97 A selfish man. (1/2)

'What is this?!'

Li Wei's mind was reeling on utter confusion and bewilderment as this pain barraged him. His feet staggered a bit, and his eyes flickered with dull streaks of anguish.

'Guh...'

Li Wei gripped his fists as he tried to throw this annoying and almost disturbing pain out of his mind. The confusion was driving him insane, and whatever the reason, he couldn't figure out its source.

'Is it because of the beam the woman shot?'

Li Wei's face grew weary as he tottered over to the chamber, and at this moment he felt his soul calm down a little. However, that disconcerting notion never left him; a notion that he had lost something.

This loss, this piece of soul, it was close to him. A thing he considered pivotal, something that defined a part of him.

It was this that was gone.

People, who he knew, now forever forgotten.

It may not be important now, or in the near future, but at some time, in some place, it will face him. He, though, will have no idea.

She could stare at him, they could stare at him, yet he wouldn't even think of them as people he knew. Those that he killed in ignorance, and a person that he defined as an etching rule to improve himself on. Gone.

All he now feels is regret from forgetfulness; a great regret that he cannot piece together. A fogged mess, and all coming from that striking hole in his teetering soul.

'What is it that I have forgotten?'

Li Wei grasped his chest as he stepped inside of the chamber, where a slightly pale girl gazed at him with shock.

He looked at her and remembered that he needed to protect her. He felt a rather profound urge to do so; like he would break a pledge if he failed.

As for why, he couldn't tell. He knew that Su Min needed him to keep her alive, he knew the consequences of her death, yet this feeling didn't originate from this.

It was like he was missing something.

Elsewhere, and stepping in the air with a simple gaze, a starry-eyed man rubbed his chin with interest as he left the ledge Li Wei was on. He passed by the disciples who had just recovered from the sudden disappearance of steam; he even dodged the senses of the 7th step elders who were trying to analyse the situation.

His simple walk aroused no one's attention, and as he crossed a couple kilometres in a few light steps, his eyes brightened as he caught a certain person floating high in the sky.

This person, draped in ethereal robes, noticed him too. The person's pupils contracted an indiscernible amount, but he didn't do anything as he turned his head and stared at the halved ledge once more.

”Hey, Sect Master!”

The man laughed as he leapt up the Sect Master with a bright smile. The Sect Master gave him a glimpse as an odd light flashed, but he withdrew it once more and spoke whilst looking away.

”Xia Xuegang, I thought you would stay in seclusion for a bit longer?”

Xia Xuegang smile lessened as he paused for a second, seemingly in thought. The Sect Master didn't seem to mind, as he just continued to stare on and at the ledge with a solemn expression.

”I heard that you are trying to kill Wen Mian.”

A string of rather shocking words escaped out of Xia Xuegang's lips as his smile returned and he stared at the ledge with the Sect Master. The atmosphere around the two seemed to tighten as his voice echoed, where the Sect Master took a step back and scowled at him with a dark expression.

”Where'd you hear this?”

Visible streaks of bright light sparkled around him as a magnificent pressure shrouded Xia Xuegang. Yet, he remained unchanged to it all and continued to study the ledge with starry eyes.

The Sect Master was staring at the back of Xia Xuegang as he awaited a response, where visible wariness streaked through his expression.

”I can see real potential from that girl; she reminds me of my youth, you know.”

Xia Xuegang face was traced with nostalgia as he turned around and faced the Sect Master. He looked like a simple mortal with his absent aura and ordinary face, though the caution in the Sect Master's eyes only magnified.