"You four, we have decided something. You four would be going to the Ma clan. Pick up four more kids with you and make up a team of eight people. Remember that you can choose only one disciple from each of your classes. You can decide on the leader of your group yourself, or can also ask the Academy leaders for advice." Elder Shu told the four disciples about the tour. It turned out that Yang Zhai and the others had to go to the Ma clan.
"Yes, elder," all of the four disciples agreed without any objections.
"Of course, the academy leaders will also be going with you."
When Feng Qi and Qian Fa heard elder Shu say this, they were dumbstruck. They worried about their future. Who knows how many times they would be mocked by the academy leaders?
"Ok," they reluctantly agreed. After all, they could not reject elder Shu; otherwise, it would be considered disrespecting him.
When elder Shu heard this, he smiled evilly, as if his plan had succeeded.
This old foooool! He has done this on purpose: When Feng Qi saw Elder Shu's evil smile, he almost tripped. He could not believe that they had fallen for Shu Ti's scheme.
"We are done for." Feng Qi muttered to himself. His expression was gloomy, and his eyes displayed his tragic future.
"Did you say something?" Elder Shu turned his face toward Feng Qi with closed eyes and asked with a slight smile. He almost looked like an evil spirit.
"No, elder, I did not say anything."
"No, I clearly heard you say something."
"Elder, I am sure I did not say anything, maybe you imagined it."Feng Qi said, and inwardly he was thinking something else: You're doing this on purpose, right?
"Maybe you said that we are done for." Shu Ti said with a questioning mark on his face.
Yeah, he is definitely doing this on purpose: Feng Qi could not believe elder Shu Ti: Just what did I do to him?
"Anyway, hey you, show the guests their rooms and make sure that they don't have problems." Elder Shu ordered a servant who was standing next to the door.
"Yes, elder."
After this, the servant brought the Ma clan people with him to show them to their rooms.
"Listen, you need to be careful when you go to the Ma clan, they will definitely try to make their disciples look superior to you, in many ways. Choose the leader of your group carefully, as the leader will need to guide all of you out of the worst situations. And don't worry, if the situation gets out of control, Yu Ene and Yu Ane will help you. And the Ma clan members will stay here for three days, until then, you can all stay here, in the clan leader's residence to know more about them." Elder Shu instructed the four disciples.
"Yeah, you guys need to be careful, and don't worry, we will be there with you." Elder Ene said with a smile.
When Yu Ene said this, everyone got shivers down their spine.¹ Everyone could feel the strange evilness behind this sentence. He did not even once say that he would help them. But, it felt like he was asking them to be careful of him and Ane.
…..
At nighttime,
"So, tell me, son, did you manage to discover what you needed to?" Elder Jun asked a boy who was sitting in front of him. Right now, they were alone in the room.
"Yes, father, I know the place where our target is present." The boy was his son, Jun Haru.
"That foolish kid Yang Zhai made it even easier for us by asking you for a round around the residence. I can't believe this was going to be that easy." Jun Nie smiled sinisterly.
There was a reason behind elder Jun Nie staying here for three days. Otherwise, their trade had already been done. If they wanted to, they could leave the next morning. And he didn't want to miss such an excellent opportunity that had landed in his hand by itself.
"You are right, father, Yang Zhai sure made it easier for me; otherwise, I don't know what would have happened." Jun Haru smiled, there was a strangeness in his smile that even his father didn't understand.
"What would have happened? Of course, we would have to find the place ourselves then, and we don't need to fret over something that did not even happen." Elder Jun was happy; thus, he did not notice Jun Haru's strangeness in his smile.
"You are right, father, but what should we do next?" Jun Haru asked his father.
"We will act on the plan tomorrow, we should not waste any more time. I will find an opportunity to engage the elders with something, and you will act on the plan according to what we have already decided. And here, take it." Elder Jun Nie's expression turned serious and said to Jun Haru before handing him something.
"Father isn't it what I gave to you after buying it as you had ordered me to do? So, why are you giving it back?" Jun Haru was confused and queried.
"Yeah, because I needed it for you. Here take it, I have already modified it. It can help you if you face danger."
"Thank you, father,"
"But, first, you will need to connect it with your soul with the help of the spirit stone. So that it can sense your soul and help you when you are in danger." Jun Nie instructed.
"Ok," Jun Haru did as his father told him to.
After a while, Jun Haru returned back to his room.
"So, you are already here. I am sorry, you had to wait for me, I was in my father's room." When Jun Haru entered his room, he smiled and said.
The person he spoke to could not be seen because he was wearing a cloak, but Jun Haru recognized the person.
"Don't worry, I just came. So, have you decided?" The person in the cloak spoke.
"We will see it tomorrow. But, don't worry, I won't take the chance and will believe you for now."
Both of them began to discuss something.
…..
The night passed, and the sun was already shining high in the sky.
Everyone, except for Jun Haru and two more disciples of the Ma clan who came yesterday, were standing in a garden that was present in the clan leader's residence. There were two to three gardens in this residence.
This garden had an open area in it, that was free of trees and plants, aside from the grass. This garden was different from yesterday.
"So, who will be coming from your side?" Jun Nie asked.
"As you are sending Yen Hu, a rank 1 cultivator, we have decided to send Yang Zhai, also a rank 1 cultivator." Elder Shu looked at Yang Zhai and said.
It turned out that in the morning, second elder Jun had suggested to elder Shu that they hold a fight between the two disciples from each side.
*****/*****
1-Get shivers down one's spine: used to say that someone feels very thrilled, frightened, etc.