Chapter 20: Meditation

Zen sat in a lotus position on his bunk bed. He absorbed the mana in the room around them and internalised it. Useless in its current form, he needed to pass it through his meridians, refining the mana into precious qi. The mana was passed through the meridians a few times while he made hand signs with his hands. The seconds of turning mana into qi stretched into minutes and minutes into hours. This was because he was distracted. His mind was plagued with thoughts of the rumours about him, his 3 second loss, his father’s cold demeanour towards him and Chen Jian’s amused face; he was emitting a killing intent and all the commoner could do was be amused.

His constant lapses in concentration led to him producing qi of low quality, forcing him to run the same piece of energy through his body again. Eventually, he grew very annoyed with the process and added the small amount of poor quality qi to the qi pillar in his lower diatian.

He slowly opened his eyes to see Ai and Ao gazing at him, uncomfortably close. Zen jerked back in surprise. “What are you two doing? Yuck, were you trying to kiss me? I knew there was something weird about the two of you! Ai and Ao!”

“What were you doing?” Ai asked.

“Meditating,” he said.

“You call that meditating?” Ai said before hopping down.

“I must concur with Deng Ai,” Ao said, fixing the glasses on his face. “Meditation should be a peaceful process in preparation for a chaotic situation. Your meditation did not look peaceful.”

“Yeah, you were making strange grunting noises,” Ai said, picking up a comb from his bed and combing his quiff out.

Shibi hopped onto Zen’s lap and he instinctively rubbed the monkey’s head.

“And you were making strange looks on your face,” Ao said.

“The monkey was doing a better job than you,” Ao shouted from the bottom.

“Shibi?” Zen looked at his pet. “Shibi doesn’t…” Zen stopped, looking at Ai’s concerned face.

“I think you need help with your meditation.” The bespectacled boy said.

“Oh what do you know!” Zen said, scaring Shibi away. “You’re both just commoner trash!” He hopped his bed and stomped off, followed by Shibi who leapt to his shoulder.

-

While walking to class, Zen spotted Chu Jiahai. “Yoh, Chu Jiahai!”

“Wang Zen!” Jiahai smiled at his friend as they walked together. Jiahai tilted his head at the red furred monkey on Zen’s back. “What’s that?”

“Oh, this is my friend, Shibi.”

“You have a familiar?” Jiahai said.

“”No, I have no Beast Contract with Shibi.”

“Oh, anyways, Bao wants us to spy on Chen Jian tonight.” Jiahai said. “Follow him around and stuff.”

“Okay.”

“I was also thinking,” Jiahai said, “We could go into the Academy’s forest tomorrow night. You know, for our Hunting Techniques class. Apparently, if we hunt a beast, no matter how small, while recording everything with our emblem as proof and bring back a beast core, at least once a week, we are guaranteed to get an approval from hunting class lecturer.”

“But what if we come across a strong beast,” Zen said. “We’re just Beginner cultivators after all.”

“We’ll stay in the fringes, where only weak beasts dwell.”

Zen nodded, “Sounds like a plan.”

-

Later in the night, Zen and Jiahai went out prowling, spying on Chen Jian at a restaurant. Zen had left Shibi in his dorm, doubting the playful ape would fit in a stealth situation. He was thankful that Jiahai was there to help him keep awake, as he was not yet used the Academy’s tough class schedule and so was drained.

“How long must we do this?” Zen asked.

“I guess until he retires,” Jiahai said as they watched their target speaking to other students, mostly made of girls.

“Real popular guy, isn’t he.” Zen said bitterly.

Xu Hau and her boyfriend, Mao Meng arrived on the scene and the group of students dispelled before the city lord’s daughter’s presence.

“Hmm… I’m going to get a better angle at them,” Jiahai said. “Maybe I can read their lips and see what they’re saying.”

“I didn’t know you could read lips,” Zen said.

“Never too late to learn,” Jiahai smiled before sneaking off.

Not a moment later, Zen felt a hand grasp his shoulder, causing him to yelp. “Relax, Mr. Spy.”

“Hue Yi?” Zen said, looking up at the boy, who was wearing shades at night. “What are you doing here?” Zen stared at Jian and Hau standing at the end, before they were joined by Meng Hao, with food in his arms. “Oh, I get it,” Zen mischievously smiled, causing Yi to grow nervous, “you’re here for a midnight snack!” he pointed accusingly.

“Your genius never ceases to amaze me,” Yi said.

“I know right.”

“Spying on your enemy to gain more information on him, I prove.” The older boy said.

Zen nodded, not telling him that this was not his idea.

“But if I were you, I’d desist because you and your friend’s clumsy attempt at spying is embarrassing to real spies like me.”

“Uh, we haven’t been caught.”

“Yet,” Yi said. “I spotted you two a mile off and I’d hate to see what more rumours arise if people see you spying on your most hated enemy like this. Not only that, but think what Chen Jian will do if he discovers your activities. He could tell one of his allies, which are pretty impressive. He hangs out with that jerk Meng Hao but also the beautiful Xu Hau, as in the city lord’s daughter. I’d hate to go up against her.”

“He wouldn’t tell her,” Zen gazed at Yi’s sceptical face. “Would he?”

“I wouldn’t risk it,” Yi said. “But ultimately, it is your risk to take. Anyway, I’m here to collect my Bingo Card.”

“Bingo Card? Oh, you mean the card with the information on Chen Jian.”

Yi nodded.

“Why did you just disappear the way you did?” Zen asked. “It was rude.”

“Forgive me for being rude,” Yi said sarcastically, “but I’m trying not to get noticed. I can’t do that standing next to some brat who is emitting a killing intent focused on a well-known prodigy, now can I?”

Zen leaned away from Yi, feeling fear from the change in his tone. “I’m-I’m sorry, it was a mistake.”

“A mistake?” Yi shook his head. “You better be careful kid cause to most cultivators, a killing intent is as good as an attack on their lives.”

Zen nodded.

“Now, the card.” Yi held his hand out expectantly.

“I don’t have it on me,” Zen said. “I forgot that my cousin has it.”

“Your cousin better not throw away or damage that card,” Yi said. “It’s difficult enough to have them made. Oh well, your friend is coming back. We’ll meet some other time and you can give me my Bingo card back.”

Yi walked away and disappeared from sight a moment before Jiahai appeared.

“Reading lips was a bust,” he said.

“I think we should call it a night,” Zen said as he watched Yi join the group to greet Hau, before he got into an argument with Meng.