As they arrived on site, the youngling is currently practicing his dark sword arts. Trainers do not handle what sword arts their students learn, they learn it for themselves. That's when guidance is required; someone to lead them through their lessons.
"Ge Cao, look! He's practicing Repentant Retaliation, perhaps he's feeling a little repentant today."Both of them could only watch in awe, but his movements were yet to be precise. A lot slower than a normal child's swing rate, and yet he kept his perseverance intact."Repentant towards what, exactly."
She only glanced at him for a second before clearing out the issue."Whatever that kid is repenting for, it's not bound to happen now. Time does not wait, even for such trifling matters...but, it is indeed strange. For a child to learn repentant retaliation at such a young age...the poor child will be facing a lot in the future..."
"How old is he again? 10? He still acts like a child, doesn't he? I wonder how things will turn out for him...three dark sword arts, and he just had to learn one of them; the worst one, too."Xie Fan didn't seem to be worried, not with General Feng around the child.
"No matter. Just leave the gift by the post over there, they'll eventually notice."
"I suppose so."Ge Cao leaves the present by the post, but General Feng spots them from the corner of his eye."Hey, you two!'
"Oh...he saw us. That's quite unexpected, but now we know Generals do keep their eyes peeled at all times. General Feng approaches them to inspect their outward appearances, but upon seeing the gift, he lets it pass.
"You wish to see Mufeng?"The young couple nod in sync, as General Feng lets them pass. He sighs as he watches them from the entrance of the plot.
The child seems pleased, chattering about the smallest things to them."(Repentant retaliation...I've trained him for weeks, and yet I still can't seem to understand why he learned that for himself.)"
2 years have passed, and the young couple has stopped coming by."Master, why has Auntie Fan and Uncle Cao stopped coming by?" General Feng purposely dodges the question."Perhaps they've gotten busier lately, yes? Now, go on and proceed with your training."
"Oh...alright master."The young teen looks confused and upset, but he follows his master's instructions. As their training proceeds, a few guards storm into the plot."General Feng, your assistance has required this instant! They're retreating to Qin city, please hurry!"
General Feng, in a panic, leaves without a word. He forgets about his student, as Mufeng faced chaotic bemusement."What's going on...?"
The lost teenager runs back to his home, questioning his mother for further details. His mother doesn't know anything; she can't clarify any happenings at all. Out of spite, he runs away. He searches through the city, worriedly looking for his master. He can't find him...assuming he had already left for the neighboring city.
Just as his search continued, the young crown princess was dispatched to their home. General Feng had not spoken of the family's details; how did they know anything about the Yu family?"Search the house, if you find anything report back to me."
"Of course your royal highness. Guards, search this dilapidated old barn!"Mufeng's mother begs the crown princess, but she isn't listening to any word she speaks of."Your royal highness, we found this."
It was the old present, still as well-kempt. The princess inspects it, and finds traces of frozen forlorn on the toy."Tch. I knew it, General Feng had been hanging around criminals all along!"The young lady begins to cry, and she attempts to elucidate the current situation, but to no avail."Seize her! If she doesn't speak, send a request to his majesty for her family to be executed!... Better safe than sorry."
Chills ran down Mufeng's spine, but he set it aside and ran through the crowded streets of Wu city. In an instant, the road had begun to clear up, making way for the crown princess."I-its...her royal highness..."
"What a terrifying aura..."Mufeng watched in horror, as his mother was tied like an animal, with her arms behind her back and a cloth covering her eyes. She did not dare speak unless she wanted her tongue sliced off...the young man could only watch helplessly; if he tried to intervene, it would ultimately lead to execution.
"Mother..."He muttered lightly. He could conclude this from her clothes—he knew very well what was her favorite. She could not see very well, but she recognized her son...she was trying to tell him something.
From her lip movement, it was clear she was trying to say her final goodbyes...because no one would believe her. She truly believed that even if she had told of the truth, none would be able to help her cause.
Mufeng ran back home, worried for his father. He feared the worst...soon, he arrived at the scene. There, his father was laying on the ground, having been tied to the ground by one of the guards kept to watch any other family members that returned from their daily labors. He could not let himself get caught, it would be the end of them...their only hope.
However, inquisitive thoughts began sliding into his mind. What did they want from such a solitary family living their lives as imperturbably as they could? It seemed so far off the hook, and yet so close...
The adrenaline drove him to surrender and turn himself in, but his sword said otherwise."(Your only chance of living in this world at this state is to trust me...I would be delighted to assist you so.)"
"(They don't call me Retaliation for nothing, my child...repentant, I hear of no such word. How ironic, isn't it...)"
"(However...I'll let you keep that one, considering your parents have recently been devoured by fear and anguish. Do not let this affect you...let your wrath take control.)"
"(You're the first to ever meet me, and yet it's only through your mental state. I've never preferred anyone but you so far since the beginning of my existence...so listen up.)"
"(You want to kill the cause of all of this? That can wait...first.Let's kill the first person you saw to ruin everything. The crown princess...hm?)"
Mufeng felt helpless. He couldn't trust anyone but himself now...so he let go. His wrath grew stronger and stronger, prepared to harm anyone who dared to face him. At the moment, the soldiers were assaulting his father, throwing insults at him and trying to make him speak of what he could not.
He threw himself onto one of the soldiers, and he continuously tried to send him to his doom. His strength was unusually high, as the other guard froze for a moment before grabbing his spear.
Upon strangling the soldier to death, the other immediately tried to kill him by stabbing him directly. But his father stood in his place, taking the hit and dying on the spot after being gorged directly through the heart.
The man's blood splattered all over Mufeng's face. It was then that his conscience fully snapped; he slit the other's throat before holding his father in his arms...
"Father...FATHER!..."He ran his fingers through his and saw crimson red blood dripping from it. It felt devastating...and yet his sadness faded over time, in barely a few minutes. He buried his father, but left the other two to rot on the road, next to their family home.
Everything had become a little clearer for Mufeng, but all he knew at the moment was that accusations have never led to anything good. That indeed included his father's death. He marched through the empty pathways through the forest, eventually taking a crossroad around the city. He found himself an abandoned looking abode hut but a little far from their home...
He then grabbed himself a bucket of water from the old well. It was surprisingly clean; like someone was still living here..."Young man, why are you covered in blood?"
An old man called out to him. He was ready to pounce at him, but when the man threw a bucket at him by kicking it mid-air, he no longer felt the need to do that. He dodged the bucket as it hit the ground, smashing into pieces.
"Oh dear...are you one of those hunters, my child? Mufeng nodded, attempting to earn some sympathy for himself."Don't think you can trick an old man that easily, kid. I know very well you killed someone, but judging from your expression, you have a reason for it."
"I...I do."The old man then hushed him when he tried to continue his sentence."I'll let you speak of it inside, quickly."He followed the man inside his abode, but he felt a little dumbfounded to see that even an old man like him could see for himself that he was not cruel, even if he looked like so.
As Mufeng brought himself inside, the man stared at his sword..."(Repentant retaliation. As I knew so, this kid has a reason. I should assist him; that way, his wrath won't take over.)"
[To be continued in the next chapter, please be patient for the next one. Thank you for reading.]