Chapter 52: A Zhuji Premier [III]
"Well, well, well. Look at you, childling. Safe and sound, and a bright iron aura too. That means you've undergone your Zhuji tribulations and become a full premier. Not bad for a childling. You're much more better than the last time I saw you, if you ask me."
"You flatters me, Senior Qiyuan."
"How was the tribulations?"
"It was very difficult, senior Qiyuan."
"Of course it was. It's immortality we're talking about here. Look at the sheer brightness of your orb. I can see you as clear as water. Look at the size of your dantian and the make of your soul orb. A soul orb of liquid heavenly energy. Do you know the stronger the power of your soul, the stronger your tribulations will be?"
"I didn't know that before, senior Qiyuan."
"Well, now you know. Anyway, tribulations for Zhuji level wouldn't tend to kill you, unless you have seriously bad karmic deeds. At least, you can prepare properly for future one if you are still alive till then."
"Senior Qiyuan, the planet you mistakenly sent me to, the Charat's planet, it's a great and fair world. I'm very grateful for that."
"Mistakenly indeed. You really have no idea, do you, childling? Alright, since you are grateful, do you plan on going to another world right now?"
"No senior, thanks for asking but my home world would be fine for now. My home would be just fine."
"Farewell then, childling."
Before he could answer, he was already in his room in the Last-Sword sect. He looked back to where the door was, but couldn't find it. Only the crystal pagoda was there. Quietly, he turned his attention towards his room. Slowly, he began moving around inside the room, checking everything including the wall of the place. After he was satisfied with the inspection of the room, he heaved a big sigh of relief.
He was finally home!
The past three days had been exhilaratingly nervy for him. It made him understand more about life, and have a more wider perception of the universe in his own minor ways. He knew quite well of the existence of other worlds out there. Different types of worlds, but he never knew he would ever physically experience them at all. Talk-less of being on one of the planets so soon in his life. How could he, anyway? The people going to another world were extremely powerful people who could use powerful teleportation items or the transportation portals.
To come by a powerful teleportation item was extremely rare, and the cost of transportation portals were too high for an average cultivator.
Before all those events, he was only having dreams of all those planets. Yet, he had just gone to another world and lived in it. What would his family, especially his mother, say if they heard about it? How would his grandma react when she found out the pagoda was really a gateway?
Yes, this was fortuitously more than he deserved. Opportunities and privileges he didn't deserved more than others, but was fortunate to have.
He remembered his granfather's words, "the circumstances surrounding cultivator's birth was not as important as the opportunity to live the life the cultivator could only dream of". Senior Qiyuan had also told him before how powerful cultivators would go to the extreme to have the opportunities he was having.
To travel to other worlds. Yes, those were opportunities he wouldn't let slip from his grasps.
"Thanks to the heavens, and to everybody else."
His mind felt a bit more peaceful with the thoughts. He sat down in a lotus position, closed his eyes and started to meditate. Before he would endeavor in anything, he would first free his mind completely through meditation using the Serene-World technique. A completely cleared mind would approach things in a more meaningful way, he had learned.
An hour later, his mind was greatly refreshed. He took out some dried turtle meat and started to chomp on it. He was deliberating on going to the library but changed his mind. Since the day was still a long way from dusk, he made a resolve to go for a little practice. He still needed to understand the basics of the Swift-Steps technique and the only way he could do that, was to keep practicing.
Just as he was getting to the Zhanshi training area, he heard his name.
"Feng!"
Lin Cheung who was at the other side of the training area, quickly moved to where Ju Feng was.
"Feng, we've been looking for you. Where were you? In seclusion?"
Meditating in seclusion? Jufeng's mind suddenly went to the past events on Charat's planet and to the Savants of the Flying Stars sect who wanted to put him in solitary solitude. Solitary Solitude they called it. They said it was for him to reflect on his wrongdoings and seek redemption of his heart. Or was it his soul? Yes, they had found him in a restricted area, but they gave him three wrongdoings he didn't commit in the first place. How could he have proved otherwise since he was caught in the place?
Well, that was fair enough.
"Hey Cheung. Uhm... about that, let's say I was in solitary solitude. You know, secluded meditation and things like that."
"Yes, we know. But at least, you could've told us beforehand. Instead of us looking for you Here to no end."
Lin Da Xia, who had caught up to them, uttered in a little displeased tone.
"Sorry about that. It only escaped my mind. Next time, I promise to tell you in advance."
Ju Feng said with a bit of remorse in his voice, looking apologetically at the two siblings. Although they recently met, they shared something of a bond. Strange as it might sound, it was true. It was as if they had known one another for a long time.
"Come with us. We want to show you something."
They took him to a quiet area, away from the eyes of others. After looking around the area for a period of time, they concluded it was a good place to talk. Then, Cheung took out a small wooden box painted in dark red. Inside the box were a journal, a map and a big red Jasper ring.
The red ring caught Ju Feng's attention. The more he stared at it, the more the ring appeared as a great treasure.
"It's a beautiful ring, I must say. It's a beautiful treasure."
"Yes, it's a treasure. We already know that. But it's not the ring we want you to see, it's the journal."
Lin Da Xia rolled her eyes as she shook her head slightly.