Still Learning To Live As A Cultivator

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.