Finally the game was over and the host announced the names of the students who would be proceeding to the next round.
Liu Zhe went to the TwinCity students as to congratulate them.
"Congratulations. You got me there!" The handsome man with his friendly smile stated to the sleepy youth.
Lerrent just shrugged it off and went back to his fellow classmates.
"Well as usual. He's still the same."
"Captain, you know him?"
"Hmm. Sort of."
-----
A man in his frivolous smile went down from the Agillon as the bird shrieked and flew up to go back to its home which was the Shuho household.
Canis was almost blew by those big wings as the bird has no manners unless it was its owner.
The night was totally dark as the stars couldn't be seen on the sky, indicating that it was going to rain as thunderclouds were gathering up.
Shu House
Knowing that this tavern was his younger brother's, he went in and greeted the bar lady.
"I am Chun's second brother, where is he?"
The blushing Fria observed another handsome man and gulped. She found out that this man had a resemblance to her young master.
"He's still at the Harconia Institute, Second Young Master."
"Alright. I'll just wait here."
"Second Young Master, you can wait inside Young Master's penthouse."
"He had a penthouse here?!"
----
The thunderclouds clapped its thunderlight outside as the rain poured out, it reflected the violent flashes of lightning on the windows.
The silver haired young man brought Quin inside her tavern, knowing that Canis arrived in her penthouse through Titus.
"Titus, I have here the gem stone."
"Drakkuna's heart is a valuable gem stone, young master!"
"Let's talk about it later."
"…"
Fria on the bar counter was still recovering from the aftereffects of Canis when she saw another handsome man that went in with the young master.
"Y-young Master!" She greeted.
The young man greeted back and led Quin inside her penthouse. She then left an order to the bar lady.
"Prepare three cups of rose tea."
The flabbergasted bar lady unconsciously obliged while in a daze due to shock. Chun with her guest left.
Fria went back from her dazed as a loud knock on the counter woke her up. It came from the fierce-looking manager. Shin glared at the lady, warning her about her surroundings.
"Serve the tea now, hurry!"
Chun opened her penthouse with Quin and was greeted back by her second brother's bored look. Canis was watching the television and turned it off when he felt that someone was coming in.
"Chun!"
"Second brother!"
They greeted each other and Canis noticed a indifferent-looking man at the back of Chun. It was a handsome man wearing a elegant cloud patterned robes.
"Is this a friend of yours? You have the same taste in clothing, Chun," Canis uttered with a raised brow while inspecting Quin up and down.
"Second brother! Stop being antagonistic, he's Master Quin, the Vice headmaster of Harconia Institute."
Canis ignored his younger brother's introduction as he was still observing the man. He felt that this man had some kind of motive. Quin looked back at the other man with the same intensity.
Their staring contest was cut off when Fria went in with the tea.
"Young master, h-here's your rose tea."
Her feet was shaking as she delivered the teapot with three cups on the small table infront of the three individuals. She can't take the effects of handsomeness by this people and at most, if the three of them sat together.
The silver haired young man ignored the two as she helped Fria on delivering the tea.
After the bar lady poured the rose tea inside the cups, Chun dismissed her with a smile and the bar lady immediately went out, avoiding the on-coming nosebleed.
Bang!
The door was shut and Chun shrugged.
"Alright. Is he the one who needed the amemodites?" Canis broke the silence and asked.
"Yes, Second brother."
Canis turned his attention to Quin.
"You're Master Quin, right? I am Canis Shuho, second brother of Chun and I brought the amemodites."
The serious man replied, "Pleasure to meet you. I am Fu Quin, you can call me Quin."
"Before I give you these, let me have a deal with you."
"What is it?"
"You must protect my younger brother from any harm."
"Yes."
"Do not let any scratch be fallen onto him."
"Yes."
"Do not allow any stranger near him."
"Yes."
"And----"
Before this man to man talk derailed into something that Chun could imagined. She interrupted them.
They were both talking like she was invisible so the silver haired youth with a frowning face cut off their conversation.
"Second brother, are you not going to rest first?" Chun dragged her second brother to his work room as there was an available couchbed inside. She smiled at Quin and stated.
"Master Quin, you may now take that amemodites and wait for me just a bit, I need to settle some things."
Quin acquiesced and flicked his sleeves, activating the spatial storage and he stored the glimmering amemodites contained in a jar-like container in it.
Inside the workroom.
"Second brother! You are acting up again. Why don't you be mature like our Older brother Osen?"
Canis frowned while hearing the last statement.
"Now you're comparing me to that ice block. Ey, I have more feelings than him though, so it's improper comparing me to Older brother."
The silver haired young man sighed to her immature second brother while massaging her temples.
"Alright, Second brother. Calm down. I am just concerned with you spouting things infront of Master Quin."
"Oh, you have a dignity to uphold now? Hehe or you have interest to that---"
"Tsk. Just be silent and rest."
Chun pushed her second brother on the couchbed without warning that made Canis fell off and dumbfounded by the exertion of strength by his younger brother.
"You're that---"
"Shh… sleep."
The young man then walked out, closing the door.
'I have not seen her for months and now she's that strong already. Hmm.' Canis thought.
Chun went out and smiled at the silent man who was drinking tea. The man was patiently waiting for her.
"Sorry about that. My second brother is a bit…"
"Hmm."
Without any delay, Chun went to the point.
"So now that you had received the amemodites. Can I collect the exchange?"
Quin did not replied but flicked again his sleeves, the brief case with Drakkuna's heart was laid there. The young man received it.
"Thank you! Nice working with you."
"You, too."
After that, the silver haired youth escorted Quin out and sent him to his waiting carriage.
"Young master! Who was that?" The gossip girl Fria asked and was glared by Shin due to her blabbering mouth.
"It's the Vice headmaster of Harconia Institute."
"Eh?! He's that cool!"
Chun chuckled at the bar lady's wordings and stated, "You're good at your terms there. Hahaha."
-----------
205th World Winter Tournament
Day 3.
Early that dawn.
The communicator rang and a smiling young man answered.
"Yes."
("...")
"Yes."
("...")
"Yes."
("...")
"As you wish, Demon King."
The smiling gentleman turned off the call. He then summoned his other comrades in the isolated building where he was standing. Two of his comrades appeared in their hooded black robes, hiding their visage.
"Fourth, are we not going to move yet?" A seductive voice asked.
"The preparation is ready."
"Not yet. We have to adjust first," Fourth replied to them.
"Adjust?"
"Position the portals inside the institute's boundary."
"Got it."
"When do we move?"
"The day after tomorrow."
-----
At same time.
The Vice headmaster of the institute with his assistant Rin came to an underground tunnel, they walked for a hour, the long tunnel was lit by light stones in order to easily traversed the path. Due to the small glow of the light stones, it gave the tunnel a dim illumination.
The tunnel had runic symbols on it, indicating that there were arrays inputted on this tunnel to prevent any intruders.
After their long walk, they arrived infront a cell door with two martial practitioners guarding it. Both of the martial practitioners were on the Median realm Peak stage.
The two guards saluted and allowed entry to them.
Quin and Rin entered and another cell door greeted them, the door had a pressure stone on it. A kind of lock stone that only opens to the familiar aura of qi energy within a cultivator.
The man added a bit of qi energy on the pressure stone.
Click!
They went inside and it appeared infront of them was the glowing light of a 'broken piece'. This was the 'core' of Harconia Institute and it's the core that protected the individuals inside the school.
They needed the amemodites in order to strengthen it as the headmaster felt that it's energy was waning. The sudden of weakening of the core made Headmaster Spinther distressed because it was the only object that strengthened the school, and it was their foundation.
The old headmaster was observing the core and felt two presence at his back.
"Quin, put that amemodites on the absorbing square."
Quin followed and the five amemodites was inserted.
"It is now finished, headmaster."
The absorption of the core made the amemodites dimmed as the core shown brilliantly.
Confirming that the core was in good condition, Headmaster Spinther stepped back and gestured for Quin to follow him.
The retreating back of the two was disappearing as Rin glanced at the core for a bit and ran after the two.