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82.6% Learning To Live As A Cultivator / Chapter 266: Chapter Sixty Six - Not who he wished to see

Chapter 266: Chapter Sixty Six - Not who he wished to see

After leaving Closed Cultivation, the first person that Jin Li wanted to see was his small alchemist.  Unfortunately, it was Sun, Maimai and two others that Jin Li came to see first.  And then his 'partner' Wu Ye and the little Li Ming... not Leon.  Oh and as for the lack of interest in seeing this pair, the feeling happened to be mutual, especially when Jin Li indicated interest in riding the large, black Coeurl.  There was a minor scrap; Jin Li won.

Wu Ye was not resigned, but settled down a little when the two-legged females with unfamiliar scents gushed how stunning it's black hide was and how great it was (though this was while Jin Li was mounted, but it ignored that part).

Li Ming ran beside it, slower than it's excellent self, but still at a reasonable speed, so Wu Ye ignored Jin Li's urges to increase their pace.  This unwittingly assisted the two mounted grey Baku, borrowed from the school stables and the haughty equine prancing along with its female rider.  The Piku and Maimai pair couldn't keep up and were left behind.  By the time the girl had her mount finally reach the stables, the others had removed saddles and tack, Li Ming was running about startling less sensible mounts and causing disruption, while Wu Ye watched on indulgently and Jin Li, lazily, much to the stable-hands displeasure.  Since when did Leon's young beast become his responsibility?

Sun took the initiative to guide the others towards the outer-school's portals, which took them into the inner school.  There were a few seniors who felt it their 'duty' to question the presence of those not martial artists, generally being difficult for no reason as the usual rules didn't quite apply during school events.  So long as outsiders had an inner school student vouch for them, there wouldn't be an issue over them entering.  Fed up that yet another face which he did not wish to see had appeared, Jin Li decided to vouch for the others with a flash of his sword.  The seniors, none of whom had formed their core, quickly became submissive and agreeable and the two girls, whose names Jin Li still didn't care to recall, mused imaginatively that the man must have unsheathed his weapon on their behalf (sigh!).

There was a crowd gathering thickly about the arena's upper gallery. Those who could not be seated either sat upon the pathway stairs or used devices (not unlike a certain alchemist's spectacles) to enhance their vision and see what was happening from the entrances instead. Impatiently, Jin Li bullied his way through using his strengthened aura to suppress other students, leaving a wake of discontent for the most part, but also gaining not a sparse interest in more ways than one. After all, it was just half a year ago this person enrolled and was felt to have rushed through the stages of cultivation forming a poor foundation and unstable innersea. They had all watched in wait for him to fall, yet instead he progressed further and even formed his core! Now, they could only feel envy.

Sun pointed the way to the General's side, where there happened still be a bit of space to sit. The old man was still in the company of his single servant and Teacher Jian. That reminded Sun of something; Jin Li had yet to meet this Teacher.

"Ah, you don't know, but a new Teacher began offering lectures while you were in closed cultivation," Sun decided to enlighten his room mate. "That's him, the one speaking with my grandfather now. His name is Teacher Jian."

Surprisingly, Jin Li's expression wavered, becoming odd and conflicted. In contrast, the Teacher's lopsided smile deepened and his eyes twinkled even more mischievously.

"What are you doing here?" Jin Li demanded, causing a silence in his immediate surroundings due to his rudeness.

"See," the man sighed as he turned to the grey-haired General beside him, "children these days are so unfilial. Not even a greeting or inquiry in regards to my health!"

A sense of confusion fell upon those gathered. Jin Li did not respond to Teacher x, just crossed his arms about his chest, causing the other to mutter; "So much like your mother..." Jin Li's lips twitched.

Sun tugged at the close fitted sleeve of Jin Li's coat. "You already know Teacher x?" He murmured beneath his breath.

A soft sigh expelled from the other's throat as he admitted; "My Grandfather, maternal Grandfather."

"Oh..." Sun replied, before his eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "Oh!"

A throat behind him cleared and the attention fell upon the eager eyed Carmen, who stepped forward to reintroduce herself. "It's an honour to meet Jin Li's Grandfather. My family is grateful to Jin Li for taking care of my brother all this while," she added with a curtsy.

"Not to mention that Jin Li has also saved this humble life," Merylin voiced during her own introduction, "he and his people have always been very kind to guide my sister and myself."

Maimai rolled her eyes as she sat down beside Sun, who'd taken a seat beside his grandfather. Teacher Jian all the while looked amused as he picked up the nuances within the two girl's speeches as well as the complete disinterest of his grandson. He still took the pleasure to tease the youth of his daughter.

"I wasn't expecting to cross paths with you in this realm, my grandson, let alone in the company of such pretty flowers." The two girls blushed red and lowered their eyes demurely, while Jin Li glared at him coldly. His grin widened greatly. "I must pass this news onto my daughter once I next visit. She did worry so with your obsession towards martial arts, but knowing this, I am sure she will be pleased."

Jin Li's brows furrowed and he was about to set his grandfather straight when Maimai's voice piped up and caught his attention; "Look, there is Leon!"

His eyes immediately darted towards the enchanted glass mirrors at the centre of the arena and a dishevelled youth with yin yang hair appeared with five others also looking slightly worse for wear. His pale face was smudged with dirt, strands of hair were loose from the leather thong tie grasping the rest and there were small tears here and there marring the short outer robe and trousers he wore. But his lips were curved in a smile. Jin Li felt his own expression loosen as he eagerly drank in the sight of his small alchemist, only unhappy that he was not beside him in person.

Jian Juren naturally noticed the change in Jin Li as his knees bent and he took the seat beside him, though his eyes did not tear away from the enchanted mirror's image. More and more interesting, he couldn't help but think.


CREATORS' THOUGHTS
Ebonsolaris Ebonsolaris

Explanations and background story for this reunited grandfather, grandson will come later x

Chapter 267: Chapter Sixty Seven - Our journey resumes with an ambush

After resting in the cave for the remainder of the day and the night that followed, Pike was more than ready to urge his team along. Their's had definitely been a journey of mixed fortune thus far, with many trials and tribulations and with only a few random treasures found infrequently and not all worth points towards the challenge set by the Institute. Almost half-way through the challenge, he was not the only member of the team dissatisfied and they were not ready to end on such a result that while not bad, was not outstanding either.

With that in mind, the whole team began to traverse the rocky slopes framing the waterfall.

The rain had finally ended the previous evening, though the clouds remained a thick blanket within the sky. The wild foliage sticking out between rock and boulder had the fresh scent of dew and the earthy ground had a damp smell that was not unpleasant to the nose. The two martial artists and one beast tamer naturally had no difficulties climbing the steep mountain face, the mage lightly followed in their tracks, whether it be using a narrow protrusion as a step upwards or along a hidden path, as if his body was not a mass of hindering flesh but an illusion that gravity could not grasp. Leon and Roman did struggle somewhat, but whenever it became difficult, there was a hand reaching out to them, to lift them, to provide a boost of strength and reassurance.

Finally, the six/seven members of the team reached the heights of the rocky hill, tens of metres above their original position. Just as Velana had described, the waters that fed the rumbling waterfall formed a large lake of quietly moving water, much unlike the rapid rivers below. This side of the lake was quite exposed with few trees, while the other was lined with thick growth in which many eyes glinted in thin rays of sunlight and many more remained hidden. The team took shelter beneath a nearby tree with reasonably thick branches, not wanting the attention from any flocks of flying beasts that were likely to pass overhead.

The tri-coloured fox crouched in amongst the scrub grass that grew thickly in between the trees, its nose wrinkling as it sniffed at their surroundings before creeping forward. Although it and its master had not faced any trouble during the drizzly day prior, did not mean that they would not now it was drier, so it's role was to scout ahead for the team. Bending their bodies, the team followed in its wake when it was deemed safe to do so, their target another tree, this one some three times bigger than the first, with large roots which had grown upwards and outwards, exposed to the air before burying back beneath the ground. Their distance from the lake side increased.

Just as they reached the better shelter of this tree, the lake waters stirred and instinctively, Pike had his team crouch down and quieten. From the lake, six creatures emerged. At first glance, they appeared to be fish; their mouths were wide with thin lips that opened and closed as if gasping and were decorated by thin whiskers. Their spinal fins were flattened upon their scaly, muddy brown backs and their side fins pushed at the wet soil beneath them to aid their escape from the lake's edge. As more of their bodies emerged from the lake, they began to shake off excess water and as they did so, their scales seemed to transform, becoming more like feathers on a birds back.

Pike gripped his axe, his eyes reddening with the flames of bloodlust and he glanced either side of him where Troy and Velana caught the gesture and nodded in response. He then signalled to Caelus, who began to chant beneath his breath.

As the first thick shards of ice shot like arrows towards the transforming fish, Pike, Troy, Velana and the tri-coloured fox rushed out, weapons and claws drawn. The creatures squawked in surprise, sounding similar to crows and causing Leon to freeze, startled. The creature out in front, shook its fins, which began to lengthen in shape, while the two nearest the water attempted to retreat into it.

"I've never seen a Peng-Kun before," Roman mumbled as the pair watched their teammates engage the beasts. Leon glanced over at the taller man, wanting him to go into more detail. The scholar did not disappoint. "They are a type of fish that can transform into a beakless bird. They nest and lay their eggs in lakes such as this one, but hunt as birds during the day. They have sharp teeth hiding in their wide mouths and are carnivorous, they hunt in a flock and are not afraid to eat large prey while it is alive and moving as their bodies are quite slick and tough beneath the feathers, similar to their fish skin and also they heal quickly when immersed in water. When they are in the middle of transforming, that is when they are at their weakest."

That was why Pike chose this time to attack the beasts. Leon nodded in understanding as he continued to watch the battle. One of the flock had escaped into the water, another was flapping weakly to one side as the ice had penetrated its fin. The leader had managed to mostly change and was flapping its wings as it held itself aloft and used one transformed clawed leg to defend against Pike's attacks. However, it only had this leg, the other was still shaped as a fin upon its belly.

Velana and Volune fought together with movement that was so united and fluid that it was clear that they had trained for a long time together. Their target had also half-transformed, it's tail fin becoming a plumage of brown feathers and its clawed feet supporting its body as its webbed fins flapped uselessly at its side. It had no hope of hurting its opponents, but as it agile leapt about, it prolonged its life for a short while until an opening was finally found.

Of the other two, one was quickly defeated by Troy, its state too vulnerable to defend itself and the last had become a block of ice half-submerged in the lake as it had failed to escape. In the end, the battle was very one sided, though according to Roman, this would not have been the case had the Peng-Kun completed their transformation.

The Peng-Kun counted as a good opponent as far as points would be concerned; the team had proven that they understood its weakness and could use this against it. In addition, the Peng-Kun's fins were as prized as shark fins in cuisine, while its sharp, pointed teeth were valued amongst some weapon smiths. The teeth of this creature were almost as hard as diamonds and would not decay for a hundred thousand years. Ordinary fire could not burn them and they retained the Peng-Kun's regenerative qualities when washed with water.

With renewed spirit, the team pulled the five bodies from the lake, allowing the feathers and scaly hides to dry a bit before tossing them into the interdimensional bag. During this time, they kept an eye on the lake, but the sixth Peng-Kun wisely remained hidden in the depths of the water. Pike and his team would long move on before it left the safety of its hiding place.


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