Chapter 7: Meeting

Chapter 7: Meeting

After their enjoyable breakfast, Shun Lee and Lin Yuxin made their way back to EastSea Academy. The early morning air was crisp, carrying with it a quiet sense of excitement as new students arrived. Lin Yuxin, with her bright energy and natural warmth, quickly resumed her role as one of the organizers, greeting newcomers with a cheerful smile and answering questions.

As they approached the academy's main gates, a small crowd formed around Lin Yuxin, each person eager to speak with her or ask for guidance. Shun Lee watched from a short distance, realizing she was clearly admired by many at the academy. He could see why—she had an easy way of making people feel welcomed and included.

He took a step back, deciding it was best to leave her to her responsibilities. Quietly, he slipped through the crowd, unnoticed. But before he boarded the bus, he couldn't resist glancing back one last time and only to notice that there she was, her laughter echoing above the voices of the others, her kindness radiating like a warm light.

With a small, grateful smile, Shun Lee turned and climbed onto the bus, feeling both a strange sense of longing and a spark of excitement for the journey ahead. The memory of their breakfast together, her laughter, and her words of encouragement stayed with him as the bus began to move.

Shun Lee observed the imposing walls and gates of Eastsea Academy, he felt a mixture of awe and anticipation. The academy's size and structure were even more magnificent up close, giving off an air of prestige and a sense of belonging to something larger. The stone gates towered over the entrance, almost as if guarding the knowledge and skills waiting to be unlocked within.

Eastsea Academy itself was unique, comprising both an intermediate and an advanced academy within the same grounds. Lin Yuxin, who had kindly guided him this morning, was a student at the advanced academy, a place reserved for only the most talented students. The advanced academy took up only a third of the campus, yet it was considered the true heart of Eastsea Academy.

As Shun Lee's bus passed through the gates, the view changed dramatically. A tree-lined road stretched before him, bordered by limestone pathways and shaded courtyards. The environment felt serene and academic, blending nature with architecture. Shun Lee listened intently to a senior sister giving an introduction to the campus, learning that the academy prioritized safety and enforced strict rules against vehicles within its grounds, confining them to an underground parking lot.

She continued explaining the layout, describing how the west side of the campus belonged to the advanced academy while the rest was allocated to the intermediate academy. The intermediate academy building, located on the east side, stood twelve stories high. Each floor was assigned to students based on their year, with newer students starting on the lower floors and progressing upward each year. As a first-grader, Shun Lee would attend classes on the first and second floors.

After the bus stopped, Shun Lee disembarked, brimming with a sense of purpose. He made his way to the administrative offices, completing the last steps of his enrollment with ease. He was given Two sets of the school uniform were provided free of charge, as well as a dormitory key. He wouldn't receive any learning materials until his first class.

He had been assigned to class one of the first graders. From now on, he was a new student at Eastsea Academy.

Shun Lee went past by the school building silently. He soon arrived at the dormitory, which was nearly as tall as the school building as it also contained twelve floors. His dorm room was on the Third Floor floor, room number 301 near the elevator.

The corridor wasn't that noisy yet the corridor looks a bit of disarray as signs of the countless new students were reporting in during these last few days even though some workers tried to clean it off earnestly.

Shun Lee walked straight ahead of his dorm and noticed that he was the first one to arrive. Soon after, he was directed toward the dormitories. To his surprise, his dorm room was located near the female dormitories and seems to be a result of arriving early for enrollment.

As Shun Lee stepped into the quietness of the dorm room, taking in the simplicity and practicality of his new living space. The room's bare essentials—two bunk beds, two square desks, a few chairs, and a couple of cabinets which echoed the no-nonsense atmosphere of Eastsea Academy, where focus and discipline took precedence over luxury. The roof lamp cast a gentle light over the room, illuminating the small, clean space with a soft glow.

Setting down his belongings, he took a closer look at the empty beds. Each had a neatly folded blanket and pillow waiting at the head, an invitation to settle into this new chapter. The view from the third-floor window showcased the academy grounds below, with the stone pathways winding between trees and small clusters of students arriving at various buildings. Despite the buzz outside, the room felt like a peaceful retreat—a place to recharge after what he anticipated would be long, demanding days.

As he organized his things in one of the cabinets, Shun Lee felt a strange sense of accomplishment. The uniform in his hand represented more than just school attire; it was a symbol of his acceptance into Eastsea Academy. He carefully placed it on one of the desks, smoothing out any wrinkles before setting his dormitory key beside it.

He let out a small breath, wondering what kind of roommates he'd have. The room's emptiness amplified the possibilities in his mind—whether they would become friends, rivals, or perhaps just silent companions on parallel paths. The small space would soon fill with personalities, voices, and the shared experiences of dorm life, but for now, he savored the silence, feeling both nervous and excited.

With nothing left to do, Shun Lee sat down by the window, watching the flow of new students outside, each with their own ambitions, struggles, and stories. It was comforting to think that, despite their differences, they were all starting something new together. For the first time, he let himself smile.

Feeling a bit worn out from the morning events, Shun Lee climbed onto the top bunk next to the window and quietly lying down and letting his eyes close. Just as he drifted into a light nap, he was jolted awake by the sound of voices and laughter below.

Opening his eyes, he leaned over the edge and noticed two new faces entering the room, both laughing and talking like old friends. Shun stretched out his arms, catching their attention. They both jumped, clearly startled; they'd assumed they were the first ones to arrive.

"Oh! You're already here?" one of them exclaimed, surprised.

Shun offered a small smile and sat up. "Yeah, I came in pretty early morning," he said calmly.

The two newcomers introduced themselves. The first was Wang Jinxi, a skinny teen with striking pinkish hair and matching eyes, his expressions bright and animated. Next to him was Zhang Yanxi, a boy with calm, thoughtful eyes, his blond hair framing a composed face that seemed to observe everything around him.

As they settled into the room, Wang Jinxi looked at Shun with intrigue. "You're an early bird, huh? Most people don't get here until the afternoon. I'm impressed," he laughed.

They began chatting, quickly easing into casual conversation as they shared their experiences of moving into the academy. Wang Jinxi leaned in with a mischievous grin. "So, did you hear about the mess some new students caused this morning? A bunch of them got into trouble on the first day!"

Zhang Yanxi gave a quiet chuckle. "They say they made such a ruckus that they ended up getting punished right at the Dean's office. Imagine getting a scolding before even beginning at the academy properly."

Wang Jinxi scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Can you believe it? Who gets themselves in trouble on day one? Absolute amateurs."

Shun Lee suppressed a smile, listening with amusement as the two laughed. As Wang Jinxi ridiculed the troublemakers and Zhang Yanxi nodded in silent agreement, Shun could only hold back his urge to laugh or shake his head. He remembered a small detail from a story he'd read—the very troublemakers they were mocking were actually future heroes of the world.

But he kept this thought to himself, merely nodding along. It wouldn't hurt to let them believe they were just a bunch of "idiots" for now.

After a few minutes of chatting, Wang Jinxi and Zhang Yanxi eagerly invited Shun Lee to join them for lunch, but he politely declined, mentioning that he wanted to explore the campus a bit first. The two exchanged a glance, and Wang Jinxi shrugged with a friendly grin. "Alright, but you should definitely come with us next time," he said, as they waved and headed out after setting their belongings in place.

Once they left, Shun took a moment to survey the room, his eyes landing on a box in the corner and, more importantly, his guitar leaning beside it. He couldn't help but smile as he remembered the story behind it. The guitar had been a gift from Wu Pei on his birthday, a meaningful gesture meant to introduce Shun to the wonders of his martial soul through music. Wu Pei had once told him that music could resonate with a person's very essence, helping them harness their abilities in unexpected ways.

Shun Lee remembered last year when he was brought back to someplace by Wu Pei only to had given him a gift. It was a lively, sunlit afternoon, and they'd been sitting on a grassy hill, overlooking their old neighborhood. Wu Pei had insisted on a "surprise" and showed up with a guitar case in his hands, grinning like he'd pulled off the greatest trick in the world.

Shun raised an eyebrow, immediately skeptical. "You're kidding, right? Since when did you become the mature enough to know how to hand out gifts?"

Wu Pei feigned a dramatic gasp, clutching his chest. "Wow, way to show faith in your best friend! I happen to have quite the talent, thank you very much. Although I only started learning last year, and look at that I mastered it so they gave me a guitar as a reward." He opened the case with a flourish, presenting the instrument with all the pride of a professional.

Shun tried to keep a straight face but failed miserably, snickering. "Oh, right! Just last year, huh? You mean because of that 'amazing natural talent' your martial soul gave you? Also guitar? Really? Can't they think since you have a guitar as a martial soul so shouldn't they give other rewards?"

Wu Pei's eyes narrowed, his grin not fading. "Listen, some of us have a little something called talent, okay? It's not my fault that the music flows through me. Also I was the one who told them about wanting a new guitar."

"Uh-huh," Shun teased, leaning back. "So, did your soul also give you the power to actually play in tune, or are you just strumming and hoping for the best?"

Wu Pei scoffed and set his fingers on the strings, strumming a quick, intricate tune. "Ha! I bet you wouldn't even know good music if it slapped you in the face."

Shun rolled his eyes, though he couldn't deny Wu Pei was actually pretty good. "Maybe, but I definitely know bad music when I hear it," he shot back, his smirk widening.

Wu Pei let out an exaggerated sigh, handing the guitar to Shun. "Alright, let's see you do better then, Mr. Critic."

Shun blinked, taken aback, but Wu Pei crossed his arms, waiting expectantly. "Go on," he said, a smug look on his face. "Show me what you've got."

With a groan, Shun grabbed the guitar and gave it a tentative strum, producing a cringe-worthy sound. Wu Pei burst into laughter, doubling over as Shun tried and failed to replicate a simple chord. "Wow. Just... wow," Wu Pei wheezed. "And you were judging me?"

"Fine, fine, maybe you're better than I gave you credit for," Shun admitted, grinning. "Happy now?"

"Very," Wu Pei said smugly, lifting his chin. "And you know what? To celebrate my win, I'm officially declaring this yours. A gift—from a master to his very, very humble student." He pushed the guitar back into Shun's arms.

Shun shook his head, laughing despite himself. "Oh, right. Guess I'd better get good, or I'll never hear the end of it."

"Exactly," Wu Pei said, slapping him on the back. "And hey, maybe one day, you'll even get to where I am… just don't expect it to be anytime soon."

They both dissolved into laughter, and from that day forward, the guitar had become Shun's and became habit for Wu Pei to teach Shun how to play it although he couldn't explain it properly. Even now, as he stood in his dorm room at Eastsea Academy, he could still hear Wu Pei's laugh in his mind, challenging him to try—however humbly—to make something out of those strings.

Shun shook his head, his smile softening, as he picked up the guitar and ran his fingers over its strings. It was both a reminder of home and a connection to his martial journey, and he decided to carry it along with him as he explored. Maybe, once he found a quiet spot on campus, he'd let his fingers dance across the strings and let a tune fill the air—a small, private moment of reflection as he settled into his new life at Eastsea Academy.

Shun Lee left his dorm with a sense of purpose, weaving through the academy grounds, taking in the sights and sounds of his new environment. After a while, he found himself at the canteen and to his dismay, it was packed with students. Shun Lee took a moment before deciding to changed course and thought about exploring Eastsea Park instead, where he could find a quiet spot and maybe even relax with his guitar.

The park was a lush, tranquil place and was crowded among by people since it is understandable for parents and children to be here because of the enrollment. Although for Shun Lee it is aperfect for getting lost in thought as the scenery evokes a scenes of peace and quietness within the trees despite the crowd. After wandering around, he spotted a secluded corner under a large tree, its branches forming a natural canopy that filtered the sunlight just enough to create a peaceful atmosphere. Settling down, he took a deep breath, feeling a rare sense of calm wash over him.

As he pulled out his guitar, Shun glanced around to make sure no one else was nearby. Satisfied he was alone, he gave the strings a few experimental strums, smiling as the familiar chords rang out. A small chuckle escaped him as he looked down at the instrument.

"Alright, what should I play?" he murmured to himself, letting his fingers hover over the strings. He ran through a mental list of songs, wondering which one would fit the moment.

Eventually, he settled on a song from his past life—a tune he'd always turned to when he wanted to escape into his own little world. It was a nostalgic melody, one that reminded him of simpler times, and he couldn't resist the urge to give it life here, far from anyone who might recognize it. He closed his eyes, let the lyrics and chords come to him naturally, and began to sing softly, just for himself.

As the words drifted into the quiet of the park, Shun found himself lost in the music. The song carried with it fragments of memories from a life he could never return to, yet it brought a strange comfort, like a thread tying his old self to this new world. For those few minutes, he was at peace, letting the music speak for what he couldn't put into words.