"Hey, old man, are you insulting me?!" Zego retorted, his gaze sharpening.
"What? Old man?" The Elder narrowed his eyes, the wrinkles on his forehead deepening. "Youngsters these days have no manners," he said with a mocking tone.
"Huh? Old men like you are always drunk and insult people as you please," Zego shot back, hinting at the Elder's habit.
The Elder's frown deepened, as if extremely annoyed. "HEY, YOU RUDE YOUNGSTER! I'M OLDER THAN YOU, YOU SHOULD RESPECT ME! DIDN'T YOUR PARENTS TEACH YOU ANY MANNERS, HUH?!" the old man roared.
"HEY, OLD MAN! IT'S NOT OKAY TO BE DRUNK IN BROAD DAYLIGHT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE GOING TO INSULT PEOPLE! I LOST MY PARENTS WHEN I WAS YOUNG, SO I DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE TO TEACH ME MANNERS!" Zego retorted, his voice filled with anger.
Zego's retort died as the Elder's fingers clamped his wrist—a surge of icy Qi shot up his arm. "Southern coast? LIES!" The old man's breath reeked of liquor and secrets. "I smell the Black Zone on you... and Shattered Star energy."
Zego froze. How does he know that—?
"The Vatican butchered my clan for less," the Elder hissed lowly. "Train with me, and I'll make you their nightmare. Refuse..." He nodded toward the guards. "...and I collect the bounty myself."
The threat hung like a blade. Zego had no choice. "I... accept."
"Good. Now we eat. Hurry up!" the Elder said, his arrogant smile returning.
They went to find a place to eat. Zego kept looking around, observing the unfamiliar surroundings. Upon arriving at a diner, they immediately ordered food.
"Waiter!" the Elder called out.
"Oh, Elder! Would you like more beer?" the waiter asked, recognizing the old man.
"Yes, you are indeed understanding! Oh, and two bowls of meat soup, please," the Elder said.
"Alright, Elder. Please wait a moment," the waiter replied.
"Kid, where are you really from?" the Elder asked, his expression suddenly serious again.
"Uh, yeah, yeah. I'm from the southern coast," Zego tried again, but he realized his lies were useless.
"KID! I'm asking for your origin, not where you came from! Do you understand?! I'm your master now, so answer honestly! Your eyes alone are strange," the Elder snapped, pointing at Zego's eyes.
"Actually... I'm from the Central Continent. But not in the Black Zone, but on an island in the south, far from the Black Zone and the southern continent," Zego finally confessed.
"Hmm... isn't that area prone to sea beast attacks?" the Elder said, now intrigued. "And in the Eastern Continent, we don't use Tiers like the barbarians here. True cultivators are measured by their Dragon Veins Awakened!" the Elder smirked.
"Yes, it is prone to sea beast attacks. But our chieftain was very strong, so the island was safe. But...." Zego trailed off.
"But what? Was there a disaster?" the Elder pressed.
"Y-yes, there was a sea beast shaped like a huge dragon that attacked our island. The attack even submerged the island," Zego explained in a raspy voice.
"What? Submerged an island? Was it a small island?" the Elder asked, in disbelief.
"Hmm... the island was very big. There was a lot of life there," Zego replied.
"How could a sea beast be capable of submerging a large island? And didn't the chieftain fight it?" The Elder was now bursting with curiosity.
"He did! The chieftain fought it. But the sea beast went berserk, creating a whirlpool that reached up to the sky. The whirlpool submerged the island," Zego said, his eyes distant.
"From your story, it seems that sea beast was very strong. At least it might be at a mid/high Celestial level. And what happened to the chieftain?" the Elder asked.
"He was with me on the way to the west, but he lost his life on the western shore," Zego replied in a low voice.
"WHAT?! Someone capable of fighting a Celestial level being died after reaching the western shore? What happened?" the Elder asked, shocked.
Zego began to explain how they were able to arrive on the western shore without a ship, only by relying on Uncle Zeos's speed. Zego continued to talk while enjoying the food that had arrived. The Elder listened as if it were a legend or a myth. After Zego had finished telling his story and how he came to be there, the Elder was silent.
"Good heavens, kid... you went through all that at such a young age. It's a miracle," the Elder said. "And the monster you met was one of the 10 Ancient Sacred Beings. Probably on a level with a Paragon. Escaping from a creature like that is a true miracle."
"Y-yeah, that was thanks to my uncle. He protected me until his last breath," Zego said, his eyes welling up with tears again.
"Kid, don't get lost in sadness. Your uncle wouldn't want to see you sad all the time. You have to become stronger. There are many threats out there, but as long as you are under my supervision, you will be safe," the Elder said, trying to comfort him.
"Why are you so confident? How strong are you really, Elder?" Zego asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Tch, still doubting this 'drunken old man,' are you?" the Elder smirked. He flicked his sake cup. A droplet of the liquid flew, slicing a fly in mid-air before freezing Zego's soup solid.
"That... how did you do that?" Zego was shocked, speechless.
"HAHAHAHAHA! Kid! You weren't born during my peak, when all the sect leaders in the Eastern Continent couldn't match me. Only a few Great Elders could. In the Eastern Continent, there are many strong cultivators, and I was among the top 10 strongest back in my prime! I was on a mid/high Absolute level! So, you should be proud to have a master like that," the Elder said, laughing proudly.
"That's truly amazing," Zego said with a tone of admiration.
"Yeah, that's truly amazing... but that was at your peak. How are you now?" Zego asked, still dismissive.
"Tch, you ungrateful brat! Finish your food quickly! After this, we will begin a one-year closed-door training at Moon-Crying Gorge. You'll meditate under a waterfall while I pelt you with boulders. Survive 3 months, then I'll teach you the 'Yin-Yang' technique—a technique that made emperors kneel!" the Elder said, his eyes turning sharp again.
Zego thought to himself, (I'm finished...).
Will Zego be able to survive the Elder's terrifying training?