Leaning against the wall outside Ma Jingguo's bedroom, Bazar Batu watched the end of the hallway for any sign of life. He didn't have to wait long. Kuo Changchang rounded the corner, a worried look on his face as he balanced a tray with a bowl of steaming medicine and a small plate of food. The bitter scent of the herbs filled the air long before he arrived.
"Benefactor Bazar," Kuo Changchang said, "What are you doing here?"
"He's been gone for a while now," Bazar Batu replied, ignoring her question.
"Did he say where he was going?" she asked, her eyes darting toward the bedroom door.
"He's looking for Mu Dishi," he said. A flicker of sadness crossed her face, and he met her gaze. "Jeijei, do you still care about him?"
"We used to be classmates," Kuo Changchang said, her voice a bit shaky. "I was very worried about him. He's still a disciple of the Jinfeng Sect, and he worries too much about Mu Dishi. I'm afraid he might get hurt again."
"I noticed he cares deeply of Mu Dishi," Bazar Batu replied simply.
Her gaze drifted to the bedroom door. "He has his white hair because of Mu Dishi," she confessed. "He has put himself in danger countless times just to protect him."
Bazar Batu, only seventeen years old and with little life experience, knew nothing of love. He was an expert in planning and strategy, but when it came to matters of the heart, he was still an amateur.
He sighed, the sound heavy with sorrow. "It's hard to find someone willing to love you unconditionally." He and Kuo Changchang walked into the room and sat down at the table. "Someone like Ma ge... Mu Dishi is truly lucky to have him care so deeply."
Bazar Batu frowned, a sense of longing on his face. "If I had someone who loved me like Ma ge loves that arrogant Mu Dishi, I would die a happy man."
Kuo Changchang looked at Bazar Batu and smiled. "Don't you know my didi cares about you?" she asked.
"Jiejie, I have a question," Bazar Batu said, turning his gaze to her, ignoring her remark.
"What is it?"
"I've noticed that both you and Madam Kuo are very clever. So why is Lok gege so rigid? He seems easily manipulated."
A laugh escaped Kuo Changchang. "You think so?"
Bazar Batu nodded slowly.
"He's not stupid," Kuo Changchang said, defending her brother. "He just doesn't like to speak much." She looked directly at Bazar Batu. "You won't let anyone take advantage of him, will you?"
"No, I will not," Bazar Batu replied instantly. He poured a cup of water and offered it to her. "Since I never had a sister, Jiejie, I have no one I can speak with so freely. May I speak my mind freely in front of you?"
Kuo Changchang smiled warmly. "What's on your mind?" she asked.
Bazar Batu sighed, looking troubled. "I've realized something," he began. "When I yell at or tease Lok ge, I don't think much of it. But when someone else does it, or tries to take advantage of him, I get angry." He looked at Kuo Changchang. "For instance, when that demon Miao Mingzhu looked at him in a certain way, I was furious with both of them."
Kuo Changchang's lips curved into a soft chuckle.
"Why are you laughing?" he asked, genuinely puzzled.
Kuo Changchang cleared her throat, a smile playing on her lips as she looked at his innocent expression. "My apologies," she said softly. "Please, continue expressing your feelings."
Bazar Batu continued, "When other people try to flirt with him, I just don't like it." He put the cup down on the table with a clink. "You know how angry I was when that Miao Mingzhu kissed him? I didn't speak to him for two days. I was also furious at the inn outside of town when he told me that if I liked Ma ge so much, I should just go with him instead."
He took a deep breath. "I ran out the front door, and when I got outside, I realized that everyone in that inn was standing up for Ma ge and Mu Dishi—and not him. So, I just stood there waiting. I can't tolerate stupid people, but I've found I have more tolerance for Lok gege. Is that weird?"
Kuo Changchang burst out laughing.
"Jiejie," Bazar Batu asked, confused, "are you laughing because you still think this is weird?"
"What you just described is called jealousy," she said, still smiling.
"That's not right," he protested. "Why would I be jealous of Lok gege?"
Kuo Changchang's smile softened. "You call him Lok gege instead of Lok xiong. Why?"
Bazar Batu giggled. "At first, I called him that to make fun of him," he admitted, "but then I just got used to it."
Kuo Changchang smiled and sighed softly. "Now I understand what Ah Chen said. His love for Mu Dishi came so naturally because Mu Dishi is his soulmate." She reached out and patted Bazar Batu's hand gently. "Thank you," she said.
Bazar Batu looked confused. "For what?" he asked.
"For taking care of Ah Lok," she replied. "Besides his fellow Jinfeng disciples, he doesn't have many friends. You're the first outsider he's ever talked to so freely, and he's shown a great deal of concern for you."
Bazar Batu sighed heavily, a guilty frown on his face. "That's because he thinks I'm a girl," he confessed.
A gentle smile touched Kuo Changchang's lips. "I believe he's always known you're a young man. But unless you tell him otherwise, he won't expose you."
"I don't think he's that clever," Bazar Batu said, unconvinced.
Kuo Changchang's smile widened. "Then why don't you ask him yourself? Ah Lok is a very honest person. He never lies."
Bazar Batu frowned. "I know that part," he said, his voice sharpening with concern. "He is too honest. I've warned him countless times that his honesty will just make people take advantage of him, but do you know what he told me?"
"What?" Kuo Changchang asked.
"He said that as long as he doesn't cause harm to others, he's willing to help," Bazar Batu replied, shaking his head in frustration.
Kuo Changchang sighed softly. "That's just Ah Lok."
Meanwhile, the heated discussion about how to deal with the Yueguang Sect continued in the main meeting hall. Kuo Lok, the old sheepskin map already clutched in his hand, walked calmly to Fu Yuanjun. He handed him the sheepskin and two sheets of paper.
"This should be returned to you," Kuo Lok said.
Fu Yuanjun took the items and quickly unrolled the map. His eyes widened as he recognized the faded markings. "This is the Mu treasure map," he said, looking up in shock. "How did you get this?"
"Batu drew it from his memory," Kuo Lok explained. "He found the original map, and then made a copy on those two sheets of paper."
"Thank you," Fu Yuanjun said, his eyes scanning the detailed drawings. He then looked at Kuo Jin Song and Kuo Ju. "Since your son found it, the map should be returned to your sect."
"Leader Fu," Kuo Jin Song replied, his voice firm, "the Jinfeng Sect does not want it."
Kuo Ju added, her voice calm and firm, "If we had wanted it, we would have accepted it fourteen years ago."
"There have been enough deaths," Fu Yuanjun said, looking at the map in his hands with a sense of weariness. "I want to destroy it. Mu da ge was right. There is nothing waiting for us in that treasure cave but death."
Lee Kong Bai nodded in solemn agreement. "I agree with you," he said.
Yong Gui spoke, his voice heavy with the weight of history. "Leader Fu, you are right. The desire to enter the Mu Treasure cave led to the death of seventy-one innocent people. Ten years later, it caused the death of the leaders of the three sects and four clans. Now, it has even led to the death of Er shixiong."
"And it has driven countless people to commit heinous crimes against their own brothers and masters," Elder Tong added, his expression grim. "As long as this map exists, it will only bring more death. Sometimes, it is better to simply bury and forget such things."
Monk Ling offered a solemn blessing. "Amitabh," he said.
"If I see Ma da ge again," Fu Yuanjun said, "I will apologize for destroying this map."
He walked to the iron fire pit in the middle of the room and threw the three maps into the flames. Just as the old sheepskin began to curl and blacken, the doors of the conference hall burst open. A disciple from Sword Village came flying in, crashing violently into the fire pit.
At that same moment, a silver needle flew from the entrance, piercing the slightly burnt map and pulling it from the fire. The map, still smoking from the flames, was dragged swiftly toward the front door.