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Luòshuǐ Mountain was so named because it had numerous waterfalls.
Even better, because the water flowed from the core of the mountain, it ran hot!
LanFen had followed Lu FengHo to see the waterfalls when she had first arrived at the training grounds, and she had found them beautiful!
The one they simply called 'the waterfall', was easily the largest apparently a favourite with the men.
On the day Lu FengHo had led her there, quite a few of the male disciples had splashed around, and LanFen had been thankful that they chose to bathe in plain white shorts, and not completely bare!
Lu FengHo had told her there was a smaller one, almost as big as this one, but they couldn't go there, because the females bathed there.
"Ehehehehe, we certainly shouldn't go there, since we aren't scoundrels!" LanFen had said, as she smiled at the irony...
The other waterfalls were much smaller, but still grand, and from the first day, LanFen had fallen in love with one which sat in a naturally secluded clearing.
After that day, she had kept sneaking back to bathe in that one, and today was no different!
LanFen went into her room and waited for about ten minutes, then quietly snuck out again, and headed for the secluded waterfall!
"Wah!!" She gleefully exclaimed.
She couldn't wait to slip into the steamy water, so she removed her belt, robes, and ribbons, choosing to leave on the white undershorts as well.
She was about to remove the white gauze wrapping, which was wrapped around her chest but as usual, she chose to leave it on.
Leaving it on would allow her get away quickly, if someone else arrived, so opted to remove it later, and properly wash that region in the privacy of her room.
LanFen undid her hair ribbon, then stepped into the water, wading in further.
"Haaaaa!" She sighed in pleasure, as the hot water engulfed her, the heat seeming to seep into her skin and bones.
She headed for the rushing waterfall and stood beneath it, struggling to remain on her feet, under the force of the pummelling torrents of water.
Shehe began to channel qi and pool it around herself, then she burst the energy outward, using it to stop the water's rushing descent around her.
This was a technique her master had taught her, to master qi flow and control, and LanFen practiced it whenever she found herself by a waterfall, trying to hold off the water for longer durations.
When she was done, she allowed the rushing torrent carry her away from the waterfall, and then swam around, enjoying the blissful pool of water...
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Meanwhile, Shuǐ ChénLín rarely ever bathed in the main waterfall, because there were usually too many disciples present.
In fact, the only times he bathed there, was whenever Lu FengHo was present, and the disciples were absent.
Being the Shuǐ successor, he hadn't lived on the training grounds, till he had grown to the level of a senior disciple.
This had meant that, his first night spent on Luoshuǐ mountain, he had been given his own personal lodge, so he had never gotten used to simply taking off his clothes in front of others!
Unfortunately, the natural secluded waterfall which LanFen favoured, was also Shuǐ ChénLín's favourite, but they had never met there.
But unfortunately...
This same night, Shuǐ ChénLín took off his clothes, neatly placed them on some rocks, then silently slipped into the water.
He went over to the waterfall, shut his eyes, and let the lighter jets of water splash directly onto him.
LanFen had resurfaced for a while, but the steam covering the water, and the loud rush of the waterfall, didn't alert her to any other presence, so she happily began to bathe in peace.
Naturally, the one under the loud torrents of water didn't hear her either.
And that's how two unsuspecting people, shared the vast natural 'tub', without noticing each other, until...
"Achoo!" LanFen sneezed.
"Who's there?!" Shuǐ ChénLín was suddenly on his guard.
"Ei?! Elder brother Shuǐ?!"
LanFen had turned to face him. "He's really the 'Surprise Attack specialist'!" She muttered to herself, as she ducked into the water, and swam out, taking advantage of the steam.
LanFen had already donned her white inner robes by the time Shuǐ ChénLín came out.
"Zhao LanFeng! You really know how to surprise a person!" Shuǐ ChénLín stormed over.
LanFen turned to face him. 'Wow!!'
Shuǐ ChénLín was bathed in the soft rays of sunlight filtering through the trees, and the light seemed to accentuate his handsome face.
The water made his skin glisten, and the shades made his eyes seem deeper and darker than usual.
His skin was slightly flushed, and his wet hair fell over his shoulders, to his bare chest, causing tiny rivulets of water to run down his well built torso, into his white underwear...
LanFen's heart beat a little faster, and she felt her face heat up, so she hurriedly turned away, reaching for her outer robe as an excuse to do so.
"Ehehehe! Fancy running into Elder broth-, ah, Fènghuáng-Jun here!"
Shuǐ ChénLín walked a short distance, then reached for his own inner robe.
Had Zhao LanFeng used some secret technique on him, that night? That troublesome aura had not gone away, and right now, it had increased in alarming intensity, which made the waterfall hotter than usual.
He felt his heartbeat quicken, and couldn't quite help the colour that stained his neck, ears and face.
"What are you doing here?" He demanded coldly, as he donned his inner robes.
"The same thing Fènghuáng-Jun is doing here! The big waterfall is always too crowded so I usually come to this smaller one." She was belting her outer robe around her waist, then hastily tied the white ribbon, to hold the belt in place.
"Choose another one." Shuǐ ChénLín said in the same cold tone. "I use this one often."
'I won't come back, even if you didn't say that!' LanFen thought, but aloud she said, "Understood, Fènghuáng-Jun."
She turned to leave, and was passing his back, when she was struck by a sudden mischievous thought.
"Fènghuáng-Jun." She began.
"What?" Shuǐ ChénLín asked.
"Is your skin red right now because of the heat?" LanFen leaned closer. "Or because you're actually shy that I saw your naked skin?"
Shuǐ ChénLín, "............."
Swish!
"Wah!" LanFen ducked and leapt away, as Shuǐ ChénLín swiftly swung out with his sword!
"Elder brother Shuǐ! Are you actually trying to kill me?! Don't worry! I won't tell the other disciples what you look like unclad, even if the ladies would die for the description! Ahahahahaha!" She ran off, her laughter ringing through the trees.
Shuǐ ChénLín had turned even redder. "Zhao LanFeng really knows how to surprise someone!" He fumed as he donned his outer robes.
He was about to leave when something caught his eye, and he saw a white ribbon curled on the floor.
"Silly! Even left his precious hair ribbon behind." He ignored the ribbon and headed back to the grounds.
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Later that night, LanFen was trying to meditate... And failing!
She slapped her forehead in frustration.
"Why did I have to run into him there, of all places?!"
When she closed her eyes, she remembered Shuǐ ChénLín's expression after she had teased him!
And then she started laughing each time...
This was bad for meditation!
Eventually, she gave up and slept.
A good night's sleep would surely dim the memory, right?
Wrong!
Her door was kicked open the next day, as usual.
"Zhao LanFeng! How many suns should rise before you get up?!" Shuǐ ChénLín thundered.
LanFen rose like the dead, sitting up straight, then turning her head slowly to look at the noisy offender...
One look, and she was instantly wide awake!
The laughter came crawling up her system...
"Pfft!" She covered her mouth with her hands, hurriedly got up and composed herself! "Ahem! Paying my respects, Elder brother Shuǐ!"
'He is still laughing?!' Shuǐ ChénLín felt heat crawl up his face, as he eyed Zhao LanFeng in annoyance.
LanFen noticed his blush and smiled.
'Ho? Not once, but twice? Did he always blush before?' LanFen had never noticed.
She was guaranteed results, if she teased Lu FengHo, but Shuǐ ChénLín was a much tougher opponent...
'Is it finally getting to him?'
"Come Out! We're having our duel today!" Shuǐ ChénLín turned and stormed out.
"Ei? Isn't it too sudden?!"
"Come out!" He yelled from outside and LanFen grinned at the door.
"Fine, fine! But I need a few hours to prepare myself!" She replied, and her lips bent into a wide smile.
She was going to have fun with Shuǐ ChénLín from now on!
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A few hours later, Shuǐ ChénLín mentally scolded himself...
He should have known better than to trust Zhao LanFeng!
"Elder brother Shuǐ, didn't you want to compete?" LanFen asked innocently. "These series of 'Manly' Competitions is guaranteed to tell which one of us is better!"
Lu FengHo had fallen on his face with laughter.
He had been somewhat apprehensive of a serious fight between Shuǐ Chén and Zhao LanFeng, especially since Shuǐ Chén had been in an incredibly murderous mood since morning.
However, after LanFeng asked for a few hours to prepare, the situation was different from what they imagined!
Shuǐ ChénLín had come out ready to fight, then had blanked when Zhao LanFeng had presented him with a *xiàngqí board!
*xiàngqí - Chinese chess
"Zhao LanFeng! What is the meaning of this!" Shuǐ ChénLín demanded. He noted that Zhao LanFeng's hair ribbon was black, rather than white, which wasn't surprising since he had forgotten the white ribbon by the waterfall.
LanFen just grinned of him. "Elder brother Shuǐ, you've been progress... At least recently you've been addressing me as 'Zhao LanFeng', rather than 'Disciple Zhao'!
"Next, why not try removing the 'Zhao'. Just 'LanFeng' is more intimate! After yesterday, will you still address me so coldly?"
Shuǐ ChénLín flushed slightly at the mention of the previous day, but his aura was murderous. "Explain yourself!"
"Ah, alright, alright!" LanFen held up her hands. "Since you wanted to compete, I outlined a series of events! We compete in all of them, and the person who wins the most is Champion!" She explained dramatically.
Shuǐ ChénLín turned and walked away. "I'm not the least bit interested."
But LanFen grinned mischievously at Lu FengHo, then back to Shuǐ ChénLín's retreating back.
For quietly proud people like Shuǐ ChénLín, it was more than easy for her to rope them into almost any challenge!
"Ho ho?" She began in a loud whisper. "Could it be that Elder brother Shuǐ lacks confidence in these games?"
Shuǐ ChénLín shook his head, determined to keep walking and ignore them, but,
"Elder brother Lu, today you must tell me the truth." LanFen had turned to face an amused Lu FengHo. "Does our Young Master Shuǐ really know only cultivation? Should I have brought the games for smaller children? Is that his level?"
Shuǐ ChénLín had stumbled as LanFen spoke.
He appeared back in an instant!
"Ahem! Since I don't have any other plans today, I am making it my sole purpose to defeat you, Zhao LanFeng!"
"Wah! Elder brother Shuǐ! You're really too scary!" LanFen leaned forward. "When do we begin?"
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And so it began!
Shuǐ ChénLín cleanly defeated LanFen in Chess.
LanFen wiped him out in Go.
Shuǐ ChénLín won the 'Stone skidding over water' contest.
LanFen floored him completely in Mahjong.
Shuǐ ChénLín, "We're tied."
LanFen, "For now! There's still the ball kicking competition, the archery competition, and most importantly! The drinking competition!"
Lu FengHo shook his head... They had been dragging him around as the judge from one ridiculous game, to the other! Would he also have to watch two of them drink?!
Yes!
He found he was looking forward to that particular one!
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The ball kicking competition was easy.
There were two leather balls, and both of them were to gather Qi in their foot and kick the ball as far as possible, without bursting the ball.
Both balls had shot for more than three hundred feet, as Lu FengHo flew on his sword to follow their incredible speed!
Still, Shuǐ ChénLín was physically stronger, so combined with his Qi, he won by a small margin!
LanFen, "Tch! Archery competition is next!"
Lu FengHo had set up the Archery course.
LanFen and Shuǐ ChénLín stood about fifty yards away from the targets.
Fourteen Targets were lined up in a straight line, seven each in front of them. Above each set of seven targets, were six, small dangling fruits, swinging randomly from left to right.
Shuǐ ChénLín went first.
He picked three arrows at once, aimed, and fired, hitting his first three targets. Without missing a beat, he took up four arrows, fired and hit the remaining four. Then twice more, he fired three arrows to hit the six fruits.
"Wow! Elder brother Shuǐ is great!" LanFen applauded.
Shuǐ ChénLín simply folded his hands, but she caught the hint of a smug smile at the corners of his lips.
"Hmph!" LanFen tugged on her hair ribbon, and her hair came loose and settled around her shoulders. She blindfolded herself with the ribbon, then turned her back on the targets.
She stood for a brief moment, then suddenly kicked up the basket of arrows, sending all the arrows flying into the air. She leapt gracefully, caught three arrows, spun and fired at an astounding speed!
The arrows hit the first, third and fifth fruit!
She spun in a swift circle, catching four more arrows, then aimed and hit her first, third, fifth and seventh targets!
She spun again with the next aim of three arrows which hit the last three fruits, and the last aim hit the final three targets.
It all happened in a second, and she floated back down, and her feet gently touched the ground.
Lu FengHo sat heavily on the ground in shock.
Zhao LanFeng had made a clear point with the order of his arrows... He had memorized the positions of all thirteen targets!
"Y- younger brother! That was amazing!" Lu FengHo.
Shuǐ ChénLín was staring at Zhao LanFeng in open awe.
That clear cutting figure that flew through the air, his robes, ribbons and hair flowing behind him...
The speed! The precision!
Shuǐ ChénLín was reminded of that night in the rain, and he felt his heart swell in admiration. His breath caught, as that same floral aura wound itself around him...
But as he watched, Zhao LanFeng removed the ribbon from his eyes, then turned to smile at him smugly. "Heh! No one can beat my rain of arrows technique!"
"Tch! You merely memorised the position of the targets, listened for the arrows in the air, and then used your Shadow step to move between them!" Shuǐ ChénLín wiped the awe off his face. "Ha- hardly impressive!"
"You say that, and yet I still won." It was LanFen's turn to fold her arms in pride.
"Hmph!" Shuǐ ChénLín turned and strode away. "The tie-breaker is tonight! The first person whose speech is slurred, is the loser!"
"Elder brother Shuǐ!" LanFen called after him. "I look forward to drinking with you!"
Now that she thought about it, it would be the first time, since the rooftop in Lin city, that she would drink with Shuǐ ChénLín, and she suddenly felt happier than before...
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