The Married Life Of Immortals

Bane didn’t make it more than a block before a hand reached from the early morning shadows of a back alley, grabbing him, and ripping him off his feet. Bane rolled in the air but didn’t stick the landing, crashing into a box that didn’t break.

“Oof! You really need to work on your greetings, Ezio!” Bane growled but then rolled to the side. Ezio’s dagger plunged into the box where he had been, and Bane scrambled to his feet, Kyōka, and Yume appearing in his hands. “Cut it out, you little shit!”

“Fuck you! Why did you say that to her?!” Ezio roared and then rushed at Bane with two daggers.

Realizing why he was in this predicament, Bane scowled and channeled fire mana into veins in his arms as he blocked Ezio’s strikes. To his surprise, Bane overpowered Ezio, pushing him back.

“I told her because you're a little chicken shit with a bug up your ass! Now piss off! I have to go get Brother Wei and go see my little master! If you still wanna go, meet me in the training grounds after lunch when I go to train with Nina! I got shit to do!” Bane snapped at the shaking boy covered in green bandages. The constant color change always confused Bane.

“You’re a prick, you know that?! I would have told her in my own time!” Ezio snapped, and Bane rolled his eyes.

“Sure, when pigs fly,” Bane retorted, only making Ezio madder.

“Fine! You had better be at the training grounds, and I won’t be holding back from you! I might be an assassin, but I am more than enough to meet you face to face and beat you to a pulp!” Ezio snapped and then vanished in a pump of smoke.

Bane unsummoned Kyōka, and Yume and then rubbed his hand over his face.

‘Do you think all of that was wise? I don’t think Ezio is the type to let things go, nor do I think you can beat him,’ Eve warned, but Bane only shrugged.

“I might get beaten to a pulp, but they won’t let him kill me. Plus, this will be worth it in the end. Those two idiots clearly have feelings for each other, but both are chicken shits,” Bane complained and dusted himself off.

Eve could only roll her eyes at this. Ezio wasn’t the only one who didn’t know how to take a hint, but Eve also thought that was for the best. At some point, Bane would have to leave this place, and there might be a good chance he could never come back. Still, what Lysia had done to him clearly held meaning as Morgana had said.

‘Maybe you are right, but you shouldn’t keep everyone waiting. I am sure that Wei Nam Lee is already at Bai Xiao Meng’s home with Mizuage since you left him there,’ Eve instructed, and Bane nodded heading out of the alley.

As Bane emerged from the alley, he made his way through the quiet village streets, feeling the first light of dawn warm his skin. He replayed his confrontation with Ezio in his mind, a mix of irritation and amusement bubbling up inside him. He knew Ezio's anger was justified, but someone had to give the stubborn assassin a push.

As he reached Bai Xiao Meng’s home, Bane found Wei Nam Lee waiting patiently. The boy in green robes stood with a calm demeanor, his eyes closed as if meditating. The moment Bane approached, Wei opened his eyes and offered a slight nod.

"Brother Bane," Wei greeted, his voice steady. "You look like you've had an eventful morning."

"That's one way to put it," Bane replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "Had a run-in with Ezio. Might have ruffled his feathers a bit."

"Oh? Why doesn't that surprise me?" Wei asked with a knowing smile, but Bane could only nod at this.

"It shouldn't and it was completely justified. I told Morgana to talk to him about their feelings, and now he is all pissy with me. Reasonable reaction, but the ninny was getting on my nerves. Everyone else has mostly warmed up, but that one is like a snake in the grass waiting for me to slip up!" Bane complained, but then both he and Wei Nam Lee winced as they heard a voice coming from inside Bai Xiao Meng's house.

"Just how long do you two plan on standing out there and chatting? Has the sun not already risen?"

Both Bane and Wei rushed inside to the back alchemy room where Senior Bai and Mizuage were standing with hands clasped and narrowed eyes. Both boys bowed to the tall Mizuage, and the childlike old man beside him, Senior Bai.

"This Disciple greets both Master's and apologizes for being late! I had to deal with a little shit on my way here after stirring the pot with Morgana!" Bane explained, but the change in the way he talked made both Masters frown at Bane.

Senior Bai's eyes narrowed further, and his voice took on an icy tone. "Bane, your conduct and language must reflect the respect due to your elders and your fellow disciples. If you are to achieve greatness, you must first learn humility and discipline."

Mizuage, though his expression remained stern, spoke in a more measured tone. "We understand your frustration, but channeling that energy into unnecessary conflicts will only hinder your progress. Focus your efforts on your training and growth."

Bane nodded, not really feeling the same, but he put on a look of understanding for their benefit. "I apologize, Masters. I will do better."

Senior Bai's gaze softened slightly. "Good. Now, let us proceed with today's lesson. Mizuage and I have decided that it is time for you to learn new techniques. Given your recent enhancement with mana that even I can sense, we of the Immortal White Dragon Sect will not be outdone."

Bane frowned at this. "Since when did this become a competition?"

Mizuage chuckled. "In the world of cultivation, having strength means everything, but being able to claim your Sect was the cause of this is almost just as great! If you rise up in the heavens, our Immortal White Dragon Sect will rise with you. Since you are a Disciple of my Disciple, that makes you part of our Sect!"

Bane nodded at this. He didn't mind being in a sect, whatever that was, with someone who was contracted to him. That meant he wasn't going to get betrayed, and being part of this Sect thing should allow him to learn everything they knew.

"So, I am a Disciple of the Immortal White Dragon Sect? What about Brother Wei?" Bane asked but then turned to Wei Nam Lee. "Do you have a Sect? I don't really know that much about you, so I should have asked first."

"I did have a Sect, but they treated me poorly, and it was actually Senior Bai who rescued me when he was descending the heavens," Wei Nam Lee explained, making Bane blink in surprise, but before he could speak, Senior Bai spoke up.

"You have never shown interest in joining my Sect, but I have also never offered. The way your family treated you was not fair, so I decided to give you time," Bai Xiao Meng explained. "Are you interested in joining our Sect?"

Wei Nam Lee nodded and then bowed. "I have overcome my past, and I will have my revenge, like you one day. Besides that, if Brother Bane is in your Sect, then the Immortal White Dragon Sect is where I belong. I believe that Brother Bane will have the power to even defy the heavens one day."

Bai Xiao Meng nodded approvingly. "Very well, Wei Nam Lee. Welcome to the Immortal White Dragon Sect. Now, both of you, follow me."

Bai Xiao Meng led Bane and Wei Nam Lee to a secluded training area behind his house. The air felt charged with energy, and the landscape was unlike any other part of the village. The ground was covered in intricate symbols and formations that seemed to pulse with latent power.

"This place is a sanctified ground with multiple formations built around it," Bai Xiao Meng explained. "It amplifies the flow of spiritual energy, allowing for more intense training. Today, I will teach you three techniques while Wei Nam Lee helps you temper your body. I will read you the techniques, and then perform them for you to watch. Once you are out, you can practice them, and Mizuage and I will guide you through them."

Bane and Wei Nam Lee stood in awe of the sanctified ground, feeling the power resonate through their very bones. Senior Bai's voice broke through their reverie, clear and authoritative.

"The first technique I will teach you is the 'Dragon's Breath.' It is a high-tier offensive skill that channels your mana into a concentrated beam of energy. The second is the 'White Dragon's Scales,' a defensive technique that enhances your body's resilience and creates a protective barrier. The third is 'Heavenly Dragon's Flight,' which allows you to move with incredible speed and agility, akin to flying."

As Senior Bai explained this to Bane, Mizuage transformed into his cauldron form, and Wei Nam Lee started to prepare the herbs and treasures. Wei Nam Lee was now more confident than ever that, even without a spiritual base, Bane would have no problem surviving the first-tier body-tempering pill when the time came.