The Tale Never Ends

Chapter 222 The Invisible Hand
Sister delivered a powerful smack to the back of my head with pure indignance. “And what do you think I have been doing for centuries?! I’ve come a long way to reach where I am now!”

Unlike most other demons, Sister has been studying in the same magic as Mother’s, which made them similar to how humans achieved immortality and godhood. The greatest difference between Sister’s methods and the rest of the Wudaxian beasts chasing the same, Sister practiced her magic by retaining her human form. The more her powers grew, the more she would be able to change more like a human. Considering Madame White Snake who took more than thousands of years for her to morph into a full-fledged human, Sister’s ability to turn into a partially-imperfect lass with just barely a century-old of magic was a feat upon itself. I should be proud of her. Moreover, I must not forget that Sister once had her demonic powers stripped by Father 20 years ago before she had to start anew. That alone was sufficient to account for Sister’s remarkable talents.

“So, Sister, I guess you too are a gifted student of magic yourself!” I remarked flatteringly. She puckered her lips but proffered no objections, clearly pleased with herself, and I chuckled. “So… Can you help me with these…” I gestured at my soggy clothing. “I’m freezing like an icicle in the soaking clothes!”

My fur coat was not spared despite being my outermost garment; it was as sodden as the shirts I was wearing inside and I was shivering with cold and wearied with fatigue that the only thing I would have only ever wanted to beg for at that very moment was a cozy cot. Rolling her eyes, Sister drifted to a wooden chest sitting just beside her bed and took out a set of clothing.

As I took the set of clothing she offered me, I looked at it and found something oddly familiar about it. Inadvertently, I was thinking aloud, mumbling, “This… looks so familiar…” “Of course it is,” Sister said again through puckered lips, “This clothing is completely the same as the ones Father wore when he was last here. I have been keeping this, hoping that one day if he comes, I could give it to him myself. But here you are instead! Do you know how long have I been making this clothing myself? Just take good care of them!” I unfurled a shirt to look at it and asked offhandedly, “And you’ve made these without having referred to other designs before?” “Of course! I have never once left these mountains! What other designs do you think I’d be able to stumble upon here!?”

“So this is a new set of clothing Sister has made herself for Father according to the same ones he wore when he was still here…” A long black trench coat particularly popular in the early 90s with matching sets of pants and shoes. Sister was especially pleased with her handiwork, although the fur-trimmed coat made me felt awkward only by wearing it.

But how strange it was, I would have chosen it any other day if compared to my squalid clothing. But as I began peeling off the muggy drapes of my clothing, I froze. I could feel Sister’s and Qin Le’s eyes on my back, staring at me wordlessly. “Two young women watching a young man like me stripping myself? As if things could have not been any more weird?!”

It was finally when I scowled tacitly at Qin Le only she understood why I stopped. “Oh, God! I’m so sorry! I’ll excuse myself!” She screamed, moving quickly towards the entrance of the chamber with her cheeks blazing red. Sister giggled, watching a leaving Qin Le retreating past the portal of the doorway while mumbling to herself, “Well, this little lass is interesting.” She swiveled and found me staring at her with the same look I had been giving Qin Le and she turned bashful herself. “What?! I’m your sister! Do I have to excuse myself too?!” She yelled, her face reddening by the second. With a glare, I breathed, “Otherwise?” “Humph!” She puffed indignantly. “I’m no stranger! I’ve seen you even when you were still in your diapers!”

“And that affords you the right to refresh your memory by looking at me naked again?” I scowled. That seemed to have done the trick; Sister’s face grew as red as the embers burning at the fireplace as she spat. “What a bully!” and she left. “Demons…” I thought quietly, “How different they are from ordinary humans after all… Heh heh heh…”

I gave a hoot once I finished changing and the ladies came back. At first sight of my outfit, Qin Le burst into a peal of laughter! She jabbed a finger at me, yelling loudly, “Oh my! You look like you’re from my father’s generation!” I said nothing, gaping at her incredulously, although I had to admit that she was partly correct. Sister, however, was looking confused. She was scratching the back of her head, muttering a puzzled “What’s wrong?” I shook my head and waved her off gently. “It’s fine. You won’t understand it even if I tell you. At any rate, she’s just praising your handiwork.” If Sister was doubtful at what I said, she certainly said nothing. She merely eyed Qin Le and me suspiciously, the former bobbing her head profusely at Sister when she realized she said something that could have angered Sister. Fortunately for us, Sister was quick to dismiss the matter aside despite her reservations.

“So, what brings you here, little Brother?” Sister spoke suddenly, “Has Father told you everything?” “Would that he did.” I sighed. “I would have never come here if he did!” “Ah?!” Sister uttered with shock.

My hand reached into my pockets as it was wont to, hoping to find myself a pack of cigarette but I found none. “Do you know about the Crucible, Sister?” I asked, drawing my empty hand out of the pocket. “Course, I do. It should be on the full moon’s night on the fifteenth day of the following month,” said Sister, looking rather surprised, “What about it? It’s an open secret across the realm of the supernatural and paranormal.” But it was news for me. I had never heard of the exact date of the Crucible before and I certainly did not expect to be just as near as a month. Only I was still too numb from the flurry of astounding discoveries during my recent adventures in the past. “So,” I went on, “Did you know about Father being charged to guard the Dragon-slaying Blade?” Contrary to my hopes and expectation, Sister shook her head. “I know nothing about this. But does that have anything to do with you coming here?”

“The Blade was lost right under Father’s nose.” I sighed and revealed, “And it has remained hidden even until today. This has been part of Father’s regrets and the reason he has never wished to ascend. The Blade that was Lost. And through my experiences in these recent years, I have discovered the existence of a shadow organization. An invisible group of men with insidious intent. Once, I thought they were trying to abduct me to threaten Father for the Lost Blade. To understand everything and to root out the members of this sinister cabal, I have sought the help of a demigod. A celestial being with powers to send me back through time. It allowed me to see many things. Among them, at the end of my journey, was how Father found me. Then I found myself here in these parts when I returned to the present.”

Sister’s brows creased into a frown as she listened. Finally, when I finished, she said, “You said something about an invisible hand directing all these conspiracies from the shadows?” I nodded. “A person or a gang of people, I don’t know which. For all I know, they could only be a bunch of unaffiliated people working on a common purpose. I don’t even know what they are actually after.” With her head bobbing non-stop, Sister pondered quietly in deep thought.

All of a sudden, out of nowhere, Qin Le leaped to her feet, screaming loudly, “I know!” Sister and I immediately transfixed our stares on her and I asked, “What do you know about?”

Qin Le was burning with excitement. “I understand it now! You were saying that there is this group of evil people who are after this weapon with legendary powers. But not even its guardian knows where it is now. Am I right so far?” I nodded quietly at her summary. “What about your weapon?” Qin Le asked again suddenly, her finger thrusting at my Shiyan Blade, “That is a legendary weapon itself, no?” I nodded again. “And this group of evil men is after you too, no?” And my head nodded again.

“Then, that does it!” She snapped her fingers at her sudden inspiration. “Hasn’t it occurred to you yet that this Dragon-slaying Blade you are all looking for, is in fact the Shiyan Blade you are using? It sounds logical, no?”

Sister and I fell silent. We peered at each other without a word until I spoke up. “I have considered this possibility a very long time ago. But it’s not a theory which agrees with many of the other facts. First, the Shiyan Blade is the fabled weapon of Yan Di of the South. The Dragon-slaying Blade, a different weapon altogether, is an instrument with celestial powers to determine the future dynasty to rule the lands. From the purpose of their existence, it is as plain as day that they are two different items. Moreover, the Blade seemed nothing more than a legend to the masses. I was sent back through Time just not long ago and even so, I had never once laid eyes upon the Blade itself. But if there is anything I am sure of, it’s that the Shiyan Blade and the Dragon-slaying Blade were divine weapons forged for expressly different purposes!” I made a few hand seals and summoned the Shiyan Blade.

The familiar feeling of having the Shiyan Blade nestling comfortably in my grasp was never too comforting before I handed it to Qin Le. “There’s the runic engraving of the words ‘Shiyan’ on the blade of this sword. I’m sure the truth would be out before long if the Shiyan Blade was actually the Dragon-slaying Blade.”

Qin Le looked visibly crestfallen at her theory being refuted. But it was true; the possibility that the Shiyan Blade could be the Blade that was Lost was one which that I had long discussed with Chongxi and Lin Feng and we concluded that things could never be so easy and obvious.

“All right there,” Sister interjected softly, placing her hand on my head, caressing my hair, “Fret not. There’s no use worrying now. We’ll cross that bridge when it comes to that. You’ll have me, your Big Sister here to help you if anyone dares to come for you!”

I giggled, shaking my head.