Lao Jianghu who had been resting up until a while ago suddenly opened his eyes in shock "No... This can't be! How did he...?"

Mu Gu was shocked by Lao Jianghu's sudden actions and felt something was not right.

"What-What's wrong?" He then felt his hair standing as he looked up "No way... Is that thing still alive?"

Bi Liang's mouth opened wide as he also gaped in shock. He glared upwards as his expression changed into anger "Damn! Will this never end?"

Lao Jianghu gritted his teeth and attempted to get up. Blood sprayed from his mouth and he felt weak, so weak that he fell on his back "I... Can't... Fail..."

Suddenly, a small hand clasped his shoulder and a faint golden mist covered his whole body. The old man felt his wounds were beginning to heal and his damaged cultivation was slowly recovering as well.

He looked up and saw Cheng Hao was glaring upwards as he healed Lao Jianghu through the use of his Golden Aura.

"Old man, you have done what you could, do not push yourself any further" He knelt beside him and grinned as Goldy hovered behind him "It is our turn now. We will take care of it, so rest and relax!"

Two white robed people stepped up, releasing a pressure on par with the peak Sung stage and mid level Reverend stage respectively. They hid their appearance beneath the hoods so people couldn't recognize them and proceeded to sit down and aid Mu Gu with the Healing Process by pouring their cultivation into the illusory tree as a way to fuel the technique.

Lao Jianghu trembled once and then tears fell from his eyes as he gritted his teeth in anger "Kill him... Kill that bastard once and for all!"

Cheng Hao smiled and nodded. He straightened himself and walked forward. After a few steps he lifted his head and was surprised to find Wu and Sou Rou were standing on his path, staring at him intensively.

He walked up to them and made a slight bow "I apologize for what my actions may have caused to you. Right now though, I cannot pay you back, I can only offer you an apology..."

Wu Rou smiled and she also bowed gratefully "You needn't apologize, Lord Sect Head. I am really thankful of the boon you have given to me... As well as the help you have given to my disciple" She turned to look at Sou Rou and the girl stepped forward, determination flashing through her eyes.

She knelt on the ground and kowtowed "Lord Sect Head, this humble disciple thanks you for saving my life! From now on, my life belongs to you, Lord Sect Head!" She banged her head on the ground before Cheng Hao could stop her.

Her forehead bled and the blood fell on the ground "Please, Sect Head! Protect our Sect! This Sect is my home, its members are my family! I will selfishly ask you to win this fight: I am weak and do not have the strength to do that, but I believe that Sect Head does! Do whatever you want with me as a repayment, kill me, use me to refine a soul crystal, sell my body... But please, help them!"

She closed her eyes and bit her lips trembling as she prepared herself for the worst. Big drops fell down from her cheeks as she cried. Cheng Hao looked down silently as his face showed no emotions.

"What are you talking about? What repayment?" He finally asked grinning widely as she helped the beautiful girl up and gently grabbed her chin so she could look at him "If such a beautiful young woman such as you is willing to give up everything for others, how could I possibly decline her request?"

The girl trembled as he looked at the boy in front of her. She felt as if all her troubles were nothing in the eyes of this child, as if they could be solved by a wave of his hand.

"Also..." the boy smiled bashfully "Don't call me Sect Head! Just call me Cheng Hao, would you? If you do not, I will consider this as you seeing me as a random person and not a big brother! You were my little sister ever since you accepted my terms back in the arena!"

Sou Rou gaped as Cheng Hao wiped away the blood and tears from her face with his robes, kissed her forehead and pat her head smiling "I will be sure to stop that guy. Do not worry little sis, I won't let him have his way!"

The girl also smiled and she nodded relieved. The boy turned to look at Wu Rou and he nodded bowing his head "Wu Rou, go where you want. You are free, your place is not here, you may decide your own path."

He then patted the head of the young girl in front of him "Sou Rou, your strength is a lot more than you might think, the fact that you are willing to give your life to save other is the proof. Get stronger and protect those dearest to you! You will truly be strong when the power you hold is able to protect everyone you deeply care about!"

With those words he turned and walked forward, leaving behind the two women, young and old, feeling as if a great weight had just been lifted off their chest.

Sou Rou smiled at Wu Rou and tears began to fall again, except they were not the sour and salty tears of sadness and grief, but they were sweet and gentle tears of joy and happiness.

"Master... You know that I once told you I had no blood-related siblings nor parents? At first I was bullied in the Sect and resented everyone for that. Then, you came, and taught me the importance of friendship and family, to not resent people as they might share my same grief as well.

"That was the reason I decided to give it my all to protect my new family, this Sect! I only had a true mother, you, up until now! Well now, you know what?" Her eyes shone as the tears streaked down her cheeks and she laughed "Now I have a big brother! And he is so cute, handsome and strong that nobody will ever bully me anymore!"

Wu Rou nodded and her eyes also grew slightly wet "That is right. And that brother of yours is going to save us all now! Let's cheer for him and prepare to greet him as he returns victorious!" She looked at the child's back that was getting further and further from them "As his sister, you must believe in him!"

Sou Rou nodded and smiled "I will! Go for it bro! Kick their asses!"

Wu Rou's eyes widened and then she chuckled "Now, now, that wasn't too ladylike, was it?"

Sou Rou blushed "Master Don't tease me! Else I'll call big brother to beat you!" The two of them stared at each other's eyes and then burst into laughter.

"Ahaha" the two beautiful women laughed but then their expressions turned serious as they stared up in the sky, where a single black petal floated. It looked intangible and yet it emanated incredible power, as if it could eradicate the whole world by simply wishing it. Yet, nobody could possibly get close to it as the pressure was just too strong.

"Sect Head, No, Big brother... Go for it!" Wu Rou's eyes brightened and she threw herself on the ground, where she began cultivating, following the instructions Cheng Hao had given her before she had passed out in the Arena. Soon, a faint mist appeared and a Red Lion, a Massive Ocean and an Imposing Rose slowly began to condense behind her.

At first they were illusory, but they slowly became more and more realistic as the girl meditated and got enlightened...

...

Cheng Hao smiled, feeling warmth in his heart as he recalled the way Sou Rou had begged him to save the people from the Sect: she probably knew that the child could run away pretty much whenever he wanted, but what she didn't know was that his pride and his own principles wouldn't allow him.

He would never leave behind a friend, even less family and his martial brothers and sisters! If it was them, was he not willing to pass through oceans of fire if it meant saving them? So, how could he possibly leave them in the hands of that bastard Shadow Dragon?

He walked on and looked up, where the petal was slowly beginning to morph, turning into a black and red cocoon. He did not even need to examine it to know that the cocoon would not be destroyed even if he made an all out effort, so he was in no hurry: he could only wait for the thing in the cocoon to come out himself, and then the final battle would begin!

Soon, he had another unexpected encounter: Fang Lu was standing a few meters from him, his arms crossed in front of him and his back straight.

He looked proud, yet not arrogant. Behind him hung the big scroll that he had used to slaughter his way through the mercenaries ranks.

The boy's eyes brightened up when he saw Cheng Hao approaching and he bowed his head slightly "Greetings, Sect Head Cheng" he then chuckled as he scratched his neck "Sorry, but I cannot call you by your name, Lord Sect Head! My master wishes for me to be respectful at all times!"

Cheng Hao smiled as he bowed his head as well "Well then, I will have a small talk with your master later. I also thank you for both your assistance in the match and also your aid during the battle"

Fang Lu blushed as he chuckled a bit embarrassed "It is not like Sect Head actually needed any of those. I also didn't help out too much, so please don't mention it"

Cheng Hao smiled and he asked "So? What brings you here?"

Fang Lu looked like someone had just declared a death sentence as he paled "W-Well... Uncle Sect Head, you see, I saw how strong you were back then. Teacher also told me you are incredibly powerful..." he looked at his toes while Cheng Hao cringed when he heard Fang Lu addressing him as an uncle.

"I wondered if the Lord Sect Head'd mind giving me some tips? I feel so weak right now after witnessing that heaven-shaking battles that Uncle Sect Head and Sir Lao Jianghu fought. I am starting to wonder wether I should really be considered a talent after all this... So I have decided to muster up my courage and ask you this..."

Cheng Hao's eyes widened and then he broke out into laughter "Ahaha! Of course I don't mind!" He nodded as he smiled "Also, don't think about that battle too much, they are beings who are as old as the land itself, your talent is more than enough. As for me... Well, just think of it as me being just as old as well! Of course, that doesn't mean that you can call me uncle! Call me Big Brother from now on!"

His eyes gleamed "Still, as you asked me so straightforwardly and I now consider you a little brother, I cannot possibly decline!" He pointed at the mighty scroll "Could you give me that for a second?"

Fang Lu seemed to hesitate for a bit but then he smiled and handed over the scroll 'Why should I refuse?' He thought to himself 'You could take it whenever you want to anyways...'

Cheng Hao received the scroll and slowly opened it: nine lines of ancient words were inscribed on the strange parchment: strange because it was clearly not paper or other simple materials.

Cheng Hao's eyes gleamed "This is made out of so many high quality ingredients! Flame dragon's Hide, Storm Vulture's feather, Toad Emperor's skin... There's even an Autumn Whispering Rainflower!" he elencated surprised "Such high-quality ingredients! This scroll has the potential to summon the rain and call down lightning!"

Then his expression turned into disappointment "It is just too bad that the nine inscriptions have been written down hurriedly" the nine inscriptions he referred to were none other than nine lines of words that have been inscribed.

They were also pretty strange: each line hadn't been noted down with ink, but with what seemed the very elements of the world, such as fire, water and so on. They each had different properties: one had flaming words that looked incredibly hot, another was constantly changing and was at times blurry at times definite depending on how the wind blowed and many other were writtten with mysterious materials.

Cheng Hao examined the scroll for a bit longer and pondered. Finally his expression brightened as he called Fang Lu over. The older boy hurried towards him and the child made him hold the scroll.

"I will point out the mistakes committed by the person who had wrote down the scroll, but it will be up to you how and when to correct them. The language is known as the Pāramitā, or completion, perfection: it is mainly composed of nine alphabets, each of them used to describe different aspects of the world... And the power and perfection of Nature!"

Fang Lu nodded and concentrated as Cheng Zhao pointed towards the first row, whose letters seemed to be made out of running water "Here, the second marking is too hazy compared to the others. The reason is that the last stroke has been done rashly, thus turning the former word 'Torrent', as in 'Flood', into 'Stream'..." he lifted his finger and drew in the air a complicated mark and then made the same mark with a slight variation in the length of one of the strokes.

"The difference in potential and possible power is pretty clear, isn't it? Did you get it? Next! This word here might look appropriate as it balances these two terms to manipulate temperature and ice while still not harming the self, but..."

Fang Lu looked on with wide eyes, not blinking even for the fraction of a breath, fearing that he might lose some knowledge from this once in a lifetime chance to grow stronger and understand his power more.