Today, Xin Shu Yi cooked one of her specialty dishes, Spicy Pork Noodles. The plump and chewy noodles were glistening in red chilli oil. The rich and savoury smell of the sauce wafted into the nose of the disciples, making their mouths water uncontrollably. Wang Li Tian and Jiang Rou Xuan entered the dining hall at the right moment. The food was already served up to their table.
"Eat up!" Xin Shu Yi offered with a welcoming expression.
"Thank you Senior sister Shu Yi!" Wang Li Tian and Jiang Rou Xuan answered together.
The pair of thirteen year olds dug right into the meal. Li Tian ate the spicy pork noodles in big mouths, while Rou Xuan went for a gentler approach. Xin Shu Yi watched the pair eat the dish she made.
"How is it?" She asked.
"It is delicious." Jiang Rou Xuan answered with a smile.
"Mhm!" Wang Li Tian agreed.
"I'm glad that you like it."
The atmosphere was blissful as the trio had their dinner together. Xin Shu Yi asked about Jiang Rou Xuan and got to know how the pair knew each other. Of course, Jiang Rou Xuan was more than willing to talk about Wang Li Tian to this kind and sociable senior sister.
"Wow! I never knew there was this side to my junior brother!" Xin Shu Yi was referring to the bubbly side of Li Tian. Wang Li Tian blushed redly, while Jiang Rou Xuan chuckled at the sight of the shy youth.
At night, Jiang Rou Xuan finally left the mountain belonging to the School of Artificing. Wang Li Tian walked her down the mountain, talking about anything under the moon. They enjoyed each other's company and that was all that mattered. When they were finally going to part, Wang Li Tian had reluctance written all over his face. Even Jiang Rou Xuan was regretful that their time together was too little.
"We shall meet each other six months later, during the Outer Disciple Competition."
"Yes. Take care of yourself, big sis Rou Xuan." Wang Li Tian felt melancholy. The backdrop of Jiang Rou Xuan crossing over a bridge that connected the School of Sword Arts to the School of Artificing, was especially lonely. Someday the two would finally be together again and no longer separated, but that was another story to tell.S
The next day, Wang Li Tian headed up to Prime Elder Long's residence as per usual. He broke the news to his teacher and his senior sister together. "Teacher Long, Senior Sister Shu Yi, I would like to participate in the Outer Disciple Competition."
"What?" Long Tang Yun was surprised by what his youngest disciple had said. The atmosphere within the group became stale.
"Is it because of junior sister Rou Xuan?" Xin Shu Yi seemed to have figure out what had happened.
"Yes." Wang Li Tian answered truthfully.
"Who is this junior sister you are talking about?" Long Tang Yun asked curiously. And so, Xin Shu Yi went ahead and explained to her teacher about the situation, while Wang Li Tian sat by the side doing some writing. He did not particularly care about what others think after he set his mind on doing something.
"This girl cultivator, Jiang Rou Xuan, she is the one that participated in the entrance test with you, correct?" Long Tang Yun had a slight inkling of who she is.
"Yes. I want to take part in the competition with her."
"You know this is a single competition right? What if she were to backstab you?"
"Big sis Rou Xuan would not backstab me."
"What makes you think that? She could've changed her personality over the years."
"No, she would not hurt me. She is my big sister."
Seeing how adamant his young disciple was, Long Tang Yun was frustrated inwardly. He knew there was nothing that he could say now that could change Wang Li Tian's mind. There was really no point in convincing him anymore. In the end, no matter how much he cared for Li Tian, if the boy is not willing to listen to his advice, it would all be empty words.
"I can tell when a person is bad. My big sister is not bad." Wang Li Tian told the truth to the Prime Elder. His Braveheart Manual, indeed, is able to reveal a person's inner soul. If it was tainted in any way, Wang Li Tian would know. For Jiang Rou Xuan, her soul was as pure and uncontaminated as Wang Li Tian's.
"Haiz… Okay okay. I know your big sister is not a bad person. However," Long Tang Yun gave in, "You are definitely not ready to participate in the Outer Disciple Competition."
"I am ready. I have been practicing my Quickdraw Sword Technique everyday."
"That is not enough, little Li Tian. Your cultivation level is far too low to even fight against the top dogs in the Outer Court." At that point, Wang Li Tian could not refute his teacher's words. It was true that his rate of improvement was far too slow. Firstly, he was naturally born with a trash spiritual root. His speed of cultivation was already very slow. Secondly, Wang Li TIan had been learning multiple things at once. This meant that the time spent cultivating is far less than optimum.
Seeing that Wang Li Tian was finally speechless, Long Tang Yun swooped in like a saviour in a crucial moment. He proposed, "You have six months to go until the competition. That means to say you have at a total of six months for you to increase your cultivation level into the middle Body Enhancement Stage."
"In this time, you may use the Spiritual Energy Gathering Array in our School of Artificing. Your teacher will help you cover the cost."
Inside the Southern Wind Academy, usually all disciples would carry out missions so as to attain contribution points. Contribution points are good in many aspects. A disciple would be able to exchange for weapons, scrolls, cultivation pills that could help out a martial cultivator on their long journey.
The Spiritual Energy Gathering Array is, like the name suggests, an array that helps to concentrate the world's spiritual energy into a space. The cultivator would then be able to efficiently absorb the spiritual energy and improve their cultivation level. Of course, such a place would require contribution points to allow disciples to use it.
As Wang Li Tian was extremely adamant on wanting to join the Outer Disciple Competition, Long Tang Yun as the teacher of Li TIan, would not want his disciple to embarrass him during the competition. As such, he hopes for Wang Li Tian to get stronger in the mean time before the competition.