82 The Wild Wind Hermit

Wuying was only awake for a few moments when he heard an old voice speak.

"Tell me young man, what brings you out here? How is that old dog Lei doing?"

Wuying was guarded, but spoke casually none the less, "I'm here because I'm supposed to be. The Centennial War has started in case you missed it."

"So it has, young one. So it has. And the other question?"

"This one isn't sure who you're referring to, there are far too many named Lei in this world for me to know to who you refer. Hao Lei? Wu Lei? The great Thrashing Moon Lei? You see, there's too many to help you."

The old voice chuckled for a few moments before he spoke again, "Last I saw him he was Deacon Lei of the Hunting Hall, does that jog your memory, child?"

"Hmm, I'm not sure. I don't know a lot about the inner workings of that Sect, are you sure you've got the right. . . Euagghhh!"

Wuying shouted in agony, not even finishing his question. He felt like the bottoms of his legs were being drilled into by fiery insects!

"Don't toy with me, kid. I've been around the block more than once, and in your spot more than a few times. Answer me honestly or don't answer at all. I've always got other ways to get what I want."

"Fine! Fine! Yes, he's an Elder now, high ranking!"

"Good, good. Now talk to me about the little girl. What sort of background does she have? She's rather impressive for being so young."

Wuying ground his teeth in frustration. He knew enough about Yun's strength that he wasn't about to reveal anything. Instead he released his frustrations and railed at the mysterious old man.

"That little brat? How should I know!? She's half my age and still stronger than I am, so how am I supposed to know anything useful about her at all? Her family is nothing! She has no background anyone can find, no backers, she's just a single freak among everyone!"

"Oh? No background you say? That can't be right. . ."

The old man didn't bother with Wuying anymore, he began muttering to himself as he seemed to walk away. The farther his voice got the dimmer Wuying's consciousness got as well, and before long he was unconscious.

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These questioning sessions continued for what felt like days for the both of them. The old man kept asking direct questions, and when one of them wouldn't answer he would put them to sleep and ask the other, comparing what they revealed.

It didn't take him much effort at all to sedate them whenever he pleased, and he casually strolled around pondering his information. Before long he decided to just speak to them both directly.

Yun opened her eyes again, this time to the near-twilight of the two suns going over the mountain around them. She could finally see clearly, and she felt her fingers and toes twitch. Feeling! She could feel her body move, does this mean she can move again?

Yun twitched her tail first, then her hands, arms, and legs. She could willingly move all of her extremities, this was a good sign.

"I see you're awake, come over here and sit with this old man."

Yun slowly looked in the direction of the voice, knowing it was pointless to hide her ability to move again, and sat up. A few meters away was a small split-log table with log stools around it. On one side, leaning against the enormous conifer tree behind him, was an old man who looked absolutely emaciated.

With such a skeletal figure it was impossible to tell what race he belonged to. The fur on his body had long since lost it's luster and color, and was now just a dull gray, almost deathly. His eyes were bright, but there was something in them that didn't seem to be quite alive, and his tail was merely a twig, with stiff fur growing on it that was jaggedly broken from being so brittle.

"Come child, sit. This old bag of bones won't harm you."

As Yun walked over to the table she finally saw around the tree and spotted Wuying laying on the grass as well, still out. She looked at the old man and, rather than rushing over to check on him, sat down at the table across from him.

"Just who are you? Why have you captured us?" She asked guardedly.

The old man chuckled for a few minutes, a dry and raspy laugh that sounded like a pile of dead leaves. "This old one is called the Wild Wind Hermit. Once he was like you, a young and brash warrior in the middle of these racial conflicts. Victory and defeat were in the palm of his hand, and he razed the battlefield with his brother. But then he found that the world wasn't as it seemed. There were greater forces in the world, using his brothers for their own purposes. After learning this the young man still pursued the highest levels of strength, but alas he found he was lacking in the end. After becoming an elder long ago, he left the Hunting Hall behind, as well as his disciple and his comrade in arms."

The old man's voice turned soft as he bitterly smiled.

"This old man has been here for many years, but still enlightenment has eluded him. Someday my life will run it's course, and I will have no grave, and no mourners.

"For such a life, this is fine. I have no regrets beyond my lack of talent. I cleared the battlefield when I was young, I sowed devastation on my foes. And when I reached the greatest heights my background could support me to I left to seek more fortune on my own."