act23side

How is Mr. Lin doing?

The doctor says he'll be fine.

It's just that his old injuries and overuse of Arts have taken a toll on him.

Dad is getting old, after all.

Sometimes I forget how long Mr. Lin has served Lungmen.

Dad is not like Chief Wei. As the symbol of Lungmen, Chief Wei always stays in the public eye.

But Lungmen doesn't exactly want everyone remembering that there is a Rat King of Downtown.

I heard Wei Yenwu dragged you into this.

It became my business when I chose to accept it, of my own accord.

And it all turned out fine, thanks to a certain someone.

Tsk.

This incident also helped me answer a couple of questions.

Are you going to Victoria? We could travel together.

No, my plans have changed.

I'm going back to Lungmen.

What do you mean by 'going back to Lungmen?'

I'm staying.

Throwing off your burdens sounds nice, but whatever you throw off, somebody else has to pick up.

Whether one leaves or stays is up to oneself, but someone has to take care of Lungmen.

Mm...

I said that for me, but feel free to take it as a criticism, if you want.

Glad to see you still have the strength to joke.

The daughter of the Rat King doesn't have to be the Rat King, but it doesn't mean she can't be.

She could be a different sort of Rat King.

This time, I made my own choice.

There are slums in Lungmen, but there shouldn't be. It's a job that someone has to do, no matter how many years go by.

The times are changing, but no one should be left behind.

I believe that, when it's you saying it.

By the way...

What is it? Your turn to hem and haw?

Have you seen Wei Yenwu these past few days?

Are you leaving, Grandmaster?

Yes.

Once I've handed over my duties.

Speaking of which, I must thank you.

For what?

You chose to trust Yumen.

And you chose to trust my friends.

It's all water under the bridge.

We suffered some losses, but we should count ourselves fortunate that the situation remained under control.

More importantly, I saw how the people here remain united, even after so many years.

Yumen hasn't changed. Man will triumph over Heaven.

Now I can be at ease about leaving.

There's no telling when we'll meet again.

Take care, Grandmaster.

You too. Beware the intrigue of the court.

I will.

By the way, you said something about Ch'en's swordsmanship yesterday.

'Skillful, but not yet the peak of perfection.'

Yes, I remember.

Ch'en has talent, but she only just started learning the Chi Xiao style recently.

She has not mastered its true essence.

Ah, you wanted to show off your skills.

I said before that Cloud-splitting sword is not actually Chi Xiao's ultimate move.

His fingers are his sword.

A light breeze begins blowing out of nowhere, creating tiny ripples in the teacup.

The ultimate move of Chi Xiao, Heaven's Eye.

The form?

The eye of Heaven sees all and nothing.

The concept?

Only when the clouds are parted is Heaven's wrathful eye revealed.

One must free one's mind to learn the form.

The obstacle?

Let your heart guide the sword, never looking back.

Turn around, and the sword loses its sharpness, harming the user.

Farewell.

The breeze continues to blow, long after the chair is empty.

The man gazes into the ripples in the teacup, until a smile appears on his face.

I have never seen the likes of it.

Come in.

Grand Tutor.

You understand that entering Yumen without permission is enough to carry the suspicion of treason on its own?

Yes.

Lord Wei was attacked, and trapped in Yumen, while Yumen travels towards the capital...

We were concerned for Lord Wei's safety. The urgency of the situation did not allow for deliberation.

We have nothing but our lives to repay Lord Wei's kindness.

Did Wei Yenwu tell you to look for him in Yumen if he did not return in three days?

That is so.

I can tell you now that both the assassination attempt on Wei Yenwu and the crisis at Yumen were accidents. There is no need to worry.

I understand.

Where were you when the Catastrophe happened?

We operated in secret, eliminating insurgents stealthily.

At least you did one thing you were supposed to.

You may go.

We are not subject to the Grand Tutor's punishment?

As far as the Imperial Guard is concerned, all of you are already dead.

I never saw you today.

Yes, Grand Tutor.

You knew.

From the beginning.

And you never had any intention of hiding it from me.

Do you not reproach me for overstepping my boundaries?

The situation remained under control thanks to the young envoy that you brought from Lungmen.

The Grand Commandant will soon learn of this incident.

'Soon' is not the word I would use.

This is why I came to Yumen.

There is no consensus on how we should deal with the bestial Sui, whether we should prepare for war, or reconciliation. It is hard to see the forest when one is amongst the trees.

The minds of some of the parties concerned may no longer be on finding the right answer.

You wanted to help the Lord Exorcist eliminate the insurgents out of a sense of duty to Yan.

As long as you don't lose sight of it, you won't need me to tell you what to do.