Aimless Ascension

Wang Li finally understood where Linlin's anxieties were coming from. She examined Xiaolin's expression carefully. It seemed Gale held a prominent place in Xiaolin's heart, and perhaps she was right to hold him in such high regard. After all, everyone failed to recognise the foreigner's depth.

Wang Li wasn't even sure now. The way the man presented himself, there was absolutely no way for anyone of her caliber to detect anything. Xiaolin has always been unique in this regard.

She tended to get some kind of smell out of people sometimes. Although highly unreliable at times, she does have a knack for making good guesses.

"Anyway, if you're worried about other things," Wang Li continued with a knowing look, "I'll let you know it's pretty common for master and disciple to become a couple."

"Elder sister!"

"I'm merely stating the fact," Wang Li said with a laugh. "What do you think happens when two one-minded practitioners stay under the same roof for years? It's true, you have read all of Lord Heartflame's adventures. You know I'm telling the truth."

"Senior Gale, he isn't like that," Xiaolin said rebelliously.

"I'm sure he isn't," Wang Li agreed and nudged Xiaolin on the shoulder. "But I wonder how long he could resist this little beauty here."

She started grappling with the thin girl. Well, it was only Wang Li who pressed Xiaolin from behind while the younger girl tried to resist.

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"Have some confidence, will you?" Wang Li advised. "You're fine with what you have, but some meat here will truly be irresistible."

Xiaolin blushed and shrugged off the palms that were groping her budding breasts.

Wang Li smiled and hugged the girl. "You liked him, didn't you?"

"I. . ." Xiaolin stuttered in her grasp. "I don't know."

"Girl, you don't seem to know a lot of things," Wang Li joked. "But Linlin, truly, this is an opportunity of a lifetime. Don't think about anything else, think only about yourself. Work for what you want in your life. Your life can either become like an inn wench married to an unfaithful husband or someone who excels at spirit arts. I know you can do it. I've seen nobody as diligent as you."

'Nobody except my sister,' she added inwardly.

"Elder sister," Xiaolin bit her lips and clutched Wang Li's palm.

"Don't be like me, girl," Wang Li said in a pained voice. "Hold on to every little advantage and opportunity you can."

***

Grandma Wang excused all the kids from the morning cycling session and went to fetch Xiaolin. While Gale waited in a meditative pose as the sun peeked through the mountains.

He wasn't alone on the veranda, though. Wang Li meditated on her own a few paces away.

Gale was waiting for three people. Grandma Wang and Xiaolin were preparing, and the last person was Guo Zong, whom he asked to deliver various ingredients that he would need to draw the defensive scripts of his mansion.

Well, the manager wouldn't be coming when the sun barely rose. Thus, Gale meditated. He had been slacking for months now and still hadn't managed to get the knack back. It wouldn't be resolved until he settled fully, he assumed.

Gale deliberately refrained from entering deep meditation, as the other two would come soon with their answers.

A few minutes later, Xiaolin came in tow with Grandma Wang. Linlin looked pretty like always, albeit fresh after bathing. Her eyes were clear like stream water, full of resolve, as wet hair tangled on her back as a ceremonial white robe hugged her body clumsily. The ceremonial robe already indicated what her answer would be to his proposal.

Grandma Wang seemed to have already explained the tradition to her as Xiaolin followed, coming before him at a slow pace. She didn't meet his gaze and bowed her head.

"Please be seated," Gale said as they sat face to face with each other, maintaining a respectful distance of a couple of yards.

Grandma presided over the ceremony saying a few words like how sacred the relationship between a master and their disciple was. She wasn't a fan of wasting time, so they proceeded to the main event pretty quickly.

"Now both parties will exchange vows," Grandma Wang said. "Ni Xiaolin as the becoming of a disciple, you'll begin with the vow."

Xiaolin nodded. "Senior," she said, following the tradition. "I'll work diligently and defer to your teaching wholeheartedly. Is there something you require of your disciple to follow?"

'Stop it, girl, you're making me blush,' Gale mused. 'I would be Sensei Gale in a minute now.'

That was the formal way, the would-be apprentice asking the Master to what they need to follow to become their disciple. Obviously, Gale wasn't at the higher end of this ritual ever before. He got flustered easily.

Gale fought to keep his expression steady and drew in a deep breath. "I want my disciple to never harm innocent people deliberately and always strive to become a better person." Gale paused. The last part was way more difficult than it appeared, thus he added: "But you're fine as well, the way you are now."

Xiaolin nodded, her body shivering at the apprehension. She took a deep breath and exhaled and proceeded with the vow.

"I, Ni Xiaolin, take a vow to never betray my master's wishes and study diligently under him." Xiaolin shivered as though the vow.

'She altered the words a little, but I guess this works.'

In the end, Soul Oaths were merely a binding force that worked with the practitioner's interpretation. The higher Xiaolin's faith in him, the more powerful the oath would become in time.

Anyway, it was his turn now. "I, Gale Joseph Paul Carpenter, take a vow of fulfilling my duties as the master to the best of my abilities."

It didn't take a second for the soul oath to press on his spirit. Gale shivered and found Xiaolin was the same.

'She felt that,' Gale mused.

He really made the correct decision to take her as a disciple. Xiaolin was unusual. No normal mortal could detect the usualness in their soul, even unconsciously. Their mind was too dull to even detect the existence of a soul. How could they detect anything amiss?

However, Xiaolin was different.