Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 324: The bird

'Gods, these bird body is as tough as steel.' Xiyun complains. The bird is called Iron Bird. Their body is tough like the name suggest. 

They are flying without any worries when Xiyun attacked the, their blue irises turn black and Xiyun feel a little chill. 

Gods, these birds are terrifying. Seeing their eyes, could make my knees buckled. Of course, that would be the old Xiyun. 

'Hunting you beast this time make me feel excited.' She said to herself

Xiyun begin attacking again by throwing the mini spear to the birds but the birds just ram the stick and the stick broke and the birds launched itself to Xiyun 

Their beak is like a sharp sword dashing to Xiyun. Xiyun dodge and the birds missed its target. 

But Xiyun could tell. If that beak reaches her, a hole will be formed in her body. If not that at least an injury that will leave her easy prey for the other hostile birds.

'Alright' she said. Throwing it normally will not work. Then she remembers what her teacher told her. 

That internal energy function is to unleash the human power and we can imbue their weapon with it.

But imbuing too much destroy the object, imbuing too little will be of no use. This is the third lesson Arial wanted to teach Xiyun. 

Distribution of internal energy. One of the most unknown concepts to Arial before he was given guidance by the Southern Healer. 

Xiyun finally understand. Her teacher did not tell her to do some impossible task. 

All of this is meant to guide her, teach her, and enlighten her with practical application. She nodded. 

So, as long as she follows what she believes the intention of her teacher, she can do this. Distribution of power she reminded herself... then she remembered. 

She slowly channels her energy to the stick, slowly, slowly energy from her hand is entering the stick, strengthening its structure, then that power is centered on the edge of the sharp stick.

Then as another bird flew to Xiyun, confident of her success, she threw it to the bird and the stick flew while giving a white vapor of energy surrounding the stick and pierces the bird heart and the bird drop to the ground and dies instantly. 

It staggered before the bird die in great pain. The other birds chirp in fear or anxiousness seeing one of their kind die.

'So this is the feeling. I need to remember this.' Xiyun grins on her success. It is not a bad feeling. 

Then she tries again, throwing another stick, and another bird dies. Her sack for the bird is actually full with the sharp stick. 

And like a rushing fletcher in a siege battle she quickly took out the sharp stick from the sack and attack relentlessly, mercilessly. 

When she is desperate, and about to get attacked by that sharp beak, that could pierce metal, she rolled around the area dodging the birds attack while taking the dropped stick and throwing it with strength and precision.

Xiyun did not give the bird times to rest. She keeps attacking the birds with a ferocity and confidence. 

Her confidence rises since she has been in this situations many times. The rabbit hunt. The wolves hunt. 

She has learned many things from this hunt planned by her teacher. Her teacher method might be a little unorthodox but Xiyun had to admit it work. 

Surely Xiyun will not be able to forget this lesson. 

Sometimes when the bird fly low enough, Xiyun will jump and kick it centering her internal energy to the tip of her toes, destroying the poor bird with one swipe of her feet, leaving nothing but a splash of blood. 

Even she feels a little pity. After all she needs the body of these birds to show to her teacher so destroying them to a splash of blood is not her intention. 

She did it unintentionally. But she also felt happy. Power is coursing through her body, her nerves, in every part of her body. 

She is wild and on a rampage. First rampager of the rabbits. Then of wolf. Now, a rampager of birds. 

Arial looking at the dedicated face of his disciple so diligently rampaging around the bird, hold back his laughter.

'At least she is passionate' Arial said looking at Xiyun. 

He keeps his distance from Xiyun but never had he lost his watchful gaze from the safety of his disciple.

Xiyun is using every limb she has to fight with these iron birds. 

She uses her feet, her hands, even her forehead, sometimes even doing a head butt with the Iron Bird, a few of the bird brain matter still stuck on Xiyun forehead.

She just wipes it and move on with her attack.

Sometimes Xiyun is moving round and round, rolling on the ground avoiding the attack by the birds as they chirp and bring more friends but Xiyun is now confident of her ability, on freely distributing her internal energy to the other parts of her body. 

Right now fighting these birds, her body is a weapon. She has stopped using the dagger instead using her body to kill these birds. 

Palm, feet, strikes, punching, kicking, grabbing, and smashing.

The sound of the birds creaking and shrieking rends Xiyun heart but she knows, if she does not kill she will be killed. 

She keeps assaulting that she doesn't even realized it has been hours since she started to fight and hundreds of birds has turned into fertilizer for the ground, all turn to blood the moment they get attacked by Xiyun. 

Seeing that this human doesn't let up, the birds retreated. Xiyun is panting. Quickly she took all the birds remains and stuffs it in the sack. 

'Hurry' she said to herself. 

'Before that dreadful bird came back' she urges herself. josei

Suddenly she heard a roar so scary that Xiyun trembled. What was that? She realized that the roar seems to have originated from the direction of where the birds is retreating. 

'Not my problem' Xiyun said and swiftly after she has acquired about two hundred remains of the bird she run away from that place and return to her cave. 

Yesterday after leaving the creek, she found a cave that is suitable for her to sleep in.

'Huu…that dam bird. Really almost give me a fright.' Settling down on her cave, she has a chance to take a breath. 

'I completed teacher request.' She said smiling, satisfied. 

'With this I can return. I understand what teacher has been trying to teach me. At last this will surely make teacher happy.' 

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Arial on the other hand has settled the retreating bird. Arial know the birds will call more so he used Dragon Roar to kill all of the birds. 

'Opps' Arial said as he accidentally tramples on one of the bird corpse. The corpse burst out and the bird heart exploded.

Arial then knowing that Xiyun has completed her request nodded in satisfaction and started going home. 

'There are no more beasts here that could easily injure Xiyun.' Confirming this Arial return home.

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The forest bush obstructs Xiyun. She pushes it and come out of the forest, taking a deep breath, looking at the sun and she smile a content smile.

Xiyun is nearing to the fortress when she spotted a few of martial artist. Xiao De she recognized one of the martial artist. 

The other spotted Xiyun and cupped their hands and distances themselves from Xiao De.

'Ahh, Sister Mu Xiyun' Xiao De said, his tone has a hint of surprise…. a fake surprise, Xiyun realize.

'What are you doing here?' Xiyun asked curios of their reason huddling so near her teacher abode.

'Did you come to meet my teacher?' she asked. Xiao De looked at the fortress with a complicated expression and shakes his head. 

'No, I came here to meet you.' Xiao De recognizes there is a sack behind Xiyun back but he could not guess what is inside of it 

'For what? What could the representative disciple of Sun Moon sect have business with me?'

'There is something I wished to talk to you about. Important matters.' This make Xiyun doubt her ears. 

Something important? She who is ignored most of the time suddenly getting an invitation to talk in an important matter? 

By the Sun Moon sect representatives, no less. She had half a mind to believe her ears is playing a trick on her. But Xiyun quickly realize. Not me….it is not me that is the important. 

Xiyun look at Xiao De like she has pierced his intention. It must be the matter of her teacher. 

She is nobody yet in the martial art world. But her teacher? He is one of the most talked about person for the other schools. 

She began understanding what Xiao De is hinting at. After all, Xiyun is not born yesterday. She also understands how this work.

'Fine, but tomorrow. Meet me at the Lake near the east hill' as Xiyun pointed to nearby hill. 

'Today I can't. There is something I must do. If you don't like it then said it now. I will not be made a fool of.' 

'That is fine. Then tomorrow it is. Thank you Sister Xiyun' Xiao De quickly leaves with the other martial artist. 

They all look quite young and they all cupped their hands and bow slightly to Xiyun. 

There is something afoot here. Some plot…or intrigue. Xiyun thought. Even though it nagged Xiyun she could do nothing. 

After all she is thinking about something else. Either way she will know tomorrow. She quickly quickened her steps to the fortress to give her teacher the good news.

'TEACHER, I HAVE RETURNED' Xiyun yelled as she enters the large hall. She could see her teacher calmly sipping tea, siting in one of the chair in the hall. 

'Proof?' Her teacher calmly said, a little smile formed in his lips. Xiyun assort the three sacks and she showed it by opening the sack. 

Arial nodded. 

'Good. Very good. You …. have you understood? Understand what I am trying to teach you?' 

Xiyun smiles and nodded. 

'I finally understand. And this disciple of yours will definitely repay teacher someday' Arial look at Xiyun determined look and nodded. 

He could see that burning fire in her eyes…. small but can be blown into a great flame. There is room for improvement, the will to learn and the tenacity to endure.

'HAHAHAHA. GOOD. YOU DON'T DISAPPOINT ME, XIYUN. VERY GOOD.' He roared in satisfaction.

Xiyun smile, as she is praised by her teacher. 

A feeling of satisfaction rose inside her hearts. She is rarely praised…and it has been so long, so hearing her teacher praise her, she felt a little bit happy.

'What should I do with all of this teacher?' she said as she pointed to the sack.

'Is there any of them is still good?' 

'No, teacher. They are rotten. And they began to smell.' 

'Then buried it in a hole.' 

'Then the hole-' 

'You dig it of course. Then come back here.' 

Xiyun nodded listlessly. There is no reward whatsoever Xiyun grumble keeping this thought to herself. 

She went to the back pick a hoe and begins digging. After four hours of digging finally she is done. 

She put all of it in the hole and buried it. Then she returns. 

'Teacher, I have finished digging the hole' 

'Come here.' Her teacher urged her to come closer, his left hand still sipping the tea.

Xiyun approached her teacher. 

'Here' Arial tossed a plaque. 

The plaque has a black color and a dragon holding a pearl crest. 

'This is my plaque of authority in my trading company. In a few days I will battle the Four Immortals.' 

'Oh, Wait, what!' Xiyun said shocked by the sudden declaration. 

'Fight with the Four Immortals?' 

'Yes.' 

'But I thought teacher-'

'You thought too much. You presume too much. My objective and goal in this meet has always been to fight with the Four Immortals.'

Xiyun give her teacher a disbelief looks and Arial quickly corrected his phrasing.

'Alright, not from the beginning. Some circumstance forces me to join the Meet but I have found a goal after witnessing the Meet.' 

'But, then why this?' Xiyun said raising the plaque and showing it to her teacher. She doesn't understand why her teacher would give her that.

'This is for you after the meet. Regardless whether I win or lose, I want you protected.' Then Arial tossed another thing to her. Xiyun took it. 

She realizes it was a book. 

'This is my sword technique. I trust that you will not open it now. Three years Xiyun. If you train the technique in the book before three years, you will not reach to a level necessary to defeat the Abbess.' 

'Thank you, teacher' Xiyun quickly kneels. 

'This disciple of yours owes Teacher too much. One day, I will repay this, Teacher. Definitely, no matter what I will absolutely repay teacher. As long as teacher does not abandon poor Xiyun, Xiyun are happy'

'Good.' Arial said. But Xiyun still don't understand about the plaque. Arial notices this as he looks at Xiyun eyes glancing at the plaque.

'Do you have any question Xiyun?'

'Then what about this plaque?' 

'This is my token of authority in the trading company. If you found yourself in short of gold, ask for a thousand gold from the trading company and they will give it to you.'

'A thousand gold? That could last me for three years.' 

'Yes, it could. Which is why don't abuse that authority.' 

'I will not dare teacher.' 

'Words are light. Prove it with your action.' 

'Yes, teacher.' Xiyun said grinning ad happy. 

Her teacher truly cares for her. He might send her to the forest unprotected but at least he truly cares Xiyun mused. To even care about her wellbeing after the Meet.

'Now, go and rest. You must have been in many troubles in the forest. I will cook for today.' Arial said, and Xiyun is shocked. 

How could she let her teacher do that? It is unbefitting her teacher status.

'No, teacher. That is my job.' 

'Hishh. I said for you to rest, so rest.' 

'Hehehe. It seems Teacher cares about me.' 

'Of course I care for you, you idiot. You are my mischievous disciple so go and rest. Don't forget to wash yourself first. You look dirty.' 

'Says the man who told his disciple to dig a hole.' Xiyun countered with a smile on her face. Arial chuckle. 

'Fine, it is my fault. If there is nothing else, go.' 

'Thank you, teacher.'

Happy and excited Xiyun spend that day resting, not forgetting her promise with Xiao De to meet with her tomorrow.

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last chapter for the month