Freezing night. Warm thoughts. Part one.

Hearing his name Longwei looked at Baofeng-Xue who looked so frightened like it was his turn.

"Take my sword. Take it."

Longwei pushed his hand and just shook his head. With a confident posture he went towards the round field. Lei did not take his eyes off him. Noticing that he did not have a swords he said, "You don't have a sword."

To which he replied, "I don't have a sword."

The soldiers who were ready to attack said, "But teacher, if someone forgets his sword, he must be punished and he can not be allowed to participate in a battle."

Lei walking to and fro answered, "You're right. But today I want to change the rule a little. Longwei, I can provide you with the choice. If you fight with your hands, you won't be punished. But if you can't fight without your sword, you will be punished."

Baofeng-Xue shouted from somewhere, "Brother! Don't fight! You won't be able to defeat all of them! Brother!"

Without listening to him, Longwei looked at Lei, their serious expressions were somehow alike, after a moment of thinking he said, "I choose to fight."

He took off his cotton vest and threw it aside. Closing his hands he whispered, "Father, I hope I remember what you have taught me."

A hundred or more soldiers were curiously looking at him. This was indeed, something new for them because before no one even dared to fight without sword.

Some of them even said, "Is he mad or stupid? Stand in the field without sword."

Longwei looked back at Lei who was attentively looking at him. He wasn't even blinking, as if he was afraid to unseen something interesting.

"I am ready." He said and took a warrior pose.

Delun approached him and said, "Are you sure about this? Better to accept the punishment."

Longwei looked at Lei and said aloud, "I am sure. Let's begin."

Changing their moods so quickly that he did not have a time to think about what is happening, in the same second all soldiers, including Delun and Baofeng-Xue started to attack him.

Their attacks were far more furious and full of anger than before. Because since the very beginning of the day, all of them wanted punish and beat Longwei for his behavior which made everyone run barefoot. And now when they finally had an opportunity to teach him a lesson, each of them tried his best to hurt and defeat him as soon as possible.

Longwei, at first, was running to and fro, running away from the blows and swords. But to keep running was harder because there was no free place. All soldiers surrounded him and he was like a little mouth in a trap.

Lei, standing away was observing him. His tensed expression had a strange feelings as if he was worrying, without even noticing it himself.

Baofeng-Xue got nearer to Longwei, deflecting the punches, he whispered, "Brother, you should give up. Stop this. Better get a punishment."

Longwei without saying anything took a deep breath and lifting his leg up kicked someone so hard that he fell down, his sword flew away.

Clutching his feasts he stood like a raged animal. Deflecting punches with his hands which were already covered in blood, he saved himself from several swords. Jumping up, he swung his leg and two of the soldiers fell to the cold ground.

Spinning like a whirlwind, like a hurricane, he deftly jumped high and landed just as smoothly. Like a light bird, he used his power with grace, throwing everyone around. Holding the swords with his bare hands, squeezing the sword edge, he gritted his teeth and swung his leg, and at that very second a few soldiers were immediately struck. Despite the wounds on his hands, he continued to fight.

The ones who were almost defeated stood up and there was even more anger on their faces now than before. Surrounding him, getting closer to him, they did not give him enough space for his jumps.

"You better give up."

"We won't stop."

"You are gonna lose."

Everyone was whispering. Longwei felt Baofeng-Xue's hand on his back. "Brother, don't fight. You will lose. Look at your hands, they are bleeding."

Looking at everyone, Longwei felt like someone was choking him. Because whenever he was in a such narrow place, in the middle of the crowd he can't breath. The strong dizziness and the feeling like there is no air, he was ready to lose consciousness at any moment.

Hearing his father's voice from somewhere, seeing his bright face, he slowly took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Feeling the sharp sword on his skin, he took the sword edge and pointed it towards his chest. Walking towards one of the soldiers who was holding the sword against him, he was pressing the sword edge right to his chest.

"Come on, do this! Don't be a coward." He said looking straight into the opponent's eyes.

"Why are your hands are shaking?! Isn't it a usual deal for you? To defeat your enemy? But what is it, you are scared. Look, your eyes are telling me that you are scared."

"I am not scared!" Shouted the soldier. Clutching his sword he continued to walk back.

Longwei ignoring the fact that he was hurt, kept holding the sword edge against his chest. Everyone around was very surprised by this action. Curiosity made them stop and just observe what will happen next.

"Don't be a coward. You can defeat me at any moment."

The soldier who was so brave before, loosened his grip and when he was about to let go of his sword, Longwei with a quick movement kicked him so hard that he flew up and fell with a loud noise.

Turning towards the crowd, he said, "Why are you standing? Let's continue our fight. Or what, are you chickened up?"

"Who is chickened up?! You're gonna regret about this!"

A tall soldier with a broad shoulders, swung his sword and wanted to attack him, but Longwei lied down and slid over the snow, catching the opponent's leg he made him fell down. Pressing him to the ground, Longwei looked at Lei who was walking around the round field. Lei, who had a slight smirk on his face kept looking at him.

After a few rounds of self-defense, Longwei had already defeated half of them. And the other half was frighteningly looking at him from afar. And the other half was lying on the ground unable to stand up.

Covered in scars and wounds, he was standing still, with a head slightly lifted up.

Noticing that no one's gonna continue the fight, he made a steps forward towards the other half of soldiers.

And when he was about to begin, Lei said, "Stop."

Baofeng-Xue immediately ran up to Longwei, with a worried look he said, "I told you to choose the punishment. Look at yourself, you're bleeding. Look at these scars. They're gonna take time to heal."

"I am fine. But brother Xue, why didn't you attack me? Or were you scared of me?" Laughingly he pushed him aside but the next moment he cried out. Squeezing his injured palm, Baofeng-Xue said, "I didn't want to hurt you. I was kind. But now I start to regret that I was that kind."

"Brother Xue I am sorry, sorry! Thanks for you kindness."

In the end of the day, after a few more fights, everyone was so exhausted that they were unable to walk towards their houses. And the main reason for their exhaustion was Longwei. After him, no one was capable of fighting properly.

Casting angry, curious, scared glances at him, everyone passed by him with whispering something. And what they were saying about him wasn't kind at all.

Longwei leaning to Baofeng-Xue said, "They hate me."

"Not true. They hate themselves. They hate that they couldn't defeat you."

"Look, they are looking at me like a wild beasts who ready to tear everything apart."

"Tomorrow they are gonna forget about it. I am sure of it. They are always like this."

"I hope so. I don't want to have enemies. All I want is to live peacefully and then leave this place."

Baofeng-Xue did not reply. Holding him by the shoulder, he just nodded his head.

"Longwei, you won't go home today." Lei still standing in the field, holding his sword continued, "You forgot your sword today. You must be punished."

"What! But! But I won the fight. I defeated all of them! And you yourself gave me a choice, to fight or to be punished." Shouting this loudly Longwei approached him and said, "Teacher, it is unfair. Look at these wounds, I already had endured the punishment."

To which Lei replied, "If you disobey me, your punishment will be rougher."

Hearing this, everyone happily looked at each other and some of them said, "Serves you right Longwei!"

Longwei, "I won't accept this punishment. I am sorry but I will go home now. Because I deserve a good rest." Saying this he turned back but Lei stopped him, his powerful hand was on his back, "Don't think that disobedience is a good thing."

Longwei took his hand and pushed it aside. Looking straight at his eyes he said aloud, "I won the fight. So that is why I am going home now."

Walking away from him he approached Baofeng-Xue, and he stopped him, "Brother, if you don't listen to teacher, you are gonna have a big problems. Lei knows no mercy. You better go back and endure your punishment. Don't be silly brother."

Longwei did not say anything.

"Brother! Listen to me. He is capable of anything! He is not that kind with whom you can act like this."

"What? What he is gonna do to me then? I think he is just too confidant and egoistic man."

Saying this he walked ahead, but Baofeng-Xue whispered, "Brother, if you won't obey the rules, the head of the clan won't give you a letter which your father had left for you."

"How do you know about it?"

"I heard it. I heard the conversation between Xing-Fu and the head of the Second clan. Brother, I know why you are here. You want that letter. But with such behavior he won't give it to you. And all this will be in vain. What is more scary is that Xing-Fu won't let you go after a year. You better listen to our teacher. And after a year you're gonna leave this place. With your father's letter."

Longwei listening to him sighed and turned around. Looking at Lei who was looking at the black sky, he said, "Brother Xue, I hope you're not lying to me."

"Go and stay calm. This is for you own good."