Song of Silent Promise

14. Remnant of Memories

Fu Chun sheathed her sword and immediately lifted Xu Yejing, holding the latter's smaller body close to her bosom. "Talk later. We have to go. We don't know how many experts are in hiding."

With a flawless execution of qinggong, Fu Chun glided over the burning flame, the fire short of touching the tip of her boots. Fu Yan followed close behind, the tail of his whip surrounding the three like an impenetrable cage of protection.

"You are not leaving anywhere!" A middle-aged man in a eunuch uniform appeared, followed by a few other men in imperial guards' garb. From their movement, these were not just ordinary servants of the Imperial Palace, as they quickly blocked the three's way of escape, jumping and flying back and fro.

Sparks of blue met clashes of swords and blades. There were a million of questions in Xu Yejing mind, but she could at least notice a few things in the current fight. Apart from the eunuch - who might not even be one - the other attackers were not cultivators. The eunuch's double-sided prong had a reddish hue. Although Fu Yan and his adversaries' movements were but a blur to her eyes, blue and red clashed everytime the eunuch's blade met the tail of Fu Yan's whip.

Only cultivators who had solidified their inner core and regulated the ocean of True Essence surrounding said core, were able to channel their true essence into a tangible qi in their weapons. The manifestation of qi - their color - was like a thumb print, unique to each cultivator.

Who would have thought, a short figment of memories, could teach her that simple knowledge.

Fu Yan managed to dispose of a couple of assassins, but with the eunuch sticking close like a shadow, he could not avoid getting hurt in a few places.

There was a sudden breeze washing over her, then the air surrounding them seemed to have lost that heat from the flame. It was as though the space around her had become an empty and desolate one, everything vacuumed into nothingness. The sensation lasted for barely a breath, then Xu Yejing heard the choking wail of several men.

When Fu Chun and Fu Yan lightly stepped on their toes, Xu Yejing still in Fu Chun's bosom, she could finally see a number of headless corpses in all directions. One of them was the middle-aged eunuch.

A man in light green robe stood before them, his hair neatly gathered on top of his crown, secured with a white jade coronet. His brows were thick yet gentle, his thin lips always carried a slight arc that gave him a friendly impression. His eyes were bright and good-looking, his features smooth and placid. With the fan he tapped lightly against his palm, he looked like a young scholar. But she knew, this was the very man who had single-handedly killed seven attackers in a matter of seconds.

Fu Yan and Fu Chun bowed towards the man. "Master."

This man did not look any older than the Fu siblings, but who would know his real age? Fu Yan and Fu Chun had spoken about their Master a few times in the past. One of the elusive Saints roaming the world; a mere jab of his finger could create a hole in someone's skull.

"Mhm." The Saint walked towards the trio, and took Fu Yan's wrist. While he transferred his qi to Fu Yan through a touch of his finger on the latter's skin, the scholarly-looking Saint scolded, "You're lucky I am the one who came. If your Master Uncle were here, do you believe he would hang you upside down to expel this poison instead? So careless! How could you let some nobodies poison you? If words got out, my Flaming Cauldron Sect won't have any face left."

Fu Yan smiled bitterly, his face turned pale when the Saint mentioned about his Master Uncle.

"Where... is Master Uncle?" Fu Chun asked.

"That guy... ," the Saint glanced at Xu Yejing, then let out a scoff, "He's more tender-hearted than a young maiden. He's feeling shy and decided to chase after the person who may be the perpetrator of this whole thing."