"Someone, go fetch head teacher Jin!"Jin Rumin roared at the disciples, watching as they scurried out of the hall to do what he had commanded them. The disciples began to converse among themselves.
"Sect leader Jin is in such a bad mood!"
"Hus.h.!.+ Lower your voice! You don"t want anyone hearing that you are speaking ill of Sect Leader Jin."
"Is it really true that the pugilistic world is being invaded by those from the demon realm?!"
"That"s what the letter says, but it isn"t certain that we are under attack from demons."
"Sect leader Jin didn"t even bat an eye when we mentioned Jin Tieguai. In the past, he would have thrown a fit when anyone mentioned the name of that good-for-nothing!"
"It is obvious that the news about demon invasion and marriage proposal from the fox clan must have shaken Sect Leader Jin."
"That makes a lot of sense."
The disciple that spoke last nodded his head in agreement to what the other disciple said regarding their sect leader being in a state of shock regarding the news from the ShenJiangs.h.i.+ sect and the fox clan.
"By the way, what is Jin Tieguai doing in head teacher Jin"s room?!"
"He is possibly there to cause trouble, what else?!"
"I pity head teacher Jin, having to put up with Jin Tieguai! Why doesn"t sect leader send him away?"
"Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! Why are you talking as if you cannot see what is happening around you?!"
"What is it?! Tell me!"
The disciple shook his head when he saw how much of a dimwit his sect brother was, in the matters of the GuBaiJin sect.
"It doesn"t matter what Jin Tieguai does, he could never do any wrong in the eyes of sect leader."
"Hmm...how so?!"
"Have you no eyes?! If anyone had done half! No...not half, but a quarter of what he has done. Do you think that the disciple would still remain here?!"
"You"re exaggerating. Sect leader is only kind towards everyone regardless of if they are good or bad."
"I tell you! They almost resemble each other!"
"You have started with your crazy talk again! There is no way Jin Tieguai is sect leader"s son, just because he looks a bit like him does not make him the young master of the GuBaiJin sect! We already have one, are you trying to accuse sect leader Jin of infidelity?!"
"What are the two of you saying?! Stop your nonsense!"
"If young master Jin heard the both of you, just be prepared to have your tongues torn off from your mouths!"
"Utter nonsense! Humph!"
"Haven"t you seen the way he holds his sword?! It is just like the way sect leader holds his too!"
"So what! You are trying to imply that anyone that holds their sword like sect leader is his child?!"
"That was not what I was trying to say."
"Then what are you getting at?!"
"It isn"t just the way he holds his sword, but also the air around the two of them, don"t you think it feels almost the same?!"
"I feel sorry for head teacher Jin."
"Why are feeling sorry for him?! Isn"t it the duty of everyone from the GuBaiJin sect to do everything to bring glory to the sect?!"
"That may be true, but are they not asking for too much?! Head teacher Jin is a distinguished cultivator! He shouldn"t be handed over to the likes of the fox clan!"
"At least someone is saying something sensible! Weren"t they the ones that turned their nose towards cultivators and now they are asking sect leader to give them the best disciple! It is like going to the market and asking the shop keeper for the hen that lays the golden egg!"
"Head teacher Jin is so pitiful!"
"What are you saying?! He should count himself lucky to be married into such a well-known clan. Forming ties with the fox clan would strengthen the GuBaiJin sect and make us untouchable by any of the other sects!"
"See this one! You are only thinking about gaining more power! Don"t you know that once he marries into the fox clan, he would never step foot into the GuBaiJin sect?! Do you even know what that means?! It is like being buried alive!"
"You are taking things to the extreme, there is no way that head teacher Jin will not be allowed through the doors of the sect."
"At least he would be free from that Jin Tieguai, who is always distrupting the cla.s.s and causing trouble."
"I can"t seem to get rid of the feeling that they look to much alike, I mean sect leader and Jin Tieguai."
"It is not our place....."
The word of the disciple was cut short when he saw that the young master of the GuBaiJin sect was almost upon them. They were so engrossed by the discussion regarding whether Jin Tieguai was related to the sect leader, that neither noticed Jin Dongbin until it was almost too late.
"Y..Young...master..Jin!"
The disciples stammered as they greeted the young master of the GuBaiJin sect who was closely followed by some of his cla.s.smates. They were all startled by his presence not knowing if he had heard their discussion regarding his father and the troublemaker of the sect. There was no trace of emotion on the face of Jin Dongbin, whose cla.s.smates that stood behind him, began casting nervous looks in his direction.
"Don"t let me keep you from getting to where you need to be, father must be waiting impatiently for head teacher to be brought to him."
"Yes, young master Jin. We will be on our way!"
It was awkward situation, as the disciples hurriedly left in shame, after being discovered by their young master.
The face of Jin Dongbin darkened after the disciples left his presence. He heard snippets of their conversation along with the people that were with him.
"Young master Jin, you must not take what you heard to heart."
"Jin An!"
When Jin An saw the look on the face of Jin Dongbin, he didn"t need anyone to tell him that talking further would enrage the young master of the sect. There was intense hatred in the eyes that gazed at those of the timid disciple, who cringed in fear at what he saw.
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Outside the DianShu stood several disciples, as some of them began knocking on its door.
"Head teacher Jin! Are you in there?!"
Inside the room, Jin Caihe had not gotten up from the bed ever since yesterday evening when Jin Tieguai had placed him there. He hadn"t recovered from their shocking ecounter, as his mind kept replaying what had taken place inside the room that had being a place of solace for him.
"Head teacher Jin?!"
"Are you sure he is in his room? What if he is in the library?!"
"Library in the morning?! Everyone knows that head teacher Jin goes to the library in the evening!"
"But he isn"t answering. Maybe he is sleeping."
"He can"t be sleeping at this time of the day!"
"Let"s try one more time and if not, we will have to check the library and if we still don"t see him there. We have no other choice, but to let sect leader know that we can"t find head teacher Jin."
"Head teacher Jin!!!!!!"
They all began calling out to Jin Caihe in a very loud voice, causing the other teachers to come out of their rooms to glare at the unruly disciples.
"What are you all doing! Keep your voice down!"
The disciples saw the lips of the teachers curl in contempt for having their peaceful time disrupted by their act of inconsideration.
"Wait! I"m coming!"
The head teacher called out in a weak voice, as he slowly got up and sat by the side of the bed, pulling his boots on one at a time.
"I think I just heard head teacher Jin"s voice."
One of them said, while they all looked expectantly at the door leading to the room of the GuiBaiJin sect head teacher.
"Ha!"
Jin Caihe winced in pain which shot straight to his spine, he could still feel the throbbing sensation from the entrance between his b.u.t.t cheeks.
"That animal! I told him to stop, but he still carried on!"
The memory from his time with Jin Tieguai suddenly propped into his mind, try as he may, the head teacher could not stop his face from taking on the bright pink stain of embarra.s.sment. This created a sharp contrast with his already pale skin. Patting his hair in a well ordered manner, Jin Caihe adjusted the sleeves of his robes, before rising to his feet to meet the people that were waiting outside his door.
"Greetings Head teacher Jin."
They all gave a salute to the man that stood outside the door of the DianShu, who looked as though he could barely remain on his feet.
"Head teacher Jin, is anything the matter? You look worn out."
"Head teacher Jin are you sick?!"
Neither of the disciples could hide their look of curiosity, while waiting on the response of Jin Caihe, because he indeed looked very tired.
Not wanting to delay them any longer, Jin Caihe waved his hand to dismiss the things they said to him.
"It"s nothing."
There was hardly any change in his expression, while looking at each of the faces of the disciples, as he waited on them to tell him the reason for coming to the DianShu.
"Head teacher Jin. Sect Leader Jin asked us to bring you to the main hall. He and Lady Jin have matters to discuss with you."
The disciples had to restrain themselves from telling Jin Caihe of what the meeting was going to be about. They watched as he walked ahead of them, while the other teachers looked on as the group left the courtyard.
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"Sect Leader Jin. Head teacher Jin is here!"
Jin Ruimin beckoned with his hand for Jin Caihe to be let into the hall. By now, Jin Huiyan was no longer in the mood to drink tea. She knew that the fate of the GuBaiJin sect rested on the head teacher"s decision.
Jin Caihe walked into the hall along with the disciples that were sent to bring him.
"Everyone, leave!"
All servants and disciples hurried out of the hall, when they heard the roar of their sect leader. Jin Caihe stopped a few feet from where the sect leader and his wife sat.
"Greetings Sect Leader Jin, Greetings Lady Jin."
The head teacher bowed to the sect leader and his wife, not seeing the look of unease and surprise that pa.s.sed between the two. They saw that the graceful Jin Caihe was looking off balance. It was a struggle for them to remain composed and not ask the head teacher to reveal what was troubling him.
"Please have a seat. Head teacher Jin."
Jin Huiyan asked for Jin Caihe to take the seat across from where she sat with her husband. Jin Ruimin waited for the head teacher to be seated before glancing at his wife for the last time, to begin a serious talk that would determine the future of the sect.
"The Fox King sent a letter asking for the GuBaiJin sect to allow his granddaughter to marry one of the disciples from the sect. Who would you choose to be the husband of the fox princess?"
Jin Ruimin was not asking because he was looking for whom to hand over to the fox clan, he only wanted to find out if Jin Caihe considered himself worthy enough to be married into the fox clan. In his usual impa.s.sive manner, the head teacher looked at the sect leader to give the other his reply.
"Young master Jin is courageous and well taught. His marriage to the fox princess would be beneficial to the GuBaiJin sect, people from the fox clan are known to be very loyal and possess great strength."
"..."
Jin Ruimin and Jin Huiyan looked at one another in consternation, as neither was expecting Jin Caihe to recommend their son as the groom of the fox princess.