Chapter 23 7 Year Old Practitioner

Just as the final rays of sun disappeared over the horizon, the once bustling Medical Room turned eerily quiet. The tranquil silence was broken only by the occasional bustling of the medical staff and the creaking of the door as three figures strode in. The atmosphere immediately grew tense as Elder Ryder, Chief Cline, and Elder Alder entered the room.

Their imposing presence loomed over the room, demanding attention. Jasper immediately straightened his back, a nervous tension washing over him. While he was no stranger to these men, the circumstances of their meeting were far from ordinary.

Elder Alder was the first to break the silence, his booming voice echoing through the room, "Where is my daughter?"

Before Jasper could answer, one of the senior healers rushed forward, "Elder Alder, please come this way. Jillian is currently resting."

Without waiting for a response, Elder Alder quickly followed the healer, his heavy steps echoing his palpable worry. This left Jasper in the company of Chief Cline and Elder Ryder. The silence that followed was deafening, the tension in the room heavy and suffocating.

The Chief gave Jasper a brief nod of acknowledgment before turning his gaze to Elder Ryder.

"Ryder," Chief Cline began, his tone serious, "please gather a team to look for the remaining team members."

Elder Ryder nodded in acknowledgment, "Very well, Chief. I will send the night instructors and have them find them."

Chief Cline, however, quickly shook his head, "No, only send members of the Spring Village. We need to suppress this information for a while, at least until we can react to unforeseen circumstances."

Elder Ryder looked taken aback by this, confusion evident on his face. "Cline," he questioned, "do you believe this incident was instigated by another village?"

"I can't rule out such a possibility," Chief Cline replied, his gaze distant and thoughtful. "For now, we must be cautious."

"Let's hope for the best," Chief Cline murmured, his gaze turning back to Jasper, a firm resolve in his eyes. "Jasper, you did well to bring Jillian back. It was a commendable feat." After all, a beast at the Practitioner level was not something that should be easily handled by a Pre-Practitioner, especially one at Jasper's level.

Jasper could only manage a weak nod in response to Chief Cline's praise. The guilt weighing heavily on his heart muted any sense of achievement he might have felt. Noticing his discomfort, Elder Ryder decided to intervene.

"Jasper," Elder Ryder said, his voice gentle yet firm, "you should get some rest. It's been a long day."

Despite their comforting words, the guilt within Jasper's heart refused to subside. But he knew arguing would get him nowhere. With a heavy heart, he nodded, "Yes, Elder Ryder."

As Jasper left, Chief Cline let out a long sigh. "These are troubling times, Ryder," he said. Elder Ryder gave a curt nod, acknowledging the chief's concerns. With that, Elder Ryder took his leave, leaving Chief Cline alone in the quiet hall.

One crisp morning, following a vigorous training session, Jasper exhaled a breath of turbid air. He had been going through his training routine since before the dawn, each swing of his sword echoed through the silent courtyard. His final stroke was so powerful that it sliced through a stone lying on the courtyard floor with remarkable ease. It had been a week since Jasper broke through to the Practitioner realm, and the days were spent in relentless training, trying to adjust to the newfound strength coursing through his body. His control over the mysterious energy had improved significantly, to the point where he could now wield it almost as effortlessly as his own aura. Throughout the week, Jasper also had time to familiarize himself with the system. Although its origin and purpose were still a mystery, he could not deny the benefits it provided. On his first day of training after the incident, the system had gifted him with a 'starter package'. This was not a physical object, but a guide provided by the system to help him understand and better control the mysterious energy within him. Now, as the sun began to rise, painting the sky in shades of pink and orange, Jasper paused his training. He stood in the center of the courtyard, basking in the peaceful silence of the morning.

As the sun began its steady ascent into the sky, Jasper broke from his contemplation. "It should be about time," he muttered to himself, exiting his private courtyard to merge into the busy throng of the Martial Hall's central area.

The central area, while not an officially designated space by the Martial Hall, was so called by its student residents. The area was a grand open space situated at the heart of the student residences. Enclosed by towering wooden walls, the central area was the only route students could take to exit the residential district.

Jasper found himself standing beneath a large tree, its dense foliage providing a cool reprieve from the warm sunlight. He didn't have to wait long. One by one, six individuals made their way towards him, their eyes lighting up in recognition as they spotted his figure beneath the tree.

Upon reaching him, they each cupped their hands in a traditional gesture of greeting before standing quietly to one side. These were the 2nd class students who were now under Jasper's command. In the aftermath of the incident, despite the tragic loss of most of his original team, Jasper's slaying of the beast had not gone unnoticed. As a result, he was promoted to a 4th class student, a position that put him in charge of these six students.

Although the past incident had eventually became common knowledge within the broader community of the Martial Hall, its impact on Jasper was minimal. If anything, it only served to amplify his reputation. For accompanying this grim tale was another piece of shocking news that quickly superseded it - Jasper's breakthrough to the Practitioner realm.

This revelation was so astounding that it not only rippled through the Martial Hall, but spread to the surrounding villages as well. The prospect of a seven-year-old Practitioner realm martial artist was unprecedented, and it stirred a mixed sentiment of awe and trepidation. This was also the reason the six individuals before Jasper were quivering with anticipation.

News of Jasper's feat induced a wave of trepidation and excitement amongst the neighboring villages. Despite the Spring Village being viewed as a rival, their deep-rooted alliances and mutual profits made them invaluable allies. The announcement of vacancies in Jasper's group ignited further excitement amongst them.

Among the six individuals assembled before Jasper, three were descendants of elders from the Spring Village. The remaining three hailed from the neighboring villages, bearing the prestigious lineage of being the offspring of elders or clan leaders. These six individuals were there not only because of Jasper's prowess but also the significance of the opportunity to be under the guidance of a such a young Practitioner realm martial artist with immense potential.