The Devil of the South

Before I could even make sense of things, something extremely hot and fast flew right beside my head, grazing the tip of my left ear. Unlike before, I was not that swift and nimble anymore so I was not able to dodge it. I did not even sense it coming.

That must be a firebolt, but the heat was too extreme I could immediately tell it was a blue fire, something that only a Dark Cultivator could cast.

I knew that the target was Lord Lan who was seated comfortably in front of me before the attack. I thought the firebolt had hit him, but to my surprise, nothing happened. He remained in his seat and just raised one hand, and the fire just faded away from my senses.

How did he manage to…

I froze when I remembered the name that the attacker had mentioned earlier.

Is Lord Lan really Ruan Yanjun?

Lord Lan yawned as he indolently rose to his feet. “Another unworthy cultivator who overestimates his capabilities.” His posture suddenly became hard. Even I who could not see very well felt intimidated. “If you’re seeking death, just throw yourself out of the window.”

“Your arrogance ends here.” The hoarse voice came from right behind me.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed my arm and pulled me aside. Just in time, a man jumped onto the table and an exchange of fists ensued.

“Let’s go,” Jinjing said and pulled me down the stairs.

“It’s Grandmaster Wang Bei. He’s upstairs!” someone yelled and the diners below suddenly panicked. “He’s challenged another grandmaster!”

Before the commotion turned into chaos, Jinjing and I squeezed our way through the tables and ran out of the building.

The moment we made it out, I heard a loud blast and the ground beneath my feet vibrated.

Jinjing and I stopped and looked back. My poor vision saw a big flash of light on the horizon.

“The roof!” Jinjing exclaimed. “It’s been blown out!”

My heart stopped for a moment. I had never witnessed a force that strong. If that man was indeed Ruan Yanjun and the other was a grandmaster, I was afraid the restaurant would not be able to contain them.

A duel between two grandmasters would definitely catch the attention of the public and lure other martial artists in. If we were to remain there, I might get caught up in the middle of too many cultivators. There was a risk someone might recognize me.

No matter how small the possibility, I’d rather play safe.

“We have to go.” I pulled Jinjing’s hand. While everyone else was coming in to witness a spectacular battle, we were running away from it instead.

A quarter of an hour later, we made it home and we were both gasping.

“That was scary,” she said as we sat at the table to rest. “I should not have brought you there. I’m sorry.”

“Did you hear the name that the intruder mentioned earlier?” I asked.

She shook her head. “No.”

“He had called him Ruan Yanjun. Have you heard of him?”

“Ruan Yanjun…” She pondered for a moment and then gasped. “When I was still working as a…” she paused and did not mention the word, but I already understood. “I had heard my clients discussing about a certain Ruan Yanjun. They said he had killed twelve people that previous night. They called him ‘the devil’, and no one could make him accountable for the deaths because everyone was scared to confront him. Could it be that he was referring to the same Ruan Yanjun?”

I shook my head. “I’m not sure. I admit that the man was obnoxious, but I don’t think he’s as evil as the infamous Ruan Yanjun.”

“Me too,” she replied. “But if he is indeed Ruan Yanjun, what does he want from you?”

“He wanted me to accompany him to check on someone who is terminally ill, and when I declined, he hinted that he might do something to you. It makes me suspect that there’s more than what he’s telling me. And if he were Ruan Yanjun, the more reason I have to doubt his real intention.”

She was silent for a moment. “He’s a really bad man. I should have avoided him when he approached me this morning. Let’s hope he’s just Lord Lan and not Ruan Yanjun. Because if he’s Ruan Yanjun, I don’t think he’ll ever let us go even if I returned the money.”

Something about my earlier conversation with Lord Lan kept bothering me and I could not get it out of my head. “Jinjing, did you happen to take a good look at Lord Lan? Could you describe him for me?”

“He’s tall, physically fit, and he wears an expensive-looking brocade robe. He looks very wealthy.”

“How about his face?”

“I wasn’t able to take a good look at his face. Being a woman, it’s improper for me to stare at a man, especially of someone his stature. But I remember his glaring eyes. They looked deep and dark and… I can’t explain, but it’s intimidating to look at. Overall, he’s a good-looking man. Despite his intimidating gaze, no one will suspect him as a notorious person, especially since he is dressed like a noble and his hair has that luster that only the very wealthy can afford to maintain.”

I pondered about it. I had already connected the similarity to his height, and Jinjing’s description of his eyes matched the person I vaguely recalled from my childhood memory. As for the rest, I could not quite remember because I was too young then.

I suddenly remembered a vivid image of him as I had watched him walk out the door of the Frost Mountain Hall twenty years ago.

“Can you describe his hair in detail?” I asked.

“Oh, he has a beautiful hair. It’s black and straight and long it reached below his waistline.”

“Does he wear any accessories on his hair?”

“No. He simply lets it loose.”

That was exactly how I remembered that man. He had no hair accessories and simply had his hair down. Everyone in Frost Mountain was required to tie their hair with a piece of ribbon or hairband so seeing someone with his hair down was uncommon. Even outside Frost Mountain, men adhered to the same practice. They always tied their hair up because custom dictated that hair must be kept neat and clean at all times.