Legendary Book of Sun-Moon Swordplay

[Melanie]

Hi Lovely Maiden,

I'm so happy to see your long and thoughtful comment. You must have really paid attention to the little details in the story. Thanks for your support.

I suppose I should be working on the story rather than replying to your post. But one long post deserves another long post in return. I'll try to be brief, however, since I'm tired from a long day and should be going to sleep soon.

I agree Gong Yu is the epitome of grace. I guess she takes after her mother - elegant, cool-headed, and feminine. Every story needs such a character. Gong Yu's sadness also contributes to her attractiveness. What man could resist a pair of deeply wounded and yet beautiful eyes? Perhaps Gong Yu is not interested in Yee Kin. That is why she does not wonder what he looks like. Or perhaps she is afraid of getting burned twice by men. Or maybe her heart still only beats for the Marquis? By the way, you're not the first person to pen scathing remarks about the Marquis. That poor guy is really unpopular. I find that hilarious for some reason. Do not be so quick to judge. Maybe he has some redeeming qualities.

I think most series choose not so attractive men to play rapists because then it's easier to hate them. But I always think that a person's outer appearance is deceiving because you can't see beneath the facade to determine who has the truly black heart and who has the heart of gold. Take Blue Executioner, for example. He's able to lure so many women because he's so handsome and clean-cut. What woman would suspect an attractive, princely looking man? It's too bad for him that the two women he hit on so far (Gong Yu and Sui Han) are not at all impressed by his looks.

Sui Han is a bit of a complex character. Her loyalties are unknown and someone who is ambivalent, in my opinion, is much more dangerous than one who has already picked sides. Maybe she is the real Master and the one running about killing people is just some decoy she is using.

Ok, enough spilling of story secrets from me for one night. Have to go!

[Lovely Maiden]

Way to go Melanie. Thank you for replying. You don't have to you know. I (and suppose many of your readers) are writing so you know that out there, we are waiting patiently for your next chapters and we support you.

You are right about Sui Han because from the beginning till the last chapters you wrote, I started to find out that she is not at all the innocent demure girl but really someone who is very complex and unfathomable. She knows that both Tin Lok and Wai Sun sare smitten and in a way (my feeling only) she is sort of using this as a weapon.

As for Gong Yu, I think its more of the saying "once bitten twice shy...." Furthermore, before the appearance of White Executioner, there was no other person who had touched or showed tenderness towards her and so she was left in self pity and pining for lost love for so long.

It has a nice twist. Idy Chan and Gong Yu are both epitome of feminity in your story. After all, they are mother and daughter. Whereas Chi Chi is the usual mischevious always-up-to-something kind of girl. Typical youngest born character (a little spoilt perhaps?)

I can almost imagine the Marquis die in order to save Gong Yu from the villain or something like that thus redeeming his past mistake? I can also imagine Gong Yu feeling confused and torned between past and present love who are now both vying for her affection....just like Sui Han. After all, why not?

As for the other characters, I feel that some do have double façade. Hard to comprehend what they are really like underneath and who they really are. Like Concubine Cheung who turned out to be Silver Executioner! Ka Wing who turned out to have quite powerful kungfu and was not a simpleton after all. Even Sui Han herself have ulterior motives.

The fact that you have chosen TWO gurdians instead of just one is excellent too!

I wish you all the best of luck in finishing this story and once again BRAVO!

[Melanie]

Hi Lovely Maiden,

Oh, I love receving long messages from readers and definitely do not mind spending a few minutes replying to those messages. So please do not feel that I am complaining about having to reply to you. Like any author, I enjoy discussing my story with interested readers.

Just want to mention something about Sui Han. She is my main female character, but not my most well liked among my readers, because she is not energetic like Chi Chi or elegant like Gong Yu, Tong Mei Si, and Yuk Lin. However, she is the most difficult to write characters, mainly because she is multi-faceted and complex.

[Lovely Maiden]

Hi Melanie,

How's the writing coming along? I hope you are getting new inspirations as to the plots of your stories?

I admire your ability to write such a complex character for Sui Han. She must have given you a lot of challenge huh? It is nice because you try to create a balance and complement your stories with the rest of the "casts". I think that you either love her character or hate her. I reserve my opinion as I think she is a very interesting person.

It is easy to love Chi Chi because she is very energetic and bubbly. It will be difficult to hate Yuk Lin, Mei Si and Gong Yu as they are the type of women men in general fall for. Now for the men, I must admit that I am a great fan of Adam, Andy and Felix. I like matured men and plus they have great acting abilities and so visualising them in their respective roles aren't difficult.

The way you paired them up is nice too because the women's beauty complement the men's good looks. I mean, even the villains are good looking! The female casts in your stories are not only beautiful but they are also independent and have martial arts skills. This adds to the excitement. In most films, there are always helpless female which can sometimes be boring. Because after a while, everything becomes predictable.....

Well, let me not keep you from writing. Enough chatter!

[charbydis]

I like Gong Yu in a way because she is quiet and takes the time to listen and analyse instead of being a hothead. She maybe demur but still has her own thoughts and is strong in her own way and can protect herself.

Keep on going Mel! (Kill Ching Bong! Just kidding! )

[Melanie]

Hi everyone. I haven't posted here in a long time. I just want to give those who are still reading and waiting for the next chapter an update on what's going on with the story. I have already completed the next chapter. It's quite long. However, I have decided to make some alterations in the story - not in the plot itself, but in the characters' names. I initially started using the actors' real names in the story because I was too lazy to invent character names for them. However, as the storyline becomes more and more involved, I am starting to feel slightly awkward using the original actor names. Therefore, I am slowly going through all the chapters and renaming some of the characters' names. I know this will confuse those of you who have been reading this story for while, since you will have to relearn who's who with the new names. I apologize for that, but I think in the long run, it will feel less awkward if each character has a name separate from the actor's real name. Like before, there will be a character list at the beginning of each chapter, so that you can refer back to it to see who's who. Also, because I have to take time revising all the names in the old chapters, I cannot post the most current chapter until the revision is done, so that new readers do not become confused. Again, I apologize for the delay, but hopefully, the new chapter, plus the revised old chapters, will be done in 1-2 weeks. Thank you all for your understanding.

[Melanie]

Hi, everyone. Well, here I am again. I've finally finished painstakingly combing through the entire story, changing the character names. Hopefully, I did not miss anything. (Please let me know if you find any old names in the story.) The whole process took longer than I thought, and I nearly became cross-eyed reading the entire story again in order to edit it. Therefore, I really applaud those readers who tell me they've read the whole story in one day. Anyway, here's the next chapter. Please be patient because you'll have to get accustomed to the new character names. Even I have problems remembering who is who with the name changes. There is a "Cast of Characters" list in the very first post of this thread for reference so that you can figure out which actor is which character. And please leave me any comments you have that will help me improve the story. Thanks again for reading.

CHAPTER 62 --- THE BATTLE BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE

Characters appearing in this chapter:
Kristy Yeung Gong Yu---Lam Suk Yu
Ekin Cheng Yee Kin---Yeung Lap Chun
Gigi Lai Chi---Lam Chi Chi
Kevin Cheng Ka Wing---Cheng Sai Chung

Guest appearances in this chapter:
Selena Li Sze Wan---Sum Guk Yiu a.k.a. Green Robe Assassin
Raymond Lam Fung---Chu Kot Chuet Ching a.k.a. Purple Robe Assassin

WEST LAKE PROVINCE
FOREST

Keeping as still as a statue, Suk Yu stays hidden in the bushes, refusing to budge, despite the goading words of the mysterious man in white. Clutching her jade flute so tightly that her fingers dig into her palm, she listens carefully, counting each footstep as the person approaches stealthily.

"I know you are there…" The Master, clothed completely in white, continues to taunt. "Come out, come out…"

His breathy, hushed voice is muffled by the piece of cloth covering the lower half of his face, making it difficult for Suk Yu to recognize the voice. Nonetheless, Suk Yu detects a familiar note in the voice, and yet, she is unable to definitively identify the person.

Now, only a few paces from Suk Yu, the man in white chortles, his laugh cultured, but eerily creepy, each chuckle sending shivers down Suk Yu’s spine. Her sweaty palm slippery on the cool surface of the flute, Suk Yu prepares to leap out and attack, hoping to have the element of surprise in her favor. However, just before she is about to do so, another deep voice echoes through the forest.

"Ha ha ha!" As the voice penetrates through the dark night, a shadowy blur streaks by, moving at lightning speed. As the blur shoots past the thicket of bushes where Suk Yu hides, she barely detects the slightest of movement, telling her that whoever this other person is, he is also highly skilled in order to move so swiftly without disturbing the air.

Somersaulting three times in the air, the blur lands a few paces from the man in white. The newcomer, dressed completely in black with an opaque black cloth covering his face, his build slightly taller than the Master, laughs. His eyes, the only exposed part of his face, focuses on the Sword of Sun in his opponent’s hand.

"So," the man in black drawls, his lazy tone belying the ill intent apparent in his eyes. "We meet again. It has been a long time."

The Master narrows his eyes at the new person, his grip on the Sword of Sun tightening possessively. "Indeed." He counters, his tone equally soft but just as deadly. "It has been a long time. How have you been?"

"Oh, I have been just fine." The black clothed person responds, almost conversationally, as if he and the man in white are two good friends catching up on old times.

"So what brings you back?" The Master inquires.

The black clothed man rubs his chin slowly, his tone slightly sarcastic. "Oh, I don’t know. Perhaps, I miss you and feel like dropping by and saying ‘hi.’"

Crossing his arms across his chest, the Sword of Sun sandwiched safely against his chest, the Master replies, "Of course, of course. I miss you, too. Why, I’ve been meaning to visit you all these years and reclaim what you ‘borrowed’ from me, but you keep moving around so that I couldn’t find you." Narrowing his eyes at the person in black, the Master questions tauntingly, "You haven’t been trying to avoid me, have you, old friend?"

Smiling behind the black handkerchief covering the lower half of his face, the man in black retorts, "Of course, not! We’re like family! Why would I try to avoid you?" Cocking his head, he remarks, "It looks like your sense of hearing is just as keen as the last time we saw each other. I was especially careful to leave no sound, and yet, you noted my presence."

"You are not too bad yourself," the Master replies, his tone politely complimentary, yet peppered with unfriendly undertones. "It took me a while to detect your presence. I presume that means that your internal energy has reached yet another level."

"Ha ha ha." Nodding at the Sword of Sun in his opponent’s hand, the man in black snorts, "Perhaps you were too preoccupied with the treasure in your hands to take note of your surroundings." Circling the Master, the black clothed person asks sardonically. "I don’t suppose you are willing to let me take a closer look at the jewel you have in your possession?"

"Why, of course, you are welcome to take a closer look!" The Master says magnanimously. "Why don’t you come closer so you can get a better view?" He taunts.

Holding out the sword, the Master stares intently at the black clothed man, the corners of his eyes crinkling, as if smiling congenially. And yet, the dark pools of his eyes glint with carefully controlled rage and malice.

The black clothed man approaches cautiously, his eyes sharp and observant for any signs of attack from his opponent. Suddenly, he sees the flicker of orange-red from the corner of his eyes, the flash of the blade coming down upon him so quickly that he barely escapes the deadly cut of the Sword of Sun. Adroitly, he somersaults backward three times and lands on top of a low tree branch.

"You have not changed at all, have you?" The man in black snickers. "You are just as devious as ever and just as unwilling to share your loot."

Chuckling, the Master twirls the Sword of Sun expertly in his hand, creating a bright halo with the weapon’s impressive glow. "This treasure here is too precious to share, dear friend."

"What makes you think you can control such a powerful sword?" The man in black taunts. "Legend has it that only the true reincarnation of the Guardian is able to command that weapon."

"Well, then, perhaps I am the true reincarnation of the Guardian." The Master counters back. Twirling the blade experimentally, he chuckles with satisfaction as it slices through the air rapidly and viciously. "It’s working just fine for me." Shrugging, he adds, "Besides, with my years of expertise, I am sure I will be able to control this weapon and bring it to its full potential, even if I am not the Guardian."

"Oh?" The black clothed man retorts sardonically. "You seem pretty confident that you are able to prevent others from taking the Sword of Sun away from you."

Crossing his arms across his chest, the Master smirks. "Well, why don’t we have a little competition and see which one of us has the most improved martial arts over the years?" Dangling the Sword of Sun teasingly in front of this opponent, he taunts, "If you can take this sword from my hand, I promise I will disappear from the martial arts world completely."

Insolently imitating the Master’s gesture, the man in black also crosses his arms across his chest. "How about higher stakes, then? Whoever loses will have to give up his life!"

Narrowing his eyes at the other person, the Master smiles coldly behind the cloth covering the lower half of his face. "Done!"

The minute the word leaves his mouth, the Master straps the Sword of Sun securely to his back and spins vertically into the air. The wind whips wildly, cocooning him in a mini tornado. The force of the tornado throws the forest into a man-made storm. As the tree branches beat against each other fiercely, dirt and sand particles float about haphazardly, creating a thick curtain, obscuring the Master from his opponent’s view.

Assuming an attack position, the black robed man calmly smiles at his enemy’s tactics. In the blink of an eye, he flashes forward toward the mini tornado, his speed so incredible that he appears to be a black shadow. Flying toward the curtain of sand and dirt, he kicks forward.

From within the man-made curtain of debris, a white boot emerges and kicks back. Suddenly, the Master shoots through the tornado, palms extended toward the black clothed man.

As the two men clash midair, the black robed man brings his right palm forward. The sweep of the palm advances forward, silent and seemingly slow and sluggish. Yet, the thick blanket of internal energy vibrates through the night, forcing his enemy back several paces.

Executing two back flips in the air, the Master evades the black robed person’s Silent Palm. Landing onto a thick tree branch, the Master brings his palms together. Within seconds, a fiery red glow emerges between his clasped hands, the light so bright red that it resembles a trail of smoky blood. As the man in black flies forward, the Master moves his right palm with such swiftness that only a flash of red light glimmers briefly in the night, barely visible to the inexperienced eye.

As the Master’s swift and precise Blood Shadow Palm meets the black gowned person’s slow yet intensely strong Silent Palm, an explosion rings throughout the night as concentric circles of energy radiate out from the two combatants. As the deafening noise dies down, a thick blanket of deadly silence descends upon the forest, the quietness even more disturbing than the preceding explosion.

Without a break in pace, the combatants take their fight to the ground level. With a thrust of his leg, the Master attempts to trip his opponent. In response, the black robed assassin somersaults forward, leaping over his enemy’s outstretched leg and releases a shower of small daggers. Swiveling to the right, the Master flies backward to evade the onslaught of knives and loops around a large tree trunk. With his palm energy, he severs a thick tree branch, and using the branch, blocks a second attack of flying daggers. As the daggers embed into the wood, the Master flings the branch back at his opponent.

The black robed assassin directs his Silent Palm toward the block of wood. The palm energy sweeps forward like an invisible knife, disintegrating the wood into dust particles, freeing the daggers embedded on the wood. With another burst of palm energy, the black gowned man sends the daggers flying back at this enemy.

This time, the Master somersaults rapidly left, right, then left again, his figure becoming a blurry shadow in the night. In a matter of seconds, he captures all ten daggers within the fist of his hand. Thrusting his palm upward, he sends the daggers spraying upward toward the branches covering the forest ceiling. The knives slice off multiple branches, causing a heavy rain of leaves cascading downward, temporarily blinding his opponent’s view.

"Ha ha ha!" The Master man laughs coldly, his voice reverberating through the woodland, as he races through the air. "It is pleasure crossing paths with you again tonight, old friend!" The voice echoes mockingly in the night. "But I have urgent matters to attend to and do not have the time to continue sparing with you. The next time we meet, I will recollect what you have stolen from me years ago."

As the Master fades into the darkness, the black robed assassin stares after his rapidly disappearing white shadow. "Hmm," he smirks, his eyes stone cold. "The next time we meet, old friend, you won’t live long enough to recollect anything from me…"

Pausing for a moment, the black gowned assassin stretches his lips into a feral grin underneath the black cloth covering the lower half of his face, his eyes glinting sharply in the moonlight. Turning slowly toward the direction of the thick bushes where Suk Yu is hiding, he remarks, "You might as well come out now. You’ve been crouching there for quite a while, enjoying the show. If I had not appeared onto the scene earlier, my white robed friend would have already killed you. Therefore, shouldn’t you at least come out and thank me?" He taunts.

When Suk Yu remains hidden, the black gowned man laughs. "Don’t tell me you are scared." He mocks. "Unfortunately, I despise people spying on me, and so I must kill you." He sighs regretfully, his tone light as if conversing about the weather. "If you surrender peacefully, I promise to let you die painlessly." Strolling closer toward the bushes, he coaxes, "So come out now…"

Having already witnessed this stranger’s martial arts, Suk Yu knows she has no chance of winning a one on one fight with him. Quickly going over her options in her mind, she opts to make a run for it. Her hand reaches for a fistful of dirt, gathering the damp earth slowly into her fist. With heart thumping loudly in her ears, she waits with abated breath for the black robed person’s approach.

As the black clothed man nears closer and closer to Suk Yu’s hiding place, Suk Yu suddenly leaps up into the air, flinging the handful of dirt toward her opponent. Slashing her jade flute across the surface of the bushes, she sends a wave of brambles and leaves hurtling toward the black robed assassin. With the element of surprise in her favor, Suk Yu buys herself some time as the man swings his arms up to protect his eyes from dirt and loose foliage. Meanwhile, Suk Yu hurriedly somersaults in the opposite direction.

Unfortunately, her martial arts is much inferior compared to her opponent. The black robed man easily disperses the curtain of dirt and leaves with a simple wave of his palm. In no time, he catches up to Suk Yu and yanks on her foot midair, jerking her back down to the ground.

As she drops onto the forest earth, she lands hard on her back. Grinding her teeth against the pain, Suk Yu swiftly rolls to the side and stands up, assuming an attack position. Unable to see, she relies on her hearing to determine the location of her enemy. Unfortunately, the wind chooses that very moment to pick up, roaring through the woodland, stirring the trees and bushes, distracting Suk Yu.

Vulnerable because of her blindness, Suk Yu feels a rush of wind from behind. Swerving to the side, she barely avoids a punch from the black robed man. As she tries to regain her footing, her opponent flashes by again with palms outstretched. Quickly, Suk Yu counter attacks by aiming her flute at the man’s midsection. Blocking her attack, the man intercepts her flute and grabs hold of the weapon’s tip. Using Suk Yu’s own weapon against her, the black gowned assassin jerks her forward by yanking on the flute. Pulled forward, Suk Yu feels a heavy force of energy against her shoulder as she sustains a palm to the shoulder.

Falling backward from the impact of the punch, she lets go of the flute and catapults backward, her body bouncing limply off a tree trunk.

"Hahahaha!" The black robed man chortles. "Little girl, you are no match for me. I suppose I should let you live, given that I am an elder and should not be picking fights with the junior generation." Pausing, he pretends to consider letting her go. However, he finally shakes his head and says with a falsely regretful tone. "But alas, I do not feel like being generous tonight. After all, killing you will be good entertainment for me. Hahahahahaha!"

With those heinous words, the assassin throws the jade flute toward the injured Suk Yu, intending to kill her with her own weapon. As the flute slices through the air with alarming speed, a white fan cuts across the path of the flute and intercepts the weapon midair, knocking the flute away from Suk Yu’s throat.

As the white fan circles back to its owner, Yeung Lap Chun somersaults onto the scene, reaching for his fan. Landing a few paces from the black robed assassin, Lap Chun flips open his fan, eyeing his opponent carefully while he fans himself. Smiling slightly, he turns his head a bit, peering at Suk Yu from the corner of his eyes. Confirming that she is fine, he focuses his full attention on the enemy.

"My, what an interesting evening." Lap Chun says congenially, as if conversing with an old friend. "I come out for a stroll and I find a lovely maiden in need of rescuing. Haha. I guess this is my lucky night to play knight in shining armor, huh?"

Unperturbed by Lap Chun’s arrival, the black gowned person chuckles coldly. "Well, well. Isn’t this turning into an increasingly amusing evening." He says in a mocking voice. "If I am not mistaken, you must be White Executioner. Well, it’s a pleasure meeting you, White Executioner. You are quite well known in the martial arts world." Bowing mockingly, he lifts his eyebrows insolently. Crossing his arms across his chest, he adds, "If I were you, White Executioner, I would make a run for it and forget about playing knight in shining armor. I can be a terrifying opponent, even for your Master. What makes you think you can defeat me?"

Putting on an air of calm and confidence, Lap Chun continues to nonchalantly fan himself. "I would worry more about yourself, Elder. My friends, Red and Blue Executioner, are arriving as we speak. With our combined efforts, we may not be able to defeat you easily, but we can certainly wear you down." He bluffs.

"Oh, really?" The black robed man calls Lap Chun’s bluff. "So your friends are coming, eh? Well, that just sends shivers of fear down my spine. I guess before your powerful friends arrive, I will just have to finish you off first!"

He attacks, even before he finishes his words. With lightning speed, he sends a rain of daggers shooting toward Lap Chun. Somersaulting through the air, Lap Chun dodges the knives. Kicking two daggers aside, he swivels around, just in time to see three small knives streaking by him toward Suk Yu. Executing several back flips, he reaches Suk Yu’s side in record time, deflecting the daggers with a flick of his fan. Grabbing hold of her arm, he flies vertically upward, skimming over the treetops with her in tow.

In hot pursuit, the black robed assassin glides over the earth, flashing in and out of sight as he threads his way through the maze of trees with blinding speed. Finally, halting just next to a large tree just below where Lap Chun and Suk Yu are, he tilts sideways and skims up the trunk, his body aligned horizontally with the ground. In the blink of an eye, he bursts through the thick canopy of leaves and lunges at Lap Chun and Suk Yu.

Lap Chun, with one arm still wrapped around Suk Yu’s waist, leaps backward, dodging the attack and flies in the opposite direction. But as good as his lightness kung fu is, Lap Chun is nonetheless no match for an extremely skilled elder. Even as Lap Chun races with all his might, the enemy closes the gap rapidly with his more superior lightness kung fu.

As Lap Chun swerves left and right, trying to lose his opponent, he feels a strange sense of energy, thick and powerful, approaching from behind. Before he is able to react, a palm slams into his back, sending him and Suk Yu spiraling fifty feet down to the forest ground.

Losing his grip on Suk Yu, Lap Chun calls out, "Miss Suk Yu!"

Flinging his fan toward the right, he sends it flying toward a large tree trunk. As the fan embeds into the wood, Lap Chun rests his booted feet on the fan, using it as a stepping stone to break his fall midair. Without wasting time, he somersaults toward Suk Yu, attempting to catch her. However, she is too far away. Unable to reach her in time, he watches helplessly as she continues to fall toward the hard earth.

At that moment, another figure emerges from the darkness and races through the air toward Suk Yu. Reaching her just before she crashes to the ground, the figure grabs hold of her waist sash and flings her over his shoulder. Without a word, the figure dashes off into the night.

MEANWHILE…
GREEN PYTHON VALLEY
DESERTED CAVE

"Errrr! Errrr!" Chi Chi grunts and huffs as she drags Sai Chung's unconscious body into the shelter of the cave. Adjusting her eyes to the darkness, she lets go of his body temporarily and leans against the damp wall of the cave near the entrance to rest.

"Hello??" She calls out. "Anyone here?"

When nobody responds, Chi Chi advances cautiously deeper into the inner recesses of the cave.

"Hello?" She inquires again.

Silence answers her question. Standing uncertainly in the dark, Chi Chi shivers as a gust of wind sweeps by. A bit disturbed by her dark and damp surroundings, she briefly considers braving the wilderness rather than spending the night in the cave. But then, Chi Chi glances back at Sai Chung, who continues to lie motionlessly near the entrance, his face deathly pale against the silvery slivers of moonlight bouncing haphazardly in odd patterns against the granite walls, and realizes that he needs shelter for the night.

Making a quick decision, she takes in a deep breath and resolutely walks toward the inner corner of the cave where a large, flat wedge of stone juts out. Humming to herself to keep her mind away from the creepy, furry creatures that could possibly be sharing this cave with them this very moment, Chi Chi squats down next to the wedge and brushes away debris.

Pausing, she looks cautiously toward the deep recesses of the cave, thinking she might have heard a squeak. Shivering at the possibility of mice hiding in the corners, she mutters out loud, "I’m not afraid of a puny mouse… I’m not afraid of a puny mouse…" She repeats to herself. "La, la, la, la, la, la!" She sings off tune and loudly.

Screaming "lalala" at the top of her lungs, Chi Chi bustles about and gathers an armful of straw as padding for the stony wedge. Finally satisfied with her work, she starts to drag Sai Chung’s unconscious body over to the bed of straw. Breathing hard from the exertion, she plops his body down on the stone wedge. Weak from the effort, she pants and wipes beads of sweat from her forehead.

"Phew!" She pats the slumbering Sai Chung on the chest. "You sure are heavy, Big Brother Sai Chung! Maybe you shouldn’t eat that much after you recover."

Staring at Sai Chung, Chi Chi purses her lips, deep in thought. As her eyes drift downward toward his abdominal wound still bleeding heavily through the makeshift pressure dressing she has tied around his waist, she quickly rummages through her travel sack. Finding a clean cloak, she rips the piece of clothing into several long strips. Taking out the water pouch tucked in the travel sack, Chi Chi pours some water onto a strip of fabric. Uncovering Sai Chung’s wound, she dabs at the raw wound with the wetted strip.

The stinging pain wakens Sai Chung. Jerking upward slightly, he grunts. "Ahh!"

Eyes widening, Chi Chi drops the cloth onto the stone wedge and holds onto Sai Chung’s shoulders, supporting him. "Big Brother Sai Chung! You’re awake!"

"Ahh, the pain…" Sai Chung mutters, almost incoherently. He reaches a hand toward his abdomen, toward the direction of the pain.

Catching hold of his hand, Chi Chi admonishes, "Don’t touch it! Your hands are dirty, and you’ll contaminate the wound."

Turning his face toward Chi Chi, Sai Chung blinks, his vision blurry from the agony. "Little Brother, is it really you? I thought you were dead!"

"What?! You thought I was dead?" Chi Chi nearly hollers at him, highly offended at the insult. Scrunching her brow, she narrows her eyes at Sai Chung. "Well! I’ll have you know that I am quite superstitious and do not like being called dead!" Pounding herself proudly on the chest, Chi Chi sputters indignantly. "I am quite capable of fending for myself. You, on the other hand, are in worse condition than I am. You must have run into some pretty mean mountain bandits to end up injured like this!" Tsking at Sai Chung, she busies herself at cleaning his wound again. "But don’t worry, Big Brother Sai Chung, you’re with me now and I’ll protect you." She boasts.

After making sure the wound is neatly cleaned and wrapped up, Chi Chi starts to lower Sai Chung back down on the straw bed. But he clasps onto her hand tightly, opening his mouth, trying to speak.

"What? What? Huh?" Chi Chi asks, leaning down closer to hear Sai Chung’s words.

"Little Brother, I need my antidote." Sai Chung mumbles.

"Huh?" Chi Chi inquires, confused. "What antidote? You’re poisoned?"

Too weak to explain, Sai Chung mutters again, "I need my antidote. If I don’t take it on time, my pain will be magnified a thousand times. Will you get me my antidote? It’s in my gown pocket."

"Gown pocket?" Quickly searching through Sai Chung’s gown, Chi Chi finds a small porcelain bottle. "Is this the antidote?"

Nodding weakly, he swallows, trying to wet his dry throat. "Yes."

Opening the bottle, Chi Chi tilts it, only to find nothing inside. "It’s empty, Big Brother Sai Chung!"

"Empty?" He whispers, his eyes hollow, his face as pale as a ghost. Dropping back onto the straw bed, he closes his eyes, without strength to speak any further.

"Big Brother Sai Chung, is this antidote important? Where can I find more for you?" Chi Chi asks.

Shaking his head, Sai Chung sighs. "Forget it, Little Brother. It is not an ordinary antidote." He replies vaguely. "Besides, I don’t even know if I can survive this wound, so there’s not need to worry about the antidote at this point."

"Of course, you’ll survive, Big Brother Sai Chung!" Chi Chi admonishes him. "I’ll take good care of you. I’ll bring you home to my parents. They’ll know how to save you!"

But Sai Chung has already passed out from exhaustion and does not answer Chi Chi. Staring for a long moment at Sai Chung, Chi Chi smiles. Reaching out to stroke his cheek, she whispers softly, "You’re kind of cute when you are asleep because your mouth hangs open." Then, her smile fades into a worried frown. Leaning forward to rest her forehead on his, Chi Chi promises, "I won’t let you die, Big Brother Sai Chung, because I’ll miss you terribly if you die. I guess you’re okay to have around." She admits that much to herself, patting his cheek, comforting herself with that bit of contact.

Closing her eyes, she drifts off to sleep, resting her head on top of Sai Chung’s chest. Minutes turn into hours as the two sleep peacefully in the shelter of the cave.

As the night lengthens, the air turns chilly. A draft snakes through the opening of the cave, bring a shiver down Chi Chi’s spine, waking her up. Drowsily opening her eyes, Chi Chi straightens and yawns. Blinking, she stares into the darkness, puzzled temporarily. Remembering where she is, she stumbles to her feet, hugging herself to ward off the chill. Taking an extra cloak from the travel sack, she covers Sai Chung with it before heading out to search for firewood to start a warm campfire.

As Chi Chi disappears into the night, another figure, clothed completely in forest-green, lurks to the side of cave opening, waiting for Chi Chi to leave. Once Chi Chi vanishes from sight, the green robed figure slips soundlessly into the cave, approaching Sai Chung slowly.

Kneeling down next to the slumbering Sai Chung, the person places a small hand over his forehead tenderly. When he shifts in his sleep, the stranger quickly withdraws her hand, afraid of waking him. Discovering the antidote bottle next to him, she picks it up. Her brows wrinkle in worry when she notices that the bottle is empty.

Suddenly, Sai Chung groans in his sleep, obviously in agony. As the figure in green observes Sai Chung’s torture, she makes a quick decision and digs into her gown pocket. Removing a small bottle similar to Sai Chung’s, she places the last pill she has left into his mouth. Dribbling a trickle of water into his mouth from the water pouch lying nearby, she gently dabs at his lips.

From a distance, she hears faint footsteps, signaling Chi Chi’s approach. The green gowned young woman quickly leaps to her feet and rushes out of the cave. Quietly, she fades into the night, just as Chi Chi bursts through the cave with an armful of firewood.

"I’m back, Big Brother Sai Chung!" Chi Chi announces softly, but cheerfully to the sleeping Sai Chung, unaware of his recent visitor. "I’ll get this fire started so you can sleep comfortably, all right? Then, we’ll set out for Lam Mansion tomorrow. My parents will know how to heal you." She chatters to him, not bothered by the fact that she is mostly talking to herself, as Sai Chung still remains unconscious.

MEANWHILE…
GREEN PYTHON VALLEY
SEASIDE

The lone figure walks across the sandy beach, her slender silhouette appears petite and fragile against the stark, pale rays of moonlight. Yet, her brisk strides and the determined, focused look in her eyes hint at a hidden strength beneath her delicate exterior.

Behind her, the waves thrash wildly against the shoreline, the watery fingers clawing into the sand, only to recede back into the dark depths of the ocean. Again and again, the waves return, rushing toward the beach, crashing and churning, leaving frothy, white foams bubbling at the shoreline.

The wind whips ferociously against the figure, sending the long skirt of her forest-green gown fluttering around her slender ankles. Stirred by the wind, a blanket of sand weaves through the night, like a flimsy curtain of sparkling white in the moonlight.

Cupping a palm over her mouth, the young woman coughs before sinking down onto the beach. Crawling over to a large boulder, she leans against the rock’s smooth surface to seek shelter against the layer of sand whirling through the air. Taking off the cloth covering the lower half of her face and the top of her head, she reveals a cascade of glossy midnight tresses, with loose tendrils framing a delicately feminine countenance.

As the wind calms, the green robed person closes her eyes, her pale features showing signs of fatigue and pain. Biting her lower lip against the agony, she rests her cheek against the rock’s smooth, cool surface. For a few blissful moments, she allows herself to drift off, letting the sound of the waves loll her to sleep.

Suddenly, as if sensing that she is no longer alone, her eyes open, and she struggles to sit up as a dark shadow looms over her. Whirling around, she squints her eyes, making out the outline of a tall man, clothed fully from head to toe in dark purple. His purple cloak floats behind him, accentuating his commanding presence. The moonlight slashes across his face, making his handsome features appear stern in the stark light.

"Where were you earlier tonight?" He questions her, his feet braced apart in a combative stance, his tone with barely controlled anger.

Turning her face away from him, she ignores him and stares off into the distance.

When his question is met with silence, he clenches his fists and advances threateningly toward the green gowned young woman. Crouching down next to her, he clutches at her shoulders, shaking them slightly.

"I asked where you were tonight?!" He repeats his question.

Whipping her head around, she faces him defiantly. "My whereabouts are none of your business!"

Furrowing his brows together, his eyes flash with almost violent fury. "It is my business when you do not show up for an operation!"

"Well, it looks like you managed to accomplish the operation well enough without my help!" She retorts bitterly, thinking of Cheng Sai Chung. "You nearly killed him tonight, Chu Kot Chuet Ching!"

Letting go of the young woman’s shoulders, the purple robed man stands up, his eyes turning frosty, his expression cold enough to turn the ocean waves into ice. "And I would have killed him happily. But too bad my instructions are to only injure and teach him a lesson and not to take his life."

Furious, the woman leaps to her feet, flinging her long tresses over her shoulder, heedless of the gust of strong wind rushing toward the shoreline, nearly knocking her back. "He is our friend!"

"No!" Chu Kot Chuet Ching denies. "He is your friend. He was never my friend and never will be. To me, he will always just be someone who belongs to The Association, nothing more."

"Why do you hate him? What has Big Brother Sai Chung done to you that makes you loathe him so much? What kind of man are you to attempt to kill someone who has done you no harm again and again?" She demands, her tone just as angry.

Her words echo loudly in the night, piercing through Chu Kot Chuet Ching’s heart. Setting his lips into a firm line, he stares quietly at the young woman. For a long moment, he remains rooted to the ground, motionless, oblivious to the crashing waves reaching his feet, unaware of the chilly wind rushing by, sending his cloak whipping back and forth.

As the woman stares challengingly back into his eyes, Chu Kot Chuet Ching advances slowly toward her, until he is only a hair’s breath away from her, his tall stature allowing him to loom threateningly over her more petite frame.

Clenching his jaw, he leans down until his eyes are nearly on level with hers. "I hate him because I wish to hate him. I don’t need a reason." He whispers, his breath hot against her lips.

Undaunted, she holds her ground, refusing to back away from him. With her jaw set stubbornly, she glares back at him. "You’re jealous of Big Brother Sai Chung! That’s why you try to get rid of him!" She accuses him.

With an arrogant lift of his chin, Chu Kot Chuet Ching chuckles. "Tell me, Guk Yiu. Why would I be jealous of Cheng Sai Chung?"

Crossing her arms across her chest, Sum Guk Yiu replies. "I’m not sure why you don’t like him, but ever since he joined The Association, you have been trying to pick fights with him for no reason."

"And why are you so protective of Cheng Sai Chung? Are you in love with him, Guk Yiu?" Chu Kot Chuet Ching demands.

Furrowing her brow in offense, she retorts, "That is none of your business, Chu Kot Chuet Ching!"

Turning, she starts to storm off, but he encircles his fingers around her arm like steel manacles.

"None of my business?" Chuet Ching repeats in disbelief, as he turns her roughly around to face him again. "None of my business?" He throws his head back and laughs bitterly at the heavens. "Ha ha ha! Of course, it’s none of my business." He laughs deeply, almost as if mocking himself. "What am I to you, Guk Yiu? Am I nothing but a nuisance to you?"

"That’s right." Guk Yiu answers rashly, wishing to hurt Chu Kot Chuet Ching in retaliation for what he has done to Sai Chung. "You are neither my keeper nor my husband, so you have no right to butt into my affairs." With those hurtful words, she struggles and tries to shake free of his hold. "Let go of me!"

However, as hard as she wiggles, she is unable to break free. Pushing against his chest, she kicks and claws. On the other hand, Chu Kot Chuet Ching remains stoically still and silent, his expression as dark as the storm clouds above, as he patiently waits for Guk Yiu to tire out and stop struggling.

After a few minutes, Guk Yiu wears out her strength and begins to sink down onto the sandy beach. Her complexion now pasty white, she clutches at her heart, her brow furrowed in pain. Gasping for breath, she droops limply against Chu Kot Chuet Ching’s chest.

Alarmed, Chuet Ching encircles her with his arms and catches her before she falls to the ground. "Guk Yiu! Guk Yiu! What is wrong?" Settling her gently onto the sand, he holds her hand in his and takes her pulse. Noting her thready pulse and her pale countenance, he realizes what is happening to her. "You’ve given Cheng Sai Chung your monthly antidote, haven’t you? Haven’t you?" He asks Guk Yiu urgently. "That’s why you were missing this evening for so long. You sneaked off to save Cheng Sai Chung. You gave him your monthly antidote!" He nearly hollers the words, furious at her stupidity.

Too weak to answer Chuet Ching’s angry questions, Guk Yiu winces and involuntarily lets out cry of agony as she feels the poison circulating through her bloodstream. Mercifully, she finally passes out from the pain, her eyes fluttering close.

"Guk Yiu! Guk Yiu!" Chuet Ching calls out, but she remains motionless. "You stupid woman! You stupid woman!" He mutters, his harsh words incongruent with his worried expression as he quickly lifts Guk Yiu into his arms and flies off.

[Melanie]

CHAPTER 63 --- KISSES AND TEARS

Previously, in Legendary Book of Sun-Moon Swordplay…

Koo Yat Fei, who surprisingly was able to remove the Sword of Sun from the stone wedge inside the cave guarded by an eccentric elderly couple in Green Python Valley, now lies unconscious in the forest after the Master has injured him and taken off with the Sword of Sun. Madam Lam and Fei’s younger brother, Koo Yat Keung, follow close behind in pursuit of the Sword of Sun and the Master.

The Master, now with the legendary Sword of Sun in his possession, races off. However, in the forest, he encounters an old enemy, a mysterious black clothed man, who appears to be also interested in the Sword of Sun. Engaging in a fierce battle, the Master eventually escapes with the stolen sword.

The Master’s black clothed enemy remains behind. Angry that he was unable to take the Sword of Sun from the Master, the mysterious assassin in black turns his malicious intentions toward Lam Suk Yu, who was hiding in the bushes while the black clothed man fought with the Master earlier.

Yeung Lap Chun appears right at that moment to save her from the black clothed assassin. Unfortunately, Lap Chun’s martial arts is no match for the black clothed enemy. As a result, Suk Yu is knocked out of Lap Chun’s hold. Just as she is about to fall to her death, another stranger appears and rescues her.

The story continues from this point on…

Characters appearing in this chapter:
Idy Chan Yuk Lin---Chan Yin Yuk
Benny Chan Ho Man---Koo Yat Keung
Louis Koo Tin Lok---Koo Yat Fei
Gilbert Lam Wai Sun---Lam Yik Lun
Annie Man Chung Han---So Sui Han
Patrick Tam Yiu Man---Marquis Ching Bong
Kristy Yeung Gong Yu---Lam Suk Yu

GREEN PYTHON VALLEY
FOREST

Dragging Keung along with her, Yin Yuk executes a series of rapid somersaults in the air, chasing after the mysterious man in white who has taken Koo Yat Fei along with the Sword of Sun. Landing onto a clearing in the forest, she keeps a tight grip on Keung’s arm as she scans the darkness for the Master. Unfortunately, he has vanished from sight.

Frustrated, Yin Yuk sighs, her lips drawn tightly in frustration. Beside her, Keung squirms slightly, eyeing his elegant captor with a calculating look as he tries to think of a way to escape.

Tightening her grasp on Keung’s arm, Yin Yuk warns softly, “I wouldn’t try anything funny if I were you. If I didn’t need you for the antidote for my second son, I would not show you any mercy.” Staring angrily into Keung’s eyes, Yin Yuk demands, “Where is the antidote?”

Darting his eyes nervously, Keung attempts to buy himself some time. “I only carry a portion of the ingredients for the antidote with me. My older brother has the other half. You need to combine both portions of ingredients in order to complete the antidote recipe.” Swallowing anxiously, Keung bargains with Yin Yuk. “If you help me locate my older brother and save him from the assassin in white, he and I will hand over the antidote to save your second son.”

Clamping her hand around Keung’s neck, nearly choking him, Yin Yuk narrows her eyes dangerously. “Are you speaking the truth?”

“Ye..yes!” Keung squeaks, barely able to breathe.

Smiling coolly, Yin Yuk comments, “I can kill you right now, take your portion of the antidote ingredients, and then find your older brother for the other portion.”

“But you won’t know how to concoct the antidote once you obtain all the ingredients.” Keung counters, his voice hoarse as he struggles to take in breaths of air.

Pausing for a split second, Yin Yuk realizes that she has no choice but to believe Koo Yat Keung, for she does not want to jeopardize any chance of saving her son, Yik Wah. Coming to a decision, she slowly withdraws her hand from around Keung’s neck, her eyes still trained steadily on her young captive. “Fine, I’ll let you live for now. BUT if I find out that you are lying to me, I’ll make sure you’ll regret the lie for the rest of your life!”

Nodding rapidly, Keung coughs and gasps, rubbing his sore neck. Relieved that his life has been spared temporarily, he sighs inwardly.

Suddenly, Yin Yuk raises her hand into the air, silencing Keung. “Quiet!” Turning her head slightly, she listens closely. Then, without warning, she grabs onto Keung’s right shoulder and leaps up into the air.

Within seconds, she and Keung land onto another clearing in the woods some distance away. As Keung adjusts his eyes to the dark, he finally realizes that they have landed right next to someone on the forest ground. Looking closer, he gasps.

“Elder Brother!” Keung calls out to the immobile figure on the ground. Rushing over, he turns the silent Fei over, revealing his ashen face. As Fei’s eyes flicker briefly, Keung hurriedly questions, “Are you all right? Can you hear me at all?”

Focusing on his younger brother, Fei opens his mouth to speak, but no words emerge.

Again, Keung questions his brother worriedly. “Has that assassin in white taken off with the sword?” Seeing Fei struggling to answer him, Keung jerks his head toward Yin Yuk, who remains standing, observing the brothers emotionlessly.

“Madam Lam,” Keung pleads, realizing how serious Fei’s injury is. “If you help heal my older brother, we will heal your second son in exchange.” When he sees Yin Yuk’s skeptical look, he quickly adds, “No tricks. I promise.”

Not wishing to miss the possibility of curing her second son, Yin Yuk nods slightly, agreeing silently to the deal. Crouching down next to Fei, she examines his pale complexion. Taking his pulse, she shakes her head. “He’s severely injured, I presume, by the man dressed in white, referring to the Master.” Seeing the hint of a palm print on Fei’s chest, she peels back the front of his gown to get a better look. Her brows knit together in concern as she notes the palm imprint on the center of Fei’s chest.

The palm imprint appears like no other common palm injury. A faint reddish outline of a palm is barely visible on the center of Fei’s chest, tricking an inexperienced martial artist into underestimating the power behind the punch. However, Yin Yuk understands very well that the tremendous internal force from the palm injury has sunk deep into the body, causing severe internal organ damage, but only shows as a superficial shadowy mark on the outside, a testament to the superb skill of the executor of the palm attack.

Shaking her head with dread, Yin Yuk whispers, “This is the Blood Shadow Palm. I thought this type of dark martial arts has disappeared from the martial arts world with the retreat of Poison Snake, one of the former leaders of the Thousand Snake Black Rose Clan…” She murmurs worriedly to herself. Then, turning toward Keung, Yin Yuk sighs. “I am afraid I do not have the ability nor the confidence to cure an injury inflicted by the Blood Shadow Palm.”

“What?” Keung asks in disbelief. “Are you saying that you will not heal my elder brother? But what about your second son? You do not wish for my brother and I to help cure your son of his poison?”

Staring directly into Keung’s eyes, Yin Yuk retorts coldly but calmly, “No, I am not saying I will not cure your elder brother. I am saying that I CANNOT heal him.”

Wrinkling his brow in shock, Keung nearly shouts. “So you’re just going to let my brother die? I thought the virtuous and mightier than thou Madam Lam is someone who would not just stand around and let someone die!” When Yin Yuk remains stonily silent to his outraged outburst, Keung spats angrily, “Fine, then! Your second son will just have to die along with my elder brother.”

Hearing those goading words, Yin Yuk flashes toward Keung with lightning speed and palms him on the shoulder, sending the young man flying across the air and knocking into Fei’s unmoving body. As Keung slams into his elder brother, he accidentally causes the unconscious Fei to slump face forward onto the ground. As Fei crumples onto the earth, a part of his gown falls apart, revealing a unique red birthmark shaped like a tiny star on the back of his right shoulder.

Catching a glimpse of the birthmark, Yin Yuk’s heart begins to race, as the blood surges to her head in a combination of disbelief and excitement. Narrowing her eyes in the dark, she slowly brings a hand to her chest, as if trying to calm her thumping heart.

“No… It can’t be…” She murmurs to herself.

Every night, for over twenty years, she dreamed of finding the person who bears that exact same birthmark. She prayed countless times to the heavens above to let her reunite with her missing son, the one who carries the unique birthmark of a miniature starburst. And as the years passed, her hope diminished as she shed every last drop of tear within her. But that hope has reignited with a fervor tonight, as she spies the mark on this young man, this very young man who has caused her other son, Yik Wah, to suffer the agony of poison.

With Keung forgotten in the background, Yin Yuk shudders as a chill runs through the forest, shaking her out of her reverie. Taking in a deep breath, she slowly advances toward the unconscious Fei. Crouching down next to him, she reaches forward with cold, quivering hands to touch the birthmark on his shoulder.

“Hey! What are you doing?” Keung yells from the side.

However, Yin Yuk does not answer Keung, as she is trapped inside her own world of hope, uncertainty, and fear, tremendous fear that her dreams would be dashed once again.

As Yin Yuk gently traces the outline of Fei’s birthmark, Fei finally awakens, groaning incoherently. As he tries to focus in on his surroundings, he murmurs Sui Han’s name. Finally remembering being attacked by the Master, he jerks awake fully. “Where…where am I?” He mumbles to nobody in particular, before falling back into unconsciousness.

“Elder Brother!” Keung calls out, running toward Fei, his voice laced with worry and relief. Reaching Fei, Keung supports his older brother as he sits Fei up.

Staring intently at Fei, Yin Yuk queries the young man. “Who are you?” She leans in closer, examining his facial features closely.

Alarmed at Yin Yuk’s strange actions, Keung scoots back, pulling Fei with him. “He’s my brother, of course!”

“Your brother?” Yin Yuk furrows her brows in confusion. “Is he really your brother?”

“Of course, he’s my brother! We played together as children, we trained in martial arts together, we quarreled together as siblings!” Keung replies hotly, unsure why Yin Yuk is questioning his relationship to Fei. “Look, lady, why are you asking all these questions?”

Ignoring Keung’s query, Yin Yuk grabs onto Fei’s shoulder and makes a move as if to fly off with the unconscious young man.

“Hey!” Keung objects in alarm. “Where are you taking my elder brother?”

Staring coolly at Keung, Yin Yuk retorts, “I thought you want me to attempt to heal him?” Narrowing her eyes at Keung, she makes a quick decision and grabs onto Keung’s shoulder with her other hand. “You come with me, too. My husband and I have a few questions for you.”

With those words, Yin Yuk vanishes rapidly into the dark forest, dragging Keung and the unconscious Fei with her.

MEANWHILE…
BLUE MOON VILLAGE

Yik Lun breathes heavily as he carries a slumbering Sui Han through the night. Barely escaping the elderly woman who tried to kill Sui Han earlier, Lun now wanders around, lost in the unfamiliar hills and valleys of the small village of Blue Moon. Grunting from pain from the abdominal wound inflicted by Sui Han, Lun nonetheless struggles on, hoping to find shelter for the night. Strapped to his back is the Sword of Moon, its luminescent blue glow lighting the way in the darkness. As he continues his trek, his head begins to spin, the blood loss from his abdominal wound weakening his already injured state.

After wandering about for what seems like an eternity, he reaches the edge of a steep cliff. Panting now from blood loss and fatigue, Lun swallows, trying to wet his dry throat. Staring down the cliff, he sees nothing but a deep black void. Every so often, he hears the distant crumbling noise of small rocks and debris rolling down the cliff side.

“Sui Han, I think we’ll have to rest here for tonight. There does not seem to be any road up ahead other than this cliff here.” He murmurs to the still sleeping young woman in his arms.

His deep voice awakens Sui Han slightly as she suddenly shifts in his arms, causing Lun to lose his balance. With his already weakened state, he stumbles, bringing him dangerously close to the edge of the cliff. Loose rocks scatter beneath his booted feet, rolling down the near vertical incline. Suddenly, the ground crumbles more and more rapidly away under his and Sui Han’s combined weight. With quick reflexes, Lun leaps into the air with Sui Han in his arms and executes a back flip. However, as he lands further away from the cliff edge, he feels the earth continue to shift beneath him as an earthquake ensues. With sickening dread, he hears a cracking noise as the ground breaks apart, right before he and Sui Han drop endlessly into the black abyss.

WEST LAKE PROVINCE
SMALL ABANDONED HUT AT THE EDGE OF TOWN

A single-room wooden cottage stands proud and sturdy against the chilly night air. Its loose shutters slap loudly in the wind against the old, termite-infested wooden structure, as loose slabs of wooden flooring creak loudly. Inside the small hut, a short stub of leftover candle sits on top of a small stool, its weak flame undulating gently. A three-legged, splintered table totters unsteadily in the corner, cobwebs clinging to its edges.

On a small cot pushed to the far side of the room away from the chilly breeze lies Lam Suk Yu, unconscious, her porcelain skin slightly pale. A handsome young man sits next to her on the edge of the cot, his brow furrowed worriedly as he grasps her hand tightly in his. With his other free hand, he touches her forehead, checking for any sign of fever. Finding none, he sighs with relief, but continues his concerned watch over her.

As Suk Yu shifts slightly and finally begins to rouse, the man quickly scoots closer to her and leans over. “Sui Yu, Sui Yu,” he calls out to her, using his old term of endearment for her.

Opening her eyes slowly, Suk Yu groans from the punch she suffered earlier from the mysterious black clothed assassin. Sensing someone beside her, she jerks toward the person and asks, “Who are you? Did you save me earlier?”

“Sui Yu, are you all right?” Ching Bong inquires, his voice laced with worry.

“Bong!” Suk Yu exclaims in surprise. “Where am I and why are you here?”

Bong clears his throat with embarrassment before explaining. “Well, after quarreling with your friend in the white gown (Yeung Lap Chun) this evening and disregarding your requests to stop fighting, I realized I was a bit hotheaded and wanted to apologize to you. When I couldn’t find you in your inn room, I asked the innkeeper where you went and he said you had left, heading back toward the city of Lam On. So I chased after you. I detoured when I heard the sounds of battle in the forest near the edge of town and found you struggling with an assassin dressed in black.”

“So you were the one who rescued me,” Suk Yu murmurs. “Thank you.” She adds softly. “I would have crashed to the ground, sustaining severe injury, if it were not for your help.”

Grabbing her hands, Bong replies earnestly. “There’s no need to thank me, Sui Yu. You know I would do anything for you!”

Yanking her hands quickly away and turning her head away from him, Suk Yu replies stonily. “No, I do not know that, Marquis Ching. I only remember that you are willing to betray your loved one for power and prestige.”

Grabbing her shoulders to turn her toward him, he smiles happily. “Sui Yu, you are still angry at me. You have every right to be so. But if you are angry, then that means that you still have feelings for me!” Pulling her hands toward his chest and holding on tightly, he exclaims with relief. “Sui Yu, do you know how much I have missed you all these years? I dream of you every night and think of you with every waking moment. And my heart hurts whenever I imagine that you won’t even keep me in your heart.” Scooting closer toward Suk Yu excitedly, the young Marquis looks at her earnestly. “Now I know that I still have a place in your heart. Sui Yu, I still love you so much…”

However, before he could confide his feelings further, Suk Yu pushes him away in disgust. Hurriedly, she scrambles off the small cot and stumbles to her feet, feeling along the walls to guide herself.

Afraid that she might hurt herself as she cannot see, Bong leaps up and chases after her. “Careful, Sui Yu! I don’t want you to hurt yourself!”

“Get away from me!” Suk Yu shrugs off his hand. “I don’t know what your intentions are, and I no longer care.” Despite her blindness, she stares directly in his direction, looking eerily right into his eyes, as if she can actually see through to his soul. “Marquis Ching, please remember who you are. You are a married man, a person of influence and power. You once abandoned the person you claim to love so much. So now that you have chosen your path in life, you must travel that road. And if you regret the decisions you have made, then that is your problem. Long ago, you have chosen to spend your life with another, and in doing so, you have cut out my heart, burned it to ashes. So do not expect me to run back into your arms after hearing your pretentious exclamations of ‘love,’” Suk Yu spats angrily, her cheeks glowing from a temper she rarely shows.

Taking in a deep breath, she calms herself. “You have saved me tonight, and I thank you for that. But that will be the extent of our conversation. There is nothing more to say.”

With those words, she barges out, intending to head toward the doorway. However, because of her blindness and flustered state, she trips over the three-legged table in the corner.

“Sui Yu!” Bong calls out in alarm. Rushing toward her, he catches her just before she crashes to the floor. “Are you all right?” He asks with concern as his arms encircle her protectively.

Embarrassed by her own clumsiness, Suk Yu hurriedly gets up and disentangles herself from Bong’s embrace. “I’m fine,” she mumbles.

She again makes a move to leave the cottage. Sensing his attempt to stop her as he reaches for her shoulders, she whirls around and stares at him with deeply sorrowful eyes, tears threatening to spill free. “Please,” Suk Yu pleas, her voice hoarse with emotional exhaustion. “If you truly still love me as you claim, then let me go. Set me free from this torture. Please…”

Hearing her words, Bong closes his eyes with sadness, resignation, and a pain so deep that clawed through him like a ferocious animal intent on destroying him. He allows his arms to go limp, letting go of her shoulders and dropping his hands in defeat to his side.

Now free from his grasp, Suk Yu covers her mouth to keep from crying out loud and runs out the cottage and into the night.

As her petite figure fades into the darkness, Bong looks on helplessly. Suddenly, he feels as if he has aged a thousand years, now that the woman he loves has exited his life once and for all. Left with no dreams, no hope, he sinks down onto the cot still warm from Suk Yu’s body heat. Lines of fatigue and defeat show on his face as he whispers, “Good-bye, my love.”

THE FOLLOWING MORNING
BLUE MOON VILLAGE
BOTTOM OF CLIFF

Fluffy clouds drift aimlessly across the clear, powdery blue sky. Two small sparrows chirp excitedly as they hop around the barren landscape at the bottom of the cliff. Every so often, one of the small birds would peck at the rocky terrain, searching for worms. Unable to find any food, the sparrows flitter off, chasing each other through the sky, ascending higher and higher until their silhouettes fade against the bright glare of the early afternoon sun.

As the hot sunrays beat down on the dry earth, a gust of wind sweeps by, stirring sand particles into a thick blanket of dust, covering the two unconscious figures on the ground. Gradually, the young woman awakens, coughing in the dry air. Opening her eyes, Sui Han groans slightly, as a piercing headache shoots through her skull.

“Ahh, my head…” Squinting against the glare of the sun, she scoots up to a sitting position. Cradling her pounding head in her hands, she curls forward and buries her head in her lap. Suddenly remembering Yik Lun, she jerks upward, darting her eyes frantically around. “First Young Master! First Young Master, where are you?” Stumbling to her feet, she rushes around, calling out to him. “First Young Master!”

Tripping over a loose bramble, she falls onto her knees. Grunting from the pain, she forces herself to stand up and continue her search. “First Young Master!” Running around the perimeter of the deserted piece of land at the bottom of the cliff, Sui Han gasps when she finally spots the motionless body of tall man.

Hurrying toward Lun, she drops down beside him and lifts his head onto her lap. With a shaking hand, she places two fingers on his neck. Finding a strong carotid pulse, she breathes a sigh of relief. “Thank heavens,” she murmurs. Gently slapping her palms against his cheeks, she calls, “First Young Master, wake up. First Young Master, are you all right?”

When he remains unconscious, she does a quick survey of his body for any fatal injuries. Noticing the wound on his abdomen, her heart nearly skips a beat, recalling how she accidentally stabbed him. The injury has stopped bleeding, but the wound still gaps open. From his pale appearance, she knows that he has lost a lot of blood. Nearly sobbing from repentance, Sui Han quickly wraps a makeshift bandage around his waist using torn pieces of fabric from the hem of her gown. Then, she hooks her arms under his and attempts to drag him toward a thick grove of dwarf palm trees. The long palm fronds droop downward, forming a small alcove that offers shade from the hot afternoon sun.

As she drags Lun’s unconscious body toward the alcove, she catches a glint of blue from the corner of her eyes. Turning toward the direction of the blue glow, she frowns angrily at the Sword of Moon, which lies abandoned to one side near a short bush. Ignoring the sword and not wanting to have anything to do with it, she concentrates on moving Lun toward the shade.

Finally, after half an hour of hard effort, she plops Lun’s heavy weight in the shaded alcove. Puffing and huffing from exhaustion, she slips on the slippery rocks and falls limply on top of him, panting. The jolt of her weight on top of him wakes him, and he stirs and shifts a bit.

“Argh,” he groans. “Sui Han,” he mumbles, still slightly dazed from the fall. “The earthquake… The fall from the cliff…” Lifting his hand up to cup her cheek, he asks with worry. “Are you hurt?”

“First Young Master!” Sui Han exclaims with relief. “You’re awake!” Momentarily forgetting the impropriety of her position on top of him, she grabs his cheeks with both of her hands and grins. “I’m so glad you’re all right, First Young Master! I was so scared that you would not wake up!” Then, her ecstatic expression crumbles as she lowers her head in shame. “I’m sorry, First Young Master! I don’t know what happened to me last night. I didn’t mean to stab you!” She tries to explain rapidly, her words running together.

Chuckling softly, he grins crookedly. “Relax, Sui Han. I’m fine now. I’m not going to punish you.” He smiles amusingly. “It’s not the first time I’ve been stabbed. And to be stabbed by such a lovely angel is worth it.”

“You almost bled to death from the wound, so how can it be worth it?” Sui Han counters.

“Of course, it’s worth it.” With his eyes twinkling mischievously, he jokes, “Look, you’ve fallen into my arms.”

Suddenly realizing that she is sprawled indecently on top of Lun, Sui Han gasps, a pink blush spreading across her smooth skin. Embarrassed, she tries to scramble to her knees. “Oh!”

However, Lun tightens his arms around her, keeping her firmly on top of him. “Sui Han!” His expression suddenly becomes serious as he stares intently at her. “Sui Han, I am serious. I would willingly bear the pain of a thousand sword wounds to have you in my arms, in my life. Do you know that?”

Without waiting for Sui Han’s response, he swiftly flips over, switching positions with Sui Han so that she is trapped underneath him. “Sui Han,” he whispers, as he slowly lowers his face toward hers. His lips hover over hers for a brief second before sinking into her softness. As Lun’s mouth moves against Sui Han’s, he gently gnaws at her moist, warm lips, breathing softly.

For Lun, his world seems to suddenly click into place. In that moment, when his lips join Sui Han’s, he knows with a certainty that they are meant for each other, in their past lives, in this life, and for eternity.

Initially shocked by his actions, Sui Han feels her mind go blank and stiffens her body. However, she gradually softens against him, letting her body become pliant under his. Confused with her own feelings for her handsome and righteous young master, who is so kind and sweet toward her, she closes her eyes. After a moment of hesitation, she takes in a deep breath, and hesitantly, she raises her arms and shyly wraps them around Lun’s shoulders.

“I love you, Sui Han.” He murmurs. “Will you let me take care of you and love you for the rest of your life?”

Looking back at him, Sui Han’s eyes widen in confusion. “First Young Master…” Bewildered, she squeezes her eyes shut again.

“Sui Han…” He lowers his head again, pressing his lips against hers. This time, he becomes bolder, as his tongue snakes slowly between her lips, sliding into her mouth.

The touch of his tongue shakes Sui Han from her reverie. Opening her eyes suddenly, she panics and pushes against Lun’s shoulders, trying to dislodge his heavy weight. Unable to overcome his superior strength, she jerks her head to the side and whimpers, "No, First Young Master. No, please!”

The sound of her distressed cry thunders through Lun like an earthquake, yanking him back to reality. Loosening his hold on Sui Han, he raises himself up. “Sui Han,” Lun starts to apologize. “I’m sorry, Sui Han! I did not mean to violate you. I just… I just…” He tries to explain, but he cannot find any words to convey how his heart races whenever he holds her in his arms, how he becomes a mindless fool whenever she is near, how he longs to be at her side for the rest of his life.

But Sui Han, frightened by her own confused feelings toward Lun, refuses to listen to his explanations. Frantically, she shoves at his shoulders and scrambles out from under him. Stumbling to her feet, she runs off.

Behind her, Lun leaps to his feet and gives chase. “Sui Han!” He yells after her. “Sui Han!”

Somersaulting into the air, Lun flashes through the air and lands in front of her in a matter of seconds. Grabbing her arms, he tries to apologize again. “Sui Han, please forgive me! Do not run off!”

“Let go of me!” Sui Han hammers at Lun’s chest, her jabs falling ineffectively against his torso.

“Sui Han!” Lun wraps his arms around her tightly, trying to calm her down. “Sui Han, I’m sorry! Please don’t be angry at me! I truly love you. I will take care of you for the rest of your life, I promise!”

“You don’t know what you are saying, First Young Master!” Sui Han rages at him, her large, troubled eyes staring back at him. “You don’t know anything about me before I came to Lam Mansion. What if I were some evil villainess who plans to plot against you and betray you?”

Smiling tenderly at her, Lun traces her cheek with his fingertip. “But you’re not. You’re my sweet Sui Han. You could never be evil in my eyes.”

“What if I don’t love you?” Sui Han challenges, hoping to rattle Lun’s calmness.

But he continues to smile lovingly at her, despite her rash statement. “Even if you don’t love me now, I know you will in the future, because I will spend every moment of my life treasuring you, until one day, you will find it in your heart to return my love.”

Unsure how to respond to that declaration and touched beyond words, Sui Han buries her head against his chest and begins to sob. Her mind in turmoil and plagued with guilt, she closes her eyes and allows her tears to flow. Finally, after a long time, her tears finally cease. Exhausted, she collapses against Lun.

Keeping his arms securely around her, Lun speaks gently to her. “You’re tired, honey. Why don’t you rest in the shaded alcove?” Lifting her up into his arms, he carries Sui Han over to the grove of trees and carefully places her inside the alcove. “You stay here, Sui Han. I’m going to look for a way back up this cliff.”

“First Young Master, you’re injured. You should rest and I’ll go find a way back up.” Sui Han protests.

As Sui Han attempts to get up, Lun places a hand on her shoulder to detain her. “No, a little injury and blood loss won’t stop me. I’ll look around. You should get some rest.”

Before she could object further, Lun walks off, scanning his surroundings in the bright afternoon light. Other than patches of earth covered with dried weeds and a few groves of small trees with bare branches, the bottom of the cliff is completely barren. Heading toward the base of the mountain, he stares up the steep incline, calculating his and Sui Han’s chances of scaling the cliff with their current injuries. Frowning, he sighs, as the cliff appears too steep. Surveying the mountainside closely, Lun notices several areas on the side of the cliff that jut out slightly, which can probably serve as stepping stones. Smiling as an idea pops into his mind, Lun backs up a little and then leaps up into the air. Grabbing onto a piece of rock jutting out, he uses it as leverage to propel himself up higher on the side of the cliff. Scaling the mountainside rapidly, Lun nods in satisfaction halfway up the cliff. Letting go of the rocks that naturally jut out, he back flips three times and lands back on the ground.

Pleased that he has found a way up the mountain, Lun whirls around and runs back toward Sui Han. “Sui Han!” He calls out happily. “I don’t think it will be too difficult to climb that mountain.” Grabbing Sui Han’s hand, he pulls her to her feet. “While there is still daylight, let’s quickly scale the cliff. I’ll carry you on my back.”

“Wait, First Young Master.” Sui Han digs her feet into the ground, halting Lun. “You’re injured and just fell down a very steep mountain. Shouldn’t you at least eat something first?” Sui Han points out. She gestures to a small pile of small berries sitting on a large leaf on the ground inside the alcove. “I picked some fruits while you were gone. Let’s eat something first, all right?” She pulls him toward the alcove.

Sitting down on the dry earth, Sui Han grins cheerfully as she plops a red colored berry into her mouth. “Hmmm! It’s really sweet and juicy!”

However, Lun reaches out toward Sui Han with a worried frown on his face. “Wait, Sui Han!” He tries to stop her from eating the wild berries. “They might be poisonous!” Unfortunately, he is too late, as she has already hungrily swallowed a handful of berries.

Laughing, Sui Han exclaims, “Don’t be so worried, First Young Master. I’ve grown up in a fishing and farming village. I used to grow these berries and sell them at the marketplace with my family when I was young. They are called rainbow berries, because they change colors and adapt a different color of the rainbow as they go through different stages of growth. The berries can be picked and eaten when they turn bright red. That is when they are the sweetest.” Offering a berry to Lun, she smiles. “Eat, First Young Master! You need to keep your strength up.”

Still a bit skeptical, Lun hesitantly takes the berry from Sui Han and takes a small bite. Tasting the fruit’s sweetness, his eyes widen in surprise. “These are quite sweet!”

“Here, eat more, First Young Master.” Sui Han shoves the whole pile of berries toward Lun.

Nodding, Lun grabs a handful of wild berries and stuffs them all into his mouth at once as his empty stomach growls loudly. Swallowing the fruit in one large gulp, he looks up at Sui Han in confusion when he hears her giggle. “What’s so funny?” He asks, his mouth full of berries.

“You’re funny, First Young Master.” Sui Han chortles in amusement. “You eat like an eager little boy, shoving all the food into your mouth all at once.”

Embarrassed, Lun chews rapidly and swallows. “Oh. I guess I’m pretty hungry.” He admits sheepishly. Wiping his mouth, he hurriedly stands up, wanting to change the subject. “We should get going, Sui Han. I don’t want to wait until nightfall. It will be more dangerous to attempt to climb up the mountain in the dark.”

Taking Sui Han’s hand in his, he leads her toward the base of the cliff. Gesturing upward, Lun explains, “There are some small rock formations that naturally stick out from the side of the mountain. I will use those rock formations as stepping stones to scale the cliff.” Turning to Sui Han, he leans down slightly. “Climb onto my back, Sui Han. I will carry you on my back.”

“No, First Young Master.” Sui Han objects. “I will follow behind you. I don’t want to burden you further with my weight on your back.”

“No,” Lun retorts. “It’s too dangerous. You will be safer on my back. Come on.” He indicates for Sui Han to climb onto his back.

Reluctantly, Sui Han does as Lun directs. “Sometimes, I feel like you take care of me more than I take care of you.” Sui Han mumbles softly. “I am supposed to take care of you because I’m your servant girl.”

Smiling tenderly, Lun shifts Sui Han so that she is securely on his back. “A gentleman will not allow a lady to come to any danger, whether or not she is his servant girl.” Glancing back at Sui Han, Lun adds, “Besides, who says I think of you as my servant?”

“If I’m not your servant girl, then what am I?” Sui Han mutters to herself quietly.

Unaware of Sui Han’s words, Lun concentrates on their ascent up the mountainside. Taking a deep breath, he flips upward and grabs hold of the rocky protuberances jutting out from the side of the cliff. Using his lightness kung fu, he swiftly glides up the steep incline.

Within a few minutes, he advances almost half way up the cliff. “We’re almost there!” Lun calls to Sui Han, who hugs onto his shoulders tightly.

However, he speaks too soon. At that moment, from above, a large hawk swoops downward, squawking loudly. Swiftly dodging the large bird’s attack, Lun swerves to the right, clinging to the steep rocky surface. Briefly losing his footing, he slides downward a few feet before grabbing hold of some jutting rocks.

“Are you all right, Sui Han?” He asks.

“Yes,” she answers, her voice muffled against his shoulder. “I’m fine.”

With reassurance that Sui Han is fine, Lun again continues his ascent. Unfortunately, even before he is able to advance any further, he hears the distant rumple of rocks sliding rapidly down the steep cliff. Glancing upward, Lun sees an oncoming avalanche of debris and granite pouring down as the earth starts shaking.

“It’s another earthquake!” Lun yells to Sui Han, trying to project his voice above the roaring noise of falling rocks. Darting his eyes around urgently, he spies an indentation at the side of the mountain to his right. Upon closer look, Lun realizes that it is the opening to a cave at the side of the mountain. “Hold on tightly, Sui Han!” He warns her. “I’m going to try to get us into that cave opening to my right before we get buried under a rockslide!”

Without waiting further, Lun lets go and kicks off from the side of the cliff, utilizing his lightness kung fu to propel him upward and to the right. Grabbing hold of a loose vine growing near the cave entrance, he swings neatly into the mountainside opening. Somersaulting three times, he lands safely inside the dark cave with Sui Han clinging to his back.

Dropping down to her feet, Sui Han steadies herself and glances curiously around the interior of the cave. Trying to orient herself in the dark cave, she blinks several times before taking a few steps deeper into the cave. Unable to see clearly in the darkness, she accidentally stumbles over something sharp. “First Young Master!” Sui Han calls out in alarm, as she feels a sharp jab into her left foot.

Lun reaches out for Sui Han as she careens into him. “Are you all right?” He asks in concern.

“My foot!” Sui Han cries. “I feel something as sharp as a knife slicing into the bottom of my foot!”

Attempting to steady herself, she rests one hand on the side of the cave wall. However, instead of encountering a hard stone surface, the granite underneath her palm slides inward, triggering a booby trap mechanism.

Before she is able to let out a scream, a trap door opens up from the ceiling of the cave and a huge boulder crashes down, heading right toward Sui Han and Lun’s heads…

[Melanie]

Hi everyone. It has been a while since the last update. Thanks for being so patient with my infrequent chapter postings. There's one question I really want to ask...but feel silly asking. But I really want to know... I check this site fairly often to see if there are any new comments. Unfortunately, I see no comments, but I see the counter on the thread increase. I am wondering if people are just randomly clicking on the thread, or are readers actually reading my story. I put a lot of effort into the chapters, and it would be nice if I know people are reading, that's all...

Anyway, I'll continue writing, even if there are no readers. Thanks for reading.

CHAPTER 64 --- THE ANTIDOTE

Characters appearing in this chapter:
Annie Man Chung Han---So Sui Han
Gilbert Lam Wai Sun---Lam Yik Lun
Gigi Lai Chi---Lam Suk Chi a.k.a. Chi Chi
Kevin Cheng Ka Wing---Cheng Sai Chung
Selena Li Sze Wan---Sum Guk Yiu a.k.a. Green Robe Assassin
Raymond Lam Fung---Chu Kot Chuet Ching a.k.a. Purple Robe Assassin
Simon Yam Tat Wah---Fong Sing Duk a.k.a Association Leader

BLUE MOON VILLAGE
CAVE AT SIDE OF CLIFF

As the large boulder rapidly descends, Lun yells, "Watch out, Sui Han!" Quickly, he pushes Sui Han out of harm’s way.

As she rolls to the side and bumps into the side wall of the cave, Sui Han pushes herself up onto her arms and looks back at Lun. "First Young Master!" She calls out worriedly.

Reaching upward, Lun braces the boulder above his head, his jaws clenched tightly as the weight lands mercilessly on his palms. "Argh!" He mutters. Feeling himself losing control of the rock, he shifts his weight to his right, and with one twist of his body, sends the boulder flying across the far side of the cave. As the large rock splinters into a thousand small pieces, Lun sinks down onto one knee, clutching at his chest. His strength drained from his previous injury from the fall from the cliff, he breathes heavily now after further expending his internal energy to throw the boulder across the cave.

"First Young Master, are you all right?" Sui Han rushes to his side and clutches at his arm with concern. Seeing the sweat beads dotting his forehead, she hurriedly takes out a handkerchief and dabs at the moisture on his face. Looking up, she glances toward the wall where the boulder hit. Gasping in surprise, she tugs urgently at Lun’s sleeve and points. "First Young Master! Look over there!"

Turning toward the direction where Sui Han is pointing, Lun, too, gawks in wonder. "It looks like the impact from the boulder has shattered the far wall of the cave…"

"And there’s another room behind that wall!" Sui Han finishes Lun’s thought.

"Let’s see what is in that hidden room," Lun suggests. Standing up, he takes a few steps forward with Sui Han clutching at his arm nervously.

As they approach the hole in the cave wall, Sui Han waves her arm in the air, trying to disperse the cloud of debris lingering near the inner room entrance where the boulder hit. Coughing from the dust particles, she whispers, "First Young Master, it smells kind of musty." A few steps from the entrance of the hidden room, she halts, her heart pounding like thunder for some unknown reason. Unconsciously clinging onto Lun’s arm more tightly, she shivers. "Wait, First Young Master! I…I have a bad feeling about this."

Smiling reassuringly at Sui Han, Lun’s pats her hand. "Sui Han, are you scared because it’s dark inside that room?" Stroking her hair soothingly, he takes her hand and leads her to the side of the cave. "You stay here, Sui Han. I’ll go in first and come get you once I make sure it’s safe."

As he lets go of her hand, Sui Han frantically clutches at his arm again. "No, First Young Master! Let’s not go inside!" She pleads, her heart still beating furiously. Confused as to why she is feeling so unsettled and anxious, she hangs onto Lun desperately.

Frowning at her sincere distress, Lun encircles her into his arms, stroking her back comfortingly. "What’s wrong, Sui Han? Is something frightening you?"

Burying her face against Lun’s chest, Sui Han shakes her head worriedly. "I don’t know how to explain it, First Young Master, but there’s something about that hidden room that scares me." As she feels Lun’s arms tighten around her, she looks up at him with concern. "Don’t go inside. Something bad will happen. I just know it!"

Lowering his head slightly, Lun gently bumps his forehead against Sui Han’s. "Don’t be silly, sweetheart." He murmurs against her hair. "We might find something inside that may help us get back up this cliff." Withdrawing away from her, Lun sets her lightly aside. "You stay here, all right? I’ll be fine." He reassures her one more time before heading back toward the entrance of the hidden room.

Reluctantly, Sui Han watches Lun disappear into the dark interior of the hidden chamber. Breathing heavily, she waits for Lun to re-emerge. As the minutes tick by, she wrings her hands anxiously. "First Young Master?" She calls out, her voice barely above a whisper. When she receives no answer, she furrows her brow and sidles closer toward the chamber entrance. "First Young Master?" She calls out again, peeking inside the inner chamber opening.

When silence again greets her, her heart somersaults furiously. Taking in a deep breath, she steps inside the dark chamber. Blinking to adjust to the blackness, she whispers hesitantly. "First Young Master? Where are you?" Coughing from the smell of dust and cobwebs, she shuffles cautiously forward, her booted feet encountering loose pebbles on the ground.

A small beam of light pours into the musty interior of the inner chamber, casting a pale pool of white at the far corner. Squinting, Sui Han tilts her head in confusion, as there appears to be something on top of the stone ledge at the illuminated far corner of the chamber. As the sparse light inside the room plays tricks on her mind, Sui Han almost thinks she sees a shadowy outline of a man resting atop the granite ledge.

Her mouth dried from apprehension, she inches forward, traveling closer and closer to the far corner of the cave. "First Young Master? Is that you?" She asks the shadowy figure. "Hello?" The hollow echo of her voice sends ripples of unease down her spine.

Then, Sui Han suddenly stops cold in her tracks, as she finally comes close enough to see the figure on the stone ledge. The blood pumps straight to her head, pounding through her veins. Lightheaded and sick to her stomach, she stares fixedly at the figure, her scream of terror trapped in her throat. Gasping as if suffocating, she feels her body become limp. As Sui Han sinks to the ground in a dead faint, Lam Yik Lun gazes back at her with lifeless eyes, his expression deathly pale, his body as still as a corpse as he sits cross-legged atop the stone ledge.

GREEN PYTHON VALLEY
CAVE

Outside the cave entrance, a cluster of pigeons flocks around a smattering of bread crumbs. The birds’ heads bob up and down rhythmically as they peck at the food. Suddenly, the group scatters at the approach of light footsteps.

Chasing the pigeons merrily around and around in circles, Chi Chi giggles. When the last bird has disappeared into the afternoon sky, the young woman sighs, as her newly found entertainment has flown off. Pouting a bit, Chi Chi shuffles back inside the cave, where the unconscious Cheng Sai Chung remains in deep slumber.

Going to his side, Chi Chi lowers herself down beside him on the ground and stares at his sleeping form. Oblivious to her attention, Sai Chung snores loudly, his mouth hanging open.

Wrinkling her nose at him, Chi Chi whispers, "I’m so bored, Big Brother Sai Chung," she complains to the slumbering Sai Chung. "Please wake up soon so that I have someone to keep me company."

Leaning down to rest her head on his chest, she finds comfort in his gentle, steady breathing. Patting Sai Chung lightly on the chest, she smiles to herself. "I’m so relieved you’re sleeping comfortably, Big Brother Sai Chung. You scared me last night when you looked so feeble." She talks to herself. Then, frowning, she asks, "What antidote was in that small porcelain bottle in your gown pocket? Are you poisoned, Big Brother Sai Chung?" She wonders aloud, thinking of the empty antidote bottle Sai Chung carried in his gown. "But you seem fine now, even without taking any antidote." She murmurs to herself, not aware that the green robed young woman had given Sai Chung the antidote last night when she was out looking for firewood.

Deep in thought, Chi Chi continues to absentmindedly pat Sai Chung’s chest a bit too roughly, therefore waking him in the process. Stirring awake, Sai Chung blinks his eyes in confusion, disoriented. Feeling a weight on top of his chest, he realizes Chi Chi is nestled half on top of him, using him as a pillow, her head turned away from his face, her hand pounding on his rib cage as if she were fluffing her pillow. Shifting a little, he clears his throat, alerting Chi Chi.

Feeling Sai Chung move, Chi Chi jerks upright, swinging over to face him. "Big Brother Sai Chung! You’re awake!" She brings her palms to his cheeks and squishes them together, beaming at him happily. "How are you feeling?"

Gingerly touching his wound on his abdomen underneath the makeshift bandage Chi Chi wrapped around his torso, Sai Chung grimaces. "I feel a little weak, but I think my abdominal wound has finally stopped bleeding." He answers absently. Then glancing up to get a good look at Chi Chi, Sai Chung breaks out into a wide, goofy grin. Imitating Chi Chi’s actions, he leans forward and squishes her cheeks together, knocking his forehead gently against hers. "Little Brother, Little Brother! You’re alive, you’re alive!" He exclaims with relief.

"Of course, I’m alive!" Chi Chi scowls a bit, batting his hands away from her cheeks.

Unperturbed by her pout, Sai Chung lunges forward and hugs her tightly, despite her squawks of protest. "I thought you were dead, Little Brother! I saw you hanging from a tree last night and really thought you were lost to me forever!"

Squirming out of his arms, Chi Chi gawks at him with wide eyes. "You saw me hanging from a tree??" She asks in shock. "But I was wandering around the forest last evening looking for Mother. When I couldn’t find her, I went back to find you." Pursing her lips together, she wonders out loud. "It must be someone faking my death! But why would someone want to fake my death? What is the motive to trick you into thinking that I am dead?" Suddenly, another thought occurs to her. "What if they weren’t trying to trick you? Maybe they were trying to fool Mother into believing that I am dead to ambush her! My parents have their share of enemies, you know." She murmurs to Sai Chung.

Uncomfortably clearing his throat, Sai Chung nods, but keeps his eyes averted. "Perhaps," he agrees with Chi Chi. "There’s certainly no motivation for someone to want to injure a common farmer, like me. I’m not even part of the martial arts world." He quickly mentions, not wanting Chi Chi to suspect that he was, in fact, the target of last night’s ambush.

"Hey!" Chi Chi exclaims, suddenly remembering the empty antidote bottle. "What antidote were you muttering about last night?"

"Umm…antidote?" Sai Chung feigns ignorance. "What antidote?"

"The antidote in your gown pocket!" Chi Chi insists.

"What? There isn’t any antidote in my gown pocket." Sai Chung denies.

Frowning in frustration, Chi Chi jabs her finger at Sai Chung. "Big Brother Sai Chung, are you trying to hide something from me?" She glares at him suspiciously.

"No…" Sai Chung laughs nervously.

"All right, then." Chi Chi crosses her arms. "If you’re not hiding anything, let me see what’s in your gown pocket." She challenges him.

"No…" Sai Chung protests, backing slightly away from Chi Chi.

"Why not?" She demands.

"Because…there isn’t anything in my pocket to see." Sai Chung replies, for lack of any better excuse.

Sighing, Chi Chi narrows her eyes speculatively at the nervous young man. "You’re hiding something from me! I SAW that small antidote bottle last night. It was empty but it was a bottle nonetheless. And now, you’re trying to tell me that there is no such bottle. I’m not stupid, Big Brother Sai Chung."

Without warning, Chi Chi quickly reaches forward and sticks her hand into Sai Chung’s gown pocket. Momentarily forgetting about propriety, she wiggles her hand back and forth in his gown, trying to fish out the tiny bottle.

"Hahaha!" Sai Chung chuckles, as he squirms around, ticklish from Chi Chi’s wandering hand. "Hahahahaha!"

He doubles over with laughter, accidentally pushing Chi Chi backward as he lands on top of her. Burying his face into the curve of her neck, he hugs her tightly, trying to keep her hand from continuing to wiggle about inside his gown. He breathes heavily from the exertion. With her hand sandwiched inside his gown, Chi Chi squirms even more, trying to free herself from his clutches. The more Chi Chi twists, the more Sai Chung laughs, causing him to sink his body more firmly on top of Chi Chi’s.

Finally, after a long moment, Sai Chung realizes that Chi Chi has stopped moving. Opening his eyes, he finds himself staring into a pair mesmerizing, deep chocolate colored eyes. In awe, he stares at her flawless skin, her rosy cheeks, her soft lips. She smells of the morning dew, fresh and cool. Unable to stop himself, he leans down and skims his lips across hers, his breath warmly fanning across her face as he lightly pecks at her lips, then cheeks, then nose, before resettling on her soft lips again.

"I bet you would look even more beautiful if you stopped dressing yourself as a man, Little Brother." Sai Chung murmurs, unaware that he has spoken out loud.

As his words sink in, Chi Chi gasps, first in shock and then in outrage. "You mean, you know I am a woman?" Pushing him away, she struggles to sit up. "How did you know?" Her mouth forming a small "O" as a thought suddenly pops into her mind, Chi Chi points at Sai Chung accusingly. "Did you peek when I was changing?"

Eyes wide with alarm, Sai Chung shakes his head quickly and stutters, "No, no, Little Brother. I would never do something like that! I discovered your gender that night at the lake, when you fell into the water and fainted. I just saw enough to realize that you are female…" He adds, unwisely.

"What? What did you see?!" Chi Chi exclaims.

"Nothing…nothing." Sai Chung replies hurriedly. "I mean, I just saw a little bit…of your chest…" He trails off helplessly, realizing too late that he has revealed too much information.

"WHAT???" Chi Chi freaks out. "You saw my CHEST???"

"No! No! It’s nothing like that, Little Brother! I didn’t see everything." He tries to explain himself. "I just got a small glimpse. I swear, I didn’t do anything improper!" Sai Chung promises.

"Eeeeeeeee!" Chi Chi shrieks. Launching herself at him, she pummels Sai Chung on every open spot on his body she can find, while he tries to desperately shield himself from her relentless attack. Grabbing a few large fronds nearby, she whacks him on the head. "Take that! Take that!"

As Sai Chung lifts his hands to protect his head, she switches direction and yanks at the lapels of his gown, jerking him back and forth like a rag doll.

"Little Brother, Little Brother," Sai Chung tries to reason with her breathlessly. "If you keep pulling at my gown, it will rip and then I will have nothing else to wear."

His words finally stop her tantrum as her cheeks turn a bright shade of pink. Embarrassed, she leaps up and races out of the cave, leaving Sai Chung behind with a befuddled look.

"Wait, Little Brother! Where are you going?" Swiftly grabbing their travel bundle, he runs after her. "Wait for me, Little Brother!"

MEANWHILE…
MOUNT THUNDER CLOUD
THE ASSOCIATION HEADQUARTERS

Nestled atop a steep cliff, a large stone structure stands alone, its weathered granite showing signs of age from centuries of battling the harsh elements. Below, waves crash against the rocky shoreline, its frothy white fingers clawing at the sharp, jagged rocks at the base of the cliff.

Despite the bright sunlight bathing the exterior of the stone structure, the inside is damp and cold, filled with dark corners and long, seemingly endless tunnels that lead into equally dark, cheerless chambers.

Within one of those windowless chambers, a young woman garbed in pale green rests peacefully on a stone bed at the far corner of the room. A single table occupies the center of the chamber. A thin trail of fragrant smoke from the incense burner on the table filters through the air, giving the room a sweet, light scent, the only homey touch in the gloomy room. A torch attached to the wall flickers, casting shadows across the slumbering woman’s delicate complexion.

Sighing in her sleep, Sum Guk Yiu rolls over on the bed and snuggles her cheek against her hand. In the deep recesses of her drowsy mind, she hears the sound of a whip cracking against flesh and the distant grunt of pain. Furrowing her brows from the disruptive noises, she wills herself to wake up.

Sitting up, Guk Yiu glances around her chamber in confusion, unsure how she ended back at Mount Thunder Cloud. The last thing she remembers is arguing with Chu Kot Chuet Ching after sneaking off to see Cheng Sai Chung. As her sleepy mind clears, she recalls lurking outside that cave in Green Python Valley, waiting for a petite young man to leave the cave, before going inside to give Sai Chung her last antidote pill.

Thinking of the antidote pill, she suddenly clutches at her heart, expecting to feel a sharp excruciating pain pierce through her body. With her muscles tense, she waits for the agony, but nothing happens. Puzzled, she frowns.

"What’s going on? Without the antidote, I should be in extreme torture right now, but I feel fine…" She mutters to herself. "I gave Big Brother Sai Chung the last of my antidote. That means I have none left for myself. Then, why am I fine now?"

At that moment, Chu Kot Chuet Ching’s face floats through her mind. Realizing that he must have given her his antidote, leaving none for himself, she gasps. Jumping out of bed, she runs toward the direction of the chamber used as a dungeon. "Oh, no!" Guk Yiu frets as she tears down the hallway. "Chu Kot Chuet Ching must be the person being whipped right now!"

Bursting through the dungeon entrance, she stops to catch her breath. Her heart lurches at the sight of Chu Kot Chuet Ching strung up by the wrists, his body dangling from a thick rope hanging down from the dome-shaped ceiling. The whip cracks against Chuet Ching’s naked torso, leaving a fresh open wound, in addition to numerous bleeding ones already inflicted on his chest, shoulders, and back.

Covering her mouth with her hands, Guk Yiu looks up at Chuet Ching, who remains stoically silent, not even screaming once as the whip lashes against his skin.

At the far corner of the room, a tall man dressed in black stands with his back toward Chuet Ching and Guk Yiu. The man continues to slowly sip wine from the cup in his hand, seemingly impervious to the punishment being inflicted on Chuet Ching.

As another Association member lifts his hand to whip Chuet Ching once more, Guk Yiu rushes over to the man in black, her voice pleading, her hands clutching at the man’s arm. "No, Association Leader! Please spare Chu Kot Chuet Ching!"

Shaking her hand away, Fong Sing Duk glares at her, his handsome tanned countenance cold, the fury in his eyes burning holes into Guk Yiu. Throwing a stony look in the direction of the Association member, Sing Duk asks in a quiet, yet lethal, voice, "Did I tell you to stop whipping him?"

Sweat beads popping on his forehead, the underling gulps. "No..no..Leader." Turning back toward Chuet Ching, he whips his captive, this time with extra force in fear of the Association Leader’s wrath.

As the whip bites into his torso, ripping flesh apart, Chu Kot Chuet Ching grinds his teeth together, refusing to utter one sound. Sweat drips down his body, trickling down his lean muscles, stinging painfully as the droplets of moisture roll into his open wounds.

Finally, Fong Sing Duk raises his right hand, signaling for his underling to halt the whipping. "Are you ready to confess, Chuet Ching?"

Catching his breath, Chu Kot Chuet Ching mumbles hoarsely. "There is nothing to confess, Association Leader."

"Really?" The tall man in black mocks. "Then why did you try to steal the antidote from the medicine room earlier? Where is your own antidote, the pill that I give to you once a month? What did you do with your antidote, Chuet Ching?"

"I lost the pill while I was battling with Cheng Sai Chung." Chuet Ching lies.

"Tsk, tsk," Fong Sing Duk admonishes his favorite assassin. "Since the day I found you wandering about, hungry and homeless, at the age of five, I have never known you to be careless, especially regarding something as important as your antidote." Taking the whip from the underling, the Leader flips the whip, cracking it against Chuet Ching’s back. "Do you think I am easily lied to?" He whispers dangerously. "Do you take me for a fool, Chuet Ching?"

"I tell the truth, Leader." Chuet Ching clenches his jaw.

As the Leader raises the whip once more, Guk Yiu lunges forward and clasps onto Sing Duk’s arm. Going down on her knees, she begs for Chuet Ching’s life. "Please! Association Leader, please spare Chu Kot Chuet Ching. I am the one who lost the antidote. Chuet Ching gave me his pill. He did not betray you, Leader."

Glancing at Guk Yiu, Sing Duk stares at her for one long moment, sending shivers down her spine. Finally, his lips stretch into an amused, yet cold, smile. "I see." Crouching down next to her, the Leader leans forward until his face is only inches away from hers, his eyes chilly. "And are you telling the truth, Guk Yiu?"

Looking at him squarely in the face, Sum Guk Yiu raises her chin stubbornly. "Yes, I am telling the truth."

Shaking his head slowly, Fong Sing Duk throws his head back and laughs menacingly. "I have raised a couple of liars." With lightening speed, the Leader whips around and clasps his hand around Guk Yiu’s neck, strangling her as he suspends her off the ground with his hand. "Guk Yiu, don’t you think I realize you gave your antidote to Cheng Sai Chung? And Chu Kot Chuet Ching took the blame for you? I am only testing both of you to see if you will tell me the truth. Do you take me for a fool, Guk Yiu?" Glancing at Chuet Ching still dangling from the center of the ceiling, the Leader chuckles. "Maybe I should string you up and whip you, too."

"No! Forget her, Leader. She is not worth your time." Chu Kot Chuet Ching finally screams. Darting a furious glance at Guk Yiu, he hollers at her with bad-temper. "You stupid woman, what are you doing here? This is none of your business. Leave!" He tries to shoo her away, afraid she will receive a whipping.

Looking at Chuet Ching and then at Guk Yiu with a speculative gleam in his eyes, Fong Sing Duk grins, his expression suddenly turning jovial. Letting go of Guk Yiu, he sips from his wine cup again, ignoring Guk Yiu’s gasps for air. "Of course, I’ll spare you! I’ve raised both of you orphans from young. You are like my children. Besides, I have a mission for you."

"A mission?" Guk Yiu inquires, rubbing at her throat.

"Yes. The Heroes’ Gathering that occurs once every ten years will occur in the city of Lam On in ten days. You are two of my best fighters. I want both of you to accompany me to the Heroes’ Gathering." Narrowing his eyes, he raises his hand and slowly clenches it into a fist. "I want to give my old friend, the high and mighty Chancellor Lam Siu Tin, a surprise." Throwing back his head, he cackles, amused at his own joke. Tossing a small bottle onto the floor, he warns, "Here is two month’s worth of antidote for both of you. I am giving you more than usual this time because I want you to be in good shape for the Heroes’ Gathering. Don’t ‘lose’ the antidote again, or I won’t be as lenient the next time." Leaving the dungeon, Fong Sing Duk continues to laugh.

Once the Leader has left, Guk Yiu hurries over to Chuet Ching. Sending a small dagger toward him, she slices the thick rope suspending him from the ceiling. As he hits the floor, she grabs the bottle of antidote on the floor and then rushes over to him.

"Are you all right?" Guk Yiu asks with concern. Gently brushing her fingertips over his wounds, she looks at him with remorseful eyes.

Without answering her, Chu Kot Chuet Ching struggles unsteadily to his feet and walks proudly off.

Scowling at his stubborn attitude, Guk Yiu calls out to him indignantly, "Chu Kot Chuet Ching! Chu Kot Chuet Ching!" When he continues to ignore her, she gives chase.

Running ahead of him, she stretches her arms out, blocking his way. "Chu Kot Chuet Ching! Why are you ignoring me? I just want to see how seriously injured you are."

Giving her a steely stare for a long minute, Chuet Ching changes direction and walks away from her again.

"Hey!" Guk Yiu chases after Chuet Ching.

As he turns the corner and enters his chamber, she rushes in behind him. Continuing to ignore her, Chuet Ching walks to his stone bed and gingerly lowers himself down. Assuming a meditation position, with legs crossed and palms on his knees facing upward, he closes his eyes.

Sulking, Guk Yiu sidles toward him and pokes at his shoulder. "Hey. Hey." When he remains quiet, she blurts out. "Are you angry at me?" Feeling her frustration build up inside, she crosses her arms defensively. "You’re angry because I gave my antidote to Big Brother Sai Chung, aren’t you? Well, I can’t just watch him suffer. He is my friend, after all." She defends her actions, speaking to a silent Chuet Ching. "I know I acted rashly, which led to your punishment." Going to his side, she settles down next to him and gently places a hand on his arm. "I just…," She murmurs, unsure how to proceed. Taking in a deep breath, she tries again. "I just want to say ‘thank you’ for taking that whipping for me." Hesitantly touching his whiplash wounds, Guk Yiu asks softly, "You must be in pain. Why don’t I clean the wounds for you?"

However, Chu Kot Chuet Ching continues to meditate, his eyes closed, giving Guk Yiu the cold shoulder. Upset at his silent brush off, she clamps her lips tightly together. "Hmph! Fine! If you’re so mad at me, then why did you even bother taking the whipping for me! You could have just let me take the punishment myself!"

Leaping up from the bed, she takes off in a huff. However, before Guk Yiu is able to take one step further, she feels herself being yanked back down onto the bed and pinned under Chu Kot Chuet Ching’s body. Looking up in surprise, she sees Chuet Ching’s face looming over her, his expression stormy.

"You’re right. It’s all your fault." He retorts in a stony voice. "If you did not give your precious Big Brother Sai Chung your antidote, I would not have been whipped by the Leader. And after all this, you expect me to forgive you?"

Pouting, Guk Yiu pushes at Chuet Ching’s shoulder, trying to dislodge him, but he sinks his body down more firmly on top of hers, nailing her to the bed. "What are you doing?" She demands, outraged. "You’re crushing me!"

Refusing to budge, he leans down even closer to her, ignoring her ineffective swipes at his shoulder. "Guk Yiu, Guk Yiu, are you in love with Cheng Sai Chung?"

"None of your business!" Guk Yiu retorts as she continues to push at his torso. "Let me up, you big bully!"

Furious for some odd reason, he grabs hold of both of her hands, pinning them over her head. "You love him! Don’t you? Don’t you?! Or else, you wouldn’t have risked punishment by giving him your antidote. What do you see in him? Why do you love him?"

"It is none of your business why I love Big Brother Sai Chung! Love is love. There is no explanation!"

Struggling fiercely, she manages to dislodge him. Running to the door, she yanks it open, only to have it slam back shut. Swiveling around, she shrieks as she encounters Chuet Ching. Placing a hand on each side of the door near her head, he traps her between the door and himself.

"What do you want, Chu Kot Chuet Ching?" Guk Yiu demands.

Leaning forward so that his face is only a hair’s breath away from hers, he replies calmly. "Since I took your punishment for you, don’t you think you should repay me?"

"You…" Guk Yiu sputters indignantly.

Before she is able to get another word out, he firmly sinks his lips into hers. As she struggles against him, he encircles his arms tightly around her, pressing her securely against his naked torso.

"Hmmm! Hmmm!" Guk Yiu struggles frantically, finally managing to turn her head away from his plundering lips. Realizing that she is no match for him in terms of strength, she grabs hold of his shoulder and chomps down, drawing blood.

"Ugh!" Chuet Ching loosens his hold on Guk Yiu, temporarily distracted by the unexpected counterattack.

Taking advantage of his momentary distraction, she breaks free from his hold. Rubbing her lips in shock, she delivers a resounding slap to his cheek. "You’re crazy, Chu Kot Chuet Ching!" Flinging open the door, she tears out of the chamber.

As Chuet Ching stares after her rapidly retreating figure, he rubs at his cheek, the slap still stinging his flesh. "I’ll kill Cheng Sai Chung. Then, you’ll be mine…"

[Melanie]

CHAPTER 65 --- A FINE LINE BETWEEN LOVE AND HATE

Characters appearing in this chapter:
Gilbert Lam Wai Sun---Lam Yik Lun
Annie Man Chung Han---So Sui Han

BLUE MOON VILLAGE
CAVE AT SIDE OF CLIFF

As Sui Han falls limply to the ground, a pair of strong arms encircles her just in time before she hits her head. A deep voice calls out to her, rousing her. Slowly opening her eyes, she stares at the blurry image of Lam Yik Lun.

"Sui Han? Are you all right?" A worried Lun queries, looking down at her pale face.

"First Young Master?" Sui Han asks in confusion. As her fuzzy mind clears, she remembers seeing a dead Lam Yik Lun sitting on the stone ledge. Darting her eyes over Lun’s very much alive face, she bolts upright with lightening speed. Grasping his arms tightly, she exclaims, a sob threatening to erupt. "First Young Master!" Lunging straight into his arms, she hugs him tightly. "First Young Master! You’re alive! Thank heavens! I thought I saw your body a few seconds ago. I guess the darkness in this inner chamber must be playing tricks on my eyes."

"No, your eyes are fine, just as mine are." Lun replies grimly. "Look over there." He points to the stone ledge a few feet away.

Turning toward the direction where his finger is pointing, Sui Han gawks in shock as she focuses in on the stone ledge at the far corner of the cave and the figure sitting on top. "But it can’t be…" She murmurs. Pulling herself to her feet with Lun’s help, she approaches the ledge to get a better look.

Silent for a moment, she finally opens her mouth to speak, but finds herself speechless. Unable to find a single word to express her shock and bewilderment, she glances up at Lun, who is also examining the dead body sitting on the ledge, a deep frown painted on his face.

"Yes, I know. Whoever this person is, he bears a striking resemblance to me." Lun mutters. "It is no wonder you have mistaken him for me earlier."

Shaking her head, Sui Han reaches a hand out, as if to touch the face of the man who resembles her First Young Master. Then, changing her mind, she quickly withdraws her hand and leans into Lun, finding comfort in his warm body. "He not only bears a striking resemblance to you, he could be your identical twin! Look at him! His eyebrows, the nose, the curve of his mouth, the line of his jaw, the proud and confident posture… Everything is an exact copy of you!"

"Well, I did not realize you notice so many details about me, Sui Han." Lun teases her, trying to inject some humor into this horrifically strange situation.

Blushing, Sui Han lowers her eyes shyly. "I…hmmm…" Swiftly trying to change the subject, she asks Lun, "You don’t have a long lost twin brother, do you, First Young Master?"

"No long lost twin brother," Lun smiles at the thought. "Besides, this person is too old to be my brother."

"Old?" Sui Han counters in confusion. "But he looks to be about your age!"

Shaking his head, Lun pulls up an old, tattered scroll half-hidden underneath some straw lying on top the stone ledge. "Look at this." He hands over the scroll to Sui Han.

Curious, she takes the old parchment, handling the scroll carefully, gently unrolling the friable document. "Oh, my!" She gasps in surprise as she squints at the faded script at the top of the parchment. "The date on this document is five-hundred years ago!"

"Exactly!" Lun agrees. "I glimpsed briefly at this scroll when I first came in." Pointing at the well preserved dead body sitting atop the stone ledge, Lun explains, "It looks like this man, whoever he was, died five-hundred years ago. He left his last words on the piece of parchment in your hands." Reaching forward, Lun runs his hand over the stone ledge surface. "This stone must be some sort of natural wonder. It’s so cold it could freeze a burning flame, and the extreme temperature of this slab of granite must have kept this man’s body so well preserved."

Inching closer to the body, Sui Han hesitantly glides her fingertips over the stone. Shocked by the biting cold, she yanks her hand quickly back. "Amazing… This man passed away five-hundred years ago and yet he still appears like he just died today." Remembering the scroll in her hands, Sui Han tries to make out the faded characters. "First Young Master, let’s see why he died." Slowly, Sui Han begins to read the mystery man’s last words…

********************

My dearest Ching Ching,

The stone ledge is so cold, so cold that my legs are feeling the first pain of frostbite. But nothing could be more agonizing than the heartbreak of losing you, of knowing that I will never see your sunny smile, hear your joyous laughter, and hold your warm body next to mine.

Do you remember the first time we met? I was seriously injured and passed out on the doorstep of your hut. When I opened my eyes, I thought I had died and gone to heaven, for your angelic face was looking down upon me, so innocent, so beautiful, so fragile. And when you smiled at me, something tugged at my heart, a wonderful, glorious feeling I never sensed before.

Those months I spent with you were like forbidden fruit, every sweet moment forever ingrained in my heart. Little by little, you chipped away at my defenses, and I began to forget about my ambitions to become the most respected and powerful Chancellor in the martial arts world.

But like all foolish men, I failed to cherish the love you had given so freely and unconditionally. I failed to realize that my most precious possession was not my position and status in the martial arts world. My most precious possession was you – the lovely girl who laughed joyously as she clung to me, the beautiful young woman who rested her head so innocently on my shoulder, my heaven-sent angel who looked at me with such trust and love.

Ching Ching, I was a coward, a blind fool. I was afraid of announcing to the world my feelings, too concerned about what others in the martial arts world would think when they found out that the woman I loved was labeled an evil witch. I had forsaken my love for power and status. I hardened my heart and closed my ears to your tearful cries for help, for protection.

I finally attained my coveted status and power. But instead of feeling exhilaration and a sense of satisfaction, I was left with nothing by emptiness. With each beat, my heart ached for you, my love, the only person who could fill the void in my life.

I know you will never forgive me, ever, for my betrayal for leaving you and our son. And I do not deserve your forgiveness. All I want is to see you again, to be able to catch a glimpse of you. But I know my wish could never be, for you are lost to me forever. You have left me alone in this lonely world. Perhaps, the heavens are punishing me, because surviving each day alone, without you by my side, is worst than dying. Without you, I am nothing but a shadow that drifts one day to the next, without hope, without the will to continue on.

Ching Ching, I dare to be a coward for one more time. I am not brave enough to live on without you. Therefore, I choose to follow you in death. If reincarnation exists, I pray with all my heart that I will find you again in the next life and in every life thereafter. And if I am fortunate enough to find you once more, I promise to cherish you with my life, to hold you tightly and love you with all I have to give, to never intentionally hurt you ever again.

Please wait for me, my love. I am coming soon. I am so happy now, knowing that I will see you soon. But until I see you in our next life, I will content myself by searching for you in my memories and hoping to meet you again, to hear your laughter again in my dreams. Goodbye for now, my darling. I love you, with all my heart, in this life and for eternity.

Love,
Sit Tin Pang

********************

After reading Sit Tin Pang’s last words, Sui Han’s numb fingers shake slightly. "He killed himself," she whispers.

As the piece of parchment slips from her frozen fingers and drifts toward the ground, Lun leans down to pick up the scroll. A tight band encircles his heart, making him feel short of breath. "He had nothing left to live for." Scrutinizing the body sitting atop the stone ledge, Lun murmurs to himself. "So this was Sit Tin Pang…"

"You know who Sit Tin Pang was, First Young Master?" Sui Han inquires curiously.

Staring at Sit Tin Pang intensely, Lun shakes his head slightly. "No, but I’ve heard of him. He was the martial arts world’s most touted young heroes. He became leader of the Sun-Moon School of Swordplay at the tender age of sixteen. He was not even a grown man yet at that time, and yet, his intelligence and superb sword skills surpassed all those much older than him. He earned the position of school leader with his own skill, courage, and cunning. By age twenty-five, he achieved the highest martial arts of his time, by creating and perfecting Sun-Moon Swordplay. With his Swords of Sun and Moon, he was undefeatable, respected by friends, feared by foes. Rumor had it that he was soon to become the next Chancellor, quite an accomplishment for someone so young."

"But look at him," Sui Han points at Sit Tin Pang’s body. "He appears to have died around his mid to late twenties. So he never become Chancellor? If he had such a bright future, why did he commit suicide?"

"Legend has it that the day before his coronation as Chancellor, he was ambushed by enemies. Missing for months, many thought assassins had murdered him. But then, one day, he suddenly reappeared, well and alive. After his return, the martial arts world crowned him as their leader, their Chancellor. But he was no longer the same young man prior to his disappearance. He would often neglect his duties and disappear for days at a time. Nobody knew where he went, but he would be happier, more lively each time he returned from his secret trips."

Lun pauses, before continuing to recount what he has learned from his parents. "At the time, the martial arts schools and sects faced a formidable enemy – a dark sect led by a woman named Poison Snake, who specialized in dark spells and poisons. On a killing spree to destroy all who were even remotely rumored to be associated with this evil sect, the righteous sects led a large group of people deep into a secluded forest where a young woman lived. Many nicknamed her the Seer and believed this young woman had dark magic, for she could foretell the future with her ‘evil eyes.’ And in that forest, they found their respected young Chancellor with his arms around a beautiful, pregnant young woman, the one who sees the future with her evil eyes."

"What happened?" Sui Han whispers. Yet, in her heart, she somehow knows the answer as she can almost see the horror of that day.

Sighing, Lun continues his story. "The young Chancellor, fearing that he would lose the respect of the martial arts world, distanced himself from the young woman. A coward, he denied ever knowing her and did nothing when the angry mob chased her." Closing his eyes, Lun’s heart twists in pain as if he were there in that forest five hundred years ago, seeing his beloved helpless, her eyes pleading him for protection.

"He betrayed her trust." Sui Han remarks, her voice tinged with despair. "He took her innocence, and then carelessly abused her love." Turning tearful eyes toward Lun, Sui Han wonders, "Did she die that day?"

"No," Lun answers. "By some miracle, she escaped, taking the Sword of Moon, a gift from Sit Tin Pang, with her. A few months later, she gave birth to a baby boy. But on the day of her baby’s birth, the righteous sects located her hiding place and slaughtered her son." Lost in thought, Lun slowly points toward the heavens. "Many said that rain poured from the sky that night, as if mourning the loss of an innocent baby, barely out of the womb and immediately slayed so ruthlessly.

"The Seer escaped again, but her innocent, kind heart now burned with bitterness and the thirst for revenge. Rescued by Poison Snake, the Seer retreated with her savior back into the depths of Persia. After the Seer’s disappearance, the Chancellor changed. Once a brilliant leader with a bright future, Sit Tin Pang transformed into a drunkard, neglecting his duties as Chancellor, spending his days closeted in his chambers passed out in a drunken stupor. His Sword of Sun, its brilliant shine once paralleling the acclaimed achievements of its owner, now falls into dimness, its former glory no more."

"Did the Seer ever return?" Sui Han asks.

"Yes, unfortunately," Lun sighs.

"Unfortunately?" Sui Han looks at Lun in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"From what I have heard from my parents," Lun explains, "Poison Snake, seeing the potential in Ching Ching, took the Seer in as her disciple, teaching the Seer her dark martial arts and poison concocting skills. Two years after her disappearance, the Seer reappeared in the Central Plains, seeking Sit Tin Pang and the righteous sects for revenge."

"For the past two years, Sit Tin Pang had resigned from his post as Chancellor, secluding himself in the forest where he first met and loved his Ching Ching. When he heard of her return, he rushed to see her. But when he finally met her again, the tiny seed of hope blossoming in his heart died. The Seer was as beautiful as ever, but she was no longer his Ching Ching. Innocence, trust, and happiness no longer shone in her eyes. In their place, revenge and hatred burned. The Sword of Moon, a gift from him to her, once a symbol of their love, now drank the blood of the righteous sects thirstily."

"And instead of greeting him the way she used to, by running toward him and leaping into his arms joyously, she charged at him with the Sword of Moon." Sui Han murmurs quietly.

Surprised, Lun turns to look at her. "Sui Han, you’ve heard of the story of the Seer and Guardian, too?"

"No," Sui Han shakes her head. "I only know bits and pieces. But I can guess how the story ends." Walking over to stare at Sit Tin Pang’s body, Sui Han takes over the storytelling. "The Sword of Moon, once a pair with the Sword of Sun, now clashed viciously with the Sword of Sun. Two swords, once united as one, now travel different paths, one dark, one light."

"I heard that the Seer, now with teachings of Poison Snake, was virtually undefeatable." Lun adds. "But somehow, she fell into a trap and was ambushed once again by the righteous sects. Sit Tin Pang rushed to warn her of the trap, but it was too late. He came just in time to see her plunge the Sword of Moon into her chest, killing herself. With her last breath, the Seer cursed the Sword of Moon, vowing that the sword will forever lie in darkness, its blade forever thirsting for blood, until her revenge is fulfilled, until her justice is served. With no room for love in her heart anymore, the Seer stared coldly at Sit Tin Pang, telling him bitterly that she will never forgive him. And if she ever was blind enough to fall in love with him in the next life, then may she die a horrible death for being stupid enough to again love someone so heartless."

"So she still loved him deeply, even in her last moments." Sui Han sighs sadly.

Going up to Sui Han, Lun strokes Sui Han’s cheek tenderly. "Why do you say that, Sui Han? She should have hated him, not loved him."

Smiling despite her teary eyes, Sui Han shrugs her shoulders as she glances up at Lun. "I’m a woman. I know how Ching Ching must have felt. A fine line often separates love and hate. If she did not still love him profoundly, why would she hate him so violently, even with her dying breath?"

"Would you have forgiven Sit Tin Pang if you were Ching Ching?" Lun asks Sui Han, his eyes steady on hers.

Giving him an intense stare, she pauses for one long moment. "No." Sui Han finally answers definitely. Shaking her head, she speaks in a louder, firmer voice. "No, I would never forgive him if I were Ching Ching. He had made his choice when he decided to abandon her when the righteous sects pursued her. He left her, a lone, defenseless woman, to fend for herself. He betrayed the woman he loved, the woman who would soon give birth to his son." Looking straight into Lun’s eyes, Sui Han lifts her chin and states defiantly, "The kind of man who does that to a woman who has done nothing but love him unconditionally is not just a coward. He is not even a man. But one thing I don’t understand." Sui Han wonders out loud. "Sit Tin Pang had the status and power he craved for. He may have lost his Ching Ching, but he couldn’t have loved her that much since he had chosen to betray her once. So why would be kill himself for her?" Sui Han asks, her voice hollow.

"Because he had to lose her forever to finally realize how vital she was to him." Lun answers her in an automated voice, as if lost in thought. "She embodied everything he could only dream of – innocence, beauty, and love. She loved him unconditionally, and he loved her just as much but was too scared and foolish to admit his feelings to himself. So he opted to embrace things familiar and safe – power and status – and betrayed the most important person in his life. But by betraying her, he also betrayed his own integrity, his honor. He lived a lie, pretending to himself that he could live happily without her. But he couldn’t. Little did he know that SHE was his life, his everything. With Ching Ching’s death, his sunny days turned to stormy nights, and living became an unbearable, joyless chore. And so he chose to follow her in death."

Thinking over Lun’s words, Sui Han glances over at the dead body of Sit Tin Pang. For some unknown reason, just seeing Sit Tin Pang evokes conflicting emotions of tenderness and hate. "Perhaps you are correct, First Young Master." Sui Han concedes. "But I still wouldn’t’ forgive him if I were Ching Ching. He hurt her too much to deserve forgiveness."

Lun suddenly grabs hold of Sui Han’s hands. Peering into her eyes earnestly, he goes down on one knee. "Sui Han, I…I…"

"First Young Master!" Sui Han gasps, trying to get Lun to stand up. "What are you doing?" She asks, flustered.

Refusing to stand up, Lun grips her hands more tightly. "Sui Han, I love you. I have never kept my feelings for you a secret. Will you marry me, Sui Han?"

Shocked, Sui Han could only gawk at Lun.

"I’m not joking, Sui Han!" Lun rushes on. "I love you so much. I…I miss you when I am not with you. And when you are by my side, I am happy beyond words. I know I will sound silly when I say this, but it’s true. You are my sunshine during the day, my bright, glowing star during the night. No matter day or night, my heart brightens when I am with you."

"First Young Master…" Sui Han begins, still shocked with his proposal.

"I mean every word I say, Sui Han!" Lun hurries on earnestly. "I know I have shocked you with my sudden proposal. But I just don’t want to be like Sit Tin Pang. I am afraid that if I don’t express my feelings, I will lose you forever like Sit Tin Pang had lost his Ching Ching. I don’t want to live the rest of my life with the regret of not fighting for the woman I love." Staring up at her luminous, deep brown eyes, Lun asks again, his eyes filled with hope and adoration. "Sui Han, will you marry me and allow me the honor of taking care of you and loving you for the rest of your life?"

[tweety365]

Wow, another wonderful chapter . We finally get the full story behind the tragic love tale between Ching Ching and Tin Pang. So moving and emotional! I love it . Yik Lun’s sudden proposal was a bit startling, but then again, he had been trying to express his feelings for so long. Poor guy. Doesn’t even know her background yet. It’s gonna be oogly when he finds out. Oh, and the Heroes’ Gathering! Can’t wait!

I’m betting that everyone will show up. I love those big meetings. Great for conflict and resolution, though most of the time there are more conflicts than resolutions . You might even get the chance to kill off a couple characters too. Just a thought… hehehe. Keep up the awesome writing, Mel.

[Melanie]

Hi, tweety! I am so happy to hear from you again! Thanks for your comments. This chapter is a little shorter than usual, but there is a lot going on in here regarding the Seer and Guardian that I don't want to bore everyone with too many other details regarding other characters. I promised everyone a wedding, but we shall see whose wedding it turns out to be.. Yes, things will be quite ugly when Lun finds out about Sui Han's true identity. We'll see how ugly it gets. As for the Heroes' Gathering, I love those things, too! I feel that this story cannot be complete without one of those gatherings! They are such fun, don't you think? There will be a death at the gathering, but I won't say who yet. Just don't complain if it ends up being "ta ta" for your favorite guy or gal, ok? This time, there won't be a fake death. Well, I'm off to working on the next chapter. Thanks again for your comments.

[tweety365]

Well, since Vincent’s appearance was prematurely cut short , I've managed to harden my heart to the drastic turn of events.

Anyway, I hope you have a good reason for whacking the character you have in mind. And I’m also hoping it’s not one of my favs, but if it is, I’ll prepare a tissue. Yup, totally agree that Heroes' Gatherings are the highlights of stories. So much can happen. Ancient series nowadays seem to lack that excitement, which is quite a shame.

Take your time writing the next update. No rush at all. I’ll be patiently lurking around.

[Melanie]

Ok, tweety! I can't help but laugh and laugh when I read your statement about Vincent Jiao! You still remember that??? That was years ago! You obviously love Vincent very much. I have been reading the Heroine of the Yangs thread and there seems to be a sudden spurt of Amy Chan-Vincent Jiao supporters lately. Usually, Gilbert Lam and Annie Man get the majority of the gushing because of their characters' love story in the series. Ah, talking about Yelut Honam (Gilbert Lam) and Yeung Paifong (Annie Man) again makes me want to watch the series again!

As a random comment for everyone - I'm just surprised I am not getting much reaction from anyone (other than tweety at the winglin site) regarding Raymond Lam's character Chu Kot Chuet Ching. I understand he's a pretty popular guy these days (he's in the story because I like him, not because he's popular) but he's not getting much mention by the readers. I know he's a minor character, but I had expected to get comments like, "Love Raymond!" Anyway, this is just a random comment. Just ignore me if it seems weird and out of place in this post.

[tweety365]

How can you expect me to forget something so horrific? I was literally holding on to my laptop going like this: and feeling my heart drop. People say time heals all wounds, but that ain't so

Anywho, I would have loved Ray's appearance more if he was coupled with the lovely Tavia . But you've forced me to use my imagination instead LOL.

Speaking of HOTY, I was rewatching bits of the romance between Honam and Paifong the other day and can't help going "awwwwww".

[Melanie]

Well, if you're that hurt by how I handled Vincent in the story, maybe I could do a short 5 chapter story starring Vincent and some girl. Then, maybe your wounds can finally heal and you can move on.

Speaking of Ray and Tavia, I hear they get a lot of fans, but which series were they in together as a romantic couple? I recently saw Golden Faith, and they were a couple in there, but their love story was only so so in my opinion. It was more like puppy love in there. So which series were they in that won over so many supporters? As for Selena Li, I think she's pretty in Face to Fate, but of course, I am not as staunch a supporter for her as I am for Annie Man. So I wouldn't mind if she were substituted with someone else in my story. But too late for that now, since her role has already been cast. Let me know earlier next time and I may accommodate your wishes if I find it appropriate.

[tweety365]

Regarding Raymond and Tavia:

As far as I know, besides Golden Faith, they have never ended up as a romantic couple in the many series they costarred together. They were close in Twin of Brothers. I think for many fans who support both Raymond and Tavia see the great chemistry between them, but are disappointed that the chemistry did not produce a lasting romance. It's the "what if" kind of situation. Kinda like if Louis Koo had the chance to costar with Annie Man and with the right plot, it would have been awesome.

Appearance wise, I think Ray and Tavia match very well. I have not watched Golden Faith due to the bad reviews. Twin of Brothers, I caught most of the moments between the two and really wanted them to end up together. It's a weird love that the fans have for them, but I suppose our overactive imagination took off and FungYi was born .

Any time you want to write a story, I'm more than ready to read. With Vincent as the lead, that would be totally awesome. Will definitely make up for his "death" in this fanfic. But hey, no pressure

[Melanie]

Ah, so Tavia and Ray were the "what-if" couple.. I see. From your short story, I thought they had some ragingly popular romance in some series and that's why they had so many supporters! Well, it's a good thing that the character names in my story are different from the actors that play the characters. That way, you can use your imagination and fit whichever actor or actress you want in the roles. Have fun reading the Chu Kot Chuet Ching parts, tweety. I am sure there are tons of other Raymond-Tavia fanfics out there to satisfy your hunger for the FungYi pairing. There is probably one out there with Raymond as the sword wielding hero and Tavia as the beautiful yet smart heroine.

[tweety365]

It’s hard to run across a well written story with FungYi. Perhaps I am a picky reader, wanting not just the FungYi pairing, but with a good plot that is conveyed convincingly. Hence the limit amount of fanfics that I’m willing to read, whether with the FungYi pairing or other fav couples of mine. Another reason is that I’m rather lazy to search around for the stories .

I would have totally loved it had FungYi reunited as a couple in Face to Fate. But then again, having Tavia and Selena switch roles would have been a moot point since Ray did not end up with Selena. Perhaps it's not so bad after all.

Ah, the thought of a handsome/heroic Raymond + a beautiful/smart Tavia pairing... .

[Melanie]

I'm kind of picky about which stories I read, too, tweety. Anyway, why don't you write another ancient Fungyi story? I will read it if you write it. If you don't, you might just have to suffer through my Ray-Selena side story in here.

Regarding searching for good stories, I know it's hard to just surf around randomly for stories, but perhaps, there are story recommendation links. I'm sure some helpful fellow reader can point you in the right direction.