He Xiaotong was resentful sometimes. It was how he grew up. Resentful of his fate as a slave, resentful of the kindness he received at the cost of dignity. Revenge was his true God, a small hope that he'll pay it all back.
He first felt true joy when he burnt the slavers.
The thrill he felt scared him.
There was happiness, and then there was the thrill! Watching it all burn and destroyed as Xu Bo was nearly crushed- Before he remembered himself and set to free him. But just for a moment, he felt…sadistic.
He was wrong for that. And he hated that he was like that. But it too was a part of him. People thought he looked down on them when he laughed at their pain, but he simply couldn't help it! It was as much a part of him as his hair.
So he really tried! To forget the feeling. He sometimes did feel like hurting someone. He didn't like hurting people. He was obedient. He was nice. He was much more than just some poor slave now. He was going to be a cultivator! Cultivators weren't and couldn't be sadistic!
So he reminded himself as he had to clean the courtyard. Again. It was supposed to be the chores of the senior disciples, and he was sure of it. He shouldn't consider himself high up enough to tell the hall masters.
He was gonna miss classes if he didn't do this quickly.
He tried to make quick work of it, but getting the mud from between the wooden flooring was a tough task. Waking up at dawn to get ready had not been enough to account for the rising sun, and now it was almost on its way to the morning hours for classes.
As he sweeped, he suddenly felt another passing presence in the courtyard, and turned to see who it was.
His morning suddenly became less dull as he realised who it was; Xu Bo!
"Xu-ge!" He said, cheerfully greeting him. A smile broke into his face, and he couldn't help just beaming at the fact that Xu Bo was on Xueshan. And they had encountered each other!
"A-ah…"Xu Bo turned around with a slightly sheepish and nervous smile. He looked around as if to see if anyone else was in the courtyard.
"Who are you looking for, Xu-ge?" He asked curiously. There was no one in the courtyard except him; there were no guests on the mountain at this time of the year.
"Oh! No one Tong," he said, "I'm just here to deliver a letter to lord Yan."
"Oh…"He Xiaotong felt a little dissapointed. "Then Xu-ge won't stop to talk?"
"No, unfortunately not. Could you point me in the direction of the Xue house?"
It was fine, He Xiaotong reminded himself. Xu Bo was a personal disciple of the sect leader, he had a lot of work to do! Maybe they'll talk later.
"Just continue to the left of the path. Master Yan doesn't prefer being disturbed at this part of the day, though."
"Thanks!"
Xu Bo practically ran so as to deliver the letter.
Maybe he just wants to evade you, a small, insecure part of him whispered. He continued on cleaning. By the time he was done, he had to nearly fly to his classes.
Xu Bo didn't go back on the same path.
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Xu Bo nearly fled from the courtyard, away from He Xiaotong. He couldn't be seen near He Xiaotong, or people might draw the wrong conclusions, he told himself, as he stopped a good distance away.
Yan Qingshan was, out the five sect masters, the one who handled sect meetings, and the intersect relation, yet he was somehow not the most powerful of the five. Not the weakest by far, but not the most powerful.
Master Li had explained this to him on his very first day as her personal disciple; to treat him with more respect than his other martial uncles.
Because Yan Qingshan was also arrogant. He took all insults seriously; say anything that undermines his power, and he will teach you who was the more powerful one.
"It's like a spoilt teen throwing a fit," she told him, chuckling. Xu Bo wholly disagreed. It showed on his face.
To him, it was how one would undermine the rocks on the path they were walking on until the very rocks were the one to spell their demise, as they fell down to their deaths. Like cliffs.
He also saw it as the usual way men from noble families behaved. He doubted Yan Qingshan was from one of those, but it hardly mattered to him. He didn't study under Yan Qingshan.
Also, as he climbed the rocky mountain path, I don't need to know. I just need to give him the letter.
As he approached the Xue house, he had to take half a sichen just to collect himself; just why was his house to high up on the mountain?! How did the man reach his home without flying on his sword?!
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Xu Bo knocked on the door, and then stood a few steps away. The moment the door opened, he began to bow.
"This shizhi greets immortal master-"
"Skip the steps," a voice ordered from the inside, interrupting him. "Leave the letter on the porch. Your work is done. Dismissed."
It was slightly gruff, so he could tell that Yan Qingshan must've just woken up. The whole sect knew that Yan Qingshan was not to be disturbed in the mornings, so he quickly placed the letter down and scrambled back down the mountain.
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Yan Qingshan's room was…slightly messy from his search yesterday.
Oops. He kicked a blanket out of his way as he moved to the nearest visible surface. The original goods did it himself. He would have to do it himself too. The OOC warning that blared with no trigger whatsoever irritated him. The orange screen kept appearing at any time, for no reason, and would blare it's loud sirens for his, and his ears alone!
It was truly an upgrade from the proper version of the system, in both a good way and a bad way.
He read the letter by the candlelight.
And his eyes widened.
Just what was Li Mingzhu on?!
Leaving all the negotiations to one of the lower ranks, even though as the sect master she was obligated to attend at least some of them! It was the worst political decision! At least make them think they matter a little to the sect instead of sending the weakest and the most shady guy?!
He felt horrified. All those meetings, and he'd have to handle them…
Fuck.
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