22 The Old Master, Yun Pei Shan

Yun Pei Shan is sitting by the fire roasting a Deceptive Iguana Tail and salivating at the thought of how tender it will be. The flames are engulfing it just right to give it that nicely charred taste.

That Yun Tai... haha... he laughs out loud, I told him it was a precious ingredient I needed for an elixir. If I told him it was my favorite midnight snack I don't think even for that wine he would have risked it. But, I know of all of those brats he is the most gifted and protected by the gods.

The gods have a sense of humor because right at that moment Yun Tai flies next to him by the fire.

"Old man you are losing your ability to sense me coming, are you just getting old or am I getting more talented?"Yun Tai laughs and grabs the old man in a bear hug.

"Let go of me brat!" Yun Pei Shan bellows, but he is enjoying having Yun Tai embrace him.

"It's been fifty years since I laid eyes on you."

"Oh wait" he remembers his barbeque tail and rushes to fire. Thank the gods it's perfectly cooked, "with only seven tails I only have it occasionally."

{occasionally? you have enough for a year,they each weigh fifty cattys }.

"Hand me that porcelain bottle over there, no not that one the one behind you. "It's my secret recipe created it just for these tails,'" No reason trying to hide the fact now.

Yun Tai looks at the skewers of meat and looks at Yun Pei Shan.

"Come, sit, join me, I don't usually share but you must be hungry the way you are looking at my skewers."

Old man you are shameless Yun Tai is laughing in his head.

"What brings you to the mountain, shouldn't you be cultivating in seclusion? You look a bit ashen", he mumbles with a mouthful of food. He wipes the grease that is dripping down his chin and takes a good look at Yun Tai.

"Master, I came here because I think Feng Tian has got himself into something he doesn't realize the depth of consequences. I came for your advice, your permission, and several items I will need to help him. I only brought a few things to trade because I rushed up here,so you might need to put it on a tab."

"Yun Tai you know my advice is always free, my permission I need to ask what for and mull it over, the items you need we will see what you brought to exchange, you know I have a no credit policy."

"Can you pass me that small rock on the table, I just discovered it if you shave a bit off it makes the flavor of food a bit more intense. I heard a merchant call it salt when I bought it from his stall." He continues to pull pieces of meat savoring the flavor.

"You worry about that Feng Tian like he is a child. He is a grown, and Immortal at that! You should think about your own situation, you just returned and need to replenish your spiritual energy, yet you rush up here to see me."

"He has his head in the clouds he met some girl and isn't thinking straight. I had no idea he wasn't aware of the importance of the Seven Mythological Beasts. Tian thinks the Zehran Water Dragon is just some relic of the past that oversees this island. Now, he is involved in a plan to disrupt some Beast Hunters who are looking to remove its Beast Core", Yun Tai begins to explain.

"Beast Hunters come from all over to try to capture that rascal of a Dragon. I have known that Dragon for a thousand years and no one has removed a scale from him. As a matter of fact, that brat Tian got that Dragon's tooth and is the only one to have survived. So why worry about him?"

"Grab some skewers, I can't have you fainting from hunger like a little girl."

"..." Yun Tai

"This time it is different, from what Tian told me these people are from another world."

"Another world? You mean an outer realm?" This is an interesting development, Pei Shan ponders the implications.

"No, another world, I don't know much yet, but apparently someone is going to transport a female Zehran Water Dragon here and attempt to remove it's Core while the dragon is attempting to mate. Which you know is the only time it would be vulnerable."

"That's right Tian used the spell he got from that drunk Sorcerer to create an illusion of one", what a laugh I had when I heard that. He is clever but only uses his intelligence for pranks and his own entertainment.

"Go on with the story, pass me that jug of wine after you pour yourself one, you look tense."

Yun Tai explodes, "Yeah I'm tense! I just got back planning on slipping into the cave and replenishing my spirit energy. I have been fighting Demon Wars for fifty years and come back to a bunch of …. going on in my house! The most disturbing bit of information is Feng Che is accompanying them on this journey.

"Language", here let me get you a relaxation pill, no charge.

Yun Pei Shan is still chewing his meat, but it isn't tasting as good as it was a few moments ago. His oldest and dearest friend is Feng Tian's father and he loves each of his sons as though they were his own.

Feng Che is the most politically brilliant, he does what he needs to do to maintain peace and harmony among the Seven Kingdoms so why would he leave his seat on the High Council for a period of time. His absence possibly enabling corruption and his carefully built system to corrode.

He is thinking this does sound deeper than it looks on the surface. Feng Che never dirties his hands with anything. His extensive network of shadow guards and informants take care of problems for him before they can even touch the hem of his robes. All the brothers each have a role within his framework to keep the peace and protect the seven Kingdoms, only Feng Tian is exempt because of his mother's last wish.

Yun Pei Shan appeared on the surface to be just an old martial arts expert, a little eccentric who lived on the steepest mountain in Cloud Edge Wilderness but through the years he has been behind the scene helping Feng Tian's father whenever needed.

He trained each of his friend's sons to be the best in all the Kingdoms in martial arts and their cultivation which enabled them reach the status of Immortal. Yun Tai even ultimately became part of the framework as the God Of War who protects The Order.

The Old Master felt he was growing a little weary, he thought after this last Demon War, the Kingdoms would settle into a period of peace. Yun Tai could find a woman and settle down. Yun Pei Shan had watched this adopted son grow and persevere through many trials over the years protecting The Order. He never seemed to have a true smile on his face unless he was talking to Feng Tian or LingLing.

Yun Pei Shan set down his meat and took gulp of his wine. He looked to the sky and saw the formation of the stars in the shape of a lotus. He had seen this constellation for three nights in a row, now Yun Tai appeared with this news.

The dream he had the night he found Yun Tai nestled behind a rock by the Forest of Illusions had long been forgotten but across the flames as he looked at his cherished son he realized,

Peace will not come soon.