Chapter 146: Shu Nan

“Why can’t I come?” Shibi said

“I need you to pretend to be me.” Zen said. “In case he comes and checks up on me.”

“I don’t like him.” Shibi said.

“Then we have something in common.” Zen said. “Please Shibi, just do this for me.”

Shibi grumbled. “I want more peaches.”

“Thanks.” His hand laid on Shibi’s head of a moment. Zen opened the flap of his tent slowly. Then on tipy toes, he snuck out of the camp. When he was sure he was out of earshot, he sprinted toward the city.

He walked through the city, turning into alleyways. For a moment, he was scared that he was lost but he eventually found his way, getting to the alleyway where he had met the strange woman. The dark alleyway was empty.

He walked deeper into the alleyway. “Hello.” He said. “I’m here.”

“Your late.”

He turned around with a start. The woman was standing their, blocking the way out of the alley. “Sorry about that.”

The woman raised her hand and there were yellow lights that appeared in her hand. A long pole axe appeared in her hand.

“W-What’s that?” Zen said, stepping back.

“I want to test the strength of the son of Wang Ton.”

“Well this is the unfair match.” Zen said. “Your stronger than me. I can sense you’re a new Master Rank.”

“Very astute of you.”

“Astute?” Zen tilted his head. “What does that mean? You insulting me.”

She rolled her eyes. “Look, I’m not going to use any elemental powers or even any of my ki techniques. Let’s just start this sparring match.”

Zen looked at the sharp end of her axe head and gulped. “A sparring match would be with blunt, safe wooden weapons.”

“Where’s the fun in that!” She said as she rushed forward for an attack.

Zen touched his storage stone and brought out the Zen Blade in time to block the axe blow. He supported the spine of his short blade with his hand. Pushing the axe back, he leapt forward. He struck a few times and each time, the pole arm of the axe blocked his attacks.

Zen had to duck down to dodge a deadly arc of the axe. “You sure your not trying to kill me?”

“You sure you not?” she said.

Zen rushed forward but had to block a kick from her which sent him stumbling back and in the range of her follow up axe strike. He flipped back, dodging the edge. Zen gritted his teeth as he was losing ground. He knew he was at a disadvantage. He was fighting with a short range weapon while his opponent had a long mid range axe. He knew as he was being pushed back to the dead end of the alleyway that he was going to lose unless he could equalize things somehow.

Then he realised what he should do. All he needed was an opportunity. He looked for an opportunity but so far, he doubted he would get any. She was a master of the long pole axe. Any openings she showed were quickly covered and she was precise, nearly disarming him multiple times.

Then he saw an opening. It was a fraction of a second longer than her other openings and he took it. He got closer to her and he leg flew up. He jumped over the kick and performed one of his own in the air.

She blocked his foot with the pole of her axe and was sent stumbling. She regained her posture and swung her axe again. It hit something hard but it was not Zen, it was the wall behind him. He had realised that battling back and forth in the alleyway was putting him at a disadvantage cause she had room to use her weapon, but changing the battle to go left to right meant that the encroaching walls of the alley would cut the effectiveness of her weapon massively.

With her axe lodged in the wall, she was left wide open for Wang Zen. The point of his sword was heading for her chest. She opened her mouth and blew out but instead of air, came out a plume of fire.

Zen ran around, patting the fires to death. “I thought you said you wouldn’t use your elemental powers.” He said once the fire was out.

“It was out of instinct.” She dismissed her weapon. “We’ll call it a draw.”

“A draw?” Zen said. “No, I won.”

“It was a draw.” She said.

Zen grumbled but he did not seek to pursue this any further. “Anyway, tell me about my father.”

“Not here.” She said as she turned on her heels. “Lets get somewhere nicer. I’m hungry, come, my treat.”

Zen began to follow her out of the alley. “What’s your name, anyway?”

“Shu Nan.”

“Ah, nice to mee…” Zen stopped. “Wait, Shu Nan. Shu Bua. Your related to the head of the Brown Feather Guild!”