15 Memories-4 (1/2)

Grandmaster Zhou Tong smiled amiably and spoke, \”That Zhen Wei should be proud to have such talented offspring. If I'm not mistaken the two of you must have High-tier talents in your warrior classes, right?\”

Zhen Xixi nodded respectfully, but Zhen Shi paused for a moment and shifted his eyes over to his mother. Seeing her expression he immediately nodded as well.

Grandmaster Zhou Tong turned to Zhen Xixi, \”And while this young lady's movements are composed of a variety of schools of swordsmanship, I can see that you have been taught by some talented Sword Masters. I believe you are on the precipice of awakening your sword intent...?\”

Xixi was impressed and replied curtly, \”That is correct, Grandmaster Zhou Tong.\”

Zhou Tong frowned and spoke in annoyance, \”Pish-posh with the grandmaster. Your father and I were good friends. Call me Uncle!\” but for a short moment, he focused on her Blazing Inferno Sword thoughtfully...

Nevertheless, he turned to Zhen Shi, \”On the other hand, you... I can sense the hints of a variety of Archery Schools, but your archery is much more refined and formidable. You have condensed several slivers of intent and will soon reach the precipice, however... I don't see the hints of a teacher. Are you self taught?\”

Zhen Shi's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't told anyone about the fact that he had begun condensing intent... but this old fellow knew it instantly! This must be the true capability of a powerhouse at the Sovereign level!

Nevertheless, he quickly covered his surprise with a smile and replied, \”Yes, Grandmas-- Uncle Zhou Tong.\”

At the same time, Zhou Tong turned to Xie Li and spoke silently, \”I'll look over the child's cultivation technique in a moment. Can you take me to see Zhen Wei?\”

Xie Li's face froze in surprise for a moment, but she nodded almost immediately and gestured him towards the exit of the training courtyard.

As Xie Li and Zhou Tong walked away from the training courtyard, Zhen Xixi turned to Zhen Shi and spoke with a smile, \”So you weren't lying. You have actually condensed silvers of intent! But... I am on the precipice of awakening! So I still think I can beat you easily!\”

Zhen Shi turned to her with a proud smile, \”Archery Intent... isn't ordinary. In return for the difficulty in progression... It grants greater power. So, I sincerely doubt it.\”

Xixi frowned unhappily and was about to reply with an indignant face, when Zhen Shi spoke seriously causing her to grow silent, \”Forget about that. Shall we go see father as well? I haven't visited him since yesterday...\”

Zhen Xixi paused thoughtfully and nodded, \”Alright. I didn't go today either.\”

With a nod at his sister, Zhen Shi smiled mischievously and took a single step forwards, immediately disappearing in a gust of wind.

Xixi was speechless as she shouted, \”Oi! Did you actually leave your cute elder sister? And why do you have to blow through everything? I hate your wind!\”

But already aware that there will be no reply, she shouted one final time, \”This is not how you're supposed to treat your elders!\” and blazed out of the training courtyard in chase of her annoying younger brother.

-----------------------

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A light breeze blew through the courtyard causing the trees to rustle and orange leaves to float in the wind.

Zhen Shi was seated in the pale grass a few meters in front of Grandmaster Zhou Tong, who was pouring through the book on his cultivation technique. Xie Li and Zhen Xixi were also waiting nearby expectantly.

Finally, Zhou Tong raised his head from the cultivation technique and spoke with a smile, \”This cultivation technique is extremely complex. For the moment I can only see through some parts of it. As such, safely correcting it will take some time. Nevertheless, I am confident in correcting it within three to four years!\”

Zhen Shi, Xie Li, and Zhen Xixi were immediately filled with joy as they laughed out in celebration. Things were finally going to turn around for them!

Zhou Tong nodded and spoke to Zhen Shi, \”Until then I'll be personally overseeing your training--\”

But before he could finish, a powerful shout was suddenly heard from outside the courtyard, \”Xie Li! Where the hell have you been?\”

Almost instantly a figure wrapped in a blazing white light streaked and continued, \”So you were here? Playing around with your children and some random old man? Do you know how long I've been searching for you? Do you know how much trouble you have caused?\”

Xie Li stared at the middle-aged man cloaked in glowing light and spoke through grit teeth, \”Zhen Ji who the hell gave you the right to dash into our family's courtyard? Besides I've only been gone for a few hours! Having worked nonstop for nearly two years, surely I've earned the right to take a break?\”

Zhen Ji sneered and spoke, \”No wonder my brother decided to cripple himself. If I had a woman who played around with old men... I just might do the same!\”

Zhen Shi and Zhen Xixi immediately stood up with blazing auras and roared, \”Uncle, what the fuck did you say?\”

Zhen Ji continued with a scowling face, \”Even the children are the same! Not respecting their elders. Tsk-tsk, no wonder my dear brother harmed himself...\”

Both Zhen Shi and Xixi nearly attacked at that point. They knew that this fellow was one of the major reasons as to why their mother had to work so much and why the clan had refused to give spiritual treasures for their father's treatment.

Hearing him insult their parents, they were unable to keep their tempers in check...

But Grandmaster Zhou Tong who had been observing the ongoings calmly, suddenly spoke with a smile, \”Children, Children, simmer down. There is no need to be so angered,\” and gestured to the two of them to sit down.

Seeing how the old man was acting suitably in his majestic presence, Zhen Ji raised his chest proudly, \”Good to see that at least the old man knows how he should act--\”

But before he could finish his words, Zhou Tong continued with a smirk, \”When bitches bark, they are vying for attention. Ignoring the barking might just make it leave...\”

Unable to fathom that his words would take such a sharp turn, Zhen Ji was speechless for a moment.

But almost immediately he dashed forwards in rage while leaving a sparking light streak in the air, \”Old man, you sure look like you want to die here!\”

Kaboom!

Instantly he manifested a sword of pure light and stabbed forth causing a small sonic boom to ravage the courtyard. Half of the walls were torn down and the nearby trees were uprooted!

While Xie Li watched calmly with an expectant gaze, both Zhen Shi and Zhen Xixi were frozen in fear and relief. If they had attacked, they probably wouldn't even know how they had lost! But too bad that their idiot of an uncle messed with Grandmaster Zhou Tong!

Looking at the enraged Zhen Ji, Zhou Tong simply snorted dismissively and flicked a finger.

Putong!

Like a balloon that was pathetically squeaking out air, Zhen Ji's attack lost all momentum as he collapsed onto the ground in a cloud of dust.

Rumble!

But the force of his collapse was even more powerful than Zhen Ji's previous attack! As such, the moment he crashed into the earth he spewed a mouthful of blood and caused a powerful earthquake to shake the earth! And that destroyed the rest of the courtyard completely destroying it...

Unable to fathom the pain and the pressure he was currently facing, Zhen Ji shivered in fear and barely squeaked out, \”S-Sovereign?\”

Staring at the fearful man who was down on the ground with no evidence of his previous power, both Zhen Shi and Zhen Xixi couldn't help but grin happily.

Seeing Zhen Ji who would frequently bring trouble to them, getting beaten up so embarrassingly, Zhen Shi's opinion of their mysterious 'uncle' Zhou Tong grew much better...

While he was still fearful, Zhen Ji slowly grew calm and squeaked out, \”So what? My father is a sovereign as well! If this were any other place, I might be helpless. But you are in the Zhen Clan right now! I dare you to make trouble!\” After all, even if he was powerless in the face of a sovereign, he was still a powerful cultivator of the law stage!

And almost on cue, a large mass of water aether gathered from the air and formed a domineering face. Just like Saint Sun Soul's face of the earth, this was a face formed of water!

The face observed the ravaged courtyard for a while and spoke with a powerful voice that caused Zhen Shi's entire body to shake, \”Are you that Zhou Tong? You actually reached the title of a sovereign before Zhen Wei? Your aura seems a bit different, but I suppose congratulations are in order... However, I won't be able to come in person, of course.\”

Grandmaster Zhou Tong frowned for a moment but replied quickly, \”Ahh! It's Senior Zhen Wudi! It seems that you're on the verge of a breakthrough... So it makes sense why you can't come.\”

Zhen Shi's eyes widened in surprise. This was his grandfather Zhen Wudi? He had never seen his grandfather in person and had just barely glimpsed his back on one occasion. All he knew was that his grandfather was the most esteemed person in the Zhen clan and one of the legendary Sovereigns!

However, ever since they had been left to fend for themselves after his father's injury, his opinion on Zhen Wudi had grown extremely sour...

The Water face, Zhen Wudi nodded, \”Indeed,\” turning his head to the shivering Zhen Ji he continued, \”As for this stupid son of mine, for the crime of attacking a sovereign, you may deal with him as you see fit. But I hope that you will give me some face and won't kill him.\”

Raising his head back at Zhou Tong he paused for a moment and continued, \”I think you've already checked up on Zhen Wei... What do you think of his situation?\”

Zhou Tong shook his head powerlessly and replied, \”Since he had siphoned out the Spiritual Roots within a short amount of time, his body is suffering from acute qi malnourishment. If only he had a few months of time, he could've used a safer method to extract it...

Alas, what happened has happened. Let's just forget about that. I suppose it was an untimely accident... Besides considering his high level of cultivation that was almost on the verge of reaching the Sovereign tier, the energy required to cure his qi malnourishment is impossibly immense. I doubt that even all of the Spirit Stones in the Central Plains will be sufficient...

And even if that problem is solved, there is still no guarantee that he will wake up...\”

The Water face Zhen Wudi seemed to be disappointed, \”It is as I had determined myself...\”

Turning to stare at Zhen Shi, the Water face continued, \”Zhou Tong you have always been talented in perfecting cultivation and martial techniques... I hope you can solve my grandson's problem and make his sacrifice worth it.\”

While Zhen Shi was surprised at the fact that his grandfather actually knew him, Zhou Tong nodded and replied, \”Of course. I am confident of at least that!\”

Zhen Wudi nodded his head in thanks and scattered into drops of water that disappeared into the air.

Zhou Tong stayed silent for a few more moments, but soon lowered his head at Zhen Ji, and whispered menacingly, \”Now... how to deal with you. You better remember that these three are under my protection from now on. I'm even going to have to waste a few minutes to repair their training courtyard. How the hell will you repay me?

And what did you say last? 'Make trouble if I dare'? Well... kid, I more than dare!\” and Zhen Ji's pants were magically lowered along with the raising of Zhou Tong's vicious hand...

Immediately, Xie Li closed Zhen Xixi's eyes causing her to pout indignantly, \”Why can't I look when my little brother can? I'm the elder sister alright? Me!\”

But before she could say anything else...

Thwack! Thwack!

A resounding sound rang out in the courtyard, followed soon after by the whimpering of a poor man.

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Several enjoyable hours later, Zhen Shi was back in the familiar training courtyard, which appeared to have been mystically repaired...

But this time he was alone with Zhou Tong, who was hard at work analyzing the cultivation technique and would occasionally write down notes composed of golden letters in the air.

Zhen Shi heaved a heavy breath as he recuperated from his recent practice of the [Martial Cultivation Technique].

Having stopped for a while he turned to Zhou Tong and asked quizzically, \”Uncle, can you explain why it is difficult to shoot arrows accurately beyond a distance of 9 km?\”

Zhou Tong stopped his work and raised a surprised face, \”Wait... so not only will you reach intent within a few months, but you have also reached the first threshold of archery?\”

Seeing Zhen Shi's confusion he continued, \”Every class including warriors and mages have certain limits closely related to their cultivation level.

You have already reached the peak combat capability of a novice archer. If you wish to surpass that obstacle and reach the level of a true archer you will have to complete two objectives; the first will be to reach the Soul Stage.\”

Zhen Shi asked with interest, \”And the second?\”

Zhou Tong smiled and replied, \”The second objective is impossible to achieve without reaching the Soul Stage. Knowing about it will only be a hindrance to your regular training. After all, the only ones that have ever completed it before the Soul Stage were those who commanded Supreme Archery Talent! But those are mere legends,\” but his eyes remained expectantly on Zhen Shi...

'Ignorantly' Zhen Shi nodded. Reminding himself of his promise to his mother he decided to remain silent.

As such he posed a different question, \”Alright. Then can you explain why it is difficult to make progress beyond the level of average competency in the [Unarmed Water Style]? Must I comprehend the element of water for further progress?\”

Zhou Tong appeared to be caught off guard as he asked in confusion, \”The [Unarmed Water Style]? What's that?\”

Zhen Shi frowned in thought as he answered, \”Wasn't Uncle Zhou Tong the one who created this technique?\”

Immediately Zhou Tong replied with a hearty laugh, \”Of course. Of course. But I'm sure you've already understood how difficult it is right?

I can assure you that you can progress even without much understanding of water. If it had such a strict requirement, it wouldn't be much of a proper martial art now would it?

But such a highly graded martial art must be understood through one's own comprehension. My explanations will only make things more difficult for you.\”