Age of Heroes

It is hard to do, when winners and losers are always the only thing people sought. A win-win. 

How hard it is to do that? But that is how the Sun Moon Sect have maintained their influence in the martial art fraternity….by talking, negotiating, making compromises, as mediator of the great schools.

He knows, that is the reason why he is chosen as the representative. 

And he also has the capacity to make this plan a success because he has good relation with Arial the Divine Dragon as some people are calling him right now. 

'All men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and repair the evil. The only crime is pride.' Xiao De reply. 

'Great words and great lies' Xiyun said without missing a beat. Xiao De shakes his head and said

"I have no intention in lying. What would I achieve by lying? I am humble enough to accept my mistake, to know when it is wise to forge good relations, cautious enough not to offend great men. And your teacher is a great man. And surely someday you too will rise among the martial arts world leaning under such teacher'

Then she looked at Xiao De with an amused expression, like remembering something and she chuckle slightly. 

'How is my sister?' she suddenly asked

'Sister?' 

'Liyun'

'Ah. She is fine. Her vocal cord is rumored to have made a complete recovery.'

'That is good. She is fond of singing. At least…. she is fond of singing before. Now…. I don't know if she still loves it.' Xiyun reply, a hint of sadness can be seen etched on her beautiful face. 

Her face is beautiful Xiao De mused. He did not notice that before when he had gone to Ermeishan. 

The difference was that during that time Xiyun was nothing more than a gopher for many of the disciple of her sect. 

Now, she is the disciple of Arial the Divine Dragon. 

Arial is not only acknowledged as an expert in martial arts but he is also a true noble of the nobility of Caelum. 

His identity is special in the fact that he is of the nobility class and he is also a martial arts expert.

Not to mention the Vermont family is probably the richest family in the Human Continent ruling a large region on the border of Vangua and having a standing army that is disciplined and powerful.

Now, he suddenly realized how beautiful Xiyun was and looking at the beauty in front of him wearing such a sad expression make Xiao De heart ache a bit. 

She has all the graces that her sister has with none of the coldness. 

Xiao De feels his heart beats a little, a simple heartbeat that skip a beat. Whoever becomes her husband is a lucky man he thought to himself.

'Fine' Xiyun said as she is turning away. Xiao De is flustered with her sudden exit and unconsciously he grabs Xiyun sleeve.

'WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?' yelled Xiyun as she was shocked as she felt the tugging on her sleeve

she became slightly embarrassed when she saw that Xiao De is also red in the face. On the other hand, Xiao De was thinking about something else.

Xiyun face becomes blushed with obvious red, contrasted with her white pale complexion and his heart skips again, Xiao De thought to himself before he shakes the thought out of his mind

Xiao De shrinked back and let go of the sleeve. Even he felt a little embarrassed because of his sudden grabbing.

'I'm sorry...I didn't mean to...I was about to ask...you about whether you will ask your teacher about my request?' 

'I will. Sheessh. As repayment.' 

'Repayment?' Xiao De said puzzled. Xiyun sighed and then she said

'Do you mind if I tell you a story?' she said with a bitter smile on her mouth.

'I do not mind at all, Sister Xiyun.' Then she began by saying

'Once upon a time, there is one girl in a forest near the Ermeishan Mountains searching herbs and rabbits. She was too young to go there but no one seems to remember that when they wanted to punish her. She searched it and then she suffers an injury on her ankle trying to catch a rabbit... Since the girl is not important in her sect nobody was looking for her. It was almost like the whole world wanted her to suffer. She curses the world and cried for her fate. One day a young kid passes by that area and save the girl and sends her back to the Ermei Mountain. And that is the story. It is a very short story right? And very boring too.' 

Xiao De nodded.

'Do you know why the story is short and boring?' she asked

He shakes his head. Xiyun smiles and then said

'Because true story always is short. Because true story usually has no drama. It is filled with the mundane repetition of daily routine, there is no superfluous things…at least a normal person story, that is. Great men and women always have their story to tell and most of the time their stories are fraught with dangers, drama, and their life itself is worthy to be made a book with all its plots and adventures. But that little girl story is short because she was not important in the scheme of things. She is not important and she was not great so her story is predictable and boring. That girl did not forget because even a boring life could have some adventure happening in it. That girl did not forget that day because that day, she learned that the world doesn't care about her. She learns that if she is to survive, she must be strong., And she must rely on herself and not the kindness of others. She trusted others but those who she trusted did not want to be trusted by her. Because she is weak. And weak people couldn't even choose how they die. It is a boring story. And it is a short story. But that day, the girl decides if she did not want the story to be too short and too boring, she had to become great.' 

And she looks at the sky and nodded. For some reason, her face reminded Xiao De of something.

Suddenly that memory in the past surfaced in Xiao De mind. He once again looks at Xiyun and his eyes widened

'You couldn't be? You…... are that girl.' As he began to see the resemblance of that girl with the face in front of him right now he was shocked. Xiyun did not deny nor does she agree.

She then reply

'The girl no longer exists' Then she smiles a bitter smile and flew away from that hill

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