Song of Adolescence

Abrokenprince,ashadowyscheme,allthatamidstabloodyfightforathronewronglysucceeded.Joinagroupofyoungstersastheytaketheirfirststepsintothemartialworld,towardsthegrandestadventureoftheirlives.Itallbeginsinacertaininn,setagainstverdantmountainsandfacingasceniclake.

“Bringusyourfinestwineandbestmeat!”Yelledahulkingmanwhoseemedtobetheleaderofthedozenstronggroup.

“Howmuch?”Thewaiteranxiouslynoddedhishead.

“Asmuchasyouhave!”Thehulkingmanyelledback.

“That’s…”

“HUH?”Thehulkingmanshotthewaiterafuriousglare.

“Dearguests,ourinnoperatesontheprincipleof‘payfirst,disheslater’.Assuch,itwillbebetterifyoutellusexactlyhowmuchmeatandwineyouneed.”XiaoSereturnedtheirfuriousstareswithathinsmile.

“Whoareyousupposedtobe?”Thehulkingmaneyedhimwithbulgingeyes.

“ThishumbleoneisknownasXiaoSe,theownerofthisinn,theFallenSnowVilla.”XiaoSerepliedwiththesamesmileandwithalevelofcourtesyworthasolid12/10.

“Well,wehavenomoney.”Thehulkingmanstabbedhisbladeintooneofthenearbytables.

“Oh?”

“ButI’msureyouhavesome!”ThemanpointedhisfingeratXiaoSe.

Atthat,XiaoSefuriouslyshookhishead.“I’msorrytobreakittoyoubutourlittleinnhasn’tmadeasinglesaleinalmostamonth.I’mabouttoowethemsalariesmyself…”

“LikehellifIcare!”Thehulkingmansmashedhispalmdownonthetable.“Evenifyouhavenomoney,thatfurcoatofyoursshouldatleastbeworthahundredoddsilvers.”

“NONSENSE!”YelledXiaoSe,eyeswideopenandgazeassharpasdaggers.

Thehulkingmanwasstunned,hisbodyevenshiveringinvoluntarilyforthatsplitsecond.

“I,XiaoSe,rideonlythefinesthorseandwearonlytherichestthreads!ThisfurcoatofminewasspeciallysewnbysomeofthefinestseamstressesintheimperialcapitalintheAugustThreads.Justsewingittookthreewholemonths,shippingit,anotherone.Hmph,ahundredsilvers?That’snotevenenoughtobuythesleevesofmycoat!”