26 The Hero?

"You don't seem surprised." By the Goddess' tone, she seemed almost disappointed.

More of her body left the dark disk in the ceiling, and her long crimson hair hung in the air.

Unlike her hair, the Goddess' dress did not obey physics.

"Don't just stare dumbly-"

The Young Master turned away before the Goddess could finish her sentence, stood up, and walked towards one of the room's windows.

Lei stared for a couple of seconds, as he had just found a piece that could prove very useful in the future.

The dozens of Disciples on the training court had been stopped in their track. Or rather, frozen. All were unmoving. Halted, just like the twin tigers statue that proudly welcomed those passing through the large doors separating the inside from the outside. 

Some were stopped while they were taking a step, some while they were standing with their arms crossed, some while they were preparing to throw a punch, and others were stopped while they were running.

Out of the numerous Disciples, one caught Lei's eyes, as he had been stopped right after jumping in the air. He hung above the ground, levitating.

'So that's what happens when a God descends onto the earth...'

Frozen in both time and space, only he could move. 

'I'm guessing their minds are stopped too. Scary... She came to see me. That's why I can move. Who knows if this has happened before, with me being caught in it? Could happen at anytime really. Gods really are-'

"You're going to keep ignoring me? After I came all this way to see you?" Her tone was on the stricter side this time.

Gods really are scary, which is why Lei turned around.

Lei raised a hand with a slight smile on his face.

"Hi." 

"There we go. Was that so hard?" The Goddess' feet had exited the hole in the ceiling. 

Her body kept floating in the air. She levitated while keeping her body upside down, which Lei thought was strange, but did accentuate her bosom. Does this mean that her dress was the only thing that didn't obey gravity, or was the Goddess purposefully...? Lei wondered.

"I was so impressed with your might that I forgot to greet you. I don't suppose you would want me to bow, right? I would if you wanted me to."

"Oh, would you?" The Goddess' eyes narrowed, and her lips curled upwards slightly.

"Of course. I don't get to see Immortals often, so it's a great honor to-"

"Immortal? I'm a Goddess, not something as feeble as an Immortal."

"I see." Lei muttered after a second.

'So there IS a difference between Gods and Immortals.'

"Mm..." The Goddess pouted as she thought for a bit. "I suppose you wouldn't know that. Anyways, enough with the pleasantries. How do you like this life and world, Zhao Laohu?"

"It's great. I'm incredibly grateful to you."

"You know when to reign it in, huh?"

"Pardon me, dear Goddess?"

"Your demeanor... And that smile. As I thought, you'll fit right in."

"I don't think anyone in their right mind would doubt a Goddess' judgment."

"Right? Hahaha!" She laughed out loud. "But you don't need to do all that." The Goddess' body floated closer. "You're the kind to give out flatteries with one hand and stab in the back with the other after all."

The Young Master scratched his head.

"Doesn't mean I want you to stop." The Goddess' body spun in the air and her feet landed on the ground. "Keep the compliments coming. It's true, everything would be better if my judgment was never doubted or put into question." 

She took a step closer.

"Your shine is even more radiant than last time." Lei said after a couple of seconds.

Three steps separated them, yet he could feel her heat. Judging by the crimson shade that had enveloped the place and her hair, Lei assumed that she was a Goddess that had something to do with fire. 

"Would you look at that?" She crossed her arms and angled her body to the side slightly. "You weren't such a sweet talker last time."

"Yeah, well..." Lei smiled and pointed. "This face is much more handsome."

"That's debatable, I suppose." The Goddess said as she slowly raised her hand. Her fingers gracefully entwined with strands of her fiery crimson hair. "Anyways," The Goddess brought her hand down, fingers lightly trailing through the cascading waves. Her hair, like silk, followed the movement. "I'm on my way to meet some bothersome people, so I thought I'd stop for a moment."

"Do you want me to accompany you?"

"What...?" The Goddess had trouble processing the fact that he had even asked such a question. "Hahaha! You're amusing, truly."

"Thank you."

The Goddess walked passed the Young Master, stopped in front of the desk, and stared at the parchment that had been laid on that desk.

She was inches away to the right, and Lei could almost feel his skin burning.

"You had the right to ask a question," The Goddess replaced a lock of hair behind her ear with her right hand. "Remember?"

"I do."

"The time is now."

"There's nothing I want to ask in particular." The Young Master said after wondering for a couple of seconds.

Her gaze moved away from the desk. Her eyes burned like two suns.

"I came all the way here. Ask a question, now."

The Goddess was truly intimidating.

Firstly, because of her powerful she was.

Secondly, because of how beautiful.

"Do I have to?"

She let out a sigh, before turning away.

"No, you don't. But don't think I'll come see you often."

"Well, that's a shame."

"I'm sure it is." The Goddess let out another sigh and scratched her head. "Let's hope that the next meeting will be as pleasant as this one."

"Next meeting?"

"Yes..." She muttered while massaging her eyes.

"Another Villain? Or...?"

The Goddess chuckled and raised her arms up, stretching them.

"I'm on my way to the Heavens."

"I see...?"

"Well, this was nice." The Goddess said before swinging her hand. 

A trail of flame hung in the air, before giving place to,

'Same as the one she came in from...'

The Goddess had opened a portal. But before stepping in,

"Two weeks, Zhao Laohu. Two weeks."

"Two weeks?"

"In two weeks, you'll be meeting the Hero."

"The what...?!" Before Lei could even ask, the Goddess had stepped into the portal, the crimson shade that painted the air faded, and time started moving once more.

That is, time started moving once more for those other than the Young Master.

'Tsk... That's something I wouldn't have minded using my Question on.'

Zhao Laohu walked towards the large and only bed in room, before lying on his back. 

"Expected... But still troublesome."