“Qingling, have you gone mad?”

“No father. I just finally decided to do what I should have done as soon as I left the sword sect.” 

“Throw your life away to amend your weakness? Perhaps I should thank you for returning instead of sullying the Huang name elsewhere.” His hand went for the mace strapped to his belt.

“…“ Qingling took a few steps back and raised her sword to point at him. The sharp aura became almost tangible, making him feel cold without even being looked at.

Ku Lo couldn’t keep silent any longer. “Are you really sure of this?”

“Yes. Now stay back.”

“What about you?” Ku Lo asked Gingge who was still atop her horse, looking at the family feud. “What if she loses?”

“She won’t lose. Father isn’t strong.”

“But now she’ll have to kill your…”

“Father,” she said. “I know.”

“Aren’t you going to stop this? To try even? They are your closest family…” 

Gingge’s light-blue eyes turned to stare at him. “Of course I want everyone I love to get along, but this is what my sister deserves for all she went through.” 

“It isn’t really about that… What I mean is—”

“Ha, look you ungrateful mut! Even your kind sister has nothing against you dying. It seems she has finally seen you as the trash you are.”

Ku Lo’s eyes darted back to Gingge and trying to keep his voice low, he exclaimed at her. “what is your father saying? qingling is trash!? it’s time you tell me what’s going on here!”

“Later.”

He was going to demand an immediate answer, but the clashing of metal once again ripped away his focus. 

“I WILL KILL YOU!” Gripping it with both hands, a Qingling seething with rage tried to push her blade through the grip of his mace and into her father’s chest.

The two struggled, until finally she was pushed back. “Oh my? Did you actually think waste like you could catch up with effort?” 

He followed up with a volley of unrelenting sweeps that pushed her around. “The stars don’t lie. And if you can’t-” Clang “accept it, you’re better off dead. Though you probably know this better than I do, heh.”

Because of his monologue, the next strike was a moment late, allowing Qingling to retaliate. “DIE!” The decisive strike approached his head, accompanied by her angry roar.

Countering the single-minded attack, the mace ripped the weapon from her hand. The bright gleam of metal hit the ground four paces from her. Too far to retrieve in combat.

Just like in the courtyard, she seemed so weak. As though she never wielded a sword before.

Qingling managed to conjure a blade just in time for her father’s attack, but it immediately shattered on impact.

Stuck in another attack chain, she lost sword after sword, growing weaker at visible speed. The drain of Qi made her stagger with each strike.

Huang Gen used the chance to get between her and her weapon.

Since they had swapped places, Ku Lo could see her face now. Rage and despair danced on it in unison. 

Even in this disadvantageous position, she tried to hit him whenever he showed openings, earning her cruel counters. Bruises covered her skin together with the ripped clothes. 

It wasn’t just him putting pressure on her. She ignored any chance to gain distance or reach her weapon.

A mad glint flashed in her eyes. With a lunge, she closed the distance. Her father met her with an unbending swing, shattering the blade and arcing towards her shoulder.

But she dived away. A new sword formed in her left hand that aimed at his stomach. 

While the mace cut nothing but air, her jab connected.

Her sword pierced his clothing and… slid off to the side before shattering?

The cut revealed a metal plate harness underneath. It seemed mundane, but the all out attack had left it unblemished.

“Not even petty tricks will save you.” He grabbed her hair. “And as for hitting someone’s stomach.” The mace dropped as he curled up a fist and drove it into her. “This-” Another punch caused Qingling to curl with a groan. “is how it’s done.”

She vomited, but grew unresponsive soon.

“Is it really that hard to accept? You’re useless for cultivation. What was so bad about marrying into another family? Your sister was more kind to you than you’d deserved, but you threw it away and now she’s idling as you get killed! Was it worth it? Answer me, foolish daughter!”

A broken doll, battered by her relentless tormentor. 

Who had his back towards Ku Lo. Even if he probably was too weak to fight him head on, a strike against an unguarded opponent would hit hard. 

But before he could move, a shout sounded from his side. “Sister, don’t listen to him! Nobody could stand in your path, so let him see his blindness! You are an esteemed sword maiden, not a rabid dog!”

Huang Gen half turned. “My dearest Ging’er, she needs to know her place. I know you love her, but this is for her be- ARGHH”

A Qi blade had pierced the hand holding Qingling, who rapidly shifted back. Rather than walking, though, she slid over the ground with a bright trail following her shoes.

When she ground to a halt a few paces away, her pose was abnormally straight for the beating she had just gone through. But the strangest was her face. The emotions drained from it and left behind a cold mask.

With it, the sharp aura returned. Another sword formed in her hand, focusing the feeling of threat until looking at it almost caused him pain.

Her figure blurred and leapt for Huang Gen, who had recovered his mace.

The two collided and resumed fighting. But now, their positions were reversed. Huang Gen bled from his palm and started showing signs of weakness, while his daughter dashed around in unnaturally fluid movements, raining down strike after strike on him.

His defense managed to hold on, though. With the help of his armor, he had yet to receive another grave wound.

And as Qingling fell back, he dived after her, aiming for her head. She dashed back, but was still within range.

As the strike closed in on her, she dodged to the side. The moment her father passed her, she turned and struck.

The sword pierced his neck, nearly cutting it before it shattered.

Blood painted the ground as they fell.

For a moment, no one moved.

Then, Gingge rushed towards her sister’s body. Ku Lo followed.

She turned her around and rested her head in her hands. “Sister, how bad are your wounds?”

There was no response, but Qingling slowly, and apparently painfully, breathed. But regardless of her condition, she had an expression of extreme relief as she drifted into unconsciousness.

“Lo’er, help me carry her. Everyone else, make way!”

Still trying to process the events, Ku Lo did as told and helped Gingge carry her battered sister through one of the buildings, passing corridors and empty chambers.

Finally, she led them into a decorated room filled with a large bed.

Once she was resting on it, Ku Lo turned to Gingge. “We need to get a healer, quickly!”

“There are none in Tihandu. Just a few mortal pill-makers.” Despite stating facts, she became more distressed with every word.

“Then what do we do?”

“Didn’t you heal yourself back then?”

“But I’ve never…”

“There’s no other way!”

“ … You’re right.” He got down next to Qingling and carefully touched her waist.

The strands of Qi moved into his palm and he pushed them to cross over. But he was first met with resistance, then with mind-splitting pain as a foreign Qi entered his hand and began wreaking havoc. 

Even though he ripped off his hand instantly, traces of it remained inside him and made their way up his arm.

Despite them being scattered strands, he had to throw all his Qi against them.

When he opened his eyes, he was covered in sweat and the hand had shallow lacerations at the points of contact.

Gingge stared at him worriedly. “What should we do now?”

“Perhaps- uhrg… try conventional methods. Get water and clean her wounds.”

“Right.” She ran off, but quickly returned with a bronze bowl and some cloth. When he was handed both, he almost dropped them. The metal was searing.

Only with luck and self control did he manage to slowly put the bowl down.

Arriving at the bed, she carefully undressed her sister. The torn clothes were thrown aside and Qingling’s body lay revealed.

Her entire stomach was discoloured and the rest of her body covered in bruises.

At least concerning the cuts, she seemed to have gotten off lightly. While they were by no means light, they barely bled and few were in vulnerable locations.

As for the stomach, they would have to hope for the best.

Gingge meticulously cleaned and bandaged her sister while Ku Lo assisted her.

…

Even when they were done, nobody had even entered the room yet.

He just vaguely remembered the path back to the courtyard, but the cold air from the left open door led him back.

All the Huang family members were still in the same place, staring at the corpse with varying expressions.

When they noticed him, they stepped away from the entrance and lightly bowed.

Her mother waited next to the horses carrying Ku Xie. 

Ku Lo carried her in and told some bystanders to take care of the horses.

They obeyed, but seemed still lost in thought.