The morning lesson at the GuBaiJin sect ended rather quickly, because the head teacher that should have been there to teach spent so much time away from the cla.s.s. One of the things about living the life of a cultivator was the need to keep to time, which was why the lesson had to end so quickly.The three that were punished by Jin Caihe, returned to their seats after standing for some time in front of their teacher to show remorse for their action. On the way back to his seat, Jin Tieguai pondered on what he heard, the junior disciple became conflicted as to whether he should confront his teacher and find out what the conversation was about, but another part of him felt reluctant to ask Jin Caihe.
"Farewell, headteacher Jin!"
The cla.s.s bade Jin Caihe goodbye and one after the other they started packing their books into their bags and the rest of what they brought with them to the morning lesson.
"Farewell, Young master Jin."
Jin Dongbin was greeted by the rest of his cla.s.smates who were starting to file out of the cla.s.sroom to return to their place of lodging. Jin Dongbin gave a slight nod in their direction and returned back to arranging his books and study materials into the bag made of st.u.r.dy dark brown wood by his side.
"Young master Jin, are you coming with us to the Liechi town?"
Jin Dongbin turned to look at Jin Xiangu, his expression not changing the slightest.
"To do what."
When they heard what the young master said, they each looked at one another, as none dared to ask him what he meant.
Jin An gave a cough, as though to tell Jin Dongbin that they were all waiting for his answer.
"Jin Xinze, bring me my bag, I"ll be going to the library to do some studying."
"The library?! Now?!"
They didn"t need to say that, but that was what mainly ran through their minds when Jin Dongbin asked his cla.s.smate to carry is bag for him, as though to tell them that they could go if they wanted to, but Jin Xinze would not be following them.
"Young master Jin, if you don"t mind, I"ll follow you to the library, but there are things that I want to get at Liechi town. Today is when I can get things for cheap at the market. Please let me know if there is anything you would like to get while I"m there...."
"Yes, young master Jin, let us know if you want to get something from Liechi market!"
Jin Xiangu cut into what Jin Xinze was saying, the other youth was in high spirit after being held in cla.s.s for hours which was spent mostly in idle gossip.
"I haven"t finished for I was saying!"
Jin Xinze looked with mock indignation at his friend, while the other shrugged his shoulder, as though to tell him that he didn"t care if he wasn"t happy with what he did to him.
It was there that Jin An bursted into laughter, he looked at the two who were quite similar in the way they spoke to others.
"If I waited for you to say everything you wanted to tell young master Jin, we will be here until nightfall, by then the market would have closed and none of us will get what we wanted to buy from there."
The young master of the GuBaiJin sect turned to look at them, before rising up from where he sat on the ha.s.sock.
"I"ll be in the room after you all get back from Liechi town, I don"t need any of you to get me anything."
"But, young master Jin. We just finished from cla.s.s, don"t you want to leave the sect and look around the town?"
Jin An had his times when he was timid, right now he wanted the young master of the sect to enjoy some sightseeing at the nearby town of Liechi which was under the control of the GuBaiJin sect.
"I"ll go there another time, now I"ll be on my way."
Jin Dongbin got up graceful from his ha.s.sock and gathered the sides of his robes, pus.h.i.+ng them lightly to one side, in a manner that depicted one that had the bearing of a respectable family.
They all watched him get up with Jin Xinze hurriedly shoving his books and writing materials into his own bag, before jumping up after the young master, carrying their bag on separate shoulders.
Jin Tieguai was still lost in thought at what he heard while facing Jin Caihe during the time he was serving his punishment. He didn"t know what to make of the words he overheard.
"Maybe I"m hearing things, surely there is no way that headteacher Jin would be talking to someone, no! What am I even saying, that sounded like a snake! That can"t be! Snakes don"t talk! There is no way that what I heard was a snake! I haven"t been getting enough sleep, that"s why I"m thinking that what I heard was the voice of a snake! As if!"
Jin Tieguai"s face became very pale as he continued to rationalize what he encountered, while staring into s.p.a.ce lost in his own thoughts.
"Alright, let"s go! Young master Jin isn"t going with us to Liechi town!"
Jin An and Jin Xiangu rose from their seat and began packing their study materials into their respective bags. By this time, the cla.s.s was almost empty, none paid attention to Jin Tieguai who sat where he was like a frozen statue.
"Isn"t Jin Tieguai leaving?"
Jin An whispered to Jin Xiangu, while pointed at the cla.s.smate that remained seated with his back to them.
"Leave him be! If he doesn"t want to go, how is that any of our concern?! Just ignore him!"
One cast eyes full of pity towards the bane of the GuBaiJin sect, while the other sent a look full of scorn at him. The two walked out of the cla.s.sroom after giving their headteacher a silent goodbye.
The only ones that were now left in the cla.s.sroom was Jin Caihe and Jin Tieguai, one was looking at the books in front of him, as though studying them. While, the other kept a fixed stare on his face at a particular direction.