Chapter 14
"Why'd you hurt it?" the old man asked, pointing at the goshawk lying at Li Ji's feet. The bird gave a weak chirp, almost as if agreeing with its master, as if to say, *"You were my prey. Why did you fight back?"*
The old man studied Li Ji carefully. Maybe it was his childlike appearance—no older than twelve—that made him seem harmless. Slowly, the old man sheathed his machete and returned it to his pack.
"I think there's been a misunderstanding. If you feel wronged, just say so."
"It's not a big deal," Li Ji replied casually. "The big bird kept trying to hunt me down, attacked me a few times. I killed it. Figured I'd roast it tonight—help me recover some strength."
The tone was so light it might have been a joke, but the old man's pupils contracted slightly.
"Those cries earlier… they were hunting signals. But Amu's never attacked a human," he said, frowning. "He's always been gentle. Kids throw rocks at him sometimes and he doesn't even get angry."
He hesitated, clearly shaken. "Amu's temperament is calm. He doesn't initiate fights. Maybe this really is a misunderstanding. Maybe he wasn't even after you—maybe he thought you were something else."
Li Ji raised an eyebrow. "Grandpa, that's a terrible excuse. You think eating people is a *gentle* behavior now? That bird's huge—he's probably eaten a lot of people to get that size."
"No, absolutely not!" The old man denied it at once, shaking his head fiercely. "Amu's never harmed a human, I swear on that. I raised him myself since he was a chick. Sure, he hunts snakes, goats, monkeys... but never people. Wait—monkeys!"
His gaze zeroed in on the fluffy tail swaying from the back of Li Ji's pants. "I get it now! It's that fake tail you've got. Amu must've thought you were a macaque. He's not the brightest bird. Probably thought you were just another monkey from the mountain."
Li Ji froze, then silently stepped away, releasing the bird from underfoot. The realization was too much to bear. He—a Saiyan—was mistaken for a monkey by a dumb bird?
"Chirp!" The goshawk flapped its wings, preparing to pounce again, but the old man raised a hand.
"Amu, don't. He's human."
The bird hesitated, looking at Li Ji in confusion, as if thinking, *"He's got a tail. Doesn't that mean I can eat him?"*
"Kid, could you take off that tail accessory?" the old man asked sincerely. "Amu's a bit slow. If you keep wearing that, he's going to keep thinking you're dinner."
Li Ji stared at him, then gave a sigh. "That's not a decoration, grandpa. It's my actual tail."
He twitched it slightly in greeting. The old man's eyes nearly bulged out of his skull.
"You... You... you're a monkey demon!" he gasped, stepping back and yanking his machete free again. "That explains it. So much power in someone your age—it's because you're a monster in human form!"
Li Ji rolled his eyes. "Calm down. It's called *atavism.* Know what that means? It's when a person has a physical trait that belonged to ancient ancestors but disappeared over time. That's all this is—just a genetic throwback. So no, I'm not a demon."
It wasn't exactly the truth, but it was close enough. No way was he revealing his real identity. Luckily, the old man wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. He scratched his head, slowly lowering the machete.
"I don't get all that, but... I guess I was wrong. Sorry, kid."
The awkward silence lingered. Eventually, the old man broke it.
"Anyway, what's a kid like you doing here? This place is dangerous. Even hardcore climbers avoid this route."
"I'm looking for someone," Li Ji said vaguely, clearly not interested in chatting.
"Looking for someone? Who?" the old man pressed. "Maybe I can help. I know this area well."
Li Ji smirked. "Ever heard of Kunlun?"
He expected the old man to laugh it off or mistake it for the Kunlun Mountains. But instead, the man's expression changed.
"Where did you hear that name?" he asked, suddenly serious.
*Did I hit a nerve?* Li Ji blinked. *Oops. Time to make something up...*
"Someone told me I should come to Kunlun. Said I had potential, but I needed guidance. Kunlun, they said, could help me understand the true meaning of power." He exhaled, a bit impressed with his own improvisation. *Nice. That sounded totally legit.*
"Your name," the old man said, staring at him intensely. "What is it?"
"Li Ji."
"I'm Thunder Lord," he replied. "Successor to Kunlun's Iron Fist."
*No way,* Li Ji thought, stunned. *I was just throwing names around… and now I'm talking to a real Iron Fist?*
Thunder Lord nodded. "Destiny said the next Iron Fist wouldn't arrive for another year. But here you are. That means fate has chosen you early. I'll teach you the martial arts and the truth of Kunlun. I'll train you to become the next Iron Fist."
He placed a hand on Li Ji's head. Li Ji felt a sharp sting—and then, something strange. A symbol burned into his scalp, invisible but unmistakably there.
"Come with me. Kunlun isn't a place just anyone can walk into."
With that, Thunder Lord turned and sprinted up the cliff. It was like he was gliding. Even the world rock-climbing champion couldn't compete. But to Li Ji, it was child's play. A few jumps, and he caught up easily.
"Kunlun is sacred," Thunder Lord said as they climbed. "You can't bring anything from the modern world in with you. No phones, no money. There's a storage cave before the entrance. Leave everything there. You'll retrieve it when you leave."
Li Ji was surprised by how modern the old man sounded. "You know what a phone is? It's only the year 2000. Not a lot of people do."
Thunder Lord grinned. "I'm not as out of touch as I look."
Soon, they arrived at the cave—and Li Ji was stunned.
"Wait… this doesn't look like a cave. It looks like a castle."
"It's been remodeled by generations of Iron Fists. If you become one, you can redesign it too," Thunder Lord said. "You done storing your stuff?"
"Yeah."
"Good." Thunder Lord suddenly grabbed him by the back of the shirt—and tossed him into the cave entrance.
Li Ji didn't even have time to scream.
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