Song Que opened his eyes later that night to find himself lying in one of the rooms of the tavern. After looking around blankly for a moment, he realized that the events which had occurred earlier in the day were no hallucination. On the one hand, he almost felt like crying, but on the other hand, his rage burned hot.

“How could this be happening...? I... I worked myself to the bone for an entire year. I skimped on food and clothing! I risked my life....

“And Bai Xiaochun.... Why? Why?! WHY?!?!” By now, tears really were threatening to well up in Song Que’s eyes. As he thought back over his life, he realized that it had consisted of two main segments.

The first part of his life had been flush with success. He had been a Chosen of the Blood Stream Sect, with unlimited prospects for the future. However, that part of his life had ended when he had met Bai Xiaochun, and then the second part began, a life of humiliation and suffering.

“I wasn’t his equal in the Fallen Sword Abyss, in the Blood Stream Sect, or in the River-Defying Sect. And...