7 A Dragon's Whispers (Interlude)

"Uncle! Mom I'm off to school!"

Rushing from the bathroom and came into the kitchen was a black haired boy. His equally dark shade eyes, bright and sharp like onyx lit up considerably when they looked at a familiar figure.

In front of the stoves kindling gentle flames stood a tall man. His hair grayish blue in hue tied themselves into a ragged ponytail. He wore simple fitting clothes. Black cargo pants, a green jacket tied at the waist with a black muscle shirt showcasing refined muscles.

Mang Tian pried his focus away from whatever he was cooking. "Be on your best behavior out there alright? Its the first day of school and you need to make more friends." Tone gentle as the summer breeze, it tickled the kid's eardrums.

"Yeah I'll definitely make more friends uncle!"

'Hopefully they don't bully me though...' The child sighed deep within his heart.

Before he left the house he stopped in place. Seemingly petrified. Just like the now present frown on his face, his heart felt twisted and troubled.

"Mom... Are you going to work again this saturday?" The black haired youth turned towards a woman on the tables.

Mang Tian's cooking suddenly slowed down.

Seated on the table was a mess of a woman.

She was beautiful though very much haggard. Akin to a wilting rose she captured both the attention and pity of those who would gaze at her.

Lang Yue had seen better days. Her clothes had wrinkles on top of their wrinkles. Some splotches of dust and ink stained those clothes of hers. Clothes befitting of a scientist's lab coat.

Her hair once smooth now grew crooked and wavy from how unkept and tangled they became.

Adding onto her dismal appearance was those deep eyebags present on her pale face told tales of her exhaustion.

Lang Yue took quickly snapped back into reality. Brushing aside the papers and pens on her desk and her hand reached out for the cup of expresso her sibling had prepared for her.

She drank it with gusto. Practically almost inhaling the thing from how fast it disappeared into her gullet.

"Yes Wulin. Dear. I won't be free on saturday. But we can go out to play on sunday instead!" Her raspy voice failed imitating the cheerfulness she tried to radiate. A gentle smile plastered on her face stung the more Tang Wulin looked at her.

Tang Wulin averted his gaze. "Nevermind mom. Just sleep all day at Sunday. Please don't push yourself too hard."

"I love you alright?" Tang Wulin quipped and made a beeline for the outdoors.

Leaving behind Lang Yue in a crestfallen mood as she stared down at the table with her hands covering her face.

Mang Tian crossed his arms.

"Junior Sister. Let's go to therapy."

"I'm fine Senior brother... I'm okay. Really! Just super busy at work."

"Busy? You're busy because you keep working way above your workload. Overtime every day. Junior sister I'm a decently ranked blacksmith! I make millions on a monthly basis! You don't have to work that hard for money!"

"It's not about money Mang Tian!"

"Then what is it about?" Mang Tian raised an eyebrow. Something that silenced his close friend as she fell back to her own world immersed in drawing and drafting complex machineries as she muted the man out of her mind.

"With the way you're going. Your son would end up growing up with issues. Your son needs you Lang Yue." Mang Tian mumbled to himself.

Part of Mang Tian wanted to shout at his sibling. In the end he merely growled and went back to cooking.

He did hate the way his sister acted. Though it was a reasonable response coming from a woman who lost her husband.

-----

On his way to school Tang Wulin's thoughts grew cloudy and dark. The brightness and warmth of the world failed to make him feel it. Instead all he felt was the simmering bitterness inside of him along with that sense of frustration.

"I miss dad." The boy quick to kick an empty soda can sent the thing flying off into the distance. Where the can flattened itself on a brick wall upon impact.

Oh his life truly was a strange one.

When he was younger they were happy. His father was there. Emphasis on was.

The man who brought joy to the family. The pillar and the one that brought comfort to them.

Tang Wulin missed the days when he was four years old. When he would go on walks with his father on the park. They would let their feet take them wherever they wanted as they sightseed.

And when he got tired. Tang Ziran would pick him up and let him sit on his shoulders. Giving him quite the spectacular view.

When he was on his father's shoulders the world seemed smaller and less frightening. He felt as if he was on top of the world.

Sweet smiles and jovial laughter faded away.

Erased by something grim. Erased by the darkness plaguing the hands of many.

Tang Wulin did not know the exact details hut all he knew was his father wasn't coming back home.

"The dead cannot come back home." As much as he cried over it. As much as he wished upon the stars for his life to go back to the happy old days.

The happy old days were gone. All he had now was this broken remains of his family.

His mother's close friend kept everything afloat. As the only normal fully functional adult around he took responsibility in sheltering his friend and her son. Covering the costs of food and tuition.

On the other hand, Tang Wulin's mother was a mess.

A tangled mess the boy did not know how to unravel.

Too addicted to work. And when she comes home she is too focused on making those mecha designs or whatever robotic parts she would keep on drawing.

"I love mom. I wish she would just quit working and spend more time with me." Tang Wulin mumbled to himself again.

He couldn't blame her though. His father's passing was just too painful.

If it wasn't for the fact that he swore revenge on the people who hunted his father down then he would be moping like his mother was.

Powerful people which he did not know of. The only thing he knew was that his parents were just too good at their jobs but they turned down some offer.

Wulin's heart sank deeper.

Why was life so unfair?

He just wanted to be happy.

'I can bring you joy... A happiness at standing at the top of this world... The elation of being the strongest. Do you want it?'

From the annals of the somber child's mind came a teasing voice. A sweet whisper promising the sweetest of candies.

'Yeah I want it.' In a trance, Tang Wulin answered through his thoughts.

If he was the strongest then he would get revenge and he wouldn't lose anyone important again.

Silence ensued. Nothing replied to the boy's silent agreement. Tang Wulin growled and he kicked a stone.

'There goes the stupid voice again.' Frustrated, he vented his anger through hastening his steps.

Oftentimes there would be a voice that speak strange things to him. Or offer promises of greatness. Yet no matter what Tang Wulin says it would go silent after his reply.

Oftentimes he would dream of a place inside him. A place with glowing magical circles and symbols that caged a golden dragon within.

Tang Wulin was by no means an idiot.

The magical golden dragon inside him was the source of the voice.

Though he wondered why he had a dragon inside of him. A fact he dreaded and came to fear. Because sometimes when he gets angry enough the dragon would offer crude advice and its honeyed words would start making sense.

Tang Wulin bit his lip.

'I need to find out one day why I have a dragon in me.'

With that in mind he strode into East Sea Academy. Agile spirited steps allowing the boy in arriving early.

Inside the classroom there were only a few children. A single glance at them and Tang Wulin's heart already started sinking.

A snobbish arrogant air surrounded his classmates.

They talked loudly. Boasting about riches or how strong their parents were. Some even pulled out fine pieces of tech called soul communicators and exchanged numbers.

Tang Wulin said nothing and sat down somewhere in the middle of the class.

Tang Wulin was well off. But by no means was he rich.

'I just hope they'll ignore me.' He wished as he kept silent.

The rich people were always arrogant and unreasonable. The black haired child knew of it from some of his past experience and tales taught to him by his guardians.

His classmates were entitled.

Not wanting to stir the hornet's nest, he kept his lips shut.

Shut until someone approached him.

"You're really silent aren't you? Care to speak up?"

Standing beside the child's desk came another young boy. Taller than most, he sported golden hair and golden eyes. His clothes underneath the academy's jacket made from very fine textile.

Faced with the stranger's sudden appearance, Tang Wulin stuttered.

"ai- I Uh..."

"Trouble speaking? That's alright. My name is Zhong Yun."

The two spent a good time talking wig one another. The other finding his innocence and cheerfulness admirable. And the latter happy at the prospect of a friend.

"So how much does your father make?"

"auh.... Father is... "

Tang Wulin looked down, uncomfortable at the question out of the blue. Zhong Yun ignorant to the boy's internal turmoil raised an eyebrow.

He kept prodding the boy.

"Ehh it's just a simple question. I guess if you can't answer that then what assets do you guys have?"

"Assets?" Tang Wulin's confusion grew further.

Seeing his new acquaintance's befuddled expression. Zhong Yun frowned, starting to have a lower opinion of the boy.

He was just asking about simple things. How can Tang Wulin not answer?

'Disappointing.' Judged the boy though he kept his words sealed in his mouth.

"You're slow huh. Assets. Physical material wealth. Buildings businesses establishment stocks and whatever stuff you have that can be converted into good money."

"We have a medium sized house near East Sea City's farmer market."

The room went silent.

Zhobg Yun's gaze turned predatory. The golden haired child crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow again.

Tang Wulin beamed. 'He's interested! He's curious!'

Like the naive child that he was, Tang Wulin kept on speaking. Telling them about his uncle and his mother's office work. About his favorite food and about his dreams of simply becoming a powerful soul master.

Stretching out his palm, blue light blossomed as bluesilver grass floated atop that right palm.

"Its not much..." The boy's voice soft, seemingly doubtful mirrored an ever present insecurity of his. "My soul power is only rank three. But I will be strong one day!"

Tang Wulin declared to his nee acquaintance.

Zhong Yun cringed.

"Ew..."

"Huh?"

Disdain flaring full blast, the golden haired boy stared down at Tang Wulin similar to how a conceited man would stare at an ant.

"I thought you were one one of us richies but I guess you're just a poor kid. I wasted time talking to you."

"And really? Rank three soul power and a blue silver grass? Give up on your dreams of becoming a powerful soul master. You aren't qualified for it."

Blue silver grass was one of the weakest martial souls in the world. It had a slow soul power cultivation rate and by far, its combat capability is abysmal, expected from grass.

The child left. Leaving behind a sour kid in a dour mood.

Tang Wulin shrunk on his seat. Eyes gazing at his desk.

It was frustrating. Frustrating to be looked down upon. And it hurt that he thought he would make a friend but in the end all he got was mockery.

His experience stirred the embers of anger. Anger the boy bottled up.

'Stand up.'

The dragon inside of him spoke once more.

'Huh?'

'Stand up, walk over and snap their necks. Or use your martial soul to strangle them with vines.'

'I can't do that! That's not right!' No matter how rude someone was, you can't just punch them unless you really had to.

Tang Wulin kept in his heart the teachings of his father and mother. To be a good kid who does the right thing. And so, he stubbornly refused the dragon's urgings that turned quiet.

Replaced by a sense of great unease and muscle twitches. A burst of energy flared from the boy's insides.

Tang Wulin felt restless. He felt more annoyed and he suddenly started getting mad.

'We'll see...' The dragon snorted.

The silent room pricked Tang Wulin and he finally noticed it.

Strange looks turned into alienating glares.

Hush voices morphed into insults.

"A poor kid in our class? I thought our class was supposed to be full of friends on our caliber"

"Don't remind me about it. I wasted time getting to know someone of low value. Can you believe that?"

Tang Wulin started trembling. 'Its okay. Let them think what they think. I'll show them one day!' He kept his calm. Suppressing his irritation and the ever growing storm in his heart.

'Come one beat them up. You can do it. You're a freak remember? You eat food for three adults and your strength surpasses that of a physically fit adult."

'Shut up! Something's wrong, you're not usually like this!' This was the first time the voice became a stubborn advisor.

As much as Tang Wulin wanted to be calm someone else had different ideas. The voice inside his head kept on pushing him.

It was getting annoying and even more frustrating.

His blood was starting to boil.

"Teach them who is king."

'I won't. They suck but that would make me worse than them!'

'Do you hear it?' The voice asked. It spoke again before the child could even rebut.

'They're trampling on your parent's name.'

'They are fools, jesters in the royal court who grew audacious due to ignorance.'

'They know nothing but they keep on yapping such things.'

'Listen well…'

Tang Wulin's fingers dug into the desk. Scraping it and carving the wood deeper.

"Eh well you can't blame him. His parents probably did not work hard enough."

Zhong Yun kept adding fuel to the fire.

'Well true... Its not his fault his father is probably a drunkard and his mother is a whore.'

What was once a small smoking ball of rage in the form of a knotted twine burst into flames of pure rage.

Creakkk! The chair screamed against the floor.

Tang Wulin stood up.

"Oh did that hit a nerve? I guess you heard some of the truths we were speaking?" Zhong Yun, noticing that their words had effect smugly smiled.

"Take that back!" Tang Wulin's hands balled into fists.

"Take back what?"

"What you just said! My mom and father are none of those things!"

If only the boy was a bit wiser and more mature then Tang Wulin could've kept his calm and simply stuck to verbal disputes. If his blood wasn't boiling and if only his body wasn't so heated up that the boy felt restless then he could've calmed himself easier.

"Why should I? Clearly you're soooo worked up about it that its probably the truth."

"You literal son of a bitch."

Those words stung harder than any bee. And it twisted Tang Wulin's heart as if tossing it and shredding it into a blender full of salt.

His parent's taught him to be a kid who does not hurt other people so easily. And to take insults like a man for they are just insults. Words targeted at angering him.

His father was dead. His advice turned into a mere suggestion.

Alas Tang Wulin was a child.

And children were purely motivated by emotions.

Tang Wulin sucked in a deep breath.

"Dude that's bad. Maybe you should've not said that. I was curious if his mom was hot and if she was I'd get my brother to get her! If I do that my brother would buy me something amazing!"

One of Zhong Yun's friends dug his grave.

"Aww my bad."

Tang Wulin finally snapped.

His soul power was only rank three. His energy reserves weren't monstrous. But he had experience in fighting.

For the few weeks after he awakened his martial soul he trained using them. He trained binding the grasses together like rope, increasing their tensile strength and he practiced using those vines like whips or as extra limbs. And he trained how to throw punches since his Uncle found it suitable to teach him how to fight.

Blue silver grass swirled forwards. Starting from his palm. Some of it dug into the floor and vanished.

The howling laughter of a dragon echoed in his furious mind.

Tang Wulin didn't care anymore.

A few fuckers had to get their asses beat.

"Ah!"

His vines pulled the children off their feet. Unbalancing them and he stormed his way towards the downed children. He zeroed in first towards Zhong Yun. Shocking the golden haired boy.

The ringleader of it all.

"What are you doing!?!?"

"Hurting you."

The child cocked his fist back and slammed them onto Zhong Yun's face. Sending them unconscious and breaking their nose.

Blood dripped from Zhong Yun's nose and Tang Wulin let him fall to the ground.

By no means was Tang Wulin normal.

He was abnormal, his strength and appetite could easily match a full grown adult's.

"Shit. Summon your martial souls and beat him up!"

"Let's teach him a lesson!"

Registering the inevitable fight, the other rich snobs broke into action.

Actions that amounted to none as Tang Wulin picked up tables near him and started tossing them like cannonballs.

Wood shattered and children screamed upon being struck by the heavy wooden tables.

Some didn't go down from the tables.

Which was fine to Tang Wulin.

'Pick up the chairs and toss them next.'

'If they still don't go down then get closer and beat them to death.'

Tang Wulin growled and he raged around the room. The dragon guided him and told him who to focus on and what moves to do.

Violence started feeling natural. Like it was so easy to fight. Like he was born to do this.

His blood boiled warmer.

The voice laughed. Proud as the rage filled youth decimated his surroundings. Throwing a violent tantrum that broke both bone and furniture.

By the end of the ordeal Tang Wulin sat back in the middle of the chaos. A bit winded but alert.

Bodies of kids lay around. Some unconscious and others traumatized. Clutching their bruises.

For a moment only, Tang Wulin sat at the middle.

He felt... Wonderful.

Truly wonderful. The frustration inside of him was released and he felt oddly at peace.

'Did I do the right thing?' Tang Wulin doubted himself.

He beat everyone up and showed them the consequences when it came to messing with him. How dare they say things about those he loves the most? They know nothing. And their mouths should just be ripped apart from their faces while their tongues should be shoved down meat grinders.

'Good Job.' A sudden compliment drew Tang Wulin out of his reverie.

'But I hurt them.'

'They started it anyway. What you were doing is only what is right. You must listen closely to me child.' The voice once quiet started becoming a tad bit talkative.

'Only strength dictates what is wrong or what is right. Strength is what makes you King. When you are king the world must bow. Those who disrespect you will be beaten down and taught a lesson.'

For a moment Tang Wulin digested what the dragon inside him said. And the more he thought about it the more he started to believe it.

'They deserved to get punched for being assholes.'

'If father was stronger then he wouldn't had died.'

'If only I was stronger then I could've protected them.'

'Stronger... I need to become really strong.'

'I need to become a King.;

Tang Wulin clenched his fist. Closing his eyes and basking in his newfound peace. Minutes passed and he meditated on his chair. The voice had truly gone silent in the meantime, seemingly pleased with everything so far.

Tap! Tap...

The sounds of footsteps alerted the boy.

Someone else entered the room.

A light skinned youth. His hair grayish in nature along with his cold nearly emotionless face made Tang Wulin focus his gaze on him.

Arrogant and cold. As if standing at a pedestal looking down at the masses. As if he wouldn't care if someone died in front of him.

A pair of broken monochrome eyes creeped out Tang Wulin.

Immediately Tang Wulin's heart beat faster and adrenaline rushed throughout his system. He entered a fight or flight state and the former won instantaneously.

The boy did what he felt right.

Tang Wulin punched the child across the room. Having been unable to move due to his blue silver grass incapacitating him.

Slamming onto a table, the other child seemed to be in shock as he traced his cheek with his fingers.

And he stood up.

Eyes glinting dangerously the other boy entered a fighting stance.

In a moment he appeared in front if Tang Wulin with his fist raining down. Tang Wulin countered, blocking as fast as he could. Muscles moving quickly. Flashes of insight, flashes of hazy memories started pestering his mind. Memories of a seven colored dragon that would sometimes adopt a human form and fight other beasts.

The memories pestered him.

Through their pestering, Tang Wulin gained knowledge. As if he had lived those gained those memories himself because it was him who lived them.

Tang Wulin succeeded in blocking the first punch.

A punch that gave way to a series of quick attacks.

First Tang Wulin's sense of balance died as a leg kicked his legs and swept him down under.

Falling forwards he prepared to push against the ground but he soon discovered his lungs losing air.

His abdomen caved in as his stomach sunk in.

"Fuck off..." His opponent spoke and they kicked him across the room. Impacting against the few scattered chairs and tables.

'It hurts!"

'Then power through it and punch back!"

Try and try as he could, the other kid was just too good. His moves were precise and he was ruthless.

He didn't seem to think or even hesitate. He just moved without delay.

The other boy launched a table at him. Something Wulin dodged by rolling away.

They weren't getting anywhere.

Tang Wulin urged his martial soul, the blue silver grass that had penetrated the room's tiles and grew underground. Like burrowing snakes they shot out of the ground. Mimicking tentacles, the grasses bundled into ropes and vines and they wrapped around tables and chairs. Lifting them up and preparing to smash the furniture down onto the grey haired youth.

The grey haired youth's eyes blinked. In a moment a pocket watch appeared.

'Don't attack.' The voice commanded Tang Wulin who grew confused.

'Don't attack him. That watch… That familiar feeling.'

'A creation of his.'

Before Tang Wulin could decipher the dragon's musings, they were stopped when the heavy aura of powerful soul masters froze them on the spot.

Tang Wulin blinked and he started panicking.

The principal and the teachers came to the room. And they dragged him and his opponent towards the dreaded office.

Glancing to his side, Tang Wulin gazed at the calm youth that had a bored look on his face.

Why wasn't he panicking? They were going to the principal's office. They were going to get in a lot of trouble.

As if noticing his gaze and intentions, the grey haired kid stared directly at him.

"You're fucked. Good luck with guidance." And he blandly spat out.

"What do you mean only me? Aren't you going to get in trouble too?"

"Nope. The principal can't punish me too bad and I was only acting in self defense. You punched me first, now let's see if you can punch your way out of this."

There was a slight tune of amusement in the grey haired kid's tone and the way his eyes glinted outright said that this whole ordeal served to entertain him more than actually terrify him.

Tang Wulin gulped.

'I just hope mom won't be too mad.'