Chapter 396 Rebellious Streak

The following day.

Chu Xun woke up from his sleep amidst a hangover.

“How long has it been since he became so drunk? Yunyan City? That’s almost twenty years ago.”

He activated the magic of the Hong Meng Scripture inside him and the aftereffects of the binge last night and the sour stench of liquor was gone.

Chu Xun pivoted off the bed and stepped out of the room he found himself in. It was Long Qingquan’s cottage.

“Master Chu Xun, you’ve woken up,” observed Long Qingquan as he came in.

Chu Xun nodded. “So,” he said, “Can we go see the Silver Dragon Guard now?”

“No need for hurry, my good sir,” said Long Qingquan, laying a tray of porridge and some simple side dishes, “Please, have some breakfast first.”

Once Chu Xun finished his meal, they set off towards Lake Dragonspring.

Aside from Long Qingquan and a few of the elderly men, some of the children came along as well.

To Chu Xun’s surprise, this domain kept hidden and guarded by Emperor Ao’s enchantment encompassed a tract of land so large and vast that an abundance of magical herbs and shrubs, strange and rare flowers and even fruits as well as fierce, wild beasts could be found.

ROAR!

A mutated boar the size of a locomotive bared its teeth and charged at Chu Xun.

Chu Xun raised a hand in alarm, preparing to strike.

“Please, Master Chu Xun. Have mercy,” implored Long Qingquan before having one of his companions frightened away the boar without killing it. “This particular wild boar has given birth to piglets and we are now very near to its lair. That is why it is being hostile,” he explained, “At Silver Dragonsville, there are two kinds of beasts that we do not kill.”

“Ah? What two kinds?”

“Firstly, beasts that are pregnant or had just delivered their young, and secondly, young cubs or whelps,” revealed Long Qingquan.

Chu Xun understood and nodded.

The people of Silver Dragonsville depended on the natural ecosystem here for sustenance and disrupting the balance by killing every beast they clapped eyes on would only affect them.

“Big Brother, can I come with you to the outside world?” asked Qi who had only the deepest curiosity about the real world.

“I’m afraid you’re still young, my friend. The world outside now is nothing but a mess,” said Chu Xun, stroking his hair, “I’ll take you out when you’re older.”

“But I’m old enough to deal with wild beasts!” exclaimed Qi indignantly, waving his fists.

“It’s dangerous in the real world,” chuckled Chu Xun, “You need to be stronger not only to protect yourself but also to defend the people around you. You gotta work hard.”

“Have you killed anyone before, Big Brother?” asked another child.

Chu Xun nodded.

“How many have you killed? Five?” pressed the little boy, holding up a hand.

Chu Xun said, “Too many. Too many that I lost count.”

Beside him, Long Qingquan and other seniors of the village shared furtive glances. They were equally curious themselves. “How many people had Chu Xun killed before?”

The party talked as they trekked and the journey took them two to three hours before they finally reached Lake Dragonspring.

The people of Silver Dragonsville had taken the liberty of naming the spring themselves when they first found this place. This was a natural spring with magical properties where one could soak oneself into the water and the magical liquid would enhance one’s physical endurance.

Not as wide as he had expected, Chu Xun spied a sprawl of wooden cottages by the banks of the pond as well as moss-green stone slabs as large as a stone grinder that appeared to be used regularly for people to sit on and meditate and train.

The air around the lake too was extraordinarily invigorating and refreshing because of the rich natural energies emanating from the lake.

But it was quiet everywhere that not even a passing bird could be seen.

Chu Xun was about to speak when the air screamed. A few cast-iron arrows as long as two meters came straight at him.

Chu Xun beheld the incoming volley of projectiles with unfriendly eyes.

“Impertinence!” growled Long Qingquan, raising the rattan staff that reached taller than he was. The top end of the staff emitted a bright glow and a pulse of energy from the staff repelled the arrows.

A litany of crisp clangor of metal on metal rang through the air from the invisible force that struck down the arrows, causing sparks to burst out.

Long Qingquan staggered backward from the force of the collision.

His face reddened with incredulity and rage. “SHOW YOURSELF THIS INSTANT!”

They heard footfalls rustling and they looked up. A brigade of more than a dozen men was standing at the crest of the hills around them, staring down at them.

“Where are your manners, Long Kai!” shouted Long Qingquan at a tall, wiry man with bronze-tanned skin. With a long and large bow in his grasp, his sinewy arms looked powerful and robust.

“It is you who have forgotten the rules, old man,” said Long Kai nonchalantly putting aside his bow before bending down to pluck a weed that he bit between his teeth precariously.

“You of all people should know Lake Dragonspring is hallowed grounds, Village Head,” teased another thickset man derisively, “Anyone wishing to step on these grounds should request permission, or we have the right to execute them.”

“You dare attack me?!” bellowed Long Qingquan acrimoniously.

“Just a joke, old man. What are you being so agitated for?” said Long Kai casually. His gaze panned to Chu Xun, “This young chap here looks unfamiliar. A stranger from outside, is he not? Why is he here, old man?”

“Come down here at once and greet Master Chu Xun!” glowered Long Qingquan sourly.

The hillside turned awfully silent.

“Master?” Long Kai smirked derisively, “Have you gone senile, old man? What makes a young little whelp like that ‘Master’?”

“Insolence,” roared Long Qingquan, “Master Chu Xun is sent here by the great Dragon Deity! Are you saying you’re questioning the will of the Dragon Deity?!”

The tall, burly men all turned astounded.

After what seemed like seconds, Long Kai uttered with hesitation, “And why did the Dragon Deity send this boy here?”

“Watch your tone, Long Kai. You’re sailing perilously close to the wind,” growled Long Qingquan threateningly.

The other old men were also filled with anger.

“Master Chu Xun is here to select candidates for the Silver Dragon Guard to fight for the honor of the Dragon Deity,” announced Long Qingquan.

“Does he carry any authentication from the Dragon Deity?” demanded Long Kai.

“The fact that Master Chu Xun was able to walk through the enchantment is proof enough.”

Long Kai burst into a sardonic fit of laughter. “So anyone who walks through the enchantment is a herald of the Dragon Deity? That’s funny. So if I can walk out, does that make me the supreme ruler of the outside world?”

Fuming beyond comprehension, Long Qingquan bellowed, “What do you want, Long Kai!?”

“Nothing really,” uttered Long Kai lazily, “We’ve been stuck here for so long, and for almost two hundred years of my life, I have never seen the Dragon Deity before. How can I know if he even exists? For all we know he could be a mere figment of imagination concocted by you and your band of old seniles.”

“You bleeding imbecile. How dare you challenge the omnipotence of the Dragon Deity!” cried Long Qingquan, his anger no longer restrained, “I’m warning you, the magic you learn and the power that you now embody all stemmed from the teachings and disciplines bestowed to us by the Dragon Deity! How dare you utter such ungrateful words! I could have your tongue for this!”

“Control your temper, old man. We’ve been talking and we have decided to enter the outside world. We’ve been here for so long and I don’t intend to have my bones interred here without seeing outside at all,” said Long Kai.

“WHAT?!” yelped another elderly man beside Chu Xun, “How could you go against the teachings of our people! People of Silver Dragonsville do not venture outside!”

“Those are rules thought up by men, naturally it can be amended. The rules might be fixed, but we humans are not,” scoffed Long Kai rudely, obviously paying no heed to the tradition and rules of their people.

“Good! Very good!” Long Qingquan bellowed, so enraged that his entire self was practically shaking, “You dare disobey the ancient teachings of our forebears. Good! If that is what you want, then so be it! We will not stand in your way! But all that magic and power that you now possess are gifts entrusted to us by the Dragon Deity! Strip yourself of every ounce of magic and power you carry and you’ll be free to leave!”

That demand made Long Kai and his fellow rebels turned bitter and sour.

“Strip our own powers? Long Kai lashed out, his eyes gleaming with discontented fury, “Our magic and powers are all the fruits of our hard work! Who would dare refuse us!”

Long Qingquan stepped forward as if to demonstrate his point. “Our fathers and their fathers before them all worshipped the Dragon Deity. How dare you besmirch his name! Let the Dragon Deity be our witness, we shall strip you of your powers!”

“As if the likes of you even can,” smirked Long Kai.

Chu Xun’s lips twisted into a wry grin. He might not be offended by Long Kai’s rebellious streak, but he was rather pleased to know that Emperor Ao’s influence had its limits. “I’m sure even now he is still nowhere near aware of how rebellious the pieces he had been keeping aside have become!”

Chu Xun made a mental note. He must use this to tease Emperor Ao the next time they meet!

“Who lurks inside the wooden cottages?” asked Chu Xun suddenly, cutting them all off when he projected his Divine Sense and discovered another dozen or so men hiding inside the cottages by the lake.

Long Qingquan jumped, visibly surprised but Chu Xun’s discovery only made him even angrier.

“LONG YI! SHOW YOURSELF! DO YOU WISH TO MUTINY TOO!?” Long Qingquan shrieked in the direction of the wooden cottages.

The doors of the log-built cottages opened as one and more stout men came up. They were all similarly-clad in the same roughspun tunics, but one of them, one with the stern presence and air of a leader piqued Chu Xun’s interest.

A powerful champion. One that wielded strength and power comparable to Long Kai and Long Qingquan.

“Village head, sir,” greeted the leader called Long Yi, albeit stiffly.

“Let me ask you now, Long Yi. Are you part of this unruly scheme to venture to the outside world too?” asked Long Qingquan strictly.

“The thought had never once crossed my mind,” denied Long Yi, shaking his head.

“But you have been aware of Long Kai’s intentions to venture out?” asked Long Qingquan.

“I do,” answered Long Yi.

“And why did you not try to stop him?”

“Because I don’t see it as a business of mine,” said Long Yi in a toneless voice.

“Very well, in the name of the Dragon Deity, I command you to arrest Long Kai!” Long Qingquan demanded fiercely.

“Understood,” said Long Yi curtly and he swiveled around towards the direction of Long Kai.

Long Kai’s face twitched with shock. He could resist Long Qingquan alone. But fighting against both Long Qingquan and Long Yi who possessed just as much power as himself? That needed some second thoughts.

“Long Yi, are you really against me?” growled Long Kai darkly.

“This is the Village Head’s order,” Long Yi answered quietly.

“We grow up here all our lives, Long Yi. Aren’t you curious to see the world outside? Why else would we train so much for? Just to die and have our bones buried here?” yelled Long Kai.

Long Yi sank into contemplative silence. He turned around and peered at Long Qingquan, “Village Head, does the Dragon Deity truly exist?”

“Impudent fool, are you going to challenge the presence of the Dragon Deity too?!” Long Qingquan admonished him harshly, “Master Chu Xun is here. How else would he know about our existence if not for the Dragon Deity!?”

Long Yi shifted his gaze to Chu Xun, “You’re really here at the behest of the Dragon Deity?”

Chu Xun grinned at him, “Are you interested in the outside world too?”

Long Yi nodded without any hesitation or disguise.

“Very well, stand down,” Chu Xun waved him down.

Long Yi stood there, stunned like a statue, staring blankly at Chu Xun.

Chu Xun withdrew his gaze and redirected his attention to Long Kai still standing atop the hill.

“I understand your inquisitiveness to see the world outside. But I don’t care for your manners and your ways,” said Chu Xun coolly, “Come down here and admit to your mistakes. Absolution shall be yours and you can come with me to see how it is now outside.”

Long Kai looked at Chu Xun with disbelief before he burst out laughing.

“You?! You’re leading us?! What makes you think you’re good enough?!” sniffed Long Kai with disdain.

“I’m giving you one more chance on Ao’s behalf. Come down here and bend the knee,” said Chu Xun, his glare turning dangerously venomous, “Or I’ll slaughter every one of you before I’ll allow any one of you rebellious scum to dishonor this hidden paradise.”

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