This Strange Old Man

He followed him with his eyes until that old man disappeared at the back door that leads to the courtyard. So Eun drew an impatient breath and grumpily stepped his way out of the back door too.

What greeted him was the flowers he wasn't familiar with, in their courtyard, mesmerizing blooms of flowers occupied the whole place, flowering shrubs such as carnations and azaleas embellished the lawn. Blossoms were abundant as forest. As if he was admiring the presence of a lavish garden that belonged to the Emperor.

But So Eun never visited the Emperor's Palace and instantly stopped himself at that. The courtyard hiding at the back of the Pavilion was immensely larger than So Eun's garden in front of his room.

As though he was struck in his spot, the soundless whip of the wind moved the flowers dancing. He was always an admirer of flowers, while winter was his least beloved one, the season after it, was his absolute favorite.

Like the beginning at the end of the winter, life started as well as the blossoming of flowers.

To So Eun, spring constantly reminded him that, as long as winter will end, there was a time to start anew. spring will always come no matter what.

He clenched his chest with his hand and wandered his eyes everywhere.

"Young Master?"

Upon hearing an address that he isn't often getting, So Eun shot his eyes, and it darted at Rong Wang sitting at the wooden bench at the side.

"It is you, Young Master Eun?" Rong Wang had his eyes widened, the bag full of seeds resting on his palm. He's wearing a brocade, and the colors of it resembled his parent's silk robes. He didn't acknowledge enough of the old man's appearance back there. So upon seeing him here, his posture refined unlike before, his expression calm and dignified, So Eun felt that he has the essence of a sophisticated man.

At that impression, he had a faint belief that Rong Wang isn't just a Story-Teller in their Clan.

And then he proceeded to gape at his hands, he seemed to be arranging his merchandise.

So Eun gulped, only having been faced with him alone that he discerns the intimidating demeanor of this strange man. He looked down and processed his thoughts.

"Do you know me?" His voice was a whisper yet not, but Rong Wang stared at him for a second, and then continually arrange his stuff into a bundle before shoving it into his satchel.

He stood up to bow slightly at him. Before speaking; "Of course, I have been residing here for a while now, it would be disrespectful of me if I didn't know the Clan Leader's cherished son."

So Eun blinked at him and instinctively scratched his head, but before he'd intend to ask him something else, he's mind grasped something.

"You are, residing here for a while now?"

Rong Wang's expression changed at that, and it's his turn now to look flustered.

"I supposed our Sect Master haven't told you yet. That's a yes, I have been residing here since the start of the month. I purposely came when it's spring." He pried his right arm open and showed So Eun the stunning blushes behind them.

"You see, I'm always a devoted admirer of delicate flowers. So, I ask the gardener to plant some before I arrived here."

After hearing that, something had disturbed him further, and so he couldn't keep his confusion.

"I thought Story-Tellers isn't that essential to every clan, but just to give some light entertainment to the disciples. How come our Clan treated you with utmost respect and support?" So Eun had never meant it to sound like some meanie, yet he's a ten-year-old youth, he didn't know the favorable aftermath of minding his choice of words.

As long as something befuddled him, So Eun didn't hesitate to ask.

Rong Wang, on the other hand, didn't faze and completely acknowledged his question out of the curiosity of a child without any meaning.

"That is because I'm not a Story-Teller, oh, I mean not just. Hehe." He chuckled at himself, and So Eun got even more bothered about what was funny. His head drifted and replayed the words in his mind again.

Seeing that the other didn't laugh with him, Rong Wang cleared his throat and awkwardly rubbed his hands upon his robe in a distracted manner.

So Eun stared blankly at him, his mind stopped when he saw him fished out his bag of seeds and hit his face with it.

Then So Eun was forced in a situation that was so awkward. 

After a while, this old man seemed to forget that he's still talking with So Eun, he continued to bury his face in that bag of seeds while cursing something with it.

"What are you doing?" So Eun was alarmed. He hadn't heard a person curse before, so he's kinda surprised and perplexed.

At that, the old man appeared to snap out of it and looked at So Eun with a mortifying expression.

"Oh, If you had seen that, I was just smelling my flower seeds, it's normal." Then he moved forward to stuff the bags again and held his hands behind his back, before sighing in defeat.

"I am very sorry, Young Master. I just got distracted this time. As of that matter, let me show you something." He straightened his back and drew a deep sigh. Putting an expressionless face to conceal his humiliated appearance, he strode towards a small clear pond in the wide courtyard.

"The Blossom Pavilion, for the meantime, is my residence. I worked as a cultivator at night and a story-teller at day." This time, he spoke in a composed manner. So Eun shook his head and ignore his odd behavior back then to look at the small but elegant pavilion, the pond created a distance between them and the premise.

So Eun's ears perked at the mention of a cultivator. He turned to look at him and inquired;

"What sort of cultivation method you are into?"

Rong Wang, at that moment, didn't look at him. He seemed to be smiling yet not and then answered;

"Young Master, I guessed you haven't heard this sort of cultivation method. But I would just say it to you in a simple meaning." So Eun's belief before that Rong Wang wasn't just a Story-Teller, came to be true. And now, based on his words he was even eager to get to know this odd cultivator of his Clan more.

But from then on, he didn't expect the words he'd anticipated to be utterly exceptional and out of ordinary.

"I simply produce seeds of flowers by my vital energy to eliminate evil." He almost whispered, while smiling gently at the small pond.

So Eun's smile froze. He's utterly exceptional and out of the ordinary method, came to be just a simple matter for him.