Farewell, Shifu

Luo Qingye coughed again, and more blood dribbled down the corner of his lips. He knew his time was near, but he had more to tell Wang Jingyuan.

"Jing-Jing, remember this. You are new to the martial arts sector and barely entering society itself. You don't know about the feuds between the sects, nor do you know how ugly and dark people's hearts can be. Do not let yourself get caught in something you can't get out of. Do not trust anyone. It is always those closest to you who can hurt you the most. Shifu has seen too many people die at the hands of not their sworn enemies, but their loved ones. Be careful, Jing-Jing. You never know who is out to get you, even if you aren't intentionally offending anyone."

Tears were rolling down Wang Jingyuan's cheeks now. "I understand, shifu. I will always remember your words. I will find Senior Brother Liu, and we will return Xuanyan Sect to its former glory. We will avenge you and all of our sect brothers and sisters."

Luo Qingye nodded. His lips turned up in a small smile. "I am confident in your abilities, Jing-Jing. Shifu knows that you will be able to accomplish what you say. No matter how dark the world becomes, remember that you are a disciple of Xuanyan Sect, and disciples of Xuanyan Sect are just and honorable. As long as you walk the right path, do not fear your shadow straying into the dark.

"Take Xuanyan Sect's maxim to heart: the wildfire may blaze, but all is renewed with the spring wind. As long as one Xuanyan Sect disciple remains, the sect lives on."

Luo Qingye breathed one last sigh. He gazed at his youngest disciple, the girl he was placing all of his hopes on. "Jing-Jing, you will have to walk the paths alone now. Shifu is sorry that shifu can't accompany you any further."

With that, Luo Qingye's hands went slack.

"Shifu! Shifu!" Wang Jingyuan's grieving wail pierced the quiet morning air.

* * * * *

Wang Jingyuan knelt in front of a new tomb, watching as tendrils of smoke slowly swirled into the air from three sticks of incense stuck in an incense burner. With the help of the kindhearted villagers, she buried Luo Qingye in a simple tomb by near the cave. "Rest in peace, shifu. Your disciple will not let you down. I hope your spirit in the heavens will bless me on my journey to find Senior Brother Liu and to seek justice for Xuanyan Sect."

Respectfully, Wang Jingyuan bowed three times to her mentor's tomb. Although she had only known Luo Qingye for a week, he had given her everything she had only dreamed of before—a sword, internal forces, swordsmanship, and knowledge of one of the most powerful sword skills. Wang Jingyuan looked at the chief token again, tracing her finger over the raised carving of Xuanyan Sect. In her knowledge, people have killed their senior and junior siblings, and even family, for the chief token and to become chief. How desperate must Luo Qingye be to entrust her, whom he had only known for barely a week, with his sect's chief token? She couldn't blame him, though. With everyone in his sect dead and his head disciple out who-knows-where, Luo Qingye didn't have many options.

It was funny to think that a week ago, her biggest worries were failing her calculus exam and how Shao Wenbo would react to her confession. Now she was in the middle of a heated feud between the sects with a mission from a dead man. It looked like she wouldn't be going home anytime soon.

Wang Jingyuan placed the token in the inner folds of her hanfu in a pocket close to her heart. Since I'm here, I'll make the most out of it. She will find her senior brother, and together, they will restore Xuanyan Sect to its former glory.

Wang Jingyuan walked down the mountain one last time. The auntie she had become friends with was waiting for her at the foot of Xuanyan Mountain. "Ah, you poor child. What are you going to do now?"

"I'm going to the Capital to find my senior brother," Wang Jingyuan told her. "This was my shifu's last wish."

The woman nodded. "The Capital is far, my dear, and you are a girl who will be travelling alone. Auntie is worried."

"Don't worry, auntie," Wang Jingyuan smiled reassuringly, even though she was apprehensive of the journey ahead. "I'm a martial artist, and my shifu was one of the best in the martial arts sector. Regular people—and even other martial artists—won't be able to harm me."

"Yes, but auntie still can't rest easy." The woman chewed on her bottom lip in thought. "How about this: my neighbor, your Uncle Chen, is going to head into town tomorrow morning to buy some supplies. It's in the direction of the Capital. I'll talk to him and have him drop you off in town, to save you a little bit of walking. How does that sound?"

Since it was already late afternoon and Wang Jingyuan only knew vaguely which direction the Capital was, she thankfully accepted. The woman let Wang Jingyuan stay the night with her and her family, and even got up early next morning to pack her another linen bag of food and supplies for the road.

Wang Jingyuan tried to give the woman another silver coin, but the woman refused. "Dear, I still have the two silver coins you gave me from last time. This little bit of food and supplies are nothing; you really don't have to pay me."

"But auntie—"

"No, no, it's basic decency to make sure guests get a warm meal, a place to stay, and some food for the road. You have far to go; keep the money for yourself." The woman pushed the bag of supplies into Wang Jingyuan's hands and ushered her towards the door. "Your Uncle Chen is waiting. Be careful, alright?"

Then she called towards the middle-aged man who sat at the front of an ox-cart. "Lao-Chen [1], make sure to deliver her safely into town!"

"Don't worry. With my driving skills, this little miss will be on her way in no time," Uncle Chen responded with a grin.

Wang Jingyuan climbed onto the ox-cart, the linen bag of supplies in one hand and Feng Ming Sword in the other. With a crack of a whip, the ox-cart lurched into motion.

"Good-bye, dear! Travel safely!" The woman waved and called after them.

"Good-bye, auntie! Thank you for everything!" Wang Jingyuan waved back.

As the sun began to peek out from the east, Wang Jingyuan watched the village disappear behind her. Ahead of her was a wide, open dust road—and an unknown future.