BLUE SLIVER LOVE (Soul Land 1) •Rewrite•

•017•

Chapter 17; Training Regimen

The next day arrived quicker than expected for the two kids who wore matching expressions of disappointment as they sat on a stone bench.

Weekends were in and thus class was not going to be in section. Students mostly used such free times to either study or cultivate. And in their case,well........

Xiao Wu fidgeted with the hem of her tunic, her rabbit ears drooping slightly as she glanced at her brother.

"Why do you think Uncle Micax didn’t come to meet us yesterday, Xiao Wu?" Ling Lixue asked softly.

Xiao Wu kicked a small pebble with a huff, crossing her arms over her chest. “I don’t know, and I don’t want to know. ” she muttered. “He stood us up despite promising to help us with combat practice. So rude. Not nice uncle!”

Ling Lixue looked down at the ground with a frown creasing his forehead. He had been so excited, hoping that Micax would likely have been able to help him get some answers or at the very least teach them something cool. But now, it felt like both he and his sister weren’t important enough to keep a promise for.

“Maybe… maybe something important came up?” Ling Lixue tried to reason, though his heart wasn’t fully in it.

“No excuses.” Xiao Wu pouted. “If he didn’t want to come then he should not have promised in the first place.”

Ling Lixue sighed, resting his chin on his hands as his shoulders slumped in disappointment. In all honesty, even he had been looking forward to training with the man but alas that did not seem to be the case.

Just then the familiar  figure appeared at the edge of the courtyard—Micax, looking slightly disheveled and out of breath as if he had rushed to get there. His eyes landed on the two children, and guilt flickered across his face when he saw their crestfallen expressions.

“Hey, there you are!” Micax called out, jogging toward them. “I’m sorry I’m late.”

Xiao Wu turned away with a huff, her arms still crossed, while Ling Lixue looked up at Micax, eyes wide with surprise.

“You’re late,” Xiao Wu mumbled, refusing to look at him. “and we don't want to talk to you.”

Micax knelt in front of them, his face full of remorse. “I know, and I’m really sorry about that. Something came up that I couldn’t avoid, but I’m here now. Can you please forgive me?”

Ling Lixue’s expression immediately softened, but Xiao Wu was still stubbornly pouting, her rabbit ears twitching. After a moment of silence, she finally glanced at Micax from the corner of her eye.

“Only if you make it up to us by teaching us double what you promised.” Xiao Wu said with a firm nod.

Micax chuckled, ruffling her hair. “Deal. I’ll teach you both everything I know. How about we start right now?”

Ling Lixue’s face lit up, and even Xiao Wu couldn’t suppress a small smile as she hopped to her feet. "Okay, but it better be good!"

Micax raised his hands in surrender. "I will be. Promise."

Sitting down on the grass with Xiao Wu and Ling Lixue, Micax scratched his head thoughtfully as he gathered his thoughts on how to start. The gloom from earlier fading into a more comfortable, curious atmosphere.

"Alright, let’s begin with the basics. Tell me about your martial souls and your current level. I need to know what we’re working with here."

Xiao Wu eagerly jumped in first, proud of her abilities. “I’m a Soft Bone Rabbit,” she said, her rabbit ears give a light flap as she grinned. “I’m at level twelve, and I have a yellow soul ring.”