Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 173: Exposed

TAIGUO, TAIJIAN

MORNING

At the morning Liao Bao quickly get up and get out of her room. He did not want to know what will happen to him if he got caught sleeping with the Princess by Zhao Lu

Liao Bao returned to the inn and waited for the old man to come.

'Young master Zhang, here again' the inn boy greeted him enthusiastically

'Your order' he asked then began telling him the menu

'Just give me some fruit dishes' Liao Bao said 'and water.'

He nodded and went away to prepare Liao Bao dishes. Some of the other employee greeted him and they too greeted him enthusiastically.

Lai Boa could guess why they are so friendly with him. They did make quite a mess last night but at the same time they also spend a lot of gold coins to his place.

After the dishes and water came, he takes his time eating it. After finishing the dishes and water, he continues waiting

Liao Bao waited for a long time almost reaching afternoon but the old man did not show himself. It couldn't be he forgot right?

No or could it be? No. that couldn't possibly? Right?

The old man is pretty drunk yesterday. Liao Bao shake his head. Nono, that couldn't be when suddenly something swished by him and a small stick stuck onto the wooden pillar beside me.

Incredible internal energy Liao Bao mused

Liao Bao looked at the stick and realized something is scrolled along the wooden stick. He takes the wooden stick and examine it. There is a scroll rolled along the wooden stick.

Liao Bao open it and he read it.

Meet me in Tailian Forest. And there is a painting of a badger in the bottom.

'Inn boy' Liao Bao yelled.

'Put this under the young man that came here yesterday.'

'Young master Zhao?'

'Yes.'

Then Liao Bao rushed outside. He took his mount and went to the forest. It took him a while and after asking direction from the local people he finally know where the forest is.

He arrived immediately and then he began looking for the Northern Badger

'Sir' he yelled in the middle of the forest

Then with a swishing sound Liao Bao felt someone sneak up behind him, the force of the internal energy was suffocating.

Every fibre in his body wanted to execute the Treading in the Wind technique and run away but if he does that his statement that he is a novice in martial arts will surely be revealed and from what he knows about the Northern Badger is that he hates liars and duplicitous person, which perfectly describes him.

So Liao Bao let him do what he wanted.

'Zhang' he said and Liao Bao look back feigning a look of ignorance. He cupped his hand and offer the Northern Badger his respect.

Then suddenly without any warning his palm attacked Liao Bao which is something Liao Bao did not expect and his hand rested on Liao Bao shoulder.

It is swift, and powerful and Liao Bao almost didn't have time to response and at the very moment when Liao Bao internal energy about to push the Northern Badger energy, he yanked his hand out of his shoulder.

Then he laughed

'You lied to me young man.'

'What?' Liao Bao ask

'I was just testing your level of internal energy. You said you had no teacher? That is impossible with the kind of energy you have. It is not profound but for your age it is quite remarkable and I sensed a malevolent energy that is quite different from the way of the righteous sect internal energy cultivation technique.'

Oh, fuck. He quickly kneeled.

'Forgive me, O Northern Badger.'

He looked amused.

'So you know me. Another lie' he said

'But I did not lie.'

'You dare!' And this time, the kind face of the old man no longer look kind. This is the famous Northern Badger who execute evil doers and evil beings that terrorizes the common people.

He yelled raising his voice.

'I did not lie.'

He squatted and he picked up a few stick and looked at Liao Bao.

'Explain to me young boy or this stick will bore a hole through your head.'

Think Liao Bao.

'My mouth always saves me more than my technique. Think' And finally a solution came to his head.

'I never did lie to you. First, I said to you I have no teacher. That is true.'

'Then how did you have a level of this internal energy?'

Liao Boa quickly explain.

'I found a manual detailing of an Absorption technique.'

'What is it called?' he asked showing a little bit of interest.

Liao Bao couldn't straight out say that it is called the Devil Absorbing Technique. Even the name is indicating it is a dark technique, not one that a righteous sect would practice

And if the prerequisite of learning it is combining the vilest venom and consume it is not indicative enough that it is not a righteous sect technique then the name surely would not help.

So, Liao Bao said

'Absorption Sucking Technique.'

'So it exists' he said as he looked at Liao Bao.  Liao Bao did not put too much mind on the Northern Badger comment

'And you learned it?'

'Yes' Liao Bao reply

'Why?'

'Because once I was captured by a man and it makes me think that learning martial art may not be so bad.' 

'Hmm' he said.

'And I said I will address the fact that I said I'm burdening them. It is true if we compare my technique with Hero Zhao and Princess Chu Zhengping in terms of technique I only have two' Liao Bao now spitting lies like he is a renowned scholar crafting a poem

Liao Bao will not lie about the amount of technique he learned. After all a grandmaster of martial arts like him can quickly find out.

'But these two techniques will not lose out if I fight against them. But it is still true I am a burden to them. They could not do what they want freely while I need to be with them until I reach the border. After all, how could I gain access past the Shanhai Pass if not backed by these people?'

'Glib talker' he said.

'Do you hate glib talker?' Liao Bao said realizing that it is a bad excuse.

Then he laughed.

'No, I like glib talker.' Liao Bao release a relieved sigh

'HAHAHHA. So when did you know I'm the Northern Badger?'

'When you mentioned your disciple'

'So, when I was in front of the inn you didn't know?'

'No' Liao Bao shake his head.

'How could I know the beggar in front of the inn, an old man is the famous Four Immortals.'

'Hah, so that is how it is' The Norther Badger said, satisfied with his explanation.

He got up and with a swish of his wrist movement, the stick flies to the nearby bamboo tree and the moment that stick stuck itself into the bamboo trunk, the bamboo tree exploded into pieces, the sound echoes in this silent forest.

Liao Bao gulped. If that flies to his head Liao Bao don't even want to imagine what will happen. In all probability he would die.

'So how did you know I'm the Northern Badger when I mention my disciple?'

'You said his knife is stolen right?'

'Yes.'

'I am the thief'

'What!' Then he looked at Liao Bao again. His expression was unsightly.

'You stole it! You had a lot of nerve to admit that young boy.' Liao Bao knows the only way for him to tide over this matter, is to be honest

Mixing truth with lies have always been his forte.

'I do not want to lie to you. I have already felt guilty enough.'

Not. But Liao Bao know Norther Badger type. If he found out later and he will, if he just checked his sleeve, then he would be dead. A person like him value honesty. So that is what he will give him.

Then he laughed.

'So it is you, the brat.' He smiles

'Yes. I'm the brat.'

'How did you steal it?'

'I just came to his bed at night.'

'Why do you steal it?'

'He hit my mother, after sleeping with her.' Liao Bao said balling his fist remembering what happen that day.

'Tell me. Elder Xiang should I not at least exact revenge?'

'Sleeping with her?'

'Yes. My mother is a servant in a pleasure house.'

'Oh. Good! A great man does not care about his background' he said.

'But Shu Ren Gui, should not do that.' The Northern Badger gripped his fist and said.

'I need to reprimand him' he whispered. Then he looked back at Liao Bao.

'So why did you not fight him like a martial artist, asking him for a duel instead stealing his knife?'

'At that time, I did not yet learn this Absorption technique and surely if I fight him I would die. So I did what I can. And stole his knife. Since then he has been chasing me. And he boasted in the pleasure house that he is the Northern Beggar disciple. So when you said he is your disciple I know who you are.'

'Is that so?'

'Hmmm, then you did nothing wrong. But then why would you want to learn from me?'

'Knowing that you are one of the Four Immortals, I could not help but be honored, and if I could even learn one moves from you, to be taught personally by you is a great fortune and a cause for celebration' Liao Bao said still kneeling.

And then Liao Bao reached his sleeve and grabbed the knife and present it to him bowing his head.

'This is your disciple knife which I stole. I hope this offering will mend any bad blood between me and your disciple, Elder Xiang.'

'So is this true what you are saying?'

'Yes' Liao Bao nodded without looking upwards.

'If this is true then my disciple has committed something I have repeatedly told that he should not do.'

'Keep the knife'

'Elder Xiang?'

'Keep the knife I said. My disciple has brought my name disgrace.'

'Thank you, Elder Xiang. I will regard this as a gift from you.' Liao Bao said still kneeling.

'Enough' he said. 'Get up. You have done nothing wrong child.'

Lia Bao smiles as he slowly gets up, maintaining that humble expression on his face.

'Thank you for your generosity Elder Xiang' and then he starts walking away

'Where are you going?'

'I will return to the inn. It seems that I cannot make you my teacher.' Liao Bao walked away again

Call me, you old man he said yelling in his heart.

'Wait'

That's it!

'Do you want the martial art world to say that I bullied a junior? Do you want me to become a bad man?' Liao Bao turned around.

'Of course not, Elder.' The Northern Badger did some thinking and then he sighed

'Hmmkneel down.'

Liao Bao did as he asked.

'Promise me without my permission, you will not transmit my martial arts techniques to anyone else, not your relatives nor to your descendant.'

'Elder?' Liao Bao ask feigning ignorance

'I'm making you my disciple Liao Bao. The disciple sin is the teacher sin. This is the only way I can repay my disciple crude behavior. You have a good heart and an honest kid. That is good. I like that in a person. And you also help me before without expecting compensation. But I could not be here for a long time. I need to go to Qin and meet my friend Chen Yanghua. So I will teach you this one technique. This technique is called Mad Tiger Fist. This is a stroke called The Mad Tiger Shows Its Claws.'

At that word, he bent his knee, pivoted and straightened his arm, made a circular motion with his upright and while concentrating his internal energy to his fist he pushed outward with his other hand.

His fist emitted a swooshing sound that hurt Liao Bao ears.

If not for his internal energy, Liao Bao might even get taken with the force of Northern Badger release fist and from a distance Liao Bao could see the bulk of bamboo trees in front of them bend and shattered their roots like they were taken away with force.

Liao Bao could not hide his amazement.

'That tree is stationary' Northern Badger said.

'If it were a martial artist he would try to avoid the fist. You must strike precisely and if you do, the enemy will surely fall.'

Seeing this spectacle, it is true what the rumor said about Northern Badger technique. Strong and hard.

Unlike the Southern Healer technique that stresses softness in their moves, the Northern Badger technique is crude and strong, unmovable like a mountain.

This kind of technique must have great control of its power and the concentration must be high.

Mad Tiger Fist.

This must be one of his famous fist techniques.

'Try it' he said and Liao Bao nodded and quickly he took up the same positions as the Northern Badger.

He targets another bulk of bamboo tree and after concentrating the point of his fist, Liao Bao release his fist.

Thanks to the books in the Secret passage Liao Bao understand the basic of internal energy concentration and how it works

Liao Bao is using his fist as the focal point of the energy. A gust of energy shoots out from Lia Boa fist and the bamboo tree broke and one of them even shattered but not the root.

He laughed.

'A fast learner.'

'But I did not destroy all of them.' Liao Bao said

'Yes but you did better than most would do. Your concentration is good. If you do it in one blow, then you are a prodigy' he said

'And prodigy tires me. They are arrogant' he said bitterness can be felt from his word. He must have his experience.

'This few days that I have, come here every morning. For these three days I will teach you until the ten strokes of the Mad Tiger Fist.'

'How much stroke the Mad Tiger Fist have?' Liao Bao asked

'Sixteen strokes but ten strokes are good enough. I don't have time to teach you all sixteen strokes.'

Liao Bao just nodded. There is no other way. Though to be honest it felt a halfhearted way of teaching someone. But he just nodded his head and shows no feeling of dissatisfaction

'I understand teacher'

Northern Badger rubbed his head.

'Another disciple.' He complained

'If you meet your Senior martial brother next time, he surely would kneel and apologizes to you Liao Bao. I promise you that.'

'There is no need teacher.'

'No, he did something wrong and he must pay.'

Three days? Liao Bao could at least spare three days right? His promise with the Princess is important but if he have the opportunity to learn this technique from the Four Immortals then surely it would help him in the long term.

After all, he might even have to go to the Dark Lands.

Who knows what enemies he would encounter there? The Dark Lands have their own martial art which is very different from the martial arts of the Human Continent.

'Then I will meet you tomorrow teacher' and as soon he said that the Northern Badger disappeared.

Liao Bao smile and whistle as he returns home to the inn.

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