Can Bik instantly began to fire off blazing points of light. Gaam Juk Jing dodged each one, the sparks hitting the grass with a sizzle. The smell of scorched vegetation soon filled the air.

Gou Zing had raised the ground beneath himself and the two women, rapidly raising them above Gaam Juk Jing. At the same time, earth and limestone was worn away below Gaam Juk Jing's feet. He leapt nimbly, climbing out of the pit to find a burning net of grass falling from above. His dou blurred, slicing the grass to tiny smouldering shreds that rained around him. The ashes were still hot, but he didn't flinch as he continued his climb up through them. The sides of the pit began to collapse in, too slow; Gaam Juk Jing rose out before it collapsed and headed directly for Zeng Baak-hap, who was standing on the highest mound. He reached her in the blink of an eye, but the ground caved out suddenly beneath their feet. Zeng Baak-hap disappeared into a hole, and the earth curled up and over Gaam Juk Jing like a fist. The grass before him caught fire.

He shot out through the remaining gap between the earth and the fire, directly into Gou Zing's fist, which hit him in the chest, knocking him to the ground, and he plowed several bou before coming to a stop. Recovering and twisting to avoid Gou Zing's next blow, he had no time to retaliate as Can Bik jumped forwards, firing off her points of light.

If he turned to deal with one, the other would take advantage of his change in focus, constantly moving around. He could dodge their attacks but not return them.

Jumping back brought him to the edge of the cliff, and Gou Zing and Can Bik pursued him, harassing him from both sides. With the ground crumbling beneath him and searing points of lights narrowly missing him, he took a running leap off the cliff.

Can Bik and Gou Zing rushed forwards.

“Stop! Come back!” Zeng Baak-hap cried out in warning.

They halted, but Gaam Juk Jing had enough of a break to recover. He shot suddenly up over the cliff edge, his fingers hitting the paralysis acupuncture points at the joints of both of Can Bik's arms. He turned and flicked Gou Zing directly over the heart before the latter could even react. Then he turned to look at Zeng Baak-hap.

She sighed. “It was worth a try. You're just too fast.”

“Are you giving up?”

“What do you think I should do?”

“Stop stalling. I know there's a trap.”

Zeng Baak-hap laughed. “I shouldn't treat you like an dummy, should I? I keep forgetting after hanging around with Gou si hing and Can si mui.”

“Hey! Don't slander your companions like that!”

“Zeng si ze, you're so mean!”

Still, Zeng Baak-hap remained where she was standing. “I'm afraid you'll have to come and get me, Gaam si hing. I can't move from here.”

Gaam Juk Jing disappeared and reappeared only a few bou away from Zeng Baak-hap. She stood perfectly still. His silvery eyes darted around, taking in the grass.

Without warning, he swung Lou Fu Ngaan at Zeng Baak-hap's feet. She dropped instantly, a huge and intricate web of roots and grass disintegrating below her. A cavern of water opened up beneath her.

Gaam Juk Jing jumped straight down, seizing Zeng Baak-hap. Dropping Lou Fu Ngaan, he jumped upwards, curling his foot to send the dou spinning strongly into the cavern wall, where it wedged itself, while reaching for the limestone on the other side. The stone was soft and crumbling, but enough – he jumped from tiny foothold to foothold, emerging from the pit. The others stood waiting nearby.

“Got you.” Zeng Baak-hap, her arms around Gaam Juk Jing's neck, smiled. She had a very narrow wooden needle pressed to Gaam Juk Jing's neck.

“No, you don't,” Can Bik sighed.

Gaam Juk Jing's hair was loose. The metal clasp that had held it in place had been compressed into a tiny flat plate that blocked the wooden needle. He dropped the girl and examined the remains of his hair clasp. “Hm.”

Zeng Baak-hap laughed ruefully and lay flat where she had been dropped. “Now that's cheating.”

Gaam Juk Jing shook his sleeves, and an assortment of coins and miscellaneous metal objects including hinges and beads dropped out. “I always carry a few things to use.”

How the hell did you run around with all that and not make a huge clattering noise?

“So why did you use your hair clasp?” Zeng Baak-hap asked, as he was eyeing the object sadly. Under his gaze, the metal bent back into a clasp-like shape, but it was clear that it would no longer work or look as it had.

“Nearest to my neck. You almost won.”

“That was great!” Gong Lau Jan grinned. “Strategy by Little Zeng, restriction by Little Gou, offence by Little Can. Good teamwork and use of your skills.”

“We still didn't win.”

“You haven't had much experience with fighting. Little Gaam has.”

Three pairs of suspicious eyes turned to look at Gaam Juk Jing, but no one asked any questions.

“We'll be leaving early tomorrow morning. Why don't you go down into the city?” Gong Lau Jan suggested. She grinned at Gou Zing. “You might recognise some of the faces there.”

“Sounds good. Everyone coming?”

“I need to wash up first,” said Can Bik, looking at her scuffed and sweaty clothing. “Give me a moment.”

She ran to the cliffside and disappeared.

“She just keeps getting faster and faster. You'll be in trouble one day, Juk Jing.”

“The two of you should probably wash up as well,” Wong Tang advised.

“Will you be coming too, Master?”

“No, the three of us will stay here. I don't like such crowded places.”

When Gou Zing and Zeng Baak-hap were gone, the Grnadmaster turned to Gaam Juk Jing. “You didn't find her.”

“No, Divine Empress.”

“That's a worry.” Gong Lau Jan grimaced. “That might mean that there's more going on there than just a single, simple troublemaker.”

“We don't have any more time to look for her. Did you send notices out to the different sects?”

“Yes, Divine Majesty.” Maan Ji King's voice was subdued.

“I don't like it.” Wong Tang blew smoke out from between her teeth in irritation. “But we can't give her any more attention right now. You're dismissed, Little Gaam.”

“Yes, Divine Empress.”

“Wait...”

Gaam Juk Jing paused on the very edge of the cliff.

“You did the right thing.”

“... I know, Divine Majesty.”

He hopped over the edge.

---

“Gung Gung!”

“Hey, brat! Why haven't you visited home recently?”

The four disciples had regrouped and descended to the streets of Jukhoi, where the air was simmering with excitement and adrenaline. Small fights kept breaking out everywhere like little fires, but they died out quickly as the competitors kept each other in check. Everyone was itching for the tournament to start.

As they wandered through the streets, a old man, straight-backed and powerfully built, had called out to Gou Zing. They had the same strong eyebrows, the same decisive jaw. The old man wore high-quality robes and a gim at his hip.

Gou Zing strode up to him with a big smile. “I've been busy, Gung Gung. What are you doing here?”

“Watching the tournament, of course. Half the family is here for it. You're taking part, right?”

“Huh? No, no, we're just passing through.”

“We?”

“Oh yeah, come and meet my friends. This is Zeng Baak-hap and Can Bik.”

Suddenly a whole pack of people was crowded around them until they could barely breathe.

“Waaah, two pretty girls!”

“Wait, is this the Zeng Baak-hap? We finally meet you!”

“Can Bik-ah, are you from the Can Family near Maau-dan-si?”

Gou Zing tried to introduce all the faces that popped up in front of the two girls. “This is my Second Uncle, my Third Aunt- Oh, Cousin Hei Lok¹喜樂 (hei2 lok6) – joy.?”

Zeng baak-hap awkwardly tried to fend off all the curious questions, Can Bik moving to shield her despite being shorter.

“Ah, Juk Jing, over here!”

“... Did he say Juk Jing?”

The questioning finally came to a halt as everyone turned to look at the newcomer. Gaam Juk Jing had a chicken skewer in either hand and was eating them like he's never been fed in his life. He continued to try and strain to eat even after Gou Zing pounced on him cheerfully.

“Everyone, this is Gaam Juk Jing!”

If the family were hoping for further explanations, they were disappointed. Gou Zing simply continued to hang around Gaam Juk Jing's neck, sparkling, and Gaam Juk Jing continued to stare regretfully at the chicken skewers that he now couldn't get to his mouth.

Grandfather Gou eventually greeted him gruffly. “Gaam Juk Jing, is it? Pleased to meet you... That dou at your side...”

“Ah, Juk Jing, Grandfather was the one who gave permission for our jade to be used to make your dou hilt.”

Gaam Juk Jing awkwardly bowed, as best he could with Gou Zing dangling around his neck and a stick of chicken in each hand. “Thank you, Gung Gung.”

Who was this kid, calling the patriarch of the Gou Family so familiarly?

Grandfather Gou's face twitched, but he felt he couldn't say anything with his eldest grandson plastered over the boy. “I see you are wearing the robes of the Reflective Arts School of Mount Faa. Have you been at the Sect long?”

Gaam Juk Jing shook his head.

“It's been just over a year,” Gou Zing interpreted.

“Can you not answer for yourself, boy?”

“Sir,” Can Bik interjected anxiously, “Gaam Si Hing is not a very talkative person. Please don't misunderstand, he's not being deliberately rude.”

Grandfather Gou couldn't resist patting her on the head. “What a good girl. Well, if that's how it is. I understand some martial artists have eccentric personalities...”

“Like yourself, Gung Gung?” Gaam Juk Jing asked without malice. Zeng Baak-hap and Can Bik both clapped their hands to his mouth, too late.

Gou Zing hastily stepped between his grandfather and his boyfriend. “Uh... Gung Gung... Juk Jing didn't mean anything by...”

“Well, maybe he did, he's born in the Year of the Monkey, after all,” Can Bik added.

“Can si mui, you're not helping!” Gou Zing yelled, sweating, his grandfather looming closer and closer as a huge, indistinct but clearly angry shape. Suddenly, a small figure popped up between them all.

“Hey, boy, why do you keep looking at the ground? You've got really pretty eyes.” The young woman Gou Zing had addressed as Cousin Hei Lok peered at Gaam Juk Jing with a bright smile.

Gou Zing grabbed Gaam Juk Jing's head and buried it in his chest, arms hiding his face from view. “Hey! No looking!”

“What the heck, Cousin Zing! Why are you being so weird?”

“I'm not being weird! He doesn't like it!”

“Mm mmph mm...” Gaam Juk Jing said, articulately.

Gou Zing released him. “Huh?

“I want to eat,” Gaam Juk Jing said again.

“Your face is red...” Zeng Baak-hap smirked, her eyes foxy. Gaam Juk Jing gobbled the rest of his skewers before Gou Zing could put him back in a headlock.

The expression on Grandfather Gou's face became calm once more. Okay, I understand. “This disrespectful little brat will get a lesson from me later.”

“Uh, Gung Gung, I think you mixed up your thoughts and your speech.”

The rest of the family had already turned their attention back to the two girls, bombarding them with questions. Age? Cultivation level? Skills?

Only Hei Lok seemed interested in Gaam Juk Jing. “What's so special about him, Cousin Zing?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Don't act dumb.”

“I'm not- Laai Laai!”

From behind the crowd of family members, they could just about see the tiny, wizened form of an old woman, bent over a walking stick.

Gou Zing pushed through his family to greet her. “Laai Laai, how are you?”

His grandmother smiled good-naturedly in response, her face crinkling like an old apple. Gou Zing gestured Gaam Juk Jing over.

“Let me take those sticks... Laai Laai, this is Gaam Juk Jing. Juk Jing, this is my Laai Laai. Can you look after her? She's not a cultivator, she has no spiritual powers, so she is very frail. She means a lot to me, do you understand?”

“NO!” Everyone was almost knocked flat by Grandfather Gou's shout. He practically teleported to his wife's side, hiding her with voluminous sleeves. “I'm not letting that little brat come anywhere near my precious Sek Jing²石英 (sek6 jing1) - quartz.!”

“Gung Gung.” Gou Zing's voice was was firm as rock. “Perhaps you don't understand Gaam Juk Jing's personality, but believe me when I say that Laai Laai will be safer with him than with anyone else here.”

“What are you saying, you brat?”

“I'm saying I would trust Juk Jing with my life, and I'd trust him with Laai Laai's too.”

The two men glared at each other.

“If anything happens to her-”

“Nothing will happen to her, Patriarch Gou,” Gaam Juk Jing said quietly.

Grandfather Gou felt a soft hand pat his own. His wife smiled sweetly up at him.

“... Sek Jing...” He made a pitiful face. “Tell me immediately if this boy is bad to you!”

Gaam Juk Jing held out his hand to the old lady, who continued to smile as she took it. She was as light as a bird, even as she leaned on the young man's arm. She looked into his face and nodded cheerfully.

Grandfather Gou coughed gruffly and turned back to his grandson. “Are you really not competing?”

“I'm afraid we have other business, Gung Gung. We'll come and watch some of the tournament, though. Who would you recommend seeing?”

“Ah, well, there are a few strong contenders this year...” Grandfather Gou threw an arm around his grandson and they walked away, chattering about this cultivator and that martial artist, although not without one last glare from the Gou Patriarch in the direction of Gaam Juk Jing.

“So, what's your relationship with Cousin Gou?” Gou Hei Lok asked Gaam Juk Jing.

“Boyfriend,” Gaam Juk Jing replied bluntly.

Can Bik smacked her forehead. Zeng Baak-hap sighed into her sleeve. The Gou Family members who had not followed Gou Zing and the family head stared at Gaam Juk Jing, speechless.

“No wonder!” Gou Hei Lok exclaimed, clapping her hands. “He looks at you the way Gung Gung looks at Laai Laai. Hopelessly romantic, both of them. But Juk Jing... Can I call you that?”

A sinister smile crept across her face.

“Cousin Zing is the eldest of our generation in the great Gou Family. He has a high reputation as a cultivator – if he competed at this Dragon and Phoenix Tournament, he would crush everyone easily. He's handsome, and has a good personality. What makes you think you can stand by his side?”