Mysterious Eye

"Vampire? Ah You-You must be Great Uncle Shadow Six"

Smack!

"Ow! Uncle what was that for!"

Zhao Qiang had smacked Tian Cai in the back of the head.

"Lord, you call him Lord! Lord Uncle was in the military. For his service, he was awarded a lordship."

"Why not just tell me? Why hit me!"

"Hit? Punk, that was a love tap. Uncle's got to say, what the hell they feeding you? Your head feels like stone."

Billowy black shadows all about him, Shadow Six chuckled. "Little Qiang, Uncle sees how you love your nephew. So you are our Zhao Clan's Little Genius."

Tian Cai bowed. "Nephew greets Lord Uncle. The other day, was a mistake. Nephew begs your forgiveness."

"Are there really such blood sucking creatures called vampires? Little Niece was chortling a long time over that one."

"Largely, vampires are myths....so who knows?" replied Tian Cai.

Shadow Six patted Tian Cai's head. "Those superstitious things you can't allow them to impact you so. One must always fully understand what is before them."

"So are you saying know thy enemy?"

"Reason child. Base your decisions on reason."

Tian Cai grimaced. Wasn't Lord Uncle making him think too hard. Suddenly, he thought of his past life. When had he ever made a decision based on reason? Had he ever understood a situation clearly enough prior to determining a course of action?

Tian Cai looked up at Shadow Six with in wonder.

"Lord Uncle, your wisdom is profound."

"It's experience from the battle field boy. Emotions like fear and anxiety often lead to fatal mistakes. Lord Uncle is curious, why are you having them fight each other so much?"

"It's so that they know each other abilities, strengths and weaknesses. That way, when they're fighting together, it'll be on instinct."

"What about injuries? If they suffer a severe wound, won't they be useless in the end."

"Lord Uncle, Nephew concedes the truth of your words. However, isn't it also about learning to control your power? Also, if they never go out in the world, how do they learn to rise up from defeat?"

"Little Nephew have you ever considered joining the Imperial Military Academy. You might be a natural in tactics."

Tian Cai smirked.

In his past life was he not the Gaming Strategy King?

"Lord Uncle, for the foreseeable future, Nephew's life belongs to the Clan."

Shadow Six smacked Tian Cai's shoulder. "Ha! Well said! Uncle has a suggestion. To minimize injures as well as build their endurance, why not have them wear armor?"

Tian Cai's eye twitched. Smiling he said, "Indeed that's a good suggestion. Also, we'll have them wear weights underneath."

Everyone shot looks at Tian Cai.

Demon!!!

Just then, Qin Rong's fist smashed into Bai Guang's torso. Qin Rong chortled gleefully as her sister tumbled back. "Fatty Bai, your added weight has made you slower. How's the strength of my fist? Huh!!"

Upon seeing this Gray and Small Shadow hissed and shot looks at Tian Cai.

Small Shadow said, "Big Sis it's bad!"

In horror, as though in slow motion, they saw Tian Cai flex his elbows and cracked his neck from left right. All about him, the air streams twisted and twirled as veins popped into his face one by one by one.

Suddenly, he hurled forward like a hissing rocket.

Zhao Qiang roared, "Rong'er dodge!!!"

From the corner of her eye, Qin Rong felt the pressure. Instinctively, she twirled right to avoid but in the end she was still grazed.

Tian Cai's fist walloped into her Martial Master's aura and her whole body shot out. Head first, she slammed into a wall. Tian Cai was already following up, moving like he was crushing air with each pounding step.

Zhao Qiang appeared before the fallen Qin Rong. With crossed fore arms and exploding aura, he blocked Tian Cai's on-coming strike.

"You're gonna kill her!!" roared Zhao Qiang. He hissed, seeing the dead pan look in Tian Cai's look. He definitely wasn't going to stop.

"Little Nephew, its your nap time," said Shadow Six.

Abruptly, a cloud of shadows engulfed Tian Cai and somehow he was knocked unconscious.

"Training for today is over," said Shadow Six.

In his dream, Tian Cai was back in that strange world. Suddenly, something scurried past him. When he looked up, it was that little girl from the past dream. She was a little bit older. Three bigger boys were chasing her. Tian Cai quickly followed. After a few breaths he caught up with them. The boys had the girl cornered. Hungrily, she was watching while eating.

"Scum hood rat, you're stealing our food!"

Swallowing, the girl spat, "You guys clearly left it without throwing it away in the trash."

Another boy said, "You've must've been targeting us from the get go. It's a good thing I looked back and saw you."

"Let's beat her silly so that she knows right from wrong," said the third boy. Get her!"

The three boys converged and surprisingly, the girl was nimble as she bobbed in and out of arms and legs. Springing on a trash can, she scrambled up to the top of a low wall. Sticking her tongue out she danced a bit. Smacking her butt, she said, "Kiss my ass!!" Then she jumped and disappeared over the wall.

Tian Cai giggled. Wasn't that exactly the same thing he would do?

One of the boys yelled, "Go around, she won't expect us to cut her off. Go!"

Tian Cai's heart wrenched piercing pain. Grunting, he jumped over the wall. If one was able to see him from a far, it would appear a 5 year old was hopping 20 feet in the air.

He quickly found her halfway down an alley. Quietly, she was finishing her food devoid of alarm.

Fool!

Shaking his head Tian Cai ran over.

"Reina, you need to run!"

Reina jolted spitting out food, "Who's that!!"

Wasn't this deja vu?

"Mister are you a ghost!?"

"There's no time, those boys are coming around to stop you ahead. Run!!"

"Cai...my name's Cai...GO!!!"

Unbeknownst to the pair, deep in the depths of the universe an ethereal eye was watching them.

"Lord, it is I, the Divine Rabbit. Reporting, we are detecting Primordial Cockroach Race activity.'

As the eye withdrew, Tian Cai's dream ended.

In all directions, a deep voice echoed out. "Where was the activity detected? Also, such a small thing, why are you informing me?"

"Lord, the activity is in a small unknown quadrant. The report was flagged because it was near a forbidden zone called the Nine Chaos Heavens. Eons ago, you decreed to report anything unusual related to that forbidden zone."

The voice grumbled, "Indeed that was my command. You are justified interrupting me."

"Lord, What shall be done? It so happens, the Divine Pig is having her vacation there. How about we recall her and ask her to investigate?"

"No. Little Shensheng is on a long deserved break. If, I recall you're up next on the vacation calendar, correct?"

"Lord, this one dares not..."

"How about we both go on vacation?"

"This? Are you saying you want to have a vacation together?" The Divine Rabbit started to fret. A bad feeling was causing a stone to fall into his stomach.

"Ha! What a marvelous idea? Hear my decree, the Divine Rat shall assume command for awhile. This Lord is officially going on a coffee break."

"Lord, let this one settle some matters..."

A vast all consuming light erupted and the Divine Rabbit was unable to finish his request.

When Tian Cai woke up, his strange dream preoccupied his mind. Twice now, he had a dream about a little girl named Reina. And that wrenching pain in his heart...the thought of her getting hurt...the pain he still felt.

Mu Huizhong walked in, "Noble Brother-in-law, Huiqing is here with your morning cup of joe."

Grumbling, he said, "You're here...just because you still bring me coffee...don't believe In-law won't still be discussing things with Sister Ling."

Mu Huiqing stiffened. Quickly, she placed the cup down and left.

Smacking his lips, Tian Cai had such a bad taste, he didn't want to drink coffee.

Tian Cai shook his head.

If I find out you purposely left me behind to die, it's over.

After about 30 minutes, Tian Cai stepped out into the courtyard. Before, Small Shadow were two strangers. However, seeing that the man was dress in a mask and heavy cloak, Tian Cai realized they were sent over by Sister Ling and Ling Hua.

Seeing Tian Cai, Small Shadow said, "Little Brother, these two are asking to see Zhao Ding. But for the life of me..."

"Ah that, I know Zhao Ding. In fact, he's a secret top expert of our Zhao Clan."

Tian Cai smirked.

Let's see what Ling Hua thinks upon learning he a top expert.

The masked man bowed, "Young Master, this Yueng He-ping recognizes you."

The woman bowed, "Young Master, this one is Alchemist Liu Qianlian and was told you were looking for a tree growing expert."*1

Tian Cai chortled, "It's good you are here...Elder Brother, please see these two enjoy some tea. Afterwards, escort them over to the research area. This Young Master has some things to attend to."

Small Shadow scratched his head.

Just who was this Zhao Ding? A secret top master that even one of the five shadows didn't know?"

After being served tea, Small Shadow escorted the pair to a door hidden deep in the back of the manor.

Yueng He-ping and Alchemist Liu looked at each other. Clearing his throat, Yueng He-ping said, "Young fellow, if this King isn't mistaken the sign here says latrine."

"Indeed, this sign says latrine. In the future it's wise for the both of you to invest in nose masks and disposable clothes."

"Eh!!"