It had been a few days since the fight with Tian and the start of learning the basics. By then, all the feelings of uncertainty after the breakthrough had faded away, and instead of being cautious, Siu threw himself into the morning sessions with Elder Thane, practicing the foundational techniques every day until he was satisfied with his progress or until he was forced to head back to the dorms. By the end of the first week of his continuous training, he could not only hold the basic three stances he had been taught, one for stability, one for movement, and one for evasion, but no matter what else Elder Thane threw at him, he managed to withstand it. He was learning faster than any of the others; by the fourth day, his muscles already knew how to anchor themselves to the ground. On the sixth day, and thereafter, they allowed him to start training the rest of the fundamental stances, making him capable of quick changes in his form whenever ordered, putting them into sequence and building a foundation for his future.

  Even Elder Thane noticed that he was not only catching up to the rest, but if his speed remained as it was, he would surpass them, and he would need to be placed in a more advanced group.

  But not everything was as smooth for everyone as it was for Siu.

  At first, he barely noticed it, starting as a missed dinner here, an empty bed in the early morning. But over time, the irregularities were adding up, and Siu's mind began to warn him that Neya was acting strange. More and more often, she would look troubled or return late into the night. Not just late... but thoroughly exhausted. At first, he thought it was the result of her own training, as it wasn't rare to have midnight sessions, depending on someone's affinity to the flow of nature... But her eyes were duller. That should not be the case... not if someone is advancing. Even Tian, who usually did nothing but fight, fight, and fight, training through combat, had a fire in his eyes, even if he returned beaten up every day.

  The next warning sign was that her expected smile, even if it was usually nervous and shy, was gone. Her posture sagged more and more, beyond what should be normal, and the excited bounce in her step faded away by then.

  The most significant sign was that she stopped chatting, not just with him, but with everybody. Even when Siu took some time to check up on her without Neya noticing, he saw that Neya stopped asking questions in the kitchens... She stopped talking to everybody... and by the end of the second week, she stopped going to the kitchens altogether.

  By the fifteenth day, Siu was already convinced something was wrong... with proof on his hands.

  The night before, Neya returned past midnight, slipping through the dorm room door like a robber, thinking everyone was already asleep. Of course, Siu wasn’t. Well... nobody really was. Siu could tell that Lorean was up the moment the door opened, as she seemed to be always alert, as one should be. On the other hand, Tian was snoring like nobody's business... yet his fingers twitched at the noise, a telling sign that he had also woken up, but he just refused to give it away.

  It took Siu one glance to see that Neya's robes were ruffled, and she moved stiffly, favoring her right side. When she thought no one was watching, she winced as she lowered herself onto her bedding, holding back a painful groan. Her hands trembled when she took off her boots, and when she pulled her blanket over herself, Siu saw the edge of a red welt running across her forearm, which was hastily bandaged, and her blood began seeping slightly through the cloth wrapped around it.

  This was not a simple injury, nor was it the result of training or a breakthrough. He said nothing then, allowing Nue to rest a little, but the next morning, he waited for her outside the dorm. When she emerged, being the last to leave the room, her face was pale and clearly startled to find him there. She was about to say something stupid, a bad lie, an excuse, but Siu shook his head, speaking, almost ordering her.

  "Walk with me."

  She hesitated, hearing his tone, but then nodded, doing her best to keep up the pace with him. They didn’t talk at first, and they didn't need to, really. Siu allowed her body to uncover the truth, noticing all the missteps, the bad posture, all the signs showing where she was injured as he led her along one of the lesser paths leading toward the cliffs, away from the others, to somewhere private.

  "You’re not okay," he said finally, when there was nobody else around them.

  "N-no..." She flinched, as it was an honest answer and not a deflection. She just hoped he didn't catch it, " I-I'm fine."

  "No, you're not." He answered, "Stop lying."

  "..."

  "You don't need to talk for me to see it." Siu added, looking into her eyes, and even though she tried to avoid any prolonged eye contact, he forced her to look at him, without touching her, "Your right leg is swollen, so you favor your left. You haven't eaten properly in at least six days, I have been counting. You haven't been to the kitchens for eight. Your left wrist was sprained yesterday, and now it's inflamed, even though you hide the bruises. And you haven't looked any of us in the eyes since this started..."

  Her breath was already twice as fast, listening to him... but she remained silent.

  "Who is doing this to you?"

  "I can't," she whispered.

  "Yes. You can." Siu pressed, not giving her a way out.

  "I... I don't want to get anyone in trouble."

  "It is already too late for that." He pressed on, stepping closer to her, but not touching her, "You're already in trouble, and now I am coming in to see what's what. I don't know why or who, but they are hurting you, and that doesn't end unless you speak up. If you can't handle it by yourself, it isn't wrong to ask for help."

  "N-no..." She shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes, "If I talk... she'll make it worse. And I made the trouble..."

  "I will have to see it for myself to believe that. So..." Siu's expression hardened, "Who is it?"

  "Please, Siu... Just leave it. I'll handle it. I just need... time."

  "I gave you two weeks since noticing." He said sternly, and then reached out to gently touch her arm, already feeling the injury below her robes. "Time's up. Show me."

  Neya hesitated, but Siu's commanding tone was something she hadn't heard before, and... she couldn't refuse him. Deep down, she wanted this, so very slowly, she drew back the sleeve of her robe.

  The sight made Siu's eyes narrow.

  Her arm was striped with red welts, some already scabbed over, others still pretty raw. The more she pulled back, the higher up she rolled her sleeves, the more he could see the purple bruises hidden beneath the clothes, running up along her shoulder and probably down her ribs. Some had the distinct pattern of rope or cords... Others were clearly from being struck.

  "She said... If I didn’t obey, she would report me to the... Elders... Get me expelled. Maybe even crippled... She said nobody would care what happened to someone like me. That I owed her... for ruining her things..." She murmured while already crying.

  Listening to her, for a brief moment, Siu had an image run through his mind.

  He knew that picture well, because it was him... Surrounded by sneering boys who called him waste, throwing rocks at him while he walked, stealing his food just to pour it into his shoes. Or ganging up on him at night...

  "Neya." He breathed, "Who did this? I want a name." She hesitated when he asked, but Siu wasn't taking no for an answer, "Neya... Tell me. I need to know, and I will find it out one way or another."

  "...Nue. Nue Toah."

  "Tsk... Of course..."

  "You... know her?" She asked, somewhat surprised.

  "Met her once." He nodded, letting Neya's arm go as it all clicked for him then. This was not about her... this was about him. Hmph. The worst type of human waste... He thought it would be different in a proper sect, but it turns out maggots can chew themselves into any fruit. Oh well... If pest control is needed, he would volunteer, even if it meant walking into a trap.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  "Siu... don’t." Neya tried, reading his thoughts, appearing on his face as clear as day, "She is... a senior, a very powerful senior! She knows a lot and... She may even... hurt you, very badly!"

  "The only seniors are the inner and core disciples, not her. Heh... Let her try." He answered calmly, his thoughts already planning out possible solutions to this problem.

  "Siu..."

  "That's enough," He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Go back, rest. The rest will be dealt with."

  "But... I..."

  "You either go back and rest, or I will tie you to your bed. Which one will it be?"

  Neya was about to protest again, but... somehow, her mind and body finally gave in, only nodding and then hugging him, whispering 'thank you' over and over again.

  ...

  ....

  ......

  Following the clues from Neya led him to people in the kitchen, and when asking didn't help, he paid them off, spending CC he saved up until he got a description... When he found the two men who delivered the box to the kitchens, they were leaving the medicine hall, heading towards the private meditation alcoves along the mountainside. They stopped close to their destination to split the herbs they had bought, for whatever reason; Siu wasn't really interested in that. He just stepped forward, his shadow finally settling over them, being the thing that told the pair that they were not alone.

  “Huh?” one of them squinted, “You lost, kid?”

  "If you have something to say, spit it out." The other one stared at him, suspiciously, “You have a job for us or not?”

  Siu didn’t answer, of course, he just took another step forward, his mind focused on one simple task: release some of the frustration he was feeling.

  The man closest to him began speaking again, but by then, Siu’s fist was already moving. The first punch landed cleanly in the man’s gut with a sharp thud, lifting him half off his feet and sending him crashing back into the bushes with a shocked grunt. Before the other could react, Siu twisted his body, following the way he had trained his stances, and slammed his elbow into the side of his head, knocking the second guy to the ground with a thud, causing his eyes to remain unfocused, fighting the urge to roll to the back of his skull.

  They never had a chance, because they never thought he would attack them.

  “W-what the hell?!” the one in the bushes gasped, trying to scramble out of it, but he didn't get far as Siu stepped on his chest, hard enough to press the air from his lungs, using the basic form he just mastered, making sure the man's body felt like an anvil was pressing down on him.

  “I’m not here to talk,” he said coldly, looking down at him, “That's your job... and I will listen. Speak clearly: Box. Neya. The kitchens. All you know. Now.”

  The man's eyes went wide, and even the other, barely conscious, tried to push himself up, only to fall back, as everything was going in circles around him.

  “It was... just a job!” the one beneath Siu wheezed, actually feeling his ribs were cracking under his weight, “We were paid to deliver a box! That’s it! We don't know any... Neya or whoever the fuck!”

  “Paid by who?”

  “I don’t know! Swear on my cultivation! I just received a message through a task board proxy, and then a guy provided us with the box and instructions. That’s all! Do you know how many outer disciples there are?! Who keeps tabs on everyone?!”

  "Those who amount to anybody... Forgetting names is the easiest way to die in a sect." Siu leaned in closer, pushing more weight down on him, breaking two of his ribs, as he could feel them splinter... Realizing that these two were... nobodies. Weaklings. “Did you know what was inside?”

  “No!” he said quickly, his voice an octave higher, almost screaming in pain, “Didn’t ask, didn’t open it! Just told to deliver it near the kitchens, act all tough, and hand it to her like it was an urgent job! That’s it, man! Don't kill me, please!”

  "Stop it... please..." The other groaned, clutching his ribs, “We just needed the CC… We didn’t know it was a setup… Please...”

  Siu’s face didn’t move because he had no sympathy towards them, not even if they were telling the truth. As he stared at them both, he was quiet for a long moment, then, with a brief sigh, he took his foot off the man, throwing a parchment towards both of them.

  “Write it down,” he ordered, “What you just told me, both of you. I want names, details, and dates. Everything you have, on paper, and signed. Push your thumbs into the ink and onto the paper, too." He threw them quills and a tiny packet, "Resist, and I will cut your fingers off as proof instead.”

  “Wh-what? Why would we—”

  The only answer was Siu stomping down, breaking the man's wrist so badly that his scream was echoing far and wide on the mountain path.

  "Shut the fuck up and do it. Or next time, I will cripple you in a way that not even a medicinal bath could restore your bones. You two look poor enough to be unable to afford a proper ointment or potion... It would be over for you weaklings. So get fucked or start writing, I am not asking a second time... Be happy that I am going easy on you."

  None of them resisted after that, and when it was done, both scrolls were signed and marked with their fingerprints. Looking it over, Siu pocketed them and gave the two one last glance.

  “Tell anyone about this,” he smiled at them like a butcher, “and I’ll drag your teeth out one by one and feed them to you. Are we clear...?”

  "C-clear..." They nodded.

  "Good. Don't let our paths cross... ever again."

  Leaving, almost storming down from the path, Siu couldn't help but feel a bit surprised as he never expected there could be so much difference between disciples. Even if they were only outer disciples... These two had been here longer than he was, yet... they were so much weaker. Why? How? He just... couldn't comprehend it. What were they doing if not training? If not giving their all? They were talented enough to get in... No? What was holding them back? Laziness? Could it be that? No... impossible! Then what...? He just couldn't come to terms with it.

  However, when he attempted to follow up on the new information, he encountered a brick wall. At least the one who hired the two idiots was much better. It was not Nue, he could tell that much... However, the next link had no names and left no clues for him to follow. It was a dead end... Still... It was still enough for him.

  A written confession from two disciples that they participated in a setup that directly resulted in Neya’s punishment and subsequent injury, even if the instigator’s name was absent, was enough to submit a request. If not for grievance or something similar... Something to punish Nue with... it was still enough for something that Siu was sure would make that woman bite:

  An honor duel.

  Technically, any outer disciple, or more precisely, any disciple, could issue a challenge if a personal grievance or harm had been done to them or someone under their protection. But most went nowhere, at least, amongst the outer disciples. The Elders rarely approved them, especially when no rules were directly broken. They were... a headache, and amongst their ranks, it would be a constant duel after duel... If anywhere, they were most common amongst core disciples, where it truly mattered.

  But if an Elder backed it... And Siu knew precisely who to ask.

  Elder Thane was finishing up the final sequence of the day’s lessons when Siu approached him. The field was nearly empty, save for a few remaining disciples trying to hold their stance, even though the lessons were over, as they wanted to push themselves. It was something that Elder Thane was happy to see, even if it came from one single reason: They did not want to be overtaken by Siu, who joined their group so late, yet was already at the top of their class.

  “Did something happen?” Thane asked without looking at him, “Your balance was off today. I told you that resting is just as important as pushing your limits.”

  “I wasn’t focused,” Siu answered honestly, "There is something that is bothering me..."

  "Oh?" Thane turned toward him, frowning faintly. “A mental barrier? It is a common occurrence, you leaped over a big chasm already, so–”

  “I’d like to request an honor duel,” Siu cut in, making him stop, just looking at him.

  "..." Elder Thane at first said nothing, but then he slowly raised an eyebrow, “An honor duel...?” He looked him over. “Against who?”

  “Nue Toah.”

  "Hmm..." He crossed his arms, searching the name in his mind, and after finding it, putting a face to it, he gave him a very slow nod, “Explain.”

  As an answer, Siu handed him the two scrolls. Without questioning, Thane took and read them both, his expression remaining stoic from start to finish.

  “These are circumstantial at best.”

  "I know."

  "Confession under torture won't fly with the Elders." He continued, making Siu nod again. "Their writing tells enough; you forced them to comply."

  "I did." He stated without any remorse, making the Elder smile with his eyes, "I was angry. Still, even without these, Nue would jump on the opportunity if I challenge her. That will be my actual proof. I am sure that she framed Neya. Humiliated her... Beat her... I believe this was done to provoke me. I knew retaliation would come, I just didn't expect it to come through innocent bystanders.”

  "Even if all you say is true..." Thane continued in a low voice, “There’s nothing illegal here. As far as anybody was concerned, there were no rules that were broken. Technically, the punishment she was threatened with was within bounds... if the carcass belonged to Nue. Even if entrapping happened somewhere down the line... That needs impeccable proof, and this is not it, Siu.”

  “That’s why I want a duel,” he shrugged, “I am not here asking anything to be done to Nue. I just want to ensure that an impartial party will oversee the duel, someone I can trust who won't take sides. No matter what.”

  "..." Although Siu remained calm, he could see the approval grow in Thane's eyes, and telling him this was further increasing how the Elder thought about him, “You’re at the beginning of cultivation. She’s much further away... She’s also trained; you are still learning the basics from me.”

  “I know.”

  "I see..." Thane studied him again, and this time… a slow smile crept over his face. “Hmph. Bold.”

  “I would announce it in a way to leave a month of preparation for me,” he added.

  “Oh?”

  “I’ve already planned it.” Siu smiled, "If I put effort in, a month will be enough. I know my limits..."

  "Hah!" Thane laughed once under his breath, nodding his head, “You’ve got fire in you, I’ll give you that. Then it’s settled! I’ll sponsor the challenge. Go, submit your declaration to the central tower before the end of the day. Then, she’ll have three days to respond, but if she refuses, I won't be able to help you resolve the issue. She has no obligation to entertain your challenge! But if she accepts...”

  “I’ll be ready.”

  "You better be. Because if she accepts, I expect you to be here every day... You need a crash course of the Sect's personally developed martial technique that goes well with the stances I am drilling into you... to at least have a fighting chance."

  "I will learn." Siu answered, cupping his hands, "And I will win."