Deviant: No Longer Human

The old vendor watched her, "Why not a little of both? A bite of each, one after the other," he suggested.

"Mmm, yes!" Zhenxi beamed at the suggestion, her earlier dilemma resolved by this sage counsel.

She took an experimental lick from the vanilla cone, her face lighting up with delight. "Delicious!"

As she alternated between the two flavors, her joy was infectious, drawing smiles from passing pedestrians who momentarily forgot the morning rush.

They watched as this small girl, in her soiled lavender dress, found a paradise in her ice cream, her happiness a balm to the hurried souls around her.

The vendor leaned casually against his cart, his experienced eyes watching the young girl's delight in her ice creams.

As the moment extended, a thoughtful look crossed his face, and finally, he broke the comfortable silence. "Kid, are you lost? How about following this old man...?" he ventured with a gentle tone.

"Eh... Follow the old man?" Zhenxi's eyes blinked in innocent perplexity as she glanced upwards toward the source of the voice.

The old man nodded encouragingly. "This old man can teach you magic!" he offered, sensing an opportunity to ignite her interest.

"Magic!" Zhenxi's eyes sparkled with excitement, the concept instantly captivating her imagination.

Seeing the pure enthusiasm on her face, the vendor couldn't help but smile inwardly.

'I didn't expect to find such a potential seedling this morning,' he muttered with amusement.

He was merely going undercover for the day but hadn't anticipated encountering such a promising disciple.

'Her sixth senses are sharp enough to inherit my Shadow Sword Art,' he thought excitedly.

He saw her lack of eyesight not as a disadvantage but as a potential strength for the mystical arts he mastered.

Just as he was reveling in his fortuitous discovery, a stern voice shattered the peaceful scene. "And this old man can break your bones!"

"Ah~!" Startled, Zhenxi jumped, the voice booming unexpectedly right behind her, followed by a gentle but firm twist of her ear.

"Little creature, I told you not to move on your own. You don't take my words seriously at all?" Wang Xiao's imposing shadow now covered Zhenxi, who flinched with a guilty expression.

Her expression fell, her cheeks flushing with a mix of embarrassment and regret. "I... I'm sorry," she murmured, her guilt making her voice small and meek.

The old man's eyes twitched in annoyance, his thoughts interrupted by this sudden interloper. 'Who is this young man, ruining my good deeds?' he wondered, his gaze scrutinizing the newcomer.

Wang Xiao stood there, draped in a black robe adorned with golden patterns—garments that spoke of high status.

The material alone made the old vendor regard Wang Xiao with wariness, realizing that this man was no ordinary passerby but someone of significant stature and potentially, a major obstacle to his plans.

"Who might you be, sir, to speak of breaking bones so freely? The Qing Dynasty doesn't take misuse of Martial arts lightly!" the old man warned, his tone a mix of wariness and defensiveness, masking his irritation with a polite veneer.

Wang Xiao's response was a blend of disdain and impatience. He glanced at the old man, his eyes narrowing into slits of contempt. "Qing Dynasty?" he sneered, his voice dripping with derision. "I really am not in the mood to destroy another dynasty today," he mocked coldly, "Take your dynasty and get the fuck out of my sight."

The old man's face turned a shade darker, his features tightening with a flash of anger. "Young man, you are courting death!" he spat out.

He could stomach insults to himself—after all, one does not walk the earth so long without a thick skin.

But an affront to the Qing Dynasty, to the very foundation of the martial traditions he upheld, that was beyond forgiveness.

The old man's hands clenched involuntarily, 'Presumptuous! A frog in a well, unaware of the vast ocean!'

As the confrontation escalated, Wang Xiao's demeanor remained unperturbed, his lips curling into a faint, mocking smile. "Go and fuck yourself," he responded coolly, disdaining in the crisp morning air.

"!!"

The old man trembled with indignation, his entire being vibrating with the wrath of a seasoned grandmaster provoked.

"Dare you act so impudently before this grandmaster!" he thundered, his voice echoing off the nearby buildings.

"You have eyes but fail to recognize greatness! — Your ignorance will be your downfall!" he shouted, his words a mix of prophecy and warning, with the authority of one who had walked the martial path for decades.

Wang Xiao merely raised an eyebrow, amused by the old man's theatrics. "Seeking death by challenging me?" he muttered under his breath, his voice tinged with resignation. "Even ants know their limits."

The old man's face turned a deeper shade of red, his anger reaching a boiling point. "Shut up! Do you really think you can cover the sky with your hand?" he challenged.

"Can," Wang Xiao replied after a moment of contemplation.

The old man was taken aback, his fury momentarily replaced by disbelief. "Challenging the heaven! — Know your limits, you insignificant fool!" he exclaimed, unable to fathom the audacity of the younger man before him.

"You dare overestimate your abilities!"

"Just a puny existence daring to act supreme?"

"You're a mere speck of dust in my eyes!—Refusing to recognize the Mount Tai before him!" His words were hissed out, each syllable dripping with venom as he pointed an accusing finger at Wang Xiao.

"Such arrogance from a small fry..." Wang Xiao, genuinely taken aback by the audacity of the old man, responded with a hint of amusement.

He glanced down at Zhenxi, who stood beside him, "Little creature, have you ever heard of the old man in the sky?" he asked her softly.

"Nuh-uh." Zhenxi shook her head, her expression one of confusion mixed with curiosity.

"Good!" Wang Xiao nodded, somewhat relieved. His gaze hardened as he turned back to the old man, his patience wearing thin.

He couldn't fathom how this old man, with half foot inside the grave, dared to display such arrogance in his presence.

Boooom!

"Ahhhhhhh — you will regret this!"

The old man's shout was cut short as he suddenly found himself hurtling through the air, propelled by a swift, dismissive kick from Wang Xiao.

The force of the kick sent him flying like a comet expelled from its orbit.

"Quite tenacious..." Wang Xiao muttered in disgust as he watched the old man's form recede into the distance.

"Cough!" The old man's landing was less than dignified, as he found himself unceremoniously dumped into a dustbin some distance away from where the confrontation had occurred.

The impact jostled him roughly, causing him to cough blood, his mouth tainted with the taste of blood.

As he struggled to right himself amidst the refuse, a grim realization dawned upon him.

"Damn that impudent youth!"

It wasn't just his pride that had taken a hit from Wang Xiao's powerful kick; he suddenly remembered the chest of treasures he had cunningly hidden beneath the guise of his ice cream cart—a collection of artifacts and scrolls of considerable value and power.

The embarrassment of his physical defeat was one thing, but the potential loss of his treasures added a sharp sting of panic to his injuries.