Chapter 13: Like a Turtle

"If you try to fight back it'll only make things worst, just cover your head the best you can and endure" Cien's voice rang out into Teo's head

Teo wanted to try to run away or even fight back, but when he heard old man Cien's voice his thoughts quickly weighed his options.

If it was going to end here then he might as well just take it instead of resisting and adding more fuel to the fire, he should just endure it. Besides, he was confident that the Silver Sword members won't go too far because of his sister and Gina.

Teo tucked in his legs and use his hands to cover the back of his head. His arms cover the sides of his head as his face was facing down into the ground. He was like a turtle waiting for punishment

When the Silver Sword members saw this, they all laughed. They expected Teo to at least resist in some way but he was actually this pathetic

"This punk is even more pathetic than I thought! HA HA HA" Nathan laughed loudly

"You guys go and punish him for his mistakes" he ordered the other members

The first and second year students surrounded the pathetic turtle. Some even picked up large branches from a nearby tree.

They started kicking Teo that was laying down and the ones with branches swung down the huge branches onto his back. They kicked towards the side of his head and where his arms were covering.

A student kicked into the side of his stomach. The impact was so strong that it lifted Teo up a few inches off the ground and landed back, maintaining his turtle stance.

The other members from the Silver Sword Alliance just watched and laughed. They let the younger members handle their revenge because if also joined in and anyone found out they could face some trouble in the future.

They laughed and mocked "This turtle is quite pathetic, even a dog would try and resist! HA HA HA HA"

After 10 minutes of unrestrained beating the first and second years member were spent. Although they could not see his face, they knew that Teo was seriously wounded.

After seeing that the younger members' attacks slowing down. Nathan gave the signal to stop. He walked towards Teo and bent down and said "Remember this you piece of fucking trash, next time you irritate me even in the slightest, we will 'talk' about our differences again" Then he suddenly slammed his foot into Teo's side and Teo quickly flew into the bushes.

The Silver Sword members laughed as they walked away. They loved bullying the weak, it gave them a refreshing feeling; a feeling of superiority

....

After the Silver Sword members left, Teo was still in his turtle stance.

"Good job kid, you've endured it well" Cien mentally said

Teo slowly removed his hands covering his head and stood up.

Teo had a surprised looked on his face, he was shocked that although he felt some pressure from their attacks, it didn't hurt at all. There was not a single scratch on his body. All the attacks to him felt like someone lightly tapping him.

"Thanks for saving me Mr Cien" Teo said. He assumed this was because of old man Cien.

When Cien heard this, his eyes quickly flashed

Teo could feel that same slimy feeling he had felt earlier before

Cien was looking in at his body with his mysterious eye technique. Although Cien could see what Teo was seeing, he himself could not see Teo without using this technique.

Cien was also shocked that Teo was completely uninjured then he suddenly remembered. When he entered Teo's body the array formation on his turtle shell was left onto Teo's chest.

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This array formation was a very ancient formation that had a very high defensive properties. This defensive property must've protected Teo's body but there was something wrong...

"To activate this array formation... one needs to..." Cien whispered to himself.

Then he remember what had recently happen and he completely understood it

He quickly replied "Of course, do you think that I am such a cruel person to let you get lynched on by several people?"

Actually, he did hope for Teo to get beaten up a bit. After all he was still bitter about losing that recent bet with him.

Teo also thought the contrary. He was getting used to the petty character of old man Cien. He knew the old man would not do anything for free. He loves to gamble but also was very petty, the only positive characteristic that Cien had in Teo's eyes was that he always kept his promises. Even when he lose the bet, he would follow through the conditions of the bet.

Seeing Cien take the credit for his safeguarding, Teo saw the old man Cien in a better light

He soon headed back to his cave. He took a route that had not a lot of people.

He was still thankful for the long sleeve uniform that the kitchen workers had to wear because if it was not for that, the Silver Sword members would have seen his arms being uninjured after being kicked.

Teo decided to keep the old man Cien a secret. From the books he have read before, he knew that "the tallest tree gets the most wind". If one stood out the most, it might invite unwanted attention and even trouble.

He finally arrived at his cave. He quickly changed his clothes while he checked his body thoroughly. There wasn't even a single scratch from the "beating" he received. He took out the void stone from his bag, and sat on top of his bed in a lotus position.

Within the dark bedroom, he closed his eyes. Within his cave, he did not need to concentrate as hard because there was no noise, no wind, himself. He could easily hear his own pulse. Moments later, he started hearing old man Cien's pulse. Then he concentrated his mind and the two pulses faded away. He could not sense anything at all so his mind started to wander. He kept trying to maintain his concentration.

He tried to feel the pulse of the void stone for a little over an hour and then gave up. He could still not feel the void pulse at all.

He went back into the world within the shell. While being in this world, his body outside was sleeping, and thus he didnt need any sleep. He walked to where the benches and the book was. He looked at old man Cien and he was as usually, laying on his hammock.

Teo was wondering if Cien really did intentionally save him earlier. 'Maybe he saved me by accident?' Teo then gave up on that idea and shook his head.

'I shouldn't judge Mr Cien too harshly, if it wasn't for him, I would've been black and blue'

Teo opened up the book and the a gust of wind blew past him, the pages flipped as the air blue through it.

Seeing the pages being flipped by the wind, a sudden idea popped out of Teo's head 'Hmm... could it be possible?'

Teo looked at old man Cien and then his gaze horizontally moved, gazing across the world within the shell.

The took the book that was in his hand and closed the book then placing it on the bench.

He sat down on the bench in a lotus position and closed his eyes.