Chapter 6: Gift Exchange

Zen looked to his friend who looked sorrowful.

At the walkway, Zheng Yin looked at the two with bated breath. Although it was a friendly sparring match with nothing to win or lose, it was obvious Zen felt different. And although, in his opinion, the match was well contested by both sides, Zen had been utterly decimated by points losing 0 – 3. How he would react would decide the fate of this friendship that never should have been.

Zen looked up at Zheng and after a moment, he smiled. “Nice match,” Zen said as he got up.

“You’re… You’re not mad?”

“Mad? I’m more impressed than mad. Nice match!” Zen held out his hand.

Zheng looked at Zen’s hand then looked at his, which was still gripped in a fist. He opened it and lowered it to clasp Zen’s where they shook.

In that moment, Zheng felt his friend return. The handshake was friendly, with no hidden messages or challenging bone crushing grip. Even the small trace of killing intent Zed had emitted earlier was gone. Zed was back and the youth fighting madly because he was losing was either repressed or gone.

“Wow, you can execute two techniques!” Zed said as they walked away from the arena, shoulder to shoulder. “I just learned Blits Fist and I’m far away from even being able to execute meteor kick.”

“Yeah, but Stone Fist and Body Barrier are nowhere as cool as Blits Fist and when you learn to do Meteor Kick, I’m sure I won’t have a chance in our rematch.”

“Heh, we’ll see.” Zen said.

Ding Wu remained at his position. “Hmpf, is no one going to thank me?” He said under his breath. “Argh, refereeing is such a stupid job.” He said as he hoped off the small wall and walked to the walkway after the two boys.

Zheng began growing worried as they neared his father. He was afraid that his father had sensed the killing intent that Wang Zen had emitted earlier. If he had, he would be angry at his friend and he did not want that.

Zheng Yin remained stony face but smiled, “That was a good match, you two!”

Zheng breathed a sigh of relief. The killing intent was probably too small to be felt by someone so far away.

“Thank you,” both boys said.

“Now that the match is done, I can give you my gift.” Wang Zen kneeled closer to Shibi. “Got get it, Shibi!”

The red monkey suddenly took off and climbed the roof. A moment later he came with a scroll in its hand. Zen took the scroll before rubbing its head.

“This is my gift to you. It is a 4-star technique.” He said giving Zheng the scroll.

“What!?” Everyone other than Zen and the elderly servant shouted.

“This…This is so generous. In fact, it’s too generous. I’m sorry, Wang Zen but I cannot accept.” Zheng offered the scroll back.

“Nonsense, you are my friend Zhengi’er and this is a way to cement our friendship.” Wang Zen smiled. “Now this will make us friends forever.”

Zheng Yin was surprised at the gesture. He could hardly believe what Zen was doing to cement their friendship.

“And you should not be so thankful. Yes, it is a 4-star technique but it is also a Novice level one that I could not master.” Zen explained.

That makes sense, Ding Wu thought. Stone Fist is a Beginner-level 4-star technique while Body Barrier is a 3-star Intermediary technique. Blitz Fist is also an Intermediary level technique however its power is 5 star. Any ki technique higher than Intermediary are notoriously difficult to learn.

“I’m not sure if you can learn it but if you don’t you can sell it for a high price,” Zen said.

Zheng clasped his hands and bowed low. “Thank you, my friend. This makes my gift kinda pathetic.”

Wang Zen tilted his head. “You have a gift for me?”

“Yes.” Yin Zheng collected a package wrapped in brown paper, neatly placed on the floor behind the railing. He gave it to his friend.

Wang Zen ripped the paper apart and saw the clothes within. It was a brown shirt with a low V-neck and matching brown pants.

“These are proper fighting suites. They will give you more freedom to move and fight.”

“Oh,” Zen looked at the clothes, not impressed. “Thank you.”

“And to add on my bad gift, I also have a favour to ask.”

Zen smiled at his friend while smiling at his friend. “I like your gift,” he lied. “What ids the favour.”

“I know someone who needs to get to Goixi Province,” Zheng began. “If it’s not too much of a…”

Zen held up his hand. “Of course, your friend can come along.”

“Thanks!”

“Now, let’s go eat!”

Bheki Yin and Ding Wu watched as the two friends left.

“Those two have a strong bond,” Ding Wu said as he replaced the old stick of wheat that he was chewing with a fresher one from his pocket.

“Yes,” Yin said, “but I wonder if it will survive in a world where the differences between commoners and noble people can be as wide as the sea.”