23 Chapter 23 - Duel Challenge

After a few more hours talking about random things, Mi Young finally stood up and dusted off her filthy pants, although it was still dirty after all the events that happened today.

"It's getting late." Mi Young announces. Even though she couldn't quite see the sky above them because of the tall trees, she can still tell that the sun is about to set at the moment.

Shang Min stood up as well. "Yeah, we still have a lot to do tomorrow."

The blonde girl went to say goodbye to the Basilisk's babies while Mi Young watched them. She turned towards the beast and whispered something to its ear that only the two of them could hear.

The beast replied to her by nodding its head before it slowly walked towards where her kids were. She roared at them, signaling them that it was time to take a rest.

Mi Young was silent as she watched the beast and her little family crept towards the swamp, while Shang Min kept on waving her hands in the air as if the beasts could see her.

Both of them stayed there for a few minutes until they could no longer see the beasts as they swam underneath the muddy water.

"Let's go." Mi Young says as she starts walking towards the muddy path where they came from. Shang Min followed suit.

When they reached the opening of the forest, the sun had already set, casting an orange and pinkish glow all across the cloudless sky. The roofs and the buildings of the academy ahead of them, twinkling as the final rays of the sun hit their surface, while the vast land that separates the academy from the forest filled with green grass swayed slowly every time the gentle breeze of the wind brushed past them.

Mi Young stood there for a second, just admiring the serene view in front of her.

"Hey." A voice says behind her. She's starting to get used to Shin Shang Min's annoying tone. "Why'd you stop?"

"Back in the North, you wouldn't see a breathtaking view like this." Mi Young says, remembering the dull-looking town where she grew up. "Our town is in the far north. Nothing much to see, just blocks of ice and lots of water. No buildings and huge constructions, just a couple of old, worn-out, and shabby cottages made by the townspeople's very own hands."

Shang Min was silent beside her as they both eye the academy. The cold wind blew out Mi Young's hair, her mother's cape flapping behind her.

"I don't know about you since you grew up in the central part of the North, but to us, watching the sunrise and the sunset is a truly rare moment. That is why, whenever I have the chance, I always pause for a moment to look at it. Who knows when will be the last time I get to see it, right? Tomorrow I can be expelled and sent back to the North. Or maybe the next day I'll get killed because of my straightforwardness. We never knew how much time we have left so it's best if you appreciate every moment of it and make rash decisions."

Mi Young ends her small talk with a soft smile dancing on her lips, her blue eyes reflecting the now dark sky high up. Minutes later, the academy started glowing with different lights as the people welcomed the night.

They were too engrossed with the scenery in front that they didn't notice the flying beast looming and watching above them.

**

"I told you, she would be the end of our school!"

"Nonsense! A mere child like her couldn't possibly cause destruction to our prestigious academy!"

"Can you hear your words?! Stop acting dumb and see the truth behind this!"

"SILENCE!!" A loud voice echoed all throughout the chamber. Ten heads turned their attention to the man sitting in front. "I don't want to hear any of your bickering! We are gathered here to discuss about a possible threat to our acade—"

"No offense High Master but to call a child a 'possible threat' to the academy is quite a blow to our pride." One of the ten men says while raising his right hand, "How can this child be called a threat when she possesses such weak cultivation and prowess?"

A few heads nodded with the man's notion.

The man sitting in front shifted his eyes towards the man who interrupted him and said in a cold voice, "You dare to cut me off again during my speech and I will see to it that your tongue would be forever dismantled from your mouth."

This caused the other party's face to turn pale white. All the blood from his system stopped flowing as he saw the cold and mean gaze being given to him by his High Master. He hung his head and apologized furiously.

Seeing that the other had learned from his mistake, the High Master continued his sentence, "As I was saying, we will not do anything yet seeing that the girl has not made anything suspicious at all. We will only take matters in our own hands if she dares to lay her hands on the---"

The huge doors of the meeting chamber suddenly opened, revealing a tall and handsome man wearing the academy's robe. He walked past the ten other men seated around the table and proceeded to kneel in front of the High Master.

"High Master, I have something to report."

**

Mi Young glances at the clock in front of the white board at the center of the class. She places her chin on top of her hand as she starts counting the number of minutes left before the school bell rings.

For the past few days, all their teacher talked about was the Fire Ball technique, which Mi Young has mastered already and she's getting bored. She wants to try out a new technique but their teacher revealed nothing to them.

Jong In once said that Professor Nam is brilliant with different Pyro techniques but seeing his performance for the past week, Mi Young thinks otherwise.

"The Fire Ball technique, allows a cultivator to be one with his mana." Professor Nam says for the nth time. Mi Young couldn't count the number of times the professor has said that line already and she's becoming more and more annoyed.

Just as the professor was about to say another thing about the Fire Ball technique, the door of their classroom opens. "I want to challenge Ji Chang Bin to a duel."

The class immediately started murmuring with each other as they all eyed the young man who stood through their door.

Professor Nam looks furious upon being interrupted during his class, "Lad, I don't know who you are but you are disturbing my cl—"

"Where is Ji Chang Bin? Let's have a duel." The young man says cutting off Professor Nam while also completely ignoring him. "Do not hide."

The class shifted their gaze from the guy standing at the door and towards the brown haired boy sitting in the middle of the classroom. He looked shocked but there was also anger in his eyes. Ji Chang Bin, Mi Young believed, stood up from where he was sitting and answered the young man standing at the door, "I am not hiding."

"Ji Chang Bin, sit down!" Professor Nam warns as he glares at his student.

"Good. Come to the battle arena right this instant and let's settle this once and for all…" The strange kid who appeared out of nowhere says in a challenging tone. "…if you are not afraid to be embarrassed in front of Lady Yu Na."

"I am warning you, young man! If you continue this little stunt of yours, I will surely give you de—"

"I am not backing down." Ji Chang Bin answers one more time, ignoring Professor Nam's warning earlier.

"How dare the two of you insult me in front of my class!" Professor Nam shouts as he points at the two students. "I will see to it that the both of you will get detention for two weeks!"

However, as if he heard nothing at all, the young man who interrupted Professor Nam's lecture, walked out of their classroom as if nothing happened and announced that he will be waiting for Chang Bin.

The challenged party also followed right after. But before he gets out of the classroom he bows at Professor Nam and says, "I'm sorry for being so rude to you, Professor Nam. I promise that after this fight, I will serve my two weeks detention. This is a matter of life and death for me, and I hope you understand that. Thank you!"

After saying that in such a respectful manner, Ji Chang Bin left the classroom.

The whole class exchanged glances for a few seconds before everyone started running towards the door to follow the young man and watch the duel.

Mi Young can also hear someone shouting in the hallway something like, "THERE'S A DUEL AT THE BATTLE ARENA! JI CHANG BIN AND LEE DONG SOO IS BATTLING AT THE ARENA!"

Minutes later, she can hear the opening of the classroom doors and different loud footsteps engulfing the once silent hallways of the academy building as the students all run towards the battle arena, hoping and excited to see the upcoming duel between the two Pyro students.

The three people left inside the classroom looked at one another before Professor Nam finally sighs, "What are you two still doing here? Follow them and show support to your classmate!"

Mi Young and Jong In nodded and hurriedly went out of the classroom.

Professor Nam sighs once more before he detaches his eyeglasses from his eyes and wipes them with his handkerchief while slowly sitting on his chair, "Young people nowadays sure love betting."