“Bullshit,” Chen Wuya grumbled. Fate, my ass.

“Where were you going in such a hurry?” Fen Long asked, tipping his head.

Chen Wuya grimaced, lifting his lip. “Nowhere.”

“Then, should we go get lunch?”

He turned away. “I’m not hungry. I have business elsewhere, if you don’t mind.”

A dozen steps down the alley, he turned back. Fen Long stood behind him, smiling. He tipped his head.

“Why are you following me?” Chen Wuya snapped.

Fen Long shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know. I simply feel as if my Junior Brother will get into trouble if I leave him too long.”

“I didn’t get into trouble,” Chen Wuya lied, annoyed.

Sirens rang out over the city. White-robed cultivators leaped up from the streets and sprinted along the rooftops, racing toward the temple.

Fen Long watched them go, then turned to Chen Wuya. “Oh?”

“Completely unrelated,” Chen Wuya said firmly. His brows furrowed subtly, a hint of a crease appearing between them. Liyan, use good judgement. Don’t hang around, and escape properly!

Abruptly, he turned his head and coughed. Rubbing his mouth with the back of his hand, he pulled it away to find a trace of blood on his lips. A wry smirk stretched across his lips. I suppose it acts faster if you’re attacked directly with it.

Fen Long frowned. He reached out toward Chen Wuya. “Are you sick? There’s something abnormal about your qi flow.”

Chen Wuya batted the hand away and scowled. “My qi flow is fine. Leave me alone.”

Fen Long gestured, grabbing something out of the air. A strand of blood red qi condensed in his grasp, fluctuating gently above his hand. His expression fell, turning disappointed. “Demonic qi…?”

“Keep your nose out of my business,” Chen Wuya snarled, turning on his heel and hurrying away. And here I thought he’d sensed the virus. Ha! What a joke. He’s only here to lecture me. Whether he’s Kai Bailong or the scion of a righteous sect, it’s all the same. They don’t care about people or what should truly be right or wrong, they only care about appearing upright!

Persistent, Fen Long followed him. “Chen Wuya…”

“Shut up. Keep your nannying to yourself,” Chen Wuya replied, hustling down the alley and back out into the main road.

At that moment, a pillar of gold light shot up toward the sky, searing into the heavens. A voice echoed out from the direction of the temple, loud enough to rattle the buildings around them and shake the souls of mortals. “Find the boy in red!”

Fen Long quirked an eyebrow. “Didn’t get into trouble?”

Chen Wuya clicked his tongue and hurried along, ducking his head. “It’s not your problem. Don’t worry about it.”

All around them, figures in white raced over the tops of buildings. Occasionally, one would dart down into the crowd to check the face of a red-robed boy, then race on. Cursing under his breath, Chen Wuya cast about for a place to hide. It’s a matter of time…

White robes settled around his head. Fen Long rested an arm around his shoulders protectively. On instinct, Chen Wuya whirled toward him, a snarl on his lips, but Fen Long lifted a finger to his mouth. “What is it, beloved?”

Beloved? Twisting his lips, Chen Wuya rolled his eyes at Fen Long. He pitched his voice up and trilled, “Oh, nothing, sweetheart. A weak woman like me simply can’t help but be startled at the sight of so many frighteningly powerful cultivators.”

You want to humiliate me? This ancestor won’t be embarrassed by something this little. Try again after you’ve experienced a thousand lifetimes!

“Ah? Are your eyes straying from me?” Fen Long tutted, looking at Chen Wuya with soft eyes, as if he really looked at his beloved.

Ugh. These sickeningly-sweet lines…

A white-robed cultivator leaped down into the street beside them, brows furrowed, peering around. “I could have sworn I saw a boy in red…”

Shit. I have no choice! “Darling, you know I could never look at another man,” he replied in a high-pitched voice, ducking his head demurely as if embarrassed by the mere suggestion. From the corner of his eyes, he watched the white-robed cultivator with sharp eyes. A hand dipped into his robe, ready to draw his hidden sword at a moment’s notice.

The white-robed cultivator stepped toward them. “Excuse me, have you seen…”

Moving decisively, Fen Long snatched Chen Wuya up, holding him like a child. “Darling, your ankle…”

“Ah! My weak, womanly ankles!” Chen Wuya exclaimed, annoyed. Still, he didn’t fight, but hid his face against Fen Long’s shoulder. He rolled his shoulders in and put his legs together, softening the lines of his body and making himself look as small as possible.

“I’m so sorry, my beloved has suddenly rolled her ankle. I need to get her home,” Fen Long explained, giving the other cultivator an apologetic look.

“I…is that so,” the other cultivator said, uncertain.

Rolled my ankle? Rolled my ankle! You couldn’t say I’d fallen ill or grown faint? Rolled my ankle, your grandmother! What a shitty excuse, Fen Long! Chen Wuya raged silently.

The virus pulsed, eating away at his life force. Chen Wuya struggled to contain the urge to cough. His face went pale, and his chest ached.

The cultivator started to turn away. Chen Wuya glared at him from under the edge of the white robes. Go, get out already! What are you hanging around for? Don’t tell me, you’re Kai Bailong? Damn nanny-like righteous cultivators, get out of here!

The virus pulsed again, and he couldn’t hold back any more. He let out a weak cough.

The white-robed cultivator whirled around. He frowned at Chen Wuya, then looked up at Fen Long. “Is she ill?”

“It’s—it’s horribly contagious,” Fen Long stuttered, turning away from the other cultivator.

“Let me see. I might be able to…” He leaned forward suddenly, peering at Chen Wuya’s face.

Their eyes locked. Recognition flashed across the white-robed cultivator’s face. He reached for a jade slip.

Before he could cry out or alert the others, Chen Wuya slashed with his sword. The white-robed cultivator crumpled to the ground in a puddle of red.

All around them, ordinary mortals fell back, eyes wide. One turned and ran, triggering a rush. In the space of a few breaths, the streets emptied.

“Chen Wuya!” Fen Long shouted.

“Shut up! We have to go!” Chen Wuya replied. He leaped out of Fen Long’s arms and raced away, running for the town’s boundaries.

A passing cultivator noticed his fallen comrade and shouted, leaping off the roof down at Chen Wuya. Chen Wuya whirled, ready to engage.

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Before he could, Fen Long slashed upward, cutting the man down. A shocked expression on his face, the cultivator fell from the sky.

Chen Wuya gaped, equally shocked. He… helped me? Attacked a righteous cultivator for me?

“Let’s go!” Fen Long shouted.

“Eh… yes.” Whirling, Chen Wuya rushed off.

“Over there!”

“Get them!”

The white-robed cultivators gave chase, converging on the two of them from all directions. In the distance, a bolt of golden light appeared, racing behind the white-robed cultivators. Ming Jinhai’s voice echoed from the golden light. “Kill him! Kill him, and anyone who assists him!”

Fierce light gleamed in the cultivators’ eyes. They rushed after the duo, speeding in with heavy killing intent.

“What did you do?” Fen Long asked, slashing backward to block a blow from a cultivator.

Chen Wuya jumped and unleashed an attack at the man’s neck. The man’s eyes went wide, and then his head rolled backward and vanished from his neck. “Peeped on the golden man back there just a little.”

“Chen Wuya,” Fen Long admonished him.

“He was only visiting a temple. If he didn’t have a guilty conscience, he wouldn’t chase me like this,” Chen Wuya replied.

Fen Long glanced at Chen Wuya. “And in that temple?”

“Nothing much. A golden sword sealed in an altar. Oh, but he’s trying to unseal it to unleash a plague on this town. Nothing to worry about,” Chen Wuya said flippantly.

Eyes wide, Fen Long leaped up and cut down another white-robed cultivator. “Nothing to worry about? Wait, but isn’t that Ming Jinhai? I heard a rumor he could cure the plague, not…”

“Cure the plague, ha. More like use infected victims to draw out the power of the sealed plague and refine it into something even more ferocious,” Chen Wuya muttered. “If their sickness appears to diminish after he ‘helps’ them, it’s only because the weaker plague is temporarily sealed by the stronger plague!”

“That is problematic,” Fen Long murmured. “What’s his goal? Once he has a stronger plague… then what?”

Chen Wuya shrugged. “Ask him. All I know is that he’s up to no good, and he wants to kill me for knowing it!”

Ahead, a semicircle of white-robed figures blocked their path. Chen Wuya clicked his tongue and pressed his heel down, preparing to leap onto the rooftops around them. Before he could, the white-robed figures threw their hands out as one. A black net wound together from their fingertips, falling toward him and Fen Long. As it fell, it emanated an oppressive power of sealing, as if it could close off the sky and quiet the oceans.

Chen Wuya gritted his teeth. He drew on his demonic qi. Instantly, a red aura welled up around him. Spreading his stance, he slashed up at the falling net. “Third Form: Plucking Fruits!”

Red sword aura rushed from his slash. It pierced through the black net, slicing it apart.

Fen Long gaped. “That… the lost Seven Forms of Autumn?”

“No time. Let’s go!” Chen Wuya snapped, leaping at the white forms with his blade drawn. Shocked expressions on their faces, the cultivators fell back, a few drawing swords. Rather than attack, Chen Wuya stepped on a cultivator’s face and leaped off it, propelling himself forward. Fen Long followed a second later, stepping on the same cultivator even as he reeled from Chen Wuya’s weight.

“I thought so earlier, but you… you’re really…” Fen Long started.

“No time!” Chen Wuya barked.

A cold laugh rang out from behind them, followed by a pitiful, high-pitched squeal. Chen Wuya stopped dead, whirling. Beside him, Fen Long screeched to a halt as well.

Ming Jinhai stood above the temple, holding a small form by the neck. Liyan struggled weakly, grasping at Ming Jinhai’s arm with both hands. “Return, or I kill the girl.”

Chen Wuya scowled. “Liyan, I told you to escape, dammit!”

“You know her?” Fen Long asked.

He nodded. “And I owe her one.” Chen Wuya hesitated another moment, then whirled and raced at the golden figure. Fen Long ran after him, close at his heels.

Ah well. The virus he inflicted upon me is only going to grow stronger. There’s no need to wait. If he wants a fight, I’ll give it to him!

Ming Jinhai’s eyes narrowed, and a smile grew across his face. He threw Liyan aside. With a pitiable scream, she fell toward the earth.

“I’ve got her,” Fen Long said, sprinting off. He vanished, almost a streak of white light as he chased after the girl’s body.

Unhesitating, Chen Wuya leaped up at the man above him. Holding nothing back, he circulated his demonic qi. The red aura congealed into a black-and-red robe, and his form grew more imposing. His young face suddenly emanated an ancient, archaic aura, and for a moment, Ming Jinhai saw not a youth, but a fierce martial deity, rushing into combat!

Swords clashed. Ming Jinhai staggered back a step, surprised by the strength of Chen Wuya’s blow. Chen Wuya pressed his advantage, slashing out one attack after another. Despite the strength of his blows, Ming Jinhai quickly rallied. His sword darted out equally quickly, parrying Chen Wuya’s blows.

The two of them slammed down from the sky and landed on the temple’s square roof. Roof tiles toppled into the void, shattering on the ground far below. They danced back and forth, neither giving an inch, swords flying.

Ming Jinhai smiled. He flicked a finger at Chen Wuya.

The virus in Chen Wuya surged. His face paled. He leaped back and coughed, unable to stop himself.

Ming Jinhai chased after him, not giving him a moment. He slashed down at Chen Wuya again and again, driving him into a corner.

The void opened up at Chen Wuya’s heels. He stood there on the edge of the roof, digging his feet in. Gritting his teeth, he fought back with all his might.

“As I thought, leaping at me in midair was a bluff. You don’t actually have the strength to fight midair, do you?” Ming Jinhai taunted. He hammered down at Chen Wuya, his blows shuddering through Chen Wuya’s sword.

Chen Wuya said nothing. He grit his teeth and stared up at Ming Jinhai with the bloodthirsty determination of a cornered rat.

Ming Jinhai’s eyes glittered. “That’s what I like to see. Don’t give up, now!”

Even as he taunted Chen Wuya, a white flash appeared behind him. Not a single flicker appeared in Chen Wuya’s fearsome expression. Fen Long darted down at Ming Jinhai, slashing powerfully.

Ming Jinhai stepped aside at the last moment, and the slash shattered roof tiles instead.

Chen Wuya leaped away, getting out of the corner. His lip twitched, dissatisfied.

A flicker of recognition flashed across Ming Jinhai’s face. “You deliberately cornered yourself so your friend could launch a sneak attack? Too bad it’s useless against this expert.”

Without a word, ignoring the gold-festooned man’s boasting, Chen Wuya and Fen Long attacked in sync.

Ming Jinhai backed away, steadily defending against their attacks. Although it would take an expert to recognize it, the flow of battle had changed. Between their attacks, he no longer held the upper hand, but was forced into a position of keeping his own neck safe.

Frustrated, Ming Jinhai snarled. He stomped down, shattering the roof. Golden light beamed up from below, engulfing him, alongside vast streaks of black power. Far below, the white-robed cultivators cried out and fell back as the power of the sword burst out of the altar. A second later, they fell back, blackness pouring out of their orifices. A few coughed up blood, while others simultaneously fell to the ground, dead.

All across the city, mortals cried out and toppled, bleeding or leaking gunk from their orifices. Liyan began to cough again, and spat up black blood. She wiped her lips with a shaky hand and looked up at the battle far above, not comprehending.

“This city is mine. Don’t step in matters you don’t understand!” Ming Jinhai roared. Black energy pulsed off his body, fiercely infectious, calling out to the virus in all the citizens below. Black gunk streamed out of them and shot at Ming Jinhai, forming a thick armor over his body.

Fen Long lifted a lip. “Disgusting.”

Beside him, Chen Wuya bent over and coughed up a glob of black gunk. Like the rest of the mortals, it rushed to Ming Jinhai and formed a part of his armor. Pale-faced, Chen Wuya retreated to the edge of the roof. The illusory robe that covered his body wavered, almost flickering out.

Catching sight of his weakness, Ming Jinhai darted in. He thrust out an armored hand, punching at Chen Wuya’s gut. “Mere child! For interrupting my holy ceremony, die!”

Fen Long jumped forward. “Chen Wuya!”

Before the fist reached him, Chen Wuya grinned. “Do you know… who first brought this virus here?”

A sense of intense wrongness rushed through Ming Jinhai. His fist rushed through the air, unstoppable, already flying. He wanted to pull it back, but couldn’t.

Chen Wuya reached out his hand and tapped Ming Jinhai’s fist with his open palm. The black armor over Ming Jinhai shattered. Ming Jinhai staggered back, spitting black gunk. He stared at Chen Wuya, uncomprehending.

Black gunk continued to rush from the mortals, but instead of making Ming Jinhai stronger, it pierced into him, drilling into his orifices and pores. He staggered back, gripping his stomach. A cough tore through his chest.

“Mere child… meddling with affairs you don’t understand,” Chen Wuya intoned, eyes glimmering with a fierce light. In a single moment, their positions had reversed. Ming Jinhai sagged below Chen Wuya, while Chen Wuya towered over him, seemingly much taller and older than he was.

“You—you—this is Heaven’s will! You dare stand in the path of Heaven?” Ming Jinhai snarled.

“I trample over Heaven’s will! I have never once bowed to it, and I will not bow to it now!” Chen Wuya declared. He lifted a hand and slammed it down on Ming Jinhai’s head. The man’s skull crumpled, and he sagged to the ground.

Darkness flickered in the depths of Chen Wuya’s eyes. He looked out at the town, a dire look in his eyes.

Fen Long stepped into his gaze. He stared at Chen Wuya, fully comprehending him. They exchanged a look, both of them understanding the other.

“Kai Bailong,” Chen Wuya stated.

“Qiu Xuanwu,” Fen Long replied.

“Do you still desire me dead?” Chen Wuya asked.

Fen Long dipped his head. “I…”

Chen Wuya eyed him warily, then backed to the roof’s edge. “If you let me go, I will continue to seek vengeance. My heart still bleeds for what happened all those centuries ago. As a fellow disciple of Four Seasons Sect, you understand what I seek.”

“I will not allow you to bring suffering to mortals,” Fen Long declared.

Chen Wuya’s eyes flickered. He took another step backward. Now, his ankles dangled out over the town. “If you let me go now…”

Fen Long lowered his sword.

A thousand emotions flashed through Chen Wuya’s eyes. At last, comprehension sparked deep in their depths. He also lowered his sword.

“The next time we meet… it is as two martial deities, locked in combat,” Chen Wuya declared. He leaped off the roof and vanished into the town.

For a long moment, Fen Long stared after him. Only when the white-robed cultivators began to close in on the temple did he, too, flicker away.