Chapter 13: Lesson Fail

Kun Shang had safely guarded Xiu'er, Silang, Xiaogua and A'Li to the next town.

While on the road, Xiu'er had begged Kun Shang to teach her some kung fu stances so she could protect herself from future bullies. Kun Shang was quickly reminded of her incredible use of the basic hand movements she had used against him when they were fighting over the orange, and he asked her where she learned it from.

Xiu'er was riding on a large brown stallion next to him and her mouth was open in a pause.

"Of course, self defense must be taught to your children so they can use it when in danger." Was her only response.

"Your parents taught you self defense?" Kun Shang asked curiously.

"Our village had a fat master who insisted the children must be enrolled to learn self defense. Our parents put us up to learn with the rest of the kids in the village." Xiu'er turned to her brother. "The teacher was a maniac, right Brother? But he taught us well." She turned back and nodded her head at nothing.

Kun Shang didn't overtly refuse Xiu'er's request, but he did express his concern for her childish and mischievous behavior that maybe if she learns martial arts, she would cause more trouble than not. He had now fully understood why she chose that outfit to begin with.

On the other hand, Kun Shang had already taught the basic breathing techniques of kung fu to Xiaogua and it wouldn't be fair to leave her out of it when it comes to self defense.

Along their journey, Xiaogua and Xiu'er became fast friends with a passion. Xiu'er quickly learned of Xiaogua's timid and shy nature. She would often talk to him and get him to be comfortable around them, dropping the mannerism and politeness when she would shoulder bump him to get his attention. Xiaogua, on the other hand, protected her and always gave her water first when they came to rest. He would also share his half of ration with her and A'Li as well.

Why did Xiaogua care so much about Xiu'er? Why did he feel so safe around her? Maybe it's because she exhibited a strange aura of care and support for him that was different from Kun Shang. Maybe it's because she knew what it's like to have a brother and made him feel comfortable around her. That was why Xiaogua also cared for her like a sister.

They were staying at an abandoned house on the outskirts of this particular town. They ate their meals at noodle shops and they had just eaten breakfast before retiring to the house for the afternoon.

The house was shabby, dusty and old. It had a courtyard in the front where a small shed of firewood was on the left and the kitchen was on the right. The air inside the house felt dry and ashy. Silang had spent the morning dusting it away so that they could breathe normally. The two room house was very small in general. As small as the room they stayed in in the tavern. There was only a table, a divider, a lamp, a window, a small dresser, and a bed in the adjacent room.

Currently, they are all standing around the table as Kun Shang taught Xiaogua and Xiu'er an easy breathing technique. With the snap of his fingers, the two candles on the table lit up.

"The easiest way to do it is to concentrate your internal energy at the lowest qi point in your body, the abdomen, then release it all into the palm of your hand." Kun Shang stepped far back from the table and took a deep breath, his right hand lifting along his torso to show his lungs expanding. Then, he extended his arm and opened his palm at the candles in front of them. Both candles were blown out with a strong wind.

Xiu'er's mouth dropped to her chest and gave him a thumbs up. "Mister, you are not a bad hero. Even though you lost to Gou Qingzhao you are still an outstanding martial artist."

Kun Shang exhaled roughly. "Call me Kun Shang. And I didn't technically lose to her, I believe it was a tie. Let's see you three try this simple qi breathing technique."

"I think I'm good," Silang said. "I would prefer sitting in the kitchen, counting the fire logs to pass time. Good luck, Little Sister." He patted her on the shoulder and looked towards the bed before leaving the house. A'Li had taken his afternoon nap on the bed. He was still a baby monkey after all.

The learning session went terribly for Xiu'er and Xiaogua. First times don't usually bear fruit, but they didn't understand that and tried very hard to get it. Over and over again, they shoot their palms at the candles on the table. Kun Shang stood near them to adjust their positions when needed.

It's late afternoon and not only had they both failed to blow out their candles, but with Xiu'er's last blow, she concentrated so hard that she misdirected the qi inside her body and backfired, making her fall backwards. Kun Shang realized the turbulence in her large summation of qi and instinctively reached out from behind her to allow her to fall into his arms.

She was struck by surprise when she saw that he was now holding her gently like a baby bird. She was also surprised that he was kind enough to save her in such a romantic manner, even though she had been a sore thumb and probably doesn't deserve it.

From this angle, she could admire his handsome face more closely. Among his perfectly symmetrical face were two straight eyebrows, his eyes underneath it sparkled with worry for her. His tall nose bridge down to his lovely shaped nose, along with his soft lips and the dip on his top lip, all exemplified his masculinity. She felt his body heat so close to her and for the first time, her heart thumped so fast inside her chest.

"You're getting red!" Kun Shang suddenly murmured.

Xiu'er gasped. She didn't even realize that she was blushing like a hot tomato in front him. She immediately got up before Kun Shang could bring his arm up. She cupped her face with her hands and looked into his eyes.

No. Am I falling for him?

She dragged her cheeks down with her hands and made a long grunt.

"Xiu'er, are you not well?" Xiaogua asked as he peeked around to see her face.

She took her eyes off of his face and slowly gazed down his manly chest then back up to his face again. She shook her head and unexpectedly ran out the door.

Kun Shang opened his mouth to say something but couldn't start his sentence. She was already gone.

Xiu'er ran outside to the kitchen where her brother was sitting in front of the stove and shoved herself next to him. Her hands still on her flustered face. It took her a minute to calm her breathing.

"What's up with you?" Silang looked down at his sister. He was surprised when she suddenly grabbed his hand and cupped her cheeks with them, then quickly shoved them away.

"Brother, feel how hot my face is. I need to calm down. Why am I blushing so hard? What is wrong with me?"

Silang examined his sister's strange behavior without saying anything. "What happened to you?"

"Brother, remember I told you that I have to find this one person?"

Silang looked her up and down. She indeed had told him this but it was a long time ago. He also promised his sister that he would help her find the person, but it had been a long time since then and so he'd forgotten all about it. Now that she was mentioning it again, he couldn't help but think of that person.

"Xiaogua?" He said.

She punched him in the arm for the tease, but he was actually serious.

"Kun Shang," she said.

He looked up slowly at the sky with large confused eyes before turning back to her. "How do you even know it's him? Even till today I don't understand you. You said you have a very important task to do that involves this person you've never met, but somehow you know it's him. I mean, you won't tell me anything. You've never met him, so how do you know it's him? And you won't tell me how you know it's him, and--"

"Brother," she stopped him in his tracks with a soft smile. "Can you do me a favor?"

He sized her up and down again as if she was a stranger before answering, "Sis, before I can agree to that with you, you do remember what we're here for, right?"

Xiu'er looked her brother dead in the eyes. "Of course I do."

"Well then, that depends on your favor." He leaned his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands together.

"Once we are in the capital, can you find a reason for us to keep tagging along with them? I have a bad feeling about this, a terrible feeling actually. You see that sword he's carrying? He's not supposed to have it, but since he does he's gonna need all the help he gets. From me, to be exact. And I feel like Xiaogua will need my help as well."

Xiu'er didn't have to say much but Silang had some sort of idea what his crazy sister was talking about. The fact that Kun Shang was carrying the Sword of the Millennial Gods was not a good sign. Or so she'd told him. He didn't know why the sword was a bad sign, and he didn't know what about it was so bad. Xiu'er had never bothered to explain and he had never bothered to question his sister. He trusted her wholeheartedly without ever questioning anything. No matter how mysterious she was, no matter how strange, how unpredictable and how secretive she may be, he still trusted his sister with his life. She was like a person he grew up with but never knew, she's not his real sister, but she is. Ultimately, what matters was if she ever needed him he would always be by her side.

If she said Kun Shang needed her help, then he would do nothing but help his sister without batting an eye.

"Hey, I don't think you should casually carry your jade tassel with you anymore." Xiu'er used her chin to point at his hip.

Silang looked down at his hip and pulled out his green pendant with the red tassel. "You mean this?"

Xiu'er returned to her composed position and looked at the gravel at their feet. "We were lucky enough Xiaogua or Kun Shang doesn't recognize what it was. I think we should do something about it?" Xiu'er bit her bottom lip softly. "Let's change the color pigment of the jade. If the color is off, I'm sure they'll start to doubt the authenticity of it right away."

"How do you suppose we do that?"

Xiu'er turned to her brother and smiled. "With a little help of some metal."