Chapter 7: Encounters

Chapter 7: Encounters

~~~

Another week passes by. What was once new becomes the norm. Old Jiang who stands in the Emperor Realm now lives in Liu Jin's house. His presence draws a few odd stares at first, but that soon fades away. As far as anyone can tell, Old Jiang is nothing more than an ordinary old man, no different from any other.

When Liu Jin thinks about it, that Old Jiang is capable of so perfectly hiding his overwhelming aura is nothing short of terrifying. Watching him interact with the people of Eastern Port City is like watching a tiger among oblivious rabbits. They should run from him yet are unable to realize the danger. Still, this is his life now, and Liu Jin has come to terms with it to a degree. It helps that his duties and responsibilities remain largely the same.

For example, delivering medicine to their clients.

Thank you, dear," an old woman tells him after he delivers her medicine. "I am sorry you had to come all the way here, but these old bones are not what they used to be."

"It is no problem, ma'am," Liu Jin tells Old Lady Gao. She is one of their regulars, has been for as long as Liu Jin can remember. Back in the old days, she was still healthy enough to visit the clinic. However, as time passed, age got the better of her. Nowadays, she is barely capable of leaving her bed. "We are glad to be of help."

"Oh, if only my useless son could have half of your disposition, I might be able to sleep at ease."

Old Lady Gao is a widow. Usually, her son is the one who picks her medicine at the clinic. However, he had let them know he would be too busy to do so this day. It is only to be expected. The entire city always becomes busier as the Eastern Port City Tournament draws near.

In Liu Jins opinion, it is a good thing it only happens once every two years.

"I am sure he wishes he could have made it to the clinic today," Liu Jin replies diplomatically before changing the subject. "Father made this dose slightly stronger. One pill per day should be all that is needed. With that, Lady Gao should be able to move without pain for the rest of the day."

The pills would not heal her. Old age is not something that can be treated so conveniently. However, the medicine will allow her to spend her last months without pain. Small as it may be, it is the only thing they can do.

Even if it feels entirely too little.

Old Lady Gao's weathered face contorts into something that could be called a smile. "Child, you are too kind to this old lady. Go now. Do not let me keep you. I have lived my life. I'm content. Go live yours so when you are my age, you will not have any regrets."

Liu Jin blushes.

Been seeing through so perfectly is nothing short of embarrassing. Liu Jin had thought that was something only Old Jiang could do, but perhaps the power of the Emperor Realm has nothing to do with it.

It may simply be the privilege of age.

~~~

Age is not something that can be overcome with medicine. That much is true. However, that does not mean it is something that cannot be overcome at all. Liu Jin knows that for sure. In fact, the entire world is aware of that fact.

Death can be defeated.

It is a piece of knowledge everyone learns. It is knowledge so fundamental it is impossible for someone not to know it. The higher one climbs through the realms of cultivation, the weaker the hold of age becomes. People in the Emperor Realm like Old Jiang or Xiao Zheng can live for almost a thousand years. If one climbs even higher, age will stop mattering at all.

One who reaches the highest realm of cultivation becomes eternal.

A true immortal.

Yes, everyone knows this. However, nothing changes. There is a way to avoid death, yet people keep going about their lives. No one is rushing towards immortality. It is something that puzzles Liu Jins mind as he walks back home.

Why is that?

Isn't death scary?

Liu Jin shakes his head. No, perhaps it is something that cannot be avoided after all. In the entire country, the number of people who have reached the Emperor Realm is probably around a hundred. Out of those, maybe only a tenth will reach the realm beyond. As for the realm even beyond that... perhaps only one will reach it. In Eastern Port City, is there even one person who will break into the Emperor Realm before dying?

Probably Xiao Nan, Liu Jin realizes. Xiao Nan and no one else.

Just one person.

It is something Liu Jin has never thought much about, but now the subject will not leave his mind. Even if they work hard, even if they try their best, reaching the top is nothing more than a pipe dream for most people. Maybe that's it. Even if there is a way not to die, it doesn't mean you'll ever reach it. Maybe somewhere along the way, most people just accept this, accept their death as inevitable.

"Perhaps," Yun Han agrees, thankfully not looking too bothered by his words. "Nevertheless, Doctor Wu is a friend of the Yun Sect, and his son is a friend of mine. I can simply not allow someone like you to get away with saying such things in front of me. You understand, right?"

Liu Jin can feel Yun Han's Qi sharpening. The difference in power becomes obvious to him at once. Had he fought Wu Yan, he would have won. Even if Wu Yan were to receive the help of two others as strong as him, he could have beaten him. Of this, Liu Jin is certain.

However, there is no way he can beat the person in front of him now.

"Pathetic! This is pathetic!"

A new voice cuts through the tense atmosphere. Yun Han's eyes widen, and Liu Jin finds himself turning around in disbelief. He knows the voice, yet it cannot be.

Yet it is.

Xiao Fang makes his way to them with arrogant steps. The crowd parts for him at once. Big Nose Li trails behind him like a faithful dog. The heir of the Xiao Sect does not even give Liu Jin a passing glance. He simply walks past him and plants himself right in front of Yun Han.

"Is this what the heir to the Yun Sect does in his spare time? Threaten talentless nobodies? How sad. How unsurprising. I guess that's the state of the Yun Sect nowadays. They have given up ever surpassing our Xiao Sect, so they content themselves challenging those weaker than themselves."

Yun Han frowns. "Xiao Fang."

The air becomes thick with tension. The crowd that had gathered around them only grows with Xiao Fang's entrance. The heirs of the two major powers in the city stand but five steps away from each other. A single wrong move is all it would take for violence to erupt. The repercussions of a fight between them would be felt all over the city and beyond.

"You would do well to measure your words," Yun Han says. "Doctor Wu is a friend of my father, and Wu Yan is a friend of mine. How I choose to help my friend is no concern of yours."

"Is it not?" Xiao Fang counters. "You attack a disciple of the Xiao Sect and tell me it's not my problem? Has the Yun Sect become so bold?"

A murmur passes through the crowd. Liu Jin finds his eyes widening for it is the first time Xiao Fang has ever acknowledged him as a disciple of the Xiao Sect. He never expected him to do so, let alone in such a public way. Even Yun Han raises an eyebrow. "I do not see the Xiao Sect's colors on him."

"Bah! Do not pretend not to know!" Xiao Fang shouts with all the arrogance he can muster which is quite a bit. "Do not pretend to ignore that this one learns from us and that his father is under the Xiao Sect's protection. I refuse to believe the heir to the Yun Sect is such an ignorant person. Is the Yun Sect so scared of us that even its heir can only bring himself to challenge our weakest disciple?"

Xiao Fang's words are impossibly bold and loud. At first, they are more than enough to shock the crowd into silence. However, once that shock passes, something fills that silence: laughter. It is small and barely audible, but without a doubt, for a moment, there are people in that crowd laughing at Yun Han.

The young heir's face flushes red. "Mind your words, Xiao Fang! You are-"

"What? What am I? What does the city's eternal number two have to say to the eternal number one? Quite frankly, I am amazed someone from the Yun Sect has the guts to face me after the way my cousin, Xiao Nan, defeated all the members of the Yun Sect he encountered during the last Eastern Port City Tournament. He beat them so badly I hear they are all too afraid to participate in this year's tournament."

The laughter is audible this time. The people in the crowd know of Xiao Nan and his deeds. Many still remember his dominating performance during the previous Eastern Port City Tournament. The Yun Sect may be the second strongest in the city, but no one in that tournament was Xiao Nan's match. Xiao Fang's words may be bold and offensive, but they are undeniable.

"Perhaps, we should give the crowd a preview of what my cousin will do to your fellow disciples at the tournament," Xiao Fang says. His Qi flares, and though Liu Jin dislikes him, there is no denying the strength of his aura. It is strong. Stronger than his.

Stronger than Yun Han's.

A myriad of emotions cross Yun Han's face at that moment, rage and hate the most prominent among them. There is no doubt in Liu Jin's mind that Xiao Fang has made an enemy for life.

"The tournament," Yun Han says at last.

"Huh?"

"Perhaps, you are right. Perhaps, your cousin will win the tournament once more. However, he will not be able to participate in the tournament forever. One day, our turn will come to step into that arena. I swear to you, Xiao Fang, when that day comes, we will finish what you started here, and on that day, the Yun Sect will win."

With those ominous words dripping with malice, Yun Han turns and leaves. The crowd parts for him as he passes by. Wu Yan and his friends quickly follow after him.

Rather than being threatened, Xiao Fang just watches him leave with an unamused look on his face.

"This changes nothing," Xiao Fang whispers as he passes by Liu Jin. The crowd parts for him just as it did for Yun Han. With the two heirs no longer present, the crowd soon disperses, leaving Liu Jin alone and unsure.

At that moment, Liu Jin feels unbearably small.

~~~