The three bow their heads, no longer responding, yet Ye grits his teeth and his eyes shine with a glint of rebellion.
Xiao, despite his arrogance, appears very obedient and sets out to find a new master, secretly observing the training in the other pavilions.
Chuang, meanwhile, stays where he is and doesn't change a thing about his daily routine. He even flashes a provocative little smile, as if to imply that since he was the last to pass the test, he is a true phenomenon, and that any master who took him on would be committing suicide and falling into disgrace.
Yes, he is convinced that no one will accept him, so he is at ease in that regard.
Ye decides to train more seriously and takes full advantage of his adorable face and a few chores to get on the good side of other shizun and older students so he can learn more techniques, master more moves, and even find a preference for a certain type of weapon.
It's rare to see Jia Jingzi's disciples so busy... well, no, Chuang is always running around doing not much of anything, and Xiao trains relentlessly but never strays far from the pavilion. But the worst is Ye, always the first to throw himself at his shizun to greet him like a little chick waiting for its mother.
Besides, don't these children have parents? The only ones who very rarely come to see their child are Chuang's parents, but their relationship seems very superficial, just to show that they are there and have offspring.
Jia Jingzi begins a tour of the sect, walking very slowly with his bamboo stick.
The way he walks naturally attracts pity, and sometimes young people from other pavilions come to him to ask if he needs help. His presence draws a lot of attention. Some have never even seen him before, but those who know who he is show him a lot of respect.
Otherwise, he is just a poorly dressed man walking around.
For once, he decides to annoy Chuang by asking him to follow him. So, despite himself, Chuang will have to observe a few masters. None of them look as young as their shizun and are, for the most part, much stricter. In fact, seeing his gentle face and character, many wanted Jia Jingzi to become their shizun.
Two birds with one stone, since he enjoys an exceptional reputation... but the mirror only reacted to those three.
And so, many returned to the labyrinth, a trial so grueling for the mind that one can end up giving up. But Chuang was one of those who persevered... and as such, his shizun never doubted his potential.
"Chuang... why don't you want to take part in the trial? I'm sure that if you train, you could become very good very quickly."
And the disciple accompanied him, trotting happily by his side. He had been one of the few who had not chosen him first. Because he didn't want to be with him? Because he didn't care which master he ended up with? Was it because he had trouble feeling harmony? Perhaps he wanted to make himself desirable? Or had he deliberately been the last? Had he needed more time to concentrate?
"Why does shizun care so much about this disciple's performance? Are training and power the only things that interest shizun and the others? It doesn't matter if this disciple doesn't participate in the test; he is much happier not chasing after success, glory, or power. Do you feel compelled to steer me in this direction because my future seems bleak to you? Is it because it's part of your duties?"
He manages to elicit a small smile from Jia Jingzi.
"Because I am your master, and you remind me a lot of myself when I was young."
Jia Jingzi? Like Chuang? No, he must be mistaken. This master seems too perfect to have ever been a kid.
"And what about the Amethyst Pavilion? There are lots of shadowy corners to lounge in between training sessions..."
Chuang kept his gaze fixed on his shizun, and it seemed as if a spark had just lit up in the depths of his eyes.
"Shizun won't get rid of me that easily. He may not know it, but this disciple is very picky about his resting place. The other pavilions either don't have enough shade or not enough light. The diamond pavilion is perfect, it is the very harmony this disciple needs to develop."
He spins around happily and goes on, "If Shizun were like this disciple, then he wouldn't need to worry about him and his learning, everything would be fine. Look at yourself, Shizun, you are a very good cultivator, you have accomplished feats that everyone admires. This disciple does not aim to be as good as you, but he will definitely find his way!"
The master watches the child twirling around with an amused look, murmuring his name.
"Ah... Chuang, what am I going to do with you..."
He shakes his head and continues talking.
"Precisely, you must not follow in my footsteps. I want you to participate in this trial, and for that—"
As they were talking, the master of the amethyst pavilion came up to him, having noticed him. Jia Jingzi had come here precisely because he was one of the least strict masters.
"But it's Jia Jingzi! What are you doing here? It's rare to see you come up the hill. You're in great shape."
At that moment, as luck would have it, Jia Jingzi suddenly starts coughing and leans on his stick to keep from collapsing.
The master who was talking to him panicked, along with some of his young disciples, and everyone gathered around him.
Chuang gently placed his hand on his sleeve, worried to see him suddenly coughing.
"Shizun...you should go home, don't force yourself."