While Blue faced his own issues in Murim. David and Mary were dealing with the issue of their missing son.
A knock came early in the morning. Mary sprinted for the door. Hoping it was someone with information about their son. What she found standing there wasn't what she expected, but it was good news nonetheless.
"Eve? You're back." Mary hugged Eve. Then immediately started crying.
"Mary, what's wrong?" Eve said as she patted her back.
"Blue... he... he is gone... missing... he just vanished." Mary sobbed.
Eve grabbed her and and took a step back. "What do you mean vanished. When? Where? Tell me everything." Eve said in a panic.
Mary and David sat her down and told her everything. The report from Jon, the old man at the pizza shop, who was the last person to see him. The golden gate behind the same pizza shop.
Eve stood. "I'll be back."
"Where are you going?" Mary asked.
David interjected. "Eve, I checked there already. The assocation assured me he couldn't have gone through that gate. Blue never awakened. But if you must, be careful. The Association has that entire area cordoned off."
"They don't care that Blue is missing, they only care about that damned golden gate." Mary's head met the kitchen table as she rested and continued to cry.
"Still, I need to see for myself." Eve looked at David.
He simply nodded.
Eve approached the golden gate. Two guards immediately stopped her. "You can't be here, this is for Assocation personnel only. Unless you have the papers permitting you to try and resonate with the gate, I suggest you turn around."
Eve looked at the two guards. "Sure I've got the papers." Eve turned pretending to reach in her pocket. She turned back around and summoned her vines to entangle the two men. She summoned her spirit Rhyla, who in turn froze them solid.
Eve walked past the two guards. She approached the gate. She stuck her hand out and was instantly electrocuted. She looked around for any signs that Blue may be in the area still. Nothing. No trace of him.
As she turned to leave, she summoned Cindyr, who gently released flames to thaw out the two guards. As the ice melted from their faces, they shouted at Eve. She turned around and waved and walked away.
As Eve approached David and Mary's house she stopped. She pulled the veil stone out of her pocket. She sent her spirit energy into the stone. It pulsed three times. Then she heard it, the voice in her mind.
"My dear disciple, you just left. Yet you call on me so quickly." The voice said.
"My apologies master Faelorn. I just have a question."
"Sure my dear, go ahead." Faelorn replied.
"Can someone without a system... traverse the golden gates?" Eve asked.
"Why do you ask a question you know the answer too?"
"Blue... he is gone... missing. I think he may have went through one that appeared right where he was last seen."
"Ohhh... interesting. To my knowledge, unless you're core resonates with the gate you may not enter. Where does the gate lead to dear?" Faelorn asked.
"I don’t know sir. But, Blue wouldn't just leave his family for no reason."
"I understand, I have a disciple who is in Veltrax as we speak. If anyone knows how these gates work, it's the machines. Allow me some time, and I will try and get an answer for you."
"Thank you master." Eve said.
"Of course, of course, anything for a future Heirophant. Take care my dear, and don’t slack on your training while you’re on Terra."
The veil stone dimmed. Eve stared at it for a few seconds. Then she looked at the sky. "Where the hell are you Blue?".
Back in Murim, the hellish training continued. Blue sat in his room one morning, system opened.
[Twilight Flow Comprehension: 53%]
"Damn, I only have three weeks left. I need to pick up the pace. If I fail here, I may as well go home."
Blue sat for a moment thinking about home. Technically, he was home. But Earth was also home. Blue sighed. "I wonder how they are taking me being gone, I wish I could've told them, or said goodbye." Blue smiled. "I wish my phone wouldn't have fell out of my pocket too. I wonder if I would have gotten service here."
He stood and headed to the courtyard for today's daily dose of the rod.
The next three weeks flowed as every other. Days and nights blended into each other. Jinhu waking up screaming from his nightmares. Blue and Ilho teasing him.
On the last night before the deadline, the trio sat in Jinhus room. All three were in the lotus position. As they circulated, and mastered Twilight Flow, Ilho stood. He watched over Blue and Jinhu.
He eventually sat behind Jinhu amd out both of his palms behind on his back. "Relax man, youre too stiff."
Jinhu turned his head. "What do you mean? I am relaxed."
Ilho shook his head. "I mean stop forcing it. Its called Twilight FLOW, not Twilight force. Go again.
"Ahhh, I see what you mean." Jinhu exclaimed as he inhaled deeply, and finally stopped forcing it.
Blue opened one eye, looked at Ilho and mouthed. OAF.
"I saw that man!" Jinhu exclaimed as he threw a riceball at Blue.
Ilho smacked Jinhu on the head. "Pay attention, your close ya big oaf."
Blue laughed and also went back to breathing. His system pinged.
[System Notification]
[Twilight Flow Comprehension: 100%]
[Technique Archived: Twilight Flow]
[Qi: 10 years]
Blue, relieved sighed and looked at Ilho. Ilho raised on hand and gestured with his thumb and pointer finger barely apart. Blue put his palms on Jinhu's abdomen.
"Slower, follow the qi, don't chase it."
After another hour of the two boys guiding Jinhu, he finally reached it. Mastery.
He jumped up and threw the scroll in celebration as it landed on the ground by the door. Ilho and Blue looked at the scroll then back at Jinhu. After a few seconds Jinhu recognized what those looks meant.
"Oh shit." He rushed over and dove to grab the scroll. As he did the door opened and a foot stepped on the scroll. Wu Jin stood staring down at Jinhu.
"I assume since this is on the floor you no longer have need for it. You had better pray that's the case tomorrow." He bent down, picked up the scroll and walked out. Jinhu looked back at Ilho and Blue. "Seriously guys?"
Blue and Ilho laughed and raised their scrolls. "What? Ours didn’t touch the ground, yours did." Ilho and Blue both broke out laughing.
The next morning all twenty-five recruits sat in rows of 5. One trainer each stood by each row arms behind their backs.
Wu Jin appraoched. "Today is the day. The day to show us whether you belong in Silent Edge. Show us your mastery of Twilight Flow."
Wu Jin gestured. The recruits all slowly started to circulate their qi. The trainers approached each recruit one by one and put their palms on their backs. As they moved between them they tapped the ones who failed on the head. Wu Jin pointed his rod towards the wall. When the trainers checked everybody, they walked just behind Wu Jin. Only three remained. Blue. Ilho. Jinhu.
Wu Jin walked over to the failed recruits. "You have failed. That is okay. I will not toss you to the wolves. If you choose to stay, we will continue to train you until you master it. That is the only way to become a member of Silent Edge. Now make your decision."
Ten of the remaining twenty-two recruits dropped their scrolls and walked out of the compound. "Good, we dont want those who quit so easily."
CRACK
"For those who remain. Wall runs until I get tired."
Jinhu looked over at Ilho and whispered. "I'm glad I'm not with them."
Wu Jin's face appeared next to Jinhu's as he said it. "I wouldn't be so glad. Your next phase will make that look easy." Wu Jin stood. "Now, you three come with me."
The boys stood and followed him into a pavilion. Wu Jin turned and handed each of them a small wooden box. "Each of these are basic elixirs. They should provide enough qi to at least get you to the cusp of second rate. You have 24 hours to consume them. I expect you each to come out with at least 20 years worth of qi. Do not waste my elixirs. Understood?"
Wu Jin walked away. Jinhu looked at Ilho. "Ummm...we have to do this by ourselves?"
The boys laughed. "Well, in your case, can you really do anything by yourself?" Blue looked at Ilho. "It's going to be a long twenty-four hours. We best start with him now."
Ilho nodded, both boys grabbed Jinhu and dragged him away. "Can't we eat first? GUYS COME ON, BE REASONABLE HERE!"