3 Foul-Mouthed Jam (2/2)
The lecturer ended his lecture prematurely and walked Jam over to the Sect Head's Mansion. On the way to the Sect Head's mansion, Jam was shocked by the housing scheme of the Cultivation Academy. There were thousands of courtyards, which came in every shape and color, presumably after their owner's preferences, extending into the horizon. Jam began to fantasize about where they would send him to live.
After walking for half an hour, Jam reached a stupidly large courtyard, at least several dozen square kilometers in size. He honestly couldn't understand why someone would need so much space. The Sect Head's mansion had dozens of pillars surrounding the main building with gold and platinum plated inscriptions spread around the building, making the entirety of the Mansion look esoteric and mythical. Jam knew from Woody's stories that these inscriptions were probably the enhancing runes of a magical treasure.
The lecturer just stood outside the Sect Head's ”courtyard” and even though he didn't visually do anything, the Mansion doors opened and Jam was forcefully moved into the mansion. Jam couldn't resist even if he wanted to, so he just enjoyed the ride.
Within the Mansion, in what Jam assumed to be the Sect Head's Office, there stood a girl that looked to about Jam's age next to an middle aged woman. The young girl had crimson red hair, fair skin, and the aura of a nurtured noblewoman. The middle aged woman on the other hand, had blonde hair with white streaks, and was conservatively dressed, not letting others get a detailed description of her; Still, her clothes could not hide the ravishing body it was attempting to conceal. The woman then spoke to Jam.
”Hey kid, mind your manners, you're in my academy.” The Sect Head, expecting Jam to give the proper martial salute and greeting, immediately had her anger sparked. As the Head of the academy, she had to treat her face very seriously. No one was allowed to disrespect her, even if it was by accident; of course, Jam had no clue what the lady was talking about. Jam was raised by Woody, ”raised” being a term used extremely liberally, as Woody only told Jam some stories and told him to train.
”What?! You're the Sect Head? And what do you mean mind my manners? I literally haven't done anything yet!” To Jam, the Sect Head was shouting at him for no reason.
”Boy! Your lack of action is exactly what I'm talking about!” The woman ignored Jam questioning if she was the Sect Head. She seemed to understand that Jam had never learned about Daoist etiquette or the importance of face.
”The fuck am I supposed to do?” Jam's habit of cursing when he felt wronged kicked in. Jam had this habit since even before Woody had adopted him, and it never came up when Jam was with Woody, so she never had a chance to snuff out this bad habit out of him. Now his bad habit was potentially endangering Jam's life, as he didn't know what kind of person the Academy Head was; he didn't know if she would snap at him and kill him in the process.
”...” Both the Sect Head and the young girl were speechless at Jam's response.
”You're suppose to at least bow to those who are at your level of status or power, not to mention pay respects to those stronger than yourself… Where you raised in the woods or something?” The young girl spoke up, she read the situation and tried to diffuse the situation by telling Jam his mistake.
”Bitc… Little girl remember this, ok? You can insult me, you can attack me, but never in your life dare belittle Woody. Got that? I didn't have the luxury of being raised in a major power like a sect. I'm an orphan, raised by Woody in a regular mortal household.” Not concise at all and very confusing were the words poor little Jam chose to use, to ”defend” himself.
Referring to living in his house with Woody, as living conditions similar to the woods was an extreme insult to Jam. His bad habit didn't just kick in, it almost spiked at the girl's obviously rhetorical statement. Too bad Jam didn't get the social cue, treating it as an insult, instead of the situation-diffusing statement it was intended to be.
To be honest, to both the young girl and the Sect Head, being raised in a noble mortal household was the same as being raised in the woods, never mind Jam's household which was one of the lowest possible living standards in the mortal world.
”Oh… Usually for speaking to me in such a tone, I'd have you disintegrated but I can't blame you, since you obviously don't know any Daoist etiquette. Rina dear, why don't you coach our new disciple on the most basic etiquette for the cultivators?” The Sect Head showed better than average patience — especially for a cultivator as stronger as herself— by not lashing out at Jam.
If it weren't for Jam being so absurdly talented and his sincere lack of cultivation etiquette, the Sect Head would probably kill Jam, and he knew it. That heavy pressure coming of the Sect Head and crushing his will was hard to miss.
Woody had always mentioned how extreme cultivators behaved, and he had momentarily lost his cool. This little experience helped build a sense of pressure within Jam; now, there was constant reminder that an unsuspecting stranger could sentence him to death for being informal.
Rina, the young girl, already developed a bad first impression of Jam after his outburst. But, to comply with the Sect Head's wishes, she just nodded her head. For a ten year old, raised in a sect she also showed patience, not acting arrogantly towards a country bumpkin like Jam.
”Kid!! The next time I see you, you better have some sense in you! Now get out of here before I change my mind!”
Jam had already learned his lesson and put on his poker face to comply with this overbearing Sect Head, and left with Rina. However, internally the curses he was shouting within his heart would make a sailor blush.
Once he was finally outside of the Sect Head's mansion, he couldn't help himself and muttered ”Dumb bitch once I get strong enough, I'll wipe that pretentious smirk off your face.”
Unfortunately for Jam, he didn't know about the abilities higher level cultivators had, and his words reached the Sect Head, even though he was several kilometers away from her position.
”That fucking kid! How long has it been since an idiot dares to say such things to my face!? If he weren't so god damned talented and young...” The Sect Head learned about Jam's talent during her telekinetic conversation with the lecturer that brought Jam to her office; even she didn't want to admit it, in her heart she she knew that Jam was a talent she couldn't afford to lose.