Hidden 2 yrs ago Post by Stern Algorithm
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Stern Algorithm Loquacious Aggression

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Golden River Inn

Sheng Qingling

@Salsa Verde

Qingling placed his palms on the strings to quiet them, as if their vibrations would betray the uncertainty in his heart. I am at a crossroads. To go or to stay? To search or to stay put? You see, my parents are traveling entertainers, but we were separated at our last stop. I have been unable to find them. I had hoped to rendezvous with them here, in Xincai, where many paths meet, and that word of my music would reach them, leading them to me. But that has not happened. I have been on the road for my whole life, so I do not know of a 'hometown' that I could go to to wait for them. So for now, I am simply trying to earn my keep. Perhaps they will find me, or I will catch word of them. Their...exploits...can be very spectacular."

So as not to remain silent for too long and cause complaint, Qingling began playing again, this time strumming out a sweet, gentle tune reminiscent of the current season, Spring.
Hidden 2 yrs ago Post by Feyblue
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Shrine of a Forgotten God, Henan




The floorboards creaked outside the threshold, and instinctively, Xiáyīng lowered her head in one last futile attempt to keep her eyes from being seen. It was of no particular use, of course -- the shadow that towered over her swiftly descended to her own level, peering under the brim of her hood and meeting her gaze before she knew it. She clutched the sheathed sword at her side all the more tightly -- not because she thought she would have to use it, but rather because she feared the one defense she had left would be taken away.

Yet, when he did speak, it was in a kinder, gentler tone than she had heard in a long, long time. The mere sound of his voice surprised her so much that she completely failed to mark the meaning of the words he spoke to her, simply staring at him in bewilderment before her old habits reminded her that she did not deserve the privilege of looking upon a true warrior, and she thus quickly lowered her head.

"Um... Please... forgive my trespass. I had thought this place abandoned, and meant merely to rest. Please, forgive me." Before she knew it, apologies and excuses were spilling from her lips, though she hardly expected them to be received. Even if this man seemed kind on the surface, surely, the temple's owner would be less lenient...

Hidden 2 yrs ago Post by Kidd
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Shrine of a Forgotten God
Luo Yifang
Yifang's eyelids dropped momentarily into a blink as Sima approached the shine and visitor inside. After another beat, she looked around and followed Sima to meet her. Irritation tugged her lips into a frown and furrowed her brows as the girl lowered her head, refusing to look to the veteran. She couldn't muster the same gentle tone as the man, but her words were not harsh. "Child, you are more than welcome to rest--" she began and, bristled by such shy behavior, Yifang leaned and tilted her head to see the girl's face hidden under the hood. However, her voice trailed off, recognition flickering across her features for just a moment. She stood straight, sparing a glance to Sima as she crossed her thin arms in front of her body.

Yifang's scowl deepened as the young woman squirmed under their gazes, and her pale hand lifted to idly twirl her own dark hair around her finger. She was quiet for a moment as she thought. "
Three heads are better than two, isn't that right? A young pair of eyes could be helpful in an investigation like yours, Sima," she said at last.
Hidden 2 yrs ago Post by OwO
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Shrine of an Forgotten God, Henan
Vanished @Kidd@Feyblue
"You're right about that," Sima replied to Yifang. "I've been out west for so long that I got sand stuck in my head."

Stepping out of the shrine, Sima gave his arms a quick stretch. "We should probably take a few. Rest up and get ready to leave. Ask me any questions if you got 'em."

"And Blue," he looked back at Xiaying. The expression on his face was a strange one. Perhaps it was sympathy or perhaps it was the remembrance of an old memory. More so than a rugged master, he seemed more like a sorrowful man as he shared some words. "It might be a little presumptuous of me to say, but walk with your head high. Doesn't matter if you have to fake it. The world's a rough place."

Looking back at the wilds, he took a place sitting with his back against a tree.


An Escort Warrior? @Zeroth@Cu Chulainn?

"Euuergh..?" A drunkard at a table seemed to raise his head. As if triggered by the words that came from Yi Hyun-Woo, he tossed a wooden placard at the young man. Though, his drunken state was very obvious considering that he almost beaned "Jin" in the skull.

Although it seemed like he was starting a fight, the drunkard seemed to be a little too faded for a bar fight. Instead, what was important was the information on the placard he threw.

It signified the acceptance of an escort mission. As written on its face, it was a job to escort a merchant caravan carrying supplies to various sects within Henan. Though it didn't explicitly say Mountain Ravine Fist on its face, those words awakening a barely conscious man were effectively confirmation that the school was one of the destinations.

Considering how the leaving date was early next morning, it seemed that the drunkard wouldn't be able to make it to depart in time.


The Hunt for the Madwoman @Restalaan

"How did she look?!" The bald roughneck seemed to be annoyed. What did it matter how she looked? Still, he swallowed his emotions to respond. He also swallowed his pride as the large Xiao Shan effortlessly picked him up to place him back on his feet. How emasculating. He briefly closed his eyes to remember, but all he could barely recall was her damn eyes. "She had... large red eyes? A red face too. She didn't really loo-" He had opened his eyes and realized that Xiao Shan had already been moving towards where he had fled.

"Ah fuck, wait up."



It was certainly a strange sight. Whatever fight Xiao Shan had prepared herself for had been replaced by an indescribable scene. The first was a group of men that had been bruised and battered. They stood in the middle of a clearing with their legs bent, their arms held up, and bodies bereft of clothing save for something to cover their bits. The second group of four had been conscripted in some strange ritual.

And there she was. With an outfit of strange baubles and designs, bright-red makeup solely around her eyes, and a drunkard's flush, the Madwoman seemed to be riding a makeshift palanquin of branches and clothing. She (and by extension her conscripts) had been circling the other group for quite some time judging by the torn up grass circle surrounding them. Upon seeing Xiao Shan, the Madwoman clapped twice. The conscripts seem to slowly lower the palanquin on the ground as they collapsed from exhaustion.

"I don't remember a woman among your ranks." She said to nobody in particular, her voice aloof and strange as though she was not speaking in her native tongue. "How urbane."

She paused as she sized up the mask wearing giant.

"Well?"
Hidden 2 yrs ago Post by Feyblue
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Shrine of a Forgotten God, Henan




Xiáyīng momentarily seemed to lower her guard. Or rather, it could perhaps be better said that her curiosity got the better of her. The man wasn't saying anything, and the woman had just entered the room and begun to speak. She tilted her head ever-so-slightly, wanting to see what they were doing, what their expressions were -- wanted to make sure they really weren't going to hurt her.

Then it happened. In an instant, a dark and familiar something stole its way over the dark-haired woman's face, icy recognition descending upon her from on high like hailstones, and sudden, bristling anger flashing towards her like lightning. Not towards her specifically, but rather towards...

"A young pair of eyes could be helpful in an investigation like yours, Sima."

She knew. She didn't just know, but she craved the power that Xiáyīng so unwillingly bore.

It wasn't a request, or an invitation -- it was a threat. Lend her power, or have it taken from her by force. Even if she complied, there was no guarantee the woman wouldn't turn on her once her usefulness to her had ended. If she let her guard down for even a second... her eyes would be taken.

But she had already seen the woman's strength herself. The path she had walked was long and arduous, and surely, a useless child like her could not possibly hope to match one who had climbed so far, and learned so much. If she drew her blade here, or if she tried to run -- it mattered not. All she could do was comply.

Her only reassurance was that the man did not seem to share the woman's awareness of her nature. Or, if he did know -- he had called her "Blue," after all -- he lacked the same hostility. She could see it -- his sorrow, and his warmth. It was far too presumptuous to expect that he would protect her, necessarily, if push came to shove, but... for the time being, of the two who had pressed her into service, he seemed much safer than his dark-haired companion.

"I'm sorry." Despite his advice, it was the only answer that came naturally to her when she was scolded. What else was she supposed to say? Nevertheless, she tried to hold her head just a little higher -- almost high enough to meet his gaze as she awkwardly, unsubtly scooted just a little closer to him, and away from Yifang. "I did not mean to cause offense. I will... umm... keep your advice in mind."

It wasn't much -- and it could hardly be called an improvement -- but the way she gripped her sword now bespoke a fear much greater than simply being robbed. If she was attacked, she would run, and if forced to fight, she would lose -- but despite the inevitability of such a defeat, she began to steel herself for such an eventuality regardless.
Hidden 2 yrs ago Post by Kidd
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Shrine of a Forgotten God
Luo Yifang
Yifang couldn't help the slight raise of the end of her lips as the other scooted away from her. Was she really so afraid of the husk she had become? "Well, you have your time to rest," the woman said after Sima took the opportunity to do just that. She paused, eyes flickering about the young woman's figure--messy hair, messy clothes. The vice grip on the sword didn't go unnoticed either. Perhaps it was best to speak plainly. She dropped her hand from her locks and, while she hesitated, did rest her bony hand on the girl's shoulder. "I'm Luo Yifang. As unlikely as it is that you've heard of me, I know of your father. If you need anything at all, don't hesitate to ask.

"In the meantime, I best prepare for our little adventure. The Marital Alliance calls upon us." Another smile tugged at her features, but it didn't quite reach her dark eyes as they lingered on the younger woman. Only then did Yifang pull away step out of the other's way and into the shrine to find which of her few belongings would be appropriate for the quest.
Hidden 2 yrs ago Post by Restalaan
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@OwO

Xiao Shan


Well, this is odd. Xiao Shan thought to herself as she rubbed the back of her head, ruffling her wild hair as she looked at the spectacle unfolding in front of her.

Tang Yuying is certainly living up her name as the mad woman as she glanced to the people gathered and used for whatever she intended. That she noticed her appearance despite being a first-time meeting also demonstrated this was no simpleton, there was skill behind that madness or eccentricity.

What kind of techniques does she use though? Perhaps poison? Or something far more insidious-?

Ah, she's going off-course. Xiao Shan cleared her throat and spoke in a much more reserved tone.

"There's a poster requesting that you're to be found and brought in." Xiao Shan said before letting parting her arms wide. "So here I am."

"So follow me and let me bring you in." She bluntly stated to Tang Yuying and thumbed back to where the Golden River Inn was. "You can run afterward."

Honestly, it was the best arrangement, she gets paid, Tang Yuying doesn't waste energy and focus more on running while still having a chance to escape. A win win scenario in Xiao Shan opinion.
Hidden 2 yrs ago Post by Zeroth
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Xincai, Henan

A Sign From...Some Guy



"Euuergh..?" A steady breathing rhythm changed, and the deep exhalation was tinged with the stink of alcohol. A wide surface displaced air as it was drawn back, a wooden chair creaked as weight changed.

Hyun-Woo took a half-step to one side, and the wooden tablet whiffed past his leaning tower of scrolls. Unfortunately, he couldn't say whether Jin would sense the placard coming. Regardless of further impacts, when the placard settled he could read the inscription. A supply wagon, en route to different sects within Henan?

@Cu Chulainn"Sir Jin, are you alright?" For that man to toss such a thing their way...He looked back at the drunkard, and from his slovenly state put the details together. How odd, for a martial artist to drink to such excess before a mission...unless this fellow had some dark sorrows, perhaps? Nonetheless, it seemed the Heavens were offering Yi Hyun-Woo an answer.

"Ah...Many thanks to you, sir!" said the white-haired swordsman with as much of a bow as he could manage to the inebriated warrior. "I shall certainly repay this kindness in the future!"

@OwOBy this time, surely the little scholar had secured her room and found a place to deposit the first armload of scrolls. When she returned for the ones Yi Hyun-Woo held, he would crouch to pick up the placard, and show it to her as well.

"Young Miss, this supply train seems to be visiting several sects in the area, and I plan to go with them to fulfill my own quest. But perhaps, if you can't afford escorts of your own, you could still secure passage with the driver?" He offered, thinking that it was the least he could do to offer some help. "I don't know if they'd go all the way to Sichuan, but perhaps you'd get closer than you are now with at least some measure of security?"
Hidden 2 yrs ago Post by Cu Chulainn
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Bin Myung-Suk
Xincai, Henan
Golden River Inn
@Zeroth

"The stars look quite pleasant tonight..." Myung-Suk would utter, dazed by the plank of wood that had decked him in the face. Once again, he would find himself on the floor, his senses momentarily knocked away from him. One would wonder how one such as he would survive in such a ruthless world where even wooden placards could spell one's end.

Myung-Suk would sit himself up, the placard almost comically sticking to his forehead. The young man scratched his head as he took in his surroundings once more, his bearing gradually restoring. As he did so, he'd look up to Yi Hyun-Woo with a frown.

"Ah, sorry, I haven't heard of this 'Mountain Ravine Fist' you seem to be looking for... perhaps one of the Inn's regulars would be able to help?" He would utter moments before the placard would fall off his face, the impromptu adhesive concocted by the drunkard's cups losing grasp. The sign's edge would land sharply onto Myung-Suk's thigh and digging into its joint, causing him to leap up reactively from the sudden sensation. It was only then that he would finally notice the placard as it flew in mid-air, quickly catching it before it would fall.

"Oh, brother... What's this then?"

Reading the placard as he listened to the swordsman converse with the scholar, Myung-Suk would quickly put two-and-two together.

"It seems the Heavens have blessed you two with opportunity, then. An escort mission, huh... I don't think it'd fit my skillset too much."

Myung-Suk would ponder this particular job hesitantly. It was true that serving as a bodyguard did not particularly fit his own style of martial arts. After all, he could not even protect the Heavenly Master. What good was he in a mission like this? At the same time, the failures of his past would also ignite a hidden flame within the young martial artist. If he had failed in protecting those he had dedicated his fists too, then he was already a failure. To fail to do so again would not further hurt his pride.

Of course, there was also the motivation of coin. Being a cockroach can only feed a man for so long. Myung-Suk's stomach growled in anticipation of this monetary opportunity.

"... If you two plan to tag along, I guess it wouldn't hurt if I took this job as well. It'd feel bad to waste an opportunity like this, anyway.
Hidden 2 yrs ago Post by OwO
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Empty Village, Henan
Vanished @Kidd@Feyblue
As Xiaying scooted closer, Sima didn't make a comment. Perhaps he though that it was for the better if he played the part of a statue. At least, for now.

With rest and preparations out of the way, the three warriors traversed the wilds and whatever roads they came across. The journey to the village was peaceful. In fact, the only thing that would have caused any stress was Sima's habit of wandering away. It became quite apparent on why his sense of direction was so poor. If something seemed interesting, he would move towards it. After the first few times he wandered off on his own, the group placed him at the front. At least then they could keep an eye on him.

The village was, like their journey, devoid of note. Yet it was not serene like the calm wilds. A cold air permeated the village. All three felt unwelcome. Xiaying felt the brunt of it. It was brutal sense of unease that was completely foreign to her senses. There hadn't been traces of a battle, but the village did not feel abandoned. It was as though the peddler had described; they had vanished.

A few dozen straw homes surrounded an overgrown cliff face. Spring storms seemed to have partially damaged some of the homes, but it was nothing that a day's labour couldn't fix. The few rice paddies that the village possessed had been sown and grown, but they had yet to be harvested. The occasional footstep could be found in the dirt, but most have been concealed by the rain and wind.

Sima's nature of becoming side-tracked seemed to become a boon while in the village. He managed to hop from clue to clue. Coins barely sticking out of mud. Farming implements that had been taken care of. Fabrics that were meant to be worn. Everything that pointed to villagers simply vanishing.

"So," he asked to Xiaying and Yifang, "what kind of village leaves their home without taking a thing with them?"

The look on his face was rather grim. He seemed to already have a clue to an answer.

Xincai, Henan
An Escort Warrior? @Zeroth@Cu Chulainn
"I suppose that could work," the scholar replied to Hyun-woo. "I would have to see if whatever escort agency will be able to take me along, though."

"I should formally introduce myself, then." The scholar took a step back as she performed a slight bow with both hands clasped. "I am Yang Mingmei. I'm going to go out to speak with whoever's in charge. It's a good thing I haven't paid for a room yet!"

With that, she was already running out of the inn with a renewed hope in her eyes. Though, she was a little bright-eyed considering that it was almost sundown.
As the evening turned to night and night turned to morning, Hyun-woo and Bin Jin found themselves turned away at the gate. It was honestly to be expected. They were both, in all honesty, no-names who found themselves in possession of a placard denoting the job. They didn't exactly go through the recruitment process that everyone else did. Perhaps they could have gotten away with it if they had a strong reputation or connections, but neither did. As such, the guards outside of the escort agency seemed to try to shoo them away. It wasn't until a familiar voice called to them.

"Don't worry, they're my guards!" A young scholar's voice yelled past the guards. The gate leading to the escort agency opened and revealed a convoy of carts, horses, third-rate warriors, porters, and a Yang Mingmei who had been filled with food and treats.

The leader of the convoy, judging by his barking at all of the warriors and porters, shrugged, beckoned "Jin" and Hyun-woo over, and pointed to some of the satchels of rice that had yet to be placed on a cart.

Mingmei skipped over to the two young warriors and greeted them.

"I ended up asking around. Turns out, the owner of this agency seems to owe my grandfather a great deal. I knew that he was a pretty important person, but he never did like telling me about what he did before he raised me. I managed to get you two in as actual escort warriors."


The Hunt for the Madwoman @Restalaan
"Hmmm...?"

The madwoman's eyes followed Xiao Shan's thumb as it pointed back to the trees.

"Whether here or there seems to have no difference," she mused, "it's all just the forest. Thus I do not see a point in following the commandment of paper providence. If a poster demands I'm brought to the wilds, to what does it matter where?"

The madwoman took a seat on one of the collapsed men.

"Of course, the matter of following another is a different story. If you partake in my challenge, I shall follow you wherever you want."

Taking out three small jars from various pockets, the madwoman revealed them to Xiao Shan. All three jars seemed to share the exact same design. A blank porcelain jar that had been sealed with thick waxed paper and string. With a quick flourish, she tossed the trio into the air and began to juggle them.

"Of these three bottles, one is a poison of the mind, soul, and body."

The flourish stopped as she lobbed one of the bottles at Xiao Shan to catch.

"Drink one and I shall drink the others. If you believe that one contains the poison, merely throw it back at me and I will toss you another."
Hidden 2 yrs ago Post by Restalaan
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Xiao Shan


Xiao Shan rubbed the back of her head, tilted to the sides. Looks like she was quite literal in her understanding.

Though when she mentions a challenge, that had her stood straight and arms crossed. Ears perked up as Xiao Shan resisted the urge to twitch when Yuying reached into her pockets. Especially so when it's three small jars, and one fit for throwing despite the string wrapping around the thick waxed paper at the top.

Seeing her juggle them quickly before a quick toss towards her, Xiao Shan caught it gently and catching the top part instead of the body of the jar.

This was the worst kind of challenge, one of wit rather than force.

Well, for a Tang, she supposes this was par for the course.

After all, it's possible that she just passed her the poison one. That's the obvious move, but what if it's the one without poison? That was also a possibility.

For all she knows, all of it could be poisoned and she wouldn't know better. More so since it's highly likely Yuying has the antidote. Yet she also seems honest, in her own way. Otherwise why even pose the challenge in the first place?

Well, only way to go forward.

Xiao Shan unwrap, took a sniff, gulped and bottoms up the liquid contents of the jar down her gullet. Taking an exaggerated swig as she used her training to drink it all down in one singular gulp.

Though her other free arm rested behind her body and out of Yuying sight, Xiao Shan focused on every skin pore and qi she had. Ready to expunge the liquid she just drunk if it was poison.

After all, Yuying said to drink it all but never said she can't purge it right away. It's within the spirit of the challenge.
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Xincai, Henan

Finally, a Fight Scene!
@OwO@Cu Chulainn


"Well met again, Yang Family's Young Miss!" Hyun-Woo bowed after the scholar's introduction. "Please forgive my rudeness, for not giving you my name this whole time. This one is Yi Hyun-Woo, of Goryeo." As she left the inn to speak to the caravan's master, Hyun-Woo turned to Jin and bowed to him as well. "I would be glad to work with you, Sir Jin! If it were not for this perchance meeting, I feel I would not have found this opportunity. Let us meet again on the morrow!"

With things soon settled for the evening, the young man found himself alone in one of the inn's cheaper rooms as the moon began to rise in a darkening blue sky. His sword lay in the corner as he sat on the floor--for the room had little more than a bedding pallet and a cushion seat, lacking even a table or chairs. There was neither fireplace nor even a candle. But the lack of light did not bother Hyun-Woo; he had spent most of his life in the dark, after all. And he did not need to see for this particular task--or at least, not for this part of it.

To My Descendants - The Inheritance of the Azure Cloud, The Art of the Flashing Sword.

One book held yellowed pages of dry parchment, bound between two thin slats of wood with rusted iron rings. The other book, held open by Hyun-Woo's palm, instead held slips of bamboo sealed together to create flexible tablets. And in Hyun-Woo's other hand, a very small knife with a dyed deer-horn handle scraped and chiseled at the bamboo like a scholar's ink brush.

For as long as he could remember, an ache had persisted in his bones. It was not the same kind of debilitating, crippling pain that he experienced when he was still sickly and frail--rather, like a muscle that needed to be stretched or a joint that needed to be popped, the aches merely tugged at his awareness until he did something about them. He had to walk a certain way--keeping his steps light and balanced, his movements smooth. He had to use his cane as more than just a tool to haphazardly knock into things in his path--it had to be an extension of his arm. And he had never once questioned why he had these aches, until the night his legs had insisted he get up from the bed and walk towards a distant mountain.

The Azure Flash Sword soothed the aches like nothing else, and in a way it soothed Hyun-Woo's heart as well. But still, they arose from time to time, and he found himself happy for them. Now, he knew neither his fingers, nor his thoughts, could rest this night until he had completed this page. From ink, to carving--from the sight he had been blessed with, to the senses he knew he could rely on even if the heavens ever saw fit to blind him again. For that fear, too, still ate away at him in the moments where he found himself all alone, and far from home. But as his fingers traced each character, feeling the same words, the fear would ease.

From ink, to carving. From his mind to his body. From knowledge to memory, and from memory to instinct. His mouth moved silently as he allowed the teachings to flow through him, the same way he allowed Qi to traverse his Meridians.

Breathing and Walking is a key concept in Martial Arts of all kinds. Though it affects physical fitness, it is also a reflection of one's connection to the world. One's breath, in a sense, comes from the Heavens, and one's feet stand firmly upon the Earth. When one can Breathe and Walk properly, their entire being forms a Circuit to conduct the natural energy of Qi...

Scratch, scratch, scratch. Yi Hyun-Woo blew dust away from the channels in the soft wood, and traced it with his finger to be sure the characters were accurate. His eyes remained closed as his breathing stilled...

Step Movements, or Reduced Earth, are general techniques attained by Breathing and Walking. To cut down the distance between opponents in an instant is more than mere quickness. To disappear, and reappear in a blink as the Xian do requires that you are aware of the opponent...

And now Hyun-Woo did open his eyes, in order to turn the yellowed pages of the original Sage's tome. He knew exactly the page needed even without seeing it, for he had read the book more times than he could count. But his eyes sought the faded, painted image spread across two pages. The technique's title used similar characters to what he had just inscribed: Earthward Step.

Scritch, scritch, scritch. Qi entered his lungs with the breath, and parted like a hair passing over a freshly honed blade. The "positive" mass filled the Governing Vessel; the "negative" cloud flowed down the Conception Vessel. Up through the top of his skull, and down the back of his spine--down through the Middle Dantian into the Lower Dantian, and the sea of Qi within it waiting to be boiled, purified, like water in a furnace. The two Qi continued to circulate, like two stars orbiting the center of his being.

A deep thrum, like a tuning fork below the range of the human ear, hummed within his bones...


The Next Morning



Hyun-woo and Jin found themselves turned away at the gate. It was honestly to be expected. They were both, in all honesty, no-names who found themselves in possession of a placard denoting the job. They didn't exactly go through the recruitment process that everyone else did. Perhaps they could have gotten away with it if they had a strong reputation or connections, but neither did. As such, the guards outside of the escort agency seemed to try to shoo them away. It wasn't until a familiar voice called to them that things turned more favorably...

"Please forgive my rudeness, Young Miss." Hyun-Woo said, unusually prickly given what they'd seen of him so far. Holding his sword by the mouth of its scabbard, he folded his left palm over the handle and hilt in the same fashion a martial artist would salute with the palm and fist clasp. He bowed deep at the waist, before springing back up to look the caravan master in the eyes. "But I cannot allow myself such a boon! It is only right for this good sir to put the quality of his hires foremost--to achieve my goal non-meritoriously doesn't sit well in the stomach!" He bowed again, extending his arms in further salute. "Please allow me to demonstrate my skill, if it will assuage your worries about my qualifications!"

The caravan master looked from the white haired boy to the little scholar, then to the other white haired boy who already had two shoulder-loads of rice. With a roll of his eyes, he made a "tch!" sound and gestured to one of the other third-rate warriors accompanying the convoy.

"Make it quick." he told the man, before crossing his arms and glaring at Hyun-Woo. "If it turns out you stuck your hand too far down the gift horse's gullet, too bad."

"Thank you for the opportunity, sir!" Hyun-Woo thrust his sword into his belt for a moment, and happily picked up two more sacks of rice to deposit on the ever helpful Jin's shoulders. "I shall just be a moment, Sir Jin!"

"Confident runt." grumbled the man who'd been picked for the competition. He too unloaded the rice bags onto Jin--whose legs might be starting to shake at this point.

As the two warriors squared off, Hyun-Woo now holding his weapon loosely near his left hip, some of the others who had already loaded their cargo gathered to watch.

"Kid's got a sword. Even if he ain't much, is it fair?" muttered one.

"Dong Yu's an apostate monk." shrugged another. "Raised in Shaolin--I hear his Iron Body is pretty good for a third-rate, cause he used to do the performances. You know, the one where they bend a spear with their necks? A non-cultivator probably couldn't even draw blood."

"Thank you for teaching me, Senior!" Hyun-Woo called across to his opponent. "I am Yi Hyun-Woo of Goryeo--and my style is the Azure Cloud Flash Sword! I am ready."

"Dong Yu, Shaolinquan--although I decided I liked meat and girls more than Buddha." The well muscled young man, whose head was still bald, certainly resembled a disciple of the legendary monastary. He popped his neck from side to side and took his stance. "Never heard of Azure Cloud Flash Sword. But I'm ready when you are, runt."

The caravan master leaned against one of the carts and spat to one side. He chopped a lazy hand through the air.

"Begin!"

Neither moved. One second passed. Then two. Hyun-Woo's hand still hovered over the hilt of his blade--he wasn't going to draw yet? One might think he had lost his nerve...if it wasn't for the look in his eyes.

Three seconds passed. Dong Yu's back foot edged slightly forward. Hyun-Woo didn't react.

I can feel the wind on my skin, blowing from his direction. The sun felt warm on Hyun-Woo's back, but it wasn't high enough to be in Dong Yu's eyes or offer any other advantage. Whickering horses stomped their feet--a porter slammed a box down on a cart. The vibrations traveled through the hard packed dirt under their feet. One man in the crowd took a breath--Hyun-Woo didn't startle when the shouting and jeering began.

Thirty seconds had passed. Dong Yu's nostrils flared.

"If you're not--"

Hyun-Woo's breathing stopped. In one-tenth of one second, it happened. He had felt the wind blowing against him die. The vibrations through the earth had passed over his feet. The men in the crowd had stopped talking.

Positive and negative Qi came together at the bottom of the sole of his foot. His body went completely limp, and he fell towards the ground having tripped over nothing. With no muscle holding him upright, every ounce of his strength went into the bottom of his foot and his hand fell naturally onto his blade. Like a wet towel drapes over a clothes rod, his fingers wrapped around the grip. His foot did not so much provide his own speed, so much as it redirected the speed of gravity itself. And when the grounding circuit broke away from the earth, the "spark" leaped.

In three-tenths of one second, Dong Yu had fallen prey to his own body's nature, a fitting irony for an apostate monk. He had blinked.

The Azure Cloud Sword flashed.

Yi Hyun-Woo's eyes were wide open as he stared into his opponent's from below. A single drop of blood welled up from a paper-thin line across the former Shaolin's adam's apple. The white haired boy's other foot still resonated with a stomp so heavy it made his knee shake. Over his shoulder, Dong Yu could see the spot where the swordsman's movement had begun--and the deep half-print carved into the dirt, by all the weight focused on only the forward motion.

One second had passed.

"Oh, thank goodness I was able to stop!" Hyun-Woo stepped back from the his sparring partner and flourished his sword to clean it. When Dong Yu looked down, he saw that the place Hyun-Woo stomped had a sliding trail behind it--the boy had killed his own momentum so as not to kill his opponent.

"...You dropped below my line of sight at the moment you stepped in." The apostate lifted one trembling hand to his neck, and wiped the red smear. The tiny cut was already clotting, and only stung because of his own sweat.

"Yes, sir. That is the Earthward Step technique of Azure Cloud Flash Sword." Hyun-Woo flipped the blade in his grip and once more saluted with his left palm clasped over its hilt. "Have I proven satisfactory?" Dong Yu turned his head--very carefully--towards the caravan master.

The man rolled his eyes, and jabbed a thumb back towards the rice cart. Dong Yu clasped his own fists, and bowed deeper to Yi Hyun-Woo.

"Thanks for training with me, Junior Brother. I won't forget Azure Cloud Flash Sword anytime soon!" He grinned as he straightened, and clapped the younger boy on the back hard enough Yi Hyun-Woo coughed. "Alright, get to work! We gotta go!" As he walked away, the murmurs began amongst the onlookers again, and Dong Yu heaved a shaky sigh while rubbing his neck again.

Hyun-Woo sheathed his sword, and breathed out slowly as he turned back towards Yang Mingmei and Jin. But with every step he took towards them, he shook a little more--and his smile grew a little wider. Then, cheeks trembling...he pumped both fists in the air.

"I did it! Sir Jin, Young Miss, did you see?! I won my first ever duel in the Jianghu!"
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Golden River Inn

Song Shi





His words were deep and profound. The fluidity in which he was able to tether musical notes together, also spilled over in the way he spoke with others. She was engaged to every word he produced, noting that his tale was equally as somber and sardonic as the lyrics in his songs. A gift, one that would most naturally turn others away, kept Song Shi present. “While you’re at a crossroads, staying in one spot does nothing but hamper any outcome that will present itself if you allow yourself to choose. Don’t be scared for you need fear in order to be brave. Perhaps you should join my company and we can explore those crossroads and see if we can find your parents ourselves? How does that sound” hoping to elicit some sort of decision from the boy.
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Xincai, Henan
An Escort Warrior? @Zeroth@Cu Chulainn
While Mingmei didn't seem impressed, she certainly was happy for Hyun-Woo. His excitement was infectious, judging by the fact that Mingmei was jumping and clapping at his side, cheering on for his first win.

It was a fight that was neither duel nor bimu. More than anything else, it was a spar. Still, a win was a win. Even though their lives weren't on the line and they weren't pushing themselves to the absolute limit, it was still an important first for any martial artist.

The caravan master was still not impressed. To him, it wasn't a matter of someone proving their worth. What mattered more to an unimportant supply caravan was muscle and work ethic. Allowing the third-rates to fight was closer to letting an excited child tucker themselves out.

The third-rates may have looked upon Hyun-Woo more favourably, but the caravan master began to look more favourably upon Jin. He stood there shaking as he carried three men's worth of rice. He could appreciate that kind of motivation.

Third rates certainly didn't have the luxury of relaxing like the second and first rates. Just as quickly as the fight started, the caravan master yelled at the group to continue to load rice and finish the remaining preparations.

Soon, the caravan would leave and Xincai would become a hazy memory.


The Hunt for the Madwoman @Restalaan
A warm but familiar wave washed over Xiao Shan. Certainly, it wasn't something delicious she drank. The taste wasn't anything pleasant, but it wasn't anything horrid either. Rather, the only thing she could taste was a hint of fruit and lots of burning. The burning felt like it came from drinking it at once rather than taking sips.

"Accepting a challenge of poison from a Tang is a strange bravado. I do hope that you learn a lesson about trust at some point."

The madwoman opened both jars and drank them with little gusto.

"The joke is that they're all poison. A cruel poison that blanks the mind and turns men into monsters. Yet people drink it for pleasure, myself included."

She placed the two jars back in her outfit.

"I do suppose you have entertained me to some degree. I'll follow you to whatever magistrate has jurisdiction. Servants, my palanquin."

The madwoman tossed a small vial on the ground, a small puff of smoke erupting as the collapsed "servants" abruptly woke up. Even though Xiao Shan was relatively distant, she could smell the smoke from her position. There wasn't really any way to properly describe it, other than the smell of being kicked in the head by a horse.

"I have my own business with the magistrate."
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Golden River Inn

Sheng Qingling

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Song Shi's words made Qingling reassess his situation. He knew that his parents believed he was dead, so hoping that they would come look for him was a vain hope. In another corner of the inn, there was a slight commotion, drawing Qingling's aural attention. Apparently some drunk had thrown his work order at some travelers. Qingling wondered why someone would simply throw away a chance at good, honest work, when his sensitive ears heard the drunk's compatriots complaining that the job was too dangerous. As it turns out, there had been a recent uptick of violence on the roads. In addition to the occasional bandit, a murderous couple had been cutting a bloody swath, hunting down Taoists on some sort of vendetta. Qingling's eyes widened. This was the sort of news he had been waiting around to hear.

Qingling turned his attention back to Song Shi. "Perhaps you're right. I hear there's a caravan leaving town tomorrow, but what about yourself? I would feel much safer to have a friend to travel with, but do you not have your own destination?"



@Zeroth @Cu Chulainn

That night Qingling spoke with the proprietor of the Golden River Inn, letting him know that he was leaving and thanking innkeeper for his hospitality and the opportunity to work for room and board.

The following morning, Qingling found himself standing in front of the gate with his guqin in its massive case, strapped to his back, wondering how he was going to weasel his way into the caravan. He had found this location by eavesdropping on the previous holders of the work order. He was unsure if these men really required music, but it was worth a shot. Readjusting the guqin on his back for comfort, he approached the caravan, "Salutations, I am part of a traveling performance troupe, but I was separated from them. It appears that your caravan is going in the direction that they were headed, so if you don't mind, might I hitch a ride? I can make it worth your while by providing some high-class, musical entertainment." he wasn't exactly sure if she would show, but he hoped Song Shi would join him.
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Xiao Shan


Waiting for the shoe to drop, she gulped it all in a single motion. The stinging sensation burned her mouth and she forced droplets of the liquid she's drinking from her fingers as a precaution.

Yet the worse never came, which only furthered confused and frightened her. Was it that subtle of a poison that it'll taste like mere wine before it hit? Indeed, it was an insidious and ingenious design of the Tang clan. It didn't take long for her to finish as she wiped her exposed mouth.

She was then treated to Yuying downing her two jars with no effort before she implied what it really was. Leaving Xiao Shan to blink owlishly at that.

Did she really just drank wine then?

"...Oh." She stand there awkwardly, glanced towards the empty jar, and rubbed the back of her head before tossing the jar aside nonchalantly.

A little regret came as she couldn't sample or taste any of the good stuff then. She had just let it slide down her throat "Can I have one more jar then?"

Moving past that as Yuying agreed to follow her, the latter saw the vial explode into a puff of smoke that Yuying drew somewhere from her outfit before the odd sensation of being kicked in the face by a horse followed. So much so that she reached out for her nose instinctively to feel for damage.

Should she say something about the palanquin and servants?

Nah, they'll be fine. It is not like they're guilty free either, let them stew for a bit longer until she meets the magistrate. Honestly though, Xiao Shan doesn't even recall if it's the magistrate that wants her from the wanted poster.

Still, she done her part and now, it was time to get paid. Just another day's work as a first-rate warrior of the Broken Mountain Sect.

"So, any ideas why you're wanted by the magistrate?" Xiao Shan asked as they traveled, not really in a hurry and she was curious about why they called her the mad woman. So far, she seems more literal and odd than mad. "Also, aren't the Tang a close-knit group? Seems odd to see one out in the middle of nowhere."
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