Healing Tang Hao.

Ribbons of golden energy floated in the air, aiming at the body of Tang Hao. The pulse of the primordial origin of life spread around and made the whole valley turned green. Flowers appeared here and there, bringing captivating fragrance.

Then the ribbons moved, penetrating the body and transferring an enormous amount of life force.

Aiden looked at it with fascination.

Tang Hao was recovering with a rate visible to the naked eye. His severed arm grew back and the body again resembled that of a human, not a skeleton.

Yet Aiden felt the upcoming doom. It stuck in his throat and refused to move, making him more and more nauseous. Then a little pain came, spreading through the body and halting his breathing process from time to time.

'Can't you hit me with all at once?'

This gradual appearance of pain was even more tedious.

"Are you okay? You don't look good. What is happening?" - strong arms caught him and carried out of the shack to the fresh air.

"Aiden? What is going on?" - Tang San stepped forward and helped his father to lay him on a bench by the side of a house.

"Price..." - sounded a husky voice. - "Wait... I... won't die... arghhh."

And then he screamed. Now Aiden experienced himself what Tang Hao felt, but magnified several times over. Never he felt such pain. The one that forced him to the verge, where he was ready to give up living, just to end this all.

But something held him here, in the world of the living. Whether it was his several close friends, the world full of mystery or exciting life... he wanted to feel more, to experience more. This time the will to live in him burned like never before.

What is more, he didn't want to live alone, to again feel pain and grief, to bury his loved ones remaining here. He will protect them even if it means losing everything or becoming a killing devil. This pain, this edge of death that looked at him with welcoming intent, they all showed him the actual terror of death.

Loss. Loss of everything you have and everything you are.

He died once, but only now felt that way. Perhaps this world was the one he meant to be. And it was keeping him here with all its beauty and ugliness, with the sense of enormous threat and smiles of people around him, who needed him.

Pain came. Then it went away, leaving only an exhausted mind and a weak body.

He drifted in sleep and woke up reborn anew. Who would have thought that experience like that will cause such a change in his perspective of the world and himself?

He sat on a bed inside the shack.

"How long was I out?" - he asked a man, who was sitting by the table with his back facing him.

An attentive person can hear a rhythmic sound of hammering outside. It was powerful and relentless. Full of vigor.

"Four days. Two of which you felt pain every second. What was that?" - asked a man with an alive voice. It wasn't husky or weak, no it was full of power, deep and strong. There was no sense of melancholy from him at all.

His back felt as straight as a spear.

"Price. I can heal anything unless the person is dead. Even bring back crippled cultivation. But in return, I experience it all. All you have been through, old man, magnified for me." - he said lightly. They both understood how vital this information is.

It is not a weakness of a skill. It is a weakness of Aiden, that can be used to strike him while he is defenseless.

"Keep it a secret. You must not tell anyone. And don't use this skill unless it is absolutely necessary." - Tang Hao turned around. He was slightly younger, with a shaved face and accurate haircut. Even his clothes were neat, with pieces of armor here and there.

"And here I prepared a long tearful speech to make you change your shitty ways of doing things." - Aiden sighed, making Tang Hao grunt in irritation and lean on the back of the chair.

"Young generation really has no respect for seniors."

Aiden rolled his eyes at the man.

"So, what is it that you want? Oh, please, don't give me that look. I can even guess, and my answer is no. Not now."

"Why? I felt that life force! You can help her." - said Tang Hao.

"Old man. Are you kidding me? You felt life force, right? Do you think it was supplemented out of thin air?" - Aiden said angrily. - "Can you be any more shameless?"

Tang Hao froze for a moment.

"Sorry, kid." - he sighed and rubbed his face with a palm. - "How much?"

"None of your business, old man." - grumbled Aiden. - "Let's think about what you can do for me."

"State it." - Tang Hao didn't pay attention to the tone of a kid. Words can't hurt him, anyway.

"There is a place I need to go soon. I want you to come with me and guard me. You will know later where and when. But before that, I will give you special methods. I need you to reach a higher level in a year at most. You are in your prime condition, so you can do it."

"Fine, I promise you." - Tang Hao didn't talk much. He was honorable enough to know where and when to stop.

Aiden didn't try to uplift his mood by giving hope. It will prove to be detrimental. He needs to overcome it on his own, not with some supplement. She will be fine anyway.

He walked out of the shack and saw Tang San swinging a large iron hammer. He was using some low-level battle technique of a cultivation era. Seems like Clear Sky Clan has a very long history. Long enough to remember many things.

"Bro Aiden, you awake." - Tang San immediately put away the weapon and came over, looking at his friend all over. He bowed deeply. - "This Tang San will remember the gift of life you bestowed..."

"Oh come on, San, I'm not good with all that ceremonial stuff." - Aiden clasped his shoulder and straightened his back. Tang San inwardly praised the power of his body. - "You said it yourself. Bros, no? So don't be so cheesy, it's plain awkward, man."

"Haha, fine." - he laughed. Aiden saw him laugh with no reserve at all for the first time in his life. Well, he wasn't that close with him from the start. Not knowing things were understandable. - "I will stay here for some time and go back directly to the start of the competition. You?"

"I'm leaving. I need to travel for a bit, but before that, I will visit Shrek Academy. Any words from you to your little sweetheart?"

"What sweetheart?"

"Xiao Wu of course. Oh, don't give me that bland look to hide your eager heart and embarrassment. We both know how she looks at you. And you are not very eager to change it."

"Shut it, Aiden. Should I tell you about Bing'er, yeh?"

"Nah, no need, I'm not a blockhead."

"Tch.." - Tang San turned around and picked up his hammer. One can see a barely traceable smile on his face. - "Tell that I'm fine and to wait for my return."

Aiden nodded, knowing that Tang San was paying close attention to him.

"Old man, I'm going. Don't go around wasting your life. Train. We will need your hammer soon enough."

Tang Hao opened the door and walked out. The wind blew his short hair.

"Get out, little monster. And don't die prematurely. We still have a spar to do when you are ready." - he directed a sharp gaze at the youth in black and platinum and shooed him away with a wave of a hand.

"What spar? Why do I have no idea about it?"

Aiden shrugged. He looked at his boots, they were dirty. Horont flashed. Dirt was no more.

"You don't need to have ideas, you just need to do it." - said Tang Hao and in a lazy way moved to the chair. Good observation point. Not only for Tang San and his training but the valley in general.

"Man, you are a tyrant." - scoffed Aiden and shifted outside.

"I thought there will be some beating involved, but you healed him."

Aiden stopped and turned his head. Third came out of shadows and stopped in front of him. As always, she smelled like fresh air and tempest. Free and powerful.

"I couldn't possibly kick him in such condition."

"What his condition has anything to do with you? I would have given him a couple of kicks if I were you, though."

"Then why didn't you?"

"Who said I didn't? I got to the shack before you."

"What?" - Aiden stared at her wide eyed.

"Who asked him to lie there and beg for death? He pissed me off." - scoffed the Third and shifted to his side.

"Let it be our secret."

"Yep, the three of us. He stared at me while I was doing it." - nonchalantly said Third and disappeared.

"This woman... she is just digging a grave for me..." - sighed Aiden and picked up the pace. He didn't want to stay here even a minute longer.