The Xuan Qi cultivation within the ranks of these soldiers wasn't very high. The best among them were at the peak of the Gold Xuan, while the overwhelming majority were at the Silver Xuan realm. However, each man's physical strength had reached 'hair-raising' levels!
Fifty men stood in a row a little distance away. They had their hands to their sides in the 'horse' stance.[1] They stood like that at the foot of the wall. Beside each man that stood in that stance was another one who held a stick in his hands. Each man on the side would gnash his teeth and brandish his stick with a 'whipping' sound. He'd hit each and every part of the man who stood in the stance. The sound of impact was monstrous; it somewhat resembled that of beating a raw cowhide. However, none of the men receiving the beating showed any signs of pain on their face. Perhaps one's face would twitch a little, or maybe another one would frown slightly. However, they didn't show any other outward signs apart from these two things.
They staunchly remained in their stance.
They'd get beaten hundreds of times. Then, the men would pant heavily as they'd rise from the horse stance. They then stretched their neck, wrists and ankles in exercise. This would give rise to a loud "Pop!". The noise was similar to the one that is issued when a firecracker is burst. Then, they'd take-over the wooden sticks. And the men who were previously beating them assumed the 'horse' stance with their hands drooping to their sides. Their muscles were as taut as a young dragon's.
The sharp 'whistling' sounds would be resumed. Only this time — those who were getting beaten and those who were doing the beating — had switched places.
A command was given after they had finished their rounds. Then, the total of these hundred men would make their way to the training field in two orderly groups. The two groups would stand panting on the field where the previous group had been ordered to fight hand-to-hand. The two groups that had been fighting in the field would neatly organize themselves into two groups, and would proceed to the foot of the wall. Then, they'd beat their partner… and then get beaten themselves…
Then, another command would be given, and the hundred men who had just taken the field would commence their horrible fist-fight. Every fist and every leg would hit a vital point; pit of the stomach, the throat, the temples, the back of the head, between the legs, behind the knee... every critical joint...
The scene was hard to imagine as it is. But what would it take to withstand such a bitter beating again and again? However, the men had gotten used to it. They could resist each and every hit. They would try to pick-out each and every possible crack in their opponent's defence. And if they fell into a trap — they'd try their hardest to maintain indifference by keeping their skin thick…
Occasionally, one person would hit their opponent on the nose. This would cause a long stream of blood to gush-out. However, their expression wouldn't change; they'd remain unfeeling. …As if the man they had hit wasn't their comrade… but their enemy.
Then, there would be a whistle. The men in the pond would come out, get dressed, and line-up beside the pond. Meanwhile, the men on the field would stop, make their way to the pond in an orderly fashion, and enter the pool after undressing.
The men who had just exited the pool would then start with an even harsher training. They wouldn't fight one-on-one this time. This round would be a hysterical beat-up where 'anything goes' between the two groups. Maybe at one point it was one person taking on another one… or maybe at another time it would be many people confronting a single person.
An individual could be surrounded by many others at one moment, and he could be part of a large group that surrounded another individual the next. The chaos of the scene was spectacular and indescribable. Many-a-times one could see a single individual lying on the ground, and being ferociously stamped-on the pit of his stomach and his lower abs. Then, the next moment, he could be seen flying-out and hitting the people that surrounded him; each man would fight with the vitality of a dragon and the ferociousness of a tiger in this crazy battle...
In the entire course of events — besides the bossy battle-commands, and the war-cries — no one would open their mouth to speak anything. They spoke using something else. They spoke using their fists, their legs, their elbows and even their shoulders...
The three groups of men were cycled in this manner. These men were supposedly playing the role of their comrades' training partners. However, this was mere the daytime training schedule. They would undergo Xuan Qi training in the evening. This training session would be accompanied by something even more brutal than what they'd endure during the daytime… an arms drill!
Each individual would gnash their teeth and put their very soul and consciousness into the training. They only had one aim in their minds; [I must meet the Young Master's standards!] This was because the Young Master had told them that their final inspection was upon them. They would be removed from the squad if they were to fail the assessment. Then, these so-called defaulters would be re-assigned to residence guards and kitchen staff!
...after tasting the sweetness of steady and rapid progress …after seeing a clear hope of becoming a powerful expert …none of them wanted to return to their former decadent life. It would be a matter of grave shame for them!
These steeled troops were like phoenixes that had attained nirvana after a deadly ordeal, and were now waiting to take form again…
Jun Mo Xie's eyes were unfeeling and ruthless as he oversaw the harsh training on the field. His posture was calm and steady.
He didn't intend to stop at that. He would use his unique medicines on these soldiers once they had attained the highest limits of their strengths. The medicine would show its best results then, and everyone's efficacy would shoot up!
Jun Mo Xie would assign these troops the specific task of 'slaughter' in the future. Just slaughter! Uninterrupted slaughter! Unending slaughter!
Grandpa Jun and Jun Wu Yi stood side-by-side on top of the high-tower of the Jun Residence. Their eyebrows twitched for a moment as they saw the cruelty of the training that was taking place below.
"Wu Yi, you see the training he's giving them… what do you think he plans to do with them? Why would he train them like this?" Grandpa Jun vision seemed heavy.
"Such training would make these soldiers the master of the enemy combatant's life! They soldiers may or may not be able to defeat the enemy on their own, but I think that Mo Xie is training with a sole purpose in mind — slaughter!" Jun Wu Yi spoke with a greedy expression on his face. It was only natural that any General would wish to covet such troops after he had laid his eyes on them. In fact, it would've been extremely absurd if Jun Wu Yi didn't feel envious of this squad's abilities.
Such a squad would be a part of any General's dream army. Forget three hundred — even a hundred of these soldiers could make a General's army unstoppable. That army would be unbeatable and invincible; nothing would be able to stop such an army!
They would become the enemy's nightmare!
"Slaughter…!" Jun Zhan Tian looked anxious. "Even if they are being trained to slaughter… the important questions would be — for whom would they slaughter, and for what reason they'd slaughter for? This question is very important when you keep the other people of this country in your perspective…"
"This child would beg to differ from his father's words; this child believes that no matter what — these troops would find it fulfilling to fight for only one person!" Jun Wu Yi lowered his gaze coldly, "These three hundred men would fight only for Mo Xie; for Mo Xie and the Jun Family! The future of our Jun Family rests on Mo Xie's shoulders. So, what importance would the other people of this country hold?"
"This kind of strength…" Grandpa Jun didn't seem any less worried, "will attract a lot of jealousy and suspicion once it's revealed to the people!"
"Jealousy and suspicions? Why?" Jun Wu Yi's eyes narrowed. A sharp and cold ray of light passed through them, "When has the Jun Family ever been involved in misconducts? And hasn't the Jun Family always supported the people?"
Jun Wu Yi's line of thought was beginning to get influenced by Jun Mo Xie's. He didn't sound like himself.
The old man sighed. [Did I really make the right decisions in those days? Our Jun Family's talent has withered… should I also take on some responsibilities?]
"Ah, with Jun Mo Xie… our Jun Family will rise quickly! No power will be able to hold us back! I'm confident about this fact!" Jun Wu Yi then turned his neck to look at the tussle taking place on the training field. He then slowly continued, "However, we need time and strength to achieve that goal. We need absolute strength! And now we already have a prototype of that strength!" Jun Wu Yi clenched his fists. The sounds of his joints' 'clicking' echoed.
"Didn't that little brat Mo Xie say that he'd oversee this training? So, why can't I even see his shadow?" Grandpa Jun looked around.
"The training of these men doesn't require anyone's supervision," Jun Wu Yi stated. His eyes were full of admiration, "This training has reached amazing levels! And as for Jun Mo Xie… I don't know where he is or what he's up to. However, we shouldn't try to control him. He can take care of himself. We shouldn't worry about him. Father, he's a hidden dragon. We should give him a free hand."
"You think that we shouldn't worry about him? You think everything is fine…? Then, you're not behaving like an Uncle should. This isn't enough. Mo Xie isn't that young anymore. Aren't you concerned about his marriage?"
"Weren't you the one to witness his 'growth' that day? So, how would I know if he's old enough to take a wife yet…? By the way, how's his asset, good enough?" Jun Wu Yi asked in a lofty manner.
"It is really good; in fact, he has surpassed this old man's paragon from the old days… Bah! You brat! What are you saying! Do you want a spanking?!" Grandpa Jun suddenly came to himself and raised his hand. He desired to teach his son a lesson.
The Third Master chuckled, "Why are you angry, dad? Aren't you happy that Mo Xie has grown up? It's just that when it comes to marriage… he'll certainly take his time to make a decision. However, if you plan to force him into do something he doesn't want to… I won't have any objections. Rather, I'd be glad to see it happen."
[Facing my sons is like facing an army…] Grandpa Jun found himself in a knot as he thought about it. He realized that he may not be able convince his precious grandson to act against his will in the most trivial of matters… let alone a topic as important as marriage…
"That little Dugu girl is good to Mo Xie, and I see that Mo Xie also finds her interesting. Is there anyone else? I can't stand that girl for Mo Xie!" Jun Zhan Tian asked; he seemed unwilling to resign himself.
There was nothing dignified about this. The father and son had started to create a harem for their grandson/nephew.
"Apart from this… Mo Xie used to wander around the Spirit Fog Lake. Maybe there's someone there…" Jun Wu Yi winked.
Jun Zhan Tian almost fainted. He had to use his hand to support himself, "Is there anything else besides that?"
"I remember that… Mo Xie would seem very ambitious about Qing Han…" Jun Wu Yi dashed-pass and flew-out the open window the moment he finished speaking those words. Even his shadow didn't linger behind. He knew what awaited him if he had stayed any longer.
"You Bastard! Get out from my sight!" Jun Zhan Tian flipped out in rage. However, he realized that his son had already disappeared without a trace. So, he had no choice but to open his eyes wide, stamp his feet and roar down the tower. However, he suddenly stopped his roar in between, and started to ponder pensively…
"Would our Jun Family have to wait for a long time?" He let out a long sigh and shook his head. "That's absurd! That's completely absurd!" The Old Man had no other words apart from "Absurd".
Jun Mo Xie was on the side-lines of the training field when he heard the faint sound of his grandfather's roar. He couldn't help but be muddled with confusion, "Why is Grandpa shouting? Who ignited the fire this time?"
Young Master Jun was unaware that he was the reason behind his grandfather's anger… even though he was entirely innocent in reality.
Jun Mo Xie's body disappeared from the sidelines of the training field without a trace.
Jun Mo Xie looked at the sky and figured that it would night soon. His heart was full of anticipation. He was about to deal with a lot of important matters that night.
First was that accessory worn by Silver Blizzard City's Xiao Feng Wu. It was indeed a spectacular item. How could an ordinary piece of jewelry invoke such a response from the Hong Jun Pagoda? Young Master Jun was unaware of that accessory's origins. However, it didn't matter whether he knew about it or not. He had nevertheless devised a plan, and was quite certain of returning with that item.
Next — was the assassination of his assassin! Jun Mo Xie had the highest level of interest in that matter.
Not only did Jun Mo Xie like that man's execution-style… he highly approved of them.
That person didn't even look back after his head-on strike didn't bear fruit. Instead, he escaped far and wide. And he didn't do a sloppy job at that either. The man left behind no trace. This was the same technique which the Hit-man Jun had employed in his previous life. This man was the only one Jun Mo Xie could consider a true 'assassin' in this world. The other groups of assassins he had confronted in this world were no more than good Xuan experts.
[Did they possess an assassin's style?]
[Those people don't deserve the tag of an 'assassin'!]
Moreover, that assassin was in possession of an extremely fast and unique technique. Jun Mo Xie's killing-ability would shoot-up like a whirlwind if he were able to obtain that skill. Then, he could even hope to kill a Spirit Xuan expert by staging an ambush for the same.
[There must be some mystery behind his speed.]
Jun Mo Xie hid in nothingness till he approached his own small courtyard. His train of thought stopped and he stared blankly in confusion upon seeing two figures up-ahead.
There were two figures at the entrance of his courtyard. They were small and frail. They were kneeling on the ground; their backs were straight. It was impossible to guess how long they had been kneeling like this. However, they seemed stubborn and unwilling to stop.
Jun Mo Xie sighed as his demonic and shadow-less figure slowly walked past them. These two were among the many children he and his uncle had rescued from the Huang Hua Hall. The rest of the children had been re-located to good places. However, these two children had refused to leave for the life of them. They only desired to learn the skills they'd need to extract their revenge.
Their disabilities couldn't be regarded as 'very serious'. However, they were both mute. Their tongues had been cut into half. They would never speak again. Moreover, one of them had only one arm left.
It wasn't that Jun Mo Xie's heart hadn't been moved by their perseverance. However, he had reluctantly rejected them after an examination. These kids had astonishing willpower, and their hatred towards their enemy would also be helpful. However, their aptitude was mediocre; to say nothing of the fact that they had become physically handicapped.
The Huang Hua Hall hadn't abandoned the prospect of their cultivation for no reason.
Jun Mo Xie had whole-heartedly considered training the two children at one point. He figured that he could use his harsh training methods to suit their tenacious wills. They could show significant progress in just over a decade as long as they were willing to endure the cruel training and have an old-fashioned 'baptism by fire'. In fact, they'd even have a chance at reaching the Earth Xuan realm!
Earth Xuan level could never be considered meagre. An ordinary person would struggle his whole life to attain it. It was a very high goal for an ordinary person to look up to. However, this target had no meaning in the eyes of the Young Master and these kids.
However, could Jun Mo Xie afford to train them? He'd have to spend lots of time and money on their training and rehabilitation. Moreover, it would be a great waste if their progress were to stop at the Earth Xuan realm. Therefore, Jun Mo Xie had considered the topic for a long time, and had then decided that the prospect of their cultivation wasn't worth the effort.
Moreover, their strong desire for revenge wouldn't help in reaping any short-term results. Therefore, it didn't have any significance.
Jun Mo Xie sympathized with them. In fact, he secretly praised their will-power. But, he had realized that it wasn't meant to be.
However, those two children were seen kneeling outside his courtyard ever since he had refused to train them. They could not speak, but their eyes would implore Jun Mo Xie whenever they'd see him.
It was already the ninth day since they had been kneeling at the entrance of his courtyard.
Their slender bodies trembled as they heard the familiar sound of Jun Mo Xie's footsteps. They straightened their backs even more; though, they still remained motionless in that kneeling position.
The Young Master Jun sighed as he slowly walked to stand in front of them. "Look up and look at me!" his voice was a command they couldn't defy.
Their bodies trembled as they looked up to face Jun Mo Xie in accordance with his command.
Jun Mo Xie was startled. Those two must be around thirteen or fourteen years in age. However, their eyes no longer showed the same longing and urgency of the past few days. That expression had been replaced by deathly stillness.
However, it wasn't exactly an empty sort of deathly stillness. Rather, it was one where they had disregarded life and death; it was the deathly still of an individual who had disregarded the mortal world.
That 'deathly stillness' wasn't synonymous with 'emptiness'.
Jun Mo Xie sighed inside. [These are the eyes of a top-notch killer.] One could only bring-out this expression in their eyes once they had been oppressed to an extreme degree, and had begun to consider human life as worthless. In fact, such people considered their own life to be worthless.
If their natural endowments had been any better… as long as it was even a little bit better — Jun Mo Xie would've accepted them without hesitation. However, he was helpless at that point of time. Their natural endowments were too substandard…
It required 1% 'insight' and 99% 'sweat' to become formidable. However, that 1% 'insight' was the key. It was more important than the remaining 99% 'sweat'.
"Tell me your reasons! Show me the extent of your determination!" Jun Mo Xie's heart felt pity. These two children had suffered a lot. A normal person couldn't even imagine their suffering. Their hearts were filled with hatred towards their enemy, but they didn't have any aptitude to practice martial arts. Therefore, Jun Mo Xie couldn't help but sigh.
Determination?
The two children looked at each other. Then, they nodded heavily in unison.
The child on the left slowly extended the finger of his remaining hand to his mouth. He then bit-down on it resolutely. The kid bit with considerable effort, and tilted his head to the side until he had torn-off a chunk of his own flesh. A river of blood rushed-out from that finger. His entire body shivered with pain, and his face had gone deathly. However, he was otherwise motionless. The child then started to write a character on the ground with the flow of his own blood. He had only written about half of it when the blood-flow slowed down. The boy looked at it in an unsatisfied manner. He then brought his finger to his mouth again. He desperately and ferociously bit-down on it again as he tore-out some more flesh.
A small piece of finger's bone was also pulled out. The white mix of flesh and bone fell-down. A fountain of blood shot-out. The fountain of blood gushed-out far, and some of it was even spilt on Jun Mo Xie's face.
The other child mimicked the first one, and bit into his finger as well. The two children's bodies shivered, yet they maintained control over themselves as the blood gushed-out. The children then drew big and straight characters on the ground.
The child on the left wrote, "I will kill them by hacking them down. I will have no regrets till I die."
The child on the right wrote, "Those who aren't powerful — can only die; nothing more."
Their words contained power. The two of them were trembling with pain; but, they wrote each character meticulously, and with a lot of effort.
The two children kneeled facing Jun Mo Xie after they had finished writing, and knocked their heads heavily on the ground.
Jun Mo Xie's eyes suddenly turned red. He felt a strange feeling in his heart; his heart had started to tremble ferociously.
Jun Mo Xie had conducted himself with cold-blooded apathy in both his lives. He had never been benevolent, and looked at all living things as 'mowed grass' or 'lowly dogs'. He was numb inside, and thought nothing of the common people. He hadn't felt the least bit disturbed when he had witnessed the horrors of the Huang Hua Hall that day. He wasn't shaken at all. However, the stubborn acts of these two youngsters had moved him very deeply.
"Good! If this is how you feel — I will not be miserly to present you the opportunity!" Jun Mo Xie took a long breath. The color of his eyes became milder as he continued in a sinking voice, "The opportunity I shall provide might grant you the power to rule over the heaven and earth someday. However, it is important that you remember that such a path is full of killing and death! I hope that you… will not disappoint me."
The two children looked up in unison. They couldn't speak, but their eyes were full of ecstasy. Then, that ecstasy was suddenly replaced by unwavering determination. It seemed that they had made the decision from the bottom of their souls. They looked at Jun Mo Xie and knocked their heads on the ground. One of the heads got injured, and blood started to stream out from it.
Jun Mo Xie quickly took the children into his arms and flew inside; he nearly burst-through the entrance. These two had suffered a lot of pain to demonstrate their determination. They hadn't made any noise to reveal their pain, but they'd be in a lot of trouble if they weren't administered a timely medical treatment. This could turn into a very big problem.
Jun Mo Xie had already decided to help them. So, he wasn't going to let another mishap happen to them again.
They possessed such great will-power. They may not have much aptitude, but wouldn't their immense will-power make up for it? The number of people who possessed the necessary aptitude were the same as the number of sand perches on this land. But, how many people had such a strong will-power?
What would natural talent achieve if one didn't have the desire…?
When a person could be so fierce in dealing with themselves — how would they deal with their enemy?
Two phrases had been smeared in blood at the entrance of the courtyard. The words within these phrases dazzled brightly.
"I will kill them by hacking them down. I will have no regrets till I die."
"Those who aren't powerful — can only die; nothing more."
The curtain of darkness hooded the sky.
Jun Mo Xie frowned and pondered deeply as he looked at the two thin and weak figures that lay on his bed.
His residence was full of wounded people. There was a think scent of medicine in the air.
Ye Gu Han lay tranquilly on the giant bed on the side. His breathing was faint, but he was free from danger.
Jun Mo Xie had tidied-up another bed on the side. It had been taken-over by those two children at that moment.
Three wounded people; three crippled individuals.
Those two youngsters had stretched their vitalities to the limit. They had fainted right after Jun Mo Xie had promised to help them. However, they had fainted noiselessly. They hadn't even issued a groan.
Jun Mo Xie had seen many fierce people. However, this was the first he had seen someone with such a strong base in terms of ferocity, and none with relation to martial arts.
[Will these little devils turn out fiercer than me?]
[Since I've promised to help them… how can I train-up these talentless individuals in the shortest amount of time?] Jun Mo Xie was completely clueless in this regard.
[With Xuan Qi? No, this method won't do. The Huang Hua Hall wouldn't have stuffed them into those giant jars if they had any aptitude for Xuan Qi practice.]
[That's it for that angle!]
Jun Mo Xie suddenly stood-up. There was an ominous glint in his eyes. [At worst, I can teach them my previous life's Core Law! I'll train them in accordance to the standards I practiced in those days. And as for how much they can advance… it will depend on their luck! And I should be able to refine a 'cleaning essence' Dan if I'm able to ascend to the fourth level of Art of Unlocking the Heaven's Fortune…]
[I'll personally train these two into something which would shock the entire Xuan Xuan Continent! They would eventually be capable of killing the Gods of this continent! With their willpower, my Core Law and Dan medicine… these two terrifying demons would rise like the stars!]
Jun Mo Xie left the room gently, and sat on the threshold. He looked up at the night sky. His train of thought was long, and a lot of time had passed by the time it ended. The stubbornness of those two youngsters had evoked his own past in his mind.
[Wasn't I the same as those two in my previous life? I used to play with my life. I would push myself to my limits in training. How many times did I pass out from the shock of pain? How many times did I push myself to the point of death?]
In what way had Jun Xie's unrivalled reputation come about? Who knew how much effort, sweat and tears of blood had been invested into his reputation…? His fellow apprentices were trying their hardest, but his training had exceeded their difficulty by three times.
Any man who desired success and unrivalled fame — had to be very fierce with himself!
Facing the enemy with ferocity was nothing — being fierce with oneself was important. A true assassin would never care about his life or his accomplishments. Worrying about capabilities brings harm. The worry of one's mind would act as an obstacle.
These… were the words of his previous life's master!
An image of a face floated in front of Jun Mo Xie. It was a face which was black as iron, and cold as ice. Murderous aura emanated from its eyes. However, he felt relieved whenever those two eyes would look at him. However, Jun Mo Xie could feel the presence of those eyes even though he tried to dodge them.
Those eyes were full of nothingness. It was as if they had passed through the two worlds, and were gazing at him from the distance.
He shivered in their cold — just as in the past — but it felt auspicious and peaceful.
"Master…" Jun Mo Xie had lower his head, and covered his knees with his hands in sadness. A door opened, and a ray of light escaped from that crack. It painted Jun Mo Xie's silhouette. His silhouette curled-up as it shivered in the night wind. It was somewhat lonely.
Power… was it worth yearning for?
He heard light footsteps behind him, and then felt a warm overcoat cover his body.
Jun Mo Xie remained as motionless as before, and asked, "Tell me Little Ke… do you wish to become a powerful individual?"
"Ah?" the little girl cried in alarm. This was clearly unexpected, "Become powerful? What use will that be?"
"What use will that be? That's an interesting question. If you become someone like the old Solitary Falcon — you can kill whomever you want to kill. You can live in this world free and unfettered; don't you wish such a life?" Jun Mo Xie asked heavily.
The little girl walked to his side, and calmly sat down beside him. She then tilted her head, and placed her hands on her cheeks to support it. The girl then looked up at the moon and started to ponder earnestly. The moonlight sprinkled on her face; it brought out a somewhat beautiful and gentle flavor to her face.
A little time passed. Then, the little girl smiled shyly and said, "Powerful… I don't want to become that kind of a person."
"Oh? Why?" Jun Mo Xie tilted his head and looked at the little girl. Little Ke's words came very unexpectedly to him. According to Hit-man Jun's view of the world — any person would answer in the affirmative if they were provided an opportunity to become a powerful individual. It didn't matter what they did afterwards to achieve it.
Little Ke lowered her head shyly, and started to gently nip at her nails, "Young Master, I don't know what it would feel like to be a strong person. But, I don't think… perhaps I'll enjoy the attention and the praise. But, I don't know why… but I don't want it. I'm only a little girl; Young Master's little girl. All I want… is to take care of the Young Master every day. I look forward to washing Young Master's clothes, make food for Young Master, and wait for him to return when he has gone out. I just want to be an ordinary maid."
The little girl smiled shyly again, and spoke, "Young Master, do these words mean that I don't have any spirit? But… I really don't want to become strong!"
"No, what you said… I really like it. You're an adorable little girl who I'm very fond of!" Jun Mo Xie carefully looked at the little girl who sat beside him; for the first time. The moonlight shone on her skin. Her white-blond hair was tied in a bun, and the loose silky strands danced in the wind. Her long eyelashes blinked, and there was a tuft of hair sticking to the skin beside her ear.
The little girl felt a bit uneasy since she was being seized-up by Jun Mo Xie. She twisted her fingers, but pretended to not notice. However, her heart was jumping madly inside her chest. Her face slowly turned red as she lowered her head; she felt like a deer inside her heart.
Jun Mo Xie's face reveled in an interesting smile as he felt his mind relax. His heart felt at ease upon having such a pleasant little girl beside him. He unexpectedly felt a faint yet heartfelt happiness.
Everyone had their own way of 'living'. This was the least one could do without a problem.
Like the little girl; her dream was very simple, practical and very warm…
He caressed her beautiful hair softly and said, "You hurry-up to your room, and go to sleep." Jun Mo Xie was astonished to find that his voice had been very… gentle. He felt like he was facing the daughter of his previous life's master…
"Yes…" the little girl answered as she lowered her head. She stood up slowly. She could feel her cheeks getting warmer. It was like her entire body lacked strength as she slowly walked to her room.
She walked two steps before she thought of something, and then turned around to say, "Young Master… you'll go to sleep early… huh?" She found that the Young master, who was just sitting beside her a moment ago, had disappeared without a trace by the time she had turned her head.
"He's very quick…" The little girl bit her lip and smiled shyly again. She then pursed her mouth and raised her head as she remembered what had happened earlier that morning. This made her cover her face… [I am thinking nonsense…]
Jun Mo Xie welcomed the night wind. He didn't even leave a shadow as he flew fast. He could feel the Art of Unlocking the Heaven's Fortune revolving inside of him. Each cycle brought about a large surge of formidable strength in him. There was an unstoppable tendency of Qi flowing through his meridians. He felt extremely satisfied at that moment.
The first target was the Magnificent Jewel Hall.
Jun Mo Xie painstakingly restrained his own aura. He floated silently for a while, and then submerged underground. The Young Master Jun then used his spirit sense to search each and every inch of the land ahead as it slowly spread out.
Jun Mo Xie hadn't forgotten how he had nearly been discovered by Lei Wu Bei the last time. He knew that there were at least three Spirit Xuan experts inside the Magnificent Jewel Hall. So how could he act carelessly?
Being cautious and prudent was a top 'character requirement' for an assassin.
However, the result of his spirit sense's probe greatly alarmed him.
When did the Magnificent Jewel hall have so many experts?
This was quite a terrifying strength!
Jun Mo Xie had searched every corner of the Magnificent Jewel Hall. There were several powerful people in the Magnificent Jewel Hall. Some of them were clearly at the Spirit Xuan Realm, while the others were at least at the peak of the Sky Xuan. He could sense seven powerful Individuals! There were two weaker people as well. They must be Xiao Han and Mu Xue Tong.
[When did so many powerful experts fall from the sky?]
[Are they possibly the re-enforcements from the Silver Blizzard City?]
And Jun Mo Xie's spirit sense detected a very formidable presence in the center. [It must be a Spirit Xuan expert.] There was one amongst them, who, although wasn't as strong as Solitary Falcon… but wasn't very weak in comparison. In fact, he was nearly as strong as the Great Master!
One, two, three… four… five… and another one! There were six other Spirit Xuan experts present there! Jun Mo Xie felt himself getting drenched in sweat.
Notes:
Horse stance is martial training stance. Imagine a person sitting on a horse. Now remove the horse, and just imagine the person. The resultant image is a 'horse' stance.
The Xuan Qi cultivation within the ranks of these soldiers wasn't very high. The best among them were at the peak of the Gold Xuan, while the overwhelming majority were at the Silver Xuan realm. However, each man's physical strength had reached 'hair-raising' levels!
Fifty men stood in a row a little distance away. They had their hands to their sides in the 'horse' stance.[1] They stood like that at the foot of the wall. Beside each man that stood in that stance was another one who held a stick in his hands. Each man on the side would gnash his teeth and brandish his stick with a 'whipping' sound. He'd hit each and every part of the man who stood in the stance. The sound of impact was monstrous; it somewhat resembled that of beating a raw cowhide. However, none of the men receiving the beating showed any signs of pain on their face. Perhaps one's face would twitch a little, or maybe another one would frown slightly. However, they didn't show any other outward signs apart from these two things.
They staunchly remained in their stance.
They'd get beaten hundreds of times. Then, the men would pant heavily as they'd rise from the horse stance. They then stretched their neck, wrists and ankles in exercise. This would give rise to a loud "Pop!". The noise was similar to the one that is issued when a firecracker is burst. Then, they'd take-over the wooden sticks. And the men who were previously beating them assumed the 'horse' stance with their hands drooping to their sides. Their muscles were as taut as a young dragon's.
The sharp 'whistling' sounds would be resumed. Only this time — those who were getting beaten and those who were doing the beating — had switched places.
A command was given after they had finished their rounds. Then, the total of these hundred men would make their way to the training field in two orderly groups. The two groups would stand panting on the field where the previous group had been ordered to fight hand-to-hand. The two groups that had been fighting in the field would neatly organize themselves into two groups, and would proceed to the foot of the wall. Then, they'd beat their partner… and then get beaten themselves…
Then, another command would be given, and the hundred men who had just taken the field would commence their horrible fist-fight. Every fist and every leg would hit a vital point; pit of the stomach, the throat, the temples, the back of the head, between the legs, behind the knee... every critical joint...
The scene was hard to imagine as it is. But what would it take to withstand such a bitter beating again and again? However, the men had gotten used to it. They could resist each and every hit. They would try to pick-out each and every possible crack in their opponent's defence. And if they fell into a trap — they'd try their hardest to maintain indifference by keeping their skin thick…
Occasionally, one person would hit their opponent on the nose. This would cause a long stream of blood to gush-out. However, their expression wouldn't change; they'd remain unfeeling. …As if the man they had hit wasn't their comrade… but their enemy.
Then, there would be a whistle. The men in the pond would come out, get dressed, and line-up beside the pond. Meanwhile, the men on the field would stop, make their way to the pond in an orderly fashion, and enter the pool after undressing.
The men who had just exited the pool would then start with an even harsher training. They wouldn't fight one-on-one this time. This round would be a hysterical beat-up where 'anything goes' between the two groups. Maybe at one point it was one person taking on another one… or maybe at another time it would be many people confronting a single person.
An individual could be surrounded by many others at one moment, and he could be part of a large group that surrounded another individual the next. The chaos of the scene was spectacular and indescribable. Many-a-times one could see a single individual lying on the ground, and being ferociously stamped-on the pit of his stomach and his lower abs. Then, the next moment, he could be seen flying-out and hitting the people that surrounded him; each man would fight with the vitality of a dragon and the ferociousness of a tiger in this crazy battle...
In the entire course of events — besides the bossy battle-commands, and the war-cries — no one would open their mouth to speak anything. They spoke using something else. They spoke using their fists, their legs, their elbows and even their shoulders...
The three groups of men were cycled in this manner. These men were supposedly playing the role of their comrades' training partners. However, this was mere the daytime training schedule. They would undergo Xuan Qi training in the evening. This training session would be accompanied by something even more brutal than what they'd endure during the daytime… an arms drill!
Each individual would gnash their teeth and put their very soul and consciousness into the training. They only had one aim in their minds; [I must meet the Young Master's standards!] This was because the Young Master had told them that their final inspection was upon them. They would be removed from the squad if they were to fail the assessment. Then, these so-called defaulters would be re-assigned to residence guards and kitchen staff!
...after tasting the sweetness of steady and rapid progress …after seeing a clear hope of becoming a powerful expert …none of them wanted to return to their former decadent life. It would be a matter of grave shame for them!
These steeled troops were like phoenixes that had attained nirvana after a deadly ordeal, and were now waiting to take form again…
Jun Mo Xie's eyes were unfeeling and ruthless as he oversaw the harsh training on the field. His posture was calm and steady.
He didn't intend to stop at that. He would use his unique medicines on these soldiers once they had attained the highest limits of their strengths. The medicine would show its best results then, and everyone's efficacy would shoot up!
Jun Mo Xie would assign these troops the specific task of 'slaughter' in the future. Just slaughter! Uninterrupted slaughter! Unending slaughter!
Grandpa Jun and Jun Wu Yi stood side-by-side on top of the high-tower of the Jun Residence. Their eyebrows twitched for a moment as they saw the cruelty of the training that was taking place below.
"Wu Yi, you see the training he's giving them… what do you think he plans to do with them? Why would he train them like this?" Grandpa Jun vision seemed heavy.
"Such training would make these soldiers the master of the enemy combatant's life! They soldiers may or may not be able to defeat the enemy on their own, but I think that Mo Xie is training with a sole purpose in mind — slaughter!" Jun Wu Yi spoke with a greedy expression on his face. It was only natural that any General would wish to covet such troops after he had laid his eyes on them. In fact, it would've been extremely absurd if Jun Wu Yi didn't feel envious of this squad's abilities.
Such a squad would be a part of any General's dream army. Forget three hundred — even a hundred of these soldiers could make a General's army unstoppable. That army would be unbeatable and invincible; nothing would be able to stop such an army!
They would become the enemy's nightmare!
"Slaughter…!" Jun Zhan Tian looked anxious. "Even if they are being trained to slaughter… the important questions would be — for whom would they slaughter, and for what reason they'd slaughter for? This question is very important when you keep the other people of this country in your perspective…"
"This child would beg to differ from his father's words; this child believes that no matter what — these troops would find it fulfilling to fight for only one person!" Jun Wu Yi lowered his gaze coldly, "These three hundred men would fight only for Mo Xie; for Mo Xie and the Jun Family! The future of our Jun Family rests on Mo Xie's shoulders. So, what importance would the other people of this country hold?"
"This kind of strength…" Grandpa Jun didn't seem any less worried, "will attract a lot of jealousy and suspicion once it's revealed to the people!"
"Jealousy and suspicions? Why?" Jun Wu Yi's eyes narrowed. A sharp and cold ray of light passed through them, "When has the Jun Family ever been involved in misconducts? And hasn't the Jun Family always supported the people?"
Jun Wu Yi's line of thought was beginning to get influenced by Jun Mo Xie's. He didn't sound like himself.
The old man sighed. [Did I really make the right decisions in those days? Our Jun Family's talent has withered… should I also take on some responsibilities?]
"Ah, with Jun Mo Xie… our Jun Family will rise quickly! No power will be able to hold us back! I'm confident about this fact!" Jun Wu Yi then turned his neck to look at the tussle taking place on the training field. He then slowly continued, "However, we need time and strength to achieve that goal. We need absolute strength! And now we already have a prototype of that strength!" Jun Wu Yi clenched his fists. The sounds of his joints' 'clicking' echoed.
"Didn't that little brat Mo Xie say that he'd oversee this training? So, why can't I even see his shadow?" Grandpa Jun looked around.
"The training of these men doesn't require anyone's supervision," Jun Wu Yi stated. His eyes were full of admiration, "This training has reached amazing levels! And as for Jun Mo Xie… I don't know where he is or what he's up to. However, we shouldn't try to control him. He can take care of himself. We shouldn't worry about him. Father, he's a hidden dragon. We should give him a free hand."
"You think that we shouldn't worry about him? You think everything is fine…? Then, you're not behaving like an Uncle should. This isn't enough. Mo Xie isn't that young anymore. Aren't you concerned about his marriage?"
"Weren't you the one to witness his 'growth' that day? So, how would I know if he's old enough to take a wife yet…? By the way, how's his asset, good enough?" Jun Wu Yi asked in a lofty manner.
"It is really good; in fact, he has surpassed this old man's paragon from the old days… Bah! You brat! What are you saying! Do you want a spanking?!" Grandpa Jun suddenly came to himself and raised his hand. He desired to teach his son a lesson.
The Third Master chuckled, "Why are you angry, dad? Aren't you happy that Mo Xie has grown up? It's just that when it comes to marriage… he'll certainly take his time to make a decision. However, if you plan to force him into do something he doesn't want to… I won't have any objections. Rather, I'd be glad to see it happen."
[Facing my sons is like facing an army…] Grandpa Jun found himself in a knot as he thought about it. He realized that he may not be able convince his precious grandson to act against his will in the most trivial of matters… let alone a topic as important as marriage…
"That little Dugu girl is good to Mo Xie, and I see that Mo Xie also finds her interesting. Is there anyone else? I can't stand that girl for Mo Xie!" Jun Zhan Tian asked; he seemed unwilling to resign himself.
There was nothing dignified about this. The father and son had started to create a harem for their grandson/nephew.
"Apart from this… Mo Xie used to wander around the Spirit Fog Lake. Maybe there's someone there…" Jun Wu Yi winked.
Jun Zhan Tian almost fainted. He had to use his hand to support himself, "Is there anything else besides that?"
"I remember that… Mo Xie would seem very ambitious about Qing Han…" Jun Wu Yi dashed-pass and flew-out the open window the moment he finished speaking those words. Even his shadow didn't linger behind. He knew what awaited him if he had stayed any longer.
"You Bastard! Get out from my sight!" Jun Zhan Tian flipped out in rage. However, he realized that his son had already disappeared without a trace. So, he had no choice but to open his eyes wide, stamp his feet and roar down the tower. However, he suddenly stopped his roar in between, and started to ponder pensively…
"Would our Jun Family have to wait for a long time?" He let out a long sigh and shook his head. "That's absurd! That's completely absurd!" The Old Man had no other words apart from "Absurd".
Jun Mo Xie was on the side-lines of the training field when he heard the faint sound of his grandfather's roar. He couldn't help but be muddled with confusion, "Why is Grandpa shouting? Who ignited the fire this time?"
Young Master Jun was unaware that he was the reason behind his grandfather's anger… even though he was entirely innocent in reality.
Jun Mo Xie's body disappeared from the sidelines of the training field without a trace.
Jun Mo Xie looked at the sky and figured that it would night soon. His heart was full of anticipation. He was about to deal with a lot of important matters that night.
First was that accessory worn by Silver Blizzard City's Xiao Feng Wu. It was indeed a spectacular item. How could an ordinary piece of jewelry invoke such a response from the Hong Jun Pagoda? Young Master Jun was unaware of that accessory's origins. However, it didn't matter whether he knew about it or not. He had nevertheless devised a plan, and was quite certain of returning with that item.
Next — was the assassination of his assassin! Jun Mo Xie had the highest level of interest in that matter.
Not only did Jun Mo Xie like that man's execution-style… he highly approved of them.
That person didn't even look back after his head-on strike didn't bear fruit. Instead, he escaped far and wide. And he didn't do a sloppy job at that either. The man left behind no trace. This was the same technique which the Hit-man Jun had employed in his previous life. This man was the only one Jun Mo Xie could consider a true 'assassin' in this world. The other groups of assassins he had confronted in this world were no more than good Xuan experts.
[Did they possess an assassin's style?]
[Those people don't deserve the tag of an 'assassin'!]
Moreover, that assassin was in possession of an extremely fast and unique technique. Jun Mo Xie's killing-ability would shoot-up like a whirlwind if he were able to obtain that skill. Then, he could even hope to kill a Spirit Xuan expert by staging an ambush for the same.
[There must be some mystery behind his speed.]
Jun Mo Xie hid in nothingness till he approached his own small courtyard. His train of thought stopped and he stared blankly in confusion upon seeing two figures up-ahead.
There were two figures at the entrance of his courtyard. They were small and frail. They were kneeling on the ground; their backs were straight. It was impossible to guess how long they had been kneeling like this. However, they seemed stubborn and unwilling to stop.
Jun Mo Xie sighed as his demonic and shadow-less figure slowly walked past them. These two were among the many children he and his uncle had rescued from the Huang Hua Hall. The rest of the children had been re-located to good places. However, these two children had refused to leave for the life of them. They only desired to learn the skills they'd need to extract their revenge.
Their disabilities couldn't be regarded as 'very serious'. However, they were both mute. Their tongues had been cut into half. They would never speak again. Moreover, one of them had only one arm left.
It wasn't that Jun Mo Xie's heart hadn't been moved by their perseverance. However, he had reluctantly rejected them after an examination. These kids had astonishing willpower, and their hatred towards their enemy would also be helpful. However, their aptitude was mediocre; to say nothing of the fact that they had become physically handicapped.
The Huang Hua Hall hadn't abandoned the prospect of their cultivation for no reason.
Jun Mo Xie had whole-heartedly considered training the two children at one point. He figured that he could use his harsh training methods to suit their tenacious wills. They could show significant progress in just over a decade as long as they were willing to endure the cruel training and have an old-fashioned 'baptism by fire'. In fact, they'd even have a chance at reaching the Earth Xuan realm!
Earth Xuan level could never be considered meagre. An ordinary person would struggle his whole life to attain it. It was a very high goal for an ordinary person to look up to. However, this target had no meaning in the eyes of the Young Master and these kids.
However, could Jun Mo Xie afford to train them? He'd have to spend lots of time and money on their training and rehabilitation. Moreover, it would be a great waste if their progress were to stop at the Earth Xuan realm. Therefore, Jun Mo Xie had considered the topic for a long time, and had then decided that the prospect of their cultivation wasn't worth the effort.
Moreover, their strong desire for revenge wouldn't help in reaping any short-term results. Therefore, it didn't have any significance.
Jun Mo Xie sympathized with them. In fact, he secretly praised their will-power. But, he had realized that it wasn't meant to be.
However, those two children were seen kneeling outside his courtyard ever since he had refused to train them. They could not speak, but their eyes would implore Jun Mo Xie whenever they'd see him.
It was already the ninth day since they had been kneeling at the entrance of his courtyard.
Their slender bodies trembled as they heard the familiar sound of Jun Mo Xie's footsteps. They straightened their backs even more; though, they still remained motionless in that kneeling position.
The Young Master Jun sighed as he slowly walked to stand in front of them. "Look up and look at me!" his voice was a command they couldn't defy.
Their bodies trembled as they looked up to face Jun Mo Xie in accordance with his command.
Jun Mo Xie was startled. Those two must be around thirteen or fourteen years in age. However, their eyes no longer showed the same longing and urgency of the past few days. That expression had been replaced by deathly stillness.
However, it wasn't exactly an empty sort of deathly stillness. Rather, it was one where they had disregarded life and death; it was the deathly still of an individual who had disregarded the mortal world.
That 'deathly stillness' wasn't synonymous with 'emptiness'.
Jun Mo Xie sighed inside. [These are the eyes of a top-notch killer.] One could only bring-out this expression in their eyes once they had been oppressed to an extreme degree, and had begun to consider human life as worthless. In fact, such people considered their own life to be worthless.
If their natural endowments had been any better… as long as it was even a little bit better — Jun Mo Xie would've accepted them without hesitation. However, he was helpless at that point of time. Their natural endowments were too substandard…
It required 1% 'insight' and 99% 'sweat' to become formidable. However, that 1% 'insight' was the key. It was more important than the remaining 99% 'sweat'.
"Tell me your reasons! Show me the extent of your determination!" Jun Mo Xie's heart felt pity. These two children had suffered a lot. A normal person couldn't even imagine their suffering. Their hearts were filled with hatred towards their enemy, but they didn't have any aptitude to practice martial arts. Therefore, Jun Mo Xie couldn't help but sigh.
Determination?
The two children looked at each other. Then, they nodded heavily in unison.
The child on the left slowly extended the finger of his remaining hand to his mouth. He then bit-down on it resolutely. The kid bit with considerable effort, and tilted his head to the side until he had torn-off a chunk of his own flesh. A river of blood rushed-out from that finger. His entire body shivered with pain, and his face had gone deathly. However, he was otherwise motionless. The child then started to write a character on the ground with the flow of his own blood. He had only written about half of it when the blood-flow slowed down. The boy looked at it in an unsatisfied manner. He then brought his finger to his mouth again. He desperately and ferociously bit-down on it again as he tore-out some more flesh.
A small piece of finger's bone was also pulled out. The white mix of flesh and bone fell-down. A fountain of blood shot-out. The fountain of blood gushed-out far, and some of it was even spilt on Jun Mo Xie's face.
The other child mimicked the first one, and bit into his finger as well. The two children's bodies shivered, yet they maintained control over themselves as the blood gushed-out. The children then drew big and straight characters on the ground.
The child on the left wrote, "I will kill them by hacking them down. I will have no regrets till I die."
The child on the right wrote, "Those who aren't powerful — can only die; nothing more."
Their words contained power. The two of them were trembling with pain; but, they wrote each character meticulously, and with a lot of effort.
The two children kneeled facing Jun Mo Xie after they had finished writing, and knocked their heads heavily on the ground.
Jun Mo Xie's eyes suddenly turned red. He felt a strange feeling in his heart; his heart had started to tremble ferociously.
Jun Mo Xie had conducted himself with cold-blooded apathy in both his lives. He had never been benevolent, and looked at all living things as 'mowed grass' or 'lowly dogs'. He was numb inside, and thought nothing of the common people. He hadn't felt the least bit disturbed when he had witnessed the horrors of the Huang Hua Hall that day. He wasn't shaken at all. However, the stubborn acts of these two youngsters had moved him very deeply.
"Good! If this is how you feel — I will not be miserly to present you the opportunity!" Jun Mo Xie took a long breath. The color of his eyes became milder as he continued in a sinking voice, "The opportunity I shall provide might grant you the power to rule over the heaven and earth someday. However, it is important that you remember that such a path is full of killing and death! I hope that you… will not disappoint me."
The two children looked up in unison. They couldn't speak, but their eyes were full of ecstasy. Then, that ecstasy was suddenly replaced by unwavering determination. It seemed that they had made the decision from the bottom of their souls. They looked at Jun Mo Xie and knocked their heads on the ground. One of the heads got injured, and blood started to stream out from it.
Jun Mo Xie quickly took the children into his arms and flew inside; he nearly burst-through the entrance. These two had suffered a lot of pain to demonstrate their determination. They hadn't made any noise to reveal their pain, but they'd be in a lot of trouble if they weren't administered a timely medical treatment. This could turn into a very big problem.
Jun Mo Xie had already decided to help them. So, he wasn't going to let another mishap happen to them again.
They possessed such great will-power. They may not have much aptitude, but wouldn't their immense will-power make up for it? The number of people who possessed the necessary aptitude were the same as the number of sand perches on this land. But, how many people had such a strong will-power?
What would natural talent achieve if one didn't have the desire…?
When a person could be so fierce in dealing with themselves — how would they deal with their enemy?
Two phrases had been smeared in blood at the entrance of the courtyard. The words within these phrases dazzled brightly.
"I will kill them by hacking them down. I will have no regrets till I die."
"Those who aren't powerful — can only die; nothing more."
The curtain of darkness hooded the sky.
Jun Mo Xie frowned and pondered deeply as he looked at the two thin and weak figures that lay on his bed.
His residence was full of wounded people. There was a think scent of medicine in the air.
Ye Gu Han lay tranquilly on the giant bed on the side. His breathing was faint, but he was free from danger.
Jun Mo Xie had tidied-up another bed on the side. It had been taken-over by those two children at that moment.
Three wounded people; three crippled individuals.
Those two youngsters had stretched their vitalities to the limit. They had fainted right after Jun Mo Xie had promised to help them. However, they had fainted noiselessly. They hadn't even issued a groan.
Jun Mo Xie had seen many fierce people. However, this was the first he had seen someone with such a strong base in terms of ferocity, and none with relation to martial arts.
[Will these little devils turn out fiercer than me?]
[Since I've promised to help them… how can I train-up these talentless individuals in the shortest amount of time?] Jun Mo Xie was completely clueless in this regard.
[With Xuan Qi? No, this method won't do. The Huang Hua Hall wouldn't have stuffed them into those giant jars if they had any aptitude for Xuan Qi practice.]
[That's it for that angle!]
Jun Mo Xie suddenly stood-up. There was an ominous glint in his eyes. [At worst, I can teach them my previous life's Core Law! I'll train them in accordance to the standards I practiced in those days. And as for how much they can advance… it will depend on their luck! And I should be able to refine a 'cleaning essence' Dan if I'm able to ascend to the fourth level of Art of Unlocking the Heaven's Fortune…]
[I'll personally train these two into something which would shock the entire Xuan Xuan Continent! They would eventually be capable of killing the Gods of this continent! With their willpower, my Core Law and Dan medicine… these two terrifying demons would rise like the stars!]
Jun Mo Xie left the room gently, and sat on the threshold. He looked up at the night sky. His train of thought was long, and a lot of time had passed by the time it ended. The stubbornness of those two youngsters had evoked his own past in his mind.
[Wasn't I the same as those two in my previous life? I used to play with my life. I would push myself to my limits in training. How many times did I pass out from the shock of pain? How many times did I push myself to the point of death?]
In what way had Jun Xie's unrivalled reputation come about? Who knew how much effort, sweat and tears of blood had been invested into his reputation…? His fellow apprentices were trying their hardest, but his training had exceeded their difficulty by three times.
Any man who desired success and unrivalled fame — had to be very fierce with himself!
Facing the enemy with ferocity was nothing — being fierce with oneself was important. A true assassin would never care about his life or his accomplishments. Worrying about capabilities brings harm. The worry of one's mind would act as an obstacle.
These… were the words of his previous life's master!
An image of a face floated in front of Jun Mo Xie. It was a face which was black as iron, and cold as ice. Murderous aura emanated from its eyes. However, he felt relieved whenever those two eyes would look at him. However, Jun Mo Xie could feel the presence of those eyes even though he tried to dodge them.
Those eyes were full of nothingness. It was as if they had passed through the two worlds, and were gazing at him from the distance.
He shivered in their cold — just as in the past — but it felt auspicious and peaceful.
"Master…" Jun Mo Xie had lower his head, and covered his knees with his hands in sadness. A door opened, and a ray of light escaped from that crack. It painted Jun Mo Xie's silhouette. His silhouette curled-up as it shivered in the night wind. It was somewhat lonely.
Power… was it worth yearning for?
He heard light footsteps behind him, and then felt a warm overcoat cover his body.
Jun Mo Xie remained as motionless as before, and asked, "Tell me Little Ke… do you wish to become a powerful individual?"
"Ah?" the little girl cried in alarm. This was clearly unexpected, "Become powerful? What use will that be?"
"What use will that be? That's an interesting question. If you become someone like the old Solitary Falcon — you can kill whomever you want to kill. You can live in this world free and unfettered; don't you wish such a life?" Jun Mo Xie asked heavily.
The little girl walked to his side, and calmly sat down beside him. She then tilted her head, and placed her hands on her cheeks to support it. The girl then looked up at the moon and started to ponder earnestly. The moonlight sprinkled on her face; it brought out a somewhat beautiful and gentle flavor to her face.
A little time passed. Then, the little girl smiled shyly and said, "Powerful… I don't want to become that kind of a person."
"Oh? Why?" Jun Mo Xie tilted his head and looked at the little girl. Little Ke's words came very unexpectedly to him. According to Hit-man Jun's view of the world — any person would answer in the affirmative if they were provided an opportunity to become a powerful individual. It didn't matter what they did afterwards to achieve it.
Little Ke lowered her head shyly, and started to gently nip at her nails, "Young Master, I don't know what it would feel like to be a strong person. But, I don't think… perhaps I'll enjoy the attention and the praise. But, I don't know why… but I don't want it. I'm only a little girl; Young Master's little girl. All I want… is to take care of the Young Master every day. I look forward to washing Young Master's clothes, make food for Young Master, and wait for him to return when he has gone out. I just want to be an ordinary maid."
The little girl smiled shyly again, and spoke, "Young Master, do these words mean that I don't have any spirit? But… I really don't want to become strong!"
"No, what you said… I really like it. You're an adorable little girl who I'm very fond of!" Jun Mo Xie carefully looked at the little girl who sat beside him; for the first time. The moonlight shone on her skin. Her white-blond hair was tied in a bun, and the loose silky strands danced in the wind. Her long eyelashes blinked, and there was a tuft of hair sticking to the skin beside her ear.
The little girl felt a bit uneasy since she was being seized-up by Jun Mo Xie. She twisted her fingers, but pretended to not notice. However, her heart was jumping madly inside her chest. Her face slowly turned red as she lowered her head; she felt like a deer inside her heart.
Jun Mo Xie's face reveled in an interesting smile as he felt his mind relax. His heart felt at ease upon having such a pleasant little girl beside him. He unexpectedly felt a faint yet heartfelt happiness.
Everyone had their own way of 'living'. This was the least one could do without a problem.
Like the little girl; her dream was very simple, practical and very warm…
He caressed her beautiful hair softly and said, "You hurry-up to your room, and go to sleep." Jun Mo Xie was astonished to find that his voice had been very… gentle. He felt like he was facing the daughter of his previous life's master…
"Yes…" the little girl answered as she lowered her head. She stood up slowly. She could feel her cheeks getting warmer. It was like her entire body lacked strength as she slowly walked to her room.
She walked two steps before she thought of something, and then turned around to say, "Young Master… you'll go to sleep early… huh?" She found that the Young master, who was just sitting beside her a moment ago, had disappeared without a trace by the time she had turned her head.
"He's very quick…" The little girl bit her lip and smiled shyly again. She then pursed her mouth and raised her head as she remembered what had happened earlier that morning. This made her cover her face… [I am thinking nonsense…]
Jun Mo Xie welcomed the night wind. He didn't even leave a shadow as he flew fast. He could feel the Art of Unlocking the Heaven's Fortune revolving inside of him. Each cycle brought about a large surge of formidable strength in him. There was an unstoppable tendency of Qi flowing through his meridians. He felt extremely satisfied at that moment.
The first target was the Magnificent Jewel Hall.
Jun Mo Xie painstakingly restrained his own aura. He floated silently for a while, and then submerged underground. The Young Master Jun then used his spirit sense to search each and every inch of the land ahead as it slowly spread out.
Jun Mo Xie hadn't forgotten how he had nearly been discovered by Lei Wu Bei the last time. He knew that there were at least three Spirit Xuan experts inside the Magnificent Jewel Hall. So how could he act carelessly?
Being cautious and prudent was a top 'character requirement' for an assassin.
However, the result of his spirit sense's probe greatly alarmed him.
When did the Magnificent Jewel hall have so many experts?
This was quite a terrifying strength!
Jun Mo Xie had searched every corner of the Magnificent Jewel Hall. There were several powerful people in the Magnificent Jewel Hall. Some of them were clearly at the Spirit Xuan Realm, while the others were at least at the peak of the Sky Xuan. He could sense seven powerful Individuals! There were two weaker people as well. They must be Xiao Han and Mu Xue Tong.
[When did so many powerful experts fall from the sky?]
[Are they possibly the re-enforcements from the Silver Blizzard City?]
And Jun Mo Xie's spirit sense detected a very formidable presence in the center. [It must be a Spirit Xuan expert.] There was one amongst them, who, although wasn't as strong as Solitary Falcon… but wasn't very weak in comparison. In fact, he was nearly as strong as the Great Master!
One, two, three… four… five… and another one! There were six other Spirit Xuan experts present there! Jun Mo Xie felt himself getting drenched in sweat.
Notes:
Horse stance is martial training stance. Imagine a person sitting on a horse. Now remove the horse, and just imagine the person. The resultant image is a 'horse' stance.
