San Zhe looked at the two experts in front of him, his eyes reddening.
He choked back a sob. They knew about his Qiless status.
He squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the jeers, taunting, and bullying that comes with the exposure of his secret.
It was the reason why he came to the Southern Continent. Too many people knew him as "The Qiless" in most of the towns in the Western Continent.
"What are you doing?" Matchstick asked in suspicion to Star Phoenix and Long Hei.
"What's with that look you brat?" Star Phoenix asked in annoyance.
"Are you bullying the junior?"
"No way!" Long Hei exclaimed. The others looked over. Long Hei blushed. "Sorry!"
Everyone went back to watching Cheng Xiu and EverHill fight each other using the floating weapons in their possession.
"I don't bully people," Long Hei said, his green eyes imploring San Zhe to understand.
San Zhe was surprised. They weren't going to expose the truth?
"We were just talking about Sister Yue's one fatal flaw," Star Phoenix said.
Matchstick side-eyed the rainbow-haired girl sitting a few feet away from them and found that they were trapped inside a sound barrier.
Matchstick frowned. "Flaw? What is it?"
"Her crazy hyena laugh?" Long Hei asked.
Crow activated a talisman.
A puppet hand emerged from blue smoke and slapped Long Hei in the face.
"Wasn't that a bit extra?" Star Phoenix asked.
"No," Crow said with a happy smile. He burned the talisman to ash and hummed a small tune.
Long Hei glared. "Crow!"
"What is her fatal flaw?" Matchstick asked impatiently. Getting information from these immortals was a hard task as each of them had an opinion on everything.
"She is a racist," Long Hei said.
San Zhe stiffened.
"Racist?"
"She hates Qiless."
Matchstick frowned. "Then? Isn't that normal? Are we supposed to just forget the past and hold hands with them and walk towards the sunset?"
Star Phoenix glared at the Yellow dressed man, his eyes flying to San Zhe occasionally in concern.
"They are also people," Crow said, pulling the sleeve of his robes to cover his hands. "And we can't punish an entire race for the fault of the few."
San Zhe bowed his head in shame.
Back in the 2020s, the first of the Qi Awakenings happened and there were far too few places that were safe for the Qi-filled.
Many religious people saw this as an opportunity to begin a crusade. Those with Qi we're called Witches, demons and abominations. Abomination was the go-to slur.
Many Qi-Awakened died during those initial periods under the hands of religious fanatics, exploiters and crazy and not so crazy scientists.
It was a protest that led to the Qi-filled coming to be known as the Blessed.
There were many, even generations later, who wanted to see all the Qiless eradicated as a symbol of justice.
"The past is in the past" Long Hei said in anger.
Matchstick blinked. "There are many dead people who would say otherwise."
"Let's just watch the fight then!" Star Phoenix said.
Everyone turned to the game in agreement.
Star Phoenix leaned on San Zhe's shoulder. "Little San, don't worry about such things. There is nothing wrong in being a little powerless."
San Zhe blinked away the tears that seemed to form so easily and nodded.
"Watch and learn from your friend."
The spear nicked Cheng Xiu's neck, drawing out blood.
Cheng Xiu stepped back once more, away from the jabbing spear that always aimed for her vitals.
EverHill made a move to run towards the girl but his instincts screamed at him.
EveHill rolled away to the right.
A long golden javelin crashed into the same soil he stood at moments ago.
No.
Not a javelin.
EverHill looked at the weapon in surprise.
It wasn't a golden javelin but a golden root.
He glared at the woman in front of him.
"Don't take offence, brother," Cheng Xiu said. "It had to be done!"
She ran into the woods behind her.
EverHill cursed and chased after her.
Long Hei laughed. "This Selafia! Not caring about her girly mindset actually went and provoked EverHill, she is dead."
Star Phoenix frowned. Something was not right. There were plans the girl had laid down but he concluded that this was an ambush EverHill would see from a mile away.