To Return To Where You Belong To

Quan Song's sword, Zhao Lu Jing Chen wasn't on par with Zhen Ding Lang Jian. But at least the name was slightly better, no... much better than the childish name. However, the ones holding the swords respectively were the exact opposite of their swords.

Nonetheless, Zhen Ding Lang Jian still helped Xiao Er regardless of its given name, which sounded like Xiao Er happened to have a slight grudge towards the sword and being not creative at all.

The blades clashed at each other, creating a ringing sound whenever they came into contact. The reason Quan Song still stood in the battle hall was because of his excellent stance and his experiences. On the other hand, the great mystical Resounding Blade had its power reduced almost into nothing. Xiao Er could barely maintain his stance in this duel, most of the initiative offenses were done by the other male.

The audiences were torn at two thoughts currently. They wanted to see him defeated, for wielding the Resounding Blade with his lacking skills was already humiliating to every being in this existence. On the same time, they wanted to see the true power of this legendary weapon, yet fearing that the barriers couldn't withstand it.

Ten minutes passed, Xiao Er had broken into sweats. His heart was thumping wildly, his hands started to tremble.

"I'm not going hard on you. Fix your stance." Quan Song said as he turned around to land another light blow to his head, which was countered just right at the time.

"Please don't." Xiao Er gritted his teeth. "You'll make me seem embarrassing if you won this duel easily."

Of course, outside the battle circle, no one could hear their conversation. The barrier didn't work well with sounds, and the clashing of the two swords covered their voices.

Xiao Er took a risky chance to peek at the water master ZhiYuan. The older man, looked only twenty or thirty years old at the most, was busy laughing and conversing with the other elders.

Following the younger teen's line of sight, Quan Song took a brief look and sighed, "You don't need to worry about master. He kept an eye on this duel even if he didn't look like watching us. Pay attention."

Another swing, and clang!

Xiao Er's sword nearly fell out of his grasp when he attacked. His arm numbed at that moment. Zhao Lu Jing Chen, on the other side, was still firm and calm. It didn't look like his sudden attack managed to startle Quan Song even for the slightest bit. As if he had predicted and waited for this act.

Under the underwater Eastern Sea palace, the best of the teachers and masters there couldn't be compared to Water Master ZhiYuan. On addition to that, Xiao Er's training was only the second best after the Shui children's. Even the thirteenth child, Shui LingYi, was still better than him! And LingYi was a girl, twelve years old at that!

If the past time Xiao Er was the one who ate the vinegar, now the table had turned. The Shui family silently ate all the vinegar on the side, excluding Shui QingWan.

Their clear crystal blue eyes burned with such fury that Xiao Er feared their ice-like eyes would actually melt. If any of the Shui dared to cheer on the wrong person (Xiao Er) and supported him, they certainly would be stared with such intensity that the glares could crush them alive. That's why no one took Xiao Er's side, excluding, again, Shui QingWan. She was an outcast enough to be safe from anymore threats.

Another cling-clang followed after closely, not giving Xiao Er any break he needed. His numb arm couldn't hold the sword much longer, so he switched to his other hand.

Quan Song's movements were calm, like dancing, but swift. Those movements nearly pierced Xiao Er numerous times. If this was any serious battle, the boy could guarantee that he would be a bloody mess of corpse in five seconds.

ZhiYuan made a gentle gesture, unnoticed by anyone but his disciple. 'Spare him, don't be too rash.'

Quan Song, seeing that, glared at his master sitting leisurely, with an expression as if saying, 'I don't need another Shidi! There're already a bunch for me to take care of! Shi Fu never do anything at all! Leaving me all thirty nine to babysit! Don't take in that many if you're not being responsible!'

'It's my right to take in disciples! On addition to that, you'll be much more responsible and it's a great way to teach discipline and respect!' ZhiYuan sulked.

'I'M DISCIPLINE AND RESPONSIBLE ENOUGH EVEN WITHOUT BABYSITTING THEM!' Quan Song roared at his master

'No! You are not!'

The silent conversation lasted as Xiao Er dodged death for his dear life. One mistake and he most likely turn into human skewers. He didn't care of what happened between the two, but he had a hunch that these two might have a deeper relationship than just being master and disciple.

They.... They might be lovers!

Xiao Er's face turned white as sheets at that thought. He shook his head fiercely. 'Why am I thinking things like that?! Unrespectful! Horrible!'

He unconsciously lowered his guard for a short period of time and...

Stab.

'Oh, did I die?' crossed his mind.

Nope, he didn't. Xiao Er sighed in relief when he realized that it wasn't critical enough to kill him on spot, but quickly regretted it as pain climbed up his nerves from his abdomen.

'Might as well just die.' He thought again.

ZhiYuan's blanched, but that might be just his imagination. Quan Song turned his head to take a better look at his opponent, eyes wide in disbelief. His complexion seemed to be as pale as his master's now.

"Quan-xiong, when I said not being too soft on me, I didn't mean that you can skewer me alive."

"Shut—Shut up! This is, this is no right time to joke around now!" He stuttered lightly, panicking at the sight of blood slowly seeping through the dark blue robes. It was unnoticeable to the others outside the barrier, so they showed no response.

"Quan-xiong." Xiao Er spoke. Quan Song who looked like he was about to tore his outer robe to bandage him lifted his gaze from the younger male's abdomen. "Keep going. We shouldn't let them realize that something is wrong."

"No. Shi Fu wouldn't let your wound not taken care of! He wanted you to win—"

"That's why. Xiao Er understands that ZhiYuan Shui Shi wanted to make me his disciple. If His Excellency took me just because I was wounded, what will the others say?"

At this moment, Xiao Er hadn't understand the true reason he was chosen. He didn't think that pulling out the sword he grasped tightly was simply the reason ZhiYuan wanted him under his tutelage.

Quan Song gritted his teeth, "Okay."

They both stepped into the battle again, attacks significantly lighter than before, like they were only dancing around. Zhao Lu Jing Chen's blade was still clean, untouched by blood, perhaps because the spiritual aura emitted from the sword itself.

After few steps of the act, his arms and legs started to fail him, trembled every time he swung his sword. His vision started to blur and felt light-headed. His breathing heavy and he began to wheeze.

Just a second before he collapsed, Zhen Ding Lang Jian hummed softly. It was unnoticeable at first, but slowly the hum getting louder. Spiritual energy flowed from the sword and engulfed its wielder. Quan Song took it as the cue to strike as hard as he could.

The wounded teen raised his sword to block the attack. He managed to repel Quan Song's sword. However, as the two swords came into contact, the glowing sword caused a ringing sound, loud enough to deafen everyone present. Some who expected that, like ZhiYuan managed to cover their ears from the sound, following after it was an even louder crashing sound.

When the haze was cleared up from the last blow, they saw that the battle hall now had a huge hole on one side. The pillars holding the ceiling crumbled, the barrier was fully broken. The ones watching slowly turned their heads to the one who caused one fifth of the Eastern Sea palace destroyed.

ZhiYuan's only smiled, bringing his open fan to hide his grin since it was too inappropriate to show joy in the current timing. Quan Song rolled out of danger at the right timing, but still felt as if he just got blown out from the palace. Said boy was too afraid to stand up, laying flatly on the floor in attempt to calm down his heart.

While, Xiao Er, the one who caused the mess, only stared at the hole dumbfounded....

"I can't believe you actually tsundere-ing your way to heaven." YueChen commented, his numb arms still raised.

"I can't believe tsundere-ing is actually a word." Yuan Ji countered, head still laid on his fiance's shoulder.

"Hey! If it's me who said it, it's a word, okay?!"

"I don't take it from a kid who can't even spell or read properly."

"Lay that out of this, could you?"

Yuan Ji lifted his head and looked straight into the ghost's eyes, and grinned.

"No."