Chapter 289 The Way Home Part 19

When the small horse carriage arrived at the military camp, the shadows of the trees covered the small dirt road. Seeing the military camp right in front of him, Kazan drove his carriage slowly towards the military gate.

Kazan stopped the horse carriage at the gate, looked down at the soldiers guarding the door, and said, "One of you goes to the doctor and takes him back to the wounded tent."

"Yes, General." A soldier responded, and then quickly ran into the center of the camp.

Kazan said, "Tell captain Chuma to meet me now."

"General, Captain Chuma is not in camp. He has brought soldiers to assist Captain Bayarmaa," A soldier said.

Kazan asked, "Who is in charge?"

The soldier said, "Captain Chuma put Prince Bong in charge."

"Tell other soldiers to be ready, reinforcements will arrive in five days," Kazan said. "Please one of you take my grandson to Captain Bayaarma's tent." He pushed the drapes aside and Meiji walked out. "Go to your father's tent and sleep for a while. Grandfather will pick you up later." A young soldier helped Meiji off the carriage platform, and Kazan drove the carriage to the military treatment facility.

As Kazan helped the injured soldier lie on a bed at the military treatment facility, Bong and the doctor arrived. The doctor went to the injured soldier to treat his wounds, while Bong looked around the small treatment tent.

"Where is Meiji?" Bong asked.

Kazan said, "I asked a soldier to take him to Yul's tent to rest." 

Bong said, "I will go see him later." He looked at the injured soldier lying on the bed. "What happened?"

Kazan looked at the injured soldier and asked, "Doctor, how is his injury?"

The old doctor looked up and said, "His injury will heal."

Kazan turned to Bong and said, "Prince Bong, let's go outside and talk."

Bong followed Kazan out of the tent. Bong looked at Kazan and found that Kazan had many thoughts in his heart. "General, what can I do for you?" he asked.

Kazan sighed and looked at Bong. "Prince Bong, during your journey with Yul and the others... have you ever encountered a young man of about sixteen or seventeen years old who possesses black magic power that can control the environment such as vines or trees?" He asked.

Bong thought for a while and said, "No, I can't think of it. There is only one person I have ever seen who can do such a thing. She is an Untouchable name Zoya. Abrafo mentioned that there were also another Untouchable by the named Lan Huan, but they are both female. One is dead and the other is guarding Huoyan in Kinigan Island."

Kazan said, "Could there be another Untouchable?"

Bong said, "I don't know much about Untouchable existence, but U-ri would be the one to ask. Well... U-ri should be back with Yul tomorrow, maybe U-ri will know more. How far behind is the reinforcement?"

"They were three days behind me," Kazan said. He looked left and right and approached Bong. "I lied to the gate soldiers that reinforcements would arrive in five days. I believed there might be a rotten egg among us."

Bong asked, "What makes you doubt this?"

Kazan said, "No one knew Meiji would be traveling with me except ourselves. The people who ambushed us knew Meiji was with me and knew exactly where to attack us."

Bong said, "They wanted Meiji as a hostage to force Yul and Abrafo to withdraw troops from the Golden Gate."

Kazan said, "Exactly."

Bong said, "General, I know you have a lot of things to take care of. If you don't mind, just let Meiji stay with me."

Kazan said, "That's a good idea. Meiji should stay with you until Yul comes back."

Bong said, "Since you are back at the camp, the rest will be left to you. I will go find Meiji."

Kazan thanked Bong, and he watched Bong walked away towards the direction of Yul's tent.

"Report," one soldier shouted, running toward Kazan. "General, report."

Kazan looked at the frightening soldier and asked, "Continue?"

The soldier looked up at Kazan and said, "General, the soldier who was going to take the young lord to Captain Bayaarma's tent was found dead."

"What about the young lord?" Kazan asked.

"We are currently looking for him." The soldier looked down at the ground, not daring to look at Kazan.

Kazan said, "No matter if this camp turn inside out, we need to find the young lord tonight."

"Yes, general." The soldier got up and quickly ran away.

Kazan sighed worriedly and said, "Meiji..."

Sitting in the middle of the forest, roasting two hares, Murun turned the two hares in the campfire while staring at Meiji whose hands and feet were bonded by a vine. He stared at Meiji and licked his lips.

Dalai knocked the Murun man on the head and said, "You are forbidding to touch the boy."

Murun laughed and said, "I wonder if he will be as handsome and cold as his father when he grows up." The seven people sitting next to Murun laughed.

Dalai sat next to Murun and said, "How dare you say that your beauty can make any man kneel down." He chuckled. "Apparently, this ruthless and fearless captain refuses to kneel down and lick your balls."

Murun scoffed and said, "Because he has never tried to lick my balls. Once he does, he will be addicted." He turned to the man sitting on his right and lifted the man's chin with his fingers. "Am I right?"

The man smiled and said, "Right..."

"Hahaha, you pathetic soul." The young man walked out of the darkness and came to the nine people sitting around the small campfire, with a red fox walking beside him.

Murun stood up, looked at the young man up and down, and said with a smile, "You are quite handsome yourself, but you are not my type."

The young man turned to look at Meiji and asked with a smile, "Meiji...who among these people dares to tie your hands and feet?"

A man stepped forward and said bravely, "You don't have to ask that little bastard, I am the one who tied his hands and feet."

The young man looked at Meiji and asked, "Meiji is this right?"

Meiji nodded.

The young man turned to look at the brave man and sneered. Then, vines burst out from the ground and stabbed the brave man's hands and feet. The brave man was drag to a tree. Hundreds of small vines rushed out from the ground and stabbed into the man's body.

The young man looked at the other eight people and said, "Take him as an example... Anyone who dares to touch him will die in the most unimaginable way."

The vines quickly rose from the ground. Dalai and Murun drew their swords and quickly cut off the vines, trying to escape. The other six people were soon covered by the vines and dragged to the branches. They also faced the same fate as the men who had previously fallen victims to the young man.

The young man walked up to Meiji and gently untied the vines that bound his hands and feet. The young man gently rubbed Meiji's forehead and said with a smile, "Don't be afraid, I will never let anything happen to you." He pulled Meiji into his arms and hugged Meiji tightly.

"Hajime..." Kaizen suddenly cleared his throat. "I mean, Hinode. Don't get too involved and forget your mission."

Meiji broke away and looked up at the young man. "Your name is Hajime?" He asked timidly.

Kaizen looked up at the young man and frowned, "Oh, shit..."

Hajime looked at Meiji with a smile and asked, "Why do you ask? Is this name important to you?"

Meiji said, ""My mother's name is Hajime, but he left me a long long time ago."

Hajime asked, "Where has he gone?"

"He gave up his life to save everyone," Meiji said.

Hajime asked, "Are you proud of him?"

Meiji nodded. "I'm very proud of him. Every year, my father and I go to visit my mother's grave," Meiji said proudly.​

Hajime said, "You did a good job, and your mother is proud of you. Your mother is happy to know that you have grown up because he knows that he made the right choice at the time."

Meiji grabbed Hajime's arm. "Brother, do you know my mother?" Meiji asked.

Hajime asked, "Why do you think so?"

Meiji said sadly, "Because no one treats me well except my father, grandparents and mother's friends."

Hajime smiled and said, "I know your mother very well, but I'd better send you back first."

Meiji said, "When we get back to camp, can you tell me everything about my mother? My father refused to talk about my mother, so I know very little about my mother, except that he carried me in his belly for three years."

Hajime said, "Alright..." Hajime took out the wooden wolf figure and threw it to the ground. The gray wolf suddenly resurrected, frightening Meiji. Hajime looked at Meiji and smiled. "Don't be afraid, he won't hurt you." He gently touched Meiji's head. "Your mother, father, and your mother's friends had all rode him before."

Meiji watched as Kaizen quickly jumped onto the wolf's back and sat on top of the wolf's head.

Hajime picked up Meiji, let Meiji sit on the wolf's back, and then climbed up. "If my friend takes us, we can get there faster and you can meet your father faster," he said with a smile.

Meiji asked, "You saved me twice. I forgot to ask your name."

Hajime said, "Call me Hinode."

Meiji said, "Can I call you brother Hinode?"

Hajime said, "Of course, that sound perfectly fine to me."

As the wolf slowly walked toward the army camp, Kaizen looked back and found Meiji already asleep in Hajime's arms. He sighed and said, "I told you not to come, but you still have to come. Why bother reconnect with your old memories when you know you'll be heartbroken when you say goodbye." 

Hajime kissed the top of Meiji's head and said, "But Kaizen, parting with a proper goodbye while we are alive is better than parting by death without a proper goodbye."

Kazen said, "You only have one day to say goodbye, and you know very well that your time is running out."

Hajime smiled at Kaizen and said, "One day is enough."

Kaizen frowned in annoyance, "I don't understand why I always have to give in."

Hajime looked at Kaizen and said, "Thank you Kaizen. You have been a good friend of mine over the years and without you I wouldn't have the formal farewell that I have today."

Kaizen looked at Hajime, who held Meiji tightly in Hajime's arms. He looked at Hajime and felt sorry for Hajime. He remembered that time, when he was finally able to connect with Hajime, Hajime was taking his last breath.

When Kaizen finally opened the portal, he found himself in a very strange white room with someone lying on a metal bed covered with a white sheet. He walked to the body, pulled back the white sheets, and saw a teenager lying on the metal bed.

Kaizen took out the talisman and sealed Hajime's soul in the yellow paper talisman. He picked up Hajime's body, threw the other talisman onto the white sheets on the table, and then carried Hajime's body through the newly opened portal.

Kaizen placed Hajime's body on the ice bed in a cold pond. He looked up at the entrance of the cave and found that Budi had entered the cave.

Budi sighed and said, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Kaizen nodded. "I thought about it, if anyone is worthy of Xian's soul, it should be Hajime."

Budi said, "Without Huoyan's blood, it is useless to put Xian's soul into Hajime's body."

Kaizen said, "Leave that part to me."

Kaizen didn't waste time. When his body was fully charged the next day, he opened the portal to Kinigan Island. He walked into the black cave and found that Huoyan was still sitting in the Trap Pavilion, and vines crawled out of his body.

Huoyan looked up at Kaizen and asked angrily, "Why are you here? Are you here to see me suffer? Are you happy to see me in prison?"

Kaizen looked at Huoyan and said, "More or less."

"If you've laughed enough, get out and never come back. I don't want to see you again," Huoyan said and closed his eyes. 

Kaizen said, "I'm not here to laugh at you, Jikai. I'm here today to ask for your help."

Huoyan laughed. "My help? Rescue me from this prison. I will help you with whatever you ask for," Huoyan said.

Kaizen said, "You know that I can't do that. The only person who could remove this Trap Pavilion sacrificed himself and saved millions of people. Do you think this person's life trajectory is similar to Xian's?" He looked at Huoyan. "You and I both know that Xian's wish is to leave Peace Valley, become a free man, and enjoy life under the sun. He was unable to do this for various reasons back then, but now, his soul has the ability to fulfill his wish, but Jikai, I cannot fulfill his only wish alone, I need your help; I need your blood. As his friend and the person, he loved most until his death, will you help me free his soul from the dark caverns of Peace Valley?" He threw a small bamboo tube into the Trap Pavilion.

Huoyan closed his eyes, tears rolled down. Huoyan's lips trembled, and he stretched his right hand forward. A vine rushed out from the ground and grabbed the bamboo tube. Another vine opened the lid. Another vine cut Huoyan's right hand, and Huoyan's blood dripped into the bamboo tube. When the bamboo tube was filled with Huoyan's blood, Kaizen reached forward and grabbed the bamboo tube from the vine.

When Kaizen turned around and left, Huoyan said, "Kaizen! Do you think it's worth it to hand over Xian's soul to others?"

Kaizen said, "There is no body more worthy of Xian's soul than Hajime."

Huoyan asked, "Why? Why him?"

Kaizen turned around and looked at Huoyan, he said, "We all claim to be the most powerful beings in the world, but Jikai, neither you nor I can do what Hajime can do...sacrifice ourselves without regrets."

The words that came out of his mouth that day were the truth. He had never thought about giving up Xian's soul to resurrect Hajime and heal Hajime's badly damage body, but when he touched Hajime's soul that refused to die and saw all Hajime's memories, he understood why Alvalokitesvara chose Xian to host Hajime's soul to bring peace to a foreign kingdom in a universe that is not his.