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55.27% Learning To Live As A Cultivator / Chapter 178: Chapter One Hundred And Seventy Eight - Jin Li clarifies rumours

Chapter 178: Chapter One Hundred And Seventy Eight - Jin Li clarifies rumours

When Sun entered his dorm room later that day, having been assisted by a Senior when Teacher Corvus was called away, he was quick to notice that his room-mate's frozen face had melted slightly into a furrowed frown. He was sitting upon his bed, legs stretched along its length and leaning against the wall whilst staring somewhat strangely at a small book in his hands. His eyes flickered once to see Sun entering, but quickly fell once more upon the book.

"You are back," he did acknowledge, politely.

"En," Sun replied in breezy agreement. "Technique or skill?" He was referring to the book. From his knowledge of Jin Li's obsessive personality, there was no way that bamboo book was anything else! Imagining Jin Li flicking through a girly romance novel could have been amusing, if it weren't impossible!

"Technique," Jin Li replied. "But it seems to this Lord that this book might contain fake content." It suggested that it would be possible to create a connection between two men in order to dual cultivate using an opening meant for an entirely different purpose. But... Jin Li did not elaborate, so Sun did not query. It was not unusual for Cultivators to keep techniques and skills to themselves and not share with others. As the scholars would say; knowledge is power.

So Sun hobbled over to his own bed and lay down upon it; not that his wounds hurt much anymore. Well his face felt a bit sore and the skin on his leg felt taut and a bit itchy, but Corvus had reminded him over and over to keep his weight off of his leg and not aggravated the wounds. Sun rolled his eyes, thinking Corvus sounded more like his weepy mother than his Teacher. He curled his legs into a comfortable position, thinking of cultivating seeing as there wasn't anything better to do, when a thought occurred to him.

It was the sort of thought that spun around one's head once it was implanted and refused to be removed and no matter how one tried to distract oneself from thinking about it, the mind would surely circle back to it, no matter the leaps and bounds it took to get there. Like an excitable puppy whose just scented its owner from afar, despite the owner trying to abandon it, cruelly. It was definitely not the sort of thought that would sit quietly while one cultivated, needing to be acknowledged and dealt with. He opened his eyes when realising this fact and turned his face slightly to glance at Jin Li, who was still attempting to decipher whatever he read within that book.

"Jin Li...?" Sun's tone was a long, slightly ingratiating one, inferring the fact he was about to ask something and the person subject to the query might not like what he hears. "Jin Li, there's these rumours going around recently... rumours about you."

Jin Li made no attempt to respond nor did his facial expression change in anyway, not even a flicker, basically indicating his stance on the matter aka he didn't give a flying...

"Of course, I didn't believe them," Sun said, righteously, "but I thought I should maybe warn you."

Again, that half of the room remained silent and unmoved.

"I'd even forgotten about them," Sun continued. "But you know, yesterday Miss Vela called me out of class... to ask me to clarify them with you." This last part was said upon a sigh of melancholy.

"...Who?"

Sun almost slapped his own forehead. As usual, Jin Li never recalled the names of those he did not wish to, be it that he had no interest on knowing the person or that they simply hadn't imprinted their being on his memory, despite appearing before him. Sun would have thought he would have recalled Miss Vela though; "Miss Vela, long indigo hair, legs that seem impossibly long?" Sun began to speak of what he considered as her good points and there were many of them. "Favours high kick techniques and roundhouse kicks the most?"

"Oh that one," Jin Li said with obvious disdain.

Sun frowned over his tone. "What do you mean? Miss Vela is probably the best female Martial Artist of the First Years!"

"Places appearance over viability," Jin Li began his criticism, no bars held back. "And should her aim be true, slouches her shoulders in the follow up. Such an opening is ridiculous, will only lead to defeat."

"R-really?" Sun tried to recall what he witnessed of her fights, but admittedly, he could only remember those long legs within the floating lengths of white silk as they attacked their target.

"En," Jin Li replied. "Were I to create a prediction based on ability, then if you and she were to face in the arena, you would defeat her in around thirty seconds. While her reach with those kicks is longer, she is not as fast as you and you would easily slip beneath her guard. She only uses her arms in defence, thus would be useless in her attempts to defeat you at the close range you require. She also does not have the necessary speed nor agility in comparison in order to create distance from you. Hence, you would win."

Sun was a bit smug and proud when Jin Li analysed this theoretical fight. Didn't that mean that Jin Li placed him in his sight? His swelling emotions were crushed in the next instant; "Of course, you would defeat her in less time were you to seriously fight her, but you are really weak against girls."

"Am not," Sun pouted. "It's just that I've been taught that it is wrong to hit girls, especially in the face. A girl's face is their life."

Jin Li sneered as he replied; "A female can just as easily stab you should she enter beneath your guard as a Male." His Uncle's harem was clear proof of that as aunt after aunt fought for his fickle affections. That and he'd witnessed how his mother 'taught' an ex-acquaintance what it meant for another woman to attempt to lay hands on her husband. "Also recall that girl Luna who continuously places high in the Standings, but only partially due to her own fighting ability. The rest is due to the foolish men she steps upon."

Sun was not completely convinced, but did not try to convince Jin Li that Miss Vela was not like that, she was strong in her own right, which is why Sun appreciated her... well he did until he realised that in her heart he was just Jin Li's roommate. Roughly shoving all of that out of his mind, he blurted out the thing she would have him clarify; "Is it true that you don't like girls and that you are dating a boy? I've heard people suggest that the person you like is Leon, your alchemist!"

"Yes," came the reply.

Sun was stunned to silence for a moment before pressing for a more clear answer. "Yes, what?"

Jin Li placed the book down onto his lap, finally making eye contact with the other. "This liking girls or boys thing, this Lord does not need to mention that this Lord has never placed another in my eyes as worthy of being by my side. Don't waste my time with such a fickle thing as 'liking' another person." Sun thought over his words and nodded to himself. Jin Li was obsessed with Martial Arts, not interested in the concept of dating and romance. While the girls that had been pestering him would not be happy with such a result, he suspected that the girls would not be deterred at all. He frowned, not sure whether this was a good or bad thing.

"However..." Jin Li continued, breaking into Sun's musings.

"What?" Sun couldn't help but ask.

"This Lord has reasons to feel," Jin Li lifted the book to his line of sight once more as he said these words, "that Leon is worthy of the position. Thus this Lord has allowed it." Sun did not notice the slight reddening of Jin Li's ears as he declared in this roundabout way that he was dating his small alchemist, too shocked to respond.

The door burst open at that moment. "I've come to take you to dinner!" Corvus declared and took long strides to Sun's bed before scooping him into his arms.

"Wah! Teacher, this isn't necessary! I can walk!"

"What are you saying? I told you that the Healer said to keep the weight off of your leg! How could I make you walk and hurt yourself again?"

Jin Li watched as the door shut after one man and one boy left through it, before returning his attention to the book and frowning. Impossible!


Chapter 179: Chapter One Hundred And Seventy Nine - Is someone talking about us?

The Hidden Bellflower happened to look quite like its name described. A smattering of flowers dangling from their stem like golden bells with the peaking stamen representing the internal clapper, all neatly protected by a cage of long, thick leaves which spiralled about them. Those who viewed it, could only peak between the succulent leaves at the treasure within. It was less a plant and more a cactus and Leon could understand from viewing it why it was seen as such. This herb came from the desert and was very rare. Teacher Sagi had won it from a recent plant auction, having placed his highest bid in advance and now relied on Leon to collect it from the Dome of Prosperity.

Carefully sealed inside a protective container, for a living thing could not be stored within an interspatial pouch, they allowed Leon to take it in exchange for the jade ticket Teacher Sagi entrusted him with. The plant was not very large and Leon did not need to head straight back to school, thus decided to take advantage of the trip into town to complete a few things he'd previously forgotten about.

Such as collecting his coat.

It had been weeks since he had given the tailoress the good-sized Snow Fox Bear pelt. The weather had remained of good temperament for all this time, with only brief showers and warm winds accompanying otherwise sunny days, so it had slipped his mind for the most part. Even now, the sun shone brightly, but there was a change in the air, albeit small. Perhaps it was the hints of earthy dampness upon the wind, which seemed just a bit cooler than before, but Leon was reminded that the long summer would eventually end. And he'd remembered the coat at that point.

The seamstress greeted him warmly, chiding him for not returning all of this time. "Were i' no' for Pharmacist Clawse' reassurance, I wou'da though' somethin' bad had happened t' ya!"

"Sorry," Leon apologised. The seamstress brought him the coat. It was beautiful. The main length, which easily reached his ankles was edged and lined with the fur. And while the outer part was still of hemp, rather than silk, the seamstress had it dyed a pale blue and had embroidered white cloud patterns which decreased in number the higher one looked. The arms were also of hemp, layered for warmth and lined at the cuff with remnants of the fur. The overall product appeared of higher quality than normal commoners clothes, but remained hard wearing. Leon felt it would be very warm to wear and was very happy with it.

With profuse thanks, he left the seamstress and headed for the pharmacy, bringing with him the White Warming potions and Soft Ice pills that Clawse had requested of him last time they spoke. These were made by standard recipes and were not considered special, but for commoners, they were too useful, one helping to prevent people from catching spreading illnesses and the other helping to reduce high fevers. Clawse did not stop to chat with him, after the money was exchanged, for he had a guest upstairs he needed to turn to. Leon smiled with understanding and bid him goodbye, Clawse watched him leave, before returning to his guest.

That guest happened to be his Great Uncle, who unlike him, was able to cultivate. He currently worked as a Healer at the Ascending Mountain Institute and liked to bend his 'young' relative's ear about things that had happened at the school from time to time. Clawse looked at this old uncle who appeared his junior in appearance with a slight sigh.

"You were saying?" He asked as he poured fresh tea.

"Teacher Corvus just hasn't changed," he lamented. "So free of spirit and lacking the concerns that plague other men! Swans in and out of the school as if he owns the land it's situated upon. Did I tell you about the time when I was a student attending his lectures?"

"Hmm," Clawse replied, nonchalantly. There had been too many reminiscent memories shared over the years to count, not just ones about the man known as Corvus.

"While I was not one of the unlucky ones," the man admitted, "I was there the day one of my fellow First Years was almost killed upon one of his field trips into the wild part of the mountains. A nasty case of sepia rash, that poor boy scratched those swollen pustules until they bled and became infected. This time he brings in a boy who'd upset a Dire Fox Bear and didn't get away unscathed. Except..."

"Except?" Clawse couldn't help but ask as he sipped his hot beverage.

"Keep this between you and I, but..." The Healer went on to describe the situation in some detail, mentioning about the strangely improved One Heart Pills and Corvus' lack of memory to whence they came from.

Clawse managed to retain a stoic face as he considered the origins of those pills and responded blandly; "Is that so."

*****

Old Julip town, on many occasions, had a flourish market to explore. There was no fixed day the market stalls would appear upon the streets nor were there fixed produce, one never knew what one would find within when it would appear. There was also no set time of day, it was more like that one person would suddenly decide to set up a stall and his neighbours would consider this a good idea and do the same and within the space of an hour, word would get around that the market had begun once more.

At this time, a youth with long yin-yang hair tied neatly with a pin and crown was wandering through the crowds in curiosity. He happened upon a stall cooking steamed dumplings and chose a few with pork fillings and a few more with fresh green fillings and wandered away happily munching upon them with a complimentary dish of soy sauce. They were very tasty. As he took his snack, he happened to walk past a stall selling saki. The vender was a bit of an entrepreneur and had set stools beside his stall, creating a small open bar for people to come and drink at. That way, people could enjoy a quick sip or purchase a bottle to take home with them.

"So my wife," one man complained, sourly as he sipped the strong liqueur with ease, "really has hopes for the boy and wants our daughter to wed him. However, that stubborn girl has another in mind and her mother's pleas can't move her. So my wife insists I speak to the girl. What do I get instead of an agreement? A plea that I set aside any plans for Justin and have this fellow she likes enter our sect and be made my direct disciple!"

Leon shook his head, feeling a bit of pity for the man who seemed stuck between the wishes of the women in his life, but quickly forgot about it as he noticed a stall selling strips of leather. Some thicker pieces had been woven into a belt of midnight black and rustic red. He purchased it along with some thin lengths that he could hang his wooden carvings upon as charms or necklaces. After this, he happily melted into the sea of people bustling from one stall to the next.

So he didn't hear the man at the saki stall continue to bemoan to the owner and any other listener; "Maimai is so much more agreeable than Merylin. I'm sure she won't cause me so much fuss when it comes to her marriage."

In a small hut, beside a bubbling cauldron, a girl with wayward curls sneezed... and then her cauldron blew up.


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