Chapter 76: Stunted Growth

Jao Cong heard a knock on the gates of his small compound. “I thought you weren’t coming, sis…?” Jao was surprised to see not his sister at the other side but Wang Zen with Shibi on his shoulder.

Zen smirked, “You just open the door without asking who is it? Not very smart, cousin.”

“I thought you were my sister,” Jao said, as Zen walked in without being invited.

“Man, so this is what a condo looks like,” Zen admired the house and the yard conscripted to it by the high square wall around it. “I could get some training around here.” Shibi leapt off Zen’s shoulder and explored the area. “You’re so lucky, all we get is a small cramped room and our training has to be done out in public on the training grounds and since I’m not going home for the coming holidays, it’s going to be even more unpleasant.”

“You’re also not going home?” Jao said.

“So I’m not the only one,” Zen said. “Well, at least I’ll have someplace to spend my holidays, huh coz?"

Jao did not like that idea at all. He really liked his tie alone and the only person who broke that was his sister, ore out of force than any choice of his. “Uhm… why exactly are you here, Brother Wang?” Jao said, trying not to focus on his crooked nose. He had heard that his cousin had been disfigured after fighting wild beasts.

Zen turned to look at him, “It’s actually about Shibi.” Zen nodded to the orange-red blur zipping across the yard. “I’ve noticed him getting stronger lately. Have you noticed?”

“Well, Shibi’s body seems to have changed since you began your tenure here.” Jao tried to follow Shibi’s path. “He certainly is stronger.”

“Yes, he is getting stronger but I’ve never seen him using a fire elemental move.” Zen said. “Don’t you think it’s strange that his a Scorch Ape and yet he doesn’t use fire?”

“Well, that can be easily explained.” Jao said. “I’m sure you know that wild beasts awaken their elemental affinity’s instead of unlicking it like us humans, who have to cultivate to the middle levels to gain access to our elemental affinities.”

“Yes, I know all that.”

“Normal Scorch Apes awaken their elemental affinity really early in their lifetimes.”

“So are you saying that Shibi is less talented than normal Scorch Apes?”

Jao shook his head, “It’s not a difference of talent but it’s a difference of teachers… or maybe I should say caretakers.”

Zen looked at Jao in confusion.

“Wild Beasts live in a harsher environment than the human world, their lives are tough and they are in more life and death battles. Their mothers teach them early on to survive and to be strong. Shibi on the other hand…” Jao rubbed his head as he tried to figure out how to phrase his next statement, “…well uh… Shibi is…”

“Spit it out, Cousin!”

Jao sighed, “Shibi has been curdled far too much. You’ve been raising him more like a human baby than a beast. They call it stunted growth.”

Zen looked sad as he looked at Shibi, “So his slow growth is my fault.”

“It’s not so bad,” Jao tried to console him. “There are many people who simply raise beasts more as pets than battle beasts. It’s not a problem.”

Shibi hopped back on Zen’s shoulder and tilted his head as they looked into each other’s eyes.

“Pet?” Zen said, as if it was a new word he was trying out. “Shibi is no pet.” Zen looked at Jao, determination burning in his eyes. “Is there anything I can do to help Shibi grow as strng as he was suppose to be in the wild?”

“I don’t really know,” Jao said. “I guess give him pills once in a while to help his cultivation and keep supporting his progress.”

Zen nodded his thanks. “Well, I best be going.”

“Well, since your going and it seems my sister isn’t coming, I better accompany you.” Jao said as he ran to his house.

“It’s okay,” Wang said.

“I don’t mind, I have to return a book to the library anyways!” Jao said as he ran to fetch the book.

“The library is probably closed by now!”

“It’s not!” Jao said.

Zen looked around, suspecting every shivering bush and moving shadow to be an enemy about to attack. He wanted to stick to the shadows, to less travelled paths, in order to be as undetectable as possible, in case Bao’s allies were looking for him. However, he could not do that in front of his cousin. Having rumours about how scared he was of Bao was one thing but actually showing his fear in front of another person was another thing. He had too much pride to act overly scared.

“What kind of library stays open at this time,” Zen said, hatefully eyeing the book in Jao’s hand. “Don’t they know students have better things to do with their lives than read books?”

“Uh… I guess not.” Jao said.

They got on the main path, causing Zen to be more alert. Even Shibi’s hair stood on end, sensing Zen’s nervousness.

There were sounds of footsteps beating into the ground. Zen instinctively dropped to a fighting stance, his breathing turning shallow.

“Zen…?” Jao said, taken back by his reaction. He too looked at the source of the running footsteps.

Zen could now see the running man and relaxed as he knew the person. “Li Ao.”

Li Ao stopped, surprised to see him. “Wang Zen? I can’t believe I was lucky enough to run into you.”

“Uh?” Zen tilted his head.

“Deng Ai is in trouble.”

“I don’t see how I can help with that.”

“Xaun Bao attacked him… he attacked us!” Ai Lo said. “He knew we were your roomates and attacked us. He said that if I don’t find you, he would cripple Deng Ai.”

Zen noticed the bruises on Li Ao and that his hair was uncharacteristically messy. It was obvious that he had been in a fight and was on the losing side. Zen gave a nervous smile, failing to reassure him. “Come on, Li Ao, he’d never do that. Just call a teacher and…”

“He is not playing around, Zen.” Li Ao said. “I was going to get a teacher now but… I doubt Deng Ai will last that long. I think he may very well kill him. You’ve got to help, do something… stall him…”

“I… I…” Zen’s head snapped to the side when Jao took off running. “Jao!” he was about to follow when Li Ao grabbed his sleeve. Zen turned around to the other boy’s pleading eyes.

“Wang Zen, please!” Li Ao said. “If you don’t help, he may kill Deng Ai.”

Zen clenched his fists, his fingers digging into his sweaty palms. He turned to the Scorch Ape on his shoulder. “Shibi, go.”

Shibi began to ook.

“Now!” Zen cut the ape off.

There was a moment of defiance from Shibi but he eventually melted under Zen’s stern gaze and leapt off his shoulder, disappearing into the night. As soon as the ape was gone, Zen lost his intense glare, only for it to be replaced by an unsure and fearful one. He gulped then turned to Li Ao.

“Let’s go.”