowly as he glanced around at his peers. None of them seemed at ease with what they''d heard, and yet no one was speaking up.


    "The first tournament, that of the sword, will begin in three days." Tan Huan said. "Those of you who do not wish to scale the Kunlun Goddess Peak again on the day of the competition may choose to lodge within our sect halls free of charge. Or, should it be within your means, stay at one of our local inns. You may discover that the Peak is not without its pleasures."


    Bai Guo lamented, "Though I''m dying to speak to master about what''s written in my evaluation, it would be suspicious to come down the mountain just to talk to her. And moreover, I''m just about dirt poor, so I shouldn''t refuse their accommodations..."


    All of the contestants followed the disciples even higher up the mountain. Bai Guo heard the crunching of snow quicken behind him as someone approached.


    "What a surprise," Shao Luli spoke up beside him. "Brother Guo has qualified. Though from what I''ve seen, I suppose it''s not a surprise at all."


    Bai Guo met her smile with a forced one of his own. "I see sister Luli has made it through as well, somehow."


    "Do you think the disciples judged you fairly? What''s your highest score?" Shao Luli''s fingers reached out for the scroll in Bai Guo''s hands. He kept it away from her. "Won''t you show me?"


    "I''ll show you mine if you show me yours."


    Shao Luli laughed before putting up a pout. "You''re no fun."


    They walked together for a little while. Shao Luli spoke up again. "I could probably guess your scores. You have a ten in endurance, and a nine in strength."


    Bai Guo turned his face to stone to hide the fact that she was dead on.


    He brazenly met her inquisitive stare. "Your guesses must be based on brother Da''s results. Well, go ahead and make a few more. I''m dying to know what to expect from him."


    Shao Luli''s cunning smile grew. "Oh, you don''t have to guess. I can tell you his entire evaluation in exchange for yours."


    Bai Guo snorted as he almost unwillingly contemplated her offer. "Which tournaments is sister Luli participating in?"


    "Sword and fist."


    Bai Guo''s expression soured as the worst case scenario came to life. "So am I. Then I''m afraid it''s not happening."


    Shao Luli exaggerated her shock. "Don''t tell me you''re more scared of this little girl than of that meat mountain."


    "Well, how about a little guessing of my own?" Bai Guo proposed. "To qualify after her miserable performance in the two public trials, sister Luli must have truly wowed the judges in private with her sword skills."


    "Miserable performance." She derisively echoed, still smiling. "Brother Guo really has a way with words. But you know, I so happened to overhear that you embarrassed yourself during your private trials. So it would appear that brother Guo is all brawn and no brains. Being afraid of me just may be the smartest thing you''ve ever done in your life."


    Bai Guo briefly wondered what she could be referring to. It seemed that his inability to retrieve the sword from his target spurred some discussion among the disciples that, perhaps inadvertently, had leaked out. "Or maybe it''s the fact that I had almost no techniques to show..."


    "You''re giving me too much credit." Bai Guo shook his head. "I''m not afraid of you."


    Shao Luli''s cold smirk briefly glinted with a hint of authenticity. She slinked back into the crowd without another word.


    After she left, Bai Guo tried to vent his tensions with a sigh, but his thoughts would not let him be at ease. "I would really like to avoid killing anyone in this tournament, but I strongly suspect that Shao Luli is not planning to extend that same courtesy to me. And I doubt she''s the only one who feels this way. This tournament might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enter the martial arts world for some of the people here, but for me, it''s just a way to earn some money for my fussy master. With things being what they are, maybe I should drop out before something terrible happens."


    In the end, the young man could only sigh again. "But master trained me so hard for this, there''s no way she''ll forgive me if I quit. Ah, just what should I do?"

 Chapter 4 - Dreaming Asura (VII)

    They approached a city of dark stone that sprawled up and down and even into the mountain; vast swathes of the Kunlun Goddess Peak had been carved out to accommodate more districts, the hollowed out crescents plunging the streets within into lantern-lit darkness.


    "Welcome to the Kunlun Sect." Master Tan Huan said, proudly waving his hand over the city. "We have invited many esteemed individuals to observe the contests to come. Even if you come up short, who knows what other opportunities might lie in wait for you? Impress the right man, and you might still get to make a living from martial arts."


    Tan Huan led them on a brief tour of the sect. The bottom and inner areas housed the lower ranking disciples and the sect''s guests, as well as the many establishments required to appease them. He then took them higher up the mountain to a circular, open-air arena, where the master told them they would be fighting. Bai Guo estimated that it could seat somewhere around a thousand people.


    "Your opponent will be announced on the morning of the tournament. Those of you participating in the tournament of the sword must arrive here at noon." Tan Huan explained. Several disciples distributed square tokens of dark iron to the participants, the master''s family name engraved in red upon each one. "You cannot remain in our sect without permission. Carry these tokens on your person at all times and produce them at the demand of any disciple. You are also not permitted to go any higher up this mountain."


    Tan Huan crossed his hands behind his back. "This is where we part ways. Those of you who need them, may follow the disciples to your temporary accommodations. I expect to see you again in three days, demonstrating your true skills in that arena."


    Of the nearly two dozen competitors, only two remained to be led away, Bai Guo and Chun De.


    "I guess it''s not surprising that only the rich kids have made it this far." Bai Guo thought to himself and smiled. "I doubt I would have gotten in without a bribe either..."


    On the way out, he glimpsed at Tan Huan''s departing figure. He found the giant Zhu Da walking beside the master, following him up the mountain.


    The Kunlun disciples brought them to a boarding house, and the scarce demand meant that both of them got themselves a small, private room of their own. It was equipped with nothing more than a bed and a small table, but they were promised three meals a day.


    Bai Guo had finally gotten the opportunity to properly examine his evaluation. He unrolled the scroll. There was a brief explanation about the one to ten grading, and then the scores were listed.


    "Endurance - ten. ''Not even some of our full-blown disciples can scale the Kunlun Goddess Peak with as much leisure as this contestant,'' it says." As he read along, Bai Guo felt a strange, unfamiliar type of excitement blossoming in his chest. Something about the numbers was riling him up. "Strength - nine. ''Shifting the third stone is a sign of profound strength or cultivation for someone this young.'' I wonder why it''s only a nine. Not like there was a bigger rock out there to move. Just what exactly are you supposed to do for a perfect score?"


    Bai Guo''s face soured with embarrassment as he read the next lines. "Sword skills - three. ''The technical aptitude of this contestant is extremely lacking.'' Fist skills - one out of ten. There''s no explanation at all next to that one... Sword power and fist power - nine! Nine again... Even though I''ve done something so absurd, they still docked me a point for something."


    Before the final stamps of approval, Tan Huan wrote down his own thoughts. "Brute strength is not a substitute for skill - contestant Bai should keep this in mind and approach his battles with great care. This one suggests he proceed with a defensive, measured style. The key to victory lies in seeking out the right moment to display his power!"


    Bai Guo felt inspired by the passage. "What he says makes sense! I wonder if master would agree..."


    With his evaluation fully examined, Bai Guo decided to kill some time with a walk around the sect. Tucking the scroll away into his robe - it was safer with him than left behind in this room - Bai Guo stepped out into the hallway. The bald headed monk-or-nun rooming next to him had also stepped out at the same time. The mood took an immediate turn for the awkward.


    The young man turned sharply and tried to briskly walk away. Chun De halted him by grabbing his sleeve. After catching his attention, Chun De warily glanced around the empty hall.


    "You noticed..." Chun De''s hoarse voice had never sounded less convincing. With her next words, she had surrendered on the pretense entirely. "You noticed, haven''t you?"


    Her frantic but finally unstrained, melodic voice was far more pleasant to the ear and left Bai Guo with no doubts. He wanted to smack himself for acting so obvious and giving away the fact that he had caught on. He never expected her to confront him head on about it, and was stuck wondering what to say.


    During his lull, Chun De''s bald head began to glow red. She dragged him back into his room. Chun De presented him a scroll - her own evaluation from the trials. "If you promise not to tell anyone, you can look."


    "I''m not going to tell anyone." Bai Guo finally spurred himself into speech. "...And besides, I''ve already seen it..."


    "You have?!" Chun De thought back on that scene, realizing all too late that she had given him plenty of opportunities. She suddenly looked disappointed; in the next moment, she glared at him with suspicion.


    "I''m not going to tell anyone." Bai Guo repeated himself with more conviction, but his words seemed to fall on deaf ears. The young man attempted to make his case. "Just think about it logically - if I was the kind of person who''d try to blackmail you over something like this, would it have been in character for me to have helped you during the trials?"


    Chun De finally let go of his sleeve. She seemed to find the argument convincing. And yet her guard was still up. "You still looked at my scroll without permission..."


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    "You''re really going to hold a grudge over that?" Bai Guo asked.


    "No..." Chun De shook her head. "You saved my life. Compared to that, it''s not a big deal. Now you say you''re going to keep my secret too... I was really worried that you would ask me to give up so that you could advance, but by revealing my secret you could have taken me out without even having to go through the trouble. But you didn''t. So could it be... that you really want to fight me?"


    Something resembling hope lit up her big eyes. Bai Guo wondered how that ended up being her next guess, or why that seemed to be something she regarded in positive light.


    "I don''t want to fight you." Bai Guo''s words had instantly extinguished whatever emotions were surging through her.


    Chun De seemed upset again. "So then why are you just letting me be? It makes no sense."


    "Is the concept of fair play really that foreign to you?" Bai Guo quirked an eyebrow.


    "So you are doing it for the sake of the competition." Her enthusiasm redoubled. Her tone was mercilessly insistent. "It''s because you want a fair fight against me, like I said."


    Bai Guo felt like he was losing the plot. The nun seemed desperate to put a certain spin on his words. It took him a moment to regain his wits. "I have no particular desire to fight you or anyone else, but since we must fight, I''d rather do it fairly."


    Chun De seemed disappointed. "I''m a bit surprised, brother Guo. You displayed so much strength during the trials, and yet you''re so unenthusiastic about putting it to use."


    "I''m surprised you''re this enthusiastic about it. This could very well be a fight to the death."


    "They said they wouldn''t let it go that far." Chun De seemed unconcerned.


    "That''s not what they said at all...!" Bai Guo was taken aback.


    "Is that why you''re acting this way?" Chun De smiled. "You really do want to fight, but you can''t keep pretending to be a gentleman if you were honest with yourself."


    "Sister De really has her mind set on this!" Bai Guo exclaimed.


    "Don''t call me that." She suddenly frowned. "If you make a habit of it and slip up in public, I''m doomed."


    "Speaking of which, may I ask why you''re pretending to be a monk?" Bai Guo pounced on the opportunity to change the subject.


    "You can force me to talk about it because of my debt to you, but I would rather not..." Chun De spoke coyly, fiddling with her thumbs.


    Though she spoke of her reluctance, Bai Guo felt suspiciously little resistance. Chun De''s meekness was entirely unconvincing. He decided to test the waters. "And if I were to invoke my debt to force you to concede the match to me instead?"


    Immediately Chun De''s temper flared, her fists clenched, her eyes seethed with hatred.


    Bai Guo exploded. "Fighting really is all you care about! Who has ever heard of such a bloodthirsty monk?!"


    "You lied!" She accused. "You said you wouldn''t make me do that!"


    "I didn''t lie! Stay in the contest if it pleases you. But don''t try to goad me into cashing in your debt on something you don''t really care about! Just what was that?!"


    "I wasn''t!" Chun De blushed to her ears. "Okay, I''ll tell you free of charge!"


    "I don''t want to hear it anymore!" Bai Guo turned up his nose. "What''s this ''free of charge'' nonsense? I thought nothing of it when I helped you, but if you''re planning to hold it over my head like this, keeping track of every word we exchange like we''re bargaining over fish on the market, I''d rather the two of us just stay away from each other! I''m never going to ask you to return the favor, so don''t you worry about that."


    Bai Guo made to leave. Chun De grabbed Bai Guo''s sleeve again "I didn''t mean it! It was just a joke!" She exclaimed. Though she looked frustrated, Bai Guo thought he saw a hint of guilt in her eyes. "I won''t do it again."


    As he stared into her big eyes, Bai Guo found himself unable to hold a grudge.


    Their tempers gradually cooled.


    The young man said, "I''m going out. Would you like to come along?"


    "I can''t..." Chun De muttered, letting go. "I have a private matter to take care of."


    "Then I''ll see you around."


    They parted somewhat reluctantly. As Bai Guo had finally stepped out onto the snowy mountain, he sighed again.


    "I want to fight you?" He thought back on their odd exchange. "You''re the person I want to fight the least! That short girl has a ten in the skill-based categories of all three weapons, in both power and technique! I could very well get done in by my own good deed."


    He walked around the busy streets, unable to relax as his mind kept wandering.


    "That girl may have a gift for martial arts, but she''s lacking in other areas. She''s naturally suspicious of people, but not smart enough to foresee how they might actually scheme against her." Bai Guo contemplated. "This tournament has people who were signed on as replacements for the primary contestants. If I was planning to put her into the position she was describing, I wouldn''t do it right now, like she expects me to. I would have made her withdraw during our match to prevent her spot from being filled by someone else. She''s more than a little strange, but she doesn''t seem like a bad person. I''m kind of worried for her. Someone like Shao Luli could really give her trouble."


    Immersed in his thoughts, Bai Guo had at first failed to notice the strangeness around him. As people passed him by, their necks were craned up, staring wide-eyed at something above them. When Bai Guo tracked their gazes, he nearly screamed.


    Sitting up on the balcony of an inn was a tall, blonde haired woman. She sipped her tea with a small smile, her golden eyes staring down at none other than him.


    "Why is she here?! Should I just ignore her?" Bai Guo was in a panic. "Yeah, right, as if she could be ignored! No, it''s going to be even more suspicious if I did that! And she''ll probably do something even more drastic if I tried it..."


    After some reluctance, Bai Guo resigned to his fate. He stepped into the establishment.

 Chapter 4 - Dreaming Asura (VIII)

    As soon as Bai Guo stepped inside, he found the Golden Witch rushing down the stairs to meet him. The eyes of every patron had been instantly drawn towards the woman who had to lean under every doorway.


    And of course, towards the young man she was running up to.


    "I see it went well." She exclaimed, beaming with a smile. "Not that I ever had any doubts. You should tell me all about it."


    Though Bai Guo wanted to do nothing more, the attention they were drawing embarrassed him greatly.


    "Can''t we speak somewhere private?" He pleaded, his voice barely louder than a whisper.


    The Golden Witch, utterly ignorant of his plights, twirled around and led him upstairs. Bai Guo glanced around the inn and found it to be of surprisingly good quality, inhabited by wealthy clientele.


    "Master, this place doesn''t look cheap. How are you affording your stay here?" He asked.


    "It turns out that the man who owns this place is a friend of mine. Though we''ve never met." The Golden Witch explained. Her voice grew lively; she seemed excited to tell this story. "Apparently, I helped his cousin out of a financial pinch some time ago by spending gold at his store. Now his business is booming. This cousin spoke of me in his letters, and the proprietor recognized me from the descriptions."


    "That''s an incredible coincidence." Bai Guo was greatly surprised by this tale, and even somewhat suspicious at the convenience of it all. But a part of him couldn''t deny that it seemed possible, or even inevitable, for her acclaim to spread around. If anything, the strange part was that it had taken this long to feel the effects of her fame. "Who was this cousin that you helped? What store was this?"


    "The owner told me his name, but it''s not like I go around asking shopkeepers for introductions. It didn''t narrow it down for me."


    They soon came across a middle-aged man with a drooping moustache. He bowed to the Golden Witch. "Ah, miss Timely Rain! I see you have company. Shall I arrange a room for the young gentleman?"


    "Certainly." Her quick agreement alarmed the young man behind her.


    "That won''t be necessary, actually...!" Bai Guo mustered up a protest. "Miss ''Timely Rain'', could we please discuss this first?"


    Though confused by his reluctance, she waved the proprietor away and the two entered her room. They sat down at a table lavished with fruits and pastries. Bai Guo stared at the snacks with envy. When the Golden Witch gestured towards them, the young man shook his head and spoke.


    "First of all, master, how did you get here? Don''t you need special permission to enter the sect?"


    The woman presented a metallic round token, the word "Wen" engraved on it. Bai Guo figured that it was the family name of some other master of the sect, much like Tan Huan''s token in his own possession.


    "How did you get that?" He asked.


    "You''re going to nag again if I tell you." She put the token away.


    Bai Guo predicted that it would be something he would find controversial. He sighed. "I guess whatever''s been done is done. At least you won''t get in trouble for being here... right?"


    "My disciple is such a worrywart. Relax." She tossed a date fruit into her mouth and continued as she chewed. "There''s no way I''d miss out on my disciple''s very first battles."


    Bai Guo reluctantly smiled, moving on. "Why did that man back there call you miss Timely Rain? Well, actually, I think I can guess. It''s because you rescued his cousin''s business with your brazen disregard for money, like blessed rain in the midst of a drought. He''s probably not even the only person you have helped out in this exact fashion."


    Miss Timely Rain smiled and closed her golden eyes, as if relishing in her new title. A sudden thought interrupted her reverie.


    "Why didn''t you agree to stay here?" She asked.


    "Master..." Bai Guo began with another sigh. "Did you forget why we decided to separate in the first place? If the Kunlun Sect finds out about our relationship, they''ll kick me out of the tournament."


    It seemed that the issue had finally dawned upon her. She popped another date, chewing on it tensely. "You approached me." She turned the accusation back around.


    Bai Guo smiled again, defeated. "Well, since I''m here, we might as well make the most of it, right?"


    He narrated the events of the trials and handed over his evaluation. His master chuckled as she began to read, until suddenly her eyebrows shot up and her amusement faded.


    "Why did you get such a low grade on swords? Perhaps you didn''t show them your First Step?"


    Bai Guo rubbed the back of his neck. "I did show it. But I got the impression that they were looking for versatility too."


    The Golden Witch scoffed. With a slight flick of her fingers along the edges of the paper, the evaluation neatly rolled back up into a scroll. She tossed it up into the air, and it drew a long arc before gently falling into her disciple''s hands.


    "I take it you don''t agree with their grading criteria, master..." Bai Guo hid the offending document away into his clothes.


    "You know my views on this." The Golden Witch sipped her tea with a bitter expression. "Besides, trying to quantify martial arts with numbers is meaningless to begin with."


    A dour silence descended upon the room.


    "Well, in that case, master, how would you go about vetting your potential disciples?" Bai Guo asked, hoping to dispel some of his master''s agitation.


    Her golden eyes stared up towards the ceiling, suddenly deep in thought. "I don''t think I would choose based on their skills. Character is far more important."


    "But what if, hypothetically speaking, you already had a list of candidates you found acceptable, and had to choose just one based on their skills?" Bai Guo pressed on.


    The Golden Witch answered after a pause. "When it comes to martial arts, the most important thing is the level of one''s cultivation and their proficiency at controlling their internal energy."


    "How would you go about measuring that, master?" Bai Guo promptly realized the flaw in his own question. "...Assuming you couldn''t tell just by looking at someone..."


    The woman pursed her lips. The answer came to her fairly quickly. She picked up a pair of chopsticks and presented one to her disciple. "Try to break this."


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    He made the attempt while his master still held it by one end between her thumb and forefinger, her grip as secure as a steel vice. Try as he might, the young man simply couldn''t do anything to the utensils. Even when he began to work at it with his entire body, he couldn''t shift them by so much as a single degree. The Golden Witch observed his efforts with a smirk, letting him keep at it until he finally gave up.


    "This is ridiculous..." The young man grumbled in disbelief.


    "Try now." She offered again. When his successive attempts had still failed, she frowned. "Try harder! This should be just right for you."


    When Bai Guo redoubled his efforts, the stick had finally snapped.


    "It''s as simple as that." The Golden Witch declared.


    Bai Guo was left scratching his head. "What exactly did you glean from that, master...?"


    "I channeled some of my internal energy into it and had you compete against that with your own. By gradually increasing or decreasing the amount, I can gauge your skills."


    "But I wasn''t ''channeling'' anything, master." Bai Guo remained confused. "I don''t know how to do that at all."


    "Whether you realized it or not, you were doing it." The Golden Witch rested her chin on her knuckles as she curiously inspected some of the fruits. "The internal energy you''ve cultivated so far is now part of your body. You will draw on those reserves when you need them."


    Bai Guo pondered her words in silence. His thinking ceased when his master presented him with a berry.


    "What''s this one called? Do you know?" She asked.


    "That''s a mulberry." He responded.


    "Ah. ''The blue sea turned into mulberry fields.'' So that''s what they look like." She mused as she tossed it into her mouth.


    Bai Guo smirked. "Do you enjoy poetry, master?"


    "No." So curt was her answer that Bai Guo''s hopeful smile had disappeared before she even got to see it.


    A peculiar thought had suddenly crossed the young man''s mind. "How did she not know what a mulberry looks like? They grow everywhere."


    But he cast it aside and swerved the conversation back towards her master''s primary interests. "So you wouldn''t check their skills with weapons at all, master?"


    "No. Fundamentally, a martial arts technique is just a particular way of channeling your internal energy."


    "I see. So it would reveal the same information as the chopstick test. But master, in this case, the disciples will be fighting against each other, maybe even to the death. So shouldn''t it be necessary to establish that they have basic competency with weapons?"


    The woman''s face scrunched up with mild annoyance. "You asked me how I would decide on a disciple. Don''t add more conditions to your hypothetical. If I wanted to pick out a disciple, I wouldn''t make them fight each other to the death. Obviously! Isn''t that counterproductive? Anything can happen during a battle, and the best candidate could get maimed or perish by poor luck alone. They went through the trouble of putting you all through these trials, and yet still haven''t figured out the best candidate? What was even the point then?"


    Bai Guo found himself to be in agreement. "Even the Wuyi Sect, despite being what it was, didn''t pitch its recruits against each other in death matches... Maybe there''s more to this than just picking out the right disciple."


    The Golden Witch shrugged.


    "Speaking of which, master, does it not bother you that the matches will be conducted with live steel?" Bai Guo asked.


    "Is that not normal for these kinds of events?"


    "Of course not. I''ve never heard of such a barbaric affair."


    The woman shrugged. "It makes no difference to me. But I did suspect that it might be something that you would take issue with, disciple."


    "I do. To be frank with you, master, I considered dropping out when I first found out."


    "So why haven''t you?"


    "Well..." He was flatfooted by her question. As he stared at her tall figure, he struggled to muster the words. "I thought it would displease you..."


    "It certainly would!" She exclaimed with a grin. "I want to witness the results of my hard work. But you know, if you joined battle with a half-hearted attitude, you really could end up dead. Just drop out if you don''t want to fight."


    Bai Guo remained uncertain. "They said it''s possible for the fights to end without anyone getting hurt, but I wonder just how realistic such an ending would be..."


    "With the tools you have at your disposal, you should be able to end your fights any way you desire." The Golden Witch assured. "I would be very surprised to see someone capable of putting up a fight against the current you."


    Though uplifted by her praise, the disciple remained ill at ease. He had simply found her words difficult to believe. She didn''t even know about the danger he had gleamed from some of his foes. And he was unwilling to argue on this point because all he had to go off of were the numbers he saw on a scroll, and the Golden Witch had already expressed her strong distaste for the sect''s attempt to numerically quantify their skills.


    But her brazen confidence was infectious. Bai Guo exhaled sharply. "I won''t drop out."


    "Good. I cannot wait." The woman shimmered with glee.


    Bai Guo emphasized that they should not meet again until the event was over, and that she should keep a low profile, but as he left, he wondered just how much of his advice would be adhered to.


    On the morning of the first day of the competition, the eight man bracket of the first tournament had been announced. The Kunlun Sect''s disciples had plastered posters all over the sect.


    As Bai Guo read the announcement on the wall of the boarding house, his heart thumped with anxiety. "Chun De and Yang Yongliang. Mao Xiang and Xie Heng. Zhu Da and Tian Zian... Bai Guo and Shao Luli!"


    "You''re so unlucky, brother Guo!" Chun De gloated beside him. "You''re dead last! You''ll have to wait all day for your match!"


    Bai Guo threw his head back in frustration. But the order in which he fought was the last thing on his mind. "My very first match is against that wretched girl!"


    ...

 Chapter 4 - Dreaming Asura (IX)

    As the hour of the competition drew near, a group of women, seven in all, walked along the busy streets. They chattered loudly and cackled heartily as they passed through, reeking of alcohol and perfume in equal measure. Their exquisite fur coats hanged loosely off their shoulders to let the cold winter air cool down the heat of their intoxication, revealing the rich silks they were wearing underneath. Their hair was tied up into fashionable curls and held in place by hairpins of jade and gold.


    In the center of the group, the youngest of the bunch was practically attached at the hip to the oldest, a woman a few years past thirty. The girl''s dark hair remained loose and straight beneath a hat of wool, and her coat was the only one that covered her body in full. Her equally dark eyes glinted with cunning, and every now and then, she pounced at the opportunity to entertain the woman leading them all with a clever word or a well-placed joke. That young girl was none other than Shao Luli.


    Beneath her thick outer garment, a hint of black silk would occasionally peek out past the sleeves of her outer attire. The two of them wore matching robes.


    Though their giggling procession took up most of the road, the people gave them the wide berth they wordlessly demanded without a single complaint. Carts and horses steered towards other lanes to stay out of their path. Even the Kunlun Sect''s disciples kept well enough away. The streets around them had eventually become all but deserted.


    But they spotted something down the clear road that gave them pause. Their laughter ceased, their eyes widened.


    Walking towards them from the end of the street was an outlandishly tall woman in a white robe. Long golden locks flowed down her shoulders, and her equally golden eyes were aloof as she approached without paying them much heed.


    The women threw glances back and forth between their leader and the stupendous person boldly walking towards them. They were at a loss for how to proceed, and waited for the one at their center to make a judgment call.


    "Girl," The woman clad in black exclaimed, "What have you done with your hair?"


    She laughed, and her compatriots swiftly joined her. The tall one had stopped, acknowledging the centerpiece of the group with a confused stare.


    Emboldened by the remark, it was Shao Luli who heckled her next. "What are you doing? Get out of the way. Don''t you recognize who this is? You''re so disrespectful!"


    When her words were met with visible confusion, another woman decided to take her turn. "As a woman and martial artist yourself, or at least that''s what I presume, how could you not recognize one of the world''s premier female martial artists, Unrivaled Heroine Liao?"


    "Which part were your presuming, sister Xiaofan?" Shao Luli quipped, prompting hooting and laughter.


    The golden haired stranger''s brows shot up. She finally began to speak. "Really? Of the whole world? So you''re even better than the Five Venoms Devil?"


    Their incessant chuckling had instantly ceased at the mention of that title.


    The Unrivaled Heroine held a steady smile. It acquired the subtle notes of restrained politeness. "I have nothing but admiration for lady Ouyang. She is an icon to women all over the world. I do not dare to present myself as her equal; she is my esteemed senior. Though it is very unfortunate, lady Ouyang and I are of different generations, and she has remained withdrawn from the world for many years now, so there has never been a chance for us to meet, let alone compete."


    "Huuuuh..." The golden haired woman sounded out. Her tone communicated an exaggerated disappointment. It made Liao''s mouth twitch in irritation. "So that''s how it is."


    The group grew wary, befuddled by her strange reaction. They looked to their leader once more.


    "It''s interesting of you to bring up her title." The woman said. "Are you perhaps acquainted?"


    "We sure are." She replied easily, resuming her walk towards them.


    "Then could it be that you are one of her disciples?" Liao asked.


    "I would rather swallow a poisonous toad than become her disciple."


    The girls gasped at her words. Only their Unrivaled Heroine remained composed.


    "You do realize..." She said, taking off her heavy fur coat, "That you can''t lie or jest about such things, for if your master were to find out, she would make brutally short work of you, right?"


    Shao Luli readily grabbed hold of her discarded garment before it fell. A sheathed sword had been strapped to the back of it, which, along with the coat, the young girl kept in her arms.


    Heroine Liao stepped forward. Their mutual approach had gradually slowed and ceased entirely long before they had gotten close to one another. The two began to circle each other like a pair of wary predators.


    "I don''t lie." The giantess replied.


    "Whether you said it in jest or not doesn''t matter. I really do admire lady Ouyang. By insulting her you''re insulting our entire community."


    As they took measure of one another, the other girls whispered. "Why is sister Lan starting trouble with this person? She doesn''t know who she is, does she? What if she''s dangerous?"


    Shao Luli answered her concerns. "With appearance as remarkable as hers, if she was someone of any merit, we''d have heard all about her already. So clearly, she can''t amount to much. And she obviously can''t be lady Ouyang''s disciple when she mouths off about her like that in public."


    The others had readily taken her words as truth.


    "I wonder what misfortune brought you to this mountain." Liao Lan mocked. "You seem a little old for the tournament. Oh, I know! You must be exotic entertainment for the hairy monkey running this sect. My, now that I look at you more closely, you''ve somehow even dyed your eyes! What a spectacle you are."


    Her yellow brow curled. "Are you perhaps not a member of the Kunlun Sect?"


    "Surprised I don''t have any kind words to spare for that ape, aren''t you? Of course I''m not a member!" Liao Lan scoffed as though the very insinuation was an insult.


    "So then why are you here?" She asked.


    "I signed my disciple up for this cruddy little tournament, of course." Liao Lan gave that information away without any hesitation.


    "Should you really admit that so openly?" The woman''s ready words continued to surprise the golden haired stranger. "If Tan Huan finds out that a participant has conflicting loyalties, aren''t you worried that your disciple will get disqualified?"


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    "Hah!" Unrivaled Heroine Liao laughed. "I''d like to see him try! If that fool kicks up a fuss over his own hapless vetting, he''ll lose all face, and his sect will too! And when my disciple inevitably wins, only more humiliation awaits them."


    "You speak so boldly. Perhaps you''re stronger than the sect master, that you''re so unafraid of him?" The blonde asked.


    "Surprised, aren''t you? Do you find it unlikely because I''m a woman? Did you think you could disrespect me just because you were one of He Yong''s toys?" Liao Lan hid her lips behind her sleeve. "Well, I''ve lived long enough to know that it does happen. For some reason people just keep making that mistake. I''ve almost become understanding of it. So that being the case, if you kowtow to me a few times and apologize, I could let you off easy. Call me mother from now on. Go on, don''t make your mother wait, hurry up and kiss the snow beneath my feet. Better embarrassed than hurt, don''t you agree?"


    "Wait a minute!" Shao Luli suddenly exclaimed. "I do know who that is! I heard she''s been terrorizing the restaurants below the mountain, stealing food from them every day! The Hungry Yellow Fairy, they call her!"


    The girls once again erupted into laughter. Only Liao Lan had remained relatively composed, though her smile stretched itself to its limits.


    "You poor girl." Liao Lan cooed. "Maybe I''ll treat you to some crumbs after you''re done."


    "If even someone like you is stronger than the headmaster of this place," The tall woman said, "Then the man himself must be remarkably pathetic. How does he even control this sect, I wonder?"


    Her words plunged the girls into silence. Liao Lan''s smile was gone without a trace. She exhaled with a long sigh. The alcohol left her body through her misty breath.


    "Since I''m your senior," Liao Lan spoke as the scented mist was dissipating, "I''ll let you have the first blow. It''d be embarrassing for me to show the Hungry Yellow Fairy any less courtesy than that."


    The Hungry Yellow Fairy chuckled. "From the way I see it, it''s me who should be letting you have the first blow. In fact, I don''t think it''d be even remotely fair unless I let you have, I don''t know, perhaps a hundred free strikes? What do you think? Or would you like a few more?"


    Liao Lan was in no mood to quibble. Her eyes glinted with a cold light when she saw the Fairy haplessly draw too close to the outer wall of a house during their incessant circling. "Such arrogance from a fool who won''t even mind her surroundings! There''s no escape for you now!"


    She lunged at her golden haired foe, leaping across the entire street in a single step, a single moment. Her fingers flew like arrows, each one aimed at a vital pressure point on the tall woman''s body. Their two figures, black and white, blurred beyond recognition.


    The girls intently observed the action, but they struggled to understand what exactly it was that they were witnessing. From the two whirling combatants they could only hear the sound of something hard striking the stone wall behind the blonde stranger, again and again, in such rapid succession that woodpeckers would be put to shame. It was like a machinegun was going off.


    As she was unloading with her volley, Liao Lan began to sweat. It was not a question of overexertion; she, too, was struggling to understand what was unfolding before her eyes.


    Not a single one of her countless strikes were able to land true. Her foe''s feet seemed rooted firmly in place, and yet she still couldn''t touch her as she weaved back and forth. Her fingers brushed against silk and hair but met only stone.


    Her patience eventually ran out. She turned her body and tackled the woman with her shoulder. Finally, the Hungry Yellow Fairy was forced to shift her footing. She smoothly slipped Liao Lan by, untouched.


    Unrivaled Heroine Liao smashed into the wall and a section of it crumbled on top of her. Liao Lan stared, wide eyed, at the garden past the wall as bits of stone washed over her.


    "Sorry, I lost count after twelve." The stranger behind her said. "What do you think, was that about a hundred? I think it was. Or would you like to start over, make me count it properly this time?"


    One of the girls in the crowd finally gave voice to her disbelief. "How is she still standing after the 108 Heavenly Strikes?!"


    Reality began to dawn on Liao Lan. She slowly turned around, a warm smile on her face.


    "Senior pulled a very devious prank on me." She cupped her hands and bowed. "I would like to apologize for any misunderstandings between us."


    The onlookers drew deathly pale. Neither the cold nor their intoxication could keep their cheeks flushed as they witnessed the inconceivable.


    A strange smile rippled across the face of the Hungry Yellow Fairy. "Well now, what should I do with you...?"


    Liao Lan shuddered.


    "Shao Luli!" She suddenly exclaimed, so shrilly that it had startled the girl in question. "Come here!"


    The young girl approached on unsteady feet, as if in a daze.


    "I recall you uttered a few rude words. You''re young and had too much to drink." She said, even as the young girl was the only sober one among them. "Kowtow to the senior and apologize."


    "Bu... But ma-..." The girl stuttered.


    "Now!"


    She did as the woman ordered and pressed her forehead against the ground. Liao Lan promptly followed her into the snow and the two remained there, unmoving.


    "Liao Lan pays her respects to senior!" She declared. When there was no reply, she tried to peek up at the tall stranger to take measure of her reaction, but her peculiar smile had told her little.


    She finally spoke. "I once let someone go free after he raised his hand against me. It''s lingered on my mind ever since. So this time, I think I''ll make a proper example of you."


    "P-Please..." Liao Lan tried to plead, but the Hungry Yellow Fairy paralyzed them both by striking at their pressure points. She took out the rope she usually used for sleeping and tied them up to the two branches of a tall tree. She had also relieved the Heroine of her gold and silver.


    As the Fairy left, she warned the onlookers. "They better still be there when I come back."


    ...

 Chapter 4 - Dreaming Asura (X)

    In the halls beneath the arena, the young contestants had lined up for a final roll call by the Kunlun disciples. They checked them for hidden weapons and armor, and then waited. The discontented chatter of the crowd could be heard above and all around them. The promised contests were late.


    The reason for the delay was well known to the contestants - one of them hadn''t showed up.


    Master Tan Huan arrived to check on the situation. He had immediately spotted the problem. "Where is contestant Shao?"


    "We don''t know, elder Tan." The disciple who had been making the final checks replied. He was a short, aged man with a long grey beard and a warm hat over his bald head. Bai Guo recalled that he had previously introduced himself as Han Gen.


    "Tardiness will not be tolerated." Tan Huan declared. "Replace her."


    "Well, that''s just it, sir. The replacements haven''t showed either."


    "What?!" Tan Huan''s moustaches bristled in rage. "Send someone to fetch them immediately!"


    "We don''t know where they''re staying, elder Tan! None of them have accepted our accommodations."


    "Then find them!" Tan Huan ordered. The disciples bowed, and some of them ran off to carry out his demand. "Contestant Shao''s match is the last one of the day. We will proceed with the rest of the contests without delay. I cannot hold these people up, or my reputation will be ruined!"


    "Shall we formally introduce the contestants like we planned?" Han Gen asked.


    "No. They''ll catch on to our little problem if we introduce just these seven. Introduce the contestants in pairs immediately before their matches."


    Tan Huan took his leave, highly displeased. Bai Guo didn''t know what to think of the matter. He glanced at Zhu Da, but the big guy looked no less confused.


    "Chun De and Yang Yongliang, follow me." Han Gen called the first two contestants. The remaining aspiring disciples were taken to the covered stands below the crowd seats to observe the matches of their peers.


    Yang Yongliang was skinny and tall, his hair tied up and hidden beneath a red bandana. They had been introduced by the bearded disciple who also remained on the field to act out the part of the referee. The monk and young warrior bowed to each other.


    "Begin!" Han Gen exclaimed.


    The martial artists stood about ten meters away from one another, their swords still in their sheaths when the start was declared. They were forbidden from drawing their weapons before the battle began.


    As Yang Yongliang fumbled for his weapon, Chun De set upon him like a loosened arrow. No one in the crowd had seen her draw her sword, but already it was in her hand when she drew near. She tackled her opponent and swept him off his feet, his sword tossed out onto the cold dirt far beyond his reach.


    Yang Yongliang''s eyes nearly bulged out of his skull as he stared in terror at his inevitable demise. The tip of the monk''s blade stopped dangerously close to the young man''s throat. Han Gen had suddenly dashed behind her and grabbed her sword arm.


    "Stop!" He declared.


    It was obvious to Bai Guo that the referee had been far too late to stop Chun De. The young man beneath her continued to draw breath only because of Chun De''s mercy.


    Han Gen separated the two and raised the bald girl''s arm to declare her the victor.


    The reactions from the spectators were mixed. Nobody expected the fight to end so soon, and many had been disappointed by the quick and bloodless finish.


    As Bai Guo observed the audience, a certain individual stuck out to him like a sore thumb. His golden haired master was seated at the very back of the crowd, her remarkable height affording her a decent view in spite of her distant placement.


    Bai Guo averted his eyes. Nerves were beginning to get the best of him. It was not the prospect of a fight to the death that terrified him so, but the possibility that he might fail to meet that woman''s expectations.


    "...Well, all of that is moot if I''ve got no one to fight!" Bai Guo shook his head. As Chun De returned to the group, he complimented, "Nice work out there, reverend brother."


    Chun De winked, all smiles as she stood next to him.


    Yang Yongliang wordlessly passed them all by, brimming with shame.


    The next two contestants stepped forward after a short delay. The two young men had styled their long black hair into identical ponytails secured by jade hairpins. They dressed in fashionable robes too light for the winter weather. Mao Xiang wore a robe of dark blue embroidered with golden thread, and Xie Heng was dressed in green. Their straight backs and graceful demeanor projected an image of esteem and wealth.


    When the fight began, they took out their swords and fought in a measured, steady fashion. The crowd cheered for every daring maneuver and close call. The sound of steel battering steel was constant and rhythmic, and the fight between the two amateurs resembled a graceful dance.


    About ten minutes later, Xie Heng had undertaken a risky gamble, trying to interrupt the opponent''s strike with one of his own. Mao Xiang received a deep cut above his brow that nearly grazed his ear, the flow of blood instantly forcing the eye below it to a close.


    But in turn, his sword jabbed cleanly and deeply into his opponent''s thigh.


    "Stop!" The referee immediately intervened. Mao Xiang let go of his weapon, leaving it inside his foe''s leg. Blood spilled all over the frozen dirt. Both contestants had kept their mouths shut despite their gruesome injuries, not letting so much as a grunt seep through their gritted teeth. The paling Xie Heng sweated bullets as Han Gen tapped his thigh in several places with his fingers. Miraculously, the bleeding had slowed down almost to a complete halt. More of Kunlun''s disciples rushed into the arena and escorted the injured boy out.


    The spectators erupted into cheers at the shocking spectacle. They hailed the bloodied winner. Pride glowed in the young man''s lone eye.


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    Bai Guo exhaled sharply, unnerved by the barbarism before his eyes. Xie Heng had been carried further down the hall into a different room, his foe''s sword still part of his body.


    Suddenly, a large palm had roughly patted Bai Guo on the back.


    "You look a little pale, brother Guo!" Zhu Da guffawed. "It''s not too late to quit. Give your spot over to someone who wants to be here."


    Zhu Da walked them by. He hovered by the gateway leading into the arena and stood there with his bulky arms crossed, as if he was all too eager to start his match.


    Mao Xiang had been led into the hall. Another disciple hurried out to return him his sword, already cleaned of his opponent''s blood. They set about tending to the cut above his brow. As they worked on his injury, Mao Xiang peered at the arena with his lone eye.


    The giant Zhu Da faced an opponent who outwardly appeared to belong to a similar weight class.


    Tian Zian was a little shorter than his foe, but he was a remarkably heavyset young man, his thick hair tied back into a single large bun. A long red ribbon flowed somewhere out of his mess of dark hair, dangling in the cool wind. Unlike the previous two, he was clad in heavy furs to warm against the cold.


    As the referee introduced them, Zhu Da bellowed at the crowd and beat his chest. His outburst riled up the spectators. His opponent, too, felt compelled out of his stoic posture to strike a heroic pose, twirling his sheathed sword.


    When the fight began, neither contestant tarried. Their swords laid bare, they darted at each other. Tian Zian was faster and began to pepper Zhu Da with quick jabs. His rotund appearance belied his great agility; his weapon flashed like lightning. Zhu Da''s motions were slow and measured, but he kept well out of the way of his opponent''s strikes with clever footwork and the occasional parry.


    The giant''s defense flowed smoothly into offense. His deflections had left his weapon far to the side, and he swung his blade for the first time from that position. It was a bold, obvious attack, one to which Tian Zian had reacted instantly, and, as Bai Guo had seen it, correctly. The young martial artist tried to gently guide his opponent''s fierce sword aside along the blade of his own.


    But the strike slammed harshly into his steel as if though it got snagged upon teeth. Tian Zian''s eyes widened, his arms and legs shook. The weapon in his hand flew out as if it had been launched out of a sling, flashing past the referee. It embedded itself into the stone wall of the arena. The young man fell down.


    Zhu Da was upon him instantly. He thrust his sword down hard.


    "Stop!" The referee surged forward, but it was far too late. Bai Guo stilled his breath as he watched the weapon go right through.


    The arena briefly went silent. Zhu Da had pulled out his sword. To the surprise of the onlookers, it was bloodless. While for a moment it had appeared as though his weapon sunk into his foe''s belly, it actually stabbed through the cold earth between his arm and torso.


    Zhu Da spread his arms and cried out to the crowd in triumph. They went wild with cheers. The pale Tian Zian rolled away and slowly stood up, departing the field with his head hung low.


    Bai Guo breathed out in relief. He suddenly felt Chun De''s eyes upon him, but when he turned, she quickly looked away.


    "What are they going to do now?" Bai Guo quietly muttered. "The fights are already over but they still haven''t found Shao Luli a replacement."


    Zhu Da''s performance left the audience loud and restless, hungry for more. And as the lull between the fights stretched on, they continued to make their dissatisfied voices heard.


    In the back rows, the golden haired woman, no less impatient than the others, broiled in silence. Her golden eyes widened as a sudden realization came upon her. She gasped. Her outburst hadn''t gone unnoticed, and the man sitting next to her turned towards her...


    ...Only to find the seat empty. The peculiar woman vanished without a trace.


    ...


    Tan Huan watched each battle unfold from a part of the stands that had been sectioned off from the rest of the spectators. He stood straight as an arrow beside the only two occupied chairs, his hands behind his back.


    A giant of a man occupied one of the seats, his excessively long, messy black hair sloppily tied back into a loose braid. His thick, bushy beard reached down to his chest. Clad in furs, the man leaned forward in his seat, his legs far apart and his thighs used as arm rests. The fingers of his heavy hands were interlocked. The chair beneath him seemed ready to buckle under his mass at any moment.


    His great stature made for an oppressive presence. Tan Huan felt like he was standing next to a lion with a black mane.


    But though his appearance radiated ferocity, there was a peculiar softness to his dark eyes as he observed the battles.


    A woman sat beside this man, grey hairs and wrinkles betraying her advanced age. She watched the spectacle below her with pronounced boredom and disinterest.


    When the first battle had concluded almost instantly, the man softly spoke. "Tan Huan. I''ve got to ask..."


    "Yes, sect master?" Tan Huan immediately straightened his back out even more.


    "You do realize that that boy is a Buddhist monk, right?" Though the sect master continued to speak quietly, his deep voice effortlessly cut through the noise of the crowd.


    The obvious question caught the elder off-guard. He spoke after some hesitation. "Of course."


    "So then why did you let him participate?" The man asked. "If he wins, do you really expect him to renounce his Buddhist vows and become a Taoist like the rest of us?"


    Tan Huan swallowed nervously, briefly lost for words. "Naturally, he would have to do so - I assumed anyone registering for this event would implicitly understand that. But, master He Yong, I can go verify his loyalty right now. If I get the impression that he intends to renege, I can disqualify him right away."

 Chapter 4 - Dreaming Asura (XI)

    "It''s too late for that now." He Yong hadn''t so much as glanced his way throughout their entire conversation. "If you pull that boy out after a performance like that, this whole affair of yours will lose all credibility. Let''s hope this was just a fluke."


    But Tan Huan could tell from the man''s tone that he had no faith at all in those last words of his. The skill on display was hard to question.


    After another pause, He Yong spoke up again. "Which temple is that little monk from?"


    "I do not recall." Tan Huan admitted. "But I could go check his registration right now if you wish."


    "You''ll find only a single Buddhist temple anywhere in these mountains." He Yong pointed out. "And I can''t imagine a monk from farther out coming all the way here just to become your disciple."


    Tan Huan nearly sputtered. "You mean the boy might be from the Exorcist''s temple? Surely that can''t be true. After so many public spiels against our sect, and against violence in general, those bald rogues wouldn''t dare to send one of their own to this competition. It would only make them look like hypocrites!"


    "Those monks are hypocrites." He Yong asserted. "Don''t forget the sole reason their temple still remains in our territory - the demon the Exorcist keeps in his basement."


    Tan Huan''s moustache wavered. "I still struggle to imagine what purpose this stunt could serve."


    "I agree." He Yong admitted. "Look into it after today''s matches."


    "Yes, sir."


    They watched the next battle in silence. Nothing about the young men''s display drew a comment from the three elders.


    Though He Yong observed their fight attentively, his mind seemed to be elsewhere. He asked Tan Huan, "Who do you think will win?"


    The other man realized that his question was not restricted to this match alone. "I believe your nephew has the best chance. He is skilled with all the three weapons, and he is strong as a bull. Though he may not be the best in any particular area, he is the most well-rounded combatant by far."


    "That''s surprising." He Yong said. "You had them go through our usual trials, didn''t you?"


    Tan Huan grunted to the affirmative. "Correct. Except instead of having them repeat our techniques, I made the arms test freeform."


    "And you mean to tell me that Zhu Da wasn''t first in any of the three categories?"


    Tan Huan began to feel somewhat nervous again. "Well, yes, but..."


    "I imagine that the monk surpasses him in skill..."


    Tan Huan pitched in. "Indeed. His knowledge of weapon arts is both broad and deep."


    "...But who surpasses Zhu Da in strength and endurance?"


    At that moment, Mao Xiang ran Xie Heng through the thigh. Tan Huan continued to explain unabated.


    "Contestant Bai Guo has surpassed him in endurance and rivaled him in strength. His match is the last one today." Tan Huan mustered up some confidence as he said that, even though the matter was still up in the air. "But I wouldn''t worry about that. His skills are... rather lacking."


    Despite Tan Huan''s apparent eagerness to disregard the subject, He Yong was unwilling to let the matter rest. "Tell me more."


    "He has come from the lands of the Wuyi."


    "That''s far. Very far." He Yong muttered.


    Tan Huan continued. "I''m not privy to the details, but I heard they were going through some kind of upheaval over there. I suppose it''s not that surprising for someone to travel so far from there."


    He Yong grunted in assent. "If he used to be a disciple in the major sect there, I suppose his results at the trials are to be expected."


    "No, apparently he was not, sect master."


    He Yong creased his thick brow. Tan Huan elaborated, "His teacher was his father, Bai Yang. They''re unaffiliated with the Wuyi sect."


    After a momentary pause, He Yong replied, "Never heard of him."


    When Zhu Da stepped up and dispatched his foe in one strike, He Yong spoke again. "When the matches end, bring me their evaluations."


    "Yes, sect master."


    As the pause between the third and fourth matches dragged on, Tan Huan began to sweat.


    "What are you waiting for?" He Yong gruffly asked. "Go figure out the problem."


    "Right away." Tan Huan lowered his head and rushed out.


    The woman beside He Yong smiled slightly. Her interest had finally been sparked. "Getting your boy into the sect won''t be as easy as you thought, it seems."


    He Yong frowned. "When I agreed to let Tan Huan host this stupid affair of his, I didn''t expect him to draw any real talent."


    "Well, even if he loses, if these kids put up an impressive enough display, you could use it as justification to push for a higher age bracket for new disciples." The woman suggested.


    "By the time the other elders agree to pass that, Zhu Da will be too old again." He Yong rubbed his hands in frustration.


    ...


    Tan Huan arrived in the halls reserved for the contestants, accompanied by the displeased jeers of the crowd.


    "What''s the delay?" He sternly asked.


    Han Gen replied with a lowered head. "We still haven''t found anyone. The matches ended sooner than we anticipated."


    Tan Huan had no choice but to concur. He expected the fights to give them some time to salvage the situation, but most of them ended in a single blow.


    "Here''s what we''ll do..." An idea came to his mind. "Disqualify contestant Shao and let contestant Guo advance. We''ll go ahead with tomorrow''s matches to make up for it."


    Han Gen considered his plan. "But elder Tan, this is not what the contestants agreed to."


    "I''d like to see them refuse!" Tan Huan scoffed.


    "Well, that''s not exactly the issue here, elder Tan..." Han Gen lowered his head even more. "Contestant Mao had had a lengthy match and he had been injured, and we''ve only just finished stitching his wound. Even if he agrees to have his match early, in the event that he was to lose, he could blame his loss on our haste. And since we initially declared that each contestant would only be having a single match per day, we would be the ones that broke our own terms, and the event would lose credibility."


    Tan Huan rubbed his moustache, furious but unable to argue. "I can''t hold these people up much longer than this. If nobody is found in the next twenty minutes, declare that contestant Shao has surrendered."


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    Han Gen bowed, accepting the order. Tan Huan left.


    Bai Guo sighed, conflicted emotions running through his gut. He was relieved, but also ashamed at being relieved. "Master''s going to be so disappointed," he thought.


    He tried to seek her out in the rowdy crowd, and was surprised to find her absent from her seat.


    ...


    "Why are you cows just standing around?!" Liao Lan shrieked as her tied and paralyzed body dangled from the rope. "Get us down!"


    Down on the ground, the five women orbited them awkwardly. "Sister Lan, we can''t do that. What if that senior comes back?"


    "Obviously she''s not coming back! She said that just to scare you, so that I''d be stuck here a bit longer!"


    They smiled awkwardly. "We can at least make sure no one bothers you up there."


    "You liars!" Liao Lan screamed. "You''re standing around to make sure no one else gets me down from here!"


    Her companions offered some empty platitudes, but ultimately both parties remained where they were.


    Liao Lan bitterly resigned herself to her fate. But her patience didn''t last long before she began to complain again.


    "How could such a ridiculous looking person be so skilled and yet completely unknown?! It doesn''t make any sense! What, did she sprout out of the earth yesterday?!" She directed her ire back at the crowd below. "And you! You all heckled her, why is it just me and my disciple that have to get the punishment?! You do realize that we''re all still alive only because of me, right?! I talked her out of doing anything too drastic! It was me! I saved your lives, so the least you can do is untie me!"


    And though the women below began to look guilty, they still hadn''t dared to help.


    In her awkward position, she slowly rotated on the rope to face the girl dangling beside her. "And you! You''re just too witty. Your comments were too scathing! Why did you have to go so far as to question her womanhood?"


    Shao Luli immediately burst into tears. "I''m sorry, master! I''m so sorry! You''re right, we''re only alive because of you!"


    Liao Lan''s anger had abruptly subsided. She rushed to calm her disciple. "Ah, forget it, little Lu. We didn''t know. At least the two of us are safe..."


    But Shao Luli continued to wail. "I''m going to flunk out of the tournament because of this!"


    Liao Lan gritted her teeth. "And we could really use some money after that woman took everything I had... Ah, whatever! We''re still alive, so we could always earn more. Don''t sweat it, little Lu."


    Master and disciple continued to console each other for a time. They then hurled abuse at the traitors below. Time passed.


    Suddenly, Shao Luli erupted into a shriek - the white robed woman made her return. The five women dropped to the ground at the sight of her, kowtowing. The Hungry Yellow Fairy effortlessly hopped up the tree and undid the tight knots. The two women screamed as they fell down.


    The terrifying senior had then unsealed their meridians and ran off without a word. As Liao Lan and Shao Luli nursed their numb and aching limbs back into a useable state, they briefly wondered what just happened.


    The women sheepishly approached to help them up and dust them off. "We were really worried for you there, but it looks like the senior has decided to forgive you. And we truly are grateful to you, sister Lan."


    Liao Lan grimaced at them.


    "Master!" Shao Luli suddenly exclaimed. "Do you think I could still make it to the competition?"


    The disciple recovered much quicker than the master. The Fairy had sealed her a lot less meticulously than her superior.


    "You just might! Go, girl! I''ll catch up!"


    Shao Luli ran clumsily towards the distant arena. She moved her still disobedient body with as much alacrity as she could muster.


    When she finally arrived, she found the people leaving in droves. The flickering flame of hope was extinguished. Shao Luli hid in an alley to avoid drawing the attention of the crowd. She slinked down to her knees, once again on the verge of tears. She idly watched the people as they passed her by. Suddenly, a young man caught her eye.


    Bai Guo walked about unaware, relief written all over his face.


    Shao Luli''s sorrow gave way to irreconcilable fury. She began to pound the snowy ground beneath her with her fists.


    "And to top it all off, it''s that arrogant idiot that gets to benefit from my misfortune! Why, I''ve never been this humiliated in my life!" She silently seethed, gritting her teeth. "Well, it''s not going to be that easy! You''ll see!"


    ...


    As Bai Guo returned to his room, Chun De followed along and gloated.


    "Your match wasn''t just last, it never happened! You''re so unlucky, brother Guo! Am I going to get jinxed by being around you?" She laughed.


    "You have some interesting definitions for misfortune, brother De. I imagine any other monk would be glad to be in my position." Bai Guo smiled.


    "Well, you don''t look all that glad to me."


    Bai Guo scratched his head. Though he could not be entirely truthful about it, he tried to sum up his feelings. "I suppose, on some level, I feel like I betrayed the expectations of the crowd."


    "Who cares about those people?" Chun De took his words at face value. "Let''s go somewhere and celebrate."


    Bai Guo smirked. "How am I going to celebrate with a monk? You can''t drink, you can''t eat meat. You can''t even buy me a meal, can you?"


    "I''m the only one here who actually won something, so you should be treating me!" Chun De exclaimed. A cheeky smile crept up her face. "And if your charity so happens to include some meat and alcohol, well, what can I do?"


    "You''re the worst monk I''ve ever seen!" Bai Guo laughed. "But it''s too bad for you. I don''t have any money on me either."


    "Then let''s just go take a walk and chant scriptures like good little monks." Chun De sprayed her arms. "And if you''re really that hungry, I''ll teach you how to beg for alms."


    Bai Guo followed the short girl out.

 Chapter 4 - Dreaming Asura (XII)

    Bai Guo and Chun De spent some time exploring the sect. To avoid exposing herself, the nun spoke either in whispers or not at all.


    After traversing the mountain for a while, they came across some privacy by a steep cliff. Chun De boldly sat right on the edge, kicking her feet. Bai Guo joined her. They watched the orange glow of the setting sun.


    Bai Guo broke the silence. "You know, I''ve been meaning to ask... How old are you, Chun De?"


    "I''m sixteen."


    "Really?" Bai Guo suspiciously quirked an eyebrow.


    Chun De frowned at him. "What does that mean?"


    "Well... You''re kind of short..." His explanation visibly riled her up. "And your evaluation said you were twelve." He promptly added, preempting her complaints.


    "So you should have just started with that!" Chun De turned back towards the sun. "Obviously I gave them a fake age. What kinda sixteen year old boy looks like me? Nobody''d believe that."


    "Why go through all this trouble? Girls are allowed to join this tournament, you know."


    "It''s got nothing to do with this tournament...Officially, I really am a monk for at least a few more years, until I finally mature into a beautiful woman and can''t be mistaken for a boy anymore."


    Bai Guo snorted.


    "What are you laughing at?" Chun De barked. His smirk became impossible to restrain at her outburst. She started punching him in the shoulder. "I dare you to say it!"


    "I just think you have a talent for disguise, that''s all!" Bai Guo burst into laughter as he struggled to defend himself. "If they haven''t caught on by now, they definitely never will, so don''t you worry about that!"


    "You...!" Chun De pursed her lips to hide her grin and struck harder.


    Their rowdiness sent them both teetering off the cliff. They clung to each other and just barely rolled away from the perilous edge. Their mutual shock had them freeze in each other''s arms. They stared in dumb shock, well aware of just how closely they had brushed with death.


    Chun De was the first to regain a semblance of wits. She exploded with laughter.


    "You''re crazy!" Bai Guo exclaimed, still terrified.


    "You should have seen the look on your face!" Chun De scraped herself off of him, but remained on the ground, clutching her stomach.


    "Crazy monk!" Bai Guo kept berating her. "We nearly died!"


    It had taken some time for the two of them to calm down. They sat farther from the edge of the cliff and watched the last rays of the sun go out.


    "Don''t lose your match tomorrow." Chun De suddenly said.


    "I wasn''t planning on it."


    "I want to fight you real bad..." The nun muttered, her face in her knees.


    Something about the way she said it had agitated the young man. He quickly replied, "You''ve really got nothing else going through that bald head of yours! You know, you kind of remind me of someone..."


    "Who?"


    "Another meathead like you." Bai Guo stood up. "Let''s go back before we miss a meal."


    They headed back to the dorm, ate and rested.


    The contest of the sword resumed the next day. Despite the disappointing conclusion to yesterday''s events, the crowd was no less numerous than before.


    Chun De and Mao Xiang stepped forward and bowed to each other. Above the young man''s brow several crude stitches kept his wound closed. The injury was certain to heal into a gruesome scar. When the fight began, Mao Xiang drew his sword with practiced swiftness, having learned from the monk''s previous bout that the distance between them might as well have been nonexistent.


    Just like before, the monk rushed forward with blinding speed. But her opponent was ready. Mao Xiang thrust his sword out at Chun De''s bald head to turn her momentum against her with a deadly counter. Chun De leaned her neck and the tip of the blade missed her cheek by just a hair.


    Mao Xiang''s eyes widened. Chun De had already gotten within half an arm''s reach of him. Her sword pointed towards the ground; she thrust up with just the handle, ramming it into the young man''s chin from below.


    Her opponent''s feet flew off the ground. Mao Xiang was out cold before he landed back down.


    "Stop!" The referee called the match. Once again the monk''s success was met with a mixture of cheers and disappointment over the hasty finish.


    Bai Guo shook his head as he mulled over what he had witnessed. "This girl is seriously unhinged! If her reaction had been even a little slower, she would have been killed. There was no reason to gamble it all on such a risky exchange. Surely there are better ways to use your skills."


    But as she returned, Bai Guo gave her a thumbs up. "No way am I going to try to lecture her. A crummy martial artist like me, why, even I wouldn''t listen to my own advice."


    Chun De stood next to him with a cocky smile and gave him a strong pat on the back, silently encouraging him for his next match. Bai Guo buckled under the strength of her palm.


    Zhu Da''s voice boomed across the hall. "I''ve been waiting for this! Show me what that character you bragged about is truly worth, brother Guo!"


    The young man in question was a lot less enthused for what was about to take place than the two people around him. The two competitors were led into the arena.


    Zhu Da roared at the crowd, and they chanted his name. Bai Guo refused to get swept up in the theatrics, and upon his introduction, cordially bowed before his opponent.


    "Begin!" Han Gen called out.


    When the fighters drew their swords, neither seemed willing to approach. They took careful measure of each other and made small steps back and forth. The mere threat of drawing closer had them twitching into preemptive defense.


    Whether Zhu Da had finally lost his patience or witnessed an opportunity, he was the first to engage in earnest. He performed a strike that was an almost exact replica of the one he had won his previous fight with. Bai Guo responded appropriately, intending to guide the sword away from its path with his own, just like Tian Zian had tried to do. And although Bai Guo was well aware of how it ended for the other young man, his body moved before his wits, prompting him to inadvertently retrace the loser''s steps.


    But Bai Guo''s blade ended up at the wrong angle. He had instead blocked the attack head on.


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    The collision of their steel was deafening. Their swords remained crossed, and the giant Zhu Da tried to shove the young man off his feet. To his surprise, Bai Guo simply wouldn''t budge. He soon relented and withdrew, and the two returned to their stalemate.


    The audience, knowing full well just how much power was behind that strike, cried out in shock.


    Bai Guo breathed out, trying to calm his racing nerves. Emboldened by his previous success, he took the initiative and stepped forward.


    His father''s sword lunged out like a snake as he performed the First Step. Zhu Da''s eyes widened as he scrambled to defend himself. The giant had managed to just barely parry the attack, but the impact sent him stumbling back, his braid waving about. He promptly retaliated with a quick swing solely to make sure that Bai Guo would neither have a chance to capitalize upon his shaken stance nor perform that technique again.


    The crowd watched with stilled breaths as the two youths continued to trade wary strikes.


    Zhu Da could defend himself easily enough. Not only did he have the superior reach owing to his greater stature, but his opponent seemed incapable of performing any other techniques, rendering him far too predictable. But Bai Guo was slippery like an eel, and none of Zhu Da''s varied sword strikes were able to touch a single hair on his body.


    Their hesitant exchanges went on and on. This single fight had soon exceeded the length of all of yesterday''s battles combined. It then became able to make that same claim while also including all the lengthy delays between the battles.


    Finally, when the match had taken considerably longer than an hour and still showed no signs of coming to an end, the spectators began to lose their patience.


    In sharp contrast to his composed opponent, Zhu Da was sweating like a pig. And on top of being the crowd''s favorite, he initiated more exchanges and performed more strikes. So as the onlookers hurled abuse, most of it was directed at Bai Guo.


    The young man heard them loud and clear. But over the course of their match, he had gotten used to the anxiety of a real battle, and their heckling failed to provoke him.


    The fight continued at the same sluggish pace. Already, the sun began to approach the horizon. Things had gotten so dire for Zhu Da that he could barely move his sword arm anymore. He switched his weapon to his left hand.


    Bai Guo carried through with the First Step yet again. Zhu Da gritted his teeth as he rushed to parry, but when the swords had collided, his weapon flew right out of his hand.


    Bai Guo performed the technique one last time. It stopped just short of the giant''s neck. As the referee declared the match over, Zhu Da fell on his rear, panting for breath.


    The winner extended a hand to his foe. The big man stared at it as if he was confused. With great hesitation he grabbed it and allowed himself to get helped up to his feet.


    "I admit my defeat," Zhu Da said, "and take back my words. The things you said about me must have been right, and I was wrong to speak ill of you. I apologize."


    As Zhu Da bowed, Bai Guo raised him up by his broad shoulders.


    "You should have paid a little more attention to what I said, brother Da." Bai Guo said. "Right or wrong isn''t determined by strength. Weigh my words by the merit of their meaning, not by the outcome of our match."


    Zhu Da pondered what the young man had told him in gruff silence.


    The crowd celebrated, relieved that the match was finally over.


    Up in the stands above, Tan Huan shook his head in wonder as the match concluded.


    "Simply incredible!" He praised. "Such talent!"


    He Yong remained impassive. Interpreting his superior''s unflappable demeanor as displeasure, Tan Huan quickly ceased with his praises.


    "Sect master, Zhu Da still has a chance in the other two tournaments." He tried to placate the man.


    "Talent, you said..." He Yong rubbed his beard, muttering. "That kid has such a peculiar fighting style. Just like you wrote in his evaluation, it''s unrefined..."


    As He Yong trailed off, Tan Huan attempted to contribute to the sect master''s musings. "It seems that contestant Guo has dedicated most of his time to cultivating his internal energy at the expense of skill with arms. A clumsy style would be inevitable in that case."


    "...But it goes further than that." He Yong said. "It''s as if the boy is discovering what he can do for the first time as he''s going along."


    "What do you mean, sect master?" Tan Huan asked. But the bearded man did not elaborate, leaving Tan Huan to his own thoughts. He suddenly recalled that he at one point had also formed a similar impression of Bai Guo''s skills.


    He Yong''s gaze bored into the young man below.


    ...


    The second day of the tournament had ended. As Bai Guo returned to the area reserved for the contestants, he found Chun De waiting for him, grinning ear to ear. Though the young man was not at all thrilled at the prospect of facing off against this peculiar girl tomorrow, her enthusiasm was infectious. Bai Guo couldn''t help but smile a little himself.


    They hurried back to the dormitory, where Chun De could speak freely.


    "I''m so excited!" She exclaimed. "You''re not even a little tired after all that! How am I gonna sleep today?"


    "You''re really not worried about this at all?" Bai Guo asked. "These are real swords we''ll be fighting with. We could seriously kill each other."


    "There you go with that whining again!" Chun De scoffed. "I don''t care one bit! If I die fighting a strong foe, I''ll die without regrets! And besides, aren''t you letting my praise get to your head? Killing me? How about you get your head out of the clouds?"


    Bai Guo was so baffled that he couldn''t muster up a response before the girl went for the door.


    "Let''s go on a walk! The winter air should cool that hot head of yours!"


    But as she opened the door, her eyes widened as she stared at what awaited beyond. Her cheeky demeanor was gone without a trace.


    Bai Guo''s heart nearly leaped to his throat. There stood a person in white robes, so tall that the head wasn''t even visible past the doorway, only the golden locks of hair flowing down her shoulders.

 Chapter 4 - Dreaming Asura (XIII)

    The Golden Witch leaned down so that she could peer into the room. Chun De unconsciously stepped back.


    "You''re tall." The nun dimly pointed out as the woman towered over her miniscule self.


    The tall woman''s golden eyes acknowledged the short girl for the first time.


    "You''re a girl." She replied, surprised, inadvertently mimicking the girl''s dumbfounded intonation. But her gaze didn''t linger on Chun De for long, turning towards the young man further down the room. "Bai Guo, come with me."


    Bai Guo sprang to his feet, paling. "Right..."


    Chun De was speechless as she watched them leave.


    Bai Guo sweated profusely when they stepped out onto the streets, walking together for all to see. He tried to lag behind her just a little bit to make their proximity seem incidental, but he knew that it would fool absolutely nobody.


    They eventually entered the inn where his master was known as miss Timely Rain and sat at a table.


    "Master," Bai Guo whispered, "What are we doing?"


    "We''re celebrating." She responded casually.


    "What happened with keeping our distance?" Bai Guo hissed.


    "Well, I thought about it," she said, "and I realized that they won''t kick you out even if they do find out about us. Just think about it. It''s their vetting that failed, so they''ll look really stupid if they disqualify you, especially now that you''ve made it this far."


    Bai Guo clutched his head in frustration. But as he thought about her words, her twisted logic began to make some semblance of sense.


    "Maybe so... But it''s still not a good idea to risk it..." He told her in conclusion.


    "Lighten up." She told him, calling over a server. "Give us the best you have, and lots of it."


    The man grinned and left to set her order into motion.


    "Master, I get that you''re friends with the owner here, but there''s a limit to that kind of hospitality..." Bai Guo muttered. "We can''t afford a feast."


    Her golden features radiated smugness. "I have means."


    "What does that mean...?"


    "I''ve come across a benefactor who generously provided me with some gold." She said, promptly adding, "You won''t like this story, so I won''t tell it to you."


    "...I''m just going to take your words at face value, master." Bai Guo decided, and shut off his brain for the evening.


    Unbeknownst to the two of them, a girl clad in black lurked on the edges of the establishment, a tiny pouch hidden in her sleeve. Shao Luli''s cunning eyes quickly scanned the interior of the inn and spotted the young man she was looking for. But then she caught a glimpse of the white robed nightmare sitting beside him at the same table, and all the blood drained from her face. She shook unsteadily as if she was about to outright feint on the spot, but she steadied herself against the wall.


    Shao Luli slinked back, cautiously observing the pair from afar.


    The two had various meats and delicacies brought to their table, and they discussed Bai Guo''s battle as they feasted.


    "The crowd didn''t seem to like my match..." Bai Guo said. "What did you think, master?"


    "They don''t get martial arts. Don''t worry about them. Fight however you please." She replied, sipping on some wine.


    "I thought you didn''t like wine, master." He pointed out.


    "I only like this kind." She said.


    Bai Guo tried some. "Oh, reminds me of what they had back at brother Shen''s old home..."


    "I could tell you needed some time to adjust to the stress of a real fight." The Golden Witch continued the main topic. "And after that, you just didn''t want to harm your opponent. It was inevitable that it would take a while."


    "Honestly, master, Zhu Da''s well-being was the last thing on my mind... If you thought it was my plan to tire him out, you''re giving me too much credit. I won''t lie; I really went at him like I was trying to kill him. And I really underestimated him. I took him to be a bit dumb at first, but he turned out to be a very crafty fighter..."


    The Golden Witch chuckled. "You''re not even aware of how one sided that fight was, are you?"


    "It certainly didn''t feel that way to me!"


    "Perhaps you''ll understand once you have a bit more experience." The Golden Witch tried an unfamiliar piece of meat and grimaced. She covered her mouth and strained to gulp it down. The woman slid the plate with the rest of it closer to Bai Guo. "More importantly... Did you like it?"


    Bai Guo was caught off-guard by her strange question and the hopeful eyes that awaited his answer. And while he already knew what his answer was well in advance, he still felt compelled to ponder it for a time.


    "Well, I guess it felt nice to win..." He hesitantly said. Bai Guo found his master staring at him with an inscrutable expression. Their conversation awkwardly petered out. They dined in silence for a time.


    "I think she saw right through me..." Bai Guo thought.


    As he mulled it over, a certain person sprung to mind, and with her, a new subject with which to break up their uncomfortable lull.


    "What do you think about my next opponent, master?"


    "Is he really a girl?" She asked.


    "Well, yes, but that''s not what I meant... What did you think of her skills? Do you think I stand a chance?"


    The Golden Witch once again began to stare at him strangely. "You''re really asking?"


    Bai Guo didn''t even know what to say.


    She suddenly stifled a laugh. "You''ll just have to see for yourself tomorrow."


    "But I could really use your advice, master." Bai Guo pleaded. "Isn''t her swordsmanship quite fierce? And she''s so fast. I truly don''t know if I can handle that."


    "What is all this? Perhaps you just want me to praise your friend a little...?" She asked with a smirk. Bai Guo averted his eyes. "Well, I suppose she''s not half bad compared to the other contestants. Just don''t let your friendship hinder your sword and you''ll be alright."


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    "Well, ideally, I''d rather not hurt her either..." Bai Guo muttered.


    "That''s up to you."


    Bai Guo sighed. She assigned no weight to the matter whatsoever. And this time, Bai Guo found it difficult to draw confidence from her attitude.


    They ate until they both had their fill.


    Bai Guo stood up. "Thank you, master, but I think it''s about time for me to go."


    "You should just stay here." She suggested. "Didn''t I tell you that it doesn''t matter if they find out about us?"


    "If I up and disappear, they''re definitely going to take notice. I''d really prefer we don''t take any chances on this, master."


    The Golden Witch frowned, but offered no rebuttal. She bid her disciple a bitter farewell, and the two separated for the night.


    Chun De dashed out of her room when she heard Bai Guo returning. She followed him into his quarters and locked the door.


    "Who was that? Who was that? Who was that?" The nun chanted.


    Bai Guo sheepishly scratched his head as he wondered what to say. "Well, since I learned your secret, I guess it''s only fair that you learn mine. That woman is my master."


    Chun De gawked at him, her mouth agape. "Who is she?"


    "She goes by many titles, but even I don''t know her true name. I call her the Golden Witch."


    "Where is she from? Is she strong? Has she killed anyone famous? How come I''ve never heard of her?" Chun De frantically peppered him with questions.


    "She really doesn''t like it when people pry into her affairs..." Bai Guo tried to calm her down. "But yes, she is very strong. Maybe even..."


    Bai Guo caught himself as he was about to utter something childish and stopped. But Chun De pestered him until he sighed and relented. "Maybe even the strongest."


    Chun De laughed with joy. "Do you think I could convince her to exchange a few stances with me? What do you think?"


    "You''ve really got a one track mind..." Bai Guo smiled. "How about you get through the student before you aim at the teacher?"


    The gleeful Chun De stiffed him in the shoulder. "I really won''t be able to sleep today! I''m so glad I joined this contest!"


    Bai Guo sat on his bed, nursing his new bruise. "Me, on the other hand, I think I''ll sleep just fine. I haven''t had this much of a workout since my training."


    Chun De took a seat right beside him. She leaned over and whispered in his ear. "She has really long arms, doesn''t she? I could tell through her robe."


    Bai Guo suddenly felt self-conscious beyond measure. He tried to scoot away, but she crawled after him, asking, "What techniques is she known for?"


    The young man''s patience evaporated.


    "Get off my bed, you stupid monk!" He tried to push her off.


    "I''m sleeping here tonight!" She declared, fighting to retain her place.


    "What the hell are you saying?!" He began to shove even more fiercely, but she wouldn''t budge. "Is it not just blood you thirst for, you evil monk?!"


    Chun De pried her mouth out of his pressing palm and yelled, "I want to know everything about your master!"


    "I''m not saying another word until you start showing respect for at least one of the five precepts!"


    After struggling for a little more, Chun De finally relented, rolling out onto the floor.


    "So I can''t stay over because you''ve got your mind in the gutter?" She pouted.


    "If the Kunlun disciples find out what we''re up to in here, we''ll definitely get eliminated! From life!"


    "What''s wrong with two boys having a sleepover, idiot?" She asked.


    "How did you get fooled by your own disguise?!"


    "Well, they don''t know about that! So don''t act like public perception is the problem here! It''s all you! You''re a moron!"


    "Just get out of here!" Bai Guo had had enough.


    "Or what?" Chun De challenged. She adjusted her seating posture to make herself harder to move. "Since you''re such a pure hearted Buddhist yourself, you wouldn''t dare to touch a woman, would you?"


    They fiercely glared at each other for a while. With a sigh, Bai Guo admitted his defeat, leaning back in his bed. Chun De remained where she was.


    They both cooled off in the resulting silence. Chun De sat up on the corner of his bed, this time keeping her distance.


    "Since you shared your secret with me, I can tell you why I''m pretending to be a monk, if you want..." Chun De tried to act nonchalant.


    Bai Guo''s curiosity was very visibly piqued. "I do wish to know how such a rotten monk came to be."


    "Well, you can''t tell anyone else, okay? I''ll kill you if you do." She warned.


    Bai Guo didn''t say anything, merely waited for her to begin.


    Chun De swallowed heavily.


    "I''m from the monastery just below this mountain." She began. "The Mountain Purification Temple. It''s the only Buddhist temple anywhere around these parts, so maybe you''ve been there."


    Bai Guo recalled previously meeting his master by a temple. He didn''t remember its name, but if it was the only one around, like she said, then that must have been the place.


    "But originally, I''m from a different temple, very far away from here." Chun De buried her face in her knees. "The abbess didn''t like me and sent me here."


    "To a monastery?" Bai Guo couldn''t help but ask. "Wouldn''t it make more sense to just send you to a different nunnery?"


    "You''ve probably heard of the abbot. They call him the Exorcist."


    Chun De glanced at him, studying his reaction. When his face revealed nothing, she looked surprised.


    "You''ve really never heard of him...?" She asked.


    "What, did they send you here so he could expel your inner demons?" Bai Guo tried to joke. But as he watched Chun De''s blank expression, he realized that his joke might have been a little too close to the truth to be funny.

 Chapter 4 - Dreaming Asura (XIV)

    "I didn''t fit in at my previous temple." Chun De said. "They hated having me there, thought I was possessed... They called me rotten, just like you did..."


    "I didn''t mean anything by it, Chun De." Bai Guo interjected.


    "I know... But they did. The abbess was an old friend of the abbot, and figured he knew how to fix me. He''s done something like it before, after all." She peeked at him again. "You really haven''t heard? About the Exorcist and the Sleeping Asura?"


    Bai Guo shook his head.


    She remained in disbelief. "To be honest, I really dislike those titles. You definitely shouldn''t say those words in public, can you promise me that?"


    Bai Guo nodded.


    Chun De continued. "There''s a story about a man who once terrorized the world and slaughtered countless innocents. One day, the abbot took this evil man under his wing and set him on the noble path. The story is true. That man still remains in the temple to this day, meditating and chanting scriptures day in and out. That''s why they call the abbot the Exorcist."


    The nun frowned. "But most people don''t believe that the man has truly repented from his life of bloodshed. They think it''s only a matter of time until he slips back to his villainous ways. ''A dog can''t become a man,'' they say. ''The bear is just hibernating.'' Many of the monks think so too. Behind the abbot''s back they call him the Sleeping Asura. That moniker spread beyond the temple grounds. Everyone who lives on the mountains knows this story. The older generation still remembers that man''s evil deeds. Even if they don''t call him by that moniker, they still won''t use his dharma name."


    Bai Guo asked, "What do you think?"


    "They''re wrong." She said. "People really can change. The abbot changed him. He changed both of us. He''s a good man. That moniker is an insult to both him and to my master."


    Chun De''s face twitched. She clearly hadn''t intended to let that word slip out. She sat up and faced Bai Guo with a strange grin. It was like a weight fell from her shoulders.


    "I like it better here! I don''t want to go back to my old temple!" She declared. "Here, the abbot lets me practice martial arts as much as I want. But even so, he''d never approve of me joining this contest. Well, after this stunt, they''ll think my demons are still inside me. Not only will I get to fight my heart out here, but afterwards, the abbot will never let me go back to that nunnery! Especially if I kill somebody again...!"


    The nun seemed to discard all inhibitions. She wore such an overexcited expression that it bordered on the manic. She drew closer to Bai Guo again. The young man shrunk back.


    "But it''s not going to be you, so don''t you worry, brother Guo. Or who knows...?" Chun De mused with glee. "I kind of like you, but if I find that you''re not giving it your all during our fight, I might get mad and run you through with my sword!"


    Bai Guo frowned as the bald girl once again leaned in too close for comfort. "You''re really something, you know that? I wasn''t planning on going easy on you. You don''t need to perform this show to get taken seriously."


    "Very good." She whispered. Her breath tickled his cheek. Bai Guo winced. "Then I''ll see you tomorrow."


    Chun De sprang out of his bed and ran out of the room.


    Bai Guo was drenched in cold sweat. His heart beat like a drum.


    "Has she really killed someone before? I hope it was just part of her bluff."


    Bai Guo straightened out his sheets and readied himself for bed. "...In fact, I''d be glad to know that her entire story was just a lie. Otherwise, just what kinda temple is that? Sounds like a complete madhouse."


    He made sure that the door was firmly locked before going to sleep.


    When Bai Guo awoke the next morning, Chun De''s was already gone.


    He arrived at the arena and found the nun waiting with her arms crossed. She ignored him thoroughly and utterly, with not even a glance spared his way. The Kunlun disciples checked on them one last time and sent the youngsters forth.


    Beneath the cheering crowd, they bowed to each other. As they straightened their waists, Bai Guo could have sworn that he spotted the brief flash of a smile on the nun''s lips.


    "Begin!" Han Gen declared, and the two of them drew their swords.


    Predictably, Chun De rushed in again. Bai Guo was finally fighting with a head cool enough to make tactical decisions; learning from the mistakes of his predecessors, he was unwilling to engage on her terms. The young man darted back and to the side, stymieing her great momentum by forcing her to redirect her charge.


    But it was not enough to dissuade the nun from her pursuit. Bai Guo thrust out with his sword. Chun De''s steel flickered towards his. A soft clang announced their clash.


    The nun''s big eyes were wide with focus, and they stared deeply into Bai Guo''s own. Her sword stuck to his like a magnet. She flicked her wrist and forced her opponent''s weapon to move against its wielder''s will. Bai Guo''s stomach was left exposed.


    Chun De''s weapon went right for the gap in his defense. Bai Guo leaped back with as much force as he could muster, and it sent him far beyond the attack''s range.


    She relentlessly chased after him. Their swords clashed again, and Bai Guo momentarily found himself unable to make any distance. They drew awfully close to one another, close enough to render their weapons meaningless. When their legs got tangled up, the nun twisted her body, tripping the young man over.


    Bai Guo maintained his grip on the girl as he fell. He whipped his legs and somehow landed on his feet. He caught a glimpse of her steel in his peripheral vision and spun his body, flinging them both out each other''s arms.


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    The young man clumsily adjusted his footing as they separated. In sharp contrast, Chun De was light on her feet. Her retreat was smooth and impeccable.


    His foe finally decided to stay still. And if that alone wasn''t surprising enough, she was also frowning in anger.


    But her strange expression soon subsided. Chun De leaped back into the fray.


    Their swords met again, and this time, they remained crossed for a considerable time. The nun twisted her weapon around and Bai Guo felt immense pressure on his wrists. His father''s sword left his hand. But the young man reassumed his grip with remarkable quickness; the weapon hadn''t had enough time to draw even a single inch closer towards the ground.


    He fled from the girl once more. Again she hadn''t pursued.


    Again she was frowning.


    Chun De turned towards the referee and stared at the old man. The old man remained unmoving.


    Finally, the nun was unable to take it anymore. "What are you doing? Call the match already. I could have killed him three times over by now. What good even are you?"


    Han Gen''s white brows flew in surprise at the participant''s words, but even more so at her voice. His features then dimmed with irritation; he clearly did not enjoy taking lip from a little girl.


    "Fight!" He demanded.


    Chun De groaned and turned back to her foe. "And you. Why haven''t you given up yet? Do you really want me to kill you?"


    Bai Guo said nothing. Truthfully, he didn''t know what to say.


    Chun De sighed in frustration. "You didn''t even realize, did you? You''re just that bad..."


    The nun sheathed her sword. "I give up!"


    Her voice resounded throughout the arena. The audience jeered in confusion as she walked away. Bai Guo watched in complete shock.


    Han Gen raised his arm, declaring him the overall winner.


    ...


    The three elders watched from above. Tan Huan was blushing with shame. The event he had organized turned out to be a complete disaster. No one seemed happy with the outcome. He was afraid to look at the sect master, who remained awfully quiet throughout the entire affair.


    "Well." He Yong''s soft monotone finally boomed. "It ended about how I expected. Looks like you got yourself that talented new disciple you wanted, Tan Huan."


    His moustaches flared. "It was not just talent that I needed. The prestige of winning such a grand competition was the point! After the unsightly death of my previous disciple, I needed a candidate that no one would doubt! But this? This is not the way it should have happened!"


    "So you don''t want him?"


    "No... That''s not what I said..." Tan Huan rushed to clarify. "It was just... disappointing, that''s all."


    "I agree." He Yong slowly raised his hulking body. Tan Huan seemed surprised, almost terrified, to see the sect master in sudden motion. "Well, don''t you worry, Tan Huan. I''ve got a way to salvage some good will out of this crowd."


    The fright on Tan Huan''s face became quite earnest when he saw He Yong reach for his saber. "Sect master, what are you saying?"


    "Well, the match ended so quickly, we just can''t vouch for the boy''s real skills. I''m going to go make sure that you have the right man, Tan Huan."


    The shorter man paled as the giant stepped up to the edge of the stands. Tan Huan babbled as he watched him.


    "Sect master, what are you thinking? Sect master! Sect master He Yong!"


    He Yong leaped like he had been launched out of a catapult. Tan Huan''s frantic voice trailed behind him, but the man dared not move from his spot, watching on in terror.


    He crossed half the audience in that single jump. He Yong''s fearsome figure landed heavily into the arena. Bai Guo and Han Gen alike were startled by his abrupt appearance.


    "Sect master He Yong!" Han Gen scrambled to regain his composure and bowed. Bai Guo, grateful for the introduction, immediately repeated the referee''s gesture.


    "Good work, Han Gen. You can go." He Yong said. Han Gen promptly took his leave.


    Suddenly, the previously soft spoken man''s voice erupted like a volcano. "Contestant Bai Guo! Well done making it this far! Congratulations on your victory! This He Yong would like to put you through one final test."


    The man slowly drew his enormous saber out of its sheath. He wielded the ludicrously oversized weapon with a single hand as if it was entirely weightless.


    "Draw your sword!" He Yong shouted, spurring the young man into frantic action. "Let''s you and I have us a little bout. I''d like to see for myself if you''re truly worthy of our sect! Here I come!"


    Bai Guo''s eyes widened. The man''s massive figure was upon him like an avalanche. He Yong bellowed as he struck out. His swing was so swift, it was all that the young man could do to place his sword in its path.


    The clash of steel sent him sliding back across the ground. Leaving him with no chance to regain his wits, the stranger struck again. There was simply no escape. Bai Guo gripped the back of his weapon with his free hand, bracing himself.


    This attack was even heavier than the last. Bai Guo was tossed back and rolled along the ground. He was nevertheless quick to regain his footing. But his eyes once again filled with metal, his ears deafened by the man''s incessant shouting.


    Bai Guo was flung away by the subsequent attack, unable to even keep his feet on the ground. But once again he stood up quickly. His body shook in protest at the repeated abuse. His head was dizzy.


    "Not bad!" He Yong declared, approaching for even more.


    The young man had had enough. His stance shifted to perform the First Step.

 Chapter 4 - Dreaming Asura (XV)

    He Yong ducked out of the way of his thrust.


    "Oooh! You almost had me there, kid!" The mockery in his voice was unmistakable. "You''re holding out real well! I''m going to use both hands next! Get ready!"


    He Yong adjusted his grip on the massive saber. Bai Guo broke out into cold sweat as the hunk of steel approach him once more.


    This slash rammed into him like a mountain. As he received it onto his sword, the young man gritted his teeth until it felt like they were about to snap. He flew back faster than he had ever moved in his life.


    His back slammed into the stone wall on the other side of the arena. By some miracle, Bai Guo remained conscious. With quivering hands he had taken up his father''s sword, and found it bent at a steep angle from the center. His arms were numb; his body was wracked with pain, inside and out.


    He made an effort to stand. A sharp, searing pain cut through him from the inside of his chest. Blood spewed from his throat and onto the ground. Bai Guo couldn''t fight it, and crumbled completely.


    "It''s not over yet! Get up!" He Yong roared, drawing closer.


    Suddenly, a cold wind swept over the arena. A white robed, blonde haired woman appeared at its edge. The observers completely failed to trace her path; it''s as if they blinked, and there she was.


    "That''s enough." The woman''s voice resounded. Her anger was subdued yet very evident across her features.


    "There''s the master." He Yong spoke softly.


    He Yong rushed for Bai Guo like a bat out of hell. The woman followed him, and even inched dangerously close to his great figure despite the handicap of distance. Nevertheless, she was a few steps short.


    He Yong scooped up the young man into one of his arms, and with the other, he pressed the sharp edge of his saber into Bai Guo''s neck.


    "That was a fine prank the two of you have tried to pull. Did you really think nobody would notice?"


    The Golden Witch gritted her teeth. "What are you doing? Just disqualify him and be done with it."


    He Yong exhaled, breathing out a sinister chuckle. "This isn''t about Tan Huan''s stupid contest."


    The man tightened his grip on Bai Guo. "This kid''s got speed and power beyond his own measure, and yet he has no idea. He moves like he was born yesterday. It indicates that he came upon this power very recently, and so rapidly that he hasn''t had the time to adjust and discover his own limits. His sword skills are crap, which indicates a lack of natural talent. All of this is congruent with a certain phenomenon that I''ve once witnessed - the single greatest fortune that a martial artist can ever experience."


    Bai Guo winced as the man''s weapon bit into his skin and drew blood.


    He Yong made his demands, "If you want this boy to live, then hand over the cultivation manual!"


    "I don''t have it!" She shouted. Her composure crumbled.


    "Then you''d better fetch it fast! You have three days to deliver it to the top of this mountain or this boy''s life will be forfeit. Take a single step towards me and he''s dead. Try anything clever and he''s dead. If a single one of my disciples so much as stubs a toe over the next three days, yours will pay the price!"


    "Master..." Bai Guo hissed. "Don''t listen to him...!"


    The sect master leaped back into the stands, Bai Guo in tow. He made his way out of the arena through a series of absurd hops.


    The Golden Witch was left to stand there alone, helpless to stop him. She soon took her leave just as imperceptibly as she had arrived.


    ...


    Bai Guo had been brought to a vast mansion near the top of the Kunlun Goddess Peak. Hours had passed since He Yong''s "test", and yet the young man''s body, still wracked by invisible wounds, continued to shift between bouts of pain and numbness. He was barely able to move.


    Bai Guo remained within arm''s reach of the master at all times. He was seated right next to the sect master and had the opportunity to dine on the same good food, and was assured that he could demand as much of it as he pleased. His injured body struggled to properly maneuver even the chopsticks, and he ate slowly if at all.


    Some disciples have brought in his father''s mangled sword. He Yong inspected it; in his massive hands, it looked like a snapped toothpick.


    "This sword is very well made." The giant praised softly. He handed it over to a disciple. "Have it repaired."


    Bai Guo''s nose twitched at the gesture.


    "You might not enjoy hearing this," He Yong began, "but it''s your master''s fault that things ended up this way. I can tell you''re loyal, but there''s such a thing as misplacing one''s loyalties. That woman is dull-witted, she can''t handle pressure. You''re certain to die following her whims. Her only worth lies in that cultivation method, and she''d already taught it to you. You''ve got a prime opportunity here, Bai Guo, to make it out of this bad situation like a bandit. I know you''ve got a lot of things you''re eager to say to me right now, but hold your tongue. You could not only make it out of this unscathed, you just might reap some massive benefits that will set you for life. After all, Tan Huan still needs his disciple."


    Bai Guo scoffed. "Do you even know who my master is?"


    When He Yong didn''t bother to dignify his question with a response, Bai Guo continued. "Of course you don''t. Just the things I''d seen her achieve during our brief time together would have you quaking in your boots, if only you knew. You''d have never even thought of pulling this crap. ''Dull-witted.'' Well said! That''s the only word that comes to mind when I think about what you brought upon yourself."


    "Enlighten me then." He Yong asked, but Bai Guo stubbornly kept his mouth shut.


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    He Yong shook his head. A servant had suddenly rushed in.


    "Master, the elders have arrived." The man announced. He Yong gestured, and the servant rushed off to let them inside.


    Nine middle aged men and three old women approached. Tan Huan was among them, hands crossed behind his back.


    The man''s moustaches shook as he harshly rebuked the giant sitting at the table. "Sect master you may be, but you had no right to pull such a stunt without first consulting the rest of us elders!"


    "I received the pertinent information the night before." He Yong calmly explained. "There was no time to have you old farts mull over it. I had to capitalize on the opportunity when it revealed itself."


    His words angered Tan Huan. "We don''t know who these people are or which sect they come from! There''s no telling what you''re dragging us all into. Don''t forget that you''re not so much stronger than the rest of us that you can act as you please! It might not be too late to release the young man and patch things up with his master."


    "You''re not thinking objectively." He Yong replied. "Just think about how much this cultivation manual has done for this talentless shrimp. Now think about how much it would do for people like us. For our entire sect. Our Kunlun Mountains would become the center of the world, with our council at the head."


    The elders hesitated and exchanged contemplative glances amongst each other.


    "Until we know what we''re dealing with here, we can''t abide by what you''re doing." Tan Huan concluded for them.


    "Well, the arrow can''t be unshot." He Yong said. "We''re all in this whether you abide by it or not."


    "Well, that''s not quite correct, sect master." Tan Huan responded. "If your gambit fails to bear fruit and your actions bring calamity upon our heads, the sect will not protect you. You''re on your own."


    "And yet you useless louts will be back to reap the benefits when I succeed."


    "If you succeed." Tan Huan corrected. "We''ll see what happens then. But as the sect master, you know that''s how things work. If you think about it, we''re all already part of your little plot, willingly or not. Especially me! This is my event that you crashed! Who''s going to participate in my other two tournaments now?"


    He Yong snorted. The discussion appeared to be over.


    As the elders were taking their leave, Tan Huan glanced behind his shoulder. "And for heaven''s sake, at least tie up the young man!"


    "It''s unnecessary." He Yong said. "His internal injuries are so bad that he can barely lift his own arms."


    Tan Huan seemed contented with his words and left.


    As the hall emptied out, Bai Guo scoffed again. "Dull-witted." He repeated.


    He Yong resumed his meal in silence.


    ...


    Nightfall concluded the tumultuous day. Liao Lan slept peacefully in her big bed.


    A sudden gust of cold air had stirred her to wakefulness. Her eyelids parted sluggishly as she turned to figure out the problem. She found the window to her third story room to be open. A yellow headed person stood on the other side.


    Her drowsiness had instantly evaporated like a droplet over an open flame. Her eyes blasted wide open; her voice got caught in her throat. The white robed figure moved at her bizarrely, like a slithering snake, and seized her meridians. Liao Lan was first left with no time to move or to shout, and then without the means. Paralyzed once more, she was dragged out of the comforts of her sheets.


    The Yellow Hungry Fairy bodily hauled her out through that same window. She carried the woman to a secluded place, and dumped her beneath a tall tree. Liao Lan''s pressure points had been unsealed. With nothing but her nightgown to protect from the cold, she shivered in the snow.


    But even on a warm summer day, she''d be quivering all the same. Her heart felt on the verge of leaping out of her chest as she stared up at the tall golden haired woman. She looked to be in a truly foul mood.


    "I''m sorry for everything I said and did! I know I deserve a thousand deaths for offending you, but please don''t kill me!" Liao Lan stammered, her teeth rattling. She suddenly crawled towards the Fairy and grabbed her legs, wailing. "I''m not above begging for my life if it pleases you! I''ll do anything! Please...!"


    The woman''s yellow brows shot up in shock as she watched Liao Lan''s pitiful figure. Her lips curled into a small, eerie smile, her mood suddenly lifted. The Fairy raised up the woman''s chin and, with one of her long fingers, gently brushed a stray lock of hair from her cheek.


    The gesture sent shivers down Liao Lan''s spine.


    "Anything?" The tall woman asked.


    Her question filled the woman with utter dread. But she forced out a smile of her own and bobbed her head up and down.


    "Anything!" She tried to pack as much confidence into her stuttering as possible, leaning even closer into the woman''s knees. "Just say it! I''ll do it! No matter what it is! Anything you ask!"


    The Fairy''s smirk grew. "You''ve heard about the young man that got kidnapped during today''s tournament, right?"


    Liao Lan couldn''t hide her surprise at the turn this conversation had taken. "Yes. Yes."


    "I need you to get him out of there for me."


    Liao Lan''s eyes widened with your realization. "He''s yours-... he''s your-... your..." She stuttered severely and couldn''t muster the word.


    "He''s mine. You said you had some history with the sect master. So I think you''re the perfect fit for this task."


    "It''s not good history! I don''t think- I don''t know- I..." Liao Lan tried to mouth some excuses.


    "If you don''t do this for me, I''ll kill you."

 Chapter 4 - Dreaming Asura (XVI)

    Liao Lan began to wail again as she heard her threat. She dove back into the woman''s knees. The mysterious woman grabbed her by the head and slowly pried Liao Lan out of her lap.


    "What''s wrong?" She asked, still wearing that strange smile. "You told me you were stronger than him."


    "I''m not that much stronger than He Yong! A fight could go either way. Unarmed I think I could win, but with weapons, I don''t know. And there''s his entire sect to worry about too!"


    The Fairy shook her head. "You''re a clever lady, aren''t you? You''ll figure something out."


    "I don''t know... I don''t know..." She sobbed. "We didn''t part on good terms. I came here just for a chance to spite him! He might not give me the time of day."


    "Come on..." The tall woman gently patted her on the back.  "Go in the morning. Oh, and don''t tell your disciple about this. Just tell her to wait until you''re back."


    Liao Lan shuddered hard. "What are you going to do to my disciple? Please..."


    "Nothing. You just need to hold up your part of the deal. Okay? And then she''ll be alright."


    The Fairy finally let go of her. "I''ll be watching." She said.


    The blonde stepped behind her. Liao Lan whipped her head to follow her, but when she turned, there was nothing behind her but a field of pure white snow glistening in the moonlight. The scenery was undisturbed by so much as a single footprint. She dashed to check around the tree, and still found no one.


    "A ghost!" Liao Lan gasped. "I''m cursed! Just what did I do to deserve this?!"


    She hesitantly raised herself off the ground, her head still whipping around in search of terrors lurking just out of sight. But not a soul was around. Liao Lan fled back to her inn.


    ...


    The next morning, Liao Lan set out. No longer had she resembled the teary-eyed wreck from last night. She struck the image of a dignified lady. She was well-dressed, her hair done and secured with her second best hairpins. Her cheeks blushed with just a hint of makeup.


    As Liao Lan set about the task, she worried more for her disciple than for herself. She fed the girl some convenient lies and silently prayed that she was more obedient than perceptive.


    Her trip into He Yong''s domain at the top of the mountain had gone undisturbed. The guards held her at the door, but it was not long at all until she had been invited into his mansion.


    His enormous figure sat in the armchair, his fist propping up his chin. The young man she was supposed to rescue stood beside him, a stern and bitter look on his face. He spared her only the briefest of glances. Liao Lan had been very surprised to find He Yong so composed, not at all curious about her arrival.


    She grew suspicious and decided to remain silent, offering only a coquettish smile for a greeting.


    "That''s the Liao Lan I know." He Yong spoke in his soft, bassy monotone. "Where there''s profit to be had, there you are. Even if it means running back into my arms."


    "Well, you''ve really outdone yourself this time." Liao Lan spoke vaguely.


    He Yong grunted. "Why, the credit is all yours."


    Confusion wracked the woman''s mind, but it hadn''t showed on her face.


    He Yong peered behind her. "Well, where''s the little heroine? Her little tip is the reason we''ve all gathered here today. She deserves some praise."


    Liao Lan''s mind reeled. It took a titanic effort to maintain her composure.


    "I thought the occasion would be better celebrated with a little more privacy." She batted her eyelashes. "Are you disappointed?"


    He Yong leaned in. His eyes bore hungrily into her body. "No. It suits me just fine. I figured it was you who sent her."


    His palms suddenly came together and resounded like thunder. He ordered a feast.


    As Liao Lan went about receiving his hospitality with pleasant cordiality, her heart was in turmoil.


    "How is Shao Luli involved? How? I don''t understand. How is this possible? I took that girl for someone intelligent, but while I wasn''t paying attention, she tried to conspire against that golden haired senior? I feel like I''m losing my mind. I need to get to the bottom of this or I''ll go crazy."


    Liao Lan was steaming on the inside. But she knew that if she continued to speak so vaguely He Yong would eventually catch on to her cluelessness. She bid her time and waited for an opportunity to present itself.


    In the afternoon, a guard rushed in to announce a new guest. The man was furious.


    "Sect master He, there is a man at the door." He explained. He derisively spat the next words as if he was retelling an insult. "He calls himself the King of Jianghu!"


    "What did you say?" He Yong''s eyes went wide.


    Liao Lan cackled. "What a thing to go around calling yourself! The undisputed peak of arrogance! Might as well tattoo ''death wish'' on your forehead!"


    But as the woman glanced at the sect master, she realized that something was off. That unflappable giant suddenly rose from his seat, sweat on his brow.


    "Let the man in! Hurry! Don''t you dare to treat him impolitely!"


    His orders baffled everyone present. The flabbergasted guard bowed and ran off to carry out his will.


    "What''s going on?" Liao Lan asked. "What''s gotten into you? Do you know this man?"


    "Yeah, I know him." He Yong flicked off the bead of sweat with a thumb. "You might know him by his other title. The Invincible Blood Sea."


    "Ta- Ta- Tao Geming?!" Liao Lan nearly shrieked. "Why is he here?! How do you know him?"


    "A few years ago, he killed my martial brother for trying to cheat him at dice. He completely erased that brother of mine. Nothing but blood was left. I had to pacify Tao Geming with gifts and hospitality." He Yong explained. "I don''t know why he''s here now of all times."


    He Yong glanced around, his mind racing. "That man is impervious to weapons and can kill with a brush of his fingers. I witnessed it myself. He''s taken up the title of royalty, so we''ll regard him like royalty. If any of you disrespect him, I''ll wring the life out of you myself. Heavens know it might be the only way to keep the rest of us safe."


    He looked behind his broad shoulder. "And that goes for you too, boy. Your master''s manual be damned."


    Shao Luli followed him out of her seat, her feet unsteady. Her life was leaping from one extreme to another.


    ...


    Servants and martial artists alike lined up along the hall, their heads lowered.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    The esteemed guest slowly approached in the company of the guards.


    "All hail the King of Jianghu!" He Yong bellowed and dropped to his knees. The others followed suit. Behind them, only Bai Guo remained stubbornly upright.


    The short Tao Geming, dressed in an old green tunic and brown pants, passed them by, sparing the procession scarcely even a single glance. But Bai Guo noticed pride subtly glinting within the man''s eyes.


    "Nicely done, He Yong." Tao Geming praised. "Your hospitality makes these mountains less insufferably dull."


    The kneeling martial artists rose. Tao Geming took a seat at the head of the table, right beside the young hostage. Somehow Bai Guo hadn''t earned a crumb of his attention.


    A feast that was originally meant for just two had briskly evolved into a grandiose affair.


    As he watched the dishes being brought in, Tao Geming called out with a laugh. "You shitty Taoist! You still chow down meat by the catty!"


    They then all ate in silence for a while. The late guest tossed back a considerable amount of wine and greedily devoured the meats.


    He Yong rubbed his hands as he finally gained the courage to speak. "What brings your esteemed self to this He Yong''s humble abode?"


    A smile slowly crept up Tao Geming''s face. He discarded a chicken bone and halted his feeding.


    "I so happened to catch wind of your antics and decided to take a look myself."


    He stood up from his chair and finally examined the helpless hostage. The smirk on his face turned insufferable.


    "Well, well. It really is the genuine article!" He erupted into laughter. "You''ve really done it now, He Yong, you idiot!"


    The giant glanced around nervously.


    Tao Geming returned to his seat. "What do you know about this kid''s master?"


    Liao Lan kept her mouth shut. He Yong spoke meekly. "She knows a profound cultivation method."


    "So you don''t know crap." Tao Geming rubbed the stubble on his chin. "Well, aren''t you lucky? I know her quite well."


    His words captivated the attention of both martial artists. Bai Guo''s nose twitched in irritation.


    "Now, let''s see..." Tao Geming mused. "Which tale should I regale to best help you grasp the enormity of your fuck up?"


    They waited for him to arrive at a decision with bated breaths.


    "You''ve all heard what happened to Qin Yan of the Qin Royal Dynasty Sword School?" Tao Geming asked.


    "I have." Liao Lan replied. "Actually, I''m well acquainted with the man. Back when we were both younger, our paths crossed quite frequently..."


    Ye Hong interjected. "Riveting stories for another time, I''m sure."


    Liao Lan cleared her throat. "Anyway, I''d heard that he recently lost an eye... in a fight against your highness."


    Tao Geming shook his hand at her. "It wasn''t me that took his eye. I haven''t fought the man in, I don''t know, at least a decade. But I witnessed their battle. It was her!"


    Liao Lan seemed to be in utter disbelief. "Are you serious?"


    "Who gave you the right to doubt me?" Tao Geming glared at her. Liao Lan shirked back. "You think I''d lie about my own feats?"


    "Certainly not! I wouldn''t dare." She hastened to correct the misunderstanding. Tao Geming turned away from her, though the woman''s complexion continued to worsen as she took in the new information.


    He Yong, meanwhile, seemed less impressed. He recognized the name, but it originated from far enough away that it rang hollow.


    Tao Geming seemed to catch on to the big man''s doubts. "How about something a little closer, then? You''ve heard of the Five Venoms Devil, haven''t you?"


    Liao Lan''s head shook nervously as she nodded.


    He Yong, on the other hand, shrugged his shoulders. "Not for a very long time."


    "She surpassed the old woman in a contest of poisons."


    Liao Lan turned a shade of green.


    He Yong asked, "How did you find out about this?"


    "I was there." His blunt tone left little room to argue.


    "From the way you speak," He Yong supposed, "that woman must be a companion of yours."


    Tao Geming closed his eyes, as if the matter required some deep thought on his part.


    An arrogant snort had suddenly interrupted the merriments.


    All sound seemed to drain out of the room. He Yong and Liao Lan both froze, their eyes scanning for the source of the rude outburst. Their gazes were brought to the prisoner standing near the corner of the hall.


    He Yong glared at his stubborn grimace with hateful, bloodshot eyes.


    Tao Geming sluggishly parted his eyelids. "That''s not entirely accurate. I suppose you could say that we just walk in similar circles."


    He Yong breathed a subtle sigh of relief when it turned out that Tao Geming was willing to let the faux pas go.


    "May I ask..." Liao Lan spoke in a shaky voice. "Just who is this woman?"


    "Does it matter?" Tao Geming asked. "A man''s achievements are what makes the name. I haven''t even listed all of her feats, but for plebs like you, this already should be more than enough. You''ll call her whatever she damn well pleases to be called, just like you''re doing right now with me. Well, in any case, quibbling over such matters with lives as short as yours isn''t the best use of your time, don''t you think so? You get it now, right?"


    Tao Geming leaned back in his chair and kicked his feet up onto the table. "Even if you got that manual you wanted and studied it for ten years straight, you still wouldn''t even reach up to her waist."


    Liao Lan sipped her wine with a shaking hand. He Yong stared with a grave expression.


    "Well, now that you understand the gravity of the situation, I''m willing to lend you a hand." Tao Geming declared. "I''ll take the kid off your hands and get him back to her. I know how to patch things up with her on your behalf."


    A sudden realization dawned upon He Yong. He broke out into sweat. To think that this was all just a lengthy prelude to Tao Geming''s own designs for the secret manual!


    Liao Lan''s eyes, meanwhile, glimmered with uncertain hope. To think that her task might have turned out to be so easy!


    And then, a voice interrupted their thoughts.


    "I''m not going with you."


    Bai Guo''s instantly drew the eyes of all three. Each one of them burned with a desire to strangle the young man, all for different reasons.

 Chapter 4 - Dreaming Asura (XVII)

    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.


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    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.

 Chapter 4 - Dreaming Asura (XVIII)

    As the young man kept listening, he suddenly heard a soft banging noise. He grimaced, already having a pretty decent guess of what that particular sound was all about.


    But when that sound repeated again only a single time, but much louder in volume, followed by the cracking of splintered wood afterwards, he began to doubt his original assumption. He returned to earnestly pondering the source of that strange noise.


    He thought back to the woman''s strange gesture towards him during the day. At that moment, Bai Guo''s mind was greatly tempted into making a ginormous leap in logic.


    When he heard the unmistakable sound of clashing steel, Bai Guo realized that even if the situation wasn''t quite as wild as he had imagined it to be, it was nevertheless extremely urgent and he simply couldn''t tarry.


    He thrust his foot at the door. The sturdy wood instantly gave way. The young man still found ways to shock himself with his own strength.


    He rushed down the hall, searching for the source of the noises. He discovered that they were coming from a locked room. Again Bai Guo burst through the door, his sword already unsheathed.


    He witnessed Liao Lan lying on the bed in her nightgown, the half-naked He Yong towering over her with his saber raised high, and another sword stuck in the wall, hopelessly far beyond the woman''s reach.


    Bai Guo lunged forward, performing the First Step. He thrust his sword into He Yong''s defenseless back. But the sect master heard his explosive entrance and was already twisting his upper body to deflect the blow.


    Despite his massive advantage, Bai Guo''s strike had been deflected. So fierce was He Yong''s defense that the young man felt his arm growing numb, his sword almost flying out of his hand.


    Before Bai Guo had even realized, the saber was already being brought down upon his head.


    In his peripheral vision, he caught the dark haired silhouette of Liao Lan already standing upright atop the bed. Her figure blurred and unleashed countless strikes upon He Yong''s flesh. Each successive strike stripped him of increasingly more motor functions. The giant was unable to neither complete his strike nor commit himself into a different motion.


    His heavy weapon fell to the floor, and so did the massive man. He could neither move nor speak, and even his breathing had gone awfully quiet.


    Bai Guo raised his sword, but the woman grabbed his hand.


    "Don''t even think about it!" Liao Lan warned. "Kill him and the Kunlun Sect will spend the rest of their existence chasing you around! And every last member of your bloodline!"


    The young man heeded her advice. "Who are you, really?"


    "Your master sent me to rescue you. Let''s get out of here."


    As they were about to step out, Liao Lan suddenly hesitated. She walked back to the collapsed sect master and grinned.


    "Again you missed the fruit! Stupid monkey! You''ll never have it!" She gloated. He glared at her with bloodshot eyes.


    "Is this really the time for this...?" Bai Guo asked. Immediately the woman''s impression firmed and she darted out of the room, pulling him along by hand.


    Bai Guo ran with her. Liao Lan advanced with confident strides, as if she already knew where to go.


    They heard a commotion outside and halted their escape. They warily peered around each corner. Their noses smelled smoke. They could hear something that resembled the sounds of battle.


    Suddenly, a sharp scream echoed across the hallways. "It''s the Sleeping Asura! Get back!"


    Bai Guo once again felt Liao Lan''s hand dragging him along. They soon left the mansion, only to behold a sea of flames rampaging across the outer areas.


    Suddenly, a short, veiled figure was upon them, brandishing a straight sword. Bai Guo immediately recognized it, and was immediately recognized in turn.


    Chun De and Bai Guo called each other''s names at the same time. Chun De removed her veil, revealing her big eyes.


    Bai Guo asked, "What''s going on? What is all this?"


    "We''re here to rescue you!" She proudly announced, gesturing him to follow. "Come to our temple! They won''t follow us there!"


    As he ran, Bai Guo saw numerous disguised martial artists taking on the Kunlun disciples. But the smoke and heat had made it difficult to observe anything with detail. He caught glimpse of something massive moving up the mountain road, but couldn''t make heads or tails of what it was. The redness of it blended into the fiery backdrop.


    They made a successful getaway amidst the burning chaos.


    As they made their way lower and lower down the mountain, Liao Lan had suddenly separated from their group. "I did what I had to! You''re on your own now!"


    "Thanks!" Bai Guo called out as the woman disappeared into the night.


    ...


    Shao Luli was terrified when she heard something banging on the door into her room. She was struck with even more terror when she saw her master, wearing nothing than her nightgown and an expression of indescribable rage, leap at her.


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    "What have you done?!" Liao Lan pushed her disciple onto the bed and shook her roughly by the shoulders. "What did you tell He Yong?!"


    Shao Luli was scared out of her wits. The girl mumbled incoherently. Eventually, proper words began to form. "I just told him about Bai Guo''s master. The golden haired lady."


    "Why why why?!"


    "I just wanted to get him in trouble!" Shao Luli cried.


    "Didn''t I tell you that they wouldn''t disqualify anyone over that?"


    The disciple sobbed. "I thought that if I brought it so directly to someone of a really high status, they''d have no choice but to at least do something! Master, tell me, why are you so angry with me?"


    "You stupid child! Your foolish prank nearly cost us both our lives!"


    She told her the entire story. They cried in fear. Then they cried in relief. No matter how hard she tried, Liao Lan was unable to stay angry at her disciple. She hugged the girl until it hurt.


    After listening to their sobs for a while, the ghost that had been haunting them departed.


    ...


    Bai Guo was brought into the old temple. Many monks kneeled on the mats around him, Chun De included.


    The abbot addressed him. "I''m afraid you might need to remain here until things outside have calmed a little, Bai Guo."


    Bai Guo lowered his head. "I apologize for imposing on you so much." He brought his head even lower down and kowtowed. "Thank you for rescuing me."


    Qing Duyi smiled. "Kindness must be repaid with kindness. We have heard that you are quite the righteous young man. It''s a rare trait in these trying times."


    "I haven''t done anything to warrant such words."


    The old abbot laughed. "Chun De had told us all about you. You help those in need, and your character is impeccable. You even rescued his life."


    Chun De''s eyes flickered away at the mention of that event.


    "We will always be glad to have you at our temple." Qing Duyi concluded. "Unfortunately, we can offer little in the ways of comforts."


    "I''m used to living in the rough. You won''t find me to be picky. And I''ll do my share of the work."


    The other monks exchanged glances and approving nods.


    In that moment, an unexpected, unannounced guest had appeared in the room, as though appearing out of thin air.


    The white robed woman''s appearance had startled every monk present. They all leaped to their feet. Only Chun De''s expression shimmered with excitement.


    "Master!" Bai Guo exclaimed, his voice brimming with indescribable relief. He was about to drop to his knees again when the woman roughly scooped him up with her long arms and wrapped him tightly.


    Bai Guo''s feet were swept off the floor; strained noises erupted from his throat.


    The Golden Witch set her disciple down after a long moment. She took a very measured glance of him. "You''re not injured anymore?"


    Bai Guo sighed. She picked a very difficult subject for him to breach.


    "I''ll tell you a little later." He decided to bide for time. Bai Guo almost felt dirty withholding this information from her, especially when it ended up playing such a vital role in his escape. But it also didn''t sit right with him to speak of the man responsible in anything even remotely approaching good light.


    Fortunately for him, his master had taken a very tolerant, or maybe even uncaring, stance on the matter.


    "I still need to..." Bai Guo tried to get on his knees again. When the Golden Witch once again grabbed onto him and forced him to remain upright, the young man began to grumble. "Master, you had a big role in getting me out of there, just let me show you my gratitude! Why are you always so strange when it comes to this kind of decorum?!"


    The woman sighed and finally set him free. Bai Guo tapped his forehead against the floor.


    Qing Duyi spoke up. "The master of such an exemplar disciple must be a woman of great character as well. I would like to officially extend our hospitality to you as well."


    The Golden Witch glanced at her disciple and asked, "Why are we staying here?"


    "Until things outside blow over..." He explained. But on some level he knew that she wouldn''t wish to tarry here, especially for such a reason.


    Chun De approached her. "You absolutely must stay at least for a little while!"


    "Chun De, don''t be rude!" Qing Duyi admonished.


    "Actually, master, I also think we should stay here for a while." Bai Guo suggested. There was something very leading about his tone. The Golden Witch had been around this young man to glean something from his particular intonation. She wondered what it was about.


    She relented to the offered hospitality.

 Chapter 4 - Dreaming Asura (XIX)

    Master and disciple exchanged courtesies with the monks for a time, and then Qing Duyi allowed them to retire for the night for their well-earned rest. The abbot remained to converse with the guests in private.


    But it had quickly become apparent that Chun De was not intending to leave with the rest of the monks. They caught her hiding at the entrance into the room.


    "You unruly child." Qing Duyi called out, shaking his head. "Just come on over."


    She sat beside the abbot with a mischievous grin.


    "It''s hard to emphasize," The old abbot said, "Just how fortunate we are that the Kunlun Sect did not contest our intervention as fiercely as they could. All of our brothers have managed to make it out of this affair completely unscathed."


    Bai Guo tried to guess at the reason for that. "I believe it has to do with internal strife within their sect. The sect master acted without approval from the rest of the sect, so in all likelihood, when trouble came knocking, the elders simply withheld their support."


    Chun De snorted. "You were already out by the time we got there. How did you even manage that?"


    "It was all thanks to my master''s friend..." Bai Guo glanced at the woman in question. She seemed thoroughly uninterested in the conversation, her eyes idly inspecting statues and furniture. "But I doubt we would have made it far on our own, so your help was still vital."


    The woman''s bored expression reminded Bai Guo of something. "Come to think of it, in the chaos, I''ve heard mention of a certain esteemed individual, but I don''t believe he was present in the hall when I paid my respects to the other reverends."


    Chun De''s grin grew wider and she turned to the abbot, excited. The old man, on the other hand, pursed his lips, his unwillingness to breach the subject very apparent. The Golden Witch seemed to notice the strange shift in the mood as she finally directed her attention to the discussion.


    Bai Guo pressed on. "This brother''s name alone had the enemy quaking in their boots. It doesn''t seem right that I go without thanking him in person."


    Qing Duyi smiled politely and finally responded. "If it''s Ji Yan you speak of, then I assure you, he had nothing to do with this affair. Some of the brothers, it seems, were up to some mischief, and spread rumors of his presence to rile up the disciples so that they wouldn''t contest us so fiercely. So you do not owe him any gratitude."


    As Bai Guo wondered how to keep pressing, Chun De interjected. "I told him the story. Master would love to meet them! Abbot, please!"


    But Qing Duyi shook his head. A hint of sternness besmirched his polite airs. "Brother Yan prefers to go about his monastic duties undisturbed. Chun De, as his disciple, you should understand this better than anyone."


    Chun De turned away from the old man with a bitter frown.


    The abbot concluded the conversation. "Young man, I will pass on your sentiments to brother Yan."


    Bai Guo bowed. "Thank you, abbot."


    Chun De''s frown deepened even more when Bai Guo acquiesced to the old monk.


    "Young man, you''ve been through a lot over these past few days." The old abbot spoke. "I''m sure you must be exhausted. You and your master should rest for now. We can speak more tomorrow."


    Bai Guo took the hint, and after he bowed again, the two of them left.


    Chun De continued to grumble after they were gone. "Why won''t you let them meet with master? I don''t understand."


    "Your master''s heart remains in a precarious state. You know this. Any external influence he is exposed to must first be carefully measured."


    "I do know that. I just don''t see how Bai Guo could be a bad influence on master. He''s just so... He''s a..." Chun De stumbled on her words. Her cheeks flushed with color. "You yourself showered him with praise, calling him righteous and nice and sweet, and other things."


    Qing Duyi ran a hand through his long gray beard. "Those were not quite the words I used, but I stand by what I did say. However, I get the impression that the young man is not without demons of his own."


    "Demons!" Chun De scoffed. "That Bai Guo? He''s a wimp! And besides, I''m way worse, and you had him take me for a disciple. It just makes no sense!"


    "It''s not that simple." Qing Duyi shook his head. "You should go sleep too."


    Seeing that the abbot was adamant on this, Chun De stood up. She sprayed her arms in helpless frustration and walked away.


    ...


    Meanwhile, the golden haired master and disciple were far too anxious to slumber. The Golden Witch barged into her disciple''s quarters and the two chatted about the events surrounding the tournament.


    "Are you alright?" Was the first question from her lips. "I can feel that your internal injury is gone, but how? Did you figure it out on your own?"


    Her tone was surprisingly hopeful, just brimming with anticipation.


    "No... What?" Bai Guo stared at her dimly. "On my own? Could I have done that?"


    "Well, over three days, sure, I think so... Well, I suppose not-..." Another word lingered on her tongue for a moment, but she stifled it.


    "...Not the likes of me, huh?" Bai Guo sighed with a defeated smile. His master looked guilty, but was in no rush to deny it. "Master, may I ask, what exactly was it that you taught me? What was that sect master trying to get from you?"


    Her golden eyes looked away. As the silence lingered, Bai Guo figured that he wouldn''t be getting an answer at all, just like every other time he had tried to pry into her past.


    And after the incident, she might be less inclined than ever to share anything about herself, he thought.


    But she suddenly spoke. "It''s a method to cultivate internal energy. The same one that I use."


    Bai Guo was shocked. Not just by the contents of her response, but that she responded at all.


    "No wonder I''ve undergone such a drastic change!" Bai Guo exclaimed. "But, master, you didn''t teach me from a manual. Does it even exist?"


    "No." Once again she began to hesitate. But after a delay, the words broke through. "After I mastered it, my father burned the only copy. If I still had it, I would have just let him take it. And just three days wasn''t enough to write another one..."


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    "You shouldn''t say that, master! That technique elevated even a good-for-nothing like me into someone that could win a tournament full of such talented people. If a villain like that got his hands on it, it would be a major disaster! One Bai Guo would not have been much of a loss if it kept the likes of He Yong from reaching your level!"


    The Golden Witch seemed unmoved by his concerns. "I could have just killed him later. If he thought reading the manual would instantly grant him power, he''d be in for a surprise. Just think about how long it took you to get to where you are."


    "But surely someone with enough aptitude to be a sect master would grasp the method much faster than me? What took me a month might have taken him only a couple of weeks or even less..."


    The Golden Witch sighed. "You''re really not understanding the scale here. What I taught you was just a tiny fraction of it all, the very beginning, the very first page. You spent a month on it and you''re not even close to mastering just the tiny part that you''ve been taught. And there''s no use pressing on with the rest until you''ve perfected at least this much. It''s dangerous to do so. And at the pace you''re going..."


    She shook her head. "Well, even if you went at it twice as fast, or twice that again, it still wouldn''t matter. It would take you a really, really long time to master it all. I don''t even know how long. And it might still not bring you to my level."


    Bai Guo was befuddled. She was right - the scale really was not something he was able to grasp.


    "How long did it take you to master it to the same extent as me?" He asked, hoping to clear up his confusion at least a little bit.


    "Me? I don''t really remember..." She craned her neck, thinking. "Perhaps a couple of hours to get through that part?"


    Bai Guo''s hands shook. He asked with a dry throat, "The part that I''m not even done with?"


    The Golden Witch contemplatively tapped her chin with one of her long fingers. Bai Guo became certain that even if the amount she had called out wasn''t exactly correct, it was still a negligible enough amount to not even be remembered.


    Dizziness beset him. He thought to himself, "Or is it even more terrifying that someone who can master techniques just by seeing them once struggled for so long with this one method? But in either case, what am I even doing here? Some silly little Bai Guo learning martial arts from a monster like this - what a joke...! I was hoping to learn how to stand up for myself, but if this is a world where people like this exist, aren''t I just wasting my time?"


    Shivers ran down Bai Guo''s spine. He deeply regretted even asking the question. It might have been preferable to remain ignorant of the difference between us, he thought.


    "Master, have I already reached my peak as a martial artist?" Bai Guo couldn''t keep his panic to himself. "Though you''ve given me the best that a martial artist can hope for, with my talent being so limited, how much further can I really get?"


    "What are you saying all of a sudden?" The Golden Witch smiled. "You''re still young, and you''ve got nothing to do but keep practicing. Don''t take my ramblings so seriously - my perspective on these matters is perhaps not the most accurate. Just stay with me and I''ll show you that you''ve still got a ways to go."


    Bai Guo was in agreement; the perspective of someone like her certainly couldn''t be considered normal. But he couldn''t tell whether that gave her thoughts on the matter more or less weight.


    Though he let the matter drop, anxiety still lingered in his heart.


    "Forget about it." She interrupted his rambunctious thoughts. "Tell me how you managed to heal."


    Finally confronted by the question, Bai Guo faltered a great deal. But ultimately, he could neither stand to lie to his master nor spit in the face of a good deed, even if it came from someone so despicable and bearing such obviously nefarious intentions.


    "Tao Geming visited the sect master." Bai Guo explained. "He tried to bring me back to you to place you in his debt, but when I refused, he healed me in secret. Though I''m loath to admit it, I don''t know if I would have made it out of there without his help..."


    Her eyes widened. "So that dog was still following us! Tell me more about what happened."


    Bai Guo told her the entire story. Her features grew severe as she listened to the tale of his days in captivity, abused at the hands of He Yong and Tao Geming alike. When she heard of Liao Lan''s involvement, her foul mood lifted ever so slightly.


    "Master, just who was that woman, that Liao Lan?" Bai Guo asked at the end.


    "Do you remember the benefactor I mentioned before, the one that sponsored our celebratory feast? It was her. Unrivaled Heroine Liao, they call her."


    Bai Guo rubbed his chin, a hint of recognition in his eyes.


    "Unrivaled Heroine? I think I''ve heard that title somewhere..." But he shrugged it off. "How did you end up on such friendly terms with her?"


    "She tried to start trouble with me, so I beat her and took her money." She succinctly explained. "Then later, I convinced her to help."


    Bai Guo''s expression soured at her absurd nonchalance.


    The Golden Witch shook her head. "Only at the time, it turned out I dragged her disciple into it too... I''m the reason you missed out on your first match. I just didn''t realize she was the one. Sorry..."


    "You mean Shao Luli? She''s okay now at least, right?"


    The Golden Witch meekly nodded.


    The young man smiled at her apparent guilt. "You know I don''t care much for fights, master. You''re the one who was excited for that match the most."


    His words seemed to bring her some relief.


    "So," The Golden Witch began, "Why are we still in this place? From the way you spoke to the abbot, you wanted us to meet someone? Is that right?"


    Bai Guo nodded. He told her Chun De''s story about the Sleeping Asura, and how during their escape, just the hint of the man''s presence scattered the Kunlun Sect''s disciples out of their path.


    Her golden eyes shone with excitement as she listened to him talk.


    ...

 Chapter 4 - Dreaming Asura (XX)

    In the tunnels deep beneath the Mountain Purification Temple, the unceasing chant of sutras echoed across the barren stone walls. The scent of incense wafted through the stale air. The deeper one delved, the stronger the fragrance grew, soon bordering on the unbearable.


    Chun De navigated her way through the tunnels with a lit torch in hand. At the end of the path she saw the dim glow of lanterns seeping through the cracks and windows of a crude wooden structure. She unlocked the heavy doors with a rusty key and stepped inside.


    On the other end of the vast single room hall, the wall was lined with shrines, incense burners, scriptures, and the bronze statues of saints, bodhisattvas, and Buddha. Before them, the hulking figure of a man in a monk''s robes sat on the bare wooden floor, his bald head anxiously bobbing up and down in a steady rhythm as he continued with his prayers. In his heavy hands he tightly gripped his prayer beads as though he was holding on for dear life.


    Unfastened iron shackles were scattered around the floor.


    Chun De smiled at the sight of him, and made her way over to kneel in the middle of the room. Even when she stood tall, the man''s seated figure towered over her diminutive self.


    "Master." She greeted.


    The monk''s frantic chanting slowly ceased. When the echoes faded, he intoned, "Chun De. Did you win the tournament?"


    "Yes, master!" She eagerly exclaimed.


    "Wonderful!" The man sputtered. In his excitement, his hefty fingers tightened their grip on his prayer beads. He threatened to crush them in his grasp. His grasp loosened and tightened again, coming and going like waves on the shore. His chest heaved, his shoulders waned, his body tensed and convulsed. The monk doubled over, but he kept hissing praises through gritted teeth. "You have done so well!"


    Chun De observed him with a proud smile. When the Sleeping Asura had calmed, she spoke again.


    "I''ve also made a friend. His name is Bai Guo."


    Her master breathed out unsteadily in acknowledgement, his painful joy slowly building up once more. "Tell me about him."


    She regaled the tale of their fateful meeting during the examinations, and the many events that followed. Her story was the first time the man was made aware of the night''s battle against the Kunlun Sect. The master listened, his massive body twitching every once in a while.


    "Master, I would like you to meet him." Chun De said.


    Her suggestion made the man freeze. He contemplated her words for a long time.


    "You should ask the abbot." He said.


    "But master..." Chun De whined.


    "I won''t meet anyone without the abbot''s permission." Ji Yan cut her protests short.


    He began to chant the sutras again, but only in quiet whispers. He kept his voice low as if out of the polite consideration to let the girl remain easily audible should she choose to speak.


    Chun De meekly spoke again, "But you would like to meet him, right? You wouldn''t mind, right?"


    His broad shoulders rose. His voice boomed like a thunderclap. "Chun De! What did I just say?"


    The monk''s ire flew by like a spark.


    "Even if he''s like you say, it can''t be done..." He muttered. "It shouldn''t be done... Not without the abbot''s permission..."


    Chun De was on the verge of tears. She briskly tapped her forehead against the floor and took her leave.


    When she left, the chanting again picked up in volume. The monk''s voice soon filled the empty tunnels.


    ...


    The next morning, Bai Guo and the Golden Witch met again. They spoke in hushed whispers.


    "I took a walk around the temple grounds," She explained, "But I hadn''t sensed anyone that might fit your description."


    "That means he''s hidden somewhere." Bai Guo said. "The rumors say that the monks have a demon in their basement, but that must be lower down than one would expect. Or maybe he''s not on temple grounds at all, and a rumor is all it is..."


    "What should we do?" The woman asked.


    Bai Guo thought about it for a while. "I don''t think we''ll be able to find him unless the abbot agrees to the meeting."


    "Do you think we could convince him?"


    "Honestly, I don''t know, master..." Bai Guo shook his head. "I already failed to persuade him once, and if I keep insisting on it, he might take offense. And to tell you the truth, master, I don''t wish to offend these people after everything they''ve done for me. Maybe if, after a few days, we still don''t have an opportunity to meet this man, we''d be better off letting the matter rest and just taking our leave."


    "It sounds to me like you''ve given up already." The Golden Witch said. "Why did you bring it up to me in the first place if you were going to act like this? You knew I''d be interested."


    Bai Guo sighed. He couldn''t deny that. The desire to please his master and the debt of gratitude to his rescuers waged a fierce war within him.


    "I''ll see what I can do." He resigned. "Just please don''t do anything rash."


    With the matter settled for the time being, Bai Guo continued to practice the breathing method under his master''s watchful eye. But on the second day of their stay at the temple, the young man insisted that he go help the monks with their daily duties. The Golden Witch reluctantly let him have his way.


    She continued to explore the temple while the disciple was gone. She came across a dusty storage room full of colorful costumes and ornate masks. Her curiosity had been briefly piqued, but her attention hadn''t lingered on the outfits for long. Though the objects and their purpose made for a curious little mystery, they were not what she was looking for. She continued her wanderings.


    As she stared at the frozen pond out in temple courtyard, she was approached by the old abbot Qing Duyi.


    "I couldn''t help but notice that you have been turning down our meals." The elder regarded her with a kind smile. "I understand a meatless diet may not be to everyone''s liking, but it reflects badly on us to let an esteemed guest go hungry."


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    "I don''t need to eat often." She replied. "Spare the matter no thought."


    "I see." The old man chuckled. "I''m still quite far from that level. So despite the differences in our age, it could very well be the case that the likes of me should be addressing you as a senior."


    A sudden thought seemed to spring to his mind.


    "Actually, what you said doesn''t quite match some of the things I''ve heard." He noted. "One of our benefactors had no end of harsh phrases to fling your way for stealing meals from his restaurant."


    The Golden Witch smiled slightly. "Those were not meant for me. During the past month, my disciple was immersed in practice and had no time to spare on such trifling matters, so I had to take care of his needs."


    The abbot laughed. "You certainly went about it in a unique fashion!"


    Qing Duyi crossed his hands behind his back. "But I''m a little curious. Did the young man assent to what you were doing?"


    "I made sure he had no time to complain about it." She said, her smirk growing larger.


    The abbot seemed to derive some kind of meaning from her words; he pondered them in silence. The Golden Witch took notice of the mild peculiarity of his reaction.


    "You know," The monk began, "You and your disciple appear to be quite close. So much so that it''s apparent with just a passing glance. You seem so used to one another that you might not even realize just how you appear to outsiders. It is my personal impression that you might have very well have gone beyond the conventions afforded by a master and disciple relationship. And I think others might assume so too."


    The Golden Witch glanced at him. Her gaze grew cold. "What are you trying to say?"


    Qing Duyi shook his head. "You may have heard that, during my tenure, I have gone about certain matters rather unconventionally."


    "Like that female monk you have running around?"


    His smile widened. "Exactly! So do understand that I''m not a stickler for traditions. To be frank, your closeness warms my heart."


    The woman''s hostility waned a bit. She looked away.


    The old man continued. "However, you must understand that most people will be far less inclined to think the same way. It''s why I can only help Chun De while putting up this silly pretense."


    "I don''t care what they think."


    "I can see that. But what about that disciple of yours? Do you think he also doesn''t care?" He asked.


    The Golden Witch dismissively brushed a hand through her long hair. "Don''t presume to speak of my disciple like you know him better than me."


    "Well, let me tell you my impressions of the young man, and do correct me if I''m wrong. He is forthright in his convictions, stubborn in the pursuit of justice, and possesses a strong sense of propriety." Qing Duyi paused to give her a chance to interrupt. Because she remained silent, he continued. "So I''m just wondering, how could it be that a young man with such a personality doesn''t have a care for how he is perceived?"


    "Perhaps his propriety is more than just something to be paraded before others." The Golden Witch suggested, a hint of anger in her voice.


    "Or perhaps he feels compelled to act against his nature."


    "What are you trying to say?" When the Golden Witch glared at him again, she found him still wearing that polite smile. "I''ve never forced him to do anything against his will."


    The two stared each other down. The old monk''s inquisitive eyes bore deeply into hers.


    Qing Duyi was the first to cast aside his gaze.


    "Well, that''s good to hear!" The abbot sighed. "I was a little worried for the young man there. But really, it wouldn''t be any business of mine even if it were true, right? Do forgive this old man if you feel that I''ve overstepped. An old habit of mine, prying where I''m not needed..."


    She seemed surprised by how quickly the old man conceded the matter. Though assailed by inexplicable frustration, she had no desire to continue this conversation.


    The matter was silently dropped.


    Qing Duyi looked over the snowed over courtyard. He sighed again, as if suddenly moved by the sights. "Beautiful place, wouldn''t you agree? I understand that life here at the monastery can seem rather boring for the uninitiated, so I''m glad you''ve found a good way to pass the time. You''re welcome to continue exploring our beautiful temple at your leisure. I only ask that you not disturb any of our brothers as they go about their tasks."


    The abbot turned away, taking his leave.


    A sudden realization washed over the Golden Witch like an unpleasant premonition. The point of their conversation had dawned on her.


    The abbot was just letting her know that not only was he aware of what she was up to with all this wandering, but he even realized that she might have had Bai Guo acting on her behalf. It was almost like a challenge, a provocation.


    She glanced at the old man''s hunched back.


    "You know, I''ve heard another story about those unconventional approaches of yours." She said, her temper flaring. "The Sleeping Asura."


    Qing Duyi stopped.


    "I''ve been wondering." She continued. "How did someone so unremarkable manage to subdue a man with such a fearsome reputation? Is his fame perhaps undeserved?"


    The old man turned his head, chuckling. "Subdue him? I have done no such thing. I don''t know whose account you had heard, but what I''ve done should not be described with such bold words. The truth is, Brother Yan came to me of his own accord. The man was eager to find salvation. Anyone could have done what I did. And someone of more talent could have done much better."


    His eyes suddenly turned stern, his smile disappearing. "And young lady, would it be too much to ask that you not refer to him by that moniker? To call him the Sleeping Asura is to suggest that the Asura might one day awaken. It makes a mockery of the man''s efforts. It is unsightly behavior."


    The Golden Witch remained silent. Qing Duyi left her alone by the pond.


    ...

 Chapter 4 - Dreaming Asura (XXI)

    After spending his afternoon helping out around the temple, Bai Guo was on his way back to his quarters. He came across another group of monks, Chun De among them, and they all briefly stopped to exchange polite greetings.


    But as they passed each other by, Chun De quietly peeled away from the group and caught up to him. As Bai Guo noticed and turned to say something, she pressed her palm against his mouth and pushed him into a small room stocked with scriptures.


    Chun De shoved Bai Guo back-first into a wall and pinned him by the arms.


    "Are you avoiding me?" She asked. "I haven''t seen you all day."


    "I was helping around." Bai Guo said. "Why would I avoid you?"


    Though the bald girl looked like she had something to say, she could only glare silently.


    As the staring dragged on, Bai Guo grumbled. "How does such a tiny person always manage to occupy so much of my personal space?"


    "This tiny person kicked your ass! Show some respect!" She bent over and rammed her bald head into his stomach.


    "You little...!" Bai Guo grunted in pain. "What was all that back at the tournament?"


    "You lost!" She exclaimed.


    "Why did you surrender?" He asked.


    "I realized it wouldn''t get through to you unless I hurt you, so I just saved myself the trouble." Chun De turned up her nose. "I''m a monk. It''s not like I have any use for the prize money, and obviously I didn''t want to become that guy''s disciple. So their acknowledgement of my victory didn''t matter to me."


    "I see..."


    "You''re not mad, are you?" She suddenly asked.


    "No. But you should have seen the crowd. Now those people were furious."


    They both chuckled.


    "That aside..." Chun De digressed. "Are you holding up alright? I watched you get roughed up by that big guy with the saber. You were bleeding all over by the end. It looked real bad..."


    Bai Guo assured her that he was fine. But the girl just wouldn''t accept his words at face value. Placating her took some time.


    Chun De finally let him go and sat down on the carpet.


    "You promised you''d tell me more about your master." She said.


    "Does it have to be now? I''m kind of tired..."


    "Sit down." Chun De demanded, patting the carpet.


    Bai Guo reluctantly took a seat. He pondered where to begin, and eventually decided to simply tell her about some of their adventures together.


    Though somewhat reserved at first, as his stories went on, his narration became ever more animated. His retellings of his master''s feats soon began to resemble bragging. He had ended up so absorbed in his storytelling that he ceased to pay any heed to the passage of time and the increasingly growing proximity of his listener.


    Chun De listened with a grin on her face. Before Bai Guo realized it, the nun had gotten so close that the storyteller felt compelled to speak in a softer voice. When their closeness finally dawned on him, he attempted to make his escape, but his shoulder bumped into a wall.


    "You''re so useless!" Chun De laughed. "You weren''t there for any of her biggest fights. You missed out on the most exciting parts. So frustrating."


    Bai Guo chuckled. "I can live with that. I get enough excitement in my life as it is!"


    "Your life sounds like so much fun..." She whispered.


    "I don''t know if that''s the word I''d use..."


    Chun De cast down her big eyes. "Seeing the world, meeting new people, doing anything you please, fighting whoever you want... How could it not be fun? I can only dream of that..."


    Bai Guo sighed. A smile crept up to his face.


    "Again with that twisted perspective of yours. Something tells me the two of you would get along really well."


    "With your master?" Her eyes suddenly widened. "You really think so?"


    "I''d be very surprised if you didn''t." Bai Guo shook his head in amusement. He detached himself from the nun and stood up. "It''s getting late. We should get back."


    As he tried to walk away, Chun De rushed after him. Once again his arms had been grabbed, and once again he''d been pressed against the wall.


    "You''re really starting to get on my nerves with this!" Bai Guo tried to wrangle his arms out of her grasp. He was met with ever fiercer resistance. He noticed a particular gravity in the girl''s expression that prompted him to cave in and cease his struggling. She seemed to be building her courage up to something big.


    Chun De suddenly asked, "What do you think of me?"


    "I feel like I''ve been making myself pretty clear every time we spoke."


    "I''m not joking. I''m asking you seriously." Her tone was urgent.


    "What''s gotten into you all of a sudden?" His empty question prompted the girl to squeeze his forearms harder. He soon felt compelled to relent to her frantic insistence and elaborated. "You''re brash and obscene, but I can tell there''s a good person beneath it all."


    "I didn''t get anything from that." She muttered, annoyed. "Just tell me if you like me or not."


    Asked so directly, Bai Guo hesitated. "Just what''s gotten into you today?"


    "Just tell me!"


    "...Sure. I do like you." Bai Guo relented. "What made you think that I don''t?"


    "Do you really mean it?" Chun De kept insisting.


    "Enough of this already!" Bai Guo finally shook her hands off, his embarrassment reaching its peak. "You heard me the first time! I''m not repeating myself."


    The nun meekly backed away. "Then..." She took a deep breath. "When you and your master leave this place, can I come with you?"


    Bai Guo''s eyes widened. He unconsciously backed up into the wall on his own. "Not so long ago you were telling me how much you liked it here, that you''d even be willing to do something drastic to remain. What brought this on?"


    "I only said I like it here compared to my previous temple." She explained. "But it''s still a temple all the same. I''m not cut out for the religious life. You get that, right?"


    Chun De once again pressed her body against his. Her big eyes stared up into Bai Guo''s. "I''m tired of pretending to be something I''m not. You see me for who I really am, and you don''t hate me. I don''t know if I''ll ever find someone like you again. No, I just know for sure that I never will."


    Bai Guo helplessly froze up. Chun De kept going.


    "I''d love to live like you. I''d love to see the world with you. So take me away from here." The girl pleaded. With a smile, she continued. "I''ll grow out my hair. Can you even imagine what I''d look like? I''ll never be a tall beauty like your master, but I bet I''d still look pretty. Wouldn''t you like to see that?"


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    At the mention of his master, a sudden thought crossed Bai Guo''s mind. The young man remained in his dumb stupor for a time. He could feel the incessant drumming of both of their hearts.


    He gently brushed the back of his hand against her warm cheek. "You don''t look bad even as you are now."


    Chun De giggled at his words. "Don''t joke. I know I look stupid."


    But when she found not even the hint of a smile on his face, she couldn''t keep staring at those serious eyes.


    "I''d like to take you with me. But..." Bai Guo''s lingering phrase made her still her breath. "It''s not up to just me. You know that."


    "You said your master would like me." Chun De muttered.


    "And it''s not only about her either." Bai Guo said. "I can''t imagine the abbot would allow you to go through with this. But even more importantly, what about your master?"


    "I don''t care what that old fart thinks." Chun De snorted. "But master... Well, I think he wouldn''t mind if I went with you. He knows how I feel about living here. He''s the one who covered up my absence for the tournament. He would definitely agree to this, I think..."


    "Chun De." Bai Guo''s tone grew stern. "Your bond with that man isn''t something you should be taking this lightly. You can''t just guess at his intentions, you have to be absolutely sure. And what kind of a man would let you run off with strangers he''s never even seen before? He needs to at least know who you''re leaving with."


    Chun De was overcome with frustration, but she couldn''t disagree. "I know! But the abbot won''t let you meet with him. This would all be solved with a simple meeting, I just know it. Master is a good judge of character; he''d know right away that you can be trusted. But that stubborn old man..."


    She lightly thwacked Bai Guo chest with her fist. The two of them held each other in silence, thinking.


    Chun De suddenly gazed up. "I''ll just bring you there in secret."


    "I really don''t know, Chun De. What about the abbot?" Bai Guo expressed his hesitation.


    "Who cares about him!" Chun De readily dismissed his concerns. "I''ve known my master for many years now. The old man is wrong about this. Nothing bad could come out of a meeting with you. It will be good for him."


    Her big eyes were filled with a fiery decisiveness. "Let''s do it. It''s too late to steal the key now, so we''ll have to go tomorrow night. In the prayer hall, there''s a hidden switch behind the elephant statue that opens a secret passage. I''ll guide you and your master through the underground maze."


    With her plot decided, Chun De grinned ear to ear. But her enthusiasm flickered when she realized that Bai Guo still looked hesitant.


    After a painful moment, the young man nodded. Chun De hugged him even tighter, laughing.


    Her celebrations ceased abruptly. "We really do need to go back now! Before anyone catches us..."


    The two of them separated.


    Bai Guo saw the girl off with a smile. When she was gone, he exhaled sharply. His body slid down the wall as though overcome by utter exhaustion. He ran his palms across his pallid face. As he lied there, what wracked his heart was not desire, but guilt.


    The young man soon returned to his room. His golden eyed master was already waiting for him. He suddenly remembered that they had previously agreed to practice in the evening.


    "I ran into Chun De." Bai Guo explained, his tone nearly apologetic. But it appeared that the woman paid little heed to his tardiness, lost in her own thoughts. "Do you remember when she surrendered during the tournament? She said it was because I lost and hadn''t realized it. She didn''t want to hurt me just to win."


    "Oh really?" She seemed dismissive of the matter. "It never looked to me like you were close to losing."


    "...Are you sure, master?" Bai Guo asked. "I feel like I made some serious mistakes during that fight."


    The Golden Witch chuckled. "That''s true, but you recovered before she could have done anything about your openings."


    "I assumed she didn''t properly capitalize on them because she took pity on me."


    "From what I''ve seen, even if she tried her hardest to cut you down, she might not have managed it." The woman shrugged. "But, perhaps, who knows? Anything could happen during a battle. That girl could be right."


    Bai Guo thought that her polite concession was entirely unconvincing. But even though he doubted her conclusions, with his master being who she was, he felt that arguing any further would just make him look foolish.


    "Shall we begin?" She asked. But she found her disciple overcome with reluctance. The Golden Witch patiently waited for him to speak his mind.


    "Chun De also brought up another matter..." He reluctantly began. "She wants to take us to her master against the abbot''s wishes."


    Her golden eyes widened as Bai Guo outlined their conversation. He included Chun De''s terms and the hidden mechanism that was supposed to reveal the secret passage into his explanation.


    The Golden Witch smirked. "She can come with us. I don''t mind."


    Though she had made an effort to contain herself, her mounting excitement promptly turned to giddiness.


    They attempted to go through with Bai Guo''s training as they planned, but both of their minds were elsewhere. They parted after an hour with little progress made.


    But that night, neither master nor disciple could lull themselves to sleep. And while Bai Guo was content to toss and turn in his bed until morning, the Golden Witch couldn''t bear to lie still. She stepped out of her room. She wandered the temple halls like a ghost, her steps leaving not the slightest sound.


    The golden haired woman soon reached the closet that caught her attention the other day, the one full of theatrical costumes. Her eyes twinkled as they ran across the colorful masks loosely arranged on the walls, eventually stopping on one that was a bare, unpainted white. Her long fingers ran along the bone, tracing the grimace of a horned demon.


    The Golden Witch graced the demon''s grin with a bewitched smile of her own.


    She put on the mask.


    ...

 Chapter 4 - Dreaming Asura (XXII)

    Deep beneath the Mountain Purification Temple, the chanting of sutras never ceased. Day in and out, Ji Yan filled his troubled mind with scriptures and prayer, adhering to the routine instilled into him by the abbot until the exhaustion sedated him into a dreamless sleep. He spent every waking moment yearning for his blissful rest, diligently working himself to his limit until it could finally take hold. His heavy fingers flexed around the prayer necklace in his hands, threatening to crack the intertwined beads at any moment.


    Ji Yan had been toiling in this manner for many years. He had long ago come to terms with his lot in life. There were good days and bad; there were times when his mind felt clear, when the evil thoughts were gone entirely. He felt that those fleeting moments became more frequent over time, and his assurance in the abbot''s ways intensified until it became akin to zeal.


    But likewise, there were many times when he was close to breaking. When the abbot brought a child before him, a girl of all things, Ji Yan''s progress had been very nearly undone. More than anything, he feared for that fragile creature''s life. The abbot demanded that he help her. But how could one so accustomed to killing save another?


    The girl turned out to be a troubled soul. She ended up drawn to his evils like a moth to a flame. They both burned in each other''s fire. The bond forged in their mutual suffering turned out to be more than either of them could have ever imagined. Ji Yan received the chance to use his accursed skills to accomplish that which he never thought to be possible - with his martial arts, he had healed another. The experience reshaped his world, instilled him with hope beyond measure.


    Now, Ji Yan looked back on that tumultuous time with fondness. As blissful recollection flooded his thoughts, his chanting ceased. He listened to the soft crackling of lit candles. For a time, he could hear nothing else.


    His big ears picked up a light scraping by the door.


    Beneath the earth, Ji Yan had no way to keep track of the sun. But his routine followed a certain rhythm that enabled him to guess loosely at the time; for the disciple or the abbot to appear now was remarkably unusual. Nevertheless, he silently kneaded his prayer beads as he waited for them to enter. The onset of unease forced him to continue his prayers in a hushed whisper.


    But then something slammed into the door. Ji Yan''s body jolted in fright. He could hear bits of the shattered iron lock crumbling to the floor. The door slowly creaked open. The monk turned his head.


    White silk flowed through the widening gap like sunlight. Long white sleeves nearly dragged along the ground. When Ji Yan gazed upon the figure''s face, his heart nearly gave out. The flickering candlelight revealed the visage of a golden haired monster. Its narrow eyes glowed with yellow light.


    "Demon!" Ji Yan gasped, crawling away in terror. Almost immediately his wide back pressed against a bronze statue. In his desperation, he began to chant the sutras once more. But no matter how he raised his voice, the phantom continued to slowly draw near. Ji Yan couldn''t take it. The necklace finally burst apart in his frantic grip, beads scattering across the ground. He scrambled to pick up the pieces, but it was hopeless.


    "Get away from me!" He yelled. He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes, praying that the vision would pass. But the demon''s approach was impossible to stifle; it had suddenly deigned to make its steady footsteps audible. Jin Yan''s body shook. The veins on his bald head bulged. His massive fist slammed against the floor, shaking the earth. But nothing could dispel the demonic being.


    The Sleeping Asura''s eyes flew open. He thrust out his palm with a desperate roar. It struck the demon squarely in the chest and forced it back a step. But it remained upright. Its narrow shoulders shook in silent laughter. When even that had failed to fell the demon, the monk clutched his head and screamed. His booming voice shook the walls. His great figure finally rose.


    The demon had to crane its neck to look into his bloodshot eyes. He assumed a stance and his massive palm reached out again. The opponent flinched, but the attack arrived before the being could muster a defense. There was a deafening clap as the attack struck flesh. The white robed fiend was flung back, collapsing to the floor. But it rose back up with little delay. It coughed wetly, blood spilling past the gaps in its toothy grin and dripping down the chin.


    Seeing his opponent still standing sent the Asura''s mind reeling. His body shook with rage, his teeth trying to grind themselves to dust. The monk lunged at her with a bellow. His first two punches missed, while his third rammed into her sharp elbow. Pain shot through his hand, but it had done nothing to discourage his assault. As the fiend fought back, the Sleeping Asura defended himself by sheer muscle memory. The subsequent blows were some of the heaviest he had ever received onto his arms. Though his body buckled beneath their exchanges, his scorching fury boiled his fears to naught.


    They attacked in the same moment. The demon''s long limbs came up short compared to his and a punch to the stomach sent it toppling over once more. This time, the Sleeping Asura followed the monster down and mounted it. His great fist came crashing down like a hammer onto its grinning face. It buried the creature''s head into the floorboards, stopping only when it had reached the foundation beneath.


    The demon''s legs wrapped around his great limb. A great pain ran through his arm as the enemy twisted it bodily. The Sleeping Asura was forced to free the demon from his grasp to preserve his limb. As the golden haired head lifted itself out of the floor, the remnants of the woman''s cracked mask flaked from her bloodied face. She stood, shook her head and brushed a hand through her long hair, discarding debris and the remains of her old visage.


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    The woman gazed upon him with an unsettling smile. Ji Yan flinched from her golden eyes more than from any blow. His frantic breathing desperately tried to force out a word.


    But the intruder spoke first, her voice ringing with bliss. "You''re even better than I imagined. Why do you waste away in this dark hole?"


    Ji Yan hissed helplessly as though in pain. The longer he stared at the woman, the more his body shook.


    "Come on." She gently whispered. "Let it all out."


    Ji Yan backed away. It turned out that only more agony awaited him beneath the demon''s mask. When the fiend stepped after him, he roared. The Sleeping Asura rushed at her with wild abandon. But even in the midst of his crazed charge, the techniques ingrained into his body began to reveal themselves without so much as a conscious thought.


    The demon mirrored his stance and met his palm with her own. The power behind their collision shook the bronze statues, toppled the lanterns, and put out the candles. The fiend tumbled back, her body shaking. The Sleeping Asura''s arm quivered with pain, but his madness deafened his reeling nerves. Seeing the thing before him turn his techniques against him had rage his biggest fears. He became convinced that the demon before him was his own, expelled from his own heart. Ji Yan plunged into his madness in earnest, resolved to put an end to it at all costs.


    "I should not have let that first one hit me." She chuckled, cradling her ailing chest with her arm. Her words fell on deaf ears. The monk approached once more. Her eyes widened, her breath shuddered with excitement. She ducked under his massive fist, and struck him in the side. Once again they began to trade blows. Even at the height of his rage, the Sleeping Asura deftly fended off her strikes. Only a scant few blows were able to reach either foe, but their effects were devastating.


    As their brawl continued, the demon began to slow and weaken under the repeated attacks. She had been backed up against the bronze statue of a bodhisattva. Instinctually sensing weakness, the Sleeping Asura performed his palm strike. It was only at the very last moment that he had managed to perceive the cunning glinting through her yellow eyes. Her white robed figure flickered to the side. The Asura''s palm crumpled the metal as if it was paper. His massive hand had wedged itself so deeply into the statue that it had taken him a precious moment to wrangle it out of the bronze.


    The demon paid him back with his own strike. As pain washed over him, a bitter thought flashed in his tumultuous mind - she was merely feigning weakness. Even his mania could not dull the effects of this strike. But still, the Sleeping Asura lashed out.


    His fists could no longer reach her. The demon''s hands battered him relentlessly. One last blow to the head sent him tumbling back. The giant struggled to retain his footing. He drove his heels into the floor and remained standing against all odds. His fist flew out in such a spectacular manner that the motion more closely resembled a throw than a proper punch.


    His attack made contact with her stomach. It forced the woman back five or six steps, and she fell to a knee. The Sleeping Asura made to follow, but his body only swayed helplessly like a branch in the wind. The demon rose, a grin on her bloodied lips. Their battle was forced to a halt as both parties tried to steady themselves.


    The woman was first. She ran up to him and forced the massive monk to the floor with one last punch to the skull.


    The Sleeping Asura collapsed. A fire still raged in his eyes, but his useless limbs could only twitch helplessly.


    The demon''s body swayed unsteadily before it also crumbled onto his. She covered him like a heavy blanket. Her golden locks sprayed across his face, and her panted breaths tickled his ear. The Sleeping Asura began to struggle harder, but he could not force any movement out of his battered flesh.


    Once she managed to catch her breath, the demon whispered, "Dream of my return."


    She lifted her head. What few lanterns remained lit her strange smile. The Sleeping Asura felt the jab of her fingers between his neck and shoulder, and in an instant, his vision grew blurry. He fought his slipping consciousness to the last. His arm finally rose and he gripped the woman''s shoulder, laid bare by their struggles. But his hefty hand had no strength in it. His limb fell heavily to the floor. His consciousness faded in her arms.


    ...


    Bai Guo heard his door open. He turned and found his master standing there in a miserable state. Her bruised face was caked in dry blood, her white robe was in tatters. But even so, her golden eyes were gleaming with something that resembled joy.


    "We need to go." The Golden Witch said.


    "What happened?" Bai Guo asked. But deep down, he already knew the answer.


    "Now." She insisted. Bai Guo obeyed. He had quickly gotten dressed and rushed after her. They left the temple and fled into the night. Only when the temple was far behind them had she deigned to stop in a field of snow.


    The Golden Witch faced Bai Guo with a sweet smile. "You''ve done so well."


    Her long fingers brushed against his cheek. The disciple remained in a stupor; her hand lingered on his face for a while longer. Suddenly, a dark streak spoiled the delight in her eyes. Though it was obvious that something had changed, the Golden Witch forced her smile to remain. Bai Guo shivered at the sight.


    "Wait for me here." She said. "I need to take care of something. Don''t go anywhere."


    His master bolted back to whence they came. Bai Guo called after her, but she wouldn''t stop. He watched her blurry form rush down the road leading towards the Kunlun Goddess Peak.


    ...

 Chapter 4 - Dreaming Asura (Final)

    Near the top of the Kunlun Goddess Peak, in He Yong''s residence, the sect master sat in the darkness of his living room, warily peering through a window. Dark bags formed over the course of restless nights weighed down his tired eyes. His hands held his massive saber at all times. His head bobbed up and down, sleep threatening to cut his vigil short.


    Loose footsteps from the hall jolted He Yong wide awake. He drew half of his weapon from its sheath. The light of a candle poured into the room, revealing a tall young man with a dark braid.


    "Uncle, you''re still awake?" Zhu Da asked.


    He Yong sheathed his blade. His fingers rubbed his weary eyes.


    "What time is it?" He asked.


    "The sun will be up any minute now." The young man replied.


    "So it''s early. Why aren''t you asleep?"


    "Because I just knew I''d find you here again. You''re beginning to worry me, uncle. You really haven''t slept at all today? Again?"


    "Don''t worry about me, kid." He Yong stood up from his seat and stretched his limbs. "Well, since it''s almost morning, let''s get us some breakfast."


    They went over to the dining room and fixed themselves up a hefty meal of rice and meat. The saber remained by the table.


    "Uncle, you should take better care of yourself." Zhu Da said. "I understand that the enemies might come at any moment, but you don''t need to go this far."


    He Yong ate his meal in silence.


    Zhu Da continued. "There''s only one way up and down this mountain, and every inch of it is crawling with your disciples. The other elders have their subordinates working overtime to keep you safe. Even if danger comes, we''ll know long before it steps foot in our halls."


    He Yong shook his head and blinked his eyes, trying to shake off his fatigue.


    "You''re too naive." He suddenly said.


    Zhu Da shrugged, frustrated. "You keep saying that, but you won''t explain what you mean."


    The young man flinched beneath his uncle''s heavy-lidded stare. "Why don''t you do a little thinking with that iron head of yours? When I took that boy hostage, why do you think I sent you off to live with my disciple?"


    "Is it because I acted friendly with that Bai Guo?" Zhu Da guessed.


    He Yong clicked his tongue. "You think you''d even be here if I figured you for one to choose a buddy over family? It''s because it was dangerous. Our association is still not public, so I distanced myself to minimize the risk to you."


    Zhu Da shook his head. "You didn''t need to coddle me like that, uncle. I''m not scared."


    "You should be." He Yong said. "Even her kid defeated you, so what hope do you have against the master? You might have been the strongest back at your village, but you won''t last long in the jianghu with a mindset like that. You need to learn when to keep your head low, and when to get out of dodge."


    As Zhu Da pondered his uncle''s words, the man spoke again. "And to make an easy example, this is the exact kind of situation that you''re supposed to flee from."


    "...What do you mean, uncle?"


    "Soon after the kid had escaped, I learned that Liao Lan had been trounced and humiliated by his master a few days before. Though that Liao Lan may be a woman, when it comes to martial arts, our skills have always been neck and neck." He Yong explained. "I don''t stand a chance against that kid''s master."


    Zhu Da swallowed heavily. "But if she tries to go up against the entire sect, she''ll still perish."


    He Yong snorted. "You''re too naive! In the current age, the gap between the strong and the mediocre has never been wider. The field of martial arts continues to advance, but only a select few, those with both the talent and the means, get to reap the full extent of those benefits. You used to live out in the sticks before I found you, so maybe you''ve never heard, or maybe you''ve never believed. But those armies of old that marched in tidy formations stopped seeing use because a lone master could turn them into a field of corpses. Numbers have long ago been rendered meaningless."


    "Armies are one thing, but you and the elders are another." Zhu Da protested. "You''re no mere footpads. Each one of you is a master famed all over the world!"


    "It remains to be seen how our council would fare in outright war. But that alone does not even constitute the issue here. Since I acted without the approval of the elders, they cut me off from the rest of the sect so that all backlash would rain upon me alone."


    The young man was shocked. "But they lent us their men."


    "You foolish kid. You really have no clue." He Yong chuckled. "Those guards they have outside, they''re not keeping us safe. They''re keeping us put. They''re waiting for that woman to arrive so that they can present her with my head."


    Zhu Da''s ruddy complexion went pale. His appetite had been long gone. "Why didn''t you tell me any of this earlier?"


    "What good would that do? Now that you do know, what are you going to do? I merely saved you a few nights of sleep." He Yong said. "And if you''re thinking you could have ran away, well, don''t tell me you''ve forgotten who it was that brought you back here in the first place."


    "It was elder Tan Huan...!" Zhu Da''s fist slammed into the table. "Those bastards want to condemn your entire bloodline! All this just to placate some outsider?! Cowardly vermin!"


    While his nephew raged, He Yong seemed to have accepted his fate long ago. He patiently resumed his meal.


    "It really is a shame." He said. "If I hadn''t dragged you into this tournament, if I hadn''t let them glimpse your talent, with our relation being as distant as it is, they might have let you off."


    "It''s not that I''m scared of facing death with you, uncle." Zhu Da exclaimed. "It is the trickery that infuriates me! I never had a thought of running."


    He Yong shook his head. "The only hope left for us is that the woman decides not to pursue vengeance. Who knows, maybe that friend of yours will talk his master out of it."


    But even Zhu Da wasn''t fooled by his uncle''s words. His eyes, too, began to wander towards the locked window. Tension filled the air. He Yong stood up and wandered over to open a small gap. Zhu Da attempted to peer through as well. Uncle and nephew, both identical in height, lumbered around the opening. Though the sun was yet to be seen, the oppressive darkness was already lifting.


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    Zhu Da stepped away, seemingly content with the tranquility he had witnessed. But to his surprise, his uncle remained where he was.


    "Something''s not right." He Yong said. "Their patrols have gotten sparse."


    "Change of shifts?" Zhu Da suggested.


    But the sect master seemed unconvinced. He stared for a little longer before shuttering the window.


    He Yong approached his nephew and set a hand upon his shoulder. "You need to get out of here. Leave through the back."


    "You really think they''re here?" Zhu Da asked. When his uncle glared at him, he returned his displeasure with steely conviction. "I won''t run. I''ll get my saber and fight with you."


    "Kid, I won''t be doing anything so heroic." He Yong''s reply shocked the young man. "I''ll grovel at her feet until she takes pity on me. And if I still can''t convince her to stay her hand, I''ll at least beg for my family''s life. What good can you do here? Just run."


    "Uncle..." Zhu Da clenched his fists. "There''s nowhere for me to run regardless. The disciples are all over the mountain, like you said."


    "Don''t you get it? They''ve cleared her a path. You might be able to escape now. But even if they do catch you, if I make peace with her one way or another, there will be no need to sacrifice you."


    He Yong shoved his nephew. "Go. Now!"


    The young man wavered, but could not disobey. When he was gone, He Yong returned to his seat. He drank his last cup of tea and waited. He ran his fingers along his sheathed saber. Though he had little use for the weapon, its curve helped soothe his nerves.


    The white ghost arrived in the dining hall as though swept in by a gust of wind. He Yong stood up and stared at her bruised face. He wondered for a moment what could have brought her to such a state. Though her expression appeared composed at a glance, a fiery wrath burned in her golden eyes. A tense moment passed between them.


    He Yong saw his opportunity within this lull. The sect master fell to his knees, his saber dropped beside him.


    "This unworthy one begs for his life!" He Yong intoned, his head pressing against the floor.


    The hall was silent once more. He heard his golden haired executioner draw a shuddered breath.


    "You remain alive solely due to my father''s last will." Her voice was strained, as though she could barely contain herself. "Take your saber and come at me with your strongest blow. You have one chance to kill me and save yourself."


    "Please, senior!" He Yong bellowed. "I know I have erred. I am willing to go to any lengths to make amends!"


    "Pick it up." Her order was barely more audible than a whisper, but it was riddled with urgency.


    In that moment, He Yong knew that it was over. Her patience was hanging by a thread. Slowly, he raised his head. He sprang into action. One moment he was kowtowing, the next he was already bounding halfway across the room, bare steel in hands. His great swing stirred up the air.


    Bai Guo''s master lifted her knee and slammed down with her elbow. The saber was wedged between them, but He Yong''s charge carried momentum that was outright suicidal. The sect master gritted his teeth as his hulking body tried to force the weapon past her limbs. She simply could not stop his advance. Between their two opposing forces, it was steel that yielded before flesh. The saber split in two, each warrior left with a useless half.


    Blood seeped past He Yong''s lips, but his charge continued. As he made to ram his broad shoulder into the woman, she retaliated with a palm strike. He Yong''s chest caved in. He was sent crashing back into a wall. Only by his incredible constitution had he still managed to remain alive.


    "The Asura''s Palm..." He Yong sputtered. "But how? Who are you?"


    The woman discarded her half of his weapon and began to approach. His end drew near.


    Suddenly, He Yong noticed something behind her. Zhu Da rushed out, wielding a large saber of his own. The white robed woman tilted her body. The young man''s swing whiffed, not reaching even a single hair on her head. She struck at him with the back of her hand, and with a crack, Zhu Da was sent flying through the dining table. Blood poured out of his smashed head. He Yong knew immediately that the boy was dead. The hints of resolve that previously gleamed in his eyes were now gone; he resigned himself to despair.


    The golden eyes lingered on the young man''s corpse. Her impassive rage gave way to recognition as she examined his face. When she turned her gaze upon her bloody hand, her composure flickered. Her fingers grasped at her face; she searched for something that was not there. Her touch turned more and more frantic, smearing blood across her features. Her body shook with agitation.


    Her frenzy finally erupted with a blood-curling shriek. The white robed woman picked up what remained of He Yong''s saber. She cut and cut until the man''s flesh had been reduced to ribbons.


    By then, the servants were awake. They arrived to witness the grisly scene. Terror nailed their feet to the floor, and they could do nothing but watch. The golden haired demon had finally ceased slashing at their long dead master.


    Her yellow eyes looked over to them.


    ...


    Bai Guo obediently sat in the snow, waiting for his master. His brief solitude had filled him with dread. He did not enjoy being left with his own thoughts. Despite everything, he yearned for his master''s swift return. Her bruised figure hadn''t looked as impervious as usual. It made him worry for her well-being.


    Soon, the Golden Witch was back. Bai Guo''s heart nearly leaped to his throat at the sight of her.


    It was hard to find a single trace of white in her blood soaked robe. Her hands, her face, and even her golden hair had all been smeared with red. She reeked of gore. Her attire was so heavy with it that it no longer swayed in the cold wind.


    But despite it all, beneath the orange sky, she beamed with a smile like the sun itself.


    "Let''s go, disciple."


    ...

 Chapter 5 - Unrivaled Heroine (I)

    A mere month after Tao Geming''s attack, the territory controlled by the Qin Royal Dynasty Sword School has come to be known as the lands ruled by the One Eyed King. Those who dared to use Qin Yan''s new title were executed without question. Rumor had it that after his loss on that fateful night, the king withdrew from government affairs to fully dedicate himself to martial training behind closed doors. Even his closest subordinates had only gotten to see him when progress had been made on his latest decree, and the Jianghu Investigative Bureau had uncovered something of interest in the mystery of Deng Hong''s sudden demise. The king ordained that reports on the matter be delivered to him in person only, with absolute confidentiality.


    But little pertinent information arose, so Qin Yan remained in his isolation.


    One day, he had been called upon to receive one of those rare reports.


    Qin Yan arrived at his private reception chamber to find the investigator already waiting for him there with a respectful bow. The king''s once youthful face had been wrinkled by stress and marred by an uncouth beard. An ornate eyepatch with a golden emblem of his school covered up his maimed eye. He spared the other man a glance before taking a seat at the head of the table. The investigator, tall and skinny, was dressed in the white and blue attire common to employees of the Jianghu Investigative Bureau. His short goatee was slightly curled inwards.


    "You''re not the usual guy." Qin Yan pointed out, scratching his beard without much interest.


    The investigator bowed deeper. "I am Investigator Hou Jin." He introduced himself.


    Qin Yan sighed and had the man take his seat. The king idly rattled his fingers on the desk, his eye looking off elsewhere.


    Hou Jin smiled. "To tell you the truth, your highness, I am not part of your case at all."


    Qin Yan''s attention had finally been drawn, but his eye was clouded with anger. "I thought it had been made clear to your agency that I wanted this matter to be confidential."


    The investigator rushed to explain himself. "At the time of sect master Deng Hong''s death, I was the secondary investigator assigned to the case of his alleged killer, the Desolator of Life, Cui Shen. You see, that case is still ongoing, and while pursuing a lead, I''ve ended up inadvertently meddling with the affairs of your personal investigation."


    Hou Jin retrieved a piece of unrolled a piece of paper on the table. It turned out to be a wanted poster. A woman was pictured upon it, a description of her crime beneath - the murder of a high-ranking disciple of the Wuyi Sect.


    As Qin Yan''s lone eye took it in, he paled. And though outwardly, his expression had given away little else, Hou Jin''s smile grew at his subtle reaction. The investigator began to curl his goatee.


    "Does your highness recognize this person?" Hou Jin asked.


    "Who is this?" Qin Yan asked, urgency in his voice.


    "We don''t rightly know, your highness, but back home, some people call her Lady Clear Sky." Hou Jin pushed the poster closer to the king. "This woman was seen traveling in the company of the Desolator of Life, and the trail has brought me to your lands. But you see, my attempts to make inquiries into the matter have not been welcomed at all by the disciples of your prestigious school."


    Qin Yan''s eye was still glued to the woman''s depiction.


    "But it''s not that I''ve come before you to complain about your subordinates." Hou Jin chuckled. "Though it did make me wonder why the subject was such a great taboo here. I was wondering if your highness could enlighten me."


    The investigator''s words had once more drawn the king''s ire. "What are you insinuating?"


    "Well, allow me to explain some of the peculiarities surrounding sect master Deng Hong''s murder." Hou Jin tapped the poster. "This notice had been issued after Lady Clear Sky killed a first generation disciple of the sect. A couple of weeks later, Deng Hong himself had been killed. During my stay within your domain, it has come to my attention that days prior to Tao Geming''s attack on your palace, a high-ranking disciple of your esteemed school was witnessed having a scuffle with a tall, golden haired woman."


    Qin Yan''s eye narrowed. "I haven''t heard of that. But so what of it?"


    "As your highness may have heard, the Wuyi Sect is no more. They''ve been ran out of their territory shortly after their sect master''s demise. But even when the sect was around, the circumstances of Deng Hong''s death were kept under a very tight lid. Now that the disciples are forced to flee and conceal their association to the sect to preserve their lives, and those closest to the sect master have all been killed, it has become next to impossible to learn anything about the matter."


    "Yes, your colleague has explained these challenges." Qin Yan tried to rush the man to his point.


    "Well, despite all these setbacks, I managed to uncover a vital piece of testimony!" Hou Jin proudly exclaimed. "As you know, the Desolator of Life was injured by the sect master in a battle that took place earlier that day. There are many witnesses to this. He escaped, and then Deng Hong died that night, presumably because of some poison he had inhaled in this battle. Though there are some issues with this theory, I won''t get into it now. The important point is that one of the disciples who discovered Deng Hong''s body noticed a peculiar object at the scene of the crime - a discarded theatrical mask."


    Qin Yan''s complexion suddenly worsened.


    Hou Jin continued. "On the night of Tao Geming''s attack, a few witnesses claim that they''ve seen a tall, masked individual with yellow hair advancing in the same direction as the Invincible Blood Sea. Your highness, I hope you can dispel my delusions, or to confirm that we indeed have a pattern on our hands here."


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    The king rubbed the bridge of his nose, silent for a time. "You said your target was Cui Shen. But now that the Wuyi Sect is gone, who''s paying you to investigate this matter?"


    "Cui Shen killed a member of our organization. We''re tracking him down to settle our vendetta." Hou Jin explained. "Because he travels in the company of such a recognizable individual, it would be prudent for us to understand her goals to make it easier to track them both. We originally assumed the two were old enemies of the sect master, but I began to suspect that things were not so simple."


    "Your intuition is quite a bit sharper than your colleague''s. I''m impressed."


    Hou Jin''s eyebrows rose as he received the king''s praises.


    "It is as you say. Well done." Qin Yan finally relented. "It was this woman that attacked me on that night, not Tao Geming. But let me warn you, investigator, that if the truth leaves this room, you and your entire agency will be held responsible. If it comes to light that I''ve been bested not by that world-renowned Invincible Blood Sea but by some unknown girl, it will embolden more upstarts to come take their shot at me."


    "Our organization prides itself on integrity, your highness." Hou Jin reassured him with a smile.


    "Then speak your mind plainly." Qin Yan said. "What exactly is this woman up to? How could someone so remarkable have gone unrecognized for so long? How could someone so skilled remain so obscure?"


    Hou Jin shook his head. "I''m afraid I can''t say. There is very little we know; this conversation has been our biggest breakthrough into this mystery so far. It would appear that this woman targets high ranking experts, but why, we do not know. Based on her association with the Desolator of Life, I think the two of them might be disciples of that reclusive Five Venoms Devil."


    "I don''t think so." Qin Yan said. "She does not use poisons."


    "I see..." With his theory instantly shot down, Hou Jin began to ponder in silence. "Since your highness had come into such close contact with her, have you learned anything about her or her goals?"


    The king shook his head. Hou Jin struggled to believe him, but was not in a position to press.


    "There must have been something in particular that compelled you to investigate this matter deeper." Qin Yan said. "What was it?"


    Hou Jin shrugged. "Your highness, most difficult investigations unfold through this kind of coincidence and happenstance. The information I learned left me with a hunch, and the hunch spurred me into a leap of logic. I just couldn''t rest easy until I could confirm my guess, bringing me here."


    Qin Yan was disappointed, but he seemed convinced. "You''re a remarkably bold man, Hou Jin. If your guess was wrong, I would have had you flogged for wasting my time."


    Hou Jin chuckled nervously.


    "You can consider my case closed." Qin Yan suddenly declared. "The agreed upon amount will be delivered to your agency."


    The investigator was greatly surprised by this development. Qin Yan continued.


    "Investigator Hou Jin, what do you say to a bit of private employment?" The king proposed. "Continue to provide me with information about the Yellow Fox, and I will reward you greatly. And to keep this matter concealed, you don''t need to involve the rest of your agency."


    "I''m afraid it''s not so simple, your highness. My investigative prowess relies in no small part on the resources provided to me by the bureau. You would be better off officially commissioning a new investigation."


    Qin Yan shook his head. "There''s no need. Confidentiality is of the essence to me in this matter, and I''m willing to make some sacrifices to assure it. You seem quite clever, so I''m sure you can figure something out."


    "Well, the truth is, I''m quite stumped." Hou Jin chuckled. "You see, your highness, you were not my first choice of inquiry. But the disciples of your esteemed school are not very cooperative with our Bureau. I had to invoke a favor with my colleague to see you in his stead just to pacify my suspicions, but now that I''ve done so, I don''t really have a way to rediscover her trail since all the information regarding her is so heavily repressed here."


    Qin Yan raised his palm. "I understand. Don''t you worry about a thing, investigator. I''ll give you my token. If a disciple is giving you trouble, just show it to them, and they''ll be compelled to speak. But more importantly, I had some of my brightest subordinates tailing her shortly after the attack. They were not at all successful, and they could not continue pursuing her outside of our territory, but they still managed to develop a rough estimation of her direction. I will give you their reports."


    Hou Jin stood up from his seat and bowed. "Thank you, your highness."


    Qin Yan eyed the poster on the table. "I don''t suppose you have a copy of this notice?"


    With a polite smile, the investigator nodded. "You''re welcome to keep it, your highness."


    Pleased, the king treated the investigator to a meal and some wine. Hou Jin then took his leave.


    Once outside, Hou Jin produced a letter. Over the past weeks, his eyes ran across the paper so many times that he memorized every last word written in it. Still, he read through it one more time. The investigator shook his head.


    "Oh, Bai Guo... Just what have you gotten yourself into?"


    Hou Jin reunited with his subordinates and explained his findings. They studied the box of reports provided to them by the One Eyed King, and embarked on horseback in pursuit of their quarry.

 Chapter 5 - Unrivaled Heroine (II)

    Their investigation had taken them far from the lands of the Qin and deep into the idyllic countryside that lied beyond, and soon they found themselves stumped. A fellow investigator from a local office of the Investigative Bureau had assured them that a woman fitting their description was spotted at one point, but a round of questioning produced no information from the locals.


    A short young man with a meek demeanor and a ratty-looking face, the youngest investigator in their group of a dozen strong, scratched his head in confusion.


    "Why are the locals playing dumb?" He asked. "They must have seen her. According to Investigator Han Wen, she was the talk of the villages for a while. What do you think, senior?"


    "Do you know why we have an office out in these parts, Yan Zian?" Hou Jin''s question prompted the young man to dumbly shrug his shoulders. "It''s because a persistent rumor has it that this is the territory of the Five Venoms Devil."


    "Just because of a rumor?" Yan Zian asked in disbelief. "Why hasn''t it been properly investigated?"


    "The locals are terrified of her. And our Bureau, too, knows better than to draw her ire. If we were to canvass this area, I''m sure we''d find her lair. But there''s no telling how she''d respond to that."


    "Just who is this person?" Yan Zian asked, struck with unease.


    "Back in her heyday, she was the world''s greatest master of the poison arts." Huo Jin explained. "Well, probably still is. That''s why we suspect Cui Shen of being her disciple. The man had no reputation for poisons until he reemerged to destroy the Wuyi Sect. She withdrew from the world many years ago, and nobody''s ever seen her since. One of her most notorious acts was wiping out an entire town with her poisons over the course of a single night."


    Yan Zian''s eyes went wide. "Why did she do that?"


    "Nobody knows for sure. But now you understand why we keep our distance, right?" Hou Jin curled his goatee. "Anyways, if the locals have collectively decided to clam up about our Lady Clear Sky, it may have come to light that she is somehow related to this terrifying individual. Moreover, it fits our pattern of her gravitating towards legendary experts."


    "So then what do we do now?"


    Bitterness washed over Hou Jin''s features. He mulled over the young man''s question for a time. "We can''t advance and we can''t retreat, so we''ll lay siege. I''ll write up a letter, and I need you to deliver it to the office in Linzhen. Also, take my box of the wanted posters, and help them draw up more copies. Ask the people at Linzhen to have them distributed to every single one of our offices. If she is sighted anywhere on the continent, have them notify us right away. Meanwhile, we''ll keep our own watch out here. Maybe they''re still in the Devil''s lair. We could catch them if they leave."


    They set about carrying out his plan. A couple of weeks later, Yan Zian returned, his task accomplished. They had little left to do but wait.


    Months crawled by.


    One day, Yan Zian approached Hou Jin in his temporary office, and asked, "Senior Hou, when we find the Desolator of Life, how exactly are we going to bring him to justice? Senior Investigator Long Delun was a top tier swordsman, was he not? One of the best our organization has ever had, I''ve heard. But even he could not stop this man. I know we have some esteemed seniors on our team, but will that be enough?"


    Hou Jin pursed his lips, mulling over a document on his desk as he thought about the young man''s question. "Yes, Senior Investigator was incredibly talented. But ideally, we will not be fighting the Desolator of Life ourselves. It depends on where we find him. If the local sect is on good terms with the Jianghu Investigative Bureau, we can try to persuade them that it is in their interest to have him killed, or perhaps commission them to take him out."


    "Well... But then, although senior Long would be avenged, how will the people know for certain that it was us who did the deed? Isn''t that an important part of this? What if the ones we hire will not be willing to give up the glory of such a high profile kill?"


    Hou Jin smiled a little. He was impressed by the young man''s observation. "Half the world pays us just to lend us their ear. After so many decades of building up our reputation, our word carries more weight than you would think. If they try to contest the credit for this kill, the martial arts community will believe us over them. Even despite our middling reputation as warriors."


    Yan Zian nodded in understanding. After a pause, a new subject began.


    "Say, senior Hou..." The young man began. "What was your relationship with the Senior Investigator? I heard you frequently worked together."


    "He mentored me through my earlier years. A good man he was, that senior Long..." Hou Jin reminisced, shaking his head. "Stubborn beyond reason, he had a very strong sense of right and wrong. So strong that it nearly crippled his career. He could have made it to his rank a decade or two earlier had he been willing to stow his temper. And there are many stories to tell about his tumultuous youth... His loss weighs heavily on us all."


    Hou Jin cupped his face into his palms and went silent. Yan Zian awkwardly shuffled in place, not anticipating that his curiosity would cause such an emotional reaction. But what truly burdened the investigator''s mind was something else. He once again grew conscious of the letter in his pocket.


    "Just how could he conspire with these people?" He thought, his head shaking.


    Suddenly, another investigator barged into the small office, a rolled up letter in his hands. "They found her heading north!"


    Hou Jin nearly sprang out of his seat. They gathered their things and, within the hour, the dozen mounted investigators rushed towards the office the notice had come from. Reports of additional sightings awaited them on location, and they kept their horses bound northwards.


    Their group eventually reached Kunlun Mountains. When they arrived at the local office, they had been told that the Senior Investigator was out on another case. Hou Jin found the grey bearded, hunched over elder inspecting the burnt down remains of a building. A cursory glance at the surroundings had led the investigator to conclude that this was once a temple.


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    "Senior Wang." Hou Jin bowed before the elder.


    "Hou Jin." The old man greeted him sternly. "You sure took your time getting here. You wouldn''t believe how much trouble your woman''s gotten into. You missed all the drama."


    Hou Jin nodded at the wreckage. "Is this part of it?"


    Senior Investigator Wang looked up from a sheet he was holding and shrugged. Hou Jin noticed that it seemed to be a list of names. "This? I don''t rightly know. Probably not. At first I thought the Kunlun Sect had finally had enough of the Buddhists mucking about on their Taoist turf and took them out. But considering who hired us to investigate this, I''m starting to doubt that."


    "Really? Who commissioned you?"


    "The Kunlun Sect!" Senior Wang exclaimed as if he was unveiling something grand.


    "Well, obviously they wouldn''t pay to investigate their own crime." Hou Jin said. "Have you interrogated the monks?"


    Senior Wang laughed. "I''m not well versed in the arts of spiritual commune!"


    Hou Jin''s eyebrows rose. "They''re all dead?"


    "And quite dead they are, young man. Most of the bodies weren''t even whole when we dug them out of the rubble. And it wasn''t the fire that did that to them." The old man nodded at the sheet in his hands. "Well, there remain two monks unaccounted for."


    "The likely perpetrators."


    Senior Wang shook his head. "If only it were that simple. You see, one of the missing persons is a twelve year old boy. And unless this little man had the proportions of an adult, we''re positive that we haven''t found his corpse."


    "And the other?"


    The old man went quiet, keeping his listener in suspense with a mischievous smile.


    "Song Quan!" He eventually declared. But the name caused little fanfare. Frustrated by the milquetoast reaction, senior Wang elaborated. "Of the Evil Palm. You haven''t heard of him? How long have you been working this job again?"


    Hou Jin struggled to regain his wits. The man''s title rang through his head. "I''ve heard. He''s from before my era, but I do know of him. Quite the nasty piece of work this man was back in the day... But I don''t understand. You''re saying he was a monk here?"


    "Believe it or not! He''s been cooped up here for decades." Senior Wang said. "The locals call him the Sleeping Asura. Nobody ever had any faith in his rehabilitation. Well, rightly so, because it looks like the Asura woke up after all, and boy did he wake up! The recidivist is now at large, and who knows what else he''ll do. I''m also quite concerned for the boy. He might have been kidnapped for heavens know what purpose."


    "Knowing Song Quan''s reputation, it can''t be anything good..." Hou Jin stared at the ruins, the old man''s story painting the scene in a new light.


    Senior Wang patted him on the shoulder.


    "Well, it''s likely your lady of the sunlight had nothing to do with it." He said. And though Hou Jin felt inclined to agree, he was assailed by inexplicable dread. The pangs of his sharp intuition kept him ill at ease. "You wanna know what they call her in these parts...?"


    Senior Wang told him about the events surrounding the tournament. Hou Jin grew pale when he heard of his nephew''s unfortunate involvement.


    As Yan Zian listened to the story, he was quite surprised. "We thought the man she''s been traveling with was Cui Shen. Do we know anything about this Bai Guo?"


    Hou Jin curled his goatee, trying to maintain his composure. "Even if the Desolator of Life is no longer in her company, there''s still value in pursuing her. She most likely knows where he is, or intends to reunite with him eventually."


    Hou Jin then asked the elder, "How did it conclude?"


    "A mysterious faction attacked the sect and got the young man out of there." Senior Wang seemed to end his story. But he suddenly leaned in, adding something in a hushed tone. His following words had Hou Jin perspiring with cold sweat. The old man then stepped back.


    "Keep that one between us." The elder said. "The sect''s keeping it under wraps. Our people aren''t allowed up the mountain at all, so I really shouldn''t know this, and I don''t want them to start prying into my sources."


    Senior Wang''s eyes were grave. "I''m only telling you this because you''re pursuing her. Now that you know, maybe you should reconsider your approach. See if you can''t go at the Desolator of Life another way."


    Hou Jin bowed. "Thank you for your advice, senior."


    With just a glance the old investigator could tell that his words fell on deaf ears. Senior Wang nodded.


    "Well, let me give you what you''re here for." He then explained to them the path the woman had taken, and where she was last seen. He then warned, "She''s got a real knack for shaking off our tail. Now, I train my men well. They don''t make mistakes often. Somehow, she sees through all our tricks. So you''d better be really careful about this, Hou Jin, especially if you intend to do more than just observe."


    With the information received, Hou Jin''s team resumed their pursuit. Now that they were closer than ever before to their goal, he was overcome with urgency. He pressed the men and the horses hard, and his entourage buckled under the strain. Their frantic pace persisted for about a week. Just as the winter snows began to melt, they arrived by noon at a small town.


    According to a tip from one of the Bureau''s informants, the Golden Witch and her disciple had entered the settlement mere hours ago. They left their horses behind and fanned out; unsurprisingly, the peculiar Golden Witch was found quickly. Hou Jin followed his subordinate to their inn. The investigator balked when he saw his nephew in the white robed woman''s company. They were walking around without a care, chatting away like the closest of friends.


    "What do we do now, senior Hou?" Yan Zian asked. But he received no response for the longest time. It was then that he noticed the agitation dominating Hou Jin''s demeanor, and the young man''s eyes widened.


    Hou Jin boldly stepped forward. His subordinates reluctantly followed him.


    "Such company you keep, Bai Guo!" He called out.

 Chapter 5 - Unrivaled Heroine (III)

    Hou Jin''s voice instantly drew their attention.


    Bai Guo gawked at him in utter disbelief. "Uncle Jin? Is that you?"


    Joy briefly flashed in the young man''s eyes. He made a single step towards his uncle before he realized that their reunion was not a happy one. Hou Jin glared at him sternly, flanked on all sides by his armed subordinates.


    "I just cannot believe that Bai Yang''s son would willingly consort with the worst kinds of criminals! Just what were you thinking?! All these years we thought you were an upstanding young man with a bright future ahead of him! And what have you done?"


    "Uncle... I..." Bai Guo mumbled, shocked. "Did you receive my letter?"


    "How do you think I found you? Thank heavens you thought to write it!" Hou Jin sighed. "It''s your fortune that you are so young! You may have committed a great mistake, but perhaps it can still be brushed aside as the blunder of youth."


    The tall, blonde haired observer idly watched their argument unfold with a sideways glance.


    "Uncle, I don''t understand. Just what is it that you think I''ve done?"


    "You''re colluding with that heinous murderer, the Desolator of Life!" Hou Jin accused.


    "But I explained his circumstances in my letter! Brother Shen was justified in his actions!"


    "Brother Shen...!" Hou Jin was appalled. "How can you stand to address senior Long''s murderer like that?"


    "What?" Bai Guo staggered. "That can''t be true! He only went after those villains of the Wuyi Sect! What reason would he have to kill senior Long?"


    "Not only do we have a hundred witnesses who can attest to that fact, but his ruined body left no room for doubt! It had been thoroughly desecrated by his insidious poison, just like every other one of his victims!"


    The young man shook his head in disbelief.


    His uncle continued. "You can no longer plead ignorance after this, young man! Cut your association with these people now and come back home with me. It is still not too late to set things right."


    Behind him, the Golden Witch had finally turned towards the investigators, her attention drawn to the argument in full.


    "I cannot just drop everything and leave!" Bai Guo exclaimed. "Uncle, even if what you say about brother Shen is true, that has nothing to do with my obligations to my master!"


    "As if that one is much better!" Hou Jin said. His callous form of address towards the woman behind the young man gave the other investigators pause. They glanced at their leader nervously. They knew who they were dealing with here, and the swords at their waists offered them no comfort whatsoever. "That master of yours slaughtered the entire He household down to the last soul! She painted the walls red with the blood of his family, his retainers, his servants, and the blood of all their families too! Little Guo, I understand that you had been wronged by the Kunlun Sect, but there was no need for you to go that far! I just can''t believe you could abide by such actions!"


    Bai Guo regarded him with ever more confusion. Suddenly, anger flashed across his features. "That''s a lie! Only the sect master was killed in retaliation!"


    It was Hou Jin''s turn to be taken aback. "A lie? You cannot tell me that you''d take the word of some woman over the word of your closest family! Have you really fallen so deeply under her spell? Snap out of it, Bai Guo! "As their leader rushed to provoke her, the subordinates broke out into sweat. A cold wind swept across the street. Behind the young man, his master''s great figure loomed, her white robe swaying gently in the breeze. Her golden eyes brimmed with hostility. The investigators paled under the intensity of her gaze.


    "Uncle Jin, I understand that you wish to take me back home, but there is no need for you to resort to such petty deception!" Bai Guo snapped back. "And since you wish to drag up our familial bonds, let me remind you that we are not related by blood! I have taken on obligations that are no less important than the obligations of family, and I have no intention to renege on them! Uncle Jin, I''m sorry, but I will not be coming back with you."


    "I just can''t believe my ears!" Hou Jin, in his anger, was the only one oblivious to the pressure bearing down on them. "Young man, you have to come to your senses! You have people waiting for you back home! Stop this before you end up doing something you will not be able to take back!"


    "Did you not hear what he said?" The Golden Witch had finally intervened. "Get lost."


    Her severe voice prompted most of the investigators to step back.


    "Master, no!" Bai Guo urgently pleaded. "Please, let me handle this."


    On the other side, Yan Zian gripped Hou Jin''s sleeve. The man recoiled from him as though he had been burned. But after his initial disdain, his eyes became unburdened by his indignation. He finally noticed the tension in the air.


    Hou Jin crossed his hands behind his back. "I can''t compel you to come with me, not with that master of yours behind you. But now that you understand the circumstances, I need you to at least tell us where to find that criminal, that Desolator of Life, so that we may avenge the wrong he had done unto us."


    Bai Guo shook his head. "I cannot do that, uncle Jin. Someone of brother Shen''s character cannot be a wanton murderer. I''m sure this is all a misunderstanding."


    His uncle exhaled sharply. "You are making it awfully hard to help you. Suit yourself! But when you do come to your senses, you know where to find me. I pray that it won''t be too late for you by then."


    With a gesture from their leader, the investigators turned to leave. Hou Jin''s eyes briefly lingered on the young man before he departed with the others.


    Once they were gone, Bai Guo''s composure crumbled. He ran his hands over his face. His legs trembled and brought his back up against a wall. He slid down to the ground.


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    The Golden Witch let him wallow in his own thoughts for a while as she pondered how to approach the situation. She finally asked, "Who was that?"


    "My father''s sworn brother." Bai Guo explained. "He''s an investigator with the Jianghu Investigative Bureau."


    He looked up at her. "Master... did you really do it? You told me you only went after the sect master. Did you really kill everyone at He Yong''s household?"


    "No." She replied. But as her disciple continued to stare at her with inquisitive eyes, she frowned. "You don''t believe me?"


    Bai Guo flinched at the accusation, shaking his head. "No. I just don''t understand why uncle Jin would lie to me like that..."


    "He just wants to convince you to go home." The Golden Witch suggested.


    Bai Guo sighed. "It''s hard to believe, but maybe you''re right, master... But then there''s also the matter of elder Long."


    "Who was he?"


    "He was my uncle''s mentor. And mine too, for a brief time, back when I was trying to become an investigator. He was really strict, and he''s the main reason I never got to become an investigator. But I later realized that I can''t blame him for sticking to his principles. He was a good man. I just can''t believe brother Shen would have cause to kill him. It just doesn''t sound right. But I don''t believe that uncle Jin was lying about it either. He had the backing of his Bureau. There''s no way he''d be able to drag so many investigators all the way out here just to bluff me."


    "Does it really matter either way?" The Golden Witch asked. "You know what Cui Shen is like. Even if he did do it, he must have had a reason."


    Bai Guo''s expression soured, but he seemed to be in reluctant agreement. "I know. But even so... I need to make certain. I just know I won''t rest easy until I''m sure."


    "Then let''s go back to Ouyang''s residence and ask." She proposed.


    "Master, wait..." Bai Guo rubbed his temples. "Let me think."


    The Golden Witch let him have the space he desired. But as time dragged on, her patience was beginning to dwindle. She fidgeted restlessly. Just as her mouth opened to say something, her disciple stood up and gave voice to his thoughts.


    "I''m sure uncle Jin would like me to come back, but his main goal is definitely brother Shen. If what he said about senior Long''s demise was true, then they tracked us down while searching for him. They must want to avenge him. It must have been uncle Jin''s plan to rile me up so that we''d lead them right back to him. But it''s not like I can just let this be even if I know that. I must go and ask brother Shen for the truth."


    He turned to his master, determination in his eyes. "I have a plan to shake off their tail. But I need to go alone."


    The Golden Witch was shocked by his idea. "Are you out of your mind? Out of the question."


    "Master, please! I need to do this!" Bai Guo beseeched her.


    "Ouyang''s home is so far from here, can you even find your way back? And if those people catch you, what are you planning to do? You can''t defend yourself against them. If you have to go, then we''re going together."


    "No! It''s because of you that they caught up to us from so far away in the first place!" The young man, in his haste, made his words sound like an accusation. Scorn flashed in his master''s golden eyes. Bai Guo instantly recognized his error, but boldly pressed on. "I''m sorry, master, but it''s true! Your nature is antithetic to subtlety. If we travel together, they''ll just find us again, and neither distance nor speed will make any difference!"


    The Golden Witch gritted her teeth and turned her gaze away, unwilling to hear any more.


    "Master, please!" Bai Guo suddenly bowed. When his plea was dismissed with a flutter of her long sleeve, the young man dropped to his knees. His insistence gave the woman pause.


    "Why is this so important? So what if he did do it?" The Golden Witch was moved to ask. Her stern voice quivered slightly. "What are you going to do if you don''t like his reason?"


    "I don''t know. I really don''t know!" Desperation seeped through the young man''s pleas. "But I must hear the truth from brother Shen. Please!"


    "This is foolish. Just stand up!" She demanded. But her disciple remained rooted to the ground. As she looked down on his crumpled, begging form, anger gave way to dejection. By the time she fully realized that Bai Guo was unwilling to let the matter go, she was crestfallen.


    "Do whatever you want." The Golden Witch curtly declared.


    "Thank you, master!" The sheer relief contained in the young man''s gratitude only irritated his master further. He got out of the mud. "You should continue to Chang''an, just like we planned. I''ll reunite with you there. I''m sure I''ll find you. I think I can make it to lady Ouyang''s residence and back in two months, maybe three at the most. I''ll be as quick as I can. Please let me have some silver for the road, master."


    The long sleeves fluttered again. Golden taels she had pilfered from the He residence carelessly scattered across the ground before him. Bai Guo was taken aback by her coldness. His master couldn''t even bear to look at him. After a pause, he scrambled to pick up the bits of gold.


    "Thank you, master." He said again, bowing.


    Because it was still early in the day, Bai Guo departed immediately. He bought a horse and dashed out of the town.


    The Golden Witch remained where she was for a long time, stewing in her agitation. Her face showed little emotion; only the grinding of her teeth betrayed her frustration. Her eyes suddenly sparked with an idea. The Golden Witch disappeared from the street in the blink of an eye. She was bound northwest, back towards the Kunlun Mountains.

 Chapter 5 - Unrivaled Heroine (IV)

    Inside a seedy inn on the outskirts of the Kunlun Mountains, the dejected Liao Lan was cooped up in her room, staring bitterly at a handful of silver coins and strings of cash scattered around a table. Shao Luli approached her with a tray of hot tea and rice crackers and took a seat next to her.


    "So much time wasted already and this is all we managed to scrounge up. We won''t get very far on just this much." Liao Lan mumbled, letting the silver run through her hands. "After the Yellow Fairy robbed us, I wasn''t worried at all at first. I thought my reputation alone would be enough to earn it all back in no time. But after she dragged me into that fiasco with her disciple, I became enemy number two of the Kunlun Sect, and suddenly my fame is nothing but a burden."


    Her disciple rested a hand on her shoulder. "We''ll make it through this, master."


    Liao Lan set her head down on the desk with a tired sigh. "I can''t wait to be gone from these stinking mountains."


    Shao Luli smiled and gave the woman''s tired shoulders a gentle rub. A sudden knock on the door startled them both, straightening out Liao Lan''s back. They both had the thought of just ignoring their unexpected guest, but the knocking continued, taking on an increasingly insistent rhythm. The disciple finally wandered over. When Shao Luli opened the door, she shrieked, tripping over her own feet as she tried and utterly failed to retreat.


    Blood drained from Liao Lan''s face when she saw the intruder. The massive woman standing in the hall leaned below the doorway and entered, a small smile beneath her golden eyes. Liao Lan was so quick to drop to her knees that she slid a little across the carpeted floor. But she could only sputter stupidly, not a single coherent word springing from her lips.


    "Get up. I want to talk." The Yellow Fairy said, prompting Liao Lan to raise her head. The disciple crawled back into a corner, observing the scene with terror in her dark eyes.


    "I''ve done what you bid of me, madam!" Liao Lan''s voice trembled. Her knees remained on the floor. "How have I wronged you? Did the young man not make it back to you?"


    "No, you''ve done well. I''m not here to do anything bad to you. Get up." She demanded again. Liao Lan slowly raised herself up on shaky legs.


    "On the contrary, since you''ve done so well, I''d like to reward you." The woman said. "What do you say about becoming my disciple?"


    Liao Lan''s mouth opened and closed and opened and closed. Her eyes wandered over to the young girl in the corner, hoping to verify whether she had heard the same words or whether she had completely lost her mind. Shao Luli stared back at her with the same dumbfounded expression, helping Liao Lan regain her grip on reality.


    When her stupor began to drag on, the Yellow Fairy spurred her on. "Well? Out with it."


    Liao Lan cupped her hands together and bowed a little. "I''m sorry, senior, I just don''t understand. What brought this on?"


    "As I said, it''s a reward for saving my disciple."


    Sweat dripped down from the other woman''s brow. She thought about it some more, and her bow deepened.


    "I don''t know if this unworthy one is qualified to serve under you..." She stammered.


    The Hungry Yellow Fairy clicked her tongue. Just that alone made the woman before her flinch. "Enough with the roundabout language. Just tell me yes or no."


    Again, Liao Lan was briefly plunged into silence. "Then... Then if it pleases you, this Liao Lan would be proud to accept your proposal! Please accept my kowtows, master!"


    She dropped to the floor again. Shao Luli''s eyes nearly bulged out of her skull as she bore witness to the impromptu ceremony before her.


    "Good!" The Fairy was pleased. "Gather your things. I''ll be waiting outside. We''re leaving right away."


    She twirled, setting her long sleeves aflutter, and left. Liao Lan scooped over to her bed, leaning up against it. Her disciple crawled over towards her.


    "Master," she said, "Why did you accept?"


    "Are you kidding me?" Liao Lan replied with complete exasperation. "Just what do you think would happen if I refused? I only barely made it out with my life the first time around, you think I''m going to risk souring our relations with her again?"


    Though Shao Luli already knew the answer, she still couldn''t help but ask. She crumpled beside her master on the floor. The two women stared at nothing for a while, as though their souls had been drained from their bodies. Suddenly, the older woman''s temper exploded, and she started banging her fists into the bed, screaming into the sheets and pillows.


    "I was being so careful! How, how, how did she find us?! How did she find us before even the Kunlun Sect could?! And last time, too, she found me with such ease to draft me into her stupid little war against them! I don''t understand, it''s like I''m really possessed by a ghost! When oh when will my luck turn around?!"


    Her outburst suddenly came to an end. Her face remained in her pillow.


    Shao Luli asked, "What are we going to do now?"


    The question lingered in the room. Liao Lan suddenly rose and grabbed the younger girl by the shoulders.


    "Maybe this is my luck turning around!" She suddenly exclaimed, giving Shao Luli a slight shake. "She''s so powerful, having her for a master couldn''t be anything but a blessing, right?! Aren''t we, in fact, incredibly fortunate that she''s not only willing to let bygones be bygones, but also teach us martial arts?!"


    "That woman is bad news, master." Shao Luli was less than enthused. "I just know nothing good could possibly come of this. She probably won''t even teach us anything. And who knows what absurd trial she might put you through again."


    Liao Lan had been nearly overwhelmed by her disciple''s pessimism right then and there. But she boldly pressed on through the gloom. "Well this is the hand that we were dealt, little Lu! Don''t be so gloomy, girl! It''s like you don''t even know your master. You know my greatest skill isn''t my martial arts. Ptooey, who cares about that? What makes me Liao Lan is my ability to make the most out of a bad situation. I can turn lead to gold as if with magic! We''ll make it through this, and we''ll be even better off than we were before! We will! Don''t you trust me?"


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    Shao Luli gripped her master''s arms, her eyes filling with determination. The girl had finally been swept up in her master''s optimism. Her head bobbed with a meek nod.


    "Come on, let''s not keep your grandmaster waiting." Liao Lan said, rushing to her feet. They both hastened to gather their meager possessions.


    When they stepped outside, they found the golden haired woman waiting for them. Liao Lan took a deep breath as she approached and reverently bowed before her.


    "Forgive me, master, but your disciple doesn''t know how to address you." She said.


    "Call me the Golden Witch." Her master replied. "I have a question for you. Who taught you martial arts?"


    "I was trained by Lady Rose Vine of Fairy Spring Valley."


    "Is she skilled?" She asked.


    "Very much so." Liao Lan assured her. "Her fame far exceeds my own."


    "Take me to her."


    Her sudden demand caught Liao Lan off-guard. "To what end, if I may ask...?"


    "Test of skill." The Witch''s succinct reply answered none of the questions ringing through her fresh disciple''s head.


    "I... I don''t know if I can, master. They don''t accept visitors, and I''ve long been banished from that place. I am not welcome there. We would be bringing a calamity upon all of our heads by venturing there."


    "Let me worry about that." The Golden Witch waved her sleeve. "Just bring me there."


    "It''s quite far from here..." Liao Lan''s last ditch effort to dissuade her new master earned her a glare. She relented with an urgent bow. "As you command!"


    The trio took their leave of the mountain range, venturing south and to the east.


    Shao Luli sourly noted, "Wasn''t there another disciple?"


    "He''s away on private business." The Golden Witch replied. The other two women subtly exchanged surprised glances. They found their separation to be an unexpected development for someone who at one point went to such lengths to retrieve the disciple in question. "We''ll be moving quickly. I hope your disciple can keep up, Liao Lan."


    Just as they seemed ready to begin their journey in earnest, they spotted a man perched up on a lone tree farther up their path. Liao Lan recognized him immediately. She halted her steps and in her dread had inadvertently backed up into her new master. The Golden Witch''s long sleeve gently brushed her out of the way. Her golden eyes stubbornly ignored the man up above, continuing with her stride. Liao Lan grabbed her disciple''s hand and the two of them followed her master very closely behind, shielding themselves behind her tall figure like a pair of scared little girls hiding behind their parent.


    Just when it looked like they would pass the Invincible Blood Sea by, the man''s voice resounded across the field.


    "So you finally cast off that useless burden."


    Her steady steps suddenly stopped. The neck of the Golden Witch slowly craned up to gaze at the man above.


    "I thought I made it very clear what would happen if I see you again." She hissed. "I figured maybe you came upon me by honest mistake, but since you helped him, I thought I''d let you off just this one time. But I see you intend to hound me until I put you down like the dog you are."


    Tao Geming smirked at her budding rage. "You think your words meant anything to me until this moment?"


    "What is that supposed to mean?" The Golden Witch demanded.


    With a cold snort, Tao Geming plunged down to the ground and bellowed, "You think the words of that bashful little girl meant a damn thing to me? If you have something to say to me, do it now, while your owner''s still got you off your leash!"


    The golden eyes flared with rage.


    In that moment, Liao Lan felt like Tao Geming''s diminutive figure loomed over them like a mountain. Invisible, stifling pressure bore down upon her and her disciple. A sudden wind swept through their hair. Even their master''s back no longer felt safe to hide behind; not because her presence paled in comparison to his, but because Liao Lan feared that they could get immolated in the flames of her wrath. She felt an instinctual understanding that conflict between these two was simply beyond her, and there was no safety to be found anywhere the eye could see.


    "There it is!" Tao Geming shouted. "During our first meeting, I glimpsed that incredible look in your eye for just a moment. As I followed you, I came to realize just what it was that made you hold back that day. And what a pathetic reason it was! You''re just a girl after all!"


    The Golden Witch blurred into action. Her long arm drew a great arc as it swept through the air, sending her fist out to crush the man''s skull. Tao Geming received her ferocious strike upon his crossed arms. The ground shook. His feet dug an inch into the earth. And though the Golden Witch strained, she couldn''t move him any more than that. Little by little, his arms forced her limb back.


    "Now that he''s not looking over your shoulder, you''re finally planning to take this all the way?" Tao Geming asked, a grin on his face. The disdain contained in the woman''s expression was beyond measure. She exhaled sharply and drew back her arm. Just that alone left her well beyond his reach.


    "Just what are you trying to pull here?" She asked. "You, who had so much to say about cunning and the trickery of the jianghu, are just trying your hardest to die at my hands? Perhaps you''re willing to at least reveal your intentions before I put an end to you?"


    Tao Geming snorted. "Why do you think I''ve been keeping out of your way for so long? I had no interest in associating with you while you still had that weight wrapped around your neck. But now, I wish to witness it firsthand."


    "Witness what?" She pressed, annoyed.


    "The real you!"

 Chapter 5 - Unrivaled Heroine (V)

    The Golden Witch scoffed. "What is all this talk? Just what is it that you presume to know about me?"


    "I know exactly what you''re trying to achieve." Tao Geming said. "And I want to see where your path takes you. And I know the best ways to bring you there."


    "I don''t care what it is that you think I''m doing. And I have no interest in indulging your curiosity." A cold light beset her golden eyes. "Now, shall we wrap this up for good?"


    "You owe me on this, Fox!" Tao Geming demanded. "That kid still draws breath solely because of me."


    The Golden Witch sneered. "You have got to be kidding me. You''re trying to bargain with me now? I told you exactly how much your unsolicited favor would have bought you, and you squandered your chance by flapping that rancid mouth of yours!"


    "So your unrestrained bloodlust can even overpower your sense of pride? Let''s see it then." Tao Geming ushered her with his fingers.


    She immediately grew suspicious. "What''s this foolishness now?"


    "I said I wanted to see the real you. If the real you is the sort that stoops to this kind of behavior, then I''ll witness it for myself. Go on, repay my kindness with enmity. Come on." He performed his annoying gesture again.


    "You really think I care about my reputation?" She asked.


    "Who said anything about your reputation? What, worried I''ll spread nasty rumors about you? I don''t give a shit. This has nothing to do with anyone but you. So show me."


    The two of them glared at one another.


    "I already struck you once." She said. "What does it matter if I keep going now?"


    "Don''t try to play dumb. It''s different now that you''ve gone out of your way to ask."


    Their staredown continued.


    Tao Geming clenched his fist as the stalemate dragged on. "I can see the gears in your head turning, Fox. Our partnership''s not going to last forever. After all, you know I''ve got no interest in watching you play house. But I can tell that he''ll be gone for a while since you bothered to get yourself those new pets behind you. So during this time, I''ll help you get closer to your goal!"


    Eventually, the Golden Witch turned away.


    "You little weasel." She spat. "I despise you. Even the sight of you repulses me to my core."


    Tao Geming''s grin grew wider. "I know the hidey hole of every warrior worth a damn on this entire continent. You won''t be disappointed, you have my word."


    "You''ll only speak when spoken to." The Golden Witch hissed. "If you try to provoke me again I swear I''ll gut you, and it won''t matter how many Bai Guos you saved. And don''t you dare mention him again, not even in passing."


    "You won''t regret it." Tao Geming assured. "I already know what our first destination should be."


    "No, my first destination has already been decided." She walked back towards Liao Lan. "My disciple will lead me to the Fairy Spring Valley."


    "Are you kidding me? That''s the place?" Tao Geming snorted. "You''re just wasting your time."


    "This is not a discussion." The Golden Witch sternly put an end to his grumbling.


    Tao Geming disdainfully looked the other two women over.


    "Fine new disciples you''ve picked out." His tone dripped with sarcasm. "I see they gave you a free new pot to go with the used one. What a bargain."


    The two of them went beet red with anger. And yet they couldn''t say a word in turn. Liao Lan tugged at her master''s big sleeve and pleaded, "Master, will we really have to take this abuse the entire way there?"


    "No. Leave them alone, Tao Geming." Her few words brought the women great relief. They smugly glanced his way.


    Tao Geming looked away, turning up his nose. "Why did you pick them?"


    The Golden Witch suddenly drew close to Liao Lan. Her long finger lifted her new disciple''s chin. "That''s between my disciple and I."


    Liao Lan''s eyes went wide as she was forced to stare up into those twin suns; she flashed back to that dreadful scene in the snow where she was forced to beg for her life. The finger remained on her for only a moment, but it was more than enough to send her heart racing. Even though not so long ago she had managed to squeeze out a drop of optimism out of her conundrum, the true gravity of Liao Lan''s situation had finally dawned on her.


    In whatever game those two monsters were playing, she was just a toy for their amusement.


    The two had forgotten about her already. They walked on ahead, leaving Liao Lan shivering helplessly behind. The brush of cold fingers along her hand brought her back to her senses. Shao Luli gently squeezed the woman''s hand. Though she tried to steady her master, the girl''s hand shook too. The older woman steeled herself.


    "I''m sorry for dragging you into this, little Lu." Liao Lan whispered.


    "I''m with you to the end, master." Shao Luli was determined. Her resolve in turn gave her master courage.


    They went after the two. Though it could be said that they were all traveling as a group, Tao Geming kept his distance from the rest of them. Liao Lan was all the happier for it. Being in constant vicinity of one freak of nature already felt like more than she could handle. They spent the rest of the day on their feet, arriving at a small town late in the evening. The three women rented rooms at a crummy establishment. The day''s thrills wore Liao Lan down to a little nub, and she was just about ready to pass out on her bed still fully clothed.


    Shao Luli''s sudden intrusion was the only thing that kept her awake. She sat down next to her master''s collapsed form.


    "Master," she said, "Are you really planning to take her to Fairy Spring Valley?"


    Liao Lan sighed. "If she insists on it, what choice do I have?"


    "You never told me much about that place."


    Another wistful sigh escaped the woman''s lips. "It''s a wonderful place of culture and art. The marvelous scenery surrounding it inspired many a masterpiece. It''s one of the most beautiful places you will ever see on this earth. I loved it there..."


    "Why were you banished from there?" Shao Luli asked.


    Her expected question spoiled Liao Lan''s features with bitterness. She turned her head towards her disciple and forced a smile. "It''s ancient history. You weren''t even born back then. It''s nothing for you to worry about."


    "I''m just wondering... How dangerous would it be for us to come back? If it''s been as long ago as you say, perhaps they''re willing to let it pass?"


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    Liao Lan chuckled. "Not a chance. It''s as bad as it can be. They will definitely try to kill me on sight. And if I''m unlucky enough for them to catch me alive, Lady Rose Vine won''t let me die a quick death. Of course, this is all assuming that hag is still alive... But when I left that place, I promised to myself that as long as I live, I would never come back. Truthfully, I''m no less scared of going back there than I am of disobeying that ghost haunting us."


    Her master''s words unsettled Shao Luli. Liao Lan tried to reassure her. "But you''re innocent of my crime. It''s not like they''re savages. Even if the worst comes to pass, they should let you off unharmed."


    Shao Luli shook her head. "How does that woman compare to your old teacher?"


    "I don''t know how much Lady Rose Vine has advanced since I left, so I couldn''t tell you with certainty. But although I never won against her in my whole life, there was never a time where I felt more overwhelmed than when I was fighting your new grandmaster. "


    "My ''grandmaster''... Do you really have to refer to her so respectfully like that when we''re alone?" Shao Luli seemed miffed by her master''s respectful tone. "She doesn''t seem the type to stoop to eavesdropping..."


    "And I can see you intend to take every chance you get to speak of her without the proper reverence! We don''t know a thing about her character or habits. Don''t risk it."


    "We haven''t known her long," Shao Luli admitted, "But we''ve already learned something about her. From her argument with that Tao Geming, it''s obvious she''s very prideful. She clearly intended to kill him, but stayed her hand once he leveraged her debt to him. Even if that woman did eavesdrop on us, she would never admit it."


    Liao Lan frowned. "She doesn''t need to admit anything to harbor a grudge over something we said about her. And we can''t afford even her slightest displeasure right now."


    Shao Luli went silent, her eyes cast down. After a pause, the girl spoke again, "On the bright side, if I''m right about her, she might stay true to her word and keep us safe from Lady Rose Vine."


    "Leaving aside the question of whether she can, when it comes to her character, I have a suspicion that her debt to that man wasn''t the sticking point there. There''s something else at play here I feel, which would make her less reliable than you might think. But I don''t even know if I want to pry..."


    As their conversation petered out, a sudden realization prompted Liao Lan to stand up. "All that talk about her displeasure and I''ve neglected something so obvious! The moment she gets bored of us, we''re doomed. I can''t just sit around. I need to do something to stoke her interest. Say, little Lu, this is the town with that nice little tavern by the lake, right? Do you remember?"


    Shao Luli pondered her question for a moment before nodding.


    "We shouldn''t have let her shack up in this seedy place." Liao Lan said, and then whispered something into the girl''s ear. The disciple smiled and nodded.


    Liao Lan entered her new master''s room and bowed with a polite smile. The Golden Witch was sitting crosslegged on her bed. At a glance, her mood seemed dire, but Liao Lan swallowed down her anxiety and pressed forward with her suggestion. "Master, I believe these lodgings are ill fitting for someone of your esteemed status. I have a much more appropriate establishment in mind, one with a beautiful view, the sweetest wines, and the most graceful singing girls."


    The Golden Witch raised a skeptical eyebrow.


    Shao Luli intruded on their conversation with a gasp. "Master, I''ve just remembered! They might not be willing to take in new visitors this late in the day. And without reservation...! It''s hopeless!"


    Liao Lan''s chest swelled with pride. "Silly girl! I''d like to see them turn away this Liao Lan! My name rings out around these parts! They''ll be more than happy to host us."


    Their little show seemed to have the desired effect. The master was intrigued. Liao Lan brought them to the establishment, and just as she bragged, she was recognized and allowed inside without issue. They got themselves a room on the third floor overlooking the lake. They were treated to a marvelous view as the setting sun danced in its waters. The Golden Witch seemed taken in.


    Liao Lan suddenly took place beside her, her eyes glancing interchangeably at the blonde woman and the view beyond her. With a smile, she declared, "In those crappy rooms back there, master looked so out of place. But here, your graceful presence completes this majestic view! It''s like something out of a painting... I just can''t stop watching."


    The yellow eyes gawked at her, caught off-guard by her words. A chuckle broke past her lips, though she said nothing, silently sipping her tea. But her easy smile betrayed her amusement.


    Liao Lan and Shao Luli subtly exchanged glances and nodded. The older woman bowed again.


    "If this arrangement suits you, then my disciple and I shall let you enjoy yourself. We will return in the morning to carry on with our duties."


    "Where are you going?" The Golden Witch asked.


    Liao Lan halted awkwardly. "Well, the truth is, this disciple of yours has fallen on tough times lately. So while I could afford to sponsor your stay, these luxuries are a little beyond my own means at the moment."


    The master stared at her strangely. She flicked her sleeve and produced a golden tael. "You should stay here."


    Liao Lan bowed yet again. "Master, there''s really no need for this. I don''t deserve it."


    "Don''t argue." She said, leaving the gold on her table.


    "Okay." Sensing the curtness in her master''s tone, Liao Lan quickly relented. When she took the money, the Golden Witch halted her again.


    "Put our your hands." She said, and Liao Lan did as ordered, wary all the while. A handful of jade hairpins and golden jewelry poured from her sleeve. "You can have these back."


    "My hairpins!" Liao Lan exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise. "Thank you, master."


    As the two women left to secure their lodgings, Liao Lan lingered in the doorway. She threw a glance at the tyrannical woman behind her, watching those golden locks bathed in dusk''s fleeting colors. It took her a moment to snap back to her senses. Liao Lan followed her disciple out.


    ...

 Chapter 5 - Unrivaled Heroine (VI)

    The next day, as Shao Luli assisted her master through her morning rituals, as Liao Lan struggled to remain awake after a restless night, a thought came upon her and she suddenly gasped. "I should be attending to her too! It''s been so long since I was last an apprentice that I completely forgot about the obligations that come with the position! I should have woken up earlier. I doubt she''ll let me lay a hand on her any time soon, but I still need to make my willingness to perform my duties clear! I''ll finish up here, go check if she''s awake, little Lu."


    Liao Lan tied up her hair as her disciple left. When the girl returned to announce that the grandmaster was indeed awake, Liao Lan checked herself in the mirror and rushed out. She arrived at the blonde woman''s room completely composed, a polite smile on her face as she knocked and peered in. This morning, too, the Golden Witch seemed to be in a foul mood.


    "Master," she said, "Let me brush your hair."


    "Why?" The white robed woman asked.


    "It''s a disciple''s duty to ease her master''s burdens." Liao Lan assured, approaching with a brush in hand. "And that long hair of yours looks like it takes a lot of effort to maintain. Let me help you."


    The Golden Witch stared at her skeptically. "Is that really part of a disciple''s duties?"


    "Of course. Shao Luli attends to me this way too, each and every day." She said.


    "My other disciple hadn''t made me aware of this obligation."


    Liao Lan''s smile became a bit awkward. "Being a man makes his duties a little different."


    The Golden Witch hummed in something resembling suspicion, but did not prevent her disciple from sitting behind her to carry out her intentions. As Liao Lan''s hands brushed her locks, she muttered, "My, it''s really just hair. I have to say I''m a little surprised."


    "I''ve heard that one before. Just don''t try to eat it."


    "Has that happened to you before?" Liao Lan chuckled. "It''s good that you warned me. I was just thinking, it might feel normal to the touch, but maybe it tastes like honey."


    The Golden Witch exhaled sharply through her nose, apparently amused. Liao Lan remained quiet after that, determined not to overplay her hand.


    Her master asked, "Why do they call you Unrivaled Heroine?"


    "Ignorance, as it turns out." Liao Lan replied. "I can''t call myself that anymore now that I know about you, master."


    The Golden Witch laughed. "I don''t covet your title. I have plenty of my own. You can keep yours. Besides, if you think about it, it''s not as though we could be considered rivals."


    Liao Lan''s smile went taut. "I hadn''t thought of it that way. Then if it pleases you, I shall keep perusing my little nickname. It''s very open-minded and gracious of you to allow this, master."


    After working on her hair for a while, the woman gave her master a final lookover and spoke softly into her ear. "What do you say about letting me style your hair, master? If you liked any of my hairpins, you can have them."


    "No need. I like it this way."


    Liao Lan smiled. "If you need me for anything else, please don''t hesitate to ask." She left after a bow.


    Back in her room, she let out a sigh.


    "How did it go?" Shao Luli asked, waiting with bated breath for her report.


    "It went spectacularly." Liao Lan declared, a relieved smile on her face. "She let me do it! She''s not guarded against me at all. She just gave me access to her back just like that. It''s like she doesn''t even register me as a threat. It''s as if she''s absolutely certain that even if I struck at her most vulnerable places it wouldn''t do anything."


    Her tone gradually became less pleased the more she spoke.


    "Master, are you planning to...?" Shao Luli asked.


    "She just showed me her most vital pressure points like it was nothing. I could have just squeezed on her neck a little, or jammed one of my hairpins in, and ended her right then and there. But it''s so enticing, so obvious, that it simply must be a trap. I don''t trust it. There must be some kind of trick at play here."


    Shao Luli seemed to be in agreement. "Then what''s our next plan, master?"


    "We need to think about our route, recall every place worth visiting. Since she seems so open to my ideas, I should abuse her trust to try and score as many points as I can. She doesn''t know where the Fairy Spring Valley is, and I''m going to milk her ignorance for everything it''s worth...!"


    The two of them briefly discussed potential destinations. After the morning meal, their group departed. Liao Lan suggested they take a boat to make their way down the river, and made the arrangements when she hadn''t heard a word of protest. As their vessel was ready to embark, the three of them stood by the peer, waiting for something. Liao Lan impatiently tapped her foot.


    "Just where could that unwanted companion of yours have gone, master...?" She muttered.


    "Is that what we''re waiting for?" The Golden Witch said with some amusement in her voice. "That''s not our problem. Let''s see if he knows how to swim."


    Liao Lan was nervous. "Won''t he be angry?"


    "I hope so." The Golden Witch began to gently push her towards the boat.


    "Isn''t it dangerous to play with that man''s temper?"


    "You have nothing to worry about. You''re safe with me." She assured, and the two reluctantly followed her lead. The boat lingered in the waters for the better part of the day. During their lengthy voyage, the women had had every need of theirs attended to. They sipped on aromatic wines and leisurely enjoyed the music. To Liao Lan''s great relief, her new master seemed to be enjoying herself. After the cruise was over, the Unrivaled Heroine''s plot continued. Over the following days, they had developed a routine. After tending to her master in the mornings, she would lead her towards increasingly lavish destinations. The Golden Witch had never once breached the subject of their original objective, and Liao Lan had no intentions to remind her. Though they were, in fact, inching ever so slightly closer towards their objective, it was nothing more than lip service. Their progress dwindled to practically nothing.


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    One evening, Liao Lan, joking and giggling, was leading her golden haired master back to their inn by the arm when a furious Tao Geming emerged in their path. Their long missing companion had finally caught up to them.


    "What do you think you''re doing, you stupid cows?" He bellowed. Liao Lan had been startled into sobriety and clung to the Golden Witch even harder.


    "I don''t remember giving you permission to speak, dog." The Golden Witch glared at him.


    "We could have reached the Fairy Spring Valley by now!" Tao Geming protested. "Was a little pampering from this wench all it took to make you lose sight of your goal, Fox? Have you forgotten just how limited your time is? Get your shit together!"


    The Golden Witch snorted. "Who do you think you are? You really believe yourself to be so indispensable to me? I''m still pondering if I should use you at all. It''s no big loss to me either way. I''m of half a mind to just take it easy until you''re forced to run away from me again."


    "I just can''t believe it. A trifling sycophant has you second-guessing your ambitions like this! Don''t tell me that the real you is this immature, weak-willed imbecile! You''re an embarrassment!"


    "Just shut up. Out of my way." When she strolled up to him, Tao Geming stepped out of her path. She dragged Liao Lan along on her long sleeve and left him there shaking his head.


    Master and disciple hadn''t exchanged a word until they arrived at the inn. Liao Lan was afraid of saying anything now that the tall woman''s ire had been roused. The Golden Witch took bitter leave of her, leaving the hapless disciple wondering about what to do next. Shao Luli peeked out from her room and immediately noticed that something had gone awry. After staring at her young compatriot for a while, Liao Lan built up her courage and followed after her new master.


    She sheepishly entered her room, smiling. "Did you have fun today, master?"


    When the woman said nothing, Liao Lan slowly approached. "Don''t let that stupid brute spoil your mood. If you ask me, he should be grateful that you still let him draw breath. Don''t spare it another thought, master. Let me give you a little massage to take your mind off."


    "I don''t want it." The Golden Witch looked away. Liao Lan sat next to her on the bed.


    "People always say my fingers are like magic." She whispered. "I think if you gave me a chance, you''d be very surprised. And very pleased."


    "Go away." The sudden sternness in her voice chilled Liao Lan to the bone. She briskly sprang off the bed and bowed, mumbling an apology. She then quickly made her escape.


    As Liao Lan wallowed in misery in her own room, Shao Luli arrived to check up on her. Finding her master in a borderline irreconcilable state, Shao Luli began to rub the woman''s shoulders in an attempt to get her to relax a little.


    "That damn Tao Geming!" Liao Lan hissed, baring her back to her disciple. "Now, because of him, I''m back to where I started!"


    "Surely it can''t be as bad as you say, master. You''ve been working so hard at it. You''ve been getting along so well with that woman, you two look like best friends. I find it difficult to believe it could be all undone that easily." Shao Luli made her observations dryly, almost unwillingly. Her master''s shoulders remained stiff as stone; she could tell her words had little effect. Liao Lan stewed in her anxiety.


    "Did you notice?" The woman suddenly asked. "Her arms are so long. Just one of them is probably bigger than my entire body."


    She shivered at the thought. Goosebumps ran across her skin.


    Behind her, Shao Luli frowned. "You already give her more of your time than she deserves, master. You shouldn''t spare that freak a single thought when we''re by ourselves."


    Liao Lan rebuked her with a harsh whisper. "Don''t call her that! What if she hears you?"


    Her disciple''s fingers suddenly left her. Shao Luli turned away. A moment later, she stood up.


    "Good night, master." She said bitterly. As she was about to walk away, Liao Lan grabbed her sleeve.


    "Sit down." Liao Lan demanded. Shao Luli followed her command with some reluctance. Liao Lan''s hand covered her disciple''s.


    "Don''t think I don''t realize that it''s been hard on you too." Liao Lan said. "I know it''s tough, but you need to stay strong. Or have I neglected you too much lately? We haven''t even had the time to practice together lately, I know..."


    Shao Luli pouted. Her reaction had told Liao Lan everything she needed to know.


    The girl''s fingers suddenly wrapped around her hand. "What truly eats at me is to see my Unrivaled Heroine reduced to this. To see you forced to be subservient to another like this... It just drives me up the wall. And even worse, you have to share the same status as that twerp from the tournament. And I''m even lesser than him. I''ve never felt so humiliated."


    Liao Lan smiled. "Did I really raise such a close-minded girl? Let me tell you something, little Lu. Your master would gladly wade through dirt if that''s what it took to ensure her success. No matter the humiliation I must suffer, no matter the pain I must endure, there are no depths too low for me if it lets me get ahead. You think this is forever? I''ll wring the martial secrets out of that woman no matter what I must do, and then you and I will have all the power we could ever want. And once we''re at the top of the world, no one, not even the two of us, will spare our current predicament a single thought."


    Her master''s words lit a fire in the girl''s eyes. Her chest heaved with emotion.


    The next morning, the Golden Witch loomed over them with steely conviction.


    "No more distractions." She said. "Get me to Fairy Spring Valley."


    Liao Lan swallowed heavily. "Is this really unavoidable, master? I cannot think of a place where I am more despised... And my horrid reputation there will inevitably taint you by association. Perhaps as Tao Geming suggested, there could be better places for us to visit?"


    The yellow eyes glared at her, offering no room further argument. Liao Lan shivered and bowed in acknowledgment of her command.

 Chapter 5 - Unrivaled Heroine (VII)

    When they finally began to make good pace, Tao Geming returned as a constant presence in their group. They soon left the leisures of civilization behind them, Liao Lan dragging them through wild roads and along hair-thin paths. Tigers and leopards steered clear of their procession, not daring to so much as utter a sound in their presence. Liao Lan found their plight rather relatable. She desired nothing more than to join their ranks and scuttle away into the shrubbery beyond the notice of the monsters flanking her on each side.


    Their route had turned out such that they needed to brave the outdoors for a single night. As Liao Lan and her disciple began to set camp, a matter which they turned out to be proficient with, the Golden Witch observed their efforts beside Tao Geming, who was leaning against a tree, scowling in perpetuity as he was wont to do.


    The man snorted, his arms crossed. "Took you long enough to come to your senses and finally get a move on."


    The Golden Witch spoke past his remark. "That master and disciple seem awfully close. Especially in private."


    "What, were you peeping on them?" He laughed.


    "Fool." She said. "Did you forget who you''re speaking to? We spend our nights in adjacent rooms. I don''t have to see anything to know."


    "As if I could forget. It''s why I don''t spend my nights anywhere near you."


    "I''ve seen people say that I''m too close with my disciple, but we''re nothing like those two."


    "I''d hope not." Tao Geming recoiled. "They act that way because they''re both women. You''d be completely out of your mind to act the same way with that shrimp. Why does this even need to be explained to you?"


    "It just made me think, that''s all." She said. "I didn''t really have another master-disciple pair to compare us to until now."


    Tao Geming scoffed. "That Liao Lan is a terrible example for you to follow in this regard and many others."


    "What do you mean?"


    He chuckled strangely. "Spend enough time around her and you just might find out."


    His vague reply annoyed her. "Just tell me." She pressed.


    "I''m not about to regurgitate the rumors to you. Ask her yourself. Whichever way you word it, she''ll know what you''re talking about."


    The Golden Witch gave up on the subject. Instead, she asked, "Why did you react so strongly to the idea that I might be as close as that to my disciple?"


    "Are you stupid?" Tao Geming gawked at her, wide eyed. "You don''t even realize how many taboos you''re breaking with this kind of talk, do you? You need my help even more than I thought. No, forget my help; this is something you should have been able to understand without anyone having to spell it out for you."


    "Your aimless rhetoric is really making me angry." She frowned. "You bragged so much about how useful you''d be out on the field, yet you can''t answer a single one of my questions. What good even are you?"


    "Of course I''m no good to someone without a crumb of common sense. You should already know the answer to your stupid questions."


    "Well the fact of the matter is, I''m asking because I don''t know. How should a master and disciple act? I never really understood this. Lately, I feel like I''ve been losing him, and I just don''t know why. I''m wondering if I''m failing at my duties."


    Tao Geming gave her a long, suspicious look. After a lengthy moment, he turned his eyes back towards the camp setters. "I see. Then I misunderstood the issue. Now I know for sure that this is definitely beyond me. Even if I knew the two of you well enough to have an opinion on this, I still wouldn''t be able to tell you squat. But let me tell you one thing - if you start imitating Liao Lan, no matter how right it might feel in the moment, you''ll definitely lose that kid for good."


    The Golden Witch mulled over his words.


    "What was your relationship with your master like?" She asked. When her question was met with silence, she added, "I heard you killed him."


    There was not the slightest flicker in Tao Geming''s ever-present frown.


    The Golden Witch refused to let her question go unanswered. "You''ve been intruding on us for so long, it''s only fair that you tell me at least that much."


    Tao Geming glared at her. "I hated the old man. Our relationship was strictly transactional. I served him, and in turn, he taught me the arts. When I discovered that there was a better way to advance, I killed him to pursue my own path."


    "Betraying your master is also a great taboo, no?"


    Tao Geming looked at her with disdain, letting her leading question linger in the air. But then he flashed an evil grin. "The more the arts advance, the less respect we pay to those ancient rules of old. I''m under no delusions - even all the way back during my day, when push came to shove, you''d struggle to find a single soul willing to make a sacrifice in the name of what''s right. And when I look at you, I realize that the worst may be yet to come."


    A cold moment passed between them. Tao Geming stepped off.


    It was at that moment that Liao Lan had called her over to their freshly lit campfire. Later in the evening, when the Golden Witch pulled out a rope, the woman''s heart nearly gave out as she recalled what it had been used for last time. But to her relief, her new master tied it up around a pair of trees and lied down upon it for sleep.


    The next morning, their trek through the wilderness continued.


    Liao Lan approached Tao Geming. "As I''m sure your highness is aware, men are not allowed in the Fairy Spring Valley."


    "They''ll make an exception for me."


    "I really don''t see that they would..." Liao Lan narrowed her eyes. Tao Geming ignored her.


    "Why did you call him that? ''Your highness''?" The Golden Witch asked. "I don''t like it."


    "It''s how I wish to be called." Tao Geming barked. "None of your business, Fox."


    "Don''t call him that anymore." The Golden Witch instructed her disciple. Tao Geming fumed in silence as Liao Lan nodded. The woman apologetically shrugged at Tao Geming. She covered her mouth with her sleeve to obscure her obnoxious grin.


    Finally, they arrived at the Fairy Spring Valley. It was a beautiful plot of land hidden between the hills. The valley was bathed in lush greenery and the vibrant colors of blooming peach trees. Besides the many little houses that littered the area, circular doors extended into the bottom of the hills and rocky mountains. A river poured down from the heights of a waterfall and snaked around the village, setting the entire scene into perpetual motion.


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    Liao Lan''s eyes glistened with melancholic remembrance. Shao Luli took her hand, helping the woman steady her heart. Already they spotted people approaching them from below, only to turn and flee when they had gotten close enough to make out the intruders.


    "That''s unusual..." Liao Lan noted. "Have you two seniors been here before?"


    "No." The Golden Witch said. Tao Geming, meanwhile, remained silent, drawing their eyes.


    "There''s no place in the world I haven''t been to." He declared the fact without any pride or grandstanding, and approached the Valley with boredom, as if what was about to unfold was nothing more than a tedious chore. Liao Lan readied herself for her unpleasant task. As she led her master through the valley, its inhabitants watched over them from a distance, their swords drawn. Their group approached massive double doors at the foot of a mountain.


    Liao Lan approached and bowed, calling out, "Liao Lan is here to pay her respects to the mistress of the Fairy Spring Valley!"


    An oppressive silence descended upon the valley. But then the ground shook, and the heavy doors slowly parted. A pair of young beauties greeted them, their inexpressive faces looking them over with cold and suspicious eyes. They stepped into grand halls of smooth, chiseled stone, their walls adorned with gold and jade. Innumerable lanterns lit the dark depths as well as the sun lit the outdoors, and the air smelled faintly of perfume and incense.


    Their two guides brought them before the throne of an aloof woman, lightly dressed in jade-green. Her pointy chin rested on her dainty pale wrist, her other hand occupied by a smoking pipe. She was half-turned away from the visitors, stubbornly refusing to grace their presence with so much as a glance from her dark arrogant eyes.


    Liao Lan took a deep breath and bowed. "Liao Lan pays her respects to sect master Sun Jia!"


    But the woman refused to acknowledge her. Liao Lan endured the silence for as much as she could, and then continued. "My master wishes to have an audience with Lady Rose Vine!"


    Finally, her eyes flicked over. The golden haired woman stepped forward.


    "So you''re the one responsible for dredging up this garbage to my doorstep. I don''t know what''s worse, whether you brought a man in here or dragged back this degenerate. But then again, I suppose there''s not much difference between the two." Lady Rose Vine exhaled with disdain. She leaned in closer, examining the visitors. "To think that you''d take a new master in your twilight years. She must be quite powerful to reduce you to that. Or maybe not. Maybe this is just another one of those twisted games you like to play."


    Liao Lan gritted her teeth. Lady Rose Vine crossed her legs and leaned back in her seat. "The Invincible Blood Sea I unfortunately know, but who''s that girl behind you? And what of the jade statue you called your master?"


    "This is my master, the Golden Witch." Liao Lan introduced. "And this is Shao Luli, my disciple."


    Sun Jia''s face wrinkled with disgust. "I suppose I shouldn''t be surprised that you took on such a young girl for an apprentice, but it still makes me sick. Truly, I regret even asking. You poor child."


    Shao Luli''s temper flared. "And what is that supposed to mean?"


    Liao Lan stomped her foot and harshly rebuked her. "Shao Luli! How dare you speak out of order and so rudely!"


    The girl paled and lowered her head. But when her master turned away, she continued to fiercely glare at the woman sitting up above.


    "And you." Sun Jia''s attention turned to the Golden Witch. "It''s no wonder she''d be drawn to you, you know that? I hope ignorance is the only reason you still permit her in your company."


    Shao Luli snorted. "And now you dare to insult my grandmaster too with your vague insinuations!"


    Liao Lan stared daggers into the young woman. "You...!"


    "I''m sorry, master, but I just can''t hold my tongue here! I can''t stand here and listen to these insults to your character!" Shao Luli exclaimed. "And besides, it should be you speaking up for your master here, since she''s insulting her too!"


    Liao Lan was taken aback by her disciple''s fervor. She also found it difficult to argue against her words. "For your own sake, forget about me, and show this woman the respect she deserves! Apologize right now!"


    But much to the woman''s chagrin, Shao Luli stubbornly kept her mouth shut.


    "Are you enjoying yourself, Fox?" Tao Geming asked dryly. "I can''t bear to witness a moment more of this stupid catfight. Just do what you came here to do and let''s get out of here."


    "No one told you to follow us in." The Golden Witch said. "I''d like to find out just what it is that has my disciple so fiercely despised within these halls."


    Lady Rose Vine was quick to respond. "I''m not tainting my halls with the words it would take to describe her transgressions. But needless to say, none of my sisters will feel safe as long as she''s present."


    "...Actually, Tao Geming is right." The Golden Witch snorted. "I''m also getting sick of all this endless dancing around. If the transgression is indeed so unmentionable, then instead of prattling on and on about it with such glee, how about you shut your mouth?"


    Gasps erupted all around the room. Lady Rose Vine twirled her pipe between her fingers. She sharply blew out of her mouth. The great figure of the Golden Witch suddenly twitched, her hand plucking something out of the air. Her clenched fist shifted to reveal the needle she was gripping. The Golden Witch playfully spun it across her fingers and flicked it back towards the throne. The metal wedged itself into the tall back of the woman''s chair, missing her skin by just a hair. Sun Jia''s reaction was far too late; had the Witch willed to hit her with this attack, she would have been hit.


    "Have a match with me, Lady Rose Vine."

 Chapter 5 - Unrivaled Heroine (VIII)

    Lady Rose Vine seethed with disdain upon hearing her brazen challenge. She stood up from her seat. "Tao Geming, state your purpose here! Do you intend to protect these women?"


    The man in question gave her a look as though she was stupid, silently rejecting the notion.


    "Then they will die!" Sun Jia declared. She gestured to her subordinates in attendance, and some of them rushed off. The intruders were taken outside, to a walled off courtyard with thin, sparse grass. Lady Rose Vine''s attendants brought forth a massive whip which they had to carry in as a pair, roughly twenty feet of thick hide studded with iron. Sun Jia took hold of her weapon and glared impatiently at her foe. "Fetch your weapon. It would be undignified of me to strike you down while you''re still unarmed."


    The Golden Witch rolled her yellow eyes. "Disciple, lend me your sword."


    Liao Lan hurried to oblige. As she gave her the weapon, she whispered. "Be careful, master. There''s poison on that whip."


    When the disciple rushed off to the side, their fight began without any additional fanfare. The enormous whip spun in Sun Jia''s hands with terrifying alacrity, stirring up a fierce gale. The woman maneuvered it with light gestures as though it was both weightless and merely an extension of her limbs, its oppressive trajectory cutting off all paths of approach. At first she controlled the whip from the middle, but after a few light steps forward, her grip suddenly moved to one end. A deafening crack erupted through the air as its massive length came down upon the golden haired woman.


    The iron studs smashed into the earth and crushed it to pieces, spewing dirt and dust all over the place. The Golden Witch avoided the attack with a deft sidestep. Sun Jia was swift to recover from her heavy attack, and once again the whip twirled all around to close off all openings. Another attack arrived without any delay. Just the whip''s thunderous crackle set all the observers on edge, as though the sound itself carried enough weight to feel dangerous.


    The strike missed again. The Golden Witch''s footwork was difficult to follow, as though she was shifting around without even moving her feet. Liao Lan remembered this well, and her heart quivered as she recalled the fear she felt when she was on the receiving end of her skills. She found it inexplicably thrilling to observe the mysterious woman''s feats from the side. Despite some of Liao Lan''s previous boisterous words about their relative unimportance, martial arts were still an indelible part of her life. Inevitably, she was enthralled by the action unfolding before her.


    Finally, the Golden Witch attempted to approach. Sun Jia''s eyes widened. The blonde woman ducked beneath the first lap of her opponent''s spinning whip. Lady Rose Vine adjusted her grip, and the next rotation her foe had no choice but to jump over. Sun Jia assumed that it would lead to a fatal mistake, a checkmate and the end of the fight, and yet the Golden Witch had somehow forced herself to land before she was due, long before the fatal strike arrived. Not only that, she darted back out of Lady Rose Vine''s reach before the rotation was complete.


    The Golden Witch hopped over towards a tree. Her fingers pried off a long and thick vine growing over the branches, and with her sword she cut off a length to roughly match her opponent''s. She then discarded Liao Lan''s sword. The vine in her fingers straightened and spun in imitation of the enemy''s style.


    "Stupid monkey." Sun Jia exclaimed, her brows furrowed. She stepped forward, intending to assail her foe once more. But the Golden Witch suddenly brought the vine down upon the tree, and the sturdy bark parted before it as though it was water. The spectators gawked with wide eyes as the upper half of the trunk collapsed to the ground. Sun Jia maintained her grimace, but sweat ran down her brow as she witnessed the spectacle.


    Lady Rose Vine brought her whip down on her opponent''s head. The Golden Witch''s improvised weapon lunged at hers like a snake and struck it cleanly out of the air. Sun Jia''s slender wrists groaned as they struggled to bear the shifting forces at work, and she only barely kept hold of her whip. Not only that, but she was able to wrangle back her control over the weapon and send it to parry the Witch''s vine just as it was about to lick at her body.


    Both of them drew back their whips for just a moment. Their assaults began anew, and their inevitable clash in the air took place once more. This time, Sun Jia''s attack was deflected in such a perilous manner that the steel-wrapped tip of her own whip came crashing down onto her head. The woman gritted her teeth and tried to dodge. Before she could manage that, the green vine wrapped around the falling iron and dragged it away. The weapon in her hands, which shook ceaselessly after the repeated impacts, had been pulled out of her grasp.


    But even once she had been disarmed, the Golden Witch did not relent. Her vine slithered towards her enemy and delivered a resounding slap across the face. It had none of its tree-felling might; but it was still strong enough to send the woman reeling, fighting to retain her footing as though she had been overcome by a bout of drunkenness. Sun Jia crumbled into the dirt, nursing the bright red mark that ran up her cheek.


    "I surrender." She hissed through gritted teeth.


    "You were right." The Golden Witch said. "This really was a waste of time. Even this disciple of mine could have humbled you in combat. To be honest, I don''t understand why she lets you run your mouth about her like that. The two of you should just settle it here."


    The fury in Sun Jia''s eyes ascended to an entirely new level.


    Liao Lan was terrified beyond reason. "Master, what are you saying?! Please don''t make these jests!"


    Sun Jia raised herself from the ground. "Unless your master is willing to take back her words, you''re compelled to stand by them. And I can''t see that dignified woman suffering such a disgrace for the sake of a wretch like you."


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    "I''m not taking anything back." The Golden Witch reassured. "Do it, Liao Lan. I''m not going to help you."


    Liao Lan fell to her knees and pressed her head to the ground. "Lady Rose Vine, I wouldn''t dare! It was gracious enough of you to allow me to live beyond the valley! I know I''m not your peer, there''s no need for this! Just over a few careless words, you don''t need to..."


    "Get up." Sun Jia demanded. "I''ve been waiting for this opportunity for a really long time. Oh, I can really think of no better way to vent my ire."


    But Liao Lan remained where she was. When Sun Jia''s shadow loomed over her, she began to shiver. Suddenly, someone rushed to her side and gripped her shoulders.


    "Grandmaster is right!" Shao Luli urgently spoke. "I''ve seen you fight so many times, I see your battles in my dreams. I know you''re faster and stronger than her. Even a hopeless amateur like me can tell. Please get up, master! Please show her!"


    Sun Jia chuckled. "Had she spent her life working on her martial arts within these hallowed halls, maybe she would be able to stand a chance against me. But her weak character forced her out into the harsh world beyond our valley. What hope does she have, having squandered so much of her life on worldly frivolities?"


    "She''s right." Liao Lan muttered. "Little Lu, don''t anger her. She had nothing to do but to perfect her techniques her, while for the longest time, I had to struggle just to survive. Grandmaster''s words have nothing to do with you. Just get back. I order you!"


    Sun Jia set the tip of her red shoe upon the back of Liao Lan''s head. "Since she intends to play the part of a bug, I''ll just crush her sick head beneath my foot."


    Shao Luli hurled herself onto the woman''s leg. "Get away from her!"


    Sun Jia''s limb snaked out of her grasp before getting brought back down onto the young woman. The kick sent her tumbling across the ground. Liao Lan trembled as she heard the events unfold. Shao Luli stubbornly crawled her way back to her master''s side and bodily shielded her prone form.


    The yellow eyes trembled as they watched the scene.


    Sun Jia shook her head. "You stupid, pitiful girl. I admire your strong sense of loyalty, but it could not possibly be more misplaced. I should have killed her while I still had the chance. Now you''ve been brought here and forced to suffer. When I look at you, all I see is an innocent victim. As compensation, after I rectify my mistake, I''ll allow you to live within the Fairy Spring Valley. You''re still young, so I''m sure you''ll come to terms with your mistake."


    Shao Luli turned her gaze towards Sun Jia. Her tearful eyes were filled with scorn. "And when I look at you, all I see is a jealous hag! That crime of hers that you keep parading, since you were forced to let her leave with her life, it couldn''t have been all that severe, and you just can''t stand it! Crippling her progress was the most you could do. And even that wasn''t enough, because my master is still stronger than you!"


    Sun Jia ground her teeth. "I''ve changed my mind. The only compensation you deserve is a shared grave!"


    Shao Luli turned away from her. "Please, master, come to your senses! I know you can defeat her! Show us! Please let me see the Unrivaled Heroine I love so much!"


    Sun Jia''s arm lunged towards the girl''s neck. The dark robed figure crumpled on the ground suddenly rose. Her elbow smashed into Sun Jia''s forearm and knocked her lethal fingers off their intended path. That same arm then straightened, grabbed Shao Luli, and tossed her back out of harm''s way. Lady Rose Vine leaped away.


    "This is the one thing I''ll never allow you, Sun Jia." Liao Lan declared. Lady Rose Vine snorted in response. Neither of their weapons was within their reach, so they assumed the stance of their sect''s unarmed style. Though at a passing glance their stances appeared to be the same, there were subtle differences that made them drastically different in practice. Lady Rose Vine clung to her relentlessly drilled traditions. Liao Lan''s stance was softer, free flowing; her own. Her tear-reddened eyes burned with fierce determination.


    The two women stepped forward at the same time. Their two figures blurred as they thrust out towards each other with their arms. Liao Lan''s limbs were a little shorter, but Sun Jia was a little slower. In the end, it was speed that reigned supreme. Liao Lan''s first strike sealed one of the meridians in the other woman''s striking arm, and though her attack connected as well, by the time it made contact, it was rendered completely ineffective. In the blink of an eye, the Unrivaled Heroine dealt her a hundred more blows.


    When she concluded the sequence and turned away, Lady Rose Vine crumbled.


    "That''s... not our school..." Sun Jia sputtered.


    "It''s a trick I picked up on the road. Forgive my crude form." Liao Lan intoned her apology in ruthless monotone. She helped her disciple back to her feet. The injury she had suffered made it hard for her to stand.


    The golden haired master breathed a sigh of relief. She took out the sword wedged into the earth. "Liao Lan." She called out, tossing it over to her.


    Liao Lan deftly caught it into her hand. The bare steel glinted temptingly in the sunlight. She glanced back at Sun Jia''s helpless body. Liao Lan thought about it for a long time, but eventually decided to sheathe her weapon.


    "Just do it!" Sun Jia screamed. "I don''t want to live with the shame of having lost to the likes of you!"


    "You made me live with my shame." Liao Lan replied. "It''s only fair."


    When it became clear that the battle was over, the girls of the Fairy Spring Valley rushed over to help their sect master. But it would be many hours before her meridians would be unsealed.

 Chapter 5 - Unrivaled Heroine (Final)

    They took their leave of the Fairy Spring Valley. The injured Shao Luli leaned on her master''s shoulder.


    "Master," she said, "Why did you let that hag live after all that?"


    "Because she''s right about me, little Lu." Liao Lan smiled wistfully. "I was not banished on her whim alone. Someone like me should not be allowed to live in this place. I''ve long ago come to terms with that."


    "I''ll get angry if you keep putting yourself down like that, master. I don''t care how many rumors people spread about you. I don''t care even if every last one of them is true. Even if you''re the worst in the world, I''ll never leave your side."


    Liao Lan seemed taken aback. She turned away from her disciple and sniffled. "Can I really hold you to that?" Her voice trembled as she asked.


    "Kill me if I lie."


    "Enough already!" Liao Lan wailed. She seemed at the end of her rope. "I''ll tell you the story later."


    Once their argument seemed settled, the Golden Witch asked, "Did you really have to drag your fight out to the end like that? You had me feeling nervous for you there. Just what''s gotten into you? I told you you could do it. Did you not believe me?"


    "I''m sorry, master... As you could probably tell, we had a bit of a history together." Liao Lan explained. "We fought against each other so many times, and I always came up short. And after wasting so much time beyond the valley, I thought I''d never catch up to her. And lately, I just haven''t had much faith in my skills anymore..."


    Shao Luli glared fiercely at the Golden Witch. She dodged the young woman''s scornful gaze. Eventually, the grandmaster decided to leave the two of them to their own moment.


    The Golden Witch addressed Tao Geming. "There might be some truth to what that woman said. If Liao Lan had been allowed to focus on her training, she would have been even stronger than she is now. What a waste."


    "To believe that talent alone would be enough to ensure one''s success as a martial artist is a deeply naive notion." Tao Geming replied. "Perhaps only with blood relations as the sole exception, no one is interested in grooming someone to the same level of strength. To be recognized as someone of talent by your superiors in this day and age is tantamount to spelling out your doom."


    "Those underhanded tactics sound exactly like the type of thing you would pride yourself on." She said.


    Tao Geming snorted. "Worried I''ll stifle you, Fox?"


    "Maybe that''s why you''re here." Her yellow eyes glimmered with suspicion.


    "Then do enlighten me. How much of that potential is there even left for you to develop?" Tao Geming asked.


    The Golden Witch let his question remain unanswered.


    "Are you done messing around now?" He asked. "It''s about time you got some real work done."


    The Golden Witch sighed. "Fine, let''s give your way a try."


    Their subsequent travels brought them back to the bustle of cities. As their group briefly separated to take care of each other''s business, the Golden Witch had suddenly found herself cornered by the young Shao Luli. Despite their height difference that bordered on the absurd, the smaller girl boldly stared up into her yellow eyes.


    "Haven''t you had enough yet? Haven''t we entertained you enough?" She asked. "I think we''ve suffered more than enough for your amusement. Or how many more trials are you planning to put my master through until you''re satisfied? Don''t you feel even a little sorry for us? You''re not even a little ashamed of yourself?"


    The Golden Witch guiltily glanced away from her barrage of questions. "Rest easy. I won''t bother you two anymore."


    "So then we''re free to go?" Shao Luli lifted a skeptical brow.


    "I''m not letting you go just yet."


    Shao Luli was instantly furious.


    "You guys don''t want your reward?" The Golden Witch followed up.


    "We don''t need anything! Just leave us alone."


    "Now what kind of a master would I be if I didn''t even teach anything to my disciples?" Her leading question instantly pacified the young woman. "I hope the two of you can handle learning on the road, though."


    Shao Luli still looked sore, utterly unwilling to concede. It had taken her a few moments to reconcile herself with the necessity of the proposal. Reluctantly, she offered a bow. "Grandmaster." Shao Luli said, as respectfully as she could muster, bidding her farewell.


    Though she left with some semblance of grace, as soon as she crossed the corner, the girl dashed out in search of her master. The Golden Witch couldn''t resist the temptation and sneakily followed her behind. When the apprentice delivered the news, Liao Lan was shocked. She was overwhelmed with joy, simply couldn''t believe it. They made it. Master and disciple hugged each other tightly, not a single thought spared to their busy surroundings.


    The golden eyes were filled with yearning as they observed the two. Her heart was seized with inexplicable melancholy. It had taken her a long time to stop intruding on them. She pried herself away to face the scowling man behind her. They exchanged a knowing glance, and the woman''s eyes filled with cold resolve.


    As the days went on, Liao Lan continued to relentlessly tend to her master''s needs. Shao Luli was frustrated by the fervor with which she carried out the duties that had never been demanded of her in the first place. Eventually, when she couldn''t bear the sight of it anymore, she took the older woman aside and said, "Master, you don''t have to keep trying so hard. She''s already training us. The worst is behind us, I don''t think she''ll renege on her obligation now of all times."


    Liao Lan stared at her as if she was confused. "I''m more than happy to carry out my obligations with all due diligence. Actually, I feel more than a little grateful for everything she''s done for us."


    "Master, she put us through so much misery and danger!"


    "Well, it''s not like I forgot. But I can''t act like it''s all bad. I have something to confess, little Lu - ever since master kidnapped me that time, every night I''d been assailed by nightmares of getting dragged back out into that snow field and threatened with a painful death. And you won''t believe it, but ever since I became her disciple, the nightmares stopped. And maybe I''m just desperate to find the good things about our situation, but... I''m really not scared of her anymore... Or of anything..."


    Liao Lan threw a glance at the golden haired woman in question. When Shao Luli noticed the peculiar tenderness in her gaze, she felt herself growing muddleheaded with inexplicable anger. Liao Lan noticed her foul mood. She pressed her forehead up against Shao Luli''s.


    "But if you''re still scared of her... If you really hate that I''ve made this part of your obligations, I''m willing to leave it all behind for you."


    Instantly Shao Luli''s displeasure had been dispelled, and she couldn''t help but mumble, "You don''t have to go that far, master. I know you worked really hard to get us here..."


    With both master and disciple committed to keep following the path they were on for at least a little longer, their days of travel, servitude and learning continued on.


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    ...


    Back within the caves of the Fairy Spring Valley, Sun Jia''s subordinates were carrying out the process of trying to revive her limbs. But their persistent massages of the pressure points resulted in little gain. After a long time, when the woman had finally regained the use of her right arm, and just her right arm, she demanded to be seated upright.


    "Make some ink and fetch me my brush." She ordered, and the women scuttled around to carry out her demand. "Bring me the seal I use for letters to the Jade Princess."


    "Will you be needing your book of poetry as well, madam?" A girl asked.


    "No, not this time. I''m just going to tell her about what happened here today. It''s exactly the sort of information she likes to bother me about. This might even be worth a favor..." Sun Jia''s eyes lit up. She moved her brush around with the utmost grace along the paper, like she was painting an exquisite picture.


    Sun Jia''s letter was then taken far beyond the valley, into the ancient jade halls that once served as the center seat of an empire long past. A diminutive, highly dignified woman whose unique combination of youthful features and a mature air had made it difficult to guess her age at a glance, received it in her spacious study. She disdainfully left it to be read for last in her current batch of messages. She perused a variety of reports, several of which bore the insignia of the Jianghu Investigative Bureau. Soon she ran out of things to read, and eyed the remaining letter with an unwilling smile.


    "More love ballads for the darling Jade Princess?" A voice emerged from the corner of the room. A smooth-shaved, tall man sat in the corner of the study, a halberd leaning against the wall beside him. The woman had earned her nickname on the back of a couple of essays written during her youth on the matters of governance, which left a strong impression on the public when it came to her level of education. Years later, when her husband and son ran off in search of martial strength and never returned, and when practically all power over what remained of their splintered domain ended up in her hands, long after she could no longer be considered a princess at all, the title still stuck in the public eye.


    "Oh, shut up." And despite her dignified bearing, out came the voice of a petulant brat. Her bodyguard''s shoulders heaved with amusement. Wu Rong rubbed her eyes. "I don''t have any time for that woman''s antics. I still haven''t come up a better way to organize our military."


    "I thought you already decided that it was hopeless." The bodyguard noted.


    "Maybe it is pointless! Maybe there really is no way to organize the entire animal kingdom under a single coherent military structure. You try to make the rats, the cats, the lions, and the elephants all work together cohesively! And all the while they took on the guise of common men!"


    Wu Rong finally braced herself and unrolled Sun Jia''s letter. She breathed a sigh of relief when the contents turned out to be something other than the usual middling poetry. Her brow creased with intrigue.


    "It''s another report about the golden haired one." She narrated. "Worse yet, it seems that she teamed up with the Invincible Blood Sea."


    The woman''s fingers ran across her face as she pondered the news.


    "Well, that''s not a surprise, right?" The man behind her pointed out. "They''ve always been seen traveling in the same parts pretty much ever since the golden one''s emerged."


    "It was fine for them to loom over each other like that." Wu Rong said. "To me it meant that they were either chasing each other, hiding from each other, or trying to kill each other. That made for a potential beneficial outcome for us. But now that they''re working together, it could mean that the eternal vagabond Tao Geming might have formed an ambition in that head of his worth uniting over with another human being for. He was always uncontrollable, but his rampages were ultimately harmless in the big picture. So if we not only have a second Invincible Blood Sea on our hands, but both of them are part of the same team and working towards some villainous goal, who could even contest them anymore?"


    Wu Rong arranged some figurines over a map. "Just look at the path she''s taking. Look at the people she''s targeting! Doesn''t it just give you the creeps?"


    The bodyguard threw a glance at her machinations, but the red crescent she had formed on the map told him little. Wu Rong explained, "It''s like they''re circling our Tang, can''t you see? Vultures, flying around their future prey."


    "Maybe you''re being a little paranoid, your majesty? Why would they go out of their way to avoid us in particular? I think, vagabonds that they are, they''re just wandering at random." The bodyguard said. "But then again, I''m not the Jade Princess, so why don''t you go with your gut on this?"


    "There is no way this is the result of a whimsical mind. Tao Geming did something similar before to build himself a reputation, but there''s a key difference here - this far in, we still don''t know her name. It''s not right. I don''t like this." Wu Rong jittered restlessly over her map. "What if that Tao Geming has always had a plan all along, and was just waiting for a peer to carry it out with?"


    Wu Rong clapped her hands and demanded paper. "First of all, I need to tell the Bureau to back off. Maybe they''ve been able to fool the girl so far and keep an eye on her, but Tao Geming knows all their tricks. He''s on the ''do not pursue'' register for a reason. Heads will roll. But we can''t leave them completely unattended either. I wonder if they''re still in contact with elder Ma... That old beggar is probably their only hope at bloodless espionage."


    The Jade Princess wrote down her frantic thoughts. "Maybe we should also call on the Sword Sage..."


    "The maniac got really upset the last time you summoned him." The bodyguard reminded. "He just might cut off all ties with you altogether if you do it again for anything short of an apocalypse."


    "Right..." Wu Rong shelved the idea for now. She finished her letter. With it sent out, half the world seemed to stir into motion.


    ...


    Back in the Kunlun Mountains, within the bloodstained halls of the He residence, a familiar scene replayed itself in ceaseless perpetuity. The golden haired reaper in robes of stainless white silk wandered the mansion with a sword in hand, her stepless passage leaving a perpetual blood trail in her wake. In her free hand she dragged a disfigured victim along the smooth floor, her masked visage searching around every corner for her next victim.


    The yellow glow behind her eye slits had finally glimpsed her next target. Her massive figure smoothly and quickly shuffled closer. Once her next sacrifice was within reach of those grotesquely long arms, she released the dangling corpse and set her bloodied fingers on her artificial face. She peeled back the featureless mask...


    ...Revealing the girl smiling sweetly underneath.


    Bai Guo jolted awake once more, dripping with cold sweat.

 Chapter 6 - Jade Princess (I)

    Bai Guo awoke in a field of tall grass. The morning breeze chilled the sweat running down his brow. He rose from his makeshift bedding and wiped his forehead. This night, like many others, had brought him little rest. Ever since he had separated from his master weeks ago, he was plagued by these nightmares. He had never actually witnessed the events that kept replaying in his head; he was not even certain that they ever took place. But his vivid memories of the sect master''s halls during his time as a captive made the imagery all too easy to believe each and every time.


    When she returned to him that night, her robe was caked in the blood of more than just one person. That was Bai Guo''s initial impression. At first, Bai Guo was contented by her reassurances to the contrary. But when his uncle threw the accusation right at their faces, Bai Guo''s suspicions were reignited. He could not continue to deceive himself so easily. The mere possibility of it being true had unsettled him deeply, rendering his nights restless.


    He glanced around, wary of every shadow. He found nothing but the morning dew glistening atop the blades of grass. His anxiety began to wear off. Bai Guo''s bloodshot eyes filled with focus. He took up his bedroll and mounted his auburn steed, rushing towards a settlement not far from his camping spot. Bai Guo and his master had previously spent a night in this place during their tumultuous travels. He sought out a familiar face, a young man a year older whom the young apprentice had made quick friends with over a few drinks.


    Bai Guo found the youth in question lazing at the porch of his father''s inn. His mouth gaped in surprise at the sight of the weary traveler before curling into a smile.


    "Well, if it isn''t brother Guo!" The young man sprayed out his arms as he approached. "And you told me not to expect you back any time soon!"


    "This was unexpected for me too, brother Chong." Bai Guo said with a friendly smile of his own. "I was out on an errand, and I ran into a bit of trouble."


    "What''s wrong? Anything that I can help with?" Brother Chong was quick to volunteer. As Bai Guo feigned hesitation, the young man became more insistent until Bai Guo finally gave in.


    "Look, the truth is, I''m being pursued by people from the Jianghu Investigative Bureau." Bai Guo explained. "They''re tailing me in the hopes that I''ll lead them to another brother of mine, and I just can''t seem to shake them off."


    "Those rats!" Brother Chong spat. "I''ll get my father to make sure that nobody in this town tells on you. He''s well respected, they''ll listen. Though I doubt that it will stump them for long, I''ve heard they''ve really got a knack for digging up information. But what else can we do?"


    "I might have an idea." Bai Guo said. Brother Chong nodded along eagerly. "This coat I made from a wolf is pretty distinctive, right? You and I are about the same height and build, so if you wear this, it''ll be next to impossible to tell us from afar. It''s already getting warmer, so I''ll be fine without it. Take my horse and ride out north, and take your sword with you too; not because I expect them to give you any trouble, but because it will make us look even more alike. By the time they catch on to the ruse, I''ll be long gone."


    "That''s clever, brother Guo." He grinned. "How far do you think I should go?"


    "As far as you can, brother Chong, and for as long as you can. Here''s a bit of travel money to make it easier on you."


    Bai Guo took out a golden tael and put it in his friend''s hands. Brother Chong gawked at the hefty chunk of gold in his palm. "Brother Guo, isn''t this a little much?"


    In the midst of his confusion, Bai Guo continued. "Since I''m imposing on you, I should at least help you feel more comfortable on the road. Feel free to treat yourself. The more you spend, the better. It''ll draw more attention."


    His friend laughed with excitement. "You can count on me, brother Guo! Rest assured, I''ll keep those rats off of you for a long time!"


    The two of them hugged, and Bai Guo''s plan was set into motion. Shortly after brother Chong had set off, Bai Guo waited on the second floor of that same inn, observing the streets from a window. Just as predicted, he had spotted half a dozen mounted investigators clad in blue and white crossing the street. They halted briefly to question the locals, and rushed their horses off in pursuit of the false trail.


    Bai Guo breathed a sigh of relief. He purchased a black horse and continued east. Several days later, he arrived at Cui Shen''s old residence. The old servant, Eagle Eyed Yan, managed to make him out from a mile away. But because his masters were home this time, the old man could offer little hospitality without first putting him through due courtesies, and the young man had little desire to socialize with them. After assuring him that Cui Shen was fine when he had seen him last, Bai Guo asked him to take care of his horse while he was gone. The elder promised to oblige him with at least that much.


    Bai Guo was soon back to that familiar bog, seeking out the mansion that lied hidden deep within. For the very first time, his eyes were able to make out the shapes of snakes and toads lurking in the grasses. Terrified of the dangers their venoms held, Bai Guo gave the slithering denizens a wide berth. He had assumed that finding his way back to the residence was going to be a simple matter, but his trek through the swamp stretched on and on. Bai Guo had eventually wandered into a place so dense with vegetation that even the sun''s rays could only barely seep through.


    His ears picked up the soft sound of a low, barely audible whistle. By the time he had thought to turn towards it, something flew past his eyes and wedged into a tree. It was a long needle, thick as a finger. Shortly after being struck, the tree began to wilt; the green leaves along its branches darkened and fell to the ground. Bai Guo next heard the squeaking of dirt right behind him. Turning around, he found the old mistress of the land. Lady Ouyang had crept up so closely that the young man was startled by the sight of her. He nearly stumbled over his feet as he backed away.


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    Her stern face remained impassive beneath her wide-brimmed hat, but her eyes, one of them marred by a long vertical scar, glared like a pair of green daggers.


    "You stupid kid." She berated. "You''re so lucky, you should consider yourself born again. Had I not recognized you at the very last moment, you would have been dead. Without your master at your side, you look just like any other overcurious fool trespassing on my domain."


    Bai Guo shivered as though he had been doused with cold water. He bowed. "Thank you for sparing my life, lady Ouyang."


    "Why have you come here? Where is your master?"


    "I''ve come alone. I need to speak with brother Shen."


    "Making sure I''m holding up to our agreement, I see." Any interest Ouyang Chen may have held in the matter was gone without a trace. She turned away. "Follow me."


    They took a sharp turn, heading in the opposite direction of Bai Guo''s initial path. They trudged through the swamp in silence, their course shifting constantly until the young man had once again lost track of where they were.


    Lady Ouyang''s voice startled him. "How is that master of yours? Does the girl still squander her time playing with weapons?"


    "...Yes." Bai Guo forced out after an awkward pause.


    But just as he grasped the curtness of his reply and rushed to elaborate, the old woman responded, "What a waste."


    Bai Guo held his tongue. They had soon finally encroached upon familiar territory for Bai Guo. He distinctly remembered being led along the same path by Ling Ling during their very first meeting. A short walk brought them out of the darkness into the vibrant flower field surrounding the old house. Try as Bai Guo might, his eyes failed to spot a single blemish left over from Tao Geming''s rampage. Though some of the flowers had changed, the harmony of colors was preserved.


    "I heard you helped quite a bit the last time you were here. Well done." Lady Ouyang said, reading him like an open book. Her words sent a chill down Bai Guo''s spine. Her deadpan praise may have sounded innocuous, and it truly may have been no more than what it seemed. But since his time with Ling Ling was a secret they both tried to keep from her, he couldn''t help but feel like there was a warning hidden within.


    The mistress'' early return, and with a guest no less, had drawn out the residents. The youngest girls seemed glad to have the appearance of a familiar yet fresh face break up their daily routine; the old nun and Ling Ling were surprised, but not particularly enthused. Ouyang''s apprentice began to search for something else to look at. The swordsman clad in black, Cui Shen, approached his sworn brother, both relief and worry in equal measure written on his pale face.


    "Little brother, is that you? Where''s your master?" He asked, instantly grasping the unease in Bai Guo''s features.


    "I came alone. I have to speak with you." Bai Guo explained. Cui Shen nodded and invited him inside. To his surprise, the young man remained unmoving. He was wrought with reluctance. But after a silent struggle, he pressed on. "No, I must ask you now. Brother Shen, did you kill senior Long Delun of the Jianghu Investigative Bureau?"


    Cui Shen flinched at the question. As the accusation lingered in the air, his dark eyes filled with shame. He lowered his head and answered, "I did."


    "Why?" Bai Guo hissed through his teeth, his fists clenching.


    "When I was making my way through the Wuyi Sect, that elder interfered. He was determined to stop me at all costs. But I could not abandon my task."


    "That makes no sense." Bai Guo shook his head. "Senior Long was a man of integrity. Why would he act on that villain''s behalf?"


    Cui Shen closed his eyes. "It did not seem right to me either. Our battle revealed the strength of his character. It was difficult for me to accept that someone like him could abide by that kind of evil. I have spent a lot of time thinking back on that encounter. I believe he simply wasn''t aware of the sect master''s crimes."


    Bai Guo rubbed his forehead. In his agitation, he had nearly forgotten the sequence of events. The letter he had written to his uncle must have been the first time the Wuyi Sect''s atrocities had been revealed, and he wrote it days after the killings in the mountains.


    Cui Shen asked, "Who was this man to you?"


    "An old mentor of my uncle and I..." Bai Guo said. Their brief exchange seemed to drain him completely. "So he died just because of a misunderstanding...?" He muttered in disbelief. Since neither of them were willing to accept that Long Delun could have been complicit in the crimes of the Wuyi Sect, and since Bai Guo was likewise unwilling to doubt his brother, only that remained as the sole explanation.


    Bai Guo languished in silence. Cui Shen had nothing to say to ease the young man''s burdens. After a time, he looked up at his older brother.


    "The Jianghu Investigative Bureau is looking for you now." He finally said. "They want to avenge senior Long."


    Cui Shen turned grave. Lady Ouyang snorted upon hearing his words. "You came all the way out here just to deliver that warning? Those cowards wouldn''t dare to show their faces around here. I can''t believe you couldn''t figure that out on your own. You really wasted your time coming here."


    She turned back towards the bog. "I don''t have time to attend to our guest. Cui Shen, you can handle this yourself. You two are free to catch up with each other at your leisure."


    Bai Guo bowed as the old woman took her leave.


    Ling Ling then also bowed to Cui Shen. "I must prepare for my trip with mistress Ouyang tomorrow. Junior martial brother, sorry for putting this all on you."


    "It''s not a problem." He assured. The girl offered a stiff bow to the guest and left without so much as looking him in the eye. The other residents followed her. Cui Shen asked, "Brother Guo, will you be staying?"


    "I shouldn''t impose..." Bai Guo replied, still half-stuck in his daze.


    "There''s no harm. Knowing your master''s traveling habits, you must have come from afar. You should at least rest a little before you go back."


    Bai Guo weakly nodded. Cui Shen led him inside.

 Chapter 6 - Jade Princess (II)

    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?"


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    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.