As he rested his head on the arms atop his knees, MianJu entered the scene, carrying something in hand. Still approaching unnoticed, MianJu bent under, questioning his disciple’s sulking expression.

“Are you alright, ReZhui?”

“...! Oh, Brother MianJu, everything’s fine.”

“Have you consumed it yet?”

“Yes, yes I did.”

“So, how was it? The process.”

“It’s like what you said. It’s all the same.”

“...Ah, I understand.”

And as MianJu retook his seat, ReZhui spotted something in the corner of his eye.

“...”

Realising ReZhui’s change of interest, MianJu directly brought it out in the open and pressed it hard onto his chest. Once he let go, it slid down his torso and cleanly landed on ReZhui’s lap and palms.

“...!”

ReZhui laid sight to it, and his previously droopy mood took a complete reset.

His eyes stretched wide open, with his mouth hanging low, agasp. His hands shuddered and shook, as he slowly raised it to eye level. MianJu has never seen his pupils shine so bright before. His gift clearly reflected upon his black onyx irises.

“What do you think, ReZhui? I worked my very best to make it your perfect fit.”

“Whoa…Is this really made for only me, Brother MianJu?”

His eyes were still locked upon the item.

“Yes it is, and be proud of it.”

“...”

“From teacher to student, I present to you-”

ReZhui grasped firmly on the handle and released it from the sheathe, emerging rays of reflected sunlight.

“YES!”

“Your first ever actual hand-held weapon of your own responsibility and keeping.”

ReZhui was speechless.

“As the original blacksmith who forged this weapon, I call it, ‘The Sterile Stream Born of Twin Peaks’.”

“I see…”

While MianJu felt proud of its name, ReZhui was caught in more captivating matters as he split the twin Jian. Overall, anyone who inspected this would instantly fall in awe of its craftsmanship.

The weapon was a twin Jian.

Its scabbard was a polished light brown wood. Four bronze fittings coiled around at equal intervals throughout the structure, including the locket and chape which have the longest sections, carved out into pouncing tiger heads and accompanying floral motifs. At the throat, the hole was divided into two entry points for the dual blades and the wooden separation ran deep until the very tip.

Both swords were absolutely identical to one another, even down to the bare metal contents. The handle’s shape was complementary to the locket’s, carved out into the lower fangs and incisors of the solitary beast. Although it was fully made of a light-weighted iron alloy, the handle was painted in the colour of bronze, completing the look. There was also a wide wavy patterned bronze pommel that curved in towards a blunt point at the end, and the handle had a smooth wooden surface with an elliptical cross-section on one half and the other being straight flat.

The blade was full tang with a diamond cross section, and it reached the length of ReZhui’s forearm. There were no imperfections nor scratches, and the surface was polished and shiny.

“...whoa…” ReZhui sounded like a broken record with how many times he has expressed his amazement. The handle truly fitted perfectly in his hand and he even tried wielding it with a hand and a half, grasping the pommel too. To no surprise, it felt excellent. Dual wielding both blades in unison, and ReZhui could understand where MianJu was probably coming from with this design choice. Their weight, by themselves or together, were no issue for ReZhui, even if his blunt sparring ones are of a heavier variant.

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And speaking of sharpness, ReZhui gladly skimmed his index finger lightly across the edge of the blade. To his fascination, it easily dug deep into his skin. Any further and his blood will be split, marking ReZhui as his blade’s very first victim.

Totally ignoring MianJu for the longest time since then, ReZhui quickly rushed out into the field surrounded by dead tree stumps. Their treasured training grounds. Ignoring the fact that he was still wearing civilian clothing, ReZhui placed one Jian in the scabbard and swung around the other one.

MianJu stood from afar and under the last autumn breeze of this chilly morning, he only saw a child beneath the skin of his adolescent self. His sword, capable of countless bloodshed, was now his new toy. Unrestrained, ReZhui unleashed his attacks, studied over the past half decade under MianJu. He thrusted, parried and binded imaginary blades. Footwork swayed from side to side in a controlled manner while his body dodged incoming strikes. He then somersaulted backwards and launched off overhead while twirling his blade along with him. Landed smoothly, ReZhui pounced forward, trailing behind a streak of silver and voice filled with joy. He was so elated that his face presented the brightest smile that lit the darkest days.

And throughout all of this, his clothes never hindered him. Rather, it enhanced the impromptu demonstration that served MianJu, his only spectator, proud. The dark brown robe fluttered loosely against the autumn breeze while his white skirts compactly flowed with his feet, shoved around to make way for mobility.

There was no manual to his martial arts. It lacked the flair and cohesiveness belonging to a Sect or Clan. It’s animalistic, instinctive, yet disciplined. It’s unique. Unique only to him and no one else.

A dance of the most fundamental of the standardized basics, that’s grinded up, stacked atop, stuffed more and filtered upon through his experience of countless battles against the martial prowess from only one man dressed in all black that lived mysteriously alone, deep within the mountains.

That’s the martial arts of a fourteen year old ReZhui.

.

.

.

“Made with the finest materials that I can get, freshly stoned and covered with a new coat of oil. That’s your new weapon, ReZhui.”

“Thank you very much, Brother MianJu…and I’m sorry for everything I said earlier!”

ReZhui bowed deeply in front of him.

They were back at the workshop, sheltered from the midday sunlight.

“...Again, ReZhui, I do not fault you in regards to that…but, I will no longer stop you…”

MianJu sincerely wished that from the bottom of his heart, but ReZhui was just as stubborn.

“Thank you again, Brother MianJu!”

“Yes, yes, I get it. Although…please always keep this in mind, ReZhui.”

“What is it?”

He still had that broad, pure smile plastered on his face with those gleaming onyx eyes.

“...Well, this twin Jian is built with stealth and self-defense in mind, so that’s why I made it smaller than the standard length, plus with one more blade in the scabbard; just in case you are surrounded by multiple opponents or they disarm you early. At least, you still got a spare.”

ReZhui nodded earnestly.

“Ideally, I expect this weapon to be close to you at times so this strap will let it rest underneath your outer layers, away from plain sight. We can’t afford to have your parents discover our secret.”

“I understand.”

As instructed by MianJu, ReZhui tightened the maroon leather belt across his lower torso, and additional flattened cords attached the scabbard to his leftmost side, with the locket facing vertically upwards. ReZhui then slid both blades in; their hilts sounded sharp with a satisfying click.

Over the blade, he wore back his blue tunic and buttoned up the right side. Truth to behold, MianJu was right. ReZhui looked down and, despite literally feeling the wood pressing onto his obliques, his eyes saw no noticeable difference to before he equipped his twin Jian. Moreover, that’s his body, which ReZhui knew every part of. For the average observer, no one would even guess this innocent boy will be armed with a military-grade Jian that is this close to him. The tunic had no protruding bulges and even when ReZhui did regular tasks like sitting, bending or running, the scabbard stuck close and barely affected his articulation.

MianJu was even impressed at himself with how much his measurements had paid off.

“One final thing before you can leave, ReZhui.”

ReZhui halted his cheerful jumping spree, turning back to him.

“Yes, Brother MianJu?”

“I trust that you will not use this dangerous weapon for anything else besides self-defense.”

“...”

“That’s a compulsory warning, but considering who you are…I doubt you are that kind of person.

All I want to say regardless, is…be mindful of the consequences and the aftermath once you decide to draw that blade. I’m confident you will use it wisely at the right time, and the appropriate place.”

“...”

“That’s all.”

MianJu then stood up from his stool and tossed ReZhui his brown sleeveless robe.

“Until we meet again, have a prosperous day ahead.”

MianJu smiled lightly.

“...”

ReZhui recalled those words from before. The readiness to react with violence. This was different back when he defeated those thugs. In his hands was a weapon capable of ending lives. His bare body held no such potency. It was new territory for the young teen, but he had hope. If MianJu believed in him, so must ReZhui himself, and if the Bai river basin that he called home remained peaceful, perhaps the boy would never have to resort to this. His final option.

Ultimately, ReZhui prayed that this moment would never come to him.

“Thank you for your advice, Brother MianJu. It truly helped a lot.”

ReZhui solemnly replied as he wore the robe and adjusted the collar.

Eyeing back at his signature black blindfold, ReZhui plainly assured him.

“Don’t worry more about it, I’ll be back in a week like the usual.”