Kai Jin's Journey - The Swordmaster and the Artist

Kai Jin had been allowed freedom to do as he pleased soon after they returned from the previous skirmishes against the Yellow Turbans. Lord Cao Cao, making sure to praise the contributions made by the Heavenly Sword, granted him some time away from battle so he could recover his strength and pursue his private agendas. At the same time, he made sure to have his spies and informants keeping an eye on the enigmatic swordsman. He had no doubt that Kai Jin wouldn’t act recklessly, but he couldn’t be certain of the single-minded goal of the Heavenly Sword of Order.

Left to his own devices, Kai Jin roamed the city of Puyang without direction or concern. Everywhere his eyes looked, people moved away from his path, averting their eyes from meeting his gaze. He could see their fear, their apprehension… he could almost taste it. But it did little to stir him. The gnawing he felt deep within when he saw fear in his adversaries wasn’t present when faced with non-combatants.

Ever since he started walking on this path, it was always the same. Even Lord Cao Cao, the leader he’d chosen to follow, had some reservations about him. However, he could tell that Lord Cao Cao was smarter and more cunning than those who had tried to employ him in the past. He knew the risks, he knew what to say and how to sway his interest. And he allowed it, until his goal was achieved, or if Cao Cao couldn’t hold up his end of the bargain, or death came before his time.

While his mind pondered on his current situation, the sound of an erhu caught his attention and broke his inner thoughts. The crimson glow of his left eye dulled as he listened to the sad melody. Something odd happened while he kept listening… he felt a stirring in his heart… like ripples in the surface of a calm lake… it disturbed the stillness within him.

Following the music, he arrived at a tea house where the music was keeping many of the patrons mesmerized. The mixture of fragrant jasmine tea and healthy oolong blends gave the soft sounds of the instrument a feeling of longing for home.

The presence of Lord Cao Cao’s most feared soldier was a stark contrast to the serene atmosphere of the tea house. The patrons and the owner were hesitant to approach or even look at him, hoping they wouldn’t offend the man which rumors called “The Blade from Hell”.

“W-Welcome, my lord. M-May I offer a-a taste of our finest jasmine tea?”

The owner felt awkward and somewhat scared at the fact that the swordsman wasn’t paying attention to him. He couldn’t read the expression on the face of this warrior - there was none. Only that frightening red eye of his seemed to evoke any sign of change in his demeanor.

“This music. Where?” The rumbling voice of the swordsman made the owner shudder.

“Yes! Ri-Right this way!” Wanting to appease the stone-faced warrior, he led the man to the small courtyard of the tea house.

There, sitting on a simple chair was a girl, barely a woman, gracefully moving her hands in perfect harmony creating such beautiful music. The subtle movement of the branches of the trees added to the serene ambience that the woman’s music created. Every graceful movement of her hands and the subtle swaying of her body as she played the erhu reminded the stoic warrior of the flow of the waves in the sea - natural and in perfect harmony.

The owner left Kai Jin alone, not wanting to stay in his presence any longer.

The Heavenly Sword remained absorbed in the song the woman was playing. It resonated with his soul for some reason. He couldn’t truly understand it… he only felt it stirring him from within… disturbing the ice cold stillness within him… it was uncomfortable… but strangely soothing.

He remained standing perfectly still while the woman played. Her eyes were closed, as if evoking images in her own mind and soul that provided fuel to her artistic expression. Every note a word she didn’t speak. Every melody was like a memory that made her heart ache.

Kai Jin couldn’t understand it… he had never been curious about anyone before. He’d never cared about anybody that wasn’t strong or anyone else that wasn’t a rival. Yet, here he was. Being fascinated by the music of a simple musician.

His eyes could see the emotions of people. He always saw how they always shifted in his presence. How they would change whenever they were forcing themselves to act against their better judgment. In this woman he could only see one thing… sadness.

When she finished playing her song, the girl let out a heavy sigh filled with emotion. The song had taxed her heart heavily. The people who had heard her song praised her performance, which she acknowledged with a refined and graceful bow from her head. 

Then she noticed the man who was staring intently at her.

She had heard the rumors and stories of the red eyed monster under the service of Lord Cao Cao. If the stories were true, this person would be closer to a demon than a human. A creature that killed men without mercy and without pity.

Before her stood the same “creature”.

For a moment, she felt a bit apprehensive, the way he stared at her was like a viper staring at a mouse. But, when she looked deeply into those eyes of his - one dark as night, the other red as the flame of candlelight, she saw something else. The stillness of a lake… stirring as ripples disturbed its surface.

With a polite smile, she nodded at him in greeting. “Greetings, my lord. I pray you found my song to your liking?”

“I did.” His answer was laconic. Direct. But she could sense something different. “Apologies if my presence… disturbs you.”

A soft widening of her eyes showed her surprise at this man’s act of contrition. She could see the glow in the man’s red eye dulling. A sense of confusion seemed to be taking over this stoic swordsman.

“Your presence does not disturb me, my lord. I am actually pleased that you enjoyed my music. It brings joy to my heart to know I could reach someone with it.” Her voice was soft and carried the manners and refinement of a noblewoman.

“Your music… resonates within me.” The warrior’s voice was low, a soft rumbling, but it also carried uncertainty.

“Oh? What do you mean by this, my lord?” The girl observed the subtle changes of Kai Jin’s posture. The man before her was clearly not used to expressing his deep thoughts and feelings.

“...It disturbs the lake…” He said awkwardly. His usually stoic expression now shows a conflict that made him uncomfortable.

“You do not have to force yourself, my lord. You can let yourself be at peace in this place.” The girl set her instrument aside and gracefully stood up, approaching the man with a soft smile.

“I do not know how.” For Kai Jin, battle was his art form, the sword was his instrument, death was his life’s work. That he felt so conflicted just being in this place, yet also drawn to it made him terribly confused.

When he turned to look at her, he saw she was offering him a small cup of warm tea. Her inviting smile and kind warmth in her eyes made him unable to refuse the gesture. He accepted it and watched her.

“Let us start by calming the ripples of the lake. Perhaps then you might find something you had not thought of before.” Her calm voice seemed to slowly calm the stirring in his soul. Her poetic words seemed to make more sense to him than Lord Cao Cao’s poetic ramblings.

He took a sip from the tea. He rarely found any appeal in the beverage. To him, it was just hot leaf juice. But when she offered it to him and he tasted it, he felt a sudden wave of warmth and calmness washing over him.

“It is warm.” He said plainly. This made her smile and giggle very softly.

“I take it you do not drink much tea, do you my lord?” She sat down again on her chair and took a small sip of tea herself. Her graceful movements and perfect posture displaying the manners of a proper lady, despite her current status.

“I have failed to see its appeal in the past. I am but a sword.” He remained standing as he drank a bit more from the tea. His expression showed that he was slowly growing more comfortable speaking with her. The glow of his left eye was dull, but didn’t exude any hostile intent.

The girl’s mind was sharp and quick as she caught his meaning and tilted her head slightly to the side.

“A sword may not see the appeal of a properly made sheath, or the benefit of being sharpened with a whetstone. But, for the hand that cares for it and relies on its sharpness, these are not just appealing, but also a necessity. Would you agree, my lord?” She smiled warmly at him as she observed his reactions.

“You are absolutely right, my lady.” 

This was something new for him.

Never in his life had he met someone who understood him or could speak to him in a way that not only resonated with him, but also made perfect sense. Lord Cao Cao had a way of speaking that showed he was smart and cunning, but had trouble understanding him. To Lord Cao Cao, he must seem like a deadly puzzle that could either bring him great rewards or great calamity. Even he knew that the cunning warlord was wary of him.

Then this girl, barely a woman, playing her erhu and offering him tea had been able to see through the cold steel of his soul and see something nobody else had noticed.

“I am Kai Jin, the Heavenly Sword of Order.” He bowed his head towards her respectfully.

“I am Ming Yue, a humble artist. I am honored to meet such a lauded warrior like yourself.” She responded with a kind smile and respectful bow.

She wasn’t afraid of him. He enjoyed her music. She could see through him. He had shown her respect. For the Heavenly Sword of Order, she would become far more than he thought… and Fate would watch carefully over the Swordmaster and the Artist.