Beads of sweat poured themselves off Feng Chaoxiang as he opened his eyes. The room was hotter than he realised.

As he dabbed his forehead feeling his perspiration running down into his eyes making him squint. “I lost myself in cultivation.” He said aloud.

Chaoxiang felt as though he’d been in this world for too long. As a man of eighty years, spending more than sixty in jianghu, he saw everything he thought possible.

He was there when the Three Pillars of Jianghu went into seclusion after defeating the Holy Monarch Cult. That was fifty years ago, but it still felt fresh to Chaoxiang.

The great Shaolin Temple, Mount Emei Sect and the Wudang Sect…retreating into seclusion? Chaoxiang thought sourly.

It was unheard off, but from what he understood…both sects had lost more than two-thirds of their disciples, by anyone’s standards, they were no longer the Three Pillars of the Jianghu and rightfully so.

Their absence however, gave light to a new generation reflecting what the Three Pillars of Jianghu would be.

Yes, The Emerald Sky Palace, The Heavy Iron Sword and the Golden Bowl Sect. They stood at a top, like the heavens to the sky.

Immovable.

Despite living through the rise and fall of it all, he never thought that he himself would ascend to the Qi Perception Realm, despite lacking the talent that so many claimed he didn’t have.

Chaoxiang’s chest began to throb violently forcing him to massage it. He caught himself before he touched his wound and began to stimulate the Qi within his Core Dantian. I overworked myself, He thought. Ying’er won’t like that at all.

He swallowed deeply and exhaled freely. Just like Ying’er had shown him, but the moment he did so the pain in his chest forced forcing him to rest his hand on his bed.

Chaoxiang closed his eyes, feeling the pain roil violently. He felt as thought his time was up. Not yet...not yet, I still need to speak with Su’er and Xing’er.

The pain grew with each passing second. Then after thirty seconds, it subsided after a few seconds.

The pain slowly faded away. When Chaoxiang felt as though he could breathe freely. Chaoxiang opened his eyes, feeling beads of sweat running down his cheeks.

He tried to stimulate his Qi once more.

Nothing.

Chaoxiang rolled his neck, then dabbed the sweat away from his forehead. He then unrolled his legs from the lotus position, placing them on the ground. “Humph…It seems I’m always giving Ying’er more work than rest.” He mumbled, pulling the drenched bed robes from his bed.

He tossed them in the corner, right under one of the windows and sat on the wall, feeling his back ache from the pain then pushed himself up, to change into fresh robes. “A walk should do fine,” he said, then proceeded to do so.

Chaoxiang slowly disrobed himself, feeling the trickles of sweat pour from his body, sending aches of pain through his back, knees, and waist but mostly in his chest.

He bit his tongue, fighting the pain he felt there the most, closing his eyes, hoping the black would draw the pain away, but that was nothing but a thought that never worked.

The palm struck was fluid, intent to kill, just as he had expected. Luckily, he shifted at the last moment, avoiding death, but that allowed him to understand a passage from the Thunder Palm Sect sacred text that had always left him confused.

Now, with it in his hands. He could pass it on to his disciples without worry, because with his death, they could live freely and without the worry of the Thunder Palm Sect attacking and killing them, unless Xing provokes them.

Chaoxiang grabbed fresh robes and stepped into his undergarments. He pulled his undershirt over his back, which was made of linen, and then he finally slid into his robe, feeling the soft cotton massage his withered skin.

“It’s getting harder to clothe myself,” Chaoxiang said, feeling fatigued. He picked up a bowl of water, left on his table and gulped it down.

The door to his room groaned open with a drag, startling him which forced water to drip from his lips as he turned right to see who was uncouth enough to open his door without knocking!

“Zhao Xing Greets Master Feng Chaoxiang,” Xing said firmly, stepping into the room and falling to his knees, bowing reverently.

Susu then walked in behind him holding a child, which left Chaoxiang speechless and knelt to the right of Xing, bowing deeply as she held the child. “Ban Susu, Greets Master Feng Chaoxiang,” Susu said calmly.

A white dove floated in the background, chirping as it landed on the ground. The bird stuck its bead into the ground and wrestled a worm-free, then took off. “The bird always returns home to feed their children, but when a child returns with their children, it is said that they are ready to leave the nest,” Chaoxiang said softly.

Xing and Susu didn’t react. They kept their heads down, still bowing. Chaoxiang could feel the questions radiating from their bodies.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

‘Why did he give us a riddle?’

But it’s good they didn’t see my chest, He thought sourly.

“Xing’er” Chaoxiang said calmly. “You’ve finally graced me with your presence after all these years.”

“I’m unfilial Master, I’ve shamed you. I rather hid my face till I bring honour to your name,”

Would you think me as honorable if I told you of my past with the Thunder Palm Sect Sect? Chaoxiang mused.

“The shame I feel, is due to your absence, have I treated you poorly??” Chaoxiang asked.

“Never Master, without you I would’ve died on the streets of Gusong.”

“Yet, with each passing year, your absence has made me feel as though I should’ve died for failing you.”

Xing tried to raise his head in response, but it was obvious. He was ashamed to look at his master.

Chaoxiang stood above him and Susu. He then knelt down, then tapped his cheek lightly, as he did whenever Xing had been naughty. “I’m glad you’re well Xing’er. It gives me life to see you once more.”

“Master, I owe you my life.” He replied, trying to hide his tears.

Chaoxiang turned to Susu who was still bowing. He pushed himself up and knelt next to her. “Su’er whose child is this in your hand?”

“Mines. Master.” She answered firmly.

“I see, raise your head and remove your veil. You know I don’t like it.” He said, trailing into a hiss.

Susu slowly pushed herself up and propped the child into her left hand. She raised her right hand up and removed her conical hat.

Xing raised his hand up to take the child, but she ignored him and removed her veil.

Susu’s caramel-accented skin was as smooth as clay. Her pointed nose showed no signs of frailty, which matched the thinness of her top lit. Her eyes held that piercing nature she held the ever since the day he found her.

However, those eyes held gentleness which was rarely seen. Especially now since her engagement with Shi Qiu had been canceled.

Chaoxiang’s eyes drifted to the child, which was covered in the same light fabric which made up of Susu’s veil. The only difference was, it was dark blue.

He smiled gently, then he surged the Qi within his Soul Dantian and allowed all of it to surge to his Core and Mind Dantian.

Susu drew, the child back in her arms, only to realise that her master had already snatched her from her arms like an urchin, disappearing disappeared through the door behind behind them.

Chaoxiang ran across the roof of the Longyan Compound, looking back at Susu whose eyes were now red-hot from anger, but mostly sorrow as tears began to flow from her eyes. She reached out her right hand, pleading for him to stop, but he turned around and looked off in the distance only to hear her voice call out. “MASTER!” She shouted. “PLEASE DON’T HURT HER!”

Susu

Susu felt as though her life was just snatched right from her hands. She didn’t expect that in the slightest. Out of anyone, her master was the person she least expected this from.

She turned to Xing, tears flowing from her bloodshot eyes, frozen in disbelief. Xing grounded his teeth, flustered from his master’s action and rested his hand on her shoulder. “I’ll bring her back,” He said softly.

Xing dashed through the door, eyes tracing the surrounding, hunting for their Master. The old man looked down from a rooftop to the left, child in hand.

He stood their, robes flapping wildly in the wind, but his expression was cold, calculated. An expression the martial siblings had never seen before. “Oh…Susu…Xing, I am so disappointed in you.” He said coldly.

“MASTER!” Xing growled, swirling his Qi within his thre Dantians.

He took one step forward, and soared through the air, but Master Chaoxiang had already disappeared had appeared right in front of him.

His hand was rocked back and before Xing could realise what was happening. Chaoxiang buried his fist into Xing’s chest, sending him crashing down.

Xing hit the ground and a loud boom echoed throughout the Kaihua Library compound. “I see, you’re still of the Accentuation Realm,” Master Chaoxiang said coldly. “What a disappointment you are!”

Ying appeared next to Xing, and began stricking his acupoints, affectively immobilising him. Xing snared at him, then growled as he held his chest in disbelief. “YING’ER WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” He hissed.

“I’m saving your life.” Ying said firmly.

“YOU ARE NOT! MASTER…” Xing spat.

“...Is protecting you, from yourself Brother Xing. Stop and think for once, or will you let what happened to Sister Yan take place once more?”

“What did you just say?” Xing asked calmly. The Qi within his Soul and Core Dantian began to spool violently, like a tempest storm, then flooded into meridians right into his Core Dantian.

The acupoints that Ying had strike, opened back. Affectively releasing him form Ying’s grasp.

“You heard me, Brother Xing. This is exactly what happened with the Cerulean Sky Sect. You’re seeing death, by charging at Master like that. Have you forgotten he took of ALL OF US!?”

Susu appeared behind Ying, hand already rocked back. She loosed a punch at his back, only for him to dodge it. He sidestepped, hitting the acupoint in her waist, then skipped back, twirling as he defended a series of strikes aimed at his chest and back from Xing. “You’ve ascended to the Divination Realm,” Xing said calmly. “Congratulations Ying’er, but do you think this is enough to stop me!?”

Xing swirled his Qi into his hands, forming his Iron Shredding Claws. Ying charged toward him, hoping to stop him from completing his technique but it was too late.

A long slash appeared on Ying’s chest as he tried to dodge, but Xing was faster as he almost took out a chunk of his skin.

Ying shrieked from the pain, holding his chest. Susu appeared to his right, hitting him in his side, the same acupoint he just struck against her.

He hit the acupoint in his shoulder, stopping the quelling the Qi obstruction strike.

As Ying’s chest began to sing louder as Xing spun a kick into him sending him flying back ten meters.

“You were always his favourite!” Susu said coldly, biting each word, uncoiling her whip. She then spun into action cracking it at him. It barely missed his head as he tilted his head to the side.

“Me, the Master’s favourite? Hardly...that’s more suited for the likes of both of you Shredding Claw Xing and Susu The Scorpion Maiden.” Ying spat.

He snatched Susu’s whip on the third snap, rolling it around his arm, dragging her towards him. Xing appeared to his right, but read the attack as Xing aimed for his chest once more.

Ying unwrapped Susu’s whip, around Xing’s hand between it and spun out of his way, sweeping him off the ground.

Ying struck the acupoints in his back, forcing him to stop, whilst Susu appeared to his left. He blocked her punch, then rolled his shoulder into hitting the acupoints into her side, then back. She dropped to the ground with a thud, immobilised, just like Xing.

Ying dropped to the ground, exasperated and looked at the both of them, in disbelief, because he was never as strong as Xing, nor was he as fast as Susu, but he was always nimble enough to immobilise them with his acupoint fighting style.

“Release me Brother Ying, or we will not be Martial Siblings any further!” Susu snapped.

“I’ll release your acupoints, but you have to first promise me you will calm down before you go to meet the Master.”

“My state of calmness is linked to the child Brother Ying, and if the Master. As long as she is fine, then I bear no ill will to the Master Brother Ying.”

“...and if the Master has already killed her.”

“Then he’s no longer my Master and will follow her in death!” Susu snapped.