The next morning, Ibnor is standing in front of an arch gate. It looks like a Paifang or a Torii. The place itself looks like a garden but it is actually the entrance to the Sacred Sanctuary. As he walks to approach the arch gate, he is being stopped by the guards.
"This is a prohibited area, only visitors with a pass can enter," said one of the guards.
"Yes, I have a pass," replied Ibnor.
"Remember to register at the terminal near the gate first. If you fail to do so, once you enter, you will be identified as an intruder and your safety will be at risk," remind the guard.
"Will do, thanks for the reminder," said Ibnor, smiling to the guard.
The gate mentioned by the guards is actually the huge arch gate. On the left side of the gate, there is a small terminal. Ibnor connects his smart device to the terminal.
[Registering device. Verifying code. Code confirmed. Name, Ibnor Ezad. Welcome to the sanctuary.]
A layer of ripples can be seen on the gate's surface. Ibnor keeps his smart device and walks into the ripples. Passing the gate, he found himself in a new area.
"It is amazing no matter how many times I see it. It's like Doraemon's Dokodemo Door," he chuckled.
In front of him now is a bamboo path. He walks along it, up the stairs and eventually reaches a cliff. In front of him, down the cliff is a beautiful huge forest. Mountains sitting on the horizon and few waterfalls can be seen everywhere, adding to the scenery. One waterfall in particular stood out in the heart of the forest, forming a huge crystal clear lake and from the lake, rivers flow throughout the forest.
He continued walking, lost in the beautiful scenery until he arrived at a residential area at the edge of the forest. This is where Pyrion's famous figures and war heroes reside. Occasionally, their descendants and family members will visit them for various reasons. Some will ask for a pointer in cultivations, others for wisdom and the rest for familial affections.
He keeps walking and finally he reaches a villa. It is the High Guardian's residence. Unlike the rest who lived here, the High Guardian did not have any family members so he almost never had any visitors. The High Guardian's name is Hayato Wilson and most of the residents here call him Old Man Hayato.
Looking at the villa, memories start to flood Ibnor's mind, making him feel nostalgic. He just stands and stares into space while reminiscing about the past. This place has a lot of memories of him and Old Man Hayato. Unknowingly, he sat on a nearby chair and let himself lose in his thoughts.
He remembers how he first met Old Man Hayato, how he guided him in his cultivation, the times when he went to his final battles, how he infused his own Mana to boost his cultivation and his dying moment. Ibnor only comes to his senses when his tears drop. As if embarrassed, he quickly wipes his tears and looks around to check if anyone's watching.
"What the fu..!!"
CRASH!!
Ibnor is so surprised that he fell down from the chair. When he was looking around to see if anyone was watching him cry, to his surprise there was an old man sitting near him watching him amusedly. It is Old Man Hayato with his trademark smirk.
"What are you doing there?" Ibnor asked, blaming Old Man Hayato for being there suddenly.
His mind is in chaos, that he spoke with such familiarity with Old Man Hayato. Old Man Hayato is taken aback.
"What the hell do you mean with what I'M doing here? This is my damn house! What the hell are YOU doing here?" Old Man Hayato retorted back.
Ibnor is flabbergasted but happy to see Old Man Hayato at the same time.
"There is no need to yell. I was going to tell you what I'm here for, but your yelling made me forget it," said Ibnor.
He knew Old Man Hayato too well. He needs to set up a bait for him to get what he wants. Those who didn't know Old Man Hayato well enough will be extremely polite and humble to this old man since he was a figure with extraordinary status but Old Man Hayato is somewhat eccentric. He dislikes formalities and protocols. He is actually an unbridled laid back type of person.
"How is it my fault? You young people nowadays have poor memories. I wonder what your parents feed you," snorted Old Man Hayato.
"Who said I have poor memories? My memories are so good I bet it's better than yours," said Ibnor, provoking.
"The fuck? Kid, I have lived longer than you and I've seen a lot of things. The knowledge I've accumulated is far more than you could have imagined and I have never forgotten any of them. Do you even know who I am?" said Old Man Hayato.
"Hah, I bet they are just information and tips about cultivations. Apart from that, you don't know anything else," said Ibnor, setting up the line.
"Oho, is that a challenge?" said Old Man Hayato. There is a gleam in his eyes.
"I know I'm no match for you in regards to cultivations. How about something else?" said Ibnor.
"What do you propose then? Give me your best shot, I'll take on anything," said Old Man Hayato.
"Anything?" asked Ibnor.
"Anything!" Old Man Hayato said confidently.
"What about riddles?" Ibnor smiled.
"Riddles? Ha ha ha...," Old Man Hayato laughs. "But what if you lose?"
"If it so happens that I lose, it will prove to me that I'm indeed wrong, that you are indeed the most knowledgeable man," said Ibnor.
"That won't do," Old Man Hayato shakes his head. "If you lose, you will tend to me for a year and every three days, we will have a match on something of my choosing."
"But what if I win?" asked Ibnor.
"If you win, I will grant you one request," Old Man Hayato answered confidently.
"Fine. Elder starts first," said Ibnor.
"At least you have a little manner, kid." Old Man Hayato didn't forget to take a jab at him. "First riddle. What are two things you can't have for breakfast?"
"That would be lunch and dinner." Ibnor answered quickly. Old Man Hayato didn't expect him to answer it as easily and as fast. "My turn, what gets wetter the more it dries?"
"Hah, I thought it would be challenging. The answer is towel," said Old Man Hayato. "Second riddle, when you don't know what it is, it is something but when you know what it is, it is nothing." Ibnor frowned his brow. He feels like he knows the answer but he doesn't know what it is. Old Man Hayato smiles on the side but his smile doesn't last long when he sees Ibnor lift the corner of his mouth.
"Got it! The answer is a riddle. When I don't know the answer, it is a riddle but when I already know what the answer is, it's no longer a riddle. It is nothing. Almost got me there," Ibnor smiled.
"My turn. There is a thing, the maker doesn't need it, the buyer doesn't really want it, but the user won't be aware of using it. What is that thing?"
Old Man Hayato went silent. During his thinking process, sometimes he frowns and sometimes he smiles. He is clearly enjoying the riddles as he found it challenging. Time continues to pass by as Ibnor sits quietly waiting for Old Man Hayato to figure out his riddles. Suddenly, Old Man Hayato snapped his fingers.
"I found it! The answer is coffin! The maker doesn't need it, the buyer doesn't really want it but the user is a corpse. Corpse won't be aware of using the coffin. Damn, your riddle is dark," said Old Man Hayato. "Last riddle. The first is a sign of good things, the second says where to go, the third is vulgar and mean, the fourth is bound by a ring, the fifth is a noble one and together they drum. What are they?"
"There are five things, and each of them has their own functions. How to relate between a good and a vulgar, bounded and noble? What's with telling where to go? There has to be some sort of key point. Together they drum? A set? What is a set of five with different usage?" He starts to list things in his mind but they are all mixed up. He took a deep breath. Sorting his thoughts, he counted them with his hand.
"First, a sign of good...," he hadn't finished his sentence when the answer struck him. He looks at his hand while still in the motion of counting. He smiled. Handing out his hand, he turned to Old Man Hayato.
"Here they are. Hands, or to be more precise, my fingers. Sticking his thumb up, he said "First is a sign of good things.
"The second says where to go," he said, pointing his finger in a random direction. Then he sticks up his middle finger.
"Third is vulgar and mean." Next he shows his ring finger.
"Fourth is bound by a ring". Lastly, he shows his pinky and says "Fifth is a noble one. Pinky finger indicates wealth as nobles wear rings on their pinkie. Do I get them correct?"
"Not bad, kid. Your turn now. Let's see how this ends," said Old Man Hayato.
"What is the beginning of eternity, the end of time and space, the beginning of every end and the end of every race?"
Time passes again as Old Man Hayato rakes his brain to figure out the answer. Ibnor only smiled while waiting patiently. After an hour, Old Man Hayato finally gave up.
"Dammit. What's the answer?" asked Old Man Hayato.
"The letter E" Ibnor answered, grinning.
"You sly little fox. Why do it feel like I just fell into your trap? Fine, I won't go back on my word. What is it that you want?" said Old Man Hayato.
"I wish to take you as my Master," said Ibnor.
"So, this is your true intention huh? Fine, maybe it has been preordained by fate. Take it as a reward for presenting me with a somewhat good challenge," said Old Man Hayato.
Ibnor is clearly excited. He got what he wanted and this will improve his chances to pass Avalon Academy's entrance test.