It began raining late into the very same day Ip An departed from Firth-Step Village. Grey clouds formed as lightning boomed into the distance, causing Ip An to slightly worry. For multiple reasons, he had taken a far less travelled road instead of the main road. Firstly, Uncle Huang had caused him to become very suspicious and paranoid. And secondly, there would be a lower chance of encountering undesirable and malicious people.

Although it would take a bit longer to traverse it, his safety was a higher priority. He had to make sure he made it to Peerless Cliff City with the medallion and letter. And more importantly his life. Yet, his biggest worry as of now was simply making it out of the rain. The rain’s intensity had slowly been increasing ever since it started. And if he didn’t find somewhere to shelter out the rain then he would become completely drenched in water!

Luckily, he had thought of a way to keep the letter safe from the rain. He had simply folded it and placed it inside of his hand and closed it, keeping it completely safe from the rain. He secretly hoped that folding it wouldn’t ruin its validity or that they wouldn’t accept it and he wouldn’t be allowed in.

While he was running the rain the cogs in his brain were slowly turning. That’s when he suddenly remembered that along this path was an abandoned Buddhist temple! He had never been to this temple before, but he had heard that it was built long ago by a tiny sect of martial Buddhists that lived in the forest.

However, a great tragedy struck them and ever since then the temple has not been maintained. This has caused it to significantly deteriorate and collect dust for many years! While remembering these details, he had spotted a small building in the far distance on the right side of the road!

He momentarily increased his speed and soon found himself in front of the buddhist temple that he had heard about! It was slightly large than expected, having quite alor of room to move around in. It was only one stroy high and was made with a dark brown wood. Remnants of colorful banners hang at the side of the entrance.

As he entered, it was completely empty other than a small shrine with a statue of buddha opposite from the door. Only the remaining dregs of incense from long ago were left on a low pedestal in front of it. For a couple moments, he stood in place with a blank expression trying to figure out what to do from here.

“Hmm, i don’t think the rain will stop anytime soon. Let’s make ourself at home then!” Ip An stared at the dusty wooden flooring as he made this decision. Just as he was about to sweep himself a circle of floor free of dust he stopped himself in realisation.

“Well, before that…”, he glanced at the shrine over his shoulder, turned around and walked to the front of it. Putting his hands together he closed his eyes and put his head down in a silent prayer.

‘Thank you for sheltering me from the rain’, he silently whispered in his heart in appreciation.

After he finished his prayer, he suddenly noticed a rolled up bamboo mat large enough for him to sleep on! It was sitting to the side of the shrine in a way that wouldn’t be visible from first look.

‘Ah! Thank you again’, he thanked in his heart once again in genuine surprise. Rolling out the mat onto the floor nearby, he laid down on his back and took off his shirt. He dropped it on the top of his chest and closed his eyes. As he slowly doze off he listened to the rain impacting against the temple’s roof, the temple’s stale but unique scent. The small pricks of bamboo that was shooting off the mat and into his skin.

It wasn’t the most comfortable place to sleep at all. Yet there was something novel about it that made it that much more than just satisfactory. He was out here on his own, he was on a journey all by himself. He didn’t have the help of anyone and was simply wandering through the wilderness of the world. Which is what he had wanted to do since he knew about the outside world.

If only his grandfather was here to experience it with him. Though he knew that even if he was still alive he would’ve been too old to go with him safely, it still saddened him. He let out a long sigh while blinking his eyes. They stared right at the wooden floor for many minutes until he slowly felt his eyelids shudder and his consciousness daze off.

…

As he slept, he dreamt he was a handsome, flying sword immortal standing in the air high above fluffy, white clouds! His graceful, black hair fluttered in the wind as he stared into the distance where he seemingly waited for something to appear. Suddenly, an azure dragon with jet black whiskers and a dazzling mane appeared from beneath the clouds.

It stared at him with blood-shot eyes as it rushed towards him with a heaven-shaking roar! Yet, he was not fazed at all. As it came closer and closer it seemed like he was not going to take action. as they were about to collide the dragon opened up it’s mouth attempting to eat him.

Ip An let out a harrumph as a hundred-meter long sword suddenly appeared from air. It was illuminated with dazzling gold light and it’s appearance greatly shocked the dragon. However, despite the appearance of this sword it only slightly faltered and continued on as normal.

Seeing this, Ip An gave a small smirk as the sword suddenly shot forward and cut through the dragon in one clean cut! Each half of it’s body quickly dropped from the sky and disappeared through the clouds back from where it had came from.

Then, Ip An turned away coldly as if what had just happaned could not even be put in his eyes. But, just as he turned around he found himself him face to face with a pitch black face with red eyes. It was like staring into the void. He became greatly alarmed as a flood of primal instincts overran through his whole body screaming him to run!

In just a single instant, he teleported away at a frightening speed using all his strength, will and reserved resources. Sweat had instantaneously started dripping down his face, goosebumps formed all over his skin and his five senses hightened to their maximum potential.

Yet, after just a couple seconds he suddenly couldn’t feel his outer limbs and when he looked down and stopped he found himself crumbling into ash and scattering into the wind. Before he knew it, he had turned around and found himself staring at the void-like being as his whole body crumbled into ash.

The last thing he saw before his consciousness faded was the flash of a devilish, red smile filled with sharp teeth.

…

Ip An suddenly jerked himself up to a sitting position as he sucked in a sharp breathe of air. He looked around with frantic eyes, checking his surroundings for anything that could be dangerous. Seeing nothing out of place, his racing heart calmed down as he just then noticed he was covered in sweat!

Ip An simply let out a low grumble before letting his body fall back down onto his back. However, just as he was dozing to sleep again he heard a distant voice throughout all the rain.

“Aargh! Curse the heavens! It just started raining right when we left! We’re forced to shelter out the rain in this abandoned temple as the closest shelter on the main road is nearly five days away! Such insanity!”, An oddly familiar aged voice complained.

Hearing a stranger’s voice in this secluded place he swiftly reached into his bag beside him and pulled out the knife he had stolen from Mei Yawen and assumed the same position he had just then. The only difference was that he held a knife in between his bosom. His back was also turned from the entrance making it appear as if he was just sound asleep!

So if anybody decided to….

If they tried to...

These thoughts clogged his brain like muddy water. However, another voice that wasn’t as familiar came from outside, “It seems like the heavens really aren’t on our side on this matter. Nevertheless we will succeed. No matter how far the boy-”

Ip An’s heart skipped a beat as they mentioned the word ‘boy’. His mind blanked and he felt his grip on the blade become tighter and much, much colder. His blood seemingly reversed directions on him for an instant. His brain quickly made certain connections and he quickly figured out what was happening.

“-runs he can’t possibly be too far ahead. Once this rain clears up we will travel through the jungle back onto the main road and catch up to him. After all, though both of our inner qi’s have been crippled both of us have still maintained certain skills.”

“Mhm, Indeed”, the familiar, aged voice replied. After a moment of horrid realisation and hearing his heart beating in his ears, Ip An matched this voice to Uncle Huang. As for the other voice, Ip An found them familiar but had no clue who they were but assumed them to be some kind of accomplice.

Knowing this, he had deduced that Uncle Huang was after the medallion and letter! A strong feeling of fear manifested in his heart like a blooming flower coloured a deathly black. But, underneath the shadow of one of its smallest petals was a tiny seedling with but a single petal. Despite It’s insignificant size it shone a dazzling rainbow filled with courage and hope that matched even the presence of even the flower filled with fear.

Then, as the black flower filled with fear tried to stick it’s roots further into Ip An’s heart, it suddenly found that it had been blocked by the roots of the insignificant seedling that it hadn’t even considered!

Like this, Ip An overcame his fears and began thinking calmly, unaffected by his fears.

In a couple moments he looked at all his current options and settled with just laying where he was right now in the same position as he listened to Uncle Huang’s conversation with his accomplice. For a while, he heard about many matters he did not hear of and many insignificant things that didn’t really matter.

But, at one point in their conversation their speaking abruptly stopped and Ip An felt the sound of quiet footsteps that were slowly approaching him. Despite having conquered his fear, he was still felt a bit nervous as hair all across his body stuck up in the air!

Second by second, the footsteps grew closer and closer until they were seemingly right behind him. He saw the edges of a large, dark shadow appear at the bottom of his vision which confirmed his suspicions. Just as he heard the sounds of someone shuffling through his bag that’s when he striked!

He wasn’t going to let anyone steal the medallion or letter from him! Not even Uncle Huang!

Like an arrow released from a fully-strung bow he shot forward with surprising speed. As he turned around in that exact moment he saw who was searching through his bag. They were a middle-aged man of average stature with a thick beard and bun of hair. Without any hesitation he made a compromise in his heart and struck downward for the man’s leg!

Unexpectedly, as his hand holding the knife travelled through the air, mid-way it had just stopped. He had found that a hairy, rough hand covered in cold, blue veins was holding his small wrist in an unbreakable grasp. Ip An tried to pull away with his strength yet found that he didn’t even budge nor did his grip show any signs of loosening!

“Hehe”, the thick haired man chuckled as he began to tightly squeeze his wrist causing Ip An to moan in pain, “I dare say that you almost cut this venerable one’s leg in half! I am sorry if this is a misunderstanding! I was simply checking your belongings in case a thief had come along and decided to misplaced some of your items. I truly have no bad intentions!”

The thick haired man smiled like as if he was a good samaritan, acting oblivious to his earlier actions of scrummaging through Ip An’s bag.