3 The Fool

He sighed dramatically.

Whoever said that being a disciple of a prestigious cultivating clan / sect was anything but hardship, is a big fat liar! And loser, too. Liar and loser! Yeah, that's right!

The only thing that is good about this family was their yellow and gold. If not with the prestige brought by the "Twelve-pointed Star" of the Jins and the innumerable number of wealth they held, no disciple will ever waste their time and effort with this group of hypocrites. Well, he was little biased but who will judge him on his own mind. Bah!

Jin Sect was the third most prestigious family in the Main Land, after Wang Sect and Yu Sect who were the first and second alternatively. Those Jins boasted themselves as the wealthiest in the Main Land. Those shameless piece of sh—shod!

Although they were technically a cultivation clan, they were more like rich merchants; they were a shadow of their own former glory. At least from the inside. The people outside of the Golden Bridge still gave high regards to the old and prestigious family.

On his not humble opinion, the family was just "old". Period.

He joined the clan three years ago, after the family opened it impenetrable gates, The Golden Bridge, to boast the marriage of Young Master and Heir of Jin Clan, and the Second Young Mistress of Yu Clan. Marriages between the prestigious families were very common. But the Yu Sect, although not the wealthiest, but has the strongest military troops in all Main Land. Even, Wang Clan, the family that stood on top of them all, will not just simply provoke Yu Clan without any valid reason.

Not that Jin and Wang Clan were weak, but even they know the importance of good alliance and family connection.

He was amazed by the effort, time, and gold wasted on the wedding. He cannot help but to calculate the amount on every miscellaneous and disposable decoration. One lighted lantern is exponentially heavier compared to the contents of all coins that he have on his coin pouch.

With the amount of complains and curses that is spewing from his mouth, many might wonder why was he still in the clan. It was all because of the one incident.

Few days after the wedding, the court yard of the Jin Clan was unusually quiet. Even the people of the town were wondering what was going on. There was always noise coming from the Jin head-quarters, either a noise of training or celebratory music. But it was unusually quiet.

On that time, he was looking for a new job in the town. His mother was sick at home, his father and older brother died from the previous war, leaving him the youngest son as the only and soul bread winner of the small family. They might not be from a prestigious family, but his father was born from a third rate Sect in the Main Land. Their family was designated as protector of the ruling cultivation sect. Insert Jin Sect. Not that the station helped them anyway. After the death of his father and older brother, they only received one bag of gold as compensation for their family's lifetime contribution to the protection of the sect. Not that it helped for a long time.

Soon, the expenses of training and materials were too much for their family to handle, so he stopped his training as a junior disciple and started working on the local businesses in town. But he was only sword-smart not people-smart. Most of the businesses in town were selling goods and equipment but his temper proved that he cannot stay in this line of business—you know, being nice to people to sell goods. His fists spoke louder than his mouth.

He was beaten once again before being fired from another store. This one was a good shop because it was selling weapons and swords. He knew some things about them and for a while, he was doing fine. But one man found his service too bland. What did he expect, an intimate contact? This is not a brothel for goodness sake! So he let his fist talk once again.

Defeated without monetary compensation, he walked home dejectedly. That is when he saw that man. He was wearing a pale yellow hood over his obviously expensive robe. It was obvious that he was from the Jin Clan, knowing the predictable attitude of Jins towards anything that is yellow or gold.

For a while, he dismissed the man as a young master who wanted to have fun in town. Some of them were running amok the town once in a while. But something unnerved him. The swordsman in him found something wrong. He just cannot point his finger what is that.

Okay, that's it! He was officially tired and paranoid. He was seriously projecting his thoughts to others. For all he knew, he was the one with problems. He passed a few stalls when he heard a few guys talking.

"You see that man? Could it be him?"

"Woa… you mean the deranged Young Master?"

"Shh! Don't say it out loud. You want to be captured?"

"Shut up! If they really wanted to keep it a secret, they were doing a terrible job."

"Yes. But no one will fight against the Jins here. Better stay in their good side."

So that's what's happening here. Another story of derange Young Master. Probably because of love? Goodness them, their only worry is love! How he wished that "that" is the only worry that he had!

…

Just get out of those gilded castle, will you?

"Hey! Hey! Do you think he will notice if we will pick his pocket?"

"Ayia! You want to be killed, really!"

"But his pocket is obviously full! Since he was like that, let us get something for ourselves."

"And if they find out?"

"How would they? There is no guard, and he is very lethargic. See what I mean?"

He was very lethargic, indeed! Goodness him, young masters are stupid and reckless nowadays! He wanted to run away, but with some weird feeling of filial responsibility, he cannot help but to follow those guys with bad intention. Just die, abusive people! Die!

Before they approached the young master, he appeared in front of those thugs. He pulled his sword, scabbard and all to block them. Those useless hoodloomers!

I should better work as a police, then!

…

On a second thought, their salary is terrible so never mind.

The men stopped with a look of dread and guilt lined their dirty and rugged faces. Take a bath first, will you! One of the guys had enough courage and attacked him with lousy punches. He dodged him easily and pulled one fruit from a nearby fruit stall to trip him. Who thought it would actually work! Internally laughing out loud!

With one man on the concrete, the others tried to attack him too. He mockingly jabbed the air in front of him and those thugs run out with their figurative messy and dirty tails between their equally gross legs. Yah!! Too much imagery! Too much imagery!

He turned but the man was nowhere to be found. He rushed forward and saw him peeking inside vegetable stall. He gave a sigh of momentary relief.

A hand appeared out of nowhere and slapped his shoulders. Painfully! And awfully familiar. The boisterous voice behind him confirmed that it was really he Martial Instructor of Jin Sect. Goodness me…

"I thought so! It was you after all! The guards will lead him back now. Come, come let us discuss something."

And that is how he became the personal guard / sitter of the Young Master of Jin Clan. The Martial Teacher offered him a post as personal guard. He agreed for a short while. Then they offered to give him an opportunity to study cultivation for free. He stayed for another "short" while. Then he met him. And now he didn't know for how long will he stay. Oh, my life!

It has been three years but the man only had small and insignificant changes since he started until now. He will randomly disappear out of nowhere. But he can already see some patterns so his search attempt is getting shorter and shorter every time. Well that is in Main Land.

Now they were on a remote island on the south; one of those Freestates off the south of Main Land. He wanted to cry! Change of scenery, my smelly feet. It doesn't matter that the young master is more conversational nowadays. The young master's mood is scary, one moment you were talking to a gallant young master, and then he will turn into stone. He would still disappear to nowhere.

The most surprising thing is that the elders agreed. Agreed! What the heck is happening here? Tsk tsk tsk. Too much thinking is bad for my imaginary brain…

A sound of rushing feet echoed on the corridor outside his room. The hallway was very quiet… He missed those silence.

A young soldier barged into his room. He cannot help but to hit the young soldier's head with a end of his sword.

"Knock on the door, you fool? What if I am doing something private?"

"It is as if I haven't seen most of it," the young soldier said cheekily. "But that is not the matter now. The Young Master is gone!"

"Surprise, surprise, the old me!" he lamented. He turned to the younger man, "Hey, come to my room later this evening."

The young soldier was like a fish out in the thin air. Then he blushed. "You! Find that young master of yours!"

"Will do! Will do!"

Time to search for the fool again. Maybe next time he will just bring a mirror. But then again, does it made him the lesser of the two fools.

He sighed dramatically…