I am here for you

In some dark place within a mountain behind White Clouds sect, a boy who just running around the outer circle area now climbing it, the already planted stones pedestal and bright moonlight as his guidance all the way up.

The occasional wind and rustle of trees and bushes make the entire road becoming quite eery for some but it didn't stop his footsteps at all, or more like it ended up making him go faster instead.

Looking around some time, run upward, stopping to look around, and then doing that thing repeatedly, that kind of weird behavior proves the fact that the boy probably didn't have any thought of place he was really wanting to go to even though he is walking all the way there.

But, once he saw a little old and creaky cottage under the huge oak tree from afar, he suddenly quickened his steps and found a group of merry and happy boys laughing while surrounding something.

"Hmm? Who's there!? Eh? A boy all the way here? What the heck are you doing playing this far this late?"

Realizing his presence, some of the boys then seem quite flustered and panics at first as they abruptly stopped whatever they are doing. The one who notices the boy first makes a very annoyed person as he walks closer to him, probably wanting to shoo him off.

"Wait! Hey boy, why don't you come to join us having fun? Maybe it was fate for you to run here isn't it?"

"Oooh, that's right, that's right! Come come, no need to hesitate!"

"Hehe, we will show you something interesting! Come one, man up!"

But, once the other confirmed that it was just a lone boy probably not even reaching his 7 years old yet based on his height, they ended up looking weirdly happy about it.

The boy didn't seem the least bit suspicious as he walks toward their circle and then brought to the middle of it as if he is some kind of an important person, being coaxed and escorted.

"Ughhuuufuu...*Hick, I will never tell...you. I will...report all...to teacher and senior...you regret this..."

The boy who is being silent looking at lost with their enthusiasm suddenly stop right when he just about to reach the middle of the group after he heard a cry, or more like anguish from someone there.

Quite taken aback by what's going on, he took a step back once out of surprise but unexpectedly ended up bumping someone behind him. Looking back, he realizes that the opened road where he came from now being closed by the group, all without even the slightest gap as if they are purposely closing it.

"Hehee...Stay there for a while brat. We will conduct a very interesting show just for you."

"Well, you are the one performing it, though. But, no need to worry because I am sure it would serve as a good experience for you."

"Yeah, for your future to not blindly believe other people's word and being a pushover, that is. HAHAHA"

"HAHAHA"

That loud laugh who is reverberates around the silent mountain hill swaying the oak tree leaves atop of them as if it's joining with their mocking.

After they said their pieces like that, there is no way the boy idiot enough to not understand what's going on.

"...Eh, a boy? What...are you talking...abo---L-l-l-ling!? What are you doing...here!! Run!!!"

But, the boy, Ling who is being surrounded by surprised boys who just realize who the boy was around him, people that he now confirmed to be a group of outer and inner disciples based on their 4 grey robes and 2 blue robes, didn't even flinch from his situation at all.

On the contrary, he looks as if already expecting such a thing to happen as he didn't look around anymore while ignoring their disturbing laugh and only looking straight toward someone who actually recognizes him.

Turning his sight up and down toward the person in the middle, someone who is laying down on the grassy ground with a bloody face.

He is someone probably around 8 or 9 years old, bald, but his entire body that's peeking out of his tearing clothes shows muscles that are out of context with his small body.

Though seems bloody, his face didn't actually injured much compared to his broken feet that appear in his sight. Ling who then sucked a cold breath hastily crouch down to check his body, checking his face, and became pale after knowing who he is.

"Senior! It's me! I am sorry, it's probably my fault that you ended up like this. Don't talk and just eat this already!"

"What are you talk--gufu...!"

"How is it? Come on, eat this! This again! What about it? feel any better? Here, the last one!"

"Wai--ufhh! Wait, I dwont nwed twa---ufuhf! *Gulp. Ling, I am fine! One is eno--oufhhh!!"

With not even the slightest delay, Ling who found how severe his senior's injury hurriedly shove a pill down to his mouth, again, and again as if in panics and only breath in relief after he swallowed it all.

"Well, well, never expected Ling the little seller to come all the way here just to participated in our show without even invited yet."

When he just finished giving his pills, someone suddenly said so with a mocking and sneering tone from behind him. Ling who is still crouching beside his senior curiously looking back behind him and finds two boys one with a blue robe and the other wearing a grey one.

Both of them have brown skin and curly hair but with different maturity and height making it obvious that they are all siblings.

"So, ywou are thwe wone who mwake me and mwy bwother as a fweak swhow huh? Brwother, what dwo you twhink we swhould dwo with him?", said the shorter boy's who is wearing a grey robe with a weird pronunciation.

"...senior, I am asking this just in case but can you run?", not answering their question, Ling then whisper right next to his senior's ear, fearing that the others might hear it. But, once he saw that his senior laugh bitterly while shaking his head, a tired sigh comes out of his mouth unconsciously, especially after the thought of what would happen to them later.

'Well, can't be helped, let's go with plan B',

"Hello there? I am kinda sorry with your swollen cheek, so why don't you treat it first so that we can talk like cultured disciples of an immortal sect?"

"My brother and I became a laughing stock by a lot of other disciples and you want to end things by just talking? If you really like a show that much, I will let you participate directly. How is it?"

Ling, who found that the swollen boy's who has difficulty at even talking properly should just go home and treat his wounds first, but it seems that they didn't have any intention of letting him off, especially the older boys who are currently glaring at him.

'Ugh, That's exactly why I want to leave that commotion sooner! Hot-blooded youth who have power without proper management like our sect would only make other's life difficult! And more like, you are already planned to that before if you heard what y---'

While shooting his curse, Ling can see a sword hanging on his waist which was except for the outer disciples, the other one inner disciples that's probably the older brother's friend also had one. Not only power but now they have the pride of being above others, they, of course, would get angry when they are treated as some freak show.

'...*Sigh and more like, isn't it all happened because of your own stupidity of making a racket in broad daylight?'

But, some who had to achieve their requirement to be accepted based on raw power actually pitifully failed in the wisdom and intelligence department, even their unnecessary ruthlessness really out of the chart after looking at the severed injuries his senior brother has, at least that's what he thought.

"Y-y-y-ou!! You dware to call us stupif!? Bwother, let's just beat him fwirst!"

"Eh? Did I just talk it out loud?"

But, the fact that he slipped out his own thought couldn't make things any worse as the two sibling's faces now became red in anger. The little helpless boy that's not even entering his 6 this year yet now being surrounded by multiple outer sect disciples who is all a head taller than him.

*Clap *Clap *Clap

But, when these boys just about to land their cultivation-filled fist on that tiny little body, they suddenly heard a clapping sound way back from where the road toward the downhill comes from.

All of them, including the senior who is clutching Ling's clothes and just about to throw him down below himself also startled by the two, or more like, three consecutive development that happened today if you counted when he is brought all the way here to be beaten up.

"What? Is there someone out there who will help us out, Ling?"

Fortunately, his mind still working out quite well so he immediately concluded that the clapping voice might come from someone who is walking all the way here, and probably would help the both of them.

"Well, it's just plan B. I will carry you up and run away once they mess things up"

"Eh? You know them, yet they are not our friends??"

"..."

Yet again, unfortunately, Ling who heard his senior asking him with confusion and eyes brimming with hope could only go silent, betraying the only hope he just about to clutches.

"Whaat? Who are you people?"

"That's right? It's just us White Cloud Sect disciples matter, a mere outsider should just go away!

"Do you realize who he is? He is an inner disciple! You all better not offend us or else we will make you regret it!"

"Hold on tight!"

"Yeah Yeah! Hold on---what?"

"???"

When the groups of big-headed little disciples about to ramble about how great they are, a new kind of taunts that didn't make any sense weirdly added to the mix, making not only their group but even the incoming group to be confused too.

When all of them turn their head toward a certain direction, they all see a short little boy carrying someone who is a head taller than him running toward the opposite direction from where the newcomer coming from...

"..."

"..."

"..."

...and disappear from their sight.

"....What the heck! How come that brat run so fast!!??"

With that shout reverberating loudly in the air, Ling who is still trying hard to run away from there as fast as possible raised the corner of his lips,"Heh, mission success!" and said so while clenching his little fist along with the flabbergasted senior on his back.