Riding the horses taken from the two unconscious soldiers, Yang Feng led Long Wei away from the scene. Judging from the direction of their shadows, they were heading north.

  Long Wei followed the old man dressed in imperial armor, who had not uttered a single word since they had left. Not that it really mattered, Long Wei had no particular destination in mind.

  Yang Feng slowed his horse as they reached a small tributary connected to the river behind the tavern. He scanned the surroundings, ensuring that the area was truly safe. Once satisfied, the old man dismounted and sat on the thick grass.

  “So, what was that all about?” Long Wei finally spoke, still puzzled by everything.

  Yang Feng chuckled. “You’re awfully wary of me, boy.” He noted that they were separated by a distance of about two spear lengths, with Long Wei’s hand already resting on the hilt of his sword. “I just wanted to say thank you.”

  Long Wei’s expression shifted instantly. His mouth hung open, his eyes widened.

  Yang Feng continued. “Ah, you’re curious now, aren’t you? Sit down so we can talk properly.” He patted the grass beside him.

  Still harboring suspicion, Long Wei approached Yang Feng cautiously. He tethered his horse to a tree some distance away and took a seat, though still keeping a gap of about two steps between them.

  Long Wei was no fool, despite his youth. Having spent his life taking things that belonged to others, he had learned how to distinguish valuable treasures from common trinkets. He could tell which items were cherished and which were not. And he had long since concluded that the jade bracelet was something of immense importance to Yang Feng.

  Then why did I follow him all the way here? Long Wei wondered to himself.

  Yang Feng couldn’t help but smile at the young man’s exaggerated wariness. “Very well, if that’s how you want it,” he said at last.

  “So, what do you mean by thanking me?”

  “Of course, I’m talking about the jade bracelet you took.”

  Long Wei was even more confused. Who would thank a thief for stealing from them?

  Seeing his bewildered expression, Yang Feng quickly explained. “In truth, this is a stroke of fortune, one bestowed by the heavens. I truly believe that. The heavens have allowed justice to remain in this land, otherwise, you would not have been permitted to steal it from me.”

  Now the old man was spouting nonsense, at least, that’s how it seemed to Long Wei. The heavens permitting theft? Even he, a pirate since birth, had never thought of something so absurd.

  “Why?” Yang Feng deliberately provoked his curiosity, deepening Long Wei’s confusion.

  Unknowingly, Long Wei took the bait. “Why?”

  “That is the Sky Jade.” Yang Feng pointed at Long Wei, as if he knew exactly where the jade was hidden. “A sacred relic, crafted by the eight founders of the Tian Empire’s first generation. They were powerful figures of their time. According to legend, their abilities were godlike, though of course, that’s just a tale. You shouldn’t believe everything you hear.”

  Long Wei instinctively clutched his left chest, where the bracelet was tucked inside his robe’s pocket.

  “There are eight pieces of Sky Jade, each in different forms. A pair of earrings, three rings, one bracelet, one necklace, and a hair ornament in the shape of a hairpin, altogether, eight.” Yang Feng counted on his fingers as he spoke. “When united, they are said to summon a legendary dragon. And supposedly,” he emphasized the word supposedly, “this dragon descends from the heavens. It was the imperial family’s guardian beast for generations, sworn to protect the land and serve as the embodiment of true power.”

  “Wait.” Long Wei cut him off. “What’s your point in telling me all this?” He stood up, narrowing his eyes. “I already stole it from you, and now you’re telling me all of this? To the thief?”

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  “Hah?” Yang Feng feigned an idiotic look. “You actually believe me?”

  “So, you’re lying?” Long Wei’s temper flared. He felt like he was being toyed with. “You help the guy who stole from you, I follow you here even though I know you’re the owner of what I stole, and then you tell me all this? And you’re surprised that I believe you? Who’s the insane one here?” he snapped, eyes blazing.

  “Calm down, boy.” Yang Feng rose to his feet as well, a faint smile on his lips. “I just didn’t expect you to believe me.”

  “I never said I believed you!”

  Ignoring his outburst, Yang Feng removed his outer garments. He let his iron armor fall to the ground before stripping off the inner layer. Before Long Wei could ask what he was doing, the young man was rendered speechless by the sight before him.

  The old man’s body, still sturdy despite his age, bore the mark of a dark handprint burned into his chest. The imprint was so deep that it had slightly caved inward. Just looking at it made Long Wei feel the pain.

  Then, on Yang Feng’s right shoulder, there was another wound—a deep, slashing cut. The flesh inside had turned stark white, completely white.

  “What is that?” Long Wei stammered, horrified. “Why are you showing me this?”

  “It’s because of the Sky Jade you stole, boy. Someone tried to take it from me, and I fought them off. To be honest, I nearly died. Thankfully, you had already stolen the jade. Otherwise, I would have had to retrieve it from my chest before escaping, and if that were the case, I doubt I would have made it out alive.”

  Yang Feng put his clothes back on properly, armor and all. “That’s why I’m thanking you. So, you still have the jade, don’t you? You didn’t sell it, did you?”

  Long Wei swallowed hard, still haunted by the sight of those two wounds. At the same time, he was deeply impressed by Yang Feng, who spoke about them as if they were nothing.

  Slowly, the young man retrieved the Sky Jade from his pocket. Seeing it, Yang Feng let out a relieved sigh. “Good… good… I thank you once again.”

  “So, what should I do now?” Long Wei was still confused.

  “Return it to me, if you don’t mind,” Yang Feng said, extending his right hand. “As you’ve seen from my wounds, people won’t hesitate to kill you the moment they find out you have that bracelet.”

  Long Wei hesitated again. This jade was an incredibly valuable treasure, so mesmerizing that he felt reluctant to part with it. He had no intention of selling it, he wanted to keep it as an heirloom, a kind of talisman.

  Seeing the doubt in Long Wei’s eyes, Yang Feng found it understandable. “Do you know who gave me these two wounds?”

  Long Wei shook his head. Of course, he didn’t.

  “They were inflicted by two men known as the Death Hand and the White Ascetic, huh?” Yang Feng stopped mid-sentence when he noticed Long Wei’s grip on the bracelet tightening. “What’s wrong?” He halted his story, sensing something serious.

  Long Wei growled. “I have a personal vendetta against them. They were the ones who killed my father the night before you saved me.”

  Yang Feng’s eyes widened. This revelation was beyond anything he had anticipated. He never imagined that the unfortunate young man who had crossed his path by sheer chance already had unfinished business with those two warriors.

  “Fate… fate… it truly works in mysterious ways. This must have been written by the heavens, it can’t be mere coincidence.” Yang Feng withdrew his hand, shaking his head. “Fate is a mystery of the universe, one that can never be unraveled.”

  Long Wei remained silent.

  Yang Feng suddenly fixed Long Wei with a piercing gaze, so intense that it sent a chill down the young man’s spine.

  “Long Wei, I take back my request for you to return the bracelet. I have a feeling my death isn’t far off, and so the heavens have chosen a successor to take on my duty of safeguarding one of the Sky Jades.” His voice carried an air of authority, but Long Wei still didn’t quite understand.

  The old man continued, “So, I’ll change my question. And at the same time, I have a request. Will you take this bracelet, protect it from wicked hands, and inherit all of my knowledge?”

  Long Wei didn’t need to think twice to understand what he meant. “You want me to be your disciple?”

  Yang Feng nodded slowly.

  Long Wei hesitated even more. He stared at the jade bracelet, its beauty unmatched, then at Yang Feng before returning his gaze to the bracelet. This back-and-forth continued for quite some time, neither of them moving from their spots.

  He saved my life, Long Wei thought. He was wounded by the same men who killed my father, the voice in his head echoed again.

  “Well?” Yang Feng was still patiently waiting.

  Long Wei had made his decision.

  “I, Long Wei, from this day forward, will inherit the teachings of Elder Yang Feng. I do this as a token of gratitude for having my life saved twice.”

  Yang Feng didn’t entirely agree with that reasoning, what he truly cared about was protecting the Sky Jade. But even so, he smiled and nodded.

  “There’s just one thing you must agree to,” Long Wei said, his gaze now sharp.

  “Oh? And what is that?”

  Before answering, Long Wei swallowed hard. “A message from my late father: ‘A man should never bow easily to anyone.’”

  Yang Feng’s smile faded for a brief moment before returning.

  “That’s quite an arrogant statement…” The old man then let out a hearty laugh. “But I want you to hold on to that principle for as long as you live.”

  Yang Feng’s laughter echoed through the quiet night. “You don’t need to kneel to acknowledge me as your teacher, nor do I require you to be my disciple in the traditional sense. What matters is that you inherit my knowledge, use it to protect the Sky Jade, and walk the path of righteousness.”

  Long Wei didn’t respond immediately, his thoughts hadn’t reached that far yet.

  His mind was consumed by one thing: his father’s death. The Death Hand. The White Ascetic. Inheriting Yang Feng’s knowledge. And revenge.