8 Unreasonable

Knock Knock

A tall muscular man came in. He had a nice black beard and carried a sword in his right hand.

"So you're going to depart tomorrow?"

'Consentient Transmigration'

"Father! Yes, I will...I'll return in the clan with glory!"

"Ahahah, sure" Jia Liang continued "Here, I asked permission to the elders to give you this."

He gave the sword to Jin Liang. It was a plain black sword.

<<Low-Rank Earth Grade Artifact>>

"It is one of the most precious swords we've got: it was given us by Ying Liang, the greatest talent of our clan ten years ago! He then left for the Song capital"

"He went to the duchy capital?!?! He's a genius truly!"

"A genius...yeah...however I'll say one thing: don't trust anyone in the academy!"

"Why?"

"You know...killing outside the academy isn't prohibited and it hasn't the obligation to protect you...nor the power actually"

"?"

"Try not provoking anyone, for your safety: I'll back you in case but the clan may not. Well...we'll give you a proper farewell tomorrow! Study hard, my son!"

"Yes...I will."

"Hmmm...Who'll you bring with you to the academy?"

At that moment Raden chose to regain control over Jin Liang's body.

"Su Li"

"Oh? Ahahah, You've grown a lot in the last days, my son! A year ago you might've seen him as a useless fellow because of his background but now you seem to see him as a talented friend."

'Friend? Well I felt pity from his background but...'

"Well, goodbye. Remember good friends can save your life!"

"O-ok..."

"Ahhh..." 'This academy seems to be dangerous...I have to train myself!'

And so Raden spent the entire day cultivating the 'Standard Method' breaking through Late Qi Gathering.

**********

On a carriage two young boys were talking: they were Raden and Su Li.

They were on the trip to the Chao Academy and were talking about their insight on the 'Standard Method': the base Qi Cultivation art that created the concept Qi Stages and in its simplicity was incredibly deep such as to have an entire occupation dedicated to studying it: the Dao Scholar.

"So...You brought me here as your servant?" Su Li asked.

"Yes, don't worry I'll help you myself to cure your father."

"What?"

"It is a promise."

"I...Understand." He said, diffident.

"Well, even when I made 22 steps in the Heavenly Path you weren't convinced. As then as now."

He didn't answer back.

'I think that I'll need an underlying if I want to gather information in a decent amount of time...' "Ah, do you know anything about souls, Su Li?"

"Souls? They...are prohibited to study in our clan"

"Hmmm? I understand"

"It is actually because your low-level techniques would do more harm than good" They heard a voice.

'The delegate!' "Did we arrived?"

"Oh...yes. However, continuing on your topic, soul tempering is an extremely powerful path: with a strong soul you have higher pain resistance, better reflexes, higher body control and thought speed...and you with a really high-level soul could even take control of others' bodies" "Still it remains a support Path for its difficulty and its relatively little use in the Lower Stages"

"Woah" Su Li exclaimed in admiration.

"Eheh...you should get off, there are your apartments: you're Unranked Disciples so they're quite small, but I think you'll be easily able to progress."

He indicated some small gray houses.

'Small!' That was Raden first thought. They could only have one room. And in fact, they did.

"Well, see you later! Try to not anger the teachers and everything will be ok." He gave us farewell.

**********

Raden was alone in his room.

'That's the second time in this week that I change room isn't it?' 'The delegate said that to acquire promotion I'll have to challenge the Ki Tower...' 'I'm actually quite curious how this country works, how are the wars fought...but there were no history books in my clan and to accede this library I'll have to become at least a Green Student'

"Hey, Jin Liang do you want to cultivate your soul more?"

"Yes!"

"Here" Raden started writing on a piece of paper the full 'Soul Arts'

"Hey, elder. I've actually heard that there is a technique to write faster without a pen! Don't you know it?"

"If I don't do it it's because I don't know, don't you think so?"

"Yes...Why don't you check the library?"

"Hmmm..." "Cultivate your soul according to this technique now!"

"Yes!"

While Jin Liang was cultivating and so cut off from the world Raden had things to do...

He went to the academy gates so to see the nearby city: Chao City.

"Halt!" A guard interrupted him "Do you have permission from an Elder?"

"Ehhh..."

"Hmmm...Get back immediately! I'll kill you otherwise" He said weaving his spear.

"Ahaha...yes yes" He immediately turned back and returned to his apartment

'What strict rules...ahhh, in fact, the Delegate said to do nothing until tomorrow class' 'But I really wanted to see how would a city work in this world' "Ahhh..."

'It seems I can only cultivate'

<<Soul Arts Vol. I>>

<<Ch. III

After Late Soul Tempering, you'll have to temper your soul with your will. Soul against Soul...>>

**********

Raden woke up.

"Did you fell asleep while cultivating?" He heard Jin Liang saying

"Eh? Uh...Absolutely yes. It is in the cultivation technique." He answered putting a serious face. 'Heh...Cultivating the Soul make you feel exhausted mentally' "Wait...I have to go to the class!"

It was already midday.

He ran to the Academy Gray Class.

'Why did they have to make it 4 km away from the dorms?!? I hope not being late...'

When he arrived there he saw a little gray edifice, it was 33m on each side. It was so plain and boring that there was nothing that stood out...nothing...nobody!

'Ohh...Sheep'

He still entered with a worried face.

'Well...now my cla-'

He looked around...and was directly greeted with a classroom.

'That's way too big for a classroom...'

"Oh! So the Little Baron came late...Where do you think you are?" A strict feminine voice resounded in the class.

Everyone turned their gazes towards Raden.

'Her tone remembers me my Art Teacher...'

'Wait I don't actually want to think about her'

He tried to put an apologetic face disregarding his thoughts.

"I'm sorry, but I just came yesterday late night..."

"Eh, you know on my document there was written that you had come here at 4 p.m, strange isn't it? Little Baron now I don't know how much do you sleep but I don't think that is soooo late."

The class erupted into laughter.

Raden couldn't help but frown...displeasing images returned to his mind. Middle School... "That's true I actually cultivated until late night so..." "Ehm...If you don't mind I'm going to take a sea-"

He saw Su Li saying 'no, stop' shaking his head.

"Hmmm?"

"Do you know what happens when a student arrives late, Little Baron?" She questioned mockingly.

"No, I don-"

"The Trial! That's what happens! If you succeed you're free otherwise you're expelled from the Academy!" "Ahahah, with your future on the stake you should give all of you! Ahahah!"

'Eh? Eh? What?'