MY OLDER SISTER, Zai Yan, was a deadly poisonous cold woman. That's what the novel, The Shadows of A Silent Blade, penned her character profile as.
To me? She had the personality of a boorish macho man in a woman's body, obsessing over martial arts, the sword, and crushing people with her fist. She was mighty and proud! With no bearing of a noble lady - only a battle hardened ancient general remained.
With her rowdy raucous personality, many matchmakers had been thrown out on the streets like abandoned mistresses. Young Masters across the city had cried as she princess carried them in the sky at our city young nobles meet ups, testing their psyche and character.
None had dared to take her hand after this experience.
Save one.
Yan Mingzhao.
Though I thought he was bit, well, feminine and bleak, I had no objections to this marriage. My sister love choice was her own and I didn't really think she would choose anyone too disastrous.
This was until, according to our secret spies, Yan Mingzhao engaged in an adulterous affair!
He had kissed the lips of a young outersect disciple of the Clear Water Sect. Now, he had the audacity to come to our home with his outrageous master, declare he had no love for my sister and wished to break the engagement.
My sister, who concealed her strength due to some personality quirks, released her cultivation of Nascent Soul, grabbed the dog pair by their collars and chucked them past the ancestral mountain and into the Blood Woods. Where demonic beasts and wandering souls prowled across broken lands, through a mangled bloody forest where branches had spider eyes and leaves had razor teeth, searching for their next victim.
I shivered, rubbing my hands together. Mothers bed time stories were to scary.
"Xiao Feng," two large hands squished my chubby cheeks, making me peer upwards. "Your older sister doesn't mean to scare you."
I was nearly blinded, my eyes squinting against the bright light. My dad was a too handsome for this world. I could only imagine myself when I grew older. Lookout world! Zai Fengyun will topple empires and entrance countless beauties with my handsomeness.
He he he.
Oh yeah, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Zai Fengyun and I'm this worlds Spider-Man. Just kidding. Anyways, I'm six years old in this realm.
How did I get here? Through my childhood bedroom closet on Earth. On earth, I'm actually 19 and a half! I'm also on my way to college to study a degree in business.
I plan to join my family's company casually, live off my earth older brothers wages and be a rich slacker.
"Yan'er," the man spoke, crushing my head to his side. "You scaring little feng."
I grabbed his robes, burying my face, pretending to be scared. I had to get in character!
My older sister face turned sad, before squatting infront of us. She reached out her hands, whispering softly, "I'm sorry, Yunboa. Can you forgive me?"
I didn't answer, leaving the room in silence.
My sister retrieved something sparkly from her space ring, holding it out to me in her palm.
I glanced. Large spirit stones!
My sister knew me best.
Acting pitifully, I rushed over into her arms. She enclosed me in a tight hug as I pretended to cry, ignoring my future pocket money in her hands.
"Yaya," I cried. "Yunboa was scared."
Though I was speaking like a child, I could see a glittering pile of money waiting for my acting. When it came to money, I would swallow my pride. Only if it wasn't to outrageous, I was an upstanding citizen after all!
She patted my back. "There there, older sister will protect you."
I sniffled.
"Older sister will give you some spirit stones to cheer yourself up."
I pulled away, acting surprised. She placed it in my palms and kissed my head.
"Thank you!" I chirped, hugging her quickly.
I skipped away, spirit stones in hand, contemplating what delicious food I could buy at Big Pigs Resturant.
A resturant for powerful family's and cultivators.
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The young duckling pattered out of the main hall.
Zai Yans eyes grew cold, gracefully turning to her father, she cupped her fists. "Zai Yan, requesting permission to seek out Supreme Elder of Clear Water Sect."
Her father, losing all unseriousness, placed his hands behind his back, straightening his back, standing tall like an large oak tree. Reliable. Strong. Powerful. Three words young ladies and masters whispered as he strolled down the streets in his younger days.
"Permission granted," he responded, voice deep, heavy as a mountain. His obsidian eyes gazing towards the large doors to the outside courtyard, where butterflies fluttered around lavish gardens and delicate paper birds flew above streams.
"Thanks father." Zai Yan bowed, swivelling around, gliding down to the doors swiftly as a falling leaf.
"Yan'er." A voice bellowed out behind her, the lilt in it tumbling like waves against a sea ship. "Ensure you greet your mother on your journey."
[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Somewhere, in a secret place behind the kitchen where servants secretly gambled their weekly wages.
"This Young Master is feeling lucky," I gloated, shook my clasped hands in the air and hopped on one foot in a circle. I stomped, chucked a dice against the wall, aiming for the highest number out of four.
The dice showed 9.
Win!
I laughed, patting the defeated boy besides me. "Better luck, next time."
Defatedly, he plucked something from his pouch, placing a ball in my outstretched chubby hand. I chuckled, popping the candy in my mouth, crunching down.
My winnings tasted delicious! Hard Caramel on the outside, chocolate and cherry in the centre, with a pinch of sea salt.
"Little Leaf greets Young Master." A man, as tall as my father, greeted, shimmering into existence a few paces away.
He bowed, hands cupped.
I snickered, "bout time."
This fella wasn't my guard or shadow protector, he was my older sisters subordinate. I wasn't of age to receive a personal guard as of yet.
On my 7th birthday, the household would secretly host a competitive assessment for my personal guard. Only internal staff could enter. For now, as long as I stepped outside of the household gates, I always asked for this guy.
Little Leaf, or his formal name Zai Jian, was very powerful, ranking 3rd on my sisters side. With a blade in one hand and a hammer in the other, he could cleave a mountain river with a thrust. He was every body builders dream man.
His figure screamed DANGER. When acting like a loan shark on the streets, walking around with this guy made life easier.
"Let's roll."
Swaggering out the gates with my crew, my silly servant and bullish guard, we made our way out.
Merchants stomped, peasants walked and cultivators glided by us as we made our way through the streets and alleyways, like fish through countless riverstreams. Tall buildings of different sizes bound together tightly, like soldiers in formation, tea houses and pavilions scattered across the city like lily pads in a pond. White stone roads, clomping strange beasts and shouting working men, haggling peasant women and adventurerous children playing, the world was alive with a hustle and bustle. The jagged mountains hugged the city from its behind in its earthen embrace, the day sunlight burning our backs and cheeks.
I took a deep breath in, fresh air with a tinge of a flower filling my lungs. My eyes glanced to the side as we passed a very bold tall black gate opening to a street, leading to equisite buildings, with red latterns hanging from each, illuminating beautiful men and women alike.
Zai Jian coughed, loudly.
"Ahmmm," I chocked, moving faster to a building at the end of a curved corner, passing a bridge and entering a courtyard-style dining house.
Large Bold Words hung over the main entrance - Big Pigs Resturant.
Though uncouth, elites across the city dined here, with the wait list spanning decades. Spirit herbs and beast meat in every meal, on jaded plates, under golden delicately engraved dome roofs, amongst gorgeous luscious gardens, with marbles floors and pillars in each individual dining room.
For people like us, we could swagger in. It helped having a grandaddy with a powerful punch.
Making our way to the East, where it welcomed private guests, I nodded to a waiter who recognised me.
The waiter bowed. "We welcome Zai Clans Young Master and Shao Clans Second Young Master."
A dining room opened up, its walls moving sideways into pillars like curtains being pulled on a cinema stage.
We stepped into it off the cobble path. I trotted to the main seat and plopped down, my servant and guard standing behind me. I banged my hand on the table, shouting to the waiter, "Three Chefs specials and a jug of Dragon Nectar."
The waiter nodded, disappearing.
The walls closed.
"Sit down," I ordered my minions.
They sat across from each other around the circlular table.
I put my hands together, leaning towards them as I spoke like a villain. "That man hurt my sister. Boys let's think of a way to punish him."
"We could place a bounty on him, young master. Dead or Alive." As expected of my silly servant, still as vicious as the day I met him.
"Using private funds, we could employ assassians, Young Master." Bold words big guy, I like it. "Eldest Lady has a discount remaining with the Black Viperesses."
My eyes widened as I rubbed my chin. Those old gals were incredibly beautiful as dangerous. They had once tried to employ my sister, who politely declined due to family commitments.
Assassins were a legitamite business here with bounty hunters in the shady side.
I pounded the table like a high court judge. "We'll do that. Little Leaf draw funds from my Golden Tiger Association account."
"Young Master, we could be traced."
"Isn't that a good thing. They'll know anyways that it's us from the funds and commission receipt, come after us, then big granddaddy can have a legitimate reason to take them out."
"Master," my servant whispered, fiddling with something in his hands. "I think we should leave the plotting to Eldest Miss. These plans lack logic and fail to account for political repercussions or social instability."
"And placing a bounty on them is?" I countered, angry at being challenged.
My servant snorted. "Yes. Bounty hunters only accept untraceable gold and silver coins. The reward can also be raised at no cost by others."
"Impudent! Talking back to your master."
"Idiot! Hollow Head."
Our loud voices rose and fingers clashed like children training with bamboo blades.
"Bah," I spat, ending the argument by turning my head to the side sulkily.
"Pui!"
The table glowed interrupting us, illuminated runes suddenly hovering from the table in a bright sea blue, food shimmering into existence above them.
With a chime, the food gently lowered in front of us.
Excellent service. 5 stars.
I clapped, I was starving. I moved my chopsticks to eat, opening mouth to cruch down. Time slowed as I smacked my lips.
In an instant, my sight changed, something blasting me from my side like a hurricane.
My world went white.