First day in School (2)

That girl was called Xiao Li. Her beautiful appearance became extraordinary when she was talking from the bottom of her heart. Ning Rongbing could feel she was really happy and also felt happy for her.

Even though she was chattering nonstop he didn't feel annoyed but listened to each word carefully. He could clearly feel the gratefulness and trust that were dissolved in those words. Since this was new to him, this new first friend nearly made him feel a warmth in his heart. Strange but very pleasing.

Both of them were very busy chatting and failed to notice a few silhouettes sneaking behind them.

Suddenly a cup of black liquid flew out of nowhere and filled the entire page and the room was filled with cheers of triumph. Feeling the severity of the situation, as soon as the page was drenched in ink Ning Rongbing quickly wiped the ink with his hands and with his sleeves he wiped the ink as much as possible to not let the ink leak to the other pages. After confirming the ink was dry he quickly closed the book and kept it in his bag since it was his quick reach.

No one noticed Ning Rongbing's sneaky act as he was very quick and careful. After putting the art book in his bag he turned to look at Xiao Li but he felt his whole body shiver.

Even though something like this happened he could see that this girl was smiling and cheering as if she was one in the crowd.

The one who poured ink sneakily on the painting was a girl and she was standing as if she accomplished something and the others were cheering on her.

Ning Rongbing was confused for a moment. He clearly saw Xiao Li's body stiffen as if everything was over. He also saw her face becoming pale as of a corpse but...

To turn like this in an instant. He was confused... but soon he got the answer.

As he closely observed Xiao Li he saw her eye rims reddening. He understood everything.

This girl was pretending. The more he looked at her, the more his heart began to ache. What is suffering? What is bullying? Was he the one who suffered more or is the girl beside him the one who was suffering the most?

He really felt that what he has suffered was nothing compared to this. He also understood something. The children walk on the same path as their parents. They follow the elders' teaching. Having friends. Was it worth it?

Soon after that, the crowd scattered and Xiao Li also excused herself and walked away. She looked as if she had the best day in her life but her eyes clearly betrayed her.

When she joined the school she was found interesting by her classmates for her talent in painting but soon after there came a few children who would ruin her paintings, paint on her clothes or skin and dump paint or ink on her. Those children really thought they looked cool for doing things like this.

Xiao Li was not a petty person. She was angry at the start but when she saw everyone was cheering at this she thought it must be ok. She thought it was something fun for them and they would stop eventually.

Little did she know they wouldn't stop but the bullying will increase. Even though she was bullied she never cried but always cheer with them and laugh as if nothing happened. Sometimes she would cheer with them with paint and ink all over her. Since then she was called many names. Fool, lunatic, and stupid but never did they know how painful it was to her.

She wasn't sad about being a clown but the most painful thing was the children made fun of her and only saw her as a tool for entertainment but not as a friend. She wanted friends. Some real friends who could join hands with her and make fun of each other but she never had one.

Even though no one knew it how could Ning Rongbing not know? After all, he was a graduate of depression and was very familiar with it but for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to comfort her.

Later that night Ning Rongbing moved to his right and left on the bed but he couldn't sleep. He has promised to become stronger and protect his mother but he couldn't even stand for a girl. The opponents weren't even soul masters but little children.

Could he really make it?

His thoughts started to grow and he felt a strange familiarity with Xiao Li. His desire to grow stronger raised to its peak. Waking up from the bed he sat crosslegged and started to cultivate but his thoughts were too distracted.

Unable to concentrate or sleep he became depressed but suddenly he thought of something and his eyes brightened. He took out the art book he collected from Xiao Li.

She was very distracted and forgot to take her art book back and it ended up with Ning Rongbing. Remembering this he took out the notebook and observed it.

Even though it was night; the moonlight was somehow very bright. Sitting behind the table near the window he closely watched the painting.

He clearly remembered the painting. It was a broad roadway in the city projecting the view of a person standing in the middle of the road, looking at the distance on the bright and sunny afternoon.

Due to the black ink, the painting looked as if it was eroded in the darkness. Thanks to Ning Rongbing's quick decision that he could save the other paintings.

Not wanting to waste any more time Ning Rongbing took out a brush and some ink from his bag and started to alter the painting.

The painting brush was not a stranger to him. As a member of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, it was one of five arts that any of the clan members should learn.

_Art of Writing_

_Art of Heart Control_

_Art of Fleeing_

_Art of Swordsmanship_

_Art of Surprise_

These were the core and fundamental teaching for the kids in the clan before the awakening. These arts can improve the noble aura around the clansman and also were very useful in cultivation. It also will pave a great contribution to their behavior and personality.

Since Ning Rongbing wasn't accepted into the clan he wasn't actually a core member of the clan. But who was Ning Rongrong? She was the clan princess of the previous generation. How could she not know the importance of these things?

Other than the _Art of Heart Control _ which can only be learned after obtaining soul rings Ning Rongbing spends his time in these arts. Especially the _Art of Writing_.

_Art of Writing_ was an art of brush strokes. Reading, writing, and painting were important parts of this practice.

Since learning this art Ning Rongbing often uses brush strokes to describe his inner thoughts and his dreams so he was naturally very good at it.