Blab. Blab. Blab. Xue Fan and Co kept going. Well, Dejiu was a little fortunate and thankful they didn’t beat him like before. Maybe they did learn over the years apart. But Dejiu grew tired. He still wanted to try the Frozen Heart cultivation method a little more.

“Are you done, Senior Brother? I’m behind in the lessons, years behind as you know. I want to go back to learning this cultivation method.” Dejiu muttered, a little annoyed. Maybe he was looking forward to some action now.

“Learning?” Xue Fan echoed. “You think dabbling in scraps of cultivation techniques will have you prepared when it comes time for the Warrior Monk exam?”

Dejiu’s ears perked. The what? This was new.

“What’s the Warrior Monk exam?” He asked, genuinely curious.

Turns out, that question was a mistake. He could already see Xue Fan’s eyes light up for something new to ramble on.

“Oh, you don’t know?” Xue Fan asked. His smile grew wider. “How surprising. Then again, why would you? A Junior Brother like the rest of us, yet so preoccupied with disgraceful escapades, couldn’t possibly have time to keep up with something as significant as the exam that defines a monk’s worth.”

Dejiu fought the urge to roll his eyes. “Just explain it already, Senior Brother.”

“Of course, of course,” Xue Fan replied. “The Warrior Monk exam is the trial that separates the wheat from the chaff. It determines who among us is worthy to ascend to the rank of Warrior Monk, to bear the temple’s banner into battle and into the Pillarshards.”

“And that is still far from now, Xue Fan.” Senior Monk Liang finally said, seemingly finished teaching from the other end of the hall. Dejiu peered past the shoulders of the small crowd and other monks who turned this way to find Senior Monk Liang trodding towards him.

“Return to your training,” was all Senior Monk Liang said before he turned away, his voice devoid of concern or curiosity. The monks dispersed like snowflakes in the wind, their whispers telling of their disappointment. Likely because they couldn’t get a glimpse of a beating.

Xue Fan’s gaze briefly lingered on Dejiu before he turned around. His lackeys trailed obediently behind. Dejiu wanted to make a face at Xue Li, but decided against it as he made eye contact with Senior Monk Liang.

Dejiu sighed. Did Senior Monk Liang even care? Did he know Xue Fan wasn’t going to try beating Dejiu again under the pretext of teaching him a lesson? Probably. The elders always seemed to look the other way when it came to Xue Fan’s disciplinary methods. Actually, they likely welcomed it because Xue Fan’s technically the de facto leader of their generation.

He rubbed his temples. It didn’t matter. Xue Fan could lecture, berate, or smirk all he wanted. Dejiu’s path was his own, and he wasn’t about to let some self-righteous bully dictate it for him.

Still, it’d be nice to hit him just once.

Isn’t that right, Bing Xin? He asked.

“It would be nice, but you mustn’t. Again, he was not lying about the gap between your cultivation. In another life, his talent alone would’ve made him my vessel. Alas, he fails in all other criteria to be fit.”

Dejiu frowned. The load of this daimon! Is a daimon really telling me not to turn to violence? Huh!? Has Hell flipped over?

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“How far in the manual have you reached?” Senior Monk Liang picked up the manual and skimmed through some pages.

“Just a few pages. I think I can do well drawing in the prana into my core, but my prana refuses to move according to these pathways.” Dejiu said, still in the lotus position.

“After an hour or so or trying?” Senior Monk Liang sighed. “All those treasures, pills, and elixirs you came upon could’ve been used to help raise someone like Xue Fan to the Earthly Stage. A shame.”

Dejiu’s face twitched. Damn geezer. I’m literally in front of you…

He gritted his teeth but managed to keep his voice steady. “So… Senior Monk. How about that Warrior Monk exam? Can you tell me more about it?” He forced a faint grin, shifting the topic.

Senior Monk Liang lowered his gaze and set down the cultivation manual. “The Warrior Monk exam is open for any Junior Monks who reached the Advanced Stage.”

Dejiu’s eyes shone. This was a promotion coming! Could he trump the others in this? Perfect!

“Am I allowed to partake in this, Senior Monk!?” He asked excitedly. Warrior Monks were officials of the temple! He’ll obtain much more freedom than a Junior Monk could ever have. After all, Teacher Jiansu was one!

“No. Absolutely not.” Senior Monk Liang snorted.

Fucking geezer! My dreams! My freedom! He grimaced.

“For one, you are too young. Despite being in the same generation as Xue Fan and the others, they are five or more years older than you. Another reason is this!” Senior Monk Liang swatted the cultivation manual down. His gaze turned a little dark and reminded Dejiu about a time long passed.

“You can’t even learn the rudimentary steps despite having access to heightened prana sense granted to Advanced Stage cultivators from the Seekers Accord! You’re incompetent — no more than you were back then. No, perhaps even more! These beginning steps are something an eight-year-old could learn!”

Dejiu scoffed. Was this the moment for the second thing he needed to get over — that he’ll say he’ll make his own Path? Pah, who cares at this point? He’ll just be blunt.

“Senior, you gave me an hour! I need time for something new. I’ve been cultivating my own for more than seven years, it’s hard to go against seven years' worth of tendencies.”

“Time is not a luxury you have, Xue Dejiu,” Senior Monk Liang said sharply, pointing at the cultivation manual. “The Warrior Monk exam is not for those fumbling to understand the basics. ”

Dejiu’s chest tightened. The sting of those words, though familiar, burned fresh every time. But this time, he didn’t feel like backing down. “You think I don’t know that? You think I’m not aware of where I stand compared to the others?” He gestured to the manual. “You said it yourself, Senior Monk. I’ve been left behind. But why should I change how I’ve been finding success so far? Follow my Dao?”

Senior Monk Liang’s brows lifted, probably surprised by his words. For a moment, he said nothing, then leaned back slightly. “Ambition without foundation is like building a tower on sand,”

“Fine. Cultivate as you wish. I’ve only been instructed to show you the manual. Do what you will.” Senior Monk Liang muttered as he turned around to guide the other Junior Monks. The loose robes dragged behind as Dejiu got up and disregarded everyone else.

His words weren’t loud, but they were clear — the rest of the training hall was quiet. Xue Fan was tucked away near the center about to spar someone else, a sly smirk hidden beneath his gaze. Dejiu didn’t care about training inside here anymore. Maybe to spar against the other Junior Monks for experience, but that’ll only invite trouble until his series of soul injuries is over.

He opened the gates and returned to his sleeping chamber in the White Blossom Monastery. Fortunately, he found a pleasant surprise, Teacher Jiansu.

“Sorry, Little Dejiu. I was busy inside the inner sanctum. Ah, to think in this old age I was deemed important enough to be busy inside there in recent times.” Jiansu said between his stretches.

Smiling to himself, Dejiu nodded and plopped down on his sleeping mat. “What was it about?”

“Something about the Warrior Monks to regularly descend your Pillarshard to train and expand.” Jiansu smiled before he got up.

Jiansu came to Dejiu and pulled him into a deep hug. “Welcome back, Little Dejiu. I couldn’t say it earlier because of the Arhats and such but welcome back. You did well to survive, no one should fault you for that.”

Dejiu welcomed it and tightened his hold. “Sucks I’m missing a hand though.” He laughed.