Turned into Blood Mist and Escaped, Guga

Day broke early. Sisi set five large bowls on the table, and the five Gugas crowded around at once, their little arms hooked over the edge as they buried their heads in breakfast.

Little Moon had not finished her own porridge, but she had her eye on Dark Gold Guga's bowl. She teleported over and dragged it away. Dark Gold Guga's eyes went wide as she reached to snatch it back, but Little Moon teleported to the other end of the table with the bowl, looking thoroughly pleased with herself.

"My Guga!"

"Mine now, guga!"

Starry Guga sighed and pushed her own bowl in front of Dark Gold Guga. Little Moon saw it and blinked. Hugging the bowl she had stolen, she teleported back and pushed it beside Starry Guga.

"For you, guga."

Starry Guga reached out and patted Little Moon's head.

"Thank you, guga."

Xuanwu Guga crouched beside a chair, eating obediently. She paid no attention to the squabble beside her. Her mouth opened and closed, porridge leaking from the corners, and Starry Guga wiped it away with a handkerchief.

After breakfast, Lin Yuan stood up.

"Let's go for a walk."

Zhu Zhuqing came out of the inner room. Without a word, she followed him.

Nuoding Academy looked much the same. Gray stone walls, a crooked wooden gate, and an old gatekeeper dozing at his post. Lin Yuan did not wake him. He walked straight in.

The door to Dorm Seven stood open. A boy sat on the edge of a bed tying his shoes. His shoulders were broad, and his hair was cropped short. The room looked much the same too: six wooden beds in two rows, with most of the plaster peeled from the walls.

Lin Yuan knocked on the doorframe.

"Wang Sheng."

Wang Sheng turned. He stood a head taller than he had five years ago, and his shoulders had broadened. He stared at Lin Yuan for a long time. The shoelace slipped from his hand, and his mouth opened, then closed again. He got up, walked over, and poked Lin Yuan's shoulder as though checking he was real. Then he gave it a hard slap.

"Boss! You're alive!"

"Of course I am. What, did you think a ghost was standing in front of you?"

Wang Sheng pulled him down onto the bed and looked him over from head to toe.

"How come Xiao Wu isn't with you?"

"I don't know where she went either." Wang Sheng paused. "Sister Xiao Wu kept the letter you left back then. She said you had to be alive."

Lin Yuan fell silent for a while.

Wang Sheng glanced at him, then at Zhu Zhuqing behind him. His eyebrows rose, but he asked nothing.

After leaving Dorm Seven, Lin Yuan stood on the training ground for a while. He looked back at the dormitory building, then turned toward the exit. Zhu Zhuqing followed him, and they retraced their steps.

When they returned to Su Yuntao's house, Su Yuntao was sitting in the courtyard drinking tea. He set down his cup when Lin Yuan came in.

"Went to Nuoding Academy?"

"Yeah. I went looking for Xiao Wu, but she wasn't there."

Su Yuntao picked up his cup and took a sip.

"Xiao Wu was here just a few days ago. She said she was going to Shrek Academy in Suotuo City."

The corner of Lin Yuan's mouth twitched.

"You could've told me sooner."

Su Yuntao gave him a speechless look.

"You didn't ask."

Zhu Zhuqing spoke up suddenly.

"Shrek."

Both men looked at her. Zhu Zhuqing stood beneath the osmanthus tree, its shadow falling across her face.

"I'm going there too."

Lin Yuan looked at her and was quiet for a moment.

"Then we'll go together once I've taken care of something."

Zhu Zhuqing nodded.

Dusk.

The City Lord's Mansion stood on the highest ground in the north of the city. Its gray stone walls rose high around it, iron spikes along their tops gleaming coldly in the sunset. The main gate was vermilion.

Lin Yuan pushed open the gate and walked in. Dark Gold Guga was on his left, Starry Guga on his right, and Guga followed behind with the Black Iron Hammer over his shoulder. Its head dragged along the ground, scraping out a trail of sparks.

Lin Yuan patted Xuanwu Guga on the head.

"You and Little Moon guard the gate. Don't let anyone get out."

Xuanwu Guga tilted her head and blinked.

"If anyone comes out, I smack them flying, guga?"

"That's right."

With a flash of silver light, Little Moon appeared on Xuanwu Guga's head and crouched there.

"One comes out, one gets kicked back in, guga."

Xuanwu Guga nodded solemnly, clenching her little fists.

The courtyard was large. Straight ahead stood the main hall, its doors open and lights burning inside. Xiao Zhan sat in the center, with three Soul Elders standing beside him, one to his left and two to his right. All four had blocked Lin Yuan at the North Gate five years ago.

Xiao Zhan was fatter than he had been five years ago, the flesh of his face sagging. When he saw Lin Yuan walk in, he narrowed his eyes and sized him up for a couple of seconds before giving a derisive laugh.

"Well, if it isn't Lin Yuan. That little brat who sold milk tea. What, couldn't make it out there? Come back to beg me—"

Four black Soul Rings lit up beside Lin Yuan's feet, each one gleaming.

Xiao Zhan's smile froze. The flesh on his face trembled.

"A Soul Ancestor... and they're all Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings? That's impossible!"

The three Soul Elders backed away at once, their faces deathly pale. One knocked over a vase, while the other two stood with their legs shaking.

"Four Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings... a Soul Ancestor..."

"This has nothing to do with us! The city lord forced us!"

Xiao Zhan sprang up and ran for the side door.

Starry Guga lifted a finger, and a wall of vines blocked the door. Xiao Zhan ran headfirst into it and bounced back. He scrambled up and charged for the rear door, where Dark Gold Guga crouched waiting. Her claws carved five deep furrows in the floor tiles. Xiao Zhan slammed on the brakes and tumbled over again.

The three Soul Elders took advantage of the chaos and rushed for the main gate. Xuanwu Guga slapped her little hand against the ground, raising an earthen wall across it. All three ran headfirst into the wall, bounced back, and fell in a heap.

Little Moon crouched on Xuanwu Guga's head, swinging her short legs.

"Where do you think you're going, guga?"

Xiao Zhan scrambled toward a window. Little Moon teleported over, crouched on the windowsill, and kicked him in the face. He flew backward and crashed into the middle of the hall.

"My turn, guga!"

Guga swung the Black Iron Hammer into Xiao Zhan's backside. He flew off screaming, struck a pillar, and slid down it.

Before he hit the floor, Dark Gold Guga swatted him back with one claw.

"Up you go, guga."

Xiao Zhan flew toward the other side. Starry Guga lashed a vine across his back and sent him flying back again.

The three Gugas stood in three different directions, kicking Xiao Zhan back and forth like a ball. Each time he flew, a mouthful of blood sprayed from his lips. The three Soul Elders huddled in a corner, hardly daring to breathe.

"Have a taste of my hammer! Guga!" Guga struck Xiao Zhan in the stomach, sending him flying toward Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan took the Black Iron Hammer from Guga and swung it up.

"You cornered me five years ago. Today, you pay me back."

"Don't—don't kill me—"

Lin Yuan brought the hammer down. Xiao Zhan burst apart, turning into a cloud of blood mist that spread through the hall. Scraps of cloth drifted to the floor.

Lin Yuan rested the hammer on his shoulder and turned to the three Soul Elders huddled in the corner.

"You three. Let's see one of you try to run."

Lin Yuan walked over and struck each of them once. Three clouds of blood mist burst into the air.

Guga took back the hammer and hoisted it onto his shoulder.

"Revenge, guga!"

Lin Yuan clicked his tongue.

"That cunning city lord of Nuoding City turned into blood mist and escaped."

Little Moon crouched on the windowsill and blinked.

"Does turning into blood mist count as escaping, guga?"

"It does." Lin Yuan turned and headed out. "He got away pretty fast."

Xuanwu Guga was still crouched by the gate. She tilted her head and blinked.

"Is it over, guga?"

"It's over."

"Where's the bad man, guga?"

"He turned into blood mist and escaped."

Xuanwu Guga nodded thoughtfully and hurried after them on her little legs.

When they returned to Su Yuntao's house, the courtyard lamp was still lit. All three were waiting for Lin Yuan.

Su Yuntao set down his teacup.

"How did it go?"

Guga hopped out from behind Lin Yuan, his hat brim askew. With the hammer on his shoulder, he rushed to answer.

"The bad men all turned into blood mist and escaped, guga!"

Su Yuntao froze.

"Turned into blood mist... and escaped?"

Su Yuntao's face darkened as he looked at Guga.

"Who taught you to say that?"

Guga, Dark Gold Guga, Starry Guga, Little Moon, and Xuanwu Guga all raised their heads in unison and looked at Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan gave a sheepish smile and rubbed his nose.

"Well... it amounts to the same thing."

Su Yuntao looked at him, speechless, and shook his head.

"All right. Come inside first."