《JUN LAN》


 -1 Glossary

    MARTIAL ARTS


    - Dependent on the strength and agility of physical body


    Levels in martial arts:


    Nascent level


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    Intermediate level


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    Advanced level


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    Emperor level


    INTERNAL Qi


    -Based on the cultivation of the elements of nature


    -Separate methods of cultivation for each element of nature


    Fire element:


    Phoenix cultivation method or Scarlet dragon cultivation method based on the type of one''s flame.


    Water element:


    Golden lotus cultivation method


    Ice element:


    Blue Crystal cultivation method


    Wind element:


    For plain wind nature- Pearl Jademethod [ flutes as medium]


    For vortex wind nature- Black Iris method [ Jade fans as medium]


    Here, flutes and fans refer to magical artifacts


    Levels of internal qi cultivation:Grade 1 toGrade 10


    SOUL ESSENCE


    Soul cultivation levels : Mortal ¡û Transition ¡û Immortal


    Soul arts : Soul refining


    Soul taming to form contract with spirit beasts


    MAGIC


    Magic can be practiced by those who have affinity for magic. Here, runes come into picture.


    Magician ¡û Wizard ¡û Sorcerer


    PATHS


    Paths from which each cultivator has to choose:


    Swordsman : Beginner ¡û Warrior ¡û Knight


    Archer:Beginner ¡û Intermediate archer ¡û Heavenly archer


    Healers: Beginner ¡û Practitioner ¡û Master ¡û Grand Master


    One can choose one or many paths based on their abilities.


    BEASTS


    Demonic beasts: Their cores are useful for cultivation


    Levels : Grade1 to Grade 9 ¡û Blood sucking beasts ¡û Corrosive beasts


    Spirit beasts: Can be tamed and contracts can be formed


    Levels:Grade 1 to Grade 9 ¡û Mythological beasts ¡û Divine beasts


    TYPES OF CONTRACTS


    Master and servant : The beast is free once the master dies.


    Life and death: The beast follows master to death. When master dies, the beast dies. But, even if the beast dies the master remains alive.

 1 The pain in her heart 1

    " Lan''er.. Please forgive me not protecting you well." a young man in his twenties spoke in anguish. His eyes were blood red due to the anger and guilt. His original jade white complexion was covered with bluish marks and many cuts. His silky black hair is now disheveled as if his original countenance is an illusion.


    " Big brother.. I am sorry.. I did not realize that all my letters are to trap our family.. I killed our entire army without realizing.. I.. I.." the girl''s voice became faint at the end and her whole body shivered. She slumped to the ground as her legs lost all the strength. Her lips trembled and her eyes became misty as the cruel truth hit her.


    " Lan''er.. I would have spared your life if you had listened to me obediently. Why did you run here?" the man in silver Armour smirked coldly " Did you think of saving your brother?"


    Jun Lan''s whole body quivered on hearing her husband''s ruthless words and she felt a pain in heart making her voice stuck in her throat. Jun Lan is known through out the kingdom for her ugly looks. Her face is covered with a veil since birth. No one except her and her family knew her real looks. As her face is covered with a veil, no one noticed her pale complexion and trembling lips.


    She was a fool in thinking that Wang Xiu married her out of love. On her wedding night she realized that he hated her to the point that he slept with other woman. She never forced him to love her. The only thing she ever asked of him was to protect her family and not to involve them in the political struggles.


    She believed his words and did everything he asked her to do. She thought that those letters he asked her to send are to protect her family. Never in her dreams, she thought that she is the one responsible for the death of her family.


    Her love for him died long ago, but she never hated him. But now she hated him to the depth of her bones. She wished that she could kill him with her own hands.


    " Don''t call me like that with your filthy mouth" Jun Lan hissed at Wang Xiu.


    Wang Xiu was surprised to see her fierce eyes. His heart shook as if he was being cursed and he sub-consciously averted his gaze from her eyes.


    But, he recovered immediately and his face became twisted due to anger. "Initially I wanted to kill your brother after sending you away. But, now I changed my mind. You will open your eyes and see how I am going to kill him." he pulled her hair and looked into her vacant eyes.


    Wang Xiu''s heart skipped a beat on seeing her beautiful almond shaped grey eyes. He never understood why a woman with ugly looks would have such beautiful eyes. Nevertheless, he did not care for her. So, he threw her onto the ground.


    Jun Lan did not blink and looked at her brother with eyes devoid of any emotion. Jun Ling looked at his sister''s vacant eyes and his heart ached. He cursed himself for not being able to stop her marriage. She did not live her marriage life well and now she is blaming herself for everything.


    Jun Ling stared at her as tears slowly flowed down his eyes. But still, Jun Lan sat as a lifeless doll. She stared at her brother as many things came into her mind at that moment. She missed their childhood, she missed her father''s chatter, she missed her mother''s smile. She missed everyone. Her heart is in so much pain that she is not able to think clearly or see properly. Her breathing became hurried and she slumped to the ground breathing heavily.


    On seeing his sister struggling on the ground, Jun Ling closed his eyes as he felt bitter in his heart. He never hated himself , but now he cursed himself in his heart many times. He was not able to protect his family and he had to watch his sister in pain helplessly.


    Jun Lan''s breath slowly got normal and she slowly lifted her head to look at her brother as she called out with a weak voice " Big Brother.."


    Jun Ling immediately snapped out of his thoughts and hurriedly lifted his head. He stared his sister''s eyes which are now flowing with tears.


    " Big brother, I wish we had more time. I want to see the lantern festival with you. I learnt how to cook your favorite cakes but now I can''t make them for you.." Jun Lan looked at her brother as she slowly spoke " I have so many things I want to do with you.."


    On hearing her words, all the men around her laughed. But, Jun Lan and Jun Ling looked at each other as each had their own regrets. Jun Ling''s felt the sadness behind her words and he stared at her without blinking as they are going to die very soon. He looked at her eyes which were filled with regret and guilt. Hot tears flowed down his face, he wanted to say many things to her.. but his voice became choked and he was not able to speak anything.


    Jun Lan saw her brother''s struggle and breathed heavily to control her emotions. " Big brother.. I can understand what you want to say.. Listen to me.."

 2 The pain in her heart 2

    " I am so sorry brother.. It''s all my fault. Don''t blame yourself." Jun Lan''s voice trembled as she cried silently while speaking.


    " I wish we had more time.. I miss everyone.." Jun Lan felt her surroundings go dark and she closed her eyes. But in the next moment, she felt a sharp pain on her cheeks and she struggled to open her eyes. The pain did not stop as the slaps came one after other. Jun Lan opened her eyes and she saw Fang Liu, Wang Xiu''s personal guard raising his hand again to slap her.


    Jun Lan glared at him with blood red eyes. The blood red eyes coupled with the blood flowing at the corner of her mouth, made her look like an asura from hell.


    Fang Liu retracted his hand as he truly felt that he was being stared at by god of death. He took a few steps backward out of fear.


    " Good.. Now that you woke up, the show will be interesting." Wang Xiu looked expressionlessly at his ''wife''.


    Jun Lan did not speak anything and looked at her brother without blinking. Wang Xiu lifted his sword and slashed his right arm. Jun Ling did not cry and gritted his teeth to control his pain as if he did not want to scare his sister.


    No one understood the pain in Jun Lan''s heart at that moment. She felt as if a thousand knives are pierced in her heart. She felt suffocated in her heart that she closed her arms into fists. She did not notice that her fingernails were dug into her flesh and her white sleeves are stained with blood. She did not feel any pain as she felt her body go numb on seeing her brother being cut off like a wooden log in front of her eyes.


    Wang Xiu felt displeased on seeing her expressionless face. So, he did not want to play further and raised his sword and Jun Ling''s head rolled on the ground to stop at her feet.


    Jun Lan stared lifelessly till Wang Xiu came before her and kicked her brothers head with his legs. Jun Lan looked at his right leg which kicked her brother''s head and lowered her head without looking at his face.


    " Now it''s time to meet your parents.." Wang Xiu laughed happily.


    Jun Lan saw her father being beheaded and her mother being thrown into the cold jail. She listened to all the mocking words and insults hurled at her family. She did not allow herself to loose her consciousness and listened to each and every word...


    In the palace, Jun Lan was made to kneel before Wang Xiu when he magnanimously declared" You are a pawn in my game of chess. You helped me in removing your family, who are a threat to me. So, I will give you a less painful death."


    " Put her in the cold prison.." Wang Xiu ordered his guards. Jun Lan slowly got up and looked at the self-obsessed man before her " Wang Xiu, you will live a life worse than death. Even if I turn into a ghost, I will make sure that your life becomes miserable.." then she looked at the guards who are approaching her "I can walk by myself. Lead the way..". The guards looked at each other and motioned her to follow them. Wang Xiu balled his fists and snorted before leaving the room " You are just a woman, what can you do to me?"


    Jun Lan heard his words and tilted her head to see him leaving the room. Jun Lan smirked coldly


    " Yes, I am a woman. I will show you what a woman can do when she is provoked. She can either make your life a heaven or she can bring the hell''s wrath to your doorstep..". The guards heard her words and they could not help but shiver on hearing those fierce words. It''s like there is a mountain of hatred and scorn hidden behind them.


    The guards secretly prayed to god to save them from this woman''s wrath.


    '' If only I have a chance.. I will surely let you know what a woman can do..'' Jun Lan swore in her heart.


    Jun Lan sat in the prison and looked at the roof without blinking. No one knew what she was thinking at that time. Jun Lan''s sister, Jun Rong came to visit her at the night and rejoiced in her heart on seeing her miserable state.


    " Sister, drink this poison and leave this world.. Then I can enjoy myself with your husband.." Jun Rong spoke in a mocking tone.


    Jun Lan did not hear anything as she is still thinking about the things Jun Rong previously said .. '' Jun Lan, you are such a fool.. Grandfather, your maids, your faithful guard,... everyone died in my hands..''


    Jun Lan''s heart trembled and for the first time in her life, she felt that the world is unfair. Her marriage, her people,.. everything and everyone became a pawn in someone else''s game of chess..


    Jun Rong felt displeased on getting any reaction from her.


    " Jun Lan!" she screamed.


    Jun Lan just raised her head and looked at Jun Rong. Jun Rong trembled on seeing that calm face. She felt afraid as if a storm is brewing in the depths of those calm grey eyes. Then again, she shook her head to get rid of such ridiculous thoughts.. '' What can she do after she dies even if she knew the truth..'' Jun Rong smiled maliciously and handed her the bowl.


    Jun Lan looked at Jun Rong for a good while making the girl sweat profusely and opened her mouth to say with a faint but resolute voice "Everyone who harmed my Jun family will receive retribution one day". After saying that Jun Lan lifted the bowl and drank everything in a gulp.


    Jun Lan felt an unbearable pain in her body, but she did not scream


    Jun Rong felt her body go cold on hearing Jun Lan''s words. Those words coupled with the night''s chill made one''s heart to shudder involuntarily.


    Jun Rong left the cell immediately with her head maid. Jun Lan looked at their backs coldly and closed her eyes.


    Slowly Jun Lan felt a metallic taste in her mouth and felt her surroundings go dark. After some time, her body slumped on to the ground lifelessly..

 3 Rebirth 1

    Jun Lan felt her surroundings go black and she was sure that she is dead. But, why is she feeling pain all over her body. Did she not become a ghost?


    She remembered all the scenes before her death. Jun Lan felt a pain squeezing her heart and she felt as if she is drowning in a sea of despair. She did not understand why she is able to remember everything after she died. Then a sudden realization struck her '' Did I not die.. Did I perhaps escape with a tiny speck of life..''


    It is said that when a man is pushed to his limits, even a tiny spark of hope can light his life. Jun Lan''s mind is in the exact state and she tried hard to open her eyes. She felt uncomfortable all over her body, but she did not give up.


    Jun Lan heard the sounds of door creaking. At first she was still skeptical, but now she was sure that she was alive. So, she started to struggle to move her body.


    " My lady.." a girl in her servant robes ran towards the bed as soon as she saw Jun Lan''s face covered with sweat. For the past three days, she was scared to death on seeing her mistress not open her eyes. Finally, on seeing the frown on her mistress''s face, the young girl cried tears of joy.


    " Stop crying and feed the medicine to the young lady.." a man in black robes reprimanded the crying girl.


    Jun Lan was able to hear the voices clearly.. But, her hands shook violently on hearing their voices.. The voices belonged to Li Shin, her personal servant and Li Ming, her personal bodyguard. They were the ones who stayed by her side faithfully and they were also the ones who were killed brutally.


    But now Jun Lan tried very hard to open her eyes as her heart was shaken to its core on hearing their voices again. Is this an illusion? Why is god playing with me? Jun Lan had many complex thoughts in her mind. In the next moment, she felt something in her throat bringing a cool sensation along with it. Now, Jun Lan felt something trigger in her and she opened her eyes and tilted her head.


    " My lady.." Li Shin''s excited voice echoed through out the room.


    Jun Lan stared at the beautiful young girl without blinking her eyes. She was afraid to blink her eyes.. She was really afraid that the girl may disappear once she closed her eyes. Jun Lan can clearly hear her heart thumping hard as if it''s going to fall out of her chest. Jun Lan slowly raised her hands and placed it on the girl''s cheek.


    Jun Lan was surprised as she was able to touch the girl.. Li Shin was frozen by her mistress''s sudden action. Li Ming stood by the side of the bed quietly and a puzzled expression can be seen on his face.


    Jun Lan blinked her eyes and suddenly two drops of crystalline tears fell from her eyes. In the next instant, Jun Lan removed her hand from the girl''s face and lowered her head. Jun Lan tried to control her emotions, but in the end she was not able to stop the endless streams of tears flowed from her eyes.


    Jun Lan cried silently burying her face in her knees. Li Shin was flustered not knowing what to do and Li Ming froze on the spot. Jun Lan remembered everything that happened and she was not able to control her grief. She cried so much that her eyes turned red and now they looked like boiled eggs.. Jun Lan started hiccuping and Li Shin quickly helped her to drink water by lifting the veil revealing Jun Lan''s crimson red lips.


    Jun Lan closed her eyes after drinking water. She closed her eyes to control her emotions. Jun Lan slowly opened her eyes and observed her surroundings.


    She was in a not-so-bad wooden room with basic furniture. It''s Jun family mansion.. Jun Lan immediately looked at her hands and her lifeless eyes started to tremble.


    " Li Shin.." Jun Lan called out in a hoarse whisper.


    Li Shin heard her voice as she is near to the bed. " My lady.. Are you alright?" Li Shin could not help but worry after seeing her lady''s tears.


    " How old am I?" Jun Lan asked.


    " My lady, did you hit your head?" Li Shin had a terrified expression on her face.


    " Thirteen, my lady.." Li Ming answered politely.


    Jun Lan looked at Li Ming for a moment before asking " Did my father send any letter to me?"


    Li Shin lowered her head and nodded. She took out a letter from her sleeves and handed it to her. Jun Lan opened the letter and smiled after reading the contents. As her face is covered with a veil, Li Shin and Li Ming are unable to read her expression.

 4 Rebirth 2

    Jun Lan stared at the letter and lifted her head only after hearing Li Shin''s voice.


    " My lady.. Are you going to follow your second aunt''s words?"


    Jun Lan remembered how her aunt convinced her to ask her grandfather for the third prince Wang Xiu''s hand in marriage. She blindly believed those words and fought with her grandfather, causing him to hate her. Her grandfather promised her father a favor when he succeeded in the war. She recklessly used that single favor and made her grandfather to go and request the prince to marry her. Because of this mistake, her grandfather was ridiculed by the entire capital and she was mocked as a brazen girl.


    Jun Lan smiled coldly as she remembered everything. Now, she was reborn.. This time she is going to protect and bring fame to her first family line..


    In her past life though she died before becoming empress, she read many books and prepared herself. She also read military books in secret as Wang Xiu forbid her from reading military tactics. Now, she is skilled in all the talents that a man would like his wife to have. But, she is going to conceal herself and protect her family. She will never become a toy in another man''s hand again!


    Jun Lan slowly sat up and leaned against the bed. She motioned Li Shin and Li Ming to sit before her. On seeing their refusal to sit before her, Jun Lan looked at them with sincere eyes " Li Shin and Li Ming, you both are like a family to me. For me you are not servants. I wish you to treat me like your sister rather than a master. So, sit now..."


    Li Shin and Li Ming hesitated and they stood before her with their heads bowed down. Jun Lan sighed and faked her anger " If you don''t listen to me, then you may leave. I don''t need people like you by my side."


    " My lady.." Li Shin stopped in middle on seeing Jun Lan''s eyes. She and Li Ming sat before her stiffly.


    Jun Lan looked at both of them and spoke in a serious tone " Li Shin and Li Ming, do you pledge your loyalty to me ?"


    Li Shin and Li Ming looked at each other and did not hesitate to answer " My Lady, we swore to protect you and we will follow you till your death."


    " From this day, I will treat you both as my confidants and I will trust you both with everything. Also, I will protect you both and I will never humiliate you. This is my oath to both of you." Jun Lan spoke solemnly.


    Li Shin and Li Ming kowtowed to her. " My lady, rest assured we will never betray you."


    Jun Lan knew that they will never betray her. So, she spoke slowly " I am going to use the favor grandfather promised to my father.."


    Li Shin hurriedly spoke " My lady, It''s not a good idea.." but Li Ming interrupted her in the middle


    " First, listen to what our lady has to say.."


    Jun Lan chuckled in spite of herself. Li Shin widened her eyes on hearing her chuckle '' How many days has it been since her lady smiled..Li Shin did not like the third prince, but If her lady''s happiness is because of the marriage, then she will not mind it..''


    Jun Lan did not notice the complex emotions on Li Shin''s face and she continued to speak " I am going to cut off the relations with Jun family.."


    Li Shin was terrified and was about to speak something but she was interrupted by Li Ming. Li Ming had a faint idea, but he wanted to hear it from his lady.


    Li Ming spoke calmly " My lady, what about the marriage with third prince Wang Xiu?"


    Jun Lan sneered in her heart and looked into Li Ming''s eyes as she spoke each word firmly " I will never marry him in this lifetime or in my next lives. They want to use me to control my father and Jun family''s army."


    " Our first family is targeted by many as we have our own army. Even my aunt is plotting against my family using my marriage. I will ask grandfather to expel my family. In that way the army will not be ours and father can remain safe for another three years."


    Li Ming smiled as he understood " My lady, by doing so everyone will feel that the first family is not favored. So, in that way they will stop targeting our lord and young master."


    No matter what, father and younger brother are thorns in the eyes of many. How can they be at peace if they are not dead? Jun Lan''s heart went cold on thinking thisand she shook her head


    " They will not stop scheming. But, they will not have the chance to use me against my family. "


    " With my reputation, who will be willing to marry me? Unless, they have ulterior motives they will not come forward to marry me. So, I decided to ask grand father to expel my family."


    " But my lady, we will loose the Jun family''s army.." Li Ming was still worried.


    " No need to worry about that. Once father is expelled Jun family''s army will be in the hands of emperor. Then everyone will think that we are tigers without claws. My family''s lives are more important to me than an army." Jun Lan leaned on the bed and closed her eyes thinking something.


    Li Shin did not understand anything, but she was determined to support her young lady no matter what she did.


    '' That''s right, life is more important than everything. What use is an army for a dead person?'' Li Ming looked at the person on the bed with confusion. It seemed as if his mistress became a new person after waking up. Anyways, he did not think much about it as the change was for better.

 5 Address me properly

    " My lady.." Li Ming stopped in middle as he heard the sound of footsteps approaching towards the door.


    Li Ming immediately leaped out through the window and Li Shin stood beside the bed with her head bowed down. Jun Lan''s lips twitched on seeing the sudden changes in these both..


    " Lan''er, don''t be angry with your aunt dear. I really wanted to visit you earlier but you know that I do not have as much as free time that you have." Chen Rong, Jun Lan''s second aunt slowly entered the room and spoke as if she is sympathizing with her, but she is indirectly blaming that Jun Lan is a waste who does not know anything except lazing around daily.


    Jun Lan''s lips curled up and her smile is not visible to others as her face is covered with a veil. Chen Rong thought that the girl is still frightened by the experience. She mentally made a note to praise her daughter Jun Rong, for pushing this eyesore into the ice lake. Thinking till here, Chen Rong sneered in her heart and she spoke in a gentle voice " Lan''er, are you not feeling well. If you feel uncomfortable anywhere, tell your aunt.." on saying this Chen Rong extended her hand towards Jun Lan.


    But, her hands froze in mid-air when Jun Lan avoided her by moving to the side. Chen Rong cursed in her heart but she looked at Jun Lan with a pitiful expression " Lan''er...". Her words froze in the middle when she saw Jun Lan looking at her coldly.


    " Li Shin, I am tired and my body needs rest to recover quickly. Please show the way out to my aunt." Jun Lan did not spare a second glance at her aunt and she leaned on the bed while closing her eyes.


    Chen Rong''s face became twisted due to her anger and Li Shin was shocked on hearing Jun Lan''s words. But, she quickly recovered and bowed to Chen Rong " Second Madam, please follow me.."


    Chen Rong was so angry and she cannot vent her anger on that bitch. So, she raised her hand to slap Li Shin. Just when her hand was about to land on Li Shin''s cheek, Jun Lan''s cold voice sounded out making Chen Rong to stop her hand immediately " Second madam, I requested you to leave my room so that I can rest peacefully. Are you so unsatisfied that you raised your hand against my people?"


    Chen Rong frowned on hearing the way she addressed her. Also, why is she protecting her servant.


    As if reading her thoughts Jun Lan chuckled softly causing the one''s ears to itch " Second madam, only I can punish my people. So, please leave before I loose my patience."


    " Lan''er.."


    " Second madam, we are not so close to call each other in such an intimate way. Also, remember that I am the first lady of the Jun family."


    Chen Rong was stunned on hearing her words. No matter what, how can a young girl of 13 years have such an imposing aura? Chen Rong''s heart was unsettled and was about to speak when she was met with Jun Lan''s cold but fierce eyes.


    " From this moment, you are to call me first lady. Also, don''t think that I will be fooled by your words. Now, before I throw you out please leave."


    Chen Rong balled her fists and glared at Jun Lan. If looks could kill, Jun Lan might have died over a thousand times already.


    Jun Lan did not flinch and returned her glare. Finally, Chen Rong averted her eyes as she was unable to stare at those eyes.


    " Humph.. I came with good intentions. Who knew that the first lady would refuse my good will.." Chen Rong snorted and left the room while taking large strides.


    Li Shin looked at her lady with complete adoration in her eyes. Her lady looked so fierce and formidable. Li Ming, leaned on the roof and he heard everything that is said in the room. After hearing his young lady''s voice of disdain, he also thought that their lady changed for the grater good.


    Jun Lan looked at Li Shin''s excited face and chuckled " Li Shin, why are you so excited?"


    Li Shin spoke excitedly " My lady, everyone knew how the second madam and third madam treat you. But, you are always soft-hearted.." Li Shin stopped speaking as she did not want to offend her lady.


    Jun Lan sighed and spoke in a firm tone " From now, I, Jun Lan will rule my own life."

 6 Meeting little Xiao 1

    Li Ming leaped into the room and looked at Jun Lan with amusement on his face. Jun Lan smiled as she clearly knew Li Ming''s personality. He had a carefree and happy personality. He was only 17 years old, but he had some looks which could make women swoon over him..


    Then again she looked at Li Shin. The girl is about 15 years old and she had the looks ofa gentle lady. In her past life, these both fell in love with each other but they were not able to get married as Li Shin was killed. But, in this life she will make sure to protect them.


    But, she was not sure when these both started developing feelings for each other. Right now, there are no sparks between these two. Jun Lan sighed in her heart. She could not rush some things and wait for the nature to take its course..


    " My lady, you spoke quite well there.." Li Ming''s voice was filled with mirth. Though he still stood respectfully before her, she can feel that the barriers between them are slowly dissolving. Li Shin was always lively before her, so she did not worry much about her.


    Jun Lan rolled her eyes at him " Now you are teasing this lady, hmm.."


    " I don''t dare to, my lady..." Li Ming still spoke mirthfully. Li Shin looked at him with shock in her face " You are being disrespectful.."


    Jun Lan butted in " Li Shin, you should also be free like Li Ming. I hope that before me you can be yourselves and speak freely. Of course, you should not refuse my orders. That''s the only exception."


    Li Shin pouted " My lady, you are supporting him...". Jun Lan looked at her and chuckled " Isn''t it obvious?"


    Li Shin widened her eyes, while Li Ming looked at his master with interest " My lady, I will call you master from now."


    Jun Lan nodded. Li Ming continued " Master, now that you offended the second madam.. What are your plans ?"


    " As I told you, we will be leaving this house. I need to do some things before I leave. So, no hurries.." Jun Lan spoke calmly.


    " Li Ming and Li Shin, come with me." Jun Lan stood up and straightened her dress. Li Shin frowned " My lady, you need to rest. You shouldn''t be walking now."


    " It''s nothing. I want to visit little Xiao.." Jun Lan spoke softly.


    " Master, after you saved that little boy he didn''t even smile at you. Why do you want to help that kid?" Li Ming frowned.


    " How can you expect a child to say a word of thanks. Also, what you see may not be true every time." Jun Lan spoke mysteriously and walked out of her room.


    Xiao is a boy of 5 years who served under her third aunt, Jiang Fan. She saved him once when he almost beaten to death by her third aunt. After that incident her grandfather, Jun Yuan gave that boy a small room and assigned him with task of cleaning the garden everyday. The little boy never spoke to anyone and always remained quiet. But, under that calm face is a gentle and kind heart. In her past life, he died in order to protect her. At that time, even the strong hearted Li Ming cried after knowing how he died.


    With these thoughts in her mind, Jun Lan reached the small hut where the boy is staying. Jun Lan pushed the door gently and a sweet smell assaulted their noses.


    Li Shin was immediately angered on seeing the plate filled with pastries before him. Those pastries were supposed to be delivered to her young lady. She wondered why they are not being sent from two months. Now she understood that this little boy is eating them all. Though she is angry, she is not so heartless to lash out on a young boy. So, she spoke sternly


    " Xiao, if you like them you can take some of them. But, you can''t eat everything by yourself. Apologise to the young lady."


    Xiao looked at Jun Lan with fear in his eyes and he immediately kneeled on the floor. But, before his knees could touch the ground, Jun Lan pulled him up. " Stand straight.." On hearing her voice, Xiao did not dare to disobey and he stood with his head lowered the entire time. Li Shin and Li Ming looked at each other in confusion.


    Jun Lan sighed in her heart and crouched down to meet with his eyes. Seeing that he avoided her eyes, Jun Lan lifted his chin forcing him to look at her " Little Xiao, why did you eat all those cakes?"

 7 Meeting little Xiao 2

    The little boy before her pursed his lips and did not say anything. Jun Lan felt a sharp pain in her heart on seeing his reluctance. He would rather stay silent than let her know about it. Jun Lan calmed herself and asked in a gentle voice " You know that they are poisoned. Why did you eat them?"


    Xiao widened his eyes as he looked at Jun Lan with astonishment. He was very careful so that he can keep it a secret from her.. Li Shin and Li Ming are also shocked on hearing her words.. So, he ate those all by himself rather than letting their master eat them.. Li Ming looked at the silent boy before him in a new light.


    " If third madam is threatening you, why did you not find me?" Jun Lan looked at his distressed face and let go of him. She stood up and looked at Li Ming " From today, he will live with me. See that the room next to mine is ready for his use."


    Jun Lan looked at the little boy " Don''t be afraid. No one can harm even a single hair of yours from today. Also, from this day you are Jun Xiao, my little brother."


    Xiao looked at her with shock written all over his face. Jun Lan looked at Li Ming " Bring him with us.." after saying those words, Jun Lan left the room with Li Shin following her in a daze.


    Li Ming lifted the boy and carried him in his arms.


    " Put him on the bed.." Jun Lan spoke immediately after seeing them enter the room. Li Ming gently placed the little boy on the bed and moved back. Jun Lan caught his wrist to take his pulse.


    Jun Lan frowned as his pulse is erratic. Then she looked at his fingernails which turned purplish. She looked at him in the eyes " Is your throat dry and do you feel as if your whole body is burning?"


    Xiao nodded while looking at her eyes. Jun Lan released his wrist and sat before her study table. She took a brush and wrote a list of herbs needed for his treatment. After blowing on the paper for the ink to dry, Jun Lan handed the paper to Li Ming " Bring all the things in this list. Search the whole city if you have to. You are not allowed to return empty handed."


    Jun Lan then retrieved a box from her wardrobe and handed it to Li Ming " Exchange all these items in a pawn shop for gold."


    " My lady, those are all jewellery gifted by the second madam.." Li Shin reminded her.


    But, Jun Lan smiled " It''s the exact reason why I want to sell these.. Anyways, if they ask we can say that we lost the box.. No one will care about us or the lost box. So, don''t worry much."


    " Li Ming, try to bring these herbs as fast as you can. I don''t want to delay Jun Xiao''s treatment." Jun Lan spoke resolutely.


    Li Ming nodded before leaping out through the window. Jun Lan looked at Xiao and sighed " Sleep well from today.. Lie down on the bed now.."


    " Master.. It''s not a good thing.." Jun Lan cut off his words in the middle and rebuked him " I said that your are Jun Xiao, my little brother from today. So call me sister.."


    " S.. Si.. Sister.." Jun Xiao blushed hard and managed to speak that word with great difficulty.


    Jun Lan''s eyes flashed with amusement on seeing his red cheeks. So, she jumped on to the bed and tickled him hard. " Sister, let go.. my stomach is aching.." Jun Xiao said as his eyes were filled with tears due to his laughter. Only after hearing him call her sister, did Jun Lan let him free.


    Jun Lan made the little boy to lie down on the bed with his head on her lap. She slowly patted his back " Sleep well.. With your sister, no one will be able to hurt you."


    Jun Xiao''s stiffened body slowly relaxed and after a while Jun Lan heard his steady breathing. The little guy was sleeping peacefully on her lap..


    Jun Lan looked at Li Shin who is watching her with her face resting on one of her palms. Jun Lan found her to be extremely adorable. So, she asked " Why are you staring at me like that?"


    " My lady, you will be a good mother for your children.."


    Jun Lan froze on hearing her words. '' Mother.. She did not have such luxury in her past life.. and even in this life she held no hopes on marriage.. May be she can adopt an orphan and raise him as her child..'' Jun Lan was lost in her thoughts.

 8 She likes this old man of hers

    " Li Shin, stay here and watch over Jun Xiao" Jun Lan stood up and adjusted her veil. " My lady.. Is it alright for you to go alone?" Li Shin was nervous.


    Jun Lan laughed on seeing her protectiveness. " I am going to meet with grandfather. So, stay here and take care of my little brother. No one will dare to do anything in broad daylight."


    After assuring Li Shin that she will be back soon, Jun Lan walked towards her grandfather''s study. The guard outside the study bowed slightly on seeing her. She was given that respect because of her father.


    " I want to meet with grandfather. We need to talk." Jun Lan looked at the guard and spoke in a commanding cold tone.


    The guard sub-consciously nodded on hearing her words " Just a moment, first lady..". After speaking, he immediately entered the study to announce her arrival.


    " Come in.." Jun Lan heard a magnetic old voice.


    Even now in her second life, Jun Lan''s heart was shaken by the old man''s authoritative voice. She entered the study with steady and light steps. She did not make any sounds when she walked. Jun Lan kept her back straight and her whole person seemed to emit a wild and dominant aura. Jun Yuan had his eyes on his first grand-daughter from the time she entered his study.


    Just as he was assessing her, Jun Lan was also secretly awed by her grand-father''s aura. She felt proud that such a formidable man was present in her family. She did not hide the look of admiration as it was clearly reflected in her shiny star like eyes.


    Jun Yuan did not find any faults in the girl. Her graceful demeanour is comparable to those in the palace. '' This girl is pretty good. But, why did she hide herself even when everyone are slandering her..'' Jun Yuan frowned in his heart but he did not let his true emotions show on his face.


    Jun Yuan felt funny when he saw the look of adoration in her eyes. He coughed slightly to bring his stupid grand-daughter out of her daze.


    Jun Lan snapped back to her senses and quickly bowed " Grand daughter pays respects to grand father."


    Jun Yuan nodded and asked her directly " What do you want to talk with me?"


    Jun Lan also did not beat around the bush " Grandfather, I heard that my marriage discussions are going on.."


    Jun Yuan looked at her calmly " No such discussions are going on. But, I heard that you took a liking to the third prince, Wang Xiu."


    Jun Lan''s gaze turned sharp on hearing the name she loathed the most. Jun Yuan was surprised on seeing her eyes.. Not even a speck of love or adoration can be seen in those eyes.. It seems more like hate and resentment.. But, why?


    " Grandfather, I know that second aunt did everything for my own good. But, I don''t want to marry into royal family. Forgive this granddaughter for not being filial." Jun Lan kowtowed immediately.


    " What did you say?" Jun Yuan suddenly realized something and his voice shook. What kind of a man is that third prince? And how dare they try to push an innocent girl into that hell. That man had always been ambitious and any relation to him may only bring downfall of Jun family.. Jun Yuan decided to watch the movements of second and third households more carefully. If they try to harm or plot against the first household, then they are going to see a side of him which will leave them many nightmares..


    Jun Lan''s eyes showed a trace of confusion " Grandfather, second aunt told me to ask you to grant my marriage with third prince. She told me that it will help our family and you will be given a higher position. But, I don''t want to marry and I want to stay with my father for a few more years.. So, pardon me grandfather.." Jun Lan lowered her head.


    Jun Yuan looked at the young girl before him and thought that this girl is not so simple and she is surely not like how rumors described her. She spoke each and every word carefully. His impression on this girl improved a lot. Jun Yuan motioned her to sit on the empty chair next to him. Jun Lan quickly got up on her feet and sat in the chair in a relaxed manner.


    " Good.." Jun Yuan nodded in appreciation on seeing her actions.


    " Tell me.. What else did your second aunt force you to do?" Jun Yuan looked at her with a serious expression on her face.


    Jun Lan shook her head in denial " What are you saying grandfather? Second aunt always did everything for my own good. She never forced me to do anything."

 9 Clever grand-daughter

    Jun Yuan squinted his eyebrows '' Did I think too highly of this girl?''. But, his brows relaxed when he heard her say in a low voice that only both of them can hear " Walls have ears.."


    Jun Yuan smiled brilliantly at Jun Lan after hearing her words '' It seems I''ve under estimated her..''


    " Alright.. Since you are not willing to get married, I will not promise your hand to anyone. So, don''t worry." Jun Yuan''s face was full of smiles.


    Jun Lan smiled softly under her veil '' Her grandfather is truly intelligent..''


    " Thank you grandpa.." Jun Lan was truly grateful to him. Jun Yuan''s ears turned red as he was never addressed in such an intimate way by his grand-daughter before.


    Jun Lan understood his embarrassment. So, she continued to speak


    " Grandpa, I took Xiao as my younger brother. Please add him in the family register. I gave him the name Jun Xiao."


    Jun Yuan scoffed " You decided everything. So, why bother asking me? But, seeing that the boy is good I will accept him." Jun Yuan took the register and wrote the name Jun Xiao under Jun Lan''s name.


    " Are you satisfied?" Jun Yuan showed the book to her.


    Jun Yuan''s lips twitched on seeing her check if he wrote the name correctly or not. But, he did not say anything in the end.


    " Very much.." Jun Lan nodded and took a piece of paper and started to write with a brush.


    " Grandpa, I will write some riddles on the paper.. You have to guess the answers.." Jun Lan spoke without looking at him. Jun Yuan raised his brows and smiled " Alright.."


    She just said riddles because she remembered that there is a spy in this room. Her grandfather thought that he is a faithful guard and entrusted him with everything. In the end, her grandfather was killed by him on the orders of her cousin sister Jun Rong. Jun Lan wrote everything concisely on the paper. She wanted to warn her grandfather without alerting her second and third aunt. If they become suspicious, they will kill her grandfather quickly. She should make sure to save him in this life. So, she wrote enough to make him suspicious.


    Sure enough, Jun Yuan''s face turned ugly after reading it. But, he quickly composed himself.


    " Let us speak later.. You return to your room" Jun Yuan spoke while burning the paper. His face looked tired. Jun Lan sighed on seeing his face. The truth must have taken a toll on him.


    " Grandpa, don''t worry so much and please rest earlier." Jun Lan bowed slightly and turned to leave. After taking two steps she stopped in her tracks and spoke gently without turning back " Grandpa, if things get difficult, leave them to me. But, please take care of yourself."


    Jun Yuan stared at his grand-daughters back till she disappeared from his sight. '' How did that little girl know all these.. He remembered all that is written on that paper and his heart sank.. May be she became alert to avoid all the scheming. I am so useless that I didn''t realize that my grand daughter is suffering in their hands.. But, first he had to deal with many things.. He also needed to think some things out..'' Jun Yuan sighed in his heart and sat on his chair with his arms crossed against his chest.


    '' First, I should confirm if that man is really a spy or not..'' Jun Yuan rubbed his temples. There are three shadow guards in his room. Jun Lan specifically mentioned a name.. He is the one Jun Yuan trusted the most..


    " Everyone assemble.." Jun Yuan ordered and the three men kneeled before him.


    " Lin Chang, you leave first. I have to reprimand these two for slacking off in their duties.." Jun Yuan spoke seriously. Lin Chang nodded and left the room.


    Lin Chang did not go back but he hid in the trees. After a while, he saw the backs of two men moving towards dorms. Assuming that they are the shadow guards from the old man''s study, Lin Chang relaxed and went towards the second master''s mansion.


    On the other hand, in the study the two shadow guards looked at Jun Yuan in confusion " Master, why did you make those servants impersonate us?"


    Jun Yuan spoke without lifting his head " To catch the spy.."

 10 Secret protector

    Jun Lan slowly walked towards her room. She was thinking on how to convince her grandfather to leave with her. Although she was sure that her grandfather will refuse her request, she want to try her hard to persuade him.


    Jun Lan was lost in her thoughts and she snapped back from her thoughts on hearing the slight rustle of leaves. She immediately stopped in her tracks as she noticed that someone is following her. She didn''t notice it earlier as she was lost in her thoughts.


    Jun Lan suddenly remembered something and she called out sub-consciously " Ah Jiao, is it you?"


    The man hidden in the trees froze on hearing his name. His body trembled for a short while before he composed himself. He was surprised on how this young lady recognized him.


    This Ah Jiao followed her in shadows in her past life. He died protecting her from an ambush. At that time, she didn''t even know who he is.. All she did was to stare at his dead body and she was not able to even bury his body. Jun Lan felt heavy in her heart as she remembered this scene.


    '' Just how many sacrificed their lives to protect a foolish me, who was not worthy of their loyalty..'' Jun Lan took a deep breath before speaking " Ah Jiao, after twenty days meet me in the training grounds. Let''s fight each other. If I am able to defeat you, you should accept me as your master. If you are willing them show yourself on that day."


    Jun Lan did not wait for his answer as she started to walk after speaking. She was sure that he was there and she knew that he heard everything. All she had to do is to wait for his decision. She was sure that she will defeat him after a few days of practice.


    After all, she was hailed as '' iron-blooded general'' in her past life due to her countless victories in the battles. Now, it''s high time she displayed her might and charm. Jun Lan''s lips turned into an evil smirk as she made her way towards her room.


    Ah Jiao stared at the young girl''s back till she entered her room. Only then did he leave the place with a thousand thoughts in his mind..


    " My lady.. Is everything alright?" Li Shin immediately stood up on seeing Jun Lan enter the room.


    " Hmm.." Jun Lan softly responded. Though she was not able to see her lady''s face, she can tell that her lady is very happy today. So, she curiously asked " My lady, did something good happen?"


    " Yes, in the coming days there will be a good show to watch. We need to just sit and watch." Jun Lan spoke in high spirits. She spoke so freely because no one bothered to place any spies in her courtyard as she was considered a dimwit by everyone.


    " Oh.. What is it?" Li Shin''s curiosity was piqued.


    " It''s no fun if I say it before." Jun Lan did not give her a chance to speak as she saw the herbs on the table. She was pleasantly surprised " I didn''t expect Li Ming to be so fast.."


    Jun Lan busied herself in grinding her herbs and making them into a paste. Li Shin watched her with an expression of worship.


    It took about three hours for Jun Lan to complete her work. She stored the pastes in porcelain containers. Jun Lan stretched her body after finishing her work.


    " My lady, you even know about medicine.. I think all those idiots who called you fools are the biggest fools.."


    '' What is this girl speaking?'' Jun Lan felt her sentence sounded weird and she chuckled softly.


    " My lady, when did you learn medicine?" Li Shin did not understand when her lady learnt medicine.


    " Your lady knows many things.. Medicine is one among my many talents.." Jun Lan shamelessly boasted.


    Li Shin thought that her lady is making fun of her and she did not take those words as true. What she did not know is that Jun Lan really spoke the truth.


    " Li Shin, bring me a mirror.." Jun Lan suddenly spoke.


    Li Shin almost stumbled " My.. la..lady.. What are you saying?"

 11 A blemish on the moon

    " Bring me a mirror.." Jun Lan stressed each word " Am I not clear enough?"


    Li Shin nodded obediently on hearing Jun Lan''s stern voice and placed a mirror in front of her.


    Jun Lan started to remove her veil slowly. Li Shin fixed her eyes on Jun Lan''s face, as she also didn''t know how her lady looked like. Li Shin never assisted Jun Lan in bath, so she never saw her mistress face clearly.


    Li Shin only heard that her mistress has such ugly looks that anyone who sees her face directly would faint. But, Li Shin refused to believe those rumors.Her mistress had such beautiful eyes.. She strongly believed that with such beautiful eyes, one could not possibly be as ugly as the world portrayed them.


    Jun Lan removed her veil and looked at her reflection in mirror. She had large almond shaped grey eyes which looked both mysterious and enchanting. She had long, curvy and thick eyelashes. Her eyebrows looked as if they are perfectly curved. Her eyes are truly an envy to all the women folk and an alluring drug to all the men.


    She had a delicate small nose, it looked so cute that one will want to pinch that nose. She had a crimson red lips which accentuated her alluring looks to a whole new level.


    There is a mole on her left cheek which acted like an added decoration to her small oval shaped face. The only defect on her face is the long and deep cut on her right cheek.


    Jun Lan slowly brushed her right cheek examining the scar.


    Li Shin looked at Jun Lan and she had only one thought in her mind '' If her lady is ugly, then all the women in this world are banshees..''. How is this face called ugly.. Even with such a deep scar, her mistress face looked so beautiful.. Li Shin could imagine the shocking reactions of everyone,if her mistress shows her actual countenance without the scar.


    Jun Lan felt Li Shin''s gaze on her. So, she asked " Speak, what is it?"


    Li Shin sighed " My lady, the scar on your face is like a blemish on the moon."


    Jun Lan choked on her breath " Comparing me with a moon, isn''t it too much?"


    Before Li Shin could speak, Li Ming''s voice trailed in " Second young lady is coming towards your chambers.. Cover your face.."


    Jun Lan immediately covered her face with the veil and pretended to relax on the bed.


    " Younger sister.." on hearing Jun Rong''s sweet voice Jun Lan felt a layer of goose bumps on her skin. Jun Lan did not respond to her and continued to look outside through the window.


    '' B**ch..'' Jun Rong cursed in her heart, but she showed a polite smile on her face as she continued " Younger sister, what''s wrong? Don''t worry about your marriage with third prince. I will ask my mother to talk with grandfather..."


    " Second lady, did you perhaps forget the rules of Jun household?" Jun Lan interrupted the white lotus coldly. Jun Rong froze on hearing her voice. She looked at the girl in front of her with widened eyes.


    " Sister, I don''t understand what you are saying.." Jun Rong thought that this temper of the dimwit is because of her illness. But, her words got stuck in the middle of the throat when she is met with Jun Lan''s piercing eyes. Those eyes are so clear as if they could see through the person before them and mince them into several pieces.


    Jun Lan chuckled softly " It seems I have to remind the second lady about the rules here.. I may be younger than you by two years, but still you should call me first lady." Jun Rong gritted her teeth..


    Jun Lan ignored her fuming face and continued " Also, are your mother and daughter pair taking me for a fool. I will never marry the third prince. So, tell your mother that if she wanted Jun family to benefit so much she can marry you off instead of me.. "


    " Second lady, I know how you feel about the third prince. I don''t want to be pushed into that ice-cold lake again for a man who I have no feelings what-so-ever."

 12 How dare you call him a servant?

    " Also, I can request grandfather for your marriage with the third prince.." Jun Lan looked at her elder sister and spoke in a gentle tone. Previously she was not able to control her emotions well and her resentment was reflected clearly in her words.


    " Second lady, I know that I am ugly and I am not a fool to believe that the third prince took a liking towards me.. So, stop speaking nonsense before me.."


    " Also, if you don''t have anything important to say please leave. I need to rest as my body is weak." Jun Lan didn''t leave any face for this actor.


    Jun Rong looked at Jun Lan with hatred in her eyes. Li Shin sub-consciously blocked Jun Lan with her body as she did not like the look in her eyes.


    Jun Lan''s heart felt warm on seeing her actions. At the same time she also felt a pain.. In her past life, Li Shin blocked her in the same way to protect her from a lecher.. But, instead she attracted his attention which lead to her being raped and killed. Jun Lan still remembered the melancholic look on Li Ming''s face.


    Two drops of crystalline tears fell from Jun Lan''s eyes.. She wiped away her tears and took deep breaths to make her voice normal..


    " Second lady, is there anything else?"


    Jun Rong looked at the boy lying beside Jun Lan and her lips formed a sneer.


    " First lady, you truly deserved to be respected.. Allowing a servant boy to sleep on your bed.."


    " Who did you call a servant?" Jun Lan gently pushed Li Shin out of her way and glared at Jun Rong.


    Jun Rong''s body trembled on hearing her fierce voice. But, she still spoke bravely " He is just a servant.. What do you expect me to call him?"


    " You should call him young master.."


    " Are you taking me for a fool?" Jun Rong smirked as she thought that Jun Lan was trying to make fun of her.. too bad she is thinking too highly of herself.


    " I don''t have the mood to joke with you. He is my younger brother, Jun Xiao. Yesterday, grandfather added his name in the family bloodline register. So, you should call him as young master from now.."


    " If you dare call him a servant again, I will follow the rules and punish you.." Jun Lan spoke calmly as if she is talking about that day''s weather.


    " You dare to punish me?" Jun Rong mocked her " So what if he is your younger brother now.. he is still a servant in my eyes.. awwh"


    Before she could finish speaking she felt a sharp pain on her hands. Jun Rong looked down at her hands as blood started to flow out of her jade white arms.


    " I warned you before.." Jun Lan retrieved her whip and lashed out again.


    Jun Rong''s pitiful cries echoed throughout the room. Li Shin stood petrified on the spot. Even Jun Xiao woke up from his sleep and watched his big sister in a daze. He never thought that his big sister would be so angry...


    On hearing her cries, a servant rushed inside the room only to find her master whimpering on the floor like a rag doll. The servants also take after their master. So, the girl pointed her finger at Jun Lan and started cursing " You evil woman, how dare you hurt our lady.."


    Jun Lan''s gaze turned eerily cold as she laughed " haha.. you are just a servant, how dare you speak against me. It seems that everyone in this house need a beating.." after speaking Jun Lan whipped the servants mouth slicing of her tongue and the flesh near her lips.


    The servant Shin Ge looked at Jun Lan with terror in her eyes. Jun Lan smirked on seeing the look on her face. '' Didn''t you enjoy whipping my servants in the past life. I''m just giving you a taste of your own medicine.''


    Jun Lan sneered at the master-servant pair " Scram out of here before I kill you both.. Remember this is the result for insulting my brother.. Don''t dare to mess with my family again.."

 13 Different shades of Li Ming

    " Master, why didn''t you kill them?" Li Ming leaped into the room with a frown on his face as Li Shin screamed " Li Ming, how dare you enter into young lady''s room like that.."


    " Master is my younger sister.." Li Ming rolled his eyes at the flustered Li Shin " Don''t worry, I will not look at women other than you.."


    Li Shin widened her eyes in shock " Shameless pervert.." Li Shin left the room in panic after cursing him. Li Ming shrugged his shoulders as if he did nothing wrong.


    Jun Lan was still staring at Li Ming in wonder '' Is this fellow this shameless in the past life? It seems that I failed to notice many things..''


    Li Ming noticed Jun Lan''s gaze on him and he grinned at her..


    Jun Lan: "..." I really don''t know what to think about him now..


    " My lady, have some tea." Li Shin entered the room and handed the cup to Jun Lan while glaring at Li Ming.


    Jun Lan chuckled on seeing their actions. '' So sweet..'' she thought to herself.


    '' I should make sure that both of them end up together. They look so cute together..'' Jun Lan looked at both of them and sub-consciously spoke out loudly " You both really look good together.."


    Li Ming''s face broke into a wide smile while Li Shin''s face turned red as she looked at Jun Lan with grievances " My lady.. You are too much.."


    Jun Lan did not realize that she spoke out those words out loud. So, she looked at her blankly " What happened?"


    " Nothing master, you didn''t say anything wrong.." Li Ming''s face was full of smiles. On seeing his face, Jun Lan was assured that she didn''t say anything wrong.


    " Why are you calling young lady as master?" Li Shin asked trying to change the topic.


    " Because she will the only one I will follow in this life.. It is a form of expressing our heart to our master.." Li Ming spoke in a languid tone.


    " Master.. I will also address young lady as master from today.." Li Shin immediately decided on hearing his words. '' How dare he try to steal her master away with his honeyed words..'' Li Shin glared at Li Ming while the latter didn''t understand why she is looking at him like that..


    " Li Shin, get the second container from the medicinal rack.."


    Li Shin brought a blue porcelain jar and handed it over to her " Master.. "


    Jun Lan adjusted the mirror before her and removed her veil. Li Ming looked at his master''s actions and averted his face..


    " You can look at me.. I believe you.. You should know how your master looks like in the least.." Jun Lan spoke in a calm tone.


    Jun Lan applied the paste in the porcelain jar to her face carefully. Li Ming looked at Jun Lan''s face and he could not help but point his finger at her " Just who in the world is blind to call you ugly!!!"


    " Even with that scar, your looks are unparalleled. Master, you deserve a better man. It''s good that you rejected that third prince. He will regret his decision one day.." Li Ming was more excited as he spoke.


    " I am in no hurry to get married. Rather than getting married, I would love to stay with my family and protect them.." Jun Lan spoke slowly and Li Ming stared at her not understanding her changes upon mentioning marriage.


    The room turned silent and Li Shin spoke to break this awkward atmosphere " Master, how many days will it take to cure that scar?"


    " One week mostly.. But as this is a fresh one, it may be cured in four days.." Jun Lan''s words made Li Ming and Li Shin''s mouth open wide in astonishment.


    " Master, is this really true?" Li Shin asked excitedly.


    On seeing that Jun Lan nodded, Li Ming smiled slyly " Master, why don''t you give it to me. I can sell it for you.."


    Jun Lan looked at his sly smile and she could not help but curve her lips " No selling.. But, I need your help in something.."

 14 Training

    " What is it?" Li Ming looked at her seriously.


    " I want you to train me.." Jun Lan explained her match with Ah Jiao.


    " Master, you never fail to surprise me. So, you want to draw him to our side.." Li Ming generously praised her.


    " He is always on our side.. He is more like my shadow. I have other plans for him." Jun Lan spoke vaguely.


    Li Ming also didn''t ask further as he knew that his master would tell him sooner or later..


    " Master, let''s train in the family training grounds. After First lord and eldest master left, no one entered it.. But, I made sure that it is maintained well every month.."


    Those grounds are where her father and elder brother practiced. In her past life, she never practiced there and basically she didn''t care.. Now, she was really thankful to Li Ming.


    " Thank you, Li Ming.." Jun Lan smiled at him and he blocked his eyes with his hands in a dramatic way " Master, your smile is too bright for my eyes.."


    Li Shin laughed at his antics whereas Jun Lan covered her face with veil while snorting..


    Jun Lan''s trio made their way towards the training grounds. Li Ming handed her a wooden spear and after taking their positions, the sparring training officially started..


    Though Jun Lan was pushed back, Li Ming noticed that there are no wasted movements and that her techniques are quite good. He wondered from where did his master come to know about martial arts. But he kept such questions to himself as no matter where or how she learned, it is a good thing. So, he was quite happy on seeing her skills.


    " Master, you are just lacking in strength.." Li Ming spoke after retrieving the spear. Li Ming was in good condition whereas Jun Lan''s body was covered in sweat.


    Jun Lan''s body was quite healthy as she was never deprived of food. She ate well in the past and now she was eating even better as she wanted to strengthen her body. All she needed to do was to subject her body to brutal training..


    " Li Ming, I want to spar till I can no longer move my body.." Jun Lan spoke determinedly.. She had to train her body in the least time possible. She had many things to do and she didn''t want to be weak and powerless this time..


    " As you wish.." Li Ming was happy that his master is really dead set on improving herself. So, he is more than happy to accompany her in her training.


    Li Ming and Jun Lan sparred until the sky turned dark. At the end of the training, Jun Lan''s hands turned so sore and painful that she was not able to move her fingers. Her hands are covered with bruises as she was hit by Li Ming many times due to lack of her strength.


    Li Ming went to his room while Jun Lan and Li Shin returned to their courtyard. Li Shin immediately prepared hot water for her master. After dismissing Li Shin, Jun Lan slowly relaxed her body in the warm water filled with rose petals..


    Jun Lan smiled on seeing the rose petals.. ''This Li Shin must have plucked the roses from the garden..'' she sighed to herself.


    Jun Lan stayed in the bath for a long time and only got out after the water turned cold. Li Shin helped her in her dressing and with her dinner.


    After cleaning everything, Li Shin sat beside Jun Lan''s bed. Even Jun Xiao was staring at her with big eyes.


    " What is the matter?" Jun Lan asked tiredly.


    Li Shin applied the massage oil to her hands and started massaging her hands gently. Jun Lan felt the pain in her hands reduce a little..


    " Thank yo.." before she could finish speaking, she drifted into a deep sleep.


    Li Shin and Jun Xiao looked at each other and smiled. Jun Xiao covered his big sister with a blanket and slept while hugging her. Li Shin chuckled on seeing this young one being so clingy to her master. She turned off the oil lamp and closed the door before retiring to her chambers.

 15 Doting Grandfather 1

    Jun Yuan''s stomach was filled with butterflies after hearing that his granddaughter is training in martial arts. After all, the pride of a military family lies in the skilled youngsters. So, he allotted extra guards to her courtyard with strict orders to drive away anyone who interrupted her training.


    So, Jun Lan peacefully continued her training.


    Clank!


    Clank!


    Two wooden spears fell on to the ground and Li Ming nodded his head in satisfaction " Master, you are really skilled. In just one week you are able to able to draw the match.. "


    Li Ming thought for a while before adding " Master, I suspect that you might have innate skill.. It''s better if you check it.."


    Jun Lan was surprised. She never thought that she might be able to control one of the elements of nature. Her brother Jun Ling can control fire. Her ex-husband and now enemy Wang Xiu can control water. Jun Lan heard that her brother is quite talented in controlling the fire and that even Wang Xiu is jealous of him. His jealousy is one of the reason for her family''s death.


    " Hmm.. I don''t think I am as talented as big brother. But, testing myself is no harm.." Jun Lan nodded at Li Ming " How to do the test?"


    " Master, just tell your grandfather. The testing ball is in his hands.." Jun Lan nodded at his words " Hmm.. I will talk to him about this when we meet later."


    " Master, shall we proceed to sword training?"


    " Yes, I should improve my swordsmanship.. After leaving this place, I should learn archery." Jun Lan mumbled while unsheathing her sword.


    The sounds of metal clashing reverberated through out the grounds..


    Without their knowledge, two persons are observing her every move.


    " Master, young lady has changed. You can be assured now." Ah Jiao looked at Jun Yuan.


    " Ah Jiao, she had changed so much due to the cruel world. As a grandfather, I did a poor job in protecting her. Now, I will do anything to protect the first child''s family. I will expel them from Jun family, if it''s the only way to save their lives.." Jun Yuan spoke while looking at Jun Lan.


    His granddaughter had grown up.. He can see himself in her.. Her decisiveness, her strong desire to protect her loved ones even if she had to go through a large number of troubles.. all of her traits are inherited from him. He believed that not even one of his son or grandson can match the tenacity and fierceness of this young girl..


    " Master, young lady whipped second lady and her maid.." Ah Jiao spoke in a playful voice.


    Jun Yuan laughed " I wouldn''t care even if she was whipped to death. I enquired and I came to know all the things the second son''s family did to Lan''er. I am happy that the child is beginning to stand up for herself. " Jun Yuan had a sense of pride in his voice " You are going to loose in my granddaughter''s hands.."


    '' Such a doting grandfather..'' Ah Jiao smiled wryly and did not say anything.


    " Let''s go. There will be a good show to watch in the coming days.." Jun Yuan left the grounds with a satisfied smile.


    Just as Jun Yuan predicted, the servants and cooks involved in poisoning the pastries disappeared without a trace. Either they are killed or sold off... Jun Yuan''s face darkened. Such scheming is carried out on his back and he was not able to discover it without his granddaughter''s reminder..


    Jun Yuan''s face softened at the thought of his precious granddaughter.. His granddaughter is truly a gem.. He wanted to squash all those who are belittling her..


    Jun Yuan sat in his study with a serious face when he heard the news. Now, he is sure that his hidden guard, Lin Chang had betrayed him. What pained him the most is that the second and third households are plotting against the first household..


    Jun Yuan was a man who was forged from war. He always welcomed head-on battles, what he loathed the most is plotting against the other''s backs and backstabbing.. Here, his second and third son are doing the same thing.. So, how can he remain quiet.. Jun Yuan decided his next steps.

 16 Doting grandfather 2

    " Ah Jiao.." a man in black appeared as soon as Jun Yuan''s voice fell.


    " Hand this to my first granddaughter.." Jun Yuan handed over a sealed paper to Ah Jiao.


    " Yes, clan leader.." Ah Jiao disappeared from the room after bowing to Jun Yuan.


    '' I will do everything to protect my first son..'' Jun Yuan sighed as he closed his eyes..


    In the courtyard garden,


    " Sister, teach me how to plant these flowers.." Jun Xiao looked at the hibiscus plants with starry eyes.


    Jun Lan chuckled on seeing his excited face " Come here and watch me.. You can follow my actions.." Jun Xiao started to dig the mud in the same way as Jun Lan is doing. She purposefully slowed down her actions so that he could follow her with ease.


    " Now, place the plant in the soil carefully without damaging the roots.." Jun Xiao carefully planted the plant following his sister''s words.


    " Master, it''s getting dark. Both of you will end up spoiling the plants if you plant under this lantern lights.." Li Shin tried to reason with the two troublesome masters before her.


    " Master, you are becoming more stupid.." Li Ming stated while Jun Lan rolled her eyes at him dismissing off his rude remark.


    " Master, just look at your dress.. " Li Ming continued to banter " It''s in a beautiful shade of brown.."


    " Just shut up.." Jun Lan stood up and dusted her dress " There''s nothing wrong in playing with my little brother.."


    Jun Lan suddenly paused her actions and her lips curved up slowly " Ah Jiao!"


    " Come out of your hiding.." a young man dressed in black robes appeared before her.


    " First lady, you are really skilled.." Ah Jiao praised her genuinely " I am looking forward to our match."


    " Hmm.. Be prepared to get beaten by me." Ah Jiao''s lips twitched on hearing Jun Lan''s words.


    '' Both grandfather and granddaughter are same..'' he smiled wryly under his mask.


    " You did not come here to praise me, right? Tell me, what is it?" Jun Lan would never believe that this shy man would come out on his own to meet her.


    " First lady, clan leader asked me to pass this to you.." Ah Jiao handed over the sealed scroll to her.


    All three of them turned their backs to her as she broke the seal to read the scroll.


    Jun Lan''s lips curved into a mesmerizing arc as she read the details in the scroll.


    "You can turn around now.." Jun Lan said while shoving the paper into her sleeves.


    " What is it master?" Li Ming asked as he noticed his master''s shining eyes.


    " There will be a blood bath tomorrow. Grandpa asked me to get there early as he did not want me to miss the show." Li Shin shuddered on hearing her words while Li Ming nodded his head excitedly " Master, take me with you. I don''t want to miss the show."


    " All right.." Jun Lan immediately accepted. " Li Shin, you will remain in the courtyard with Jun Xiao."


    " Sister, I want to come with you. I am not a coward." Jun Xiao pouted.


    " I know that you are a brave little man." Jun Lan patted the little boy''s head " But, I don''t want anyone''s bad eyes on you. So, Listen to me this time."


    " I will listen to sister.." Jun Xiao was resolute in this matter. Whatever his sister says, he will follow.


    Ah Jiao looked at this weird group and smiled despite himself.


    " First lady, I will be taking my leave." Ah Jiao disappeared after performing a curtsy.


    " Li Shin, let''s rest for the day.." Jun Lan returned to her courtyard with her little brother.

 17 Extorting a confession

    Li Shin''s lips twitched on seeing Jun Lan''s extremely happy mood. So, she could not help but ask " Master, why are you so happy ? Is there any occasion."


    As far as she could remember, there are no festivals and the birthdays of her master''s family is not near.. So, why is her master so happy? Li Shin could not help but wonder.


    " Fool.. It''s because there''s going to be a bloodbath today.." Li Ming snorted while leaping into the room. He naturally sat on the window frame facing them.


    " You.. Stop scaring us.." Li Shin was still not accustomed to Li Ming''s sudden appearances. She then looked at her master who is eyeing Li Ming with curiosity.


    " Master, are you scared?" Li Ming asked in a curious voice.


    " No, not at all.." Jun Lan immediately replied while blinking her eyes at Li Shin.


    Li Shin face-palmed. How could she forget that her master is enjoying Li Ming''s antics very much.. She sighed as she accepted her defeat and she did not notice the gentle smile on Li Ming''s face.


    " Ahem!" Jun Lan coughed bringing Li Ming out of his daze. Being caught by her red-handed, Li Ming averted his gaze with an embarrassed expression on his face.


    " Li Shin, leave us alone. I need to talk with Li Ming alone.."


    Li Shin bowed and closed the door behind.


    " Now, spit it out.." Jun Lan narrowed her eyes.


    " Master, I am not eating anything.." Li Ming''s voice dropped slowly under the fierce gaze of Jun Lan''s grey eyes.


    " Now, will you tell me the truth or should I kick you out?" Jun Lan spoke slowly.


    " T-that.. err..." Li Ming started to stutter. He did not know if he should confess or not. A part of him wanted to speak his heart before her and win her approval and support. But, a part of him could not help but fear if she mocked him or his feelings for Li Shin. Then again, he believed that his master would support him. If she is really against, he would try to persuade her to win her blessings. So, he decided to speak out no matter what the outcome is.


    Jun Lan looked at her once confident shadow guard who is so helpless before her.. ''I think love makes people like that..'' Jun Lan was amused on seeing his actions.


    She could no longer bear to see this side of him. So, she spilled the beans in his place " Do you like Li Shin?"


    Li Ming slightly stiffened but he recovered quickly as he replied " Master, I have no bad intentions towards her.."


    Jun Lan nodded her head indicating that he could continue.


    Li Ming took a deep breath as he continued " I like her eyes.."


    " I like the way she speaks.. I like her sweet voice.."


    " I like her smile, her frown, her flustered and her angry expressions.."


    Li Ming''s gaze turned gentle and his lips slowly curved up as he continued to speak.


    He now stared at Jun Lan into her eyes and he spoke in a determined voice " I like everything about her.."


    " I think I am madly in love with her.."


    " I want to marry her.." Li Ming looked at Jun Lan nervously as she did not speak anything.


    " Master.." Li Ming called out in low voice as he was depressed in his heart thinking that his master disapproved of his feelings.


    What he did not know is that Jun Lan is trying hard not to cry before him. She was really moved after hearing his words. She was happy for Li Shin.


    " Li Ming.." Jun Lan called out after adjusting her emotions.


    Li Ming raised his head and looked at her. Jun Lan almost laughed out on seeing his nervous face. Jun Lan slowly got up and moved towards the door.


    " Follow your heart. Be a man and win her heart.." were the words he heard before her figure disappeared from the room. Li Ming smiled brilliantly and started laughing out of happiness.


    '' I will make sure to protect everyone.." Jun Lan clenched her fists on hearing his happy laughter.

 18 His Stunning granddaughter

    " Master.. Why is that fool laughing so happily?" Li Shin was puzzled as what made Li Ming so happy.. So, she asked Jun Lan.


    " Nothing.. Just ignore him." Jun Lan said nonchalantly " Also, you stay with Xiao. I will meet with grandfather." Li Shin nodded her head and went back to the room.


    All the guards bowed on seeing her. Jun Lan nodded her head acknowledging their greeting " I am here to meet with grandfather."


    " First lady,Clan leader is waiting for your arrival since yesterday. Please go in." the guard at the door spoke with a smile on his face.


    Jun Lan nodded and entered the room. Jun Yuan lifted his head from the pile of papers on hearing someone approaching him. His face immediately broke into a huge grin on seeing his granddaughter.


    " Jun Lan pays respects to grandfather." Jun Lan bowed to pay her respects to her grandfather.


    " Child.. get up.. no need of formalities between us." Jun Yuan waved his hand indicating her to stop the formal ritual " Come, sit here." He motioned her to sit across him.


    " Lan''er, thanks to your warnings I am able to catch the spy, Lin Chang." Jun Yuan was really grateful to have such a clever and filial granddaughter " We detained him in our family cell and I will execute him later today."


    " Granddaughter just reminded you.It is you who took the correct decisions and resolute actions grandfather. I still have a long way to go." Jun Lan was very modest near her grandfather. She knew that the man before her is very wise.


    Jun Yuan was highly amused on hearing her words. His granddaughter is very modest and he can tell that the little girl''s mind is as shrewd as his. Jun Yuan was very proud of his granddaughter. All his sons and grandsons are truly incomparable to her.


    " And we will proceed according to the plan. But, I am worried about your safety." Jun Yuan was really worried about his granddaughter. How can she survive on her own in this cruel world?


    " Grandfather, I will stay in the Taohua1 village. There is mother''s dowry house and it is under my name now. Also, there are Chen family servants who are responsible for maintenance of the house." Jun Lan spoke in a resolute voice " And I have Li Ming by my side. Also, my martial arts are slowly improving. So, please don''t worry grandpa.. I will be alright and I will keep my family safe."


    Jun Yuan sighed " Then I will believe in you." Jun Lan was really thankful to her grandfather for believing her words without doubt.


    " I will not let you down grandpa.." Jun Lan spoke in a low voice.


    She lost this caring and wonderful old man in her past life due to her own folly. She then looked at her grandpa with a determined look in her eyes. She must bring him out of this hell house.


    Jun Yuan was thinking of another matter as he stared at his granddaughters veiled face.


    " Lan''er, I will search for the best doctors to heal the scar on your face." Jun Yuan spoke suddenly startling Jun Lan.


    Jun Yuan felt bad that his granddaughter had to cover her face with a veil. How can he be happy when everyone are mocking her for her looks. Which girl will not be sad when they are mocked for their looks? He did not do much for his granddaughter, but now he will make sure to correct his mistakes.


    In truth, Jun Lan never blamed her grandfather for anything. He had to take care of all the internal and external affairs of the Jun family. He tried to provide everything for her, but the second and third madams interfered making it difficult for her everyday. But, they did not dare to go far in their bullying due to their fear of Jun Yuan. In a way, she was indebted to her grandpa.


    Jun Lan felt a wave of warmth in her heart and her eyes softened on hearing her words " No need grandpa.."


    But, before she could continue Jun Yuan interrupted her " No matter waht you say I will heal your scar."


    " No need grandpa.. I already healed my scar." Jun Lan''s words made Jun Yuan freeze. She healed her scar? Was he hallucinating? Did he hear correctly or is his old age playing tricks on him?


    Jun Lan noticed the various emotions on his face. So, she sighed " Grandpa, let me show you my face. Then you will believe what I said."


    Jun Yuan stared without blinking as Jun Lan slowly removed the veil on her face.


    What scar? There was not even a speck of dust on her jade white skin. In addition to her enchanting eyes, the mole above her upper lip made her look alluring. The vermilion red lips and the tiny nose made her look absolutely beautiful.


    If there was one word to describe his granddaughters appearance, he had only one word..


    Stunning! Absolutely Stunning..

 19 The Black Obsidian Sphere

    Jun Yuan was extremely happy on seeing his granddaughter''s spotless face. Initially, he thought that if the scar is cured it is enough, but he did not expect that his granddaughter had a face capable of causing downfall of empires..


    But, if the scar is cured why is she covering her face with a veil?


    " Lan''er, why are you still covering your face with a veil?" Jun Yuan asked with a confused expression on his face.


    " Grandpa, It''s best that this face is hidden. I don''t want to attract bees and butterflies." Jun Lan was terrified. She did not want to marry anytime soon and surely she was not bothered by people calling her ugly.


    " I don''t care about what other''s say." Jun Lan sighed " It''s best not to attract unwanted jealousy. Also, I am accustomed to wearing this veil. It''s a bit difficult for me to remove it all of a sudden."


    " If you are comfortable with veil, then I won''t force you." Jun Yuan also felt her reasoning meaningful. So, he agreed " Anyways, it''s better to keep your face hidden to avoid unwanted troubles and we can avoid all those irritating marriage proposals. You can enjoy your freedom for a few years."


    Jun Lan grinned on hearing his words. This old man is extremely to her liking.


    " Also, you said that you are going to Taohua village. Take Ah Jiao with you, in that way I can be at ease." Jun Yuan tried to persuade his granddaughter.


    " Grandpa, no one will harm this useless waste. I can buy some bodyguards if needed." Jun Lan reasoned with her old man " But, in this house of snakes you need all your loyal followers. The more you have, the better."


    " Grandpa, Believe me.. I can protect myself " Jun Lan''s voice slowly started to get interesting " If you are still worried, then after my match with Ah Jiao your worries will be baseless.."


    " All right, if you are able to beat the crap out of Ah Jiao then I will believe you and I will not force you to take extra men with you."


    Jun Lan nodded as she didn''t have any other option. She did not to worry him too much. After the match, he will naturally believe in her abilities.


    Jun Lan remembered another matter, which Li Ming suggested her.


    " Grandpa, I want to test my element affinity.." Jun Yuan was shocked on hearing her words. Isn''t it said that his granddaughter has no affinity whatsoever?


    What if they are baseless rumours? Jun Yuan felt that anything is possible in this poisonous world. If his granddaughter had an affinity to at least one of the attributes, then it would be great for her. Then no matter how she looks, the label of waste would be removed.


    So, he did not delay further and took out a box from his spatial ring. Jun Lan looked at the spatial ring with longing. In her past life, she did not cultivate as everyone said that she has no affinity since birth. Her aunts did not allow her to test as they wanted to marry her off to the Third prince, they clearly treated her as a pawn in the chess.


    So, she never had her own spatial ring.. Now, Jun Lan really hoped that god would show mercy on her so that she would have at least a single element affinity.


    She snapped out of her thoughts, when she saw her grandfather take out a black sphere from the box. Under her curious gaze, Jun Yuan explained to her " This is the Black obsidian sphere, the testing sphere."


    " Place your hands on it.."Jun Lan followed her grandfather''s instructions and placed her smooth jade white hands on it.


    The black ball had no reaction whatsoever..


    Jun Lan felt disheartened and she was about to take her hands off..


    But, she noticed a slight change in the ball.. So, she fixed her eyes on the ball.


    Then something unforgettable happened..

 20 Four Element Affinity

    A thin layer of frost covered the black ball. Jun Lan was unable to believe her eyes, as she stared at the ball calmly. However, her heart was in a turmoil. So, she is not useless..


    " Lan''er, It''s Ice attribute.." Jun Yuan was overjoyed. But, his smile froze on seeing the flames which are slowly materializing to form a shape. Jun Yuan''s eyes widened on seeing the flames which are now wildly dancing.


    " Fire attribute.." Jun Yuan''s words got struck in his throatBefore, he could finish speaking he found a layer of water droplets on the ball. Jun Yuan almost fainted.


    Before his poor heart could take the shock, a strong wind blew in the closed room. Jun Lan did not understand anything, so she blinked her eyes " Grandpa, what happened?"


    Jun Yuan''s hands trembled and he drank a cup of water to calm his emotions. He then motioned his granddaughter to sit.


    " Lan''er you are having affinity to the four attributes. Fire, Water, Ice and Wind." Jun Yuan spoke slowly in a trembling voice which revealed his excitement. Jun Lan was happy but she did not understand why her grandpa is so excited.


    " Girl, having affinity to two elements is a rare feat. You are having affinity to all four elements." Jun Yuan''s voice turned serious " You should never let other''s know that you are having four attributes. Just use one attribute in which you are more comfortable."


    " Girl, start cultivating.. As your rank increases, the strength of your attacks increases and even purity of the elements will improve considerably."


    " And, tomorrow I am going to take you to a place. So, be ready at dawn." Jun Lan nodded her head obediently.


    " Here, take these books and read them. These contain all information about cultivation." Jun Yuan handed a pile of books which Jun Lan accepted happily..


    " Go now and remember not to tell anyone about your four elements." Jun Lan pondered for a while " Grandpa, Li Ming and Li Shin swore to protect my life. I trust them, so should I tell them or not?"


    " If you are ready to entrust your life in their hands, then you may." Jun Yuan spoke in a calm tone.


    " I trust them with my life grandpa. The same way you trusted yours with uncle Xie Feng." Jun Lan''s words made Jun Yuan''s heart pound. His granddaughter is really similar to him either in sly schemes or eloquent speech. She resembled her Father in her fighting techniques.


    This is the Jun family''s treasure!


    " Alright, then I have nothing more to say." A rare smile appeared on Jun Yuan''s face. Jun Lan was shocked on seeing the happy smile on her grandpa''s face.


    So, this uncle Xie Feng must mean a lot to him. She remembered that in her past life, he died in the process of protecting her grandpa. Now, her mind started to make plans for him..


    " Master, What happened? " Jun Lan snapped out of her intricate thoughts on hearing Li Ming''s voice. She blinked her eyes at Li Ming " Come with me. We need to speak."


    Li Ming was more free around Jun Lan since their heart-to-heart talk. Now, his master is more like a sister and a friend to him. So, he nodded without adding any extra punctual words. Jun Lan smiled as she found this version of Li Ming more endearing.


    Jun Lan closed the door and locked it after entering her room. She then scribbled all her thoughts on a paper and handed it to Li Ming and Li Shin who are looking at her with anticipation.


    Li Ming and Li Shin initially looked at the paper nonchalantly. But, their eyes widened and the initial shock on their faces is replaced by genuine happiness.


    Jun Lan was very ecstatic on hearing her grandpa''s words, but she knew she cannot act too childish in front of him. But, with these two she knew she can express her heart and feelings clearly. And she was happy that she had these two by her side.

 21 Huli, The Five Tailed fox

    Li Shin and Li Ming were obviously very happy for her. Now, it''s only a matter of time before she becomes strong and the rumours will naturally disappear after witnessing her strength.


    But, having affinity to four elements is not a matter to be trifled with. If they are careless, it will endanger her life. Now, their master will be a hot potato in the eyes of others once this matter is known. They naturally understood the gravity of situation and they vowed that they will not leak this matter even to their souls.


    Jun Lan chuckled on hearing their cheesy words. She then told them about her trip with grandfather and ordered them to protect Jun Xiao in her absence. Her Jun family is full of venomous snakes, aish she did not want to insult snakes by comparing with them.


    She needed to be careful and she was not willing to take any chances which might put her family''s life in danger.


    Next day..


    Jun Lan woke up before dawn and she started to get ready for the short trip. The only ornament which Jun Lan used is a tiara. She didn''t know why but she loved tiaras. So, she had many designs in her collection. After all, she is a woman and naturally she also loved jewellery. She didn''t like to decorate herself heavily which all the women loved.


    So, she changed into a simple set of black clothing and covered her face with a black veil. She then took out a tiara made of silver which perfectly complimented her black dress and placed it on her forehead.


    She covered her little Xiao with a blanket and left her room after having a few words with her adorable Li couple..


    Jun Lan stood at the spot where she was supposed to be. She stood under a plum tree and played with the red plum flowers. The image of a girl dressed in black surrounded by the red plum flowers looked so beautiful as if the graceful figure descended from a painting.


    Jun Yuan and Ah Jiao were dazed for a moment on seeing this scene. Jun Lan felt a pair of eyes on her back, so she turned around and on seeing her old man she happily exclaimed " Grandpa, I am ready to go.."


    Jun Yuan coughed slightly and recovered from his daze. He looked at the girl dressed in simple black robes with a silver tiara on her head. The silver tiara highlighted her enchanting eyes. Jun Yuan sighed as he realised that his granddaughter looked quite attractive in a mysterious way with that veil on.


    Jun Lan gasped as she saw her grandfather summon a five tailed fox. It is his contracted beast. The tailed foxes are the spirit beasts which are tied to the Jun family blood line. The foxes choose their own master. He had a five tailed fox, his son has six tailed fox. His grandson and Jun Lan''s brother, Jun Ling had a eight tailed fox. It''s the strongest in the Jun family.


    Jun Lan knew about this. That is the reason why the other two families are jealous of their family. They were having at most three or four tailed foxes.


    Jun Yuan chuckled on seeing her dazed look. He wondered what would be her reaction if she knew where he was taking her.


    Jun Lan climbed on to the fox and sat beside Ah Jiao who bowed on seeing her. Jun Lan nodded her head and she remembered her match on seeing him. So, she proposed " Ah Jiao, let''s have our match after returning."


    Ah Jiao smiled as he nodded at her. Jun Lan felt that this fellow looked good when he smiled. So, she seriously advised him " Ah Jiao, you should smile more often. Otherwise, no girl will be willing to marry you."


    Ah Jiao stiffened at her words and Jun Yuan laughed loudly " Jiao, My little girl is speaking the truth. So, follow her advice." Ah Jiao smiled wryly on seeing this sly pair.


    '' Little girl..'' Jun Lan felt a warmth in her heart and a wide smile spread across her face. Anyone could tell that she is smiling as her eyes turned


    into crescents.


    " Huli, come on.." Jun Yuan nudged his fox and the fox moved immediately with a lightning speed. Jun Lan held the fox''s thick fur tightly with her hands and she enjoyed the feeling of wind across her.


    The spiritual beast started to slow down and Jun Lan understood that they are nearing their destination. But, the shock in Jun Lan''s heart could not be explained when she finally realised where she was.

 22 The Fox King

    " The temple of beast altars.." Jun Lan spoke almost in a whisper, but Jun Yuan heard her words.


    " Yes, this is the temple of beast altars."


    This is the place where one obtains his first contractual beast. Her father and brother obtained their tailed foxes from here. Every clan leader brings their younger generations here to obtain their own contracted beasts.


    In her past life, because of her naivety and stupidity she did not know about many things and ended up being a wife to that monster. But, now she will experience her life to the fullest.


    " Lan''er come with me." Jun Lan followed her grandfather and she saw an old man meditating near the entrance to the temple. Seeing that her grandfather stopped walking, she also stopped in her tracks.


    " Lan''er be respectful to the old man later. He has a weird temper." Jun Lan was confused after hearing his words. Just what is the old man''s identity that even her grandpa is afraid of him?


    The old man opened his eyes after a while and he looked at the trio before him. Jun Yuan was slightly nervous and Ah Jiao naturally stood with his head bowed down. But, Jun Lan stared at him directly out of curiosity.


    The old man''s gaze stopped at her and both of them locked their eyes. Jun Lan did not break her gaze away in a fluster, instead she did a 90 degree bow showing her respect to him.


    The old man for the first time had a faint smile on his face as he appraised the girl in front of him. She was brave for a young girl of her age and she was respectful and did not act weak and pitiful like the others. So, his first impression of this girl is rather good. So, he took the initiative to ask about her " Jun Yuan, who did you bring this time?" Though he was speaking to Jun Yuan, his gaze never left Jun Lan.


    Jun Yuan cleared his throat " This is the daughter to my first son and named as Jun Lan."


    " Jun Lan, follow me.." Jun Yuan''s lips twitched on seeing that the old man completely ignored him. But, he could not disagree as he was not in a position to express his grievances in the presence of this venerable elder. He did not dare to provoke his fury. But, he was happy that the old man had a favorable impression on his granddaughter. But, he was on clouds when he saw his little girl looking at him for approval.


    Jun Yuan had a smug smile on his face as he motioned her to go, him following closely behind.


    " Move back" Jun Lan stepped back after hearing his warning. Jun Lan saw him take out a specially carved brush and draw some runes on the door using his spiritual qi. After a series of sounds, the door opened and the sight inside almost took her breath away.


    There are many altars with different patterns drawn on each one. Jun Lan understood that each altar represented a clan. She looked around and observed her surroundings in awe.


    " Get on the altar at the last.." Jun Lan slowly moved towards the altar and removed her cloth shoes before stepping on the altar. She didn''t know why but she felt that it will be disrespectful if she stepped on it with her shoes.


    The old man had a trace of appreciation in his eyes as he watched her actions. He saw many who directly stepped on the divine altars out of excitement forgetting the sense of respect.


    He then saw the girl bow to the altar before stepping on it. That''s it! He really liked this girl''s attitude. Slowly a thought formed in his mind and he decided on it instantly.


    Jun Lan saw the runes on the altar lit up in a golden glow as soon as she stepped on it.


    Soon, the whole room was enveloped in a golden light and everyone closed their eyes due to the blinding glow. Jun Lan laughed on feeling something ticklish on her stomach. So, she placed her hands on the furry thing which is encircling her waist.


    Slowly, the light faded and Jun Lan came into contact with a pair of clear black eyes staring at her. She looked at fox before her which encircled her using it''s tails.


    " So, you are the one who disturbed my sleep?" Jun Lan''s jaw dropped on seeing the fox speak.


    " Y-you can talk?"


    The fox actually snorted and transformed into a handsome man before her eyes. The picture looked extremely weird as the man had snow white colored fluffy tails. Jun Lan''s hands itched and she could no longer control herself as she hugged his tails.


    The handsome man''s face darkened as he growled " Little Girl, How dare you eat the tofu of this honorable Fox King?"

 23 Life and death contrac

    Jun Lan''s nerves twitched on her forehead. Eat his tofu? Did he think that I was so desperate to take a bite out of him. Then, why did he hug her waist with his tails?


    " It should be me who is saying that." Jun Lan pointed to the tails which are still around her waist. The Fox king was embarrassed and immediately released her. Jun Lan looked at those fluffy tails with longing but she controlled herself in the end. Never in her life did she see such fluffy things.


    Jun Lan then counted the tails which are dancing in the air. One.. Two..Nine.. So, this is a nine tailed fox.


    " So, are you strong?" Jun Lan''s question made the fox king grit his teeth again " I am the Mythological Nine-tailed fox and you silly human dare question me?"


    " So, what? Aren''t I your master now?" The Fox king choked on his breath after listening to her shameless words. Of course, from now she is his master and he is the one who acknowledged her. But, this puny little girl before him is under estimating him and it really hurt his pride.


    " So, tell me can you defeat the Wyvern?" Jun Lan asked seriously. This Wyvern is the contracted best of the third prince. In her past life, the three and four tailed foxes were of no match to that mythological beast. But, now she had a nine tailed fox and fox king at that.


    " Of course, I can. It may be a tough fight but I can defeat it." The fox king continued " And with your cultivation my strength also increases. So, if the fight is in the future then it won''t be a problem."


    Jun Lan nodded as she felt that his answer is reasonable. But, she had no cultivation whatsoever. Then why did he choose such a weak human as his master. So, she asked him " I am not strong and have no cultivation as of now. So, are you sure that you want me as your master."


    " Little girl, this king never made a wrong decision." Jun Lan did not bother to convince him again. It was his decision and she needed someone strong by her side. And plus this one is good looking. The pros are outweighing the cons now. So, she was rejoicing in her heart.


    Jun Yuan was stunned silly on seeing the events unfolding before him. He never expected that he would see the mythological beast Fox King in this lifetime. And, he never expected that the Fox king would choose his little girl. He was elated with this outcome.


    The old man spoke while keeping his eyes on the duo before them " Jun Yuan, you are blessed to have such a thoughtful and clever girl in your clan." Jun Yuan bowed slightly and thanked him for his kind words. This old man rarely talked with him when he came here before with his other grandchildren. Even, for Jun Ling this old man just spared a single glance and a single word " Good..". But now he is praising the little girl out of his own accord.


    " Little Girl, let''s form a contract." Jun Lan nodded and bit her right thumb. She then placed her thumb on the area between his brows and a single drop of her blood decorated his plain forehead. Slowly it got absorbed and a bright golden light enveloped their bodies.


    " From this day I Wang Jiu, is willing to form a life and death contract with you and vow to follow you in life and death." the Fox king then entered into her contracted space.


    Life and Death contract, as the name indicates the contracted beast willingly accepts to follow it''s master even if it''s to the depths of the hell. Here, ifthe master dies the contracted beast dies and if the contracted beast dies before master, nothing will happen to the master. Generally, most beasts form a master and servant contract. In this type of contract, the contracted beasts will be free once their master dies.


    Not only Jun Lan but even Jun Yuan was surprised after seeing that the fox king formed a life and death contract with her out of his own accord. Only the old man remained with a poker face as if he expected this to happen.


    " Little Girl, cultivate quickly. This contracted space is too small for the likes of me." Jun Lan almost stumbled on hearing his words. Now that they formed a contract, a link is established between them and they are able to communicate easily through their thoughts.


    " Alright.." The fox king smiled on hearing her thoughts and he started to laugh heartily on sensing her anger. Jun Lan''s face darkened on hearing his laughter.

 24 Disciple

    Jun Lan clenched her fists on hearing the stinky fox''s laughter. Slowly an evil smile bloomed on her face as she communicated with him " What are you called, your highness?"


    " I am the great Wang Jiu.." Jun Lan raised her brows in amusement. Wang Jiu, the king with nine tails.. Hmm.. A truly fitting name. But, he should be tamed.


    So, Jun Lan spoke " That name is too formal and it''s not to my liking. So, I will grant you a new name."


    Wang Jiu had a suspicious expression on his face as he heard her words. Sure enough, he heard her say " I hereby grant you the name FLUFFY.."


    Jun Lan stressed the word fluffy making a certain fox cough blood. His face was flushed a deep shade of red and his chest heaved heavily due to anger.


    " What kind of name is it? I refuse.."


    Jun Lan was able to see him and rejoiced on seeing his state. She further taunted him " Mr. Fox King, this is not your kingdom and you have no room to refuse my words."


    This made him shut up immediately and he went on rambling something and Jun Lan ignored him and tilted her head to look at the two old men who are now staring at her with stupefied expressions.


    " Erm.." the two old men cleared their throats after realising that they got caught.


    " Lan''er the fox king is your contracted beast.." Jun Yuan spoke emotionally. How many years had it been since the fox king appeared in this mortal world? He was really proud of his little girl. Jun Lan was speechless on seeing her grandpa''s smug smile.


    " Jun Lan let me introduce myself." The other man spoke " I am called Master Tian Wu."


    Jun Lan had no idea who he is. So, she stared blankly for a while before nodding" It''s nice meeting you Master Tian Wu."


    " Erm.. Master Tian Wu, this is my granddaughter''s first time coming outside and she didn''t know anything about outside affairs." Jun Yuan quickly explained to him as he knew that she didn''t know the formidable man before her and surely he didn''t want to incur this old man''s wrath.


    " It''s me who has been muddle headed." Jun Lan spoke defending her grandpa. Tian Wu looked at this grandfather and grandchild pair with a twinkle in his eyes.


    He chuckled at them and then spoke in a more amicable tone " So Jun Lan, are you interested to be my disciple."


    Jun Lan froze and Jun Yuan''s reaction was priceless. It''s the first time someone offered to take her as a disciple. This feeling was completely new and she didn''t know how to react at that moment. But, the slight redness in her eyes gave her emotions away.


    " Lan''er, hurry and accept him as your master. It''s your blessing that he invited you on his own." Jun Yuan''s words finally knocked some sense into her.


    She cupped her hands and kneeled on the ground keeping her back straight. She then looked into Tian Wu''s eyes as she spoke each and every word carefully " Jun Lan pays respects to her Master. A master once is a father lifetime. I will treat you with the same respect I have for my father."


    Tian Wu''s stone heart was moved. How could those words not move anyone? She didn''t use any flattery on him and the funny thing is that she didn''t even know him. But, the words which spoke are truly from her heart.


    So, he smiled genuinely " Alright, get up now."


    " Little girl, so now you got yourself a master." Wang Jiu spoke.


    " Yes, fluffy. I got a master."


    "..." Wang Jiu cried silent tears as he understood that he cannot escape from that name.

 25 Deadline

    Jun Lan was secretly rejoicing on seeing her Fluffy''s deadpan expression. The formidable fox king and the well respected mythological beast was reduced to such a pitiable state by a damn girl! But, he could only blame himself for provoking this little demon.


    " Jun Lan, get ready to leave with me." On hearing Tian Wu''s words her body subconsciously turned stiff. Jun Yuan was also surprised but he did not express his views at the moment. Whatever his granddaughter decides, he will support her unconditionally. That was the thought in his mind at that moment.


    " Master, I c-cannot go with you now.." Tian Wu thought that the girl would immediately accept his invitation, he did not expect such a blatant refusal coming from her. This was the first time when someone refused him in the face. Jun Yuan was calm on the outside,but his palms were covered with cold sweat as he was really worried as how this venerable deity''s reaction will be.


    Tian Wu didn''t flare up as expected, instead he observed the calm and determined girl before him. Then he slowly opened his mouth to ask in a calm voice " Tell me the reason.."


    " Master.." Jun Lan cleared her throat and looked into his eyes while speaking each and every word clearly " My Jun family is in danger and I cannot leave them alone now. I cannot be at peace when their lives are at stake."


    " I only have one request master.." Tian Wu nodded his head indicating her to continue " I need some time to settle the matters in my family. After making sure that everything is in place, I will come to you.."


    A deep sense of filial piety, how could he reprimand her? He was now jealous of this Jun Yuan to have such an excellent girl as his granddaughter.


    " Jun Yuan, you must have done many good jobs in the past life to have such a good granddaughter." Jun Yuan smiled slightly as he was really proud of her. Now that this old man is feeling jealous, he naturally felt better.


    " I can accept your request, but there should be a deadline for this matter." Tian Wu felt that if he did not specify a certain time period, who knows when this girl will turn up.


    " Give me an year, master." Jun Lan sounded resolute and confident " I will settle the immediate matters by then."


    Tian Wu nodded in acceptance. One year is truly acceptable, but it should be productive and it shouldn''t be wasted. H''s foresight has never failed him and he was sure that the girl before him had great potential. It''s just that she need the right person to guide her. Luckily for her, she met him earlier.


    On seeing her master''s acceptance, Jun Lan breathed out in relief. This was her first master-student relationship in both her lives. She relied on herself to learn everything in her past life. But now many things are changing and she was not ready to lose her master''s good will. Opportunities come rarely, specially for persons like her.. So, she was not willing to let go of this opportunity. She thought that if her master refuses, she would somehow try to persuade him. But, he did not making her save a great deal of effort.


    Now, the purpose for which he arrived is achieved. Tian Wu only came here to open the Temple of beast altars due to Jun clans request. But now he gained a disciple, and a good one at that. So, his mood was extremely good and his whole body is radiating with positive vibes.


    So, he flicked his hands and a pile of books appeared in Jun Lan''s hands. Jun Lan was stunned and she slowly directed her astonished look towards her master, whose face is full of smiles.

 26 Gift to his studen

    " M-master.." Jun Lan stuttered due to her excitement. Tian Wu felt that the girl before him was still a little girl no matter how mature her words were earlier and his student was truly adorable.


    " These books will be helpful in your cultivation. I can sense that you have four element affinity. So, I''ve given you many books that will help you." Tian Wu''s thoughtful actions made Jun Lan''s heart warm. The feeling of having a master is truly different, she felt it..


    " And make good use of them. I want to see a new you after one year."


    " I will not let you down master.." Tian Wu felt satisfied after hearing her promise. He then threw a jade pendant towards her which Jun Lan promptly caught.


    " When you decided to come, place a drop of your blood on it. Then, I will send someone to get you." Jun Lan carefully tied the jade pendant around her neck and made to sure to tie a deep knot so as to not lose it.


    " These are my gifts to you as my student.." Tian Wu''s voice had a slight jovial tone to it " And make sure to bring me a gift when you come.." These words made Jun Lan smile. She found this side of her master really entertaining. So, she also responded in the same kind " I will make sure to bring the best gift to my master.."


    " hahaha.." Tian Wu could not help but laugh loud after hearing her words. After laughing to his heart''s content Tian Wu spoke up " I will be leaving now.. Make sure to learn well.."


    As soon as Tian Wu''s words fell, his figure disappeared into thin air. Jun Lan''s mouth dropped on seeing this. No matter how she wanted to refute it, she cannot because everything happened before her eyes. She never thought that her master is well-versed in magic as well.


    And to perform a feat of disappearing like that, he must be sorcerer. Just what is his identity? Jun Lan was now interested.


    " Lan''er, today is a good day.." Jun Yuan spoke while stuffing all her books into his spatial ring. Since, this girl had no cultivation she could not use her spatial ring now. So, he had no option but to stuff all the things into his ring.


    " You''ve contracted the fox king, who did not appear on this continent for a long time.." the traces of excitement in Jun Yuan''s voice could not be hidden " And now you have Tian Wu as your master. That man is one of the most formidable person in this continent.."


    " Grandfather, what is his identity? Even you are silent and respectful in his presence¡­" Her words made Jun Yuan clear his throat as he is truly afraid of that man. However, he replied as he knew that his silly granddaughter really didn''t know anything about that man who is now her master.


    " Did you hear about the Divine Summit?" Jun Lan nodded in reply. She once heard about the divine summit. The summit comprised of five elders who are regarded as the most powerful cultivators of all time. No one knows exactly how old are they. She knew about them because the third prince and her arch nemesis, Wang Xiu is the student of one of them.


    " Your master Tian Wu is the head of those elders.."


    Boom!


    What?!!!!


    Head of those elders¡­ Jun Lan''s face had a huge smile as her eyes turned into crescents as they became almost invisible. Her master was now truly to her liking.


    Third prince.. Just you wait and watch. The one who you treated as a pawn in the last life, is now your grim reaper. Jun Lan will make sure that she surpasses him in everything and let him know that he is not the emperor of this world and not everything can be controlled by him.

 27 Tao Ding Weapon House 1

    " So, I am the student of the great elder.." Jun Lan''s voice was overflowing with pride and happiness. Jun Yuan also joined her excitement by showing a huge grin on his face.


    " Now, we need to go to another place. Let''s go.." Jun Lan and Jun Yuan mounted on Huli, Jun Yuan''s contracted beast. Her grandpa repeatedly warned her not to let the fox king out for now as she wished to say low key. Since, it''s better not to expose the fox king, Jun Lan did not summon him out.


    Jun Lan had a difficult time sitting on the five tailed fox whose speed seemed like a blur in her eyes. She then wondered if she could even sit on her fluffy. On reading her thoughts, fluffy snorted " People like you with no cultivation should not even dream of sitting on my back.."


    On hearing the snow white fluffy''s words she furrowed her brows. Then she smiled evilly as she warned the narcissist fox in her contractual space " Now I may not have any cultivation, but after I develop my cultivation.." Jun Lan''s voice had a dangerous sound to it " you better pray for yourself.. Damn fox! I will beat you at your own game.."


    Jun Lan cut off the link between her and the fox as she did not wish to hear it''s voice anymore. This fox is provoking her too much! She did not want to lose her temper just because of a stupid fox now! In the contractual space, a certain fox did not heed to her warnings and continued to cultivate..


    Slowly her eyes started to adjust to the speed of the five tailed fox and she started to observe her surroundings. There were trees, shrubs and colorful flowers everywhere. It was a new city but it was full of greenery. The wooden houses were surrounded by grape vines and rose plants and they looked very cozy and beautiful in her eyes. Almost every house is surrounded by plants and flowers.


    " What is this village, grandpa?" Jun Lan asked with her eyes still on the surroundings. " Tao Ding village.." It was as if all her acupoints have been blocked on hearing the village''s name. That''s it! God is really helping her this time. Now that the chance is before her, she will grasp it.


    " Lan''er, is anything wrong?" Jun Yuan was worried after facing her unusual silence. Jun Lan immediately spoke in a cutesy voice " Grandpa, this village is so beautiful. Can we stay for a few days here?"


    " Please, grandpa.." her words made Jun Yuan helpless. Now he is truly helpless against this granddaughter of his. Well, it''s just a simple request. What kind of grandfather will he be if could not accept even such a simple request? So, he immediately agreed " Then we will stay here as long as you want. Are you happy now?"


    Jun Lan felt a bit guilty on seeing his doting smile. But, what she asked was not completely wrong either. She wanted to look around this place, but she had more important things to do that this. Anyways, she had a plan now and she is dead set on following it.


    Just as she was reevaluating the plan in her mind the five tailed fox came to a stop. " Lan''er we are here?" Jun Lan raised her head only to see a huge shop in front of her.


    " Tao Ding Weapon House??" Jun Lan was confused but then she came to a sudden realisation " So, I can choose a weapon then??"


    " Silly girl, here the weapons choose you.." Jun Yuan''s words made her mind blank for a while before a sudden horror struck her " But, I have no cultivation.."


    " The weapons choose their masters based on your elemental affinity. It has nothing to do with the selection." Jun Yuan consoled her " However, as your cultivation the strength and ferocity of your weapon also increases.. It''s a matter for later. So, let''s go inside and see what weapon is fated for you.."


    Ding!


    As they opened the door and made their way inside, a bell rang indicating that someone entered the shop. Very soon a man of about the same age as her grandpa came forward to greet them.


    Upon seeing Jun Yuan the old man revealed a huge grin as he walked with an increased pace " Jun Yuan, you are here after many years.."


    " Ye Zhuan.. It''s good to see that you are well.." both the old man hugged each other and Jun Lan understood that these both are friends. But, no matter how deep their affections are how could they forget her ah! Jun Lan cried silent tears as she realised that she is the third wheel here.


    Both men continued to banter and tease each other. They even sat around a small tea table and were deeply immersed in reminiscing about their youthful years over some fragrant jasmine tea. Now, Jun Lan just stood there helplessly staring at the two old men..


    It was Ye Zhuan who noticed her first after infinitely long time had passed " Erm.. Yuan, who is that little girl."


    His friends words made Jun Yuan''s body freeze and the tea cup in his hand trembled as he finally remembered his long forgotten granddaughter. Jun Lan''s lips twitched on seeing her grandpa''s reaction. So, he really forgot that she is here?! Now, she is unhappy, very unhappy!


    " Erm.. she is my first granddaughter, Jun Lan.." Jun Yuan replied with his face buried in his hands. He was really embarrassed now and he was not ready to face the little girl.


    " Oh! Then why did you not bring her earlier? You only brought her elder brother and those two lotus siblings.." Jun Lan was very happy on seeing this old man call her cousins as lotuses.. Hehe.. she liked this old man very much. Ye Zhuan continued " This girl looks well mannered. So, you''ve hid her all this time.." he came to a conclusion himself.

 28 Tao Ding Weapon House 2

    Eh?! Grandpa hid her away all this time? What a joke!


    " pfft.." Ye Zhuan''s conclusion made Jun Lan laugh. Her laughter sounded like the sweet sound of bells and it made all those in the shop to stop their works momentarily and stare at the girl who is laughing heartily. This laughter also attracted the attention of the two men and a woman who are chatting on the first floor of the shop. Since the shop is very quiet, her laughter echoed throughout calming the hearts of everyone who heard it.


    The older one of the two men who was about twenty years old had a curious expression on his face " Who is she?"


    The woman at the side rolled her eyes and punched him in the stomach " Husband, you really are a fool. Didn''t you see the elder Jun Yuan there. She must be related to him."


    " Ah!" the man who was addressed as husband turned to look at his lovely wife with pain clearly written all over his face. She punched him too hard ah! His wife is becoming ruthless as the days pass by.


    " Ye Fang.." the other man sighed in a helpless voice before shifting his gaze to the girl standing there. However, Ye Fang did not care about them as he looked at the young girl deeply as if remembering something.


    " All right.." Ye Fang clapped his hands " Now I remember. She is Jun Lan, the girl with disfigured face and with no talent whatsoever.." Ye Fang''s words made both the woman and the other man knit their brows.


    " Don''t speak such words..They might be nothing more than rumors.." Ye Fang rubbed his nose in embarrassment after hearing his wife''s words of rebuke. He then apologized to her saying that those words are not his thoughts and what he said were only the rumors which he heard outside. Only after repeatedly apologizing, did she let him off the hook.


    Ye Fang let out a sigh of relief and continued " Elder Jun Yuan is a notable and respected person all over. General Jun Kang who is well known for his battle abilities is her father. And lady Chen Ying Yue is a lady known for her ferocity in her battle and she is the famous lady knight of all times. And her brother Jun Ling is literally the heartthrob of all the ladies and I don''t want to speak of his abilities. It will only make me sad."


    Then he remembered something as he spoke to the man before him " Of course, he is only next to you in terms of both looks and skills.." The other man snorted and ignored him.


    On seeing his friend blatantly ignore him, Ye Fang coughed slightly before continuing" They say that she is the only mole among them.." Ye Fang spoke while looking at the veiled girl.


    Down there, Jun Lan was oblivious to the talk which had her as the centre of attraction. Slowly, her laughter died down and her eyes glistened with tears due to her earlier fit of laughter.


    Then she slowly walked towards the two old men and then she did something which made Jun Yuan cough blood. " Grandfather, Jun Lan pays respects to you.." she greeted Ye Zhuan making him smile widely. This damn girl did not even spare a glance at her own blood related grandfather.


    " Erm.. Lan''er.." Jun Yuan''s words are interrupted by this little girl again " Grandpa Ye, drive this man away from here. You adopt me into your family.." Jun Lan wanted to knock some sense into her old man. How could he forget about her?!


    Ye Zhuan choked on his tea as he began laughing loudly while Jun Yuan''s face darkened. He spoke in a depressed tone " Lan''er, Why are you behaving like this? Why are you doing this to your grandpa?"


    " Who forgot about his granddaughter first?" Jun Lan rolled her eyes at her old man''s acting skills " It was grandpa Ye who first noticed me. Clearly, he is better than you.." she mumbled.


    Ye Fang was clearly intrigued by this naughty and mischievous girl. So, he winked at his wife while getting up who in turn sighed as she realised that her husband is in a playful mood now.


    " Grandpa, it seems that I have an younger sister now.." Jun Lan and the other two lifted their heads to follow the direction of the cheerful voice. They saw a young man with a neat chiselled face slowly descending down the stairs. He was adorned in embroidered white robes and he looked handsome.


    But, what shocked Jun Lan was not his appearance, but the man itself. She remembered him. He did not particularly help her nor is he related to her. But, she remembered that he and his family were killed by Wang Xiu. She knew him but she didn''t know that he was from Ye family.


    At this moment a million thoughts ran through her mind, but nothing can seen in her emotionless eyes. She already decided to save him and this Ye family is not in any immediate danger as of now. She believed that she can save them. So, she pushed away all the worries from her heart.


    Jun Lan was frozen and she was brought of daze by Ye Zhuan''s words "Girl, this is my grandson Ye Fang. You can call him as your elder brother."


    " Brother Ye, I am Jun Lan.."


    " hehe.. Sister Lan.."


    On the side, Jun Yuan''s lips were twitching badly and he could not possibly interrupt their conversation. Then he saw the girl bring out a chair for Ye Fang and then she took out a chair and sat between Ye Zhuan and Ye Fang.


    " What is it?" Jun Lan asked innocently on seeing her grandpa''s anguished face.


    " O great one! I apologise.."


    No response from the girl as she started to chat with Ye Fang as he listening with amusement in his eyes. He started to like this lively girl and he also enjoyed seeing this powerful old man helpless like this.


    " This girl is really something. I like her.." Ye Fang''s wife, Chu Lian smiled slightly. She then looked at the teenager before her who was laughing hardly while covering his mouth.


    " Xu Zian, how long has it been since you laughed like this.." the teenager froze on hearing her words.

 29 Curiosity, Pity and Admiration

    Chu Lian''s words made Xu Zian slowly calm down and he chuckled " I think it''s been a long time." as he said this he stared at the girl below. Chu Lian''s eyes had a glint as she slowly got up motioning him to follow her "Let''s go and join them.."


    Xu Zian did not find anything out of place as he followed her calmly.


    " Father-in-law.." Ye Zhuan smiled on seeing his daughter-in-law. She was truly a good match for his son and she was a beauty with brains. She was also respectful and caring towards her elders. But, if she did not like anyone that''s another story and it will make one truly fear her.


    " This is my daughter-in-law, Chu Lian." Ye Zhuan said to Jun Lan as she was the only one here who didn''t know about anyone.


    " Sister Chu Lian, I wish you good health.." Jun Lan really meant it. She remembered that this couple had a child, but even the child wasn''t spared by that demon. But, now she had to make sure that this couple lives well.


    Jun Lan then observed the woman before her. She looked about 16-17 years old and she was beautiful. She had her hair tied into a stylish bun with simple hair ornaments. She was dressed in white robes matching her husband''s attire and both of them looked like celestial deities.


    Then her gaze shifted to the man behind her. He walked in a slow and unhurried pace. His steps were calm and his movements were elegant. He was dressed in black robes and his hair was left down to freely dance along with the wind and slide along his shoulders. However, that only added to his bewitching features and he was a devilish kind of beauty.


    However, it was not his facial features that made Jun Lan to stare at him. He had the eyes of a predator and she knew it because she was one. He was the type to conceal his emotions just like her because she found their eyes too similar.. Cold and unreadable. He had a jade white skin and a carefree smile adorned his lips. But, beneath that smile is a hidden story.


    Similar.. Truly similar.. Both of them resembled each other in misery and sufferings. That is what is she understood about him in the first glance. But she had no idea who this person is. Anyways, she had to admit that she was a bit swayed by his beauty. Well, who wouldn''t admire beautiful things. So, she did the same.


    While she was observing him, Xu Zian was also doing the same. He could not make out any of her features as she covered herself with a veil. Well, he was not that curious anyway. But, what attracted him the most was her grey orbs..


    They were the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. He saw curiosity, admiration and pity in her eyes. But the admiration in her eyes lasted not more than the blink of his eyes before reverting to the usual cold glance. Then he saw pity. Why did she pity him? He was sure that she didn''t know who he was. All of her emotions did not last for more than a few seconds before her eyes reverted to their usual glacial ice look. He was able to understand those eyes because of his careful observation and he was sure that no one could read those eyes of hers better than him. He was not able to think more of it as he was disturbed by the old man.


    " That fellow is Xu Zian, Ye Fang''s friend. But, they are more like brothers." Ye Zhuan''s words made Jun Lan withdraw her gaze.


    '' Brotherly relation?'' Jun Lan knitted her brows in confusion. If this man was like a brother, then where did he go at that time when they were killed? Then again she shouldn''t make hasty conclusions. Whoever he is, a friend or foe, she is going to protect this Ye family since they are good friends with her old man. Thinking this, she finally relaxed and slightly bowed to the man and she did not speak anything.


    Xu Zian was amused now. He was truly amazed on seeing her setting up her guard against him. So, he chuckled and did not say anything.


    " So, why did you bring her out after all this time?" Ye Zhuan asked making Jun Lan scoff at Jun Yuan, who had a helpless expression on his face as he said " As usual, to find her weapons."


    " Well, you brought her at the right time. It seems that she is still thirteen. Then let''s finish it before we resume our chat.." Ye Zhuan slapped his thighs in excitement as he got up. He then led everyone into the section where different types of weapons are kept.


    Jun Lan observed the large circular walls adorned with several weapons and the various shelves containing different types of daggers. Her eyes twinkled with curiosity as she looked around.


    Xu Zian was really intrigued by this girl. She was not like those girls who looked at him with lust. She admired his looks for a moment as if appraising a painting. Now, she didn''t even put him in her eyes and she is not faking it. He was really nothing in her eyes.


    " Girl, come here.." Jun Lan went and stood between the two old men.


    " So, what weapons are you interested in?" Jun Lan started to think seriously upon hearing his question " Bow and arrow.."


    " Hmm.. So, an archer, huh?" Ye Zhuan rubbed his chin and nodded his head in agreement. " It''s a path which is left out by many. Many find the long-range targets and accuracy difficult to master. They also fail to understand that a divine archer is the most powerful of all the professions."


    Jun Lan really didn''t know anything about that. She personally liked archery, that''s the reason why she said a bow. But, it seems that the old man misunderstood. Well, this misunderstanding is better than telling that she knew nothing.


    " pfft.." she turned her body diagonally only to find Xu Zian laughing with his eyes fixed on her. Jun Lan was really embarrassed as she realized that he understood what she is thinking. So, she glared at him for a moment before turning away. Jun Lan thought that he must have received her warning, but what she didn''t know was that all her actions appeared cute in his eyes.

 30 Golden Crescent Moon Imprin

    " Lan''er, come here.." she walked towards her grandfather and stood by his side after hearing him call her. She wondered what will happen next. She never heard of weapons choosing their masters and she looked forward to it.


    Jun Lan saw Ye Zhuan take out a magical brush and weave some intricate runes in the air. With a simple hand movement, she saw the runes arrange themselves in an orderly fashion and form a matrix right before her eyes. She looked in awe at the matrix suspended in mid-air.


    The golden runes appeared as if they are brimming with life, dancing in the air in circles. She felt her head turn dizzy on seeing those runes moving at an extremely high speed. After a few moments, all the runes stayed static indicating the matrix formation is successful.


    So, Ye Zhuan was also a person of magic. Though she did not know what his strength was, she was sure that he must be well versed with the magic spells and all such stuff. The matrix now covered the whole area which is filled with weapons.


    After making sure that the formation is successful, Ye Zhuan motioned her to walk in. Whoever enters the matrix, will be subjected to a magic spell thereby enabling the weapons to detect the soul with which they share a good rapport. Knowingly or unknowingly, the weapon will direct the person towards it''s direction. The only thing the person has to do is to enter the matrix and the rest follows.


    Jun Lan felt her body light and go out of her control as soon as she entered the matrix. There was no force pulling her towards it as predicted and it left her confused. She wondered if no weapon was willing to accept her as it''s wielder.. Shaking her head to get rid of the ridiculous thoughts, she calmed herself down. She would just stand there until one of those weapons recognise her. Thinking this, and feeling better in an instant Jun Lan nonchalantly observed everything before her.


    Everyone in the room patiently waited to see what happens next. Xu Zian fixed his eyes on the petite figure. He wanted to see if the rumors about her are true or not. One can speak anything they want, but the facts state the truth. Based on the weapon which chooses her he would be able to tell is the girl was really as useless as the rumors stated.


    For quite a while, she was not able to feel any force pulling her. But, it began to change slowly.


    Just a faint tug in the beginning, then something started to pull her violently towards it. Another strong force collided with the initial force, making her take back the foot which she stepped forward.


    Jun Lan could only feel two opposite forces trying to find rapport with her soul and she remained anchored at the spot unable to take a step forward. The two forces nullified each other, making her helpless. It was as if the two forces are fighting for her. Cold beads of sweat started to form on her forehead as the effects of the two forces on her soul started to take a toll on her.


    Very soon, she slumped on the ground with face as pale as paper devoid of any blood. This scene made Jun Yuan scared witless as he rushed forward only to be stopped by Ye Zhuan.


    " Interruption will only make her situation more dangerous." his words made Jun Yuan calm down for a moment. But there was worry clearly plastered all over his wrinkled face. There was nothing he could do other than endure to see his precious daughter stuck in such a dangerous predicament.


    "Don''t worry. Two weapons are fighting over to form rapport with her soul and it seems as if both of them are powerful." Ye Zhuan''s pensive voice made everyone go silent immediately " She had to endure until one of the two gets an upperhand.."


    The torment on her soul continued and she started to lose her consciousness. Just as she was about to faint, she felt the heavy oppression on her soul disappear abruptly. Panting heavily, she started to take deep breaths as she slowly got up.


    Everyone in the room breathed out in relief and Jun Yuan''s troubled heart finally calmed down.


    She carefully made her way towards the weapon which made her go through such a painful experience. Excited? Is that what she was feeling at the moment? She wondered as she got closer to her weapon.


    A long bow laid down on the rack, as if it''s under an eternal rest. It''s flush black body shined in the faint rays of sunlight threatening to break through the holes in the wooden walls. As if wanting to display the splendor of the bow, the area around the bow started to grow bright making the bow shine completely. Taking in a deep breath, she slowed down her steps taking in the magnificent sight before her.


    She paused her hand contemplating if she should touch the bow or not. She felt that it was too beautiful and she didn''t want to disturb it''s peaceful slumber. But, her logical self got the better of her as it reminded the dazed girl that it would be her weapon in a few moments. After being reprimanded by her inner self, she reached out and touched the bow without any further hesitation.


    She found tiny engravings on the long bow''s body and she ran her slender fingers along them. A faint golden glow started to envelop the bow wherever she touched it. Jun Lan was excited and she examined the longbow completely with her hands making it bath in the golden light.


    The golden light on the bow slowly got dim and the remaining rays of light fell on Jun Lan''s hand leaving a imprint on her wrist. She lifted her sleeves and observed the imprint on her hand.


    It was a beautiful golden crescent moon imprint.

 31 Soulstring and Windbreaker

    Before immersing herself in the glory of her longbow, she felt another force pulling her. She was confused as she realised that her soul is now being affected by another weapon. She did not know that she can have more than one bow. She was excited at that thought and her heart started to palpitate. Her black longbow did not give any reaction whatsoever, making her wonder if the earlier torment on her soul is an illusion.


    Turning to her right and moving forwards she found another wooden bow whose body is in blood red colour. It looked as if it descended from the hell. Completely awed, she reached out for the bow making it shine under her touch. Though it is not as mystical as the black bow in her other hand, it had a charm of it''s own and the bow successfully managed to bewitch her.


    The light around the bow slowly subsided,leaving a red star imprint beside her golden crescent moon. The pair of imprints looked extremely beautiful on her smooth and jade white wrist. Appreciating the sight for a while, she covered her wrists with the sleeves.


    With the two bows in her hands, she felt the matrix around her slowly disintegrate and disappear. Feeling the spell removed from her body, she turned around and stood before the two old men who had dumbfounded expressions on their faces.


    " Erm.." The two old men woke out of their stupor as soon as they heard the clearing of her throat. Jun Yuan was scared witless when he found that she had four element affinity. So, at this moment he was not so surprised as the others. On the other hand, Ye Zhuan stood straight as if he was nailed to the spot. Xu Zian had an indecipherable expression on his handsome face.


    Ye Fang looked at the calm and collected girl with an expression of disbelief where as Chu Lian had a faint smile on her face. She had a feeling that the girl was more than that meets the eye and this scenario only confirmed her thoughts.


    " Which brainless fellow called you useless?" It was Ye Fang''s words that broke everyone out of their stupor. But poor him, everyone ignored his emotional outburst as they concentrated on the girl before them who had a sort of mystical air around her.


    Ye Zhuan then stared at the two longbows in her hands and his expression slowly turned grave. He did not expect this situation at all. Not even in his wild dreams, did he think that he would live to see this day. The scene of the black bow fight for this girl as it''s master left a lasting impression on his heart. The divine longbow fighting for it''s master has never happened before. And the red longbow in her other hand is no simple bow either. He had to admit that he was impressed by this girl. He was sure that this girl would turn into someone untouchable after a few years. But, now he had to do something as the longbow finally awoke from it''s long stupor.


    " Xu Zian.." he called out " I need your help to form a concealing matrix."


    Nodding his head, the young man in black robes stood in the opposite direction of Ye Zhuan. Receiving an eye signal from the old man, he started to weave complex runes in the air with his magical brush and Ye Zhuan joined him in the process.


    Xu Zian stepped back after setting up the matrix. He then shifted his gaze to the girl who was observing everything with her large eyes brimming with curiosity.


    " Girl, follow me." Jun Lan followed the old man and she realised that they were in the practice hall as soon as they came to a halt.


    " Let''s see if you can shoot using those bows." He handed over a set of arrows to the girl.


    Accepting the challenge, Jun Lan notched an arrow on the red longbow. She''s a novice, anyone could tell that after seeing her awkward posture. But she straightened herself and set her eyes on the target before releasing the arrow.


    The arrow broke sliced through the air with a whistling sound and directly passed through the centre of the bullseye leaving a hole behind.


    Thunk!


    A clear piercing sound reverberated in the hall and everyone tilted their heads only to find the arrow stuck in the wall..


    " Excellent.." Ye Zhuan started to applaud with everyone following the suit. Jun Lan blinked her eyes in surprise not understanding what exactly she had done to receive such praise. Seeing her calm and unaffected behaviour, the appreciation in everyone''s eyes became more profound.


    " A weapon should have a name. So, what are you going to call it?"


    The arrows released from the bow made a whistling sound as if they breaking through the wind. Thinking for a while, she answered "Windbreaker."


    " Hmm.. It suits.." Jun Yuan felt that the name sounded good as he nodded in agreement.


    " No need to use that bow.." Ye Zhuan stopped her from notching the arrows on her other bow.


    Sensing the confusion in her eyes, Ye Zhuan chuckled " The wrath of that bow is not something to be taken lightly.."


    " Girl, let me advise you. Windbreaker may seem like an envoy from hell, but believe it or not the black bow in your hands is the death itself. The arrow released from it will completely burn the soul of the victim, eliminating the possibility of rebirth."


    " So, don''t use that bow unless you wanted to eliminate a person for greater good. And once the bow is out, it will receive all unwanted attention. There are many who are coveting the bow."


    " All these years, I''ve concealed it''s aura. But, it started to come back to life as soon as it sensed your soul."


    " Wear this pendant at all times and do not lose it at any cost. It will conceal the aura of the bow on your body." Ye Zhuan handed over a black crystal pendant which she immediately put on her neck.


    " What are you going to call this bow?"


    " Soulstring" she answered without any second thoughts and the bow glowed slightly as if it understood that it is granted a new name.


    Then with a flick of her hand, both her bows disappeared into her contractual space and Fluffy''s face turned pale on seeing the familiar black bow before him.

 32 Fluffy is bullied!

    With a face filled with resentment, Fluffy stared at the bow haltingly. How could he forget the bow or to be exact the man who wielded it? That demonic man was the reason for many of his never ending nightmares. Why is his fate so terrible? Why should he always fall in the hands of those who possess this demonic bow!


    If not for that vile man''s threats, how could he, the mighty fox king succumb to serve such silly humans.. Fluffy had a gloomy cloud hovering above his head. Jun Lan clearly understood what the damn fox was thinking and slowly an amused smile bloomed on her rosy lips. That smile might have caused the downfall of many cities and nations, too bad her beauty was hidden away from the world by a veil.


    " Fluffy, why are you so afraid of the man who wielded Soulstring?" Jun Lan suddenly had the uncontrollable urge to tease this fox.


    Boom!


    He totally forgot that another devil is here and that she can read his thoughts! Well, now he was doomed for sure.. He can''t embarrass himself in front of this puny human anymore.


    " W-what are y-you talking about? How could I the fox king be afraid of a tiny human?" Fluffy decided to play ignorant further arousing Jun Lan''s interest. In the beginning she decided to give him a leeway. But, now she would dig out everything.


    " He is your first master, isn''t he?" she was able to guess what happened.


    " He threatened to burn your soul with that bow if you didn''t accept him as his master, right?" she continued to speak flawlessly and Fluffy''s face became more twisted as she continued her speech.


    " And you were reminiscing your past as soon as you saw that bow¡­sigh." she sighed exaggeratedly at the end.


    Fluffy gritted his teeth, this girl had guessed everything right on the mark. His previous master was a bully, but he liked his master. After that person''s death, no one was able to summon him back to the mortal realm. He was surprised when he was summoned by a little girl after thousands of years. But, after seeing this bow select her he was sure that the girl was not as simple as she seems. Then again, how can the wielders of that bow be ever simple?


    Fluffy could not help but wonder, what exactly is the mystery behind this girl. Not only was she able to summon him, she even obtained that bow. No one knew better than him, that having that bow means having the world in their hands.


    But, why should his second master also be a bully? Is his fate so bad that he had to suffer bullying in the hands of his masters..


    Jun Lan was not able to read the fox''s thoughts. So, she can''t read all of his thoughts,eh?! She scrunched her brows at this thought.


    " Why am I not able to read your thoughts?" Fluffy smirked as he heard her complaint. He had a smug smile on his face " You can''t read everything, you are too weak to do that.."


    " Hmm.. Then enjoy your days now, because the day I become strong will be the day I crush you.. Damn fox!" the smile on a certain fox''s face faltered immediately and Jun Lan snapped their soul link before turning to her grandfather " Grandpa, I want to take a look around the village.."


    Chu Lian heard her words and immediately stepped forward " Have some lunch before you go and I would love it if you can stay here for a few days."


    Jun Lan had other things to do in this village. She naturally wanted to stay here for a few days if possible. So, she looked at her grandfather waiting for his approval. How could Jun Yuan not understand her thoughts? He knew that this sly girl had something in her mind and he wanted to do nothing but support her.


    He cleared his throat " Zhuan, I need to stay here for a few days because of some business. Also, Lan''er wants to look around the city and play. So, we will be troubling you for a few days."


    " Aiya! Trouble? Not at all.." Ye Zhuan laughed heartily. It''s been many years since their last meeting and he was naturally happy that his friend is staying over. Also, he brought a cute little granddaughter¡­


    Then again, he stopped laughing on remembering something. Cursing himself for being irresponsible, Ye Zhuan immediately hurried over to the back shelves and started fishing out all the boxes.


    Ye Fang shook his head helplessly on seeing his father''s actions. Whatever his father is searching for, he was sure that the old man would not find it even if he is given a hundred years.


    " What are you searching father? I will help you.." Ye Fang went to his father''s side. Ye Zhuan was buried in a pile of boxes, and he spoke without lifting his head " A silver box with embedded green jades.. I remember that I kept it in here safely.."


    The old man went on rambling, but Ye Fang lips twitched on seeing the silver box with the green jades lying beside his father''s feet.. He bent forward and picked the box, the old man was still mumbling some incoherent words unaware of the funny expression on his son''s face.

 33 Hello Little thief..

    " Father.." Ye Fang coughed to control his laughter, his old man is too cute ah!


    " What is it?You better not waste my time.." Ye Zhuan snorted derisively. He was more than sure that his useless son is pulling some cheap tricks again. Ye Fang smiled wryly on hearing his father''s mocking tone. Who asked his father to be such a stubborn old man ah!


    " Here''s the box.." without wasting anymore words, Ye Fang paced forward and placed the box on the old man''s head.


    " W-what are you doing?" the old man''s displeasure turned into happiness as soon as he saw the box. Reluctantly, he stared at his son and praised him with much difficulty " Humph.. Every stone has it''s own use. You did well."


    " Stone?!" Ye Fang had an incredulous expression on his face as he mumbled " Is this man really my grandfather.."


    " pfft.." It was Chu Lian who laughed heartily on seeing this banter between two grown up men. Jun Yuan had a knowing smile on his face.


    Ye Zhuan took out a blood jade pendant and placed it in Jun Lan''s hands " Girl, remember to wear this blood jade around your neck at any cost. It will conceal the bow''s aura, if not you will soon become a live target for many."


    The serious expression on the old man''s face made it hard for her to think otherwise. So, she humbly accepted the jade and thanked the old man for his care. What she didn''t know is that the old man found her cute when she is thanking him.


    Ye Zhuan abruptly turned towards Jun Yuan " Yuan, let''s exchange our grandchildren. I have long wanted such a filial and cute granddaughter." the old man spoke excitedly while pointing his finger at her.


    " Eh?!" Jun Lan was terrified. Filial? Ok, she can be considered as a filial granddaughter.


    But, how in the world did this old man find her cute?! There''s something wrong with this old man. Yes, she was sure of that now.


    Feeling apprehensive in her heart, Jun Lan immediately sprinted towards her grandfather and hid behind him.


    " pfft.. Hahaha.." Ye Fang was unable to control himself anymore. This little girl was too cute and her ignorance about her charm only made her look even more adorable.


    " Grandpa Zhuan, sorry to say this.. But, I like this old man of mine more.." Jun Lan poked her head between her grandfather''s waist and hands, her large doe eyes making the already funny picture seem even more comical.


    Xu Zian had a smile on his face all this time. He felt relaxed after a long time, even he didn''t understand why he is smiling in her presence.


    " Humph.. Fine then, stay with that stinky old man.." Ye Zhuan pretended to be angry which only earned a eye roll from Jun Yuan.


    " Grandpa, I will go for a walk." On seeing that he was about to say something, Jun Lan immediately spoke up " Don''t worry. I am not a small kid and I won''t get lost."


    Without giving a chance for him to speak, Jun Lan immediately rushed out as if her life depended on it. Jun Yuan was speechless and he stared blankly at her fleeing back.


    " Tsk.. This girl is becoming more reckless.." Jun Yuan''s doting expression spoke the opposite meaning of his words. With a helpless sigh, he turned around to face his friend. But, after taking a few steps forward, Jun Yuan felt something missing and his hands naturally went to his waist belt.


    Purse.. His purse is missing!


    " Eh! Where did I drop my money bag?" the old man scratched his head in confusion. No matter how hard he tried,he could not remember anything. Though hundred gold coins is not a huge amount, it''s not negligible either. So, he could not help but curse in a low voice " What an unscrupulous thief! You better not fall in my hands, lest I will spank you.."


    " Achoo.."a certain thief sneezed hard while rubbing her nose. Jun Lan laughed hard while playing with her old man''s money pouch " hehe.. The old man must be cursing me hard at the moment.."


    She didn''t know why but she had that sudden impulse to steal when hid behind the old man. Since, it''s her old man''s she didn''t feel even the slightest hesitation while grabbing the bag. Too bad, her old man was immersed in fighting with grandpa Zhuan and didn''t pay any attention to her wolf paws..


    Not far away from where a certain person is gloating in her grandfather''s misfortune, a pair of mischievous eyes were already locked on her petite figure.


    Xu Zian leaned against the tree and had a sly smile on his face as he observed the little girl before him. He saw her tiny and dexterous jade like hands swiftly grabbing her own grandfather''s purse without the slightest hint of fear back in the weapon house. Instead, the naughty glint in her eyes captivated him.


    Unknown to him, his feet voluntarily followed the lively girl. But now after hearing her words void of any remorse, his sexy lips slowly curved up as he called out in an extremely flirtatious voice " Hello.. Little thief.."

 34 Flower boy

    " Hello.. Little thief.." Jun Lan''s back stiffened on hearing a husky masculine voice which sounded very tempting in her ears.


    '' Thief?'' She scrunched her brows as why someone is calling her a thief. She turned around only to be greeted by an exotic specimen who had an enchanting smile on his face. He was the man from the weapon house.


    ''Such an alluring voice, that one cannot help but drown..'' Jun Lan sighed as his voice only added an mystical allure to his devilish looks.


    She thought that no one paid any attention to her back in there and she thought that no one discovered her act of stealing. Well, she was not a professional thief anyway. So, she did not feel bad after getting caught.


    Instead of feeling embarrassed, she spoke with an air of confidence "Thief? If taking the money from my old man makes me a thief, then so be it."


    " Hmm.. You are a righteous thief." Xu Zian nodded his head solemnly, but his eyes twinkled brightly.


    Jun Lan''s face darkened immediately after seeing the pair of eyes which had an evil glint in them. She scanned him from head to toe. He was manly but too good looking to be a man.. Such contradiction.


    " Well, it''s nice meeting you flower boy.." since he called her a thief, don''t blame her for calling him a flower boy. Courtesy calls for reciprocation, right?


    The temperature around Xu Zian dropped by a few degrees and the smile on his face is now replaced with a menacing look. This girl was fearless and how dare she call him a flower boy!!


    Jun Lan was not affected by his gaze in the least and she met his gaze head on as she advised him " I think it''s not a good thing to meddle in others business.. Not everyone are kind as me to stop at flower boy. I should get going now." She immediately turned around to leave the place, specially far away from this irritating specimen.


    Xu Zian choked on his breath. He wondered how could she speak such outrageous words with a straight face. She didn''t stutter and she definitely did not flinch.


    Initially, he thought that this girl was funny and cute. But, now he was completely intrigued. Xu Zian called out to her " Girl, I am called Xu Zian. I look forward to our future meetings.."


    '' Xu Zian..'' Jun Lan smirked and spoke loudly without turning towards him " I hope this will be our first and final meeting.. Flower boy." In spite of her heartless words, she remembered his name.


    Xu Zian shook his head helplessly and his eyes had a trace of smile at the sight of her disappearing back. He found someone interesting. No one knew what was going on in his mind as he made his way back to the weapon house.


    The streets were filled with food stalls and the spicy aroma wafted through the air. The loud and lively shouts of vendors attracted Jun Lan. The day was sunny and bright, and it only added fuel to the blazing spirits of the vendors. Jun Lan slashed through the crowd all the while admiring her surroundings. Never did she have the opportunity to enjoy everything in her past life. But, now she will not leave this village until and unless she had a taste of everything.


    Remembering the task at hand, she suppressed the foodie in her at the moment. She didn''t remember the exact address, but based on her memories she asked for directions and finally reached her first destination.


    " Phoenix Trading house.." Jun Lan sneered in her heart on seeing that name. Not many know that this Phoenix Trading House is the base for all operations of Third prince, Wang Xiu. Contrary to its majestic name, this trading house was the place of exchange of slaves and the place where negotiations regarding assassinations are carried out.


    '' Wang Xiu.. Oh Wang Xiu! I will take away everything you ever dreamed of bit by bit. I will let you know the sweet taste of pain and betrayal.'' Jun Lan had a cold look in her eyes as she balled her fists.


    Phoenix trading house.. This was the first target of her destruction.


    Concealing the hatred in her eyes, Jun Lan walked past the trading house swiftly. After visiting various shops, she finally bought a few sets of male robes, a few training dresses and a cloth mask.


    After buying sugar coated peaches, she happily made her way towards the weapon house while relishing on the peaches.


    The one habit which didn''t leave her is her extreme liking towards food.. She was and is a foodie. She loved eating to her heart''s content. She always had palace food and enjoyed the food from many high class restaurants, but it was only now she found that not even one of their signature dishes could compare to a simple sugar coated fruit ah!


    That''s it, she decided to go on a food rampage soon.


    Feeling excited, the little girl soon reached the weapon house.


    " That little thief!.." Jun Lan almost tripped when she heard her grandfather''s words. She rubbed her nose feeling guilty for making him worry for so long. Slowly and cautiously, she walked towards her old man. She tilted her head only to find Xu Zian wink at her.


    Ignoring the flower boy''s wink, she tapped her grandfather''s shoulder gently.

 35 Kitchen

    " Grandpa, why are you so angry? Tell me who made you upset. I will chop him off into mincemeat!" Jun Lan spoke in such a righteous tone that Xu Zian would also have been convinced by her words if he didn''t witness her actions by himself earlier.


    Xu Zian choked on his breath and stared at the little girl with an incredulous expression on his face. Jun Lan obviously noticed his expression and raised her brows at him provocatively. This one before him is a cute little fox. He smiled at this thought and looked forward to her next actions.


    " Oh! Lan''er, some unscrupulous thief stole my money." Jun Yuan was visibly distressed and the little girl found it hard not to laugh at his face.


    " Grandpa, here''s your purse." Jun Yuan stared at the purse in her hand for a moment before breaking into a huge grin. Thinking that she caught the thief and returned victoriously with the money pouch, the naive old man started to praise her wholeheartedly " Lan''er, you are really the jewel ah! You even managed to catch the thief. Here, take this purse as your reward."


    " G-Grandpa, the truth is that " she was rudely interrupted by the old man who rebuked her with a stern voice " Don''t be so humble. Just take it and buy what you want."


    She is humble? Jun Lan''s lips twitched. This old man is a fool. How did he manage the clan all these years? She was now truly starting to doubt his ability.


    " Grandpa, are you sure that you want me to have this purse no matter what I say?" she raised her eyebrows at her old man.


    " Yes!" the answer was obvious. Seeing the resolute look on his face, she grabbed the purse from his hands. Xu Zian looked at the old man before him with pity in his eyes. He was clearly getting played in the hands of his granddaughter, and the poor man did not have the slightest idea of what exactly is happening around him.


    " Oh! Grandpa, I''ve forgot to tell you that the thief is me." Jun Lan spoke in a languid tone as she made her way towards Chu Lian who was observing everything with brimming interest.


    " No problem. What? You stinky brat!" Jun Yuan''s voice reflected doting and it was nowhere near to a harsh tone. But, he was nevertheless shocked that his naive and spotless granddaughter resorted to theft.


    What naive and spotless girl? Grandpa, your little girl is a sly fox! Jun Lan would have laughed in his face if she knew his thoughts.


    " Sis Lian, can I accompany you?" Jun Lan was really bored with all the male specimens around her. She wanted to chat a little with this adorable big sister. Chu Lian smirked as she observed the naughty petite girl in front of her " Well, you can. But, can you cook?"


    " Of course I can." Jun Lan was very confident of her skills " Sis, you can rest now, for I will take charge over the kitchen today." The leisure time in her past life was entirely spent on mastering cooking, go and reading books. Now, she knew various recipes which can make one''s mouth drool. She used to cook for herself as her so called husband was too busy to accompany her during the meals. It can be said that no one tasted her exquisite cooking. It''s time to display her skills.


    Chu Lian obviously did not believe that this seemingly fragile girl could start a fire; not to speak of cooking. But, she did not want to dampen her spirits. So, she decided to stay with her. If the little girl was not able to handle all the cooking, then she will step in. So, she clapped her hands in anticipation " Good, then I will keep you company."


    Jun Lan could tell that this young lady did not believe her words. She did not blame her as no one would believe that a thirteen year old kid who rarely stepped out of her home could cook. She did not speak anything to convince her. Actions speak louder than words; she will convince them with her cooking.


    After cleaning her hands, she rolled up her sleeves and took out all the necessary ingredients.


    Mixing the flour with water, preparation of the filling, making the dumplings. She then proceeded to steam cook them. Chu Lian was genuinely surprised on seeing her skilled way of folding the dumplings. But, now she was rendered speechless on seeing this little girl start fire with ease. Not noticing the stunned beauty beside her, Jun Lan was immersed in her own cooking world.


    After putting them on steam, Jun Lan then proceeded to prepare some braised pork noodles. Now, the only thing that is missing is a sweet dessert. Thinking for a moment, she decided to go for the traditional sweet red bean soup. Not finding the required ingredients, she turned to ask Chu Lian " Sis Lian, Where are red beans and lotus seeds?"


    " Eh?!" Chu Lian snapped out of the daze and replied in a flustered voice " J-Just a moment!". She then sprinted towards the cupboard and brought out two porcelain jars and handed them to Jun Lan.


    " Ah! What an aroma¡­" Jun Lan couldn''t help but take a sniff of her completely cooked red bean soup. She was sure that these dishes are more than enough for the dinner and she made sure to cook large quantities of each dish so that everyone can satisfy their appetite. Nodding her head in satisfaction, she turned off the fire and turned towards the dazed girl behind her.


    She was about to speak, but her words stopped in her throat when she noticed another three dazed figures behind Chu Lian.


    " Grandpa? What are you doing here?" she asked her old man who was gaping at her. She noticed Xu Zian''s and Ye Fang''s bewildered gazes but she decided to ignore them.


    " Ahem!" Jun Yuan cleared his throat awkwardly " Girl, when did you learn cooking?"

 36 Marriage! Don鈥檛 even think about i

    " When? Hmm.." Jun Lan stretched the syllables as if she is thinking deeply. Jun Yuan stared at his secretive granddaughter haltingly. This girl is hiding many things from him, how come he didn''t know anything about this girl. Well, he never paid any attention to her before, right? He could only curse himself and a bitter feeling bubbled up in his heart.


    " It''s a secret old man." a certain little girl was smirking in her heart. She couldn''t possibly tell him that she learnt it in her past life; and make him look at her as if she is a weird thing. So, she chose the safest option and spoke in a mischievous tone.


    Jun Yuan was disappointed with her vague reply. Jun Lan noticed his dispirited expression, but she did not console him. Instead, she placed each of the dish in separate bowls and walked towards him.


    " No one knows that I can cook. But, you are the first one to taste my handiwork. Have a taste now." She was speaking the truth. In both lifetimes, he was the first one to taste her cooking. She did not lie about this. On seeing that old man was frozen stiff, she nudged him with her shoulders.


    " Oh!" Jun Yuan snapped out from his daze and grabbed the chopsticks with excitement written all over his face. Initially he was like a deflated balloon, but after hearing that he was the first one to taste her cooking his face lit up like a thousand watt bulb.


    After taking a look at the dishes, he decided to try the dumplings first. After blowing on it, he took a large bite of the steamy dumpling.


    Hmm¡­ Soft and juicy!


    " Good! Very Good! Very Very good!" The old man couldn''t stop himself from praising her. Jun Lan felt amused on seeing his reaction. His reaction was far better than what she expected. He then went for the pork noodles. They were both salty and spicy. Jun Yuan licked his lips, he wanted to eat all the noodles by himself. Don''t blame him for being a glutton, the noodles are so tasty!


    Then the read bean soup. He had no words to describe it¡­


    " Well then, how are they? Did you like them?"


    Jun Lan observed her old man and she felt relieved after seeing the expression of complete bliss on his wrinkled face. Nevertheless, she was nervous as it was the first time someone tasted her cooking. Her expectant tone did not escape Xu Zian''s sharp ears.


    The girl was staring at her old man with large doe like eyes and Xu Zian''s dark eyes were fixed upon her grey orbs. Her long eyelashes and the expectant look in her eyes which resembled a kid waiting to be praised by his elders attracted him deeply. He could not bring himself to look away from that pair of enchanting eyes.


    Jun Yuan was completely smitten by this girl''s skills ah! So, he generously praised her.


    " Excellent! I never expected that your tiny hands could do such wonders."


    Jun Lan was gloating in happiness after hearing his praises, but his next words made her completely petrified.


    " Now, marrying you off is not a big problem. After tasting your cooking, anyone would be willing to marry you. I can be at ease now."


    Marriage! Jun Lan felt goosebumps all over body after hearing that taboo word. If she knew that her cooking would result in such adversities, she would have stayed put without showing off. Now, she was really regretting her decision of cooking ah!


    " Grandpa, don''t even think of my marriage. If you start looking for suitable candidates, I promise you that I will run away."


    " Aiya! This kid, I was just joking ah! Now, don''t be so serious." he tried to coax the angry little bird.


    " Don''t crack such lame jokes again!" a certain little girl gritted her teeth. She was not pleased with such humour.


    " Alright, I won''t. When will I taste your cooking again?"


    " For my safety, I''ve decided to not cook again." Jun Lan spoke in a stern voice leaving no room for further discussion. After speaking her words, she completely ignored her old man.


    " Sis Lian, can you show me my room. I need to clean myself." she spoke while pointing to her clothes which are completely covered in black soot. Cooking is not an easy task ah! Chu Lian and Jun Lan left the kitchen chatting with each other. Obviously, the girls hit off together.


    Xu Zian stared at her disappearing back with a thoughtful look. He sensed the bitter resentment in her voice when the word marriage was mentioned. He wondered what made her to have such an attitude towards marriage. Not that he cared about it! Pushing such irrelevant thoughts to the back of his mind, he left with Ye Fang after politely taking leave from Jun Yuan.


    " Use my dress since you don''t have any spare clothes." Chu Lian offered a white robe, but Jun Lan declined her politely " Sis Lian, I bought a few clothes earlier today. I don''t want to bother you."


    " All right¡­" Chu Lian sighed helplessly. This little girl is too thoughtful and meticulous.


    " I will be setting the table for dinner. You can have a relaxed bath in the meanwhile."


    Jun Lan closed the door after the older girl left the room. She then slipped out of her sweaty clothes and relaxed herself in the warm bath.


    After drying herself, she changed into a set of white robes. Since her hair is still wet she put on a simple veil, which just covered the lower half of her face leaving her wet hair out to the air.


    Jun Lan was able to hear the voices from below. The atmosphere down there seemed lively. Without thinking twice, she hurriedly left the room and dashed forward in the corridor. She walked through various turns and she absentmindedly turned into the left corner which leads to the staircase.


    Thump!


    " Ouch!" Jun Lan exclaimed in pain as she hit something really hard.

 37 Teasing

    ''So hard!'' Jun Lan screamed in her heart. Her poor little nose must be bright red like a tomato now. Tears glistened in her eyes due to the forceful impact and the resulting sharp pain.


    Just when she was thinking that she hit a wall, a strong masculine smell mixed with a fresh scent of mint assaulted her nose. It smelled so good and she couldn''t help but take a deep sniff ah! The wall is so warm¡­


    That warm feeling knocked some sense in her muddle head as she hurriedly stepped back from the comfortable wall. In the spur of the moment, she stepped on the hem of her dress making her fall backwards.


    It''s over! Why did she become so clumsy? She cursed herself a million times in her heart and closed her eyes in resignation welcoming the impact and pain from her fall.


    But, the expected fall did not happen. Instead, her shoulders were supported by a pair of strong hands. After steadying herself, she looked up only to lock her eyes with a pair of deep obsidian black eyes. Those eyes were so deep that one could not help but want to drown in them. It was not known for how long they stared at each other, but Jun Lan broke the awkward silence.


    " Thank you." she replied with an unusually calm voice which made Xu Zian raise his brows in amusement. But that look of amusement was masked by a poker face immediately.


    " Not a problem." he replied with a nonchalant tone that outshined hers making her lips twitch in annoyance. Is he making fun of her by imitating her?


    ''Tsk, but this young lady has no mood to play with you.'' Jun Lan snorted in her heart and walked past him to go downstairs. Xu Zian calmly followed the fuming little girl like a tail.


    After taking a few steps, Jun Lan turned around and her voice sounded extremely cold " Why are you following me now?"


    Xu Zian blinked his eyes innocently " Sis Chu Lian asked me to bring you down since you are new to this place."


    Ah! Now, this is extremely embarrassing. Jun Lan wanted to bury herself into a hole right now or if possible she wanted to disappear from this damn place.


    Not only did she not remain grateful to him, she chastised him in return. What sort of behaviour is that?


    " T-That, I am really sorry about that. Forgive me for my ignorance." Jun Lan did a ninety degree bow to show him that she was really sorry about her attitude earlier. She could only hope that he would let this matter go.


    Xu Zian really did not expect this coming from her. He thought that she would just brush it off; not to speak of an apology. She was always surprising him with her antics. Her earlier provoked appearance and now her docile attitude amused him greatly. He was not at all unhappy. Why did he find her sort of cute? Unknown to him, his lips curved up. Even he didn''t understand why he was smiling every time around this girl.


    Since, Jun Lan was in a bent position she naturally missed the playful look in his eyes. Just when she was about to get tired of bending, she heard his tired voice near her ears.


    " I just wanted to escort you to dinner. Who knew that my kind intentions would be mistaken. You''ve truly opened my eyes."


    Jun Lan pursed her lips. This flower boy is truly troublesome. She apologised for her actions. So, why is he making a mountain out of a molehill?


    She straightened herself and glared at him. Just when she was about to speak, she heard him say " But, I am a magnanimous person. I would just think that this thing between us never happened."


    Magnanimous, her foot!


    Jun Lan really wanted to curse out loud. But, she was in the wrong and she had to back down to prevent things from getting out of hand. So, she nodded her head like an obedient cat and started to climb down the stairs.


    " Can I follow you down the stairs miss?"


    Jun Lan took a deep breath and tried hard to suppress the overwhelming urge to strangle this flower boy to death. Ignoring a certain person behind her, she hurriedly descended the stairs. But, she stopped moving when she sensed someone beside her. With a darkened face, she tilted her head only to find Xu Zian smirking at her.


    She placed her left foot down; he did the same. She increased her pace, he did the same. He stopped when she stopped. A certain person was not able to endure any longer.


    Pointing her slender index finger at him, she spoke in a highly annoyed voice " You! Just, what the heck is your problem? Are you playing with me?"


    Xu Zian rolled his eyes at her and replied very shamelessly " No, I am not playing with you. I am just escorting you down. I can''t let you have any accidents, can I?"


    That''s it! She had enough. She never thought she would find another person who was more shameless than her in every aspect. She huffed all along the way downstairs and Xu Zian''s smirk grew wider after hearing her curse him.


    A person with a wide smile on his face and a little girl whose face is darker than the charcoal, this was how they were when Chu Lian spotted them. She felt very amused and intrigued at the same time. Though she didn''t know what happened, she could tell that this demon teased the girl. She shook her head helplessly as she motioned them to sit at the table.


    Since everyone are already seated, there are two empty chairs side by side. Jun Lan''s heart dropped to the pit of her stomach, now she should sit beside this flower boy. Praying to god to grant her the strength to endure his tactics, she silently made her way towards the chair. She started to chant amitabha in her heart for she was sure that she would murder this flower boy if he made any silly remarks about her during dinner.

 38 The Black Bellied Girl

    Xu Zian sat by her side and much to her surprise he did not bother her any longer. He was busy eating and slowly she also forgot about the earlier teasing. The dinner went on without any incidents and it ended with everyone praising her that her cooking skills are out of this world.


    Ye Zhuan started to fight with Jun Yuan to exchange her with his grandson, making Ye Fang''s face go red. Jun Lan shook her head in amusement and left the two old men to play as much as they want before returning to her room.


    She locked the door from inside and changed into a set of male robes which she bought earlier in the day. She then leaned against the bed to wait till everyone drifted into their respective dream lands. The noise and chatter in the mansion slowly disappeared and the candles were blown out making the entire atmosphere tranquil and still.


    '' It''s time.'' Jun Lan whispered in her heart and covered her face with a mask. She then opened the door and closed it before disappearing into the numerous corridors in the mansion. She stopped against a window and looked down. She saw numerous bushes and lavender plants growing along the area down there. She decided that it would be the perfect cushion for her fall.


    Since she had no special skills or cultivation, she had to be careful in her actions. All she knew was to spar like an expert does, nothing more. After calming down her racing heart, she jumped out of the window.


    In the large canopy of vines and bushes, a figure laid on the ground and was enjoying the faint scent of lavender and the cool breeze flowing along his face. He was so lost in the bliss of mother nature that he did not sense a person falling from above. Only after a while did he feel that something was totally amiss, and opened his eyes only to see a black object falling from the sky.


    His eyes widened at the sight and his body immediately tried to dodge the black ball, but it was too late as the object crashed against his hard rock like chest.


    " Hiss¡­" Xu Zian and Jun Lan hissed at the same time. The impact affected both of them.


    Just as Xu Zian was wondering what the black ball is, a voice filled with complaints drifted over his ear " What in the world is this thing! Why do I always have such a shitty luck?! Ouch, ouch! My nose must have been broken!"


    He immediately recognized the owner of this voice. It was the little girl who he teased earlier. Xu Zian''s face instantly darkened and his voice was not so good to hear " Who are you calling a thing?"


    " Of course this!" Jun Lan slapped his chest hard not recognizing what exactly was happening around her.


    '' Where in the world did she get this strength?'' he gritted his teeth to muffle the sounds of pain which are threatening to escape from his mouth. Which man cries after being hit by a girl? He did not want to cry out in pain and embarrass himself. How could he show his face again if the word of him crying out in pain gets out? The thought itself is terrifying and he subconsciously shivered.


    Like that, when both are wincing in their pain a moment of silence ensued.


    Jun Lan was busy rubbing her nose and her blurred eyes became clear after the pain subsided. She then saw an unfortunate being below her who was now looking at her with menacing eyes.


    " Oh no! This is bad! This is not intentional!" she cried out but inside her heart she was gloating '' Serves you right, no one who teased me had a good ending. The next time you tease me I will make sure to break your legs.''


    Though Jun Lan spoke as if she was feeling bad, the mirth in her voice was clearly evident and it was clear that she was mocking him. But, it was beneath a man to fight with a woman, especially on such petty matters. So, he swallowed his anger and flashed a smile which did not reach his eyes " How long are you planning to stay on top of me?"


    Jun Lan was currently lying on his chest and she immediately got up and sat on his stomach after hearing his words. She then started to massage her legs. She was totally not disturbed by the fact that she is sitting on a man''s stomach which made Xu Zian speechless. The one before him, is she really a girl?


    " My legs are numb due to fall ah! I will not be staying long. So, stay still." a certain black bellied girl spoke nonchalantly. Truth be told, she was perfectly alright as most of the impact of her fall was taken by the ''cushion'' below her.


    She did not feel even the slightest of pain anywhere with the only exception being her nose as it directly collided with his rock hard chest. She just wanted to piss him off and she was settling accounts with him for his earlier teasing. She was never the one to be trifled with and she will make sure that he understands that fact!


    Xu Zian choked on his words. He finally understood what tit for tat truly is! He did not think this little girl would take revenge against him. He thought that she is a harmless little fox, who would have thought that she is actually a sly fox!


    He teased her because he found her interesting. Well, he will admit that he was in the wrong. With this he felt numb and did not refute her. He could not throw her off and he really did not want to tease her again, for now at least.


    '' Girl, this time I will let it slide since I was in the wrong.'' With this thought, he stayed like a dead fish below her.

 39 Sneaking Ou

    " Ouch! This leg of mine is in pain, I think it is broken." Jun Lan whined loudly and slapped her hand against his face in the process. Both of them froze at the same time, Jun Lan also realized that it''s time to break this farce, lest the man below her explodes in fury.


    " I am alright now." she immediately got up from him and chirped while helping him to stand up. Xu Zian pursed his lips and remained quite. He continuously reminded himself that he should not beat the little girl up. She was driving him crazy!


    It was only now he observed that the girl was dressed in male robes and covered her face with a mask instead of robes. Her grey orbs were even more alluring in the moonlight making him dazed for a while.


    She had the most beautiful eyes, he was convinced of that. But, what is she doing and where is she going in the middle of the night dressed up like that?


    " What exactly are you doing now?" he felt that this girl was really good at creating troubles.


    Jun Lan had an incredulous expression on her face " I am sneaking out. Are you that dumb that you could not even figure that out?"


    Xu Zian felt something stab on his self-esteem. He truly lost his face in front of the girl. Why was he always acting stupid around this girl? He could only cough to cover up his embarrassment.


    " I was just making sure." what he thought as a perfect answer made Jun Lan roll her eyes at him. It was clear that she did not believe him and Xu Zian felt heat rising up in his cheeks. He was sure that he must be looking red like a tomato now. Jun Lan did not notice his flushed face as she spoke " Oh! Well then, it''s time we part our ways."


    After dropping her words, she turned around to leave but a large hand caught her tiny one making her stop in her tracks.


    Her brows furrowed deeply as she gazed at his hand. Noticing her displeasure, he released her hand and explained himself " I am going to come with you."


    "Eh?!" Jun Lan was clearly stunned, she really did not see this coming. What exactly is this flower boy planning now?


    " No, thanks. But, I think I can go by myself." she clearly rejected him.


    " You are a guest in here. Your safety is our responsibility. So, it''s only natural that I accompany you. There is no room for further discussion and I am going with you."


    On sensing her discomfort he spoke in a helpless voice " Rest assured, I will not cause any troubles for you. I will not speak a word about anything which I see later today. You have my word."


    If possible she really wanted to go alone, but his reasoning has a point. She was a guest here and she cannot act reckless. On top of that, the two old men seemed to be good friends. Jun Lan sighed " I hope you remember the words you spoke now. If you dare to make any trouble later on, I will see that all the bones in your body are broken. Mark my words."


    " You are being paranoid." he simply cut her off " Now, let''s get going or I am sure that we will just stay here fighting each other."


    That made her swallow her words which were just at the tip of her lips. She also felt that his words were true and stopped talking back. Both of them quickly jumped over the wall with Xu Zian helping her first. He was tall and naturally he was able to jump over the wall with ease.


    Xu Zian did not speak anything and quietly followed her. He saw her navigating through the streets with ease as and he finally frowned when he saw her walking towards a back alley.


    " Where exactly are we going?" he could not help but ask.


    " Phoenix Trading House." she replied absentmindedly as she increased her pace. Xu Zian finally understood why she dressed up like a male.


    Then again this girl was truly fearless and he wondered how that old man was able to control this willful girl. It was good that he accompanied her, that trading house was not a place where a girl could run off to play as she likes ah!


    " This young master, are you here for selling or buying?" a guard dressed up in black questioned Xu Zian as soon as they saw these two coming towards them. Given their height and personalities, they naturally assumed Xu Zian as the master and Jun Lan as servant.


    " *cough*, I am here to accompany my master." he replied in a solemn voice while bowing towards Jun Lan. She was amused but she knew that it was not the time to play with him.


    So, she immediately caught on to the act as she nailed the role of an arrogant master. She completely ignored Xu Zian and did not let him stand straight, she spoke in a commanding voice " I am here for buying and slaves at that." Xu Zian''s lips curved up on hearing how she changed her voice so easily. He felt that tonight is going to be interesting.


    " Male or Female?" Noticing that the kid was the master, they did not dare act reckless. After all, they were just normal guards. Moreover, the kid''s deep voice subconsciously made them shiver.


    " Both and the number of slaves which I buy depends on my mood. Any more questions?" the guards immediately shook their heads and allowed her to go in.


    " Zian, enough of that bowing. Now, follow me." she spoke as if he was really her servant making him let out a faint chuckle as he followed her. This little fox was truly amusing.


    " Young lord, what do you want to trade?" a young girl dressed in seductive robes winked her eyes at Jun Lan. Though Xu Zian was handsome, he was ignored because of his identity as a servant.


    " Buy slaves." Jun Lan was in no mood to entertain the girl and she replied coldly.


    " I you could follow me, young lord." the girl quickly took them to a large arena.

 40 Two sides of a coin

    Jun Lan observed the large circular arena and the seating arrangements around it. It was the Phoenix House''s fighting arena. The slaves were made to fight just for the enjoyment of masses and if anyone in the audience took an interest towards any slave, they could bid for them. It was ruthless but it was the way it worked, how could she not know about Wang Xiu''s methods.


    Her face instantly turned ugly as she remembered him. Xu Zian sensed her plummeting mood and tried to distract her " Let''s sit there." She nodded like a puppet and followed him and sat beside him with her mind still occupied.


    She should not be feeling upset over that bastard. Without a doubt, she was going to kill him. But she would rather play with him to her heart''s content, killing him is just letting him off easily. She will clearly plan his demise.


    With these thoughts, the gloomy cloud in her heart cleared up and she raised her head.She realized that they were seated in the least conspicuous corner which also offered the best view of the arena before them. So, flower boy is quite useful ah! She then stared at the man beside her side-eyed. He was busy observing the arena and she retracted her gaze.


    The seats were completely packed up with crowds today. This only means that there are many slaves who are going to die soon on the arena.


    The crowd was very excited as their cheers resounded throughout the arena. This excitement of the crowd only made her sick, how could one find such pleasure in the death of others? She was never able to understand this. Since they were both free and had nothing to do at the moment, she voiced her thoughts.


    " Why is it that people find pleasure in death and misfortune of others?"


    Her soft voice filled with grief made Xu Zian go silent for a while as he didn''t know how to answer that question. Thinking for a while he propped his chin against his palm and looked straight into her eyes as he spoke each word clearly.


    " In this world, where rich triumph over poor and where the strong trample the weak, anything is a feast of pleasure to the eyes of the idle and brainless."


    Is he calling all the people who are having fun watching others die as idle and brainless?


    " pfft¡­" Jun Lan laughed out loudly, her mood was certainly better now. Thanks to him. But, she frowned as she heard his next words.


    " This world is a reflection of evil." The grief and anger in his voice did not escape her keen perception.


    " There''s no evil without good. The world is a reflection of people''s hearts."She was neither a philosopher nor a prophet. Her words were purely based on her life experiences.


    " The word good is a sweet dream which never occurs in reality." he retorted.


    She was not speaking empty words earlier and she did not want to debate with him. But, his way of thinking is a bit wrong and it left her heart unsettled. She knew she could not change his views completely, but it''s no harm to try. She clearly could not leave him like that.


    " I can understand that your words are based on your experiences. You must experience enough kindness to believe that good exists."


    " Let me tell you something. There''s this village called Xingfu. As the name states you can find that all people there are happy no matter what. Some have no food, meager clothing and no roof above their head. But they are always happy and do not blame anyone or whine about their problems."


    She caught his attention as he was listening to her every word carefully. Just as he was about to speak something, she interrupted him " Listen to me till the end without speaking anything. Do you understand?"


    Their surroundings were noisy and loud with people moving continuously before them. But, it did not affect them in the least as they were completely isolated from the outside world. Both of them had only the other in their eyes. He nodded reluctantly and Jun Lan ignored his attitude sighing faintly in the process.


    " I don''t expect you to believe my words. You can just visit the village and see for yourself if everything I said is true or not."


    She then told him a list of many places which influenced her in her past life. They were so immersed in their conversation that Xu Zian ended up telling her about his childhood.


    Jun Lan learnt that he was an orphan and that he lived on streets where there is anything but good. The only thing he had is a jade with his name carved on it. He didn''t know anything about his lineage. Later, the Chu family took him in as a servant. But, it was Chu Lian who fought with her father and started calling him brother. The only person he cared about is her.


    " My own parents left me. So, how can you expect me to believe in good."


    After hearing his words Jun Lan suddenly smiled.


    " Why do you think that they left you? They could have sacrificed their lives to save yours."


    Why did he not think of it earlier? He was too small at that time and being alone all the time made him depressed. He was so consumed with rage and grief that he stopped noticing trivial but important details.


    It was a simple statement from her mouth but it created ripples in his heart.


    She saw that he was thinking and it made her relieved. One should strike iron when it''s hot!


    She took out a coin and started rolling it between her fingers. Under his penetrating gaze, she spoke in a cool voice " There are always two sides of a coin. The same applies to people, relationships and our judgement."


    " So, try to communicate and make an effort to find out what exactly the truth is. It''s not a nice thing to curse people who really cared about us."


    After speaking, she placed the coin on the table. Xu Zian was clearly affected by her speech. He took the coin and grinned at her " I will be taking this coin as a reminder of your lesson, teacher."


    " Aren''t I cool?" she raised her collar and her eyes turned into crescents indicating that she had a huge smile on her face. Xu Zian suddenly thought that it would be nice if he could see her smile.


    " Yes, you are great." he paused for a while before blurting out " Why do you wear a veil?"


    " It''s because I am ugly and I do not want to stain your eyes."


    " No, I don''t think that a girl who spoke such words earlier would care about such a thing." he was damn sure about that.


    " Well, me having a scar is true. And I don''t care about what others say." she shrugged her shoulders " I am used to it, wearing it from childhood. I feel weird and uncomfortable without it."


    Xu Zian chose to believe her words and did not ask about it any further.

 41 Friends

    Xu Zian was clearly surprised by this girl. He did not think that such a young girl would be so knowledgeable. Truth be told, he was ashamed of himself. He was physically stronger than her, but he understood that he was emotionally weak. He had to change and he knew that it is a very difficult task. He had to deal with his negative attitude slowly.


    Jun Lan understood that he was overly depressed all these years and that is the reason for his negative thinking. So, she sincerely advised him.


    " Depression is a dangerous drug. Don''t get addicted to it."


    If he had not met her, he was sure that the darkness in him would consume him completely sooner or later. He was really thankful that he met her. So, he thanked her heartily " I will try to change myself, slowly but surely. Thanks for telling me all this."


    Jun Lan nodded her head and did not say anything. Her mind was occupied with other things. She remembered Ye Fang and Chu Lian getting killed, and she wondered where this fellow was at that time. She was sure that with his attitude, he would never kill them. Should she warn him about third prince?


    While she was immersed in her thoughts, he was also doing the same. He was thinking about how she listed various villages in a single breath. Her words seemed as if she experienced everything in the world. In a nutshell, she was a mystery to be solved in his eyes.


    Both of them felt that the other person is not the one with any ulterior motives and can be trusted. Their own train of thoughts were in a sync and they were unaware of it.


    Both of them turned to the side facing each other and spoke at the same time " Let''s be friends."


    Both of them were initially stunned and a moment later they burst out laughing at the same time. They needed no more words as both of them understood each other.


    Initially, they were teasing each other and not long ago she beat him up. And here they are now as friends. Life sure works in mysterious ways. Jun Lan sighed in her heart happily.


    " Friends don''t call each other by full names. So, I will stick with flower boy or Zian."


    " Zian is fine. Forget about the other name, else I will think of a not so good name for you." he scoffed at her. This girl really knows how to piss him off.


    " Well then." she tried to speak but she ended up laughing for a long time as the name flower boy lingered in her thoughts. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his darkened face and ended up laughing so hard that she clutched her stomach.


    Xu Zian now had a dark cloud hovering above his head and at last she felt pity for him and stopped laughing.


    " You can call me Lan." she said making him smile like a fool at the end.


    Like that a bond of friendship was formed between the two wounded hearts which would beautifully heal along with the time deepening their feelings and relationship.


    " I can tell that you are against the idea of slavery." Xu Zian spoke while pushing a plate of grapes towards her. For every two chairs, there is a medium sized table with grapes and wine. The entire arena seats are filled on first come first served basis.


    " Is that so? I came here to buy them." she asked faintly while playing with the grapes. She did not eat them because of the mask. It''s not a veil which one could conveniently lift while eating.


    " Not necessarily." he rubbed his chin indicating that he is thinking deeply " You might be wanting to free a few of them. One might be mistaken that you would free everyone if you had enough money, but you are not god to save everyone. So, I think you want to free a few of them."


    " You are right to an extent. I loathe slavery. I don''t save everyone, I save only those who have the courage to fight for their freedom."


    Again! This little friend of his never ceases to amaze him. Those words from her mouth, he really want to note them all somewhere ah!


    The drumming sounds made them stop their chat and both of them turned towards the arena. The beats of the drum signify that the first match was going to start in a few moments.


    " Ladies and gentlemen, the first round of the survival match is going to start in a few moments. The slaves will be out in a while." The announcer of this trading house matches, Cao Sun used his internal qi to amplify his voice so that it would reach everyone who is seated in this room.


    " Zian" she called out to him and he never knew that his name sounded so good.


    " Hmm¡­" he looked at her with inquisitive eyes and a faint smile hanging at the corner of his lips.


    " A middle aged woman with auburn hair and a man in his early twenties with a missing eye. Look out for them using your qi energy and let me know once you find them." Noticing his curious expression she generously explained.


    " I am here for them." Xu Zian nodded in understanding.


    She can strain her eyes out but she was more likely to miss her targets with her normal eyesight. She heard that cultivation increases the sensitivity of all the five senses of a person. That''s the reason she asked him to look out.


    " I will keep an eye on them. You can be at ease." he assured her.


    The sounds of horn echoed throughout the arena and about fifty people were released at once into the ground. Each one had a board hanging around his neck with a distinct character engraved on each board, thus differentiating them. Each one was equipped with a sword and following the signal of the announcer they all charged at once, thus starting the endless cycle of bloodshed.

 42 Young master wants all of them

    Looking at the whole bunch of people who never held a sword in their lives being forced to fight the other people just to live really made her heart ache. She realized that she truly cannot endure to watch them kill one another for their freedom. So what if they gain freedom? Their hands would be stained by the blood of the innocent, making them live with guilt for the rest of their lives.


    She really felt bad about it and she began fiddling with her fingers. She stared at the arena with displeasure. Just when the sword was raised and before the first kill would happen, a sound of bell ringing resounded throughout the arena.


    The person holding the sword stopped his movements in the mid air and lowered his weapon. All the slaves in the arena stood in a uniform way, since it was the thing they should do when they hear the sound of a bell.


    The people sitting in the audience all turned to look at the direction where the bell sounded. Even Xu Zian could not help but glance at the girl beside him, who rung the bell even before the first match ended.


    Everyone in the audience stared at the masked kid with annoyance and irritation. They particularly didn''t like the interruption of the match they were anticipating for. So, they glared daggers at him.


    Xu Zian frowned instantly after noticing all the unfriendly looks directed towards her. Even under such pressure, Jun Lan remained unperturbed as she did not spare even a single glance at the crowd.


    Her gaze was only fixed on the auctioneer as he made his way towards her through the crowds. The auctioneer was also stunned when he heard the bell. He never saw someone buy slaves in these matches, people come here for entertainment, a sickly hobby he must say.


    This was something new and he found himself getting excited. He wanted to see what exactly is the clients purpose for ringing the bell before even the first kill happened.


    When Jia Feng found his client, his heart shook on seeing a young boy about 13 or 14 years who was staring at him with clear and emotionless eyes. He never expected that the person who rang the bell would be so young. He could not help but examine the kid from head to toe.


    The kid was dressed in simple male black robes, nothing close to extravagance. His hair kept up in a simple bun like a scholar. But, his cold and unfeeling eyes are more than enough to tell that the person before them is no where close to being a scholar.


    Jun Lan also observed the man before her. Jia Feng, the mysterious man who accepted to serve the third prince for a reason which she knew. The person who served Wang Xiu wholeheartedly, not knowing the real truth. Tsk¡­


    He suppressed the shock in his heart as he spoke in a calm and nonchalant tone " Young master, who do you want to buy?"


    Since the person rang the bell, he must have known its purpose. So, Jia Feng directly cut to the chase. All her surroundings turned silent as they were really curious about this kid''s answer.


    " I want all of them." Jun Lan pointed her fingers towards the arena much to everyone''s surprise. Jia Feng was rendered speechless whereas the whole arena broke out into loud whispers.


    " Is that kid crazy? Why would one want a horde of slaves?"


    " This kid must be playing around. Why else would someone interrupt the match in the middle."


    " Does this kid not fear the third prince? Isn''t stopping this match akin to going against that man?"


    " What is the matter? Are you going to sell them to me or not?" Jun Lan spoke in an impatient tone, she started to act as if she was annoyed and her whole demeanour turned cold and fierce silencing all the loud murmurs around her.


    Even Jia Feng was affected by this sudden change as he hurriedly replied " This young master, I am afraid that I should consult with my lord first."


    " Lord? What is the need to consult him?" Jun Lan chuckled lowly


    " Aren''t the rules clear to you or should I remind you?"


    Jia Feng''s face paled as she continued " Anyone can buy the slaves they are interested in. I am interested in all, so I will buy them."


    " Young master, till today no one bought slaves who fought in the arena." he sighed a little before continuing " I sincerely advise you to stop this claim or else you will going against our lord by stopping this match."


    Jun Lan felt that the man standing before her is not too bad, she had a plan for him later.


    " Just that your lord enjoys this show, the rules can''t be changed. Also, since I dared to stop the match, I know the consequences. You just release the slaves after I pay the money."


    Jia Feng no longer tried to convince this person.He warned the kid beforehand and since the other party is persistent he could only follow.


    " Young lord, there are fifty slaves out of which ten can fight. It''s a total of 100 silvers." Jia Feng started to explain taking up the role of a good auctioneer.


    Jun Lan nodded her head, but the problem is that she does not have any silvers. All she has is gold. The old man''s pouch was entirely filled with gold and she felt bitter in her heart that he was able to hide all this money away from her eyes. He was surely a fox for hiding all his money away! She must make sure to squander all his money later.


    She took out a few gold coins and handed them to the Jia Feng, who turned stiff like a wooden block on seeing the ten gold coins on his palm.


    " Keep them, I still have to buy a lot." Jun Lan''s voice made Jia Feng dumbfounded. An ominous premonition rose in his heart, but he maintained a straight face as he nodded.


    Why is he feeling that a fight will break out soon?

 43 One is annoyed and the other two are amused

    Jia Feng cleared his throat and announced loudly " The first batch of the slaves are free and I ask of them to wait in the Cloud hall."


    Cloud hall! The faces of the slaves lit up with a smile. For them, the word Cloud hall means freedom. All those who were bought by new masters were sent to cloud hall.


    As far as they know,those who entered the arena never left the place with their lives.So, they were naturally surprised and thanked the person who bought them in their hearts. Living the life of a slave is far better than fighting to death with a tiny thread of hope.


    The feeling of being free like a bird is truly inexplicable, the faces of the slaves were lit up with happiness as they slowly left the arena.


    Jia Feng cautiously glanced at the Third Prince, Wang Xiu who was seated in a separate cabin. The curtain to the cabin was raised and sure enough his face was cold and displeasure was written all over his face. Jia Feng gulped heavily as Wang Xiu stared at him and opened his mouth faintly " See that the next match goes smoothly."


    " The person who bought my slaves, let me introduce myself. This one is Wang Xiu, the third in succession to the throne. I don''t care who bought the first batch of slaves, I am happy that you''ve taken a liking to the slaves of our trading house. There are many trained for that purpose and you can buy as many as you want from our trained batch later."


    " But, these slaves you just bought now are useless and are solely for entertainment. So, I hope that you would not interrupt these matches any further."


    Wang Xiu didn''t even know who the person was nor did he have any interest to know. He was certainly angry as someone dared to stop his matches at his place for the first time. Since he was a prince, he could not act carelessly and lose his temper over such silly issues. As a prince, he knew how to adapt to the situations.


    He spoke in such a gentle way so that he could establish a gentle and caring image in the hearts of the people.


    How could Jun Lan not understand his thoughts. She tapped her fingers on the table but did not speak anything purposefully. What is the need for her to speak with him? Since he wanted to speak, let him speak to all the rocks and pillars in here. There is no obligation that she should respond to his silly statements.


    Wang Xiu had a proud look on his face after finishing speaking. He continued to sip his wine waiting for the other party to accept his commands. An incense stick of time passed in absolute silence, Wang Xiu was finally enraged and green veins started to pop on his forehead.


    Endure! He reminded himself. He cannot break his kind and benevolent image. So, he gritted his teeth and announced.


    " Start the next match."


    Jia Feng flinched visibly and announced for the next match to be started as the second batch of people were brought onto the grounds.


    Jun Lan leaned against the chair with her head resting on her palms. Her carefree and nonchalant attitude irked Xu Zian " You seem to be enjoying this. Do you have any enmity with Wang Xiu?"


    Since she called him as a friend, she will trust him completely. If he happened to betray her anytime she would never spare a glance at him in the future. With these thoughts, she nodded her head " Yes, we both cannot remain under the same sky."


    " Initially I thought to buy only a few of the slaves, but if buying them all could makehim mad, I will anger him to death."


    Since he said not to disturb any match, she will see that all matches are put to a stop before they even start.


    Xu Zian stared at her profile for a while before murmuring softly " You are kind."


    Jun Lan was speechless. How did he come up with this conclusion?


    Seeing her confused eyes, Xu Zian sighed" Just to anger that idiot Wang Xiu, there is no need for you to save all of those slaves. Nomatter how hard you try toreject that , you being kind is a fact."


    " Idiot Wang Xiu? So, you are at bad terms with Wang Xiu?" Jun Lan caught on to the crucial point completely disregarding his compliments.


    " Hmm¡­" Xu Zian had a bitter expression on his face as he shifted to her side and whispered into her ear " For some reason, he is trying to poach Ye Fang on to his side and I don''t like it. Let''s discuss about this later, it''s not safe to speak of him here."


    Agreeing to him, Jun Lan saw that the signal was given and just when a person raised his sword she rang the bell. Xu Zian''s face turned beet red as he tried to control his laughter. This girl is a gem at making other people mad.


    He then tilted his handsome head only to see an enraged Wang Xiu glaring at the girl beside him. Finding his gaze bothersome, Xu Zian shielded her with his body and stared back at him coldly, making Wang Xiu tremble.


    Wang Xiu did not know who Xu Zian was, but he was not able to sense the other party''s cultivation, meaning that the person is either a waste or a person with higher cultivation than him. A waste would not have such deadly aura and fierce gaze, making Wang Xiu settle on the second reasoning.


    How can there be a person stronger than him? First that Jun Ling and now this nameless person. Now, there are two thorns in his eyes. He had to cultivate hard to surpass them.


    Now, he cannot go against the kid due to the monster''s presence beside him. He was sure that he had no chances of winning against the mysterious man. He could only let the matter go so as to not escalate things further. Then again, he stared at the masked kid as a sinister thought started to form in his mind.

 44 Who exactly is the prey?

    Wang Xiu retracted his gaze and started to tap his fingers on the table. He then shot a glance at his right hand man Gu Su who nodded in understanding.


    " Honored guest, what is the meaning of your actions?" the arrogance in Gu Su''s voice made Jun Lan sneer in contempt. Like master, like servant¡­


    " Everything is as you see. There is no hidden meaning behind my actions." Xu Zian stifled his laughter after hearing her words, the girl was really enjoying all this.


    " It amazes me that you don''t know the rules of your master''s own establishment. Your Highness, I suggest you to change your hidden guard." Jun Lan''s pristine and soft voice was clearly transmitted to each and every person who were seated in the arena.


    She had no intention to stop as she continued " I did not break any of the rules here and are you in a delusion that you have more authority than your master?"


    " Your prince has yet to speak and here you are barking like a dog. I never saw a servant speaking before their master."


    " Should I applaud you for your courage now? If I was in royal highness place, I would rather not have someone like you by my side, who would do nothing but harm my name."


    " Or are you thinking that you can suppress us commoners with your status. It does not matter if you are the third prince''s guard, remember that you are still his servant at the end. So, don''t think ahead of yourself. "


    Jun Lan''s voice turned stern and fierce with each word and everyone could not help but look at the masked young man in a new light. They had to admit that this kid had tons of courage.


    He went against the Third prince and now he rebuked that arrogant Gu Su who always shows off. No matter how hard the Third prince tries, he cannot fool the entire public. If he thinks that he can convince everyone with his kind and benevolent act, then he was a fool.


    Some of the clever citizens secretly applauded Jun Lan in their hearts. But, they didn''t expect her to speak again. This time her next words made everyone break out into a cold sweat and Xu Zian tostare at her fixedly.


    " If your prince has any complaints or grievances, I would like to hear him speak personally. Gu Su,I would only accept you talking to me, if your prince lost his voice, which is not the case as I believe that he spoke well not long ago."


    Gu Su was rendered speechless by her fierce retorts. He did not expect that he would not be able to speak even a single word. Never in his dreams did he expect that he would lose against a kid in an argument. He tilted his head to glance at his master who was now clutching the wine cup tightly. Small cracks started to form on the cup and the cup broke into several pieces.


    Crack!


    In the extremely calm and stagnant atmosphere, the breaking sounds of the cup was clearly audible making everyone gulp nervously. Some were worried about Jun Lan but majority were clearly looking forward to the play.


    Jun Lan''s words may not seem rude, but if one analyses them carefully they can understand that her each word is taunting the prince. Simple minded people will not find anything off about her words. But men who were shrewd like Wang Xiu would clearly understand the underlying meaning of her seemingly innocent words. She was clearly telling that if Wang Xiu had a problem he had to speak by himself and not push everything onto his guard like a spineless coward.


    How could Wang Xiu not be angry? In his life, no one dared to speak to him like that. But now a nameless kid was dragging his name into gutters.


    He was truly unable to endure. If possible he wanted to behead that worthless masked kid then and there.


    The whole arena was so silent that everyone can hear their own breathing.


    Jun Lan was not the one who would patiently wait for him to take his sweet time to respond.


    " Sir Jia Feng, send this batch of slaves to the Cloud Hall." her tone was like an order and Jia Feng found himself reply to her in a respectful tone " Yes, young master. It will be done right away."


    Jia Feng was clearly intimidated by Jun Lan''s presence. She may be petite and small, but the aura around her is so domineering that it made one bow their back voluntarily.


    When Jia Feng told the slaves that they were free, they all froze at their spots wondering if they were all in a sweet dream. But, Jia Feng''s shouts made them snap out of their daze and they returned back to the Cloud Hall with dreamy expressions on their faces.


    Wang Xiu was sitting in his luxurious cabin with his fists clenched and his lips pursed tightly. He thought that the kid would be easy to deal with. How could he think that the kid half of his size would outsmart him. This encounter truly opened his eyes, he realized that there are people who are as calculative as him.


    At the moment, he had to take care of this issue so as to not to lose face in the public. He pondered for a while before coming up with a plan in his mind. He took in deep breaths before speaking in a cold voice which sent chills down everyone''s spines.


    " This prince does not mean to upset or offend anybody. Start the next match and I hope it will go smoothly."


    Wang Xiu was not a saint to remain calm and poised after all that taunting. He was waiting for her to stop the match and fall into his trap.


    Unknown to him, Jun Lan had a faint smile radiating in her eyes after listening to his words. He had already fallen into her trap.

 45 The Wager

    The third and the last group of slaves were brought onto the arena following Jia Feng''s orders. The anticipation in the crowds had been completely washed away due to the cancellation of two matches in a row. Deep inside their hearts everyone knew that the third match was also going to end before it even started.


    The group of slaves who were dressed up in rags and tattered clothes looked at each other in confusion. They were told that the crowd would be excited and that the stadium would be cheering all the time, such was the interest of people in these matches. But they were bewildered facing such silence. The arena resembled more of a cemetery than fighting grounds.


    Jia Feng glanced at the group of slaves who were standing uniformly in five rows before releasing the signal flare into the air which was akin to the death''s siren to the group of slaves.


    Experience surely enlightens one''s mind. This was exactly the case with Jia Feng as he immediately turned around and stared at Jun Lan, he was waiting for her to ring the bell. Not even a single drop of blood would be shed on this day, a new scenario but it somehow felt good in his heart.


    " Sir Jia Feng, I think I need not ring the bell again for third time." she chuckled making him smile along with her.


    " You are all free. That gentleman there bought you all sparing your lives. Remember to serve him well in future." Jia Feng whispered to a man in the front whose gaze turned to look at his future master in the crowd.


    Jun Lan who saw the man staring at her found herself whispering " He is interesting." The man was dressed in rags but his face had an unusual glow of determination as he walked towards the Cloud Hall.


    Wang Xiu who witnessed all these happenings now had a smile of victory plastered on his face. His deep and masculine voice sounded happy as he spoke the following words.


    " Honored guest, this prince can understand that you are in need of slaves. You can kill them or use them to pleasure yourself. Since you are well versed in the rules, you must have known that here one can challenge others for a fight."


    " Of course I know." Not even a hint of fear or nervousness can be traced out in her voice making Wang Xiu scrunch his brows deeply.


    " So, are you ready to take up the challenge?" Wang Xiu challenged her.


    " Why should I take up your challenge? I am not interested."


    What sort of attitude was this? Not only Wang Xiu and the crowd, even Xu Zian was finding it hard to understand the sudden changes in her behavior. Not interested? What kind of answer was this?


    " What can get you interested?" Wang Xiu''s lips twitched and he maintained his calm demeanor with great difficulty.


    " Hmm¡­" Jun Lan seemed to be thinking hard as she rubbed her chin in the process " A Wager. I am not someone who fights to entertain you. If you can provide me something interesting, then maybe I will fight."


    " Also, I have a condition if you want to see me fight so badly."


    Who want to see this pimp fight? Wang Xiu almost exploded with anger. No matter what, he had to make this kid agree to fight. Only then he can teach this kid a lesson. Swallowing all the complaints, he finally opened his mouth.


    " What is it?"


    " I am just a normal person without any cultivation. So, I can only compete in martial arts and my opponent must also be a person without cultivation."


    Wang Xiu had planned to crush this kid by sending a person who had strong cultivation. Now he had to forget about that as the young kid clearly stated that he had no cultivation. Even so, he knew one of the best martial artist. He was more than sure that the kid can''tlast even for a teacup of time against that monster.


    "Then it will be in martial arts."


    " Alright¡­" Jun Lan nodded " Then what about the wager."


    " If you manage to win then I will award you with a million gold coins."


    A million gold coins is not a small amount specially for commoners. Wang Xiu was in a delusion that the peasant before him would accept it as a wager instantly. But, he never expected that he would be disdained.


    " A million gold! Tsk¡­" Jun Lan sneered " A million gold is not worth fighting for. Here I am ready to fight risking my life and you are offering me a mere million gold. The Third Price sure is magnanimous."


    A million gold coins is a large amount but Jun Lan''s words had an affect on the crowd. Surprisingly they all thought that the Third Prince was in the wrong and the act of valuing a life for a million gold coins made them rethink about this prince.


    They all felt that this prince would not hesitate to sacrifice all his citizens if he was offered a good amount of money. A wall of apprehension was built against Wang Xiu in their hearts.


    Wang Xiu felt that he was truly unfortunate today. He started the match as he wanted to relax for a while, who would have thought that he would end up in this way.


    If he was unsure before, now he was determined to squash this pest.


    " What do you want then?" all pretenses of cordiality were shed as Wang Xiu''s voice turned completely hostile.


    This was what she was waiting for. She was waiting to hear these words. Now that the fish took the bait, she parted her lips and spoke each word loud enough so that everyone could hear.


    " Phoenix Trading House."


    Her declaration made Wang Xiu freeze completely but exactly those words made Xu Zian smile widely. This little friend of his surpassed all his expectations. She was more intelligent and cunning than he thought her to be. With a cunning fox as his friend, he was sure that the future is going to be interesting.


    Phoenix Trading House! Wang Xiu never thought that the kid had this thought all along. This was the base for all his shady businesses. Losing this place is equivalent to him becoming a cripple.


    " If your highness is hesitating then I wish to take my leave now. I am a busy person and I don''t have time to fool around." Upon sensing his hesitation Jun Lan immediately interjected his thoughts.


    It was Wang Xiu who proposed the competition and now if he backed out he would be called as a coward.


    Gu Su saw his master''s darkened face and he spoke up immediately " Master, we have Fu Han on our side."


    Yes! Fu Han''s name was like a ray of light as his features immediately brightened. Wang Xiu felt that his worries are unfounded with Fu Han on their side.


    With sudden confidence he declared " If you win the match, then the Phoenix Trading House will be yours."

 46 The Pawn

    Phoenix Trading House will be yours¡­


    Beneath the mask, a smile so beautiful that could make one breathless slowly bloomed on her cherry blossom like lips as Wang Xiu''s bellow fell on her ears. Her ash grey eyes were brimming with confidence as she slowly locked her hands on her back. Her slightly parted legs, the slightly tilted head which screamed of arrogance made everyone stare at her figure with stupefied looks on their faces.


    Wang Xiu was no exception to this as his eagle like predatory eyes were locked on the petite figure who was the reason behind all the strange events that are transpiring today. He who initially despised her to the core of his heart found himself staring at her silhouette in awe. He found her presence extremely attractive, her confidence adding an enchanting aura to her already mystic profile.


    " I accept the challenge¡­" her deep voice tinged with a sonorous ringbroke everyone from their stupor successfully. The awe and admiration on Wang Xiu''s face was instantly replaced with an expression of brute savagery.


    " Good, the match will begin in a while as we are awaiting the arrival of Fu Han. You can rest in the meantime." the undisguised anger in his voice made Jun Lan chuckle lowly which did not escape from Xu Zian''s ears. Her laugh which was completely doused in mockery made Xu Zian smile while shaking his head helplessly.


    He enjoyed her antics but deep in his heart he was worried about her. He was not sure if she could manage to fight against Fu Han or not, for the man was an excellent martial artist even though the man had no talent for cultivation. He had no idea about her martial arts and he was not the type to mask his inner feelings. So, he immediately voiced out his concerns " Fu Han is not the one to be trifled with. Are you sure that you can fight against him?"


    She understood his concerns and where he was coming from. Fu Han was a man name was well known for his excellent martial arts. But, there was no one who knew her fighting techniques and how deadly they can be. It was high time for her to display her skills and perhaps¡­ her killer charm. She slumped into the chair and leaned against it before locking her eyes with the deep night like eyes of Xu Zian''s.


    " What will you describe Fu Han as?" though it was an irrelevant question and not the kind of answer he was expecting from her, he pondered for a while to find the right words.


    " If I must say, he is as an elite of all the martial artists." Xu Zian repeated the lines which she heard many times, the exact way the rumors described him to be.


    " If he is an elite, then you can call me as an ace of all the martial arts. It''s pointless to worry about me." she shrugged her shoulders as she blinked her eyes innocently at him.


    Xu Zian didn''t know if he should laugh or cry after hearing her words. Should he feel happy or sadthat she is being over-confident? Even he was of no match in physical martial arts to that man, not to speak of the petite girl beside him. Now he was truly feeling unsettled and he found his voice abandon him at that moment.


    There was disbelief written all over his face, but it did not make her angry or upset. After all, this reaction was only natural based on the fact that she was a petite looking girl and they barely knew each other. Though they declared their friendship, it was not enough to make him believe everything she said. She knew that any explanations from her are only going to end up as futile efforts, thus she chose to remain silent. Nevertheless he was in for a shock, a stupendous one at that.


    Jun Lan tilted her head and closed her eyes, deep in thought¡­ It was said that Fu Han was a free spirit and was never the type to submit himself to anyone. So, why would he come when Wang Xiu asks him to? Jun Lan scrunched her brows feeling rather unsettled about the matter of Fu Han.


    " How come Wang Xiu is associated with Fu Han?"


    " I am not sure about the details, but Fu Han owes him a favor." There are very few things which can escape from Xu Zian''s ears and thus his words flowed with ease.


    Jun Lan nodded as she digested this new piece of news. Then she heard Xu Zian vocalize in a tone which was all but mirth.


    "It''s quite surprising that he is using it now, against an amateur like you. It seems that he did not want to take risks against this bet of yours." he had an unreadable expression on his face as he continued " This trading house must be more important to him than I imagined it to be."


    Yes, It''s as important to him as a child is to her mother¡­


    Jun Lan smiled wryly at that thought and shook her head to dispel all the resurfacing bad memories that are haunting her like a plague. No one knew better than her how important this damn place is to that heartless man.


    Acquiring this place is equivalent to ripping off his arms and this thought made Jun Lan feel immense pleasure in her heart. All his life he had been treating everyone as his pawns. But now the tables have turned and it was his turn to know how it feels to be treated as a pawn.


    The game of chess has begun and the first move has been made. She will make sure that this game is going to be a long one, she would make him know the bitter taste of defeat and betrayal. With these thoughts, Jun Lan''s eyes narrowed as she stared at the curtains which are the only barrier between her and Wang Xiu at the moment.

 47 The Gale 1

    " Yes, it is the cover for all the ominous things which he does in the dark. It''s one ofbase from where all his treacherous plots come into fruition¡­" her eyes narrowed as a bone chilling cold settled in it''s depths making everyone avert their gaze as they took in the menacing look in them.


    The cold look in her eyes startled Xu Zian who was calmly observing her eyes all along. Those enticing eyes of hers are like an enigma which made him drawn to them and he found himself engaged in deciphering the emotions hidden in those profound ash grey orbs.


    He knew naught the feud between her and Wang Xiu, but that fact started to bother him for reasons which he himself was unaware of. But this was not the time to question her and there was no such deep bond between them to bare their hearts.


    Time will break the barriers and unlock even the deepest mysteries of the heart, so he will do what the wise men do¡­ He will wait for her to trust him and give time for himself to trust her with all his dark secrets.


    For now, he will just enjoy the play and take care of her like a good friend does. He knew that this little hotheaded friend of his is yet to start cultivation. The thought of her being a waste had never occurred to him, not even for a heartbeat. He believed that with a good amount of effort she would reach to a decent cultivation level given a few months of time.


    Mayhap, if Wang Xiu or others who possessed cultivation test their luck and try to make a move against her, he would not hesitate in the slightest to rip their heads off. Assuring himself that he would not let her get hurt, he calmed his raging and unruly heart and shifted his gaze to the empty grounds before him.


    Completely oblivious to the inner battle in the heart of a certain flower boy seated beside her, Jun Lan was engrossed in her own world. She had indeed gone against Wang Xiu in the spur of the moment. The Gods indeed favored her as Wang Xiu agreed to a pure martial arts match, eliminating the possibility of using cultivation against her.


    Thanks to a certain person in her past life, she learned many unique martial art techniques which had no need of cultivation and those which can even render a skilled cultivator vulnerable. But now she was in no shape to display such moves and it was not a wise thing to do as she did not want to steal the techniques from that person.She was not that heartless to steal someone''s sweat and blood and claim it as her own.


    She remembered that the person never displayed his skills in the public and she decided to do the same, for it was the only way to show her deep respect. She never had the honor of knowing the identity of her savior, the only person who managed to pull her from the depths of hell in her past life¡­


    She blinked her eyes rapidly as she tried to dry the stray tears which are threatening to travel down her cheek given the slightest chance. Taking in slow and deep unhurried breaths as if wanting to drive away all the agony stored in the tiny heart of hers, she finally hardened her heart reprimanding herself for the umpteenth time for giving into her unstable emotions.


    Now was not the time to grieve or fall into despair. Many sacrificed their lives for her to live on, there were friends in the shadows who helped her and there were strangers who left deep imprints on both her heart and soul.


    She was a naive fool back then and remained oblivious to all the good around her, thinking that she was trapped in a gloomy cell called palace. In reality, the only shackles on her were her daunting thoughts and she was not going to make the same mistakes twice.


    The pain in her heart, it was the only reminder of her purpose in this life. She will make sure that all those who sacrificed themselves selflessly for a selfish person like her, will lead the lives they deserve no matter what it takes.


    And¡­


    Her eyes darted side wards as she studied Xu Zian who was staring into the vacant space absentmindedly. She will make sure to treasure the new relations in this life of hers.


    Sensing a burning gaze on him, Xu Zian turned his head abruptly only to find the little girl playing with her fingers. He scrunched his brows as he wondered if that feeling was his imagination, but it was too real to be dismissed as a mere fantasy of his mind. Jun Lan did not spare a glance at him as she continued to play with her fingers acting completely oblivious to his inquisitive gaze.


    Her realistic acting paid off in the end as he shrugged off the uncertainties sprouting in his heart andhe shifted his gaze to the ornate curtains and the door which sheltered Wang Xiu, convincing himself that the feeling was nothing but a fleeting cloud in his heart. Jun Lan sighed in relief as she didn''t want him to catch her fluctuating moods and see what a mess she was, at least for now. She then observed the porcelain cups on the table as she didn''t know what to do to relieve her boredom. If she had observed Xu Zian she would have not missed his next actions...


    Xu Zian folded his hands across his chest and his lips drew a lazy arc on his face as he squinted his eyes at the curtain which was blocking his view. With a slight flick of the fingers, the action which was concealed by the long sleeves of his robe, specks of blue light started to dance around his fingers.


    He then twirled his fingers following which the specks completely disappeared. Feeling rather satisfied, he stretched his fingers and hummed a soft tone which made Jun Lan''s shoulders jerk and tilt her head to stare at him with widened eyes. The look in her eyes was enough to tell that she was petrified after hearing his not so good singing voice. He chuckled as he took in this funny reaction of hers and winked at her playfully successfully earning a derisive snort from her.

 48 The Gale 2

    Jun Lan whose mind was initially focused on observing the cups found herself jerk up after hearing a horrible singing voice which unfortunately belonged to the weird specimen seated next to her. Her disbelief turned into a scoff when she found him wink at her. Completely ignoring his antics, she averted her gaze away from that smirking face.


    The playful smile on his face disappeared as soon as Jun Lan turned away from him and he reverted to his usual poker face. The completely serene expression on his face spoke of the calm before a storm.


    Only a few seconds passed in between when he flicked his fingers till the girl turned away from him. Slowly a gentle breeze caressed everyone in the arena and even Jun Lan found herself relaxing. But her relief lasted for a mere moment as she found the leaves on the ground twirling with the wind which was no longer the same gentle breeze.


    She confirmed her suspicions that magic was being used as the twirling wind blew up into a full scale gale knocking off the cups and the tables. Just when she was about to open her mouth to warn Xu Zian, she found herself being pulled into a warm and tight embrace which completely shielded her from all the flying objects.


    Xu Zian fully intended for this to take place and was finally satisfied as he found his magic finally bringing on the desired havoc and destruction. He only wanted Wang Xiu to suffer, so he pulled the girl onto his chair making her sit beside him, the chair was big enough to accommodate two and for a person of her stature it was not a problem even if she wanted to fold her legs.


    He embraced her tightly as she buried her tiny head on his chest. He can erect a barrier to shield the populace from getting injured, but he didn''t find the need to do so as he firmly believed that all those who pleasure themselves in the pain of others are worse than the worst scum. He did not erect a barrier for himself as he did not want to arouse the suspicions of anyone. He knew what exactly his power was and what kind of troubles it might bring if one finds out his real power. After all this mini display was only a speck of dust before the magnificent mountain of his hidden power.


    Xu Zian happily continued to shield the girl in his arms as he buried his face in the crook of her neck, his broad shoulders acting as armor for her entire body as she stayed immobile in his grasp.


    What the heck was happening?


    Jun Lan only remembered that she was pulled by someone, the following events were nothing but a blank memory. She found herself enveloped in darkness and her nose was assaulted with a myriad of scents¡­ mint and something which she was not able to identify, but the combination really smelt good.


    After sometime the haze around her disappeared clearing her senses. She abruptly raised her head to look at Xu Zian who shielded her and as she expected there were cuts on his handsome face. Jun Lan''s face immediately darkened as she leaped out from his embrace and scanned her surroundings with her gloomy eyes.


    Just when Xu Zian was about call her, he heard her mutter in a dejected and aggrieved voice...


    " Just who is this madman to use magic in here!"


    '' Ah! So, now I am the madman¡­'' Xu Zian rubbed his nose feeling wronged. He only wanted to see Wang Xiu suffer, how come he ended up getting cursed in the end. The world is truly mysterious.


    " Madman? Isn''t it too bad to call him that?" the words slipped out from his mouth and before he realized his mistake he found the little girl narrow her eyes at him.


    Xu Zian knew that he had to do something before this crafty girl figures out that he was the one behind all this mess¡­


    In a fit of panic, he did the most stupidest thing ever. He pointed his fingers towards the private room with overturned tables, broken windows, blown up curtains and the most impressive picture was that of Wang Xiu whose face was dripping with wine and his robes having the everlasting imprints of the deserts which were once on the plate. The room was so messy and on top of that Wang Xiu''s appearance was pathetic and funny to the extreme.


    " pfft¡­" Jun Lan chuckled on seeing the sorry appearance of the prince but soon her features hardened. She raised her brows and spoke in a menacing voice " Xu Zian¡­"


    " Y-yes! What is it?" the visible tension on his face made Jun Lan''s heart go soft. In the beginning she was not sure which person used magic in here, but Xu Zian''s expressions and comments on Wang Xiu gave away his act. In an instant, Jun Lan knew that this fool used magic on Wang Xiu to quench her anger but she was not at all happy ah!


    There''s no need for any of her friends and family to get hurt in the process of her revenge. With these thoughts, she sighed softly.


    " I am happy that you did this for me." she spoke while pointing to all the destruction around her and on seeing that he was about to speak something, Jun Lan raised her hand making him shut his mouth effectively.


    " But it disappeared the instant I saw your injuries. All of this mess at the cost of your blood and pain is not worth it."

 49 Jun Lan vs Fu Han 1

    '' All of this mess at the cost of your blood and pain is not worth it.''


    Xu Zian''s poor little heart was in chaos as he stared at those placid black orbs staring right through his soul. It is not known what is going on his mind but he slowly lowered his head concealing his expressions from the little girl.


    After speaking her mind, Jun Lan did not pay any attention to the flustered Xu Zian beside her as her eyes were scrutinizing the entire arena for any signs of the unyielding Fu Han.


    '' Why is my heart thumping so hard?! Calm down...'' Xu Zian''s heart was in a mess. Just a few words from this masked brat is making him to undergo through a myriad of emotions. She was starting to influence his emotions and this realization sort of scared him.


    In the private room which was now a complete mess, Wang Xiu''s face turned green from anger. Common people might not know, but he knew that someone used magic in here. Following his instincts, he immediately turned his head to stare at the masked kid and the extremely handsome man seated beside the kid.


    All he saw was a dazed Xu Zian and a anxious Jun Lan who was sweeping her gaze across the arena. From their demeanor, Wang Xiu felt that they are not responsible for all this mess. How could the one''s who cause this also search for the culprit.


    If Jun Lan heard his thoughts, she would have certainly rolled her eyes at a certain narcissistic and delusional price who over estimates his capabilities all the while.


    " Hohoho! Just what in the heck happened here that the mighty third prince called out for me." a sarcastic voice floated in the air immediately making Wang Xiu rub his forehead in exhaustion.


    " Fu.Han!" Wang Xiu stressed each syllable making his voice sound murderous.


    " Hmm... It''s been a long time since we met and you are definitely looking handsome." A young man dressed in pristine white robes spoke lazily and his emerald green eyes twinkled with amusement as he took in Wang Xiu''s appearance. He was of muscular build and a lazy smile danced on his plump red lips giving an air of irresistible allure.


    '' Is he insulting this prince?'' green veins popped on Wang Xiu''s forehead as he clenched his fists.


    " Cut it out, third prince. I am not here to entertain you or to listen to your useless curses. I owe you one for saving my life. I assume you called me regarding that. Let''s get on with it. I hate wasting my time." Fu Han narrowed his eyes at Wang Xiu who was about to retaliate.


    " Alright..." Wang Xiu took deep breaths to calm himself. First that masked kid and now this unruly Fu Han. He was losing his cool on account of a kid who is barely half his size and it was definitely not a good sign. There was no way he could order Fu Han around like he does around his sub-ordinates. So, he grumbled for a bit before explaining all the transpired events in a monotone voice.


    " Eh! You wagered this trading house." Fu Han pondered for a while before blurting out " If I knew that you could be swindled so easily then I would have done this long back! Just who is this lucky kid..."


    Wang Xiu who was already feeling low and angry felt like coughing a mouthful of blood on hearing those shameless words. He felt restless on seeing everyone taking him for a fool. Wang Xiu knew that he made a huge gamble this time but there was no way he would cry over spilled milk.


    " Enough! I only need you to defeat that kid in martial arts. "


    " Think well prince. Once I enter the arena, I owe you nothing regardless I win or lose."


    Wang Xiu hesitated for a while before nodding " En, then so be it. It''s better if you win but worry not this prince will not go back on his word."


    " As if I would believe a hypocrite." Fu Han rolled his eyes " From the moment I enter the arena I am free."


    On sensing Wang Xiu''s uneasiness Fu Han snorted " Since I owe you one, I will give my everything in this fight. Well then, who exactly is my opponent."


    " That kid over there..."


    Fu Han casually shifted his eyes towards the direction in which Wang Xiu was pointing at. His lips twitched at the sight of the tiny kid with a mask slipped on his face. He was only able to catch the side view of the kid with his narrowed phoenix eyes.


    '' Hmm... Is it a boy or girl?''Fu Han mused in his heart. Just when he was thinking hard, Jun Lan''s dark and deep endless pool like eyes crashed with his narrowed phoenix eyes making his heart skip a beat.


    Those pair of eyes which displayed an intense excitement as they stared at him. He felt as if he was a prey being stalked by a panther. The frivolous air around him disappeared in an instant but there was intrigue in his eyes as he stared at the kid for a while.


    The staring contest continued for a while with neither of them backing down. Both of them were like stubborn cats...


    Xu Zian''s lips twitched as he took in the scene before him and a frown formed on his sculpted face immediately.


    Both of them were eyeing the other as their prey. This was a contest of ego but it was intercepted as intensive flirting by Xu Zian. His little friend was so tiny and yet here she was flirting making his heart feel bad.


    " Why are those both glaring at each other?"


    " My, my... There''s going to be an intense match now. One can tell that from the way they both are glaring daggers at each other."


    Whispers broke out one by one and the frown on Xu Zian''s face slowly eased.


    '' Humph... It''s good that she is dressed as a boy. Else, it would damage her reputation.'' There was a small dissatisfaction in his heart and he firmly decided that he would lecture a certain a unscrupulous girl later.


    On the other hand, Fu Han was amused that Jun Lan was not backing down and did not hide his expression as he smiled widely at her " Kid, you''ve intrigued me. Let''s get on to serious business now. Shall we?"


    " En" Jun Lan nodded but cursed in a low voice '' Who are you calling a kid?! You are just 18, a mere five years older than me. Humph! This great aunt will block that arrogant mouth of yours.''


    " Xu Zian, I will be back soon." Jun Lan waved her hands without looking at a certain black charcoal like face and made her way down to the arena.


    '' How did she know Fu Han''s age? Is the girl attracted to that wild man?'' a black cloud was now hovering on Xu Zian''s head.

 50 To my readers

    Hello everyone,


    As you all know, I am suffering from health issues from the past few weeks. Just when I felt that I


    recovered enough, my bf and I broke up in a way I never even imagined.


    I am not the one to share my personal issues with you and rant my feelings out here. But, I seriously owe you guys an explanation for my long absence. So, pardon me in advance.


    Let me tell you guys, relationships can wreak a havoc on you. We are in a relationship for about three years, and on one fateful day I found out that he had been cheating on my back since the past --- years.


    Life f*cked me up in the worst way possible. [ Pardon me for using bold words].


    Three years...


    I believed him and fought for 3 years! When you realize that all you''ve built over the years is nothing but a house of cards, it sucks. When I understood that the person I am trusting all along is only playing with my feelings, it hit me hard.


    I cried and cried till I am hospitalized again, much to the heartbreak of my parents. I am discharged from the hospital on 4th December.


    *Sighs*


    Let me tell you, my best friend hit me hard [ she slapped me a few times, lol] and my brother nagged me all day for a week, to make me smile again.


    Brothers are sweet, he was the one who forced me to start writing again. He told me '' Sis, writing is the only thing which can keep you sane. Me and many of your readers are waiting for you. Don''t keep them waiting for too long. There are many out there who love you and wish you the best.


    Sort out your thoughts and start writing again. And, I bet that you will forget that a**hole within a month.''


    That''s what I''ve been doing for the past few days and now I am back with Jun Lan. I will be back with My Beautiful Commander in a few days, hopefully. Since these novels are not entirely based on romance, I am able to continue them.


    '' Fated to Love you.'' is a happy and fluffy romance novel. Me, who just went through a heartbreak is not in a position to write this for now. Whenever I think of writing a fluffy scene, all I am remembering is how the things went bad for me and all. I think I need to sort out my emotions completely before starting it again. So, I am planning to keep this novel on hiatus for about two months.


    To make up for you guys, I can write a heartbreak novel [ something like love transcending through time] if you want, in the meanwhile. Let me know your thoughts in the comments.


    Once again, sorry for keeping you guys waiting and I hope that you will continue to support my novels.


    Your pathetic author neha_.

 51 Jun Lan vs Fu Han 2

    '' What''s up with this weird situation? Why do I have a feeling that this fellow is here to play around?'' Jia Feng couldn''t help but narrow his eyes at the sight of a smug looking Fu Han. Even Jun Lan felt her lips twitch under her mask and she had a sudden urge to wipe that idiotic smirk on his face.


    Fu Han observed many men and women, but for the first time he was not able to discern the real emotions of the masked kid before him. All he could see were those all time tranquil black eyes out-staring back at him. He raised his brows as he found the kid''s obvious attempt of trying to intimidate him quite funny.


    Suddenly, he found himself interested in the kid as he questioned in an amused voice.


    " Kid, what are you called? It''s a pity that I do not know the name of my bully."


    Jun Lan: "..." Bully?! Is he mocking her?!


    She understood that Fu Han was not intimidated by her glare. Then again, if he wanted to mock her, could he not use a domineering word?


    How dare this fellow make fun of her using a simple word?


    How could he call her just a bully?! She was expecting a far more sinister description of her. Is she lacking the aura of a local tyrant?


    Hmm...


    No! It is not that she is not a bully, it is that the mind cells of Fu Han are quite retarded and it must be fact that this man knew nothing about vocabulary. Yes, that must be it!


    " You can call me as '' local tyrant''!" Jun Lan generously prompted the ''retarded mind'' some vocabulary, making Fu Han jaws drop. He witnessed many types of madness, but this fella defined the brand new benchmark for '' crazy lunatic.''


    '' Local Tyrant!'' Xu Zian face-palmed and lowered his eyes not wanting to witness any more shameless actions of a certain thick skinned brat.


    What''s with that stupid name! Could she not come with a more domineering title for herself?!


    Then again, he remembered his nickname '' Flower boy''.Finally, an understanding dawned on Xu Zian¡­


    '' My little friend is very poor in vocabulary. That''s why she is making such foolish names out of thin air.''


    And, he made a wonderful decision on the spot.


    '' From tomorrow, I am going to teach her brand new words.''


    Not knowing that he made the worst possible decision ever, Xu Zian again locked his eyes on the confident petite figure standing in the midst of arena grounds.


    " cough" Jia Feng cleared his throat not wanting to hear any more of this ridiculous conversation between Fu Han and Jun Lan. Finding that he successfully diverted the attention of the two crazy fellows on him, he questioned " Stateyour choice of weapons."


    " Spear!" both of them responded at the same time.


    " Good, bring the spears!" Jia Feng turned around and summoned the two servants who were wearing chains around their necks. Giving him a hasty bow, the servants hurried to carry out their tasks.


    Jia Feng turned to face the two contestants of the oncoming duel, he then instructed them about the rules and regulations of the match " Since this is a match between two martial artists without any spiritual power, anyone who uses cultivation is the loser of the match. Now let me enlighten you with the main rules of your duel."


    Jia Feng flicked his fingers and weaved a series of signs, as a golden light settled on the ground weaving itself in a certain intricate circular pattern, he continued speaking" First, the fight continues till one of you forfeit the match or till the moment where one of you are soundly defeated by the opposite party."


    " Second! The moment you lose your weapon, you lose the match as well."


    " Third! It''s the rare case of a draw. If you both lose your weapons at the same time, it can be called as a draw. Then, you fight with fists using any kind of martial arts you know, provided they should be free from spiritual power."


    By the time Jia Feng finished speaking, a huge golden circle with about a five meter radius circled Jun Lan and Fu Han. The intricate hexagonal patterns inside the circle glowed faintly as if reflecting the sun rays.


    " Fourth! Now, you are inside the sensory array. The moment you are thrown out of the circular boundary, you lose. Also, this array has the ability to detect spiritual qi. So, don''t even think of using it."


    " Don''t worry! I am a total waste with no cultivation!"


    " Sir Feng, how could a waste like me use cultivation? Please don''t worry."


    Fu Han and Jun Lan responded at the same time making Jia Feng nod in relief.At this moment, the two servants returned with pointed spears in their hands and bowed respectfully.


    " Choose the spear of your liking, and"


    Both Jun Lan and Fu Han grabbed a spear each without any further thoughts and before Jia Feng could prompt further, both of them assumed their basic stance.


    " Good! Start the match!"


    In the midst of the sonorous cheerings of the crowd, Jia Feng retreated back to the outside the array formation with his feet landing a few inches away from the array boundary, all the while his hawk like eyes never once leaving the silhouette of the two figures in the midst of his formation.

 52 Jun Lan vs Fu Han 3

    " Good! Start the match!"


    In the midst of the sonorous cheering of the crowd, Jia Feng retreated back to the outside the array formation with his feet landing a few inches away from the array boundary, all the while his hawk like eyes never once leaving the silhouette of the two figures in the midst of his formation.


    Fu Han twirled the spear in his hands, displaying his expertise. He then assumed his stance, as his white robes hugged the well-built muscles painting a picture so divine leaving all the women in the arena with throbbing hearts. The shrill shrieks of the women reached his ears, further boosting his already narcissist confidence.


    Fu Han was not a petty person. He was a man and by all laws of nature he obviously favored those of fairer sex. He decided to please the women further.


    Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the masked kid standing in a relaxed position, his entire person giving an air of confidence. Truth be told, Jun Lan was far from being relaxed. At the moment, she was itching for a serious fight and she was getting impatient as the man before her was more interested in impressing the ladies rather than fight with her.


    The flash of impatience in her eyes lasted only for a few seconds, but Fu Han noticed it.


    '' An impatient opponent or a horde of beauties?''


    The answer was obvious and Fu Han immediately decided on pleasing the beauties. A flirtatious smile bloomed on his face which sent the already insane women into a complete frenzy. He proceeded to display more of his killer moves, leaving the women in merriment and the men in displeasure.


    '' Completely disregarding one''s opponent and playing around! Let''s see if you will put on the same air''s later.'' Jun Lan thought as her eyes narrowed, the piercing look in her eyes sub-consciously sent chills along Fu Han''s back. He turned around only to clash his eyes with the coldest eyes he had ever seen.


    '' Such beautiful eyes!'' he thought, but his good feeling completely evaporated as soon as he heard her following words.


    " If you are so fixated on impressing ladies, why don''t you strip yourself. I am sure that all the ladies here will be head-over-heels for you after your stripping show."


    '' A Stripper?!'' Fu Han was rendered speechless as his eyes slowly widened. He thought that the masked kid will be infuriated by his antics and charge at him like a mad bull. He never expected the kid to be so calm and counter him with such poisonous words. It seems that he underestimated the tiny fellow.


    Good! This kid was interesting, truly interesting! Since the kid was itching for a fight, he will give him a taste of what a true fight is!


    Not wasting any more words, Fu Han immediately dashed forward with the pointed end of the spear facing towards Jun Lan''s tiny nose. Just as the spear was about to scratch her skin, Jun Lan moved back and blocked his spear with hers.


    Clank!


    Clank!


    Soon, the sounds of wood clanking reverberated throughout the arena. An incense stick of time passed but both the parties are still in a deadlock. Blows were exchanged and light scratches can be seen on Fu Han''s body, but Jun Lan remained unscathed. In spite of the faint wounds on his body, Fu Han''s battle spirit did not fade and this match riled up his dormant beast. If all, the glow in his eyes intensified, it was the excitement one experiences when faced with a worthy opponent.


    By now, all traces of humor and amusement left Fu Han''s playful face. He was using the Art of Ultimate Diversion, a martial art of his own creation. It is completely concerned with increased the flexibility of body by doing intensive and rigorous exercises pushing one''s body to the brink of exhaustion. The training process is torturous beyond one could imagine, but the results are worth it.


    It can be used as a complete defensive tactic when faced with cultivators. With proper training, one can improve their speed and escape the attacks from the intermediate level cultivators. Though it is useless against advanced level cultivators, one can defend themselves from low level ones.


    With normal people like Jun Lan, it can be used in an excellent offensive form.


    But, what surprised him is that the masked kid is more proficient in martial arts than him. The kid''s moves looked like an improvement of his, but only he knew that it was an entirely new art. Fu Han knew how difficult is it to design one''s own martial arts, slowly a sense of admiration developed in his heart for the kid who was fighting head on head with him.


    " Kid, you are good!" Fu Han spoke sincerely as he stared at the emotionless eyes of the fellow who was now in a deadlock with him. Their faces were so close that their breaths are intermixing and their scents interwoven. Though the fellow''s face was mostly covered concealing his features, the kid''s peach blossom eyes and the faint scent emitting from his petite body sent Fu Han into a confusion.


    In his moment of distraction, Jun Lan slipped her spear beneath his and flipped up causing him to lose his hold on his spear. Fu Han''s eyes twinkled with amusement as he twirled aroundtwisting both of their hands in the process resulting in the landing of both of their spears on the ground at the same time.


    '' There''s no way I would lose so easily. Little kid, let me see what you are going to do now.'' mused Fu Han as he raised his brows in a provocative manner.


    Jun Lan was feeling bitter at the moment. If only she had more time to train her body, she would have defeated this man by now. His provocation only served as a fuel to her desire to defeat him as she charged at him with a lightning speed. Fu Han blocked her attack but she surprised him by slipping under his arms. She then attacked his acupuncture point rendering his dominant arm immobile.


    All of this happened in an instant and before Fu Han could understand what exactly was happening, Jun Lan proceeded to block his main acupuncture points making him freeze like a statue. In her seriousness, Jun Lan missed the flicker of astonishment in Fu Han''s eyes as her slender fingers came in contact with the skin on his wrist.

 53 Admitting Defea

    As soon as Jun Lan''s soft and slender fingers touched his skin, Fu Han felt electrocuted. He had to admit, the touch of her fingers felt weird. Something about the fingers did not seem manly enough.


    '' Is this kid a girl?'' With this thought, Fu Han''s gaze turned weird as he observed the fellow who was still immersed in blocking his acupuncture points. Too bad, his body was as stiff as a rock else he would have determined the kid''s gender by now. His eyes dimmed for a moment, but soon the familiar mischievous glint crept back into his eyes as he saw a fair jade like hand approaching near to his left hand wrist.


    '' Hehe, even the heavens are on my side.'' he mused as he captured her tiny wrist albeit in a rough grasp making her flinch. He then rested his fingers on her pulse and it was as clear as a day, the one before him is a girl, a tiny one at that. This revelation shocked him to the core, never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that he would be defeated by a girl who was younger than him.


    When her wrist was captured by Fu Han, Jun Lan only felt a bit surprised but there was no panic in her heart. She thought that the man was going to retaliate, but the thought of him doubting her gender never crossed her mind. So, she raised her head and sincerely advised him " Stripper, I advise you to forfeit the match. You might have blocked my hand, but my other hand is more than enough to finish you off." she waved her hand before him successfully breaking him out of his trance.


    He stared at her anticipating grey orbs, completely mesmerized by their beauty. Her long eyelashes created mysterious shadows on her eyes,adding an allure to her. Such beautiful eyes are now fixated on him, waiting in anticipation only to see him defeated.


    A girl who was able to fight head-on-head with him was truly rare. For the first time in his life, Fu Han did not mind being defeated.


    Alas! He had been defeated the instant he found out her true gender, but it was her eyes that rendered him completely helpless.


    " I admit my defeat." Fu Han announced in a loud voice, his eyes not leaving hers. With his each word her eyes widened visibly, much to his satisfaction.


    This time it was not only Jun Lan, but the entire arena fell into a stunned silence. It was only Xu Zian who had a suspicious gaze as he observed the two people who are closer to each other than what the society deemed appropriate. He didn''t know why but he really wanted to chop off the hand which was holding her wrists ah!


    " W-what?! Just like that!" Jun Lan found it hard to believe. This stubborn man forfeiting the match without any resistance is something she found fishy. Her reaction made Fu Han smirk widely.


    " Oh! Do you want more of me?"


    Fu Han''s playful voice made Jun Lan completely speechless and she immediately broke free from his grasp.


    She knew her demerits and she believed that she can never defeat this man in this silly war of words. Fu Han might be a frivolous person, but she respected the man for his skills. Since he admitted his defeat, there was no need to make him motionless. Carefully unblocking his acupuncture points, she stared into his eyes before performing a respectful bow in front of him.


    " It''s an honor to fight with you."


    Leaving her firm words behind, she turned around to walk away. But, after taking a few steps, Jun Lan smacked her head as she remembered an important thing. She immediately rushed to Fu Han''s side and whispered in a low voice.


    " Stripper, Is it possible for you to meet me outside later?"


    " If you call me by my name, maybe yes."


    That''s it! Jun Lan surrendered.


    " Fu Han..."


    " Yes, let''s meet at the Hexie street."


    Their voices barely a whisper, did not reach the crowd who were completely oblivious to the happenings below. Wang Xiu who was completely furious at the defeat of Fu Han, was now completely enraged after witnessing the mysterious exchange between the two.


    Waving his hands lazily, Fu Han walked in a leisure manner towards the fuming Wang Xiu. The audience were frozen stiff not expecting this turn of events. Though he could not cultivate, Fu Han was respected for his martial arts. Now this mysterious kid who popped out from who-knows-where defeated him making them question about their worldly views. Now, next to Fu Han this masked kid would always have a place in their hearts.


    Finally achieving her objective, Jun Lan happily hopped towards Jia Feng and reminded him.


    " You forgot to announce the results."


    '' Is there any need to announce the results? Look at the raging prince! Is there any need to further shame him by announcing the results?! Kid, you are really something ah!'' Jia Feng''s face twisted beautifully as he tried to convey the message through his eyes.


    Being the genius she was, Jun Lan immediately understood his predicament. She did not want this poor soul to face the wrath of the mad prince. So, she made a generous offer.


    She wanted to drive Wang Xiu beyond the point of insanity and she wanted to do it in person.


    " I will announce the result myself. But, I''m afraid that my voice will not reach everyone."


    " Young master, you can use this." Jia Feng fished through his spatial ring and handed her a blue stone.


    " Amplifying crystal!" Jun Lan sounded satisfied " This will do."


    Clearing her throat, Jun Lan announced in a crystal clear voice that was brimming with excitement " In this nerve wrecking match, it is the local tyrant who survived till the end!"


    Xu Zian & the crowd: "..." Stunned beyond belief.


    Wang Xiu :"..." coughs blood!


    Fu Han: " pfft..." This girl was truly a gem!

 54 Be Warned! 1

    Wang Xiu thought that dealing with the kid is not a big deal. With Fu Han in the fray, he had no qualms about losing the match. All through the match he sported a confidence which was thoroughly buried in the depths of hell by Jun Lan. That wimp of a kid surely surpassed his expectations.


    He could care less about the match but the stakes are high this time, to say that his heart was bleeding is an understatement. This Phoenix trading house was the result of his many year''s efforts. This was a safe haven to all the people like him. This trading house was his master''s property, not his. Not many people knew that he was merely a coverup for his master.


    Not many people are aware of the fact that Wang Xiu, the mighty third prince was a mere shield to that devil. If he lost this place, how could he answer his master?


    If his master hears about the entire ordeal, there would be a punishment which engraved a fear deep into his bones. The mere thought of that punishment sent chills down his spine.


    No, he could not afford to lose this bet. Not this one, it''s more than a matter of his prestige.


    If not for that masked fellow, this entire scenario would not have happened. What Wang Xiu forgot is that his arrogance was the main reason why he ended up in this situation.


    Just when these thoughts are running haywire in his mind, he heard the voice of the kid whose death he was secretly fantasizing about.


    " In this nerve wrecking match, it is the local tyrant who survived till the end!" the kid''s excited voice somehow made his intestines go green.


    As if adding salt to a wound, Fu Han''s amused laughter further irked him.


    " Fu Han, have you become that shameless? Not only did you lose, but you have the nerve to laugh at this prince!" Wang Xiu roared, his loud voice shocking all those in the arena as a shocking silence enveloped the area.


    It was the common people who were unable to recover from their daze. Is this really their beloved prince?


    A cold glint passed through Fu Han''s eyes but he did not dare to refute as he knew very well that he would not last for even an incense stick of time before this man. Just like always, he endured.


    It was at this precise moment a melodious voice which was amplified by many times cut through the air  " Aiyo~ I thought that the prince is only foolish, but now I am enlightened. Foolishness is not the correct word to describe you."


    Jun Lan''s voice made Fu Han stifle his laughter,his heart now at ease.He stared at the little girl who did not have any cultivation going against this mad prince without any fear. This fact was enough for him to develop a feeling of respect towards her.


    Jun Lan''s perfect brows scrunched indicating that she is deep thought. The girl seemed to have remembered the word as she excitedly clapped her hands while announcing in a loud voice using that cute little blue stone " You are a half-baked man. You are as tasteless to the eyes in the same way a half-baked bun is to mouth!"


    The entire arena fell silent for a while before erupting in wild howls of laughter.


    " You dare!" Wang Xiu snarled, his entire body shaking with anger.


    " You are asking me this question after I insulted you. Are you retarded?" Jun Lan rolled her eyes at this hypocrite. Seeing that Wang Xiu was about to retort, she snorted " Third prince,let''s get on with this farce. By default, I am a busy person.I hate those who waste my time.


    I prefer that you prepare the documents transferring the ownership to me. "


    Wang Xiu, who initially planned to twist her words was stunned by her direct and sharp words.


    Well then, since she is straightforward then he will reciprocate the same.


    " I accept my defeat. But, this place holds a special significance in my heart. It''s a memorial of my late mother. So, I would give you anything other than this trading house." Wang Xiu''s voice shook and his filial words moved the hearts of the innocent.


    ''Late mother! Memorial!'' Each word from Wang Xiu''s mouth made Jun Lan''s gaze turn cold. It was as if those enchanting eyes were covered with a thick layer of frost making it hard to read what she is thinking.


    In her past life, the only feeling which she ever experienced when she was by his side was endless heartache. Till the end, it was her one-sided feelings without any reciprocation. At the time of her death,all she experienced was the pain of betrayal and resentment towards him.


    But, at this moment all she felt was disdain. She disdained him and she disdained herself for falling for such a pretentious man, a man who is worse even than the lowest scum of this world.


    Yes, disdain!What else should she feel about a man who lies about his mother''s death?! How could he declare his mother as dead,when she is breathing at this very moment!


    Wang Xiu''s mother,Imperial concubine Rui Rong is mentally ill and is isolated from the palace.


    It was not known why Concubine Rui Rong turned out into a retarded woman. She might suffering from a trauma or something else. But, as a son should he not take care of her?!


    In her past life, it was only after three years from now did concubine Rui Rong die. How could he lie?!


    She thought that she knew everything about the man, but it was now crystal that all she knew was only on the surface.


    " Shut your filthy mouth! " Jun Lan roared in a murderous voice, her eyes devoid of any emotion. Her glacier cold voice startled even the all time nonchalant Jia Feng, who stared at her in fear. Her unfeeling voice could send a silver of dread into the hearts of even the most stoic persons.


    " How dare you!" She seethed in pure rage " How dare you lie! How dare you lie about your mother''s death!"


    Wang Xiu''s eyes widened, his body turned with his expression akin to disbelief.


    '' How could this man know?! His mother''s condition is a well-guarded secret.''


    But he convinced himself otherwise '' No, it cannot be. It must be a wild guess. ''


    " You must be mistaken. I would never lie about my mother. " Wang Xiu vowed solemnly.


    Jun Lan closed her eyes and she felt a sharp pain in her heart for the woman who was declared dead by her own son. The pain lasted only for a fleeting moment,but that tiny surge of pain awakened her carefully buried feelings of rage and hatred.


    Her long eyelashes resembling a fan fluttered open,revealing a pair of bloodshot eyes. Those eyes are now carrying a reflection of the blood vendetta of the entire Jun clan. Her red orbs which resembled like the endless pools of death made everyone''s heart shake to their core in both awe and trepidation.

 55 Be Warned! 2

    '' You want to kill him? We can kill him with a single strike.'' A sonorous voice echoed in her mind. It was the voice of the nine tailed fox, Fluffy. Since he formed a contract with her, he could feel the fluctuations in her heart. He felt her anger and he felt his own mood sour. Of course the woman is a bit insane, but he will protect his master till death even if she is insane.


    The Blood foxes are affected by their master''s anger and their red eyes are a reflection of the anger. It can be said that fluffy was completely affected by her emotions and it was a result of this that her eyes turned red.


    '' Kill him with a single strike! Fluffy, he has a spirit beast of your level!'' Jun Lan reminded a certain deluded fox.


    '' What beast?! At this moment, other than his measly cultivation, he had nothing on him.'' Fluffy snorted in disdain. '' A single word from you and I will finish him off.''


    '' No, I won''t kill him. I will make sure that he will live a life that he ever wished for. But, a good beating will do no harm.''


    '' Excellent! This lord is long itching for a fight. Too bad the prey is very weak. I must be content with a few strikes now.'' Fluffy lamented for a while before advising his eccentric master seriously '' Girl, you can play with him as you like. I will lend you my strength.''


    '' I will lend you my strength!'' It is the first time someone spoke these words to her. In her past life, all she heard were endless torrent of taunts.


    '' You are weak and useless! You can hide behind me and I will protect you.'' these were only a few of what she was told.


    But now this fluffy was telling her that '' you can go and beat anyone you like. If you are lacking in strength, I will lend you mine.''


    He was treating her as an equal and this thought made her feel thankful. Yes, she was truly thankful for having such a cute and good spirit beast.


    " All right then! I will remember your words. But, now is not the right time to show yourself. " After saying these words, Jun Lan cut off the spiritual link between her and the tailed fox. Her eyes returned to the previous tranquil grey while she dashed forward coming to a stop when she is a few feet away from Wang Xiu. She then raised her hand and slapped Wang Xiu hard, so hard that the man stumbled and fell down on the ground.


    Wang Xiu never expected that the kid would slap him. So, he was taken by surprise with this sudden attack. The stinging pain in his cheek only reminded him that the damn brat hit him really hard!


    " This slap is for declaring your mother as dead when she is alive!"


    Wang Xiu was startled by this turn of events, he did not expect the kid to be so knowledgeable about the imperial affairs. Curling his fists, he started at the kid with pursed lips. There was no way he was going to confess that he lied.


    Jun Lan naturally was able to read his mind. Mocking laughter escaped from her lips as she spoke " Your Highness, if this place is as important to you as you say, then why did you wager this place in the first place? Since, you dared to wager you must pay!"


    " I admit that I over-estimated myself. Being the magnanimous person, could you please let this matter go?" Wang Xiu still persisted.


    " Who said that I am magnanimous?" Jun Lan yawned lazily " I am far from a kind person. I am feeling a bit sleepy now."


    " Third Prince, I can see that you are a person who changes his direction even faster than wind. I don''t have the patience to deal with people like you. So, I would highly appreciate it if you hand over the documents to me." Jun Lan was getting highly impatient. She did not want to stay near him, much less talk with him. But, she had to get this phoenix house from his hands.


    " I tried to talk some sense into you. But, you clearly have a death wish." Wang Xiu laughed menacingly as he hurled himself from the ground and dashed towards her " If I kill you here, then what can you do? I should have done this earlier!"


    Wang Xiu''s words broke the last thread of patience in Jun Lan as she snapped her fingers initiating her spiritual link and spoke coldly " Let''s see who will end up where!"


    The grey of her eyes morphed into a deep red and a gust of wind broke out as she waved her hands before her chest blocking his attack.


    " W-What?!" Now, it was Wang Xiu''s turn to be shocked. All he could see was a pair of blood red eyes staring back at him, reminding him of deep voids. He did not think that the kid will be able to block his attack, but this was also good! Now, he can use his water element without any reserve.


    Getting up on his feet, Wang Xiu dusted off his clothes. He narrowed his eyes and a tyrannical aura enveloped him as a water blade took form in his hands.


    '' Hmm... He is a swordsman and at warrior level. Not bad, but too weak before me.'' Fluffy mused in disinterest, he did not like this weak prey at all. In an instant, a water shield appeared before Jun Lan''s petite frame, successfully absorbing the energy of the water blade. Fluffy let out a contended sigh as if he tasted something delicious.


    This phenomenon made Jun Lan snicker in delight, but her light laughs terrorised Wang Xiu. His water blade completely disappeared, and he could not bring himself to believe in what just happened before him. No matter how hard he tried to deny, it was the truth and this realization gave birth to a deep fear.


    " Monster!" In the next instant, Wang Xiu found himself screaming.

 56 Be Warned! 3

    From the moment Jun Lan used her power, Xu Zian felt something inside him getting restless. Initially he was dumbfounded, but he soon realized that it was the divine beast inside him that was getting excited.


    '' What''s wrong?'' Xu Zian furrowed his brows as he felt his divine beast''s restlessness.


    Instead of answering, the beast inside tried to leap out of Xu Zian''s body. Black lines appeared on Xu Zian''s forehead and it was only with great difficulty did he suppress the raging beast inside him.


    '' King!'' Knowing that he cannot escape out without his master''s permission, the beast gave him only a one worded answer.


    '' What king?'' Xu Zian was left even more confused after that answer.


    '' Humph! Serves you right for not allowing me out.'' the beast pouted.


    "..." Can his dumb beast not understand that his presence will send the the entire arena into a frenzy?!


    Knowing the gossipy nature of his beast, Xu Zian did not care even a bit about his pouting tantrum. He knew that his beast would soon tell him everything. Not wasting his energy on placating the beast, he instead concentrated on the girl.


    ''... '' A certain ignored beast.


    _ _ _ _


    '' Monster?'' Jun Lan snickered in her heart. Just like that, Wang Xiu was afraid of her?! Even if she would be pushed off the cliff, she would never believe that the man before her would be threatened by this simple display of power. What he wanted to do was to demean her and plant the seeds of hatred in the hearts of the people.


    But, when had she cared about the opinion of others? Too bad, the prince was just wasting his intelligence on her, not knowing that he could no longer affect her.


    '' Hah!You see everyone as your pawns, but this lady here is no longer in your game.''


    " Third prince..." Jun Lan spoke, her voice tinged with laughter " I never cared about decorum or negative rumors. Not everyone cares for face as much as you do.


    No matter how hard you scream accusing me of being a monster, it won''t affect me. In fact I would love it if the whole world calls me a monster. But, you have yet to see what the real me is. You don''t know what kind of a monster I really am."


    '' Oh! Finally, I found someone interesting.'' Wang Xiu lips curved as he felt the need to put up any pretense as a waste of time. No matter how hard he tried to manipulate the mind of the kid, the fellow was able to peel off all the layers of his mask and see the real him. This was something that made him feel weird. His interest and curiosity was totally piqued.


    " Since you are able to see through me, let me propose a deal. If you are able to make me surrender on my own, then this place is yours." Wang Xiu proposed with a smile as if he is dealing with a pet which he was currently interested in.


    " I don''t care if you surrender or not. In one way or other, I will acquire this trading place. But, it would be rude to decline your invitation. Since you are so excited, there is no harm in giving you a good beating."


    " Don''t be so over-confident." Wang Xiu let out a laugh devoid of mirth.


    Jun Lan scoffed and ignored him, but Xu Zian narrowed his eyes as he felt something off about the prince. He could not pinpoint what exactly was wrong , but something about that man seems dangerous and deadly. He was beginning to worry for the silly girl out there. He wanted to go out and drag the damned girl back, but he did not want to meddle in her affairs. Though she had no cultivation yet, he could sense a powerful aura from her.


    '' She has the nine tailed fox, the king of spirit beasts. Even I bow my head before that person.'' A voice spoke in Xu Zian''s mind. '' The fox king is injured at the moment, but his art of concealing the aura is the best of all. It''s no wonder that he escaped my perception!'' the same voice exclaimed with both admiration and respect.


    Xu Zian was astonished by this news. His arrogant Qilin speaking with such reverie is enough to tell Xu Zian that the so called fox is not the one to be trifled with.


    '' She also has a divine beast!'' Xu Zian''s brows rose and a faint smile graced on his lips. His eyes shone with admiration as he gazed at the petite girl. She was just in the beginning of her teens and she already has a divine beast. Ah! His life was surely exciting from the moment this thief came into picture.


    Xu Zian was not able to detect the presence of the fox king earlier because he did not release his aura. He never expected the girl to have a divine beast, all he thought was that she might possess an artefact.


    Intrigued, Xu Zian released his aura and he soon detected the aura of the fox king. He could also sense that Wang Xiu had no divine beast. But, he soon detected a divine artefact on Wang Xiu''s body.


    '' That man has a divine artifact. That man is of no match to the king, but the situation might escalate if he uses it.'' Qilin''s voice also sounded at the same time with rage. He would kill that puny human, if any harm befalls his king or the master of their king.


    '' Do not panic! If I sense any danger towards her, I will go in person.'' Xu Zian''s words made the Qilin widen it''s eyes in disbelief. He knew that his master is strong, strong enough to stand on par with the fox king. What surprised him was that his master seemed to care less about the fox, he instead seemed to care about the girl! His master caring about a woman is rare, truly rare!


    '' Hmm, it seems that she is the future lady master!'' the Qilin nodded to himself deeply imprinting Jun Lan''s aura in his senses.


    Unknown to Jun Lan, a certain Qilin decided in his heart that she is his master''s future wife.


    '' Fluffy, you want to absorb his spiritual power?'' Jun Lan made sure to remember Fluffy''s state. He told her that he was injured and he was not at his peak state. Regards to the source of his injury, she was completely ignorant. But she could sense his spirit recover by a fraction, when he absorbed Wang Xiu''s water blade. So, if he wanted to make the third prince an empty shell, she would be more than happy to fulfill his appetite. That man was truly beginning to get on her nerves.


    Just as she dropped the question, she could feel the waves of intense surge of excitement radiating from the white fox. Getting the answer she wanted, Jun Lan lips curved up in a sinister arc under her mask.

 57 Be Warned 4 !

    Jun Lan stared at Wang Xiu, as a bone chilling light crept into her lively eyes making them seem as empty voids. He was the person who diffused her life, like the wind blowing away the lamp, throwing her and her family into the deep abyss of hell.


    Rage! Murder!


    Not even one of the existing words can be used to describe what she was feeling at the moment. All she wanted was to make this very man kneel before her.


    But, she was not the one to be carried away her emotions and act like a fool she was before. Jun Lan knew exactly where her strength lies, but her feeble strength did not deter her in the least.


    Everyone gloats on their strengths, but he who recognizes his weaknesses is the ultimate winner!


    So, what if she had no qi as of now?! She had a divine beast, her ally and strength. Though she will personally handle the prince later, it doesn''t hurt to play with him a little.


    '' Fluffy, take over my body!''


    Though Fluffy could not hear her actual voice, the strong fluctuations in their spiritual pool made his heart tremble for the first time. From the times unknown, he served many masters. He had a good and loyal relationship with everyone. But, not even a single person trusted him blindly like her.


    There was no second thoughts or even a shred of doubt. All he sensed was trust, her trust towards him. It made him feel happy, frustrated and helpless all at once.


    Happy that for once someone was willing to put their faith on him, frustrated about her naivety and helpless as he did not find words to reprimand her.


    It felt as if something was blocking his words, he finally realized that he did not have the heart to reprimand her.


    Till this moment, he only viewed her as someone who formed a contract with him. But, now he stubbornly decided that he would follow her soul and be her only contractual beast in all the lives to come.


    During the time when Fluffy was daydreaming, Jun Lan was able to sense the intense fluctuations in their spiritual space. All the fluctuations indicated only towards a single emotion, happiness. Yes, immense joy!


    '' Is he that excited on absorbing Wang Xiu''s spiritual energy?! Poor fellow must have been starved for long!'' Jun Lan felt dumbfounded on sensing Fluffy''s extremely good mood. Thus, a certain poor fox''s feelings are misunderstood for his voracious appetite.


    '' But, me taking over you will make your body extremely weak.'' Fluffy recovered from his stupor and immediately warned her.


    '' It doesn''t matter as long as long as I am able to see him suffer.''


    ''All this is not worth it if you are hurting yourself.'' Fluffy thought to himself, but he did not refuse her. Since he is connected to her, he could feel her intense rage and disgust towards the man before him.


    Sigh! If this could appease her, then so be it.


    '' Be ready! Once I take over your body, I will smash him into a pulp.'' Fluffy sighed, feeling rather torn. He wanted to hurt the man without harming her, a rather impossible task.


    '' Eh?! Just beat him till his features are distorted. Don''t kill him!''


    Why should he not kill such an annoying fly?! Fluffy did not dare say his thoughts out loud even though he was feeling a bit down. But, he suddenly chuckled, his face twisted creepily '' Fine then! I will beat him till he begs this grandpa for mercy!''


    Jun Lan did not get the chance to laugh as she felt her consciousness slowly fading away. Her vision blurred and her eyes dipped as she felt everything go dark before her. Her body swayed with the wind, her movement made Xu Zian stand on his feet. Just as he was about to rush towards her, Jun Lan''s body straightened and her eyes fluttered open.


    The eyes were still in red but a shade darker than before. The faint tinge of silver around those blood red orbs glowed under the sunlight making everyone suck in a deep breath.


    Even Xu Zian was of no exception as he stared haltingly at her. Those eyes were beautiful, hauntingly beautiful.


    But soon his reverie was replaced by extreme anger as he understood what was going on. He felt a pain in his heart as he thought of how she is hurting herself.


    " Shall we start the match?!" Wang Xiu spoke bravely, ignoring the surge of panic in his heart. He didn''t know why but he felt a sudden change in the aura of the masked kid. Whatever it was, it screamed of tyranny. Not letting the fear get the better of him, Wang Xiu charged forward with a sword in his hand.


    The runes on his sword glowed faintly and Fluffy sensed the spiritual waves of water element activating.


    Seeing that the kid was as still as a rock, Wang Xiu smirked smugly thinking that the kid was too afraid to move.


    " Kid, going against me is the foolish mistake of your life!" Wang Xiu roared as he slashed his sword against Jun Lan''s neck.


    Many of the crowd closed their eyes, not willing to witness such a brutal scene. Instead of the cries of pain, all they heard was the loud cracking sounds.


    The mighty sword which seemed to be brimming with life earlier was now lying on the ground broken into countless tiny pieces. The once domineering sword was nothing more than a few scraps of metal.


    " H-how..." Before Wang Xiu was able to complete the question, he felt a strong force colliding with his jaw and his body collided with the rocky ground, his face scratched in the process. The crushing sounds of his bones mixed with the thumping sound of his fallen body echoed in his ear drums masking the rhythmic beats of his heart.


    Fluffy whose battle mode was now completely awakened, rained heavy punches and strong kicks on the man who was currently writhing in pain. Every attack was now followed with the bone cracking sounds as a response.


    The crowd opened their eyes to meet with the scene of a petite young mad who was bashing his opponent without any mercy. The loud cries of pain were now reduced to faint whimpers as Wang Xiu was now on the brink of losing consciousness.


    Savage!


    This is brute savagery!


    Everyone felt themselves break into cold sweats as they took in the scene before them with eyes as large as a koi fish.

 58 Be Warned! 5

    Wang Xiu remained still on the ground with his face beaten and features distorted beyond recognition. His motionless form invoked a faint feeling of pity in some hearts. Sub-consciously they drifted their eyes towards the masked man only to meet with his stark cold eyes.


    '' We should never provoke this big Buddha!'' Everyone silently engraved those savage eyes in their hearts and firmly decided that they would never ever instigate this man welcoming their own deaths.


    Unconcerned by the sharp eyes on his master, Fluffy stared at a certain pest with displeasure. All he wanted to do was to kill the man but here he was restraining himself.


    When had he, the fox king backed down? Not until now, and this was all because of a tiny human who was his master. He promised her that he would not kill him, being a man of his words he would not kill him.


    '' I would not kill him, but I will take away all the cultivation which he painstakingly worked on all these years.'' with eyes narrowed like crescents, Fluffy lifted his hands and glanced at his long and pointy black nails before plunging his hands into Wang Xiu''s chest as his fingertips grazed the heart meridians of the unlucky man.


    Yes, Wang Xiu was unlucky! Provoking a fox spirit never proved to be a good thing.


    As soon as the coal black fingertips came in contact with Wang Xiu''s meridians, all the spiritual energy flowed freely like a river into Fluffy''s spirit. Wang Xiu''s body paled and wrinkled visibly making everyone in the arena pale with terror. This time even Jia Feng was not an exception as he gulped as he took in the terrorising display of power by their new master. Though the deeds have not been exchanged, Jia Feng had long decided that the masked kid is their new master.


    Wang Xiu''s skin shrunk to the bones and he was no longer the domineering prince from before. All that remained was just bones, saying that he looked like a sack of bones was no longer an exaggeration.


    Wang Xiu''s secret guard who was in the shadows snapped from his daze on seeing this brutal scene. It was only now that he realized that his entire body was drenched in sweat and that his whole body was shaking. There was no need to think further as he knew what he had to do if he wanted to save his rather arrogant master.


    Fishing out the keys from his robe, he dashed towards the inner rooms from the arena to retrieve the documents. His master had acted out in a barbaric manner putting ego before thoughts, but he never expected the situation to get blown out of proportions. Giving up the trading house was the only way to salvage the current situation. He feared that his master may lose his life at any moment and this fear made him forget about the future torture from the devil. Now was not the time to think about repercussions , the same way in which things once done cannot be undone.


    Grabbing the documents from the locker, Gu Su sprinted towards the arena only coming to halt a few feet away from Fluffy. Gu Su thought that he was fast enough, but by the time he reached the arena there were about ten additional slap marks on Wang Xiu''s wrinkled body. The sight of loose robes hanging on a bony frame made Wang Xiu like a vengeful banshee and this sight made Gu Su flinch in fear. He was afraid, not because of his master''s look but due to the nonchalant red eyed man who was the reason for all this mess.


    All of a sudden, Gu Su felt regret. Yes, regret!


    If only they had surrendered, his master would not have ended up in this state. Gu Su knew very well that today''s events will the new topic of interest for all the gossip mongers and story tellers in the imperial entertainment houses. He also knew that nothing could stop from these rumors to spread and it is a given that The Third Prince will be a laughingstock for everyone.


    If only they had surrendered, at least their prince would have left with some face. And to think that this was all instigated by a youth who had yet to reach adulthood sent terrors in his spine.


    With unprecedented fear in his veins, Gu Su plopped on his knees and lowered his head and spoke with a tremor in his voice


    " V-venerable master, please accept this deed. It''s our fault that we acted wrongfully and it''s only retribution that we are in this state. I beg of you... "


    Gu Su pleaded with a pitiful voice " Spare his life! Please let my master go."


    Feeling that he did a good job with the speech, Gu Su raised his head to meet with the coldest eyes he had ever seen. His entire body felt as if it was frozen under the depths of such intense gaze, he felt as if his mind was being stripped and his thoughts laid bare out in the open.


    " At least you have brains." a ghastly voice spoke while taking the documents" Take this filth away from eyes."


    After speaking, Fluffy turned away his sight from the kneeling man and instead gazed at his surroundings. Feeling the invisible pressure disappear, Gu Su carefully picked up his master and hurried out of the arena. His first priority is to heal his master, no ordinary healer could deal with this. Having no choice, Gu Su gritted his teeth and made his way to the only place where there might be any chance for his master''s recovery.


    Fluffy swept a glance over the document and nodded with satisfaction on seeing that the document is real. He then addressed the frightened crowd in his deep bass like voice.


    " From this day, this Trading house will be under my name, Local tyrant." Though he found the name distasteful, he had to speak.


    " Be warned! Everything under this house, be it people, animals or items both valuable and invaluable belongs to me. Those who dare to mess with this place and my people will suffer a fate worse than the third prince.


    I am harmless person for all those who are kind and humble. For all those who are arrogant, I am King Yama from hell. I will not attack or retaliate unless I am provoked."


    " You can all leave for the day. This trading house will be closed till all the inside matters are settled." On seeing the frightened deer looks on everyone''s faces, Fluffy finally relented. The crowd immediately vacated the area as if they were waiting to hear those words all this time.


    " You there!" Fluffy beckoned Jia Feng near him " You will keep this place closed till I return back. If I find that you disobeyed any of my orders..."


    " Lord, I will not disappoint you. Worry not." Jia Feng bowed immediately expressing his loyalty.


    " You may leave." Fluffy felt that the man was good and reliable. Not wanting to make things difficult for such a man, he dismissed him in the earliest.


    Fluffy could feel his soul becoming weaker and realized that it is time to go back.


    With a snap of his fingers, the red in the almond shaped eyes dimmed into a grey dull. Jun Lan felt her eyelids go heavy and her body felt numb. She felt the world around her spinning and added on to that, a thunderous voice echo in her ears.


    " Just what were you and that damned fox of yours thinking?! Are you that eager to die?! "


    That voice sounded so angry and laced with concern at the same time. Squinting her eyes, she saw a handsome and furious figure rushing towards her. Even though everything was blurry and her senses are distorted, Jun Lan could figure out that the man was very handsome.


    Handsome enough to be called as a flower boy!


    Why was this flower boy so angry?!


    " Eh! Why... so angry... flower boy!" it was the last words she heard herself blurting out before the world turned black.

 59 Qilins Doubts

    Xu Zian knew that the sly fox used Soul Shifting technique and he also knew the terrible side effects of using it. Soul shifting is not a big matter if used by a seasoned cultivator, but it will wreak a havoc on the body if used by a normal person. He didn''t expect the hatred to run so deep, so deep that she was willing to hurt herself.


    And this stupid girl not only used it but also called him a flower boy again!


    He had been worried sick about the brat and she had the audacity to address him as such, the title ''Flower Boy'' will remain as a blemish for the rest of his life.


    Flower boy! What an embarrassing name!!


    '' Mwuhahaa.. Master, you are called flower boy?! Surely a name befitting you...'' the Qilin roared with laughter, just how in the world did the mistress come with such an excellent name?! His master''s looks can outshine any beauty ah!


    No wonder, no wonder!


    His mistress is truly intelligent else how could she use such a good name for his master ah?!


    '' Heh! Don''t you worry! I will introduce you to her and she will name you with a far more embarrassing title. Let''s see if you will jump around then! Humph!'' Xu Zian snorted at his Qilin who was adding oil to the fire and sure enough his words made Qilin shut his annoying mouth.


    '' I''m looking forward to my name.'' Unexpectedly the Qilin squealed in excitement.


    '' What the...!'' Xu Zian''s face darkened immediately. How come his Qilin is excited beyond limits ah! Somehow Xu Zian felt a premonition in his heart, a very bad one at that!


    In the future, Xu Zian will find that his intuition is very accurate when both Jun Lan and Qilin run off to several places evoking trouble wherever they step in.


    At present, Xu Zian stared at the limp girl in his arms with a helpless expression on his face. He was feeling on the edge all the time when the little girl ran off by herself on to the arena.


    Ah! How she riled up his heart all this time!


    How long had it been since he felt worried for another person?


    Worry, anger, care... This brat is evoking feelings, feelings which once did not exist in him.


    When he was immersed in his thoughts, he felt the body in his arms twitch and her creased forehead acting as an indicator of her pain.


    Again he felt a similar throbbing in his heart, subconsciously reaching out to wipe away her frown with his thumb.


    "What in the world are you doing to me? " Xu Zian whispered softly as he scooped her into his arms carefully, leaving a gust of wind behind his trail.


    ____


    "What happened to the first young lady?" Ah Jian questioned with a calm before storm face, the worry in his voice apparently clear.


    Xu Zian landed in the backyard of the house not wanting to worry the brat''s old man. The old man might faint on seeing his granddaughter lying cold specially in the hands of a man.


    Originally, he didn''t want to attract anyone''s attention. But, who knew that this shadow guard''s gaze is as keen as a hawk. As the moment he stepped inside the yard, the shadow guard appeared  before him with a murderous expression on his face.


    " Tsk...  Ask your lady when she wakes up. I am her savior, so keep your predatory eyes off me. " Xu Zian spoke with a deadpan expression.


    Ah Jian simply nodded his head in response. If not for the fact that Xu Zian is a friend of the Ye family, he would have trashed this man without caring for any consequences.


    "And don''t alert your master about her condition. She will be fine in a few days, just give this to the old master and tell him that she is working on the future plans, alone. He will understand. " Xu Zian instructed while handing the agreement paper to the man, his voice leaving no room for further discussion.


    But a certain man did not get the indication as he counter questioned " Will she be alright? Who is going to take care of her? "


    "Naturally, it''s me who can and will take care of her. If you are so worried, then you can accompany us later. I''m talking her to her room. "


    Leaving a dumbfounded man behind, Xu Zian strode across the cozy room and dumped a certain person onto the bed, a payback for calling him flower boy!


    But a pained groan from the culprit made Xu Zian feel guilty and a concerned frown etched on his face. He placed his wide calloused palm on her forehead pumping his spiritual energy into her. The warm energy acted as a soothing balm erasing away all her additional pain due to the earlier collision.


    After making sure that he erased away the pain that he caused her, Xu Zian retracted his hands and once again a frown graced on Jun Lan''s forehead.


    Xu Zian plopped on the chair, but made no move to help her as he left the curled up girl on her own, leaving her to struggle on her own.


    Though his master looked like an emotionless ice block, the Qilin could sense the waves of distress all around his master.


    ''Master, if you are so worried, then why don''t you help lady master? ''


    '' She needs to overcome this on her own. It will make her strong and I don''t want to rob her of this opportunity. If anything seems to go out of hand, I will interfere.'' In his deep worry Xu Zian failed to notice the way Qilin addressed the little girl.


    The Qilin scratched his head in exasperation, he could sense each and every emotion of his master ah!


    '' Ah! It''s clear that master is worried, then why torture himself! These humans are weird creatures, both unfathomable and deep at the same time...'' the Qilin lost himself in his very weird thoughts.


    Why act nonchalant when the heart is clearly under turbulence?!


    Why act stone cold when there is a raging inferno inside you?!


    Thus, the Qilin''s heart was filled with many uncleared doubts.

 60 The letter 1

    Darkness. In her deep slumber, Jun Lan only felt darkness shrouding her entire person. There was no speck of light, only pain coursing through her nerves and darkness spread in her mind. The pain was bone-shattering but it was nothing compared to the pain of getting one''s arms ripped off. Jun Lan, who felt such intense pain before, the pain now was not unbearable.


    Her body was even able to withstand this pain, so what can she be not able to face in the future?


    With these thoughts, a small smile spread on her face.


    Jun Lan''s body was drenched in cold sweat, but there was a serene smile on her pale visage.


    And it was exactly this smile of hers, that puzzled Xu Zian. The cold sweat on her clearly shouted out that she is in pain, but what was with this smile of hers?


    She was in pain, but not affected by it...


    How could she not be, when the pain accompanied by soul-shifting technique is known to the worst kind of pain that one could ever experience? Xu Zian was baffled.


    But, he clearly understood that this little girl was not someone who is ordinary. He stayed by her side in case she needed any help, but she proved that she never needed his help, much to his surprise.


    He could not help but admire her tenacity.


    ____


    After two days...


    Warm rays of sunlight leaked through the windows, casting a halo around the girl who was ducked under thick covers of blankets. Jun Lan''s eyelashes fluttered open and she blinked her eyes to erase the blurry surroundings. As her sight became clear, she tilted her head and propped up her body wanting to sit straight. But, she halted her movements in the middle as she stared at the entwined fingers, her hand safely enclosed in a warm and wrinkled one.


    Tilting her head she felt her heart melt at the scene before her.  On a cushioned chair, her grandfather was sprawled unceremoniously, fast asleep. The chair was small, now where near in accommodating a man of her old man''s stature. Dark circles adorned his tired eyes and even in his sleep, his firm hold on her tiny hands didn''t loosen up.


    Gazing at his tired and messy form, Jun Lan didn''t have the heart to wake him up. Taking utmost care not to make any sound, she took care to move cautiously.


    Being the light sleeper he was, Jun Yuan woke up after hearing the faint rustling sounds from.


    " Brat! Are you alright now?! Don''t go on scaring your old man like that! I was scared to..."


    " Grandpa, I am alright!"


    " You were knocked out for two days! Don''t you dare say that you are safe and well!" Jun Yuan glared at her and spoke sternly " And, don''t disturb me when I am scolding you!"


    Her grandpa is scolding her. What a joke!


    The old man''s words sounded like songs of concern in her ears...


    A smile graced her lips as she patiently stayed silent till the old man finished ranting. Since her old man wanted to roast her, then she will let him!


    " I heard that you managed to cripple the prince."


    The old man''s voice was filled with humour as he stared at his granddaughter. He always imagined this girl''s character as docile and shy one. Imagine the shock when he heard Ah Jian''s report, he even rebuked the shadow guard not to crack such terrifying jokes. But the man presented the deed of the trading house successfully making all the words choke in his throat.


    His granddaughter had become truly unpredictable now!


    " Ahem!" Jun Lan cleared her throat " Grandpa, it''s only a result of his arrogance, Nothing more. I will manage the trading house secretly. No one will be able to trace back to Jun family. I promise! "


    Jun Yuan had no intention of snatching that muddy place from her hands. He had to deal with his foolish second and third sons, he neither had any interest nor energy to deal with such a dark organisation.


    He also knew that the girl acquired the place risking her all. Since she had the capability to deal with the third prince, he believed with all his heart that this brat will be able to handle everything.


    He was not worried about that place or any other materialistic things, all he cared was her safety.


    " Even they are able to trace back to us, Jun family will put up a fight. Don''t be hard on yourself. " He voiced out his concerns.


    If you are not hard enough, the world will crumble you to dust. This was the truth which she had learnt in the hard way. Nevertheless, she was touched with her grandpa''s words.


    Jun Lan simply nodded her head with a profound smile at her grandpa''s words, keeping all the thoughts to herself.


    Not wanting to dwell on this topic any further, Jun Lan scrunched her brows as she spoke, the worry in her voice clear " Grandpa, what are you going to do with second and third uncle? "


    " What do you want me to do? "


    Faced with her grandpa''s discerning gaze, Jun Lan did not cower. Instead, she faced his gaze head on and a deep breath escaped from her lungs.


    " Grandpa, second uncle dared to scheme against father. Third uncle may be innocent but third aunt is not. Second aunt, second sister...


    Everyone are trying to sell me off to the third prince. Everyone is vying for their individual prestige failing to realize that they are pushing Jun family beyond redemption.


    Though it pains me that my family is scheming against me, I bear no grudge. "


    " I don''t want to harm them in anyway. I don''t want to drown myself in vengeance.


    But, I will not hesitate to retaliate if they scheme against me from now. I will not hesitate to draw blood, of they harm my family, including you."


    Under Jun Yuan''s startled gaze, she continued " Grandpa, take control over second and third uncle. Don''t allow them to take foolish decisions. I trust you with that. "

 61 The letter 2

    After listening to the words which far exceeded her wisdom, Jun Yuan felt his heart stuffy. Her words struck the chords of his heart and he could not help but feel a sad tinge in his heart. Just what had she gone through to become like this at such an young age.


    On the other hand, he was also proud. He didn''t have any idea as of what ordeals she faced to turn out like this, the change was a good one as she turned out to be more spectacular than before.


    Her thoughts and ideals were aligned with his; the girl will surely outwit her father in a few years.


    Her words and aura...


    She was an exact replica of her father''s foolish braveness and her mother''s brains.


    ''I don''t want to harm them in anyway. I don''t want to drown myself in vengeance.


    But, I will not hesitate to retaliate if they scheme against me from now. I will not hesitate to draw blood, of they harm my family, including you.''


    The old man chuckled in amusement as he recalled her words, they were the same words which he once spoke when he was young.


    '' This brat inherited my stubbornness.'' his eyes softened as he sighed in his heart.


    He knew very well that the girl will keep to her words, but he was not to be taken lightly. He will shape his two foolish sons, he couldn''t let them dig their own graves. No matter how silly they are, they are his flesh and blood. He was not the one to throw away familial relations for the sake of worthless materialistic things.


    Greed blinds the eyes of men; rifts are common between brothers. But, he will make sure to correct them by hook or crook. He couldn''t bear to see his son''s at each others throats. No father could bear to see their children fight each other, before a general and clan leader he is a man who cares about his family.


    And this includes all of his son''s and their families.


    With these thoughts, a firm resolution reflected in his eyes " Lan''er, I will take care of your second and third uncle. It''s been a long time since the brats met my cane."


    Cane?!


    A shiver crept up her spine as a series of memories played in her mind. They were her father''s pitiful threats or in other words, complaints...


    '' Lan''er, I am very lenient towards you. Back then, your grandpa used to trash us with his Dragonbone cane. The scars from that day are still present on my body! The pain is unbearable! You must be grateful to have a sweet dad like me. Humph!''


    " I trust you grandpa!" Jun Lan blurted out hurriedly. Even she couldn''t help but shiver at the thought of the old man''s merciless cane. But, in her heart she wished that her old man would give those two brainless uncles of hers a very good beating. Since she promised that she would hold back, she had no other choice than to pin all her hopes on her grandpa.


    As her words fell on his ears, Jun Yuan''s eyes crinkled to an extent where only two slits are visible and his chest puffed up in happiness. Which old man would not be proud when their grandchildren express their admiration ah!


    If Jun Lan had the ability to hear his thoughts, she would have been rolling on the ground with laughter.


    What admiration?! In her eyes, the old man is a stubborn cute fool! Jun Lan simply rolled her eyes at a certain old man in disbelief.


    But, he didn''t seem to notice her looks, regaining his composure Jun Yuan''s demeanor turned serious " Lan''er, there''s been news from the Northern border."


    Thump!


    The whole surroundings seemed to turn quiet as the only thing resonating in her ears was the erratic beating of her heart.


    News from Northern border meant news from her father! As far she remembered, the war only ends next month! So, how come there was a messenger now!


    Did something happen?!


    Jun Lan didn''t know that her entire body is trembling, until the old man shook her " Lan''er, snap out of it! First, hear me out!"


    What if it''s bad news?! No! Don''t jump into conclusions!


    After chastising herself mentally, Jun Lan focused her attention on her grandfather who had an expression of worry etched on his face.


    " I am fine grandpa. Just nervous, I guess." She was not lying as she was truly puzzled now.


    " Girl! Your father won the war!"


    Jun Lan froze immediately and it took a few moments for her to recover from the daze before excitement surged through her entire body. She wanted to squeal out loud and dance around; but first things first, she wanted exact details of the transpired events. So, she stared intensely at the old man who felt goosebumps under her hawk like gaze.


    " The credit goes to the young brat, your brother! I don''t know what exactly happened, but talks are that a few months earlier, that damned fellow launched a full-scale offensive attack completely annihilating the enemies. If you want every single detail, ask them directly when they arrive here.


    They will be here in a month."


    " A month?" Jun Lan scrunched her brows in thought, it takes only fifteen days when they travel on magical beasts.


    As if reading her thoughts, Jun Yuan kindly clarified " Your father is heading to the capital. He is forfeiting his command token to the emperor. It seems that the brat is having these thoughts since long."


    What?!


    Her father, the man who prides his position of a general, is giving up!


    No matter how hard she thinks, Jun Lan found it hard to believe. Nah! Her silly father is not capable of such earth shattering decisions.


    Just when she is battling her dilemma, Jun Yuan''s words rang out in the silent room.


    " Since, your father is giving up the royal position, I will declare that he is exiled for a few years as punishment. People will naturally think that I am upset with my son who is giving up the position in royal court. No one will target you all for the time being.


    Stay away from the capital for a few years, till all the muddy waters settle down."

 62 The letter 3

    Jun Lan nodded her head absentmindedly. In spite of her sending the letter, she didn''t expect her father to believe her words so easily. Also, what was with this early full stop to the war? With her father''s tactics, it is impossible for the war to end so early. It was not that her father is a bad tactician, truth be told he is not the best.


    For all these to happen, someone must be pushing her father from behind...


    Ah! Didn''t her grandpa say that the credit for the war goes to her brother.


    Her brother!


    Yes, it must be him!


    ''Is he the same as me?''


    At the mere idea of her brother''s situation being similar to hers gave birth to a bitter-sweet feeling in her heart. Should she feel happy that her brother will not fall to the schemes of past? Or, should she feel sad that he had to bear the burden of past regrets and pains in his heart?


    Yes, her brother must be the in the same situation of hers! Only he can make father listen to all my plans. In the past life, in his late twenties, her brother was nicknamed '' Abyssal king'', his plans were so intricate that one could not find a way out if one falls into it.


    If this was the case...


    Sigh!


    No wonder her old man called the war ''annihilation''.


    Hearing his grand-daughter''s weary sigh, Jun Yuan chuckled in amusement as he flicked her forehead " Don''t tire out yourself over-thinking things. Ah Jian will bring food after half sichen. Eat full and rest well."


    Patting her head gently, Jun Yuan left the room.


    Hmm...


    Why over-think things? She will force the truth out of her brother when the time comes!


    ___


    Knock!


    " First lady, I brought your meals." The series of door tapping sounds was followed by an aloof voice, which Jun Lan immediately recognized as Ah Jian''s.


    Hearing her approval, Ah Jian slid the door open and took elegant strides across the room before placing the tray on the meal table. The faint aroma of the soup tantalized her senses, the rumbling of her empty stomach a reminder of how hungry she was.


    Grabbing the chopsticks, she finished the contents of the huge bowl in a lightning speed leaving the man beside her dumbfounded.


    When he entered the room, he saw Jun Lan dressed in white robes, her face unveiled. In the Jun family, none knew her original countenance with the exception of her grandpa, Ah Jian, Li Ming and Li Shin. Though he had seen her appearance, one could not help but be transfixed by her features.


    He always revered the lady as the epitome of grace and beauty, but, It was his first time seeing a lady eating so heartily not caring for etiquette. Her slurping of the soup made him rethink about the worldly views.


    Jun Lan let out a contended sigh while patting her bloated tummy. It felt like ages since she had such complete meal, when it had only been two days.


    Ah! Food and sleep are the best things in life! If granted a boon, she would definitely request for unlimited supply of food and a villa in mountains...


    " Ahem!" Ah Jian cleared his throat as he found the need to break Jun Lan''s dreams, daydreams to be precise.


    " Eh!" It was only now that Jun Lan realized that she completely ignored the existence of a certain shadow guard. Feeling ashamed, she coughed slightly before addressing him " Ah Jian, how did I end up here? I only remember that I blacked out in the arena."


    After hearing her words, Ah Jian nodded in understanding. She was out like a log, it is only natural that she didn''t remember anything. " Young master Xu carried you here."


    ''I should thank him later.'' Jun Lan made a mental note to herself.


    " pfft..." As if suddenly remembering something, Ah Jian laughed out loud scaring the ghost out of Jun Lan.


    " W-what i-is it?? Are you all right Ah Jian?" Jun Lan couldn''t help but be concerned about this stoic man. He was a aloof man; his poker face undisturbed even in the face of catastrophic calamities. A man like him, suddenly laughing out loud could only make one doubt one''s own sanity.


    Jun Lan''s tumultuous voice hit him in the right places, the effect being immediate as the man regained his composure before confessing " Forgive me lady, but I couldn''t help laughing whenever I remember such unfortunate incident."


    " Oh! Something that can make you laugh, then I must hear it!" the gossipy girl that had long been buried inside of her, leaped out beautifully.


    Which girl doesn''t like a little gossip ah?! As long as it is not demeaning the name of others, gossiping can be considered a healthy hobby. A hobby that adds a bit of spice in the tasteless boring dish called life.


    " First lady, Young master Xu instructed me not to tell clan leader about your condition. He insisted that he would take care of you."


    " W-what! Did he see my face?" Jun Lan interrupted in the middle, the horror in her face evident. When she woke up, she found her veil removed though her robes remained unchanged. She didn''t want rumors to spread about her and attract unwanted troubles later on.


    " No my lady, it was the clan leader who removed your veil." Ah Jian''s reply calmed her heart.


    " Hehe... Forgive me for my interruption! Please continue..." Jun Lan rubbed her nose feeling embarrassed about her exaggerated reactions.


    '' Why would a lady apologize to her servant?'' Ah Jian wondered, but did not dwell on it. He continued his rather interesting tale " But, my loyalty lies with the clan leader. I did my duty and informed the clan leader that you fainted in the arms of Young master Xu..."


    '' Ah Jian! How could you spice up to such degree ah! Didn''t you realize how ambiguous your words are?!'' Jun Lan screamed in her heart, her calm facade betraying her inner craziness.


    No need to tell, Jun Lan could almost imagine her grandfather''s rage. Who would not be angry when they learn that their family''s little girl is in the hands of a man, and unconscious at that?!


    Unaware that a certain lady is currently plotting his demise, Ah Jian was immersed in narrating his tale " Unexpectedly, Clan leader flew into a rage. Believe me my lady, he was furious!"


    Furious my ***! If not furious would he be celebrating in happiness?! For the first time, Jun Lan felt the urge to smack this fellows head!


    " He came marching to the room and blame the stars for the young master Xu''s bad luck; he was checking your temperature with his palm placed on your forehead and with his back facing us, the scene appeared quite ambiguous.


    Not thinking twice, clan leader sent a kick using all of his strength.


    Sigh! Not to exaggerate, but the kick sent the unsuspecting young master flying out."


    Not finding the right words to describe the next scene, Ah Jian chuckled " I must admit that the damage is quite severe..."


    Her old man kicked Xu Zian''s butt!!!!


    Yup, Jun Lan only caught the main point of the entire narration. The room remained silent for a while, before she burst out in laughter. Her laughter continued to the point where her stomach ached. Her laughter being contagious, Ah Jian also joined in the laughing spree, the combined intensity of their laughs scaring all the crows within their vicinity.


    " Lady, the best part is about to come." The amusement in Ah Jian''s voice deepened.

 63 The letter 4

    With cheeks flushed pink and shiny bright eyes, Jun Lan stared at Ah Jian expectantly. The man strode towards a certain huge window, it''s size can accommodate about three persons through it at a time. Beckoning her to the place, Ah Jian pointed towards the ground before backing off to maintain a respectable distance between them.


    Scarlet Devil Plant!


    This poisonous thorny plant was now broken at the stem and lay scattered on the grass.


    " Did he fall on that?"


    On seeing him nod his head, Jun Lan did not have the heart to laugh at Xu Zian anymore. A reckless contact with this plant will lead to all it''s thorns stick on the victim''s skin, and the resulting pain cannot be purely described by words.


    Thorns sticking all over his body...


    A porcupine Xu Zian...


    Alas! It is too painful even to imagine such a scenario.


    All he did was to help her and instead of thanks he got a beating which he would never forget. Her old man definitely went overboard this time.


    Ah Jian gulped nervously on seeing the anger on Jun Lan''s face. The wheels in his mind turned as he quickly opened his mouth to placate her " Clan leader sent an ointment and words of apology to Young master Xu."


    Her grandpa sent a word of apology?


    Hah! It must be the stupidest joke of the century.


    In this life, Xu Zian was the first person whom she considered as a friend. Though the feelings of kinship are not as deep as to die for other, she considered him important. Without having any second thoughts, Jun Lan decided to apologize to him in person.


    With precise movements, the little girl draped the veil and pinned it securely. She only knew that Xu Zian is related to Chu Lian, wife of Ye family''s son. She knew not if Xu Zian had any home other than that place. Logically, he must be resting there given his physical condition. Well, if he is not there she can simply ask Sis Chu Lian for information. Thinking thoroughly, Jun Lan decided to bring Ah Jian with her. Rather than going alone, it''s always fun to have company.


    " Ah Jian, we are going to the Ye family house."


    " But lady, Young master Xu sent word that he would meet you at the trading house after two days. He also asked you not to worry about him as he will be recuperating at his secret place." Ah Jian relayed the information, he still remembered the Ye clan guard who came to him this morning.


    " Ah!" Jun Lan was dazed for a bit as she sighed " Will that flower boy be alright?"


    ___


    Ye clan house


    Three ungrateful persons were laughing unceremoniously as they took in the ''weird'' appearance of a certain person. There were no feelings of compassion, rather it seemed like they were all gloating on his misfortune.


    Xu Zian who was now as red as a blushing bride stood by the side in a stiff manner, his eyes shooting glares at his so called ''family.''


    It is tolerable if only his brother-in-law and the old man are the one''s who are making fun of him. But, with his sister joining in the fray, it is only natural that the young man lost his backbone.


    " So, you got yourself beaten by the old man Jun."  the old man Ye Zhuan commented with his sparkly eyes.


    " Your mission of hero saving the beauty got backfired!" Ye Fang humored, clearly enjoying the young man''s plight.


    " Dear, don''t be so heartless. Didn''t you see my little brother''s body? Aiya~ all men become fools in the presence of a beauty!" Chu Lian exclaimed making Ye Fang and Xu Zian frown at the same time.


    " Sister!"


    " Young man, save your words. I have never seen you talk to girls other than me, much less laugh with them. You enjoy her company and even after getting beaten, you did not complain. You even lied to her that you are recuperating in your secret state, when the truth is that you don''t wanther to see you in this state. " with each and every word of hers, Xu Zian''s neck lowered by an inch.


    " So, what exactly is going on? Hmm?" Chu Lian''s teasing voice finally made Xu Zian spoke in a resigned tone.


    " Sister! She is my friend; nothing more, nothing less. Don''t think much into it. But, I can tell you that she is an important person."


    Noticing the slight impatience and his protectiveness, Chu Lian finally smiled and said nothing more. If a man really cares for a girl, be it a friend, sister, wife or a mother, he would never allow anyone to speak of her wrongly. She had to admit, she was satisfied by her brother''s words.


    " Dear brother, even if you have feelings for her, I am not against it. You can start courting her when she turns at least fifteen. I am cheering for you!"


    "..." Xu Zian was rendered speechless.


    All this time, Ye Fang was stuck on his wife''s remark ''all men become fools in the presence of a beauty''. His mind was in a chaos, and it was only now that the fog in his mind cleared. Subconsciously, he blurted " Dear wife, now I understand why I never acted like a fool."


    Xu Zian and Ye Zhuan stilled their actions, their mouths agape but unable to form words.


    '' Bro-in-law! ( Grandson!), you are dead meat!'' both of them exclaimed in their hearts.


    How could you call your wife ''ugly'' ah!


    With hands on her hips and darkened face, Chu Lian spoke in a terrifyingly low voice " Ye Fang! Dare to repeat those words!"


    " Oh~ Wife! I was p-possessed! Y-yes possessed! Definitely possessed!" Like a broken tape-recorder, the husband tried to salvage the situation, though it made the situation awkward.


    " Is it a female demon who possessed you?"


    " Yes! N-No!" Ye Fang cursed himself using all the beautiful curse words which he could think of. Just how did he land himself in this situation ah!


    " I don''t mind, hubby." Chu Lian''s sickly sweet voice gave birth to an ominous premonition in his heart.


    " Enjoy your dreams and nights with the female demon of yours. You are not allowed in the bed, until... I think otherwise." her words made him into an deflated balloon.


    " Wife..." Ye Fang cried pitifully.


    Without wasting even a single glance at him, Chu Lian brushed her sleeves and left the room with her head high and proud back leaving her words behind like a lingering ghost " Zian''er and grandfather can have the dinner. As for the other person, I fear there are no extra portions for him."


    Ye Fang buried his face in his hands the remorse of his words hitting him hard.


    Xu Zian and Ye Zhuan did not dare comfort the brooding man, they hurriedly followed Chu Lian lest they get kicked out by the fuming lady.


    At the sight of their fleeing backs, Ye Fang gritted his teeth as he screamed in his heart '' Traitors!''

 64 The letter 5

    Ten days earlier...


    " Brothers! Finally, we are returning home." the cheerful voice of a young man evoked huge roars of happiness from the tents.


    " Finally, we are going home! Young master Jun, are you telling the truth? Please don''t play with us." Though the news drove them into ecstasy they could not help but make sure.


    " Brothers! After the recent loss, the Yan kingdom would not dare to attack us for another ten years. Our victory is official and we are returning home!" Jun Ling raised the wine jug in his hands as he let out a hearty laugh.


    Eight years! The war raged for a long period of eight years...


    They had always been on the weaker side, with heavy losses. But, their General had somehow managed to remain firm and unyielding all these years. With his secret formations and qi absorbing traps, their general made the Yan kingdom cultivators pull out all the hairs from their heads.


    But, things changed since the last three months. Their general''s son who laid inconspicuous all the time suddenly shook the entire camp with this tactics. His ideas were so aggressive that sent shivers down their spine. His ideas were meticulously planned that even their general had a hard time in recovering from the shock caused by his son.


    Laying down the plans in mind is very different from implementing them. Everyone had their own doubts on the ''very perfect plans'' of the young man. But, their worries were thrown into the wind when they witnessed the bloody slaughter of their enemies.


    They initially thought that their general is terrifying on the battle field, but with blood painted on his snow white robes, Jun Ling truly resembled the asura from hell, an image totally contradicting the smiling young man before them.For the first time, all the men thanked god in their hearts for being in the same army as Jun Ling.


    With the blood of their enemies painting the barren land in a deep red and in the midst of the bone piercing cries, Jun Kang raised the banners of victory.


    It was not an easy win for them.


    Men passed away, memories both sad and those of joy etched deeply in their hearts, leaving a lasting mark on their souls. Sure, each and every soldier missed their families, but going through life and death situations for eight years forged a bond deeper than blood among them. This is the bond of ''brotherhood'' which flows like blood through their veins and it is only at death that this bond can be broken.


    Finally, the long war has come to an end after all these years.


    The soldiers in the large tent glanced at each other and toasted each other in happiness.


    After spreading the news and leaving all the men to their wild celebrations, Jun Ling made his way towards the large plum tree near the peak of the snow capped mountain.


    Whoosh!


    The cool breeze glided against his cheek, making goosebumps rise on his exposed skin. Jun Ling tightened the strings of his fur coat, and strode across the snow with heavy steps. His steps came to a halt as two majestic backs came into his view.


    Dressed in dark purple robes and with their hair dancing along with the wind, a man and a woman stood proudly as if nothing in the world could shake them. Their robes fluttered softly and they painted a picture so perfect and serene that makes one unwilling to disturb such harmony.


    As much as Jun Ling wanted to leave the two old love birds all by themselves, he could not.


    " Ahem!" the clearing sound of his throat caught their attention as the couple turned backwards.


    The woman had sharp eyebrows and the piercing look in her eyes turned soft as they landed on her son. Her lips arced up slightly as she called out gently " Ling''er."


    " Mother, all the brothers are excited to return home! They are getting drunk now."


    " En, who would not be excited at the thought of home? Eight years, it''s been ages since I last saw Ai Lan." Chen Ming Yue sighed, the regret of not being by the side of her daughter clearly evident in her voice.


    " Hmm, little fellow was only five when we left her. She must be all grown up. Will she still remember us?" Though Jun Kang''s voice was devoid of any emotion, the reddening hue of his eyes betrayed his inner emotions.


    " Father, Mother! You must work hard to gain sister''s heart." Jun Ling smiled at the two nervous parents. No matter how fierce they are on the battlefield, they are two caring parents at heart. But, that does not mean that they are good parents. Leaving a five year old girl all by herself, it was the only thing that Jun Ling could never bring himself to forgive.


    The light in his eyes dimmed as he remembered how he was dismembered before his sister. It was painful,but what devastated him was the heartbroken look on the little girl''s face. She never hated them for abandoning her for eight long years. Instead she tried to protect them fiercely. But,how could a gentle rabbit survive in a world filled with predators?


    If people are surrounded by loneliness, they grab on to the first straw of love. The foolish girl believed that the prince loved her, where the reality is cruel as he used her for bringing down the Jun family.


    It was because of their negligence that his little sister lived such a pitiful fate in her last life. Now that he is reborn he would never allow the happenings of past to repeat again.


    Then again, his sister also seems to be the same as him. Reborn, like a Phoenix rising from the ashes.


    He confirmed his suspicions, when he saw the letter she sent to her father. For a moment, he felt bitter sweet about this revelation. Sad that she was going through the pain and happy that she is slowly turning strong.


    She wanted her father to surrender the army to the emperor and he totally supported her idea. On seeing her plotting to protect them, he let out a amused and helpless chuckle. Being the supportive brother he was, he convinced his father.


    The little girl had no idea that he was reborn and he was somehow looking forward to her reaction when his letter reaches her. At the thought of her reaction, his eyes twinkled with a mischievous glint.

 65 The letter 6

    Jun Kang''s brows twisted into a frown on seeing his son''s shiny eyes. In a wary tone, he questioned " Ling''er, what are you planning?"


    " Nothing father. I am simply imaging little sister''s reaction when my letter reaches her."


    " Poor thing! She will be scared out of her wits on seeing your letter." Chen Ming Yue felt sorry for her daughter. Well, anyone will be terrified if  they receive a letter from a person who they have not seen for a period of eight years. And it seemed like her son was dead set on teasing his sister. Aish~ youngsters these days!


    '' She will not be shocked that I sent her a letter! It will be for another reason...'' Jun Ling had a smug smile on his face and Jun Kang felt that his son clearly resembled a Cheshire Cat.


    " Mother, Father! I assure you that sister will be eager to welcome you. So, you better prepare some gifts for her." Jun Ling sincerely advised his parents.


    " You brat! Come here! " Jun Kang bellowed.


    Snaking his muscular arm around his son''s neck, Jun Kang cleared his throat " Psst... What should I get for Ai Lan? I will buy you a spirit beast later if you help me."


    "Bribing your own son! Shameless old man! I won''t be enticed, humph! May all the gods abandon you during your buying gift quest!" Jun Ling hissed while prying his father''s arms off his neck making a certain old man freeze in shock.


    Chen Ming Yue''s lips twitched at her husband''s plight but soon she burst into huge rounds of laughter after hearing her son''s parting words.


    " Mother, how did fall for this silly man ah?! He sure is a lucky fellow for obtaining a beauty like you. "


    It took quite a long time before Jun Kang regained his wits " D-did he just call me... "


    Incompetent or worthless or... What exactly is his image in that brat''s eyes ah?!


    Jun Kang did not get the answer for his question as there was not even a trace of his son''s shadow in the vicinity.All that remained was the clear bell like laughter of his wife which truly hit his man''s pride.


    Jun Ling felt contended after teasing his father, humming a soft tune he made his way to the inventory to supervise the weapon count and other miscellaneous things.


    ___


    Two days passed in the blink of an eye.


    The day before, Jun Yuan received a report following which he made an immediate decision to return back.


    " Grandpa, I have to take care of some things. I will return after a few days." Jun Lan didn''t question her old man''s decision but informed him of her thoughts.


    Not questioning her any further, Jun Yuan only advised her " It''s not safe for a young lady to stay on her own. What do you think about Ah Jian accompanying you?"


    " Grandpa, with Fluffy on my side no one can touch me. Don''t worry." after politely declining him, she turned towards Ah Jian who remained stiff and immobile like a statue.


    " Ah Jian, do you remember our match and bet?"


    Ah Jian blinked his eyes in response. He was not a fool, he heard about how this young lady made Third prince a wastrel. Even if the match is in martial arts, he was sure that he cannot defeat her. He saw her train all this time, so he knew what he should answer.


    " Young lady, I admit defeat."


    Now, it was Jun Lan''s turn to raise her brows at his answer. Though she was surprised that he admitted defeat without putting up a fight, she did not say anything.


    " Then, you have to obey my words from now. I am your master, not the clan leader!" she spoke in a domineering voice, leaving no room for discussion. Even the old man had a pondering expression on his face as if trying to read the young girl before him.


    " Yes, master!" Going down on his knees, Ah Jian saluted his new master.


    " En, from now your only duty is to guard my grandfather. You have to protect him putting your life at risk. Do you understand?" Jun Lan''s almond eyes showed a seriousness that made Ah Jian nod his head subconsciously.


    " If anything goes wrong in that family, make sure to bring this old man to me. Knock him asleep if you have to. I don''t care about how or what you do as long as he is safe."


    " Master, I vow that I will protect the Clan leader with my life. Anyone must go through me before they touch the clan leader."


    " I believe you." Jun Lan was not a fool to place her old man''s life in his hands. She knew Ah Jian''s character the best. He was a man who lived to his words. He was a person who died for her, it''s only natural that she placed her trust on him.


    On the sidelines, Ye Zhuan had an indecipherable expression on his face as he took in the duo''s conversation. How come his loyal shadow guard is behaving like a docile cat? He had ordered Ah Jian to protect her in shadows, but this fellow had turned the tables on him. Now she ordered the same man to look after him. No matter how unwilling he was and didn''t want to leave her alone, he had no say in this matter.


    Ye Zhuan could only let out a helpless sigh in defeat. " Sigh! Lan''er, make sure to place your safety first. Promise me this."


    " Grandpa, I value my life heavily. Be at ease."


    Ye Zhuan did not plan to believe her words, but the clear look in her eyes calmed his worried heart. Though his mind worried, his heart assured him of her safety. Choosing to believe his instincts, he nodded his head solemnly and let go of the matter.


    " I will be leaving now. Take care." Leaving his words behind, Ye Zhuan summoned his tailed fox and leaped on to it''s back.


    Knowing that it''s time to leave, Ah Jian bowed towards Jun Lan before settling on the fox behind the old man. Leaving a last glance at her, Ye Zhuan and Ah Jian disappeared from her sight.


    Making sure that the two men are out of her hearing range, Jun Lan stretched her body lazily and raised her head. With a pair of eyes that can a hook even the most crooked soul, she fixed her gaze at the thick branches of trees as she called out in a cold voice "Now that you watched the drama to your heart''s content, it''s time to show your face."

 66 The letter 7

    Jun Lan had long sensed another presence in her surroundings. She had no abilities, but don''t forget her Fluffy! It was the cute fox who relayed to her that there was no malicious aura from that person.


    This made Jun Lan relax a bit, but not enough to put down her guard. She didn''t fear as she knew that her Fluffy would protect her no matter what happens. But she didn''t want to uselessly provoke the other person lest he be an ally.  So, she spoke casually while throwing a glance at the point where fluffy pointed. With all the patience in the world, she waited for the other party''s response.


    The man who was stealthily hiding in the shadows had the fright of his life as he heard the young girl''s words.


    He never expected that their general''s daughter would have such keen perception. She was able to sense him,  a high level cultivator. Irony is that she had no cultivation what so ever.


    He had come here to deliver the young master''s letter, but he was curious about the infamous trash daughter of their general. So, he hid in the shadows to observe her. But he made a fool of himself getting caught by a girl who is half his age.


    Who said that this little girl is a dumb one?! One must never believe in rumors!


    Gritting his teeth, he leaped from the tree onto the ground. Bowing perfunctorily, he apologized " Young lady, I came here to deliver a letter. Not wanting to interrupt your conversation, I stayed in the shadows. Please don''t take any offense."


    The man was dressed in dark blue robes and there was a Phoenix emblem pinned to his chest. He had a deep scar on his face from his right eye down to his neck. The blood thirsty aura around him made him look terrifying and domineering.


    But none of this affected the young lady as her eyes were locked onto the Phoenix emblem which is shining under the sunlight. This was the emblem of the army!


    Then, the letter must be from her family!


    Burying the over-excitement in her heart, she tilted her head and stared right at the stern soldier. Saluting him, Jun Lan spoke " Soldier brother! Is the letter from my family?"


    People have always maintained their distance from him, either due to fear or disgust. He had expected the young girl to scream or to show a similar reaction at the sight of his repulsive face. Not only had she not screamed, but she rendered him speechless by using her large doe like eyes. Unknown to Jun Lan, she had a expectant look in her eyes which managed to form a small crack in the man''s heart.


    '' To show such a defenseless look, she must be really missing her family! Aiya~'' The look in his turned gentle by a few degrees as he handed over an envelope and a scroll, and it seemed as if he was coaxing the girl " Young lady, the letter is from your brother. Be at ease, your family will be by your side soon."


    '' Of course I know that!'' Jun Lan wanted to retort, but on seeing the man''s awkward face as he was trying to comfort her she swallowed her words. Instead, she flashed a polite smile at the man and hurriedly opened the scroll.


    '' Zhu-Zhu [1],


    The man I sent to deliver this letter is the main confidant of our father. So, make sure to leave a good impression on him. No need to fawn over him, but remember to salute him. Being in his good eyes may prove important in the future.


    Ah! Read the letters in the envelope later in your room.''


    '' Zhu-Zhu!'' Jun Lan fumed in anger. How dare he call her piggy?!


    Look at her brother acting all high and mighty! She was not a fool and she definitely didn''t need his advise as she saluted the man way before she read the letter.


    '' Humph! I will spank him later for calling me piggy!'' though she scolded him in her mind, a warm feeling spread in her heart. Though her brother was irritating in many ways, he was fiercely protective of her. No amount of gold could change that fact. Since he asked her to leave a good impression on the soldier, she would totally give her all. She would definitely leave a ''best'' impression on him.


    " Soldier brother, thank you for delivering the letter. Please convey to my family that I am safe and that I eagerly awaiting their arrival. I will not be wasting any more of your time." Finishing her words, she cupped her hands and did a perfect ninety degree bow.


    It may seem as a simple greeting but it made the man widen his eyes slightly. It was the standard military greeting and not many people respect the military. Shocked cannot be used to describe the man''s current state. He returned her greeting and left the place in a daze.


    '' The girl is humble and far from a waste.'' the man thought as he moved forward.


    After retreating to a safe distance, the man halted by the side of a lake and fished out a blue stone from his robes. Bringing it to his mouth he spoke in a respectful tone " Young master, I delivered the letter. Your are right, young miss is far from what rumors painted her to be."


    Inside the military camp, Jun Ling''s lips curved into a mesmerizing smile as he heard the man''s words. In his hands, a blue stone similar to the man''s was present. He had heard each and every word of the conversation between his little pig and Master Guo.


    In an almost proud voice, he spoke " Of course, my sister is the best! Master Guo, she is the one with four attributes and the master of the nine tailed fox. Never look down upon her even in your dreams! She will be your future master, remember that!"


    Four attributes! Nine-tailed fox!


    " Young master, how can you give your position away!" though he was astonished by the information, the young master is not a weak person. He had personally witnessed the massacre in the battle field. The young master is a single attributed person but he displayed such amazing prowess. He could only imagine what the young girl might be capable in future.


    The young miss may turn out to be strong in future, it was not for sure. So, he was not satisfied with Jun Ling''s declaration.


    As if sensing the man''s distress, Jun Ling laughed out loud. " Hahaha! Master Guo,worry not. She will earn your loyalty. She will surely surpass me in no time and when the time comes you will be the first person to kick me out."


    " Sigh! Young master, let''s not predict future!" the man sighed not knowing that the prediction will turn out into a reality and that he would unceremoniously kick a certain young master''s back in the future.


    ____


    '' Brother, I hope that I satisfied your expectations.'' Jun Lan sighed as she stared in the direction which the man had left.


    Inside the military tent, Jun Ling seemed to be in deep thoughts as he toyed with the stone in his hand. There was a sense of satisfaction in his heart as he recalled the entire conversation. His little piggy had grown up.


    " Zhu-Zhu, you far exceeded my expectations!" he exclaimed cheerfully.


    ____


    Zhu-Zhu [1] - This phrase literally means "piggy-piggy".

 67 The letter 8

    Tossing aside the torn envelope, Jun Lan fiddled with the bunch of letters as she strode towards her room. Be it in any life, she could never understand her brother''s penchant for theatrics. Couldn''t he communicate like a normal person? Should he go all the way to infuriate her?!


    "Tsk! Now what is he playing at?" she mumbled as she opened the first letter.


    '' Zhu-Zhu!


    Let''s meet on the day of lantern festival. Didn''t you say that you want to see the lights with me? Also, make sure to cook my favourite cakes. Hope you didn''t forget your promises!


    Make a list of all the things you missed in our past. This life, I will make sure to take you everywhere.''


    Jun Lan expected her brother to write some teasing words. Her thoughts were proven wrong, it was as if her mind stopped functioning all of a sudden. She could hear nothing except the loud thumping of her heart. She stared at the letter haltingly and it was only when she found the letter blurry did she raise her hands to touch her face in a daze. Tears trickled down her cheeks like torrents leaving a wet trail on her veil.


    Feeling weak she slumped down to the floor and the letters in her hand were crumpled due to her vice like grip. All the buried grievances in her heart burst out at once and the room was filled with her silent sobs. She didn''t know for how long she sat like that, a numb feeling which developed in her limbs due to her sitting position now spread to her heart.


    Finally her tears stopped and light returned to her vacant eyes. It was as if the last worries in her heart were washed away with the tears.


    Good! Now everything was all right! Her elder brother is also like her. Now she would she who would dare to mess with him. He was scary as hell in the past that no one dared to mess with him. Not even Want Xiu could stand against him. But as cruel as fate could be, the man who was as strong as a dragon had his only weakness in the form of a sibling, her. And Wang Xiu did his best in making use of that fact.


    No one could even begin to understand the depths of their pain and anger.


    Things were different now, and now it would take more than just deception to tear them apart. She and her brother crawled from the depths of hell.


    She let out a cheerful laugh as she remembered how he advised her to leave a good impression on the man who delivered the letter. She could feel her brother''s sincere feelings, she could discern his concern and love from the letters.


    An unbreakable bond was now formed between their hearts and Jun Lan could feel it. Even if the gods descended from the skies, their bond can never be broken.


    Taking in a deep breath to calm herself, she opened the other letters curiously.


    '' I hope that you got the meaning of my letter. If not, praise the retarded brain of yours! ''


    " Retarded! " Jun Lan''s voice sounded incredulous at this point, she wondered if this was how her brother regarded her. Did he think that she was a dumbo?!


    She understood that her brother clearly remembered her words, the words of pain and regret. Not only did he remember but he is making sure to fulfill her small wishes. She might be a bit foolish, but that was in the past, ok?!


    Huffing and puffing, she lowered her gaze to read the remaining contents of the letter.


    '' And I remember you asking me why I call you Zhu-Zhu.


    When you were born, all the relatives are busily debating that you look mother and some that you look like father.


    As curious I am, I rushed into the room only to find the ugliest potato wrapped in a bundle. No matter how hard I observed, I did not understand how such an ugly baby resembled our parents.


    Ah! As days passed by, I found that your features improved and that finally you looked close to what pigs look like.


    Naturally I named you Zhu-Zhu and irony is that you responded only to that name! Hehe! ''


    " Such a brat! See if I won''t kick you later!" Jun Lan seethed in anger. By this time, she completely forgot that she was crying and all the heavy feelings in her heart disappeared like a wisp of smoke. The only thought in her tiny brain was how to teach a lesson to her narcissist brother! In many ways, Jun Lan was looking forward to this lantern festival.


    What she did not know is that Jun Ling expected that she would cry on reading that letter. So, hepurposefully revealed the story behind her name knowing that it would irk her. His tactic completely worked because the little piggy had long stopped crying and was now planing his grand welcome.


    ____


    A peace settled in Jun Lan''s heart and the air around her became lively. She was now staying in the Ye family''s guest house near the mountains and it goes without saying that the surroundings are highly soothing to eyes. Even the gardens around the house are a treat to the eyes.


    The proud plum blossoms, the delicate peach blossoms, the vivid orchids, the elegant lotuses, the enchanting roses and last but not the least, the tantalizing jasmines. Jun Lan took her time in admiring the flowers as she strolled around the pathways in a snail pace.


    The rustling sound of the leaves made her stop in her tracks and her eyes surveyed the surroundings vigilantly. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw a ball of fluffy black mass- Not a ball, hmm... It seemed like a ball of hair!


    Taking care not to make any unnecessary sounds, she traipsed towards the wall. The ball of hair shook for a bit before a pair of hands appeared in her view.


    Marking the person as a thief, Jun Lan picked up a thick branch from the ground and tightened her arms around it, as long as it was an intruder she would knock him down.


    The person on the other side of the wall hauled himself and leaped from the wall landing a few feet away from her.


    Whack!


    " Girl! First, your old man kicks me in the butt and now you are stabbing me with that stick!" the familiar complaining voice of the man made Jun Lan''s brows twitch.


    " Xu. Zian!" she spat out the words " What in the world are you thinking climbing up the walls?! Anyone in the right mind will think that you are a thief!"


    " Do you want me to enter from the main gate and suffer another beating from that senile old man? No, thanks!"


    " Who are you calling senile?"


    " A-Ah! A slip of my tongue. Never mind me!" Xu Zian immediately placated her " Your old man is quite scary!"


    " Well, grandfather left the town this morning." Jun Lan felt sorry for Xu Zian. Her old man must have behaved violently to bring out such wariness from him.


    " W-what! If I had known that earlier, I would not have stressed myself thinking about the old man all the time."


    " Ahem!" Jun Lan was rather curious about one thing " Why did you climb up the wall? I think that such tiny walls are a piece of cake with your cultivation."


    " Oh! I climbed for the fun of it. Leaping and soaring in the air everyday bore you with the time."


    "..."  Here she was dreaming about the day when she flies in the air and this man pops up at random places saying that all her fantasies are boring. Ah! This must be the legendary difference between the genius and dunce.

 68 Startled Fu Han 1

    After changing into a male outfit and covering the lower half of her face with a mask, Jun Lan followed behind Xu Zian. She had no idea of what transpired after she fainted dead on that day. Thank the gods, Xu Zian made an appointment with Fu Han.


    Though Fu Han was known for his frivolous ways, the man was honest and always stayed true to his words. There was no way she would hate such a man. Though he was born with a natural talent in martial arts, he had no cultivation making him a sorry figure. Sadly, the man himself did not know that he is poisoned, he believed himself to be a waste.


    But, there was more to this and Jun Lan sighed as she was in a dilemma on how much should she reveal.


    ____


    Inside the bustling tea house, Fu Han leisurely enjoyed his green tea while reclining on a cushioned chair. His peach blossom like eyes were fixed on a petite figure who is now walking towards him.


    His eyes scrutinized the young girl who managed to defeat him, she was petite and fragile. He had no idea why she covered her face and why his interest was piqued by her. It was her skills and her eyes that managed to startle him.


    If it was before, he wouldn''t have given a damn about anyone. He would never meet with a young girl even if she begged him. He respected strength and it was one of the reasons why he agreed to meet her. The other reason being his curiosity; he was curious for what and why she wanted to meet him.


    " Why do you want to meet me?" the words left from his mouth the moment Jun Lan was seated before him. He was not a person to beat around the bush, always straight on the mark is his way.


    His no nonsense attitude amused Jun Lan and irked Xu Zian. Being the troublemaker she was, she decided to be open with Fu Han. Even knowing that her words may be unbelievable and may cause the man to have a heart attack, she did not hold back as she spoke in a languid manner.


    " You are poisoned, your meridians are blocked. I can tell you the whereabouts of the person who can cure you."


    Fu Han looked as if he was struck with lightning. The tea cup in his hand shook violently, spilling the fragrant tea on to his white robes before the cup fell on the ground with a thud.


    At this time, Xu Zian had no words to express what he was feeling at that moment. It was the first time he saw a person speak about the matter of poisoning in such a carefree manner. Internally, he applauded Fu Han for his composure. If he had been in the man''s place, he was sure that he would not have been able to maintain his calm.


    The little girl beside him sure knew how to rile up people in every way possible. Xu Zian crossed his fingers and stared at Fu Han in anticipation. He was really looking forward to how Fu Han is going to react.


    " Don''t jest with me." Fu Han spoke gloomily. His lack of cultivation was always a black spot in his heart. He was not the one to brood over things, but it would be a lie if he said that he did not care about his talent less constitution. And now this little girl stroked on his weak spot plummeting his mood instantly.


    " Do you think I came here all the way to joke on you?  It''s up to you whether you believe me or not. First things first, listen to me till the end." Jun Lan''s nonchalant eyes and cold tone made Fu Han shut his mouth. Not knowing if she was telling the truth or not, Fu Han felt unsettled in his heart and took in her form with his hardened eyes.


    " Your body is indeed poisoned and the very poison in your meridians is your only hurdle to cultivation." Acting oblivious to his glare, Jun Lan continued speaking.


    " I am sorry to say this, if you are not cured within three years you are going to die." After dropping the final bomb, Jun Lan clenched her fists resulting in digging of her fingernails in soft flesh. She knew that what she spoke will be perceived as nonsense, she may be even branded as a lunatic. Now that she had jumped into the fire pit, she was starting to rethink her actions.


    The atmosphere turned stifling as an uncomfortable silence descended on the trio. The surroundings turned bleak around Jun Lan and Fu Han as they stared into the other''s eyes as if trying to read the other''s thoughts. Xu Zian, the famous thirdwheel was completely invisible in their eyes. From the start of the conversation he was ignored, not that he complained but a trace of awkwardness crept up from his heart leading him to rub his nose.


    Only an incense stick of time passed but for Jun Lan it felt as if an eternity had passed as she waited for Fu Han''s response. Both of them stared at each other not wanting to back down first. No one knew what went on in his mind but finally he sighed before conceding " Fine! I will believe in you for now. The person you mentioned, can he cure me for sure!"


    " Of course he can!" Jun Lan chimed in.


    " Speak the name." Though Fu Han face remained expressionless, the hope in his voice did not escape Jun Lan''s keen observation.


    " Mad Alchemist Fan."


    On hearing the name Fu Han''s expression turned terrifying and even Xu Zian''s expression turned weird.


    Did this girl turn mad all of a sudden. Doctor Fan was called as ''Mad alchemist'' for a reason. He was a medical fanatic, medicine was his religion and experiments were his soul. He had no moral compass, his only zeal being ''developing alchemy'', he would not hesitate to put aside his morals if it meant that he can improve his knowledge.


    He never treated a person for free and his fee can scare the wits out of anyone. If anyone wishes for his treatment then the patient had to sacrifice his body as test subject after the cure. Rather than being used as a test subject by that doctor it is better to succumb to the natural illness regardless of the pain.


    And now this girl is practically telling Fu Han to become a test subject!


    Fu Han had a horrified expression on his face and Xu Zian pitied the man in his heart. Naturally he silently lit candles for Jun Lan in his heart and prayed for her well-being. It would be a wonder if the man didn''t flip out after this roller coaster ride of her words.

 69 Startled Fu Han 2

    " Mad.Doctor.Fan." Fu Han squeezed out the words with great difficulty. " You want me to sacrifice myself?"


    " If you are interested why not? " There was amusement in Jun Lan''s voice,it seemed as if she was playing with Fu Han.


    " Y-you!" Fu Han was truly stumped now. It had not been easy for him to make a decision and his concrete decision is only on the spur of a moment. His mind had almost burst in pain because of the internal debate in his heart. In one way or other, he was not a person destined for greatness. So, why not place the bets on the girl before him. It was only out of a whim, but he seriously decided to place his belief in her words.


    Fate was always cruel to him, enticing him and then dumping into the deepest pits of nothingness. The tiny spark of hope in his heart was mercilessly extinguished by her.


    The smile in Jun Lan''s eyes became more profound as she observed the earth shattering changes on his face. She didn''t feel that she did anything wrong, after all the man had neglected her on the arena grounds- an act representing disrespect towards the opponent. She would be a fool if she did not use this marvelous opportunity to torment the man.


    Having had her fill of enjoyment, Jun Lan finally decided to grant the man amnesty " I have something in my hands that will make the mad doctor accept your request. You will not be at any disadvantage."


    " What is it?" Controlling the raging emotions in his heart, Fu Han questioned. He wanted to flip out the table and he had the urge to teach the brat a lesson. He can''t act hastily and regret later. He was the one who is in disadvantage, beggars can''t be choosers right?


    " What do I get if you are cured?"


    " Anything you ask of, I will be at your disposal."


    " Even at the cost of your life?"


    " You have my words, and I mean it when I promise something. If I go back on my words later, may the lightning strike me and purge my soul for eternity."


    Under the mask Jun Lan''s lips curved up as she nodded her head. She was only testing him and she had to credit him for passing with flying colors. But no emotions were leaked from her eyes as they remained emotionless.


    '' Fluffy...'' Jun Lan called softly using her soul link.


    A certain fox was inside the archives section of the imperial palace stealing all the books related to alchemy. Never in his mind did he think that he would be reduced to being a thief. This would be a permanent blemish on him for all the ages to come. All the divine beasts were worshiped and respected by their masters, but why is his master making him run errands? No, even errands would be fine, but why did he have to steal?Why is that he is reduced to the state of humans?


    No, the girl is not his master. She is the reincarnation of the devil. A devil that is specially bestowed by the gods to torture for his previous lives sins.


    ''Fluffy... ''


    His fox pride is reduced to ashes and here she was calling him sweetly.


    Did she think that he would shamelessly answer her back even after all this ordeal. There was no way he was going to answer her. Humph!


    '' Fluffy...''


    ''Fluffy...''


    ''Fluffy...''


    Fluffy could hear her voice which is tinged with sadness and helplessness. He could even sense the gloomy and depressing aura around her. Slowly, the area between his brows wrinkled and his heart started to feel stuffy.


    ''Fine! I give up! Tell me now, what do you want?'' Fluffy snarled, he realized that he could not win against her pitiful voice. He knew that she is putting up an act, but because of his soul link he could not ignore her aura even if he wanted to. Being the softy he was, he gave in almost immediately.


    What pride? What shame?


    All are void before a beauty''s distress!


    '' Hurry up and send me the information in the scroll of regeneration pill.''


    In a few moments, herbs and formulas beyond her understanding appeared in Jun Lan''s mind. Fluffy was relaying the information and she couldn''t understand even a word. She knew only how to mix basic herbs, she was a complete stranger to alchemy. Pitying herself for the nth time, she sighed while taking out a round bag which is attached to her waist. Fu Han and Xu Zian stared dumbfounded as they saw her take out bamboo scroll, brush and ink stone.


    What in the world is she...


    As if answering their questions, Jun Lan started to scribble on the scroll. Her strokes were bold and unruly but somehow they appeared appealing to the eye. After a few strokes, Jun Lan''s movements paused as she lifted her head to stare at Xu Zian.


    Understanding her unsaid words, Xu Zian took the ink stone in his hands and started grinding it.


    Fu Han: "..." Is this the legendary henpecked husband?!


    '' Proud of you master! Keep up the good work and impress lady master soon!'' Qilin was internally squealing in happiness.


    Jun Lan was about to ask him to help her with the ink. Even she was beyond startled on seeing him grind the ink without her asking. Is her gaze too obvious? And why his actions seemed so natural?


    As Xu Zian immersed himself in grinding the ink, Jun Lan busied herself in writing without drowning in excessive thoughts.


    Their coordination seemed too natural that even the ever nonchalant Fu Han couldn''t help but shift his suspicious eyes at the both.


    " Give this to him and he will treat you without any qualms." Putting away the brush on the table, Jun Lan handed the scroll to Fu Han.


    Fu Han knew nothing about alchemy but the herbs listed in the scroll are invaluable, that he knew. So, the girl before him might not be bluffing!


    On seeing the incredulous expression on Fu Han''s face Xu Zian prompted " That''s the recipe of the Regeneration pill. Many alchemists dream of obtaining it''s recipe."


    Regeneration pill! Now, it was Fu Han''s turn to be shocked. He heard a lot about this pill. Many people offered many gold coins for those who are able to get their hands on this pill recipe. And here this girl offered him this for nothing. That must mean that she had many such valuable recipes. If this information falls into the hands of wrong people her life will be a hell. How could she be so careless about this?


    It''s good that he was a man of morale. What if he was the bad guy?


    " You are careless!"


    " No, I am not. Since I placed my bets on your character, I also know how to dispose you in case you betray me."


    Her voice sent chills along his spine. Her words carried a hidden warning and he was wise to grasp it. If he was to tell any one about her giving him a recipe, she would kill him off.


    " I will not tell another soul about this." Fu Han vowed.


    Jun Lan lowered her head, her eyelids casting dark shadows making it difficult for one to discern her mood. Her unhurried and cool voice traveled as she parted her lips.


    " No, I want you to do the exact opposite of what you said."


    Fu Han was utterly confused but Xu Zian''s eyes shone brightly as a sly smile bloomed on his face. He had an idea of what the girl is planning and he had to admit that he was looking forward to it.

 70 ATTENTION READERS

    Hello everyone,


    I want to clear some of your misconceptions here today.


    1. ''MALE LEAD IS XU ZIAN''


    Yes, the ML is Xu Zian. Some of you have been confused by my note in chapter 66. I cleared it in the comments but some of you might not have noticed it.


    The romance in this novel is not the stereotypical love at first sight. This is a slow paced romance.


    As of now, our ML is not clear about his feelings and FL does not have any feelings towards him at the moment.


    This relationship will develop slowly but surely. There is not much romance now, you can only see the progress of the plot.


    But, once the romance makes it''s appearance it will be a fiery passion. Things will soon heat up.


    Romance is a part of this novel, the novel is not in romance genre for a reason.


    2.ABOUT THE ML''S PRESENCE


    I never described ML''s background except that he is an orphan.


    The ML will have large part in the story. He is not just a backer of FL. He is an important part of the plot!


    He has his own story!


    For now he ''seems'' insignificant, that''s it.


    I mentioned that they are friend as of now. So it''s natural that I portray their relation as such.


    If the ML acts the same towards her when she is his friend and when he is in love with her, then how can she know the difference between friendship and love?


    Friends are possessive but it reaches a whole new level when it comes to their significant other.


    So, please be patient till the romance starts and you can question me if the romance doesn''t meet your expectations.


    3. ABOUT RELEASE SCHEDULE AND THE NUMBER OF CHAPTERS


    The schedule is 7 chapters per week as signed with the webnovel''s contract.


    From tomorrow, the release time will be between EST 00: 00 to 2: 00 AM.


    I am slowly recovering from my depression and writing is the only thing which is keeping me sane.


    And your love and support is encouraging me and pushing me further.


    As a thank you, there will be mass release soon. I won''t be promising you a date because it''s like an omen of bad luck to me.


    But,there will be a mass release soon.


    4. ABOUT MY BEAUTIFUL COMMANDER


    I will be back soon and there will be a huge release of chapters and the summary of the story that occurred till now.


    I can tell you that this mass release will be more than a twenty chapters. much more than 20.


    I am currently working on new chapters and editing them. I got to tell you that it''s hard on me now,but I will be back soon with MBC.


    Thank you so much for supporting me and my novels even after my long absence.

 71 Startled Fu Han 3

    " What are you implying?" the look on Fu Han''s face turned solemn as he secretly thought what was wrong with the girl.


    " Spread the news that various pill recipes are stored in the Imperial palace library. I want the entire country to know about this. Can you do it?"


    " W-Why..."


    " Just a yes or no!" Jun Lan snapped, she had no need to explain herself. She did not want to go into elaborate details. Basically, she was lazy to speak.


    " Sigh!" Fu Han let out a frustrated breath " You can see the results for yourself."


    " Thank you!" the words came out from Jun Lan''s heart and they really eased the other person''s heart. Those words seemed to have no affect on Fu Han as he remained silent with his eyes fixed on her, as if searching for something.


    If the word gets out that the pill recipes are secretly hidden in the palace, it will surely result in a chaos. Many powerful organizations are vying for these treasures, so they will not hesitate in launching a full scale attack. They will go to any extent just to get their hands on them. With all those forces attacking at once, there will be only chaos in the palace in the coming days.


    '' Why leave such treasures for them to loot?'' Fu Han sighed inwardly but he did not care. Each book can earn you a lot,OK! They will be highly beneficial for paupers like him. But, now that he had a chance to regain his cultivation, he was not interested in riches. Anyways, alchemy was never his forte.


    " Where can I meet this Mad Alchemist?" Fu Han inquired with an embarrassed face. He really didn''t have any idea where he could find that person. The Mad alchemist always maintained his whereabouts a secret from the mundane world.


    " You can just lurk into the third prince''s quarters. That mad man will be coming soon to treat the Third prince. How you manage to meet him alone is your problem. I did my best, rest is up to you." Jun Lan paused for a bit before continuing " The mad alchemist most probably may enter the palace in two days."


    Fu Han nodded as he understood his situation. She provided him with the weapon and it''s in his hands how he plans to use it.


    " I will remember this favor. I will take my leave now." Fu Han bowed his head respectfully and was about to leave when Jun Lan''s words made him halt in his tracks.


    " Second young master Fu Han of the mighty Nan clan. "


    Maybe because he was thoroughly shocked by this girl before, Fu Han did not feel overly stunned now.


    " You know that I am a bastard." he was unusually calm as he slumped into the chair.


    Jun Lan simply nodded before continuing " It''s your uncle who poisoned you, with the help of Mad Alchemist Fan. I don''t know any more than this. You can seek clarification from the mad alchemist."


    " It''s not possible! " For the first time, Fu Han lost his composure and raised his voice attracting the attention of many. As if noticing his outburst, Fu Han apologetically smiled towards everyone before he focused on Jun Lan, the words from his mouth barely a whisper.


    " My uncle would never poison me..."


    Though his voice was low, there was a certainty in his voice. He was sure that his uncle would never do something despicable.


    " I won''t try to convince you. You can ask the Mad Alchemist for yourself." Jun Lan knew that he wouldn''t believe her words. She was not the one to waste her time on things which she can''t possibly achieve. She warned him and it was up to him whether he heeds to her or not.


    " Young master of Nan family, I will be taking my leave now." Without wasting anymore words, Jun Lan beckoned Xu Zian and followed him quietly leaving Fu Han to his thoughts.


    ___


    Jun Lan and Xu Zian are now browsing through the streets. When Jun Lan was greedily taking in her bustling surroundings, Xu Zian parted his lips voicing out in amusement.


    " Little thief, I never thought you to be capable of creating such chaos in the palace."


    " A wise man makes use of his opportunities. Have you heard of the phrase '' Fishing in troubled waters''?"


    " So, how did that fox of yours manage to steal?"


    " Fluffy has his own space and he can store any amount of things. It was only due to his mouth slip that I came to know about this. Poor fellow, he never expected that I will make him steal." Though the words from her mouth seemed apologetic, there was no trace of sadness or guilt in her voice.


    " He has his own space?" Xu Zian stopped in his tracks making Jun Lan look at him with puzzled eyes.


    " Can you ask your fox to steal all the books from there? My Qilin has no space abilities, else I would have done this long back."


    '' Fluffy...''


    '' Just a minute! I swiped away all the alchemy books. Me, the fox king fell to such low level! Hah! If my fellow beasts know about this, I would never able to show my face. All of this, my agony and depression is because of you. You should compensate me for my hard work.''


    '' I will, if you swipe away all the books from library.''


    '' All books! Ok!''


    '' He accepted just like that?'' Jun Lan wondered. Her Fluffy is not an easy one to convince...


    Just as she was inwardly celebrating she heard a whimper of agony.


    '' Y-you Devil! You cannot fool me! You want me to steal ALL the books?''


    '' Steal everything from there and I will compensate with whatever you want.'' Jun Lan proposed. She still had conscience, OK?


    Her words made Fluffy''s rage to disappear in an instant. Instead his smug teasing voice traveled to Jun Lan''s mind. '' You will compensate me anything?''


    '' If it is anything ambiguous, I will burn your soul.''


    Her threat made Fluffy sigh in a helpless voice '' I was joking. I will steal everything but you have to compensate me. You don''t have the ability now but when you become strong I hope you keep your word.''


    '' Of course I will. Just do your job well now.'' Jun Lan snorted before Fluffy turned off their link.


    '' Damn fox!'' Jun Lan cursed before she faced Xu Zian " Fluffy will steal everything and you can take anything you want later. "


    " Thank you! I will remember this favor."


    " No need of thanks between friends." Jun Lan simply waved her hands.


    At this time, the Qilin had been too stunned to notice this mini exchange between the humans. His brain had been short circuited the moment he heard their fox king committing burglary.


    And he burst out in laughter when he heard Jun Lan call the mighty fox king as '' Fluffy''.


    " Hahaha... Fluffy!" The Qilin rolled on the ground as he secretly believed that Fluffy is a rather fitting name for the fox king, for he had nine furry beautiful tails.


    '' Ah! Flower boy and Fluffy! Lady master had a good naming sense. Wonder what will I be named?'' A certain Qilin lost himself in his secret fancies.

 72 Their own worries

    Inside the tea house, Fu Han remained seated in the same position even after a long while. He was a flirtatious person by default and the people who are familiar to him shot worried glances at him once a while, his sombre look being somewhat unsettling. The questioning gazes of the shopkeeper and the waiters did not affect him in the slightest as his mind was nowhere near sane.


    His present thoughts were like the waves of an ocean, never coming to a rest.


    The prosperity of the Empire of Yan Country is due to it''s four pillars, i.e; the clans of Ye, Nan, Cao and Jun. The Wang clan was at the top of the hierarchy due to the royal blood in their veins with the other clans having equal footing with no one greater than the other.


    With the Wang''s having an iron hold on the royal throne, the craftsman of the Ye family, the Strong business of the Nan family, the scholars of Cao family and the brave generals of the Jun family, the Yan country managed to maintain it''s freedom without suffering the fate of becoming a vassal state to neighboring nations.


    Thus, the Ye, Nan, Cao and Jun clans are given the status of primary clans, the other clans being secondary clans.


    Nan Feng, Fu Han''s father was a shrewd business man. His primary interest and long term goal is money. With many secondary clans aiming to take over the business, he had to maintain his vigil at all times and it is only by employing ruthless methods that the Nan clan was able to maintain it''s position.


    Who would expect that such a cold blooded man would fall in love with a common peasant girl. It was not an ill-fated romance for his father for the man could obtain anything he want. But, it was a cursed love for his mother as she was scorned by the society who knew nothing but to break others lives.


    He was born out of a wed lock resulting in the world call his mother as a witch who seduced his father and whatnot. What was sad is that his father is the only man in her heart and life and she was one of his many women.


    His early years of childhood passed without much difficulties. Everything changed when his father''s entire place was burnt. That was the day he lost his parents, siblings and a home. It was his uncle who sheltered him and he was only a lost ten year old kid at that time. He blindly believed his uncle all this time, giving him the benefit of doubt.


    Now the word ''What if?'' was eating him away.


    What if there is a hidden conspiracy behind his family''s death?


    What if his uncle was the one behind everything?


    What if everything he believed till date turns out to be an illusion?


    His thoughts were gnawing at him and his fears were tearing away the last thread of rationality in his mind. Call him insane for believing in a girl who never showed her face, but there was something in her that made him want to trust her unconditionally.


    Fu Han closed his eyes and tapped the table with his fingers as he formulated a plan in his mind.


    When he opened his eyes, there was a clarity in his eyes.


    '' I am going to find the truth, whatever it may be.''


    And the person who lied to him is going to face his wrath, only time will tell if it''s his uncle or Jun Lan.


    ___


    On the other hand, Xu Zian''s expression darkened as he heard the Qilin''s squeals in his mind. He could never understand this fellow''s excitement and his weird fetish for nick names. He wondered why he was so unlucky to get such a comedic divine beast.


    When he learnt that his beast was a Qilin, Xu Zian was ecstatic. Qilin''s are the legendary creatures known for their power, rage and savageness. Qilin''s are the epitomes of grace and valor. But, why was his Qilin full of comedic traits?


    His Qilin was powerful and all. But his penchant for teasing others outshines his merits. This Qilin managed to drive every friend of his mad with his venomous tongue. What if he behaves the same with this girl. He was truly afraid to introduce this fellow to the girl before him.


    He had a few friends and given his status as orphan not many liked him. This girl was someone who never cared for such superficial things. He liked this trait of hers and did not find her annoying as the other girls who knew only how to giggle and act coyly.


    And what was rare that she believed him so easily and he would work hard to keep up her trust.


    Now he would be a fool if he let his Qilin out and spoil this budding friendship. Feeling proud of himself, Xu Zian decided to not let Qilin out for the time being.


    Worrying excessively, Xu Zian completely forgot that the girl in question had a bigger fetish for nicknames than his Qilin.


    Inside the mind space, the Qilin''s face twisted into a beautiful scowl as he snorted in disdain at his master''s attitude. Of course, he heard each and every thought of his master.


    How dare his master think that an adorable specimen like him is annoying?


    No wonder, his master was still lingering at the ''just friends'' phase!


    With this maturity level it would be no surprise if his lady master finds someone else!


    It was only after a long did he find someone with the same penchant for nicknames! And he had an inkling that he would hit off well with his lady master!


    If only his soul link was not cut off by his traitorous master, he would have leaped out and socialized with the lady master by now.


    It''s only his master''s bad luck, he would see how long it will take to woo lady master without this love guru!


    '' Humph! It would have been a lot better if the lady master is my boss!''


    Qilin was truly jealous of fox kin- no Fluffy; King Fluffy had such an amazing master not someone boring like his hormone deficient master.


    If only Fluffy could hear the Qilin''s thoughts, he would have willingly traded his devil master to Qilin free of cost plus added benefits!

 73 The New Lord of Phoenix Trading House 1

    When Xu Zian and Jun Lan were immersed in their own thoughts, a young man with a gloomy face made his way towards them. Irrespective of his dark aura, people stared at him in a daze. He was like a magnet attracting everyone''s attention. The man was dressed in white robes and what appeared striking was his long silver which glimmered even under the faint sunlight. He seemed too beautiful to be real.


    Hearing the audible gasps around her, Jun Lan turned around with a curious eyes. However, she felt her lips twitch as her eyes landed on a certain eye-catching specimen. For the first time in her life, she felt regret.


    Yes, regret for sending this shining fox to steal!


    Which thief would dress so beautifully?


    Damn fox! He didn''t even take care to disguise the silver hairs on his head.


    Jun Lan''s brows twisted exquisitely and she was contemplating if she should shave the fox''s head or not. By this time, Fluffy reached her side and interrupted her thoughts with his ever complaining voice.


    " You Devil! Mission accomplished!" dropping the basic courtesy, Fluffy addressed her as Devil. Initially, he wanted to respect her but after she forced him to commit robbery he felt resentment in his heart. The only way to sooth his grieving heart is to call her as Devil.


    " Don''t tell me you went into the palace like this?"


    " I am not that stupid! It''s only after coming out of palace did I resume my appearance. I have a sense of style and I like people appreciating my beauty, OK? Be happy that I didn''t expose my tails and ears!"


    This time it was not only Jun Lan, even Xu Zian was rendered speechless by Fluffy''s words. It was his first time he saw someone as narcissist as this fox. In a way, Xu Zian felt consoled because this proved that he was not the only unlucky person to possess a weird beast. He realized that he had company.


    Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the girls narrowed eyes. It was evident that she was controlling herself from punching the fox. He secretly glanced at Fluffy who turned silent after sensing the gloomy aura around Jun Lan.


    Somehow, Xu Zian felt that this fox was much more tolerable than his Qilin.


    And it was on the spot he made a decision, I.e; to rescue Fluffy from Jun Lan''s wrath.


    " Ahem! Little thief, let me take Fluffy with me. I will send him back after taking the books which I need."


    " Fine. You can take him." Jun Lan nodded and turned to leave " I have some things to take care of. I will be leaving now."


    To Fluffy, Xu Zian rescuing him was like an amnesty granted by the god of mercy. Finally, when Jun Lan''s back disappeared from his view, he shot a grateful glance at Xu Zian. The latter simply nodded in understanding.


    It was as if a comradeship was ignited between the two souls, even their steps matched in harmony as they left the place.


    ___


    '' Fluffy is one lucky brat! Good that he escaped from me, or else... Humph!'' Jun Lan snorted in her mind and halted her tracks at the sight of the familiar trading house.


    Though she managed to get hold of this place, it didn''t mean that her problems are solved. It was only because of Fluffy''s power that the trading house fell into her hands. It had nothing to do with her efforts and she was truly weak now.


    And in the last match, Wang Xiu was no where near his full strength.What she faced was not equivalent to even one tenth of his power. He was only at the starting stage of his monstrous cultivation. After all, when she was locked inside the palace the man enrolled in a renowned cultivation academy and his name was known far and wide.


    Even now she had no idea what was the name of that academy.


    '' I am pathetic, aren''t I?''


    '' Even after rebirth, I only know the internal affairs of the palace. I am like a frog in the well who has no idea of how magnificent the outside world is.''


    '' Well, I don''t care if I am ignorant of outside world. My main priority is to save my family.''


    After stabilizing the stance of Jun family in Yan empire, she can go anywhere and do what she wanted. First and most important is to eliminate all the threats and take necessary measures for the Jun family to remain unaffected even in the face of future dangers.


    Truth be told, she was really scared after rebirth.


    She had many things on her mind and she was thinking hard to avoid mistakes, no matter how minute they may seem.


    If not for Fluffy, she would never have the strength to confront Wang Xiu at present.


    And Xu Zian...


    He is powerful, his magical powers can be a testament to this fact. He was only seventeen and an user of magic!


    Though he acted in a funny and carefree manner, she knew that there was more to him than what meets the eye. She knew that he is hiding many secrets but never thought of questioning him. Which person doesn''t have secrets? She, herself was a mystery. So, the idea of him hiding things never bothered her.


    Not only is he strong but he is also a good friend. He did not have any need to be around a weak person like her but he stayed with her all this time. She had no idea why he befriended her, but she was thankful. After all the pain she went through, she never thought that she would be able to believe in a person other than her family.


    Surprisingly she made an exception and this time she hoped she did the right thing by trusting him.


    Till now, he never showed any signs of distrust and Jun Lan decided to follow her heart; i.e; to believe in him.


    Fluffy and Xu Zian are the ones she trusted the most now. But, there are things that cannot be shared even with them, things like her rebirth.


    There was only person to whom she can share even the deepest fears of her soul- Jun Ling, her brother.


    And now she was going to surprise this brother of hers by taking reins of this trading house completely.


    With a determination in her eyes, she straightened her back and walked towards the entrance of trading house without any signs of faltering.

 74 The New Lord of Phoenix Trading House 2

    After the initial display of strength, the guards at the entrance did not dare to Jun Lan. She strolled around casually taking in the present conditions. Though there was no drastic improvement, there were no chains binding the slaves. This alone was enough was for Jun Lan to relax a bit.


    Everyone seemed to fear her and respect her as they kept their gazes to the floor. Even the guards spoke in respectful tones, after all she was the new lord of the Phoenix Trading House.


    At present, the slaves are busily engrossed in their daily activities. They did not dare to lift their heads even at the sound of her echoing footsteps. Their frail bodies and hunched backs made them look even more pitiful. Only a few raised their heads and their soulless eyes made her heart quiver.


    As she was observing the servants, she felt a sharp gaze on her profile. Halting in her steps, Jun Lan turned around to meet with a pair of scrutinizing eyes. Their gazes collided head on and as if suddenly realizing his blunder the young boy abruptly lowered his head and continued sweeping the floor with the broom.


    Jun Lan observed the boy intently; he was frail and thin, his clothes in tatters and rags. What made Jun Lan frown is the boy''s eyes, those were not the eyes of those who drowned in slavery instead those eyes seemed to hide a vast amount of knowledge.


    Sub-consciously, Jun Lan stared into the empty space behind the young man. Though it seemed dark and empty, Jun Lan had a faint feeling that someone is hiding in the shadows. Her intuition was never wrong and the thought of someone invisible watching her sent chills down her spine.


    '' Don''t be scared.'' Chanting that in her mind, Jun Lan calmed her racing heart.


    Acting as if nothing happened, she swiped her gaze away coolly and strode forward with the guards trailing behind her.


    As soon as Jun Lan left the place, the boy who had his head lowered all this time stared towards the empty space and discreetly made some hand signs.


    In the shadows, a young girl who was older than Jun Lan by a few years sat still like a rock. Her blue eyes observed his hand signs in concentration. Afterwards, she closed her eyes as she began chanting.


    A moment later, a transparent scroll separated from her body. The young boy''s eyes had no astonishment as if this type of magic was beneath his stature. His eyes lowered only when the scroll flew away from the building without catching anyone''s notice.


    ___


    Inside a floating palace, a man who had his eyes closed twitched a bit on hearing the hissing sound which almost seemed to disappear with the faint blowing sounds of the wind.


    With a slight movement of his hand, the transparent scroll landed in his hands. With a single flick of his finger, the scroll disintegrated into the thin air and a ghastly voice spoke.


    " The opponent is a female aged thirteen, has a spirit beast- not sure of its rank and I believe that it is injured, possesses no cultivation or magic but an extremely beautiful and intelligent one at that. She noticed Kai and I believe that she found him suspicious. However, she failed to notice me. "


    The man who listened to all this slowly parted his eyelids to reveal a pair of blood red orbs. The red eyes were hauntingly beautiful and could scare a person at the same time.


    " Yujin!"


    " Master, I know what to do." In a few moments, a voice answered respectfully.


    " Hmm." The man closed his eyes and resumed his sleep after hearing his guard''s answer.


    ___


    In spite of her identity being unknown, Jun Lan had unknowingly become a target for a certain mysterious man.


    Oblivious to all these facts, Jun Lan was now addressing the group of servants in the trading house.


    " Those who have families and wish to return are free to go. And those who wish to be on their own are also free to leave."


    Ignoring the looks of bafflement on their faces, she continued " Those who don''t have anywhere to go can stay here as normal workers. You are no longer servants from now."


    Silence permeated through the air and Jia Feng cleared his throat as if wanting to explain something. Jun Lan raised her hand and shook her head and the latter immediately fell silent.


    " And the issues of your slavery bonds will be resolved by our Head Jia Feng."


    Before the poor man could completely process her words, Jun Lan gave him a series of instructions " Cancel the contracts of those who want to leave. Prepare new contracts for those who want to stay- a workers contract for a period of 5 years and standard wages. I will leave the remaining to you and I will visit you later. "


    " I will do my best, young master." Recovering from his shock, Jia Feng hastily nodded.


    After affirming him with a slight nod, Jun Lan focused her gaze on the place where the young boy stood. As if sensing her gaze on him, he lifted his head and stared at her without any fear. His gaze seemed to see right through her facade, goosebumps erupted on her skin at this thought.


    '' Something is wrong with him.'' Jun Lan bit her cheek and a deep knot formed in the space between her brows.


    As if reading her thoughts, an eerie smile spread on his face which made Jun Lan confirm her initial suspicions.


    '' Something is definitely wrong!''


    Just when she was about step down the platform and question the boy, he disappeared from his place.


    If Jun Lan said that she was not scared, then she was definitely lying. The young boy had a dark and eerie air around him, and he seemed inhuman to her. His gaze seemed predatory, and she was the prey in his eyes.


    Her intuition was telling that something was wrong, very wrong but she had no idea of what it is.


    '' Don''t be scared. At the most, you will die and this is not your first encounter with death.'' Preparing herself for the worst, Jun Lan exited the trading house and strode in the opposite direction of her residence.

 75 Trapped

    Children ran on the streets while the vendors promoted their sales at the loudest of their voices, the excited murmurs of the crowds and the sweet whispers of the lovers- nothing fell in Jun Lan''s ears. The only exception being the continuous ringing of her racing heartbeats.


    There was not a pause in her steps- turning right into the crowded alley, she mixed herself in the bustling crowds. She hoped for her pursuers, if any, to lose her trail in this human myriad.


    ''How can you be so careless?'' she berated her over-confident self, pushing back the feelings of remorse to the back of her mind, she concentrated on her escape.


    " Kai, Is she the one?" Yujin''s demure voice questioned, his eyes fixed on the petite and masked figure who was currently trying her best to mingle with the crowds.


    "Yes." answered the young boy, who saw through Jun Lan''s facade back in the trading house.


    ''Is the face behind the mask as beautiful as you portrayed?'' Yujin wondered as he observed the picture scroll in his hands.


    As if reading his questions, Kai cleared his doubts "After capturing her you can see for yourself. My eyes always see the truth."


    "Heh!" Yujin exclaimed before resorting to a teasing voice "Are you sure? There is one thing which even your eyes cannot see..."


    "Quit your antics and capture her, lest you want to anger our master!" Kai snapped, successfully interrupting the man''s teasing thoughts. All traces of humour disappeared from his expression at the mention of the word ''Master.''


    Remembering the task at hand, Yujin moved his hand,following which a wave a thin layer of light traveled towards Jun Lan, the latter having no idea about her impending doom at the moment as she sauntered her way through the carts.


    Time passed by and a wave of fatigue washed over Jun Lan''s body. Beads of sweat started to accumulate between her brows, but she had not sensed anyone tailing her. Though the nervousness in her heart ceased, Jun Lan did not dare to relax her guards. Sweeping a cautious glance over her surroundings and only after making sure that no one is really tailing her did she breath out in relief.


    Just as she felt safe and abandoned the idea of hiding, Jun Lan felt something tighten around her neck and her body.


    Her mind stopped working and her body went immobile, she felt a force knocking the consciousness out of her before she found a familiar darkness consume her entirely.


    ___


    Inside the underground training grounds, several men dressed in purple robes listened attentively to Xu Zian''s instructions, their ramrod postures indicating their unwavering reverence to him.


    "We managed to get these rare manuals of cultivation, thanks to my close friend..." Xu Zian said, to which all the men nodded their heads in harmony, their excited chatters filling the room.


    Seated on a wooden table and with legs dangling freely in the air, Fluffy observed these group of upright men with a bored expression. He shifted his eyes to the oil lamp, the dancing flames of the lamp appeared more interesting to him than these group of men.


    All of a sudden, he understood why he was feeling so bored...


    He was missing the ultimate devil, his master!


    As weird as it sounded to his ears, his heart vouched for it''s credibility.


    Truth be told, Fluffy felt that no matter how infuriating it may be, his master''s antics were more lively and enjoyable than these bland men in the room.


    ''What is the devil doing now?'' with a frown on his face, Fluffy wondered as he felt the fluctuations in their soul link. The fluctuations in their link only increased which gave rise to an ominous premonition in his heart.


    ''Is she in danger?''


    The mere thought of his master being in danger enraged him, with a red face and huffing chest, Fluffy closed his eyes to trace her location.


    Before he could pinpoint her whereabouts, Fluffy felt her presence disappear completely and the link between them getting severed. Fluffy felt his heart stop for a moment and a deep pain seep from his heart and travel to his bones. Despite the type of relationship between a master and her spirit beast, separation of any kind is only a curse for the Spirit beast.


    Though he displayed only annoyance for his master, Fluffy never hated her. So, the emptiness in his soul and the tearing pain in his heart are a live reminder of his reverence to his little master.


    His eyes slowly turned red and his smooth white nails slowly turned black and extended like vines, making him look savage and bloodthirsty.


    Red, that was all Fluffy could see and a primal growl escaped his lips attracting the attention of Xu Zian.


    Xu Zian who was entirely engrossed in educating his men turned around abruptly on hearing a low but deep growl behind him. On seeing the agitated fox, he felt uneasy in his heart. The expression on Fluffy''s face was one he could understand as his Qilin had the same expression whenever he was in danger.


    His Qilin had always been majestic and even when angered, there had not been much difference in the appearance. But, the current appearance of the tailed fox stunned even the nonchalant Xu Zian.Wisps of black hair danced alongside his silver hair and the snowy tails now turned into a black furry mass. Only, if not for his frightening red eyes, Fluffy could be considered as a cold but handsome specimen.


    Moreover, the all time peaceful spirit beasts display such animosity only when it''s related to their masters.


    ''Is the little thief in trouble?'' at that brewing thought, Xu Zian tossed away the books in his hand and leaped towards the raging fox.


    "What happened to her?"


    "Where is she?"


    Xu Zian''s questioning was only met with silence, a silence which he found both eerie and uncomfortable.


    Before Xu Zian could question further, Fluffy lifted his head revealing his blood red orbs, the blood red being a clear reflection of his inner agony and anger.


    "I have to find her!" Fluffy declared, to which Xu Zian immediately responded.


    "I am coming with you."


    Fluffy knew nothing about Xu Zian, but he knew his master''s unwavering trust in the man. What made Fluffy decided to take Xu Zian was the look of fear and concern in the latter''s eyes.


    "Fine then, let''s go." Fluffy declared, with a snap of his fingers, both the figures disappeared from the place.


    "Why did you bring us here?" Taking in the busy surroundings around him, Xu Zian asked in a puzzled tone.


    " She was standing here when she last disappeared." Fluffy said, the slight quiver in his tone giving away his panic.


    "Are you saying that you are not able to sense her?"


    Fluffy could sense the displeasure from Xu Zian, but, he was in no position to retort as he was quiet dissatisfied with himself. Spirit beasts could sense their masters and him not being able to sense Jun Lan, was truly a shameful thing. Spreading his aura once again, Fluffy tried to search for her presence only to be met by nothingness.


    ''How could she disappear into thin air?'' wondered Xu Zian, as fear started to creep into his heart. They were standing in the middle of the market and there was no way for a person to be kidnapped in between this crowd.


    Fluffy knew that Jun Lan was alive, but he was not able to trace her. This could only mean one thing- a determined look flashed in Fluffy''s eyes as he turned towards Xu Zian.

 76 Secret behind the Waste 1

    "They must have used advanced teleportation spell. They are beyond my sensing range and it could mean only one thing- they are not in this realm." Fluffy stated, as shocking as his words may sound, they failed to evoke a similar reaction from Xu Zian. The latter remained rather calm, resembling the calmness before a storm.


    Not noticing anything wrong, Fluffy continued "To break the spell, a person should be of Wizard level in the least. You are at magician level and you can''t do anything yet."


    "You stay here, I will bring her out even at the cost of my life." Breathing out a deep sigh, Fluffy declared. Just as he was about to leave, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning around, he shot Xu Zian a puzzled glance.


    "With your current strength, you can''t enter the higher realms." Xu Zian sighed.


    "I have my own ways, and..." Fluffy stopped speaking as he sensed a change in his body. Soon he realized the problem- he couldn''t sense his spiritual qi! Shooting an accusatory glance at the nonchalant Xu Zian, Fluffy bellowed "What do you think you are doing? She is out there alone and here you are stopping me!"


    "She might be getting hurt..."


    "They might torture her, and even worse kill her!"


    "Are you done?" Faced with the fox''s incessant question and loathing gaze, Xu Zian did not get flustered. In contrast, he appeared unconcerned as he calmly retorted Fluffy.


    Not getting the expected reaction from the person in question, Fluffy felt as if someone ruffled with his tails. In a fit of irritation, he threw a question at Xu Zian "Do you even care for her?"


    Xu Zian had been flustered earlier when he heard about Jun Lan''s disappearance. But, he had calmed down by now, enabling his tranquil brain to think rationally and he had deduced the reason behind her disappearance by now. His immediate concern was about how to break the spell and enter the realm created by her captors. His magic was nowhere sufficient to break the barrier and he knew only one person who could deal with spells more efficient than him- his master, Tian Wu.


    He had no idea which method Fluffy wanted to employ, but, he was sure that the method will bring more harm than benefits. If the master is harmed the beast feels the pain and vice-versa. In a fit of panic, Fluffy might have forgotten the simple logic, but, Xu Zian did not.


    This was the sole reason why he blocked the stupid fox''s meridians. The fox might act in the spur of the moment, but he would never do something recklessly, lest it should hurt her.


    He could take the fox''s rage and insults, but, how dare the tailed beast question his feelings?


    How dare it question him if he cared or not?


    Well, if acting out of mindless impulse and hurting her in return meant caring , then he really did not care about her.


    With these thoughts, the air around Xu Zian turned menacing. His sombre onyx eyes now carried a murderous glint adding a dangerous charm to the rather easy going man.


    And, for the first time Fluffy felt completely oppressed by the man.


    He might not be as powerful as he was in the past, but he was sure that no human could make him feel uncomfortable. Then why was he feeling suffocated by this man?


    This feeling, seemed both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time...


    "Whether I care about her or not, is not for you to worry about."


    What?


    How does my master''s whereabouts not concern me?


    And, what''s with your overbearing attitude?!


    Fluffy wanted to ask many questions, but he was too stunned to speak.


    This level of super narcissism truly reminded him of someone...


    But, as soon as the notion materialized in his brain, Fluffy dismissed it.


    Nah! That man was not married and for sure he did not have a son.


    Xu Zian observed the myriad of expressions on a certain fox''s face and sighed in defeat. Like master, like servant, he thought.


    Raising his hand, he swiftly unblocked an acupuncture point, following which he spoke "You can wait at your residence. I disabled your spiritual qi, so don''t even think of following me."


    "You stay there and be a good fox. I I will go look out for my master and bring her back safely." Dropping the words coolly, Xu Zian brushed his sleeves before disappearing from the crowded market, leaving a totally dumbfounded fox behind.


    "Wait for me..." Fluffy spoke while trying to move. Much to his displeasure, he found that he could really not use his internal energy . No matter how hard he tried, his body refused to co-operate with him.


    Cautiously, Fluffy observed his surroundings only to find that people are observing his back with weird and frightening gazes. Feeling curious, he looked back to find everyone''s eyes fixed on his fluffy tails!


    There was a mixture of curiosity, awe and terror in everyone''s gaze as they scrutinized him, which made Fluffy extremely uncomfortable. It seemed as he was a rare specimen under the crowd''s discerning eyes.


    "Mother, is he a spirit fox?" a young kid questioned with sheer curiosity.


    "What spirit fox? He''s just a beggar in a fancy dress. In future, stay away from such people." the mother chided.


    The surrounding crowd who heard the woman''s words clearly started discussing among themselves.


    "Nowadays, people are getting more creative la!"


    "Hmm... The tails look almost real to me, fluffy and long."


    "What are you saying? No matter how real they look, a stone can never become a jade!"


    Are they speaking about me?


    I am a stone that can never become a jade?!


    Startled, Fluffy mouthed a series of curses.


    His divine image was totally destroyed!


    That infuriating man! All of this was because of Xu Zian. He would settle debts with that man later!


    Humph!


    Like that, under the baffled eyes of many, a fuming fox stomped out of the crowded street.


    ***


    Jun Lan felt her head spinning, her body remained immobile as if there was a heavy weight pressing on her. She could feel her body floating and no matter how hard she tried to open her eyes, she could not.


    "Why is she not waking up?"


    "Did we use excessive magic?"


    Though she could not move, she could hear someone speaking and she was able to understand them clearly.


    The continuous debate of the voices rang in Jun Lan''s ears, making her eyebrows scrunch up in discomfort.


    "Why should we go to such efforts to kidnap a waste without any cultivation?"


    Jun Lan believed that she had not provoked anyone in a way that they would come hunting for her, except that hateful prince. As far as she remembered, he was the only one that she had shamed beyond redemption. Wang Xiu had no powerful supporters, or so she thought. But, the current reality proved otherwise. There was someone in the shadows protecting him, while she was strolling in the light baring herself for all to see.


    "What do you expect from a waste? She has no cultivation and can''t stand against a single spell of mine. I wonder how she managed to render the prince useless, that''s the reason why master asked us to kidnap her. We should know the secret in her..."


    So, it was due to Wang Xiu again!


    The darkness clouding her senses began to fade slowly and feeling the initial discomfort disappear, Jun Lan fluttered her eyes open.


    Blinking her eyes continuously to clear the haze around her eyes, she focused on her surroundings. As she tilted her head to the side, she found two curious specimens observing her as if she was an experimental subject.


    Terrified, Jun Lan looked down and only breathed in relief on finding her clothes intact. But, her joy was only short lived when she felt warm air caress her face.


    Touching her face with her hand, Jun Lan''s expression stilled ''Where is my mask?!''


    It must be due to my scar... No wonder, they have such weird expressions!


    Hahaha! They must be scared by my ugly face!


    When her hand came into contact with the soft skin on her cheeks and her loosened hair, she almost cried in despair. Where did her scar disappear?


    ''My dear scar, where did you hide ah?!'' she lamented in her heart.


    There was no scar mark at the time of need, and even if she wanted to pass of as a pretty boy, she couldn''t, thanks to her waist length hair which was now flowing freely with the wind. Even a child could tell that she was a girl.


    Can someone be so unlucky as her?


    Yes, she had the privilege of being granted the chance of a second life, but, that did not mean that she was omnipotent. She was far from being such, her current condition being the best proof.

 77 Secret behind the Waste 2

    Yujin and Kai who were busily arguing stilled at the sound of faint rustling. Dropping their heated debate, they glanced at the petite figure in black, who was now observing them with startled eyes.


    Squinting his eyes, Yujin observed the weak girl lying on the ground with interest. He was looking forward to her reactions- will she cry, scream or faint?


    Her large almond eyes were observing their actions, searching for any threat. As if suddenly realising the reason behind their stares, she looked down her body and sighed in relief.


    Did she think of them as molesters?, Yujin wondered, bemused.


    She then traced her hands on her fair and unblemished cheeks, her eyes showing a trace of panic as she caressed her scar less face.


    Large almond grey eyes, tiny nose, vermilion lips- the girl was truly a definition of beauty that could overturn the cities and bring down nations. When Yujin first saw the portrait, he wondered if there could be a girl so beautiful. But now, on seeing her in flesh, he understood what beauty is.


    The portrait did no justice to the girl before him...


    He truly did not want to torture and kill the beauty ah!


    As much as he wanted to let go of the little girl, who could pass off as his younger sister, he could not do so. He was under the orders of his master where there was no room for defiance. As a slave, he was bound to act according to his master''s wishes.


    "Little girl, if you answer my questions, I will let you go." Yujin tried to coax her, totally forgetting the fact that this little beauty was the one who rendered the prince useless.


    Listening to his words, a cold glint flashed in Jun Lan''s eyes. Parting her parched lips, she asked "Will you really let me go if I tell you everything?"


    "Yes, I promise..."


    "Yujin, cease your nonsense!" Kai interrupted the fool who was ogling over the beauty, who in his eyes resembled a thorny rose.


    "Did you forget that she was the one who made the prince bedridden?" he chided making Yujin widen his eyes in shock.As the realization dawned upon him, a blush graced his ears, feeling embarrassed he lowered his head while Kai regarded the former with a bone chilling gaze.


    Turning towards Jun Lan who was observing the play with amusement, Kai spoke "You are not as harmless as you seem. Else, you wouldn''t have been able to hurt the prince to that degree."


    Narrowing his eyes, he glared at the smiling girl "How did you do it? You must have some hidden card, what is it?"


    All this time, Jun Lan was not paying any attention to their conversation. She was instead focused on observing Kai, to be precise, his eyes.


    Yes, eyes!


    Back in the trading house when he stared at her with those deep and empty eyes, her heart trembled in fear. It felt as if she was being cursed and trapped inside them. Jun Lan had felt something off with the young kid before her, who seemed to of the same age as her.


    It was only now that she understood the reason behind her heart''s reaction- the kid''s eyes seemed lifeless without a soul. Before she had trembled under his gaze, but strangely, now she did not panic under his piercing stare.


    Maybe because she was caught or may be because of the knowledge that she can''t escape, Jun Lan felt her heart become peaceful.


    Even if she wanted to fight against them, she can''t because of her null cultivation.


    Did she regret not putting her effort into cultivation earlier?


    May be a little, but not to the extent of feeling remorse. Even if she cultivated like a monk devoid of any worldly pleasures, she was not a once in century genius who could achieve abnormal success in a short period of time. So, she was not feeling that bad.


    The only thing that she regretted is over-estimating herself. She had been reborn, but that did not mean that she knew everything. That was her miscalculation and her present situation is a consequence of her own actions.


    Own wrong move in the game of chess, you lose your life.


    But, even the pawn fights for it''s life.


    She was a queen, so how could she surrender?


    She was not the one to welcome defeat and embrace death. She would never do such thing, not without a fight.


    "You want to know where my strength comes from?" Jun Lan smiled radiantly as she spoke, shocking the two men before her.


    Before they could discern the hidden meaning behind the blinding smile, Jun Lan spoke in a soft voice "Secrets are called secrets for a reason."


    Her strength was her spirit beast, the nine tailed fox, Fluffy.


    Wanting to lay their hands on her Fluffy?!


    Hah!


    Dream on!


    Her answer made Kai''s face darken and even the embarrassed Yujin now had a stoic look on his face.


    "You are playing with fire." Yujin frowned.


    "I am not afraid of getting burnt." she calmly replied.


    Is she foolish or that confident of herself?


    It must be the former, thought Yujin.


    "Is that so?" Kai chuckled, his laugh sending an ominous shiver down Yujin''s spine. Jun Lan still had a nonchalant look on her face- a look which anyone would mistake for surrender, though her proud eyes said otherwise.


    "Let''s see if you can still smile after this!" Kai mumbled, the threat in his voice not gone unnoticed by Yujin.


    "Kai, don''t act reckless. We still need her alive!" Yujin exclaimed hastily.


    "I don''t find the need to." As soon as he finished speaking, Kai disappeared from his position in an instant, only to stand before Jun Lan.


    Lowering his head, he stared at the unruffled girl. Lifting his hand, he warned "This is your last chance. Speak or Die!"


    "Why should I answer you?" Jun Lan scoffed, raising her stubborn head, she taunted "I would never answer Wang Xiu''s men. No matter how many times you ask, my answer will be the same!"


    Kai was a merciless person to begin with and the mocking look in her eyes, truly made his last thread of patience snap. He was not like Yujin, who pities the weaker sex, and, women were not weak in his eyes. In his eyes, they were the epitome of all sins in the world. So, he did not feel even an ounce of pity for Jun Lan.


    "Fine!"


    As soon as his words ended, Jun Lan felt a searing pain near her heart.


    She felt something ripping her chest apart, the pain clouding her mind and blurring her eyes.


    Blinking her eyes, she lowered her head to find Kai''s hand pierce through her body, just above her heart.


    "Now do you mind telling the truth?" Kai said, and as he spoke, he withdrew his hand from her body in an agonizingly slow pace making Jun Lan''s face contort in discomfort.


    He could tell that she was in pain, her labored breaths and the deep frown on her face being the testament of his thoughts. This time Kai was sure that the girl would surrender and spill the truth.


    Jun Lan didn''t pay attention to his words, her eyes were trained on her wound or to be precise, on the hole in her body.


    Blood oozed from her chest, staining her clothes. If only her clothes were in a pristine white instead of Black, Jun Lan was sure that the stain would paint a garish image.


    She could feel the stinging in her upper body spread down to every nook and corner of her body, turning her body into a mush. Soon, a metallic taste rushed from her throat to her mouth.


    Cough!


    Blood tricked down her chin, tracing a byzantine path towards her throat.


    Jun Lan brought a hand to her mouth to wipe away the blood, while her other hand covered the large wound on her chest, trying to stop the unceasing flow of her blood with her slender fingers.


    The wound was painful, bone-wrenching to be exact.


    But, it was nothing compared to the pain when her limbs were chopped off and it was nothing before the pain in her heart when she witnessed her brother being decapitated.


    Did they think that this tiny prickle of pain will make her speak?


    If so, they are wrong!


    "Heh!" Jun Lan chuckled, her faint voice going almost inaudible. Kai who was near to her, clearly heard her low-toned voice and for some reason, it made him uncomfortable.


    "I don''t have any secrets inside me." Staring straight into Kai''s soulless eyes, Jun Lan declared.


    "If you do not believe me, you can do as you please." she continued with a faint smile on her face.


    It was a smile which meant ''Kill me if you dare!''


    Yes, he purposefully missed her heart as he was ordered not to kill her without extracting her secrets. Her smile clearly told him that she saw through his plans.


    She knew that he would not kill her, and, the frightening thing is that she was not afraid of the pain, the only weakness of the humans.


    She did not care about her body!


    A person who ruthlessly murders others is not considered scary. It is the person who is ruthless to himself, is the scariest and one that everyone should be wary of.


    As he stared at her smile which was directed at him, Kai felt restless for the first time in his life.


    It was not a comforting smile, rather it was a smile which would haunt him for the rest of his life, and Kai was sure of that.

 78 Xu Zians Remorse

    "Master, I need your help. My friend is in danger."


    "Then why don''t you rescue your so called friend?"


    "My strength is not enough..." Gritting his teeth, Xu Zian continued "Else, I would never ask you for help!"


    "Heh!" Tian Wu snorted, his eyes staring at Xu Zian with discontent.


    "Brat! Aren''t you ashamed of saying that you are not strong enough?" Tian Wu chided, "Nothing is more shameful than admitting that you are not strong enough to keep your family safe." the old man preached in a wise tone.


    "I know." Xu Zian sighed. In a monotone voice, he continued "Master, you can lecture me to your heart''s content later. Stop being difficult, she''s in danger."


    She?, Catching onto the main point, Tian Wu hurriedly started to dig in for the details.


    "Who is the ''She'' in question?"


    Xu Zian who had left the fuming fox behind, was now standing with folded arms, glaring at the old man whose gossipy nature was now completely ignited. Scared that something might happen to the little thief, he had rushed for help all the way to his old master, the very man who he hated with a passion, the reason behind it was something which even he himself couldn''t define.


    It was not that he truly hated his master, but, he really could not bear the old man''s shamelessness. His master''s train of thoughts were always on a crooked track, similar to as of now.


    How could the old man be fixated on a person''s gender when their life is in danger?


    "She is Jun Lan, a dear friend of mine."


    Jun Lan?, On hearing the familiar name, a gentle yet tired smile blossomed on Tian Wu''s wrinkled face.


    "Hmm, she is a stubborn girl."


    Listening to his master''s judgement, Xu Zian nodded his head in response;the action totally being a subconscious reaction.


    Yes, the girl was as stubborn as a mule!


    But then, his actions halted in the middle and the expression on his face froze.


    "How do you know her?" Xu Zian''s voice trembled as waves of astonishment washed over his heart.


    "Of course I know her, she is my disciple..."


    Disciple?


    Eh?!


    When did this happen, and, how come I am not informed?!


    Xu Zian did not realize that he let the last thought in his mind slip from his tongue, not until he heard his master''s retort.


    "Do I need your permission to accept a disciple?" Tian Wu rolled his eyes at his disciple who suddenly seemed to turn into a stupid fool.


    Then, the little thief is my ''Junior Sister''?!


    Wait!


    Why is this conversation turning side-tracked?


    This old man!, Xu Zian glared at the nonchalant Tian Wu with clipped lips.


    Not caring in the slightest at the blaming gaze that seemed to drill holes into him, Tian Wu spoke, his voice so calm that it made Xu Zian lose all his previous rebellious attitude "She had the chain I gifted with her, but, she did not call for my help."


    It was only a simple statement, but, that had triggered the required emotions. All color drained from Xu Zian''s handsome visage and it seemed as if he had aged by a thousand years, his slumped shoulders acting as a sign of his defeat.


    "She suffered a single but serious injury. She is willing to endure the pain on her own, rather than seek my help."


    After a momentary pause, Tian Wu sighed "She is the same as you..."


    How could Xu Zian not understand his master''s words...


    When he was involved in a fight with those from the upper realms, he was beaten up and his body was battered and bruised beyond recognition. Even at the brink of exhaustion, he didn''t contact his master for help. It was his fight and he wanted to fight on his own, and his master had obliged to his wishes.


    His master Tian Wu would not interfere in any worldly affairs unless he was asked of, the rules being the same to even his personal disciples. He would only make an exception if they were near the death''s door.


    Lifting his head, he stared at his master who had no trace of worry on his face.


    That nonchalance only meant one thing©¤ Jun Lan was safe, at least she was not near death.


    He should feel happy and relaxed at this revelation, but why was he feeling the exact opposite?


    Why is his heart in a pain which he never felt before?


    And, why exactly is he ashamed of himself?


    It must be because of his meager skills. If only was strong enough, he would not have been in this position©¤ Wanting to save her, but not having the capabilities to do so!


    Not knowing where she was being held captive was the worst form of torture he had ever experienced.


    Personally, Xu Zian dislike attention. He was tired of all the scheming and jealousy he attracted by his strength and prowess. He had thought that by staying weak and low key,no one would deliberately come to harm him. That was the reason why he stayed at a mere magician level, given his excellent grasping abilities. He felt that he was strong enough.


    No, he was wrong!


    His master had been advising him one thing from many years©¤ "True strength does not lie in staying weak, instead it is one''s ability to mask their true potential, misleading everyone to believe that they are indeed weak."


    He had been adamant about not following his master''s advise before. And now, he did not have the ability to protect those close to him.


    Xu Zian! What a fool you are!


    Tian Wu observed the myriad of expressions flash on Xu Zian''s face before a look of self-blame settled on him. His disciple had been truly enlightened this time, so, should he feel happy that his little disciple was kidnapped?


    "She will not die, you can go now." Waving his hands, Tian Wu dismissed the dazed Xu Zian, then he closed his eyes and drifted his consciousness to the realm where Jun Lan was currently held captive.


    ©¤


    "You..." Kai who had originally planned on intimidating her, was not able to say anything now.


    Yujin, who was watching the entire drama on the sidelines was covered in cold sweat. He always thought that Kai was the most unfeeling of all in their troop. Everyone maintained a polite distance from the kid, who had a special penchant and thirst for blood and murder. No one dared to look straight into those dead eyes; the girl before him was the first to do so.


    The girl who he had labelled as weak and frail was able to drive Kai speechless and blank.


    Lowering his eyes to her wound, Yujin frowned. The wound was clearly a disturbing sight, if it was left out like that then she would surely faint from excessive blood loss.


    They could not afford to let her die!


    "Kai, come back!"


    "We need her alive!"


    Kai totally ignored Yujin''s shouts of panic and the hidden urgency in them. He was still dazed by Jun Lan''s tenacity and resoluteness. Though he quickly cleared the fog in his heart, his opinions were different from Yujin.


    The girl before him did not fear pain. So, it would be a fool''s errand to expect her to reveal her hidden cards in a way other than torture.


    He was observing her for quite a long while©¤her lips were bloody and cracked, her pale jade like arms were trembling; all indicating her currently deteriorating strength.


    She could not hold on for long and he was sure of that.


    Maybe, if he hurt her further and make her pain unbearable, he would finally get her to spill the secrets.


    With this lingering thoughts, he raised his hands to slap her hard.


    In the shadows, Tian Wu who was in the soul form, moved forward to attack at the same time. He was the epitome of patience, but, he found his control snap the moment the ghoul like kid raised his hand at his disciple. He could sit back and watch them fight to death, but, he clearly loathed three actions©¤ slapping one''s face, Grabbing someone by their hair and kicking someone''s head. They were the most disrespectful actions towards anyone, be it a stranger or a foe.


    "Kai!" Noticing Kai''s merciless actions, Yujin moved forward to stop the crazy fellow.


    Clearly, Kai''s attack was faster and when Yujin cursed himself for being tardy, he witnessed something incredible.


    Crack! Crack!


    The sounds of breaking of bones sounded, making the bland atmosphere turn ghastly in an instant.


    Halting in his tracks, Kai stared at the intruder with apprehension.


    A few feet away from the place where Jun Lan was lying, Tian Wu paused his steps while staring at the young man who was currently crushing the ghoul like kid''s bones with his bare hands.


    With eyes as red as the scorching flames of the hell, the man stared down at Kai as he enunciated each and every syllable with a voice which screamed of murder and bloodshed "Is this the hand that hurt her?"


    NOTE:


    Some asked me about my other novel My Beautiful Commander in the comments, the answer is the book is included in the Women''s day activity. Once, the votes reach 30000 SS by 10th night, there will be a mass release of 5 chapters on 11th.


    If we fail to reach 30000 SS, don''t worry, because I will be officially resuming the novel soon.

 79 Big Brother 1

    "Is this the hand that hurt her?!"


    The voice resonated in the empty space, the brutal edge to his tone making the time cease and the surroundings to come to a halt.


    The deep bass like voice resounded in Kai''s ears, breaking him out of his murderous stupor. As the haze in his eyes disappeared, Kai felt a sharp pain in his wrist as the cracking sound of the bones echoed throughout his body. The stinging pain made Kai lift his head up forcefully and soon he found himself regretting his earlier actions.


    For, he found himself reflected in the blood red orbs which were staring down at him with an expression so hostile that he couldn''t decipher the level of hate hidden behind such gaze. The red of the intruder''s eyes were bewitching, but the same red reminded him of death and bloodshed.


    Seeing his prey rendered speechless, a mocking sneer spread on the man''s face. Parting his lips, he spoke "I couldn''t even bring myself to use harsh words on her, but, you hurt her. You must not have done it. You will regret this action of yours."


    As soon as the man''s words ended, Kai felt a strong force on the back of his neck and he soon found his surroundings turn dark and his body go limp. Cracking his knuckles, the man stared at the unconscious Kai as if contemplating what to do with the body. After a while, the man waved his hands following which Kai''s body disappeared from everyone''s sight.


    Yujin, who had originally wanted to interfere was now staring at the happenings in his front with a dumb-founded expression. His mind had blanked out at the intruder''s voice, but, as the haze cleared bit-by-bit, the secret behind how the man broke through his magic barrier puzzled his heart. Before his mind could search the answer, the scene of Kai being taken down and disappear right before his eyes made his body and mind go immobile.


    His magic was not of an apprentice level, which anyone can break through. But, the man entered in without attracting much attention- unnoticed and calm, like a snake. Yujin concluded that the man must be a magician at the least, which was quite a rare sight in these mortal lands. It can be said without doubt that the man was quite powerful.


    Though the man cannot rival their lord, making unnecessary enemies was something they avoided. Wanting to negotiate, Yujin stepped forward contemplating as of what to say to appease the man. But, all the words stopped in his throat as the man had turned around without sparing even a single glance at him.


    Jun Lan who laid disheveled on the ground stared at the man who stopped Kai with a single move, now staring at her with his unfathomable eyes- those which undulated with anger, tension and, care?


    There was no fear in her clear eyes, if there was a person before whom she could relax completely, then it would be the man standing before her. The man before her looked both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.


    He had the same almond eyes like her- the eyes which they inherited from their father. That was the end to their similarities. While she was the splitting image of their father, he was the embodiment of their bewitching mother.


    There was no helplessness in the man before her, there were no traces of tiredness either.


    He truly resembled the stunning man from before their downfall...


    Jun Lan thought of various scenarios as of how she would meet with her brother, but, never in her dreams did she imagine their meeting to be like this- her lying in a pool of blood and him rescuing her.


    Jun Ling stared at his little sister, the girl who acted all mighty and tough to cover up the vulnerability inside of her. As his eyes trailed down, he saw her hand clutching her clothes, covering the wound with her bloodied hands. Pursing his lips, he crouched down and lifted his eyes to her tiny face. Placing his thumb in the area between her brows, Jun Ling started to pump in his qi healing her wound in the process.


    Jun Lan felt a warm current pass through her body, the pain in her body dissipating slowly only to be replaced by a numbing sensation. Soon, she felt the wound beneath her palm closing up completely.


    She was not a cultivator and the blood loss weakened her fragile body greatly. As much as she wanted to speak with her brother, her parched throat said otherwise.


    How could Jun Ling not notice her predicament?


    "Open your mouth..." he said, gently.


    Following his words, Jun Lan parted her lips and a bitter taste assaulted her mouth. Her original reaction was to spit it out, but, a strong palm took hold of her chin and soon a series of threats sounded near her ear.


    "Drink it completely, if you do not, then I will feed you ten such potions...''''


    "And, there will be no sweets for you an entire year..."


    What?!


    Ten bitter potions plus restriction of no sweets...


    No way!


    The words had the required effect as Jun Lan found herself gulping down the entire potion, not spilling even a single drop in the process. Looking at his completely obedient sister, Jun Ling nodded in satisfaction.


    Throwing away the empty bottle to the ground, Jun Lan let out a deep breath in exasperation.The potion seemed to work instantly as her pale cheeks were now ruddy making her whole complexion look healthy. Wanting to let out her frustrations, Jun Lan lifted her face filled with complaints. But, a single glance at her smiling brother was all it took to make her eyes sore.


    She had a thousand things which she wanted to say, but nothing came out of her mouth as she felt an invisible force squeezing her heart. Taking a deep breath, she tried to clear her mind of all the images from their past life. But, the attempt was futile as she felt a wetness in her eyes.


    Hot tears rolled down her pale cheeks, with quivering lips, she called out in a hoarse voice "Big brother..."


    A deep sigh sounded above her, and the blurry image before her eyes soon turned into darkness as she felt a cloak covering her body entirely.


    Now left in only his simple inner robes, Jun Ling scrunched his brows and spoke in distaste "Too ugly, don''t want to see..."


    Ugly?


    Don''t want to see...


    The shock of his words was so deep that Jun Lan found her tears abandon her as if sharing the same astonishment which she was subjected to. The shock soon faded away as unrestrained laughter escaped from her lips. What her brother meant was that her tears were too ugly to watch, the truth being that he couldn''t bare to see her cry. Jun Lan knew that his sharp and blunt words were the best form of comfort he could ever offer.


    Harsh on outside, but warm and soft on the inside.


    Hmm, no wonder I didn''t have a sister-in-law in the past...


    Jun Lan chuckled in her heart not knowing that she unknowingly voiced out her inner thoughts out loud. It was only when she felt her surroundings go incomparably cold, did she realize her folly.

 80 Blood Moon Tower 1

    Now with Xu Zian in the fray, can they be called as a brand new team of reborn cannon-fodders?


    As much as he is biased towards Xu Zian, Jun Ling couldn''t forget the fact that the current Xu Zian was neither strong enough to protect Jun Lan nor romantically attached to her. Relying on such man to protect his little sister was totally out of options.


    So, should he now take care of these two death seekers?


    For the first time after his rebirth, Jun Ling felt completely hopeless.


    Tian Wu noticed the lifeless expression on Jun Ling''s face, not being able to dissect the reason behind such a sympathy evoking face, he simply stated his concerns "Since you''ve taken one of them, I will handle this guy."


    Waking up from his dejected daze, Jun Ling scoffed "What? Will you now escort him back to his place safely?"


    Faced with such blatant criticism, Tian Wu''s visage displayed an awkward stifled smile for the first time.


    ''Such a poisonous mouth!'' Sighing internally, Tian Wu continued speaking as if he was not affected by the young lad''s words "I take it that you don''t have any problem with me taking him away. I''m leaving my disciple in your precious care."


    He was a dignified elder who was respected by all and he was not the one to bicker with some hot blooded youngster and placate him. Tian Wu knew that his methods are eccentric and the world called him eccentric for a solid reason, Ok?!


    He had immediate concerns and he did not have the time to entertain the snarky lad who seemed to retort every word of his.


    Dropping his generous remarks, Tian Wu disappeared from the place taking away the silhouette of Yujin with him in the process.


    Jun Lan who was forgotten long ago was staring at her brother with a complicated expression, the exchange between Master Tian Wu and her brother made her review her three views of the world.


    Was the old man truly a dignified master?


    And, when did her brother turn so fearless ah!


    Cool, totally cool!


    Unaware of the tumult of thoughts and mad worship in her little brain, Jun Ling turned around with a dark face. "How come you accepted such a mad man as your master?"


    Her master is a mad man?


    Isn''t her brother exaggerating? At most, her master can be considered a bit eccentric...


    Wait~ Aren''t they the same?


    Shaking her head to get rid of such ridiculous thoughts, Jun Lan stated loudly "A master for once, is a father for a lifetime!"


    "Fine! Convince yourself like that, I will care no more about you!"


    "Brother, he is my master. Spare some respect ah!" Gritting her teeth, she accused him "How could you even think about not caring about me?"


    Blinking her eyes rapidly, Jun Lan widened her eyes which seemed to accumulate tears spontaneously "It turns out that I am of no value in your heart..."


    With a dangerous squint of his eyes, Jun Ling locked his gaze on the little pig who is faking her tears. Using a honey trap on her own brother, well, he had to admit that the girl had definitely improved as he found his anger dissipate in the blink of an eye.


    In spite of knowing that it was all an act, Jun Ling''s heart couldn''t help but soften. He did not have the heart to chastise her any further. Then again, he scoffed at her shameless tactics.


    If only he covered her face and her eyes completely, he wouldn''t have been in this predicament.


    A sly smile danced on his lazy lips, a smile so evil that sent shivers down Jun Lan''s spine; the longer she stared at him, the creepier she felt.


    Whoosh!


    Jun Lan felt as if a vortex of air enveloped her body and soon she found herself wrapped in a cloth which painted her view dark.


    Sweeping his eyes up and down the figure of his mummified sister, Jun Ling felt a sense of achievement and accomplishment.


    "Mhmm..."


    He had wrapped many layers of cloth around Jun Lan, making her cries indecipherable.


    Inside the tight bandage, Jun Lan spewed a series of complaints to which she found no response of any sort.


    Using his qi so as to make his words audible to the trapped pig, Jun Ling spoke humorously "Little Zhu-Zhu, it''s been many years since I paraded you like this on the street ah! Let''s recreate our childhood."


    Oh no!


    Recalling the time, when her brother wrapped the three year old her and displayed her on the streets as if she''s an exotic object, Jun Lan''s heart was instantly petrified.


    She didn''t have much pride left, why is her brother dead set on dissolving the last traces of her honor ah?


    ''Wuwuwu~ I''m not a three year old...'' Jun Lan felt real tears brimming along the rims of her eyes.


    Just when she was grieving over her actions, she heard a sentence which made Jun Lan almost wanting to slap herself for her earlier actions.


    "If you had not used your honey trap, then you not have to suffer like this. I''m a reasonable person, Zhu-Zhu."


    Reasonable, your head!


    Just like that, ignoring the protesting cries of the ''mummy'', Jun Ling carried her in his arms while humming a happy and pleasant tone.


    ...


    In a desolate land, a man lay crouched on the ground with hands on his neck, his actions indicating that he is trying to spit out something.


    "It''s useless. I used the Red Scorpion pill on you." Tian Wu spoke nonchalantly as he played with the wooden staff in his hands.


    Yujin who was trying his hard to purge the pill felt his courage and strength slip away, as soon as he heard the name ''Red Scorpion Pill.''


    It was a pill which makes the taker follow the instructions of the master, to be precise the person who instilled the drug using their qi, without fail. There was no scope for disobedience!


    "Tell me whom you work for?" Tian Wu asked, his uncaring attitude making it seem as if he''s asking about some casual topics.


    "Blood Moon Tower..." As the name escaped his lips involuntarily, an intense regret and guilt of betraying his master flashed in Yujin''s eyes.


    Blood Moon Tower?


    The name was not unfamiliar to Tian Wu as it was one of the well feared organizations in the higher realms.


    A cold glint passed in Tian Wu''s eyes as he heard the name. He had not spared the men who had harmed Xu Zian, back then he personally obliterated their existence leaving only their ashes behind.


    Initially, he had not thought of interfering in the matters of those power hungry people. But, since they had dared to hurt his little disciple, it''s time he repaid the favor by a million times.


    Blood Moon Tower, eh?


    You should not have touched my disciple!


    Flicking his sleeves, Tian Wu entered in his personal portal, leaving only a trail of wind behind.

 81 Blood Moon Tower 2

    Middle Realm.


    The murky grey of the sky casted on the atmosphere a look so gloomy that made the residents of the lands of the middle realm dispirited. The weather was far from rainy season, yet, the sun had abandoned them. In the times where people tended to believe in superstitions over reason, the sky of today can be considered as an evil omen.


    For the people of Blood Moon Tower, who relied on blood magic, this applied even more. For them, the untimely change of the sky without their interference was truly a matter worth pondering over. It was their appearance which people considered as bad luck, but, today seemed different- It was as if they are cursed. They had not done anything like Demon rituals or Human sacrilege recently, so, the reason behind the sudden change in the skies baffled them greatly.


    Xieye, the leader of the Blood Moon Tower stared through the circular window, the thoughts on his mind unknown. Covered in a hood which masked his features the expression on his ghastly face remained unraveled.


    A deep sigh escaped from his lips as he turned his head away from the window and walked towards the carved mahogany table, where a red glass crystal ball lay undisturbed- It''s semblance being close to dripping blood as it was illuminated under the faint light seeping through the muslin curtains around it.


    Xieye flicked his fingers, a black mist, so thin like wisps of smoke spread from his fingers and enclosed the red crystal ball.


    Moments later, the image of a man aged with time and wisdom appeared on the glass globe; the strange thing being, the man was moving in the direction of the Blood Moon Tower.


    Today blood will be shed, that was all Xieye thought as he appraised the old man who was approaching them slowly but surely, a man who had secluded himself from the affairs of the mundane world.


    So, why is he here today?


    A deep frown appeared on the face hiding behind the hood as his mind inadvertently wandered towards the recent happenings. They had not provoked anyone, except trying to harm the person who almost disabled the Third prince, Wang Xiu- their main pawn.


    Is the person related to this old sorcerer?


    If so, then their Blood Moon Tower is going to face some severe damage.


    "Prepare the men to be stationed outside the gates. Kill anyone other than the members of the Blood Moon Tower!" Xieye issued decisive orders through his mind link making the caped men to stand in their formations in the blink of an eye.


    Even after issuing the orders, Xieye felt unsettled, his heart constantly reminding him that he had overlooked something important.


    The answer soon knocked the doors of his rusted brain as he abruptly turned around to gaze at the same grey sky, only this time his gaze was terrifying.


    The stinky old man had cursed them!


    No wonder his mind worked slower than ever.


    And, No wonder the sky draped a gloomy veil on them.


    With narrowed eyes and clipped mouth, Xiaye stared at the image of Tian Wu who was currently standing before the gates of the Blood Moon Tower with a nonchalant look on his aged face, the look he hated the most.


    Taking in a deep breath, Xiaye grabbed the wand resting on the stand as he prepared to go out all.


    If he is going to die today, then he is going to take down the opponent with him.


    ...


    Standing outside the lofty gates of the Blood Moon Tower was Tian Wu, who was observing the men who resembled the statues with disdain. The men were not able to see him as he used an invisibility spell on himself.


    Imagining the chaos his surprise attacks would induce in the stoic men, a crazed smile appeared on Tian Wu''s thin lips. He was called an eccentric man or to be precise, the eccentric sorcerer- The latter form of the address only known to a few.


    Putting his thoughts into motion, Tian Wu waved his plain and bland wooden wand, his movements sending waves of Blue flames which instantly engulfed the troop who were stationed to block his arrival.


    Painful cries soon reverberated throughout the vicinity of the Blood Moon Tower, the high pitched mournful cries sending waves of panic and terror in the hearts of the men inside the tower.


    The men stationed on the other side of the gates of the Blood Moon Tower were long accustomed to stand for long periods of time with their ramrod backs and with their sharp senses which could even detect ants from miles away, were terrified as they found the bodies of their brothers being burnt away. They found it impossible to believe that they failed to detect an intruder who was currently attacking them from the shadows.


    What''s worse is that the flames are not the normal red spiritual flames, but blue flames which burns away the body to ashes and places a wandering curse on the souls- leaving no room for reincarnation or rebirth.


    Those who were burnt by the blue flames are doomed to wander around aimlessly for all eternity.


    There are not many who can produce and control such Blue flames, the flames which were known to be the most difficult to tame. They heard the tales of the men who could control such flames and dismissed of such baseless talks as legends.


    Now, after the appearance of such flames right before their eyes devouring their brethren, they couldn''t say the same and dismiss off the flames as an illusion. The flames were real, so were the cries of the burning men.


    To say that they are scared would be an understatement. But, where was the room for retreat in a war of life and death?


    The only option was to face death and welcome their doom with open arms.


    Just when they steeled their hearts, they heard the ghastly voice of their master in their heads "Cast a blood shield on yourselves. The man is a sorcerer who you thought of as a legend, so leave your hopes of getting out alive."


    The expressions on everyone''s faces turned grave as the irrefutable truth slapped their faces hard.


    In a grave yet sinister tone, Xiaye passed on his final instructions which were about to bring a series of changes in all the realms in the times to come.


    "Use all the restricted spells without any restraint. We have to bring him down with us, else, the plans of our higher up''s can be considered to be a failure sooner or later!"

 82 Announcemen

    @@


    Hey Guys,


    The next update will be on either 26th or 27th March.


    I will upload the chapters to make up for my absence, so it will amount to 4 or 5 chapters depending on the date.


    And, a precious soul contributed to the mass release goal of 50$, so I will be adding another two chapters to the list. So, there will be 6 or 7 chapters in a total. If my hands-sama co-operates with me, you can expect more.


    I''ve noticed that we are at the rank #37 and a big thank you for all who voted their precious spirit stones. Let''s break the target of below 20, slowly but surely.


    Your''s lazily


    Neha_.@@

 83 Blood Moon Tower 3

    As soon as the men received the orders of their master, they split into numerous groups of five¡ª four forming a protective circle around one person in the middle. After positioning themselves, the group of men in the circle formation started to chant while those who were within the formation stood still.


    As the sounds of the chanting filled the air, faint red light began to envelop them, the intensity of the light gradually increasing with the pitch of their eerie incantation.


    A protection shield, Tian Wu''s eyelids twitched.


    Did these fellas forget that they were still under the influence of his curse?


    He began to wonder if these men were truly the members of the Blood Moon Tower.


    Before he could sneer at their folly, Tian Wu realized that something was off.


    The red light shielding the bodies of the men was no longer undergoing corrosion subjected by his curse. If only, the intensity of the light was increasing.


    Did my magic lose it''s touch?


    Looking at his slightly wrinkled hands Tian Wu wondered. Though Tian Wu was shocked, it only lasted for a moment. He was inwardly excited that at least there was one single person who was worth his time. If there was someone who could block his curse, then today''s fight was not going to end up in a complete slaughter. Well, it will eventually be a complete slaughter, but not in short amount of time.


    After ascertaining that his previous curse spell was not effective, he used another. This time the fellas were not so lucky as a faint yellow light started to overtake the red light, albeit a bit slowly.


    Xiaye who was observing his men from the shadows immediately instructed them.


    "Protect yourselves with the blood armour!"


    Following the orders of their master, the men changed their chants following which a red mist started to accumulate around their bodies, forming an impenetrable armor.


    It was the blood armour!


    Tian Wu''s eyes shone with interest as he recognized the red mist.


    The blood armor is truly impenetrable and even Tian Wu couldn''t help but praise the original creator of this spell. As a sorcerer, he knew how difficult it was to create a new spell and so he respected the talented people, be they the practitioners of light magic or the dark arts.


    Tian Wu had long been prepared for this blood armor, even so a tiny frown etched on his face.


    What dissatisfied him is the low level of the dark magic and the weak armor. The armor barely covered their bodies and to see such a grand spell being put to such a shame truly infuriated him.


    If the armor had been cast by a demon sorcerer, not even the greatest spell of his could break it.


    But, now a simple mid level curse of his can break the low level blood armour.


    He had wanted a challenge, but what greeted him is the exact opposite of that.


    Tian Wu who had an unique respect towards the creator of the spell was truly pissed off this time. Though he wanted to smash them into a meat patty, he didn''t do so as he formed a new plan in his twisted mind.


    As such thoughts ran in his mind, Tian Wu cast another curse, one which drains away their magic qi. This was his signature spell, one which very few could detect. And one which he was sure that the man in the shadows could not counter.


    He wanted to know what tricks would these men would resort to after feeling the depletion in their magic. A sly smile spread on his face as he imagined the fellas reactions later.


    Why not play with them and see what other tricks they have up their sleeves?


    In a laid back and relaxed posture, Tian Wu waited for the other party to go on with their plans.


    The men who had no idea about the slyness of the old man before them were under the illusion that there were in the winning position. They mistook the silence of Tian Wu as the expression of defeat when it was actually the calm before a storm.


    Not knowing that Tian Wu had already spun an inescapable trap, Xiaye proceeded with his plan.


    "Start the Blood Magic Summon." He said, his words transmitted through the mind link.


    While the persons standing in the circular formation slit their wrists open without any hesitation, those in the middle started to wave their wands as a series of runes started to appear on the ground. The same actions were performed by the other groups in tandem.


    It''s just a magic circle.


    Tian Wu fought to stifle a yawn as he took in the other party''s actions. The sight of the complex runes did not fluster him, truth be told even he was amazed by his level of patience today.


    Maybe it is the sight of his heavily injured student, Tian Wu didn''t want to finish these fellas in a jiffy. He wanted to take his sweet time and crack their skulls open.


    But, these fellas were taking their sweet time in casting a simple spell...


    Wanting to dispel the sleep which is making his eyes heavy, Tian Wu began to hum a song.


    Xiaye who is secretly keeping an eye on Tian Wu felt his eye twitch at the sight. They were the most feared organization in the middle realm and no one dared to look down upon by anyone, the only exception being the old man before him. They looked as if they were the puppets controlled by a puppet master, Xiaye shook his head to dispel the ominous notion in his head.


    The old man must be ignorant of the spell, he thought.


    As the last rune appeared, Xiaye concluded the spell by saying "Blood Summon!"


    Even after waiting for a few moments, nothing happened.


    Before Xiaye could wonder what went wrong, a lazy sounding voice reached his ears.


    "Little fella, did you think that you are hiding well?"


    Stunned, Xiaye shot out a blood mist ball towards Tian Wu who was now standing behind him.


    Tian Wu simply flicked away the blood mist ball, sporting a poker face he said "Little fella, did you think that I will be waiting for you to attack me?"


    "And, what exactly are you chanting all this while? I almost passed out from sleep..."


    This time, Xiaye almost fainted from anger.

 84 Blood Moon Tower 4

    Tian Wu almost wanted to laugh out loud on seeing the pure bafflement on Xiaye''s face.


    "I cast a corrosive spell on you all, by now your magic qi must have been sucked by it. Whatever those runes are for, it''s now a total waste." Tian Wu enlightened the foolish fella.


    Xiaye was still in a daze, he was wondering on how could a sorcerer be this strong?


    No! A sorcerer cannot possibly flick away the blood mist ball with a single finger...


    There was no doubt that the seemingly harmless old man is on a higher level than a sorcerer.


    He never went wrong in reading the powers of others...


    The old man masked his true aura.


    But, how could that be?


    Unless...


    Xiaye''s eyes widened at the possibility which he thought of, as his heart pounded in fear he took a few steps back as if the distance could keep him safe from the old man before him.


    "J-just who are you?" Xiaye was both curious and scared. Instead of answering his question, Tian Wu shook his head in disappointment.


    "Tsk, tsk..., I thought that at least you will put up a decent fight. It seems that I expected a lot from you fellas..."


    When Tian Wu tilted his head, he saw the men in the circular formations still chanting, completely unaware of their surroundings.


    These dumb fellas, how did they manage to live all this time?


    Taking pity for them, Tian Wu decided to kill them in one sweep.


    With a single wave of his wand, blue flames consumed the men, their shrill cries reaching the zenith of the sky. Xiaye watched the destruction with utter terror, what scared him was their inability to harm even a strand of hair of Tian Wu.


    "Y-ou, who exactly are you?" Xiaye stuttered.


    Rubbing his long grey beard, Tian Wu smiled "I am someone everyone heard of, yet unknown. I am what they call as legends in the scrolls. Does that ring any bell?"


    Xiaye almost shook his head but then he remembered something.


    "How could that be?!"


    As if answering his question, Tian Wu released his aura, unadulterated and unhindered.


    Unable to face the strong aura, Xiaye collapsed on to the ground.


    How could this be?


    Aren''t they supposed to be dead?


    But, there''s no mistaking this aura...


    Numerous thoughts flashed in Xiaye''s mind, but he had no strength to phrase them. All his questions were reflected in his eyes, the answers to which were hidden in Tian Wu''s smile.


    Raising his hand, Tian Wu pressed his thumb on to the space between Xiaye''s brows.


    "Soul purge..."


    Black flames spread from Tian Wu enveloping Xiaye''s form, not even his cries were heard as the flames melted down his flesh and bones into oblivion, all of this happened in the blink of an eye. All that remained was a white floating substance enveloped in flames¡ª the white mist being the soul of the deceased Xiaye.Soon, the flames enveloped the soul forming a ball. As the flames continued to burn the soul, shrill ghastly sounds resounded the area, the cries closely resembling that of a ghost.


    Soul Purge is the most deadliest curse that one can subject to a soul. The souls cursed by this spell will lose their ability to reincarnate and they are doomed to undergo various stages of torture, it was a never ending cycle.


    With another wave of his hand, Tian Wu sent the flame ball to float high up in the air, stopping right before the gates of the Blood Moon Tower.


    After appraising his work, Tian Wu left the Blood Moon Tower. He had wasted a lot of time and he was worried about the condition of his disciple.


    As he thought of the uproar the flame ball is about to bring, a smile lit up his face.


    It was high time all the pests realized that the protectors are not dead.


    It was a warning for all of them to keep their actions in check.


    He did not know why they attacked his disciple, but, this will be an enough warning for everyone to stay away from Jun Lan.


    If someone dared to mess with those who were related to the protectors then it is akin to inviting their own death.


    ...


    Jun Lan felt her body ache, it felt as if she was being crushed by a huge boulder. She tried to open her eyes but gave up after a serious of numerous struggles. Her body had stopped listening to her and a discomfort soon spread throughout her body.


    Jun Ling narrowed his eyes at the sight of the frown which appeared on his sister''s face. He wanted to erase that thing off her pale face.


    Straightening himself on the couch, he took out a zither from his inter spatial ring.


    The soft sound of the zither accompanied by the gentle breeze and the melodic chirping of the birds soon eased the frown of her face.


    Though the girl seemed as if she was at peace, Jun Ling did not stop playing the instrument. His long, slender fingers glided across the strings, the melody strangely soothing to one''s heart and soul.


    Jun Lan who was dead asleep felt a stream of energy rushing towards her dantian, a warm feeling soon spread across her body, the pain no longer bothered her.


    It''s the spiritual qi!


    In both of her lifetimes, this was the first time she was able to sense the qi!


    Inwardly, Jun Lan screamed from excitement.


    A surge of happiness burst out in her heart, controlling the excitement that threatened to bubble out Jun Lan concentrated on gathering as much as qi from the unknown source which was replenishing her. She could feel the warm energy rushing into her dantians, coursing through her meridians, quenching the long starved body.


    It was not only her who benefited from this sudden intake of the energy. On her side was the unconscious fluffy who was now in the animal form. Being unable to bear the pain of separation, Fluffy had fainted. The energy which traveled through her provided strength to the unconscious fox and the fur on the Fluffy''s body soon turned lush and soft, making him seem more fluffier than before.

 85 Mo Ren 1

    While Jun Lan recovered rapidly, the color on Jun Ling''s face drained, his face now pale and white like a ghost. He could feel his energy being sucked away at an alarming rate.


    Currently, Jun Ling was using the first technique of the FengYu music steps to heal Jun Lan. This was a skill he learned in his past life, one which greatly helped him in times of danger. He had not mastered the skill back then and in both lives he was just a novice. He began to practice the technique of musical healing from the moment he regained the memories of his melancholic past life. The notes on the various techniques have been deeply ingrained into his brain so as long as he works diligently it would only be a matter of time before he becomes a heavenly musician, the highest level a FengYu musician can hope for. Only a few weeks had passed since he started working on them and he was not the genius who could advance to many levels after a single session of practice, he was just a normal musician. It was a given that he cannot perform even a simple technique over an extended period of time.


    He had dared to use this technique under the assumption that his sister would recover in an instant. He dared to be confident only because she had no cultivation, thinking that she would require only a part of his qi, he unknowingly took an herculean task upon himself.


    He underestimated his sister and overestimated himself.


    Jun Lan''s body was like a bottomless trench, hungry for energy and thirsty for power. She absorbed all the energy enveloping her, not leaving even a wisp behind.


    Soon, beads of sweat formed on Jun Ling''s forehead.


    His body started to feel weak and his mind turned dizzy, but he could not afford to stop in middle.


    There was no stop after one started the FengYu music healing process.


    Music can both kill and heal, a single fluctuation in the note is enough to cause a massive destruction in the meridians. His sister had suffered great damage and he would not be the cause of suffering.


    Just when he was inwardly panicking on how to maintain the pace, he heard an annoying voice in his mind.


    ''You can''t even master the First technique? Tsk, Tsk...''


    ''Are you sure that you can cure her with your snail pace?''


    ''You act so mighty and arrogant before me, now you can''t save your sister. What a joke!''


    ''Brat, I never thought that you are so weak.''


    In the face of the taunts, Jun Ling did not bat an eye and the provoking voice in his mind did not bring even the tiniest of frown on his face.


    Failing to extract any reaction from Jun Ling, the voice re-doubled his efforts ''If you continue like this, are you sure that you can save your precious little sister?''


    ''Shut up, you old ghost!'' Jun Ling was displeased, anyone who curses his sister is an enemy.


    ''You mean a handsome old ghost, right?'' An amused smug voice floated in Jun Ling''s mind, he could almost imagine the narcissism in the old ghost''s voice, one which he was used to.


    ''I need to concentrate, I don''t have time to bicker with you...''


    ''You cannot save her, neither can your tailed fox. Only I can save her, let me take over your body.''


    ''Mo Ren! Are you planning to kill her?'' Jun Ling almost lost control of his actions at the sudden declaration. No matter in which way he thought, the suggestion was outrageous in according to him.


    ''You cannot keep up much longer, don''t harm her if you can''t save her!''


    Jun Ling knew the condition of his body the most, he was aware that he cannot go on for even an incense stick of time. Even so, he was not about to hand over the life of his sister to someone else. So, with a stubborn expression Jun Ling continued to play the zither.


    ''Being stubborn is not always good, especially in the matters of life and death. There is no medicine for regret!''


    A frown appeared between Jun Ling''s brows but his lips remained clipped.


    ''I dare not play with the life of your sister.'' Mo Ren finally relented making Jun Ling''s determination waver.


    Mo Ren knew the saying ''Strike the Iron when it''s hot.'' So, without any hesitation he said ''If I cure her, you owe me one favor. If I fail, then you can harness my energy.''


    Jun Ling''s eyebrows rose at the statement, knowing Mo Ren''s shrewd personality he would never propose to harness his energy unless he was sure about the results. Jun Ling''s anxious heart calmed down, he how voice out his conditions.


    ''I will fulfill any of your condition only after...''


    ''I know, I know! I''m not that inconsiderate.'' Mo Ren interjected in a annoyed tone.


    Satisfied, Jun Ling closed his eyes, ''You can take over me now.'', he said to Mo Ren. Very soon he felt his consciousness being sucked into darkness, he could no longer feel anything.


    "Ah! It feels so good to feel again..." Mo Ren spoke as he took control of Jun Ling''s body. Narrowing his blood red eyes, he observed Jun Lan who was lying on the bed with her eyes closed. The music had long stopped but what Jun Ling worried about the most did not happen. There were no fluctuations much less abnormalities in Jun Lan, she was peacefully sleeping without any traces of pain on her face.


    "Tsk, the brat clearly underestimated his sister."Saying so, he lifted his hand towards her, his fingers poking her forehead. Black wisps of energy which closely resembled smoke spread out from his fingers which soon enveloped Jun Lan''s petite body.


    As soon as Jun Ling stopped playing music, Jun Lan felt the energy vortex around her disappear. She felt a loss of warmth but it did not cause her any discomfort. Just when she was about to succumb into a void of darkness, she felt something cold entering her energy. She could not recognize what it was but it was extremely cold yet soothing at the same time.


    The surprising thing was that her body extremely loved that cold thing!


    On the other side, Mo Ren glared at Jun Lan who was currently absorbing his demonic qi like an animal quenching it''s thirst.


    ''It seems that I''ve underestimated her!'' Mo Ren thought, his face sullen.

 86 Mo Ren 2

    Mo Ren only wished to show off his exuberant talent, he never imagined the unconscious girl to be a monster in disguise. He gritted his teeth and continued to direct more of his cold qi into Jun Lan''s body. He involuntarily remembered how the girl''s brother boasted about her: cute and lovable, the man had said.Mo Ren sneered, a leech, that was his impression on Jun Lan.


    ''Endure...'' Mo Ren reminded himself as he felt his energy drop by a level.


    Unknown to him, the process of pumping the energy continued for about a Shichen.


    Never act arrogant and overconfident. Mo Ren learned his lesson.


    ...


    Jun Lan had no idea about the happenings around her. She could feel her body recover and her senses slowly return to her. As the numbing sensation faded, Jun Lan slowly blinked her eyes open.


    "So, you are finally awake..."


    Jun Lan knitted her brows when she heard the familiar voice which was laced with an unfamiliar arrogance. Pushing herself to sit straight, Jun Lan turned around. Her eyes widened at the sight of her brother, but they narrowed as she took in his face.


    When did his eyes turn red?


    Jun Lan was puzzled only for a moment; soon her face hardened. Grabbing the knife from the fruit bowl, she leaped forward.


    Swish!


    Mo Ren sensed the incoming danger and an amused smile played on his lips; the scene of the little girl leaping on him was clearly funny. As the cold knife tip appeared dangerously close towards him, he raised his hands to block the attack.


    Locking Jun Lan''s wrist in his hands, he gently removed the knife from her grasp, in a caring tone he chided her "Little girls shouldn''t be playing with knives!"


    Jun Lan felt a shiver down her spine at the eerie tone of his voice. Dissatisfied, she pursed her lips and glared at the smiling man who looked too similar to her brother "Whoever you might be, leave my brother''s body! You stink, leave right now!"


    "Aye, you are a blind little one. You can''t recognize your own brother?!" Mo Ren pouted.


    "Y-you!" Jun Lan could not find the right words as she was startled by his antics.


    Adopting a stubborn stance she retorted "You are not my brother, I don''t know why and how, but I know that you are not him."


    Jun Lan stared at the ''brother'' for a while. As she observed his blood red eyes, she was hit with a sudden realization.


    "You are the five tailed fox, right?!"


    Before Mo Ren could answer, he found the girl nodding to herself.


    "Yes, you must be the five tailed fox spirit..." Jun Lan was sure of her deduction as she remembered that her fluffy''s eyes were also a deep red, thinking that the fox family eyes are in a natural shade of red, she relaxed. "Be a good fox and give my brother back to me." Jun Lan spoke as she patted his shoulder with her free hand.


    "Dumb girl!" Mo Ren flicked her head, her frail wrist still in his grasp.


    On seeing her glare at him, he sneered at her intelligence "Have you ever seen a fox which has red eyes? Spirit foxes are all black-eyed, and I''m not the five tailed fox!"


    "Eh, my nine-tailed fox has red eyes! Don''t lie to me!" Jun Lan narrowed her eyes in disbelief.


    "Your fox spirit has red eyes, did you say that it''s the nine tailed fox?" Mo Ren''s eyes shifted as he stared at the unconscious black furred nine-tailed fox: Black claws, red mark on the forehead, and tails marked with white on their edges. An understanding glint shone in Mo Ren''s eyes as recognition dawned on him; he remembered this particular nine tailed fox.


    Then, he flashed a complicated gaze at Jun Lan before reverting to his playful appearance. In an enigmatic voice, he spoke "I''m not the nine tailed fox and fox spirits do not have red eyes! I''m called Mo Ren. Believe me or not, it''s up to you!"


    Before Jun Lan could protest, she saw the red eyes disappear. A pair of pitch black eyes stared right back at her, and soon various emotions filled them. While Jun Lan froze, Jun Ling stared at his sister and the harmless knife at his throat. For his cute sister to attack him, there was only one reason: Mo Ren!


    "Zhu-Zhu, are you trying to murder me?" Though he guessed the reason, he played dumb.


    Jun Lan rolled her eyes at her brother who was still in the mood to tease her. She did not know if Mo Ren was a five tailed fox or not, so she directly addressed the latter as a thing.


    "Not you, I attacked that thing inside you!"


    "What did the old ghost say?" Jun Ling was curious.


    An old ghost? It''s more like a playful ghost!


    "Nothing, I attacked him thinking that an imposter possessed my brother..."


    "You sensed him on your own?!" Jun Ling stared at his sister, incredulous.


    "I can sense my brother, I''m not that dumb!"


    Eh, really? But, I can''t sense you, little sister.


    Jun Ling rubbed his nose sheepishly, he kept his thoughts inside lest she murders him for real.


    "How is your body? Are you still feeling weak? Are you in pain?" Pushing the irrelevant matters to the back of his head, Jun Ling started to question her nervously.


    "Big brother, calm down! I''m fine..."


    "I can see that you are waving your hands, I''m not blind!"


    "Ah! You don''t pinch my hands, I did not lose my senses..."


    "What is that in your hands? Why is it smelling so bad? Y-you! Take that thing away from my nose!"


    On seeing that he is prepared to test her again, Jun Lan did not hesitate to beg "Big Brother, Oh great god! Please spare me, I''m as fit as a bull!"


    "Bull, that did not sound quite right?" Jun Ling had an evil smirk on his face.


    Jun Lan snorted and turned away from the infuriating bully, she knew what he wanted her to say. There was no way she was going to say that, it''s far too humiliating. She had her pride and dignity!


    "Zhu-Zhu, I planned to take you to Dong''s shop, too bad..."


    Dong''s shop! That''s the best dumplings shop in the capital!


    Dignity or Food? Jun Lan did not think twice before making her decision.


    She chose food.


    "Oh, great brother, protector of the little pig and the guardian of the little pig''s soul..." Jun Lan spat the words with great distaste. "Zhu-Zhu will always take care of herself and follow her brother..."


    Jun Ling''s smile widened as he heard recite the pledge, one which he made her learn when they were young and careless. He had not heard her say that childish pledge from the moment he left her to join the army, and later they did not have the chance to see each other, much less speak. He even wondered if she remembered all their notorious childhood. Hearing her recite without a single mistake, Jun Ling felt content and silly at the same time. He was going to tease the little pig more in the future.


    At that thought, he broke into a wide smile while his eyes turned into crescents.


    Jun Lan precisely saw this particular eerie smile on Jun Ling''s face as she looked at him after reciting the foolish pledge.


    All of a sudden, she felt that she should stay away from her brother in the future.

 87 Temporary Separation 1

    Jun Ling coughed as he noticed the fearful expression on his sister''s face. In fact, she seemed to be on the verge of tears. Jun Ling realised that he had gone overboard with his teasing, he let out a slight cough to hide his embarrassment as he motioned Jun Lan to sit.


    Jun Lan jumped onto the bed without any decorum. She folded her legs as she sat, leaning her cheek against her palm, she stared at her brother keenly. Beneath her calm and enchanting eyes, there were turbulent waves of curiosity, doubts and awe.


    "What is it? If you want to ask something, then this is the time." Jun Ling smiled at her.


    "Who exactly is Mo Ren?"


    Jun Lan was concerned about the mysterious Mo Ren, truth be told, she was concerned about her brother. Though Mo Ren spoke to her with a smile on his face, he made her feel uncomfortable and on the edge the whole time.


    "An old ghost..." Jun Ling answered casually.


    Contracted spirits living in cultivators body is a normal occurance, but any other spirits only degrade the body of their host. Jun Lan''s face fell as she noticed her brother''s carefree appearance.


    "He will not harm me in any way. Don''t worry, I will never put myself at disadvantage!"


    Jun Ling answered firmly, and the confidence in his voice finally put Jun Lan at ease. Though she still had her doubts, she chose to give her brother the benefit of doubt.


    "Brother, are fox spirit''s eyes red?" Jun Lan answered cautiously.


    "No, they are black, and Mo Ren is not a fox spirit." Jun Ling thought that his sister is still doubtful about Mo Ren; thus, he did not give the matter any further doubt.


    He then saw the sleeping nine tailed fox beside Jun Lan. He had noticed the shiny black fur on the fox, but he did not have the chance to find out anything as his sister was not in a state to answer his doubts.


    But, now he could no longer restrain himself.


    "Did your tailed fox have black fur since the beginning?"


    Jun Lan pondered for a moment and shook her head.


    "No, he was as pure as morning mist when I first saw him. When he overtook my body, my nails turned black and my eyes into a deep red.It was only yesterday that I saw his fur turn into charred black..."


    Jun Ling carefully listened to her and fell into a silence; after a deep contemplation, he sighed.


    "I think that his fur changes colour according to his emotions; however, his emotions are directly affected by you. He is peaceful when you are safe, and if you are in danger, he tends to destroy everything in his path."


    His emotions are affected by my well being?


    Jun Lan felt suffocated as she stared at her unconscious Fluffy. She felt both useless and guilty at the same time. If not for her carelessness, Fluffy would not be suffering with her.


    "Why did you cut off the mindlink?"


    "I don''t want to get him hurt..." Jun Lan replied softly, she was still immersed in self guilt.


    "You failed miserably, little sister. Physical separation has no effect, he will feel the same pain you do." Jun Lan''s face turned pale with each word he spoke. She never knew that contracted spirits could feel the same pain as their masters. She would have never acted out of impulse, if she had known...


    "Don''t chase revenge!"


    Startled, Jun Lan stared at her brother. Her lips quivered, but no words came out.


    "You don''t have enough strength to go after revenge, and what use is revenge if you are going to end up battered and exhausted?"


    Jun Lan lowered her head in shame. Her brother spoke rightly, what right did she have to chase after revenge?


    She only troubled others. She realised in a hard way that sharp mind alone will get you no where.


    With her current strength, it will only be a matter of time before she gets crushed by her enemies. She can outwit Wang Xiu, but she can never go against his supporters.


    And, her goal had never been completely revenge from the start. She vowed to protect her family, but she has unknowingly involved her brother in her troubles and Fluffy got hurt because of her.


    Jun Lan clenched her fists as she vowed to grow strong, strong enough to defend her family.


    "I understand brother, I won''t disappoint you."


    Jun Lan spoke with determination. She need not explain much to her brother, he will always understand her unspoken promises. Afterall, both of them had been through life and death.


    They died once and what''s there to fear anything after going through death?!


    "Aye, don''t be so serious!" Jun Ling tsked as he ruffled her hair. "It''s enough that you understand your mistakes. Learn from them, don''t blame yourself. Push your limits and work hard..."


    Jun Lan sniffled as she heard her brother nag. She felt cherished and sweet. She allowed him to play with her hair while she stayed put as she continued to engrave his words onto her heart.


    "Out of all, there are two important things..." Jun Ling paused, seeing that he had her attention, he continued "Keep smiling..."


    "Pfft..." Jun Lan could not help but laugh at his efforts to make her feel better. With a brother like him, she was sure that she would never be sad and alone.


    "What''s the second most important thing?" Jun Lan asked, smiling.


    "It''s for another time." Jun Ling grinned at her.


    Jun Lan narrowed her eyes at his suspicious behaviour, but she did not question further.


    "Will Fluffy be alright?" Jun Lan started to wring her hands out of nervousness. She did not forget about her companion who did not hesitate to risk his life for her.


    "He will wake up soon." Jun Ling assured her.


    Jun Lan nodded in relief.


    "Brother, I heard that father and mother are coming back to the clan house in two days. I will leave for master''s place after meeting them."


    Jun Lan was excited to meet her parents. It had been a long time since she last saw them.


    "No need to meet them! You are leaving for your master''s place as soon as the tailed fox wakes up."


    Jun Ling''s words diffused her hopes instantly. She suddenly felt wronged, she did not hesitate to glare at her brother.


    "You dare to go against my words?" Jun Ling smiled gently.


    "N-no! I will listen to you..." Jun Lan immediately turned into an obedient cat.


    "Good girl!" Jun Ling praised her, without a doubt he was completely pleased by her response.


    Such a bully! Jun Lan cried silent tears in her heart.