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Thread: Legendary Book of Sun-Moon Swordplay - The Prequel

  1. #301
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    Quote Originally Posted by H.Ge-C.Liu View Post
    Sounds good! Thanks for tracking Mel down BR.
    Especially looking forward to #2 and #4.

    Sung Hin...if I remember correctly, works for Sit Chung Nam? I better go read the first few chapters to refresh my memory.
    No problem about that part about tracking down Melanie. It took a while to get her to respond, but once she did, she rewarded me with spoilers.

    Melanie wouldn't tell me who will be casted as Bak Fei Long, but I begged her to cast Kevin Cheng, since I think he's so hot and certainly on par with all the other hot men already in her story. Another alternative would be Huang Xiao Ming. He's hot, too.

    I'm wondering about what got Bak Yuek Lam so mad at her hubby, too. Could it be that he had cheated on her in the past?

    I'm also wondering about what trouble awaits Sit Chung Nam. I actually find him rather amusing and sweet and not as scary as he seems. Maybe it's because he's so sweet to Yan. I bet he'll be severely injured and Yan will suddenly realize that she loves him!

    Sung Hin is Sit Chung Nam's second-in-command and first appears in Chapter 2. I've re-read her chapters a hundred times and each time I keep wondering if Yuan Hong will get a bigger role. I like Yuan Hong and hope he'll get a love interest.

  2. #302
    Senior Member H.Ge-C.Liu's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Black Rose View Post
    No problem about that part about tracking down Melanie. It took a while to get her to respond, but once she did, she rewarded me with spoilers.

    Melanie wouldn't tell me who will be casted as Bak Fei Long, but I begged her to cast Kevin Cheng, since I think he's so hot and certainly on par with all the other hot men already in her story. Another alternative would be Huang Xiao Ming. He's hot, too.

    I'm wondering about what got Bak Yuek Lam so mad at her hubby, too. Could it be that he had cheated on her in the past?

    I'm also wondering about what trouble awaits Sit Chung Nam. I actually find him rather amusing and sweet and not as scary as he seems. Maybe it's because he's so sweet to Yan. I bet he'll be severely injured and Yan will suddenly realize that she loves him!

    Sung Hin is Sit Chung Nam's second-in-command and first appears in Chapter 2. I've re-read her chapters a hundred times and each time I keep wondering if Yuan Hong will get a bigger role. I like Yuan Hong and hope he'll get a love interest.
    Haha. Much luckier than tweety. She's gone bald so many times due to fake spoilers.

    I'm neutral towards Kevin Cheng. His acting didn't impress me in Beyond the Realm of Conscience (Gong Sum Gai/宫心计) and a role in BBJX only just managed to get himself redeemed in my eyes. I'm fine with Huang Xiao Ming, although his acting in ROCH06 was slightly exaggerated.
    ===My views are below, provided that BRL's portrayal of her brother is correct (Chapter 9 - Ambush). ---> Handsome and scholarly.

    Aesthetically, both guys look okay, so I don't mind if Mel casts them in her story just so readers can visualise BFL.
    I actually had Ken Chang in mind for BFL (he was Yang Zong Bao in Legendary Fighter - Yang's Heroine and Cui Shan in HSDS2009). Chen Kun (he was hawt in Painted Skin II ) or Yuan Hong suit as well.

    Cheat? On BRL? Big no no. Not just because Hu Ge is cast as MJH. I just don't see MJH (the character) as a two-timing sort of guy. Hopefully it's just because they couldn't reach a consensus about some serious matter....as long as it's not cheating.
    Biases: Hu Ge, Qiao Zhenyu, Liu Shi Shi
    Jiang Hu Fansubs - Recruiting members (especially translators).

  3. #303
    Senior Member charbydis's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by H.Ge-C.Liu View Post
    I actually had Ken Chang in mind for BFL
    Sorry, but I spent the last few minutes laughing my head off until I realised I misread your post as referring to Ken Cheng!
    "Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self."
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  4. #304
    Senior Member Melanie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by charbydis View Post
    Sorry, but I spent the last few minutes laughing my head off until I realised I misread your post as referring to Ken Cheng!
    Charby, you don't even know who Bak Fei Lung is. How can you know that Ken (Cheng) is not the perfect model for this character?


    HG-CL
    I didn't know who Ken Chang was until you identified him as the guy playing Yang Zhongbao. Yup, he certainly would be a great Bak Fei Lung. He wasn't who I had in mind, but he would be a very good choice - handsome, scholarly, and just has that very gentlemanly aura.

    You certainly have a high opinion of Miu Jing Hung. Kuk Wai was a perfectly nice guy, too, and yet, look what happened.

    Black Rose
    I'm seriously thinking of adding in a love interest for Sung Hin (Yuan Hong). He won't have a huge role, but it will be important enough.

    The only impression I have of Kevin Cheng in an ancient drama is the one in Beyond the Realm of Conscience (can't really remember the title of the drama) with Charmaine Sheh. He looked handsome but was quite wooden instead of scholarly. However, I suppose we just need to imagine his face and don't have to watch him act in a written story.

  5. #305
    Senior Member Melanie's Avatar
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    CHAPTER 14 --- BIRTHDAY STONES

    Characters appearing in this chapter:
    Sun Fei Fei---Fa Heung Yan a.k.a. Black Rose 花香燕
    Wallace Chung Hon Leung---Sit Chung Nam 薛钟南
    Cecilia Liu Shi Shi---Bak Yeuk Lam 白弱琳
    Hu Ge---Miu Jing Hung 苗靖雄
    Wallace Huo Jian Hua---Kuk Wai 曲偉
    Chen Hao---Fa Heung Ling a.k.a. Poison Snake 花香伶

    MORNING
    BLUE MOON VILLAGE
    FOREST OF SHIFTING ECHOES

    Somebody was pummeling her head with rock-hard fists from the inside. The beating was unrelenting and gaining force so that her skull felt like it was going to explode. Surprisingly, the banging inside her head did not irritate her as much as the annoyingly bright yellow light blasting onto her face, magnifying the painful throbbing behind her eyes a million times.

    Yan tried to turn her head away from the brightness, but her head felt heavy and disconnected from her shoulders. Finally, unable to bear the brightness any longer, she peeled open her eyes and tried to locate the light source. She blinked stupidly at the radiant sunrays bathing her in a golden pool of warmth and groaned as her headache worsened. Rubbing her eyes, she moaned and tried to remember where she was. Seconds later, she moaned again, this time with embarrassment as last night’s drunken actions flooded back. Her cheeks ignited from the memory of her unladylike behavior, but she didn’t have time to dwell on her embarrassing actions as some loud noise to her left distracted her.

    She heard a deep male voice grumble and swear. The grating sound of shifting rocks occasionally drowned out the swearing. Confused, she gingerly sat up and glanced around, trying to locate the source of the noise.

    A few feet to her left, she spied Sit Chung Nam crouched on the forest ground near a pile of rocks of varioius sizes. His back was facing her and she noticed that he had stripped off his long outer robe due to the heat. Seemingly unaware that she was awake and staring at him, he dug systematically into the forest ground, flicking aside dirt and ripping out rocks. The hot morning sun beat down on his muscular back, heating his tanned skin, as rivulets of sweat trickled down toward the waistband of his pants. He shifted slightly and provided Yan with a view of his profile. Curious, Yan watched him examine each rock and pebble he dug up intensely, muttering under his breath. After each examination, he would appear dissatisfied with the particular stone he was holding and then toss it into the pile of rocks next to him.

    Her headache suddenly gone now and replaced by curiosity, Yan quietly stood up and tiptoed over to Sit Chung Nam. She stood directly behind him and peered over his shoulder, silently observing him scrutinize a small, smooth coral-colored pebble. He held the pebble up and closed one eye, rolling the stone between his thumb and index finger and surveying it as if he were appraising fine gems.

    “Not red,” Chung Nam muttered in disgust. “Why is it so difficult to find some blasted red-colored pebbles in this forest? I just need to find one more.”

    Swearing in frustration, he tossed the pebble aside. He then shoved his hands into the pebbly forest ground, ignoring the sharp corners of the rocks as they dug into the flesh of his hands, and resumed his search for that elusive red rock. For several more minutes, Yan watched Chung Nam dig, grunt, mutter, swear, and then repeat the whole cycle again.

    Yan waited for Chung Nam to acknowledge her presence, but he continued to ignore her as if he were completely unaware of her standing behind him. At first, she stared at his back suspiciously, unsure why he was digging around in the forest. Had he lost his mind? She dismissed that assumption immediately when she heard him curse again, which she thought derisively was very much in character with his bad-tempered personality. Suddenly, a mischievious idea popped into her mind. She stretched one hand out, intending to poke him on the shoulder and scream loudly into his ear to frighten him. However, before she could even move, he suddenly leapt to his feet and grabbed her hand. With a firm tug, he yanked her toward him, his arms encircling her like steel bands.

    “What are you doing?!” Yan squealed in surprise and pushed against his bare chest, her fingers slipping against his sweat-slicked skin.

    He ignored her squirming and tightened his hold around her. His expression thunderous, he glared at her.

    “What are YOU doing?” Chung Nam shot the question back at Yan. He lowered his head so that his face was a mere inch away from hers. “I don’t like people sneaking up behind me. Did you think I did not hear you approaching me?” His breath fanned hotly against her lips as he scowled at her.

    “I wasn’t sneaking up behind you.” Yan denied with bad temper.

    She tried to keep her face from turing red from the lie, as she indeed had intended to sneak up behind him and jab him in the back just to get a good laugh at seeing him startled. She arched her back so that she could put some distance between their faces. However, he forced her back toward him so that he could glower right into her face again.

    “No?” Chung Nam raised his eyebrows, his expression dubious.

    Pressing her lips firmly together, Yan again lied through her teeth. “Absolutely not. Why would I sneak up on you? I have better things to do.”

    “Like what?” He challenged.

    “Like what what?” Yan retorted, obstinate but obviously flustered at being so close to a half-naked man. She stiffened her back and refused to appear embarrassed.

    Chung Nam paused and studied her pugnacious yet embarrassed expression. Finally, his irateness melted away, replaced by an amused look as one corner of his mouth lifted slightly upward in a crooked grin.

    “Do I make you uncomfortable?” He drawled.

    “No!” Yan nearly shouted at him, her face turning crimson.

    “No?” He shifted his hold around her slightly, the corners of his mouth twitching as he tried to stop himself from bursting out in laughter.

    “Yes, I am perfectly comfortable right now!” Yan retorted stubbornly.

    The minute the words left her mouth, she clamped her lips together, realizing how misleading those words sounded.

    “Really?” Chung Nam raised his eyebrows at her claim at being “perfectly comfortable” in his arms. “Well, then maybe we should embrace more often, since I am perfectly comfortable in this pose, too.” He murmured seductively and leaned down to nuzzle at the side of her neck.

    “Ugh!” Yan protested and batted at his face.

    She arched back even further, hoping to put more distance between their bodies.

    “What is wrong, Yan Yan? I thought you were ‘perfectly comfortable’ in this position?” He teased.

    “You...you...you’re sweaty and you smell!” Yan blurted out, for lack of anything better to say.

    Surprised, Chung Nam jerked his head up and stared down at a very indignant Yan. He honestly did not know whether he should be offended or amused by her words. Finally, he burst out in laughter, which seemed to turn her peeved expression into a furious one.

    “What is so funny?” She asked mutinously.

    When he continued to chortle and ignore her question, she stiffened her back and shoved at his chest. This time, he allowed her to escape from his embrace.

    Throwing him an annoyed glance, Yan muttered, “I don’t understand what is so funny. You indeed smell.”

    She huffed and crossed her arms across her chest, her stance combative as she glared at a laughing Chung Nam. She waited impatiently for him to quiet down. When his laughter finally tempered down to an amused grin, she lifted her chin slightly and bestowed upon him her most patronizing gaze, the perfect image of icy elegance.

    “Why were you digging around in the forest? What were you looking for? Is there some hidden treasure I don’t know about?” Yan inquired casually, though her eyes sparkled with a hint of curiosity.

    At her question, Chung Nam lost his amusement. Surprisingly, he appeared almost embarrassed now.

    He shrugged and tried to appear nonchalant. “I wasn’t looking for anything.”

    “You weren’t looking for anything?” Yan repeated suspiciously. She swept her arm in a wide arc, indicating the gaping holes in the forest ground and the piles of pebbles and rocks. “So...you were just digging holes in the forest with your bare hands for fun?”

    “Yes,” he answered with a deadpan expression.

    He crossed his arms across his chest and planted his feet slightly apart, his belligerent expression almost daring her to challenge his answer.

    Unperturbed by his menacing look, Yan narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. “You must be hiding what you were digging around for in your robes!”

    Before Chung Nam could fathom what she planned to do, Yan dashed past him and ran straight for his white robe, which had been thrown haphazardly onto the ground next to a discarded pile of rocks.

    “I’m going to see what you’re hiding!” She shrieked mischievously like a child.

    “Hey!” Chung Nam yelled out, too surprised by her sudden action to grab her as she streaked by.

    Giggling gleefully, Yan proceeded to search Chung Nam’s robe pockets. Extremely indignant, he rushed up and tore his gown from her grasp, but not soon enough to prevent her from upending the contents of his pockets. Two smooth rocks fell out and tumbled to the forest ground. Yan stared at them briefly with confusion. The ruby-red stones, their surfaces polished to a glossy smooth finish by years of exposure to the elements, glimmered in the golden sunlight. Intrigued, Yan leaned down and picked up the two stones. Holding them up toward the sun, she examined them with interest.

    “What are these?” She pursed her lips and focused her gaze on Chung Nam. “They look like red-colored stones.”

    “How astute of you.” Chung Nam grumbled sarcastically. “Now give them back to me.” He quickly snatched the stones out of Yan’s hands. He stuffed the two stones back into his robe pocket and glared at her.

    “You were digging all over the forest this morning looking for some red stones?” Yan narrowed her eyes at him. “Why?”

    “Why what?” A black expression fell over his face as he pretended to not understand her question.

    “Why were you digging around in the dirt for rocks?” Yan persisted, resting her hands impatiently on her waist, exasperated by his feigned ignorance.

    Chung Nam crossed his arms across his chest, unconsciously jutting his chin out defensively. “I don’t have to explain my actions to you.”

    He turned away from her, intending to walk away, but Yan chased after him

    “What is so special about those stones? Do they have magical powers?” She tried to reach into his gown pocket again. “May I see them again?”

    Frowning, Chung Nam yanked his robe away from Yan, keeping it out of her reach. “No, you may not see them again,” he replied tersely. He turned his back on her and proceeded to ignore her as he busied himself with dusting the debris from his robe.

    Undeterred by his rudeness, Yan stared at Chung Nam’s back speculatively. “Hmmm... Red stones... Could it be that you’re looking for the legendary three red stones mentioned in the bedtime story I told you last evening so that you can revive the little star fairy, Ruby Dust?” Yan’s jaw dropped incredulously. Then, in the next minute, she started chortling with amusement. “So no-nonsense, evil-to-the-core Sit Chung Nam actually believes in fairytales?”

    As Yan continued laughing, Chung Nam stiffened his back, immensely offended that she would think such a thing about him. “No, of course, I don’t believe in fairytales. I’m too sensible to believe in such nonsense.”

    “If you think fairytales are nonsense, then why were you digging around for the red stones?” Yan countered, still grinning widely.

    Again, Chung Nam tried to ignore Yan’s probing by turning his back on her and calmly putting on his robe. However, she skipped around him.

    Stationing herself in front of Chung Nam, Yan wagged her finger teasingly in front of his nose. “Oh, are you too shy to admit that you are a romantic at heart and want Ruby Dust to reunite with her Sun God?”

    Chung Nam scoffed. “I’m a romantic? Hardly.” He pretended to be preoccupied by adjusting his waist sash, hoping she would drop the subject.

    “Then why were you spending so much effort looking for the three red stones if not to help reunite Ruby Dust and the Sun God?” Yan continued to badger him.

    He looked up, a scowl starting to form on his face. However, what he saw transfixed him, and he quickly forgot about frowning.

    A huge grin graced Yan’s face, so radiant that even the bright sun cannot rival. The sunrays embraced her from behind, bathing her in a hazy, golden pool of warmth. Her fair complexion, so flawless, glowed softly, while tendrils framed an angelic face. Perhaps he was prejudiced by his growing feelings for her, but her beauty, at this very moment, seemed peerless and untouchable.

    “What?” Yan laughed at Chung Nam’s blank expression, completely oblivious of his thoughts. “You aren’t going to continue denying that you’re a romantic?”

    Snapping out of his reverie, he huffed. “I’m not a romantic, and I don’t believe that three little red stones can bring together some bedtime tale characters.”

    “Liar!” Yan accused teasingly. “You believe in the magical power of those stones. If not, why would you spend all morning digging for them?” She lifted one of his hands, examining the bloody scrapes he obtained from digging in the rocky earth.

    Chung Nam stared down at Yan’s delicate hand holding his rougher, larger one. Slowly, he shifted his glance toward her eyes. For a moment, he just stared at her.

    Finally, he sighed and admitted, “I spent all morning looking for those ridiculous stones, because I thought you would like to have them.”

    Yan peered up at him, flabbergasted. “The red stones are for me?”

    He shrugged, trying to mask his embarrassment with nonchalance. “Sure.”

    Still bewildered, Yan cocked her head slightly. “Why?”

    “Because you believe in that Ruby Dust and Sun God story.” He answered simply. “From the way you were telling that story last night, I could tell that you really think that pair of ill-fated lovers are real and will actually be able to reunite if you find three red stones in this forest.”

    He removed the two crimson-colored stones from his robe pocket and placed them into her palm.

    “I was hoping to find three red-colored stones before presenting them to you as a surprise. I searched all morning, but unfortunately, I could only find two red-colored stones in this entire forest. You would think there would be more colored stones in such a large forest.” He muttered, clearly disgruntled.

    Yan stared dumbly at the two rocks in her hand. Their smooth surfaces felt cool in the palm of her hand, and yet, she could feel an unexpectedly pleasant warmth spreading through her, enveloping her heart. His thoughtful gesture rendered her speechless.

    Unaware of Yan’s thoughts, Chung Nam frowned at her stunned reaction. Her silence made him feel stupid and silly.

    “Look, don’t think I am going to do anything so ridiculous for you again.” Chung Nam mumbled defensively. “This morning was a complete waste of my time. I have better things to do than to go digging around for ‘magical stones.‘ I just thought you would like the rocks as a birthday gift.”

    When Yan remained silent, he glowered at her, feeling utterly foolish for nearly upturning the entire forest to look for some mythical colored stones.

    “If you don’t want the stones, then give them back.” Chung Nam growled as he reached for the rocks in Yan’s open palm.

    Immediately closing her hand into a tight fist, Yan hid her hands behind her back, keeping the rocks safely out of Chung Nam’s reach. “No! I want the stones!”

    She smiled softly at him, her eyes shining. Mollified, Chung Nam’s temper simmered down. Though Yan’s smile pleased him immensely, he pretended indifference. He grunted at her, giving her his most stern expression. Without saying another word, he turned away, intending to go to the lake to wash up.

    At that moment, Yan’s gentle whisper stopped him. “Sit Chung Nam... Wait...”

    Chung Nam halted his footsteps, and with his back still turned to her, he waited.

    Words eluded Yan for a minute. She shifted her feet awkwardly. Her thumb brushed over the smooth surface of the stones in her palm, while her eyes drifted toward Chung Nam’s hands. They dangled loosely at his sides, large masculine hands roughened from years of combat and handling of weapons. The fresh bruises and scrapes on his hands from digging seemed almost inconsequential when compared to those old combat scars and calluses, but somehow they touched Yan’s heart greatly.

    Finally, after a long moment, she spoke hesitantly, “Thank you.”

    Though her words were barely audible, he could hear them clearly. Those two words, so sweet, made all his digging in the hot sun this morning worthwhile. He smiled briefly but kept his back turned to her so that she couldn’t see his grin.

    He merely grunted in response to her words of gratitude. “We should start on our journey back to Floating Cloud Summit. I have been away for too long.”

    “All right,” Yan agreed, still in a daze, as she watched him wash his hands and face at the lake.

    Every time he showed her kindness and thoughfulness, she felt flustered, bashful, confused, and pleased simultaneously. She didn’t know how to address these feelings. In deep thought, she walked back to gather her travel sack. In the background, she heard Chung Nam clear his throat. Yan paused and glanced up at him.

    “Maybe we could come back to this forest another time and look for that third red-colored rock.” He spoke gruffly.

    Without giving Yan a chance to respond, he brushed quickly past her and picked up her travel bundle. Strapping the sack across his chest, he grumbled, “I’ll carry this for you. You’re so petite you shouldn’t be lugging around a sack this big; it’s almost as big as you. What do you have in here? It weighs like a bag of large rocks.”

    Chung Nam walked back toward Yan. Pausing at her side, he looked at her and then silently extended his hand toward her. She stared at his hand. Cheeks flushed a soft rosy pink, Yan slowly placed one hand in his, while her other hand clutched tightly onto the two stones.

    Closing his hand firmly around hers, Chung Nam raised his eyebrow. “Ready to go?”

    Yan hesitated, keeping her head lowered to hide her confused emotions. Finally, after a long moment, she raised her head, her brows slightly furrowed with uncertainty. She directly met his gaze, and somewhere in the deep dark pools of his eyes, she found an odd sense of rightness.

    “Yes.” She inhaled deeply as if getting ready to plunge into unknown territory. “I’m ready.”

    Hand in hand, they walked off toward Floating Cloud Summit.

    NORTH STAR TOWN
    CHERRY BLOSSOM INN

    A single candle burned slowly on the corner table pushed up against the far wall of the modest-sized inn room. Despite the stunning rays of sunlight outside, the inn room remained cool with the shutters completely closed. The shadows cast by the flickering orange-red flame danced across the couple at the opposite end of the room, undulating like black, amorphous ghosts. The man on the bed remained in deep slumber, unaware of the dark shadows, while the young woman sitting by the bedside stared at his face while he slept.

    In sleep, Miu Jing Hung looked so peaceful, so carefree. In sleep, he was no longer the legendary Imperial Constable Miu Jing Hung carrying out His Majesty’s edict to bring the dynasty’s most vicious criminals to justice, but simply a man with no responsibilities, no burdens. But did he even view his position as Imperial Constable a responsibility, a burden? No, of course not, Bak Yeuk Lam thought bitterly to herself. His responsibilites as a constable were far more important than his own life and his family’s life. To Miu Jing Hung, country always came first, followed by family in a distant second place.

    Yeuk Lam stared pensively at the man whom she had once loved dearly. Even now, after being separated from him for almost a year, she still could feel her heart ache with love, hatred, and sorrow every time she thought of him. He was her hero, so righteous, so admirable, so upstanding. She had fallen in love with those very aspects of him, and yet, ironically, it was his heroism which had eventually torn them apart.

    Yeuk Lam sighed, her gaze still focused on Jing Hung. Had it already been almost one year since the incident? Time seemed to have flown by. Sometimes, she would wake up in the middle of the night and think she could hear Jing Hung laughing with HER. Her heart would pound, and she would leap out of bed. Her eyes would frantically search the darkness for their laughter, but only deafening silence would greet her, and she would realize that she was only dreaming. Every night, she would hear the sounds from the past, hear their laughter, until she couldn’t stand it anymore. To keep her sanity, she left Miu Jing Hung. She left her past behind to start anew.

    Yet, it seemed like the past refused to remain buried. Her heart ached when Jing Hung asked last evening if she still cared for him. She could not forgive him, but she also could not erase their memories, their love. He had given her the most beautiful, precious thing in her life, but he had also ripped that thing away from her. How was it possible to love and hate the same man so passionately?

    Yeuk Lam’s vision blurred as tears pooled in her eyes. When she heard the gentle knock on the inn room door, she quickly lowered her head and brushed briskly at the tears.

    Yeuk Lam straightened her back and composed herself before calling out in a firm voice. “Please enter.”

    The door creaked open and Red Flag stepped inside. “Young Mistress, we are ready to leave. We have purchased enough dry food to last us about a week. We should reach Seven Flags Manor by then.”

    “How are you feeling, Red Flag? Are you well enough to travel?” Yeuk Lam inquired about Red Flag’s injuries after the battle with Fa Heung Ling last evening.

    “I’m doing fine.” Red Flag massaged the gnawing ache on his right injured shoulder. “The local physician insisted on examining me after he took care of Constable Miu. I will need some time to recover, but there is no need for me to heal here. We should return to Seven Flags Manor as soon as possible. We don’t want to risk running into Poison Snake again.”

    Yeuk Lam nodded in agreement. “And the others?” She referred to the remaining three Flag Heroes. “Are they well enough to travel?”

    “Yes,” Red Flag answered.

    “All right,” Yeuk Lam stood up with her back facing Jing Hung and her eyes staring straight ahead. “Let‘s go then.”

    As she walked toward the inn door without a backward glance, Red Flag cleared his throat awkwardly. “Umm, Young Mistress...” He paused, unsure what to say, as he glanced over at the still slumbering Miu Jing Hung. “Are you really going to leave Constable Miu behind here at the inn?”

    Yeuk Lam hesitated. She almost turned her head to peek one last time at Jing Hung, but she forced herself to harden her heart. “Yes,” she answered resolutely. “The town physician who examined Constable Miu last evening mentioned that his loss of vision is only temporary and that his eyesight should return within forty-eight hours.”

    “But he will be vulnerable for these forty-eight hours while he cannot see.” Red Flag countered with a concerned frown.

    Yeuk Lam laughed bitterly. “Vulnerable? When has Constable Miu ever been vulnerable? His heart is made of steel; he is unfeeling, even when his family is in danger.” She clenched her fists tightly. “So how can such a person be vulnerable?”

    “But Young Mistress...” Red Flag sighed, fully aware that Yeuk Lam was speaking from anger and will regret her decision to leave the injured Miu Jing Hung behind should anything happen to him later on.

    “No!” Yeuk Lam interrupted Red Flag abruptly. “Do not say anything further, Red Flag. I won’t change my mind. We leave now without Constable Miu. He will be fine recovering here at the inn.”

    Without allowing herself a chance to alter her decision, Yeuk Lam rushed from the room. Red Flag looked at Jing Hung for a minute, and then sighing again, he followed Yeuk Lam out of the room and closed the door quietly.

    As the door closed, the sliver of sunlight peeking into the room from the courtyard outside through the slightly ajar door flickered briefly and then disappeared. Even the flame on the side table dimmed and died shortly thereafter. Darkness claimed the room, blanketing everything in a black cloud of gloom. Silence ensued, like a stoic, melancholic beast trapped in the darkness, lonely and hopeless.

    Miu Jing Hung remained motionless on the bed. He had awaken earlier while Yeuk Lam was by his bedside and immediately had sensed her presence. Overwhelming happiness embraced him, and that fleeting glimmer of hope danced teasingly in front of him, making him believe that Yeuk Lam still cared for him. He was afraid to move or even open his eyes, for he feared that by stirring he would destroy that precious moment of happiness. And so he feigned sleep and simply enjoyed Yeuk Lam’s presence. He pretended that the tragedy a year ago had never happened, that he and Yeuk Lam were still a family, that life still seemed full of promise and hope.

    But then Red Flag had entered, and in a split second, his hopes had come crashing down when he had overheard Yeuk Lam’s words. She said his heart was made of steel. To her, he was no longer a person with a warm, beating heart. In the past year, he kept telling himself that someday she would forgive him. But how could he dare to hope that she would forgive him if he could not even forgive himself? Perhaps he was unforgiveable and no longer worthy of her love. Maybe she did the correct thing to abandon him.

    He opened his eyes and glanced up at the ceiling. Darkness stared back at him. The physician had mentioned that his eyesight would heal soon, but he would rather forever live in a darkened world than exist in a colorful, bright one which did not have Yeuk Lam by his side. He blinked, and for the first time since that horrific day almost one year ago, Miu Jing Hung allowed himself to cry.

    NORTH STAR TOWN
    FOREST

    At that same moment, another man was also wallowing in sorrow on the other side of North Star Town in the depths of the forest. That man sat on a large flat rock and leaned against a tree trunk. The morning sun’s radiance surrounded him, embracing him with its warm rays. A pair of sparrows flitted past him and landed onto a nearby branch, their orange-brown feathers glossy splashes of color against the deep green backdrop of the forest. They chirped joyfully back and forth, exchanging morning greetings. A gentle breeze swept by, bringing with it the sweet fragrance of the vivid blooms thriving near a grove of trees to the man’s right. Not before long, the forest echoed with sounds of small critters. Chirps, gentle flutters of wings, and tiny footsteps of small animals all blended together to create a melodious symphony celebrating a glorious day.

    Yet, despite all this vibrance and activity, the man remained oblivious to everything around him as he stared blankly into space. Hours passed, and he continued to sit, motionless, his face devoid of expression even as his heart broke into tiny pieces. On a tree branch above him, a squirrel scurried by, accidentally dropping an acorn in its haste. The acorn crashed down, striking the man on the head, startling him out of his reverie.

    At that moment, a voice, sensuous yet bitter and taunting, drifted toward the man. “Well, fancy seeing you here. Thinking of her?”

    He turned toward the direction of the sound, his expression showing overwhelming fatigue once he recognized the voice.

    The woman stood a few feet away from him. A white veil covered the lower half of her face, only partially hiding the angry, jagged scar running from the middle of her forehead down toward the bridge of her nose. In the bright light of day, the scar, still relatively fresh, appeared a ghastly raw red against her otherwise flawless fair complexion. Though he could not see the lower half of her face, he could tell that she was clenching her teeth in pain. She stood stiffly, one hand clutching her left shoulder.

    Though no physical wounds were visible, Fa Heung Ling’s shoulder throbbed as if a thousand knives were piercing it. Without even inspecting the wound, she already knew that she would find the faintest impression of a palm print on her shoulder from the resulting injury from her battle with Sit Chung Nam last evening. The fainter the palm impression, the deadlier the injury; that was the hallmark of her Blood Shadow Palm. HER Blood Shadow Palm! Her lethal palm technique struck terror in the hearts of even the mightiest of martial artists and made her invincible! With this technique, she had planned to conquer the martial arts world.

    However, in the short time span of a few days, Sit Chung Nam had somehow found a way to imitate her technique, and under his execution, the Blood Shadow Palm’s strength multiplied exponentially. She was no longer invincible, and that infuriated her. To be injured by her own palm technique greatly insulted her. To be bested by her younger sister’s man, the man who had disfigured her, outraged her even further. She vowed revenge at all costs.

    Clenching her fists, Ling glared at the man in front of her now, the man she loved, the man who refused to return her affection, the man who loved only her younger sister. There she stood, silent, fuming, and waiting for him to acknowledge her presence.

    He glanced at her briefly and then dismissed her without bothering to respond to her taunt.

    Her eyes, usually with a hint of seductiveness, now flashed with fury when he turned his face away from her. “Kuk Wai, don’t you dare ignore me!” Fa Heung Ling spat.

    A mask of indifference dropped over his face. Calmly, Kuk Wai rose and proceeded to walk right past her.

    However, Ling grabbed at his arm and blocked his path. “You see that I am injured. Don’t you even care enough to ask how badly I am injured?”

    Rather than answer her, Kuk Wai simply shrugged off her hand and continued walking away.

    “I am your WIFE, Kuk Wai!” Ling screamed. “I almost became the mother of your child! We could have been a family if our baby hadn’t died! How could you treat me this way?!”

    He whirled around at her words, furious. “You are only my wife because I was forced to marry you for the sake of our unborn child! I would have taken care of our baby if he had survived, but you and I could never be a family, even if our baby had lived.” He countered. “What have I ever done to you? Why did you ruin my life? You took away Yan, and when she left me, so did my happiness!”

    Ling threw her hands up into the air. “Yan! Always Yan!” She jabbed her finger in Kuk Wai’s direction. “I know my little sister much better than you do. Do you really think she loves you? She idolizes you like a younger sister worships her older brother. I’ve seen the way she looks at you and it is not with romantic love. She may think she loves you, but that is simply because she hasn’t met the man she truly wants to spend the rest of her life with. However, when she does meet him, she will realize that what she feels for you is not the way a woman should love a man.”

    Kuk Wai stiffened at Ling’s words but quickly composed himself. “You don’t know what you are talking about.” Clenching his teeth, he turned his back on her and started walking away again.

    “Haha!” Ling laughed derisively. “So Kuk Wai is a coward after all and prefers to hide from the obvious truth!” When he ignored her and continued walking, Ling called after him. “Fine! If you want to continue deceiving yourself, then go ahead. Why don’t we talk about something else that might interest you, like Yan’s well-being, for example?”

    Ling’s words stopped Kuk Wai. Slowly, he turned around and stared at her. A fleeting sparkle of interest danced across his eyes before being quickly replaced by a neutral look.

    Knowing that she had finally captured his attention, Ling curled her lips sardonically. “I figured news about Yan would pique your interest.” Unperturbed by his continued silence, she smiled mockingly. “It appears my resourceful little sister has found a new protector.”

    She paused, delighting in the almost undetectable tightening of Kuk Wai’s jaw muscles. She waited a few seconds for Kuk Wai to deny the presence of a new man in Yan’s life, but he stayed quiet.

    “Ahh, so you must have already met him and confirmed his existence for yourself or else you would have immediately challenged my statement.” Again, she paused, watching Kuk Wai’s reaction closely. “You must not know his identity yet, or else you wouldn’t still be standing here waiting for me to provide you with that piece of information.” Finally, after a long pregnant silence, Ling smiled coldly and succintly enunciated three words, “Sit Chung Nam.”

    Ling allowed that name to sink into Kuk Wai’s mind. He remained silent, but Ling noted his fists slowly balling up.

    “We both know who Sit Chung Nam is and what kind of person he is. Ruthless, clever, dangerous. But worse,” Ling sauntered up to Kuk Wai and whispered into his face, “Sit Chung Nam is a bandit, a notorious one, too.” She stretched her lips into a taunting smile. “Guess what bandits do, dear Husband? They rape. Imagine what would happen to sweet little Yan in Sit Chung Nam’s company.”

    “Why are you telling me this?” Kuk Wai asked stonily.

    “Because I think we can help each other.” Ling answered simply.

    “You want me to help you kill Sit Chung Nam.” Kuk Wai narrowed his eyes at her.

    Ling chuckled. “How astute of you, Husband.”

    Kuk Wai crossed his arms across his chest. “Why should I help you?”

    Ling stared right back at him and flashed a conspiratorial smile. “Because we will both benefit from Sit Chung Nam’s death. I will get my revenge for disfiguring my face, and you will get your precious Yan back.”

    Kuk Wai stared at Ling for a long moment. Finally, he snorted, his voice laced with sarcasm. “If you need my help, then your Blood Shadow Palm is not as invincible as you think.”

    Immediately, the sly grin on Ling’s face flattened and her mood soured. “I might have underestimated Sit Chung Nam’s talents,” she admitted grudgingly. “Battling him alone may be challenging, but with two of us against one of him, he may not be so fortunate anymore.”

    Ling’s mood improved as she fantasized about revenge. Smiling again, she advanced another step and positioned herself directly in front of Kuk Wai, her body nearly touching his. She went up on tiptoes and whispered seductively into his ear. “So do we have a deal, Husband?”

    Unamused, Kuk Wai placed a hand on her shoulder and politely pushed her back a step, his frigid eyes staring into her devious ones. A few seconds passed as the staring contest ensued.

    Finally, Kuk Wai answered, “I’ll need to think about it.”

    With those final words, he turned and walked away.

    Behind him, Ling watched as his figure slowly disappeared into the distance. A gust of wind swept forward at that moment, lifting her long tresses. Long black hair swirled madly around her head, like multiple serpents framing a face of beauty. In the sunlight, the scar running down her forehead, at just the right angle, almost seemed to throb like a red bleeding vein.

    Her lips curled malevolently, as she murmured softly to herself, “Don’t take too long to think, dear Husband.”

    NIGHTFALL
    BASE OF FLOATING CLOUD SUMMIT

    A heavy layer of storm clouds stretched across the heavens, obscuring the moon. A few rays of moonlight managed to escape through the clouds, sprinkling the dirt path leading up to Floating Cloud Summit with a disorganized pattern of pale white dots amid amorphous shadows. Even with nightfall, the heat from earlier in the day lingered in the air, wet, humid, uncomfortable. The sound of crickets chirping filled the night, but the incessant noise proved abrasive rather than melodious and soothing.

    Up until this point, Sit Chung Nam had been carrying Yan so that she could rest her sprained ankle. However, he now settled her back onto her feet, a sense of unease washing over him as he surveyed the area. Also feeling an ominous vibe, Yan glanced around cautiously, her eyes trying to see in the near darkness. A hot blast of wind rushed forward, punching Sit Chung Nam in the face like a clammy fist, bringing with it a nauseating stench.

    Yan coughed and covered her nose and mouth. “What is that smell?”

    “Shh!” Chung Nam gripped her arm tightly. “Something is wrong.”

    Suddenly, from within the darkness, something reached out and grabbed Yan’s ankle. Surprised, she screamed as she glanced down...

  6. #306
    Senior Member tweety365's Avatar
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    I dared to hope that your latest post was an update and was beyond ecstatic that it really was an update. A long one to boot! Yup, I’ve been hanging around waiting and the reward was so worth it. I think my joy can be comparable to what SCN’s felt at Yan’s “thank you”.

    So many emotions in this chapter. Your skillful descriptions are so poignant, makes me happy and sad all at the same time. I know SCN and Yan won’t have a happily ever after, but I’m still rooting for some happy endings with other characters.

    I feel really bad for Kuk Wai, even if Wallace H. wasn’t cast as the character. To be raped and forced to marry your attacker is no easy pill to swallow. Hopefully, he is not revealed to be a scumbag or do something really stupid that will change my opinion of him.

    I hope all is well with you and your family. I would love to see more updates, but personal affairs always come first. Take your time, don’t worry about losing readers, and just enjoy the story. Miss you lots

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    A new chapter! Finally! I dare to claim that I was more ecstatic than tweety when I saw that there was a new chapter.

    I thought the part with SCN digging around for the red stones was beyond sweet! Who would think a few rocks (not the diamond variety) as a birthday gift could be so touching and sweet? And whoa, thanks a lot to Melanie for the detailed descriptions, because now I can't seem to stop thinking about Wallace Chung's bare chest dripping with sweat.

    You know, I don't think any of the characters will have a happy ending. We already know Yan is going to die at a young age, so there won't be a happy ending for SCN and Yan. As for Yeuk Lam and the constable, I don't think they will end happily, either. It sounds like Yeuk Lam is pretty set on NOT forgiving her husband from this chapter. She left him alone when he was blind and vulnerable! Whatever he did must have really angered her.

    I actually want Kuk Wai to scheme with Poison Snake to win Yan back. It would certainly make him more interesting than just having the guy mope around, accepting defeat so easily. Sure, collaborating with Poison Snake may make him a scumbag, but I think SCN would fight tooth and nail for Yan, too, if he were in Kuk Wai's shoes. Don't you think so?

    Oh, I was hoping to see Bak Fei Long appear in this chapter. I'm really interested in seeing how the real guy is like and if his sister's imitation of him is accurate. Melanie, have you decided on which actor to cast as Bak Fei Long?

    I wonder what is going on at the Floating Cloud Sect. That cliffhanger at the end of the chapter implies that something bad has happened. Now I have to wait who knows how many more months for the next update! But yes, tweety is right. Personal affairs come first, and I'll be here waiting no matter how long it takes for the next chapter to be posted. Love you, Melanie, and come back and post soon!

  8. #308
    Senior Member Melanie's Avatar
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    Hi tweety and Black Rose! It has been a long time, hasn't it? I'm so glad to have a couple of readers left. I was expecting no readers, so I'm quite happy to find two comments, long ones, too! It has been crazy for me for the past months, crazy, busy, but happy. Every day I want to write, but I am so tired that I end up just sleeping. I'm working on the next chapter for my other story, but so far, I only have about 6 pages. Anyway, thanks for staying with me despite the long hiatus.

    I think I'm going to separate SCN and Yan for a bit and throw some obstacles in their way. I'm also tinkering with the idea of bringing Ling Dong (Lawrence Yan) back for a few chapters. Bak Fei Long will appear soon. As mentioned in the LSS thread, I am thinking of casting Qiao Zhen Yu as Bak Fei Long, but Huang Xiao Ming is still in the running. I just can't make up my mind yet. Anyone have opinions as to whom I should cast? HG-CL already voted for Qiao Zhen Yu.

    I don't think Kuk Wai will turn into a scumbag simply because he wants to fight for Yan. In a fight between SCN and KW, I believe SCN may be the one who will show no mercy, whereas KW may be too honorable to try anything underhanded.

    I'm a sucker for sad endings, so be ready for some separations and unhappily ever afters!

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    Does anyone know where Melanie is? It has been half a year and she hasn't updated her story yet. I hope she doesn't stop writing. I really love this story.

  10. #310
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    Hi Melanie,

    I'm a newbie here. I had been read this prequel and find that your story is very astonishment. The way you make the plot, the timing, chapter by chapter is very interesting. Keep your job, you're one of rare talent.

    Thanks for entertaint us with your story

  11. #311
    Senior Member Melanie's Avatar
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    I am still around! I am still around! I just don't come to spcnet that often anymore due to my busy schedule. That is why I have not answered everyone's postings earlier. I apologize for that.

    Thanks for still reading, Black Rose. And thanks for sending me an email alerting me that I have a new reader (alphakdi).

    And hi again, alphakdi! Thank you for reading and for digging up my old story threads. I asked you which story you are reading in my other thread but I guess your comment in this thread answers my question. Do you have any questions about the prequel story so far? Do you wish to discuss any characters in the prequel? Are you also reading my other story?

  12. #312
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    Thanks for your attention Mel. After read all chapter on Legendary Book of Sun-Moon Swordplay & find no more update there for years, then I was read this prequel, cause I like your writing style Mel. Do you have another story which have been ended...? Nice to know...

  13. #313
    Senior Member Melanie's Avatar
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    alphakdi - No, I only have two ongoing stories. If I had a third one, I think readers will rebel since I can't even complete the ones I have already started.

    If you give me some feedback on my characters (i.e. which ones you like or don't like and why), I can try to improve on my characterizations a bit more.

  14. #314
    Senior Member Melanie's Avatar
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    Talking

    CHAPTER 15 --- GHOSTS AND ILLUSIONS

    Characters appearing in this chapter:
    Sun Fei Fei---Fa Heung Yan a.k.a. Black Rose 花香燕
    Wallace Chung Hon Leung---Sit Chung Nam 薛钟南
    Laughing Ghost Healer 笑鬼醫

    NIGHTFALL
    BASE OF FLOATING CLOUD SUMMIT

    Suddenly, from within the darkness, something reached out and grabbed Yan’s ankle. Surprised, she screamed as she glanced down at the man sprawled on the ground, clutching at her leg.

    The clouds chose that very moment to separate like a curtain. A beam of bright moonlight cut through the darkness, slashing across the man’s horrific visage. Blind, sunken eyes gazed sightlessly at Yan from a face as pale as a ghost. Bloodless lips stretched into a long thin line in some resemblance of a grotesque smile. The man grunted something, the whimpering sound disturbing, like a suppressed scream of agony that could not be released through the unmoving lips. With his facial muscles paralyzed, his face remained forever frozen in an expressionless mask, except for the eerily elongated lips, wanting to beg for help, but unable to.

    Recognizing one of his Floating Cloud Sect members, Sit Chung Nam immediately crouched down next to the man and pulled him into a sitting position, supporting him. “What happened? Where are the other sect members?”

    The Floating Cloud Sect member tried to speak but could only mumble incoherently through immobile lips.

    “What? What are you trying to tell me?” Chung Nam asked urgently and leaned down closer to the man.

    “He won’t be able to tell you anything.” Yan whispered, her expression half terrified, half in awe. “He has been infected by a poison known as the Death Mask. This poison paralyzes first the facial muscles and vocal cords, preventing the victim from calling out for help. Then as the poison spreads, it immobilizes the respiratory muscles of the chest, preventing the victim from breathing, eventually resulting in asphyxiation and death.”

    “How did he contract such a poison?” Chung Nam furrowed his brow.

    Yan stared with horrific fascination at the poisoned Floating Cloud Sect member. “In the entire pugilist world, only one person possesses the skill to concoct the Death Mask poison - the Laughing Ghost Healer of Green Python Valley.”

    “The Laughing Ghost Healer?” Chung Nam narrowed his eyes. “The infamous healer who will only save a life if he is given a life in return?”

    “Yes,” Yan nodded. “That is why the martial arts world named him Laughing Ghost Healer. He laughs in the face of life and death, claiming he can kill someone as easily as he can save someone.”

    Glancing down at the poisoned Floating Cloud Sect member, Chung Nam watched him try to gasp for breath but unable to as his respiratory muscles slowly become immobile. Chung Nam then looked at Yan. “It looks like the paralysis is progressing to his respiratory muscles. Do you have the antidote to the poison?”

    Sadly, Yan shook her head. “No. Though I am relatively knowledgeable about the art of poison and healing, I am no match for an elder like the Laughing Ghost Healer. To me, he is a legend, revered and feared. I have only heard of him but have never met him. In fact, no one knows what he looks like because nobody has seen him and then lived to describe his appearance.”

    Yan paused and crouched to the ground next to Sit Chung Nam. She glanced helplessly at Chung Nam, as he looked pensively at the suffering Floating Cloud Sect member, who was now barely breathing. Sit Chung Nam remained silent for a long moment and frowned deeply.

    “So there is no way to save him...” He murmured.

    The expression in Chung Nam’s eyes turned unfathomable. Slowly, he leaned down and spoke directly to the dying Floating Cloud Sect member. “Brother, I know you have much to say but simply cannot speak. You have served the Floating Cloud Sect well, and I thank you for that. It is time for you to die bravely and with respect.”

    Through the haze of pain, the Floating Cloud Sect member could hear clearly. The man tried to mumble something.

    Sit Chung Nam placed a firm hand on the sect member’s shoulder. “I will avenge your death, Brother. Nobody insults the Floating Cloud Sect without paying a heavy price. You can rest in peace now.”

    Before Yan could blink, Chung Nam quickly raised his hand and brought his palm down on the Floating Cloud Sect member’s forehead, ending the man’s suffering. He placed the sect member back onto the ground, a resolute expression on his face. Yan gasped in surprise at the mercy killing. Even though she would have probably done the same if a member of her clan were suffering, she still felt her heart pound fiercely in shock at seeing Sit Chung Nam’s coldness and efficiency at executing a member of his sect.

    This man, Yan thought to herself as she shivered, was full of contrasts, like the ever-changing sea. One moment, he could be teasing her and grinning, like the sea on a bright sunny day, its depths clear and devoid of any murkiness, its frothy waves lapping playfully. Then the next moment, he could be quiet and cold, his controlled expression hiding the tumultuous rage simmering just beneath the surface, like the calm of the sea before a violent tempest. Should she run as fast as she can away from this enigmatic and undoubtedly dangerous man? The sane part of her screamed affirmatively. Yet, the frighteningly insane part of her tempted her to stay and ride along the vortex of excitement that such a man brought.

    Before Yan’s thoughts could stray any further, she heard a deep voice calling her name.

    “Yan Yan?”

    Yan glanced up and saw Sit Chung Nam already standing, towering above her, his expression terrifyingly quiet, exactly like the calm before the storm she was thinking of just a few seconds ago.

    Chung Nam gazed up at Floating Cloud Summit. “I need to go up there and assess the damage that has been done to my sect.” He turned back and stared for a long moment at Yan. “The culprit could still be present, hiding in Floating Cloud Sect territory, but I don’t want to leave you behind at the base of the mountain.” His expression solemn, he stretched out his hand toward Yan. “Will you come with me, Yan Yan?”

    Yan hesitated for what seemed like an eternity. She looked contemplatively at the outstretched hand in front of her. His gesture, though simple, appeared to be asking for much more than her willingness to come with him. He was asking if she trusted his ability to protect her, if she trusted him. Slowly, Yan raised her eyes and met Chung Nam’s, and in his eyes, she searched for her answer.

    The moonlight spilled down onto them, casting them in a pool of pale white light. In this light, Chung Nam’s eyes almost seemed like a mirror, a clear and sincere reflection of his growing feelings for this beautiful young woman, who could somehow make him forget about how beautiful she was and instead concentrate on noticing <em>her</em>.

    Silently and patiently, he waited for her answer. Then, just when he thought she would reject his hand, she slowly reached forward and barely touched the tips of her fingers to his. Elated and relieved, he closed the space between their hands and gripped her hand firmly. Gently, he pulled her to a standing position. He looked at her and smiled, his hand squeezing hers.

    “Let’s go,” he said simply.

    Like Yan, Chung Nam had also never met the Laughing Ghost Healer. According to rumor, this person was a loner, belonging to neither the orthodox schools nor the demonic clans. With a peculiar temperament, he could be friendly one moment and deadly the next. He enjoyed having the power to save or to take a life with his extensive knowledge of poisons. Peerless in the use of poisons, he terrorized the pugilist world with his incurable poisons thirty years ago, before Chung Nam was even born. Then suddenly one day about three decades ago, the Laughing Ghost Healer simply disappeared, never to be heard of again. Nobody knew why. Some assumed that he had finally met his match and had succumbed to a more superior opponent’s poisoning, but some more romantic individuals linked his vanishing to a tale of forbidden love. Ultimately, nobody in the pugilist world cared about the true reason for his disappearance as long as he would never return.

    Now after thirty years, the Laughing Ghost Healer finally resurfaced and dared to announce his return to the pugilist world by attacking the feared bandit group, the Floating Cloud Sect. Sit Chung Nam did not know why the Ghost Healer had chosen to target his sect, but he would not back down from this overt challenge. The Floating Cloud Sect had faced numerous enemies in the past and was not a novice in defending itself from attack, and yet this one person had managed to sneak past its defense lines. Judging from the thick stench of death already blanketing the entire base of Floating Cloud Summit, Chung Nam suspected that he would find most of his sect already decimated when he reached the peak where the Floating Cloud Sect was located. Even the most powerful of opponents cannot conquer an entire sect without help, or more specifically, without inside help. If his suspicions were true, then he must approach this enemy very carefully, for the traitor within his sect might have divulged all the sect’s hidden corridors and secrets. Sit Chung Nam was arrogant but never careless, and he never underestimated his opponents. Not only did the Laughing Ghost Healer excel in poisons, he had also been rumored to be an accomplished pugilist with formidable internal energy.

    As they made their way up the mountain, the clouds shifted and covered portions of the moon, casting a lacy pattern of light and dark on the dirt road. Yan and Chung Nam could see that the mountain path leading up to Floating Cloud Summit was eerily pristine, devoid of blood or dead bodies. If it weren’t for the stench of death all along the path, a novice would not be able to guess there was anything amiss.

    However, Chung Nam could see definite signs of an intruder, one with formidable internal energy. Upon initial glance, the dirt path seemed undisturbed, but a more experienced person would know that such a perfectly undisturbed road was unnatural. A gust of wind or fallen tree leaves would have shifted the sand and dirt particles a bit. Only the remnants of powerful qi energy passing by would render these particles immobile and completely still, giving the path an illusion of perfect tidiness.

    Moreover, small critters and insects usually populated this area of the mountain, and there would always be a few small animals roaming near the mountain path, even in the dark hours of the night. However, this particular evening, not one creature ventured out. The crickets kept silent. The familiar owl who had always hunted nearby vanished. Even the mosquitos commonly found around thick groves of trees and vegetation had mysteriously disappeared. It was as if the animals and insects could sense death and did not wish to be a part of it.

    Chung Nam grimly assessed his surroundings, but remained silent. He squeezed Yan’s hand reassuringly and said regretfully. “I would leave you at the base of the mountain and face this Laughing Ghost Healer myself if I weren’t concerned that you would encounter danger once I left your side.” He sighed.

    “I know.” Yan squeezed his hand back and then suddenly smiled brilliantly at his frown. “Why are you explaining your actions to me? I thought Sit Chung Nam is arrogant and does not bother to explain his actions to anyone.”

    At her words, he chuckled. “So would you rather that I simply throw you over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes and race up the mountain toward unknown peril?”

    “Then that would make you the unreasonable, insufferable ape I always suspected you to be!” Yan shot back, vexed.

    “You know, Yan Yan, most maidens like to be manhandled by unreasonable, insufferable apes, like me.” Chung Nam suddenly stopped and leaned down toward Yan, grinning at her. “They find me sexy.” He whispered throatily into her ear.

    Indignant, Yan pushed his face aside and huffed. “Well, I don’t!”

    Despite her annoyed words, her heart flipped and flopped. Her face flushed a crimson color and her ear where his breath had brushed against kept tingling uncontrollably. Involuntarily, her traitorous mind wondered exactly how many maidens had found his manhandling sexy in the past.

    Angry and horrified at her strange reaction, she stiffened her back and muttered, “If it weren’t for those two red-colored stones you had gifted me, I would have abandoned you right now and let you face this Ghost Healer alone!”

    Chung Nam grinned at her peeved look. No matter how bleak the situation, Yan could always cheer him up. Happily, he pulled her along behind him as they continued their way up toward Floating Cloud Sect, all the while thinking that he must be crazy to feel this jubilant given the circumstances.

    Unfortunately, as they neared Floating Cloud Sect, the light mood rapidly dissipated. About one-hundred feet from the entrance, both Yan and Chung Nam halted. All along the mountain path, the fetid smell of death dominated the air, but here, suddenly this stink could no longer be detected, as if even death itself was frightened by what now lingered in the air.

    In the still of night, the tall stone structure, which the Floating Cloud Sect called home, loomed like a gray and imposing beast, fighting for survival. A layer of mist surrounded the structure’s immediate vicinity, as if imprisoning the beast inside its amorphous confines. The mist shifted and undulated, like a live entity. It slithered across the ground and crawled up along the cold outer walls of the building, wrapping around the entire structure, as if choking it maliciously before temporarily fading away, only to reappear tauntingly. The building seemed to alternately roar in outrage and then scream piteously in fear, begging for help, its cries ringing deafeningly in the night. But most disturbing of all, images of human faces appeared to lunge out from the buidling’s walls. Each face wore the look of the Death Mask, eyes vacant and blind, expression forever paralyzed in death.

    Yan blinked, shivering involuntarily. Beside her, Chung Nam tightened his grip on her hand and unconsciously stepped slightly in front of her, protecting her with his body.

    “Something is wrong. The building appears to be struggling, if that is even possible.” He murmured, his attention strangely mesmerized by the images in front of him.

    Suddenly, one of the faces bulging out from the stone walls of the building seemed to grow a body and arms and legs. The figure somersaulted out from the walls and charged toward Chung Nam and Yan from within the layers of mist. Alarmed, Chung Nam raised his palm, ready to retaliate, and made a move to fly towards the mist.

    “No!” Yan called out urgently and pulled tightly onto Chung Nam’s hand. “The images are not real!”

    She grabbed a handful of translucent powder from her travel pouch and flung it at the oncoming figure. The tiny particles rained down on their fast-approaching attacker, and suddenly, the figure disappeared mid-air.

    “See? He’s only a mirage.” Yan pulled Chung Nam further away from the mist surrounding the Floating Cloud Sect, making sure the mist did not touch them.

    “This is the Veil of Illusion.” Yan gestured to the mist. “The mist is the product of a combination of the volcanic ash from Flame Mountain and the tears of the sole weeping willow tree growing on the snowy fields of Ice Valley. Alone, these very rare ingredients are some of the most valuable healing medicines in the world. However, if mixed together, the combination becomes deadly.

    “Ice Valley is a place of potent yin energy. The weeping willow which stands on the valley’s sheets of ice has outlived all the other plants there, surviving in extreme cold conditions, absorbing centuries of yin energy. Every one-hundred years, the willow ‘weeps.’ The ‘tears‘ of the weeping willow are actually icicles of frozen dew drops which have formed on the leaves of the tree. These extraordinary icicles do not melt, even under the burning rays of the hottest sunlight. Only one thing in the entire world can melt these yin tears - the yang energy from the volcanic ash of Flame Mountain. And when yang energy meets yin energy, the Veil of Illusion results, a mind-altering mist which moves like a predator, feeding on the minds of its victims, causing visual and auditory hallucinations, driving people mad with prolonged exposure.

    “So far, only the Laughing Ghost Healer knows how to create such a mist, and whoever forges the mist will have the ability to control it, like a weapon. He will also be able to control the minds of the victims enveloped by the mist.

    “We are only peripherally affected by the mist because it has not enveloped us...yet. But the Veil of Illusion shifts and seeks out victims, as if it can sense fresh prey. Unless we leave immediately, the mist will eventually detect our presence and surround us. Once trapped inside, the mist will control our minds and thoughts and bring out our greatest fears. Escaping will be difficult if we can no longer think clearly.”

    “What is that powder you just sprinkled on the mirage?” Chung Nam queried. “Will that powder be able to disperse the mist?”

    Yan sighed. “The translucent powder I used earlier is the Truth-Revelaing Powder, which can separate reality from illusion, but unfortunately, it is only effective outside of the mist. Plus, it cannot disperse the mist. Only the creator of the mist can end it.”

    “So this mist is going to permanently surround my home, trapping my men inside?” Sit Chung Nam gritted his teeth.

    “Sit Chung Nam, maybe we should leave now and come back when we have a plan. Your sect members could already be dead.” Yan tugged at Chung Nam’s arm.

    However, he continued to stare pensively at the mist-shrouded Floating Cloud Sect. Yan yanked harder, but he didn’t appear to notice as he stood rooted to the ground, with no intention to leave.

    Suddenly, a low jeering voice echoed in the night. “That’s right, Sit Chung Nam. Why don’t you heed the pretty maiden’s advice and run like a coward? What would the pugilist world think when they know the mighty bandit is actually a fearful wimp?”

    Chung Nam immediately tensed, listening, trying to detect the location from where the voice came from. His eyes narrowed as he looked toward the mist, determining that whoever was mocking him was hiding within the Veil of Illusion.

    He twisted his lips into a smirk. “Does Elder really believe I care what others think of me?” He walked daringly closer toward the mist, despite Yan’s urgent tugging. “Why hide behind the curtain of mist, Elder? If I am not mistaken, Elder must be the famed Laughing Ghost Healer, who has vanished from the martial arts world for thirty years.”

    The voice chuckled. “Ah, I am just an old man now. I am surprised people still remember who I am.”

    Chung Nam scanned the mist-enveloped area carefully as he continued to speak. “I think Elder is too humble. How could the pugilist world forget such a legend, one who could heal when no other could and yet could kill just as readily? While I am honored that Elder has chosen me as the first person to pay a visit to after reentering the pugilist world after a span of thirty years, why have I earned such a distinction?”

    The Laughing Ghost Healer laughed again, this time with a hint bitterness. “Ha ha. Sit Chung Nam indeed has too many enemies that he no longer remembers who his foes are.”

    “Forgive me for being forgetful, but I don’t recall ever meeting Elder before.” Sit Chung Nam narrowed his eyes.

    The Laughing Ghost Healer’s voice hardened. “You have never met me before, but you know the person most important to me in this world, aside from my wife.”

    At his words, Sit Chung Nam scanned his memory for someone he had killed or injured in the past who might have been related to the Laughing Ghost Healer, but could not recall any such person.

    “If Elder is seeking revenge today, then I will gladly accept the challenge.” Chung Nam called out to the mist. “However, I ask that Elder set my men free. I make all decisions for the Floating Cloud Sect. If I or my sect has harmed Elder’s loved one in the past, then I take full responsibility.”

    “Hmm, so the bandit leader who is the bane of all orthodox schools is actually quite noble.” The voice ridiculed.

    “Noble?” Chung Nam twisted his lips sardonically. “I have never been accused of being noble. I only seek to protect my assets.”

    A period of silence ensued, as the Laughing Ghost Healer pondered. “Very well!” His voice suddenly boomed. “I am feeling especially magnanimous today. I will wait for another day to punish you for the wrong you have done to my loved one. Tonight is an auspicious night, for my son will be getting married to the maiden he pines for, so I don’t want too much bloodshed to taint such a memorable moment. I will disperse the Veil of Illusion and set your men free in exchange for one thing...”

    The Laughing Ghost Healer paused. Sit Chung Nam tensed. Yan held her breath.

    “I will set your men free in exchange for...Clan Leader Black Rose, Fa Heung Yan.” The Laughing Ghost Healer completed his sentence.

    Immediately, Chung Nam stiffened his back at this outrageous request. “Clan Leader Black Rose is not up for negotiations!”

    “Oh?” The voice chuckled maliciously. “I promised my son I would bring him his bride tonight. What kind of father would I be if I did not keep my word?”

    “I don’t care what you promised your son.” Chung Nam glared. “Clan Leader Black Rose stays with me!”

    “Then the deal to release your men is off!” The Laughing Ghost Healer roared behind the curtain of mist.

    The Veil of Illusion suddenly shifted, thickening until it became opaque. It moved and spun rapidly like a palpable vortex of fury, racing toward Yan and Chung Nam at lightening speed.

    “He’s using his internal energy to move the mist!” Yan shouted a warning to Chung Nam. “Don’t let the mist engulf you or it will control your mind once you are inside!”

    Chung Nam immediately hooked an arm around Yan’s waist and somersaulted into the air, dashing away. However, the Laughing Ghost Healer’s lightness kung fu was no less impressive than Chung Nam’s, and the mist, powered by the Laughing Ghost Healer’s lightness kung fu, followed rapidly behind.

    Mid-air, Chung Nam suddenly reversed course and flew toward the whirling tornado. Stretching his right arm out, he unsheathed his Shadowless Swords, while his left arm held onto Yan tightly. Nine invisible beams of qi energy shot forth from his fingertips and sliced through the mist, creating an opening. From within that opening, a sword thrust out, parrying Chung Nam’s qi sword. Metal clashed against qi, creating a force so fierce and loud that Yan gritted her teeth in pain. Without the backing of her internal energy, her body was powerless to protect itself from intense surges of energy nearby. A tiny drop of blood trickled down the side of her mouth. Alarmed, Chung Nam quickly retracted his Shadowless Swords, and backflipped away from the mist, taking Yan with him.

    Landing a few paces away from the mist, Chung Nam quickly turned to look at Yan. He gently wiped away the droplets of blood from the side of her mouth, his concerned eyes surveying her for any traces of injury. Without uttering a single word, Yan simply shook her head slightly, indicating that she was fine.

    Meanwhile, the opening in the mist quickly closed, and the voice within cackled. “So Sit Chung Nam has a weakness! Your Shadowless Swords are indeed impressive and definitely live up to expectations, but a pugilist is only as powerful as his weakness. She is a burden to you, Sit Chung Nam! Let me take her off of your hands!”

    Sneering, Chung Nam tightened his hold on Yan’s waist. “I’d like to see you try,” he retorted impudently.

    “Fine!” The Laughing Ghost Healer responded. “I was hoping this would be a peaceful negotiation given that tonight will be my son’s wedding night, but if you wish to be difficult about this, then so be it! Let’s see how well you have trained your men, Sit Chung Nam!”

    Suddenly, from within the swirling mist, ten Floating Cloud Sect members flew out, each armed with bow and arrows. They leapt onto the nearby trees and surrounded Chung Nam and Yan. Perched on the tree branches, they held their bows in attack position. Expressionless, they stared at their Sect Leader with vacant eyes.

    Immediately recognizing the look on the sect members‘ faces, Yan warned Sit Chung Nam. “Be careful. They don’t recognize you. Their minds have been poisoned by the mist. Right now, they will only hear and see what the creator of the mist wishes them to see.”

    “Attack!” The voice from within the mist commanded.

    Following instruction, the ten men rained arrows down on their Sect Leader and Yan.

    “Hold on tightly!” Chung Nam hoisted Yan onto his back and expertly dodged the arrows.

    The Floating Cloud Sect members shifted positions, continuously moving from tree to tree, constantly changing their vantage point of attack, just like Chung Nam had trained them to do. Arrows continued to pour mercilessly down. As three arrows whizzed by, Chung Nam flipped upward and plucked them from the air. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the three projectiles shooting back toward the bowmen. Backed by Chung Nam’s internal energy, the arrows cleanly cleaved off the thick tree branches the three men were perched on, knocking them off. As this happened, five more arrows sliced dangerously close to Chung Nam’s left ear. Rotating himself and Yan ninety degrees, he kicked at the arrows, which cut through the air and conveniently knocked down five oncoming new arrows.

    “I can play this game all night,” Chung Nam yelled behind him to Yan, who had her arms encircled around his shoulders tightly, “but ultimately, I must choose to either kill my own sect members or be trapped here all night dodging arrows defensively. Is there any way you can wake my men up from their spell?”

    “Yes!” Yan answered, trying to make her voice heard amidst the loud swishing noise as dozens of arrows streaked by. “As long as they are outside of the mist, I can purge the poison and clear their minds. You will need to get me close enough within striking distance to each man in order for me to treat him.”

    “Within striking distance? That shouldn’t be a problem, because they are coming to strike us right now.” Chung Nam remarked wryly.

    Just at that moment, the ten Floating Cloud Sect members left their posts on the tree branches and flew down toward Chung Nam and Yan, their bows raised, closing the distance in order to get a more accurate shot. As the ten men approached, Chung Nam hugged Yan in his arms and shot vertically upward. They spun so swiftly that they appeared to be a blurry mini tornado. Chung Nam created a wall of qi energy which coated the outside of the whirlwind, deflecting the arrows the moment they touched the energy field.

    All ten sect members charged at the twirling mass. From within the cyclone of qi, Chung Nam thrust his left arm out and palmed nine men on the shoulders rapidly, one after the other, flinging them backward and knocking them unconscious. Quickly, he grabbed the tenth man by the lapels of his gown. The tornado suddenly died down as Chung Nam took flight, pulling the man by the lapels with his left hand while keeping his right arm locked around Yan’s waist.

    Landing several feet away from the other nine unconscious Floating Cloud Sect members, Chung Nam set Yan down. He then thrust the one captured Floating Cloud Sect member toward her and called out, “Do what you need to do to snap him out of his spell.”

    Yan nodded. Working hastily, she pulled out five golden-colored acupuncture needles from her waist sash. Glancing over at Chung Nam, she instructed, “I need to borrow your internal energy.”

    At the same time that Yan was yelling out her instructions, the captured Floating Cloud Sect member tried to struggle free. He extended his right arm forward, intending to palm Chung Nam on the shoulder. Chung Nam deflected the attack, and in one adroit move, twisted the man’s arm behind his back, holding him steady.

    At that instant, Yan rushed forward and aimed her acupuncture needles at the sect member, targeting several acupuncture points of the Du Meridian (Governing Vessel Meridian). She jabbed one acupuncture needle down at the Bai Hui (Hundred Convergences) point, one of the acupuncture points of the Du Meridian located at the crown of the man’s head. However, without the backing of her internal energy, the needle had little effect, and the Floating Cloud Sect member continued to struggle.

    “Sit Chung Nam, I need to borrow your internal energy!” Yan looked toward him for help.

    Understanding her meaning, Chung Nam placed his right hand on top of Yan’s right hand. In one smooth transfer of energy, a streak of qi passed from his palm to her hand. The needle in Yan’s hand vibrated from the qi, just as she pushed the needle into position at the crown of the head The sect member screamed for one brief instant and then froze.

    Instantly, Chung Nam and Yan moved as a unit, with him hugging Yan from behind, his left arm looped around her waist. The couple flipped over the immobile Floating Cloud Sect member’s head and landed facing his back. With the four remaining acupuncture needles in her hand, Yan moved her right hand forward, with Chung Nam’s right hand resting on top of hers, and aimed for four other acupuncture points along the Du Meridian. She successively pierced the Ming Men (Life Gate) acupuncture point at the sect member’s lower back, then the Ji Zhong (Spinal Center) point at the mid back, then the Nao Hu (Brain’s Door) point near the occipital protuberance at the back of the head.

    Yan had one more acupuncture needle left, but before she could pierce it into the final acupuncture point, two of the previously knocked out Floating Cloud Sect members regained consciousness and charged at Chung Nam and Yan.

    “Where is the last acupuncture point you need?” Chung Nam asked Yan, while keeping his eyes on the two rapidly approaching men.

    “Shang Xing (Upper Star) acupuncture point, near the anterior hairline,” Yan answered.

    Chung Nam nodded. He wrapped his arm around her waist, and together, they flipped over the frozen sect member’s head, landing in front of him. Immediately, Yan pierced the last needle slightly above the man’s anterior hairline into the Shang Xing point. As Chung Nam transferred his qi energy toward Yan’s hand, which was holding onto the acupuncture needle, the two Floating Cloud Sect members came within shooting distance, their bows raised. With his left palm placed over Yan’s hand for the transfer of energy, he extended right arm outward toward the oncoming sect members. With a flick of his right wrist, he unsheathed his Shadowless Swords. One invisible beam of qi energy shot out from his fingertips, quickly multiplying into nine invisible swords of energy. The qi swords sliced the airborne arrows in half, rendering the projectiles harmless as they dropped to the ground. Undeterred, the two Floating Cloud Sect members continued to charge forward. Since Chung Nam was forced to remain stationary during his transfer of energy to Yan, he braced his feet apart and calmly waited for the two sect members to reach him.

    The first man to reach Chung Nam punched forward with his palms. Chung Nam extended his right arm out, his one right palm receiving his attacker’s two palms. With his more superior internal energy, he knocked the sect member backward. As the man catapulted through the air, he lost his grip on his bow, sending it hurtling through the air. Still glued to the same spot, Chung Nam resourcefully unsnapped his waist sash and tossed one end of it toward the airborne bow. The sash wrapped around the bow, and with one sharp tug, Chung Nam yanked the bow toward him and plucked it from the air, hooking it over his right shoulder. Swiftly, he snapped his gown sash back in place around his waist.

    By this point, the second sect member had reached Chung Nam and Yan. Using the bow he commandeered, Chung Nam slid it over the man’s head, pulling it down over his shoulders, essentially locking his opponent’s arms against his torso. With a quick pull, he forced the man to bend forward, exposing the top of his head to Yan.

    Meanwhile, Yan had completed her treatment of the very first Floating Cloud Sect member who had been captured by Chung Nam. This sect member, beginning to awaken from his spell, blinked and looked around in confusion. Seeing that he was no longer in danger, she turned her attention to her new “patient,” the sect member restrained by the bow. Quickly, she removed an additional five acupuncture needles from her waist sash. The trapped sect member struggled violently, but before he could escape, Chung Nam and Yan’s hands moved in unison and pierced his Bai Hui point at the crown of his head. With one jerk of the bow looped around the sect member’s torso, Chung Nam swung the man around, exposing his back to Yan’s needles. As with the first sect member, Yan repeated her acupuncture regimen.

    Just as she finished healing this second man, Chung Nam managed to subdue another attacker. Again, she efficiently pierced the applicable acupuncture points on this third man, with the help of Chung Nam’s internal energy.

    In the background, the seven remaining Floating Cloud Sect members began to rouse from their unconscious state. Spying Chung Nam and Yan a few feet away, they started lunging toward the couple. Chung Nam glanced up and noticed a long, thick tree vine draping down from one of the trees. Smiling, a plan formed in his head. As the seven men rushed toward him, Chung Nam temporarily separated from Yan and somersaulted through the air. He jerked the vine free from the tree, and grabbing onto the thick vine, he lassoed all seven men and dragged them through the air toward Yan’s waiting needles. With all remaining sect members tied up together, Yan required only a few brief minutes to wake every man up from the spell.

    Once the spell was lifted, Chung Nam released his sect members from their restraints. All ten Floating Cloud Sect members immediately bowed down to their Sect Leader, their hands clasped together in a gesture of respect.

    “Sect Leader, what happened?” They inquired in unison.

    Chung Nam flicked his hand in an upward direction, indicating that they may rise. Before he could speak, three succinct claps erupted from within the swirling Veil of Illusion nearby.

    “Bravo! Bravo!” A voice echoed in the night.

    The Veil of Illusion suddenly vanished and a tall, distinguished, middle-aged man, perhaps in his early sixties, emerged. He wore a simple, long white gown with no embellishments except for the sash at his waist. His pepper-gray hair was pulled back from his face and secured at the back of his head with a simple strip of white cloth, revealing dark, penetrating eyes, a straight nose, and chiseled bone structure. He walked toward Sit Chung Nam and Yan and stopped a few paces away from them, as he observed the young couple with shrewd eyes.

    Stroking his short gray beard, the Laughing Ghost Healer stretched his lips into a half sarcastic, half impressed smile. “Sit Chung Nam’s martial arts prowess certainly does not disappoint. I was very entertained by that showcase of skill. Ten against one, forced to remain stationary in one location, and fighting with one arm only, and yet you still manage to emerge victorious.” He clapped twice. “I’m impressed.”

    Chung Nam showed no reaction to the compliment but simply stared back. “Elder is too complimentary. Compared to Elder’s abilities and accomplishments, I am just a novice with much to learn.”

    Standing behind Chung Nam and slightly to his left, Yan curiously observed the man in front of her. So this was the supreme and much feared Laughing Ghost Healer. She had imagined a pot-bellied, toothless, bald, old man with an angry scowl on his face, his chin decorated with a large, black-colored mole with two strands of hair growing from its center. However, this handsome, distinguished gentleman was vastly different from what she had conjured up in her mind. In fact, the more she looked at him, the more he reminded her of... But impossible, Yan thought to herself, or was it? Could the son that the Laughing Ghost Healer was referring to be...?

    Before Yan could speculate further, the Laughing Ghost Healer’s chuckle intruded on her thoughts.

    “Ah, I never thought Sit Chung Nam would be so modest. There is no need for modesty, young man. Impressive is impressive. Perhaps the familiar saying that the younger generation is overtaking the older generation is true.” The elder gentleman gave the slightest of smiles, though his eyes carried no hint of friendliness. “However, what I find even more remarkable is Clan Leader Black Rose’s grasp of poison and healing. Very few recognize the Veil of Illusion, nor do they have the ability to break the spell cast by this mist. She is truly worthy of becoming my daughter-in-law!”

    With those words, the Laughing Ghost Healer somersaulted forward without warning. Swiftly, Chung Nam unsheathed his Shadowless Swords, but suddenly blackness enveloped him and his Floating Cloud Sect members. Their eyes started stinging and watering, blurring their vision. When the cloud of black finally dissipated, Yan had vanished along with the Laughing Ghost Healer.

    “Ha ha ha!” A voice taunted from the distance. “I would love to stay and spar with you, young man, but my son is waiting impatiently for his bride. The new bride and groom must not miss the auspicious hour! Ha ha ha!”

    The Laughing Ghost Healer’s chuckle gradually faded away, leaving only Sit Chung Nam’s deep, furious cry.

    “Yan Yan!”

  15. #315
    Senior Member skoo78's Avatar
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    Oh goodness! Melanie, should I read this prequel first or the other one?

  16. #316
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    Quote Originally Posted by skoo78 View Post
    Oh goodness! Melanie, should I read this prequel first or the other one?
    Hi skoo! Thanks for expressing an interest in the story. You should probably read the prequel first. I am trying to make some very minor revisions and grammatical corrections with the other story right now.

    FYI - I have written the two stories about ten years apart. The other story (main story) was started about ten years ago, so the beginning will have a vastly different writing style compared to the prequel. However, as the main story progresses, the writing style will become more and more similar to the prequel.

    Anyway, let me know your thoughts once you start reading the prequel. Thanks!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Melanie View Post
    Hi skoo! Thanks for expressing an interest in the story. You should probably read the prequel first. I am trying to make some very minor revisions and grammatical corrections with the other story right now.

    FYI - I have written the two stories about ten years apart. The other story (main story) was started about ten years ago, so the beginning will have a vastly different writing style compared to the prequel. However, as the main story progresses, the writing style will become more and more similar to the prequel.

    Anyway, let me know your thoughts once you start reading the prequel. Thanks!
    Thanks Melanie. I will start reading the prequel then!!!

  18. #318
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    CHAPTER 16 --- BENEATH THE CLIFF

    Characters appearing in this chapter:
    Wallace Chung Hon Leung—Sit Chung Nam 薛钟南
    Sun Fei Fei—Fa Heung Yan a.k.a. Black Rose 花香燕
    Laughing Ghost Healer 笑鬼醫

    NIGHTFALL
    FLOATING CLOUD SUMMIT

    “Yan Yan!” An infuriated Chung Nam bellowed.

    He burst through the slowly dissipating cloud of black smoke, coughing and blinking his stinging eyes. Behind him, his ten Floating Cloud Sect members followed suit.

    Nobody could see well due to the effects of the smoke. A dark cloak seemed to blanket the entire forest, as everything appeared hazy. Rather than helping light the way, the luminescent rays of the moon only hurt everyone’s eyes even more, causing objects to appear too bright, too shiny.

    Swearing, Chung Nam used his sleeve to shade his eyes from the moonlight, as he scanned the forest for any sign of Yan. The forest, the trees, everything seemed to throb and float about in one big amorphous blob. He did not know when the effects of this black smoke will resolve, but he cannot wait any longer. He needed to find Yan before the Laughing Ghost Healer married her to his son. However, he couldn’t leave his Floating Cloud Sect in this current situation, either.

    Chung Nam turned and signaled to his men. The sect members staggered slightly from their impaired vision but managed to find their way toward their leader.

    “Sect Leader!” The ten men clasped their hands together in a gesture of deference.

    “Where are the rest of the sect members?” Chung Nam asked.

    One man in his mid forties stepped forward to answer Chung Nam’s question. This man, dubbed by his fellow sect members as Old Taciturn Li, had been with the Floating Cloud Sect even before Sit Chung Nam rose to Sect Leader position. He mostly kept to himself, rarely spoke, but carried himself proudly. He neither made friends nor foes within the sect. However, as he was an “elder member” of the sect and had always performed his duties efficiently, he commanded an unspoken respect from his fellow sect mates.

    Old Taciturn Li sighed. “We lost a large percentage of our men to the Laughing Ghost Healer’s poisoning. We don’t know how this intruder bypassed our defenses, but somehow he managed to pass safely through the defense formations we had set up, as if he knew exactly where each trap was located. Suddenly, this Ghost Healer appeared out of nowhere and killed many of our men with just a few stances. We would have been able to fight back more successfully if we weren’t poisoned beforehand. Later, the intruder laughingly admitted that our water supply was poisoned.”

    “And Sung Hin? Where is he?” Chung Nam inquired about his right hand man, the man whom he trusted the operation of the Floating Cloud Sect to when he was not around.

    “We’re not sure.” Old Taciturn Li replied promptly. “A day before the Ghost Healer’s attack, Sung Hin led a contingent of men to raid an escort agency that was passing by and carrying thousands worth of merchandise and gold. Therefore, he and those men should have escaped the poisoning.”

    Chung Nam narrowed his eyes at Sung Hin’s convenient disappearance right before the attack, but said nothing. “Are the ten of you the only survivors?”

    “I don’t know,” Old Li frowned. “The last thing I recalled was blacking out. Then I suddenly woke up here and saw Sect Leader and Clan Leader Black Rose.”

    Chung Nam glanced back toward the Floating Cloud Sect, his vision still impaired. With the exit of the Laughing Ghost Healer, the Veil of Illusion had also vanished. No longer shrouded in the mist, the tall stone structure appeared like a battle-weary soldier, grim, tired, yet resilient and determined to continue standing. Though surrounded by the poisonous mist for no more than a few hours, the stone structure already appeared corroded, its pillars and columns chipped and blackened slightly.

    The large stone door, which could only be opened by moving a lever hidden off to the side of the building, showed no signs of forced entry. Only Floating Cloud Sect members knew the location of the obscured lever. As Chung Nam walked past the main entrance, his eyes narrowed at the perfectly intact door, but he refrained from commenting.

    The moment Chung Nam and the ten sect members stepped inside the main reception hall of Floating Cloud Sect, the putrid stench of death assaulted them. Bodies littered the floor. Each deceased sect member wore the face of the Death Mask, his lips pale, his face paralyzed and expressionless. Yet, each man’s sightless eyes clearly reflected the fear he had experienced during the last moments of his life.

    Sit Chung Nam quietly surveyed the destruction and loss of lives. Other than the ten surviving sect members standing beside him, every other member of his Floating Cloud Sect was dead. Sighing, he slowly closed his eyes for one minute. He only allowed himself that one brief moment of silence before he opened his eyes again, his expression calm, yet a hard glint flickered fleetingly in his eyes.

    He raised his right hand. Immediately, the remaining ten sect members stepped forward at attention.

    “Sect Leader?” They asked.

    “I want eight of you to remain behind and bury our dead fellow sect members.” Chung Nam ordered.

    “Yes, Sect Leader!” His men answered.

    Chung Nam walked over to one of his fallen members and knelt down next to the body. Solemnly, he brushed his palm over the man’s sightless, staring eyes, closing the eyelids. “They have fought bravely as our brothers, and I promise that their deaths will be avenged.”

    With those resolute words, he stood up. As he walked past his sect members, he signaled to two members, “Old Li! Yeung! Come with me.”

    Old Taciturn Li and a younger member in his mid twenties, named Yeung, immediately followed behind.

    “Are we going to find Clan Leader Black Rose, Sect Leader?” Yeung asked.

    “Yes,” Chung Nam answered vaguely, “but first, we are going to pay a visit to our ally and good neighbor, the Heavenly Crane School.” His vision now almost fully recovered from the black smoke, his eyes gleamed craftily as he exited the Floating Cloud Sect.

    “I don’t understand.” Old Li frowned, puzzled, as he followed Sit Chung Nam out of the stone building. “What does the Heavenly Crane School have to do with finding Clan Leader Black Rose?”

    Chung Nam chuckled slowly. “You will find out shortly. It’s time to assert my authority as Alliance Leader. Why have allies if we aren’t going to use them?”

    He continued laughing as he somersaulted into the air. Within the blink of an eye, his figure vanished into the darkness, leaving only his laughter echoing through the night. Behind him, Old Li and Yeung, too, took flight.

    MEANWHILE...
    OUTSKIRTS OF NORTH STAR TOWN

    Yan trudged along the mountainous terrain, grimacing from the throbbing pain shooting upward from her sprained right ankle, which never had a chance to heal since she had injured it on Twin Demon Peak. The tall, elder gentleman ahead paid no attention to her slowed and labored pace and continued striding briskly forward, navigating the rocky, uneven landscape agilely.

    They had been traveling for about one hour now. During this entire time, the Ghost Healer did not speak a single word to her. In fact, he appeared to mostly ignore her, but Yan knew that he was extremely cognizant of her every action. If she tried to escape, he would immediately know.

    Though he did not mention where they were heading, Yan suspected that they were heading toward Green Python Valley, the rumored home of the Laughing Ghost Healer, the place where he had retreated to after he had separated from the woman he loved. Cutting through the center of North Star Town would have shortened the route to Green Python Valley, but the Ghost Healer had chosen a more roundabout way, journeying along the outskirts of the town, along the small, dark, deserted roads, to avoid detection.

    Yan sighed inwardly. At the rapid pace they had been traveling, they would reach Green Python Valley by tomorrow evening. She did not wish to marry this Ghost Healer’s son, whoever he was. Hence, she needed to do everything she could think of to delay their arrival at Green Python Valley.

    “I’m tired, Elder!” Yan called out to the man in front of her. “Could we stop and rest for a while?”

    However, the Laughing Ghost Healer acted as though he did not hear her. Yan narrowed her eyes at her kidnapper, puffing out her cheeks with frustration. Suddenly, she stopped hobbling and simply plopped down onto the pebbly ground.

    “Aiya!” She sighed loudly. “I’m so tired!”

    The Laughing Ghost Healer halted and turned slowly around. He shot Yan a piercing gaze for a very long, pregnant moment. Most people would become anxious under such a frigid stare, but Yan seemed oblivious. She brushed her bangs aside and then reached into her travel sack for her wooden comb. Completely ignoring her captor, she proceeded to daintily comb her long tresses, adjusting the pearl flower hairpin on top of her head.

    The Laughing Ghost Healer glared at her as he moved toward her. “Get up,” he commanded.

    Yan glanced up at him and smiled sweetly. “Elder, you should stop glaring like that. It makes you look unapproachable.”

    “Get up,” he repeated, completely unamused by her advice.

    Not at all frightened, Yan smiled even more brightly. “I’m tired, Elder, and my ankle hurts.” She stuck her swollen ankle out toward him. “See?”

    The Ghost Healer stared at her stonily, unsympathetic. “You’re deliberately stalling for time, hoping your Sit Chung Nam will come and rescue you. You might as well resign yourself to marrying my son. Even if Sit Chung Nam could catch up to us, he would just die of poison by my hands, no matter how great his martial arts skills.”

    Yan seemed unconcerned, and her smile never wavered. “Elder, what makes you think I need or want to be rescued? Perhaps I wish to marry your son. Don’t you think your son is captivating enough to merit my interest?” Without allowing him to answer, she laughed softly. “Or perhaps...your son truly is lacking in some way?”

    The Laughing Ghost Healer stiffened at her comment, but Yan pretended to be blissfully unaware.

    “If your son isn’t lacking, why would Elder need to kidnap his bride for him?” Yan asked innocently, batting her large eyes at her captor.

    The Ghost Healer clenched his fists. “Little girl, be very careful what you say...”

    “Or you will do what, Elder?” Yan challenged him, training her gaze intensely at him. “You’ll kill me?”

    “Yes,” he replied coldly. He took a threatening step toward her, and yet Yan remained calm.

    “If you kill me, then your son would be missing a bride.” Yan smiled.

    “Little girl, don’t be so smug.” The Laughing Ghost Healer snorted. “I can easily find him another pretty face.”

    She chuckled softly. “I don’t think so, Elder. If I am truly replaceable, then you would not have bothered to conjure up the Veil of Illusion and risk invading the Floating Cloud Sect to kidnap me. There must be something specific that I have that your son wants or needs. Am I correct, Elder?”

    Her captor narrowed his eyes for a long moment, but kept silent. Then abruptly, he whirled around, turning his back on Yan.

    “Get up,” he again commanded menacingly.

    Without waiting for Yan’s response, the Ghost Healer started to walk away, assuming Yan would follow.

    “No,” Yan responded defiantly. “My ankle hurts. I wish to rest for a bit. Unless you want to piggyback me for the rest of the way, I am not continuing on this journey until I get my rest.”

    At her brazen words, he stopped and swiveled around, furious. “You!”

    He took a threatening step forward.

    Unconcerned, Yan braided her long hair and tied the end with a silver pink ribbon. Satisfied with her appearance, she calmly replaced her comb into her travel sack. Ignoring her captor, she leaned back against a tree trunk and closed her eyes to sleep.

    The Laughing Ghost Healer fumed. “Little girl, how dare you act as if I am nonexistent. It might be prudent that you show me a little respect.”

    Yan opened her eyes suddenly, glancing up at him with feigned sincerity. “I am respecting you, Elder. If I am not mistaken, you, too, desperately need some time to rest. To my knowledge, even with Elder’s impressive rumored abilities, it would take at least half of Elder’s internal energy to conjure up the Veil of Illusion and control it. After mobilizing so much of your internal energy, I would think Elder would like to sleep for a while before continuing on our journey.”

    The Ghost Healer snorted and crossed his arms. “Little girl, your knowledge is lacking. With my talents, creating the Veil of Illusion did not require much effort on my part. My internal energy is at full capacity, and I do not need to rest.”

    Yan laughed lightly and clapped her hands mockingly at the Ghost Healer. “Elder, you lie amazingly well! If Sit Chung Nam had truly offended your son in the past as you claimed, then there would be no reason for you to spare Sect Leader Sit’s life. However, instead of putting more effort into avenging your son, you merely momentarily blinded Sit Chung Nam with the vision impairing smoke. You did so to avoid further direct combat with him, because you had already expended so much internal energy creating the Veil of Illusion. Even though Sit Chung Nam is many years your junior, his internal energy may not be that much inferior to yours. With your internal energy reduced by half, you risk losing to him in an outright fight. Therefore, you chose to take the safer option of just detaining him momentarily so that you can buy yourself some time to kidnap and escape with me.” Yan paused and smiled sweetly. “Am I correct, Elder?”

    The Laughing Ghost Healer did not answer her, but stared at her for a long moment, his expression indecipherable. Finally, he broke eye contact and turned away from Yan, as he seemed to have made a decision. Calmly, he lowered himself onto the ground a few feet away from Yan. Sitting cross-legged, he placed his hands on his knees, his palms facing upward. Closing his eyes, he started to meditate, no longer acknowledging Yan’s presence.

    A few feet away, Yan studied the elder gentleman, knowing that while he appeared to be concentrating on meditating and healing his internal energy, he was aware of her every move. Following his lead, Yan, too, closed her eyes and leaned back against a tree trunk.

    ONE HOUR LATER

    Yan’s eyes popped open, and they surreptitiously darted toward the direction of the Laughing Ghost Healer. For the past hour, her kidnapper had remained still, breathing evenly. Very slowly, Yan leaned forward, away from the tree trunk. She then glanced at the Ghost Healer again. When he continued to sleep, Yan shifted her legs and carefully, inch by inch, stood up. With the thick forest canopy blocking out most of the moonlight, Yan could barely see. Gently, she took her first step away from her captor. Unfortunately, in the nearly complete darkness, her slippered shoe brushed against a loose pebble on the forest ground. In the silence of the night, the tiny scratch of the pebble against the ground sounded like a loud, obnoxious screech. Yan’s heart pounded, and she held her breath, expecting the Laughing Ghost Healer to leap up instantly and grab her. Luckily, seconds ticked by, but nothing happened. Afraid to even breathe too loudly, Yan continued to sidle further away from her kidnapper.

    It seemed like an eternity, but soon she managed to travel far enough away to reach another section of the forest. Yan glanced around warily, unwilling to believe she had so easily escaped from a highly skilled elder, like the Laughing Ghost Healer. She narrowed her eyes, carefully surveying the land. The more she looked, the more her heart started to sink.

    Here in this part of the woods, the dense groves of trees had thinned out considerably. Without the thick canopy of leaves blocking out the moonlight, the moonbeams freely flooded the mountainous terrain with pale light. Yan could clearly see that the uneven road ahead led up to a steep cliff. She could either proceed forward, or retrace the path she came from, returning toward the direction of her captor. Quickly evaluating her options, she sighed and decided to forge ahead, hoping to miraculously find some sort of path at the top of the cliff that would bring her to the bottom of the mountain.

    Unfortunately, it seemed that the heavens were in a contrary mood this particular night. After reaching the top of the cliff, Yan realized dishearteningly that instead of a path leading downward, the cliff plummeted straight down into a black abyss so deep that it appeared bottomless, if not for the roaring sound of waves from the river below.

    Despondent, Yan stood at the edge of the cliff, staring blankly down into the dark void. The moonlight bathed her delicate features in a silvery glow. A light breeze stirred her long tresses, loosening her braid. As her locks broke free of the braid, the long strands of midnight black hair floated gently behind her. The ribbon that she had used to fasten her braid drifted down the cliff, carried away by the breeze. Her long robes billowed softly around her, caressing and accentuating her feminine form. Silhouetted against the full moon, Yan appeared like a painting of a goddess glancing down at the mortal world mournfully.

    “I hope Miss is not considering jumping. Whatever obstacles Miss may be facing, I am sure there is a solution. Perhaps I can be of assistance?”

    A deep, cultured voice suddenly echoed from somewhere below the cliff, startling Yan.

    Initially, Yan had only noticed the roaring sound of waves from the river below. But now as she listened more attentively, she discovered the very subtle and melodious qin notes blending in perfectly with the clashing of waves, cleverly using the fury of nature as background music.

    “Who’s there?” Yan asked warily, staring down the cliff into the darkness.

  19. #319
    Senior Member Melanie's Avatar
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    Talking

    CHAPTER 17 --- WHITE FLAG

    Characters appearing in this chapter:
    Sun Fei Fei---Fa Heung Yan a.k.a. Black Rose 花香燕
    Qiao Zhen Yu---Bak Fei Long 白飛龍
    Laughing Ghost Healer Ding Wan 笑鬼醫 丁雲
    Lawrence Yan Chi Keung---Ling Dong 凌東
    Leader Luk Dai Yung of Heavenly Crane School 陆大勇
    Wallace Chung Hon Leung---Sit Chung Nam 薛钟南
    Tam Gam Hoi 譚金海

    OUTSKIRTS OF NORTH STAR TOWN
    CLIFF

    “I hope Miss is not considering jumping. Whatever obstacles Miss may be facing, I am sure there is a solution. Perhaps I can be of assistance?”

    A deep, cultured voice suddenly echoed from somewhere below the cliff, startling Yan.

    Initially, Yan had only noticed the roaring sound of waves from the river below. But now as she listened more attentively, she discovered the very subtle and melodious qin notes blending in perfectly with the clashing of waves, cleverly using the fury of nature as background music.

    “Who’s there?” Yan asked warily, staring down the cliff into the darkness.

    A low chuckle resonated from the bottom of the cliff. “It is interesting how fate works. I have been looking for Miss for a long time, but I could not find you. Yet, tonight, when I have stopped searching, Miss appears before me.”

    Yan narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Have we met before, Young Master?”

    Suddenly, the qin notes quieted. “Perhaps we have.” The hint of a smile could be detected from his answer.

    “Then...Young Master knows who I am?” Yan asked cautiously.

    “Who in wulin has not heard of Clan Leader Black Rose’s legendary grace and beauty?” The voice responded vaguely.

    Unimpressed by his compliment, Yan quickly scanned the bottom of the cliff, wishing to determine if this man was friend or foe. Only blackness greeted her eyes unfortunately.

    Shortly thereafter, the melancholy qin melody could again be heard, the notes weaving slowly through the night, telling the story of lovers separated first by social status, then by misunderstanding, and finally by death. The crashing waves thrashed furiously against the jagged rocks lining the bottom of the cliff, as if raging at heaven’s cruelty, while weeping at the lovers‘ ultimate fate.

    As the song continued playing, Yan waited patiently for the stranger to explain his cryptic words earlier, but he did not further elaborate.

    “Then it seems that I am at a disadvantage, since Young Master knows who I am, and yet, Young Master’s identity is still a mystery to me. May I have the honor of knowing Young Master’s name?” Yan requested politely.

    However, before the stranger below the cliff could respond, Yan felt a barely detectable shift in the air behind her. Immediately, she stiffened, already guessing who had just arrived.

    The Laughing Ghost Healer stood several feet behind Yan. Instead of immediately charging forward to recapture her like Yan had expected, the elder gentleman appeared to be completely oblivious to Yan’s presence. He gazed straight ahead into the darkness, lost in a world of years past, the qin melody encircling him, drowning him in memories of sorrow and regret.

    When the song finally concluded, the Ghost Healer remained silent for a long moment. Then, he sighed wistfully.

    “In this lifetime, I never thought I would hear this song again,” he whispered.

    Though the cliff seemed fathomless, the Ghost Healer’s soft words could nonetheless be heard clearly by the man at the bottom of the cliff. Upon hearing those whispered words, the man immediately flicked at one of the qin strings. The loud snapping noise echoed through the night with the finality of death as the qin string abruptly severed into two pieces.

    Yan shivered, despite the balmy night air. Though she did not quite understand the situation, she could feel the tension hovering in the air, like a thick, solid wall, bearing down on everyone.

    Very slowly and emotionlessly, the young man below the cliff answered, “And I never thought that, in this lifetime, I would hear your voice again.”

    The Laughing Ghost Healer closed his eyes briefly, his brow wrinkled in agony. Finally, he opened his eyes and took one hesitant step toward the edge of the cliff, completely ignoring Yan.

    “I...” The Ghost Healer stopped abruptly, as if unsure what to say. He cleared his throat and started again. “You sound so mature now.” He paused and laughed awkwardly. “Of course, you sound more mature! You’re a grown man now. How... How are you? How is your mother?” He hesitantly asked the young man at the bottom of the cliff.

    For a very long time, the young man did not respond. Finally, he answered coldly, “You no longer have the right to ask or to know.”

    Yan noticed a fleeting look of sadness flicker briefly across the Laughing Ghost Healer’s eyes, and then, that look vanished as quickly as it had come.

    He laughed bitterly. “Yes, you are correct. I have lost that right years ago. I have made my decision so many years ago, so why regret that choice now?” He lamented, his voice hoarse with pain. “As a young man, I was so sure I had made the correct choice to leave her behind. After all, a true man could not be burdened by his family, right? He needed his freedom to pursue his ambitions, right? The folly of youth!” The Ghost Healer laughed again, the regret in his tone poignantly clear.

    “You should have never come back.” The young man remarked curtly. “You should have remained hidden, like you have for the last few decades.”

    “Perhaps you are right.” The elder gentleman agreed, his proud posture showing the signs of defeat. “I know you don’t wish to see me, so I will take my leave now.” He shifted slightly, as if to leave, but then hesitantly turned back toward the cliff. “Maybe...we could meet again?” When he received no response, he sighed deeply.

    In the background, Yan observed the turmoil flashing across her captor’s face. Whoever this man beneath the cliff was, he was an excellent distraction for the Laughing Ghost Healer, Yan realized. Quietly, she shifted away from the edge of the cliff, putting some distance between herself and the Ghost Healer. Unfortunately, before she could escape beyond twenty paces, her captor somersaulted through the air and landed behind her.

    “Where do you think you are going, little girl?” The Laughing Ghost Healer placed his hand heavily on her shoulder, nearly nailing her three feet into the earth with his strength.

    Yan groaned inwardly from the pain but forced herself to smile beautifully when she turned around to face the elder gentleman. “I wanted to give Elder some privacy. You must have much to discuss with the young master at the bottom of the cliff.”

    Unamused by Yan’s flippant response, the Ghost Healer narrowed his eyes. “I don’t have time to play games with you, little girl.” He tightened his grip on Yan’s shoulder, causing her to wince. “I warned you about trying to escape.”

    “Ugh!” Yan mumbled under her breath, refusing to cry out loud. “Pick on someone your own generation!” She muttered under her breath.

    “Watch your words, little girl,” the Ghost Healer warned in a low voice. He sent one last regretful glance toward the edge of the cliff before turning his attention back to Yan. “Hurry up. You have a wedding to attend.”

    He attempted to drag her along, but Yan dug her feet into the ground and resisted fiercely. Just when she was about to holler for help, a disgusted voice resonated from the bottom of the cliff.

    “You should let her go.” The man suggested, his tone frigid. “It is unbecoming for an elder, especially one as accomplished as you, to bully a junior.”

    The Laughing Ghost Healer paused, but his expression remained resolute. “I’m sorry. Normally, I would do as you ask, as a favor to you and your mother, but this time, I cannot.” The Ghost Healer turned to Yan and gripped her arm even more tightly. “Let’s go, little girl.”

    Sensing an ally in the stranger beneath the cliff, Yan turned her head toward the cliff while being dragged away by her captor and called out beseechingly. “Young Master, help!”

    Suddenly, from the bottom of the cliff, a short bamboo stick, no longer than the length of two chopsticks, sliced through the air, twirling so rapidly that it appeared like a blurry disc. As the stick cleared the top of the cliff, it elongated midair into a long staff, the large white flag attached to one end of the staff fluttered in the breeze, proudly displaying the emblem of seven colored interlocked flags. While the staff continued spinning in the air, a man, clothed completely in white, scaled the side of the mountain. As he neared the top of the cliff, he kicked his legs against the side of the mountain and somersaulted forward, smoothly plucking the twirling staff midair before landing soundlessly in front of the Laughing Ghost Healer and Yan, blocking their path. For a long moment, both men stood a few feet apart, silently facing each other, both tall, proud, unyielding.

    The white-robed man appeared to be in his late twenties, his handsome features refined, scholarly. Yet, his arrogant, combative stance belied his scholarly appearance. With his legs braced slightly apart, he twirled his weapon adeptly, the movement so precise and quick that the flag attached to the end of the bamboo staff barely made any sound as the fabric cut through the air. With one final move, he stabbed the staff into the ground, his hand gripping the weapon firmly. He remained silent, his brows furrowed slightly, his expression uncompromising as he looked at the elder gentleman across from him.

    Showing none of the younger man’s antagonism, the Laughing Ghost Healer seemed awed and transfixed, his grip on Yan’s arm loosening slightly. Behind the Ghost Healer, Yan observed the confrontation curiously. Not only did the two men’s carriage appear similar, their physical characteristics looked remarkably alike.

    The Ghost Healer sucked in a quick breath and then laughed as he witnessed the younger man’s imposing presence. “Fei Long,” he whispered.

    The white-robed young man stared back quietly for so long that Yan thought he was going to ignore the Laughing Ghost Healer.

    Then suddenly the man acknowledged the Ghost Healer, his tone dispassionate, “Father.”

    Upon hearing the younger man’s acknowledgement, the Ghost Healer threw his head back and laughed even harder, his expression a combination of joy and regret. “I, Ding Wan, have lived in solitude for so many years. No one cared for me; I cared for no one. I thought I would one day die alone, never knowing the family I left behind. Who knew, years later, I would meet my two sons again within the period of a few weeks? The heavens are indeed being kind to me. Haha!”

    His laughter brought forth a feeling of longing, regret, and tentative hope, a hope that was immediately dashed by his son’s next words.

    “I address you as Father today not because I wish to rekindle our relationship, but because I believe there is no need to hide from my roots. I am your biological son, but our relationship ends there. My true family is the late Elder Clan Leader Bak of the Seven Soaring Flags Clan.”

    Bak Fei Long glanced toward Yan’s direction before shifting his gaze back toward his father. “I have been searching for Clan Leader Black Rose for the last several weeks to aid me in some important matters. Since I have now found her, I trust that Father will graciously allow her to leave with me.”

    At his son’s words, the Laughing Ghost Healer wrinkled his brow in surprise. “I... What important matters?”

    “A life and death matter,” Bak Fei Long answered succinctly.

    “Can someone else other than Clan Leader Black Rose aid you in this life and death matter?” Ding Wan asked.

    “No,” Bak Fei Long responded tersely, eyeing his father challengingly.

    At his son’s answer, Ding Wan tightened his hold on Yan’s shoulder, forcibly anchoring her to the ground to his right. For a long, silent moment, both father and son stared at each other steadily, while Yan peered at the two men, waiting to see who would blink first.

    Finally, the Laughing Ghost Healer slowly loosened his grip on Yan’s shoulder. Now able to move, Yan shook the elder gentleman’s hand completely off and quickly moved to stand behind Bak Fei Long, in case Ding Wan changed his mind. Disregarding Yan, Ding Wan simply looked at his son for a moment and then turned to leave.

    After a few steps, Ding Wan stopped. Without turning around, he hesitated before speaking. “I am at Green Python Valley.”

    Ding Wan paused, hoping to hear his son say that he will visit him there. When Bak Fei Long remained quiet, Ding Wan sighed inwardly. With a heavy heart, he forced himself to slowly walk away.

    When the Laughing Ghost Healer finally disappeared into the darkness, Yan breathed in relief. She stepped in front of her savior and placed her hands together in a gesture of gratitude.

    “Thank you, Young Master, for helping me tonight.” Yan bowed her head respectfully. “I am indebted to you. If Young Master needs assistance in the future, I will try my best to repay this kindness.”

    He shook his head almost imperceptibly and smiled graciously. “There is no need for repayment. Consider it my honor to be able to assist a lovely maiden in distress.”

    At his words, she smiled politely at him. “Then thank you again, Young Master,” she nodded at him before turning to walk away.

    Behind her, a deep, quiet voice stopped her.

    “Clan Leader Black Rose,” Bak Fei Long called out unhurriedly. “Don’t you wish to know who I am and why I mentioned that we may have met before?”

    Yan turned slowly, her polite smile still gracing her face. She gestured to his bamboo staff with the large white flag undulating gently in the soft night breeze.

    “Judging from the weapon that Young Master is using, you must be Bak Fei Long of the Seven Soaring Flags Clan.” Yan’s smile suddenly blossomed, giving her countenance an ethereal glow in the moonlight. “And if I had previously met Young Master, I would not have forgotten. Therefore, our ‘prior meeting‘ that Young Master is referring to must be my encounter with your younger sister, Miss Bak Yeuk Lam. Since she was impersonating you, I suppose you could say that I have met ‘Bak Fei Long‘ before.”

    Bak Fei Long raised his eyebrow slightly. “So Clan Leader Black Rose has met my little sister.”

    Yan observed Bak Fei Long’s scholarly aura and remembered Bak Yeuk Lam’s excellent imitation of this refined air, even though she could never reproduce her brother’s subtle commanding, masculine presence. She chuckled softly with amusement. “Miss Bak does a very good impersonation of you.”

    Bak Fei Long smiled slightly at Yan’s comment, but his expression turned somber quickly again. “Does Clan Leader Black Rose know where my sister is?”

    “We parted ways last evening not far from here. Unfortunately, I do not where she went afterward.” Yan responded.

    “I see.” Bak Fei Long sighed. “Thank you for the information.”

    Yan nodded and then turned to leave. However, he again stopped her.

    “Clan Leader Black Rose,” Bak Fei Long called out.

    Yan turned back again and raised one eyebrow gracefully.

    Bak Fei Long twirled his bamboo staff leisurely. On the third spin, the long staff suddenly shortened to a short bamboo stick. He tucked the stick into his waist sash behind his back and walked up to Yan. From his robe pocket, he pulled out the silver pink ribbon which had loosened from her hair while she was peering down the cliff earlier.

    “Earlier tonight, I noticed this drifting in the air.” He laughed with amusement. “It dangled in front of my nose like a frilly invitation. I glanced up the cliff and that was when I noticed you.”

    Yan stared at the delicate ribbon waving softly in the breeze and laughed, too. “I suppose I owe this hair ribbon my gratitude for bringing you to my rescue.”

    Fei Long smiled and then hesitated. “If Clan Leader Black Rose truly wishes to repay me for my intervention tonight, I dare to ask that you gift me this ribbon.”

    Yan paused in confusion for a second. Then she swiftly regained her composure and nodded.

    “Of course. A simple ribbon is a small token of gratitude for Young Master Bak’s kindness tonight.” Yan bowed her head slightly in apology. “If Young Master does not mind, I will say my farewell right now. I have someone waiting for me, and if I don’t get back, he will be worried.”

    An indescribable emotion briefly flickered across his eyes, and then that fleeting glimpse into his soul closed. He smiled cordially.

    “Have a safe journey, Clan Leader Black Rose,” he wished her.

    Yan beamed at him. “Thank you, Young Master.”

    Bak Fei Long watched as Yan walked off. Even after her petite figure blended into the darkness, he continued staring off in the direction she had departed, his expression enigmatic. In his preoccupation, his fingers loosened on the silver pink ribbon. A rush of wind swept by, carrying the silky hair tie along. As if in a trance, he watched quietly as the ribbon drifted further and further away, until it became nothing more than a speck of silver in the night. Suddenly, he blinked and shook himself out of his reverie. He leapt into the air and raced across the night sky, a streak of blurry white. Within a single blink of the eye, the streak reached the the spot of silver and plucked the ribbon before rapidly disappearing from sight.

    BASE OF MOUNT HEAVENLY CRANE

    Moonlight bathed the path leading up to Heavenly Crane School. The wildflowers covering the mountainside, usually vibrant with a kaleidoscope of colors, now dripped bright red with blood, the hue so ghastly and blinding that the whole field appeared like a blanket of liquid crimson. Bodies littered the road. The metallic stench of spilled blood filled the night, heavy and suffocating. From the summit of Mount Heavenly Crane, distant sounds of the clash of swords could be heard.

    Into this battle scene, three men entered. Their dark silhouettes moved silently, their sharp eyes calmly observing the dead, the wounded.

    One of the injured Heavenly Crane School disciples weakly raised his head as a pair of white boots walked by. With all his strength, the disciple grabbed onto the person’s leg.

    “Alliance Leader,” the disciple croaked through parched lips, “please help my teacher.”

    Before Sit Chung Nam could respond, the disciple had already died. Chung Nam removed the man’s grip from around his ankle and glanced slowly up toward the summit of Mount Heavenly Crane. Even from this distance, he could hear the clamor of exchanged fists and the clanging of blades.

    Old Li and Yeung exchanged glances before looking at Sit Chung Nam.

    “What should we do, Sect Leader?” Old Li asked.

    Chung Nam curled his lips slightly into a smirk. “We save Leader Luk and his Heavenly Crane School disciples, of course.”

    “But this conflict is none of our business.” Old Li frowned.

    Chung Nam turned suddenly and stared hard at Old Li. His piercing gaze forced the older man to lower his head uncomfortably.

    “Do not question my decisions, Old Li.” Chung Nam warned.

    Without further explanation, Chung Nam somersaulted into the air and disappeared. Behind him, Old Li and Yeung quickly followed.

    HEAVENLY CRANE SCHOOL
    RECEPTION HALL

    “Teacher!” Ling Dong shouted amidst the bedlam.

    Approximately twenty people battled in the reception hall of Heavenly Crane School. However, only two of them belonged to the Heavenly Crane School - Leader Luk Dai Yung and his eldest disciple, Ling Dong. The other intruders, who outnumbered and were rapidly tiring out Leader Luk and Ling Dong, belonged to a band of disgraced former Heavenly Crane School disciples, who had been exiled from the school by Leader Luk several years ago.

    The leader of the band, an older man in his fifties, about the same age as Leader Luk, forced the fatigued Leader Luk into one corner of the reception hall. As the band leader leapt forward and struck down with his sword, Leader Luk sluggishly raised his weapon in defense. However, with extreme exhaustion, he could not withstand the blow from his opponent. The band leader, his eyes bright with rage, sliced Leader’s Luk’s forearm.

    “Teacher!” Ling Dong called out again upon hearing Leader Luk cry out in pain from the other side of the room.

    Ling Dong tried to charge toward his teacher, but immediately ten opponents surrounded him, barricading his path. At this moment, the surviving Heavenly Crane School disciples from outside rushed in to help, but even with these reinforcements, the intruders still greatly outnumbered the Heavenly Crane School members.

    On the other side of the hall, Leader Luk involuntarily dropped his weapon due to the deep gash on his arm.

    The band leader chuckled maliciously, the desire for revenge apparent in his expression. “Luk Dai Yung! You never thought you would see this day, did you?” He thrust his face close to Leader Luk’s. “How does it feel to be at my mercy, Senior Martial Brother Luk?” Without waiting for an answer, the band leader raged on. “You were suppose to be my friend, my brother! And yet, you discarded me like trash! You kicked me out of Heavenly Crane School without a backward glance!”

    “Tam Gam Hoi, you were no longer my brother and friend the moment I found out that you had murdered our teacher all those years ago!” Leader Luk spat in his former junior martial brother’s face.

    Furious, Tam Gam Hoi slapped Leader Luk in the face. “That useless old man had always favored you, even though I was the more intelligent and more outstanding disciple. I deserved to be the leader of Heavenly Crane School, not you.” He paused and inhaled deeply for a moment. “But all is well now, since I am going to dispose of you very soon.”

    Leader Luk glared at his former junior martial brother belligerently. “Even if you kill me today, my disciples will never follow you. Your title as Leader of Heavenly Crane School will only be an empty name.”

    Tam Gam Hoi sneered. “Most of your students are dead. The remaining ones will either soon die, too, or surrender to save their own lives. Now enough talking! We are wasting time.”

    Tam Gam Hoi backed up slightly and thrust his leg out, kicking the injured Leader Luk in the abdomen. Stubbornly swallowing his cry of pain, Leader Luk tried to stand up but failed and crumpled to the floor again.

    Sensing imminent victory, the band leader struck forward with his palms. Weakly, Leader Luk raised his palms to receive the oncoming palms, but he could no longer see clearly as sweat beads stung his eyes. Before he could catch his breath, his enemy punched him on the shoulders, sending him flying backward.

    Through the pain and confusion, Leader Luk could hear Ling Dong’s distant voice amidst the cacophony of swords clanging. As he catapulted backward through the air, he knew he was going to fatally hit the large stone pillar near the entrance of the reception hall. Resigned, he closed his eyes and welcomed death.

    However, instead of slamming hard into the stone column like expected, Leader Luk noticed a subtle shift in the air beside him, and before his mind could register what was going on, he felt a palm at his back, firmly stopping his progression toward the stone pillar. An almost imperceptible but forceful field of qi energy sent him flying back toward Tam Gam Hoi’s direction. Somehow, he landed safely onto his feet, right in front of Tam Gam Hoi, just in time for him to witness the incredulous look in his enemy’s eyes before a white blur encircled Tam Gam Hoi.

    Tam Gam Hoi jabbed his sword haphazardly at the blur, but his opponent moved too swiftly. Suddenly, the blur stopped, startling Tam Gam Hoi.

    “Sit Chung Nam?” Tam muttered in surprise at the appearance of the Floating Cloud Sect leader.

    Tam Gam Hoi stumbled slightly, his sword still in the process of thrusting forward. In response, Sit Chung Nam smoothly reached forward and sandwiched the oncoming blade between his index and middle fingers. With a quick and precise snap, the blade broke into two pieces. Chung Nam shot the broken sword tip back at Tam Gam Hoi, slicing the inside of Tam’s right forearm, just as he had done to Leader Luk earlier. Tam Gam Hoi yelped in pain, dropping his broken blade to the floor.

    Before Tam Gam Hoi could counter attack, Chung Nam executed a swift turn and kicked out with his right leg, a calculating move which sent Tam Gam Hoi flying through the air toward the direction where Ling Dong was being surrounded by at least five opponents. Tam Gam Hoi knocked into two of his followers before he smashed onto the floor. Ling Dong, now only left with three opponents, easily parried one enemy with his sword, stabbing him in the heart with one efficient move. He whirled around just in time to strike down the two remaining opponents by palming each one on the shoulder.

    As two more enemies rushed toward him, Ling Dong raised his sword, prepared to fight to the end. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a flash of silver as a sword cut through the air and skewered the two opponents before they could reach him. Ling Dong turned toward the direction where the flying sword had come from and noticed Sit Chung Nam grab both his teacher and Tam Gam Hoi by the lapels of their gowns and somersault rapidly toward the raised platform at the far end of the reception hall.

    Sit Chung Nam set Leader Luk down on his feet on the platform but kicked Tam Gam Hoi behind his knees, forcing the vindictive former Heavenly Crane School member to kneel.

    “Tell your followers to stop fighting and drop their weapons,” Chung Nam ordered Tam Gam Hoi.

    When Tam Gam Hoi remained stubbornly silent, Chung Nam kicked him in the back viciously.

    Screaming in outrage and agony, Tam Gam Hoi finally called out to his followers to cease fighting.

    As everyone lowered their weapons, Sit Chung Nam calmly sat down onto Leader Luk’s ornate chair at the center of the platform. In the background, Yeung and Old Li rushed forward and flanked Sit Chung Nam’s right and left. Immediately, Tam Gam Hoi struggled to stand up, but Chung Nam pressed his hand down hard onto the defeated man’s right shoulder, forcing him to remain kneeling. Leader Luk stood to Chung Nam’s left and tried to keep from collapsing from blood loss and fatigue.

    “Sit Chung Nam, how dare you! How dare you interfere with an orthodox school’s private internal affairs!” Tam Gam Hoi huffed indignantly as he tured his head around to glare at the tall man lounging nonchalantly on the ornate chair, a position he had hoped to occupy just moments ago.

    Chung Nam merely smiled. “Haven’t you heard? I am now the humble Alliance Leader for the four major orthodox schools and clans.”

    “What?!” Tam Gam Hoi repeated, shocked.

    “Listen carefully,” Chung Nam warned, his seemingly congenial expression coated with an edge of steeliness as he watched everyone below the platform. “From now on, Heavenly Crane School is under my protection. Your invasion of Heavenly Crane School today is an insult to me.” He paused before continuing. Outwardly, Chung Nam’s next words appeared to be addressed to the group of intruders congregated at one corner of the hall, and yet, his glance fleetingly landed on every Heavenly Crane School disciple, as well. “Anyone who dares to offend me will end up like him.”

    Before anyone could react, Chung Nam slammed his palm down onto the top of the unsuspecting Tam Gam Hoi’s head. Immediately, the blood drained from his victim’s face as his body crumpled, already dead before hitting the floor.

    From within the group of intruders, a young man tried to dash forward toward the dead Tam Gam Hoi, but his comrades quickly surrounded him and pushed him back into the middle of the crowd.

    Chung Nam’s keen eyes immediately narrowed at the group’s suspicous and protective action. He made a move to stand up, intending to drag out the young man, but Leader Luk’s hoarse, weak voice suddenly stopped him.

    “Alliance Leader,” Leader Luk pleaded on behalf of all the intruders, "please spare their lives. They all used to be Heavenly Crane School disciples and had once fought alongside me not too long ago. They have just been led astray by traitor Tam Gam Hoi. Now with their ringleader dead, they will disband.”

    Chung Nam hesitated and glanced toward Leader Luk as he considered the Heavenly Crane School leader’s words. He did not like to leave behind live survivors, especially ones who suspiciously seemed like they might come back for revenge, like the young man protected by his comrades. However, this time he seemed surprisingly accommodating of Leader Luk’s wishes.

    “Fine,” Chung Nam smiled magnanimously at the band of Tam Gam Hoi followers. “As a favor to Leader Luk, you may all leave today.” Then, his smile suddenly vanished. “Don’t come back.”

    The group of Tam Gam Hoi followers quickly scrambled out of the reception hall. Yet, even in their haste, they made sure the rash young man was shielded from Chung Nam’s view as they exited. Unperturbed, Chung Nam watched them leave.

    Once the last intruder had exited, Leader Luk sighed and then suddenly coughed weakly. He staggered unsteadily and tumbled off the platform.

    Below the platform, Ling Dong called out in alarm. “Teacher!”

    He swiftly somersaulted forward and caught Leader Luk in time before he crashed. The other Heavenly Crane School disciples hurried forward, surrounding their teacher in concern.

    “I’m fine. I’m fine.” Leader Luk assured his students hoarsely.

    Unsympathetic and showing no intention of giving Leader Luk his seat back, Chung Nam stared down at the older man. “Perhaps Leader Luk should retreat for a few months to heal your wounds. I will move my Floating Cloud Sect over to Mount Heavenly Crane to ensure that no other intruders will dare to invade your school while you are recuperating.”

    Though Sit Chung Nam’s words seemed generous on the surface, Leader Luk understood the bandit leader’s implied intention perfectly. Sit Chung Nam and his bandits were moving in, whether he agreed or not. Sadly, in his current condition, he could not object and had no choice but to silently suffer this outragous affront.

    Standing next to his teacher, Ling Dong stiffened at Chung Nam’s words, but Leader Luk squeezed his arm tightly, holding him back.

    “Of course, Alliance Leader,” Leader Luk forced a tiny smile through clenched teeth. “I will order my disciples to prepare some guest rooms for you and your Floating Cloud Sect members.”

    With Ling Dong’s help, Leader Luk turned slowly to retire to his chambers. However, Sit Chung Nam’s smooth voice stopped him.

    “Oh,” Chung Nam added casually, “I have a favor to ask of Leader Luk.”

    Luk Dai Yung paused, his hands fisted. He turned back and asked in a carefully controlled voice. “Yes, Alliance Leader?”

    Chung Nam leisurely leaned back in Leader Luk’s chair. “I have heard that the Heavenly Crane School has a treasure that is passed down to the leader from one generation to the next - a pair of gloves made from the silk of silkworms which have fed on mulberry leaves fertilized with some of the world’s deadliest poisons. The gloves not only act as a poison-proof barrier and protect the wearer from contracting poisons from his opponent’s palm energy, but they can also absorb the poison released by his opponent’s palm energy.” Chung Nam stared directly at the older man, his smile icy and predatory. “I would like to borrow these gloves, Leader Luk. Bring them to me immediately.”

  20. #320
    Senior Member Melanie's Avatar
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    CHAPTER 18 --- HEAVENLY CRANE SCHOOL'S SECRET

    Characters appearing in this chapter:
    Lawrence Yan Chi Keung 甄志強—Ling Dong 凌東
    Leader Luk Dai Yung of Heavenly Crane School 陆大勇
    Wallace Chung Hon Leung 鍾漢良—Sit Chung Nam 薛钟南
    Sun Fei Fei 孙菲菲—Fa Heung Yan a.k.a. Black Rose 花香燕
    Wallace Huo Jian Hua 霍建華—Kuk Wai 曲偉
    Chen Hao 陈好—Fa Heung Ling a.k.a. Poison Snake 花香伶

    HEAVENLY CRANE SCHOOL
    LEADER LUK’S CHAMBER

    Leader Luk Dai Yung removed a painting hanging from the far wall of his room to reveal a hidden compartment built into the wall. He moved a series of small stone levers in a specific order, and the compartment door slid open smoothly. From inside, he carefully withdrew a small velvet pouch. He untied the pouch and took out a pair of silk silver-colored gloves.

    “Teacher,” Ling Dong asked worriedly. “Are you really going to give Sit Chung Nam these gloves? He’s already tyrannical enough right now. With these gloves, we will only make him more invincible and more terrifying to the pugilist world.”

    Leader Luk sighed, as he glanced sadly at the gloves in his hands. “Dong, these gloves are fake.”

    “Fake?!” Ling Dong gasped.

    Leader Luk nodded in reply. “The real ones have disappeared about four years ago. If we still had the real gloves, I would have tried using them against Poison Snake and Black Rose when the Thousand Snake Black Rose Clan started threatening the orthodox clans and schools a few years back.”

    Ling Dong nodded in understanding after hearing Leader Luk’s words. “So that was why Teacher gave some vague reply to the other orthodox school and clan leaders several years ago when they demanded that you use the Heavenly Crane School’s treasure to counter Poison Snake’s Blood Shadow Palm.”

    Leader Luk sighed. “I remember that day several years ago. The other orthodox school and clan leaders nearly severed their friendship with the Heavenly Crane School when I gave them some flimsy excuse about why I couldn’t use the poison-proof gloves against the Thousand Snake Black Rose Clan. They accused me of standing by and callously refusing to save the pugilist world because of my selfish fear of damaging our school’s treasure.”

    Ling Dong stared at the pair of gloves in his teacher’s hands. “What happened to the real ones?”

    “I don’t know, unfortunately.” Leader Luk admitted. “About four years ago, I had returned to my chamber late one evening to find this secret compartment opened and the silk gloves inside missing.”

    “But how could that happen?” Ling Dong wondered out loud. “Only Teacher knows the code to the compartment and there are built-in traps to deter those who try to tamper with the safe.”

    Leader Luk sighed. “You are correct. Any normal thief would have had to spend hours, and even days, trying to crack the code to the compartment, as the code is designed to be very convoluted and difficult to solve.” He confided this to his most trusted eldest disciple. “However, this intruder didn’t bother spending time cracking the code. He simply used his internal energy to dissolve the five-inch thick stone door of the safe. Very few people in the pugilist world have that kind of internal energy. Even I and the other orthodox school and clan leaders do not have that kind of cultivation.”

    “Have we attempted to investigate the identity of the culprit?” Ling Dong furrowed his brows in shock.

    “How could we?” Leader Luk replied. “Whoever he was, he somehow bypassed everyone’s notice. Heavenly Crane School had disciples stationed at all the entrances and exits to keep out intruders. Yet, this thief entered Heavenly Crane School and left without leaving a single trace, a testament to this person’s impressive martial arts skills.”

    Leader Luk laughed bitterly. “The only reason why the Thousand Snake Black Rose Clan has not already stormed into Heavenly Crane School and started massacring our entire school with the Blood Shadow Palm is because of our poison-proof gloves, which can absorb the world’s deadliest poisons and use those poisons to infect an opponent during a fight. Though the demonic clan is not exactly sure why we have not used these gloves to counter the Blood Shadow Palm, I suspect the demonic clan sisters are not willing to risk testing the power of these gloves by directly invading Heavenly Crane School. Therefore, these gloves are our salvation. I could never let the Thousand Snake Black Rose Clan find out about the missing gloves. After the gloves were stolen, I secretly had another imitation pair made and guarded them like I would the original pair so that nobody would suspect that this current pair of gloves is fake.”

    Leader Luk turned toward his eldest and most trusted disciple. “I would have taken this secret about the fake gloves to my grave, but Sit Chung Nam’s sudden request for the gloves today leaves me with a dilemma. I really don’t know what to do.” He sat down wearily on a chair. “Dong, I am telling you this secret today, because I need your help. You are one of my brightest students and have always been able to think quickly during urgent situations.” Leader Luk looked up at Ling Dong, fatigue evident in his expression as he ran his hand tiredly over his face. “What are we going to tell Sit Chung Nam?”

    Ling Dong frowned as he thought about the situation. Then, a solution formed in his mind. “We give Sit Chung Nam the gloves, like he requested.”

    “But if he finds out that they are fraudulent…” Leader Luk hesitated.

    “He won’t know, since he has never seen the real ones before.” Ling Dong interrupted.

    “He’ll know they aren’t the real ones when he encounters an opponent who uses poison and the gloves fail to work, though.” Leader Luk started pacing as he pondered Ling Dong’s suggestion.

    Ling Dong nodded. “Then that would be even better. The best way to get rid of Sit Chung Nam is to catch him off guard by letting him go into battle with an opponent who utilizes poison, thinking he would be safe with the gloves. Our original plan was to pit Sit Chung Nam against the Thousand Snake Black Rose Clan, right? However, after he became our Alliance Leader, I kept worrying that we would continue to be under Sit Chung Nam’s ruthless control after he destroyed the Thousand Snake Black Rose Clan. His treatment of Tam Gam Hoi was brutal and merciless. I fear we may be trading one enemy in for an even deadlier one. But perhaps with these fake gloves, we could borrow another’s poison to kill Sit Chung Nam.”

    “We could be making a fatal gamble with the Heavenly Crane School’s safety by giving Sit Chung Nam the phony gloves. I’m not so sure that is wise.” Leader Luk shook his head slowly.

    “But I don’t think we have any other choice.” Ling Dong countered. “Think about it, Teacher. Sit Chung Nam won’t believe you if you tell him we no longer have the real gloves, so the only alternative is to hand over these phony ones.”

    Leader Luk sighed with resignation. “That is true…” After another moment of deliberation, he nodded firmly. “Then it’s settled. I will bring out these fake gloves to Sit Chung Nam right now.”

    OUTSIDE LEADER LUK’S CHAMBER

    A dark figure lurked outside, hiding behind a large stone pillar near Leader Luk’s chamber. Having heard Ling Dong and Leader Luk’s entire conversation, the person curved his lips slowly and quietly disappeared…

    OUTSKIRTS OF NORTH STAR TOWN
    FOREST

    Yan circled around in the dark for the tenth time and finally gave up trying to find her way out of the forest. Since parting ways with Bak Fei Long earlier on, she had wandered around for hours, determined to leave the woods as soon as possible in case she bumped into the Laughing Ghost Healer again, this time, without Bak Fei Long’s protection. Unfortunately, in the dark, every tree looked the same and every bush resembled the last one she saw.

    Very obviously lost, Yan huffed in frustration as she plopped down onto a tree stump. Grimacing, she reached down to massage her sore, sprained ankle. She glanced at the swollen joint and sighed, wondering when her ankle will heal if she kept getting kidnapped and chased around. As she lamented about her situation, her stomach suddenly growled, reminding her that she had not eaten for over eight hours. She opened her travel sack and rummaged around for food, but unfortunately came up empty-handed.

    She morosely hugged her sack close and huddled forward, shivering slightly. As night deepened, the air grew chilly. An icy gust of wind whistled through the dense canopy of leaves shading this particular section of the forest from the moonlight. Amid the rustling of leaves, Yan could hear the subtle distant sound of footsteps. Alarmed that the Laughing Ghost Healer was returning to capture her, Yan quickly burrowed herself into some bushes nearby. With the aid of the almost completely darkened forest, Yan became invisible.

    Not long after, two people approached, a man and a woman. They stopped some distance away from Yan’s hiding spot. A few weak moonbeams snuck through the thick ceiling of leaves and shone on the two people, sprinkling specks of pale light onto their figures and providing just enough illumination to allow Yan to identity the couple.

    Yan’s heart fluttered briefly as she recognized them, and then her heart twisted with bittersweetness. Though she could see the couple, the loud rustling of leaves and hissing of the wind prevented her from hearing their words. Hence, she could only watch silently, her hands clenching her travel sack tightly until her knuckles whitened.

    “Have you thought about my proposal, dear Husband?” Fa Heung Ling purred.

    Kuk Wai stared straight ahead into the darkness, his sword strapped to his back, his arms crossed across his chest. He ignored Ling’s presence.

    Undeterred by Kuk Wai’s aloofness, Ling curled her lips seductively and sashayed up to him. Stepping in front of him and keeping her eyes on his face, she causally placed her hand on his arm, her slender fingers gently massaging his bicep muscle. When he continued to ignore her, she rubbed her body against his. Again, he continued to have no reaction. Ling chuckled softly at his determination, went up on tiptoes, and whispered in his ear, her warm breath tickling his cheek.

    “If you agree to help me get rid of Sit Chung Nam, you can claim your precious Yan back, and I promise to let you two live happily ever after.” Ling tempted him, her voice laced with a trace of sarcasm as she said the last part of her statement.

    Kuk Wai’s stony expression faltered a bit at the mention of Yan. Because his back was turned toward Yan, she could not see his disregard of Ling’s advances. She could only see that the man she had adored for years appeared very intimate with her sister.

    Yan lowered her eyes, crestfallen. She shouldn’t be shocked or jealous at their intimacy, she sternly reminded herself. After all, they were husband and wife. She no longer had exclusive rights to her Big Brother Wai’s attention. She was now the outsider and he and Ling were the couple.

    She had moved on, she repeated the statement in her mind. However, no matter how many times she repeated the phrase to herself, her heart, nonetheless, squeezed achingly, but only for an infinitesimal minute. She was realistic and knew when to let go.

    Quietly, Yan reached into her gown pocket and wrapped her hand around the two red-colored stones Sit Chung Nam had spent a whole morning digging around in the dirt to retrieve for her, and somehow, her heart cheered up, making that previous achy feeling more bearable. She knew Sit Chung Nam thought the tale of the Sun God and the Star Fairy was just a silly bedtime story, but to her, the little fairy and her god represented the hope that everlasting devotion and love truly existed. She hoped that, one day, someone would love her and wait for her as the Sun God had waited for his Star Fairy, no matter how long it would take, no matter how impossible the circumstances.

    Yan smiled at her own fanciful wishes, but squeezed the red-colored stones in her hand, anyway. The cold stones warmed in her palm, comforting her. When she looked up again, she noticed Kuk Wai and Ling had shifted a little further away from her. Kuk Wai’s back was still facing her, so she could not see his expression.

    Kuk Wai stepped past Ling as if she did not even exist. From experience, he knew that the more he reacted to her actions, the more satisfaction he would give her. Hence, he no longer bothered to respond to her taunts.

    As he started to walk past her, Ling grabbed his arm, her tone now cruel. “Kuk Wai, the longer you take to make a decision, the longer Yan spends in Sit Chung Nam’s company.” She rammed her face up close to his and hissed, “Are you a coward? Are you afraid of Sit Chung Nam?”

    Without waiting for his answer, Ling slowly let go of his arm and backed away one step. Lifting up one corner of her lips, she chuckled derisively at him. “Or perhaps, you simply don’t mind sharing Yan with another man.”

    Kuk Wai, who had remained indifferent up to this point, stiffened suddenly at her last remark. A vein at his left temple throbbed dangerously.

    Ling laughed softly at his response. “You better watch out, dear Husband. Sit Chung Nam is quite…scrumptious.” She paused, licking her lips. “Don’t you remember how much Yan enjoys eating delicacies?” She watched satisfactorily as the vein on Kuk Wai’s temple ticked even more fiercely. “If you don’t separate her from Sit Chung Nam now, she may decide she prefers the taste of handsome and dangerous bad boys.”

    Kuk Wai clenched his fists, but somehow, he managed to resist the urge to strangle Ling. Taking in a deep breath, he calmly walked away.

    Ling narrowed her eyes as she watched the thick forest gradually envelop his tall, taut form. She stretched her lips into a feral smile.

    “I’ll come find you in three days to ask about your decision, Husband,” she raised her voice and called out in voice dripping with saccharine. “I’ll miss you until then.”

    After Ling, too, walked off, Yan crawled out of the bushes and stared off into the darkness toward the direction which her sister and Kuk Wai had gone. An emotion she could not describe swirled inside her. Feelings of anger, loss, regret, and loneliness jostled around in her heart, punching her insides until she felt exhausted. Slowly, she sank to the ground and drew her knees up toward her chest, hugging them tightly. Her stomach still grumbled, but she had lost her appetite and her desire to go search for food. She closed her eyes and listened to the loud swishing of the leaves as they whipped back and forth in the strong wind. A storm was approaching, but Yan was too tired to care. She leaned back against a tree trunk and drifted off almost immediately, the red-colored stones, a gift from Chung Nam, still tightly clutched in her palm.

    MEANWHILE…
    BASE OF MOUNT HEAVENLY CRANE

    After receiving the poison-proof silk gloves from Leader Luk, Sit Chung Nam quickly left Heavenly Crane School, curtly reminding Leader Luk to have guest rooms for his Floating Cloud Sect members ready by morning. When he reached the base of the mountain, he stopped suddenly and turned to the two Floating Cloud Sect members following behind.

    “Yeung and Old Li,” Chung Nam turned to the two men a few steps behind him. “You two return to Floating Cloud Summit and help with the burial of our dead fellow sect members.

    “You’re not coming with us, Sect Leader?” Yeung asked.

    “Of course, not, Yeung,” Old Li shook his head at Yeung’s pointless question. “Now that Sect Leader has the Heavenly Crane School’s poison-proof silk gloves, he is going to pay the Laughing Ghost Healer a visit to rescue Clan Leader Black Rose.” Old Li turned to Chung Nam. “Don’t worry, Sect Leader. I will take care of loose ends here and make sure our dead comrades are buried and that we move Floating Cloud Sect over to Mount Heavenly Crane.”

    Chung Nam looked at Old Li, his expression imperceptible for a fleeting second. Then in an instant, that look disappeared, and he nodded. Without another word, he flipped into the air and vanished into the night.

    MORNING
    NORTH STAR TOWN
    MARKETPLACE

    Yan’s pitifully loud, grumbling stomach had woken her up from her slumber about an hour ago. She had briefly looked around her immediate vicinity for any edible plants, but sadly those present could not be safely ingested. Even though she preferred to keep to less populated places to avoid detection by her older sister or by the Laughing Ghost Healer, she had no choice but to travel toward the town center in search of food. In the clear light of day, she had little problem finding her way to the marketplace.

    Despite the early morning hour, the town center bustled with activity. Shops had already opened for business, and merchants hovered outside their stores, calling out to potential customers. Their hollers competed with those of the street vendors hawking their items neatly arranged on small portable stands and tables on the road.

    Yan wandered down the street, a bit awed and overwhelmed by all the merchants vying for her attention. Her wayward stomach growled again, refusing to be ignored.

    Sighing, she pressed her hand to her abdomen. “Stop complaining,” she murmured to her stomach. “I’m broke and don’t have enough money to buy even a small bun.”

    Unfortunately, her stomach ignored her words and rumbled more loudly this time.

    “All right, all right,” Yan muttered, rubbing her unruly stomach. “I’ll see what I can do.”

    She glanced around and started walking down the street, seeking food. After a few seconds, she stopped and peered behind her, the uncomfortable feeling of being watched washed over her. However, she only saw unfamiliar townspeople milling around, some bargaining with merchants, some simply strolling and chatting with companions. Frowning, she darted her eyes around one last time before continuing down the road.

    Countless restaurants and small eateries lined the marketplace. She followed the delicious scent of noodle soup and reached a small outdoor food stand at the end of the street. A middle-aged woman manned the wok, sprinkling spices and stirring in ingredients. Delectable vapors rose from the wok and wafted through the brisk morning air, luring Yan closer. Off to the left of the cooking area, two customers huddled at one of the wooden tables, sipping hot tea. Their cold hands wrapped around the warmed teacups, and they breathed in the hot fragrant steam.

    Hungrily, Yan stared at the plates of hot food spread out on the table. She swallowed her saliva and clutched her travel sack tightly, gathering her courage. Finally, she ventured toward the middle-aged woman at the wok and smiled.

    “Madam,” Yan began politely. “I’m very hungry, but don’t have any money. Would you be kind enough to spare me some leftovers?” When the food stand owner frowned at Yan’s request, Yan quickly added, “I am willing to help clean the dishes and tidy up the tables first.”

    The woman contemplated Yan’s proposal for a moment before nodding. “All right. I am short-staffed today anyway, since my daughter has to stay home to take care of my sick grandchild.” She gestured to the steamy dishes of food on the table next to the wok. “Could you bring those over to the two young masters at that table over there?”

    Smiling gratefully, Yan quickly set down her travel sack and nodded. “Thank you, Madam! I will bring those dishes over to them immediately.”

    She wiped her hands on a clean dish towel and picked up a plate of food and a teapot already filled with hot tea. She quickly walked over to the table as instructed. The two young men seated at the table obviously belonged to wealthy families, as shown by their haughty attitudes and their expensive clothing. Quietly, Yan leaned forward and unobtrusively placed the plate at the center of their table. The two men did not even bother to look up at her, as the hired help did not merit any acknowledgement. They continued conversing with each other, as Yan patiently waited for them to lower their teacups so that she could refill them.

    “What do you think of the food here, Brother Yuen?” The slightly shorter man asked. “My cousin recommended this place to me and said the food here is extraordinary.”

    His taller, much more handsome companion ladled some rice porridge into a small bowl and slowly savored the delicate flavor. “Not bad,” he nodded his head in approval. “The food is passable.” However, he added with a distasteful twist of his lips, “Too bad this outdoor food stand is not a high quality diner. I’m more accustomed to fancier establishments with beautiful servers.”

    The shorter man nodded his head like a puppet, clearly trying to please the taller man. “Of course, of course. Brother Yuen’s family is one of this town’s wealthiest founding families. Naturally, you would only patronize quality establishments.”

    Not far away from the table, Yan stood with the teapot in her hand and rolled her eyes at the tall man’s supercilious statements and his companion’s flattery . She shook her head slightly, as she eyed the tall man. She had never met such a condescending and whiny man.

    As the tall man finished stating his low opinion of the food stand, he flicked his hand in Yan’s general direction. “Serving girl, come refill my tea!” He commanded.

    Yan sighed inwardly but moved forward, anyway. The two men, once again in deep conversation about an apparently thrilling topic, started gesturing excitedly with their hands. Yan tried dodging their waving hands while refilling their teacups. She managed to successfully pour tea into the shorter man’s cup. Unfortunately, she was not so lucky with her attempts to refill the taller man’s cup. His flailing hand whacked her right arm holding the teapot. Hot liquid splashed out and burned his hand.

    “Ah! You idiotic serving girl!” The tall man yelled angrily.

    He shook the droplets of liquid from his hand and flung his head up to glare at Yan. However, his next degrading words were stuck in his throat as he looked at Yan.

    Yan took an apologetic step backward. “I’m so sorry, Young Master.”

    She pulled out a pink embroidered handkerchief from her waist sash and handed it to him, but he remained stationary, shocked.

    “What is going on?” The middle-aged proprietor of the food stand rushed up.

    “Umm…,” the tall man swallowed, his mind blank as he continued gawking at Yan.

    The proprietor assessed the situation quickly and threw Yan a dirty look before turning back to the tall man. “I apologize sincerely, Young Master Yuen, for the serving girl’s clumsiness!” She glared at Yan again. “How dare you offend Young Master Yuen? His family is this town’s benefactor! Miss, I’m sorry but the deal we made earlier is off. I think you should leave.”

    Yan, her stomach grumbling again, looked imploringly at the owner. “Madam, please, it was an accident. Please give me another chance to earn my meal.”

    The proprietor started to shake her head and reject Yan’s plea, but the tall man interrupted her.

    “She’s right.” Young Master Yuen smiled at Yan, though the expression in his eyes made Yan shiver involuntarily. “It was an accident.”

    He pulled the pink handkerchief gently out of Yan’s hand and slowly lifted it toward his nose. His eyes never left Yan’s face as he sniffed at the delicate piece of fabric.

    From his robe pocket, he pulled out two gold ingots and absentmindedly handed them to the proprietor, his attention still focused on Yan. “Madam, why don’t you bring out your most expensive dishes. I would like to treat this Miss to a meal.”

    The owner gasped at the gold ingots, the amount enough to feed her entire family for half a year. “Yes, Young Master Yuen!” She turned to Yan, now beaming at her. “Miss, please take a seat!” She dashed over to a small wooden bench and dusted it off before bringing it over for Yan.

    The proprietor smiled at Yan expectantly, assuming she would accept the rich Young Master Yuen’s offer. However, Yan understood the tall man’s intentions all too well. She shook her head and retrieved her travel bag.

    “Thank you for your kind offer, Young Master.” Yan replied politely. “However, I just remember that I have urgent business and cannot stay.”

    When she tried to walk away, the tall man leapt up and grabbed her left arm roughly. “Miss, are you rejecting me? Do you know who I am?” His voice started to rise, his previous superficial smile vanishing.

    “Let go,” Yan ordered.

    “Or else, you’ll do what?” Young Master Yuen challenged, his hand tightening around Yan’s left arm. “My family practically owns this town, which means I always get what I want.”

    “Let go,” Yan repeated, her voice becoming frigid.

    “No,” Young Master Yuen smiled maliciously, a predatory gleam in his eyes.

    Keeping her eyes trained on the obnoxious man, Yan slowly reached into her travel sack with her right hand and wrapped her palm around a fistful of powder capable of causing someone’s eyes to tear for hours. However, before she could make her move, a low voice suddenly spoke from behind Yan.

    “Is he bothering you?”

    Before Yan could turn around to respond, a masculine hand suddenly reached out from behind Yan and clenched hard around Young Master Yuen’s arm, forcing the privileged, arrogant man to yelp in pain.

    **********

    Hi. If anyone is still reading this story, please leave me a comment, even if it is a short one. I just want to know if I should continue posting the story here. Thanks.

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