Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 341: Coming home (1)

In the cave the sound of the trickling water from the ceiling of the cave is calming. In the dark cave there is the flickering light of fire and two shadows can be seen vaguely. 

Then a sound of coughing, a painful coughing, as his chest with his hard cough, the noise reverberates along the dampy cave.

'Hoh, hoh' 

'Teacher, are you alright?' Xiyun said as he rubbed Arial chest trying to ease his teacher pains.

'Do I look like I'm alright?' He still is coughing a lumpful of blood. 

Arial after he and Xiyun fly down the mountain Arial quickly hid in one of the caves, just outside the range of the mountain, before venturing to the harsh desert, as he is recovering his internal energy and Xiyun helping him bandaging his wound. 

There is no other choice. He does not know if his bluffing work and he knows he is weak right now.

Xiyun has helped him most of the time. Running while carrying him on her back. It seems Xiyun is a dutiful disciple. Arial once again is grateful that he has such disciple.

Then Arial remember. The Meet is over; the winner has been determined. He needs to return. Return to his homeland.

'I need to return,' he muttered, his voice is still weak and listless.

'Return, Teacher? Where?' 

'To my domain. Arrandy. To return…. home.' 

He then looks at his own pitiful state. His body is suffering internal injuries, his pale face looks like a corpse and his own fingers is shaking with lack of energy. 

And if he is right, the martial art fraternity is hunting him right now.

And many forces in the martial art forces have reason to pursue him. 

He might be strong but right now if those elders from the martial art fraternity take him on an ambush, he doesn't think he will survive.

'But this time we need to be in hiding.' Arial said whispering inside the cave. He has decided his next course of action. For now, they must keep a low profile.

'Hiding?' she said surprised that her teacher would suggest hiding.

'Teacher, a martial artist as strong as you-' 

'No, Xiyun. I am injured. Heavily. Right now, even if it was you, I would die if you use your palm attack. Do you think defeating the Immortals an easy task Xiyun? If the fight went on longer I would have died in vain. There is no excuse. I was weaker than them' Arial said, regretting. Xiyun looks at her teacher with stubborn indignation.

'No teacher! You are not weaker than them. It is that bitch! That shameless bitch. You have already won the battle yet she still did such an underhanded method. She did not honour the rule of conduct of a duel.' Xiyun said fuming with anger. josei

Arial on the other hand, even though he is injured, look at Xiyun with an amused expression.

'Bitch? Did you just call the Western Serpent that everyone in the martial art world fear and respect, bitch? Are you not afraid of her name?' 

'Afraid? Why should I?' and then she grins. 

'My teacher is the Central Celestial, the Celestial Dragon. The strongest of the martial art world. Who dares refute me?'

Arial chuckle a bit. She has a gut of a stone, this girl.

'You do know I say that as a bluff, right? I was just following up with your idea. If not, I don't think those Elders would let me come down the mountain without even chasing me' Arial said. In a way he was not wrong. 

If not for his show of bravado, then maybe after fighting the Immortals the other elders that was waiting on the side, with their disciples' corpses on their arms, with gritted teeth, and with silent hot white fury in their hearts, they would charge him by the hundreds no matter the consequence.

After all, even they have their pride. Life is only once but honour is forever. How shameful would they be if they let that happen? 

But because of Arial declaration, they were so stupefied, so stunned that they unconsciously view Arial as stronger than them even though logic dictates that Arial was exhausted. 

That is how charismatic Arial appear when he makes that declaration for all the martial art fraternity to hear

Xiyun help is of course appreciated and Arial is grateful of course. 

It is fortunate he still has a little of internal energy at the end, to put such a display of great announcement to the martial art fraternity.

'Yes, but that doesn't make it any less true. You have defeated three of the immortals by your own power.' 

One, Arial was about to say. The other two was defeated by Gaveror but if he says that then there is a lot of other stuff he needs to explain. 

And Arial don't think Gaveror would be too happy if many more people knew about the heart swapping than there already is. 

'There is no one in the martial art world could compare themselves to you, teacher. Truly your disciple has great eyes when choosing a teacher.' This invites a little chuckle from Arial.

'Are you praising yourself Xiyun?' 

'Of course. Who is as lucky or as insightful as me to snatched and found such a wonderful teacher? Teacher did not beat me. Teacher do not torture me neither Teacher disregard me. Teacher teaches me and care for me. As a disciple there is nothing else I wish.'

'Hmph. You and your buttery words.��� Arial said, grinning a bit while Xiyun wipe the sweat beads on his forehead.

'Did I get caught? Hehehe. Teacher, don't be so angry. I will accompany teacher. Of course as your disciple I will follow you to the city of Acro. I heard from many people, it is the City of Lights. Stall and shops is by the hundreds and merchant ship went by the harbour and pier by the thousands. People of every race and land are on that city. From the demon beast of the Dark Lands, to the people of the Land of Eternal Season and Vorthy, Land of Eternal Winter. From Asteros builders, to Ariundus scholars, hundreds of people of every profession congregates on that city of yours, teacher. I never went there so this would be a good opport- ' 

'No!' Arial said, his hand grips Xiyun hands. 

Xiyun is blushing red, feeling the touch of her teacher on her hands. She could feel that Arial hand is smooth which is weird.