That Fair-Faced 'Sage' {Completed}

50. The Demon Aisle 1

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"Allow your son to die... Or come with me..."

He opened his eyes suddenly, waking from the dream.

Well he wasn't sure if it was a dream or a memory, but he had dreamt the same thing from an early age.

After a few moments of silence, he touched his feet to the ground, got off the bed, and headed to the window.

It was raining outside, and torrents of rain drops beat against his windows, yet he opened it, allowing the cold wind to douse him with the water droplets, as if to awaken himself further.

He stood there for a while, reliving the vision, knowing that the beautiful woman was his mother, and the child was him.

But he didn't dwell on it too long.

He was about to shut the window, when an all but silent swish, caught his attention, and his irises darted westward, toward a part of the surrounding bamboo grove.

He nearly missed it, but he could make out a burst of energy from within the grove.

He reached for an outer robe and threw it over himself, not bothering to belt it. Then he motioned with two fingers, and an umbrella shot into his hand.

Shuǐ ChénLín silently left the lodge and entered the bamboo grove, being extra careful to hide his presence.

He hadn't walked too long, when he reached a clearing and stood in awe, as his eyes witnessed a magnificent sight.

A slight figure in bright red robes, was training in the falling rain.

He moved flawlessly, seamlessly... Like he was one with the sleek black sword he wielded, to a point where it was difficult to tell where he ended, and the sword began.

It was a technique Shuǐ ChénLín recognized, as he watched the figure slice as many raindrops as possible, before they could hit the ground.

There were no wasted movements, as his every stance was executed perfectly, and he twirled through the air in magnificent arcs, effortlessly shifting from swing to thrust...

Leap to Lunge...

Evade to attack...

Sending bursts and spirals of aura above and around himself.

A dazzling vision of red, staining the grey and rainy night...

He looked like a master's calligraphy in motion, but the character's were in a bright red ink, against a black canvas...

However, the awe was broken when, after one magnificent leap through the air, and a graceful downward spiral, the figure stopped suddenly, and his aura died away.

"Elder brother, you're good at hiding your presence, but if you stare at me so intently, I have no choice but to notice you." LanFen's sword vanished, and she swivelled to see Shuǐ ChénLín at the edge of the clearing, shielded from the rain by an umbrella.

It was the oddest thing for Shuǐ ChénLín...

It was as if the rain drops fell just a little slower, or the wind blew just a little calmer, but suddenly, the clearing had become quiet.

The air was filled with a strange warmth, despite the cold rain, and all he could see was the dazzling person before him.

He shook his head, snapping out of the trance-like state.

"Zhao LanFeng." He began, his eyes sweeping over his disciple's appearance. For some reason, the brilliant red colour completely complimented Zhao LanFeng's pale features.