8 A Meeting

Sein knew he only needed a chance to cultivate to soar the skies. He knew how talented he was compared to his peers. Since he was 'cursed' by such a fate, he had no other choice but to train harder than the rest. Thus his skills were honed as the time the others used for cultivating, he used it to master weaponry and other combat skills.

However, sometimes, raw power surpassed those who genuinely had the skills. No matter how hard he trained, he knew that he would always have a slim chance to win against a cultivator and that was better than no chance at all.

Maybe the only hope that he was clinging was his grandfather's absolute belief in him. That he would someday cultivate and at that time, fate might be kind to his life.

Leam suddenly got up from his chair and went to a nearby desk. His hand gracefully picked up a clean white teapot with smoke coming out from its mouth. The brown liquid slowly poured into a white cup as the fragrance ran across the room in no time.

Sein didn't know what tea he was pouring but judging by his profession, he must be making herbal tea this morning. Sein's breathing seemed to relax as the fragrance seeped into his nostrils. His eyes slowly blinked before he saw a cup already placed in front of him.

"This is a tea I bought from the kingdom, they say this is the current heat in the market so I decided to buy one. Well, it didn't have any effect besides relaxing hahaha."

Sein hands slowly picked up the cup and placed it under his nose before his eyes closed. After forming a smile with his lips, he slowly drank the tea.

"So, I heard that you are going to marry Nia in the future."

*Bruu!

He immediately spouted the tea before it even reached his throat, staining the floor brown.

Wiping the stain on his mouth he looked at the physician with disbelief before saying, "How did you know?"

"Obviously, Old Jing told me," said Leam before raising one of his eyebrows, "So how is it with you two? Everything going well I presume?"

Sein smiled wryly as he looked at the tea in the cup he was holding. His mind slowly drifted off toward the memory of what the girl said just before his body was in such a state.

'We are not compatible.'

'You are trash and I will soar to the sky!'

The words stung his heart every time he remembered it. It was not a fault to like the most beautiful person, yet it was also not a fault for being trash. Maybe if fate differed, then the outcome would be different. The choice she made was rational, what kind of woman would be sane enough to be with him.

"I don't, I..."

His eyes turned red as he remembered the reality he was in. Taking a deep breath he answered with a wry smile.

"I don't think the future of me marrying Nia would be possible. She is probably on her way to her parents to settle things."

"Oh, I ah, I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's alright, it was a bet after all, and it was never fair in the first place to just force someone into marrying."

The sadness in his eyes was apparent even to that of a toddler. His breathing was calm yet it was obvious that he was holding his tears.

"Well, look at you, slowly becoming a man hahaha!"

Leam slapped his shoulder before continuing, "Marrying without love is just empty marriage, in the kingdom such things happen many times and the couples usually fight each other, cheat on each other, but some actually worked. Love is a mystery."

Sein suddenly slapped Leam's shoulder before he said, "Well, look at you, slowly becoming a poet."

Leam looked at Sein dumbfoundedly before both of them laughed at the same time.

After they had their fill of laughter, Leam took both of the cups before saying, "Oh yeah, I'll probably go out for a few days to the capital to take your special pill. You know how the capital of the kingdom works, slow. So I need to be there to get it right."

"Thank you,"

"Nah, don't be like that, I know you since you were a baby."

Sein smiled at him before departing from his house. Immediately did the sun gleamed on his eyes before he used his right hand as a shade as he glanced up. The blue sky was vividly presented in his vision as the birds fly freely. The white clouds were happily moving according to its mother, the wind.

(I should get back to the school).

His feet immediately made a run before suddenly his eyes opened wide. An identified figure clad in a black cloak was walking across him. "Hey look out!"

It was too late for him to maneuver and dodge the figure.

*tap.

"Huh?" before he realized it, Sein was already in the middle of facing the ground. (When did? Huh?)

As his mind was fuzzies, his face planted on the ground with a good thud.

"Hey kid, you alright?" a voice of a male was heard coming out from behind him.

Sein immediately turned around and apologize, "Ah, I'm alright, I'm sorry, it's my fault, are you alright?"

The man opened his hood and revealed his face. He had a handsome face and looking to be around the same age as Leam the physician. His body looked to be slim outside the cloak but one couldn't be sure. He had a flaming red hair draped around his shoulder. His eyes radiated natural killing intent that made Sein shivered. He had an earring on his right ear with a dagger symbol (†) made of gold. There was no hint of kindness surrounding this man.

The man smiled as he looked at the kid in front of him, "Give me your hand,"

"What are you spacing out for?"

Only then did Sein realized that the man was offering his hand to get up. "Ah, right, thank you."

"Hmm?" the man raised one of his eyebrows the moment their hands touched.

"I'm sorry, I need to get going, or the teacher will be mad."

Sein immediately ran to the school, leaving the man behind.

"There you are senior!"

A group of three walked up to the man from behind but the man seemed to look at the running kid. Unlike him, the three of them had the earrings made of bronze.

"We are going to continue on the journey, but on the way back, I want to visit this place again. Let's go!"

The man suddenly disappeared from the spot leaving the three. They looked at the spot their senior was looking before founding the youth who was still running.

"Don't tell me he takes an interest in that teenager?"

"What a sad sad boy, to think that he would interest the Mad God himself."

"We should hurry and follow senior!"

They immediately rushed and followed the leader.