Chapter 66 - Meeting On a Narrow Path

The following day, late in the morning, the sounds of furious battle echoed through the autumn fog. A mighty thunderous roar of a beast howling in pain followed by the sounds of branches snapping and a massive creature crashing through the undergrowth were followed by a clarion masculine voice bellowing in fury to match the howl of the anguished beast. Underneath these fierce crashes and cries the sound of a zither layering a soothing melody brought strange harmony to the chaotic sounds of pitched battle. 

"That has to be them," Mao Ailum shouted, orange flames bursting from his massive fists as fear gripped his heart. "Fairy Feng is in danger! Hurry, with me!" he shouted, crashing ahead through the underbrush like his bloodline's namesake the Stampede Cinder Bull. Here and there sparks fell on the dense undergrowth sparking minor fires in his wake as he carelessly charged ahead. 

Zhang Bai cast a doubting glance at Mo Yan before looking to the other Brawlers gathered here. Mao Ailum was the only second stage cultivator of their group and also the only Scholar but somehow when it came to Fairy Feng he lost all sense of reason and acted like a freshly awakened Brawler. He'd claimed to hear the sounds of Feng Xi's zither on the first day of their search as wekk, leading the group in a roundabout chase that ended at the nest of a family of Purple Breasted Lightning Larks, chirping musically towards the setting sun. The detour had cost them half a day in doubling back and several of the younger cultivators had stumbled into lightning-charged Thundercloud Plum trees in their attempt to keep up with the rushing bull called Mao Ailum. In the end, the Alchemy Novice not only hadn't apologized for his foolhardy charge, but he'd also even scolded the injured young men as fools for wasting his healing ointments when he treated their wounds! 

Following the rushing alchemist, Zhang Bai could only hope that they truly had found Fairy Feng this time. The sooner they collected the wayward fairies the sooner he could be rid of this troublesome and uninvited companion! 

Moments later Zhang Bai and Mo Yan, along with the remainder of their companions, caught up to a stunned Mao Ailum staring slack-jawed at the scene before him.

Locked in deadly combat, a towering black-haired bear, twice the height of the average man, bellowed in rage as it swung massive claws at an athletic young man who moved nimbly under the bear's claw, striking out with his bare hand at the bear's exposed flank. Bloody red and gold energy surrounded the tawny-haired young man's hand radiating a savage strength as he formed a claw strike to tear at the bear's flesh leaving a row of ragged gashes along the bear's ribs. 

Behind the bear and the youth, not twenty meters away, Fairy Feng Xi sat on the trunk of a fallen tree, zither in her lap and white energy swirling around her fingers as she played a soothing melody. Her eyes seemed to track the tawny-haired youth's every move, changing her song slightly to serve as a counterpoint to his savage movements. Dirt had stained her once pristine green robes and her slightly disheveled hair and tired eyes spoke of a bone-deep fatigue but not a single trace of concern could be seen on her visage as she watched the young man struggle against the massive bear. 

As if just noticing their arrival, the third member of the party stepped away from Feng Xi's side. Fairy Ao looked to be in considerably worse shape than Fairy Feng, her left arm immobilized in a sling while her unadorned black robes not only displayed several tears but crusty stained patches could be seen in several places on her outfit, a sign any experienced warrior would recognize as dried blood even on such dark fabric. 

Moments later, Zhang Bai's heart quaked as Fairy Ao stepped off the tree trunk and into the air with graceful flowing movements. Flames of rich crimson, azure blue, and deep vermillion flickered along her feet as she danced gracefully around the confrontation between man and bear, arriving before the assembled young men like a true Immortal Fairy descending from the Heavens. Who had told Zhang Bai that Ao Wen was a savage brute only skilled in swinging a massive sword? Compared to the dancers invited by his father to entertain at banquets, this Fairy's transcendent dance steps moved not only his heart but his very soul!

"Fellow Cultivators," Ao Wen said, extending her right hand in a modified one-handed salute similar to one she'd seen Champion Bo use while holding his staff in his other hand. "We ask that you not interfere with Brother Jin as he tests his might," she said calmly, her smooth voice giving no sign that her immobilized arm caused her any pain. 

"Fairy Ao," Zhang Bai said, suddenly stepping forward in a rush. All hints of disdain for the simple stonecutter's daughter had vanished from his expression as he now looked at her with genuine concern. His eyes flicked from her immobilized arm to the many tears in her robes, heart trembling at the notion that such a stunning celestial fairy might have met with a tragic end before he ever realized that the woman before him now was the reason that no other woman had ever held his attention for longer than a handful of evenings. The Heavens had parted a veil in his heart to show him the woman that was meant only for him, dancing on Heavenly flames towards the aching void he hadn't realized existed in his heart until now. "We won't interfere as your brother tests his might, but please step behind me, that creature may charge unpredictably," he added, drawing his gem-encrusted two-handed sword and taking a stance to protect this maiden from any harm that should so much as glance in her direction. "I couldn't bear to see you further injured when I could prevent it," he said firmly. 

"Tests his might?" Mo Yan choked out, eyes trembling with the realization that the powerful young man was Tang Jin! The formerly refined son of a late-stage Aesthete had discarded both his sword and his outer robes to fight the rampaging bear both bare-handed and bare-chested revealing toned and rippling muscles that Mo Yan was certain Tang Jin hadn't possessed even a week ago after their awakening. A savage bloody aura clung to Tang Jin as he struck out again with a clawed hand, this time digging into the bear's soft stomach and emerging with a fist full of entrails! 

Roaring in pain the bear brought it's two meaty paws together unleashing a blinding flash of light and a deafening clap of thunder that staggered everyone present, disrupting Fairy Feng's zither playing and stunning Tang Jin just long enough for the bear to slam both claws onto his shoulders leaving long bloody wounds on his back. Snapping out of the shock, his ears both ringing from the peel of thunder the bear unleashed, Tang Jin's eyes turned from golden to blood red, his muscles swelling further as a bestial snarl fell from his lips. The bear matched his roar, claws dragging Tang Jin in close for a crushing hug. A distant corner of Tang Jin's mind recognized this as the death struggle of a mortally wounded creature but the current Tang Jin couldn't make use of that knowledge as he sank his bloody hands deep into the bear's chest, tearing savagely at its flesh until his clawed hands gripped its still beating heart, ripping it out of the bear's chest with a triumphant ROAR!

"As I said," Ao Wen said with a faint smile. "Tests his might. It's only a single Thunderclap Black Bear after all."

"A single Thunderclap Black Bear?" one of the other young men said incredulously. "It takes three to five middle to late-stage brawlers to hunt one of those! Only powerful Soldiers like Long Ma dare to hunt them alone!"

Mao Ailum's ears twitched at the mention of Long Ma, momentarily drawing his attention away from the bedraggled but achingly beautiful Feng Xi. Long Ma had refused to have anything to do with this hunt saying that since Mao Ailum wanted the opportunity to appear as her hero, he wouldn't upstage his younger associate. Seeing the savage Thunderclap Black Bear, however, even Mao Ailum was forced to withdraw some of his arrogance about the late-stage Soldier who had become his strongest ally. Fast on the heels of that revelation, another arrived - Tang Jin had become as terrifyingly powerful as Long Ma! This could threaten everything!

Panting heavily, Tang Jin struggled to withdraw his savage bloody aura. His rational mind warred with a desire to sink fangs into the steaming hot flesh of his latest kill. Thankfully, Feng Xi resumed her zither playing, white energy flowing from her instrument to wrap around Tang Jin like a warm comforting blanket on a cold winter's day. Gradually his blood-red eyes returned to a more normal golden hue, his muscles losing their temporary bulk and the savage golden-red claws of martial energy that surrounded his strong hands faded away like a cat pulling its claws back into their sheathes. 

Walking over to Tang Jin's discarded sword Blinding Light, Ao Wen knelt gently to retrieve the weapon before bringing it back to Tang Jin. "That's the second time you've given up your weapon Jin," she said, ignoring the stunned looks of the onlookers. "Even with Sister Xi's playing this time." 

"I know," Tang Jin said, hanging his head in mild shame. "I was fine until it scratched me," he said, gesturing to what most would call a serious gash on his well-muscled upper arm. "Once the pain hit, my vision went red and, well, you saw," he finished lamely. 

"It's fine," Feng Xi said, hopping off the tree to join the group, collecting Tang Jin's discarded top on the way. "Do you want this or do you want Sister Wen to look at those wounds first?" She asked gently. "Those look like they must hurt," she added, her brows wrinkled in worry. 

"Fairy Feng," Mao Ailum said, shaking himself free of his shock. Once he'd spoken though, his tongue quickly stilled. He'd been about to offer to tend to this man's wounds for her, hoping to impress her with his healing skills and at the same time separate her from the man she stood so close to. Then he realized that this was the scum who had used an aphrodisiac to seduce her and he couldn't make himself offer any kind of aid at all. Instead, he clenched his meaty hands tightly, sparks dancing around him as he wrestled with his inner dilemma. 

"Ah, Alchemy Novice Mao," Feng Xi said with a light smile. "It's good that you're here. Wen, this is the Alchemy Novice who has been preparing my father's medicine all these years. Perhaps he has something useful to you in treating Jin's wounds."

"Novice Mao," Ao Wen said lightly, looking from Tang Jin's wounds to the older Novice Scholar. "Soldier Tang is still stabilizing his cultivation and can't bear any intense elixirs at the moment. If you have Bloodstop Powder and some Dead Knock Numbing Paste, we can wrap him up for now and apply better treatment when we return to Turning Leaf town."

Mo Yan's eyes bulged. Soldier? Tang Jin had become a Soldier? Not even a full moon ago they had both been mortals, eagerly preparing for their awakening. A week ago, Tang Jin had been a loyal lackey with inferior sword skills training an ancient and neglected sword art taught by a single late stage brawler in the Tang family. Today he stood head and shoulders above Mo Yan, literally having grown taller and seemingly becoming a full stone heavier, all of it lean corded muscle! Worse, Ao Wen had danced through the air on some strange kind of flame energy and from the dazed way that Zhang Bai still stared at her, she'd captivated the City Lord's eldest son instantly! Wasn't she just a stupid Brawler with an oversized saber? Weren't she and Tang Jin supposed to be his stepping stones to conquering the Heavenly beauty? How had things moved so far beyond his control?