HEART PROTECTION: PROLOGUE

The day Yan Hui was driven out of Chen Xing Mountain was made somewhat difficult by her.

Actually she planned on quietly leaving without making a fuss. However in this world, it isn't so easy for wishes to be fulfilled.

When Yan Liang saw her silverware, quilt, and copied scriptures being rolled into a grass mat and kicked down 3000 steps, clanking and clonking, by Senior Disciple Zi Yue, Yan Hui actually wasn't that angry.

She only sighed in her mind. She had fought with Senior Disciple Zi Yue for many years. Why was Zi Yue's head still not functioning correctly......Since she left those things behind, they were definitely worthless to her. Zi Yue taking her anger out on some scraps was definitely a waste of strength.

Zi Yue stood at the monastery entrance like a baboon who had just won a battle. She looked down her nose at Yan Hui, immensely pleased with herself.

Yan Hui yawned and waved her hand: "As long as you're happy." She turned around and started to leave.

Zi Yue coldly snorted: "Stop, I'm not done yet!" Saying that, she suddenly threw something down. It was a jade hairpin. It streaked past Yan Hui and fell onto the stone steps. In a split second, there was a crisp sound; it had broken into several pieces. Then they rolled away with a tinkling sound, leaving no trace behind.

Yan Hui stared blankly. Her footsteps froze. She bent over and picked up the closest piece of the broken jade hairpin that had bounced near her.

How could she forget this......

"Back then, I saw you were so worried when you lost it. No one else knows, but I knew who the hairpin belonged to." Zi Yue's smiling mouth carried dislike and hate: "With your simple mind, did you really think no one could tell? These past years looking at you really made me sick."

Yan Hui tightly held the piece of broken jade for a while. She suddenly hooked the corner of her mouth and smiled: "Senior Disciple, I've bothered you to the point of feeling sick for so many years, yet only now you bring the hairpin out to break it in front of me. What, did you want to make me feel bad?"

She didn't wait for Zi Yue to speak when her expression suddenly chilled: "Pity, even now I don't feel bad. But I applaud your efforts. You've made me angry."

Yan Hui rolled up her sleeves while walking toward Zi Yue: "Come here. Let's have a nice chat."

Zi Yue swallowed: "Don't move. Don't get closer." Yan Hui ignored her. Zi Yue's expression started to twist, "If you get any closer, I'll call people here! Then they'll see the broken hairpin!"

"Do you think I'm scared people will find out?" Yan Hui coldly laughed and popped her knuckles. "I really don't understand. I'm about to leave. What's the point of bothering me?"

Zi Yue instinctively retreated. Her hand rested on the jian hilt. "Yan Hui, behind the monastery entrance are gatekeeper disciples. Don't even think about attacking me."

Yan Hui didn't have a jian. Hers had already been taken away earlier on by her shifu when he kicked her out, but this wouldn't hinder her taking care of Zi Yue.

Of course, it goes without saying she was considered the most outstanding disciple in her class.

Yan Hui coldly laughed without a single care: "Ok, call them out."

Zi Yue saw Yan Hui was still getting closer with each step. She unsheathed the jian with a trembling hand while calling out behind her: "Hel.....help! Yan Hui, the expelled traitor, is going to kill me!"

The montastery gate behind her opened. A few eager disciples were about to rush out when Yan Hui elegantly lifted her hand and pointed a finger. A firewall immediately sparked in front of the gate. It forced the disciples to retreat.

 "Ahhh, Senior Disciple! It's too hot!"

"Hair......My hair is on fire!"

"Extinguish it!"

"Her cultivation is higher than mine. I can't put it out!"

The gate closed again. The hysterical shouts and cries were muffled.

Yan Hui stood in front of Zi Yue. Zi Yue was already backed against the monastery wall and couldn't retreat any further. She looked at Yan Hui wide-eyed: "Just because your magic is higher leveled than us doesn't mean you can bully us! I'm telling you, when the shifus see what is happening at the gate, they won't let you off!"

Yan Hui laughed. She slightly bared a tooth. It made her seem a bit wicked: "Today I will bully people. Let's see how they won't let me off." Yan Hui lifted her hand. Zi Yue hurriedly slashed at her. Zi Yue's movements were frantic and sloppy. After two swings, Yan Hui disarmed Zi Yue. One hand grabbed Zi Yue's collar and lifted her up. Yan Hui crooked her fingers, and the jian that was laying on the floor was now in her hand.

Yan Hui twirled the jian. With a clang, she stabbed it right next to Zi Yue's shoulder. It pierced through her clothes and into the stone wall. "You know I have a bad temper, yet you test it every day."

Zi Yue was scared to the point of turning pale.

Yan Hui's manner seemed like she was just carelessly joking around with Zi Yue, but Zi Yue felt waves of murderous intent assaulting her senses. It scared her to the point that her limbs were going numb. Her ears were filled with Yan Hui's voice: "Senior Disciple, you've bullied me for many years. Shouldn't you be apologizing to me now?"

"Over the years did you really let me bully you?!"

Yan Hui pulled out the jian with another clanging sound. The tip pressed against Zi Yue's neck. When a chilly wisp seeped into her neck, Zi Yue cried out. Yan Hui's voice was still indifferent: "Your own ability level isn't high, yet you complain the people you bully are weak. Senior Disciple really isn't nice."

Zi Yue was so scared she could only cry: "Wahhhhh, Shifu, Senior Disciple! Yan Hui is attacking people again!"

Yan Hui once again pulled out the jian. This time she stabbed it by Zi Yue's ear. Zi Yue clearly heard the sound of the blade grating against the stone wall. This time without Yan Hui prompting, she hissed out: "I, I, I, I apologize! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Only then did Yan Hui let go and let Zi Yue weakly collapse onto the ground. Zi Yue was so scared she was sobbing. Yan Hui threw down the jian and sighed: "Is letting me go peacefully that hard? Look at what you've done."

She rubbed her wrist and turned her head to glance at the still-burning firewall in front of the monastery gate. She was just about to remove the fire when at that moment, frost suddenly flashed from the monastery. In a split second, the blaze was extinguished.

 A white light flashed in front of the monastery gate, and it coalesced into a xian. The mountain breeze made his spacious robes billow elegantly.

Zi Yue openly sobbed and crawled up. She staggeringly ran over to the person and sobbed out her grievances.

The xian's eyes turned and fell on Yan Hui.

Touched by his cold gaze, Yan Hui knew she was being silently repreminded for her willful and rash actions.

In the past, Yan Hui feared him showing this expression the most. But what did it matter now. He was no longer her shifu.

Yan Hui curled her lip: "Daoist Priest Ling Xiao, I'm no longer one of Chen Xing Mountain's people. I hope Daoist Priest will control his disciples and not trouble me further." Yan Hui waved her hand: "No need to send me off." She turned her head, sleeves lightly fluttering, and step-by-step walked down the stone steps. Her back was against the enormous monastery gate, against the light breeze blown across the horizon. She walked down the mountain and toward the secular world.

Alone in the world. No reluctance nor fond farewell.