Chapter 4
Towards the East winds
Spring takes over after the darkest winter in Yuwen Yue's life. While walking down a busy street, he bumped into a young man dressed in simple peasant clothes. Yuwen Yue took a quick glance and was reminded of someone from his past. In his early twenties, the young man looked both handsome and striking. He worked as a longshoreman at night and trained at the Shaolin temple during the day.
Though the young man appeared immature, he possessed a golden attitude. Often bullied, he was regularly involved in gang fights around the city. Despite being publicly beaten by gangsters, the young man rarely fought back. At the Shaolin temple, he lived by the temple's values, embracing the life of a humble monk by day, while at night he worked as a spy, engaging in espionage. He had sworn an oath to use his martial arts skills only when defending the innocent or in dire need for self-defense. Most of the time, he chose not to fight, resisting the urge to harm others. Instead, he would close his eyes, pray, and hum in peace. A simple man, he earned his living as a laborer, loading and unloading cargo ships, and donated part of his earnings to the poor. Beneath his outwardly conceited attitude, he was a noble young man with a good heart.
At an early age, Zuo Zong had been left at the Shaolin temple by his father, who was later killed at the Shangxi docks. His father, a foreigner, had come to China to visit the Luoyang Shaolin temple with his two sons, Zuo Shan and Zuo Zong, the elder brother. Tragically, his father was pursued by rival assassins, and Zuo Shan was captured by them. Zuo Zong's father was a renowned mercenary who had served feudal warlords in Japan, skilled in espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination. He had brought his sons to the temple for training, but his life was cut short by ruthless ninja assassins.
Believing Zuo Zong to be dead, the assassins spared the boy. Zuo Zong had tried to defend his father, but as a mere child, he was powerless. The assassins viewed him as insignificant, and his older brother, Zuo Shan, offered himself in exchange for Zuo Zong's life. Before being taken, Zuo Shan left his brother with a jade stone and said, "Do not be afraid, we shall meet again."
As Zuo Zong watched his brother disappear like mist, he was left holding his father's lifeless body. The boy passed out. When he woke, he was back at the Shaolin temple. The monks, having witnessed the tragic event, took him in and cared for him. He was still too young to protect himself.
Years passed, and the monks ensured that Zuo Zong mastered Kungfu. He became the future of the martial art, young, sharp, and precise in his abilities. He rose to become the youngest Kungfu Master at the Shaolin temple, admired by the elder monks for his skills. Zuo Zong had already completed many secret missions using his martial arts talents.
Since Yuwen Yue emerged from the icy lake and survived his own tragedy, he had kept his true identity hidden. Reinventing himself, he avoided returning to Wei or the Green Hills courtyard. He journeyed through deserts and ravines in the East, surviving day by day. He worked and spoke like a common servant, ensuring no one recognized him as the missing Master of the Eyes of God.
During his time in the desert, enduring harsh winds and countless sandstorms, Yuwen Yue's memories often returned to him. He never forgot and believed that one day, all paths would lead back to Xinger. If she was still alive, Yuwen Yue promised himself that he would return to her. And those who had torn them apart would face their reckoning.
Yuwen Yue remained handsome despite his rugged appearance, and his cold gaze could bring anyone to their knees. His princely stature exuded calm, like the still waters of early spring. He made sure not to draw attention or gain favors from others. Yuwen Yue worked, met his own needs, and was always capable of protecting himself.
At the end of each day, Yuwen Yue reminded himself to focus on the bigger picture.
He glanced at the address where he was to deliver a parcel, a square-shaped wooden box picked up and packed from a seafood restaurant. He worked part-time as a peddler. His current life was vastly different from his previous one. Where he once had servants, now he worked for himself. The only thing that hadn't changed was how people were still drawn to him. Fellow peddlers followed him around and often requested his courier services to deliver important items to the wealthy lords of the East.
"I found the place," Yuwen Yue whispered as he checked the address in his pocket.
He knocked on the door but noticed several women watching him, whispering among themselves. Yuwen Yue furrowed his brows and gave them a cold look.
A rugged man in his forties, with a robust build and a stern face, opened the door.
Yuwen Yue stepped inside to deliver the parcel.
The man took the parcel, but Yuwen Yue was left waiting for payment. No one came. He found this rude and clenched his fists, tempted to teach the man a lesson. Just as Yuwen Yue was about to leave, the man returned, this time with four other men. They dragged Yuwen Yue inside the lodge and locked him in a cell.
He didn't react quickly; Yuwen Yue was known to be slow in his childhood. He allowed them to drag him without resistance. Suddenly, he found himself in a cell full of haggard-looking men. Yuwen Yue stared at them sharply, like a blade, before closing his eyes to meditate on the situation.
He sensed every slight movement, thinking quickly and controlling his twitching palms. Either he would end up beaten, or these men would regret crossing him.
Suddenly, loud noises erupted outside the cell.
Drum rolls echoed, and dragging sounds filled the air.
The door near Yuwen Yue's cell was left slightly opened, and he saw a crowd gathered on the first floor, cheering.
On the balcony, money was being thrown on the ground. This place resembled a cockpit, but there was no cockfighting. Instead, several warriors in combat costumes, many of whom appeared to be foreigners, were preparing for battle.
Yuwen Yue noticed a man wearing a black mask, his face concealed, dressed as a ninja warrior. He had no sword at his waist, but he was driving the crowd wild.
Amidst the noise and the cheering crowd, Yuwen Yue smirked and whispered, "Everything is a giveaway."
The spectators placed their bets on the black-masked ninja, while a group of scruffy-looking young men collected them before the fight began.
This was a man-to-man fight, with no weapons allowed, just pure martial arts.
Yuwen Yue believed he had stumbled upon a secret fighting arena where warriors could earn money from paid bouts. And he might have been right.
The humbled master composed himself and recalled his principles.
Yuwen Yue was a master who followed the rules.
In his former life, as the Green Hills courtyard master of the Eyes of God, he had taught his slaves a strict code: "A slave obeys." If not, disobedient heads would roll. Whenever a crime was committed, someone had to pay for justice to be served.
Yuwen Yue thought to himself that he couldn't fight, not this time. It was the spring season. As he finished his self-reflection, a man approached and dragged him away.
True to what he had just witnessed, this was indeed a hidden place for savage fighters.
Yuwen Yue was forced to watch the current match.
For the first time, his blood stirred at the sight of such an exciting fight. His eyebrows creased, and rarely in the past, and even now, had he been so impressed by someone.
Today, however, he found himself captivated by what he was witnessing. The view from his position was remarkable.
The man in the black mask was executing a "Kata."
As Yuwen Yue observed the fighter's movements, memories of his past began to resurface. Although he couldn't see the man's face, the way he moved reminded Yuwen of someone close to him, someone from the Yuwen household.
"The Seventh Yue," Yuwen Yue almost shouted, but his voice was drowned out by the roaring crowd, their excitement reaching a fever pitch.
It seemed the black-masked ninja had many fans. His opponent, however, was a large, muscular man with a broken nose, thick eyebrows, and scars on his shoulders, clear signs this wasn't his first fight.
The contender's expression twisted with rage as he charged at the black-masked ninja, ready to end the match.
But the black-masked fighter, a crowd favorite, performed a dazzling move, suddenly appearing behind his opponent. In one swift motion, he snapped the man's arms and grabbed his legs, sending the contender crashing onto his back.
Amid the cheering crowd, the black-masked ninja made direct eye contact with Yuwen Yue. Both men locked eyes, and for a moment, the black-masked fighter seemed startled.
Yuwen Yue, deep in thought, could only see the resemblance to the Seventh Yue.
From the look of confusion in the black-masked ninja's eyes, it was clear he didn't recognize Yuwen Yue.
As the master's senses sharpened, Yuwen Yue began to consider something, he was ready to break his own rules.
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