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39.44% Learning To Live As A Cultivator / Chapter 127: Chapter One Hundred And Twenty Seven - She seeks more than friendship

Chapter 127: Chapter One Hundred And Twenty Seven - She seeks more than friendship

"Excuse me," Merylin said, softly, no longer wishing to stand there like an extraneous flower, "I hope I am not intruding on anything important..."

"Of course not," Pike allowed, amicably.  "Just a little sparring between friends."  Although this young woman was not here for him, she was still an apprentice alchemist studying within the inner school.  It never hurt to make connections. However as she blushed demurely and glanced through her long, black lashes towards Jin Li, despite his back facing her, it was clear she was not interested in his pleasantries.  It was as if his words came from Jin Li's mouth!   Inwardly he sighed.  It was clear that this girl only had eyes for one.  Poor Leon, he thought ruefully.

"Oh, then please, continue, I don't wish to interrupt." There was a sparkle in though gem like eyes that could not be hidden by shuttered lashes.

"We're done here," Jin Li announced.  Deep down he admitted just one thing to himself; he could not keep his thoughts upon the battle.  That was a dangerous thing.  Even though they were not out for each other's blood, even bloodshed could occur in a simple sparring if ones concentration faltered.  He blamed Leon.  Who told him to have such large, expressive eyes in to which his reflection could drown should he allow it?

"I see," said the girl also with expressive eyes that were now set downcast.  They seemed to have a million facets to them, though which revealed the truth, not all of those watching her could say.  These men were somewhat experienced with the whims and wiles of certain women, they were not foolish boys.  Watching her made them somewhat uncomfortable, despite her very lovely face.  "What a pity," she continued, not realising her act had been seen through, though she would likely not care as those men were not the ones she sought to impress.  "A rare opportunity for me to witness your skills and I missed it! I'm sure it was a glorious battle! I was fortunate enough to observe your fight against the barbarian during the Standings."

Her flattering words might have swayed others, but the one she liked was not really listening.  His thoughts had slipped into memory as he began recalling the battle of which she spoke of.  He remembered that Leon had come rushing towards him after the battle ended to see if he was hurt or injured in anyway.  Jin Li's mood further blackened for a moment.  As if he could have been hurt in such a meaningless fight!  Still, he had been a little touched at that moment...

His stomach growled and he announced his intention to go and eat.  His three companions glanced at each other, inwardly amused.  Jin Li really wasn't giving the girl any face!  "Would you mind terribly if I accompanied you?" Merylin blushed, this time her cheeks not reddening due to her own will.  Who knew a man's stomach could make such terrible sounds!  Like the roaring of a dominant beast warding others from his territory!  "I haven't been able to share my gift with you."

Jin Li finally turned to stare at this woman hounding him.  She didn't seem to want anything from him, unlike the others who had wished him to give them pointers to hone their techniques or his company when hunting wild animals in the mountains.  Leon never asked much of him either and right now he wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or not!  It wouldn't have hurt Leon to rely on him a little more... "Do as you wish," he replied and headed towards the arena's exit.

The girl smiled triumphantly and began to hurry after him.  The first year watched all of this with much mixed feeling, was Jin Li really not interested in this lovely, talented and clearly noble young woman?  He was lifted from his daze by a heavy hand upon his shoulder.  "We know how you feel," Bowyer advised him, though he was clearly very aware exactly why Jin Li had no interest in the girl, or any girl for that matter, even if Jin Li was not aware of it himself.

"It's a good thing Jin Li is not interested," Sun mused aloud as he and the seniors followed Jin Li's path. 

Bowyer and Pike glanced at each other.  Was Sun aware of Jin Li's ambiguous feelings toward's the small alchemist?  "Oh, why do you say that?" Bowyer asked him.

"That girl is no good," he said, slightly indignant.  "She clearly has eyes for marriage and sees Jin Li as her groom."

Pike laughed and placed his arm about Sun's shoulders.  Was this a case of eyes wide open, eyes closed shut? "Marriage is not a bad thing, little brother," he joked with the boy, who shuddered at the thought of being tied down to a demanding woman.  Better a sweet, gently soul who looked at him as if he were her hero rather than one who looked at him as if he was the finest delicacy upon a dinner plate.

"Don't worry," Bowyer said with a wicked grin.  "She has too much of one thing and not enough of another.  Jin Li would never be interested in her." Pike reached around and smacked him about the head.

"You crass bastard," he cursed him, but smirked as he had been thinking much the same.

Sun looked up at the two men, roughly bickering with very innocent eyes.  "What does is that supposed to mean?"  Bowyer and Pike remained wisely quiet, choosing not to taint their little brother with the truth this day.


CREATORS' THOUGHTS
Ebonsolaris Ebonsolaris

Author’s note; really, really sorry. I worked this morning and completely forgot to post this!

Chapter 128: Chapter One Hundred And Twenty Eight - The way to Jin Li’s heart

Meals within Food Halls clearly differed from place to place. For example, within the outer alchemist school, the students ate heartily their fill for the most part; many were commoners who might have lacked the chance before and others might be noble, but being surrounded by uncouth table mannerisms had them relax after a while. It was not so bad eating without restraint and worrying about how fathers and mothers, uncles and aunts perceived them. Enjoy this freedom while it was available.

Within the inner alchemist school, the reverse was felt, for the number of noble born or high-sect born were more than talented commoners, thus table rules and manners were maintained and influenced those without. Meals were smaller, going away sated, but not stuffed was normal. No one went back for seconds nor simply wiped fallen chopsticks upon their shirts before continuing to eat. Talk was kept to a minimum and there lacked the element of untrained noise.

This was the outer martial arts school, thus Merylin was expecting more of the former and less of the latter, however she could not prepare herself for the rambunctious happenings and heaped plates of food set before every man and woman. They ate both heartily, without restraint and completely without manners, joking and laughing, jostling and jeering. She noticed more than once food stolen from others plates and not just by the uncouth men, but by a woman or two as well! Her own patience was sorely tested here as she slowly and elegantly ate the rice before her.

But what actually confused her eyes the most was her beloved Jin Li. His plate was as heaped as the rest, perhaps more so, nearly spilling over the edges of it, yet he sat upright and tall as his chopsticks elegantly flickered from rice to meat to vegetable more quickly than her eyes could follow. She had witnessed him eat before, but that was nearer the end of his meal and she had only seen the refined table manners he possessed, not the gluttonous side of him.  He did not speak, he did not throw his weight about, just ate until his plate was clean.  And then his eyes narrowed as he glanced to either side of him.  All bemused, Merylin watched as the two martial artists either side of him began guarding their plates.

"Big brother," Merylin murmured softly, ignoring the clearly raised eyebrows of those martial artists.  "Are you still hungry?  Would you like for this meimei to ask for more food for you?"  This was also a method of winning him over, she felt.  She had once heard a maid claim that the way to a man's heart was through his stomach.  Perhaps she had a point after all...

The man before her looked as if he was seriously contemplating it for a moment, before shaking his head a tad and replying; "No need."  She blushed as if she realised that she had been presumptuous and glanced down at her much smaller meal thinking that he was just being kind to her.  How would she know that in fact he was thinking that she should she get food for him, the potion likely would be as meagre as her own!  That would not do!  And besides, he could count on Leon for snacks should there be no seconds...  his mood instantly became sour once more when realising that his pride did not allow him to crawl back to that small alchemist's home.  Suddenly, he had no appetite at all!

He rose from his seat and stormed out of the Food Hall, the crowds parting like waves as his dark aura blindly spilled from his form.  Merylin immediately rose to give chase, however she was gestured to sit back down.  "It won't do for a pretty girl like yourself to go hungry," Bowyer mused.  "Our little brother is in no frame of mind to entertain you and we wouldn't wish to return you to your school in tears caused by his bitter words."

Disappointed, Merylin took her seat and picked up her chopsticks, but did not resume eating.  "But I still haven't given him the pills I made for him," she said, with a soft murmur, her lashes covering her downcast eyes giving her a pitiful look.  Sun and the seniors remained unmoved.  Pike even thought it best to warn her less she embarrassed herself further.

"Little junior," he said, amicably, "if it is just that you wish to give him your regard with the pills, then so be it.  Hand them to Sun, he is Jin Li's roommate after all.  However, if you wish for more, I am afraid none of us can help you.  In fact, we can only say that you will remain ever disappointed by our Jin Li."

Merylin glanced at this senior as if she was absorbing his words, but in her heart she refused his words.  How can she, the daughter of her father-sect leader, the one with a great fate and paved destiny, not make the man she wanted feel moved by her loving gestures?  Her mother had always told her that her future husband would be a brave, handsome and noble man, whose listed talents would reach the sky and whose name would cause others to think twice and those traits were exactly what she saw in Jin Li's future.  So why would he not become hers?

How could Bowyer and Pike not see that the warning had gone in one ear and out of the other.  They could only sigh and think to themselves at least they had tried.  In the end, Merylin did at least follow a part of Pike's suggestion and leave her gift of five high quality Cloudy Spiritual Pills and five high quality Burning Blood Pills with Sun before she left to return to the alchemist's inner school.

In the Food Hall, another had watched this play feeling great grievances and bitterness in his heart.


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