Chapter 9: A Sleepless Night

[Darien's Point of View]

The old man quickly came back. This time he was wearing a scarlet robe with a pine tree in the middle which represented the Dean of the Academy. "Follow me," he said. He turned around and jumped to the nearest tree. We quickly followed him as he nimbly jumped from branch to branch. Soon we made to a clearing in the forest where hundreds of small wooden huts were arranged in rows. "Each one of those huts represents a student in our academy. After a student has died or graduated from the academy the hut is destroyed and a new one would be created for new students," the old man briefly explained. I wanted to ask why they had to destroy the hut and why can't they just leave it instead but in the end I kept it to myself. Auntie Elaine had always told us that the people in Kaishi Martial Arts Academy were insane and that we shouldn't mingle with them. If it weren't for us needing to learn how to socialise with different people they probably wouldn't send us here ever. At first, I had no idea why they said we needed to learn how to socialise but now I know. I thought people were the same as auntie and uncle but I guess I was wrong. Those people from the Trairu Clan were extremely arrogant and hated peasants. They treated us as animals for slaughter; I couldn't understand that. This old man was also another example; he wanted to kill us and use us as his slaves! I couldn't believe it. I had always thought that old men or women were nice people but this guy was an exception I guess. Or maybe they were all like that and were just putting up a facade?

[Aviana's Point of View]

I watched the changing scenery below us as I followed the old man. I was interested in how such a big village could be built beside Walfor Town without anyone nothing. Not to mention that it was built in the middle of the Crimson River Forest. I looked over to my brother and get his opinion on it but he was deep in thought. He kept stealing glances at the old man and scrutinising him. What was he doing? I've never seen him like that before. It was as if... as if he wanted to open up the old man. I shivered at the thought. Surely not, my brother would never do such a thing. Knowing him he was probably thinking of how to swindle the old man as revenge. Uncle Mark taught him such shameless acts. I remember how angry auntie Elaine was when she found out; she left them out in the backyard and didn't give them food the entire day. She only gave them some when they promised never to do something like that again. Only I knew that they never stopped. Well, I don't think that auntie minds, after all, she taught me some pretty shameless things as well. She even taught me how to steal! She said that it was a necessary skill if we wanted to roam the martial world.

Unfortunately, I couldn't think what she meant by that since we already arrived at our destination. It was a wooden hut just like the others. However, this one was a little bigger and had two beds instead of one otherwise it was the same. The old man quickly left as he said he had work to do. He gave us a jade talisman and told us to use it to contact him if we need to.

[Darien's Point of View]

After the old man left we quickly left as well. We created a clone out of World Energy before leaving to prevent the old man from getting suspicious as to why our life signatures disappeared. We hid our auras using the Luo Phantom Technique that auntie Elaine gave us. She said that this was also a Mortal Grade Technique but in comparison to the old man's techniques it was much better.

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Two figures dashed out of the Crimson River Forest and headed towards the outskirts of the east side of the town. These two were none other than Aviana and Darien. Their current speed was much faster than the speed that they showed during the examination. This was because they were using a Mortal Grade Technique called Flash Step. If the Dean of the Kaishi Martial Arts Academy were to see this he would be extremely jealous. He would see this as an Earth or Sky Grade Martial Technique which was two realms above Mortal Grade. However, everywhere else in the world this would only be seen as a Mortal Grade Technique. The reason for this difference was that Walfor Town was located in a place called the Abandoned Plains. Everyone who lived here was seen as people abandoned by the heavens and were discriminated against.

Darien and Aviana arrived home as the sun was setting. They sparred for one round for going to sleep.

As the two of them slept soundly a certain old man was tossing around in his bed as he inspected the two life signatures not far from him. He had a very bad feeling about them but every time he wanted to get up and take a look he felt a cold killing intent on his back. It made him quickly shrink back into his sheets in fear of his life.