Chapter 49: Purpose In Life

They bought horses and instead of going east in the original plan, they headed north.

"Don't worry. The northern territory is controlled by the Northern Black Crescent Sect," Yu Yue said. They had been traveling for a full day on horseback. "The Northern Sect are known to have good hospitality, respect, and honor."

"How many Sects are there?" Xiu'er asked her. "I'm starting to lose track."

"There are Four Great Sects." Surprisingly, it was Kun Shang who answered. "The Sects are known as Eastern Double Blade Sect, Western Wind Ethereal Sect, Northern Black Crescent Sect, and Southern Phoenix Sect. All located to their respective names."

"Correct," Yu Yue kindly smiled. "It was said that the creator of the Four Great Sects was an Emperor who united the country after years of bloodshed. Although there were other Sects like the Hidden Butterfly Valley, these four were considered most powerful and dominant. Following that, to bring all Sects together to share their skills and techniques in a fair fight, the Legendary World Roaming Hero Huang Zhaoli, created the Pugilistic of Martial Arts Conference once every three years. Heroes would train intensively for those three years just to compete again in the following Conference. The Hero has been doing this for 20 years now."

"What are the ranks?" Xiu'er asked curiously.

"Although there are many martial artists who compete every time, the most talked about are the top five rankings. Making it to the top five in the conference is a big deal for their own self achievement, their Sect, and most importantly, the entire martial arts community itself. Once they are the top five, they would be the talk of the town, their names spread like wildfire and their fame rising. The previous fifth place winner was Li Na from Southern Phoenix Sect, I'm the fourth place winner from Western Wind Ethereal Sect, third place belonged to Dong Fangwu from Southern Phoenix Sect, and you've met Gou Qingzhao as the second place winner from Eastern Double Blade Sect. All together, the top five rankings are envied far and wide."

Yu Yue stopped there so Xiu'er had to ask who first place was. Someone who took first place should obviously be the most talked about.

"The first place winner is branded the title as the Martial Arts Hero," Yu Yue said with a smile.

Xiu'er wanted to press on to get a name, but she didn't. She never really paid attention to these bothersome events. She may have been curious in the past, but had never let herself mingle with stuff like that so she didn't really make a big deal out of it.

In the short time they traveled, Xiu'er learned a lot about Yu Yue. The way she carried herself and her personality was as if she grew up in a very noble household. She was very feminine, she held class by the way she dressed and was very well mannered. Other than Kun Shang, she was the only other person who would converse with Chun Yi once in a while. Xiu'er noticed that she liked Xiaogua, even though he's quirky around her. He always froze when she came into the room, she always smiled at him, and he would always blush. She had never pushed Xiaogua to talk to her because she understood his comfort zone. Xiu'er saw how much they liked each other but were both too shy to admit their feelings. Plus, it wasn't her place to make them realize that, no matter how much she supported their relationship.

The group entered a lively city that was bustled with stores, people, merchants, food, and so much more. Very quickly upon entering the city gates, Kun Shang gave them some money to spend if they dispersed. Silang quickly snatched his share and disappeared, saying something about 'since the capital'. Strangely this time, he took Xiaogua with him.

With his arms around Xiaogua's neck, the shy man couldn't refuse even if he wanted to. Xiaogua didn't want to be rude to reject Silang's offer so he went willingly, not exactly sure where Silang would take him.

The man asked directions from three different people until they were led to a place Xiaogua had never been to before. It was both confusing and eye opening at the same time.

There were tables set up throughout the room and a theater at the front with performers doing a play. On the tables, there were gamblers playing mahjong and didn't seem to care about the performance on stage. Accompanying the men of gamblers were brothel girls that were either sitting on their lap or massaging the men's shoulders while they gamble and drink away.

"Silang, why did you bring me here?" Xiaogua asked as he scanned the room from the entrance of the place.

"I asked three different people where the theater, the gambling den, and the brothel were in this town and it all led to one place. This city really knows how to party." He took the tiny straw of grass he had picked up earlier from his mouth and threw it on the ground. He winked at Xiaogua before walking to pick a table to join.

Xiaogua followed and watched as Silang played a game that involved picking small wooden blocks with either writings or drawings from the center pile and adding it to his row of blocks, then throwing one of his own back into the pile. Silang seemed to know what he was doing because he won all of the next four rounds.

"Silang, what is this game you're playing?" Xiaogua asked him from behind.

Silang appeared to be an experienced player, playing as if he owned the game. He knew when to bluff and when to be serious with his bettings. Each time he picked up a block, he would lean back in his chair and smirked or licked his bottom lip. The other three players were no match for him.

"This is mahjong," Silang replied. He raised his hand for a waiter to bring wine. "Watch and observe, Xiaogua. One day you'll be coming to a place such as this everyday like me. Heavens once said the four sins of humanity are lust, alcohol, money and fame. I once said the right way to enjoy life is lust, alcohol, money and fame. If you look over there, you will see lust." Silang pointed to a man who was enjoying himself with four girls at a large table.

"Here, you can see alcohol." The waiter brought a cup and an urn of wine and set it in front of him. Xiaogua looked down as he poured himself a bowl and chugged it.

"Money!" He took one more large nugget of silver that he won from a previous round and slapped it on the table.

"And fame!" He opened his hand of mahjong on the table and won his fifth game in a row. The other tables cheered and offered many toasts to him for breaking the record in the house.

"But I don't want any of that," Xiaogua said quietly with unexpected sadness in his voice. One of the players lost all his money and gave up his seat. Silang patted the seat for Xiaogua to sit. "I see the many things that you pointed out to me: lust, alcohol, money and fame. However, I cannot help but think about one thing."

"And that would be?" Silang rested one elbow on the table and turned his body towards the man. "The courage to finally talk to Yu Yue?" He teased.

Xiaogua laughed nervously.

"No, but none of them will last you for a lifetime. One day, old age will become of yourself such that lust can no longer be possible. Alcohol will ruin your health and you will slowly deteriorate on the inside. Money can be spent easily but takes forever to earn and it is one of the fastest things to escape from our hands. Fame will only last for a quick moment and never guarantee to come back. Yes, they might give you a sense of purpose in life for now, but eventually it will pass."

After listening to Xiaogua's words, Silang turned his head to the performance. It was an opera play about a heroic general who left his hometown to defend his country for 20 long years. Xiaogua's words hit a cord in him that was sad and nostalgic at the same time. He was reminded back to his childhood when he and his sister were still little. A time when they were so carefree in this vast, unpredictable world. A time when he never knew the four sins of humanity.

"What do you suppose gives the rightful purpose in life then?" he asked Xiaogua.

There was a moment of pause where all they could do was filter out the sounds and hear the opera singing. Everyone in the background seemed to be moving in slow motion.

Xiaogua thought about it for a long time before muttering, "Love."