“Uhm…. it was very mystical, very magical.” Gabriel answered feeling very nervous for what they had done inside the oasis.

  “Yes, I am sure you must be feeling very overwhelmed. That is normal, also happened to me the first time I went in to the oasis, the spirit tree and soul pillars most especially were quite something else.”

  “Brother Mu,” Said Shi Ming, coming to grab Gabriel, “Sorry but we got to rush.”

  “Oh! Alright, it should be almost dark out by now, don’t let me hold you up.” Said scholar Mu

  “Thanks brother, uncle Wei, I will come see you later. Let’s play a round of three kingdoms.” Ming said already pulling Gabriel towards the elevator

  “don’t worry about me, try not to push yourself” said Shi Wei called after them.

  As the elevator moved up steadily Gabriel was noticing something, for one, Shi Ming was fidgeting like a leaf in the wind, each time he caught himself, he held too still and when whatever was bothering him took him again, his legs began to tap on the floor or his hand began to rub against each other or tap against each other, all the ticks of a really anxious person. They passed the first basement floor after a while and Gabriel’s phone began to chime, lots of massages entering his phone at one time that seemed to wake Min up from whatever brooding he was in.

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  “Listen Gabriel, once we get out of here, you meet up with scholar Zhao and you leave Samsara tonight, do you understand. Do not let the guards keep you, do you understand. It is very important that you do.” Shi Ming tapped Gabriel on the shoulder there was not even an illusion of mirth on his face. “If it is any consolation, know this, you save my life today.”

  “What about you? I doubt your father or the other clan patriarchs will let you go for stealing from their oasis”

  “don’t worry about that, just focus on making it to Aniu-lang university grounds, that is the only place safe from my father’s reach.”

  Soon enough the elevator door opened and they walked out, making their way out of the library and no one stopped them neither the students nor the librarians. The sun set as Gabriel and Shi Ming separated at the library entrance heading in different directions.

  ……………………………………………………..

  Gabriel walked down the road, it was free this time of the day because most of the students were by now making preparations for night classes. The walk took shorter than Gabriel remembered, the words Shi Ming had said to him before they separated echoing in his mind and pushing all other thoughts away.

  “young master is that you?” asked a male voice from deeper inside the house as he opened the door

  Gabriel had entered one of the many bungalows in the sect. it might have been small but it was big enough for a small group of delegates. The University of Aniu-lang had been given this building as a residence for whenever they visited, to commemorate the friendship between their two academies. A similar arrangement has also been made in the university in case of Samsara institute's visit.