Fine, I'll be the Second Best

"Don't worry, your worrying won't fix it" - Lin Si, 7, to her mom when her dad was lying on death's door

Li Junlong arrived after midnight back at the small manor, nothing moved, but the usual line of people greeted him, although, to his surprise, it was only 12 people that slept out there that night. However, it wasn't too out of the ordinary for the people coming to challenge him to dwindle, so he didn't let it bother his mind much.

He rode his horse into the gate, leaving it to bed in the small stable with food and water and dropping off his catches that he hadn't eaten out there in the kitchen, leaving them hanging and gutted and skinned for madam Wang to deal with in the morning.

He then went to the bath that Sun'er had preprepared for him, the water had already cooled, but he stepped into it as if it weren't ice cold, scrubbing himself well, before recloathing in a clean undergarment and heading to his room. He stopped by his brother's first. It wasn't rare for his brother to have a hard time sleeping when he was gone, or staying up late till he returned, but after pausing at his door, all he could hear was soft breathing. He finally let himself relax a little, and headed into his room, right next door, to lay down and drift asleep. It was never easy to sleep. Unlike his brother, he didn't like the dark, so a small lamp was lit in his room, reminding him of the present reality, so that he didn't get lost in the past. The past of struggle, of killing, of tears. The past of his mother and father slaughtered in front of his eyes, or finding his sister's body, broken and bruised, limp on the ground, or the malevolent ghosts of all the people he'd had to kill on his quest of vengeance.

And yet, his vengeance still wasn't fulfilled. It was still waiting on him. But it wasn't time. 

His brother was too weak, if he left to get vengeance, they would strike instantly, and he was also too weak to travel with him. His eyes flashed. He was the strongest in the world, but couldn't move an inch to avenge those who had wronged him and his family. At least he had forced the demonic cult out of jianghu, but they were still alive and regaining their strength on their demonic city to the north of Qing'an. As for the Xu clan…that was another story. 

His vengeance would have to wait a little longer…even if they prospered in the meantime.

The next morning, he woke up later, despite his desires, after an almost sleepless night and greeted his brother in the kitchen. However, despite his lack of sleep, he hadn't caught any eye bags…unlike his brother who had dark circles under his almost translucent skin. 

His little brother's eyes also kept avoiding Li Junlong's, making him wonder if last night hadn't been as peaceful for his brother as he'd thought.

"You didn't sleep well?" He asked worriedly, as he grabbed some congee from Madam Wang, sitting down across from him. Sun'er would come later in the morning, the early morning, Madam Wang or himself would help his brother get ready. His brother got up early today.

At his question, his brother instantly looked away again, focusing intensely on his congee. "You could say that…"

Li Junlong instantly felt guilty. It was true that he loved going out in nature, falling silent, walking so quietly not even a squirrel was disturbed, listening to the birds singing, and munching on fresh meat in the evening with a fire crackling. The smell of smoking wood stuck into his garments. He looked like a prince that came out of a palace, but his habits were more alike to a hoodlums.

He glanced at his brother's tired form. "…I'll make sure to come back earlier next time."

His brother instantly jumped up, "No, no no, it's all good, stay out as late as you did yesterday, it was great!" When else would he escape? As long as his brother was home, he couldn't go out to party and place bets!

Li Junlong looked at his brother, a little off put by the energetic outburst. It seemed his brother really cared for his outings…He lifted his hand to ruffle his brother's long white hair, thinned from years of illness, even balding completely on one side.

He set down his hand again, his lips almost turned up, before he saw his brother's spoon shake, the congee on it slopped back into the bowl. His lips once more formed into a frown. Why? Why did his brother have to suffer so? Till when did they have to continue to live like this?

Since young, his brother had always suffered from a malfunctioning nervous system, his nerves unable to send signals properly, which only got worse the older he got. He had also suffered some frenzied seizure attacks randomly, And that day with his sister, his lower body was rendered completely immobile and numb, unable to walk or even use the restroom unattended from that day forth, having to use diapers.

He got up from the table, having finished.

"Where are you going?" His brother inquired.

"I'm thinking of doing the duels earlier this morning." He needed to burn some pent up frustration, towards the lack of progress in healing his brother.

He approached the gate, as Sun'er arrived, and sent him to call in his challenger.

Recently the warriors that came to challenge him had been getting stronger. He appreciated it, since it didn't waste his time, but…why were there suddenly so few trash that came through his gate? Was it because of the new system Long Wen requested him to sign two weeks ago?

The current entrant was a man cloaked in orange, with a tall hat. He held two curved blades. He was probably from the Bao clan. He instantly readied himself the moment he entered the courtyard.

But rather than his usual method of stabbing point blank, Li Junlong stood there, blade sheathed in his grip.

"Sovereign Jingsheng?" The man finally commented, anxiously. Was he not up to par to even fight?

"Say," Li Junlong always spoke slowly, deliberately with low tones, forcing one to be spellbound when they listened, despite the time it took to speak it. "Why weren't you out there this weekend."

Ah! Was his pride stepped on as the no. 1, since his opponent didn't bother to wait patiently to duel?

Bao Cong rubbed his hat awkwardly, before bowing politely. "I apologize sovereign, I disrespected you, I should have waited outside, this humble one was too greedy. Please still allow this duel!" Afterall, he could directly just attack him, but if it wasn't an official duel, the court wouldn't recognize it and Li Junlong wasn't known to be merciful to his enemies.

Meanwhile, Li Junlong: I got nothing from this conversation.

He sighed, it seemed he really had to go out and investigate. What a shame, he hated socializing. He drew his blade. "Alright, let's begin, then."

After wiping the dirt with several of them, he suddenly realized, by Sun'er's fearful look, that he may or may not have already taken out 10 of them in less than half an incense stick.

He sighed, finally relaxing, before remembering the number of sleeping forms the night before.

"Hey, Sun'er, is there anyone else out there, waiting to fight?"

Sun'er nodded. "Two more, they come together though."

2? Although he had written in the rules that they could go two on one with him, or even three, few martial artists would take that deal with their pride on the line. Even if they defeated him using two, they still couldn't really call themselves the no. 1 strongest.

However, this wasn't the first time. He nodded at Sun'er. "Let them in."

Sun'er nodded nervously and opened the gate, to call the last two.

Lin Si and Xu Tianwen were both surprised when they heard themselves called. They were only sleeping there because they couldn't be bothered to head back down the mountain to sleep after cleaning up from the arena, who knew they'd be called in to fight? They hadn't even had breakfast! Only gotten up moments before and had some tea. Lin Si had already sold her donkey and cart, and they just had a small canvas spread out with some tea brewing supplies and her instruments and face cleaning supplies. She hurriedly packed up the things, slinging the canvas over her back and handing over their plaque to Long Wen. He glanced at them worriedly, but knowing they shouldn't be held up, chose to remain silent. She figured if she stepped back out he'd be all over her…

Li Junlong watched his new combatants enter. First, came an older gentleman who looked to be in his forties, but had a bearing of someone older, cloaked in simple, but well-made garments and wooden beads and deep black hair carrying a long, carved black staff, that he was currently unwrapping from the various bandages that had been padded over it. Following behind him was a woman. She didn't immediately catch the eye, with her obviously beggar-like clothing, torn and patched in several areas, fraying at ends, the cloth so old it was threadbare, but layered in such a way it was imposingly modest. However, when looking closer, one found her face was actually incredibly beautiful, a perfect brow and a jawline so sharp that it could cut iron. And yet, her small lips and almost up-turned nose forced one to think of her as 'cute' or 'sweet' rather than dangerous in any way. She also had a very unique hair, varying in several shades, from the darkest to lightest of tones of brown; dark ebony and blonde intermixed. However, her presence didn't really cause anyone to pay attention to her other than perhaps to comment on her beauty, so his eyes quickly shifted away to land on the man in front of him. 

He could feel an incredibly strong aura emanating from him. His instincts were never wrong, and his eyes instantly narrowed.

"Sovereign." The man bowed, followed by his servant girl. She stood to the side, setting down the worn out sack they carried.

"Will you be fighting together?" To his surprise, the older man actually turned to glance over at the teenage girl, and only after she shook her head did he turn back to him. He bowed again. 

"It would be my greatest honor if sovereign Jingsheng would allow this humble one a small bout."

Jingsheng drew his blade. "Alright, let's begin." No further had his voice finished speaking when he was already rushing forward. His blade flew through the air, coating itself with qi as it went. Lin Si almost whistled, impressed by his skill with his qi. Very rarely could one coat their blade while they moved it, much less while moving their whole body as well, all the while their body being enhanced by the flow of qi.

But this man had perfect control over his qi, he might even be a grandmaster.

However his opponent…she glanced over worriedly. Afterall, he wasn't as strong as she'd thought he was…only. He met the sword with his staff, without backing off one step.

What?? Wait…He can fight? Lin Si, a person who believed what people said above all else was the most gullible person, trusting people to a fault. But who could blame her? With such a perfect childhood…

She watched them battle it out from the side, it was a good battle, she had several new insights from just watching it, absorbing herself in learning new tricks. Only…He was strong. His high pony tail flew behind him, in guiding lines with his ripped body, each movement fluid and perfect. Each jab of his blade was deliberate and intentioned, but carried a mystical power, an indomitable force. He wasn't the no. 1 for nothing, she concluded. He was actually…a grandmaster. Can I even defeat him?