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13.66% Learning To Live As A Cultivator / Chapter 44: Chapter Forty Four - I ride a griffin to the Warrior School

Chapter 44: Chapter Forty Four - I ride a griffin to the Warrior School

After they had filled their stomachs satisfactorily, the pair returned to Teacher Sagi, who had them follow him to a place that Leon had not yet visited; a small stable that held three griffins and their trainer. The stable was located to the east of the school, so in the opposite direction of the students huts, as to not disturb the beasts.

Leon had read a little Greek mythology from his high school years. Unfortunately, these creatures were nothing like the beasts from the lore known to him. Whilst their bodies could be considered somewhat feline, they were brown with yellow and orange stripes. And whilst their heads could be considered somewhat like that of an eagle, the upper portion of their beak was carved like sharp teeth, so that the whole thing seemed as if it was actually the elongated snout of a ferocious animal's skull attached to a brown feathered and furred head. It did not have paws or talons ending it's four legs, but three furred toes, two front, one rear on each, all ending in very long curved claws. It also did not have a lion's tail, but eccentric plumage instead. The mother griffin was also very, very large and it's two cubs could already rival an African bush elephant in size. It was one of this pair that was saddled up with a carrier more than able to comfortably hold the three passengers and their guide.

Leon let out a breath of air trying to steady himself as he recalled that some animals could smell a person's fear and he refused to believe that a griffin was not one such beast. Teacher Sagi leapt lightly into the carriage as if gravity was no match for him, but that was not something Leon had the ability to do. The handler went to grab the steps to allow the two students to mount, but Jin Li just rolled his eyes, swept the smaller boy into his able arms and gracefully followed Teacher Sagi through the air and onto the beast. Leon's heart was beating wildly in his chest, but he allowed himself the small satisfaction that he did not yelp out loud.

The griffin handler sat on a small bench just outside the unsheltered carriage and without words, the griffin jumped up, stretching out it's beautiful feathered wings and catching the updrift of air that it, itself, had caused. Leon's stomach churned somewhat, but he managed to retain his meal as they soared above the tree line. Once comfortably in flight, the griffin's movement seemed to smoothen out and Leon glanced over the barrier separating him and falling, with a slight gasp.

From this height, the curve of the mountain on which their school was located seemed much shallower, but he came to learn just how low down the mountain the outer school was. In the distant west, he could see the towering mountain that held the cavernous secrets he had somewhat discovered and slightly to the north, he could see the monolithic library as it reached for the sky. The griffin flew past the majestic building and over a chasm just beyond it to the eastern side, where a grand bridge connected the alchemist school with a mountain plateau of which a road dominated and split into six. The griffin then flew to the northwest, following the road, before circling the small, rocky mountain that the road disappeared into. With another beat of its wings, the mountain came to be behind them and the martial arts school came into view.

The martial arts outer school was nothing like the scattered, rustic arrangement that was the outer alchemist school. It was a single storied building made of stone that wrapped around a huge square courtyard. This courtyard was not a place to walk through or relax, the courtyard was in fact a small arena with spectator seating. There were a few structures that seemed to protrude from the main building, but these were still connected. There were no detached buildings to be found.

Leon sensed that Jin Li was becoming irritable the nearer they approached the school, but he did not know why. Suddenly, his stomach plummeted as the griffin began to descend. He clapped his hand over his mouth, hoping he would not puke as the flight abruptly ended with a sharp dive and a flick of the griffin's wings. The griffin stable was on the roof of the school, no need to traipse across woodland.

"Let me take you to Teacher Vane, he is in charge of the gateway leading to the inner school," Teacher Sagi told them and both agreed with a nod.

However, the Teacher was waylaid on route by a harried looking woman, who seemed to be at her wits end about something and as he spoke to her, helping her to calm, Leon happened to see a bright eye boy beaming with joy as he laid eyes upon them. He bounced up and down and bounded towards them.

"Jin Li!" The freckled youth with a round face and long, dark brown hair called out. "Jin Li!" Jin Li just scowled.


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Chapter 45: Chapter Forty Five - I meet a boy named Sun

"There you are, Jin Li," the bubbly boy was saying as he bounced up and around the other with surprising speed. "I've been looking all over for you, Jin Li! You were not there when I woke up this morning. Where did you go, Jin Li? You should have waited for me, I would have gone with you!"

Leon's eyes widened as the swiftly moving boy spoke continuously in this rapid way without seeming to pause for breath. It was taxing to watch him, Leon felt as if he were holding his own breath along side the boy. So he looked away and observed Jin Li instead, whose scowl was gradually deepening to the point where black lines appeared to be etched into his forehead. Leon felt a bubble of amusement rise into his throat, but it just as quickly dissipated when he saw the boy place both hands upon Jin Li's arm. His own scowl began to form, but he smoothed it away wondering what irked him so.

"Sun, let go," Jin Li snapped, interrupting the boy's endless audio of thoughts and questions. "As for where and why I left this morning, neither is your concern."

"Ah, Jin Li," the boy, Sun whined, "don't be like that. We are room mates now and roommates should get along, shouldn't they?"

"You have to share?" Leon found himself asking Jin Li. A knot began to twist in his stomach, but he ignored what it could mean.

Jin Li nodded. "The new outer students of the warriors school are placed in groups of four or two, depending on how promising they are. Individual rooms must be earned. However, in reality, only the top ten students will obtain one."

Leon tilted his head in thought and replied; "Then it should n-n-not take you too long to g-get one." Jin Li's lips curved with a hint of smugness. It was good that Leon... his servant recognised his worth.

"Jin Li, who is this?" Sun suddenly asked as if only now realising that his roommate was not alone.

"This is Leon, my... servant." Leon rolled his eyes at this description, but let it slide. Jin Li was Jin Li after all. But he didn't like the way that he was completely dismissed in Sun's eyes after Jin Li spoke.

"So, Jin Li, What are you doing now?" The boy recommenced his quick speech. "Have you had lunch? I think the kitchens may have stopped cooking now, but we could probably wheedle something if you are hungry. Or if you are not, Jin Li, we could go and spar in the arena for a while." He began to tug on Jin Li's arm, but could not make the mountain move, no matter how much he wished it.

Jin Li flicked his arm from Sun's grasp before stating; "I have business to attend to elsewhere. You may leave first."

The boy looked slightly crestfallen at the obvious dismissal, causing Leon to feel a little sorry for him. He placed his own hand upon Jin Li's arm, willing to speak up for the boy, but felt a chilling glare come suddenly from said direction.

"Ah, I am sorry to keep you waiting, boys," Teacher Sagi interrupted the tense air flowing between Leon, the 'faithful servant' and Sun, the 'hero worshiper.' Jin Li looked unperturbed. "Come on, the portals are this way."

Jin Li's perfectly styled brows rose as he heard the description of portals, but he soon came to realise that these had a limited range; to the warrior's upper school, no further and no where else.

As the inner schools were places where the strongest youths developed into strong cultivators, their borders were protected by shields created and maintained by several elderly mages. Flying beasts and curious men could not breach them. Even most cultivators would be hard pressed to break them, so the secrets of the inner schools were generally safe. However, one needed a way to enter them and that was through the portals that only a few held the keys to. One such person was Teacher Vane.

On hearing that the Teacher Sagi wished to send these outer school students through the portal to the inner school, Teacher Vane was full of reluctance and suspicion. He would only relent when Leon showed him the notification request that he had received from Teacher Corne. Teacher Vane visibly flinched when he caught sight of the name of the requester. Apparently, Teacher Corne was someone to be feared, but Leon couldn't be sure of his assumption having never met the man.

Teacher Vane finally allowed the three students to use the portals. Yes, somehow the boy, Sun, had followed his hero on his quest and managed to be included in their group.


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