Gabriel was sitting on the soft mattress, swinging his legs. His room was much nicer than the room he had as a human. Nobody had ever bothered to clean his previous room, and rather than a room, it had became a closet to hide his shameful existence.
In contrast, this room was simple, but clean and well-furnished.
His attention returned to the screen in front of him.
[ Status
Gabriel Everly
Level 14
Bloodlines : Dove ( lvl 14 ), Angel ( lvl 3 )
Strength 44
Agility 59
Charm 122
Endurance 55
Magic 123
Skills : Magic Missile ( lvl 4 ), Heal ( lvl 5 ), Lunge ( lvl 1 ), Stealth ( lvl 3 ), Track ( lvl 1 ), Eyesight ( lvl 1 ), Devour ( lvl 2 ), Bless ( lvl 1 ), Fly ( lvl 1 ), Sanctuary ( lvl 1 ), Divine Fire Art ( lvl 2 ), Divine Influence ( lvl 1 )
Stat Points : 10 ]
He already knew where to put his stat points. He needed to get physically stronger at some point. He put all his stat points in strength. His physical strength was so low compared to his other stats. His eyes landed on the last skill he had gotten from the Angel : Divine Influence.
[ Description
Upgrade a skill. Divine Influence activates when a skill is used with true desperation. ]
What..? What kind of weird activation condition was that ?
Whatever. He shrugged it off. He opened the shop next. A few skills had been added with his level up.
[ Shop
1 Stat Point : 1 Shop Point
Animal Instincts 6 Shop Points
Singing 5 Shop Points
Basic Swordsmanship 7 Shop Points
Archery 7 Shop Points
Appraisal 7 Shop Points
Shape Shifting 10 Shop Points
Meditation 10 Shop Points
Magic Regeneration 10 Shop Points
Teleportation 15 Shop Points
Shop Points : 30 ]
Of course he bought Shape Shifting to hide his wings. He thought about buying Meditation since it seemed to be a cultivation technique. But Gabriel figured he didn't need it when he could probably get a better cultivation technique in the sect. In the end he bought Magic Regeneration and Appraisal.
He took off his cloak and started using Shape Shifting. He had to be a bit forceful and cast the spell a few times for it to work, but eventually the few stray feathers on the rest of his body shrunk to nothing.
His wings however, didn't completely disappear. Gabriel's Shape Shifting level wasn't high enough for that. Instead, his wings had became much more manageable, about as long as his forearms.
Gabriel searched around the room. In the closet were a bunch of martial robes and pants with the colors and crest of the Fifth Lord.
Now that Gabriel was assured he had new clothes, he didn't.t hesitate to rip up his shirt. With the tissue, Gabriel tightly bound his wings to his body. He then changed into the robes from the closet. He kind of wanted to see what he looked like now.
He hoped the burns on his face weren't too present, Gabriel hadn't bothered to bandage it because of his limited supply. He looked around, but there was nothing to see his reflection.
He should probably go clean himself up as well as go to the infirmary to change all of his bandages. He walked out of his room.
He had no idea where the baths or the infirmary were. He roamed the corridor in search of someone to tell him the direction.
From the window, Gabriel saw Xie Ling and dagger-lady sparring. Gabriel hesitated but ended up going toward them. Gabriel observed their fight while waiting for them to finish.
Dagger-lady's attacks were surprisingly straightforward. Gabriel had assumed she would be the sneaky type.
Xie Ling too, charged straight forward with all he had.
Gabriel sighed, thinking back to how he stuck close to the Sanctuary throughout all the test. Gabriel might just be the most cowardly of the four disciples.
Ah ! But he was wounded ! It wasn't his fault. Gabriel became more focused on justifying himself in his mind than the fight.
" Hey, it's Jia Bu ! Were you watching us ? But like not in a creepy way, of course ! I'm not accusing you of being a creep ! Sorry, was it too egocentric to ask ? Of course you weren't watching us- " Xie Ling started rambling.
" So your name's Jia Bu, huh ? " The dagger-lady said. " I'm Dai Yu. " She presented herself.
Gabriel was surprised. Martial artists usually gave their family along with their name if they were from a reputed family. Gabriel thought Dai Yu must have been from a famous martial family with such a powerful dagger. Maybe she was lying, or perhaps she had stolen the magic-nullifying dagger. Either way, it wasn't any of Gabriel's business.
" Do you know where are the infirmary and the baths ? " He asked Xie Ling, completely ignoring Dai Yu.
Dai Yu sighed, annoyed, but didn't do anything. Xie Ling looked between the two of them, wondering why they were already unfriendly with each other.
" Ah, yes. The infirmary is right next to our corridors. As for the hot spring… Well it's actually a bit far away. I was going to go there too anyway, maybe we can together ? Of course you can refuse if you don't want to ! I don't mean to impose, or make you inconfortable. "
Gabriel wondered how someone as strong as Xie Ling could be so nervous. It wasn't any kind of cute. Gabriel saw Dai Yu side eye Xie Ling and glared at the woman's judging stare. How could she judge Xie Ling when she was much more annoying herself ?
Gabriel finally registered Xie Ling's words. If it was a hot spring, then everybody would be able to see him naked ..? He didn't want to refuse Xie Ling's invitation, but he couldn't really reveal his true form.
" Sorry. I just wanted to know where it was, I wasn't planning on using it right now. " He lied.
Xie Ling's nervous smile turned false, as if he was forcing himself to smile.
" Ah… Don't worry, it's alright. I'm sorry for pushing myself on you." Xie Ling apologized.
The guy was clearly hurt by Gabriel's refusal, even if he tried to hide it. Gabriel couldn't help but feel guilty. What was the harm if he kept the bandages on his back to hide his wings, he thought.
" But I guess if you're already going I could go with you. " Said Gabriel, scratching his neck.
Xie Ling immediately started smiling again, and took his hand to lead him towards the hot spring. Xie Ling's grip was surprisingly strong, so strong it hurt Gabriel's burnt up hand. He involuntarily winced. Xie Ling stopped, looking at Gabriel questioningly before looking at Gabriel's hand. He noticed the bandage and immediately dropped his hand.
" I'm so sorry ! Are you okay ? I swear I didn't mean to. I just didn't see you were hurt. Sorry, I should definitely have noticed. " Xie Ling apologized as they continued walking.
" You apologize a lot. " Remarked Gabriel.
" Sor- " He interrupted himself. " Does it bother you ? " He asked.
" Not really. I just thought it would be annoying for you to always apologize. I get annoyed when I have to apologize even once. " He said.
Gabriel had always been prideful even when everyone around him told him he had no place to feel that way.
" Ah. Well, apologizing doesn't really bother me. And I guess I would rather apologize than have people hate me. "
Gabriel thought anybody who hated someone because they didn't apologize enough seemed like an asshole to him. But his mouth stayed shut and he just nodded at Xie Ling.
" If it doesn't bother you, then it doesn't bother me. " He said, and surprisingly, he meant it.
" There's the hot spring ! " Xie Ling pointed to the hot spring.
Gabriel had never been in a hot spring, much more used to the old bucket full of cold water his maid occasionally threw him in.
Hot springs seemed much more comfortable. A few guys their age were already there. Their robes were on the floor a few meters away from them. Their robes were similar to Gabriel's and Xie Ling's in style and colors, but they had no crest and seemed to be of much lesser quality.
Xie Ling looked at their robes then at the men in the water.
" Are they also disciples of the Fifth Lord's ? " Gabriel asked Xie Ling.
" Hm ? " Xie Ling seemed confused about his question. " Oh, did you just enter the Demonic Sect yesterday ? "
Gabriel nodded.
" Yeah, didn't every one of us ? " Gabriel asked.
He knew the test was more difficult than the normal entrance test, but it was still some kind of entrance test.
Gabriel's answer made Xie Ling giggle.
" Sorry, I swear I'm not laughing at you. It's just that most core disciples take the time to become outer and then inner disciples rather than directly take the core disciple test like you. "
Xie Ling started taking off his robes. Gabriel did the same.
" What's the difference? " Gabriel asked.
" Erm, sorry but the difference between what ? " Xie Ling didn't understand his question.
Gabriel started taking off all the bandages except the ones on his wings.
" Between outer disciples, inner disciples and core disciples. " He clarified.
The answer must have been obvious to any Eastern natives with how surprised Xie Ling was at his question.
" It's basically a hierarchy between disciples. Outer disciples are pretty much servants, they don't get much ressources and sleep in the outer communal buildings. Inner disciples are a bit higher in the hierarchy, they get more ressources as well as the robes of the Demonic Sect. They sleep in the inner communal buildings. And then there's us. We're core disciples with an actual master. We have even more ressources and can live in our master's court. Sorry if my explanation was a bit too long. " Xie Ling gave a sheepish smile.
Gabriel looked over at the disciples bathing across from them.
" And they are…? " Gabriel asked, staring at the other disciples.
" They're inner disciples. Outer disciples don't have access to the hot spring. Or anything inside the Fifth Lord's palace. " Xie Ling started going in the water.
Gabriel followed him. The inner disciples remarked their presence and soon quieted down. They gave a slight bow of the head before awkwardly looking away.
Gabriel stared questioningly at Xie Ling, wondering why the inner disciples were suddenly acting so polite. Xie Ling seemingly understood his silent question.
" Inner disciples are supposed to pay a certain amount of respect to core disciples. Things like quieting down and bowing. Of course it's a bit more difficult to bow when you're stomach deep in water, so don't take their lack of bowing as disrespect. " Xie Ling excused them.
Good. Gabriel wasn't used to people unironically bowing to him. How strange, being a random disciple from this sect would get him more respect than being a prince.
" Were you an inner disciple before yesterday ? " Gabriel asked, wanting to continue the conversation.
" No. I was actually an outer disciple. There's no test to become an inner disciple. Lord Zhou only bothers with tests for his core disciples. Outer disciples are promoted to Inner disciples by elders : outer elders, inner elders, not much revered elders. They rarely bother with that stuff. " Xie Ling paused to look at him. " Do you want help with washing your back ? "
Gabriel agreed, because why not. They continued talking about nothing and everything.
" Sorry if I'm being noisy. But are you from a martial family ? " Xie Ling asked.
Gabriel wondered how Xie Ling could think that when Gabriel was so clearly clueless about the martial arts world.
" No, of course not. And you ? " He asked back.
" Sorry, I just saw you fight and you fight really well, which is why I thought maybe you were. And I'm technically from the Wang family. Although it's really just on a technicality. In truth I was more of a servant. " Xie Ling explained.
Gabriel hummed. Now that he thought about it, it was kind of weird that Xie Ling had a bloodline if he was 'more of a servant' . Xie Ling was the furthest thing from spoiled, so Gabriel doubted he was lying about being used as a servant. Perhaps he had stolen from his family. Gabriel wouldn't judge him if that was the case.
Gabriel realized how much time had passed. The sun was already high in the sky, they must have stayed at least an hour in the water.
Gabriel got out and started drying himself, with Xie Ling following his lead. Gabriel hadn't done anything productive yet and it was already past noon.
He thought back to something Xie Ling had said.
" Hey, you said disciples had ressources from the sect. What were you talking about ? "
" All core disciples have access to the first floor of Lord Zhou's library, as well as a second grade qi and body reinforcing pill per day. We also get a ten golden coins per day. Honestly, we have it pretty easy, we get pay to do nothing but cultivate. If you want, we can get our pills together. " Xie Ling proposed. "Although we'll need to wait for the end of the month to get our money. " He added.
Gabriel accepted the proposition and started following him. He didn't think the qi pill would be very useful with his high magic stat. But he thought the body reinforcing pill might be good. Gabriel had a weak body compared to his fellow core disciples, thankfully he could best them in both magic and skills.
Gabriel looked ahead to Xie Ling who was walking in front of him. That guy was surprisingly helpful. Gabriel was pretty sure he was like that with everyone. Yet for some reason, he hoped he was talkative only with Gabriel.