"Yes, he is Gabriel Zhao, son of Aniu-lang's university vice chancellor" Shi Ming said pulling Gabriel closer.
"Aniu-lang County's Academy." The leaner, taller man spoke up. "Young master Shi! you are not supposed to bring any one down here, you know that, especially not someone related to another Academy. Wait your eyes?" the lean man asked moving closer to Gabriel, going as far as to pull one of Gabriel's eyelids apart with his finger all before Gabriel or Shi Ming could react.
"Watch it scholar Mu. At this rate, you are going to scare Ming's only friend away!" Shi Wei said calmly, interrupting the second guard's inspection. Mu basically jumped away from Gabriel, even going as far as to dust Gabriel's robe while flashing what he thought was his brightest most harmless smile.
Mu quickly faked a cough before offering Gabriel a formal salute, his right hand formed a fist over the left part of his chest where the symbol and bowed as he spoke "I haven't welcomed the young master Gabriel to Koi County have I, Welcome. This scholar apologizes deeply for his actions earlier; it was a mistake born of curiosity. I haven't seen personally a person plagued with the Pale sickness before."
"Well…." Gabriel began still a little flustered "Thank you. The reaction is common though not as enthusiastic and really never to my face." Gabriel said placing his hand on his chin and staring straight at Mu.
Shi Ming made a sound like this whole thing was a big waste of time. "Ugh! stop trying and failing to scare the guy. Can we go in?" he asked Shi Wei "I will just show Gabriel around, please it will be quick, I promise." he finished
"Hmm…. Fine but just this once. It is not like you can actually damage anything in there" saying this Shi Wei turned towards the wall. placing his hand on the wall, he breathed in deep, exhaling. A purple line appeared on the wall at around his hand, forming a wide arc from floor to ceiling, the wall along the line separated and the one underneath moved downward, swallowed by the floor and an arc entrance appeared before them. Shi Wei dropped his hand from the wall, now entrance.
"Go in but touch nothing." Said Shi Wei with a glare.
Shi Ming did not wait to be told twice and directly walked in, Gabriel hesitated for a moment, thanked Shi Wei with a bow and walked in.
The inside held a garden; Gabriel only called it a garden because it was in doors and that was as far as the resemblance between it and an actually garden went. The place was filled with trees, huge, towering trees like a forest. Their roots jutting out of the ground like massive alien arms, connecting each tree to the next like one giant living creature.
"Hey, is scholar Shi Wei your real uncle?" Gabriel asked because the only sound he was hearing was that of his boot against the ground and that unnerved him. And he could see the resemblance between them; it was subtle but present.
"Yes, but not my father's brother. My great grandfather had two children a boy and a girl, the boy is my grandfather while the girl, my grandaunt is uncle Wei's mother. So, he is a part of the Shi clan." said Ming
"I have not seen your grandfather before, is he still...…" Gabriel asked awkwardly
"He is dead" Ming answer curtly