Hazel traveled alongside Kai next to her on their way to the way the recruitment test of the Nine Swords Sect. On her back was her incredibly long sword that she was slowly taking out of its sheath. Kai heard her taking off the cloth on the swords and was confused for a moment before taking a look in their surroundings. After sensing the presence of several figures stalking them, he soon stopped her. He also didn’t want to feel that disgusting qi of that sword of hers so early in their journey. It would leave him in a bad mood the entire walk there.
“Stop. Just let them follow. We’ll deal with them if they decide to hinder us.” Kai ordered.
“Aren’t you merciful?” Hazel responded sarcastically before wrapping her sword back up. She was excited to finally put her training to the test. It wasn’t like she was going to kill them. If she could help it that was.
This sword was more of a cursed sword rather than a spirit weapon in her opinion but it fills both roles well. It sapped the sanity of the user but brings their body to its full potential. When using it, it feels like her mind and body are broken free of the locks that are innately placed on all human beings. Complete freedom to think and use her body in whatever way she pleased. Neither Liang nor the Clan Head, Kai’s father, understood how she could remain sane for as long as she has with the blade when no one from the clan could handle using it for more than a month. Hazel didn’t either but she sure as hell wasn’t letting it go anytime soon.
“What do you think the test will be like?” Kai asked.
“A straightforward one. A righteous sect like the Nine Swords Sect wouldn’t have anything too complicated. Probably going to test our talent, strength, and combat ability. That’s all I can think of them doing.” Hazel answered.
“Sounds like it's going to be a piece of cake then.” Kai was relieved.
“Hmm? What makes you think that?” Hazel was confused how he came to that conclusion.
“What’s there to worry about if they are just testing those three things?” Kai was confused what she was questioning.
“Master Kai, you don’t seriously believe that you are number 1 throughout the heavens, do you?” She looked at him as if he was stupid.
“Don’t look at me like that! I’m not stupid!” He shouted. “Give me a second to think...”
“I said no such thing.” Hazel smiled as he began thinking for himself about what could be difficult about the test.
“I know what you were thinking with that look and I've already got it! What if I had to face off against someone just as talented as I was? Then just relying on my talent wouldn’t be enough. I’d have to rely on my wits and skills.” Kai answered.
“Not bad. You can use your brain to think.” She complimented him. “But have you thought about the reason why these people started following us as soon as we left the clan grounds? Who they are?” Hazel continued her questioning. “If you can’t provide a satisfactory answer, I'll cut them down in the next 10 seconds.” Better to be safe than sorry after all.
Unless they had significant backgrounds, which would make her question why someone with an important background would be following them in the first place, she would deal with them. Either they were after her life, Kai’s life, or would have something to gain from their deaths. None of the Yingjie Clan said they would follow them but Hazel wasn’t naïve enough to believe something like that. To let the golden child of their clan on his own with just her by his side? The Yingjie clan hated her but they respected her loyalty. If it wasn’t for the stubbornness of Kai, she would’ve already been killed by the clan. So, they must have placed a very strong cultivator to watch over them since she couldn’t sense them. This was reassuring but at the same time not.
Her life would not be saved if an emergency happened, only Kai’s. If anything, they might’ve been given the order to let her die if anything does happen just so that she was finally out of the way. Like she said before, Hazel was not well-liked in the Yingjie Clan. Her attitude, her appearance, her mysterious background, the way she walks, how she talks, how intelligent she was. Everything she did was criticized and picked apart by the Yingjie Clan. Hazel had no love or forgiveness for the Yingjie Clan. If they weren’t the reason why she was as strong as she is now, she would...
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Actually, she was still going to exterminate the clan when she gets strong enough. They bothered her far too much to consider keeping them alive. Only Liang and Kai would be spared. Liang might be harder to spare as he isn’t as dumb as Kai. Weaving a lie for Kai to believe would be easy enough.
“Of course, I know who they are and why they’re following us! They’re followers of other clans or noble families sent to keep an eye out on me to report back to their masters.” Kai confidently answered in only two seconds.
“And leaving them alive will benefit you how, Master Kai?” Hazel asked as if she was talking to a five-year-old.
“Fine!” Kai already knew that leaving them alive would be a pain in the ass. He just didn’t want to feel her disgusting sword’s qi so early in the morning. “Take care of them and make it quick. I don’t want to be around that sword for too long when it's not covered.” He ordered.
Inwardly, a wide grin appeared on Hazel’s face as the command was given. Just as she tossed off the spiritual cloth on the sword and got ready to dash forward, the watchers instantly took off to a further distance. This didn’t stop Hazel though. As the sword that was more than 3 meters long was finally unleashed from its bindings, it immediately infused its power with its beloved wielder. Releasing a wave of malicious, hostile, and disgusting qi into the surroundings.
Kai watched as Hazel silently took off towards the observers. With the strength given to her by the cursed sword, it easily allowed her to catch up to them and combat them. He was happy that they ran so far away. Now he didn’t have to feel that sword anymore. But he was upset at the same time too. Why did he, the master, have to wait on his servant? And why the hell was his servant doing things on her own without his command?
Multiple times his family has told him to properly train her as his servant. Beat her when she didn’t listen, punish her when she didn’t do an adequate job, and more but he never did any of those things. It wasn’t that he’s never tried. It was just that it never worked. All of his attempts were met with violent rejection. If he slapped her, she slapped him. If he punched her, she kicked him in the balls. If he ran to get Liang to help him punish her, she would sneak into his room when he slept and ambush him!
It was like they were equals and she was only acting the part of his servant so that his family wouldn’t execute her! From time to time, he really questioned what she thought about him. Did she see him as her master or just an equal? Kai wondered why has he allowed this to go on for so long but deep down, he knew why. Finding a replacement for Hazel wouldn’t be hard. Women would be coming out in droves for the chance of being by his side.
But Hazel wasn’t like those women. She was different... His talent, his looks, his background, she didn’t care about any of that. Hazel focused on who he was as a person, separate from the Yingjie Clan. The woman gave no care to the difference in their status. Treating him like a silly little brother rather than a master that deserves and demands respect from her. It went against everything he was raised to believe and it didn’t feel all that bad. Having a friend that respects you, argues with you, and is willing to talk to you on the same level is nice.
During the time Hazel was getting trained by Liang, he did attempt to search for friends after they had a particularly nasty fight. Him with a black eye on the right side of his face, and her with a black eye on the left side of her face. He was forced to beg his annoying Old Man to have her not executed. But besides that, he realized that trying to make friends wasn’t anything like it was with Hazel. All the other clan kids only cared about sucking up to him and getting on his good side. They would never disagree with him even if he said something as ridiculous as, “Tigers are just dogs with claws.” What they saw in him wasn’t a person but a tool to use to benefit themselves.
He was sure that Hazel was doing the same but he could tell that she actually cared about him. Those people he tried to recruit as his friends only cared about him as a means to improve their own lives. After rejecting them as potential friends, he began to look at Hazel in a new way. She might’ve been annoying, ugly, fierce, and sharp with her tongue but she looked at him in a way that no one else did.
“I’ve returned.” Hazel slowly walked towards Kai with her sword wrapped and her body completely free of blood.
“Let’s get a move on already.” He turned and crossed his arms with a small smile. “Such an annoying servant.”
“It was the smart thing to do.” Hazel wanted to make sure he knew that.
“Whatever.”