This wasn’t the time to get frustrated, but Susu couldn’t help it. She’d never held a child in her life till now. She may have taken the child from the mother’s dying arms, but there was no way she’d ever let anyone take her away from her. We haven’t decided what to do with her, Susu replayed in her mind, anger boiling within each time she replayed it.
The wind flapped Susu’s veil, whilst the baby was nestled in her arms, asleep. When did she fall asleep? Susu thought, then slowed her pace.
Down below, people watched and probably scoffed, observing her using her Qinggong in broad daylight like this.
It was just like the fool back in Yellow Orchid village. The only difference was, Susu wasn’t as obnoxious as he was.
Small villages like the Yellow Orchid village, weren’t happy martial arts displaying their skin in the open like that.
To them, it was a lack of respect for the homes. As their buildings weren’t as sturdy as those found in large cities or provinces.
Whoever he was, Susu hoped he didn’t lose to a Monster. Usually, Young heroes that displayed their skill in such a way, had a confidence to them. Arrogance even.
Arrogance that usually ended with them being killed by someone who didn’t like their disrespectful tone. Face, Susu thought, the amount of times I was able to walk away because I showed face to a Senior or Elder, could be a mountain of stories.
A group of Golden Bowl Sect members walked on the streets, patrolling the city, or heading back to their Longyan branch, which was on the western side of the city if she remembered correctly.
The Sect members patrolled the streets with their brown and green Bamboo Canes, looking as though they were doing what most men couldn’t do, protect the city.
The member’s stopped when they rounded a corner and Susu saw the giant bowl, which sat on the corner of a street, adjacent to a tavern called Bright Peak. Ahh… they’re collecting their fees, Susu thought.
Once she skipped across three more roofs, they disappeared from her sight. Susu kept her pace up, moving from roof to roof, caressing the shingles with such grace, it was like a petal touching the ground from a now blooming flower.
Susu had no general direction in mind, she just allowed her body to flow through the wind, which would take it to where she could calm herself, but mostly to get away from Zhao Xing.
She eventually came to a tree line, which made her satisfied. She looked back, ensuring Xing didn’t follow and Of course Xing he didn’t. At least he knows when to keep his distance! Susu thought.
Susu wasn’t one to storm off easily, but at times, Zhao Xing lacked the decency to keep certain thoughts to himself, thoughts that usually found him in the wrong of Susu’s anger.
“I don’t care,” Susu said, “That was uncalled for!”
The grass crunched as Susu leapt from a tree, landing with a tap of her toes. The blades of the grass were up to her waist, making her kick off from the ground, and dance across a set of tree barks.
Susu skidded across the ground, scrapping clops of mud this time, which smeared her hanfu. Luckily, she was wearing a dark purple which allowed the mud to go unnoticed.
Rocks punctured her boots, as she made a step to her left, making her feet feel weathered. I might need to buy a new pair of boots she thought, but after I get you some more milk.
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
Susu turned around, feeling the trees eyeing her like judges, not that she cared.
Longyan city lay beyond the trees to the east. Susu rolled her neck and in the corner smoke waft from a set of chimneys, in the opposite direction of Longyan.
The dark smoke looked made the sky in the short distance seem as if it would rain, but once her eyes traced the entirety of the cerulean-painted skyline, she instantly knew better.
“Let’s find someplace else to rest. We’ll find Brother Xing later…probably at some tavern.” Susu said to the child.
Susu followed a cart path, it was small and littered with stones, but thankfully it guided her to what seemed like a small Shrine.
The shrine sat in the middle of a broken fence, with three trees on the left side and two trees on the right. A well sat adjacent to threes on the well and had a small bucket lying on the ground next to it.
As Susu got closer to The Shrine she saw a sign with characters spelling out the words ‘Ping’an’. “I think this is a bit ironic.” Susu said, “you agree, don’t you?” She finished eyeing the child. They didn’t answer but closed her eyes as if she was trying to get some rest.
“Let’s see if we can get Bodhidharma’s blessing without the Kunlun Monks,” Susu said with a smile and began walking towards the hall.
The closer Susu got to the Shrine, the more she realised how decrepit it was. The walls of the shrine were crumpled and flacking as if they hadn’t been attended to for years. The grass which surrounded the compound was growing haphazardly.
Susu walked up the broken stone pathway, heading into the Shrine, and was met with a fixture of cobwebs. She pushed them out of her way, making her way into the main hall of the Shrine.
A breath of wind nestled through the hall, sweeping dust from the ground, sweeping it through the door, and a hole in the wall.
A large statute sat at the top of the shrine. It was a Bodhidharma. As the statute looked down at Susu and the child in her arms, it smiled at her and she could feel a sacred radiance wash over her.
As Susu stared up, feeling as though the statute judged her, she felt annoyed by its smiling eyes but somewhat relieved. This wasn’t a bad idea She thought but were at the Kunlun Monks?
After a few minutes of silence, Susu finally allowed courage to seep into her veins and stepped towards the statute. If it’s a blessing I need for her, it’s a blessing I plan to get!
“Bodhidharma,” Susu said softly, kneeling. “I know of your grace and light. I know I am not worthy, despite me coming to you once before when I asked for you to kill the man that murdered my parents. You didn’t answer my prayer then, but you did send forth my master who saved me from my master’s wrath and for that, I am forever grateful. I know it is selfish for me to only seek you out when I am in need, but right now…I truly don’t know what to do.”
The Bodhidharma Statute didn’t answer, but its reverend smile shone down on Susu. She held her breath, and sighed, then placed the child on the cold ground.
She scotched back, removing her conical hat, and placing it next to the child. Then raised her to the Bodhidharma statute. Susu then wrapped her veil around the child, ensuring she had a cushion and a lot more warmth.
Susu hit her head on the ground, bowing once. Then sang a sutra of prayer to the Bodhidharma statute, feeling her forehead throb from the pain.
She hit her head against the ground once more, feeling the pain throb even more intensely. Then, she did it again, and again, and again, and again.
Susu bowed her head with each thud, feeling like a nail burrowing into her skull, aiming directly for her brain.
Sweat began to pour from her forehead. It was unusually warm but very much welcoming. With each thud of the ground, her mind began to get muddled from the pain.
As Susu continued her bows, she began to reminisce of the whippings she received once upon a time, feeling her body stiffening from each blow that resonated into her mind.
Susu raised her head for the ninety-ninth time, feeling the pain from her held creeping down her back, like a spider sewing a new webbing. Her head struck the ground for the hundredth time, then a voice echoed behind her.
“Never thought I’d see someone pray so deeply for reverence,” A familiar voice said. “It’s not that I wanted to stop your pray, but the condition I’m in begs for reprieve.”
Susu turned around, looking at the old man, robes draped in blood, and coagulated droplets of blood trickling down his mouth.
Zhu Zixin fell to the ground with a thud, making Susu scamper towards him. “Elder Zixin!” She shouted, “You can’t fall asleep”
The leaves from the trees in the yard began to swish, as footsteps began echoing around Susu. She kept her hands on Zhu Zixin’s wounds, feeling her heart pound as his pulse slowly began to slow.
Dai Li appeared in the middle of the courtyard with twenty men. His rusted sword propped against his shoulder, posing as if he’d own the shrine itself.
He pointed his blade towards Susu and began licking his lips as if any degenerate would. “Give us the old man wench. Or we’ll cut you down like the haughty swine you are and feed your baby to the wolves to spite you in hell!”