Spring bloomed quickly into summer, and then passed into early autumn as Chan Bik and Sek Gon settled into life at Mount Fa.

Or, more accurately, they had beds they could use every night, but that was about as much settling as they achieved.

Sek Gon was forever wandering off, and Gou Dzing, as the head disciple of the leading school of Mount Fa, would regularly catch him casually strolling along the road away from the Sect, despite various guards and patrols swearing they had never seen him leave.

Punishment didn't seem to do anything. In fact, the first time Sek Gon was brought to the Discipline Hall, Gou Dzing handed him paper, ink, and a brush, and sat him down to make copies of The Guiding Principles of the Reflective Sword Arts. The culprit looked at the paper, and at the brush in his hand, and at the complicated passage of text beside him.

"Eight times, Sek Si-hing. I'm sorry, but you don't get special treatment if you're staying here. Chan Si-mui is working hard, it's only right that you try your best too."

"..."

Gou Dzing sat down beside him. "Are you regretting coming here? Was I too pushy?" He habitually fiddled with the tassels of his sword. "Sek Si-hing, I think you've got amazing skills that could be very beneficial to the Reflective Sword Arts School. If you're able to prove yourself, you could very quickly become a teacher here. But that does mean following the rules of the sect and... if that's asking too much... if that's not what you want... I'll humbly admit that I brought you here selfishly and you're free to go and live your life."

The flick-flick of the tassels was clear in the quiet room.

Sek Gon looked at the brush.

"Sek Si-hing? You can say what you're thinking."

"... I don't know how to write."

The flick of the tassels stopped. "... Sek Si-hing... you never learnt?"

"No."

It was Gou Dzing's turn to scramble to organise a thousand thoughts that poured into his brain. "Then... your family was not well-off. I understand now."

"... what does that mean, to be 'well-off'?"

"Well, Chan Si-mui's family has a large house and a lot of land, as well as many workers. That makes them fairly rich."

"... I think... my family's house... about half the size?"

"And workers?"

"... maybe... a few..."

"And yet you never learnt to write? How old were you when Lord Gaam Bing took you as his disciple?"

"... I don't know."

The more he asked, the more questions Gou Dzing had.

"You don't... Your family didn't teach you to write?"

"They said I didn't want to learn."

Gou Dzing rubbed his face as though the gesture might remove the overwhelming feelings rising up. "I can understand Lord Gaam Bing not teaching you, but your family... 'You didn't want to learn'? What sort of excuse is that?"

"..."

"Where's your hometown? Who's your family?"

"... I don't know."

Flick-flick-flick went the tassels.

"Sek Si-hing... If you want to stay, I can teach you how to write. I can help you become a teacher here. I can... I can help you become someone no one looks down on, if that's what you want."

It was an unseasonably warm day. Even in the mountains, a hot breeze was drifting between the peaks. Gou Dzing could see the light sheen of sweat on Sek Gon's face.

"Sek Si-hing... Ah Gon... what is it that you want?"

The brush lay uselessly on the blank paper. Sek Gon's lowered eyes were fixed on the dry inkstone. "... I don't know."

Gou Dzing made a noise like he had put his hand on a hot coal. "Would you like to learn how to write?"

"..."

"Here, look at this." He handed Sek Gon a couple of pieces of paper. The first had four lines of characters, embellished with delicate drawings of blossoms. The writing was elegant and flowing. Gou Dzing read aloud over Sek Gon's shoulder.

"I wandered through the twilight/seeing pale flowers, delicate and disdainful/Then the sun rose, and I saw the hill before me/afire with light on a thousand petals. What do you think? Sounds nice?"

Sek Gon thought, and then nodded.

"Cheng Si-mui wrote that one. She has a very elegant hand, her words and her writing are gentle and pretty. And this one..."

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The second page also had four lines of characters, but the hand was much bolder, the strokes thicker and more defined than Cheng Baak-hap's flowing script. “Battling demons left and right/every day the same, then a flashing sword/cuts across my path/Unexpectedly, I trip over!"

"..."

"That... maybe isn't the best. It's kind of funny though."

"... Did you write that one?"

"..."

"..."

"Anyway, would you like to learn to write?"

Sek Gon picked up the second poem again.

"They were just disciples' scribbles," Gou Dzing said hastily, trying to surreptitiously take the page away. "A few of them were just sitting around writing poems together in their spare time-"

"Has Chan Bik seen them?" Sek Gon asked suddenly, and unexpectedly.

"No, she hasn't.... I mean, why would she need to see them?"

"... I'll learn to write."

"Really?" If Gou Dzing was a dog, his tail would have been wagging. It was certainly a sight to see, the tall and handsome 'jade' of Mount Fa standing excitedly by Sek Gon's side.

"I'll use this to practice," Sek Gon continued, waving the second poem gently.

Gou Dzing almost choked. "NO! Uh... not that one. There are better ones -"

"This one has clear writing, and there are useful words."

"But-"

"So what is this character here?"

"Since when did you get so talkative?"

After this, Sek Gon dutifully met Gou Dzing each day to practice writing, first by copying out the poem, slowly branching out to people's names, until he could write his own name, and those of Gou Dzing, Chan Bik, and Cheng Baak-hap.

Chan Bik eyed the writing critically. "What did you write these with, a knife? Uh... I mean, well done. You're learning very quickly."

Chan Bik was struggling. In a school filled with other hot-tempered disciples, she was forever getting into arguments, and occasionally fights. She was sporting a black eye as she put Sek Gon's writing down. Cheng Baak-hap offered a cold cloth and a worried look.

"It's okay, Cheng Si-dze, we all fight for a bit and then everyone forgets what it was all about and we're friends again."

The others knew very well that this wasn't the entire truth. Unlike the Fool's Way of the Mountain school which had a Grandmaster in residence, Clear Sight had a teacher who was at one of the higher stages of the art, Third Daan-tin Adept. Orange flecks in his eyes indicated that he had attained, as Sek Gon had, the sight arts of his practice. No one knew his name; he was simply referred to as Fire Master.

And he ran the school as his personal playground. He had favourites amongst the students, was not very adept at organising lessons, and became angry quickly when questioned.

"Ha... just because someone has great skills doesn't make them a great teacher," Gou Dzing sighed. Sek Gon gave him a look.

"Don't look at me like that, Sek Si-hing! You'd make a far better teacher than Fire Master!"

Cheng Baak-hap snorted unbecomingly. "Bik Si-mui, I'll help you with your training, okay. Don't let that stupid teacher bully you. Gou Dzing, you can't send me to the Discipline Hall for that."

"I'd have to send myself as well, because we're all thinking it, you just said it. I hope Master comes back soon with Lady Ling Gwong soon. Oh, hey, Sek Si-hing, that's not the the character for 'nun', you've written 'fart'."

"Gou Si-hing, why are you teaching him either of those things?"

"The Still Heart School are setting up a temple in Dzue. Sek Si-hing has never been there before, so I thought it would be good to visit some time. And everyone farts."

Chan Bik smacked him over the back of the head as Cheng Baak-hap continued, "Oh yes? And when are you taking him home to meet your family?"

"Well I have to bring you first, they've been asking for you to come over for years," Gou Dzing countered with a grin. Chan Bik smacked him again.

"What was that for?"

"I felt like it."

"You can't treat your si-hing like that! I'll send you to the Discipline Hall!"

Both Chan Bik and Cheng Baak-hap rolled up their sleeves and began to lay into him.

"Sek Si-hing! Help!"

Sek Gon looked up, locked eyes with Gou Dzing, blinked, and returned to his writing.

"Traitor!"

"Grandmaster has returned! Prepare for guests!"

The shout came from the main gate. Immediately, the Mountain School was a buzz of activity as disciples downed everything to prepare for the new arrivals. Gou Dzing whisked Chan Bik and Sek Gon away, leaving Cheng Baak-hap to direct the juniors. A wrinkle appeared between her brows as she hurried away to do her work, but she said nothing other than calling directions to the others.

At the gate, Gou Dzing greeted his Master. "Disciple Gou Dzing greets Master."

Chan Bik also bowed respectfully, but there was only one other person with the Grandmaster, a hulking, grumpy-looking middle-aged man with impressive white facial hair shot with black. His eyes were pure silver and ferocious as they fell upon Sek Gon.

"Disciple Sek Gon greets Master."

"Hmph. Still using that silly name."

The Grandmaster pulled her pipe out of the sleeve of her robe, examined it carefully, polished a little dust off it, put it to her mouth, and back-handed Gaam Bing casually in the stomach. He collapsed, spluttering.

"Oh wait, I said I would slap him over the head for you, didn't I?"

"Argh, stop it, you ancient lizard! Kid! Stop using that name, I've got one for you now that you're in the Third Daan-tin realm. It's-"

This time, the Grandmaster really did slap him over the back of the head. He glared up at her, clutching the sore spot.

"A name from a Master is a serious business! You can't just pass it out casually like dzung at summer solstice! Get inside first! Little Gou, is the guest room set up?"

"Cheng Si-mui went to handle that. If it's her, it'll be done."

"She's a very good and efficient disciple. Old White! Stop rolling on the floor and get inside!"

Grumbling, Gaam Bing dusted himself off and slunk into the school, Sek Gon following conscientiously behind. Gou Dzing watched them go.

"It's alright, brat. Gaam Bing might come across as unreliable and an irritable fool, but he does care about his disciple. He would have stayed holed up in his cave if he didn't care."

"Yes, Master... but where is Lady Ling Gwong?"

The smirk on the Grandmaster's face faded. She chewed a little on the end of her pipe. "We will have that discussion later. Little one, come with us. You will need to hear this."

In the guest room, Gaam Bing was already seated. He was a big man, and he looked very uncomfortable in a sort of awkward half-sit half-crouch at the low table. He seemed too large for the room, exactly like a tiger in a cage. Sek Gon stood silently behind him.

Cheng Baak-hap was directing disciples to finish setting the table, and once they were finished, she bowed her way out of the room last.

"Grandmaster!" Chan Bik suddenly exclaimed, and then blushed for having spoken so loud.

"Child?"

"Can... Cheng Si-dze stay? She's been helping me a lot recently, and the four of us have been talking together, and..." Her hands trembled, and her eyes darted towards the empty space where Ling Gwong should have been sitting. The Grandmaster caught the movement.

"Little Cheng, come and sit by Little Chan."

Cheng Baak-hap bowed gratefully and hurried to pull a cushion next to Chan Bik. They grasped each others' hands. Chan Bik's usually warm hands were cold.

The Grandmaster tapped out her pipe on a plate, and sighed. "I was not able to find Ling Gwong."

In the pause that followed, Gaam Bing slurped tea noisily until the Grandmaster glared at him. Sek Gon and Gou Dzing exchanged a look. The Grandmaster called their attention back by tapping on the table firmly with the end of her pipe.

"Children, how much do you know about demons?"