The morning we set off was annoyingly sunny. The air was fresh, the sky naked of life so that the blue seemed to lean closer, reach out and touch you. Even the village smoke rose directly up, not yet dispersed by a breeze. It should have been peaceful. It wasn't.
He felt it as Lin Xuan emerged from the back of his small hut. The eyes. Not all were enemies — some simply took furtive interest, hanging back in thresholds or pretending to be otherwise occupied. But more than enough were upon his heels that the path to the Stone Arch felt narrower than it had a day ago.
[Crowd Advisory: Elevated crowd awareness level. Three individual watchers a distance of 20–40 paces. A series of one-line interruptions that break line-of-sight tail.]
He settled back into a casual pace, not knowing that he had seen. The seal of the Azure Spirit Sect lay next to his wrist, pressed against it within his sleeve — a vow, and an enemy.
Simple plan: meet up with Yun Ruo at the Arch a little after midmorning, travel light, and not go too far to fan Luo Feng's wounded ego. Yet the System's soft chime was well on its way to breaking up that simplicity.
Signs on the Road
North along the dirt path, through little valleys and spiny pines. Birds called to one another from the trees, then disappeared into silence as often as not with each gust of wind.
Lin Xuan came to a stop after two bends, where he discovered an opening in the bushes that was just big enough for someone to pass through without making any noise. The trail that didn't exist yesterday.
(Env changed – likely ambush vector. Estimated interception distance: 380 meters.)
He walked right over it without a glance. Twenty more paces and the solid odor of oiled leather hit him. Fresh.
The next curve was tighter, with brush on both sides. Perfect for a choke point. Perhaps its mouth curved into a smile when it panned to the open at his front, an image of him frozen halfway through padding with one hand lifted as though answering the blur of a small travel bag shifted upon his back. Readerenaries could overtake stringy strands of senselessly unpruned hair around his face before glancing glasses that wore their eyes half-lidded. The wind brought him the sound of a bowstring being pulled taut too, ever so slightly, and a voice cursing when the author's foot slid in wet earth.
He smiled inwardly. That is how they intend to see me on my way.
The Ambush Revealed
In the middle of Wei Ping and Shan Mu stepped into the road, Luo Feng was at the front. His smug grin was thin, caught between his face cracking in two and breaking all pretenses of working up to a smirk since the river bank.
"Going somewhere?" he shouted, tone too loud for this fragile morning.
Two elderly men arrived from the brush on either side — neither familiar to Lin Xuan, but their stance and manner of speech told him that they were cultivators. Both of them are in the Early Qi Gathering Stage.
And finally there was the most important one: Luo Chen. He was even taller, even broader, the air thick around him with conserved violence. His smirk was gone, replaced by a chilling stare.
Exactly five paces away from Lin Xuan. If you believe this somehow goes better for you, than it did last time, you are even more of a fool than I imagined.
Luo Chen's expression didn't change. "You humiliated my cousin. That can't be left unanswered."
(Threat Evaluation: Luo Chen – Qi Gathering (Mid). Primary Combat Path: Power Strikes. Secondary: Shockwave Burst.) Secondary threats: Two auxiliaries (Qi Gathering Early) – Grappling, Short-Blade Wei Ping/Shan Mu – untrained.)
The First Exchange
Luo Chen didn't waste words. Boots ripping up the dirt, came in hot. It also made the pine branches shiver, as his fist ripped through the air.
[Skill Alert: Iron Mountain Fist (Junior)! Acquire?] "Yes."
The posture, the step of gravity, and full counter means were all in Lin Xuan's head locked. He turned and allowed the fist to glide past him, he then followed up with a palm strike aimed for Luo Chen's lateral ribs. Though the strike landed, the man's body was akin to stone, bending as if alive for him to grasp Lin Xuan's arm.
[Counter: Twist-break into elbow strike is encouraged.]
Lin Xuan snatched his wrist, Lin Hai immediately broke it free of the hold, a sharp elbow thudding towards Luo Chen, grazing past the corner of his jaw. Enough to sting. Not enough to stop him.
The two auxiliaries rushed in. One of them drew a small blade, while the other lowered his posture for a tackle.
{Skills Detected: Twin Fang Blade (Low-grade) + River Ox Grapple (Low-grade). Acquire?] "Yes."
Blade coming low; deflect down and to the right into opponent in normal step. They collided, swearing.
Luo Feng's Opening
Luo Feng dashed forward from the back, staff whistling towards Lin Xuan's knees.
[Skill Locked: Crippled Crane Sweep (Low-grade) Acquire?] "Yes."
Lin Xuan leaped lightly, extended the shaft of the staff behind him, and stabbed Luo Feng's back in one stroke. Both went sprawling.
He opened again after the pause—Luo Chen's next hit struck his shoulder hard enough to numb his arm.
Pain flared. He spun the joint one time and jangled life between the tendons.
The Fight Tightens
The auxiliaries regrouped, flanking again. Low, high: Grappler Low to high: Blade user
[Recommended Combo: River Ox Grapple into Twin Fang Blade into Iron Mountain Fist.]
The grapple popped — head weight drop, body hip rotation. He trapped the knife wrist, giving it a twist, and launched the blade spinning. This was followed by the second shoulder slam which slammed the man into the dusty ground.
The blade wielder hesitated. Mistake. Lin Xuan flicked his legs and grounded.
Head-to-Head with Luo Chen
Before him, only Luo Chen and Luo Feng remained. The rest were down or dazed.
Luo Chen confessed, "You're much stronger than I expected." 'You are however still not walking away.
[Ability Detected: Iron Mountain Fist — Burst] Acquire?] "Yes."
Then they collided in a collision that shook Lin Xuan's whole body. This time, he bridged his rollercoaster surge with one of his own, wrenching Luo Chen's arm and bulldozing him into a throw. He crumpled as gasp was expelled from his lung, impacting the dust.
Luo Feng was stunned before he shifted his eyes from cousin Luo Hua standing aside, to Lin Xuan and dashed away into the bushes.
The Witness Steps In
Yun Ruo came down from the slope above, her eyes sweeping over everything. She was no longer hooded but the light caught her silver clasp of hair in the morning sun.
"You're early," Lin Xuan said.
I had wondered for weeks before you called if you would still be around; your reply was "I wanted to see if you'd survive the walk right down to that Arch." She stopped her sight at Luo Chen who was still panting. "You did."
She stepped closer. You made a brand new enemy who remembers you. Enemies last longer than some friends.
Lin Xuan said, "And I'll remember you."
She gave the faintest nod. "Good. Now come. The sect doesn't wait."
The Departure… Almost
As the hills fell back, she and her father walked together in front of the Stone Arch, the unpaved road wide enough for them. There was no more noise from the village, only a rustling of pine needles above.
Yet when the stone pillars of the Arch hove into view, a different note sounded out from the System.
[System Alert: Unknown Observer Detected – high ground, 300 meters. Qi Signature: Concealed. Expected cultivation stage: Qi Gathering (High).]
Lin Xuan's hand slowly drifted toward the spear shaft strapped across his back. Yun Ruo's head turned slightly.
"You feel it?" she asked.
"Yes."
"Good," she said. "Because the village wasn't the last challenge you would face today."
The wind changed direction, with it there was a faint smell of blood and mowed grass- and something nastier underneath.
And then they entered the shadow of the arch.
The first arrow hissed down.