16 Chapter 15: The aftershock

The crowd is heating up, some are making bets and others are getting drunk, excited for what's coming. The final of the tournament is finally there, on the stage Robert Robert is waiting wavering his arm at the crowd bragging about his victories of last week. Xian climb onto the stage accompanied by cheers and boos, all dependent on who they bet for. Unimpressed, he wears a defying smile, excited for this incoming fight Robert goes all out from the start boosting his aura with a demonic technique sending shivers among the crowd; the patriarch lifts his arm, it's the signal, both man jump forward in a direct confrontation of strength.

- "LITTLE MASTER!" – the crowd yells

- "LITTLE MASTER!" – the crowd yells

- "Little master!"

Xian woke up. His servant his calling for him on the other side of the door. Feeling like he has an hangover he carefully sat down on the bed, his hair is messy and his belly grumpy he slowly recovers just by looking around. Currently, he's in his bedroom nothing seem to have change and then it hit him… He actually did it, he actually operated on his mother and saved her life.

Man, that was one hell of a journey. Nobody believe me at first but now that I successfully did the operation this will probably completely revolutionize medicine; I bet doctor Chu Cheng Fen is talking about it to all his students. Also, I wonder how the monkeys are doing, Samsha should be fine right? Alright! I still have stuff to do, I can't spend all morning reminiscing stuff: I need to see how my mom and Samsha are doing, meet my sister (possibly get introduced to her hot friends), study biology and I need to get prepare for that incoming tournament.

- "Little master, are you awake?"

Xian got up to open the door, Muso was waiting for him.

- "Salutation master Xian" – he said respectively.

- "Oh, hey sorry for making you wait like that, did my dad send you?"

- "Yes, he wanted to make sure you would wake up before the tournament."

- "Hum, alright have I been sleeping for long?"

- "You have been sound asleep for one night and one day sir. There is only three days left before the tournament and the patriarch wanted to make sure you would be in great shape to win the tournament."

- "… Oh."

Well I might need to review my schedule and put my training on top if it's that urgent.

- "Alright lead me to Samsha."

- "I'm sorry little master but I ignore who this Samsha is."

- "The big red monkey I was hanging up with. I need to make sure of his condition, having lost a part of his meridians is definitely dangerous."

Muso slowly prostrate himself: knees and arms on the ground with his forearms forming a triangle so he could support his forehead with the area between his thumbs and index. Xian was left perplex by this, but definitely wasn't expecting good news. The servant exclaimed:

- "I'M SORRY MASTER XIAN, you gave me the responsibility the look after the spiritual beast and I, Muso, couldn't fulfill your expectation, I merit to be punished for my mishap!"

- "Whoa calm down there, tell me what this is about first."

Without lifting his head Muso continued:

- "While looking out for the monkey samurai I left to get water and food for it, but when I came back it was sitting on its knees with its own tail thrust all the way through its abdomen."

Upon hearing this news Xian just felt bad. He only knew Samsha for about a week it wasn't going to make I'm cry but despite that short amount of time the big guy had really grown on him. Furthermore, he promised him to help if he was going to have any complications now it felt like he only manipulated Samsha for his meridians and then tossed him aside like a tool. This wasn't sadness, it was guilt. This weird sensation where each and every breath you take feels heavy or unfulfilling.

- "Ok, leave. I knew how high the risk were and I took it. As a cultivator I made a hard decision and as a man my responsibility is to assume it. Even if I knew Samsha would have died I would have done the same, my goal was to save my mother's life and I don't regret my decision."

- "I can't accept to go off like this little master, I failed you!"

- "I appreciate your loyalty Muso but this my decision to make; do not overstep your boundary."

This was followed by a short moment of silence and as Xian was leaving, Muso got up and re-prostrate himself in front of Xian to stop him.

- "Enough, or I'll truly punish you!"

Lifting his head to look directly into Xian eyes, Muso was determined, Xian sighted and said:

- "Take this one blow Muso."

Xian did not leave him the time go get back and begin preparing his fist. This was this exact same move he thought Samsha, the one that could pulverize a log of one meter of width and two of height. In front of Muso stood the end of his life, he was just a servant, he was nowhere near the talent or had the background Xian have to cultivate his martial arts. Nevertheless, he didn't flinch, maybe he didn't have the time to react or maybe he was that determine but he faced fear head on. An instant later, Xian had stopped his punch a millimeter in front of Muso's face followed by a wind squall created by the enormous wind pressure. Courageous or not, any man kneeling in front of certain death would be stunned for at least a moment. Xian gave him a pat on the shoulder and while leaving he added:

- "Value your life Muso, you're a loyal man; not a tool."

Once Muso came back to his spirit, Xian was already long gone but it didn't stop him to bow with his fist in his palm respectively in Xian direction.

- "Master Xian, thank you for your guidance."