Lin Mei said, “Don’t worry, it’s just my neighbour. I’d know that knock anywhere.”
She glided to the door, and Liu smiled to see Guan Shi pick up his staff.
Lin Mei opened the door, and a tall, powerful man ducked inside. He had a sword in his hand, and a port-wine stain on his cheek. A score of soldiers followed him inside, Lin Mei hiding behind him.
“Good to see you, Roaming Tiger,” Ba Renzhong, the Purple Demon said. “Your execution is long overdue.” He turned his gaze on Liu, and frowned. “You’re that farm girl? You made a serious mistake coming here.”
Liu threw a cup of tea at him, but the Purple Demon’s sword whipped through the air fast as a striking snake and sliced the cup in two. Not a drop of hot tea touched him, it parted left and right, sizzling as it struck one soldier and Lin Mei, who shrieked in terror.
Guan Shi rose to his feet, staff in hand. “She’s Wandering Phoenix, my apprentice. Let her go, and we’ll settle this between us.”
Ba Renzhong pointed his sword at Guan Shi. “Your brother’s imprisoned. Surrender, or die now.”
Brandished staves and naked blades, spilt tea and hot blood. What happened next? Read on, if you would know.
Acknowledgements
Thank you for buying this part of Wandering Phoenix and Roaming Tiger. I had huge fun writing about Liu Shanshan and Guan Shi’s adventures, and, if you liked reading them, please do review, share and so forth, as that’ll be a huge help.
I’d also like to thank the excellent Jamie Glover, who did the fantastic cover art for the serial. Writing’s largely a solitary profession, but the cover is a critical aspect, and having someone both talented and quick to handle the cover was a great help.
About the author
Thaddeus White is a British writer of many stories. As well as the Wandering Phoenix and Roaming Tiger serial, he has written a number of fantasy books, most recently Kingdom Asunder.
He has also contributed to several anthologies, most recently Journeys, and written many short stories for Kraxon magazine.
Later this year he plans to release Traitor’s Prize (the sequel to Kingdom Asunder), and continue the Wandering Phoenix and Roaming Tiger serial.
When not writing, or doing artwork, he relaxes reading classical and medieval history, fantasy and sci-fi, and watching/betting on F1, which usually goes about as well as Lord Ximen’s invitation to Liu Shanshan at the end of part 1.
Also by Thaddeus White
Bane of Souls
Journey to Altmortis
Kingdom Asunder (The Bloody Crown Trilogy – Volume One)
The Adventures of Sir Edric (comedy)
Forthcoming
Traitor’s Prize (The Bloody Crown Trilogy – Volume Two)
Crown of Blood (The Bloody Crown Trilogy – Volume Three)
Sir Edric’s Kingdom
Sir Edric and the Plague
The Demon Attacks (Wandering Phoenix and Roaming Tiger Episode 2) Page 4