How To Polish A Pearl

Chapter 89 - Cultivating (1)

Author's Notes:

I'm baaaaaaack! I was finally able to map out the ending of the story – yes we are approaching the endgame. So hopefully, this means regular updates from now on.

Whilst I was taking a break to figure out how to write the ending I have envisioned for the past 6 months, I have been writing on the other one and hopefully will start posting that when this one is done! I already have eight chapters on it – so stay tuned if you want a fluff piece.

A bit of violence and adult content in this chapter. Enjoy!

⊂ (▀▿▀) つ

Zhou Zi Shu doesn't even have time to think as he drops to avoid the fan that comes flying at lightning speed towards him. Instead he allows all the muscle memory to flow through−not only his core−but his entire being. The powerful qi that surges at his command is empowering and addictive. For every move, every jump, every push and every dodge, memories of his past life comes flooding back. Training and sparring with people dressed in black. People that are alongside him as they stealthily move through the night hunting for their targets. People who calls him "Zhuangzhu". (1) The more he fights the more he remembers. The more he remembers−the stronger he gets.

Pushing off with his right leg he twirls through the air with open arms, the sleeves on his midnight blue colored robe spreads wide like ominous wings on an angel of death descending from heaven. His eyes are focused on the man sprinting towards him on the stone path between the Wu Ying structures. The man has a lethal and amused smile on his face.

When Zhou Zi Shu drops to the ground, he instantly shifts to the left to avoid the fan rushing back behind him. It twirls past him on the right, so close to his hair that he wonders if he lost a few strands, but not close enough for him to care if he did. His move had been perfectly timed. Up ahead, the fan is caught in a firm grip by slender fingers and within seconds it is heading towards him from a different angle.

Not ducking this time, Zhou Zi Shu sprints towards the danger, towards the weapon and towards his opponent. Right before the edge of the fan is set to slit his throat, his feet almost move on their own in an intricate pattern that he has learned to master in the last few days. They sidestep to the right and then back to their initial path. The sweat is running down his back but his qi is strong, his eyes are focused and his heart is calm.

Wen Ke Xing is focusing on the fight, only taking a few milliseconds here and there to enjoy the visual appearance of his husband's evolving fighting ability. When he channels the leader of Window of Heaven, he is agile like a feline and ruthless to the core. Not to mention the robe dancing around his movements making his husband look like a black lily opening up when he spins. Truly breathtaking−

Stopping himself and his thoughts, before they take on a life of their own−likely towards something naked−he gathers his qi until his arms are brimming with strength, waiting for the impending up-close and personal kung fu that usually means that the training is moving towards the end. His dark eyes catches the subtle movement of the fan on its trajectory back towards him, Zhou Zi Shu's head in between. He assesses his opponent and waits for its return.

Instead of dodging, Zhou Zi Shu rotates to the right at the last second. He flips through the air to grab the fan and sprints on the side of the vertical stone wall next to them and around Wen Ke Xing, landing behind him.

Without stopping, Wen Ke Xing keeps running towards the opposite building. He pushes off his left leg, rotates right and lands on top of the roof of the pavilion entry with his face towards Zhou Zi Shu, just in time to spot the fan rushing towards him. He flips himself horizontally to minimize the target area and spins as the fan flies past right above him, splitting his left sleave on its path.