Li Yu scratched the back of his head and smiled apologetically.

  "Sorry about yesterday," Li Yu said. "I didn't want to ruin the vibe. You guys were saying such nice things, it felt awkward to interrupt after a certain point. I didn’t want to be known as well."

  Feng Xi stared at him. She was still sitting on the ground, breathing hard and recovering from her injuries. Her defensive barrier was just starting to fade away.

  She looked at Li Yu.

  He didn't look like the legends described him. He wasn't a ten-foot-tall jade statue with eyes of fire. He was just a young man in simple scholar robes, with messy hair and a sheepish smile. A kind person from their interactions, didn’t take himself too seriously and easy going despite the incredible power he just showed. On top of it all, incredibly young.

  But as she watched him stand amidst the devastation he had caused to protect them, she realized the legends were wrong in the right way.

  ‘He isn't the Jade Statue,’ Feng Xi thought while studying his face. ‘He isn't perfectly chiseled or glowing with divine light. He is... real. He has a warmth that stone lacks.’

  She found him handsome. Not in the way a painting is beautiful, but in the way a sturdy tree or a calm river is beautiful. It was a charm born of confidence and kindness. She didn't feel her heart race with romance but she felt a deep admiration. This was a person she wouldn’t mind following.

  "We..." Feng Wei stammered and he struggled to stand up. "We called you a legend. I said all of those things… To your face."

  "Hahaha," Li Yu laughed. "Think nothing of it."

  Feng Wei continued struggling to his feet but was clutching his side. "You saved us. Again. First our stomachs last night and now my life. We owe you a debt. Hopefully we can pay it back some day."

  "Don't worry about it," Li Yu waved it off. "Just check the rings. Who wanted you dead?"

  Feng Wei and Feng Xi quickly broke the restrictions on the rings which was easy since they were now ownerless. They scanned the contents of the rings. Their expressions grew dark.

  "There is no way to identify who was behind this." Feng Wei reported. "But these tokens... they belong to the Shadow-Viper Hall. The second-ranked assassin organization on the continent. Someone paid a fortune for this hit. We know the assassin organization but we won’t know who hired them."

  "Second best?" Li Yu scoffed. "If you're going to hire assassins, hire the best. Cheapskates."

  Feng Wei extended the rings back to Li Yu. "These are your spoils, Commander. We cannot take them. The investigation yielded no names, only the organization."

  Li Yu accepted them without argument. Loot was loot and Kui had taught him to take everything he could.

  "What now? What will you do?" Li Yu asked.

  "We must return to the sect immediately," Feng Xi said. He looked around and his face was looking anxious. "If someone is hiring the Shadow-Viper to target us, the sect might be in danger too. And... we cannot stay here. If another attack comes, we will endanger the village. The people here deserve peace."

  Li Yu nodded. That was the right answer. He respected that they thought of the village first, even after nearly dying. Li Yu had been impressed by these two from the moment he saw them.

  "Good thinking," Li Yu said.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  "I'm heading your way anyway," Li Yu lied smoothly. "I need to get to the Founding Banquet and your sect is en route. I'll escort you back. It'll be safer. I'd hate for the second-best assassins to try again."

  Feng Wei’s eyes widened in surprise. "You would... escort us? Commander, that is too much. You have already done enough by coming to our aid."

  "Nonsense," Li Yu said. "Plus, your sister promised me Cloud-Tea earlier. I plan to collect. Or were those just empty words?"

  Feng Xi managed a weak but grateful smile. "The best tea on the mountain, Commander. I promise."

  “Please don’t call me Commander. Just Li Yu will do. Let’s go back to how it was before you knew my real identity.” Li Yu said to them with a laugh and smile.

  An hour later after preparations were completed, the sleek jade vessel of the Divine Wind Sect was soaring through the clouds, leaving Green-Hollow Village far behind.

  The atmosphere on the deck was relaxed. The immediate danger had passed and the presence of Li Yu made the siblings feel safe. The inner disciples were healing below deck.

  The group sat around a low table on the deck. Feng Wei had changed into fresh robes, his wounds treated by pills he had as well as Li Yu’s healing technique. Si Luo and Bai Ruo were lounging nearby and enjoying the view. They had grown so used to walking around that they almost forgot what it was like to fly in luxury.

  "So," Feng Wei asked, pouring a fine wine that he had taken out of his storage ring. "The story about the ten thousand beasts... be honest, Commander. Was it true?"

  Li Yu sighed at the story and took a sip of the wine. "A fine wine, thank you. It was mostly exaggerated. There were not that many at the place that story said, the Iron Web Gorge. I fought more than that at the real beast tide though."

  "And the dragon?" Feng Xi asked, eyeing the black bracelet on Li Yu’s wrist.

  "Tekton is a centipede," Li Yu clarified. "He's sensitive about the dragon comparisons. He thinks dragons are pompous and have too few legs. He’s also stronger than any dragon I have seen personally."

  The bracelet vibrated in agreement.

  "Commander," Feng Wei said but his voice turned serious. "Why hide? You have the power to rule this entire region. With your strength, you could claim territory, establish a dynasty. Yet you wander around like a mortal and help others."

  Li Yu leaned back a bit and took a bit of time to watch the clouds rush by.

  "Ruling is hard work, Brother Feng. It's paperwork. It's politics. It's sitting in a chair while everyone else has fun. What would I have to gain by ruling?"

  He gestured to Si Luo, who was currently teaching Bai Ruo how to cheat at cards and then to the horizon.

  "I fought so I could have quiet days. Like that friend Gu with the ducks. If I become an emperor, I lose the ducks. And I really like ducks."

  Feng Wei sat in silence for a moment, absorbing this. It was rare to see someone so powerful but have no desire to rule or lord over something. Usually people with power are in charge of sects, clans or something else. That way they gathered even more resources and grew even more powerful.

  "You are..." Feng Wei shook his head as he was smiling. "You are exactly as the legends say. And nothing like them at all."

  "I'll take that as a compliment. You can judge me for yourself and then perhaps tell some new tales." Li Yu grinned. "Now, tell me about this assassin sect. Where is their headquarters? If they're sending people after my friends, I might need to pay them a visit."

  "The Shadow-Viper Hall is elusive," Feng Xi explained. "They hide in the Mist-Shatter Marshes. But be careful, Commander. Their leader is a Soul Formation expert known as 'The Faceless'."

  "Faceless, huh?" Li Yu cracked his knuckles. "Well, if he doesn't have a face, he won't mind if I don't punch it. I'll just aim for the rest of him."

  The siblings laughed at his joke. The tension of the assassination attempt melted away in the face of Li Yu’s overwhelming confidence. If some of the legends were to be believed, Li Yu had fought and won against stronger foes. The leader of the Crimson Fang for one. They were safe. The legend was more or less real and he was sitting right there. He was drinking their wine and cracking bad jokes.

  As the ship sped toward the Divine Wind Sect, Li Yu looked down at the world below. He hadn't planned on getting involved in another conflict but the universe seemed determined to keep him busy.

  At least this time, he had good company and a clear target. He was willing to help these two because he felt they would make good leaders. If they continued to grow, one day they would be able to impact even better changes. And maybe, just maybe, after he dropped them off, he could finally get back to his vacation. Or find out who hired the assassins.

  "Pass the snacks," Li Yu said. "It's a long flight."

  Si Luo tossed him a bag of dried spirit-fruits. "Catch, 'Jade Statue'."

  Li Yu groaned. "You're never going to let that go, are you?"

  "Never," Si Luo promised with a smirk. "It is my new favorite title for you."