Chapter 31: The Festival

Jiahai sat alone, looking at the sun setting in the horizon. The town around the academy was abuzz with activity for tonight’s festival. He wanted to enjoy it but the thought of his friend not enjoying it weighed heavily on his mind. Zen had told him of the deal he made with the man from the Red Dragon Sect. he would free Jun Nee of the blood contract on her if Zen can make her tell him everything he knows about Ma Xinqi. Zen had told him not to worry but instead to enjoy the festival.

Sighing, Jiahai exited his room, walking the lawn of the school which was also decorated for the day. As he passed by he stopped in front of a building, which he surprisingly found was still open, the school’s library. He got an idea and walked inside.

The library was a large building with five floors of books and scrolls about many subjects from factual studies to fiction and everything inbetween. The librarian was a man with silver hair, who looked at Jiahai in surprise.

“Such a young student at this time of night and today of all days, rare indeed.”

Jihai clasped his hands together and bowed. “Sir, I was looking for books on contracts… blood contracts to be more exact.”

“Do you know how the library system works.”

Jiahai shamefully shook his head no. truth is, this was only the second time he had stepped within the library. Like Zen, he decided to focus mainly on martial arts classes, avoiding theory based classes, and therefore did not need nor want to read. But now he was faced with something he thought he knew about but realised he knew little.

After a quick explanation by the librarian, Jiahai found the section on contracts. Taking our several books he seated himself on a long study table. Most tables were deserted as there were only a handful of students in the library at this hour. Jiahai felt a strange kinship to these readers when he himself was not really one.

He opened the book to the chapter he wanted and began reading to himself in a hushed voice. A few minutes later and he was struggling to keep his eyes open, slowly being reminded how dull reading was for him. He caught something in the book that snapped his eyes open and sent him craning closer to the pages.

“This is bad,” he said. “I have to tell Wang Zen!”

-

Jun Nee walked through the lightly lit cities. She smiled at the excited and happy people sampling food or enjoying the music and shows of public performers. The festival touched every part of the city, including down town, bringing with it happiness and ease. She was tempted to slow down and enjoy the festivities but then she prodded the necklace around her neck ending in a circle of gold with a crystal inside it.

“Maybe later,” she whispered, the sound lost in the noises around her.

Unbeknownst to her, someone was following her from behind. He wore a blue flowing robe and wide brim straw hat. His face was always hidden, seemingly always looking down or away from people who had enough interest to look his way. He was steadily catching up to her until he caught her arm.

Jun Nee whipped around, initially frightened by the man’s lack of a face but then she calmed down when she realised he was wearing a mask. There were people who wore masks at this festival, so it was not surprising that the man before her also wore one, albeit it was of a different design than what she was used to. It was black with a red streak starting from the left eye hole down to where she would guess a mouth should be. There was something else that was unsettling about this character, he had no cultivation base! Even though, telling from his height, he was roughly her age, he must have been really strong to hide his cultivation base so thoroughly from her.

“Forgive me for this ungentlemanly behaviour, Jun Nee.”

The mask distorted his voice but it still held enough familiarity for Jun Nee to recognise him. “Master Wang Zen! I thought I told you to leave me alone!” She tried to pull away but found his grip on her wrist firm. “Let me go!”

“Sorry, I am too worried about you to respect your request to leave you alone,” Zen said. “And, like I said, Forgive me for my ungentlemanly behaviour but I fear that if I release you, you will flee and experience has taught me that I will fail be able to keep up.”

“Why I you talking like that?” Jun Nee said, blushing at the thought that he still held on to her.

“Because I was once told by my grandfather that if I wanted to persuade anyone of anything, I should not speak like my father but I should speak like my mother.” He leaned in closer to her. “I know everything, Jun Nee. I know about Ma Xinqi, about the Black Butterflies and the blood contract.”

Jun Nee looked away in fear and shame.

“I have a friend who can help… who can break the blood contract.”

Jun Nee looked up with wide eyes. “That’s impossible! Blood contracts are unbreakable.”

“This guy says he can,” Zen nodded his head, “and he is powerful… very powerful, so I believe him.”

“I’ve met powerful people too.”

Zen guessed she was talking about Ma Xinqi. “But this one is very strong, he’s strength probably rivals that of the City Lord himself and…” he hesitated and clenched his fist, “he’s part of the Red Dragon Sect so he must be very good. All you have to do is tell him about what you know about Ma Xinqi and you’ll be free.”

“Even if this friend of yours can do what you claim, why should I do it?” she said. “Doing what I am doing provides me with food, shelter and a measure of comfort. If I leave what awaits me? I can only see the hunger and hopelessness I felt before I joined them.”

“But don’t you think the cost is too much? You’re working for a thug who probably is stealing from the poor people he lives amongst and I’m sure whatever you are doing for him is not very safe. What about finding your brother… uhm…?

“Jun Ningxe,” she said.

“Yes.”

“The city is too big. I can’t find him on my own.”

“Then I will help you but I can only do that when your free of this Ma Xinqi person,” his grasp moved lower from her wrist to her palm. “How about it?”

Jun Nee squeezed her fingers around his before nodding.

“Good,” he said before leading her by the hand.