“People here don’t care about Axsumites. They only care for the food they eat, the wheat they plant, and the peace they can have.” Elder Jun said firmly.

Xing puffed his cheeks as nervousness crept into his heart. Li’er who was standing next to him was jumping up and down, using his left leg to keep herself balance.

Xing smiled, watching as she enjoyed herself. She’d even dropped the figurine Susu had bought her. It filled him with joy to see her finally roam freely.

That didn’t mean his concern was gone. He still had to be wary of strangers, because Axsumites were exotic.

Li’er warmed up to the Elder Jun quickly, which concerned him.

Xing wondered if she realised her mother’s death. She does, Xing thought, reminiscing how the child howled when her mother died.

The language change must’ve been hard for her, especially with Susu speaking to her all the time.

It made him wonder if that was the reason she was fretful with her in the beginning, but it didn’t matter, he had other concerns.

Will she be this friendly with everyone? Xing thought, She can’t afford to, they might want to kill her or worst…sell her.

Xing placed his hand on Zhao Li’s head and patted it gently. He tried to keep his rage within his heart, but Li’er turned to him, tilting her head as if she sensed the furnace within him boiling over.

She giggled then fell down giggling. “She’s a sweet child.” Elder Jun said with a smile.

“The sweetest and will burn this world down for her,” Xing admitted, steel resonating into his eyes.

“I believe you, Elder Jun said, “I believe you,”

Two days passed by in a flash and Zhao Xing learned everything he needed to know about the Purple Mist Valley, the home of Xiabo Jun.

The valley was made up of three villages, the Hollow Mountain Village, the Purple Mist Village and the Iron Stone Village.

Each village had its own leaders, politics and economy. However, despite that they all came together to sell their wheat in unison.

That was how they got by.

The valley was once a coal repository, but once the coal was depleted it became a wheat village instead.

The Hollow Mountain Village and the Iron Stone Village were where the mining took place, whilst the central village, The Purple Mist Village was were the workers once lived.

The descendants of the mine workers now lived here. Currently, the Hollow Mountain village was led by Chief Hodong, a man best described by Elder Jun as prickly and shrewd, something Xing took note of.

The Purple Mist village was the most fertile land of the three villages, which also made it the wealthiest due to the amount of wheat it produced.

Iron Stone Village was the poorest due to its arid lands. It didn’t produce as much wheat compared to the other villages, but its Labour force was the strongest.

Li’er crawled up to Elder Jun, pulling his tattered robes. The old man turned to her smiling, showing all the wrinkles he’d amassed in his life. “I’ll take over,” Xing said, grabbing the reigns.

Elder Jun hopped in the back and Li’er followed him.

Xing steered the cart through the rocky terrain, feeling the creeks and bumps of the road whilst the horse neighed in annoyance.

The wind whistled through the barren lands, whilst the sun bathed the arid lands with its might.

The few patches of grass and tumbleweeds flowed through the surrounding area like a river, reminding Xing how far west he was, feeling the dry wind on his lips.

In the distance, beyond the mountain range, was where he was headed.

Hollow Mountain Village.

A weird name, but a name nonetheless. It made Xing chuckle the first time he heard it, it wasn’t creative, not in the slightest.

Xing and the Elder Jun stories were similar. He always suspected Elder Jun of being part of the Jianghu.

He turned, looking at the old man as he played with Li’er. His eyes curled into a smile as he watched her roll around in the cart, as though she owned it.

The pity that resonated in his eyes, was sensed by Elder Jun, which made him turn his gaze towards Xing. “I see you don’t believe my story.” Elder Jun laughed.

“That’s not true.” Xing said shaking his head, “I believe your story, I just think it’s unfathomable.”

“It would be.” Jun agreed, “but, I’m no beast I don’t kill children, children are the future.” He said, waving the doll swordsman in front of Li’er who tried to grab it.

“Does she know?”

“Know what? That her father sent an assassin to kill her and her mother?”

“Yes, she does know…I told her, eventually…”

Xing’s eyes widened from surprised. That was something he would take to the grave, but Elder Jun’s life was his own to live.

“How did she take it?” He asked him.

“How else could she take it. She stopped speaking to me for months. She didn’t let me see a single tear” Xiabo Jun said, shaking his head remembering how painful it was to tell her.

“What changed?”

“I don’t know. She just returned home in the middle of the night and slept in her bed as though nothing ever happened.”

“You slept with one eye open?” Xing laughed.

“I didn’t have to, I couldn’t sense an ounce of malice from her.”

“How did that make you feel?”

“How else! I was scared as hell!”

“Women are strange…aren’t they?” Xing Chuckled.

“Quite! Unfathomable at times as well.

“Right?”

As Xing continually chucked, his eyes drifted to Li’er as she tried to snatch the figurine from Elder Jun who was playing with it.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

I wonder when I’ll have to tell her that story of how her parents died. Xing thought, no…I’ll deal with that then, till now. She should live without worry…as much as possible.

“Your daughter loves you Elder Jun. That’s clear,” Xing said calmly.

“I would like to hope so,” He answered.

“Once she doesn’t hate you, you’ll be fine. Stuff like that tends to fester and makes people bitter. Is she bitter?”

“…far from. I won’t lie Xing, the little relief I have, that she could forgive me in her own way is enough. But I don’t know, I don’t deserve to call her my daughter.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I was tasked with killing her and her mother, yet I raised her as my own.”

“Has she ever asked about her ‘father’?”

Xiaobo Jun smiled, shaking his head. “No. She told me that I was her father and to never mention his existence again.”

“Then, that’s all that matters doesn’t it?”

“It does, but sometimes, I just feel as though I shouldn’t be here.”

“Think about it Elder Jun. If you’d fulfilled her father’s request. You would’ve never get to experience the life you’ve gained here.”

“You’re right.” Elder Jun said, nodding in agreement.

Xing watched as the tears began to drip down the Elder’s face, it was as if a boulder had been dislodged from his shoulders and relieved him of his doubt. “Do you believe it saving her was worth it?”

“Of course.” Elder Jun answered with a smile, “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Then that’s all you need,” Xing answered with a smile, looking at Li'er’s beautiful eyes.

“You’re right.” Elder Jun said.

Elder Jun nodded, feeling as though he was satisfied, which Xing realised by the way he smiled at Li’er. He turned around and looked in the distance seeing a small settlement nestled below a hillock. “I think we’re here,” Xing said.

Elder Jun ignored Xing and continued playing with Li’er, forcing him to look ahead to see where he’d hope he could finally raise Li’er without problems.

The Hollow Mountain village which sat in the distance. As he squinted trying to get a better gauge of the mountain.

The hills were filled with craggy-like protruding stones and rocks, with bits of greenery patched in between.

The rock outcrop was ivory and mandarin in colour, which suited The gradual slope of the mountain.

The gentle slope made the hillock seem as though it chiseled into being a staircase for giants, but not the ones that could destroy the world with a wave of a hand.

Xing wasn’t impressed by the sight of the village from afar, but that didn’t matter. It just needed to provide shelter Li’er. “Let’s hope these people are as friendly as Elder Jun said.” He said.

Elder Jun and Zhao Xing exchanged seats, as they entered the village. The Crimson Moon began to peek from the corner of the sky.

Elder Jun ushered the cart under a Paifang, which stood thirteen feet tall and ten feet wide. Unlike the one back in the Yellow Orchid village, this was unpainted, showing the imperfections in the marl and stone brought about by the years of wear and tear from the weather.

As they entered the village Xing realised the houses on both sides were sturdier in design, unusual from what he was used to.

Children scampered around as if they had no worry in the world, whilst the women were watching them from afar as they did their sat down chatting amongst themselves in varying groups.

“Grandpa Jun is back!” A child shouted, attracting the eyes of the women.

Xing watched as they eyed him with curiosity as he held Li’er in his arms wrapped. She was fretting, as usual, but the milk he was about to give her would hopefully help with that.

A young man with fierce brown eyes, curly hair flowing down his cheeks approached the cart, hopping on without a word and took the reigns from Elder Jun.

The young man stared the cart to a nearby barn, but stopped right before the door, then hopped off the cart and began unstrapping the horses.

“Elder Jun,” The young man finally said. “Chief Hodong requests your presence.”

“I see, has something happened?” Elder Jun asked, but the lad didn’t reply but simply hopped off the cart.

Xing swirled his Qi in annoyance but Elder Jun raised his hand in annoyance. He turned to Xing, shaking his head and with resigned anger.

He released the swirl in his Soul Dantian and calmed himself. Is this how they treat Elders here? Xing thought, this doesn’t look good.

The fierce-eyed lad turned to face Xing who sneered at him. He raised his hands ready to react but Elder Jun slid between him and Xing holding his hand before he got himself killed. “Easy lad, he’s a friend…you won’t last a second against him.”

Xing eyed the young man up and down, noting his figure. He was well muscled from head to toe, with thick arms, a thin waist, and strong thighs, which meant he trained, but that didn’t mean he could fight. “Brother Xing,” Elder Jun said, “follow me, it seems something amidst in the village.”

“Understood.”

Xing watched as the lad’s icy eyes peered at him and Elder Jun. Xing held his annoyance in, only thinking of Li’er but wasn’t sure how far he would allow this disrespect to go. Is this how these lads operate in Sichuan? They have no respect for their Elders? Xing thought I’ll have to show him one day…if I plan to stay.

Xiaobo Jun led Xing through the village. The wandering eyes and whispers of Jun’s return had in some way brought the spirits up of people in the village.

They seemed deflated and defeated, whilst the majority of the young men Xing were sitting with balls and eyes red with anger…for whatever reason.

After a few minutes of walking, Elder Jun led Xing to the only two-story house in the village, which happened to be located at the centre of the village.

Xing furrowed his brow, looking at the house confused. After two seconds and a moment of Li’er trying to leap out of his hands. He realised that it was a house, but a warehouse of sorts.

His eyes traced the ground noticing wheat seeds scattered around the ground as if a bag was burst deliberately.

Xing follow Elder Jun and the lad into the warehouse and was met with rows of wheat seeds littered across the ground like a grand robbery had taken place.

Men grumbled as they picked up sacks of wheat seeds. In the corner of the room, a few men lay on the ground injured. Bandits.

Xing followed the old man through the warehouse and noticed the sneers they Elder Jun as he ignored them.

The whispers sounded like blades aimed at him, ready to cut him down. “I’m not liking how they’re talking to you Elder Jun, is Li’er going to have a problem?”

“Hardly, They’re just a bunch of spoiled brats trying to pressure me into something I don’t want to do!”

“I see,” Xing said, whatever that is.

Elder Jun slid the door open to another warehouse room. Instead of ripped bags, it was completely devoid of any wheat seed or sack. It was close to pristine, despite the dry scent, which scratched his throat.

“Come we’re soon there,” Jun said, taking him up a flight of stairs on the outside. Elder Jun led Xing to the second floor on a creaky staircase.

The second-floor room was at least seventeen feet long, and eight feet wide with the roof of the room around twelve to fifteen feet high.

The walls had two windows each, which allowed the crimson moonlight to provide its crimson luminescence, lighting with multiple candles.

Five men sat on the ground, nursing what seemed to be injuries on their arms and legs, Two men sat in the middle of the room with maimed hands and legs, whilst two women tended to them.

The texture of the air in this room was also dry, lacking any form of humidity, which would’ve soiled the wheat seeds.

A loud groan echoed into Xing’s ears, forcing him to turn left. Li’er shrieked from the noise dropping her figurine, only for Xing to catch it with his left hand.

One of the men to the right screamed out and the scent of blood flowed into Xing’s nose, making Xing ground his teeth in frustration. “Elder Jun, I’ll take my leave. Li’er’s seen enough blood as it is.”

The old man nodded, and Xing left the room and headed back downstairs. “No more blood for you,” Xing said.

He exited the room, leaping off the second floor, dropping to the first floor and skipping across the roof, leaping to the first floor and plunking himself down at the side of the building.

He held her in his arms, watching her tug and fight trying to jump to the ground, wanting to crawl around. Xing tried nestling her, but she’d had enough of that.

The battle between Xing and Li’er lasted five minutes before Li’er finally relented after tiring herself out. She tried wailing into a cry, which drew the villagers' attention but not enough for Xing to care for their opinions.

“Master Xing,” Elder Jun said, startling Xing. When did he get there? Xing thought, turning to his right. “Come.”

“I’m not going in that room with Li’er, she’s finally asleep I’m tired of letting her experience such sights,” Xing said firmly.

“No need to worry, I’ve already spoken to the Village Chief. You and Li’er are welcome to stay within the village.”

“What? What in the hell are you talking about! Look around…I barely got here and now I can stay?”

“That’s correct, you just have to do one thing for village Chief.?

“What? One thing?” Xing said, speechless. The windmill in his head began to churn, and he began to think what would this village chief want from him? They haven’t even spoken, but yet he could stay? Even Li’er?

“Wait! Did you tell them about Li’er!” Xing hissed, voice reverberating across the village.

The villagers’ eyes filled with fright, looking at Xing as his face showed his displeasure with Elder Jun who spoke about Li’er without his permission. That was a mistake.

“Old Man Jun!” Someone shouted, from across the yard. Jun turned, shaking his head at a man who appeared at the warehouse. “Chief Hodong, there’s no need to worry, this is my young friend, he’s just a little tired. He’s been travelling for months.”

“No need to worry?” Xing huffed.

“I understand your predicament lad, hence why I bared such fruit for you. If you’re patient enough to follow me upstairs, everything will be fine. You’ve followed me this far…the least you can do is hear the terms for your help if you decide to stay.”

“Terms of my help?”

“Yes Master Xing, as you can see by how the village looks, we require your help…more than you do of ours.”