Simo

Special thank you to my Patrons Edward Garcia, Adigio, Legion, Adam D.F, Belduim, Bob Semxy, Fish, Jake Hewitt, Graeme Kent, Duncan Bauer.

Deep under the empress palace, in a dark secluded room sat an old bald man. A deep aura of death surrounded him, his body looked like that of a mummy as he sat there cross-legged, one would even mistake him to be dead.

This was the ancestor of the Song kingdom, the hidden expert Wan Lijie. His cultivation base had long since stopped progressing at the late stage Gold core, his only choice was to save whatever strength he had left to protect the Kingdom when needed.

As he sat there with his eyes closed deep in meditation, an unfathomably chaotic aura full of malice and power, one he had never felt before suddenly washed over him. His closed eyes shot wide open as he turned to stare at the direction where the aura came from, Omis's little wooden shop.

The pressure the aura brought with it passed as quickly as it came leaving him confused, before he could manage to locate where exactly it had come from, it disappeared completely as if something or someone blocked it from this world.

"A hidden expert?" His hoarse voice sounded as he asked himself.

"Whoever it is, his power is truly unfathomable. Someone like that is in my Song Kingdom..." His eyes were squinted into slits as his old heart sped up in worry. Closing his eyes once more, Wan Lijie sent out a stream of his Qi to call out for his servants.

Not long after, the familiar two shadowy figures silently materialized inside the room as they dropped to their knees giving out a respectful bow. "Master, you called." The Shadow guards both spoke simultaneously their heads still hung low.

"Did you bring back little Wan Da?" He asked, his eyes piercing right through the guards causing shivers to run down their spines.

"Yes master, the young mistress is already back in the palace." Replied the male shadow guard.

"Oh? That girl came back willingly?" Asked the old man in a voice full of curiosity.

The female guard was the one to reply this time, "Yes master, we did not have to do anything, we had met her on her way back already, and as soon as she arrived she ordered that no one is to disturb her before going into close doors cultivation."

"Hmmm, how particular what could have caused that child to suddenly change her mind and leave that beloved shop of hers behind." Muttered Wan Lijie as he rubbed his chin deep in thought.

Sensing their master's curiosity, the duo looked at each other before nodding, then the male guard spoke up.

"Umm, M-Master..."

"Hmm? What it is, speak up." Ordered the old man, as he sensed the hesitation in his subordinate's tone.

"The young lady has given orders to everyone to not come anywhere near her shop..." Replied the female guard.

"And? What's strange about that? That child never was always so protective of her little shop." Asked Wan Lijie as he failed to understand why would the shadow guards suddenly bring this up.

Hearing his master's question, the male guard swiftly replied. "The young lady has apparently sold her shop and still ordered everyone to keep their distance away from it, according to her orders anyone that came closer to the shop would be considered a traitor to the kingdom."

Listening to the shadow guard's report, Wan Lijie's face took a sudden change as a strange expression found it's way on it. "Traitor to the Kingdom? Little Wan Da had never taken things to such extreme lengths before, how did she look like when you met her."

The female guard was the one to reply to his question, "The mistress looked ecstatic as she made her way out of the store."

"Ecstatic?" Asked Wan Lijie in confusion.

Taking over, the male guard continued speaking, "Yes master, she looked very happy, I had never seen the young mistress make such face before."

Nodding the female guard added, "And when she mentioned not going anywhere near her shop, an expression of deep respect took over her face."

"Respect?! That Brat?!" Shocked Wan Lijie was unable to contain his temper as he shouted.

Shivering, the guards remained silent as Wan Lijie's Gold core aura slipped out of his body causing them to be unable to breathe before he quickly restrained himself.

Letting out an embarrassed cough, Wan Lijie spoke, "Cough...You may leave."

"Yes, master!" Both of the guards replied at the same time before their bodies silently blended with the dark surroundings and disappeared leaving the old man behind with a confused expression on his face.

"That brat being respectful? That's something I can't imagine, does she even know what respect is? She never showed me any before that's for sure..." He quietly muttered to himself as he rubbed his temples.

"For someone to earn her respect, their power must truly be at an unimaginable level."

"Wait! That aura from before!" As if struck by lightning, the old man's face suddenly changed as realization dawned upon him.

"That brat is not stupid, the guards said she looked ecstatic when she left the shop so something good must have happened...Could this expert have bestowed her with a treasure? A treasure that would make even that brat respect this person and the fact that she made an order so no one would come close to the shop is testimony enough of this expert's strength."

Letting out a long sigh, Wan Lijie's eyes wandered to the ceiling as he muttered. "What are you planning little one, I'll trust your judgment this time as you have never failed me before and won't make any move, for you to show respect to this person must mean he or she is not someone we could afford to offend."

Carrying his head down, the old man let out another tired sigh before he closed his eyes and resumed his meditation.

"I truly hope I made the right choice." Muttering these last words, the Old man resumed his cultivation cutting himself out of all worldly affairs.