ShenJiangs.h.i.+ sect..."How long do we have to wait to hear back from GuBaiJin sect?!"
Li Guoliang grumbled under his breath, the young master of the ShenJiangs.h.i.+ sect looked at the sect leader while wearing an amicable smile on his face.
"Sect Leader Li, this things do require much time. I"m sure my men would return as soon as they receive word from the GuBaiJin sect."
The YuanLi sect leader swept the side of his robe in anger, he could no longer stand being kept waiting by the GuBaiJin sect. To make it worse, the young master of the ShenJiangs.h.i.+ sect was more composed than him, who was a sect leader.
"Bring us some tea!"
Even though s.h.i.+ Yunxu did not want to show it, but he felt uncomfortable around Li Guoliang. He knew that the YuanLi sect leader disliked him and the feeling was mutual. To hide the discomfort, the young master of the ShenJiangs.h.i.+ sect called for tea to be served.
"That would not be necessary! I do not want anything to drink!"
"It will put my mind at ease if you could have something to wet your throat. We have been waiting for a while now. I don"t want people to think that we at ShenJiangs.h.i.+ sect are treating the YuanLi sect poorly."
"Look here! Young master s.h.i.+! I don"t care for your tea! Humph!"
Li Guoliang turned his nose in the air, not giving the young master of the ShenJiangs.h.i.+ sect any face, while the others smile had become very tight with his bearing somewhat rigid.
"Sect Leader Li, it would be distasteful to force you to accept our kind gesture, but you are always welcomed here at ShenJiangs.h.i.+ sect."
s.h.i.+ Yunxu had to bite his tongue to speak nicely to the arrogant sect leader who saw him as nothing but a useless young master.
"What is his problem?! Does he have anything against me?! Even his daughter, Lady Li cannot cultivate, while I on the other hand can do what she can"t. What gives him the right to look down on me?! If not because of father and because I have to maintain the reputation of ShenJiangs.h.i.+ sect! I will be told them send him away! One day Li Guoliang, I will get you for this and bring you to your knees!"
The YuanLi sect leader did not know the nefarious thought that ran through the mind of s.h.i.+ Yunxu, had he known, there was no way he would be inside the same hall as him.
"Yes, Young master s.h.i.+!"
A few of the servants that stood outside the door to the hall, ran inside to see their young master.
"There is no need to bring us tea, our food at ShenJiangs.h.i.+ sect is not as good as those at the YuanLi sect."
s.h.i.+ Yunxu spoke in a down to earth manner, while addressing the way the sect leader was acting towards him and his sect.
Annoyed by young master s.h.i.+"s a.s.sertiveness, the YuanLi sect leader gave a slight cough rather than countering s.h.i.+ Yunxu.
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GuBaiJin sect...
"Head teacher Jin?"
Jin Ruimin called out to Jin Caihe who looked as though he was staring into s.p.a.ce, this made the sect leader wonder if he something could be wrong with the head teacher of the GuBaiJin sect.
"Sect Leader Jin is calling you, I will end it here, but remember that every decision comes with its own consequences. Nothing remains hidden for long!"
The eyes that s.h.i.+ned with rougery became one of ice coldness, the warning was clear to Jin Caihe. He could hide for all he wanted, but eventually his secret would be out in the open and many would be hurt when they get to know of it.
The f.u.xi was a creature of magic, that had no need of sleep, but that didn"t prevent it from curling up and closing its eyes as though about to sleep.
"What have you done, that you are taking a rest?!"
Although they"ve been together for a many years, Jin Caihe saw the snake as a lazy deadbeat, whose usefulness was a one day thing.
"Let me be, I need my sleep."
"But you don"t sleep, you never do!"
The last time Jin Caihe had a normal sleep was before the f.u.xi sealed itself inside of him at a young age which coincided with the age at which young master Jin Ruimin and the other disciples rallied around during their nighthunting to kill it. From then on, a few hours of rest was all the head teacher would have, it was only after Jin Tieguai suppressed its powers and used his yang essence to restore the damages that the f.u.xi had inflicted to Jin Caihe"s body did the head teacher regain the ability to have a good night sleep until the next day. He was only fortunate that it happened to be on the days that the disciples of the GuBaiJin had the days away from morning lessons.
Only time would tell if fate had a hand in helping the head teacher or muddling his life.
"Head teacher Jin!"
"Yes...Sect Leader Jin?"
The voice sounded as though he wasn"t all that there, the two looked at Jin Caihe with worried looks.
"You seem distracted, is anything the matter?!"
"No, Sect Leader Jin. I"m only a little tired from using the power of the magical beast."
Neither of them could tell that Jin Caihe was lying through his teeth, he couldn"t reveal to them that it was because of the things he did behind their back that was causing him much pain and anguish.
"Please, go and rest after you leave here. You have done a great deed for the GuBaiJin sect, I will send someone to tell the junior disciples that morning lesson for the next day would is cancelled. That would give you enough time to regain your strength."
Jin Ruimin had to say that for the sake of his wife who was a tender hearted person compared to him.
Jin Caihe bowed in grat.i.tude at his sect leader and the mistress of the GuBaiJin sect.
"Sect Leader Jin, Lady Jin. I am thankful that you are both looking out for me."
"Should you need more time, let us know."
The GuBaiJin sect leader wanted the head teacher to feel beholden towards him and his wife.
"That would not be necessary, but I will keep that in mind."
"Anyone there?!"
The sect leader called out to the people that waited outside the hall, no long after a couple of people ran into the hall on hearing the voice of Jin Ruimin. They each gave a salute to the imposing man that sat by the mistress of the sect.
"Yes, Sect Leader Jin!"
"Send a message to young master s.h.i.+, telling him that the rumors are in fact true. BaoXu, GongKua, KuShun, MoXing and ZaoQiang sect have all fallen under the hands of the Demon Lord and his army. I, Jin Ruimin the sect leader of GuBaiJin sect and Chief Cultivator, calls for an a.s.sembly of all sect leaders at sunset. Delay is unacceptable, any sect leader who fails to show up would be seen as siding with the enemy and considered a traitor to the pugilistic world!"
"We would do as Sect Leader Jin commands!"
"What are you still waiting for?! Go!"
The male disciples tried not to act timidly in the presence of their sect leader. The air around him made many feel unworthy and scared. Only a few could comfortably be by him and not get intimidated by him.
"Yes! Sect Leader Jin!"
The men gave a salute to the GuBaiJin sect leader, before hurrying out to do his bidding.
Jin Caihe knew that it was about time to take his own leave from the presence of Jin Ruimin and Jin Huiyan.
"Sect Leader Jin, if you don"t have anything else to discuss with me. I would like to take my leave."
"Head teacher Jin, you may now go. Lady Jin and I both appreciate the services you rendered to the GuBaiJin sect. We would like for you to think about the things we spoke to you regarding marriage to the granddaughter of the Fox King. Do not take too long to reach a decision, it would make us happy if you were to agree to it right now, since we need as much help as we can get to defeating the demon realm. We do understand that, marriage is not something to consider lightly, but the situation the GuBaijin sect and other sects are in, doesn"t allow you to ignore the fox princess."
Anyone that heard Jin Ruimin speak at first would think he had the best interest of Jin Caihe at heart, but the later part of his words was almost as if he was trying to force the head teacher to agree to become the son-in-law of Princess Yan Xuequi. The likelihood of her becoming the next leader of the fox clan was high, which was what the GuBaiJin sect leader wanted to tap into. Making Jin Caihe feel guilty towards rejecting the granddaughter of the fox king was the aim of Jin Ruimin, who used both subtle and not so subtle means to get the other to give in to the demands of the fox clan royalty.
"Sect Leader Jin, you have spoken well. I will not treat the marriage proposal of the fox princess lightly. I know the fate of many rests on my decision, when I eventually make up my mind, if it is to marry her I"ll ask for a date to be set for the engagement and marriage."
Hearing the head teacher made Jin Ruimin think that he was beginning to cave in under the pressure from him. A broad smile appeared on his face to indicate his supposed victory over the head teacher.
"Head teacher Jin, whatever you decide, we will abide by your wishes."
The soft voice of Jin Huiyan deflated the bubbly feeling inside of Jin Ruimin, to him it was as if she had concluded that Jin Caihe would not accept the marriage proposal.
"Thank you Lady Jin, I must take my leave now."
Not wanting to cause a disagreement between the couple, the head teacher chose not to voice his thought on what she said while giving both a bow, it was clear that the sect leader was all for him taking up the fast lane to wealth and power, while his wife although not openly opposing her husband, she still wanted him to not to feel pressured by agreeing to marry the granddaughter of the Fox King.
"Go in peace."
Both Jin Ruimin and Jin Huiyan bade Jin Caihe a farewell, watching as he rose and gave them a salute, before venturing out to return to the DianShu.
"Do you think he will agree?"
"Ruimin, it is no longer in our hands, it is not something we can force. What if he rebels? The GuBaiJin sect would not go unharmed."
"There, There. Let me get you a fresh pot of tea."
Anytime that the sect leader saw that he and his wife saw differently on a matter, he would do things to divert her attention, in this case it was a fresh cup of tea!
"Can someone get Lady Jin and I another pot of tea?!"
This time, a servant ran in to meet the sect leader and his wife.
"Sect Leader Jin! Lady Jin!"
The male servant bowed to them, while his eyes remain lowered.
"Clear the table and bring us a fresh pot of tea!"
"As you wish Sect Leader Jin."
The servant hurriedly went to take the tray from the table of Jin Ruimin and Jin Huiyan. He carefully balanced both on the palm of his hands, before curtising to them. They both watched as the servant went to do as asked.
"Did you notice that headteacher Jin was not his usual self?!"
"I saw that too. He was acting more oddly when using the magical beast."
"Rumin, what should we do?"
"I"ll have someone keep a closer eye on him. Of late I haven"t been doing so, because he had never given me any reason to doubt his loyalty to the sect."
The two conversed for a while, before their tea was eventually brought in to them.