Black Pearl Chapter 14

"Do you intend to leave me too?"

In her voice was contained a deadly threat.

Bi Li shook her head, wiping away her tears.

"Go where? My husband is dead."

No, I will not leave this place, unless it is to go to the afterlife. There is nothing left for me to hope for."

Hearing this answer, Sian Eng let out a cackling laugh that made the hair stand on end. Kwi Lan frowned, but when she glanced at Bi Li, she saw the woman looking at her and knew that Bi Li secretly held a deep hope that she might one day meet her son named Hauw Lam. And this girl, even though she did not hear the words leave Bi Li's mouth, could guess, and even promised in her heart that she would help search for that lost son later.

Since that incident, Kwi Lan studied with increasing diligence and vigor because she realized that high martial skill was the primary asset for her to eventually search for her parents and to help Bi Li find her son named Tang Hauw Lam. And since that incident, the name Kam Sian Eng became known in the world of *kang-ouw* as a strange and extraordinary figure, possessing formidable mystical powers. This caused everyone to steer clear of that forest, which was regarded as a demon forest, and no one dared to enter it.

Five years later, a nineteen-year-old girl walked alone at the foot of Mount Lu-liang-san, west of the city of Tai-goan. This young girl was extremely beautiful and very sweet. Her face was oval, her chin pointed, with skin as smooth and white as milk, adorned with a pink hue on both cheeks, a healthy red color. Her mouth was small with lips always smiling, red, moist, and fresh lips. Her hair was slightly disheveled, not neatly combed, yet it added to her grace and charm. Her body was medium and slender, somewhat thin but with curves that accentuated her femininity. Her clothing was pink, with a dark red belt. A sword hung at her waist, and the hilt of this sword was decorated with a large, shimmering black pearl. This beautiful girl was none other than Kam Kwi Lan. She had been wandering for half a year, having left the demon forest. Half a year ago, her aunt, who was also her master, Kam Sian Eng, had left with Suma Kiat.

"I am leaving with your *Suheng*. You may not come, Kwi Lan. However, if you wish to go wandering, that is up to you. You are old enough and strong enough to take care of yourself."

Thus was Sian Eng's brief message. Suma Kiat, meanwhile, was smiling broadly, apparently intending to tease his *sumoi* who was forbidden to join them. Indeed, even though he was already twenty years old, Suma Kiat, who now also possessed high martial skill, sometimes behaved just like a child.

"Aunt, I only ask that before you leave, you would kindly give me a little information."

Sian Eng smiled from behind her black veil.

"Information about your parents, isn't it?"

Kwi Lan was startled and glanced toward Bi Li, who was also standing there and was equally surprised.

"Hmph, don't think that I didn't know about your alliance several years ago."

Elder Sister Bi Li, your husband is dead, your son is missing. If he is truly a filial son, he will surely come looking for you later. Kwi Lan, if you want to find your Mother, go to Khitan. Your mother is my sworn sister, namely Queen Yalina of Khitan. As for your Father... hi-hik, just ask your sweet Mother."

Thus, after Sian Eng left with Suma Kiat, Kwi Lan also departed the forest where she had lived for eighteen years. She advised Bi Li to remain in the underground palace, awaiting their return from their travels. She promised to seek information in the outside world about Tang Hauw Lam.

With the heirloom sword gifted by her aunt, Kwi Lan traveled alone. Her destination was naturally Khitan in the north. However, she was not in a hurry, traveling at her leisure. This was not only because she genuinely wanted to enjoy the sights of the cities and villages she passed through, but also primarily because her heart felt deeply disappointed upon hearing her master's explanation that she was actually the child of the Queen of Khitan. "The child of a queen?"

But the queen of the Khitan people, who were considered a semi-barbaric race in the north. And if she truly was the child of a queen, why was she given to her master? If her mother, the Queen of Khitan, was indeed her master's sworn sister, she must have been given to the aunt to be trained in martial arts. How heartless her birth mother was. It meant she did not love her. Because of these thoughts, Kwi Lan was not very eager to meet her birth mother, the queen of Khitan.

On that bright morning, Kwi Lan walked at the foot of Lu-liang-san Hill, enjoying the natural beauty bathed in the morning sunlight. Suddenly, her keen hearing caught the sound of people fighting up ahead. Her heart was drawn, and she quickened her pace. When she reached a bend, she saw two people engaged in a fierce fight. One was armed with a sword, the second with a battered staff. Around the fighting area, several other people stood upright, watching the match with full attention. Seeing that the two combatants, as well as those watching, were all dressed as beggars, Kwi Lan recalled the incident in the demon forest five years ago.

The one armed with the battered staff was an old beggar dressed in rags, and three of his thin, elderly companions stood watching nearby. His opponent, the one with the sword, was a beggar in clean clothes, while four people standing on the left seemed to be his companions, although only two of them were dressed in clean beggar robes. The match was quite intense, and from their movements, Kwi Lan knew that those fighting possessed quite high skill and were certainly not ordinary members of their association, but rather high-ranking figures. So she watched with full attention while approaching slowly.

"Shhh..."

Kwi Lan was startled and looked up. It turned out that the hissing sound came from a young man sitting casually on a tree branch, facing the match. The youth now turned to her and placed a finger to his mouth. Seeing the young man's radiant face—not just his mouth, but his nose and eyes also smiled warmly—a feeling of fondness immediately arose in Kwi Lan's heart. The young man's eyes shone brightly and cheerfully; it was clear he was a playful, amusing, and mischievous person.

"If you want to watch, it's best here, clearly safe and you don't have to pay."

The young man whispered, and Kwi Lan was surprised. The youth was only whispering, yet his voice was clearly audible to her, as if right next to her ear.

She knew that this cheerful young man was not just an ordinary ruffian, but a youth possessing high skill and who had already mastered the technique of *Coan-im-pekli* (Transmitting Sound a Hundred Miles). If the young man hadn't possessed such a handsome and comical face, like that of a mischievous child, Kwi Lan would certainly have been hesitant or even angry. However, it was clear to her that the youth was mischievous and innocent, not intending to be rude. She could see this from the light in his eyes. During her half-year of wandering and meeting many men, Kwi Lan had learned to distinguish the gaze of men attracted to her beauty and figure—a gaze containing rude lust.

Kwi Lan deliberately exerted her *ginkang* so that when the tips of her feet pushed off the ground, her body soared up like a flying canary and landed on the branch near the young man, sitting casually just like him without causing the branch to sway even slightly. However, Kwi Lan was disappointed if she had intended to elicit the young man's admiration, because the youth turned to her as if nothing had happened, as if her beautiful and light movement was perfectly natural. After turning and looking at Kwi Lan's face for a moment, the young man smiled widely, reached into his wide pocket, pulled out a package, opened it, and offered it to Kwi Lan. It turned out that without speaking, the young man was offering crispy peanuts to Kwi Lan.

"It's nice watching here while eating peanuts,"

He said, his eyes sparkling.

"Their movements are clearly visible. Come on, let's bet, who will win between the skinny beggar with the staff and the bald beggar with the sword? I'm betting on Baldy."

Kwi Lan grew fonder of this young man, who was about her age, or perhaps younger given his childish demeanor. Without hesitation, she took a handful of peanuts, shelled them, and ate them while watching the match.

"I bet the beggar in rags will win,"

Kwi Lan said after watching for a moment. The crispy peanuts were delicious; besides being savory and fragrant—a sign of good, mature peanuts—they also seemed to be seasoned and were sufficiently salty.

"Not necessarily."

Said the young man cheerfully, swinging his dangling feet in a kicking motion.

"Indeed, Skinny is more skilled in *ginkang*, more agile. But I see that Baldy has many tricks up his sleeve. There is a device in his sword hilt for releasing poisoned needles."

"Hmph... Those clean-robed beggars are indeed part of the black faction and are treacherous."