CHAPTER 19 --- LEGENDARY SWORDS, HEAVENLY WEAPONS
Characters appearing in this chapter:
Sun Fei Fei 孙菲菲---Fa Heung Yan a.k.a. Black Rose 花香燕
Hu Ge 胡歌---Miu Jing Hung 苗靖雄
Yang Mi 杨幂---Lau Ji San 劉紫珊
Huang Xiao Ming 黄晓明---Lau Ming Leung 劉明良
Wallace Chung Hon Leung 鍾漢良---Sit Chung Nam 薛钟南
MORNING
NORTH STAR TOWN
MARKETPLACE
“Is he bothering you, Clan Leader Black Rose?”
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.
Yan jerked her head around at that moment, and recognizing her rescuer, sighed with relief. Before she could utter a singe word, the spoiled man gripping her arm exclaimed with outrage.
“Hey!” Young Master Yuen sputtered. “How dare you? Who are you?”
“Yes, who are you?” Young Master Yuen’s shorter friend rushed up and echoed.
Miu Jing Hung ignored the shorter man and stared straight ahead into the tall, spoiled man’s face, although his eyes appeared to be sightless if one observed him closely. Calmly, Jing Hung adjusted his bamboo hat with one hand, while his other hand still clamped tightly around Young Master Yuen’s arm.
“Young Master,” Jing Hung began, his voice even-toned and polite, “I suggest that you walk away and leave this young maiden alone.”
Young Master Yuen snorted, his temper escalating as he attempted unsuccessfully to shake Jing Hung’s hand loose. “Who are you? Do you know who I am and what kind of trouble you are in by daring to interfere in my business? You better let go of my arm right now!” He demanded again, as he jabbed his finger at Jing Hung’s hand.
“Yes, you better let Brother Yuen go before you experience the wrath of the Yuen family!” The shorter man exclaimed.
However, before Miu Jing Hung could respond to the two wealthy young masters, the shiny glint from his Imperial Constable crest caught Young Master Yuen’s eyes. The belligerent young man narrowed his eyes at the surname “Miu” etched onto the shield.
Recognizing the crest of the Imperial Constables, Young Master Yuen laughed contemptuously. “I thought you must be the Emperor himself to dare interfere today, when in reality, you are only a lowly constable. Judging from the imperial crest you have hanging from your waist sash, you must be the famed Imperial Constable Miu Jing Hung, who has never failed an assignment, no matter how wily the opponent.”
Young Master Yuen paused, his lips twisted in derision. “However, no matter how outstanding you are at capturing felons, you are only a humble servant of the imperial court. On the contrary, do you know who I am?” He insolently puffed out his chest and lifted his chin, as he stared down his nose rudely at Jing Hung. “I am royalty. Nine generations of my family have been high ranking imperial court officials. My great aunt was the Dowager Empress two generations ago, my uncle is the current prime minister, and my younger sister is now the Emperor’s favorite concubine.”
“So Great Constable Miu,” Young Master Yuen concluded sarcastically, his hand still clenched possessively around Yan’s arm as he glared challengingly at Jing Hung, “if you don’t step aside right now and mind your own business, you won’t live to see daylight tomorrow.”
Unimpressed with Young Master Yuen’s threats and relation with royalty, Jing Hung continued to stare somberly at the other man. Since his encounter with Poison Snake two nights ago, the effects of Poison Snake’s vision-impairing powder still had not cleared. He could barely see and could only make out blurry, amorphous shapes. Yet, he carried himself confidently without betraying any clue that he really could not see well at all.
“It doesn’t matter how closely related to the Emperor you are.” Jing Hung replied. “What matters is that you are harassing this young maiden against her wishes, and that is against the law. Nobody is above the law, not even the Emperor himself.”
“Why you...!” Young Master Yuen gasped at Jing Hung’s audacity.
With his free hand, Young Master Yuen reached toward the fan tucked into his waist sash and flicked it open. He fanned himself calmly for a moment, and then without warning, he snapped the fan shut and tried to whack Jing Hung’s hand with the fan, in an attempt to free himself.
Though Jing Hung could not see well, he could hear the swoosh of the fan as it swung through the air toward his hand. With quick reflexes, he grabbed the tip of the fan before it could hit his hand and wrenched the fan out of Young Master Yuen’s hand. With a flick of his wrist, he flipped open the commandeered fan and thrust it toward Young Master Yuen’s face, forcing his opponent to back away several steps, thus releasing Yan’s arm. Quickly, Jing Hung yanked Yan toward him and pushed her behind him.
“Hey!” Young Master Yuen hollered indignantly. “Give me back my fan! Do you know how much that fan costs?”
He rushed toward Jing Hung, determined to reclaim his fan. Though Jing Hung could not see his opponent clearly, the loud, livid man made so much noise that he had no problem determining his location through sound alone. As Young Master Yuen approached, Jing Hung snapped the fan shut and brought it down hard enough onto Young Master Yuen’s head to force him to back off, but not hard enough to injure him.
“Ouch!” Young Master Yuen screamed. “Miu Jing Hung! I’ll have you arrested for this!”
The irate Young Master Yuen rubbed his forehead and swiveled around to glare at his companion. “Well, don’t just stand there! Help me teach this peasant a lesson!”
“Right! Right, Brother Yuen!” The shorter man jerked to attention.
The friend glanced anxiously at Miu Jing Hung and shifted his feet hesitantly for a few seconds, swallowing his saliva.
“Hurry up!” Young Master Yuen prodded his friend. “Charge!”
“All right! All right!” The friend replied and lunged forward after inhaling nervously twice.
Off to the side, Young Master Yuen also dashed toward Jing Hung, determined to rush at the constable, confident he would emerge victorious with two against one.
In the background, the middle-aged proprietor hopped nervously on her feet, yelling for the men to please quarrel somewhere else and spare her small, humble food stand. Unfortunately, no one paid attention to her.
The friend dived first at Jing Hung, who made no move to retreat. As the short man approached, Jing Hung opened the fan and swept it toward the left side of the man’s face. Though the parchment paper fan was lightweight and harmless, the internal energy behind the sweeping motion knocked the short man to the side. As the man reeled backward, he bumped right into Young Master Yuen, who was in the process of rushing forward toward Jing Hung. Both men smashed into the table behind them, sending dishes of food crashing to the ground.
“Oh, please, please, young masters!” The food stand owner wrung the dish towel in her hands, distressed. “I just make a very small profit daily. I cannot afford to replace all the broken tables and chairs!”
Again, her words were unheeded as Young Master Yuen and his reluctant friend leapt to their feet. They picked up two wooden stools nearby and hurled them at Jing Hung, who tilted his head slightly, listening closely to determine the location of the stools in the air. He then somersaulted swiftly into the air and kicked at the two stools to divert their trajectory. The stools landed neatly next to each other a few paces away. While still airborne, Jing Hung executed a backward somersault and landed onto one of the stools.
Jing Hung sat calmly on the stool, hoping the men would admit defeat and spare themselves further embarrassment. Unfortunately, he heard the two men charge forward again. Sighing inwardly, Jing Hung kicked out with one foot, sending the second stool next to him skidding across the ground. The friend, being pushed by Young Master Yuen to charge first, tripped over the stool and landed in an inelegant heap. The stool, propelled by the force of Jing Hung’s internal energy, continued sliding forward and knocked hard into Young Master Yuen’s shins, causing him to topple forward. He landed face first onto the ground and choked and coughed as dust particles irritated his upper airways.
Scrambling to their feet, both men huffed and puffed, groaning slightly from their minor injuries. The friend managed to regain his footing first, and tried to help Young Master Yuen up, but his mortified Brother Yuen shook him off.
Young Master Yuen pursed his swollen, bleeding lips tightly together, incensed. Streaks of dirt colored his previously pristine and clean face with brown. He panted, humiliated, as he looked down at himself. His expensive robe was torn and wrinkled, and he looked like a ridiculous, unkempt beggar. Worse, his pride stung as he looked around at the small crowd now gathered to gawk at their tussle. As the crowd murmured and jeered, Young Master Yuen shook with fury.
“What are you all staring at?” He hollered indignantly. “Scram! There is nothing to look at!”
After pointing and smirking quietly, the crowd slowly dispersed. Still huffing, Young Master Yuen jerked his head back toward Jing Hung and Yan’s direction. Seeing Jing Hung still coolly sitting on the stool, Young Master Yuen made a move to rush forward again, but his companion quickly pulled him back.
“Brother Yuen!” The shorter man spoke to the angry Young Master Yuen in a low voice. “Let’s just go. A gentleman can wait ten years to exact his revenge. We’ll teach this lowly constable a lesson another day.”
Young Master Yuen paused, still out of breath. His entire body ached, and he thought he might have sprained his back. Swallowing his resentment and pride, he nodded in agreement.
“Let’s go!” Young Master Yuen huffed.
As he hobbled by Yan and Jing Hung with his companion’s help, he halted briefly to glare at the two.
“Don’t think this is over, Miu Jing Hung! I’ll have you thrown in prison for assaulting royalty!” Young Master Yuen boldly threw out that empty threat.
Jing Hung did not speak but quietly stood up and handed the fan back to Young Master Yuen.
Now completely humiliated, Young Master Yuen jerked the fan out of Jing Hung’s hand and hurled it at the ground, stomping on it with a surly expression on his face.
“You’ll regret butting into my business, Miu Jing Hung!” Young Master Yuen vowed before smirking lasciviously at Yan. “And you, my darling... I will be back for you...”
Hardly intimidated by the disheveled, limping man, Yan raised one eyebrow at his words, but did not respond. She watched Young Master Yuen and his friend hobble down the street and eventually disappear around the corner of a tall building. Once the two spoiled brats left, she turned her attention to her savior.
“Thank you for helping me, Constable Miu.” Yan smiled gratefully.
Jing Hung acknowledged her gratitude with a slight nod. In the background, he could hear the middle-aged food stand owner moaning over the destruction of her food stand. Jing Hung picked up the stool he had been sitting on and walked over to the proprietor.
“I apologize for any inconvenience, Madam.” He apologetically handed the stool back to her before reaching into his gown pocket for a small bag of gold coins. “Please accept this as compensation for your losses.”
The middle-aged woman glared angrily at Jing Hung and Yan, but snatched the bag of coins from Jing Hung, anyway. “Humph! How could this pitifully small amount of money be enough to reimburse my losses?” Even as she complained, she pocketed the coins.
Yan hurried over and started to help the owner pick up the fragments of broken dishes. “We are sincerely sorry. Here, Madam. Let me help you clean up.”
“No, no!” The woman brushed off Yan. “Just please go! Haven’t you caused enough problems today?”
“But...” Yan began.
However, the owner rudely pushed her away. “Go, go!” She shooed, as if trying to get rid of vermin.
Jing Hung nodded politely. “All right, Madam. We will respect your wishes.” He adjusted his bamboo hat and walked off.
Yan watched Miu Jing Hung slowly navigate the crowded marketplace. She recalled the black blinding powder her older sister, Ling, had used to injure Miu Jing Hung with two nights ago. That particular poison did not blind permanently, but would cause enough inflammation and irritation of the eyes to handicap the victim for at least half a month. An inexperienced physician would not recognize such a poison and would simply assume the patient would recover his eyesight within forty-eight hours, the most common recovery period expected for the garden variety eye poisons. Such a physician would also not know that it was crucial to keep the victim’s eyes covered and protected from bright lights, or else the inflammation will linger and could cause eventual scarring of the optic nerves, thus leading to permanent blindness.
Yan observed Miu Jing Hung’s retreating figure for a little longer. For someone who could not see very well, he was maneuvering relatively well through the busy streets. However, she could sense him hesitating slightly every so often. Given that he had just helped her, she decided to help him in return.
“Wait, Constable Miu!” Yan called after him.
When he paused, Yan rushed up to him. “Constable Miu, how are your eyes?”
“They are fine.” He lied.
Yan sighed inwardly, unsure why men persist in acting nonchalant and invincible when they obviously need assistance.
“No, they are not fine.” Yan rebutted. “The poison my sister threw at you two nights ago causes temporary swelling of your optic nerves, which is why you cannot see.”
Jing Hung remained quiet, but did not deny the symptom Yan listed.
Yan rummaged through her travel sack and dug out a small container. She pushed the small jar into Jing Hung’s hands.
“Here, take this.” Yan instructed. “I don’t have an immediate cure for my sister’s poison, but I can help make sure your eyes heal properly without lasting damages. Apply this salve to your eyes every day in the morning and at night for half a month. You also need to keep your eyes covered with a clean cloth to protect it from bright lights.”
Jing Hung hesitated at first, but then gripped the jar firmly and nodded. “Thank you, Clan Leader Black Rose.”
When he started to walk off, Yan stopped him. “Constable Miu, you shouldn’t be alone while your eyes are still injured, in case you are attacked. Where is your wife?”
Jing Hung tensed at the mention of Bak Yeuk Lam, and an almost imperceptible sadness flashed briefly across his eyes. “She’s not here.”
Yan laughed with exasperation. “Yes, I can see that she is not here.” When Jing Hung did not elaborate further, Yan sighed. “Do you want me to go look for her? You need someone to take care of you for at least half a month.”
A pregnant silence followed, as Jing Hung remained stubbornly quiet. That fleeting wistful but sorrowful look returned to the reserved constable’s face, causing Yan to soften her tone.
“Do you know where she is?” Yan asked more sympathetically this time.
Jing Hung shook his head. At that very moment, the proud and very capable swordsman suddenly appeared tired and defeated.
“Would you like me to help you find Miss Bak?” Yan questioned. “You really do need someone to take care of you while your eyes are still injured.”
“No, she won’t come, even if you find her.” Jing Hung replied in a somber voice.
“Do you have any other family members I can notify to come and take care of you?” Yan persisted, not entirely comfortable leaving him alone to fend for himself.
“No,” Jing Hung answered.
Before Yan could prod any further, he sighed and straightened. “Thank you for the salve, Clan Leader Black Rose. I will make sure I follow your treatment instructions.”
Without giving Yan a chance to respond, he somersaulted into the air and vanished.
“Wait!” Yan yelled at the empty space in front of her. She blinked in surprise and shook her head. “Ugh!” After glancing one more time in the direction which Jing Hung had disappeared, she muttered glumly under her breath, “I was going to ask you if I could borrow some money for breakfast, but never mind.”
With her stomach now grumbling more loudly than ever, Yan dejectedly shuffled down the street. Her hands shook from hunger, and she began to feel slightly dizzy from lack of food. In addition, the weird sensation of being watched and followed returned. She scanned the area briefly, but like earlier, all she could see were unfamiliar townspeople.
Frowning, she quickened her footsteps. At that moment, she heard another set of footsteps also hurrying behind her. Immediately, she stopped and whirled around, but again, she could not identify anyone suspicious. Her heart unsettled, she turned back around and took off at a run. The footsteps behind her followed, also moving quickly.
Without notice, Yan halted and swiveled around. “Aha!” She yelled triumphantly.
The jolly elderly man nearly jumped a mile high when Yan suddenly jerked around and screeched into his face. He was following so closely behind Yan that he couldn’t stop in time and crashed into her, knocking her over. The large gray sack he carried fell on top of her, too. The sack opening loosened and all the junk inside smashed onto Yan’s face. Some pieces of junk were attached to long chains and ropes, which entangled around her arms and legs.
“Ugh!” She groaned, a bit dazed, as she lay there on the ground.
“Oh! Oh! I am so sorry, little girl!” The elderly man apologized profusely.
He quickly disentangled himself from her and helped pull Yan to her feet. She stumbled around slightly, weighed down by the old man’s junk still dangling from her arms and neck.
“Ouch!” Yan rubbed the back of her head and then looked at herself, confused by the assorted rusty objects attached to her by long chains and ropes. “What is all this stuff?”
“Oh! Oh! Those precious treasures are all mine, little girl.” The elderly man answered. “Here, let me help you remove them.”
When Yan tried to shake the objects loose, the old man hyperventilated. “Be careful! Be careful! Those pieces are invaluable, highly coveted items!”
Yan stopped jiggling the junk pieces and gaped at the old man. “Elder, you’re kidding, right?” She pointed incredulously to the pair of rusty swords secured together by their hilts with a heavy steel chain currently dangling around her neck. “This junk is priceless and highly coveted?”
The old man gasped, clearly affronted by her choice of words. “Junk! Little girl, these treasures are not junk!” He carefully collected all the junk pieces from Yan and gently placed them back into his gray sack, leaving only the pair of tarnished swords still hanging around her neck.
“Umm...Elder, you forgot to take these,” Yan cleared her throat and pointed discreetly to the old swords swaying from the heavy chain around her neck.
“Oh, no, those are my gift to you, little girl.” The elderly man grinned at her, revealing a few missing front teeth.
“Uh, no, thanks, Elder,” Yan darted her eyes self-consciously toward the crowd that had gathered around to gawk at the commotion. “I really cannot accept such junk...err...treasures.”
“What?!” The old man hopped up and down, insulted that she had rejected his generosity. “Little girl, do you know how many renowned pugilists have begged me to gift them these swords? Yet, I have turned them down every time.” He thrust his face right in front of hers, his gray, bushy eyebrows raised up high, his gaze supposedly piercing and serious but only seemed comical to Yan. “Do you know why?”
Yan took one step back and coughed twice to keep from bursting out in laughter. She stared at the elderly man in front of her. He appeared like someone’s underfed grandfather, thin and gangly. His drab, gray gown hung from his skinny body like an ill-fitting sack. His hair, completely gray, draped over his shoulders in a wild tangle. His gray beard nearly reached his abdomen. However, despite his impressively long beard, the most remarkable part of his face were his twinkling, bright eyes, which seemed to gleam with merriment.
In the background, the crowd slowly started dispersing, after getting a clear look at the old man and deciding that he was probably some old crazy beggar. Soon, everyone left and the townspeople continued on their way, ignoring the young maiden and the elderly beggar.
“Do you know why I have refused to give those swords to every martial artist who has asked me for them in the past?” The old man asked again, his voice becoming shrilly when Yan took too long to answer him.
Yan blinked and shook her head. She delicately disentangled the twin swords from around her neck and sighed in relief once the heavy blades were lifted from her neck.
“It’s because those pugilists, as superb as they are, are not the destined wielders of these legendary swords.” The elderly man answered his own question. “But after waiting for decades, I have finally found the rightful owner.” He leaned forward and jabbed his finger at Yan. “You, little girl, are the one I have been waiting for! That is why I have been following you.”
Yan raised one skeptical eyebrow at the old pieces of metal in her hands and then shifted her eyes to the man. “Um, well,” she paused awkwardly, unsure how to kindly reject this adorable, but clearly delusional, elderly man’s present. “I am honored, Elder, but I think there may be a misunderstanding here. You see, I no longer have any martial arts skills, so I cannot be the destined wielder of these legendary swords. These fabulous weapons would be wasted on me, so you should take them back.”
She politely tried to hand the rusty blades back. However, the elderly man pushed the swords back toward her.
“Oh, no, no, little girl.” He chuckled with mirth. “You misunderstand. You are not the destined wielder of the Twin Swords of Sun and Moon.”
“Then why are you insisting that I take these weapons?” Yan asked, puzzled.
The old man laughed again. “You may not be the destined owner of the swords,” he paused and leaned down slightly, pointing at her flat abdomen, “but the child in your womb will be.”
At his statement, Yan sputtered in outrage. “Nonsense!” She covered her flat belly with her hands, very insulted. “I’m not pregnant!”
“You may not be with child now, but you will be soon.” The old man replied, the teasing twinkle in his eyes now replaced with a very profound expression. “It is my duty to pass on these swords to the parents of the new protector of the Twin Swords of Sun and Moon.”
“This is ridiculous!” Yan threw up her hands in exasperation. “Elder, you should probably go home and rest. You’re obviously delusional.”
When she attempted to leave, the old man grabbed her arm firmly, forcing her to turn back. “Little girl, I am not delusional, nor am I joking. These twin swords are specialized and rare weapons which cannot fall into the wrong hands.”
Yan sighed and looked down at the man’s tight grip around her arm. Since she cannot get rid of the elderly man easily, she decided to play along. “All right, if these weapons cannot fall into the wrong hands, then you really shouldn’t hand them to me, since I have no ability to protect them.”
“Ah,” the old man smiled, “you may not have to ability to protect the swords, but your son’s father does. Your responsibility is to bring the destined owner of the Twin Swords into this world. Your husband’s responsibility is to protect the swords until the child becomes old enough to wield the weapons and bring them to their full power.”
“My husband?” Yan rolled her eyes. “I don’t have a husband.”
In response, the elderly man merely smiled serenely at her.
Yan stared at the man for a long moment, and then sighed. “All right, this is such an absurd conversation! I’m leaving, and please don’t follow me!”
She tossed the rusty swords onto the ground near the old man’s feet and darted off swiftly before he could say another word.
This time, the elderly man did not bother to chase after her. He leaned down and picked up the swords before gingerly placing them into his gray sack. He straightened and stared after Yan’s disappearing figure, his fingers stroking his long beard pensively.
“We will meet again, little girl.” He murmured solemnly. “We will meet again.”
He then turned and walked off, his large sack slung over his shoulders.
From a distant restaurant balcony, a person sat calmly at a table, sipping tea, while observing the scene below him. This person watched Yan’s rapidly disappearing form as she blended into the crowd, and then he shifted his eyes toward the elderly man as he walked away in the opposite direction.
Leisurely, the person lifted the teacup to his smiling lips, a predatory gleam in his eyes. “So the Twin Swords of Sun and Moon have finally made an appearance...”
AFTERNOON
OUTSKIRTS OF NORTH STAR TOWN
Despite the fierce winds last night indicating the likely possibility of an impending storm, by afternoon, the sun managed to fight through the thick layers of dark clouds to bathe the earth with its golden, radiant rays. However, the wind continued to whistle furiously through the forest, its icy, invisible fingers rattling the leaves, challenging the warmth of the sun’s beams. It stirred the sand and debris on the ground, creating mini tornados of dust. Above in the heavens, the storm clouds fought with the sun for domination, hovering ominously close to the sun, threatening to drown out its bright rays any minute. Thus, the sky alternated between light and gray.
The lone man slowly navigated across the rocky path, using touch and hearing to help him travel. He hunched his shoulders against the raw cold as a gust of wind swept by. However, he welcomed the chill if it indicated that the sun would retreat soon and the dark clouds would dominate, tempering the sun’s brightness.
Despite the liberal amount of Yan’s eye salve slathered over his eyes and the thick black cloth covering his eyes, Jing Hung’s eyes still stung from the sun’s brilliance. If only the sun would hide behind the black clouds, then his eyes could find some relief. Reaching up, he adjusted the strip of fabric more securely over his eyes to block out as much light as possible.
Satisfied with his eye cloth’s position, Jing Hung took a step forward, about to continue on his journey toward Floating Cloud Summit. There was an outstanding arrest warrant on Sit Chung Nam, and since so many constables had failed to capture the ruthless and highly skilled bandit, the Emperor had tasked him with the challenging duty to bring Sit Chung Nam to justice. Even before his eyes had suffered an injury, he didn’t have absolute confidence that he would be able to triumph over the notorious bandit. He never doubted his own skills, yet he was not foolish enough to underestimate a dangerous opponent. Now with his sight compromised, his chances of successfully completing his task decreased even further. Nonetheless, the Emperor’s command must be carried out, no matter how difficult or impossible.
Jing Hung sighed and forged forward, carefully making sure he did not slip down the rocky terrain. Above, the heavens blackened and the wind roared. It appeared that the sun had lost its battle with the wind and clouds. A tempest neared, judging from the intense chill in the air. Seconds later, heavy droplets shot down, plopping loudly onto the dry earth, right before the heavens suddenly opened up and rain gushed from the sky.
The downpour nearly drowned out the subtle sound of multiple footsteps racing lightly over the wet earth. However, Jing Hung could sense the faint shift in the surrounding air. Alarmed, Jing Hung tilted his head slightly, listening intensely. In that instant, three arrows sliced through the rain, heading straight toward Jing Hung. Immediately, he backflipped consecutively three times, avoiding the projectiles. Jing Hung landed onto the ground, just in time to feel the air move again as three more arrows shot out of the woods and flew towards him. He reached behind him and unsheathed the sword strapped to his back, and with three swift stances, struck down the oncoming projectiles with his sword.
Thunder rumbled amidst the loud patter of raindrops striking the earth. In the distance, lightning flashed, illuminating the darkened woods, as if announcing the arrival of intruders. From the depths of the forest, ten people emerged and somersaulted forward, surrounding Jing Hung, blocking all exit routes.
Eight of the ten people dressed in black and held disc-like weapons with metal rings lining the circumference of the discs. The remaining two people appeared to be the leaders of the group, a young man dressed in a dark, forest-green robe and young woman wearing a lavender gown.
The green-robed man carried a silver-colored bow, with a quiver filled with silver-colored arrows strapped to his back. He stood tall and proud, his handsome, chiseled features stern, his gaze unwavering as he looked straight at Jing Hung.
Next to the tall, imposing green-robed man, the young maiden next to him appeared fragile. She held a pipa with unique metallic golden strings in her hands. The hooded, dark purple cloak she wore over her lavender gown protected her from the soaking rain. Her presence seemed incongruous among this group of men wielding lethal weapons. Yet, her proud aura matched the one exuded by the green-robed man standing by her side. The expression in her eyes burned with hatred as she glared at Jing Hung.
The green-robed man and lavender-gowned woman separated from the group and stepped forward.
“Constable Miu Jing Hung,” the green-robed man asked, “do you know who we are?”
Jing Hung furrowed his brows, trying to place the man’s voice.
When Jing Hung did not answer immediately, the young maiden spoke coldly. “Why bother talking to him, Eldest Brother? We should just execute him like he did Second Brother.”
“Your second brother?” Jing Hung frowned with confusion.
Though he could not see the brother and sister pair, he did not recognize their voices at all.
“Don’t pretend you don’t remember what you did to my second brother!” The young woman did not raise her voice, yet her furious words rang clearly above the rumble of distant thunder. She then turned to the man beside her and demanded, “Eldest Brother, why are we wasting time conversing with this murderer?”
The man shook his head at his younger sister, his expression slightly reprimanding. "Ji San, the Heavenly Weapons Manor will not kill someone without first giving the culprit a chance to defend himself."
At the mention of the name Heavenly Weapons Manor, Jing Hung frowned even further. If these people surrounding him today belonged to the Heavenly Weapons Manor, then the young man and young maiden leading the group must be the Lau siblings, the young master and young mistress of the manor. However, why did Young Master and Young Mistress Lau of the Heavenly Weapons Manor want him dead? As an imperial constable carrying out the Emperor's orders, he had indeed pursued highly skilled pugilists who had repeatedly broken the law or had threatened the safety of the empire. Yet, he did not recall antagonizing or even encountering anyone from the revered and lofty Heavenly Weapons Manor.
The Heavenly Weapons Manor had always kept its distance from wulin affairs, its descendants rarely leaving Horizon Peak where the manor was located. For many years, the pugilist world and the Heavenly Weapons Manor had maintained an unspoken agreement. Each would coexist with the other as if in parallel universes, never intersecting.
The manor was famed for its vast and comprehensive collection of the world’s deadliest and most powerful weapons. The original founder of the Heavenly Weapons Manor, the Lau siblings’ great-great-grandfather, had been one of wulin’s most respected chancellors, who had commanded the pugilist world’s four main orthodox schools and eight minor orthodox clans with wisdom and impartiality. However, due to constant infighting among the orthodox clans and schools at that time due to greed for power, the disillusioned Chancellor Lau had announced his retirement from the position of chancellor and retreated from the power struggles of the pugilist world. He withdrew to Horizon Peak with his wife and only son. Due to his interest in all types of weapons, he started collecting them, and eventually began using his own rare talent to create his own specialized weapons. As time passed, he gradually possessed some of wulin’s most rare and powerful weapons. Eventually, the pugilist world bestowed his residence with the title of Heavenly Weapons Manor.
After Chancellor Lau had abdicated, the coveted position of Wulin Chancellor remained empty. The orthodox clans and schools fought endlessly and viciously with each other, but no supreme leader managed to claim the position of chancellor. As internal strife among the clans and schools continued, the minor clans’ numbers started to dwindle to the point that they eventually became extinct or became absorbed into the larger, stronger groups, leaving only five major clans and schools surviving - the Seven Soaring Flags Clan, the Heavenly Crane School, the Red Raven Clan, the Mount Soaring Eagle School, and the Golden Tiger Clan.
To bring peace to wulin and to stop further bloodshed, the leaders of the five surviving clans and schools agreed to retain their sovereignty and abolish the position of Wulin Chancellor. They would cooperate and fight alongside each other as brothers, but no one person would ever rule over the others.
However, despite the tentative truce, the leaders feared that one day they would lose their independence should a more powerful and capable authority arise. As the Heavenly Weapons Manor’s collection of extraordinary weapons increased, the orthodox clan and school leaders began to worry that the manor’s descendants would grow too powerful and hence threaten their sovereignty. Therefore, they started to send disciples to attack Heavenly Weapons Manor.
To protect his home and family, the retired chancellor reluctantly erected deadly traps and mazes around and within Heavenly Weapons Manor to keep intruders out. After losing hundreds of lives to the traps and mazes, the leaders of the five orthodox schools and clans wisely gave up their hopes of invading Heavenly Weapons Manor. An unspoken truce formed between the prior chancellor and his former followers, in which the orthodox clans and schools would never again step foot onto Horizon Peak and Heavenly Weapons Manor in exchange for a promise from the Heavenly Weapons Manor that its descendants would never unleash its powerful arsenal of weapons onto the pugilist world and dominate it.
After the former Chancellor Lau passed away, his only son followed in his footsteps, keeping his distance from wulin affairs. Each generation thereafter did the same and remained detached from the struggles of the pugilist world. Because the descendants of the Heavenly Weapons Manor rarely entered wulin, many in the pugilist world have not even met the manor’s current generation of leaders - Eldest Brother Lau Ming Leung, Second Brother Lau Ming Hou, and Third Sister Lau Ji San.
Now suddenly, two of the three leaders of the Heavenly Weapons Manor entered the pugilist world to track down Miu Jing Hung. Whatever major incident prompted the Lau siblings to leave their seclusion, Jing Hung could not even fathom. However, he could sense their deep animosity and feared that he may not be able to escape today’s confrontation alive. Jing Hung tightened his hand around the hilt of his sword more firmly as he listened to the green-robed man speak.
Lau Ming Leung, the eldest Lau brother, hooked his silver bow over his right shoulder. The rain had soaked through his dark green robe, and streaks of rainwater streamed down his face. Yet, he ignored such trivial matters as he focused his attention on Jing Hung.
“Constable Miu,” Lau Ming Leung called out. “I have heard that you are an honorable man, who would not kill without a good reason.” He paused, a muscle at his jawline ticking, the only clue that he was fuming. “Why, then, did you murder my second brother? What enmity do you have against the Heavenly Weapons Manor?”
Jing Hung shook his head in denial. “I do not know your second brother, and I have no reason to kill him.”
“Miu Jing Hung, you coward!” The lavender-gowned Lau Ji San laughed bitterly. “So the righteous, brave Imperial Constable Miu is actually a wimp who refuses to admit responsibility for his crime. If you were brave enough to kill my second brother, why not be a man now and just admit it?”
“I didn’t do it,” Jing Hung gritted his teeth. “I refuse to admit guilt to a crime I did not commit.”
“Oh, and I suppose we should trust your word and simply leave, correct?” Lau Ji San mocked. “Today, I will show you the consequence of antagonizing the Heavenly Weapons Manor!”
Without waiting for Jing Hung’s response, Lau Ji San leapt forward before her eldest brother could stop her.
“Ji San, wait!” Lau Ming Leung called out to his younger sister.
However, Lau Ji San ignored her brother. As she approached Jing Hung, she plucked off two of the golden metal strings on her pipa. Swiftly, she strapped the instrument to her back and then stabbed the ends of the two metal strings together. The ends merged the minute they touched, forming a slender, golden staff. She twirled the staff expertly and struck forward, aiming for Jing Hung’s head.
Unable to see, but able to feel the slight vibration in the air as the golden staff neared his head, Jing Hung lifted his sword. The blade clashed with the staff. The staff, though appearing very dainty and thin, withstood the internal energy force emitted by Jing Hung’s sword.
As sword continued to clash with staff for ten stances, the eight Heavenly Weapons Manor disciples dressed in black standing in the background looked to their Young Master Lau Ming Leung for guidance.
“Young Master Leung, should we intervene and help Young Mistress San?” One of the men inquired.
Lau Ming Leung watched the battle closely and then slowly shook his head. “No,” he answered, “let Ji San handle this. We do not want Heavenly Weapons Manor to be accused of achieving victory only through ganging up on those with smaller numbers.”
As the match continued, Jing Hung somersaulted into the air, avoiding a strike from Lau Ji San’s staff. Mid air, he flung his sword toward his opponent. The sword encircled Ji San, who backflipped away to evade the oncoming blade, but not quickly enough to avoid getting a lock of her long hair sliced off by the sword. The sword completed its full arc and returned to Jing Hung, who plucked it mid air and landed neatly onto the ground.
Jing Hung could have quickly ended the fight at that moment, as Lau Ji San’s internal energy and skills could not compare with his. However, he chose to show his opponent mercy, as he knew this misunderstanding would be even more difficult to resolve if he were to injure the Heavenly Weapons Manor’s young mistress.
Ji San, too, landed onto the ground and touched her hair, enraged. Without pausing, she thrust her staff forward. Feeling the shift in the air, Jing Hung swiveled to the left, dodging the weapon. With his sword, he stopped the oncoming staff and forced it to the side. Just when Jing Hung was about to wrench the weapon away from Ji San, the rain suddenly subsided, and the sun chose that very moment to emerge from behind the gray clouds.
Unfortunately for Jing Hung, the sunlight shone directly onto the golden staff, the reflected glare hitting him right in his already light-sensitive eyes. Despite the thick black cloth covering his eyes, his injured eyes nonetheless stung from the brightness. As he blinked behind the cloth, Ji San, taking advantage of her opponent’s hesitation, kicked outward. Jing Hung, hearing the movement of her leg, could not avoid the attack in time. He braced himself for the assault, but did not anticipate the metal cleats which protruded from the underside her shoe. As the sharp metal objects sank into his chest, Jing Hung grunted in pain and stumbled backward, shocked that the revered Heavenly Weapons Manor would use underhanded tactics.
Clenching his teeth, he endured the agony and immediately righted himself. Lifting his sword into attack position, he prepared to take the offensive this time. However, his body jerked as he felt an uncomfortable stinging warmth at the injured site on his chest right before the area turned numb. Realizing the metal cleats had poison painted on them, Jing Hung immediately assumed a meditating position, as he tried to force the poison out of his circulation with his internal energy. Sensing victory within her grasp, Ji San lunged forward, determined to avenge her second brother’s death.
Just when Lau Ji San was about to send another kick toward the poisoned Miu Jing Hung, a shadowy white figure suddenly approached at rapid speed. The person dashed toward the eight Heavenly Weapons Manor disciples, and before they even detected his presence, the person pierced the men’s hearts with his invisible qi swords. He commandeered their disc-like weapons easily and hurled the eight metal discs toward Ji San.
One disc sliced at her right leg, preventing her from further kicking Jing Hung. Surprised, Ji San glanced upward, her expression horrified as she noticed the seven discs spinning at lightening speed toward her head. Luckily, right before the discs decapitated her, seven silver arrows flew through the air and struck down the discs.
After releasing his arrows to stop the flying discs, Lau Ming Leung flipped through the air and grabbed Ji San by the shoulders. Setting her down onto the ground safely out of attacking range, he turned around to see the white shadow race toward him. In an instant, a palm shot forward, clashing with his palm. The qi energy surrounding the two men vibrated and shook the leaves on the nearby trees.
Ji San ran toward her brother, intending to help him, but as she approached the two men, the sphere of qi surrounding the combatants knocked her backward.
“Stay away!” Lau Ming Leung warned his sister, as he kept he his eyes focused on his new opponent.
With eyes steady and calm, both men stared challengingly at each other. Since both combatants possessed great internal energy, this internal energy competition could have lasted for a very long time. Yet, it seemed like the white-robed man did not wish to waste too much time quarreling. He broke off the match and back flipped away from Lau Ming Leung, who also somersaulted backward.
As Lau Ming Leung landed a few paces away from the white-gowned man, Lau Ji San rushed forward in concern.
“Eldest Brother,” she began.
However, Lau Ming Leung cut off the rest of her words with a flick of his hand, while keeping his eyes trained on his opponent.
Although he rarely left Heavenly Weapons Manor, Lau Ming Leung kept himself informed about wulin’s major players. Recognizing the shadowless swords of pure qi energy used by his opponent just moments ago to kill the eight Heavenly Weapons Manor disciples, he realized this white-robed man was Floating Cloud Sect Leader Sit Chung Nam, a man who would make a very dangerous enemy.
“Sit Chung Nam?” Lau Ming Leung called out.
Chung Nam merely smiled slightly, without bothering to answer the green-robed man.
“My Heavenly Weapons Manor and your Floating Cloud Sect have always coexisted in peace. Why are you interfering in Heavenly Weapons Manor’s attempt to seek revenge today?” Ming Leung demanded.
Chung Nam smirked as he crossed his arms across his chest arrogantly. “I do not need to explain my actions to you.”
Furious, Lau Ji San jabbed her finger toward Sit Chung Nam. “Why, you pompous...!”
Her brother cut her off firmly before she could continue. Less rash than his sister, Ming Leung knew that Sit Chung Nam’s unscrupulous fighting methods and his very accomplished martial arts skills should not be taken lightly. Though Miu Jing Hung was injured, the constable’s impressive martial arts prowess may still allow him to fight and win, despite his wounds. Now with the addition of Sit Chung Nam, he and his sister’s chances of winning in a two-against-two match decreased considerably. Therefore, Ming Leung wisely chose to retreat.
Lau Ming Leung narrowed his eyes at Sit Chung Nam, and then he shifted his gaze to Miu Jing Hung. “Since Sect Leader Sit chooses to antagonize Heavenly Weapons Manor today, then be warned that the Heavenly Weapons Manor has a very long memory. We shall meet again.”
With those words, Ming Leung grabbed his sister’s shoulder and raced through the air, quickly vanishing from sight.
Glancing toward the direction which the Lau siblings have gone, Chung Nam snorted, completely unimpressed with the green-robed man’s warning.
Still seated on the ground in a meditating position, Jing Hung asked, “Sit Chung Nam, why did you help me?”
Instead of turning around, Chung Nam kept his back turned to Jing Hung. For a long moment, it almost appeared that Sit Chung Nam would not answer.
Then, he surprisingly responded, “Before Yan Yan and I were separated, she told me that you had helped save her from Poison Snake’s attack a couple of nights ago.” Chung Nam paused and then said, “Thank you.”
Without saying anything further, he started to walk off, but Miu Jing Hung stopped him.
“Sit Chung Nam!” Jing Hung called out. “If you’re looking for Clan Leader Black Rose, I just saw her earlier this morning at North Star Town’s marketplace. If you hurry, you may be able to find her before she leaves the town center.”
Chung Nam hesitated at this piece of information. This time, he turned around to face the constable.
“Thank you,” Chung Nam nodded once with uncharacteristic gratitude.
Without another word, he flipped into the air, heading toward North Star Town’s marketplace.
**********
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