Chapter 206 - - We enter Sun’s family palace (1/2)
When people are away from that which makes them unhappy, it is easy to form an illusion of self, of perhaps an untainted nature, when one is feeling shameful, or of an aloof existence, when one is usually quaking in one's boots. For a petite youth like Sun, it is easy to form a persona of sunny, energetic youth, when reality had once drained his spirit listless. His sister's friend's little shu sibling wanting to make him be her husband so she could enjoy this not entirely favoured son's family's status was actually the last straw that sent him fleeing to the Ascending Mountain Institute.
Sun's family pursued Martial Arts, but not every Martial Artist in the family had been fortunate enough to be born with roots in which to cultivate and gain strength. So when the second son of the second son of General Ramas happened to naturally awaken his root, there was some celebration, but also there was envy. This envy turned to scorn as time passed and this 'natural' protege failed to break through the boundary of Secondary cultivation. Not only his cultivation, but his height and stature were inherited from his mother, considerably lacking compared to other men in the family. So what that he had awoken his root without pills, not only was his a mere minor root, he clearly was a failure, a short, insignificant failure.
His grandfather became increasingly displeased with this grandchild, who looked feeble in comparison to even his third son's small shu son, who had just had his root forced to awaken and it was a major root. Many of the resources that once were Sun's were redirected to the illegitimate child. And then the Iondis family matchmaker came to call...
Sun shook away his despondent thoughts. He was not the same now, he'd broken through that barrier, reached Secondary stage. They could no longer claim he was a waste, without anymore use than to form a connection with another family for money.
The carriage pulled up outside a gargantuan estate.
Leon glanced outside, his jaw dropping as his eyes fell upon the imposing stone walls, in which a few tree tops could just be seen peering above the heights. Two stone columns rose either side of a large wooden gate, each topped with a stone dragon with fierce expressions. Guards stood at the gate, broad of chest and dressed in leathers and wearing swords. A plaque upon the column stated that this was the Ramas estate.
”This is your h-house?” Leon whispered in disbelief, while Jin Li shook his head with indulgent eyes over his small alchemists naivety.
Sun sighed, head sagging to his chest as he mumbled. ”No, this is my family's palace. My courtyard is just a small part of it.”
As the three and two beasts left the carriage, one of the guards eyes widened in recognition and he nodded to the other and slipped inside the gates for a moment. Not even had the other guard completed his greeting than did a tall man, with similar colouring to Sun and more mature of appearance, stepped outside to welcome him.
”Little brother,” Mond greeted him. His expression was quite stoic, but his eyes were curved with genuine happiness. Sun was startled, he's thought that Mond didn't care for him very much.
Mond was truly Sun's first idol and hero and his heart still recalled the warmth of affection from before his big brother went to train with the army. Mond did not have a inner root, but this never detracted from the strength he exuded, nor his talent with standard Martial Arts. It was just that, when Sun continuously failed to breakthrough, Mond's eyes held the most obvious of disappointment, breaking his heart and damaging the bond between them. Perhaps it had been his own perception that was wrong all along? ”Big brother, I'm back,” Sun smiled more brightly than before.