Chapter 140: An Awkward Ride

The water screen went up from the whell of water. The panicked image of Yin Bhiki filled the screen.

“Master, I have urgent news, its your…”

“I probably already know.” Wang Ton interrupted, holding up a shirt. “Seems I mistakenly pakced too many clothes in my bag, clothes that were suppose to be in another bag for another journey.”

“Oh… are the clothes in good condition?”

“They are fine but they are a few sizes too small. I tried one of the item of clothes on but now it refuses to come off.”

“What will we do now?”

“The clothes I have I’ll keep with me, the other bag should be sent on its journey, even if it is empty. You understand?”

“Yes master,” Yin Bhiki said and the screen lost its form and returned to the whell of water.

Zen waited in the carriage, fidgeting the energetic Scorch Ape sitting across him. He was topless, revealing the bandage wrapped around his abdomen. The door of the carriage opened making Zen jump.

“Father!”

Wang Ton threw the shirt in Zen’s face before entering and making Shibi leap to Zen’s lap. Ton knocked on the carriage door and the driver took off.

“What’s going to happen?”

“You will keep quiet and obey my every command to the letter.”

“Y-Yes sir.” Zen said.

“Since you have refused to go home and I can’t make you because you;ve threatened to expose me.”

“I’m sorry for dong that, Father but I think…”

He raised his hand to silence him. The rest of the ride was quiet and for Zen very awkward.

Zen was lying on the ground, on his back. His legs were propped up on the carriages fine seats, with Shibi balancing at the end of his foot.

“We not go back to academy?”

“No.”

“We stay with Father”, even though he hurt Zen?” Shibi bared his large fangs.

Zen bent his leg, bringing Shibi closer to him, ignoring the pinch he felt in his ribs. “He is involved in something big, revenge for my brother. I want to be a part of it.” He extended his leg again, raising Shibi.

“He let you?”

“He doesn’t have a choice,” Zen said as he brought Shibi down again. “I threatened to reveal everything he and Bhiki had spoken about.” Zen smirked. “I can’t believe the bluff worked.”

Zen sighed in boredom as he repeated the action of raising and lowering Shibi until he could feel the slight burn in his leg.

“Man, its been a while since I accompanied dad on these weapon selling deals.” He sighed with a smile. “But back then I was very young and my brother was still alive. I would go into the houses of these big city officials, eat whatever I want and play in their massive gardens while father talked business. Now that I’m forced to wait here, I realise how long they took.”

The door opened. Zen jerked, causing Shibi to fall from his foot with a high pitched scream before landing on his head, knocking him into the ground as he was trying to get up.

“So this is why yourki level is so meagre,” Wang Ton said as he entered the carriage.

Zen and Shibi scrambled up to a normal seating position.

“You play instead of cultivating,” Ton knocked on the door and the carriage took off.

“I-I was cultivating earlier, Zen said, his face a mask of pink.

Ton said nothing as they got back on the road.

The ride felt excruitiatingly long for Zen. Neither he nor his father really said anything, even though Zen had a lot he wanted to say… to ask. But instead of talking, the young boy looked outside, admiring the scenery and avoiding having to look directly at his father. His father knocked three times. Zen was expecting the carriage to stop but it continued on as normal.

He looked at his father in confusion before returning his eyes back out the window. Where he admired the green mountain in the distance as once again, the galloping of horses filled theh slinece, their hooves kicking up a screen of dust on their way.

Some time passed and even though they were not moving any faster, the dust screen rose up to hide the scenery beyond the window from Zen. It was so bad that it blocked the sun, makingthe inside of the carriage look dimmer.

Zen looked at his father. Several times he opened his mouth, gathering his courage, only to shut it again. He clenched his fistin determination.

“Father…” he finally said.

Wang Ton shifted to the door of the carriage, and looked out the window. “Come here,” he said beckoning him.

Zen looked at his father in confusion.

“Come,” he said impatiently.

Zen moved over near his father. Ton produced a storage stone where he pulled out a mask and a black cloak from it.

“Quickly, put these on and make sure to keep Shibi under the cloak.”

Zen put the mask and cloak on. Both items had the same effect. This was one of his father’s famous masks, which could hide the power level of the wearer. The cloak also did the same thing and was from on of his business rivals, this could also hide the power of the wearer, this was to hide Shibi’s presence.

He put them on, carrying Shibi, so that he was under the protection of the cloak.

Ton opened the door, some of the dust rushed in.

“Beyond this dust cloud, there is a sloping hill. You’ll be jumpig blind but as soon as you hit the ground, try to stop your momentum as soon as possible and keep your head down.”

Zen looked at the dust cloud, he could not see anything beyond its brown mass. “You-You want me to jump?”

His father nodded.

Zen gulped, “Can’t you jump first?”

“Don’t you trust me?”

Zen looked at his father, their masked faces staring at each other in silence.

“No,” Zen finally said.

His father jumped… His form dissapearng in the dust.

“Shibi,” Zen said, hodling Shibi’s body beneath the cloak. “Hang on tight to me.”

He jumped. He could see nothing as he felt that familiar feeling in his stomach from dropping. His feet made contact with the ground and sure enough, it sloped down. He slid to a stop, grabbing the ground to anchor him.

“Down!”

He heard his father as his hand shoved him into the ground. The dust passed them, allowing the sun to illuminate their surroundings. They were in a field of green bushes, pressing into their foilage. Zen could see their carriage, a cloud of brown dust, leaving them behind.

“The dust…” Zen said, “Its some kind of technique!”

A second carriage passed by.

“Whose that?”

“My would-be assassins.” Wang Ton said. “Now!”

A giant boulder appeared further along the road. Its rapidly rlling mass took up all of the road, ensuring the other cart could not squezze past it.

Zen could feel a rumble before giant pillars of earth grew from the slopig hill they were on. The boy almost lost his footing but Ton caught his hand, saving him from sliding down the mountain. He regained his footing and watched in awe as the pillars curved and stabbed into the giant boulder like fingers grabbing a ball. The bouldercame to a stop, however, still spinning and digging into the ground.

The carriage also stopped but Zen saw a man climb onto its roof. The man sent a giat ball of fire into the boulder, resulting in an explosion that sent debris flying everywhere. The boulder still hend strongas half of it was still intact, alsough its edges glowed with heat.

“Are we going to fight them?” Zen said in fear.

There was another explosion when the amn atop the other carriage threw another giant fireball, this one obliterating whatever was left of the boulder. The earth pillars laid themselves onto the ground, creating a pathway on the damaged bridge that allowed them to continued on.

“Fight them?” Wang Ton said as they watched the carriage speed away. “That little boulder stunt cost me most of my power and they outnumber us. Let them chase an empty carriage while we escape.”

Wang Ton made his way down the hill as Zen followed him. He could not help but look back at the distant carriage and wonder marvel at the terrifying strength of the enemies his father had made.