《Nameless Immortal》


 Sunset

    Chapter 1 Sunset


    ¡°Oi! Oi!, waiter! Give us two more jugs of alcohol. We brothers are celebrating, nobody is going home tonight!¡±


    A muscular man in his gray hunting attire with a short hair and a horizontal scar on his forehead was shouting while chewing roasted meat on his mouth. A meter long and three to four inches thick saber can be seen strapped on his back. It indicates that he must be a hunter or a mercenary.


    ¡°Coming, sir!¡± A young waiter in his twenties was rushing while holding two jugs of alcohol.


    ¡°Here you go, sir! Enjoy!¡± he was panting while putting the jugs on the table which consists of four men.


    ¡°Haha! Good lad! Here you go¡± He tossed a copper coin towards the waiter and continued drinking with his buddies.


    ¡°Thank you, sir!¡± The waiter caught the coin and bowed.


    ....


    ¡°Come inside and try our delicacy! We have new and fresh ingredients delivered today¡±


    A young boy across the road was shouting and trying to get some costumer.


    ....


    ¡°Sir, we have jewelries inside that suits young miss. It is made of rare stones¡±


    An old man was trying to sell his products to a young couple passing by.


    ....


    Every establishment was busy tonight. Lamps were lit making the streets bright, making this busy street more lively. This street was named Session Road, this street is famous within the city and the surrounding places. Many places for entertainment can be found in here, gambling den, brothel, drinking establishments and the like.


    At the end of the street, you can see a three-story building. The roofs are curved with a green paint and the body painted red. Lights of different colors can be found hanging in front of it. You can hear laughter and lewd sounds coming from it. Two guards can be seen standing on both left and right side of the door. The shape of the door was circular, the front side depicts a sculpture of a lady with a loose robe showing her shoulders down to her cleavage. This establishment is called Fragrant Pavilion. It¡¯s the most popular brothel in Sin City. Merchants and other traders with money who pass by the city often go to this place and entertain themselves.


    At the back of the pavilion, you can find an old two-story building. Each floor was divided into eight rooms, this was the place where the workers with no house can stay. Rent was deducted from their salary every month. All the lights are off except for the room on the far left of the second floor. A silhouette can be seen pacing back and forth anxiously outside the door, he was a young man at about twenty years of age. He was a cleaner for the brothel and was called to stay outside unless instructed otherwise.


    ¡°Deep breaths! Deep breaths! You can do it, you are getting there¡± A voice of a middle aged woman can be heard inside the room.


    ¡°Come on Mirna! Push!¡±


    ¡°Uggggghhh! Ahhhh!¡± A young female that looks eighteen years old is struggling to give birth to her child. Her face and lips were pale but you can still see that her face was full of innocence. Her eyes and hair were as black as the night. Her looks were average but you can see gentleness and kindness in her. She was soaked in sweat with her clothes sticking on her skin. An unpleasant smell circulated in the room due to the mixed smell of blood, sweat, and other things. She was already gasping for breath and started to lose her consciousness.


    ¡°Mirna! You have to stay awake or your baby will get stuck and might die! The head is already out, one more big push and the baby will come out. Come on! Deep breath and push!¡± The middle aged woman was trying her best to assist Mirna in delivering her baby.


    ¡°Hoooohh! Uggggghhh!¡± Mirna took a deep and gathered all her strength for the final push.


    ¡°It¡¯s out! The baby is out¡± the middle-aged woman was delighted.


    ¡°It¡¯s a boy! Wait that¡¯s odd, he¡¯s not crying but he seems to be breathing fine¡± The middle aged woman was confused. Although it was her first time to deliver a baby, what she knows is that babies cry when they were born. They did not have the time to call the local doctor because the water bag suddenly broke and they had to deliver the baby. She stared at the baby which was covered in blood and slimy liquid. His eyes were black just like her mother, he was also looking back at her with no emotions which are kinda creepy.


    ¡°Give him to me please¡± a weak voice came from Mirna she was exhausted that you can barely hear what she says.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Hey, there my boy¡± there were tears falling from her eyes. She was happy, despite everything that happened to her, the heavens were still good to her and gave her a child. She stroked his cheek. She couldn¡¯t help but smile. He was looking back at her with some confusion but he felt comfortable.


    ¡°Mirna, what are you gonna name him?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm, would you like to suggest a name, Miss Minchin?¡± The middle aged woman¡¯s name is Minchin. She also works for the brothel, she was alone and has no family left, her work was to introduce the girls to the costumers.


    ¡°No, you should name him¡±


    ¡°Alright¡± Mirna already prepared a name beforehand but after the delivery, she felt that she can¡¯t accompany her baby anymore. She could already feel her life fading, maybe due to blood loss or some other reasons. She was already not feeling good when she was pregnant. She looked at her baby with great sadness and hesitation. Tears started falling again.


    ¡°I''m gonna name him Ezhno, because from now on you¡¯re gonna have to walk on your own, be a good boy okay? Don¡¯t get into trouble. I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t be with you but I will be watching you from above¡± she kissed his forehead, all her love was poured on that kiss.


    ¡°Please look after him Miss Minchin¡± she tried to lift her hands and offer her baby to her.


    ¡°I know, don¡¯t worry I will treat him as my own,¡± she said with a heavy sigh.


    She knew they cannot do anything now. There was a look of pity in her eyes but she could not do anything. There was only one doctor who could possibly help them inside the city but he was living at the residence of the city lord. Even if by any chance they can raise the money needed, it was not easy to summon the doctor especially for a girl like Mirna.


    Mirna had one last look at her baby and smiled. A lot of things were running through her mind, she imagined how joyful it would be to watch his boy grow up. She could only hope that his boy would live a happy and free life. She sighed and closed her eyes with both her hands on top of her stomach, she felt peaceful knowing her baby has been delivered successfully, then everything became quite for her.


    .....


    Minchin held Eznho in her hands with a white cloth wrapped around him. She looked at him again and tried to smile.


    ¡°Hello there, my name in Minchin but you can call me aunt¡± Ezhno blinked and just looked back at her then started to yawn.


    ¡°Martin, come and say your goodbyes and start cleaning¡± She called for the boy outside.


    ¡°Yes, Miss Minchin¡± he opened the door and walked inside and saw Mirna lying in bed.


    She looked peaceful but he can¡¯t stop his tears from falling. He walked slowly and until he was by the bedside and kissed her on the forehead.


    ¡°Goodbye, Mirna may you find happiness in your next life¡± he sighed.


    He had a crush on Mirna ever since the day he first saw her. She was kind to him and they got along well, alas, she was already pregnant when they met. Then he looked at the baby who was already sleeping.


    ¡°We should at least bury her in the cemetery, she deserves that much, I will give all my earnings for it¡± he looked and Minchin with pleading eyes.


    ¡°No need for that, I already plan on doing that and the money is already prepared. Come to my room after cleaning to get the money then go arrange for the plot to bury her in the cemetery.¡± She walked out the door then went to her room.


    .....


    The cemetery is located outside the western part of the city. The place was not eerie, instead, it was located on top of the hills with green grass all around, dancing with the wind. Flowers can be seen in some parts, tombstones carved from rock can be found sticking on the ground, some gray, others white or black with names engraved on them.


    It was already past noon, a wooden cart with a wooden coffin inside that is being pulled by a brown horse can be seen going up on one of the hills. The cart driver was an old man with messy gray hair with a pipe in his mouth. Smoke was coming out of his nose and mouth.


    ¡°We are nearly there¡± he pointed with his finger which is directed on top of the hill with a Kayo tree growing on it.


    The trunk was thick, a grown man can hug it and the tip of his fingers can barely touch each other. The leaves were deep green in color and it swayed along with the branches.


    Two of the four people who were walking behind nodded. They were Martin and Miss Minchin, they were the only ones who were close to Mirna. Minchin was cuddling Eznho in her hands, he was awake but was silently looking at his surroundings. The other two were men working for the cart driver.


    They reached the top and the wind blew across their faces. Beside the tree was a rectangular hole, at least two meters deep. Martin and the other three men carried the coffin and gently lay it down inside. Then they started putting back the soil to bury the coffin. A tombstone made of gray rock was erected on top with ¡°Mirna Walker¡± engraved on it. An incense was burnt, after finishing their job, the three men did not wait and went back inside the city on their own.


    Martin and Minchin were left standing on top of the hill. The wind was gently blowing that leaves the fresh scent of nature. You can see the main road below which leads to the forest of unending trees. Majestic mountains tower over the horizon which makes you wonder what is beyond it.


    ¡°You have chosen a beautiful place Martin¡± Minchin was smiling looking over the horizon.


    The sun was starting to set, the sky was tinged with yellow and orange. Flocks of birds were flying, maybe they were migrating or hunting. She couldn''t help but admire the view.


    ¡°I paid extra but it was worth it, it would also be nice to be buried in a place like this.¡± Martin smiled. They stayed silent for several minutes and just appreciated the scenery.


    ¡°Mirna, wherever you are, I hope you are happy and free of pain, watch over your¡± Minchin broke the silence and sighed. Then she looked at Eznho,


    ¡°Say goodbye to your mom now¡±


    ¡°Uwaaa!¡± Minchin and Martin were startled by the sudden cry. This was his first cry ever since he was born.


    ¡°I thought you are never gonna cry,¡± Martin said jokingly.


    ¡°Hush, hush, it¡¯s okay Eznho, your mom is in a better place now¡± Minchin comforted.


    Eznho whimpered then stopped crying and slowly closed his eyes.


    ¡°Good boy¡± Minchin exclaimed.


    She looked one more time at the tomb and started walking towards the city.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go¡±

 Cleaning

    Chapter 2 Cleaning


    Snow melted and spring came, rivers started to flow with schools of fish splashing around. Newly born animals and beasts prancing and dancing around, chicks chirping while trying to get out of theirs shells. Green spots can be seen sprouting on the white snowy hills and mountains around Sin City. People removed and stored their fur coats, while the city guards cleaned up and disposed of the frozen corpses of homeless men and women. Citizens cheered and smiled as they bask in the sunlight of the morning sun.


    It has been seven years since a man, a woman, and a baby watched the sunset as they bid their farewell to a young mother buried on top of the hill. Nothing much has changed inside the city, people entered and exited like they always do. Session road can be found in the southern part of the city. There were only a few people walking around, most of them were either drunk or has a hangover. Quite a few of them could not carry themselves anymore and just lay beside the street.


    All the lights were off including the ones at the Fragrant Pavilion at the end of the street. The guards already left and went home to sleep.


    ¡°Eznho!¡± a shout could be heard from inside the building.


    An old man with shades of white, gray and black on his hair was shouting from the first floor of the pavilion. His hair was neatly combed towards the back until his nape like it was licked by a cow. He wore a pale green robe, his face was a little wrinkled and had a strong smell of perfume around him. He was the manager of the pavilion, his name was Tang.


    A young boy can be seen running from the back of the building with a broom in his hand, he had an oval face with a straight nose and light red lips. His eyes were pitch black, it was like staring into the abyss. He had a long black hair falling down on his back which was tied by a gray strip of cloth. His build was good enough for his age, he was about one and a half meters tall with a tanned skin. The only thing that was amiss was the apathetic look on his face which does not seem to have any ripple of emotion. He stopped in front of the manager.


    ¡°You should know your responsibilities by now, I don¡¯t have to tell you every morning what to do. Now go start cleaning from the third floor and don¡¯t break anything, Understood?¡± manager Tang instructed the boy.


    Eznho just nodded without saying anything and started walking up the stairs.


    ¡°That kid really creeps me out, he only talks to either Minchin or Martin. I¡¯ve never seen him talk to anybody else.¡± The manager shrugged his shoulders and started walking, he didn¡¯t mind it much as long as the boy was doing his assigned tasks.


    Eznho was a strange kid, he rarely cried when he was still a baby that¡¯s why the others didn¡¯t bicker about having a baby inside the compound. His first word was spoken when he was three years old and it was the word ¡°mama¡±. Miss Minchin was startled by the word and couldn¡¯t help but sigh, a tear uncontrollably fell from her left eye. Most of the time he only speaks to either Minchin or Martin, he rarely interacts with other people. He started going to his mom¡¯s grave alone a year ago when he had free time, he would sit there until the sun sets.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°Did Ezhno already start ?¡± just as manager Tang was about to go out, Martin called out to him.


    Martin was already in his late twenties, he has a generic face with stubble growing on his chin and on the space between his lips and nose. He has a brown and short spiky hair, with the same brown eyes but with a deeper shade. He doesn¡¯t stand out much but you can feel a good vibe coming out of his body. He has a positive outlook on life.


    ¡°Hmph, yes he did, both of you should have started earlier, you are not teaching that boy properly Martin. Don¡¯t make me be the one to teach him.¡± Manager Tang lectured Martin and continued to walk out the door.


    ¡°It won¡¯t happen again manager Tang¡± Martin grinned naughtily, bowed and started running upstairs.


    ¡°Oi! Ez, did you get lectured again by old Tang?¡± Martin started to wipe the tables while talking to Eznhno who was also wiping the other tables.


    Eznho just shook his head and forced a smile. He rarely smiles, most of the time this rare smile was directed towards Martin and Minchin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind him, he is just not in the mood because costumers are slowly decreasing, it¡¯s not that obvious now but if this goes on, it would be bad for business¡± Martin sighed and looked at the window.


    ¡°Rumors have started spreading around last month, merchants and travelers are saying that a tension has been built at the border and war might erupt. I heard people are starting to prepare in case of emergency evacuation. Who knows, it''s just rumors.¡± He was looking at the clear blue sky hoping that the peaceful days would just continue.


    He had no great ambition, all he wanted was a simple life, a happy family with enough food to share with everyone. He looked at the boy with and sighed. He could not help but recall the woman he loved, that gentle and kind smile. If only...


    Eznho just continued doing his chores without saying anything. It was as if Martin was not speaking.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry little Ez, nothing will happen to you as long as I am here, gahaha¡± Martin proudly declared while going beside Eznho and pat his head.


    The little boy rolled his eyes inwardly but smiled on the outside. He was happy, at least he still got his silly big brother Martin and his aunt Minchin who both looked after him. He was luckier than most of the other children in the city, at least for him, he has his own bed and blanket to warm him at night. He was curious about his mom and even his father but he never asked, he is just waiting for Martin or his aunt to tell him.


    ¡°On a serious note Ez, I have talked with Miss Minchin about it and we both agreed to prepare just in case. We already started to save money in case we need to go further inside the kingdom to be safe from the war if it really happens. Anyways that¡¯s just for safety measure so don¡¯t think too much about it gahaha¡± Martin just laughed like a silly man and continued patting the little boys head.


    ¡°Let¡¯s finish this before lunch so we will have spare time later on before start our afternoon job, faster now Ez, let¡¯s have a bet. Whoever cleans slower will have to give half of his meat to the faster one gahahaha¡±


    Martin continued talking while Eznho just listened patiently while cleaning. Just like that, they continued cleaning starting from the third floor to the first.

 Market

    Chapter 3 Market


    ¡°Gahaha you lost little Ez, your meat is mine gahaha¡± Martin proudly and shamelessly announced his victory. Eznho couldn¡¯t be bothered by it and started to pack up their cleaning materials.


    ¡°Look at you, you are such a mood killer, hmph. Sometimes I wonder if you are mute, you should start talking with other people or children your age¡±


    ¡°Okay¡± Eznho answered blandly.


    ¡°Whatever, one of these days, I wonder what would you do if you are forced to talk your way out of something¡± Martin teased.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll talk or just stare at them¡± Eznho replied.


    ¡°Haha, that¡¯s more I like it, you should continue talking like that from now on.


    It¡¯s already nearing lunch, bring the cleaning materials at the back and I¡¯ll go cook lunch for the three of us. Wake Miss Minchin up after half an hour and meet with me in the kitchen.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Eznho replied.


    The two of them finished their cleaning job before lunch as planned. They packed their cleaning materials, Martin went to the kitchen while Eznho did as he was instructed.


    Half an hour later Miss Minchin and Eznho entered the kitchen. Minchin already started to grow gray hair, she was already over forty years old. She had an elongated face, sharp blue eyes with curved eyebrows, a straight nose, and thin pink lips. She was wearing a pair of pale blue upper garment and a skirt. There was an air of discipline she carried around her.


    ¡°What¡¯s for lunch Martin?¡± Minchin asked.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Miss Minchin. Our lunch for today is my special stirred vegetables with pork meat.¡± Martin greeted while walking towards the table to put the food.


    Eznho went to one of the cabinets and brought out plates for them to use. The three of them sat at the table and started eating.


    ¡°Oi, little Ez, aren¡¯t you forgetting something?¡± Martin looked at Eznho and smiled bashfully.


    Ezhno rolled his eyes and started to pick a slice of meat and put it in Martin¡¯s plate.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Minchin curiously asked.


    ¡°Well you know Miss Minchin, he lost the bet so a man has to honor his words and never go back on it, right little Ez?¡± Martin said shamelessly.


    Minchin squinted her eyes and looked at Martin.


    ¡°Ahaha, just kidding, just kidding, look at you little Ez you are so thin. Tsk, people might think we are not feeding you¡± Martin picked two pieces of meat with his chopsticks and put it on Eznho¡¯s plate.


    ¡°That¡¯s more I like it. Ahaha let¡¯s eat, let¡¯s eat. It¡¯s more delicious if the food is eaten hot¡± Martin started munching his food. The three of them sat there eating their lunch like a family.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Most of their days were spent like this, Miss Minchin works at night until morning along with the other staff of the establishment. Eznho is still young so he works only during the day, he started this job when he was five. Minchin and Martin did not entirely approve it but the owner of the establishment insisted. He didn¡¯t want someone to stay on his property for free. Besides, he didn¡¯t have any playmates so Martin taught him about cleaning, he was also a cleaner and at the same time an errand runner.


    .....


    Sin city is located in the eastern part of the Carson Kingdom. It was only fifty kilometers away from the border with the neighboring Kalbo Kingdom. The area of the city spans at about forty kilometers, it was divided into four sections. North was where the city lord, the city guard captain and the other people with influence were staying. South was the entertainment district, while the east and west were a combination of trading area and residential area. The population was over a hundred thousand. The whole city is enclosed by a wall of gray rock with a height of about twenty to twenty-five meters,  there were exactly ten towers built and spread around on top of the wall.  City guards can be seen patrolling above the walls with their full set of armor, a saber on their waist and a three-meter long spear pointing to the sky tightly gripped by their right hand.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go little Ez, we have to go early to the market so that we can get the fresh supplies to restock the kitchen.¡± Martin was calling for Eznho while putting the empty baskets inside the cart to be used later on.


    ¡°Coming¡± Eznho replied blandly, he was wearing a simple black trouser, a wooden sandal and a dark gray sleeveless upper garment.


    He still had sleepy eyes, it was still an hour before the sunrise but he had to wake up to help Martin buy supplies.


    He helped himself and sat beside where the cart driver sits.


    ¡°Okay, everything is good. The early bird catches the worm, gahahaha. Hiyah!¡±


    Neigh! The horse started to trot going in the direction towards the market.


    .....


    ¡°Fresh cow meat! Just butchered a while ago! Come my dear costumers!¡± a chubby woman in her thirties was shouting, trying to sell her goods.


    .....


    ¡°My veggies here have just been harvested a while ago, look you can still see the dew on its leaf.¡± A farmer was advertising his products.


    .....


    ¡°Look here the fishes are still jumping, how fresh can they be?¡± a burly fisherman was displaying his plentiful catch.


    Shouts and indiscernible noises can be heard from every direction. This was the city market, almost every kind of ingredients for cooking can be found here. This time was the busiest because farmers, fishermen, butchers and the like come at this hour to sell their fresh goods.


    .....


    ¡°Ten coppers!¡± Martin was haggling with a lady.


    ¡°No! The last price is twelve coppers, no more no less. If you don¡¯t want it then stop pestering me, there are others who are willing to pay, shoooo!¡± the woman was insistent and stood her ground.


    ¡°Tsk! Fine, you win this time, but you should add one piece of that fish.¡± Martin wasn¡¯t willing to back down and pointed one of the displayed fishes to be added as a bonus to cow meat that he bought.


    ¡°You!¡± The woman was taken aback by this man¡¯s thick face.


    She didn¡¯t want to bicker anymore and just picked the smallest fish and added it to the meat. She handed the goods with a sly smile.


    Martin just widened his eyes with shock but didn¡¯t say anything. He went back to the horse cart where Eznho was waiting while guarding their goods. He took out the fish and tossed it along the other fishes on one of the baskets.


    ¡°See, little Ez, that¡¯s what you get for being a good talker. You can get a lot of profit if you can talk your way out of things, gahahaha!¡± Martin laughed proudly while looking at the basket full of fish with varying sizes. These fishes were ¡°bonuses¡± he got from haggling.


    Eznho just rolled his eyes, he was used to this scenario every time they come to the market.


    ¡°Hmmm, we saved two silvers during this trip¡± Martin was snickering while counting the coin purse.


    ¡°Here you go little Ez, that¡¯s your bonus gahaha.¡± Martin couldn¡¯t help but laugh while tossing a silver coin to Eznho.


    ¡°Thanks!¡± Eznho couldn¡¯t help but smile while watching his lively big brother.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s about everything. Let¡¯s go back, argh! We still have to clean the pavilion later on. Hiyah!¡± Martin grumbled while sitting and commanding the horse.


    The horse neighed and started walking towards the south, the distance was a few kilometers.

 Different Starting Points

    Chapter 4 Different Starting Points


    Klop klop klop


    A gray horse with some black spots around its body pulling a cart full of different kinds of ingredients can be seen on the main street going to the southern part of the city. The cart driver was a man in his late twenties with a short brown hair wearing the clothes of an ordinary man. Beside him was a boy at about seven or eight years old with a jet black hair tied on his back sitting silently with a poker face.


    The street was at least ten meters wide carpeted with bricks. Carriages and carts made with different designs are being pulled by horses were passing by each other while all kinds of people were crossing the street. Stalls were also erected on the side of the street with different functions but most of them were made for trading purposes. Alleys of varying width can be spotted in between the houses which led to other parts of the city.


    ¡°Stop following me! I want to explore the city.¡± A young thin girl stuck out her tongue towards the one chasing her while running on one of the alleys towards the main road.


    ¡°Stop! I can¡¯t run anymore.¡± A chubby boy is chasing after her, sweat running down his face and is running out of breath.


    ¡°Hahaha, you will never catch me. See yah!¡±


    The girl laughed and tilted her head towards her back while waving her hand towards the boy. She was just a couple of meters before reaching the main road.


    ¡°Wait! Watch out!¡± the chubby boy shouted.


    Just as the girl was about to reach the road, she tilted her head back to the front and saw the head of a horse emerging from the blind side of the road and could not help but panic.


    Oh crap!


    She tried her best to stop herself from bumping into the horse but it was too late, there was not enough space between them.


    Bump!


    .....


    Martin was leisurely driving the cart while looking around the street, he was in a good mood because of his ¡°bonuses¡±.


    ¡°What a great way to start the day.¡± He could not help but exclaim.


    Enzho was just sitting beside him silently.


    They were about to pass by an alley when he suddenly noticed from the corner of his eye that a girl came out of the alley and was trying to stop herself from bumping into the horse.


    Shit!


    He subconsciously pulled the reigns but it was too late to avoid the collision.


    Bump!


    The girl bumped her head into on of the front legs of the horse and fell back on her butt.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± The girl could not help but cry out in pain. She touched her forehead where red mark appeared that resulted from the bump.


    Eznho was a bit startled by the event, he looked down at the girl. She wore a sky-blue dress with a ribbon in front. Her shoes were also patterned with blue flowers. A blue hairpin was clipped on the left side of her head holding her shoulder-length blue hair which was paired with sky blue eyes, the same as her dress. Her skin was white and obviously smooth which was not normally seen around the area. She was not from around here.


    I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if her name was blue. He could not help but think inwardly after looking at the girl.


    Martin immediately jumped out.


    ¡°Are you alright little girl?¡± He asked in a panic.


    While Martin was asking the girl, a chubby boy showed up panting. He was soaked in sweat, he wore a yellow robe with a bulging stomach. There were freckles on his fat cheeks coupled with his chinky brown eyes. His nose was a bit flat and two of his upper front teeth is exposed like a rabbit.


    ¡°Blue! Are you alright? Pant pant.¡± The chubby boy called out and can¡¯t help but put his hand on his knees and bend forward. He was really tired. They have been running for fifteen minutes.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Enzho could not help but open his mouth in response to what the chubby boy said.


    Really? Blue?


    Martin had the same reaction. Then approached to help up the little girl.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch her! Pant pant¡± The chubby boy shouted after seeing what Martin was trying to do.


    Martin was startled and stopped.


    ¡°You peasant dare to touch her with your filthy hands!¡± The chubby boy composed himself and pointed his finger to Martin.


    ¡°Shut up fatty!¡± Blue retorted the chubby boy and helped herself up while patting her butt to remove the dirt.


    ¡°Guards!¡± The chubby boy ignored the girl and shouted.


    Rapid footsteps can be heard from inside the alley, four tall and muscular armored guards were rushing towards them. They were twice as fast than the average guy. A second later they stood imposingly behind the chubby boy. They brought with themselves an invisible pressure that can make a regular guy tremble in fear.


    Martin was shocked after witnessing the scene, he subconsciously stepped backward. Enzho felt the same shock.


    ¡°Seize them!¡± The chubby ordered while still pointing his hands toward Martin.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Blue lifted her hand and contradicted the chubby boy''s order.


    ¡°What are you trying to do fatty? Huh? Do you want to bully again using your guards? Hmph!¡± Blue scoffed.


    ¡°I just wanted to reprimand the people who hurt you Blue, it is my duty as a gentleman.¡± the chubby boy proudly replied.


    ¡°Hmph! If I know, all you can do is order your guards. You can¡¯t even do anything by yourself. Leave them alone, it was my fault anyway. If you try to do anything against them I will not speak to you ever again.¡± Blue snorted and glared at the chubby boy.


    ¡°But...¡± The chubby boy was unwilling.


    ¡°No buts! I am warning you.¡±


    One of the guards suddenly bent down and whispered something to the chubby boy. There was an obvious delight in his face after hearing what the guard said.


    ¡°Since Blue is willing to let this matter go, I will not pursue it but there won¡¯t be a next time. Count yourselves lucky.¡± The chubby boy declared.


    Martin was silent the whole time due to his fear. He did not think much of himself but he was afraid something might happen to Enzho, he was willing to sacrifice and plead for his little brother. He took a deep breath and gathered his courage and was about to speak when Blue interrupted him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry mister, it was my fault due to my carelessness. Forgive me if I caused any inconvenience.¡± Blue bowed towards Martin while apologizing.


    ¡°No, no, it is alright, I should be the one apologizing especially that you were hurt.¡± Martin nervously replied.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt mister don¡¯t worry.Again, I am sorry, have a good day.¡± Blue smiled and started jogging to the direction where Martin and Eznho came from when she suddenly noticed the little boy with Martin.


    ¡°Huh?¡± She stopped and looked at Enzho who was looking back at her with a blank expression.


    Has this boy been here all the time? She inwardly asked herself.


    They locked their eyes with each other for a second which left a weird feeling inside her that made her blush. She looked away in embarrassment and continued to jog. The chubby boy noticed this which left a frown on his face.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, I don¡¯t wanna stay any longer in this place full of trash¡± The chubby boy ordered and followed the girl.


    When he was passing by Eznhon, he glared at him then showed an obvious sneer.


    ¡°Peh!¡± He spat on the street and continued on his way.


    Eznho just looked at him with apathy but deep within his eyes was a spark of anger.


    Martin watched the whole thing happened then frowned. After a while, he sighed and climbed back up to where Eznho was. He then noticed that the street crowd was watching, they showed different reactions. Some of them felt pity while others felt joy in their misfortune. He ignored the crowd and urged the horse to start walking.


    .....


    ¡°Who were they?¡± Eznho couldn¡¯t help but ask after awhile.


    The look on the chubby¡¯s face was bugging him, he usually doesn''t interact with others. This was his first time experiencing an incident like that because most of his time was spent just around the pavilion¡¯s premises.


    ¡°Oh? Them?¡±


    Martin had a rare serious look on his face. He knew they were in trouble, maybe not now but judging from the actions of the chubby boy, he will not let this matter go. He knows how most of the rich people¡¯s children act, they would make trouble for poor people for petty reasons.


    ¡°If I am not mistaken, the girl is the city guard captain¡¯s youngest and only daughter while the chubby boy is the city lord¡¯s only son. I think his name is Taba.¡±


    Ezhno nodded in reply.


    ¡°Ughh, what bad luck we have today after such a good start. Hey, I think my personal luck has run out, why don¡¯t you lend me some of yours little Ez, you are not using it anyway gahaha.¡± Martin ignored his thoughts and came back to his former self.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it little Ez, such is life. You can¡¯t do anything about it. Some are born rich while others poor, we may be running the same race but we have different starting points. Some of us may have a head start and have things easy, while there are those who are at the back crawling and struggling. There are even people who already stopped and just gave up on themselves.¡±


    Martin looked up and sighed. There was a trace of helplessness but at the same time unwillingness in his eyes. He then turned his gaze on Eznho.


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean we don¡¯t have a chance, our starting points may be different but the victor is yet to be decided. There are many ways to change your life, one of them is pursuing the martial path.¡± An excitement was evident in his eyes.


    ¡°You are still young little Ez, you have a chance. Who knows you might get a lucky break and soar through the heavens, gahaha.¡± Martin laughed rubbing Eznho¡¯s head with his hand.


    He knows his chance has been long gone, he is already old for such things. He never even had a chance, with his background, a miracle was needed for that kind of chance.


    But Eznho was different, he is still young. Although a chance would be close to impossible, there was still hope. He deeply wished for the boy to have a better life, he would give anything for that, even his life.

 Scroll

    Chapter 5 Scroll


    Seasons came and went, snow is starting to fall over Sin city. The city is buzzing with activity, people are starting to flock inside the city. It was the opposite of what happened a couple of years ago where people were wary because of rumors going on about a war. The change started half a year ago when an open recruitment was started for miners and mercenaries.


    The rumors about a war were related to a gold mine. The gold mine was discovered three years ago at the base of the Nara mountain range, approximately nine kilometers away from the border. The same thing has been discovered on the side of Kalbo kingdom. The tension started between the two kingdoms because it was estimated that a large gold deposit was located right below the border of the two kingdoms.


    .....


    ¡°My chance has come to finally change my destiny and rise from poverty¡±


    A bearded burly middle-aged man with messy hair exclaimed while caressing his pickaxe. He spent half of his fortune to buy this pickaxe.


    .....


    ¡°I heard that the pay is good for the miners, especially if you discovered gold deposits.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but I heard your life will be at risk. Several miners have already died because the cave they were digging collapsed.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s better to risk everything and win big rather than staying poor for the rest of our lives.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got a point though.¡±


    Two young men in their twenties were discussing with each other.


    ¡°Bunch of pitiful poor people.¡± Somebody commented.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± One of the young men was angry and looked for the guy who spoke.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it true?¡± A person answered back.


    The young man was about to retort but stopped himself. He could do nothing but shut up and endure because the one who answered him was a mercenary. The mercenary was a thin man in his late twenties wearing a clothing made of beast fur. A meter-long sword was hanging on his waist. More than a dozen of people were standing behind him, which seemed to be his subordinates.


    After looking at the mercenary, he felt fearful and dejected then walked away along with his companion.


    ¡°Tsk, what a coward, let¡¯s go. We have to sign in our group and start our journey towards the mine before the road is covered in snow.¡± The mercenary ordered his men and started walking towards the center of the city.


    The crowd inside the city was divided in two, one was the miners. They were mostly composed of poor people looking to hit the jackpot inside the mine. The other group was composed of mercenaries, they were being hired by the city lord to stand guard in the mines. Their job is to make sure that no one sneaks out gold and guard the mine from unexpected attacks. The city lord had to do this because the soldiers were stationed along the borders to confront the opposing kingdom.


    .....


    It has been three years since the incident with the Blue and the chubby boy. Eznho was now ten years old, his face now looked more mature and more mysterious. He still has that emotionless face, he became taller and his hair was still long, flowing on his back. Other than that, nothing much has changed. His life was a boring routine, most of his time was still spent around the pavilion. With occasional visits at the market with Martin. He would still go visit his mother¡¯s grave when he had free time. He felt peaceful there, he felt satisfied just sitting there alone with no one to disturb him.


    .....


    Inside the pavilion, it was early in the morning...


    ¡°Alright ladies and gentlemen, the owner asked me to conduct a meeting with you. I know you are tired from tonight¡¯s job but so am I, so just listen. Boss wants us to put on our best effort, he made a deal with me. If we manage to increase our profits, he is willing to raise our pay. As you can see people are flocking inside the city, people are making money from the mines. It is our job is to squeeze that money out from them and into our boss¡¯ pocket. You understand?¡±


    Manager Tang conducted a meeting with sleepy eyes, it has been an exhausting night due to increase in costumers.


    ¡°Yes, manager Tang.¡± The audience replied with excitement at the same time.


    The audience was composed of the people working in the pavilion. All of them came from a poor background that is why they were happy when an increase in pay was mentioned. Almost all of the employees were women due to the nature of the establishment. The number of the men were less than twenty, they were either working in the kitchen, assigned as a cleaner, an errand runner or acting as a bouncer.


    ¡°Alright, good you understand, dismissed.¡± Manager Tang waved his hand and dismissed the crowd.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ¡°Martin and Eznho, start cleaning now.¡± He instructed before going out the door.


    ¡°Will do,¡± Martin replied enthusiastically while dragging Eznho up the stairs.


    .....


    Manager Tang just walked out the door when he heard horses galloping towards his direction. He squinted his eyes to get a clear view, there were four horses in total with city guards riding on them. He frowned while waiting for them to arrive.


    ¡°To what pleasure do I owe the city guards for them to make a visit to this place?¡±


    Manager Tang forced a smile when the guards arrived.


    ¡°Does a man named Martin and a boy named Eznho work here?¡± One of the guards asked directly.


    ¡°Why is city guard asking?¡± manager Tang inquired.


    ¡°Just answer the damn question old man!¡± The guard shouted without respect.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think you can just come in here and make trouble on a whim.¡± Manager Tang was furious, he was not afraid talking back because he knows the boss has influence around the city.


    ¡°Tsk! A barking old dog who thinks he can bite a tiger. Open your dog eyes and look at this.¡± The guard said with disdain and took out a scroll and throw it to the manager.


    Manager Tang caught it and carefully looked at the stamp. An insignia with a sword pointing up can be seen, below the hilt of the sword were two large feathers. The feathers were spread on each side pointing up and formed the shape of a laurel crown. After a couple of seconds, he formed an ugly look on his face.


    ¡°Tsk!¡± He exclaimed and took a deep breath he knew this was trouble. He then looked up on the third floor and shouted.


    ¡°Martin! Get your ass down here with Eznho!¡±


    .....


    Martin and Eznho were starting to clean the third floor. Eznho was silently cleaning the tables. Martin was in a good mood because of the possible raise in his pay. He was grinning the whole and whistling while cleaning. They both heard the arrival of horses but they didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Martin! Get your ass down here with Eznho!¡± a shout was suddenly heard from manager Tang which made them stop their movements. Martin rushed to the window and looked down.


    ¡°Oh crap! I knew it!¡± He jumped back, frightened.


    When he saw the familiar city guards waiting down with the manager he knew trouble has come. He never thought after all these years the chubby boy did not forget the incident. His face was full of terror and he became more fearful when he saw Eznho curiously looking at him.


    ¡°Ai, what a bad omen, let¡¯s go down and hope for the best.¡± Martin sighed and pulled Eznho by his hand.


    .....


    Manager Tang was silently waiting when the door opened, Martin and Eznho came out of the door.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Martin inquired innocently.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter you say? Hahaha!¡± One of the guards answered while the other guards laughed with him.


    ¡°Congratulations you are both lucky to have been chosen by the city lord.¡± The guard mockingly declared.


    He was the one who whispered something to Taba a few years back. He has been working as the personal guard for the young master since he was born, he is shrewd and devious, he liked to scheme against other people. He was a tall and muscular guy, he wore a full metal armor with a helmet covering his head except for his face. There was an insignia in front of his armor, a curved rectangular shield with a sword in front of it facing down. This was the most commonly used insignia for the city guards around the Carson kingdom, with the exception of the capital city.


    ¡°Go on old man, open the scroll and read the content.¡±


    The manager opened the scroll, the further he read the contents the more his face became uglier and dejected. He closed his eyes tightly for a long time before giving out a long sigh, his sigh was full of frustration and helplessness.


    ¡°What does it say?¡± Martin nervously asked after seeing the old man¡¯s reaction.


    The old man did not answer him immediately. After a long pause, he answered.


    ¡°The city lord orders Eznho to go to the mines and work there for at least two years. He can come back for a one week break after a year.¡± The manager said bitterly.


    ¡°What!?¡± Martin was shocked.


    Eznho also had a slight expression on his face but it was not that obvious.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do that! He is still young, and besides, working in the mines should be voluntary not ordered because it is dangerous.¡± Martin protested back.


    ¡°Manager you can¡¯t let them do that.¡± Martin pleaded.


    ¡°I am sorry, but it is an order from the city lord, not even the owner can help him out.¡± The managed answered with a look of helplessness.


    ¡°Then I will volunteer, I will replace him and I can even work for five years, no ten years! Just let him go, please.¡± Martin begged. Tears were starting to fall, he was really afraid he did not want Eznho to go because his chance of survival was slim. He was still young.


    Eznho who was behind him was touched, tears were also trying to form. He is trying to hold it back, his emotions were stirred due to Martin¡¯s action. He did not want to see him like this, a man full of vigor and life was pleading for him. He was not even related to him, all he knows is that Martin only knew his mother for over a year. He was about to stop him when...


    ¡°Hahaha¡±


    The guards burst out laughing, they were amused like watching a clown performing on his show.


    ¡°You can¡¯t Martin I¡¯m sorry¡± the manager answered.


    ¡°What!? Why not?¡± Martin panicked and shook the manager¡¯s shoulder.


    He felt that the world was starting to crumble. He did not even care about the guards, he was trembling all over and could not control his self and tightened his grip on the manager¡¯s shoulder. The manager grimaced but did not say anything, he understood Martin, he understood his pain but was helpless against those with power. He understood because he also experienced it, the feeling of just watching while people you love are taken away in front of you.


    ¡°You can¡¯t because you have also been assigned to do another task.¡± The manager answered with a tinge of pain.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Martin looked at his hands and loosened it. He had a hope with the manager¡¯s answer, if he will also be sent to the mines, he can look out after Eznho. He looked at the manager with a hopeful face.


    But alas, the universe does not care for anyone. The manager shook his head gently, Martin slowly bent his knees until he was kneeling down, he felt defeated.


    ¡°Martin, you are ordered by the city lord to go to the border and help repel the enemies for two years. You can also have a one week break after a year. You will become an official member of the army once you register and get your equipments from the military branch office. Failure or refusal to accept this assignment will lead to immediate execution.¡±


    The manager gave another deep sigh after reading the contents and pitifully looked at Martin.


    Boom! Martin was in a trance, he felt numb all over. All his senses were shut down, he did not even react when the guards left while laughing.


    Eznho on the other side was grinding his teeth, he was clenching his hands tightly until his palms were white. He has never been this angry before in his life, he was looking at the guards who were leaving with a murderous look. His eyes were like the abyss that was hiding a monster inside, ready to pounce anytime.


    One day...

 Girl in The Rain

    Chapter 6 The Girl In The Rain


    The world became silent, a gloomy and chilly atmosphere can be felt. Three people can be seen outside the pavilion. Manager Tang was standing there with a look of pity on his face, his head was lowered while looking at the man kneeling in front of him.


    Martin was still in a daze, he felt numb. He was wishing that this was just a nightmare and was waiting to wake up from it. The scenes from earlier kept playing over and over inside his head. He felt that he was becoming crazy.


    Eznho still maintained his silence while trying to control his emotions. He thought he is gonna spend the rest of his life just doing a daily routine. He never had any dream for himself, he always felt like he was just a leaf drifting on the ocean. But events took a turn and a twist has been made, and for the first time in his life, he had a goal.


    There was no point in just standing there, what happened has happened and they can¡¯t do anything about it for now. After he took a silent deep breath, he loosened his grip and retracted his murderous gaze. But he promised to himself that he will make the city lord, his son, and the four city guards pay back for what they did. He will not do it for himself but for his big brother Martin who knelt down for him.


    After another breath, he started walking towards Martin and tapped on his shoulders.


    Boom! Martin¡¯s mind was suddenly pulled back into reality.


    ¡°Haaaaa¡± he sucked in a lot of air like he was running out of it. He was pale and was feeling cold all over like waking up from a nightmare.


    ¡°Stand up big brother,¡± Eznho said softly from behind.


    Martin regained his clarity and slowly stood up, he understood there was no point in continuing his actions.


    ¡°Thanks, little Ez, I¡¯m alright now.¡± Martin forced a smile back to Eznho.


    ¡°Ai, tell me, Martin, how did this happen? Why would the city lord bother himself to make a decree against the both of you?¡± the manager inquired with curiosity.


    ¡°Sigh, all of this happened because of an incident about three years ago,¡± Martin answered.


    ¡°That long?¡± the manager asked.


    ¡°Yes, I thought that the matter has been forgotten because nothing has happened since then. As it turns out, it was never forgotten, it was just delayed. It was as if it has been planned since the beginning.¡± Then he suddenly thought about the guard who whispered something to the chubby boy.


    It has been planned all along. He thought to himself.


    ¡°Anyways, this is what happened...¡±


    Then Martin told the manager what happened three years ago on the main street while they were heading back from the market.


    ¡°Ai, so that¡¯s what happened, what a terrible encounter. I always knew that the rich were petty people but I never thought that there are those who stoop down to such a level. Tsk tsk.¡± The manager said while shaking his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the both of you, I really am, but feeling sorry will not change anything. Even if I plead the boss for the two of you, his influence cannot change anything. Especially that it was a decree from the city lord himself. The only one who can oppose him is the city guard captain but we don¡¯t have any connection with him. Even if we did have a connection, I bet he is not willing to go against the city lord for your sake. I may sound harsh but we have to accept reality.¡±


    ¡°The only thing we can do now is to accept the order and hope that both of you will survive this predicament. At least there is still hope of survival, it¡¯s better than a direct execution. Where there is life there is hope.¡±


    The manager sympathized with the two, he tried his best to console them give them hope to cling on to.


    ¡°You better go inside and continue cleaning first, it can help you relax your mind. Don¡¯t be depressed because of it, instead treat as sort of a challenge. After that, make your preparations. I¡¯ll try to gather information for you to have an idea of what¡¯s going on over there. You will depart from the city a week from now along with other people.¡±


    He instructed the two and started walking away while massaging his forehead. He is starting to have a headache which resulted from this incident.


    ¡°Thank you, manager.¡± Martin sincerely bowed towards the manager. He may be strict on their job but he knew that the manager¡¯s heart was with his employees.


    He composed himself and looked at Eznho and forced a grin.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He walked towards him, rustled his hair and walked inside.


    Eznho nodded and followed, he stopped and took another deep look towards the north then proceeded inside. No one knew what he was thinking.


    .....


    After cleaning, Martin went to cook for lunch as usual while Eznho went to wake Miss Minchin up. She noticed that Martin was silent which was out of his character.


    ¡°Martin, is something wrong?¡± Minchin inquired.


    ¡°Sigh, I¡¯ll tell you all about it after eating,¡± Martin answered with a helpless look on his face.


    He had no choice anyway, he has to tell her everything. It¡¯s better to inform her earlier for her to have time to ingest what he was about to tell her.


    Miss Minchin prepared tea for the three of them after their meal. They sat in front of a round table in three different directions.


    ¡°Now, tell me everything and don¡¯t even think about lying.¡± Miss Minchin seriously warned Martin.


    She can feel that what he was about to tell her was far from good and even had a premonition that little Ez was involved. She then looked at the boy with doting eyes. She truly cared for him, she treated him as his own son.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°Miss Minchin, before I tell you everything, I want to tell you first that none of us wanted any of this. I don¡¯t even know what to think why this is happening, Ai.¡± Martin sighed.


    ¡°Just tell me already!¡± Minchin was starting run out of patience.


    ¡°Okay okay, relax, this incident started three years ago...¡± Martin started to narrate everything.


    He started from when they were heading home back from the market and a girl running from the alley bumped into the front leg of the horse. He tried to tell every detail he could remember including the look on the chubby boy¡¯s face when he was leaving.


    ¡°Days and months have passed without any incident so I thought they have forgotten about it. But this morning, the four city guards paid us a visit then...¡±


    He started to tell everything that happened outside the pavilion previously.


    ¡°That¡¯s about it.¡± Martin bowed his head after narrating everything. He was afraid to look at Miss Minchin.


    She listened without producing any sound but with a careful look, her body was trembling. She was furious, not because of Martin or about the event but due to the differences in status and the pettiness of the people with power.


    ¡°So that¡¯s what happened, if the boss can¡¯t do anything what more of us.¡± She said dejectedly while controlling her emotions.


    She did not blame Martin, it was nobody¡¯s fault. She did not comment any longer and continued sipping her tea. Time passed without nobody speaking, after everybody finished their tea.


    ¡°Little Ez, come to my room later this evening, I have something to talk with you about.¡±


    She then stood up and started walking back to her room.


    ¡°Hey, little Ez, I¡¯ll go later at the city center and try to gather information. If you have nothing to do, you can with me if you want.¡± Martin said in an invite.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll go to the cemetery,¡± Eznho answered, rejecting Martin¡¯s invite.


    ¡°Okay, no need to apologize. Take care then, don¡¯t stay out too late. There have been rumors of ghosts walking around the cemetery, gahaha.¡± Martin laughed trying to alleviate the mood.


    Eznho smiled while shaking his head and let out a soft chuckle. His mood started to turn for the better.


    ¡°That¡¯s more I like it. Okay, see you around little Ez.¡±


    .....


    Later that evening,


    Knock knock


    Eznho knocked the door on Minchin¡¯s room, she had her own separate place to live in. They were practically neighbors but Minchin has her own little house.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Minchin answered from the inside.


    Eznho opened the door, this was not his first time entering. The inside of the house was simple, not a lot of decorations. The house has its own bathroom, bed room, lounge area and a kitchen. A couple of paintings can be seen hanging on the walls, most of them were flower paintings.


    ¡°Take a seat there and wait for me.¡± She instructed him while preparing tea.


    Eznho walked towards the living room where Minchin receives her guests. He sat down on the couch covered in leather stuffed with bird feathers. A wooden square table covered with red cloth was in front of him, a vase was on top of it holding a single stalk of a yellow tulip flower.


    Minchin walked towards him with a tray holding two tea cups and a tea kettle made of porcelain painted with blue flowers. She put the tray down on the table and poured tea into both cups then offered a cup to Eznho.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Eznho said politely.


    He was comfortable having a conversation with her aunt, he even treated her as his own mom. She was beside him since he was born, they may not often have long conversations with each other but he respects her from the bottom of his heart.


    Minchin also sat down and sipped her tea and looked at Enzho solemnly.


    ¡°What happened to you and Martin was a tragedy, but despite all that I hope you will both survive this predicament. Since we can¡¯t do anything about that, I don¡¯t want to linger any longer on that topic.¡±


    ¡°What I want to talk with you about is your mother, and how I am related to her.¡± Minchin paused with a reminiscing look.


    ¡°I will just tell you the summary and skip the unnecessary details, I might bore you to death.¡± Minchin smiled and knew Eznho was not the kind to hold long conversations.


    ¡°Okay, I was a servant of your mother¡¯s family, your grandfather¡¯s name was John Walker and your grandmother was Beth. They were farmers from the western part of the city about twenty kilometers from here. Your grandparent¡¯s family came from a family of farmers. Despite that, they both worked hard and managed to save and buy a farm of their own.¡±


    ¡°They had two children, your mother Mirna and his older brother Mario. My family was lucky enough to work with them and had our own place to stay. We helped them look out for the farmland, but I was not satisfied with that kind of life. I stubbornly argued with my parents and left when I was twenty years old. I came to the city and worked from one place to another until I found this place and worked here since then. Don¡¯t ask me why I did not get married.¡± Minchin said jokingly.


    ¡°Kidding aside, I visited them from time to time. I also watched your mother grow in some way, they also visited me when they came and sell their products inside the city.¡± Minchin paused and took a deep breath.


    ¡°While I was working one rainy night, one of the bouncers approached me and told me that someone was urgently looking for me and her name was Mirna. Luckily they did not just kick her away. I was surprised by the sudden visit so I immediately followed him to see your mother. To my horror, I saw your mother soaked in the rain with tattered clothes and she was crying endlessly. Her feet were bare with blood flowing from her sole, she also had scratches and bruises all over her body. She ran and hugged me while she continued to cry. I was just standing there in a daze, then I suddenly felt that her stomach was big. She was pregnant, it was a miracle that she managed to come all the way from the farm. I then helped her and told her to calm down first. I brought her here and washed her first then tended to her wounds. Luckily, the wounds were light. I asked for one of the local doctors to check the condition of the baby and she said everything was okay. There was one thing that puzzled her, your mother¡¯s condition was not good. She could not find out the reason but your mother¡¯s health deteriorating. The doctor believed she would be in grave danger and could possibly die during child birth. The only one who could possibly help was the city doctor, but it was impossible to call for him especially for people like us. Your mother was not sad, instead, she was happy as long she would give birth to you successfully.¡± Minchin sighed while recalling the past.


    Eznho just listened while occasionally sipping tea. He could only imagine what happened all those years ago and could not help but become emotional while listening.


    ¡°After taking care all of her wounds, I asked her what happened. She told me that bandits attacked the farm and killed everyone then burned the house along with everyone inside. She said she was the only one who escaped, she was even confused how she has done it. I could not think of any reason why the bandits would attack, especially for a small farm like that. She had a hard time recalling certain events, maybe because of the trauma, I suppose. Then she told me about how she became pregnant. She said that your father came knocking to their door wounded and bleeding. They suspected he was a hunter hunting from the nearby forest and had an accident. They treated him and he stayed for a few days, he got closer to your mother. She said she had a certain connection with him like she felt safe and comfortable around him. Her parents also had a good impression of him. He continued to stay with them after a couple of months. Then he got your mother pregnant, and for some reason, her parents were okay with it even if they were not married. They were open minded than most I guess.¡±


    ¡°Your father went out to hunt in the forest when the attack happened. She wanted to go back in case he was there waiting for her but she could not due to her condition. I went back a week after the attack with Martin but there was no sign of him, all that was left was a burnt down house and dying crops. In case you are wondering, the city guard or the military would not bother to investigate incidents like this.¡±


    ¡°She tried so hard to remember everything about your father but she could not, not even his face. She was mostly lying in bed, two months later she gave birth to you.¡±


    She started to sob uncontrollably after telling this sad event. It was also a form of relief for her. She had been trying to keep it a secret until Eznho was old enough, but the circumstances have changed.

 Memento

    Chapter 7 Memento


    Eznho just sat there while tears also started to form from his eyes. He always wanted to know about his origins but he knew that his aunt was just trying to find an appropriate time. He once tried to ask but both his aunt Minchin and his big brother Martin dodged the question.


    After wiping her tears, Minchin calmed herself down.


    ¡°Wait here,¡± she told Eznho and stood up.


    She went inside her bedroom and when she walked out, she was holding a small wooden jewelry box. The box was plain with no design but it was polished, it was well maintained.


    She sat back on her chair and put the box on the table. She opened it and took out a necklace. A small crude jade rock with rough edges the size of a thumbnail was being held by a thick thread. The thread was knotted to function as a net to hold the jade inside and a long part of it was left to be hung on the neck.


    ¡°This necklace was your mother¡¯s, she said she found it on a riverbank. It may not be worth that much but she treasured it greatly so she made it as a necklace. She told me to give you this at the right time for you to remember her by. I guess this would be the right time, may it serve as your lucky charm and help you through tough times. Your mother was a gentle soul, she would have been a good mother to you.¡± She took Eznho¡¯s hand and put the necklace on his palm.


    ¡°Mother...¡± Eznho said while overwhelmed with sadness.


    How nice it would be to have an actual mother taking care of you, he thought. Then he held the necklace tightly, afraid that the necklace might disappear.


    ¡°There¡¯s another one,¡± Minchin interrupted.


    She then took out a dark golden ring, it was a lady¡¯s ring. Just a few centimeters thick and would fit into a lady¡¯s ring finger. If you observe closely on the inside, indiscernible letters were engraved, they looked like runes of some kind.


    ¡°According to your mother, this was a gift from your father. I don¡¯t know anything about him so don¡¯t ask me.¡± Minchin said with a stern voice.


    She did not have a good impression on Eznho¡¯s father because she felt that he abandoned his family.


    ¡°Take it, it belongs to you now. If you wanna wear it, I suggest you wear it as a necklace alongside with your mother¡¯s. It¡¯s easier to hide it that way, people might get greedy when they see it.¡± She warned Eznho.


    She personally did not want to give the ring as it might invite trouble but Eznho was now the owner of it. He will be the one who will decide what to do with it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it, thank you aunt Minchin,¡± Eznho said gratefully while taking the ring.


    He had mixed feelings towards his father. He had no information regarding him, the only thing connecting him with his father was this ring so he wanted to keep it. He wanted to ask where was he during the attack and why did he not try to find him after all these years.


    After a bit of thinking, he tossed all these questions at the back of his mind. He would think about it when the time comes. His focus now should be the problem at hand.


    ¡°I know you have a lot of questions right now, but I advise you to worry about it later on. The important thing for you to do right now is to survive this predicament.¡± Minchin reminded him.


    ¡°Little Ez, listen to me, there are many things that could happen in a man¡¯s life that could change his destiny. There are evil lurking in every corner of this world. I don¡¯t ask you to become a malevolent saint, what I want is that if you can do good deeds, then do it. It doesn¡¯t hurt to help others when you can. I know that fate has not been good to you, but there is still goodness in this world. Once you get out of this walls and start your journey you will experience many things. I don¡¯t know what those experiences would be but I hope whatever decisions you make, think carefully and consider the consequences.¡± Minchin advised.


    ¡°Well, my mouth is starting to get dry from all this talking. You are not a baby anymore so you can make decisions on your own.¡± Minchin said jokingly and stood up then went in front of Eznho.


    ¡°I have held you long enough, let¡¯s call it a night shall we?¡± then she bent down and kissed his forehead.


    ¡°Good night my dear little Ez, close the door when you go out,¡± Minchin instructed and started to walk towards her bedroom.


    ¡°Oww, and one more thing little Ez, try to talk to other people and improve your communication skills. Knowing and befriending other people might prove useful to you.¡± Minchin added and continued on her way to her bedroom.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll try,¡± Eznho responded.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    He continued looking at both the necklace and the golden ring while trying to digest all the information he just received. After a while, he calmed down, organized his thoughts and started to formulate his own plans.


    He did what Minchin suggested and made the ring become a part of the jade necklace. He hung the necklace on his neck and covered it with his shirt. The necklace felt cold but at the same time, it gave him warmth, the warmth of having his parents by his side.


    He stood up then bowed respectfully towards Minchin¡¯s bedroom and walked out the door going back to his own room.


    .....


    Six days has already passed since the decree was issued. It was already past noon, four people were inside the pavilion discussing something.  They were Eznho, Minchin, Martin and manager Tang.


    ¡°I have tried my best to gather information as best as I could regarding the mines and the border.¡± Manager Tang said as an introduction.


    ¡°The gold mine is being supervised by the vice captain of the city guard, Randolph. He is a sworn brother of the city guard captain so the city lord cannot directly interfere regarding the mines, but he has still influence he can use to find trouble for you Eznho if he wants to. Be careful out there, there are two main reasons why people die inside the mines. The first one is being buried alive due to the collapse of the cave mines. The second one is having bad luck and accidentally digging nests of wild beasts such as snakes, centipedes, spiders and the like. That is why mercenaries are being hired to kill those beasts and they also hunt down miners who try to escape or steal gold.¡± Manager Tang spoke solemnly as he looked at Eznho.


    ¡°Regarding you Martin, did you already register your name at the military branch office?¡± manager Tang asked Martin.


    ¡°Yes manager, I already did,¡± Martin replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, I believe you were already briefed. Your equipment will be provided by the military. So far, no deaths have been reported from the border. Both parties are just watching over each other but who knows if this will continue especially if the gold inside the mine will be more valuable than expected. The city guard captain is also there along with other city guards and military soldiers. As you know the kingdom does not care much about the city and the gold mine, it does not warrant their attention so the army will not be deployed. In short, we are on our own.¡±


    ¡°A large scale war is unlikely to happen but our city might get dragged into the chaos because we are near the border. As long as the enemy does not go beyond our city, the military will only send a small number of troops.¡±


    Cities are valued according to their size and location, the nearer it is to the royal capital the more valuable it is. The kingdom has many cities, so a small backwater city does not catch their attention. Sin city is small and located near the border so it does not hold much value, but for the citizens of the city, the allure of the gold mine drives them crazy. They are in the same situation with the opposing for the Black Stone city.


    ¡°Minchin and I already bought the necessary tools for you to use Eznho.¡±


    Manager Tang pointed to one of the tables, a small and a big pick axe were on top of it. The larger one was a meter and a half long, while the smaller one is just a foot long. They had the same design, just different sizes. The handle was made of wood while the head was made of metal, one side of the head was flat while the other was pointed.


    ¡°We also bought you a coat and a hat made of rabbit fur and a pair of leather boots and gloves. You can get it from Minchin later on.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Eznho bowed politely.


    Manager Tang nodded in response.


    ¡°Hey manager Tang, ahem ahem, what about me?¡± Martin asked shamelessly.


    Manager Tang was taken aback, this guy truly has a thick face.


    ¡°Hmph! Do I look like your piggy bank that holds your money, huh?¡± the manager glared at Martin.


    ¡°Just kidding, just kidding no need to be mad.¡± Martin chuckled while holding his palms outward in front of his chest.


    ¡°Hmph! Let¡¯s see if your shamelessness doesn¡¯t get you in trouble.¡± The manager harrumphed.


    ¡°One last thing Martin, if you are lucky enough you can become a five man commander in the army. That is the highest position you can achieve as a citizen that does not practice any martial arts. I hope you can achieve that and elevate your status a little.¡± The manager hoped that Martin would somehow get lucky and become one.


    ¡°Both of you will depart at sunrise, the gathering point will be at the eastern gate. I will not be there to see you off, good luck. May the heavens watch over you during this troubled times. Ai, I have to find new replacements.¡± Manager Tang sighed and started to walk outside. Nobody knows what he was thinking.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± both Eznho and Martin said at the same time.


    They were both thankful, they were touched by the actions of their manager.


    ¡°Both of you, make your final preparations,¡± Minchin spoke after just standing there the whole time.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go buy some other miscellaneous things, what about you little Ez?¡± Martin inquired.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go the cemetery and say my goodbye,¡± Eznho answered.


    ¡°That¡¯s good too. I¡¯ll also go there later, maybe I¡¯ll catch up with you there. See yah!¡± Martin said in return and started to head outside.


    .....


    The cemetery was covered in white, snow was falling while occasional howl of winds could be heard. Winter has already set sail, footprints could be seen heading up on top of the hill. The Kayo tree lost all its leaves and snow has settled on its branches. Eznho was standing in front of the grave.


    ¡°Mother, I will not be able to visit you for a long time but I promise you I will be back. For the first time in my life, I have set a goal to achieve and one of them is to look for father and ask him  where was he when you needed him.¡± Eznho swore while clenching his fist.


    He did not have a good impression of his father. Aside from his revenge against the people who wronged them, he also wanted to find him and ask him face to face why he abandoned them.


    The sun has started to set, it was darker than usual. The color was a combination of red, orange and yellow which was being reflected by the snow covered hills. It was a magnificent sight, but despite the beauty, a hint of sadness can be felt.


    After a while, it started to get dark. Eznho kneeled on both knees and kowtowed three times.


    ¡°I have to go now mother,¡± Eznho said with reluctance and stood up.


    He was heading halfway down the hill when he met Martin who was holding a gourd of wine.


    ¡°Hey little Ez, sorry I got held up by something.¡± Martin greeted him.


    ¡°No worries,¡± Eznho smiled and replied.


    ¡°I¡¯ll also go and say my goodbyes, you can go ahead,¡± Martin said with a sad tone.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Eznho could feel Martin¡¯s sadness and started to head back to the city.


    Looking from afar, a lonely silhouette could be seen chugging down a gourd of wine on top of the hill.

 The Mines

    Chapter 8 The Mines


    There is still half an hour before sunrise, snow continued to fall over Sin city. Chimney smokes could be seen from houses while the winds brought forth a chill that makes you shiver. Homeless people gathered around bonfires seeking warmth from the harsh winter. Some corpses could be seen buried underneath the white snow, such is the cruelty of life.


    The front door of the pavilion opened, three people came out wearing fur coats and hats. A man, a boy with a pick axe and a woman.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I don¡¯t want to see you leave, so I''ll just see you out from here. By the way manager Tang said this was your accumulated salary.¡± Minchin spoke while breath vapor was coming out. She took out a small pouch filled with coins and gave it to Eznho.


    She was still reluctant but had no choice but to accept reality. She could only hope for the best. She went in front of Eznho and hugged tightly while he hugged her back. After several seconds, they let go each other and she kissed him on the forehead. A kiss full of hope and a wish that the boy would come back to her.


    ¡°Take care my little Ez,¡± Minchin said dotingly while gently holding Eznho¡¯s face with palm. Then she turned to Martin.


    ¡°Martin, I entrust little Ez to you while you are traveling together.¡± She said with a stern voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Miss Minchin, as long as I, Martin, lives, nobody can hurt little Ez,¡± Martin vowed while sticking out his chest.


    ¡°It¡¯s good you know, now go,¡± Minchin commanded while waving her hand.


    ¡°I will be back aunt Minchin, I promise,¡± Eznho said with a serious face then started to walk ahead.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right here,¡± She answered.


    ¡°See you after a year Miss Minchin,¡± Martin bowed and started to jog catching up with Eznho.


    Minchin just stood outside while watching two silhouettes disappear, a tear fell down then she turned around and entered.


    ....


    While Martin and Eznho were halfway to their destination, Martin stopped Eznho.


    ¡°Little Ez, I have something for you, it is just for precaution,¡± Martin said and took out a dagger.


    ¡°I hope you will not have to use this, but if you must, don¡¯t hesitate to use it when your life is in danger,¡± Martin said solemnly. Then he handed the dagger to Eznho.


    He was having second thoughts when he planned about the dagger, but after thinking about it, he decided to go for it. Unforeseen events may happen anytime and a weapon may come in handy.


    Eznho was surprised but he received and unsheathed it. The dagger was light, about half a kilo, it was nine inches in total length. The spine was curved like the blade that resulted in a pointy edge, it was obviously sharp and could easily cut apart the skin. It was forged from a common metal which had a dull gray color, the handle was made from a fifty-year old Nara tree which was harder and more resilient than the average tree. A simple brown leather was made as it¡¯s sheath.


    ¡°Thank you, big brother, I¡¯ll make sure keep it all times with me.¡± Eznho was touched by Martin¡¯s thoughtfulness.


    He then hung it on his left waist while his small pick axe was on his right. They continued to walk until they reached their destination.


    ¡°Wait for me here, I¡¯ll just go and change to my uniform, I¡¯ll be back,¡± Martin said to Eznho and jogged towards the military office.


    .....


    A while later Martin came back with his gear. He looked heroic with his armor, most of his armor was made of thick leather. The only metal part was covering his chest down to his waist and his back. He held a spear in his left hand while a saber hung on his left waist. This was a standard uniform for a new recruit, then a coat of animal fur was draped on him.


    ¡°Gahaha, look at me little Ez, I became more handsome with this. I¡¯m afraid girls would come flocking, gahaha.¡± Martin said loudly while walking towards Eznho.


    Eznho just rolled his eyes and was a little embarrassed because Martin aroused the attention of other people.


    There was a surprise on their faces when they looked at Eznho holding a pickaxe. He was the youngest of the whole group most of them were twenty years old and above. They were wondering why a young boy like him would go and risk his life in the mines and if you look carefully he had a better clothing than most, a fur coat, thick clothing with matching fur hat, leather boots and leather gloves. This piqued their curiosity and started whispering to each other.


    ¡°Attention! Start assembling and we will march in five minutes!¡± A soldier with a better armor than Martin shouted and instructed the group.


    ¡°Okay we have to part now little Ez, we will probably see each other for a short period when we reach the mines, see you there. I will be in the front group,¡± Martin spoke and hugged Eznho.


    A couple of seconds later they let go of each other.


    ¡°Don¡¯t die on me little Ez,¡± Martin grinned and raised his hand for a fist bump.


    ¡°You might die of old age before me old man,¡± Eznho said jokingly and also raised his fist.


    ¡°That¡¯s more I like it, gahaha,¡± Martin laughed and both went on their respective group.


    No more words were needed to be spoken, they understood each other. After all these years, that they have been like real blood brothers, they only had one thing to do ¨C survive.


    .....


    The group was divided into five, the front line was composed of the soldiers, there were over a hundred of them being led by a middle-aged man in a full metal armor. They were followed by a dozen of mercenaries, then the miners which number in hundreds. The fourth group were supply carts being pulled by horses, contained the belongings of the miners which was delivered a day before. And the last one was another group of mercenaries.


    ¡°March!¡± The leader shouted.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The group started to march out of the city, their families stayed behind while watching the group depart. The road was covered with few inches of snow. They would reach their destination before night fall.


    .....


    Snow continued to fall while the caravan continued to head to their destination. They were covered in snow but continued to silently walk while the mercenaries and the soldiers were on guard for bandits or wild animals or beasts. They only stopped to rest and eat for lunch then continued on their journey.


    The sun was starting to set over the horizon when they reached a mountain clearing. A majestic view could be seen, the snow covered mountains reflected the sun. The mountain was a part of the Nara mountain range that spans at about twenty kilometers and on the middle is the border between the two kingdoms.


    Below the mountain was a valley divided by a sixty-meter wide river that looked like a snake from above. Tents and structures made of wood have been spread out on one side of the valley just below the mountains. A bridge has been made on the shallow part of the river for people to use. Bonfires were scattered through out the camp spreading warmth to ease the evening chill.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, we should reach them before dark, lest we will attacked by the hungry beasts of the night.¡±


    The military leader commanded and started to head down the valley.


    .....


    ¡°Vice captain, the new group has already arrived. They are crossing the bridge.¡± A city guard saluted and reported.


    ¡°Got it, let¡¯s go meet them.¡± The vice captain replied.


    Randolph was a middle aged man but still filled with vitality. He was well built, tall and dark skinned. He was bald with sharp black eyes and lips.


    He stood outside with the other city guards. Other than the mercenaries, fifty city guards have been assigned in the mines.


    The incoming group started to cross the bridge led by the soldiers, the leader directly went to Randolph¡¯s group.


    ¡°Greetings vice captain,¡± the leader cupped his hands greeted.


    ¡°Welcome to the mines, No need to be so formal, hundred man Greg. Come inside you must be tired from your journey, I have already prepared dinner for you.¡± Randolph greeted back and invited the leader in.


    Greg was a hundred man commander and was a cultivator, his position was somewhat similar with Randolph and they already knew each other. He was assigned to patrol the borders and visited Sin city from time to time. He was a military man with a short black hair, gray color could be spotted in several areas. He was in his fifty¡¯s with a strict look on his face.


    He turned around and faced the crowd,


    ¡°We have arrived at our destination, everyone, make your temporary tents and settle down. The vice captain of the city guard will tell you detailed instructions tomorrow. Rest well you have a long day tomorrow.¡± He commanded and followed Randolph to his tent.


    .....


    The crowd started to disperse and found their own spot. They have been briefed earlier, they would set up temporary tents for the night as it was already late for further instructions.


    ¡°Hey little Ez, found you,¡± Martin shouted while waving his hand heading to Eznho¡¯s position.


    ¡°So, where should I set camp?¡± Eznho answered back.


    ¡°Uhmmm, just anywhere will do, it¡¯s temporary anyway. I¡¯ll help you set up camp.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thanks.¡± Eznho nodded.


    They set up camp with the others after getting their things from the supply carts, the tents varied in size. Other people who came in groups have larger tents to accommodate them, while others have small ones just for themselves.


    .....


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s done. Perfect!¡± Martin happily voiced out after making the tent.


    It was triangular in shape and can contain two people at most. Their small group contained six tents that formed a circle, a space for bonfire has been left in the middle. The camp was getting livelier while people started to chat with each other around the bonfires.


    .....


    Inside Randolph¡¯s tent,


    ¡°How¡¯s the mine going?¡± Greg asked while drinking wine.


    ¡°We are progressing smoothly, but lately the miners have started to encounter beasts which lead to casualties but it has been easily quelled by the mercenaries. We are already four kilometers deep from the entrance, the gold we mine is also increasing but so is the risk. I believe stronger beasts have made their nest in the deeper parts, let¡¯s just hope we don¡¯t encounter magical beasts.¡± Randolph replied with a bit of fear in his eyes.


    ¡°I hope that does not happen or else... I can¡¯t even imagine the consequences.¡± Greg shook his head while imagining the valley filled with corpses.


    Magical beasts are powerful beasts that surpassed the strength of wild beasts and have already started to set foot in their own unique way of cultivation. They are normally stronger than cultivators on the same level.


    ¡°It is highly unlikely but there is still a slim chance, let¡¯s just hope for the best. The pressure along the border is increasing especially now that the mines are going deeper. I¡¯m afraid that if the gold deposit is big, both parties will try to seize each other¡¯s entrance to monopolize the mine. Ai, many of the recruits will surely die. Enough of the gloomy conversation, come, let¡¯s have a toast and forget our problems for the moment.¡± Greg sighed and raised his cup.


    ¡°Haha, there no way I¡¯m declining that toast, enough with this dreary topic, cheers!¡± Randolph merrily toasted.


    .....


    While the two leaders were drinking, the evening rations were being distributed. A soup made of vegetables and a bit of meat was being served for everyone else. The miners started to fall in line while holding their own bowls for the soup.


    The soldiers, city guards and the mercenaries have their own separate dinner, they also had soup but with more meat and lesser vegetables. Wherever you go, there will always be status differences.


    Martin came to Eznho¡¯s camp after getting his share and waited for him while warming himself on the bonfire.  A while later, Eznho came back holding his bowl filled with his dinner.


    ¡°Oi, little Ez, come here beside me, let¡¯s compare our food, gahaha I bet mine is better, gahaha¡± Martin boasted while showing his meat soup.


    Eznho ignored him and just sat beside him.


    ¡°Wait, let¡¯s trade, you need more meat than I do so let¡¯s exchange our food. It would be shameful if you can¡¯t even raise your pickaxe, gahaha.¡± Martin laughed while teasing Eznho.


    Veins started to pop on Eznho¡¯s temple.


    ¡°Just kidding, just kidding gahaha.¡± Martin continued to laugh.


    ¡°Come on little Ez, smile a little, luckily we still get to see each other, I thought our last meeting would be back at Sin city, who knew.¡± Martin grinned and offered his food.


    Eznho looked at the food, he can¡¯t deny he was tempted. This may be his last chance to eat a good meal, but looking at Martin¡¯s grinning face, he couldn¡¯t help but get pissed.


    Left with no choice he agreed with the trade, Martin would persist relentlessly if he will not.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Eznho said after the exchange.


    ¡°No big deal,¡± Martin smiled and started to eat his dinner.


    The other people in the group looked at the duo with curiosity. A rowdy man and timid boy, a strange combination. They were strangers to each other. They were not in the mood to talk with each other as they were tired from the journey and wanted to rest inside their own tents. Besides, they can see that the boy was the kind of person who doesn¡¯t talk much and prefers to be alone.


    They were silent while eating dinner while Martin occasionally talked without care for the others.


    After eating dinner,


    ¡°Hey little Ez, It¡¯s not bad to have friends and talk to others you know, you should try it sometime so you won¡¯t get bored and be lonely. ¡± Martin rustled his hair and stood up without waiting for Eznho¡¯s reply.


    ¡°I have to go now and rest with my squad, take care of yourself.¡±


    He started walking outside the circle and raised his hand indicating a wave of goodbye.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try big brother, see yah around,¡±


    Eznho mumbled to himself while looking at the disappearing silhouette of the man he respects from the bottom of his heart.


    He then raised his head and looked into the night sky, wondering if he could be one of those stars, sitting in the distant sky looking down on everyone.


    He thought about Martin¡¯s words and decided to give it a try, even though he likes to be left alone, he was not a stone and also want to know and befriend other people. Sometimes when he passed by children who were playing with each other and seemingly happy, he constantly asks himself, how would it feel to have a lot of friends and play with them.


    After thinking for a while, he tossed it at the back of his mind. Making friends would take some time, he will just do it slowly and try to pick carefully.


    He then entered his tent, which had a wooden box that contains his basic amenities. He laid down and warmed himself up using a fur blanket, closed his eyes and looked forward to tomorrows activities.

 Old Man

    Chapter 9 Old Man


    Mist covered the mountain peaks while hilly winds blew over the mountains down to the valley where people set up their camps. The sun had not yet risen but the soldiers already started to pack their things and stood in a formation with their full gears awaiting orders.


    ¡°Everyone get into your positions as instructed last night and start marching towards the border, we should arrive there in a couple of hours if there are no accidents, all assignment will be issued there.¡±


    Hundred man Greg was in front and instructed the soldiers. They split into two groups half in front and the other half at the back, putting the supply carts in the middle.


    ¡°So rowdy and it is still early in the morning, Ughh.¡±


    Randolph just came out of his tent with a groggy face while walking towards Greg.


    ¡°Tsk, what a lazy way to live, you should look at yourself. What a disgrace.¡± Greg scoffed with a look of contempt.


    ¡°Look at you and your discipline, what a boring way to live, anyways good luck on your journey,¡± Randolph replied lazily.


    ¡°Tsk, you too, be careful, I have been having a bad feeling since I arrived and saw the mine entrance,¡± Greg warned and started to go in front to lead the soldiers.


    ¡°You worry too much, I still have time to sleep.¡±


    Randolph ignored Greg¡¯s warning and started to walk lazily back to his tent.


    While the soldiers were heading out, a silhouette of a young boy could be seen watching them leave.


    ¡°Take care, big brother,¡± Eznho whispered while gripping the dagger on his waist.


    ....


    The sun had already risen and the camp was starting to get rowdy, they just finished their breakfast and the newly arrived miners were instructed to gather for instructions. They gathered in an open space and formed lines. Randolph was in front with his uniform exuding an aura of a leader and an invisible pressure originating from his cultivation.


    ¡°Welcome to the mines, many of you may have ideas on the activities happening around here but for the sake of everybody, I will tell you about the rules and other things. First and foremost, don¡¯t even think about stealing gold for yourself. The lightest punishment would be decapitating the hands while the worst would be execution.¡±


    Fear could be seen in the eyes of many which was the intended effect by Randolph.


    ¡°I will only give general information, as for the specifics you can ask the older miners or the guards. You will be working in pairs while inside the mines, it is to make sure that at least one can run and inform the guards if a beast has emerged to avoid more casualties. Stealing from others is prohibited, if proven guilty, necessary punishments will be handed down. As for your payments you can choose from two options, a fixed payment every month or a percentage from what you mine every month.¡±


    The miners started to mumble to each other, this option has its pros and cons. Choosing the latter would require luck and hard work, but if you get lucky you can instantly become rich. The miners started to ponder what options to choose.


    ¡°Silence! You can talk it out with your partner later on.¡± Randolph shouted when the crowd started to buzz.


    ¡°Some of you might be cultivators so killing beasts also have a reward and you can sell the beast at the trading building managed by the Black Scorpion Treasures. You can also buy things from them. I am warning you don¡¯t even think about hunting them, you will just throw your life away. If you happen to see one, better run with your life and inform the patrolling guards. Treasures will be useless if you die. The guards will be patrolling around the mines and they also have designated posts inside.¡±


    Randolph warned them earnestly as a bunch of people already died inside due to beast attacks. Black Scorpion Treasures is the biggest trading house in Sin City owned by the notorious Black Scorpion gang.


    ¡°A map will be given to you which contains the general outline of the mines. You will be rotated around so that everyone has a chance to dig good stuff. Rails will be inside the mines with mine carts to transport your rocks. As you can see, there is a rail leading to the processing building where your hauls will be listed under your name. Payment every month will be distributed but you can choose to leave it to us for safe keeping and get it in bulk when you wish to. Working is done alternately, half of you will work today and the other half tomorrow which means one day work one day rest. How you spend your rest days will be up to you. That¡¯s about it, now form two lines, the ones with pairs to the right while the others to the left. As I have said earlier, if you have questions, ask the others. Today will be your rest day, the other half will start tomorrow. Use your time today to familiarize yourself with the surroundings. Good luck.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Randolph finished his speech and headed back to his tent with two subordinates in tow. Two tables were set up in front to accommodate the listings and distribution of maps. The miners started to form a line, most of them have already pairs while the others did not have one, these people came here alone with no companions. Naturally, Eznho was one of them, he was in the middle of the left line. Some people were curiously glancing at him, they could not help it because he was the youngest of them.


    Time passed by, it was already Eznho¡¯s turn, the guard on the table gave him a curious look.


    ¡°Name?¡±


    ¡°Eznho,¡± Eznhon answered blandly.


    ¡°Family name?¡±


    ¡°None, I¡¯m an orphan,¡± Eznho answered honestly.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    The guard looked at him for a second then continued on, orphans were common around the city. But he was curious about this boy, he should not have been allowed inside the mines, he was still too young and would only be a hindrance. Then his companion whispered something to him.


    ¡°Ah? I see, what an unlucky fellow,¡± He said while shaking his head.


    He was informed that an order was made by the City lord to send this boy here. He did not want to pry anymore, afraid that he might get dragged in. After thinking for a while an idea came up in his mind.


    ¡°How would you like to be paid?¡±


    ¡°Uhmmm, fixed pay for the first month,¡± Eznho answered after thinking.


    He knew it was his first time and he may not dig much for the first month. Most of the miners do this in their first months.


    ¡°Seeing that you are still young, you might become a hindrance to everyone else but there is someone who is an exact match for you, Old man Dan. He was here with the first batch so he has a wide experience.¡±


    After the guard listed his name with his pair, he and his companion couldn¡¯t help but chuckle which made Eznho frown.


    ¡°Alright, here is your map. You can find your partner at the edge of the camp, he likes to be himself, don¡¯t worry he will not eat you. It¡¯s his rest day today so you can find him and you will be working with him tomorrow¡±


    He gave him a map and a name tag, a small flat metal like a military dog tag with his name on it.


    Eznho walked out of the line and went to a corner and looked at his tag and put it inside his small pouch. Then he took out the map, the map contained the explored areas with danger areas marked red, danger areas have are places where beast have been spotted, few miners bravely go there and try their luck. They believe these beasts guard some sort of treasure or deposits of gold. The main and the biggest tunnel is headed east to the border, while many tunnels branched out forming like tree branches. The railway was only located at the main tunnel. After studying the map, he decided to walk around and explore the area.


    The tents were located in one particular area while wooden buildings have been erected in another one. Eznho was walking around this place, it was like some sort of village center, there was a drinking establishment, trading house, gambling den, stalls that sell food and other things. The place was full of people, life in the mines was boring so most of the time people who were on rest day came here to entertain themselves.


    After walking for over an hour, he came to the bank of the river. He heard some people drowned and were dragged down by river beasts, as for the truth he did not know. Some parts of the river were really deep and the bottom was dark like a beast was lurking below waiting for their prey. He sat down under the shade of a big rock while appreciating the beauty of the river glistening under the sun while fishes occasionally jump from time to time.


    Hours passed and Eznho decided to look for his partner, it did not take long for him to find the place he was looking for. A tent was erected a hundred meters away from the camp, it was triangular like the others, and a fire was burning outside with a pot above it but no one was around.


    He slowly walked getting closer to the tent.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± A shout suddenly came from the tent.


    Eznho was frightened and stopped.


    ¡°Uhmmm, I was told to come here and look for you sir,¡± Eznho said after mustering his courage.


    ¡°Who sent you? Why are you here?¡± the voice answered back, it sounded old with a hint of irritation.


    ¡°My name is Eznho, the guard sent me here, I was told you would become my partner?¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± another shout came and the tent opened.


    An thin old man came out, he was draped in animal fur with a disheveled long gray hair and half a foot long beard. He had an irritated wrinkled face, he was grumbling and his yellowish teeth had gaps with some black spots.


    ¡°Tsk! They sent me a sissy? Shooo! Go find someone else and stop disturbing me,¡±


    The old man rejected him while spit was coming out of his mouth and went back inside.


    ¡°But...¡± Eznho stared blankly while trying to come up with a sentence.


    ¡°No buts! Stay away or else I¡¯ll cook you later for dinner!¡±


    The old man interrupted and shouted.


    Eznho was irritated and kicked his leg and accidentally kicked a stone that coincidentally went inside the pot.


    Shit!


    He felt like a bucket of cold water was poured over him and started to run going back to his tent. He felt dejected when he went back and started to come up with a plan, he needed to pair up with the old man if he wants to survive. The others would surely reject him because he would not be of much help to them.

 First Encounter

    Chapter 10 First Encounter


    Eznho woke up early and got himself ready for his first day of work, he planned on waiting for the old man at the entrance. After breakfast, he followed the crowd and waited for the old man at the entrance.


    An hour has already passed but the old man still did not show up. Eznho was in a pickle on what to do, even if he wanted to enter they would not allow him, especially that it is his first time. He tried to calm himself down and patiently waited.


    Another hour has passed, still no signs of the old man.


    ¡°Did he already enter?¡±


    Eznho asked inwardly and decided to go first check on the old man¡¯s tent. He was about to go when he saw the old man coming with a pickaxe in tow.


    He looked the same as yesterday except with a lazy look on his face.


    ¡°I have been waiting for you,¡± Eznho tried to talk calmly while suppressing his anger.


    ¡°Huh? Who are you?¡± The old man looked at him with a confused face.


    ¡°I am your assigned partner to enter the mines, I went yesterday to talk with you, remember?¡± He replied with a forced smile.


    ¡°Hmmmm?¡± the old man was trying to remember.


    ¡°Aha! You¡¯re the sissy, tsk! Still trying to follow me? I don¡¯t want any sissy following me, shooo you are in my.¡± The old man tried to dismiss him while waving his hand and walked past him.


    Eznho was starting to get furious when the old man stopped.


    ¡°Wait a minute, did you put something in my food yesterday?¡±


    The old man turned back with narrowed eyes.


    Crap!


    Eznho suddenly felt a chill.


    ¡°No, why would I do that?¡±


    Eznho answered while trying to show an apathetic face but cold sweats started to come out on his back.


    The old man was still looking at him trying to have a good read on the boy.


    ¡°Tsk! Stop following me, go find someone else,¡± He turned back and continued to proceed inside.


    Eznho heaved a sigh of relief but was determined to follow the old man, he had a feeling that he will learn things from him so he still followed.


    The old noticed him but was too lazy to bicker with him and continued on his way.


    The entrance was wide about three meters high and three meters wide. Eznho continued to follow the old man after passing the entrance guard and did some miscellaneous things. They were quite the whole time while sounds of men chattering and digging echoed inside. The tunnels were lit with lamps. Finally, after walking for half an hour they turned left then walked for another fifteen minutes. The old man stopped and started to check out the place.


    They were the only ones in that place, but echoes could still be heard.


    ¡°Uhmmmm, what should I do?¡±


    Eznho asked he had to start work already because he started late. Even though he has chosen the fixed payment, he had to meet a quota.


    The old man ignored him and started to dig with his pickaxe after examining the wall.


    Veins popped out on Eznho¡¯s head after the old man still ignored him.


    He walked and stood a meter beside the old man and raised his pickaxe above his head and swung it with all his might.


    Clang!


    The pointed edge of the pickaxe clashed with a hard stone and produced a spark then went sideways and landed few centimeters from the old man¡¯s foot.


    Shit!


    The old man could not react as it happened fast, the boy walked beside him and suddenly swung his pickaxe and the next thing he saw it landed on the ground barely grazing his foot.


    ¡°Are you crazy?! Huh? Does my foot look like gold to you?¡±


    He yelled at the top of his lungs, while sweet was trickling down his wrinkly forehead.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± He cursed while pointing his finger on the boy.


    Spit was showering on Eznho¡¯s face but he did not dare to move.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry,¡± He apologized and repeatedly bowed his head.


    ¡°Tsk! Go dig far away from me!¡± The old man shouted.


    Eznho immediately backed away and picked a place ten meters from where the old man was digging.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Stupid sissy, you¡¯re gonna be the cause of my death.¡± The old man grumbled while continuing to dig.


    Clang!


    He turned his head to see what¡¯s happening and saw a rotating pickaxe hurtling towards him.


    Fuck!


    Both of them shouted inside their minds.


    ¡°Tsk, Stupid sissy!¡± He cursed again and easily dodged it by jumping backward out of reflex.


    The axe landed and stuck on the wall. Veins were popping out of the old man''s head while his face was beginning to get red. He looked sideways towards the boy who had an apologetic look on his face.


    ¡°You sissy! Fuck! Are you trying to kill me, Huh? Might as well come and struck me with your pickaxe! Fuck! What kind of shitty luck is this? Fuck! Are the heavens toying with me, Fuck!¡±


    The old man started to curse loudly while Eznho buried his head on his shoulders enduring the old man¡¯s curses.


    After a while, the old man stopped but was still breathing loudly, clearly still pissed. He walked towards Eznho¡¯s pickaxe and easily pulled it out and headed towards Eznho.


    Eznho saw and wanted to run but could not, he was nervous. Who knows this old man might be mad and murder him here. He mustered his courage and started to back away slowly and tried to run.


    ¡°Stop!¡± The old man shouted.


    He stopped and just stood there waiting for the old man.


    ¡°Are you really that stupid? Did you think you could come inside and randomly swing your axe and strike gold? Huh? Tsk! Do you even have a brain?¡±


    The old man berated him and handed back his pickaxe. He tried to calm down and after a while, he took a deep breath.


    ¡°Tsk, seeing that you''re stupid and I am stuck with you I¡¯ll teach you the basics, first carefully observe the walls and try to find out if there are gold deposits and then...¡±


    He briefly explained the basics while Eznho listened earnestly.


    ¡°Alright, I told you the basics, now go and stop trying to kill me, if that happens one more time, I promise you, I will bury you here with the gold you understand?¡±


    Old man Dan said with a serious face.


    ¡°Yes sir! Thank you,¡± Eznho bowed and immediately found a spot a little bit further from the old man.


    ¡°What a sissy, tsk!¡± the old man grumbled and continued his digging.


    .....


    No accidents happened ever since and Eznho slowly learned the way of mining, he had his fair share of hardships especially the first week where he could barely raise his pickaxe because of muscle pain and blisters on his palms. Bruises and small cuts also formed on different parts of his body.


    Every morning before work, he still waited for the old man. They still did not talk much with each other and worked silently. The mine slowly progressed and was only three kilometers from the border. Eznho stored his payments and started to get paid by percentage, he was improving. His life was a routine with some variations, he sometimes visited the old man or went for a swim in the river. He never knew anyone else, everyone pretty much minded their own business.


    .....


    Six months already passed since Eznho first arrived, it was the end of spring and the summer heat started to bore down. Green grass filled the valley, and the mountains were painted in green. Just like always, Eznho waited for the old man and they went inside and started to dig.


    He was digging while the old man was several meters away from him. Suddenly he noticed from his peripheral vision that small rubbles were falling a meter from the ground two meters beside him.


    ¡°Hmmm?¡± He got curious and stopped digging and walked towards it.


    More and more rubbles started to roll down. It piqued his curiosity and bent down to take a closer look while narrowing his eyes trying to focus. Then suddenly two wiggling seemingly antennas came out which surprised him.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    He had a bad feeling and wanted to back out but a dark blue green centipedes head suddenly came out and spit something towards his face.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    He was surprised and landed on his butt then adrenaline came pumping in and he subconsciously covered his face using his left hand. A green toxic liquid land on his left palm which made a sizzling sound when it made contact with the leather glove. It easily corroded it and made contact with the skin.


    ¡°Arrrggghhh!¡± He could not help but shout due to the sudden pain. He poured his strength on his right hand that held his pick axe and swung it towards the centipedes head.


    He did not have time to look at the result of his struggle as he felt a painful burning sensation on his left hand. He started to get dizzy and landed on the ground, his eyes were blurry. The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was a silhouette of a man standing beside him and a feeling of being carried while a strong gust of wind was passing by.


    .....


    An unknown time has passed, Eznho slowly opened his eyes, it was blurry at first and he was trying to adjust his vision. He felt a stinging pain on his left palm but he could not move it, his body felt weak all over. He tried to familiarize himself with the surroundings, the smell was a mix of medicinal herbs, sweat, sewer and the smell of old men, it was unpleasant.


    After adjusting his vision, he can see that he was in a tent while he was covered in blankets. The tent was a little old, the blankets also had holes in them.


    The tent opened and an old man came inside with a bowl of medicine, it had a sweet aroma,


    ¡°Wakey wakey, sleeping beauty, I thought you¡¯ll gonna lay down there until you are dead.¡±


    Old man Dan greeted him.


    Eznho felt irritated and wanted to get up but he had no strength to do so.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± he exclaimed.


    ¡°Tsk! Do you wanna die after all the troubles you made me do? I should have just left you inside to rot, stupid sissy,¡±


    Old man Dan scolded him.


    Eznho just listened and did not argue, his life was in the old man¡¯s hand so he just endured.


    ¡°Okay, now that you are awake drink this and I¡¯ll change your bandage later, you will be like this for a couple of days.¡± Old man Dan instructed.


    Days passed like this and on the fifth day he regained his strength and struggled to wake up, he removed his blanket and saw that he was butt naked.


    The hell?


    He could not imagine the old man taking off his clothes and...


    Bleggh!


    He nearly vomited thinking about it but what else can he do, he just prayed that the old man will not talk about it.


    He found his robe and put it on, there was stinky sticky black ink on his body and on the blankets, he ignored it and went out. All his things were inside the tent but it was really smelly inside. A bandage was wrapped around his left palm.


    He walked and saw another tent outside, his tent. He was on the old man¡¯s tent and still on the edge of the camp. A pot of boiling soup was outside and he helped himself. He went to peek inside his tent and saw that the old man¡¯s belonging was there.


    The heck?


    He was puzzled and wanted to ask the old man but he was not around. He went in the river and took a deep that made him feel alive. He took of his bandage and a white scar was almost covering his left palm. He touched it and felt smooth.


    It was already evening when the old man came back from the mines, still grumpy as ever.


    ¡°Ow, the sissy is up now, time to pay up for my services. Don¡¯t even think that you¡¯ll get a special treatment from me, the great Dan without paying,¡±


    The old man spoke first without care.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll pay you, but why are you in my tent?¡±


    Eznho rolled his eyes and answered back.


    ¡°Tse, you speak like your tent is a special dwelling, mines definitely better. I had no choice but to switch it you know, you made my tent stinky!¡±


    Old man Dan answered back like he was wronged.


    Eznho was irritated but did not want to argue, he owed the old man.

 I Struck Gold

    Chapter 11 I Struck Gold!


    Eznho just ignored the old man and prepared dinner.


    ¡°So, old man, can you at least tell me what happened?¡± Eznho broke the silence and asked.


    He vaguely remembered everything and had many questions, he also had suspicions about the old man but did not voice it out, afraid that it would bring trouble.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what has gotten into your brain, if you even have one, to actually go and offer your face to a toxic giant centipede? How stupid can you get?¡± the old man ridiculed.


    ¡°Well, how would I know, I was just curious,¡± Eznho protested.


    ¡°Tsk, that¡¯s what you call stupidity, any way you got lucky that the poison got into your hand so it did not spread that fast, if it was your face, you would be buried right now with an ugly face.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what dog shit luck you have to actually kill it by accident, you hit it on the head with your axe but it got corroded so you need to buy a new one. Anyways I carried you back to my tent and had to use my important medicinal herbs just to treat you, I¡¯m even regretting it now that I think about it. I sold the centipede and used the gold to repay what you owe me, the leftovers were left in your account. The poison is already out of your system, rest for maybe two days and you¡¯ll be better. That¡¯s about it, anyways are your parents cultivators?¡±


    Old man Dan was lazy to tell him every detail but was curious about one thing.


    ¡°Huh? My mom is not from what I know but my dad, I never met him so I have no idea, why do you ask?¡± Eznho answered honestly with a hint of curiosity.


    ¡°Nothing, forget about it, and one more thing you can stay here but we are switching tents. I advise you to burn the blankets and buy new ones as the poison dregs got stuck on them and it won¡¯t be easy to remove it. Tsk! What a waste, they were my favorite.¡±


    Old man Dan spoke like he lost something valuable. He was curious about the boy¡¯s origin because when he scanned his body to eject the poison, he felt that the boy had a spiritual seed and a high grade at that, but he did not know what grade exactly. Spiritual seeds are graded from one to five in general, it is the foundation needed to start the road on cultivation.


    He was thinking if he would introduce the boy to the world of cultivation but chose not to, the cultivation world is a mess and he did not also want to add a baggage that would drag him down as he had his own personal vendetta to do. He also saw the ring on the necklace and was curious but did not pry in the end, he did not want to be dragged by unforeseen situations. Helping the boy was already diverting from his plan, he did not want to see an innocent boy just die horribly in front of him.


    He did not want to drag the conversation and went inside ¡°his¡± tent.


    ¡°You...¡±Eznho was pissed but swallowed it, he did not have the right to argue.


    He brought out all the soiled blankets and burned it. He had an extra blanket and would buy new ones tomorrow including a new pick axe.


    .....


    Early in the morning, Eznho went to buy new blankets and pickaxe, people were looking at him with strange looks but ignored them. He found that what happened inside was spread and they told him it was a miracle that he was still alive, if it were others, they would have died on the spot as the toxin from the centipede can kill a low-level cultivator in minutes, let alone a child like him.


    A few days passed and he was back in his peak condition, even stronger than before. He continued to work like before while accompanying the old man. There were occasional deaths due to wild beasts like centipedes, snakes, spiders, giant ants and even rats.


    As time passed, the mines were getting dangerous due to the appearance of beasts. The miners were scared now to go deeper, even though payments were increased, only a few were brave enough to go deep. Naturally left with no choice, most of the people chosen were low-level cultivators.


    Another five months passed and only a month is left before Eznho could take a break. Only a kilometer was left to dig before reaching the border but the progress was slowed down as more and more beasts came out to kill the miners. Fights broke out deep inside the mines and some cultivators even died.


    .....


    Inside Randolph¡¯s tent, he had an ugly look on his face. What he feared most has come knocking on his door. He held a meeting with two of his trusted subordinates.


    ¡°By the looks of it there is a high chance that a magical beast lives inside, we need to call for reinforcements right away. We cannot fight with it, we will just die with in seconds, something must be happening deep inside the mines that¡¯s why it does not attack and just sends the nearby beasts. Miller, go to the city and inform the military office I am sure they will be interested and they might send experts. Jones, you will go to the border and inform the captain so he will be ready, I am sure everybody noticed this already and everyone is preparing for it, now go.¡±


    Both acknowledged their order and departed immediately with the fastest horse.


    Randolph stood there furrowing his brows, trying to think of a way to minimize the losses and how to progress the digging.


    .....


    Inside the tent of one of the mercenaries,


    ¡°Jake, go and inform the captain to get ready, tell him that there is a high chance that a magical beast is inside the mines.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    A muscular mercenary leader instructed his subordinate while a hint of fear could be seen in his eyes. Magical beast, just the name itself brought fear to many, it was rare for them to encounter such beast in places like this. Most of them lived in the beast territory, which was located beyond the Green Pine Mountain Range.


    .....


    All parties sent out messengers to their respective groups, an invisible pressure loomed over everyone in the mines. Everyone knew a big event will happen in the near future, some miners started to go back home, in fear for their lives.


    A meeting was held in Randolph¡¯s tent, the group consisted of the mercenary leaders, there were eight of them with each one commanding at least a dozen mercenary.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure everybody in here has their own ideas about what¡¯s happening, frankly I don¡¯t care what is inside the mine. I don¡¯t want to sacrifice the lives of the innocent miners anymore. They will just mine on the outer region, if we want to continue mining I suggest we send our own subordinates to do the work. Whatever comes after, leave me out of it, my duty is to protect the lives of the miners. Does everyone agree?¡±


    Randolph spoke directly with a serious tone. He did not want to get involved especially that experts are coming soon to deal with the problem.


    ¡°I agree,¡±


    ¡°Me, too,¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡±


    Everyone agreed without hesitation. They might not be able to fight this battle, but they were confident in their own captains.


    .....


    From that day on, only cultivators were allowed deep in the mines, the others who stayed were to mine the outer perimeters.


    The old man disappeared and told Eznho that he had something to do and was not sure how long it will take. This left him with no choice but to work alone, he was allowed to enter as he was already considered a veteran as long as he did not go in too deep.


    He chose an isolated tunnel going north not too far from the entrance, he started to dig as usual. Hours passed and he already dug quite a bit. He swung his pickaxe but got stuck, he tried to pull it out but it won¡¯t come out.


    He tried again with more force and finally unstuck it while he stumbled backward and nearly fell on his back. He regained his balance and a light caught his attention.


    A ray of golden light came from the hole he made, he could not see what¡¯s inside. He was unsure what to do but was tempted. He carefully made the hole bigger and bigger until more light came out illuminating the place. Luckily no one was around to see it. He dug until the hole became wide enough for him to crawl inside.


    The light was bright and the inside cannot be seen, he was hesitating, afraid it might be a beast nest. He waited for a bit but nothing happened. He took a deep breath and got on his knees and bravely went inside with the dagger on his right hand.


    He put his hand above his eye to cover it from the glare, it took time for him to adjust his vision and was astounded by what he saw.


    ¡°Whoooaaa!¡± he could not help but exclaim.


    His eyes nearly popped out and his jaw dropped. A small cave of gold flooded his vision, what a sight to behold! He had to squint his eyes because of the glitters of gold. His heart was beating fast, he was stunned and did not move for how many seconds. Never in his life could he imagine that such a place exist.


    I struck gold!


    It took a while before he calmed down, then his mind became clear and he suddenly felt dejected.


    ¡°Damn, I found this but I can¡¯t even take all of it, damn!¡±


    He was heavily disappointed, even though he struck gold, there is no way he is taking all of it, he would be lucky if he could negotiate to take a bigger portion of it than usual.


    ¡°Darn it! Now that I need the old man, he went missing, what a useless old fogey.¡±


    Deep in the forest in front of a cave, an old man was meditating while heavenly energy converged around him. An intimidating pressure surrounded him and if you look closely, a few inches of distorted layer surrounded him.


    ¡°Achooo!¡± he suddenly sneezed without warning.


    He looked towards the direction of the mines.


    ¡°I bet that sissy is talking behind my back, wait ¡®till I get back and you¡¯ll see,¡±


    Then he focused again on his meditation.


    .....


    Many thoughts were running through Eznho¡¯s mind, he even thought about hiding some of it but he immediately discarded that thought.


    ¡°I was actually thinking like that old man and big brother, I bet if they were here they would think of something to sneak some of this gold out if not all. But to be honest I am really tempted.¡± He shook his head while a wry smile hung on his mouth.


    It could not be helped that he was somewhat influenced by those two.


    .....


    ¡°Achooo!¡±


    A soldier sneezed while on guard on top of a wall, the wall was twenty meters made of rocks. It was used as a barrier in the mountain pass, the pass was one of the main route used to travel between the two kingdoms.


    The soldier was naturally Martin, his hair got longer and he had a short beard and a mustache. There was a certain aura of a military man within him, it was obvious there were changes that happened during his stay in the border. He rubbed his nose and suddenly thought of his little brother.


    ¡°I hope you are doing fine, little Ez,¡± He mumbled while continuing his watch.


    .....


    After being dazzled, Eznho stood up, the small cave was three meters tall and wide and at least fifteen meters long. He looked around, the wall and the ceiling were filled with gold nuggets of varying sizes, the biggest was the size of a human head they shone brightly that lit up the cave.


    He slowly walked forward while marveling the sight with mouth wide open the whole time. He still could not believe it, he was nearing the end of the cave when an object piqued his interest. A small rusty bronze lamp was floating with unfamiliar writings on its body, small ripples were fluctuating below it. The lamp was slightly moving up and down, a small dark gray flame was flickering on it.


    ¡°Hmmm? Is this what the people call magical objects?¡±


    Eznho stopped walking and just stared and observed the lamp. He also saw the gray flame that seemed dying and could go out any moment.


    He furrowed his brows and was contemplating what to do, he heard about people who changed their destiny after finding magical objects. He was tempted and immediately thought about the people he wanted to get revenge with but was also scared especially the gray flame that looks like it will give a curse. He would not hesitate if the flame was golden or something similar.


    How the heck is a gray flame something good?


    He wanted to get away but he thought about Martin, he will never get revenge if he will live like this. This might be his chance, his only chance.


    He gritted his teeth and slowly raised his right hand and pointed his index finger. Then with a movement, his finger was only an inch from the lamp¡¯s body. He was getting nervous and his palms started to get sweaty. He held his breath, closed his eyes and finally touched the lamp.


    A few seconds later, he opened his eyes but nothing happened, his index finger was still touching the lamp.


    ¡°Huh?¡± He was confused why nothing happened.


    He tried touching it a few times but nothing happened, he even grabbed it avoiding the gray flame and tried to move it but he couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Tsk! What a useless...¡±


    He was frustrated but before he could finish his sentence, the writing on the lamp lit up and flickered a few times. After flickering the lamp started to disintegrate into ashes and vanished leaving only the gray flame floating.


    ¡°Yii?¡±


    He was surprised and started to back away, he did not have a good impression on this flame. Before he could even hasten his step, he suddenly froze and the flame turned into a streak of gray light and headed towards his forehead.


    Crap!


    After it entered his forehead, he could finally move but felt dizzy and started to lose consciousness.


    Oh, come on!


    He shouted inwardly and the world went black.

 First Step On The Road To Cultivation

    Chapter 12 First Step On The Road To Cultivation


    An unknown time had passed and Eznho woke up, he was still inside the golden cave.


    ¡°Ughh!¡±


    He groaned while holding his head, it felt like it was splitting. He remained lying down until he felt better and stood up going towards the hole he made, afraid something might happen again. He went out and reported the cave to the guards, he had no choice.


    The guards were skeptical but were astonished when they found the cave, they immediately reported the situation and Eznho was given the credit. He was allowed to take a three-day break and to report to Randolph after.


    He went back in his tent feeling exhausted and directly fell asleep. He woke up afternoon of the next day feeling much better. He was about to get up when the ring on his neck felt hot, he looked at it and saw that the engravings lit up then a white smoke came out and suddenly entered his nose,


    ¡°Are you kidding me!¡± He blurted out while suddenly feeling dizzy again.


    Really? How many times does this have to happen?


    He was frustrated about losing consciousness, this was his third time already.


    .....


    A head splitting headache woke him up along with his bellowing stomach, he was feeling weak, it has been days since he ate. He ignored his pain and crawled outside, it was early in the morning and the sun had just risen. He went back in and forcefully chewed dried rations, his stomach felt painful while the food was going down his stomach.


    His strength slowly came back, he started to hate the feeling of losing consciousness. He took a deep breath and went for a bath, he boiled soup after and slowly fed himself. Now that he felt better, he tried to feel if there were changes in his body. He was disappointed to find nothing, his mind also became clearer and found out that a new information was stored in his memory.


    Heaven-Seizing Breathing Technique.


    Breathing techniques are used by cultivators to absorb heavenly energy to be used for cultivation, they are graded from one to ten. One to three is low grade, four to six is middle, seven to nine is high grade and ten is the legendary top grade. The higher the grade, the faster a cultivator absorbs heavenly energy to improve his cultivation. The grade also affects how far you can achieve on the road of cultivation. It also one of the most basic requirement to start cultivation, it is used to break the spiritual seed and start the cultivation path.


    Dragon-Tiger Dance.


    A technique used to aid the cultivator shorten the time in passing the cleansing stage, the first two stages of cultivation are awakening stage and cleansing stage. The awakening stage solely depends on the spiritual seed and breathing technique.


    The spiritual seed is located in the dantian, it is a multicolored bubble-like sphere that contains the sea of knowledge which is a transparent liquid. The more liquid the seed contains, the higher the talent of the cultivator will be. If the liquid fills one-fifth of the seed it will count as grade one talent, two-fifth would be grade two and so forth until grade five talent which would make the seed be full with the sea of knowledge.


    The breathing technique and the Dragon-Tiger Dance were the two main subject contained with in his memories and the others are general information pertaining to cultivation.


    .....


    Blankness filled Eznho¡¯s eyes until a while later it became clear again and he came back to his self. He was breathing rapidly as he scanned this new information, he was not sure where this came from, the ring or the flame but he did not particularly care as long as he will have the means to push through with his plans.


    He calmed himself down and studied the information thoroughly, he did not immediately start to experiment if this was true as he had to meet with Randolph the next day and did not want to garner his attention. He spent the day thinking and planning what would his next move be.


    .....


    The sun had just risen and Eznho went on his way to Randolph¡¯s tent. Randolph was sitting in his chair sorting things out. A subordinate came in to inform him that Eznho was waiting outside.


    ¡°He¡¯s early, let him in,¡± he commanded.


    Eznho went inside and saw Randolph looking back at him. It was not his first time seeing him but it was his first time standing right in front of him. He could not help but feel a bit nervous but he did not show it and stood there like he feels nothing.


    ¡°You¡¯re Eznho, correct?¡± Randolph broke the silence and inquired.


    ¡°Yes sir,¡± Eznho promptly replied.


    ¡°Hmmm, I see, I have read your record and it seems the city lord has a bit of a grudge with you. But seeing you, it is highly unlikely that he has met you so I am betting it has to do with that fat son of his, am I right?¡±


    ¡°Yes sir,¡± Eznho answered honestly, he had nothing to hide.


    ¡°Too bad for you, you¡¯re quite lucky to survive until now. You even have an impressive record here in the mines, you were poisoned but did not die and after that, you even found a good deposit of gold.¡± Randolph praised him with a delight.


    Eznho just stood there without answering.


    ¡°As much as I would like to talk with an interesting fellow like you, I have no time as you can see the mine is becoming a big mess. I¡¯ll cut to the chase, basing on the circumstances inside the mines and your impressive record I can cancel the city lord¡¯s decree.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Eznho was caught off guard and widened his eyes.


    ¡°Huh? You don¡¯t like it?¡± Randolph asked with raised eye brow.


    ¡°No no no, of course, I would gladly accept it, I was just surprised.¡±


    Eznho immediately answered back afraid he will take the offer back.


    ¡°Good, all your payments have been deposited in a bank card.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    Then he took out a brown bank card that looked simple and nothing special. Eznho took it while staring at it with curiosity. It was his first time hearing things like this. Looking at the boy¡¯s reaction, Randolph explained its usage.


    ¡°Bank cards are used when an individual reached a certain amount of gold coins, you wouldn''t want to carry sacks of gold walking around, would you? The lowest card is the brown card which can be used by commoners like you. It is filled with simple formations and can be used to purchase things in certain establishments that accept bank cards. The card you are holding has no value right now, you have to go to the bank in the city to register it under your name. I already placed your payments there with the captain''s seal for authentication. Further instructions would be given to you inside the bank.¡±


    ¡°Okay thank you,¡± Eznho nodded while listening to Randolph¡¯s explanation.


    ¡°About the city lord¡¯s decree, I already made another decree informing that you have served well and contributed much in the mines and that you are hereby free form the previous order. Anyone rebuking the new decree is going against the city guard captain himself. If anyone comes making trouble for you saying that you broke the city lord¡¯s decree, show them this scroll and I am sure nobody will make things difficult for you. The city lord would have to find other reasons to cause trouble for you but I doubt it, he wouldn¡¯t want to waste his time scheming against a commoner like. So I advise you, keep out of trouble young man. Spend your earnings well and if you want, you can go to other cities, you have the money to spare. That¡¯s all, you can go now, good luck.¡±


    Randolph handed a scroll with the city guard captain¡¯s seal. Eznho received it with delight, this scroll meant his freedom.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± He respectfully bowed, he engraved this gratitude in his heart.


    Randolph nodded and thought about something important.


    ¡°One last thing, you don¡¯t have to go anymore inside the mines you can leave anytime. Be careful going back, I¡¯m sorry but I can¡¯t have someone escort you back. With that sum of money, I am sure there are people who are willing to hurt you to get a hold of it. There¡¯s also a possibility that it won¡¯t happen but be extra careful, you¡¯ll never know.¡±


    Randolph earnestly warned, thievery and murder are not uncommon in this world. He just hoped that the boy survived and have a good life. He also came from nothing and slowly made it to where he is now. His eyes contained a reminiscing look, he remembered his dark days and the man who helped him get back on his feet.


    Eznho nodded in response and also became wary.


    .....


    ¡°Boss, I have heard the boy has been pardoned by Randolph and was allowed to go back. He even gave him a bank card.¡±


    A thin small man with a bow on his back reported to his leader.


    ¡°I see, money is still money, it¡¯s a free picking so why let the chance go? Hahaha, when is he leaving?¡± the leader laughed maliciously while eating a roasted meat.


    ¡°I have no idea though,¡±


    ¡°Hmmm, Eagle Eye since you discovered it, you can take the mission if you want, just do it cleanly I don¡¯t want any trouble especially that the boss will be participating in the upcoming events.¡± The leader warned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry boss, easy prey hehehe,¡± Eagle Eye laughed eerily.


    He was a low-level cultivator that specializes in archery, killing people with no cultivation is easy for him. He has done it so many times before.


    .....


    Fall already started month¡¯s ago, and the winter chill started to blow. It has been almost a year since he came into the mines. He prepared his winter outfits and other things, it is finally time to go back. He was happy but at the same time sad, he could go home but his big brother can¡¯t. There was still three weeks until the supposedly allotted vacation for them, he was excited to see his brother again.


    He decided to stay here for twenty days before departing, he had to at least make preparations to guard himself just in case. He found a small clearing in the nearby forest beside a creek, no dangerous animals or beasts could be found. A large tree stump was there and he decided to sit on it. Assuming a meditative position, he started to practice as instructed by the information on his brain.


    He emptied his mind of all distractions, it was hard at first but he got used to it. After that, he started to breathe in and out but after a while, he felt nothing. He was starting to get impatient but still persisted. Hours passed and he finally felt something, aside from breathing air, an indescribable feeling entered him. He did not know how to explain it, a warm and relaxing feeling entered him but suddenly disappeared when he got distracted. He was not disappointed, instead delighted that he made progress.


    He adjusted his breathing and the warm feeling started to go down from his head to his body. Every time it flowed to a new area of his body, a popping sound could be heard. It was described in the information as the opening of the qi passageways. These passageways are normally closed but when a person starts cultivation and absorbs heavenly energy, they open up. The higher grade the breathing technique the easier it is to open the passageways, low-grade techniques take at least a week to open it fully.


    He continued to breathe until he reached the dantian, and a stinging pain met him, the pain came from the inside.


    ¡°Ughh!¡± The pain surprised him but he endured.


    He continued to absorb heavenly energy until every passageway was opened. It automatically circulated but it was sluggish and slow, the passageway was not still fully opened. He had to continue absorbing and circulating until it became smooth and at the same time fully opening the passageways.


    While he was absorbing, energy was accumulating on his dantian and attacking the bubble, this was the cause of the pain. As he continued circulating, it became better and finally the passageways opened fully but the pain was still increasing. His lower abdomen become hotter until...


    Pop!


    The sound of a bubble bursting came from within, at the same time he vomited black blood. He did not have time to care about it, immediately after that, the transparent liquid evaporated and turned into motes of black light and some small transparent particles then gathered together.


    They formed a vague shape of a black dragon sorrounded by a thin layer of transparent film then suddenly went out of the dantian and followed the meridians going up to the brain.


    Crack! Peng!


    The sound of mirror cracking and shattering was heard and a sudden sharp pain entered Eznho¡¯s head.


    ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± He could not help but scream at the top of his lungs while holding his head frightening the nearby animals.


    The pain was unbearable, he felt dizzy and signs of losing consciousness appeared but he held on and bit his lip to stay awake. The pain lasted for a minute until it subsided down and replaced with a warm refreshing feeling. He adjusted his breathing again and he was surprised when he closed his eyes and concentrated he was in a different place.


    He was in a boundless sea, the sky was clear blue with clouds rolling by. The water was calm with no waves or ripples and reflected the sky. He had no form but he could ¡°see¡±.


    ¡°Is this the sea of consciousness?¡± he wondered.


    Sea of consciousness was described as the place where the soul resides, without opening it, you cannot control your consciousness.


    Once the sea of knowledge got out from the spiritual seed, it will automatically attack the barrier isolating the sea of consciousness and allowing the person to control his consciousness.


    The place was peaceful and tranquil, he moved around until he saw a light in the distance.


    ¡°Is that my soul?¡±


    He started to get closer but when he reached a distance he could not move any further, it seemed like an invisible barrier was put into place. He did not force it and just focused and observed.


    A wisp of white light was floating, the light was pure and untainted, it seemed like it did not belong to this cruel world. Inside the light was a human figure floating in a meditative position with eyes closed, he was also made of light and looking at it closely it resembled Eznho. The tiny black dragon earlier coiled around it and slowly disintegrated again to motes of black light and tiny trasparent particles while being absorbed by the soul.


    While they were being absorbed, Eznho felt like his thinking became much clearer, his senses enhanced and he had a clearer mind.


    ¡°This feels good,¡± He was delighted and enjoyed the feeling.


    The absorption was slow so he decided to go and look at his dantian, it was filled with thin white mist, obviously made from heavenly energy. He continued to absorb more energy but his dantian reserve was only increasing slowly to the point that it was negligible. Aside from blood, heavenly energy was also circulating around his body.


    The sun had already set when he opened his eyes, they looked clearer than before and looked intelligent. He was exhausted but at the same time he felt good, he clenched his fist and felt excited. Now, he had his chance to change Martin¡¯s situation.


    He took a bath in the river, had his dinner meditated for a couple of hours and then called it a day.

 Baby Steps

    Chapter 13 Baby Steps


    ¡°Wait, wait for me,¡±


    Eznho was trying to catch up to a man while running out of breath. He could only see his silhouette and did not even know why he was chasing the man. The silhouette got further and further away.


    ¡°Why? Why did you leave us?¡± Eznho shouted with a desperate voice.


    He stumbled and fell on his knees while his two hands were supporting him.


    ¡°Wait!¡± He shouted again but it was useless and started to sob.


    ....


    His eyes snapped open, two deep black eyes stared at the tent ceiling while his left hand was hanging in the air.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    A tear rolled down from his left eye down to his ear, he lowered his hand and wiped the tear.


    ¡°Just a dream, was that father?¡±


    He clearly remembered his dream but could not get any clue out of the man he was chasing. Deep within his mind, a nagging feeling of wanting to look for his father was tugging him but he was suppressing it.


    ¡°Priorities first,¡±


    Closing his eyes again, he took a deep breath and calmed down. He got up and changed because he was drenched in sweat. As much as he wanted to look for his father, he still had more pressing matters to do. Martin was far more important to him than his own father.


    After taking a bath, he had his breakfast of bread and milk. Going back to the place where he practiced yesterday, he adjusted himself and performed the Heaven-Seizing breathing technique for an hour before starting to study the basics of cultivation.


    Basing on his performance and current situation, he had officially finished the awakening stage and ready to step into the cleansing stage.


    The cleansing stage is preparing the body by removing the impurities of the mortal body and infusing it with heavenly energy. This process can be done by just slowly absorbing heavenly energy and integrating it into the body but that will take a long time, that is why techniques such as the Dragon-Tiger Dance were created to aid the body in removing impurities at the same time strengthening it.


    Take note that the heavenly energy only circulates in the meridians and has not yet been absorbed by the fleshly body. Removing the impurities allows the person to be able to make the heavenly energy strengthen the fleshly body.


    The cleansing stage is generally split into four parts, the muscle development stage, bone hardening stage, blood purification and internal organs strengthening.


    Countless cultivators already have risen and fallen and many of them developed different techniques to improve cultivation methods.


    Most of the basic stances or techniques can only improve one part of the body that¡¯s why they have to learn multiple of this technique to complete the cleansing stage.


    Higher grades such as the Dragon-Tiger Dance when practiced encompasses most if not all of these stages which results in shortening the time to complete the cleansing stage. These kinds of technique are very rare and not easily obtained by the public.


    Eznho skimmed through this information and studied how to perform the Dragon-Tiger Dance. It was thoroughly described but doing it is another thing especially that no one was there to teach or guide him, he was on his own. He would have to assess his progress by comparing it with the information available.


    Doing this movements would surely cause minor injuries especially that he did not have a good foundation and was not properly prepared. The only solution was to slowly integrate heavenly energy into his skin to form a little bit of protection and lessen the injuries after and this would give him a slight delay.


    Other children who had ample support behind them have already been bathing in medicinal herbs since birth and their bodies have been nourished. With this kind of foundation, passing the cleansing stage would be much smoother for them than the others.


    But for Eznho, he had to start from scratch, ignoring this fact, he started to circulate his heavenly energy. Then, he focused and slowly injected in into his skin, stinging pain followed suit. It was like he was being stung by many bees but he gritted his teeth and endured.


    Hours later, small amounts of black sticky liquid were flowing throughout his skin along with sweat, this was just the beginning but he was not discouraged as he could see he was making progress albeit rather slowly.


    .....


    Two days later, a very faint white glow covered his entire body.


    ¡°Whew!¡±


    Eznho breathed a sigh of relief after successfully integrating heavenly energy into his skin although it was just a small amount, it will be a big help for him during the cleansing stage.


    After preparing himself he studied the first movement of the Dragon-Tiger Dance, Dragon Traversing the Sea.


    This movement is done in a body of water, the purpose of this is to have the cultivator have a feel on how to coordinate his body parts with one another.


    Although this step can be skipped, people like Eznho needed to learn this in order have a better understanding of doing the second set of movement, Dragon Crossing the Land.


    Dragon Traversing the Sea is movement imitating a dragon swimming in the vast sea. Its purpose is to let the cultivator experience first how to coordinate his body movements to attain flexibility without hurting his body that is why it is done with in a body of water.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    After scrutinizing the information, he first imagined himself doing the movement then went to the river. He picked a secluded place with the river depth half of his height.


    The movement is doing a wave-like and motion like a dragon, he calmed himself and started practicing.


    .....


    ¡°Glurrgghh!¡±


    Splash!


    ¡°Haa, Haa,¡±


    Eznho came out of the water catching his breath, water splashed everywhere.


    ¡°It¡¯s harder than I thought,¡±


    Eznho had a dispirited look on his face, imagining it was far easier than actually doing it. Hours passed yet he still kept on drowning and made just a little progress. If somebody was here, he would look like a child just playing in the water and not someone who was training at all.


    He went to the riverbank shivering and proceeded to meditate for an hour while playing simulations on his head.


    Three days were spent like this, aside from eating and sleeping, he was practicing in the river. Trial and error were his teachers, his comprehension got a lot better when his soul fully absorbed his sea of knowledge. This made him progress a lot faster and slowly understood the principles behind the movement. His sole and palms were already wrinkled due to hours of time spent on the water.


    On the fourth day, a boy could be seen doing weird movements while swimming in the river. It would look odd for others but if a cultivator were here he would immediately know that the boy was not swimming, instead, practicing an intricate movement that involves coordination of the body. He was like a young dragon swimming, his movements were not perfect but he was getting there.


    The sun has already set and Eznho just finished his meditation, according to the description, he already perfected the move and was ready for the next step which made him excited.


    .....


    Before starting the second movement, he already went to purchase medicine and pills in advance. The prices got doubled due to recent fights inside the mines but he had no choice but to buy it.


    He went back to the forest and started to study the second movement, Dragon Crossing the Land. It was the same movement but instead of doing it in the water, it will be practiced on solid ground.


    ¡°This will hurt,¡±


    Eznho had a wry smile while imagining himself practicing. He started to circulate his heavenly energy and a faint white glow covered him.


    Scratches started to build up on his skin after practicing for an hour. He had to rest and recover his energy, an hour was his limit before it got depleted. Looking at this scratches, he smiled bitterly.


    He continued until the sun has set, his whole body was aching and the scratches produced a stinging pain. Dragging himself, he washed in the river and poured medicine on his wounds when he got back.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    He gritted his teeth and endured the pain, the medicine was effective and the scratches immediately became scabs the next day.


    Just like before, he did not waver and continued to practice to the limit. It took him two days before perfecting it, his tanned skin now had a sheen and became tougher like a beasts hide.


    This move concentrated on the skin and had minimal effect on the bones, muscles and tendons. Normal weaponry wielded by non-cultivators would only at most leave a scratch on his skin. After perfection, it was easier to infuse heavenly energy now to his skin and after two hours of circulation larger amounts of black sticky fluid came out of his skin. His skin has now been cleansed and can absorb heavenly energy to nourish it, though just small amounts of it. A refreshing feeling entered him.


    The second movement was a lot harder than the other two, Tiger Chasing the Wind. This move imitates the tiger, leaping, pouncing, running and the like. It aims to strengthen the muscles, tendons and bone but there was a mantra accompaniment needed to fully strengthen the bone. He memorized this mantra and started his simulations inside his head.


    .....


    ¡°Darn it, just setting up this simple formation took me a lot of time. What a disgrace,¡±


    Old Man Dan was grumbling while setting the final preparations.


    ¡°Just you wait junior brother, I¡¯ll give you a big surprise in the future, zehahaha,¡±


    Madness flashed in his eyes while remembering something tragic.


    Finishing the formation he looked towards the mines,


    ¡°I wonder how that sissy is doing, might as well visit him while waiting for the show to begin,¡±


    A playful smile hung on his face as he disappeared in a flash.


    ....


    Old man Dan appeared where his tent was set up but the boy was not there. He spread his consciousness towards the mines.


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    The boy was not there but he discovered something else and narrowed his eyes. The miners were already reaching the middle while beast kept on appearing.


    ¡°It seems it¡¯s on the verge of a breakthrough, that¡¯s faster than expected but no matter it will still fall in my hands.¡±


    There was confidence in his tone and turned his sight towards the campsite while showing a crafty grin.


    ¡°Hmph, you weaklings think you can snatch it from me, very well you might as well help me achieve my plans,¡±


    He then continued to spread his consciousness and noticed something in the nearby forest.


    ¡°Hmmm? Interesting,¡±


    He raised his brow while rubbing his chin and disappeared.


    .....


    Inside one the mercenary tents, every mercenary captain was gathered. They all arrived days before and observed the mines.


    ¡°I take it you know why we gathered, I believed you all sensed it. We cannot take anything unless we work together.¡±


    One of them spoke to preside the meeting, his name was Winston and was the oldest. He had white long hair and a thin foot-long white mustache hanging on his face. He was also the strongest in the group.


    ¡°I agree with you Winston, but as we know two military officers came. I am sure they also sensed it, who knows maybe they called for back-up. If they did...¡±


    A burly middle-aged man with an axe on his back spoke with a worried tone, but before he could finish he was interrupted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry I am sure they will not call for one. If they do, then they have to split the spoils with more people, besides we already had an agreement. Although they are stronger than us, we got the numbers. As long as we play our cards right we can get our piece of the pie. Make sure your subordinates don¡¯t blabber their mouth and attract stronger groups.¡±


    Winston warned everyone with a heavy tone.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, anyone caught will automatically die.¡±


    The others agreed in unison, they were at the bottom of mercenary groups and could barely count as one of the lowest D Rank. They have to make sure that other stronger groups don¡¯t come and steal their prey.


    .....


    Two people were leisurely drinking wine inside Randolph¡¯s tent while he respectfully stood on the side reporting.


    ¡°Captain Batista won¡¯t be coming, he told me someone has to hold the line or the enemies will easily flood in.¡±


    ¡°What a shame I admit I missed that madman after all these years,¡±


    Wilky sighed with a look of respect on his face, he was a thin man with sharp eyes.


    Captain Batista was a retired military officer like them but due to an enemy attack, he sacrificed himself to fend them off resulting in serious injuries that destroyed his cultivation. After that, he voluntary retired and became the city guard captain for Sin city, his hometown.


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s always been like that you know. Let¡¯s visit him after we are done with this thing.¡±


    Wilfred suggested, he was in his forties with a slim build. The three of them were known as the Killer Trio in the battlefield.


    Wilky nodded and started to talk about the main topic,


    ¡°According to my investigation, it¡¯s a magical beast making a breakthrough but I don¡¯t know which one specifically. I could not penetrate inside so we have to wait. By my estimation, it is stronger than us but we still have a high chance due to his weakened state after the breakthrough. As for the mercenaries, let them be cannon fodders.¡±


    Wilky said with a tone of disdain.


    ¡°What about the enemy¡¯s side?¡± Wilfred inquired.


    ¡°I am not sure how strong they will be, but one thing I am sure of is that they won¡¯t surpass our group. I¡¯m even pretty sure we know some of them, that fucking Floyd might even join.¡±


    Wilky answered with killing intent, Floyd, a name he hated to the core, the one who led the ambush that crippled their brother.


    Wilfred also turned solemn,


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry brother, he¡¯ll better wash his neck if we meet him.¡±

 Watch and Learn

    Chapter 14 Watch and Learn


    Whoosh!


    Old man Dan appeared silently on top of a tree branch while looking down on a boy who looked silly jumping around.


    ¡°Pft!¡±


    He could not help but snicker and continued to watch holding his laughter.


    The boy was naturally Eznho who was trying to practice the Tiger Chasing the Wind, he started yesterday but barely made a progress. He could only leap a couple of meters, according to the description, he should at least jump for ten meters if he successfully learned it.


    Aside from leaping, he had to do jumps, pounce and do zigzag movements. He tried to do as instructed but it resulted in sore muscles and even nearly snapped his tendons.


    He was exhausted and started to give up, tearing pain filled his muscles. In the end, his body was not prepared for this kind of activities. Feeling that his energy was depleted, he sat down and started to meditate.


    ¡°Hmmm?¡±


    Old man Dan was observing and already scanned Eznho¡¯s body without him knowing. He even performed a simple divination and was shocked.


    ¡°To think that a big change happened to him while I was gone, I don¡¯t even know if this is good or bad,¡±


    Destiny was a delicate subject to cultivators but simple divinations could be done by experts who reached a certain level. As long as they did not pry deeper, repercussions will not come. He already divined him previously but most of his destiny roads led to mediocrity, meaning he will not step into the path of cultivation.


    But after his divination today, he could not see anything. A gray mist shrouded it and he did not even dare to try and penetrate it.


    ¡°His destiny is unknown, maybe only divination cultivators can read him.¡±


    His face turned serious and started to ponder.


    ¡°Our karma has already intertwined, might as well gamble. Who knows he might be of assistance in the future,¡±


    After deciding, he made up his mind.


    ....


    Eznho, on the other hand, was frowning, he was applying ointment on his sore muscles. It was harder to infuse heavenly energy with it than the skin, doing it like last time would take at least a week. He was contemplating when suddenly he heard someone,


    ¡°Ahem, since you are stupid and a dumb sissy I could not watch it anymore so I have decided to impart my boundless knowledge to you,¡±


    A boastful old voice spoke,


    Eznho already guessed who it is and started to get irritated,


    ¡°Tsk, what do you know? You are just a smelly old man.¡±


    He was not that surprised as he had already some suspicions towards the old man.


    ¡°What did you say? You sissy! Tsk, let¡¯s see how long will it take you to perfect your movements, hmph!¡±


    Veins popped on the old man¡¯s head and started to walk away. He decided to help but was pissed with Eznho¡¯s answer.


    Eznho did not answer and continued applying ointment, his mind was in conflict.


    ¡°He¡¯s just messing around, but what if he really can help?¡±


    After a while, he gritted his teeth and shouted,


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    But nobody answered, he looked back and no one was there.


    ¡°Stupid old man,¡± He cursed and turned his head back.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    A wrinkly old face with a beaming smile suddenly appeared out of nowhere and was a few inches in front of his face.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    He was frightened and subconsciously leaped backward.


    ¡°Good reflex, zehahaha,¡± Old man Dan praised while laughing.


    ¡°Tsk,¡±


    Eznho ignored him but his heart was still beating fast.


    .....


    The two of them sat in a meditative state facing each other with a meter gap space in between them.


    ¡°How did you start sissy?¡±


    Old man Dan asked seriously,


    ¡°Stop calling me a sissy, and I don¡¯t have to answer your question.¡±


    Eznho answered back in an irritated manner. He still did not trust the old man so he didn¡¯t want to talk about the ring or the gray flame.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you whatever I want sissy, fine, I won¡¯t ask anymore,¡±


    Old man Dan answered nonchalantly and continued talking.


    ¡°I can see that you already started and made some progress, you even have a good assistive technique. But your body was not properly baptized, I don¡¯t have time for that so I¡¯ll teach some tricks to lessen the strain on your muscles.¡±If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    He was inwardly surprised about the boy¡¯s progress but he did not show it on his face and started to teach him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll teach a simple trick that greatly helps low-level cultivators like you, it¡¯s called energy manipulation. This will also benefit you in the future, due to your limited energy stock you have to know how to use them properly and efficiently. I believe you already started to manipulate heavenly energy and generally spreading to your body.¡±


    Eznho nodded in agreement, it was true he could manipulate his energy in general.


    ¡°Well, that is a total waste of energy, if you had a good teacher they will say the same. Have you tried moving your consciousness out of your body?¡±


    ¡°No?¡± Eznho answered with confusion.


    His consciousness has always been inside his body and could not move not even an inch outside.


    ¡°That¡¯s normal, but once you surpassed the cleansing stage, everything will have a qualitative change including your soul. The soul has the most influence on your consciousness or what we call soul sense. It can be used in many different ways, it can be used to scout your surroundings, manipulate heavenly energy and others. Once you reach higher cultivation you can even use it to kill others but that¡¯s none of your business right now, whether you succeed or not fully depends on you. Many cultivators spread heavenly energy throughout their body for protection, but for low-level cultivators, it would be hard to maintain it.¡±


    ¡°For beginners like you, energy manipulation is quite hard, but based on your talent you would have discovered it yourself anyway but it would take time. Try controlling your consciousness and get into your dantian.¡±


    Old man Dan instructed.


    Eznho dove his consciousness inside his dantian filled with a thin mist.


    ¡°Now, integrate your consciousness with the heavenly energy, be one with the energy. Do it slowly, your consciousness is still weak and can only control a certain amount. Once you control an amount, try circulating it throughout your meridians and do a full circle.¡±


    Eznho did as instructed, he had the gist of controlling it but once he tried circulating it, he lost control and the energy dissipated. Fully controlling heavenly energy is different from just absorbing and circulating it throughout the meridians.


    It¡¯s like driving an automatic and a manual car.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you half a day to perfectly circulate that energy around your meridians.¡±


    Old man Dan sat in a meditative position and spread out his soul sense observing any movements.


    Eznho calmed down and patiently started with small amounts. After having controlled small amounts, he slowly increased until he reached his limit. One-fifth of his whole energy was his limit.


    .....


    Only four hours passed and he gained full control. Old man Dan sensed this and opened his eyes.


    ¡°Hmmm? Not bad, that was faster than expected. Okay, that¡¯s for the better as I have things to do.¡±


    Eznho, on the other hand, felt delighted while circulating energy around his meridians with ease.


    ¡°The next would be easier, now use the energy you manipulated and use it only on one part of your body that you need to use, for example, your feet or just use it on your chest if someone attacks you there. You can also use it to coat your weapon and make it sharper, if you even want you can use it to form a weapon but that would consume too much energy. The more energy you use the stronger the power output would be but there will always be a limit. It would be up to you to discover these things.¡±


    Listening to the old man¡¯s explanations, Eznho already had insights and ideas and was eager to try it out.


    ¡°I''m too lazy to explain everything, I¡¯ll show it once and up to you if you learn anything. Watch and learn,¡±


    Old man Dan started to manipulate a small amount of heavenly energy and concentrated it on his hand. White energy covered his hand and punched it on a nearby three-meter tall boulder.


    Boom!


    He casually punched and the boulder turned in small fragments, some even turned to dust.


    ¡°Opps! Zehahaha, sorry about that I couldn¡¯t control my overwhelming power. Did you see that sissy? I could turn you into dust if I wanted to,¡±


    The old man boasted while puffing his chest out.


    Eznho could not help but be astonished inside.


    This smelly old man is that strong?


    But how could he allow the old man to boast in front of him? So he mocked him instead,


    ¡°Tsk, what is so great about that? If I was your age I could turn that whole boulder into dust,¡±


    ¡°You ungrateful sissy! That was just a tenth of my power,¡±


    The old man was furious, a boy was mocking his power. If it were others he would have beaten them to death.


    ¡°Sure, whatever you say,¡±


    Eznho answered nonchalantly.


    The old man¡¯s face was beginning to get red but he forced himself to calm down.


    ¡°A mere sissy dares to look down on me? Hmph! Let¡¯s see how far you go on the road of cultivation. Let me warn you, once you start, your road will be filled with blood and countless killing. ¡°


    Old man Dan turned serious and warned Eznho.


    ¡°Anyways, what you do after this is your business. One more thing, if I were you I¡¯d leave within three days.¡±


    He started to walk and disappeared in a flashy way.


    Keep boasting old man I¡¯ll make you eat your words, hmph!


    Eznho was a bit pissed about the old man¡¯s boasting but he could not help but admit, he really possess the right to. How strong exactly is he, he has no idea. He stopped thinking about and meditated before starting to practice.


    .....


    Whoosh! Whoosh!


    Eznho leaped over nine meters and nearing ten meters then moved his feet to do another one but towards a different direction. Since practicing yesterday, he had great results.


    Using energy manipulation, he concentrated it on his feet while practicing the Tiger Chasing the Wind. By using the energy as a propelling force, the stress on his muscles and tendons lessened but there is a limit on how much power they can withstand.


    He had already a small success in doing the movements. The average man could not even compare to him anymore, his body became tougher and could do movements others could not.


    While doing the movements, he did not ignore his bones and chanted the mantra from time to time. Purifying the bone was so painful that he was traumatized and even had second thoughts every time was about to start the mantra. But despite that, he had no choice. Passing this stage was a requirement if he was to continue cultivating.


    .....


    Another day passed, this was his last. He continued practicing like usual and was already halfway through. Two days was his estimate before he could finally succeed. Reaching this point, he furrowed his brows, purifying the blood was not impossible but without external help, it could take weeks to succeed. Drinking beast blood could help but the quality and quantity should also be considered.


    He was thinking of buying but he had no idea how to differentiate this thing. A thought passed through his mind but he shook his head and ignored it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know where he is,¡±


    He continued to practice until evening, unknown to him that the old man was watching the whole time.


    ¡°Not bad, let¡¯s see what happens tomorrow and I¡¯ll decide after that.¡±


    .....


    ¡°Boss, the boy is leaving tomorrow morning by the looks of it. So I can¡¯t work inside the mines for now.¡± Eagle Eye eagerly reported with anticipation.


    He¡¯d rather set an ambush for the boy earlier and waste time rather than work inside the mines. More than a dozen had already died fighting the beasts, especially now, they seemed to go berserk and attacked with no regard. He had no time to investigate what the boy has been up to because every manpower was poured inside the mine.


    ¡°Do as you wish but don¡¯t take long, also, don¡¯t forget my share.¡±


    A middle-aged man leisurely drank wine while answering, he didn¡¯t care as long as he will get a part of the loot.


    ¡°Yes Boss, then I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±


    Eagle Eye left in a hurry with an excitement in his eyes.


    .....


    Eznho started to pack his things and got ready for his journey tomorrow.


    Home


    He could not hide his excitement, it has been a year since he left. A lot has happened during this year, he was already eleven years old. It¡¯s time for him to go home and be with the two most important people for him in this world.


    After preparing everything, he meditated then called it a day.


    Tomorrow will be the beginning of a new journey for him.

 First Kill

    Chapter 15 First Kill


    Klop Klop Klop


    Snow was falling and the road looked like it was covered with cotton. Cold winds blew from time to time, howls of wild animals echoing from the nearby mountains and forest. A horse pulling a wooden cart with a boy covered in fur coat and hat was traveling on this lonely road.


    The sound of the horse¡¯s breathing could be heard with steam coming from its nose, the cart driver was like a statue sitting on top with no visible movements, his hands were also covered by the coat.


    Swoosh!


    A glint of metal from an arrowhead suddenly came rushing from the nearby trees aiming towards his heart. The arrow was so fast and sudden giving him no time to react.


    Pffft!


    The arrow struck the boy, droplets of blood bloomed and stained the coat and some splashed on the road.


    Ack!


    Eznho groaned and was sent tumbling towards the back of the cart and fell on the road.


    Neigh!


    The horse was frightened and reared in terror then galloped forward and only stopped after a hundred meters. Everything happened too fast.


    ¡°That was easy,¡±


    A thin man with sharp eyes came out from the woods holding a bow on his hand with a quiver of arrows on his back was grinning and walked towards the body lying on road. He did not care about the horse and only thought about the bank card with a beaming smile.


    ....


    A body laid down on the road covered in fur coat lying on his stomach. Blood stained the snow on his left side, a shadow slowly approached.


    Thud!


    Eagle Eye kicked the body but there was no reaction, even so, he did not let his guard down and brought out a dagger. He was still cautious and used his feet to turn the body around.


    ¡°No hard feelings boy, just doing business.¡±


    There was no remorse on his voice.


    A pool of blood painted the snow, both of the boy¡¯s hand were still covered by the fur that made him narrow his eyes. But the boy¡¯s necklace caught his attention, the ring of gold. With his sharp vision, he could see the engraved patterns on it that made him curious.


    ¡°Hmmm?¡±


    Greed took the better of him and actually kneeled on one knee on the boy¡¯s left side and extended his hand.


    ¡°What have we got here?¡±


    Before he could touch the ring, the boy¡¯s eyes suddenly snapped open showing a pair of cold black eyes at the same time a tearing sound could be heard and a dagger coated with heavenly energy penetrated the fur coat and went straight to his chest.


    Shit!


    He knew he fucked up and immediately leaped backward but it was too late. Blood gushed from his chest and painted the snow red in front of him. He covered it with his hand and tried to stop the bleeding by revolving his energy but his heart has taken a serious damage. Blood started to flow from his mouth and nose.


    Eznho slowly got up with difficulty and pulled his right hand from his chest that was pinned by the arrow. He was on guard all the time because of Randolph¡¯s warning, it turns out it was not for naught.


    But he still underestimated the enemy¡¯s power and nearly cost him his life. He barely had any time to react due to the arrow¡¯s speed and could only raise his right hand in front of his chest and cover it with heavenly energy. Despite that, the power behind the arrow was tremendous and actually penetrated his hand and went straight to his chest.


    Luckily, it hit a rib, with his bone strengthened and the heavenly energy¡¯s protection, the arrow did not push through. Still, he was pushed back due to the impact and pretended to be dead, he knew the enemy was strong and only had a slim chance of survival.


    .....


    That was close.


    Eznho¡¯s heart was palpitating, cold sweats ran on his back. This was technically the second time death stared at him. He tried to calm down and assessed the situation, blood was dripping from his chest and hand.


    ¡°Fuck! You shitty brat, to actually think that me? The Eagle Eye fell for a brat¡¯s scheme! You think you¡¯ve won? I¡¯ll drag you down with me boy!¡±


    Eagle Eye cursed and shouted, he could not accept this. A mere brat actually will be the cause of his death, no, he knew deep inside it was greed. A moment of weakness due to greed.


    He knew he would die today, there is no saving him, his heart has already been penetrated. With madness in his eyes, he threw caution to the wind and prepared to shoot another arrow.


    How could Eznho let him do what he wants? Gritting his teeth, he covered his dagger with heavenly energy together with his feet then leaped forward with all his might and pointed the dagger. The distance between them was only about six meters.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Seeing the boy¡¯s reaction, Eagle Eye was startled but could only twist his body sideways to dodge. The boy moved faster than him but with crude movements, obviously with no battle experience. After successfully dodging, he pulled the bowstring with an arrow and released it aiming for the head.


    .....


    Seeing that he missed, upon landing, Eznho immediately twisted his foot and leaped again towards his enemy but he was met with an arrow aiming for his head. It was already a few feet in front of him but his body immediately reacted and moved his head to the side making the arrow barely miss and leave a horizontal red mark on his cheek.


    Third!


    Only a short amount of time passed and another encounter with death happened. He could only steel his nerves and do everything to survive.


    His attack was not interrupted and aimed for the enemy¡¯s throat. Everything happened too fast,


    Ssskk!


    The dagger successfully penetrated the enemy¡¯s throat then pulled it out, another gush of blood came out rushing.


    ¡°Gluurgghh!¡±


    Eagle Eye wanted to say something but could not and subconsciously covered his throat, unwillingness could be seen in his eyes but he started to feel cold inside. He knelt down and looked up on the boy¡¯s face then fell on his chest.


    Dead.


    ¡°Haaa, Haaa,¡±


    Eznho was breathing fast and his heart was still palpitating. Looking at the dead body in front of him, his bloody hands started to tremble.


    This was his first kill, not an animal but a man! A living human being, he might be an enemy but still...


    He knelt down on his knees with a blank look, snow began to settle on his head and shoulders. The smell of blood permeated the air, many thoughts ran through his head. He remembered the old man¡¯s reminder.


    Let me warn you, once you start, your road will be filled with blood and countless killing.


    In the end, he was still an eleven-year-old boy with little experience in life.


    .....


    Awoooo!


    Awoooo!


    Howls woke Eznho up from his trance, he was a bit dizzy due to the loss of blood and exhaustion. Listening to the howls, they were not too far. Blood attracted them so this place will become dangerous, he got himself up, tried to focus and slowly walked towards the horse who was listless after hearing the howls. Looting the enemy did not even cross his mind.


    Blood was still dripping from his wounds, he reached for the horse and calmed it down. Blood was even smeared on it. He climbed up the cart and urged the horse to start walking. The wounds stopped bleeding after he applied medicine and started to replenish his energy.


    .....


    A few kilometers from the mines, Old man Dan was leisurely sitting on a tree branch while scanning the mines.


    ¡°The show is about to start, I have finally found one of the core ingredients for the pill.¡±


    He mumbled to himself with a look of excitement and at the same time ruthlessness. Nobody is stopping him from obtaining what he needed to heal his wounds.


    .....


    Inside the mines, the eight mercenary captains and the two military officials were getting ready. Only a few meters and they will reach where the energy fluctuation was located. Different kinds of dead beast piled on the side, they did not value them and just left it there for others to collect later.


    Wilky and Wilfred was on the front leading the team, Wilky turned around and faced the captains,


    ¡°We do not know what kind of magical beast is inside but we are sure it is a high-level one. Based on our agreement, half of the total loot will belong to us and the other to your group. However you divide it, I don¡¯t care. Due to the energy fluctuations, we cannot determine how many enemies will be on the other side, which means we have to watch out for them and the magical beast. As long as we work together, we can prevent casualties, understood?¡±


    He announced with a stern and serious voice.


    ¡°Naturally,¡±


    Winston answered and forced a smile. They obviously were at the disadvantage but they had no choice but to agree.


    ¡°Good, get ready then.¡±


    He called to the miners and instructed them to leave, only the ten of them were left inside.


    After the miners left, Wilfred casually nocked an arrow, pulled it then infused heavenly energy and released it towards the end of the tunnel.


    Boom!


    The tip of the arrow collided with the rocky wall and debris scattered, a vibration could be felt after the impact. Dust filled the area limiting visibility to nearly zero. Wilfred casually waved his hand and a gust of wind carried the dust going outside.


    Light with a hint of golden color shone from the end of the tunnel, everybody started to walk towards it while raising their guards and brandishing their weapons.


    Wilky took the lead with a sword in hand and circulated heavenly energy around his body and stepped inside the light.


    Shudder.


    Once he was in the light, he started to tremble as if he carried a boulder on his shoulders.


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    He was surprised but immediately came back to his senses and circulated more energy. Only then that the heavy feeling disappeared.


    Everyone felt the same pressure and exerted more effort before removing it. These energy fluctuations were the reason they could not sense what was inside and could only vaguely guess.


    A cavern of golden nuggets with different sizes entered their sight, just like what Eznho found previously but the difference is like a grain and a bar of gold entered their sight.


    The hell?


    Everyone widened their eyes, this is a treasure trove!


    Before they could regain their composure, another surprise caught them. Some of the golden nuggets were melting like they were on fire and flowed towards the middle of the cavern and formed a golden lake about twenty meters wide. Every time a golden nugget is fully melted, another one starts to melt and flowed towards the center like the others. One could only imagine how much gold has already melted.


    Ten meters above the lake, a huge golden ball floated about fifty meters in size. Large droplets of gold from the lake were floating and moved towards the golden ball to be absorbed. The golden ball was expanding and contracting like a beating heart.


    Upon looking at the huge golden ball, everybody turned serious. Whatever was inside that golden ball was the reason for these events and it was giving a tremendous pressure.


    ¡°What kind of magical beast would use gold to cultivate?¡±


    Winston could not help but ask out of curiosity. Even though he was old, compared to the vast world, his knowledge and information were close to nothing.


    Hearing Winston¡¯s question, a thought suddenly passed Wilky¡¯s mind and remembered something he read in an old book when he was at the academy. After a while, he shook his head and thought inwardly,


    ¡°Impossible, according to what I read they are nearly extinct and nobody has seen one in thousands of years. Why would one appear here?¡±


    He was skeptical but could not think of any other beasts that use gold to cultivate and a hope sprouted in his heart.


    Boom!


    Before everyone could even talk, an explosion on their opposite side caught their attention.


    ¡°They¡¯re here,¡±


    Wilky commented with a serious tone while trying to focus his vision. They were prepared for them and did not even try to communicate with them. By his estimate, the cavern was about three hundred meters wide, silhouettes started to appear on the other side but he could not discern their faces.


    Normally, with his cultivation, it was easy to identify a person a kilometer away from him. But due to the energy fluctuations, vision and soul sense was limited.


    .....


    Ignoring the other party, they started to move closer cautiously towards the golden ball but the pressure was increasing. Their plan was to observe in close range and if possible, interrupt the magical beast¡¯s attempt to break through and cause him damage.


    The other group seemed to have the same idea and started moving.


    Halfway through the golden ball, it started to shine brightly like the sun. Everybody could not help but close their eyes.

 Its a Trap!

    Chapter 16 It¡¯s a Trap!


    Thump! Thump! Thump!


    The golden ball midair continued to shine and started to beat faster as if a ferocious beast was awakening. Everyone started to get nervous, after a minute, the light dimmed.


    The melted gold stopped flowing and the lake started to churn. It began to rotate and formed a whirlpool. At the same time, the golden ball floating midair also started to rotate. At the middle of the whirlpool, the golden liquid gathered together and formed the shape of a vine climbing up a tree.


    The golden vine became thicker and longer until every drop of the golden lake was absorbed then coiled around the rotating ball.


    A buzzing sound sounded out and another blinding light exploded but it lasted only for a few seconds. Everyone¡¯s eyes were a bit blurry, the huge golden ball disappeared and was replaced by a golden light shaped like a coiled enormous serpent.


    A golden stream was still rotating around the serpent then it opened its enormous mouth and sucked every drop of it. The light faded and a jaw-dropping scene astounded everyone.


    A coiled giant golden serpent was floating midair with its head standing, staring at everyone with hostility and coldness with its golden eyes. Everybody estimated that the snake must be at least a hundred meters long. Every part of the giant serpent was cast in gold, it was like a golden snake statue that came alive.


    Wilky was shocked and could not believe his eyes and pointed his sword at the giant serpent.


    ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s the go- golden serpent!¡±


    He stuttered while speaking, he was really in shock, the legends were true. Everyone looked at him with confusion, it was their first time seeing a magical beast like this.


    ¡°Damnable humans!¡±


    The magical beast shouted with its consciousness startling everyone then flicked his golden tongue.


    Ssssss!


    An ear-shattering hiss was produced followed by a shockwave that pushed everyone backward by a couple of meters. Before anyone could stabilize, a heavy pressure descended that even affected their souls.


    ¡°Argg!¡±


    The group moaned and rotated their energy at full power, those who were weaker vomited blood and had a hard time stabilizing, even starting to lose consciousness.


    ¡°Blerrgg!¡±


    But before anyone could fall, the giant serpent suddenly vomited a big mouthful of golden blood and started to shrink and decrease its size by a half. With that happening, the pressure disappeared and everyone could see that the serpents energy was unstable.


    Judging by the events, this was their only chance to kill the giant serpent.


    ¡°Attack!¡±


    Both sides simultaneously ordered the attack and everyone started to cast their own battle techniques.


    Wilky stabbed his sword and a sword intent shot out from his sword aiming for the serpent.


    Wilfred summoned his wind energy and shot an arrow that looked like a drill made of wind element.


    Winston tapped his staff and a ripple flowed out, pointy rock spikes suddenly came out below the giant serpent aiming for its belly.


    Everyone attacked at the same with different techniques using different elements.


    .....


    Looking at the incoming onslaught of battle techniques, the giant serpent could only form a defensive golden barrier around its body.


    He was furious, if it was any other day he could just kill this humans with pressure alone but because he had to rush his breakthrough, he was unstable right now. Rushing a breakthrough was dangerous but he had no choice, it was better than letting the humans attack him while attempting it.


    He succeeded but was extremely unstable right now and had to escape to recuperate.


    Crack! Bang!


    The various skills collided with the defensive barrier but could not withstand it and exploded. Golden blood flowed from the serpents mouth and wounds of different sizes were visible on his large body.


    Hisss!


    He produced another shockwave that disrupted everyone and at the same time summoned four golden balls that turned into javelins and willed it to attack each group.


    Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Two golden streaks of light attacked each group and the four people who could not react fast were skewered and turned into golden human statues, their facial expressions before dying were preserved.


    ¡°Shit! Attack at your own will, don¡¯t let it get away. I¡¯m telling you, the whole worth of the mine is nothing compared to this serpent!¡±


    Wilky tried to encourage the others after observing that they were shaken after the serpent¡¯s attack. If they were to succeed in this mission, one could only imagine the price they could fetch.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    The serpent continued to fire golden javelins, four was his limit and could not even maintain it properly. He could only repel his enemy¡¯s skills but there were just too many of them and his wounds were increasing, some were even bone deep.


    Boom! Boom!


    Skills collided that produced shockwaves, it was like fireworks producing different colors. Dust accumulated and rocks flew everywhere, golden and red blood splashed and smeared the cavern.


    A total of nine people already died and some were injured, four from Wilky¡¯s group and five from the other. They did not bother to inspect thoroughly who was on the other side as long as they did not attack them. Their primary goal was the serpent, although the number of casualties was out of their expectations, the serpent was already on his last breath.


    ¡°Despicable humans! You¡¯ll pay for this!¡±


    Madness filled the giant serpent and sacrificed his vitality for a boost making his wound worsen, he had no other choice. His energy rose, rotated it to maximum then shrank himself to only ten meters long. This was his only chance to escape now that his enemies decreased.


    After shrinking and gathering momentum, he turned into a streak of golden light and headed towards Wilky¡¯s group.


    ¡°Not good!¡±


    Their hearts tightened and everyone could only dodge, death was the only thing waiting for them if they collided with the serpent. The light was too fast giving them no time at all to cast any skill.


    Taking this chance, the serpent went straight to the tunnel from where Wilky¡¯s group came from and headed outside.


    ¡°Chase! He¡¯s not gonna last that long.¡±


    Wilky commanded in a hurried tone and turned into a blur going after the serpent. The others hesitated for a second but followed suit. Wilfred on the other hand purposely slowed down and was at the tail of the group. After re-entering the tunnel, he sneered and shot an arrow towards the ceiling of the tunnel entrance.


    ¡°Sorry boys, try to catch up.¡±


    Boom!


    The ceiling collapsed and the tunnel closed.


    The other group was not fast enough and the tunnel collapsed before their eyes.


    A man in his thirties with a long black hair wearing a military uniform was leading the group. A bald middle-aged man who was also an officer walked to his side,


    ¡°Floyd, what do you wanna do? Should we give chase?¡±


    Floyd had an ugly look on his face.


    ¡°Fuck it, only the two of us will give chase. I¡¯ll tell you the details on the way,¡±


    He turned around and instructed the others,


    ¡°You three, collect the loot from the bodies and get as much gold as you can. We will meet at the campsite later and divide it all accordingly. Don¡¯t even think about anything funny.¡±


    A killing intent filled the area that made the others shiver and did not even answer and started to do as they were ordered.


    The bald guy thrust his spear and produced a vertical tornado towards the collapsed tunnel making a hole.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Floyd ordered and both of them disappeared in a flash.


    .....


    People were gathered outside the mines, most of them were mercenaries and a minority of miners. They were instructed to stand guard and stand by for further instructions.


    Five minutes have already passed since the last miner came out, the ground and the mountain started to slightly vibrate. As time passed by it started to get stronger and pebbles on the ground started to shake. Everyone raised their guard and started to get nervous.


    After a while, the trembling stopped and an eerie silence came after.


    Swoosh!


    A golden streak of light suddenly came out of the tunnel passing by the group in the blink of an eye. Before anybody could react, bodies started to fall on the ground. Some of them missing their head and others, a big hole on their chests. At least a dozen people died within that frame of time.


    What the fuck?


    Everybody¡¯s mind was in chaos and cold sweats started to run down their backs. Others even stumbled down on their butt.


    ¡°The hell just happened?¡±


    One of them cried out in terror with a pale face, he could not believe what was happening. In the blink of an eye, a dozen people died and nobody could even react.


    Before anyone could answer, five shadows came out of entrance but did not stop and just passed by them pursuing the golden streak of light towards the forest.


    .....


    Woosh!


    The golden serpent maintained his maximum speed and even killed humans on his way. Upon coming out of the tunnel he saw the greenery of the forest and immediately headed out there.


    ¡°Damn! Damn! Damn! Just you wait after I recover. I¡¯ll make you pay for this,¡±


    He was cursing while trying to find a place to hide, he was running out of juice. Once he will run out of power, death is already assured. He had yet to learn the ability to fly and could only float a few meters above the ground.


    His kind was nearly extinct, he and his mother was hunted down and had been running ever since he was young. Left with no choice, she sacrificed herself to form a space tunnel for him to escape and ended up in that cavern. Coincidence or not, it was a good spot for him to cultivate but alas, he was still discovered.


    They were a very rare variant of the ancient serpent clan, the golden serpent. They were not particularly strong but were not weak either. The only ¡°curse¡± they carried was their unique golden core. Their core, if mixed with certain ingredients could repair broken dantians and fix it.


    Once a the dantian is broken, it is nearly impossible to repair it, but for some reason, out of the countless cultivators in the universe, somebody discovered that the golden serpent¡¯s core can be used as an ingredient to repair broken dantians.


    Once that information was spread out, the hunting began and they got nearly extinct in a short period of time. Only a handful had survived and has been hiding ever since.


    .....


    A short while later, he discovered a cave in a rocky part of the forest. After scanning and making sure there was no danger, he immediately headed towards it.


    Before he could reach the entrance he suddenly froze mid-air.


    What?


    His mind was a mess, he clearly did not sense anyone around. Then a circular formation with complicated patterns lit up below him.


    ¡°This is...¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, a voice sounded out of nowhere.


    ¡°You came late little snakey, I started to get worried.¡±


    The space distorted at the cave entrance and an old man with a messy hair clad in a fur coat came out grinning showing his yellow dirty teeth.


    An expert!


    The snake already encountered people who could manipulate space and use complicated formations for trapping. They were top of the pack and could summon the wind and rain, such people were the one who hunted him and his mother.


    ¡°You humans are really despicable and shameless using any means to get what you want.¡±


    His heart was filled with hate and coldly stared at the old man in front of him.


    ¡°Hmph! If I was in full power, I could easily squash you with my fingers.¡±


    The old man walked towards serpent with a smug look on his face.


    The serpent could only stare at the old man, he tried to struggle but could not even move an inch. Unwillingness and frustration filled his heart, he had still many things to do but in front of strong people, he could only resign to his fate.


    The old man was already in front of him,


    ¡°If you want revenge, try it in your next life. I will be waiting, but you¡¯ll die just the same. Let me end your suffering and depart from this world.¡±


    Old man Dan did not want to prolong the serpent¡¯s agony. He could feel the serpent¡¯s frustration, he felt pity but such is the world.


    It will continue moving on with or without you.


    Heavenly energy formed on his hand, he stuck his finger together and stabbed on the serpent¡¯s head.


    I¡¯m coming, Mother.


    A quick death, the serpent closed his eyes and felt somewhat relieved. At last, his days of running and hiding has come to an end.


    Old man Dan retracted his hand with a golden core in tow.


    ¡°At last, few more ingredients and i can start repairing my dantian.¡±


    After looking for a golden serpent for so long, he finally found it. There was only an extremely small amount of chance that he could find one but he never gave up.

 Who Wants My Ball?

    Chapter 17 Who Wants My Ball?


    Poof!


    The golden snake turned back into its original size of more than a hundred meters long. The sudden appearance of a giant snake produced a booming sound that startled every creature nearby making them run for their lives.


    ¡°Hmmm, not bad, but what a pity, you would have had the chance of reaching the skies if you had not met me.¡±


    Old man Dan shook his head while feeling a little proud and took out a crude looking clay pot then filled it with golden blood.


    ¡°This would be enough, the vultures are here. Time to go,¡±


    He had long sensed the presence of Wilky and the others. Space distorted around him and he disappeared.


    The core was the most valuable thing the golden serpent could offer, though its body had value, he did not want to carry it with him. Even if he acquired the body, he could not sell it. A golden serpents body was a hot potato, once known by the others, endless troubles will follow. Other cultivators would not rest until they found out where the core went.


    He got what he needed and did not want to constantly look over his shoulders.


    .....


    Wilky and the others were hot in pursuit and could not even sense the golden snake anymore. Their only guide was the droplets of golden blood along the way. It was too fast for them to catch up, their efforts would have been wasted if they did not kill the serpent.


    Boom!


    A loud sound caught their attention and they went up to a high vantage point to see what was happening. A few kilometers away, dust rose in the air and a golden light was reflected by the sun.


    ¡°There!¡±


    Judging by the color, Wilky was sure it was the golden snake and immediately headed towards the place at full speed.


    .....


    Approximately three kilometers behind Wilky¡¯s group, two silhouettes were rushing towards them leaving only flashes behind.


    ¡°What¡¯s this all about? Why do we have to risk entering our enemy¡¯s territory for a magical beast? It even involves Wilky and Wilfred, you know how much they hate you,¡±


    Jack spoke with confusion while they were running and leaping over obstacles.


    ¡°Hmph! Are you scared? If my guess is correct, that magical beast is a golden serpent. It¡¯s not particularly a top predator among it¡¯s kind but the golden core it carries can even attract the attention of an Emperor. It¡¯s body, although far from the value of the core can still fetch a hefty price though I don¡¯t know its particular usage.¡±


    Floyd answered in a serious manner, his plan was to hunt the mantis stalking the cicada. Jack did not answer and even started to get nervous, what kind of an object would attract the attention of an Emperor.


    An Emperor! An existence that rules over an empire with countless beings like them, very few items would warrant his attention. This was a serious matter, if they succeeded, he could jump ranks in the military. He even started to imagine himself commanding tens of thousands of soldiers.


    Boom!


    A loud sound vibrated through the air disturbing Jack¡¯s daydream. Floyd went on top of a tree and assessed the situation.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, something happened.¡±


    He urged his companion and rushed with full speed.


    .....


    Wilky¡¯s group lowered their speed when they were five hundred meters from the serpent. They brandished their weapons and prepared their skills.


    Four hundred meters, nothing happened.


    Three hundred...


    Two hundred...


    One hundred, still no reaction.


    Wilky was sure the golden serpent was there, but could not pinpoint what¡¯s wrong. Space was a bit distorted around the place so he did not want to rush in even though it seemed like the serpent was dead.


    Gritting his teeth he increased his speed and reached the enormous serpent in no time then slashed his sword creating a crescent sword energy and cut apart a large wound, golden blood gushed but there was no reaction.


    The others were about to attack but was interrupted by Wilky,


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    Wilky shouted and headed towards the serpent¡¯s head, a bloody hole penetrated it with golden blood flowing out. The wound was still fresh, obviously done just moments ago.


    ¡°Somebody was already here and set up an ambush,¡±


    Wilky had an ugly look on his face, the core was gone and traces of a trapping formation were evident. He used his soul sense but did not detect anything for a radius of one kilometer.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°Who was it?¡±


    Wilfred jumped over and asked.


    ¡°I have no idea but I am sure he is an expert and a cunning one at that. He left the hot potato for us, it would be hard for us to prove that we did not take the core unless we swear an oath.¡±


    Wilky had a wry smile on his face, they did not get the core and even fell into a nasty trap. A huge headache was coming.


    He was thinking of a solution when he sensed something. And a heavy killing intent came out of his body.


    ¡°Floyd is here,¡±


    Gnashing his teeth, he looked at the enemy¡¯s direction.


    Wilfred immediately gathered his energy and pulled his bow to maximum power while infusing wind energy. The surrounding air churned like a tornado was about to form.


    ¡°Tornado Shot!¡±


    Swoosh!


    He shouted and released the arrow leaving a trail of destruction, wood splinters, soil and rocks were flying everywhere the arrow passed.


    .....


    Floyd and Jack were sprinting through the woods, they sensed that Wilky¡¯s group already reached the snake but the expected fight did not occur.


    ¡°Is it dead?¡±


    Floyd furrowed his brows, they were only a kilometer away from them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get closer,¡±


    He was confident in their ability to escape. They continued forward when they heard a  whistling sound headed towards them followed by a trail of devastation. It was like a horizontal tornado was coming to meet them.


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Floyd snorted in disdain. Frost energy gathered on his saber making it look like an ice blade and hacked it forward.


    ¡°Frozen Iceworm!¡±


    The energy released by the saber turned into a huge ten-meter long iceworm made of ice. Opening its circular mouth full of fangs, it squirmed forward in a fast manner meeting the arrow tornado head-on while freezing its path.


    Bang!


    The two skills collided and debris flew everywhere, some shredded by the wind blades and others frozen.


    Wasting no time, Floyd and Jack sprinted and stopped a hundred meters from Wilky¡¯s group.


    ¡°We meet again, tri-, ow sorry, should I say duo killers now?¡±


    Floyd greeted them with a mock.


    ¡°Hmph! An arrogant tone from a man who only sneaks on his enemy¡¯s back and stab them.¡±


    Wilky retorted in disdain. He wanted to attack but did not want to stay here any longer. Who knows how many experts might come and things would become more troublesome.


    Floyd ignored him and sneered,


    ¡°Wilky, oh, Wilky, you think you are the only one who knows about that serpent? How about you give us the core, the body will be yours and we would even close the mines on our side and return every gold¡±


    ¡°Phe! Over my dead body!¡±


    Wilky was furious, his enemy was treating him like he was stupid.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have the core, but even if we did, why would we give to you? If you want I can give you one of my ¡°cores¡± as a souvenir. Hahahaha¡±


    He laughed heartily while patting his private area. Everyone laughed with him in unison.


    Floyd¡¯s face was beet red due to anger after being insulted.


    ¡°Laugh all you want Wilky, do you think you can hold on to that with your measly power? A war might erupt because of you.¡±


    He also predicted that the core was not taken by them, it was impossible that there would be no sign of fighting before acquiring it. But he did not want his efforts to go to waste, he knew in his heart he will not get anything today unless he risked his life.


    ¡°Hmph! How I handle my affairs is not your problem. Now scram or do you wanna go all out?¡±


    Wilky really hated Floyd but now is not the time to fight, the longer they stayed here, the riskier it gets. He rotated his energy then raised his sword, sword intent gathered and formed a gigantic hundred-meter-long sword intent that floated above him.


    ¡°Sword¡¯s Descent!


    A heavy pressure descended while his sword and the gigantic sword intent slashed forward at the same time towards Floyd.


    ¡°Tsk!¡±


    Floyd had ugly look on his face, he chanted and did a series of hand movements. Frost energy gathered immediately.


    ¡°Ice Wall!¡±


    A thick ninety-meter tall ice wall formed in front of them.


    ¡°Celebrate while it lasts, I will have the last laugh. Let¡¯s go,¡±


    With great hesitation, they sprinted away, as much as he wanted they were in the enemy¡¯s territory with no backup at all. All he can do is go back and inform his superiors about the event.


    Bang!


    Another loud collision, everyone prepared to do battle but when the dust settled the enemy was already gone.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have your head next time,¡±


    Wilky stared at the distance with coldness.


    .....


    The serpent was too big and heavy so Wilky had to transfer his belongings from his spatial ring to Wilfred then sucked it in into his ring.


    ¡°As discussed earlier, you will be paid in gold coins. I know you are unresigned with this but it is better than holding a hot potato and dying because of it. The core is the most valuable part but as you know it is gone, although the body is valuable it is nothing compared to the core. If you want to continue working in the mines, you can do so, but I bet the cavern has been emptied now. You decide it yourselves, just show this bank card to any bank and you can get your payment.¡±


    Wilky handed out three blue cards which already contained his seal for authenticity.


    Winston and the group were delighted, they did not want the serpent¡¯s body. Basing on their observation, it¡¯s an item of death so when Wilky proposed a payment method like this, they immediately agreed.


    After some more discussion, the three mercenary captains left to do their own business. They planned to leave the mines and head out to another location. The subordinates of the other captains would be divided by them if they are willing. Besides, they had enough money for them to get by for years.


    .....


    ¡°What now?¡±


    Wilfred asked after the other group left.


    ¡°Ai, what a headache. I will head out to headquarters and talk to the higher-ups and request a scroll oath for them to believe us and I will offer the serpent¡¯s body. It is still valuable you know, even without the core. I have to go personally and show them, sending a message won¡¯t do. It would bring us great merits, I will be back as soon as I can.¡±


    Wilky answered with a helpless look on his face.


    ¡°While I am away, assist brother Batista here, I am sure Floyd will do something sooner or later.¡±


    Wilfred nodded in agreement and both disappeared with a flash.


    .....


    A stream of water flowed in the nearby forest creek beside the road, only a few kilometers from Sin city. The water was freezing cold but did not yet freeze. A red-orange dye stained the crystal clear water, it became thicker until the water¡¯s clarity was gone.


    Eznho was upstream dipping himself in a shallow pool of water, frozen blood melted when it made contact with the water. His wounds stopped bleeding for a while now and found this stream to wash. His body was underwater while his head was popping out.


    He raised his right hand and a small hole was right in the middle of his palms. After staring it for a while, he clenched his fist and submerged his head wanting to feel numb, he did not want to think about what happened previously.


    Splash!


    Eznho stood up with his naked body while steam rose from it. Although he was still quite young, muscle lines started to manifest indicating a good body physique with some scars that had yet to disappear found all over. Thes changes were thanks to his arduous training, the arrow wound on his chest was still visible and did not fully heal. He walked out of the stream and changed to a new set of clothes.


    .....


    Entering the city was an easy task, the guards were slacking and did not want to move much due to the cold weather.


    There was still a week before his big brother could come home and he did not want to worry his aunt if she ever saw his wounds so he stayed at an inn. He ate at the inn''s restaurant and tried to observe everyone and gather information. To his dismay, there was no major news so he went back to his room, meditated and applied medicine on his wounds.


    He was about to sleep when a creepy voice whispered into his ear.

 Surprise!

    Chapter 18 Surprise!


    Swoosh!


    He stabbed his dagger to where the whisper came from but there was no contact.


    Was it my imagination?


    The lamp was still on but he could not see anyone.


    ¡°Pffft¡±


    A snicker sounded out.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±


    He stood up and raised his guard while furrowing his brows.


    ¡°Zehahaha,¡±


    A loud laughter rang but he could not pinpoint where it came from, the space in front of the door distorted and Old man Dan came out. He eyes were teary due to laughing so hard.


    Veins popped out of Eznho¡¯s head and his hand was trembling. He could not control his anger and throw out the dagger towards the old man.


    Swoosh!


    But before it could reach him, it stopped mid-air a foot from the old man¡¯s face.


    ¡°Why so serious sissy? What¡¯s with the hostility?¡±


    Old man Dan teased and grabbed the dagger.


    ¡°What kind of shitty dagger is this? How could you kill somebody with this cheap stuff?¡±


    He scrutinized the dagger and lost interest then casually throw it back to Eznho. It was a casual throw but it was too fast for Eznho, it was even faster than the arrow that nearly killed him.


    The hell?


    Eznho was shocked but forced himself to dodge, he poured heavenly energy on his feet and leaped on top of his bed.


    -Thud!


    Half of the dagger¡¯s blade sunk into the wooden wall. Eznho¡¯s heart was beating fast and saw that the right side of his upper garment had a been cut.


    He coldly stared at the old man,


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Whoa, chill sissy, Are you that eager to kill again? I thought you would become better at fighting now that you have killed somebody.¡±


    The old man calmly answered and raised both his palms facing forward. He then sat on a nearby chair. Listening to the old man¡¯s words, memories came rushing to Eznho which made him uncomfortable.


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    He asked then pulled the dagger out from the wall.


    ¡°I can smell somebody¡¯s blood on you,¡±


    Old man Dan answered nonchalantly while Eznho just stood there in silence.


    ¡°I told you before if you really want to pursue cultivation, you¡¯re gonna have to bath in your enemies blood. If I were you, forget about it and move on, you survived and that¡¯s what matters. Would you rather be the one dead? Tsk, what a sissy, if you can¡¯t handle the killings I suggest you stop early on and live a normal life.¡±


    The old man lectured Eznho and brought out a clay jar, half a meter tall. On top of the cover was a small brown leather pouch the size of a palm.


    ¡°I¡¯m running out of time so I¡¯ll just leave the jar and the pouch here. You can only open the pouch once you enter the Halo realm. The jar contains something that can aid you in your blood and marrow cleansing. You can open it after dropping a bit of blood on top of the cover. Let me remind you, once you decide to open the jar, you will owe me a favor.¡±


    ¡°I advise you one last time, if you cannot withstand the shock of killing your enemy, you better quit now. How much more if you have to kill someone you know,¡±


    The old suddenly turned sentimental after remembering something.


    ¡°Anyways the decision is yours, see you around sissy, don¡¯t die early.¡±


    The old man talked fast and did not even give Eznho a chance to talk back then disappeared. He had to leave now before other experts came and start investigating. There were still remaining ingredients he had to find.


    Old man Dan appeared and floated above Sin city.


    ¡°I hope you survive this predicament you got involved in,¡±


    As much as he wanted to help, he could not for now. His cultivation is unstable and has to refine the pill as soon as possible. He could only hope that the boy would survive after being indirectly involved in this mess.


    .....


    Eznho stood there silently after the old man left, it was like a bee came buzzing in and suddenly left. He walked towards the jar and picked up the pouch, the opening was knotted and he could not open it no matter how he tried. Giving up on the pouch, he turned his attention to the jar. It looked normal, like those jars that were sold in the market.


    Gripping the cover, he used his full force but could not open it. Due to his frustration, he even tried to break it but it was like the hardest metal and could not even leave a dent on it. Gaining nothing on his investigation, he gave up and left the two items in a corner but the reminder of the old man that he will owe him once he opened the jar replayed on his mind.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    .....


    After breakfast, he went to the cemetery and paid a visit to his mother¡¯s grave. The cemetery was covered in snow which added drama to the scene. After cleaning the tomb and the area around it, he kowtowed three times.


    ¡°I¡¯m here mother, sorry for not visiting you for a long time.¡±


    He put flowers and burned incense then meditated and performed the Heaven-Seizing breathing technique while pondering and thinking about what the old man said. He admits he was scared but at the same time there a subtle feeling of satisfaction after killing and surviving a death match. A conflict arose in his heart, will he be able to continue killing?


    After thinking about it, if he really wanted to protect the ones he cared about he had to at least have sufficient power to do so. He decided that he would continue but would only kill the ones who deserve it.


    .....


    He continued to train in Tiger Chasing the Wind. By training to the limit, he improved rapidly, his muscles and bones were getting stronger and his energy control was getting better and better. Remembering the feeling of adrenaline during a fight, he started to simulate fight scenarios inside his mind and practiced using the dagger as his weapon.


    Two days passed by, Eznho was seated in a lotus position naked beside a creek, sweat and black inky fluid flowed out of his skin pores. He was in great pain, this was the last purification of his bones and muscles. Gritting his teeth while grimacing, he continued to circulate his energy while chanting the mantra.


    Another hour passed and finally, a large amount of black inky fluid came out and warm feeling entered his body. Even though he was so exhausted and tired, the feeling of heavenly energy nourishing his flesh and bones was refreshing and intoxicating. He dragged himself up and plunged into the small pool of water.


    Splash!


    .....


    The next day, he decided to go to the bank and settle his account. He got dressed up, tidied his hair and covered himself in a fur cloak. The bank was located in the northern district where all the rich people live.


    Commoners cannot easily enter the district, there was a wall covering it and two gates were made for people to pass. If you want the best goods, you can find it there as long as you can enter. Most of the luxury items and establishments were found inside that district.


    After walking for a while, he reached the wall which was ten meters tall. He approached the gate and was stopped by the guards.


    ¡°Halt! What¡¯s your purpose in entering the northern district?¡±


    One of the guards stood in front of Eznho.


    ¡°Bank,¡± Eznho replied blandly and showed them the brown card.


    ¡°Ah?¡± The guard was surprised.


    A bank card, even if he worked his whole life, it was near impossible for him to acquire one. The lowest card has a minimum amount of one thousand gold coins and even if you had a thousand coins, a card would not necessarily be issued.


    He had his suspicions because it was a kid holding it and he had never seen him before. But his intuition says not to mess with him, who knows where this kid came from and might be the son of a wealthy merchant or some big family with connections.


    ¡°Any problem?¡±


    Eznho was getting impatient due to the guard''s silence.


    ¡°Nothing, you may enter just make sure not to trespass on private properties or you will get arrested. Follow the main street and you will see the bank a kilometer after.¡±


    The guard came back to his senses, stepped aside and gave a friendly reminder.


    Eznho just nodded and proceeded inside. Once he entered, it was like he was in a different place and not inside Sin city. The road was filled with snow but it was obvious that it was well maintained. City guards constantly patrolled and carriages with grand designs passed to and fro. Establishments were designed extravagantly that sold precious and rare materials.


    .....


    After sightseeing and walking for half an hour, he reached the bank. The establishment was four-stories tall and one of the highest infrastructure in the area. Two large red columns stood in front with golden dragons sculpted coiling around them. A large signboard with golden letters hung above a rectangular door with a golden tree design.


    ¡®Merchant Bank¡¯


    Two tall guards in full golden armor stood on each side.He went in front of the door and the guard spoke without moving.


    ¡°Proof of business transaction,¡±


    Eznho was puzzled then showed his bank card. After showing it, the door automatically opened then he entered.


    A big hall appeared in front of him with high ceiling and luxurious chandelier, only a handful of people were inside. Sculptures were scattered and paintings hung on the wall. Three tellers were in a counter talking with costumers while other people sat down in chairs drinking tea. Only one guard in full golden armor was inside guarding the stairs going up.


    He was a bit nervous but did not show it on his face, this was his first time entering an establishment such as this. There were other banks in the city but this was the biggest and most secure run by the alliance of merchant groups.


    A female bank employee noticed him and then approached. She was an average beauty and wore a tight fitting dress showing her curves.


    ¡°Good morning, young sir, how may I help you?¡±


    Eznho composed himself and tried to act like it was not his first time.


    ¡°Ahem, I am here to open my bank card.¡±


    He answered politely.


    ¡°Young sir, you have to wait for your turn. May I take off your cloak?¡±


    The woman was not surprised, he had seen many rich kids do this. But she was surprised when the boy took off his cloak and he only wore simple clothing. Still, she did not think too much about it and put the cloak in a wardrobe.


    ¡°This way young sir,¡±


    She gestured and offered a couch for Eznho to sit on while waiting for his turn.


    ¡°Would you like a cup of tea, young sir?¡±


    ¡°No, but thanks for the offer,¡± Eznho politely declined.


    .....


    The costumer in the counter was already finalizing her transaction with one of the tellers. Eznho was told by the attendant to get ready so he stood up and at the same time the door opened.


    A tall man in fur cloak came inside and was greeted by an attendant, he removed his cloak and showed his leather armor. He was a city guard, his name was Hans and a loyal subordinate to the city lord.


    Hans looked around and a boy in plain clothing who was standing caught his attention, he could only see the side of his face. Narrowing his eyes, he was trying to remember where he had seen his face. Then an incident four years ago popped up in his my mind.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that?¡± A sneer formed in his mouth while he remembered the scene where a man was kneeling in front of him while begging.


    He mused to himself, basing on his calculation it was not yet time for the boy to come back.


    Eznho started to walk towards the counter when he heard someone shout from his back.


    ¡°Wait!¡± The voice echoed across the hall that caught everybody¡¯s attention.


    They saw who shouted and did not say anything, they were familiar with the man. He was a subordinate of the city lord and once in a while, he comes into the bank to do business transactions on behalf of the city lord. The people inside did not have a good impression on him, all they heard about this guard was him doing dubious things.


    Eznho ignored the shout and continued walking, there were other people inside so it was vague who the shout was intended for.


    Seeing that he was ignored, Hans felt humiliated and became angry then shouted again,


    ¡°Are you deaf? I said wait, you punk!¡±


    Eznho stopped walking, furrowed his brow and turned around. He did not know why the newcomer would make trouble for him. When the man entered, he actually saw him in the corner of his eye but did not particularly care as he had something to do.


    Upon turning around and saw the man¡¯s face clearly, his eyes immediately turned cold and a hint of killing intent permeated but immediately disappeared. To think that not even a week had passed since he got back and he encountered one of the people he hated the most and even thought of killing.

 In Your Face!

    Chapter 19 In Your Face!


    It¡¯s really him.


    Hans was delighted and was confused at the same time when he confirmed his suspicions so he walked forward and went in front of the boy. Eznho just stood without saying anything and looked at the man who was approaching with cold eyes. Everyone inside stopped what they were doing and enjoyed the show.


    ¡°Well, what have we got here? Aren¡¯t you suppose to be inside the mines? You think you can ignore the city lord¡¯s order? Hmph! Let me personally behead you and hang your head on the streets,¡±


    Hans spoke in a domineering manner trying to regain his face then reached out with his left hand and circulated his energy to clutch the boy¡¯s collar and rough him up at the same time.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    To his surprise, what he grabbed was air and the boy was standing a meter from where he originally stood. He couldn¡¯t clearly see how the boy dodged and clenched his fist.


    Hans started to get furious and his face started to redden, he was humiliated again by this boy. Without any warning, he unsheathed his weapon and prepared to attack.


    ¡°Stop! This is not a place of murder mister Hans,¡±


    A clear voice sounded in the hall that made Hans stop his movements. Eznho, on the other hand, did not have any fear in his eyes, instead, he wanted the man to attack first so he had a reason to kill.


    He gained confidence when the guard circulated his energy. Eznho clearly felt that his enemy passed the blood purification stage but something was amiss. There were impurities on his body and his energy control was sluggish. He may be able to beat normal cultivators below him but others who have a solid foundation even with lower cultivation can beat him instead.


    Eznho was not aware that it¡¯s hard for others especially people with no backing to cultivate properly. They only have a crude understanding of the cultivation path and even use the lowest grade of breathing and assistive techniques. That is why even though Hans is far older than him, his cultivation was just at this level and may not even be able to progress anymore.


    A middle-aged man with a clean face and a tidy long black hair was coming down the stairs. His hand was on his back and walked slowly towards Hans with a serious look on his face.


    ¡°Mister Hans, you do know killing is forbidden in this building. Even if you are here on behalf of the city lord, it does not mean you can do anything as you please.¡±


    Hans withdrew his weapon and apologized.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry manager Jim, I was too excited to uphold the law and forgot where I am.¡±


    He calmed down and tried to smoothen things out, what the manager said was the truth. Heck, even if the city lord himself came, he could not openly murder people inside this place.


    ¡°Upholding the law?¡±


    Manager Jim asked, puzzled.


    ¡°To make the story short, this punk here, by the city lord¡¯s decree had to work in the mines for two years and can come back for a one-week break after a year, but there is still a week left before he could come based on my calculations. Which means I have to uphold the city lord¡¯s order and capture this brat to explain himself. Instead of coming in a peaceful manner, he resisted.¡±


    Hans spoke with confidence and felt as if he was delivering justice. Manager Jim slightly furrowed his brow, there was no reason for Hans to make up stories like these and even use his master¡¯s name so it was most likely true and he had the right to take action.


    He looked the young boy who was silently standing there with a clear hostility on his eyes towards Hans.


    ¡°Is this true?¡±


    Eznho did not answer and took out a scroll and handed to the female attendant who in turn brought it to the manager. He was holding himself back, this was not the right time and place. Instead of bickering with words, he directly brought out the scroll to clear out all suspiciouns.


    Upon receiving the scroll, manager Jim saw the city guard captain¡¯s seal.


    ¡°Hmmm?¡± He was a bit surprised and took another look at the boy and opened the scroll.


    After reading the scroll, his face had a mocking smile but did not say anything tossed the scroll to Hans. Looking at the manager¡¯s face, Hans started to feel uncomfortable and caught the scroll. Upon seeing the seal, he had an ugly look on his face and could already guess what was inside.


    The more he read what was written, the more his face became uglier. After reading the content, he had no choice but to accept the truth and tossed the scroll back to the manager. In truth, he was scared of Batista.


    Even though his master had influence around the city and even assigned as the city lord, he was weak himself and did not even cultivate. He only had influence because of money and his background. There were even rumors that he was disowned and tossed into this place.


    ¡°Would you still like to pursue this matter mister Hans?¡± Manager asked with a sly smile.


    Hans felt dejected but did not answer and just found a chair to sit on. He really felt humiliated right now and wanted to go out and dig a hole but he had business to do and could only sit in shame.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Manager Jim walked to Eznho and personally handed out the scroll, he wanted to look at the boy and took note of him. It was rare for people to be associated with the brawny city guard captain.


    ¡°Here you go, sorry for the trouble. Sometimes people don¡¯t know where they stand. May I know this young master¡¯s name?¡±


    ¡°Thank you manager Jim, you can call me Eznho,¡±


    Eznho answered honestly and received the scroll.


    ¡°So it¡¯s young master Eznho, I hope we can have more transactions with you in the future. I would like to chat more but I still have things to do, I¡¯m sorry but I¡¯ll have to excuse myself.¡±


    Manager Jim slightly bowed and did not wait for Eznho¡¯s answer and went back upstairs. Eznho did not think much about it and proceeded to the counter. The crowd went back on their own business but some started whispering which made Hans more irritated and furious but all he could do was stare at the boy with a fierce look.


    .....


    ¡°How may I help you, young sir?¡±


    The teller asked politely after she saw how the manager treated the boy in front of her.


    ¡°I would like to open this bank card,¡±


    Eznho brought out the card and handed it over. The teller did not think much about it and put it on top a rectangular object. A formation activated and golden patterned lines started to form on the cards surface and a golden coin design was imprinted at the middle. After that, she took it back and handed back to Eznho.


    ¡°All done young sir, you can take it now.¡±


    Eznho stared at the cards new look and was amazed. He took it then examined it, then with an embarrassed looked he asked the teller how does it work.


    ¡°Ow, Is it your first time young sir?¡±


    Eznho just nodded in response.


    ¡°Okay, the card you submitted is called a blank card. It has to be authenticated inside a bank for it to become usable for transactions. The blank card contains the information of the person who gave it you and when authenticated by us, we deduct it under his name and transfer the said amount to you. Throughout the years, the banking system has been systematized and all banks use the same system throughout the empire. Every major establishment also uses these cards for transaction. There are three kinds of card, brown, blue and purple. Each color differs on how many gold coins it can contain, your card can hold up to a ten thousand. If you deposit a certain amount of money, the bank will decide if they will give you a card and you can even have your own blank cards as long as you satisfy the requirements. Blue and purple cards require you to reach a certain level in cultivation before you can use it, as for the reason I don¡¯t know. For people who can¡¯t reach that, they have to use a brown card.¡±


    The teller patiently explained while Eznho was becoming more and more amazed.


    What kind of power would you have to reach to make things like this?


    ¡°For you to be able to use a new brown card, you have to let the formation inside the card scan your thumbprint. Try it,¡±


    Enzho did as instructed and put his thumb on the bottom front of the card, a small formation activated and scanned his thumb.


    ¡°Now that is done, others can¡¯s steal and use your card but don¡¯t get too confident, there are still dubious people who can bypass this and can use your card. But of course, why would the bank care about this, they only consider brown cards as chump change so be careful. And one last thing if you want to check how much your card holds, just let it scan your thumb again.¡±


    Eznho was mesmerized and admired the person who thought about this. Especially for non-cultivators, you can just carry small amounts of gold for other transactions and keep the rest inside this small card. He then tried to scan his thumb again to try and check how much gold he owned and was surprised by what appeared and even widened his eyes.


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    Ten thousand! Exactly ten thousand!


    He nearly fell on his butt, this was too much of a shock for him. With this kind of money, He could live in luxury as a mortal for the rest of his life. The teller saw the boy¡¯s reaction and could not help but peak.


    Yiii!


    She was also startled by the amount she saw, no matter how much she worked she will never earn this kind of amount. Smiling wryly, she just accepted it and shook her head, people have their own luck and destiny.


    After calming down, Eznho composed himself and picked up the card then put in his chest pocket.


    ¡°Thank you,¡±


    He bowed to the teller and headed for the door.


    ....


    Hans was coldly observing the boy for the side and was surprised when he caught a glimpse of a bank card.


    ¡°What dog shit luck did this boy stepped on? Not only he was pardoned he even has a lot of money?¡±


    He was gnashing his teeth in jealousy, it took him years of ass kissing the city lord and his son before he was given a bank card.


    Eznho passed by and they gave each other looks of great hostility, if it were another place they would have jumped at each others throat.


    ¡°Hmph! You better make the most out of your remaining days,¡±


    Hans was wracking his mind on how to get back on the boy, he had to do it discretely or else he might invoke Batista¡¯s wrath.


    Eznho retracted his gaze and passed by. The attendant returned his cloak and bowed.


    ¡°We hope to see you again young sir,¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡±


    He nodded and his mood was uplifted after seeing how the attendant treated him.


    ¡°Is this how rich and powerful people live?¡± Eznho mused to himself and the door opened.


    Looking at the white background outside, he could not help but wonder what other things would he discover if he went out of the city and go to other places. What kind of people would he meet? Can he find cultivators who could fly in the sky? Or will he become one someday? Is his father still alive?


    Many thoughts and questions ran through his mind. It has been only a year since he came out of his shell and many things he could not imagine already happened to himself.


    He clenched his fists out of excitement and his blood boiled for the thirst of adventure. But before anything else, he had things to settle first. He took a deep breath and calmed down then took a step outside.


    .....


    On the top floor of the bank, four silhouettes sat in front of a table drinking wine. The place was filled with isolation formations.


    A stern and aged voice broke the silence,


    ¡°Two days ago, there has been a rumor of a golden snake appearing inside the mines and a fight broke out ending with casualties. It was also rumored that two military officers of the kingdom acquired it, according to intel, it was Major Wilky and Major Wilfred. Another report came in that Wilfred is currently at the border with Batista while Wilky has been seen rushing back to their headquarters. As for the reason, we don¡¯t have enough information yet.¡±


    ¡°What? Is it the golden snake of legends?¡±


    Another male with a husky voice blurted in surprise. Everybody here owned a merchant company and was well informed about some things.


    ¡°Won¡¯t that start a war? If that is true, even the imperial capital might get involved.¡±


    An alluring voice of a woman asked.


    ¡°I know, the rumors have been said that it came from Major Floyd of Kalbo kingdom so it is not that reliable. You know their hostility with each other. They even attacked the border without warning and nearly killed Batista¡¯s son that made him went berserk so the other party retreated first. We have yet to receive information from the mercenary groups that have been involved.¡±


    ¡°We still don¡¯t have enough information to confirm anything, the crucial point now is finding the mercenaries and make preparations in case a war really happens. I have a feeling some monsters will come out, I¡¯ll inform everyone if there is an update. Don¡¯t get involved in this yet, let¡¯s watch from the sidelines or else we might get wrecked by the storm.¡±


    The old voice advised everyone and warned them, their group have survived and prospered by playing low-key and did not directly get involved with things. Even if the rumors were true, they wouldn¡¯t dare to touch the hot potato and get burned by it.

 Paying Without Thinking

    Chapter 20 Paying Without Thinking


    Eznho was walking under the snow along the roads of the northern district unaware of the undercurrents happening around him. He was pondering what to buy for his aunt and his big brother now that he has money to spare. While thinking, he was also trying to read the signboards of the shops hoping it would give him ideas.


    ¡°I have no idea what would aunt Minchin like, as for big brother, argh!¡±


    His head was messy while to think of something when he saw a jewelry store.


    ¡°That¡¯s it, women like jewelry,¡± He was delighted and went inside.


    The store was full of all kinds of jewelry - earrings, necklace, rings and with different styles. His mind became blank after seeing so many luxury items.


    ¡°Which one should I pick?¡± He smiled wryly while trying to choose when a lady in her forties came to greet him.


    ¡°Welcome to my shop young fellow, looking for something for a dear lady?¡±


    She smiled amicably with her thick makeup. The smell of strong perfume surrounded her green dress and fur coat that covered her upper torso. Eznho was surprised by the question and immediately denied with embarrassment.


    ¡°Ah? No, no, you are mistaken madam, I am looking something to give to my aunt,¡±


    ¡°No need to deny young man, ahhhh, young love,¡±


    The shop owner teased while trying to make a seductive face.


    What¡¯s wrong with this lady?


    Eznho was a bit creeped out and took a step back as if he was gonna be molested. Looking at the boy¡¯s reaction, the lady was amused.


    ¡°Hoho, no need to be flustered young man. Okay, what do you want to buy for your ¡®aunt¡¯? By the way, you can call me madam Mary.¡±


    ¡°Uhhh, I¡¯m Eznho. I don¡¯t actually know what to buy for her.¡±


    Eznho was weirded by the lady but still tried to behave nicely, he did not really pay attention to what jewelries her aunt wore. Mary pondered and thought of something,


    ¡°Hmmm, let¡¯s see, how about a pearl necklace?¡±


    She suggested and invited Eznho to where the pearl necklaces are. Eznho on the other hand, really no idea what to pick so he just randomly picked a simple but elegant looking pearl necklace.


    ¡°Good choice, are you sure about this?¡±


    Mary did not try to ¡°advise¡± the boy as he immediately picked the most expensive of his pearl necklace collection.


    Eznho just nodded in response.


    ¡°That would be 300 gold coins,¡± Mary stated with a beaming smile.


    The heck? That expensive?


    It had to be known her aunt only gets a couple of gold coins a month as her salary. Eznho could not help but sigh inside how rich people live in luxury while others struggle to find something to eat for a day. The more he discovered the world, the more he learned how beautiful and cruel it was at the same time.


    Too embarrassed to reject, he just swallowed it and tried not to think about it. It is just money anyway, it is nothing compared to his aunt. Finishing the deal, he secured the jewelry box and went on his way.


    ¡°Ai, what a shame I should have told a higher number, who knew he had so much juice in him. Anyways, I need to prepare myself, the others might leave without prior notice.¡±


    Mary saw the disappearing boy outside and shook her head then went on her own business.


    .....


    Back at the top floor of the bank, a communication device lit up and dimmed which made everyone stop what they were doing.


    The aged old voice spoke up with an obvious delight,


    ¡°A new information came in, our informants found traces of golden blood in the forest near the mines. But what puzzled them is that according to their investigation a battle ensued but it was not a large one. They even reported that it was possible that the fight did not involve the magical beast. Basing on the evidence they gathered, there was a high chance that the serpent died in the forest without struggling. The only way to confirm what happened is to find the mercenary captains which would take a little time.¡±


    After relaying the information, everyone became silent. It was true, the only people they could interrogate were the mercenary captains, the other party involved were military officers. He trusted his informants and made his own predictions basing on their reports.


    ¡°Ai, it seems somebody else was involved in this. Unless the beast died while fleeing?¡±


    He shook his head while thinking about it, the furrowed his brow.


    ¡°Impossible, a magical beast is a beast after all and would never go down without a fight. The only possibility would be that it did not have the chance to attack. Whatever, we can only know the truth after the mercenary captains are found. Many eyes are starting to pry in this matter, let us just wait and see what happens next.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    The other three just sat there in silence indicating their approval.


    .....


    Eznho, on the other hand, made a decision on what he would give to his big brother and went inside a weapon shop. The store was filled with random things but they were mostly weapons of different kinds and materials.


    A robust middle-aged man with a scar on his cheek came to greet him with great enthusiasm.


    ¡°Hello there young man, my name is Brad, how may I able to assist you? what are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°Uhmmm...¡± Eznho was overwhelmed with the man¡¯s enthusiasm and his series of questions.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for a weapon, a sword,¡±


    ¡°Hmmm? aren¡¯t you too young for weapons?¡±


    Brad was skeptical, yes, cultivators started when they were young but inside Sin city, almost no kids of the younger practiced cultivation. After all, this city was just like a pit stop for merchants and travelers.


    ¡°Uhmmm, it¡¯s for my big brother, a gift,¡± Eznho answered honestly.


    ¡°Hah! So that¡¯s how it is, you are right in time. I have new stocks and most of them I made myself.¡±


    Brad said with a proud face and showed Eznho his goods. There were ten swords of different sizes and designs made from different materials.


    Eznho was weighing his options, he wanted the best for his big brother but according to his short experience, treasures can get a person killed. So he wanted to pick a good sword with a decent price that would not attract too much attention.


    Looking at the boy¡¯s reaction, Brad immediately introduced his sword.


    He picked a greatsword, the blade was a meter long it was thick and half a foot wide.


    ¡°This greatsword was forged by me using precious metals, it can break armors easily and crush the enemy¡¯s bone. I name it Bone Crusher!¡±


    Brad announced with head held high as if showing a newly born prince to his people. Eznho was amused but did not like the sword it would be too bulky and heavy for his big brother.


    Looking at the boy¡¯s unmoved demeanor, he picked a smaller sword. It was also a meter long sword but it was thin and only an inch wide.


    ¡°This baby right here was born after delicately forging it for a week, I had to be careful with her you know. But don¡¯t be fooled by her appearance. She can cut you without knowing you were hurt and would only feel it after and pierce your heart with gracefulness you would smile dying like an idiot, behold the ever beautiful sword, Woman¡¯s Tongue!¡±


    Brad was like on the stage with glistening stars around him while caressing the like it was his lover filled with emotions.


    The heck?


    Eznho nearly vomited blood looking at this man like he was performing in an opera. Looking at the boy¡¯s reaction, Brad was disgruntled.


    ¡°Hmph! You are a naive boy, you still have never tasted a woman¡¯s love and betrayal.¡±


    He carefully put down the sword like a man putting down his lover on top of the bed.


    What is this guy talking about? Eznho thought to himself.


    ¡°What a pity you don¡¯t know anything about the beauty of weapons, let me tell you this. A weapon is your companion, it will never betray you and never leave you, unlike people. Hmph!¡±


    This man is crazy. Eznho once again met a weird shop owner, ¡°are they all like this?¡± he thought inwardly.


    Brad then took out another sword, it was also a meter long but it was two inches wide. It was made from a standard metal used in the army but it was in a better condition and quality. After all, he forged it with pride.


    ¡°If you pick this, your brother will smile even on his dreams. I call him Gentleman¡¯s Persistence, don¡¯t be fooled by his name. It can penetrate anything and make every cut bleed and never make it heal, it will always bleed at least every month. Mwahahaha.¡±


    Brad was laughing while introducing his sword with a burning passion in his eyes.


    I have to get out of here. Eznho thought that the man was crazy but when he saw the sword his eyes lit up. Judging by its look, it was like an ordinary sword but with his sharp senses, he could see that its quality was better than the average sword.


    He could not wait any longer to get out of this shop,


    ¡°How much?¡±


    Brad was overjoyed when Eznho showed interest,


    ¡°Hmmm? Good, I thought you were blind, because I can see that you are a man of culture as well, I¡¯ll give it for eight hundred gold coins instead of a thousand.¡±


    Eznho was in a daze and his jaw dropped,


    A weapon cost that much? Then he thought about the dagger that his big brother bought for him. In the end, money is just money so he just bought it straight up.


    Brad was in a good mood after receiving the money he never thought the boy would buy it and not even tried to bargain.


    ¡°I should have said a thousand damn, I underestimated him.¡± He thought to himself.


    ¡°My name is Brad, I am the best blacksmith in the city. You can come back here if you need more weapons and I can give you a discount. Is there anything else you need?¡±


    He introduced and boasted and did not even care about the boy¡¯s name.


    Eznho was about to say goodbye when he thought about something,


    ¡°Actually I need something, do you happen to have a map of the kingdom?¡±


    ¡°A map?¡±


    Brad was disappointed when Eznho asked about a map but to leave a good impression so he went in front of a wooden chest filled with dust and opened it with a creaking sound.


    Cough! cough!


    Dust invaded his airways while he tried to find the map within the pile of random things.


    ¡°Aha! Found it!¡± Brad shouted as he took out an old scroll with small tears on the edges.


    ¡°Here you go lad, I¡¯ll give it to you as a bonus. It¡¯s not that detailed but it shows a vague map around the kingdom and its neighbors. I used to be an adventurer like you but then I took an arrow to the heart.¡±


    Brad held his chest as if remembering something then handed it to Eznho as a sign of goodwill but in truth, the map can be bought for just a gold as it was only a general map with no specific details.


    What¡¯s wrong with him? Eznho thought while listening to the man¡¯s nonsensical words.


    ¡°Uhmmm, okay thanks, and goodbye.¡±


    Eznho hurriedly received the scroll without even looking at it with the box that contained the sword and scurried away.


    ¡°Ai, the energy of youth, thanks for your patronage boy,¡± He was grinning while remembering his successful transaction.


    .....


    Eznho was nearing the gate leading out of the district, with a rectangular box hanging on his shoulder with a strap. He was quite happy and was excited to present his gifts. He did not think much about the gold he spent when suddenly a random memory came popping in regarding his big brother¡¯s advice about haggling.


    ¡°Wait a minute, have I been duped?¡±


    He smiled helplessly when he thought about it, many things have been running through his mind and just paid what the shop owners told him, but at the same time even if he did haggle, he did not have any idea how much those items should really be bought for.


    In this matter, Eznho was not at fault. His experience outside the world was just so little, maybe his big brother¡¯s advice was true, being a good talker has a lot of benefits.


    ¡°Lesson learned I guess, I¡¯ll be careful next time,¡±


    He breathed out a helpless sigh and shook his head, nothing can be done about it. If he wants to learn the way the world works, he has to experience it himself. There are things he has yet to learn. He closed his eyes and calmed down, when he opened them again, his eyes looked more mature brimming with excitement. Tilting his head, he took one last look at the area and went back to the inn.

 Hot!

    Chapter 21 Hot!


    Arriving at the inn, Eznho put down what he was carrying and took a bath then started to practice cultivation. A lot has changed inside his body after completing the Tiger Chasing the Wind. His skin, flesh and bones contained hints of heavenly energy that nourished them, they were tougher and can cause damage to others even without covering it with energy. As a cultivator advances in his cultivation, his body also upgrades. Although there is a difference when compared to body enhancers, a cultivators body still has its own advantages.


    Checking his dantian, the heavenly energy stored became more significantly abundant and thicker. As long as he practiced cultivation, his stored energy will slowly increase and will have a qualitative and quantitative change as long as he made breakthroughs in the future.


    Retracting his consciousness, he was pondering what to do about his blood and marrow purification. A chant has been imprinted on his memory but it will take a long time to finish if he will only rely on it. If this was before, he would not mind the time but a nagging feeling of uneasiness has been scratching him. Especially when the old man was acting weird and seemed to be running from something or someone.


    He saw the jar in the corner and pondered,


    ¡°The smelly old man¡¯s cultivation seems to be pretty high, what kind of favor would he ask me?¡±


    He was having a conflict whether to owe the old man a favor or not, although he had money, it was still risky to buy a beast blood by himself especially that he had no experience. After thinking further, he decided to open the jar and would deal with the consequences in the future.


    Standing in front of the jar, he let a droplet fall into the cover.


    Buzz


    A light hum came from the cover then a circular formation lit up made with runes that Eznho could not understand then it dimmed out. He lifted the lid with ease and made a small opening, a thin golden mist came out of the hole bringing a fragrant smell.


    The sweet honey smell piqued his curiosity and fully opened it, the jar was nearly full with a golden liquid.


    ¡°Is this a beast blood?¡±


    Eznho was curious, what kind of beast would have a golden blood? He guessed it this way because according to his acquired knowledge, only a beast blood can be used to assist the cultivator in blood and marrow purification.


    He already opened the jar so might as well go all the way.


    ¡°Here goes nothing,¡±


    He took a sip and the taste of blood did not come, instead, it tasted like honey but when he gulped it down it was like hell.


    Arrgg!


    He nearly shouted due to the sudden burning pain, sweat started to come out of his pores in volume. His body was starting to redden like he was being cooked, the pain was unbearable and he clutched his stomach while rolling on the floor trying to find a way to ease the pain.


    He felt like his blood was boiling inside a volcano ready to erupt any minute.


    Blerrgh!


    Black blood came out of his mouth after half an hour of agonizing pain. He continued to lay on the floor, his room was filled with stench while his body was soaked in sweat along with impurities.


    ¡°Haa, Haa, that was nasty, I bet the old man is laughing right now,¡± he was gasping for breath. It was like he just crawled out from hell after an intense struggle and could not even move a muscle.


    .....


    In a faraway place, the smell of blood permeated the air, a dozen of dried up bodies laid on the ground with gruesome wounds. Their limbs were twisted like a cloth being squeezed to remove water, the agony could still be seen on their face. The blood of the corpses evaporated from the body then turned into a mist and was being absorbed by a flower. An old man was walking towards the flower, the color of the five petals was blood red.


    ¡°Finally I can harvest you Blood Flower, two more to go.¡±


    Wounds covered him but it did not matter as long as he got what he needed. Luring the enemies here to nourish the flower was not an easy feat. He was preparing to leave before more people came when he felt something.


    ¡°Hmmm? You owe me one sissy, I might need that one day, so don¡¯t die before that. I hope you like the surprise, hahaha.¡±


    He could not help but laugh while imagining the boy agonizing in pain.


    Old man Dan planted a seed with uncertain value but what he did not know is that this seed will have a big impact on his life in the future.


    .....


    Three days have passed since Eznho¡¯s first encounter with the golden blood, he looked disheveled and exhausted inside his room. He was like a homeless man that just got out of a dumpster, a foul smell filled the room. The owner even came in because the other occupants were starting to complain so he had to pay extra for the additional cleaning.


    Looking at the jar, a slight fear could be seen in his eyes, even though there were great improvements on his blood and marrow, the price he had to pay was to experience an unimaginable pain of being cooked alive. Only a tenth of the total amount was reduced during this past three days. Heavenly energy surrounded him once he started to practice his breathing technique, this was a testament to how good his foundation is.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Ahhh, this feels great,¡±


    Eznho was overjoyed despite the hell-like experience, his strength obviously has increased yet again. After a couple of hours, his energy was replenished and started to pack his things. Tomorrow, he would go back home and reunite with the people he deeply cared about.


    .....


    A day earlier at the border, inside the captain¡¯s tent, two people were talking while looking at a map. It was Wilfred and Batista, the captain was a big burly man with a fierce and stern face. His hair was cleanly shaved just like his face, an aura of a war veteran surrounded him which made others look at him with fear and respect.


    ¡°How much time do you reckon Wilky needs before he reaches and comes back with support?¡±


    Batista asked with a serious face, the enemies are already pressuring them too much.


    ¡°Ai, I think he will reach the headquarters within two weeks or possibly earlier if he will use teleportation, and the trip back would depend on who will come back with him. If we are lucky and Colonel Anders is not busy, he can come personally and end this farce Floyd has made. The worst would be, they will just give a decree and Wilky will have to travel again by himself. It all depends on his ability to talk. Just sending a message won¡¯t do any good, it would be hard to convince them without evidence. The golden serpent is, after all, a nearly extinct beast and not many people have the knowledge about it. Luckily, Wilky somehow stumbled on this information, even I don¡¯t know what it was at first before he told me. But basing on Floyd¡¯s reaction, he also knows about it, what a bummer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry brother, I can¡¯t just move my unit unless there is an order from the top. You know how it is unless I will become a colonel.¡±


    Wilfred explained with an apologetic and helpless face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry brother, I understand, you don¡¯t have to explain anything. I also know you are doing this for my sake. We will just have to defend and wait, but one of our spies reported that Colonel James just arrived at Blackstone city yesterday. Personally, I don¡¯t know why he would be involved, it is not just worth it. The goods are gone and he can¡¯t do anything about it, did he hit his head or something?¡± Batista patted Wilfred¡¯s shoulder while reassuring him.


    ¡°I can¡¯t understand either, maybe Floyd tempted him with something. Brother, I suggest you evacuate your family out of the city just to be sure, you know how underhanded Floyd can get.¡±


    Batista¡¯s eyes suddenly filled with killing intent,


    ¡°You are right, that bastard will do anything just to achieve his goals. I¡¯ll order right away someone to go inform them and I am sure that that useless fat ass city lord will get the wind of it. Might as well directly inform him so they can travel together to increase the number of guards. The roads are filled with bandits these days, damn that Floyd. If not because of his actions, our casualties would not reach a high number and we would not be in this situation.¡±


    Wilfred stayed silent, these number of casualties are nothing in the army but his brother now commands only a few hundred and was not a member of the military force of the kingdom anymore. Normally, Batista just protects the city due to his injuries and not the border but because of the gold mine, he had to help defend the border because they are close to it. But even so, casualties would only be minimal, but due to Floyd¡¯s persistent attacks, it continued to increase every day.


    ¡°We can¡¯t do anything for now but to continue defending, by the way how¡¯s the young man who saved your son?¡±


    Batista calmed down a little after hearing his brother¡¯s question. About a week earlier, the opposing kingdom suddenly launched a heavy attack that caught them off-guard. Whether it was coincidence or not, his son was on patrol with another guard. An arrow flew in the air aiming for his son but his companion pushed him taking the hit on his chest. His companion was not a cultivator so he was badly injured. Until now, he was still unconscious.


    ¡°Ow about that, I found out his name was Martin and he is here because that fatso ordered a decree for him to serve at the border for two years. I investigated why and it turns out Martin along with a young boy bumped with the little fatso on the southern city road. My daughter intervened so the little fatso waited for a while to exact his vengeance. Martin was sent here and the young boy in the mines, what a nasty plan. Regarding the boy, Randolf canceled the decree due to his contributions and he went home a week ago. I already made a decree for Martin but he has yet to wake up, although the doctor said he¡¯s showing signs of fully waking up and maybe will regain consciousness tomorrow. I am still thinking on how to repay him, he saved my only son after all.¡±


    .....


    Blackstone city, it was a city somewhat similar with Sin city due to its location. North was also where influential people resided, inside a grandly decorated courtyard, Floyd was standing in the main hall with a military posture. He was reporting to a man who was sitting in the master¡¯s chair, only a silhouette can be seen but Floyd felt that a beast was staring at him making him nervous.


    ¡°Colonel, as I have said in the message, it is possible that the core was taken by the Wilky and Wilfred while we were still away. I reported only to you as soon as I could, there may be no signs of a struggle but who knows, the beast was heavenly injured and had to sacrifice his vitality just to escape from us. I acted fast and planned on injuring Batista¡¯s son and take him as a hostage but due to unforeseen circumstances, my men failed. We may not get the core but we can pressure them by using Batista. If we can take one of his kids, he will surely beg unto his brothers. With that, we can trade them for the body parts of the golden snake.¡±


    The man seated in front was silent for a while, only Floyd¡¯s nervous breathing could be heard.


    ¡°Floyd, are you telling me, you made me come to this wretched place because of mere speculations and tell me that I have to use underhanded against weaker opponents? You disappoint me.¡±


    The voice was not loud but a pressure came with it making the temperature rise by several degrees. Floyd was profusely sweating, he may scheme against others but in front of an overwhelming power, he was helpless.


    ¡°Colonel, that¡¯s not what I meant, I will do the dirty job, all I need is your support. Think about it sir, even if you can¡¯t get the core, the golden serpent¡¯s body parts are still highly valuable due to their rarity. If you give me your support, I can make my move and go to Sin city and pay a visit to Batista¡¯s family.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, Floyd, I don¡¯t know what has gotten into you to become this desperate. Fine, whatever, do what you want, if you can obtain a body part, I¡¯ll think about recommending you. Many eyes are prying on this matter, once the mercenary captains involved are located, the others will make a move.¡±


    A mocking laugh reverberated around the hall.


    ¡°But, if you cannot show any result and made me come here for nothing, you will owe me one favor, regardless of what I ask you will have to do it. Don¡¯t worry I won¡¯t make you kill yourself.  Do I make myself clear?¡±


    Floyd gritted his teeth and accepted, he had no choice. When he contacted the colonel, he already predicted this kind of thing happening but for the sake of his goals, he made a gamble. He could do this on his own but it was too risky without any support from a big shadow. Apart from gaining a supporter if he succeeded, he can also take this chance to inflict pain on his hated enemies.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry sir, I already instructed my elite force to track them down and silence them as soon as I got back. Just give them a bit more time, sir.¡±


    ¡°Good, you may go.¡± The Colonel waved his hand.


    ¡°Thank you, Colonel.¡±


    Floyd saluted and went out.


    ¡°Interesting, let¡¯s see if one of my old friends will come out. I have had no action in years.¡±


    The silhouette mused to himself.

 No Place Like Home

    Chapter 22 No Place Like Home


    Eznho departed from the inn early in the morning with a horse cart in tow going back to Fragrant Pavilion. Nothing much has changed since he left a year ago. He stopped by a familiar place, the place where they bumped into the fatty kid and the little ¡®blue¡¯ girl.


    Taking a deep breath, he continued forward until a familiar view came into his sight, the place where he grew up. The roof was covered in snow, but besides that and drunk people coming out of the door, the place was the same as he remembered.


    A smile hung on his face, he felt better now that he was in a familiar place away from violence and killing. Following a route, he went straight at the back and unloaded his things. Although he was excited, he did not go to his aunt as he knew it was her resting time. Opening his bedroom, he brought in his things and went straight to his bed.


    ¡°Ahh, nothing feels better than sleeping in your own bed.¡±


    He was smiling and actually fell asleep until noon.


    .....


    Minchin for the past year has been busying herself at work to get her mind off about Eznho¡¯s situation. She tried her best to stay positive that his little Ez will come back. Judging by the days, Eznho would come back within this week which made her more excited and at the same nervous that nobody would show up. She did the same routine as she previously did and went home after work. It was already noon when she woke up and started to prepare lunch when a knock on the door was heard.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± she could not help but ask, it was rare for people to visit her but nobody answered.


    She walked towards the door and slowly opened it, when she saw who knocked she froze for a couple of seconds with wide eyes before coming back to reality.


    ¡°Little Ez!¡± She shouted with excitement and hugged Eznho tightly that made it hard for him to breath.


    ¡°I can¡¯t breath,¡± Eznho struggled to say.


    ¡°Ow, sorry little Ez, I got too excited,¡± Aunt Minchin was full of smiles while her eyes started to moisten then let go of Eznho while inspecting him.


    ¡°Look at you you¡¯ve grown taller again.¡±


    Physically, there was not much difference since they last met, he was just a bit tad taller. What was more discerning was the change in his demeanor, compared to his silent and childlike attitude before, he looked more matured now as if he had experienced many things in life. She was surprised but did not linger on it, what was more important was his little Ez came back to her at last.


    ¡°Come in, little Ez. You surprised me, when did you come back?¡±


    She asked with enthusiasm and even forgot about her lunch.


    ¡°A few days ago but I had to do something first and just got home this morning.¡±


    Eznho replied with an apologetic smile.


    ¡°Hmph! You¡¯ve got more important things other than me? Is it a girl?¡±


    Minchin harrumph trying to act angry while teasing him. Eznho felt guilty and immediately thought about something to ease her aunt¡¯s ranting and took out the jewelry box.


    ¡°I got something for you Aunt,¡±


    Minchin was surprised when she saw the jewelry box with an exquisite design, she was a lady after all and knew that an expensive item was inside. She narrowed her eyes with suspicion.


    ¡°Little Ez, did become a thief?¡±


    Eznho smile wryly after hearing her aunts inquiry.


    ¡°Of course not aunt, I bought it with my own money you see,¡±


    Minchin was still a little skeptical but received the box and was further taken aback with what she saw inside.


    ¡°Are these real pearls? They¡¯re beautiful!¡±


    Eznho felt joy inside and kept on smiling while looking at her aunt¡¯s excited face.


    ¡°Wait a minute little Ez, are you sure you used your own money? These pearls are expensive and can only be bought in the northern district. Even if you have the money you can¡¯t easily go inside and out the district without proof of wealth or backing.¡±


    She became more suspicious, one had to know even she herself had only entered the district once and could only look at the jewelry sold there with envy. Her most valuable jewelry was only worth a few gold coins.


    ¡°Okay aunt, let me clear my name and tell you what happened while I was away...¡± Eznho wanted to clear his aunt''s suspicions and started narrating his adventures but omitted things like him being poisoned, the ominous gray flame he encountered, his cultivation, the attempted assassination and the like. He did not want to make her aunt worry to death especially now that he planned to take his revenge.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    ¡°That happened? Wow...¡± Minchin, on the other hand, could not help but be surprised and even laughed when Eznho mentioned the smelly old man. What startled her the most was the time when Eznho found lots of gold and got paid with a bank card that contains thousands of gold.


    ¡°Hmmm, so just because you got rich, you wasted it already?¡± She teased.


    ¡°No, no, Aunt, I just wanted to buy something nice for you and big brother,¡± Eznho tried to explain.


    ¡°Just kidding little Ez,¡± Minchin¡¯s eyes started to moisten again and hugged him tightly. She was truly happy and wanted to savor the moment and thought about the boy¡¯s mother.


    ¡°Mirna, your little boy is growing up already.¡±


    .....


    It was already evening but both of them continued to chat non-stop, it was also a surprise for Minchin that Eznho can hold a conversation this long which made her glad. She was wearing the pearl necklace which complemented her beauty.


    ¡°Speaking of the devil, why hasn¡¯t that Martin showed up yet?¡±


    Minchin mentioned while they were sipping tea.


    ¡°I am wondering about that too aunt, but I am sure he will come sooner or later.¡±


    Eznho answered with a positive outlook.


    .....


    Inside the one of the military¡¯s medical tent, Martin was lying in bed unconscious with a bandage wrapped around his chest. The old doctor and Captain Batista were standing beside the bed.


    ¡°He regained consciousness a few times for a few seconds before falling back into a coma again. I am positive he will regain consciousness soon but I am not sure how long. Based on my examinations, he is not in danger anymore although his heart was wounded. I had to treat him carefully because he does not cultivate and had to dilute the medicines so his body can absorb it slowly.¡±


    The old doctor looked exhausted but still tried to explain as much as he can.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave him to you now captain, I have to attend to the others.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, doctor Liu, as long as he¡¯s out of death¡¯s door that would be enough.¡±


    Batista expressed his thanks to the doctor and took a seat while waiting for Martin to regain his consciousness.


    An hour has passed and Martin started to move his eyes then slowly opened them. He was in the same room as he was in when he was in and out of consciousness. He tried to hold onto it and started to adjust his vision. Medicinal aroma entered his nose that made him more comfortable and he even tried to get up.


    ¡°Arghh!¡±


    An unbearable pain came from his chest that made him almost lapse back into losing his consciousness. He started sweating bullets due to the pain when he heard a voice beside him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself, Martin, just try to relax and do not move recklessly. Your internal wound hasn¡¯t healed yet.¡±


    Batista tried his best to show an amicable smile despite his stern face. Martin started to clear his head and relaxed then spoke slowly.


    ¡°Captain, how long have I been out?¡±


    ¡°Almost a week since the incident, I haven¡¯t properly thanked you yet. My son is patrolling so he¡¯ll come later. Thank you for risking your life and saving my only son, I will never forget this debt.¡±


    Batista sincerely bowed despite the huge difference in status and rank.


    ¡°Just doing my job sir, no need to do that.¡±


    Martin was embarrassed but could not do anything but to accept the gesture. Batista regained his posture and started to inform Martin.


    ¡°I know your circumstances and I am officially canceling that shameless fatso¡¯s decree but I hope you continue to work for me in the future. The city needs more men like you, I can transfer you from the military to the city guard should you choose to.¡±


    Martin was delighted and grinned.


    ¡°Thank you, captain, I¡¯ll think about it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nothing compared to what you¡¯ve done. As much as I would like to transport you back to the city, I am shorthanded right now and cannot spare any personnel to escort you. You probably have to spend more time here before you can travel. I know it''s supposed to be your break but my hands are really tied right now. This is supposed to be confidential but out of consideration, I will tell you.¡±


    Batista spoke with a serious face.


    ¡°The border clashes have been escalating and casualties have risen. The enemy has been relentless and it will take time before reinforcements will come that is why the city is quite in a peril. There may be a chance that the fight will be moved back towards the city that is why I already informed my family back home to evacuate just in case.¡±


    Batista also knew that his enemy is extremely shameless and might even take people as hostages especially people close to him.


    ¡°They have already moved out together with the city lord, I planned to inform you about it but you were unconscious so I had to wait. If you want to inform your relatives to evacuate, you can tell me and I¡¯ll send a messenger. I must advise you that evacuation is not necessarily safe, bandits may attack them so they have to move with other people. You make your decision if you want your relatives to stay or want them to evacuate.¡±


    Martin was in a dilemma when he heard the captain, he was deeply worried about Eznho and Miss Minchin.


    Wait, how is Eznho?


    He suddenly got worried and blurted out a question without thinking.


    ¡°Captain, did little Ez made it back alive?¡±


    ¡°Little Ez?¡±


    Batista was confused but remembered something.


    ¡°You mean the boy that was sent to the mines? He was already pardoned by my subordinate and I was informed he already went back to the city and even made a big contribution.¡±


    Martin felt relieved but still could not decide what to do. If Miss Minchin and Eznho stayed and the fight will involve the city, they may be exposed to danger but at the same time, if they evacuate, there were bandits that they have to watch out for. He was frowning and made up his mind.


    ¡°Captain, can I send a letter to them?¡±


    ¡°Sure, that¡¯s no big deal I¡¯ll get a pen and paper.¡±


    Martin felt awkward when the captain became his writer on his stead.


    .....


    Blackstone city.


    Floyd was standing in the same hall like the previous time to state his report.


    ¡°Sir, my subordinates found the captains and they confirmed that the core was already missing when they found the golden serpent.  Also, Batista¡¯s family at Sin City already evacuated.¡±


    The man sitting in front suddenly opened his eyes that were like a burning lava, bright and blazing hot.


    ¡°Hmph, so what¡¯s the point of me being here then? Are you ready to accept your punishment?¡±


    The temperature started to rise and despite his cultivation being the element of ice, Floyd started to sweat.


    ¡°I still have a backup plan sir, just support me when the time comes and I assure you, you will get something out of it. But I still need to wait for Wilky to come back for the plan to work. According to the reports, he is already near their headquarters.¡±


    Floyd still tried to hold on to hope.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll wait but this is the last straw. Nobody can save you if you fuck this up. Just inform me when the time comes and stop disturbing me if you have nothing important to report. Dismissed.¡±


    ¡°Sir!¡±


    Floyd saluted and departed. A subordinate was waiting for him outside.


    ¡°Contact Hanya and tell him I have a job for him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡±


    His subordinate saluted and immediately went on his way.


    Floyd was left standing with a sinister smile.


    ¡°I have another surprise for you, my dear friend Batista,¡±

 Face so Thick it Pushed me One Kilometer Away

    Chapter 23 Face so Thick it Pushed me One Kilometer Away


    A few days earlier at the city lord¡¯s residence.


    Hans arrived at the entrance and was permitted entry by the other guards. They were familiar with him as he was one of the city lord¡¯s lap dogs. He entered and made his way to the study room and opened a secret door with stairs leading to a basement.


    Having been here many times, he walked downwards in a calm manner. After a while, he reached a hallway filled with locked doors on each side. Whimpers and silent cries of children could be heard from inside the doors. He got used to this scenario and headed straight to the door at the end of the hallway and knocked.


    Knock! Knock!


    ¡°Come in,¡±


    A lewd-sounding male voice came from the inside, it sounded like someone who was doing obscene things. Hans slowly opened the door, the room was dimly lit by lamps and candles along with a strong smell of perfume. There was not much inside, only tables filled with fruits, food and wine. The most eye-catching was the large bed at the middle carved with exquisite designs and obviously made from expensive materials. Only shadows could be seen inside the bed due to the silhouette curtains.


    The shadows were shaped like a fat man sitting while two smaller shadows were beside him. The fat shadow even sounded like he was enjoying the pleasures of life.


    ¡°How did it go?¡± A voice came from the shadow.


    ¡°My lord, the merchant alliance said they will not loan anymore unless you pay at least half of what you owe them,¡±


    Hans spoke truthfully.


    ¡°Damn them all! Who do they think they are? Damn this wretched place and damn that old fogey who exiled me just because of a little mistake! Fuck! I¡¯ll take what¡¯s rightfully mine one day make them all pay.¡±


    The man inside the bed was furious and strangled one of the small shadows out of anger. The other shadow started to whimper and slowly distanced itself.


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Pak!


    A loud resounding slap was heard and a naked little girl around the age of eight fell down from the bed. Hans, on the other hand, watched with indifferent eyes, he was used to this kind of situations.


    ¡°Hans, dispose of them all and make sure not to leave any evidence. We are leaving with that bastard Batista¡¯s family and head to Red Sparrow city. Although I don¡¯t have to leave, I have some business to attend there so might as well go and make this as an excuse to the old man.¡±


    He commanded and threw out the other little girl on the floor but she was not breathing anymore.


    ¡°As you command my lord, by the way, the little boy you commanded to the mines came back and he was even pardoned under Captain Batista¡¯s name,¡±


    ¡°Tsk! Who cares about those flies? You want me to spend my time dealing with those shit? Prioritize our preparation to leave and go inform my son, I trust you know what to do right?¡±


    He felt more irritated when Batista interfered with his business.


    ¡°Yes my lord, I¡¯ll prepare everything.¡±


    Hans acknowledged and went out the door.


    ¡°Just you wait you brainless brawn, you have always been a thorn in my side, always interfering with my business. I¡¯ll have my chance one day, just you wait.¡±


    The fat shadow mumbled while he filled a cup with wine.


    .....


    There were three military headquarters of the Carson Kingdom lead by three generals supported by their colonels and other subordinates. General Jakolito Lapid was one of them and he was the commander of Major Wilky and the others.


    He earned his reputation in the battlefield because of his straightforwardness and fighting style of going head to head with his enemies. It was even rumored that a slash of his great sword can take hundreds of his enemies lives. He does not normally show himself in public unless there is a war or other major events and leave the menial task to his subordinates.


    Colonel Sanders was one of his subordinates and was tasked with supervising the headquarters. He was currently standing on his office balcony and was waiting for Wilky. Excitement could be seen on his face, he was informed by Wilky through the message talisman that they found a golden serpent and was on his way to show his proof.


    It is not that he does not believe his subordinate, but he is too busy right now and cannot travel so Wilky has to come personally. Especially that they are speaking about a legendary beast.


    .....


    Wilky has been traveling non-stop for almost two weeks now, he could have shortened it by a lot but the usage of teleportation portal uses too many resources and he cannot just request it as he wishes unless there was a military order he could present to the city lord of Red Sparrow city.


    The city, the sects, the military and other organizations inside the kingdom have distinct jurisdictions and almost does not overlap each other unless there was a war or other major events. For example, the city guards have a higher authority inside the city than the military especially at major cities like Red Sparrow city. Cities like this have teleportation portals but cannot be used casually.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°I¡¯m so tired already, argh! Damn the bastard Floyd messing things up. I really want to rip him to pieces. I hope colonel is available so I¡¯ll have a more relaxed journey going back.¡±


    Wilky grumbled while he was dashing through the forest with a fast speed that only left blurs.


    ¡°Nearly there,¡±


    He stopped on top of a tree while looking at the green scenery in front of him. After taking a deep breath, he jumped and continued on his way.


    .....


    The sky was painted with red-orange color when he reached the headquarters. The headquarters was located in a grassy plain beside a river. It was like a city on it''s own with walls built around the buildings and surrounded by thousands of tents. The only difference was that more than ninety percent of the population was composed of soldiers. The others were merchants, servants and the like.


    ¡°Phew! At last,¡±


    Wilky wiped the sweat from his forehead and entered the gate,


    ¡°Sir!¡± The guards saluted.


    ¡°As you were,¡± Wilky responded and immediately went to the colonel¡¯s office.


    The colonel¡¯s office was located in the middle section of the city and was one of the tallest building. The tallest infrastructure was located in the middle, the general¡¯s residence. Without permission or invitation, one cannot enter it.


    ¡°I¡¯m at my courtyard,¡±


    A message entered Wilky¡¯s mind. As long as a cultivator can spread his soul sense, he can send messages through it as long as the person is within the range. Wilky did not tarry and went at the back of the building. A courtyard was located there with tons of medicinal plants. The guards opened the door when he came and went straight inside.


    A man with a long black hair wearing a simple garment was tending to the medicinal flowers. Some of the medicinal plants were even rare that it was hard to acquire without spending a large sum of money. Wilky was not surprised by this scenery as he has been here a few times.


    ¡°Colonel, good evening,¡± He saluted.


    The man stood up and face him, he had an average look but you cannot miss his deep blue eyes and the aura he radiated was not that of a military man. His aura was peaceful and calm like the water.


    ¡°Wilky, what took you so long? Quickly show me.¡±


    Opposite his calm appearance, he could not wait and did not care about pleasantries.


    ¡°Colonel, could you at least feed me? I haven¡¯t eaten for days.¡±


    Wilky spoke with a pitiful voice while trying to show a teary eye.


    ¡°Wilky oh Wilky, I¡¯m sorry could you repeat that?¡±


    Colonel Sanders replied with a smile but that smile sent shivers down on Wilky¡¯s spine. He immediately took off his ring and gave it to the demon in front of him. He was one of the people who knew how demonic this calm and peaceful person could become if he was pissed.


    ¡°Hmmm?¡± Colonel Sander¡¯s was exhilarated and sent his consciousness inside the ring but was utterly surprised by what he saw.


    It was a legit golden serpent but the core is missing and only a fourth of its blood remains although the marrows were still intact. Aside from that, an eye was missing.


    ¡°Wilky! What is the meaning of this?¡± Veins popped on his forehead.


    ¡°Well you see colonel, the core was already missing when we found the body...¡± Wilky immediately summarized what happened.


    ¡°Hmmm, it seems somebody was already watching before you even got there. But what about the blood and the missing eye?¡± He interrogated.


    ¡°Colonel, some of the blood was already missing together with the core and as for the eye and the rest of the blood, well you know colonel, a hard working man must be paid for his efforts.¡±


    Wilky replied as like it was just a trivial matter.


    ¡°Whatever, I won¡¯t bicker with you about that, you were the one who found it anyways.¡±


    The colonel rolled his eyes and was already numb to Wilky¡¯s shamelessness.


    ¡°That¡¯s the colonel I know,¡± Wilky grinned in reply.


    .....


    Both of them were sipping tea under a pavilion at the center of a pond inside the courtyard.


    ¡°So, Wilky why are you in a rush?¡±


    Sanders broke the silence.


    ¡°Well we both know the golden serpent is a very hot potato and I don¡¯t wanna hold it and get burned,¡± Wilky answered casually.


    ¡°You have a point.¡± The colonel nodded.


    ¡°Aside from submitting the serpent, and of course and gain some merit, ahem. I need your help colonel. My original plan was to swear an oath that I did not really take the core and even if we did I would have given it to my brother you know.¡± Wilky grinned.


    ¡°Floyd could not take his loss apparently and even besieged the border that nearly injured or even killed brother Batista¡¯s son. The last message I received was that they even suspect that Colonel James has involved himself. My theory is that Floyd offered something regarding the golden serpent and seeks colonel James¡¯ support. I am afraid he will involve brother Batista¡¯s family, I know how shameless that bastard can be. I beg you colonel, please assist me and declare it to them that the golden serpent is already in your hands so that they can stop harassing my brother.¡±


    Wilky gritted his teeth while pleading.


    ¡°Hmmm, your theory is pretty much close to mine. Let me see,¡±


    Colonel Sanders pondered and was thinking of a solution. Wilky continued sipping his tea but could not hide his nervousness. If the colonel could come, that would be the best scenario.


    ¡°Wait here, go rest and I¡¯ll inform you tomorrow,¡±


    The colonel spoke after some thinking and walked towards the main hall.


    ¡°Thank you, colonel,¡±


    Wilky bowed and left.


    .....


    Wilky woke up early and was waiting outside the colonel¡¯s residence and was granted entry later on and went to the main hall.


    ¡°Good morning colonel, how is it?¡±


    The colonel was sitting in the master¡¯s seat with a blue robe.


    ¡°I offered the body of the golden serpent to the general and explained everything. He did not mind that you took all of the blood and both of its eyes.¡±


    The colonel spoke with a straight face without a trace of shame.


    ¡°The heck? This shameless old man,¡±


    Wilky was taken aback and could not believe that his superior would destroy his reputation to the general.


    ¡°Well, he was in a good mood, apparently, he needed those materials so he gave me a decree and allowed me to come with you and settle things at the border.¡±


    What? A decree from the general?


    Wilky was stunned, a general¡¯s decree was heavy. It was almost as heavy as the decree of the king and apart from that, the colonel will travel with him. It was even far better than what he had imagined.


    ¡°He also promised to reward all the people involved,¡±


    The colonel was also elated when the general promised things to him.


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡±


    Wilky could not contain his happiness and his face was like a flower in full bloom.


    ¡°Okay, enough of that, let¡¯s go immediately.¡±


    Sanders was disgusted when he saw Wilky¡¯s face.


    They were at the open space of the courtyard when Sanders waved his hand and five-meter wide carpet with complicated designs floated in front of them. He jumped in and assumed a sitting position.


    ¡°You wanna walk?¡± He spoke with a proud tone when he saw that Wilky was not moving.


    ¡°Uh?¡± Wilky jolted back to reality.


    A spirit rank flying vessel!


    It would be his first time riding one, he was elated and immediately jumped in.


    ¡°Hee Haw!¡± He shouted out of excitement.


    Colonel Sanders ignored him and activated the flying vessel and they headed back to the eastern border.

 Treasures are Forever

    Chapter 24 Treasures are Forever


    Information about the appearance of the golden serpent has been slowly spreading around the kingdom and the surrounding areas but no solid proof has been shown. The people directly involved has been tight-lipped about it and the search for the mercenary captains has been going on since the first outbreak of the information.


    Sin City, on the top floor of the Merchant Bank in the northern district. The same four people were gathered for a meeting.


    ¡°I have received the latest news from our investigators, we were too late. The captains have already died when they found them. My bet is that Floyd was the one who did it, I suppose the rumors are true but we can¡¯t do anything about it now. I came to this conclusion because I have been informed that Colonel Sanders left the military headquarters with Wilky. There is no way the colonel is leaving his post unless an important event has occurred and without his superior¡¯s permission.¡±


    The old man spoke with a hint of disappointment and envy.


    ¡°All we can do now is just watch from the sidelines, we can¡¯t involve ourselves anymore. This is considered a military matter and might even involve the old monsters of the military.¡±


    His voice was filled with fear and respect when he thought about the movers and shakers of the military.


    .....


    Eznho, on the other hand, was innocent about the events that were happening around him. Aside from chatting with his aunt, he did not neglect his cultivation and has been persistent about it while waiting for his big brother at the same time. He was wondering why his big brother has not arrived yet and started to feel uneasy but still tried to think positively.


    Morning arrived when a messenger from the military arrived at the Fragrant Pavilion looking for Eznho. This made Eznho become more nervous,


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He wondered.


    ¡°Are you Eznho?¡± The young soldier asked right away.


    ¡°Yes,¡±


    Ezhno answered and did not have the time to ask a question.


    ¡°I have a letter for you from Martin,¡±


    The soldier had a tone of respect when he mentioned Martin, everyone at the border knew what he did.


    ¡°Uhmm, okay, where is he?¡± Eznho inquired.


    ¡°For the time being he cannot come home, I believe he has explained it in his letter. If there is nothing else, I have to go back,¡±


    The soldier got back on his horse and intended to gallop away.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Eznho blurted out in a hurry.


    ¡°Could you wait for a moment please, I have something for him. Could you deliver it to him?¡±


    ¡°Okay, sure kid.¡± The soldier halted and waited patiently.


    Eznho immediately dashed in a hurry towards his room which surprised the soldier, the boy¡¯s speed was unbelievable for his age. A few minutes later, Eznho came back with a long rectangular wooden case.


    ¡°Here, I hope it¡¯s not a bother you,¡± He politely handed over the case.


    ¡°Hmmm? No big deal, if there is nothing else, I really have to go.¡±


    The soldier had a rough idea of what the case contains but did not dwell on it and went on his way back to the border.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Eznho bowed sincerely towards the soldier who was leaving.


    He furrowed his brows and the uneasy feeling became heavier and looked at the letter in his hand.


    .....


    Eznho could not wait any longer and went back to his room and opened the letter.


    Little Ez,


    I¡¯m sorry I could not fulfill my promise of having a reunion with you after a year. I heard you did well in the mines, good job! As for me, I am still alive and kicking. The border has been chaotic lately and we are understaffed so I need to stay for a longer period of time than intended. The captain said I can go back after the chaos subsides...


    He continued reading the letter that contained his big brother¡¯s experiences. A smile hung on his face but he knew there was more to it than this letter. Although that was his suspicion he did not mind it much as long as his big brother is alive. When he got to the last part of the letter, he was stuck in a dilemma.


    Due to the intensity of the conflict, the captain said that the city might get involved in the fight. Not everybody is informed, most of the northern district have evacuated according to him. He advised me to tell you that you evacuate to avoid being dragged into the conflict. I do not have the right to decide for you and Miss Minchin. Although there is still a risk of getting attacked by bandits during evacuation so if you decide to do so, you better go along with other people like traveling merchants. I am sorry I cannot help you at the moment, take care little Ez. I hope we all come out safely out of this predicament. See you soon little brother.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    After reading the letter, Eznho was overwhelmed by the information. He had no idea that the conflict at the border was intense and suddenly thought about old man Dan out of the blue.


    Did that smelly old man do something?


    It doesn¡¯t matter anymore, what was more important was to inform his aunt.


    .....


    Miss Minchin was in a deep thought after reading the letter that was sent by Martin.


    ¡°What do you think little Ez?¡±


    ¡°I also don¡¯t know aunt,¡± Eznho answered in a conflicted manner, he was truly in a dilemma.


    ¡°No wonder manager Tang said he had a business to take care and would not be back for at least a month.¡±


    Minchin remembered when manager Tang spoke to her about his temporary leave and his eyes were conflicted, like he wanted to say something but could not.


    ¡°Sigh, this is kinda hard isn¡¯t it little Ez, Martin does not make it any easier. I think we should check out first if there are merchants or travelers that would depart these coming days and we will decide after, any thoughts?¡±


    Minchi felt helpless but was also thankful for Martin¡¯s information.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s a great idea aunt, I¡¯ll go check it out and inform you later.¡± Eznho volunteered.


    ¡°Okay, that would be for the best little Ez,¡±


    .....


    Eznho finished his investigations that same day and informed his aunt.


    ¡°I asked around and there is a caravan headed for Red Sparrow City tomorrow morning. According to the leader, we have to pay three gold coins each.¡±


    ¡°That much? Is he robbing us blind?¡± Minchin was a little flustered with the amount they are asking.


    ¡°Well, he said he hired a dozen mercenaries to guard us and that is more than enough to take us to Red Sparrow city safely and he said ¡®take it or leave it¡¯.¡±


    Eznho answered nonchalantly, to be honest, he did not care about the payment as he has a lot of gold to spare.


    ¡°Well, he has a point though,¡± Minchin was debating with herself if what should she do next.


    ¡°Okay, basing on the information, it¡¯s relatively safe to travel. Hmmm, let¡¯s just consider it as a form of vacation shall we?¡±


    She spoke as if trying to comfort Eznho.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go pack my things now, he said to be there before sunrise if we plan to travel with them.¡± Eznho reminded and left.


    .....


    The morning chill whistled while carrying snowflakes that traveled around Sin city. A simple horse carriage was waiting in front of the Fragrant pavilion which was bought by Eznho the other day.


    Minchin was surprised upon seeing it but did not comment and understood Eznho¡¯s intentions that made her smile. They were both wrapped in thick clothing, after arranging their stuff inside the carriage and waving goodbye to the others they set off to the western gate with Eznho acting as the carriage driver.


    Upon arriving at the gate, a caravan was waiting, one horse carriage and a few carts filled with goods. There was a dozen of mercenaries carrying different weapons on horsebacks and the others looked like servants.


    Eznho tried to have a feel of everyone and when his eyes set on the carriage driver, he felt a pressure that weighed down on him. The driver was muscular and his choice of clothing was that of beast hides. His hair was brown which was a little messy with a length up to his shoulders. Sensing someone was looking at him he tilted his head and saw Eznho.


    What Eznho saw was a pair of fierce eyes that were like a beast staring at him.


    Halo Stage?


    Eznho had no idea what Halo stage cultivators were like but he had a feeling that the man he was looking at was one of them. The man lost interest and retracted his gaze.


    ¡°Hey kid, You have to pay first you know.¡±


    A voice came from inside the carriage, the door slowly opened and a man came out. His long hair was tied in a bun, he was a little short with a bulging stomach like a typical merchant. His eyes twinkled like gold while looking at Eznho.


    Eznho couldn¡¯t be bothered and got down from the carriage and handed his payment.


    ¡°Good kid, my name is Rio and that carriage driver is my personal guard, Dugsol.¡± The merchant was delighted and spoke as if they knew each other.


    ¡°My name is Eznho and my aunt Minchin is inside the carriage,¡± Enzho answered out of politeness and went back to their carriage.


    ¡°Okay then, let¡¯s go, time waits for fo no man.¡± He ordered and went back inside his carriage.


    .....


    At the border, while Martin was still healing, Batista and Wilfred were talking inside the commander''s tent.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Batista had ugly look on his face.


    ¡°The scouts informed us that Floyd managed to assemble a group of soldiers and mercenaries numbering from a thousand to two thousand. They are already marching towards us and will be here within a day. We have no choice but to evacuate and use the city as our base.¡±


    His worst fear has come, the city was his home after all and did want the citizens to suffer.


    ¡°Brother, just endure for the moment, the Colonel messaged me himself and told me that he and Wilky are on their way to help us sort things out. We just have to defend for two weeks at most.¡±


    Wilfred tried to comfort Batista.


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s great, okay I¡¯ll immediately order an evacuation.¡±


    The soldiers at the border were bewildered after hearing the news that over a thousand of enemies were coming. When the evacuation was announced, they did not think twice and packed their stuff. They knew that defending using the city walls were better than fighting in the open.


    .....


    The messenger was surprised when he saw that the camp was buzzing with activity and seemed like everybody was packing. He repressed his curiosity and went straight to the medical tent.


    ¡°I have sent the letter and the boy gave me something to pass on to you,¡± He brought out the wooden case and handed it to Martin.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Martin slowly rose to bed and assumed a sitting position. After regaining consciousness, it was easier for the doctor to cure him.


    ¡°Ow, there was an order of evacuation. Enemies are coming in huge numbers and we will be annihilated if we stay here. You better go pack your things too.¡±


    ¡°Ah? Okay thank you for informing me, I better go now.¡± The soldier was startled then bowed and left in a hurry.


    Martin waited until the soldier went and caressed the wooden case.


    ¡°Little Ez,¡± he mumbled and slowly lifted the cover.


    He was amazed at what he saw, it was a sword, a fine looking sword and the scabbard was designed in a simple and unique way. The sword was like the ones issued in the military but there was something about it that made it different. You could see that the blacksmith really put in a lot of effort into it due to it¡¯s higher quality.


    ¡°Thank you little Ez, stay safe,¡±


    A smile broke on his lonely face and looked at the direction of the city. He lied down again while holding the sword atop his chest like it was his most valuable treasure.

 Vantage Point

    Chapter 25 Vantage Point


    The merchant caravan has been traveling for two days now, the journey so far had been safe. They passed by farming villages and small towns on their way. There were occasional attacks from beasts but has been easily dispatched by the mercenaries. Bandit activities have been nil so far and they have five days more to travel. They already entered the Hummingbird forest, which spanned for hundreds of kilometer. This place was where most of the killings occur.


    There were multiple roads available to cross the forest, the shortest and most dangerous was directly crossing the forest on a straight path which was only tens of kilometer from the middle where the strong beasts reside. Only a handful of merchants and travelers traverse this path. Most of them use routes that avoided that area, the farther the road was from the middle, the safer it was. The group chose a road that was nearing the edge of the forest, it was practically a safe route basing on their fighting power.


    The sky was turning dark when the group prepared to camp again as usual in a forest clearing beside the road. Bonfire was started to ease the evening chill that seeped through their bones. Once the fire was started, the aroma of food being cooked lingered around the camp.


    There was little to no contact at all between Eznho and the group which was also up to his satisfaction. After dinner, there were casual chats before everyone went to sleep and the mercenaries took turns on their night watch.


    ¡°Good night aunt Minchin,¡± Eznho gestured before going into his own tent.


    ¡°Good night little Ez,¡± Minchin replied and called it a day.


    Eznho did not neglect his cultivation and continued to drink beast blood and practiced the Heaven-Seizing Breathing technique at the same time. He already drank one-fifth of the blood and somewhat got used to the pain which also tempered his will and determination.


    .....


    Howl of beasts could be heard echoing throughout the forest under the bright full moon while snow continued to fall. Embers from the bonfire were crackling while it struggled to maintain its dying heat.


    The mercenaries on night watch were yawning, there have been no signs of attack since evening. Unknown to them, five pairs of eyes were staring at them from a distance, looking at them as if they were lambs ready to be devoured.


    One particular set of eyes were like the eyes of an eagle, he was the scout.


    ¡°How is it brother Agila?¡± A nearly inaudible sound asked.


    ¡°So far, after tracking and observing them for two days, they only have one Halo cultivator. The others, we can take care of them as long as we use our cards right.¡± Agila replied in a confident voice.


    Another voice spoke which sounded like their leader basing on his commanding tone.


    ¡°Alright, the magical grade crossbows that boss lent to us will be of good use for this mission. It will be more than enough to threaten him, as long as we do not insist on killing the merchant himself, I am sure they will abandon the caravan. Although the most important goods are held by that cultivator, the rest have still value. The boss has a big raid to do and even invited the Red Skull bandits to join him. This mission has been given to us as a test so we must prove ourselves. Our focus is to make the cultivator flee and the loot will be ours, as for the others, you know what to do. We should finish our mission as fast as possible and wait for the boss¡¯ victorious return.¡± A vicious glint shone from his eyes.


    He understood how these merchants think, as long as you do not force them on a cliff and give them an escape route, they will take it.


    There was no need to answer as everyone understood the meaning. Five shadows jumped from the darkness going towards the caravan¡¯s campsite.


    .....


    ¡°Man, I¡¯m so sleepy. Why the need for three people to stand guard?¡± One of the young mercenaries grumbled with sleepy eyes.


    ¡°Shut up Miller and do your job properly, you¡¯ll never know when bandits or beasts attack. This is your first mission so you have no idea how brut....¡±


    Xiu!


    He suddenly stopped talking with eyes wide open. Miller was annoyed by the lecture but his sleepiness suddenly vanished when an arrowed pierced his comrade¡¯s head.


    ¡°E....!¡±


    Xiu! Xiu!


    Before he could shout, two more arrows came from the dark without warning piercing him and the other mercenary that was not far from him. Unwillingness filled his eyes, it was his first mission. He had so many plans in life, but alas, not everyone gets to achieve their dreams. All he could do in the last second of his life was imagine himself living in luxury, then the world went dark.


    ¡°Enemies!¡±


    The first to react was Dugsol and his shout reverberated throughout the camp startling everyone awake. He spread his soul sense but could not detect anyone within a thirty-meter range. The mercenaries immediately reacted and did not panic due to their experiences.


    Xiu! Xiu! Xiu! Xiu! Woosh!


    But upon exiting their tents, four arrows came flying targeting four people while another one went for Dugsol. This was not an arrow but a bolt from a crossbow made from special materials.


    ¡°Ahh!¡±


    ¡°Arrrgghh!The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Two of the mercenaries died immediately while screaming, one was seriously injured and the remaining one was able to dodge on time.


    After sensing that the bolt was faster and had more power, Dugsol¡¯s pupils shrunk and circulated his energy. A faint white energy surrounded him while making hand movements then stomped his foot which made the land surrounding him tremble.


    Earth Wall!


    A thick and solid earthen wall the size of a regular door rose from the ground in front of him. The bolt came with great momentum directly piercing the wall but its speed was cut in half after exiting on the other side.


    ¡°Hmmm?¡± Dugsol was startled but immediately circulated his energy on his palm and swatted the bolt away from him.


    ¡°Damn, is that a magical grade crossbow?¡± His face was ugly and brought out a circular metal shield and a machete from his spatial pouch.


    ¡°Dugsol, how is it?¡± Rio inquired nervously behind him.


    ¡°Stay behind me, the enemy is hiding in the dark, my estimate is that there is just five of them. They seem to have a magical grade crossbow but I can manage.¡± He replied with a serious face, magical grade weapons were not easily acquired for the likes of him. He only had one and it was his metal shield.


    Another volley of arrows came but only managed to kill one of the mercenaries who countered an attack by blindly attacking where the arrows came from with their own bows and arrows.


    Two bolts suddenly came for Dugsol instead of one,


    ¡°Bastards!¡± He had no choice but to directly confront the two bolts using his shield.


    Clang! Bang!


    The air seemed to vibrate while sparks flew and he was forced five steps backward.


    ¡°Piece of shits!¡± Being forced back by weaker enemies relying on magical weapons made him furious. He poured his energy on the machete and threw it to where one of the bolts came from.


    ¡°Ack!¡± A gurgling sound came from the nearby trees.


    ¡°Bastard!¡± A shout came from the dark with fury.


    Dugsol felt good and brought out his last remaining machete. The exchange of attacks continued between the mercenaries and the enemies in the dark. Using their numerical advantage, some of them rushed towards the enemy¡¯s possible locations.


    Woosh! Woosh!


    Two more bolts came whistling towards Dugsol¡¯s position but to his surprise, the other bolt came from the side targeting the merchant.


    Shit!


    He threw his machete towards the bolt aiming for him and stepped sideways barely making the bolt going for Rio graze his shield which made it divert it¡¯s trajectory.


    Before he could react, two more bolts came aiming for both of them at the same time.


    Motherfuckers!


    He could not help but curse, their enemies were nasty.


    Gritting his teeth, he made another earth wall to protect the merchant but this time it was two times thicker than the first one which was able to barely stop the attack. At the same time, he forcefully blocked the other bolt.


    ¡°Run!¡±


    Dugsol immediately made a decision and picked up the merchant and carried him on his shoulder then dashed into the night, his and the merchant¡¯s safety was the priority. After all, the most valuable goods that could be stored in the spatial pouch was with him. If they stayed any longer, they had a high chance of dying and he already used over half of his energy. He was just at the Halo stage after all and using elemental techniques utilizes a lot of his stored energy and the worst was he was just defending and was not able to properly attack.


    .....


    On the enemies side, their plan was to use only one magical grade crossbow out of the two they had. Although it was powerful, it uses resources that were too luxurious for them to casually use and they have limited numbers of it.


    But when they attacked, they discovered that the enemy was a defensive type cultivator and even knew an earth elemental defensive technique which was out of their expectation, it was rare for Halo cultivators to have one. They had no choice but to use both crossbows but they were in for another surprise, the enemy was actually able to counter-attack and it came too sudden. Even though they had the advantage of ambush, none of them were Halo cultivators so the machete easily found it¡¯s target.


    Out of fury, they started to attack the merchant to pressure Dugsol. Their enemies were already closing in despite killing half of them so they had to force Dugsol back or they would have to retreat.


    After a series of attacks, they finally managed to make the halo cultivator retreat and they started to fight with the mercenaries head-on.


    Chaotic noises of fighting echoed around and the stench of blood started to fill the air. The fight did not last long, due to their accumulated experiences, the bandits won but out of the original five members, two died and one was injured.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± The leader was furious, the result was far off from their original plan.


    ¡°Argh! Dying is a part of our job, let¡¯s just hope the goods are worth the losses,¡± He calmed after a while, this sort of things happened from time to time, it was not new to them.


    ¡°Ahhhhhhhh!¡±


    A shout filled with fury and hatred startled them which raised their guard. They determined where it came from and it was one of the tents, after listening carefully, it was a boy¡¯s shout.


    ¡°It must be that boy who drives the carriage,¡± Agila spoke with difficulty. He was the one who was injured, an arrow struck his leg and his left hand had a bad cut.


    ¡°Tsk! Bob, go silence him,¡± the leader was irritated and ordered one of his chubby companion.


    ¡°With pleasure,¡± Bob answered with a sinister smile and walked towards the tent with his dagger.


    .....


    From Eznho¡¯s point of view.


    He was soundly asleep when he heard something that woke him up, then a shout came after.


    ¡°Enemies!¡±


    He heard Dugsol¡¯s shout that startled him and immediately went out of his tent then was overwhelmed with what he saw. Arrows were coming from the dark targetting the mercenaries and Dugsol. What particularly piqued his interest was how Dugsol managed to block the enemy¡¯s attack.


    It was his first time witnessing such a scene of chaos, while he was watching with shocked eyes, a bolt came towards him which was deflected by Dugsol using his shield. The bolt was somewhat slower but still had considerable speed, with Eznho¡¯s agility, he easily dodged it and continued to watch. There was a faint excitement that was starting to rise inside him which is why his concentration was towards the men fighting.


    ¡°Ughh!¡± A light grunt came from behind him.


    Oh no!


    After hearing that sound, cold sweats started to come out of his pores and his face paled. He felt like he was starting to have a nightmare and did not want to think of something.


    Please! No!


    He was pleading inside and slowly turned his head as if he there was a monster behind. When his vision finally landed on Minchin¡¯s tent, his heart raced like a horse running for his life.


    A leg could be seen exposed outside of Minchin¡¯s tent,


    No!


    Eznho screamed on his mind and immediately dashed towards the tent and opened it. What he saw made his world stop, Minchin was lying in a pool of blood. When he saw what caused it, he had the urge to rip out his own heart due to self-hatred and agony.


    The bolt he dodged earlier pierced Minchin¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Aunt!¡± He shouted and kneeled down and held her in his arms. She was barely conscious and her eyes slowly focused on Eznho. Despite the pain, she did her best to smile and held out his hand to touch his face. She tried to speak but no sound came out.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry aunt, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry...¡± He could not control himself and started to sob uncontrollably.


    Seeing Eznho like this, Minchin tried to maintain her consciousness and put her finger on Eznho¡¯s lips but despite her determination, she already lost too much blood. Her hand slowly fell and lost consciousness.


    ¡°Nooo!¡± Eznho was flustered, out of panic and a confused mind, he pulled out the bolt which caused more bleeding that made him more anxious lost his focus. Out of frustration, he brought out the medicines he had on him and poured it on the wound and even attempted to make her drink some of it.


    Her breathing became shallower and looked like she was going to die at a moments notice. Eznho did not know what to do and vented out everything with a shout.


    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhh!¡±

 Knowledge is Power

    Chapter 26 Knowledge is Power


    The clouds started to cover the moon which made the night darker that brought an eerie feeling. Beasts were howling non-stop as if agitated by something and started to follow the scent of blood.


    Bob was walking leisurely towards the tent where the shout came from while the other two started to loot.


    ¡°Hey, kid, shut the fuck up or I¡¯ll skin you alive,¡±


    He threatened while slashing the front of the tent and exposing Eznho who was mumbling while still trying to force the medicines to Minchin.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? How pitiful,¡± He smirked and wanted to poke Eznho¡¯s head with his dagger.


    ¡°I said shut up kid! Or I¡¯ll...¡±


    His dagger was about reach when Eznho suddenly turned around showing a frightening face. It was not the face of a boy, what he saw was the twisted face of hatred and self-loathing which was even complimented by the darkness of the night making it look more sinister. The most frightening part was the pair of eyes, the way Eznho looked at him made him feel like he was going to be sucked deep into the abyss and wander for eternity in the dark.


    Despite his experiences that was filled with killings, the face he saw tonight was the most frightening one and he could not deny the fact that it gave him chills.


    Ssshhh!


    Before he could regain his composure, a soft slashing sound was heard accompanied by a small white arc.


    ¡°You...Gluurrgghh!¡±


    Blood gushed out from his neck and mouth before he could even say the second word. His eyes became wide, he could not believe that the boy in front of him could attack him that quick. Feeling the life flowing out of him, he dropped his dagger and used both of his hands to cover his neck then started to walk backward trying to call the attention of his companions.


    ¡°Hmmm?¡±


    Agila was the first one to notice something, he could see Bob walking backward awkwardly who looked towards their direction while reaching out his hand. He narrowed his eyes trying to focus then his eyes were filled shock when Bob fell down with a thud.


    The sound of someone falling also caught the attention of their team leader. At the same time, the clouds parted and the moon illuminated the place showing Bob dying the snow red with his own blood.


    ¡°What?¡± Both of them were stunned, never could have they anticipated of such a scenario happening.


    Was someone else hiding inside?


    This question popped into their heads, but before they could act, the boy they were expecting to be killed came out of slowly from the tent. Both of them raised their guard and prepared for a fight.


    The boy¡¯s head and shoulder were down like he had no energy at all, both of his hands were holding a dagger. One of which was Bob¡¯s. He slowly turned his head looking at their direction, under the moonlights illumination, his face now was much calmer but his eyes had a cold look which was slowly filling up with killing intent. He put on a creepy smile then heavenly energy filled his left hand and both feet.


    Woossshh!


    Without any warning, he threw the dagger aiming for Kelly, the team leader, and immediately dashed after it.


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Kelly smirked and circulated his energy towards his fist which was covered with an elementary grade glove artifact.


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    He shouted then met the incoming dagger with a punch.


    Crack!


    The dagger actually cracked and broke into several pieces, but before he could make another attack a shadow passed by him going straight for the wounded Agila who was rushing to reload his crossbow.


    They did not expect the boy¡¯s speed to be this fast, Agila finished reloading and aimed for the boy but to his surprise, the boy was already in front of him and actually grabbed the front of the crossbow making the bolt¡¯s protruding tip pierce his palm through and through.


    ¡°Are you mad?¡± He could not help but exclaim with shock.


    He wanted to pull the trigger but a cold glint was actually coming fast towards him aiming for his neck giving him no choice but to leap backward. Without any pause, Eznho pulled out the crossbow stuck on his hand and turned around to Kelly who was preparing to attack him and aimed the crossbow.


    Whoosh!


    Kelly¡¯s pupil shrank and his spine tingled.


    Shit!


    He knew how deadly and fast these crossbows were, before Eznho could pull the trigger, he immediately leaned to his right making the shot miss his heart and hit his shoulder joint instead, making his left hand immobile which was a good trade instead of his life. Lucky for him the speed of the crossbow was reduced due to the absence of the spirit stone.


    ¡°Bastard!¡± He was really furious, the situation was going from worse to worst.


    Ezhno ignored him and went after the wounded Agila who was frantically trying to get away as far as possible but was being slowed by his wounds. After all, he was not suited for close combat, his job was to scout and attack from a distance with the crossbow, without it he was like a tiger with no teeth.


    Eznho was emotionless while in pursuit and threw his other dagger aiming for the leg.


    Swoosh!


    ¡°Ahhh!¡± It came too sudden and Agila could not evade in time, making him roll over the snow a few times.


    Eznho caught up with him immediately and pulled out the dagger while twisting it making Agila scream in agony.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Kelly shouted who was still seconds far from them, he could not reload his crossbow now that his left hand was useless.


    ¡°Ahhhhhhhh!¡±


    Eznho did not care and without further ado, he stabbed Agila multiple times making blood and flesh splatter all over him making him scream again and again until his voice became hoarse. Agila¡¯s body was now mangled so bad, it looked like a beast had mauled him. Despair and agony was still painted on his face when he daparted for the yellow springs.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Kelly stopped on his track after seeing such a scene.


    ¡°Monster!¡±


    He blurted out with fear, the boy in front of him was like a demon spawn from hell. Aside from the indifferent cold eyes, the boy even looked like a devil with blood and flesh all over him.


    Run!


    His primal instinct to survive started to scream inside his mind.


    ¡°Fuck it!¡±


    The most important thing, for now, was to survive, punishment for his mission¡¯s failure was light compared to dying. He started to back up and planned to dash away.


    Swoosh!


    Before he could start his escape another dagger came flying towards him.


    Damn it!


    He cursed and stepped sideways then formed a chopping motion using his palm and slashed it diagonally cutting the dagger in two. Without any hesitation, he started to run for his dear life without looking back. Eznho on the other just stood there with no intention to pursue. He stood there like a statue for a while and slowly walked back towards the tent.


    Halfway through, he stepped on the dagger that was given to him by Martin, he picked it up but half of the blade was missing. His eyes did not show any emotion and continued on his way and entered the tent.


    .....


    A few moments after Kelly¡¯s group was dashing towards the campsite to ambush the caravan, a flying vessel with the shape of a wooden boat was flying by above the clouds with a man sitting on it.


    ¡°Hmmm?¡±


    His senses were sharp and immediately stopped his vessel and looked down below.


    ¡°Interesting, let¡¯s watch a show for a bit.¡±


    Out of boredom because of traveling for days, he wanted to entertain himself and descended a hundred meters above the ground. But nobody could see him due to his vessel¡¯s concealment formation.


    ¡°Hmmm?¡±


    He was about to leave when a dense killing intent full of hatred rose from the boy inside the tent. With his cultivation, he could see everything that happened but he did not care, such events were normal for him, it was the law of the jungle.


    ¡°What do we have here?¡±


    His interest was suddenly stoked when the boy took action, every detail was watched by him until the time Kelly dashed away.


    ¡°Well done kid, although it was done without your awareness.¡±


    He stored his flying vessel and descended on his own.


    The ability to fly!


    If Kelly or Dugsol saw this scene they would be scared out of their wits. The ability to walk on air will only be possible at the Dao Formation Stage.


    Dao Formation stage, within the kingdom, there were less than a hundred of them, maybe not even fifty. They were revered by many cultivators, Dao Formation Stage cultivators have already started to form their own path. Only a few people can achieve such feats after proving their dao by surviving the first tribulation from the heavens.


    He softly landed on the snow-filled ground and slowly walked towards the tent where Eznho was. Due to the cut Bob made earlier, he could see Eznho still trying to force medicines on Minchin and shook his head.


    ¡°Tsk, what a stubborn and stupid kid,¡±


    ¡°Hey, kid! Stop it or you¡¯ll kill her with overdose,¡± he spoke with a masculine voice but it landed on deaf ears.


    He walked and got closer to Eznho and wanted to pat Eznho¡¯s shoulder but was met with an attack just like Bob.


    ¡°Easy boy, why so serious?¡±


    He easily dodged and leaped backward effortlessly.


    Eznho coldly looked at him and immediately launched a forward attack but when he was about a meter from the man he suddenly stopped mid-air, the space around him froze. He desperately struggled but it was futile, which made him more berserk making his eyes turn red.


    ¡°Wake up!¡± The man spoke with irritation and slapped the boy hard.


    Pak!


    A resounding slap was heard and Eznho was sent tumbling and rolled on the ground that made snow fly around.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Eznho slowly stood up and blood trickled from his mouth while his cheek was burning red.


    He suddenly felt dizzy and swayed for a bit before regaining balance. His eyes started to have clarity unlike before, what he saw when his vision cleared up were dead bodies with different facial expressions and some even were not intact.


    ¡°Ah?¡± Memories suddenly came flooding back to him but the last thing he remembered was him trying to save his aunt Minchin.


    Aunt!


    He suddenly remembered and even did not even notice the man standing a distance away from him and rushed towards the tent.


    ¡°Aunt!¡± He exclaimed with worry and tried to hold her.


    ¡°Stop it, kid, do you want her to die?¡± a voice suddenly came from behind.


    ¡°Ah?¡± Ezhno was surprised and turned around.


    ¡°Who are you mister? What happened?¡± He asked curiously but was on guard, he was unfamiliar with this man.


    ¡°Stop wasting my time kid, your aunt is barely clinging on to her life.¡± The man replied with indifference.


    ¡°What?¡± Eznho became more anxious and tried again to touch Minchin.


    ¡°Are you really dumb? Ah! Whatever, good luck kid,¡± He was irritated and started to walk away.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Eznho called out and rushed in front of the man.


    ¡°Can you please help my aunt?¡± He pleaded.


    ¡°What¡¯s in it for me?¡± The man replied with a crafty tone.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do anything,¡±


    ¡°What can you do? You¡¯re so weak.¡± The man spoke in a mocking tone.


    Eznho started to get anxious and thought of something then dashed to his tent and came back with the jar of blood in tow.


    ¡°I can trade you for this if it is not enough I can pay you in the future.¡±


    Eznho was desperate and would even tell about the gray flame he found if he had a way to show it but sadly it suddenly disappeared without a trace.


    ¡°And here,¡± He showed the golden ring from his father and the pouch from the old even though he had no idea what they are worth, he did not care. What was more important was his aunt. Only her and Martin were the two people dearest to him aside from his mother, no treasure can exceed their value.


    ¡°Hmmm? Interesting,¡± The man was actually surprised by the things the boy showed him and showed a mysterious smile.


    ¡°Okay kid, I don¡¯t want those but what I need from you is information.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll tell you anything.¡± Eznho hurriedly replied, what¡¯s the value of information compared to his aunt.


    ¡°Where did the ring, the spacial pouch and the blood came from?¡± The man asked.


    Eznho was surprised because the man knew what was inside the jar before he even showed it but he immediately composed himself.


    Spatial Pouch?


    It was his first time hearing such a term but he did not linger on it.


    ¡°The ring was left behind by my father and the pouch and blood came from a smelly old man, I met him...¡±


    He summarized his encounter with the old man.


    ¡°Hahaha, how amusing,¡± The man laughed with delight, one of his mission was actually related to the rumored golden serpent. This information was quite valuable and was most likely related to it.


    ¡°Okay, who taught you cultivation?¡±


    ¡°Uhmmm, old man Dan gave me some pointers but...¡± he hesitated for a moment and was about to continue when he was interrupted.


    ¡°That¡¯s your own destiny kid, no need to inform me.¡± The man spoke with dignity and went inside the tent.


    ¡°Tsk, what kind of ignorance is this,¡± He mocked and circulated his energy onto his palm and placed it on top of the wound.


    The wound was visibly closing and Minchin was stabilizing, after that, he brought out a liquid medicine then gently poured it into her mouth and guided it going inside with his energy.


    ¡°Okay, all done all she needs is to rest for at least two weeks. Next time, don¡¯t force medicine to people who do not cultivate, their bodies are far weaker than us.¡± He stood up and walked and was ready to depart.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, thank you, mister, may I know your name? So I can repay you in the future.¡±


    Eznho bowed and asked.


    ¡°My name? You are not yet qualified to know it. If you want to get stronger and know my name, find me at Red Sparrow City. I¡¯ll wait for a month, find me at the Batawa restaurant if you are interested. I am not forcing you kid, this is just an appetizer if you want to continue cultivating. I¡¯ll give you an advice kid, never let your emotion control you, you are lucky your enemies this time were weak. Who knows, maybe next time you would not be. One more thing, I suggest you don¡¯t go back to Sin city, chaos is descending there.¡±


    The man spoke seriously, but what he said was true, if his enemies were stronger and smarter, they could have easily killed Eznho. Lucky for him, they were exhausted from their previous battle.


    As he was about to leave, beastly growls were heard and countless pairs of eyes were staring at them from the dark.


    ¡°Hmph! A bunch of mice trying to intimidate a lion?¡± He snorted and let out a suffocating aura that even made Eznho suffocate. Beast cries that sounded like puppies being bullied were heard and all the eyes disappeared. Every living creature within a kilometer fled in terror.


    Such Strength!


    Eznho exclaimed inside then clenched his fist and his eyes started to fill with determination.


    The mysterios man waved his hand and the boat appeared then stepped on it.


    ¡°See you kid,¡± A bottle of medicine came out of nowhere and was tossed towards Eznho.


    Eznho caught it out of reflex and raised his head as the mysterious man disappeared in the night sky. He calmed down after a while and looked towards the direction of Sin City and could not help but worry.


    ¡°Stay safe big brother,¡± He muttered and went inside the tent.

 Chapter 27 Siege

    Chapter 27 Siege


    The mysterious man was atop the boat sailing through the night clouds but the wind and snow could not enter the boat¡¯s premises.


    ¡°What an interesting kid, he even has a connection with that infamous cult. He will have a hard time in the future if people will know about this, let¡¯s just leave it up to fate. He seems to have quite a destiny in him, let¡¯s give him a few more test to see how far he can go in the future.¡±


    He was pondering on things and at the same time summarizing all the information he obtained.


    ¡°Basing on all the information I gathered, that old man Dan the kid was talking about is most likely the one who took the core. There has also been a wisp of news that quite a number of experts died in a miserable way not too long ago. It was linked to the Blood Gumamela which in turn is an ingredient that can be combined with the golden serpent¡¯s core. He¡¯s gathering ingredients to boost the cores effect, he¡¯s probably an expert to need a lot of ingredients. Looking forward to meeting him, I hope they give me the mission to track him down.¡±


    He started to become excited and looked forward to the day he would meet this crafty fellow.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll just gonna give the information and come what may,¡±


    Taking a deep breath, he entered a meditative state and continued to travel towards Red Sparrow City.


    .....


    Dawn was already breaking, Eznho was seated beside Minchin and was contemplating everything that happened. He tried recalling how he got injured but could not no matter how hard he tried. The wound on his palm already close up thanks to the miraculous medicine the mysterious man gave him.


    What he was regretting the most was the dagger that was given by Martin which got broken in half. He tried looking for the other half but was met with disappointment. What he found interesting was the crossbow, after looking around, he found three usable bolts and packed it together with a cloth, based on his intuition, this crossbow is not ordinary and would study it later if he had time.


    Aside from that, he found three decent daggers and found no interest on looting other things from the corpses, all of the corpses were either the mercenaries or the bandits, the servants must have fled during the fight.


    Their carriage was still around and after fixing everything, he carried Minchin gently and put her inside the carriage which was filled with soft materials. He turned to have another look and urged the horse to go slowly as to not make Minchin uncomfortable in any way. The campsite he left was dyed red and was in a lot of mess, birds and other beasts could not resist their nature and started to approach again.


    He will never forget this event for the rest of his life. After this experience, he slowly understood how thin the barrier was from living and dying especially for cultivators. He promised to himself to make sure that his loved ones will not become a collateral damage during his path to cultivation. He would rather not continue if the price was hurting the people he cared about.


    He took a deep breath and hoped for the best, whatever the future may hold for him, he will do his best and struggle to survive in this cruel world.


    A new adventure was waiting for him at Red Sparrow City.


    .....


    After pulling some favors and spending a fortune, Floyd managed to amass an army composed of soldiers, vagabonds and mercenaries. He did not waste his time and marched for the border, faced with no resistance he continued on towards Sin City. He was not only confident about this move because of the colonel¡¯s support but also because attacking a city like Sin City can only be considered by both kingdoms as a small skirmish as long as he knows his limit.


    On the other hand, Batista and Wilfred were busy trying to raise the defense of the city and started to make preparations to activate the defensive formation. Cities have their own defense formations laid out by formation masters, though the strength of this formations vary depending on the resources of the city.


    Batista, Wilfred and Randolf were having a meeting inside the city.


    ¡°Brother how many more days until they arrive?¡± Batista inquired with a heavy tone.


    ¡°Earliest would be five days and latest would be seven,¡± Wilfred answered with a calm voice.


    ¡°Depending on what kind of siege weapons Floyd has brought, we cannot really determine how long the defensive formations will last. The people who will be most affected will be the citizens who will choose to stay and the weaker soldiers. Brother, there is nothing much we can do except to defend and fight.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, it has been a while since I¡¯ve hacked people in two. Let¡¯s make Floyd regret his move.¡±


    Batista spoke with a ruthless tone.


    ¡°Randolph, spread the word that enemies are attacking and advise the citizens to evacuate. Also, ask for people want to fight and defend the city.¡± He paused for a while with a look of hesitation and finally sighed.


    ¡°Tell them that those who are willing will be paid ten silvers, and if they are forced to fight, their pay would become fifty silvers.¡±


    Batista did not want this but they were outnumbered, a mob would be easily massacred by their enemies so his plan was to use them unless necessary and would only serve as his back-up.


    ¡°As you command captain,¡± Randolph acknowledged the command and went out to execute the order.


    A while later, Batista¡¯s message talisman lit up.


    ¡°The scouts have reported that Floyd¡¯s group already passed the border and will reach us in the evening,¡± Batista informed Wilfred and they started to prepare for battle.


    The atmosphere of the city was heavy, long caravans exited the city. Most of them camped tens of kilometer from the city and would wait for the battle to conclude before they return. This was not the first time it actually happened, once in a while, skirmishes like this occur. During the reshuffling of powers which started a thousand years ago, cities like this were easily destroyed, so this kind of commotion did not cause any big wave.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    The civilian volunteers were mostly composed of homeless people which numbered two hundred to three hundred. They were carrying different kinds of weapon such as pikes, steel rods and assorted makeshift weapons. Batista lent them weapons but it was not enough due to their number.


    The sky was darkening when people on guard at the walls saw a long line of people coming their way which looked like a giant snake made of people. They were marching in unison bringing about an intimidating aura. Everyone gathered at the wall while breathing in cold air, some of them even started to get nervous.


    ¡°Enemies approaching!¡±


    Somebody shouted and sounded the war drums.


    Dong! Dong! Dong!


    The sound of the war drums reverberated throughout the city startling everyone. Orders have been passed and every personell got to their assigned stations. Torches have been lit in the watchtowers and the higher-ups gathered around to observe.


    ¡°They finally arrived,¡±


    Batista took a deep breath and released an aura akin to beast preparing to tear its opponent. Everyone became somber and readied themselves.


    The opposite army stopped ten kilometers from the city and started to make camp. Floyd and Jack on the other hand nonchalantly rode towards the city with their horses after passing down orders. With their sharp vision, Batista, Wilfred and Randolph rode out to meet them halfway. There was a wide stretch of plain in front of the eastern gate of the city which was enough to use as a battlefield.


    Five people met in the middle while being watched by countless pair of eyes. Floyd had a beaming smile on his as if he was meeting with old friends while Jack had a placid face.


    ¡°Good evening gentlemen,¡± He spoke without hesitation.


    ¡°Cut the crap Floyd, for what reason are you throwing your weight around?¡± Wilfred could not restrain his irritation and showed no respect.


    ¡°Whoah! Chill out Wilfred, and what a dumb question, you know what I want,¡± Floyd did not take it to heart and even teased.


    ¡°Hmph! In your dreams, you think this intimidation will have an effect? Wilky already gave it to the headquarters and is coming back with back-up, so I suggest you pack your bags and scuttle away.¡± Wilfred snorted in disdain.


    ¡°You think I care? Suit yourselves, gentlemen, let¡¯s have an entertaining game then, shall we?¡±


    Floyd answered with a chuckle and rode away with Jack while Batista¡¯s group watched them with serious faces. There was nothing they could do but to defend and survive until back-up arrives.


    .....


    Both sides were in a battle mode before sunrise, some were in high spirits ready to prove themselves while others were praying inside that a miracle would happen and the fight would not continue.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    The drums of war sounded out and the attacking party marched until they were five kilometers away from the city and formed into groups resulting in a neat formation. The defenders lined up on the wall while watching their enemies prepare their attack. Their magical cannons could only reach up to three kilometers which were obviously known by the enemy.


    Floyd got down from his horse and stood in front of the army while looking at the city with mocking eyes and waved hand producing five magical cannons.


    Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!


    They landed simultaneously producing loud sounds, complicated formations were engraved on them flickering once in a while making them look like bringers of death.


    Everyone gasp when they saw the cannons especially Batista and his team, they were not ordinary magical cannons. These cannons were a higher grade than what they have, five kilometers was the maximum they could reach which meant they could attack the city without restraint.


    ¡°We''re fucked! How did that bastard get those cannons, it must be from that Colonel James. Damn!¡±


    Batista had an ugly look on his face, he did not expect Floyd to have these cannons.


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    Without further ado, Floyd ordered the attack startling everyone.


    ¡°Activate the formation!¡±


    Batista ordered and formations lit up on the walls and a translucent membrane surrounded the city like a dome, runes were flickering from time to time on the surface.


    Bang!


    The first cannonball made contact causing a thundering sound and producing fireworks while the formation rippled making everyone inside the city nervous.


    Bang!


    The second cannonball came after half an hour, ramming itself against the formation, the attacks were slow due to recharge time and the limit of supply so Floyd had no choice but to attack slowly and alternately.


    The attacks continued and only stopped when the sun had set,  the last attack caused a crack on the formation but was repaired by itself. The same things happened for three days, the only difference was there was a lot of crack on the formation and the self-repair was so slow due to its low quality.


    By the end of the fourth day, the cracks were so numerous that it will only take a few rounds to completely destroy it.


    Batista ordered everyone to prepare for war on the fifth day, he knew the formation won¡¯t last any longer and they would have to defend the city with their bodies.


    Boom!


    The fifth day, attacks came and after three hours of continues barrage, gaps already formed and debris from the cannon balls fell down the city causing buildings to fall and crumble.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Three simultaneous attacks came which broke the final straw, the formation broke apart turning into motes of light and disappearing with the wind.


    Boom! Boom!


    Two more cannon balls came with a dazzling light, they were different from the previous ones and aimed towards the sky of the city.


    ¡°Not good! It¡¯s a Meteor Cannonball!¡±


    Wilfred¡¯s eye shrunk and brought out his bow and charged his arrow with his wind energy attacking one of the balls.


    Piercing Wind!


    One of the balls explode and debris collided with the walls leaving large cracks and rubbles falling after being destroyed by Wilfred.


    ¡°Prepare for impact!¡±


    Batista shouted and raised his shield and the soldiers did the same while the others tried to find shelter.


    Booooom!


    A loud thunder-like sound exploded above Sin City bringing a blinding light like the sun which produced countless small meteors formed by condensed energy that rained down the city. Looking from below, it was like doomsday was coming.


    Rain of Arrows!


    Wilfred attacked once more with a myriad of arrows composed of heavenly energy destroying almost a third of the meteors.


    ¡°Ahhhh!¡±


    Buildings fell to the ground while other people who preferred to stay and get advantage of the chaos were either crushed or injured. A decent number of soldiers and members of the mob were also killed brutally making Batista seethe with anger. A fourth of the city was razed to the ground. Despair loomed over the city.


    ¡°How did that bastard acquire such supplies, isn¡¯t this kind of cannonballs supposed to be only used during an all-out war?¡±


    This kind of cannonballs was tailor-made for destruction and could easily ravage cities. The attacks did not continue anymore giving Batista time to regroup his subordinates.


    Floyd, on the other hand, stopped after using the meteor cannonballs, after all using this kind of materials including the cannons ate a lot of his fortune. He could only endure and go on with his plans then ordered his army to attack. Inciting chaos was a crucial point for his plan to succeed.


    They slowly advanced and when they reached a distance of three kilometers and a half from the city, they picked up their speed and rushed. The cavalries were in front, footmen in the middle and archers at the back.


    While the enemies were advancing, Batista ordered his men to open the gates and get into formation to receive the incoming enemies. Archers were stationed on top of the walls while the heavy infantry with large shields and spears were on the ground and acted as the vanguard.


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    Batista shouted the ordered and fifteen cannons attacked alternately when the enemies reached the three-kilometer range.


    ¡°Ahhhh!¡±


    Scalp tingling screams could be heard from afar while blood, bits of flesh and bones flew in the air. Over a hundred people died from that one-time attack, due to the same disadvantage, the cannons had to recharge for a period of time before being used.


    ¡°Archers! Fire at will!¡±


    Batista commanded and arrow rained from the sky, Wilfred did not attack and was recovering his energy as much as he for the incoming clash with Jack and Floyd.


    More enemies fell when arrows struck them but they still continued to advance. The cavalry was the first to arrive, time seemed to slow down for everyone as they were only an inch away from the tips of their enemy¡¯s spears.

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28 Fight!


    Clang! Bang! Whoah! Ahhh!


    All sorts of noises arose from the chaos of the first contact. Blood and all sorts of bodily fluid splattered everywhere, both sides were at each other''s throat while trying to get the upper hand. The defenders tried their best to stand their ground especially the heavy infantry who were bombarded by attacks from all sides. Despite their effort, enemies kept coming and signs of their formation breaking were showing up.


    Arrows were flying in the air, both parties were exchanging attacks. Bodies started to fall down from the wall, formations started to scatter, it was a scene of chaos. It was to be expected as not everyone was trained properly.


    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Five more cannons were fired aiming for the enemy infantry closing in to reduce their number. Batista had no choice but to sacrifice five of the cannons. Using them without proper cooldown would render them useless and would have to be fully repaired by formation masters and blacksmiths.


    Mutilated bodies, corpses and body parts were scattered around the battlefield. The defenders were loosing and their numbers were reduced by almost a half while their enemies continued to kill them off.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Batista could not hold it any longer and ordered the mob to attack while leaping down the wall with Randolph to help their comrades.


    He brought out his great axe, it was two meters long with the head having two big curved blades on each side with a dark red color. Randolph, on the other hand, produced an exquisite spear made from precious metals, it was thicker and heavier than the normal spear which had a metallic gray color.


    Both of them landed with a loud thud creating two small craters and started to massacre their way into the enemy¡¯s ranks. Bodies were split and hacked apart everywhere they went, nobody could even stop for a second.


    Screee!


    An ear-piercing screech was heard and a ten-meter-long ice worm made of blue ice came baring its round mouth full of sharp thin teeth and wanted to swallow Batista.


    Earth Spike!


    He shouted and filled his great axe with earth energy and smashed it hard on the ground in front of him creating vibrations and cracks. A second later, sharp earth spikes emerged from the ground where the ice worm was crawling skewering it like a barbeque making it screech one more time then its body started to crack and crumble apart turning into a mist.


    ¡°Not bad, you still have the muscles.¡± Floyd emerged on the scene with Jack on his side with their weapons on hand.


    Batista and Randolph did not speak and prepared for battle.


    Wooosshh!


    An arrow came from above with great momentum filled with wind energy aimed at the both of them making Floyd and Jack dodge and leap on opposite sides.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Batista did not dally and dashed towards Floyd while Randolph followed behind.


    Jack, on the other hand, was attacked continuously by arrows giving him no choice but to continuously dodge while trying to slowly shorten the gap between him and Wilfred. Upon reaching a distance from the wall where Wilfred was attacking, he slashed his spear.


    Wind Cutter!


    A greenish three-meter crescent energy was formed and collided with the wall making it crumble. Wilfred leaped with no effort while continuing his attack. Jack took his chance and chased after him while also attacking with long-range attacks. Their fight was dragged inside the city making dust rise from destroyed infrastructure wherever they went.


    Batista and Randolph teamed up due to the gap in cultivation, if only he was not injured from the past, he could easily go toe to toe with Floyd. The duo gave Floyd quite a headache despite his cultivation advantage primarily because Batista is not some rookie soldier and has years of battle experience. He was only able to injure him in the past due to his sneak attack.


    Floyd continued to summon a foot-long ice spikes and barraged the duo giving them no choice but to passively defend while trying close their gap. Their fight moved from place to place and the people nearby immediately avoided them for fear of becoming a collateral damage.


    Earth Spike!


    Batista became irritated with the chase and accelerated the pace of the fight.


    Feeling the ground vibration, Floyd leaped to the side but was suddenly faced with a barrage of spear tips aiming for his life.


    Hmph!


    He snorted in disdain and slashed his sword several times canceling the spear attacks then landed on the ground with a backflip. Batista took the chance and leaped mid-air holding his great axe with two hands above his head while earth energy surrounded it.


    Batista Smash!This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    He swung with full force and aimed for Floyd¡¯s head. Floyd reacted immediately and formed hand seals with his other hand.


    Ice Lance!


    A thick lance made of ice formed and floated beside him then with a grabbing motion, he threw it with great might colliding with Batista¡¯s axe.


    Booom!


    Energy wave blasted out making the surrounding snow disappear within a fifty-meter radius. The lance turned into ice fragments and eventually disappeared but Batista¡¯s momentum was stopped and he was forced to flip backward creating a distance between them. He landed heavily on the ground while he wiped the blood from his mouth, Randolph stopped attacking and rushed beside him.


    ¡°Captain, are you alright,¡± He asked with a worried tone.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, only a minor injury.¡± Batista maintained his composure but was trying to calm down the berserk energy inside him.


    If he continued to use excessive energy, his injury could worsen and his cultivation might dwindle down again. His original cultivation was at the Seeker Stage but due to the injury in his dantian, he was forced down back to the peak of Halo Stage.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have some more fun, it''s my turn now.¡± Floyd smiled smugly and formed hand seals.


    Infinite Ice Sword!


    Ice energy gathered around him and formed nine swords that surrounded him forming an ark. He waved his hand forward controlling two of the swords that flew towards the duo with great speed.


    ¡°Here it comes!¡± Batista and Randolph circulated their energy at the same time.


    Earth Wall!


    Spear Point!


    Batista summoned a meter thick wall of earth while Randolph used his spear to defend.


    Bang! Bang!


    Two loud collisions occurred and both of them were forced back, giving them no chance to recover, Floyd attacked again and again forcing the duo into a miserable state. Every time the ice swords disappeared another one formed, as long as Floyd does not run out of energy or cancel the skill, the swords of ice will continue to reform.


    After a series of attack, the duo were in a tattered state, their armor had cracks and showed signs of breaking apart while their body were full of all kinds of cuts making them bleed all over.


    ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got?¡± Floyd mocked.


    Batista and Randolph just looked at him with cold eyes. They took a deep breath at the same time and prepared for another round. Without speaking they dashed on opposite sides trying to do a pincer attack, Floyd resumed his attack that produced loud sounds sending rubble and snow everywhere while the duo did their best to dodge and continue with the attack.


    Batista made handseals then leaped and landed ten meters away from Floyd creating a small crater.


    Earth Clap!


    The ground around Floyd vibrated then two enormous hands emerged from both sides and tried to squash him.


    Boom!


    Dust rose from the collision and a human figure leaped from it leaving a trail of dust.


    Batista Wheel!


    Pierce the Sky!


    Giving Floyd no chance to recover, Batista threw out his great axe in a horizontal motion creating a vacuum that sucked all sorts of materials creating a sizable tornado. At the same time, Randolph poured a lot of energy on his spear the aimed it at Floyd making a whistling sound and caused a slight ripple in space.


    ¡°Not bad,¡± Floyd was still nonchalant after seeing both attacks and also formed hand seals.


    Dance of the Ice Swords!


    The nine swords started to circulate around him creating an ice tornado shield that protected him.


    Screech!


    Both weapons tried to penetrate the ice tornado but could not and in the end, the energy infused in them ran out and they were deflected. The duo did not falter and went after their weapons and continued the attacks.


    ¡°More! Let me see your despair,¡± Floyd laughed in delight and continued to clash with the two.


    Unbeknownst to all, a pair of dark red eyes was watching from the shadows seemingly looking for an opportunity while the battle intensified. Upon seeing that the battle was reaching climax and everybody was focused on it, he made his move and headed to one of the watchtowers where Dave was taking command while overseeing the battlefield.


    .....


    Meanwhile, while chaos was happening at Sin City, Eznho and Minchin continued to travel and finally reached Red Sparrow City without facing any trouble. Minchin was in and out of consciousness but she was not in any danger and just needs to rest for a few more days. Eznho, on the other hand, did not neglect his cultivation and continued to practice the Heaven-Seizing breathing technique while continuing to ingest the beast blood.


    Looking at from afar, the city seemed to be endless that spanned tens of thousands of kilometers, if one is not careful, he could get lost. It contained its own rivers, lakes, valleys and mountains. The most eye-catching was almost all of the roofs of the buildings were obviously dyed red despite the snowfall, hence the name.


    Eznho could not help but widen his eyes in awe, he could not believe such a place exists. Compared to Sin city, it was like a poop and a diamond. He marveled the view before heading towards one of the gates. Aside from him, a lot of travelers formed a line while waiting to be granted an entry.


    While waiting in line, he raised his head and wondered how people created such city walls that were at least a hundred meters tall with numerous watchtowers and guards patrolling every now and then.


    ¡°Out of the way!¡± A shout woke up from his daze.


    A group of fully armed men in uniform riding armored horses marched and guarded a luxurious carriage. The guards at the gate did not even try to stop them and stepped aside while the group continued to march inside.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that? How come they don¡¯t need to pay an entrance fee?¡± One of the young travelers inquired.


    ¡°Hush! Do you want to get in trouble? They are obviously from a great background so of course, they don¡¯t need to line up and pay.¡± A veteran merchant reprimanded him.


    The young traveler smiled in embarrassment and stopped talking.


    Time went by and it was Eznho¡¯s turn, he was shocked again upon looking at the imposing red gates. It was different from looking from afar and actually being in front of it, the gate seemed to be made for giant people.


    What¡¯s the point of creating such big gates?


    He questioned in his mind and was interrupted by the guard. Their uniform was far better than those who were at Sin City. An emblem that looked like a red sparrow was embedded in his chest armor.


    ¡°Ten gold coins,¡± the guard said apathetically while he looked at Eznho from his seat.


    Ten gold coins just for the entrance fee! My God!


    Enzho was shocked, ten gold coins was a lot of money, it could sustain a low-class family for years. Despite his shock, he paid and did not bicker as he had still a lot of money to spare and did not want to invite trouble.


    Urban air assaulted his face making his clothes and hair flutter. The scene in front of him stunned him, he truly was a country bumpkin. The street was wide enough for ten carriages to pass, stalls were everywhere selling all kinds of things like food, medicines and random materials. People were shouting trying to entice costumers, others were haggling, it was a scene of ¡®chaos¡¯. Carriages and carts were passing by, some children were even running with dirty clothes.


    It took time for him to adjust and slowly urged his horse to walk while he tried to observe the place and find someplace to stay. He tried his best to look composed and not show any sign that he was a ¡®country bumpkin¡¯.

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29 Experience is the Best Teacher?


    Snow fell and the wind carried it covering the land in white that looked like cotton fields from above. Despite the biting cold, Red Sparrow City was busy as ever as if the winter was just a passing breeze. Drinking establishments were the busiest as people found warmth in alcohol.


    Eznho slowly rode his carriage while trying to find a decent and peaceful inn for him and Minchin to stay. He ignored everyone who approached them trying to offer their establishments. Hours passed but he could not find a secluded and decent inn, after all, it was his first time here.


    I need someone who knows a lot of this place. He thought to himself.


    As if the heavens heard him, a boy with a dirty face and tattered clothes approached him. He was thin for his age, his hair was blonde with a lot of grease and dirt on it and was cut with uneven lengths making him more look messier. He seemed to be just about the same age as Ezhno but his demeanor was not childish, instead, he looked like one of the ruffian kids who live in the slums.


    ¡°Hey, kid you¡¯re new here aren¡¯t you?¡± The blonde kid spoke to Eznho with a domineering behavior as if he was older than him.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Ezhno was surprised by the kid¡¯s tone.


    ¡°I can find whatever you are looking for, I know this city like the back of my hand.¡± The kid spoke with confidence.


    ¡°Really now?¡± Eznho raised his eyebrow with a questioning behavior.


    ¡°Hmph! A country bumpkin like you would get lost within a day without any guide.¡± The kid retorded with a mocking tone.


    Eznho was skeptical but what the kid said was the truth, he contemplated for a moment then decided. He did not want to waste any more time and wanted to find a comfortable place for his aunt as soon as possible.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll pay you if you find me an inn with a peaceful ambiance and away from this crowded place.¡±


    The kid thought for a second before responding.


    ¡°Okay got it, that¡¯s easy, follow me.¡± He seemed to become enthusiastic and lead the way.


    Eznho followed the kid, they slowly moved away from the crowd. Little by little, only a handful of people were in the vicinity.


    Hmmm? There are fewer people here now, something is not right. But then again I asked him for a place away from the crowd.


    He was getting suspicious, another hour passed and they were in an alley with no people at all. He stopped and raised his guard and asked with suspicion.


    ¡°Hey kid, where are you taking me? This doesn¡¯t seem to be a place where inns are located.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry we are almost there, just past this alley,¡± the kid answered without looking back.


    Eznho did not think any longer and wanted to go back but before he could move, five people were blocking his path while another group of five were on the opposite side.


    Damn it!


    Eznho gritted his teeth and felt mad at himself, he brought himself and Minchin on a dangerous situation. But this could not be entirely blamed on Eznho, after all, everyone has to learn things for themselves one way or the other. He could make the horse gallop and possibly force his way out but Minchin was inside so this was not an option. All he could do for now was observe.


    ¡°Ke ke ke ke, Good job Budoy.¡±


    A thin man in his thirties with some tatters on his clothes walked forward and patted the blond kid¡¯s shoulder, he seemed to be the leader. The kid did not say anything and walked to the side and just stood there. The leader did not bother with him anymore and looked at Eznho with his sharp thin eyes.


    ¡°Hey, kid, if you know what is best for you, you better leave your carriage and scram or I¡¯ll make you regret it.¡± He spoke in a commanding voice and brought out a coarse dagger to intimidate Eznho.


    Eznho just sat in the driver¡¯s seat and observed, from his vision he could see that nobody in the group was over twenty, they were all teenagers except for the leader. From his deduction, this group was just a bunch of ruffians who stole from weak people who were unaware of how dangerous the city really is and he fell for it because of naiveness and carelessness, just like him.


    Looking at the unmoving Eznho, the leader sneered and thought that the kid was frozen stiff because of fear then walked towards the carriage wanting too see what¡¯s inside. He was hoping for an innocent lady who just came here for sightseeing because deep inside he wanted to taste a young virgin and ravage her. After all, he was one of the lowest scums in the city and did not have that luxury.


    He only managed to form a group of kids by intimidating and threatening them. Eznho was contemplating on what to do when the leader started to walk and attempted to open the carriage.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± He looked at the leader with a chilly gaze that spooked him.


    ¡°Fuck! Who do you think you are? I¡¯ll scoop out your eyes! Come down here!¡±


    The leader was furious when he felt threatened by the boy¡¯s gaze attempted to grab him and pull him down to the ground.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Psskk!


    But before he could touch him a dagger came out of nowhere and pierced his palm through and through.


    ¡°Ahhhhh!¡±


    The pain made the thin man scream in agony and pulled his hand out of reflex worsening the wound. He gritted his teeth and tolerated the pain, beads of sweat trickled down his face while he tried to put pressure on his bleeding hand. Eznho jumped down from his seat and slowly walked towards the man making him stumble on his butt as he tried to back away.


    He raised his dagger and pointed it at Eznho with shaky hands.


    ¡°Do-don''t come any closer or I¡¯ll kill you!¡± He stuttered while trying to put on a face of courage.


    Eznho kicked the dagger out of the man¡¯s hand bringing about another source of pain that made the man scream.


    ¡°Kill him!¡± He shouted and ordered his men.


    ¡°If you try to move closer, don¡¯t blame me for injuring you,¡± He turned his gaze to the others that made them hesitate. He did not want to fight unnecessary battles and only tried to threaten the others.


    ¡°Now, go away and do something good with your lives,¡±


    The teenagers looked at each other with weird looks on their faces but did not hesitate and scattered. The blonde boy tried to sneak away but Eznho glared at him making him stand there like a statue.


    Useless ungrateful bastards, just you wait!


    The leader was furious but tried his best to calm down and find a way out of this situation.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± He did his best to speak in a humble manner. Based on his experience this kid in front of him is not someone to be trifled with.


    Eznho just stood there like he was the executioner but deep inside he was conflicted on what to do.


    Should I kill him? No! I don¡¯t want to be someone who just kills people and besides, he can¡¯t even fight back at all. But he is a bad man, I am sure of that, what should I do?


    Despite his past experiences, he was still a child and not a cold-blooded killer. He may have killed someone before but it was self-defense and the other time, he was not aware of it. After a moment of silence, Eznho spoke with a serious tone.


    ¡°Are you willing to change yourself and leave an honest life from now on? If I ever see you again doing dubious things, I¡¯ll cripple you.¡±


    What?


    Both the blonde kid and the man in front of him had a confused look on their faces.


    Is he toying with me? The man thought.


    ¡°Yes! Yes! I am willing! I swear on my mother¡¯s grave!¡± He nodded in succession and even raised his bloody hand in oath.


    ¡°Good!¡± Eznho answered and climbed back on his seat then looked at the blonde kid.


    ¡°Now, take me to the place I told you and no more detours.¡±


    ¡°Fine follow me,¡± He answered in a disgruntled manner and started to walk.


    The man was still in a daze after seeing that Eznho really left.


    Fuck to think that I, Judas, was fucked up by a kid. Just you wait!


    He struggled to get up and tended to his wound then walked away in shame.


    .....


    While they were traveling the blonde kid slowed down walked the same pace as the carriage and then talked to Eznho in a disappointed manner.


    ¡°You know, Judas will not let this go and he will surely bring trouble to you in the future.¡±


    ¡°Maybe yes, maybe no, I know he did bad things but who am I to judge? And besides, I am not someone who just kills people on a whim. My aunt told me that despite the world¡¯s cruelty, goodness will never disappear.¡±


    Eznho answered with an honest face.


    Is this guy an idiot? How did he survive until now? What kind of shitty and useless advice is that?


    The blonde kid grumbled inside but did not dare voice it out.


    They were now in a residential area, it was secluded and most of the buildings were inns and the noises were minimal.


    ¡°This is one of the living districts of the outer city. You can go choose whichever you like.¡±


    The blonde kid made a simple introduction. Eznho scanned the surroundings and saw buildings with different sizes and designs. They were designed for living purposes, the place was just like the entirety of Sin City and this was just a small part of the city.


    How vast is this city?


    He wondered and was even more amazed at how large is the city.


    ¡°Take me to the safest inn,¡± Eznho ordered and they continued walking.


    Eznho rented the whole top floor on one of the expensive inns that cost him five gold coins a day which made the blonde kid drop his jaw but Eznho did not care as long as his aunt was comfortable and safe. The place had guards so it was far safer than the others.


    After arranging everything, Eznho gave a gold coin to the kid and asked him to leave. The blonde kid gritted his teeth and was hesitating as if he wanted to say something.


    ¡°Do you need anything else?¡± Eznho asked when he saw the kid¡¯s reaction.


    Thud!


    The blonde kid suddenly kneeled on one knee and bowed his head. He was deeply humiliated but he made his gamble. He thought hard about this and made the decision to seek help from this stranger, based on his intuition and observation, despite being an idiot, he was good-natured.


    ¡°My name is Budoy, I know I did something wrong and put you in danger but I had no choice, I had to do it for my sister. I am begging you, please save my sister, I am willing to serve you for the rest of my life if you save her.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Eznho was shocked by the sudden change in the situation and had a conflicted mind.


    He knew getting involved in somebody¡¯s business was not a good idea but he could not ignore the kid kneeling in front of him.


    Arggg! The heck! Why didn¡¯t you just leave and do your own business!


    ¡°Stand up, tell me the current situation and I will decide after,¡±


    Eznho had no choice at the moment, he could ignore him but his conscience would not let him sleep. He would help if he can, but if the situation is too complicated he will have to decline. Budoy was delighted and summarized the situation.


    ¡°My sister was sold by that bastard Judas to one of the restaurants, and she is now working for them. According to the owner, I could buy her back for five hundred gold coins. All I have now is a hundred, I promise you, I will pay everything with interest, just please save her.¡±


    Budoy pleaded and tried to convince Eznho then brought out a pouch that was clanking with coins.


    ¡°How was he able to sell your sister?¡± Eznho knows there is more to this story.


    Budoy hesitated for a second then bit his lip. He had limited options right now and who knows, Judas might do something to his sister out of anger.


    ¡°We arrived here at the city one year ago together with a merchant group. We stayed in the middle area of the city then I accidentally overheard the merchant saying that he would sell my sister to one of the rich families who was fond of young girls. So we snuck out of the middle district and tried to survive here in the outer district but life was harder than I thought. We bumped into Judas and due to my lack of strength, I could not stop him from selling her like a commodity. I had no choice but to work under him and try to earn money to buy back my sister. It is the only way to earn fast and acquire that kind of sum.¡±


    Budoy was clenching his fist until his palms were white and his eyes started to moisten. Eznho was conflicted, he knows there are many strings attached to this situation but his conscience did not want to just ignore it.


    ¡°Are you sure that if we buy her back, no troubles will come?¡±


    ¡°I am sure with the owner¡¯s temperament, as long as you give him enough, he will not bicker anymore because my sister won¡¯t be of much use to him. After that, let me arrange things for my sister first and then I can become your servant. If I don¡¯t do what I said, may the heavens curse me and make me suffer for eternity.¡±


    Budoy raised his hand while making the oath showing a serious and a dignified face.

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30 Family


    Morning came and the city was filled with mist that blocked the sun¡¯s rays. Due to the urging of Budoy, Eznho and him departed early and went to the establishment where his sister was working. Eznho paid a maid to take care of his aunt for the day. The establishment was called Hundred Dishes Restaurant and was located near a river a kilometer away from the city walls, the staff were starting to prepare for the day.


    Eznho and Budoy entered and asked for the owner but the one who met with them was an old manager in plain white robes.


    ¡°What do you want kids? Stop wasting our time or else...¡± the manager spoke with a cold and irritated tone.


    ¡°We have business with the owner old man, go tell him that I am here for my sister. If I were you I¡¯d run or else you¡¯d face the consequences if your boss will lose a ton of money.¡± Budoy retorded without respect.


    ¡°You! Disrespectful bastard!¡± The old man was furious and pointed his finger to Budoy.


    ¡°Mister, I assure you we are here for business. Now could you please go inform your boss.¡± Before things got out of hand, Eznho butted in and went straight to the point.


    ¡°Hmph! As if you kids have a lot of money,¡± the old man was angry but he did not want to risk it and went upstairs to inform his boss.


    Ten minutes later the old manager was back with a short middle-aged man with a round protruding belly wearing a loose blue robe with golden patterns.


    ¡°Haha, so it is you Budoy, here to pick up your sister?¡±


    He was enthusiastic and did not mind who was he talking to as long as it brings him good money.


    ¡°May I know the name of this young sir?¡±


    He did not believe Budoy had the sum he needed so he looked curiously at Eznho who wore simple garments that didn¡¯t seem to be a young master with a rich background. With his dealings from the past, he could gauge a man¡¯s background from his demeanor and bearing, no matter how he looked at it, Eznho seemed to be from a common background.


    ¡°You can call me Eznho senior, I am here to pay for Budoy¡¯s sister.¡± He did not want to prolong the conversation and wanted to get the business done as soon as possible.


    ¡°Straightforward attitude is it? I like that, go bring her out.¡± He did not mind and ordered the old manager to go fetch the girl.


    Awhile later the manager came back with a little girl who looked like a seven-year-old. She somewhat resembled her brother, she had a wavy blonde hair that hung down on her shoulders. Her eyes were also blue that resembled a clear blue sky, it made her look adorable and cute but you could see stubbornness on her face.


    ¡°Big brother!¡± She could not contain her excitement and wanted to go hug her brother but she was held back by the old manager.


    ¡°Let her go!¡± Budoy was agitated and blurted out and shot a hateful glance at the old man.


    ¡°Payment first,¡± The owner spoke with a beaming smile.


    ¡°Will this do?¡±


    Eznho brought out the bank card which surprised the owner, the old manager and Budoy. This made the owner¡¯s face bloom like a flower and brought out a thin rectangular object engraved with formations which is used to deduct money from bank cards.


    ¡°Let her go,¡±


    ¡°Big brother! I thought you forgot me already,¡± The little girl started to sob while hugging Budoy who also hugged her back tightly.


    ¡°Silly girl, how could big brother forget you. I will never do that, I promise this will not happen again.¡± Budoy was obviously full of joy right now but tried his best to hold back his tears.


    ¡°Nice dealing business with you young sir, I hope to have more with you in the future. You can call me Crispin and you are welcome to my humble restaurant anytime. I hope you have no ill feelings towards me, business is business after all and you see I never mistreated the young lady.¡± The owner tried to smoothen things out as he had an inkling feeling that there was more to this boy in front of him.


    ¡°Thank you for that,¡±


    Eznho expressed his thanks and did not deny nor accept the owner''s invitation but the owner did not mind it as long as he was not on Eznho¡¯s bad side.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± He bowed in respect and urged the siblings who were still hugging.


    Looking at the trio¡¯s back, the manager spoke.


    ¡°What about Judas?¡±


    ¡°That lowly scum? I already paid him for the girl, if he wants her back, it is his own problem.¡±


    The owner spoke in disdain and went back inside, he was satisfied with this morning¡¯s event.


    .....


    Eznho and the two siblings did not go on detours and went straight back to the inn. After that, he told them to take a bath first as they really looked dirty and messy. After taking a bath, the siblings wore simple garments and went to see Eznho. To his surprise, after being cleaned thoroughly, the sibling¡¯s look was a far cry from before when he first met them.


    They were truly both good looking and will surely grow into a pair of beautiful people that would make others go wild. He was truly shocked by this outcome but what was out of context was Budoy¡¯s hair that was cut unevenly which would have to be cut properly later on.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Aside from that, there was an aura that the siblings emitted that he could not pinpoint exactly as it was his first time sensing it. If he would describe it, it was an aura of elegance and gracefulness.


    ¡°Okay, my name is Eznho, how may I call you young lady?¡± Eznho put on an amicable smile and looked at the girl.


    ¡°Benefactor, my name is Aizarel but you can call me Aiza. I would like to thank you sincerely from the bottom of my heart.¡± The little girl put on an adorable smile and bowed.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to call me benefactor, you can call just call me by my name.¡± Eznho smiled in response, he was starting to get fond of the little girl.


    ¡°Ah? No, that won¡¯t do, what about big brother?¡± Aizarel got confused and looked at Eznho then refused.


    ¡°What? No! Little Aiza, I alone, am your big brother. Only me!¡± Budoy panicked a bit and shot a sharp look at Eznho.


    ¡°Are you trying to steal her from me?¡±


    Eznho had a wry smile on his face and waved his hand in denial.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay Aizarel, just call me by my name, okay?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that won¡¯t do,¡± Aizarel pouted that only made her look cuter.


    ¡°How about I call benefactor eldest brother?¡±


    ¡°Eh? What? No! Then should I call him big brother?¡± Budoy protested back.


    ¡°Hmph! Big brother, he is clearly older than you.¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah but he clearly thinks like an idiot and he is naive on worldly affairs,¡±


    ¡°Big brother! Don¡¯t say mean things, if you keep belittling eldest brother I will call him big brother instead.¡±


    ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± Budoy felt defeated and pulled down his hair with his hands.


    Eznho was holding back his laughter while watching the comical debate between the two. Budoy¡¯s attitude today was more amiable and he could not even win an argument with his little sister. The debate lasted for ten minutes before Budoy helplessly admitted defeat.


    ¡°Okay, okay, little Aiza, please don¡¯t get mad I will call him big brother from now on.¡±


    ¡°Yay! You¡¯re the best big brother,¡± She jumped out in happiness hugged Budoy.


    ¡°You heard that eldest brother? Now we have an addition to our family.¡± She winked at Eznho and showed a thumbs up.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just call him big brother when little Aiza is around,¡± Budoy mumbled to himself.


    ¡°Did you say something big brother?¡± Aizarel glared at him.


    ¡°No-nothing,¡± Budoy immediately waved his hands trying to feign innocence.


    ¡°Okay, call eldest brother big brother,¡± Aizarel crossed her hands over her chest and commanded Budoy.


    Budoy was grumbling inside but had no choice at the moment.


    ¡°Bi-bi-big brother,¡± His voice was forced but he did his best and then bowed.


    Eznho was forced into the matter and did not know what to say, it was his first time being in such a situation. The only people he considered family was his big brother and his aunt. But looking at Aizarel¡¯s face, he could not bear to disappoint her, and perhaps it was not a bad thing to befriend such people and he could feel this two were good people and had no ill intentions.


    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll call you little sister and little brother,¡±


    He spoke and looked at Budoy in a teasing manner. But deep inside he felt a strange feeling, after all it was his first time calling someone his younger sibling.


    Veins were popping on Budoy¡¯s temple but he endured it when he looked at his sister jumping around in excitement.


    ¡°Yay! I have a new big brother,¡±


    .....


    After all that commotion, they ate lunch and Aizarel was dead tired so she went to sleep in one of the rooms. Eznho and Budoy spoke in private to talk about how to arrange things.


    ¡°What do you plan to do now?¡± Eznho spoke in a somber manner, after meeting Aizarel he did not want the little girl to suffer and experience any more hardships.


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business,¡± Budoy answered dismissively.


    ¡°Have you thought about your little sister? Are you certain that the same situation will not happen again? What if something worse will happen next time? Are you sure you can protect her?¡± Eznho barraged him with questions, he was truly worried about the little girl.


    Budoy became speechless and did not know how to answer, it was true after all. He did not have confidence in making sure that his little sister will be safe. Before he could answer back Eznho continued to speak.


    ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t want your sister to suffer so I have a suggestion. As you know my aunt is sick and needs someone to take care and accompany her. It¡¯s just a menial task so I believe your sister can do it, besides I cannot be with my aunt all the time. As for you, you can pay your debt by working for me, all I need is information, all you have to do is scout things for me. What do you think?¡±


    Budoy pondered for a moment, it was a good deal, after all, her sister is safe and obtaining information is just an easy job for him.


    ¡°Fine, what do you need?¡±


    ¡°Okay, your priority is to find a place called Batawa restaurant, give me information about the city, as accurate as possible and how to acquire residency inside the city. I need that information within fifteen days, can you do it?¡±


    Eznho did not hold back, he really needed someone to gather information right now as he did not have time to do it. Budoy did not think twice and immediately agreed.


    ¡°And one last thing, there are five rooms here so you can use one of the rooms. You can also let little Aiza choose her own,¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡±


    Budoy was somewhat overwhelmed but expressed his gratitude in a sincere manner, they had a safe place to stay now and need not to worry about the biting cold of the winter. A day after, Minchin fully regained her consciousness but she was still weak and could only lay down and sit on her bed.


    Eznho made the introductions and Minchin was more than happy to have Aizarel accompany her, deep inside, it was a womans happiness to have a child. Seeing that everything is playing smoothly, Eznho could now concentrate on his cultivation.


    .....


    Smoke was rising from different places from inside and outside Sin city, the battle was still ongoing. Corpses were scattered everywhere but shouts and weapons colliding could still be heard. The defenders were starting to lose morale as their number dwindled down to only a third from the original. Their enemies started to gain momentum and continued to push until they were slowly cornered. Some even started making preparations to abandon the fight and run.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Despite the passage of time, Batista and Randolph continued to fight Floyd despite the increasing disadvantage.


    ¡°Haaaa, haaaa,¡±


    The duo were both in a ragged state making them breathe heavily while vapor came out of their mouth, their wounds worsened and their armors already broke exposing their inner leather armor. Both of their faces were pale, fresh and dried blood mixed together making their appearance pitiful.


    Floyd on the other was far better, there were only minor wounds and small cuts on his armor. His face was a bit pale from energy consumption but overall, he was in good condition.


    ¡°Come on Batista, let¡¯s have some more fun! Haha!¡± He was about to attack when his message talisman lit up.


    ¡°Good, time to call back Jack,¡± He showed a sinister smile and muttered to himself then sent a message to Jack.


    Ice Mist!


    After that, he inhaled a mouthful of air and exhaled large amounts of mist that spread out on the surrounding one hundred meters. Batista and Randolph were engulfed within it but they were not afraid and raised their guard to the maximum.


    A minute later, a shadow landed five meters away from them.


    ¡°It¡¯s me brother,¡±


    Wilfred spoke and slowly walked towards them. He was in a far better condition than the duo, it was obvious that he and Jack did not fight an all out life and death battle.


    ¡°Are you both okay?¡± He asked in a worried tone when he saw there sorry state.


    ¡°We¡¯re fine, we can still fight,¡± Batista answered and swallowed a pellet with Randolph.


    ¡°Hmmmmm! Hmmmmm!¡±


    Wilfred was about to speak when a moaning sounded out. It seemed like a person who had his mouth covered with something and was trying to speak.


    ¡°Haa!¡±


    Wilfred shouted and released an energy wave that dispersed the mist. When the mist evaporated, Batista¡¯s eyes instantly exploded with fury when he looked at Floyd¡¯s direction.


    ¡°You fucking bastard!¡±


    He shouted at the top of his lungs that echoed throughout the battlefield startling everyone.

 chapter 31

    Chapter 31 All is Fair in Love and War


    Everyone stopped for a second and looked at Batista¡¯s direction, he was fuming with anger and a savage aura was slowly building up around him making him look like a beast who was about to devour everyone around him. Opposite him were three people, aside from Jack and Floyd there was an additional person but he was bound with ropes fortified with formations and his mouth was also covered.


    ¡°Motherfucker! Release him Floyd!¡±


    Batista wanted to jump out but Floyd pointed his sword at Dave¡¯s neck making a small amount of blood flow.


    ¡°Ah, ah, you better not make any unnecessary movements or my hand might get agitated.¡±


    Floyd spoke with a sinister smile while looking at Batista with a provocative face.


    ¡°Damn! Floyd, this is too outrageous even for you,¡± Batista growled and tried his best to maintain his calm.


    ¡°Hahahahaha!¡± Floyd suddenly burst into laughter then looked at Batista with a sinister look.


    ¡°Outrageous? Really? Then what do you call what you¡¯ve done all those years ago? Huh?¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me, Floyd? You still can¡¯t get over it? Damn! How many times do I have to explain it to you? Huh? She never liked...¡±


    ¡°Shut the fuck up! You know damn well how I felt about her but you still laid your hands on her! And worse, you even let her die!¡±


    Before Batista could finish his sentence, Floyd interrupted with fury in his eyes. The people around them felt kinda awkward listening to them because they knew how the enmity started.


    .....


    A little over forty years ago...


    In a remote hunting village located in the southern part of the Carson kingdom, black smoke was rising from burning houses. Cries of women being ravaged could be heard while children were weeping beside their father¡¯s or brother¡¯s corpses. All the men in the village have been murdered by the bandits.


    Coincidence or not, Batista was hunting in the mountains alone when the bandits attacked his village. He was fifteen years old but his body was bulked with muscles and he was bigger than the average man, this was due to his cultivation method. Their village did not produce any cultivators, he only got lucky when he entered one of the caves where a cultivator passed away in meditation and left his legacy.


    Looking at black smoke rising from where his home was located, he did his best to rush back but it was too late, the village was razed and the bandits were gone. His eyes were red and his body was trembling while slowly walked towards his house where his family was supposed to be waiting for him, his parents, his older sister and their newborn baby brother.


    Slowly opening the door, the smell of blood assaulted his nose and tears started to run down his face. He did his best to retain his sanity then went to the bedroom where he saw a nightmare he could never forget.


    His mother and sister were bare naked on the bed with blood all over their bodies.


    ¡°Nooo!¡±


    Batista issued a low cry and could not contain his grief then kneeled down on the floor while trying his best not to become crazy. From the corner of his eye, he saw another horrifying scence, his baby brother was in the corner of the room lying in a pool of blood with his head mangled. It was obvious he thrown hard on the wall that smashed his head.


    ¡°Uwaaaaaaaah! Awoooooo!¡±


    Batista could not take in any longer and howled like a mad beast, his tears slowly turned into blood. It took some time for him to slowly regain clarity, before anything else, with trembling hands, he covered the body of his loved ones and buried them together with his beheaded father where he found him at the center of the village together with the other men. His pain and grief were indescribable, it was a feeling no man could hope to endure but he did.


    Despite his agony and torment, he tried to find anyone who was still alive but to no avail. With all his strength, he buried everyone in the village and bid farewell. He endured all the suffering he felt and marched towards the bandit¡¯s hideout, the Blackflag. The hideout was located near a thousand-meter cliff where a river flowed down below. Disregarding his life, he attacked the place killing everyone he saw and used any means he could use ¨C hacking, punching, kicking, stabbing and even biting.


    It was a bloody and gory scene, if a normal person would see it, his intestines would turn upside down. Most of the corpses were not intact, Batista was bathed in blood, his and his enemy¡¯s. Looking at his subordinates dying, the boss did not sit any longer and attacked personally.


    The fight did not last long, despite all the pent-up rage, will and determination, it could not close the gap in cultivation. Blood was flowing nonstop from Batista¡¯s wounds, he was kneeling at the edge of the cliff with one knee while holding his axe in front of him trying to maintain his balance. He was like a wounded cornered rabid dog. Mustering all his remaining strength, he stood up and looked at the bandit¡¯s boss and imprinted his face to the depths of his soul.


    The boss was a thin middle-aged man with thin eye-brows and a sharp pair of eyes. He was wearing a black tight-fitting clothing while holding a bloody saber in his hand.


    ¡°You think you can rampage here? Hmph! Go meet your fellow villagers in the yellow springs,¡±


    He spoke with disdain and stabbed Batista¡¯s stomach making him cough out large mouthfuls of blood. Blood loss started to kick in and he started to lose consciousness but maintained his hateful gaze towards the bandit boss.


    ¡°This is Blackflag!¡±


    The leader shouted and kicked Batista making him fall down the cliff. Batista could not maintain his consciousness any longer and smiled while looking the the the sky while he was falling, then closed his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m coming everyone, wait for me.¡±


    .....


    An unknown time has passed, Batista slowly opened his eyes, it was blurry at first but then it started to adjust. He was inside a cave, the crackling firewood was the only thing he could hear. Pain wracked his body that made him unable to get up, observing further, his body was full of bandages.


    ¡°I¡¯m still alive?¡± He was confused as he believed he would die from that fall, turns out he did not.


    Footsteps echoed out and he tried to turn his head to look who was coming. A pair of cold-looking eyes met his gaze, it was a teenager and he knew him.


    ¡°You?¡±


    Batista was surprised, the boy he saw was at the same age as him but he was the loner of the village. His name was Floyd Weather and he did not play with anyone, instead, he wanted to be by himself all day long making the other kids isolate him. The village would not even notice him if he went missing, the only one who interacted with him were his parents who sadly passed away a few years ago. The death of his parents made him isolate his self even more and only went back to the village every few days.


    The men in the village wanted to hunt in the woods to prove their manhood but Floyd was different. He loved to go fishing in the nearby river and swim all day long gaining the ability to stay underwater for long period of time. Due to that, he found an underwater cave where he found his own lucky chance.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°Good your up, I don¡¯t want a corpse in my cave,¡±


    Floyd spoke in a cold tone, then put a bowl of soup beside Batista.


    ¡°How are you alive?¡± Batista curiosly asked.


    ¡°I was not in the village when it was attacked, when I went back everyone was already buried, was it you?¡±


    Floyd answered without a hint of emotion as if he did not care whether the village survived or not. Batista just nodded in response and despite the pain, he tried to get up making the deep wounds bleed but he did not care then slurped the soup making him cough in pain. Floyd just looked at him without saying anything.


    Days passed and Batista¡¯s external wounds healed, he could do basic functions but could not do extreme activities. He went out of the cave that was hidden by the veil of water from the waterfall. Floyd was meditating, releasing a cold aura when Batista went out, he was not surprised by this, he already discovered a few days ago that Floyd could cultivate but did not ask about it. Everyone has their own secret.


    ¡°What do you plan to do now? Charge back to the Blackflag?¡± Floyd asked casually.


    ¡°Why? Would you help me?¡± Batista answered back with a question.


    ¡°Nope, I would not sacrifice myself for dead people, besides, their leader is strong, I bet we would not even beat him if we work together.¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Batista just snorted back, he was pissed by Floyd¡¯s attitude but he could only accept it, besides he was the one who saved him.


    Days and weeks passed, Batista regained his strength and all his wounds healed but his body was riddled with scars. He even made breakthroughs in his cultivation making him one step closer to the Halo stage. After deciding, he planned to go adventuring and gain strength to exact his revenge. All he could do now was bury all his resentment inside and make it explode when the right time comes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go adventuring, wanna come?¡±


    Batista invited Floyd, traveling alone would be lonely. Floyd contemplated for a moment and accepted the invitation. He was not a sociable person but staying in the same place for a long time had also taken a toll on him.


    The two of them did not know where to go and randomly traveled to places where they encountered many things, killing beasts and even vile people. They even attacked bandit hideouts, because of this, an unspoken friendship formed between the two of them. They could not admit it openly due to awkwardness but they treated each other as friends.


    A little over a year has passed when they arrived at Sin City, they decided to make this their base. They would go adventuring in the wild but come back to the city after. Another year has passed, they were planning to attack one of the nearby bandits but when they got there, a small group of soldiers were already attacking it, it was led by Wilfred Chan and Wilky Lindor.


    This event sparked Batista¡¯s interest and wanted to join the army but Floyd did not like the idea. He was still socially awkward after all, introducing himself, Batista expressed his interest to join the army. Wilfred and Wilky welcomed him with open arms and they instantly became friends. Batista convinced Floyd to at least work with him and after a long time of convincing, he agreed. Floyd acted as a scout, locating enemies and gathering intel, this work suited a man like him.


    Years passed and they advanced in their cultivation, Batista started to climb ranks while Floyd was working in the shadows. With enough preparation, they planned to finally attack and annihilate the Blackflag, the long-awaited revenge has finally come.


    This was a personal grudge so only the four of them attacked the hideout, Batista, Floyd, Wilky and Wilfred. They commenced the attack during the night and caught their enemies unprepared.


    Boom! Boom! Ahhhh!


    The sound of attacks and screams of despair echoed throughout the place. Fire lit up the dark night while the smell of burning wood, corpses and blood permeated the air. Only four people attacked but each individual held the qualification to become an officer in the army. Nobody could escape the onslaught, the bandit boss was kneeling while bathed in blood, he was coughing blood nonstop.


    ¡°So it was you after all, the irony.¡±


    He looked at Batista with a bitter smile, the same thing happened years ago but this time, he was the one kneeling. Batista did not responed and raised his axe hacking the boss in two. The mountain pressing on his shoulders slowly disappeared, tears slowly began to trickle down his face. He walked at the edge of the cliff and raised his head looking at the starry sky.


    ¡°Ahhhhhhhh!¡±


    He shouted at the top of his lungs, it was a form of release, a freedom from a great burden from the past. He cried nonstop for some time while the three just stood there and watched his back.


    ¡°Everyone, I have already avenged you, you can now all rest in peace.¡± He mumbled to himself while smiling with satisfaction.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡±


    He was in good spirits and did not want stay in this place any longer, they did not even think about looting the place.


    ¡°Wait, there is a slave, what do we do?¡±


    Floyd interrupted and went inside the prison area and came back with a young lady. She was in her early twenties, she had blue long hair paired with sky-blue eyes that was reflected by the fire making it more attractive. A dirty blue clothing wrapped around her, she may not be the most beautiful girl in the kingdom but she had a unique aura around her, the aura of gentleness and gracefulness.


    Her name was Bluegrass, just like Batista and Floyd, she was from one of the many villages that lived in the area. Her village was attacked that day and she was held captive and was supposed to be offered to the boss. To their surprise, she actually cultivated but she was only at the beginning stages.


    They had no choice but to take her with them, she had no home to go back to and was arranged to stay in Sin city with Batista and Floyd. Unknown to the three, Floyd felt something unfamiliar when he first saw the girl but could not pinpoint what it was. All he knew was he liked looking at the girl and wanted to befriend her.


    Because of that, he tried his best to improve his social skills to get closer to her. Alas, she showed no signs of interest and only treated him as a friend, the biggest hindrance was she did not like how Floyd do things. She did not like how he did things in the shadows, she wanted a man who did things openly, just like Batista.


    With Batista¡¯s intuition and observation, he could see that Floyd liked Bluegrass but he could not also deny the fact that he was interested with her.


    All is fair in love and war.


    Alas, time slowly erroded Batista¡¯s reservations and declared his love for Bluegrass. It was a tough decision for him, besides even if he did not proclaim his love, it was unlikely that Bluegrass would fall for Floyd.


    Floyd did not say anything but slowly distanced himslef away from everyone. Batista could only sigh about this and when he married Bluegrass, Floyd expressed his congratulations and disappeared from the kingdom. They only heard vague news on his whereabouts and what he was doing.


    Seconds turned into years, Batista and Bluegrass had their firstborn son, Dave. Just like his father, he joined the military at a young age and had his own accomplishments. His birth was not easy and Bluegrass nearly died in childbirth, the doctors warned them not to have a second child but Bluegrass was persistent and wanted a baby girl.


    After years of pleading, Batista gave in to his wife¡¯s wish and she became pregnant. He hired the best doctor he could afford that monitored Bluegrass¡¯ pregnancy.


    Everything was smoothsailing, but when the labor pains came, she became unstable and had to choose between her or the baby. She was stubborn and insisted on delivering the baby, using all her energy, she transferred it to her unborn child to secure a safe passage.


    Heavens heard her prayers and she gave birth to a healthy baby girl that was like a mirror image of her. Batista named her Blue, she grew into a beautiful child that brought happiness to Batista, she was everything to him.


    A year after the death of Bluegrass, Floyd contacted him out of nowhere and wanted to meet him at the border. Batista was a bit skeptical so he brought a handful of his elite subordinates. Floyd did not specify the reason but Batista was also curious and set out to meet him.


    They met in the middle of a vast prairie blanketed with green grass and flowers of different colors but the weather was a bit gloomy and storm clouds started to gather covering the sun and the blue sky.


    Floyd was already waiting for them, Batista and his men marched and met him in the middle.


    ¡°Batista, my old friend, why the back-up?¡± Floyd greeted him with great enthusiasm and slowly walked towards Batista with open arms.


    Batista was surprised and actually lowered his guard when he saw Floyd¡¯s attitude, he did not even detect anyone other than them. He grinned and opened his arms wide and they hugged like two brothers who missed each other.


    ¡°How...¡±


    Psssskk!


    -He was about to ask something when a cold blade pierced his stomach reaching his dantian making it crack. Batista¡¯s eyes were wide open due to extreme shock.


    ¡°Wh-why?¡± He asked with a trembliing voice then he erupted with fury but Floyd let go and flipped backward creating a distance between them.


    ¡°Hmph! WHY? You brainless brawn, it was my biggest mistake to leave her in your care,¡± Floyd retorted back in anger and his face was full of fury.


    To intensify the drama, rain started to pour down soaking everyone. Batista¡¯s subordinates dashed and surrounded him to protect him. A formation lit up nearby and dozens of cultivators appeared, turns out, they were using a concealing formation.


    ¡°Begin,¡±


    Floyd spoke in a cold tone and watched as his subordinates attack. Batista was half-kneeling trying to stop the leakage of his energy, he could feel his cultivation slowly decreasing in level. The battle started but they were outnumbered, his subordinates started to fall. Disregarding everything, he used his body as a shield and ordered his men to retreat worsening his wounds.


    Floyd watched as the wounded Batista retreated and did not pursue, deep inside he could not deliver the final blow. After all, he was once his friend and they have been through tough times together.


    ¡°This is the last time, consider this as a respect for Bluegrass.¡±


    He mumbled to himself and looked up while the rain continued to drench him. From then on, he joined the Kalbo kingdom and even had clashes with Wilfred and Wilky.

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32 The Love of a Father


    Batista was fuming with rage but could do nothing but watch in anger. He did not expect Floyd to stoop this low and even hold his son as a hostage.


    ¡°Now, gentlemen, you better give what I need or else,¡± Floyd warned and put more pressure on his sword making more blood flow.


    ¡°Fucking bastard! Let him go and take me instead, you can do whatever you want, it is me that you have a beef with!¡± Batista was starting to get desperate.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true but what use are you to me? Just get me what I want and everybody will be happy,¡± Floyd answered without caring about Batista¡¯s anger.


    ¡°I told you, we don¡¯t have it,¡± Wilfred answered coldly, he was also furious but was still cool-headed.


    ¡°That¡¯s not my problem is it?¡±


    Floyd was in a dilemma himself but he had back up plans, the last gamble he had was hanging on Wilky. Judging by Wilky¡¯s personality, there is a ninety percent chance that he will get some of the body parts.


    The first plan he made was to kidnap Blue but despite the hate he harbors inside, he could not bring himself to harm the child especially that she resembles Bluegrass a lot. Dave, on the other hand, resembled Batista so he was okay with it, although it took him more effort to abduct him.


    Shudder!


    Suddenly, a pressure pressed on everyone out of nowhere, they felt like they were at the bottom of the ocean gasping for breath. This was especially for Floyd and Jack, they started to suffocate and their faces started to turn blue. If you view it from above, a semi-translucent globe of water covered an area of one kilometer.


    ¡°Well, what do we have here, a bunch of kids quarreling about a woman¡¯s feeling?¡±


    A teasing tone was heard from above while two men were descending. One was clad in armor while the other one was wearing a blue robe. Wilky and Colonel Sanders finally arrived, they landed in front of Batista¡¯s group.


    Wilfred, Batista, and Randolph saluted with respect.


    ¡°Well, we shouldn¡¯t interfere in kid¡¯s affairs right?¡±


    A resounding voice echoed out and another pressure descended, this time it brought an unbearable heat pushing out Colonel Sanders¡¯ domain and letting Floyd and Jack catch their breath. Both domains were clashing at the middle producing small energy ripples.


    A thick-bearded lean middle-aged man descended, he was in full armor with a ¡®Kalbo¡¯ character imprinted on it and a thick sword was strapped to his back. He had a spiky red hair and his eyes were glowing red like magma, his name was Colonel James Reed.


    ¡°Hmph! You¡¯re the only old man here,¡± Colonel Sanders was not moved and even spoke in a ridiculing tone.


    Vein¡¯s popped out on Colonel James¡¯ forehead, it was true he was older than Sanders¡¯ but it was only one year.


    ¡°Hmph! Just move your ass and stop meddling in other¡¯s affairs,¡± Colonel James retorded back.


    ¡°Other¡¯s affairs? You are talking as if you are not involved in this, whatever, I came to represent the general, lo and behold.¡±


    Colonel Sanders spoke in a dignified manner and brought out a scroll, the decree that general Jakolito Lapid has given him.


    Huumm!


    Strong energy fluctuations rippled when the scroll was opened that easily dispersed both the colonel¡¯s domain and was replaced by a greater pressure that even brought fear to the both of them. With the current situation, everyone around stopped their fight and regrouped to opposite sides and waited for orders. They knew that with the appearance of this big shots, continuing the fight was meaningless.


    A towering gigantic translucent great sword appeared and pointed towards the heavens, it was roughly three hundred meters tall. If this sword will strike, they estimated that an area of ten kilometers would be annihilated, leaving no one alive.


    Colonel James¡¯ pupil shrunk and cold sweats started to come out of his back.


    ¡°I, General Jakolito Lapid hereby declare that the core you are looking for was not obtained by me or any of my subordinates. Pursuing the person who holds the core is none of our business but know this, giving troubles to my subordinates about this matter shall receive my wrath!¡±


    A dignified and majestic voice reverberated throughout the battlefield and beyond. Everyone could not resist it and was forced to listen and even their souls trembled from the direct threat that was issued by the general. Everyone did not doubt what the general has said, especially that he was known as a person who did things directly and disdained dishonest people.


    The entire place became silent and only the howls of the wind could be heard. Everyone stood there in silence until the towering great sword slowly faded away together with the scroll, despite that, the decree has been issued and nobody wanted to receive the general¡¯s wrath.


    Little by little, the people on the offense retreated until they were at a certain distance then stopped and looked Floyd¡¯s direction. Floyd was stunned, he did not expect the general to issue a decree, it was out of his expectation. After all, a general-level character does not usually interfere with matters like this, especially the likes of general Jakolito.


    Shit! Damn it all!


    He was cursing inside but he already rode the tiger and did not want all his efforts to go to waste. Gritting his teeth, he made a bold move and broke the silence.


    ¡°Now that everyone is here, I assume you have the means to meet my demands right?¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy? A decree has been issued and you are still insisting on your demands? Hmph! Are you sure you can bear the brunt of the general¡¯s wrath?¡±


    Wilky answered spoke in disdain while everyone else was stunned by Floyd¡¯s bold move.


    Interesting,


    Colonel James did not utter a single word and just watched from the side, he was not the one opposing the general after all.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll count on three,¡±


    Floyd bit the bullet and gambled everything, this was his one and only chance, waiting for more time would not be good for him so he had to put more pressure.


    ¡°Three, two...¡± He immediately started the countdown and put more pressure on his sword.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Wilky shouted with a grimaced face.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just see how long you can survive after this, now release him.¡±


    He waved his hand and a sealed jar floated then made it¡¯s way to Floyd. Colonel James¡¯ eyes flashed for a second but contained his excitement. Floyd received the item without saying anything and put in on his spatial ring after inspecting.


    ¡°Let me worry about that,¡±


    Floyd withdrew his sword and unsealed Dave¡¯s binding. Dave immediately dashed towards his father¡¯s side without anyone stopping him.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Batista asked in a worried tone then brought out a medicinal paste and applied it to his son¡¯s wound.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay father, thank you,¡± Dave answered in a respectful manner.


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me, thank your uncle Wilky,¡±


    Dave did not dally and bowed to Wilky and expressed his thanks with sincerity.


    ¡°No worries, it¡¯s just a beast blood, your father is my brother so you can be considered as my son.¡±


    Wilky waved his hand and grinned, though the blood was valuable, he could never sacrifice his brother¡¯s son for it. Besides, he gained a lot from his journey, aside from the general¡¯s good grace, a promotion was waiting for him together with Wilfred.


    ¡°Now that matters had been settled, I believe we are done here, no?¡±


    Colonel James spoke and looked at Floyd with a smile.


    ¡°Yes, colonel, men! retreat!¡± Floyd shouted and started the retreat, his goal was met and he would think of the consequences later on.


    ¡°Wait! You think you can just walk away like that?¡±


    Batista would not let things just slip by and wanted to settle things and even prepared for battle. Colonel James furrowed his brow and looked back,


    ¡°Enough, you can settle your grudges one day, but that day is not today,¡±


    Colonel Sanders raised his hand and stopped Batista, he could understand what his subordinate was feeling but they had to think about the consequences. And besides, Dave was rescued and the enemy is retreating, spilling more blood would be useless. Aside from that, if both colonels will really fight seriously, it might have consequences on both kingdoms especially that this is not an official war.


    Batista knew this but he could not just let Floyd go after what he has done, his body was trembling non-stop while he was trying to suppress his rage.


    ¡°Another time brother, let¡¯s just focus on the city¡¯s recovery first. You will have your turn one day,¡±


    Wilfred placed his hand on Batista¡¯s shoulder and calmed him down. Batista heaved a long sigh and just looked at the retreating enemies with cold eyes.


    Just you wait, Floyd.


    .....


    Floyd and the group retreated and packed up their camp then marched towards the border. Both him and Colonel James were riding in front, he already gave the jar a while ago.


    ¡°Good job Floyd, you have my utmost respect for actually having the guts to do that. Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll have your back and I doubt that the general will pursue this matter to the end. After all, nobody got seriously injured or killed after his declaration. If ever he decides to do something, our commander will not sit idly either. As for your promotion, you have my support.¡±


    Colonel James was in a good mood and reassured Floyd.


    ¡°Thank you, Colonel.¡± Floyd gestured and expressed his thanks, all of this was only the first step of his plans, he would do everything to climb at the top.


    You were mistaken, Bluegrass. Hmph! Choosing that muscle-head over me because of how I do things? See what keeps happening to him because he doesn¡¯t use his brain.


    After all these years, he still could not get over what happened and wanted to show that there was nothing wrong with how he does things, the strong are right and the weak could only bow in submission, it doesn¡¯t matter how you do it as long you achieve it.


    News of the general¡¯s decree immediately spread throughout the kingdom and the nearby places. A general¡¯s decree was rarely issued, after the information was spread, everyone was delighted, they were sure that the valuable core was not with the general and was being held by an unknown person. Investigations were immediately launched for tracking the one who holds the core.


    .....


    The damage to the city was not light and it would take months repair it, aside from that, Batista¡¯s group had to bury the dead people and settle their compensations along with the survivors. There was also the repair of the formation and the cannons.


    Without resting, they made temporary arrangements and would officially start the repairs tomorrow. Batista invited the colonel and the other¡¯s to his house and prepared a simple banquet.


    ¡°I offer this toast to the colonel for helping us and even personally coming to get us out of this predicament,¡± Batista raised his cup and everyone followed.


    ¡°Cheers!¡± Despite what happened, with the influence of alcohol, everyone started to feel a little better.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    While everyone was enjoying the party, the door to of the main hall suddenly opened with a bang.


    ¡°Who dares?¡± Batista was infuriated and stood up.


    ¡°An urgent report to the captain!¡±


    The one who barged in was a young man in his mid-twenties and was one of his subordinates who accompanied his daughter on her travel to Red Sparrow city. Batista¡¯s pupils shrunk and had a bad feeling, without delay, he rushed to his subordinate¡¯s side.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°I-I- we-we,¡± The young man stuttered after seeing the captain¡¯s expression.


    ¡°Stop stuttering and just say it,¡± Batista was irritated and scolded him.


    ¡°Please punish this subordinate, I was incompetent!¡±


    The young man suddenly fell to his knees and kowtowed while banging his head on the floor. Batista¡¯s anxiety raised to another level after seeing how his subordinate acted. He picked up the young man and helped him back up.


    ¡°Just tell me what happened,¡±


    The young man started to calm down after looking at the Batista¡¯s serious face.


    ¡°Captain, we were ambushed at the hummingbird forest by bandits,¡±


    ¡°What!? Where is Blue?¡± Batista panicked and wanted to know how was his daughter.


    ¡°I-i don¡¯t know captain,¡± The young man was flustered while answering.


    ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t know!?¡±


    ¡°Captain, we were ambushed midway through the hummingbird forest. I believe they were from Brown Bear and Red Skull bandits. We managed to escape but when we arrived at Red Sparrow City and inquire about Blue from the city lord, he said he had no idea. But I was sure she was with them.¡±


    ¡°Why would that fatty city lord have my daughter? What about Rogelio?¡± Batista¡¯s fury was once again being ignited.


    ¡°He-he-he died during the attack that is why we had no choice but to temporarily put young lady¡¯s safety to the city lord¡¯s group.¡±


    ¡°What? How did he die?¡± Batista was shocked, his subordinate was at the middle-stage of Halo realm and would not die easily even if faced with two enemies with the same level of cultivation.


    ¡°I-i don¡¯t know captain, it was chaotic and we could not clearly see how they fought.¡±


    The young man was becoming fearful, afraid that he would die out of the captain¡¯s anger.


    ¡°Damn!¡±


    Batista was furious and threw the young man, slamming into the wall. He immediately thought of a plan to find his daughter and time was of the essence, she was everything to him. It could be said that he would still bear the pain of losing his son but not his beloved daughter.


    ¡°Sir! I beg you, could you stay for a longer time and look after the city and my son for the time being while I and my brothers look for my daughter?¡±


    Batista was in another desperate situation and half-kneeled towards the colonel.


    ¡°Hmm, okay, the most time I could stay here is a month, after that, I should go back or the general will get mad.¡±


    Colonel Sanders was still calm and agreed without reservation. He had gained a lot from this situation and treated this as a form of repayment.


    ¡°Thank you, Colonel, I will never forget this,¡± Batista bowed and expressed his thanks with utmost sincerity. At least he was at ease for the safety of his son.


    ¡°A small matter, Wilfred and Wilky will accompany you,¡± He urged Batista to stand up and looked at Wilky and Wilfred.


    ¡°Naturally,¡± Both answered at the same time.


    ¡°Thank you brothers, if you don¡¯t mind, can we set off now? I¡¯m deeply afraid for my daughter¡¯s safety.¡±


    ¡°No worries, let¡¯s go and see who dares to touch little Blue,¡±


    The trio immediately left and headed to Hummingbird Forest after asking the young man earlier where the ambush happened.


    .....


    Martin was watching the whole time while the city was being bombarded by attacks, he saw how the formation slowly crumbled while dust and smoke rose from the rubbles. He was even shocked to the core when he saw the ¡®meteor rain¡¯ that descended upon the city. All he could do was hope that the city he considered as home would not fall.


    After the battle was settled, together with the others, they went back to the city and was shocked to see that the city¡¯s state. Debris was everywhere, some corpses were even buried beneath it. He planned to go back to the Fragrant Pavilion but was invited by the city guard who accompanied him to go to the Northern district because Captain Batista had arranged a residence for him there.


    He wanted to refuse but they insisted. Martin even joined the banquet that was interrupted and when he heard that the Captain¡¯s daughter was missing due to bandit attack, he became anxious and thought about Eznho.


    After the incident, he immediately investigated on his own and found out that Eznho and Minchin joined a merchant group but he had no way to confirm their status. He wanted to go personally to Red Sparrow City but was advised not too by Randolph, especially because of the recent bandit attacks.


    He was helpless and powerless and he hated it, all he could do now was pray to the heavens. Although, Randolph promised him that he would send a word to the Captain and inquire about Eznho which made him more relaxed.

 chapter 33

    Chapter 33 Dreams


    The trio immediately rushed into the night and picked the best mounts and headed towards Hummingbird Forest. They arrived on the scene at sunrise but they only managed to see rotting corpses and debris covered in snow. There were even wild beasts still eating cold human flesh.


    ¡°What now, brother?¡± Wilfred asked.


    Batista brought out a map and pointed at a location that was in the inner area of the forest.


    ¡°This is where the hideout of the Brown Bear is located, as for the Red Skulls, we can just ask them about it. Both leaders are at the middle stage of the Halo Realm, we should pay them a visit before going to Red Sparrow city and ask the fatty.¡±


    Batista¡¯s eyes gleamed, his hatred for bandits could not easily be washed away. Although they know bandits were hiding in the Hummingbird Forest, they could not thoroughly eradicate them. Even if they annihilated one group, another will emerge and the process will repeat, they had no choice but to leave them be and would only hunt them if a major incident happened.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡±


    The trio left their mounts and dashed into the forest towards the bandit¡¯s hideout.


    .....


    ¡°Come brothers from the Red Skull, let¡¯s drink to our heart''s content, cheers!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll toast to that brother, hahaha¡±


    Laughter and drunken jokes were heard everywhere around the hideout. Almost everyone was drowning in alcohol, it was livelier than usual as the Red Skull bandits were still in the vicinity celebrating their big loot from a joint operation.


    The hideout was located on a rocky mountain, it was a great fortress, caves were carved out while houses were built at the top. From the top, you can see the greenery of the Hummingbird Forest and was a great lookout.


    At the summit, a man was hanging by a cross, he looked dehydrated and his breath was shallow. His face was bruised and dried blood covered his clothing, he was Kelly, the one who attacked Eznho¡¯s caravan. Due to his failure, he was punished severely, losing Agila was a blow to the group, scouts like him who possessed a special ability were rare, out of the leader¡¯s fury, he was punished severely even though he held a high position.


    Woosh! Woosh! Woosh!


    Block dots suddenly covered the sky.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    A scout narrowed his eyes then after a second it became wide as a saucer.


    ¡°Ene...¡±


    Before he could shout and sound the alarm, an arrow pierced his head.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    Screams sounded out when the rain of arrows arrived, nobody expected an attack while everyone was celebrating their victory.


    ¡°Enemies!¡±


    Someone shouted but most of them were influenced by alcohol, making their reaction time slower than usual.


    Earth Spike!


    Rain of Swords!


    Sword energies fell down together with the arrows while the earth trembled and spikes came out from underground skewering the bandits.


    ¡°Ahhhh!¡±


    More screams echoed after the series of attacks, it came too sudden and nobody could react in time.


    ¡°Who dares!¡±


    A muscular tall man wearing a headdress made out of brown bear holding an axe shouted followed by a man with long grey hair, his mouth was covered by a handkerchief imprinted with a red colored skull, he was holding two daggers on both hands.


    They were the leaders of the Brown Bear and Red Skull bandits.


    ¡°Hmph! I do!¡±


    A stern voice answered and Batista and Wilky dashed to the top in front of the two making their pupils shrink.


    ¡°What?¡± Both leaders were surprised and started to sweat.


    Why is he here?


    Of course, they knew who Batista was and even though they don¡¯t recognize Wilky, judging by his armor, he was an officer of the military.


    ¡°Dare I ask why would the City Guard Captain personally visit our humble abode?¡±


    The Brown Bear leader asked after gathering his all his courage.


    ¡°Hmph! You still pretend to be innocent? Where is my daughter? If even a hair is missing, I will hack you to pieces!¡±


    Batista¡¯s eyes were filled with murderous intent while looking at the duo.


    What?


    Both leaders got confused and tried to fit in the puzzle pieces.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean, even if I had a hundred guts, I would never lay my hands on your daughter.¡±


    The Brown Bear leader answered with great anxiety.


    ¡°Really? Then why would you dare to attack the caravan that has my daughter? And you even dared to kill my trusted subordinate?¡±


    Batista narrowed his eyes and started to gather energy.


    ¡°What? We would not dare! The caravan we attacked was merely composed of the city lords group, I swear...¡±


    Shit! We have been played!


    With his years of experience, he realized that their information was wrong.


    ¡°We really did not know, I swear on my mother¡¯s grave,¡±


    He was starting to panic together with the Red Skull leader.


    ¡°Enough!¡±


    Batista shouted in anger and leaped to attack.


    ¡°Fuck it all!¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Both leaders knew there was no way out of this no matter what they say, all they could do was fight for their life but it was useless. The Brown Bear leader was hacked in two while the Red Skull leader¡¯s body was riddled with holes.


    ¡°Hmph! Regardless if you knew or not, killing you is an act of kindness for the people you killed.¡±


    Batista spoke in disdain while wiping his weapon.


    ¡°It seems this was planned from the beginning and these bandits were just chess pieces.¡±


    Wilky spoke in a somber manner while Wilfred rejoined the group.


    ¡°Hmph! That fatty dares to move against me, let¡¯s just see where he can hide.¡±


    Batista was seething with anger and wanted to immediately head to Red Sparrow City and confront the city lord.


    ¡°Brother, you know we cannot act rashly inside the city, we have rules, even for the colonel, he cannot just do whatever he wants inside. Especially that the fatty¡¯s family has still some influence.¡±


    Wilfred who was the cool-headed one reminded Batista.


    ¡°I know, but I cannot let anything happen to her even if I have to break every rule.¡±


    Batista scowled in answer, he knew how the division of power worked but he did not care when it comes to his daughter.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just head their first and inquire, after that, we plan for our next move.¡±


    Wilfred advised, that was the most rational thing to do for now. Batista was suppressing his fury inside and finally agreed. The trio did not bother to stay any longer and immediately left for Red Sparrow City.


    From that moment on, the Brown Bear and Red Skull Bandits were no more, only a few members survived. Of course, after some time they would naturally be replaced by another group.


    .....


    After preparing everything, Eznho had a chat with his aunt and finally revealed about his plan to pursue the road of cultivation. Of course, Minchin was reluctant and did not want Eznho to be put in danger, despite her being a mortal, she had an idea how harsh the life of cultivator was.


    After a time of thinking, she finally agreed but of course reminded Eznho of many things, she knows everybody has their own path to take.


    Without hiding anything anymore, Eznho was at ease and concentrated on his cultivation, he planned to finish purifying his blood and marrow within a month. With that in mind, he prepared himself and hastened the speed of absorbing the beast blood.


    .....


    Batista and the group reached the ever busy Red Sparrow City after two days. They immediately used their connections and found out where the city lord was currently residing. He was in the middle district, and this made things complicated.


    Rules were much more strict in the middle district. They cannot just barge in at the fatty city lord¡¯s residence and cause a disturbance. According to the agreement, regardless of position and backing, if they broke the rules of the city, it is the Red Sparrow city lord¡¯s decision that would be upheld. But of course there will always be an exception to the rule, sadly, Batista and the group would not have that privilege so they have to tread carefully.


    Left with no choice, the group opted to visit the fatty city lord¡¯s residence. The courtyard was wide, at least five hundred meters squared. It was divided into an outer and inner courtyard.


    The city lord was not welcoming and just met them in the outer courtyard and did not even offer anything to his guests. His name was Butchog River, the youngest son of a declining noble family.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± He asked coldly while looking at the trio.


    ¡°Where is my daughter?¡± Batista did not bother either with pleasantries.


    ¡°Why would I have her? Shouldn¡¯t you be watching your own child? Why don¡¯t you ask your subordinates?¡± Butchog retorted in a mocking manner.


    Faced with Butchog¡¯s mockery, Batista started to emit a strong killing intent. Butchog of course could feel it and started to sweat but maintained his stance.


    ¡°Hmph! You musclehead, we are not in Sin city anymore. You think you can throw your weight around here? Why don¡¯t you try?¡±


    ¡°Brother, we will not gain anything here, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Wilfred held Batista¡¯s shoulder and calmed him down but deep inside he was seething with anger as well, he was just good at hiding it.


    ¡°Good thinking, you can see yourselves out,¡± Butchog spoke with disdain in his eyes.


    Just you wait, I would like to see how you react when you see your daughter.


    Butchog was snickering inside while looking at the departing trio.


    .....


    ¡°How was it, brother? Did you find anything?¡± Batista was agitated and started to lose his focus.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry brother, I spread my soul sense around the courtyard but I found nothing except there was an underground area in the inner courtyard where I can¡¯t penetrate. It must have been made by a formation expert, I reckon only the colonel¡¯s level of power can penetrate it.¡±


    Wilfred answered honestly while Batista was getting more anxious.


    ¡°See that brother? We can request an investigation and I am sure my daughter is there!¡±


    Sigh.


    ¡°Brother, focus, you know we can¡¯t do that. Everyone has there own secret and if we start an investigation due to that, we will be faced with a lot of opposition.¡±


    Wilky was saddened when he looked how his brother acted.


    ¡°But you know how filthy that fatty is!¡± Batista could hold it anymore and wanted to rush back. Butchog has a nasty reputation for being a pedophile.


    ¡°I know but Wilky is right, and one more thing, I think Butchog will not be going back to Sin City anymore. Our informant said that his big brother, Killboy, made a breakthrough and became a Seeker Stage expert. Due to that, he pleaded for his younger brother to be allowed to live here in Red Sparrow City until his banishment time was fully consumed. Basing on the situation, there is a high chance that they will approve it. But for the time being, I believe he will not do anything rash until the decision is made.¡±


    ¡°Damn!¡± Batista was further enraged and smashed the table to pieces.


    ¡°With our status, we cannot do anything, there is only one choice left for us,¡± Wilky spoke in a serious manner.


    ¡°You mean...?¡± Batista was surprised and knew what his brother meant.


    ¡°Yes brother, the Thieves Guild, there is even a rumor circling around that one of the members of the Black Crows is in the city.¡±


    Wilky answered with a slight fear in his eyes. The Black Crows, one of the high ranking assassin group, their name was even spread out throughout the whole continent.


    ¡°But, even if the said member is here, do you think he will take the mission?¡± Batista was little skeptical about the chances.


    ¡°Haha, don¡¯t worry brother, I have my own ways, I had another life before I joined the army you know,¡± Wilky grinned and puffed his chest out.


    ¡°I trust you brother, thank you!¡± Batista was moved and bowed deeply but was met with a smack on his head.


    ¡°Are you stupid? Are we not brothers? Hmph!¡± Wilky crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Batista.


    ¡°Sorry brother, then for tonight, the drinks are on me,¡±


    Batista¡¯s mood was a bit uplifted and just hoped for the mission¡¯s success before it¡¯s too late. He also knew even if he killed his way to Butchog¡¯s residence, his chance of succeeding was very low.


    .....


    Eznho spent most of his time in closed-door training and only came out to eat meals together with Minchin and little Aiza. Budoy only joined the meals during dinner but did not yet give any intel, his plan was to collect a lot and submit it one-time big time.


    Just like that, fifteen days have passed, the group just finished dinner when Budoy asked Eznho to speak in private. It was time for him to submit his report.


    ¡°Here are the things I have managed to collect for the past fifteen days, it is not much but I hope it could help you. Is there anything else you want me to do?¡±


    Budoy handed out some sort of a scrapbook that he made himself.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s all for now, you can do whatever you want for the time being. Thank you,¡± Enzho smiled and expressed his gratitude.


    ¡°No need to thank me, just doing my job,¡± Budoy answered nonchalantly and went to his room.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see what we got here,¡± Eznho did not care and immediately scanned through the scrapbook.


    Red Sparrow City was established thousands of years ago and even survived the reshuffling of powers that happened a thousand years ago after a big incident that changed the world.


    Big incident?


    Eznho was curious but did not dwell on it.


    The city was divided into three districts, the outer, the middle and the inner. The outer part was where most of the common folk lived, crime was prevalent and the law was not that strict. As for the middle district, it is where most merchants, rich people and some of the lower nobilities resided.


    It was not easy to get inside, the outer and middle district was divided by a river and the only way inside was to cross a bridge that was heavily guarded. As for the inner district, the only thing Budoy knows is that it is where the truly influential people resided. Floating palaces can even be found there according to rumors.


    Wow! Floating palaces! How cool would it be to witness such a scenery?


    Eznho was dumbstruck when he read that part.


    Most of the information was regarding the outer district, as for the middle and inner there was only vague information. Budoy was also able to acquire information on the division of power throughout the outer district.


    Most of the power was divided among different gangs but fights between them were common due to conflicting interests. The city lord does not seem to bother about it and just leave them be as long as they know where to draw the line.


    As for acquiring residence, Budoy managed to get the information. Acquiring residence was easy as long as you have money. You can enter the middle district as long as you show proof of wealth like a bank card, of course, they have to check if it really is yours and if your card has money in it.


    After that, go to the Land Distribution Office and look for a residence that is for sale. The residence would be yours after finishing the necessary procedures.


    As for the Batawa Restaurant, it was located in the western part of the outer district. The other information was miscellaneous but with this, Eznho had a rough idea about the city. Eznho¡¯s eyes shined while looking through the window and gazed at the starry sky.


    So that¡¯s how it is, the world is really big and this place is just a part of it. What would it be like to fly and travel the world?

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34 One of Those Guys


    After reading all the information given by Budoy, Eznho massaged his temples and tried to process all the information while formulating a plan.


    There is still time, so I¡¯ll finish absorbing the blood first and head out to the restaurant.


    He hastened his speed these past days and nearly finished his blood and marrow cleansing while practicing the Heaven-Seizing Breathing Technique. Due to this, his energy reserves inside his dantian have increased and his control over it has also improved. The only thing that he needed now was actual combat to hone his skills.


    .....


    Batista received Randolph¡¯s message but due to the stress brought about by his missing daughter, he could not fully concentrate on it so he was not able to find any information regarding Eznho. Besides, thousands of people come in and out of the city everyday so it was really hard to track down a person unless he was someone who would stand out from the rest.


    Wilky, on the other hand, did his best and was able to communicate with the member of the rumored Black Crows member and was able to make a deal.


    ¡°How was it, brother?¡± Batista could not help but ask Wilky as soon as he arrived.


    ¡°All good brother, he agreed and said he would finish the job within a month,¡± Wilky answered with a proud face.


    ¡°A month? Isn¡¯t that too long?¡± Batista frowned upon hearing the answer.


    ¡°Well, he did not exactly say when he will finish the job, who knows, maybe he¡¯ll get it done tomorrow. Let¡¯s just wait, brother, the Black Crows have their own pride and their success rate is rather high. Besides, this job would only be a walk in the park for him.¡±


    Wilky answered while trying to console his brother.


    ¡°He¡¯s right brother, let¡¯s just patiently wait for now and formulate backup plans.¡±


    Wilfred butted in and tried to alleviate Batista¡¯s worries.


    .....


    Days passed like the falling of snow, Eznho was seated in a meditative posture and his body was soaked in sweat. No more impurities were coming out of his skin, this means he already passed the stage with a solid foundation and could move on to the next anytime.


    At last, after a lot of suffering, I finally managed to succeed.


    Eznho was elated and stretched his body showing fine lines of glistening chiseled muscles.


    Whoosh!


    He casually punched forward that made the air chaotic making the curtains in his rooms flutter. Witnessing this scene, Eznho was shocked and joy appeared on his exhausted face. One could only imagine the result if he punched someone with full force.


    Time to head to the restaurant tomorrow.


    .....


    Eznho departed before sunrise and did not bother to wake up the others. He was covered in a fur coat while he headed to the western part of the outer district. Being holed up for weeks inside his room, he also wanted to explore the city. As usual, the outer district became lively as soon as the sun peeped from the east.


    Eznho¡¯s eyes were filled with shock most of the time. He saw many things that blew his mind, aside from humans, he saw many kinds of intimidating beasts. Some were in cages, while some were used as mounts. Buildings were everywhere, he could even see some of the mountains were filled with houses. Those who live at the top were the movers and shakers of the outside district.


    He also saw students wearing their sect or schools uniform. With how wide the city is, it was natural that sects have established their footings here.


    But what shocked him the most was, once in a while a shadow would pass over the place and when you look at the sky, large flying beasts such as birds and flying vessels with different designs were flying and there were even people riding them.


    Wow! What kind of power do you have to wield to tame beasts?


    He wondered inside and tried to calm down his excitement. As he came nearer to his destination, his knowledge and view of the world instantly broadened. The more he saw many kinds of new things, the more he wanted to achieve his dream of traveling the world. Due to this things, he lost track of time and arrived at his destination in the afternoon.


    The restaurant has three floors and was designed plain and simple with no extravagant decorations. The only thing that was eye-catching was the signboard ¡®Batawa Restaurant¡¯ that was written in bright red. He slowly walked towards the place and wondered how he would find the man he is looking for.


    He stood by the entrance and his nose was assaulted by the mixed smell of alcohol and food. The first floor was almost full but he could not find the man he was looking for. He narrowed his eyes and went to the second floor but the man was nowhere to be seen.


    Is it the wrong restaurant? Maybe they have just the same name and the restaurant is located in the middle district or even the inner district?


    He furrowed his brows when he thought about it, the mysterious man was powerful so maybe he had access to the inner districts. He sighed inside and planned to test his luck on the third floor but a guard was standing on the stairway.


    ¡°Halt! Only VIP guests can go upstairs,¡± The muscular guard spoke in an intimidating manner.


    ¡°Great sir, may I know how to become a VIP?¡± Eznho was not willing to give up.


    ¡°Hmph! You better go home kid and stop wasting my time or else I¡¯ll throw you out!¡± The guard barked and glared at Eznho making him furrow his brow.


    I was just asking, no need to be hostile.


    Eznho was grumbling inside but did not show it.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Will this do?¡±  Left with no choice, he brought out his bank card and showed it to the guard.


    ¡°This...¡± The guard was startled and his attitude turned one-eighty degrees.


    ¡°Forgive me, young sir, I was just joking. You can go upstairs anytime you want.¡± With an inviting smile, he moved aside and gestured his hand indicating Eznho to go up.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Eznho spoke with a beaming smile and went upstairs.


    The third floor was just like the lower floors but the only difference was the tables were spread apart making it spacious. A man who was sitting beside the window looking down the busy streets caught his attention. A jug of alcohol and a dish was on his table.


    It¡¯s him!


    Eznho was surprised and walked towards the man.


    ¡°Uhmmm, good afternoon senior,¡± He did not know what to say and just spat the words with politeness.


    ¡°Sit,¡± The man spoke and turned his head then faced Eznho with a scrutinizing gaze.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Eznho bowed and sat in front of the man.


    The mysterious man had a thick jet black messy hair that was a bit long and a small portion of it was tied on his back, strands of hair fell on the side of his face making him look like a scoundrel. His black eyes were like pearls that shined and showed clarity, a thin tall nose complimented it making him look handsome with a short beard on his chin. He looked like a middle-aged man but his face showed great vigor and vitality.


    ¡°What¡¯s up kid? Wanna drink?¡± The man grinned and offered his drink.


    ¡°Uhmmm, I...¡± Eznho was taken aback and did not know what to do.


    ¡°Haha, just kidding, you are still too young to drink kid.¡± The man teased and gulped a drink then sized up Eznho then nodded in satisfaction.


    ¡°Hmmm, not bad kid. All you need is experience,¡±


    ¡°What do you mean senior?¡± Eznho spoke in confusion.


    ¡°Although your cultivation has progressed, a veteran who has a lower cultivation can kill you if you are not careful. If you really want to pursue cultivation, you need to experience a lot of combat and near-death experiences.¡± The man casually explained and gulped down another one.


    Eznho just sat there in silence and could not rebuke what the man said.


    ¡°Look, kid, I can see you have potential but you are still too naive about how the world works. For example, why did you not kill the man who tried to kill you in the alley? Do you think because you spared him, he will let it go? Another thing, picking up strangers with unknown background will most likely bring you calamity, tsk. The world is full of suffering, you think you can save everyone?¡±


    The man asked a barrage of questions and stared at Eznho.


    How did he know?


    Eznho was shocked but immediately recovered then answered with determination.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I just couldn¡¯t bring myself to kill a defenseless man. I also know that the world is cruel but can¡¯t I save those who are within my reach?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, such wise words, you should become a preacher instead.¡± The man burst out laughing while slamming the table.


    Eznho¡¯s lips twitched while looking at the man who was tearing up due to laughter.


    ¡°Senior, may I know why you suggested me to come here? And how do I repay the kindness you showed?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, kindness? You¡¯re really just a newborn chick. It was not kindness, it was just fate.¡± The man continued to laugh and found Eznho amusing.


    ¡°As for that ¡®kindness¡¯, it was already paid when you gave me the information I asked you. No need to fret over it. As for why I asked you to come here, I found it pitiful if your talents go to waste so I¡¯m giving you a chance to further improve your cultivation. As for that chance, it would be up to you to grab it. So what do you say?¡±


    Eznho pondered for a moment before answering.


    ¡°Will my family be affected?¡± This is Eznho¡¯s biggest concern.


    ¡°Of course, but as long as you are careful, it would be alright I guess. Look, kid, the path of cultivation is dangerous and many people close to you will be entangled with it. But, if you obtain enough power, who would dare to touch the people close to you? Might is right kid, sooner or later time will catch up to them and you would have to walk the road alone anyway. If you don¡¯t have the conviction, you better stop now and live a normal life while you still can.¡±


    ¡°I...¡±


    Eznho was at a loss and did not know how to reply. He knew there were risks, but after today, his urge to travel the world became more apparent and one requirement to do it was having strength.


    ¡°I have said what I want, if you want to continue cultivating, come back here in three days and I¡¯ll give you a mission to see if you have the guts to reach the apex.¡±


    The man spoke in a serious manner while looking at Eznho right in the eyes. The conversation continued for a while before the man urged Eznho to leave.


    ¡°May I at least know seniors name?¡± Eznho asked while standing up.


    ¡°You can call me Talong,¡± The man answered casually.


    ¡°Thank you, senior Talong. My name is Eznho, I¡¯ll take my leave then.¡± Eznho bowed and went to the exit.


    ¡°One more thing kid, if you want to know anything about your father, you need a lot of strength to find out about him,¡±


    Talong spoke while gulping another one and continued to stare at the busy street outside.


    Eznho stopped for a second then continued on his way. Talong watched the departing Eznho on the street with a mysterious look in his eyes then looked toward¡¯s Eznho¡¯s destination. His gaze seemed to penetrate space and landed on a place a few blocks from where Eznho was staying.


    Show me what you got kid, don¡¯t disappoint me.


    .....


    The sun has already set and the moon was hanging in the sky but Eznho was only halfway to the inn they were staying at. He brought out a map and found a shortcut through the alleys. He needed to contemplate on many things so he wanted to go back as soon as possible.


    As expected, walking through the alleys made the journey shorter. He was only a couple of blocks away when a group of five was waiting on the opposite side of the alley covered by the shadow of the night.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting for you kid, ke ke ke.¡± A sinister voice echoed in the alley and a thin man came out with a malicious look.


    ¡°You?¡± Eznho was surprised, it was the same man he let go when he first came into the city.


    ¡°Good you remember kid, you think you are so righteous, hmph!¡±


    The man snorted and his gazed turned into hatred. He could not wash away the shame he felt that day.


    ¡°Judas, is this the kid? Looking at him, he doesn¡¯t look like much,¡±


    A stern voice came from behind Judas and a well-built bald middle-aged man with a thick beard came out of the shadows with a saber on his waist. His clothes were stained with old blood that did not wash off. The other three men also came out with sabers on their waist and looked at Eznho like a fish on a chopping board.


    ¡°You see boss Winston, I was just attacked sneakily that¡¯s why.¡± Judas¡¯ voice turned respectful and stood behind the man.


    ¡°Whatever you say,¡± Winston could not be bothered and looked at Judas with disdain.


    ¡°Hey kid, I heard you have a lot of money with you, why don¡¯t you hand it all over and we¡¯ll call it even.¡± He looked at Eznho and smiled like they knew each other.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know you, senior, why should give what belongs to me?¡±


    Eznho furrowed his brows but he was sighing inside with sadness and disappointment.


    Does this mean I really have to kill every enemy I face to avoid future troubles?


    Now he realized how naive he was to let go of the man and now the result was more trouble. Despite that, he wanted to avoid killing as much as possible so he started to step backward to retreat.


    ¡°Hmph! You have no right to refuse kid, don''t even think of running, we know where you live. You cannot hide there like a turtle forever you know and I bet your aunt and the little girl would be bored and want to go out sometime in the future. Slavery is a good trade these days.¡±


    Winston sneered and looked at Eznho like he was just a toy to be played with. Eznho¡¯s pupils shrunk when he heard the hidden threat and stopped his retreat.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Eznho spoke meekly and bowed his head in submission then brought out the bank card and held it in front of him.


    ¡°Good boy, I¡¯m starting to like you now kid,¡±


    Winston was feeling haughty after seeing Eznho¡¯s defeat and commanded Judas to get the card. Judas was sneering inside and used his left hand to hold the hilt of the dagger he was hiding.


    You¡¯re fucking dead kid, that¡¯s what you get for crossing me.


    He stood in front of Eznho and used his right hand to get the card while he slowly brought out his dagger.


    ¡°You¡¯re...¡±


    Ssskkk!


    What?


    Before he could do anything else, a cold dagger pierced his heart without warning.


    ¡°You...¡± He wanted to speak but was cut off when he saw Eznho slowly raising his head.


    His eyes were cold and full of murderous intent, they were dark like the crow¡¯s feather. Their eyes met but Eznho remained emotionless as the light on Judas¡¯ eyes faded like a dying firefly.

 Chapter35

    Chapter 35 Rumble in the Alley


    ¡°Hmmm? Hey! Judas! What¡¯s taking you so long?¡±


    Winston felt something was amiss when a chill crawled down his spine out of nowhere.


    Thud!


    Judas suddenly kneeled in front of Eznho without answering him.


    Whoosh! Whoosh!


    Two daggers flew from Eznho bringing cold glints that were aimed at Winston¡¯s companions. One was Judas¡¯ dagger and the other was the one Eznho used to stab Judas.


    ¡°Watch out!¡±


    Winston was the first to react but it was too late, the dagger was too fast and the distance between them was only about ten meters. Two gurgling sounds were heard and two of his companions were holding their throat while a dagger was embedded in it.


    ¡°Bastard!¡±


    Winston was furious at the turn of events and unsheathed his weapon. Together with the remaining one, they dashed forward and attacked Eznho. Eznho remained emotionless and brought out his two remaining daggers, he circulated his energy then prepared for combat.


    Winston leaped and slashed his saber downwards while Eznho easily dodged by leaping sideways but was met by a horizontal slash from the other guy. Seeing the blade coming for him, he docked but a kick followed suit aiming for his head. He raised both of his hands and was sent tumbling backward and crashed into the wall.


    ¡°Hmph! Just because you cultivate doesn¡¯t mean you can fight.¡±


    Winston spoke in disdain while he prepared for another round. He saw that Eznho was a cultivator and probably was a bit stronger than him, but in terms of fighting experience, the boy he was fighting was lacking.


    Eznho stood up and shook his painful arms, this was his first frontal combat and his lack of experience was showing up. He tried to calm down and analyzed the situation.


    Giving no chance for Eznho to rest, Winston and his companion continued with the attack. Using his experience, he barraged the boy with attacks giving him no chance to counter-attack. Eznho was panting, his body was bruised while small cuts were all over his body. Despite that, he stood strong and his eyes were as cold as ever while looking at his enemies.


    ¡°Give it up kid, surrender and I¡¯ll leave you with an intact corpse. I also promise not to bother with your companions anymore,¡±


    Winston offered while trying to find a way to finish the battle. He did not expect the boy to be tenacious and nimble, all he could do was give him light wounds. Seeing that the boy did not intend to surrender, he dashed and continued with the attack.


    Clang! Clang! Clang!


    Sparks flew and the sound of weapons colliding echoed in the alley while snow continued to fall throughout the city.


    Enzho was sent tumbling again on the ground and nearly crashed against the wall after being kicked in the stomach. He wiped the blood from his lips and tried to regulate his breathing. Both parties were starting to feel the exhaustion,


    Damn! What a pain in the ass!


    Winston cursed in his mind while looking at the unwavering boy.


    ¡°Let¡¯s finish this!¡±


    He was already getting impatient and circulated his remaining energy at full force while his companion did the same thing. They dashed on opposite sides and tried to do a pincer attack. Eznho just stood there, his breath was stabilizing and his senses were heightened to its peak.


    The duo reached him in no time slashing their blades horizontally at the same time. Winston aimed for his neck while the other one at the back of Eznho¡¯s legs. The attack came fast and two blades were coming for Eznho¡¯s life from opposite sides.


    Despite that, Eznho remained standing there and observed every detail with his sharp cold eyes.


    An opening!


    He sensed that Winston¡¯s blade was faster than the other one so he arched his body backward with great flexibility making the blade miss and was only centimeters away from the tip of his nose and cutting Eznho¡¯s floating hair.


    While Eznho was arching his back, both his hands landed on the ground and his legs started to go up to dodge the other blade making him do a handstand and narrowly dodging both attacks.


    What?


    Winston was shocked when he saw the boy¡¯s flexibility and even have the guts to pull such a stunt. He was expecting the boy to leap that would leave himself open mid-air. Because of the attack¡¯s momentum, they could not immediately retrieve their balance.


    Seizing the opportunity, Eznho who was doing a handstand, twisted his body and kicked the duo hard making them stumble backward. He did not stop there and pushed his hands making him land on his feet then circulated his energy on his hands and feet.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    He threw the dagger towards the other man then followed-up immediately by dashing towards him and aiming to stab him.


    -Clang!


    Looking at the incoming dagger, the man did not yet regain his balance and could not dodge. All he could do was block it with his weapon. What he did not expect was the force behind the attack was so great that his hand went numb and nearly lost grip on his blade making his front unguarded for a moment.


    Eznho did not give the man any chance to recover and immediately aimed to stab his heart.


    Sssskkk!


    With his front wide open, the dagger went straight to the man¡¯s heart. His eyes were wide open and filled with disbelief, never in his wildest dream that he would die this way and even by a boy¡¯s hand. The man¡¯s life was snuffed out of him as he lifelessly fell down. Eznho pulled out his dagger and looked at Winston who was standing stiff opposite him.


    Haaaa, Haaaa,


    Eznho was running out of breath and energy, he could even barely support himself to stand straight. Winston, on the other hand, could not believe what happened, the events occurred too fast. He just barely regained his balance but his comrade was already dead.


    Damn! What kind of little monster is he? But he is already out of energy, one more push and he is dead.


    Fear was starting to build inside of him but he could also see that Eznho was hanging by a thread. He took a deep breath and dashed towards Eznho then slashed. Eznho barely dodged and leaped backward but he ended up banging against the wall.


    Winston did not give him any chance and followed-up the attack with a stab.


    Shhhkk!


    Blood spurted out, Winston was elated by the success of his attack but before he could celebrate a dagger came from below stabbing him from the chin with the pointed edge exiting on top of his head.


    ¡°How....¡±


    The light in his eyes was fading but confusion could still be seen on his face. He let go of his blade and collapsed on the ground.


    ¡°Haaa, haaa, that was close,¡±


    Eznho was panting while he let go of the enemy¡¯s blade with his bloody hands. Turns out, before the blade could reach him, he moved his stomach sideways at a strange angle and grabbed the blade with his bare hand.


    ¡°Damn, haaa, haaa, aunt Minchin will surely get mad at me.¡±


    He was smiling bitterly while he dragged himself and started to walk towards the inn while leaving dragging marks on his path. The battle took a toll on his body and he was barely hanging onto his consciousness.


    .....


    Eznho opened his eyes, the rays of the sunset was shining down his room. He covered his eyes and tried to observe his surrounding which looked familiar.


    ¡°I¡¯m in my room?¡±


    He narrowed his eyes and he saw two blurry figures. His vision slowly adjusted and he saw little Aiza with a worried face and teary eyes. The other one was his aunt who was pouting and glaring at him.


    ¡°Uhmmm, how did I get home?¡±


    He smiled wryly and tried to smoothen things out.


    ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± Little Aiza asked with a worried tone.


    ¡°Hmph! Look at you, going out without saying anything and suddenly coming home with your body full of injuries. You¡¯re gonna be the cause of my death.¡±


    Before he could answer, Minchin spoke with an angry tone.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry aunt, I ran into some bad guys last night.¡±


    Eznho answered with an apologetic look on his face.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky the guards recognized you when you collapsed in front of the inn.¡±


    Minchin ignored him and maintained her stance.


    ¡°Aunt, you can get mad later on at big brother.¡± Little Aiza pleaded.


    ¡°You should get some more rest, the doctor said your injuries are not that serious and you only collapsed because of exhaustion.¡±


    Minchin stood up and left leaving Eznho feeling guilty.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry big brother, aunt Minchin is just tired, she did not mean anything she said. In fact, she did not even sleep for a second and was by your side the whole time.¡±


    He could not help but feel guilty towards his aunt but Little Aiza tried to comfort him with her words and fed Eznho with a bowl of porridge. Eznho wanted to feed himself but the little girl insisted which left him helpless.


    ¡°Thank you little Aiza you should also get some rest and we will talk tomorrow.¡±


    Eznho forced a smile and patted the little girl¡¯s head after he finished eating.


    ¡°Okay big brother, see you tomorrow. Rest properly and get well soon.¡±


    Little Aiza stood up and left the room leaving Eznho alone who was sighing because of guilt.


    He tried remembering but it only brought a headache, the last thing he could recall was his enemies falling and him trying to drag himself and get home. He was trying to get back to sleep when he heard a knock.


    Knock! Knock!


    ¡°Come in,¡± He composed himself and looked towards the door.


    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Budoy¡¯s voice was coming from the outside and he came in with a guilty face.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Eznho was curious as to why Budoy was making such a face.


    ¡°Ho-how are you?¡± Budoy asked awkwardly.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, nothing too serious,¡± Eznho answered with a genuine smile.


    ¡°I am sorry, because of us this thing happened to you,¡±


    Budoy bowed his head and felt ashamed while clenching his fists.


    ¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡± Eznho asked with one of his brows raised.


    ¡°I know what happened, no need to hide it from me,¡±


    Budoy spoke as he brought out a bank card and three clean daggers wrapped in a cloth which made Eznho almost jump out of his bed. He totally forgot about his bank card which would pose a big problem because it holds all of his savings.


    ¡°Where¡¯d you get that?¡±


    ¡°After you were brought here, I knew you met trouble along the way so I tried to retrace your steps and found Judas¡¯ body and the others. I saw his hand holding a bank card and I firmly believe that it was yours. As for the daggers, I bought them as a form of compensation so please take them.¡±


    Budoy bowed with sincerity and respect while handing out the daggers and the bank card. Eznho accepted it without holding back and ruffled Budoy¡¯s hair which made him blush in embarrassment.


    ¡°No worries, little brother, no big deal, I already consider you both as my siblings so it¡¯s my job to protect you.¡±


    Eznho smiled pleasantly and truly felt warm inside, despite them knowing each other for a short period of time, he became fond of the sibling and already considered them as his own family.


    ¡°Tha-thank you, big brother, I will go now and stop disturbing you.¡±


    This time he called him big brother with sincerity but it still felt awkward for him so he left hurriedly to hide his embarrassment. It was his first time to feel that someone genuinely cared for them so his heart was truly touched. Eznho just watched him with a smile still hanging on his face.


    I should head to the middle district tomorrow and try to acquire residency.


    He thought to himself while thinking about the past events. If he could acquire a house in the middle district, it would be more secure and the people he cared about would be safer.


    .....


    The next day, Eznho woke up with full vigor, due to the medicines, no scar marks were left on his body. He also found out that the medicine and the doctor were paid by Budoy using his own money.


    Eznho talked to his aunt and comforted her to lighten up her mood, of course, he had easily done that due to Minchin¡¯s doting love for him. She did not even ask the details about what happened, she was satisfied as long as Eznho was safe.  After that, she warned him not to easily get in trouble and avoid it if he can.


    The four of them happily ate breakfast together and Eznho told them about his plan to go to the middle district. Minchin was still feeling uneasy so he urged him to go together with Budoy which he happily complied with.

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36 Home is Where The Heart is


    Eznho and Budoy wore fur coats while they traveled towards the middle district entrance. Budoy was like a tour guide and was enthusiastic to introduce every place they passed by which added to Eznho¡¯s knowledge. The further they went inside, the place started to become more organized and the buildings were designed decently. People were somewhat neat and tidy and it was rare to see a person who wore dirty and ragged clothing.


    Finally, they reached the bridge entrance that connected the outer from the middle. A tower was erected where some guards in full armor were keeping watch. A line of people and carriages were waiting while the guards inspected each and everyone. The duo joined the queue and waited for their turn. A man was even arrested when he tried to use a fake residency badge.


    ¡°Tsk, stupid plebians who think they can trick their way inside,¡±


    A young man in a fancy white fur coat who was riding a three-meter-long white direwolf snorted in disdain when he saw the scene. It was obvious he came from a rich background, upon arrival he did not line up and directly went to the gate and the guards did not even bother to inspect him after showing a badge. A look of envy could be seen from everyone including Eznho and Budoy.


    ¡°Truly the rich and powerful can do anything they want,¡±


    Eznho felt dejected while looking at the young man.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry big brother, I know you can achieve that one day,¡±


    Budoy commented when he saw Eznho¡¯s reaction. Eznho just smiled back and did not comment, they waited for a little over thirty minutes before their turn.


    ¡°Purpose of going in the middle district?¡± the guard asked casually.


    ¡°To buy a house,¡± Eznho answered back.


    ¡°Hmmm? Any proof of the ability to buy one?¡±


    The guard was a little surprised when he saw how young Eznho and Budoy were.


    ¡°Will this do?¡± Eznho was straightforward and brought out his bank card.


    ¡°Yup, Just open it up and let me scan if you really have the money. The minimum amount needed is five thousand gold coins. An entrance fee of a hundred gold coins each is needed, of course, if you acquire your residency you can come and go as you like.¡±


    The guard briefly explained and brought out a thin rectangular metal that had formation runes on it. Eznho placed and his card above it while scanning his thumbprint. His remaining balance was a little under nine thousand gold coins and the two hundred gold coins for the entrance fee was deducted.


    That much? How rich is this city?


    Eznho was taken aback by the number of gold coins needed just to enter the district.  He could only imagine how money the city generates every day.


    ¡°Okay, all good, you can go. Make sure not to cause any trouble inside and not fall into the river.¡± The guard did not delay them any longer and gave them some sort of a ticket.


    Eznho entered the large opened gates together with Budoy but he did not expect the bridge to be just a simple brick bridge. The architecture was so simple, it looked like a normal twenty-meter wide bridge. Eznho was a little bit skeptical but he continued to walk and went to the side where he could clearly see the frozen river below.


    He was shocked when he saw a rather large shadow passing by under the bridge, he estimated the length to be at least fifteen meters long but he could not clearly see the shape.


    ¡°What was that?¡± He blurted out.


    ¡°Aquatic beast,¡± Budoy responded with a serious tone.


    ¡°No wonder people are only allowed to use the bridge,¡± Eznho inhaled heavily while looking at the frozen river.


    ¡°Of course, if people tried to cross the river, they would end up as food for the beasts,¡±


    Budoy spoke with fear in his eyes, he pictured the river being dyed red by blood. They walked for a short period of time, the bridge was only a hundred metes long. They saw a similar tower and they easily passed when they presented their ticket.


    Upon entering the gates, they were awed by the scenery. The streets were clean and there were no vendors scattered around. The buildings were designed beautifully, everything was neat, you could feel the presence of law and order.


    People passing by were wearing luxurious clothes, carriages were being pulled by beasts. Some palanquin were even being carried by a group of people. The duo stood there in shock, all they could think about was how people here lived in luxury while the outer district was like a slum. It took some time for them to adjust their mentality, it was already lunchtime so they needed a place to eat and they also needed information.


    They immediately found a restaurant named Good Taste Restaurant. It was a three-story building, the first floor was full so they had to go to the second floor but with an extra payment. They were shocked by the prices, the lowest dish cost five gold coins. They could only close their eyes as they ordered.


    I would not even survive here for a year if I don¡¯t find a source of income.


    Eznho was smiling bitterly while trying to think of a way to earn money.


    ¡°No wonder only the rich and nobles live here,¡± Budoy spoke in a soft voice while observing his surroundings.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, we should probably start looking for jobs. By the way, have you tried cultivating?¡±


    Eznho was a bit curious, basing on his observation, Budoy was a stronger than the other kids with the same age.


    ¡°I tried, but they said I don¡¯t have the talent and my body cannot absorb heavenly energy,¡± Budoy answered with a downcast face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, cultivation is not everything.¡± Eznho tried to console Budoy.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The food came moments later bringing a mouthwatering aroma. Both of their stomachs started to grumble.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope it¡¯s worth it,¡± Budoy commented and took his first bite.


    Yum! This kind of food exists?


    He uncontrollably smiled while chewing and tasting the food. It was the most delicious food he had ever tasted.


    ¡°This is worth it,¡±


    He could not help but exclaim, Eznho nearly laughed when he saw Budoy¡¯s reaction but restrained himself. Tasting the food also brought him joy but he behaved himself and did not act like Budoy.


    ¡°Phew, I am stuffed. I could eat in here every day,¡± Budoy spoke with delight as he tapped his bulging stomach.


    ¡°Do you have the money to spend?¡± Eznho asked teasingly.


    ¡°Well, that would be up to you right, ¡®big brother¡¯¡± Budoy retorted with a mischevious look.


    ¡°Hmph, what do you think of me? Your personal bank?¡± Enzho answered back.


    .....


    After digesting their food, they walked out of the restaurant and headed for the Land Distribution Office after confirming its location. It was located about ten kilometers from the restaurant, places could easily be found due to the proper arrangement of and construction of establishments and roads.


    The office building was large, there were four imposing red columns in front of it. A signboard was hanging by the entrance indicating the name of the establishment. Two intimidating guards were stationed beside the door. Ezhno and Budoy composed themselves and entered.


    The hall was wider than it looks from the outside, it could easily accommodate hundreds or even thousands of people. A good-looking female attendant in a red dress immediately met them with a charming smile.


    ¡°How may I help you, young sirs?¡± She inquired.


    ¡°Uhmmmm, we-we are here to buy a house,¡± Eznho got a little stiff.


    ¡°Okay, follow me,¡±


    The attendant invited them with an amicable smile and ordered someone to take off their fur coats. People who are able to buy houses in the district usually have deep pockets. They were taken into a small room where a middle-aged man was sitting.


    ¡°They are here to buy a house,¡±


    The female attendant announced and immediately departed after giving the duo a seductive smile which made them blush.


    ¡°Good afternoon, young sirs, please take a seat. My name is Jones, I am one of the land distributors. How may I address the both of you.¡±


    The middle-aged man stood and greeted with respect.


    ¡°Thank you, my name is Eznho and he is my little brother Budoy,¡± Eznho answered courteously.


    ¡°Good names, are you new here?¡± Jones inquired.


    ¡°Yes senior, we just arrived from far away,¡± Enzho answered vaguely.


    ¡°Okay, so what kind of house are you looking for?¡±


    Jones sensed that Eznho wasn¡¯t willing to talk about his background so immediately got to the point.


    ¡°Just a little one, there is only a few of us so, I don¡¯t need a big house,¡±


    Eznho answered honestly which made Jones a little disappointed but did not show it. This transaction would not give him a lot but it was still money so he maintained his good attitude, besides, he did not know their background.


    ¡°You¡¯re in luck, someone a while ago just posted his residency for sale. Small houses are rarely being sold these days, if you don¡¯t buy it now somebody will. What do you say?¡±


    Eznho was delighted when he heard the good news, he was kinda pessimistic about it. After all, the cheapest house would be the most sought after by people.


    ¡°Ahem, may I know the details?¡± Eznho tried to hide his excitement.


    ¡°The price is five thousand gold coins plus five hundred as a registration fee with a total of five thousand five hundred gold coins. The house could hold ten people with ease and comfort, this type of house should be worth more than this but the owner is in a rush to sell it. You are really lucky, What say you?¡± Jones smiled while explaining.


    Over five thousand! And that is the cheapest?


    The duo was once again shocked by how pricey the houses were, they did not expect this kind of price. But at least this price comes with security and safety, that¡¯s what mattered the most for Eznho.


    ¡°Can we at least see the house first?¡±


    ¡°Sure, no problem.¡± Jones brought out a scroll and opened it.


    A formation lit up and showed a small hologram of a courtyard. The size was approximately two hundred meters squared. The space was wide enough for the four of them to stay in. It had a fountain and a garden that could be used by his aunt and little Aiza as a recreational activity.


    Wow! This is worth it!


    Eznho was amazed and immediately had the urge to buy it straight away but he restrained himself and showed a calm demeanor.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± He casually asked Budoy.


    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s barely passable but it will do for now.¡±


    Budoy answered nonchalantly but deep inside he was also excited to live in such a house. Eznho thought for a while before answering.


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll take it,¡±


    ¡°Haha, good, good, you have made the right decision.¡±


    Jones was quite happy to easily dispose of this house when not even a day has passed since it was up for sale. They immediately proceeded with the process and the house title was transferred under Eznho¡¯s name.


    ¡°Now that all is done, I must remind you about a few things, you can only acquire ten residency badge. With this badge, the holder can come and go inside the middle district without much restriction. If a badge is missing, please report it immediately as to avoid people sneaking in. The badges are blank right now, all you have to do is press your thumb for identification. Make sure not to lose the blank ones, please. Also, the scroll that I have given to you is your proof of ownership, you can keep it to yourself or you can go to the bank and put it in there, up to you. Every year you have to pay five hundred gold coins as a form of registration. This year is paid for you so you don¡¯t have to worry about it, for now, you can pay it by bulk if you want, for example, you pay a thousand and you don¡¯t have to bother paying for two years.¡±


    Five hundred a year? Why didn¡¯t you say earlier? Arg!


    Eznho felt helpless as he tried thinking of a way to earn money while Jones patiently explained.


    ¡°As for the other details, such as laws and regulations you can read it at home. If you have any questions, you can come here anytime. You can start moving in tomorrow, any more questions?¡±


    ¡°Uhmmmm, none, for now, thank you,¡±


    Despite the large sum being spent, Eznho was excited to go back and announce the good news. The duo bowed and left Jones who continued to do his job. They bought food on their way home which they shared with Minchin and little Aiza.


    The most excited one was little Aiza who was jumping around and started to pack her things right away. She could not wait to go and transfer to their new home. Eznho was quite satisfied with the result and so after dinner, everyone packed their things and got ready for tomorrow.


    The same night, Eznho could not sleep and was unable to decide what he should do next. He was still hesitant whether to continue his cultivation or just live a simple life. But on the other hand, it would be hard for them to earn money to sustain a good living condition inside the middle district. What he needed now was guidance.


    Knock! Knock!


    He was jolted back to reality when a somebody knocked on the door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± He wondered who could it be.


    ¡°Little Ez,¡± Minchi slowly opened the door and showed a doting smile.


    ¡°Aunt, do you need anything?¡± Eznho was confused by the visit.


    ¡°Little Ez, we need to talk,¡± Minchin answered with a serious tone.


    ¡°What is it about aunt?¡± Eznho got up and sat on his bed.


    Minchin did not answer and went to the bedside and sat down, then looked at Eznho with worry.


    ¡°What are you planning to do from now on? I know living in the middle district would need a lot of money. How do you plan to sustain it? I can work but I am sure it will not be enough,¡±


    Eznho let out a big sigh when he heard the question.


    ¡°Honestly, aunt I don¡¯t know what to do right now,¡±


    ¡°Little Ez, you don¡¯t have to burden yourself that much, we can always go back to Sin City,¡±


    Minchin tried to console him, he could feel Eznho¡¯s hardship.


    ¡°I know aunt Minchin, but I don¡¯t want to live under someone''s foot anymore. I don¡¯t want us to live like stray dogs who the rich and powerful could do anything they want against us. The only thing I want is for you and the others to live happily and peacefully and I think we can achieve it by living in the middle district. It would not be easy for anyone to bully us anymore,¡±


    Eznho answered with determination.


    ¡°I know it would hard to keep this up without sufficient money but I have a way, it¡¯s just that I don¡¯t know if it is the right thing to do. Tell me, aunt, am I a bad person?¡±


    He became emotional and looked at her aunt in the eyes.


    ¡°What are you talking about? Of course not!¡± Minchin was taken aback and hugged Eznho tightly.


    ¡°You can tell me anything little Ez,¡± She could see the confusion in Eznho¡¯s eyes and she wanted to help him.

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37 What to do la?


    Eznho took a deep breath and looked at the window with emotional eyes. He started to narrate everything that happened to him, unlike before, he did not conceal anything and told every detail including the killings. From his first kill at the road while going back to Sin city up to the five guys he killed a couple of days ago.


    Despite his inability to recall things, he narrated what he could remember during the attack of their caravan. He told her about every strange encounter he had including the gray flame, the subtle hint of Talong about the ring and about his invitation.


    Minchin listened carefully and did not miss any detail, she was shocked many times but refrained from commenting and just let Eznho do the talking. It took a while before Eznho finished talking, after that, Eznho felt a little lighter as if a boulder he was carrying was taken away from him, he actually felt good. Now he realized, it was actually nice to have someone close to you whom you can tell everything about.


    ¡°Little Ez, I won¡¯t be a hypocrite and say that what you did was not good. Those people tried to kill you and you were only defending yourself,¡±


    Minchin spoke in a gentle manner and tried to comfort the boy.


    ¡°I know aunt, that¡¯s what I also think but they said that if I am to continue cultivating I would have to face the truth and have to kill more people. Tell me, aunt, how do I decide if I am to take the life of someone? I mean, do I even have the right to take their life?¡±


    This was Eznho¡¯s question, he was still a child after all and did not yet accumulate enough experience.


    ¡°Little Ez, after hearing all about your encounters I can tell for sure that you have a great destiny ahead of you. If you are to ask me I would say that, if someone wants to take your life, you have the right to defend it. And if ever you have to decide who to kill, from my perspective it would be the people who deserve it, evil people who do evil things and never ever take the life of an innocent person little Ez.¡±


    Minchin answered honestly, she was more mature and also had her own fair share of experiences.


    ¡°As what that man said about your father, you have the right to know the truth so I won¡¯t stop you from whatever decision you make. I will always be at your back cheering you on, just promise me not to wantonly kill people without reason and I repeat, never take the life of an innocent person.¡±


    Eznho stayed silent and contemplated inside.


    ¡°Whatever you decide to do next, we are here for you, little Aiza, Budoy and that big brother of yours. One more thing, no matter where your adventures take you, always remember that there is someone home waiting for you.¡±


    Minchin also turned emotional, her intuition told her that they would separate in the near future. She did not want to hold him back so she stayed strong, after all, Eznho could not possibly stay by her side forever, he has to live his own life. She only prayed that he would live a happy life. Taking a deep breath, she kissed Eznho¡¯s forehead and stood up while showing a doting smile then walked to the door.


    ¡°Good night little Ez, don¡¯t stay up too late. We still have a big day tomorrow,¡±


    ¡°Good night aunt Minchin, thank you.¡±


    Enzho spoke with wholehearted gratitude, he felt like his path was now clearer than before. He closed his eyes and weighed everything on his mind, after a while, he opened his eyes. It was now filled with determination and all the traces of confusion were gone.


    .....


    The group departed early in the morning after settling everything at the inn. The owner was somewhat dejected after seeing a big source of income leave in a carriage. Minchin was constantly awed and shocked after looking at the surroundings they passed.


    She did not go out even once and the only place she visited was the inn¡¯s back garden. Her eyes constantly moved as she saw many new things, she was like Eznho when he first strolled around, it was rather amusing to watch.


    They easily passed the gate and reached the middle district, basing on the map, the house was about twenty kilometers to the east. Time was not of the essence so they took their time and marveled at the sceneries they passed. They could even vaguely see the wall that separated the inner district, from the middle.


    What kind of sceneries would be inside?


    Eznho asked himself while trying to imagine what the inner city looked like. It took them an hour before they reached the house. The gate was closed and a number ¡®69¡¯ was carved on it. In the middle, there was some sort of a hole that matches the residency badge which also had a ¡®69¡¯ on it. Eznho took it out and put it in front, a second later, an unlocking sound was heard and Eznho pushed the gate open.


    Little Aiza could not contain her excitement so she ran inside first.


    ¡°Wow! Look at this everyone, it¡¯s beautiful.¡± She exclaimed from the inside.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    The other followed suit and what they saw astounded them, the open courtyard was actually filled with green grass, flat rocks were embedded to form a pathway while a small fountain with a fish design was spewing water from its mouth. Flowers with different colors and small trees were growing at the side.


    Little Aiza was jumping up and down and was rolling her body on the grass. The three who were watching could help but laugh at the little girl. After unpacking everything, everyone picked their own rooms, Eznho was forced to sleep in the room where the head of the family stays. Minchin and little Aiza prepared dinner, they were one happy family, the only one missing was Martin. After eating, Eznho distributed the residency badge to everyone and kept the others for future use.


    Eznho planned on going back to Sin city after settling everything and get his big brother. He was worried but could only endure for now, and besides, there were dangers in traveling.


    .....


    The next day, the group planned to go out and explore a little bit around the middle district. They finished breakfast and started to prepare when someone buzzed some sort of a doorbell but made with a simple formation. Everyone was puzzled as who would visit them, they were new in town and did not know anyone.


    Budoy volunteered to open the door but a short while after opening it, he slammed the gate and came back with a gloomy face.


    ¡°What happened, big brother?¡± Little Aiza inquired with inquisitive eyes.


    ¡°The person got the wrong address, why don¡¯t you go and prepare yourself so we can go have fun outside,¡± Budoy vaguely answered with a smile.


    Little Aiza pouted but she knew it was something she could not pry on so she went to her room while grumbling.


    ¡°Who was that?¡± Eznho questioned after the little girl left.


    ¡°Sigh, I never thought we would encounter him as soon as we came here. Big brother, do you remember the merchant I told you about? The one who wanted to offer little Aiza to one of the nobles?¡± Budoy started to remember the past.


    ¡°Yeah, I remember, was he the visitor?¡± Eznho guessed, while Minchin just listened to the conversation.


    ¡°You got it right big brother, ugh, he was the previous owner of this house and just wanted to see who the new owner was,¡± Budoy answered with dejection.


    ¡°I see, what a small world, did he say anything else?¡± Eznho asked.


    ¡°I slammed the door right after knowing his intentions, I¡¯m sorry big brother, I just couldn¡¯t control myself,¡± Budoy answered apologetically.


    ¡°No worries, little brother, he is not welcome in this house anyway,¡± Eznho patted Budoy¡¯s shoulder to comfort him.


    ¡°Budoy, how are you and little Aiza related to that man?¡± Minchin asked curiously.


    ¡°We just met him by accident, actually both Aiza and I don¡¯t have any memories before meeting the merchant. The only thing I could remember was me and my little sister were running from someone or something. I don¡¯t know why but my mind told me to run as far as we can. After running for days, we started to weaken due to exhaustion and lack of food. That was the time we saw the merchant¡¯s caravan, he welcomed us with all smiles and gave us food and clothes. Little did we know that he had ulterior motives, I have only accidentally overheard him so we had a chance to escape. After that, we have been living in the shadows of the outer district.¡±


    Budoy told the whole truth, he trusted Minchin and Eznho that is why he was able to tell everything about him and his little sister. Eznho and Minchin were both shocked by the sibling¡¯s story, they did not expect it to be that tragic. They did not ask before because they could see the reluctance in their eyes, but now they felt pity for them.


    Maybe that¡¯s why senior Talong said not to pick up strangers with unknown backgrounds. Maybe he knows something, I have to ask him later on.


    Eznho felt a headache coming. The sibling had a mysterious past and he had no idea about it.


    We will deal with it if it comes.


    ¡°I never thought you had such a tragic past, do you have any clue at all as to where you came from?¡± Eznho asked.


    ¡°No, big brother, no matter how hard we tried, we could not remember a single thing,¡± Budoy answered with a downcast face.


    ¡°I am ready! Let¡¯s go!¡± The gloomy atmosphere was broken by little Aiza when she came running with a yellow dress while draped in a fur coat and a yellow ribbon on her hair. She looked more adorable and cute that way.


    ¡°Big brother?¡± Budoy was not sure if they would push through with the outing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he can¡¯t do anything in the open and besides, the middle district has rules,¡± Eznho answered with confidence. Budoy nodded in response and his heavy feeling became lighter.


    ¡°Wow, little Aiza you look good on your dress,¡± Minchin commented.


    ¡°Thank you aunt Minchin, how do you like it, big brother?¡± Little Aiza looked at the two boys.


    ¡°It looks good on you,¡±


    ¡°You look adorable in that,¡±


    Budoy and Eznho spoke at the same time, which made the atmosphere awkward.


    ¡°Hahaha, thank you,¡±


    Little Aiza found it funny and bowed in a ladylike manner then hugged Eznho and Budoy. The atmosphere became jubilant after little Aiza¡¯s performance, she was the star of the family.


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s getting late, we should head out and enjoy the day,¡± Eznho spoke with enthusiasm and the group left the house to explore the middle district.


    .....


    ¡°What a lucky day, never would have I thought that I would find the siblings in my old house,¡± A middle-aged man sitting on a chair while sipping wine was feeling delightful. He was the merchant who was met by Budoy and Aiza. His name was Alibaba.


    ¡°I had to sell the house to procure more money and buy little girls and offer it to the fatso. If I could acquire that little girl, it would fetch me a great price. I have to investigate things first, I have to know who is standing at the back of those two,¡±


    Alibaba furrowed his brows while thinking of a solution, the middle district has rules and protects its residents. He could not do anything rashly.


    ¡°Onyok,¡± He shouted.


    ¡°What is it, milord?¡± A silhouette appeared and spoke.


    ¡°Investigate everything about the people who bought one of my houses,¡± Alibaba instructed.


    ¡°Your wish is my command milord,¡± The silhouette acknowledged and disappeared.


    ¡°I have to visit the fatso later on and offer the girls,¡± Alibaba mumbled to himself and gulped down the wine.


    .....


    Eznho and the group walked around the middle district and explored the place. They entered shops and even bought some things even though Minchin was trying to tell to be thrifty. Little Aiza was all smiles the whole time which affected everyone around her. People who even saw her found her adorable and cute.


    They went for lunch at the Good Taste Restaurant and ate a sumptuous meal. After that, little Aiza was still energetic so they continued the tour, this made everyone broaden their horizon and familiarized themselves with the place.


    The group was on their way home when they met their neighbors, they introduced themselves to each other. They even had a daughter with the same age as Aiza. Everyone was tired when they got home, except for Eznho, he still had to go somewhere else later on.


    Unknown to the group, a shadow was tailing them and noted every place they visited and every move they made.

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38 Switch


    The sun has already set when Eznho told the group that he would go out to do something. They did not ask about the details and told him to come back safely. Eznho talked with Budoy privately before setting out.


    ¡°Budoy, we need to start earning money so I entrust you to find information on how people like us who don¡¯t have connections make money. Also, try to obtain more information about the city, now that we have access to the middle district, I believe you can gain more information. One last thing, avoid making contact with the merchant as much as possible, I know you have grudges but we don¡¯t have the means to fight him right now, Understand?¡±


    He warned Budoy to avoid unnecessary troubles.


    ¡°Yes big brother, I¡¯ll do my best. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not that stupid you know, where are you going by the way?¡±


    Budoy grinned and could not help but satisfy his curiosity.


    ¡°I have to meet someone who could somehow help me in my cultivation path,¡±


    Eznho answered vaguely.


    ¡°That is so cool, big brother, I wish I could cultivate too,¡±


    Budoy let out a helpless sigh.


    ¡°I told you before, cultivation is not everything, but we also don¡¯t what the future holds so who knows,¡±


    Eznho ruffled Budoy¡¯s hair and bid him farewell.


    ¡°I have to go now, see you later,¡±


    ¡°Take care, big brother,¡±


    Budoy prayed that his big brother will come back safely while clenching his fist, his eyes were filled with determination. He wanted to be of help so, he promised to himself that he would do his best to assist Eznho.


    .....


    The chilly wind blew while the snow danced in the air, Eznho was wrapped in a fur coat while heading out to the outer district to meet Talong in Batawa Restaurant. He arrived there a couple of hours later. The same as last time, he found him at the third floor drinking alcohol beside the window. It was as if he did not move there since the last time they met.


    ¡°What took you so long? I thought you were gonna back out,¡± Talong looked at him with a lazy face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry senior Talong, I hope I am not too late,¡± Eznho bowed in apology.


    ¡°Whatever, come sit, you are just in time,¡± Talong did not mind it and just waved his hand.


    Eznho was about to sit when Talong looked out the window and snorted then his eyes became sharp for a moment making Eznho quiver inside.


    ¡°What is it senior?¡± He nervously asked.


    ¡°Ahhh, just some rats,¡± Talong grinned and gulped down his alcohol.


    .....


    A shadow has been waiting outside Eznho¡¯s residence when they got back. It was lying there in wait the whole time and did not move an inch. After seeing that Eznho came out of the house, the shadow followed him all the way to the outer district.


    It stopped in a dark alley and observed from afar, he was about to see who the boy was meeting when suddenly, a powerful intent came from nowhere shattering it to nothingness.


    ¡°Ahhhh!¡±


    A pain-filled scream echoed throughout the basement of a house from the middle district. If not because of the formation, his scream would have startled his neighbors. An old man was soaked in sweat while panting and wiping the blood from his mouth, his shadow was obliterated without warning. It was deeply connected to him so he was heavily injured after it was destroyed.


    ¡°Damn! Who was that man?¡±


    Fear was apparent in his eyes, a person like that was a true expert and he could not afford to provoke one. He tried to calm himself down and circulated his energy to stabilize himself then swallowed a pill when the crystal ball, the size of a basketball in front of him started to crack.


    ¡°Shit!¡± He was scared witless and tried to run but the crystal broke in pieces. The sharp shards did not scatter but floated instead and flew towards him.


    ¡°Noooo!¡±


    He was unresigned and tried put up an energy barrier in front of him but it was no use. The shards penetrated it easily and his body became riddled with holes. His lifeless body fell down on the floor while blood flowed from his wounds, disbelief could be seen from his eyes.


    .....


    Eznho was, of course, unaware of the brief event so he did not pry further and sat down in front of Talong.


    ¡°Senior, may I know what sort of mission am I going to take?¡± He asked politely.


    ¡°Your performance is not bad after our meeting, you should maintain that attitude. Let me ask you one last time, are you sure about your decision?¡± Talong looked at him seriously.


    ¡°Yes senior,¡± Eznho answered without hesitation.


    ¡°Good!¡± Talong was delighted and gulped down another one.


    ¡°I happen to receive a mission but it is beneath me so I want you to do it,¡±


    ¡°Will it involve killing?¡± Eznho asked to prepare his mentality.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°Well, that would depend on you, I can see that you have your own principles so it would be up to you to decide. Besides, it is a rescue mission, killing would be optional.¡± Talong grinned and tried to be mysterious.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll take it, may I know the details,¡± Eznho already decided so it would be inappropriate if he declined.


    ¡°Good kid, as this is your first mission, I would assist you in the infiltration and escape. The background of the enemy is not something you can handle so I¡¯ll help you clean up your mess afterward. Don¡¯t misunderstand me, kid, I am only doing this because you are still wet behind the ears. In fact, if it were anybody else your age, they could do this mission without any help.¡±


    Talong spoke with a hint of ridicule but Eznho did not mind, it was the truth after all.


    ¡°First thing first, the objective is to rescue a girl, her name is Blue. She was kidnapped and being held up in the middle district, the perpetrator is the city lord of Sin city, Butchog River. I assume you have heard of him?¡±


    Is it her?


    Eznho was taken by surprise, he did not expect the mission to be somewhat related to him. He could vividly remember the incident that brought them difficulties.


    ¡°Hmmm, I see, so you know him in some way,¡±


    Talong guessed when he saw the boy¡¯s reaction. He was not surprised because he knew the boy came from Sin city, although, he did not know how the two were related, he did not care as long as the mission will succeed.


    ¡°You could say that,¡± Eznho spoke in a vague manner.


    This is my chance!


    Deep inside, he was excited, he had been wanting to make the people who mistreated them pay and this would give him the opportunity to do so.


    ¡°You will infiltrate by acting as one of the young girls that would be offered to him,¡± Talong could not hide the disdain on his face.


    ¡°I have a formation that can change your physique and become a young girl, as for what happens after you enter the premises, that would be up to you. After rescuing the girl, I¡¯ll be waiting outside to aid you in your escape. Any questions?¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t I be discovered?¡± Eznho was still a bit skeptical.


    ¡°Hmph! Are you looking down on me? Not even a Dao Formation Stage cultivator can detect my disguise,¡± Talong spoke with a proud tone while Eznho showed an apologetic smile.


    ¡°Anything else?¡± Talong questioned.


    ¡°When will we start?¡± Eznho asked in return.


    ¡°Thirty minutes from now, I¡¯ll make you join the group of children and from that point on, you are on your own.¡± Talong casually answered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make the disguise now and you should get used to it, don¡¯t move¡±


    Talong instructed and formed hand seals, heavenly energy gathered towards him and a face mask made of formation lines formed in front of him. He willed it and the mask moved towards Eznho, overlapping with his face. His face lit up and after a second his body and face started to change.


    The change brought a weird feeling to Eznho, his hand was smoother and whiter than before, he caressed his face and it felt soft. Talong in front of him was trying to hold his laughter inside. He formed another hand seal and a mirror formed in the middle of the room.


    ¡°Go check yourself in the mirror,¡±


    Eznho stood up and went in front of the mirror. His physique was thinner and two small lumps formed on his chest. He was curious and touched it, then his face instantly became red.


    ¡°Bwahahahaha! Why don¡¯t you also check ¡®under¡¯?¡±


    Talong could not hold it anymore and burst out laughing. Eznho¡¯s lips twitched but he did not comment, despite that, he subconsciously touched ¡®under¡¯ and his hand felt nothing.


    ¡°Hahaha, don¡¯t worry it will ¡®grow¡¯ back,¡±


    Talong was tearing up due to laughing while Eznho¡¯s veins were popping on his temples. The only thing that resembled his old self, was his eyes, other than that, the person in front of the mirror was a girl version of himself. It took a while for him to adjust and act like a girl, the only thing amiss was his clothes.


    Talong once again made a formation, this time it was a dress, Eznho was forced to wear an ordinary looking dress but it made Talong laugh once again. Eznho felt helpless about this, he even thought that Talong was just making fun of him.


    ¡°Alright, alright, its time to get serious,¡± Talong did his best to make a serious face but he was still chuckling.


    ¡°The formation has a time limit due to your inability to control and supply it with energy, so make the most out of it. One more thing, it also conceals your energy but once you circulate it, the formation will break. This would also serve as a test of your control over your emotions.¡± This was one of his weakness so Talong wanted to improve it as much as possible.


    ¡°How long?¡± Eznho asked.


    ¡°Maximum would be five hours,¡± Talong spoke casually.


    ¡°That short?¡± Eznho furrowed his brows.


    ¡°That is why make sure to finish the mission as fast as possible, okay, enough talk, time to go.¡±


    Talong made another mask and used it to himself, his body started to morph and he became a stout middle-aged man with a protruding round belly. He looked like a typical merchant.


    .....


    The courtyard of Butchog was located in the inner parts of the middle district. His life here was full of leisure, maids were dressed in see-through clothing but he did not show much interest in them. He was enjoying their company in bed when a servant came knocking that displeased him.


    ¡°What is it? I told you not to disturb me during this time!¡± He shouted.


    ¡°I am sorry milord, but lord Killboy is here,¡± The servant answered in a fearful voice.


    ¡°Ah? Big brother is here?¡± Butchog¡¯s mood turned one-eighty degrees and jumped out of his bed to change clothes.


    ¡°Tell him I¡¯ll be there in a second,¡± He ordered.


    ¡°Yes milord,¡± The servant acknowledged.


    .....


    ¡°Big brother! You should have told me in advance that you would come, I would have personally received you,¡± Butchog hurriedly walked into the main hall while his fatty body was bouncing.


    ¡°Haha, no need to fret about it, little brother, I came hear bearing good news,¡± A lean man in his late thirties wearing blue robes was standing in the hall. His name was Killboy, the successor of the River family.


    Butchog¡¯s eyes lit up upon hearing it and hugged his brother.


    ¡°Really? What good news?¡± He eagerly asked.


    ¡°Father has decided to let you stay here permanently until your banishment time is fulfilled,¡±


    Killboy answered with a smile, he pampered his little brother despite knowing his fetish for young girls. He once persuaded him but it was all for naught.


    ¡°Is that real, Uncle?¡±


    Before Butchog could speak, a slightly high pitched male voice echoed throughout the main hall. Taba heard that his uncle visited so he immediately rushed to meet him and overheard the conversation.


    ¡°Of course, little Taba, why would I lie about something like that?¡±


    Killboy was full of smiles when he saw the boy. Taba ran to his uncle and gave him a hug upon confirming the good news, he treated his uncle like he was his father.


    ¡°That¡¯s good then, we don¡¯t have to go back to that filthy place anymore,¡±


    He was truly happy, due to a mistake years ago, they were forced to live in Sin City for a period of time.


    ¡°Thank you, uncle.¡± He bowed while grinning.


    ¡°Haha, no biggie, how could I let the both of you live at a place like that,¡± Killboy spoke while ruffling Taba¡¯s hair.


    ¡°Won¡¯t ¡®they¡¯ cause trouble for us?¡± Butchog asked with worry.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry little brother, they live rather very far away from us and they don¡¯t have much influence inside the city. Besides, grandfather is attempting to break through and this time, he has a very high chance of success,¡±


    Killboy spoke with confidence but deep inside he truly feared the force behind his little brother¡¯s banishment.


    ¡°Truly? That is great then,¡± Butchog felt at ease and was in a festive mood.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we drink in celebration?¡±


    ¡°Next time, little brother, I have to go back home and help in the preparation for grandfather¡¯s breakthrough,¡± Killboy politely declined.


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad then,¡± Butchog sighed helplessly.


    ¡°I have to go now, don¡¯t go making trouble now, okay?¡± Killboy teased.


    ¡°Of course, big brother take care, please express my congratulations to grandfather,¡± Butchog answered with a grin.


    .....


    ¡°So, how is your new toy?¡± Butchog asked Taba with a doting tone.


    ¡°She is rather sturdy father, I did not think she would last this long, I would have to enjoy myself tonight in celebration,¡± Taba answered with an innocent look.


    ¡°Good, of course, she has a muscle-head of a father after all, hahaha.¡±


    The father and son duo laughed sinisterly at the same time.

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39 No Chance


    Talong and Eznho rode in a carriage heading towards one of the back alleys of the outer district. Slave trading was known to everyone but it is not done in the open. The duo got out of the carriage and went to one of the steel doors.


    Knock Knock Knock


    Talong knocked in a unique pattern then a small rectangular opening opened showing to a pair of intimidating eyes.


    ¡°The night is dark¡± A husky voice came from the inside.


    ¡°And full of terrors,¡± Talong answered back casually.


    It was a form of password for selected people only. The door was unlocked and opened, Talong entered while Eznho followed timidly. A hairy tall guy was standing guard and looked at them trying to size them up. Talong just ignored him and continued walking while Eznho was bowing his head and trying to observe the place at the same time.


    The inside was far wider than he expected it was like a large open marketplace, stalls were erected selling different kinds of goods. Most of them were from suspicious origins, if one is not careful he might buy a fake item or even mistakenly take stolen items from great backgrounds bringing disaster to oneself. This place is just one of the black markets inside the city.


    The place was crowded, only a handful showed their faces, most of them were concealed with masks, cloth, conical bamboo hat and the like. Some even emitted bloody and terrifying auras. This was a haven for people with bad reputations.


    They walked further and the items slowly turned into living creatures such as young beasts, insects, some even were halflings, a mixed breed between a human and another species, such as beasts or elves but the most common in the continent were beast halflings.


    You can¡¯t deny the fact that discrimination was apparent unless one has power or backed by a great background. The most affected ones were the ones who could not fully transform into a human and maintained their beastly appearances.


    Eznho had complicated feelings when he made yet another discovery. He could only sigh and wish them well, just like Talong said, one person cannot save everyone. Talong suddenly stopped making Eznho bump his back. He looked around and saw young girls with varying age standing in line with downcast faces.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to sell,¡± Talong nonchalantly spoke with one of the guards.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± The guard spoke in a displeased manner.


    ¡°A lowly dog like you doesn¡¯t have to know,¡± Talong retorted back.


    ¡°You!¡± The guard was furious and wanted to draw his saber.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± A middle-aged man with a mustache walked out the door wearing striped robes reprimanded the guard.


    ¡°Milord, I was...¡± The guard was scared and tried to explain himself.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± The middle-aged man glared making the guard bow his head.


    ¡°Brother, I am sorry for that, did I hear you correctly? You are selling that exquisite beauty?¡±


    The man amicably smiled at Talong while glancing at Eznho.


    ¡°I am indeed, but it seems I am not welcomed here,¡± Talong answered in a lazy manner and even started to turn back.


    ¡°Wait, brother, that was just a misunderstanding, why don¡¯t you come inside and let¡¯s talk business. By the way, my name is Alibaba, may I know brother¡¯s name?¡± Alibaba tried to smoothen things out.


    ¡°Since you insist, I will not make it hard for you, you can call me Brusko,¡± Talong answered.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s brother Brusko, may I invite you for a drink?¡± Alibaba did not care whether it was his real name or not. It was common here to use nicknames anyway.


    ¡°I have to decline, my time is limited so I want to make the deal as soon as possible,¡± Talong refused straight away.


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad, come inside and we¡¯ll talk business then,¡± Alibaba maintained a smile and led the way.


    The room was not that wide but it was designed in luxury with paintings, vases and sculptures.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be direct then brother Brusko, how much do you want for her?¡±


    Alibaba was also in a rush, his invitation a while ago was just to show his good intentions.


    ¡°Three thousand gold coins,¡± Talong answered firmly.


    Alibaba was shocked by the price but still composed himself.


    ¡°Brother, you must be joking that is too much for a slave, how about one thousand five hundred?¡±


    ¡°No can do, this young gal is from another merchant family so she was well-taken care off while growing. His family owed me and gave her to me as a form of payment. In fact, she is still a virgin, you can check it if you want,¡± Talong spoke but was trying hard to conceal his amusement.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Alibaba furrowed his brows and checked Eznho from head to toe. He could not deny the fact that the ¡®young girl¡¯ in front of him has her own unique charm and beauty. The other girls were ordinary compared to this one, he needed a merchandise to please the fatty and this girl was suited for the role, she was the cherry on top of the cake.


    ¡°Two thousand five hundred and that¡¯s it, take it or leave it,¡± He gritted his teeth and offered his last price.


    ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll find other people,¡± Talong was not moved and stood up.


    Who the hell does he think he is?


    Alibaba was furious inside but he did not want to provoke a person with an unknown background and just coldly looked at the departing Talong.


    ¡°Wait,¡± He suppressed his anger and spoke as calmly as he could.


    You think you can haggle with the great Talong? Dream on!


    ¡°Changed your mind?¡± Talong turned around showing a bashful smile.


    ¡°Three thousand it is, how do you want the payment?¡± Alibaba asked with a forced smile.


    ¡°Bank card,¡± Talong answered.


    ¡°Wait a moment,¡± Alibaba called for a servant and ordered something to him. A while later he came back with a brown bank card.


    ¡°Here, that¡¯s a blank card, it contains the price you asked, you can check if you want,¡± He handed a bank card to Talong.


    ¡°No need, I trust you and thank you, nice doing business with you,¡± Talong received the card and put it on his chest pocket without bothering to inspect it making Alibaba surprised.


    ¡°Okay, you can have her now,¡± Talong pushed Eznho towards Alibaba.


    ¡°How do I know she does not carry trouble with her?¡± Alibaba inquired.


    ¡°You just gotta have to trust my words I guess,¡± Talong grinned and walked out the door.


    Alibaba had a darkened face when Talong left.


    Damn! You think you can toy with me?


    He was furious and ordered two servants to follow Talong but of course, it would yield him nothing in return.


    ¡°Go give her a bath and a new dress, we will depart in thirty minutes,¡± He was busy right now and could not bother on other things, his focus was making sure to deliver the girls in time.


    .....


    Eznho was cleaned up by a maid and was dressed in pink, he felt awkward the whole time. He was given a light makeup and a red lipstick while his hair was tidied up and was coiled above his head using a jade hairpin.


    A total of ten girls squeezed inside a carriage including Eznho, fear and terror could be seen on the young girls, some of them were on the verge of crying but endured, afraid that the adults would hurt them. Eznho was clenching his fists the whole time, he could not tolerate such thing but he could do nothing except complete the mission and hope that these girls will find safety after.


    Approximately an hour after, the carriage stopped making the other girls more nervous. A guard opened the door intimidating the girls even more.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make a noise and fall in line,¡± He commanded.


    Eznho and the group obeyed and got out then formed a line, Eznho was at the very back.


    ¡°Go inside and don¡¯t make me lose face, you hear?¡± Alibaba instructed with a strict face and opened a door then went first inside followed by the girls.


    They walked in a corridor dimly lit by torches then after ten minutes of walking they entered another door. They were met by a wide hall, it was wider than Eznho¡¯s house, a fat man was sitting at the main chair while a little version of him was standing on his right side who was trying to measure the girls.


    ¡°Here are the girls as promised,¡± Alibaba spoke in a respectful but not a subservient manner.


    ¡°Good, good, you have impeccable taste as always,¡± Butchog was in a good mood and praised Alibaba.


    ¡°This humble one just happens to know what suits your taste,¡± Alibaba answered with a proud face.


    ¡°Alright, alright, enough of that, I am in a good mood right now and need to celebrate. I would like to have a toast with you but can we have it next time?¡± Butchog spoke while licking his lips.


    ¡°Naturally, this humble one would be waiting for the invite,¡± Alibaba did not mind and maintained a pleasing smile.


    ¡°That is perfect then, I hope this is to your satisfaction,¡± Butchog ordered a maid and brought a card to Alibaba.


    Alibaba¡¯s pupil shrunk when he saw the blue card.


    Jackpot!


    He tried to calm down and received the card without hesitation.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± He bowed sincerely, this trade has been profitable for him. Aside from receiving Butchog¡¯s support, the money he spent purchasing those girls had multiplied.


    ¡°There is fifty thousand in there, is that enough?¡± Butchog spoke in a casual manner as if giving away fifty thousand was nothing to him.


    ¡°Of course, of course, it is more than enough,¡± Alibaba nodded several times.


    ¡°Then I hope you don¡¯t mind if I don¡¯t see you out,¡± Butchog could not hold his excitement and wanted the guests to leave already.


    Naturally, Alibaba could see this so he bowed once more and left while smiling from ear to ear.


    .....


    ¡°Little Taba, anyone to your liking?¡± Butchog spoke when Alibaba left.


    ¡°None, for now, I am still quite happy with my toy,¡± Taba shook his head.


    ¡°Alright then, more for me,¡± Butchog grinned and stood up from his chair.


    The girls were lined up and he wanted to scrutinize them one by one. He started from the opposite side of Eznho. Holding their chin, Butchog was nodding constantly while making his hand wander all over the girls¡¯ trembling body.


    ¡°Not bad, not bad,¡± He was licking his lips while checking the merchandise.


    His eyes lit up when he saw Eznho.


    ¡°What have we got here, a feisty one,¡± His blood was boiling when he saw Eznho¡¯s uniqueness and fierce eyes.


    ¡°I like it,¡± He laughed and suddenly raised his hand.


    Pak!


    A resounding slap reverberated throughout the hall. Eznho was taken by surprise and got stunned by the event, he was focused on trying to control his emotions and did not see the slap coming. His cheek became red after that. He turned his head and glared at Butchog fiercely.


    ¡°Hahaha,¡± Butchog just laughed it off and slapped Eznho once more.


    ¡°Do you like it? Show me more!¡±


    Eznho was trembling due to humiliation and anger, he wanted to attack but his guts told him not to. He had a faint feeling that an expect far stronger than him was watching, besides, he still had no idea where his target is being held.


    Pak!


    The slapped continued every time Eznho showed resistance, blood was already flowing from his mouth and his cheeks were glowing red. The other girls were scared stiff and did not dare to move an inch.


    Ten more slaps came and Eznho did his best to control his emotions, after the last slap, he bowed his head and showed a defeated look. Butchog held his chin and moved it up,


    ¡°Already done? That¡¯s too bad,¡± Butchog showed a disappointed look and shook his head.


    ¡°Hans, get them to the basement, I want that feisty girl first,¡± He let go of Eznho and instructed Hans who was standing guard.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Hans barked and together with another guard they led the group to another part of the house. Another five-minute walk and they arrived at a black door. Hans opened it showing a flight of stairs going down the basement.


    The girls became scared and showed hesitation.


    ¡°Hmph! Follow me down or you will not have a good end,¡± Hans smirked and started to descend the stairs.

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40 They are on a Highway to Hell


    The set-up was the same as the one located in Sin City, but this one was a bit wider. Cells with wooden doors lined up on both sides of the underground hallway. Hans opened them one by one and put a girl in each cell.


    The girls were whimpering and curled themselves up when they entered their respective ¡®rooms¡¯. Hans did not care and led Eznho at the end of the hallway, unlike before, this one had two doors. It was obviously for the father and son.


    Hans knocked the door on the right and waited for a response.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Butchog¡¯s voice came from inside filled with excitement.


    He opened the door showing a dimly lit room, an incense was producing smoke bringing a strong aroma that was too strong making him wrinkle his nose. A bed was located at the center covered with thin curtains. Butchog¡¯s silhouette was inside holding a cup of wine.


    Eznho was not moved but from the corner of his eyes, he saw an unmoving naked young girl laying down on the cold floor. It was undetermined if she was dead or alive, this added to Eznho¡¯s anger.


    This perverted bastard!


    ¡°Bring her here and tie her up, I want to see how long can she last,¡± Butchog instructed.


    Hans brought a rope from the side and tied Eznho¡¯s feet and hands. He then carried ¡®her¡¯ and put him down on the bed, it was soft but it smelled weird, a combination of all sorts of smell. If one has a weak stomach, he would vomit.


    ¡°Good, now bring out that girl and dispose of her, she¡¯s too boring,¡±


    He gulped down his wine then threw the cup on the floor. Hans was used to this scene so he was not disturbed at all, carrying the girl, he closed the door and left the two in inside the room.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start the party shall we,¡±


    Butchog spoke with great enthusiasm and showed a disgusting face. He rolled over with his fat body and sat on top of Eznho¡¯s stomach. Sweat and oily secretions were coming out of his body fold giving him a sickening look.


    ¡°Yehahaha, who¡¯s your daddy now?¡±


    Pak!


    He maniacally laughed then slapped Eznho¡¯s face and put his hand all over Eznho¡¯s body making him tremble in humiliation.


    ¡°Come on, show me more! Show me that feisty attitude of yours, hahaha.¡± He continued to do the same things and kept on slapping Eznho.


    Eznho, on the other hand, was trying his best to suppress his rage. He was waiting for time to pass by and estimated when Hans would exit the basement. His eyes were already becoming red.


    ¡°Yehahaha, that¡¯s more I like it, what I want most is taming wild little girls like you,¡±


    Butchog seemed to be in a trance and his face looked like he was in ecstasy, he even started to drool.


    Damn it all!


    Eznho could not contain it any longer and circulated his energy in full force breaking the formation immediately, revealing his true appearance.


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    Butchog who was having the time of his life was jolted back to reality. The girl he was intoxicated with suddenly became a boy.


    ¡°What the hell? Who are-¡°


    Before he could finish his question, Eznho snapped the ropes and moved his body making Butchog roll on the other side of the bed. He jumped and sat on top of the fat man while making him tremble in fear.


    ¡°You sick bastard! You are a disease that needs to be irradicated!¡±


    ¡°Wai-¡° Butchog clung to life but it was no use.


    Eznho let out his fury then using his left hand he reached out for the jade hairpin holding his hair. Butchog knew what Eznho wanted to do and started to struggle but it was no use.


    ¡°Burn in hell!¡±


    Eznho spoke hoarsely and stabbed the space between Butchog¡¯s clavicle. Blood spurted out when he retracted the hairpin. Butchog¡¯s eyes widened and tried to stop the bleeding with his hands.


    ¡°Glurrggg!¡±


    He wanted to speak but instead of a voice, blood came out of his mouth. Eznho was not yet satisfied, he was still seething with anger so he stabbed the fat man¡¯s body multiple times making blood splash on him.


    ¡°Haaa, Haaa,¡±


    After stabbing the man for more than twenty times, he stopped and looked around. Blood stained the curtains while the bed was soaked with it. Butchog¡¯s wounds were still oozing with blood when he finally calmed down after a while.


    ¡°Damn, I forgot to ask about the girl,¡± His mind became clear again and finally remembered his mission.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    Wait, there is another door on the left.


    He was feeling frustrated when he remembered that there were two doors. He looked at Butchog¡¯s body again and even spat on it, he was really disgusted.


    ¡°Serves you right,¡± He spoke with disdain.


    A basin of water was on the table so he washed his bloody face, after that, he slowly walked towards the door and tried to listen. He could faintly hear the whimper of the girls but aside from that, there was nothing.


    He silently opened the door and only saw the dim hallway. Confirming that there was no guard, he walked out the door then closed it again. He then turned and went in front of the other door and slowly opened it.


    .....


    ¡°Hey, Blue? Yohoo! Your knight has come back, are you ready for another round?¡±


    Taba was happily walking towards a naked young girl who was tied up on the bedside. Her back and several parts of her body were riddled with scars due to knife wounds, one could only imagine the pain and suffering she felt.


    ¡°Come on now, don¡¯t be rude and greet your knight in shining armor,¡±


    Taba spoke as if he was a husband coming home to his wife, he walked towards the girl and held her chin up.


    ¡°Look at you, you are more beautiful than ever,¡± He spoke with sarcasm as he laughed in delight.


    The face of the young girl was also filled with scars with different sizes. Her face now was far from the young cheerful girl Eznho met a couple of years ago. Her eyes now were lifeless, it was like her soul left her fleshly body.


    She has been suffering from Taba¡¯s hands ever since they came to Red Sparrow City. Never in her imagination that they would do something like this. At first, she was stubborn and showed resistance, she was hopeful that her father would rescue her.


    But as time went by, the suffering became unbearable, she could not take it anymore so she just shut her senses and let Taba do whatever he wanted. Every time she was cut, Taba would apply medicine to her wound and the cycle repeated for days.


    ¡°You¡¯re giving up already? Where is that stubborn attitude of yours? You think you can just reject me? Hmph!¡± Taba looked at her and shook his head.


    ¡°Nobody will love you now except me, sigh, too bad, you can¡¯t see how awesome I am. Blue, oh, Blue, if you only accepted my feelings from the start, this would not have happened,¡±


    He started walking towards one of the tables and took the knife on top of it.


    ¡°Are you ready Blue? It¡¯s time for you to feel my love again,¡±


    He was walking towards the girl when the door slowly opened.


    Creak!


    ¡°Who is it? I told you not to disturb me during my-¡°


    He was dissatisfied with the disturbance but stopped speaking when he saw who opened the door.


    ¡°Who are-¡°


    Shock and fear overwhelmed him, a boy was standing by the door but he was wearing a pink dress, it was rather comical if not for the blood and the scary look on his face. His eyes were so cold, Taba could feel his body shivering.


    He could not even recognize Eznho due to panic and pointed his knife towards him. Shouting would do nothing either, the basement was isolated by a formation for privacy reasons. Never could he imagine that this place would be infiltrated. After all, a mid-stage Halo cultivator was guarding outside.


    ¡°Do-don¡¯t come near me or I-I will kill you!¡±


    Despite his cowardice, he tried to show courage when Eznho started walking towards him while he slowly backed-up.


    ¡°Damn you!¡±


    His body was shivering non-stop but he forced himself and actually rushed forward and slashed his knife. Of course, it was no use, Eznho easily dodged sideways and lifted his foot then hit Taba¡¯s stomach with his knee.


    ¡°Blerggghh!¡±


    Taba vomited fluids due to the impact, he let go of his knife while he fell down the floor. His body curled like a shrimp and both his hands were holding his stomach. Eznho just looked at him apathetically then kicked him hard making Taba crash on the table. Bones were broken and his head was bleeding, he was barely hanging onto his consciousness.


    Eznho shifted his attention to the naked young girl and felt pity, she walked towards her while feeling sorrowful for her.


    Sigh!


    ¡°I am here to rescue you, don¡¯t worry you are safe now,¡±


    Eznho tried to speak with her and untied the rope, he could see the scar-filled body and face. He could still remember the energetic girl he met years ago, compared to that, the girl in front of him was a puppet. He looked around and saw a fur coat and used it to cover her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, can you walk?¡±


    He still tried to initiate communication, to his surprise, the girl slightly nodded.


    ¡°Okay, let us go,¡±


    The girl weakly walked while Eznho assisted her, but a while later she stopped in front of the knife that had fallen earlier and slowly picked it up. Eznho was surprised but did not stop her, he had an idea what she wanted to do. In fact, deep inside he wanted her to do it, it would be a form of release for her. Few people would move on with their lives without obtaining revenge.


    ¡°Wha-what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    Taba weakly spoke while dragging himself away from the girl, she even stumbled in front of him. While down on the floor, she raised her hand and stabbed the knife of Taba¡¯s foot.


    ¡°Eeyaahh!¡± Taba squealed like a dying pig.


    ¡°Huff, huff, you think you can get away with this? You and your families are both dead!¡±


    His consciousness was fully awakened due to the pain and even had the time to threaten. To his disappointment, the two people in front of him did not even show a reaction. Blue slowly stood up and moved closer to Taba.


    ¡°Stay away from me, you bitch!¡±


    Taba was scared stiff and he started to sob while snot came out of his nose mixing with his tears and blood. Blue ignored him and sat on top of him, he could not shake her off due to his previous injuries so he was easily subdued by her.


    A creepy smile formed on Blue¡¯s face and stabbed his shoulder joint and twisted it making him scream in agony.


    ¡°Pleasssh, stop, I¡¯m sorry, pleassshh stop,¡±


    Taba was begging with a pitiful appearance and was still trying to cling to life despite his hopeless situation. Blue ignored his pleadings and pulled out the knife then pointed it at his chest and slowly pushed it making blood flow. She then started to slice Taba¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Eaahhhh!¡±


    Taba could not handle the pain and wailed with great intensity. He continued to cry as more and more wounds were being cut into his skin and face. His cries became hoarse after minutes of screaming.


    ¡°You miserable pig, no, pigs are even better than you. You are simply a demon in a human form,¡±


    Blue started to sob and with all her strength she started to stab Taba¡¯s chest and even his face. It was a gory scene, Eznho who was watching from the side sighed and held the girl¡¯s hand to stop her.


    ¡°He¡¯s already dead, no need to waste any more effort on him,¡±


    He could not deny the fact that the fat kid deserved what he got but stabbing a dead body would only be a waste of energy. She already vented enough and this would at least alleviate the burden she feels.


    ¡°Please kill me,¡±


    Blue continued to sob and looked at Eznho with eyes full of shame and sorrow. One could only imagine what she feels right now, she was tortured and humiliated for days. Eznho¡¯s heart twitched but did not let his emotion get the better out of him.


    ¡°No, you decide what to do with yourself after we get out of here. I understand how you feel but you still have a family right? I am sure they are waiting for you to come home. No matter what happened to you, they will welcome with open arms, that I am sure,¡±


    He tried to console her and got the knife out of her hand while the girl continued to cry.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, we don¡¯t have much time,¡±


    Blue slowly got up then wobbled and fell down uncontrollably but Eznho caught her in time. She had lost consciousness due to exhaustion, mind and body. He just shook his head and carried her while she was covered with a fur coat.

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41 Mission Accomplished


    Enzho walked through the hallway with blood dripping from him and Blue while whimpers echoed making the place eerie. He found a stool and laid down Blue carefully, making sure not to hurt her in any way. Looking at the closed doors, he began breaking the locks one by one. The girls were scared by his appearance but he reassured them and told them that he was here to help.


    He released nine girls in total, the same girls he was with before. They somewhat recognized the dress but was confused because the body inside was a boy instead of a girl. Eznho felt their strange gaze but did not bother to explain.


    ¡°Alright, wait here first, okay? I¡¯ll check things outside first.¡±


    The girls nodded in response and gathered around Blue who was still unconscious. They felt pity and fear at the same time when they looked at her horrible appearance.


    Will that be our future?


    Everyone thought the same thing and looked at Eznho who was carefully ascending the stairs, their eyes full of hope. Nobody wanted to end up like the unconscious girl.


    .....


    Eznho reached the black door and tried to listen, he narrowed his eyes and concentrated but he couldn¡¯t hear a thing. Taking a gamble, he opened the door very slowly but was surprised by what he saw.


    Two guards were lying on the floor, he was unable to determine whether they were dead or alive. He had a suspecting look but carefully approached them. Using the tip of the knife, he tried to poke one of them but met with no response. He checked again and found out that they were still alive.


    Was it senior Talong?


    He could not think of any other reason because Talong promised that he would assist him in his escape. Looking carefully, he recognized Hans, he wanted to kill the man but a thought occurred to him. If he would kill Hans, people might suspect why he was the only guard who died which might possibly lead to him so he let go of the idea. He was not a naive young boy anymore, he had more or less had his own fair share of experiences.


    Next time,


    Ignoring the guards, he checked his surroundings but nobody seemed to be patrolling the area so he went back to the basement and picked up the girls. Carrying Blue, they slowly followed the path they took before, more unconscious guards showed up. Eznho was thankful, it would have been impossible for them to escape if those guards were awake.


    They reached the door that leads to the outside after nearly half an hour of tip-toed walking. He opened the door carefully again just for precaution and was frightened when he saw a cloaked person waiting outside. His face was covered, he could only tell that it was a man.


    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± The cloaked person spoke in a relaxed manner.


    ¡°Senior T-¡°


    He was about to say his name when the man raised his index finger indicating him to stop talking. Eznho got the message and smiled apologetically. The girls followed outside and were also surprised upon seeing the cloaked person but Eznho told them not to worry.


    Realizing that the mission is nearly done, Eznho had a complicated look on his face. He was conflicted on what to do with the girls, he could not take them in even if he wanted to. It would certainly lead to disaster.


    ¡°Thank you, benefactor, for saving us, you don¡¯t have to worry about us. I know we were just rescued due to that poor girl. May I know benefactor¡¯s name?¡±


    One of the girls gathered all her courage and spoke. Her sparkling brown eyes showed intelligence, despite what happened she was able to compose herself.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t,¡± Eznho answered her with a helpless smile.


    ¡°I understand, my name is Vilma, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.¡±


    The girl understood Eznho¡¯s predicament so he committed his face to the depth of her soul. She would never forget the face of the boy who saved him.


    Talong waved his hand and small rays of light entered the girls¡¯ forehead making their eyes blank.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Talong was not moved in any way and held Eznho¡¯s shoulder. They disappeared in a flash.


    The girls were still standing but after a while, they regained their consciousness. They showed confused expressions but Vilma took the lead and urged the girls to get out of the place.


    .....


    A few seconds later, the trio appeared in a courtyard. Eznho felt dizzy then immediately tossed Blue to Talong and actually vomited, it took awhile before he composed himself and observed his surroundings. Talong waved his hand at the same time and sealed the place for the time being.


    ¡°Eh? I am home?¡±


    The place looked familiar, after confirming that he was really at home, he looked at Talong. He did not know what he did to the girls but he was sure Talong did not hurt them.


    ¡°What now, senior Talong?¡±


    ¡°Good job on your mission, you now sort of understand the limits of what you can do. It is okay to give a helping hand to others when you can but do not go to the extent that it will threaten your life. I am not saying that you become a cold person, a human without emotion is no longer a human. This is just how the world works.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Talong showed his approval on Eznho¡¯s performance, he was actually observing the whole time.


    ¡°What happens to them now?¡± Eznho was still worried about them.


    ¡°Who knows? At least they would not suffer like this little girl. Let¡¯s just leave it up to fate,¡±


    Talong answered shaking his head while looking at the poor unconscious girl.


    ¡°Alright, it is time for us to part little boy. This is your reward, every mission has its reward you know.¡±


    He grinned and tossed three items, one brown card and two nine-inched curved daggers. The daggers were simply designed but it was obvious that it was made from better materials than the previous weapons Eznho had used.


    ¡°You know how to use the bank card, don¡¯t you? As for the daggers, they are low-grade magical weapons. You can only utilize them properly once you reach the Halo Stage. I won¡¯t give you a precious material as it will only attract trouble. It''s better for you to seek one on your own.¡±


    Eznho caught the items and bowed.


    ¡°Thank you, senior,¡±


    ¡°No need for that, as I have said, every mission has its reward,¡± Talong responded nonchalantly.


    ¡°Alright, take this,¡± He gave another item to Eznho.


    It was a round badge with an engraving of a horseshoe in the middle. One the top arch, ¡®red¡¯ was written while at the bottom was ¡®horse¡¯. Eznho had a guess on what this is, it must be a symbol of a group where Talong belongs.


    ¡°When you reach Mercenary City in the future, you can find me using that badge. Do not even attempt to go find me without reaching the Seeker Stage. Alright, this is farewell, little boy, let¡¯s drink when we meet next time. Also, educate yourself, you still do not know many things about the outside world. One last thing, don¡¯t even bother to come if you are past twenty years old and still had not become a Seeker Stage Cultivator.¡±


    Feeling that Talong is about to leave Eznho still had a lot of questions.


    ¡°Wait-¡°


    ¡°Little boy, there are questions you have to find the answer for yourself. As for the siblings, I can only tell you that they have a great background, as for whether it would be a blessing or a disaster, that would depend on your luck. I almost forgot, hide your ring and never show it to anybody else, it would only bring you disaster.¡±


    Talong spoke without letting Eznho interrupt and just disappeared in a flash. Eznho just stood there in silence unable to process all the information he just received. The parting was too soon, he could only sigh in regret.


    ¡°Is that you big brother?¡±


    Budoy¡¯s voice came from a corner. He was waiting the whole time for Eznho and let the girls sleep. It was dark and he could only see a silhouette so he was cautious and even had a dagger concealed on his back.


    ¡°It¡¯s me Budoy, why are you still up?¡±


    Eznho put the issue at the back of his mind and walked out into the light startling Budoy.


    ¡°What happened? Are you alright?¡±


    Budoy almost jumped in fright when he saw Eznho¡¯s bloody appearance who was still wearing the pink dress.


    ¡°Ah? This? I¡¯m alright, it¡¯s not my blood,¡± Eznho grinned and reassured Budoy.


    ¡°Who¡¯s is it?¡± He blurted out.


    ¡°Evil people who deserve to die,¡± Eznho answered vaguely.


    ¡°Okay, you should take a bath before aunt Minchin or little Aiza will see you,¡± Budoy did not ask further about the details. All he cared about was Eznho¡¯s safety at the moment.


    ¡°Great idea, you should go sleep now, no need to worry about me,¡± Eznho grinned and patted Budoy¡¯s shoulder then went to take a bath.


    .....


    After washing himself up he put in new clothes while the pink dress dissipated on its own, it was a separate formation so it only vanished when the energy maintaining it ran out. He did not go to sleep and cultivated instead to clear his mind and make a plan for the future. As for all his questions, all would be answered in due time.


    According to Talong, there is only a small chance that the death of the father and son would be traced back to him. Even so, he had to make preparations just in case.


    .....


    The inner district, a small mountain was wholly occupied by the River Clan.


    A young man was meditating inside a hall, in front of him were hundreds of life tablets. On the very top was a single life tablet, it was the life tablet of their ancestor, below it was the life tablets of the direct descendants followed by another series of life tablets. The lower the placement of the life tablet was, the lower the status in the family. Of course, the family had thousands of members but not everyone had the right to place his or her life tablet in the hall.


    Crack!


    A sound he had not heard in a long time passed through his ears. He was one of the caretakers here and life tablets rarely broke, and when it does most of it were on the bottom so he subconsciously looked at the bottom part.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    He was surprised when he did not see any broken tablet and started to look upwards and to his horror, the broken tablet belonged to the direct descendants just below the ancestor.


    Shit! What kind of bad luck is this?


    He started to sweat bullets and was speechless for a long time, he heard rumors that the ancestor was attempting a breakthrough and if he were to report now it might have an effect, directly or indirectly.


    ¡°I should just report it to the elder,¡±


    He gritted his teeth and sent a message through the message talisman. A couple of minutes later, an old man came through the door with a gloomy face.


    ¡°Which tablet was it?¡±


    ¡°Bong greets elder, it was lord Butchog¡¯s life tablet,¡± The young man greeted with respect and answered nervously.


    A trace of relief showed in the elder¡¯s face but the young man did not see it.


    It¡¯s not as bad as it seems, although he is a direct and a pampered descendant. His death would not impact the clan¡¯s future.


    The elder did not have a good relationship with Butchog, in his point of view, he was just a wastrel and was a disgrace to the family including his son who nearly brought a calamity to the clan years ago. Of course, despite his disapproval, he did not show it in public because both Butchog and his son were pampered by his father and brother.


    ¡°I¡¯ll report it...¡±


    Crack!


    Before he could finish his sentence another tablet broke apart, it was the life tablet of Taba.


    Crap! What in the world happened?


    This time, he also had a bad feeling and even got nervous. The father and son maybe wastrels but they were still direct descendants.


    ¡°Stay here and update me if anything happens,¡±


    He scowled and ordered Bong making him nod in succession. Wasting no time, he dashed and went to a secret location where the ancestor would attempt his breakthrough.


    .....


    Inside a hidden location in the property of the River Clan, the grand elder, elders, Killboy and the current clan leader were seated in a lotus position. They were guarding a door, this wooden door was carved with a flowing river, it was the entrance to the pocket realm of the family. It is where their valued treasures were stored and a place to be used when someone important in the family where about to make a breakthrough.


    Bang!


    The door suddenly opened making everyone open their eyes.


    ¡°What is it elder John? You should be in charge of the affairs outside. You know this is an important event.¡±


    The clan leader spoke with a displeased tone.


    ¡°Sorry for the intrusion everyone, I have an urgent matter to report,¡± Elder John spoke hastily.


    ¡°Speak,¡± The clan leader spoke with a commanding tone that brought a pressure making elder John nervous.


    ¡°Earlier the one in charge of the life tablet hall reported that a direct descendant¡¯s tablet had broken and...¡±


    Before he could finish his speech, Killboy¡¯s pupil shrunk and interrupted the elder.


    ¡°Who¡¯s life tablet was it?¡± He immediately asked because the first thing that came to his mind was his son who was studying at the Royal Academy.


    ¡°It was lord Butchog and young lord Taba,¡± Elder John spoke with fear, he may be an elder but he was at the lowest rank due to his cultivation.


    ¡°What!!?? Say that again!¡± This time, it was the clan leader who spoke with disbelief and stood up.

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42 Report


    The clan leader was a healthy middle-aged man with a short beard and a mustache. His long hair was simply tied on his back, he may look middle-aged but he was already over two-hundred years old and was only half-a-step from forming his dao.


    Forming the dao invites a heavenly tribulation that may result in death that is why he has been delaying it in order to increase his chance of succeeding. Besides, he still got time because cultivators at the Seeker stage can live up to five hundred years depending on the circumstances. His name was Zander River.


    Despite his calm demeanor, the sudden news of the death of his son and grandson brought him a great shock. His body flickered and arrived in front of Elder John making him stumble on his butt.


    ¡°Tell me exactly what happened?¡±


    Elder John stood up and reported every detail, the others were also surprised by the news but did not overreact. They had the same ill feelings towards the father and son. But of course, they could not just let this matter go, they were still a direct descendant after all.


    ¡°Father, let me go investigate,¡± Killboy stood up and spoke with a serious expression.


    His brother and nephew may not have been good people but they were still his family and he loved them.


    ¡°No, this is not the time, we have to stay here and guard father,¡± Zander took a deep breath and did not let emotions cloud his judgement.


    ¡°Elder John, go investigate, I want the full details as soon as possible,¡±


    ¡°I will go immediately,¡± Elder John bowed and immediately headed to the middle district without delay.


    ¡°Killboy, I know how you feel but father¡¯s breakthrough is more important. We will fully investigate what happened after all this is done,¡± Zander patted Killboy¡¯s shoulder and went back to his spot to adjust his mindset.


    ¡°Yes, father,¡± Killboy acknowledged and did the same.


    The others did not comment and just watched from the sidelines. The final decision would be made after the ancestor¡¯s breakthrough.


    .....


    Batista, Wilky and Wilfred were staying at an inn inside the middle district. They were feeling jumpy since it was almost a month after Wilky contacted the Black Crows member, especially for Batista who was walking to and fro. He could not even sleep properly for the past days.


    ¡°Brother Wilky, are you sure that the man you spoke with will succeed?¡±


    ¡°Brother, I don¡¯t know how they work but according to reports, they rarely fail on their mission. I even think that they have the ability wipe the River family from the surface of the earth if they wanted to. We still have time to wait, if the worst scenario happens and he fails, hmph! Who cares about the rules.¡±


    Wilky had a determined look, which made Batista feel warm inside. Wilky would go side by side with Batista when he would force his way in. But for now, he was still hoping that that event would not come to fruition as it will surely create a big mess which could lead to their banishment from the military or worse, execution.


    ¡°Thank you, brother, I owe you big time,¡±


    Batista spoke in a gratified manner.


    ¡°Stop talking like that ¨C who¡¯s there?¡±


    The trio became alert and got ready for battle, they were staring at the corner of the room where the light could not reach creating a shadow. A second ago, they felt their spine tingle, it was a subconscious reaction born from hundreds of battles they fought. Cold sweat was starting to form on their back, they felt that a beast was hiding in the shadows ready to devour them at any moment.


    A figure came out concealed by a cloak, he was carrying a little girl with him covered with a fur coat.


    ¡°Blue!?¡±


    Batista blurted out when he saw the little girl, he started to get agitated and wanted to rush to get to her but his senses told him that the man who was carrying his daughter was dangerous.


    To his surprise, Blue started to float towards him. He calmed himself down and started to walk slowly to meet his daughter. Upon looking at his daughter¡¯s face, his pupils shrunk and he started to tremble all over.


    ¡°Blue, What happened to you?¡± His voice was cracking and he hugged his daughter tightly.


    ¡°I am so sorry, your father is useless, forgive me my little Blue.¡± He started to cry uncontrollably when he saw his daughter¡¯s condition. His heart was wracked with pain as if it was being stabbed multiple times.


    Her face was riddled with scars, but unlike before, they were wiggling like worms and started to heal and disappear slowly.


    ¡°I already put medicine on her. Let her rest and she will be okay. If she is able to pass this ordeal...¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    The man in cloak spoke in a hoarse voice but did not continue and started to walk back in the shadows.


    ¡°Thank you, senior,¡± Batista looked at the departing figure and spoke with sincerity.


    ¡°Just repaying an old debt, I still owe one more. You can contact any member of the Black Crows near you in the same manner as before.¡±


    The hoarse voice faded and disappeared. Wilky and Wilfred were on guard the whole time, ready to take action if anything suspicious happened. They only let out a breath of relief when the man disappeared.


    ¡°What does he mean ¡®debt¡¯?¡±


    Wilfred had a confused look and asked Wilky.


    ¡°It is a long story, first we should take care of little Blue first,¡±


    Wilky grinned and went to look at Blue and had the same reaction as Batista. The trio scanned her and found out that her body was full of old wounds that were healing which made them tremble in fury. They wanted to attack immediately but their priority now was to make sure the girl was okay.


    ¡°Butchog, just you wait, I¡¯ll make sure you repay this a thousand times,¡±


    Batista was gritting his teeth while watching her daughter who was resting on a bed.


    .....


    Elder John rushed to the middle district after receiving the order. He directly entered the residence of Butchog and found out that everyone was unconscious. Without delay, he went to the basement and found the father and son¡¯s corpse. His face was uncomfortable despite his experiences, their body were mutilated badly. It was obvious that the person who killed them were filled with hate.


    ¡°What a mess...¡±


    He shook his head, covered the corpses with cloth and stored them in his spatial ring. After collecting their corpses, he went to a room where Joey was located. Joey was at the late stage of the Halo Realm and was assigned to watch over Taba and Butchog. Elder John used his means but still could not awaken the unconscious Joey.


    Leaving him no choice, he carried him on his back and went back to the inner district without delay to report what he saw.


    .....


    Talong went back to Batawa Restaurant and continued to drink alone. He finished everything he needed to do here and was ready to depart for Mercenary City.


    A pity, they did not give me the mission to further pursue the holder of the golden core. This trip took a lot of turns and even gave me entertainment.


    The mission was given by the city lord of Red Sparrow City, sadly it did not go as Talong wanted.


    Times are changing, peaceful times are over and chaos is starting again. I hope that that kid survives, also, that little girl, if she will get over this trial, it will give her a lot of benefits. Ahh, the spring of youth, how envious.


    He gulped another cup and continued to watch the street like before.


    .....


    The next day, Eznho and the group ate breakfast with a happy atmosphere. After that, he went to the bank with Minchin and made her the owner of the brown card which contained five thousand gold coins. Minchin refused at first but Eznho insisted, his reason is that he may go in and out of the city in the coming days so she had to manage everything. Naturally, she could not decline any more.


    Eznho and Budoy were sipping tea in the open courtyard under the shade of a tree. It was time for them to plan their next course of action on how to maintain their footing inside the district.


    ¡°Any luck?¡± Eznho directly inquired.


    ¡°So far, I have gotten a lot of information, of course, sensitive topics are not that easy to obtain,¡± Budoy answered with a proud face and started to summarize the information.


    ¡°As you requested, I have inquired around about how people obtained money and apparently the most common for cultivators to do is become a mercenary and complete missions to obtain rewards. Being a mercenary, you can generally do any mission that is available like escorting a caravan and the like. Of course, missions available for you would depend on your rank, the lowest is rank E, as for the highest, I have no idea, maybe A?¡±


    Budoy scratched his head while grinning.


    ¡°You can also become a specialist, for example, a bounty hunter, a medicine collector, a treasure hunter, a dungeon guide, and many others. Specialists are especially sought after by clients when they want something specific to be done. They can also be considered mercenaries, just with specific skills, and of course, a badge is needed as a proof of it which can be obtained in any mercenary branch. Accordingly, their headquarters is the Mercenary City which is located far up north in the middle of the continent. As for the distance, I have no idea.¡±


    Hmm?


    Eznho was surprised when he heard Mercenary City.


    Was he a mercenary? A specialist?


    He thought about Talong and could not help but wonder.


    ¡°You can become a mercenary by applying in any branch and passing a series of tests. Also, you can either go solo, form a group or join a group. Some of the missions need to be done by a group that is why mercenary groups were created and besides it is easier to finish a mission with the help of others. Well, groups also need rank, as for how they rank it, I don¡¯t know the specifics.¡±


    Budoy was speaking but at the same time, his mind was wandering.


    What would it be like to travel and accomplish missions, braving dangers and saving damsels in distress?


    Eznho saw the daydreaming face of Budoy and flicked his finger to his forehead.


    ¡°Ouch! What did you do that for, big brother?¡± Budoy woke up from his daze.


    ¡°Stop dreaming and continue,¡± Eznho answered him with teasing smile.


    ¡°Ah? Sorry about that,¡± Budoy felt embarrassed and continued the report. He flipped through the papers and stopped on a specific page.


    ¡°Here it is, according to my investigation, the highest paying job is becoming an assassin. This job is, of course, dangerous and secretive so there is not much information about it. But every city has a branch of the Thieve¡¯s Guild which is the mediator between a client and an assassin or an assassin group or organization. The one here in Red Sparrow City is located in the outer district, as for how to become a member, I am also in the dark.¡±


    Budoy obviously held fear and trepidation regarding the Thieve¡¯s Guild. This was normal, after all, they work in the dark and were highly skilled at killing people.


    Thieve¡¯s guild huh?


    Eznho could not help but remember Talong again, he remembered the brief moment when Talong seemed to become a sharp weapon that could kill him with just a look.


    Ah, whatever, he seemed to be a good guy, besides, it is not my business.


    After thinking for a moment, he tossed the thought at the back of his mind.


    ¡°As for non-cultivators, they could only become servants or workers. It is rare for mortals to have wealth unless they become a merchant that could hire cultivators or have a noble lineage. For the other information, they are all here.¡±


    Budoy finished his report and handed out his notebook to Eznho.


    ¡°Thank you, Budoy, you have done a great job,¡±


    Eznho genuinely praised Budoy, he really did work hard.


    ¡°No big deal,¡± Budoy casually spoke but could not hide his proud face.


    The two continued to chat for a while about other things, they enjoyed the moment. They both knew that from this moment, it would be hard for them to have a chat like this.


    Eznho took a deep breath after reading all the reports that Budoy had written in his notebook. Half of them were miscellaneous but it did contain a great amount of important information.


    It is time for me to also forge my path.


    He could not help but feel excited and look forward to the adventures that he would have in the future.

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43 Knowledge is Power Again?


    Elder John had been rushing from the middle district to the inner district and immediately reported what he saw to the clan leader. Looking at the horrid appearance of his son and grandson, he could not help but feel pain and anguish for his loss. The others just watched from the sidelines and did not feel sympathy for the duo. Killboy, on the other hand, was gritting his teeth, he wanted to investigate immediately but was stopped again by his father.


    Zander tried to wake Joey up but failed which made him furrow his brows.


    ¡°The one who made them unconscious made some sort of a seal on their consciousness and would eventually wake up in due time. Forcefully waking them up would end up destroying their consciousness. It is for the best if we wait for the meantime. Experts that could do this should be at least at the Dao Formation Realm.¡±


    Everyone sucked in cold air when they heard Zander¡¯s assessment.


    ¡°Clan Leader, was it them?¡± The Grand Elder asked.


    ¡°I doubt that but there is a high chance that this was an attack by a highly skilled assassin, what confuses me is that why are the wounds like this?¡±


    Zander was wracking his brain as to why would the perpetrator would do this kind of killing. Was he some sort of a masochist? Or did the father and son offended another behemoth?


    ¡°Let¡¯s just wait and see after Joey wakes up. Father¡¯s breakthrough is our priority for us to maintain our standing inside the city. Seal the news as much as possible, our next move would be decided by father,¡±


    Everyone agreed and nodded in response, Elder John was dismissed and went back to his assigned duty.


    .....


    Eznho woke up with great enthusiasm and was ready to go to the public library to obtain more information. He did not have anyone to teach him so he had to rely on himself to learn the things he needed to know. He did not want to burden Budoy so he decided to do the task himself.


    The library was a massive building that had three floors which was located in the inner part of the middle district. Eznho reached the place after walking for two hours and people were going in and out of the building, some were scholars while others looked like they came from a noble background.


    He entered without delay and his eyes widened with what he saw inside. Five-meter tall bookshelves were aligned inside a wide hall filled with countless books. Tables and chairs were arranged at the side for the reader to use. He took a deep breath and his nose was assaulted by the smell of wood and books. People were inside doing different things, some were reading while others were discussing things about the book they were reading.


    He went to the reception to inquire, the receptionist was an old lady with gray hair. Her face was wrinkled and had a grumpy look.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± She asked in a hoarse voice.


    ¡°Uhmm, I would like to read books,¡± Eznho nervously asked.


    ¡°Are you a member?¡± The old lady asked while looking Eznho up and down.


    ¡°No ma¡¯am, this is my first time here,¡± He replied honestly.


    ¡°You can pay an entrance fee and you could use the library until closing or you could be a member and can come here everytime you want without paying an entrance fee.¡± She spoke blandly as if she had been saying this a thousand times.


    ¡°How much do I have to pay?¡± Eznho curiously asked.


    ¡°Entrance is a hundred gold coins per day, that is just only on the first floor. The second floor is five hundred whilst the third is a thousand.¡± She answered.


    That much?


    Eznho was once again shocked by this absurd amount. If he came here every day, then his money would only last him for a couple of months at most.


    ¡°What about membership?¡±


    ¡°For the first floor, five thousand quarterly, thirty thousand for the second and fifty thousand for the third. Lastly, you can pay a million gold coins for a lifetime fee.¡± The old lady answered with a proud tone.


    The heck? What kind of library is this? A million? That might as well be the reason for my death.


    Eznho nearly fainted due to shock, he did not expect this kind of amount was needed for him to obtain information. He calmed himself down and asked another question.


    ¡°What kind of information does the first, second and third floor contain?¡±


    ¡°The first floor contains the basics about almost everything, the second one is more advanced while the third holds some important information. Now kid, hurry and decide,¡±


    The old lady started to get annoyed and answered vaguely.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll pay for the first floor just for this day,¡±


    His heart was filled with pain as he paid the fee. He finally entered and the room which felt much wider than before. There were too many books and he had to choose what he really needed due to the time limit. The bookshelves were divided accordingly, some were for alchemy, geography, cultivation, politics, history and many others. He thought for a moment and decided to pick the topics about geography, history and cultivation. At the moment, this were the things he thought he needed the most.


    Time to start!


    He calmed his mind and decided to open the book about history and geography which is related to each other. The more he read, the more he was amazed. There were so many things he learned, he even forgot about time and finally finished after five hours of non-stop reading.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    So that¡¯s how it is,


    Too many information entered his mind and it took him time to digest and organize it. According to what he read, a great change happened roughly a thousand years ago. Apparently, the continent they live in is named Crescent Moon Continent due to its shape. The size is so massive that only strong cultivators could travel a large part of it. The continent was divided into various parts which were controlled by different powers.


    Approximately a thousand years ago, the continent was only divided between two empires, the Thunder Clap Empire ruled the north while the Ripple Empire controlled the southern part of the continent. But a great change happened when the heavens turned dark for seven days. As for the cause, it was not written in the book which piqued Eznho¡¯s interest. The book called it the Dark Days, the sun disappeared and the only thing that illuminated the world was the moon and the stars.


    On the eighth day, the sun rose again but chaos spread throughout the continent like a wildfire. Everyone fought for something, treasures, land, inheritance and the like. It lasted for hundreds of years. The war only stopped roughly a hundred years ago when the division of territories stabilized and the population dropped by a large degree.


    As of date, the Crescent Moon Continent was now divided differently. The northernmost part, the tundra region, became the territory of the beast race. Below it was the Thunder Clap Empire but its territory was reduced greatly and the power it holds was far weaker than before.


    The middle part of the continent was divided among myriads of sects and independent groups. After that, the territory is divided between the weakened Ripple Empire and the Alliance of Sixty Kingdoms. Below them was the Barbaric Land and the most southern part was the Southern Forest controlled again by the beast race.


    This was just the general division and as for the specifics, it was not mentioned. Eznho sucked in a deep breath when he learned about this. He could only imagine the carnage that happened when people fought and died for power. Millions or even billions of people must have died for the territories to be split like that which originally belonged to the two great empires.


    Eznho meditated for half an hour to calm himself down and started to read about cultivation. To his disappointment, most of the information he read were things he already knew. Only a small amount was added to his knowledge. He could not help but shiver when he remembered the pain he felt when he acquired such information.


    I wonder if what the second floor holds, maybe it has information about the Halo Realm.


    He looked at the stairs and decided to come back tomorrow and go to the second floor for more information. After reading other miscellaneous things, the day came to an end and he was forced to leave.


    .....


    The next day, he came back with great vigor and was ready to learn more about a lot of things. Despite the pain he felt when he paid the fee, he comforted himself by thinking about the important information he would obtain. Wasting no time, he went directly towards the second floor. To him, every second wasted was equivalent to wasting money.


    The second floor had the same size as the first floor but looked more spacious due to the lesser amount of bookshelves it contained. There were no people here aside from Eznho, he immediately looked for the same topic as before and immersed himself with it. His eyes were sparkling the whole time, he thoroughly enjoyed reading and learning about the continent and the world.


    Whoah!


    After reading for a couple of hours, he finally finished and his eyes contained more wisdom and knowledge than before. Just like before, he calmed himself down and organized the new information he obtained.


    The tundra region was ruled by the Ice Queen and her underlings which were mostly composed of beasts with the ice attribute or other elements related to it. As for the Thunder Clap Empire, it was ruled by the current emperor, Kidlat. Although weakened, the empire still has some power but was constantly on battle with the tundra region for resources.


    As for the middle part of the continent, it was divided into five parts. Northwest is being led by the Alchemy Hall, Southwest is dominated by the Blood Tavern, Northeast¡¯s leading sect is the White Tiger Sect, Southeast is the location of Mercenary City. Lastly, the central most part was considered a neutral ground and the headquarters of the Hand of Midas.


    Hand of Midas?


    It was the first time Eznho heard this name, according to the information on the book the Hand of Midas was a bank. It is being backed by an unknown force and is the number one bank on the continent. Most of the other banks are affiliated with it.


    Going south, the Alliance of Sixty Kingdoms was formed after countless battles and the Ripple Empire was its neighbor. The Ripple Empire survived but it was much weaker than the Thunder Clap Empire so its territory was of course smaller.


    The Great Wall was constructed to separate them from the barbaric lands which was south of them. The Barbaric Land was formed by wandering cultivators or people who lost everything during the chaos. It is a chaotic place and people who dominated it changed from time to time. Most people go there to temper themselves and also was a place one has to cross if one wants to go hunt in the Southern Forest or the Green Pine Mountain range which was the border between the Barbaric Lands and the Southern Forest.


    The Southern Forest is located at the very south of the continent and is being dominated by the Jungle King. As for what type beast it is, the book did not mention anything about it.


    Phew!


    Eznho let out a breath after organizing everything.


    Never would have I thought that the place I live in is so vast and has a complicated history. Would I be able to visit all these places in my lifetime?


    Enzho mused for a moment and imagined himself traveling to distant places, braving dangers and making friends.


    Sigh, let¡¯s not think about it for now, I can only visit places once I have enough strength.


    He let go of those thoughts and picked a book that contained information about cultivation, specifically, the Halo Realm.


    .....


    Inside a room at the territory of the River Clan, Joey started to slowly open his eyes. It was blurry at first but it gradually cleared. He was inside a simply decorated room with no one around.


    Where am I?


    Looking at the unfamiliar environment, he got confused and tried to focus himself and slowly got up. He scanned himself and let out a breath of relief when he saw that nothing was wrong. The last thing he remembered was his consciousness suddenly fading away without any warning. This made him furrow his brows.


    He was jolted back to reality when the door opened and an old man in a gray robe entered.


    ¡°Elder John?¡±


    He was familiar with this old man due to him being the personal guard of Butchog so he knew almost every person in the upper ranks.


    ¡°Good you are now awake Joey, just rest here for the meantime and wait for the summon of the clan leader,¡± Elder John forced a smile and answered.


    Joey could not help but get nervous, his instincts told him that something was amiss.


    ¡°Elder John, may I know what this is all about?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to know for now. Just rest and wait for the summon,¡±


    Elder John went out of the room leaving that sentence lingering on Joey¡¯s mind.


    What the hell happened?


    Joey tried to figure things out when suddenly a horrific thought came to his mind.


    Don¡¯t tell me?


    His body shivered and just prayed to the heavens that nothing happened to the father and son he was supposed to look after.


    At the same time, inside the secret grounds of the River Clan, the clan leader and the others were still waiting for the clan ancestor¡¯s breakthrough. Everyone waited with great anticipation coupled with nervousness.


    Suddenly, the door slowly opened and a vast amount of heavenly energy poured out making everyone feel comfortable. There were even traces of the dao of water with it. After a while, the energy dissipated and an old man came out with a satisfactory smile plastered on his wrinkled face.

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44 Investigate


    The old man is the oldest member of the River Clan and the son of the founding ancestor, his name is Wilad River. His eyes had a deep blue color that contained wisdom and intelligence, if you look closer, one could see an illusion that a river was circulating around them. Coupled with his long and smooth silvery white hair, he looked like a gentle old man. He was wearing a blue colored robe with a flowing river design and ripples formed with every step he took as if he was walking on water.


    ¡°Congratulations Ancestor,¡±


    ¡°Congratulations father,¡±


    ¡°Congratulations grandfather,¡±


    Zander, Killboy and the others immediately sensed that Wilad¡¯s cultivation had increased again and was only a step away from breaking into the next realm. This made everyone excited and knew that this would make their standing in the city more stable. After losing their founding ancestor during the war, their foundation was shaken and the only thing that held it from collapsing was the protection from the royal family due to their ancestor¡¯s contributions and the fact that they still had Wilad, a peak Dao Formation expert.


    Wilad smiled with satisfaction when he saw the members of his clan.


    ¡°Thank you, everyone, we can have a meeting and a celebratory banquet at a later date in the grand hall.¡±


    Everyone understood his meaning and departed after offering more pleasantries leaving only Zander and Killboy.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    Wilad¡¯s eyes turned sharp and knew something was off. This made the father and son duo shiver inside, they both knew that Wilad joined his father during the war and experienced a lot of bitter battles. Despite his gentle appearance, hidden deep inside was a war veteran that could unleash a massacre when needed be.


    ¡°Father, Taba and Butchog are both dead,¡± Zander went straight to the point and waved his hand to show their mutilated corpses.


    Wilad was shocked and furrowed his brows after looking at his descendant¡¯s pitiful appearance then sighed. He then waved his hand and water covered both corpses and their wounds started to close up making them look better. From what he saw, he could tell that the killer had a lot of hatred against Taba and Butchog. He also knew how the father and son acted but despite that, he did not care much due to Killboy and his son¡¯s presence who both showed great potential. This resulted in Taba and Butchog being pampered too much to the point that they formed unsavory tastes of pleasure.


    ¡°Tell me what happened,¡±


    ¡°Father, it¡¯s like this...¡± Zander started to narrate all the details he knew and did not skip anything. Although he loved his son and grandson, he did not exaggerate and told the events as truthful as possible, aside from his fear or being caught lying, he had his own principles. He lived far too long and knew that exaggerating things might lead to disaster, especially that their foundation was still a little shaky inside the city.


    After listening, Wilad sighed again and could not hide his disappointment toward himself and his deceased descendants.


    ¡°Perhaps we were too lenient, it could be said that this is partly our fault for pampering both of them,¡±


    ¡°Father,¡± Zander could not refute what his father said, this was also the reason why Butchog¡¯s wife took her life because she couldn¡¯t bear the shame of being married to a disgusting husband.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go talk to Joey and ask him what happened,¡± Wilad suggested and the trio headed towards the main hall.


    The trio was waiting at the main hall while Wilad sat on the main throne. A while later, the door opened, Elder John and Joey walked inside then greeted in a respectful manner while half kneeling.


    ¡°Greetings, Ancestor, Clan Leader,¡±


    ¡°Rise,¡± Wilad commanded nonchalantly but his voice brought pressure when Elder John and Joey heard it.


    ¡°Elder John, you may take your leave,¡±


    Elder John acknowledged and excused himself then closed the door. Joey was left their alone feeling all the pressure making him sweat due to nervousness.


    ¡°Joey, tell us everything you know,¡± Zander spoke this time and urged Joey to spill all the beans.


    ¡°Reporting to Ancestor and Clan Leader, after I broke through by one minor realm, master Butchog told me to keep it a secret and wait for his command. Due to the upcoming chaos at Sin City, we were asked to evacuate with the sole daughter of the city guard captain, Blue. The little girl was fancied by young master Taba but she did not like him and constantly rejected him. With this opportunity, we secretly informed the local bandits at the Hummingbird Forest about our journey. By the time we were attacked, the little girl¡¯s guardian was busy fighting the bandit leaders and I took the opportunity to deal him a killing blow in secret. After that, the little girl was forced to take shelter with us, without his guardian, it was easy for us to take her inside master Butchog¡¯s residence and feigned ignorance when people started to inquire about her. Young master Taba took her in the basement and after that, I did not know what he did with her. Days later, Blue¡¯s father and his companions came knocking on the door demanding to see his daughter but were rejected by master Butchog. The trio then stayed inside the city according to our informants. The night I lost consciousness, a merchant named Alibaba came in with a new batch of young girls and was offered to master Butchog. I was meditating when they took the girls at the basement, it was around that time when suddenly I could not hold on to my consciousness despite my struggles, that was the last thing I remember.¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Joey was nervous the whole time but was still able to tell his side of the story. Gritting his teeth, he mustered all his courage and asked the question that had been bugging him the whole time.


    ¡°If I may ask, did something happen to master Butchog and young master Taba?¡±


    ¡°They are both dead,¡± Zander answered in a serious manner making Joey¡¯s pupils shrink.


    Thud!


    ¡°I am sorry for failing my task! I tried to hold on but I just couldn¡¯t. Please punish me for being incompetent!¡±


    Joey kneeled on both knees and started to kowtow while banging his head on the floor.


    ¡°Stop, this could not be blamed on you,¡± Wilad waved his hand and an invisible power landed on Joey making him stand up.


    Joey was startled but did not resist, he did not even wipe his bleeding forehead.


    ¡°Killboy, take Joey with you and go investigate this matter. Do not confront anyone, just investigate. I do not want us having anymore conflict due to them. We will decide what to do after your investigation, I am hoping for results within two days,¡±


    Wilad commanded and dismissed all of them leaving him alone in the main hall.


    ¡°I have to fix everything before my lifespan runs out, sigh, this was my mistake. Father, I have failed you, I was never as talented as you to begin with.¡±


    Wilad mumbled while staring into the distant past, he saw the back of his father. A figure leading a legion against an opposing kingdom, clad in a golden battle armor full of dents due to countless battles. He held a spear in his right hand, standing firm like a mountain that could not be moved. Raising his spear, he shouted and lead the charge fearlessly.


    .....


    Eznho was in a trance while reading books regarding the Halo Realm. He only snapped back to reality when one of the librarians woke him up from his concentration. Being cut short made him grumpy but there was nothing he could do except leave with dissatisfaction. Despite that, he read all of the important parts and the only ones left were miscellaneous things.


    He went straight back home and had dinner with his family, after having conversations with them, he went to his room and contemplated all the things he learned.


    According to what he read, the Halo Realm was the real first step in the cultivation path, the Cleansing Stage was a far cry from it and was only considered the preparatory stage. There were many things one could do when they reach the Halo Realm such as having the ability to cast spells and skills using heavenly energy. Aside from that, one''s consciousness can now come out of the body to sense the surroundings and what comes with it is heavenly energy.


    Meaning, you can now attack using heavenly energy that you have accumulated inside your dantian, albeit, with a limited distance. One of the main reasons for this was because once you enter the Halo Realm your body and soul will have a great transformation.


    As for the process, the book has described it but not in great detail ¨C forming a halo of heavenly energy inside the dantian but of course, knowing the process is easy but doing it is another story. Aside from that, another requirement is to have a cultivation method that allows you to form the halo.


    I can only truly experience these things once I will break through to the Halo Realm. And another problem is that I don¡¯t have any cultivation method.


    Eznho frowned but was more determined than ever, he wanted to do a lot of things but was limited by his strength. His excitement gradually subsided and he started to practice cultivation using the breathing technique he knew.


    Everything has its own time, first and foremost I have to reach the peak of the cleansing stage first before anything else.


    .....


    Killboy and Joey did not waste any time and immediately began their investigation. They started with the guards but it yielded nothing and had the same answer as Joey, they just lost consciousness out of nowhere. Making no progress with them, they went to find Alibaba but was told that he left a few of hours ago with a caravan to make another business deal at the neighboring city and did not tell when he will be back.


    With the new information they gathered, they immediately rode the fastest mount available and went to catch up with Alibaba¡¯s caravan. Two hours later, they caught up with Alibaba,


    ¡°Lord Killboy, how can I be of assistance? To think that an esteemed individual as yourself would tire himself out just for me,¡±


    Alibaba greeted them with respect but nervousness was slowly building up inside him. Ever since he found out that his servant who was investigating the siblings died mysteriously, he knew something was wrong and planned to get out of the city for the time being to avoid troubles, alas, he moved out too late and was now faced with the current situation.


    ¡°Let¡¯s cut the crap, Alibaba, where did you get the girls you offered to lord Butchog the other night?¡±


    Joey did not have the patience for pleasantries and wanted to get to the bottom of this matter and show to the clan that he was still useful.


    Alibaba was dissatisfied with the hostile attitude but did not show it.


    Che, a servant such as yourself dares to throw his weight in front of me? Hmph! Better to live a mortal and enjoy riches rather than become a cultivator but is someone else¡¯s dog.


    ¡°All of them have been acquired from low-class families, most of them have been sold to me and I made sure that they did not have any backings,¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Killboy asked with narrowed eyes.


    Wait a minute, shit!


    Cold sweats ran down his spine when he remembered about that arrogant person who disappeared after selling the eye-catching girl.


    ¡°Well,¡± Alibaba wanted to lie but he was afraid he would be caught.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask again, are you sure?¡± Killboy was serious this time and emanated a pressure with a small hint of killing intent.


    Alibaba did not dare to lie after feeling the pressure that nearly made him faint.


    ¡°There was this arrogant guy who came to my shop when I was preparing to go to lord Butchog¡¯s residence. He came in unexpectedly and brought with him an exquisite and good looking girl, he told me her family gave her to him as a form of payment. I was skeptical but she was really a rare merchandise and I was in a rush at that time, so I bought her and offered it to lord Butchog. I told my men to investigate him, but it yielded nothing, he vanished like a smoke.¡±


    Alibaba told them everything he knew, except for the fact about his subordinate''s death which he thought was not related to the incident at all. If only he knew...


    Killboy furrowed his brows after Alibaba narrated the events he knew, without saying anything, he rode his mount and headed back to the city. There was no point asking about anything anymore, what he needed to do next was find the missing girls and try to figure something out.


    After seeing the duo left, Alibaba let out a huge sigh of relief.


    ¡°What a mess, I should probably stay away from that city for a while,¡±


    A second later, a burly middle-aged man walked towards him emanating the aura of a Halo cultivator.


    ¡°What do we do now?¡± the burly man asked with a hint of amusement.


    ¡°We continue our journey, remember not to tell anyone about Onyok¡¯s death. Who knows what kind of monster we poked this time,¡±


    Alibaba answered with fear and got on his carriage leaving Limber in a daze. He was the one who found out about Onyok¡¯s death, he could still vividly remember his face. A face full of fear and regret, the formations were never triggered and the thing that killed Onyok was his own shattered crystal ball. One could only imagine how the killing happened, with his life experiences, he knew better and did not want to have anything to do with the person behind Onyok¡¯s death.

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45 Believe It! (Thumbs Up)


    The next day, Eznho gathered all his thoughts and formulated his plans. The first thing he needed to do was earn money while tempering and strengthening himself at the same time. The only way that would cater to his needs was to become a mercenary, most cultivators with no backing would resort to this kind of strategy, it was the only way for them to gain a footing in the cultivation world.


    Most of them end up being a mediocre cultivator or worse ¨C dead, but of course, there were those who rose to the challenge and made a name for themselves and gained the backing of Mercenary City. The City had a considerable influence throughout the continent, of course with the large number of mercenaries, very few would gain the City¡¯s recognition.


    Mercenary City eh?


    Eznho brought out the token Talong had given and mused.


    With senior¡¯s strength, I wonder if what kind of influence he holds inside the so-called Mercenary City. Sigh, I can only meet him if I meet his requirements.


    Eznho put away the token and made his way towards the branch office of the Mercenary Guild ¨C this was the overall name of all the mercenary groups throughout the continent and its headquarters was located at Mercenary City.


    There were three offices located inside the Red Sparrow City, the outer district branch office, the middle and lastly, the inner. The outer district branch handles recruitment and affairs regarding mercenaries with rank E and D while the middle district branch handles rank C and B. As for higher ranks, they were handled at the inner district branch. All of this knowledge had been gathered by the combined effort of him and Budoy.


    Eznho has a curious mind so he liked to walk and take his time while observing his surroundings. The city was busy as ever especially that spring had come early, everyone was lively. The more he observed, the more he learned about the world, it was already past noon when he arrived at the entrance of the Mercenary Guild branch office.


    The building was a little shabby and worn out, it was obvious it was not being maintained properly. People went in and out nonstop, some were in a hurry while others carried random things for their missions. A guard lazily sat beside the door, his spear even leaned against the wall, it was as if he didn¡¯t care about his job at all.


    He was a middle-aged man with a medium build, he had sleepy eyes that could shut off any moment and would even occasionally yawn as if he was bored to death. Eznho slowly approached him and could smell the stench of alcohol from the man.


    ¡°Excuse me, senior, I would like to become a mercenary,¡± Eznho spoke politely.


    ¡°Huh?¡± The man looked at him for a second with his lazy eyes.


    ¡°Go back home kid and wipe off that milk from your mouth, stop bothering me,¡± he waved his palms gently back and forth as if he was shooing a fly.


    Eznho¡¯s cheek twitched but did not dare to show disrespect, he made it a habit to stay low key and endure as long as people do not cross his bottom line. He breathed out his irritation and ignored the man then entered the building.


    The middle-aged man did not care and just followed Eznho with his lazy eyes.


    ¡°What a stubborn kid, let¡¯s see how long you can last,¡±


    He let the matter evaporate from his mind and continued with his lazy posture, his head was even starting to fall.


    Eznho walked inside and saw a large hall with numerous busy people emanating different kind of auras, some were checking out the mission lists while others were queuing up in line to submit their mission reports. The hall was at least fifty meters high and with how wide it was, it could easily accommodate thousands of people at once.


    His curiosity was once again piqued and his eyes started to wander, there were quite a number of counters that accommodated different kinds of needs. Some people looked at him with cold eyes while others showed contempt but nobody bothered with him, the law was strict inside the hall and people who cause troubles were severely punished.


    It took him quite awhile to calm down and found what he was looking for, the recruitment area. There was a little more than forty people who stood in line, he composed himself and walked towards the back of the line.


    ¡°Hey kid, we were here first, back off and get behind our back,¡±


    A group of three youngsters aged not more than fifteen were walking towards Eznho. They were being led by a boy dressed in a green robe with spiky hair and an arrogant face, the type of people who liked to bully others. Some people noticed and shook their heads but did not bother to interfere, this type of thing often happened.


    Eznho furrowed his brows but he backed off and let the youngsters go first before him. Feeling proud, the arrogant youngster sneered and showed him a face full of disdain and took Eznho¡¯s previous spot followed by the other guys who ignored him as if he did not exist.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Good boy,¡± the leader commented then ignored him.


    Time flowed on and after half an hour passed without any glitch, it was Eznho¡¯s turn. The female in the counter looked at least like a thirty-year-old woman but she still exuded the passion of a teenager. Her beauty may not be at the top but she had the charm of a fox and a look that liked to tease men. Her clothes were fitted tightly showing her perfect curves and squeezing the two watermelons resting on her chest. This made the new recruits always leave with an intoxicated look on their faces, Eznho was affected but he had a better control over his body than the others, regardless, it still took him a while before he could compose himself in front of the lady.


    ¡°Ahem, senior, I am here to apply to become a mercenary,¡±


    Eznho broke the awkward position he was in and tried to look calm as much as possible. The lady smiled teasingly at Eznho with a squinted eye that made his heart beat faster and made it hard to control himself.


    ¡°You can call me big sister Lei, what¡¯s yours?¡±


    ¡°Uhmmm, my name is Eznho,¡± He replied with a slight blush on his cheeks.


    ¡°What a lonely name, want big sister to accompany you?¡± Lei teased again showing a sincere face.


    Eznho smiled wryly and didn¡¯t know how to respond.


    ¡°Think about it for some time and come back to me when who made a decision,¡± the woman seemed to be satisfied after looking at the speechless kid and gave him a wooden token with a number fifty engraved on it and the name Eznho at the back.


    ¡°Take this and go at the training grounds to have yourself tested, good luck kid, big sister will cheer for you,¡±


    Enzho immediately took the token and bowed then left in a hurry.


    Whew, what a scary woman, I should make sure to strengthen my will to avoid being affected by others.


    Cold sweats actually ran down his back, if he stayed their any more than he should, he was not sure if he could maintain his self-control and become like the others. After a while, he adjusted his breathing and looked for the way towards the training grounds which did not take long due to the signage.


    The training ground was located at the back of the building, it was a wide patch of open land used for sparring, competitions and where tests were held for the new recruits. There were over a hundred people using it right now, some were training with dummies while others fought with each other making the others cheer in unison.


    He turned his head a couple of times and spotted familiar faces, the same people who were with him inside a while ago. He made his way towards them and stood again at the back of the line.


    Infront of the line was a wooden dummy with the shape of a man but only contained the head and the torso. Beside it was a muscular man with no upper garment showing his body that was full of hardened muscles. He looked fierce and intimidating making the new recruits shiver in fear.


    ¡°You¡¯re out! better luck next time and grow some muscles! Next!¡±


    The new recruit who failed showed a downcast expression and silently walked away without looking back with his head bowed down.


    ¡°Start!¡± The muscular man shouted.


    The next recruit was a young boy about the age of fourteen, he took a deep breath and shouted making his body muscles bulge, ripping his shirt. This move made the muscular man show a nod of approval.


    The boy positioned himself in front of the dummy and gathered energy towards his right hand and punched.


    Bang!


    A loud sound like a firecracker exploding was produced and wood splinters scattered. The dummy¡¯s chest was mangled and caved in making the other recruits gasp in admiration.


    ¡°Passed! Next!¡± The muscular man shouted and produced another similar dummy. The boy who passed showed a proud look and bowed then joined the others who passed, he was the fifth one.


    The next one gritted his teeth and punched producing a ¡®thud¡¯ sound but nothing happened to the dummy making him show a look of despair.


    ¡°Failed! Go home and plant sweet potatoes instead! Next!¡± The man was harsh and did not care about the boy¡¯s feeling.


    The process continued for another half an hour and it was the boy with a spiky hair¡¯s turn. He stood in front of the dummy and assumed a punching position. With a sharp look on his eyes, he punched with great speed,


    Bang!


    A loud sound was produced and wooden head flew in the air. Gasping sounds were heard after the head landed on the ground. The muscular man nodded in approval and made him join the others who passed making the boy walk with his nose up high. His two followers soon followed and both passed but not as spectacular as their leader.


    People were bewildered and gasped after three consecutive people passed. The dummy was set to endure attacks up to the peak level of the Cleansing Stage, therefore, making it obvious that the boy who attacked was just a step away from forming his ¡®halo¡¯.


    ¡°Who are those three?¡± asked one of the spectators.


    ¡°If I am not mistaken his name is Paul, the son of the leader of the Axe Gang.¡± Another one answered beside him.


    ¡°Axe Gang?¡± Everyone who heard it shivered inside.


    Axe Gang was the number two gang in the outer district of the city. According to rumors, the gang was overly protective of its members, that is why few people dared to provoke or fight with axe gang members.


    A few more people tried before Eznho but nobody passed making the muscular man irritated. At last, it was Eznho¡¯s turn, he tried his best to stay calm but deep inside, he was nervous. According to the rules, once you failed you can only try again after six months. Six months was too long for him that is why he had to pass this test no matter what, he had to give it his all.


    Taking a deep breath, he moved in front of the dummy and assumed a punching position. He circulated his energy inside to the maximum and gathered it on his right hand making the air around it distort. Seeing this scene, the muscular man raised his left brow.


    Not bad, what a solid foundation and pure heavenly energy.


    ¡°Ha!¡± Eznho shouted and punched producing a ¡®thud¡¯ sound. Smoke rose from the dummy¡¯s chest and a centimeter deep fist imprint could be seen. Looking at the seemingly failed attack, Eznho sighed dejectedly.


    I guess I have to find other ways to gather money.


    Contrary to his expectations, the muscular man shouted the word ¡®passed¡¯ with a delight on his face. He immediately collected the damaged dummy and replaced it with a new one. Eznho was surprised but was replaced with wild joy afterward, he bowed deeply to the muscular man and joined the others.


    ¡°Pure luck,¡± Paul commented when Eznho joined the group but the latter ignored him and just stood there in silence while savoring his ¡®victory¡¯, he could not wait to go home and share the story with the others back at home.

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46 Is Hate Born Of Love?


    Another hour passed and the sun had already set, the last recruit to try and hit the dummy actually passed making him the fifteenth person to join the group who passed the first test. With the conclusion of the test, the muscular man stood in front of them with a satisfied face.


    ¡°Not bad, for fifteen people to pass today, this is quite a good harvest, good job everyone. I hope you pass your second and final test tomorrow. Who knows maybe in the future we can work together. As for the details of the next test, I will announce it tomorrow morning. That¡¯s it for today, dismissed!¡±


    He did not wait for the new recruits to react and immediately made his way towards the branch head¡¯s office. The new recruits did not dilly dally and separated without talking to each other. Enzho was curious about the others but after observing that everyone ignored each other, he let go of the idea of making acquaintance and went home.


    .....


    The branch head¡¯s office was located at the top of the building, it was just a simple room filled with books, scrolls and random stuff. Aside from that, the strong smell of alcohol filled the air. A small balcony was built overlooking the training grounds that was lit up by torches. A few people were still training producing elongated shadows.


    Two people were at the balcony sharing a flagon of alcohol, the muscular man who tested the new recruits and the other one was the lazy looking guy who stood in front of the building that was met by Eznho earlier that day.


    ¡°How''re the new recruits? Anything interesting? This stupid punishment is really annoying,¡± the lazy looking guy asked with irritation while sipping alcohol.


    ¡°Well, you pissed the old man, let¡¯s just treat this as a vacation, haha. He even personally sent us here,¡± The muscular man teased.


    ¡°Hmph! Well it¡¯s not my fault now, is it? The daughter of the target was really hot you know.¡±


    Jackie answered while grumbling.


    ¡°Hahaha, well because of what you did, we nearly failed the mission,¡± Mike slapped his thigh while laughing heartily.


    ¡°Hmph! We accomplished our mission in the end, didn¡¯t we?¡± Mike retorted.


    ¡°Hahahaha, can¡¯t argue with that, enough about that, a total of fifteen passed, all average except for three people, can you believe that Jackie?¡± the muscular man answered enthusiastically.


    ¡°Really now? That¡¯s quite a lot Mike,¡± Jackie raised his eyebrow showing a look of suspicion.


    ¡°It was really unexpected, the first one is actually someone similar to me who is a body enhancer, albeit not as good looking as me, haha. The second one is actually the youngest son of the axe gang leader.¡± Mike grinned and drank a mouthful.


    ¡°How amusing, that ambitious old man actually wants to have a connection with the guild. Well, if I were him, I¡¯ll probably do the same especially now that his oldest son is a member of the Blood Tavern. A branch member to be exact, the more connections he has, the more power he holds. Not bad actually,¡± Jackie praised while savoring the smell of his alcohol.


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but he will never be able to surpass the Eastwood Gang,¡± Mike debated.


    ¡°I agree with you on that brother, anyway, who¡¯s the third?¡± Jackie asked curiously.


    ¡°Ow, the last one is a dark horse alright, take a look at this,¡±


    Mike waved his hand and the wooden dummy that Eznho punched floated in front of Jackie. He scanned the puppet with his soul sense and was surprised. The other recruits could not see it but the insides of the dummy were mangled and its back had cracks. This result could only be achieved by having an almost perfect control of your power.


    ¡°Now that¡¯s interesting, for a kid to be able to do this, he has quite the potential and the foundation, who is he?¡±


    ¡°Haha, that¡¯s what I thought too. His name is Eznho but his name doesn¡¯t ring a bell. Want me to investigate?¡± Mike answered teasingly.


    ¡°Bah, let him grow first. Let us talk after he forms his halo, you wanna bet how many halos he can form?¡± Jackie waved his hand in reject and while showing a competitive look.


    ¡°Okay you''re on, my bet is that he will form two,¡± Mike answered without hesitation.


    ¡°Hahaha, that was fast, okay I¡¯ll give this one a blind shot. I think he can make it to three,¡±


    Jackie laughed with delight and drank another cup.


    ¡°Three? Even the guild does not have that many people who were able to pull that off. Besides, I don¡¯t think he has the resources to make three halos,¡± Mike answered with skepticism.


    ¡°Well, you gave me no choice, who knows maybe he really is a dark horse, haha,¡± Jackie answered mysteriously while gazing at the starry sky.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s make things a little more interesting then,¡± Mike spoke with a mischievous look.


    .....


    It was already dark when Eznho made it back, everyone congratulated him when he told them the good news. Because of that, Miss Minchin and little Aiza cooked enthusiastically which produced an aromatic smell that made Eznho and Budoy drool.


    ¡°Congratulations!¡± The trio shouted and all four of them gobbled up all the food served on the table.


    After dinner, Eznho and Budoy talked when the two women went to their own respective rooms.


    ¡°How is it going Budoy?¡± Eznho asked with a smile while sipping his tea.


    ¡°All is good big brother, actually I have decided to join in the information business,¡± Budoy answered with determination in his eyes.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that dangerous?¡± Eznho was a bit uneasy about this. Selling information can fetch quite a sum if you have the right one but it can also lead to endless troubles if one is careless.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry big brother, I will be careful, besides it can also benefit you, you know,¡± Budoy grinned while trying to justify himself.


    ¡°I have no doubt about that, have you told aunt and little Aiza?¡± Eznho looked at him seriously.


    ¡°Well, yeah, aunt agreed and reminded me repeatedly to be careful. As for little Aiza, well, it took me quite a while to convince her but I got her to agree,¡± Budoy answered with a wry smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s good then, I have no qualms about you joining that line of work,¡± Eznho spoke while gazing at the moon.


    ¡°Budoy, both of the path we are pursuing has a lot of dangers, I only ask two things from you. That is to always be careful, there will always be hope as long we are alive so don¡¯t go risking your life for no reason at all. As for the second thing, it is related with aunt and little Aiza, both of us may have our own ways to survive but they don¡¯t have that kind of luxury. They are too vulnerable and to be honest, there are only a handful of people I care about in this world. Do you understand?¡±


    Eznho spoke with great emotions, this reminder came from the bottom of his heart and it was not only for Budoy but also for himself. That is the main reason why he tries to avoid offending other people and get into conflict with them. After all, you will never know what your enemies will do just to get back to you. This was especially implanted on him when he encountered what happened to Blue. Innocent and powerless people are often the victims.


    ¡°I understand big brother, don''t worry I will die first before bringing a calamity to aunt and little Aiza,¡±


    Budoy was moved by Eznho¡¯s speech and spoke from the bottom of his heart. He looked at Eznho with reverence and respect, he truly felt how Eznho cared for him and his little sister.


    ¡°Good,¡± Eznho grinned and the duo spoke a little more before calling it a day.


    .....


    It was the middle of the night when the feast finished at the River Clan¡¯s territory. By now, most of the heavyweights in the middle district and some from the inner district have observed Wilad¡¯s cultivation advancement making the clan¡¯s status more stable. They would have to think twice before clashing with them. After everything has settled down, three people were having a meeting at the main hall of the River Clan. It was Wilad, Zander and Killboy,


    ¡°What are the results of your investigation?¡± Wilad spoke with an unhurried tone.


    ¡°Reporting to grandfather, after investigating non-stop, it is our belief that the killing is related to Batista and his comrades,¡± Killboy answered with a serious tone.


    ¡°As expected,¡± Wilad commented with certainty.


    ¡°We have another suspect as well, it was a person who disguised as a merchant and sold a girl to Alibaba before he went to Butchog¡¯s residence to offer his goods. We tried to find traces of him and the girl but it led us to nothing. As for the other girls, we found some but unfortunately, they remember nothing at all. It was as if they never entered little brother¡¯s residence,¡±Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Killboy felt a little apprehension when he found out about it, erasing the memory of a mortal is not an easy task.


    ¡°Their memory has been erased eh? Well, that doesn¡¯t sound good. He would have to be at least a Dao Formation expert but even then, it won¡¯t be that easy. Even I would have to be extra careful when doing such a thing.¡±


    Wilad furrowed his brows while thinking of something.


    ¡°There is something else, there were rumors circulating in the underground market that a member of the Dark Crows has been here in the city for the past month,¡±


    Killboy shivered a little when he blurted the name, of course, this was normal. Any person with a sane mind would feel fear towards people who are experts in the killing business.


    ¡°How reliable is the information?¡± Wilad¡¯s pupil shrunk when he heard the name.


    ¡°It is eighty percent sure grandfather,¡± Killboy answered honestly.


    After that, Killboy reported everything he discovered and did not leave out anything. Silence gathered around the hall for awhile.


    ¡°Sigh, with this information you collected, it could be concluded that Batista and his comrades had somehow hired someone highly skilled to assassinate Butchog and Taba. And this particular assassin had sent a trainee of some sort to execute the mission, hence the wounds. The killer is still a novice who cannot control his or her emotions.¡±


    With his vast experience, Wilad could already fit most if not all of the puzzle pieces. It was even possible that they disguised their gender so it was not that easy to identify them with accuracy.


    ¡°Should we pursue them? They are still inside the city,¡± Killboy exuded an intent to battle and was ready to fight anytime.


    ¡°No, let us just let these matters go, let¡¯s say it was Batista who did it, could you blame him? If you were him, would you do the same?¡±


    ¡°This...¡± Killboy and Zander were speechless, deep inside they know what the old man said was true.


    ¡°Even if we do pursue, they would have the moral high ground. Do you want another scandal to spread that would destroy our reputation? That¡¯s not even the worst part, the worst result that could happen is that we would be on the military¡¯s bad side. You can only imagine the consequences, I still have connections but times have changed and we have to adapt,¡±


    Wilad spoke seriously with a stern voice.


    ¡°I am pretty sure Batista will not spread the matter about his daughter, what¡¯s done is done. I just hope he does not point his hate towards us, after all, we both obtained losses regarding this matter. As for the Taba and Butchog, we will announce their death in a few days and perform a proper burial for them. Try to suppress the reason for their death as much as possible, make the arrangements.¡±


    ¡°I only have at least a hundred years to live more and will not be able to make another breakthrough. You should focus your thoughts on breaking through the Dao Formation as soon as possible Zander. Both of you are the future pillars that would hold our foundation, don¡¯t let this matter be the reason for your downfall.¡±


    Wilad stood up and walked towards his residence, his back looked lonely as the moon shone on him.


    ¡°Yes, Father,¡±


    ¡°Yes, Grandfather,¡±


    Zander and Killboy acknowledged with complicated looks on their faces. They had to stabilize everything before Wilad¡¯s time runs out. As much as they loved Butchog and Taba, the future of the clan comes first. They could only put the matter in the back of their mind and wish that their souls find peace.


    .....


    Batista and the group had been staying at the middle district the whole time. There were two reasons for their action, first, Blue is currently stable but she is still unconscious which made Batista worry, the second was they were waiting for any news about Butchog and his son, Taba. According to their informants, the father and son had not been seen ever since Blue was retrieved from their grasp. They had their own speculations but they were still waiting for confirmation.


    ¡°What do you think brother?¡± Wilky asked Batista while they were sharing a flagon of wine. Wilfred had returned to Sin City to watch over it temporarily, leaving the duo to further investigate.


    ¡°I am not too sure either, information about those bastards had been kept tight. But not being seen for days is really suspicious, let¡¯s just keep waiting while waiting for little Blue to wake up.¡±


    Batista answered with hatred in his eyes. He will never let go of this feeling for the rest of his life. Just thinking about his daughter¡¯s hardships made him want to charge and do a massacre. The only thing that keeps him at bay is the fact that his daughter is still alive.


    .....


    The next day, Eznho and the other new recruits assembled early in the morning at the training ground. Everyone was serious and at the same time excited, this would be the last test and if they are able to pass, they would have the chance to make a name for themselves. Every wandering cultivator had to scour resources on their own and one of their main sources of living was accomplishing missions for the Mercenary Guild or other organizations and obtaining resources by completing them.


    ¡°Alright, the last test you would be performing is actually very simple. You just need to complete at least one Rank E mission.¡±


    Mike announced with high spirits while looking at the reaction of the recruits. Everyone was shocked, the second test usually consists of sparring with each other.


    ¡°Complete a mission? Isn¡¯t that too early for us?¡± one of the new recruits asked nervously.


    ¡°You¡¯ll do missions one way or the other, so why not now? If you have any problems, you can just come back next year after I¡¯m gone.¡±


    Mike answered nonchalantly making the recruit shut himself up.


    ¡°Any more questions?¡± Mike asked with a glare that resulted in silence.


    ¡°Good, within three months, you have to at least complete one Rank E mission. Failing this mission means you cannot retake the recruitment test for one year. But of course, because this test is a bit different, there will be rewards which will personally come from me in the form of spirit stones. You only have three chances, failing three times would result in disqualification. With hardships comes rewards so the more missions you accomplish the more rewards you gain with a maximum of three successful missions. One last thing, accomplish this mission with your own effort or else,¡±


    He gave everyone a sharp gaze that contained a deadly warning making everyone shudder in fear. Seeing the recruit¡¯s frightened faces, Mike was pleased with himself and turned around to leave.


    ¡°See you in three months,¡±


    ¡°I wonder how many spirit stones will he be giving out?¡± One of the new recruits blurted out with excitement.


    ¡°Tsk, poor peasants, talk about rewards after you accomplish your mission, hmph!¡±


    Paul harrumph with disdain while showing a provocative stance.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± A well-built boy questioned with hostility.


    ¡°You heard what I said, got a problem with that?¡±


    Paul sneered as he looked at the boy then left with his buddies not bothering to wait for his answer.


    ¡°You-!¡± the boy was about to retaliate but stopped himself from doing so due to the strict rules set in place and thought of something.


    ¡°Tsk, all bark no bite, why don¡¯t we enter the arena and see what you got?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, what an idiot!¡± Paul laughed with mockery as if he was hearing the joke of the day but did not stop or turn around and just left with his companions. This made the boy even more humiliated but there was nothing he could but endure.


    Just you wait, pray that we don¡¯t meet outside or else, hmph!


    Eznho and the others just watched from the side and did not intend to interfere, some were even disappointed when the fight did not occur. After everyone lost interest, they dispersed and went their separate ways.


    .....


    Eznho went inside the building and headed straight to the mission listings. There were multiple small cubicles that could only fit one person, this was the place where you could choose your mission. After a brief period of waiting in line, Eznho had his turn. There was a small screen inside made of formation which contained a lot of information. He was amazed by it and wondered how these things were made.


    He touched his finger on the ¡°Rank E list¡± and a countless number of missions popped up on the screen. He took his time to pick and chose a plant collection mission which was relatively safe. It was his first mission so he had to be careful and use it to test the waters first. He memorized the mission number and went to another queue where they issued the mission details.


    ¡°Mission number 05679E,¡± Eznho spoke clearly towards the middle-aged female inside the counter.


    ¡°Give me your badge,¡± the woman ordered blandly.


    Eznho gave him the wooden badge that was given to him the other day which gave the woman a surprise and looked at Eznho with pity.


    ¡°Here you go, this is your mission details,¡±


    She handed back the badge after registering together with a scroll. Eznho opened the scroll to make a quick check and after confirming it was the mission he picked, he gave his thanks and went out of the building.


    .....


    Eznho went home and studied the mission details, he needed to collect five stalks of Star Orchid which mostly grows on stone cracks, particularly on cliffs ¨C that was the danger he had to face. This kind of danger was relatively negligible as long as he was careful. He practiced cultivation again and called it a day. This mission had an unlimited time, so he was not worried about any time limit.


    The next day, he went out to buy the things he needed and went to scout for information such as maps and common location of Star Orchids. He also went to the library to gain more knowledge. This preparation lasted for a week before he was confident that he was ready to start the mission.


    That night, the family had a sumptuous dinner, Eznho estimated that the mission would take at least two weeks to a month so they cherished the time they had with each other before Eznho will leave for the mission. Minchin decided to work at a restaurant and little Aiza would go to school to learn about things which Eznho gladly agreed to.


    .....


    That week, the news of the death of Butchog and Taba River had been announced by the River Clan which spread like wildfire. As for the details of their death, nobody was entirely sure and different rumors have spread, some even speculated that the heavens have been enraged and sent down its punishment.


    People showed sympathy but it was only a pretense to show good faith with the clan. Most if not all were cheering inside, the father and son did not have a good reputation around the city after all.


    As for Batista and Wilky, they triple checked the information and was sure that the father and son duo were really dead. Although it was not in his hands, Batista¡¯s ill feelings were a little bit uplifted. As for revenge? He was well aware that it would just lead to his destruction, besides, it would be pointless because the culprits are now dead.


    He had no choice but to focus his attention on his daughter instead. There was no point staying in the city now, so without waiting for his daughter to wake up, they slowly made their journey back to Sin City. This city had terrible memories for his daughter, so he wanted her to wake up in a place where she feels secure.


    As for Eznho, he heard about the news through Budoy but was nonchalant about it as if he had nothing to do with their death. Bringing all his needed equipment, he left early and did not plan to wake up everyone, their goodbyes have already been said and no need to do it all over again. However, Budoy was waiting for him at the door,


    ¡°Let me escort you to the gates, big brother,¡± He offered.


    ¡°Okay, sure, let¡¯s go, time waits for no one,¡± Eznho grinned in response.


    It took them a while to reach the Eastern Gate, Eznho, together with Budoy had a healthy horse in tow with them. Eznho bought it the other day, for him to have a smoother journey. They both stopped at the gate and gazed at the horizon where the sun was starting to rise carrying with it bright rays that illuminated the world.


    ¡°See you soon, brother,¡± Eznho spoke with a bright smile.


    ¡°Take care, big brother, we¡¯ll be waiting,¡± Budoy looked at him with moist eyes but was holding himself back.


    The two hugged each other tightly and Eznho started to walk towards the exit without another word. Budoy watched as his big brother¡¯s silhouette disappeared in the distance.


    Come back safely, big brother.


    As for Eznho, he rode his horse which galloped at full speed towards the west leaving dust on its trail.


    Adventure, here I come!


    .....


    Note: This is the last chapter of Book 1, I would like to say thank you to everyone who gave my novel a chance. All I can say is, THANK YOU AGAIN! I plan to continue on writing but the releases would be sporadic as I only do it during my free time. I hope you would still find time to continue reading and enjoying my novel. Cheers!

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47 Mother Nature Is Calling


    Snow melted and the cool spring visited the Carson Kingdom. Birds were chirping while animals started to wake up from their hibernation. Streams started to flow with fresh water from the mountains while fishes swam and jumped as they welcome the new season. Flowers started to grow from the ground and trees were starting to grow fresh green leaves.


    Eznho was riding his horse while he deeply inhaled fresh air as he headed for the Stallone Mountains where he would search for the Star Orchid. His mood was affected by his environment, it has been a while since he savored the flavor of mother nature. He followed the road and reached a small village by noon, villages like this were common throughout the kingdom. Most of them were occupied by mortals who lived by hunting or farming.


    This particular village was a common stop for travelers so a small restaurant and a couple of living quarters were made by the locals. He stopped by and ate lunch then continued on his way. The journey was uneventful but he occasionally came across caravans and travelers like himself. The sun had already set when he reached the next village which was his destination, the village was located in the outer part of the Stallone Mountains. He spent the night there and the next day he woke up early and paid one of the villagers to take care of his horse.


    He needed to travel by foot now because the horse would just be a hindrance and it would not be of much help due to the terrain. Judging by the map he had, the nearest location where Star Orchids commonly grew was ten kilometers from the village. Taking a deep breath, he made sure to be on top of his game and started his journey.


    Here we go!


    The terrain was filled with towering trees, rocks, bushes and boulders. He occasionally saw some wild animals but none of them had turned into beasts. (Note: Think of wild animals as the counterpart of mortals, they are animals who are not able to absorb heavenly energy.)


    It only took him an hour to reach his destination, he was now faced with a gray rocky cliff with a height of about ninety meters. He looked up and could see some plants protruding from the cracks but none of them were what he was looking for. Due to his cultivation, his eyesight was far better than an average person and could clearly see everything within a hundred meters. He furrowed his brows and started to walked around to look for the plant. He spent half an hour but was met with disappointment,


    ¡°Obviously, this would be the first place people would look into, sigh,¡±


    He muttered to himself but was still optimistic, after all, this was just the first stop. Reading his map, he headed to the next spot which he reached after a quarter of an hour. This cliff was lower than the other one which is approximately fifty meters high. He looked around and his eyes lit up fifteen minutes later but dimmed after five seconds. Turns out, it was just a stem and it did not even have a bud yet.


    ¡°This is a good sign at least,¡± Eznho spoke with a positive mind. What he needed was a nearly blooming Star Orchid or better yet a fully bloomed one.


    Continuing to search for the places marked on the map, he was constantly met with disappointment. Evening came and he already checked seven locations with no result. He set up camp at the top of one of the cliffs and roasted a rabbit for dinner. After a round of cultivation, he lied on his back and looked at the night sky that was filled with countless stars. He was filled with awe,


    ¡°How beautiful, is it possible be to travel across the stars?¡± he reached out his hand and made a grasping motion.


    One day,


    He thought to himself and closed his eyes.


    .....


    The sun had not yet peeped but Eznho got up early to practice cultivation. Now that he finished cleansing his marrow, the last step was to cleanse and strengthen his internal organs. Upon reviewing the information on his brain, he had a vague understanding of what to do.


    Dragon-Tiger Roar


    This was the final technique he needs to master in order to reach the peak of the Cleansing Stage. He only needed to chant a mantra to do this, but of course, it is easier said than done. After a round of breathing technique, he stood on the ground with his left foot forward. His left knee was slightly bent forward while his right leg was stretched towards the back, his right hand raised in front of him forming a seal.


    He chanted the mantra in his mind and took a deep breath but nothing happened, he was not disappointed and continued this a few times. Luckily, he was alone and no one could see this awkward moment. It was already his tenth try and he felt something move, it was only a little movement but this made him happy.


    Gaining his momentum he continued until the movement become stronger, his intestines felt like they were snakes moving inside his body which was a little creepy. Nonetheless, this did not bother him much and continued until his twenty-fifth try. His innards started to tremble uncontrollably which became stronger and stronger until,


    ¡°Blerrgghh!¡±


    Eznho became pale and vomited a sticky yellow-greenish fluid from his mouth which tasted bitter. But this was not the worst part,


    ¡°Gluurrgghh!¡±


    His stomach started to growl which made Eznho panic,


    ¡°What the heck is this cultivation technique!?¡±


    He grumbled and gathered all his strength to go beside a nearby bush. Ten minutes later, Eznho came out with a relieved pale face and flies started to buzz around the bush where he came from.


    ¡°Am I suppose to suffer like this every day?¡±


    He did not feel well, luckily, once he practiced the breathing technique, he felt much better. Although, every hour or so, he had to find a bush to hide into to relieve himself. He even had to refill his water container often because he was thirsty all the time.


    ¡°What kind of torture is this!?¡± he cursed inwardly when night came because even during sleep, he had to answer the call of mother nature.


    The next few days were hell for Eznho, the area around his eyes was dark and he started lost weight due to this events. He badly wanted to stop but he was positive this would lead to something good. Of course, Eznho knew he could use pills, herbs and medicines to pass this stage but they cost too much and from his point of view, it was a waste of money.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    .....


    A group of hunters was passing through the area where Eznho stayed and were aghast when their noses were assaulted by a nauseous smell.


    ¡°What the hell? Who made this place their shithole?¡±


    The muscular leader shouted with anger and humiliation, this was their hunting ground and somebody made it their personal toilet.


    ¡°Leader, look,¡± one of his subordinates pointed where a campfire was made.


    Everyone pinched their nose while closing in on the burnt woods.


    ¡°This was place was used at least two days ago,¡± the leader spoke while examining the charcoal but veins were already popping on his forehead.


    He scanned the area and saw another bush not far away from the camp that was surrounded by flies.


    ¡°This way,¡± he ordered his men and followed the trail of smelly bushes.


    Just you wait,


    The leader was furious, he was the strongest man in his village and was worshipped by everyone and yet he was tracking a person by following his self-made breadcrumbs. This was a matter of pride, this place was their territory so they had to catch the perpetrator to recover their dignity.


    ¡°Boss, what if it is one of those cultivators?¡± one of the younger ones asked.


    ¡°Hmph! You think they would have no pride and do a thing like this? Besides, even if he is a cultivator, I doubt he is that strong, a strong cultivator would not waste his time in the outer area. Most of them are hunting in the middle and inner area of the mountains. Just you wait, if I find him, I will sew his butthole and make sure he will never be able to do his business again,¡±


    The leader answered with pride, he was confident in his own strength. A long time ago, their late village chief came across a body cultivation technique when he was adventuring in the inner area of the Stallone Mountains and he was the only one in their village who made a progress with it.


    ....


    ¡°Achoo!¡±


    Eznho who was refilling his water container when he suddenly sneezed,


    Aunt Minchin and the others might be talking about me,


    He thought to himself and took a bath because he felt filthy after his hellish experience. Although his agony continued, the frequency slowed down and would only happen every six hours and he felt his innards had somewhat evolved. He only consoled himself by thinking about the result that he would gain after mastering the technique.


    According to the information, after completely mastering it, his innards would become sturdy and would not be easily hurt when absorbing damage. Besides that, he can unleash a powerful roar and could be used to attack opponents.


    Another two days passed and his body had already adjusted, he no longer suffered like before. He was now brimming with vigor and was ready to focus his attention on his mission. He posed again like before and concentrated to the extreme, after a while, his insides started to vibrate which was slowly increasing in intensity,


    ¡°Haa- blerggh!¡±


    He shouted and attempted to unleash a roar but he actually vomited black blood which was a sign of purification.


    ¡°Come on! This technique is so gross,¡± he grumbled to himself but had no choice but to endure. He was about to continue with another round when his ears twitched, he could vaguely hear something out in the woods.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there? Can I help you with something?¡±


    He furrowed his brows and became cautious then started to grip his daggers which hang on both sides of his waist.


    Rustle


    The only thing that answered him was the howl of the wind and the rustling of leaves.


    ¡°I know you are there, come out on the count of three or don''t blame me for attacking,¡±


    He started to get nervous and tightened his grip on his weapons. A while later, the sound of footsteps could be heard heading his way. Five men who only wore beast skin to cover their groin and held spears came out of the woods with a ferocious look on their faces.


    ¡°Hey kid, how long have you been here?¡±


    The leader asked without any politeness, after all, Eznho was only a kid who was not even fifteen years old yet.


    ¡°Uhmmm, a week maybe,¡±


    Eznho answered but his body was alert and was ready to take action anytime, he could feel that the one who spoke was not an ordinary person.


    ¡°I¡¯ll cut to the chase and save us both the time, were you the one who made our hunting ground a shithole?¡±


    The leader was also cautious because he did not want to jump to any conclusions yet, there were many kinds of cultivators and he might accidentally provoke someone who would bring calamity to their village.


    ¡°Uhmmm,¡±


    Eznho¡¯s cheek was a little flushed and did not know how to answer. He was pretty embarrassed.


    ¡°It¡¯s you isn¡¯t it?¡± the leader spoke and his eyes became sharp producing an intimidating aura.


    ¡°Look, mister, it was an accident, I ate a fruit and it made my stomach upset, I am really sorry,¡±


    Eznho tried to find an excuse like a child who was caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar. He was really embarrassed but there was nothing he could do, what¡¯s done is done.


    ¡°Hmph! You think you can just come in our territory and do whatever you like?¡±


    The leader sneered and the group formed a semi-circle. Of course, he did not want to kill, he just wanted to intimidate this kid who looked like an easy prey for them. After all, nobody was hurt, it was just a matter of pride. He could not even see any trace of arrogance from this kid which was common for young cultivators who had a significant background.


    ¡°Mister, I don¡¯t want any trouble, I just came here to do a mission, I really am sorry for what I did. What do you want?¡±


    Eznho¡¯s face grimaced, he really did not want to fight, he could tell that these people were locals and did not want to hurt them. Besides, he did not feel any killing intent and had a vague idea of what they were trying to do.


    ¡°Kid, if you want to go out of this place unharmed, you better compensate us with something,¡±


    ¡°With what?¡± Eznho asked.


    ¡°Ten gold coins,¡± The leader answered with a stern voice.


    ¡°Fine, here you go,¡± Eznho immediately produced ten gold coins from his chest pocket and laid it on the ground which made the other group flabbergasted.


    He really paid?


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry mister,¡± He bowed and started to back up. Ten gold coins were nothing compared to risking his life. Add to the fact that he was really embarrassed by what he did.


    ¡°Wait!¡± the leader shouted which made Eznho furrow his brows.


    ¡°Kid, are you looking for Star Orchids?¡± The leader asked which greatly surprised Eznho.


    ¡°How did you know?¡± He asked with caution.


    ¡°We followed you for a few days and you always passed by some of the cliffs. The only thing that interests outsiders that involves cliffs is the Star Orchid,¡±


    The leader spoke with pride and confidence, he was the lead hunter and was knowledgeable about the area.


    ¡°Let me see your map, most of the cliffs here had been emptied out. I can show you places where the plant might not still have been harvested.¡±


    He stretched his hand which made Eznho skeptical. Eznho was unsure but he was tempted, after all, he did not want to go running around like a headless chicken. He slowly walked towards the group and brought out his map then handed it to the leader. The leader did not speak and brought out a penlike object and marked the map.


    ¡°Here you go, although these places are dangerous, there is a high chance they still have what you are looking for,¡±


    Eznho looked at the map and saw six locations that were marked,


    ¡°Thank you, mister,¡±


    Eznho bowed with sincerity, he was still cautious but could not sense any ill intent from the man.


    ¡°Treat it like a compensation for the gold, by the way, you can call me Nando,¡± the leader introduced himself.


    ¡°Okay, my name is Eznho, again, thank you Senior Nando,¡± Eznho also introduced himself and left the area.


    ¡°Boss, I think that kid is loaded, why don¡¯t-¡° the youngest one spoke but was interrupted by Nando.


    ¡°Tsk, you know nothing Jon, that kid did not even felt intimidated and was ready to fight us. Besides, he did not reek of blood unlike the others, he might be a beginner but I could feel that he is strong for someone his age, even stronger than you,¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t we collect this plants and sell it to them?¡± Jon asked again.


    ¡°Kid, you really know nothing, don¡¯t you? Collecting these plants will only bring us calamity, the human heart is full of greed. Despite our good intentions, it is hard to predict someone else¡¯s,¡±


    Nando spoke with a grave tone, this was due to his accumulated experiences. He had witnessed many times how cultivators fought because of small things that even ended up in a bloodbath.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± He picked up the gold and went on their way to trade it for weapons and other necessary items for their village.

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48 Cliffhanger


    Eznho camped on top of a hill that night after escaping from that embarrassing moment. Firewood was crackling while oil was sizzling from the wild bird being roasted. Eznho tore a leg and bit it with gusto while reading the map.


    Four of the six locations were located in the outer area while two were in the middle are. Each location was a bit far from each other and he could at most cover two areas in one day. After finishing dinner, he made his plans, practiced a round of cultivation and called it a day.


    The morning mist covered the Stallone Mountains while morning dews were falling from the leaves. Eznho was dashing through the forest and got to the location he was aiming for. The cliff was beside a stream and it was a hundred and fifty meters tall. He looked up and started walking to scan the area, a couple of minutes later he was overjoyed to see a Star Orchid hiding in one of the small cracks in the middle area. It was really well hidden, Eznho was just lucky because the sun was shining directly at the crack and exposed what was inside.


    Suppressing his excitement, he prepared himself for the climb, he scanned the area again and made an imaginary path on his mind. He took a deep breath and started his free climb, although it was his first time doing this, he was confident due to his accumulated strength. A fall from a seventy-five-meter height may injure him but it would not kill him unless he was really out of luck.


    Taking advantage of the cracks and protruding parts of the cliff, Eznho was progressing smoothly and was halfway from his target. Another half an hour passed and finally, he reached the crack. The crack was actually bigger up close, it was at least a foot in length and five inches wide at the middle. After stabilizing himself, he reached out with his left hand and was ready to uproot the plant when suddenly,


    Sssss!


    A pair of yellow eyes snapped open that glowed inside the crack, it opened its mouth revealing a pair of fangs that were dropping venom. Without hesitation, it struck like lightning wanting to bite Eznho¡¯s hand. Sensing danger, Eznho¡¯s hair stood up and immediately withdrew his hand.


    Snap!


    The force of the snake¡¯s mouth closing actually produced a sound due to its force. Without wasting any time, as soon as he withdrew his hand, Eznho¡¯s left hand reached out for his dagger and slashed, cutting the snake¡¯s head off like a hot knife through butter. Blood spilled and the head went down the cliff followed by its body.


    ¡°Whew, that was close,¡± Eznho¡¯s heart was still palpitating as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.


    ¡°This dagger is really sharp, not bad.¡±


    He examined the dagger and actually nodded in approval. It was one of the of daggers that were gifted to him by Talong and was his first time using it. After putting it away, he reached out his left hand again and uprooted the Star Orchid and put it in a special box. Wasting no time, he started his descent and reached the bottom an hour later.


    After washing himself at the stream, he collected his things that he hid under a rock and found a place to rest. He brought out the wooden box that could preserve plants for at least a month and opened it.


    The Star Orchid had a green steam and four thick leaves, it had many thin roots and the flower was halfway through blooming. He closely examined it and could faintly see a pattern that resembled the night sky. He sniffed and could smell a fresh scent that smelled like the breath of nature, pure and clean.


    He closed the box and put it away and scanned the other parts of the cliff when he stumbled on the body of the snake that he killed earlier. It had brown skin and some weird pattern started to form on its back. It was a meter long and was thick as Eznho¡¯s arm. Eznho closely examined it and could faintly feel heavenly energy pulsing from the dead snake.


    ¡°Hmm? Its actually evolved recently, its strength is somewhere around the lower bracket of a Rank 1 beast.¡±


    Beasts were ranked according to their strength and Rank 1 was the lowest. Every rank is divided into four from low, mid, late and peak. Rank 1 is equivalent to a Cleansing Stage Cultivator, Rank 2 is to Halo Stage and Rank 3, the Seeker Stage. But of course, beasts have a slight advantage due to there tenacious vitality and body.


    Eznho could not identify this beast as it had not completely evolved yet and could not show its dominant bloodline and characteristics.


    ¡°Lunch is served I guess,¡± Eznho grinned and peeled the snakeskin then put it away to be sold later on. A while later, smoke rose from beside the stream.


    .....


    After leaving only the bones, Eznho scanned the remaining area of the cliff but found nothing. He immediately went on to the next cliff but to his disappointment, it yielded him nothing. The sun has set in the western sky and it was time to call it a day.


    The next day, Eznho traveled towards the next cliff but found nothing again. Holding on to hope, he went for the next one and was excited to actually see two stalks of the Star Orchid. The cliff was the highest he had been which was at least two hundred meters high. He was looking down the bottom and gulped, if he would fall, he could actually die.


    He found a sturdy tree and tied the rope so he could rappel down the cliff. Slowly and steadily, he reached the first stalk which was thirty meters from the top. It was fairly easy to obtain it so he climbed back up again to relocate his anchor to get the next stalk. After finding the perfect place, he once again descended fifty meters below to get the next one.


    ¡°That was pretty easy,¡±


    Eznho was smiling as he looked at the three stalks inside the wooden box. After resting for a bit and enjoying the view, he went on to the fourth location but sadly it had no Star Orchid on it. The next two locations were pretty dangerous as it was located in the middle area. This area was the territory of Rank 1 beasts. He had to be extra careful, beasts were territorial after all.


    .....


    Eznho slowed down his pace when he reached the middle area of the Stallone Mountains. His senses were on high alert all the time, he already rerouted a couple of times to avoid the beasts. Although he can actually fight them, he preferred not to, to avoid unnecessary complications.


    He finally reached his destination a couple of hours later. The cliff was really high with a towering height of two hundred and fifty meters. He sucked in a cold breath after looking down, it even made his feet itchy and his palms sweaty. Walking with caution, he scanned the area and found a stalk fifteen minutes later. It was about a hundred meters down but there was a problem, it was near a bird¡¯s nest. The worst part is, it actually had two eggs on it, so an adult bird must be somewhere nearby.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Darn it, should I risk it?


    Eznho was conflicted, he would be in great danger if the adult bird would come while he was rappelling, he would become a sitting duck if that happens.


    No, it''s not worth it, too risky, better be safe than sorry,


    He abandoned the idea and scanned the other parts of the cliff but sadly, it only had that one stalk. After pondering, he decided to check the other place first and come back here if he really had no choice.


    .....


    While Eznho was having his own adventures, the other new recruits were also doing their own missions. Paul, together with his two comrades, Gani and Kato were sneering as they were staring down on a new recruit who was laying on the ground with blood all over his clothes.


    ¡°What now? I thought you were tough? Didn¡¯t you want to fight me?¡±


    Paul ridiculed while kicking the wounded boy, it was the same boy who challenged him on the training grounds.


    ¡°Ughh! You coward! Attacking in the shadows and claiming to be someone strong? Pweh!¡±


    The boy glared back with hatred and spat. He was on his way to the First Misty Cliff when he was ambushed by Paul out of nowhere.


    ¡°Hahaha! You really are an idiot! Muscleheads like you are the most annoying kind of people. It''s your fault for not paying attention.¡±


    Paul was not angry but found it funny instead. He lost interest and unsheathed the saber strapped on his back.


    ¡°Just die like the dog you are,¡±


    Slash!


    Blood spurted and the boy¡¯s head was separated from his body. Paul rummaged through the corpse and found a box, a pair of claw weapon, a brown bank card and other miscellaneous things.


    ¡°Not bad,¡± Paul remarked and nodded in satisfaction.


    He opened the box and found two stalks of Star Orchid, he then closed it and tossed it to Gani while keeping the other valuable things.


    ¡°Your lucky Gani, now we only need three more to complete your mission,¡±


    Gani had a dark, brown skin and was actually good looking, he had a tall nose and deep-set eyes. His long black hair was neatly tied around his back with a spear on his hand which was his choice of weapon.


    ¡°Thank you brother,¡± Gani grinned and put the box away.


    ¡°What now, where do we go next?¡± Kato asked nonchalantly.


    He was tan skinned with very short hair, his eyes were sharp and he held a glaive in his right hand. The glaive was taller than him by at least half a meter with a curved metal blade.


    ¡°According to the map, the First Misty Cliff is nearby and it may have Star Orchids on it,¡± Paul answered with reverence in his eyes.


    ¡°Father told me that that cliff is actually made by a sword beam that came from the heavens a thousand years ago that stabbed the earth. According to him, there are three of those cliffs with the biggest one in the middle of the Stallone Mountains. The two smaller cliffs were already fully investigated and the people who were able to go to the bottom found treasures which brought bloodbath throughout the land. But the biggest in the middle still remains a mystery. Many experts tried to go to the bottom but nobody succeeded. According to the reports, they kept on descending but could never reach the bottom. One day, I¡¯ll be the one to reach the bottom and sweep through the continent,¡±


    Paul spoke with pride and ambition.


    ¡°The Third Misty Cliff had long been reserved for you brother,¡± Gani and Kato spoke with a fawning tone. They call Paul their brother but they both knew, they are only considered subordinates. Of course, if Paul really rose to prominence, their status would also soar with him.


    ¡°Naturally,¡± Paul answered with certainty.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± He ordered and the trio dashed leaving the boy¡¯s corpse to be feasted upon by beasts.


    .....


    Eznho reached his destination but it was already evening so he had to camp first and scout the area in the morning. The next day, he woke up early and practiced the Dragon-Tiger Roar but only had a small progress.


    Patience Eznho, patience.


    He consoled himself, despite his slow progress, he could feel that his inner organs were getting stronger and tougher. Gathering all his thoughts, he went to the edge of the First Misty Cliff and looked below. Mist gathered thirty meters below and it became thicker downwards. Eznho could barely see fifty meters from his position.


    ¡°According to the information, there are three of such cliff with the biggest one at the centermost part of the Stallone Mountains,¡±


    He muttered to himself as he recalled all the information he gathered. Looking at the other side, he could see another cliff a hundred meters away from where he was standing. If you look from above, the place actually looked like it was stabbed with a sword.


    Focusing his vision to the max, he slowly walked at the edge and carefully checked for Star Orchids. Time passed and it was already two hours later when he spotted one approximately forty meters below him.


    ¡°Gotcha!¡±


    Eznho was elated and prepared then checked his surroundings. After confirming he was alone, he tied the rope and started his descent. The more he descended, the more the temperature started to drop. He already reached the thirty-meter mark and his vision started to become limited.


    With the mist on his way, he slowed down and finally reached his target. Without delay, he uprooted it and started to ascend, he was creeped out by the place as if something was lurking below. Eznho wanted to go up as soon as possible, he was twenty meters from reaching the top when he heard something.


    Damn, someone is here,


    He gritted his teeth and hastened when three heads popped up from above.


    ¡°Well, lookie here, we got a cliffhanger,¡± One of them spoke mockingly.


    Eznho could not clearly see their faces due to the sunlight but he had an idea who they were.


    Don¡¯t tell me it''s them?


    He cursed inwardly, he remembered Paul and his two companions who were obviously not good people.


    ¡°Its actually you, kid. Haha, what a coincidence, mind if you share your loot?¡±


    Paul laughed with delight, he enjoyed the misery of others.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Eznho spoke with coldness.


    ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you throw the Star Orchid and we will be on our way?¡± Paul grinned.


    Are you kidding me? This is straight up robbery!


    Eznho gritted his teeth but he was in a bad position.


    ¡°Why would I trust your words?¡± He tried to delay and think of a solution.


    ¡°You have no other choice kid. Hurry up, I don¡¯t have time to waste on you,¡±


    Paul unsheathed his saber and put it on top of the rope.


    ¡°I¡¯ll count to three, one, two!¡± He shouted.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Eznho started to panic but had no choice at the moment.


    The most important thing, for now, is for him to survive. He brought out the box containing the four orchids and throw it upwards with reluctance. Gani caught it and opened it, he was elated when he saw four Star Orchids.


    ¡°Good boy,¡± Paul grinned then was replaced by a malicious smile. He pressed his saber which cut the rope halfway.


    ¡°See you around kid, hahaha,¡± He then put away his saber and the trio walked away.


    Eznho¡¯s pupil shrank when he felt the rope was cut.


    Damn you!


    He breathed deeply and ascended with the fastest speed he could muster. He was five meters away from the top when the rope finally gave in. Making use of a protruding rock, he circulated his heavenly energy on his right foot to boost his jump.


    With the boost from his heavenly energy, he reached and passed the edge and was about to land when his face fell. The trio was still there with ridicule plastered on their faces.


    ¡°I told you, he could make it,¡±


    Paul spoke with a nonchalant face and threw the dagger he was holding in his right hand towards Eznho who was still mid-air. The dagger whistled through the air bringing death towards Eznho.


    Shit!


    Eznho¡¯s face paled but acted without delay and used his right hand to get the dagger from his left waist.


    Clang!


    With great speed, he used it to deflect the incoming dagger but he was forced backward by the attack. The edge was now out of his reach and gravity started to pull him down the cliff. Knowing that he could not do anything to reverse the situation, his eyes became sharp and circulated heavenly energy towards his right hand.


    ¡°Curse you and your family tree!¡± He shouted and threw the dagger with all his might.


    The trio¡¯s pupil shrank, the attack was unexpected and was coming very fast towards Paul. Despite the danger he was in, Paul did not panic and with a decisive gaze, he circulated his energy towards his head to protect it. At the same time, he leaned his body to the right while tilting his head to avoid the incoming dagger.


    Sssskk! Bang!


    Blood dripped on the ground, Paul was breathing heavily. It was a close call and he barely dodged the dagger. A three inches horizontal wound appeared on his left cheek oozing with blood. The dagger continued on its path and blasted apart a boulder from behind the trio.


    Eznho smiled with bitterness when his attack failed, he looked towards the sky as his fall accelerated. The faces of the people he cared about flashed on his mind, his Aunt Minchin, Budoy, Little Aiza and his Big Brother Martin. Aside from that, he actually felt at peace while facing death.


    Is the end of my journey? How pitiful, I¡¯m sorry everyone. I wish all of you find happiness.

 Not a Chapter

    Sorry guys, chapters are gonna be delayed for a while, my files have been deleted by my own laptop for no apparent reason at all. My guess is that its a disease of windows 10, sigh. I tried recovering it but its no use, I''ll have to rewrite again my stockpile. I only backed up to chapter 48 so I''ll have to rewrite chapter 49 onwards *****. I''ll better downgrade it to windows 7. Thank you for understanding, I''ll post the chapter as soon as I can.


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 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49 Roar!


    Crack!


    Miss Minchin was washing the dishes when the plate she was holding suddenly cracked. She had a very uneasy feeling which made her nervous.


    Little Ez? Please be safe,


    Eznho was the first person that popped up in her head, she could only pray to the heavens to watch over the little boy.


    ¡­..


    Martin was patrolling the city wall at Sin City when he suddenly became restless as if something bad had happened but he doesn¡¯t know about it.


    What¡¯s this feeling?


    He furrowed his brows while deep in thought. He had a vague feeling that it was related to Eznho but ever since Batista and Wilky came back, they had not spoken to him yet. The last information he had is that they were not able to find him which came from Wilfred.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the gloomy face brother?¡± A voice came from behind Martin which jolted him back to reality.


    ¡°Brother Dave? It¡¯s nothing, I just had a very bad feeling out of nowhere that¡¯s all,¡± Martin answered with a forced smile.


    Martin and Dave have actually become sworn brothers, aside from the fact that Martin saved his life, Dave liked Martin¡¯s optimistic attitude.


    ¡°Is it your little brother?¡± Dave asked with curiosity.


    Martin has talked about Eznho a lot, it could even be said that Dave already knew fifty percent of Eznho¡¯s life.


    ¡°Sort of,¡± Martin answered.


    ¡°I am sorry brother, something really bad happened to my little sister so father and my two uncles weren¡¯t able to focus their attention when they were at Red Sparrow City. But don¡¯t worry, as soon as my little sister wakes up, I¡¯ll make sure that you and father will have a proper meeting. That¡¯s a promise,¡± Dave put a thumb¡¯s up and was brimming with positivity.


    ¡°Thank you brother, despite my little brother¡¯s timid attitude he is one tough nut,¡±


    Martin grinned and could only hope for the best. The sworn brothers continued their patrol while chatting.


    ¡­..


    Inside Captain Batista¡¯s residence, everything was quiet. Even the maids did their best not to make any sound at all. Batista had not walked out the door ever since they returned and stayed beside Blue¡¯s room the whole time making his brother¡¯s worry.


    Blue¡¯s room was simply decorated but almost everything was blue in color. The walls, curtains, the bed, dolls, and many others. The curtains moved while air circulated around the room, Batista was asleep beside the bed while holding his daughter¡¯s hand. Blue was covered in a sky blue blanket, she was sleeping their peacefully as if nothing horrible had happened to her.


    A while later, her eyelids began to twitch a little, as time went by the movement became stronger until it slowly opened. As it opened, a pair of sky blue eyes peeped but deep within those eyes were emptiness, as if they were dead, there was no life on it, like a living corpse. Together with her eye-opening, her hands moved waking Batista up.


    ¡°Blue?¡± Batista was a little groggy but when he saw that his daughter finally opened her eyes, he instantly awakened from his drowsiness.


    ¡°Blue!¡± He blurted and wanted to hug but stopped himself, afraid that he might hurt her in some way.


    ¡°Father?¡± Blue moved her lifeless eyes in confusion, then suddenly, dark and horrifying memories came crushing into her.


    ¡°Ahhhhhh!!!¡± She shrieked while clutching her head wanting to stop the memories that were released like a dam in her mind.


    ¡°Please, Stop!¡± She was trembling all over with terror in her eyes as if someone was out to get her. Tears were pouring down like rain, she was truly scared and was begging for it to stop.


    ¡°Blue! What¡¯s wrong?¡± Batista was out of his wits and did not know what to do.


    He gritted his teeth and hugged his daughter as tightly as he could while trying to stop his tears from falling. No father would ever want to see their daughter in a condition like this. It was an unbearable pain for Batista as if his heart was constantly being stabbed by daggers.


    ¡°Father is here Blue, you are safe now, hush now my little girl. Nobody will ever hurt you again, shhhh,¡±


    Batista¡¯s voice was cracked but he did his best to be strong while rocking her daughter to comfort her who was trembling in his embrace. Feeling the warmth and safety of his father¡¯s embrace, Blue started to calm down then went back to sleep due to exhaustion, mind and body.


    ¡°I am sorry Blue, father was a coward, I was afraid of the consequences of my actions and have let you suffer instead. I am sorry,¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Finally, tears were falling non-stop from Batista, he truly regretted the fact that he hesitated to save his daughter. If he could get back in time, he would have charged into Butchog¡¯s residence regardless of the consequences. Alas, there is no medicine for regret.


    ¡­..


    At the same day, Budoy and little Aiza both were restless, they were anxious but they could not find the reason why.


    ¡­..


    Awooo!


    The wind howled echoing throughout this foggy place, it was cold and eerie. When the wind stopped moving, the place was so quiet that you could probably hear a needle hitting the floor.


    Eznho struggled to open his eyes but could not, as time passed, the struggle continued until his right eye was half opened. As for the left eye, it was bruised and inflamed making it impossible to open.


    ¡°Arrgg!¡±


    Eznho was in a lot of pain that he wanted to shout but was only able to groan due to severe weakness. The pain was so unbearable that he lapsed in and out of consciousness multiple times. An unknown time had passed and he was able to adjust to the pain and maintain his consciousness.


    With great concentration, he scanned his body and was shocked by what he saw. His body was riddled with injuries, internally and externally, if not for the fact that his body was sturdy, he would have died without a grave.


    ¡°Haaa, Haaa,¡±


    He was breathing heavily but did not give up even though his body was screaming in pain. Circulating his heavenly energy, he concentrated it on his right arm to make it heal faster.  After an hour, he could finally move it albeit with difficulty.


    Slowly lifting his right arm, he reached out to his chest pocket and took out a bottle of blue pills. Using his mouth, he removed the cap and swallowed it with labor. The pill melted on his stomach bringing a sweet aroma that circulated around his body reducing the pain he felt. His eyes actually felt moist as if he saw the light at the end of a long dark tunnel.


    After consuming it, he took another one and his superficial wounds started to heal and the bleedings stopped. He checked his body again and found out that most of the injuries were found on his left side with multiple fractures and a dislocated shoulder.


    There were only three pills but he did not hesitate to take the last one which further improved his condition. He did not know how long he has been unconscious so he wanted to heal as soon as possible. After the last one was fully absorbed, he was now able to sit. Cold sweats ran all over his bloody body. His clothes were in tatters like a homeless person. As if by instinct, he started to use the Heaven-Seizing Breathing Technique. At first, it brought pain but as time went by, the pain lessened and was replaced with comfort.


    Days went by and finally, after using ointments, medicines and heavenly energy, the only remaining injuries were on his bones and other internal organs which would heal for a longer time. Eznho leaned on his left side against the cliff wall and realigned his dislocated shoulder.


    ¡°Arrggh!¡±


    The pain came rushing in but Eznho endured it with ease, with what he had experienced, he was now more or less tolerant of physical pain. After another round of breathing technique, he brought out all his items for inventory.


    He had dried meat, some medicines, a couple of herbs, a dagger and other miscellaneous things.


    ¡°I can go on without food and water for a week before I start to weaken. If I don¡¯t get out here, I can only last for a month, give or take,¡± Eznho muttered to himself while massaging his temple, he was in a tight spot right now.


    After collecting his things, he scanned his environment but could only see a meter around him due to the thick fog. He found out earlier that he was actually on a ledge, a meter wide ledge. Fog was everywhere, making the place a bit cold and damp, he tried to look down but could not see anything except for the fact that it gave him goosebumps.


    Gritting his teeth, he struggled to get up while leaning on his left side against the cliff. He decided to follow the ledge going left. It was damp and slippery so he walked slowly to avoid falling down. Minutes passed and he finally reached the edge, it was a dead end making Eznho go back in frustration.


    A while later, he got back to his starting point and went the opposite way of where he came from. To his disappointment, it was another dead end, he had no choice but to go back.


    I have no choice but to try and reach the peak of Cleansing Stage to have a shot at reaching the Halo Stage.


    When a cultivator passes the boundary and reaches the Halo Stage, his body and soul would transform giving him the ability to use soul sense to scan his surroundings which would give Eznho the chance to climb back up. Because for now, climbing blindly could result in death.


    ¡­..


    Haaaah!


    Haaaah!


    Haaa-ngeaaw!


    Shouts echoed throughout the fog followed by a sound that seemed like a cub¡¯s cry. This has been going on for days making Eznho shout again in frustration.


    ¡°What am I doing wrong? I followed everything,¡± he gritted his teeth while talking to himself.


    Feeling that he was getting agitated, he sat in meditation and reviewed everything again, step by step, he has done it right making him frown in confusion.


    ¡°Something is missing,¡± he thought and continued to meditate to think things through.


    ¡°What is it?¡± This question kept going on and on in his mind. After a deep breath, he posed like before and closed his eyes with great concentration.


    Little by little, he was slowly going into a trance. He found himself in a different world, the blue sky was so bright with clouds rolling by and birds of prey were flying but kept a distance from Eznho. He was at the top of a mountain, looking over the green carpet of forestry. Although Eznho could not ¡®control¡¯ his body, a strange sensation was being felt by him. It felt like he was the king of the world, he was the ruler of this territory and anyone who will trespass will face his wrath.


    At the same time, Eznho opened his eyes showing a sharp glint that looked like the eyes of an apex predator. He opened his mouth and¡­


    GROOOAAARR!


    The air in front of him vibrated in a conical shape making the fog in front of him roil. The mighty and intimidating roar reverberated throughout the cliff making the nearby wild animals and beasts near the cliff scared witless. They ran as fast as they could away from the cliff as if it was the lair of a mighty beast.


    ¡°Whoa!¡± Eznho himself was frightened by the roar when he woke up from his trance.


    ¡°That was scary,¡± He remarked but at the same time, his face was beaming with smile and pride.


    So that was it, I was missing the meaning behind the roar, not only could it be used to attack, it could also be used for intimidation.


    He finally did it, even though Eznho have never heard a beast¡¯s roar, he was pretty confident the roar he produced was not far from it.


    ¡°All I have to do now is get the hang out of it, the problem is, it takes at least one-fourth of my heavenly energy to actually use that technique,¡±


    Although that is the case, he did not mind, after all, he was alone in the place and could practice in peace. After recovering his lost energy, he began to practice again and again until he perfected it and finally reached the peak of the cleansing stage.


    Finally, I can now attempt to breakthrough but how do I do it? I don¡¯t have the resources,


    Eznho became gloomy, he was so keen on reaching the peak of the Cleansing Stage that he forgot that he only reached the basic requirement to enter the Halo Stage.


    Damn!

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50 I Am Hungry


    While Eznho was thinking hard of a solution, the ring that was from his father glowed a little and started to heat up startling Eznho. But before he could take a look, a white smoke came from the ring and entered Eznho¡¯s nose in the blink of an eye.


    This again?


    Horror could be seen on Eznho¡¯s face as he braced himself, not long after, an excruciating pain came from the depths of his mind. It felt like needles were poking his soul, he tried to hold on but he could not and he finally lost consciousness.


    An unknown time later, his eyelids started to move showing a confused pair of black eyes.


    Arrgg!


    He clutched his head while trying to relieve an intense headache then struggled to go into a lotus position and do a breathing technique to alleviate the pain. Minutes passed and the pain finally faded away making Eznho breath out heavily.


    Putting the matter at the back of his mind, he scanned his sea of memories and a lot of new information was stored. Most of them were related to the Halo Stage and how to break through it. But the most valuable information was a cultivation technique. It was a cultivation technique used for breaking the barrier between the Cleansing Stage and the Halo Stage.


    Mortal Ascension Technique


    ¡°Hmmm, Mortal Ascension Technique eh? Not a bad name, simple yet holds a deep meaning.¡± This was Eznho¡¯s evaluation when he read the name.


    But is this a coincidence? So every time I reach the peak of a stage, the same thing will happen?


    He could not help but wonder, the more he thought about it the more he was curious about his father.


    Ah, forget it, let¡¯s just go with the flow.


    He shook his head and focused on his breakthrough instead. According to the description, this cultivation technique allows a mortal to ascend and rise above others. It allows them to have a very solid foundation during the Halo Stage. The number one reason for it is because it gives you the chance to form up to three halos.


    ¡°Three halos?¡±


    Eznho was not very clear about this, he knows people can form one, two or three halos but he doesn¡¯t exactly know what the difference between the three is. Of course, he could tell that the more halos you can form, the better.


    He reviewed all the information and found out that even though he had the cultivation technique, he doesn¡¯t have the resources to make a breakthrough which is a large amount of heavenly energy to break the barrier.


    ¡°What do I do? I don¡¯t have a stockpile of spirit stones, not even one.¡±


    Eznho was frowning, a spirit stone is naturally formed from the world which contains heavenly energy. Cultivators mine them which is then refined to be used for cultivation purposes. They are divided from low grade, medium, high and top grade. It is an item highly sought after by cultivators, although gold is still the most used currency, if possible, cultivators prefer to trade using spirit stones.


    Despite the disappointment, Eznho was not discouraged and started to calm his nerves before attempting a breakthrough.


    Let¡¯s do this!


    He sat in a meditative pose with both hands on his knees, each hand forming a seal. After that, he started to chant mantras on his mind. Looking from the outside, nothing was happening but as time passed, the fog close to Eznho started to flow. At first, it was faint, but then they started to move in a circular motion around Eznho wrapping him like a cocoon.


    At the same time, inside Eznho¡¯s dantian, heavenly energy came pouring in. He could feel that his dantian is full and started to control its flow. Following the instructions from his newly acquired information, he controlled the flow and made it go in a circular motion forming the vague shape of a halo. More heavenly energy joined the flow making it more stable, they followed the pattern until the shape was getting more and more distinct.


    The more the shape was getting stable the harder it was to control it making Eznho sweat and the formation started to crumble then the heavenly energy dispersed and scattered like before.


    Haaa, Haaa, that was harder than I thought,


    Eznho was panting and performed breathing techniques to calm his mind and energy. Even though he failed, at least he had an idea what to do already making him excited.


    Again,


    The process was repeated once more and this time, Eznho lasted longer than before. Despite repeated failures, he did not give up and continued with great determination.


    ¡­..


    Haaaa, Haaa, what is going on? Why can¡¯t it stabilize?


    It has already been days since Eznho attempted to form his halo but the only progress he made was that the time he lasted became longer before the halo formation crumbled. He even lost count on how many attempts he already made.


    The process is correct but it won¡¯t hold when I remove my control. The moment I let go of it, it crumbles. The only explanation is that I don¡¯t have enough supply of heavenly energy to make it stabilize. Darn it! What should I do?Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    After contemplating for some time, Eznho was more or less sure what he was missing. He needed a vast amount of heavenly energy to boost the creation of his halo as stated in the information he knew.


    I have to get out of here before I run out of things to eat.


    He had already lost count on how many days he was stuck in this place. Only half of his rations remained, he estimated it would only last about five to seven days. Once he runs out of it, it would only be a matter of time before he will start to starve.


    Gritting his teeth, he did not give up and continued to try and form his halo. Time did not wait for him and finally, his rations have been consumed making him start to feel despair. Despite his situation, he endured and tried his best. Days passed and he started to feel the pain of starvation.


    His mouth became dry, his stomach was constantly growling and felt as if his body was eating his own flesh. His eyeballs were already sunken and his skin became wrinkled. He even ate his clothes due to extreme hunger leaving him butt naked. His ¡®junior¡¯ even shrunk in size like a baby¡¯s thumb.


    His consciousness became blurry and he was starting to hallucinate, sometimes a crazed look could be seen in his eyes but he tried his best to maintain his sanity.


    Then one day, he stood up with an insane look and held his head up high,


    ROOAARRR!


    Without any warning, he used the Dragon-Tiger Roar towards the cliff and the mist started to churn giving him a split second chance to have a clear look five meters in front of him.


    HaHaHaHaHa!


    He let out a manic laugh and jumped towards the cliff then covered his fingers with heavenly energy and used it to stab the cliff holding him in place.


    ROOAARRR!


    He let out another roar to look what was ahead of him and started to ascend using his fingers and clawed himself up. This process repeated five times then his voice became hoarse and his throat painful. He was already running out of heavenly energy when his sanity came back.


    Shit!


    He was about to fall when he used his last remaining energy on his right hand and stabbed it to the cliff slowing down his descent until he finally gone down back to the ledge where he came from.


    This is hopeless, what a joke. I would prefer to have died during the fall rather than having false hope and dying cruelly like this.


    He bitterly smiled but he already accepted his fate. The only things that were left with him were the jade pendant, the ring, the pouch and the dagger. He was already exhausted, his body felt numb and stiff. With great difficulty, he held his dagger and started to carve letters in front of him.


    Here lies Eznho, to whoever finds my body, all my belongings will belong to you. My only wish is that you return this jade pendant to Red Sparrow City and give my jade pendant to Miss Minchin who lives on house number 69 in the middle district.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry everyone, sigh.¡±


    After writing his last testament, he carefully placed all his belongings in front of him and assumed a lotus position and planned to pass away in meditation. After accepting his fate, his senses became clear and his mind peaceful. He felt like everything did not matter anymore and the only thing that existed was him.


    ¡­..


    It has already been over a month but Eznho has not yet returned and everyone was worried sick back at Red Sparrow City. Miss Minchin was restless the whole time while little Aiza tried to comfort her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Aunt Minchin, big brother is super strong and I am sure he will be back before we know it,¡±


    Little Aiza tried her best to put on a smile but she could not hide the worry and sadness in her eyes.


    ¡°Thank you, little Aiza,¡± Miss Minchin wiped her teary eyes and hugged the little girl.


    A little while later, Budoy came in with a dispirited look on his face.


    ¡°How was it?¡± Minchin asked with great anticipation.


    ¡°Sigh, I am very sorry aunt, I am useless, the only thing I could find was that big brother headed to the Stallone Mountains and never came back. The caretaker of his horse even sold big brother¡¯s horse because he did not come back to take it. I wanted to follow him but it was too dangerous, the place is crawling with wild animals and beasts.¡±


    Budoy sat on a chair with a gloomy face. When it was already a month but Eznho did not come back, he started to investigate and even braved dangers just to follow his big brother¡¯s tracks but alas. He was not a cultivator and did not want to risk going in the mountains. It was not that he was afraid of dying, what he was afraid of was leaving his sister alone.


    ¡°Budoy, you already did what you could. I am sure your big brother will not blame you and might even scold you if he knew what you did. We just have to wait for him,¡±


    Minchin tried her best to put on a brave face despite what she feels. She had to be strong for Budoy and little Aiza. After all, she was the adult and had to hold the family together.


    ¡­..


    Sin City


    Blue has been staying in her room ever since she regained consciousness and refused to go out despite his father¡¯s urgings. She still had that empty look in her eyes and all traces of her childhood was lost making Batista feel bitter every time he looked at her. She has been visited by her two uncles and her brother and she tried to put on a smile despite her feelings. Not leaving her room for more than a month actually took a toll on her and she decided to visit the garden to watch the blooming flowers. Her maid wanted to accompany her but she refused and preferred to be alone.


    At the same time, Dave and Martin were having a chat while having tea in the garden.


    ¡°I am sorry brother, things became complicated during father¡¯s stay at Red Sparrow City so they had no time to find your little brother,¡±


    Dave had a helpless look on his face while apologizing to Martin.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright brother, I understand. Maybe I¡¯ll go there myself in the near future. I really miss that kid,¡±


    Martin answered with a positive outlook.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we go together? I haven¡¯t had a vacation in a long time.¡±


    Dave grinned and sipped his tea.


    ¡°That would be great, I am looking forward to visiting that city,¡±


    While the two were chatting, Blue walked into the garden gaining the attention of the two.


    ¡°Blue?¡± Dave was surprised and nearly spat his tea.


    ¡°Hey, Blue! Why don¡¯t you come here for a second?¡±


    He waved his while calling out Blue¡¯s attention. Blue was surprised and walked towards the shade.


    ¡°Blue, let me introduce my sworn brother to you, I believe you haven¡¯t met him yet. This is¡­¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Before Dave could finish his sentence, both Blue and Martin spoke with a surprise at the same time. Both of them thought hard and tried to think where they saw each other.


    A while later Blue¡¯s color became pale while furrowing her brow. A memory has been triggered when he thought about the day he met Martin. The more she thought about it, a vague figure of a boy was forming in her mind but she could not see his face.


    Arrgg!


    Forcing herself actually brought pain to her head and she started to fill dizzy.


    ¡°Blue! Are you okay?¡± Dave started to panic when he saw his younger sister¡¯s complexion. He got up and actually carried Blue when she was starting to lose her balance.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to excuse myself brother,¡± He looked at Martin with a confused face and headed to Blue¡¯s room leaving Martin in the garden with a blank face.


    Martin did not know what happened, leaving him in a confused state while looking at Dave¡¯s back who was carrying Blue back to her room.


    Note:


    Chapter 50, Yay! Thank you for reading everyone, despite the sporadic release of chapters.

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51 Savior


    While Dave was carrying Blue and heading on to her room, he sent a message to his father at the same time. By the time they arrived, Batista was already there waiting anxiously.


    ¡°What happened?¡± He immediately asked with a worried tone while letting Dave lay Blue in her bed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know father, she just felt dizzy all of a sudden,¡± Dave answered with concern.


    ¡°Blue, my little girl, are you okay? How are you feeling?¡± Batista wasn¡¯t in the mood to investigate and probed Blue¡¯s condition.


    ¡°Father, I am okay, maybe I was just overwhelmed because I haven¡¯t been outside for a long time,¡± Blue answered with a forced smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to know Blue, okay you better rest then and don¡¯t force yourself, okay?¡± Batista spoke with a doting smile and kissed her on the forehead.


    ¡°I will father,¡± Blue answered and closed her eyes.


    ¡­..


    After Dave explained what happened to his father, they immediately headed towards the garden where Martin was restlessly sitting, he even unknowingly drink all the tea except Dave¡¯s cup.


    He was snapped back to reality when he saw the father and son duo approaching.


    ¡°Greetings, Captain.¡± He stood up and saluted.


    ¡°How is Blue?¡± Martin nervously asked while looking at Dave.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry brother, she is doing alright, she just needs some rest,¡± Dave answered with a grin to ease the mood.


    Whew!


    Martin heaved a sigh of relief after hearing Dave¡¯s answer. He was afraid he might have done something unintentionally to the little girl.


    ¡°Martin, have a seat,¡± Batista spoke seriously making Martin nervous again.


    ¡°Yes, Captain,¡± Martin obliged and sat down while rolling his thumbs together.


    ¡°Tell me, Martin, have met my daughter before?¡± Batista inquired.


    ¡°Uhmmm, I think so Captain, if I am not mistaken it was a little over three years ago when we bumped into each other¡­¡± Martin narrated what happened that day.


    Batista who was listening was able to connect the dots and had now a clear picture of what happened.


    But why would that event trigger something from Blue?


    He was confused at the moment and felt like he was missing something but a fog was blocking his view.


    I think I should ask Blue, later on, to get at the bottom of this.


    ¡°So that¡¯s what happened, I understand, sorry for the disturbance. I shall take my leave now,¡±


    Despite being far superior to Martin, Batista respected the man. Not only because he saved his son but also because of his great character. Martin just looked at the departing Batista with confused eyes.


    ¡°Sorry about that brother, father is just being overprotective when it comes to my little sister,¡± Dave patted Martin¡¯s back while showing an apologetic smile.


    ¡­..


    After Dave and Batista left the room, Blue opened her eyes. It was still empty like before but deep inside there was a hint of light, a light that illuminated the darkness within her.


    ¡°Was it really him?¡± She mumbled to herself.


    When she woke up from that nightmare, she remembered most of it but not the face of her savior. She tried many times to remember it but could not, leaving her in frustration. But when he saw Martin, she vaguely remembered the incident that day wherein she saw the boy who was with Martin. She could never forget those eyes, black and lonely like he was alone in this world.


    That was the moment that triggered her memory to recall the face of the boy who wore a bloody dress that saved her from hell.


    Who is he? What is his name?


    Although she remembered everything now, she did not know anything about the boy.


    Sigh, should I tell father?


    She was not sure what to do at the moment, although she trusted her father. She did not want to inconvenience her savior.


    ¡­..


    A day had passed and Blue was feeling better, the morning sun had just risen from the east when his father visited her. Blue looked at her father with a complicated gaze, she already had an idea what was coming but she was still undecided on what to do.


    ¡°Good morning, my little girl, how are you feeling? Did you sleep well?¡± Batista asked with a warm smile while bringing milk with him.


    ¡°Good morning father, I feel better now,¡± Blue answered back politely while taking the milk that was offered.


    She drank a mouthful before putting it on the bedside table.


    ¡°Sigh, I¡¯m sorry to bother you early in the morning Blue, I am just worried and want to make sure that everything is okay. Do you have something to tell father? Don¡¯t worry Blue, you can trust father.¡±


    Batista spoke gently and did not want to rush Blue. During this past month, they talked quite a bit although Blue did not talk much about the incident, she mentioned that she was saved by a boy but she could not remember his face. This puzzled Batista because the person that delivered her that night was far from being a boy. Although there was a possibility that he might have used a disguise, he still wanted to clarify everything first.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Blue looked at her father for a long time while still struggling with what to do. After some time, she sighed helplessly, she did not want for her father to worry and at the same time, she did not want to lie. She looked at her father with seriousness and spoke,


    ¡°Father, promise me first that you won¡¯t tell anybody about this.¡±


    ¡°I promise, I will take everything with me to the grave,¡± Batista did not hesitate to make the oath.


    ¡°When I saw big brother¡¯s sworn brother yesterday, I was reminded of an incident years ago. That day, a boy was with him, I saw his eyes and they were lonely. When I remembered that boy, my memories came back and the boy that rescued me had the same face and eyes like him, they were similar. Although I am not a hundred percent sure, they may be one and the same person,¡±


    Blue narrated what happened while looking at the window as if she went back to the past and became the girl who nearly bumped into the horse.


    ¡°This¡­¡± Batista was shocked and could not believe what he heard.


    ¡°A-Are you sure about this Blue?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm, I wish I could see him and thank him in person,¡±


    Blue nodded in response while she showed a pair of yearning eyes. The boy that rescued her was the light that saved her from the darkness, it would be her greatest regret if she was not able to thank him personally.


    What kind of coincidence is this? To think that the boy we neglected to search was actually the one who rescued my little girl?


    Batista was flabbergasted for a moment, never could he have imagined that such a thing could happen.


    ¡°Father, if you plan to find him, please don¡¯t make things hard for him and don¡¯t inconvenience him.¡±


    With his father¡¯s temperament, she was sure that he would try to find the boy.


    ¡°Ah?¡± Batista was jolted back to reality when Blue spoke.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Blue, father knows what to do,¡± Batista reassured her daughter.


    ¡°By the way father, I have one more request and I wish you could grant it,¡± Blue looked at her father with pleading eyes.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Batista answered with curiosity.


    ¡°I wish to join the military,¡± this time, Blue showed a decisive face that would never back down.


    ¡°What?¡± Another shock ran through Batista, never in his wildest dream that her daughter would want to join the military.


    ¡°I want to join the military,¡± Blue repeated her sentence and stood her ground.


    ¡°This¡­.sigh, give me some time to think about everything first, okay?¡± Batista was helpless at the moment and wanted to be alone to think about things. His mind was a mess right now and needed time to digest everything that has happened.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for the good news father,¡± Blue answered with a forced smile.


    ¡­..


    Eznho found himself in a pitch dark place while barely hanging on to his consciousness. He did not feel pain anymore, his body was stiff and numb. Despite that, he was at peace, his senses were heightened to the extreme, although he knew what was waiting for him, he was calm.


    Is this the afterlife?


    He wasn¡¯t even actually sure if he was still alive or if he was now dead and on his way to the underworld. But as time passed, his senses became more and more sensitive.


    Hmmm? What is that?


    Out of the blue, Eznho ¡°saw¡± a stream of white gas hovering in front of him. He wasn¡¯t sure what it was but it looked so pure like it wasn¡¯t tainted by the filth of the world. It even felt like it has always been there but Eznho was just not able to detect it before.


    Is this the light you see when you die?


    He was confused right now and did not know what to do, he tried to ¡°reach¡± for it but could not, he was only able to watch it hover in front of him. Despite his failure, his curiosity got the better of him and he focused to get a better picture.


    This? Don¡¯t tell me¡­


    When he concentrated on the white gas, he could actually feel a familiar feeling from it.


    How could this be?


    He was taken aback when he realized that that feeling was the same feeling when he was using heavenly energy. The only difference was the white gas in front of him was purer and held more energy within it.


    Hahaha, is the heavens really toying with me?


    If he had a face right now, it would portray a self-mocking picture. He felt helpless and bitter knowing that the heavens are playing with him as if his existence was just for entertainment. Despite that, he could not ignore his urge to live and survive. He might have already accepted that he is dying but that doesn¡¯t mean he would ignore hope. Now that he started the path of a cultivator and saw a chance to explore the world, he did not want to give it up easily. Aside from that, he still wanted to spend time with his family.


    Fine! I¡¯ll play along with your game,


    With a determined mind, he mustered all his remaining strength and tried to do the Mortal Ascension Technique once more. After doing the technique, he was starting to feel his fleshly body again. He felt an unbearable pain again, the pain of having your flesh dried out, the feeling that if he were to move even a muscle, it will break.


    Enduring the pain, he circulated the last tidbits of his remaining heavenly energy. This action caused the pure white gas to move closer to him until finally it entered his body and went with the flow.


    Whew!


    When the white gas entered his body, a comfortable feeling came with it. Like a traveler stuck in the desert who finally found an oasis. As time went by, an unending stream of white gas entered his body and finally his consciousness went back to his body. He could feel every inch of his body again screaming in pain. If someone was to look at him right now, he looked like a mummified person.


    Gritting his teeth, he tolerated all of this and concentrated on continuing the process. Little by little, his nearly empty dantian was starting to get filled with a purer heavenly energy. The shape of a halo started to form again, the process took faster this time as Eznho was now proficient. As the shape took form, he increased the speed and sucked more energy in making it circulate faster until he could not hold on anymore and let go of the control.


    This is it!


    He was filled with anticipation as he let go, contrary to what happened before, this time the halo remained intact and did not collapse. It floated on his dantian silently rotating. Like a river of heavenly energy flowing infinitely.


    Wow! It looks quite spectacular.


    Eznho could not help but marvel at the spectacular sight, he felt awe and excitement at the same time.


    Let¡¯s go all the way then!


    Suppressing his joy, he still planned to form more halo so he calmed his mind down and began the process again. He did the same thing as before, although it was a lot harder to form the second halo, he was successful. The second halo floated beside the first one, both looked identical as if they came from the same shell.


    The last one,


    He did the same thing as before but to his disappointment, it crumbled.


    Damn! One more time!


    He did not want to give up so he did the same process but this time, he poured more effort in, making him barely hold on to his consciousness. More and more white gas entered his dantian to form the third halo, he tried to hold on as much as he can then finally, after all his suffering, the third one stabilized and floated beside the two forming a triangular formation.


    Is it done?


    Eznho felt exhausted and was about to collapse when the three halos pulsed at the same time and they circulated faster. They circulated in unison while sucking all the white gas in a much faster pace than before. Eznho felt bloated and did not know what to do, he felt like a balloon ready to burst. He could not hold on anymore when all the excess energy suddenly dispersed and went into the different parts of his body cleansing and nourishing it.


    Eznho was bathed in white light while the process was ongoing, he felt lighter and refreshed as if he was being reborn. The baptism lasted for five minutes and everything went back to normal. Eznho still looked like a mummified person but unlike before, he was pulsing with life and vitality like a strong robust young man.


    His eyelids moved and his face twitched then after a while, it snapped open showing a pair of deep dark eyes that were filled with clarity and enlightenment.

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52 Another Gift


    Wow! This feels great!


    Eznho¡¯s earlier predicament was almost forgotten and was now replaced with excitement and pure joy. He felt like a child who had his birthday wish fulfilled.


    So, this is the so-called Halo Stage,


    Eznho thought to himself and tried to raise his right hand in front of him, it was a little stiff at first but it gradually loosened. He then clenched his fist producing a crackling sound, like a mini-thunder.


    I wonder what other changes occurred,


    He took a deep breath and assumed a lotus position then cleared his mind of distractions. Using his consciousness, he checked his dantian where he found the three halos floating and slowly rotating. It looked spectacular, an out of this world scene. He could not help but be mesmerized by what he saw. It took him a while to regain his clarity and saw that small amounts of heavenly energy were constantly being absorbed by the three halos automatically.


    Meaning, even if he is not cultivating heavenly energy would be constantly absorbed by him albeit, only in small amounts which is a far cry from the amount he could absorb if he is cultivating.


    Next thing he did was to check his body, his internal organs and the like was actually strengthened by his breakthrough. Although he had no idea how tough his body was, he was sure he would not be easily wounded by ordinary weapons.


    The last stop was his soul, it was still floating inside his sea of memories, the only difference was that it already absorbed all the motes of light which appeared during his early days of cultivation which he has no clue what it was.


    He slowly approached and to his surprise, the barrier was now gone which made it possible for him to get close to his soul. He was a little tensed since he did not know if this was good or bad.


    The distance between them now was so close he could practically see every detail of his soul which looked exactly like him.


    All of a sudden, it opened its eyes which startled Eznho making him retreat. Although the soul opened its eyes, it was still expressionless like before. But it did not stop there, it slowly raised his right hand and pointed at the direction of Eznho with his index finger.


    Eznho was confused and did not know what to do, he was deep in thought when a vague outline of a hand formed beside him. He was frightened and wanted to get away from it but before he could, he could feel that this ¡°hand¡± was a part of him.


    This is weird,


    What was happening now was out of his expectations which made him more confused. He was observing his ¡°hand¡± and his soul when an idea struck his mind.


    Could it be?


    He wanted to test his theory and besides, he was inside his own body so it was unlikely that it would do anything to harm him. He slowly approached his soul and also raised his hand and pointed towards his soul¡¯s right index finger. Both fingers became closer and closer, inches became centimeters, then they finally touched.


    Boom!


    Eznho felt like his mind exploded which caused an excruciating pain making him howl in agony, this pain was much more intense than the physical pain he experienced previously. After the two fingers met, his consciousness was sucked in by his soul.


    His vision became blurry and it took him a while to adjust, he was still above his sea of memories but what took him by surprise was that he was now actually riding his soul. It felt weird for him, he felt light and carefree as if the filth world around him has not tainted him.


    He could feel another form of energy coming from his soul but he had no clue what it was, it was different from heavenly energy. He moved around and got used to it but when he tried to move out of the place, an invisible barrier prevented him from doing so.


    So how do I go back to my body?


    He was at a loss for a moment then tried to release his consciousness outside of his soul which worked. It spread out faster than before, it felt like the power of his consciousness was amplified by merging with his soul. It traveled around his body and finally, he regained control of it. His soul and body were now in sync which means his senses and body movement was now faster and more fluid than before.


    Let¡¯s try it out then,


    He took a deep breath and concentrated, he let out his consciousness move out of his body, it was hard at first but it slowly spread until he could now sense and ¡°see¡± everything within one meter around him even if he closed his eyes.


    Whoah! This is amazing!


    He was astonished and was speechless for a moment, his eyes were shining like a kid who was given a new toy. Suppressing his excitement, he tried to move it out more but when he was in the five-meter range, he felt pain from his soul which made him retract his consciousness.


    So that¡¯s what they call soul sense I guess,


    He remembered the things he read at the library, taking a deep breath, he performed his breathing technique which made him more comfortable. Giving in to his curiosity, he operated his soul sense until he was able to cast it until a ten-meter range which seems to be his limit at the moment. He could not extend it more outward due to the fog¡¯s resistance.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    While deep in thought, he looked down and saw his ¡®last will¡¯ and his things which made him smile wryly,


    This has been a bumpy ride,


    Sighing, he picked up the pouch first which was given to him by Old Man Dan. He thought for a moment and carefully controlled his soul sense towards the knot which instantly loosened during the initial contact.


    So that¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t open it, I wonder what¡¯s inside.


    His soul sense made it inside and what he saw was an empty space, there was nothing in it except for a jade slip which was floating while creating faint ripples.


    Hmmm, is this another gift from that smelly old man?


    He had no choice at the moment but to inspect it, when his soul sense touched the jade slip, it dissipated into motes of green light and formed a blurry image of the old man showing a face filled with contempt and arrogance.


    ¡°Ha! I thought you died in a ditch somewhere, what kind of a sissy are you? Taking so long to reach the Halo Stage, hmph!¡±


    Eznho¡¯s face twitched upon hearing the old man¡¯s rumblings.


    ¡°Anyways, now that you finally achieved a breakthrough, let me tell you some advice before you get yourself killed because of stupidity. First of all, now that you can use soul sense, don¡¯t just go casually spreading it anywhere you go as doing this kind of thing will provoke other people. Not only that, it could also trigger formations or traps. Soul sense can also be used to detect other people in a distance or people who are hiding but the downside is, once they detect your soul sense it means that your location is also compromised.¡±


    ¡°Aside from that, it would be hard for you to detect people who have higher cultivation than you but they may detect you and you won¡¯t even notice it. Lastly, this pouch is called a storage pouch or a spatial pouch, as you can see, there is a small independent space inside which you can use to store things, which of course excludes living beings like animals and the like, there are special storages for those but they are far more valuable and harder to acquire. This pouch is of the low grade so it will only last one hundred years at most, you can try looking for a better one if you have money. As for how to use it, discover it yourself, I am too lazy to explain. Okay, that¡¯s all, don¡¯t die without a grave somewhere sissy kid, you still owe me one!¡±


    Eznho was still digesting what the old man said and before he could respond, the image dissipated into nothing.


    ¡°Damn this smelly old man, one day, I am going to make you call me your grandpa, hmph!¡±


    Eznho¡¯s vein was bulging but he could not hide the appreciation in his eyes, despite the old man¡¯s antics, he was actually grateful to him. Their contact with each other may have been only for a short time but he learned and acquired a lot from him, and his life has been actually saved by him. This new information was actually of great importance to him, it made him dodge a lot of potential troubles in the future.


    Seeing that nothing else was inside, he retrieved his consciousness and looked at the other things laid on the ground. This made him a bit sentimental,


    According to what I read, there are two ways you can control an object and also be able to put it inside a storage pouch. The first thing is imprinting your own soul sense on a particular object, this is mostly used for weapons.


    Using what he learned, he controlled his soul sense and let it enter the dagger then left a bit of his soul sense inside to act as an imprint. After that, he could feel his connection with the dagger.


    Okay let¡¯s give it a try,


    Eznho took a deep breath and controlled the dagger using the imprint with a bit of heavenly energy. The dagger moved a little until it floated slowly and was on Eznho¡¯s eye level. He then tried to make it move left and right, it was wobbly at first but as time passed he got good at it and the dagger could smoothly circulate around him within a ten-meter range which was his limit at the moment.


    The further the weapon was away from him, the harder it was to control, he could also feel that using soul sense for a long period of time puts a burden on his soul. According to his calculation, he could maintain control of the dagger for a maximum of six hours. But of course, as long as he gets stronger in the future, his soul sense would also improve.


    Now that he could control the dagger properly, he moved on to the next method. He found a rock the size of an infant¡¯s head, he then circulated his heavenly energy and let out some of it and controlled it via his soul sense and wrapped it around the rock which then he tried to lift. To his surprise, although he could do it, it was more exhausting and uses more energy than the first method.


    Although the first method was better at controlling things, putting out too many imprints is quite dangerous because if ever your weapon is destroyed or if someone will forcibly wipe your imprint, it will have a backlash on the person who owns the imprint.


    After getting himself familiar with the use of soul sense, he put his imprint on the ring, the jade necklace, and the spatial pouch. As for the others, he put it inside the pouch, using his dagger, he carved out his ¡®last will¡¯ and also put it inside. He took it as a form of reminder of all his suffering.


    Taking a deep breath, he looked at the cliff wall behind him, according to his senses, the pure heavenly energy came from that side. His eyes narrowed and moved closer, he took out his dagger and poured heavenly energy on it and stabbed at the lower part of the wall.


    Ding!


    The sound of metal colliding with each other rang out and sparks flew, then a small portion of the wall flickered for a moment before returning back to normal.


    What was that?


    Eznho was taken aback and was speechless for a moment, after composing himself, he attacked again but the same thing happened. He did it two more times but he could not make any progress.


    Hmmm, is this a formation? Why did it appear only now? Could it be?


    From what he saw, during his crazed moments, he accidentally damaged the formation which leaked the pure heavenly energy.


    What kind of luck is that?


    He felt complicated for a moment, it was truly a roller coaster ride.


    Well, I can¡¯t do anything about it, for now, I¡¯ll come back in the future if I become stronger and unlock its secrets.


    Sighing with regret, he left a unique mark in place using his dagger. He suppressed his urge to break the formation and looked up instead. His eyes were now filled with determination and excitement.


    How long have I been away? I am sure everyone is worried. Time to go home.


    He took a deep breath and spread out his soul sense, then jumped.


    ¡­..


    In a faraway place from where Eznho was, a golden city stood. The place is named the City of Gold, it was located at the very center of the Crescent Moon Continent. Almost all of the structures in the city had a hint of gold, palaces were floating above the city casting shadows on the people walking underneath.


    Flying ships flew in and out nonstop, the place was very busy all the time. In one of the ports, an old man draped in a ragged cloak was murmuring to himself making the people around him look at him in disgust.


    ¡°Hmmm, not bad, not bad, sissy kid, keep up the good work. I¡¯ll be reaping what I sow in the future, kekeke,¡±


    If Eznho was here, he would recognize this old man, the old man whom he met in the mines. The only difference was that the old man now was paler and looked weak, he was even skinnier than before.


    ¡°Just you wait, you bastards, once I get the last ingredient and regain my cultivation level, I¡¯ll repay what you did to me ten times over.¡±


    The old man¡¯s eyes became sharp for a moment. After calming himself down, he stood up and boarded one of the flying ships, the flying ship¡¯s destination was beyond the horizon, towards the ends of the ocean where the foreign lands were located.


    Note: I thank you for all the people who are still reading this, I will try to add more chapters when I can.

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53 Cooking Master Meatball


    The moon was full and twinkling stars scattered in the vast starry sky. Cotton-like clouds could be seen forming shadows on Stallone Mountain Range. Howls and beast growls echoed throughout the mountains making the place beautiful and dangerous at the same time. If not for the hidden dangers, the mountain range would be a great spot for sightseeing.


    At the edge of the First Misty Cliff, a huge round-like shadow could be seen looking down with a downcast posture.


    ¡°Sigh, man, what a waste, I was looking forward to cooking a great meal but I don¡¯t have enough strength at the moment. I only have one portion left. Man, this sucks,¡±


    A voice filled with regret could be heard coming from the shadow. With another sigh, he turned around but every movement was accompanied by clanging metal sounds.


    Woossshh!


    A gust of wind swept by on his back making two big round eyes snap open. A hint of excitement could be seen on them.


    ¡°Finally, you showed up, now you better behave and let me cook you tenderly,¡±


    Saliva was dripping from his mouth while speaking and he brought out his weapon, a short but thick butcher¡¯s knife and a wooden mallet.


    A thin shadow landed in front, it turned around and glared back with a pair of sharp eyes.


    ¡°Yii! A ghost!¡±


    The big round shadow blurted out, it shivered and nearly screamed. The thin shadow narrowed its eyes and spoke with a child¡¯s voice.


    ¡°I am not a ghost,¡±


    ¡°Eh? What are you then?¡±


    As they were speaking, the clouds moved, making the moon illuminate both of them.


    ¡°A walking meatball!¡±


    ¡°A perverted mummy!¡±


    They both spoke at the same time with a surprised tone.


    ¡°What did you say?!¡±


    Both them spoke again at the same time while glaring at each other.


    The big shadow was actually a guy, he had a short black hair with a round face. His eyes were like saucers with a wide nose and thick lips. His head was round along with his big round body, he looked like two spherical rocks put together. He was dark skinned and was wearing loose clothes. Aside from that, kitchen wares were hanging on his waist - pots, a small wok, frying pan, knives and others. It was a peculiar sight, he looked like a walking kitchen.


    Meanwhile, the thin shadow was naturally Eznho who just climbed out from the cliff. He was not wearing anything except for a small piece of cloth covering his groin. He was very thin but did not look weak, he was full of vitality instead.


    The two were on guard with each other and did not move. They were gauging each other.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Eznho broke the silence and asked. He was on guard but could not feel any ill intent from the other party.


    ¡°Me? Ahem!¡± Before Eznho could react, the guy in front of him put away his weapons and puffed his chest out and with a face filled with pride, he introduced himself.


    ¡°Behold, my name is Jessie, the cooking master boy!¡±


    Eh? Eznho was taken aback and did not know how to react for a moment.


    ¡°More like a cooking master meatball,¡± he mumbled, but his voice was blown by the wind.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Jessie snapped.


    ¡°Nothing, I said my name is Eznho.¡±


    ¡°Hmph! You should consider yourself lucky as you will have the chance to taste my miraculous cooking. Even emperors can¡¯t casually eat what I cook.¡±


    The atmosphere became awkward again, the night wind blew making the leaves rustle. Eznho took a deep breath and was about to leave.


    ¡°Eh? Wait! Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to go around looking like that?¡± Jessie shouted.


    ¡°What are you talking a-¡±,


    Eznho became irritated and wanted to retort but shivered when he remembered that he had no proper clothing. He jumped like a scared little cat and hid beyond a bush. If it was daylight right now people would see that he was blushing due to embarrassment.


    ¡°Mwahahaha, acting so mighty and mysterious yet you can¡¯t even clothe yourself, did you come out from your slumber? Yih! Don¡¯t tell you are an old monster who just crawled out from a grave?¡±


    Jessie became stiff for a moment when he realized he could be dealing with a man-eating mummy. He started to sweat profusely and wanted to make run for it.


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about? I am not some old mummy! I am not even fifteen years old yet!¡±


    Eznho yelled back in protest from the bush.


    ¡°Then why are you like that?¡± Jessie narrowed his eyes and was still suspicious.


    ¡°I fell down on the cliff and-, never mind. Why am I explaining myself to you anyway?¡± Eznho composed himself and separated himself from the bush and did not mind what he looked like. It was true, maybe he was just flustered because it has been a long time since he talked to somebody.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°Hey, wait!¡± Seeing that the other guy was walking away, Jessie yelled.


    ¡°What?¡± Eznho turned around with sharp eyes.


    ¡°Uhmmm, you are so skinny for a kid and as the Cooking Master Boy, it is my responsibility to make sure that I feed the needy when I can,¡± Jessie spoke in a serious tone. He looked like he was about to pounce on Eznho if he will refuse.


    ¡°Uhmmm-,¡± Eznho was speechless again and didn¡¯t know what to say.


    After all that lonesome thing I have experienced, the first person I meet is a weird round guy.


    He was about to refuse when his stomach produced a low growling sound making him blush again.


    ¡°Mwahahaha, see? Even your stomach knows he has met a true master cook and cannot wait to have a taste of my super delicious cooking,¡± Jessie became more proud and was actually backed by the moonlight making him look somewhat heroic in his own way.


    ¡°Now, sit and wait. Don¡¯t make me tie you up,¡± He commanded and immediately went on to work.


    Eznho was helpless at the moment and could do nothing but sit on a boulder while watching the busy round man. He could not hide the fact that he was somewhat amused by the guy, to be honest, he was looking forward to eating a proper decent meal after all that he has experienced. He actually planned on hunting wild animals on his way back to satisfy his palate.


    Jessie became enthusiastic and could not hide his excitement, he went around looking for three good sized rocks to be used as a stand.


    ¡°When was the last time you ate?¡± He asked curiously.


    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know, maybe months?¡± Eznho was not sure himself.


    ¡°Whaaaattt!!?¡± Jessie¡¯s eyes bulged and nearly popped out.


    ¡°What kind of person are you? How did you survive? Well, whatever, I have the right recipe for you,¡± Jessie was astonished but this made him more excited. As a cook, it was his goal to make sure that everyone who ate what he cooked would be satisfied.


    He patted his bag of holding and food ingredients came out. A bag of holding is similar to the spatial pouch Eznho had but a bag of holding holds more space and is more stable. With a deep breath, he brought out a white chef hat and put it on. After that, he put on a white apron. After putting on his to clothing article, his aura changed startling Eznho and making him look at the other guy more seriously.


    I wonder what cultivation he is in, I can¡¯t seem to detect it.


    He badly wanted to scan the guy but he remembered the old man¡¯s reminder and stopped himself. Normally people who have almost the same cultivation can detect and gauge each other¡¯s cultivation basing on the aura they emit but it¡¯s a different story if the gap is a big.


    Ignoring his surrounding, Jessie was in his own world and started chopping things, vegetables and a slab of meat. His hands were fast and every slice was precise as if everything was being measured. Eznho was unfamiliar with the ingredients but he was sure they were far more valuable than what he usually eats.


    His eyes became sharper by the minute and after preparing everything, he brought out a medium sized clay pot with a clear sparkling water already in it. He put it on top of the three rocks acting as a stand. He put on the cover and after taking a deep breath, he snapped his finger.


    Sparks flew and a candle sized flame burned on his index finger. The second it came out, Eznho could feel that the temperature around him start to go up. He was shocked all over again.


    What kind of ability is that? Is he at the Seeker Stage? Or higher?


    As far as he was concerned, only cultivators at the Seeker Stage could do something like that, some people at the Halo Stage could do that but they were rare. His view on Jessie changed a lot and a look of respect could be seen in Eznho¡¯s eyes.


    As for Jessie, he felt proud looking at Eznho¡¯s face. He flicked his finger and the flame rush to the firewood.


    Poof!


    Fire immediately burned after the small flame made contact with the firewood. Smoke rose but instead of going up, half of it drilled in the lid gap and went inside the clay pot making Eznho gasp in surprise again.


    What sorcery is this? Sigh, the world is really too big.


    Eznho was astonished and at the same time his thirst to discover the world grew stronger.


    Jessie removed the lid and put the chopped meat inside along with some other things.


    ¡°It will take a while for the meat to be cooked just right, care for a little chat kid? Don¡¯t worry you don¡¯t have to tell me anything that you don¡¯t want me to know,¡±


    ¡°Uhmm, senior, pardon me if I was disrespectful a while ago,¡± Eznho was a little nervous and bowed.


    ¡°Wahahaha!¡± Jessie burst out laughing after hearing how Eznho addressed him.


    ¡°What senior? I am just 20-ish years old, hmph! Just call me Jessie. I am not even married yet and you want me to grow white hairs already?¡±


    Eznho smiled wryly and just nodded in acknowledgment.


    ¡°Je-Jessie it is,¡± He had no choice but to concede and give in.


    ¡°By the way, Jessie, what are you doing here?¡±


    Jessie mused for a moment before answering.


    ¡°Hmm, I heard rumors that a great beast is in the cliff, accordingly, some people passed here a month ago and heard howling and roaring. They wanted to investigate but they could not because they were afraid they might get eaten. Some cultivators came but they were unsuccessful due to the fog. Same with me, I tried but was stopped by the fog.¡±


    ¡°Sigh, I am really in need of a good meat for my cooking skills. This is my last stock, so did you see any beast down there?¡±


    Jessie asked with anticipation.


    Eznho did not know whether to laugh or to cry, he was actually mistaken for a beast.


    ¡°Uhmm, unfortunately, no, if I had seen one I would have probably died and got eaten. And even if by a miracle I defeated it, would I look like this?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, you are right, with how weak you are it would be impossible, and besides you are too thin for the beast to eat you.¡±


    Jessie answered while nodding making Eznho¡¯s cheek twitch. They continued their small talk until steam was coming out of the clay pot. Jessie got up and opened the lid, large amounts of steam came out bringing out an aromatic smell. If a mortal would sniff it, they would become full for an entire day. Eznho¡¯s mouth started to produce saliva and his stomach started to growl due to the excitement.


    What kind of food is that? Even the steam has a hint of heavenly energy in it?


    This encounter was really full of surprises for Eznho.


    Jessie was nonchalant as if this was a normal occurrence for him. After opening the lid, he put in the remaining ingredients and closed it again. He waited with great concentration, after a couple of minutes, he patted his bag of holding and brought out a picnic mat and laid in not far away from the fire.


    ¡°It¡¯s time! I call this, the Great Restoration Soup!¡± Jessie shouted with excitement and brought out two bowls, two soup spoons and a ladle. He removed the lid and put the soup in a bowl then offered it Eznho who was salivating.


    ¡°I thank you for all the ingredients of the world! Now, chow!¡±


    ¡°Th-Thank you,¡± Eznho¡¯s hands were trembling and his eyes were getting moist. It has been a while since someone showed kindness to him. This moment made him remember his family, tears finally came rolling down. He wanted to act tough but it all melted due to Jessie¡¯s show of kindness.


    He held on to the spoon and gobbled the food with great gusto. Tears, snot and soup mixed together while he ate.


    ¡°Zenkyu vor za vood,¡± he mumbled while eating. It has not been a minute but he already finished his soup.


    ¡°Whoah! Whoah! I can¡¯t believe someone is even more voracious than me! Hold your horse¡¯s kid, there is plenty more here, don¡¯t worry and slow down.¡±


    Jessie spoke with a shocked tone, he hasn¡¯t even started to eat his share yet the other party has already finished his.


    He got the ladle and refilled Eznho¡¯s bowl. While eating, he watched as Eznho gobbled up his food until not even a drop of soup was left on the pot due to Eznho refilling his bowl multiple times.


    ¡°Burrrrrppppp!¡± Eznho let out a super loud burp like a gigantic bullfrog.


    ¡°Hahahaha, how amusing, to think that someone actually beat me in an eating contest,¡±


    Jessie laughed while looking at Eznho who had a bulging stomach. It was a peculiar scene, Eznho was so thin yet his stomach was so full and could burst at any moment.