"Grab your weapons. You will be fighting the fat one and the tall skinny one. And Jun—"

Jun looked up at her ancestor, her body trembling. Killing intent flooded the entire clearing and further than her senses could carry. She could almost see red waves snapping back back and forth like living things from his body. Almost.

He was angry. Furious.

She could not figure out how Shui did not shake in her spot. Running freely. As though the weight of his attention did not actually reach her. Jun assumed that Shui was simply too weak to truly feel what the killing intent was meant to be. Maybe she noticed it, like a mortal would notice a dragon flying so far above them. Unawares of what danger it actually was.

"—don't ask for their names and titles. Take advantage of your blade's superiority and confidence to beat them. Don't hesitate and remember my lessons."

Jun felt her blade's spirit preen at the words and compliments her ancestor gave it. Her WorldBane - Thin Eviscerating Grass Blade' carried a certain spiritual weight she struggled to carry. Physically, it was light and quick to sing in the air. A dominant blade made to kill and slaughter any and all who stood before her.

But she was unworthy.

Who could possibly use something this powerful and call themselves its master with a straight face? Who could wield the flood of power? More Qi than she could have imagined coursed through her body with every strike. Every swing. Stab. Attempted parry.

The world around her screamed with every use.

Even if she had not fully connected with the weapon's spirit and seen its truest form.

Jun felt her ancestor's killing intent recede. The three strange men in cloaks gasped and let out relieved breaths that they could finally inhale air again. Suffocated by nothing more than a look. She put her head down and ran past him. Into the cave.

Shui was struggling to unbundle her hammer. She had layered it under too many blankets, towels and mixed in pillows in there too. Giggling and talking to herself. Her voice too low for Jun to hear exactly what she was saying, but it kept her distracted.

Jun patted her back. "Shui?"

The younger girl jumped in her spot. Head snapping back towards Jun and almost swinging the massive thing that her ancestor dubbed a hammer. She wasn't so sure about letting Shui use it. Considering it felt as strong as her own 'WorldBane - Thin Eviscerating Grass Blade'. But she was not about to doubt her ancestor.

Not when he had been throwing miracles left and right like it was nothing. Precious heavenly medicines, salves, washes, pills, elixirs, and now world shaking weapons too. There was no end to it. His spacial bag, while eccentric, was filled to the brim with items. More than she could possibly imagine.

Shui blinked at her expectantly.

"Do your best," she swallowed her words of warning and caution. "It's okay to feel nervous. Anxiety and that twitchiness only makes us quicker. Faster to react. Use it to your advantage and remember—"

"I'm not nervous! They should be nervous! Mr. Mo Mo is going to make them flat like paper!" Shui pulled on her hammer. Almost launching it out of her grip as it broke free from its prison and taking her a few steps off the ground. Shui laughed at an unheard joke.

Jun frowned and attempted to correct Shui's perspective on the matter. It was not a good idea to enter the battlefield or a fight thinking you are far superior than your enemy. Instead, you should take even an insect as dangerously as a white tiger with wings.

Never underestimating anyone or anything.

"Shu-Shu. War is unlike—" Jun tried, but fell short of finishing her thought.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Hu Shui rushed out of the cave, laughing loud enough to drown out Jun's voice. Quicker than Jun could catch up to. She cursed under her breath and grabbed her blade. She could feel the presence of the spirit clearly now, piercing eyes watching her back. Judging her every movement. Twitch. Blink. And even the unannounced thoughts in her head.

Jun did her best to ignore it as she ran out of the cave and down to stand next to Shui. Facing the two strange men. She caught her master sitting on a throne chair only an emperor would have the audacity to recline on while the old man, and master of the two before her, poured him a cup of tea. Like a disciple would do for their master.

Or a junior their elder.

She bowed to her foes. Straight as a nocked arrow and twice as dangerous.

Remembering the faint and blurry memories of her teachers within the Hu Clan. The guard masters. Elders that had been kind enough to teach an off branch daughter like her. The military cadence she had been instilled.

"I am Hu Jun. Wielder of the mighty WorldBane. Disciple of Yin Hu. Ancestor of the Hu Clan and master of the Great Tree of Qi and Spiritual Pools that he planted with his own hands." Jun stood back up straight, holding her hands in a martial salute even with the blade in her hands.

Shui copied her but cut it short. "I am Hu Shui. Wielder of Mr. Mo Mo, Ursine Stone Throw. Disciple and direct descendant of Yin Hu."

Their opponents' gazes kept flickering back and forth between them and their ancestor who had just picked up his cup of tea. Steaming and piping hot. Jun had learned of his exceptional appetite for drinking tea. Something he hadn't shown before.

One of the two strangers stepped forward, the tall one. Stiff and uncomfortable. He bowed like he was an animated golem without any natural movement. Maybe a skeleton. "I am the first disciple of YagWan—"

"I made myself clear. Haven't I?" Yin Hu paused right before taking a sip.

Said tall one dropped immediately onto his behind. Shaking as he looked up. Staring at the clear skies above them as though a monster was about to assault him. Not only were they foreign to Jun and Shui, they were strange men with strange proclivities.

Hu Shui laughed at him.

"Lunch and dinner!"

What?

Shui was always a strange girl. But had been acting out of sorts ever since their ancestor's arrival. Jun attributed it to her awakening more of her bloodline. Maybe one day it would unlock. What that was exactly, only the Patriarch and his closest family members knew.

The old man, YagWan Jun guessed, jumped out of his seat. Bowing and pleading already. A stream of consciousness. Words coming out of his mouth faster than Jun could keep up with. The first disciple of his struggled to stand.

"Forgiveness," the first disciple bowed. "I am no one. From nowhere. Heading to no place at all."

Jun looked towards the fat one. The man only shook his head, bowing and unsheathing a menacing Jian. Widening at the top before coming to an abrupt sharp and pointy edge. The tall one waved his hand and a thin Jian appeared in his hands. Very similar in shape to her own 'WorldBane - Thin Eviscerating Grass Blade'.

She unsheathed her sword. A light breeze seemed to hold onto her arms. Preparing to guide her if she so allowed it to do so. It wasn't a moment of enlightenment. The first time she touched it had been one of glory and advancement. Expanding her Dao. A perfect match her ancestor had chosen for her only.

Qi filled her limbs. More than she had ever imagined could be possible for someone of her Realm. Her body coiled like a spring. Unadulterated physical strength and speed tensed in preparation. Enough to fight someone of her own level without an ounce of Qi.

All within a month's time. She could already feel the benefits and changes to her meridians from the esoteric movements he had them commit to during this outing—

Her master gagged audibly.

Jun snapped her head towards him, imagining the worst. This YagWan couldn't have attempted something as reckless as poison? Could he?

She moved, only to freeze in her spot.

Yin Hu wiped at his tongue, dry gagging. A shattered cup and spilled tea lay on the ground, his throne chair pushed back a few feet. His kettle of tea and a cup appeared in his hand. The same one he made a few hours ago and had been sipping on for a while. Yin Hu dumped steaming tea into the engraved cup with haste, spilling some of the miraculous liquid.

The ground drank it up with gusto, immediately reacting and showing signs of advancement and Qi.

He threw his head back and gulped the entire cup of hot tea in one go.

Filling a second. Then a third. And finally a fourth before he slowed down. He still shivered slightly every few moments. Everyone watched him. Waiting for his verdict, the death he would bring upon them all. Destruction to this YagWan and his attempt to poison her master—

"—What the hell do you call that?!" He shouted at the old man. "You trying to kill me with how bad it tastes? Heavenly Sage leaves?! Yeah ri—"

Jun's ancestor stopped, closing his eyes and taking long deep breaths. Whispering to himself. Finally nodding and deciding on the course they were about to take. Jun would do everything to support. Kill these fools if need be as well, if he so desired. It was the least she could do.

He huffed loud enough for her and Shui to hear.

"I am beyond the mortal filth you dared to offer me. The Heavenly Sage realm, nothing more than insects in the grand scheme of things. I have seen the stars and the void beyond them. Many moons, colored differently and in various sizes and shapes. Walked upon lands no being had ever set foot in. I had hoped to have met a kindred spirit, but am sorely disappointed. You are no tea connoisseur as you promised! A child playing with mud!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.