Chapter 65: Chapter 65- The Runes and Formations Venue

The hierarchy of the academy consisted of the Academy Leader, the five Grand Elders, the Headmasters of each pavilion, and then the Head Disciples of each Pavilion.

The Academy Leader and the five Grand Elders have the power to make any changes in the academy as a whole. As for the Pavilion Headmasters, they merely operated within the confines of their own Pavilions.

For the Head Disciple of a Pavilion, they make sure the disciples of their Pavilion follow the Pavilion’s rules and are seen as a role model as well as a leader figure for the disciples.

For the most part, the upper echelon allowed the disciples to do what they liked without hindering them a lot. They would mainly entrust the Head Disciples to handle most of the work.

This could be seen by the fact the academy built the Central Mountain. It was a place for the disciples of different Pavilions to interact.

The disciples were also allowed to sell or exchange the results of their professions here.

For example, an alchemy disciple could sell the pills they concocted, or a blacksmith disciple could sell a weapon they crafted.

Though it started as a place where a few trades happened, over time it had evolved into something much grander.

Now there were entire venues dedicated to each Pavilion.

It had even gotten so out of hand that the Academy decided to shut down its own Pavilions selling cultivation resources and allowed this place to become the central hub of cultivation resources purchased in the academy.

Hence the name ’Central Mountain.’

Though the academy did make a rule that said each Pavilion has to pay a monthly fee to operate its sections.

Their main goal was to ultimately foster a good relationship between each Pavilion and create a sense of unity between disciples.

“Are you tired of getting hungry after a long session of cultivation?! Do you want to have the convenience of eating full but not having to sit down and eat a full meal?! If you say yes to these questions, then you’re a fool if you haven’t tried our Culinary Pavilion’s new dish… dakkochi!!”

“Ha! If you eat that dry thing then you’ll surely want something to wash it down! If so, then our Wine Pavilion is introducing our new product as well… the Seven Desires Wine Brew!!”

“Hey bastard, don’t use our product to sell your bad-tasting wine!”

“Huh? This fucker, how dare you insult my Wine?! That’s the same as killing my parents, you bastard!”

“Haha! So, what if I did? You want to fight you drunkards?!”

In this area there was the Culinary Pavilion and the Wine Pavilion Section; they were directly across from each other.

One would think they would get along and cooperate given how their skills complimented each other, but instead, a fight would always break out between them.

Sol could only stare strangely at the disciples brawling like street ruffians. Even the person who sold him his dakkochi hurried from behind his stall to join the brawl as well.

At the very least the fight wasn’t serious since they weren’t using weapons but were simply punching and kicking each other.

However, a few disciples in white robes hurriedly came and broke up the brawl.

Sol took the opportunity when the fighting calmed down to walk away and began stuffing his face with this delicious food.

He had a dakkochi between each finger and he would take turns eating the meat from each of them.

“Tdish ish shoo gwood…”

Sol praised the food while his mouth was stuffed. After swallowing what he had in his mouth, he lifted his hand to Little Zeel who was lying on his head.

“Little Zeel, do you want some?”

He had no problem having Little Zeel out in the open because he realized he wasn’t the only one with a pet beast. As it turns out, there was a Beast Taming Pavilion in the Academy.

Though Sol realized the people who openly carried small pets like him were mostly female disciples.

“Awoo…”

Came Little Zeel’s wearily response.

“Are you still feeling tired?”

Little Zeel nodded his head, his eyes looking droopy.

Sol rubbed his friend’s head with his finger comfortingly.

“It’s okay, get some rest until you feel better.”

Little Zeel obliged and he snuggled into Sol’s lion mane-like hair before he drifted off to sleep once more.

Sol was getting a little worried about Little Zeel’s condition. He remembered what his Master had said about him not being used to the environment after leaving the Mountain Range.

Sol could only hope he gets better after resting.

After patting Little Zeel, Sol returned to eating and looking around at all the venues reserved for each Pavilion.

However, just one venue was rather large, so even after walking for a couple of minutes and weaving through the crowd of people, Sol only made it past two so far.

At the third venue, Sol had to pause his eating and stared on in surprise.

This section was a lot more crowded than the others he passed, but what shocked him were the burly shirtless people in this area.

Sol walked over to the entrance and looked up at the signboard above it.

“Runes and Formations Pavilion…?”

Sol mumbled before his eyes lit up.

Without wasting time Sol merged with the crowd and entered the venue.

However, as he began looking around, Sol was rather dumbfounded.

“HUP!”

“HA!”

Shouts from people drenched in glistening sweat could be heard as they struggled to lift weights.

This caused the atmosphere to be filled with tension and a blood-boiling aura.

“One more! Just one more! You can do it!!”

More shouts echoed out as disciples from other Pavilions were being yelled at by burly youths while they lifted heavy weights.

“What kind of form is that?! Is that how you lift weights!”

“Damn it, I quit! How is this going to improve my physique?!”

“Bah! You wimp! Don’t come back here since you quit!”

Sol sidestepped out of the way as a disciple in black robes rushed past him. He then glanced at the burly man who was yelling at the youth to never come back.

Seeing Sol looking over here, the eyes of the burly youth lit up and he motioned for Sol to come over.

Sol hesitantly walked over and greeted the boy.

“Hello Senior brother, is this really the venue for the Runes and Formations Pavilion?”

The burly youth that was two heads taller than Sol laughed and said.

“Ha-ha, I only entered the academy this year, I’m thirteen and not a senior. You just entered the academy as well, right? You can just address me as Brother Hong-Oh, no need for formalities.”

Sol paused and had to take a good look at the youth.

His physique was definitely not fit for a thirteen-year-old.

Seeing Sol’s reaction, the youth’s name Hong-Oh suddenly began flexing his arms with a wide grin on his face.

“Ha-ha, brother if you’re impressed by my muscles, how about you take me on as your personal trainer? My Runic Physique is definitely not lacking! I’ll make sure you become the bulkiest disciple from the Alchemy Pavilion within three months!”

Hong-Oh held up three fingers as he said that.

Sol’s eyes flickered when he heard the familiar term Runic Physique.

“Oh, and as for your question, of course this is the venue for the Runes and Formations Pavilion. Where else could you find a disciple with muscles like this?”

Hong-Oh flexed the muscles on his chest as he said that.

Sol couldn’t help but laugh before he said.

“Brother Hong-Oh, my name is Sol. This is my first time visiting the Central Mountain, so I don’t know much about this venue. Can you explain this Section to me?”

“Oh, is that so? Then to explain it in simple terms, we of the Runes and Formations Pavilion offer disciples from the other Pavilions Runic Techniques that help strengthen their fleshly bodies. We can also become their personal trainers and help guide them to improve their physical strength.”

Sol hearing this could finally understand what was going on with Hong-Oh’s strange behavior of flexing his muscles.

It was actually to draw in customers.

Looking around, Sol also saw other burly youths and even girls with pronounced muscles approaching disciples of the other Pavilions.

Turning back, he glanced down at the stone objects next Hong-Oh and asked.

“What are these for?”

“These? They’re weight stones that have runes to increase their weight inscribed on them. Do you want to try lifting one?”

Sol nodded and curiously walked over to one of the weight stones. The one he went to had a bench situated underneath it.

After handing all the dakkochi in one of his hands to Hong-Oh, Sol went behind the bench to grab the weight in the middle.

Seeing what Sol was doing, Hong-Oh hurriedly went to correct him.

“Ah, brother Sol that’s not how you lift it, those are two-handed weight stones. You’re supposed to lay down on the bench first and use both han-”

However, Hong-Oh stopped talking and his eyes suddenly widened in shock when he saw Sol easily lift the weight stones… with one hand!

“This… That’s…”

Hong-Oh was rendered completely speechless at the scene.

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