Chapter 2, Decision

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The scream startled Tengfei which caused him to stand up despite his wound.

Immediately without a second thought, he ran towards the barn doors and peeked upon a small hole.

What he viewed was something unexpected. There was a man clothed in black restraining Xiao Lihua's mother with his arms.

The voice was loud enough to alarm everyone in the household.

Noises of people running could be heard, "Hurry up! It was madam's voice!"

With the help of kindled lamp posts, they could clearly see as to what was happening.

Even Xiao Lihua's slumber was disturbed and so she went to check too. What she found out was something unexpected, this caused a swirl of mixed emotions in her.

Personal servants of the princess followed too and waited to the side.

Guards appeared with their weapons and their matching armor. One of them, presumably the leader, approached before saying out loud, "Release the Madam right now and we will make your death as swift as possible!"

No reply was heard for a while. Only after moments of dreaded silence, a strange laughter could then be heard, "What's the use of releasing her if I already know that my death is imminent either way? Instead of foolishly asking nonsensical demands, I suggest running back to your little hole." Said the man with a tone filled with ridicule.

"You..." The leader of the guard couldn't think of anything to come back with.

Lihua's mother cursed him and tried to struggle away.

The princess walked towards the man while keeping a perfect posture. She was dressed in her nightgown which fluttered with every step.

She then asked the man, "You wouldn't want your body to be torn apart? Do you?" A frightening green aura surrounded her afterwards.

Little did the people thought of as to how did that man entered the household which was highly protected...

The middle-aged man skillfully pulled out a knife from his pouch, before he pointed it near the woman's throat. "Hurt? How possibly a girl who yet grows hair dares to even threaten me?"

The mockery incited the princess's anger. Afterwards, the ring on her hand started glowing in green light before daggers appeared floating in front of her. They were small and sharp while being emerald in color; A sense of aethereal could be felt from them.

Lihua, the princess, performed a gentle movement with her hand. This caused each and every dagger to be pointed towards the middle-aged man. "This is your last warning."

"Give your best shot." He then pointed the body of Lihua's mother towards the princess.

The daggers went flying with no sense of hesitation on Lihua's face.

They didn't move in a straight motion but instead a curve was formed, before their aim changed to that of the man's back. All of these were guided by the movements of was Lihua's arms and hands.

Though before the daggers could even touch his clothing, they were all sucked into the dark hole which appeared on top of him. Momentarily, the daggers light gave clear sight on the man's ring.

Everyone felt shocked from witnessing something unexpected. They couldn't have predicted that the man in front of them was a cultivator. Particularly one that aligns to darkness. His aura radiates from his body similar to a miasma of black.

The man smirked, "Is that it?"

Xiao Lihua knitted her eyebrows and felt a sense of distress. Her most practiced technique disappeared into the void.

"Did you really think a mediocre technique like that could harm me, foolish little girl." The man said as he stares upon her with his cold gaze.

She snickered before yelling, "Then eat this!!!" She then inserted a large amount of mana into her ring. It shone brighter than before. More winds daggers appeared but this time they were revolving.

Her green aura deepened as it manifested around her arms.

"Endless bloody waltz!" Shouted Lihua as she clenched her fist which was pointed towards the man.

All of the revolving dagger went around the man before launching towards him with immense speed.

A smile could be seen on his face as in a blink of an eye, all daggers were caught by him.

Not by using his hands, but instead through countless others which appeared from pitch black portals. Similar to that of the previous technique he used. They weren't caught, but instead it's as if the daggers were stuck skewered into them. Each hand was violet in color.

Though he had to let go of Lihua's mother since he needed to concentrate in precisely controlling his spell. The lady couldn't even run due to her being covered in some sort of dark strings.

Lihua couldn't believe what she saw as she breathed haggardly. Her eyes were dull since she consumed lots of her mana. The bright aura that once swirled her arms were now dim.

Even Tengfei was surprised to what that man did while the ghost lady beside had a complicated look.

The middle-aged man then removed a paper with runic inscriptions on it. Afterwards, he raised his other hand was towards Lihua; Particularly pointing his index finger. Dark energy gathered through the tips before a black needle immediately was shot out. The paper he once carried burned into nothing but dust.

The needle approached Lihua with immense speed. She tried using her hands to block it but it was too late.

It gone through the princess's arms before her forehead. Though it didn't hurt her physically.

She was visibly confused until her consciousness suddenly stopped. Fell on the ground afterwards.

Her mother's expression turned bleak as she witnessed her last hope slipping away.

The guards were confident on princess Lihua, but ever since her defeat, they couldn't do anything but panic. Some even dropped their weapons before fleeing away. The courageous few went and charged towards the man, even when they knew that they were marching towards their death.

The personal servants of Lihua, went and tried to wake her. Having no other thoughts except the safety of the princess.

When the guards opened the main door, what met them were a horde of ruffians. Clothed similarly to that of the middle-aged man who defeated Lihua. They exceeded the amount of guard and had numerous types of weapons on hand.

Lihua's mother closed her eyes as she asks, "It was strange how you knew well that our sect guardian left three days ago." She then thought of something as she grits her teeth, "It was all because of that boy... Now that man wants to finally silence me for good."

The middle-aged man stayed silent.

Slowly the lady started laughing as tears appeared on her eyes.

The moment her scream filled with insanity could be heard, it was then that Tengfei stopped looking. It was hard for him to hear out what did the lady spoke; Due to the sound of screams, cries and metal clashing.

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He didn't waste any time to find a way to escape the barn. He also thought about the safety of his friend Zhou Huan.

Though before that, he grabbed his small bag and inserted his precious treasure in it. The fishing books.

The front door was not an option anymore and so he went through the burrowed opening on the back wall.

Back of the barn resides the living quarters of the servants which surrounded a bamboo pond.

The first thing he did was look for his friend. Luckily, he immediately found Zhou Huan running towards him.

"Quick Tengfei, let's grab the weapons in the house. We can at least defend ourselves or else we'll be nothing but harmless bunnies."

"Fine, but we have to make it quick."

They looked around the place and picked out a short sword and spear from a weapon rack. Zhou Huan stared for a moment at a long sword at that time but shook his head used the spear instead.

Afterwards they rushed out before heading towards the secret short cut. It was taught to them by the head servant in case the princess or her mother was in danger. Though in truth, they overheard this information. They could use that way to find the sect's exit.

They knew that it wouldn't be easy as they found the exit being monitored by one of intruders. Not only that, the woman seems to be also keeping watch upon a tied up Lihua.

Luckily their presence wasn’t noticed as the black clothed individual continued taunting the tied-up princess.

"You must still feel devastated that you can't use your fancy spells no more. Like a tigress without fangs." Said the lady as she lifts the princess's chin.

The princess spat on her face. This angered her which caused the princess's feet to be dislocated by a strong kick.

An agonizing scream could be heard from her as she swayed to the left and fell to the ground. Her expression was filled with pain.

Both Zhou Huan and Tengfei looked at each other than nodded.

As the woman continued to kick upon the powerless princess, Huan ran towards the exit while yelling out, "Hey piece of shit, I'm about to escape~"

The lady panicked and pulled out her sword as she turned and eyed Huan's back.

Before she could chase after him, the back of her neck was skewered by Tengfei's blade.

The black clothed woman struggled before coughing out blood and succumbed to the ground.

Red leaked out slowly with a sharp stench from the woman's neck; Her eyes flickered momentarily as she recalled all the things of her life. Not a single sound of agony was uttered from the black clothed woman as her vocal cords were raptured. Before long, death swooped the woman away.

The princess witnessed that person's death as she stares at the dead body.

Stains of blood could be spotted on her cheeks as her eyes remained hollow.

She recalled a scene that pained her. A hazy memory of crows on top of wood.

Zhou Huan closed his eyes before he prayed for the person.

After Tengfei eyed the blood on his hands, he recalled something way back. His eyes grew hazy as his body shivered. His armed hand would have trembled furiously if it weren’t for his other hand.

‘Not again. This memory... I don’t want it to surface.’ He thought before closing his eyes.

He would have become a worthless being shown in cages for people to buy him, if it weren't for his retaliation by killing the person who tried to capture him.

Xiao Lihua looked at both young men carefully with her eyes before immediately recognizing them. She knew that there was no hope.

She couldn't help but be lost with her thoughts.

'So, my fate points their sword to me again, huh. Already messing me up in the past but also now.' Her eyes gleamed in desperate light before she continued, 'But I can't die now...' Lihua then watched the back of the two boys leaving her behind.

She then recalled all the moments of her life up to now. The mistakes she did in particular. Tears started falling from her cheek as she whimpered. Sadness to the brim.

"Hey little girl, if you stop crying, I might take you along."

Lihua then felt her body raise before she was kept on a sitting position. It hurts her feet but she could now clearly see the person in front of her. It was Tengfei with a complicated look on his face.

Zhou Huan was shocked and furious as he walked towards him, "Did your screws fell off!? Were you seriously considering taking this brat along after what she did to us these past years? Is it because you are actually a masochist who couldn't afford leaving his sadistic master behind!?"

"I never forgotten the humiliation I suffered, but I have a better use for this intelligent princess." Tengfei then whispered Huan's ear.

The expression of Zhou Huan changed from a frown to that of a grin. He then praised Tengfei, "You clearly are a cunning one."

"Am I not always?"

Zhou Huan then squatted near Lihua, "Would you like to stay here or join us as a slave? Becoming someone that obeys our orders and help us around. A disposable luggage."

Xiao Lihua bit her lip before picturing the future humiliation she'll suffer.

Tengfei then asked, "What's your answer?"

She slowly nodded before she deeply closed her eyes

Zhou Huan sighed before using Tengfei's sword to cut lose the rope on Xiao Lihua's body.

"But what about my home?"

"Forget about actually your home, it's too late." Tengfei replied.

Lihua thought of all the memory she spent living in this place. It wasn't pleasant but this was still her home.

"At least carry me as my feet were dislocated." Said Lihua weakly.

Zhou Huan looked at Tengfei before saying, "You requested saving her so you carry her."

Tengfei sighed before asking, "Say at least please."

Lihua looked at him, gritted her teeth for a moment, before uttering, "P-p-please."

"Just one thing first." Tengfei said before slapping her left and right on the cheeks constantly.

He then punched her stomach before stepping on her dislocated feet.

She screamed in agony as she tried to withstood the pain.

"Well now I feel better. I would've done worse if it weren’t for a certain someone." Tengfei said with a cold tone.

Surprisingly she didn't rebuke on what happened to her. She stared at him silently with mixed emotions seen on her eyes.

Tengfei took a deep breath before carrying Lihua in a princess carry.

Being touched by him caused her to turn into a complicated state. She felt angry and embarrassed at the same time since the one carrying her had to be him.

Though she felt a sense of peace from the firm grip of Tengfei's hands and the scent of his clothing.

Her face slowly showed drowsiness before her eyes started closing.

When she was about to sleep, Tengfei noticed her peaceful face a decided to carry her like a rice sack on his shoulder.

This disrupted her calm state, pained her area and caused a tremor on her brain due to the sudden shock.

Lihua asked, "...Why."

"For what you and especially your mother did to me this past year." Said Tengfei before he showed a grin.

Luckily no other black clothed individuals came to this area and so they exited through the gate swiftly.

After they exited through the metal fence gate, the first thing that came in their minds was...

'What now?'

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Thank you for reading