Chapter 504: The New Student and the Misunderstanding

The New Student and the Misunderstanding

A student.

A future powerhouse.

And perhaps, with the right guidance, someone who could one day stand at the very peak of the cultivation world.

Leon glanced at the grave one last time.

Shasa was still standing before it.

She remained quiet for a long while. Then, slowly, she crouched down beside the stone tablet.

A small sunflower lay nearby.

Its golden petals were slightly battered, and its stem had bent to one side. It wasn’t much to look at, but Shasa picked it up with great care.

Perhaps it had been growing there all along.

Perhaps she had brought it with her.

Leon didn’t ask.

Shasa brushed a little dirt from the flower. Then she placed it gently at the foot of the grave.

Her fingers lingered on the golden petals.

"Old Hermit..."

Her voice was soft.

The wind carried her words across the quiet hill.

She lowered her head and swallowed the lump in her throat.

"I’ll come back."

That was all she said.

There were no grand promises. No tears of desperation. No desperate cries asking the dead to return.

Just four simple words.

Yet Leon could hear everything she had left unsaid.

The sunflower rested against the cold stone.

Golden against gray.

So small beneath the vast sky.

And somehow, its presence made the lonely grave feel a little less empty.

Leon watched her without speaking.

For a long time, he had wondered about Shasa. Her childish excitement, her endless curiosity, and the way she could turn even the smallest things into a source of happiness had sometimes made him forget what she had endured.

But now, standing beside that grave, he finally understood her a little better.

Shasa wasn’t a child.

She understood death. She understood loss. She knew that some people would never return, no matter how desperately she wished otherwise.

She simply carried her grief in her own way.

Some people grew cold after suffering.

Others buried themselves in hatred.

Shasa had chosen neither.

Somewhere along the way, she had held on to the little piece of herself that could still laugh, smile, and find joy in the world.

Perhaps that was how she had managed to survive.

Even after everything she had lost, she could still chase a thief for stealing her food. She could argue with local thugs without a second thought. She could become ridiculously excited over a hundred roasted sunflowers.

And she could still dream about becoming invincible among her peers.

That brightness wasn’t a weakness.

It was the part of her that had survived when so much else had been taken away.

Leon let out a quiet breath.

He didn’t need to say anything to her.

Not now.

He turned toward the path leading away from the hill.

"Let’s go back to the mountain."

His voice was calm, as usual.

Shasa remained still for another moment.

Her eyes lingered on the grave. Then she slowly rose to her feet.

She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand and took a deep breath.

After one last look at the stone tablet, she turned around and followed Leon.

He stepped forward.

The next moment, his feet left the ground.

His figure shot into the sky, his midnight-black robes fluttering behind him. Thin lines of amethyst embroidery shimmered in the sunlight as he rose above the hillside.

Rias and Selena followed without hesitation.

Shasa stayed behind for a moment.

She looked down at the little wooden house.

Then at the grave resting quietly on the hill.

The small sunflower swayed beside the stone tablet.

For a brief moment, Shasa’s expression softened.

Then she turned away.

Her Teacher was already waiting in the sky.

She hurried after him.

Selena glanced back at Shasa before looking toward Leon.

"Teacher, I’ll carry her."

Leon gave a small nod.

Selena moved closer and slipped an arm around Shasa’s waist. With a gentle lift, she carried her off the ground.

Shasa blinked.

For a moment, she didn’t seem to understand what had happened.

Then she looked down.

Her feet were dangling in the air.

The ground was getting farther away.

Her blue eyes widened.

"Ah?"

The next instant, the wind rushed across her face.

Her blonde hair fluttered wildly behind her as Selena carried her higher into the sky.

Shasa stared at the world below.

The trees grew smaller.

The wooden house slowly disappeared into the distance.

The winding paths and distant rooftops looked like tiny toys scattered across the land.

Then she looked up.

The endless blue sky stretched above her, dotted with soft white clouds.

A grin slowly spread across her face.

"Oh, I’m flying..."

Her voice was filled with wonder.

She twisted around in Selena’s arms, eager to look at everything at once.

"Senior Sister, look!"

Selena glanced down at her.

"What is it?"

"Big bird!"

Shasa pointed toward the distance.

A crane was gliding through the sky. Its wings spread wide as it rode the wind with effortless grace.

Selena followed Shasa’s finger.

Then she covered her face with one hand.

Good grief.

This little fellow was something else.

She had expected Shasa to feel nervous about suddenly leaving the ground. After all, this was probably the first time the girl had ever flown.

Instead, Shasa was enjoying herself so much that she could barely sit still.

The clouds fascinated her.

The mountains fascinated her.

The birds fascinated her.

Even the rooftops far below seemed worthy of her attention.

She kept turning her head from one direction to another, as though she were afraid of missing something interesting.

Selena couldn’t help smiling.

At least Shasa wasn’t afraid of heights.

That was a good thing.

Probably.

Unfortunately, their peaceful journey didn’t last long.

The immortal crane gliding through the distance suddenly sensed someone staring at it.

It turned its head.

Its sharp eyes landed on Shasa, who was still pointing at it with great enthusiasm.

The crane stared at her for a moment.

Then it let out a sharp cry.

"Caw!"

There was something strangely indignant about that cry.

If anyone could understand the immortal crane’s thoughts, they might have heard something like this.

Big bird?

Who are you calling a big bird?

You’re the big bird! Your entire family consists of big birds!

I have a proper name, you know!

I am the Psychic Immortal Crane!

I’m a precious spiritual beast raised by famous mountains and powerful sects. How dare you compare me to those ordinary birds?

Little brat, if you don’t even know my name, then keep your mouth shut!

What a country bumpkin!

Unfortunately, the crane’s indignant thoughts were lost on Shasa.

Its expression, however, wasn’t.

She noticed the disdain in its eyes immediately.

Her smile disappeared.

One eyebrow twitched.

"...Huh?"

She leaned forward slightly, staring at the crane.

"Did it just provoke me?"

Selena’s smile froze.

Oh, no.

She knew that look.

Shasa had spent years surviving in Greyhaven City. She wasn’t the sort of person who would quietly swallow an insult, even when the person insulting her was much stronger.

And apparently, she was equally unwilling to tolerate disrespect from a bird.

Shasa pointed at the distant crane.

"Senior Sister! Quick, take me over there!"

Selena looked down at her.

"Why?"

"I want to hit it!"

Shasa began struggling in her arms.

Her little hands reached toward the crane as though she genuinely believed she could catch it and teach it a lesson.

Selena tightened her hold before the girl could wriggle free.

"Shasa, stop moving!"

"But it insulted me!"

"It’s a bird!"

"Then I’ll hit the bird!"

Selena stared at her.

For a moment, she couldn’t think of a single response.

The crane, meanwhile, seemed to realize that it had attracted the wrong kind of attention.

It flapped its wings and began flying farther away.

Shasa immediately grew more agitated.

"It’s running away!"

"Of course it’s running away!"

"Senior Sister, take me there! I’ll catch it!"

Selena sighed.

"Shasa, that crane can fly."

"So can I!"

"You’re being carried."

"That doesn’t matter!"

Selena closed her eyes briefly.

How was she supposed to deal with this girl?

"Listen to me," she said, trying to remain patient. "That crane is already flying away. There’s no need to chase it."

"But I haven’t hit it yet!"

"Exactly."

Selena gave her a helpless look.

"That’s why you need to calm down."

Shasa puffed out her cheeks.

She looked so genuinely offended that Selena almost laughed.

Almost.

Then another thought occurred to her.

What would happen once they returned to Celestis Academy?

Shasa was clearly curious about everything. That much was obvious.

But she also seemed to have a remarkable talent for getting into trouble.

Would she pick fights with every spiritual beast she encountered?

Would she challenge every student who happened to give her a strange look?

And, more importantly, what would happen if she crossed paths with one of the senior elders’ children?

Selena could already imagine the scene.

Shasa would probably insult someone without realizing who they were.

The other person would take offense.

An argument would follow.

And before anyone could stop her, she would somehow find herself in the middle of a fight.

Selena felt a headache coming on.

She really needed to keep an eye on her new Junior Sister.

"Shasa," she called gently.

The girl turned toward her, still wearing an unhappy expression.

"Yes?"

"Stop worrying about that crane."

"But—"

"Listen first."

Selena adjusted her hold and gave Shasa a reassuring smile.

"When we return to the mountain, I’ll catch a few unicorns for you to play with. How about that?"

Shasa immediately stopped struggling.

"...Unicorns?"

She tilted her head.

"What are those?"

Selena paused.

Only then did she remember that Shasa had spent most of her life in Greyhaven City. There was a good chance the girl had never even seen a unicorn before.

She thought for a moment, trying to find the simplest way to explain it.

Meanwhile, Shasa had already begun imagining the creature for herself.

A huge bird suddenly appeared in her mind.

It had a long, twisted horn growing from its forehead.

She imagined the horn sticking awkwardly between its feathers.

Then she imagined it trying to fly with those enormous wings.

Shasa’s expression slowly changed.

No.

That couldn’t be right.

She shook her head.

A unicorn couldn’t possibly look like that.

How ugly would that be?

Selena noticed the strange expression on her face.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing."

Shasa quickly shook her head again.

Selena gave her a suspicious glance but decided not to press the matter.

Instead, she began explaining.

"Hmm... A unicorn looks a little like a horse. Its entire body gives off a beautiful, colorful glow, and it has a horn on its forehead."

She paused, searching for the right words.

"It also has a pair of small wings. The kind that can carry it through the sky."

Selena smiled.

"They’re very beautiful creatures."

Shasa listened carefully.

A horse.

A horn.

Wings.

A body surrounded by colorful light.

Her imagination began working again, this time producing something much more appealing.

She pictured a beautiful creature with a shining coat, graceful wings, and a horn that sparkled in the sunlight.

Something she could ride through the clouds.

Something that would carry her over mountains and across the sky.

Her eyes gradually brightened.

That sounded wonderful.

Much better than chasing a rude crane.

Shasa looked up at Selena with an expectant expression.

"Alright!"

She nodded firmly.

"I want to ride a unicorn!"

As she smiled, two small canine teeth peeked out from beneath her lips.

Selena looked at her bright expression and finally relaxed.

At least the girl had forgotten about the crane.

For now, anyway.

She glanced toward the distant sky, where the immortal crane had long since disappeared.

Then she looked back at Shasa.

Poor u n i c o r n s .

She couldn’t help feeling that the creatures were about to have a very eventful time.