The Sequel to Dragon's Rise: A Record of Gratitude and Revenge

Synopsis of the martial arts novel Sequel to Dragon's Rise and Vengeance: A gentle breeze brushed his face. Heading south at dawn, Teng Fei felt an incomparable sense of ease. At noon, he disguised himself as a farmhand with a slightly hunched back, his face made sallow and dark by the dust of the road. He bought a sturdy mule, hid his sword case beneath the saddle pad, and hurried south. The mule proved surprisingly swift. They set off at the mao hour and reached Zhuoma Village at the si hour. They had covered fifty li in two hours, a moderate pace for a mule. Mules lack endurance and are not really suited to riding; they are meant to carry goods. They make poor mounts for a journey, and only local herdboys ever ride them for fun. Ordinary people do not ride mules. Teng Fei rode one mainly to avoid attracting attention. Far ahead, he saw an inn by the roadside. The fire at Zhuoma Village had been brought under control. Only one or two small flames remained, with wisps of blue smoke and white mist drifting upward. Teng Fei reined in the mule and gazed toward Zhuoma Village. “Hmm! That little hamlet caught fire last night,” he murmured from the mule's back. After standing there for a while, he let the mule continue slowly along the road. The inn on the right had closed for good, while the small restaurant on the left was still open. Steam billowed from the stove outside, and a waiter was tending to three mounts tied to the hitching post. The place was clearly serving customers. The mule's hooves clopped softly as Teng Fei arrived.