"Do you really have to go?" A man asked. Behind him were a woman and two children.

"Mubai..." The man took one last glance at the person standing at the gates. His expression was one of gratitude but hidden traces of bitterness could be seen behind the smiley mask he put on. the latter's pupils were extremely small despite his apparent youth. Someone had to look very close in order to notice that this man perhaps wasn't even thirty.

The man's back was also twisted because of the huge wooden trunk he was carrying. At that moment, he looked like a monk leaving for a long and perilous dispatch against the forces of evil.

"You and I will always be friends, whether in this life or the next. I'm grateful for what you've done for me and my family all these years, but some things are just not meant to be." This time he stared at the sky before he followed:

"Say, what do you see when you look at these clouds?"

The man called Mubai was perplexed but he gazed upwards as well before replying in a nostalgic tone:

"What can I see? Baishang isn't this spot the exact place where you and I first met? That year when you came from the countryside, I would have never imagined we would end up as friends. You really did me a number that day didn't you?

The me who had never lost any fight before had to lay here and stare at the stars for several hours..." He finished with a chuckle.

The man called Baishang still didn't turn his back and continued to ask:

"Then what happened the next year?"

"Huh?.." The one named Mubai couldn't understand where his friend was trying to go with this query. He sighed and continued to reply to question after question when his face finally turned stern at the realization of something.

"You understand it now, don't you Mubai?" The man turned and smiled brightly.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

"I'm sorry I have to be the one to break our promise, but I can't remain in this place any longer."

"Baishang..."

The man called Baishang waved goodbye to the people behind his friend and walked down the hill in a serene but lonely manner.

"Wait!"

Baishang stopped in his footsteps. He was preparing to say something as he opened his small eyes for the first time when something was thrown over to him.

"...?!" He caught what seemed to be a small turquoise red stone and stared at the other man in the distance in wonder.

"Isn't that?..."

The man called Mubai nodded before whispering a few words. There had to be around six hundred chi between them but Baishang could hear clearly:

"...I haven't figured out what it is since the last time we dug it. I hope it can bring you a good fortune..."

Baishang looked meaningfully at his friend for some time then left in silence...

.........................................................................................................

"Husband...husband!"  An insistent voice was calling a man.

The man in question was sitting in front of a wooden table covered with candles. Above this table was the painting of a man who looked strangely like him.

"Husband!..." The voice grew more insistent until the man finally snapped out of a state of dazed prayer.

"Meng An... What is it?"

Behind this man, a woman was standing at the door. She appeared somewhat flustered when the man finally talked but she clenched her teeth and said:

"Why did you have to send brother Muyun along with the children?" She asked in a very curious tone before she followed with a little more anger:

"I hope you're not hiding anything from me. You know Haofeng..."

"What if I am?" The man asked coldly.

"This..." The woman's face became pale. "Husband, I'm only looking out for our chi..."

"All you have done in those years is but hamper the growth of our children.

You only have eyes for our eldest and look at the state in which our younger generation is at present. Apart from Haofeng and Muyue, the clan has only declined in the middle of this group of vipers.

I'll tell you the truth, this marriage can only do good to our boy and I would go even further. If you dare to use that father of yours to intervene again in my business, beware..."

At the words, A white cloud started to form at the top of his head.

"Crr...!"

An electric noise also echoed through the room.

"Am I clear enough?" The man got up and stared menacingly at the woman.

"....Husband." Contrary to what one would expect, the woman didn't flinch. She watched the man with a crazed look of fervor before she entered and closed the door.

Several seconds later, moans could be heard across the hall hiding this room.