Chapter 21, Pain

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He couldn't forget the feeling of her hand. Cold.

The knight remained silent. He laid the dead body on the ground before walking away.

He walked like he was about to fell anytime. The helmet he wore covered his expression. Every day, he feared this type of outcome would happen. Persuading her to live a simple life, she always refused.

But he can't blame her, as this was his fault and he knew it deeply inside. Being too preoccupied with fighting, that he didn't...

Looking around, he found his once dead unit. As a leader, he failed them, 'Sheirl, John, Toin, Diteir...' reminiscing all their names.

They always tried to cheer him up and start a conversation. Though it's too late now to repay their kindness.

Farengoth finally reached Ming Lu before asking him, "Now tell me..."

"Tell you wha-", before he could finish, his thigh was stabbed on.

"Tell me everything... from the start... who you're working for..." Said Farengoth with lots of pauses.

Ming Lu didn't speak, and just stared at the Knight.

"I bet your little sorceress over there was a virgin. Haha."

The knight wasn't fazed by his words but instead brought out a vial and forced it inside the man's mouth. He, with force, helped him swallow it entirely.

"What... did *cough* you give me..."

The knight stabbed the man's hand and unlike last time, he agonizingly screamed.

"We might look like saints to the people.... but in truth... everyone has a devil in them." He continued making Ming Lu scream horridly. "So, how's my personal concoction? Not only it slows slow your heart rate but also increases your sensitivity to pain by folds."

Later on, he learned many things.

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Inside the Inn

Lihua was on the bed laying sideways with one of her arm supporting her head as she watches the sky from the window.

She then asked, "What was it like before my sis took you in?"

Tengfei looked to his side before tilting his head and answering, "What's with the sudden question?"

"Just tell me... I'm bored." She said before rolling on the bed left and right.

He sighed before replying, "Well it was pretty rough. I had to do every means to survive."

Lihua listened carefully as her eyes showed curiosity.

"There came a time where I met this girl. Her name was hard to pronounce due it being common language but till now I still remembered it. Tinia, she was called. She was the same as me... A poor orphan surviving the streets."

Hearing about another girl aside from her causes a weird sensation to appear.

Tengfei then continued, "She was the first girl I loved and cared. Though we were young, I knew my feelings very well. Though it was the last feeling nevertheless."

Hearing his first love caused Lihua's heart to cramp and she felt slightly suffocated. She then uttered out, "...Why was it your last?"

He averted his eyes to that question before gazing upon the ceiling. After a short amount of time, he finally answered, "It was simple, she... betrayed me."

"…" Lihua didn't speak.

"It took place on noon where she invited me to have some food that she personally stole. I was happy as I held her hands to the place. What I found out next was that there was a man awaiting me. A slave trader.

I knew something was up and so tried to run but Tinia kept me at bay. Gave enough time for him to catch on to me. Luckily though I had a knife and I used it against him. Right on the hand I stabbed. He let go and I pushed Tinia away before running as fast as I can. The man ran after me but I was cunning enough to trick him into something.

I turned to the left after going through an alley before I awaited just by the corner for his arrival. With his speed and the blade of my knife facing his stomach, it caused a fatal wound. He tumbled before succumbing to the ground awaiting death.

Tinia came afterwards and when she saw me, she fell to the ground. Blood was indeed covered on my hands and some on my face. She pleaded for forgiveness as she cried while telling that she was promised food."

Lihua listened attentively. Tengfei closed his eyes before continuing, "I forgave her at that time and thought we could go back to normal... but it didn't end like that. When I turned at that time, I felt an accute and sharp pain on my back. What I found next was that she stabbed me. Though it wasn't deep due to her lacking in strength but... it traumatized and stunned me. I didn't know that you could get betrayed twice in a row, I was too gullible. I turned and with my knife stabbed her... At that moment, I didn't care about the pain behind me but instead... the thought of killing off the one you loved.

She fell to ground writhing in pain while tears fell. I dropped my knife and didn't know what to do whether she deserved It or if I was wrong. Tinia, before her death, she looked at me tearfully while saying, 'I did it all... to escape... this sort of... lifestyle. Tengfei, their voices won't leave us...' to my face."

Tengfei opened his eyes before sighing out, "Ater her death, another man came after me who I suspected was one of the ones who tricked her into this. I escaped in time thankfully. Though the scar, both physical and mentally, never healed."

While hearing his past, Lihua had many sorts of feelings. From pain, anger then sadness. She even understood some of the reason why he...

"After that event, I grew shrewd and didn't trust anyone though that event still lingers in me till now. At that time, I thought bout me and Tinia already overcame the worst part of our lives... by my foolish past decision. But now It's as if... no matter how many times I wash my hands, there's always blood on it. Even the repeated moments kept playing in my dreams back then. " Tengfei said.

"...Do you still have that sort of dream?" She asked with a caring tone.

"Sometimes... though now a days it was coming back even more. But I don't care anymore, as it's just a dream." He then showed a forced smile

Lihua closed her eyes, "I see. Now continue, I want to hear more of your past."

"You're a curious one. Aside from something... there was nothing much important aside from meeting your sister."

"So, tell me about it." She demanded.

"Maybe another time~" He said teasingly.

She puffed her cheeks before crossing her arms.

Lihua then looked at him caringly before saying, "I really appreciate for telling me about your past."

He just waved his hand and gestured like it was not a big deal. Though he recalled again the moment when he stabbed that man in the throat from the back. And the amount of corpses surrounding him. Many of them... being people he knew.

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Sometime later

"I'm leaving to find some inscription technique, Tengfei." Lihua told before opening the door.

Tengfei closed his book before asking, "Take my sword with you."

The princess tilted her head before replying, "What for... Or is it that you're scared for my safety..."

He sighed before saying, "Just take the damn sword."

She complied after looking at his worried eyes. This was the first time that he showed a worried expression.

Lihua took the sword before heading to the market area.

When she reached there, just like before... a sense of Déjà vu could be felt. Her head turned to look into an alley to find the pleadings of someone desperate.

Her master then spoke out, 'Ignore that and continue on and get to the inscription shop.'

Normally she would comply, if it weren't for the blade she's wielding. She felt confident with her past training with her sister.

She hid next to corner as her head peeked to events that arose inside.

The person who had tears about to break had a knife next to his throat. Two men were beside him acting like the degenerates there supposed to role.

She heard one of the men spoke out, "Ye're an info broker, right? Tell us all what ye know about that infamous guild which even caused King Elric to deploy his men."

The man hesitated before replying back, "I don't know what... you're saying, sir."

"I bet ye would remember when I have ye swallow ye're own eyeballs like pills for damn cultivating." Said the man before pressing his knife closer.

She unsheathed her sword before brandishing it towards the men while yelling out, "Leave him alone filths, or else your throats will have its first taste on cold iron."

Her master yelled to her, 'You fool! Just run!'

She ignored it though.

Lihua ran before raising her sword and then swinging it with grace. Though her foe removed his blade from the scabbard before parrying the attack and immediately aiming to slice her.

She felt fear before blocking the attack... though she was too weak to sustain the brute force.

Her sword fell, and her guts was punched with full force. She fell on her behind before vomiting out what she ate.

The other man placed his knee on her before showing his dagger. Afterwards he swallowed some sort of red pill with eyes filled with anticipation.

...

He then with a malicious look slowly carved her skin from the neck to the cheek skillfully without harming the veins, arteries or nerves. The man also ignored the tears, noise and beatings from her.

'No... No... No no no no' , She thought while mustering her entire strength to escape. She felt the dreaded fear of having her life snuffed out.

Her arms were then held in place by the other man, as the blood flowing from her cheek and neck were licked cleanly by the disgusting freakish man.

Lihua's skirt was cut open before 'that' place was felt. Her body spasmed before shouting horribly. No one came to rescue. It was no fairy tale where the evil gets punished in time.

The poor princess's face was disfigured by the punch given to her.

After roughly slicing off her dress and undergarment, the man licked his lips, before proceeding to lightly carving a line from her shoulder to one of her breasts. Blood flowed.

His other hand then slipped into her womanhood. Something entered her as she couldn't help but violently move around, "Tight, something which I missed..." The man said.

When he was going to go further... A voice was shouted out to them.

"Stop! Right there criminal scum!!" Yelled a guard wearing a helmet and a chainmail.

The bandit sneered while brandishing his sword and approached the guard to hack him down. But half way through the motion he was already staggered by the guard's punch.

Next thing the bandit knew, there was a blade in his mouth. His eyes showed disbelief at the guard's speed.

The guard then sliced with the blade horizontally 180 degrees, cutting the cheeks partly before landing on the other man's neck behind him.

The head flew slightly after being cut, before rolling on the ground. Without even stopping, he finished off the blood mouthed man by skewering his torso and twisting the blade. Knowing that both of them were dead, he sheathed his blade.

He sighed, before eyeing the whimpering young lady who had her hands covering her parts with the little cloth she has. Her eyes were dark and hollow and showed a sense of disbelief.

The guard bent down before saying, "I'm a failure as a guard to let this happen... Though at least you're lucky a hurried middle-aged man called out for me..." His eyes trailed around the girls wound and body, then continued, "Or else something much worse would've happened."

He then tried to help the girl but she... Just shivered in place before hugging her knees. Everytime she forced her to get up, she would just scream and yell out "Let me go!!".

The guard clenched his fist tightly before punching the nearby wall out of anger. After muttering something, he sighed before walking away after saying, "Hope this event will not anchor and sunk you down the lonely sea but instead help you float."

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Later on, you could find Tengfei running with all his strength through the market while a voice leads him, 'Right there, into that alley.'

When he entered, Tengfei almost fell to his knee. He barely recognized Lihua if it weren't for her hair color.

The blood flowing down her cheek and places, the haggard look, clothes thorn here and there, tears falling and her dead empty eyes.

He immediately went to her side before asking while tearing his cloth to at least cover the wounds. Though when his hands got closer to her. Lihua moved away before covering herself and shivering. She whimpered.

His heart was aching as he tells her, "Lihua... It's me, Tengfei..."

Again, he tried moving close to her but she pushed him away with no strength behind it. Like an abused cat not wanting to feel that pain once again. Her eyes looked at him with complete fear and haziness.

"Please Lihua! Let me treat the wound or else... you'll die!", He yelled out with a tone filled with caring.

This time, his voice resounded in her before she raised her head and saying softly, "Tengfei..."

Her hands reached out, he grabbed it. The fragile, cold, shaky and weak hands triggered something in him. Like his soul wailing.

His eyes dimmed before in his vision saw glowing points connect with each other before forming a large shape of a wolf's face.

A glow appeared. It was a bright and soothening glow from his hands. Warm and a sense of tranquil. Resembles the color of the snow.

Somehow, he knew what this was. Tengfei held his glowing hand close to her face and a miracle happened.

The open wound slowly but surely closed and what remained was a scar. Her once disfigured face returned to normal.

He then did the same for the other places.

His glowing hands increased the blood clothing speed tremendously, recovered damaged nerves, but it was not perfect. As the scar remained.

Lihua watched in disbelief as she wipes away her tears. Though the wounds were healed, the pink scar moving from her shoulder to her...

Will always be there and would haunt her for life.

After healing away the wounds... Tengfei looked at her before saying, "Sorry... I was late." He formed a fist as he grits his teeth from remembering what her state was. There was a strong urge to kick around the individual's dead body around him. Strangely he felt some sort of exhaustion after healing.

Tengfei was grateful though to the person who helped her from what that 'voice' told him.

He looked at Lihua and knew what to do at this moment. He had to hug her and assure that she felt safe. But he couldn't do it from the fear of invoking that trauma again. It was not only that... he still feared what happened way back then... the feeling of getting close then betrayal.

'But... I can't just leave her be... I need to do something even...', He thought.

Though he knew the risks he still went for it. He wrapped his arms around her before gently hugging her. Caressing the back of her hair.

Lihua was shocked and almost felt like moving away... but she knew very well his scent. Her eyes slowly teared up. Her protesting arms stopped.

She then said out, "It was painful... they abused me... they tainted me... I thought I was dead... that I couldn't see sister and... You anymore..."

Lihua hugged him back fiercely while crying her eyes out.

Tengfei was... surprised as to how she really thought of him even when near death. He was puzzled until he figured out that she might...

"I'm here Lihua... and even though it's something that you would hear from books, nevertheless I swear to never let you suffer again. It was my fault... for leaving you alone." He said before closing his eyes.

Lihua shook her head before saying, "I was too confident..."

Tengfei only now, knew how weak she is. Her body felt light and soft. He always thought she was someone who could step on ordinary people with ease. But she... lost her cultivation and what's left is now what he's holding.

"Let's return." He said with a warm tone.

She nodded in response.

Tengfei removed his shirt before letting her wear it. He then carried her

They went back to the inn, on their way there, some people questioned them. Her dress and looks were eye catching.

Lihua went into the bathroom before taking a bath. She... was depressed and scared remembering as to what happened today.

After changing her clothes, she laid down on the bed before staring at the wooden ceiling above with hazy eyes.

Tengfei didn't know what to do for her sake.

Lihua turned to face him before saying, "Can... you do me favor."

He looked at her eyes before replying back ,"Sure."

"Hug me... till I sleep...", She didn't blush as usual but instead felt scared from rejection.

Lihua cowered before him.

The grey haired young man laid next to her before extending his arms. He then grabbed her behind before hugging her back. He didn't show, but inside, there seems to be a thorn causing pain. The image of another girl on the floor dying appeared once again.

The princess after she felt him, then said, "I know you can't feel any love to me, but just for this once... Even if it is pretentious."

He didn't reply back, he was silent and couldn't utter a word. Tengfei knew very well that she's in pain and a good way to help her was to show that someone cares about her.

Though he couldn't bring him to do so as said... it would be a fake feeling. But she's not some random stranger. If he wanted to start a relationship... it would be slowly and not taking advantage of this event. He knew if he loved her back now, the bond would be temporary. A shallow one.

Also, another reason was Tinia. She engraved something in him that made it hard to accept love from someone else.

He finally said after struggling, "Maybe not now but the future upholds many possibilities, you know?"

Hearing his words, Lihua closed her eyes before turning around and snuggling on his chest. She felt calm and safe from his scent as she says to him, "I'll be aggressive from now on..."

"You can try." He said before smiling.

She raised her head before asking with a tone filled with curiosity, "Also... how do you feel of my scar? Did it make me ugly?"

He looked at the sharp slightly wide scar from neck to cheek before saying, "Well... Do you want my honest opinion?"

She nodded in response while slightly trembling.

Tengfei then said, "It looks hot." Before averting his eyes.

"?!" Lihua didn't expect

Both of them didn't noticed that Huan opened and closed the door after seeing their lovely moment with each other on the bed.

Huan after closing door, turned around before asking the lady leaning on a wall, "Do you have an extra bed inside your room...?"

The lady, Li Meixiu, rolled her eyes before replying back, "Even if there was one, I wouldn't allow a man to sleep in my only safe room in this town with me."

"If you keep this up, the only person who ever slept with you till death might be your parents you know?" Said Huan.

She furrowed her eyebrows before entering her room and shutting the door behind her.

"I guess I'll just sleep downstairs... Again." Huan said before sighing.

'I worked hard for that room...' He thought while going down the stairs.

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