8 Ch. 8 - Die Without Regret!

"I-I promise!"

"… Good…"

"But why would I need to absorb your memories?"

"All the knowledge I've gathered outside, the techniques I've collected, as well as the place where I want you to go to when your memories reawaken… All of that resides inside of my memories. I want to pass down everything I know down to you before I die."

"… How come you seem so sure that those bad guys will attack you on our way out?"

"They and I are of the same clan and we've known each other for years. I simply just know that they will show up!"

"Hmm… Shouldn't they think that you're dead or something? They poisoned you with a poison without cure, and on top of that, that poison should be able to kill you within five to six hours, right?"

"You are indeed right."

"So then why? Why would they keep looking for you, knowing that you should already be dead?"

"There are rumours about this fores--"

"--What rumours??"

As his son once again interrupted him, he decided to give up. Getting worked up over something like that won't help in our current situation. 'Better say what I want to… while I still have the chance to speak with this son of mine', Jin Long thought and heaved a deep sigh.

"Rumours about a hidden expert who can do both good and evil. They say that it depends on the heart of the person who's passing through the forest. If the heart's not pure enough, he shall kill that person without even blinking, but if the heart's pure enough, he shall reward that person with an elixir that can heal any even the most severe injuries. It's said that this elixir can heal someone, even at the brink of death!

All the alchemist's associations in the neighbouring cities are trying to find out what's inside that miraculous elixir, and the young man who brought it back from the forest is now famous."

"Hmm… I did indeed lose a small jade bottle with a few drops of my blood to someone who came by… May I ask for his name?"

"His name's Xingyun Feng."

"Hmm… As I thought, it's him. To think that he actually came up with such a convincing story, as an excuse!"

"What?! That miraculous elixir was just your blood?! And what damn excuse??"

"Hmph! He's just a thief who found it while wandering around in the forest! It had a If he has a pure heart then I'm the king of this continent!"

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand. Since your stronger than him, why didn't you just stop him?"

"I didn't know if anyone around was observing, so I didn't want to just walk out, kill somebody and take it back."

"Why would there be anyone in the forest just quietly observing?"

"To be able to venture that deep into the forest, he couldn't have done it alone."

"…You're right."

"I figured it would be fine to let him take the bottle--"

"--So you just gave it to him?!"

"I took something in exchange."

"What did you take?"

"I absorbed both his spirit essences and a part of his memories. That's how I knew his name."

"That guy has dual spirit essence too?!"

"Yes, he HAD."

"Did you--?"

"--Yes, I absorbed both of his spirit essences completely. He is now a commoner without spirit essence."

"Isn't that too high of a price? I mean, he didn't know it belonged to you and besides, you have plenty. So why did he have to pay such a high price for an honest mistake?"

"But it wasn't an honest mistake. He did it on purpose!"

"How do you know?"

"Because I already warned him!"

"But didn't you say stayed hidden?"

"I did indeed stay hidden, but I also didn't talk with him face to face. I just sent a mental message, warning him about the consequences of stealing from me!"

"…Then I guess he did it on purpose…"

"He even dared to threaten me, saying that his clan was going to give me a painful death!"

"Since he did all that, why did you let him go? I'm pretty sure that you would've been able to kill those so-called hidden experts, right?"

"You are indeed right. I had a purpose of letting him go."

"What purpose?"

"He would be able to spread the news about him venturing into the forest, being threatened by me and in the end, losing both of his spirit essences. Then, hopefully people would give up on coming here."

"To think that you actually managed to predict so much with just the little time and information you had! Just… WOW!"

For every word that Xiao Huyan spoke, Jin Long realised more and more that his dear son was more mature than most adults. And not only was he mature, he was also extremely clever and quick-witted.

To be able to predict another person's future actions as well as the response of the world, that was something that Jin Long himself was unable to do.

"You sure are extraordinary!"

"Thank you, father!"

Hearing how happy his dear son got after just a few words of praise, Jin Long felt his chest getting warm and his heart melting once again.

"Haha, shall we start packing now then?"

"I've already packed our stuff!"

"Oh… then shall we get going?"

"…"

This time Xiao Huoyan didn't answer. He just stared out the window, in silence. Then he suddenly turned his head to Jin Long again.

"Yes!"

Xiao Huoyan seemed to have made his final decision… and he had decided to go. That made Jin Long feel relieved.

As they now had begun walking, they also started talking. Jin Long wanted to present some 'rules' that he wanted his son to follow no matter what.

"You are not allowed to speak about any of your abilities to anyone, expose them by using them in front of other people recklessly, turn 'insane' in front too many people unless you plan to kill them too, and last but not least, you have to keep this letter close to you! You are not allowed to read it until after the effects of the orb wears off. It's written on the letter, since you're going to forget about this conversation. The rules are written in the letter as well as some other necessary things to know."

"…"

"What is it? Was something unclear?"

"… No, I understand, but it's just… How can you be so sure that your going to die somewhere in here? Maybe they've already gone back to

your clan and reported you as dead?"

"They wouldn't do that unless they've personally witnessed my corpse."

"Well, that does make sense… But why won't you just let me kill them?"

"Because you're a good kid. I don't want you to go 'insane' just for the sake of killing them. If someone of them manages to escape, then you'll be in trouble. I don't dare to risk anything. Besides, I've already lived enough. To be able to save my dear son's life, what is my life in comparison to that?"

"How come you have 'lived enough'?! You're only in your early thirties!"

"Hahaha, no I'm not!"

"Then are you only in your late twenties?"

"Haha, I'm certainly not that young!"

"Then, how old are you really?"

"Don't you know it's rude to ask someone else's age?"

"Cut the crap already and just answer!"

"Geez, how impatient you are! Haha, I'm almost two hundred years old. If I haven't lived enough, then who has?"

"T-t-two h-hundred?!?!"

"Yeah, almost."

"Why didn't you tell me you were an old geezer before?!"

"Who the hell are you calling an old geezer?!"

"You… obviously!"

"What do you mean 'obviously'?! I probably look younger than your parents!"

"You are my parent, haha!"

"Oh… right, hahaha!"

"Shh, quiet! I think I sensed something!"

"What?!"

"Is it 'them'?!"

"I think so…"

"Then, what do we do?!"

"Did you prepare the orb?"

"Yes, I prepared it this morning, how so?"

"Good! For now, I just want you to be quiet, go invisible, hide your aura like I taught you, take this map and continue to walk beside me until they arrive. When they do, you just have to hide somewhere close by, and use the orb as soon as I die."

"Do you really have to die?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"I'll miss you!"

Back then he already knew that he didn't have much time left, and that he would very possibly die in the forest as soon as they got out of the array, but he didn't regret anything.

"I'll miss you too, my dear son! Having been able to find such an extraordinary and kindhearted son as you, I, Jin Long truly feel that I can die without regret!"