64 Xiaoxiao (2/2)

With anxiety rippling within him, Yuan Xuelan began to pace around the room. His eyes swept through the dorm, trying to pick out random details to serve as a distraction from the nervousness that nagged at his mind.

That was when he saw a curious little sculpture sitting on a little drawer next to one of the beds. Though the wood it was made out of did appear to be very high quality, the sculpture itself was spectacular in its detail. It was of some deity that he couldn't quite recognize, with a feathered fan in one hand and a tiny bell in the other.

Yuan Xuelan inched closer, curious as to how such delicate details could even be carved into wood. It was so meticulously made that at first, he thought it couldn't be real. Yuan Xuelan reached for the small sculpture but before he could pick it up to inspect it further, Nan Chang's voice startled him out of his trance, ”I found it!”

He was quick to abandon the trinket and rushed to Nan Chang's side, eager to inspect the item she talked about so energetically. She held out a long wooden box. Judging by its shape, he could tell that it was probably made to hold a sword. The wood was exquisitely carved with little twisting dragons that ran along the edges.

With the help of Nan Chang's small, delicate fingers, the box clicked over, reveling a shattered blade that rested upon fine golden silk. Yuan Xuelan's eyes widened. ”This is…!”

Nan Chang grinned, ”Interesting right? The merchant didn't want it anymore because he said he had no use for a broken blade! But I can tell at first glance it was no ordinary sword!”

Indeed, it was not ordinary. Even shattered, each shard shimmered with power. The ore that was used to forge this blade must have been special and Yuan Xuelan was already itching to have it under his grasps and inspect it in greater detail. He grabbed Nan Chang by the shoulders, ”You're a genius!”

She glowed under his praise, ”Aren't I?”

The two were so caught up in their excitement that neither noticed the door sliding open.

”What is going on in here!?”

Shocked, the two of them flinched and saw the Elder Yuan Xuelan had encountered earlier looming over them, face red with anger. She started with Nan Chang, ”Causing trouble as always, Nan Chang!” And slowly she turned her gaze to Yuan Xuelan. He shrunk under the raging fire in her eyes. He had a feeling he wasn't getting out of this one, ”And you. Xiaoxiao, huh?”

”Uh.”

”I can explain…please listen!” Nan Chang knelt like a beggar.

But the Elder showed no mercy and raised her hand, ”I don't want to hear any of your excuses!” Her anger was ear-shattering and promised punishment.

…

That night, when Yuan Xuelan crawled into bed, his body was sore from head to toe. Nan Chang had somehow got away with only copying some ancient text fifty times. Yuan Xuelan grumbled in his bed, groaning over the injustice and his inability to charm the Elders to go easy on him.

But even in his beaten state, he was still excited about the shattered sword that came into his possession thanks to Nan Chang. He really would have to find a way to thank her later. Yuan Xuelan fell asleep to thoughts and plans about the broken sword and the Tiger Heart Amethyst.

But if he thought that coming home to Reling would free him from Liu Sumeng then he was terribly wrong.

This dream began with an ugly scene. He was holding up long locks of black. The sword he held in his hand, the sword that Sect Leader Chen had given to him was dull beyond belief and was proving little use at hacking away flesh and bones. Yuan Xuelan, possessed, swung down as though he was using a dao(*). One, two, ten, twelve swings, and finally the tigress demon's head came loose, her body thudded against the muddy ground and her head was light in Yuan Xuelan's hand.

It was an ugly head, and he didn't like the crying visage that her final moments had molded. Yuan Xuelan wondered why the heck he even bothered to decapitate her in the first place. He tossed aside the offending thing and scowled at it then threw away his useless dull sword. It was all so useless.

”Are you done yet?”

Of course, there was Liu Sumeng's voice close by to accompany him. This Liu Sumeng, the fake one, was glaring at him. Judgemental and aloof, something about his gaze made Yuan Xuelan's maddened mind twist in rage.

The Ivory Sword Saint didn't look so 'ivory' anymore. His clothes were dark with only a few white accents embroidered as details along his sleeves. His dream self provided him with the understanding that Sumeng had changed out of his trademark white robes in favor of darker colors because they did not dirty as easily in battle.

”Xuelan?” His voice, unkind, was full of impatience. In what odd fantasy did he conjure up such a Liu Sumeng? One that was so different than the man that he knew. ”Hurry up.”

Yuan Xuelan scoffed, ”Stop nagging. You're being annoying.”

This Liu Sumeng was without affection and simply responded, ”Don't waste time.” A powerful desire to throw this haughty Ivory Sword Saint down flared through his chest.

Somehow, the Yuan Xuelan in the dream held his cool and silently strode next to Liu Sumeng. There was carnage all around them. There was often carnage featured in these dreams. Yuan Xuelan wondered if it was a reflection of a terrible monster that lurked in his soul.

He knew that he was glaring but Liu Sumeng was unflappable and only sighed a little. ”Your hand.”

Yuan Xuelan momentarily snapped out of his rage and blinked at the Ivory Sword Saint in confusion. He held out his hand. A large gem was dropped in his palm, its unrefined power danced with little flickers of lightning.

Yuan Xuelan stared dumbly at the unrefined Tiger Heart Amethyst.

”You came for that. Did you forget?”

”Huh?” He had forgotten. ”No, I--” His fingers curled around the gem. ”Right. The Tiger Heart. Thanks, Sumeng.”

The Ivory Sword Saint was looking at him weirdly. ”Don't thank me.”

Yuan Xuelan's mind was a mess and couldn't separate one thought from another. ”Hm. I suppose it's about time to head back,” he said as if he wasn't being nagged to do the very same thing just moments ago.

But Liu Sumeng did not complain. He nodded and followed Yuan Xuelan to a place to two of them knew as home.

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(*) a dao is a single-edged Chinese sword used slashing and chopping. I know I've been pretty lazy and just called everything 'swords' up to now but I've imagined them using jians for the more part, which are double-edged straight swords.