"Would you bet that Green Heart had something to do with this?" A mocking tone guarded the door leading to Mana's private room meant for his awakening.

She was too far to notice… but master's sister is kinda hot…

Mana matched his gaze with Lilia's emerald gaze. Despite Lilia's get up, he couldn't feel the least bit intimidated, a feat of courage Lilia noted and despised quite instantly.

A red crop top with torn ends covered her breasts, showing the lower strap of her sports bra and emphasizing her flat abdomen and navel piercing. Her black choker matched the black denim jeans and spiked belt with chains hanging through the hoops of her pants. Further down, Lilia wore tough leather shoes with a modest heel, slightly elevating her.

'Everything is Wukong branded…' Mana was certainly impressed. The Wukong branded products are especially hard to get considering the limited number of products and even harder was to prepare an entire outfit from one of the most respected producers in the line of fashion.

"I don't think—"

"Pop quiz," Lilia smiled, her slightly dark lipstick only matching her persona but surprisingly, the overall make-up on her face was quite light, almost a formality.

"Did you finish the rhyme yesterday?" 

"Not after Master showed up. He said that the first thing I will learn under him is proper alphabet rhyming."

Furrowing, Lilia shook her head.

"What you were singing was as good as any rhyme."

Mana's heart skipped a beat instantly. His fervent gaze bore into Lilia's, surprising her momentarily.

"I knew it… Granny won't teach me anything wrong," Mana whispered, his words turning Lilia's expression even stranger.

"What was your name again?"

"Mana."

"Full name."

"Mana 'Rogue' Krien," he smiled. The title Rogue was something that fascinated Mana greatly.

Too bad I can't use it always or…

He shivered at the thought of a bearded monster destroying his living space with terrible, toxic warfare.

"Rogue? Including you and I… there are 11 Rogues now," Lilia narrowed her gaze, this time making Mana shocked speechless.

"Why are you a Rogue?" Mana inquired involuntarily.

"Why?" Lilia frowned.

"How many…" Mana changed his question with a serious expression on his face.

"What?"

"How many…" leaning forward slightly, almost making Lilia flinch at the sudden movement, Mana whispered, "... women have you stolen? From whom? Please take over Master Green Heart and teach me the true path."

"W-wha—" 

Taking a step back, Lilia looked at Mana with an incredulous expression. Pink touched her fair cheeks as she slowly grew serious.

A worthy opponent.

Her thoughts spiraled.

But finally, she started with a somber expression.

"Now is not the time to discuss dao… I wish you luck."

Stepping aside, Lilia granted access to the private room but as Mana walked past her, her hand boldly smacked his butt with a resounding sound.

"I will teach you once you complete your rhyme."

Nodding without turning back, Mana walked in.

'Ah… my booty hurts…' A silent tear escaped the corner of Mana's eye as his butt stung harshly.

Regaining his wits quickly, Mana looked around the room. It was a standard 3*3 room with a futon laid in the middle. Unlike the presentation of antique collections in various corners of the auditorium, the private room was much more modest. Aside from a few mechanical contraptions to keep a track of Mana during his awakening there really wasn't much to be noted.

Looking into the camera, Mana bowed deeply.

"To anyone who is watching. Don't be afraid. I'm not affected in any manner and am able to make sound judgments…"

---

With a headset covering her ears and the jack plugged into the phone, Lilia lazily watched Mana bow and begin his request.

As one of the disciples tasked with keeping an eye on the freshmen, Lilia and other second-year disciples were granted access to the footage, too. Though, many chose not to review it and do other things unless notified to help the freshmen out during the awakening.

*My grandmother has always taught me to live a life without regrets. She also taught me that sometimes, a person might make a decision which he finds reasonable but shall come to regret eventually in his sorry life…*

"Preach, sister," Lilia mumbled. Mana's words, or technically, his granny's words resonated with Lilia.

*She even theorized that any origin cultivator gets to be born twice. Once he is given birth by a woman and when he awakens.*

Lilia nodded, her eyes softening slightly.

'Maybe… I shouldn't rag the poor kid just to get back at Forest…'

*So, I shall be reborn in the state similar to the event of my first birth.

In my birthday 'stume.*

'Wait, what? Did your granny teach you that, too?' Lilia's lips slowly parted as her eyes remained glued to Mana. His slow and measured undressing had a certain charm as if he was taught how to remove his clothes in the most elegant manner.

Finally, the high-quality footage captured something flaccid.

A big threat to the title of Rogue.

But before Lilia could close the recording, Mana bowed again and as if seeing through the camera and looking into her eyes, he spoke seriously.

*Please do not stop your duty just because of discomfort you might feel. In the event something goes wrong during the awakening, I will need immediate assistance*

---

"I can't believe I fell for the oldest trick in the book. The irony," Klyde sighed deeply, his murky gaze revealing the tribulations the man had suffered to get to his stature only to be bested by a smart-tongued disciple.

*Ring*

*Clk*

"Yes?" Klyde picked up the call and inquired with a chirpier tone.

"Sect Master… we got a stripper… no, wait, there is another one. Oh… heavens…

Sect Master, the third one is… he is experienced."

'Still eleven less than section B,' Klyde shrugged.

"Just stay professional regardless. We cannot really stop fetishes from growing."

"Yes, Sect Master."

"F-fetish?" Rogue gasped, his face swollen but his eyes extremely calm. 

Slightly impressed by Rogue's state of mind, Klyde nodded silently.

"Grandmaster… why?" Rogue inquired again but not willing to fall for yet another trap, Klyde finally sighed and replied.

"Maybe I have grown too tired sitting in my office all day long. With my wife slumped with work in the orthodox section, I don't really have any reason to return to my cave. And…"

"Is it Dharma? Or Mana?" Rogue inquired without beating around the bush.

A short chuckle escaped Klyde's dried lips.

"When I heard how you handled White Heart's and his Personal Disciple's matter… I was surprised. Dharma is a Walker with a peculiar past and admirable nature. Mana… has some circumstances but objectively speaking, he is a disciple whose background attracts me the least.

If I have to truly pick a reason, then I will say that I made a bet against the Bottomless Chasm Sect regarding the final exams for this year."

Rogue furrowed.

'If the bet is the real reason, why would he go out of his way to describe Dharma, Mana, and myself? No… there's something more. He just said that he is lonely and the Grandmistress is away. He needs a reason to return to his cave…

Could it be…' 

With despair filling Rogue's heart, he gulped softly and wished himself luck again. Who said that only the remaining 39 students were going through an ordeal? 

Rogue's ordeal is extremely dangerous in its own right!

"Grandmaster… regarding your trouble back at the personal cave. I recommend you ask Candice's for help."

Interested, Klyde inquired.

"Who is Candice?"

'I'm going all in.'

"Candice balls fit in your mouth?"

Klyde looked up once again, Rogue looked down once again, literally and metaphorically.

---

Sitting on the futon, Mana wiggled his butt for a comfort zone and finally settled closer to the edge where he could feel the breeze and the warmth simultaneously.

"Let's see, the sect included an instruction manual even here?" Mana picked up a pamphlet and gazed through its contents. Slimming through the process, Mana closed his eyes.

'This is bad… I didn't get much sleep last night and the morning was ruined by the jade slip. But this room has such a nice air to it… feels like I'm being wrapped by a blanket of comfort.

Let's see, I have four hours till the lecture ends and after that, I'm supposed to meet master. So… they can surely wait for me, right?

If they are worried about disciples napping, they wouldn't have added such a nice futon and only laid down a mat.'

A yawn escaped Mana's lips.

'This is extremely bad. Thinking about napping is making me more sleepy. But awakening should commence in a relaxed state of mind…

1 sheep humping…

2 sheeps humping…

3 sheeps humping…

4 sheeps humping…

Ah, it's an orgy…' Mana's thoughts slipped away while the nightmarish images of many sheeps humping each other faded away.