The Ghost of Fog
Chapters 2. Zhang Family

That morning in the front yard of the Zhang family's main residence, there was an old man watching the training of two young men and women. The old man was none other than Zhang Jun, a person who had saved Lin Tian's life and was at once a teacher to Lin Tian and Zhang Qiaofeng.

The young man and the young man he was currently watching was Lin Tian and Zhang Qiaofeng, they were both serving punishment today because of the behavior of the two of them which made the entire family in an uproar. This happened because yesterday when Lin Tian and Zhang Qiaofeng went together to the back forest of the Zhang family region had not returned until nightfall, finally they had to willingly listen to the lecture for more than an hour which contained only maki makian about their levity from Zhang Anming, Zhang Qiaofeng's father and also the current Zhang family leader.

Actually, this punishment was carried out on the direct order of Zhang Anming who was annoyed at the princess and her bodyguard to Zhang Jun. Therefore, in order to obey the order of the family leader, Zhang Jun punished Lin Tian for hitting the tree trunk that was nearby and Zhang Qiaofeng, as well as the one that was there, this girl was punished to tidy up every ornamental tree that was there by using both daggers that became her weapon. They can't stop until the sun is directly overhead.

"Hah.hah.hah Master I am tired, give me a little time to rest. Can I?" Shouted Zhang Qiaofeng from a distance to Zhang Jun.

Zhang Jun turned his head, visible on grandfather's face were many deep wrinkles that indicated that he was very old. If estimated to be no less than 70 years old, above his eyes appear eyebrows that have been whitened in line with the color of his hair, grandfather's beard dangled down so long as to touch the chest.

Bowing her salute she said "Sorry Young Miss, I cannot grant Miss's request.

Indeed, I was forced to do all this not once because I wanted to harm Miss, but because of my obligation to do every command of the family leader. Again sorry Miss."

Zhang Qiaofeng pursed his lips in annoyance, then he resumed his punishment as his mouth incessantly chanted mockery and curses.

Zhang Jun was only able to shake his head and let out a long sigh, again he turned his head towards Lin Tian. It was seen that the boy continued to hit the tree trunk in front of him in earnest without showing any compulsion or objection to the punishment given.

Lin Tian was aware of his mistake after all he considered that punishment as a means of training for him to become stronger than before.

Zhang Qiaofeng and Lin Tian's skills were indeed different, Zhang Qiaofeng focused his training on the science of lightening the body whereas Lin Tian focused more on physical strength. Because indeed when he first received silat lessons from his late father, most of the science was more focused on strengthening the body than the science of lightening the body. Even so it did not mean that Lin Tian did not have any body lightening skills, it was just that his body lightening ability was still inferior to Zhang Qiaofeng.

Since that was the punishment inflicted for the two of them was much different, Lin Tian was punished for hitting a tree trunk that required more physical strength than speed. While Zhang Qiaofeng received punishment for tidying up ornamental plants that require more speed and agility.

Given the large number of ornamental plants in the courtyard, Zhang Qiaofeng would not be able to complete the punishment in time if he did not use body lightening science, either, that is why inevitably this girl mustered all her intelligence to shorten the time.

After a long time finally the sun was right above the head, this showed that the punishment of the two of them was over. Zhang Qiaofeng went under the large tree that Lin Tian had been sent to punish, this girl then immediately laid her body on the thick grass that was right under the tree. Lin Tian had also stopped his punch and he then sat down beside his young Miss.

Gasping with fatigue Zhang Qiaofeng again nagged "Huh...huh..hmph!! You father has no heart, how could he treat his daughter this cruel!!"

"Please Miss, with this punishment I believe will indirectly increase Miss and Tian'er's intelligence, I am also convinced that the Leader did all this because it was for that purpose. So Miss, if you pay attention to this punishment, there are actually a lot of benefits for Miss and Tian'er." Said Zhang Jun who had also reached the place gently while smiling patiently.

Lin Tian secretly confirmed the words of his teacher, which was why he carried out the punishment so vigorously. Indeed, in terms of silat science, for a child of his age Lin Tian was quite strong, he said, this is evidenced by the results of this child's hand punch which caused the trunk of a large and thick tree was perforated approximately 20 cm deep.

Different from this young lady. After he listened to the advice of his teacher, his heart grew hotter because this girl considered that her teacher defended her father more than she did. He did not realize that the man sitting next to him had the skin of his hand peeled off and bled out, compared to him who only experienced fatigue, of course, once he saw people would know that the boy had experienced a much heavier and harsher punishment.

"Since Miss with Tian'er has been serving her sentence from morning until now without the slightest rest, then I think it is enough for today and good rest Miss." Zhang Jun said as he saluted Zhang Qiaofeng then turned his body away from it.

Now only Zhang Qiaofeng and Lin Tian remained under the shady tree. Because it is too tired, drowsiness unconsciously attacks them. Finally they fell asleep under the tree with Zhang Qiaofeng lying on his back on the grass and Lin Tian sleeping leaning on the big tree.

Seen in the distance stood a woman and a man who was fairly young, whose man was about thirty-five years old while the woman next to him was about thirty years old. The two of them were wearing luxurious suits of silk fabric seams just like the clothes that Zhang Qiaofeng had always worn. From afar they could be seen smilingly watching the proximity of Zhang Qiaofeng and Lin Tian.

*******

When Zhang Qiaofeng woke up from his deep sleep, he turned his head and was seen beside him sitting a man whose hand was wrapped in a bandage by one of the maids.

The man was Lin Tian his own bodyguard, he then got up to sit while rubbing his eyes. The maid realized that her young Miss had woken up so she immediately said "Good afternoon Miss, I was sent here by elder Zhang Jun to deliver Miss and Mr. Lin Tian's drink, please, also I was ordered by the leader to deliver a message that if Miss is awake she hopes that Miss will come to face her room immediately." Said the servant respectfully, then resumed his activity of treating Lin Tian's hand.

Zhang Qiaofeng only nodded his head which still felt heavy, then he only realized that the servant was from there being busy to wrap the bandage into Lin Tian's hands.

He was surprised to see the condition of his two bodyguards. "Lin Tian, what happened to your hand until it became like that?"

"O-oh...Miss, maybe this happened because I was too hard when I hit the tree earlier." Lin Tian replied as he groaned slightly as a result of enduring the pain in his hand.

Suddenly Zhang Qiaofeng immediately approached the two of them and without further ado he then pushed the female servant to the point of making her almost fall down.

"N-Miss!?" Said Lin Tian and the female servant almost in unison.

"Let me treat the wound." Zhang Qiaofeng said to the servant. "He was hurt for my mistakes, let me take care of the rest, you may return." Further.

The servant was clearly shocked and astonished at Zhang Qiaofeng's strange demeanor, yet he did not refute and kept his word.

"N-Miss.why arrive-tib-"

"Hmm...?"

Not finished Lin Tian spoke, his words had already been cut off by Zhang Qiaofeng with a piercing cold gaze. Instantly Lin Tian's guts instantly shrieked and his back let out a cold sweat, he also wondered why this young Miss had suddenly behaved this strangely? Is it because this girl is still angry at her father and wants to vent her anger on him?

"Why? isn't your hand hurt? do you think I can't do this job huh? ohh...or because you prefer if the one who treated you was the waiter?!!" Back Zhang Qiaofeng asked, his voice cold and he spoke with emphasis on each of his sentences.

Again Lin Tian was surprised, what was the matter with this Nonanya?. "B-b-not so Miss.but-"

Back Lin Tian's remark was cut by the young Miss, instead now he was up to snapping "DIAAM!! There's no buts but!! you are my bodyguard and I am your non, if you are a loyal bodyguard just obey my orders and do not argue!!! Understood!?" Jerk the little girl while glaring her eyes at Lin Tian.

Although confused and half-deadly shocked, Lin Tian still obeyed his orders and only nodded his head in response.

Actually Zhang Qiaofeng himself did not know the reason why he was to such an angry extent. It was just that when he saw the maid earlier was treating Lin Tian's wounds, he somehow suddenly felt careless and uncomfortable looking at the sight.

After finishing his drink he said, "Here you go home, I'll see you now." Without waiting for an answer from Lin Tian, he left that place.

"What's wrong with her?" Inner Lin Tian was astonished because of the strange demeanor of his young Miss.

Meanwhile, Zhang Qiaofeng who was on his way to his father's room incessantly cursed at his own stupidity. "Basic fool, moron, moron!! What the hell's wrong with me until it's so red-tempered!?" He said while hitting his own seat with a drinking bottle earlier. He was actually a little regretful of having snapped at Lin Tian like that which was absolutely nothing wrong in the slightest.

*******

It was seen Lin Tian was currently sitting pensively on a mattress in his room. His forehead was wrinkled by a sign that he was thinking about something, more precisely about the incident a few minutes ago when he was on his way home after being yelled at by Zhang Qiaofeng.

While walking by accident he came across a tall man with a sword on his waist, his hair long in pigtails, his skin yellowish white, and his, the nose is sharp and under the left eye there is a mole.Seeing from his face, approximately no less than thirty years old.

This man named Zhang Heng the younger brother of Zhang Anming, this person was one of the elders of the Zhang family and also he was the strongest swordsman in the family after Zhang Anming himself.

Although an elder, but when he passed by Lin Tian did not show the slightest respect like most people, even this child threw a dislike look at that person.

Zhang Heng was aware of that, yet he was not angry instead this person greeted Lin Tian kindly, instead, indeed every time he met Lin Tian the boy looked at him with a look of hate and dislike, Zhang Heng was already used to it and did not mind him.

"Oh...Lin Tian how are you, just finished training? uh...why is your hand?"

Lin Tian snorted and replied "You're right, I did indeed just finished this practice and hand, isn't it common to get injured while training?" The answer was polite but in a flat tone.

"Haha..really too, it's just that I was astonished, just because training can cause such severe injuries."

"Everyone wants to go where?" Asked Lin Tian.

"Oh, I was about to go to the next town for some personal business with my old friend." He answered while maintaining his friendly smile.

"Hm..if so be careful on the road and I beg your part." Without waiting for a reply from Zhang Heng, Lin Tian then walked away leaving that person.

This was what Lin Tian was thinking about. He behaved disrespectfully like that was not without reason, it happened because somehow Lin Tian always felt suspicious towards elder Zhang Heng. Especially when Lin Tian was with Miss Zhang Qiaofeng and coincidentally met that person, even though his mouth kept smiling but in the look of his eyes, he said, Lin Tian sensed that there was a brazen look from Zhang Heng's eyes aimed at Nonanya.

But when he saw that elder Zhang Heng was about to leave the Zhang family's territory, not only did he feel suspicious but there was also a bad feeling. He did not know what would happen in the future, which was obviously a very bad feeling.

"Hopefully it's just a hunch and nothing bad will happen in the future." he muttered after he dizzy himself thinking about his suspicions and bad premonitions. Then he went to the bathroom to clean himself up.

After Lin Tian changed his clothes in clean clothes, he walked over to a bookcase in the corner of his room. Indeed since she was a Young Miss bodyguard, the family's treatment towards her was a little special.

Lin Tian provided his own house complete with a bathroom and kitchen, although not too big but the house was already luxurious enough for a bodyguard like him. One of the facilities provided is this bookcase.

The books on the shelf were not ordinary books, they were collections of Zhang family's books from low to high. Lin Tian indeed liked to read, which was why now he was about to read a book to calm his mind.

But Lin Tian walked up to the shelf with the aim not to pick up a book but to sit on the chair that was right in front of the shelf.

He then took out a small book as big as a palm from his shirt pocket. The cover of the book was worn out and the paper was yellow, a sign that the book was old. Zhang Anming once said that the book he was holding was one of the family's ancestral relics.

That book is not a book. Because when this book is asked to a silat expert, the person will answer that this book contains silat science whose guidance is similar to rhyme. But when asked to a literary person that person will answer that this book contains a poem whose sentence is similar to the guide of silat.

Even so, though, until now neither a silat nor a literary expert could confirm whether the book was a rhyme or a silat and no one could understand the contents of the book. On the front cover of the book is a sign that reads 'Inner Remembrance'

Lin Tian had already memorized almost all of the books in his room, and it was this book of Inner Peace that he had read the most and the one he had memorized the most. But this book is also the one he least understands its meaning.

Due to the confusion of this book of Inner Peace, he always carried this book with him wherever he went so that if there was free time, he could read and try to understand its meaning.

After a quarter of an hour Lin Tian sat in that chair, he was even more dizzy and stressed from reading the book. Finally he put himself in bed and chose to sleep.

*******

"Feng'er what's with your head?" Zhang Anming asked his daughter in surprise after seeing the girl's head with a red 'horn.

His mother, Zhang An was also in the room. This beautiful woman was also staring at her daughter's 'horn' with a questioning look.

"So he fell upon a rock in the street." Answer's relaxed.

"Huh...??"

Instantly the faces of these two three-headed people became dumbfounded with their mouths wide open as if they could fall at any moment. They were surprised and astonished that this martial artist like Zhang Qiaofeng should be so difficult to fall down just because of the stumbling of the stone. Even if it stumbled and fell, there was no way that someone as strong as Zhang Qiaofeng could get out the 'horn' in his eyes.

"You...falling because of a rock!? W-but why did it fall?" It was her mother's turn to ask.

"Yes, of course, because of the stone I fell." Again he answered casually without regard to the look on the faces of his parents who were increasingly astonished and surprised to hear the strangest answer.

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