Zhi Ji flitted between the stalls, head hung low and face hidden by long tendrils of hair draping down his nape. Light on his feet and agile with his movements, he circulated his qi, pushing his Qingong art to its limit. The hubbub of the market masked the shaky breaths that escaped his lips.
With a twist of his body, he leaped over a crumbling, moss-covered wall; landing firmly on the balls of his feet. With the agility of a xthete, he covered the expanse of greenery that separated him from his Clan walls.
"Finally." He breathed heavily, as he scuttled over the Clan wall, and ran into his courtyard.
"Finally home."
If the dilapidated shed he slept in could be called home, that is.
Trying to steady his breaths, he slid down the wall and sat cross-legged, circulating his technique to the maximum.
A few minutes later, he had fully recovered. His eyes filled with cold violence, as he put a hand to his mouth and wiped away the remnant blood.
"No one has ever driven me to this state. I swear I will recoup my losses. Watch out Zhang boy." He gritted his teeth.
His heart bled at the thought of the pill he had lost, all this effort only to end up losing it.
That was 45 gold coins that had slipped through his hands! 45! Enough to purchase a Dark Token! Damn that sly Zhang kid, chasing him until he lost his spoils.
Darned boy!
He huffed and puffed like an angry gorilla, but his qi circulation never let up. Within a short period, he was well adapted.
Fully recovered from spiritual exhaustion, he leapt to his feet. Glancing outside the main door, he saw a tray.
'Breakfast would be cold already', he thought to himself. Nonetheless, he made his way to the door and grabbed the tray, dumping it on the broken table wooden table in the middle of the room. Opening the top covering, his gaze darkened; a bowl of rice, and a plate of soup with a lonely piece of rhinoceros meat floating in it.
The quantity of the food was not the problem, he was already used to it. The problem however, was the pair of chopsticks sticking out of the rice!
Pueh!
He spat angrily. "Who are they wishing to die, old hags!"
Contrary to his theatrical display of anger (balled fists and loud snorting), he quickly consumed the meal.
"I'd get back at them, the old fools. Tsk. I have to fill my belly up first though." He said, or attempted to. His mouth was so full, grains of saliva drenched glistening rice grains fell out in copious amounts as he spoke. He raised a fist in the air, and waved it around in annoyance, before resuming his feast.
.
.
.
Zhi Ji's eyes darted around, greed reflecting in his black orbs.
"A snow wolf's pelt... Is that... *gasp* A quasi- flood dragon as a mount?!" His gaze wandered hungrily as he licked his lips in desire. He nursed perversive thoughts, killing and snatching away these treasures but wisdom held a grip on his barbaric desires. He couldn't even stand against a mere guard, so it was better he knew his place and acted accordingly. This did not tone down his desires, instead fueling his want for the treasures with each passing second. A fair damsel strutted past him, shoulders high and leading a snow leopard in hand.
"Mine." He bared his teeth silently, greed gracing his sallow visage.
"Soon mine."
He would come up with a plan to monopolize everything, but that would be left for a latter time. For now, he was to play the role of a good son, and aid his father in his perfect appearance act. He could not mess this up, or he would be stuck in the fields for three days, with only a sparrow as company as he dug through his father's 30 mu farmland. Do not ask why he was well versed with the punishment, he did not know either hehe.
"Tsk, tsk."
He heard a voice oozing with arrogance say. He turned around to face Jian Jiang. A stupid lackey of his elder brother, Zuo Ji.
Tut.
Seeing the idiot reminded Zhi Ji of the event 2 months earlier, where he earned a spiel from his father in front of the whole crowd of Minster's children. He failed to recall the circumstances of the lecture accurately, but it had something to do with this idiot and his scheming white lotus brother. The pea brained one must have been manipulated by his brother.
"Fool." He muttered under his breath.
The Jiang boy must not have heard, because he failed to respond to him.
"What is a little puppy doing all alone at a party? Hungry?..." Jiang smirked.
Zhu Ji turned to walk away, but his bloodlust stirred; forcing him to face the Jiang boy again, this time a smile gracing his face.
'Not now, not here', he internally pleaded.
"If you do not want to die, walk away now."
"Ho, Ho..." Jiang bellowed a falsely deep laugh, eyes filling with humour.
" Does the little puppy bite? "
Jiang's continual stimulation snapped whatever synapse that was keeping Zhu Ji sane.
Zhu Ji's eyes filled with hunger, for blood this time. The Jiang boy was never anything dangerous or inherently evil, but he should blame his loud mouth for attracting his attention at such an inopportune time. His eyes faded into an ethereal purple, paling into a pastel shade that belied seduction and temptation.
He had to complete this cleanly, or there would be trouble. Big trouble. He did not care however, and it was evident in how he gazed at the Jiang boy.
"Come to me..." Zhu Jo instructed the Jiang boy, who was entranced by him, leaving them in their two person world. After passing across his instructions, he walked away in satisfaction. He had scarce need for more nutrition, that big-boned Jian will do.