Shen Gui's suspicion turned against Fuxiao. He was skeptical of Fuxiao's late revelation regarding the statue.
If he knew something about it, why did he keep his mouth shut? Don't tell me he also saw me getting
As they left their places, distracted by the unknown tension that they accidentally bumped into someone. Fuxiao swiftly gripped on them without another thought, shifting their position in order to stabilize their body. The person was surprisingly light as a feather, Fuxiao doesn't even need to use his muscles just to carry their weight unlike Shen Gui's elephant weight. His hands were supporting their shoulders, bones were sticking out through the clothes, poking on his palms.
His hands are too precious to touch something malnourished!!
The sun rose up, casting golden rays on the earth, illuminating the vibrant hues of the nature. The person's skin is a pearl, the hues of his veins were painting his skin in thin strokes. It was clear that this person's a man, but his facial features were too soft that he was unrecognizable as one. A fine low-priced linen adorned his body with shade that blends in with the commoners.
People said that civilians with financial stability could purchase a headpeice and a hairpin even if it's the cheapest one yet. Say, this man was not suffering in poverty but was walking in money, but he looked awfully malnourished. Like he hadn't eaten for years though maintaining youthful face.
Such an imbalanced body.
Just as Fuxiao helped him up, the man's hair tickled his nose as he was brought to a halt. Why is this man overflowing with spiritual scent?
The bubbling hue changing aura around the man's entirety is a Spiritual Scent.
Spiritual scent arises from the core foundation within the soul, a product of earnest cultivation. Just like a glowing ember in one's heart, growing brighter and stronger through careful nurture. Fabricating a core is the third process of cultivating, it is one of the most time consuming stage the reason of their early age cultivation.
Diligent cultivators would likely stick themselves during this stage, hoping to create the primordial core. With the help of the primordial core, the cultivators' upcoming stages would become much easier and sustainable, yet most cultivators would remain on the followed stages.
When a core is mending, the cultivator's proficiency in different arts and the resilience of their qi are dependent upon the strength of the core. Though it's gained through intense trainings and qi cultivation, cultivators might even mistake it as the denouement of the second stage. The core is also one of the biggest factor that'll affect the last stage of cultivation.
This person must be a cultivator, but seeing this feeble body shouldn't be considered as one. Yet the overflowing aura screams that this man's a cultivator.
Spiritual scent can make a monster go feral, take it how water is the withered plant's hope to prolong their existence yet melded with some madness. Monsters that were influenced through demonic surroundings tend to cultivate intense exertion in order to gain more stability with their own body, an ounce of positive aura is enough to drive them nuts. They said that monsters absorb qi and spiritual energy which makes them advance and climb to the highest forms of existence.
Fuxiao's doubt rose up as he shot another look of the man head-to-toe. This man's face is like a polished porcelain doll with a stick body that the sculptor left unfinished. Normal cultivators have juvenile bodies despite their matured faces, it's like the polar opposite of this man.
Maybe this is a disguise under some kind of incantation, or it's just his true identity. Fuxiao's face started to gouge out into a horror-looking visage that scares off dozens of children passing by.
The man was polite and gave them a welcoming smile, "Are you perhaps foreigners in this land? It's an honor to have guests in our town without the look of dread in their faces," his voice was filled with enthusiasm, freeing Shen Gui's frivolity from its cage.
Shen Gui smiled brightly, patting the man's shoulder casually. His hand brushed the man's back, feeling the aura through his grasp. What an aura. He dramatically paused, waiting for the spotlight to land on him as he began, "Hahah~ friend, we seemed to have lost our way on the forest and saw this town, so we decided to have a little trek."
The man's voice was trembling, quite embarrassed by his sunny attitude. He had never been this close to someone other than his family, not to mention this behaviour too. Shen Gui's grip caused the man tensed and taunted, the man replied with a cracked smile, "A-ah, I am the assistant of this town's head and-"
"Oh really?!! Guide us to your town then!!" Shen Gui interrupted him and pulled him out of the streets. Fuxiao hadn't even said anything before their figures disappeared from his eyesight, they left him faster than his emotions.
He stood there in a long pause before he inhaled deep air and exhaled in a loud voice, "YOU LITTLE-"
Shen Gui felt an itch on his ear, someone's must be mentioning his name, but who cares? He kept wrapped his arm around the man's shoulder like a comrade to a comrade. "What's your name?"
The man seemed a bit annoyed by Shen Gui's irony, puffing quietly as he spoke, "Well, Li Jinzian-"
"Jinzian, Jinzian, Jinzian. Ahahahah!! I'm Shen Gui. You have a nice name, by the way~"
Right at that time, Jinzian wanted to slice off his ears and feed it to the dogs. Hearing Shen Gui's sarcastic enthusiasm is driving him wildly even if they had just recently met. But he stuck to courtesy and righteousness, forcing himself to get along with this man.
While Shen Gui kept his arms around Jinzian, he felt like he had forgotten something, but was distracted by this man's delicate body. If Jinzian existed in his world, he would be called as what they classify a "twink". His gaze was peeling out Jinzian's clothes, making him somewhat more pertubed.
Throughout his life, he felt too bulky or fat in his size which dejected his view of himself. He wasn't bullied nor was he a trouble, it's just out of his nature. The envious laboured hands that came from the dirt wanted itself to churn with the dough.
Shen Gui sighed.
***
Fuxiao strolled on the streets mindlessly, observing the folks' manners. Once town filled with eerie silence, now filled with bustling and busy people. Voices collided with their steps, just like a normal human being: laughing, crying, playing, fighting, loving and hating.
The ground was built in red bricks, but it was dirtying Fuxiao's feet. Along his way, a piece of vibrant colored flat object started to fly in front of him. Its corners were wrapped around with the cloth used for the piece, the center of the design drew an image of a panda. An strange object with a thin sting attached on it, he moved himself closer to it, head tilting on his side.
Morning breeze started to swept past the whole town in a gentle dance, drifting light objects along with it. The frame of the piece started to drift along the wind, withdrawing Fuxiao in a few steps. He held up his hand and prepared a hand seal, his eyes closing from the dust carried by the gale.
As soon as he opened them, a floating sheer, white thread draws his curiosity in. Like a cat playing with the feather teaser. Fuxiao's eyes glittered thousands of stars as the thread kept tugging the kite higher and higher, to the point it'll reach up to the heavens. It was floating!!
Fuxiao's eyes widened, his eyebrows knitted into one. Such marvelous ability for an object to float!
Kids started to laugh and pulled the string attached to it higher until it reaches up to the heavens. The kite started to reflect in his eyes like the moon above the midnight sea.
So...
Beautiful...
Atleast that's what he thought before snapping out of trance to do what he must do. His face was getting hotter each passing seconds, breaths turning into scorching pants even if he tries to calm himself.
Fuxiao raised his hand and rubbed it on his face, the dampness of his palm grazed his wheat skin, calmly. Sometimes, out of nowhere, whenever he sees what humans do aside from commiting evil things, a weird heated sensation would momentarily spread all over his body, making him feeble and weak on his knees. It's not a curse that would give him instant fever from experienced happiness, but a weird reaction from his body.
Though, keeping a head straight priority of his own vital part from his like is probably the right thing than interacting with needless relationships with the others. So none of his worries would come doubt his breath again.
When Jinzian finally took off Shen Gui's arm off of him, he breathed out a relieved sigh, patting his chest in his great accomplishment.
It was a moment of silent tranquility besides the town. Turns out, there was this so called "holy terrace", that seems more like a park. Though it looks nothing like celestial, the optimistic atmosphere that from the folks gave the true definition of the name given.
In the center of the park, erected a mouldering cobblestone pavilion. It was like a tourist spot, only that the folks were the ones inhabitanting it. Shen Gui marked how underneath grasses were growing through the little spaces from the red bricks on the ground, and how it created a stairway towards the pavilion.
"Ok. So why do you all have the same house designs-I mean, house structures? Are you running out of ideas to produce another design? I can be it, but if this is one of ya'lls tradition, I ain't harming it, m'right?" Shen Gui's sudden question startled Jinzian once again. And what's with that informal speech? It has been more than an incense burned since Shen Gui peppered him with restless questions.
Rather, he hoped this would be the last one.
"Great question," he lied.
"So?"
"We don't want our folks to feel inferior by the boundaries set between us and their personal lives, so we decided to give them free built houses with preferable sizes."
Shen Gui was about to mess with this young fella before he the resolute answer left him choking on his own words. His eyelids dropped low, brow cocked up and a wretched gaping mouth. Everything was reloading in Shen Gui's mind until he finally understood it. Who wants similar houses with others?!? Won't they confuse each others doorsteps??
What, the, hell?
Shen Gui catches up to him and yanked his clothes repeatedly, making some unusual noises. People watched them with weird gazes as Jinzian somehow noticed his mouth forming words, but he cuts him off, leaving no room for further questions, "That, is what's written on the manual for beginners governors. The leader have to follow it in order to gain greater potential."
A bulge began to swell on Shen Gui's temples, his steps gradually turning into stomps taking this concept of li-te-ral stupidity, "Have you ever heard of the word 'conscience'?" He kept his voice low, trying not to draw negativity from the folks' gazes. They were drawing a lot of attention from either Jinzian, or Shen Gui's face.
Jinzian kept his head high, but he knew well that his dignity was slowly decreasing. Talking with the walking fatuity is just giving him a mild headache!
While they continued to walk, an awkward silence dangled in their atmosphere. Noticing the popularity they have gained from Shen Gui's face, it was giving too much negativity that Jinzian have to take the advantage of Shen Gui's perplexity to pull him on a short cut he could possibly find.
When Shen Gui finally registered something on his mind after a long moment, would he have realized that they were now walking through the alleyways. So this town is that big to be considered as a capital?
He opened his mouth again, "What if you just... Erm... Not follow the manual? Or protocols? Like, is it really necessary to obligate it to become-wait you want to become a government?"
The sudden shift of the subject caught Jinzian off guard, delaying for a moment 'till he let out a soft chuckle of vanity, "I can't have a say on that, this matter shouldn't be casually negotiated publicly."
The time Jinzian went completely silent, Shen Gui sighed and shook his head in great disapproval. What a shriveled up ballsack is this economy they're living in? Thought this was a child's play, turns out it's more than what meets the eyes.
Shen Gui rolled his eyes to the back of his head, letting out an exaggerated sigh. He knew that it would cringe him once he remembers this moment, but he wants to reason it with this garbage tactic. Once his enthusiasm was dripped with pessimism, his mood would have a big turn,
Jinzian pulled him enough to stop at someone's manor with two guards dresses in a more protective gear. Hands clutching tightly on their spear's shafts, this is a great example of solid protection, unless if they're good in martial arts. A sign with big characters was hanged above, indicating the government's manor as it obviously is.
The columns that divided the two guards were carved in flowers and partially wavy sculpts to add more depth on it, all for a goverment's manor. Shen Gui doesn't want to be a bit too nosy, else he might even be rebelled against the entire world for "transmigrating" into this world. But seriously, is this world against foreigners? Or it's screaming racism?
By the time Jinzian's authority captured their senses, they unhurriedly opened the door for him. Jinzian then toured him around as if Shen Gui's the government visitor that should be paid respect for. It's peculiar how he let a random guest visit their manor. Shen Gui's a dude that looks literally like a lost child somewhere, yet Jinzian openly tagged him along the whole little your.
They walked pass through each quarters, showcasing Shen Gui the whole interiority of the manor. Each one of them were intricated carefully enough to distinguish them from one another. A decent idea for once. The floor was made with zitan wood, making it sturdy that could hold up Atlas' weight. It was also a bit too polished to step on, giving him hesitant feels as he steps in with his dirty shoes.
Oh yeah right, about that statue. He raised his gaze towards Jinzian's figure, considering his question for the sake of avoiding any butterfly effects. And oh, the fact that any questions are considerable even in this world, it would cause a great impact in their entire lives if they don't contemplate over it-just like the function of a butterfly effect. Shen Gui pondered about it before he noticed something about Jinzian.
Oh flippity flop! Don't tell me he fell in love with me already?!? He gasped, bringing up his hand to cover his mouth like a shocked school girl for dramatic effects.
They arrived at an office with several guards guiding outside, as if a rare gemstone was hidden inside. With Jinzian's lofty profile, the guards gave them an easy access inside. Shen Gui doesn't even want to be locked in with someone so awkward, his fantasies earlier turning into a toxic of complaints.
"Ahh, there you are. You brought a guest, supposed to say?" A crinkly, deep voice echoed throughout the entire room. Sounding like he needed some fresh water or warm tea to help wet the dryness of his throat.
Shen Gui's eyes scanned the room. It was spacious inside, with walls and the floor as thick layers of bricks and the corners supported with a long metal. Is that galvanized metal?
Across them, a fine, crafted table with stacking papers and old scrolls scattered atop appeared a bearded man holding up a paper on his right hand, and a brush on his left hand- messy leader. Although, if Shen Gui was to judge, this man is no doubt, a good-looking man. The beard that spread from his ears to his upper lip and lower chin, matched the theme of his office, as does his face.
Meh, who knows. Shen Gui's not an expert.
Earlier, Shen Gui overheard some gossips of the women regarding their leader's looks. There's no wonder they thought he is a fifty years old man and how kids gives him an expression of their grandpa, was clearly because of that beard, and the way he dresses too.
Though he's not that nosy to the point he'll stick his nose to other's businesses, but it seems that he's craving for some drama. He was about to pounce on Jinzian for some information, yet the leader called him over, leaving Shen Gui idling there awkwardly.
He froze as the biggest thought came over him. What the hell is he doing in there? Wasn't it supposed to be a tour? Is this one of those cliché story plots where the main character improves by taking on unnecessary side quests?
Whatever this shit is, this is obviously abducting to solve your problems and bullshit!! How the hell did I get here?!?
A familiar voice came behind him, with bit cockiness and mockery filling his voice, "So nosy in one's business, hmm?" Fuxiao crossed his arms and furrowed his brows. "I should have left in the woods if I had known you would leave me behind."
"I know you know. Besides, you betrayed me,"
Shen Gui's words may have confused him, but Fuxiao felt extremely annoyed by the way he acted like a maiden and he had to be the matured over them. In fact, they are both honestly childish. They're just blinded by their egoitism. Shen Gui began to mimick Fuxiao's behaviour in order to annoy the other further.
And, it did successfully work.
Fuxiao's lips drew into a thin line, dropping his arms on his side to flare him up with an intense glare, "Tch, you never asked me, yet blamed me for your own recklessness? Humph! Don't even try to bribe me to your madness, petty man," his voice was threatening, and it draws a thick line of annoyance laced with amusement on Shen Gui's view.
He let out a snobby "hmph" as he spoke, "Heh, victim blaming is a crime prone to humanity. And it shall be banished away through the realms of the evil doers!! You, Fuxiao, shall not blame your friend for thou hasn't done anything besides-"
Fuxiao had to cover his ears by this awful speech especially from this idiot, "You're not funny,"
"Ohh~~ the mighty dragon has something to say~ let's hear it~"
"You are doing nothing but provoking me, Shen-"
Shen Gui pinched his nose to humble him down, "Yeah, yeah. Keep talking until you're out of saliva."
Fuxiao gasped lightly, squirming under Shen Gui's fingers as he sighed in defeat. "Let me go!! It hurts, you little, urgh!!"
The other smiled maliciously, pinching his nose hard enough from escaping, "That's right. Squirm my name, I wouldn't dare to let you go, Xiao di. But if I will, you should run as fast as you can before I catch you back in my hands!!"
"Ha! Shame on you, I could do it too!" His eyes flashed with determination to torture Shen Gui back. Specially those revolting expressions he makes in different kinds of situations, it was giving him the urge to straightforwardly choke this man. Everything about Shen Gui burns his fascinating world. He raised his hand and pinched Shen Gui's cheek roughly, Fuxiao's free hand attacked him with weak blows.
What is this? Trying to hit two stones on a bird? It was stupid, he knew. But atleast he tried.
Jinzian helped the leader sit on the table, walking towards their direction firmly in order to teach them the proper courtesy given to this room.
"Apologies for the interruption, but this is the head's Office, please maintain your courtesy." His voice was filled with authority and dignity, splitting the two from each other's arms and their little commotion. Their voices died down as well as their heads, fiddling with each other's fingers in deep humbleness.
Shen Gui wasn't going to let this go and took a good look of the head, but he was mesmerized by the exquisite beauty through the beard he attained. Swearing that he should mock this man, this man . Looking back at how leaders were portrayed through the arts, this person isn't as half as bad as them. His stamina was clearly low let alone physical strength, this man is in desperate need of cane. He doesn't look too old though, might just consider as one because of his current state. But if he were to form himself like a bodybuilder, people wouldn't hesitate to throw themselves at him.
The airy whiff of the leader's scent itches their noses, giving them harder time to recover from their madness. Although, he was wearing an official's clothes without the head cap, he would still be recognized as the leader unlike Jinzian. through Shen Gui's lenses, a goose is wearing a swan's feathers. If Jinzian was compared to the leader, he would pass the exam by his looks.
The leader noticed their obedience, he caught this opportunity to speak, "Seems like you finally had a travelling companion. Maybe the gods have answered my calls, Fuxiao?"
Jinzian and Shen Gui froze on spot. So they have known each other?!!??
________________________________________
*Little break (≡^∇^≡)*
Author: I don't like the thought of putting chapters on this thing, it's kind of like pathetic.
SG: Damn, is the only vulgar word written in your vocabulary "pathetic"?
FX: I doubt that, I think this author doesn't even have vocabulary.