The genius and the death god

Han Lou walked through a number of small alleys and stepped through the back yards of a few shops until he arrived in front of an old looking, rundown shop. An old, rusty metal sign was attached above the door and read:

“Ta’s Umbrellas”

Just as the shop, the entire street seemed to be desolate and impoverished. Only a few people walked around the small and slanting booths and even fewer bought the wares sold on the ramshackle, old bars. At first glance this area seemed to be the worst and dirtiest part of the market and yet all the customers walking around the shops and booths wore expensive and rare clothes.

The contrast was so stark that those few who somehow got lost and stumbled into these remote alleys could not help but wonder whether they were seeing things.

One glance at the price tags on those goods sold around these shops explained both the wealth of the buyers and the scarcity of something being bought.

The prices for even the smallest, meager fruit were astronomical and yet there were still people willing to buy the common looking items and clothes sold there. Even more confusing was the appearance of the sellers. Their prizes were grand enough to even shock the major clans and yet they dressed in rugs and had dirt smeared across their faces.

Their miserable figures could invoke pity in even the lowliest beggars, but to the rich scions of the wealthy clans they were esteemed elders that had to be treated with uttermost respect.

Those odd and eccentric elders who were feared by the few who knew of their existence greeted Han Lou as he came strolling towards them.

“Long time no see brat!”, an elderly man with crocked teeth and few, slivery hairs spoke. He stood behind a rotting, tilted booth with layers of simple, dried grass spread across the counter. A glance as the price tag would make even the clan-chief of the Han clan frown.

Those dried blades of common grass were sold for the price of a mansion!

Han Lou faced the elder with a friendly smile.

“Elder Li, it has truly been a long time. That said I hope you have stayed out of trouble.”, his expression seemed kind and at ease, but the words he spoke made the elder change his expression.

An apprehensive look appeared in his eyes as he chuckled wryly.

“Don’t you worry brat. We old men have no interest in the trouble of those hotblooded twats.”, he scratched his head and gave Han Lou a strange glance.

“Are you sure we shouldn’t get involved though? We could easily trash those immature children.”

Han Lou smiled at the elder’s words. Then he slowly shook his head.

“There is no need for that. The trouble will have ended by the time I have bought my new umbrella.”, saying these words he politely bowed to the elder and turned around to walk towards the umbrella shop.

Elder Li remained behind his counter, the old wrinkled face bearing an expression of thoughtfulness. He had lived for many hundred years, longer than most other beings in this part of the market, but in all that time he had never seen a young man quite comparable to this young master of the Han clan.

“How the heck did he manage to hide himself this well?”, he wondered aloud. Then his eyes fell on one of the wealthy customers walking around the alley.

“Hey, you, come over and buy a blade!”, he chuckled as he saw the man’s despairing expression. It did not matter whether he wanted to buy one of his grass blades, in the end he would have no other choice unless he wanted to risk offending the old man.

Han Lou heard the old man’s voice and chuckled as he felt sympathy for the unlucky man who was now forced to use his fortune. Continuing his path, he walked through the old, black door of the umbrella shop. Paint was peeling off and it was partially rotten. That said Han Lou knew that it had been that way for many hundred years.

“Oh, if it isn’t Han Lou, long time not seen you little bastard!”, a hoarse voice came rumbling the moment Han Lou entered the shop.

A large, burly man with extraordinarily ugly facial features sat on a small chair and was handling an old, black umbrella. Two pale white eyes stared at Han Lou as the blind man smiled towards him.

Han Lou sighed.

“Long time not seen old Ta. I did not come for you though, I’ve heard there is a beautiful girl around here?”

The ugly man laughed, and his meaty face contorted.

“Sure, there is!”, he continued to chuckle as he turned around.

“Little lady, a brat is looking for you.”, he shouted towards the back of the shop.

Rows upon rows of umbrellas were stacked up there, forming long and narrow corridors and creating a rather unique sight. The sound of someone turning around and walking out of these small corridors was followed by the appearance of a young woman.

Han Lou’s eyes flashed as he laid eyes on this about sixteen years old girl. It was not because of her unusual beauty and the yet black hair that could tempt even monks. It was also not because of the incredible craftsmanship of the crimson red umbrella in her hands.

It was because it was this girl who had killed his cousin last night. She was the person he had been searching for the entire day.

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“What do you need?”, the girl asked him with curious eyes. She could not remember seeing this young man before and it was unlikely that anybody knew her in this city, so why would someone come to see her?

She was truly curious.

Han Lou did not answer immediately. Instead he slightly tilted his head and began to carefully observe the girl. It was an odd and weird action and most girls would just turn around and leave seeing him behave like this.

This girl however felt even more intrigued.

Finally, Han Lou had finished observing her. He lifted his eyes and looked straight into her eyes. His face was calm and relaxed, but a dangerous light glimmered in his eyes.

“So, you were the death god who killed my cousin.”

His words were followed by silence.

Old Ta’s face suddenly fell as he heard these words and he immediately went to grab the black umbrella on his lap. The girl on the other hand looked surprised, her eyebrows risen and her mouth slightly agape.

She curiously mustered the young man in front of her and began to nod.

“So, you are the person who wrote the message on the wall.”

Her words were similar to Han Lou’s, but the intent behind them was different.

“I did not think you would notice it.”, the young man’s eyes narrowed as he appeared to be pondering about something.

She smiled.

“’Grandfather is coming home.’

I did not know what this was supposed to mean until you appeared here. How nice of you to reassure your cousin that his death was not the end to your branch.”, she pretended to be calm but inwardly she was quietly musing.

The Grandfather she was speaking of was naturally Han Lou’s grandfather, Han Gu-Ka. In other words, the mighty general of the Han-clan was returning with his entire army.

This young man was clearly incredible. Last night when she had snuck into Han Guan-Shi’s room and killed him a single sentence written on the wall behind her was enough to allow Han Guan-Shi to die a peaceful death. The truly scary thing about it was the fact that these words had been written there before she had even decided to kill the scion of the Han-clan in his own room.

In other word, the young man in front of her had anticipated her arrival and the death of his own cousin.

And now he was standing in front of her.

Han Lou continued to silently look at her.

“What is your name?”, he suddenly asked with an innocent expression.

Once again, his actions surprised and confused the girl. She stared at him before beginning to chuckle. Soon after that chuckle turned into a roaring laughter.

“I really didn’t think you would ask me about my name.”, she said still laughing.

Han Lou did not respond and patiently waited for her response.

“Mai.”, the girl stopped laughing and spoke.

“My name is Mai. It’s been a long time since anybody called me that though. I curious though, you came here and found me, yet instead of trying to avenge your cousin you are calmly asking for the name of his killer?

In the first place, why do you think I wouldn’t kill you? After all as far as I am concerned you are a far greater genius than that boy from last night.”, as she spoke a faint killing intent radiated from the girls eyes followed by a burst of power.

Suddenly the formerly normal girl became a true, almighty goddess.

“Kid… don’t force it.”, the moment Mai released her killing intent the fat umbrella-maker grabbed his shabby old umbrella.

A second godly aura exploded out from his burly build and restrained Mai’s raging power.

Old Te’s face had turned serious as he rose up from his chair and opened his umbrella. Even more energy was released, forming a sea of power and raging towards Mai.

The girl’s eyes narrowed, and a cold smile appeared on her lips.

“You think a god like you can hold a candle against me?”, she too opened her beautiful red umbrella and as she did her aura began to rise, battling against the might of the old god and gradually overpowering him.

Old Te’s expression turned even more serious as he continued to channel even more of his power.

Suddenly a second voice boomed out from outside the building. The ground shook as a third aura rapidly increased in power.

“He can’t but I can.”, it was elder Li’s voice that shook the ground and rocked the heaven.

This third aura exploded into the room as his old, thin body appeared in the door. Around him swirled a whole sea of grass blades, glistering in the light. It turned out that the old man did not sell simple dried grass. Each and every of those blades were weapons capable of slicing steel and breaking stone.

Mai’s face turned serious as she saw a second god emerge in this originally lowkey market.

“Are you kidding me?”, she said with a frosty voice as her face fell.

But that was not the end of it.

After Elder Li and Old Te had stepped forward more and more godly auras appeared outside the shop as the shop keepers of those small, old stalls suddenly turned into invincible gods and goddesses. Most of the customers hurried away as they did not want to get caught up in a conflict between gods, but those gods who had hidden themselves deep in the market send out their might, threatening and suppressing Mai’s aura.

The girl’s face fell even more as fear appeared in her beautiful eyes.

Originally, she had only wanted to threaten that young man and amuse herself, so how could the situation escalate to this point?!

“Calm down everyone.”, at the center of all this incredible power Han Lou suddenly spoke. Somehow, he had remained calm and fine even after having to face the on slaughter of multiple gods’ auras. Now that he spoke his face was still as relaxed and laid back as it had been before.

Surprisingly as soon as his words left his mouth old Te and Elder Li retracted their auras. Even the gods outside the building restrained their powers. Within a single moment the situation had completely reversed and even Mai forced herself to retrieve her aura.

Then she stared at Han Lou, even more surprise and confusion in her eyes. But most importantly she now had admiration and respect for this youth.

Part of that was the fact that over a dozen gods had jumped to his help the moment he was in danger. The other was the fact that she could feel the power of a peak swords master on this young man who was no older than 18 years old.

Even Han Guan-Shi, the publicly renown peak of the younger generation and genius of the Han-clan had only been a beginner stage swords master, remaining at the very bottom of that tier despite being three years older than Han Lou.

She couldn’t understand how someone this outstanding could remain unknown and why he would even choose to remain outside the public eye. Then she remembered Han Guan-Shi’s fate and a wry smile appeared on her enchanting red lips.

“I’m sorry for the trouble.”, to everyone’s surprise Mai suddenly closed the umbrella, bowed deeply and apologized.

“I was only joking, please don’t take offense.”, her voice was sincere, but most of the elders couldn’t quite believe her words.

Han Lou on the other hand nodded.

“You are free to go.”, he pointed towards the door. Then a smile appeared on his face.

“I will pay for that umbrella. Next time it’s your treat though!”, for some reason it seemed like he was now flirting with the girl.

Old Te and Elder Li exchanged awkward glances as they couldn’t quite follow the absurdity of this sudden change.

Once again Mai gave him a deep look, finding herself unable to truly understand the young man in front of her. She nodded, and a beautiful smile curled on her lips.

Then it was replaced by a slight frown.

“There is just one thing I don’t understand. Why didn’t you use the gods here to suppress the other branches? A dozen gods are more than enough to suppress even the mightiest clan not to speak of some weak side branches!”, before she walked away she couldn’t help but satisfy her curiosity.

He shook his head.

“The Han-clans matters shall be resolved by the Han-clan.”

She thought about his words and finally nodded. Stepping towards the entrance to the shop she opened the crimson umbrella and placed it over her head.

“It seems like my current masters have already lost.”, as her words left her lips her figure disappeared through the door.

Moments later a loud voice echoed through the entire market.

“HAN GU-KA HAS RETURNED!”

The capital was once again plunged into chaos.