Chapter 9

 Zuojia, Kaijin, and Zongse started their journey from square one. Despite the rumors about this long path which they are supposed to cross. Unwary of what dangers or hardships await them along their journey to the Bu-Jing temple.

Along the way, Kaijin came up with a question to start a conversation and break through the awkward silence.

“So Zongse, how were able to get this strong and learn such a strong technique?”

“This is called the forbidden technique brat-”

“It's Kaijin”

“Zuojia, didn't you tell your student anything about the forbidden technique?”

Zuojia shrugged with an expression that could only explain that he does not care about such matter.

“You can tell me Zongo.”

“It is Zongse.”

“Yeah, do tell me already.”

Zongse sighed before he began to explain what the forbidden arts are instead of mentioning how he attained such power.

“They are techniques which are very hard to attain, they are known as the forbidden secret art styles. No normal individual can master techniques like these.”

“But why is hard? after all, it's learnable” Kaijin asked. As his eyebrows rose, up a little when Zongse noticed the facial change on Kaijin to see that he has become more curious about the matter.

“Not quite possible, those who try learning the forbidden techniques with a low chi capacity, will meet their downfall, their bodies will be consumed by the tremendous power until they burn up into ashes. That is how dangerous the forbidden arts.”

Kaijin looked at Zongse with a shocked expression on his face. While all that Zuojia was doing was picking his nose.

“You see, in order to learn those techniques you have to have a high chi capacity because if not, using the techniques without enough capacity would burn any individual's body completely, think of it as a pot, if you keep filling it with so much soup it will flow outside of it uncontrollably.”

“There are only a few in this world who have the required potential and chi to perform those Forbidden techniques.”

Zuojia joined the conversation, adding the last piece of information which, as the corners of Kaijin’s mouth turned up a little.

“So are there any differences between them?” Kaijin resumed with his curious questions, seeking guidance and information from the two great fighters, who walked by his side along a path covered with falling leaves and soft, soil which made it somewhat difficult for the travelers to walk on, especially when they were carrying heavy luggage.

“Ugh- of course, the technique which I used against Zuojia for example, it's a middle tier technique among many others who have stronger forbidden techniques.”

“M. .Middle tier!?” Kaijin asked while being surprised after hearing what Zongse said.

“Well yes, I assure you that I have met them myself. Yet I still wonder what kind of technique was that you used against my forbidden technique to break it that easily.” Zongse turned his head to face Zuojia with his sight in wonder.

“Hey, chopper mantis!”

“It's Zuojia. . . .”

“Whatever, teach me some cool techni-!” Kaijin said enthusiastically.

Until Zuojia had Inturrupted him saying

“We are in the middle a long trip, so shut up already!”

Zongse laughed for a moment before moving to his thoughts. Exchanging a short conversation between him and his own mind.

“To be able to take down a forbidden technique only with one palm strike. . .this guy,  finally, I have been given another purpose to live for.”

Zongse gave a half-smile as he stuck her nose in the air before leaving his thoughts behind.

They continued walking forward until they finally managed to exit the forest to end up standing before a damaged bridge.

“What the. .?”

The bridge seemed to be completely damaged and only the rope was extended, between two pieces of far away lands, separated by a huge deep gap in the ground.

Kaijin stood on the edge of it while focusing his sight downwards.

“So dee- Ah!!”

The rock beneath his feet crumbled causing him to slip down and fall. But at the final moment. Zuojia grabbed him by his leg then he pulled him back up again.

“Haaaah!. .”

Zuojia took a deep gaze at the other side of the land while rubbing his chin, thoughts crowded in his busy mind, as he continued gazing into the deep gap. Until he snapped out of the thinking state

Zuojia grabbed Kaijin with both of his hands then he looked at Zongse with narrowed eyes, and a smirk drawn on his lips, his eyes shone with an insane idea.

“Oh?” Zongse gazed back at Zuojia until he finally got the message, his nose wrinkled “Ah, I see now.”

“What are you going to-” Kaijin was unable to finish his sentence because at that moment. Zuojia had tossed him off.

“GYAAAH!” The boy exclaimed in fear of the depth beneath him, as he was flying to the other side of the land.

Kaijin almost hit the edge of the other side. Yet, on the final moment, he bumped into Zongse's hands which held him tightly. Before he fell down or hit the sharp rocky edge.

“Safe!” Zongse yelled while raising his hand to Zuojia.

“Alright!”

Zuojia rose his thumb up towards Zongse on the other side, before taking a high jump, to end up landing on the other side.

“. . . .i almost died”

Kaijin's face was pale, with his eyes widened while looking at the huge gap in fear.

“You think this can handle anyone walking on it?” Zongse asked, referring to the rope behind Zuojia.

“Hmm. .”

As Zuojia thought about zongse's question he walked towards the rope, attempt to stand on it and test it's durability to find the answer, but suddenly when Zuojia tried stepping on the rope it tore apart, before falling into the depth of the darkness.  

Zongse looked at Zuojia with amazement yet he smirked.

“Clever aren't you, Zuojia?” Zongse said before returning back to their path again.

“Well thank you Zongo”

Zuojia replied. Before he helped Kaijin to stand up, by raiding him from his clothes.

“It's Zongse…”

After a while from walking on an empty land with no life in it, dry weeds and gravels spreading everywhere. They have finally arrived to a certain land, where mountains were everywhere around them, as they differed in heights, they mountains extended a few kilometers, from the east to the west blocking the passage to the other side.

“This land is known for its high mountains. We will have to climb up this mountain to be able to go down back to our path again.” Zongse said.

“There is no other way than that?”

Zuojia asked.

“I'm afraid there isn't. If we attempt to walk through the narrow routes between the mountains, anything dangerous could happen since every route is blocked. Climbing this mountain is our easiest choice for now”

Zongse said. Before he paused to gaze up at the top high mountains.

“Fuu Gougen Mountains, these mountains have a very bad popularity around here. I have heard rumors about these mountains. . .” Zongse Resumed, keeping his eyes towards the sky, noticing a change in the weather which seemed odd.

“Rumors? What kind of rumors?”

Kaijin asked, but before he was able to speak, a high crashing noise echoed through the whole sky above them. A high rumble could be heard frequently.

The sky became gray all of a sudden and that was a sign of an upcoming storm.

“We should hurry if the rain falls the climbing will be more dangerous.” Zuojia said.

“Alright then.”

Zongse said so, before taking a deep look at the mountains before them.

After that, they finally started climbing the first mountain before them, in order to return back to their original path. Yet the thunder continues to strike the sky with its mighty sound.

 “This luggage is heavy!”

Kaijin grunted while struggling. As it seems he was having a hard time climbing the mountain with the luggage on his back.

“You are truly peevish you know that. Dammit Zongse what's in those pieces of luggage anyway?!”

Zuojia yelled while looking up at Zongse, who was the only person not having any problems while climbing.

“Huh? what do you mean by what's in them? Supplies and enough items for the long trip” Zongse looked at both of them struggling while climbing the mountain as if they were carrying something he wasn't carrying.

While the adventures were climbing the mountain. A few water droplets started falling above their heads.

“It’s raining. . .”

Zuojia said as he looked up at the sky, while the drops started falling down on his face, splashing as he narrowed his eyes. Until the rain became heavier, the atmosphere became foggy and unclear. The sound of thunder became louder, while rain started falling down on the mountain heavily which made it way too difficult to climb, increasing the risk and hindering their movement.

*Crackle*

“Ah-?!”

 Apparently one of the rocky parts which Kaijin had clung on broke from the rain which caused him to lose his equilibrium and fall from his spot. Especially when he was already carrying a lot of weight on his back. “Hel-!!”

At the right time, Zuojia managed to grab Kaijin from his feet before he met his downfall.

“Dammit. . . .it's getting way too annoying now.” Zuojia said, before grabbing the heavy luggage kaijin as he tied it around his hip.

“Too much weight, we won't make it this at this rate. . .” Zuojia said with a grin formed on his face, after helping kaijin back up.

“Zuojia, over there!”

Zongse was ahead of them, as he pointed directly at a gap into the mountain. A cave which was their refuge, for surviving these hard conditions.

Zuojia and Kaijin found that it's the only way, until the storm stops raging. Finally, they managed to reach the cave on the other side, after having a hard time dealing with the heavy rain and the strong wind outside.

“Phew. . .”

Zuojia's expressions changed to a relief when they entered the cave, they dropped their luggage on the ground then they sat on the ground trying to catch their breath slowly.

“We won’t make it if we chose to continue under this weather.”

Zuojia said while looking at the heavy rain outside, and the sound of the rain seemed pretty clear, tiking droplets falling rapidly. While hitting the surface of the mountain.

*Growl*

Both of Zuojia and Kaijin's stomach's released a loud growl outside.

“I'm hungry. . .”

“Yeah. .”

 Not long until they both remembered, that their bags had enough food and supplies for both of them.

They rushed to their bags, dipping their hands inside, in search of food to fill in their hunger.

“Maybe all this weight was just meat buns and fish! I can't wait to-”

Zuojia's happy expression was completely wiped out and exchanged with a shock when he looked into his bag. “You see what I see. . .?”

Zuojia asked Kaijin who had the same look on his face when he looked into his own bag as well.

“I wish if I didn’t” Kaijin responded. Until both of them started taking rocks out of their bags while placing them on the ground. Kaijin stood up then he completely emptied his back on the ground. And all that came out of it was just rocks.

“Women. .”

Both of them spoke at the same time when they remembered who prepared those bags for them. Zongse stood from afar while looking at them with a worried expression, apparently, he was the only one who had food and supplies in his bag.

“A-Ah, are you guys okay?”

Zongse asked.

“Of course, my friend, we are feeling very good actually!”

Both Zuojia and Kaijin stood up while looking at Zongse's bag, the outcome was pretty painful for Zongse, as all of his supplies were taken by force.

“Hahahah I see- GUAH!!”

Zuojia and Kaijin hit Zongse a few times before snatching everything he had in his bag.

“Why me. . .?”

Zongse cried while Kaijin and Zuojia started taking out all the food from Zongse's bag before they started eating it all until nothing was left for the poor guy, yet all what he could do was watching them, panicking.

“Man...i'm still hungry.”

“Chopper mantis, you read my mind already.”

Then Zongse yelled at both of them.

“You two took all the food I had already, come on!!”

A moment of silence until Kaijin spoke.

“Hey, Zuojia. . .” Kaijin spoke in a low deep tone, while gazing at Zuojia.

“What?”

“You haven't taught me anything yet, there is nothing we can do here. So why don't you teach me something?” Kaijin said, the boy hesitantly thought that this was the best chance, to ask for Zuojia's guidance as his master.

“. . . .”

Zuojia was just laying on the ground while resting his head on his hands, crossed behind him. He remained silent for a short time. Preventing his lips from moving, as he refrained from speaking. Ignoring Kaijin's request. Kaijin's expression changed into a grin. The boy felt annoyance towards his master's arrogance and towards ignoring his request as well.

“You simply didn't tag me along for nothing. And I almost died multiple times as well!”

Kaijin's pitch started getting louder, yet both of Zuojia and Zongse were relaxing, Zuojia continued ignoring Kaijin's words, yet nobody knew what was going inside his head as he seemed quite irritated.

“ZUOJI-”

 “Your voice. . .keep it down”

Suddenly, Zuojia interrupted Kaijin  with a sharp gaze and a slight grin, when he looked right at Kaijin. The boy sat down while crossing his arms them, he sulked.

After a short while had passed. The sound of the wild storm outside could only be heard. Zuojia stood up then he grabbed a cup, taking it out of Zongse's bag. Slowly, he walked towards the entrance of the cave. Both of Zongse and Kaijin thought that he was filling the cup with some rainwater to drink from it, yet they realized that there was still enough water, in the bamboo container. So they were wondering why he was filling the cup with some rainwater, especially after a while had passed.

After filling the cup completely he walked towards Kaijin while holding the cup.

Kaijin looked at Zuojia in wonder, raising an eyebrow as he grit on his teeth.

“What do you w-”

“Put this on your head.” Zuojia extended his arm towards the boy, handing him the cup which was filled with water.

“Wha-”

“Put this on your head.”

Zuojia repeated coldly.

The boy slowly grabbed the cup then he poured the water on his head hesitantly. Then his body was instantly caught in chills.

Zongse was watching them from afar, trying not to laugh at what he just saw. However, Zuojia smirked before going back to his spot and laying down once again.

“You don't put the water on your head, you put the CUP on your head.” Zuojia said before closing his eyes and going back to his silent state.

Kaijin felt irritated when Zuojia said that, yet he looked at him with anger before Zuojia spoke once more.

“Don't just sit there, go fill the cup again and this time do it right without dropping the cup off your head this time. Oh and keep doing this every time you spill the water on your head”

“What's the point of this crap?!” Kaijin asked while yelling. But as expected from Zuojia, no response. Which made Kaijin sigh before going towards the entrance to fill the cup with water again. The rain seemed to get heavier by the minute, the atmosphere outside was way more dangerous than before. Who knows what could have happened if they continued their journey outside in this wild weather?

*Splash*

“Ack!”

The cup fell over Kaijin's head causing the water to fall on him as well. His clothes were completely wet due to the amount of failed attempts to keep the cup stable on his head.

The sun had gone down and the moon rose up to fill the sky with it's beautiful radiant reflection. But the storm didn't seem to go down at all.

“Hopefully the storm stops by tomorrow. Then we will continue moving back to our path, let us rest here for now.” Zongse said.

“Yeah, I have got nothing better to do at the moment.”

“You could have spared me some food at least.” Zongse said while rubbing his stomach.

“The food was delicious thank you.” Zuojia said.

“Screw this already!”

Kaijin threw the wooden cup away while looking at it with a devastated face, who found no benefit in getting wet every minute.

“This is complete nonsense!” Kaijin complained once again in a peeve manner.

A short while passed before Zuojia had spoken while closing his eyes while looking at the other side of the cave.

“Must be hard for you, isn't it? At least you got used to the coldness of the water, you won't get any more chills even if you drop more over your body. No balance without feeling. No focus, no balance, and you complain too much already. Goodluck” Zuojia spoke in a provoking manner which almost offended Kaijin at first, but when he listened to what Zuojia said to the end, made him a little bit confused on what he meant by that actually.

A while later, Zongse and Zuojia were already resting their heads down while with their eyes shut. However, Zuojia was already hearing everything behind him, knowing that Kaijin was going through a hard time, trying to keep the cup stable on his head without dropping it.

A few moments passed. Zuojia and Zongse have already fallen into a deep sleep. Unwary of anything else happening around them.

Kaijin stood up then he walked towards the wooden cup he threw. He picked it up when he filled it once more with rainwater. He sat on the ground while crossing his legs before placing the cup over his head one more time.

“. . . .”

He closed his eyes while trying to keep his state of tranquil stable within him. In order to keep up his equilibrium so he can stabilize the cup over his head.

The cup started shaking, but then suddenly it stopped shaking when it was too close of falling.

“. . . .” finally the boy had managed to keep the cup stable on his head, he joined his hands together. Yet he couldn't keep it for a long time, He watched the water splash over his head once again.

“M. . .Mother your pies are so delicious. .”

Zongse muttered in his sleep.

While Zuojia started muttering in his sleep as well.

“No. . .No please, stop feeding me anymore rocks.”

Slowly both of Zongse and Zuojia were being dragged on the ground into the deep hole of the cave. Until they were completely engulfed by the deep roaring darkness of the cave.

Kaijin was unaware of anything that has been going on behind him since he was pretty close to the entrance and all the noise outside was the only thing he could hear. He finally snapped out of the meditation state when he completely managed to keep the cup stable on his head he turned around with a happy expression on his face. To inform Zuojia of his achievement.

“Zuojia! do i-”

The boy was completely shocked to see that none of Zuojia and Zongse was still lying there on the ground in their original spots.

“Zuojia. . .Zongse, guys. . .?”

The boy stood up slowly then he ran to where both of them were resting and nothing was there, the place was completely empty. The boy panicked before looking around everywhere.

“Zuojia. . .stop messing around. . .”

He stood there and realized that they were not around or anywhere, he was pretty sure that both of them were sleeping behind him just a while ago. He stood frozen in his place unable to think straight of what to do or where they went at this time and in this wild weather when he was actually blocking the path of the entrance when he was sitting there.

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

［Meanwhile in a huge palace.］

A woman in red clothes walked while two guards were walking beside her leading here somewhere into a huge palace.

The two guards stood before a huge metallic door while each took a different spot, one stood on a different side of the door before they spoke to her in a deep voice.

“My lord is waiting for you inside.”

One of the guards said. Yet the woman seemed to be afraid with a worried expression on her face. She took a deep breath before she opened the door when she entered into a huge hall, and at the end of the hall, a man with a mysterious appearance was sitting on his throne. Yet the shadow above his head was covering his face, preventing anyone to see is identity from any far angles.

“What do you have to say Shaō Ming. . .”

The woman knelt down before the mysterious man with her face directed right at the ground.

“Yan zhu. . .had failed his, my lord. He was unable to keep the contracts nor secure his palace”

Shaō ming said.

“How so?”

The mysterious man asked.

“Apparently someone was able to break into his property and he managed to steal the money handed yan zhu and released all the children he had imprisoned. Not just that. . .he was able to take down all of the guards there, each last one of them was defeated by this one man.” Shaō ming said while her body seemed to be shaking slightly, as it seems she was afraid of the man's response, who was above her.

“Where were you when that specific incident happened, shaō ming?” The mysterious man asked in a deep voice.

“I was. . .unable to stop him, my lord, I have failed, the enemy was too strong to handle. He seemed to use a specific technique, which had destroyed a huge part of yan zhu's palace”

The woman started shaking a bit more when the man didn't seem to respond for a while until he finally decided to talk, His face received a shock, changing his facial expressions as his lips turned up, exposing a smile filled with madness, yet he refrained from showing such face, to shaō ming.

“Does this man. . .know anything about us?” He asked. As his voice seemed to be disembodied, that echoed through the entire hall like a mighty horn.

“Not at all my lord he doesn-”

“But he saw you shaō ming, he saw you.”

The man said in a deep voice which stroke fear into the woman's heart.

She remained silent unable to respond.

“We should get rid of him. . .immediately.”

Said the man, before returning back to his original posture, resting his chin on his knuckles. His gaze towards Shaō Ming stroke her heart like a poisonous spear.

“Yes my lord. . .!”

“However, you won't be the one to do it. . we know nothing of his whereabouts. Hire Xingfu, and let her on with the information about him. Give her anything she asks for but make sure she accepts the job. . .i will deal with yan Zhu later.” He paused while thinking for a moment before speaking again. “She won't be convinced easily. . .remind her that I never ask for something. When it's worthless. .”

Apparently, something that the mysterious man said stroke more fear into the woman's heart and had shaken the guards standing from afar a little bit.

The name Xingfu seemed to have its own place in there. Which was why shaō ming's heart was grabbed by the iron fist of the fear itself.

“As you wish my lord.”

“Off you go. . .”

Shaō ming stood up then she quickly turned around heading towards the exit of the hall to do what she was ordered to do. And hire the so-called person known as ‘Xingfu’

TO BE CONTINUED. . .