CHAPTER 12

The elder nodded and took Mir’s hand. While it felt somehow weird as he never let his own father take him by the hand in this life, he decided not to protest over it tonight. Only tonight though. They both entered the inn and elder Lan left Mir once he was sure he had gone to his bedroom. Then, rather than going to sleep, he got outside again after depositing his space bag on his desk. The eyes were still there, monitoring his every move. He walked fast, faster than any man running could. And walked far enough that he left the Imposing Thunder Mountain School premises. He was several kilometers away, in a desolate land. There were trees everywhere around. He had stopped in a plain with small green grass. He was standing in the middle of the area. After a few seconds, he calmly said:

“Get out. we’re far enough that there’s no need for you to hide anymore.”

Chuckles were heard as several people got out of the forest and appeared in the plain. They were facing the elder that has turned to see who they were. He was quite surprised. There was indeed the Wide Green Valley elder Joris. But he came with a few other elders of his school. Though they were weaker, they weren’t weaker by that much and he was alone. To deal with Joris would have been tough enough but with the other elders there…The prospects were grim. Still, it was better to face him now and lose than to have him target the kid.  He readied himself and took a fighting stance. He had his knees slightly bowed, ready to propels himself forward. With his hands clasped into a fist and a pam respectively. However, Din Joris only laughed at the sight and said:

“There’s no haste, elder Lan. Everyone has yet to come out.”

Elder Lan frowned as the forest whistled and figures got out of it and walked on the plain, stopping around elder Joris. There were many people from different factions but they were, for most of them, easy to discern. They were people sent by royals. They had the armor with the princes and princesses crest on them. Elder Lan sighed and put his hands up in the sky. He said:

“How did this happen? I understand you being there Joris as you always had a grudge against me and our last bet is enough reason for you to go out of your way to arrange a nice rendez-vous with me. But did you have to treat me to such a fancy party? How did you get royals to stand up for you?

-Humph! Don’t you dare do this, old fox! I was there that night when you stood behind the ninth prince and used your tricks to have him win all bets!

-Yes, I saw you there...But I was also watching the show, with the spectators. Sure, I have ties to the prince and his winning that night is something I rejoice at. But! I have no part in the matter!

-Humph! You dare! Old fool! I, for one, could recognize your aura from miles! And those people are no different. You can’t hide the fact that you were there!”

Elder Lan chuckled to himself and thought ‘Well, not a bad night to die, is it? The moon is beautiful, the scenery as well and I had the time of my life at a royal’s party. What’s more, dying while fighting alone so many prominent characters… Not bad at all.’

He was ready to go all out if need be but he decided to ask one thing before:

“Why did you come for me tonight?

-As much as I hate to say it, we still need the items back and we would like for you to confirm the identity of the third person.

-Ahahah! What a joke! Those are both things I shall take with me to the grave!

-Yeah, that’s what I hoped for to be honest. I’m glad you are not being a disappointment to my expectations. Men, capture this old fool! We have much to ask him!

-Try it if you can, you bunch of mongrels!”

It was one against many. But elder Lan was serene. He started channeling his energy and began using a skill at the same time as his opponents did. They shot him all kinds of weird energy skills. It was as if dozens of fireworks with different shapes and colors collided together to go straight towards elder Lan. He condensed energy into his fist and turned into the fire element. His fist was encompassed in violent energy, ready to go out and erase all. He paced himself and threw out a fist, tearing out the ground under his feets and destroying everything in his way. This was one of the three secret skills of the Burning Sea School and the one they were most proud of, the [Great Burning Sea Fist]. By condensing incredible amounts of energy and element of fire in one’s fist then discharging it all in one great punch. The fire was unending and burnt even the air. This skill was named as such because it was rumored the school founder succeeded in burning the sea with this fist attack when he used it. And tonight, elder Lan would have made him proud. His mastery in the skill was high and he carefully used his energy and the element to reach a perfect mix. His martial art was used to throw the punch in the most efficient way and the fire was forming a fist itself as it travelled towards the incoming bunch of attacks from his opponents. The fire trail it was leaving behind making look like a fire arm extending. The skills colluded and a devastating explosion unfolded. Elder lan was projected hundred meters away while his opponents didn’t budge. As he got up, he laughed. Elder Joris laughed as well and praised him:

“You are indeed worthy of your titles, elder Lan of the Burning fists! This was a wonderful use of your school heritage and demonstration of your mastery. I praise you for it! However, it seems like it won’t be enough. I don’t think you have any trump cards to use and even then, I doubt they would change much of the current situation. Why don’t you just give up and do as we say?

-Ahahah! What a beautiful night to die a warrior’s death! Come! Let me have the time of my life!”

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Elder Joris laughed and murmured to himself:

“You’ve always been such a crazy man, but I liked that about you, you wouldn’t have been a worthy rival otherwise.”

Then, he turned to his men and said:

“Let’s go, we will end this.

-But, elder Joris, didn’t the royals asked to bring him back alive?

-Can’t you see this old fool? He is resolved to die tonight. Let us grant him his wish as a way to honor his position and his life.

-Yes, elder!

-Now, go!

-Yes, elder!”

The battle began once more. As the different cultivators from the different factions began concentrating their energies, elder Lan did the same and took the same pose as before. He was going to unleash his secret skill again. Though it consumed a lot of his energy and mental awareness, he had no other choice if he wanted to stall for time.

After a few more exchanges, he was hardly able to stand on his legs. At least, he couldn’t take a step. He was bleeding all over, had bruises everywhere and his clothes were torn in so many places it would be easier to name the places they weren’t. he was in a bad state. And it was his last time standing back up. The opponents were fine, if a little exhausted. They were only battling from afar because it was less risky for them. Individually, they might lose to the elder and to fight together, they needed to be spaced out. To not interfere and endanger their comrades. That was the reason it was taking so long. But as the fight was nearing its end, elder Joris, that was in charge, stopped them. He said:

“Lan, won’t you admit defeat and follow us? This is me giving you one last chance.

-Ah, guess life would be boring without your old rival, wouldn’t it? Unfortunately, I don’t plan to ever surrender to anyone.

-That is a shame, indeed. I honor you for the life you lived, Lan. Now, you die. Any last words?

-Screw you.”

At those words, rows of flashing attacks were fired towards elder Lan. He was unable to face them anymore and closed his eyes. Death was accepted. But just as he thought it would happen, an explosion that shouldn’t have happened saved him. He opened his eyes again and saw the ninth prince, Mare Reg Nio, on his right and the Imposing Thunder Mountain grand elder Tuan Len. Next to him were four other elders, Tin Jar from the Bright Crypt School, Arbi Brid from the UnderSky Temple School, Delfi Alisia from the Black Willow School and Will Helm from the Big Tiger School. The first to speak was elder Tuan Len. He screamed to elder Joris:

“What the hell do you think you are doing, Din Joris?!

-None of your business, Tuan Len! Get lost! And you all old folks as well!”

The next one to speak up was elder Delfi. For a woman, she had quite the charisma as she screamed:

“Idiot! Of course, it is our business! You are trying to kill Quin Lan over an item! One that you lost fairly! And you are doing all this during the Genius tournament! You damn imbecile!

-Tch. So, what if I am? Get lost! Or I shall add you all to the list!”

At those words, the prince chuckled and answered him:

“Try it if you want!”

Then, hundreds of soldiers appeared from the forest, standing behind Mare Reg Nio. They were all wearing golden full-plate armor with the ninth prince crest in them, on their torso. They were willingly letting out energy so others could feel their power. They were all rank three warriors. Such an army wasn’t to laugh at. Elder Joris had been proud that he could rally a few royals to launch the attack but there were only four dozen of them on his side. Facing a few hundred monsters was suicide. The grand elder and the ninth prince himself would have been enough to prove a hard fight but a whole army? Impossible. Elder Lan laughed as he said:

“Ahahah! It seems like it isn’t yet time for me to blow my last fire!”

Then he passed out and fell to the ground. This made a few of the grand elders on his side laugh. Elder Delfi was the one to approach him and said:

“I guess it falls upon me to look after him since I am the only one with herbal knowledge here. You men fight out between yourselves.”

She got on her knees and looked over elder Lan. She started taking out medicines and items from her space bag and began treating him. At the same time, the prince walked forward. He said:

“Elder Joris. I know that most people think of me as a prince that enjoy luxuries and fooling around more than anything. And, due to that, most are forgetting about that simple fact. The one that my personal army is the most powerful out of all the royals except those my father has already recognized as potential successors…Though I will soon surpass them too. Anyway, choose. Get lost and never appear again or die. This is the same for you all and your employers. Tell my brothers and sisters not to mess with my friends or there will be consequences.”

Everyone felt shiver down their spines. This threat wasn’t empty. The sight of the hundred soldiers was not a joke. It was serious business. The people here were going to depart when the prince went on:

“You heard me too, Cassius.”

There was a slight pause from anyone as they all turned around to face east. From there, a man stood out from the forest. It was a tall and burly man wearing violet armor. He had the helmet on his hand and was revealing his scar-filled face to all. He had a bright smile on his face. He was Cassius. The second son of the king. Mare Reg Cassius. He stopped a few meters away from both sides and laughed before saying to his brother:

“Don’t be like this, little brother, I only thought it might have been fun to play with you all for some time.”

Everyone present frowned at his words. If Mare Reg Nio had a big army, Cassius had a huge one. but the difference was that Cassius didn’t need it. He was strong. All the people present were rank 3 but they weren’t at the same realms. The elders were around the sixth and seven realms and the soldiers fourth to six realms. But Cassius? He was at the ninth realm. He was a powerhouse. A monster. No one doubted that he could slaughter everyone that was here. He had that power. A single expert can take on hundreds of amateurs. This saying doesn’t come from rumors. However, at those words, one person laughed whole-heatedly. It was Mare Reg Nio. He knew his brother quite well. After so many dozens of years living with him in the palace… His brother probably came here to make sure nothing happened to elder Lan too. He was a man that strived for justice and he wouldn’t stand by if his own family had tried to assassinate someone for winning a bet fairly against them, no matter the stakes. That’s when Mare Reg Nio remembered one of his brother’s advice and said:

“If you can’t afford to lose, then don’t bet. Was it?

-Ah, found out, am I? Well, it was a nice show that they gave. I enjoyed myself enough for tonight. I will be going back first since the festivities are ending. Goodbye everyone.”

Mare Reg Cassius then disappeared with a strong gust of wind. It was him taking off at full speed through the forest. Mare Reg Nio was right. He came here in the first place because he heard of the betting invitation his brother sent and had been curious. Then, he thought there was going to be a nice battle and followed the scent of hatred to the plain. He would have stood out for elder Lan too. He didn’t like injustice. Even if he was a prince, he had never been once unjust or abused his position.

As he left, many sighed in relief. But gasped as Mare Reg Nio fixed them. He said once more:

“All of you scram. And don’t you dare try anything again.”

They ran away. All of them but elder Joris that left after a few words:

“I shall have revenge in a different way then. When he wakes up, tell Lan I will surely find him for a new bet.”