Blossoming Path

With Zhao Wen bound and gagged, slumped unconscious against the horse’s side, I mounted up and set out back to the village. My thoughts were a steady hum, all fixed on one purpose. Each passing mile stoked the fire inside me.

My fists gripped the reins even tighter, feeling the weight of the impending confrontation. I had sent letters through the Azure Silk Trading Company, informing Huan to be discrete and fast, but there was no guarantee they'd arrive in time—or at all.

"It's been three days since I sent the letters," I mused, gazing at the horizon. "If they received them, they should arrive today."

Still, today was the day Narrow Stone Peak would be exposed. Whether they arrive or not.

Hours later, the sky had lightened, casting a thin morning glow over the village square as I entered, Zhao Wen tied behind me like a heavy, irrefutable truth.

Villagers were already stirring, watching me in confusion, faces peeking out of doorways and windows, some beginning to follow as I made my way toward the center of the square.

I pulled the horse to a stop, hopped down, and with one strong tug, dragged Zhao Wen off the horse, dumping him unceremoniously onto the ground. The villagers gasped, inching closer. Some murmured, recognizing his face. Others stared at me, their shock mingling with concern, as they saw the quiet rage on my face.

"Is that my horse?"

I softened my expression, looking at Elder Wen.

"Sorry, Elder Wen. I had to borrow it for an emergency. I'll make it up to you, I promise. But..." I looked at the small crowd that formed. "I need your help now. Please, wake everyone else up. I've caught the culprit who attacked my garden last night."

The murmurs grew louder, and within moments, villagers spread the word, hurrying to rouse the rest. Soon enough, familiar faces started arriving in the square. Lan-Yin and Wang Jun pushed through the growing crowd to stand beside me, their faces marked with both worry and curiosity. Elder Ming appeared soon after, his expression pensive as he took in the scene.

Lan-Yin shot me a questioning look, glancing at the woman standing close behind me, her form both familiar and strange. “Kai, what’s… going on? And who’s she?”

I turned, my expression softening as I glanced at Tianyi, who stood calmly, her gaze steady as she regarded the villagers. Her long hair shimmered in the dawn light with a bluish tint.

“This man,” I said, gesturing at the bound Zhao Wen, “is the bandit who attacked my garden.”

Gasps and mutters filled the air, but I pressed on, ignoring them. “As for the woman beside me… this is Tianyi.”

A new wave of murmurs rippled through the villagers. Wang Jun’s eyes widened, and even Elder Ming’s normally composed expression slipped, surprise evident as he took in Tianyi’s new form.

I could see Li Wei peeking out from the crowd, his eyes flitting back and forth between the man on the floor and Tianyi.

“She achieved a human form not too long ago,” I explained, my tone firm but with a hint of pride. “I had to keep it hidden because of the Narrow Stone Peak cultivators. I couldn’t risk them finding out, and there was never a right moment to discuss it.”

Just then, a stir at the edge of the crowd caught my attention. Someone pushed past the villagers, forcing a path through the throng. Wei Long. His face was a mix of confusion and irritation, but as he reached the front of the crowd, his gaze fell on Zhao Wen, bound on the ground. His expression morphed, disbelief flashing to anger, before quickly being suppressed into a cool mask.

He opened his mouth to speak, but I raised a hand, stopping him before he could get a word out.

“We all need to hear this,” I said, my voice ringing clear. “Zhao Wen, this man who attacked my garden, isn’t just any bandit. He’s one of their own—a Narrow Stone Peak disciple, sent here to intimidate this village into asking for their protection.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

The crowd erupted in angry whispers, disbelief laced with shock. Some faces turned accusingly toward Wei Long, who seemed momentarily caught off-guard by the accusation.

He forced a smile, attempting to regain his composure. “This is absurd. You bring an injured man before the village, make wild accusations, and expect everyone to just believe it?”

"Then tell me, Wei Long," I said, voice low but hard as steel, "do you truly not know this man? Zhao Wen. Does that name mean nothing to you?"

Wei Long’s smile wavered, but he held his composure. "He could be anyone. A bandit with some skill, maybe, but he’s no disciple of ours. You can’t prove he’s connected to us. We are a righteous sect."

I scoffed, gripping Zhao Wen by the hair and forcing his unconscious face into view for the crowd to see. "Is that so? Well, if he’s just some regular bandit, then there’s no harm in making sure he never attacks anyone else, is there?"

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I felt the anger twist inside me, something dark, something I hadn’t felt before.

"Why don’t I just destroy his dantian? Right here. Right now."

The murmurs of the crowd fell into a stunned silence, everyone’s eyes fixed on me. I didn’t look away. My gaze remained locked onto Wei Long, daring him to challenge me. �

His face remained calm, but his jaw tightened. "That’s a drastic measure, Kai," he replied, his voice smooth but strained. "Destroying a man’s dantian… that’s as good as sentencing him to death. And we don’t even know for sure if this is the man who—"

"I don’t need your confirmation," I cut in. I was done with his games, his lies. "I know he’s the one. Tianyi and Windy tracked him, and they don’t lie." My hand gripped Zhao Wen’s hair tighter, a part of me sickened by the act but refusing to let it show. "And are you saying you don’t trust their judgment? Or mine?"

I could feel Elder Ming’s gaze on me, his eyes shadowed. The silence between us was heavy, but I didn’t back down. I had to show them all that I wasn’t going to be toyed with, that my village and everything I cared about weren’t just pawns in someone else’s scheme.

Wei Long’s expression flickered, a hint of unease betraying his mask of composure. He took a breath, visibly attempting to regain control. "Kai," he began, his voice softer, attempting a conciliatory tone, "think carefully. This man may not even be the one responsible. There’s no clear proof, and you wouldn’t want to harm an innocent person."

"Innocent?" I asked in disbelief. "Don’t insult me. I have nothing to gain from attacking some random man. But I heard the truth, straight from the mouths of the Five Fists. Green Peak Inn, east of the village. How do you think I got the information?"

The first-class disciple bit his lip, closing his eyes tightly.

I leaned forward, the anger clear in my voice, unfiltered and sharp. "So here’s the choice, Wei Long. Either you let me destroy his dantian, ensuring he can’t hurt anyone again, or you admit what he really is—a Narrow Stone Peak disciple sent here on your orders."

His eyes darted around, searching for an escape, but there was none.

I’d backed him into a corner, and I wasn’t about to let him slip out of it. There was no doubt; Wei Long was a sly man. Savvy, just like Elder Jun. The more time I gave him, the more dangerous it became.

"No answer? Don't worry. I'll make the choice for you."

"Wai—!"

I rolled Zhao Wen onto his back, my fist tightening, letting the rush of qi fill my arm. I located his dantian, marking the spot with a cold certainty. My fist raised high, I prepared to bring it down, and—

BAM!

A deafening crack split the air as flesh met flesh.

The world turned upside down, and I flew backward, crashing into the crowd with a force that jarred every bone in my body. Tianyi caught me in mid-air, killing some of my momentum.

Through blurred vision, I saw Wei Long standing tall, his arm still outstretched, the faint hum of qi dissipating from his fist as he stood over Zhao Wen protectively.

I saw Windy, a blur of white and blue wrapped around Wei Long’s arm in a vice grip. Wei Long’s gaze flicked to Windy, irritation flashing across his face as he flexed his arm, tensing against the snake’s crushing grip. His arm bulged, muscles straining as he moved to grab Windy, but the serpent slipped free with a quick twist, retreating with a venomous hiss, his scales flashing under the morning light.

Wei Long stood before me, his face unreadable but for the tight line of his jaw. The speed, the power of his punch... it had all happened in a single breath. And now he was there, unshaken, while I was reeling.

But the damage was done.

By protecting Zhao Wen and attacking me, he confirmed my suspicions.

The man's eyes darkened as he stood there, realizing the implications of his actions, same as I did.

I got up, heart hammering in my chest.

"If this isn't proof, what is? Admit it! Admit you tried to use my village as your foothold!"

My fists shook as I stared Wei Long down, daring him to deny it again.

A small, high-pitched voice pierced the tension like a sharp knife. “Bully!”

All heads turned to the source. Standing near the edge of the crowd, his tiny frame trembling but his voice unwavering, was Xiao Bao. His face was flushed with defiance, his small fists clenched tightly at his sides.

“You think you can scare us? My dad says we don’t need you!” Xiao Bao shouted. "And... and your hair is stupid!"

The crowd murmured, a ripple of agreement spreading through the villagers. Wei Long’s mask of composure cracked for a fraction of a second, his eyes narrowing at the boy.

“Out of the mouths of babes, huh?” Master Qiang’s deep, booming voice followed, drawing all eyes to the blacksmith as he stepped forward, his broad shoulders like a wall of iron. “I always knew there was something off about you lot. Too much talk about protection, not enough action when it mattered. If you were really here to help, you wouldn’t be standing there trying to worm your way out of this.”

The crowd stirred again, louder now.

“That’s right!” Jian Wei, Li Wei’s father, called out, his voice quivering with anger. He stepped forward, pointing an accusatory finger at Wei Long. “You dare come into our village, into our homes, and try to destroy what we’ve built with your schemes? How dare you!”

Other voices joined in, growing bolder by the second.

“You think we’re weak because we’re a small village?”

“This is our home, and we won’t let you take it!”

“You call yourselves righteous, but your actions are as rotten as the worst bandits!”

Wei Long’s jaw tightened, his eyes darting across the growing crowd, the realization sinking in that the villagers’ anger had reached a boiling point.

The crowd closed in behind me, faces hardening with resolve. Lan-Yin and Wang Jun stepped forward, each of them tense and ready, and even Elder Ming took a step closer, his face lined with a grim determination I’d rarely seen.

Wei Long’s gaze swept over the crowd, assessing the mounting hostility. His eyes narrowed, and his calm mask cracked, revealing a sneer that twisted his face. He lowered his arm, rubbing his wrist where Windy had coiled, then met my gaze with a cold glint in his eyes.

"...Why couldn’t you just hand over this village without a fight?" He asked, his voice slipping into a tone I hadn’t heard before. Rough, biting, a veneer of civility stripped away. "You think you’re a hero? All this, all of it, would’ve been easier if you’d just kept your head down and accepted your place.”

"Accepted my place?" I spat, taking a step forward. "My place is here, with the people who trust me. Not under the boot of your sect."

Wei Long’s sneer deepened, his expression darkening further.

"Then you’ve made your choice. All of you have." He cast a scornful glance around at the villagers, who edged back slightly but held firm. "This is where it ends, Kai. I gave you a chance to avoid all this bloodshed. Now, it’s out of my hands."

His threat was plain, raw with the implication of violence, but I didn’t flinch. Behind me, I felt the unwavering presence of my friends and neighbors, the people I’d fought for, protected, and who stood by me now.

Wei Long looked back at me, his voice dropping to a sinister murmur. "You think numbers will help you? You think this is some fairytale where you all charge me, and I just lie down in defeat? I’m a first-class disciple. None of you stand a chance against me."

"Then why don’t you try it?" Lan-Yin challenged.

He laughed, cold and mirthless. "Go ahead. Raise your fists, your little tricks and your anger." His tone was dripping with scorn, but his eyes darted to the crowd, assessing the faces staring back at him with fierce determination. "Even if you win here, even if you somehow manage to bring me down, nothing changes. Narrow Stone Peak has already taken notice of this place. You’ve barely begun to grasp what you’re up against. Hundreds of disciples—skilled, ruthless, and loyal. They’ll descend on this village like a storm, and all your unity will crumble beneath their might. You can’t escape the sect’s reach."

His words cast a bleak shadow over the square, cooling the fighting spirit we had mustered.