34 Getting Los (1/2)

Looking around herself again to make sure that she didn't miss Yang Meng at some point, Sofie started panicking as he was still not there.

No need to panic, Sofie! We said to take a mission together, so wouldn't that mean he would be at the qi gathering realm area in the mission hall? Good! All I have to do now is find out where the area for the qi gathering realm is and I will be able to find Yang Meng!

Thinking this, Sofie calmed down and started looking around trying to find the area for people in the qi gathering realm.

Sadly, this proved difficult, as the other disciples constantly got in her way. Blocking her view from time to time. For the first time ever, Sofie wished that she wasn't as short as she was.

”W-why is everyone so high… I can't see anything from down here…” Sofie muttered quietly to herself as she felt despair slowly taking over, at this point even finding the exit was difficult. Going against the 'current' of disciples entering was not easy and from what she saw outside, there was another entrance for exit.

”Lost?” A voice came from behind her, nearly scaring the living out of her as she jumped in freight at the sudden voice besides her.

Turning around, Sofie saw an old man kindly smiling down at her. Looking closer, it was the same old man she saw lazing around in the hollow core area earlier. Meaning he was someone at the hollow core realm…

Sofie did not get scared when she was faced with someone who was most likely at the hollow core realm. This in turn made the old man interested in the little girl in front of him, as she had clearly seen him in the area for people at the hollow core realm.

”So, are you lost little girl?” The old man asked Sofie one more time.

Sofie was still wondering who the old man in front of her was and forgot to answer the question from him earlier.

”Y-yes…” Hearing him ask her again, Sofie quickly answered the question honestly in a somewhat low voice. Clearly ashamed that she had gotten lost.

”Haha, no need to worry about it. Most new disciples get lost when they go to mission hall for the first time, so where are you going? I do know my way around this place!” The old man said in a proud voice. Clearly trying to show off to the new disciple standing in front of him.

Sofie was reminded of a certain someone when she saw his behaviour, but quickly threw it to the back of her mind as she answered. ”I-I'm trying to get to the area designated for the qi gathering realm.”

”Hm… The area for people in the gathering realm is indeed a little harder to find, as it is located on the second floor. Haha, I really wonder why they placed it on the second floor instead of the first one. Did they want to make it harder to find for the new disciples?” The old man said as he looked to be in deep thought over the question.

Sofie felt like what the old man said might be true… At least she knew the elder generation from the sect loved to mess with the new disciples, she could see that from all the weird cultivation manuals present inside of the martial hall pagoda…

”T-thank you, I-I will be going then.” Giving a light bow, Sofie was about to make her way towards the stairs going up to the second floor.

”No problem, just ask if there is anything.” The old man said as he disappeared before Sofie could even respond.

Sofie really had no idea what to say, so she just stood still for a few seconds before recovering completely and walked up the stairs leading to the second floor of the mission hall.

…

The second floor of the mission hall was way smaller compared to the first floor. Looking out of the railing at the side, Sofie could look down and see the crowd of disciples constantly entering and exiting the mission hall.