It was clear to Ling Yun that he would lose. The gap between their skills and experience was too huge to be overcome by feelings or determination. But the result of this duel didn't matter at all.

  He could easily go back on his word. Furthermore, Mu Feixue would never let him leave. The worst that could happen was that he would have to endure Jin Hao's jeering and ridicule. He had already gotten used to it back when he was the crippled young master of the Ling clan.

  Jin Hao would eventually leave and he would go back to the humdrum of his daily life. Before his pride would've wounded but after ever since the night he entered Mu Feixue's bed chambers or even before, the night when he laid there in a pool of blood unable to save anything, he had long forgotten to care about things like pride.

  This is why he could accept the challenge. The loss would only result in a bitter taste in his mouth which would soon vanish. In fact, he was currently thinking of a new desert from the Savouring the Heavens manual to wash away the impending taste of defeat.

  "What are you waiting for? Hit him with the soul dissonance needle."

  Brahma's voice rang out breaking his contemplation. Ling Yun took a moment to digest what she just said. Jin Hao's refinement was in its final stage. If he was hit with a soul dissonance needle, his alchemy flame would fluctuate definitely ruining the refinement.

  This is why Brahma was so confident in his victory. Ling Yun had developed an understanding of Brahma with time and experience so he knew saying things like "It would be cheating" or "This would cause dishonour" to her would be pointless.

  The soul dissonance needles are invisible so chances of Jin Hao finding about it is impossible. His bodyguard from his clothing looked to be a Qi Refining cultivator. A Foundation Establishment cultivator would have dressed more luxuriously. The bodyguard and the mortal servants present could be ignored.

  The only person who could discover this trick would be Mu Feixue. As a Foundation Establishment cultivator she is proficient in divine sense and Ling Yun was sure she was watching everything from her room. There was a chance she could catch him but so what? At most she would only question him and he could just make up some lie. He was ninety percent sure that she would never admonish him for cheating.

  So it all comes down to him. Jin Hao for all his rudeness had decided to beat him fairly. He had even left the choice of pill to him. And as said before, loss would only result in few minutes of ridicule which he could easily endure.

  But still I don't want to lose.

  ***

  Jin Hao continued laughing at Ling Yun with his bodyguard. Just a minute more and he would rub the victory pill in that boy's face.

  You dared to call me a pig in my face! I will ensure that you pay dearly for it.

  Senior Master Mu would definitely see that I'm better and finally I will become her disciple.

  He was lost in these thoughts when suddenly his Qi circulation went out of control. His alchemy flame flared and his right arm caught fire. The temperature of the flame was high enough to send searing pain throughout his body.

  "AAAAAAAAAAHH!" A loud scream escaped his mouth. He quickly tried to regain focus and put out the flame when -BANG- the cauldron in front of him exploded in his face. The smoke cleared showing Jin Hao lying on the ground unconscious with blood flowing from his head, his body covered with fire still trying to eat him alive.

  Ling Yun watched all that in absolute horror. He remembered his master telling him about the dangers of pill refining and cauldron explosions but he never understood the severity of it till now. Watching it first hand, he now realised how dangerous the process of alchemy is.

  What have I done

  The bodyguard was the first one to spring into action. With a wave of his hand, he extinguished the flames. He quickly lifted Jin Hao in his arms and requested the servants for their help. The servants looked uneasily at Ling Yun, they knew there was a bad blood between their young master and the injured Jin Hao.

  The bodyguard looked at his injured master, clearly worried sick. He turned to Ling Yun and deeply bowed, "Young master Ling, I know my master had been rude to you but please let him recover in your home. I apologise in behalf of my master and promise that the Jin clan will never forget this favour."

  Ling Yun guiltily averted his eyes as he commanded the servants to help them as much as possible.

  The unconscious Jin Hao was taken to a spare room and put in bed. There was a large bloody wound on the side of his forehead staining the pillows. A servant who knew basic medicinal knowledge cleaned the wound before applying the salve on and then wrapped it with bandages. His burnt arm was also treated properly.

  The sight of his bodyguard sitting beside the bed looking at his master with tears in his eyes pricked Ling Yun's heart. The room felt so suffocating that he quickly left.

  If you take a step back and think about it, it was just a petty duel caused by the clashing egos of both parties. The result wouldn't have changed anything but to preserve just a silver of pride, Ling Yun unknowingly caused this tragedy.

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  Honestly, it could've gone many different ways. After getting hit by soul dissonance needle, Jin Hao's alchemy flame could've just extinguished failing the refinement and nobody would've gotten hurt, the scenario Ling Yun originally intended. Or it could've ended way worse, killing or crippling Jin Hao for life.

  "Congratulations on your victory."

  Who else could it be except Brahma. "What victory? I used unfair means and now I hurt an innocent person."

  "Oh Ling Yun, Ling Yun when will you grow up? Unfair, do you think an adept duelling a beginner is fair? If that fatty had won would it be completely fair?

  "Ling Yun there is no fairness in life, even the Heavenly Dao is unfair. Some people are born as mortals, some with low grade spiritual roots and some with supreme grade roots. Unfairness has been a part of your life ever since you were born."

  "You know the more I listen to you, the more I believe I'm straying further and further from the right path."

  Lately Ling Yun had been thinking. Brahma had a way with words. Her words always contained some figment of uncanny truth so he always followed them. But look where that got him.

  He could hardly recognise himself in the mirror now. Even his way if thinking had gradually changed from the innocent boy who lived to play his flute.

  Led by the sweet whispers of the devil, he felt like he had been trapped in a maze with no choice but to rely on her. Even though all the decisions were made by his own will, he could feel her shadow behind each one of them.

  "However you misinterpret this situation, it is undeniable that I went too far. I should've gladly accepted my loss."

  Brahma's eyes flashed at his words. She who was usually composed in all situations responded angrily. "Ling Yun you forget that I am your master and I have taken you as my disciple. The one thing you are not allowed to do is resign yourself to lose.

  "You don't have to be obsessed with chasing after victory, no it is fine if you don't feel any pleasure in it. But to be okay with losing, it would spell the end for you. The one begins accepting losses would inevitably become a loser.

  "History remembers heroes, emperors, saints and even the vilest sinners but not a drop of ink is spared to write about a loser. You can cheat, forfeit, run away and even lose but never become fine with losing."

  "Stop with this twisted mindset. There is honour and grace in accepting loss." Even though he said that, he didn't even fully believed it but still he had to stop Brahma corrupting him.

  "Grace in losing?" Brahma scoffed at him. "The only grace shown by the loser is the one allowed by the winner. Look at you, you could've thrown at that fatty or you could've made his lackey kowtow a hundred times before helping them. But you chose to help them. These options were available to you because you are above them, because you won.

  "Now think of what would've happened if you lost. That fatty could simply ridicule you in private or he could publicize the matter and ruin your reputation. As a winner he could do whatever he wanted and you could only stand back and watch."

  Damn it, she is again trapping me with her words. Don't give in to her twisted logic.

  "You really believed you could accept loss but in the end you tried to win even throwing away your precious honour. If you are so dissatisfied then like a good honest boy why don't you go and tell them the truth that you are a cheater and a loser."

  Her wide grin taunted him to choose the only option. Like always it would be his decision with her shadow behind it.

  ***

  Ugh. Where am I?

  Jin Hao weakly opened his groggy eyes. The ceiling and the room felt unfamiliar to him. He again tried to remember but was assaulted by an intense pain in the head.

  "Aaah."

  "Young master Hao you're awake! Thank the heavens you are fine."

  Hearing the worried voice of his bodyguard Li Wei, he became even more confused. What happened to me?

  He tried to sit up and Li Wei instantly reached to help him. With his eyes completely open now, he looked around the room and saw a young boy clad in purple robes standing beside Li Wei. As their eyes met, the memory of duel came flooding into his mind.

  His dazed face instantly changed into a grimace and he turned his face away. I lost! After all the talk, I failed in even refining a fasting pill. How pathetic!

  "Young master Jin, here drink this." It took a moment for him to recognise it was Ling Yun. They both had been taunting and jeering at each other before so it was the first time he heard him talk so politely.

  He sneaked a glance at Li Wei who subtly nodded. With shaking hands, he took the offered cup and brought it close to his lips. A fresh cooling fragrance invaded his nose and he couldn't resist to take a gulp.

  He tasted the mint with a hint of sweetness. As the tea flowed down his throat, he could feel his headache rapidly lessening. He finished the tea in a single gulp and with an excited smile he loudly demanded, "Bring me more!"

  He looked at Li Wei subtly shaking his head and remembered he was a guest in someone else's home, not in his house. His face reddened with embarassment but before it could get awkward, Ling Yun freely laughed.

  "I would take this as a compliment from young master Jin. Here, have some more of this Green Spearmint tea. It is beneficial for cooling both body and mind."

  With the teapot in his hand, Ling Yun refilled his empty glass. With an astonished look, he couldn't help but ask. "Did young master Ling make this himself?"

  "Yes. It is a small hobby of mine. I usually spare some time from studying alchemy to practice it. I have always felt two ways about it but hearing young master Jin's praise made it worth it."

  Jin Hao took a sip of tea and immediately made his mind. After another sip, he put down the cup and bowed his head. "Young master Yun please forgive me for my earlier rudeness. You were right, my behaviour was unlike the son of the Jin clan."

  His voice was laced with deep shame. After all the taunting and ridiculing, he lost in such a pathetic manner because he lost control of his flame. But instead of taking revenge, Ling Yun helped him and he even made tea for him.

  Jin Hao tried to get up and properly kowtow on the ground but was hurriedly stopped by Ling Yun. "Stop before you make your injuries worse. If you want forgiveness just accept this request. Please tell your clan to stop bothering my master."

  Jin Hao for the first time understood what people say about becoming a bigger man. In contrast to Ling Yun's kindness and magnanimity, he felt so small and ugly. First Ling Yun faced his challenge as a man and now he showed such generosity even to someone who had behaved so horribly. He knew he would've never done that if their roles were reversed.

  A deep respect for Ling Yun emerged in his heart. "Of course I swear neither me nor my clan would ever trouble Senior Master Mu. Honestly I am ashamed for bothering her even after countless refusals. Please feel free to call me friend Hao."

  "I would gladly be your friend, Jin Hao."

  "It's a pity there isn't any wine so let's just toast with tea. Here to the beginning new wonderful friendship."

  The room was filled with mirthful laughter as a new friendship was born. Jin Hao's belly wobbled as he laughed at this strange turn of events. He had come to oust a rival and ended up finding a friend.

  Ling Yun decided to leave to allow him to rest. Before he could, Jin Hao called him at the door. "Thank you for allowing me to lose gracefully friend."

  Ling Yun briefly paused and Jin Hao saw a sad smile flicker on his face before vanishing as if it had been his imagination. Without any words he closed the door vanishing from his sight.