It's has indeed been the most tiring day Zhao Wenli has ever had. Almost ransacking the whole of the academy just to find a particular master. Her Master Wu, that has been in hiding for nearly three days. If the day ends, it will make it a complete day Wenli has sought fruitlessly to find Master Wu.
Where she has hidden was still unknown to the people even the masters. She had tried to ask Dean Liu about her whereabouts but, the ape tomboy didn't bat her an eye.
Eventually, she was rewarded at the end of the day.
There after the most tiring search, she was found at the cherry blossom tree at the far end of the academy.
She sat, legs crossed in a meditative position.
As if sensing someone there, she instantly opened her eyes only to see a surprised glare, more threatening than the last time she saw them.
Master Wu suppressed a chuckle.
"At last." She said still unmoved by neither the glare nor with her sitting position.
"Master Wu..."
"It took you three days. That's poor." She raised an eyebrow at her.
"You hid so well."
"That's why you should have tried harder. I left traces that you over looked..."
"No you didn't..." She paused again in order not to talk rashly, and anger the already disappointed master, she decided to think.
Just then she remembered.
Master Wu isn't a socialist that would sit around and gist, gossip, or play, like the rest of the masters in the academy. She would either be in the kitchen helping out. The chefs wouldn't talk to her, so kitchen was another comfortable zone for her.
The next calm, and the most quite place would be this place. The most oblivious place in the academy.
The cherry blossom tree that rarely sprouted nor had the beautiful pink flowers that should be there, but wasn't there any more to give a good sight to the viewers. So the flowerless tree was the perfect place for one like Master Wu to stay and meditate, trying to earn that piece of mind that she had long craved for.
Wenli opened her mouth to make a silent "oh" sound, before asking.
"Aren't you sad that I'm racking your peace and quite?" Wenli asked.
"I should, but you're my disciple afterall, I shouldn't deny you to share the peace with me. Unless you're really quite the lousy type."
"I am when I'm with friends and family. But always introverted when serious. I think, I match your standard, master." She bowed again, seeming to realize that she hadn't bowed to her when she saw her.
After a pause, Master Wu decided to initiate a conversation.
"How was your trip?"
"I'm glad you were able to give me some encouragement during the fight. Thanks for your strength, master."
"You have Hualia and Wenru to thank. They gave me sleepless nights always disturbing my peace. I had no choice."
Wenli's wide eyes didn't escape Master Wu, who chuckled.
"I must say, you've good friends. Daring me for almost three days and nights." She said.
Those guys. They can't do...
Suddenly, she remembered something, but was hesitant to ask.
"I'll gouge out your eyes if you don't speak." It was meant to be a threat, but Wenli couldn't help but feel the teasing- mockery in her tone.
"Master, why do you always isolate yourself. Letting others, taking you for granted?"
"I let them because I want to." She stated.
"Why?"
Master Wu shrugged but still remained unmoved.
"Let me ask this instead, why do you seclude yourself. That even I your disciple, can't find you, like you disappeared into thin air?"
"I thought it's called being introverted?" She smiles at her.
Wenli shook her head.
"That's impossible. I know that there are times when people aren't always in the mood of talking, but yours is like you're avoiding something. Not people but your happiness."
Hmph,
"Tell me more." She said kind of liking the discussion. But also careful for the things, she had long to forget.
"About what in particular?" She asked totally confused. She was trying to get words out of her mouth, but it seems that, she had to put more effort.
"What you think about me being weird?" It wasn't entirely a question but one could be free to think of it that way, with the way she stressed on the last "weird'?".
I think it's time she put her ability to use. What she so specializes in.
She took a good look at her master, before sighing.
"Are you punishing yourself?" She asked but she had noticed that her master's breath hitched for a millisecond.
"Guess?" The question sounded suppressing.
"I think you're always aloof. Always on the edge. Even towards me. Your teachings are always more of instructing, though I'm not complaining. But,... With the way you train me, you always say... Mistakes aren't allowed. I would spend more time aiming for perfection. As if afraid of the unknown."
This time, she stopped breathing for more than a minute breath she took for the deepest she had since that day.
What's she? Isn't she crossing the line? That's... That's... So annoying.
"I think you need more practice. Bad things are still going to happen. We should get prepared." With that, she closed her eyes to meditate, indirectly shooing Wenli away.
______
Just as said, the training went through.
This time, to make up for the weeks missed.
Three months without resting, training nonstop. When she had decided to rest for the day, she received a message to head to Dean Liu's chamber.
When she arrived, she was surprised to see XiMei almost entering at the same time.
On entering inside, the both after sharing surprised gazes at each other for a long time at the entrance then, smiled at each other nodding almost at the same time, simultaneously.
Shared another surprised gazes at the person inside. The person also like the two was surprised.
It had been three months since they last saw each other.
They were all equally drained of rest and break. There was eye bags under teacher LuPeng's eyes, they were really eating him up.
On the other hand, XiMei had grown thinner like she had been deprived of food.
Magic takes a lot more than one could imagine. The more you eat, the more strength you gain. And when you used an amount of magic, no matter how little it was, drains you completely.
Looks like having a pited Hualia who couldn't bare to see the eye bags under Wenli's eyes always has the best ointment to apply on them. Giving her the daily massage. Probably, when Wenli took the shortest nap Master Wu could spare.
And Wenru, always running around making warm baths for her,always making sure she eats. Though they knew it was kind of useless, cause Master Wu would use that moment to approach and order her back to the portal for training.
She looked better than them with the most tinniest. Maybe, atom?
But all in all, they looked drained of physical strength. Though there was spiritual energy, ever surging in their bodies. But what are those, when you don't have the strength to even lift a chopstick.
"Dean Liu." They bowed after their little "you're here" gaze.
Now noticing me?
"You sent for us?" LuPeng asked, head still lowered.
"The three of you will take the highest three days rest, free from training and stress. You're all free from attending the early morning assembly. Just stay and rest for your next mission."
They suddenly wanted to enjoy three whole days of doing nothing. Just eating sleeping playing, etc.
But then, hearing the word "mission", there seem to be a moment of silence.
"You're heading to the dessert called the dead-alive. The badge after you needs saving. We got a report that they are trapped.
"The what?" Wenli didn't know when the word came out from her mouth. She immediately closed her mouth tightly to prevent her from uttering a word.
"Your journey to the east starts, immediately after the third day." She announced without waiting for questions, disappeared to what Wenli had suspected to be the ape looking sculpture at the middle top of her golden brown throne.
It wouldn't be called a chair, but a throne. Like owing a kingdom.
The three left.
Just like that, without further instructions to just go for the second time, risk their lives again.
The other might be a mere coincidence, but the strange named place sounds more scary than the demon they just fought.
"What was the name again?" Wenli asked no one in particular.
"I heard her say... Something like, the dead-alive desert. That sounds more deadly than demon and the malicious ghost of Mo Xue we fought and handled" LuPeng was the one that answered this time.
"I've confirmed it, that dean, totally hates us. I'm not taking that back." XiMei blurted.
Wenli nudged her.
"Sshh, she might hear. Keep your malice to yourself. We can mock her while on the mission, right teacher LuPeng?" Wenli asked still smiling at the playful pout of XiMei's face.
LuPeng who was most likely in deep thought about the task at hand. Just like the first time, had sweaty palms.
Was, drawn out of his thoughts.
"Uh?... Ugh! That's right. We should." He just guessed, and he was right.
So, three days from now, they should be prepared for the next life threatening task up ahead.