Hana had only made it half way down the street before a particularly annoyed looking man in a white gi began chasing after her. She couldn't help but crack a smile as she too took off in a run. She had to weave amongst others as she ran, doing her best not to knock over any passerby's.

  She glanced behind herself to see how the other cultivator had faired. To her surprise, rather then weaving through the crowd, he jumped over them, a cloud of Ki wrapping around his body in the process.

  Hana dodged to the side as the man landed where she had been standing. The woman gave the man a sly smile before empowering her legs with Ki and leaping up to the top of a nearby building in a single bound. She nearly impressed herself by bounding 30 feet in a single leap. She'd have to pat herself on the back once she was back to the Violet Veil.

  She looked back to the man again and smiled. She expected to see him growing more annoyed at her being out of reach. But instead he just jumped again as Ki surged through his body. Hana's eyes widened as she jumped to the side just as the man landed a kick where her face had been, making a gust of wind blow her hair back. "Is he trying to kill me?" She thought. Hana took a few steps back and forced out a laugh. "Ok ok, you caught me. Y'know I didn't expect someone of such a low level to be able to jump up-" She was cut off when a fist sent her falling backwards onto the tiles of the slanted roof. She began to slip off before she quickly righted herself, only to be kicked in the face and sliding back again. Her feet were halfway off the edge of the roof when she finally regained her balance. She suddenly regretted putting so many of her points into Charm and Willpower. Then again she was never really meant to be in a fight like this. She pooled as much of her Ki as she could around her body to protect from any more attacks when a pink blur sped passed her head just as the man began to throw another punch.

  The next thing Xai knew, a foot slammed into his chest and sent him grinding across the roof, breaking several of the tiles as he did. He was about to leap to his feet when he noticed a weight on his chest as well as the woman standing above him. It took him several seconds to even register what he was even looking at.

  A woman, looking to be around 50, stood with a foot holding him down. Her body was damp, as if she'd just recently gotten out from a bath. The bathrobe she held together with her free hand only enforced that fact. A pink glow emendated from her entire body. It didn't take long for Xai to figure out it was highly condensed Ki, and a lot of it. Her level only enforced this. Or lack thereof.

  [Level: ??? (?)]

  "Who the hell are you? And why were you harming one of my pupils?" The woman asked sternly.

  Xai opened his mouth to blurt out an answer, feeling the familiar pull on his mind as he had with Hana except several times stronger. However the tether broke when another voice broke the air. This one much more familiar.

  "Huahan. Get off my student."

  Xai looked behind him- or up rather, to see senior Jie standing with his arms crossed. His body pulsed with silver Ki as he glared at the older woman. Xai expected the woman to back away in fear at the sight of the senior, or at least begrudgingly move. Instead she smiled as if seeing an old friend and stepped over Xai to walk towards Qin.

  She opened up her one free arm as if to give him a hug. "Qin, it's been so-"

  "Shut up." He groaned as he simply walked around her, the silver aura around him fading. The woman in the bathrobe, Huahan, looked at Qin incredulously as he walked right past her as if she didn't exist.

  Qin stopped at Xai's side before grabbing him by the collar of his gi and hoisting him up with one arm. He then looked to all three cultivators in turn. "Would anyone bother telling me what the fuck happened here?"

  Xai immediately pointed to Hana. "She used a Ki technique to make me reveal what we'd found out on our way here."

  Contrary to Xai's expectations, Huahan was the first to speak after him. "Hana!" She shouted, making the younger woman wince. "When I told you to go test the technique on the common folk, I didn't think I would need to specify a fellow cultivator is not 'common folk'. Do you have any idea how many issues trying to pry into a disciple of one of the 8 Great Sect's could have caused?"

  Hana looked between Xai, then back at Huahan. "It's not my fault his Willpower is so low. I thought it would be a nice challenge to test out the technique." Xai flinched at the blatant insult before Qin spoke up.

  "Huahan, why did you intervene?" He asked.

  "Because I saw your pupil kick mine in the face." The woman said in the same tone she had spoken to Hana.

  Qin just narrowed his eyes. "Good."

  Xai bit his lip to not laugh at the response.

  "Qin!" Huahan shouted back. She slapped a hand against the senior's shoulder just as a sibling would to their brother.

  "How... do you two know eachother?" Hana asked, pointing between the two elders.

  Huahan began to open her mouth before Qin spoke. "I've been to Xuefeng before."

  The woman in the bathrobe rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, you can tell them more than that." A smirk crossed her face. "If you don't tell them I will. And I won't hold a single detail back."

  Qin glared at the woman with even more hostility then when she'd attacked Xai. "Don't you dare."

  Huahan smiled, dismissing the threat. "We used to date." No sooner did the words leave her mouth when a hand collided with the back of her head hard enough to send a normal man's head clean off their shoulders.

  "Not another word." Qin stated.

  Huahan sighed and rubbed the back of her head. "You can hold back a little you know? Just because it won't snap my neck doesn't mean it won't hurt."

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

  While the two oldest cultivators were bickering amongst themselves Hana and Xai just exchanged mildly amused glances. It was clear neither had expected this outcome.

  "Anyways, what brings some Silver Mist disciples to Xuefeng?" Huahan asked still rubbing at the back of her head with her free hand.

  Qin looked to Xai. "Would you like to tell them... again?"

  Xai's face turned red but he still spoke. "We came here looking for another disciple who was sent here some time ago. They went missing. We assume it has to do with a gang who've been distributing minor ascension stones. Which they were looking into while here."

  "He went missing?" Huahan asked. "I saw them just a few days ago. They'd asked about rumors of smuggling and such things around the Violet Veil. I pointed him in the direction of the minister and didn't see him. I heard no incidents within Xuefeng pertaining to any cultivator. I had assumed whatever task he was sent here for was completed."

  "We intend to speak to the minister tomorrow about the issue; follow in disciple's footsteps and, hopefully, solve whatever issue he couldn't." Qin added.

  "Well assuming he's dead rather then 'missing'," Huahan stated. "He was well within E-rank with a non-insignificant amount of Ki and- I mean no disrespect to the young one-" The woman gestured a hand to Xai. "Whatever killed him is far above that one's power."

  "Which is why I'm here." Qin stated.

  Huahan shrugged. "If you think your cultivation can take you further then your rank, sure. It also seems you've reached a higher realm since last time based on your-" she proceeded to gesture to Qin's face. More accurately, his unnaturally pristine skin.

  "And I can see you have not." Qin retorted, looking at the shallow wrinkles on Huahan's face.

  The woman just scoffed. "I will have you know many of my clientele prefer older woman."

  "Your clientele are dumbasses." Qin said.

  That retort got a chuckle from both Xai and Hana.

  Huahan cleared her throat. "Regardless of your opinions about who visits my brothel, I believe we've kept you and this young man for long enough." She waved a hand to Xai before turning to Hana. "You head back to the brothel, I'll meet you there once I've finished my bath."

  Xai was about to question the statement when the woman leapt off the room to the building across the street and promptly went inside. It was only then that Xai noticed they had been standing next to a bathhouse. Not only that, but they also seemed to procure nearly a dozen onlookers scattered about the street below.

  Hana bowed to the two men. "I wish to see you two again. I'll be sure to ask about the disciple who was here before you two." She stated before taking off across the roofs of the buildings.

  ***

  The short walk back to the WhistleWood Inn was silent. Qin looked to still be deep in thought about the rather awkward event that had happened prior, even after the two had went to their rooms.

  Now Xai lay in one of the two beds in the room. On the wall next to him sat a window looking out to the night sky. The moon shown through the window to illuminate the room. Xai had simply been laying there for well over an hour unable to fall asleep. He looked to Qin across the room who had no trouble getting some shut eye.

  Xai lay back and stared up at the ceiling for what felt like several minutes before doing something he hadn't done in well over a week: open his status window.

  ~~~~

  [Name: Xai Faung]

  [Level: 40 (F)]

  [Vitality: 32]

  [Endurance: 30]

  [Strength: 26]

  [Dexterity: 32]

  [Intelligence: 30]

  [Willpower: 20]

  [Perception: 30]

  [Charm: 28]

  [Skills: Intuition (F), Swordsmanship (F), Ki Foundation (F), Ki Reinforcement (F), Durable (F), Acrobat (F)]

  ~~~~

  Hana was right, his willpower sucked. While he remembered it being a measly 5 when he'd first got the system, he had hardly put any points into it, unlike dexterity or vitality. He had tried to be more combat focused by putting most of his points into physical stats, but ultimately it made him vulnerable mentally.

  In contrast, Hana didn't seem to have put many points into physical stats despite being over twice Xai's level. If Huahan hadn't stepped in, and he had had his sword, he may have killed Hana.

  Xai scanned over his skills, half of which weren't too useful. Intuition had been valuable at times, but it hadn't activated since his fight with the Jūe. His two Ki skills were both arguably useless seeing as he could do greater feats then what either skill allowed with enough practice. Swordsmanship was alright, possibly at higher ranks it would be more beneficial, but all it did now was slightly raise the effectiveness of a few of his stats while wielding a sword. The two he expected to be most valuable were both Durable and Acrobat. Both gave him a point in Vitality and Dexterity per level completely free. While he hadn't leveled up since he got the skills, he didn't doubt their usefulness.

  Xai waved his hand, casting away the translucent piece of paper before him. He took one more look at the glistening moon outside before sighing and rolling out of bed.

  He put on his common clothes before grabbing his sword and leaving the WhistleWood Inn. He often took strolls around the sect on the late nights when he couldn't sleep. While Xuefeng was more rambunctious than the sect hall at any time of day, Xai never ceased to appreciate the presence of the full moon shining down on him. It was always strangely calming.

  The crowd wandering the streets was definitely lighter than it had been that evening, but there was still no shortage of customers about the nearby shops.

  While he had no sūka to spare, Xai still enjoyed looking at the wares of the stalls. Most sold odd trinkets and jewelry, while others sold goods like food or clothes.

  Eventually, however, he stumbled across a small clearing a buildings where a large hub of sorts was set up for citizens to wander. However, it seemed many stalls had been set up for the night. But they weren't selling goods. It was something different, something that made a smile creep onto Xai's face.

  "Alright, who's up next to face 'The Oni of Xuefeng'? There is no entrance fee but enter at your own risk. No outside weapons allowed. Whoever can best this beast is granted a prize. Come one come all and test your might!"

  In the center of the clearing a small circular arena had been set up using several wooden posts and rope. In the center of the ring stood two figures. One was a shorter man in a fine robe calling out to the crowd that surrounded the ring. His level wasn't anything of note, the same as any commoner.

  The other man however, fit the title of 'Oni'. While not a literal oni, shown by his level, he was still massive. He stood well over 6 feet tall, possibly even reaching above 7. He wore nothing but plain pants and a pelt of what looked like a boar slung around his waist. Clearly attempting to look like his 'oni' persona. His muscles were large and well defined. His bicep was nearly as thick as Xai's body. His skin was painted a light red, likely due to fit with his title and the theatrics thereof. Then Xai glanced up to his level.

  [Level: 64 (F)]

  Xai's eyes narrowed as he maneuvered his way through the crowd. As he got closer to the front of the crowd, the "Oni" spotted him. The large man then nudged the announcer with his elbow. The shorter man followed the larger one's gaze without breaking from his speech.

  "Ah, do we have a challenger to face the mighty oni so soon?" The announcer asked. The crowd parted away from Xai as their gaze shifted to him. Xai just nodded.

  "Good. Please, enter the ring and set any and all weapons you may have to the side." The announcer stated.

  Xai did as the man said. He stepped into the ring, keeping eye contact with the larger red man, before setting his sword to the side.

  The announcer stepped to the side of the ring as he continued speaking. "Now, allow me to reiterate the rules of engagement before we start for any newcomers to our show. No outside aid nor weapons are allowed during the fight, which- though rarely in effect- includes Ki or other bodily enhancements. Each of the attendees will fight until knock-out, or until one side concedes. Killing or gravely injuring the opposition is strictly prohibited. Now, without further ado shall we begin?"

  A cheer erupted from the crowd.

  "Then, let the fight commence!"