68 Becoming a Dragon (1/2)
”It is quite simple,” Lan said with a chuckle. ”Above the Warrior ranks are the Knight ranks. Ordinary Knight, Earth Knight, Sky Knight, and Heavenly Knight.”
”After Knights come Saints. Ordinary Saint, Earth Saint, Sky Saint, and Heavenly Saint.”
”And after Saints?” Xue Wei held his breath as he asked, but Lan just laughed. ”After Saints? Who knows. Heavenly Saints are as rare as ice in the desert, and to reach even above the Heavenly Saint rank is simply not something that people have been able to achieve in millennia. It is all legends about what is above.”
”What is your rank then?” Xue Wei asked another question that had confused him for some time. To think that not even his attacks could cause dust to appear on his clothes; he had to be magnificent.
”What rank do you think I am at?” Lan answered the question with yet another question and smiled slightly.
Looking at Lan, Xue Wei could guess that he was not going to answer the question in a straightforward way, so he took a moment to contemplate.
”I do not know about the strength levels of the various ranks,” Xue Wei said tentatively, ”but I have a feeling that you are very highly ranked.”
”I have an impression that you are way stronger than any other creature I have ever met before.”
”Creature, you say?” Lan could not help but laugh at that, and Xue Wei embarrassedly rubbed his nose, ”I mean, I once saw someone I believe to be a Primordial Beast, and she was very strong. Yet you seem way stronger than her; I would guess that you are a Saint of some sort?”
Instead of answering the question, Lan laughed again. ”Someone you believe to be a Primordial Beast? Why so?”
Xue Wei did not hide anything and told Lan the entire story, after which Lan frowned. ”So that's their game,” he shook his head and looked at Xue Wei, who seemed very confused and looked at the prophet while unsure of what the man was thinking.
”Never mind, you are fortunate to have encountered a Primordial Beast and lived to tell the tale,” he laughed again, and Xue Wei nodded his head, paying no more attention to the prophet's comment.
”Well, it is too late now to go train, so go get some rest, consolidate your foundations a bit more, and then we will go out tomorrow. I have something very peculiar to teach you. It has to do with your Azure Dragon Scripture.”
Xue Wei gave Lan a long glance, but he did not say anything to him and instead he just nodded his head and sat down on the ground once more, focusing on absorbing more energy from the surrounding air and converting it into Qi within his body.
The night quickly passed, and as the morning broke, birds sang in the sky and the sun was rising in the sky.
Lan and Xue Wei left the tent together, completely ignoring the many strange glances that the two of them were getting, both having their own thoughts and completely ignorant of what others might think about them.
”It is time for us to get some food. Although I gave you something very nutritious last night, it cannot replace real food, and you haven't eaten for days as you were consolidating your newfound realm.”
As soon as Lan spoke, everyone perked their ears up to hear his words, yet they were so suggestive that some of the girls blushed and others almost vomited.
Xue Wei sighed. ”Enough of that chatter, they are already thinking the worst. No need to keep making them believe that I am into men,”
”You know, I might even think the worst – your reaction is so dull, at least everyone else is reacting amusingly.”
”So you are doing this to be amused?” Xue Wei asked with a sigh, and Lan just shrugged his shoulders. ”If I didn't do it for fun, then what other reason could I possibly have?”
”Whatever,” Xue Wei sighed. ”Just stop it now. I do have a sweetheart; it would be a shame if she heard about me cheating on her with some lame prophet.”
”Oh, you have a sweetheart?” Lan suddenly got interested. ”Tell me about her, what is she like?”
A bright light shone in Xue Wei's eyes as he thought back to Wang Xiaoyun and the very short time they had spent together, and about the promises they had made to each other.
”Her name is Wang Xiaoyun. She is a Wayfarer, and although it is difficult for us to be together I swore that I would become a strong enough partner for her family to approve of me!”
Lan suddenly started laughing, and he was laughing so much that he clutched his stomach with his arms and almost doubled over.
Xue Wei had gotten used to his strange behavior so he said nothing, but he just stood there staring at him with a dull, distant gaze.
”Sorry,” Lan said as he wiped a tear from his eye, ” it's just, you want to make the Wayfarers accept you. That is rather hilarious.”
Xue Wei felt anger rise in his chest as he heard this. He glared at Lan. ”Why is that amusing?” he asked, but Lan just continued giggling uncontrollably.
”Well, you know that Wayfarers are against marrying out of the family because they will lose their bloodline.” Lan laughed. ”But you have a special physique, so it should be fine if you ever manage to produce some offsprings.”
Xue Wei was confused, annoyed, and slightly angry as he went to get a tray of food and moved to a vacant bench.
Contrary to his expectations, Lan sat down with him on the bench, but the prophet was still not entirely done giggling.