If Min Guiying was honest with himself, he never would've expected the leader to be quite skilled. But then again, he wasn't honest, so he assumed that he was simply out of practice and would normally be able to defeat him in seconds.
Usually, this kind of challenge would never get to Min Guiying, but it was that arrogant smile that would never leave his opponents face that got to him. The smile that reached the corner of the leader's cheek, crooked and with malicious intentions. Like he knew the outcome of this match, ending with his victory and the way he wants.
It pissed Min Guiying off from the very beginning.
The two men exchanged furious glares as their swords clashed violently, the Sun reflecting on the shining silver blades. The noise was sharp, echoing throughout the entire field, and although others were there with him, Min Guiying was beginning to lose himself into the battle, beginning to let reality slip out of his fingers. He was hell-bent on killing the bastard in front of him, his anger consuming him and the only thought he could process was how much he wanted to kill.
He wanted so badly to watch the smile slip off the leader's face as he fell down to his knees in pain with Min Guiying's blade penetrated through his chest, blood splattering all around. But there was one thin string that fought to keep his mind in the present and distracted him from his anger and longing to kill:
Zhao Hui.
Min Guiying's head remained preoccupied with Zhao Hui, who he had seen struggling with three Nuh soldiers who collectively attacked him.
The soldiers were trained very well, Min Guiying could tell, their movements were impressively planned and their power was very strong at every hit. But Min Guiying was swifter and much more graceful, his light Hanfu helping him reduce the amount of weight to carry, allowing him to move faster.
The Nuh clan preferred to dress their disciplines in much fancier and lengthier robes in order to prove their power status, while the Min clan traditionally kept their attire simple, light, and flowy. This difference in attire affected the battle style each clan used. While the Nuh clan focused more on power and planned attacks, the Min clan worked more upon being swift, graceful, and having accurate hits that would deeply affect their opponents' metanoia core, the powerhouse of cultivation energy.
In order to become a better cultivator, one would have to build up their metanoia core through practice to make it stronger and more powerful. However, it takes one fatal hit that is able to shatter up to 80 percent of the core if it has not been built up enough or properly.
Even while he was fighting, Min Guiying couldn't help but steal glances at Zhao Hui, checking up to see his progress on the soldiers. The leader noticed this action, but he didn't comment, his smile only grew wider. It was when one of the soldiers fell and another was frozen that the leader at last took action, yelling commands at the last standing soldier.
Liu Jia was finished with her soldiers and came over to Min Guiying to lend him a hand. This gave him more than enough time to watch over Zhao Hui. Right as Min Guiying turns to glance at Zhao Hui, he sees him roughly thrown on the ground. Without hesitation, Min Guiying glides over to help, leaving Liu Jia on her own to fight the leader. Min Guiying's anger from the leader was going to be taken out by this poor scapegoat.
"Don't touch what isn't yours." Min Guiying grits his teeth, scowling. The soldier turns around, surprised by the voice, only to be stabbed by a sword through his heart. Min Guiying kicks the body to the side and extends an arm to help Zhao Hui up.
"Thank you!" Zhao Hui sighs thankfully, grabbing onto Min Guiying's hand, "Why do you look so mad? Are you okay?" Zhao Hui rests a hand on Min Guiying's shoulder lovingly, which causes him to blush.
"Yes." Min Guiying violently turns his body so that Zhao Hui's hand falls off of his shoulder. Zhao Hui chuckles, looking at Min Guiying's red face.
"I hope we have a change of clothes in the boat, I don't think people will like seeing me wear these clothes everywhere." Liu Jia smiles awkwardly, showing off her Hanfu, covered with flecks of vividly colored blood, her sword planted on the ground.
"Let's go." Min Guiying immediately begins striding away, not even turning back to check if the others were following. Zhao Hui and Liu Jia exchange looks and shrug.
"Wait up Young Master Min!" Zhao Hui runs after Min Guiying, grabbing Liu Jia's hand and forcing her along.
The boat was docked close to the end of the pier, floating gently along with the waves, a rope tied to a piece of wood sticking above the boat. The size of the boat was relatively small, however, it was perfect for fitting three people, and a wooden roof hung above, creating a small room in the middle of the boat, but without windows. The poles holding up the roof were decorated with the imprints of bamboo, while lanterns were hung outside on all four sides of the room. Liu Jia, Min Guiying, and Zhao Hui all step onto the boat carefully, Zhao Hui helps to untie the boat to the pier and grabs an oar, steering the boat away from the chaos unfolding in the palace walls of the Min clan.
"Wait, I feel like we are forgetting someone." Zhao Hui snaps his head back violently, remembering, "Second Childe Boquin!"
"We can't turn back now, we could all risk getting hurt again…" Liu Jia trails off, her head bowing sadly.
Zhao Hui watches worriedly behind him at the palace, thinking of Min Boquin's safety, hearing clanks of swords, yells of discipline being stabbed, and now amber flames eating up the palace. It had seemed that someone had set fire to the wooden palace, and everything was becoming quickly inflamed on fire, smoke trailing above the palace walls.
He looks quickly at Min Guiying who has his fist clenched tightly on his Hanfu, his eyebrows furrowed angrily, and tears swelling up in his eyes, threatening to fall. But he doesn't dare cry, even as his breaths become unstable, his chest rising and falling rapidly. Min Guiying and Liu Jia were sitting down on benches set inside the room, and a chest was open, where food, water, and extra clothes were stored. Liu Jia was in the middle of changing her outer layer which was covered with blood.
"Shijie, row the boat please!" We Zhixin whispers, pointing at his oar. Liu Jia looks at Min Guiying sadly, and nods. The two switch positions and Zhao Hui runs immediately to Min Guiying's side.
Sitting silently by Min Guiying's side, Zhao Hui snakes a hand around Min Guiying's waist, bringing them closer together, to which Min Guiying shoots his head up in surprise. Peering into his disheartened eyes that shine fresh tears, Zhao Hui doesn't hesitate as he brings in Min Guiying for a hug, embracing him lovingly in between his arms. With his hands around Min Guiying's neck, Zhao Hui softly strokes Min Guiying's hair, resting his head on his shoulder.
Feeling another pair of arms wrapping around his waist, Zhao Hui looks in Min Guiying's direction and watches as his shoulder shakes as he sobs, burying his head farther into Zhao Hui's shoulder. Min Guiying's grip on Zhao Hui's waist tightens as he cries his feelings out, all his madness, all the injustice.
"Min Guiying, I promise everything will be alright. It's okay to cry, you know that? You don't always have to be strong, it's better to let the feelings go rather than keep them in. You can cry for however long you want, my shoulder will always be there for you." Zhao Hui whispers into Min Guiying's ear, erasing any personal space they could possibly have. Min Guiying sniffles sadly, his thoughts subconsciously taking over.
Why does he feel so nice? I mean- I hate this, I really do, but like... I'll give this hug a couple more minutes… it's kinda… yeah. Scoot over a biiiitttt… oh yeah. This is the dream- wait no! Not the dream but... Min Guiying slowly dozes off as he thinks, his head resting on Zhao Hui's shoulder, his sniffles turning into cute snores.
"He's asleep! Look! He's so cute! Oh my goodness!" Zhao Hui whisper-yells, turning his head slightly to meet Liu Jia's eyes, pointing at Min Guiying. Moving Min Guiying's leg, Zhao Hui creates a more comfortable position for the two as he wraps both of Min Guiying's legs around his waist, so it was as if Zhao Hui was holding a very oversized baby.
"Oh my gosh! He's so adorable, what the heck!" Liu Jia giggles, her hand constantly in a rowing motion as she helps the boat drift farther and farther from the shoreline. The sun was starting to rise high in the sky, sending a blast of heat onto Liu Jia, but she persisted, succeeding in reaching the middle of the lake in record time.
"Where are we headed now Shijie? The only neighboring clan would be the Zang Clan of the Lissome River, but they are more than a hundred miles away, you can't surely row us that far!"
"At this point Ah Xin, it's the only place we can go, but there should be small villages we could stay at in the time being. It's best if we travel the rest on foot." Liu Jia sighs deeply, thoughts running through her mind of the safest way to get to their destination.
But the Grandmistress Min told us to follow the river till our heart desired? Why is she leading us to the shore and continuing the journey on land? Hold up- it really doesn't matter, I know where the bewitched comb is! Actually, I'm really surprised how on track this story is, even though I went in between and didn't let Liu Jia and Min Guiying meet, it's best if I don't change much more, otherwise, the entire story will be different. Zhao Hui nods his head to his thoughts, his eyebrows furrowing as he ponders deeply about what would be the best way to reach the Cave of Desideratum, where an enchanted comb was guarded by the mystical Flowski, a monstrous ice wolf.
"Mo-mom? D-dad? No d-don't go!" Min Guiying whimpers, tightening his grip significantly on Zhao Hui's waist. This catches the attention of Liu Jia and Zhao Hui, who turn to look at him simultaneously.
"Young Master Min! Young Master Min!" Zhao Hui roughly shakes Min Guiying's shoulder, trying to wake him up from the nightmare.
"NO!" Min Guiying gasps awake, his eyes red and tears streaming down his face. He sees where he was lying and with his eyes wide in surprise, he jolts back, landing brutally on the floor of the boat, "Zhao Hui! D-did I-"
"Yeah, you fell asleep so I made you comfortable. You shouldn't have just let go like that, you could've gotten seriously hurt, if you haven't already." Zhao Hui smiles softly at him, reaching his hand out to help.
"Sorry I j-just was startled." Min Guiying takes the hand and Zhao Hui heaves him up. Min Guiying's face turns red in embarrassment.
"No worries Young Master Min!" Zhao Hui waves his hand, and sits back down thinking, Now I know. This bitch is bipolar and needs medical attention immediately. One second he's mad as fuck, the next second really nice, the next second quiet and put together, and then the next blushing like a high school girl with a crush! Or a high school boy, I've had my fair share of seeing men that blush so cut-
"...understand A-Xin?" Liu Jim was speaking to Zhao Hui, but as he was too caught up in his thoughts, he had missed her words. She had seemed to notice this and she sighs, a smile forming on her face, "Lost in your thoughts? You seem to have that face when you are."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to, I just daydream too often."
"Zhao Hui, here are some clothes, they look simple, but it'll help us blend in. It's best we keep our profile low, otherwise we'll get caught. The closest village here is the Feng village and I heard that they are secretly working for the Nuh's, we don't want to risk anything."
"Understand Shijie." Zhao Hui takes the clothes gratefully and immediately starts stripping.
"Zhao Hui! HAVE YOU NO SHAME I'M LITERALLY STILL HERE!!!!!" Min Guiying yells as he covers his eyes in a flash as soon as he sees Zhao Hui's stomach. He quickly runs out of the boat and onto land, internally and externally screaming.
"Oh. I probably should've checked before changing, but COME ON WE BOTH ARE GUYS. WHAT I HAVE IS WHAT YOU HAVE!" Zhao Hui yells loud enough so that Min Guiying could hear him.
"Okay, okay, guys, come on. Don't yell, like I said, we need to keep a low profile." Liu Jia clicks her tongue in disappointment as she pulls down her hair, which was intricately tied up in a beautiful bun, "Take this cloak and wear it the two of you, your headbands are going to give away our cover."
"Not like it's my fault, that little bitch placed this on me…"
"Don't call me little bitch, it's your fault you were so sussy!"
"Okay, you got a point there, and I apologized for it! I thought you forgave me!"
"I did…" Min Guiying whispers under his breath, but shakes his head, "I still don't trust you."
"Don't worry Young Master Min, I'll get your trust soon enough, and when I do, I'm never going to let you live it down. You're acting as if Siri and Google were together: everybody would think it's suspicious, but they're actually serious!"
"Google? Siri?" Min Guiying raises an eyebrow.
SHIT! Zhao Hui curses, stuttering as he comes up with a lie, "T-They are my friends! Yeah, Siri is a girl and Google is a boy, everyone ships them, but they come from rivaling families." Zhao Hui sighs in relief as he sees Min Guiying nod at this.
"Weird names, but that sounds scandalous, I want in on the drama."
"I'll tell you the story as we walk, it's really an interesting one! Oh yeah and I don't know if you remember, but I accidentally used your name back there, I'm really sorry, that was out of line." Zhao Hui cups his hands, bowing down gracefully.
"..." Min a Guiying has a pondering look on his face as he remembers. Not wanting to talk about how he didn't mind it, he looks to the side muttering, "It's okay."