Shaman’s Awakening Chapter 25

Chapter 25     The Send-off

After a night’s rest, Jiang Han discovered that he had yet to recover to his optimal state. It didn’t take him long to figure out why. If mental strength and spiritual energy had a calculable value, and if recovery also had a similar proportionate value, then a low base mental strength and spiritual energy value would bring about a slow recovery rate as the recovered amount would be small.

When he has a much higher cultivation level, the percentage of his recovery rate then may not increase. However, because the actual recovered amount would be much larger, therefore he in essence would have recovered sufficiently to work with. Unfortunately, he currently was not at this level.

That morning, Jiang Han woke up rather late from his overdue sleep. When he got up, he noticed that he was still a little dizzy. The noise coming from the peristalsis movement from his cardia to the pylorus (1) reminded him, that it was time to move.

Jiang Han got changed and then went out to grab lunch to calm his hungry stomach before he went to send-off Su Yuxin later in the afternoon. After his meal, he noticed that it was almost two o’clock. Last night during their conversation, he failed to ask Su Yuxin how she was planning to return back to the university. Su Yuxin only told him to meet her at the same end of the street that was right in the center of the city.

Jiang Han planned out the rest of his day in his mind. He needed about two hours if he slowly walked to the meeting spot, and then he would accompany Su Yuxin for a meal, with that the timing would be just about right. Because he had failed to breakthrough into the second level, the backlash he received made it so that he currently could not continue cultivating.

A slow long walk would not place much burden on his body, in fact it would probably aide in his recovery. Jiang Han walked on the pedestrian lane, shuttering between the ma.s.ses. At a glance, he looked no different from an ordinary university student. No one knew that he had the Shaman’s Legacy on him, neither did anyone know that he was Jiang Han.

This was a rather ordinary image, and in truth, most people would live their whole lives being plan and unremarkable. In this world, who could say with absolutely certainty that they were a uniquely special existence in another person’s eyes.

Jiang Han arrived at the appointed meeting spot at four in the evening. Even though they agreed to meet at five, but they were both early and already meet up at 4:30pm. Jiang Han helped Su Yuxin with her luggage and they both walk in towards the shopping district.

As they were having their meal, Su Yuxin told Jiang Han that she wanted to ride the train back to the university. Jiang Han was rather surprise, it was merely a 20 km (12.4 miles) or so journey, why would she want to take the train? The train was slow, b.u.mpy and often crowded, and thus a girl like Su Yuxin wouldn’t normally like this sort of thing. Even though the train tickets were rather cheap but she wasn’t someone that was short on money, and therefore Jiang Han couldn’t understand her decision.

The two of them met for the first time on a train. It was also the first time Su Yuxin travelled out of the city alone. It was reasonable when she said that she wanted to experience travelling by train for the first time, but her decision to ride the train again was really puzzling to Jiang Han.

It was early October, the temperature was nice and cool right now at six in the evening. The sun’s was now setting on the west, and the streets were now filled with the long shadows of people and the many infrastructures, one of which was of Jiang Han and Su Yuxin together.

At the train station, Su Yuxin went to get her train ticket while Jiang Han went and bought a platform ticket.  As they walked across the long train platforms, neither of them spoke another word to each other. It was silent except for the echoes of their footsteps.

Jiang Han looked straight ahead, he didn’t understand what he was feeling. Su Yuxin sneaked a looked at Jiang Han and she thought of a particular section of lyrics from a song, “Thankful for the presence of the platform at the station, which had allowed us to satisfy our souls till we tear” (2). If she did not personally experience this, then she would probably never really understand the scene and creative concept.

However, reality and what was depicted in the song was different, she did not have that sort of relationship with Jiang Han. This could only be considered as an ordinary farewell.

Jiang Han and Su Yuxin stood next to a pillar while they waited for the train to arrive. While waiting here, they both had much to talk about with each other and were both visibly happy, “Hey Jiang Han, don’t you think it would be great if there was a train ready to depart for Hogwarts behind this pillar.”

“Huh? What sort of place is that?” Jiang Han seemed to have heard a completely new word. He did not understand and he had a curious expression on his face.

“Oh my goodness. Senior, you can’t be serious, you don’t even know this?” In contrast to Jiang Han’s curiosity, Su Yuxin’s expression was that of shocked. Her expression looked no different than if she were to look at an actual Martian.

“Ee. Is the place really famous?” When Jiang Han saw Su Yuxin’s expression, he knew that it must have been something that any tom, d.i.c.k or harry would know. Unfortunately, he did not know what it was and could only helplessly smile.

“Nope, that place is not well-known at all. I think I’m the only one who knows about it.” Even though that was what she said, her expression however seem to indicate: stand further away, I don’t want to speak to a Martian.

Su Yuxin’s expression made Jiang Han feel even more awkward. He did not know how to turn this around and if he were to try, even the heavens would be frustrated to no end. After a few silent moments, Jiang Han raised his head to sneak a peek at Su Yuxin.

Just as Jiang Han raised his head, he saw Su Yuxin staring at him and their eyes locked on to each other. Jiang Han immediately looked away, but then a second later, his expression turned serious and he then turned his head back and stared right into her eyes.

Jiang Han’s eye brows were furrowed as he looked at her. This was not because he discover something unusual about Su Yuxin, it was actually because he did not notice anything out-of-place with her. But this wasn’t right, at the split second when he first raised his head to look at her, he was sure that he saw something unusual in her eyes. He was absolutely sure that he was not mistaken.

But when he turned his head to look at her for the second time, he did not discover anything out of the ordinary. At this point, Jiang Han used some of his spiritual power to operate one of the medical technique that he had learned from the Huangdi Neijing medical scriptures. Strictly speaking though, this could not be considered a medical technique, it was more of an eye and vision strengthening magical technique.

Jiang Han’s cultivation level was too low and therefore, even the usage of this simple technique required a preparation period. Unfortunately, the train that they were waiting for had just arrived at the station at this moment. Even after the train doors opened, Jiang Han was still standing in the same spot, motionless.

Su Yuxin saw Jiang Han who was acting perfectly normal earlier, was now standing motionless and was not responding even as she called out to him. She should be boarding the train right now, but under this circ.u.mstances, she couldn’t just leave and so she lightly prodded Jiang Han.

Jiang Han eventually opened his eyes, his technique had failed because he hasn’t recovered enough. Besides spiritual power, mental strength was even more important. Furthermore, his focus was disrupted by the sound of the train arriving at the station. All this factors contributed to the failure of his magical technique.

Jiang Han sighed internally, if he was at optimal condition, then he wouldn’t have failed. At the end of the day, his cultivation level was severely lacking.

“Senior, what just happened?” Su Yuxin asked worriedly.

“I’m fine. I just felt a little dizzy, but I feel better now.” Jiang Han was obviously going to hide the matter regarding the magical technique.

“Are you sure you’re okay? If you are, then I’m boarding.” Su Yuxin saw that Jiang Han looked fine right now and took his word for it.

“Alright, go head. Have a safe journey.” Jiang Han smiled, there was nothing he could do about the matter right now.

Su Yuxin picked up her luggage, checked her ticket and walked into the railcar. When Jiang Han saw that Su Yuxin had boarded the train, he turned around to leave.

As the train began to depart from the station, Jiang Han heard someone call out for him, it was Su Yuxin. He turned his face to see Su Yuxin extend her hand out the railcar window to wave him goodbye. Jiang Han similarly waved his hand, but the moment he saw Su Yuxin, his expression changed drastically.