Book 3 - Chapter 103: Cottage

Chapter 103: Cottage

"First I will give you four pills of Refrain. These pills are to be consumed once a week, and they will ensure that your body does not feel hungry. It also provides all the nutrition needed for a young body in a period of growth so do not worry about that."

"The second thing I will give to you is your student uniform and a spare set. You will be granted a new uniform every half year. Though this might sound like a lot, but you will be destroying your uniforms on a regular basis while doing missions. Let me give you a piece of advice; when accepting a duel always wear your own clothes and when you go on a mission, always wear your own clothes. If you need more uniforms than this, you have to purchase them using your contribution points."

"Right. Then we have shoes," she continued and slapped a pair of black, very average, shoes on the counter, "You are allowed one pair of shoes a year, if you ruin before that time allotment similarly with the clothes, you'll need contribution points."

"Here is a bag of random pills. We have ten pills of Qi gathering which improves your cultivation speed; we have five tablets of coagulation. Use them if you get wounded either during missions or in duels. Finally, we have three pills created from Beast Bone Powder. You only get the beast bone powder pills once every year; these pills will strengthen your body. They are refined from some rare beasts found in the Immortal Valley. Preferably Golden-Furred Blood Lions or similar creatures. The pills will enhance your body so much so you will be able to feel a noticeable difference when using brute strength."

"I know you have a Golden-Furred Blood Lion as a pet, and he will most likely hate this academy. Many of the students as well will envy your ability to tame one, but don't feel too about eating these pills. All the beasts we kill are those who go to kill us It is a matter of life and death. We don't hunt down particular beasts for the sake of our pills."

"There are the pills and the uniforms. Now you will also need some contribution points." the woman continued. She seemed to follow a checklist in her mind. It was incredibly rare that new students appeared a part from once a year when the elves and fairies reached the right age would be allowed to enter. However, a transfer student in the middle of the year? Unheard of!

"You are a new student and a human to boot. You have done very well in the Blood Pagoda. Let me tell you a secret, not even our students dare enter the Blood Pagoda. As a reward, you have been granted extra contribution points for allowing our elders to see what is awaiting the students inside that madhouse."

"You have been approved of by the Guardian Tree and allowed the basic amount of contribution points from that.

"You have two beast companions. Both are of high rank, especially that little green snake of yours, so you will also be granted contribution points for this."

"You were the winner of the Immortal Valley Ranking and killed rather many geniuses, weeding out some of the experts who later might cause problems for us. That accomplishment also warrants you to some contribution points."

"Let's see, in total; you have five thousand and seven hundred contribution points. That is unheard of for a new student!" the woman exclaimed amused. 

"Once a month you will gain contribution points, but the amount you get is one hundred each month. The rest you will gain by completing missions."

"If you find treasures while roaming the Immortal Valley that you cannot use you can also choose to exchange it for contribution points or even sell it on your own at the sparring field. Many students set up stalls there the first weekend of the month to sell pills or other items that they don't need for contribution points or other more needed items."

"Now you have the choice of picking up a weapon if you are interested in doing so," the lady said. She already knew Xu Min's answer. The way he carried the sword on his back instead of storing it in a storage treasure showed that he already had found the weapon he preferred using.

Rightly so, Xu Min shook his head, "Thank you madam, but no thank you. I already have a weapon which I can entrust my life to; I am not willing to replace it, not even with such incredible craftsmanship as the one made of by the elves."

The older lady nodded her head. Her sharp gaze looked at the sword in the sheath until her eyes widened and she trembled slightly. 

"You know someone called Wang Li?" she asked with a hoarse voice. Xu Min, who had not expected this question to be asked, was as shocked as the woman. He narrowed his eyes and looked at the woman in front of him, but he felt no hostility. 

"You know master Wang Li?" he asked confused. The woman nodded her head. "Long ago, in another time we all knew him. Who would have guessed that old man Li was your master. No wonder, no wonder," she said twice and nodded her head again. A new softness was within her eyes as she looked at Xu Min. 

"Be careful," she warned him, "you just got your contribution points. Never let anyone know how many points you have. Neither bet all of them at once in a duel. Also take care with the duels. Although fratricide is forbidden, there are still many who would love to bully the newcomers, especially if they can get some points at the same time."

"Not to mention the ones who are against you because you are human. Being a human is enough reason for them to cripple you, so if you feel animosity towards you don't hesitate to decline the challenge."

"Don't worry," Mu Zi said from within the hooded cloak, "I am going to make an announcement saying that the Sparring Field will be closed for the next seven days. Within these seven days, you will be able to relax and get used to this new place. As well to mention you will have some more time to comprehend the abilities you acquired in the Immortal Valley. You can also use some of your contribution points and purchase various items to increase either your rank or your combat ability."

Hesitating for some time, Mu Zi's hand stroked his cheek, "Actually do not rush to become a six-star Warrior just yet," he said. "you just reached the fifth-star not long ago, and you jumped from a two-star to a five-star Warrior in a year. This jump is already incredible; now you need to stabilize your foundation."

Xu Min, feeling that both the elderly woman and Mu Zi cared for him, was grateful for their consideration. "Thank you," Xu Min said as he cupped his hands and bowed slightly. When someone treated him with kindness and respect, he was going to return the respect and friendship tenfold. 

"We have given you everything you are entitled to," Mu Zi said with a smile. However, with a wave of his hand a small medallion with an engraved dragon appeared in his hand. "Take this," he said and pushed it into Xu Min's hands, "this is a medallion which is bound to me. If you encounter problems here in the academy shatter the emblem, and I'll come to your aid. It is not much, but I owe it to your master to take good care of you."

Xu Min frowned. He looked up to his master a lot but why were these elves so respectful of him? Was this the reason that they had accepted him within their academy? Xu Min could only guess as he knew that asking these questions would not yield any answers. Still, whenever he thought about his master who was working hard at the docks every single day, he found it weird that others spoke of him with such reverence.

Hearing that this medallion was because of his master, Xu Min dared not say no, but he quickly stored it within one of his storage treasures to hid it away.

"This way," Mu Zi led Xu Min out of the Outlet. As soon as, they exited out of the cabin. They were face to face with a group of elves and fairies which were looking at Xu Min with great curiosity. 

"Hear my commands, the next seven days the Sparring Field will be closed!" Mu Zi called out; his voice was filled with Qi. Everyone within the entire academy could hear him whether they were immortals or mortals.

Some were filled with delight as they heard this announcement while others were filled with disappointment. some even resented Xu Min for this inconvenient occurrence.. 

Those resentful experts were the ones who had looked forward to battling Xu Min. Nevertheless, a sinister expression appeared on a few faces in the crowd. It was clear that they were all thinking how could seven days change anything. In seven days your filthy human face will be on this floor. .

Their thoughts were so clear on their faces that Xu Min could easily read their expressions. Nevertheless, he paid them no heed. Instead he followed behind Mu Zi as they left the square outside the outlet and returned to the residential area of the academy.

Here many big buildings were towering side by side and each student had their own room within these buildings. Mu Zi walked right past them and stopped in front of a small cottage. It was not much bigger than the one he had lived in together with his sister, but it was of much better quality. It had a roof made from new straw, walls made from clay and a wooden door. In the roof was a hole where smoke could escape. It appeared like any other ordinary cottage. 

"You are different. Thus you have been given your own home," Mu Zi said apologetic. "We usually have our students split into the housing of elves together and fairies together, but you control the elements like a fairy and the spirit power like an elf. You also possess the body of a human. We can not determine where to place you. In the end, we decided to house you separately. I hope you will like it." Mu Zi said apologetically but Xu Min truly liked it. He nodded his head in satisfaction. "Thank you so much, elder Mu Zi," he said with a deep bow towards the elder and looked at what was to be his new home for who knew how long. 

"In that case, I will take my leave," Mu Zi said with a nod of his head. He left, leaving behind Xu Min who instantly entered his new house. The inside was as neat as the outside. There was a bed to the side and a fireplace in the middle. To the other side was a desk and a chair and the ground was swept clear of anything which one might find on most floors. 

Seeing the house being so clean and neat, Xu Min picked up some wooden blocks and instantly lit a fire in the fireplace before he sat down in meditation. He had understood that there were many mysteries about the elemental control that he still needed to understand. Now that he had seven days of peace he would be able to gain a vast amount of understanding of his new acquired skill.