Sleep.

That’s all Xing needed. A long night of proper rest, in a warm house instead of the wilderness.

As peaceful as it was, Xing slowly reminisced on why he hated sleeping in such places compared to the bustling cities.

It made him feel alone, till he felt Li’er’s little arm grabbing his shirt as he slept. He forced himself not to move, as he didn’t want to wake her.

This was the first night in months that she didn’t wake in the middle of the night asking for milk. Hopefully, it would they will be many more nights like this, He mused.

The majority of the morning was spent gathering supplies for the day’s journey. Once he was satisfied with what he’d accumulated without the Chieftain’s interruption, Xing headed over to the barn where Xiabo Jun was.

On his way to the barn, the villagers watched Xing pass them by with a curt nod. Li’er tried to grab his stubble of a goatee as per usual and he would nestle her away to his chest to restrict her movement.

I should do something, Xing thought, thinking of the injured men he’d seen yesterday, but remembered how trashy the Chieftain was to him and Li’er.

He pushed thoughts of being a hero from his mind, and continued to stroll toward the barn, feeling uneasy as he did so.

It wasn’t like him to ignore’s peoples plight, he was known as Shredding Claw Xing within the Wulin…but now, he was a but a father.

Zhao Li comes first from now on, Xing thought, her safety is paramount!

If Xing were in one of the larger cities within the Empire, he would’ve been ignored, but in a small village such as this. Their eyes were that of both wonderment and fright.

As they didn’t know what their future would hold…especially with bandits, living in such close proximity.

“I can’t be a hero right now,” Xing said softly. “I have a daughter protect.”

A young man appeared in front of Xing, eyes filled with resolute. What is this now!? Xing thought, filling his eyes with anger. “Move…or be moved, lad. I won’t repeat myself.”

The young man’s eyes flickered from resolute to fright in an instant. Xing didn’t feel any killing aura aimed at Li’er, so he didn’t swirl his Qi in response.

He furrowed his brow, looking at the young man quizzically as he inspected him. The young man’s face was round and held child-like features. His thick eyebrows were sharp like a hawk whilst his nose was pointed. His shoulders were slumped, making him look like he would fall over, but his chest was thick, possibly from all the Labour he’d done for the past couple of years. Good posture, well muscled. Xing thought.

The young man dropped to his knees, which made Xing step back, startled by this display. The young man kowtowed three times, forcing Xing to step forward stopping him from completing the fifth kowtow.

He gripped his shoulder, then squeezed firmly, not to hurt, but to warn. “Careful lad, you don’t want to kowtow to strangers and make them your master.”

“I don’t care! I’ve heard of you from Elder Jun, he said that you would be willing to take me as a student if I show respect in this manner!”

…Xiabo Jun…you old bastard! You’re trying to get me to stay! Xing thought sourly,

Xing eyed the lad up and down once more, then nodded, smiling wryly. “Lad,” Xing said coldly, pulling the young man up by the arm. “I’m not staying in this village, I can’t be your master, also I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors of my daughter.”

The young man cupped his fist with a bow. “I don’t care! I’m willing to follow and also serve Little Sister in the future! Master…”

“Do not call me Master!” Xing huffed, flustered.

“Why not let the boy complete the ritual, Master Xing? He’s willing, and I’m sure you’d need help taking care of Li’er!” Old Jun spat with a hearty laugh.

Xing felt the eyes of the villagers descend upon him. It also made him feel like a speck of dust, in the middle of a surging river.

The old bastard Jun wasn’t wrong, he needed help with Li’er, but a disciple? No. He didn’t need one.

Not in the slightest.

“Sorry lad, I’d make a poor teacher. Go back home to your mother and father. You don’t want to get mixed up with me.”

“My mother and father already agreed with me to ask Master!”

“See? The boy’s parents have approved, so bring him along. You never know. He might have the talent.” He said with a grin.

Xing grit his teeth, annoyed feeling as though he’s just played into Elder Jun’s game. A game he didn’t want to play, but it was becoming evident he was the most important player.

He turned to his right, eyeing the villagers, feeling as though they wanted this to happen. Whatever! Xing spat, I’ll get him to quit in a day, he’ll just come back running home to his parents.

“Fine.” Xing huffed, “You can follow me for a bit, but if you’re a nuisance then I send you away, understood?”

“Thank you, Ma—“

“Don’t call me Master. I haven’t accepted you as my disciple.”

“Understood…Uncle?”

Xing groaned in his head, then nodded agreeing with the lad’s suggestion. “That’s fine.” He sighed, then began walking towards the barn leaving Elder Jun and the lad behind.

The villagers roared in a celebratory fashion, startling Xing. Li’er giggled in his arms, drawing his attention. “What are you laughing at Li’er, you think this is funny?”

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Xing huffed, feeling as though she was in out, but most of all tricked by her as well.

◆◆◆

“My name is Tu Luan, Uncle!” The lad said, playing with Li’er, which left Xing flustered. Why is she so friendly with strangers? He asked himself, eyeing the girl continually falling down as she tried to stand.

She has great balance for a baby, Xing thought, watching her from the corner of his eye, trying to show indifference. “I see, I am Zhao Xing, but you can call me Uncle Xing. My daughter’s name is Zhao Li.” Xing said firmly, pointing at Li’er with his mouth.

“She’s very pretty,” Luan said calmly. Xing eyed him, still hunting from killing intent, but fond none.

Not like the lad would last a second if he tried anything, as Xing kept a smidgen of Qi within his palm, ready to strike.

“Lu’er’s a good kid, Master Xing, he’ll treat Li’er as a little sister, you have my word on that.”

“…and why do I feel as though you pushed Young Luan towards me.”

The Old Man turned, smile written across his face. He pointed at himself and opened his mouth, to Xing’s annoyance. “Me?” He said shocked by the accusation. “I am but a simple man in Sichuan!”

“You’re anything but simple, Elder Jun.”

“That could be true somewhat” The old man finished. “But here, in the purple mist valley that’s certainly a lie.”

Xing bellowed a sigh, which drew hopeless gazes from both Luan and Li’er. Xing turned to eye the girl, who had her head tilted to the side, looking at Xing confused.

His eyes then drifted right, only to see Luan was doing the same. Is she picking up his habits ALREADY? Xing groaned. Is this the price of her meeting new people, after not being allowed to meet someone else for six months?

“I’m starting to feel as though I’m being overshadowed” Xing whispered.

“What was that Uncle?” Luan asked.

“Nothing lad…nothing.”

Li’er played with Luan till she got tired. It was the first time in months since Xing didn’t have to dedicate his full attention to the girl.

The girl may have been but a child, but having to dedicate his entire attention to her was quite mentally taxing, something he would never admit to anyone.

“Does Elder Jun have problems with your Chieftain?” Xing finally asked.

“Problems?” Luan answered, confused by the question.

“Yes, problems. I saw how the young men in your village had little to no respect for him as an Elder. I didn’t like how your Chieftain spoke to him either. If Elder Jun was my master I would’ve slaughtered all of them for the disrespect!”

“Ahh…” Luan said, eyes lighting up, finally understanding. Luan turned to Elder Jun whose back was facing Luan whilst he slumped over holding the reigns.

“You’re free to tell him Lu’er,” Jun said.

Luan swallowed deeply, turning to Xing and looking him in the eye. “Elder Jun has refused to teach anyone within the Hollow Mountain Village, Iron Stone Village or the Purple Mist Village Martial Arts..”

What?!

“I see,” Xing said calmly, nodding. “So let me understand, They are three villages within close vicinity of each other and Elder Jun travels between the three?”

“Yes, Elder Jun is sort of out the law around here. The bandits dare not attack because of him.”

“Then what happened at the Hollow Mountain Village?”

“Elder Jun has been missing for the past four months. The longest he’d been missing was two weeks, so they attacked…taking everything.”

“I see.”

“It’s not just that.” Elder Jun interjected. “Old Hodong thought he could pay off the bandits by offering them wheat before they would attack. I’d warn him about that beforehand, but he wouldn’t listen.”

“Warn him, how?” Xing asked.

“Well…let’s just see the old fool’s tribute began to get smaller over time.”

Xing scoffed a laugh, then shook his head. “They found out he’d been purposefully skimming their ‘tribute’ and took everything in response?”

“Yes.” Old Jun said, laughing. “…that’s why he was so…’friendly’ he’d been outfoxed by his own game, now he has nothing to show for it.”

“I see…tell me Old Jun, Why haven’t you trained anyone?” Xing asked.

“…I never planned to take on a disciple. I can help out where I can, but the villages aren’t use to such strife…A bandit’s anger could blow over after a few months. Taking food, that’s all they’ll do. They need it to survive. They might even have an occasional skirmish with a ‘rising power’, but it’s nothing too malicious…yet.”

“…and let me guess. If you trained someone, they would rise to a new power?”

“Of course!” Jun said wryly.

“I see…” Xing said, rubbing the stubble on his chin.

…it seems the power structure in this valley is fixed, just like the Jianghu…interesting, Xing thought.

“You’re planning to have me as a new power within the valley aren’t you?”

“The thought never crossed my mind.” The old man said, shocked by the accusation, “I’m just an old man delivering wheat to the glory of Huaxia…I have no interest in power struggles.”

“You old devil, you want an easy life. You’re tired of the squabbling aren’t you.”

“Quite!”

Xing groaned a sombre sigh, feeling aggravated by the second. This bastard tricked me! Tricked me into coming here! Xing thought.

The callused fingertips of Xing’s hand rubbed against his palm, feeling like sandpaper. He looked back at Li’er and thought of his master. If he could make Sichuan a little safer, then Li’er could even have an easier life.

Let’s see what here has to offer first…before deciding anything.

◆◆◆

The Paifang gate that led to Purple Mist village, was a large gate, coated in purple, but unlike the Hollow Mountain Village, it was vibrant and full of life, possibly showing the difference in lifestyle and economic power within the Valley.

The cart creaked into the village and the downtrodden morale was felt in an instance. Xing pushed himself up, sitting next to Old Jun, whose face naturally smiled but was now one filled with sourness.

The doors for the buildings at the front of the village were shattered, with splintered wood scattered across the ground as if been ripped by an animal.

Men lay on the ground, skulls sheared and limbs maimed as if a wild beast had run through the building village without remorse.

Children and women knelt beside their fathers and husbands wailing into oblivion.

If this wasn’t hell, Xing thought then clearly I don’t know where hell is.

In all of his life.

He’d never seen a sight like this…it was deplorable, and there was no way on earth he’d allow Li’er to live through this.

“Elder Jun…are you sure these men are bandits or animals?” Xing asked.

Elder Jun didn’t answer, but Xing saw the anger rising within his eyes, he could feel the Qi within his Dantians swirling the further he trekked into the village.

Elder Jun snapped the reigns, hauling the cart in the middle of the village. Then hopped off the cart, shooting in the air using Qinggong, leaving Xing, Li’er and Luan in the cart amongst the dead bodies that lay within the village.

The sight of the severed limbs and bloodied bodies made Xing feel as though he’d never get the peace he’d craved. Death followed both him and Li’er and him. “The strong take whilst the weak die.” He whispered to himself.

“Uncle?” Luan asked.

“Does this type of thing happen regularly?” Xing asked.

“No, This has never happened before.”

“Why is the damage here more than what we left in Hollow Mountain Village?”

“The Purple Mist Village is known for its arrogance” Luan said softly. “Between the three villages, the Purple Mist Village has the best lands for growing crops between the Iron Stone Village and the Hollow Mountain Village.”

“I see…”

“The Purple Mist Village produces the most wheat out of all the villages. We sell in unison, but as they produce the most they get a majority share of the spoils.”

“As they should.”

A little girl tugged on the body of her father, whilst the mother sobbed right next to her. Xing’s felt that pain, as he saw Li’er in the back cart sleeping.

A large boom flooded the surroundings and Elder Jun appeared in front of the cart. He skipped over the two horses, landed in his seat and snatched up the reigns, with blood in his eyes.

The old man snapped the reigns, and the horses galloped through the blood and death that filled the streets of the village.

The cart dragged to a stop, and Jun hopped off the ground again, running toward a young woman who nestled her husband in her arms. “Fa’er! Where’s Ling’er?” He shouted.

The woman cried, shaking her head as if she didn’t know. A murderous aura exploded from the Elder in the form of dark malignant mist.

A surge of Qi formed around his feet in the form of a circle then Elder Jun shot through the air like a loosed arrow, filling Xing with worry. “Lu’er, take care of Li’er…make sure to keep her away from these people, understood?”

“Yes, Master…er Uncle.”

Xing ignored and give him a nod, then ascended into the air with the top of his feet then sprint across the rooftops following the old man.