Book 5: Chapter 55: That Sounds Like a You Problem

Book 5: Chapter 55: That Sounds Like a You Problem

The strangers jaw worked back and forth like he was fighting not to express some very angry words. Sen watched this struggle with empty indifference. Hed been trying so hard to get the man to leave and avoid the necessity of violence. He was still willing to let the stranger just walk away. Hed hoped that he wouldnt have to spill any blood on this journey, as far-fetched as that had felt to him. Now, it seemed like that was going to happen despite Sens best intentions. Sen wondered if he could have avoided this problem if he just listened to the man, but he knew that for the trap that it was. If he had listened to whatever story the man had to tell, it would have given the false impression that Sen was open to whatever proposal was going to follow it. And it was very clear that this man had been sent there to recruit Sen to someones purpose. That would have ended with them right where they were, except it would have taken longer. When Sen considered the mans approach, he made an obvious connection.

You were sent here by whoever dispatched that fool, Zixin, werent you?

The strangers angry expression vanished beneath a very concerned one. What did you do to him?

Me? I didnt do anything to him, said Sen.

Thank the gods.

But he was beaten half to death, on fire, and running away the last time I saw him.

What? I thought you said you didnt do anything to do him, said the stranger, his eyes flashing with barely contained rage.

I didnt, but he also failed to recognize when to walk away and leave people alone.

There was no art to the exchange that followed. Maybe if they were both fresh and using the swords, it would have been different. As things stood, the stranger was injured and tired. Sen batted aside thrusts, dodged slashed, and Sen watched the fear grow in the other mans eyes every time their blades met directly. It took less than thirty seconds before the stranger made a visible effort to disengage from the fight, and Sen let him. The other cultivator looked down at the badly damaged blade in his own hand. There were deep gouges in the edge where their blades had met. The stranger looked over at the pristine edge of Sens jian. Closing his eyes, the man dropped his jian to the ground. The stranger opened his eyes, and Sen saw the resignation in them. He also saw a kind of peace that he didnt entirely understand.

I cannot defeat you, said the stranger. I only ask that you make my death a clean one.

Sen stared at the other man. What in all the hells is he doing? What he was seeing made no sense to Sen. Sen had been in hopeless fights before, but hed never just stopped fighting. As long as there was a weapon in hand, qi in the body, or simply the will to survive, there was a chance. It would never even occur to Sen to just quit. Sure, everyone would be reborn, but that was no excuse to just give up on the life you were in. Sen couldnt decide if he should kill the man or try to shake some sense into him. Who taught this man? Master Feng would be horrified by this display, thought Sen. It wasnt cowardice. The man wasnt begging for his life or trying to run away. But this kind of acceptance of death struck Sen as horribly unnatural. Death was part of the cultivator world. It was always a possibility. It was only wisdom to prepare oneself for that possibility of it, but that wasnt what Sen was seeing. Damn it, thought Sen. However much he had been ready to kill the man in a fight, killing the stranger while he just stood there and passively accepted it would leave Sen feeling like an executioner. He had no interest in carrying around that kind of uncertainty or guilt.

If its suicide youre after, do it yourself, said Sen. Just make sure you do it somewhere else.

Sen turned to walk back to what was left of the campsite, but the other man called out after him.

I dont understand.

Sen turned back to the man. He weighed all of the possible answers he could give. Then, he shrugged.

That sounds like a you problem.