CHAPTER 103: THE TOURNAMENT OF WESTERN TEMPLE

Cold air filled the air as Kai joined in the hidden garden beneath the meditation chamber.

When they saw him entering through the garden’s gate, all the coordinators frowned. Especially Yung Mai, who happened to be closer to the door.

"What are you doing here, Kai! Aren’t you the one who collapsed and was sent to the healing chamber two hours ago?" Yung Mai asked, his face tensed.

"Yes... but I can’t just stay still and watch time fly. I heard the time here moves slower than the time outside. And I want to master all the skills I need so I can fulfill my mother’s dreams," Kai said, bowing and sounding in a truthful tone.

Yung Mai sighed, feeling shocked to hear the boy’s statement. He pointed toward the direction the men stood, giving the injured kid the chance to prove himself right and also fulfill the dream he wants.

"Thank you, Master," Kai said and bowed before jolting toward the men.

Jim frowned as he saw Kai moving toward the jagged land. And as Jim stretched his arm, wanting to let two of the monks send the boy back, he saw Kai already grabbing two buckets of water.

"This boy..." Jim said, feeling surprised to see someone injured in that limit still able to carry the bucket even they struggled with without being injured.

When Kai halted beside Jim, he smiled, then placed the bucket on the ground and bowed.

"Can I try again?" Kai whispered, shifted his gaze at Jim and looked at him.

"Go ahead."

Immediately Jim gave the order, Kai grabbed the bucket, breathed, then began moving, placing his toes on the small spaces available for him to step on.

After an hour every gaze froze as they saw Kai moving at great speed, and not even piercing his injured foot on the jagged bamboos.

The moment Kai stepped on the final lane at which the jagged bamboo ended, Yung Mai walked from the entrance, where he leaned, and began clapping.

Seeing their master feeling delighted at the boy’s courage, all the other monks, including Jim and Jack, joined in, applauding the boy.

For straight seven days, Kai continued, moving buckets of water loaded with all kinds of water: hot, cold, warm, and acidic.

Yet he didn’t let a single drop hit the ground.

After the seven days’ training in the hidden garden, Kai remained the only person who had ever crossed the jagged land for five days straight without letting a single drop hit the ground.

And on the eighth day, inside the meditation chamber, Yung Mai called onto Kai, letting him sit beside him as they meditated.

At the mid-afternoon, while everyone was busily taking their meal, Kai remained in the meditation chamber trying to make the calm rage in him even calmer.

But as he cracked his eyes open, Kai saw Yung Mai nodding as he walked toward him.

"Good. Boy, you have shown us the true potential to be a Shadow Cult member," Yung Mai said, smiled, then bowed.

Kai stood there shocked to see a master bow to his disciple.

"Your storm has obeyed you, Kai. Your reflection, reaction, and nature resemble the founder of this cult. THE SHADOW KING," Yung Mai said, tilting his gaze toward the wooden humanoid figure and bowed to it.

"The Shadow King?" Kai asked, turned his confused face to the wooden figure.

"Yes... the immortal among mortals. The only person who could control shadows and let them worship him rather than causing troubles," Yung Mai said while bowing to the wooden figure.

"Your eyes... your courage... and your dream are all in sync with him."

He walked to the table where the lighted incense was burning, pulled the unlighted incense and placed it in Kai’s arms.

"Use your mind to light the incense," Yung Mai said, closed his eyes then knelt down before the figure.

’How do I use my mind to light an incense?’ Kai said in his thoughts but saw a reaction in Yung Mai’s movement when he turned his gaze to Yung Mai.

"You say you want to master the skills you need, right? Then learn to create a spark with your mind," Yung Mai said, straightened himself and rose from the floor.

"The Western Temple Tournament begins tomorrow. You and Jim will represent our cult," he added, then exited, leaving Kai to be the only person there.

...

Inside the large meeting room of Gorg City, death stare flares across the room as Wang, Marcus, and Kang walk toward the large table that had chairs arranged perfectly on it.

"Who is that following you guys?" Theo asked, feeling disgusted as he saw a lady being dragged on by a doglike chain wrapped around her neck.

"That’s our source of information," Wang said, tapping on the shoulder of Theo. "Don’t poke your nose in everything because you are father’s favorite."

Theo shivered as he heard the words come from his elder brother’s mouth.

As Wang sat down and made the lady kneel beside him like his pet, all other members in the meeting ground, excluding Marcus and Kang, started to question themselves why a slut would be brought to their meeting.

But as Wang slammed his palm on the table, letting a loud vibration echo through the room, silence stirred.

"We’re having this meeting because we have what we’ve been looking for. Though he vanished, now we know where he is and who he’s under."

Chattering sounds echoed the moment Wang’s voice ended.

"Silence!" Marcus said, stood up and pointed a finger at all those he saw talking.

"So, when are you joining me at the temple to slay him down?" Jim, the man with red eyes and fifteen beads around his fist, said, squeezing his eyes and staring deep into Marcus’s.

Marcus smiled, turned a soft gaze at Kang, who also turned to Wang. And when they all turned at Jim, they said in unison:

"Just let us know when we should come... and we’ll be there."

Jim stood up, "Wait, if you want him to suffer well, I think we have to start with all those he loves or loved. Including Clara – the dead lieutenant’s sister – who is also in the temple currently."

...

Far at the remote side of Bion City, Jinx sat calmly at the side of a lab bed, holding Oin’s arms tightly.

"Please relax your mind so it works on you... don’t leave me like Mike did," Jinx said while using Oin’s grabbed arm to clear her tears.

But as her words faded, leaving only her sobs, Mike stood up. "I’m here."

Hearing the voice, Jinx paused her sobs and turned a sharp gaze at the new boy standing by her side.

"Get the fuck out of my face, you’re not the person I’m speaking of... can you shift my womb like our old Mike did?"

Immediately the new Mike heard Jinx’s words, he smiled and grinned. Then walked out of the room. Yet his mind never let go of Jinx’s statement.

Outside the white building Jinx sat in on its second floor, soldiers holding weapons walked around the uncompleted wall.

Max, who stood rigid at the other side of the wall, gasped, then began to walk toward the old junior dormitory.

He closed his eyes when he saw the monument of Lieutenant Gray, bowed slightly, then moved past it and opened the door of the junior dormitory.

Memories of his recruitment days flashed in his mind as he walked calmly in the hallway, scraping his fingers across the walls.

And when he reached Kai’s old room door, which was fixed but never used, memories of him being disciplined by the kid shot in his mind.

Max grinned at first, but as other memories of the kid—the day he and a few others got saved by the kid in the bandits’ ambush—tears trilled down on his cheeks.

"Kai..." Max grunted the boy’s name, then walked out of the room.

...

Climbing back to the main temple felt like entering a different world as a dry wind hit Kai’s face, carrying bamboo, sea salt, and sandalwood.

When he and Jim moved from the side of the stair and stepped into the large courtyard of the main temple, all eyes turned toward them.

Monks from Radiant Palm – the wine-dressed monks, Iron Body – the red-dressed monks, and Whispering Wind – the white-dressed monks, whispered among themselves.

Though Kai was shocked to see some of the old faces he knew to be a bit older, all those that knew him stood there with wide eyes when they saw Kai.

"...that’s him..."

"...the Shadow Cult boy..."

"...the one who twisted SK’s arm..."

"...he looks as if he hasn’t aged in the past year..."

Kai didn’t react. He kept his breathing steady, his mind clear like the training he’d been through.

But as Kai saw someone running toward him from a far distance, wearing the Whispering Wind Cult’s uniform, he smiled.

"Kai..." Jude said, stopping mid-panting, then placed a hand on Kai’s shoulder. "What are you doing here?"

Kai didn’t reply; he simply stood there, smiling at Jude.

"Kai... don’t tell me you’re taking part in this tournament?" Jude added.

Yet Kai didn’t say a word, but nodded.

"Wooow... then be ready to withstand my kicks because I won’t go easy on you if we face each other in the tournament," Jude said, squeezed his face and showed Kai a grim.