ARK SPIRIT

”You were far too careless, Hao Nhien.”

A low, familiar voice sounded through the night.

”In a fight, if you’ve already decided not to kill, then you need to know what you’re going to do next. Stopping halfway like you just did is the same as offering your neck to someone else.”

Hao Nhien’s eyes snapped open.

The first thing he saw was a human head lying not far from his face. Blood soaked the hair. The neck had been severed cleanly, and the eyes remained wide open, still holding the final horror of a life cut short.

Hao Nhien jerked violently.

Instinct, sharpened through days of training, sent his body springing upright almost at once. He retreated three steps, his right hand tightening around the hilt of the Tieu Dao Sword as his gaze swept rapidly across the surroundings.

Two headless corpses lay facedown on the deck.

Fresh blood was still flowing from their severed necks. Meeting the cold night air, faint wisps of steam rose from it before twisting apart and vanishing. The thick metallic smell struck Hao Nhien’s nose and made his stomach clench.

This was not writing in a book.

Not a scene on a screen.

Not something he could close and pretend he had never seen.

Real blood.

Real people.

Two lives had just been cut short directly in front of him.

Hao Nhien forced down the urge to vomit.

Behind the two bodies stood Uncle That, a curved saber in his hand. Blood still dripped from the blade one drop at a time. There was no pride in his expression, nor did he look at Hao Nhien with pity. There was only the quiet sternness of someone who had passed through life and death far too many times.

Hao Nhien immediately understood.

Those two sharp sounds just now had been Uncle That’s saber.

He had just pulled Hao Nhien back from the gates of death.

”Uncle That…”

Hao Nhien wanted to thank him, but his throat seemed blocked. His breathing had yet to settle, and his heart was pounding hard enough to leave a dull ache in his chest.

Uncle That stepped over and placed a hand on his shoulder.

”It’s fine. I wanted to see how you would handle it, but the moment you froze, I knew I couldn’t wait any longer. Those two swords were already at your neck. Half a breath later, and even I might not have made it in time.”

Hao Nhien lowered his eyes to his own hands.

Someone else’s blood was still on his face. It had already begun to cool, leaving an unpleasant sticky sensation against his skin. He wanted badly to wipe it away, yet his hand remained locked around the sword hilt.

Uncle That was right.

If he had not appeared, Hao Nhien would have died.

Not because Hao Nhien had absolutely no chance to fight back, but because at the moment when a decision mattered most, he had allowed himself to stop.

He had trained where his punch should travel, where his feet should land, when to advance, and when to retreat. He had repeated those things so many times that his body could carry them out without conscious thought.

But there was one thing he had never trained.

If the person in front of him truly wanted to kill him, how far was he willing to go?

It was easy to think, If necessary, I’ll kill.

Thinking that while sitting calmly on a boat and actually drawing a blade across the throat of someone kneeling in front of him were two entirely different things.

Because he had never answered that question, when the fight reached that point he hesitated.

Uncle That studied him for a moment before saying,

”You fought much better than I expected. Fist and footwork—nothing pretty, but they work. You knew how to strike when they underestimated you, how to spot openings, and how to go after the leader first.”

He paused, his gaze falling toward the two corpses.

”But fighting isn’t only about landing a hit. You also have to know when the fight needs to end.”

Hao Nhien followed his gaze.

He understood those words.

But understanding them did not mean that tomorrow he would suddenly be able to calmly cut off another person’s head.

Uncle That did not force him to answer. He only turned toward the riverbank.

The young leader was sitting on the ground, his left hand clutching his broken right arm. Sweat covered his forehead, and the arrogance from earlier had vanished completely.

”This one,” Uncle That asked. ”What are you going to do with him?”

Hao Nhien remained silent.

This time, there were no swords pressing against his neck.

No chaos denying him the chance to think.

And precisely because he had time, the decision felt heavier.

He stepped down from the boat, picked up a sword lying nearby, and walked over. Blood coated the hilt, slick and cold against his palm.

When the point of the sword came to rest against the young man’s throat, his entire body immediately began to tremble.

”Hao Nhien… calm down.” His words stumbled out. ”Whatever you want to know, I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you everything.”

Hao Nhien looked at him.

”What’s your name?”

”Han… Han Thien Phong.”

”Who sent you?”

”The Han Family of Dong Thanh. Patriarch Han Thai Tu.” Han Thien Phong swallowed and hurriedly continued, ”We were only following orders… truly, we were only following orders.”

The words following orders did nothing to move Hao Nhien.

He continued.

”How did you know I was here?”

”We… we caught someone who used to travel with your family. He said you had separated from your parents. Our group split in two. One team continued tracking your parents. I led these men along the Thanh Van River to search for you.”

He spoke rapidly, as though afraid that one moment of hesitation would bring the sword across his throat.

”This afternoon, we went into town and asked around. Someone said they had seen a young man named Hao Nhien living on a boat near the riverbank, with a girl who knew medicinal herbs. We guessed it was you, so we waited until night before coming.”

Hao Nhien’s gaze grew colder.

He had already suspected this place might no longer be safe.

But hearing it directly from the enemy still made that realization weigh more heavily.

”You want the Body-Soul Fist Art?”

”Yes… no, not me.” Han Thien Phong corrected himself in panic. ”The patriarch wants it. Someone reported that the Quan Family’s inherited fist art is a rare Mystic-grade cultivation art.”

”Mystic grade?”

”That’s only what I heard. I truly don’t know much.”

Hao Nhien looked directly into his eyes.

Han Thien Phong immediately trembled.

”It’s true! I’m only someone who works beneath them. The patriarch and the elders are the ones who know the details. I wouldn’t dare lie!”

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”Where are my parents?”

”I don’t know exactly,” Han Thien Phong said quickly. ”I only heard that they were heading toward Thanh Van City. It seems they wanted to find help from the direct line of the Quan Family. The one pursuing them is Elder Han Tinh.”

”What realm is Han Tinh?”

”Seventh layer of Qi Condensation. He may have already touched the eighth, but I’m not sure.”

Hao Nhien fell silent for a breath.

Seventh layer.

Late-stage Qi Condensation.

That was no longer comparable to the reckless young men who had come tonight.

He asked,

”How many strong cultivators does the Han Family have?”

Han Thien Phong did not dare hide anything.

”Patriarch Han Thai Tu is at the ninth layer of Qi Condensation. He has been stuck there for several years. The clan also has one elder at the eighth layer and two elders at the seventh. There are several dozen at the sixth layer or below. I… I’m at the fourth layer. Of the other four, two were at the third and two at the second.”

Hao Nhien looked at him.

Fourth layer.

No wonder that head-on exchange had made Hao Nhien’s own hand hurt so badly.

If Han Thien Phong had not underestimated him, and if the penetrating force of Hao Nhien’s punch had not caught him completely by surprise, the outcome might not have been nearly so clean.

”You said my parents were deliberately leading the pursuit toward Thanh Van City?”

”I… I heard Elder Han say that,” Han Thien Phong answered hurriedly.

Hao Nhien committed every word to memory.

Thanh Van City had already been where he intended to go.

Now it was no longer merely the place where sects would recruit disciples.

It might also be where the parents of this body were heading.

He asked several more questions, but Han Thien Phong truly did not know Quan Bach’s current location. What he knew was enough only to confirm one thing:

Thanh Van City might not merely be Hao Nhien’s next destination because of the sect recruitment.

The parents of this body might be heading there as well.

At last, Hao Nhien fell silent.

The sword still rested against Han Thien Phong’s throat.

All he needed to do was pull slightly.

One line.

Very simple.

He had spent the entire night practicing how to send the sword tip toward a single point as quickly and accurately as possible. Technically, what lay before him now was even easier than a thrust.

But his hand did not move.

Han Thien Phong felt that silence, and his voice began trembling even more.

”Hao Nhien, I was wrong. Spare me this once and I’ll leave the Han Family. I swear I won’t come back, and I won’t reveal anything about you…”

He kept talking.

Hao Nhien barely heard most of it.

He only looked at the throat in front of him.

This was someone who, only moments ago, had intended to capture him. His companions had just tried to kill him.

If Hao Nhien let him go, this man might return later with others.

Reason gave him more than enough reasons to kill.

But his hand still would not descend.

Hao Nhien did not lie to himself and call it some noble mercy.

He simply could not do it.

At least not tonight.

Finally, he withdrew the sword.

Han Thien Phong almost seemed unable to believe he was still breathing.

”Go.”

Hao Nhien said.

”Leave Thanh Van Town. Leave the Han Family of Dong Thanh. Find somewhere else and live.”

Han Thien Phong’s voice shook.

”I… I will. I definitely will.”

Hao Nhien looked at him, his tone calm.

”Remember the fear you felt tonight. If you come back, or bring others back with you, next time I may not give you this much time to speak.”

Han Thien Phong nodded repeatedly.

”I understand. I understand.”

Hao Nhien continued,

”Also tell the people looking for me that they don’t need to be impatient. Soon enough, I’ll go to Dong Thanh.”

Han Thien Phong’s face went another shade paler.

He did not dare ask why.

Nor did he dare respond carelessly.

”I understand… I understand what you mean.”

”Go.”

Han Thien Phong immediately backed away before staggering to his feet. His broken right arm made his whole body tremble with pain, but he did not dare make another sound.

He turned and ran into the darkness, nearly falling several times before finally disappearing behind the trees along the river.

Hao Nhien remained standing there for a long time.

The hand holding the sword was still slightly cold.

Uncle That walked over beside him.

”You let him go.”

”Yes.”

”You know he may come back?”

”I do.”

”And that he may report everything to the Han Family?”

”I know.”

”Then why let him go?”

Hao Nhien looked toward the darkness where Han Thien Phong had disappeared.

”Because I couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

The answer was honest.

No excuses.

No concealment.

Uncle That studied him for a moment, then nodded.

”That’s more truthful than a hundred fine-sounding reasons.”

He continued slowly,

”By letting him go, you’re betting that the fear he felt tonight is stronger than his greed and the Han Family’s orders. I won’t stop you today. But if he returns one day with more people, you’ll have to bear the consequences of this choice yourself.”

Hao Nhien nodded.

”I understand.”

”Good.”

Uncle That looked toward the deck.

”I’ll deal with the others. Don’t let that girl stare at them for too long.”

At the mention of Tieu Lan, Hao Nhien immediately turned.

She was still standing in the cabin doorway.

Her face was deathly pale, her eyes red and swollen. The bowl of porridge had fallen at some point, spilling across the floor, and what little steam remained had almost completely faded.

She stared at Hao Nhien as though she wanted to run toward him, yet her legs would not move.

Hao Nhien walked over.

The moment he came close, Tieu Lan suddenly threw herself into his arms.

”Young Master…”

Her voice broke.

”I was so scared… I thought Young Master…”

She could not finish.

Her whole body trembled against him.

Hao Nhien froze for a moment before slowly raising a hand and patting her back.

”It’s all right.”

His voice softened.

”I’m still here.”

Tieu Lan held him tighter, her tears soaking into his robe.

”When the blood splashed across your face… I thought… I thought…”

”It’s over now.”

”Young Master, don’t do that again, all right?” she choked out. ”Don’t make me stand there and watch when I can’t do anything.”

Hao Nhien fell silent.

That was not something he could promise.

This world would not become peaceful simply because he wanted peace.

But he also could not bring himself to push her away from this moment with a truth too harsh to hear.

So he only said,

”I’ll be more careful next time.”

Tieu Lan looked up, her eyes red.

Hao Nhien paused slightly.

Then gave a faint smile.

”I’ll try to stay alive.”

Tieu Lan looked at him.

That answer seemed to reassure her a little.

After a while, Hao Nhien said softly,

”Go make some tea. Invite Uncle That up for a cup. We owe him our lives tonight.”

Tieu Lan wiped her tears and nodded.

”Yes.”

As Hao Nhien watched her hurry toward the small kitchen, he deliberately added,

”Try not to make the tea salty.”

Tieu Lan froze.

Then she understood he was teasing her about her tears, and despite herself, she laughed while still crying.

”Young Master…”

Her voice was still choked, but it no longer sounded as shattered as before.

Uncle That heard from the deck and let out a soft laugh.

”You still know how to tease someone. Looks like you weren’t scared to death after all.”

Hao Nhien turned.

Uncle That had already dragged the two corpses farther away and covered them with old cloth. Nearby lay the other two men, their condition unclear.

Every movement Uncle That made was practiced and calm, enough to make Hao Nhien feel the distance between himself and someone who had truly lived through life-and-death situations.

”Uncle That, how did you know they were coming?”

”Auntie Two saw some strangers asking around the market about a young man named Hao Nhien.” Uncle That wiped his saber as he spoke. ”She thought something was wrong and came to tell me. I guessed trouble might be coming, so I came to take a look.”

He glanced at Hao Nhien.

”Good thing I made it in time.”

Hao Nhien cupped his hands and bowed deeply.

”Thank you for saving my life, Uncle.”

Uncle That waved him off.

”Enough useless words. If I were the one in danger today, you wouldn’t have stood by and watched either.”

Hao Nhien did not answer.

Uncle That studied him with a slightly different look than before.

”The more I see of you, the stranger you seem. At your age, there are times when talking to you feels like talking to someone my own age.”

Hao Nhien paused slightly.

Uncle That laughed again.

”But when I saw you hesitate just now, I remembered that you’re still far too young.”

Hao Nhien lowered his eyes.

Inside, he thought that if he counted the years from his old world, he might only be a few years younger than Uncle That.

But of course, he could not say that.

Tieu Lan returned with the tea.

Her hands were still trembling slightly, but the tea smelled fragrant and, unlike Hao Nhien’s joke, was not salty.

Uncle That drank a cup, gave a few more instructions about Hao Nhien’s injuries and cleaning the blood from the boat, then stood.

”Don’t train tonight.”

He said,

”You need to go back over every moment that happened, but not to blame yourself. Do it so you don’t repeat the same mistakes next time.”

Hao Nhien nodded.

”I’ll remember.”

Uncle That turned toward Tieu Lan.

”And you, girl—don’t bother your Young Master while he thinks things over, but don’t leave him alone all night either. Sometimes a person who has just come through life and death doesn’t feel fear while fighting. The fear comes afterward, when everything is already over.”

Tieu Lan nodded seriously.

”I understand.”

Uncle That smiled and patted Hao Nhien’s shoulder.

”Rest. We’ll deal with tomorrow when it comes. I’ll handle those people.”

With that, he pointed toward the figures lying farther away before stepping off the boat. His silhouette quickly disappeared into the darkness along the riverbank.

Hao Nhien stood beside the rail and watched him go.

Only after a long time did he return to the cabin.

Tieu Lan had already cleared the table and brewed another pot of tea. Her eyes were still red, but she had calmed down.

The moment Hao Nhien entered, she poured him a cup.

”Young Master, drink some tea.”

Hao Nhien sat down.

The hot tea flowed down his throat, slowly pulling him away from the smell of blood that still seemed to cling to his nose.

Tieu Lan sat beside him in silence for a while before very gently reaching out and taking hold of his sleeve.

Hao Nhien looked down.

”Tieu Lan.”

”Yes?”

”Were you that frightened?”

She nodded very slightly.

”I was afraid Young Master would die.”

Hao Nhien exhaled.

”I’m not that easy to kill.”

Tieu Lan lowered her head.

”If something really happened to Young Master…”

She stopped, her voice becoming so soft it nearly disappeared beneath the sound of the river.

”I would follow you. Even if you went down to the Yellow Springs, I would still take care of you.”

Hao Nhien turned to look at her.

Under the dim oil lamp, traces of tears were still visible on Tieu Lan’s face.

Her eyes were very clear.

Yet beneath that clarity was a kind of stubbornness he did not know what to do with.

It did not feel like the frightened words of a girl speaking in the heat of the moment.

Nor did it feel like the simple loyalty of a servant girl.

It was deeper than that.

More familiar.

And for some reason, it made his chest ache faintly.

Hao Nhien looked away first.

He raised a hand and lightly tapped her forehead.

”Don’t talk nonsense.”

Tieu Lan covered her forehead and looked up at him.

Hao Nhien deliberately lightened his tone.

”How could I die that easily? Even if I did, maybe I’d only be dead for a little while before waking up again. If you rush down to the Yellow Springs after me, who’s going to cook for me when I wake up?”

He had only meant to joke, hoping to ease her fear.

But Tieu Lan suddenly froze.

Her gaze became slightly unfocused.

”Really…”

Her voice was very soft.

”Young Master… you too?”

Hao Nhien stared at her.

”Me too?”

Tieu Lan blinked.

The haze in her eyes vanished almost immediately, so quickly it was as if it had never been there.

She lowered her head, her hand unconsciously tightening around the edge of her robe.

”I… I don’t know. Maybe I was too scared and just said something strange.”

Hao Nhien looked at her.

A strange feeling rose inside him.

What had she meant by you too?

What had she been thinking of?

Or had it simply been a meaningless phrase spoken in the confusion of the night?

He wanted to ask more.

But when he saw how pale she still looked, he swallowed the question.

She had been frightened enough tonight.

”It’s all right.”

He said,

”Drink some tea. Then get some sleep.”

Tieu Lan nodded.

But she still did not let go of his sleeve.

Hao Nhien did not pull it away either.

Outside the cabin, the Thanh Van River continued flowing through the night.

Inside the small boat, the two of them sat beside one another for a long time, and neither mentioned those two words again.

You too.