The room they were sitting at right now, was well designed. It came unexpected for Jim, Anton, Mingliang and Somad, because the front yard and the entrance of the house were dirty, left unattended and cramped. They were expecting a gloomy dark room. A weird smell lingered in its humid air and maybe with spider webs on the corners of the room.

But they found a large lounge, big comfortable modern sofas. A large glass rail door, at one side, opened and faced a beautiful garden. The light flooded the room from that direction.

A small fish pond with waterfall decorate the interior, combined with several plants, create a cool natural setting for the lounge.

A tall old man was sitting on one of the sofas. He was watching the koi fish in the pond when they entered the room.

He took his time, ignored them, play with the fish and let them wait for him before he turned to them and greeted them, "Come in, take a seat. I've been waiting for you."

Jim quietly observed the old man. He had a thick cotton-like white hair, framed his dark sun-burned skin. Wrinkles deeply etched on his face, creating a line that accentuated his hawk-like features. He was tall and athletic. There was no sign of fatigue or weakness in his posture. From his forearm, under his wrinkled skin, Jim could see the lean, well-toned wiry muscles.

The old man smiled, but there was no smile in his calculating eyes. There was no emotion there, just calculating.

Anton knew Jim wouldn't start talking. He also saw Mingliang was reluctant to come. So the young detective decided to take the burden on his own, "Mr. Wisnu, I believe you already knew of our purpose, visiting you here."

The old man waved his hand dismissively. He didn't even look at Anton. He fixed his eyes on Mingliang.

"Well, boy, you sure a clone of your mother. Grow your hair, shave all those annoying facial hairs, a bit narrow shoulder, wider hip and a bit volume on the chest. Hmm..., you'll be exactly like your mother. Tall, slim, elegant.", the old man's eyes weirdly gleamed as he spoke.

Somad's eyes slowly opened wide, he stared at the old man, then glanced at his teacher.

At first, Anton was annoyed when the old man dismissed him. But then he heard the old man, and Anton stared at the old man in disbelief. A minute later, he lowered his head, and his body was shaking. There was a muffled sound of giggles coming from his direction.

Even Jim's mouth was twitching furiously.

Now they knew why Mingliang didn't want to give the old man a visit. From a glance Jim found clues. There were many group pictures of two men and a woman in various places in the room. One of the men was the young version of Mr. Wisnu. The other men and the woman reminded him of old pictures in Mingliang's room. Jim assumed that was Mingliang's father and mother.

Mingliang blushed to his ears. He knew it was going to happen. The old man was an old friend of their family and never hid his unrequited love to his mother. His father just laughed it off, whenever the old man acted like this.

"He was just teasing you.", He said.

Anton finally had his giggles under control. He raised his head and talked to the old man once more, "I'm sorry sir, but we're here for official business. It's about people's lives."

The old man leaned his back comfortably on his sofa, once again he waved Anton's plead dismissively. His mouth turned down showing his dissatisfaction. His eyes fixed on Mingliang, not even a glance to the other.

"We need your help.", finally, Mingliang gave up and spoke.

The old man's smile bloomed on his face, "Well well well..., that's what I'm waiting for Not hard isn't it?"

Mingliang almost exploded, he had to work hard to control his emotion. He was going to retort when the old man waved his hand, "Now, now, okay forget about it. My fault, okay? My apology. Just tell me the whole story."

Anton silently applauded the old man, for cutting right at the moment when Mingliang was going to explode. Mingliang struggled to take back all the words he prepared to say. After closing his eyes and taking several deep breaths, Mingliang was ready to tell the story. He practiced meditation for years, not for nothing. In a short time, he got good control over his emotion. Efficiently, he narrated all the incidents, didn't waste time on the details, neither forgot any important one.

The old man didn't make jokes any longer. He from time to time closed his eyes, making calculations, from time to time opened his eyes and stared at Mingliang. Sighing the old man was shaking his head. He seemed to lose some of his earlier vigors, "Why do you want to stop it?"

"Since the seal existed, we've been living like ants and cockroaches."

"We who wield power and knowledge, to crumble a mountain with our fist and dry an ocean with a single word."

"Why would you want to stop it?"

"They're breaking the law.", Mingliang replied.

"Screw the law.", the old man snorted in disdain, "The law is made to cater for the weak."

Jim's eyes were thinning dangerously as soon as he heard that. He didn't take it lightly when people despised the law. The law was his life. He took the offense personally. The only reason, he didn't physically attack the old man right now, because it would break the law.

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The old man, still looking at Mingliang, was making a gesture at Jim and sneered, "You see. That's law. Even when you think you're right, the law binds your hands, and you can't do what you believe is right."

Jim growled, "Without law, everyone will do what they want to do, forcing their truth to other people. The strong eat the weak. People would suffer. Without law, there would be chaos everywhere."

The old man was shaking his head, showing his pity for Jim, "Oh..., I won't argue with you. Soon, you will see how fragile your so-called law is."

Mingliang coldly cut the old man's long speech, "Stop it, please. You are my elder, and I respect you, but I believe you're wrong. The law we're discussing here exists to protect the weak, that's true. But that doesn't mean it has no wisdom in it. Doesn't means it's a fool's job to protect it."

"I prefer to stand for this man-made law because I believe the weak have the same right as the strong. I'm not defending this law in itself, but defending what this law represents."

"Weak, strong, both are different aspects of one same truth. We're all related in a way we can't see. It isn't some altruism to protect the weak. It is wisdom. Even the great Dao gives a space for the weak to live and prosper."

The old man had a gentle smile on his face, for a while it reminded Mingliang to his own father, but a few seconds later the smile went away. He was looking at Mingliang, and the previous weird look came back, "Hmm... Have I told you how much you remind me to your mother?"

"You....", Mingliang choked with rage.

"Okay, listen to me now. There is something you need to know.", before Mingliang exploded, the old man's expression turned serious.

Once again Mingliang lost his chance to explode.

"All of you need to know this.", the old man looked around to all of his guests.

The old man waited until he got everyone's attention, "Among real practitioners, the news you just brought to me, isn't something new. We've heard of the plan to break the seal for quite some time now."

"The incidents you told me, we've heard it. We know what it's supposed to do. And we know, the next one will be the last one. The biggest ritual that will completely break the seal."

"Do you know where the location is?", Jim's voice was chilly when he asked. He believed all the old man's word, but the more he listened, the more he disliked the old man.

"I don't know, but I can calculate, where it might be.", the old man ignored Jim's expression, he calmly answered. "I even know when they will do it. The news had spread around several days ago."

Jim wrinkled his eyebrows, "Who spread this news? You are saying that you've heard all these rumors. How reliable is the source?"

The old man silently stared at Jim, "First, I don't care whether you believe me or not."

"Second, hehehe, do you know who started the news? It was their own group spreading their plan. They tell people in my community all their plan.", he smirked.

The old man turned to Mingliang, "Why do they do that? What do you think?"

Mingliang eyes widened, "Are you saying..., are you people supporting them?"

The old man nodded his head, "Not everyone, but many are attracted to the idea. Can you imagine that? There are who have tasted the power and then slowly losing it. Now, someone promises to return that power to them, even tens of time, or hundreds of time bigger. How many people do you think would give their commitment to help?"

"How many?", Mingliang's hand wet with cold sweat.

"I don't know. You know how these old bones live in secrecy. Each only trusts and knows two or three others. And you don't tell others what you know about the other.", the old man shook his head.

"Are you support them?", Mingliang pursued the old man.

The old man snorted in disdain, "No, and no one with their right mind will support this crazy idea. They think they'll break the seal and then what? Grow powerful? How strong? Compared to those old devils sealed on the other side, they're nothing but ants."

"You said many committed to the cause, don't they know about those colossus existences at the other side?", Mingliang remembered the one he had met.

The old lowered his head and shook it helplessly, "They're blind by their greed for power. They said they've made a contract with the ruler of the other side. They think, they'll rule along with those who came from the other side."

"You..., you don't like the idea. Would you help us?", Mingliang hopefully asked.

The old man shrugged his shoulder, "I will help you calculate where it will be held. But I won't risk my life, trying to stop them."

"How about the other? You can talk to them. We can gather them to fight together.", Mingliang didn't want to give up to have the old ones to fight with him.

"They're same with me. We know how futile it is to stop it.", The old man raised his head and looked straight at Mingliang, "You don't know what you're going to face boy. Just let it happen. Stay away from it."

Mingliang's hand formed a fist, he had met the Colossus existence from the other side. He had faced him and made his stand. Smiling calmly he shook his head and replied, "No."

"I'll not hide. If I hide from this, maybe I will live. But whatever lives, is no longer I.", Mingliang's eyes clear and bright.

The old man saw his determination and sighed, "You have exactly six months to prepare. The big ritual will be held six months from today. I'll help you to calculate where they might do it. I don't know the exact location, because I refused to make a contract with the devil."

Mingliang clenched his fists, "Six months.... six month is enough."

---- o ----

Before they left the house, they finally got the old man promised them, he would calculate where the ritual would likely happen. He needed time, once he got the locations, he would give them the list. With a heavy heart, Jim, Anton, and Mingliang left the house. The threat hung above their head like the sword of Damocles. Only Somad didn't really care about all the old man's warning.

Inside the house, the old man gently watched Mingliang's mother picture.

"I've tried... I've tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen.", shaking his head, the old man seemed to grow several years older in seconds.