The Grand Irricester Institute, Foundation Classroom

"Alright, that's it for today's lesson!" the instructor said.

"Take a few minutes to relax, then we'll go over the next assignment tomorrow. Remember boys and girls, read up on the first chapter of The Cultivation Manual and work on establishing your core with your family's cultivation art or those in the library, those are free for students to use."

The students begin to file out of the classroom, talking among themselves.

"I'm going to take a quick nap," Sung Li says to himself as he leaves. "I'm exhausted after today's class."

"Wait!" Miss Shurong calls out to him. "Did you see Rihan?"

Sung Li sighs and shakes his head. "Nope, haven't seen him since our last class."

Miss Shurong furrows her brow. "Really? That's odd. I wonder where he went."

She looks around the room, but the boy isn't anywhere to be seen. "I haven't seen him since class ended yesterday."

"He must be sick or something. Maybe the Cow Fever got him." Sung Li snickers at his own joke, but she doesn't seem to notice.

"Well, let's not worry about him too much. We have more important things to do—like studying." Miss Shurong stares at her student with a stern expression.

A wave of shock ran through Sung Li's body as he stares at her in disbelief. What happened in the previous lesson left him unable to move; his legs quivered like a newborn fawn.

He stutters, stammers and stumbles as he tries to explain. "Uh, uhm, well, I mean, I mean—"

"I don't have time to waste on you today." Miss Shurong pauses to stare at him with cold, dark eyes. "If you don't study properly, you won't pass the test nor will you perform in the upcoming tournament."

She stares at him until he stumbles out of the room, clutching his bag to his chest.

Sung Li pauses in front of the school entrance and pinches his nose. "I can't believe I got out of that without any trouble."

He chuckles to himself. "That's the second time today I've managed to avoid a lecture from Miss Shurong."

Memories from the previous day filled his thought suddenly, and he shuddered to think of another session of studying with Miss Shurong.

He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly; his heart is racing like it's about to burst out of his chest. "I need to calm down—I need to calm down."

A group of girl students strolls by, talking amongst themselves.

"I don't know how she keeps finding ways to embarrass me." She shakes his head, then laughs. "She's really annoying."

"You're not the only one." One of the girls giggles. "She's always picking on me."

"I bet she doesn't pick on you because you're smart, though."

"Of course not." Another girl scoffs. "She picks on me because I'm beautiful."

Xiao Yi Ling was among the group of students, but she didn't say anything. She kept her eyes straight ahead, walking briskly. Her steps were heavy like she was carrying a heavy load.

As she passed by, she caught a glimpse of Sung Li before stopping short, then turned to look at him.

"Where's your friend?" she snorted.

Sung Li pinched his nose again and then snorted. "I wish I knew."

"What happened to him? It's just the second day of class." she asked, 'Don't tell me he quit school?"

"What do you mean? Why would he do that?"

"I saw you two together after class yesterday. You looked like you were having fun. I don't know, maybe school is just not fun anymore? Extra class and all."

He scratched his chin and thought hard. "Oh, you mean after Miss Shurong's hell class?" he asked.

"Hell's class? You boys didn't look too bad, I'd say you were pretty close. Dragging each other out of class."

"That wasn't anything. Just a friend helping a friend." He answered while shaking his head.

Xiao Yi Ling frowned. "Is that right?" She crossed her arms.

"I'm surprised you noticed he's missing." He gave her a devious grin.

Her eyes narrowed.

"Why? Is he missing?" she asked, her tone serious, "I wouldn't want someone from my class disappears and create a bad rep for us after all."

"Did he disappear? I don't care what happened to him." —she glances around the hallway— "but if he disappeared, it'll be troublesome for the class."

Sung Li laughed. "He's not missing," he said, waving his hand in dismissal. "But, I just haven't seen him since yesterday."

Xiao Yi Ling furrowed her brows. "Tsk," she said, shaking her head. "I don't like it when someone irresponsible like you lot disappears without saying a word."

Sung Li raised his eyebrows, puffed his chest out, and pouted his lips. "I'm not irresponsible!" he snorted.

Xiao Yi Ling snickered. "Maybe you're not irresponsible but your friend is. That's why I'm worried."

Sung Li pinched his nose again and then snorted. "He's not my friend," he said.

Xiao Yi Ling stares at him. "Whatever," she sighed. "Anyway, tell him to stop his shenanigans."

Sung Li nodded. "I will," he said, giving her a wink.

Xiao Yi Ling continued to walk away, shaking her head.

He watched her leave, wondering why so many seemed to care about Rihan. He shrugged his shoulders, dismissing their concern. After all, one's an instructor and another is just a random girl, he thought.

The sound of thunder rumbled in the distance which reminded him of something. So, he quickly glanced at his watch.

"Ah! The mini figurine is about to go on sale," he mumbled while hurrying to the store. "I promised him, I need to hurry! Or he'll chew me apart!"

"Ugh, Rihan! You owe one!" He mumbled as he ran out the school's gate.

As the sound of thunder rumbled in the distance, Rihan suddenly opened his eye as if responding to the rumbling sound in the distance.

"Achoo!" Rihan sneezed, "What, did it suddenly drop in temperature?" He mused while wiggling his nose.