Jian Wuji knew this wasn’t a joke, but he only managed to make one move.
The guy patiently stood there, letting him prepare, but when Jian Wuji vanished from the spot, the guy was already sheathing his blade.
Lee had no clue what happened, and could only guess that Wuji directly attacked, but got cut across his chest. Maybe the wound wasn’t deadly, but the problem was that Wuji’s sword arm was almost fully cut off below his shoulder. It dangled on a layer of skin with large amounts of blood gushing out.
"What a disappointnt." The young attacker said, thought for a mont, and picked another sword from the ground, "You don’t deserve to be killed by Soulcleaver!"
Apparently he had given a fancy na for his sword, but it didn’t matter. Even if Jian Wuji was nobody compared to this monster, he was a remarkable youth.
After a heartbeat of inner struggle, Lee stepped forth, with his hands raised high, and said, "Esteed Master, please, let the youth off!"
Judging by how haughty the guy was, there was no risk involved since Lee obviously was a weakling not worthy of being killed. The guy also thought so, but only for a split mont.
Lee didn’t notice how the youth arrived in front of him and grabbed his right hand.
He only realized what happened when he was already kneeling in front of the guy, letting out whimpers of pain. It was clear the attacker could easily break his hand, maybe even tear it directly off, but fortunately he was no less shocked than Lee.
"Where did you get this!" He half-hissed, half-barked at Lee, staring at the symbol on his right palm.
’Seriously?! I don’t wear gloves for three days and this is what happens?’ Lee found it hilarious and tragic at the sa ti.
More importantly – what the hell this karma was about? Didn’t he do a good deed giving the gloves to the two girls so they don’t hurt their pretty hands? Why was he being punished?
Fortunately, it had been over two years since Lee t Potato. He knew that if there was one more guy with a similar symbol branded on him, there might be more.
According to Potato the yin-yang was a seal of so otherworldly master, and that was all Lee knew. But it was enough to prepare multiple scenarios of excuses for future encounters – he had more than two years for that. Now he only had to pick the first that ca to mind.
"The ritual! ... ouch! ... obviously!" Lee said, grimacing in pain.
"How can a weakling like you beco a Master’s chosen?" The guy asked, and it sounded the question was more addressed to himself than to Lee.
Lee ignored it, and said, "The ritual was disrupted by natives ... I partially lost my mories and am spending this life on restoring them!"
He figured this was an iron clad argunt, and if the so called master’s followers were at least half as friendly as Potato, it should suffice. Of course, one had to ignore Potato’s intention to set Lee up, but he was ready to brush that part off as a special circumstance.
"You idiot!" The guy cursed and flung Lee to the side. The force sent him rolling several yards away, but he was already dirty and rather miserable-looking, and didn’t care. The excuse worked.
"Everyone knows that Master always figures out new challenges!" The guy said, "There hasn’t been a straightforward competition ever! That is how Master finds the best of the best ... and you ... are embarrassnt!"
The guy looked at Lee in disgust, and said, "How old are you? Thirteen, fourteen ... but still useless! I ignited my spark at the age of three, and am ready to beco an elental lord, even though I’m younger than you! Two years ago I managed to find the Master and he rewarded by gifting Soulcleaver! In comparison you’re ... abomination!"
Lee couldn’t care less about what other people thought about him – the guy could curse him as much as he wanted. There was only one person whose opinion mattered, but unfortunately she was long dead.
Lee knew he wasn’t the most talented person in the world ... worlds, but it didn’t matter! There was always soone better!
"People are different ... and ... accidents happen!" Lee said, trying to co up with another logical excuse, but this ti the guy didn’t intend to listen.
"No! You’re an accident." He said, and the sword he unsheathed clearly showed he changed his mind, "You’re not worthy of being Master’s follower ... look at you ... disgusting!"
"Alright!" Lee suddenly smiled, and sat up in a ditative position. Realizing he was about to die, allowed his mind to completely calm down, "I’ll start over then."
"Hmph!" The guy snorted, "Do you know why we place the seals above our heart?"
"Of course!" Lee said, "To show eternal devotion to the Master! As I said, I had an accident ..."
"No! As Isaid – you’re an accident!" The guy said, slowly stepping over, "I’ll take your hand along with the seal to make sure you never embarrass Master again! Other’s might not be able to do it, but Soulcleaver can!"
’Fuck!’ Lee could only curse to himself.
This was the turn of events he never expected. He glanced at his right palm, at the yin-yang symbol, and smiled.
To him it represented his love for Lisa, but it was only a symbol. He didn’t know why, but even if he died, he was certain that the love wouldn’t disappear. It was naive and childish, but he felt so, and the kid with the sword couldn’t do anything about it, no matter how scary he was.
The guy actually got confused for a split mont, seeing Lee’s warm smile. He furrowed his brows, apparently trying to think of deeper implications – no matter how he disliked Lee, a person carrying the seal ant they weren’t simple.
But the confusion didn’t last. The youth decisively stepped forward, raising his sword hand to the side, but then froze.
From the center of his chest, around the heart area, thin and bright chaotic lines spread in all directions, covering his whole body like shiny roots. Realizing what was about to happen, the guy wanted to shout no, but didn’t get further than n.
His body exploded in a rain of blood, stupefying Lee, his mind frozen as he sat there, naked, dirty, and now covered in gore. But the spectacular fashion the guy died wasn’t what actually shocked him.
It was the half-kneeling stature of Edward, with his hand stretched far out, holding a thin, long sword that resembled a rapier. The burning building behind him illuminated the blood that kept raining over him, making him look like a statue frozen in the middle of a fight.
Fortunately, if Lee was stunned speechless, Edward wasn’t. He grinned, showing his white teeth, and said, "How about that!"
But that took the last bits of the energy he had. He slumped to the ground, panting, but the grin didn’t disappear.
"Thank you?" Lee finally managed to say sothing while the event was still registering in his brain, "Ye, thank you!"
"Well, I feel like I still owe you!" Edward said.
"What exactly is going on?" Lee asked.
"No idea." Edward said, "I rushed over to your place the mont the trouble started, but got caught up on my way here. Good thing I made it on ti."
"You haven’t fallen for , have you?" Lee grinned, and received a similar grin in return.
"You wish. Both, your boobs and your ass, are too small." Edward said, "In fact, would you mind wearing pants? Otherwise your thing keeps dangling around ..."
When Lee ca to his senses, his first reaction was to go and pick up the sword the last attacker called Soulcleaver. While the na was sowhat cheesy, if it was an artifact gifted by the person who created the yin-yang seal – it was a priceless treasure.
The problem was that Lee also began to search for the scabbard, and since Edward was sitting, the dangling part was right at his eye level.
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