| °R E B O R N° |

Chapter 29

Kohaku sighed in his seat and opened his mouth. "Like I said, though the young miss is already at Gathering; Concentration rank 5. It is barely passable to be able to enter the hunting grounds. Especially since some of the higher beasts wonder closely in the borders." He started as he motioned to the vast expense outside the window.

"If the young miss enters with just your realm alone as your backbone, it would be disastrous as you might encounter some higher level beasts." He smiled wryly as he added. "And judging from young miss's attitude, you seem to want to work alone so I won't be able to come with you."

Zhi Ruo could not help but quirk her brows and laughed aloud when she heard the accurate description her senior brother laid upon her. "Then senior brother knows that even if you try to stop this young miss, you won't be able to succeed." Amused, she beheld as Kohaku sighed in resignation.

"It's quite unconventional, but I am well aware." Both men in the room eyed Zhi Ruo pointedly. Through the small time that they were in Zhi Ruo's presence, it took them enough time to know that Zhi Ruo can and would do as she pleased.

Wether unaware of the consequences or not.

"It's not like I cannot stop the young miss, but more of like, I do not want to be rude to your wishes." Kohaku said but it sounded like a lie even he himself could hear, while Zhi Ruo made it clear in her mind that she doesn't agree to his words. "And right now, I really do not think it is advisable to go into the hunting grounds alone."

"The tournament is around the corner senior brother Kohaku." Zhi Ruo frowned as she said. "When you say advisable, I can take it as an advice. And if that's the case, I can choose not to take it. Senior brother said that my grade is barely passable, but barely passable is still a pass." She tapped the table in a slow manner.

Kohaku have off a stoic expression as he listened more. Yu Zhúlín hid his face as he drank from his cup.

"What I am trying to say is, though your words may hold a sustainable amount of authority over my freedom. 'Sustainable' is not enough for you to force out a decision out of my mouth that I do not want." Her tapping was solid now, and Kohaku was still maintaining a stoic front.

"Be it as it may senior brother, but if I say right now what I want to go to the hunting grounds you won't be able to say no to me will you?" The veil tilted as Zhi Ruo looked from beyond the clothe. "I am in the same predicament, I respect brother Kohaku, I really do. That is why I want brother Kohaku to understand that you do not need to uselessly worry over this young miss as you do. I have made it this far without further help with my cultivation, I have made choices that have benefited me the most. So if I say that going to the hunting grounds is good for me, who are you to say that it is not."

"I am your senior." Kohaku all but spat out in a breath. "I am called a senior for a reason because I went through much more than you, and is able to discern what is most beneficial for the clan!—" he paused.

At this, Zhi Ruo smiled.

"Beneficial for the clan." She said, "But not for me."

The tea on her cup was all but forgotten. "Now that senior brother knows of my capabilities you worry about wether the clan could keep me or not." She narrowed her eyes, and even Yu Zhúlín could not help but flinch even though  he could not see that Zhi Ruo did so. "Senior brother is treating me like a deciple." She paused. "But senior brother. I'm not a deciple."

"You do not even have the last Ye surname yet, don't get your head too bloated."

"And yet, none of you can deny the blood that is flowing through my veins now can you? Senior brother Kohaku?"