As Kent crouched over the stone, the name echoed in his mind like a storm: “Jamba Zi… Jamba Zi… Jamba… Zi?!!” His eyes widened in shock. Could it really be that Zi?!
The Zi family he knew through Master Tang, the man who had taught him the art of inner spirit transformation? But before he could collect his thoughts, a voice boomed from the other side.
“What the hell are you doing out there? Remove that stone. Come and save me. I’ll give you whatever wealth you desire!” The captive, Jamba Zi, called out in a frustrated tone, his desperation reaching peaks.
Kent steadied himself and called back, his voice calm but serious. “Elder, what’s your identity?”
A heavy silence filled the chamber. Kent could feel the hesitation of the other person, sensing that whoever was inside wasn’t just any ordinary prisoner.
“Elder,” Kent pressed, “please don’t hesitate. I am no friend of the royal family, nor am I anyone’s enemy in the Seventh Realm. You have my word. But I need to know—who are you?”
For a moment, silence reigned again. Then, in a voice that was a mixture of bitterness and vulnerability, the old man spoke. “Why do you need my identity?”
Kent knew he had struck a chord. This was a person who held on to secrets like a man gripping his last breath. But he also knew that silence could be a powerful tool. So he remained quiet, letting the silence do its work.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the voice softened and began to speak, a hint of sorrow slipping through the anger. “I am Jamba Zi, the old patriarch of the Zi family. Before the royal family took control over this realm, my family flourished. But now, my family, my palace, my legacy, the entire history of the Zi family—” His voice trembled, “it’s all gone. I’ve been rotting in this prison for the last 25 years. I… I lost everything.”
Kent’s heart pounded with anticipation. This was no ordinary captive. This was the patriarch of the very family his master hailed from—the man who had indirectly shaped Kent’s own path. He felt a thrill of excitement and purpose.
Without waiting, he infused his mana through the healing needles he’d placed around the enchanted stone. The edges of the stone began to quiver and glow as his mana pressured its boundaries, slowly separating it from the wall. The five beastmen standing nearby quickly moved in, each grabbing an edge and dragging the stone away, clearing a path.
Kent’s heart raced as he stepped inside, only to halt when he saw the figure within. Jamba Zi was unlike any man Kent had ever seen. He had the face of a boar, rough tusks protruding from his mouth, and his skin was covered in thick, dark needle-like hair.
Chains of fire-bound enchantments wrapped around his body, linking him to a flaming pillar that burned with a fierce, otherworldly light.
“Don’t come any closer,” Jamba Zi warned, his voice suddenly sharp with caution. “If the flame pillar shuts off, the royal family will be alerted in an instant.”
Kent’s brow furrowed as he studied the complex spell imprisoning Jamba. The intensity of the magic binding this old patriarch was staggering. The man had truly been cast away and forgotten, left to rot in a web of flame and darkness.
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Kent kneeled on one leg and said, “Greetings Elder, your son Tang Zi is alive. I’m his disciple. Don’t worry, I will release you from this place.”
“What?! No… impossible. You are a liar.” Jamba Zi shouted in anger. “You must be sent by that bastard Quinn family to make fun of me. Go away… go…” Jamba Zi spoke emotionally with visible anger.
Kent exhaled thoughtfully, his mind racing with plans. “Inner spirit transformation of the divine body,” he murmured, tracing the enchantments with his gaze.
Kent took a slow, steady breath and stood up, his hands slowly beginning to change. His skin turned to shimmering gold, his head transformed into that of a lion, his body covered with majestic fur, and his hands morphed into lion-like claws.
Jamba’s boar eyes flashed in surprise, his gaze narrowing. “How do you know that art? That’s my family’s secret!”
Kent took a deep breath and, with respectful resolve, Kent stepped forward, his head bowed in acknowledgment. “Elder Jamba Zi, I am Kent… disciple of your son, Tang Zi.”
The room fell silent. For a moment, Jamba looked at Kent, his expression unreadable. Then his eyes filled with a wild glimmer of hope.
“My… my son? My son is alive?” he whispered, his voice trembling. “Did you come here to save me? Is he here?”
“No, Elder,” Kent replied with a humble smile, “I planned to release many prisoners who have suffered at the hands of the royal family. In doing so, I happened to discover this chamber. But your son lives—he is well. He now resides in the Forbidden Mountain Forest of the Sixth Realm. And I swear to you, he will be overjoyed to know that you are alive.”
The old boar-headed man seemed to sink, an emotional wave crashing through him as his tusks quivered.
“It is destiny that brought me here today.” Kent replied with a smile.
Jamba’s face softened, but then a flicker of urgency crept back in. “Listen to me,” he said, his voice low. “Do not free me yet. If this flame pillar extinguishes, the royal family will know something is wrong. They’ll swarm this place, and all will be lost.”
Kent nodded thoughtfully, taking in the information. “Understood, Elder. I’ll work carefully, without alerting them. Tonight, I will liberate the other prisoners first. When the time is right, you will be the last I free.”
The old man gave a slight nod of approval, his tusks gleaming faintly under the firelight. “You’re a wise young man… and a powerful one. I see that my son has chosen his disciple well.”
Kent felt a surge of pride at the patriarch’s words, but he stayed focused. “Elder, can you tell me who else is imprisoned here? Anyone who could help us?”
Jamba’s eyes took on a glint of excitement. “Yes. Many of these prisoners were once powerful figures, leaders who resisted the royal family. I know of a master healer, an elemental sorcerer, and a beast-tamer—all chained within these walls. They could be valuable allies.”
Kent’s heart raced at the prospect. “Good,” he said, his eyes alight with determination. “I’ll release them under the cover of night. With their help and yours, we’ll have a fighting chance in future war.”
–
Thank you all for the Golden-Tickets!