92 Arriving at the End Phase

"What the hell is this music," Han Wi looked around, confused. Even the slightest bit of change would unnerve him right now, and it was hard to believe just mere moments ago he brazenly waltzed into this store like some kind of big boss. "Where is this shit coming from?"

The duo merchants started shuddering, weirding out those around him. But they could not possibly understand the sheer terror that came with this catchy little tune. It promptly brought them back to the past when they had entered the store for the very first time. Even now, Hei Er feared anything that sounded remotely like this and has retired to a quiet countryside that has no rhythm at all. "Oh lord, he is fucked."

"What's this music, it has a good feeling to it," Lan Jiu bobbed his head up and down.

Li Yangyi glanced around. "Woah, you are right, that sounds good. Who's the one playing it? It must be several people, I can hear a flute, drums, and some kind of string instrument."

Shou answered, "It comes from the store itself. It's the song of Tsukumogami. It awakens dormant tool spirits."

"Tsukuwhat?" Li Yangyi had a hard time pronouncing that foreign name. "It reminds me of the orchestras during family gatherings or tournaments. I quite like it. Can you send me the composition?"

"Sure." Shou gave him a thumbs-up. But he wasn't sure if Li Yangyi would still want it after seeing its effects.

Han Wi pointed his hilt at Shou. "Stop ignoring me, you bastard!" Though he was showing a brave front, the shaking of his legs betrayed his insecurities. In the end, a scholar stays a scholar, even with their high cultivation. They could never hold the bravado of a warrior without undergoing the same trials of a battlefield themselves.

The Magistrate rushed out, but before he could come remotely close to Shou, his mind was disrupted by the weird colorful ghosts that seemingly spawned out of nowhere. They came out the walls and ceilings, appearing like big leaking waterdrops. These things continued en masse, now moving out from items, furniture, and plants. "What the hell is this witchcraft."

The other guests, except for the merchants, had similar reactions. They weren't as surprised though as this was the Store of Fates, and they've become rather resistant to magical or supernatural things by now. "Wow, how cute," Li Yinyi even shouted. "Can I touch them?"

"I wouldn't if I were you," An Bai advised her honestly.

The colorful tool spirits made their way toward. They had the behavior and vibe of small children who had gone out on an excursion, but no one here dared to underestimate them, for some reason. 

Shou lifted his hand. "Actually guys, stop for a bit."

"What? Why," Si asked. "Let's just get it over with."

"Have you recalibrated their strength since the last time," he asked suspiciously.

"...For what reasons [nervously looks away]?"

Shou squinted his eyes. "I knew it. You are going to cause a murder at one point, I can't leave this up to you." He placed his hands behind his back and spoke with a smug smile, "Leave it to me this time." The youth rolled up his sleeves. "You, let's take this outside."

"That's what I have been saying the whole time." Han Wi pumped himself up. He couldn't wait to leave this crazy, godforsaken store. The man tried to get the scene with his sword out of his mind. It must have been a fluke, or he a dirty trick. There was no way that his skin was stronger than his sword. "And no messing around! If you truly are a man, face me one on one."

And just like that, they moved out one by one, first Shou and Han Wi, then the guests, and even the small little tool spirits. A decent-sized audience had formed with them. "Lan Jiu, give me your sword," Shou said. The sect-member followed without any questions.

"Are you this despicable to use a weapon when I don't have one myself?" 

"How can you say that when you are several stages higher than me." Shou tilted his head. "However, it's not for me, it's for you." He threw the weapon to Han Wi, sheath and all.

The magistrate caught the sword. He asked skeptically, "What about you then?"

The youth beckoned him to attack. "Don't worry about it."

"Your arrogance will be your downfall." he unsheathed the sword. It had a good blade to it. The man stabbed out.

Shou dodged to his right, the sword just barely scraping by his cheek. At once, the two of them were engaged in fierce combat. The magistrate moved swiftly and cleanly, leaving little space in between his movements. He resembled a windstorm with unlimited possibilities, every breeze a deadly cut. In between, he'd mix unconventional feints, making him all the more unreadable.

But of course, they were of little problem for Shou. He dodged all the attacks as if a leaf within this great storm.

"Why can't I hit you," the Magistrate shouted furiously.

"Your martial art is clean, showing that you've refined your swordsmanship to a decent degree. You must have spent a lot of time studying theories and understanding your weapon, unlike those brainless warriors," Shou schooled him while avoiding the thrusts of Han Wi. "But that makes you easy to read. Not to mention, you are slow."

"This is impossible! I can't even feel any Spiritual Qi from you," Han Wi spoke.

"It's time to end this, I have a business to run," Shou glanced at the crowd. "Does anyone have requests on how to finish him?"

"Hit him with the witchs' magic," Li Yinyi immediately yelled, full of excitement.

Shou looked wryly. "Do you want me to kill him?" He glanced at the other guys. "Anything goes, let your fantasy run wild. I can do anything, from conjuring a dragon, calling the heavenly fires, blasting him with a star or meteorite, or even opening a portal to the netherworld."

The customers ignored his silly, nonsensical jokes. Instead, they had a much more pragmatic idea. "Can you demonstrate the village arts again?"

"Boring," Shou muttered, as he nimbly stepped aside, avoiding the Magistrate. "But okay."

Han Wi was in a bad shape already. His hair was disheveled, his clothing rattled, and his breathing rough. "Stop dodging and face me like a real man!"

"I will." The youth took a single step, and he appeared in front of Han Wis' face, as if a ghost. The latter was almost frightened to death, as he swung his sword half-hazardly. The customers clapped their hands, sending him off with a prayer. Shou, on the other hand, sent him off with a fist to his face.

Han Wi wanted to block it, but the knuckles bypassed his defense and sank into his face as if they were meant to be there, and he was sent flying, gone to discover the world. A couple of involuntary somersaults later, he landed flat on his face, unconscious.

"Well, this comes as a surprise to no one," Li Yangyi said, not even batting an eye.

The others agreed. Li Yangyi even yawned, bored. "That was entertaining, should we go back and play?" Lan Jiu took the sword from Han Wi and returned it to his waist. And just as everyone was about to walk into the store again, the tool spirits started to abruptly move. 

Before anyone could process what was going on, they had arrived at Magistrate Wis' body and exploded.

"Ah."

...

"Sorry [orz]."

"Don't feel sorry for me, apologize to the Magistrate," Shou grumbled. "If I didn't heal him, he'd be greeting buddha."

"I know, I know. I take full responsibility," Si cried out. "I forgot to turn that thing off."

Mei Xue spoke to Shou, interrupting his monologue. "With that, you've become the official enemy of the City Lord, is that fine with you?"

"Didn't he sanction me for no reason? I think we were on pretty bad terms already, no?" Shou huffed, as he closed the door to the store.

The woman spoke. "This is a lot different. He will now see you as a genuine threat, unlike before."

"Just let him come then," Lin Zhuyue shouted while throwing her fists in the air. "He pretends to be all kind, but did you know my neighbor got arrested last week? He's already 65, how would it be possible for him to commit crimes?"

"Pipe down," Ran Wei pulled the woman back in embarrassment.

"No, the young lady is right." Zhang Yong said. "If anything this was well-deserved, even if not just. Moving on, how do you think the beasts are connected to the witch and wizard?"

"I don't know, maybe they aren't at all," Mei Xue spoke. "So, will you continue fighting back the City Lord? You can't just leave it all to Shou after all, right?"

"Of course not," Zhang Yong replied. "There's no way the store would add the beasts when they had nothing to do with anything. Oh, and no, we can't just let the City Lord do whatever he wants."

"Do you guys want to assassinate him then," Lan Jiu spoke. "Not that it has anything to do with me, I am only interested in Lan Wu."

"If we do that, we are the bad guys." Zhang Yong racked his brain. "Ah whatever, let's not think about this and go with the flow. No matter what, I feel like we are arriving at the end phase." He paused. "For both the Deadly Witch Hunt and the skirmish with the City Lord."