Lixue and Ji arrived at Nuoding Academy after a great deal of moving around and asking for directions which was a lot easier said than done. People in Nuoding were really stuck up, some people even ran away from them as if they were the plague. They of course didn't take it to heart,they did as a matter of fact look like they were dipped in mud and decorated with garbage.
Their faces had stains of dirt,Ji being the winner having more dirt stains while Lixue took the award of best dirty clothes mostly..... you know because of all the white he wore which was now somewhere between dirty cream and dirt brown in colour.
Now moving from their horrified appearance, the still hard to believe duo where now seen at their destination, Nuoding Academy.
Both boys were equally excited for completely different reasons. Ji was about to fullfil his life long dream,if you could call being seven as l long life,of being a Soul Master while Lixue just cared about meeting Tangsan again. If he was being honest, Lixue never wanted to be a Soul Master,he was more into textile making.
He could recalled the day he stayed up all night making Tangsan's clothes, using all his saved up money to buy the best fabrics his pennies could afford. Given, he did it out of love,good mind and pure heart but that wasn't the only reason. Sewing was his passion,it was something he loved to do, what made him,him.
He felt homesick when he thought of the sewing machine he left home which he quickly suppressed not wanting to dive into that delicate topic.
The point was,he loved to make clothes and he wanted to open his own boutique someday selling the most beautiful and unique clothes for both man and women ranging in different sizes and suitable for all.
"Hold it! What do you street rats think you are doing here." A voice spoke to them and since Lixue wasn't paying attention he now looked up to see they had reached the main entrance, the only obstacle that stood in their way.....
"Didn't you here me or are you deaf too." ....... and apparently this man was one too. Lixue raised his head trying to get a better look at the man that was trying to stand in his way.
He was really getting tired with everything and everyone and how they seemed to be keeping him from meeting Tangsan. First it was his grandpa,then the whole freak show with the wolves,then some stupid spirit master who thought it would be fun to rob kids for some reason which Lixue didn't really care about at the moment and now this.
Who did this gateman think he was anyway. His dark hair that was even an insult to the colour, Lixue couldn't believe he was defending that exact colour,the brown uniform he wore wait was it a uniform or a security attire, Lixue couldn't care less and well..... let's just say his appearance in general was just sad to put it kindly.
"We are here to become Soul Masters." Ji said with a smug grin as Lixue found himself facepalming.
First off because the statement was completely wrong. Ji was here because 'he' wanted to be a soul Master while Lixue only desire of even being at the front gates of this Nuoding Academy was to met the only person that made his heart ache.
Second,to say something like that so smugly without as much as a thought was really reckless. The ruthless laughter of the gateman suffice as acknowledgement to this.
Sadly Ji didn't seem to get this as he glared angrily at the man. His face turning red as he fumed.
"What are you laughing at. Do we seem like jokers to you." Yeah he didn't want them to answer that, Lixue thought looking down onto his now brown clothes and then back to Ji's muddy face. He changed his mind, Ji really didn't want the man to answer that.
"Listen kids that's enough joking around. It was funny while it lasted but now it's time to leave,go and play in the mud or something." This was now getting heated. If the looks that Ji was sending towards the man could kill then Lixue was sure the arrogant man would be six feet under.
Ji really wasn't giving up. They both had the same personality. Strong headed, and that said personality kept clashing making it difficult for either of them to understand each other.
Lixue just sighed when it finally reached the red line.
"Fight me." Roared Ji. For a few seconds the place seemed to freeze. The place totally silent, which again got ruined by the gateman's cruel laugh. Lixue already hated it and quiet frankly he hated the whole situation in general.
Ji however didn't really look ready to back down. He only grined as a red aura surrounded him. His body was surrounded with energy as he summoned his Spirit from his right hand.
"Unless you're scared of actually losing to a seven year old." He sneered pointing his glowing axe at the man, challenging him.
The gate man only shrugged as he let his own spirit pressure out sending Lixue stumbling backwards and would have done the same to Ji ,if he hadn't used his axe as a means of support.
"I am going to say this for the last time . You street rats don't belong here so you better leave before I make you." His spirit began to form. Waves of brown energy began to circle around him as the winds in the area shifted. The waves began to grow bigger, bigger, bigger and then began to slow down revealing a small brown chicken.
Lixue found himself laughing mildly, placing his fingers on his lips to further muffle the sounds. Sadly though, Ji didn't seem to have that form of self-control as he full on went into a laughing fit retrieving his spirit back as he fell from laughing too hard, rolling around in the dirt.
"All that!... Ha .... Ha .... Ha for..... ha ........ ha a... Chicken! Really? Ahaaaww,no wonder you're so rude. I mean I would too if I had that type of spirit. A chicken spirit.... ahahaha hahaha."
"Why you little ....... " He was cut of by another voice,this one sounding older and having an authoritarian voice.
"What's going on here." The guard straighten up at once at the said voice. His earlier arrogant attitude strangely disappearing, replaced by a mild and shameful look.
Lixue was really getting tired of all of this. Who was this new character inside their lives. Did the universe think this was funny or something?
There now stood a man in front of the gate. The man hair wasn't as long as most people, shaved matching his beard relatively well. He wore black..... All he wore was black.
"Well....." The man spoke but it didn't sound like a question rather it sounded more of like a command,his dark brown eyes scanning everyone and Lixue couldn't help but feel intimidated, matter getting worse when the man's eyes met with his.
"Master..... I'm sorry for the commotion. I was just telling these kids to leave since they seemed to have lost their way."
"That's a total lie. He called us names and threatened to beat as if we didn't leave, but not that he could anyway, with his spirit being a chicken and all." Ji butted in his voice stern and arrogant.
The man didn't say anything as he looked to me and back to Ji.
"So you want to be Soul Masters." His voice held some kind of humour in it . " Well then you will first be tested. If you qualify,you may follow me in,if not then you leave. Do we have a deal."
Lixue and Ji found themselves staring at each other. Ji could probably pass the test but Lixue would find himself wanting, but it was their only option so they accepted. But Why would this man want to help them in the first place. It's not like he knew them or owed them any favors but then again this was their best bet on getting into the academy so, what was there to lose.
"It's a deal." They agreed.
The man or rather Master nodded as he beckoned them to come to him. He first look at Ji and instructed him to bring out his right hand which the boy did as they both stared in confusion as the man examined the stretched out palm before nodding.
"You are already a spirit master with a hundred year soul ring, impressive. It would be a shame to not allow you to further extend your potential." He said nodding his head very pleased as Ji gave the gate man a smug look after seeing his surprised look on his face.
"Let me see your spirit." Heding to the man's words he did as he was asked bringing out his axe. Master looked at the axe the blades being red. The master nodded slightly.
"An axe,not a rear tool spirit but still a very useful attack branch spirit. If cultivated and utilized correctly this tool spirit can become very powerful and deadly."
Lixue found himself shaking of fear and a bit of envy. He didn't have a soul ring,heck he didn't even have a spirit. He wasn't as strong as Ji,he couldn't knock out a grown man with a swing of an axe,heck he wasn't sure he could even lift an axe for that matter.
That is why when he was asked to stretch out his palm he didn't. He felt his heart beating violently telling him not to move and he listened to it. He held his shorts tightly as the earth suddenly became very interesting to him. It was really funny,it was as if the whole world was working against him being with Tangsan. His eyes then decided it was the right time to bring out the waterworks.
Everyone excluding ji stared at the now crying boy with the look of confusion. What was happening to him,it was a simple test nothing painful in any shape or from.
The gateman snorted at that. Ji giving him a glare in return. What was he still doing there anyway?
"Little girl are you okay?" The master asked clearly weirded out by the girl's,he assumed he was a girl, behavior.
Lixue was both offended and embarrassed. Offended because he was mistaken for a girl but then again he couldn't blame him and embarrassed because he was crying and giving up so easily. He had gone through dark forests, raging wolfs,a criminal spirit master and chicken spirit gateman,he wasn't going to stop just when he was so close to the thing he needed most. Tangsan.
"Uncle...." He began. " ...... I do not have a spirit or rather it hasn't been awakened yet and if I was being honest I don't really want one but if that's what it takes to be able to enter this academy then I'm ready to be a Soul Master because there is something,no someone who l need to see,to be with and right now you and this gate is what is stopping me. That is why I humbly ask you, uncle to please take me as your student and make me pass to meet the only person that makes life worth living for me. Please don't keep me away from meeting Tangsan"
Master looked at the white haired boy curiously although he still presumed Lixue was a girl. He could see the emotion in his eyes,a particular emotion he knew all too well. The boy was in love but at this age was still very astonishing.But that also brought up the question of how the white haired child knew Tangsan.
This was turning out to be a really stressful day and he wanted it to be over and done with. Sighing he spoke trying to get to the bottom of the Mystery.
" Little girl how old are you ?"
"Um uncle,l'm actually a boy and I'm five years old although my birthday is scheduled to be somewhere around this month so I'm basically six,I don't really know." Lixue felt it right to correct the teacher and also blabber out the other half of that nonsense for some reason,the man only stared at him sceptically but said nothing about said matter as he turned around.
"So that means you can awaken your spirit anytime now. Good ,follow me then." He said as he gave the signal for the chicken man to open the gate.
As he entered the school,followed by Ji who did not miss the opportunity of teasing the chicken man one last time,while Lixue just stood there that innocent confused look on his face. Master really had to admit that he looked adorable. He made himself look so pure and fragile like he was made of glass and needed protection.
"You will have to pass if you really want to meet Tangsan, little gi..... boy. And as my second student you really need to obey your teacher." Lixue eyes seem to brighten at that as he nodded understandingly following the man but not before bowing three times as his show of gratitude to the man.
"Thank you Teacher."
He finally did it. He was going to be united with Tangsan once again.
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'unedited'