Chương 438: Tales of Blood (III)

I hate deserts. No, seriously, fuck this place. It's hot, it's bright, and it never ends. This ain't no ordinary desert, where temperatures cool as the night comes down, no. This is a special place of hell where the sun never goes away, there are never any clouds, no rain, and only faint, occasional swoops of wind that, while feeling heavenly, just irritate me even more as I go from brief reprieve back to hell immediately. Though I did offer the tent to the kids, none wanted to take it, unsurprisingly.

As such, we at least had a place to cool off and rest for a little while before setting out into the sun yet again. We were precisely doing that at this moment, with Xi Zhao studying some sword art or another, and the girl--no, the woman; I'd noticed the stink eye she'd give me any time I said 'girl', so I chose to respect her wishes. Anyway, the woman was sitting nestled in a corner, eyes always open, staring right at us and wincing any time we'd so much as stretch.

In fairness, it has only been a day since she tried to kill me and she's still very much convinced we'll retaliate and kill her if she drops her guard.

"Alright, time to eat," I announced, prompting Xi Zhao to immediately leap over, though the woman stayed stationary. She did mention she no longer ate food, so I left her alone.

"Ah, I'm starting to miss Tao'er. He was a bad cook, but he was still a cook."

"Don't worry, Master," Xi Zhao said.

"Your food is just as good!"

"I don't know if that's a compliment or an insult."

"He he."

"What do you want?" we mostly had the pre-prepared rations since there was no such thing as fresh-food-preservation in the spatial rings. Carcasses would rot and decay just the same as they would outside. I'm sure there are some spatial rings out there with the fancy feature of a refrigerator, though I imagine even as I am now, I couldn't afford them.

"Dried meat is fine, Master," Xi Zhao said as I sorted some food on the table.

"Ah, I managed to advance slightly with the Severance art," he continued.

"But... it's still sort of strange."

"It is?"

"Hm. The way it's guiding me, it's almost like the exact opposite swordsmen are taught to fight."

"When you're on a path of a sword," I quickly conjured up.

"There's only so much you should absorb from others, Zhao'er. Before long, look into your heart and seek what kind of a sword you want to become. Everyone has their own, and you merely copying others will never help you live up to your potential."

"Hm," he nodded, seeming contemplative for a moment. He'd truly grown, I realized; not just in the fact that he was now about as tall as I am, but when I remember how... quaint he used to be when we first met, he'd come a long way. I mean, he was dab-smack in the middle of teenagehood, and I'm just waiting for that period to implode. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. In fact, the kids are strangely... quiet when it comes to being rebellious.

Even when I was Xing Feng's age, I wasn't exactly super happy to do as my parents told me, let alone once I entered high school. In fact, I found joy in pissing them off for no other reason than that I could. It was my right, as it were, since they put upon me the anguish of life. Yeah. I really do not miss those days. But these guys?

I mean, I'm not oblivious to the fact that, from the outside looking in, I'm running a cult over here, but I really hope that, one of these days, one of these guys or gals are gonna snap back at me. I will cry, but they will be tears of joy, which they will not believe, which will make them feel patented teenage guilt that everyone feels when their parents bring up one of the classics. Mine always favored, ' How could you talk that way to your own mother?

'and the ever-popular,' You'll remember this when I'm gone!' It's sort of a rite of passage, to be fair, being guilted into feeling bad despite being right. And thus, I'm waiting.

"Maybe that's the key?" Xi Zhao spoke up after a few moments of silence.

"Brother Tao also said that I should abandon looking at other swordsmen as they will not be able to help me with my path." Right. The insane path of drawing swords. I still can't believe he's completely pursuing it.

"You can always spar with her," I said.

"E-eh?" they both exclaimed rather abruptly and in perfect sync, leading to them immediately glaring at each other.

"Why not? Despite trying to kill me, yes, she's a rather important figure. I think. You are, no?"

"... I am." she spoke through gritted teeth.

"Wow. Can you imagine saying that about yourself? Out loud?" I said.

"I'd sooner die." Xi Zhao echoed. She grew red in the face immediately as the boy snickered at it.

"And can you imagine--""--know when to stop, Zhao'er."

"A-ah."

"Though she is shameless and likes stabbing people in the back," I wasn't really gonna let it go. The only reason I didn't retaliate is because the system told me she needs to be saved. That doesn't mean I'm completely over the literal assassination attempt. My words did stab, at least, as her expression continued to worsen.

"She probably knows more about the various paths of the sword than even I do. And while you shouldn't look to them for guidance, seeing how your own path measures and acts against them might prove enlightening."

"Oh. That... might be helpful," he said.

"But, uh, what... what if I accidentally cut her head off?"

"What?!! Cut MY head off?!!" oh, we pushed it too far.

"Let's go, right now! Let's go you little bastard! You think because you blocked one of my attacks you are somehow my equal?!! Outside, now! Someone has to teach you a damn lesson since your Master clearly won't! Let's go!!" she truly blew her top off and stormed out, leaving Xi Zhao rather helpless-seeming.

"That was your doing," I said.

"... you started it." oh? Is that it?! The tiny spirit of rebellion?! Oh my, how the heart swells.

"Go out now and get your ass beat," I said, smiling gently.

"I should let her beat me up?" he asked.

"Ah. Zhao'er, I love you like a son," I said.

"But she truly was right to get mad at you. Let's go. This will be rather beautiful to behold."