Night of the Broken Gliph

Kiu Chi Gong left. 

When he left, he looked back repeatedly while Chui Yim, the actual child, acted more maturely. He waved goodbye to Kiu Chi Gong just like he was chasing a fly away. Chui Yim didn’t ask where Kiu Chi Gong would be going; he believed they would meet again one day. 

Minus what they used to purchase forging materials, they still had 20,000 silver taels left after selling seven gliph weapons. Chui Yim deliberately disguised and went to a money changer to exchange for a 10,000 silver note for Kiu Chi Gong’s travel expenses. Unlike me, he doesn’t have a bag with a huge storage space. 

As soon as Kiu Chi Gong left, Chui Yim cleaned up his house in the village and arranged for Aunt Leong to clean the house from time to time before leaving for the academy once more. He knew this would be his last trip back home. After leaving Southary, he wouldn’t return for some time.  

Six years passed surprisingly quickly. He was now in his last few months of school. Chui Yim still didn’t know how to fight, but under Chor Shing Chit’s guidance, he had learnt the basics of gliphism well. Despite coming across many difficult gliphs thanks to Chui Tin, Chui Yim had been  unfamiliar with most basic gliphs before. Thus, these six years helped him establish a solid foundation in gliphism. 

Now Chui Yim could carve two gliphs in five minutes for a grade two gliphic weapon, and he no longer had to go through the same pain he once did when he first carved the gliphs for the Fallen Star’s Rod. 

Chui Yim learned a lot in these six years, but nobody had taught him to fight. 

As soon as he walked into the academy, he felt odd. Why are so many people staring at me? 

Subconsciously, he looked at them only to realise that they either looked away or hid immediately. Chui Yim walked over and grabbed a youth hiding behind a tree. To his surprise, it was his classmate.

“What are you all doing?” 

This classmate didn’t have any talent in cultivation, and he wasn’t able to resist in the slightest against Chui Yim who trained daily. “It’s…Young Master Chan who told us to keep an eye on you… We don’t know the reason why!” 

“Look all you want.” Chui Yim rolled his eyes and left him alone, then walked towards his dorm. Keeping an eye on me? I wonder whose idea this is. That idiot Chan Ngou Tin or the Chan Clan. 

Whatever, as long as I’m in the academy, they can’t do anything to me. Chui Yim shook his head. He knew that the Lam dynasty had a law that dictated how matters outside of an institution must not involve or affect the said institution. This applied to all institutions in the South. 

Unlike the North, the South placed huge importance on education, so the various institutes were important to them; if anyone wanted to find trouble with an institution’s staff, they could even seek asylum with the local authorities. Many who had done bad deeds in the past often became teachers or staff in institutions when they got old. One example is Old Tung, who was guarding the Cultivation Style Pavilion. 

However, the Lam dynasty wouldn’t poke their nose into an institution’s internal matters. 

That’s why they sent Chan Ngou Tin? 

Chui Yim laughed, not putting this matter to heart. 

Chan Mansion’s side courtyard, Chan Shue Gun’s residence. 

As the Chan Clan’s exclusive gliphist, he held a high position within the Clan. 

“Great Elder.” A voice rang out, putting a smile on Chan Shue Gun's face.

“Siu Tin? Come in.” Hearing him, a figure walked in. 

Even after two years, Chan Ngou Tin was still as immature as ever; he might even be worse than before. It might be because nobody dared to resist him in the Riding Clouds Academy. But the greatest reason was that he was already a one-chambered glipher. Chan Ngou Tin grew up eating g-food, and thanks to their clan’s cultivation style, success naturally followed. Only a few months ago, his innate left arm chamber was filled, and Chan Shue Gun tattooed his first gliph, making him the first one-chambered glipher in his grade six class. This resulted in more and more people choosing to rely on him, which ended up with him being excessively arrogant. At the same time, his dislike for Chui Yim grew, so Chan Ngou Tin took the chance when the clan got him to keep watch over Chui Yim. 

“Great Elder, the clan gave me a task to watch Chui Yim, but he stays in the academy over the weekends now, unlike in the past. There’s nothing I can do!” Chan Ngou Tin was very close to Chan Shue Gun, and he’d chat with Chan Shue Gun weekly. Chan Shue Gun always helped him whenever he needed it. 

“Hehe, that kiddo must have sensed something since your clan members can’t do anything to him as long as he’s inside the academy.” Chan Shue Gun smiled. He was only this kind to Chan Ngou Tin. 

“That rule about not being able to affect institutions is such a bother! Or we could’ve just sent our gliphers to catch Chui Yim!” Chan Ngou Tin complained. He had already tolerated Chui Yim for the past six years, and every time he saw Chui Yim ignoring him, it drove him mad. 

Chan Shue Gun looked at Chan Ngou Tin who was filled with hatred. It was a childish dispute to him, but he still gave advice. “But that’s something that you can take advantage of.”

“Ah?” Chan Ngou Tin stared at Chan Shue Gun in confusion. 

“Things that happen inside the institution stay inside, which means that as a student, the institution can’t do anything if you challenge Chui Yim.” Chan Shue Gun stroked his white, long beard. 

Chan Ngou Tin’s eyes lit up at the idea. Chui Yim was a gliphist, and gliphists took a long time to develop. Unlike gliphers who could fight once they cultivated their first chamber, gliphists needed to tattoo a gliph in their wind or heart chamber before they could fight. If I challenge him now, as a one-chambered glipher, I will win!  

“Okay, then I’ll openly challenge Chui Yim in class tomorrow. We’ll see what he can do! Thank you, Great Elder!” Chan Ngou Tin muttered to himself. 

“Hehehe.” Chan Shue Gun smiled while stroking his beard. 

To him, all that mattered was Chan Ngou Tin’s happiness. 

The next day, during their class on basic gliphism.

Six years had passed, and the class was graduating soon. They had finished learning almost all of their syllabus, and all Chor Shing Chit taught was the basics of how gliphs evolved from their original forms. Only higher institutions and organisations would teach knowledge beyond that. Every higher institution and organisation taught different things as their teaching methods varied, so they couldn’t be compared. 

Chor Shing Chit was now revising with the class. 

“The school term is about to end.” When the class ended, Chor Shing Chit looked around and said coldly. It was as if these kinds of goodbyes didn’t affect him. “To you all, it’s a dividing line. Those without any cultivation talent will join the majority of this world and go back to live a regular life, while those who have the talent but haven’t yet reached the one-chamber state before graduation will remain in the same state for the rest of their lives. But know that you are already a minority in this world. 

“As for the remaining ones… such as those with the talent to become gliphists, you will continue your journey of gliphism. It’s cruel, but this is how the world works.” 

All the kids had mixed feelings on hearing Chor Shing Chit. They might only be twelve, but all of them had already thoroughly felt how cruel this world was. Without any talent, you’d only lead an ordinary life. 

“This is how the world works. As long as you have done your best, live with a clear conscience. I want you all to remember that life will go on, be it a simple life or one of glory. It’s your life, and every one of you is the main character of your story.

“It’s my honour to be the mentor of your class,” Chor Shing Chit said coldly, wearing his poker face. “You are dismissed.”