Night of the Broken Gliph

Hearing the other students’ cries of surprise, Chan Ngou Tin squinted his eyes. He was satisfied with the class’s reaction. However, Chui Yim only rolled his eyes at this situation. Even until today, Chui Yim was still unable to adapt to interacting with children his age. 

Being a human for both lives made his combined age even older than Chor Shing Chit. Thus, Chan Ngou Tin’s craving for attention and acknowledgement as a child was childish to him. He could be friends with Lam Ming because Lam Ming’s timid character made him more mature than those his age.  

Chor Shing Chit glared at Chan Ngou Tin coldly. “Of course, you can still enter. It might be called the Cultivation Style Pavilion, but there are secret records of gliphility too. But if you choose to give up this chance, you can only return during your graduation year.

“As a Riding Cloud Academy student, you’ll be allowed to enter the Cultivation Style Pavilion twice. Once in grade four to choose your cultivation style and once in grade six when you graduate to choose a gliphility.”  

Hearing the word gliphility, Chan Ngou Tin immediately took back his stuck-up attitude, as one could never have enough gliphilities. Even if the chosen gliphility wasn’t suitable, knowing more gliphilities might help you comprehend new skills and even get the chance to create your own gliphility. 

“There are no more questions, right? If so, shut up,” Chor Shing Chit bellowed. It was rare to see Chor Shing Chit acting in this manner. He was obviously unhappy with Chan Ngou Tin’s haughty attitude. Chan Ngou Tin kept quiet immediately after hearing him. 

“Of course, only those who have an innate chamber will be able to enter the Cultivation Style Pavilion. If your innate chamber awakens within the next two years, you’ll have your chance to go in then.” 

“Then let’s head inside?” Seeing this, Bak Wun turned to Old Tung. 

“Hehe, okay.” Old Tung laughed and walked into the Cultivation Style Pavilion with Bak Wun side by side. 

“The Cultivation Style Pavilion is split into two areas, just like I mentioned previously, one for gliphility and the other for cultivation styles. Those without cultivation styles can choose a gliphility for themselves too. It’s your freedom.

“When you hear your name, enter the Cultivation Style Pavilion.

“Chui Yim.” 

The class looked at Chui Yim immediately. The sequence was based on the previous examination’s ranking. 

A boy with a shiny bald head stepped out of the crowd, walking towards the Cultivation Style Pavilion. 

Chor Shing Chit watched Chui Yim walk into the Cultivation Style Pavilion calmly. What kind of cultivation style will the double innate chamber student choose? 

As soon as Chui Yim walked into the Cultivation Style Pavilion, he was surprised by how dark the surroundings were. The passage was lit up with only candles. 

“Hocus-pocus,” Chui Yim cursed softly and went through the passageway without care. To Chui Yim, this was meaningless. Cultivation styles and gliphility were nothing to him because after the gliph drawings Chui Tin showed him, he looked at gliphism with extremely high standards.

Gliphility was a method to activate your energliph and gliphs, but the gliph tattooed was of utmost importance, instead of fancy and highly graded gliphility or cultivation style. Since Chui Yim was determined to cultivate in this life, he would never let himself pick up a low-grade cultivation style or have useless gliphs tattooed on him. 

However, it was a good experience and research opportunity to explore different cultivation styles and gliphility. 

He already made his mind up to go for a cultivation style as it could be easily replaced. Even if the cultivation technique he chose was bad, he could replace it with one of the same element. 

The passage was pitch black, and it separated into two paths: cultivation style and gliphility. The different paths were labelled by a wooden signboard. 

Chui Yim walked towards the cultivation style path, and in no time, he came across Old Tung and Bak Wun who had entered before him. “Old Tung, Principal.” Chui Yim greeted them. He was still willing to respect those older than his actual age, after all. 

“Hehe, be at ease. Pretend we aren’t here.” 

Chui Yim nodded and started browsing. The cultivation style section was like a library, and every bookshelf was a few meters tall. Balls of light could be seen on every shelf, and each light represented a cultivation style. One would know the cultivation style’s summary when he touched a light. 

This was also a protection program. If someone wanted to steal the techniques forcefully, the light would self-destruct along with the secret record inside it. 

It was a new experience to Chui Yim, as he had never experienced being a martial artist. He reached out to a random light, yet it suddenly changed as he touched it.

Bak Wun and Old Tung stood somewhere far behind Chui Yim. “He’s the kid that you wanted to observe, right?” Old Tung asked Bak Wun after observing Chui Yim for some time. 

“This kid is something else.” Bak Wun chuckled and nodded. 

“ You don’t have to observe him so closely, though?” Old Tung frowned. The Riding Clouds Academy wasn’t an elite institution, nor had it been around for long. However, due to them helping commoners pick up gliphism and providing free cultivation styles and gliphility, the Riding Clouds Academy was somewhat famous in Southary. Some of their students even made it into elite higher institutions.  

Thus, there were plenty of elite students that graduated from the Riding Clouds Academy. However, this was the first time Bak Wun came to the Cultivation Style Pavilion to watch a student choose his cultivation style.

Just as Old Tung was deep in thought, a wave rang across the Cultivation Style Pavilion, and it was because of Chui Yim. Weird waves were produced when Chui Yim reached for the light. 

It didn’t come as a surprise to Old Tung, as not only was the light able to protect and self-destruct the technique, it also came with a trace of the style’s aura. Same for every organization and institution, choosing a cultivation style was a process where the participant would know more about the technique by touching the light. 

If a particular style wasn’t suitable for a person, the light would emit a wave of resistance. To put it simply, it was like a beautiful girl telling you that it was impossible between you both. Thus, Old Tung wasn’t surprised by the wave. 

“This isn’t right…” Bak Wun mumbled to himself. “What’s wrong? Bak Wun asked,  confusedly.” 

Bak Wun’s eyes never left Chui Yim. To be exact, Chui Yim’s hand that was reaching for the light. 

“This isn’t the wave for resistance, but rather, fear.”