Pearl Su showed a slight awkward expression, coughed, then asked, "Does your academy allow women to learn martial arts?"
"No. Nowadays women are delicate. No one wants them to go through such hardship, and naturally, no women want to learn either."
"But a few hundred years ago, there were still women who studied martial arts at our academy." Rafael Mu seemed to recall something, his expression distant as if lost in memories.
"Then does your academy still keep the martial arts techniques that women can learn?"
Rafael Mu snapped out of it and looked at Pearl Su strangely. "There should still be some preserved. After all, it's part of the academy's legacy."
"Why? Don't tell me you have a junior sister? No wonder you said you didn't have senior brothers just now. Haha, so it turns out you have a junior sister!" Rafael Mu laughed slyly, guessing this possibility.
Pearl Su coughed again, quickly hiding her embarrassed expression. She glanced at him with a calm face.
Rafael Mu saw her reaction and became more convinced. He grinned mischievously.
"Hey, come on, just tell me honestly. Do you like your junior sister? Haha."
Pearl Su gave him another glance. "Didn't you say you had two senior brothers?"
Rafael Mu saw she didn't want to continue the topic and followed her lead. "Ah, my third senior brother is a total blockhead. All he does all day is practice martial arts. You can say ten sentences to him and he won't reply once, or he'll reply with something completely unrelated. I can't talk with him at all."
"As for my fourth senior brother, I get nervous every time I see him. He always has a gloomy face like everyone owes him a fortune. He disappears all day long. I'm not close with him either."
After complaining, Rafael Mu leaned closer to Pearl Su again with a sly look. "Seriously now, do you like your junior sister?"
After hearing about his senior brothers, Pearl Su made a silent conclusion in her heart.
Among their group of five disciples, one is a typical top student, one is unreliable, one is obsessed with martial arts, one is gloomy, and the last one, this one in front of her, is a chatterbox. What an interesting group.
Hearing his repeated question, she shot him another look without answering.
Rafael Mu awkwardly scratched his nose, chuckled, and returned to his seat.
Then he spoke again. "Hey, buddy, I still don't know your name. What's your name?"
"I'm August."
"August, what a nice name!" Rafael Mu exclaimed dramatically.
"August, your family must be very scholarly. Otherwise, how would they come up with such a poetic name?"
Pearl Su thought to herself, should she admit she just made it up a moment ago?
She gave a vague answer. "It's alright."
Rafael Mu wasn't satisfied with the answer but didn't push further. Instead, he asked curiously, "August, you haven't told me your master's name."
Naturally, Pearl Su wouldn't answer that, so she changed the subject and started asking other things.
The two of them continued chatting in the carriage, talking about hobbies, local customs, interesting stories, and secrets.
Pearl Su stayed patient and cooperative, trying to learn more about this world. For example, she found out that because men outnumber women here, women are considered precious and are treated delicately. A woman can marry multiple husbands, while a man might not even get one wife.
No wonder the men she met seemed proud to be married and even shamelessly asked if she wanted to take a husband. It looked like getting a wife in this world was a big accomplishment.
Rafael Mu also learned about some of the forces and stories in the martial world. The academy where he studied was the most prestigious force in the entire martial world, called the First Academy.
That cunning and hypocritical Alaric Yun studied under the First Mountain Sect, which was the number one martial arts force within the Eastern Ling Kingdom. It was ranked among the top five forces in the martial world.
There was also the number one force in the North Qin territory, the Tianshan Sect; the number one force in the Southern Yue territory, the Guiyuan Sect; and the number one force in the Western Yi territory, the Qingyu Palace. Each was a top force in its own territory.
Some second- and third-tier forces were settled in wealthy cities, dominating their areas.
There were also literary academies in various countries gathering many top students.
People talked about who had become disciples of which great scholar, who was talented, who was knowledgeable, and who had a wide reputation.
For example, the geographic features and customs of the four countries were different. The Eastern Ling Kingdom had many high peaks and mountain ridges, the Southern Yue Kingdom had many mountains and lakes, and the Western Yi Kingdom had plains and high mountains.
The North Qin Kingdom had many hills and rivers. There were no deserts or barren wastelands. This land was full of vegetation and life.
As for festivals, besides a few big holidays, the smaller holidays varied from country to country.
When Rafael Mu said these things, it was clear he was well educated. He spoke vividly and even humorously. Pearl Su thought it was nice to know a person like him.
The two talked together in the carriage all afternoon. When night came, they were lucky to find an inn to rest.
Early the next morning, Rafael Mu knocked on Pearl Su's door to invite her to breakfast.
At the dining table, the guards from the Marquis Jingming's mansion were already there. Bonu Yan, the leader, noticed the two walking closely together. His eyes flickered. After they sat down, he came and sat with them.
"Miss Pearl, Master Rafael, good morning. Here at breakfast we have small noodles, rice porridge, and steamed buns. What would you two like to eat?"
Pearl Su chose the small noodles because she liked noodles but didn't know how to make them.
Rafael Mu chose both small noodles and steamed buns. He teased Pearl Su, saying she ate so little no wonder she was so thin.
Pearl Su thought to herself, she was slim, not skinny, and people didn't appreciate it.
Bonu Yan's eyes flickered again. He smiled and said, "Miss Pearl is a scholar. She does not do manual labor, so it's normal she eats less. Don't tease her."
The group ate breakfast together. Rafael Mu kept talking, Pearl Su replied sometimes, and Bonu Yan added comments now and then.
After breakfast, the group continued their journey. Rafael Mu shamelessly sat with Pearl Su again in a horse carriage and chatted.
Maybe because they were close to the bustling capital, that night they were lucky to find an inn again. No need to sleep outdoors, they could rest well.
The night sky was clear, the moon bright, the stars shining, and the cool breeze blew softly. Rafael Mu came to find Pearl Su to drink wine. Pearl Su refused, but Rafael Mu said he would leave tomorrow and wanted her to see him off.
Pearl Su could not refuse and agreed. They went to the courtyard and sat on stone benches. A waiter placed wine on the table.
They started chatting freely. Rafael Mu told an interesting new story from the martial world. The more he talked, the more excited he became. Then he began to urge Pearl Su to drink.
Pearl Su had never drunk before and did not want to. She said, "Keep talking, I haven't heard the end yet. After you finish, I'll drink."
"No, no, August, I'm happy to know you as a friend. So I want to toast you. Come, let's drink." Rafael Mu raised his cup and looked at Pearl Su.