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Chapter 20
This is only the beginning
The two men stood a few feet apart. The brisk mountain air caused teeth to chatter on one of them.
Li Tao's scalp looked to be whipped from his head as jet black strands of hair lashed the air. Spots of his hair vacant scalp collected a cold chill that dived downward along his spine.
Fahai ignored the difficulties of his new disciple and raised his hands with fingers spread. The hesitant Math teacher mimicked the holy man's movements.
"Concentration is necessary for you to receive such gifts." Fahai said.
At the café, the invisible weapon of Buddha explained that certain powers can be granted to a willing student. Though fleeting in their life-span, they would bring Fahai a powerful comrade.
Numerous gusts of wind surrounded the two, as modest breezes climbed the circular path up the mountain trail intensifying with each twist and turn.
"Yes, I know and welcome your guidance." Fear still resided in the schoolteacher's being. His voice trembled with a meek stutter. "I fear…the sisters and their power."
Li Tao's distress concerned something more in the present than the two targets of Fahai's quest, such as how did he end up on an isolated peak in the Taimu Mountain range. The last thing he remembered was leaving the café for a short walk with Fahai to discuss the sisters.
Li Tao's focus remained on his instructor as he hoped ignoring the panoramic view from this picturesque vantage point would abate his growing panic. His senses tingled from his fear of heights.
"Master Fahai, I am not comfortable in such a location." His heart thumped in rhythm with the quickening breaths. "I might be too fainthearted to be your disciple?"
"The questioning of one's courage is a sign of intelligence. Only those that lack foresight no not the meaning of the word." The holy man smiled as he continued. "They mistake courage with false bravado." Fahai raised his palm to the stinging winds hitting Li Tao as if spears from heaven. "And anything false will soon disappear."
"I have an unpleasant feeling this high." The Math teacher's words trembled from his lips.
"You think you have a fear of heights; I will prove you wrong." With that, the monk's hands reached out to his student and then pointed to the sky. Li Tao's body followed.
"Master, please…" He shouted dangling in the air.
"Do you believe I am who I say I am?" Asked Fahai.
"Yes," his legs and arms flailed through the air.
"It is not a fear of heights!" Fahai's voice rose as if a crack of thunder. "It is a fear of edges."
"What?"
"Stop your movements and take control." Fahai swung his arms forward pointing past the cliff. His disciple followed.
"Look down, and tell me your feelings." The holy man remained with his arms stretched outward, his student remaining still in the air refusing to look down.
"Have you no faith in my words?" A disgusted laugh left the annoyed monk. "Master…Fahai," Li Tao's body began to shake off Fahai's invisible grip, he
began to slip downward. "Help!" Shouted Li Tao.
"Only you can help yourself, now."
Fahai walked to the edge of the cliff. Pressing his lips together he decided to halt
the schoolteachers accelerated plummet.
The jolt sent Li Tao back to eye-level with Fahai.
Still dangling over the valley below, he spoke.
"Master, why…" His strained face blocked any further speech.
"I tell you, trust in not me, but your heart." He stretched his hands outward. "Do you want me to end this experience or will you take control from your Master?"
The schoolteacher tensed his body, bring a stillness in the atmosphere. The wailing wind circling the mountain path ceased, as clouds scampered from the light of the morning sun.
Taking a deep breath; he touched his chin to a swelled chest. Opening strained eyelids; he looked at the stream over 600 meters below.
"Master, I see beauty. I see," he paused. "I feel no fear."
Fahai swung his arms back over the cliff floor landing Li Tao on his hip.
"Oh, I fear my body is not suited for such feats." The tumble brought a smile to the once distressed expression. Brushing himself off, the bewildered man continued. "I am after all, only a teacher of Mathematics."
"Come, my learned professor."
The holy man grabbed his arm and brought him to the edge of the cliff.
"Now, look down." He commanded.
"Oh! No!" Li Tao's screeches filled the mountain top.
"See, it's the edge that human's fear." Holding the struggling pupil firm near the end of the cliff. "When a human is high in the air, the brain does not comprehend the distance. It is a sought of make-believe sight." A smile covered the monk's mouth. "But at the edge, I believe anything over forty-feet." Pulling Li Tao closer to the edge.
"I understand. I understand. You invisible weapon of Buddha." He shouted
Li Tao then broke from Fahai's grip.
"Master. Please?" the exhausted and disheveled disciple folded his legs and plopped down to the ground. It had been an exhausting and grueling day.
The instruction began sometime after the duo left the café.
Venturing into a patch of woods just outside town, Fahai turned to eye the trailing teacher. As Li Tao stopped, ready to ask their destination, in a flash the men stood on this mountain top.
Here, Fahai intended to give his new disciple a quick introduction into the world of mystical powers.
"You," the monk's voice shook the faltering stance of Li Tao as he attempted to rise. "All pure human souls possess enough Chi in their spirit to build a wall against evil spells and incantations."
Fahai walked to the wavering figure to his front.
"Belief in your spirit will counter their attempts to cause you harm. Body or soul."
"Yes, Master," Li Tao stretched his neck gaining a sturdy posture. A whirlwind of dead leaves formed a modest cyclone showering the Math teacher with red shaded dust.
"If, my new colleague, you wish to counter their devious and deceitful ways?"
The Math instructor looked to Fahai after his question, tired eyes followed the monk as he circled to the rear. Li Tao's lids appeared ready to close.
"I sense in you a question." Fahai stated.
"Great one, please…" A dry mouth and trepidation born from his thoughts caused Li Tao to stutter. He grimaced at the soreness in his throat.
"She is not a beautiful woman. Isn't she?" Asked Fahai.
A frequent cold snap of air encircling the pair did not stop Li Tao's flood of perspiration. Rivers of sweat cascaded down his face. Pawing his lip, the Math teacher hoped to stem the disciple's uncontrolled reaction to the question.
"Lust, is the worst of all travesties that infect the human soul." Fahai walked to the edge of the bliff, looking down at the Nine Carps Waterfall descending from an adjacent peak. "Do you feel lust for her?"
The hesitant pupil looked to the crystal blue sky. Lacking clouds, it brought back memories of his American colleague. He wished for a flock of birds to crease the unblemished heaven. Anything to disturb its likeness to his bewitched friend.
"I admit," said Li Tao as trembling lips gave him a pause. "The one you call the White Snake," relaxing his stance as he spoke. "Is beautiful and in her beauty has enslaved my friend."
Fahai smiled, emitting a slight burst of air from his nostrils. Turning back to look at his new disciple.
"That, my dear teacher is not an answer to my question."
Walking to Li Tao, the holy man clasped his hands together. The balding teacher bowed and did the same, closing his eyes he felt the whirling clouds of dirt circling them.
In an instant, he was home.
Fujian
Janet sat in her hotel room, silent and stern faced. The main attraction to Angelo rested not with his physique or attractive face. Those blue jewels masquerading as eyes paled to Janet's one obsession over this man.
"That piece of manhood is mine." A smirk covered her face giving the milk-colored silken skin a rigid appearance. "Angelo my sweet, you are perfect for me. And no slanty-eyed bitch will make a difference." Seizing the slender straps holding her white camisole, her crossed forearms slid them down as long lashes batted over a coy smile. "How damn old is she?" A smug look highlighted the snort of air from her petite nose.
"That's right mirror, mirror on the wall." Janet snickered, "I know, I can have him with a little show of," tilting a bare left shoulder toward the reflection, "maybe even a little," her tongue wiggled wildly over moist lips. "The best part of you, my sweet Angelo." Dropping the garment to the floor, a pair of nipples pointed at straight ahead "If I get the itch to fuck some guy a little more interesting," a slight shake took over her form as the young woman sensed the building laugh crawling up her chest, "you will always be there." The brazen chuckle took on a sinister tone. "You sucker," whispered to the devilish grin before her. "But, you are my sucker."
"Ohh!" Whipping her right hand under the blunt cut ending at the nape of her neck. "Stupid country, even the drafts are ridiculously hot." As she continued to rub the back of her neck, the unusual sensation increased.
"My God! The heat." Confidence exhibited at her itemizing of Angelo's attractive traits subsided in a flourish.
"It's burning." Dropping to one knee, she used her other hand to wipe a cascade of tears from her face. Deep breaths interrupted her attempts to stand. Remaining seated on the carpeted floor, she scanned the room to locate the source of this blazing gust of air. Launching herself at the sliding window, she closed it shut. The chipped paint from the fading white wood flew into the air from her thrust.
Composed, she walked to the bed prepared to hear the rusted springs of the mattress. Their sound brought a calm over her anguished expression. Nude, she did not bother with locating her camisole. Sliding under the bed sheet, she trembled at the thought of this horrific experience. Her mind craved to find an understanding. What could have caused a blast of warm air intense of enough to give the awareness of fire touching her skin?
"Oh God, I thought the room was on fire." She whispered to the ceiling, hoping for some spiritual intervention and protection. "I wish Angelo was here."
The shaken young woman shrunk to a fetal position. Closing her eyes, slight quivers sent ripples down the white cotton cover. Pulling the sheet over her head, she lay in absolute terror.
Standing in the darkened corner of the room a metaphysical figure remained silent, nostrils retracted from their flared state. The clouded image of a woman in white walked toward the vibrating bedsheets.
The figure stood at the corner of the bed, tossing a cloud of dust from her palm onto the shivering motions beneath the sheets. All movement halted. Janet fell asleep in an instant.
As the cloud surrounding the mystical apparition faded, Bai su zhen's face surfaced. She gritted her pure white teeth. Tense lips expressed to the still hotel room a malicious thought.
This is only the beginning.
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