Learning To Live As A Cultivator 203 Chapter Three - We Leave For Cenapar City

In Leon's current memory, he had not really left the confines of the Inst.i.tute much although he had made visits to other schools within the Inst.i.tute; the outer beast taming school, the inner alchemist school and both martial arts schools... he did once end up in the Healers Hall, but that was a different story.  The only place he'd been outside of the Inst.i.tute was Julip town, which could be found at the base of the Ascending Mountain Inst.i.tute.
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This time, they would be travelling from New Julip Town's griffin nests to a city some distance south and west.  The city was named Cenapar and according to the information that Leon had read about it, it was the second largest city in East Xulaphrey.  It majored in trade as it was at a central point of several large river routes, one of which was directly connected to the ocean and a ma.s.sive port that had been erected there.  It also boasted picturesque scenery and major tourist destination and was home to several palaces belonging to the three eastern Kings and their families, though its borders were its own and it remained neutral in any regal conflict.

It was also where Sun's ancestral home was located.

Sun actually did not have much of an attachment to his home; it was the place where his shortcomings were most obvious and it was also the residence of all of his annoying relatives.  So he would have preferred to have remained at school during Winter break, had he not received a summons to return home from his father.  That had ended all thoughts of rebellion and 'there's no way I'm going back to that place! Not in a million years! Not for all the Celestial Pearl Grains in the west!

He couldn't even use his Master-Teacher Corvus and his strict, overbearing training regime as an excuse; that man had left with his own older brother Teacher Corne on some secret mission or other... actually it was far less glamorous, just hunting slime ghouls from the Cascading Fungus Swamps.  The swamps were home to numerous types of fungus, some quite odious and unpleasant, sticky and pungent and the ghouls even more so.  The ghouls weren't even a challenging type of undead, just bred like rabbits... because they often were formed of the corpses of rabbits that drowned in the murky muds!  But he wasn't about to admit this to his cute student...

So with Sun's crumbling resolve, he could only try to improve his pitiful situation and drag Jin Li and Leon with him.

"Please!"

"No."

"Pretty please!  I'll do anything!  I don't want to go back alone!"

"This Lord has no intention of leaving one's alchemist alone in school," Jin Li had declared.  His small lover was a walking target for rogues and thieves, no doubt he'd be bullied the moment he, Jin Li, was not in the vicinity.  He refused to give them the opportunity.  Only he was allowed to bully his lover.  His mind had wandered as he recalled the numerous times he'd tossed his alchemist to the point of tears and a satisfied expression appeared upon his face.

"Leon can come, of course Leon is invited!" With large, hopeful eyes, Sun had poured his attention upon Leon who had been watering the herbs in the courtyard at the time.  Leon's garden had somewhat become fallow, with only the hardiest herbs still lingering in the beds.  Had he stayed, he might have tried raise some common winter herbs, but at this point it had only just crossed his mind to do so.

"Huh?" Leon had chuckled nervously, his eyes flicking from Sun to Jin Li, wondering what it was he was supposed to say. "I thought you d-didn't like m-me so m-much."

"What are you saying?!" Sun had suddenly couldn't meet his eyes as he scratched his cheek with a finger. Actually, he'd had stupidly high expectations once arriving at the school, about adventure and heroes and said heroes' followers and harem... a little commoner like Leon had marred his previous fantastic image was all.  But that little commoner had proved that one really couldn't a.s.sume that cla.s.s and image were that which made a man.  Having connections with Leon was a good thing, just as were those connections he fought for to proudly stand beside Jin Li!

Even the fact that this pairs' relations.h.i.+p blew away his three views was now a distant memory buried at the back of his mind.

So in the end, Sun's imitation of a puppy on its rear paws with front paws curled up in a pleading manner had softened Leon into agreeing to visit the boy's household with him.  Jin Li, therefore had no choice but to tag along.

*****

The plan was to travel to New Julip town at take the overnight griffin to Cenapar city.  Clothes, snacks, tea and greeting gifts were packed away in inters.p.a.cial bags as well as meat for Li Ming and Wu Ye.

Taking the two adolescent Coeurl aboard a griffin was not as strange as it sounded.  For one thing, the griffin in question was not a young buck that would ordinarily fly with less than a handful of pa.s.sengers upon the cradle on its back over short distances.  And it was not like the mother griffin in school, whose size ensured that she could carry around twenty pa.s.sengers in the same way. This griffin was a middle-aged Beast, proud and certain of its impressiveness. It was greater still than the biggest griffin Leon had seen by at least twice and held a carriage strapped to its belly as well as the one upon its back.

The upper carriage held twenty good sized rooms, which could be reserved by people at a decent price, while the lower carriage held many more rooms, much smaller and which held narrow cots for the most part, with the exception of the large room that acted as a stable. One paid per bed, this was an overnight trip after all, and it was first come first serve.

Sun was sent to reserve three cots while Jin Li and Leon ensured the comfort of the coeurl's in the stable. They were noticed by a man of middling years, with small eyes and a weathered face. Grey hair tinged the lengths of red tied neatly upon his head and even were it not for his servant, the cut of his cloth announced that he was someone with wealth.  He was currently inspecting his equine mount in the stables when he found interest in the handsome, young coal-black Coeurl and the unusual yin yang striped adolescent stabled by two youths.

"I'm somewhat interested in your beasts," he declared, haughtily. "Name your price!" His tone was cast in the arrogance of a man used to getting what he wanted and he had no doubt that the same would occur now.

The coal-Black Coeurl flattened its pointed ears against its head and growled angrily, before nudging Jin Li with its thick paw. "What?" Jin Li raised a brow in question. He'd been thinking on how to wheedle those snacks from Leon's belt, not listening to outsiders babble on.

"Sorry, our b-beasts are n-not for sale," Leon stuttered, as Jin Li retained his questioning look. With a flash of understanding, Jin Li looked over at the arrogant rich man, before his eyes fell back upon Wu Ye, with contemplation. As if Wu Ye couldn't understand what its human was about and it glared back, daring him.

Jin Li sighed and repeated Leon's words to the disbelieving n.o.ble man. "Want our things? You cannot afford," Jin Li sneered and an equal look of disdain seemed etched upon the coal-black Coeurl's face. The wealthy man looked infuriated and cried out;

"How dare you speak to me this way!" He bl.u.s.tered as the servant behind him lifted his chin in reflected arrogance. "Do you even know who I am?!"

"No," came the blunt response and an arm fell about Leon's nervous shoulders and tugged at him to leave. But not before Jin Li glanced at the coal-Black Coeurl. "You have permission. But do try to not to make too much trouble."

As if I need your permission to protect myself and Li Ming, the Coeurl thought with a snort, as the two humans left them to their own devices. The Coeurl sent one more threatening look the way of the person that smelled like s.h.i.+ny metal, before nipping gently at the yin yang adolescent's ear. Blue eyes looked up innocently.

What's going on?

Don't worry about it. Just sleep.