Among The Bamboo Trees

He's really a devil!?

Five people are at the table, sharing a meal together. 

"He has done it again. I can't believe him. We must serve justice. We cannot let him run around killing people anymore" Cheng said. 

"I agree. However, no one has every seen him. Can we even capture him? He is a mysterious man who comes and go without a trace" Wen Min responded. 

Both HuaLi and Li Li just listened to their conversation with confusion. 

Who are they talking about?  HuaLi thought to herself. 

"Uhmm... who are you talking about Cheng?" HuaLi asked. 

"You may not know this, but FuLao sect serves justice along with the other sects and our biggest enemy is the leader of the Mu Qiu sect. They are a notorious demon cultivation sect that kills people and their leader, Qiu ShangYue is the most evil man alive. People say that he is the devil reincarnate himself" Cheng answered passionately. 

"They also said that he looks very ugly, so anyone that sees his face must die" Dongmei chimed in. 

HuaLi was shocked at hearing her ge ge's name. 

Is it possible that they share the same name? Ge ge is too handsome to be the demon.

"Is it possible that there are people who have the same name as the leader of Mu Qiu sect?" HuaLi asked out of curiosity. 

She did not want to believe that the man she has been addressing as her ge ge would be a devil. 

"I don't know Miss HuaLi... that name is feared through out the martial arts world. However, there is a possibility that someone who is not engaged in the martial arts world would name their kid that without knowing the truth" Wu Min responded to her question. 

Yeah, that must be it.  Ge ge's ignorant parent must have named ge ge that... 

The five people finished their meal and parted ways. HuaLi must go gather more firewood since  the kitchen has already ran out. It is winter so firewood is used a lot more than before. 

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After collecting enough firewoord, HuaLi walked over to the clearing in the bamboo forest where she first met Shangyue. 

"Ge ge! Are you here?" 

"Why are you looking for me my little Mei mei?" a gentle voice asked from behind. 

HuaLi turned around quickly to meet the owner of the voice. 

"Ge ge!" HuaLi said happily as she ran up to him and embraced him. Her head rested on his chest as she was only tall up to his chin. 

"Little mei mei, why are you hugging me?" he asked as he pet her head.

"Because I feel bad for ge ge. Your stupid parents named you after a devil" 

"A devil? Was there a devil with the same name as me?" Shangyue asked as he let out an intrigued smile. 

"There is! He is the leader of Mu Qiu sect" 

"My clueless little mei mei. There is no way my parents named me after him because I am him" 

Upon hearing this, HuaLi froze. She slowly pulled her face away from his chest and looked up at him, while still having him in her embrace. 

"B-but, you're not ugly" 

Shangyue gave her a warm smile and flicked her forehead gently. 

"Just because no one every seen my face does not mean that I am ugly"

HuaLi let go of him and walked back to put some distance between them. 

"What's wrong? Are you scare of me now, my little mei mei?" 

Who wouldn't be scare of a serial killer?

"N-no... h-how c-can I b-be scare of m-my g-ge ge" she stuttered as she takes steps away from him. 

Shangyue looked at her coldly, but with interest and gave her a chilling smile. He enjoy teasing her and watching her reactions.

"Little mei mei, why are you walking away from me?" 

"I-I-I was thinking t-that since we are n-not b-blood related, I-I should not do s-such intimate a-acts with y-you" HuaLi has stopped walking back and answered him with fear. 

Shangyue smirked and asked: 

"But no one is here to see. If there is, I'll gouge out their eyes" 

HuaLi felt a rush of fear and frantically answered: 

"N-No! Th-There's no ne-need to k-kill or h-harm anyone!" 

"Alright, as long as my little mei mei don't want me to do something, I will not do it" 

HuaLi felt that there was hope for her when she heard this sentence. 

"R-Really!? S-so if I don't want you to k-kill me, y-you won't k-kill me r-right?" 

In a split second, Shanyue has closed the distance between them and held her by her waist. He curved his index finger into a hook and slide it down her nose bridge gently as a way to pet her face.

"My stupid little mei mei. I will never harm you" 

HuaLi gave him a forced smile and pushed him away. 

He's not dangerous to me then... I can still keep my life

"Ge ge. Why do you kill people?" 

"If I don't kill them, they'll kill me. Little mei mei, you cannot be too innocent in the martial arts world" 

"B-but what if the people you kill are innocent?" 

"Innocent? You won't think they are innocent after you hear what they have done" 

"T-then... why won't you report their crime and put them in prison?" 

"They are rich. They can just bribe their way out. You are too naive my little mei mei" 

At that moment, a man appeared. He kneeled down on one knee and reported: 

"Master, he has done it. Xian Lu is dead now" 

The man lifted his head and looked at HuaLi. He stood up and pulled out his weapon. He lunged towards her to attack her, but Shangyu got in front of HuaLi and using his magic force, he pushed the man towards the bamboo trees. 

"YOU DARE ATTACK MY MEI MEI!? IF YOU DARE TO HARM A SINGLE HAIR ON HER, EVEN IF IT IS JUST AN EYELASH, I WILL KILL YOU!" Shangyu roared to his subordinate. 

The man got on his knees and apologized. 

HuaLi pulled on the sleeve of Shangyu's hanfu and begged: 

"Ge ge. I don't like you killing people. Can you spare his life?" 

Shangyu turned around and looked at her. Shangyue gave her a warm smile and brushed the side of her face gently with his hand.

"Alright. I won't kill him. However, he frightened you. Listen here, I order you (referring to the subordinate) to cut off the arm that dare hold the weapon to attack my sister" 

"Yes master" the man responded. 

He stretched out his right hand and with his left hand, he brought the dagger over it. 

"Ge ge! I don't want you to harm people. Can you order him to stop" 

"Alright. Thanks to my little mei mei, you are spared. From now on, treat her with the upmost respect" 

"Y-yes, master" the man responded. 

"Little mei mei, ge ge needs to do some business. You should return to FuLao sect in time or you'll miss lunch" 

In an instant, the two men disappeared.