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A wooden staircase spiraled around the majestic white tree that towered on the floating island, while a waterfall tumbled endlessly into the mist below.
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Jin Lian's instincts screamed as he heard Xiao Chi's warning and the wind suddenly getting sliced through the air behind him, he twisted sideways, his sleeve brushing the ground. The arrow missed his back by a hair's breadth, striking the fire instead. Sparks and ashes erupted, scattering embers across the clearing.
"Ahh, damnit! You need to get better, you trash!" a coarse voice barked from the shadows.
Jin Lian's heart pounded. He spun toward the treeline, his golden spear ready.
"Bandits," he hissed under his breath.
Xiao Chi's grabbed his spear that laid nearby and stood up shouting, "Wake up! Everyone, get up!"
The camp burst into motion. Long Tianyu, Hua Qingqing, and the others stumbled from their tents, each of them grabbing swords from the carts, their faces still heavy with sleep. Long Tianyu held his Shadow Pulse Twinswords while Chen Jie stood ready with his greatsword. The forest grew darker as the fire dimmed under the scattered ashes. From between the trees, the sound of boots crunching leaves and branches being broken grew louder, slowly, deliberate and confident.
"Hey, kid!" a mocking voice called. "You've escaped from us three times now. Will you hand over that shiny spear this time? Bahaha!"
A large man, likely in his thirties, stepped into view, his shadow stretching long under the moonlight. His bare arms were as thick as tree trunks, his arms and chest were stained with old scars. He had no hair and a tattered fur vest hung from his shoulders. His grin was sharp and yellowed, a few teeth missing, his lips cracked from too many nights spent drinking in the cold. In his hand, he held a heavy cleaver mottled with rust, though it was clear from the dents and nicks that it had bitten into steel and flesh before.
Behind him came around fifteen more figures, slipping out from between the trees like wolves emerging from the dark. Some were tall and gaunt, others squat and broad, all wrapped in mismatched armor, bits of leather, chain, and cloth scavenged from past victims. All of them carried crude blades, axes, and bows. The smell of unwashed bodies, damp leather, and cheap liquor drifted with them, making the air feel thicker.
Their eyes gleamed with hunger and greed, not just for gold, but for cruelty's sake. One licked his lips. Another chuckled lowly, already imagining the slaughter to come.
Jin Lian's grip tightened on his spear. His jaw set. "It's you…"
The leader chuckled. "That's right, boy. Took us long enough to track you down. Thought you could lose us in the forest, eh?"
Jin Lian lowered his head, guilt flashing in his eyes. "I'm sorry," he said, looking towards the group. "This is my fault. I really thought I lost them last time… I didn't mean to drag you into this."
Xiao Chi frowned, unsure how to reply so he looked towards Long Tianyu.
Long Tianyu said "You should have told us," he said firmly, his voice low but steady. "If you're in danger, we face it together. Don't shoulder everything yourself, or you'll drag others down with you."
Jin Lian nodded, shame flickering across his face.
The bandit leader spat to the side and sneered. "Hey, hey, what are you brats mumbling about? Stop wasting our time. Kid, hand over your spear, and maybe we'll give you a quick death."
Jin Lian didn't run away. Instead, he took a step forward, eyes narrowed and said towards the group behind him "You should all run," he said, his voice low. "They aren't ordinary thugs. A few of them are in the fifth stage of Body Refinement… their leader's in the sixth. I'm only in the 5th stage, I can only hold them off for so long."
The others looked at him, uncertain, then, strangely, amused. Xiao Chi even grinned.
Jin Lian blinked, confused. "What… what's wrong with you? I'm serious!"
Long Tianyu stepped forward, cracking his knuckles lazily. "Don't worry, little brother," he said with a faint smile. "Leave this to your eldest brother."
The bandits burst into laughter. "Eldest brother?" one jeered. "Listen to these kids, trying to sound tough!"
The leader's eyes slid toward Hua Qingqing and Lin Yue, and his grin widened. "We'll make it easy for you. Hand over your valuables, and maybe we'll let the pretty ones live. The rest of you can feed the beasts."
The words hung in the air, vile and heavy.
Long Tianyu's smile faded. His gaze turned cold, sharper than cold steel. The faint sound of the wind seemed to vanish altogether.
Then, with a low boom, his qi erupted.
The ground trembled, cuasing dust and dirt to be lifted into the air. The fire flickered wildly, its flames bending away from him. A pressure rolled outward like a wave, invisible yet suffocating. Long Tianyu stood at the center of the clearing, eyes glowing faintly with inner light. The faint hum of spiritual energy surrounded him, unmistakable.
Elementary Qi Stage.
The bandits froze. Their laughter died instantly. Faces went pale.
"Wha… whaat?!" the leader stammered. "He's… he's just a boy! How can he?"
Fear swept through their ranks. The air itself seemed heavier, pressing down on their chests. None of them dared to move. The leader took one trembling step back.
"These… these aren't ordinary kids…" another bandit whispered.
Long Tianyu's gaze swept across them, indifferent yet dangerous. "Leave," he said coldly. "While you still can."
That was all it took.
The bandits stumbled backward, tripping over roots and each other in their panic. The leader barked something incoherent, and within moments they were gone, crashing through the underbrush like frightened animals. The forest grew silent again.
For a long moment, no one spoke. The only sound was the soft crackling of the fire, struggling to recover its form.
Jin Lian stood still, his face shadowed. Then he exhaled sharply, anger in his voice. "I'm sorry for the problem I caused, but you should've killed them," he said. "They'll just come back again, or cause other people problems. You can't show mercy to people like that."
Long Tianyu didn't look at him. His qi faded slowly, the air lightening as the pressure disappeared. "Maybe," he said quietly. "But…" He didn't continue.
Jin Lian frowned. "They would have killed us if they could."
Xiao Chi placed a hand on Jin Lian's shoulder, shaking his head, telling him to let it go.
The group gradually settled back into their tents, though none fell asleep easily. Long Tianyu lay awake, staring at the fabric of his tent, the memory of the bandits echoing in his mind. I need to get stronger... Long Tianyu thought to himself, the real world isn't as kind as our lives in Xincheng...
Outside, the fire burned low. The moon rose higher, bathing the clearing in pale silver light. Xiao Chi sat together with Chen Jie, Jin Lian and Wang Shuren by the fire.
Xiao Chi stretched his arms and said casually, "I'll go relieve myself," before turning away from the campfire. The flickering light danced across his back as he slung his spear over his shoulder.
Chen Jie watched him go. A soft sigh escaped Chen Jie's lips. Slowly, he rose to his feet, fingers brushing the hilt of his greatsword before gripping it firmly. The blade felt heavy, heavier than ever.
Jin Lian also stood up with his golden spear.
Soon both of them disappeared into the darkness of the forest.
"Be careful…" Wang Shuren said quietly, his voice nearly drowned by the soft crackle of the campfire.
Wang Shuren sighed. They're doing the right thing, scum like that should be removed from this world.Sooner or later, he thought, they all lose that light. Once, these children had laughed freely, their eyes wide with wonder at the world. Now, each day of travel, each encounter with the harshness of the road, seemed to carve a little more of that innocence away. Now Xiao Chi and Chen Ji would be the same as that Jin Lian... Maybe that's for the best. Wang Shuren thought silently into the night.
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End of chapter 6 - Still A Child