The two girls approached the pavilion, one with her usual expressionless face and the other with slightly reddened eyes, as if she had been crying. The first could point out that she really hadn't shed tears, but kept her silence, just as she would keep to herself many other things that the men before her likely already knew.
"Our Princess, what has you so distraught?" Sagan called sweetly, not hiding the mocking note in his words. However, he was ignored completely.
The girl rushed forward, her long sleeves and tails of her elaborately embroidered top fluttering in the air, creating a somewhat ethereal look. She stopped before the man called Toki, but stared forlornly at the man beside him, reaching cutely to tug at his sleeve. She did not manage to grip it between her fingers. "Ji Ji," she pouted, sticking out her rose petal lips, hurt in her large eyes. "Ji Ji, you must stop them talking. Their words wrong you so badly! Are they not afraid that their tongues will become rotten and fall out?"
"I doubt it," Toki muttered. He too was ignored, but he did not care, just wish this girl would stop being so melodramatic and move away a bit. His fiancée was also here watching and he sensed she was becoming irritable.
The expressionless girl returned his cautious stare, blankly.
Toki decided to move. Of course, that was what the Princess in front of him wanted, so that she could sit beside his cousin and improve feelings. His cousin was also aware of this and an aura of suppression suddenly leaked from him, a pure look impossible to mistake issuing from his dark eyes; Don't you dare!
He coughed and backed down. The man was family after all and it really would be unseemly for him (his cousin) to be too close to a woman who not only did not share his blood, but he was not even engaged to. He would coax Lang Ling later. He sent the girl a look of apology. She tilted her head a degree to the left as if questioning him and he felt he would have to grovel hard later.
The miscommunication went unanswered, however, Lang Ling did also understand that her friend's behaviour was not good for her reputation and decided to pull her back. She ignored the unhappy glare she received as she was dragged to sit at an empty bench and made to sit. The hatred fell from her face in the next heartbeat as the voice of the one who made her heart flutter reached her ears.
"Imari Una," he called her name, but only briefly glanced at the bright smile upon her face as she stared at him lovingly, "I don't need to stop people talking. They will stop themselves, once the truth is revealed."
"But they say that one of the Jin family Uncles is dishonest, that there is a Jin family bastard in the Institute..."
"Una," Lang Ling warned her. Those words should not be spoken from a lady's lips. Una's mother had insisted that Lang Ling guard her precious daughter's reputation as well as her body.
"No one can hear from outside," Una pouted, knowing about the barrier around the pavilion. Her family owned one of the three treasured pavilion artefacts. One that was larger and much more ostentatious. Her father hadn't leant it to her like Jin father had leant his to Ji Ji though.
Jin Ji Xiang shook his head and sipped his now tepid tea before turning to spill it out into the forest. "I trust my Uncles and Cousins to keep to the family's code of honour." He didn't mention his father, he did not feel he needed to. Indeed, everyone thought the same about Jin father, was not the type to spread clouds and rain. If not for Jin grandfather's insistence on his father marrying, then he likely would not have and Jin Ji Xiang would likely not exist in this world.
His certainty killed the next words upon Imari Una's lips. It was not that she herself did not still have doubts, but if she upset Jin Ji Xiang, wouldn't she push him away more?
The Jin family was indeed noted for their small backyards and harmonious family lives, their loyalty to their wives and protectiveness towards their mothers, sisters and daughters were well known. Their code of honour was strict, not only in family matters. Those with talent were pushed to strive, those without were taught to support the family pillars. Tempers were polished, not dulled, minds were widened, not narrowed. In fact, the Jin family sons and daughters learning could also have taken place in this Institute, the Savage Red Sands Force or some other, but for one thing; the Jin family felt that the Den of Wolves that was the Qilin First Academy of Excellence was an an example of the environment they would have to exist and thrive in. If they could not graduate from this Academy as one of the top students, having overcoming daily schemes and tribulations thrown at them while attempting to study, then they would surely be lacking when they jumped out of the frying pan in the future.
Of course, the first point was what had really caught Imari Una's attention as the di-daughter with ten shu sisters, seven shu brothers and a multitude of Yiniang 'mothers'. Having a husband with her alone in the backyard was very appealing. And then she saw him, this potential suitor for the first time and fell for him hard. He was like the sparkling, white frost covering the ornamental trees in winter, the cold moon in the midnight sky, aloof, yet surrounded by a plethora of stars. Her mother liked the Jin family's reputation too, which is why she had no issues probing Jin family mother on her behalf, seeing if there was a chance of aligning the two families through marriage.
But if her mother heard this rumour... about the potential outside son that held the same surname as her beloved... would that change her impression of the Jin family? Would that ruin her chances of becoming the next Madam Jin?
She cursed that Jin Li for even existing!
Elsewhere, a certain lazy youth leaned back sated after filling his stomach with a zesty and fresh tasting meal. He suddenly sneezed. A handkerchief was passed over and a warm hand was placed upon his forehead.
"Are you c-c-catching a c-cold?" A concerned voice questioned. Jin Li felt the warmth of contentment further make him full. He grabbed the hand as it was about to retreat.
"Who knows," he drawled. "Perhaps, if you are worried, you should ensure this Lord stays warm."
There was a slight rustling. "Jin Li! It's the m-m-mi... the sun's out!"
"So?"
Author's note; In regards to the names, as a 'Noble' school, the Academy attracts Nobles from both continents, so there will be a mix of Asian names from the West Xulaphrey mostly Chinese and Japanese as they both have surnames first and Northern half of East Xulaphrey based on my original naming patterns. There's a reason for the Southern half to be excluded. Hopefully I'll remember to add it to a later chapter for clarity x
The Main Event which was in its infancy, thus didn't yet have a formal name, was to be held in an arena that had been recently set up just for this occasion.
It was located within the depths of a large, shadowy basin, surrounded by mountains so tall that the hours of sunlight were few; a shichen before noon and a shichen following. This had caused the basin to be inhospitable to many lifeforms, it also had a stagnant air, with a hazy miasma floating above the swampy ground. The stunted, twisted somewhat black trees growing here and there seemed ominous, haunting as were the cackling and howls of the beasts that called this place home.
But however dark and disturbing the landscape was, it meant little to the strong cultivators that ran and taught at the Ascending Mountain Institute.
Seeming to float above the mire, shadowing the swamp even more so than before, was an arena some five times the size of that of the Inner Martial Artists' school. It's architecture was not fancy, no scrollwork carvings or gargoyles nor statues of dragons and phoenixes, but it was still imposing at first glance. Access to the arena was via bridges, straight and grey, with chains along each side, not so much necessary as an afterthought of decoration. Mage lights floated either side, above these chains at seemingly random intervals, providing the light that the sun dare not.
It was rumoured that the Institute's best Earth-skilled Cultivators toiled to create this building for seven days and seven nights, but Leon heard in passing from his Teacher, that actually, this building was an artefact from a hundred thousand years ago... they'd found it (in it's dormant form) in the Library's inventory, in a dusty corner.
The internal structure of the building seemed as if it was a mix of various other arena styles, with the familiar circular with raised seating either side, but also towers at its four major and four minor directional points. Those four major had structures partially overhanging the main arena with huge windows allowing for excellent observation, while the minor ones had smaller windows every few feet skyward, for each small room hidden within. The arena itself was lit by small Mage globes circling the rim, producing what Leon later could only inwardly compare to a neon display of another world. Larger globes floated beneath the canopy of the four structures. All of them lit up the arena excellently without being too glaring, almost as if the sun was directly overhead at all times, but tucked behind a wispy layer of clouds.
There had been much debate on what and how the competition would work; they couldn't use the formulas in the Standings, for example, as their own students would be seen to have unfair advantages over others, being more familiar. At the same time, the length of time that they had had to set up the competition was not long, they did not wish to do a hash job that caused them to lose face and create too many loopholes for exposure. It was not easy. In the end, it was decided to use some of what they already had in place, but with a revised competition format.
They settled upon hosting three different competitions in the end; a small team type competition, a large, school battle and a friendly solo competition to close, just like that ending the Interschool Exchange. Familiar students understood that it was best to settle grievances as well as compare notes in this so called 'friendly' round, before all bowed and departed. All of the competitions would be held in the imposing arena above the swamp, but also the first two competitions would be held within the illusionary world that the third competition of the Standings were held in.
This was as much as was released to all Students in the beginning and gave rise to speculations as well as assumptions.
"If it's like the Standings, doesn't that mean farming for points?"
"Ari will then destroy everyone as usual. His lone points were far greater than anyone's across all three schools."
"But Ari doesn't work well with a team..."
"I heard Ari may not compete at all!"
"Can anyone make a team?"
"Don't be stupid! If anyone could, then the competition would be dominated by the Institute! Those schools only brought around a hundred students each!" This voice of reason had others nodding quickly, while those who hadn't thought that deeply scratched their heads, slightly shamefaced. But it did beg the question; just how would those teams be formed?
"Join my team!"
In the early hours of the first morning of the Four Day break, these words echoed in and out of the small courtyard surrounded by trees. The two coeurl, who'd been about to escape from the unlocked gate hesitated for a moment in surprise, before brushing arrogantly/playfully past and rushing off into the woods. The unfortunate Leon was left to deal with the two men before him and the half opened gate.
"Um..." he was at a slight loss for words as the feeling of deja vu swept over him, but in the end, he finished opening the gate, securing it against the outer wall before letting the two men enter. Bowyer jostled Pike as they headed through the opening, following Leon into his home.
"I arrived first this time!" Bowyer hissed beneath his breath, while Pike shook his head and drawled;
"And? Leon is more familiar with my team, after all."
"That doesn't mean you can just waltz in and claim him this time!!"
"Claim who?" The two men paused in their bickering and looked down at the youth elegantly sitting at the low table, drinking tea as if completely within his domain. It was not as if they'd forgotten that Jin Li would most likely be at Leon's place, more as they'd somewhat neglected to consider it. Jin Li had been in closed cultivation during the last competition when they'd both attempted to conscript... invite Leon to their teams after all. This not being the current case, both men had to rethink their strategy in order to recruit the only alchemist in school to have access certain pills.
"It's like this," Pike began to explain, "the competition between schools will start with a five-man team competition. The institutes' teams will be led by the twenty top students across the Standings. I'm sixth in the Standings, my place was already secured. Then we'd discovered Ari dropped out..." He'd actually completely refused then hidden himself in closed cultivation that he would not be forced to compete... "so Bowyer also is expected to lead a team."
"Is it-t like the Exch-change? You n-n-need an alchemist?" Leon asked before adding hot water to a fresh pot of tea. A strong, mouthwatering aroma drifted from the pot and caused them both to suddenly feel thirsty and in need of refreshment.
"Actually," Bowyer admitted, "the rules for team building are a lot more lax than during that competition. Some people are building teams completely based on strength."
Take fourth place, Certi. He was a man who valued power and strength. He was formidable, himself, with a good knowledge of weaponry and martial arts. His fault was his straightforward thinking, which actually resulted in him losing to the eighth place Lopard in the Standings as he fell for a feint and couldn't recover in the confusion. This same straightforward thinking had him build this new team with some of the best and strongest talents from the martial arts, the beast tamer and Mage schools. There was not one alchemist nor scholar in his team.
It wasn't that this thinking was necessarily incorrect, just that Pike and Bowyer both believed that things may not be so simple. They both decided it was best to have at least one support team member in their teams. They both though having an alchemist was best and both decided upon Leon.
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GOT IT