Under the bright morning sky, two long shadows passed the Formation barrier and into the tall walls of the Bai Mansion.
The rushing sounds of footsteps came closer and closer as two cloaked individuals dashed straight through the long outdoor corridors and pillared hallways towards the main pagoda. They shoved past busy servants and leaped over numerous gardens. The message they carried was far more important.
Climbing to the second floor and next, the third, they finally burst through the doors of the Head Left’s office, a decently sized hexagonal room that was longer than its width and filled with shelves of books on either side.
The shockwave of their entrance startled the writing attendant but their outfits quickly filled him in on his assumptions. It was a full black attire like any other secrecy soldier, but with an additional cyan sash to prove their allegiance to the White Crane Clan.
“Crows, what matters does my Master need to be informed off?” He blurted.
Giving their auspicious fist covering greetings, the former removed his mask.
“We are under orders to follow the Lady Xu of White Ink. This is urgent and Master Bai would certainly find this hard to swallow. It is best if we tell him directly.”
“Do you dare say such immature remarks about our Master?! It is imprudent.”
“We plead to the Head Left attendant. Only we can convey the situation clearly.”
“...You witnessed that happen?”
“We vouched.”
The duo saluted.
“I understand. Follow me.” The attendant got out of his seat.
“Please.”
---
They went several floors down to a different corridor, which led into a deeper part of the mansion. It was a beautiful flower garden with crystal clear ponds and ambient glowing cave rocks. The large encompassing trees casted a huge umbrella of shade and light barely crept its way through.
Watery mist laid low while the grass swayed in uniform motion, forming continuous ripples. In its wake, floating above a swirl of overgrown tree roots and the swarming currents of blue light, there was LuJi, positioned crossed-legged in his formal White Crane Clan attire. His hands were overlapped one over the other at the height of his pelvis and then, in the amazement of his entering subordinates, an eye-draining cycle of concentrated Qi coalesced tighter over space above his motionless palms. Waves of bright energy flowed through his abdominal meridians like a river, before it rose upwards towards the heart. Like blood, the newly gathered Qi was being circulated to all 12 major meridian points, never wasting a single drop.
His face was calm and the body firm as a statue. The blue hue that was emitting from his slim outline presented itself as truly deserving of being called ‘Under the Heavens’. After all, LuJi’s meditation practice was one to always be idealized by the Elders, considering how many realms he has broken through at his age.
The attendant had second thoughts on whether to disrupt their Master in the middle of a cultivation session, fiddling with the bronze door knob that led into this isolated sanctuary of natural energy.
For the robed men, they gladly left the decision for the attendant, to which he found it very annoyinging and injustful. Despite their little dispute, they were all unaware that LuJi had already detected them from upstairs. The only change was that he trained his mind to ignore all surroundings. Smirking with close eyes, he asked.
“Head Left, for what reasons must one intrude upon my meditation chamber with such urgency?”
His voice felt more reverb than normal.
Insisting the attendant to respond, he glared back to the Crows before his salute.
“Better mornings, Master Bai, the intelligence network for Lady Xu of the White Ink has pressing news.”
“Say”
“Master, the Crows would rather inform you mouth to mouth.”
“Let them.” Still maintaining the meditation position.
Saluting, the former began his piece.
“Master Bai, yesterday morning, Lady Xu didn’t return to her office after her morning walk.”
“Why?”
“She accidentally ran into that white man and decided to spend the day helping a lost child with black skin alongside him.”
“Next?”
“In the evening, she had a somber talk with that foreigner…”
“What’s after? Speak up.”
Given that the informant was also a martial practitioner, he could also sense the more varied fluctuations of his master’s Qi waves and the ripples started to become rampant and irregular.
“I-in the end, they kissed.”
Boom!
As soon as he ended his words, the informant was immediately attacked by an omnidirectional surge of explosive energy. The trees and ground shocked, while birds flew high in fright and leaves fell in chunks. The attendant shoved backwards and the other Crow narrowly braced for impact with overwhelming opposing resistance. All in all, everyone was nearly out. Managing to get up, the three of them were met with LuJi appearing in front of them. The blue hue dissipated into the gardens as he gripped firmly onto his scabbard.
“What time is it?” asked LuJi.
“Eleven, Master.”
“...Ready an entourage for a visit to the White Ink’s main headquarters. We will depart sharply at twelve.”
“Yes, Master Bai.”
The attendant tripped as he hastily left the compound.
Turning back to the two Crows he nearly blacked out, LuJi scanned over them. The Crows awaited hesitantly for orders as his eyes darted across their torso like he was inspecting cattle. Once he was finished, LuJi asked them.
“How is the leather padded armor and its interior?”
“P-pardon?” They never expected that.
“I am well-aware of this outfit’s incredible stealth and camouflage capabilities but they never tested how this thing holds up once those that hide themselves were finally found.”
“We can assure you, Leader, that we are silent as owls”
“My Qi blast, did it stand up well against it?”
Feeling the sewn plates and folds, they confidently concluded.
“It is the best we could ever hope for.”
“That’s money well spent. Next time, I expect all of you to withstand my hits with greater resilience. Now go, there are no changes to routine.”
“Yes, Master!”
In a flash of black, the Crows crawled back into the darkness towards her residence.
Sighing heavily, LuJi headed upstairs.
‘It’s good that I meditated beforehand…’ came his relief.
---
Back at the main headquarters of White Ink, the influx and exit of numerous classes of people and clients always remained as congested as ever. Lines of rickshaws and carriages were parked along the edges and in specialized fields. One of them was the now very recognisable red canopy of the Kiefrurpez stagecoach. In a reserved space, its doors were opened by Ferase in his professional attire.
Behind him, Hamilton readjusted his coat and curly hair before he took a step out. He still wore the typical outfit of a gentleman. This time, he sported a frilly long coat of silver with white wolf fur highlights at the lapels, cuffs and pockets. The big, bold buttons were made of shiny wood, outlined with gold. This was truly a flamboyant outfit, accompanied with a magenta waistcoat and yellow rose cravat that he personally starched and tied. In his coat pockets, there was a fancy beige envelope, glued by violet wax with the Kiefrurpez Coat of Arms imprinted on it. A folded letter, made of thick parchment, was kept inside and was written by Hamilton himself.
“Shall we proceed, Master Hamilton?”
“With the joyous of pleasantries, dear Ferase! Let us!”
His flashy appearance as he walked up the steps to White Ink, drew lots of attention from both the locals and even his fellow countrymen and foreigners. While making exaggerated movements, plastered upon his shining face was a smile of the century.
Ferase, throughout his life as the right-hand man, has never seen Hamilton in this light before. Every woman Hamilton knew would only dream of making him this merry. Though much of his conscience was conflicted with how future developments would settle out between the planned divorce, settlement and approval, as long as the decision will continue to make his master as cheerful as this, Ferase was determined to see this through.
They both made it to the top and opened up the large wooden double doors.
On the third floor that looked over to the ground concourse, a certain lovestruck lady was peering out into the open. As soon as those romantics saw contact with each other simultaneously, similar to like-minded folk, they ran through the flight of staircases with the both of them arriving at the second floor.
Despite the presence of an ongoing crowd of onlookers, those two were already in their own little world and they wasted no time to embrace each other tightly. Hamilton, with the added height, lifted TianXing up in surprise before giving her a light spin of the carnival.
She screamed loud with a high pitch while his hearty laugh felt more boyish than usual.
The crowd ultimately left them be, knowing it was just a sweet and lovely scene.
As the spinning came to a halt, Hamilton gently placed her down like one does a baby. His black gloved hands pushed firmly on her petite shoulders in delight. The gentleman did a quick scan of her present attire.
Her HanFu robes were a mixture of ocean blues, shades of gray and vermillion accents, that were layered nicely which bordered the outfits suited for the formal workplace and a casual walk to a flower garden. Compared to his specially eccentric colors, he felt like a happy jester at a ball. Hamilton blushed in realization.
“Hamilton, how do you do in this fine noon?!”
“Never better, my Lady. Oh lord! I called you that once again. How careless…”
“Time is a patient battle, dearest.” And she then reacted to his suits. “But what… ‘peculiar’ colors you brought today. I have never seen this before.”
Rubbing his hair, he tried saving himself. “Ah well, sometimes one’s imagination can never be underestimated…especially after the sleepless night he had from what had happened that evening.”
This time, it was her turn to be embarrassed. It was a vulnerable side she rarely showed but if it's only Hamilton, TianXing may allow that. After all, she did allow that.
Meanwhile, their respective attendants, Mr Tai and Ferase, just arrived at the ends of the second floor and were out of breath. Compared to who they served under, their ages were nearly twice of theirs. However, they were both wordless on either side. Mr Tai, especially, was comparatively more flabbergasted at the scenario. He never knew of this budding romance and TianXing never told him yet. Moreover, on the day before, she skipped work, leaving him unprepared to continue her duties as the intermediary. Despite the inconvenience, TianXing was right in placing her trust in him as Mr Tai smoothly settled the operations in her stead.
Grunting, he grumpily approached her with an exasperated look.
“Missus Young Maiden!”
Like a daughter caught red handed by her uncle, she slowly met his frustrated gaze.
“How may I be of assistance, Mr Tai?”
“Don’t play coy with me! Your closest secretary only knew of this now and you dare show me this in front of my very eyes without telling me first?! Then what is my position for?” He flailed his arms down distressfully.
“Yesterday’s substitute, and frankly speaking, Mr Tai, you still are the first of White Ink to know of this relationship. Other than Hamilton and Ferase, who are not part of the institute, only you now know it's official.”
“Ahh…ehrm…”
There was no counter to her truthful claim. The former Head waiter joined his HanFu sleeves in avoidance of her eyes. The gentlemen duo watched on, clueless in translation.
Once she proudly silenced her rambling subordinate, TianXing turned back to Hamilton.
“So, dearest, what brings you here today? I don’t recall any meetups.”
“None at all! None at all.”
Hamilton took out the lavish letter from his coat pocket, feeling its coarse surface. He then held it up for her to see.
“Presenting this magnificent piece of literature!”
“Whoa!”
TianXing inspected the materials used as he handed it to her; and finally stopping at the Kiefrurpez Coat of Arms. Unfortunately, the stamp was too blurry to observe the finer details.
“Fascinating letter, Hamilton. But, if you are requesting our messaging services, even if we are a couple, it's still necessary to pay the fee.”
“That’s a given, haha! What about a discount?”
“With your status, Hamilton?” She teased.
“Just being playful, TianXing.”
“Thus, who shall we send to this time?”
“A safe shipment to the Manustrion Principality, the home of the Kiefrurpez. I specifically wrote this for my grandmother so this must make the trip in one piece.”
Contemplating his words with a nod, she interjected.
“It’s weird hearing you say that when it’s your steamships that would be carrying the mail.”
“I got to say it once, shouldn’t I?”
“Rightfully so, I suppose. Do you mind sharing the contents?”
“It majorly matters about the two of us, TianXing. I gave her this yearly quarter’s progress and explained the situation regarding our marriage and how it all came to be. Finally, I ended off with a firm request to propose a divorce with Clementine. Don’t worry, I shall not accept you as a mere mistress.”
“...Thank you.” She never expected him to proceed with the introductions at breakneck speeds.
“ You know, love, perhaps we do not need to force a divorce. We can just switch up the hierarchy slightly. Clementine would instead be the mistress, though I doubt she would without a good fight. Shall we proceed with that option if my grandma won’t budge?”
Grabbing his hand, TianXing tried to calm him down.
“Now, now, let’s not burden ourselves until a reply letter is received. If your family dares me to prove my worth to them, I will pack up this very instant.”
“...Hehehahahaha!” Hamilton suddenly broke into hysterical laughter.
“Wah-what’s the matter? Did I say something out of turn?” Mr Tai watched their conversation with the same cluelessness.
Wiping his tears, Hamilton assured her, “It’s just-It’s just…Your face looked adorable just now. Totally juxtaposed to when you insisted that you would storm the warehouse, swords slashing, several months back.”
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
“Well, that’s unwarranted for Hamilton. Stop it this very instant.” She pouted.
“My apologies…”
“Nicely done then! Mr Tai!”
“Yes, Young Maiden.”
She gave him the letter.
“Youngster, this is…”
“A client’s letter. Send it along the Kiefrurpez route with the other ocean faring documents and cargo. Remember to add on another cross-continental transaction bill towards their total fee for this month.
The recipient is Hamilton’s grandma so warn them to make sure it is extra secure.”
“Yes, yes, Madam.”
Mr Tai saluted before he made his way upstairs to the VIP floor.
As they watched him go, Ferase enquired her.
“Lady Xu, mind me but I can see that your eyes are unpleasantly darker today. How was your sleep last night?”
“Gosh, are my makeup skills that inadequate?!”
“No matter, TianXing, true beauty comes from the body!” came a one-liner from Hamilton.
“...Anyhow, it’s not as good as you hope for. Helping a black kid before getting confessed to while rediscovering one’s purpose in life truly makes you think a lot of stuff at night, even with how much it takes a toll on your body.”
“I can sympathize, TianXing.”
“What a mindhive, the both of you!” complemented the old man.
In response, they laughed it off in jolly.
Mr Tai at work grimaced hard in the background.
However, unbeknownst to them, a large high-end carriage and its accompanying horse riders had illegally stopped outside the front of the entrance. Emerging out of the engraved door was an infamous man, donned in cyan blue and black robes.
Their smooth afternoon was nearing its end.
.
.
.
Suddenly, they heard a loud commotion coming from downstairs.
“What’s going on?” TianXing hesitated. She was not going to let a robbery assault ruin her business.
As Hamilton began to follow behind, TianXing hurriedly rushed forward to the detailed wooden railing of the second floor. The sounds of the crowd beneath grew louder in volume but not in their sense of anxiety, and this puzzled her.
Pushing her upper body out the edge, she looked out to the concourse. The entire scene was a sea of people, cautiously shuffling closer to either side of the building with every individual questioning for what reasons that the visitor decided to arrive here personally. They gossiped with muttered voices, yet the collective banters grew louder as the Young Master parted the gap wider and wider. Although they knew he must mean no harm in such a public hotspot, it was better to increase their distance. Six disciples of his martial sect served as the support escort.
“Master Bai…?”
TianXing softly said his name. Like Hamilton, she was shocked to see this man as well so early into the aftermath. The both of them really liked to take immediate action but this gave her no time to prepare fully. Both physically and mentally.
‘...’ But maybe, she should have expected the worst because thinking it back now, this sort of behavior was something the Young Master would certainly do.
Once she mentioned his name, LuJi was able to pinpoint her position amidst the cacophony of all.
Before she could realize, the martial master leaped high into the air and onto the second floor. His flowy sleeves spread wide with grace as he took a gentle landing on the railing like a feather of a bird. His legs balanced well as he held his hands behind his back. While, the long Jian jutted out of his robes like he was intending for a fight.
TianXing stepped away in shock, nearly missing her step. Soon enough, they both made eye contact. A glare that was as sharp as his blade met her constricting glossy onyx eyes. Still stunned, she barely noticed as Hamilton finally reached her, getting himself in between the both of them. His body was in a position to draw his gun from the hidden holster any moment now.
It was the same practice that’s not unique only for humans.
This was a potential standoff. A display of the victorious male defending his rights to breed from a known rival. In this case, it was their unfiltered love.
Eyeing down the white foreigner that he knowingly tried to ignore, LuJi returned the man’s focused spotting eye with his own. A reliable and natural substitute for any sharpshooter scope or rifle target sight. In the face of a martial master’s aura-concentrated seeping glower, Hamilton showed no signs of weakness.
Ferase stayed back a few steps with his cane out, aware that if he intertwined, those guards who were on standby would overwhelm the two of them. In such a predicament, all he could do was watch this through as a bystander. His brows furrowed.
TianXing felt the shakiness in her legs from the overall tension but stood her ground. This time, unlike the year before, although she knew this would be a winding path to reach the unprepared conclusion, she felt that she now has the answer LuJi desired for, for the past decade.
Alerting Hamilton with a pat on his fur coat, she sternly looked at him.
Then, facing up to LuJi, she went in between the two and ordered the both of them, “Gentlemen! Lords! Enough of this useless hostility.”
“...”
“...”
By a stroke of luck, the both of them listened and slowly loosened their positions. LuJi got off the railing too. Surprisingly, LuJi spoke first.
“Is it true, dear? That you chose to be with this white barbarian?” His voice was blunt with a tinge of disappointment.
“Yes, Master Bai.”
“Over me, a respected member of your very own race?” He scowled with a grim expression.
“I will say this clearly for the last time, Master Bai. I am in love with Hamilton and only him.” Her face was filled with confidence.
At any moment, she could assume that he would attack them out of anger but that does not seem to be the case here.
“May I know why? What leaps of logic made you consider as such?”
Instead, there was now a genuine desire to find out why.
‘Since when did Master Bai become so passive?’ Her thoughts raced.
“Hamilton is a pleasant and thoughtful guy who knows his limits but has his own lofty aspirations. He stays away from danger and loves to advocate for peace for all humans. A wonderful gentleman with a good moral compass and tries his best to understand and protect those he treasures the most. Lastly and most importantly, he is kind.”
“You really see that through those barbarians?”
“Master Bai, the fact that you still insist on calling them white men speaks my point, doesn’t it?”
“But this is the fact.”
“Yet another unideal quality, my Lord. Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror before?”
“Otherwise, how did I reach this far into enlightenment? Perhaps, it is true that another one has fallen far too deep into foreign influence. I am glad it wasn’t those White Crosses who got you.”
Facepalming herself, TianXing could no longer tolerate the words coming out of his mouth.
“Master Bai, if you are going to try and convince me to change my mind, it is pointless.”
“How-”
“But I still actually respect you, Master Bai. If it weren’t for you, my life would have ended on that very wall. You kept the city safe from bandits and the like. You managed the people of ShanWei well and are known for your generosity. You are a better overlord than we, the residents, could ever ask for.”
“If that’s the case, be-”
“But that is all I see you as. Master Bai, no, I apologize…LuJi,” She clenched her fist in determination, “I only ever saw you as an elder. But throughout the decade, I grew to love your antics of bold proposals. So, as we stand now, I see you, LuJi, as a close friend of mine, who helped make the city a better place for better lives in more ways than one.”
She sincerely smiled back at him.
“Thanks to you, I was able to live longer to meet Hamilton and find another meaningful relationship with you, therefore…,” She bowed her head at a perpendicular. Her silky black hair fell graciously onto the marble floors.
“After keeping you waiting for over a decade, I must rightfully apologize for all your efforts. LuJi, my closest friend, I cannot accept your hand in marriage. I am very sorry, but thank you for falling deeply in love with someone as broken as myself. Again, I am very, very sorry.”
She lowered her head another two more times.
“...”
Keeping an expressionless face, the Young Master remained at a loss for words. Hearing those words of rejection upfront gave him this sharp sting in his irregularly beating heart. It felt as if his heart dropped off a very steep cliff with no end in sight beneath him. The unknown, pitched-black abyss weakened his inner spirit. A painful reaction, no doubt, but it was a unique one. All this time, he was the one rejecting women and now he was at the receiving end.
‘Is this how all those women felt?’
He always thought of these emotions as fleeting and alien to him but the more LuJi swallowed the misery, the sin of ignorance grew his grief to newer heights.
Out of all he lost, a position of power, distant parents and now, a future wife, this probably hit him the hardest.
‘No, it-it really hits the hardest. This is so agonizing that my heart is aching.’
Subconsciously, he grasped tightly of his cold chest. Like how his mentality was breaking down, the Third’s internal Qi circulation was undergoing instinctual metamorphosis, shifting wildly into an unsynchronised pattern and furthering the suffering.
This was the one thing he was the closest to having, but in spite of all that, his fortune was relentlessly ceased. A true experience of…
“Lost. Regrets.”
‘Was it all her fault?
No, it must have been myself.
I was wrong.
What I did and how I did it were wrong.
Perhaps, I never tried to ‘care’.
Perhaps, this infatuation was never meant to be true love.
How would I, an infamous philanderer, be aware of such concepts?
Do I deserve this?
Or…maybe-’
His thoughts accelerated.
LuJi ran through questions that he never imagined asking himself before. The man he was now was truly different to the man before.
The ‘face’ of his noble outlook no longer held him strong and the glaciers cracked, sending a large avalanche downhill.
It was a self-deprecating self-reflection.
In the chaos that was his mind and spirit, LuJi did the only thing he was proud of. The one thing that separated his recognition from his dear brothers, his marital skill.
Right as the meridian cores unleashed waves of uncontrolled energy, LuJi’s soul managed to restrict his circulatory routes in the nick of time. Minimizing the next sequence of outburst and inching closer to his heart, the mind retreated back to forced meditation as he stood. Calming the tides, LuJi used the idea that Qi would naturally smooth its flow if his heart became steady. He ignored the thoughts of rejection until the status quo eventually returned. Now, he has successfully revitalized his spirit. Even his breath was routined.
“This torment of the heart was more potent than any other punch, kick, thrust or slash that I had ever lived through.”
As he slowly whispered his thoughts, LuJi suddenly discerned a shining light at the end of the tunnel. It was an intangible sense of coldness and a new breakthrough for the mind. The waning sensation of struggle and the establishment of his salvation for a new ideal, a different kind of Dao, overwhelmed the now-confident Third Young Master. In the end, this process lasted seconds but cognitively, he knew that this went on for minutes.
Finally, he smirked across his sweating face, gaining puzzled expressions from the both of them as he suddenly reached out for his blade.
A spark of light later, a flash blitz-
“TIANXING, LOOK OUT!”
The distressed Hamilton reacted in time and swiftly shoved her out of the line of attack as he drew his gun to LuJi’s speeding sword.
A blur of white homed in with an upcoming upward slash.
“Hamil-”
BAM!
Without hesitation, the gentleman fired…
There came a fierce blast. The sounds of his high caliber pistol round sounded loudly within the tranquil air. Vibrations echoed wildly across the large walls and with it, came everyone’s immediate silence.
It was a uniform feeling that everyone experienced; a mixture of shock and fear in regards to that unknown weapon of death, and pure unadulterated excitement of experiencing this encounter.
For Ferase and the Martial guards, there was no time to react to that clash. The latter had never seen their leader reach these speeds before while Ferase went pale white in his expression. What a miracle his master managed to fire a shot, but the same thought ran through all their minds.
“...”
“...”
“...”
“...Wha…?”
“...He, I got it…dear.”
‘Who won?’
.
.
.
As TianXing turned over her head from the fall towards them, she could feel a cold shiver that ran down her spine. Covering the two men was a burst of thick snowy fog, akin to a blizzard near the mountain peaks. Fortunately for them, the cold air slowly began to spread and dissipate, like reeling the red curtains off the opera stage.
Ferase, the guards and newly arrived Mr Tai looked onward in anticipation, prepared to act at the cost of their lives.
On the other hand, TianXing, still weak from the loud boom of gunpowder, watched on with near watery eyes as the outcome was naturally unveiled.
The next second may determine the start of war…
And what they all saw next shocked them.
Both Hamilton and LuJi had their weapons stretched out in a domineering stance as their loose clothes fluttered high momentarily, as the force from the blast subsided. A pistol and Jian sword were used, respectively. Hamilton’s right arm held the pistol without the other’s support, never shaking despite its immense recoil on a single arm; while his non-dominant hand was previously preoccupied with pushing aside his beloved out of harm’s way. Fortunately, his firm stance solidified extra support for the accurate shot, aimed straight for LuJi’s heart.
The Third had changed his attack from a sufficient upward slash after cutting the unexpected bullet and into a premature thrust, with his right arm barely extending out from the elbow. Both the gun’s barrel and the sword’s pristine tip were aligned straight at each other with the smooth edge nearly slicing the beginning top half of the black metal barrel. Seeps of black smoke could still be seen escaping the tube.
Surrounding LuJi, a grandiose wall of horizontal spiked ice flared outwards like a lizard’s frill, with the Third at its center and ‘head’. At the very end, in one of the main icicle tips on both sides, everyone saw the half of an individual armor piercing bullet that was encased with clear ice. The manner of which the bullet was sliced superbly clean with precision greater than metal work factories.
However, what mattered most to the crowd on the second floor was that the two aristocrats were not injured. TianXing pressed her heart in relief once more. As Ferase and the guards began to approach to assist, the two combatants still eyed each other with predatory glares. Compared to LuJi’s presentable sneer, Hamilton glowered.
Before they could reach closer, LuJi voluntarily retracted his blade first but the ice remained. Bending over some spikes, he approached Hamilton, who glanced at his pistol before spinning it back into his holster. At the same time, TianXing readily met up with the duo who turned towards her simultaneously.
“What’s the problem, the two of you?” She said it in frustration in both languages.
LuJi spoke first.
“Please translate this for the white man to comprehend easily.
You are not as weak as I thought you would be…foreigner. But, take this as a gift, I shall spare you an early death if it means at the expense of the happiness of my dear friend, who’s closer than blood. Be thankful that I don’t plan on banning your company and its many puppet traders.
That’s all, darling.”
Afterwards, Hamilton instructed her to do the same for him. His tone was solemn and demanding.
“I have no interest in your childish skirmishes, Lord Bai. It's your own choice to self-indulge in your pride as a warrior against a merchant like myself, and I pay no heed. Regardless of the argument, I still got the woman of my life. if you are interested to know my unbiased answer as to why you lost this war for love…The reasons are pretty simple. You only focus on surface-level understanding.” He pointed his index finger near his chest. “As a man who used to look over material and man from a high horse, this is something I want you to change.
In your eyes, TianXing is just a talented and quirky woman of mysterious origins. Whilst material affection does play a major part in a relationship, Lord Bai, unless you are not facing against someone like me, who has gone through an unjust relationship for decades, who knows? Maybe you could snatch her away like you always do. Lord Bai, I will say this, you have no chance against me.
I bid you a good day ahead.”
Once TianXing conveyed his message as per word, her worries of another quarrel luckily fell short in hindsight. Ultimately, LuJi quietly listened as he admired her professional beauty. Never did he raise another insult.
“Now then, TianXing, let us inspect Grandma’s letter process, shall we?” Hamilton promptly attempted to move themselves away from the Young Master, grabbing her firm by the hand. Letting him drag herself towards the fatigued Mr Tai, TianXing looked back at LuJi.
She waved him a happy goodbye.
That was when he gave TianXing his parting words.
“TianXing!”
“Yes…LuJi?”
She forcibly halted Hamilton’s progress.
With a calm expression, LuJi swayed his head back and forth as he strolled around the couple, like an old teacher reciting poems in the classroom.
“A wise disciple of the Great Sage under Heaven once watched the annual seasons at the top of Hua Mountain. It was a fickle matter that always kept a constant, like the flock of birds that migrated east to west, and unlike the fish who swam up north and died making it, the student cultivated day and night amidst the adapting changes. He became resilient and knowledgeable. Thus, he began his Dao.
Spring is the joy of awakening. Like blooming plum petals, the practitioner shall continue to claim upon the infinite ladder of ascending realms. Heavenly thunder shall strike his vulnerable body and awaken himself with newfound vigor.
Summer is the swirl of complexities. One hand holds the worn-out blade in the blistering heat while the other flows along the cool river current as the fresh rejuvenation of reminiscing youth rewards his studious training.
Autumn is the unification of all that exists. Belonged and lost like the fallen leaves that are the mosaic of colors, none shall reside within these trees any more and seek their end onto the soil. Color shall never identify themselves again once they all return to brown. All that matters to him is the continual cycle of meditation to become one for all and all for one.
Winter is…the longing for desire, resisting against his natural earthly boundaries and the Realm above him. The snow will never rise and the glaciers at the utmost peaks will one day be doomed to fall, ending anything in its path. Thus, the student holds on strong and climbs upwards from his errors…”
“...”
TianXing remained attentive. This was something very new to her, a different school of thought from the standard practices.
“That is the ultimate path, the student thought. But, once winter arrives, there are no avalanches nor blizzards. No, his path up the mountain was already laid out for him. Was it Fate that craved him this path? The student will never know and so he never experienced the true Winter, until the present day.
Thanks to you, this disciple has gained the realization of his ideal Dao to its fullest, and a new destiny shall await him next spring, narrowing ever closer to Heaven and the Infinity.
I, LuJi, pray that you live a long, happy life.”
He, a martial master, saluted respectfully towards her. A solid smack was heard once his fist striked the open palm. His face was hidden from the light.
“ah…”
Normally, this was the time to respond back, but weirdly, nothing came to her mind. In the end, she smiled with a bow.
“…”
Acknowledging her gesture, LuJi made one last glance at Hamilton before he fell off the railing. A strong warm gale picked up fast past the double doors, carrying LuJi and his guards airborne towards the entrance.
“Sorry, Hamilton. I was caught up with some loose strings.”
His face was bothered, clueless on what that long song-like speech meant.
“What did he say in the end?” Hamilton decided to be precautious.
“It’s…Wait…True, what LuJi said would take a while to decipher but in short, he just said he owed me his gratitude. Hehe!”
Trusting his beloved’s words as they were, Hamilton finally rested this case as he breathed a huge sigh.
“Ferase?”
“Yes, Master Hamilton?”
“Change of plan, please? I’m now starving. Go prepare the carriage for departure.”
“Yes, Master.”
“TianXing? Mr Tai? Would you like to join us?”
“Young Miss, what did he say?” His eyes were full of caution.
“Surely, we would love to! Mr Tai, led us to The Heavens’ Steam. It’s time for lunch. ”
“Wha-But work-”
“Former Head Waiter…!” TianXing stomped her foot. But the attendant didn’t budge. Scratching her chin, an idea popped up. “Mr Tai, the more the merrier, don’t you agree?”
“...Arghh…I understand.” The middle-aged man rubbed his neck.
“Right then, Gentlemen! To the red braised pork belly, here we come!”
She marched on with enthusiasm as the three catch up.