The Witch Bone

"And how do you know that he doesn't have spies? Someone told you?" Bai Hua questioned.

"I work for people in high places, they never mentioned that the lord had spies. As a matter of fact, the Lord is not even interested in the affairs of the kingdom. Hahahahaha... spies. He won't even trouble himself with such things. Don't think you can scare me off by using the Lord's position. Since you are so reluctant to work under me, death is the only option left for you now," she said as she uncoiled her whip which was wrapped with her spiritual essence. It was giving off a stronger yellow aura than the leader's aura earlier.

"Wait! Wait! Wait, boss lady! Did you just say people in high places? Do you work for them? That means I can work for them as well?? You didn't tell me that earlier!" he said in a blaming tone.

She stepped back amazed at his sudden change of attitude. The kid was driving her nuts!

"You want to join us now?" she asked with a twitching mouth.

"Of course! You said you work for people in high places! I want to work for people like that. Not for petty thugs like you guys. Spiritual power 7 and the likes and you expected me to follow you? Pffftttt...." he started laughing holding his stomach clearly showing contempt towards them.

The boss lady's eyes were twitching now. Those who went to check on their fallen leader also came back carrying their boss in a sorry state just in time to hear his last words. They were furious as well!

"And you!" he continued laughing and looked directly at the boss lady, "you're just level 8 and you wanted me to work under you!" and he continued to guffaw until tears were coming out of his eyes.

That crossed the line for the boss lady. She didn't care if the kid had some tricks up his sleeves. He was going to get some beating today before she takes him to the noble she works for. That impertinent tongue needs to be reined in even if he had to work for that noble in the future.

"Brat! Today I'll teach you the meaning of pain! Your parents have failed to teach your manners, I'll do it in their stead."

She jumped up and pulled her whip to slash at him. It was fast and hit the place where his head was but it just hit the ground.

He had evaded! Again! He was fast for a kid!

"Up here!" he shouted from above. He was standing on the branch of a tree as weightless as a dragonfly perching on a leaf.

She was beginning to think that he was not a kid at all but some martial artist wearing a disguise. He was too fast and his spiritual powers seem to be on par with hers. It was unprecedented for a kid to be this powerful at such a tender age! But he was acting like a kid! It was exasperating to her!

She didn't say anything and also jumped up by kicking on the branches and also reached his level.

Once again she swung her whip at him destroying the nearby branches, but it didn't stop the momentum of the whip and went for his head again with a SWISH.

Bai Hua felt that she was trying to corner him by going straight for the vital organs and here it was his head. He didn't know why but he wanted to toy with her. She was ruthless that he acknowledged. And all he wanted was to exasperate her and make her suffer. She deserved it!

This world was turning him sadistic!

She chased after him while he kept evading all her attacks. The rest of the men could only watch as their boss lady and the kid started the same kind of fight that was enacted moments ago with their leader. Now, the boss lady had replaced him and she was doing the chasing.

But to them, it looked like Bai Hua was being cornered and they cheered silently for their boss lady in their hearts. They didn't want to shout and distract her.

The boss lady chased Bai Hua deeper into the forest until the other group couldn't catch up with them anymore. They knew that the boss lady was strong but they were shocked that the kid has once again managed to outrun them again! This was the worst day for them! They were not even sure they'll get paid after this fiasco.

On the other side of the forest, it was only the boss lady and Bai Hua now. He had been running away pretending that she was cornering him but he was actually drawing her away from her group. He had not even used his spiritual powers to lure her deeper into the forest.

She had blindly gone deeper into the forest lost in her rage. He had been throwing insolent remarks at her all this time. Calling her "a fat pig", he knew girls didn't like being called fat; "paedophile"; "gold-digger"; " noble-ass-licker" and so on. She was so enraged that she had just increased her speed with an aim to strangle him with her whip. She didn't care if he dies anymore. The noble did not need a brat like him though he may be talented!

All this time Bai Hua was laughing and evading all her attacks. Suddenly he stopped and faced her.

"Now, we're alone," he said eerily.

For some reason, she also stopped when he said that. The hair on the back of her neck tingled when he said that.

"What do you mean?" she asked suspiciously. Was he going to reveal his real identity now? she thought.

"Swear your fealty to me and I will forgive your past transgressions towards this kingdom," Bai Hua said in a commanding voice. The voice brooked no disobedience. It was a lordly voice. No longer was Bai Hua acting like a mischievous kid.

She managed to blurt out, "Have you lost your mind?" She laughed nervously and once more slashed at him viciously. She wanted to get rid of him as fast as possible. He was becoming weird!

He didn't even move but a blue aura surrounded his body and the whip was turn into shreds. Even the handle was turned into splinters.

She withdrew her hand instinctively but she didn't escape unscathed. Her right palm had become raw and it was starting to bleed.

"Ahhhhhhhh!" she screamed from the unexpected pain. She didn't expect this to happen. This was not in her calculations when she decided to take matters into her own hands.

For some unknown reason, she could feel a powerful pressure on her and involuntarily she was on her knees with a loud thud!

Even her knees were in excruciating pain now. The kid seemed to be merry but he was ruthless!

"This is your punishment for your treasonous acts. It's very light compared to your evil deeds. I am sure you have killed many innocent men in your lifetime. But if you swear fealty to me, then I will forgive you."

She gritted her teeth and said with all hatred, "Never! You don't know who you're messing with. There is a large organisation behind me and I am merely a puppet. They will never let you go even if you kill me!"

"Oh, really? I was meaning to find out about them anyway. Just because the Lord is lazy doesn't mean he isn't aware of it."

He increased the pressure on her until the ground beneath her had sunk. Her knees were starting to bleed as well.

"You are going to lose your legs if you don't swear your fealty towards me. I will handle the organisation."

She was scared now. She was going to be useless to the organisation if she loses her legs. And if she becomes useless, she will only be put to death. She knew how the organisation worked!

She started to think fast and decided.

"Okay! I swear my fealty to you! Don't just turn me into a cripple!"

"Good girl! For the first time in your life, you made the right choice!"

The pressure decreased but it was still there.

"Here!" he threw a white token at her. It fell near her knees. Her eyes turned wide when she saw the symbol on the token. It was a huge tree. The symbol of the shamans!

"The shamans?!" she asked incredulously, "but they never appear in public! They don't even meddle with the kingdom's affairs even when there is war!"

"Ah, that token is for you to contact me. I am not a shaman. But we are connected. And so I need to know everything about the organisation and their aims. You are going to be little my spy," he smiled and ordered, "take the token."

She gingerly took the token and when she had it in her palms it disappeared!

"Don't worry. It's inside you. When you rub your palms it will appear. Just put a drop of your blood on it when you want to contact me. But don't do it often. It runs on your spiritual power. And if you use it too often your spiritual power will be completely drained and you will lose a level."

She looked up when she heard this. The kid was more ruthless than she had previously credited him for.

"And you are bound to me for life. If you try to betray me, I'll know," he said evilly as he waved his palms.

She gulped. She had never felt this helpless in her entire lifetime. She was too young to become a slave!

"Now, go back to your minions and concoct any lies to make them believe that you got rid of me. It was nice of you to come out to play with me today. Imperial red stones can be such a bait to gold-diggers like you. And I'll be collecting the money for my new robes from you. See you around, gold-digger."

He touched his straw-hat and jumped up. He then disappeared without a trace!

The boss lady stood up finally when she realised that the pressure had also gone with his disappearance.

She ruefully trudged her way back to her men cursing her luck and swearing to beat the shit out of that dumb minion of hers who invited this trouble in the first place.