Because this wasn't the first time, the princess carry didn't do as much mental damage as before. Still I was not shameless enough to completely not feel embarrassed.
As we came to a stop I found myself on a mountain top. The atmosphere here was calm with warm sunlight coming from above and a slight cool breeze flowing around. In front of us was a man in blue robes meditating on a completely flat surfaced rock. He had long white hair and a dense white beard.
"How have you been?" the man said as if aware of our presence even though his eyes were closed.
"I have completed your assigned task master." Khora replied.
"And I see you have found a companion for yourself?"
"Yes. He is called Sohl." Khora introduced me with the name she decided herself that I would have.
"Have you given him that name?" the 'Master' accurately guessed her behaviour.
"Yes." said Khora.
"You.. don't think of him as a pet do you?"
"No."
"Then why did you give him the name of your childhood pet?"
"Because that was the first name that came to my mind."
"Well, what I think is you didn't know what a companion was and thought to bring him as pet to bypass the sect restrictions."
"..."
"So I am right."
"Yes."
"HAHA." the Master started laughing. "Elder Darwa must have been astonished by your ignorance when you went to him."
"No, he explained my misunderstanding with a calm attitude." said Khora.
"HAHA. Of course he did. You are my disciple, he won't dare be rude to you."
This back and forth was happening between 'Master' and Khora while I was ignored like a passing wind. The 'Master' seemed to be close to Khora, close enough to accurately guess her thoughts. I wanted to interject between them but I realized that there was no space to. Their conversation was direct and rapid without any pauses between them.
"And what is your name child?" still with closed eyes the 'Master' turned towards me and asked. Realising the question was directed to me I open my mouth to answer but Khora interjects me first.
"As I sai-"
"You shall stay quiet for now disciple." the Master then waved his hand which made Khora disappear from the place. "Now, you can speak freely." he said.
Honestly I was scared. Someone disappeared in front of me into thin air without any prior indication.
"Ah, are you shocked by what I did?" the Master could sense my fear. "Don't worry, I have only isolated ourselves. She is still here just that she can't sense us." he said.
"Oh, ok." I said trying to dismiss the fear and nervousness.
"Now I shall ask you gain, what is your name child"
"They called me Piche back in the village." I respond to his question with my birth of this life.
"My name is Luren Duskfire and I am a protector of this sect. Would you be willing to learn under me?"
"Yes." I agree with no hesitation. A person who could suppress Khora with a flip of his hand was definitely someone worth learning from.
"Then you are my second disciple from now on." he said and then waved his hand the second time which made Khora appear back again. "Now that there are no outsiders present we can talk freely."
Master Luren then turned towards Khora and said "Also you can remove your mask. I only told you to wear that to hide your identity while outside. Now that you are back there is no need to hide your face."
"Oh..." Khora replied with some slight hesitation in her voice.
"You forgot you were wearing a mask didn't you?" Master Luren asked something absurd to Khora. How could someone forget they were wearing a full face mask.
"..." Khora's silence provided me with the answer. She had truly forgotten that she was wearing a mask.
Khora then removed her mask according to Master Luren's request. What appeared was a stunning face which was previously hidden. If it was my previous life she would have become the top model of the world. A man could gaze into that beauty for eternity if he could, such was her elegance.
"You look smitten." suddenly Master Luren commented on my action of staring at her.
"It is just my first time to witness such a gorgeous face." I shook my head to disagree and replied. Although she looked stunning, I wasn't a mad dog who would fall in love with every beautiful woman he would see.
"Don't deny it. She was the top mortal beauty in our sect who was desired by every mortal man in our sect once." Master Luren said as he teased me. What was surprising in that information was not that she was popular but that there were other women who were more beautiful than her.
"Master, you are babbling nonsense again." Khora reprimanded Master Luren's behaviour.
To this he just responded with a smile and said "You still don't know your worth Khora, that is dangerous."
He then stood up and got down from his rock he was meditating on.
"Let me tell you in brief about your current circumstance." he said as he faced towards me with a serious tone and started explaining. "By being my disciple you have now engaged on walking the road of cultivation. This road can lead to various destinations from invincible power to eternal immortality. As Khora has chosen you, what you need to do is help Khora walk the road of cultivation as your first priority."
I was frozen there from the information dump given to me. But before I could process more of it he started speaking again.
"Khora is a rabbit who I personally taught to grow into a demon. These terms might be knew to you but what you need to know is that she is like a daughter to me. And now you will be required to help her grow from henceforth." he said.
He then turned towards Khora and started to speak to her.
"Khora slit your wrists and bring it in front of the boy's face."
To this she replied by cutting her left hand using her sharp nails of her right hand. She then brought the bleeding wrist in front of my face.
"Lick her wrist." He then said to me.
"What?" I said, still confused. Master Luren's demeanor completely changed in a moment. At first he was easy going then he acted like a doting father and now he was making demands like a devil.
"Lick her wrist." he repeated the same command.
"Ok." realising there was no other choice I licked her bleeding wrist.