As Xenos and his disciples made their way toward the sect leader's personal room, the silence grew too heavy for Misaki to bear. She glanced up, curiosity burning in her eyes. "Master, what is your real name?" she asked, her voice filled with innocent wonder.
Xenos turned his gaze toward her, his expression unreadable for a moment. "Xenos," he answered simply.
Valdir furrowed his brow. "Master, doesn't Xenos mean 'stranger but also an ally' in Greek?"
A faint smile tugged at the corners of Xenos' lips. "Ah, so you know Greek? I thought English was more common in the federation these days."
Before Valdir could answer, Kori interjected with a playful grin. "Master, we come from hidden families. We've been trained in ancient languages since we were children, alongside other studies."
Caught in his lie, Xenos chuckled awkwardly, but his tone grew serious. "It's not that I don't want to reveal my true name. My name… holds power. It's mixed with karma and causality."
"If you were to speak it aloud, the very heavens and earth could be overturned. And the one who utters it… could even die. So that's why no one other than me has the same name as me, as my name is restricted by heaven and earth so that no other person will be born with my name."
The disciples exchanged stunned glances, the weight of his words sinking in.
"I can't even share my title," Xenos continued, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "To do so would link you to every friend and enemy I've ever had. Those bound to me could find you through the threads of karma. It's a risk too great. That's why I chose the name Xenos—a stranger. After all, it's been a thousand years since I last set foot on earth. Everything is different now."
Misaki's eyes widened, her shock evident. "Master... you've lived for thousands of years?"
Xenos laughed heartily, the sound reverberating through the forest. "If you reach my cultivation level, child, a few thousand years is nothing. You could live for billions."
His words hung in the air like a heavy mist, stunned the disciples. His mind swirling with doubt and curiosity, Maximo couldn't help but ask, "Master, when will we earn the right to know your title?"
Xenos studied him long before replying, "When you reach the True Universe."
Valdir blinked, confused. "Master, what is the True Universe?"
Xenos' gaze grew distant as if recalling a place far beyond their comprehension. "The universe we live in, the realms we know, are but shadows of the True Universe projections. If you want to understand my name and title, you'll need to work harder than you ever imagined."
Sensing their questions, Xenos raised a hand, cutting through the rising tension. "Enough about me. Now," he said, his eyes gleaming with interest, "why don't you tell me more about yourselves?"
Misaki furrowed her brow, her voice filled with curiosity. "Master, don't you already know everything about us? Why do you need to ask?"
Xenos chuckled softly, a glint of amusement in his eyes. "It's true, Misaki,"
He began, his voice smooth yet powerful, "I could know everything if I chose to. But what fun would that be?"
He paused, letting the words linger in the air.
"Life loses its meaning when there are no mysteries, no unknowns to discover. That's why I never use my abilities unless I face enemies. I want to live with curiosity and embrace the unexpected."
Seeing him all, the disciples started to glimpse what type of Master he was.
Misaki was the first to step forward, her voice steady but carrying a soft vulnerability. "Master, as you know, I am the patriarch's daughter and my parents' only child. I've often asked them to have another child, thinking I wasn't talented enough to meet their expectations, but they always said I was more than enough."
Xenos, with a gentle smile, patting her head. "Your parents love you deeply, Misaki. Maybe they forgot about everything else because you've been their whole world. Don't forget to take care of them too."
Misaki smiled sweetly, her heart swelling with warmth at her Master's words, and nodded in appreciation.
Next, Valdir stood tall, though his eyes hinted at his weight. "Master, like Misaki, I am also an only child. But unlike her, my family is in constant competition. My father's brothers and their children are all fighting for the position of young lord, and I've always felt outmatched... inferior. But now, with this new strength, I can finally compete and bring pride to my family."
Xenos nodded, his gaze piercing yet encouraging. "With your rebirth, you hold the strength to achieve everything you once thought was impossible. Now, make your parents proud."
Xenos turned to Kori next, his tone gentle. "And you, Kori?"
Kori's eyes flickered with sadness. "Master, I have two talented brothers who protect me. No one dares speak ill of me because my father is the patriarch and also because of my brother. But I... I feared death. I've always been terrified of leaving my family because of this body, this curse. I'm so scared... Thank you Master for giving me another life."
Xenos reassured her, his voice steady. "You've endured much, Kori. Once we return, I will give you a cultivation technique suited to your unique constitution. You will conquer this."
Kori nodded gratefully, her fear beginning to lift.
Seeing the others share their burdens, Maximo's expression darkened. He hesitated before speaking, his words heavy with emotion. "Master, my father has three wives. My mother... was his concubine. After she gave birth to my sister, she passed away. But because of my talent, my family believed I could become the heir, and I worked hard to live up to that. Then... one day, my sister fell unconscious. No one knew why or how to cure her. I searched everywhere, across lands and oceans, hoping for a solution. Nothing worked."
His voice trembled, but he continued. "In the end, one of my cousins offered me a forbidden technique. I knew it was a trap, but I was desperate. I used it to save her... but it crippled me. I was exiled. Now, I live in the mountains, selling herbs and doing part-time jobs to buy medicine for her, hoping she wakes up one day."
The room grew heavy with emotion. Misaki's eyes filled with tears, and Kori's cheeks were damp. Valdir's gaze softened, filled with silent admiration. Even Xenos acknowledges the hardship he suffered.
After a moment of silence, Xenos felt something amiss in the story. He used his ability to look to the past to understand the conspiracy and Maximo's misunderstanding towards his father; after understanding everything, he said to Maximo, "Maximo, there's more to your story than you know." He paused and said "There's a truth hidden from you. Your first task is to uncover it."
Maximo's heart raced, and his voice was barely a whisper. "Ma...Master, what do you mean? What truth?"
Xenos smiled faintly. "You've been wronged, my disciple. But now, you've been reborn. Step by step, you will reclaim your strength and the answers you seek. Trust in yourself."
Hearing his Master's words, Maximo sat silently and calmly replied confidently, "Yes, master."
After having a deeper understanding of all four of his disciples, he and his disciples started talking about other topics . As Misaki and others discussed daily matters of their lives, Maximo was silent the whole time, pondering his Master's words. Finally, after crossing the forest, they finally reached the sect leader's personal room.
Author:
Hey everyone,
Sorry for the late chapter!
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The next chapter will be published on 17-10-2024.
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