The early morning mist clung to the mountain, shrouding the Purple Mist Sect like an ethereal veil. At the bottom of the pathway leading to the sect, two carriages stood ready, their horses pawing the ground impatiently.
Ban Susu stood next to one of the carriages, Zhao Li sitting in the carriage, kicking her feet as she waited for the group to gather.
As Zhao Li sat there, she clutched her pack tightly, whilst her eyes darted back and forth between carriages. Her father, Zhao Xing, stood a short distance, his expression a mixture of pride and barely concealed sorrow.
Bo Ying was at his side, his usual stern demeanour softened by the gravity of the moment.
“Is everyone ready? It’s time,” Susu snapped.
Zhao Li turned to her father one last time and he disappeared from her view. A loud thud echoed and Zhao Xing appeared next to Zhao Li, before she could say anything he hugged her so tightly Zhao Li was shock. “Remember, Little Flower,” he said softly, “the path ahead may be difficult, but whatever you do or choose, will be your choice alone. Alright?”
“Yes Dada,” Zhao Li said, fighting back tears. With a final embrace, he she turned and hopped off the carriage.
Five young men stood at attention nearby. Luan, the eldest stood among them. He wasn’t just the eldest, he was also Zhao Xing’s first student and most prized student. All of his skills were passed down to him.
The way he looked at Zhao Xing, it was clear how reverent he felt about his student. “Master, we won't let you down,” he said, bowing reverently, voice filled with determination.
“I don’t expect anything less Lu’er,”
“Yes Master,”
Zhao Xing clapped his hand on his shoulder, then nodded approvingly. H then turned to his other students. “Protect each other. Remember your training. When you enter the Jianghu you wont just be representing the Purple Mist Sect. You’ll be representing Me, you represent Master Bo Ying, You represent Master Guo Heng, you represent Master Ban Susu…but most of all, you represent our, your Grand Master Feng Chaoxiang. Do you understand?”
“Yes Master.” They all said in unison.
“Good, now go…show them who you are.”
The disciples boarded the second carriage, Bo Ying stepped forward, his voice gruff with emotion. “Don't forget your medicinal training. The skills of healing are just as important as those of combat.”
“Yes Master Ying,” they said in unison.
A crack of the reins rang out and the carriages lurched forward. Zhao Li laid back in her seat and watched as her home faded into the distance. The familiar peaks of the mountain grew smaller, until they were swallowed by the morning mist.
Susu observed Zhao Li’s wistful gaze.” The first step is always the hardest,” she said gently. “But each mile will bring new wonders and opportunities.”
Zhao Li looked up at Susu, confused by her words, but she felt at ease. She nodded and continued to watch the surroundings around her.
Tears wanted to flow, but she pushed them back. This wasn’t tears of pain, but of relief, she felt as though she had to hold back everything within the Purple Mist Valley, but now…. she felt so at ease…it was exhilarating.
She wanted to scream…scream to her longs could no longer feel, but that urge, was for a second. She let those feelings go and inhaled the foliage around her.
As the day wore on and the mountain terrain gave way to rolling hills, Susu turned her attention to the young disciples in the second carriage. “Luan,” she called out.
Luan kicked off the carriage and floated toward the first carriage, he landed next to Susu and bowed, “Yes Master Susu,” he said calmly.
“What do you know of the Jianghu?”
The youth’s sharps features came alive as he smiled. He leaned forward slightly. “The Jianghu is a world unto itself. A realm where martial artists, wanderers, and those who live outside conventional society thrive.”
“Master Xing taught you well,” she said, nodding approvingly. “And what of its systems? Are you familiar with how order is maintained in such a chaotic world?”
“I believe so, they are various factions and alliances, each with their own codes and territories. But...” He hesitated, “I admit, my knowledge is limited to what we’ve learned within the sect.”
“Then let me educate you on one of the most crucial systems within the Jianghu – the bounty system,” Susu said, firmly.
“The bounty system,” Susu began, “is how we survive, it is how we eat. We assist where we can and the bounties we retrieve earn us points. In its star system.”
“…like mercenaries”
“Correct, in essence we are mercenaries.”
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“Who oversees such a system?” he asked.
“There are only two organizations with the authority to issue official bounties,” Susu explained. “The Magistrate Offices, representing imperial law, and the Martial Arts Alliance, which governs the martial world itself. They work in unison.”
“But how do they maintain control over such things?” another disciple, Ming, chimed in.
Susu’s lips curved into a knowing smile. “It’s not about maintaining control. Its about protecting what belongs to the emperor. You see, they are more Magistrate Offices than they are Martial Arts Alliance offices. It’s done that way, to ensure who rules Huaxia.”
“Its also draws an invisible line between the Martial World and the normal people?”
“Yes…it done this way, so the emperor can still recruit people from within sects, families, and cults without disrepute.”
“The emperor is all knowing,”
“…and all seeing,” Susu finished, “Good you understand where we stand and who not go up against.”
“Yes,” Luan said calmly, “the master has warned against bickering with soldiers, magistrates are anyone associated with the government,”
“Good.”
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The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple. The purple mist sect caravan came to a halt in a small clearing nestled between two hills. The eagerness to depart the carriages was painted across the disciples’ face. The moment their feet touched the ground, they began stretching their legs from the day’s travels.
Susu leaped from the carriage, startling Zhao Li, she landed on a small knoll, her keen eyes surveying the bustling activity below. As the last tent stake was driven into the ground, she rose up, rolling her neck. “Everyone, gather around.” She shouted.
It took the disciples a short while to gather, they all sat in a semi-circle and a devilish smile, flashed across Susu’s face. “Your journey to the Jianghu begins here, if you can past one final test…”
The five young men looked up at Susu stupefied, then they exchanged confused glances at each. Zhao Li, who had been helping to gather firewood, paused mid-step looked up at Susu, confused as well.
“If you fail to meet my standards, you will return to the Purple Mist Valley immediately.”
“Master Ban!” A disciple protested without thought, the once cheerful atmosphere changed immediately. “Silence!” Luan snapped. The other disciples fell quiet, turning to their senior brother with confused.
He stepped forward, bowing before Susu. “Master, if I may please?”
At Susu's nod, he turned to his fellow disciples. “Brothers, Master Ying tested our toxicology and physician skills before our departure. It should be understood that Master Susu would do the same. We represent the Purple Mist Sect, and we must prove ourselves worthy of that honour.”
The other disciples’ squabbles for a second internally, but their gazes filled with determination once more. Luan turned around bowing to Susu, which was followed by the remaining four student’s own bow. “Forgive us for our insolence Master Susu,”
“All is forgiven.” She said calmly. “Now, show me what Zhao Xing has taught you. Face me, all of you, with everything you have.”
Susu leaped off the knoll and stood a few meters off the camp site, in an open area that with overgrown grass that was chest-high tall. The disciples kicked off the ground, using their qinggong, following her. They formed a loose circle around Susu, brandishing their weapons without hesitation. “IRON CLAW FORMATION!” Luan shouted.
The disciples switched their stances to that of the iron claw formation. Susu eyebrows rose slightly, recognizing the foundation of Elder Zhu Zixin’s Lion Pride Formation. Unlike the original formation, which relied heavily on the strongest member to attack.
Luan charged enshrouding his hands in Qi, forming them into Iron Shredding Claw, Xing’s signature technique. His claw shot out, aimed at Susu’s solar plexus, while Ming Lei attacked Susu to her left, forming Qi around his fingers as he began to attack using Ying’s Poison Crane style.
Susu skipped back, dodging the attack and raising her right hand. She then stepped forward, enshrouding Qi into her hand, then struck the acupoint in Luan’s wrist and Ming Lei’s elbow.
Agony flashed against the disciples faces and they froze momentarily, startling the other three disciples. “Ming Lei, you need to work on your presence. Your excitement exposes you. I can sense your Qi flaring up, which makes you easy to predict.” Susu said calmly.
The other three disciples tried to join the attacks, but their attacks weren’t in sync, making it easy for Susu to dispatch two of them with ease. The last disciple broke off his attack, realising what Susu’s goal was. He struck acupoints for Ming Lei, releasing him. “FREE BROTHER LUAN!” Ming Lei shouted.
Ming Lei intercepted Susu, wave his fingers in an aggressive-style, forcing Susu to skip-backward. He aimed for her kidney, the next, a kick would be sweeping at her legs. Yet for all of his coordination, Susu remained untouched, allowing her the advantage she sought.
She danced between their attacks, the sound of feet scuffing against the earth. the whoosh of strikes narrowly missing their target, and the scent of grass crushing beneath their feet.
Luan rushed at her once more, Susu sidestepped, feeling the rush of air as his hand passed mere inches from her torso. Her eyes flicked to the right—Ming Lei was coming in fast, his hands darting with the precision of a snake aiming for her throat.
Susu spun low, sweeping her leg in a smooth arc. The grass hissed as it parted, her foot connected with Ming Lei’s ankle, sending him tumbling to the ground with a grunt. His body hit the earth with a dull thud, and the smell of disturbed soil rose between them.
Luan leapt toward her from behind, a knowing smile flashed across Susu’s face, as if she had anticipated the attack. The faint audible whisper blossomed within a whisker of Luan’s hair.
Susu dropped to the ground, avoiding another Shredding Claw Slash, leaving Luan’s attack to sail over her head, harmlessly.
She rose, grabbing a handful of dirt and flung it at Luan's face. Luan growled out in frustration, as the dust cloud billowed, forcing him stumble back, coughing as he broke his stance.
“In the Jianghu, not everyone will fight fairly. Your movements need to be sharper or you could lose an arm before you learn to use it!”
Ming Lei sprang forward, weaving his attacks with a mixture of finger and kicks, trying his best to for Susu into making a mistake. “Valiant, Mind Lei,” Susu said calmly, “you’ve taken Brother Ying’s lessons to heart. If you’re unable to defeat your opponent with your strength, force them into a mistake. Well done.”
Susu dodged his eighth attempt at hitting her acupoints, the air hissing from each near-miss. Susu didn’t counter-attack, she just waited for the patterned attacks to finalise.
“That’s slightly better, Ming Lei,” Susu called out, “But don't telegraph your moves so obviously!”
The other two disciples, Liu Fang and Wei Zhen, circled Susu, trying to find an opening but as Susu was a master, it was hard to find one.
Liu Fang darted toward Susu’s left, he released a palm strike aimed at her ribcage whilst Wei Zhen appeared to her right, sweeping his feet, aiming to unbalance her.
Susu narrowed her eyes and kicked off the ground, using her qinggong. She twisted her body midair leaving Liu Fang’s palm struck and Wei Zhen’s sweep to hit air.
As she descended, Susu's foot lashed out, catching Liu Fang on the shoulder and sending him sprawling. “Coordinate!” Susu barked, landing gracefully. “You’re individuals, not a team!”