CHAPTER 98: SAVING JAO CONG

“Zen.”

The darkness had engulfed him. He was not sure of what, who or where he was. The first thing to comeback was the who. His name was Wang Zen. The name brought back his whole existence and identity.

“Zen!”

The what then came. He was a male, with a cultivation base of Intermediary Rank 4. And the sensation his body was feeling was pain. He wondered if this was the worst pain he had ever felt.

“ZEN!”

Zen’s eyes flew open to see Shibi standing on his chest. “Sh-Shibi?” He sat up, causing Shibi to go down to his lap. “The Snow Ram? Jao Fuu and Jao Cong? And… who was calling my name?” Zen rubbed his head, sure that he had hit his head to hard. He looked down to Shibi who looked into his eyes.

“Zen,” Shibi said.

Yes, Zen thought, I definitely hit my head too hard.

Silicy landed and on the ground and Shaonu leapt off, running to Fuu’s side who crouched and cried beside Jao Cong. On the other side was Deng Ai, who also sat helplessly, looking at Jao Fuu crying.

“The more we move him the weaker he gets and town is too far away.” She said between sobs.

Geyi Kun merged from the forest.

“Geyi Kun,” Shaonu said. “Your-You’re a herbalist right. Is there anything you can do?”

Geyi Kun shook her head as she stared at Jao Cong. “I don’t have any of my herbs and I wouldn’t know what to do to help him even if I did.”

Zen stumbled from the forest with Shibi leading him. He saw The group, focused on the unconscious Jao Cong. He collapsed to his knees in dread, the only sounds in the forest being Jao Fuu crying. The sun disappeared under the horizon, engulfing the group in the darkness of the starry sky.

There was the sound of crunching and Hue Yi walked into view. He looked at the pitiful group before saying, “He can still be saved.” Everyone looked at him. “Zen, you could still save him.”

“H-How?” Zen said in confusion.

Zen noticed everyone looking at him in amazement. “What?” he said to everyone.

“It probably happened during your tussle with the Snow Ram.” Hue Yi said, walking closer to him.

“What? What happened?”

“I’m surprised you haven’t sensed it yet.” Hue Yi said as he stepped in front of the kneeling Zen.

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Zen looked at himself and in the night, he could see dots of light on his clothes arms and chest. These dots held power.

Hue Yi raised his arms and they weaved through the air as the dots of light rose from Zen and coalesced into a shining, hovering sphere inn between Hue Yi’s palms.

Hue Yi raised the orb, which floated above his palm. “I’m sure you know the Snow Ram produces a liquid that can help cultivation but it also has a healing property to it. It could help Jao Cong but because this is yours, I have to ask you, can he have it?”

Zen hesitated. This was the reason he had come into the forest and risked the journey. He needed to this to increase his cultivation base, so why should he give it away? Guilt and shame washed over him. Right now, Jao Cong needed it more. “Yes.”

Hue Yi rushed over to the head of Jao Cong and placed the orb above Jao Cong’s head. Light spread from the orb and washed over Jao Cong’s body which, in turn, made his body glow The orb decreased in size the longer the light emanated from it until it disappeared into nothing.

Jao Cong’s body stopped glowing, his body looking normal, his face no longer bruised and his chest rising and falling normally. Cong groaned and opened his eyes to be greeted by the sight of his twin sister.

“Jao Fuu?” he said, causing her sister to smile through her tears. He sat up, looking around at the smiling faces that looked at him.

It was the next day. The group had survived a harsh and cold night and had started the journey home the next morning. Silicy flew overhead, enjoying the breeze and also looking out for the group. They asked each other but no one seemed to know where the third bandit, Xi was, so the group was still on alert, even though they doubted that she would retaliate now that she was outnumbered.

“Hey Zen’er!”

Zen slowed down to talk to his cousin Jao Fuu. “Yeah?”

“Although you did something stupid by coming here, thanks for saving Jao Cong.” Fuu said. “All is forgiven, so I won’t pummel you into the ground once your fully healthy.”

“Oh! Thanks.” Zen was genuinely thankful at being forgiven by Jao Fuu, meaning he would not need to worry about his cousin being on his case.

“I still can’t believe that you survived a battle against a fully grown Snow Ram.” Hue Yi said. “From what I could sense, it was at the peak of Grandmaster. The fact you survived shows that you have an extreme amount of dumb luck.”

“Well that’s no surprise,” Jao Fuu said, “considering he is extremely dumb.”

The group was struggling to hold back their giggling at Fuu’s comment and Zen just grumbled at the jabs to his person.

“Anyways,” Hue Yi said, “I have these acadey badges and the storage stones from that bandit.” He held up academy badges and storage stones. They all took what was theres ad locked their storage stones with their signature ki once again.

“What will you do with the rest?” Geyi Kun asked, looking at the rest of the storage stones in his hands.

“Considering I defeated him, I’d say the rest are mine.”

Zen reached for his academy badge but Hue Yi slapped his hand away. “Not you, Zen. I’m not giving you your stuff, until you return my property.”

“Your-Your property?”

“My bingo card. The one I gave you at the beginning of the year?”

“They have it!” Zen pointed at his twin cousins.

“What are you talking about?” Jao Fuu said.

“The card I gave you guys.” Zen said. “The brown one with… You Know Who’s picture.” Zen elaborated at seeing Fuu’s confusion.

“I think Zen is talking about the card with Chen Jian’s information.” Jao Cong said.

“Yeah… sure Jao Cong, tell everyone what the card is about.” Zen grumbled.

“Oh! I remember that!” Jao Fuu produced her storage stone and summoned the car in her empty hand. “It ws clear whenever me and Cong’er tried to view it.”

Zen took it from her and handed it over to Hue Yi who in exchange gave him his badge. “That’s because it is set to only be viewed by Zen and I… well, soon, only me.” Heu Yi said as he returned the bingo card to his storage stone. “Now, unless you guys want to place your lives in needless danger again, let’s head back to the Academy.”

They all unanimously agreed.