~~~
I am confused, Boss.
What a coincidence. I am confused as well. We can be confused together.
Liu Jin and Su An have left the Xiao Sects compound, sothing that proved to be much more troubleso than anticipated. Several Outer and Inner Disciples lay in wait for Liu Jin, eager to know the results of the match. It is a good thing he had Su An accompanying him. Her loud and often brash ways are excellent at scaring others away.
The two are in a food booth located in the comrcial district of Eastern Port City. It is not the first ti the two have gone there. Su An introduced the place to Liu Jin almost a year ago. She discovered it when she was still an Outer Disciple and found the food to her liking, an opinion Liu Jin now shares. The soup, in particular, is quite excellent.
Liu Jin hums in thought as he looks at the steam rising from the thick, heavy broth, his finger tapping against the counter. The soup warms his body but does nothing to ease his mind, not with the armband reminding him of his new status. No longer is Liu Jin an Outer Disciple but an Inner Disciple instead.
Hell get his official robes later, Xiao Nan told him. For now, the armband will do. Liu Jin feels his life would be easier if he hid the armband, yet such a thing would be dishonest.
A hot spoonful of soup goes down his throat.
I was not expecting this.
Truly? This Su An can at least understand part of it.
Liu Jin looks at Su An in surprise and motions her to keep talking.
Boss winning against the Young Master is a huge achievent. With all due respect, it is not sothing that can be expected of an Outer Disciple, which, officially, Boss was until a few monts ago.
Liu Jin frowns, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Another spoonful of soup goes into his mouth as his tapping picks up speed.
It is not as if I defeated Xiao Fang. Even as he says it, he knows the excuse is weak. I rely lasted three moves against him.
Boss, do you think there is a single Outer Disciple capable of lasting three moves against the Young Master right now? Even so Inner Disciples wouldnt be capable of sothing like that! The Young Master is soone who is already close to the late stages of the Nascent Realm even though hes only thirteen! That Boss managed it is all that needs to be said. Su An nods, completely sure of her words. If there is any surprise, it is not that Boss was promoted. Rather, the surprise is how quickly it happened.
She is right.
Liu Jin sighs. A piece of at goes into his mouth.
He had been so busy preparing for the spar that he completely neglected to take into account what would happen if he won. Liu Jin cannot even object to this outco by saying he does not have the qualifications to be an Inner Disciple because
Well, that wouldnt be true, would it?
He had been too busy trying to get his power under control at first. Then he had been nervous about his spar with Xiao Fang. However, now that Liu Jin thinks about it, he is no longer in the First Level of the Inner Realm. The level he was stuck at for three years is a thing of the past.
He is now in the Seventh Level of the Inner Realm, and even that is but a temporary state. Liu Jin knows his body will not be content to remain this way for long. He can feel it in his veins. He will reach the Eighth Level of the Inner Realm soon.
Regardless, whether it is the Seventh or Eighth Level of the Inner Realm, it makes no difference.
Either way that is not the level of an Outer Disciple, especially not one so young.
It is, without a doubt, the level of an Inner Disciple.
Xiao Nan Liu Jin sighs before grabbing his bowl and bringing it to his lips. He has already eaten all the at, noodles, and vegetables, so all that is left is the broth. He probably foresaw this.
Even if he had lost, his improved cultivation level would be more than enough to force the change. Xiao Nan probably thought of it like that. No, it wasnt just him. This was probably his father-in-laws idea. As strong as Xiao Nan is, he does not have the authority to promote soone to Inner Disciple.
As I thought, Boss was lying about just being in the First Level of the Inner Realm all this ti.
A quick glance to his side shows Liu Jin that Su An is eating her al with a big pout on her face.
I did no such thing, Liu Jin corrects even as he orders another bowl. He has not eaten anything in a month. Though his body now has less need for such things, the feeling of eating is pleasing all the sa.
If I told you I was in the First Level of the Inner Realm all the tis you asked, it is because that was the truth back then. I was at the First Level of the Inner Realm for three years. Now I am not.
B-But thats not possible! Su An protests. Unlike his bowl, her plate is still half full. It is going to get cold if she doesnt eat. That would an Boss went up six levels a single month.
It was actually much less ti than that. Half an hour at most. Controlling his improved Qi was what took most of his ti.
I may have received the benefits of a three-year-long training thod.
It is as simple as he can put it without delving too much into the fine details of it. Explaining the existence of sothing like Nine-Headed Snake God sounds like too much of a headache. Liu Jin wouldnt even know where to start.
Does that an Senior Brother Nan already knew about it then?
As expected, Su An puts the pieces together quickly. If the steps had already been taken to promote him to Inner Disciple, it ans that Xiao Nan more than expected his sudden rise in power.
He did.
Boss told Xiao Nan.
I did.
Boss never told this Su An about it.
If I told you about it, would you have been able to stop yourself from boasting in my na? Liu Jin asks as a new bowl of soup is placed before him. He nods his thanks to the owner.
... this Su An acknowledges the wisdom of Boss choice. She says it with a pout on her face, grumbling under her breath because she clearly does not like how true Liu Jins words are. Still, is Boss sure Senior Brother Nan ntioned the tournant?
He ntioned it while giving the armband, Liu Jin says with a serious look on his face. The effect is ruined by him slurping down so noodles a second later. He implied Id be chosen for it.
The Eastern Port City Tournant.
It happens every two years, although the exact date varies depending on various factors. For example, if the Eastern Port City Tournant had been scheduled to take place close to his wedding, the Xiao Sect would have arranged for the tournant to be pushed back a few months. Things like that have happened quite a few tis in the history of the tournant.
This year, it was the Yun Sect who asked for it to be held later than usual.
Is not normal for one so young to participate. Su An lets out a low hum. However, Boss level is not bad. Seventh Level of the Inner Realm is nothing special in the tournant. Still, it is also not so low that it would be dangerous for Boss to participate. At the very least, it should be enough for Boss to make it through the preliminary rounds.
Be that as it may, it is not sothing I expected. I thought after I was done with Xiao Fang, I would be able to relax a little.
What is stopping Boss from relaxing now?
Liu Jin turns his head only to find Su An is genuinely puzzled.
A tournant should not be a cause for worry. Rather, Boss should look at it as an opportunity to have fun! It is not as if Senior Brother Xiao Nan expects Boss to win. There will be other people from the Xiao Sect competing who will have higher cultivation levels than Boss. Young Master Xiao Fang will certainly be chosen. Who knows? This Su An might be chosen too!
She says it almost jokingly, but Liu Jin can detect a hint of yearning there. By his estimates, her chances are much better than she thinks they are. Su An is among the stronger Inner Disciples, having already reached the Nascent Realm. While Core Disciples are undeniably stronger, the vast majority of them are too old to participate in the tournant.
There is no reason Boss should worry about this. Boss should just think of it as an opportunity to unwind.
Unwind, huh?
That does sound pleasing.
A smile slowly forms on Liu Jins face, one that remains there even as he is heading ho later that day. It feels as if a weight has been lifted from his shoulders. It is not just the freedom of no longer having to hold Nine-Headed Snake Gods poison at bay. Certainly, that helps his mood quite a bit, but it isnt everything.
He is no longer in the First Level of Inner Realm. He managed to win his spar against Xiao Fang and hes an Inner Disciple now.
Liu Jin was not sure how to feel about the last one at first, but now that he has had ti to think about it, he allows himself to feel a little bit of pride in his accomplishnt. Hes looking forward to arriving ho and showing Father the armband.
When Liu Jin opens the door, he does so with a smile.
Father, I
Liu Jin trails off. His smile slowly fades. His father waits for him with a grave look on his face. It is one Liu Jin has seldom seen on him, usually only when one of their patients is gravely ill. At that mont, fear surges within him. His mouth is already asking the question before his conscious mind has even finished processing the scene.
Where is Master?
~~~
I apologize for scaring you, his father says soti later. The two are gathered around a small table in the first floor. It is where patients would first talk to his father to explain their ills.
Father did not do anything wrong. It is this Liu Jin who overreacted.
You are twelve, his father points out. The urgent seriousness of earlier has vanished. Yet, it has left behind a somber tint on his face, a heaviness that would not otherwise be there. It is your prerogative to overreact. It would be the height of foolishness to expect you to remain in control of your emotions, no matter the situation. n centuries older than you struggle with such things. Why would you handle it better?
Neither of them speak, and in a way, that is a sign of how bad things are. Neither Liu Jianguo nor his son are talkers. Sotis hours would go by before either said anything. However, the silence hanging over their heads is different than usual. It is not comfortable in the least.
It is a silence full of worry.
Is is Master going to be okay?
His Master is alive. Liu Jin knows that for sure, because his father took him to his room just a few minutes ago. There, Liu Jin saw his Masters prone form and pale face.
He saw that his Master is not well.
He will recover eventually. For now, he needs to rest, his father replies, not looking at him. His eyes instead dart towards the ceiling every now and then, as though trying to see through it.
Old Jiang has not died.
He rely collapsed.
Even the thought feels like a joke. His master is soone in the Emperor Realm. He does not trip. He does not fall. Instead, he always has a knowing smile on his face, confident in his superiority, always knowing all the answers even before Liu Jin asks the questions. That is his Master.
Of course, in the end, that image is a lie.
Liu Jin knew it from the mont he found Old Jiang collapsed outside the city so many years ago.
His Master is not well.
His Master is dying.
It is sothing he has known about for a long ti, yet when watching Old Jiang every day, it is very easy to forget about it. His Master always seems full of vitality, more so than even him.
If if Old Jiang hadn't had to wait a month in Poison Fang Canyon. If Liu Jin hadnt removed the pendant in his presence, forcing Master to exert himself by removing the poison from his body. Had it been because of that? Had he
Cease your thoughts.
Liu Jin looks up, startled and caught. His face flushes even as his eyes hold back tears. He doesnt know what to do. He doesnt know what to say.
This is not your fault, his father continues, stern yet with gentleness in his voice. Master was already beyond help before you t him. This is rely what the passing of ti does. It could have happened yesterday. It could have happened tomorrow. However, it happened today, so we must bear with it now. That is all we can do.
Because no matter how hard they try, Old Jiangs condition is not sothing they can heal. Liu Jin has known this for a while yet...
Do not allow this to beco a burden upon your soul. Master will wake up soon. He will not be pleased to see you have been in turmoil over his condition.
His father is right. Liu Jin knows his father is right because he is his father.
Even so, he does not feel better hearing those words.
The Eastern Port City Tournant.
His promotion to Inner Disciple.
His victory over Xiao Fang.
Suddenly, all those things dont an as much anymore.
~~~
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