~~~

Liu Jin comes down like lightning, accelerating with Ground Contraction and then using the same technique to counter his momentum before touching the ground. Despite the lightning that sparks around him, not one of Liu Jin’s hairs is out of place. He holds himself with poise. His Qi does not blaze with force but calmly spreads out like water, impressing his strength onto others with such subtlety one could be forgiven for missing it.

True Realm, Second Level.

“That will not be happening, seniors.”

His words are delivered calmly, some might even say with confidence. However, Liu Jin is neither of those things. Two Core Disciples stand before him, and this time, he has neither a temple full of dangerous Spirit Beast to slow them down nor the advantage of them being blind with anger.

To think he told Fan Bingbing to watch out for Core Disciples before leaving the temple when it was going to be him who’d leap right in front of them!

“Elder Brother!”

“Brother Jin!”

Feng Hao says his name with hope, Huang Shing with joy. Liu Jin hopes he does not betray either of those feelings.

"It has been a while," Liu Jin says as the two run up to him.

Feng Hao grabs hold of his sleeve, and a flood of information rushes through Liu Jin's brain as Feng Hao desperately tries to communicate everything he has been through with his Qi. Thankfully, the Core Disciples do not take advantage of his momentary lapse.

"I see," Liu Jin says, smiling down at him. "You have gotten stronger."

"This time it was I who made the most progress!" Huang Shing grins proudly, misunderstanding who Liu Jin's words were meant for. "I hope Brother Jin can keep up!"

The female Core Disciples flares her Qi, immediately ending their conversation.

“Good entrance, junior,” the female disciple, Shi Qingxia, says. Despite her words, the scowl on her face does not waver. “But pointless! You intrude where you are not wanted. Young Master Feng Hao will come with us. Inner Disciples have no voice here.”

“Senior Sister,” Liu Jin says, meeting her gaze, “whether we are Inner Disciples or not, the voice that is most important here is surely that of Young Master Feng Hao. Does Young Master Feng Hao wish to go with them?”

The reply comes immediately.

“No!”

“You heard him, seniors.” Liu Jin moves to block Feng Hao from their line of sight. “The Young Master does not wish to go with you. Isn’t his peace of mind something we should consider as well?”

“Do you take me for a fool?!” Shi’s Qi spikes in tandem with her temper. “The Young Master is a child who doesn’t know any better! If his judgment leads him to pick two Inner Disciples over two Core ones, then his words have no value here!”

“It is true you are both stronger than us,” Liu Jin admits. “However, that does not make us incapable of protecting the Young Master. There are other considerations.”

“Oh?” Shi Qingxia smiles with far too many teeth. “Like what?”

“Impartiality, senior sister,” Liu Jin replies. “Brother Huang is a member of the Punishment Force. I belong to the Apothecary. We both belong to different factions, unlike senior brother and senior sister who both support Lord Feng Shang.”

“It is because we support Lord Feng Shang that we are more trustworthy than a dog of Lord Feng Gui! Everyone knows the death of the Young Master would only be a boon to his father!” She says, making Feng Hao flinch behind Liu Jin.

“Senior sister,” Liu Jin says, narrowing his eyes. “If you will not trust Lord Feng Gui, then at least trust Lady Ling, who has entrusted me with the safety of her son. Who are you to doubt her judgment?”

“Lady Ling,” Shi Qingxia echoes in a whisper. Her scowl darkens. “You are the dog that gave Lord Feng Gui the Medical Pavilion!”

“That, I am.”

Yet again, her Qi spikes. The menacing intent radiating from her feels like a thousand needles prickling against his skin.

“To admit that in front of me! How stupid are you?”

“We were at the same banquet, senior sister,” Liu Jin points out. “I saw little point hiding it, though perhaps that was my mistake. I shouldn’t have assumed either of you put me in your eyes.”

“I did,” replies the large man behind Shi Qingxia, Ye Zheyu. “Qing Jin, you speak well, cultivate well, and prepare pills with skill. That doesn’t matter. Senior Brother Yong has spoken.”

“The Young Master will come with us,” Shi Qingxia repeats, pointing her hand towards them. To Liu Jin’s surprise, it is not flames that appear around her hands but angry flashes of light. “Move.”

“I already said that will not be happening,” Liu Jin says, his aura flaring around him.

Shi Qingxia laughs.

“You already said? Junior, do you really think you can stop us?” Her aura clashes against his. Liu Jin grits his teeth as his Qi is pushed back. “You are strong. Both of you. I’m willing to compliment you that much.”

Her aura rises even higher.

“You two are still not our match!”

Her face is a mask of fury. Light rages around her and tears the earth asunder. It is only because Huang Shing and Liu Jin flare up their Qi in response that they and Feng Hao suffer no injuries from the increase in pressure

Light rages in the palm of her hand; pure plasma looks like it will explode at any moment.

“Step back! This is your last chance!”

Huang Shing takes a step forward. His face shines with sweat, yet he dares to speak! “Whether we are strong or weak is not for you to decide!”

“No, she is right,” Liu Jin says, holding his hand to stop him from attacking. “They are much stronger than we are.”

“Brother Jin!” Huang Shing shoots him a betrayed look. “Don’t let your heart falter now!”

“Heart has nothing to do with it,” Liu Jin replies tonelessly. “They are both in the Earth Realm, and we are not. They are stronger than you by at least one Realm, and in my case, the difference is higher. If we were to fight, it would all be over in ten seconds.”

Huang Shing scowls. Though Liu Jin’s words may sound defeatist, that he is willing to say they can last ten seconds against two Core Disciples demonstrates a tremendous level of confidence in his and Huang Shing’s skills. If this fight were happening before an audience, most people would only be wondering whether the fight would last more than one breath.

“So you’re all talk then!” Shi Qingxia laughs. Her Qi began to fade out. “Better to have sense than courage, I suppose. I don’t hate it, so hand over-”

“However,” Liu Jin says, fighting the bile that threatens to rise up in his throat, “what would happen if I threatened the Young Master’s life?”

Everyone goes silent. The sphere of light in the female disciple’s hand fizzles out. Even Huang Shing and Feng Hao stare at Liu Jin in shock.

“If the Young Master dies, Lord Feng Shang loses. You just said so, senior sister,” Liu Jin says, doing his hardest to keep his face from showing his emotions even as he feels the shock and betrayal radiating from Feng Hao. “That is why you wish to secure him, so threatening his life should be effective against you.”

Keep calm. Keep calm. Keep calm.

“And yet,” Liu Jin continues. “Why do I feel you don’t really care about who wins?”

“You are saying dangerous things, Junior,” Ye Zheyu warns him.

“The truth is often dangerous, senior brother, and I have been thinking much of it lately. Why were we sent here? Why are some of the disciples acting in the way they are? I can’t help but feel there is something else at play.”

“I knew… I knew, but… I was... ordered…”

That was what Yuan Yi told him after his failed to attempt to kill him. Liu Jin hadn’t thought much of it back then, dismissing it as his way to remind him of the competition between the two factions.

However, what if someone had ordered Yuan Yi to kill him?

Similarly, Qu Rou had reasons to foster hate in his heart, but was it possible someone had stoked those flames long before they encountered him?

Liu Jin will not go as far as to say the information Feng Hao shared with him is the missing piece, but it has made him aware of just how much he doesn’t know yet.

“I will say it again. You don’t care about the contest at all!”

“And what would you do if that was the case, junior?” Shi Qingxia asks him. Her voice lacks its former heat yet is undeniably more menacing because of it.

“To be honest, I would be a little relieved.”

She snorts. “Relieved?”

“I don’t think I could bring myself to seriously threaten the Young Master,” Liu Jin says. “Even talking about doing it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.” His eyes flick over to Feng Hao. “I scared you just now, didn’t I? I am deeply sorry.”

“Ah, no it’s-”

“Of course, you scared him!” Huang Shing shouts. “Even I was scared! You are a very scary person!”

“Am I? Really?”

“Brother Jin is definitely the scariest person I know who is close to my age.”

“Oh? I can’t compete with those older?”

“Of course not! Old people are always scarier than young ones. That’s how they became old.”

Despite himself Liu Jin finds himself smiling.

“Your simple wisdom is profound sometimes.”

“Enough!” Shi Qingxia shouts. Her Qi begins rising once more. “Do you think us fools? Your comedy act will not buy you the time you need! Do you think we haven’t noticed the disciples flying above us? They cannot save you. No one around for miles is strong enough to face us! You are just wasting our time!”

“No, senior sister. This time was not wasted,” Liu Jin says. “We needed to harden our resolve.”

“Resolve? For what?”

[Sixth Dragon Slaying Palm - Open Lotus]

[White Venom Fist - Nine Branches]

Green Qi blazes around Huang Shing and erupts into a brilliant blast of pink as he brings his palms forward. At the same time, nine huge snakes made out of white poisonous Qi burst from Liu Jin’s aura and rush towards the two Core Disciples. The earth is blasted apart. The grass withers and dies. Though they are both in the True Realm, their combined might is such that even someone in the early levels of the Earth Realm would be in trouble.

“You little shits!”

A bolt of light erupts from Shi Qingxia’s hand and explodes with enough strength to completely cancel out their attacks.

“You see!” She yells as she readies another attack. “This is the difference between us!”

Flames come from above.

Eternal Flame.

For the first time, shock can be clearly felt rippling across the Core Disciples’ Qi as the golden flame crashes down. Despite their power, the two leap back to avoid it, knowing better than to challenge the Eternal Flame.

It is precisely the opening Liu Jin and Huang Shing need.

Liu Jin grabs hold of Feng Hao just as Huang Shing grabs Liu Jin and tosses him into the sky with all his strength. As he does, one of Liu Jin’s snakes wraps around Huang Shing’s waist and pulls him up once Liu Jin and Feng Hao have reached their zenith.

Their goal is Lu Mei’s flying carpet.

“You won’t get away!”

Just as Liu Jin and Huang Shing speed up their ascension through movement technique after movement technique, the two Core Disciples leap after them. Though Liu Jin and Huang Shing managed to use the element of surprise to gain a lead, the Core Disciples are so strong they threaten to overtake them.

However, they are in the Earth Realm, and the earth will not let them go so easily.

Huang Shing and Liu Jin reach Lu Mei’s flying carpet and grab hold of its edges. The two Core Disciples start falling long before they can get that high. In a desperate attempt, Shi Qingxia brings her hands forward and out rushes a mighty tiger made of pure light.

[Stellar Tiger Formation]

Every single person on the flying carpet fires back.

Light, flames, iron, poison, and much more. The combined attacks explode in the middle of the air with so much force the earth below them is left rumbling. Those in the flying carpet are blasted up.

The Core Disciples fall down.

~~~

Huang Shing laughs hysterically.

“We did it, Brother Jin! We did it!”

“Amazing!” Wong breathes out. “Those were Core Disciples, Brother Qing! Core Disciples!”

“Absolutely incredible,” Ten says, looking at him with absolute awe. Like Wong, he is pale from using so much Qi for his attack just now. “Even against two Core Disciples you came out on top.”

“Barely.” Liu Jin looks at Lu Mei. The girl’s face is pale. “Will you be okay?”

“I will have to be,” she replies, well aware of their position. The slightest weakness from her would lead them to crash down. Without the advantage of flight, they would be easy prey for the Core Disciples.

That doesn’t mean he can’t help.

Lu Mei shoots him a grateful look as his Qi intertwines with hers, giving her power and helping her stabilize after using so much of the Eternal Flame to scare away the Core Disciples.

“I apologize once more, Young Master.”

“What?” Feng Hao jerks in surprise. He tries to back away but catches himself when he realizes just how little space there is on the carpet. “Elder Brother has nothing to apologize for!”

“No, I do. Some things cannot be said even in jest. I made you scared of me.”

Liu Jin bows his head to Feng Hao.

“I am deeply sorry.”

“Elder Brother!” yells a scandalized Feng Hao. “You don’t have to go that far! It’s okay! Lift your head! I accept your apology!”

“Truly?”

“Yes!”

Liu Jin smiles tiredly. “ “Thank you, Young Master. You have no idea how much that means to me.”

“So, where are we going now?” Huang Shing asks.

“The temple.”

“Is that not the first place they will look for us?”

“Yes,” Liu Jin says. “Yes, it is.”

~~~

Extra Scene

~~~

“All preparations are in order.”

Lu Mei’s flying carpet is laid out outside the temple, and several disciples have come to see them off. Though many volunteered, only so many people can fit inside the carpet, and leaving the temple with too few people carries its own set of risks.

“Are you sure we cannot wait until Bei Hong and his cousin have recovered?” Lu Mei asks him, throwing a dubious glance at the three coming with them: Ten Zichun, Wong, and Ni Cai.

“Unfortunately, their wounds are too serious,” Liu Jin says with a soft shake of his head. “We do not have time to waste.”

Liu Jin wishes it weren’t so. Their many flaws aside, the Bei cousins are undoubtedly great fighters. However, there is no telling what will happen to Feng Hao if they wait until they recover.

“Come back safe,” Fan Bingbing tells them.

“We’ll do our best,” Liu Jin replies.

Fan is also someone he’d like to have at his side for this, but it is best that she stays at the temple to keep things in order. Who knows what could happen if he left the others without a level-headed person like her in charge?

Liu Jin is taking Ten Zichun for related reasons. If left alone here, the disciple would keep trying to spread his ideas. While Liu Jin is flattered that Ten Zichun thinks him capable of starting his own Sect, he’d rather not have too many people thinking that. It could easily give some the wrong impression.

As for Wong and Ni Cai, they volunteered. Wong’s decision, in particular, came as a surprise to Liu Jin.

“Stay away from the deeper floors of the temple,” Liu Jin tells Fan Bingbing. “There could be all sorts of monsters down there.”

“Brother Jin has already told me that,” Fan Bingbing replies. Most people would not have been able to pick out the slight petulance in her tone.

“However,” Liu Jin adds in a low voice, “if another Core Disciple appears, that might be your only choice. Keep that in mind.”

Qu Rou had been waiting for them here. It is likely other Core Disciples stayed behind as well. If another one were to show up, replicating their victory against Qu Rou would be practically impossible. Escaping deeper into the temple would be their best alternative. Fan Bingbing nods to show she understands.

“Do your best to hold on,” Lu Mei tells them all as her carpet starts rising. “We’ll be traveling at top speed, and I really don’t want to have to come back down to grab someone who fell off.”

She is jesting. The carpet and her own wind techniques prevent such things from happening, but the others don’t know that. Liu Jin hides a smile as the three immediately clutch the carpet tightly between their hands.

He could tell them the truth.

He doesn’t.

The carpet takes off into the horizon.

~~~