CHAPTER-9

"I was able to control you because of the pill I placed inside the tea you and your family drank everyday," Hui San explained, "and with the pill, I could kill you in an instant!"

"Then why did you have to make me kill my wife!" Long Qiao cried, "Her blood is now on my hands!"

Hui San sneered, "Live with it. The pill I spiked you tea with is called the Yin Submission Soul pill. It gives its maker the power to control anyone who takes it. Just a single pill could give me control over a person's soul for days. Just imagine, what would happen if someone had been taking my pill for years, how much control would that give me?"

"You..." Long Qiao gritted his teeth.

"Absolute control! Your body is mine!" Hui San smiled evilly.

Long Qiao tried to stand up, but he couldn't, he had lost control over his own body.

"You cannot move unless I make you. And now, you mustn't speak." Hui San grinned.

Long Qiao tried to speak, bit his lips wouldn't even move.

Qui Bei walked into the household with a big smile on his face. In his right hand, was an axe with sharp edges that looked as if it could cut anything open.

"Long Qiao my friend, didn't I tell you that we old people have to look after ourselves."

"..." Long Qiao was speechless.

"Why are you so quiet? Say something." Qui Bei wore a juxtaposed look on his face. Long Qiao wasn't the type who would keep calm in a situation of life and death.

"Sorry, he can't speak, yet." Hui San rubbed his head before glaring at Long Qiao "Speak!"

"Qui Bei you son of a–"

"Alright, calm down, calm down. No curse words here." Qui Bei cut Long Qiao short. "I understand that a man should be allowed to say his final words before he dies, but seriously, no curse words."

"Shut up!" Long Qiao barked. "You're not a friend! You're a backstabber! I trusted you!"

Qui Bei sighed, "If Ji Zhao could break his promise, why can't I?"

"Why did you do it? Why did you betray our friendship?" Long Qiao asked.

"Why do you always act so righteous Long Qiao?" Qui Bei vexed, "Do you remember my sister Qui Li?"

Long Qiao eyes dartled as tears began to flood them. His mind suddenly travelled back to an incident that occurred nearly twenty years ago, an incident which was not one he would like to remember.

FLASHBACK.

"Long Qiao, I don't think Qui Li was in her right state of mind when you saw her." A younger Qui Bei spoke as he stared at Long Qiao.

"I saw her." Long Qiao replied. "She was one of the assassins that killed Miss Lin."

"I know what I'm saying Long Qiao! Li isn't someone who would harm a fly, talkless of a person!"

"I saw her." Long Qiao said.

"But she didn't do it! Something must have happened to her."

"As far as I know, she did it." Long Qiao retorted.

Qui Bei fell to his knees, "Please, do not point her out as one of the killers, I'm begging you Long Qiao."

"I have to Qui Bei, she killed Miss Lin. If I do not point her out, how would Miss Lin's death be justified?" Long Qiao squatted.

"I will find the real killers, but please, do not make Qui Li suffer for something she didn't do."

"I saw her use her sword to drain the life out of Miss Lin and yet you say she didn't kill anyone. Five students were found dead at the Library this morning with black lotuses on their foreheads." Long Qiao spoke as he frowned. "The killers are a new group of assassins. They must have targeted Miss Lin for a reason. The five students they murdered were students who had a good relationships with her."

"I don't care about the other students! I only care about my sister!"

"I don't care what you care for! All I know is that killers aren't to go unpunished!" Long Qiao replied.

Qui Bei lowered his head, "Long Qiao, she is the only family I have left. I can't lose her, I love her!"

"..." Long Qiao nodded.

"You won't call her out?" Qui Bei's eyes brightened up.

"..." Long Qiao opened his mouth to speak, but stopped before nodding his head.

Qui Bei grabbed Long Qiao's hand, "Thank you friend! Thank you! I'll forever stand by your side if you'd do me this favour."

...

On the high grounds, were seven men, and these men were called the Masters of Yang. On the low grounds, were students of Lianhua Academy, both seniors and juniors.

Lianhua Academy was the best academy in Liliang and it existed along Liliang's borders. It was situated there because the qi at the borders of Liliang was purer than the one in Liliang itself. Lianhua Academy has been one of the best academies for over five centuries.

The Masters of Yang were powerful cultivators. Some even worshipped them as gods! They had mastered almost all the techniques in existence and they themselves have been existing for more than three centuries already! They were also called 'The half Immortals.'

Long Qiao stood amidst them as the students all stared at him.

"Long Qiao, we heard that you're the only witness to Miss Lin's death. Before she died, some students saw heading for her office. Why were you there?"

One of the Masters asked.

"I had some questions to ask." Long Qiao answered.

"And what questions did you have to ask?"

"I went to ask her some questions about the Cold fire pill she had taught us how to make earlier." Long Qiao replied.

"What happened in the office?"

"Miss Lin was lecturing me on how to make the Cold fire pill. As she picked up the small cauldron, a black mist flew out of it and five unwelcomed guests appeared in the room."

"Continue."

Long Qiao nodded, "The five guests had swords their hands and they were all staring at Miss Lin ignoring me totally. Then, they attacked her. I tried to help her, but one of the assassins knocked me down and, I lost consciousness. Waking up I saw a member of the guests, plunge her sword into Miss Lin's chest."

"You said you saw the face of one the assassins, and that she was a student in this school, right?" A Master spoke.

"Yes Master," Long Qiao paused, "before I fell unconscious, I was able to remove the mask of one of the assassins and catch a glimpse of who it was."

"So tell us? Who is the killer of a teacher in the academy?"

Long Qiao glanced through the large crowd of students and spotted Qui Bei glaring at him.

"Tell us who it is?"

"Purple sweets." Long Qiao uttered and then, the whole students locked their eyes on Qui Li.

The Masters at first were confused, but seeing the students reaction towards the girl in the crowd made them understand that purple sweets was her nickname.

"What are you talking about I didn't do anything!" Qui Li panicked.

"Seize her!" The Masters ordered and some students immediately grabbed Qui Li and dragged her away.

Long Qiao glanced through the crowd again hoping to find Qui Bei, but he couldn't.

"I, Master Sungleung, has decided to punish Qui Li by demolition of meridians and permanent expulsion. She is to live her days in the dungeons until the Grandmasters arrive. Only they have the final say."

END OF FLASHBACK.

"I remember." Long Qiao lowered his gaze.

"She is dead because of you! She was killed because of you! You killed her!" Qui Bei roared. "You said you wouldn't call her out, but you did. You betrayed our friendship first!"

"I'm sorry–"

"Sorry doesn't cut it Long Qiao! You need to know what it feels like to lose a family! Ahli is dead, Haiyin is dead. I wonder where that son of a bastard is!" Qui Bei said.

Hearing the name Haiyin, Long Xue imediately turned only to see his daughter drowning in a pool of her own blood. Long Qiao raised his gaze and met the eyes of a boy with a bloody dagger in his hands. The boy was of the Ying sect and his name was Ying Gangsheng.

Long Qiao ran towards Haiyin and picked up her body, slowly placing them I'm his arms. "Haiyin! Haiyin! Can you hear me?"

Haiyin's eyes slowly opened halfway as she muttered, "Father... Father, I see mother. She's calling me."

"No! No!" Long Qiao sobbed.

Haiyin raised her hands into the air and Long Qiao grabbed it immediately, "Father, It's painful... Long Xue..."

Her eyes released a pair of tears that flowed down her face before they finally closed shut. Her heart stopped. She was dead.

"Haiyin! Haiyin!" Long Qiao shook her body, but it was of no avail.

"She's already dead." Hui San laughed, "Don't you want to meet her?"

Qui Bei couldn't stop himself from laughing at Hui San's joke. "That's funny!"

"You will all die!" Long Qiao's body shot out an enormous amount of qi that blasted Hui San and Qui Bei some metres away. "Ying Gangsheng!"

Long Qiao pounced on the boy, pressing him down to the ground. Dipping his palm into Gangsheng's chest, Long Qiao squeezed the boy's heart, "I should never have let you come close to my daughter!"