A desolate canal.
The wharf.
“Senior Zhao, here”
Zhao Qiong received an ice cream from Gu Qing Shan’s hand and replied: “Thank you, sorry for making you spend on me”
“It’s only an ice cream, after all, they provided me with a huge financial budget for living expenses and cultivation resources. Not to mention, senior Zhao is over a hundred times richer than I am”
Gu Qing Shan ate his ice cream while glossing the matter over.
Zhao Qiong shook her head: “Both your matter and the purchase of that piece of scale were done with a budget paid in advance by the School of Shan Hai. After returning, I will need to give a detailed report and prove the value of this purchase—– in reality, I don’t have that much money”
“Really? Then all the ice cream from now on is on me”
Gu Qing Shan acted like an upstart wealthy person.
Zhao Qiong just smiled in return.
The two of them ate ice cream as they enjoyed the scenery on the banks of the canal.
Three days ago, they had already left the School of Fei Yu and made their way towards a desolate canal a few thousand miles away.
This body of water was the only path connecting the Western Sea Grotto and the Eastern Desolate Grotto.
Right now, they were waiting for a ship.
Gu Qing Shan had also asked Zhao Qiong why they didn’t directly teleport back.
Zhao Qiong casually provided him with a relatively uneasy answer.
In truth, with her strength, teleporting just herself was already her limit.
Even if she used up every bit of strength, she would still only be able to transport the piece of scale back by itself.
——-to transport two living people at once, Zhao Qiong would need to cultivate for a few more years.
However, due to Li San’s matter this time, coupled with the fact that the piece of scale from the School of Fei Yu had finally displayed a reaction; after reporting it to her superiors, someone should be arriving to pick them up.
——–as for why someone still hadn’t shown up yet to pick up Gu Qing Shan and her, she didn’t know either.
Gu Qing Shan was speechless.
After eating ice cream for a while, Gu Qing Shan couldn’t help but ask: “Senior Zhao, what exactly are you responsible for in the School of Shan Hai?”
Zhao Qiong replied: “I am a book compiler. I’ve earned the highest osteology recording authority, now responsible for travelling around the 8 Grottos of this world in search and research of every types of bone, record their forms, characteristics, and abilities”
Gu Qing Shan nodded and commented: “That sounds really important, but also very tough”
“It is very tough, but it’s also meaningful” Zhao Qiong appeared delighted and continued: “There are truly many types of bones in this world. Not only are they varied in form and type, but they also contain different types of spirit linking abilities, so I want to research clearly what every type of bone is capable of, then compile them into an encyclopedia for the Bone Masters of the future to better understand”
“Senior Zhao’s aspirations are very impressive!” Gu Qing Shan praised.
——-without a doubt, if she was in a Technological world, Zhao Qiong could be considered an advanced-level researcher.
Then, asides from scientists, what are the other people of the School of Shan Hai responsible for?
Like that something or other Blade Saint, or that something something Serenity.
The way that the pair of brother and sister talked sounded like they belonged on the field instead of a research lab.
“Li San”
While Gu Qing Shan was thinking, Zhao Qiong called out to him.
“Yes?”
“You need to think of a name for yourself now. Once you enter the School, it would be a bit easier to call you”
“Ah, let me think about it…”
Gu Qing Shan seriously pondered for a few minutes.
I’m really bad at naming, since the organization name ‘Don’t Know Yet’ is already a really weird one, I should at least be able to think of a normal alias for myself.
Hm…
…
“Senior Zhao, I can’t come up with anything. You can just call me Li San for now, that would feel a bit more intimate” Gu Qing Shan dejectedly said.
All of a sudden, a female voice came from next to them:
“How lazy you are. How can a man of a family not even have a proper and decent name for himself?”
The two of them looked back.
Only to see a woman with a folding fan sitting on the bench behind them, appearing completely listless.
Zhao Qiong was shocked, hurriedly stood up and bowed: “Painted Bones Serenity, your excellency, I didn’t notice your existence, my apologies”
The fan-holding woman had a highly spirited facial expression, her form slender and feminine, but while sitting there, you could feel her emanating a sense of complete listlessness.
She casually fluttered her fan and replied: “It is fine, I’ve only just arrived as well. Originally, the School ordered me to take the two of you back right away, but I went out to relax with a few sisters for a few days, so I arrived a few days late——- don’t tell anyone”
“Yes, your excellency” Zhao Qiong sincerely answered.
Painted Bones Serenity then turned to Gu Qing Shan and said: “Since you are Li San, how about taking Li San Lang as your name?”
“Li Shan Lang[1]?” Gu Qing Shan blankly asked.
Seeing his confused expression, Painted Bones Serenity emphasized her words: “‘San’ as in ranking third, ‘lang’ as in ‘lang jun'[2]”
“That isn’t a name… it sounds like a family ranking or family nickname” Gu Qing Shan commented.
“There are two great Combatants with the surname Li in our School of Shan Hai. Their reputations are renowned over the 8 Grottos, admired by everyone in the land, it’s already very decent for you to rank third. Normally, everyone will call you Li San Lang, while your official name will be Li Qiu Shan, what do you say?” Painted Bones Serenity frowned a bit and asked him.
She watched the ice creams in their hands.
——in reality, she had already arrived for a while, watched Gu Qing Shan buying ice cream for Zhao Qiong, and listened in on their conversation.
Earlier, she had even investigated the matter of the School of Fei Yu’s young master, understanding the detailed situation within it.
Who would’ve thought? This Li San had witnessed the war between the wraiths and the monsters; and not only did he survive that environment, but he also managed to save his master.
More importantly, the piece of scale that he managed to form a spirit link with caused a great commotion within the School.
There are numerous strange and unusual items that originally came from the great tomb, scattered throughout the 8 Grottos that can be used to form a spirit link with. But no one could have thought that a piece of scale at a backwater region of the world would ever be able to attract an unknown Apocalypse.
That piece of scale had undergone numerous trials, each time giving out surprising results.
Some had even concluded that the School of Shan Hai would welcome a martial fist saint after a few dozen more years.
—–that is, if this brat doesn’t die prematurely.
Knowing this, Painted Bones Serenity became even more cautious and had been observing them from afar for the past while.
For the past few days, this youngster had cooked, brewed tea, and taken care of Zhao Qiong extremely well, to the point that one couldn’t find any fault in it.
Thanks to that and their conversation earlier, Painted Bones Serenity had a sudden impulse and appeared to meet them.
Zhao Qiong naturally didn’t know anything about that, only desperately blinking towards Gu Qing Shan.
Gu Qing Shan understood her intentions.
He didn’t mind using an alias someone else came up with, so now that he received Zhao Qiong’s implied gestures, he casually replied: “Then I will be Li Qiu Shan from now on”
Painted Bones Serenity replied: “That’s more like it. You can stay here and wait, there is a recorded Apocalypse that manifested 700 miles away from here, I’ll deal with that Apocalypse first, then we’ll be on our way”
Saying so, she vanished with a ‘hoh’.
Zhao Qiong sighed in relief, then appeared delighted: “Li San——- Li San Lang, congratulations”
Gu Qing Shan asked: “Senior Zhao, what for?”
Zhao Qiong quickly explained: “The two great Combatants of our School of Shan Hai are respectively Thousand Blades Saint Venerate – Li Chun Dao, and Painted Bones Serenity – Li Qiu Yu. Since she personally appeared to give you the name Li Qiu Shan, it truly shows just how much she favored you”
Zhao Qiong grabbed his hand, squeezing it in genuine second-hand delight for him: “Don’t worry, that pair of brother and sister might act high-and-mighty, but they are actually very honorable people without any ill will. They are heroes that we look up to and aspire to become, you must cultivate yourself properly from now on, do not let this opportunity down”
Gu Qing Shan was surprised to hear this.
Why was I suddenly taken notice of?
—–perhaps it was because of that piece of scale.
However, according to Zhao Qiong, the two of them like to act high-and-mighty, from what I’ve seen of them, they should also be people with very straightforward personalities.
And with their high status, there would be no need for them to try and flatter an adolescent young man just because of a single piece of scale.
Now that I think carefully about it, the fact that no one had contacted Zhao Qiong during this period of time was most likely because that so-called Painted Bones Serenity – Li Qiu Yu was silently observing me.
…Did something about this adolescent young man’s appearance I’ve taken that could have actually drawn her eyes?
Gu Qing Shan was very confused.
In truth, he didn’t realize it himself, but throughout the many hardships as well as battles he had experienced in his life, he had nurtured a presence that naturally displayed itself even through his mundane daily life, like cooking, chatting, relaxing.
Even though he was disguised as a 14-15 year old young man with perfect acting skills, these innate characteristics of his would always subconsciously display themselves; giving off a faint yet clear aura that naturally drew the gaze and incited delight in others.
This was the reason why Painted Bones Serenity felt an impulse like she did.
[1] shan (山) = mountain, lang (狼) = wolf
[2] san (三) = number three, lang (郎) = male youth. Lang jun (郎君) = dear, as in a way to call one’s husband
