As Bo Ying sat on the roof of one of the Kaihua Library roof. He couldn’t help but clench his feet clenched and keep his eyes fixated on the grey clouds stirring in the distance beyond the Kaihua village, that lie beneath him, down the mountain.

This was his morning ritual.

He walked through the various gardens surrounding the library, until dawn crept up, washing away the morning dew.

He did this, to soothe his frustration away. Heng Guo leaving, infuriated him, but that’s not what infuriated him this morning.

How could Master force such an oath on him.

“Master,” He said softly. “Uang Bang deserves death, yet you force me to not take action. This is not right!”

It was hard for Ying to even consider his Master was dying. It was like a lucid dream, that slowly turned into a nightmare.

As the sun’s gradually rose, lighting the magnolia and azalea flowers which sat a few meters off from him

Ying turned left, watching the colours come to life within the garden as the sun shed light on them, leaving a mellow feeling.

A feeling he grew accustomed to as he tended to his master for the past two months.

The morning was when he felt at peace, somewhat. However, the latter half of the day. Ying felt as though the world had swallowed him, chewed on his body and spat him back as if he was just sustenance.

“Brother Xing and Su’er are are ten days late!” Ying huffed, feeling flustered. “Each passing day the Master grows weaker, yet they’re gallivanting!”

He harrumphed and tried his best to hide his anger, but each time he did it would boil back up like a volcano.

In Bo Ying’s eyes, Zhao Xing and Ban Susu were considered the master’s favourites by both him and Heng Guo, something their master would deny vehemently.

Master Chaoxiang never treated either of them differently, but because they were his first disciples, he always treated them differently, something Ying was always jealous of.

Bo Ying poured himself a cup of wine that had been marinating next to him. He downed it in one gulp, then smacked his lips in exhilaration and hissed the cold wind into his mouth, feeling exasperated.

Ying wasn’t a lover of wine, but after retreating to the roofs of Kaihua Library. He began indulging every once in awhile. To dull the pain of his master’s upcoming death.

However, the pain he wish to diminish from his mind, would crash down on his shoulders, whenever he felt at ease. It served as a reminder, that he needed to be vigilant.

“It’s time for the Master’s medicine.” He said aloud, realising how time flew by. He didn’t get up immediately but stared into the distance, watching as the village began to slowly stir awake.

Ying poured another cup of wine, and then got up, and sailed down from the roof top, landing in southern garden and began pouring his wine onto the azalea flower petals. “You need this more than me.”

A silent smile flashed across his face, then he exited the garden, walking through the waterway that led to the main library.

As he walked by, the splashes of water sang beautifully making him feel at ease. He passed under a bridge, then rounded a corner which had two sentry-like statutes attached to the wall.

Ying turned right, walking down a long hallway, then made a short left, bowing to a few clerks that passed him by. He went up a short flight of stairs, and then approached two wooden doors, that seemed more like tree trunks than doors.

The door creaked open with a touch of his palm, and rows of books and people appeared. They turned to see who it was, then went back to what they were doing.

A mixture of old and new paper flooded into his nose, which made him smile. “Nothing like the smell of books.” He said softly.

“Senior Ying!” A clerk shouted to the library’s err.

Ying shushed the clerk with his hands and walked towards him, passing two scholars whose lips were drawn to a line in anger.

He scanned their desk, noticing they were reading classics from the Three Kingdoms, candles burnt halfway through. They must’ve been here before the sun rose, He noted.

Ying bowed as he passed them, then turned to Dong’er. “You have to keep your voice down Dong'er. I don’t think you can afford Master Shen’s wrath. He might even ban you from the Archive Room.” Ying whispered.

“He couldn’t even if he tried,” Dong’er said with a light laugh.

Ying looked at Dong’er, shaking his head. Disappointment and admiration aroused his thoughts, Dong’er was just sixteen years old, yet he had the drive and mind to make it to Kaihua Library.

As the youngest Apprentice Librarian within the Kaihua Library, Dong’er was liked and disliked for many reasons. The latter was mostly from jealousy, but he ignored it will, showing a dedication to learning all he could.

“Look here Senior Ying, I think I found out when tarmini was discovered.” He said, pointing at an old scroll that surely saw better days.

Dong’er went into detail explaining why he believed his findings were correct, which only made Ying nod, not in agreement, but to push the lad to move into a dissertation he wasn’t smart enough to understand.

Ying might’ve been well read compared to his Martial Brothers, but toxicology and acupuncture were what he excelled at best. To think he would get a history lesson regarding tarmini, was beyond him in all honesty.

“Are you listening Senior Ying?”

“I am, but what does this have to do with growing Tarmini, Dong’er I just wanted to know what were the conditions tarmini were found back in the era of the Three Kingdoms.”

“I know I know, but I was reading up on principles of Ying and Yang energy as you suggested and I’m even more stumped than I was before.”

“Why is that?”

“I don’t see how it relates to poison and cure.”

“Ok, let’s discuss for a bit.”

Ying ushered Dong’er to the freest table, which happened to be the window, overlapping the view of the garden, he so happened to be in a few seconds ago.

A lit candle separated them, filling the air with wax. Ying tugged his left and right shoulder, alleviating some stiffness he’d gotten from standing too long and snapped up a piece of chalk that just so happened to be on the window sill, just where he left it yesterday.

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Ying drew a circle, separating and splitting it into the ring and yang insignia. “Ok, let me explain a bit. Tarmini is a Yin-based poison. To find a cure, I need to understand the plant as best as I could. To counter the poison I would need a young tarmini herb that lacked the Yin energy provided by the moon.”

“Why?”

“Because if I can plant a young tarmini plant, and find the correct ratio in a similar environment, but ingest more Yang energy into its growth I could potentially find a cure.”

“Why do Yin and Yang play such an important role in curing poisons?”

Ying’s lips curled into a smile, as he knew that Dong’er would eventually ask that very question. Ying began drawing a circle with some leftover chalk, differentiating the difference between Yin and Yang insignia. “You’re familiar with the Yin and Yang insignia yes?”

Dong’er nodded, understanding what he meant.

“Good. Now, this is the Yin section,” Ying said pointing at the blank section, which represented Yin. He began rubbing out a third of the Yang section of the insignia. “This is what happens when there’s too much Yin energy, it replaces the Yang, which stifles balance.”

“Making the poison deadly?”

“In Yin essence, Yes. The same can be said about Yang’s essence as well. So don’t focus too much on the difference, just know that the imbalance of either Yin or Yang essences could lead to poison.”

“So, the reason you’re trying to understand where the plant was found, is to verify whether or not you can replicate its growth?”

“Yes and no. I am trying to understand the environment the tarmini poison was found, that way. This cure would allow people to stop wasting Qi to push the poison out of their meridians. Instead, the cure would nullify the effects of the poison, allowing them to conserve their Qi.”

“Nullifying poison that consumes Qi?”

“Yes, depending on their Martial Realm, they either die from poisoning, or they could dissipate, but for someone to dissipate such lethal poison they would have to be of the Qi Perception Realm.”

“I see,” Dong’er finally said. “So what you need is to know the environment in which it was found?”

“Exactly.”

“I will see what I can find and get back to you.”

“Thank Dong’er your help is much appreciated.”

Bo Ying dragged the chair lightly beneath him, pushing himself up and giving Dong a nod, “I have to tend to my Master, so please do enjoy your day”

“You enjoy your day as well Senior Ying,” Dong’er said with a smile.

Ying headed for the door and made his exit. His research into tarmini wasn’t related to his master, but he’d always wanted to find a way to deal with the poison. As he was poisoned with that very poison during his earlier years within Jianghu.

It slowed his cultivation drastically, forcing him to only reach the Divination Realm, but that was two years ago...whilst Susu herself had been there for over four years.

To acquire the knowledge he required, he opted to join the Red Flower Society, the society that owned the Kaihua Library.

As he was leaving the library, he strolled past a collection of scrolls on both sides. He turned around, looking up and measured the size of the library which sat at fifty meters in width, and forty meters in length, with rows of shelves from top to bottom.

As lively as the library was, only thudding feet and whispers could be heard as he walked by, heading towards to exit.

Ying swirled the Qi within his Soul Dantian, opening the meridian points within the dantian. The Qi slowly flowed from within, then rushed towards his feet, feeling lighter.

Ying shot up into the air, robes flapping all around him. He landed on the rooftop with a loud boof, that made him cautious. I really should lose some weight, Ying thought, slapping his belly, acknowledging his fat with a rue smile.

“What was that?” Someone muttered from beneath the roof.

“A pig?”

“Does that make sense! How could a pig be onna roof!” another scoffed.

“You’re right.”

Ying smiled, sailing in across the roof, then slid across another one. He hopped onto the top of the kitchen, using his own Qi to lighten his body.

Once he was satisfied, he dropped to the ground, smelling the pork belly boiling behind him, which made his stomach rumble, only to ignore it and strut across the compound. I guess we’re having pork belly for lunch He thought.

The housing area of the Kaihua Library had at least fifty rooms. All of them are located on the eastern side of the compound.

Surprisingly, only half those rooms were occupied as scholars and students alike would leave on occasion to further their studies at other institutions.

The chimney for Master Chaoxiang smoked, which meant the fire was still brewing, which probably wasn’t a good sign. Two empty plant pots sat outside on opposing sides of the door, twigs growing from each.

Ying approached the door with a knock and waited for his Master to announce him. No one answered, so he knocked again. “Master, it’s Bo Ying!” He called out, but no one answered.

He pushed the door open, dragging the wood against the floor. He was met with intensely brewing flames that quelled what little dew was left in the morning.

A bead of sweat trickled down his face and a sigh of relief washed over him, as he turned around to see his Master sitting on his bed, cultivating.

Master Chaoxiang didn’t acknowledge Ying as he kept on cultivating, but as Ying stood there, he could see the sweat pouring off him as his Master concentrated. The worst of all, he saw the palm strike his master had received on the right side of his chest.

The palm strike was a purple palm print left from Grand Master Uang Bang’s hand. As Ying stared at it, he could feel thrumming right before his eyes, turning black showing its malice in the form of the killing intent.

He bit his lip in frustration and watched his master continuing to cultivate. Ying wiped the sweat from his forehead and headed back to the garden, maybe he’ll be ready in an hour or so.

As he roamed the garden, calming himself from the sight of his master. He eventually sat down and began ruminating on a way to get around the oath his master had placed on him.

“Did he make an oath Heng Guo?” He asked himself, “No...Heng Guo would do what the Master would want without question. I had to find a way to get Brother Xing and Su’er to know about their duel without influencing them in any way.”

But how? He thought.

“Senior Ying! Senior Ying” Dong’er called out running around the corner holding his chest as he fluttered towards him.”

“Did you find something Dong’er?”

“Find something?” He asked confused.

“Have you forgotten about the Tarmini already?”

“Oh...no, I haven’t forgotten, but I'm for another reason!”

“Another reason?”

“Yes! Someone’s at the gate to see you!”

“Which Gate?!” He asked, pushing himself up from his seat.

“The Eastern Gate!”

Ying tapped the ground, floating in the air, tapping a pair of statutes as he landed on the roof of a nearby pavilion. He ran across the roof, hearing Dong’er mumbling something, but ignored it, because he needed to be sure.

The brown shingles rattled from each step Ying made. He leapt from roof to roof, slapping a concrete wall and re-orientated himself as he ran up a wall adjacent to him.

He slid down the rooftop, landing on the ground with a thud feeling his stomach jiggle from the motion. He twirled between a man and a woman, ensuring he didn’t graze them, but only earned their curses. Which, he flicked off as he soared over another pavilion.

The staircase that led down the eastern gate was short, but sturdy, carved from the stone itself that surrounded the Kaihua Library.

Two guards stood by the entrance, halberds in hand eyeing a man and a woman who stood between them, calm as the wind. How unlike Brother Xing Ying thought for a second, then he saw what was in Susu’s hand. Either the gods have Bodhidharma has stinted my sight, or someone is attacking my acupoints…Susu is holding a baby.

Ying landed on the ground with a loud thud, feet on different stairs, he slipped his hair back and walked down the stairs arms balled into fists.

“BROTHER XING...SU’ER! YOU’RE FINALLY HERE!” He shouted, ignoring the child in Susu’s hand. “YING'ER!” Xing shouted.

“Captain Yuk, They’re my brother and sister, you can let them in.”

The guard on the left nodded to Xing. They uncrossed their halberds and they entered to Ying’s dismay. He was angry, shocked, but mostly dumbfounded.

The last time he saw Susu, was mere four months ago, with no signs of pregnancy, or knowledge of her marriage to anyone or any paramour courting her, YET, she stood before him with a child in hand.

“Stop looking at her like that Brother Ying” Susu snapped, veil wafting to the wind.

“I’m not staring, I’m just…”

“Confused?” Xing said with a laugh. “I am too”

“What do you mean I am too”, Susu said, mocking Xing’s tone.

Ying watched as both of them sneered at each other like they unusually did, right before they were about to squabble. He ground his teeth because if frustration had a vein, it would’ve popped right now. “Now’s not the time for your squabbling. The master needs to see you, and you’re five days late!” Ying said firmly.

Susu and Xing turned to Ying at the same time, as if he were interrupting their argument. He eyed them back, biting his bottom lip, then turned around. “Follow me.”

Ying made his way through the slopping stairs and half-finished gardens of Kaihua Library. The silence between the two had become deafening, it even made his skin frizzle a bit from the annoyance.

Once he made his up one final staircase he finally turned to them, answering a question that had been throbbing in his mind for the past five minutes. “Su’er, Were you pregnant when I last saw you?” Ying asked.

“No.” She said coldly.

“Whose daughter is she then?” Ying asked.

“She’s mine.”

“Su’er!” Xing answered tone annoyed.

“I don’t want to hear it!”

“The master will believe me more than you!” Xing pleaded.

“…is she your daughter Su’er?”

“Of course, who else’s daughter would she be?” Susu answered coldly.