Path of the Lilies: Early Beginnings

Wang Jun watched as Qin Zheng and Ye Jiao bantered. The others were still sleeping, so he couldn't talk to anyone and just stay silent. This was the first time he realized that Ye Jiao was much more lively than before. When she was with Mu Xin, Ye Jiao was more reserved and didn't dare to talk much.     

"Mhm." Mu Xin stirred up and opened her eyes. She looked in the direction of the other three and walked there slowly before sitting down beside Wang Jun.     

"Are you alright, Mu Xin?"     

"I'm good," Mu Xin replied. Thanks to the medicine that Qin Zheng gave to them, their wounds were mostly recovered. They only needed to have more rest and recover their Eon Energy to be able to move around again.     

"That's good."     

Mu Xin looked at Wang Jun. She smiled lightly. "It's nice to see you again, Jun Ge. I assumed that you've been doing well in your training for the past three years?"     

"I'm on my way to rank 4," Wang Jun replied. He only needed the chance to break through. His Eon Energy has filled the requirement, but his martial heart hasn't reached it. He still needs time.     

"That's good to hear." Mu Xin nodded. "I'll soon catch up to you and surpass you."     

"Yes."     

Bang! Splash!     

They turned their head and noticed that Lin Cai had woken up. She was kicking Lu Wan straight into the water, effectively waking up that young man.     

"What did you do that for?" Lu Wan yelled as he swam to the shore again.     

Lin Cai crossed her arms. "you went straight to sleep, I have to ask Qin Zheng to help direct the medicine in your body. Now wake up and recover your Eon Energy."     

"Uh, I'm fine," Lu Wan climbed up the shore. He could feel that his wounds were already on their road to healing. However, he still needed a lot of Eon Energy and rest if he wanted to fully recover.     

"Eat first."     

By this time, Qi Huan had also woken up. He looked at the others and sat down. "We'll need to think about how to get up again?"     

"We can survey the place later," Lin Cai took the dried meat Mu Xin took out from her storage bracelet. "There's no need to worry so much. We still have two months or so until we have to submit the mission."     

"We need to train again at the academy," Mu Xin said seriously.     

"Is your head only filled with training?" Lin Cai tilted her head. "It's not like we're going to train all day too. Having the chance to relax occasionally is not bad. Don't you want to have some rest too?"     

"Just eat and then swim," Qin Zheng made the final decision.     

"Swim?"     

"There's cold water in the area where it should be hot," Qin Zheng pointed at the lake beside them. "There's warm current from Eon Energy that's beneficial for us, especially those who wish to have specialization in the water element."     

"I'm going to swim." Qi Huan stood up as soon as Qin Zheng finished his explanation. He wished to have water element specialization upon reaching rank 4. Even though it was still impossible in his current states, he would use every chance he got to the fullest.     

And this lake smells like a chance.     

Ye Jiao tilted her head. "Now that you talk about it, aren't there some plants around this place too? Also, the rocks are valuable, right?"     

"There should be a lot of Water Haze," Qin Zheng nodded. "It's a special kind of metal that can withstand both cold and hot, which makes it a good material for armor. I'll show you their examples later. Help me search for them."     

"Why should I help you?" Lin Cai frowned.     

"I'll make an armor for you, free of charge."     

"Deal!" Lin Cai stuffed the meat on her hand into her mouth and swallowed them as fast as possible. "I'm going to train first. Afterwards, tell me the rock's characteristics, and I'll surely find them for you."     

The others were dumbfounded to see Lin Cai like that, but they laughed when they saw the girl jump directly into the water. It was apparent that she was feeling impatient for the search.     

Mu Xin stood up. "I'll also train in the water. Would you like to join, Jun Ge?"     

"Sure." Wang Jun smiled and stood up before following after Mu Xin to the water. It was cold, yet now they could feel the warm temperature from the airflow. It was comfortable.     

Ye Jiao also finished her meal and entered the small lake. She hadn't had the chance to inspect it yesterday because of her wounds and exhaustion. Now that she took a closer look, the Eon Energy in this place was very rich. Many of them were also in the water, which made it comfortable for them.     

Splash!     

"Hyah, I'll get you with my water attack!" Lu Wan splashed water all around.     

"Shut up," Qi Huan felt irritated. He was training, yet Lu Wan was only playing around like a fool. It was no wonder this idiot could never catch up to him.     

"Hahaha, come on and play, Qi Huan!"     

SPLASH!     

Qi Huan used his Eon Energy and created a large wave, directed straight to Lu Wan. His expression was dark. Couldn't this senior brother leave him alone?     

Qin Zheng, Wang Jun, and Mu Xin were training seriously. They ignored the ruckus that Lu Wan created. Only Qi Huan was bothered because Lu Wan purposely attacked right at him. It seems the brat has gone tired of living.     

"Hahahahahaha!" Lin Cai laughed out loudly. "These two are so funny."     

Ye Jiao giggled. "Lu Wan often makes problems because of his hobby. He's indeed very funny."     

"Well, it's normal to create troubles." Lin Cai relaxed her body and laid on her back on top of the water surface. She looked at the beautiful ceiling above her. "You only have one life. Doing your routine every single day and practice is going to tire you out. Rather than sticking up to those boring schedules, it's more fun to just enjoy your life to the fullest and do what you want."     

Qin Zheng slowly opened his eyes. He looked at Lin Cai. "You won't be able to survive if you just do what you want to do. There are many things that you don't want to learn, but you have to because you want to survive."     

"That's correct." Lin Cai laughed dryly.     

Ye Jiao moved closer to the shore. "Survival is obviously the first priority, but it's not like there's only one way to survive. Doing what you want is very fun."     

"Yeah, it's fun." Lin Cai closed her eyes. Imagining a windy grassland in front of her, she smiled. "Free and unbound, rather than confining oneself in the world of rules, it'll be better to just be free and do whatever you want. It's enough to just follow one's heart."     

Yeah, just like how wind comes and goes. She didn't want to be restrained in the secular rules and be bounded by nonsense schedules. Everything she did would be out of her free will.     

Free and unbound.     

Lin Cai loved those two words very much.     

As the girl was immersed in her own thoughts, the Eon Energy around her was moving rapidly towards her direction. The air rippled on top of her as they surrounded like a tidal wave.     

Those around her quickly opened their eyes and moved away to a safe distance. Their eyes were looking at Lin Cai in bewilderment.     

"What happens to Senior Sister Lin?"     

"She has an enlightenment," Qin Zheng said calmly. He sat down by the shore with his legs still inside the water. "Don't disturb her. Every second inside enlightenment is the same as a day training outside or even more. She'll surely advance faster with this chance given to her."     

Qi Huan looked at the movements of Eon Energy as he closed his eyes and absorbed the Eon Energy while circulating them inside his body. There was a slight qualitative difference in the Eon Energy between the late and peak stages.     

He just needed a bit more to reach the peak stage.     

"Stop looking at her and focus on your own practice. However, make sure that you don't disturb her."     

"Ok."     

"Got it."