C17 A Poor Child

"There are so many wonders in this world, aren't there, Rupert? At night, the sun still hangs high in the sky over the mountains in our region, making the morning come a bit earlier. They even have a name for tonight – 'the darkness before dawn.' Let's head to the treehouse and rustle up some grub. Mileson, you're coming with us..." Mileson was so engrossed in playing with Spark that he probably forgot about eating and the morning's dangers. Children are always so pure-hearted, innocent, and naive.

"That Spark is infuriating! How dare it urinate on me? I'll kill it!" Mileson sounded like he was tattling to a family member...

"Mileson has been orphaned since he was young, raised collectively by the village. He's never seemed as happy as he is now. I don't know why, but he just lights up around you..." Forest seemed to share the sentiment.

"Mileson, are you really such an unfortunate child?" Rupert said, empathetically.

"Mileson is very happy with everyone. If you agree to be my godfather, I'll be even happier..."

Rupert could only pat his head and chuckle in response: "We'll talk about that tomorrow. By the way, about your land of marvels and oddities, I came across three forks in the road before the mountain. What's the difference between them?"

"Rupert! You must be pretty lucky to have chosen the left path. If you'd taken the middle or right, you'd have encountered many traps set to deter unwelcome visitors. The left path is the main thoroughfare for our village; it's the only safe route. The other paths lead to sheer cliffs or certain doom, and no wings could save you from that," Forest explained the paths' significance to Rupert, relieved that Spark had led him the right way.

"That would be the Big Mouth Beast, the guardian of our village," Forest continued. "We all carry a red copper bell, and a simple shake is enough to make it retreat. Rupert, I'm curious – are you a spiritual practitioner? You have the bravery to venture out and train, but my master, Milesio, is quite skilled in martial arts. Yet, you only need a few moves to easily get by. There's got to be some secret to it. Could you enlighten me? The elders never seem willing to explain..."

Upon hearing this, Rupert burst into laughter. "I never intended to be your enemy. However, when masters clash, they mustn't hesitate or drag their feet, especially when life and death hang in the balance and victory or defeat can be determined in an instant. Your master, Milesio, is a man of deep character. He isn't concerned with winning or losing; his sole focus is on defending his homeland. Yet in the world of martial arts, winning or losing signifies one thing: the winner survives, the loser perishes. This is an immutable law. My victory comes from the fact that my staff is wielded with full force. When it meets another in combat, the clash is thunderous. The force doesn't simply rebound; it transforms, and that's where the line between victor and vanquished is drawn."

"Rupert, how did you become so exceptional in martial arts? If it were me, I might train for twenty years and still not dare to show my face outside, for fear of embarrassment. Do you know why? Because I don't have the courage to freely accept challenges like you do. Even when I'm older, the moment I pick up a staff and strike, I'm likely to flee in terror..." Rupert understood from these words that Forest might be harboring a fear, which left him with seemingly no choice but to run away.

"Forest, I can tell you're quite capable; you just lack confidence. If you're not too tired, I could share a story about my younger days of training..."

A few years back, I was entrusted with a Five Element Eight Trigrams Staff secret manual from my ancestors. After ten years of dedicated practice, I had established a solid foundation. I served as an official in the court, contributing to the nation. In my spare time, I would assume an alias and venture into the martial arts world. I've always prided myself on being honorable and standing up for justice, never allowing arrogance to cloud my judgment. I believed in the inherent goodness of people and never guarded against them.

This openness led me to make friends far and wide. Unfortunately, some of these friends exploited my name for their own deceitful ends, tarnishing my reputation. Nevertheless, my peers in the martial arts community generously bestowed upon me the title "Nash." As a result, I chose to conceal my true identity and travel under the moniker "Nash," thus avoiding accusations of leveraging imperial influence. It was during an incident at Silvermere Lake that I encountered a medical master who saved me from the perils of overtraining.

I found myself entangled in a dispute within the martial arts community, which led to an agreement to resolve the matter atop the Dragon Spine Mountains. Guided by my master's advice, I sought to uncover the root of the issue and simultaneously settle the dispute. Thus, I readily set out for the appointed meeting. Despite circling the Dragon Spine Mountains numerous times, encountering only hunters and hearing no tales of reclusive masters, I realized I had no leads. Nevertheless, I was determined to address my own concerns. Since I had come this far, it seemed fitting to patiently unravel the enigma, especially considering his reputation for upholding justice while traveling abroad. Little did I know, I would encounter him halfway up the mountain.

The Dragon Spine Mountains loomed high, the paths long and arduous, with fine snow drifting about. Though midsummer, the mountain's midsection was buried under half a foot of snow, making the trek exceedingly difficult. With only two figures in sight and no sign of civilization, my guard was significantly lowered.

"And who was this other party?" I was asked.

"The other party, you ask? He's a man of some renown in the martial arts world, the head of the Midlands' courier service and Cedric's son-in-law. Cedric wields considerable influence, with over twenty strongholds across the Midlands at his disposal. Yet, rumors swirl of his unsavory reputation, including involvement in gambling, prostitution, and smuggling. Recently, several of his Jiangxi ventures were plundered, and the perpetrator purportedly used my name to commit the crimes..." Rupert recounted with a heavy sigh.

Cedric, seeking to clear the air, had invited a person of high esteem to mediate our discussion on the Dragon Spine Mountains. Confident in my innocence, I accepted the invitation without suspicion and ascended the mountain. That day, a blizzard obscured everything, leaving only a blanket of snow in view. Clad in black, we could just make out each other's figures.

Cedric's anger was palpable as he confronted me: "Nash! Are you deliberately sabotaging my uncle's courier business? Why did you ambush the shipment at the Jiangxi river crossing and make off with hundreds of gold coins? The loss of money is trivial, but the death of three to five of my men is not. Should word of this spread, it would be a stain on our honor, and who would entrust us with their valuables after such a scandal?"

Upon hearing the accusation, I was immediately aware that I hadn't committed such a wrongdoing. Naturally, I had to counter, "Cedric, your words are quite mixed up. Without specifying when I was supposedly in the Dragon Spine Mountains, how can you accuse me? Even if I had been in that region, everyone has the right to travel freely. What proof do you have of my involvement? You need to present something compelling and substantiated. I haven't even been to that place..."

Rich was a venerable gentleman, an elder who dealt in the official salt trade along the Zhejiang coast. He was well-acquainted with Rupert and possessed considerable influence in the coastal region, adept at navigating both governmental and commercial circles. Additionally, he was skilled in martial arts. In his youth, he had ventured through the martial arts world, but as he aged, he turned his focus to business. He was known for his cosmopolitan demeanor. Yet, the more cosmopolitan one is, the more adversaries one tends to accumulate. Many were eyeing his wealth—after all, who doesn't desire more? It appeared they needed something from him; otherwise, why meet in such a desolate place?