Sundering Nature

TL: ZhaoEditing: Krisaia

“The battle at the edge of the Southern Sea?” Li Yiming asked. He now had a better understanding of Mr. Kong to be able to appreciate his strength. ‘Then Aunt Wu must be phenomenally strong as well…’ 

“Yes, thirty years ago…” Li Huabei sighed and looked toward the south. He began narrating a tale of the epic clash between Mr. Kong and Aunt Wu. 

“It was a clear day. A man wearing red and golden armor stood facing a woman dressed in a blue robe above the sea. It took only an exchange of glances for the sky to be ruptured by a giant dragon in the clouds carrying a golden staff in its mouth. The dragon was met in its descent by the shadow of an azure sword which emerged from a whirlpool that broke the still surface of the water. The clash of the two apparitions caused a giant tsunami to devastate the surroundings. It was as if it was the end of the world. At one point, even the seabed was uncovered from the violent waves, and all of the clouds in the sky were blown to pieces…” 

“Then, the man and woman smiled. Both of them complimented each other for their prowess…” 

“So, they only exchanged one move?” Li Yiming asked, engrossed by Li Huaibei’s story. 

“Of course not. According to the tale, they fought for three days and three nights. At that point, Mr. Kong was forced to use his special technique, The Sky-Breaking Fist, but was shortly countered by Aunt Wu’s Palm of Mercy.”  

“So Aunt Wu won?”

“Aunt Wu pushed her advantage and used her Jade Shattering Palm…” Li Huai Bei continued. 

Li Yiming listened attentively as he gulped a mouthful of saliva.. 

“But Mr. Kong, being the man he is, could not be defeated by such an attack, of course. He unleashed his secret technique as he pointed two fingers at Aunt Wu: Fingers of the Tranquil Sea.” 

“In the end, it resulted in a draw again, both of them smiling and laughing.”

“A battle of the ages” Li Yiming said, still enthralled by the story. He was especially captivated due to knowing both Mr. Kong and Aunt Wu personally. One had changed his life by giving him the invitation card, whereas the other just declared herself as his master. 

“Well, what can I say. You would be a good author on top of being a sage.” Aunt Wu’s amused voice was heard from behind. 

Li Yiming looked at her with newfound admiration. Despite her appearance, he knew that her blade had the power to sunder the world. 

“Aunt Wu!” Li Huaibei saluted, his face still flushed from excitement. 

“Hah! Did you really take that as a compliment? “Sky-Breaking Fist” and “Fingers of the Tranquil Sea”? Did you hear that from Ma Dafang?” Aunt Wu held a blue shopping bag and walked slowly toward the two with a sneering smile. 

“Is Li Huaibei’s story wrong?” Li Yiming’s eyes lit up. He was especially interested in learning about the details of the fight from one of the protagonists herself. 

“You should stop listening to rumors. I was simply enjoying the sun on a beach that day when an old man walked up to me. His face was covered with oil and he kept smoking in my face.”

“So you fought him?” Li Yiming was taken aback This was a radically different start from the one Li Huaibei recounted. 

“How could I? With my graceful manners, fighting at the mildest inconvenience?” Aunt Wu pulled on her sleeves and put her shopping bag to the other hand. 

“So you…” 

“I started yelling at him, of course. Who would have thought that he was an old sore too, refusing to put out cigarette until I won against him.”

“So…” 

“So we played rock paper scissors. On the first round, I played paper and won against rock. On the second round, I still played paper but he won with scissors. Just before we could play the third round, he suddenly changed his mind and put out his cigarette,” Aunt Wu sat down on the bench and pulled out a handkerchief to wipe her sweat. 

'Rock paper scissors? So, the Sky-Breaking Fist and the Palm of Mercy… The Jade Shattering Palm and the Fingers of the Tranquil Sea…’ Li Yiming looked at Li Huaibei with eyes of a deceived man, completely embarrassed at how gullible he was.  

Li Huaibei also froze in embarrassment. 

“Now then, I need to teach my pupil now. Go do whatever you need to do. I need to talk to him and go home to help my grandson with his homework.” Aunt Wu waved her hand dismissively and turned toward Li Yiming. 

“Yes, Aunt Wu.” Li Huaibei recovered his elegant air and bowed toward Aunt Wu before leaving. 

“Are you disappointed?” Aunt Wu asked. 

Regardless of which story was true, it was evident to Li Yiming that Aunt Wu possessed incredible powers, especially after defeating Heaven’s Punishment without breaking a sweat. Li Yiming now sought for power more than ever in order to find out the truth about Mr. Kong. Normally, he would have gone to the latter for help, but after the series of events that had unfolded, he started to have some doubts about the veracity of Mr. Kong’s words.  

“So you said that I’m your pupil now…” Li Yiming said hesitantly. 

“I did say that I was going to take you as my pupil. You’ve knelt three times, and so you are my pupil,” Aunt Wu said with a serious countenance. 

“Master, please accept my respect.” Li Yiming took a deep breath, raised both of his arms high, and bowed down. 

Li Yiming chose to trust Aunt Wu because he trusted Li Huaibei. Li Huaibei was a paragon of honesty, and if he respected Aunt Wu so much, then he could be sure that Aunt Wu meant him no ill.   

“Aren’t you a good pupil.” Aunt Wu smiled like a grandmother. “Alright, here’s a candy for you.” 

“Milk candy?” Li Yiming looked at the drawing on the wrapping of the candy. 

“I bought it for my grandson, but since you’re here. Try it.” 

“Thank you…” Li Yiming took the candy in confusion. 

“What are you waiting for, try it!” 

Li Yiming sighed. ‘Isn’t she supposed to give me some kind of power item as a gift from master to pupil? Instead, I get milk candy?’ 

Li Yiming put the candy to his nose before eating it. ‘Smells normal. There’s no mistake, it’s just the ordinary candy I used to like so much...’ 

Li Yiming licked the candy to make sure one last time and then threw it into his mouth. 

Aunt Wu smiled in satisfaction. 

The next instant, the candy suddenly melted completely in his mouth and turned into a stream of hotness which went down his throat. He felt an explosion of energy in his stomach and suddenly fell down to the ground, limp. 

“What… did you give me?” Li Yiming spat out with difficulty.

“A Fate Pill!” 

* * *

“Are you sure?” Inside a sumptuously decorated office, an old man asked while tapping on the office table with his jade thumb ring. 

“Yes. Ying Mei didn’t lie to us.” A well-dressed man across the table answered cordially. 

“Is the source reliable?” The old man asked as he played around with his jade trinket. 

“Naturally.” 

“Anything else?” 

“There are three other teams hunting him down.” 

“Oh?” 

“But we didn’t figure out their identities yet.” 

“Alright. Make sure you’re careful to conceal yourselves. And keep an eye on Ying Mei. I can’t imagine anyone brought up by Bing Shuai to be short of viciousness.” 

“Yes.” The man nodded and left. 

“Whoever kills Li Yiming will be made a sage… This is my last chance…”