56. The Peak…

"We need to move," Old Gai says.

"Old Gai is right, we don't know what would happen if we get caught," Gu Pan urges everyone.

"Let's go," Eun Ji voices.

"What are you doing? Aren't you going?" Shen Tu questions Tanji who had squatted and taken a seat on the ground.

"There's no need going anywhere. The gate won't open again, besides that will send us out of here."

"How do you know that?" Eun Ji asked.

Tanji turns to her. After staring for a while, he sighed. "I have a gift that let's me see the future, that's why I know everything I do."

"You are joking, right?" Eun Ji raised a brow at him.

"What better explanation do you have then?" Tanji asked.

"I... I don't have one."

"Then go with it. I advise you guys to stay put, running won't do any good."

"Why is that?"

"I can't really explain, even I don't understand the logic behind it," Tanji says and murmurs. "After all, this concerns the law of space."

"What?"

"Don't mind that."

Eun Ji walked up to him and sat down beside him. "What about your friend?"

"He is safe. This place holds the legacies of a very ancient master. Hiro was taken because he was recognized by the intent left behind by that master."

"I don't know if I should be happy or sad to hear that."

"If you are worried about your safety, you don't have to worry. That's if you don't resist."

"And you are just saying that?" Shen Tu asks.

"I'm just tired, things are happening earlier than I expected them to. This legacy cave wasn't supposed to open until after four days. That hand shouldn't have come until the third day of being stuck here. And Eun Ji, I wasn't supposed to meet you, I was supposed to meet Eun Jeong."

"What you are saying is?"

"For some stupid reason, things aren't going as they are supposed to."

Tanji exhales at Eun Ji's question. "I'm just going to take this time to catch my breath and properly think things through."

"That's good, let's not disturb him," Old Gai said and sat down.

"When's your friend coming back?" Shen Tu asks.

"Hmm, I don't know."

"Sigh," Shen Tu exhales and sits too.

Tanji closed his eyes, took in a deep breath and exhaled. "The best option will be to head to the village," he thought. "Now that the legacy has officially begun, I should have a month before that thing starts. Supposedly things don't go as planned, I should have two weeks. But Hiro's speed is faster than normal, plus he can cultivate in this place. So that means I have a week plus, to get things done. Mia should be safe with Shin, so i don't have to worry. I don't think Shin was taken last time, so they should be safe. More importantly, I hope Hiro is able to get the key to this place like he did the last time."

"Tanji," Eun Ji calls softly. Her black-blue ombre hair fluttered behind her. "Would we all arrive together when that gets close?" she turns to him.

Tanji turned to the cracking sky, that was almost upon them. He turns back to her and shook his head. "We won't. Though, we wouldn't be too far. If we head in the right direction we all should be able to meet up."

"Okay, how do I find you?"

"At night follow the brightest star until you get to a village. I'll be waiting in that village. That's where I'll settle down and build strength."

"Understood."

"I like the sound of that," Old Gai said.

"The village, is it an old settlement?" Shen Tu asks.

"It isn't, there are people living in it."

"Then shouldn't we be weary of..."

Tanji's surroundings changed, not allowing him hear Shen Tu remaining words. The cracking sky had gotten upon them, with it the environment changed and everyone disappeared. Well, almost everyone.

"Are you alright?" Tanji asks.

The recipient of the question was Eun Ji who had her cheeks puffed out. She turned to the side and...

~Blargh~

~Blargh~

"That's a lot," Tanji mutters. He watched as she vomited her guts out.

After a while, she finished. She wiped her mouth gently with a cloth. There was a shy expression on her face as she muttered. "That was embarrassing."

Tanji stretches a hand at her, takes her hand and helps her up. "No, it wasn't. I have seen and done worst."

"Ahem," Eun Ji clears her throat and Tanji releases her hand. She looks around her surroundings.

Not two far from them was a huge lake and behind them was a forest. Beside the lake was a small hut. It looked old and looked like it was going to collapse anytime soon.

She turns to the lake. "We should get some water. Who knows how far that village you talked about is."

Tanji turns to her. "There's no need for that, it's very close by." He turns around, taking a glance at his surroundings. "Why are we the only ones here? Last time there were a few others," he thought.

"This way." Tanji says as he walks toward the forest. Eun Ji follows after him quickly. Right after taking a few steps, Tanji halts abruptly and she walked into him. "No matter what, do not talk and do not move," she heard Tanji say.

Before she could wonder why, a group of four, oddly dressed, walks out of the forest. Two men, and two women. The right word to best describe them will be almost naked, for they only had what looked like animal skin around their private areas. The men had their chest bare and on the center of their chest, a weird symbol was crested. The symbol looked like an upside down cross, having four small circles around it. Each of which were touching the four edges of the cross. In each of the circles was what looked like the letter x.

The ladies on the other hand had their thick brown colored hair braided in a long single braid. One of them had an upright cross underneath her left eye. The other had two crosses just above her navel.

The group of four had an aggressive expression on their faces. And each of them were armed with weapons made of bone.

"Chi Ti Ka Ma?" Eun Ji heard the lady with a cross beneath her eyes say.

"Ka Tanji." To her surprise, Tanji replied her and continued. "Ka Eun Ji. Mey mey peace sii."

Tanji drops the daggers in his hand and raises both hand to his head level. "Peace sii, nana mi ti ah mo."

"Hmph," one of the men snorted and Tanji drops his hands.

"Gamiga sang ka Tanji ta ya."

Eun Ji remains quiet and watches Tanji speak. Her expression was a dumbfounded one. Tanji on the other hand was in front of her and didn't notice.

"Gamiga? Ka Cha Chaila?" the woman pointed at him with eyes wide open.

"Cha Chaila?" the others around her called out with smiles on their face.

"Ni Cha Chaila," Tanji shook his head and the happy expressions on their faces died. "Duti Cha Chaila kongeth."

"Cha Chaila!"

~Kaw Kaw!~

The four of them cried out happily. They cried out so loud that they scared the birds in the forest.

"Daki Ka Tanji sa Chacha."

"Chichi, kongeth," the woman said and turned. The other three stepped to the side to allow him pass. Tanji nods and picks the daggers up. He takes Eun Ji's hand, and followed the lady.

"Chi Ti Ka Eun Ji?" the woman asked.

"Ka Eun Ji, Ti Ka Tanji kown."

"Hmm, Kiki?"

"Ni, koko."

The lady nods and continued leading the way, leaving Eun Ji to wonder what exactly they had talked about.

… Translation …

"Who are you?"

"I'm Tanji, She's Eun Ji. We come in peace. Only peace and no harm."

"Hmph."

"I was sent by the one above (god)"

"The god? You're the champion? (Strongest?)"

"Champion?"

"No, not Champion, but he'll come."

"Champion!"

"Take me to your chief (man)"

"Chief (woman), come. Who is she?"

"She is my person."

"Hmm, wife? (Partner?)"

"No, friend."

…

"Who would have thought after so many years, there'll be so many entering here," Hiro heard a disembodied voice say. "Last time there weren't so many."

He opened his eyes and got to his feet. To his surprise the sword was still in his hand. He stood in an alert position while searching for the owner of the voice. However all he saw was a vast land of ice around him.

"Hmm, you are up already. Surprising, surprising indeed," the voice came again. "Are you cultivating right now?"

Hiro felt a presence on him. It felt as if a pair of eyes were scrutinizing him inside out.

"Yes, may I know who you are?"

"Quite bold, wait a bit I'll introduce myself when the others wake."

"Others?"

"Now tell me, what method are you using to take in this energy. Even I can't take it directly into my body, no human can."

"I don't know, I'm just taking it in."

"Hmm, cut your palm and show me your blood."

"You want to see my blood?" Hiro frowns and turns around. "May I know why?" he questioned.

"Be careful Hiro, that person is very strong," the spirit flame echoes in his head.

"I want to determine your origin."

"I see," Hiro mutters and slit his palm.

"Hmm, there's a very faint trace of a divine beast's blood. So faint, it is negligible, this means you are human."

"May I know what a divine beast is?"

"This era don't know about divine beasts? Hmm, in my era they reigned supreme. Even the strongest human masters like me were a bit weaker than their strongest."

"I see, so you reached the peak of martial art."

"What exactly is the peak of martial art? Rather, where exactly is the peak?"

Hiro frowns as the voice continues. "I can boldly say I became one of humanity's strongest but I can not say I reached the peak of martial art. For martial art is vast and wide, even the peak we think we know, is just the point we've managed to reach."

"I see, do…"

"It seems everyone else has woken up, well almost everyone else," the voice interrupted Hiro.