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90.37% Learning To Live As A Cultivator / Chapter 291: Chapter Ninety One - I am rewarded?

Chapter 291: Chapter Ninety One - I am rewarded?

"And the victor of this challenge is Leo!"

Surprise was followed by the warmth of happiness. Leon's personality was such that he wasn't the gloating type, didn't think he was better than others and in wake of the Teacher's wonderful declaration he'd even forget that where there was a winner, there was a loser. He was just satisfied that he hadn't let Jin Li and the others down. His eyes, which had curved into joyful crescent moons, sought for them wanting to share with them this moment.

He vaguely heard Jude arguing about something in the background, maybe a small part of him was even aware that Jude was dissatisfied with his victory, but this sour note was drowned out in the melody of happiness and couldn't touch his mood.

But before he could rush off to celebrate with his friends, the scholar Teacher stopped him with a question; "Why did you waste time cutting off the wyrm's breath flowers?"

This had been an unnecessary step. The flowers did not effect the quality or efficiency of the pill at all, nor did they have any great effect on the overall impurities that might linger in the pill at the end. So cutting them off would just waste time.

Leon knew this, he'd learned about it in a lecture before he'd attempted to make them at that time, but he and Leo shared a certain nature caused by poverty. "Well, it's j-just that wyrm's b-b-breath flowers c-can b-be d-dried and used as p-p-p... other things." The fresh flowers were used in certain advanced pills, but Leon hadn't practiced enough to attempt those pills, but Leo had found out that the dry flowers could be burned as part of an incense blend or turned into perfume, though it was not that popular amongst nobles. So he'd purposefully cut off the heads to dry and sell for a handful of coins, just that he'd not the chance to do anything about it before Caprian trashed his place. Leon had cleared them out, unknowingly. But with the regained memory, old habits resurfaced.

"It's a w-waste otherwise," he couldn't help but blushing over his useless frugality in the moment. The scholar's smile flickered a bit as if the man was caught by surprise, but it regained its ambiance in a heartbeat, letting no one notice it.

In the meantime, Leon had already hurried off in order to rejoined his friends, a tablet with the won points in hand.  As Alchemists rarely traded in points, they would keep a stock of them in this way for later use. 

On seeing Leon, this victor, Maimai threw herself into his arms to congratulate him; "Ha ha ha!  I knew you would win!" She grinned.  Leon was used to her warm affections, though he related them to a siblings care, however they were intolerable to a certain man and that man literally tugged her away by grinning the back of her clothes without care of her nobility or gender.

'Mine!' This was the tone he expressed wordlessly to those around him as he moved into the place he'd forcefully made the girl vacate and to make doubly sure everyone understood, he marked Leon's lips with his own.

"Ah, your nose is bleeding!" Sun pointed at Maimai, who was unperturbed by Jin Li's behaviour, too busy enjoying the scene before her.

Bowyer and Pike were shocked, the former grabbed a handkerchief from an inner pocket and denounced Jin Li's actions; "How can you be so rough to a girl?"

"Tch," Jin Li's arms adjusted their position around Leon's body, pressing him to his side as he glanced at Maimai with disdain.  "There must be something wrong with that girl for her to bleed so much in that manner."

Maimai laughed as she accepted amicably the handkerchief with its foreign masculine scent rather than the light perfume she was used to and wiped clean the dripping blood.  "Don't worry, I'm not as fragile as others view me.  Jin Li did not hurt me."  No, just fed her premium dog food.

"Are you sure you are fine?" Bowyer pressed, not knowing Maimai well enough to be assured of her usual health.  Alchemists were squishier than Mages after all.  He didn't know that in truth, her martial arts could be compared to some of those standing in prime positions of at least the outer school's Standings list, that and she'd had to survive numerous exploding cauldrons.  Maimai simply nodded with smiling eyes.

Sun glanced down at the stage that was being cleared away for a more traditional battle; a fight between two martial artists that he recalled could not stand the air the other breathed.  "Your battle," he said in address to Leon, "it really was boring!"  Pike burst out laughing, while others looked amused.  Sun's eyes really had remained wide and unblinking for the first five minutes of the challenge, as Leon had chosen his herbs and prepared them, but after a while, his lids had half closed as he dozed unimpressed. 

Others were not sure what he'd been expecting (exploding cauldrons or black smoke from failure, underhanded tricks or some smack talk), but they all were aware how uninteresting Pill making was to onlookers... most onlookers.  Some alchemist students looked a bit interested in the preparation side of things, to see if they can learn from their seniors, such as Maimai, who did indeed watch from beginning to end.  There was also one Jin Li who happened to enjoy examining Leon's serious face as he pottered about a cauldron or his herbal gardens or preparing tea or dinner... so long as he, this Lord was not neglected overly long.

"I did warn you," Pike teased him.

*****

Author's note; 18+

"J-J-Jin Li...ah."

"En?"

"J-j-ju... how is th-this a rew-ah-ard ag-gain?"

"Do you not like this?"

"I d-d-didn't say that..." Leon's face was flushed crimson as if he had been standing in the glow of a warm fire.  Suppressed groans spilled from his throat as he tried in vain to hold back the cries that wantonly wished to escape.  Jin Li had earlier murmured in his ear that he would reward his small alchemist for his competency upon stage, winning the challenge that had been set him by another student.  Leon hadn't thought much about it at the time, just responded with bright cheeks that Jin Li didn't need to.  He'd even thought that Jin Li had forgotten about it as they'd celebrated with a feast in a cheap, student-favoured restaurant in old Julip Town.  There, Jin Li had even forbade him from drinking alcohol, hence his reasoning.

But on returning home, Jin Li, that ever arrogant young master that persistently ordered him about, poured him a small cup of the medicinal wine they had stored for some time.  The warmth of the alcohol in addition to the spiritual energy swirling in its depths thoroughly dazed Leon that he had to cycle his energies twice around his body dizzily before he was able to regain some clarity.  By that time, his body had been stripped clean of garments and several suspicious marks decorated his collarbone.  Apparently, this had been Jin Li's idea for his reward, though Leon felt it was more rewarding his lover than himself.

"Ah!" Leon cried out as his sensitive body responded again to the teasing pinches, his tender blush points captured between the fingers and thumbs of Jin Li's hands.  He clenched around the jade stick already deep within his body, which had yet to move further sensitising Leon's body with heightened need.  He writhed beneath the other man, losing himself to pleasure yet unable to be fulfilled by it as his body screamed out in want.

Jin Li licked his dry lips before lowering his body onto Leon's, capturing his mouth and plundering the depths of it with his tongue.  Leon responded unconsciously, tangling his about Jin Li's, tasting the heat of it as their saliva mixed only for that to spill from the corners of Leon's lips when it became too much.  Jin Li swallowed much of Leon's muffled groans in this time and it wasn't long before his hips slowly began to move, mimicking some of the movement of his oppressive kiss. 

As ever, his senses were stolen by the silken friction of Leon's hidden chrysanthemum as it contracted around his root.  The walls within him seemed to melt and conform to Jin Li's shape, the heat another sensation adding to the heightened pleasure he experienced.  He did not know how this act felt in Leon's mind, but he knew that his small alchemist derived pleasure from it as well, especially when he touched certain, specific places, without and within.

"Ha-ahh!" Leon cried out, his lips wet and a line of silver trailing down his face towards his neck, causing Jin Li's pupils to contract slightly and increase the pace of his thrusts.  Angling his body, he pressed against that place within over and over, noticing a sticky warmth increasing in volume between their abdomens as he did so with some satisfaction.  Leon's fingers gripped his shoulders, his eyes were glazed and distant, and after a few more minutes his hips stilled for a few seconds before a shudder rippled through his body and a renewed heat spilled between them. 

The contractions felt only about Jin Li's root were equally intense and he couldn't prevent himself from savouring the tightness far more intensely before fruition came and stole away his breath.  He sucked air into his chest, his breath mingling with the heavy gasps spilling from his lover as they calmed their beating hearts. 

Jin Li couldn't help wonder if he would ever tire of this indescribable feeling as his lips dotted Leon's weary face and his softened root began to revive, still captured within the depths of his lover.


Chapter 292: Chapter Ninety Two - We visit the Points Pavilion

This year's Interschool Exchange was officially over, however the students had another four day weekend before school would recommence.  In this time, Sun would say goodbye to his Grandfather and cousin.  The matter of adopting Leon remained on hold and the youth himself remained completely unaware of the old man's initial intentions. 

But that's not to say the General left unhappily; he had stored in his luggage some more of Leon's pills as well as a herbal blend that Leon had made himself, which could revitalise the liver and improve its natural functions when taken over a long term.  As a return gift, he'd given Leon a weapon. 

It was a short sword, though it's blade was slender like a knife rather than the flat, silvery blade he'd seen others use.  The handle was ornate, but not ostentatiously so; the golden metal of the guard was shaped as a coiling fish tail, while two rams horns curled from the cast head of the same beast sheltered by the guard.  The handle was then topped by a pummel decorated by a stylised sun and crescent moon.  It came in a sheath decorated by the same symbols.

Leon accepted it gratefully, though held it gingerly.  This was very unlike the small knife he usually carried, which was only really good enough to cut through herbs nor like the sharp cooking knifes he kept indoors.  The General might have thought he could use it in self-defence, but a weapon was a weapon no matter how one looked at it.  In certain hands it was a tool for killing.  No matter how Leon felt about it, Jin Li approved, though he muttered something about replacing it later as its appearance offended him for some reason.

Pike divided the points their team had earned and thought about giving a little more to Caelus, had it not been for the bright alchemist who'd commissioned Caelus a useful pill  to make up for the fact he hadn't gained any souvenirs from their adventure.  Caelus was dumbfounded at first, he was unable to form words to express his joy and appreciation.  "If you ever require my help for something," he finally managed to say after some teasing from these students, his former teammates, "just send word."

It could be stated that the cooperation and rapport formed between the six had really fulfilled the purpose of this competition and the tentative connections they had made had the potential to form the strongest of bonds in the future.  But for now, they all went their separate ways.

Jin Li glanced at the second tablet within Leon's hands, a decent total of points etched upon its surface.  "What will you do with them?"

"N-n-not sure," Leon admitted.  Points weren't really used that much within the Alchemists schools, so he hadn't considered this far ahead.

"Tch," Jin Li clicked his tongue, sounding irritable.  Leon understood that this wasn't the case, at least, not this time.  "This Lord also has an excess of points," Jin Li then said offhandedly as he shook his sleeve to reveal the standard school bracelet adorning it.  The martial arts schools used the points on a regular basis for small things such as herbal baths and library passes to much larger things such as rare weapons and techniques.  "This Lord will take you to the Institute's Points Pavilion."

The Points Pavilion was simply like a large supermarket of cultivation supplies aimed at the students.  Like the library, it was a building of many levels, but unlike the library, it was shaped like a cone without a point; each floor slightly smaller that the one beneath.  The stairs coiled around the outside of the building, columns protruded from the protective outer wall and were topped with large stone lanterns.  The floor entrances all faced in the same direction and were decorated by pairs of stone beast statues each differed with each floor.  The higher the floor, the more ferocious the guardians.

The lowest and largest floors were open to all.  Everyday things could be found on this floor.  Library passes were sold here, though the access was restricted to certain familiar floors.  Common pills such as clear spiritual pills and one heart pills were available to exchange for points as well as common herbs.  Leon had no need for any of these things, he was well provided for as both an alchemist student and as a core student.  Common materials for weapons and armours could also be found here such as iron ore, leathers and cloth.  Weapons that had little more value than a practice weapon were stacked in one corner and unimpressive armour was shelved beside them.

Basic techniques for martial artists, beast tamers and healers (to name a few) and cultivation methods (though all of these could also be found in the library), alchemy kegs, jade bottles and boxes, weak paper talismans... the floor was like a giant bizarre, but despite these things having small value, it was not uninteresting.  Leon picked up a selection of seeds with the ten points that he'd won from Jude before Jin Li hinted that they should check out a higher floor.

The second floor was not unlike the first floor, but the value of these products were a little higher.  For example, instead of clear spiritual pills, cloudy spiritual pills could be purchased here.  However, before a person could purchase anything, five points were swiped from their pocket without compromise.  Jin Li clicked his tongue as his balance reduced before his eyes as they stepped through the Dire Tigers sitting fiercely either side of the entranceway.  Leon perhaps did not notice, but he did not lose a thing from the jade slate in hand.  He also did not notice that the bracelet that the Headmaster had given him as a token for being a core student warmed slightly instead.

Jin Li followed Leon as the other wandered around with no goal in mind, though his eyes were drawn towards the weapons and armour.  These were made from better materials and with cleverer hands than those that could be found in the ground floor.  These were at least worthy of a soldier or hunter rather than a practicing student.  But Jin Li's small arsenal of weapons were still better, he decided.  Once more, Leon purchased some seeds and this time, he picked up a bundle of dried herbs.  These were not useful to him as an alchemist, but they were used in medicinal cuisine, including tea making.  As they were imported from across the ocean, they were not so readily available in small towns such as Julip nor were they in high demand, but he felt quite pleased to be able to grab them here.

Deciding that they were not yet done, they headed to the third floor, Jin Li lost ten points this time and Leon was surprised to discover that his two lesser variant pills were available on this floor.  He couldn't help but to glance up at the ceiling wondering if the stronger variants could be found somewhere above this floor.  Admittedly, he didn't make them often and that was on Teacher Sagi's request.  So perhaps they were on a floor that was quite high?

This time, the nature of the pills and potions changed to those with specific natures rather than the general ability of common pills, so items like Fire Water Tonic, which was a salve meant to cure frostbite and the Seven Steps pill could be found here.  There were also some cosmetic pills and potions, which a few girls and a couple of boys were excitedly glancing over.

"It's been ages since the peach blossom balm was in stock!" One girl chattered to her close friends.

"I'm here for the shimmering pearl pills, how about you?" Another student mentioned.

Ores had been replaced with small gemstones, common animal leathers replaced with common beast skins and paper talismans were joined by paper inscriptions. 

Jin Li pointed at one randomly as he explained; "One places this upon an ordinary weapon to gain a small, temporary advantage.  They can also be used on armour and clothings.  Of course, they will never be as good as inscriptions forged directly onto the weapon or armour."

"Ah, but being temporary means that one can see which inscription fits the user's needs best!" One student overheard them and decided to add his own point of view.

"Inefficient," Jin Li spat in reply.

"You're not wrong," the other student's friend chuckled.  "Testing this and that, time consuming not to mention expensive.  However, if one can't afford an enchanted weapon, it is not wrong to purchase a paper inscription to add a minor amount of strength for dangerous times.  It could mean the difference between life and death after all."  Jin Li gave this point a curt nod; he didn't disagree with this person's thoughts.

The couple hesitated before finally deciding to venture up one more flight of steps; Leon was quite tired, while Jin Li was considering the loss of his points.  Bragging about excess points was one thing, acknowledging the reality of the situation were quite different.  It was not that he hadn't the ability to gain points, moreover that he'd slacked off somewhat from the effort; he'd rather spend the time he wasn't training and cultivating enjoying the company of his small alchemist.  Thus he couldn't help the twitch in the corner of his eye as this time he had to endure the loss of twenty points as they entered the fourth floor.

It seemed to be worth it though, from the quality and selection of pills to the weapons and other things, they were much more to Jin Li's standards of use.  Although he preferred to use his small alchemist's things, he couldn't deny that his cultivation was at a point that a certain range of Leon's pills were of no use to him now. Of course, he wouldn't be able to consume these white spiritual pills until his cultivation had stabilised either, but the Tranquil Mind Pill was a welcomed thing to with that issue.  He still looked down upon the weapons, however there was a belt made of beast hide that had been inscribed with a minor defensive pattern that looked interesting; none of his garments had such quality so it would be good to reduce the bruises that formed in his bouts with Bowyer... he glanced down at his bangle in thought then black lines appeared on his face.

With the cost of entering these floors plus the purchasing that pill, he could no longer afford it.


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