Chapter 6: Next Step

Feng Qin sat upright against a large Black Iron tree but was a little smaller than the one he destroyed.

"Hundreds of thousands, possibly even a million, and I finally destroyed that metallic tree. Dad, so owes me a hundred spirit gold coins." He muttered out with a chuckle as he stared at his hands, looking a bit distracted.

Although he had managed to crumble that imposing tree, known to be able to stand the prowess of a peak Spirit Grandmaster, he couldn't help but feel...disappointed? Sad? Unsatisfied? He really couldn't tell.

All in all, he couldn't really call this a big achievement. Really, was destroying a big tree that great?

Feng Qin lowered his head and covered his face with both of his hands, feeling both embarrassed and mortified.

'Ugh, now I think about it more, it's just so sad to be celebrating about destroying a big tree, even if it is as tough as iron. Gods, I can already tell mom is going to lord this over me for an entire week.' He let a silent scream into his palms.

After letting out that silent scream, Feng Qin let his hands off his face and shook his head, letting his long hair bangs to wave around and annoy him. 'I should probably cut my hair out later. Ugh, this is too long. I really shouldn't have let mom talk me into this. I really don't get why a lot of guys would let their hair grow out. I guess the guys who swing that way would and those who like aesthetics would but...'

Letting out a sigh, he was then contemplating what to do next.

He still had that dream goal of reaching the peak of the spirit master world but aside from having done the starting point, he didn't know what the further steps are for achieving such a goal.

He'd already graduated from the elementary spirit academy in the kingdom half a year ago when he got his first ever spirit ring, already getting numerous recommendations from intermediate academies in the kingdom.

Honestly, even right now, Feng Qin felt like this was a dream. Getting to become an official spirit master wasn't easy. He had poured his blood, sweat and tears into his cultivation in both spirit power and body strengthening.

Sometimes he wouldn't eat regular food but only wild spiritual herbs or spirit plants at the ten year old level that he would find in the wilderness to help his cultivation and body, which was thanks to a book he read he got from the academy so he wouldn't poison himself. Not only that, but he wouldn't even sleep for a few days just to keep on absorbing spirit power.

There was even a time when his parents had to finally step in when he had experienced a spirit power deviation and had miraculously survived, with the backlash of losing some(a lot) of blood and falling down one rank.

Years of hellish training, of days wanting to give up and peer pressure but Feng Qin gritted his teeth and continued pressing on, and it had finally paid off!

He had broken through the rank 9 and entered rank 10 of the Spirit Scholar level! He could finally get his first spirit ring!

With the help of two teachers at the academy, both at Spirit Grandmaster level, they went to a national Spirit Hunting Forest to find and hunt a suitable spirit beast for him.

Unfortunately however, since his spirit was a bit mysterious, the teachers went for spirit beasts that are suitable for gem type martial spirits. The one they went for was a 420 year old Fiery Dark-Scale Python.

As the name suggests, it is a spirit beast python with dark red scales. It's four meters long and as wide as an adult human, with its scales as tough as granite and it's fangs

This spirit beast is known for giving good spirit abilities for both defense system spirit masters and support spirit masters. For the former, it gives defensive spirit ability like "Rock Body" or "Granite Skin". While the latter system enhances a spirit master's defense as expected, by at least 5%.

If this was still the past Feng Qin, he would have strongly disagreed with the chosen spirit beast. He wanted to reach the peak after all, he wanted, no, needed to become a Battle Spirit Master and not some Support Spirit Master that would constantly need the protection of others.

But it was different this time, he had grown up a bit and thought more deeply about the uses of support and defense type spirit abilities, and frankly speaking, you just needed a creative mind to use such abilities to suit your battle style.

For Feng Qin, having to deal the final strike at the Fiery Dark-Scale Python and got his first spirit ring, it was a miraculous spirit ability that best suited his fighting style. It was something that the two teachers didn't expect he would gain when absorbing the spirit ring.

First spirit ring ability, he calls, Retaliation. It's a skill that enhances the user's toughness by 100% and as they take damage, they return three times of damage towards their opponent.

It wasn't the most powerful or the weakest, instead it was only the most situational use that could mostly be used in close combat.

Since ordinary weapons couldn't deal any effective damage against most Spirit Masters, specifically those with two rings and above, Feng Qin didn't bother to get any sort of weapon. The only weapon he needed right now and his most proficient and effective of all against Spirit Masters, are his fists.

Finally having felt his martial spirit be useful for the first time ever since it was awakened, Feng Qin wasn't ashamed to say that he cried. His martial spirit had always been a sore part of his life and to finally found its use after so long?

Yet, despite feeling happy, he couldn't help that something was wrong. He felt as if his martial spirit, despite producing a spirit ability, wasn't showing its true capability.

"I should go home... Mom and dad probably need a helping hand in the restaurant." Feng Qin muttered absentmindedly. Letting out a sigh, he took his brown shirt as he stood up from his position and then proceeded to walk towards his home.

....

The sun was slowly setting down upon the horizon as the other side of the world slowly started to cover the sky in darkness.

The Feng family restaurant was bustling with many customers. Although there was no one screaming or yelling but the combination of each person speaking whatever to another was enough to wake the dead.

Customers of all kinds were sitting at their respective tables, most were locals and commoners in the city though as although the Feng family restaurant has a good reputation: for its food and well-mannered staff. Its decor and social status however, wasn't enough for a high ranking noble to dine in except for low-tiered ones.

And so, waiters came and went around the restaurant with hasty footsteps to deliver the ordered dishes. They all maintained elegant and disciplined behaviors as they delivered the meals to the customers.

"Xiao Qin! Get each one of those meals to the rightful customer and you'll be done for the day."

"Already? Isn't it still kind of early, dad?" Feng Qin replied as he maintained a perfect balance in carrying four trays with varying foods and beverages on them. He was dressed with a white long sleeve shirt, black trousers with a black apron over it and wore a pair of black slippers.

Feng Qin was one of the waiters, having asked his parents to let him have some experience dealing with people and be quick with his feet as part of his training; he carried four food trays: two on his hands while another pair was carried on his shoulders.

He approached a customer that was seated by the window and very quickly she had interested him.

It was girl about his age. With long silky black hair over her shoulders, face lowered as she was reading a small book in her hand, and fair unblemished skin. Although she was seating Feng Qin could guess her height to be about a head or two shorter than him. But what was the most noticeable detail about her, was her inconsistently large boobs.

Her face, although it wasn't clear as she was busy reading a book, just a small part of it was enough for Feng Qin to understand that she was the cool and aloof kind of beauty that he'd seen some people do back at the academy.

But never were they so, so...

'Beautiful...'

He was star struck for a moment.

Feng Qin had met a lot of girls in the academy and he would say for certain that only a couple girls could match the beauty of the girl in front of him.

Oh and he would bet the entire fortune of the Feng family that there was not a single girl within his peers or senior sisters a few years older than him who had the same imposing bust as hers.

And just like any hormonal teen boy, he was instantly attracted to her looks and body and had immediately started liking her despite not knowing who she was.

Slightly gulping, Feng Qin slowly took a deep breath in and started approaching her.

'Alright Qin, don't mess up. Be cool, kind, and above all else, don't weird her out!' He talked to himself in thought as motivation. If there's one thing he wasn't good at, besides cultivation speed and properly following a certain cultivation path, was talking to people.

He's good at talking to people he knows, or adults like teachers, shopkeepers, etc. But his peers? Especially girls. He has absolutely zero experience, and his mom and some aunties doesn't count cause they're women, not some teen girls that are still mostly prone to emotional outbursts and would sometimes be so unreasonable that they'd start hitting you for no apparent reason.

...Strangely however, their reason for doing so was because of his close relationship with Meng Liu. Were they jealous? Feng Qin would think more about that later.

Right now, trying to impress the girl right in front of him.

With a slight cough that immediately got the attention of the girl, he said, "Hello ma'am, here's your order. Two cups of rice, a dozen pan-fried salmon, a bowl of salad, and a complimentary bowl of soup. Enjoy." With one single fluid movement, Feng Qin lowered the tray on his left hand onto the customer's table and arranged the dishes all into a neat position, facing towards her, that it looked more appealing and appetizing towards the customer.

The girl's black eyes brightened as her mouth went slightly open for a brief moment at the meal set in front of her, before she quickly snapped herself out of her trance state and turned to face Feng Qin with her expression immediately turned aloof and indifferent.

At the sudden change of her expression, Feng Qin was surprised, and instead of feeling scared of her, he thought of her as, 'Cute.'

"...Thanks." The girl responded with a slight nod of her head.

Feng Qin smiled and said, "I hope you enjoy the meal, ma'am. At this restaurant, we dish out quality meals to customers so they can enjoy it to their hearts content."

The girl nodded in agreement to his statement as the smell coming from the meal on her table was already making her stomach twist and inwardly rumble in hunger. She had already turned a deaf ear to everyone else, except Feng Qin, and was completely eyeing the meal in front of her.

Feng Qin noticed her behavior and although he was disappointed that he wasn't able to know more about her, it would be better if he should just leave her alone to her meal already and continue with his duty.

Since the girl wasn't that interested in him, not even giving him a second glance, then it was time to move on.

"Looks like you like our meal. Well then, it's time for me to go." Feng Qin said as he turned towards his other assigned customers and was about to walk towards them–

"Wait."

Feng Qin paused in his step. He turned towards the girl, that had suddenly asked for him to stop, and saw that she was giving him a silent stare.

"Yes?" He responded in confusion.

"...What's your name?"

Feng Qin blinked his eyes and subconsciously, he replied, "Feng Qin."

"...Zhu Zhuqing." After she said her name, Zhu Zhuqing then ignored Feng Qin and returned her gaze towards her meal and started eating it with a small smile.

"...." Feng Qin stared at her, completely speechless.

'What?'

...

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