Their Pillar

"Fuuuh two down, two to go."

Vasari released a breath of turbid air from his lungs and stood up from his seated position. All around him were tall flames burnt endlessly towards the horizon. He decided to enter the fire element cultivation ground first thing in the morning after he woke up.

Not wanting to let this limited-time discount pass him by, Vasari decided to visit all the basic element cultivation grounds before the friendly competition came to an end. However, there was a slight problem and it was that he did not have enough cloud points to enter the remaining 2 cultivation grounds.

He started yesterday with 233 cloud points and ended the day with 138 after spending 75 cloud points to enter the wind element cultivation ground and 20 cloud points on his new clothes. So after spending another 75 cloud points this morning, he was left with a measly 63 cloud points remaining on his cloud badge.

'Let's see what those guys have been up to.'

'Those guys' in question were currently running for dear life through the streets of Outer Haven.

"You better run you bastards! If I ever see you near my girl again I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!"

"Jude what the fuck man! I thought you said you did a background check on her!"

"Hey, how am I supposed to know that she has an over possessive fuckbuddy! It's not like she would post on Managram about getting railed by some rando. Give me some slack!"

"He's not some rando you idiot. His younger brother is on the Outer Haven disciple rankings!"

"Tsk so what if his brother is on the rankings? He is just some gigolo who can't even satisfy his client properly."

Asher and Jude were currently sprinting at full speed to get away from the enraged gigolo. Luckily for them, the man did not chase them for long and gave up soon after. With the man no longer chasing them they decided to meet up with the rest of the squad in a nearby park.

Jaxon: "Yo, you guys are early. How did the deal go?"

Asher: "Shit. We got chased halfway around the city by some manslut."

Timo: "Was this before or after you made the deal with the girl?"

Asher: "After, but seriously, we need to come up with a new background checking system because clearly just checking their profiles on Managram and Chirper is not working out."

Jude: "This is the first time this has happened, just chill out."

Asher: "You...

Jett: "Anyway...how much cloud points does that leave us at now?

DT: "We got around 1800 cloud points now. We should have more but Jett was too pussy to operate the business while we were in Acrilles.

Jett: "Dude there's no way I can sell the images. Are you forgetting how well-known my mother is? If she finds out about me doing this business to get cloud points she'll kill me."

DT: "Yeah yeah whatever you say mamma's boy."

Jaxon: "So between the 7 of us that's about 257 cloud points each."

Timo: "Yep. Let's find Vasari to give him his share."

"Beefcakes I'm right behind you."

"Ahh!! What the fuck! Don't scare me like that!"

Timo jumped like a frightened cat and backed away as fast as he could. Everyone had looks of shock on their faces, not because of Vasari's sudden appearance but because they'd never seen Timo move that fast before.

"Haha sorry. I heard you guys had a rough encounter today."

"Vasari you wouldn't believe what happened..." Like a wife complaining to her husband about the problems she had throughout the day, Asher let out all his grievances for Vasari to hear. Ever since the incident at the CloudBar, these boys view Vasari as their pillar holding them up and protecting them. Although they would deny it if anybody told them that, the way their attitudes changed whenever Vasari was around was evidence of it.

"...and that's why I think we should come up with a new background checking procedure."

"Vasari please tell this idiot that everything is fine the way it is and we just got slightly unlucky today."

Jude and Asher stared at each with fire in their eyes.

"Enough. Asher if you can come up with a better strategy that doesn't waste too much time then let us hear it until then continue doing things as planned. DT please transfer my share to my cloud badge."

DT transferred the 257 cloud points to Vasari leaving him with 320 cloud points, more than enough to enter the last 2 cultivation grounds.

"Where were you guys last night? When I got home I was surprised that only Hassan was there." Vasari asked Asher and Timo. It wasn't the first time that they were out late at night or only returned in the morning before school.

"Hehe Vasari there's this place called Pleasure Haven. Asher and I would go there to have fun. Sometimes DT and Jaxon also join ugh!"

"Don't mention my name in your debauchery deeds. It's only you, Asher and DT that goes to that place."

"Why the hell did you punch me? And you came with us the first time remember!"

"Yes, but I left soon after. That place will rob you blind."

Vasari listened to them squabble and he knew what place they were talking about, after all, he walked past there just last night.

"Timo, Asher, DT…Jaxon is right. I suggest staying away from this Pleasure Haven before you become addicted to such carnal pleasures and lose yourself in them. Remember to do everything in moderation and for the girls that you are paying, you are just another client to them. DO NOT fall for their act."

The trio hung their heads low and promised to listen to him. Jude, Jaxon and Jett watched everything on the side with amused smiles on their faces. The situation reminded them of a mother scolding her naughty children.

"And you three smiling back there, don't think you're not in the wrong. Why didn't you try and stop them from making such foolish choices?"

'Ah, shit.' They all thought before they too got a long lecture from Vasari.

––––

After Vasari left, the boys remained in the park. For 10 minutes none of them said a word until DT couldn't stand the silence anymore.

"You just had to blurt out that we went to Pleasure Haven didn't you."

"Hey man, it just slipped out, I didn't think he knew what the Pleasure Haven even was."

"Vasari's blind not stupid, he can figure out what a Pleasure Haven is."

"I don't know why you're mad at me. If it wasn't for me you would still be a virgin."

"Fuck off."

Another round of silence resumed until Jude spoke with bewilderment.

"I'm just amazed how I got a mouthful for something you guys did."

"Same. Well even if I wanted to go to Pleasure Haven my mom would beat my ass."

Jett shuddered at the thought of his mom finding out he went to a place like Pleasure Haven. That would be the day he enters the Samsara River.

–––––

In residence 85 Gia and Jiang Xia were both sitting on the couch while scrolling through their Manaphones.

"I heard you spent time with Vasari yesterday."

Gia started a conversation causing Jiang Xia to put her phone down and look towards Gia.

"I did, who did you hear this from?"

"From Vasari himself. We spent the afternoon shopping at Havensplace shopping centre together."

A flash of intrigue shone in Jiang Xia's eyes signalling Gia to tell her more.

"Nothing much happened, I just took his measurements and fitted some clothes on for him."

"Ooh, so you took his measurements huh?" A sly smile crept onto Jiang Xia's face and her eyes squinted. "Let me guess…you told him that it's easier to take measurements with his clothes off right?"

Gia had a similar smile to Jiang Xia causing her to laugh out loud. That smile was the only confirmation she needed.

"You naughty Vixen! Tell me, tell me, tell me. How was it."

"So hot~ I was tempted to give him my purity right then and there."

"Girl same. I nearly fell into the rabbit hole whenever he smiled at me. That smile has a hold over me I swear."

"Witney is so mean for keeping him all for herself."

"We just have to persuade her. I'm sure she would agree if it's us. After all, we've been friends since we were little."

The two girls continued their conversation and formed plans to get Witney to share Vasari with them.

–––––

"Mglumglugglum" (one more to go.)

Vasari was submerged deep in the depths of an unknown ocean.

He was currently in the Water Element cultivation ground and even though he was submerged in depths unknown, he was still able to breathe normally. This confused him greatly, but not coming up with any answers even after thinking about it for a while, he gave up and just went with the flow.

He found that upgrading his Basic Water Will to Advanced Water Will was the easiest of the 3 so far.

Water had so many properties and forms that it can be overwhelming for some but Vasari just concentrated on 2 properties. Water's flexibility and fluid of movement.

Therefore his Advanced Will of Water carried properties of Flexibility and Fluidity.

His Advanced Will of Wind carried properties of movement speed and control.

His Advanced Will of Fire carried properties of Heat and resistance to cold.

He concentrated on these properties because he thought that they brought the most balance between his Wills. Vasari already knew what properties to focus on when he attempts to upgrade his Basic Will of Earth.

While chilling underwater Vasari wondered why and how he could do something that nobody else in cultivation history was able to do. Was it just luck or maybe he was just smarter and better than everybody else…maybe, but he remembered what his Nana told him.

"My dear you are very special. You have a powerful Physique that not even I have seen before, coupled with your eyes, I do not doubt that my little boy will be amazing in the future."

Vasari always wondered what she meant by 'powerful Physique', he only found out recently that his Physique was able to hide and suppress his Imperial Dragon Bloodline which Nana told him is the strongest dragon in the universe.

Physiques and bloodlines were similar but fundamentally different from each other. Bloodline is, as the name implies, the blood getting pumped out from the heart and running through the veins of the cultivator. There are numerous ways to gain a bloodline such as special pills, heavenly plants, absorbing the blood essence of a beast or passed down from generation to generation.

In fact, Vasari gained his Bloodline from his Nana after she helped him absorb her blood essence before she…

Physiques on the other hand are bestowed by the heavens to a child when they are born. It is based truly on luck and nothing more.

He learnt the difference from Miss Covington in school. He was sure Nana explained the difference at some point but he was too young at the time to fully understand.

"…"

Thinking of his beloved Nana, his aura abruptly shifted from excitement to gloominess. Before Witney, Nana was the only one to have such an obsessive and at times overbearing love towards him.

He chuckled in his mind at the thought of Nana and Witney interacting with each other.

'Enough with the idle thoughts. There still a lot to do.'

Vasari swam to the surface and found the exit leading to the lobby of the water element cultivation ground building.

"How far is the earth element cultivation ground from here!" He asked the receptionist. The receptionist was kind enough to escort Vasari straight to the earth element cultivation ground.

"Thank you, Miss…"

"Just call me Mia and there's no need to thank me."

"Even if you say that not many would go out of their way to help me. My name is Vasari by the way."

"Then I will see you around Vasari."

Having fulfilled her duty, the receptionist bid farewell to Vasari and walked back to her building.

'What a kind woman and she has a nice voice.'

Not wasting any more time Vasari walked into the lobby, paid the receptionist the 75 cloud points and entered the earth element cultivation ground.