"Ash, follow me to the second floor" said after dinner, Bai Cheng. It felt like an order as his serious expression didn't change even for a second.
"hm..." feeling a bit of pressure Ash followed Bai Cheng. They went in a room, full of... Accessories?
After a few seconds of looking around, Bai Cheng said "Chose one".
There were 4 rafts full of bracelets, rings, necklaces and other accessories. Looking at them, Ash went from raft to raft and finaly after 15 minutes he chose a darkblueish ring with silver edges.
"I'll take this ring then." He showed it to Bai Cheng.
Bai Cheng extended his finger and touched it. In a matter of seconds the ring started glowing. Something was being engraved in it.
"This ring, when you put it, it will protect you from bad people. Don't lose it or take it off. I also put a space array formation in there that you will be able to feel after you reach the realm of the Transcended ."
"Realm of the Transcended?" asked, Ash with a frown.
"Here, take this too, and read it. After that if you have questions you can turn to me, Juan or Ling. " Bai Cheng gave a red book with ancient looking engravings to Ash.
"Now lets go back to the 3rd floor" he smiled, not giving Ash a chance to see the book's name.
When they got back, Bai Ling and Bai Juan were watching TV on the couch.
"Ash, you are alone in an appartment right?" Bai Juan asked "Why don't you stay here from now on? We already prepared a room for you on the 5th floor, plus, it's quiet and the air here is refreshing."
Ash turned to Bai Ling and saw her almost non visible smile " This family is strange, but if they wanted to harm me, they would already done so. " he thought. People who could make him fly without even touching him could for sure crush him like an ant.
It wasn't a bad idea, considering how he loved quiet places and fresh air, not to mention that their home felt like an entirely new world the moment you stepped into it.
He was actualy more affraid of displeasing them.
"Ok, I'll go take my stuff first then." after some hesitation, Ash agreed.
"Let me help you then. " Bai Cheng said smiling, as he opened a portal and went trough it.
"Would I be able to teleport like him in the future?" suddenly Ash's worry turned to excitement and he followed Bai Cheng trough the portal.
After finishing his job, Ash and Bai Cheng went back trough teleportation right into Ash's room. 1 hour had passed.
"I'll be going now. Ling's room is right next to yours, so be careful. " after closing the door, Bai Cheng went down the stairs.
"What does he mean?" Ash wondered.
The room was spacious and had the same unique feeling that could give you shivers from excitement. The balcony was also big and had a nice view to the mini lake and park.... It was also connected to Ling's room?
At this moment Ash got curious " What should i be careful about though?" he thought.
Going along the balcony, Ash stopped for a second to see the room next to his.
Because both rooms had no outer wall, and instead windows from side to side, you could see cristal clear everything from outside the same way you could see from inside, the outside.
"She is sitting naked in the middle of the room with closed eyes! " Suddenly, Ash got a nosebleed.
His heart started racing and he quickly went back ti his room and wash his face.
A strange feeling rose from Bai Ling's heart.
Oppening her beautiful eyes, Bai Ling thought "Did they come back already?"
Dressing up, she went to check Ash and how he's doing.
"Did you finish with your luggage? Need any help? Ling asked as she came in the room.
" Shit, she's here! " Ash cursed in his mind. He quickly washed up and ran to the door.
"Ash.." Bai Ling shouted. "Where is he?" she thought.
"Here." Ash came out of the bathroom, looking like he saw nothing a minute ago." I was just washing my face from all the sweat."
"Oh.. Ok then." Bai Ling turned her head and saw the ancient book on the desk. "I see papa gave you the 'Mortality Transcendence guide', did you re~ad... It?" she frowned and looked at Ash strangely.
"Do I have something on my face?" Ash thought and touched his face.
Seeing blood all over his hand, Ash started sweating " My immagination ran wild again!"
"This strange feeling again..." Bai Ling felt strange again as she was watching the 'calm' boy infront of her.
5 minutes later, the blood stopped gushing out of Ash's nose as he forced himself to forget about the little incident.
" I haven't started reading the book yet. " Ash looked at the beautiful girl sitting on his bed at a 1 meter distance from him. "Before that, can you tell me where you come from, what is it like to cultivate, etc."
"Sigh.." Bai Ling fell backwards on the bed and answered after some time of thinking.
"Its hard to explain... There are thousands, if not millions of races out there and each race has it's own world/ dimention, whatever you want to call it."
"So, you come from the phoenix world?" Ash asked.
"No. We come from the upper world. It's much bigger than this one and it's said that there is a lot to explore, as if it's infinite." Ling continued.
"You will see when we go there, when you reach the transcended realm." she stopped for a second "Traveling to different worlds is done by array formations due to the great distance and dimentional cracks, and you need to be a transcended to withstand the pressure from the speed".
"In that upper world, there are a lot of races living together, or do they form their territories by race and etc?" Ash asked with curiosity.
"The latter..." Bai Ling answered briefly. "He is smart. I wonder how long will it take him to comprehend the 'Mortal Transcendence guide'." thinking to herself Bai Ling stared at the roof.
She thought for a few seconds and added "A lot of cultivators lose their lifes during cultivation... Momma told me once that before me and my brother there were 3 others who lost their lifes. One by a stronger cultivator, a robber, and the other 2 from a heavenly tribulation..." There was sadness in her eyes even though she never saw them. She wondered what her fate held for her.
Poof
Ash fell on the bed, facing her.
"What's wrong?" Ling turned her beautiful face toward Ash. Her silky hair covered half of her face due to it's volume and only one eye could be seen. It was watery and this way one could lose one's breath just by looking at her calm, but aggrieved face.
"Thanks." Ash smiled gently at her. His dark blue eyes were especially charming as he looked at Bai Ling with emotion.
"Thank you, for giving me a chance to explore a different world." He felt grateful to her and her family, even if it was an accident, even if he could lose his life during cultivation at any time.
That day when he looked at Bai Cheng, Ash knew his life was spared and instead, he was given a chanse to live... maybe even longer than before. That is... If he could meet his minimum requirements.
Ash never had ambitions before this encounter. Feeling out of place, he was often in a foggy state of mind, not carrying about anything. His expression... rarely changing.
"You're welcomed." Bai Ling smiled back at him and stood up. "I'll leave you cultivate now. If you have questions come see me, but knock on my door before entering."
"Thus she left" Ash thought "And I should probably start reading this guide."