In a small hall one would use for meditation, Li Shen sat cross-legged with Jun in a seiza posture in front of him.
“Please forgive me Master!”
Jun had woken before Li Shen returned to the academy and he was filled with remorse while he waited for him. He didn’t know what he would say to him after making him worry because of his rash actions.
But he just opted to sincerely apologize, while trying to show that he was sorry.
He also bowed his head onto his fingers on the ground, and remained there as he didn’t want to see Li Shen’s expression.
Would he be furious?
Would he punish him harshly?
Jun would accept any punishment if it meant that Li Shen didn't decide to not take keep such a reckless disciple.
With his head lowered and his eyes squeeze tight, Jun prepared for Li Shen’s scoldings, but he only felt a hand suddenly patting his head.
The patting was gentle and filled with affection. Jun felt this, and it was so different from the outcome he thought would happen that his nose started to sting and his eyes began glistening with tears.
“Jun, raise your head.”
Li Shen paused his patting to allow Jun to raise his head.
“Why are you crying?”
Li Shen asked stunned when he saw the tears in his eyes.
“Master, I thought you would be angrier with me. Enough to not want me, a disciple doesn’t listen anymore. Especially since my cultivation… it's… gone.”
The tears drip down Jun's cheeks but he hurriedly wiped them away.
Li Shen looked at him for a moment before a smile appeared on his face. His two hands then cupped Jun’s head and began disheveling his hair all as he said jokingly.
“Such an emotional brat, why would such a thought even cross your mind? I want you to get rid of any thoughts like that. As long as I’m breathing you’ll forever be my disciple. I brought you from your orphan life so I’m technically your guardian too, that makes me even more responsible for you.”
Li Shen continued to rub Jun’s hair some more as if he wanted to rub away his down mood.
Jun was an emotionally expressive person, not just because he was the youngest but because he just wasn’t afraid to openly show his emotions. Some might see that as him being weak-willed, but to have the courage to express his emotions without worrying about people judging him is what being strong looked like.
Li Shen paused his rubbing that left Jun’s hair looking like a bird’s nest. He placed his hands on Jun’s shoulders and said seriously.
“What you did was uncalled for and I am disappointed that you would do something like that. However, as long as you’re alive and you've learned something from this then it’s fine.”
Jun hearing that was happy, but at the same time he was devastated.
“I did learn something, that I’m not as strong as I thought I was. Now my cultivation is gone.”
Li Shen’s hands tighten on his shoulders.
“It’s fine, it’s okay. I’ll make sure you get back you’re cultivation. It might be that your potential has dropped but it's also possible that it has increased. I’m not sure myself.”
Li Shen suddenly held his chin with a thoughtful expression.
“Master, this… dantian. What is it?”
When Jun woke up he felt a strange sensation right below his navel. He was shocked because his dantian was supposed to be destroyed, he thought maybe after losing his cultivation he was subjected to mortal experiences once again, with him needing to take a whiz.
But after examination, he found that right below his navel where his dantian was, there was a pure white core.
“I could not give you the same Dao Foundation as your senior brother since your dantian was too destroyed. I also think the six natural elements would have clashed against your Saint Physique. So I used the remnant Righteous Qi in your meridians to reconstruct your dantian.”
Li Shen wore a hesitant expression before he sighed and cotinued.
“To be honest I do not know how this will go. I used all my knowledge to craft it to resemble and function as a dantian, but I have no idea if it would work. No, it will work, rather I don’t know what the effects would be.”
Jun hearing that suddenly sported a nervous expression.
“I-I... It won’t explode will it?”
Li Shen looked at him and suddenly snickered at his words.
“What are you saying? Do you not have confidence in your Master? Just wait a few days before trying to cultivate once again, I’ll be there to supervise you at first so it’ll be fine, okay?”
Jun nodded at Li Shen’s words.
“Thank you Master.”
He said while lowering his head.
Li Shen instinctively raised his hand and patted his head.
“As your Master, this much is expected of me. But Jun…”
Li Shen’s hand paused and his expression became serious as he continued.
“How exactly did you find Xian.”
“Xian?”
Jun raised his head and asked with a confused expression.
“I mean the Poison Progenitor, that’s his name.”
“Oh, I…”
Jun said understanding, but as he went to answer he paused, a contemplative expression appearing on his face.
He then said slowly after a moment.
“Master, I think my ability is evolving, or at least it looks like I have gained a new one.”
Li Shen’s eyes flickered at that.
“Explain.”
“Well, I can’t really explain this ability and I’m not too sure it’s one. But while I was heading back to the academy to report the completion of the mission, I suddenly got this sensation in my head that was telling me where the Pio-Xian was.”
Jun looked down at his hands as he continued to explain in an almost bewildered tone.
“It was vague at first, but as I followed that feeling his position got clearer and clearer in my mind. At one point it almost felt as if I could see him in front of me despite him being miles away.”
Jun after saying that, lowered his hands and looked up at Li Shen. However, he was surprised to see that he was staring at him with a dumbfounded look on his face.
“Master?”
Jun asked after Li Shen only continued to stare at him.
Snapping out of his momentary daze, Li Shen suddenly broke out into a huge grin before he began ruffling Jun’s hair once again. This time more vigorously.
Jun was first surprised, but began protesting as it felt like Li Shen's palms were going to rub his scalp smooth.
Meanwhile, Li Shen’s heart was beating fast.
‘I can’t believe it. I read this was a possibility after gaining the Saint Physique from the Saint Goddess, but I didn’t have any high hopes of it happening. After all, the potential of the Saint Physique and the others must have diluted after passing down through generations for who knows how long.
‘If the sensation Jun felt was true, then that means he’s developing the ability to sense Karma.’
Li Shen looked at Jun and his heartbeat increased even more, to the point it skipped a few beats.
“My disciple can actually sense someone's Karma! Hahaha!”
Li Shen was so pleasantly surprised by this sudden news he couldn’t contain his excitement and began laughing.
Jun under the mercy of his pats struggled out.
“M-Master, what do you mean? What’s Karma?”
**
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