Chapter 210 (1/2)
Chapter 210
Paper Cranes<small></small>Sometimes, Su Chan wondered where her talent truly lay: the stealth arts; or the ability to feel puzzled in virtually any situation
YesAny situation, like the one she was in right now
Argh! This was all just so confusing! Even more so than the nuances of mortal-speakAt least corn-door (or condo) was so—like, you know, a doorBut this! None of this er to pick a fight with Master? Shouldn't they be welco Master's return with open arms? The most powerful ht for the school; shouldn't she be treated like a hero or so?
But no! They did none of that! Instead, they had to treat Master like she was their mortal enemy!
What on earth was the matter with these people? Grr!
”That sword…” Ye-shi+bo whispered
Dread coursed through Su Chan when Ye-shi+bo's chakraan to screech loudlySu Chan barely had time to cover her ears before Master's swordaround them protectivelyFor aHad the Fan of Seven Treasures acknowledged Yundong as its owner yet? Hoas Yundong doing?
”I can't believe he even gave you that sword!” Ye-shi+bo yelled”So it's true after all! You were in cahoots with the Zhengyi School! No wonder Yan Fang froo with all these wild accusations! This was all your doing wasn't it, Ao Wushuang? You traitor!”
A surge of anger coursed through Su ChanMaster isn't a traitor! She's loyal, and kind, and loving, and— Ugh! Enough of this! Ee to poke her head out from behind Master's arrateful that her voice didn't sound like a squeak”And please stop fighting!”
”Know your place, insolent child!” Ye-shi+bo snapped”You have no right to speak here!”
”Chan'er” Master said in a loarning tone
Su Chan glanced up at Master
”It's okayStand down,” Master said
”Oh”
Su Chan hid herself behind Master's backMaster always made her feel safe
”She's ht to speak”
Ye-shi+bo laughed derisively”The fact that she is your disciple is precisely why she has no right to speak here!”
Su Chan winced when the chakrarew even louderShe covered her ears and sneaked a peek fro rapidly in the air like soiant h just about anythingSu Chan tightened her grip on Master's sleeve
Master will be okay, right?
”Don't be afraid, Chan'er,” said Master
That voice had lulled Su Chan to sleep and allayed her fears more often than she could count
”M in the calmness that Master's voice had instilled
”Please stand down, shi+jie,” said Master calmly”None of this is necessaryWe haveold scores”
”I've had enough of your goody-goody attitude, Ao Wushuang,” said Ye-shi+bo”You think you can act all high and hty just because you're uess whatI' like one,” said Master coldly
All hell broke loose right then: the spinning chakram hurtled towards Master
Su Chan flinched and let out a squeak
Master raised her right paled upwards to intercept the chakram's path
”Stand down, shi+jie,” said Master with her palerous edge to Master's tone, and Su Chan knew that tone very well: Master was angry
Actually, no
Master wasn't just angry; she was incensed
The chakram suddenly backed away from them and retreated towards Ye-shi+boA split second later, Bahuang shot down froain
What happened next was decidedly the ical swordsan to double itself
Froht
In just areplicas circling around thean shi+fting into some kind of formation
It took Su Chan a while, but she eventually figured out the formation's shape
It was a lotus throne
”Looks like we're in agreement,” Ye-shi+bo sneered”Now it's ti each other e're all sisters from the same school,” a voice sounded
Su Chan frownedWhy does that voice sound so familiar?
Su Chan looked up and saoDraped over the woently in her descent
Su Chan couldn't help but stare in wonder at the wos? S- SheShe looks just like aa Bodhisattva!
By the time the woman landed on the floor, Su Chan had convinced herself that she wasn't seeing thingsThe woman did look like a Bodhisattva, albeit a youthful one (like a wo dark hair, bunched up at the top of her head, held together by a golden hairpin; the regal and saintly arnered respect and reverence;
The chakra and returned to Ye-shi+bo's hand
”shi+jie!” Ye-shi+bo greeted the wo had returned to its nored Master's sleeve”Master, is she another shi+bo?”
Master nodded and lowered Bahuang to her side”Yes, she isAnd her na all your shi+bos”
There was a hint of reverence in Master's tone when she spoke of Mo-shi+boPerhaps there was soard after all
”B- But Mo-shi+bo looks like a Bodhisattva!” Su Chan blurted out
”shi+jie practices Vajra ic in her spare time,” Master said”That's why she looks like a Bodhisattva”
Su Chan thought she saw a flicker of admiration in Master's eyes when she looked at Mo-shi+bo
”Oh”
A rustling sound came from above: four more beautiful women had just flown in fro doards them
”Looks like everyone's here now,” Master mumbled
The four women landed beside Mo-shi+bo
Su Chan shot Master a questioning glance, to which Master answered with a tight smile
<small></small>”Come, Chan'erAllow me to properly introduce you to all your shi+bos” Master draped her aruided her towards the wohtly to Master's sleeve and resisted the urge to hide behind Master's back
Those wo
”NowIn decreasing order of seniority” Master directed Su Chan's gaze to Mo-shi+bo, the Bodhisattva lookalike”First we have Mo Ahshi+” Then, Master pointed at the pervy” Master pointed to the rest of the wo, Liu Yuehong, Cao Yi, and finallyYe Yu”
The sharpness in Master's voice when she mentioned Ye-shi+bo's name was unmistakable
Su Chan bowed at her elders and then studied the so, Su Chan memorized their names and faces, then ranked the; three, Zhuang Yating; four, Chang Sunhong; five, Liu Yuehong; six, Cao Yi; and seven, Ye Yu
Hmm… Master called Ye-shi+bo her shi+jie just nohich est
Yet Master was the ht filled Su Chan's heart with a sense of pride
An aard silence spread across the hallSu Chan could feel the elders' eyes on her, sizing her upEventually, Su Chan felt her own gaze drifting towards Mo-shi+bo
A Bodhisattva! Awesome!
Su Chan nearly squeaked when Mo-shi+bo sentleA Bodhisattva!!!!
A second later, Mo-shi+bo turned away fro at Master now
”Welcome home, shi+mei,” Mo-shi+bo said to Master
Su Chan studied Master's reaction fro it in front of her chest—a Buddhist forhtlySu Chan did a double take
Master never bowed to anyone, not even to Grands, Mo-shi+jie,” said Master”Have you been well?”
”Indeed I have been well,” Mo-shi+bo said”I'lad that you've decided to return, shi+lanced over at Ye-shi+bo”The school is under threatCan't you put your differences aside for now? You're doing the enest ourselves”
Ye-shi+bo shot Master a quick glare”So it's all my fault, and she's completely without blame” Ye-shi+bo snorted”WowJustWow” Ye-shi+bo turned around and stormed off
Mo-shi+bo shook her head and looked towards Master again
”It seerown over the past ten years, shi+mei,” Mo-shi+bo said”I' at Master now
The corners of Master's lips pulled into a sh the smile didn't quite reach her eyesSu Chan wondered why
”Not at all, shi+jie,” said Master”My power level is about the sao” Master paused for aMo-shi+bo”You on the other hand seemed to have improved substantially, shi+jie”
Su Chan was so puzzled
How on earth could Master tell whether or not someone's power levels had increased?
Maybe it was a ently, then s coathered at the hall, including those annoying women who attacked them earlier”You're all disan to shuffle and whispers arose, Mo-shi+bo gave Master a nod, then said, ”You two should come with me”
Master was clearly faht without turning her head at allSu Chan barely had tie her curiosity before they had to turn around corners or pass through hallways
Maybe she could sneak out and explore the place on her own laterIf Master would let her, that is
Eventually, they arrived in front of a large, old-fashi+oned wooden door
”Go right in,” Mo-shi+bo said”Head Liu is waiting for you inside”
Then, with two parting nods, Mo-shi+bo turned around and left
Grand his pipe when they stepped into the rooh he'd been anticipating their arrival, which didn't surprised Su Chan at all—he wasn't known as the Great Seer for nothing
Grandestured at the square table with his pipe”Have a seat,” he said
Su Chan followed Master towards the square table, then waited for Master to take a seat first before taking the seat beside Master'sThe square table looked si
”With all due respect, Head Liu,” Master said coldly”The standards of the Fox Zen School have been substantially reduced under your leadershi+p”
Su Chan stole a glance at MasterThere was a look of pure distaste on Master's beautiful face
”Just look at our outer disciples, for Heavens' sake! Acting like a bunch of vulgar brutes” Master shook her head and lowered her voice to a low mumble”It's like there's no proper code of conduct at all in this Godforsaken place”
Grandmaster Liu chuckled”A reasonable complaint, no doubt,” he said”But you haven't been back here for a decade, WushuangSo you can't possibly know the state of affairs here” Grandht now, I'm the Head of the Fox Zen School in name onlyYour shi+jie, Mo Ahshi+ is the one who's been handling the school affairsTake it up to her if you have any complaints”
An aard silence permeated the room as Grandmaster Liu busied hilances at Master, but every ti at the sa from the scowl on Master's face, she didn't look too happy with the conversationIf there even was a conversation going on
Su Chan was so confusedWhy were they even here? Was there so on that Su Chan didn't know about?
Eventually, Su Chan decided to stop puzzling over whether or not there was a conversation going on and instead began to occupy herself with studying the billows of s from Grandmaster Liu's pipe
Thick, white, fluffy puffs of smokeLike clouds
CloudsThe Yun in Yundong's naThe eastern cloudThe cloud from the east… Hehehe
”Where are my quarters?”
Master's sharp voice ended Su Chan's reverie
Grandht with his pipe”Down this hallwayTwenty meters from this room”
Master had stood up so quietly that Su Chan didn't even notice her moveave Grandmaster Liu a bow, and then hurried after Master
Minutes later, they walked into their quarters, which came with two roomsThe place was about the same size as Master's apartment at the corn-door, but this one was better furnished
”Which rooht?”
Su Chan studied the two roomsHmmWhich one is better?
Seconds later, Su Chan came to a decisionHehehe
”I want the one on the left!”
Master raised a brow and studied Su Chan's faceA moment later, Master chuckled, then reached out to pinch her cheek”You picked that one because it's closer to the door, so that it's easier for you to sneak out”
Su Chan's face fellThen, she gave Master a pouty lookHlance at Master, as still sed to put Master in a better mood! Su Chan would take that as a win even if Master prohibited her fro out
<small></small>”FineYou can have the one on the left”
Su Chan stared at Master blankly”R- Really?”
Master didn't look angry at all, just amused”Mm-hmm”
”Yayyy!!!”
”Settle down, Chan'er,” Master said, alreadytowards a corner of the room
Master pulled out a cushi+on from under the couchAfter that, she sat on the cushi+on and began tototally ignored
Su Chan sighed and turned away from Master
GreatNohat a around their living quarters for a while, Su Chan sat down on one of the stools beside the square tableMaster hadn't moved from her meditative posture ever since she sat down to ot up from the stool and went into one of the two bedrooms
The bedroom took the definition of spartan to a whole new levelOther than a simple red sandalwood bed, a square table (another one!), and a few stools, there was nothing else
Su Chan walked out of the bedrooed towards the square table beside the living areaShe sat doith her elbows planted on the square table and held her chin in her pal for her to do here?
How about sitting down and practicing some Qi control, said a voice inside her headThe voice sounded suspiciously like MasterSu Chan glanced around the living roo around, which meant no soap showsShe didn't see one of those mini TV boxes (with tiny buttons) either, which meant she couldn't use the NetThe invisible ones, not the ones used to catch fish
And worst: No food!
There was nothing to eat!
She wished Yundong were here
Eventually, her thoughts about Yundong made her unbearably sad, so she rose from the stool and decided to sneak outMaybe she could explore the school, or find soWould Master be lance at Master
Master was still ive Su Chan the bedroom on the left just now, soout?
Maybe I should just ask
However, the peaceful look on Master's beautiful face prevented Su Chan froive Master a moment of peaceIf Master asked her later where she'd run off to, she could just tell Master that she had gone out to look for foodPleaseAs if a responsible pupil like Su Chan would ever allow her beloved o without food
Besides, Master probably wouldn't want Su Chan to starve either
Su Chan tiptoed towards the door
”Going soasped and turned aroundHow did she—
Master's eyes weren't even open!
Su Chan shuffled back towards Master”Can I explore the school grounds a bit?”
”Sure” Master said without opening her eyes”If you're not afraid to be bullied by everyone, that is”
”Hehehenobody would dare bully reat master!”