The girl had a rather squeaky voice that was curt and hasty. She wore a long-sleeved, yellow dress that reached her ankles, exposing her bare feet. Her hair was parted with sunflower hair ties in three ponytails, two hanging in front of her shoulders and one behind her back. She brought up her fists, getting into a ready to fight stance.
"Are you a disciple of the Three Ghosts Sect?" asked Wu Xingyu.
"Yes I am. What do you want with our sect?"
"We don't want any trouble. We'd just like to see the Snake Bride and the Green Spider Lady. Will you please inform them that we would like to see them."
"Why do you want to see them?"
"To ask for some venom of the green spider and the fire viper."
The girl hissed. "You want the venom of my Lady and Cui Jie-jie's prized creatures? You're going to have to answer to me first!"
"You are not a match for us," said Song Yehai.
"What's that?" snapped the girl.
"Oh no young girl, please don't misunderstand," Wu Xingyu stepped in. "We have no such intentions of looking down on you."
"You probably don't, but he definitely does!" the girl pointed at Song Yehai.
Before Wu Xingyu could say more, Song Yehai held him back. "Don't bother wasting your breath with her."
"Shuying, who are you talking to?" a lady with a small face in her twenties wearing a long green dress emerged from the entrance of the cave. She had beautiful, coal black, long hair tied in a high ponytail with emerald hairpins and was also barefoot. Standing beside the girl in yellow, she was a full head taller.
"Cui Jie-jie," addressed the girl. "These two sirs want to get see you and my Lady."
The lady looked at the two men. Her initial rough and snarky demeanour immediately softened but in a sly and devious way. "Look at these two handsome gentlemen. They're really making me fall in love at first sight, but I really don't know which one to choose."
"Are you the Green Spider Lady of the Three Ghosts Sect?" asked Wu Xingyu.
"I am," the lady walked up towards them, her hand held close to her lips as she smiled coquettishly. She walked on her toes but lowered her right foot when she stood still, keeping her left leg propped up. "What brings you two to our residence? Have you perhaps come to propose to the Snake Bride? All those who seek our Lady's hand in marriage better devote your entire lives to her. We do not forgive easily those who betray her."
"They want some of the green spider and the fire viper's venom," said the little girl.
"Is that so?" The Green Spider Lady froze, her eyes perked up with intrigue. A black spider with expressive green marks crawled down her arm and onto the back of her hand.
Wu Xingyu and Song Yehai heightened their guard as they eyed the arachnid. The Green Spider Lady turned her hand over and the spider crawled onto the heart of her palm.
"I should warn you, this little guy's venom is no ordinary spider venom," she turned her hand around and dangled it with its own web like toying a yoyo. "One might meet a truly tragic, horrible death. Are you sure you want to try some of his venom?"
"We simply want to get some of the venom, not try it," explained Wu Xingyu.
A long smoking pipe appeared on the Green Spider Lady's hand. The spider crawled up its web and into the pipe's chamber. Wisps of green rose from the opening. The Green Spider Lady breathed in through the mouthpiece. Her pupils emitted a glowing green light with golden highlights under those double eyelids and voluminous lashes, "This venom is a high quality, rare artefact. Do you think we can just let anyone collect it?"
"Her eyes are no ordinary eyes," noted Song Yehai suspiciously.
"Correct," confirmed Wu Xingyu. "Her eyes are the result of what she smokes from her pipe."
"I see you are privy of some of this spider's venom's effects," observed the Green Spider Lady. She looked up and down at Wu Xingyu, appraising him. "White, plain robes where a white sash and white bamboo flute is most likely kept in those sleeves, you must the legendary Snow Phoenix Grandmaster Wu Xingyu of the White Phoenix Sect."
"I'm not legendary," downplayed Wu Xingyu.
"The White Phoenix Sect?" exclaimed the small girl. "He came from that sect that got fully wiped out?"
"Yes, I did," confirmed Wu Xingyu dryly.
"He does look like how a snow phoenix would," the girl remarked as she stared at Wu Xingyu.
"Thank you very much."
The Green Spider Lady's green lit eyes turned to Song Yehai next. "And this gentleman you brought with you, tall and upstanding with black robes over a blue uniform, is the esteemed Moon Dragon Grandmaster Song Yehai from the Sea Dragon Sect, am I right?"
Song Yehai gave a courteous nod.
"He looks nothing like a moon dragon would look like," censured the girl. Song Yehai paid no mind to that blatantly biased opinion.
"You think so?" the Green Spider Lady chuckled. When she interacted with the girl, the green in her eyes distinctly softened into a gentle and caring colour of mother nature. When she faced Wu Xingyu and Song Yehai, they sharpened with the alert and alarmed light reserved for enemies.
"Cui Jie-jie, have you met these two before?" asked the little girl.
"No, by my Lady has, and so has the Scorpion Demoness, and other former members of our sect."
"Are they famous?"
"Everyone in the cultivation world knows them, especially since their renowned defeat of the Demon Lord," the Green Spider Lady twirled the pipe in her hand. "Snow Phoenix Grandmaster, Moon Dragon Grandmaster, tell me, why should we give you some fire viper and green spider venom?"
"We'll remember this debt," promised Wu Xingyu.
The Green Spider Lady sniggered. "Oh please, I've heard enough empty promises from men in my life."
"Then what do we have to do for you to believe us?" demanded Song Yehai.
The Green Spider Lady unveiled a small dagger hidden in her sleeves and pointed it at Wu Xingyu. "Let's duel then, shall we?"
Wu Xingyu's eyes narrowed. "Duel?"
"If you win, I will tell my Lady that you have come to see her. If you lose, you and the Moon Dragon Grandmaster can both get lost."
"But we are not here to fight."
"If you choose not to fight, then I will cut out your heart and claim it for myself, and then the Moon Dragon's heart for my Lady."
"Can't we just speak nicely with you and the Snake Bride?"
"I don't think they're going to let us," Song Yehai was about to take out his whip when Wu Xingyu stopped him by taking his shoulder very lightly. Without needing to utter a word, Song Yehai understood and backed down.
"Oh, it seemed like the Moon Dragon Grandmaster was willing to fight on your behalf," said the Green Spider Lady. "Grandmaster Wu, this friend you've made is truly worth having."
"Alright, I will fight just as you wanted," relented Wu Xingyu reluctantly.
The Green Spider chuckled before lightly tapping her pipe onto the young girl's head. "Shuying, you go and fight first."
The girl looked up at the Green Spider Lady in surprise. "Me?"
The Green Spider Lady slid her dagger into the small girl's hands. "Don't worry. The Snow Phoenix Grandmaster won't hurt you. If he does, my dagger will intervene on your behalf."
"Thank you Cui Jie-jie."
"Grandmaster Wu, I advise you don't underestimate my martial sister here just because she's still young. Shuying is as crafty and cunning as a rat. If you win, then I will take on the Moon Dragon Grandmaster next. If you lose, then the Snow Phoenix Grandmaster title will be greatly embarrassed."
'Is she stalling for time?' Song Yehai wondered, attempting to make sense of the situation. 'Or does she have some other hidden agenda? Those who have fought the Green Spider Lady before have said that she is utterly merciless with her enemies and only smiles at those under her wing. Looks like they spoke the truth.'
'The Green Spider Lady may appear hard on the outside, but inside she still has the heart of a big sister,' noted Wu Xingyu as he took out his fan. 'Does she perhaps wants to use this opportunity to let the girl have a taste of the White Phoenix Sect's swordplay? I doubt it's that simple. But is it even a good idea to fight her?'
The Green Spider Lady's eyes narrowed. "That fan, it's made of purple feathers?"
"Are you just going to use a fan to fight me?" questioned Shuying indignantly.
"Shuying, do not be disrespectful to your elders," reprimanded The Green Spider Lady. "Although he's your enemy, he is still a grandmaster."
"Oh," Shuying dropped her haughty tone. "Snow Phoenix Grandmaster, I was impolite just then."
"It's no big deal," said Wu Xingyu before thinking, 'Maybe winning this duel will let The Green Spider Lady speak with the Snake Bride on our behalf.'
'I wonder if Shuying can manage at least two moves from the Snow Phoenix,' pondered The Green Spider Lady.
Song Yehai stepped back. Shuying lunged forward, closing the distance between her and Wu Xingyu and struck out a series of punches and palm strikes. Wu Xingyu effortlessly parried, using moves that hinder, capture and redirect her gaudy strikes. Grasping the ineffectiveness of direct close combat, Shuying jumped back and threw several hidden knives, none of which managed to touch Wu Xingyu. He made minimal movement to dodge them, even catching one in his hands.
"These are kitchen knives typically owned by peasants."
"I stole them from the last household I ransacked," bragged Shuying. "They were a family of butchers."
"You shouldn't steal from others."
Angered by Wu Xingyu's admonishment, Shuying snapped, "Who needs you to tell me what I should and shouldn't do? I steal whatever the hell I want and whenever I want! Nobody can stop me!"
Wu Xingyu placed the knife aside. Shuying, deceived by what seemed to be an opening, leapt forward impulsively, using The Green Spider Lady's dagger to aim for the throat. Wu Xingyu easily stopped her by thrusting his closed fan right into her wrist, the force snapping her bones and pushing the dagger away. Shuying let out a startled gasp as she shakily conceded in her head, 'If what he used was a sword instead of a fan, I would've definitely had my hand chopped off!'
Wu Xingyu was about to open his fan. Sensing its energy Shuying quickly distanced herself from her opponent and flexed her wrist as the pain slowly faded. After some thought Wu Xingyu decided to keep his fan closed.
"The phoenix is truly a beautiful creature," remarked the Green Spider Lady. "Unlike the impulsive rat, it is neither quick-tempered or belligerent, nor would it use underhanded techniques, being a bird of honour. But if pushed, I trust that it is capable of becoming a force of aggression to be reckoned with."
"That is of course," agreed Song Yehai, folding his arms.
"Snow Phoenix, snow and phoenix, snow is cold and unforgiving, but Xingyu has a temperament that's more like spring. Why would people associate him with snow? Just because he wears white?"
Song Yehai shrugged his shoulders. "Snow is untarnished, quiet and captivating, the phoenix is unyielding, resilient and transformative. Xingyu is every bit as graceful, powerful and honourable as the title he earned for himself."
A giggle escaped the Green Spider Lady's lips. "Untarnished, quiet and captivating, you say?"
"It's something that cannot be easily described or put in words."
"You sound like a hopeless romantic who can't make any sense of what he's saying because he's so infatuated!"
Song Yehai made no response.
The Green Spider Lady turned back to the duel. "The Snow Phoenix fights rather interestingly, doesn't he?"
"How so?"
"He seems to keep prodding Shuying as though trying to pinpoint to her where her fighting stance needs to be corrected. He's definitely not angered. It seems more like he's just getting more and more exasperated with his enemy's wonky techniques than the enemy herself. He has yet to truly make an offensive move on her. He hasn't even opened his fan yet."
"That fan is made of feathers from the Purple Peacock," explained Song Yehai.
"The Purple Peacock? The Snow Phoenix Grandmaster has never been seen or heard of carrying such a weapon on him."
"This fight is about to end."
"You're right. Looks like I've overestimated Shuying. She still needs a hundred years. The Snow Phoenix just needs to give her hands a whack or two to win."
The fight ended in less than two minutes once Wu Xingyu did just that, knocking the dagger out of Shuying's hand and drawing a yelp from her. He then placed his fan on her shoulder like holding a knife against her neck. Song Yehai let out a very quiet, discrete laugh under his breath, amused as he watched from the sidelines.
"I've lost," Shuying conceded grudgingly.
"No, I didn't overestimate Shu Ying," the Green Spider Lady rescinded her former observations. "Rather, I underestimated the Snow Phoenix."
"Miss Shuying, was it? Your techniques are powerful but all of your positioning were wrong. For instance, your elbows shouldn't be higher than your head whenever you want to thrust forward your weapon," Wu Xingyu gave Shuying's elbows a light tap with his fan. "Your legs are too far apart when you stand. They need to be closer. Also, don't bend your knees so much. It'll be difficult to support your weight like that."
"I'll already said I lost, do you need to be this patronising?" snapped Shuying.
"Oh no, I didn't mean it that way," said Wu Xingyu apologetically.
"Do you feel like you're amazing just by defeating a little girl like me?"
"Xingyu was only trying to help you improve by giving you some tips on your stance," Song Yehai stepped in with an extremely austere tone that unnerved Shuying. "He was not being patronising, nor does he feel any way amazing like you just said."
"Shuying, hurry and thank the Snow Phoenix Grandmaster for his advice," ordered The Green Spider Lady.
Shuying frowned grouchily before doing so. "Thank you Snow Phoenix Grandmaster for your advice."
"You're welcome. With more practice, you'll definitely improve."
Shuying humphed before returning to The Green Spider Lady's side, who patted her head affectionately. "No grudges, alright?"
"Cui Jie-jie," Shuying returned the dagger. The Green Spider Lady slipped it back into the folds of her sleeve.
"Snow Phoenix, just then you didn't even make one offensive move against Shuying. Rather, they were all simple dodges and deflections to let her drop her guard and go for the killing move. That was when she essentially sealed her defeat. You have truly opened my little sister's eyes to White Phoenix Sect's swordplay," the Green Spider Lady spoke more as though to Shuying rather than to Wu Xingyu.
"You give me too much credit," Wu Xingyu downplayed modestly as he stood back, allowing Song Yehai to now take his place.