Chapter 30: Becoming a Disciple
Guo Huo reached for the axe strapped to his back and held it
out toward his right side.
He then jumped down and by using his flames, flew down to
the battle, landing between Zhao Yue and the berserk Jia Yuan.
He then let his domineering aura float over the village
center, encompassing all those participating in the fight.
Whether it was Jia Yuan or the Zhao family, or even the Zhao
family patriarch, nobody was able to move under the domineering force.
Guo Huo looked at Jia Yuan and felt a pang of guilt. After
all, it was because of his choice to thoroughly test Jia Yuan that had driven
the child to such a state.
He tapped his necklace and took out a pill. He then used
solidified part of his aura and used it to open Jia Yuan’s mouth and placed the
pill in the child’s mouth. He then lightly hit the underside of Jia Yuan’s jaw,
making him swallow.
A few seconds after consuming the pill, Jia Yuan’s eyes
slowly became less bloodshot, and his thoughts and demeanor returned to normal.
After a few more seconds, Jia Yuan started as if waking from
a dream.
Hmm? What was I doing?
Why does my left shoulder hurt so much?
He then saw Guo Huo standing in front of him. He blinked, then
looked around the village center and saw the destruction and dead bodies
surrounding him. He looked up at Guo Huo and gazed at the old man with a look
of distrust.
“You promised you’d help with the Zhao family head.”
“No, I promised to deal with him if you dealt with everyone
else first.”
Jia Yuan shut his mouth, but still stared at Guo Huo with a
look of distrust.
Guo Huo gave Jia Yuan a wry smile with a bit of guilt in his
eyes. “Alright, alright. I made a mistake okay? I just wanted to test your
fighting prowess. Was that your first time getting injured in a fight?”
Jia Yuan nodded.
“Whoo… that explains a bit. However, it appears that you don’t
have much self- control, or you wouldn’t have gone berserk. That will be
something we have to fix in the future.”
While the two were chatting, the members of the Zhao family
were held in place by Guo Huo’s aura. They stared at Guo Huo with eyes of fear.
How strong was this person, to be render them unable to move with just his
aura?
It also seemed that this old man who had jumped down was
well acquainted with Jia Yuan. It was fortunate that the Zhao family couldn’t
move at all, or they would have been shaking with fear. In fact, Zhao Hai, the
patriarch’s son, had taken the liberty to wet his pants.
Seeing this scene, the surrounding villagers began to sound
some voices of hope.
For the last few months, they had been continually suppressed
and mistreated by the Zhao family. Seeing that there was a mighty power dealing
with the Zhao family, it felt to the villagers as if justice was being dealt.
“Wow, that man is so strong!”
“I wonder who he is! That kind of strength should be rare
even within the entire Kingdom!”
“Why does he know Jia Yuan? Is it because of that child that
this man came here?”
“Screw that, didn’t you see Jia Yuan fight earlier? He’s
only 11 but he was able to decimate most of the Zhao family himself!”
Previously, the villagers had all been either too enthralled
or frightened by the fighting going on to make any exclamations. But now, since
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
none of the fighters were able to move, they had a sudden lull. As such, phrases
such as these began to flood the houses surrounding the village center.
Having finished speaking to Jia Yuan, Guo Huo turned back to
Zhao Yue.
“Your family has continually broken the laws of the Fire
Kingdom. As such, today, I deliver justice.”
With that said, he waved his arm. Instantly, every remaining
Zhao family felt a burst of flame coming from their abdomen. Seconds later,
they all died as their insides quickly burned from the deadly fires.
Guo Huo turned back to Jia Yuan. “Child, I am sorry for
testing your limits today. However, it is important that you get a true taste
of battle when you are young. Otherwise, you will be too brazen when you fight,
like when you tried to fight the bandits at the neighboring village. If you
keep fighting like that, you will die young.”
Jia Yuan was still full of bitterness, but even he had to
admit that the old man’s words were true.
“Fine, fine. I forgive you, but only because you dealt with
the Zhao family.”
“I have another request.”
“What is it, old man?”
“I freed you from your master for the purpose of you
becoming my disciple. I’ve spent the last few days observing you, and I’ve come
to the conclusion that you possess a very high level Song and have some
fighting experience. However, you lack an education and as such you lack
self-control and deductive reasoning.”
“If you wish to become a truly strong individual, you will
have to learn these things. I am one of the strongest people in the Fire
Kingdom, and I am an experienced fighter. Furthermore, I have friends who are
extremely adept at teaching the things you do not have.”
“So, what do you say?”
Jia Yuan looked at the old man. Everything Guo Huo had just
said seemed very sincere, which suggested that he really wanted to help Jia
Yuan. Seeing this sincerity, the bitterness in Jia Yuan’s heart began to fade
away. After considering Guo Huo’s proposal for a bit longer, Jia Yuan
responded.
“Fine, but I have a condition. You have to explain to me why you wish to have me as a disciple.”
"Hmph. Very well, you have the right to know..."
"Long ago, I was like you, at the bottom side of the Absorption realm. I dreamt of power. I dreamt of being so strong, that I would be worshiped by the massive as a god. In this, for the most part, I succeeded..."
"But the stronger I became, the weaker I realized I was. Over time, I eventually realized just how vast the world is... I am no longer young, and I will be unable to conquer this vast world. But someone like you, who has such a high level Song, and is like a blank sheet of paper, yet to be hit by the cruelties of the world, may be able to do so."
"So that is my answer. I wish for you to be my disciple, because I wish to leave behind a legacy. If I cannot achieve the peak of martial cultivation myself, I would at least like to be remembered as the teacher of one who did."
With that clarified, Jia Yuan had no reason Guo Huo’s offer. Jia Yuan was a rather foolish kid, but when it came to moments like these, he was still sincere and knew what to do. He abruptly dropped to his knees and kowtowed to Guo
Huo three times. He then stood up, cupped his hands toward Guo Huo, and said, “Teacher.”