Chapter 801 - 15.20

"… Gege, can I request something?" Han Shun suddenly asked. 

"Of course!"

Han Shun took one step forward to close his gap with Bai Gege, and he hugged Bai Gege's chest tightly. Han Shun buried his face on Bai Gege's chest and said, "Gege, hug me."

Bai Shijue was surprised by Han Shun's sudden hug. He froze on the spot for a while until he regulated his breath and hugged Han Shun back.

Four years had passed, and the young man that Bai Shijue picked up from the street was now 14 years old. He was almost as tall as Bai Shijue, proving that he would be a mighty man in the future. 

Yet, the young man still had a childishness in his heart. He still liked to be hugged, patted on the head, and praised for the small achievements he got.

"You did well, Han Shun."

"Bai Gege, please don't leave Han Shun. I will try my best every day to be worthy to stand by your side. I will protect you in the future…." 

"I told you, right? I will not leave you."

…

Han Shun tightened his hug, no matter how many times Bai Gege kept reminding him that he would never leave Han Shun alone. But Han Shun was still not convinced. 

Deep inside his heart, he had this restlessness, telling him that Bai Gege would eventually leave him sooner or later. If he didn't hurry and get stronger, Bai Gege wouldn't take him to the heavenly realm.

Bai Shijue had to push Han Shun to separate their bodies because Han Shun didn't want to let him go at all.

"Han Shun, go to sleep, okay? I will return here in a few months, during your 13th birthday, and I'll ask General Fei for two weeks break, so you can rest in residence for two weeks at least," Bai Shijue said. 

Han Shun stared at Bai Gege's eyes and shook his head, "Gege, can you take me home on my birthday? I don't want to stay in here."

"Huh? Why not? Did General Fei mistreat you?"

"No, but I… I want to stay with you. I also want to train with you…." Han Shun said. He felt there was nothing he could learn in here anyway. After four years of arduous training, he found himself stuck in here without any improvement. 

"You're not strong enough. I know that you can fight adults twice your size. But you can't even beat General Fei. He is probably the peak of the majority of humans. He is very strong and skillful," Bai Shijue said. "Until you can beat General Fei in combat, then you shouldn't leave this place."

…

"Bai Gege, if I can beat General Fei in a duel on my 13th birthday, will you… accept me?"

Bai Shijue was surprised because he thought that was simply impossible. Han Shun was strong for his age, very strong in fact. But he was still no match for General Fei. 

"You want to challenge General Fei on your 13th birthday?"

"Yes."

…

[I don't think he will listen to me if I say no.]

[Pupa: You know Han Shun always has that willful spirit inside him.]

Bai Shijue sighed. All he could do right now was to support Han Shun and secretly tell General Fei to hold back because Han Shun was still a young boy. 

"I can't stop you from challenging him, Han Shun. Just be sure not to go overboard, okay? I will be leaving now, take care," Bai Shijue said as he turned around and dispersed into hundreds of butterflies flying to the sky. 

Han Shun looked down. He knew that Bai Gege had underestimated him. 

Bai Gege must've thought that he was just a willful kid who didn't know the boundary. But he was already holding himself back from seriously hurting other soldiers when they sparred. 

"I have to talk with General Fei."

Thus, Han Shun went to General Fei's courtyard inside the garrison late at night. As someone who always trained every night, he often saw General Fei training without rest until dawn. That was one of the reasons why Han Shun also trained at night.

A kid learned by copying, he copied General Fei's discipline, and it had come to fruition. 

Han Shun arrived at the front gate of the General's residence, two guards were standing in front of the gate, but they weren't that good to be night guards anyway.

So Han Shun just turned to the side and climbed the wall. He jumped and landed inside General Fei's residence. 

He could hear General Fei punching the wooden target that he had set, and he didn't seem to tire at all.

Han Shun approached the general fearlessly, and when General Fei turned around to face Han Shun, the General smirked, "I knew you will eventually come to me for a real duel, isn't that so, little boy?"

"General, with all due respect, I want to challenge you for a duel during my thirteenth birthday. Bai Gege will see us in the duel, and I hope you will accept my request, General."

"Yes, I know that you've shown tremendous progress. You're almost like a superhuman with that kind of progress, but is it enough to defeat me? I'm not sure," General Fei said. "I accept your challenge, but a challenge without a bet is not interesting, isn't it?"

"I agree, General. We should make a bet," Han Shun said. His eyes were staring at the General fearlessly. He often saw Young General Fei trying to court the good feeling with Bai Gege, and Han Shun absolutely hated that. 

"General, if I win the duel, you should stop seeing Bai Gege. Bury that idea of marrying him," Han Shun said."

"I accept, and if I win the duel, you shouldn't pester my relationship with Bai Shijue. And if Bai Shijue and I got married, you should not follow him," General Fei also uttered his bet.

"I accept, General," Han Shun nodded without hesitation.