A puff of smoke rose from a chimney blocking Xing’s view as he skidded across a rooftop, hopping from roof to roof.
The child nestled her arms and cried maniacally, which made him feel as though he was a bad father. I should’ve never entered that place, He thought bitterly. All it did was put her in danger!
He channelled his Qi into his feet, using qinggong to step on air, slowing his descent as he sailed to the ground.
Ignoring the array of curses people hurled at him. Xing, dashed through the crowd, stepping on a stall and taking to the roof once more.
The child’s cries were more important to him, and the way she wailed, it was as if she now left her mother’s womb. “ssshhh little one, I’ll get you some milk soon!”
Xing ran through another patch of black smoke, he sidestepped a chimney only to slide on a shingle. He spun, hitting his shoulder ensuring the child didn’t fall from his hands and kicked himself off the roof.
He fell to the ground with a thud, which startled everyone around him. “Where the hell did he come from!” Someone shouted.
“Decrepit Martial Artist! Always using the roofs as some way to travel only to break good shingles and not a word of sorry!” An old man even cursed him with his eyes.
It seems martial artists aren’t welcomed here, Xing thought, but that’s fine...I don’t plan to stand a single moment longer here!
He stuck his tongue out at the old man, then kicked himself up another roof, carrying on his merry way. He crossed a bridge, and then passed a butcher shop with dried meat hanging outside.
The distance between the Red Lantern Tavern and Qing’s medicinal shop was about thirty minutes by foot, but my roof? A mere two minutes.
The only challenge Xing had was the fact his Qinggong wasn’t poor compared to Su’er’s own, who happened to be the best among his martial siblings.
Xing felt the onlookers eyeing him up and down as he scampered through the streets with a crying child in hand.
He wasn’t bothered by their looks, but with each passing second, he really began to feel the weight of her tears, especially when she began to lose her voice from the none stop crying.
The child’s hands began wailing around fighting as if she’d been possessed by a demon, but he held her hand, stopping her from unraveling her robes. “I know…I know. Soon!” He pleaded.
Xing finally reached the Red Lantern Tavern and dashed up the stairs, storming his way past the patrons and courtesans.
He spied Ju from the corner of his eyes, but he ignored her because if he faced her. He would’ve done something stupid.
“Master Kung!” Ju shouted across the room, waving at him. He grunted with a nod and sped up the stairs bypassing men and courtesan alike.
“Stop brother Kung!” Ju called out again, but he ignored it as if his ears were filled with water.
Xing, rounded the staircase and began running, then shot right past everyone, then made a right, entering his room and closing the door behind him in a hurry.
He quickly undressed the child, removing the brown robes she wore and placed her on the bed. He snapped the fire on and grabbed a pouch of milk from the table, warming as he kept his eyes on the child who was trying to wail.
Once he was satisfied, he rushed to her side snapping the pouch open and began feeding the child. She stopped wailing in an instant and began drinking the milk.
She guzzled the entire pouch down, leaving Xing to wipe the milk that dripped from the side of her lips. He then dabbed the sweat from his forehead and lay across the bed, lifting her onto his chest and giving his heart the relief it needed.
“Did I do something wrong?” He asked, staring at the brown ceiling.
Xing knew the answer because he answered it earlier. I should’ve never come to this place! He took a deep breath, and then pushed himself up.
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Swirling his resolve with Qi, then nestled her in his hands. He watched as the tears dried from the side of her eyes looking like snow. He then hugged her tightly and began nodding. “I’ve overstayed my welcome in Shaanxi. It’s for me to leave.”
A loud boom groaned from the direction of the door. Xing jumped up from the bed, swirling the sheets in his hand and hiding the child as she began to wail into a cry.
“SHE JUST WENT BACK TO SLEEP.” He growled.
Xing slid across the floor, swirling his Qi around his arms, then made stomped the ground, whipping himself around the corner in a flash.
A broken door appeared in front of him, with two men standing at the door, one wielding a sword which was dropped across his shoulders and the other wearing gloves, fists balled into one.
The menacing aura that emanated from them wasn’t killing intent, but a form of intimidation. Something Xing never took lightly, but it was clear what their intentions were, but little did they know, their ability was nothing compared to Xing’s.
“Have I offended either of you in some way?” Xing hissed, Qi forming into his Iron Shredding Claws.
“Forgive us, Senior!” The man with the sword said, cupping his fist, into a bow. “I received news that my wife worked here and that she was here with another man!”
“Yes Senior, my brother and I heard the news and were filled with rage and disgust we hurried here and haste only to find out. Please forgive us!” The man said.
“This room is occupied only by me and my daughter,” Xing said. The cries of the child filled the air in the room, quelling whatever doubt of a woman being in the room.
Xing eyed them both and made a step forward to which they both stepped back, scared, but ferocity still in their eyes.
He swirled his Qi, and they both skipped back raising their hands and sword in defence. “If you’re going to lie, lie better than that!” Xing spat.
Xing shot right to pass them, appearing behind them, then slapped the sword wielder's blade from his hand.
He felt the air between him and the bare fist bastard compress. So Xing skipped back, weaving his hand in a circle and directing his punch into his friend’s chest.
In a blink of an eye, Xing appeared behind the former sword-wielding bastard, burying his fist into his back. The bastard screamed out in pain from both blows, then felt the back of Xing’s elbow.
“TOU’ER!” The bare-fisted fellow shouted, but before he could lay his eyes on Xing, he appeared right next to him thrusting an elbow into his midsection, then used the momentum from his blow to kick the bastard into the roof
The roof splintered from the force of the man’s body. Xing, swept his feet, sending the sword wielder floating for a mere second then spun, kicking him into the wall, shattering the wall into a small crater.
The hallway rumbled from the impact. Eyes of patrons and courtesans alike, stood their eyes gaping and hearts scared from the sight.
The sight of two men, who by no means seemed weak. They forced their way into the Red Lantern Tavern. To be dispatched by one man alone, in such a small space!
The Bare fisted man fell to the ground with a boom, dust puffing from the red carpet like sand flowing through the wind.
Xing watched as the sword wielder tried to grab his sword, but Xing stepped on his hand and then kicked his sword into the wall, blade tip first.
A dinging sound thrummed through the hallway, like a zither being strummed by a professional. Xing, knelt down, hand pulsing with Qi and raised it in anger.
“Senior Brother, please! Spare us, we didn’t mean to offend, we were lied to. My brother’s wife was heard to be working here, we’re here for her!” The bare-fisted man pleaded.
“I don’t care!” Xing growled. “You WOKE MY DAUGHTER!”
The bare-fisted man grabbed Xing’s foot, squeezing it tightly. But only felt his chest get tight from Xing’s kick as he sent him halfway down the hallway.
The sword wielder, grabbed the pouch on his waist as he rose from the ground. He tossed it at Xing but felt his chest tighten, just like his friend.
He flew across the hallway crashing into his friend. Xing made one step toward them and swirled his Qi once more, feeling his meridians sizzle from the essence that sprayed from his Core Dantians.
“SENIOR WE APOLOGISE FOR THE OFFENSE!” The bare-fisted man shouted. He grabbed his pouch at his waist, tossing it at him.
The rattling sound made from the copper, silver or gold almost made Xing stop, but with everything that’s happened thus far, it would be best to kill them now. “AS COMPENSATION Senior!” The bare-fisted man continued.
Xing’s head turned to his right, looking at the pouched that they both dropped, silver and copper coins were spilling onto the floor, enough to quench his worries away.
The sound of his daughter’s cries calmed him for a second, and then everything came to his mind. If I kill them, questions will be asked. I don’t need that right now, He thought.
Xing took another step walking towards the duo. The wandering eyes of the patrons and courtesans, felt like bees, pricking his skin as he walked toward them.
He pulled the sword from the wall, eyeing it whilst he turned it in his hand. The blade was normal as a twig found in the river.
The blade had a few nicks, showing his lack of grace and skill, whilst the handle with a mixture of cloth and leather.
I should be able to get at least twenty pieces of silver for this. Xing thought, walking back, picking up the sheath and re-sheathing the sword.
He eyed the swordsman, whose eyes lit a fire with anger as he cowered on the ground in pain, but Xing could care less about a leaf in the wind. “...Compensation.” He said coldly, walking back to his room.
Xing left the duo behind him, shutting his door…or at least he tried to after many attempts.
The bastards had broken the latches right off, forcing him to lift it, forcing it to shut. Not like that mattered, he intended to leave the minute the child felt better.
Xing knew though, that after his display in the hallway, no one would dare gape and mock him any further and for once in his life, he looked forward to that.