5 How it all changed...

"It's been a long time hasn't it, uncle Tai?" Said the mysterious person. Yao Tai and even the village chief's eyebrows rose in surprise.

They recognized that voice, especially the village chief.

"Hoooo, that voice is awfully familiar, took me a moment to remember it. So you have finally decided to return, boy." Yao Tai's wide smile slowly came back on his face, but his stance did not loosen up a bit. "But of all places, you decided to have a reunion here?"

Yao Tian meanwhile was focusing on figuring out who that person was. Maybe an old friend of his father?

He didn't have to try and figure out the personal identity for long.

The mysterious person slowly took off his hat and upper clothes to reveal a youthful face. Long black hair reaching his waist, fair coloured skin, sharp black eyes, and a fairly handsome face.

Eyes widening in surprise, Yao Tian recognised that face. "Song Shou!?" He and the surrounding people who were familiar with the boy cried out in astonishment!

Yao Tian had another thing to worry about now. 'What the heck is he doing? Don't tell me he is seriously considering fighting against dad? That's madness!'

This person was none other than Yao Tian's oldest friend, and the Village Chief's only son, Song Shou!

"So it seems that you've learned a lot outside, from you of all people to fight against me, you must have changed a lot. " Even if the words of Yao Tai sounded a bit arrogant, they were not wrong.

"Hahaha, you are not the wrong uncle, I've indeed changed, but I can assure you that I will be able to keep up with you. " Said Song Shou with a confident air around him.

The village chief not being able to listen on shouted, "You ungrateful son of mine! You went missing for years! And you have the audacity to come back unannounced and worse, have a match against Yao Tai!? Now get out of there! "

Yao Tian and everyone's sweatdropped a bit at Chief Lao's extreme reaction. But he could understand him a bit, after all, there were even rumours that Song Shou had died at the hands of wild beasts while in the Jade Forest.

So it's understandable that their Chief Lao was in constant stress for all this time and just wanted to lash out to his son for not letting him of himself.

"Don't worry about my father's words uncle. I am eager to show you how I've changed throughout these years. " Slowly Song Shou got into his battle stance while also signalling the announcer to start the match. All the while Chief Lao glared daggers at him.

The announcer was in an awkward position, but he shook it off and decided to continue. " *sigh* what a day... Anyway. All fighters get ready."

"Yao Tai don't you dare!" Shouted the village leader again in the background.

"BEGIN!"

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Immediately Song Shou dashed forward and closed the distance between him and Yao Tai.

He started with a jab to the stomach, which was seemed incredulous to the spectators.

"Is the boy mad? Didn't he see what happened earlier with Ben Che, he is going to hit a brick wall! "

* Bam! *

Astonishingly, when the strike connected with Yao Tai, he actually felt pain and backed up a bit!

But Song Shou didn't give him any time to focus, he immediately followed with another punch, and another one, and another one! Torrents of punches flew from Song Shou and continuously hit Yao Tai to the point that he was forced to his knees!

Yao Tian couldn't believe what he was seeing. His undefeated father, for the first time, was forced on the defensive. " Come on Dad! You can't lose to Song Shou of all people! "

Back on the field, Yao Tai stood back up while focusing on Song Shou with his serious expression back on his face. " It seems that you have grown quite a bit stronger than you were 4 years ago. But it doesn't matter, you will lose. "

As he finished saying that, he bashed towards Song Che looking like a giant bull.

Song Shou not having enough time to dodge took the brunt of the attack and slid a few meters away.

"RAAAAAAAAH!!!! " Yao Tai then ran towards him and performed a punch connecting to Song Shou cheeks and sending straight to the ground.

*Smash!*

Yao Tai took the offensive again, and ran forward aiming a kick for Song Shou's solar plexus, digging further into the ground.

His body was imprinted on the surface, so hard that he was nearly buried. But the next second Song Shou was on his feet standing sluggishly.

This surprised Yao Tai, his previous attack was enough to put down wild beasts let alone humans.

"Something is not right with you. My attacks barely do any damage to you and your attacks are too strong to be normal. " Said Yao Tai with a hint of knowingness in his voice.

"As expected of uncle Tai, you already saw through me. Honestly, I wanted to surprise everyone in the village by revealing my secret at the end of the tournament. But I guess now is a better time than any to do so." Said Song Shou seconds before a tremendous pressure exploded of his body!"

Spirit Qi aura!

Gasps filled the air as yet another unbelievable surprise took place in this tournament.

Song Shou was an immortal! Another immortal has appeared yet again in this year's tournament!

Among the crowd's exclamations, voices could be heard saying, "What the heck is wrong in this year's tournament?! Why are there so many experts coming out of nowhere? " Another voice replied, " Our Red Mountain Village is truly blessed! That Song Chou is part of our village, which means we have an Immortal among us! " Cries of cheers could be heard ringing out.

There were voices of praises on the platform with the village chiefs, "As expected of brother Lao's son. A tiger father cannot have a dog of a son. " Said, Lu Zhi.

"Red Mountain Village will soon prosper, unlike anything we have ever seen. " Said, Lan Shi while secretly cursing Chief Lao's luck.

While the other two village chief's congratulated Chief Lao, he didn't pay them any attention instead, his eyes were locked on his son's aura. "That ungrateful son of mine, has truly ascended to a higher realm? " He couldn't believe it, yet he was truly happy for his son and his village. Finally, they had a true cultivator besides the abnormal Yao Tai, protecting their village from outside threats.

'But will he remain or leave us?'

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On the field, the battle raged on but it was quite obvious that Yao Tai was on the losing end.

Each attack from Song Shou felt like a hammer impacting his body, bruises and cuts covered Yao Tai. For the first time in his life, he knew that he couldn't win this match.

Song Shou on the other hand appeared in top form and didn't show any signs of fatigue. While the pressure coming off of him just kept getting increasingly unbearable.

As time passed on Yao Tai's punches kept getting weaker and weaker, his breathing became unstable, and he could barely stand up

The crowd couldn't believe their eyes. Yao Tai, the indefeated champion was losing.

He was about to pass out, but before it happened he heard Song Shou's following words, " Please forgive me, uncle, for as long as I could remember you were always the strongest in the village. You were the kind of person that I wished to become. I knew no matter how much I'd try to surpass you while living in the village that it would be impossible. Your constitution is a gift of heavens that any cultivator would grow jealous over. To have the conviction to reach the summit of cultivating to achieve true immortality and gain absolute strength I have to defeat you."

Getting into position for a final strike Song Shou shouted, "And it is this admiration that brought upon a wall in my heart that blocked to ascend onto a higher realm!"

Wanting to end this for good, Song Shou lashed with feet, creating a perfect arc and striking Yao Tai's lower jaw.

Yao Tai smirked when he heard those words, using the last of his remaining strength he muttered. " My first loss... Hugh who would have thought." he said before passing out.

The field was silent for a few seconds before the crowd burst in excitement! Astonishment and wonder-filled the hearts of every person.

"Oh my god, I never thought I would see The Mountain Yao Tai lose a match!"

"What did you expect? We had 2 immortals participating in this year's tournament, he was bound to lose to one of them. "

"At least it was against our Song Shou, imagine if it was the mist lady from before. The poor Yao siblings would have probably become orphans. "

Yao Tian had long distracted Yao Bao by asking someone nearby to take him away. He didn't want him to see his father in such a state.

His fist clenched with frustration and anger, even though this was a tournament and injuries were expected, he couldn't care less about it. He ran over to his father to help the others carry him out to a nearby room so that he could apply some salve on his injuries and feed him some herbs so that he could recover quickly.

Song Shou meanwhile was surrounded by the villagers who wanted to congratulate him but were a bit scared to approach him.

To be honest it did hurt him a little to see the traces of fear in their faces but the sadness didn't last long before an elderly man who appeared to be in his fifties, walked towards him. It was his father, Chief Lao.

Everyone became silent, waiting for the chief to address his son.

"4 years. it has been 4 long years since I have last seen your face or heard your voice. Every night I would pray to any deity, that you were still alive and in good health. If something were to happen to you..... I wouldn't have been able to face your mother in heaven. But you finally came back as a changed man and as a father, I couldn't ask for anymore. " Tears trickled down Chief Lao's face before he bear-hugged Song Shou.

The surrounding people all wore happy faces for seeing for the first time their village chief being so emotional and by the touching reunion.

But unknown to them, Song Shou didn't have the same feelings as his father. Instead, a complicated look could be seen passing through his eyes.

'I'm sorry father, but I can't stay. There a entire outside world that awaits me beyond this village.'

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Night fell quickly on the village, but instead of a quiet atmosphere, there were bustling noises and flashes of light all around the village.

One must not forget that even after the many twists that have occurred in the tournament that day, the festival was still underway.

Yao Tian was not in the mood to have fun with the others. After taking care of his father and letting Yao Bao go play around with his friends for once, he came back to the crop fields with a torch.

He laid down on the nearby giant boulder and kept staring at the infinite amount stars that illuminated the sky with a tint of blue and white. He had many complicated feelings that he needed to sort out in his alone time.

A few minutes flew by peacefully.

"I knew I would find you here, even after 4 years you still enjoy stargazing." Said a voice behind him with the sounds of footsteps coming closer.

Yao Tian didn't have to look back to know who it was. "What do you want?" He replied in a flat voice.

" I can understand that you might hate me after what happened today between me and uncle Tai. " Said the shadowy figure which in a few seconds shown to be Song Shou.

" *sigh* I don't hate you, it was a tournament and my father was sure to get injured or lose one day. I still consider you my friend... It is just, I needed a moment to sort out my feelings. Anyways, why did you come here? " Said Yao Tian still gazing at the stars.

" I can't come to have a conversation with my oldest friend? After all, it has been 4 years since we've seen each other. I wanted to catch up with what you have been up to lately. " Said Song Shou before laying down too, and joining Yao Tian.

"Oh, you know just the usual tending the fields, helping out others and the usual stuff that you were familiar with before. "

A mysterious light appeared in Song Shou eyes before out of nowhere he asked, " Say... Yao Tian....do you.... wish to become an immortal? "