Chapter Sixty Four - Jin Li chooses a mission

Some distance and a whole day prior from where and when Leon was suffering blindly, a small youth had been suffering melancholy. Ah Jin Li had stayed out again the evening before, likely visiting that strange servant of his. Granted, it was beneficial for Jin Li to have his own alchemist close by, but surely it did not take two nights and a whole day to gather some measly pills?! He muttered beneath his breath as he pouted, his eyes flickering over the scene before him, even though he barely registered it.

Sun was sitting in one of the stands of the arena watching a pair of seniors sparring. Seniors sparred at all times these days, practicing for the Standings, wanting to rise upon the ladder and perhaps gain the chance to transfer to the inner school. First years could not partake in the Standings, but it was still an opportunity to learn for them, so there were many watching now. Sun also hoped to spy a few techniques that would be useful to him, that he could bring to the sessions with Jin Li and prove that he was a useful comrade!

The two seniors suddenly stopped and bowed to each other respectfully, before departing and were replaced by another two seniors. This would continue for much of the day, even during mealtimes. Other seniors would be tucked away in their rooms cultivating or even taking on missions in order to gain weapons or armour or new martial arts (there were some that just could not be learned by watching others) and cultivation techniques.

Sun rose from his seat, accepting that he was not really interesting in observing the martial artists today. There were no lectures today; during the whole month prior to the Standings, the Teachers left the students to 'self-study'. This was in part so that they could concentrate on their personal apprentices and partly as very few showed up to lessons and lectures during this month, so why bother? Sun had already eaten breakfast and it was not time for lunch. He didn't really have any other friends to hang out with as he had been so determined to become friends with Jin Li, he had ignored others, so they, in turn, did not bother with him. Bored, he headed for the missions board, perhaps there was some task that could keep him occupied a while.

When he arrived there, he saw he was not the only person to consider this. The long back shrouded by a cloak of long black hair was familiar enough to him, but he was surprised to see that person here! Did he not consider the lowly first year missions bothersome?

"Jin Li? Are you back Jin Li?" Sun asked, startled.

"Of course I am back," the sneer in his voice was evident, even though he did not bother to turn around. "Is your mind so weak that you could think that this Lord could be some sort of apparition?" Sun beamed happily despite the insult.

"No, not at all, Jin Li," Sun replied. "It was you who said that the offered mission would only be taken by fools, though, so I was shocked to see you here!"

"Did you know that it requires two thousand points to acquire a few drops of Water if Small Blessings?" Jin Li stated with implied question.

"I did not, Jin Li," Sun wondered why Jin Li wanted the liquid. It was a potion that only Masters of the alchemy art could create and this was its weakest form. The water could be considered spiritual energy in a concentrated form, easy to digest as well, but the stronger the potion, the higher the risks. Not to mention the high levels of impurities within even the weak potion, if the person to partake it had weak control of their soulsea, then it could cause mad fluctuations, even deviation if the person failed to integrate it well. The stronger the potion, the more control that person required. However, the weak Water of Small Blessings was the least harmless, chances of problems were less than 5% and it provided a small boon to those desperately close to running out of spiritual energy in their soulsea.

"Jin Li, why do you want the Water of Small Blessings?" Sun asked, curiously.

"No reason," Jin Li replied, dismissively. "It was just a passing thought. This Lord would never require such a thing, only idiots fail to regulate their soulsea's well."

"So you do not wish to take on any missions today?" Sun asked, slightly disappointed. He only wanted to do a mission or two to solve his boredom. Even with Jin Li back, it was not like they could spar, the main arena and the four smaller ones were all taken by seniors.

Jin Li became hesitant and tore down a scrap of paper. "It maybe useful for the experience," he muttered, thrusting the paper into Sun's hands. "We'll do this tomorrow. Let us go and get something to eat now." Sun glanced down at the mission request; clear the alchemist's inner school field of giant weevils. Sun shuddered, he was not fond of bugs. Still he followed Jin Li to accept the mission, all the while bemoaning his fate.