Fate(1)

"Sect leader Li! The whole of KuShun sect, GongKua sect, MoXing sect, ZaoQiang sect and BaoXu sect has been wiped off by the demon lord and his armies!"

"What!"

The servant that brought the evil tidings to the ears of the YuanLi sect leader trembled from the blow of such great misfortune, Li Guoliang lost all the color on his face, looking as though he was about to fall face down to the floor.

"Where did you hear it from?!"

"One of the maids from the kitchen went to the market and heard talks of demons slaughtering cultivators from other sects."

"Bring the her here! Hurry!"

The male servant almost fell to the ground, while rushing to do the bidding of the YuanLi sect leader. Running as fast as his feet could carry him, the servant barged into the kitchen in search of the maid that gave him the gossip from the town's market. It took much effort to find her among the cluster of kitchen servants that worked tirelessly in the space filled with smoke and fire. Vegetables and meat hung from wooden raised rails. Oil, condiments lined the corners of the earthen wares, cooking pots darken from the smoke of burning firewood. Against the kitchen walls was barrels full of water.

"Come! Sect leader Li wants to see you!"

Dragging her by the hand, the servants ran from the kitchen to the dinning hall of the YuanLi sect. On getting to where the sect leader sat on a high chair behind an equally high table carved out of pine wood, in the purple robes of the sect. He had his sword sheathed to the side, as he faced the servants that was approaching where he sat.

"Kneel!"

Several feet separated where the sect leader sat and the servants, both knelt on hearing the terrifying voice of Li Guoliang, while keeping their heads lowered.

"Speak up! What did you say about the other sects? If what I hear from you is different from what I've been told, the both of you will be struck down with the sword in my hand!"

Frightened by what their sect leader said, the servants began to plead for their lives.

"Have mercy on us Sect leader Li! Those are idle words from the town people about all the other sects being killed by demons! Please spare our lives!"

"Until I know for certain that what you said is the truth, the both of you will remain on your knees."

"Please Sect leader Li! Have mercy!"

"Hold your tongues or you would each be caned fifty times!"

That seem to silence them, for they knew that receiving that amount of beating meant a slow painful and bloody death. None of the servants had ever gone through that form of punishment and came out alive, the ones that received twenty strokes of cane had bruises that took a long time to heal.

"I will leave for ShenJiangShi sect and find out whether such a thing took place, you better pray that what I hear matches what you told me, if not just prepare yourself for what is to come!"

Neither of them saw the look of indignation on the face of Li Guoliang, who stormed out of the hall in a rage.