A bell echoed throughout a small store, as Xu Qingling and Bohai entered through a glass door. The shop was empty, besides a small boy reading a newspaper on a cushioned chair, and a man casually coming up to the counter.
The man, who now stood behind the counter, was an older man with a great build. He had few wrinkles, and deep blue eyes. There was nothing special about his appearance, but his confident composure and rare colored eyes made him majestic looking in a way.
"A normal chic with an Arts user, what an odd couple. Get out, I don't help kids elope." The majestic looking man said.
Xu Qingling opened her mouth to protest against the man's suggestions, but instead began to blush as the image of her and Bohai married popped into her mind. The hallucination dispersed when Bohai spoke in her stead.
"Kang Hong?" Bohai asked.
"That's my name, don't wear it out." Kang Hong joked.
"We'd like to buy some Tan cigars." Bohai repeated the words that Tan Huizhong had told them to say. As he spoke, the joking atmosphere Kang Hong displayed disappeared. He made eye contact with the boy on the chair, who immediately put down the newspaper and went to change the 'open' sign hanging on the door to 'closed.' As he did, the glass windows and doors suddenly were covered with no way to look in, or out.
However, Bohai didn't pay attention to the contraption that closed the windows. His attention lingered on the newspaper that the boy had been reading. As he had set it down, the page he had been reading was displayed. And in big bold letters, the name 'Chen Bohai' could be read.
The same picture that was used for his bounty was in the newspaper, however now the numbers below were different. What was once $105k, was now $130k. The happening at the restaurant, where Tan Huizhong and Bohai had met the eccentric Qingling, had spread. No one had been able to recall what he looked like, but the stories of his rumored reappearance were spreading. And it was enough to add $25k to his bounty.
In the paper, who he was traveling with was named too. Except, luckily for them, their names were spared. Xu Qingling was a nobody, and Tan Huizhong - although a legend - was too old for anyone to remember. So instead, they were described as a shabby old man, and an ugly teenage girl.
Despite the hood of the cloak covering Bohai's eyes, Kang Hong didn't fail to notice the boy's gaze on the newspaper. A knowing look glinted in his eyes.
"Tan cigars, huh?" Kang Hong said in a nostalgic voice. "I haven't had anyone place that order in a long time.
"Are you sure you know what your ordering?" Both Bohai and Qingling nodded their heads, thinking they knew what was in store for them. But oh were they wrong.
Tan Huizhong had told them that once they ordered Tan cigars, that they'd be led to a back room where he would meet them. But, he failed to mention the test that takes place beforehand. Probably because he forget it himself. He hadn't been to the shop in at least twenty years.
As the two teenagers nodded their agreement, a new contraption began. Sensing the movement of their heads, after Kang Hong pressed a button, it activated for the first time in twenty years.
All of a sudden, knives were being thrown from every wall, and Kang Hong suddenly resembled Ye Feng - he had morphed into some kind of monster. Only this time, he was enveloped in a bright red aura. After Tan Huizhong's teachings, Bohai knew to be more careful. Red was a hundred times stronger than purple, if the foundation was correct. And Hong's was a bright, intimidating, red.
Qingling had no time to pay attention to the monster that was Kang Hong. As the knives began to come at Bohai and her, she immediately brought out her own throwing knives. With them, she was able to make a few of the knives miss. However, a lot still cut through her skin. The longer it went on, the more cuts she got, and she couldn't help but wince in pain.
Bohai had been focusing on himself since the contraption started. Dodging the knives, and paying close attention to Kang Hong who stood still before him. It wasn't until Qingling winced with pain that he realized he had to protect her too.
A memory of his eldest brother, Shi, came to mind as Bohai defended himself. This time, he couldn't help but smile and thank his brother.
The memory was a simple one, one that repeated nearly every day after Bohai had been introduced to Tan Huizhong. Whenever they'd spar, Shi would protect Bohai. And he'd always glance back and grant Bohai with a dazzling, confident smile.
After a while, Shi had been able to decipher a way to protect attacks from all sides. Bohai had no clue how he did it, but he knew that it was possible - and that was all that mattered to him at the moment.
Recalling the memory, Bohai immediately began to mimic what he remembered. He enveloped his entire body in his aura, something he'd only had to do once. It was harder than he thought, but muscle memory enabled him to do it first try.
He then ran around in a circle. He was naturally fast, but with him enhancing his entire body, people without chi couldn't even see him. He was practically moving at the speed of light.
At his pace, the random knives seemed to be in slow motion now. Bohai used the slightest movements to change the course of each knife, not letting a single one hit the hurt Qingling.
At Bohai's sudden change, Kang Hong finally decided to make his move. He charged towards them with a low growl.