Legendary Book of Sun-Moon Swordplay

[kidd]

Hi, Melanie,

Glad u r not offended and hope you are not discouraged by my comment on the "Tears of gratitude swim in her eyes" phrase. Please continue ur flowery description of events and sceneries. Most of them r good and some r beautiful.

Also, thanks for explaining the phrase "achingly beautiful" .

[Melanie]

Thanks for reading and for leaving me comments, everyone. This chapter is dedicated to the fans of Wai Sun and Sui Han. I know some have waited for their reunion for a very long time. There will be more on the other characters in the next chapter.

CHAPTER 38 --- TEMPTATION

Characters appearing in this chapter:
Idy Chan Yuk Lin--Chan Yin Yuk
Gilbert Lam Wai Sun---Lam Yik Lun
Annie Man Chung Han---So Sui Han
Helena Law Lan---Grandmother Fa

IN THE DESERT
NIGHTFALL

The moon glows round and luminescent in the dark night, its silvery rays pooling onto the white desert sand, lighting the path for the two figures making their way through the cold night. High above, millions of stars, like brightly colored gems, wink flirtatiously at each other. In the distance, the call of an eagle echoes eerily, before fading away into nothingness.

Deafening silence spreads across the desert land like a thick cloak of dark magic, suffocating and squeezing Grandmother Fa like unrelenting tentacles. As she trails after Yin Yuk, Grandmother Fa gulps in large breaths of air as a gust of wind sweeps by, bringing with it a flurry of sand particles. They have traveled by foot for a little over a month now at a merciless pace, sleeping only a few hours each day to maximize their time. As her old bones creak with each step, the old woman pants and digs her wooden staff into the sand to keep her balance.

"Mistress!" Grandmother Fa finally calls out ahead to the graceful woman dressed completely in white. "Please, may we rest awhile? I am exhausted and do not think I can take another step." Seeing the emotionless stare Yin Yuk gives her, the old woman sighs and struggles on, knowing that her former Mistress would deny her request.

However, Yin Yuk suddenly plops down onto the sandy ground without a word, her back straight, her expression blank. Closing her eyes, she folds her legs together and begins to meditate.

Relieved that she will at least be able to rest for a few minutes, Grandmother Fa hurriedly sits down beside Yin Yuk. Leaning her back against a sand dune, she lays her staff across her lap, her fists hammering loudly at her tired and sore calf muscles.

"How long before we reach Yik Hong?" Yin Yuk suddenly asks. Without opening her eyes, she waits for Grandmother Fa's answer.

"Err, soon, Mistress, soon." The old woman mumbles hesitantly.

Immediately, Yin Yuk's eyes flicker open, her pupils like dark pools of fury. "Grandmother Fa, I am not that naïve young woman I once was. More than twenty years ago, I entrusted you with my children, but you betrayed my trust and led the enemies to us. As a result, I lost one of my flesh and blood." Staring unblinkingly at the old woman, Yin Yuk warns, "If I find that you are lying to me about Yik Hong being still alive just to save your own life, then I will make sure that you die a miserable death."

Her teeth clattering, Grandmother Fa stutters nervously, "Yes, Mistress. I understand. Don't worry, I speak the truth about young master, Yik Hong." Trying to get into Yin Yuk's good graces, the old woman babbles on hurriedly. "You will be proud when you meet him, Mistress. He has grown into such a handsome young man, intelligent and well versed in martial arts."

Keeping her expression emotionless, Yin Yuk tries to keep her excitement from showing on her face, for fear that her eagerness could be used as a bargaining chip by Grandmother Fa. But inwardly, her heart thumps nervously. What does Yik Hong look like now, all grown up, she thinks to herself. He would no longer be that little boy who ran into her arms for comfort every time he fell down and scraped his knees. Of course, his chubby cheeks and the toothless grin would be long gone and replaced with the mature features of a young man. Had he been well treated by the people who raised him all these years? Did he have enough to eat? Did he have enough warm clothes to wear during the winter season? Is her boy married and a father himself now?

So many questions swirl inside Yin Yuk's head, all waiting impatiently to be answered. "Yik Hong… He has been raised in the Sun-Moon Sect all these years? Has he been treated well all these years?" Yin Yuk suddenly asks.

Grandmother Fa hesitates nervously before answering. "Yes…he has been treated well. The Sun Moon Sect Leader, your first senior martial brother, treats him like his own flesh and blood."

Upon hearing about her first senior martial brother, Yin Yuk turns toward Grandmother Fa, her eyes flashing with fury. "Is that right?" She asks with quiet anger. "Brother Siu Tin and I have long guessed that it was first senior martial brother who had directed you to steal our child. After we lost Yik Hong, we both searched endlessly for many years for first senior martial brother, but he seemed to have vanished from the martial arts world."

Clearing her throat with fright, the old woman replies tentatively. "Mistress…actually…Sect Leader still thinks of you almost everyday. I have seen him staring at your portrait when he doesn't realize anyone is around."

"Enough! If he loves me that much, he wouldn't have caused me so many years of pain by taking my child away from me!" Yin Yuk screams out her pain. As tears spill unwillingly down her cheeks, she hurriedly swipes at them with her hands before abruptly standing up. "You've rested long enough, Grandmother Fa." With those words, she begins walking forward without looking back, her back held as stiff as a board, her hands clenched at her sides as she thinks of her senior martial brother.

Behind, Grandmother Fa hurries after Yin Yuk, stabbing her wooden staff into the white sand of the desert to quicken her pace.

MEANWHILE…
BACK IN THE OUTSKIRTS OF JADE ORCHID TOWN
NIGHTFALL

With his travel bundle and his ever-present sword strapped to his back and Sui Han in his arms, Lun navigates through the thick snowdrifts, hunching his shoulders protectively over Sui Han to shield her from the wind. The snowstorm has fizzled to a soft sprinkle of light snowflakes, which dance through the air like fine grains of powdered sugar in the clear, dark night.
Shivering as a gust of cold wind whips by, Sui Han burrows her face against Lun's chest and huddles deeper within the thick folds of the fur cloak wrapped around her.

Glancing down at the young woman in his arms, Lun asks in concern. "How are you doing, Sui Han?" Sighing deeply, he searches the darkness in vain for shelter from the bitter evening chill. "I'm afraid we're lost…"

"First Young Master, put me down. I want to walk by myself. You must be tired after hours of carrying me around." Sui Han wiggles slightly in his arms, attempting to slide to the ground and relieve Lun of her weight.

However, Lun grips onto her more tightly, refusing to let go. "No, Sui Han. You are injured. I don't want you further tiring yourself out."

"But First Young Master, you are exhausted yourself!" Sui Han protests.

"No, I am not," he denies. Shifting her in his arms, he cuddles her closer to his chest. "You're such a tiny thing that you hardly weigh more than a feather," he jokes.

Sui Han frowns at his comment, not sure whether he is joking or discreetly telling her that she too skinny. Deciding to let his remark slide, Sui Han looks up at him, her face almost completely hidden behind Lun's warm cloak. "First Young Master, how did you end up at this town? I thought you would be on your way to the Sun-Moon Sect headquarters to obtain the antidote for Second Young Master."

"I came to look for you. I stopped at every town and showed the townspeople a drawing of you. I searched for a whole month, but unfortunately, nobody had seen you." Glancing tenderly down at her, he grins happily. "You don't know how thrilled I am to finally find you today!"

Smiling fondly at him, Sui Han replies earnestly. "Thank you for your effort in looking for me. I am just a servant, and yet you treat me like an equal."

"You were never a servant in my eyes, Sui Han!" Lun exclaims in horror. "You're my…" He stutters nervously. "That is… I see you as my…" Seeing her wide, curious eyes trained on him expectantly, he trails off helplessly, unsure of how to tell Sui Han his feelings for her.

Sui Han gives him a curious look, frowning in confusion. She muses silently to herself, thinking that her First Young Master is very a nice man, but sometimes she just can't seem to figure out what he is thinking.

Before she could reply, Lun suddenly excitedly interrupts her thoughts.
"Up ahead!" He jerks his chin toward the distance, his eyes squinting as he tries to make out the faint outline of cave. "I think I see shelter."

Shifting Sui Han higher up in his arms, Lun flies up into the air, somersaulting three times before vanishing from sight. Within seconds, he lands in front of the cave entrance. Using his shoulder to block the loose brambles partially occluding the cave opening, he enters to cave cautiously, scanning the interior for any booby traps or hostile occupants.

Blinking several times to adjust his eyesight to the darkness of the cave, he spots a large pile of straw near the far corner of the cave, resembling a makeshift bed that was probably left behind by the previous occupant who was also seeking shelter from the blizzard. Heading toward the straw bed, Lun gently lowers Sui Han onto the pile. After safely depositing her, he places his travel bundle beside her before standing up.

As he is about to walk toward the entrance of the cave, Sui Han catches his hand, her eyes anxiously staring up at him. "Where are you going, First Young Master?" She glances around the dark interior of the drafty cave nervously.

Crouching down beside her, Lun gently brushes aside her bangs and smiles at her indulgently. "Don't worry, Sui Han. I haven't forgotten about your fear of dark nights and wild animals. I am not going to wander off and leave you alone here." Smiling, he gestures toward loose branches dangling over the entrance of the cave. "I am going to cut off those branches and use them as firewood. You're soaking wet, Sui Han." He reaches over to brush off a few loose snowflakes from her sleeve before they could melt and further dampen her light pink gown. "I don't want you to catch a cold."

Realizing that her gown is indeed soaking wet from the snow, Sui Han lets go of his hand and hurriedly adjusts her clothing, trying to wring the damp dress hem as dry as possible. While Lun cuts off a few large branches with his sword, Sui Han sits docilely on the warm straw bed and waits for him patiently. As he reenters the cave with a stack of branches in his arms, she scrambles up and attempts to help him with the firewood.

Gently nudging her toward the straw bed, he scolds at her lightly. "No, Sui Han. Let me take care of you. You're injured and shouldn't be lifting heavy tree branches. You must be hungry. I have several packages of dried meat and fruits in my travel bundle. Why don't you get something to eat first while I start the fire?"

At the mention of food, her stomach suddenly begins to rumble loudly. Mildly embarrassed, Sui Han hurries toward Lun's travel bundle on the straw bed. Digging enthusiastically through the sack, she pulls out a paper wrapped package of dried beef and apricots. Digging further into the sack, she manages to unearth a flask of water. Busily, she brushes away particles of sand and dirt from the flat surface of the large rock beside the straw bed. Using the flat surface as a tabletop, she carefully and neatly places the food and water on the rock.

Satisfied that they will be able to eat in a few seconds, Sui Han leans back against the wall of the cave and watches Lun meticulously break the large tree branches into smaller pieces before arranging them into a small, circular stack near the bed. Searching around for two pieces of small stone to start the fire with, he frowns slightly when he comes up empty-handed. Shrugging, he finally picks up one of the larger pieces of firewood. Wrapping his right hand around the piece of wood, he directs just enough internal energy through his palm toward the branch to cause a steady stream of smoke to rise from the wood. Within seconds, a small flicker of red-gold flashes from the end of the branch. Throwing the lighted branch onto the woodpile, Lun silently watches as the entire campfire lights up in waves of fiery flames, undulating madly in the darkened cave, like red and gold hands beckoning the cave's occupants to come closer.

As the fire crackles and flickers to life, Lun takes two large, thick tree branches and stabs them vertically into the damp earth a few feet apart. Then, he places a third, more slender branch horizontally across the two vertical poles, therefore making a crude but useful clothing rod that could be used to dry their wet gowns.

Removing everything from his travel sack, he hangs the large piece of cloth used as his travel sack onto the horizontal pole, making a temporary curtain to give Sui Han some privacy while removing her wet garments. Crouching down beside Sui Han, Lun gives her a set of his clean white undergarments. "Sui Han, you can temporarily change into these while you dry your wet gown next to the fire."

As she accepts the garments from him, she looks at him uncertainly. "But what about you, First Young Master? Your clothes are damp, too. You'll catch a cold if you don't have anything dry to change into."

Lun smiles at Sui Han's concern for him, his heart glowing from the knowledge that she cares about his health. "Don't worry about me, Sui Han. A little water on my gown won't melt me. I'll stay on the other side of the curtain until your own clothes dry and you can change back into them. Oh, and don't use the fur cloak until it dries."

Returning back to the other side of the curtain, Lun settles down onto the cave floor, laying his sword down next to him. Next, he strips off his wet outer garment, leaving his slightly damp white underclothes on. He would have much preferred to strip the inner gown off too, but he does not wish to embarrass Sui Han. After all, if anyone hears of both of them spending the night alone in a dark cave with only underclothes on, her reputation would be ruined.

Crossing his legs together, he closes his eyes and starts to meditate. In the background, he hears clothes rustling as Sui Han slowly peels off her wet pink gown. Against his better judgement, his eyes flicker open as he stares at the thin, white curtain separating him from Sui Han. Against the golden firelight, he could clearly make out the distinct outline of her body and see every detail of her womanly curves. Unconsciously, he holds his breath, as if breathing would alarm her to the fact that he is staring at her.

Gritting his teeth against temptation, he silently scolds himself and determinedly clamps his eyes shut. "Shame on you, Lam Yik Lun!" He lectures to himself in his mind. "Your parents brought you up to be a gentleman, so act like one!" Keeping his eyes shut, he mentally reviews his sword fighting techniques. Unfortunately, his traitorous mind insists on wandering back to thoughts of Sui Han…of her stripping out of her wet clothes just a few feet away…within reaching distance…

Finally, unable to withstand the torture any longer, Lun opens one eye and peeks toward the direction of the curtain, just in time to see her silhouette leap backwards and hear her scream in fright.

"Sui Han!" Lun calls out in alarm as he dashes toward her, grabbing onto her right before tumbling with her down the long, dark tunnel behind the trap door on the cave wall behind the straw bed…

[Psycho Cat aka Cathy]

UPDATE NOW

[Psycho Cat aka Cathy]

Where are you now? Are you updating the fanfic? Please update the fanfic. I am dying here.

[Suet Seung]

I see where your persistent hunter attitude comes from. Cathy goes after you to update and you come after me and pressures and threatens me to update now...hahhaha interesting game of threats..haha....UPDATE!!!! MEL!!

[Psycho Cat aka Cathy]

True, she got it from me. My Chait Mui, used to be so calm and patient. Now she is like me! Hehehe. By the way, what is the name of the fanfic do you wrote, Suet Seung?

Melanie you better up, girl? Don't want to give run over do you?

[Suet Seung]

Cathy, I'm not telling you which fanfics I'm writing, you could find out on your own but I'm not telling you and MEL YOU BETTER NOT TELL OR let her know!!!!

I don't think Mel was ever patient and calm...she's innately impatient and crazy, you just unlocked the door that kept her from showing her true nature. : Very scary....

[kidd]

I'm up to chapter 7 now and I really really cannot stand Sui Han. This girl annoys me to no end. Now, I really need a BIG dose of Chi Chi to balance up my feelings.

[Psycho Cat aka Cathy]

Kidd, do mean the character or the actress? How does she annoy you? I though her character is interesting, since she is kinda mysterious.

[kidd]

It's the character I cannot stand not the actress. I have nothing against Annie Man.
Well, it's hard to explain in one sentence why she annoys me. So, this will be quite a long-winded paragraph, so bear with me.
First, it is her fainting female, damsel-in-distress, who hides behind people timidly in times of trouble and need to be protected all the time character. This kind of character does not appeal to me. But even though her timid act annoys me a little in the beginning, I can still reason it out. She has been mistreated and rejected throughout most of the young life, so, I understand her timidness and lack of self-esteem. But the moment after she gain her freedom, she suddenly become BOLD. She walks away to look at hairpins without ask her Dai Siu Yeh's permission or informing him first. Isn't she in the middle of a conversation with Wai Sun at that time? How can she walks away when her Siu Yeh is suppose to still be in conversation to her? And the way she grumbles about Ho Man ("You pervert! You've got some nerve to stalk me in broad daylight!" She grumbles angrily under her breath). Where is the timidness?
And then at the kitchen, she teases Wai Sun and act like an equal to him. Where again is the timidness? Later in Wai Sun's room, when she sees the hairpin, she looks all in awe of them, making it so obvious that she like them. But when Wai Sun want to give it to her, she act all reluctant and then turn demure and shy again. And her look of wonder when Wai Sun says he bought the hairpin for her. Oh, please.... even the blind can see Wai Sun is interested in her. Although, I'm very sure that Melanie didn't mean to, but this flip-flop in character make her look FAKE. Like all her timid behavior is just an act. It's like she act helpless and timid when there's trouble, but when the trouble is gone, her true color comes outs. And then there's the time when Hung Yee has implied that she get the hairpin because she slept with Wai Sun. Yes, she has every right to be angry...WITH HUNG YEE. But she directs her anger towards innocent Wai Sun who has shown nothing but kindness towards her since the time he met her. Where is the timidness again? This make her look very unreasonable. The only time I ever like this her is when she insists on working as a servant in the Lam family to pay off her debts. At least at that time, she shows some intergrity and backbone.

Yes, my current favourite character, Chi Chi can be very unreasonable too. But she's frank and genuine. What u see is what u get. U didn't see any fakeness in her. Plus she is funny.

I might too harsh on Sui Han, but that's how she makes me feel.

P.S. this is only my feeling towards Sui Han up to chapter 7. I have not read further chapters yet.

[Psycho Cat aka Cathy]

I will not reveal any spoiler after chapter seven. You got a point, however, I will have to disagree on a couple of things.

First of all, as you know that Melanie is a very talented writer with a great plot and skillful at it too. Sui Han the character is written on purpose. The way Melanie is writing the story, which I am up to chapter 38. I would say that Melanie is hinting us something about Sui Han. I don't think she writes Sui Han as a damsel in distress type of character. She is not a damsel in distress. I think you got to read up to chapter 38 and find out it for yourself.

Now, as for the part where Ho Man's stalks her. I mean wouldn't any woman would have a similar reaction as her? If a strange man follow you or stalked you, I think that you would have that kind of reaction, epecially in broad daylight. Any type of women would probably have the same reaction as her. I mean what are you suppose to do? Plus he is stalking her in the daylight. I mean for a strange man to stalked her in the daylight, it would be kind of stupid. And I understand why she would say that. I would too. Come on it in the daylight.

I agree even a blind person can see that Wai Sun likes Sui Han. However, I find that pretty funny. I think Melanie meant to do that on purpose. It add comic relief to the story. The readers thinks it is obvious, but sometimes the person themselves can not see what other see. Think about in the world, things can be real obvious yet most people can not see it for themselves.

Kidd, I like your attitude.

[Suet Seung]

Hey Mel.

I think I'll try to start read your fanfic, been so busy with homework, web design, and writing my own fanfics( mind you, I got two fanfics plus a co-write so time is limited) I haven't been reading many fanfics lately but I will try to find time to read your fanfic, from what Cathy says about it, I think I'll go snoop around and see when you'll KILL KRISTY!!!!! HAahha Okay...update gurl!

-SS

[kidd]

Originally posted by Psycho Cat aka Cathy
Now, as for the part where Ho Man's stalks her. I mean wouldn't any woman would have a similar reaction as her? If a strange man follow you or stalked you, I think that you would have that kind of reaction, epecially in broad daylight. Any type of women would probably have the same reaction as her. I mean what are you suppose to do? Plus he is stalking her in the daylight. I mean for a strange man to stalked her in the daylight, it would be kind of stupid. And I understand why she would say that. I would too. Come on it in the daylight.

Yeah, I guess u are right. Most women would probably have the same reaction. But the way she said and calling him pervert. It sounds like "You pervert, HOW DARE to stalk me in broad daylight". Also, I have mentioned that Sui Han appeared to be gentle and timid, so grumbling and calling people pervert because they stare admiringly at her doesn't seem all gentle and timid.

There's also another reason that makes me annoyed with Sui Han for that grumble. Besides Sui Han, Melanie also describe the feelings of Ho Man when he first saw Sui Han. He was absolutely besotted and bewitch by her. It's just understandable that he stares. While I read this part, this scene keep playing in my mind
"A guy was minding his own business drinking tea, then he saw this beautiful, lovely girl. He totally fell for her and can't get his eyes off her. Then the girl walk away. Afraid to lost her, he ran after her". Sounds like a what a hero in a romance novel/movie will do right? Think about it. If you replace Ho Man (the villain) with Wai Sun (the hero) will you still feel he is stalking?

Because of this line "Ho Man looks up from his wine, trying to locate the source of the gentle, sweet melody, and sees a vision of delicate beauty in front of him. He gazes at her, bewitched, his wine forgotten" that Melanie wrote about Ho Man feelings, I don't think what he did is perverted and that make Sui Han seem overeacting (and kinda prejudice too). If it was Wai Sun (who we all know is the hero and whom all of us want to end up with Sui Han) who stared and ran after Sui Han, I bet most will just see it as romantic.

[kidd]

Hi, Melanie,
I found a small mistake here. It's in chapter 9.

Unfortunately, Ho Man quickly responds by flinging two small knives at the flute, knocking it down. Meanwhile Mun Lung's sword continues to shoot through the air toward Mun Lung. Gong Yu and Chi Chi, with too little time to halt the sword's progress, watch in horrified silence.

Should be Ho Man's sword.

I'm really sad at what happen to Hung Yee. I was hoping that she would succeed in making Mun Lung love her. Too bad it didn't happen.

[Melanie]

Hi, everyone! Thanks for being so patient with me.

CHAPTER 39 --- FORBIDDEN LOVE

Previously in Legendary Book of Sun-Moon Swordplay:

In Chapter 22, Sui Han, injured by the Master's Blood Shadow Palm, loses consciousness in the woods near the outskirts of the City of Hoi Yeung. There, two disciples from the Six Swords Manor, Yip Fung and his junior martial sister, Suen Ling Wan, rescue her. They soon discover that she is the person whom they have been looking for when they realize that she possesses a certain jade pendant, one that looks like a replica of their teacher's. The significance of the pendant and Sui Han's relationship to the Six Swords Manor shall be revealed in later chapters.

Unfortunately, before Yip Fung and Ling Wan are able to bring Sui Han to meet their teacher, Wong Hup Ming, they are attacked by Red Executioner, one of the members from a mysterious evil sect, led by an unidentified leader known as the Master (Chapters 28, 29, and 30). While Yip Fung and Ling Wan battle with Red Executioner, Sui Han awakens and wanders off. Since then, both Six Swords Manor disciples have been searching for her.

Meanwhile, Sui Han, after wandering off, first encounters Fei and Keung. Their original plan to bring her back to the Sun Moon Sect headquarters to seek the Sect Leader's help in healing Sui Han's Blood Shadow Palm injury is hindered when they discover Sui Han kidnapped by Blue Executioner at Jade Orchid Town. Fortunately, Lun rescues her. Both seek shelter from the snow in a nearby cave, but unknowingly activate a hidden trap door on the cave's wall. Both tumble down the dark tunnel into unknown territory.

The story continues from here.

Characters appearing in this chapter:
Bae Yong Joon---Yip Fung
Joyce Tang Lai Ming---Suen Ling Wan
Song Yun Ah---Tong Mei Si
Gilbert Lam Wai Sun---Lam Yik Lun
Annie Man Chung Han---So Sui Han
Kristy Yeung Gong Yu---Lam Suk Yu

NEAR THE BORDERS OF TONG VILLAGE
SEVERAL MILES AWAY FROM JADE ORCHID TOWN
NIGHTFALL

Through the bitterly cold, dark night, two figures trek slowly and steadily across the snow-covered land, with the tall man leading the way in silence and the slender woman trailing at a slower pace behind. A chill snakes its way across the quiet night, wrapping its icy tentacles firmly around the two humans. Ignoring the freezing weather, the man and woman continue their journey in stoic silence. To their right, a spark of firelight flickers brilliantly from a villager's home in Tong Village, a small farming community situated on the outskirts of the more populated and citified Jade Orchid Town.

Catching sight of that small, yet warm, flicker of firelight from the corner of his eyes, Yip Fung suddenly stops in his tracks, his right hand tightening unconsciously around his sheathed sword. As still as a stone statue, he remains glued to the ground, oblivious of the wind whipping furiously around him and the flurry of snowflakes landing onto his shoulders, soaking his long, fur cloak. Above, the dark clouds separate like a curtain, revealing the white, full moon behind, allowing its silvery rays to shine down directly onto the lone man, clearly outlining his handsome features.

Behind him, Ling Wan sighs, her expression filled with sympathy. "Senior Martial Brother, why don't you just go and visit her? We are here, right outside Tong Village, anyway. Why not just stop by and see her?"

Yip Fung remains silent, his features set in stone, a tiny muscle in his jaw ticking uncontrollably, the only sign that he heard Ling Wan's comment. For an indeterminable amount of time, he stands there, near the entrance of Tong Village, his heart galloping furiously, partly from uncertainty and partly from longing.

"Senior Martial Brother?" Ling Wan calls from behind. "Senior Martial Brother!" She calls out to him again, her voice tinged with exasperation. Trotting up to him, she folds her arms across her chest, her lips tightened into a firm line. "Just go and see her! We both know you have been thinking of her nonstop all these years. Since you are practically at her doorstep, why don't you just stop by and visit with her?"

"No." Yip Fung answers tersely. "Teacher wants us to look for the person who carries the jade pendant which matches his. We have finally found that person a few months ago unconscious in the woods in the outskirts of the City of Hoi Yeung. Too bad we were too busy dueling with that man in black with the red waist sash (Red Executioner) to notice that she had wandered off. Since we have received news that she is somewhere near Jade Orchid Town, we should just locate her immediately before she moves on to a different town again."

Ling Wan sighs again. "Stop giving yourself excuses! You WANT to see her! I have known you since we were children. We are like siblings! I KNOW you want to see her!"

Clenching his jaw, Fung walks determinedly past her and ignores her exclamations. Sighing loudly, as if reprimanding a wayward child, Ling Wan runs up and blocks his path, stretching her arms out. "What are you afraid of, Senior Martial Brother?! It is not your style to be this timid! Go see her! It will make you feel much better!"

"No." He replies, his frown fierce enough to scare to the bravest of souls.

However, since Ling Wan has known him since childhood and sees him as an older brother, she persists in her pestering. "Why in the world not? Why are you so afraid?" She shoots the question out. "Why?"

"Because she is my stepmother!" Fung finally hollers, his chest heaving with exertion, his fists clenched from the bitter irony and pain of having romantic feelings for his stepmother, of all people.

All around, snow continues to fall, like flecks of cotton, flittering gently in the air. The wind howls, each gust sounding like the blast from a cannon in the tense silence following Yip Fung's angry and painful exclamation.

Finally, Ling Wan speaks slowly, her voice calm and quiet. "She is not truly your stepmother, and you know it. For goodness sakes! She is younger than you are by several years! And your father, the old pervert, thankfully passed away a few days before the date of the wedding."

Shaking his head in frustration, Fung swallows painfully. "But she is nevertheless my stepmother in name. And no matter how much of a womanizer my father was, I have to respect the woman he was about to marry. The whole martial arts world knew of the wedding. My old man invited practically every sect and school to his wedding in an attempt to flaunt his marriage to the young and beautiful daughter of the Golden Lion Escort Agency!" Turning abruptly, he hurls his sword toward a nearby tree. The sword separates into six rotating blades midair before striking the old, sturdy tree with amazing speed. A series of explosions erupt, as the tree collapses to the snow, seconds before the six rotating blades return to Fung's hand.

Ling Wan stares silently at the man she has come to admire and love as a brother. "Are you telling me you would rather hide from her and from your feelings because you are afraid of what others will say?"

"If I pursue a romantic relationship with Mei Si, she will be forever shunned by the martial arts world. I don't care about my reputation, but I do care about hers. She has always been proud of her family's escort agency. Can you imagine the torture she will go through if her family name is soiled because of my selfishness?" Seeing Ling Wan about to interrupt him, Fung quickly turns away and speaks desolately. "Besides, I don't even know what her feelings are for me. Let's just go. We should find shelter and rest before continuing our search for that young woman (Sui Han) tomorrow morning." Briskly, he begins walking away.

Standing where he left her, Ling Wan frowns and finally shouts to her senior martial brother. "I didn't realize you are such a coward, Martial Brother."

Ahead, Yip Fung abruptly stops at her challenging words. Closing his eyes, he sighs in defeat and allows visions of his stepmother, the young woman he loves, to filter through his mind. In the silence of the night, he could hear her tinkling laughter, smell her alluring fragrance, see her delicate features. When he opens his eyes again, he sees Ling Wan standing in front of him, observing him with dark, solemn eyes.

"There's a cave up ahead." Ling Wan points to the shelter in the distance. "I will wait for you there." Jerking her head toward the direction of Tong Village, she encourages gently. "Go see her." With those parting words, she heads toward the cave, leaving Yip Fung alone.

TONG VILLAGE
OUTSIDE THE TONG FAMILY COTTAGE

The night grows colder, as icy currents of wind sweep mercilessly across the land, slashing ruthlessly at the sparse leaves clinging desperately to the tree branches and sending a family of four rabbits scurrying for cover. Near a dense grove of pine trees stands a small, single-room, wooden cottage, simply fashioned but sturdy and solid against the harsh winter. A few feet from the cottage, a young woman, delicate and slender, sits on a smooth, flat rock under one of the pine trees, cooing to the furry bunny cuddled protectively in her arms. Her flowing white gown, simple yet elegant, blends in with the snowy wonderland surrounding her. Above, glossy evergreen pine needles glimmer like tiny pinpoints of light when reflected off the silvery rays of the moon. A gust of wind sweeps by, bringing with it a flurry of snowflakes, which dance wildly in the air before landing onto the young woman's sleek, midnight black hair, lingering there gently like lacy blossoms.

Into this alluring scene walks a tall, proud man, his usually stern, handsome features softened by the tender look in his eyes as he quietly observes the young lady from behind the dense collection of pine trees. While she babbles softly to the bunny in her arms as if holding a serious conversation with the animal, he smiles slightly, his heart warming at the sight of his beloved.

Unaware of his presence, Tong Mei Si lifts the bunny to her face and nuzzles her nose against the animal's white fur. Returning the rabbit to her lap, she strokes its back lovingly. "Don't be afraid, little one. I will take care of your leg injury. You'll be hopping around again in no time."

Shivering slightly from the cold, she finally stands up and starts toward her cottage. Seeing her about to leave, Yip Fung shifts slightly from his hiding place, his boots making a scratching sound as it scrapes against a loose pebble on the stone path. Hearing the noise, the young woman stops suddenly.

With lightening speed, she whips out two short, straight silver daggers. As the daggers flash through the air like twin comets, a loud clang echoes through the silence as six rotating swords fly out to meet the daggers midair before hooking on to them. As the six swords rapidly return to the man behind the trees, bringing with them the twin daggers, the young woman flips through the air toward the grove of trees, her arms outstretched. Meeting him in a clash of palms, she then backflips three times in the air, staggering slightly from her encounter with such strong internal energy.

Assuming an attack position upon landing, Tong Mei Si demands, "Who are you? Reveal yourself!"

At her request, the tall man flips out from the grove of trees, her twin daggers and his sword clutched in his hand. "Second Mother, how are you?"

Recognizing the man's voice, Mei Si lowers her hands and ventures cautiously forward, her eyes gradually making out his tall silhouette in the darkness. "Fung? Is that you?" As she nears him, she breaks out into a brilliant smile, her eyes lighting up. "It is you!" She laughs joyously, before running up to him. Halting directly in front of him, she stares up at his familiar features, so handsome and stern. Yet, a touch of sadness and loneliness lingers in his eyes.

"I'm sorry for not revealing myself earlier, Second Mother, but you were so engrossed with your little furry friend that I did not want to disturb you." Yip Fung hands Mei Si's twin daggers back to her. As his fingers accidentally brush against hers, he frowns slightly at the quickening of his heartbeat.

Beaming at him, Mei Si regards him fondly. "Fung, you have changed so much since I have last seen you three years ago at the wedding gathering. You seem taller and more handsome!" She laughs softly, her voice like musical notes to his ears. "Look at me! Chattering up a storm! You must be tired and hungry. Why don't you come inside the cottage, and I will warm some food up for you."

She starts toward the cottage, but stops suddenly when she realizes that he remains rooted to the spot where she left him. "What's wrong? Why are you still standing there?" She calls out to him.

"Uh, nothing is wrong, Second Mother." Taking in deep breath, he follows her into the small cottage.

INSIDE THE COTTAGE

As they enter the cottage, a blast of warm air quickly embraces them. The simple room boasts a simple wooden table pushed up against the far wall. Two stools flank the table. A miniature clay stove stands a few feet from the table. Against the opposite wall, hidden partially behind a silk screen, is a bamboo bed. An old wash basin, ruthlessly scrubbed clean, sits on a medium height stone stand near the head of the bed.

"Please excuse the simple surroundings, Fung." Mei Si brings out the stool and gestures for him to sit. "What would you like to eat? I have some freshly made pork buns."

"Second Mother, there is no need to go through all the trouble. I have already eaten today."

"Nonsense! I have plenty of pork buns to go around. What kind of hostess would I be if I didn't offer you anything?" Pushing him gently toward the stool again, she turns around and bustles around the stove. Uncovering a woven basket of buns, she places three into a metal pot and lights up the stove. The single flame from the candle on the table flickers slowly, casting shadows onto her face, accentuating her elegant features, the delicate arch of her brows, the straight, slightly upturned nose, the red bowed lips. Her alabaster skin flushes prettily against the warmth of the fire under the stove.

Mesmerized by the lovely woman in front of him, Yip Fung simply stares at her, lost in his own thoughts. A small yelp from Mei Si brings him abruptly out of his reverie. Rushing up to her, he calls out, "What's wrong?" Seeing her clutching at her left hand, he immediately drops his sword onto the stone floor and grabs at her burned hand, forgetting about propriety. "You've hurt yourself!"

"Oh, it's just a very light burn! I'm fine." She points to the slightly red tinged skin on the back of her left hand. "Look, the skin isn't even broken."

As she begins to withdraw her hand, Fung grabs at it again, a stubborn expression on his face. "You've burned yourself!" He repeats himself, his heart silently aching from seeing her perfect skin marred with a bit of redness. He bends his head and blows softly on her hand, trying to alleviate the sting. Lifting his head, he finds her staring at him embarrassingly.

Quickly withdrawing her hand away, Mei Si backs away a few steps, her cheeks burning a crimson color. "I'm fine." She hides her hand behind her back. "Son...," she adds awkwardly.

Hearing her address him as her son, Fung's pupils suddenly dilate in fury. "Second Mother, aren't you lonely here?" He asks, his voice quiet and carefully controlled.

"Lonely?" Mei Si repeats. A tinge of sadness flickers fleetingly across her eyes as she smiles gently. "Your father died so unexpectedly of a heart attack right before the wedding. Shortly afterward, bandits killed my parents while they were on an escort mission. From then on, I have lived here alone for three years." Lost in her own thoughts, she walks over to the small window to stare out at the light flakes drifting down from the dark heavens. "I should be used to the quietness by now."

Silently, Fung comes to stand behind her by the window. "Second Mother, I am sorry. I should have visited you more often. I should have taken better care of you after my father's death."

Continuing to stare blankly out into the night, Mei Si sighs. "Don't be silly, Fung. I can look after myself. You have your own life to live. How would you expect to meet young ladies with your Second Mother tagging along?" She jokes, trying to lighten the mood. Turning around to look at him, she laughs. However, the teasing sparkle in her eyes dies down quickly when she notices the dark, smoldering look in Fung's eyes.

"You're a young woman, too, Second Mother." He counters seriously. Suddenly, with a burst of defiance, he grabs both of her hands, clutching them close to his heart. "Come with me, Second Mother. I will take care of you for the rest of your life."

"No!" Yanking her hands away from his warm grasp, she gasps at him. "What are you talking about? I am your mother!"

"No, you're not!" He raises his voice in anger. In a fit of fury, he pounds his right fist onto the wooden table, the strength behind the punch shattering the sturdy wood and causing the dishes stacked neatly on the table to crash to the floor. "YOU ARE NOT MY MOTHER! YOU HAVEN'T EVEN GONE THROUGH THE WEDDING CEREMONY WITH MY FATHER YET!"

Advancing toward her, he clutches at her shoulders, his eyes glazed with desire. "Mei Si, I love you. I have been in love with you the day my father brought you home to the Yip Mansion and introduced you as his future bride. Please let me take care of you, Mei Si. Please?"

SLAP!

The sting from her slap throbs painfully on his cheek. But the physical pain pales pitifully compared to the agony ripping through his heart. Fung's arms slowly drop back down to his sides. Tension, thick and suffocating, settles upon the room, as both man and woman stare at each other. Seconds and then minutes tick by, and yet the silence continues.

Suddenly, the door of the cottage swings open and Ling Wan bursts through, breathing heavily. "Senior Martial Brother! I think I've found that young woman we have been searching for! You know, the one with the jade pendant that matches the one Teacher is always carrying around?" She gestures excitedly. "I found two sets of damp clothing in that cave I was at while waiting for you to visit with Sister Mei Si! Next to one set of garments, I found THIS laying on top of a rock!" Dangling Sui Han's jade pendant triumphantly in front of Yip Fung's face, she exclaims happily. "Hurry! I will take you there! I think she fell down some tunnel I found behind a trap door on the cave's wall!"

Practically bursting at the seams with excitement, Ling Wan rushes back out the cottage. Noticing her senior martial brother still glued to the spot, she halts just out the cottage and gives him an exasperated glare. "Well, come on, you two! Hurry!"

Looking from Ling Wan to Mei Si, Yip Fung suddenly makes a decision. Grabbing Mei Si's hand firmly, he drags her along with him. "Come with me!"

Caught by surprise, Mei Si obediently follows along. After a short moment, however, she snaps out of her puzzled state and digs her heels into the ground, refusing to go any further. "No! I'm not going with you! What are you doing, dragging me around? I am your Second Mother!" She rages at him, shocked.

Ignoring her tirade, Fung bends at the waist and flings her over his shoulder like a sack of vegetables. Flipping into the air, he flies off, following close behind Ling Wan, heading toward the cave.

MEANWHILE...
AT THE CAVE

"Ahhhh!" Sui Han screams as she and Lun slide down the dark tunnel behind the trap door inside the cave. Wrapping her arms tightly around his waist, she closes her eyes in fright.

Beside her, Lun squints in an effort to see in the darkness. "Be careful, Sui Han! We're coming towards the end of the tunnel."

Just as he ends his statement, both burst out the end of the tunnel and crash onto a thick mat of straw. Landing in a tangle of arms and legs, both struggle to sit up. From the corner of the dark and dank cell, a female voice calls out in alarm. "Who is it?!"

Swiveling toward the voice, Lun stares into the darkness. He finally manages to make out the blurry outline of a slender young woman sitting cross-legged on the floor at the corner of the cell. "Suk Yu!" He calls out to his younger sister in surprise.

[Psycho Cat aka Cathy]

Melanie needs to update or this Psycho Cat will actually turn into a Psycho who will stalk Chait Mui to death or until she update the next chapter.

[kidd]

hei, give her a break. She just updated the story 2 hours ago.

[Psycho Cat aka Cathy]

Well, my name is Psycho for nothing. You got to realize that I am really crazy. You just glad that I don't go after you for the fun of it.

[Lingz13]

Hi Melanie,

I am here to give you more support. So you are up to Chapter 39 already. I know that I have been been in Absent Mode for a long time. That's because I haven't had time to read through the chapters yet. But no matter what, don't slow down on your updates. You know the reason lah. Dangerous.

[FanFan]

Heeyyy Mel! Long time no see, how have you been?
Wow already 39 chapters...I'm catching up very slowly. Great writing, keep it up!