The Favour.

By the time that school was over, Oz was completely drenched in sweat. He had endured just over five hours of constant use of his Demonic cultivating technique, and it felt as if he had just thrown his body into a blender. Every bone felt as if it had shattered like glass whilst his muscles felt as if they had been flayed open. His blood was finally starting to cool down when a grin spread across his face.

He had managed to reach the second level before the effect of the pill faded away.

"Are you alright?" Seraphin asked in a quiet voice from beside him and he turned to see a frown on her delicate face.

"Of course!" Oz replied happily and pulled himself into a seated position causing his muscles to scream in protest. He stifled a groan as he began to wonder if he had perhaps pushed himself too far. "I reached the second level."

"Amazing!" Seraphin smiled genuinely at him. "To break through two levels in the space of a day is no easy feat, even with the help of Pure Ki Pill." Her eyes narrowed on him again and a glimmer sparkled in her dull eyes. "What technique do you use?"

"The basic breathing technique," Oz said said evenly as he began stretch out his limbs, the pain beginning to dull slightly.

"If it's only the basic breathing technique, then why is your aura red?" She asked accusingly, a slight smirk on her face as Oz eyes widened. "Is Demonic techniques such a basic common knowledge?"

"Eh? How did you know it's a Demonic technique?" He whispered and he shuffled closer to her.

"My family owns a wide array of techniques, a handful of them are demonic - there's no mistaking that blood coloured aura." Seraphin waved him off as if it wasn't such a big deal, but Oz still felt uneasy.

"Your family owns a few demonic techniques? How come the one I found was the very first time I had heard of the demonic techniques?" Oz asked as he leaned back on his hands.

"Demonic techniques are extremely rare and sought after," Seraphin explained. "It was a miracle that my family were able to procure the three that they do." She then felt the earth beside her again with her hand and rested it atop of Oz's. A small warm rush of energy washed over him and the lingering pains from cultivating dissipated.

"It's a small thank you for showing me something special today." She grinned and Oz was at a loss for words. Did Seraphin have earth roots? It would explain her healing abilities… but Oz was sure that healing was quite a complex technique to learn.

"Thank you," Oz mumbled after a moment as he began to look at Seraphin in a new light. "Also, do you mind if we keep the whole demonic thing between us? Just until I get a little stronger.

Knowing just how rare the Demonic techniques are means I'm going to have to get a whole lot stronger incase someone comes after them."

"Of course," Seraphin nodded, her silver curls bouncing with the motion. "As long as you promise to escort me from class everyday."

"Deal." He said with a grin and pulled them both to their feet. Now that the aches has dispersed from his body, he couldn't believe the increase in strength and agility he felt. If this was on level two, then what would it feel like when he passed the Ranks?

Seraphin slid her hand onto Oz's arm and he began to guide her back through the academy. As they walked side by side, he couldn't help but smile. He had always been something of a loner growing up through middle school. After his parents died he had begun obsessively studying cultivating as a way to deal with the pain.

Could he count Xiao and Seraphin as his friends now? One forcefully dragged him around the academy whilst the other agreed to keep his secrets in the return of a favour.

That was friendship right?

'Speak of the devil,' Oz mumbled inwardly as he saw Xiao leaning against the side of the entrance, his honey coloured eyes narrowing on Oz and the place where Seraphin'a arm was linked.

"It's the first day of school and you've already got a girlfriend? Seriously?" Xiao said with a smirk as he looked Seraphin up and down.

"Do you need any more help to get home from here?" Oz asked, completely ignoring Xiao.

"No it's fine, my driver should be just outside. I'll see you tomorrow." She squeezed his arm before letting go and slowly making her way out of the gate.

"What the hell was that? I thought you came her to become a cultivator, not just so you could chase after-" Xiao was shaking his head like a disappointed parent before Oz cut him off.

"She's blind you idiot," Oz sighed and began walking out of the gate and in the direction of his apartment. "I was just leading her to the gate."

"You expect me to believe that?" Xiao snorted as he jogged to catch up to Oz.

"Why are you following me?" Oz snapped. Perhaps Xiao wasn't a friend to him but Instead he was similar to an annoying fly that would continue to pester him through his school years.

"Well," Xiao looked almost nervous as he ran a hand through his cropped blonde hair. "It's about that favour, I want to use it now."

"Ugh, what is it?" Oz groaned, his head coming up with dozens of torturous or embarrassing favours Xiao would ask him to do. If it wasn't to embarrass Oz, then what kind of favour would the wealthy Xiao Wu want to demand of him?

"Let me live with you."