Chapter 101: The Laining Street
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"Haha...young man, don't worry. You will find out soon enough." Elder Lu laughingly clapped Wu Lin on the shoulder, his face beaming with a wide smile that crept Princess Qamari.
'This elder, why does his smile seem as sickly as Prince Noore's?'
The thought unabatedly entered her mind without her conscious desire, making her warily stare at the honest-looking elder. If she could not tell the middle-aged man was another two-faced hypocrite, then she would have lived so long for nothing.
'I wonder what he is trying to achieve?'
Her earlier enthusiasm had completely faded, leaving in its place only faint indifference. With this sort of people, she didn't expect to receive free aid in collecting information about the black shield. As such, it was even more important for her to leave incognito and do the investigation herself.
As she didn't want to form any sort of connection with the man, Princess Qamari completely ignored their conversation and looked out the window, losing herself in the natural scenery. Including the Amayan Empire and the Jinn Kingdom, this was the fourth place that she had visited with a drastically distinct landscape.
Unlike the Jinn Kingdom, Amayan Empire, and Sealand Academy, the East Minions Faction of the Northwest was ordinary, with sparse vegetation and trees. There were small hills and cliffs with lakes and streams winding through its rough rocky paths.
Birds and tiny creatures such as squirrels, mice, and rabbits ran about but were few as well. The only abundance of nature were the wild beasts that occasionally roared and growled in the distance.
"Shall we go, then? The other apprentices must be waiting." Jun Meng's voice drifted into her ear, making her shift her attention back on the middle-aged man that was still smiling from ear to ear.
"Haha...yes, of course. That's the whole reason why I called you. Come, let's go to the Main Hall. They must already be waiting! Haha..." He continued laughing jovially, as he dragged Jun Meng and Lu Tie away.
Princess Qamari sighed and followed as the rest of the team followed her.
Soon, the group passed the Main Hall's wide gates and entered the sitting room. Inside the hall, there were six distinct groups spread out. Some were clothed in black, some in blue, some in green, some in red, some in yellow, and some in white. All had the insignia of their respective academies on the sleeves of their robes, making it a lot easier to distinguish them.
Princess Qamari's gaze fell on the group from the Janah realm, garbed in white with the insignia of wings on their sleeves. Their peaceful and calm aura attracted her interest, as compared to the other apprentices, they appeared more mature and composed.
"Haha...everyone's here! I am sorry for the slight delay. Our friends from the Sealand Academy had only arrived last night. I thought a little rest was a must and hence, allowed them to sleep in." As he went by and apologized to the standing apprentices, Elder Lu joyously proceeded to his seat in the center of the hall.
"Elder Lu, no need to apologize. We understand and don't mind waiting a few minutes longer." The apprentice from the Janah realm replied nonchalantly, his face expressionless even with his soft tone.
"Elder Lu, I am sure you invited us here for more than petty talk, right?" The Nar realm apprentice had a disdainful look on his face as he glanced at them.
"What is up with his attitude?"
"They are from the Nar realm, so it's useless talking sense with them."
"Ignore him."
The Sealand apprentices were peeved but didn't lose their cool, waiting behind Princess Qamari and the two senior brothers as they whispered among themselves.
"Everyone, please get seated. I invited all the apprentices with the intention of getting everyone acquainted with one another. The Magical Kilin Mission isn't an ordinary one. It will require all of you to work together to successfully complete it. So please, sit."
Seeing the elder's above friendly attitude, Princess Qamari lost all interest in the meeting about to commence. The one thing she hated most was two-faced hypocrites. As such, the moment Elder Lu invited them to sit, she whispered to the senior brother closest to her.
"Senior Lu Tie, I am not interested in feasts. The noise and chatter give me headaches. I will take a stroll outside. You and the others can go ahead without me." Without wasting any more time or giving the confused senior any chance to respond, she turned and left.
Lu Tie watched the receding back of the purple-red clad girl in disappointment. He, like most of the second-year males, joined the expedition to the Northwest for the sole purpose of getting close to the beautiful junior sister.
However, the junior was as cold and hard to approach as ice. She neither spoke nor engaged or responded to any friendly conversations. Her cold stare and indifferent eyes were chilling enough to shut off the mouth of any courageous and foolhardy male.
"Aye, I wonder who would be the one to melt this ice cube." He silently whispered as he retracted his gaze and moved closer to Jun Meng.
"Brother Jun, Junior Sister Princess Qamari went for a stroll outside. She said the environment here is too loud and noisy for her." He relayed in a hushed tone.
"Hmm. Let her be. Sister Qamari isn't an individual that we can control. The elders of the academy have specially informed me that we only need to keep an eye on her for protection. As for other matters, we are not allowed to interfere or get involved." Jun Meng's indifferently replied and moved forward.
The others followed in his step, and soon, everyone in the Main Hall was seated with a drink in hand. The feast commenced in the joyous laughter of the City Lord and seven academies apprentices.
Aside from the senior brothers she informed, the only individual aware of her disappearance was Marui Osklain, who viciously watched the princess's receding back.
Once she came out of the Main Hall, Princess Qamari immediately waved her hand. Bright light flared and her white trident appeared. Grabbing the trident, she lightly slammed it on the ground.
"Meilan Innki Behee!" Take me out of here!
The magical spell was a new one she recently learned from Snow. It was a spell similar to teleportation, only a lot more draining and taxing to her soul. Moreover, the distance she could travel was limited to only a mile.
But for her, it was more than enough to get out of the City Lord's Mansion without being spotted by the guards.
Bright light flared and enveloped her entire body, showering her in a radiance of luminous brilliance.
Puff!
With a forceful tug, her body disappeared.
Right at this moment, Crown Prince Lail came out of the Main Hall. He caught a glimpse of a creamy white light that attracted his attention.
"Why does that light feel familiar?"
Even though it was only a tiny radiance, the moment he caught a glimpse of the light, his heart pounded. As if being pulled by a string, he blindly rushed towards the light, his pounding heart drumming in his ears.
He leaped over the tiny garden plants and landed lightly on his feet. Without pause, he continued on his mad dash. Just when he was about to reach the light, it vanished.
He came to a halt, his racing heart still reverberating in his ears.
'What was that light? Why did I react so intensely on seeing it?' He wondered in confusion.
His dark eyes flashed with a black-blue gleam as he stared in a daze at the spot he caught the light.
"Master, are we leaving?"
The voice blared in his mind, instantly shattering his trance-like state. Shaking his head, Crown Prince Lail turned and disappeared into the shadows of the stone buildings.
*
Princess Qamari strolled through the bustling Laining street, the gray cobblestones clean and well kept as merchants lined up booths. Each was eager to sell food, jewelry, and clothes. A gust of wind brushed against her face, and the fragrant smell of freshly baked delicacies filled her nostrils.
"What a lively and peaceful scene. No one can tell that a place of such harmony actually harbors a hidden danger." Her eyes seeped with hints of water as she emotionally looked at the running children.
She had seen a similar scene in her magical Spying Mirror last night. But experiencing what she was trickled her heart into a complicated sadness. She experienced emotions that she never felt when she only looked at the silent motion.
"Sigh. Some things never feel real until you experience it for yourself."
She hoped that misfortune would never befall a peaceful environment such as this. With another sigh, she made her way out of the Laining gate, into the rural regions of the place.
This was a less populated area compared to the Laining City, with twisting roads and fully packed huts and mud houses. Men pulled mulls and carts with loads of goods such as hay and vegetables into the settlement as chicks and sheep's grazed on the grass and grains on the floor.
A tiny stream of water followed from a river in the distance, women crowding around it to wash clothes and bathe their kids.
Princess Qamari leisurely strolled through the sparse woods as she delightfully took in the scenery, finding beauty in the simplicity, and life in the struggle of the civilians to survive.
Right at this moment, the surroundings went dead silent and a dreadful chill seeped into the atmosphere.
An ominous feeling appeared in her heart and Princess Qamari turned and fled without hesitation.
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"Haha...young man, don't worry. You will find out soon enough." Elder Lu laughingly clapped Wu Lin on the shoulder, his face beaming with a wide smile that crept Princess Qamari.
'This elder, why does his smile seem as sickly as Prince Noore's?'
The thought unabatedly entered her mind without her conscious desire, making her warily stare at the honest-looking elder. If she could not tell the middle-aged man was another two-faced hypocrite, then she would have lived so long for nothing.
'I wonder what he is trying to achieve?'
Her earlier enthusiasm had completely faded, leaving in its place only faint indifference. With this sort of people, she didn't expect to receive free aid in collecting information about the black shield. As such, it was even more important for her to leave incognito and do the investigation herself.
As she didn't want to form any sort of connection with the man, Princess Qamari completely ignored their conversation and looked out the window, losing herself in the natural scenery. Including the Amayan Empire and the Jinn Kingdom, this was the fourth place that she had visited with a drastically distinct landscape.
Unlike the Jinn Kingdom, Amayan Empire, and Sealand Academy, the East Minions Faction of the Northwest was ordinary, with sparse vegetation and trees. There were small hills and cliffs with lakes and streams winding through its rough rocky paths.
Birds and tiny creatures such as squirrels, mice, and rabbits ran about but were few as well. The only abundance of nature were the wild beasts that occasionally roared and growled in the distance.
"Shall we go, then? The other apprentices must be waiting." Jun Meng's voice drifted into her ear, making her shift her attention back on the middle-aged man that was still smiling from ear to ear.
"Haha...yes, of course. That's the whole reason why I called you. Come, let's go to the Main Hall. They must already be waiting! Haha..." He continued laughing jovially, as he dragged Jun Meng and Lu Tie away.
Princess Qamari sighed and followed as the rest of the team followed her.
Soon, the group passed the Main Hall's wide gates and entered the sitting room. Inside the hall, there were six distinct groups spread out. Some were clothed in black, some in blue, some in green, some in red, some in yellow, and some in white. All had the insignia of their respective academies on the sleeves of their robes, making it a lot easier to distinguish them.
Princess Qamari's gaze fell on the group from the Janah realm, garbed in white with the insignia of wings on their sleeves. Their peaceful and calm aura attracted her interest, as compared to the other apprentices, they appeared more mature and composed.
"Haha...everyone's here! I am sorry for the slight delay. Our friends from the Sealand Academy had only arrived last night. I thought a little rest was a must and hence, allowed them to sleep in." As he went by and apologized to the standing apprentices, Elder Lu joyously proceeded to his seat in the center of the hall.
"Elder Lu, no need to apologize. We understand and don't mind waiting a few minutes longer." The apprentice from the Janah realm replied nonchalantly, his face expressionless even with his soft tone.
"Elder Lu, I am sure you invited us here for more than petty talk, right?" The Nar realm apprentice had a disdainful look on his face as he glanced at them.
"What is up with his attitude?"
"They are from the Nar realm, so it's useless talking sense with them."
"Ignore him."
The Sealand apprentices were peeved but didn't lose their cool, waiting behind Princess Qamari and the two senior brothers as they whispered among themselves.
"Everyone, please get seated. I invited all the apprentices with the intention of getting everyone acquainted with one another. The Magical Kilin Mission isn't an ordinary one. It will require all of you to work together to successfully complete it. So please, sit."
Seeing the elder's above friendly attitude, Princess Qamari lost all interest in the meeting about to commence. The one thing she hated most was two-faced hypocrites. As such, the moment Elder Lu invited them to sit, she whispered to the senior brother closest to her.
"Senior Lu Tie, I am not interested in feasts. The noise and chatter give me headaches. I will take a stroll outside. You and the others can go ahead without me." Without wasting any more time or giving the confused senior any chance to respond, she turned and left.
Lu Tie watched the receding back of the purple-red clad girl in disappointment. He, like most of the second-year males, joined the expedition to the Northwest for the sole purpose of getting close to the beautiful junior sister.
However, the junior was as cold and hard to approach as ice. She neither spoke nor engaged or responded to any friendly conversations. Her cold stare and indifferent eyes were chilling enough to shut off the mouth of any courageous and foolhardy male.
"Aye, I wonder who would be the one to melt this ice cube." He silently whispered as he retracted his gaze and moved closer to Jun Meng.
"Brother Jun, Junior Sister Princess Qamari went for a stroll outside. She said the environment here is too loud and noisy for her." He relayed in a hushed tone.
"Hmm. Let her be. Sister Qamari isn't an individual that we can control. The elders of the academy have specially informed me that we only need to keep an eye on her for protection. As for other matters, we are not allowed to interfere or get involved." Jun Meng's indifferently replied and moved forward.
The others followed in his step, and soon, everyone in the Main Hall was seated with a drink in hand. The feast commenced in the joyous laughter of the City Lord and seven academies apprentices.
Aside from the senior brothers she informed, the only individual aware of her disappearance was Marui Osklain, who viciously watched the princess's receding back.
Once she came out of the Main Hall, Princess Qamari immediately waved her hand. Bright light flared and her white trident appeared. Grabbing the trident, she lightly slammed it on the ground.
"Meilan Innki Behee!" Take me out of here!
The magical spell was a new one she recently learned from Snow. It was a spell similar to teleportation, only a lot more draining and taxing to her soul. Moreover, the distance she could travel was limited to only a mile.
But for her, it was more than enough to get out of the City Lord's Mansion without being spotted by the guards.
Bright light flared and enveloped her entire body, showering her in a radiance of luminous brilliance.
Puff!
With a forceful tug, her body disappeared.
Right at this moment, Crown Prince Lail came out of the Main Hall. He caught a glimpse of a creamy white light that attracted his attention.
"Why does that light feel familiar?"
Even though it was only a tiny radiance, the moment he caught a glimpse of the light, his heart pounded. As if being pulled by a string, he blindly rushed towards the light, his pounding heart drumming in his ears.
He leaped over the tiny garden plants and landed lightly on his feet. Without pause, he continued on his mad dash. Just when he was about to reach the light, it vanished.
He came to a halt, his racing heart still reverberating in his ears.
'What was that light? Why did I react so intensely on seeing it?' He wondered in confusion.
His dark eyes flashed with a black-blue gleam as he stared in a daze at the spot he caught the light.
"Master, are we leaving?"
The voice blared in his mind, instantly shattering his trance-like state. Shaking his head, Crown Prince Lail turned and disappeared into the shadows of the stone buildings.
*
Princess Qamari strolled through the bustling Laining street, the gray cobblestones clean and well kept as merchants lined up booths. Each was eager to sell food, jewelry, and clothes. A gust of wind brushed against her face, and the fragrant smell of freshly baked delicacies filled her nostrils.
"What a lively and peaceful scene. No one can tell that a place of such harmony actually harbors a hidden danger." Her eyes seeped with hints of water as she emotionally looked at the running children.
She had seen a similar scene in her magical Spying Mirror last night. But experiencing what she was trickled her heart into a complicated sadness. She experienced emotions that she never felt when she only looked at the silent motion.
"Sigh. Some things never feel real until you experience it for yourself."
She hoped that misfortune would never befall a peaceful environment such as this. With another sigh, she made her way out of the Laining gate, into the rural regions of the place.
This was a less populated area compared to the Laining City, with twisting roads and fully packed huts and mud houses. Men pulled mulls and carts with loads of goods such as hay and vegetables into the settlement as chicks and sheep's grazed on the grass and grains on the floor.
A tiny stream of water followed from a river in the distance, women crowding around it to wash clothes and bathe their kids.
Princess Qamari leisurely strolled through the sparse woods as she delightfully took in the scenery, finding beauty in the simplicity, and life in the struggle of the civilians to survive.
Right at this moment, the surroundings went dead silent and a dreadful chill seeped into the atmosphere.
An ominous feeling appeared in her heart and Princess Qamari turned and fled without hesitation.
"Haha...young man, don't worry. You will find out soon enough." Elder Lu laughingly clapped Wu Lin on the shoulder, his face beaming with a wide smile that crept Princess Qamari.'This elder, why does his smile seem as sickly as Prince Noore's?'The thought unabatedly entered her mind without her conscious desire, making her warily stare at the honest-looking elder. If she could not tell the middle-aged man was another two-faced hypocrite, then she would have lived so long for nothing.'I wonder what he is trying to achieve?'Her earlier enthusiasm had completely faded, leaving in its place only faint indifference. With this sort of people, she didn't expect to receive free aid in collecting information about the black shield. As such, it was even more important for her to leave incognito and do the investigation herself.As she didn't want to form any sort of connection with the man, Princess Qamari completely ignored their conversation and looked out the window, losing herself in the natural scenery. Including the Amayan Empire and the Jinn Kingdom, this was the fourth place that she had visited with a drastically distinct landscape.Unlike the Jinn Kingdom, Amayan Empire, and Sealand Academy, the East Minions Faction of the Northwest was ordinary, with sparse vegetation and trees. There were small hills and cliffs with lakes and streams winding through its rough rocky paths.Birds and tiny creatures such as squirrels, mice, and rabbits ran about but were few as well. The only abundance of nature were the wild beasts that occasionally roared and growled in the distance."Shall we go, then? The other apprentices must be waiting." Jun Meng's voice drifted into her ear, making her shift her attention back on the middle-aged man that was still smiling from ear to ear."Haha...yes, of course. That's the whole reason why I called you. Come, let's go to the Main Hall. They must already be waiting! Haha..." He continued laughing jovially, as he dragged Jun Meng and Lu Tie away.Princess Qamari sighed and followed as the rest of the team followed her.Soon, the group passed the Main Hall's wide gates and entered the sitting room. Inside the hall, there were six distinct groups spread out. Some were clothed in black, some in blue, some in green, some in red, some in yellow, and some in white. All had the insignia of their respective academies on the sleeves of their robes, making it a lot easier to distinguish them.Princess Qamari's gaze fell on the group from the Janah realm, garbed in white with the insignia of wings on their sleeves. Their peaceful and calm aura attracted her interest, as compared to the other apprentices, they appeared more mature and composed."Haha...everyone's here! I am sorry for the slight delay. Our friends from the Sealand Academy had only arrived last night. I thought a little rest was a must and hence, allowed them to sleep in." As he went by and apologized to the standing apprentices, Elder Lu joyously proceeded to his seat in the center of the hall."Elder Lu, no need to apologize. We understand and don't mind waiting a few minutes longer." The apprentice from the Janah realm replied nonchalantly, his face expressionless even with his soft tone."Elder Lu, I am sure you invited us here for more than petty talk, right?" The Nar realm apprentice had a disdainful look on his face as he glanced at them. "What is up with his attitude?" "They are from the Nar realm, so it's useless talking sense with them.""Ignore him."The Sealand apprentices were peeved but didn't lose their cool, waiting behind Princess Qamari and the two senior brothers as they whispered among themselves."Everyone, please get seated. I invited all the apprentices with the intention of getting everyone acquainted with one another. The Magical Kilin Mission isn't an ordinary one. It will require all of you to work together to successfully complete it. So please, sit."Seeing the elder's above friendly attitude, Princess Qamari lost all interest in the meeting about to commence. The one thing she hated most was two-faced hypocrites. As such, the moment Elder Lu invited them to sit, she whispered to the senior brother closest to her."Senior Lu Tie, I am not interested in feasts. The noise and chatter give me headaches. I will take a stroll outside. You and the others can go ahead without me." Without wasting any more time or giving the confused senior any chance to respond, she turned and left.Lu Tie watched the receding back of the purple-red clad girl in disappointment. He, like most of the second-year males, joined the expedition to the Northwest for the sole purpose of getting close to the beautiful junior sister.However, the junior was as cold and hard to approach as ice. She neither spoke nor engaged or responded to any friendly conversations. Her cold stare and indifferent eyes were chilling enough to shut off the mouth of any courageous and foolhardy male."Aye, I wonder who would be the one to melt this ice cube." He silently whispered as he retracted his gaze and moved closer to Jun Meng."Brother Jun, Junior Sister Princess Qamari went for a stroll outside. She said the environment here is too loud and noisy for her." He relayed in a hushed tone."Hmm. Let her be. Sister Qamari isn't an individual that we can control. The elders of the academy have specially informed me that we only need to keep an eye on her for protection. As for other matters, we are not allowed to interfere or get involved." Jun Meng's indifferently replied and moved forward.The others followed in his step, and soon, everyone in the Main Hall was seated with a drink in hand. The feast commenced in the joyous laughter of the City Lord and seven academies apprentices.Aside from the senior brothers she informed, the only individual aware of her disappearance was Marui Osklain, who viciously watched the princess's receding back.Once she came out of the Main Hall, Princess Qamari immediately waved her hand. Bright light flared and her white trident appeared. Grabbing the trident, she lightly slammed it on the ground."Meilan Innki Behee!" Take me out of here!The magical spell was a new one she recently learned from Snow. It was a spell similar to teleportation, only a lot more draining and taxing to her soul. Moreover, the distance she could travel was limited to only a mile.But for her, it was more than enough to get out of the City Lord's Mansion without being spotted by the guards.Bright light flared and enveloped her entire body, showering her in a radiance of luminous brilliance. Puff!With a forceful tug, her body disappeared.Right at this moment, Crown Prince Lail came out of the Main Hall. He caught a glimpse of a creamy white light that attracted his attention."Why does that light feel familiar?"Even though it was only a tiny radiance, the moment he caught a glimpse of the light, his heart pounded. As if being pulled by a string, he blindly rushed towards the light, his pounding heart drumming in his ears. He leaped over the tiny garden plants and landed lightly on his feet. Without pause, he continued on his mad dash. Just when he was about to reach the light, it vanished.He came to a halt, his racing heart still reverberating in his ears.'What was that light? Why did I react so intensely on seeing it?' He wondered in confusion.His dark eyes flashed with a black-blue gleam as he stared in a daze at the spot he caught the light. "Master, are we leaving?"The voice blared in his mind, instantly shattering his trance-like state. Shaking his head, Crown Prince Lail turned and disappeared into the shadows of the stone buildings.*Princess Qamari strolled through the bustling Laining street, the gray cobblestones clean and well kept as merchants lined up booths. Each was eager to sell food, jewelry, and clothes. A gust of wind brushed against her face, and the fragrant smell of freshly baked delicacies filled her nostrils."What a lively and peaceful scene. No one can tell that a place of such harmony actually harbors a hidden danger." Her eyes seeped with hints of water as she emotionally looked at the running children.She had seen a similar scene in her magical Spying Mirror last night. But experiencing what she was trickled her heart into a complicated sadness. She experienced emotions that she never felt when she only looked at the silent motion."Sigh. Some things never feel real until you experience it for yourself." She hoped that misfortune would never befall a peaceful environment such as this. With another sigh, she made her way out of the Laining gate, into the rural regions of the place.This was a less populated area compared to the Laining City, with twisting roads and fully packed huts and mud houses. Men pulled mulls and carts with loads of goods such as hay and vegetables into the settlement as chicks and sheep's grazed on the grass and grains on the floor.A tiny stream of water followed from a river in the distance, women crowding around it to wash clothes and bathe their kids.Princess Qamari leisurely strolled through the sparse woods as she delightfully took in the scenery, finding beauty in the simplicity, and life in the struggle of the civilians to survive.Right at this moment, the surroundings went dead silent and a dreadful chill seeped into the atmosphere.An ominous feeling appeared in her heart and Princess Qamari turned and fled without hesitation.
