28 Chapter 27: Reunion (2/2)
”Ahem…” Tian Mo cleared his throat. ”And that's where I come in.”
I gave him a droll glare. ”Why did you give me the Golden Dragon Medallion, anyway?”
Tian Mo's shoulders sagged and he sighed. Scratching his aged head, he glanced up at the wooden ceiling.
”My enemies were closing in on me, and I had no one I could trust. My sect had been destroyed, my closest subordinates all killed to the last man, and I was alone.” He stared at me, his eyes shining with sincerity. ”And in the darkest reaches of despair, while I was wandering alone, half-dead and wallowing in self-pity, you saved a pathetic old man. Even though I didn't need saving, you risked your life to save me, almost getting yourself killed in the process. A little boy, completely unrelated to the jianghu, yet just as, if not more courageous than any martial artist. I was…impressed.”
”But you never thought about what sort of trouble would follow and descend upon me after you gave me the Golden Dragon Medallion?” I probably sounded bitter, but after my recent traumatic experiences, I was entitled to that.
”It probably occurred to me,” Tian Mo admitted. ”But I was putting my faith in you. I thought that if there was anyone valiant and trustworthy enough to entrust the future and the rebuilding of the Heaven and Sect to, it would be you.”
”And you expected me to do that without telling me anything? Without at least informing what you're getting me into?”
I did recall Tian Mo's words, him apologizing for dragging me into his world, but he said nothing more than that.
”To be fair, that was the arrangement.” Grandma Meng broke in. I glanced at her, and she shrugged. ”This geezer wanted to save your life, so I agreed on one condition. In exchange, he was to make you the successor to his sect.” her ancient lips curled up into a sly smile. ”It was a condition he only too readily agreed to.”
”Huh?! Why would you do that?!” I gaped at her. Grandma Meng merely cocked her head to the side.
”I told you earlier, didn't I? I'm merely guiding you along your destiny.”
”No one should have the right to determine others' destinies. Not even the gods.”
”If you really think that, then you're incredibly naïve,” Grandma dismissed me indifferently. ”And as I said earlier, if you want to challenge destiny, you need power. Otherwise never mind the gods and immortals, your destiny will be determined by other mortals because you're too weak to resist them.”
”Ugh…”
I couldn't deny that. Tian Mo spread his hands helplessly.
”To be fair, I didn't expect this either. I thought that time in the hospital would be the last time I would see you. And my giving you the Golden Dragon Medallion and the proof of the Heaven and Earth Sect was as much a whim as it was the hag's instructions.” He sighed as he sank back in his chair. ”I'm being toyed around by fate just as much as you.”
”But Fate is precisely what brought you back together in such a roundabout manner.” Grandma Meng sounded amused as she knitted her fingers together and stared at us. ”This is Heaven's will. Interpret it however you want.”
”Hmph.” Tian Mo grinned. ”Then let's not waste this chance.” He turned to me. ”Since I've been given such a valuable opportunity, I would like to teach you Heaven and Earth Formula.”
I hesitated for a moment. While this was indeed an incredible opportunity, and would be the culmination of everything I had worked for when in the academy, I couldn't help but harbor skepticism and suspicion toward Tian Mo.
”In exchange for that, what would you have me do?”
Tian Mo shrugged. ”I don't care. Do what you will with it. Ideally, I would like you to rebuild the Heaven and Earth Sect, but you can change the name, align yourself with the Martial Arts Alliance, and do whatever you want. I won't even ask you to take revenge for me.” he sighed. ”I accepted that my atrocities can never be forgiven. But…” he leaned forward, his eyes flashing. ”I want my legacy to endure, even to the end of time. That's my only wish.”
”That's all?”
”What else is there?” Tian Mo snorted. ”I'm already dead. There's nothing I can do to influence the living world. Whatever happens in the mortal world no longer has anything to do with me. In fact, I'm going to reincarnate after this.”
”Yes, you will be,” Grandma Meng confirmed coolly.
”So my only wish it to leave a mark behind…that I existed. That's all I want.”
I studied him, wondering if he was lying, but then decided to take his word for it. Leaning back in my chair, I took a deep breath and nodded.
”Fine. But how are you going to teach me Heaven and Earth Formula?” I glanced at Grandma Meng. ”How long do we have before I return to the mortal realm?”
”Time here flows very differently from the living world.” Grandma Meng smiled. ”Maybe a week?”
”That's more than enough.” Tian Mo grinned. ”I'm only teaching you the breathing techniques. You can practice them when you return to the mortal realm.”
”If you're ready to begin the lessons, use the training room at the back,” Grandma Meng instructed us. ”I don't think the patio is an optimal place for training.”
”Uh…sure.” I nodded and rose to my feet. Tian Mo was way ahead of me, already striding into the house. It appeared he knew his way around.
”Over here.”
I followed him along endless, winding corridors, until he suddenly stopped in front of a sliding door. He pushed it open, revealing a dojo-like space within.
”Step in.”
”Yes, sir.”
I proceeded into the dojo-like room, and Tian Mo gestured for me to sit cross-legged in the middle of the room.
”All right then,” he announced, rubbing his hands in glee. ”Let us begin.”
*
”Well, that's it.”
Master stood up and nodded in satisfaction as he watched me meditate. I blinked, snapping out of my meditative state and springing to my feet.
”What do you mean, that's it?”
”Haven't you realized? It's already a week…according to underworld time, anyway.”
”Huh?!” I stared at Master blankly for a few moments before realizing, horrified, that he was right. ”Time is already up?”
”Yeah.” Master smiled. ”I would say that it has been a fruitful session. After this, whether you succeed in restoring Heaven and Earth Formula or not is entirely up to you.”
”You've got to be kidding me…” I felt numb as I listened to him hollowly, feeling like I might slide into denial. ”This can't be it…we were only just getting started! There's no way this is enough! You have to teach me more!”
”It has to be enough. Besides…” Tian Mo swiveled his head to look at me, a tinge of sadness touching his expression. ”I taught you pretty much all of it. To be honest, there is nothing more I can teach you.”
”How is this all of it?” I protested in disbelief. ”You only taught me a couple of breathing and qi circulatory qi methods. What about attacks? You've only taught me cultivation techniques, but no proper martial arts techniques. How do I fight?”
”Even though I've already taught you for a week…no, precisely because I've taught you for only a week…” Master looked a little deflated. ”Yeah, it'll be impossible for you to understand the significance and true essence of Heaven and Earth Formula.”
”Yeah, that's why I need you to teach me more!”
”That's not what I mean.” Master sent me a sharp glance. ”Listen carefully, dear disciple. Heaven and Earth Formula is originally composed of only manipulating and using the yang and yin qi, and combining them to produce incredible power. Things like forms and rituals disappeared long ago.”
”Forms and rituals?” I repeated dumbly. Master nodded.
”That's right. It's not that I left out any techniques. Rather, Heaven and Earth Formula is a martial art where you have to create your own forms and rituals, catering to your own style. The principle behind Heaven and Earth Formula isn't the powerful attacks…no, the true essence of Heaven and Earth Formula is to cultivate the necessary qi to make such powerful attacks possible in the first place. It allows you to tap into the power of the heavens and manipulate the divine qi for your own means. There is no special or unique attack that comes with Heaven and Earth Formula. We've always been changing and creating new combat techniques based on the individual practitioner's personal style.”
He placed a hand on my head and ruffled my hair.
”Your progress from this point onward is entirely up to you. Practice until you reach the peak of your ability.”
I glanced down at my feet, knowing that this was farewell.
”…I…will never see you again, will I?”
Master shrugged.
”Who knows? Fate is a fickle thing, and if you're really sincere about wanting to challenge Fate, then perhaps you might be able to overturn the whole cycle of life and death itself.” He grinned. ”If you ever reach that stage, I would love to witness it.”
”You might still have a chance to witness it. Such is the warped nature of Fate and Destiny.”
Both of us turned and caught sight of Grandma Meng stepping into the dojo-like room. She nodded patiently.
”Said your farewells yet?”
”We just finished them, actually.” Master snorted and waved at her. She didn't take offense and gestured for us to follow her.
”In any case, time is up. It's time for you to drink the soup. And lad, you'll have to return to the mortal realm. Lingering in the underworld for too long will have adverse effects on your physical body.”
”I understand.”
”Well, take care, my disciple.” Master turned away. ”Can't say it wasn't fun. I only wish that I had a lot more time to get to know you, and to teach you more. But this is the final goodbye.”
I cupped my hands and bowed deeply.
”This disciple thanks his master for everything.”
Master merely waved one last time before he disappeared.
Then I realized something.
”Uh, wait! How do I get back to my physical body?”
The last time I was here, I got reincarnated into the second timeline by walking through an alternative gate. But this time, I was in Grandma Meng's villa, with no sign of any such gate.
”There's where I come in.” Grandma Meng smiled as she approached me. ”Sending you back is my job.”
”Uh…thanks?”
I wondered if she was going to guide me to another gate, but she merely stopped in front of me. Raising a hand, she smacked me right in the head.
”Ouch! What are you doing?!”
Grandma Meng didn't answer. Blinking through the sudden pain, I saw why. She had disappeared, and was instead replaced by darkness as black as the space I was dropped into earlier. A darkness so black I couldn't see anything.
”W…whoa! Wait!”
But the darkness didn't wait. Like a ravenous beast, it engulfed me entirely, and then I knew nothing.