This female voice was not loud, but very powerful and did not seem to be faded at all from a distance. Gloria looked to the tops of the buildings on their right, but just in time to catch a shooting shadow with a light purple glow.

A sense of danger exploded from Gloria’s stomach. Without delay or hesitation, she pushed Tae Kuo’s body down and lowered her own. The tail end of a wooden staff glided through the space above their heads.

“No man should just come here. You are treading into dangerous territory.” A male voice echoed between the buildings and across the sky. Chills shot down Gloria’s spine, for this very phenomenon signaled a very powerful and meticulous grasp of certain kinds of mystic martial arts.

“Who are you?” Gloria tried to lock on the one who just tried to ambush them, but the figure just shot into the shadows leaving a string of light purple after images.

“Not important. ” The female voice answered Gloria: “You shouldn’t be here. Leave, before we make you.”

“No, we have answers to seek. You can’t stop us.” Gloria narrowed her eyes and backed closer to Tae Kuo.

“Are you the Watchers of this place?” Tae Kuo raised his voice.

“You do know us.” The male voice echoed: “Then you should be wise to leave. This is no place for civilians. Even as trained martial artists, you will only find misery and misfortune here.”

“If you can answer some of our questions then maybe we can leave early.” Gloria looked left and right trying to catch the light purple shadow, presumably the one with the female voice, and the man who was hiding somewhere.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Only strength can promise you answers here. ” The female voice giggled: “Do you have what it takes? Little girl?”

Gloria pushed his Qi and lowered her body. Her body began glowing in light blue, and a lot of her Qi concentrated on the tips of her fingers. Before she could say anything in return, the light purple figure came at her from behind, the sharp end of the wooden staff aiming right at her back.

Gloria leapt to her right and flipped her body in the air. Two light blue claw marks shot at the light purple shadow. The claw marks crashed into the long wooden staff and exploded, pushing the light purple shadow back.

Before the shadow could land, Gloria kicked the ground and launched herself at it. Her two rapid kicks were enough to shatter bricks or marble sheets, but they were blocked by a palm and the wooden staff.

The shadow was an old woman of almost the same height as Gloria, in a suit of old gray robe. The old woman’s Qi felt familiar - it bore some familiarity with the Qi of Luoshan Zi.

“Spirit Cat Style.” The old woman chuckled. Despite her looks her voice was still like that of a young woman: “My my, never imagine there’s still people out there practicing it. Who taught you, young lady?”

“None of your business.” Gloria grunted. She looked back at Tae Kuo, and was shocked to see him being held down on the ground by an old man in a gray blue robe.

“Don’t do anything rash, young lady, or I don’t know what will happen to your friend.” The old woman grinned.

“Go! Gloria! Just leave!” Tae Kuo yelled, but was immediately shut up by the old man.

“If only it was that simple.” The old woman raised her wooden staff and pointed at Gloria: “It’s indeed been a while since we last had intruders here. It’s time for me to get some - another sparring partner.”

“What do you want?” Gloria asked through her teeth.

“Sparring partner. Just like I said.” The old woman gently swung the wooden staff across the space in front of her and activated her Qi: “Come now. If you can defeat me, maybe we’ll let your friend live. And maybe we’ll tell you whatever answer you seek.”

Gloria took a look at Tae Kuo, then faced the old woman with a fighting pose: “Fine.”

She shot at the old woman before her opponent would have a chance to say or do anything. Her hands were both in claw shape, and within a blink of an eye two claw marks were unleashed at the old woman.

The old woman swung her wooden staff, exploded the two claw marks and glided backwards. Just as Gloria made another lunge forward, the old woman thrust her wooden staff forward, a blade of light purple Qi shot from the wooden tip.

The blade slashed a shallow cut on Gloria’s left shoulder as she shifted right and lowered her body. In return, Gloria’s right hand swung at the old woman’s left shoulder in chopping motion.

Her hand collided with the wooden staff. Metal crashing sound exploded from the impact.