Omni-Mastery

"This is the library of the Water Courtyard, go ahead and choose the tome that you want and cover it like the last two times so we can be done for the day…"

"Meow…"

Patting Light who seemed to act up due to the disappointed way of speech that Wind used, I disregarded it as I pushed the door in front of me open.

As we had already went to the Earth Castle's library using what seemed to be Wind's personal transport carriage within the sect territory as the master of the Wind Pavilion, I went through another tome screening to find a proper technique that suited my purpose for choosing the Earth element.

Unlike the Fire element which was another strong offensive element, Earth was the only element that had good defensive properties, and considering the fact that my whole 'Swordsmanship' had no defensive style to it, adding that aspect to it was a must since I had already chosen the road of becoming an all-rounder, and this was a pretty good opportunity to remove that flaw.

As such, and since I disregarded most offensive techniques in the library, the time I spent in it was comparatively shorter so we arrived at the Water Courtyard not long after.

According to Wind's explanation, the number of the Ice element users and even the number of its technique was quite small, and considering its close relation to the water element, it was considered a branch within the Water Courtyard as it didn't have a division of its own.

'Let's see…'

As I stepped in and checked the book shelfs to see the indications for the Ice element techniques since I didn't want to get distracted by water elements.

However, I immediately realized that this library was different than the ones I entered earlier...

"You are here as expected!"

There was someone inside!

"Oh, it's senior White…"

The white bearded White had been actually waiting inside the library, and from his words, it seemed like he was waiting for me…

"Hahaha, it's good that young Lan still remembers this old man!"

"Is there something wrong, senior?"

It was obviously not normal for someone to stay inside a place just to wait for someone he shouldn't know that he would be coming here, not to mention that he wasn't even supposed to be in the 'Elemental Blade Sect'!

Of course, I did know that his sect, the 'White Spear Sect', was supposed to be a branch of the 'Elemental Blade Sect', but that didn't mean that he should be here, and especially waiting for me at the top of that.

"Meowww…" 

Light who was still at my shoulder meowed weakly as he also seemed to be a bit wary of white…

'I knew he wasn't a normal elder…'

"Hmmm, I didn't actually expect that you would be here this early, but that's for the better, I have something that I need to discuss with you…"

"Which is…?"

I naturally wasn't keen to listen to what he was planning to discuss as I was already getting a bit impatient, wanting to test out the reverse mental connection with the tomes, but just ignoring him wouldn't suit the persona that I was displaying. So I decided to just play along for now and hope he doesn't have much to say.

"Don't worry, I know you are probably busy, but I won't take much of your time, in fact what I have to say might even change your plan of action!"

"I'm listening…"

"So to be transparent about it, I can already guess that you are trying to rise within the sect as fast as possible, most likely as a goal set by your master or even just you way of proving yourself to him, but even though I know your talent is scary, they way you seem to be going at it is still too slow than you expect it to be. As such, I do have a better and faster option for you… become my personal apprentice."

"What?"

I had simply built my fake background to make things a bit more smoother for me, but it seemed that for some reason, White was already building his own assumptions based on that.

'This guy is either seriously delusional or too smart for his own good…'

However, even if we disregard this, his offer for me to become his personal apprentice seemed to be too abrupt. After all, knowing his calculative personality, he should already know that I became a personal apprentice candidate for the sect master himself. The offer for me to become his apprentice as a sect master of a random branch sect of the Elemental Blade didn't even stand a chance…

"It's alright to feel confused, I will explain, I'm not offering you to become my personal apprentice as the master of the White Spear, I'm making this offer as the division master of the new Ice Mountain!"

"A new division?"

"Yes, I have already been given the offer to move back by the sect master to become the first division master of the freshly created Ice Mountain a little while back, but I have only accepted it recently, so what do you think? As long as you accept my offer you will become the first apprentice in order to ascend as the new division master after I retire, and till then, you would become the acting vice-master of the division!"

'That is not too bad of an offer, but…'

"You probably are able to tell, but even just the vice-master of a new division almost holds the same status as a personal apprentice of the sect master, and considering you wouldn't be even the first in order, this is definitely more advantageous for you, so-"

"Sorry, but I will have to reject your offer…"

Getting the position itself wasn't the important thing to me to begin with…

"You don't really need to acknowledge me as your master, we can be just master and apprentice in name. I'm pretty sure your master is already ok with that since he told you to join a sect for training…"

"I appreciate the offer, but I really can't accept it. Now if you will excuse me…"