36. From A Rich Family!

…

"Um, Mia, it's alright, Shin is my friend now. I'm sure he wouldn't hurt those dear to me,"

"Who said we are friends? Acquaintance! That's what we are,"

"Same thing,"

"It isn't!"

"Whatever, let's get ready for class," Tanji said.

…

"Long time no see Zi, how are you?"

"Good, thank you," Zi replies. "I see you are well,"

Hiro stood behind and remained quiet. She had led him through the crowd toward the east and continued on until she arrived here. An open area with certain number of kids around Hiro's age. There were a few adults who watched them carefully. Just before the opening was a building. As soon as they arrived, a man steps out to greet Zi.

"I see you brought a lad, you came to recommend him,"

"Not exactly, I was sent to register him but I couldn't wait for the crowd at the hall. Why is the academy taking a lot this time?"

"The imperial family, recruited a lot of fifth stage core formation and above disciples. Currently there are nearly no core formation realm disciples above the fifth stage and same for the nascent soul realm disciples,"

"Their battlefield must be heated,"

"Yeah. The head master is accepting hundred foundation realm disciples and countless number of body tempering realm. As long as they pass the required minimum, they are to be accepted,"

"I see, well I leave him in your care,"

"I can't see his cultivation," he whispers.

"Probably the old ancestor's doing, but he is at the foundation realm,"

"Okay. No special treatment?" The man whispers again and Zi shook her head. "Understood, greet the old ancestor for me,"

"Alright, I'll be on my way,"

"See ya," the man turns to Hiro. "What's your name?"

"Hiro, Enji Hiro,"

"Enji Hiro, you are number eighty. Find somewhere to stay and wait until you are called," the man waved his hand and a small steel plate flew to Hiro from nowhere and planted itself on his shoulder.

"Okay senior," Hiro bows as the man turns to leave.

"If you want an higher number placing, you are free to challenge those above you,"

The man left and Hiro turns to find a place to stay. While some kids stared at him, others where nonchalant about him or were busy chatting. He walked around for a bit and found an open spot. By now, the kids had lost interest in him. Quietly, he sat down crossed-legged in a meditation pose and took in deep, deep breaths.

"Twenty nine, thirty, thirty one, thirty two and thirty three step forward," he heard a voice yell. Not bothering about it, he remained in place and continued to cultivate.

"Isn't he a mortal? What's he doing here?"

"I don't know, the instructor allowed him stay, there must be a reason,"

"But he isn't even at the body tempering realm he shouldn't be here, hmph,"

Hiro hears a boy, a girl and another boy, respectively spoke. It was obvious he was the one they were talking about. "It's quite noisy," he mutters. They weren't the only ones talking.

"He must have gotten in here by mistake,"

"No I saw someone dropped him, a lady,"

"Then he's probably from a rich family,"

…

"Hmph, mortal scum,"

"Why are you bothered about him?"

"I can't be placed with a mortal,"

…

"He is cute, too bad he is a mortal,"

"I think so too,"

…

Hiro sighs and stands up. With several mutterings and murmuring entering his ears, he found being here annoying.

"Was it thirty three, that was called last?"

"Hey you! What family are you from?" a boy walks up to Hiro, while asking. "What's your family name?"

Hiro creases his brows at the boy as he mutters. "Fifty four,"

"Huh? Fifty four?"

"That's still too far," Hiro mutters again.

"Hey dumbass I'm talking to you,"

"Hm? Sorry what did you say?"

"What family are you from, you dumbass?"

"Hmm, Enji's family," Hiro says as he walks passed the boy. His eyes were busy searching the steel plates on other's shoulder.

"How dare you walk out on me?" the boy pulls Hiro by the arm, clenched his fist and lands a solid punch on Hiro's face.

"Hmm?" Hiro looks at the fist that remain on his face and then at the boy, who placed it there. "What are you doing?"

"Ah! Ouch!" cries the boy, who takes his hand back and wriggles it in pain.

"Was there something on my face? Never mind, that doesn't matter," Hiro says and continue his search, as he walks away.

"You…!" the boy yells but Hiro walks away without a word.

"What just happened?"

"Did you see that?"

"Didn't he just get punched?"

"He didn't feel it?"

"Is he really a mortal?"

"He took a blow from a second stage?"

"Is he hiding his realm?"

…

Several whispers and murmuring filled the area as he continues walking and searching.

"What an hassle, next I meet him I'll teach him a lesson," Hiro says to himself.

"Hey, what's your cultivation realm?" someone asks as Hiro walks by.

"Fifty nine," Hiro ignores the person and continues walking. "Perhaps I can just challenge them openly. Does it count?"

Scratching his head, Hiro sighs and then yells. "I challenge number thirty four! Please step out!"

His voice hushed everyone and caused the area to turn dead silence as a graveyard. Everyone present had turned their attention towards him.

"Don't you think…"

"I challenge number thirty four!" Hiro yells again, interrupting the person with the number fifty nine steel plate on his shoulder.

"What a pain in the ass. You disturbed my sleep," a voice sounds and the kids in that direction splits, opening a path for a boy who was seated. Behind stood a boy who was massaging his shoulders. "Before you challenge someone you should find out their strength and background,"

"Thirty four," Hiro smiles and makes a stance. His two fist clenched before his chest as if he was holding a pair of daggers in a reverse grip. His legs spread apart and planted firmly on the ground.

"Pfft, I don't have time for you. Take care of him,"

"Yes sir,"

The boy massaging his back stops and walks to his front. Hiro squints his eyes at him, still smiling. "Thirty five, works for me too. I challenge number thirty five,"

"Challenge accepted,"

A yellow light shot out of each of their number plates. It grew and gently pushed the others around back. And like two fishes chasing the others tail, the light encircled Hiro and number thirty five.

"No weapons allowed, begin,"

A disembodied voice echoed in their ears, marking the start of the duel. Instantly, Hiro kicks the ground with his right leg and plunges forward. Greeting the incoming Hiro with an outstretched fist, number thirty five blinks and the next moment, a fist lands his face.

"Ah!"

He gasped as he fell backwards. His vision had become blurry, and the clear blue sky became unclear.

~Boom~

With a bang, he fell to the ground, leaving everyone who saw, speechless. His blurry vision grew worse as he went unconscious.

"Yikes, I went too far. Nah, he was just weak," Hiro thought.

The yellow lights flew back to the number plates. Hiro's number had turned to thirty five, while the unconscious fella had become number eighty. Eyes widened, jaws fell and many gasped. What in the world had just happened? The duel had just started but it had ended immediately. They couldn't understand how he had covered the distance so quickly.

"Oi, you idiot!" thirty four screamed and got on his feet. Among all the kids, he was the first to react. "I challenge you,"

"I reject," Hiro mutters and walks away. Biting his lower lip, he tried his best not to leap while walking away. His leg hurt so bad right now.

"Don't you dare walk out on me!" thirty four roared. "I challenge you!"

Ignoring him, Hiro walks away. He could feel his bones hurt and his leg bleeding within. He takes out a pouch bag and takes a pill from it.

"The young master is talking to you," a voice yells and Hiro felt someone rush at him from behind. Turning quickly, he dodges the person but…

"Ah!" He screams and falls to the ground.

When he turned, his right leg ached greatly, causing him to loose his balance and fall to the ground. The pouch bag falls off his hand and tens of pills came pouring out.

"Wow!"

"So many pills!"

"He really is from a rich family,"

"They are mostly level three pills,"

"There's a lot of them,"

…