Clap First

Qin Yueyao looked at her two relatives, a faint ripple passing through her eyes, but her thoughts returned to the young man's face.

Without that young man's exceptional healing medicine, the outcome would have been reversed.

How laughable. For the sake of her pride, she had wanted to kill him.

Since she could not kill him...

She gripped the sword in her hand, her breathing quickening slightly. Deep in her heart, something stirred that she had never felt before.

A few days later, Lin Xiaotian went to the martial arts school, mainly to replenish his supplies.

Master Huang did not look pleased, but he gave them to him anyway.

"You brat, you really are insatiable. You've nearly cleaned me out."

Lin Xiaotian thanked his master and dashed back to his lodgings.

The martial arts school had lost more than half its people. Of the apprentices who had joined alongside him, over half had failed to reach Skin Tempering and had been eliminated.

The Martial Dao was that cruel: those who could not keep up had to leave. Without his unusual Blood Qi, he might well have been eliminated too.

"Master gave me five Blood Essence Pills, three healing pills, and two Dragon-Tiger Pills this time. Nurturing and strengthening them all will probably take quite a few days."

"Besides, the power of the Dragon-Tiger Pills is still building up. I can't break through the pass right away. My Root Bone is too ordinary; I'll need a longer period of accumulation before I can try."

"If the pills weren't exceptional, I wouldn't even be able to build up that power."

"Master was so generous with the pills this time. It looks like the major lineages have all guessed that Qin Yueyao came to my courtyard."

"The Ouyang Household hasn't made a move. This trip to the medicinal mines probably won't go smoothly."

After another dozen-odd days of practice, the agreed month was nearly up. He opened his eyes and let out a breath of stale air.

"I still haven't broken through, but my Blood Qi reserves feel fuller. If I suffer another injury like a fractured bone, healing might not take most of half a day. A few breaths should do it."

"Right, it's about time to head to the martial arts school. I haven't broken through the Bone Tempering Pass, but I've spent these dozen-odd days accumulating the power of exceptional pills. It built up quickly. I might break through once I reach the medicinal mines."

A dozen-odd days earlier, Ouyang Zhentian had slammed his fist onto the table with a resounding bang.

"You're saying your second uncle is dead? That someone beheaded him with a single sword stroke?"

"The traces of that sword technique must be Qin Yueyao's work."

"I'd rather Qin Yueyao really had reached Internal Force. If she's still at External Force, that kind of potential is far more troublesome."

"Household head, should we use all our strength, along with the other lineages' forces, to hunt her down?"

"No need! Don't kill a single one of the Qin Household survivors who slipped through the net in town. And keep track of that father and son, even if they're in the county seat."

"They're leverage we hold without showing our hand. Now that her potential has grown to this point, it will make her think twice about harming the Ouyang Household."

"Yes, household head. Wise as ever. But what about that young man? Should we take revenge on him for sheltering Qin Yueyao that day?"

Ouyang Zhentian closed his eyes. After several breaths, he snapped them open again.

"No need!"

"Several of us Internal Force household heads had blocked Qin Yueyao's escape, and I struck her with my palm."

"I remember it clearly. It was a miracle she didn't die on the spot."

"In that condition, she still made it to the young man's courtyard... Not only did she survive, she was full of life two days later. Judging by her swordsmanship, she even improved. That young man must have had a hand in it."

"Household head, then let's capture him and pry his secrets out of him."

The household head shook his head.

"That young man has considerable potential too. If he reaches External Force and can still do what he did, we'll either have to eliminate him to prevent future trouble or win him over and earn his goodwill."

"Household head, he hasn't reached External Force yet. If enough of us go, we can certainly take him. And if he was able to help Qin Yueyao, it was most likely with something his older sister left behind."

"Besides, his sister hasn't appeared in a long time. She has probably left. Given how she used to behave, I doubt she'll return."

"You have a point. You must have noticed it too: after that older sister left, many things in our memories no longer fit together. But exactly what happened is extremely hazy."

"We'd best be cautious about something so strange. Since that older sister chose the young man, we should avoid making an enemy of him if we can."

"Of course, if we do make an enemy of him, we must kill him and leave no room for mercy."

"More importantly, this time we need to learn what Ancestor Dongli left behind. You younger ones may pressure him a little. If you get the answers, we elders will apologize in person afterward and smooth things over."

"But if he doesn't know what's good for him and refuses to budge, kill him. Otherwise, he may seek revenge later."

At that moment, Ouyang Nianci spoke up.

"Father, what if Lin Xiaotian's sister really does return one day and takes revenge?"

Ouyang Zhentian burst into a hearty laugh.

"Daughter, you worry too much. Our memories suggest that woman may have been involved, but that's hardly certain."

"In the past, people died over matters involving the Qin Household. Several of our lineages wanted its resources, and that kept things in balance."

"If that woman or whoever backed her truly had the power, why didn't they wipe out our lineages long ago and leave only the obedient Qin Household?"

"Don't worry! It isn't that we lack the ability. We have large households and all you younger ones to consider, so we simply don't want to pay too high a price."

"If they truly provoke us, we can eliminate Qin Yueyao, Song Wanyan, and the others together."

"Yes, Father. I know what to do."

Ouyang Zhentian looked at his daughter, now grown into a lovely young woman, and nodded with satisfaction.

Ouyang Nianci left with several other important younger members. Though the household head had not explicitly ordered the young man killed, they understood what he had implied.

If the young man could not be made to serve the Ouyang Household, they would tear him out by the roots.

"Second Uncle can't have died for nothing. The household head didn't say it, but we should all know that."

"There are things he can't say outright as household head. We should understand them all the same."

Ouyang Nianci nodded.

"I know my father well. Second Uncle will certainly be avenged. Once we've forced Ancestor Dongli's secret out of that young man, if he won't submit and join the Ouyang Household..."

"Then he'll be the first offering to Second Uncle's blade."

At last, the agreed month was up.

Master Huang brought Lin Xiaotian to the Ouyang Household.

In the spacious reception hall, the household head sat with five younger members who were to enter the mines to dig for medicinal herbs and gain experience.

"I didn't expect Master Huang to come in person. I thought the young man would come alone, or perhaps with a senior fellow apprentice."

After exchanging pleasantries with the household head, Master Huang said calmly, "This time, I'm going with them to the medicinal mines."

The household head's expression tightened, and unease showed in his eyes.

"Master Huang, I'm afraid that won't do. The herb fields deep in the mines are where the younger generation gains experience. Our household also refines valuable ore and cultivates medicinal herbs there. It isn't convenient to let outsiders in."

Master Huang smiled faintly.

"A master always worries about his own apprentice. Besides, I've invested a great deal in him. I've put everything I have into this—given him the last of my Dragon-Tiger Pills and Blood Essence Pills. If anything happens to him, where am I supposed to find replacements?"

The household head's face darkened. He studied Master Huang closely, then spoke in a low voice.

"Master Huang, are you saying you don't trust the Ouyang Household?"

Master Huang smiled with pursed lips.

"You can say that sort of thing to outsiders. We've both been in this town for years. Why bother with meaningless words?"

"Hahaha!" The household head laughed. "I was being too particular. But this isn't up for discussion, Master Huang. You cannot enter the mines."

"Heh." Master Huang smiled. "I won't go deep into the medicinal mines. I'll just stay inside the mine. If my apprentice is treated unfairly, at least he'll have someone to turn to."

The household head said nothing. He quietly took a sip of tea and pretended not to hear.

A slight smile touched Master Huang's lips. He held out a hand.

"In the end, it comes down to the strength in our hands, doesn't it? Come, Ouyang Household Head. Let's have a bout!"

Surprise flashed in Ouyang Zhentian's eyes. He looked at Master Huang as though he were an idiot.

"There's little difference between us. A bout like that would be pointless... Besides..."

Before he could finish...

Boom!

Master Huang's palm was already hurtling toward Ouyang Zhentian.