A Haitang Flower

The rustle of the leaves made the ambiance serene as So Eun didn't know what to say the next moment.

He remained unspoken, watching the haitang flower drifted onto the air and soundlessly rested upon the clear water.

Rong Wang lifted his head and gape at the haitang tree, rooted aside The Blossom Pavilion.

"Well, I might call it my specialty. I haven't been cultivating seriously for a while now, and working all day keeps me from going out of this residence of mine." He chuckled and suddenly blew on the flower falling in front of them, it swayed vigorously in the air and ended up on the clear pond too.

So Eun was still admiring the scene when Rong Wang spoke.

"I guess you're still doubting my purpose here, right?" So Eun blinked at nothing and looked up at the elder.

"Yes, and... since I saw that your courtyard seem to be bigger than mine, can I pluck a single flower? I'm sort of planning something before I got here." He looked around, all sorts of spring flowers making his insides feel at ease.

"Of course, Young Master. I can give you all you want. Feel free to roam around and pluck anything." The elder smiled while his hands are clasped together behind him.

Hence, he took a step towards the blossoms, his hands itching to touch them one by one as he walked slowly at the line of flowers.

So Eun was overwhelmed, if he were to count his list of flowers favorable for him, it could be one in a hundred, and seeing these banquet of delicate blooms, he was certain that half of it already fulfilled his liking. So, he couldn't help but feel overjoyed more than anything.

But looking back, his nine years living in the So Clan, he had never come to this part of the sect, only discovering it now put his nine years of life into shame.

How come he never saw this courtyard in his own home before?

Before he'd had gone deeper, Rong Wang stood before him and uttered.

"This courtyard had only been built a few months ago along with the flowers. So, the blooms aren't in their full stages yet." The elder stated.

His words sounded like he answered his thoughts, So Eun instantly looked up and furrowed his eyebrows at him.

Rong Wang gave him a pleasing smile, yet after a while, So Eun's expression didn't change and regarded him with a perplexed look.

The cultivator's smile halted and cleared his throat once more. Before speaking;

"Don't look at me like that. The Sect Master knew that my source of spiritual energy came from these flowers and so gifted me with it." After explaining it, So Eun didn't give any reaction and continued to glide his eyes around.

Light blushing flowers of a sort were one of So Eun's choices. And so he halted at the line of the haitang flowers, his eyes swelling up in excitement as well as the corner of his lips curving slightly upwards.

So Eun was just a ten-year-old, his stature matched with the other disciples that were no less than four feet. Rong Wang walked up to him and stayed beside him, his shadow looming over the youth's figure as the sun warmed up the horizon.

"The word purpose is kinda sentimental to mention but whatever, you do know what's purpose right?" So Eun hummed while fiddling his fingers on a petal of the haitang flower. He had read something akin to it in his history books. He might have been prohibited to attend classes, he was still interested to learn about the world through his book alone and the company of his comfortable divan.

Rong Wang nodded and lifted his head to gaze at the haziness of clouds gradually tucking the sun.

They went silent for a time, when the elder felt something he wanted to tell to the Young Master, So Eun already voiced out his thoughts.

"Does it matter?"

The question, no matter where the elder looked at it, was somehow out of context, or so he thought.

He couldn't help to clarify. "What matter?"

So Eun drew his hand away from the flowers and kept it by his side. Looking up innocently at him, scattered starlights glimmering within his eyes despite the sun hovering above them. The elder was rendered speechless. Although he couldn't discern what it was, he peacefully listened.

"Do we have to have a purpose just to live?"

Rong Wang was silent. Before he was permitted to come here, the Sect Leaders often mentioned their son, seemingly reminding him that as long as he became the So Clan's honored cultivator, he ought to have his first priority to be their only son, the entire clan coming second as well.

So when he saw him at the entrance of the So Pavilion, he regarded him highly and made sure he was paying attention to his tales. Making fun then and there to emit a reaction from the youth, in the end, he received an irritated expression.

From then on, he concluded an interesting personality of this child. The So Clan's only son, prone to a place packed with people, preferred to look after himself alone, easily anxious and sensitive of things. It had made sense why the Sect Master wanted him to guide and protect So Eun.

Looking at him right now, So Eun was really unknowledgeable of these things, he might have read a lot on his time as his parents had said. Yet he learned by reading it, and barely grasping the idea of it. Thus, the elder replied with a smile.

"It's not necessarily so. Simply existing is more than just enough."

"Oh..." His small voice came out. So Eun looked down and crossed his arms. Seeming to be contemplating what the elder had said.

Rong Wang crossed his arms too and drew out his hand to caress a flower in front of him. He waited patiently beside him. Feeling a lot more at ease as the seconds passed by.

But when So Eun hadn't said anymore, the elder suddenly thought of something and snapped his fingers. He flinched at that and turned to him with his mouth gape open.

"How interesting! A flower suddenly came to mind. It resembled a lot like you. I think I know what flower suited you." He gestured him with his fingers and confidently led them to The Blossom Pavilion.