I'm ending the sext meet next chapter so sorry if it feels rushed. Also just posted a new fic called Sword Birth.
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As she replied pride was quite clear in tone.
"I see so that explains that look of loneliness in your eye." I said with a solemn expression, but she seemed to scowl slightly at this.
"Loneliness? do I look like I'm lonely to you? Do I you think this princess here needs companionship?!" She says coldly as I felt bit of bloodlust coming from her. I felt this from many martial beasts and bandits it's an odd feeling, but I'm able to brush it off and pushed down my rising lust for battle.
"I don't mean to offend you your highness. It's just that you remind of Hong Yu." I told her as she really does.
"How so?" She asked. "Well due to her status as the City Lord's daughter, which I'm sure you must be aware of, everyone treats her with the highest of respect and tries to cater to her every whim. However due to this everyone there keeps her at an arms lenght. Now some when they have this type of attention will grow a big head and indulge themselves in all the pleasure they see. However people like Hong Yu, people like you will only feel a sense of loneliness. I was her tutor for a while so I notice this."
Hearing this Hei Hua said nothing only stoically staring at Ken Hai, her heart was in absolute shambles, however she can't show weakness else she tarnishes here family name.
"Your highness, it is normal for you to crave friendship this is normal, as human beings we are social creatures."
"I see, but I have to ask Alchemist Ken, is this some misguided attempt at courting me? Many have tried and failed." She says with a huff. I could only sigh. "No your highness I am simply asking for your friendship. I am not romantically interested in you, I mean not to offend you your highness, but being with you is more of a restriction than anything else and I'm man who likes my freedom."
"Friendship? Are you trying to gain favors with me?" She asked me, but I couldn't help but to turn my head in confusion.
"No I'm just offering my hand as a friend. You have every right to object if you feel like I'm taking advantage of you." I told her, hearing this she looked at me so for a couple seconds with saying word.
"Fine I accept your friendship." She replied.
"I see then. How about a joke. Two cultivators walk into a tavern-"
The cultivators watching Ken Hai conversing with Hei Hua only held pity in their eyes. "This youngster is going to get himself killed!" Said one of the other guests. "We can hope the gods have mercy on his soul in the after life." Says another guest.
Many hearing this agreed with the two as they shook their head in sorrow, they've heard of Ken Hai and his genius. Some wanted to make connections to him for his pills and elixers. As he must have an amazing amount of potential to be the an amazing alchemist.
Soon the princess released a but of blood lust. "Aiyaah! That youngster has dug his grave." But Ken Hai just kept talking after a while but what surprised everyone there the most was when.
"*Chuckle!*" they heard Hei Hua chukcle, everyone became wide eyed. Hei Hua has a reputation of being an ice cold princess that ignores and cripples all who attempts to court her. The reason she didn't out right ignore Ken Hai was because his sentence didn't begin with.
'Oh Goddess Hua my love for you is blah blah blah blah!' Or something similar like almost every other man in the pavilion.
Looking at this a young master wearing white robes with purple flames on them. He gripped his hand with veins bulging from if it weren't for the robes covering his arms.
"The sparring matches will begin soon all students please find your teachers and group up with your class!" Shouted a man as all the students that were left went to group up with their class.
"Alchemist Ken thank you for your time I must go now." She says with a small smile, clearly in a better mood. "We're friends now you may refer to me as Ken Hai."
"I see then you may refer to me as Hei Hua." She replied as she walked away leaving me with the other guests.
Soon all the guests, sect lords and elders gathered outside in a courtyard where a gigantic ring was placed.
"I thank you all for coming for another Sect meet. You all should know the rules by now. But for those of you who are new and do not know the rules. I shall explain." Said the headmaster as his voice boomed throughout the entire courtyard everyone could hear him.
"Any disciple can walk in the ring and if another disciple walks in that is grounds as a challenge, the battles can only be one on one. If a disciple has won a battle and no other has stepped in they, may leave the ring or challenge another disciple specifically. However your opponent must be from the same year as you."
"Your also able to challenge disciples from your own class, but do know this meet isn't only for the various sects to scout disciples, but also to show case what you've learned so that our teachers will be using this to evaluate your performance to learn and see what you need to improve on."
[So it's not about gaining favor with the sects but their also raking in account of their students growth. That's oddly nice of them. Though I have a feeling that's just a cover.] Said the system sharing her thoughts, Ken Hai nodded ath er words fully believing what Eva was saying he's scanned the Headmaster he's a scheming and opportunistic bastard.
"Let the battles begin!" said the Headmaster.