The three had not yet fully recovered from their physical injuries when Li Wei, a fellow villager, arrived in the middle of their training.
He was breathless and frantic, his face pale with visible dread.
"What happened, Brother Li Wei?" Shen Yue asked, immediately rushing to Li Wei's side.
"It's Elder Wujin…" he began, gasping for air. "Elder Wujin is in danger."
Shock registered on all three of their faces.
"Where is he?" Tian Dao asked. Though he remained calm, a trace of worry flickered in his eyes.
"In the desert, confronting several men from the Sabbath."
Wasting no time, they immediately dashed toward the location Li Wei had pointed out.
–
"The law of heavens prohibits any holy city from entering Zephyrron, hence it is not worth invading. Immortal, what are you searching for?" Elder Wujin's voice carried a heavy weight of authority.
He stood alone against the five men facing him. Though the vast desert was thick swirling dust, yet it did not hinder the strangers who had dared to intrude upon Zephyrron.
"We do not seek conflict, we are merely following the orders." said the man within his early forty years, positioned in the center of the four students.
He wore white robes, and his hair stood out from the rest, it was a shimmering gold. It was a clear sign of royal blood.
They levitated slightly above the ground, their elegant garments swaying in sync with the color of their hair. The man in the center was composed, possessing a regal posture that strangely mirrored Tian Dao's.
One of his students held up a portrait. Even from a distance, Wujin recognized the face in the drawing, it was one of his own students.
Wujin let out a mocking laugh. The four disciples of the Golden-Haired Master glared at him, ready to strike, but their master raised a hand to stay with them.
Wujin's laughter stopped. "I'm not familiar with the individual you're looking for. They might reside in the Dao Mountains. You ought to search for them there."
The disciples were clearly displeased. Despite Wujin's sarcastic tone, the Master merely sighed. "In that case, we shall take our leave. Apologies for the intrusion."
"But Master Zhang—"
The Master raised his right hand, a silent command for the disciple to hold his tongue. The student stiffened and obeyed his teacher's decision.
The Sabbath group was about to depart when Shen Yue, Mei Lin, Li Wei, and Tian Dao arrived on the scene.
Elder Wujin signaled for the four to leave, especially Tian Dao but it was too late.
"Elder Wujin!" Shen Yue called out, waving cheerfully, completely unaware of the tension or the conflict that had nearly been averted.
"Master Zhang… that boy—he looks exactly like the one in the portrait."
Zhang turned his gaze toward the boy his student was pointing at. He had black hair, an eyes that shimmered of authority, he's far too mature for a child.
Though the boy was small, Zhang could sense the aura emanating from him. It was a distinct red hue. A familiar aura.
It was him.
"This is an insult!" one of the students shouted, pointing a finger at Elder Wujin. "You deserve death for this deception! You should be beheaded!"
"You have the guts to declare such sentence within Zephyrron?" Mei Lin countered, her eyes sharp as she glared at the speaker. "This place is not governed by your trash laws."
The disciple clenched his fists, and the air grew thick with tension. If the two Masters were not present to restrain them, a violent clash would have been inevitable.
Elder Wujin smirked. He was impressed by the children's lack of fear in the face of such enemies, especially Tian Dao, who remained silent, observing and analyzing his opponents with a calm demeanor.
Tian Dao, meanwhile, couldn't help but be struck by the presence of the foreign Master. The man's golden hair billowed in the hot, dusty wind. Like Tian Dao, he was calm and observant. But when their eyes met, Tian Dao felt a sudden jolt of fear. The atmosphere grew heavy, and his hands began to tremble.
The person standing before them was no ordinary, and neither were his students. Even though the four disciples had not yet made a move, Tian Dao knew they were in a difficult position.
While Zhang watched silently, his four disciples grew restless. One of his most talented students, Mo Yan, stepped forward.
"Master, allow us to teach these insolent brats a lesson," Mo Yan said, looking at the people of Zephyrron with utter contempt. "If this old man refuses to hand over what we need, we will take it by force."
Elder Wujin laughed. He knew the Sabbath Academy was teeming with talent, and in fact, the people of Zephyrron, especially in the children's current state, would be no match for them in a fair fight.
"Force? Hah, have you forgotten you are in Zephyrron territory?" Li Wei challenged.
"Hahaha! Territory?" Mo Yan mocked. "Have you forgotten you are standing before the Sabbath? Do you think we fear you? There is a vast gulf between us when it comes to power."
"Is that so?" Mei Lin replied. "We may not have the power you speak of, but as you can see, we have the numbers."
More villagers began to arrive, including Elder Xuan, who was carrying the young Xue Ying.
Two Elders Master.
Zhang recognized the situation. He remembered that Zephyrron was a haven for criminals and outcasts, if a full-scale battle broke out, the outcome would be messy and unpredictable.
"You—"
Zhang gestured, silencing his student once more.
"Mo Yan, we did not come here for violence."
Mo Yan bowed his head, though his eyes remained fixed on the villagers with a look of pure malice. You will regret this.
"Pardon my disciple, we seek no trouble." Zhang turned to leave the village but he decided to pause for a moment. They need to leave for now.
He glanced back at Tian Dao. He was still mystified, the boy's power felt familiar. Though it had not yet awakened, Zhang could sense the mana swirling within him.
"This will not be our last meeting," Zhang warned. "We leave peacefully for now, but I cannot promise that our next encounter will be as civil."
With those words, a powerful gust of wind enveloped the Sabbath group. In the blink of an eye, they vanished like a fading mist.
Mei Lin, Shen Yue, and Li Wei let out a long breath of relief. It was a blessing that the confrontation didn't escalate, as they had no idea how much damage they would have suffered.
"Elder Wujin," Tian Dao said, his eyes still fixed on the spot where the strangers had disappeared. "What do they want with Zephyrron?"
Elder Wujin took a deep breath and looked toward the horizon. "I wish I could answer that, Tian Dao. But this is not the right time."
"But—"
"Tian Dao," the Elder said, softly tousling the boy's hair. "Those were not your typical enemies. You must first develop your strength if you wish to know the truth. A snake is supposed to be for a snake. You must first match their strength if you want to confront them."
A snake for a snake. Elder Wujin was right. I need to get stronger.
Tian Dao clenched his fists. Despite his calm exterior, his decision had already been made. He was determined to grow strong enough to protect those who could not protect themselves.
---
The breeze on Sabbath was gentle compared to the harsh winds of Zephyrron. The trees and plants flourished with life under the scorching, high-pitched sun.
A crimson portal materialized in the courtyard of the Yin family estate. Five figures emerged from its depths. Zhang moved with a composed grace, raising his hand to capture his disciples' attention.
"Master Zhang," the four disciples chorused, dropping to one knee in a display of profound respect.
"Whatever you observed in Zephyrron... it must remain a secret." he commanded, gesturing with a sharp flick of his finger, it's a sign that his decision was beyond question. Though the disciples clearly harbored doubts, they had no choice but to obey.
Once alone, Zhang made his way to the Tian Palace. He headed to the rear grounds, where a solitary grave lay blanketed in flowers. He stood there in silence, gazing at the resting place of his late sister-in-law.
"Mu Lianhua... he is alive." His fists clenched tight. A dormant rage, buried deep for years, began to stir in his heart. "Forgive me... I was not by your side when the tragedy happened."
Overcome by grief, he fell to his knees as tears began to flow.
"Give me one more chance, Mu Lianhua. I vow that as long as I draw breath, no one will lay a finger on your child."
Silence enveloped the surroundings for a moment. Then, a soft, soothing breeze wrapped around him, like a silent sign, perhaps, that Mu Lianhua had heard him and granted her blessing.
I promise, I will save your son with everything I have. Even if it cost my life.