Chapter 99: Hidden deep.

The more the trio walked, the harder it got for Qin Qianyu to breath, she noticed that Hao Zhiming wasn't having such a problem.

"This temple is hidden deep underground, but I've been here a while so I'm use to it now. Don't worry to much though, it gets better later on."

"Mhm, . . How much further do we go?"

"Not far, but not close either,"

" . . . "

"Here's some trivia for you. Did you know that the Asura and Gods called for a ceasefire due to a wedding? Haha, . . . Mhm, it's true. Śankrit of the gods fell in love with Kama from the Asuras. Which is funny because Śankrit was the one the that had the Asura pushed down the mountain in the first place when he came into power."

" . . . "

Qin Qianyu didn't care, she just listened while Hao Zhiming rattled on and on. He tells her about how Śankrit disguised himself as an Asura elder, and how Kama fell for him and selected him as her husband to be.

"She was such a pure hearted, loving and devoted wife, even though she was of the demon path, many people today still see her as a goddess rather ther that a demoness."

Next, he spoke about writings,legends and lore associated with the Asura. Among the many things he spoke about, were, how ideas behind the reincarnation steamed from the Asuras thirst for revenge and remittances.

"So this in turned meant as they reincarnated, they could accumulate good karma from doing bad deeds, isn't that something!?"

This peaked Qin Qianyu's interest as she was wondering if she fell into that category.

"So what were you hoping to find from this . . Temple?"

"Nothing and everything! . . "

" . . . "

"There's nothing concrete, but initial data shows that this temple is the oldest one in existence. We've only scoured the out rooms, well, before I was taken, but it's still early days. I'll definitely come back later when all of this mess is cleared up."

Qin Qianyu nodded and decided to set aside some time to research these links in depth at a later time.

Qin Qianyu noticed that the deeper they went the hotter she got. She imagined that this would be what hell felt like.

Qin Qianyu understood the psychology behind the temple being built down here. It was all to make it fit with it lore.

The trio soon entered another chamber and as soon as they did, the temperature changed to that of the outside.

The enormous room acted as a cool chamber.

Relief came across Qin Qianyu's face. She was worried the Grandpa Wú would be dehydrated with the intensity of that heat.

Qin Qianyu soon saw a human shape laying on some dried grass on top a stone slab.

"Master! . . "

Qin Qianyu called out. In a flash she was no longer next to Hao Zhiming. He felt a gust of wind then saw Qin Qianyu next to Grandpa Wú.

He fell on his butt and stared incredulously as both Qin Qianyu and Bai Saan disappeared right in front of him and appeared further away.

Qin Qianyu glanced back and saw this but carried on towards Wú Haodong.

"Old man! . . "

Qin Qianyu exclaimed. Wú Haodong was in bad shape. He had bullets wounds in his legs, upper torso, his arms were both ravaged by blade cuts and slashes, and his his complexion was extremely pail.

She threw off her backpack immediately and pulled out all her medical supplies. Using her needles she blocked off as much of the pain receptors as she could.

She took the liquid five form medicine, cupped his head and poured it slowly into his mouth. She massaged his throat and chest to help the liquid flow better.

Next she checked his pulse. It was very faint, she detected a hint of poison in his body along with something else,

"Hmm, you! How'd he get into this state? Why haven't you tried to call the mainland for more assistance huh?"

"It's a long story, but, but I think he was waiting for you to come?"

"For me? . . "

"Stupid fool! . . Help me hold him down, I'll be doing a set of moves on him and don't want him to thrash about with these needles in him."

"Sure, just tell me what I need to do,"

"Mhm, place a hand under his neck, I need you to support it well. The other hand place it on his forehead."

"Great just like that."

Next, Qin Qianyu pressed a series of places on Grandpa Wú's body.

"Phew, so far so good, no spasms, he must be in a deep coma."

"Is that a good thing?"

"Yes and no, I'll find out shortly."

"Place your hands on his chest now."

Hao Zhiming did as he was told. However just as he placed both hands on the unconscious Grandpa Wú he soon found two needles in each of his arms and Qin Qianyu pressing points all around his body quickly locking him in place.

Hao Zhiming sneered,

"How did you know?"

"At first glance I didn't. My guess, you were hoping that I'd be too preoccupied with this fake to figure it out before you launched your attack on me right?"

"Mhm, . . That was the plan, but it seems you really are rightly chosen to be his one and only disciple. Bravo . . Miss Qin!"

Qin Qianyu cocked her head to the side, and pursed her lips.

"Same to you too Mr Xiong."

" . . . "

From the get go Qin Qianyu didn't think this was all a coincidence. Meeting him at Tā de and Song Textiles event, along with the pairs bumbled conversation there, meeting with him and the contact at the abandoned warehouse.

Then there's her trip here and meeting with Siphong Kham and the villagers.

After the incident at the village she felt as if she were being led by the nose.

The convenience of her bumping into the group leader and his men, the village where Grandpa Wú had made his last check in, the "newly" discovered temple that no one knew existed, supposedly, but that was debunked thanks to Siphong Kham, then she goes out searching for this temple and out of the blue, she just conveniently bumped in Hao Zhiming, the kidnapped victim.

Then there was Grandpa Wú, after checking his pulse she found the although poisoned, he didn't have any radiation inside of him.

That was the biggest giveaway.

It all circled back to Xiong Jianguo. He was the only point of contact to this whole charade.

"You figured it out?"

"Eh, It wasn't hard."

Qin Qianyu says nonchalantly to a disbelieving Xiong Jianguo.

" . . . "

"Mhm, your acting was a little believable, it wasn't natural enough though. But if you really want to know what gave it away, it wasn't this fake pretending to be a great, it was you . . "

"You have a small facial tick when giving or receiving food items. I noticed it in the smirk you gave in your office when you offered me that drink."

" . . . "

"You showed that same tick again when I gave you the jerky. It wasn't similar, it was exact! . . "

Xiong Jianguo's lips twitched when he heard all of that. He snorted in self admonishment,

"Caught out by such an insignificant thing."

Qin Qianyu nodded in reply then added,

"Listen, I don't care why you're doing this, I just want to know, where is Grandpa Wú? . . Is he safe?"

"Hahaha! . . You think I'll tell you?"

"Mhm, I think so, . . "

"Wanna bet on that Miss Qin?"

" . . . "

Just when she was wondering if he had brought more people along with him, the needles that were in him flew towards Qin Qianyu.

She flashed away missing them, then turned to where Xiong Jianguo was standing previously only to see the fake Grandpa Wú bleeding out from the neck.

"Tsk, you didn't really think that, that low skill locking point would work on everyone did you? If you did I'm sorely disappointed with you Miss Qin,"

" . . . "

Qin Qianyu said nothing she only looked around tying to pinpoint Xiong Jianguo's location as he continued,

"But I'm truly impressed, you've only been his disciple for a few months and you're already at this level! I would say it's quite commendable, but I don't think it has anything to do with you, rather, I believe it's Grandmaster Wú and his amazing teaching ability . . . Wouldn't you agree?"

Qin Qianyu felt his hot breath on the nape of her neck. She quickly fire backwards with an elbow, then into a spinning backhanded punch when she felt her elbow not connecting to anything.

She did two rotations of this move, employing shadowless steps with each backhand to close the distance.

The last backhand punch connected and soon Xiong Jianguo tumbled to the ground.

The pair started fighting hand to hand. The combat manoeuvres they each employed showed similarities,

Punch for punch, kick for kick, Qin Qianyu was mimicking Xiong Jianguo and was soon edging over him.

He was using standard military moves while Qin Qianyu dumbed hers down a bit so that Xiong Jianguo wouldn't pick up on them and learn her style.

Even so it was a hard fought fight. It reminded her of the sparring sessions she'd have with Grandpa Wú.

"So tell me, is Grandpa Wú alive at least?"

Qin Qianyu asked as she sent Xiong Jianguo backwards with a flying knee to the chest.

Xiong Jianguo stood up and dusted himself as he charged at Qin Qianyu again while stating,

"Hmph, he's alive. He's currently with the real Hao Zhiming in the Philippines."

"And his injuries?"

"If he couldn't handle those little scratches, he wouldn't be a national hero. You worry to much you know that?"

He says after he lands a kick behind her knee that caused her to drop. He followed that up with a knee to the face.

"So tell me, who all knows my true identity,"

Qin Qianyu asked as she blocked the knee. She hooked his leg and kicked out at other causing Xiong Jianguo to loose balance and do the splits.

During the bout they were both trying to one up each other, what Xiong Jianguo didn't know however was that, Qin Qianyu had also employed a finger version of the three point turn on him making Xiong Jianguo spill his guts on everything when she had body locked him initially.

The only thing with this method was, if he concentrated long enough he'd soon know that he was being manipulated into speaking the truth, but as long as Qin Qianyu kept him preoccupied, he wouldn't know the difference.

This was the reason she dumbed down her moves, if she out right smashed him, she'd loose the advantage.

Xiong Jianguo replied to Qin Qianyu's question with a nonchalant stare,

"I wasn't lying when I said it was only you, me and Grandmaster Wú. So you don't have to worry about that."

"So what was your plan? . . What was you end game!?"

"To kill you,"

" . . . "

Xiong Jianguo snorted, then explained.

"My plan was to have Grandmaster Wú rescue this little prick but get injured and caught himself, I'd then kill you off and come rescue the Grandmaster myself proving to him that he made the wrong decision in making you his sole disciple, his true heir to everything."

"It should all belong to me!"

" . . . "

"But you waltz in off the the fucking streets and take ownership of his legacy and even become his disciple!? . . Our family has been supported and supportive to Grandmaster Wú, but he chose you because you were being bullied by other girls? . . Because you were being stalked as you jogged!? . . BULLSHIT!"

"All that you have should belong to me! Your damn home, your building's and businesses, the skills you have! All of it! . . You stole those from me and I want it all back!"

Qin Qianyu looked at him and shook her head,

"Man, this guy held Grandpa Wú in such high regard he actually became this disillusioned about it all."

Xiong Jianguo recovered from his splits and as he stood, he was promptly kicked in the chest causing him to fall flat on his back.

"Although this plan didn't workout as I had wanted it to, I can still take your life and show my worth to Grandmaster Wú."

He says whilst clutching his chest and giving Qin Qianyu the stink eye. Qin Qianyu shrugged then added,

"Uh . . Yeah, about that, unless your name is in BEE, I highly doubt that Grandpa Wú will take you on whether I'm dead or not."

"BEE?"

"Mhm, Best European Erotica. BEE. It's a men's magazine from Europe with naked models in very stimulating and provocative poses. Much like what you're doing now."

"I have no idea what the hell you're on about, but, I'll not stop till I've taken your place."

Qin Qianyu just shrugged again and taunted Xiong Jianguo to come at her with all he has.

He did just that, however, Qin Qianyu was faster. She body locked him again which caused him to laugh out at her stupidity.

"Idiot, your locking technique doesn't work on me remember? . . "

"Yeah that was only a soft lock, didn't I already tell you I figured it all out? I just wanted a few answers from you to curb my curiosity that's all."

" . . . "

Xiong Jianguo tried to break out of it but quickly found that he couldn't move an inch.

He soon saw Qin Qianyu pull out three needles as she went behind the man, he felt the three needles enter his head,

"Wait! . . What are you doing?"

"I'm doing what you've been trying to do to me haha, don't panic, it'll be all over soon."

"You can't do this to me! You . . You can't kill me! I'm Grandmaster Wú's Lawyer! He and our families are extremely close! I can promise you now, they won't let you go if you do this!"

"Yeah . . You're wrong on all accounts. I can do this, Grandpa Wú no longer requires your legal services, he and your family were once close, but after all this that would probably change, and if they don't want to let me go, I'll send them to were you're going too."

" . . . "

"Oh just a heads up, dying really, really sucks. I mean, you didn't even hesitate to kill your guy over there, and you were trying to do the same to me. I thinks it's high time you experienced it, seeing that you're the only one that hasn't . . Died,"

"Huh!? . . "

"Forget it, wait! Haha, so "punny" today. You probably won't remember it anyway since your own brain is going to turn to mush shortly."

Qin Qianyu then leans in close and muttered out,

"My bottom line is my family and those around me, that also includes myself."

"No wait! . . You've got it all wrong!"

" . . . "

"Miss Qin it was all just a test, and, and you passed! . . Please undo this. You really don't have to do this."

"Really? It was just a test?"

"No! . . What! . . I mean No! . . Wait! What did you do to me?"

"It's a skill called three point turn, it makes people tell the truth. Earlier I gave you the soft version. This one however, . . Well, let's just say it'll be more painful than what you did to that guy."

"No! . . Please Miss Qin! . . Mistress Qin! . . Master Qin! Please don't do this!"

Haise! . . Listen, be it a test or whatever, one, you're in no position to test me! What authority do you have that goes beyond Grandpa Wú's own judgement? . . None that's what! Two, why should I save someone that tried to honestly kill me for my spot as Grandpa Wú's disciple? Just so you know, me being his disciple was, for the lack of a better word, preordained. His own master had already told him 36 years ago who his disciple would be."

" . . . "

"You should have stuck to being a lawyer and doing that wholeheartedly instead all of this. You know what? If not for your narrow minded, wayward thinking, I honestly do think that we could have been really good friends,"

"FUCK YOU AND YOUR FUCKING FRIENDSHIP YOU FUCKING BITCH!"

Qin Qianyu sighed aloud at Xiong Jianguo's desperate then aggressiveness he displayed, she couldn't blame him though, he was about to die shortly.