“Admit it, Kel.” A man almost indistinguishable from Kel shouted as three other young men of similar appearance laughed behind him.
“Luck is the only reason you found that Turtle Art card while we were cultivating like true masters. Your grandfather’s line never stood a chance at carrying the Fire Mountain Turtle Sect into the future. Do you not realize what the other sects think of us now?”
“You mean your friends in the pleasure district South of the Earth River Sect?” Tae interjected with a tone that chilled the air.
“My faults are my own, honoured second cousin.” Kel replied sincerely with his head bowed, gesturing for Tae to do the same.
“Perhaps you would have performed better than I did at the tournament last year, but the sect leader’s decision left no room for debate, and I carry the weight of my mistakes with honour.”
“The words of one accustomed to failure and shame, Kel!” His second cousin billowed.
“Speaking of the pleasure district, you may find yourself finer company than that village girl next to you. Why do you still keep her around, anyway? Could it be that her skills excel in areas not spoken of during the day?”
“I leave such matters to your discretion, honoured second cousin.” Kel replied emotionlessly.
“I will respect the wishes of the sect leader at all times. As it stands, our sect’s sacred Turtle Art has finally appeared in our generation, and it is a matter of course that I return to the tournament this year.”
“You cling to the fundamentals like a flies to a villager, little Kel.” He replied casually.
“I’ll admit it was surprising to hear that you had mastered two Core Cards since I last saw you, but to think they were an appraisal skill and some fancy armour. At least you’ll be able to tell us all about whatever attacks you’re defeated by!”
“Should the position of heir fall to you one day, I’m sure the sect will be in good hands.” Kel stated, his hand raised to prevent Tae from advancing.
“Behold, a real skill worth learning!” Kel’s second cousin drew a Core Card from his pocket and held it high in the air, attracting attention from several disciples who were standing nearby and drawing applause from the three men behind him. Micro recognized the air in the cavernous room from his encounter with the Sparrow Sect disciples.
“Go on, master of appraisal. Tell me what it is!”
“That’s…” Kel’s eyes glowed as he raised them to analyze the card in his second cousin’s hand.
“The Jade Fire Spirit Hammer Skill… A worthy skill, of course…”
“Vale here is going to crack that shell of yours open with it one day!” One of the men behind Kel’s second cousin shouted spitefully with a twisted grin.
“The heir must face any challenger, as you know.” Kel replied with a hint of anticipation in his voice.
“I am ready, whenever you are.”
Vale, the apparent leader of the group of four sect disciples, suddenly turned his attention to Micro, who was standing by the dungeon entrance with glassy eyes. Kel noticed Vale’s gaze fall to the boy behind him, and turned to greet Micro with a warm smile.
“Welcome back, master!” He said with a light bow.
“I trust your quest was successful, judging by the change in your aura. Allow me to introduce my honoured second cousin, Vale. These are his three brothers, all worthy members of our sect.”
“Oh, please.” Vale scoffed.
“The sect is hardly worthy of us! Who is this brat?”
“This honoured guest of our sect is a fellow master of the Jade Fire Turtle Art, honoured second cousin.” Kel asserted with cold confidence.
“So you will address him as master, or you will not address him at all.”
“This brat is a master?!” Vale laughed along with his brothers as the audience around them grew slowly.
“He is from a sect much stronger than you can comprehend, but fate has led him far from his home.” Kel explained as he approached Micro with a friendly gaze.
“I owe him my life, and he will also be representing our sect in the tournament tomorrow.”
“Your jokes fall flat, Kel.” Vale said in disbelief.
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“A child that frail may have mastered your little turtle art, but I doubt he can do much else. But I suppose any stranger you meet must seem like a master when compared to your own skills!”
“Although his time as a cultivator has been short, he has already mastered one Core Card, and I’m sure it won’t be long before he masters another.” Kel announced over their vile laughter.
“I’d like to know which card you discovered on the mountain, master, if you would be so kind as to show me.”
“Sorry, Kel.” Micro replied to the excited Kel.
“I already ate it.”
“You mastered it before even leaving the dungeon?” Kel gasped.
“That is not a suitable environment for such a dangerous process!”
“It was much easier than trying to load up the yellow one.” Micro laughed.
“I think it was called the storage skill! I finally have a bed again!”
“This child is almost as humorous as you, dear Kel!” Vale screeched with laughter.
“You expect me to believe this scrawny brat in front of me mastered the Spirit Storage skill, just like that?”
“It’s really convenient!” Micro replied happily.
“Nice to meet you, by the way. I’m Micro!”
“I’ll forget your name, so don’t waste your breath.” Vale said in disgust.
“But if you’re going to spout such nonsense, at least mind your manners.”
Vale suddenly unleashed an unruly aura as he looked down his nose at Micro. He increased the amount of pressure when he noticed Micro wasn’t intimidated at all, but the bloodlust in his eyes was clear to every spectator in the room.
“Are you okay?” Micro asked Vale with a confused look.
“Boy…” Vale grunted through his gritted teeth, apparently about to attack. However, he released his aura and began to laugh.
“Oh, I can’t even take you seriously. To suggest you mastered the Spirit Storage Skill so easily… Ha…”
“It’s true, though.” Micro replied.
“Don’t make claims you wouldn’t defend with your life, child.” Vale continued.
“If you can’t back up a claim with proof, it only invites a quick death.”
“Proof?” Micro repeated with a confused expression.
“How about a wager, then?” Vale said with a grin, and he raised his Jade Fire Spirit Hammer Skill card in the air once more.
“If you can store this Core Card away with your skill, you can keep it, and I’ll even call you my master.”
“Really?!” Micro answered with a sincere smile.
“But if you fail to do so, you will live out your days as my servant until the day I decide you would be better off dead.” Vale said with a laugh that sickened Kel. he waved the card in front of Micro’s face playfully.
“You see, boy? You shouldn’t make claims you wouldn’t bet your life on. Here, take it. All you have to do is store it! Just take it and-”
Micro reached out and grabbed the card, much to Vale’s dismay, and tossed it over his shoulder. The card seemed to vanish almost instantly as a dozen gasps echoed in the large room. Vale stood with his hand still waving in front of him as he stared at Micro.
“Thanks!” Micro said with a wide smile.
“You don’t just look like Kel. You’re also just as kind!”
“You… The card…” Vale stammered.
“Is your whole family this nice?” Micro asked Kel, whose own face was a mixture of surprise, anxiety, and delight.
“Vale…” Kel replied quietly.
“Vale may be kinder than most.”
“You… my card…!” Vale’s shocked expression began to morph into a fiery glare.
“Return it, at once, your dirty brat! What tricks-”
“Now, now, honoured second cousin.” Kel interrupted Vale with a patient smile.
“Although you’re surely joking, it would be in bad taste to go back on your word.”
“My card!” Vale fumed.
“You will return it to me now, or I-”
“Did you not just say false claims invite death?” Kel interrupted him again, this time gesturing to the large crowd around them.
“Your intentions seemed clear enough when you made your wager with our master.”
“Master?!” Vale repeated as the glares of almost a hundred disciples began to weigh on him. He took a step back, retreating into his brothers’ increasingly defensive formation.
“You said you’d give him the card and call him master should he provide you with evidence of his skill, and he did so.” Kel said, his smile as hard as stone.
“You are a kind and generous man, Vale, and your sense of humour is matched by your wisdom. Now, I must conclude my business with our master.”
“Kel…!” Vale growled, his face turning bright red. He was about to take a step forward, but his brothers all held him back, shaking their heads anxiously as they looked around the room. The expressions on the other disciples' faces all ranged from shock to amusement, but some looked at Vale and his brothers with disgust and contempt.
“We’ll deal with this later, elder brother…” One of them whispered.
“Not now… Later, we’ll…” Another added something Micro couldn’t hear.
“You should greet your master, before he leaves, honoured second cousin.” Kel said with a bow.
“Forgive us for being in such a hurry, young master.” Tae added, bowing deeply to Vale with a smirk.
“Do you want to join us for some mountain fried beef and honeybuns?” Micro asked with a friendly tone that seemed to completely shatter Vale’s resolve.
“No… Master…” Vale grunted as he turned on his heel. He marched out of the room, followed by his younger brothers. He pushed several people out of his way as he stormed through the crowd.
“Out of my way, lowly fools!”
“I hope we see him again soon!” Micro said as the other disciples returned to their business, some laughing about the incident while others lamented the shameful display.
“I’m sure you will, master.” Kel replied, finally allowing himself to smile genuinely.
“Well done, master!”