The figure of the half-woman, half-fox shimmered and when I just blinked my eyes, she was gone and the Shiyan Blade missed its mark! Her voice intoned from behind me suddenly, "You're fast!" I swiveled to my back immediately and stabbed in the direction of her voice!
A fierce clang resounded as the Shiyan Blade gnashed against the ice sword the demoness had conjured in the nick of time to defend herself, albeit rather hurriedly as if she did not expect me to be able to attack her with such swiftness. But I too felt it myself. My speed and my strength were growing beyond the usual limits of humans since my miraculous recovery moments ago.
The belligerent demoness swung her weapon, whipping my sword away. Similar to how I used my telekinesis magic, she thrust her blade at me with her other hand forming the Seal of the Sword as she muttered the incantations. The ice sword left her hand and circled around her like a dragon of ice enveloping its master in a pr
On the fifteenth day of the lunar month just after the new year, I was sent back through Time. Unexpected and unfathomably, I came to the red pine coppice that Father found me when I was still a baby. Everything I saw seemed like a hypnagogic midsummer's night dream to me. Was it just a vision or had I really taken a step down the old lane of Time to witness everything myself? I could not say. But if I had really returned, why was everyone unable to see nor hear me? Why was I able to fly? Why was I not hampered by fatigue nor hunger? But if it was only a dream or a vision, why were my cigarettes and the contents of my wallet wet when I returned after the torrential deluge in 1976? When I was trying to leave the forest, I began to realize thinking of walking out was an ignorant naivety on my part; the forest was just too wide an expanse for me to find my way out in a day or two. I had to start a fire that night but that allowed me to know a new friend in a geeky girl wh
I realized the confused and aghast expression on Qin Le's face and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's fine. I am a human. Not a demon." After a heartbeat, I said to her again, "Ah, right. So with my sister here, I suppose we'll have no problem getting out of this forest. This is her domain, after all." I cast a glance at Sister and she nodded with a smile at me, attesting to what I just said. Then, it was time for explanations. Apparently, Sister was informed of my presence after I allowed the young little fox cub caught by my spirit wolf to go. It had scampered off to Sister and told her about me. The news of a young man with considerable magical skills and armed with a magical gourd appearing in the forest reminded Sister about Father, hence she led her retinue of foxes with her. To her dismay, she found only me instead. Only, when she first saw me, the little baby brother who was still wetting his bed when she last saw me was the last t
Sister delivered a powerful smack to the back of my head with pure indignance. "And what do you think I have been doing for centuries?! I've come a long way to reach where I am now!" Unlike most other demons, Sister has been studying in the same magic as Mother's, which made them similar to how humans achieved immortality and godhood. The greatest difference between Sister's methods and the rest of the Wudaxian beasts chasing the same, Sister practiced her magic by retaining her human form. The more her powers grew, the more she would be able to change more like a human. Considering Madame White Snake who took more than thousands of years for her to morph into a full-fledged human, Sister's ability to turn into a partially-imperfect lass with just barely a century-old of magic was a feat upon itself. I should be proud of her. Moreover, I must not forget that Sister once had her demonic powers stripped by Father 20 years ago before she had to start anew. That alone was
I woke up at daybreak the following morning to Sister's incessant shaking of my shoulders. Rubbing my eyes, I slowly clambered up from my bed and put on the old 90's fur-trimmed trench coat that Sister made herself. It was already nine in the morning, or so I gathered from the Sun perching cheerily up above. There was hardly any more reason for us to dawdle here, so I hurried Qin Le to get a move on. "Wait," Sister's voice came suddenly. I turned to see Sister, standing sheepishly behind me. She looked too embarrassed to speak, but I knew why. She must have been too lonely here and she must really want to come with me to see Father and Mother. "Do you like to come home with me, Sister?" I invited with a grin. But Big Sister seemed awfully apprehensive despite her earnest wish to say yes. But it was only understandable; Father and Mother had only met Big Sister once and it has been so long. She was worried if Father and Mother might not recognize her.
"SISTER?!" The tour guide yelped like a frightened pup, his eyes as large as the saucers at the pantry. "Err..." he stammered and I told him about Sister while making full sure to remind him that I was a human! At the end of my story, the tour guide nodded his head profusely. "So, would you like a drink, Master Shiyan?" Still, I had hardly any desire to acquiesce to his invitation. Citing my need for more suitable clothing for my sister, I declined. It was well past dinner when we got out. Fortunately, the busy streets of Baishan City were still bustling with people with neon signs of the myriads of shops still open blazing proudly overhead. I led Sister with me as we walked through the streets and Sister remarked uncomfortably, her eyes wandering to her fox's tail, ears and legs, "I do not feel right, Little Brother." "Relax, Big Sister. No one's looking!" Still, I knew what I said did little to ease Sister's nerves as she followed uncomfortably behind m
The hairs on my back stood up like needles as soon as I heard the shrill voice. Sister stood in front of me, crouching warily as if ready to pounce and her ice sword gleaming white-bluish in her hand. I weaved my fingers, making the hand seals to summon the Shiyan Blade to me. The air screamed with a sharp whistle and my sword appeared overhead, lowering itself gently into my grasp. The crisp, disembodied voice of the intruder came again from deep inside the alleyway, "Heh heh heh... You really are the Spirit of the Shiyan Blade! Remarkable!" "Who are you?" I growled into the darkness but Sister interjected brusquely, "Strike first, questions later! Show no patience for fiends like him!" Her fingers, forming the Seal of the Sword, moved and she directed her ice sword to charge at the enemy like a lunging spear. Suddenly, there was raspy ringing in the air like a chorale of chimes despite the lack of a breeze. Like the bells commonly worn on a person's bra
Aisin Gioro, the ruling clan that once occupied the throne of the Qing Empire. Contrary to the beliefs of many, the name Aisin Gioro was hardly a family name or a surname, but rather the name of the clan itself. Similar in nature to Clan Xuanyuan and Clan Shennong which descended from Huang Di of the Center and Yan Di of the South respectively. The sinicized surname Jin was adopted later following the fall of the Qing Empire, which could also mean that this eccentric stranger, Jin Qichen was a progeny that hailed from the line of emperors of the Qing Empire. Jin Qichen looked positively proud when the name "Aisin Gioro" was mentioned. So proud that he looked as if he was going to burst. "The Dragon-slaying Blade became missing after the fall of Manchukuo. Since then, my clan and that of the shamans have retreated into hiding until now." I rubbed my chin and asked a pondering question, "Your name is Qichen, you say? So you must be cousins with the famous c
I stared, bewildered and awestruck at the beam shooting right at me from Na San's staff! Then I felt a jolt; Big Sister shoved me aside and the ray of light shot between us harmlessly. Lurching sideways, a thought flashed across my mind: since when do shamans use laser technology?! But Na San, the boorish brute that he was, was already readjusting the direction of his staff to send another death ray my way! The beam blazed a trench no more than three fingers wide as it charged at me like a red spear and the cobblestones sizzled with protest with a long fuming and blackened streak as the beam headed straight at me. But I was already one with the Shiyan Blade; a state of harmony and union that allowed the Shiyan Blade to accord me unbelievable speed and superhuman strength. I leaped up, reaching as high as almost ten yards, cleanly jumping out of the trajectory of the laser beam. This is my chance to retaliate! I raised the Shiyan Blade before