Chapter 20 Good Will

Chen Zemin knelt there in the forest all alone for hours, and hours. The sunset and the moon rose high into the sky, but he didn't make a single sound or movement. His eyes were filled with hopelessness, and his breathing was shallow.

'Am I just going to stay here until I die?' He thought to himself, before deciding to get up. He then gazed up at the night sky, the countless stars and the moon itself reflected in his eyes. "There's so many places in this vast world, even I can find a place where I belong."

Giving himself some hope, Chen Zemin made his way out of the forest and headed to Sea Glass City. This place was the Capital of the Flood Dragon Kingdom, and where his Chen Clan was situated so there was no way he could stay there long term.

'As a 3rd Stage Body Tempering Realm cultivator, I can probably get some odd jobs, and then leave the City via a boat.' He thought a slight smile gracing his face. Imagining himself sailing the high seas and starting a new life in a new City excited him greatly.

'Here in Sea Glass and the Demonic Cliff Sect I am trash, but if I head to an Outer City like Ichthus I can be considered a talent. Maybe I can become part of the City Guard, get a wife and have a nice family...as long as father or brother never finds me.' Chen Zemin conceptualized before he started running towards Sea Glass City.

It was about 100 kilometers away from the Demonic Cliff Sect, so if Chen Zemin didn't hurry up he'd end up starving before he made it. "All I want is a regular life, no more reaching for the pinnacle, wanting revenge, or becoming heaven's chosen." He muttered to himself.

Almost an hour later he had travelled more than half way to Sea Glass City, but was feeling somewhat tired. 'Maybe I should rest here for a moment.' He thought before lying on the side of the road. Unbeknownst to him due to his mental and physical fatigue he ended up falling asleep.

"Hey, wake up." A voice sounded in Chen Zemin's ears waking him from his slumber. In front of him stood an old man, his hairs were completely grey and his face wrinkled.

"Thank you for waking me up. How far away is Sea Glass City?" Chen Zemin asked as he got up from the roadside and dusted himself off.

"Its 30 kilometers away in that direction." The old man replied as he looked at Chen Zemin. "Are you going to walk it there? I am already headed there so if you don't mind riding with an old man I can take you there." He continued before pointing towards his carriage.

It was nothing spectacular, being a simple wooden carriage with a horse. But hearing this Chen Zemin could almost cry, it was the first time he'd been offered help in a long time. "Thank you very much!" He thanked the old man profusely taking a slight bow.

"Calm down its just a carriage ride. Hop on, I've already wasted quite a bit of time to pick you up so we have to make haste." The old man said before sitting atop his carriage. Chen Zemin soon jumped onto the carriage, and the two continued heading towards Sea Glass City.

For once Chen Zemin's life was going smoothly. 'If only my family had ever treated me as kindly as this old man.'

---

Just after the fight between Mo Xiaowen and Shui Long, the Elder along with the Head Teacher sat opposite each other in a small pavilion.

"I am surprised you have such a talent in the Demonic Cliff Sect. Its almost like the second coming of Zhang Wuji." The Head Teacher commented before taking a sip of his tea.

"Don't mention that name, would we have even needed to hold this duel if not for him?" The Elder replied, clearly irritated. "I hope that over time I'll never hear that name again, thankfully that bastard ran to the Barren Plains otherwise I would have killed him myself." The Elder continued.

"Calm down, what happened to Zhang Wuji was beyond his control. That child from back then could not only run through Zhang Wuji but even us old fogies, is it weird he felt hopeless?" The Head Teacher retorted.

"That's not my issue with it, my issue is that he felt the need to crush the hopes of others just because he gave up." The Elder explained, his hands trembling in anger.

Seeing this the Head Teacher decided to shift the topic. "So do you think the disciples will be back on track now?" He asked with concern.

"I am not sure. From what I've been told Batch 898 has been back on track for some time now, hopefully batches 899 and 897 will follow suit. The problem is regaining the lost disciples." The Elder sighed.

Even the Head Teacher looked somewhat concerned at the news. "Well, regaining the lost disciples is probably an impossibility. You can only develop the disciples you have remaining. That Mo Xiaowen especially seems to be a good seedling." The Head Teacher noted.

"Also why were they calling him the "Howling Demon" is there some history there?" He asked curiously, after all it was quite the weird epithet.

"Honestly, I have no clue, then again there was a report that some weird screams were echoing out from Batch 898's residences, maybe that's why." The Elder replied, before he came to a conclusion that shocked even himself.

"...It couldn't be....." The Elder muttered to himself. Naturally the Head Teacher was confused at this reaction. 'He can't be consuming Body Tearing Grass, right?' The Elder thought to himself but soon dismissed the idea, there must have been another possibility.

"Regardless, if your disciples continue to slack then it is out of our hands, your Sect will still be expected to fulfill their duties in the upcoming war." The Head Teacher declared before finishing his tea. "Those were the words of his Majesty."

The two continued discussing some other matters for another hour before the Head Teacher left along with the rest of the Royal Academy.