Chapter 170: Bronze Holding

Zen walked back to his dorm after a day of school. The whole day he felt on edge, as if he was being watched. The feeling persisted and he was too creeped out and worried to do his normal training routine. He opted to go to his dorm room and call it a day.

He entered and sat down. Ao Li and DengAi were already there, haven’t moved much in the day. Having missed all of their classes. He greeted them as he entered and Shibi founda comfortable spot on their bed.

There was a loud knock on the door. They looked at the door in confusion. Zen opened it and his killing intent sky rocketed. Chen Jian was standing on the other side, flanking him were two other boys who much older and in terms of ki base, stronger.

“Wang Zen, I am here to detain you.” Jian said.

“Detain me?” Zen said glaring at him, “for what?”

“You’re a suspect in the recent attacks.”

“Yeah and what proof gives you the right to detain me?”

“I don’t need proof.” Jian tapped the blue band around his left arm. “I have this.”

“You’re not taking me anywhere!”

Shibi leapt to Zen’s shoulder and bared his teeth, his body temperature rising.

Jian produced a scroll and touched it. Light shone out and began taking the form of the white snake, Po. Po slithered up to his shoulder and hissed.

“Joy, lunch.” Po said.

“Please,” Jian said, “resist, it will make this ever more satisfying.”

Zen remembered the trheat Chen Jian made the last time they fought. He promised that when they fought next, he would kill him. It was a threat Zen was not willing to forgive and his ki was already roiling in defiance.

“I think we will resist.” Ao Li got up and stashed his comb.

Deng Ai gulped and also stood up from the floor on shaky knees. Zen and Shibi were no longer alone. It was now four verses four.

Zen recalled his killing intent and calmed down his ki. “I give up.”

Everyone was shocked to hear this. Zen looked back at Deng Ai and Ao Li and smiled. They were willigng to defend him and risk their dreams of gaining knowledge and... meeting hot girls to help him defend his pride. He did not deserve it and he was not was not going to take it.

“Thanks guys,” he said. He began to push Shibi off, who held on tightly to his shoulder.

“Shibi, they’re here for me not for you.” He said. “You can stay here.”

“NO!” Shibi said. It was the first time he spoke in front of other people.

“Shibi, I’ll be okay.” He said. “I’ll be okay.”

“I’ll never leave you!” Shibi said.

“Shibi, you’re the most loyal friend I have.” He said. “And right now, being loyal means leaving me. It will only be for now. We’ll meet again, I promise.” Zen said, and offered his fist to Shibi. “Come one, we’ll meet again. Warrior’s Oath.”

Shibi fist bumped with Zen. He then got up and allowed Chen Jian to take him away.

Zen wanted to ask many questions but he stayed quiet out of pride as they led him to the holding area. Zen recognised the building. It was a former teacher’s living area that had fallen into disuse for a long time. It wooden doors, painted bronze stood high before Zen.

“Welcome to your new home, Bronze Gate.” Jian said. “Though not for long, you’ll soon be expelled.”

“This is kind of strange.” Zen said, looking at Chen Jian. “Here I am, a noble accused of standing with a commoner and you, a commoner betraying his own people. Your parents must be so proud.”

“They are proud because they know their son is strong and protect them against anything and that he will transcend your little labels of ‘commoner’ and ‘noble’.”

“I hope so cause right now you’re barely transcending the label of scum and wherever your parents are, once they hear what you’re doing won’t be able to transcend their label of Parents of Scum.”

Chen Jian glared at him, his killing intent rising. Zen returnend his stare, his own killing intent rising and dwarfing Jian’s.

Zen smirked, “Mine is bigger than yours.” He then reeled it in and looked away from Jian in disgust.

The bronze doors were opened by two enforcers. Zen was led in. A door was opened, it was filled with kids, his age and older. He was shoved into the sad group. He walked to a corner and sighed as he sank to a seated position. He could sense that there was a barrier around the room, much like the ones they had in tehri dorm rooms. But where the ones in the dorm rooms allowed them to keep out anyne who was not suppose to be there, this one kept in anyone who was in the room.

“Now, how long will it take thses idiots to expel me and send me home?”