"I didn't fit in at my previous temple." Chun De said. "They hated having me there, thought I was possessed... They called me rotten, just like you did..."
"I didn't mean anything by it, Chun De." Bai Guo interjected.
"I know... But they did. The abbess was an old friend of the abbot, and figured he knew how to fix me. He's done something like it before, after all." She peeked at him again. "You really haven't heard? About the Exorcist and the Sleeping Asura?"
Bai Guo shook his head.
She remained in disbelief. "To be honest, I really dislike those titles. You definitely shouldn't say those words in public, can you promise me that?"
Bai Guo nodded.
Chun De continued. "There's a story about a man who once terrorized the world and slaughtered countless innocents. One day, the abbot took this evil man under his wing and set him on the noble path. The story is true. That man still remains in the temple to this day, meditating and chanting scriptures day in and out. That's why they call the abbot the Exorcist."
The nun frowned. "But most people don't believe that the man has truly repented from his life of bloodshed. They think it's only a matter of time until he slips back to his villainous ways. 'A dog can't become a man,' they say. 'The bear is just hibernating.' Many of the monks think so too. Behind the abbot's back they call him the Sleeping Asura. That moniker spread beyond the temple grounds. Everyone who lives on the mountains knows this story. The older generation still remembers that man's evil deeds. Even if they don't call him by that moniker, they still won't use his dharma name."
Bai Guo asked, "What do you think?"
"They're wrong." She said. "People really can change. The abbot changed him. He changed both of us. He's a good man. That moniker is an insult to both him and to my master."
Chun De's face twitched. She clearly hadn't intended to let that word slip out. She sat up and faced Bai Guo with a strange grin. It was like a weight fell from her shoulders.
"I like it better here! I don't want to go back to my old temple!" She declared. "Here, the abbot lets me practice martial arts as much as I want. But even so, he'd never approve of me joining this contest. Well, after this stunt, they'll think my demons are still inside me. Not only will I get to fight my heart out here, but afterwards, the abbot will never let me go back to that nunnery! Especially if I kill somebody again...!"
The nun seemed to discard all inhibitions. She wore such an overexcited expression that it bordered on the manic. She drew closer to Bai Guo again. The young man shrunk back.
"But it's not going to be you, so don't you worry, brother Guo. Or who knows...?" Chun De mused with glee. "I kind of like you, but if I find that you're not giving it your all during our fight, I might get mad and run you through with my sword!"
Bai Guo frowned as the bald girl once again leaned in too close for comfort. "You're really something, you know that? I wasn't planning on going easy on you. You don't need to perform this show to get taken seriously."
"Very good." She whispered. Her breath tickled his cheek. Bai Guo winced. "Then I'll see you tomorrow."
Chun De sprang out of his bed and ran out of the room.
Bai Guo was drenched in cold sweat. His heart beat like a drum.
"Has she really killed someone before? I hope it was just part of her bluff."
Bai Guo straightened out his sheets and readied himself for bed. "...In fact, I'd be glad to know that her entire story was just a lie. Otherwise, just what kinda temple is that? Sounds like a complete madhouse."
He made sure that the door was firmly locked before going to sleep.
When Bai Guo awoke the next morning, Chun De's was already gone.
He arrived at the arena and found the nun waiting with her arms crossed. She ignored him thoroughly and utterly, with not even a glance spared his way. The Kunlun disciples checked on them one last time and sent the youngsters forth.
Beneath the cheering crowd, they bowed to each other. As they straightened their waists, Bai Guo could have sworn that he spotted the brief flash of a smile on the nun's lips.
"Begin!" Han Gen declared, and the two of them drew their swords.
Predictably, Chun De rushed in again. Bai Guo was finally fighting with a head cool enough to make tactical decisions; learning from the mistakes of his predecessors, he was unwilling to engage on her terms. The young man darted back and to the side, stymieing her great momentum by forcing her to redirect her charge.
But it was not enough to dissuade the nun from her pursuit. Bai Guo thrust out with his sword. Chun De's steel flickered towards his. A soft clang announced their clash.
The nun's big eyes were wide with focus, and they stared deeply into Bai Guo's own. Her sword stuck to his like a magnet. She flicked her wrist and forced her opponent's weapon to move against its wielder's will. Bai Guo's stomach was left exposed.
Chun De's weapon went right for the gap in his defense. Bai Guo leaped back with as much force as he could muster, and it sent him far beyond the attack's range.
She relentlessly chased after him. Their swords clashed again, and Bai Guo momentarily found himself unable to make any distance. They drew awfully close to one another, close enough to render their weapons meaningless. When their legs got tangled up, the nun twisted her body, tripping the young man over.
Bai Guo maintained his grip on the girl as he fell. He whipped his legs and somehow landed on his feet. He caught a glimpse of her steel in his peripheral vision and spun his body, flinging them both out each other's arms.
The young man clumsily adjusted his footing as they separated. In sharp contrast, Chun De was light on her feet. Her retreat was smooth and impeccable.
His foe finally decided to stay still. And if that alone wasn't surprising enough, she was also frowning in anger.
But her strange expression soon subsided. Chun De leaped back into the fray.
Their swords met again, and this time, they remained crossed for a considerable time. The nun twisted her weapon around and Bai Guo felt immense pressure on his wrists. His father's sword left his hand. But the young man reassumed his grip with remarkable quickness; the weapon hadn't had enough time to draw even a single inch closer towards the ground.
He fled from the girl once more. Again she hadn't pursued.
Again she was frowning.
Chun De turned towards the referee and stared at the old man. The old man remained unmoving.
Finally, the nun was unable to take it anymore. "What are you doing? Call the match already. I could have killed him three times over by now. What good even are you?"
Han Gen's white brows flew in surprise at the participant's words, but even more so at her voice. His features then dimmed with irritation; he clearly did not enjoy taking lip from a little girl.
"Fight!" He demanded.
Chun De groaned and turned back to her foe. "And you. Why haven't you given up yet? Do you really want me to kill you?"
Bai Guo said nothing. Truthfully, he didn't know what to say.
Chun De sighed in frustration. "You didn't even realize, did you? You're just that bad..."
The nun sheathed her sword. "I give up!"
Her voice resounded throughout the arena. The audience jeered in confusion as she walked away. Bai Guo watched in complete shock.
Han Gen raised his arm, declaring him the overall winner.
...
The three elders watched from above. Tan Huan was blushing with shame. The event he had organized turned out to be a complete disaster. No one seemed happy with the outcome. He was afraid to look at the sect master, who remained awfully quiet throughout the entire affair.
"Well." He Yong's soft monotone finally boomed. "It ended about how I expected. Looks like you got yourself that talented new disciple you wanted, Tan Huan."
His moustaches flared. "It was not just talent that I needed. The prestige of winning such a grand competition was the point! After the unsightly death of my previous disciple, I needed a candidate that no one would doubt! But this? This is not the way it should have happened!"
"So you don't want him?"
"No... That's not what I said..." Tan Huan rushed to clarify. "It was just... disappointing, that's all."
"I agree." He Yong slowly raised his hulking body. Tan Huan seemed surprised, almost terrified, to see the sect master in sudden motion. "Well, don't you worry, Tan Huan. I've got a way to salvage some good will out of this crowd."
The fright on Tan Huan's face became quite earnest when he saw He Yong reach for his saber. "Sect master, what are you saying?"
"Well, the match ended so quickly, we just can't vouch for the boy's real skills. I'm going to go make sure that you have the right man, Tan Huan."
The shorter man paled as the giant stepped up to the edge of the stands. Tan Huan babbled as he watched him.
"Sect master, what are you thinking? Sect master! Sect master He Yong!"
He Yong leaped like he had been launched out of a catapult. Tan Huan's frantic voice trailed behind him, but the man dared not move from his spot, watching on in terror.
He crossed half the audience in that single jump. He Yong's fearsome figure landed heavily into the arena. Bai Guo and Han Gen alike were startled by his abrupt appearance.
"Sect master He Yong!" Han Gen scrambled to regain his composure and bowed. Bai Guo, grateful for the introduction, immediately repeated the referee's gesture.
"Good work, Han Gen. You can go." He Yong said. Han Gen promptly took his leave.
Suddenly, the previously soft spoken man's voice erupted like a volcano. "Contestant Bai Guo! Well done making it this far! Congratulations on your victory! This He Yong would like to put you through one final test."
The man slowly drew his enormous saber out of its sheath. He wielded the ludicrously oversized weapon with a single hand as if it was entirely weightless.
"Draw your sword!" He Yong shouted, spurring the young man into frantic action. "Let's you and I have us a little bout. I'd like to see for myself if you're truly worthy of our sect! Here I come!"
Bai Guo's eyes widened. The man's massive figure was upon him like an avalanche. He Yong bellowed as he struck out. His swing was so swift, it was all that the young man could do to place his sword in its path.
The clash of steel sent him sliding back across the ground. Leaving him with no chance to regain his wits, the stranger struck again. There was simply no escape. Bai Guo gripped the back of his weapon with his free hand, bracing himself.
This attack was even heavier than the last. Bai Guo was tossed back and rolled along the ground. He was nevertheless quick to regain his footing. But his eyes once again filled with metal, his ears deafened by the man's incessant shouting.
Bai Guo was flung away by the subsequent attack, unable to even keep his feet on the ground. But once again he stood up quickly. His body shook in protest at the repeated abuse. His head was dizzy.
"Not bad!" He Yong declared, approaching for even more.
The young man had had enough. His stance shifted to perform the First Step.