Ming Ling stood at attention, his silvery-white robes catching the light from the grand windows that filled the principal's office with a warm glow. His eyes, sharp and youthful, bore into the principal with a mixture of disbelief and confusion. His face, though youthful and full of vitality, carried a slight frown as he absorbed the order he had just been given. The aura around him buzzed with barely restrained energy, a clear sign that despite his appearance of someone in his late twenties, his cultivation level was formidable.
"Depart immediately, Ming Ling," the principal had said. "We have located the Sun Rank."
Ming Ling's heart raced at the words. The Sun Rank, the rarest and most coveted spiritual rank, had been found. His mind was reeling, trying to process the weight of the information. He could hardly believe what he was hearing.
"The Sun Rank?" Ming Ling repeated, incredulous. He took a step forward, eyes widening. "Are you saying the Sun Rank has been found?"
The principal, a man of wisdom and calm composure, nodded solemnly. His hands, still resting on the desk from his earlier outburst, were steady, but there was a glimmer of uncertainty in his gaze. He did not want to get Ming Ling's hopes up too quickly, but the evidence was compelling.
"Yes, Ming Ling. The Sun Rank has been located in a village. The butterfly's message was clear." He paused, as though the next words weighed heavy on his tongue. "The village is named Wu Lin."
For a moment, Ming Ling stood frozen. The name of the village seemed to strike him with even more disbelief than the mention of the Sun Rank. "Wu Lin?" he echoed, his voice low and doubtful. "You can't be serious, Principal."
The principal, accustomed to Ming Ling's fiery temper and outbursts, remained calm. He lifted his chin slightly and continued, his voice unwavering, "Indeed, Wu Lin. It is a small, secluded place, far from the spiritual centers of our land. I know its history, and I understand your disbelief, but I assure you, the information is accurate."
Ming Ling's face twisted with disbelief, and he let out a bitter laugh. "Wu Lin?" he repeated again, shaking his head in frustration. "That village hasn't produced a spiritual master in over a century! How could a Sun Rank—one of the rarest of them all—emerge from a place with no spiritual heritage? It's absurd!"
His words were filled with incredulity, and his fists clenched at his sides. The idea that such an insignificant village could birth something as extraordinary as a Sun-ranked individual was beyond his comprehension.
The principal remained steady, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in Ming Ling's frustration. "I understand your skepticism, but you must not let pride cloud your judgment. Sometimes, greatness emerges from the most unlikely of places."
Ming Ling huffed and looked away, pacing back and forth in the room, his mind racing with conflicting emotions. "No," he muttered under his breath. "This must be some mistake. The information must be wrong." He turned sharply to face the principal again. "There's no way someone from Wu Lin could possess the Sun Rank. It's a dead village!"
The principal sighed softly, his eyes filled with patience. "I had my doubts as well, Ming Ling, but the message was clear. The only way to confirm this is for you to go and see it for yourself."
Ming Ling's jaw tightened, his eyes blazing with defiance. He couldn't accept it. The Sun Rank was something legendary, and for it to surface in a place as insignificant as Wu Lin felt like an insult to everything he had learned in the academy. His pride, his sense of superiority over those who came from smaller, less spiritual places, clashed violently with the reality in front of him.
Yet, deep down, he knew the principal was right. There was no other way to know for sure unless he went there himself. He would have to see it with his own eyes. His stubborn nature, however, kept him from giving in so easily.
"Fine," he said through gritted teeth, his voice low and controlled. "I will go. But I still don't believe it. I'll confirm it with my own eyes."
The principal nodded, relief flickering in his eyes. He knew Ming Ling's pride was wounded, but he also knew the man was diligent and would follow through. "Very well," the principal said. "I will make preparations for your departure—"
"No," Ming Ling interrupted sharply, raising a hand. "No preparations. Not yet. I won't leave with any ceremony or fanfare until I confirm it myself. If this information turns out to be false, I don't want to waste time."
The principal leaned back in his chair, watching the determination on Ming Ling's face. He knew better than to argue. Ming Ling was a man who operated on his own terms. "As you wish," the principal said calmly, though he couldn't hide the slight disappointment in his voice. "But do not delay once you confirm the truth."
Ming Ling nodded, his expression hardening as he turned toward the door. His robes swished softly as he made his way out of the principal's office, his back stiff with unresolved tension. He paused for a brief moment at the threshold, casting a long, thoughtful glance back at the principal.
"You better hope this isn't a mistake," Ming Ling said, his voice cold and detached. His red eyes glimmered with intensity as he stared at the older man. "For both our sakes."
Without waiting for a response, Ming Ling pulled the door shut behind him, the sound of the closing door echoing through the room.
As the door closed, the principal sat back down in his chair, his hands now resting lightly on the arms of his seat. His gaze lingered on the door for a long moment, and a heavy sigh escaped his lips. He could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on him, and despite his calm exterior, a flicker of doubt gnawed at him from within.
"I really hope the information isn't fake," he murmured to himself, his voice barely audible in the stillness of the room.
He turned his gaze toward the window, where the last of the sunlight bathed the academy grounds in a golden glow. Outside, the students of the academy were finishing their daily training, their laughter and chatter filling the air with a sense of normalcy that contrasted sharply with the storm brewing beneath the surface.
The principal ran a hand through his hair, feeling the tension settle in his shoulders. He was a man of great wisdom, but even he could not predict what awaited them in Wu Lin. Whether the Sun Rank had truly emerged from such an unlikely place, or whether the message was a cruel twist of fate, only time would tell.