1 A Bloody Summer Festival (1)

Summer was clearly upon them. The sun was beaming, the air was hot and humid making their clothes stick to their skin. The entire crowd of them. The entire crowd was set within the town square of Choeyung they were dancing, singing, and shouting they all had come for the festival every single one of them.

This was also the first time for Ni Wei. The festival had been occurring for thousands of years while it only marked for him the first sixteen years of his life. His father had always restricted him from going on the account of his safety. His father had brought him along for his sixteen years, however, this was the first time he was actually allowed to walk among the commoners, the poor folk, and fully and truly enjoy the essence of the festival.

Not without an armed guarded escort, with a few noble boys lingering around him. Acting as a human barrier between him and the commoners. The town square was big, there were many people walking around with drinks in their hands or with their partner in their other.

The stalls were set up all around and it was lively. However, his guards which could've been considered a part of the entire decor of the scene were different.

The guards personally picked by his father Lord Ni were big and tall men with two-handed swords situated on their backs, however, because of the festival rules none of them wore their signature armor. Which resembled that of the black guard within the city, another guardsman within the city.

However, Ni Wei would shiver every time he thought about them. Too many rumors and Too many deaths were carried about by their hand. They consorted with the low-lives and their swords were more or less covered in innocent blood. Which begs the question why the guardsmen were so… lawless.

Ni Wei didn't want an answer. He didn't seek it, either. He was scared of them, however, they were protectors of the city. Protectors for him. Which is why he acted with most impunity on anything that he did.

The excitement of the crowd was brewing. They surged into the square to dance. Whilst, Ni Wei stood in the middle of his bodyguards leading the way through the crowd, straightening his back and widening his strides in order to make him seem more important and nobler. A harsh wind blew through the crowd, causing the strung-up lanterns for later in the event to rattle and shake.

An old man within the corner of the town square sat down on a box. His long beard blew alongside the wind as he stood up to tell stories. Ni Wei listened in and found the story familiar, it was about his own father. The man who was about to turn One Hundred this year, a respectable age for himself. The average age for a golden core lasting to the 5 Centuries.

He stood and listened for a while, "Our Lord Ni is an exceptional Hero for the common, as i've always said!" The Old Man Began, "He has protected this city just as his ancestors have done for generations. It's no surprise that the dao and fate has awarded him with exceptional strength, just for this purpose!" He declared with a religious fervor. Rightly so, as Lord Ni was a known righteous partitioner.

"Oi, what about his popular middle son? I heard he had not lived up to his fathers expectations." Asked another old man, "Lord Ni's blood may flow through his veins but he doesn't exude the same pressure as him and has only served to weaken his family."

"Don't you worry!" The Old man patted the second old man on the shoulder, "His middle son may not be up to the task but remember about all the others. Besides, He can be used for other things..."

Ni Wei hadn't felt the intense stares he received from the guardsman. He felt hot-blooded. This was what it felt to be discarded. However, he couldn't argue against two old men. They were right afterall.

Since they were right Ni Wei turned around to leave the old men to their own devices. His slight disappointment and anger had lessened considerably. Until, he felt a small bit of annoyance at the old men's public display of mocking his character. The sense of inferiority welled up within his mind.

He moved absent minded, with a downcast look to his eyes. He wasn't recognized by most of the people attending the festival, only the signature guardsman that accompanied him were recognizable. Who they then concluded belonged to the Ni family which made him a Ni. However, his true name they could not guess regularly from the top of their head.

Most of the festival goers, slowed down under the lantern-lit streets to get a good stare at the young man. Whilst, a rugged wagon packed to the brim with festival supplies and odd sticks. Driven by a few merchants, slowed down to get a good look at the lad. The guardsman sent a glance at the merchants which urged them to hurry along.

A peasant not being able to recognize their king if face to face was common. Which was the same with Ni Wei, although he was famous in his own regard. No one could truly say they had seen him face to face and then be able to recognize him quickly.

"Is that boy over there Ni Wei?" Said a random festival goer, "He has the crest of the Ni Family and is accompanied by all of those guards."

"Impossible," A girl near a wooden block responded, "That's like gold surrounding trash. It's already harsh enough for the Ni Family to welcome him into their ranks. It'd be too far off of them to give a personal guarded escort especially with their personal private guardsmen. Must be a cousin or someone important."

"You sure?" The festival goer scratched the back of his head, "It doesn't make sense for them to use that many guardsmen on a random cousin or someone important from the family."

"It just can't be him." The girl had picked up the wooden block and was carrying it into a store.

His eyes traced her into the store, "Why can't that be? Ain't he a part of the family?"

"He's not that important." The girl shouted back.

"The son of the Patriarch is not important?" He voiced back in surprise. He had heard this and other rumors about the son of the Ni Family of course; but the peasants had a passion for the noble family drama and the thought of a big wig son of the powerful Ni Family being lesser than a cousin was interesting to say the least.

"Well, it's not what you think it is." The girl had exited the shop and leaned on the wooden support beam, "You see, everyone within the Ni Family is big on politics or a nice warrior. For instance, his father was accompanied by his eldest brother and siblings. They are good political geniuses and also cultivation geniuses. In that kind of family…" The girl scratched her neck as she spoke, "It's easy to see how average people are left behind especially with their moto."

"Destroy the enemy, Subdue the army." The festival goer echoed back.

"Powerful words for a Powerful Family." The girl eyed Ni Wei, "That's why it's impossible for him to be Ni Wei, he's useless unless it's for a political marriage."

"There's a bit of truth to your words I hear," A stranger emerged from the store, he looked like the shop owner, " that the Ni's have a political alliance with the Wang's from the eastern fortress and it may be with the Ni's Ni Wei and their Wang Xue."

"What?!" The girl exclaimed, "You mean he's going over to those eastern brutes and to Wang Xue especially?"

"That's what I thought once I heard about it. Pray for the young master's wellbeing and also get back to work! I don't pay you for lounging around!" The shop owner had smacked the back of her head and urged her inside.

The girl took a glance back at the boy still walking in the street. He looked pitiful. She had kept probing the boy's face and clothes, including the way he walked and his expression. In truth, she just didn't know whether the boy was Ni Wei or not. It wasn't like meeting a nobleman, and someone who was not a noble. Looking at him was strange as if the boy was actually withdrawing -withdrawing away from the crowd, like he was trying to hide something. Or something he was holding onto that he couldn't let get away from him.

Ni Wei took a glance at the girl. The crowd was loud, however, he could hear some of the whispers being thrown through the gaps between his human barrier. His legs kept on moving, he felt his chest tighten and a hole open in his stomach. His eyes darted to the festival goers and to his guardsman who were keeping a close watch on him. He didn't like this, he didn't want to be in the spotlight… not like this.

He kept his eyes glued to the ground, until a guardsman roughly grabbed his arm and pulled him back leaning into his ear to whisper, "Young Master, Wan Shun is standing ahead."

Ni Wei peeled his eyes off the ground to look at the frightening youth being blocked by two of his guardsmen. The youth stood at their height despite being the same age as Ni Wei. The signature red hair of the Wan family shot out from his head like scarlet roots and went all the way to his back. His chest was large and was revealed by his robes that were barely tightened to his top and more tightened around his waist so he could easily remove his top robes for combat.

"What Ni are you?" Wan Shun said. He was a head taller than Ni Wei with the signature features of a Wan, The Broad Shoulders, The clear eyes that could pierce through darkness and an unyielding nature to them "I've never seen a Ni like you."

Festival goers stopped and stared at the scene. The tall youth had his head held high and with enough presence to command the respect of the festival goers. Ni Wei's dark eyes almost making people doubt he had pupils and mouse-like appearance made them an odd pair to see.

"I-I" Ni Wei stuttered, before taking a deep breath, "Who am I? Who are you?"

Wan Shun was not impressed, "I am Wan Shun," He seemed impatient, "Now tell me your name…- On second thought, It doesn't matter at all. If you're him or not, You shall do well to tell the Ni's Patriarch to recesend his marriage request with our family. "

Ni Wei eyes shot open in realization as he spoke, "Who the hell do you think you are? Have the Wan's forgotten where they are? Who owns the land? The Wan's have sent a private message through the sanctions of the public forum, now tell me what the Wan's must obviously mean by that?" Ni Wei was enraged.

"Bastard!" A guard echoed Ni Wei, "Do you Wan's wish to embarrass the Ni Family Publicly?"

Wan Shun steely as always replied with a cool collected response, "The Wan's have nothing to do with this. I have called you out and I want you to abolish the marriage decree now. Now, what are you going to do about it?" Wan stood with his arms opened.

Everyone stood still. The crowd watched intently at the group and man clash. Everyone there knew without a doubt about Wan Shun's Prowess with a sword. At birth it seemed every Wan was gifted with a sword, from the moment they touched it to the moment they were sent onto the battlefield they were experts and revered marshals. Who would dare go against them?

No one, except for a Ni. This is why the crowd's eyes fell on the young lad standing amid his familial guardsman. Who did not look toward their master, rather each held their hand on their two-handed sword hilts. Debating with their eyes whether they should attempt to gang him and have the young master run away.

Wan Shun with a laugh filled with contempt and arrogance asked, "So which one of you are going to come first?" His eyes went to the guardsmen, "The loyal dogs of the Ni Family? Don't you want to protect your master? Prove yourself that you can fight as well as us nobles?" His eyes silently shifted toward Ni Wei, "Or shall their master stand and test his steel against us Wan's?"

Ni Wei got goosebumps when Wan Shun looked at him. However, His Familial Guardsman already took a few steps forward and looked to be already ready to launch their attacks. Each had slowly withdrawn their black sabers from their scabbard and were wielding it in front of their bodies.

There were perhaps seven guardsmen. Each of them were large, large enough to look Wan Shun in the eye. Wan shun, a muscular powerful foe, had unsheathed his sword with one hand and pointed its tip toward the first guardsmen that stood in front of him.

"Stop!" Ni Wei suddenly shouted, "I shall take him on."

"Young Master Ni?" Each guardsman responded in surprise.

"Young Master?" Wan Shun suddenly started re-evaluate his situation, "I didn't know that you were a young master of the Ni Family. If I had known I wouldn't have suggested your guards coming forward to fight."

"Young Master, You cannot fight him. Run and Report this event to your Father." A Guardsman had silently knelt near and grabbed Ni Wei by the shoulder and firmly spoke into his ears, "You're not his match, yet, young master. You can come back and avenge this insult in the future."

"He is," Ni Wei admitted, "However, I am your young master and I command you to step back."