Nobody spoke for several seconds and that was understandable because Yokai City, this new destination that had too many possibilities, was beginning to converge in one place.
"If Shuzoh really is going there then we should go."
Chu Runar raised an eyebrow.
"Are you serious? I mean this time."
"Yea."
Lokei sighed.
"I knew you'd say that."
Sa Wayong quietly looked between them.
"But...if we're going to Yokai City, wouldn't we need permission to leave the medical center?"
Sun Yunso paused.
That was a valid point; Anyu Feng had told him not to overexert himself and leaving Meizou entirely was definitely more than taking a walk through the hallway.
Chu Runar leaned back from his chair also added:
"There's another problem. We don't even know when this meeting is happening."
Lokei nodded because even he himself knew that was true; he only remembered hearing about it; he didn't really know what the exact date was.
Sun Yunso said nothing. "Then, we need information," he said
Chu Runar smiled.
"Exactly. And fortunately, we know someone from Yokai City."
Lokei's expression immediately dropped.
"Don't look at me like that."
Chu Runar grinned, "You're our guide now."
"I'm not a guide."
"You live there."
"That doesn't make me a tour guide."
Sa Wayong quietly giggled.
Lokei looked at her.
"Don't encourage him."
She quickly looked away.
Sun Yunso watched them. For the first time since waking up in the medical center something inside him felt different. He had spent years chasing the same target but now his path was beginning to widen.
Maybe finding Huo Yusaih wouldn't happen by simply chasing rumors, maybe he needed to understand the world around him first.
"I'll ask Anyu Feng."
Lokei looked at him.
"About leaving?"
Yunso nodded.
Lokei gave a small nod.
"Alright, if we're actually doing this, we'll be leaving next week."
Chu Runar raised an eyebrow.
"Next week?"
"Yea, that gives us enough time to recover and prepare."
Sa Wayong nodded.
"Then...it's decided?"
Lokei looked around the room.
"Yokai City."
Chu Runar smiled.
"Yokai City."
Sun Yunso remained silent for a moment, then gave a small nod.
"Yokai City."
It was finally decided; their next destination wasn't another battlefield, another wedding, or another place they had been forced into.
They were going there by choice.
....
The Following Day
Sun Yunso had been thinking about the Willow Inn since the previous night. It had been quite some time since he had last visited. He thought there was no reason not to go see her again but after going through the streets of Meizou, Yunso eventually found himself in front of the familiar building.
The Willow Inn.
He reached for the door and pushed it open. A small bell rang above him.
"Welcome—"
Niva's voice immediately stopped, her eyes landed on Yunso and just stared at him, then her expression brightened.
"Yunso!"
She quickly approached him.
"It's been a while!"
Yunso gave her a small nod.
"Yea."
His eyes moved around the familiar interior.
"It has."
Niva was watching him.
"You look... different."
Yunso glanced at her.
"Different?"
Niva smiled.
"Not a bad difference."
Her gaze briefly fell toward his restored right arm.
Sun Yunso took notice; Niva's smile faded slightly.
"You alright?"
Sun Yunso looked down at his hand and flexed his fingers.
"I'm fine."
He looked back at her.
"Don't worry."
Niva nodded, seemingly relieved.
"Good."
She stepped aside.
"Come in."
Yunso walked into the inn. The familiar smell, the wooden floors, the quiet conversations. Everything felt strangely normal, and after everything that had happened lately normal felt good.
Sun Yunso sat down at one of the nearby tables and waited, and a few moments later, Niva came towards him with a cup of tea in her hands; she placed it near Sun Yunso.
"Here."
Sun Yunso gave a small nod.
"Thank you."
Carefully he picked up the cup and took a sip of the tea. It was good—very good, actually—but somehow, it did not have the same aroma as Sa Wayong's tea.
Sun Yunso paused for a moment.
He glanced at the cup then at Niva, then decided to keep his thoughts to himself. Comparing the tea of the person who made it to that of someone else was probably not a good idea.
He took another sip.
Niva watched him for a moment before asking,
"So... are you staying another night?"
Sun Yunso lowered the cup slightly.
"Another night?"
"Yeah."
She smiled.
"You took your time coming back."
Sun Yunso looked at her.
"I was busy."
Niva raised one brow.
"Busy?"
Sun Yunso nodded.
"Something like that."
She leaned slightly on the table.
"Well, I'm glad you came back."
Sun Yunso looked down at his tea.
"...Me too."
For a moment, the atmosphere inside the Willow Inn felt familiar again. Sun Yunso took another sip before his eyes turned towards the entrance. He couldn't explain why, but somehow, something about today felt different. Sun Yunso took another sip before setting the cup down.
"I'm sure you've already heard about the Guo Family wedding."
Niva's expression changed slightly.
"Of course. I actually wanted to attend but I couldn't exactly leave the inn. There were far too many important guests coming into Meizou for that wedding. I had rooms being booked constantly. And I made quite a bit of money because of it."
Sun Yunso gave a quiet laugh.
"So you chose business."
"I'm a businesswoman. I couldn't afford to miss an opportunity like that."
Yunso nodded.
"That's fine."
He lifted the cup again.
"You're a businesswoman. I shouldn't be the one stopping you from moving forward."
Niva nodded.
"Exactly."
Sun Yunso took another sip before setting down the cup, and his hand disappeared beneath his robe. He pulled out five gold coins, and they landed on the table.
Niva looked at them; her eyebrows slowly rose.
"What's this?"
Sun Yunso looked at the coins.
"Payment."
"Payment?"
"For my stay," he said as he pushed the coins slightly towards her. "And a little extra."
Niva looked at the five gold coins, then at him.
"Yunso, that's too much."
"It's fine."
She frowned slightly.
"Wait, you said for my stay."
Sun Yunso nodded.
"I'm leaving."
Niva became quiet.
"Leaving?"
"Yeah, I'm going somewhere else."
Niva stared at him.
"Where?"
Sun Yunso didn't answer right away. He wasn't sure how much he wanted to explain.
"Somewhere far from Meizou. I don't know when I'll return. If I return at all."
Niva's expression softened.
She looked down at the coins again.
"So you're really leaving..."
Sun Yunso gave a small nod.
"For now at least."
The inn suddenly felt much quieter then. Niva slowly pushed the coins back towards him.
"You can keep these until you come back."
Sun Yunso looked at her and surprisingly she smiled faintly.
"You're not getting rid of your room that easily."
Sun Yunso didn't immediately respond, and that was because a small smile appeared on his face.
"...Alright."
....
One Week Later
Morning had come quietly in Meizou; the streets were already filling as merchants opened their stalls and travelers passed through the city gates. Within the medical center, Sun Yunso stood to the side of his bed; his recovery was finally over. Slowly he rotated his right shoulder, then clenched his hand, everything moved freely.
Sun Yunso stared at his arm for a few seconds, Anyu Feng's words still echoed in his mind.
'I recreated your entire arm.'
To this day he still hadn't fully understood how such a thing was even possible but there was something else that was boggling his mind: it was a strange feeling. The same feeling he had experienced during the battle at the Guo estate was present several times during his recovery. Never for long, never strongly enough to be understood, but above all, it was there.
Sun Yunso lowered his arm.
He was tired of wondering about the feeling; if it needed to be revealed, eventually it would.
A knock came from the door.
Sun Yunso turned and to his surprise Lokei Yoshe was there, his usual relaxed expression etched across his face, a bag slung over one of his shoulders.
"You ready?"
Sun Yunso nodded.
Lokei looked him up and down.
"Are you sure you're completely recovered?"
"Yes, I'm pretty sure."
"Good."
Lokei stepped to the side, Chu Runar and Sa Wayong were waiting outside, and as always, Chu Runar raised a hand.
"Finally! I was starting to think we'd have to carry you to Yokai City."
Sun Yunso stared at him.
"I wouldn't have needed to be carried."
"I know, I'm just saying it would've been funny."
Sa Wayong sighed.
"Chu Runar..."
"What?"
"We haven't even left yet."
"And I'm already keeping the journey entertaining."
Lokei shook his head.
"Let's just go."
Sun Yunso looked back onto the medical center one final time then he turned away.
Meizou had been the place where his journey had begun but now he was leaving it behind. Yokai City was waiting, and somewhere beyond that city was the man Yunso had been searching for; it was Huo Yusaih.
Sun Yunso's expression became hardened; this time he wasn't going there blind.
As they slowly made their way towards the carriage waiting outside the medical center, Sun Yunso noticed someone standing by it and immediately stopped; the others followed his gaze. The person was Anyu Feng and he stood beside the carriage with his arms crossed, apparently waiting for them. Chu Runar's expression immediately changed.
"Mr. Feng?"
Sa Wayong blinked and Lokei Yoshe looked genuinely surprised. Sun Yunso on the other hand, did not change his expression at all because he already knew. When he had talked to Anyu Feng about going to Yokai City with Lokei and the others, he had expected some kind of resistance. Instead, Anyu had simply agreed. That response had confused Yunso more than if he had refused. Anyu Feng had also told him something else, his recovery wasn't just good enough, it was practically complete. And apparently, Anyu Feng had a reason for going to Yokai City.
Sun Yunso looked at him.
"You never told them?"
Anyu smiled.
"I didn't see the need."
Chu Runar folded his arms.
"Well, I would've liked to know that the person driving us there was also coming with us."
Anyu glanced at the carriage.
"I'm not driving."
Chu Runar paused.
"...Then why are you standing beside it?"
"Because I'm waiting for you."
"That doesn't answer my question."
Lokei chuckled.
"Just get in the carriage, Runar."
Chu Runar muttered something under his breath before climbing inside.
Sa Wayong followed.
Lokei turned to Sun Yunso.
"You coming?"
Sun Yunso nodded.
Before entering, however, he looked towards Anyu.
"Why are you going to Yokai City?"
Anyu's smile faltered slightly.
"There's something I need to take care of."
Sun Yunso studied his expression and Anyu Feng looked back at him.
"And perhaps...there are a few things you should see for yourself."
Sun Yunso said nothing; he only stepped into the carriage. Whatever Anyu Feng had planned to do in Yokai City, Sun Yunso had a feeling it wasn't going to be a simple trip.
As everyone got inside the carriage, Anyu Feng tapped slightly against the window, instantly the driver understood and the horses started walking, their footsteps echoed across the road as the carriage slowly moved off from the medical center.
Inside the air was unnaturally silent, no one spoke. Chu Runar looked around the carriage, Lokei Yoshe looked out of the window, Sa Wayong sat quietly with her hands on her lap and Sun Yunso merely watched the streets pass by; Chu Runar could feel the discomfort in the carriage.
He cleared his throat.
"So....nice weather we're having."
Chu Runar's smile twitched.
"Alright, that didn't work."
Lokei sighed.
"Obviously."
Chu Runar looked at him.
"I was trying."
"Try harder."
"I don't appreciate the criticism."
Lokei shook his head before looking at the rest of the group.
"Speaking of Yokai City..."
Sa Wayong looked at him.
"What about it?"
Lokei looked at their clothes.
"Those."
Sa Wayong looked at herself.
"What's wrong with our clothes?"
"They're old-fashioned."
Chu Runar looked at his own clothes.
"What's wrong with it?"
"You look like you walked out of a history book."
Chu Runar frowned.
"That's insulting."
"It's true."
Lokei pointed towards the front of the carriage.
"Take Mr. Feng for example."
Everyone looked at Anyu, his attire was visibly different from the rest of them, modern enough to look out of place but old enough to keep the traditional feel of Ketura.
Lokei nodded towards Anyu.
"His clothes actually fit Yokai City."
Sa Wayong examined Anyu's attire.
"So our clothes would stand out?"
"Very."
Lokei leaned back.
"Yokai City is different to Meizou, the feel of it is more mixed in the districts, so when we get there we're going shopping."
Chu Runar's eyes immediately brightened.
"Shopping?"
"Clothes."
Chu Runar grinned.
"Now you're speaking my language."
Sa Wayong smiled,
"I don't mind."
Lokei turned his attention towards Yunso,
"And you?"
Sun Yunso looked down at himself, his fingers hovering over the material of his clothes. He had worn it for years, it wasn't just clothes to him, it had been a gift from his master Su Qing.
Changing it would be like getting rid of another part of him.
Sun Yunso stayed silent then turned his attention towards Anyu, Anyu Feng looked at him and for a moment, no one said a word then Anyu gave a small wink and smile.
'It's alright.'
Sun Yunso understood instantly, his gaze dropped towards his clothes again, he wasn't giving up Su Qing, a piece of fabric couldn't change what clothes meant to him.
Sun Yunso simply nodded,
"I have no problem with it."
Chu Runar smiled,
"Perfect."
Lokei sighed,
"Then it's settled, first stop when we get to Yokai City...Clothing store."
Chu Runar leaned back with a content smile,
"I already know I'm about to blow a hole in my savings."
Sa Wayong chuckled,
Sun Yunso said nothing but for the first time since leaving Meizou the journey ahead didn't feel so daunting.
After days of traveling, the carriage soon came to a stop. The horses exhaled a few tired breaths as the wheels met the stone road.
"We're here."
The doors to the carriage opened and Sun Yunso was the first to step out. He looked up and they had indeed arrived in Yokai City, the place their journey had brought them to. Even from the edge of the gate, the city was massive, buildings towering over the street while traditional Chinese-style buildings stood alongside more modern ones.
Sun Yunso's gaze lightly traced over the city; he had heard of Yokai City before. There was a difference between hearing about it and seeing it for himself. Chu Runar was right behind him and took a step forward, his eyes widening as he took in the sight before him.
"So this is Yokai City..."
Sa Wayong followed, taking in his surroundings with a quiet interest. Lokei Yoshe was the last to step out, but he didn't seem surprised at all
"This place hasn't changed much."
Chu Runar turned to him
"You call this 'not changed much'?"
Lokei shrugged
"You haven't seen the good parts yet."
Before anyone could say anything else else, Anyu Feng pushed himself forward from the carriage door. He rummaged through the space in which he had been sitting before digging his hand into a bag and pulling it out. Anyu tossed the large bag to the driver, who eagerly opened it up at the sound of coins clinking together
"Sir, this is- "
"Payment."
Anyu waved him off
"You may keep the rest."
The driver stared at the bag for a moment before bowing deeply
"Thank you."
He returned to the carriage and within moments the horses were walking once again, vanishing into the busy streets of Yokai City, and Chu Runar watched it disappear
"That was quite a bag of gold."
Anyu said nothing as he turned to the four and smiled faintly
"I'm going somewhere."
Lokei raised an eyebrow
"Already?"
"I have something to attend to. I'm not sure how long it will take, so don't wait for me. Just find a suitable place around here and we can use it as a meeting point."
Sa Wayong nodded
"How long are we staying?"
Anyu chuckled lightly
"That, even I am not sure of."
He dug into his pocket to pull out a small bag this time, tossing it towards Lokei. Lokei caught it skillfully, opening it up to reveal small bills of paper money. He gave a small nod of approval
"Good."
Chu Runar leaned forward to look
"What's that?"
"Money. The preferred currency in Yokai City is mostly paper money over gold. Gold coins are still widely accepted, but it's a bit of a bother to carry bags of them around everywhere you go."
Chu Runar gave a small nod of understanding
"Understood."
Anyu gave a small glance towards Sun Yunso
"And don't cause any trouble."
Sun Yunso gave a small nod
"We won't."
Anyu gave a small smile
"I'll see you all later."
With that he disappeared into the masses,, leaving the four to stand at the edge of the gate. They stood in silence for a moment before Lokei turned towards them
"Well then, first order of business."
Chu Runar immediately smiled
"The clothing store?"
"Right."
Sun Yunso looked down at his clothes, the fabric clinging to his skin. He hadn't worn these in a while, they were a gift from Su Qing. He was unsure how he felt about getting rid of them, but Lokei saw the expression on his face.
"You don't have to throw them away."
Sun Yunso looked up at him
"We'll find something that looks good on you."
Sun Yunso was silent for a moment before he gave a small nod
"Alright."
Lokei gave a small smile
"Good."
He began walking
"Now then, if we're staying here in Yokai City, you four should stop looking like you've walked out of history books."
Chu Runar immediately followed
"Now that's something I want to see."
Sa Wayong gave a quiet chuckle as he followed along. Sun Yunso turned to look at the great city one last time before he turned and followed after them. His journey through Yokai City had truly begun.
The four continued walking on the street of Yokai City, following Lokei who was leading them to the clothing store. Much to their surprise, it was not that far.
After a few minutes, Lokei stopped in front of a large building.
"This is it."
Chu Runar glanced at the shop, noticing the traditional design on the front but also the many modern clothes on display inside the large windows.
Lokei shoved the door open.
"Come on."
They entered the store and Chu Runar immediately halted, stunned by what he saw.
Modern clothes and traditional Keturan clothing, dark shirts with traditional embroidery, stylish pants, short jackets and other traditional fabric being used to make modern attire.
It was all completely unexpected.
"Whoa..."
Sa Wayong looked around the store with interest while Lokei only gave a smile.
Chu Runar suddenly grabbed a shirt from a rack.
"I want this and this!"
He grabbed another piece of clothing, a pair of pants.
"And these, and this!"
Lokei's expression darkened.
"Runar."
"I need this!"
"You don't."
"This one?"
"Nope."
"This?"
"No."
Chu Runar grabbed another set of clothes.
"This?"
"Put it down."
"But it looks good."
"You've been here for thirty seconds."
Chu Runar glanced around the store.
"So?"
Lokei's eyes narrowed.
"You've already been trying to empty the place."
Chu Runar gave a grin.
"Perhaps I do like the place."
He grabbed another set of clothes but was stopped by Lokei who gave him a light chop on the back of his head.
"Stop."
"Ow!"
"You're drawing too much attention to yourself."
Chu Runar glanced around the store, noticing that some customers had already turned to look at him.
"... Fine."
Lokei sighed.
"Get something you actually need."
Chu Runar muttered a curse under his breath.
"You're no fun."
I've known you for long enough to know what happens if I let you loose in here."
Sa Wayong bit her lip, trying to keep her laughter in. Meanwhile, Sun Yunso kept silent as he looked around the store and for once, was not thinking about fighting and revenge, only clothes, which was an odd feeling indeed.
Lokei Yoshe sighed as he watched Chu Runar reluctantly put the clothes back where he had found them.
"Alright, now that you've calmed down let's actually get what we came here for."
Chu Runar crossed his arms.
"I was calm."
"You were holding seven shirts."
"They were different."
"They were all black."
Chu Runar paused.
"...Different shades."
Sa Wayong quietly laughed while Lokei shook his head and turned over to the rest of the store.
"Come on. Pick something that actually suits you."
The four of them split up and looked over the different racks. Chu Runar immediately wandered over to another section. Lokei immediately noticed.
"Don't."
Chu Runar stopped.
"I wasn't doing anything."
"You were thinking about it."
"That's an accusation."
"Keep walking."
Chu Runar reluctantly wandered on. Sa Wayong continued browsing through the clothes nearby while Yunso remained quiet, his eyes moving over the different designs. Somehow the clothes there were strange, they were modern but hadn't given up tradition.
Traditional patterns were embroidered onto modern shirts. Old-style fabrics were put together with new designs. Even the trousers had small details that reminded him of the clothing he had grown up wearing. Sun Yunso reached towards one of the shirts and stopped, his hand slowly lowered.
It didn't feel right—none of them did. He wasn't looking for something impressive, he just wanted something that still felt like him.
Lokei noticed.
"You haven't found anything?"
"Not yet."
Lokei looked over at him for a moment before he walked over to the deepest part of the store.
"Wait here."
Sun Yunso raised an eyebrow and a few moments later, Lokei returned with several pieces of clothing. He handed them to Yunso.
"Try these."
Sun Yunso looked over the clothes.
A black long-sleeve shirt to wear underneath, black fitted trousers, a thick red rope sash, and a pair of black boots. They were simple, but familiar enough.
Sun Yunso looked over at Lokei.
"You picked these?"
"Yeah."
Lokei gave him a small smile.
"I think they'll suit you."
Sun Yunso stared at the clothes for a few seconds before he nodded.
"Alright."
He turned towards the changing room and for the first time since entering the store, Lokei smiled with satisfaction.
"Now we're getting somewhere."
…
After some time, they had finally settled on their new clothes. Each of them had found something that suited them while still fitting the atmosphere of Yokai City. Chu Runar seemed particularly pleased with his choices while Sa Wayong looked comfortable in hers. Lokei, unsurprisingly, looked completely satisfied.
"See?" Lokei said as he stepped outside. "Much better."
Chu Runar looked at himself and nodded.
"I'll admit it. You were right."
Lokei smiled.
"Of course I was."
Sun Yunso remained quiet; he looked himself over. They felt different but not uncomfortable; he actually liked them. The design was simple, practical, and not far removed from his habits. But there was just one problem: his sword. Sun Yunso reached behind himself and touched the hilt. It was now placed behind him rather than his usual side.
"...This feels strange."
Lokei glanced over.
"You'll get used to it."
Sun Yunso didn't answer, he had spent years drawing his sword from the same position. His left hand naturally reached towards his side, now it had to reach behind him. He slowly placed his hand on the hilt.
SHING!
The blade came free. Sun Yunso looked at it, he had managed to draw it, but there was a noticeable difference. The draw was slightly slower than before, not by much but enough for him to notice. He returned the sword to its sheath and tried again.
SHING!
Again it was still slower.
Sun Yunso frowned. Chu Runar watched him for a moment.
"What's wrong?"
"My draw. It's slower."
Lokei nodded.
"That's because you're used to drawing from your side. Give it time. Your body will adapt."
Sun Yunso placed his hand back on the hilt. He wasn't convinced but he knew Lokei was right, for now, he'd have to relearn something he'd spent years perfecting. Sun Yunso looked up at the streets of Yokai City. Another problem to solve and this time, it had nothing to do with revenge.
The four continued to walk down the streets of Yokai City, and as they went, Yunso began to notice how different this city was from Meizou. It seemed to stretch on for miles, filled with stores and towering buildings. Every walk of life passed by the group as they strolled down the street, with the odd carriage passing by as well but eventually, after walking for a while, it was Chu Runar who finally spoke.
"So where are we staying?"
Lokei continued to walk as he replied.
"My place."
Chu Runar gave him a strange look.
"Your place?"
"Yeah."
There was a pause before Chu Runar's face changed to a mix of emotions.
"Oh."
Lokei glanced back over his shoulder.
"You finally figured it out?"
"I thought you meant somewhere you knew."
"Did I say that?"
"I meant my actual home."
Sa Wayong looked at him.
"You have a home here?"
Lokei shrugged.
"Obviously."
Nobody spoke as they continued to follow him along the streets, eventually passing through a more lively part of the city before the busy streets began to thin out.
They became more spread out and less crowded, until Lokei came to a halt.
Sun Yunso looked ahead and gasped, taking in the sight of a vast estate stretching out before them, a large gate marking the entrance to the estate, with a vast plot of land behind it, dotted with various buildings. Chu Runar stopped dead in his tracks and Sa Wayong's eyes widened; neither saying anything, before Lokei turned to look at them.
"...Don't make those faces."
Chu Runar slowly turned to look at him.
"Are we wrong?"
Lokei frowned.
"What?"
Chu Runar gestured towards the large building complex.
"That looks like the kind of place a rich noble family would have."
Sa Wayong nodded slowly.
"It does."
Lokei scratched at the back of his head.
"It's not that impressive."
Both of them stared at him, Lokei quickly figured out that the remark wasn't going to be enough.
He sighed.
"Fine."
Looking back at the two of them, Lokei crossed his arms.
"I guess there's no point in trying to hide it anymore."
Chu Runar crossed his arms over his chest.
"Hide what?"
Lokei looked back at the large mansion behind him.
"My family. Yes. I'm from a wealthy noble family."
Chu Runar's eyes widened.
"I knew it."
Lokei ignored him.
"My surname, Yoshe, is well known throughout Yokai City."
Sa Wayong looked back at the mansion.
"So you're actually from one of the famous clans?"
Lokei nodded.
"The Yoshe Clan."
Sun Yunso said nothing as he looked up at Lokei, the carefree wanderer he had travelled with was suddenly becoming a little more intriguing to him, not because his nature had changed. Because Yunso was suddenly realising that Lokei Yoshe didn't have as much depth to his character as he had originally appeared. Lokei turned to the large gates of the property.
"Come on, welcome to my home.”