Age of Heroes

ARIAL

NEAR THE LINZI TEMPLE

TEMPLE HILLS

He had finally reached near the Temple entrance after the long riding.  He has to pass one more hill and he will arrive at his destination.

Arial expected the area to be sparse and devoid of people other than the devotes. But since morning he noticed many people is going to the temple.

Arial first encounter them at dawn when he passes them by riding his horse. They are all resting at the forest, and from the looks of it seems they all camped at the same place.

They all looked like the people of the martial art world.

'Hmm' Arial thought to himself as he looks around him

During his quest he sometimes meet some people of the martial art world and his spymaster informed him of such movement of the martial art world and martial artist that came to his region.

After all, he too learned many martial arts.

But unlike others that have mastered consummate skills of experts, Arial didn't interfere or meddle in the affairs of the martial art world.

He is too busy with ruling and preparing for the Great Invasion that he never learned formally from any teacher.

It is lucky that he had learned the Levitia technique and the technique hidden in the Imperial Library in his timeline

Arial have been, trying to create new technique combining the technique of the Imperial family and Levitia technique into one.

One technique emerges from this trial and error mix and match technique. He created a Palm technique.

He called it the Dragon Palm. His own unique technique.

Now when he is resting or have time on his hand, he is trying to create a feet technique utilizing the swiftness of Wind God technique and the force that the feet can employed in an attack.

"Ouii" Arial whistled and Firebringer slow its step. Arial eyes seems to gazed toward one direction.

There is a lot of people and they all seem to rest around this open establishment under the Temple Hill.

Arial is curious of what they seem to be talking about.

So, Arial tied his horse toward one of the wooden pillars of the tavern and enter the roadside tavern

he notices the people looking at his horse no doubt curious about the colour of his horse and at him seeing how young he is.

He ignored them, and he take a seat and order some tea while he open his ears to listen.

Then he could hear one of the people talking

'I wonder what is happening around the martial world, Brother? Why we are here in the Temple Hills? So many people from all around the martial art world?' someone with a saber in a weird design talking to someone who is very thin but also had a saber almost similar to the person.

The thin man just sipped his tea in silence.

'I heard the Western Serpent has come from the West asking for a duel with the Southern Healer.' One man chimed in

'Is that so?' another man interjected. Arial immediately recognized the man pendant.

Sun Moon Sect. Arial eyes narrowed and then he looked around. It shocks him.

As he looks around the tavern he saw the Blinding Sword Sect, Ermeishan Sect, house of Knives Sect all in the same stall, looking at each other.

Arial hides his emotions and sipped his tea as he tried to listen to what they are saying, the tension intensifying.

He could feel it, the unease with so many people of different sect are here, with longstanding feud, chains of hatred and enmity all were waiting for someone to lit the fuse

If that were to happen this tavern would be wrecked.

'Yes, that is true.' The thin man replied.

'Who knows who will win?' The Blinding Moon sect disciple asked

The Ermeishan a sect of martial art that only accept woman yelled "surely the Western Serpent will win."

Western Serpent is said to always cover the lower part of her face with a golden veil so no one have seen her true face but it said that her eyes are green and her obsession with poison is feared among the martial art world.

Not to mention her strange moves and prodigious talent in martial arts made her the youngest of the Four Immortals and a very dangerous expert of the martial arts.

She rarely let the people who challenged her be alive and she is known never to spare anyone who stood in her way.

Her bitter rivalry with Northern Badger and her hatred towards the Eastern Devil is famous.

Though her relationship with Southern Healer is a little different. It is said among the Four Immortals; the Southern Healer is the only one she respected.

So, the story of why she would challenge the Abbot is weird indeed. Weird but interesting and may well hinder his sole reason for coming here.

Maybe he will know more stories if he hears them bickering. There is something afoot here. The moment he thought of that he could hear someone is harrumphing

'Hmph!' A man from Blinding Sword Sect said spitting his spit to the ground.

"Western Serpent defeating the Head of Linzi Temple? High is your dream" he said and his companion laughed.

"Why not? Western Serpent must be really strong and bold to challenge the Linzi Temple" the girl shouted.

'Like I said Linzi will win!' the man shouted

'Is that so? Then why are you here. Is it not to support Linzi Temple if somehow Southern Healer loses to the evil sect?' she said mocking the man.

'YOU!' He said almost bringing out his sword but fortunately he is stopped by his companion.

'Hmph, the Linzi Temple has maintained their reputation around the martial art world for a reason. How many times Linzi Temple has been challenged by how many sects and they have never lost.'

The debate started getting intense until one man of the man that have the weird saber looked at the crowd and said

"Should we bathe in blood or should we watch the gathering in the Linzi Temple and watched the conclusion?" He asked and everyone turns quiet.

Who is this man? Arial asked himself. Then it hit him

Weird sabers, two people, one muscly, one thin, it is the Arathorne Brothers. Arial don't know why he didn't recognize them sooner.

They are a duo in the martial arts world, fear and respected. No, Arial mused. More feared then respected.

They once studied in Yilin but commit adultery with some of the people down the mountain and when they are brought to the Hall to be punished they refuse, fighting the Three Elder Monk and won and cut their relationship with Yilin.

Since then they have been roaming the martial art world and have made quite a reputation for themselves.

Then quickly they all pay for their food and ride to Linzi.

Arial then went to the owner, pay for his tea, took the reins of his horse and ride to the Temple, with unease filling his heart.

It seems today will not be a good day to meet the Abbot. But Arial need to see him fast before his illness becomes more grave.

Time is ticking down for him

After hours of silently following the martial arts people, he finally arrived at the temple.

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