BUTTERFLIES (Arc 2&3; The Undefeatable Class 192)

Chapter 69: Visiting Teacher Kira Once Again

  After leaving the JAG Special, I took out my Student Token and went out of the school. After swerving through the busy streets for a while, I finally came to a halt before a boutique where clothes were sold.
  I needed to change my wardrobe with a new set of clothes, and since I'd earned sufficient credits from the tasks given me in Twenty Doors' Room 8, plus the 500 points I'd already earned from the Ethereal Hall, I was technically rich.
  For every life-and-death fight against a demon, if I managed to win in the end, I'd gain 100 points. Just yesterday, I'd actually experienced what it felt like to die. I'd been snapped into two. If not that the world down there was merely surreal and virtual, I'd have lost my life just like that.
  Since the day I'd defeated a demon with my true essence, every other fight I'd had was with true essence permitted to both myself and my opponent...
  ‘Knock knock!’
  I knocked at the store that had a sign, reading, “Buy your clothes here!”
  A woman around fifty showed me in. Without much fuss, I was able to get some legging pairs, and a few gowns. After paying and stowing it away in my storage ring, I went to an armoury store and got myself a good bow and matching arrows. I used the standard type I normally used in practice with Old Sage Muyu.
  After purchasing these, I got some food in the Fu Family's Noodle Restaurant — disguised, of course — before finally heading back for the academy.
  The Student Token was really a wonderful thing. Since the academy used academy points to purchase things, I had to change those points into the federation's P.D currency. Despite buying so much, I still had 415 points in my Student Token! I'd learnt that the Gifted Academy points are used only in the three Arerat Cities in the Phantom Dynasty.
  On returning into my dorm room, I wasn't surprised not to have met anyone back yet. I ate a little, before deciding to give Teacher Kira a visit. It'd been quite a while since I'd seen her.
  The question was, ‘How do I see her again?’
  “Oh, yes.” My mind clicked.
  I went through my storage ring in search of “the” book. Funny enough, despite how well-read I was, I only had that one book in my possession. It was none other than the book I'd taken from in the Beast Hall, “Coalition of Animal and Spirit.”
  I chuckled seeing the book in my storage ring, mentally. I flicked my wrist, causing it to materialise in both hands.
  To enter the Channel of Ancient Reality, I had to concentrate my spirit into a book. Thus, it was what I was going to do now. I could always enter the Channel of Ancient Reality with any book, but this particular book was where Teacher Kira was kept.
  Ever since I'd come into the Junior Academy of the Gifted, I'd improved in my use of my spiritual consciousness. Thus, as I placed my palm on the book and sat leg-crossed, I began to slowly drift into the book. Being more experienced this time, I was careful to watch how the whole procedure would take place.
  I noticed my spirit pull out of my body, the way it did earlier today when I'd seen Old Ancestor Kong. My spiritual body caused the book to snap open a tiny portal, while I left my physical body behind to enter into the book.
  If anyone had entered into the room at that moment, they'd have only noticed that I was meditating with my palm placed on a tightly shot book. Yet, what they didn't know was, it'd be impossible to remove my hand from that book. Still, none of these could happen. Why? Because, several hours inside the Channel of Ancient Reality only makes up nanoseconds. If anyone was even in the room when I went into the Channel of Ancient Reality, they'd only have noticed that I placed my palm on the book for only a second, before removing it. Nothing peculiar.
  ‘Swoosh!’
  Already used to spiritual worlds, I wasn't the least bothered. I landed gently, unshaken.
  “Impressive... you seem to have grown after only a few days.”
  I smiled as I turned around to see the beautiful Teacher Kira.
  “Teacher!” I exclaimed running into her arms. Due to the fact that I wasn't with my physical body, I was able to hug her... or maybe it was because she made that possible. Either way, we hugged happily like a mother and daughter.
  “How are you, Stephanie?”
  “I'm fine. Teacher, JAG is so not fun! This student of yours even had to die once!”
  I then told her about how Teacher Haggz had made us his direct disciples and taken us to the JAG Special for training. I told her about all I'd been through, throughout the week. I told her about Old Ancestor Asher (which it seemed she'd already figured was my old ancestor) then every other minor thing I'd experienced so far.
  It felt so wonderful speaking with Teacher Kira, because she never interrupted one when one spoke. She'd only nod in approval, shake head in disapproval, furrow brows in thoughts and curiosity, widen her eyes in awe and surprise.
  “Those fools, do they want to kill my student before its her time?!” Teacher Kira finally exclaimed after listening to everything.
  As if talking to herself, she said, “So that old fool thinks he can outbeat me huhn? Come closer, Stephanie. Your old ancestor taught you in the Way of Disguise, I'll teach you some movement techniques!”
  “Movement techniques? What are those?”
  “They're patterns in moving that could help you move very quickly to avert dangers. It's normally much beneficial for people who've broken into the Ethereal Opening realm, because they're more sensitive to their surrounding. However, it doesn't mean someone who is in the meditating realm can't benefit from it. I feel it'll also be good for you, since you're learning archery.”
  I nodded vigorously, with excitement shooting out of my eyes like lasers.
  “Stephanie, this Channel of Ancient Reality is connected to your spiritual world, so you have to channel your spiritual consciousness to your brain and imagine a field.”
  I didn't understand a single thing she'd said, but still did as I'd been told. I closed my eyes gently to think of the field where Old Sage Muyu normally takes me for archery training.
  Suddenly, I felt the hot sun against my skin. I opened my eyes quickly, just in time to see the whole scene changed, all of the sudden.
  Teacher Kira's lips twitched.
  “Wh-what just happened?” I stuttered.
  She began to explain, “You see, I'm only locked in this book, and can only materialise things that I've personally witnessed, since this book is the same as having the book of my life. However, with your external energy extension, and as the carrier of the Channel of Ancient Reality, this is your own world, so to speak. You have full power here. In your spiritual world, you can do anything.”
  This time, it was I who was completely amazed.
  “I thought that's something only Divine realm experts could carry out...”
  Teacher Kira patted my shoulder and said, “In truth, only those at the peak of Spiritual realm can have complete control over their spiritual world. However, your bloodline Gift grants you so many opportunities. According to you, your old ancestor lives in your spiritual world... that's more than enough reason why you should be able to control here, because your own spiritual world is active.”
  I could not for the life of me believe what I was hearing. Whoever called my Gift a trash? They should come and check this out!
  “Okay, time to get serious.”