Wu Xingyu could hardly sleep all night. He laid on the inside, squeezing close to the wall and staying as still as he could with Song Yehai right next to him. The next morning when he woke up the area beside him was already empty.
"Yehai's an even earlier bird than I am. But didn't he go to sleep later than I did?"
Hopping off the bed Wu Xingyu quickly dressed his outer white garments. Stepping out of the room he found Song Yehai speaking with Meng Qi.
"Xingyu, you're awake."
"Sorry, I overslept."
"No, your timing is fine," Song Yehai turned back to Meng Qi. "Xingyu and I are about to head off now. This trip will take around three to five days. Take care of Wu Yi and the Cold Night Hall while we're gone."
"I will, Master."
"Tai Ying should be back by the end of today," said Wu Xingyu. "When he arrives with the Spinal Centipede kept it contained in a cage. No jar will be big enough for it."
"Ok, I got it. Grandmaster Wu, master, it's going to be a dangerous journey. You two have to be careful."
"Mn," Song Yehai gave an assuring nod before he and Wu Xingyu left together.
Han Lu walked up to them with a carriage that had enough space for only one passenger and one rider tied to his reins. Wu Xingyu hopped on first in the passenger seat at the back while Song Yehai sat at the front. After ensuring that Wu Xingyu was sitting comfortably, though the space was a little cramped, he flicked the reins and Han Lu took off.
During the trip, Song Yehai made the sudden remark to Wu Xingyu, "You seem to have known Wu Yi before."
"What makes you think that?" asked Wu Xingyu.
Song Yehai, observant of Wu Xingyu's reaction, responded with a soft yet thoughtful look that restrained the desire to pry. Flustered by his gaze Wu Xingyu quickly looked away.
"Did Wu Yi say something about me? Or did I do something that made you think so?"
"No, not really."
"You must have noticed something."
"I was just asking out of curiosity. If it's personal to you, I don't mind not being told about it."
"It's not that it's personal or anything. It's just that I've never told anyone before. But I suppose I can tell you, since you're Ah-Xuan's master."
"Ah-Xuan?"
"Back then she was called Ah-Xuan. She stayed with me for nearly a year before I left her at the East Sea Temples."
"When Wu Yi first entered the Sea Dragon Sect as a disciple, she was discovered being knowledgeable of a writing style that only belonged to the White Phoenix Sect," recalled Song Yehai. "At first I thought she was potentially another survivor of the sect."
"Another survivor?" Wu Xingyu smiled wryly.
"After taking her in as my disciple, I realised that she has no memory of anything before coming to the East Seas temples. I checked her physical and spiritual health. Neither matched what a disciple of the White Phoenix Sect would've had. She wasn't a survivor of the sect."
"You're right. She's not."
"But she knows your sect's writing style. It's because she must've been with you for a time, right?"
"Yes."
"What happened to her? Why can't she remember her past?"
"Before leaving her at the East Sea Temples, I wiped out some of her memories so that she won't be able to remember anything that happened before she arrived at the East Seas Temple."
"Why did you do that?"
Wu Xingyu's eyes fell as he recalled the difficult decision. Song Yehai, picking up on his despondency, said, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
Wu Xingyu recalled the time when Wu Yi was in his care. "Ten years ago I came across a household under attack by a horde of demons."
The miasmic, foreboding cloud descended steadily upon the household and spread its demarcating edges like a plague, absorbing all light of everything it touched. Demons of all monstrosities, ghoulish, savage, deformed and morbid, emerged from its folds, their eyes blazing with malevolence as they poured out to commence their bloodbath. Some were multi-legged, some long-tongued, some scaly-bodied and some with horns. Scurrying the areas they searched everywhere for humans to feast to their fill.
Within the darkness they came from stood a small girl no older than four or five, unearthly and cadaverous, in light-coloured clothes. Undisturbed by the hellish horde surrounding her, she looked more like a doll than a human with that emotionless expression she wore.
The household was consumed by chaos and destruction as the demons' relentless onslaught destroyed everything in their path. Breaking through walls, shattering windows and splintering doors, they tore their long, whetted claws and plunged their rows of razor-sharp teeth into the desperately fleeing occupants. A small number of the them cowered in the corners of the most secluded rooms in this residence, barricading the doors with all kind of furnitures they had. Tremors of overwhelming force threatened to barge through the feeble barricades as the demons slammed themselves again and again to reach their prey. Cracks crawled up the walls and all over the ceilings.
"We're all going to die!"
A cacophony of screams burst out from the terror-stricken occupants.
"I don't want to die yet!"
"Heaven! Help us!"
The rapid swish of sharp metals sliced through the shrieks and squeals of the demons at this moment, silencing them on the spot. The occupants looked up with hopeful eyes at the sound of someone killing away those demons.
"We are saved! Someone's here to save us!"
Wu Xingyu made quick work with ensuring the people's safety by placing a number of demon-repelling talismans on the doors before heading straight outside. He hacked his way through several more demons before arriving at the centre where the girl was.
"Who are you?" Wu Xingyu interrogated but stopped when he saw through her expressionless facade.
It was hiding a mangled and distressed soul. Demonic energy had been pumped to the brim in her body. One could only imagine the amount of anguish and pain it was causing her. Wu Xingyu's heart ached as his gaze deepened at her small, gaunt face. He was peering into her eyes that were looking askance and unable to cry.
A tall, lean man appeared behind her, walking like he was stepping on clouds. He wore striking make-up of blood red shades above his eyes, coal black brows, lengthy eyeliners and crimson lips revealing fanged canines when they opened in a sadistic smile. His fingers were long and taloned with sharp, red nails, and he wore a black outer robe over crimson inner robes.
"Wu Xingyu, I've missed you," his voice was somewhat high but playful and alluring. "Have you perhaps missed me as well?"
"Dong Riyang, have you gone insane? To think you would even use children just to keep spreading demons!"
"Have I gone insane?" the man laughed heartily, his arms widespread. "Yes, I have. I've gone insane from missing you. I've gone insane from you not missing me in return. I've also gone insane from loneliness, pain, love and hate! Wu Xingyu, do you understand what I'm saying to you?"
Wu Xingyu pointed his sword at him. "Enough of your bullshit! Let that girl go!"
"You want me to let my disciple go? Oh, I don't think so!"
"Your... your disciple?" a look of horror manifested on Wu Xingyu's face.
"What, are you jealous of my little Ah-Xuan? Or have you taken a fancy on her?"
"Ah-Xuan?"
The doll-like eyes of the girl perked up at the sound of her name coming out from someone other than the man controlling her. Gazing intently at Wu Xingyu, a sheen of tears unconsciously surfaced.
"What exactly have you done to her? How long have you kept her by my side?"
"Not very long. She was an orphan I just happened to pick up and take under my wing," Dong Riyang's long fingers slid down the girl's cheek before pinching her by the chin. "I am her master now, and she will do everything I say."
"I said let her go!" Wu Xingyu leapt forward and stabbed his sword at Dong Riyang, who stepped to the side, his manoeuvres evasive and elegant like a dancer as he dodged the blade coming at him. Wu Xingyu's attacks were fierce but he was still holding back in fear that Dong Riyang may suddenly use the girl as a shield.
Dong Riyang eventually took out a long sewing needle from his sleeve and flicked it at Wu Xingyu's hand. Wu Xingyu swung his sword, hitting the fragile yet deadly projectile away. The needle struck a stray demon in the forehead, causing it to drop and writhe on the ground before exploding into smoke and vanishing without a trace.
"Not bad. You're reflexes have improved. But let's see if you can take on this!"
Dong Riyang threw out several more needles at a blinding speed. Wu Xingyu deflected them all away at the demons. He took extra care to not to hit the girl by accident. Another needle, supercharged with overwhelming spiritual energy, smashed against the blade. The metal vibrated loudly with a teeth-grinding tinkle, the sound unbearable to the ear. With the next swing, the sword was snapped into two.
"Xingyu, oh Xingyu," Dong Riyang spoke as if he was singing or in a trance. "I just broke your sword. Now I'm going to break you!"
Wu Xingyu braced himself for the next needle but Dong Riyang faced Ah-Xuan and seized her neck.
"NO! STOP!" he screamed at the top of his lungs.
Ah-Xuan made no reaction, remaining lifeless as she was lifted off the ground and strangled. Feebly she glanced at Wu Xingyu, the tears squeezing their way out of her eyes as her lips quivered an inaudible but desperate plea, "Help me."
A shockwave of devastating energy rippled out from where Wu Xingyu stood. Heeding the cry of a tortured, innocent soul, his powers magnified. Dong Riyang froze on the spot, analysing the blast of energy he had just experienced. It did not seem to have inflicted anything on him externally, but it's internal effect had forced waterfalls of sweat down his temples.
Wu Xingyu was exuding an incredible aura of resolve and killing intent. He took out the Purple Feather Fan and spun it in his hand. Swirls of purple currents formed into a number of tornadoes that surrounded Dong Riyang, blasting in his face and ruffling his hair.
"What's this?" Dong Riyang shielded his eyes from the splash of dust and pebbles.
Wu Xingyu sliced the air with his fan. An air current, sharp as a blade, flew at Dong Riyang's wrist, cuffing around it before cutting inwards. Dong Riyang released Ah-Xuan and pulled his hand out of the cuff. Another tornado snatched up Ah-Xuan, carrying her like a pair of cradling arms, and brought her to Wu Xingyu.
Dong Riyang threw out another handful of needles, but all got swallowed up by the tornadoes before getting redirected back at him. He leapt out of the way and the needles pierced the ground where he stood before.
"So this is the True Samadhi Wind of the Purple Peacock!" he said before letting out a laugh. "Wu Xingyu, you lucky bastard, when did you get your hands on such a rare item of that holy beast?"
Ignoring the question, Wu Xingyu directed the tornadoes to start slashing up the demons and breaking into the miasma to disperse it.
"You think you can kill all the demons like this?" taunted Dong Riyang. "The source is Ah-Xuan. Unless she dies, these demons never will!"
Wu Xingyu's arm around Ah-Xuan tightened. He fanned the air harder.
"You don't know anything about her but you're already giving everything you've got just to try and save her. Aren't you a saint? Do you want to know how she came to my care?"
The tornadoes seemed to pick up speed and ferocity. The demons dropped around him like a shower of stones.
"Not curious in the slightest? Well let me tell you anyways. She was abandoned by her own family to a river. They just put her in a basket before setting her off. When I went to train at the riverside, her basket floated its way to me. It had a letter inside addressing either the river god or river dragon, requesting him to accept their three-year-old daughter in exchange for better produce next year, or something like that. When I first saw her, I was shocked at how small and thin she was. She could fit in that basket, but she was all tied up and practically shoved into it."
A crescent-shaped current cut through the air towards Dong Riyang, who leapt out of the way. The air blade struck the earth and left a small crater.
"I'm certain I've taught you manners, Wu Xingyu. How rude of you to attack me while I'm in the middle of talking."
"You're always full of shit!"
"Me? Full of shit? Ha ha ha, yes I am, and it always got on your nerves, didn't it?"
Three more air blades attacked Dong Riyang. Three demons came in and took those blades, losing their heads in the process. Another blade went straight for Dong Riyang's head. Dong Riyang dodged it but the blade, shrouded in purple wisps and whirls, flew back like a boomerang. Dong Riyang's eyes widened as he realised it was not an air blade.
Wu Xingyu threw a punch at him. Dong Riyang caught the fist and sparred with him in an intense fight of barehanded kung fu. Every move was powerful, fast, smooth and precise, working at blinding speeds and overwhelming strengths.
"When was the last time we fought like this?" Dong Riyang asked casually in the middle of the fight.
"How should I remember?"
"Isn't this exciting?"
"Exciting my ass!" Wu Xingyu's attacks intensified but Dong Riyang could still hold his ground.
As the battle dragged the Purple Feather Fan waited for the right moment and went for Dong Ryan's head again. Dong Riyang leaned back to evade just as Wu Xingyu kicked him in the legs, tripping him. The Purple Feather Fan went for the ground. Dong Riyang promptly rolled to the side, barely escaping the attack with only a grazed eyebrow. Feeling the blood trickle, he touched the corner of his eye and rubbed out the blood.
"Did you injure my face?" he gasped.
The fan returned to Wu Xingyu, whose arms sustained a number of cuts and bruises. Channeling spiritual energy, he created several more tornadoes to dispatch the remaining demons before fanning over his arms. His scratches sucked up the bloodstains before closing off, healing into perfect, untouched skin.
"Remove the demonic source from Ah-Xuan and I'll heal the cut on your face."
Dong Riyang glared intently at Wu Xingyu, his lips twisting into a smirk. Narrowing his eyes, he took out a needle and flicked it towards Wu Xingyu who caught it by the middle with a pinch of his fingers. The scent of anti-demon energy was smeared over the tip.
Taking out Ah-Xuan's hand, Wu Xingyu pierced the needle into a vein in her wrist. Ah-Xuan's stomach lurched and she threw up a mouthful of black liquid that immediately began evaporating when it splattered all over the ground. The miasma dispersed with a poof.
Wu Xingyu caught the fainted Ah-Xuan and gently laid her to the ground. He swung the fan across, creating a small draft that ruffled Dong Riyang's hair. The wound on his brow healed and the blood on his face was cleaned off. He pulled a mirror out of his sleeves and examined his face.
"Ah, beautiful as it should be!" he patted his cheeks pleasingly.
"I'm taking Ah-Xuan with me," said Wu Xingyu.
Dong Riyang glared fiercely at Wu Xingyu before storing his mirror back in his sleeves. "Fight me in a fair and square duel. No weapons, no spiritual or demonic energy. Winner takes Ah-Xuan."
Wu Xingyu wordlessly accepted the terms.