"How could you do this to me?! He's a monster. He let me do all kinds of things and experimented on me!"
Before they entered Daemon's office, the group heard a loud barrage of complaints from outside. Flav and the other two immediately recognized the voice but Joanna curiously wondered who would scream in the Principal's office first thing in the morning.
Knock Knock--
Iris knocked on the door and entered. Following her, Flav and Joanna stepped inside and found three people. One of them being Daemon, who sat comfortably behind his desk, not minding what the young man in front of him was saying. While a man sat on a couch spreading his hands on its head.
Li turned around at the interruption and saw Flav, Iris, and Dumdum. Tears exaggeratedly welled up in his eyes as he crashed into Flav's arms hugging him.
"Flav! I missed you," he screamed, his voice muffled in Flav's chest that started wetting.
"I see, you are still alive, human. So, you didn't get your wish?"
Li looked at Dumdum with a 'are you kidding me' look and turned his eyes. "Obviously. Can't you see me alive and kicking," he let go of Flav and waved his arms in circles. "He couldn't kill me," he pointed at the man on the couch.
"Hey, if you speak one more word, I will take you there for a month." Qi Yuan cracked his knuckles sending a shiver down Li's spine.
Li hid behind Flav's back. "Flav, help me. That guy is pure evil and is into weird stuff!" he shouted.
Flav sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. 'At least he's fine,' he thought while enduring Li's actions.
Iris approached Qi Yuan who looked at her curiously and bowed. "Teacher, thank you for taking care of Li all this time. I am sure he was a handle," she spoke evenly.
'This lass is good,' Qi Yuan rubbed his chin while nodding. He saw the sword strapped to her waist and asked, "You practice the sword even though you're a mage?"
Iris softly nodded and caressed her sword. "Someone… important gave it to me," she said with a tone full of hidden emotion. "But, yes, I do."
Only Daemon had a grin when he heard that. 'What's her relationship with Ouht?' he wondered.
Being as old as he was and the director of the Ascension Academy, Daemon of course knew that this sword used to be in Ouht's possession before, until some time ago that is. Suddenly, Ouht went on a vacation and took that sword with him, but when he came back, he was empty handed.
"Did she just say, I gave that guy trouble?"
"Then, when you have free time, you can come find me. I will give you some pointers about the sword," Qi Yuan said, ignoring Li.
"Thank you, teacher. I will keep it in mind."
Nodding at Iris, he turned his heat to Flav. 'Is he the kid Li said has the anti healing power?'
Noticing Qi Yuan's gaze on him, Flav quirked his brows. He didn't feel any ill intent but the curiosity in them made his skin prickle. 'Why is he looking at me like that?'
"Since everyone has seen the other, don't you think it's time to leave?" Daemon said, while looking at the group.
"But I didn't say what this guy had done to me yet! Punish him or something," Li remembered what he wanted to say and continued his complaints with a hurt tone.
"He says," Daemon looked at Qi Yuan with a smirk. "Do you have any replies?" he asked.
"None. He's fine and alive. Not even a scratch is on him so why discuss this?"
Qi Yuan waved his hand dismissively and yawned. "Anyway, I'm out of here, bye." he said and with a swoosh disappeared.
"You…" Li pointed at Qi Yuan's previous position and sighed. He knew nothing will happen and put the matter behind him.
"Today is orientation?" Suddenly, Joanna asked Daemon.
"Indeed," he nodded. "In a few hours, the whole Academy will be filled with new freshmen. And you kids should be there with them."
"What abo-," Li still wanted to complain but before he could, he found something flying at him and instinctively reacted, catching it.
"It seems you have improved, thanks to him. Still want to complain?"
"I- yes, I do," Li admnantely answered.
"Check the token in your hand then," Daemon said.
Looking at what he caught, Li found the same badge the others got the day before and heard Daemon explain. "These thousand points are a gift from Qi Yuan. Now, you get the same amount of points as your friends without working like them. Congratulations. "Daemon said, sarcastically.
"Will this be enough?"
Li wanted to deny it but the heated gazes on his back made him give up. He didn't care much about points as all he wanted was death, but he had to give up that goal for the time being.
"Now, leave." Daemon shooed them and this time they complied. "Oh, by the way, pass by the receptionist to receive your uniforms." he remembered to say before they closed the door.
Seeing that he was all alone, Daemon sighed. "That was a handful. I really am a patient and good person for not even complaining about this," he praised himself and would pat his own back if he could.
"Now, I should also prepare for orientation."
***
The group headed to the receptionist as instructed. On the way, they conversed and told each other their experiences. Li complained a lot and talked about the inhumane treatment he got. He also got acquainted with Joanna and found out about her being a ghost which put him on edge as he suddenly walked away from her and neared Flav. Li was terrified of ghosts after all.
The journey became awkward after that, but luckily, they didn't need to suffer from that for long as they arrived at the receptionist.
"Badges?" with a mechanical-like voice as if he did that countless times, the receptionist extended his hand.
Giving him what he asked, despiste the rude tone, they waited for him to finish what he's doing.
"Rank 1 cultivator, Wood Tier," he said emotionlessly and gave Li, who had already imprinted his badge on the way, the badge back. Then, gave him a white colored blazer, shirt, and trousers with brown on the sides of them and a similar colored upward arrow on the back.
"Rank 3 ghost cultivator. Under the direct tutelage of a teacher, Clasp Tier, " he repeated after taking Joanna's badge. Then he gave her the same white clothes as Li with the difference being the black sides.
"Rank 3 mage, Gold Tier," he repeated and gave clothes with yellow sides to Iris.
"Rank 4 Cultivator, Diamond tier," he looked at Flav with a little as if impressed. There weren't many rank 4 cultivators as freshman in the Academy after all. His clothes were the same with the sides having a sapphire-blue color.
He then looked at Dumdum, "You have been designated as the Wood Tiered companion. You will have to stick to him," he told Dumdum with a slight pity.
Everyone sympathized with Dumdum too, only Li ignored them. He looked at the uniform in anticipation before looking at the others, "Okay, time for school!"