The three of them walked up to her and Chu He Lan nodded his head.

“The trap was done well. Good job Leng Zhuang.” He said. Leng Zhuang avoided Yu Lin’s gaze and just nodded.

“What are you doing, Chu He Lan?” Yu Lin asked. He Lan just looked at her and smirked.

“You will find out soon enough.” He said. He picked up a rope on the ground that was attached to the net. “Follow me.” He Lan pulled on the rope. The three of them turned their backs to her as they continued to keep walking. Leng Zhuang was carrying a very long bag on his back. Yu Lin followed behind not saying anything.

“I did a good job right Lan Lan?” Mei Rong said blinking her eyes. He Lan gave her a pat on the head.

“Of course.” He said smiling and Mei Rong blushed. Wu Pu rolled his eyes at the two and Leng Zhuang just kept quiet.

During the night before that day, He Lan had ran out of the siheyuan and he went to Wu Pu’s house. Leng Zhuang and Mei Rong were already there as they had scheduled to play games all night long, however when they saw He Lan run in with fury on his face they all wanted to know what happened to him. He Lan explained how the Du family was trying to come live with him, and how he couldn’t stand to live with someone who had the same blood as the one who took his mother.

Mei Rong and Leng Zhuang were comforting He Lan, however Wu Pu had sat there quietly with a dark look in his eyes. When he opened his mouth he had suggested a plan to help He Lan get rid of the Du family. When he told his plan, Mei Rong and Leng Zhuang were hesitant to help, however Wu Pu said if they didn’t then He Lan and Wu Pu would end their friendship with them so they did not have a choice but to go with the plan.

Yu Lin watched as they chattered among themselves and smirked. ‘These brats, think they actually got me trapped.’ She thought. Of course Yu Lin knew how to get out of the mess she was in. All she had to do was use her fire magic to burn the rope, however she wanted to see what the brats were up to so she didn’t. She showed no expression on her face however as Wu Pu or He Lan would occasionally glance back at her.

After another half hour of walking, the four of them exited the forest and what was in front of them was a large grassy field. He Lan led them to the center. When they reached the center he pulled the net off Yu Lin and pushed her so that he, Wu Pu, Mei Rong, and Leng Zhuang were equally spaced around her.

“Don’t think of running you monster.” He Lan hissed. Yu Lin stretched her body.

“What do you want?” She wanted to get straight the point. He Lan glared at her.

“Leng Zhuang.” He said. Leng Zhuang jumped at first, before he opened the bag he was carrying and threw a golden bamboo stick at Yu Lin’s feet. He also gave He Lan one. He handed a long golden bamboo stick to Mei Rong and two shorter ones to Wu Pu, before swinging the bag over his shoulder. Yu Lin looked down at it but did nothing before looking back up at He Lan. He Lan cleared his throat.

“Let’s settle this the martial artist way.” He said as he nodded his head towards the golden bamboo stick.

“A duel?” Yu Lin raised her eyebrow. He Lan nodded his head.

“If I win, then you and your family get out of my house. If you win, then you can stay.” He Lan said. Yu Lin cocked her head to one side.

“What makes you think I am willing to have this duel with you?” Yu Lin asked. He Lan stood there dumbfounded and turned to look at Wu Pu.

“Because, if you don’t then... all three of us will come at you at the same time!” Wu Pu quickly threatened. Yu Lin let out a laugh.

“Come then,” Yu Lin watched as they all took up a stance, “but, how will you face people in the village when they learned you guys bullied someone three years younger than you guys? What a shameful act you guys will carry, for the rest of your lives.” Yu Lin hissed. They all froze in spot and swallowed hard.

“No one would know.” Wu Pu snarled.

“No. Everyone will know. I will tell them.” Yu Lin snarled back.

“You wouldn’t. It will be an embarrassment you will carry for life.”

“No. If people heard they will take my side. Who is going to take yours?” Yu Lin gave them a smirk. She was not afraid to go against them all at once because the outcome was obvious, however she did not want to waste energy if she didn’t have to. The four of them thought about it and then lowered their stance.

“Monster yo-”

“But, I have a proposal for you.” Yu Lin interrupted He Lan. He Lan squinted his eyes.

“What is it?”

“Let’s duel. If you win I will move my family out of your house. If I win… I will tell you after I win.” Yu Lin smiled. ‘Kids will never learn unless you teach them a lesson.’ Yu Lin thought. She had already that for the duel she would not use the Li Clan’s Sword Fighting martial arts unless things got out of hand. She wanted to see how strong He Lan had grown over the past three months. He Lan thought about it and then nodded his head. Although he had lost to Yu Lin three months ago, he felt that now he was a different person. He had intense sword training from his uncle. He felt, no knew, that he would win regardless of anything Yu Lin did.

“Ok.” He Lan said confidently before going into a dueling stance. The three kids stepped away from Yu Lin as she rolled the stick under her foot and kicked it up, catching it with her hand. She swung the bamboo around before getting into her stance.

The two of them stared at each other waiting for the other to make the first move. Yu Lin was patient as she wanted to observe He Lan’s skill. He Lan on the other hand, was impatient as he charged towards Yu Lin. He leapt into the air and raised swung the bamboo stick down towards Yu Lin. Yu Lin quickly sidestepped, dodging his bamboo stick. She then slashed her bamboo stick towards him and he blocked it with his own.

Yu Lin lifted her leg and kicked it in his direction and He Lan backflipped to get away from her. Yu Lin didn’t wait for him to compose himself as she ran up to him and swung her bamboo sword down. He Lan’s eyes widened as he held up his bamboo stick. Yu Lin’s bamboo stick deflected off of his and she then somersaulted her body in the air as she slammed one of her leg down to kick He Lan.

He Lan lowered his body as he tightly grabbed her calf pulling her to the ground. Yu Lin turned her body midair as she stretched out her leg and hit He Lan’s shoulder. He Lan’s hand came off her calf as he rolled to the side. He clenched his teeth as he quickly stood up however he had not time to rest as Yu Lin ran back up to him swinging her sword down.

The two continued to clash on as the three watched from the sidelines. Each time Yu Lin’s bamboo stick hit He Lan’s, Wu Pu’s face would contort to a smile. Mei Rong only watched with a smug expression as Leng Zhuang bit on his fingernails nervously.

“Wu Pu, I don’t thin-”

“Shut up Leng Zhuang! Do you want to end our friendship now?” Wu Pu hissed and Leng Zhuang swallowed hard before shaking his head. Wu Pu rolled his eyes at him before smiling. “Besides, she needs to learn her place.” Wu Pu said. ‘Just as father said, beneath all of us.’ He thought as an evil glint sparkled in his eye.

Yu Lin was fighting the smile that was urging to show up on his face. ‘This brat, he is quite good. I am pleasantly surprised that he improved this much over three months.’ Yu Lin furrowed her eyebrows. ‘But, why does he look so happy when he is the one losing?’ Yu Lin backed away as He Lan swung his sword. ‘How strange.’ She sidestepped dodging another swing. ‘Why doesn’t he look discouraged?’ She moved back as he swung towards her. ‘Why...’ Yu Lin lifted up her bamboo stick to block He Lan’s bamboo stick as he swung it down. ‘Why…’ Yu Lin’s eyes widened as she saw her bamboo stick bending backwards towards her.

‘I got her.’ He Lan grinned as he continued to push his bamboo stick down, however he was wrong.

The look in Yu Lin’s eyes changed as she quickly raised her other hand and folded her bamboo stick in half, entrapping He Lan’s bamboo stick in the middle of it. He Lan lost his grip on his sword as Yu Lin did this. Yu Lin quickly swung her arms gracefully trapping the two bamboo sticks between her arms before landing her palms on He Lan’s chest. He Lan flew back and landed on his back as he felt all the air knocked out of him. He coughed while gasping for air at the same time. ‘The first form of Yin and Yang.’ Yu Lin took a deep breath in before letting it out. The three of them eye’s grew before Mei Rong and Leng Zhuang ran to He Lan’s side.

“Lan Lan!” Mei Rong exclaimed as she bent down. Leng Zhuang picked up He Lan’s wrist and felt his palm. He felt it still stable and he placed his palm over He Lan’s chest and started to heal him, easing the pain. Wu Pu just stood there shocked as he never expected Yu Lin to be able to counterattack

Yu Lin ignored He Lan as she examined the two golden bamboo sticks in her palm. She opened her cracked bamboo stick and caught He Lan’s bamboo stick before it hit the ground. She brought hers close to her nose.

“Oil, to make the golden bamboo look older.” Yu Lin said as she looked at the group with cold eyes.

He Lan sat up as Mei Rong rubbed his back with worried eyes. Leng Zhuang just let out a sigh of relief as He Lan was not heavily injured, or else he would not know how to heal him, after all he was only 2nd Level Bronze Ranked healer. Yu Lin walked up to them and threw the bamboo sticks down in front of them.

“Did you not have enough confidence to beat me that you had to resort to cheating, Chu He Lan?” She leaned in and hissed. Mei Rong glared at Yu Lin before pushing her away.

“Don’t bully my Lan Lan!” She screamed. Yu Lin looked at her and smirked.

“Why aren’t you worried about me, Mei Rong? We are friends aren’t we?” Yu Lin cocked her head to one side. Mei Rong’s face flushed red.

“We aren’t friends! You are… you are not part of our group!”

“Isn’t that a joy? I would rather be alone than in a cheating group like yours.”

“What?” Mei Rong walked up to her and started to yell at Yu Lin.

As the kids argue they did not sense the two dark figures approaching them from the forest. The two figures were short and stubby as they had a frown on their faces.

“I’m so hungry Din.” One of them whined.

“Shut up Xin! It’s all your damn fault we had to starve! You forgot to lock the cage and those damn villagers ran away.” Din shouted as he smacked the Xin’s head.

“Ow!” Xin winced as he rubbed his head. “I already said I was sorry.” Xin cried.

“Shut up before I bre-” Din stopped and he looked up.

“What’s wro-”

“Shhh!” Din fiercely hushed as he smack Xin’s head. Xin rubbed his head but kept his mouth shut. The two stood there and then a grin showed on their faces. “Xin, do you hear what I hear?” Din whispered.

“If what you are hearing are the voices of children, then yes older brother, I hear what you are hearing!” Xin giggled. The two began to run towards the sounds of the voices they heard.

“So, does that give He Lan a reason to cheat?” Yu Lin crossed her arms. Her and Mei Rong had been arguing for a while already and Mei Rong’s face was completely red from anger.

“It wasn’t even Lan Lan’s idea!” She shouted and then quickly covered her mouth. Yu Lin raised an eyebrow and turned around, casting a look at Wu Pu. Wu Pu looked at him with wide eyes before darting his eyes away. Yu Lin turned back around.

“Is that so?” She gave them a smirk. “But that does not excuse you from cheating!” She said coldly. The three of them looked away, shame filled their eyes. Yu Lin smiled. “Anyways since I won I will tell yo-” Yu Lin’s eyes grew big with shock and fear. She saw two trolls approaching them with a huge smile on their faces. “Run.” She breathed out. The three on the ground looked at her confused.

“What?” They said in unison.

“Run!” Yu Lin yelled as she grabbed He Lan’s robe and picked him off from the ground and started pulling him away. The four of them turned their heads and fear filled their faces as they saw the two troll and they turned on their heels and began running as fast as they could, back towards the village.