The Tale Never Ends

I was startled by what the officer had just said. He snapped to a salute and introduced himself, “I am Officer Li of the Shanggu Police Station. After some inquiries, I have come to know that you are our colleagues from the Wu Zhong County police.”

I see, the police officers had run a background check on us, I realized. Due to our countless cooperation with the Wu Zhong police, they have considered us one of them, although technically, we’re only consultants no different from auxiliary police officers.

Wearing a respectful and polite look, he said, “I have made some calls to Wu Zhong. It seems you have solved a good many cases there. So I guess I would not be far off by saying that this could be some sort of retaliation? A loose end from one of your cases which ended bitterly, I guess?” I shook my head and chuckled. “You’re being dramatic, Officer Li. But I believe this is something personal.” Finding nothing to contradict me, the officer could only smile sheepishly. He sat down on the edge of my bed and whispered like a big brother, “Come on, what really happened here?” “Honest, Officer Li. This is only something personal. So I would not like to involve anyone from the police force. I’ll handle it myself,” I muttered, frowning slightly. But this only served to infuriate the cop. “What’s wrong with you!” He bellowed, “Firstly, this is a criminal case! You are also part of the force. You should know better than to handle it yourself and trust the system! Secondly, this incident has taken place inside our territory! It’s only right that I should help you solve this! It’s a matter of pride!”

Just when I was raking my mind for ways to mollify the police officer, my phone rang. Officer Li helped me to take it out from my pocket and before he handed the phone to me, he saw the name appearing on the screen: Zheng Shuang. “Wait a minute…” He muttered, “Where have I heard that name before?”

Zheng Shuang’s voice came blaring like a trumpet as soon as I tapped the “Answer” button, “SHIYAN! HOW ARE YOU!?” His noisy bluster left me wondering that with his wailing voice, anyone would have believed that it was he who had been stabbed and not me. “All right, calm down,” I muttered, “I’m still alive. Look at you, screaming and wailing as if you’re at a funeral?!” “I have gotten a call from the Shanggu police, telling me that you are hurt,” he said, “What happened?!” “Enough about that for now. I need your help. Help me make some arrangements. I need to go back to Wu Zhong. Get me to a hospital there.” “All right! I’ll make some calls! Just you wait!” And he slammed his phone shut.

I put down my phone with an exasperated smile with Officer Li looking on skeptically. “It’s a friend from the Wu Zhong Police Station. Apologies for the intrusion.” Instead of listening to me, Officer Li was muttering to himself distantly, “Zheng Shuang… Zheng Shuang… Wu Zhong Police Station…” He flinched suddenly as if he was having a stroke and he grabbed at my hand, “Wait, is he the Zheng Shuang who solved the case of the evil cult?!” I nodded. “No wonder!” He exclaimed, “No wonder his name sounds so familiar! He’s a famous name here!”

“Spare him the praise and glory,” I muttered smilingly, “He’d get proud.” The police officer remembered how I was talking to him like close friends and finally pieced two-and-two together, his face breaking into astonished bewilderment. “Oh, my God. You’re the one… the one who helped to solve the case of the evil cult!” “My help was inconsequential. I didn’t do much.” But the police officer now regarded me with a newfound admiration and respect. “Could it be that…” he whispered suddenly. Realizing my chance to just dismiss him with a story, I quipped at once, “Yep. I was hurt by the remnants of the cult. As you would undoubtedly understand, the case of the evil cult has been closed. But it’s only normal that remaining dregs of the cult are still at large.”

“I see! I understand now!” Officer Li yelped. Knowing better than to pry further, he promptly led his men away after a few more words of niceties, much to my relief. Having completely fallen for my ruse, Officer Li would now keep his distance from us, fearful that he might, in turn, become a target of these “imaginary remnants of the evil cult”.

A car came for us the next morning and brought us back to Wu Zhong. With all the arrangements completed by Zheng Shuang for me, I was sent to the Wu Zhong County Hospital. Father and Mother came later that evening to have a look at me and along with them came the others from the Institute, although they looked as if they were indeed here for nothing more than a look at me.

Father and Mother were about to turn and leave after their ephemeral visit when I hesitated and called for Father. Father turned around and looked at me deeply in the eye. Seeing that I had something to say, he had Uncle Quan and the others go before them. With only Lin Feng, Chongxi, Big Sister, Edelweiss and them both in the room, Father looked at us all and heaved a heavy breath, saying finally, “What is it. Spit it out.” With no need for pretenses, I delved in just as directly, “I remember you said you have cast an enchantment on me. Why did it not work this time?” “Indeed,” Father nodded and said, “But the enchantment works only if your life is in mortal danger. So there could only be one reason it did not activate: the person who injured you did not have the intention to kill you.”

“No way!” I screamed, my fist slamming into my bed. But it hardly achieved anything aside from aggravating my wound and a jolt of pain shot up my abdomen and I winced and grimaced in pain. Edelweiss quickly held me and helped me down. Big Sister added frowningly, “But Father, we were all beside Little Brother. We saw it ourselves too. Her stroke was quick and deadly, and there’s no mistaking that murderous aura emanating from her.” “Yeah,” I affirmed and said, “I could feel that murderous aura from her. It came at me, as keen as a blade! There’s no way she did not intend to kill me!”

Father chuckled and shook his head. It took him several seconds until he finally said, “There are people who radiate a murderous aura whenever they get aggressive. But that does not mean that they intend to kill. People like them need only raise a finger and they can release an aura so staggering and strong that foes would cower in fear. This is a gift and also a birthright.”

“What are these people?” I asked and Father chuckled again. “They are rare. Extremely rare. But they are also your natural nemeses.” “Huh?! My natural nemeses?” Father nodded. He looked to Mother and they smiled at each other weakly with the rest of us staring at them blankly, puzzled.

“How much do you know about yourself?” Father asked suddenly. “I’m the Spirit of the Shiyan Blade reincarnated. The Spirit of the legendary weapon of the gods,” I replied truthfully, “That was why Jin Qichen had come seeking me: to ask for my help to help him rule the world. In fact, the reason Zhang Zhigui sought for me was also the Blade. But this woman seemed nothing like them. She seemed only bent on killing me. At least she’s acting in a manner utterly contrary to them, even if they really are cohorts.”

“Since you know what you are, could you still not know what people out there could be your nemeses as a descendant of the ancient Tribe Shennong?”

“Urm…” I could not answer him. Father threw me a look that looked positively annoyed as if the answer was staring at me in the face. “The descendants of Tribe Jiuli (or the Tribe of the Nine Dawns).” Big Sister leaped from her chair and burst out, “Chiyou?!” before I could say anything. Father nodded. “It’s important to take note that Chiyou might have been defeated by Huangdi and Yandi but that doesn’t mean that Chiyou’s tribe, Tribe Jiuli was utterly destroyed. The people of Tribe Jiuli were known to be furious in battle and they could easily muster up strong and thick murderous auras whenever they fight. So it’s hardly surprising.”

“So… that means that woman in black is a descendant of Chiyou?! What the hell?! So this is a battle of Fates?!” But Father betrayed nothing.

Big Sister waved a hand and conjured the severed limb from her earring. She showed it to Father. “This is the artificial limb we’ve managed to strike down from the woman.” Father took the severed prosthesis into his hands and studied it. He chuckled and said, “It seems that this descendant of Chiyou herself has not a happy and pleasant past.” He returned the arm to Big Sister and said nothing else.

He got up from his chair suddenly. “If that is all, I guess I’ll be going then.” “Wait!” I called quickly, a hand raising. Father turned back and looked at me. “There’s one more thing,” I mumbled and Father and Mother sat back into their chairs, looking at me.

“Why did I became one with the sword differently compared to Big Sister? Was there anything I did wrongly? My becoming one with my sword seems to do me more harm than good!” “Humph,” Father snorted and said, “You had me thinking that you had something more urgent to ask about. The answer to this question is simple: your powers are not enough. Your becoming one with the sword is not a product of your training; it is merely because you are the Spirit of the Blade.”

“So what should I do?” I yelped frantically, “I can feel that my powers have risen, but I still feel as if I’ve barely made any progress. What’s going on with me?” Father gave a short giggle. “Tell me, Shiyan. Haven’t you felt that you have been more restless; more prone to anger and outbursts recently?”

Indeed, I almost gasped aloud at Father’s indication. I was never an irascible person. In fact, I had always been calm and composed even if the sky was falling. But I had been different since I had traveled through Time with Master Six’s help and had become more prone to anger and outbursts.

“Your powers have grown considerably since your last encounter with Master Six.” Father looked at me. He could see that I agreed with his assessment. “But you have yet to make great headway with your progress and that is why your temperament has soured.”