Jason looked him over and said, "My, my, you've grown since the last ti I saw you."
Arthur grinned and said, "So have you. You have a beard now."
His comnt made Jason laugh. He said, "I didn't want to keep it before. But I didn't have ti to shave it during the sect examination. So it grew larger. I fell in love with it after the examination, so I decided to keep it."
As he spoke, he stroked his beard like so sage.
Arthur asked, "How was the exam?"
Jason shook his head and said, "It was bloody. There was a lot of blood. Fortunately, I am not a stranger to blood."
He laughed after saying that.
He was referring to the bloodletting rites that every true child of the family goes through when they co of age. They are taken to the prison where they kill people.
As rich people who rarely encounter dangerous situations that require them to kill, the bloodletting rites prepare their minds for killing. The lesson they learn about the weak being subject to the whims of the strong also prepares them for the life-and-death situation of the regional sect examination.
Jason thought about sothing and said, "Speaking of the exam, I once saw that guy who challenged you that day."
Arthur asked, "Do you an the master Sky Claw?"
Jason snorted. "What master? More like master hide and run for dear life. He was always hiding and running. I would have killed him that day I t him if not for the fact that he begged not to, and I knew him. I let him go because he wasn't worth the effort to kill."
He chuckled after saying that. Then he continued, "I heard from my uncle that his master ca to the family today to inform him of the beating that his son took today at the hands of your students."
Arthur shook his head and said, "I don't know what he is talking about. This is the first of this that I am hearing."
Jason laughed and shook his head. "Don't worry about it. He didn't co to report you. Master Owl Claw ca to ask for forgiveness on behalf of his unruly student."
Arthur was stunned. He asked, "Who else did he offend in the family? I thought he only offended ."
Jason wagged his finger at Arthur and said, "No, no. You can't think about it like that. He offended you by challenging you, which ans he also offended us."
"If it were another thing, it wouldn't matter much to the family. But he offended you in the matter of your dojo by challenging you when it was explicitly stated last ti that no one should interfere with your dojo. That is a terrible offense."
"His actions make it as if my going to your fight that day was a waste of my ti. He made it as if the fight between you and and my subsequent promise to you were nothing. It was a good thing that he ca to apologize, or he would be in big trouble with the family. And it was a good thing that your students beat him, so we didn't think we had to do anything more to teach him a lesson."
Arthur chuckled. "I guess it was a good thing for that you were around. I at least have soone in the family to complain to. I don't know anyone else in the family."
Jason asked in surprise, "Really? How co?"
Arthur shrugged. "I know your uncle, whom you ca to represent that day. But I have never t him, and I doubt he would recognize ."
Jason shook his head. "Then I guess it was a good thing that I ca today. I will introduce you to my uncle. But I doubt you're going to need him. In three years at most, you should be ready for the regional sect examination."
Arthur nodded in agreent. "That's the plan."
Jason said, "Follow to see my uncle. He has a bad. No matter what he says, don't take it personally."
Arthur chuckled at that and said, "I'll try."
On their way, Jason asked him, "What do you think of this party?"
Arthur didn't care much for the party, but he didn't want to offend the person for whom the party was thrown, so he said, "It is not bad."
Jason shook his head. "It is a waste of ti, is what it is. I nearly died several tis in these past two years. But the struggle isn't over yet. Even though I got into a sect, the struggle has only begun, and the danger I am in has only increased."
"The sect I got in is full of the best of the best who have seen a lot of blood and can kill without blinking an eye. How can I be in the mood to party?"
He looked at Jason and answered his own question, "The answer is that I am not in the mood for a party. I should be sowhere training because if I am not strong, I will die. Those are the two readily available options for . Strength or death."
"Yet, here I am wasting ti greeting people and supposed to be having fun. It makes regret deciding to co ho instead of going to the sect straight. It also makes envious of these people I see."
Arthur was surprised. He asked with surprise, "What are you envious of them for?"
Jason sighed and said, "I am envious that they don't have to go to a sect."
His jovial deanor was gone, and the smile on his face had dimd. He looked solemn as he spoke.
He chuckled and said, "I know that sounds crazy. I know that most of the people here are envious of for gaining admission to a sect. But they only see the sunny side. It is the side where I get access to better resources. But this sunny side cos at a cost."
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