Chapter 7: Loose Hands

Lian sighed for the hundredth time, his boredom palpable. His master, Ling Xiao, had left for the Eight Pillars Mountain a week ago, seeking the rare White Lotus Rose.

With nothing to do, Lian found himself wishing to resort to his old habits – causing trouble for his master, just for the sake of fun.

But with Ling Xiao away, Lian's mischief had to be put on hold. He wandered around the courtyard, feeling restless.

"Wow, the great Wen Tianlian an is now living a life of feeding chickens," he muttered to himself, shaking his head. "I'm not even feeding them liquor. I need some kind of adventure. I can't just sit around."

Just then, a group of people passed by the courtyard, their voices hushed but urgent. Lian's curiosity was piqued, and he overhead them mentioning something about the market.

Lian immediately called out to the group, "Hey, what's going on? What happened in the market?"

The group stopped and turned to face him. "You don't know?" one of them asked, eyes wide with excitement. "According to the news, a thief was found dead."

Lian's interest was piqued. "A thief?" he repeated. "Which one?"

The person nodded. "Lose Hands, the notorious thief. They say he was found dead in the market place."

Lian's eyes narrowed, his mind racing. Lose Hands, the infamous thief, was dead? Something about the news didn't sit right with him.

As he stood there, a memory flashed back – the scene where he had seen a dead body, accompanied by a handsome stranger. It had been a week ago, just like the group had mentioned.

Lian's instincts told him that something was off. He nodded at the group, taking in the information. "Thanks for telling me. I think I'll go take a look."

The group nodded and continued on their way, leaving Lian to his thoughts. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something was amiss, and he was determined to get to the bottom of it.

With a newfound sense of purpose, Lian set off towards the market place, ready to uncover the truth behind Lose Hands' mysterious death.

As Lian ventured toward the market, his soul felt restless. The crowd gathered around Lose Hands' lifeless body parted to let him through, their faces filled with a mix of curiosity and respect. Many recognized him as the disciple of Ling Xiao, the renowned healer.

Lian's eyes locked onto Lose Hands' body, and his mind flashed back to the scene he had stumbled upon a week ago. The same body, the same eerie feeling. Something didn't add up.

Why was the body brought back now? And what was the handsome stranger's role in Lose Hands' death? Lian's thoughts swirled with questions.

Without hesitation, Lian set off toward the Jade Forest, determined to find the stranger and uncover the truth. As he entered the forest, he followed the same path he had taken before, his senses on high alert.

However, a few minutes into his journey, Lian's vision began to blur, and his breath grew ragged. The forest around him seemed to warp and distort, like an altered reality.

Lian's training kicked in, and he immediately sat down in a monk's pose, focusing on his meditation technique to ward off the spell. His master, Ling Xiao, had taught him well.

As he meditated, the effects of the spell began to wear off. Lian stood up, his senses clearing, and continued his journey.

But when he arrived at the heart of the forest, he found that the stranger was nowhere to be found. Had he misremembered the location?

Just as Lian was about to leave, a low, husky voice whispered in his ear, "I tried to make you leave. Why did you come back?"

Lian spun around, his eyes locking onto the handsome stranger. This time, the stranger was smiling, and Lian's anger and caution were momentarily forgotten.

He was mesmerized by the stranger's chiseled features, his piercing eyes, and his captivating smile. The sunlight dancing through the trees only added to the stranger's allure.

Lian's face grew hot, and he felt his heart racing. He was torn between his desire for answers and his attraction to the stranger.

"What do you want?" Lian asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

The stranger's smile grew wider, and he took a step closer to Lian. "I want many things," he whispered, his breath sending shivers down Lian's spine. "But first, let's talk about Lose Hands."

Lian's eyes narrowed, his voice firm. "Ah, yes, Lose Hands. Did you kill him? Why did you kill him? And why are you just returning the body now?"

The stranger let out a deep sigh, his expression almost amused. "I didn't kill Lose Hands. The forest did. I'm not the scary monster you're looking for, okay? The forest did, and the forest returned his body when it wanted. It's the forest spirit that's in charge of this, not me."

Lian's gaze intensified, his eyes squinting as he searched the stranger's face for any sign of deception. But the stranger's expression remained calm, his eyes sparkling with sincerity. Lian decided to believe him, for now.

"Okay, okay, gege," Lian said, using an informal term. The stranger's eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled.

The stranger bowed deeply, his movements fluid and gracious. As he straightened, he made a subtle gesture with his hand, his fingers weaving an intricate pattern in the air.

Lian watched the stranger's gesture, fascinated. Then, he turned to leave. "I'll be going now."

But just as Lian took a step forward, the stranger's hand shot out, grasping his arm. "Where are you going?" he asked, his eyes questioning.

Lian turned back, his face slightly flushed. "I...I got my answers. I should head back."

The stranger's gaze held Lian's, his expression unreadable.

The stranger's wide smile sent a shiver down Lian's spine. Why didn't this person want him to leave? The stranger's eyes seemed to gleam with amusement as he lowered himself to Lian's height, his voice taking on a conspiratorial tone.

"Didn't Ling Xiao tell you not to leave the house or never to be out by dusk?" the stranger whispered, his breath sending shivers down Lian's neck.

Lian's eyes widened as he took in the stranger's words. How did this person know his master's instructions? Fear crept up Lian's spine as he realized the stranger seemed to know more about him than he was comfortable with.

With a surge of adrenaline, Lian tried to wriggle free from the stranger's grasp, but it was like trying to escape a vice. Panic set in, and Lian's eyes darted around, searching for an escape.

Just as the stranger's grip seemed unyielding, Lian dropped to his knees, his hands clasped together in a pleading gesture. "Please, Mister Stranger, I promise I'll never come here again! Even if I want to go to the Jade Mountain, I'll take another route! I'll never set foot in this forest again, please just let me go! I'm too young to die, don't let the forest kill me like it did Lose Hands!"

The stranger's smile faltered, and he released Lian's arm. Lian didn't hesitate; he scrambled to his feet and took off in a sprint, not daring to look back. He ran like his life depended on it, the forest blurring around him as he emerged into the bright sunlight.

Breathless and shaken, Lian stumbled back into the safety of his home. He mechanically helped put the chickens back in their coops, his mind reeling with the events in the forest.

As night fell, Lian retreated to his room, his heart still racing with fear. He couldn't shake the feeling that the stranger's words had left him with more questions than answers.