17-Handsome

Wu Yong touched his smooth face, still unfamiliar with his new visage after living so long with straggly hair and dusted cheeks. He could not tell Xue Liang that he was not a fisherman's son, so he replied by grinned mysteriously. The wind picked up, and he let go of the maple leaf so that it could drift above the house's roof and far away.

"I find you to be quite- well -peculiar," Xue Liang narrowed his eyes. He put a hand under his chin and looked down at the ground, clearly deep in thought. His feet scratched invisible words onto the courtyard floor made of stone. He invited the man to sit by his side at the trunk of the maple tree standing right in the middle of the yard. "You claim to come from He Cheng, but most students from the river city choose water swords."

"I was always the black sheep, just like your Wu Yong was. I hated approaching large bodies of water and I could not fish nor swim. Traveling the world has been enjoyable, but I want to settle down and find my place in the cultivation world." Wu Yong could only grit his teeth as he spoke. It was true that he would rather travel, but his life had been pathetic up until this day.

"I see, although you are nowhere close to that lunatic. If you were to hear of the sins he committed, anyone would seem to be a saint - even the Demon King! It is our blessing that he drowned the other day." Xue Liang folded his hands together as if to thank the gods above for eliminating Wu Yong. After showing his faith in the deities, Xue Liang returned to his student. "Shall we discuss your Sword Test*?"

Wu Yong nodded, however, he had little interest in Xue Liang's assumptions about his fighting style. So far, he laughed at his brother for being oblivious to his identity and the fact that he was not the equivalent of a child. If a student could beat his future teacher the first time they fought, who should be the instructor?

"You are too defensive, we will need to make you accept less and attack more. You did win in the end, but our sect engages in deadly battles whenever we are called upon by the Righteous Council. I will tell you now that no one can be defensive during those wars." Xue Liang crossed his legs and leaned back, against the maple tree. He hoped his voice was firm like his father's. "I would have liked to see you use your sword instead of keeping them behind your back."

"I am ashamed to wield this sword, I think we should go back and pick another one. The other students have been looking at me funnily when I fought you with this demonic blade." Wu Yong yelped and let go of the sword's hilt, letting the dark metal clatter on the ground. He held out his singed hand, hissing angrily.

Xue Liang gasped out of shock, quickly grabbing his student's wrist to inspect the fresh wound. The cultivator gulped upon seeing raw flesh swelling angrily. He shook his head, glaring at the fallen sword as if it was a plague. "Indeed, this sword is too evil! Su Yong, wait here while I fetch my uncle to check your hand. If you damaged your nerves, you are too unlucky."

Xue Liang jumped to his feet and dusted himself off. He saw his student look up at him with the eyes of a puppy being abandoned. He could not believe such an innocent man would attract a diabolic sword, but the cultivation world is unpredictable. "I will be back soon, rest yourself and we will go find you another sword after your injury is treated. Do not pick the sword back up, do you here me?"

Wu Yong gulped, nodding obediently. He felt strange knowing Xue Liang no longer thought of him as an enemy. He was more familiar with being kicked in the stomach and being called a loon. The same brother who abused him is now rushing to call a doctor for him! "I am fine, there is no need to bother your uncle. Let him heal more urgent illnesses. A burned hand will not kill me."

"No," Xue Liang snapped with bulging eyes. He paused under the archway to turn around in order to face his new student. He saw the man looked startled and guilty, so he softened his expression for a moment. As if he was speaking to a child, he spoke softly. "Normal burns are also dangerous if they become infected, but yours did not come from touching scalding hot items. Yours came from a demonic sword! I am your teacher, you will listen to me."

Wu Yong opened his mouth to protest, but Xue Liang pulled the doors closed. He even set up a formation, one that Wu Yong could see glowing brightly above him. This was strange, why would Xue Liang be so determined to protect him and help him? In all his years observing his brother, he nicknamed the young master Brightly Cold.

Xue Liang would never help his fallen peers, but he would laugh and point at them. He would never acknowledge the servants serving him every second of his life. He would not even smile at a passing puppy, calling dogs 'big rodents'. So, if a man does not care to share warm feelings and gestures, why would he ever change for one person?

"I've set a barrier around my house to prevent you from going out. Go explore my house and never touch that sword!" The teacher pressed his ears against the doors after hearing no reply. He smiled when his student replied with a low grunt. Anxiously, Xue Liang set off towards the medical house to search for Xue Qing Chu. He looked up at ominous rings of raven clouds.

Wu Yong confirmed that his brother definitely left the area near his house, and he sighed whilst inspecting his rotating hand. The pain had vanished, leaving his palm numb and his head light. He felt as if the sword burning him was another transfer of power from the previous Demon King to him. Even so, hundreds of souls remained in the blade at his feet.

Wu Yong did not bother exploring his brother's house, having visited the large house when he was still the kook of the sect. He would see shimmering silk curtains hung everywhere, expensive instruments barely touched by hands, mahogany benches carefully crafted and more symbols of affluence. If he was able to wield a sword, he would be the one enjoying the rich life of a Xue child.

Even if he remained the son of his parents, he doubted he would not be the black sheep. His every move would have been criticized, he would not be able to speak or play how and when he wants. Grudgingly, he thanked Xue Liang for replacing him as the Xue's beloved son. Although he lived as a lowly lunatic, he was able to speak and act as his true self.

A brown leaf landed in his lap, reminding him of the beautiful autumns when he would hold his parents' hands and kick through piles of flaming pages of nature. He recalled watching deer step from their brown homes to cross warm roads. His father would bring him to the highest mountain where a large temple sat at the top. There, they would stay for three days to enjoy autumn festival activities.

After his eighth year of life, he saw sad leaves withering and finding their way to the ground. There, they would wait for the snow to fall. The next spring, leaves have decayed and are no longer beautiful. Servants would rush out as soon as the last bit of snow evaporates to sweep damp pieces of leaves off steps and roads.

Bitterly, he swept the maple leaf off his leg and his eyes focused on Dark King Sword. Screeching voices called out to him, begging for release into the Netherworld. Wu Yong's fingers itched to touch the onyx blade and when he made contact with the diabolic metal, the shrieks ceased. He no longer felt empty, but he did feel alone and evil.

His fingers curled around the sword's blade despite his knowing touching a sharp blade was an unintelligent decision. Even when a steady stream of crimson blood flowed from his palm, he kept tightening his hand on the evil blade. With his unharmed hand he held the sword's hilt, bringing the weapon to the same level as his black eyes. Lovingly, he caressed the edge of the blade.

"What are you doing!" Xue Liang burst through the archway after removing his formation from the house. He was shocked to see his injured student holding a weapon as if the man was courting Death. Like a frightened mother, he lunged forward to grab the black blade. Still, his student would not release the sword. "Please Su Yong, my uncle is here. Do you want him to have more work to do?"

"Do not touch me!" Wu Yong yelled as he pointed his weapon at Xue Liang's throat. His brother slowly raised both arms like a defeated soldier surrendering to the conquerors. Wu Yong smirked as the proud man took three steps backwards. In his mind, spirits gave him different instructions. One spirit told him to slit everyone's throat. Another told him to only kill his enemy. The other complained about his hunger.

"You must kill all our enemies! You have a chance to kill this one, why won't you?"

"Kill everyone, no one should live for the world to prosper!"

"I crave Lamian* from Xingkong. I used to pull noodles before I was murdered!"

"He has been demonized, stay away from him Xue Liang. Why is he holding a demonic sword?" Xue Qing Chu tugged his nephew to his side, frightened by the strange man waving a dangerous sword. He could see dark smoke radiate from the sword and the man like an evil aura. "He is the one who tried to save a beggar child from a fever!"

Xue Liang did not know about that particular matter, so he shrugged. His face was serene, but deep down, he felt worried for his student. He turned to his uncle and confessed that he did not do his best to protect the man being consumed by evil. "Uncle, what should we do? My father will be livid when he finds my student has been demonized because of my negligence."

"I will be livid?" Xue Xian Tou stepped through the archway with hands held behind his back. On his face lay a cryptic smile, the same smile the lunatic wore when he was still with them. The master pushed his son and brother behind him as he faces the man undergoing possession. "It has been a while since I left Exorcism Stage, shall we see if I can fight these evil souls?"

"There will be no need for such thing! I have fought them all and now, I am returned to my original self. Thank you for worrying about my safety, Master Xue." Wu Yong had quickly sealed the spirits back into his sword right under the powerful cultivator's nose! He should have been caught at this moment as new cultivators cannot expel demonic energy from oneself or others. "I was vulnerable in mind for a moment, allowing them to take hold of me."

"Father, wait!" Xue Liang cried out and his father paused with a hand held up in the air, prepared to slap a cheek. Dropping quickly to his knees, he begged his father to help the man instead of harming him. After all, even he wanted the man to remain as his apprentice. "He did not harm me on purpose and if you are to punish anyone for this incident, punish me."

Wu Yong dropped the sword to his sides, letting blood trickle down the blade. He lifted his brows as his brother started to pound on his chest, a sign of begging for leniency and mercy. Xue Xian Tou loathed people who are affiliated with dark magic, Wu Yong knew this well. The only reason Mian Biaoqing could study under him was because she proved to be an orphan who defected from Hong Shan Sect*.

Whenever the leader finds a Demon wandering through lands owned by righteous sects, he would kill the man or woman or child right on the spot. He would always walk away dusting his hands as if he had removed trash from the kitchens. Xue Xian Tou also had a keen eye for Demons, the new Demon King would be quickly discovered.

Xue Xian Tou cautiously stepped towards Wu Yong, like a hunter approaching an irritated tiger. The older man kept his eyes on his son's intimidating student whilst creeping forward little by little. "A handsome man should never surrender to the Demons. Come to me, Su Yong, we will help you tame the sword difficult. You would all be surprised when you hear who its previous user was."

***

Sword Test: The test a child or potential cultivator must take to pass the Sword Stage. The Sword Test is usually given by the candidate's future teacher/master. Normally, school headmasters and sect leaders are the teachers. This test Wu Yong failed, which prevented him from breaking through higher levels. Sword Tests are just aptitude tests. Seeing the strength and willingness of the potential cultivator, finding which technique would be most suitable, pinpointing weaknesses and then, a strict and grueling training plan is created.

Lamian: Lāmiàn is a type of soft wheat flour Chinese noodle. Lāmiàn is made by twisting, stretching and folding the dough into strands, using the weight of the dough. The length and thickness of the strands depends on the number of times the dough is folded. This unique method of making noodles originated in China. -Wikipedia.org

Xingkong: Xīngkōng (星空), translates to 'starry'. In this novel, Xingkong is a small village situated on a mountain. Hosts many famous festivals celebrating the night sky and celestial bodies. We will see this mountain village later. -Google Translate (Chinese, Traditional)

Hong Shan Sect: The Demon Sect, situated in the kingdom of Youming, a large empire protected by red mountains. Hóng shān (红山), translates to red mountain. Therefore, Hong Shan Sect is the sect situated behind walls of red mountains. -Google Translate (Chinese, Simplified)