No Repeats

Who are you?

Bai Ye closed his eyes and with a slight flick of his wrist sent an invisible force hitting the boy's small body and throwing him back a few steps. Even though the force was the most restrained and weakest power, the little boy's underdeveloped body could not handle it and got crushed under its might.

The little boy spit out blood from the impact and had the wind knocked out of him before collapsing on the ground. He heroically struggled to stand up and take on the man again with eyes narrowed into slits and radiating extreme hatred. The other children cowered together behind the boy with the littlest one still crying uncontrollably.

"Enough, stop with this and let us talk civilly. Children do not fear, this man here is your sect leader and the supreme controller of Wulin, Bai Ye. I am his friend, Lu Bai," shouted Shu Mei as she scowled at Bai Ye. He really is too much, why would he fight with children?

Bai Ye felt ashamed as he received Shu Mei's intense glare, he just wanted to the stop the boy and maybe test him a little, but who knew that the kid was so weak? He made a mental note to issue a decree for all his sect branches to start training their children when they are young so that they don't embarrass him again. Despite how he is feeling, Bai Ye maintained a nonchalant expression and walked towards the boy with both hands behind his back.

"What is your name boy? Do you recognise this seal?" asked Bai Ye as he held up his metal pendant, the seal that represents the leader of the Sect.

The children gave out a cry of relief and knelt on the ground in unison.

"This subordinate greets the Great Zuyi Sect Leader, Zu Bai Ye. My name is Wan Nian, everyone calls me Wan Wan. I am the regional leader's son, and these are the other children in our region. We seek justice for our clan, Sect Leader, please help us. When we got attacked, I was perched on a tree doing my training, so I saw what happened and quickly got the kids into this safe house. But I don't know if our people had been able to escape this calamity. Sect Leader, I am sorry that I am too young and weak and could not contribute to the fight, I am ashamed," said the little boy, trying hard to hold back his tears.

Shu Mei looked around sadly, these children are so cute and brave, especially little Wan Wan and now they have become orphans.

"How old are you?" asked Bai Ye.

"Replying to Sect Leader, this subordinate is eight years old this year, I have only started training six months ago, later than the other children because of my weak constitution," said Wan Nian, his head lowered in shame.

Bai Ye smiled gently and patted the kid's head.

"Do not blame yourself, you did the right thing. Everyone get up, now that I am here, I will make sure that we get vengeance for your family. As men and women of our great Zuyi sect, we can shed blood but not tears, understood?" said Bai Ye.

Shu Mei slapped his arm and pushed him aside.

"What nonsense are you telling the children? Don't indoctrinate them with this nonsense. No, children, don't listen to him. There is a time to cry and grieve, there is no shame in that. What matters is that we can pick ourselves up from it and move on to achieve our bigger goals. Do you understand?" asked Shu Mei.

The children looked at Bai Ye fearfully, they had grown up hearing stories of his fearsome reputation and yet here is someone here who dared slapped his arm and correct him. That is terrifying indeed, they do not want to get pulled into any fight that might break out. Lu Bai's words seems to make sense, but their sect leader's words are the iron rule.

"That's right, listen to Lu Bai, ignore my nonsense," said Bai Ye as he looked at Shu Mei with pampering eyes and a wide grin on his face, breaking the solemn seriousness he possessed a minute ago. In his mind, visions of their future children running around is too cute and heart-warming.

The children looked at him in amazement, his handsome look became even more endearing and charismatic when he smiled at his companion. They let down their guard and started trusting Lu Bai's words, after all, he had managed to correct their leader.

"Tell me, what did you see?" asked Bai Ye.

As Wan Nian was about to open his mouth the door behind them opened again. He immediately closed his mouth, his eyes opened wide and clearly fearful as he shuffled backwards and looked down onto the ground without speaking. 

Bai Ye frowned when he saw Wan Wan's sudden facial changes and his eyes followed the kid's line of sight to face the intruder. He scrutinised the young man that had just stumbled through the door, covered in blood and clear cuts on his arms and back. The most notable thing was that he carried a sword dripping with blood and a menacing expression on his face.

Shu Mei tilted her head as she stepped in front of the kids, hiding them from the man's sight. To her it is clear, this man is scaring Wan Wan and must have something to do with the incident. During the time they inspected the villa, she did not see this man and yet he has come in here with a bloody sword.

"Who are you?" asked the young man as he looked at Bai Ye and Shu Mei in surprise.

"I should ask you that question, who are you?" said Bai Ye with a smirk. 

"I am the vice leader of the Zuyi regional branch, Xian Pei. Who are you and why are you here with the children? Are you here to finish off the children? Is it not enough that you killed all the adults, why destroy the roots as well?" asked Xian Pei, his pitch raised as his eyes roamed around the room and the kids behind Shu Mei.

"Oh, what about you? Why are you here? Should you not be dead with the other adults as well? Tell me, what happened?" asked Bai Ye.

"You! Answer me! No? I will make you regret this," shouted Xian Pei as he lurched forward and started to swing his sword to attack Bai Ye.

Bai Ye was initially amused that the vice leader of the region is such a putz but that quickly turned to annoyance. With a flick of his wrist he released a deadly power that hit Xian Pei so hard and fast that it was impossible to dodge. Xian Pei got carried by the force and slammed against the cave wall hard before gravity slowly made him slide down.

"You...who are you?" sputtered Xian Pei as he spat out a mouthful of blood.

"I am Zu Bai Ye. Are you happy?" laughed Bai Ye as he raised his hand, sending an invisible force pulling Xian Pei's body by the throated and lifted him up against the wall.

Xian Pei's eyes widened when he heard Bai Ye's name, but with the intense pressure on his throat, he could not say a single word. The invisible hand gripped tighter arounds his throat and made him choke for breath as tears streamed down the side of his face.

"Now, will you tell me what happened here? I proclaim you a traitor and it is your job to convince me that you are innocent. Otherwise, I promise you will die painfully," said Bai Ye as he dropped the young man.

Xian Pei collapsed in relief, he felt that had Bai Ye held on any longer, his soul would have departed from his body. But before he got a chance to recover completely, Bai Ye made another small movement, followed by a 'crack' and Xian Pei's howl of pain filled the cave.