“Aahh!” Yu Lin opened her eyes as she turned her head to see Tai Yang backing away from her. “Wha-wha-what is going on?” Tai Yang asked as he pointed a finger at her. She rolled her eyes as she sat up. She looked around to see that light was illuminating inside the tent, and concluded that morning was here. She let out a yawn and stretch, before turning her attention back to Tai Yang. His eyes trembled as he looked at her.
“Are you feeling alright?” Yu Lin asked.
“H-huh? Uh… Um…” Tai Yang looked down at his body and Yu Lin let out a sigh as she scooched over to him. She grabbed his arm and put her fingers on his wrists. “Ah!” Tai Yang yelled but didn’t pull back. After she took his pulse she let go of his hand.
“You seem to be good now… if you feel anything strange then tell me. Understood?”
“Yea… understood,” Tai Yang nodded his head. Yu Lin backed away from him as she stood up. She looked down at her body and let out another sigh.
“Can you leave the tent?”
“Huh? Wh-why?”
“I need to wash up.”
“Go ahead then. We are both men, it doesn’t matter,” Tai Yang said. Yu Lin comb her hair with her fingers as she stared at him.
“I don’t like others seeing my body.”
“Oh… wh-”
“Then, do you want to bathe together then? You already like me that much?” Yu Lin raised one of her eyebrows. Tai Yang shook his head.
“No! I’m leaving!” he scrambled up from the bed and ran out of the tent. One side of Yu Lin’s lip curved slightly up before she turned around and a tub appeared in front of her.
“It’s been… ugh, a week since I last wash? Ugh…” she muttered to herself as she filled the top with warm water.
-
Yu Lin walked out of the tent to see Tai Yang sitting by the fireplace. She watched as he turned her head and when he saw her he sprung up. He bowed his body ninety degrees, a formal bow.
“Thank you! Thank you!” he kept bowing, “I know that you were the one who saved me, and I could never repay you for everything you have done! If you want I’m willing to do anything for you… but, I… I am just not into men so… please keep that into consideration!” he yelled. Yu Lin’s mouth was open slightly as she looked at him with a sense of disbelief. ‘I never seen such a character like this before,’ she thought as she shook her head and took a seat next to the fireplace. The fire that was burning last night was all just know smoking ashes.
“Are you hungry?” Yu Lin asked as she threw some wood, that laid next to her, back on top of the fireplace.
“Uh… yes.” Yu Lin set the wood on fire.
“Then sit down. You can help me cook today,” a pot appeared in her hand and Yu Lin hung it over the fire.
“Yes,” Tai Yang took a seat next to her. Yu Lin poured some rice grains into the pot and then some water. She handed the paddle to Tai Yang and nodded her head towards the pot.
“You stir,” she ordered as he took the handle.
“Yes,” Tai Yang looked nervously at the pot as he put the paddle inside.
“Hey, it’s not time yet.”
“Huh? O-oh.” Tai Yang brought the paddle back. Yu Lin frowned at him.
“Have you never cooked porridge before?”
“I-I-I… I never cooked before…” Tai Yang let out a nervous laugh.
“What? Are you a noble?”
“N-no! I’m not a noble.”
“Then why have you never cooked before?” Yu Lin knew it was ordinary for parents to teach their kids, regardless of gender, how to cook at least something as simple as porridge.
“M-my parents just love me very much! They said I should spent my time training instead so they never bothered to teach me how to cook,” Tai Yang answered.
“Then, did you come to study martial arts in Jongan?”
“Y-yes!”
“Where are you from, sir Hu?”
“I-I… I’m from a very far place from here.”
“Which continent?”
“Continent? Uh… I’m quite bad with geography so… I don’t know. I just know my village is very far from here.”
“Then how did you get chosen?”
“Huh?”
“Jongan is very peculiar about enrolling students into their academy, they only choose the best of the best or ones with very high potential. How did your testing go?”
“Ahh… a man came to my village one day and said that he wanted to check some of us out and give us scholarships, so I participated.”
“Your village?” Yu Lin cocked her head. Usually kids are sent to busier villages or cities in order to try out for Jongan academy, yet then again, sometimes a judge will go off and do their own thing.
“What’s wrong?” she looked as Tai Yang smiled at her and she saw two dimples appear on his cheeks. He looked like a little an innocent little boy. Yu Lin glanced back at the pot and nodded her head towards it.
“Stir, it’s time,” she ordered.
“Yes,” Tai Yang said as he did what he told her to. Yu Lin looked at him with suspicious eyes but didn’t want to ask any further. She would eventually know the truth when they reach Jongan academy.
-
After they finished eating, they both took down the tents and Yu Lin shoved them into her endless bracelet. Afterwards, they went to go look for the carriage and horse as Yu Lin took down the illusion.
“Are you going to be fine going back on the carriage?” she asked.
“I think so,” Tai Yang replied. She looked at Tai Yang. His injuries were healed, yet he was still suffering from the repercussions of the poison. The ride back should be alright for him.
As the two reached the carriage, Yu Lin noticed something was off. She looked to the front of the carriage to see that no horses were there. She looked around her and listened for any sounds of the horse, but she could hear nothing. She walked to the front of the wagon to find that the reins that tied to horse to the tree was torn apart. She bit her lips as she let out a sigh.
“What are we going to do?” Tai Yang looked at her with a worried expression. Yu Lin looked him up and down before letting out another sigh. She could carry him and leap all the way back, but that would take a bigger toll on his body. If they walk, then they would take a longer time, but Tai Yang would be able to rest and not strain his body too much. If they did that, however, she could risk the Dragon Lair members knowing and telling another slave trader to come capture them. Yu Lin crossed her arms.
“We have to walk,” she answered as she waved her hand.
“Alr- ah!” Tai Yang let out a yelp, “y-you, wh-”
“It’s for disguise,” Yu Lin said. She saw her reflection in Tai Yang’s bright blue eyes. She looked exactly like her fifteen-year-old self in her previous life, except now she was wearing a light pink robe with a white cloak.
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“Wah… but, why are you disguising as a girl?” Tai Yang asked as she put the hood of the cloak over herself.
“Why not?” Yu Lin said, “and call me… Lu Yin for now. I don’t want you calling out my name blatantly and getting us noticed. Understood?”
“Yes.”
“And,” Yu Lin looked up at him with threatening eyes, “you said that you would do anything to repay my favor, then you better keep your mouth shut about everything that happened here. Alright?” Yu Lin looked as Tai Yang swallowed hard as he nodded his head, “Good. Let’s go then,” Yu Lin said as she began walking towards Jongan.
-
After the pair walked for two hours they finally reached a village. Yu Lin kept her head low, as to not attract any attention. She looked around to see that the village was also bustling with life.
“Wah!” Tai Yang exclaimed as he looked around the village with amazement.
“Stop standing there looking like an idiot or I’m going to leave you behind,” Yu Lin said as she kept walking.
“Hey! Wait up Y-” Yu Lin turned around and glared at him. He froze and gave her a smile, “wait for me, Lu Yin,” he corrected himself as he walked up to her. She just rolled her eyes as she kept walking. The two found a restaurant and went inside to eat lunch.
“What would you two like to order?” a waiter came and asked.
“Two seasoned fish meals,” Yu Lin answered.
“A-ah! Bu-” Yu Lin narrowed her eyes at Tai Yang and Tai Yang closed his mouth, and looked down. She let out a sigh.
“What’s wrong?” she asked after calming down.
“I… I don’t like eating fish…”
“Why?”
“Fish has too… too many bones,” Tai Yang gave her a small smile. Yu Lin rolled her eyes.
“We would like one season fish meal and one boiled chicken meal,” Yu Lin said to the waiter.
“Alright. That will come out to be ten coppers,” the waiter said and Yu Lin handed him the money, “your meal will come right up,” he gave them a bow and walk away. Yu Lin saw Tai Yang look at her with a confused expression.
“What is it this time? Are you going to say you don’t like chicken either?” she asked.
“N-no! I’m just curious…”
“Curious about what?”
“The… the currency here.”
“Currency? Why? Did you not use coppers in your village?”
“That… we used a different type of currency.”
“Different currency? But this currency is universal throughout most of the continents,” Yu Lin furrowed her eyebrows.
“Ah… is that so…” Tai Yang said as he nodded his head. ‘How strange… but he doesn’t seem to be a bad person…’ Yu Lin thought to herself.
“100 copper coin equal one silver coin, 100 silver equals one gold coin, and 1000 gold equals one platinum coin. Do you understand now?” Yu Lin said. Tai Yang smiled and nodded his head.
“Thank you,” he said as his eyes brew with life. She frowned but just shrugged her shoulder as their food came in and they started to eat.
“Emergency! We need help!” a man burst into the restaurant, “Where’s the physician?” the man yelled. One of the lead waitresses walked up to him.
“The physician left town yesterday to treat some villagers in the neighboring town. What’s wrong?”
“No! We have some heavily injured men, and we need help right away,” the man let out a sigh, “why did the physician have to be gone today?” Yu Lin continued to eat, ignoring the man as she did not have any chi energy stones to help someone even if she wanted to. She also couldn’t risk using her own chi energy.
“We have a physician right here!” she almost spit out her food as she looked up to see Tai Yang standing up and pointing at her.
“What are yo-”
“Sir! We have a physician here who can help!” Tai Yang waved to the man. Yu Lin covered her face with her hand as a vein popped onto her forehead. She heard heavy footsteps approaching her before they stopped.
“Is what you say true, stranger?”
“Of course! H-she is the best physician I’ve ever seen!” Tai Yang said and she could feel the man staring at her. After a moment the man stood next to her side.
“Lady, please help us!” the man bowed to her. She put her hand down and looked up to see Tai Yang smiling at her, innocently. She glared at Tai Yang and Tai Yang flinched before she turned to look at the man.
“Rise,” she said and the man did. She looked into the man’s intense eyes and let out a small sigh. “Lead the way, I will see what I can do,” she said as she stood up.
“Thank you, lady!” the man said as the man gave her another bow, “please follow me then,” he said as he turned on his heels. Yu Lin turned to glare at Tai Yang before she followed the man, with Tai Yang following her. The man led them to a house not far from where the restaurant was. After they entered the house, Yu Lin frowned as she saw four men lying out on beds in front of them.
“Please wait here, I will go get our leader,” the man said as he headed upstairs. Yu Lin squinted her eyes as she walked up to the men. She observed their deep gashes as blood oozed out of them.
“Demon beast scratches…” she muttered to herself. She noticed that another one of the men’s complexion was darker than the rest. She reached her hand down to take his pulse.
“What are you doing?!” she heard a voice yell from behind her as she felt someone grab her wrist and turn her around. As she turned the hood of her cloak fell down. She looked up to see light brown eyes piercing back at her own light brown eyes. She looked to see the man’s eyes soften as his grasp grew looser.
“M-”
“Leader!” the man from earlier yelled as he ran up from upstairs. The man in front of her looked up.
“Zi Lou?” the man said, his voice was deep. Yu Lin looked at the man and he looked to be about in his early to mid twenties.
“Hu- I mean, Lui Hong, that lady is a physician!” Zi Lou said as he ran down the stairs. Yu Lin watched as Lui Hong continue to stare at her.
“Are you going to let go now?” she asked and his eyebrows twitch before he let go of her wrist, and she stepped back.
“Are you alright?” she heard Tai Yang asked as he stood behind her and she nodded her head. Zi Lou reached them and stood besides Lui Hong.
“The physician from the town left yesterday to go help another village. Luckily this lady was there,” Zi Lou said.
“Luckily?” Lui Hong narrowed his eyes at Yu Lin, “who are you?” he asked.
“H-she’s D-” Yu Lin elbowed Tai Yang before he could speak any further. Tai Yang looked at her, clenching his teeth as he tried to bear the pain.
“I am Di Lin Yu. This is my cousin Di Yai Tang,” Yu Lin replied.
“What are you guys doing here?”
“We are currently traveling right now.”
“Really?” Lui Hong questioned as he continued to look at Yu Lin with suspicious eyes. Yu Lin narrowed her eyes back.
“I’m sorry sir Lui Hong, but we do not know who you are. We simply came because sir Zi Lou asked for help. If you keep doubting us, then what can we do? If you don’t need us anymore, then we will be leaving now,” Yu Lin said as she gave him a small bow as she started to turn around.
“Ah! Lady Lin Yu! Please don’t leave!” Zi Lou begged her as he ran in front of the door. “Please help us! Leader, you ask too!”
“Please forgive me for my bad manners, lady Lin Yu,” she heard Lui Hong say as she turned to look at him, “it’s just that we have to be careful for our own reasons, but we are not bad people. Please help us,” Lui Hong bowed to her. Yu Lin looked at him and then at the men on the beds, and then back at him.
“Alright. I will help, but I also need your help,” she said as she held out her chi energy stones, “I am lacking in chi energy. I need you to transfer some into here so I can use it to save them. Can you do that?” she asked. She watched as Lui Hong looked at her for a moment before nodding his head.
“I can,” she said as he picked up the stones and started to insert his chi energy inside. ‘He must really care for his men… a good leader…’ Yu Lin thought as she watched him fill the chi energy stones up one by one.
-
After about two hours, Yu Lin finished healing all of them as the men now slept with comfortable expression.
“Now that I’m done, we must be going,” Yu Lin said as she wiped the sweat off her forehead, “it’s getting late and we still need to find an inn to spend the night.”
“Why don’t you two spend the night here?” Lui Hong offered her.
“We don’t want to be troub-”
“You won’t trouble us at all. We have two spare rooms that each of you can use. It’s the least I can do to repay your kindness.”
“But we will need to get up early and head on our way. I don’t want to disturb you and your me-”
“You won't disturb us at all. That’s right, where are you two headed to? We will also be leaving soon and maybe we can drop you guys off or nearby your destination,” Lui Hong offered. Yu Lin looked at him, not fully trusting him yet. His eyes were sincere, and he did not seem to have malicious intentions but it was always better to be safe than to be sorry.
“We’re headed to Jongan!” she heard Tai Yang say from behind her and she turned around. He gave her a smile and she glared at him which made him back away a tiny bit.
“Jongan? My men and I will be passing through there to get some supplies. We can help drop you two off tomorrow.”
“It’s fi-”
“That’s great!” Tai Yang exclaimed.
“Good. Zi Lou, come lead these two to their spare rooms.”
“Yes, leader. Please follow me,” Zi Lou said as he started to head upstairs. Yu Lin turned around and glared at Tai Yang who just quickly turned around and followed Zi Lou. ‘This brat…’ she cursed in her head.
-
After everyone fell asleep, Yu Lin stood up from her bed. She crept downstairs before leaving the house. She looked outside to see that the street was no empty with no one in sight. She walked towards the edge of town before leaping away to a nearby forest. In the forest, she found herself a cave and she entered it.
She lit up some candles before setting a chair in the middle of the cave. She also made an illusion so no one could see the cave. After that, she waved her hand and her disguise disappeared. She took the bag tied around her neck and held it up. She sent her chi energy inside, and when she found Hen Huo she opened the bag and pulled him out.
“Ah!” he screamed as he pulled himself up. Before he could have any time to settle Yu Lin kicked his chest and he let out a yelp as he fell onto the chair. A rope appeared in Yu Lin’s hand as she tied him around the chair. Afterwards, Yu Lin held the sword up to his neck. Her eyes were dark, and her aura was murderous.
“You vile creature! Let me go!” Hen Huo yelled at her. Her sword moved in a swift action as blood seeped out of Hen Huo’s arm and he let out a scream. “You mo-” before he could finish Yu Lin punched him the face. He whimpered as Yu Lin grabbed his topknot and turned his head towards her.
“You, you will answer every question I have. If you refuse to, I will make you know how it feels like to want to die but can’t die.” Yu Lin hissed.