Xie Li stared at the food on the table for a while, then stood up.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m done,\u201d he said, and like an afterthought, gave them a smile. \u201cSee you by the wagon later.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEh? But you haven\u2019t eaten anything,\u201d said Auntie Ma, seeing his chopsticks untouched.<\/p>\n
\u201cSee you, Senior!\u201d said Jianjin out of reflex as he stuffed another meat bun into his mouth.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy won\u2019t he eat something?\u201d sighed Auntie Ma. \u201cHe\u2019s already skin and bones.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t tell what he\u2019s thinking; it just doesn\u2019t show on his face,\u201d said Old Niu.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s simple,\u201d said Di Mie, picking out a duck drumstick for himself. \u201cThere\u2019s too much meat on the table and it\u2019s a hassle to ask which one\u2019s vegetarian, so he left.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh,\u201d realised Auntie Ma, looking at the hearty dishes they ordered for breakfast. It was indeed hard to tell which ones were meatless. \u201cI\u2019ll go order some vegetarian buns to go.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDi\u2026Shixiong,\u201d said Jianjin. \u201cAre you able to tell what Senior Xie is thinking?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCan\u2019t you?\u201d said Di Mie, ordering another jar of wine.<\/p>\n
Jianshi and Jianjin shook their heads in unison.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey, looks like someone\u2019s coming our way,\u201d said Old Niu.<\/p>\n
Putting down their chopsticks and up their guard, they watched the group of men approach their table.<\/p>\n
The eldest of the men stepped forward and clasped his hands together in greeting.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom your garb, are you disciples from the Border Mountains Sect?\u201d said the man, settling his gaze on Old Niu.<\/p>\n
Old Niu scratched his chin and turned to Di Mie.<\/p>\n
Di Mie turned to Jianjin.<\/p>\n
Jianjin quickly turned to his brother for help.<\/p>\n
Jianshi turned to Di Mie, puzzled.<\/p>\n
Di Mie looked back at Jianshi and smiled.<\/p>\n
Jianshi lost.<\/p>\n
He stood up and turned to the men and held up his hands to return the greeting, careful choosing his words.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m Chen Jianshi and this is my brother, Jianjin. We\u2019re junior disciples of the Border Mountains Sect, passing through this village with our companions. Might you have business with our sect?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJunior disciples\u2026\u201d repeated the man, looking a little disappointed, but continued his introduction. \u201cI\u2019m Elder Lu of this village and I\u2019m looking for skilled people to accept a commission to wipe out the bandits that have appeared recently.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBandits?\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d said Elder Lu, glumly. \u201cThey came in from the south last month. We sent a request to the Bainiao* Lake City\u2019s Phoenix Manor, but they said they wouldn\u2019t send help unless we paid triple the usual fee.\u201d<\/p>\n
*Bainiao = Hundred-Birds<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cEh?\u201d Jianjin whispered in an aside to Di Mie. \u201cDi\u2026Shixiong, have they not heard what recently happened at Phoenix Manor?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not public information yet,\u201d whispered Di Mie, pulling Jianjin\u2019s ear.<\/p>\n \u201cOwwww!\u201d whisper-yelled Jianjin.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, you wish to request the Border Mountains Sect?\u201d asked Jianshi.<\/p>\n Elder Lu shook his head. \u201cActually, we are hoping to commission your group, privately.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEh?\u201d said Jianjin. \u201cWhy? Are you short of money?\u201d<\/p>\n Elder Lu\u2019s lips curled, annoyed by Jianjin\u2019s impertinent question.<\/p>\n \u201cThe bandits have stopped our merchants from trading, so how can we commission a Sect? Still, we\u2019re putting up a pretty bounty fee for freelancers. Bandits should be an easy cleanup for skilled cultivators like yourself, right?\u201d\u201cI\u2019m afraid this is not really my call,\u201d said Jianshi, holding up his hands in an apology. \u201cIf you\u2019d like, I can send your request back to my seniors at the Border Mountains.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t be so inflexible,\u201d said Elder Lu. \u201cSay just you and your brother here go take down some bandits, and we pay you five silvers for every head.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s kinda the market rate,\u201d whispered Jianjin to his brother.<\/p>\n Jianshi frowned.<\/p>\n \u201cHow about you, young man?\u201d said Elder Lu, turning his attention to Di Mie, who was also dressed in the black of a Border Mountains disciple. \u201cThe three of you can go together and get some fast money.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey, old man, how much can you afford, really?\u201d drawled Di Mie, twice as impertinent as Jianjin.<\/p>\n Elder Lu\u2019s scowled at Di Mie\u2019s disrespectful tone.<\/p>\n \u201cLook, kid, I\u2019ll pay you a hundred silvers if you wipe them all out,\u201d said Elder Lu, looking peeved. \u201cThat\u2019s money you can\u2019t hope to earn in a year as a junior disciple.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA hundred silvers?\u201d said Jianjin, puzzled. It was more or less the going rate for bounties in this area. \u201cIf you can pay this much, why not just commission our sect directly?\u201d<\/p>\n Elder Lu narrowed his eyes like a fox and gave them a greasy-looking smile.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t tell me you don\u2019t want such an easy job. These bandits have been robbing our merchants and kidnapping our women. Take this job and, who knows, maybe the women you save will be grateful and give you some ‘honey’, if you get what I mean\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot interested,\u201d said Di Mie, nonchalantly, waving the Elder and his gang away.<\/p>\n Jianshi took the cue from his Shibo. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Elder Lu, but we are going to have to decline.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cStupid brats,\u201d said Elder Lu, spitting on the ground and walking away, disappointed.<\/p>\n The men who followed Elder Lu stayed behind, looking at each other frantically. One of them stepped forward and fell onto his knees.<\/p>\n The other men behind him followed suit, dropping to their knees.<\/p>\n \u201cI apologise for our village elder\u2019s rudeness. We\u2019re at the end of our wits and he was just trying to help,\u201d pleaded the men.<\/p>\n \u201cBy scamming us?\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, no,\u201d said one of the men. \u201cIt\u2019s true we\u2019re looking for people to fight bandits. It\u2019s just that\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201dThere\u2019s a cultivator among them!\u201d blurted out the younger man behind him.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d gasped Jianjin.<\/p>\n \u201cHow many?\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n \u201cJust the leader\u2026I think,\u201d said the man. \u201cThe Rong Clan wouldn\u2019t take the job for anything less than three hundred silvers upfront. We\u2019re just small-time merchants. Even if we sold everything we had, we wouldn\u2019t be able to come up with that money in such a short time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSounds troublesome,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n \u201cSo\u2026\u201d said one of the men, a bit of hope sparkling in his eyes. \u201cWill you do it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHmm\u2026\u201d said Di Mie. He looked the man in the eye and smiled. \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you could just save the women they kidnapped, we\u2019ll still pay you a hundred silvers,\u201d offered the man.<\/p>\n \u201cHow many were kidnapped?\u201d asked Di Mie.<\/p>\n The men\u2019s faces brightened up with a sliver of hope.<\/p>\n \u201cSix women,\u201d said the man. \u201cThe daughters of the men behind me and my wife.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRescue the women, huh,\u201d said Di Mie. \u201cDo you want us to retrieve your stolen goods too?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, we wouldn\u2019t dare ask that much of you!\u201d said the man, the company behind him nodding fervently. \u201cWe just want our family back.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHmm,\u201d said Di Mie. \u201cThat\u2019s still too little money for a mission this dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n The men, still on their knees, looked about to cry.<\/p>\n Di Mie cocked his head towards the wagon and beckoned the others, \u201cCome on, let\u2019s stop wasting our time and get out of this village.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSirs,\u201d begged the men. \u201cWe beg you\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Di Mie waved them away.<\/p>\n Jianshi and Jianjin both looked at Di Mie with pleading looks on their faces.<\/p>\n \u201cUgh, so troublesome to explain\u2026\u201d muttered Di Mie, rolling his eyes. He cleared his throat and said aloud to no one in particular\u2014<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got a pretty young lady travelling with our wagon. I hear there are bandits in this area. I hope we don\u2019t get attacked, or we\u2019ll have to fight them.\u201d<\/p>\n Getting the hint, the men stood up and bowed deeply, hands clasped in respect.<\/p>\n \u201cPretty young lady? I\u2019m not sure who you\u2019re talking about,\u201d said Auntie Ma, confused. \u201cAuntie here is twenty years too late to help you here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, we certainly can\u2019t put our Auntie Ma in danger,\u201d said Di Mie. \u201cWe\u2019ll just have one of our men do the job.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis old man would love to help, but unless these bandits have a taste for slightly rotund and hairy women\u2026\u201d said Old Niu, glumly patting his pot belly and muttering about going on a diet.<\/p>\n Jianjin zipped behind his brother, shaking his head.<\/p>\n \u201cDi Shixiong, no matter how you see it, we won\u2019t be able to pass off as women,\u201d said Jianshi firmly, the crease on his brow deepening.<\/p>\n As if hit with an idea, Jianjin chirped up. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you ask senior Xie to help? He\u2019d probably agree if we ask. All we need is to get him a pretty dress, right?\u201d<\/p>\n One of the men, hearing their conversation, sidled over and added, \u201cAhem, I think I can get you a dress\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor free?\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, of course!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou could add a veil\u2026\u201d added Jianshi, dead serious.<\/p>\n Auntie Ma perked up. \u201cThat\u2019s a great idea!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh? Sounds like we\u2019re doing this,\u201d said Old Niu, excited for an adventure.<\/p>\n *<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll get it dirty,\u201d said Xie Li, looking at the dress after they explained the situation to him.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, you will,\u201d said Di Mie. \u201cAnd you should, since you\u2019ll probably have to fight.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHm,\u201d said Xie Li. \u201cIt looks difficult to wash.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll wash it! Get it as dirty as you want!\u201d volunteered Auntie Ma.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no one else who can do a better job than you, Senior!\u201d chirped Jianjin.<\/p>\n Jianshi nodded. \u201cWe will be sure to back you up, Senior Xie.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll ask the inn to let us use a room for changing,\u201d said Auntie Ma.<\/p>\n \u201cAll right,\u201d said Xie Li. \u201cYou can all wait here while I\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShizun, I\u2019ll help you!\u201d said Di Mie, taking his hand and pulling him into the inn.<\/p>\n \u201cFor a moment I thought it looked cute, but then I realised that this young man is actually our Shibo in disguise and I am scared,\u201d said Jianjin, rubbing his arms to keep his goosebumps down.<\/p>\n \u201cOhmmm,\u201d Jianshi meditated, eyes closed.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s pretty amazing that young master Di could get Ah-Li to do this much,\u201d said Auntie Ma. \u201cAh-Li would never let me help him change.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAny man\u2019s bound to be a bit shy around women. Maybe it\u2019s just that,\u201d said Old Niu.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re right,\u201d said Auntie Ma, letting Old Niu\u2019s words console her.<\/p>\n Moments later, Xie Li came out wearing a light-coloured, layered dress. The skirts were padded and fluffed to hide his lack of curves.<\/p>\n \u201cThe layers work well,\u201d commented Jianshi.<\/p>\n \u201cYour waist is so skinny, Xie Li. You really need to eat more,\u201d sighed Old Niu, watching the commotion as he worked to get the wagon ready.<\/p>\n \u201cI think you need a touch of makeup,\u201d said Auntie Ma, taking out her kit. She was about to dab some rouge on his face when she saw his eyes narrow and stopped.<\/p>\n \u201cAllow me,\u201d said Di Mie, borrowing her box of rouge. He whipped out a handkerchief and twisted it into a knob, using it to dab the red onto Xie Li\u2019s cheeks and lips.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, that\u2019s ingenious,\u201d said Auntie Ma.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s because I am my Shizun\u2019s attentive disciple,\u201d smirked Di Mie.<\/p>\n A familiar term flashed through all four of the others\u2019 minds at that moment:<\/p>\n Shizun complex!<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI think the bandits will try to grab this the moment they see it,\u201d said Xie Li, holding up his wrist where an exquisite slender jade bangle rested.<\/p>\n \u201cCan you take it off and give it to one of us for safekeeping?\u201d asked Jianshi.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s pretty tight,\u201d said Xie Li. His wrists were pretty slender, so if he said it was tight, there was probably no way to get it out. Still, Xie Li pursed his lips and stared at his bangle.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re thinking of dislocating your thumb to take it off, just stop,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n Xie Li blinked and looked at Di Mie.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s just hide it. If they find it, we\u2019ll just move onto the next plan,\u201d said Di Mie. He handed Xie Li a silken face veil. \u201cHere, put this on as well.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWow,\u201d said Old Niu. \u201cIf I just took a glance at him, I wouldn\u2019t be able to tell at all!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI hope this works,\u201d said Xie Li, stuffing cloth to pad his chest. \u201cGiven the limited information we have, I can only think of six ways this is going to play out. Making sure the bandit leader doesn\u2019t get away might be hard.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUh, I think that\u2019s a lot of stuffing,\u201d interrupted Jianjin, after seeing probably an entire bale of cloth disappear under the dress.<\/p>\n \u201cIn a past life, he must\u2019ve been a well-endowed lady,\u201d said Old Niu, stroking his chin sagely.<\/p>\n Jianshi clasped his hands together and his brother joined him, thanking Xie Li profusely for his sacrifice.<\/p>\n \u201cListen up, you lot,\u201d said Di Mie. \u201cHere\u2019s the plan\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n *<\/p>\n It was easy enough to bait the bandits\u2014Jianshi and Jianjin hid under the seats while Old Niu drove the wagon, with Auntie Ma sitting with Xie Li. Together, they looked like a small family.<\/p>\n Like out of a script, a rabble of bandits appeared on the road, riding on horses and armed with an assortment of weapons.<\/p>\n Old Niu quickly pulled the wagon to a halt, and the bandits grinned.<\/p>\n \u201cOld man, just give us all your money and we\u2019ll let you go,\u201d said one of the bandits.<\/p>\n \u201cPlease don\u2019t hurt us!\u201d Old Niu acted his part well, raising his hands.<\/p>\n Jianshi and Jianjin held their breaths, waiting for the signal.<\/p>\n \u201cSpare us, sirs!\u201d begged Auntie Ma.<\/p>\n \u201cOh? What have we here?\u201d said the bandit.<\/p>\n \u201cPlease, let my daughter go. She\u2019s weak and sick; she won\u2019t be of any use to you,\u201d pleaded Auntie Ma, taking off her jewellery and holding them out. \u201cHere, please take these and spare her!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOut of the way,\u201d said the bandit, who grabbed the jewels and shoved Auntie Ma aside. He yanked Xie Li out of the wagon and yelled out to the other men. \u201cLet\u2019s go, men! We\u2019ve got us a beauty!\u201d<\/p>\n Xie Li shook his head, a signal to the two hiding under the seats.<\/p>\n Lay low and wait.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cBe a dead fish,\u201d mumbled Xie Li to himself.<\/p>\n \u201cBe a dead fish,\u201d prayed Jianshi and Jianjin.<\/p>\n \u201cHm?\u201d said the bandit.<\/p>\n Xie Li coughed.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry, little lady, I\u2019ll carry you all the way back to our hideout so you don\u2019t have to walk,\u201d said the grinning bandit, hefting Xie Li over his shoulder like a potato sack. Feeling the stuffed bosom against his shoulder, his grin got bigger.<\/p>\n Even though Xie Li was almost as tall as the bandit, it seemed the bandit didn\u2019t notice because the \u2018woman\u2019 over his shoulder was limp like a dead fish. Just in case, Xie Li bent his knees behind him so the bandit wouldn\u2019t notice those long legs.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s hurry up and go back, boys!\u201d yelled another bandit as he sloppily grabbed the jars of wine off the back of the wagon. \u201cWe\u2019re going back to party!\u201d<\/p>\n Old Niu played the part of a man stuttering and frozen in shock as the bandits rode off on their horses.<\/p>\n \u201cThat went surprisingly according to the \u2018Be A Dead Fish\u2019 plan,\u201d said Auntie Ma, dusting off her tunic.<\/p>\n Jianshi and Jianjin crawled out and ran off, tracking the trail once the bandits had ridden out of sight.<\/p>\n \u201cThese bandits are sloppy,\u201d said Old Niu, calming the horses. \u201cThey didn\u2019t even bother checking me for money. I counted at least five times I could\u2019ve taken them down with my crutches.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, if the young masters don\u2019t get this settled by dinnertime, I won\u2019t care what the plan is; you and I will just have to go raid those bandits ourselves,\u201d huffed Auntie Ma.<\/p>\n \u201cYou betcha.\u201d<\/p>\n *<\/p>\n \u201cIntruders!\u201d yelled a bandit, alerting the others to spread the alarm.<\/p>\n \u201cDrat,\u201d said Jianjin. \u201cMove onto the ‘Whack \u2018Em All\u2019 strategy.\u201d<\/p>\n He sent a roaring pulse and knocked the hordes of bandits off their feet while Jianshi made sure the bandits who were knocked down stayed down.<\/p>\n They followed the trail of bandits deeper into the cave, until they came to a large room filled with wooden cages. Seeing the intruders, the prisoners began to call out.<\/p>\n A group of bandits in the room grabbed their axes and swords.<\/p>\n \u201cTsk,\u201d said Jianjin. \u201cThere goes any element of surprise.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI wonder where they took Senior Xie,\u201d said Jianshi. \u201cDi Shibo is sealing all the exits from the outside, so Senior should still be around here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFight first, think later!\u201d said Jianjin, getting into a sword stance.<\/p>\n *<\/p>\n Xie Li was set down roughly on the floor alongside a few boxes of merchandise, wine and jewellery. He watched as the bandits talked among themselves. A well-dressed man with a spirit sword at his waist seemed to be the leader.<\/p>\n \u201cThe pickings are slim these days,\u201d grumbled the bandit boss. \u201cAre you lot skimming off the cream?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, no, we wouldn\u2019t dare since you pay us so well, boss,\u201d said his underling. \u201cThis village is running out of money. Should we think of moving up further north?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd risk getting the attention of the Border Mountains Sect?\u201d said the bandit boss. \u201cWhy do you think we\u2019re here in this backwater place?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUmm\u2026because we don\u2019t want to catch the attention of the big clans?\u201d offered the underling.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re damn right,\u201d said the bandit boss, gritting his teeth. \u201cMy previous gang made the mistake of robbing someone from the Rong Clan. The nosy Fallen Leaves Valley Leader suddenly came out of nowhere and destroyed our hideout. We weren\u2019t even on Border Mountains turf! I was lucky to get away.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEven our boss, who used to be from a prominent clan in Fanhua City, wasn\u2019t his match?\u201d said the underling, shaken.<\/p>\n \u201cNo matter,\u201d said the boss. \u201dOur buyer from the west town is waiting for us to send our merchandise and women. Once we get the money, we\u2019ll get out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBy the way, Boss, I brought back a woman for you to inspect,\u201d said the underling.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s see how much money this one can fetch us,\u201d said the boss. He reached out for Xie Li\u2019s veil, grinning. \u201cCome, little lady, let me see that face of yours.\u201d<\/p>\n Xie Li retreated, and the boss leaned further.<\/p>\n The moment he grabbed the veil, he was off-balance and Xie Li went for the pressure point at the base of his neck. Xie Li frowned slightly as he got to his feet. Given the strong display of aura, this bandit was no junior cultivator.<\/p>\n \u201cBoss!\u201d yelled the underling, drawing his sword.<\/p>\n Xie Li dodged the underling\u2019s clumsy slash and jabbed his arm to disarm him, then kicked him right in the solar plexus. The underling dropped his sword and Xie Li picked it up with both hands.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a bit heavy,\u201d muttered Xie Li. It wasn\u2019t ideal but it wasn\u2019t like he could\u2019ve brought Twig along in this situation.<\/p>\n \u201cYou damn bitch,\u201d said the bandit boss, his spirit aura now overflowing. \u201cJust because you know some moves doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re a match for a cultivator.\u201d<\/p>\n The boss was a cautious fighter, testing Xie Li as they traded a few blows with their swords. He could not get an upper hand so he jumped back and shot a talisman.<\/p>\n \u201cTake this!\u201d<\/p>\n Xie Li cut the talisman into two and gave a little sigh of relief that it was just a standard binding talisman.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was too easy for you, wasn\u2019t it?\u201d chuckled the boss. \u201cWhat about this?<\/p>\n He shot out a series of talismans. Xie Li dodged them easily, the talismans formed an array around his feet.<\/p>\n \u201cBind!\u201d<\/p>\n The talismans activated, creating an area of movement binding effect.<\/p>\n From his attacks, Xie Li gleaned that this bandit boss was a cautious and shrewd man.<\/p>\n \u201cCome,\u201d whispered Xie Li, holding his sword in a defensive pose.<\/p>\n The bandit boss felt confident since his opponent was on the defence and pressed his attack, striking down heavily with his sword.<\/p>\n Xie Li countered the strike and then suddenly let go of his sword. The bandit boss lost his balance and stumbled into the array.<\/p>\n Xie Li nimbly took another step out of the array while the bandit boss moved as if he was wading through thick mud.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy are you able to move?\u201d yelled the bandit boss.<\/p>\n \u201cThis level of binding can\u2019t override the one I have,\u201d shrugged Xie Li. As he pondered the best way to take down the bandit, he heard footsteps getting closer.<\/p>\n \u201cSenior Xie!\u201d came the voices of the juniors.<\/p>\n \u201cSenior,\u201d said Jianjin, tossing Twig over to Xie Li and pointing to the array the bandit boss was stuck in. \u201cDid you do this?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe did it to himself.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou damn rats,\u201d cursed the bandit boss.<\/p>\n His legs were stuck, but he could still move his hands. He shot another talisman at them and Xie Li pinned it to the ground with his sword. His sword couldn\u2019t destroy this talisman without the use of spirit aura.<\/p>\n Like the previous time, the first talisman was a feint.<\/p>\n Three more talismans shot out and Xie Li spun around to create torque for the sword to activate its spirit aura. The first talisman, aimed at him, stuck to his arm. He didn\u2019t let the other two get past him, cutting them both down with a precise swing.<\/p>\n Sparks of spirit aura bound the talisman to him, its magic needles digging through his sleeve and into his arm.<\/p>\n \u201cI was hoping to get all three of you, but no matter,\u201d said the bandit boss.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat did you do?\u201d yelled Jianjin.<\/p>\n \u201cThese are powerful curse talismans,\u201d laughed the bandit boss. \u201cIf you want the antidote, you\u2019ll have to do as I say!\u201d<\/p>\n The two boys shuddered at the word \u2018curse\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cI hope that was your last resort,\u201d said Xie Li, tearing off his sleeve and the talisman with it. His arm looked fine.<\/p>\n \u201cHow\u2014\u201d said the bandit boss.<\/p>\n Xie Li swung around and brought the sword crashing down onto the bandit before he could finish his question. The swing sparked and cut through the bandit boss\u2019s protective aura.<\/p>\n The bandit held up his sword to defend but Twig was light and fast. Xie Li easily got around his defence andd stabbed his acupoints, stopping the flow of spirit aura in his meridians.<\/p>\n The bandit yelled in pain and then collapsed to the ground, crippled. Satisfied the bandit would never again be able to hold a sword, Xie Li turned to the juniors.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was brutal and precise,\u201d gasped Jianjin. He stepped forward, right onto the curse talisman Xie Li pinned down earlier\u2014<\/p>\n \u201cAh-Jin!\u201d<\/p>\n Jianshi watched as the talisman sparked and bound itself to his brother\u2019s shoe, sending spirit needles into his foot.<\/p>\n \u201cOh shit!\u201d said Jianjin, falling over from the pain. He pulled off his shoe, but there were needle marks on his sole, quickly turning his skin dark.<\/p>\n \u201cAntidote!\u201d said Jianshi, running over to the bandit boss.<\/p>\n Xie Li pointed his sword at Jianshi, who stopped in his steps.<\/p>\n \u201cBinding array,\u201d said Xie Li, pointing at the ground. He knelt next to the bandit boss and searched his clothes for an antidote.<\/p>\n \u201cStupid! That was so careless of me!\u201d said Jianjin, his eyes filling with tears. \u201cI\u2019m so, so sorry!\u201d<\/p>\n Jianshi ran back to Jianjin and tied a strip of cloth around his ankle, but it didn\u2019t seem to slow down the poison\u2019s spread.<\/p>\n \u201cThe bandit was bluffing, he doesn\u2019t have the antidote,\u201d said Xie Li, his search coming up empty.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s probably no antidote for curses,\u201d said Jianshi, his heart sinking as he recognised some of the markings on the talisman. Curses were rare, and the cure even more so.<\/p>\n Xie Li looked at Jianjin\u2019s leg. \u201cOnce the poison passes his mid-shin, cut his leg off just below the knee.\u201d<\/p>\n They mulled in a grim silence for a moment, watching the poison inch up Jianjin\u2019s leg.<\/p>\n \u201cBro, I don\u2019t want to cut off my leg,\u201d cried Jianjin.<\/p>\n \u201cHush, it\u2019ll be fine. Don\u2019t think about it,\u201d said Jianshi, rolling up his brother\u2019s trouser leg and steeling himself.<\/p>\n \u201cWait. Let me try something,\u201d said Xie Li, taking off his own clothes.<\/p>\n He pulled off the outer dress and his tunic. He quickly shed the bloodied tunic underlayer and looked at it. It was badly smudged.<\/p>\n \u201cThis won\u2019t work,\u201d he muttered to himself. He pulled out a length of clean, white linen from the big pile of clothes he shed and cut it to size with his sword.<\/p>\n \u201cJianshi, come here.\u201d<\/p>\n Xie Li passed Jianshi the piece of cloth and turned around, bunching his hair out of the way to expose his bare back.<\/p>\n Jianshi saw that there were red lines all over Xie Li\u2019s skin, like fresh cuts that have barely healed.<\/p>\n \u201cTry to make a clean print of this. It probably won’t work but let\u2019s give it a try.\u201d<\/p>\n Jianshi swiftly obeyed. It had always been his strength to leave questions for later and get the work done.<\/p>\n He pressed the cloth over Xie Li\u2019s back and ran his hand over the cloth as if making a rubbing. When he peeled the cloth off, there was an imprint of fine lines of an elaborate seal.<\/p>\n \u201cThis part didn\u2019t print out,\u201d said Xie Li. He bit his finger and quickly painted in the unfinished lines with his blood.<\/p>\n Once done, he held it up to inspect, then walked over to Jianjin, wrapping the cloth around his leg and holding it tightly.<\/p>\n \u201cBoth of you, try activating this seal and hold it as long as you can,\u201d said Xie Li.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Senior,\u201d said Jianjin, sniffling and holding back his tears.<\/p>\n He sat straight in a meditative position and focused. Jianshi knelt beside his brother and held his hands out, covering his hands in spirit aura.<\/p>\n The markings on the cloth activated and Jianjin bit his lip as he felt the lines burning on his skin. He held as long as he could, but his aura suddenly disappeared. He couldn\u2019t feel it.<\/p>\n \u201cSenior, I can\u2019t use my aura,\u201d whispered Jianjin, panicking.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s fine,\u201d said Xie Li, peeling back the cloth a little to take a peek. \u201cJianshi, keep at it, there\u2019s still a bit more. Careful not to touch it, though.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Senior,\u201d said Jianshi, pouring spirit aura to keep the seal activated even as sweat beaded on his forehead.<\/p>\n The seal took an immense amount of aura to stay activated, and he was the only one out of them who could do it. He held on, breathing hard as he poured in everything he had.<\/p>\n It was a moment that felt like hours.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can stop now.\u201d<\/p>\n Jianshi let go with a snap, panting from the exertion.<\/p>\n Xie Li peeled the cloth off completely, examining every inch of the skin to check for any remnants of the curse.<\/p>\n \u201cIs the poison cured?\u201d said Jianjin, hesitantly. \u201cI don\u2019t have to cut my leg off?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t think it would really work,\u201d said Xie Li. \u201cI guess we were lucky you both were able to activate it.\u201d<\/p>\n Both his hands and Jianjin\u2019s leg were scalded red from the heat of the activated makeshift cloth talisman. Xie Li blew at his hands to cool them down.<\/p>\n \u201cWait,\u201d said Jianjin, realising that Xie Li was hit by one of these talismans too. \u201cWhat about you? You were hit by the curse talisman too!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t work on me,\u201d said Xie Li. He held out his arm to show them. It had some red needle-like marks where the talisman activated, but that was it.<\/p>\n Relieved, the two juniors sank to the ground to catch their breath.<\/p>\n \u201cSenior Xie, I owe you my leg, no, my life,\u201d said Jianjin, clambering onto his knees and kowtowing. \u201cI\u2019ll repay you somehow, I swear!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want you to repay me,\u201d said Xie Li, instantly rejecting him.<\/p>\n \u201cHahaha,\u201d chuckled Jianshi, relieved. He knelt as well, joining his brother. \u201cIf my little brother is not worthy to repay you, let me do it in his stead.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen get rid of all the evidence before Di Mie gets here,\u201d said Xie Li. He sneezed, feeling cold.<\/p>\n He grabbed his clothes from the ground and hastily put them back on.<\/p>\n \u201cShould we get rid of these too?\u201d said Jianshi, pointing to the array.<\/p>\n \u201cMn,\u201d said Xie Li. \u201cCheck carefully before touching them. Ah, and get rid of your boot too, just in case.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, sir!\u201d obeyed the two juniors, scrambling to work.<\/p>\n *<\/p>\n Di Mie arrived shortly after.<\/p>\n \u201cKeh,\u201d he coughed, waving at the smoke that filled the room. Three people stood there, fanning away the smoke with pieces of cloth.<\/p>\n There was a big pile of smouldering ashes in the middle of the room.<\/p>\n Xie Li\u2019s clothes were a mess, a sleeve torn and his sash tied completely wrong. Jianjin was missing a boot.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat on earth are you all doing,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n \u201cNothing!\u201d chirped Jianshi and Jianjin. They\u2019d promised Xie Li to keep everything that happened here a secret. They smiled, their lips tightly closed.<\/p>\n Xie Li smiled too.<\/p>\n \u201cUgh, gross,\u201d said Di Mie.<\/p>\n *<\/p>\n Translator\u2019s Notes<\/strong><\/p>\n Who knew stuffing your chest with lots of cloth would come in so handy?<\/p>\n A little explanation for some of the terms!<\/p>\n Fanhua City \u7e41\u82b1\u57ce : Plentiful Flowers City<\/p>\n Quick refresher: If there are any questions or if you\u2019re interested about the Chinese terms used, let me know in the comments and I\u2019ll try my best to reply!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Xie Li stared at the food on the table for a while, then stood up.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-157","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-my-hermit-master"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nUnable to dodge, the bandit boss reeled back in pain, coughing as he channelled his aura to release the paralysed acupoint.<\/p>\n
\nShizun = master
\nShibo = senior uncle
\nShixiong = senior brother
\nShidi = junior brother<\/p>\n