Chapter 8: Officially Outer Sect Disciple

[Host, did you decide on what we talked about last night?]

"Yes, I did; even though what you said is true, I still believe it is a waste of time. Moreover, the sect decided to prepone the tournament, and I don't have much time."

[I know, Host; it is why I said what I said. You cannot participate in the tournament]

"What do you mean? Do you know how many resources one can get if I gain a decent rank in the tournament?"

[Hmm, I probably shouldn't tell you, so you have to trust me on this. Trust me and follow my instructions; you won't be disappointed.]

"Didn't the system give a quest to win the tournament, and the gift is also not bad. If I can learn alchemy, I can get to make pills on my own. I can use them or sell them and make a fortune."

[Fortune, you say, let me tell you something, Alchemy is a drain of resources. They fail most of the time; sometimes, they even get blown. Sure, a successful one makes a fortune, but do you know how much time it takes to make a pill or a potion. The few times they succeed, the pill will be of low quality, and the same goes for the number of pills.]

"Then why did …."

[Host, are you even listening to what I said. Did you forget there are three quests? There is no way you can complete all three. As I said before, you simply can't do as I say or complete a quest given to you. You have a choice to make in life, and there are no wrong choices, but every choice comes with consequences. You have to be prepared for that and make your choice.]

"Wait, Are you saying that I can't choose all?"

[Exactly, you have to choose what to have and what to lose. No one, even the ones at the top of the food chain, has the power to choose many things, but even they can't have everything. You have to think whether your gains are short-term or long-term.]

"Fine, I'll put my trust in you for now and make a choice, but not now."

[Host, time is valuable, but I don't imply you make a hasty descion, especially in cases like this. I urge you make a decision as soon as possible.]

"Don't worry, I'll make my descion by tonight. I agreed to act as you informed, and I hope it is the right one. If anything goes wrong, I'll make you pay for it."

[Host, don't embarrass yourself, I don't have any physical form, so you can't do anything to me.]

"I'll just ignore you and won't speak with you."

[Umm, what? You can't do that to me.]

"Watch me."

[Are you a child?]

---

Arguing like that, Erik arrived at the administrative building. He went straight to the Elder who had conducted his exam the previous day.

Upon seeing Erik, the Elder asked, "Are you one of the new disciples?"

Erik got a bit shocked when he heard the question. 'He was the one who did the exam yesterday, doesn't he remember?' he thought inwardly. He then realized that there were a lot of recruits who attended the exam, and he wasn't the only one who passed. Moreover, it was not like his performance was great; he only reached the third level after three years.

Erik quickly bowed and said, "Yes, Elder. I was told yesterday to come here today."

The Elder nodded and asked for his ID, which Erik handed him. He then proceeded to verify the credentials and returned his ID back when everything seemed in order. After the verification, the Elder measured Erik before going to the back room.

The Elder returned a few minutes later and handed Erik his outer court uniform. Looking at the boy's worried face, the Elder spoke, "Don't worry, it is more or less your size, and it has a unique property of stretching or compressing depending on the wearer."

Looking at the boy's satisfied look, the Elder spoke again, "Boy, since you are now officially part of the sect, you'll get to choose any technique from the first floor of skill's Hall. Here this token can be redeemed for a technique."

He then took out a key, "This is your quarters key; infuse it with your spiritual energy. This will make it yours until you remove your mark or you die. If there isn't anything, you can leave now."

Erik bowed and asked, "Elder, the guide book outlined that every outer disciple gets one hundred points and can get an advance for three months. Is it possible, Elder, for me to get those points?"

Hearing those words, the Elder was surprised. He knows about it but never in his twenty years as Elder of the outer court has he encountered this situation. It didn't even happen when he was a disciple.

He laughed out, tapping Erik's shoulder, "Boy, I never encountered a disciple who read the entire guidebook before. Most only read what actions get them punished and how to avoid them. I'm impressed by you, though you seem a late bloomer. Before I hand you those points, you should have also known that after three months, until you clear three E-Rank Quests, you won't be given any more points."

Erik nodded with a smile and said, "I know this, Elder."

"Though I shouldn't ask this, I'm eager to know why you asked for those advance points."

"Elder, I plan to go seclusion and cultivate, and also I have to study the new movement technique. I don't plan to waste time and become stronger so that I can become an inner court disciple within the year, or I'll lose my chance."

The middle-aged Elder didn't understand what Erik meant to say, so he asked, "Why are you aiming to become an inner disciple within a year?"

Erik tilted his head in confusion, 'Did the Elder, by chance, forget my age? Probably, that's why he is confused.'

"Elder, in a year, I'll be eighteen, and once I cross it, I won't have a chance to join Inner Court."

"What do you mean by that boy? Unless your eighteen is twenty, you have a lot of time?"

"My twenty …"

[Host, I think you may have been misinformed.]

"Elder, what is the maximum age to become an Inner court disciple?"

"Twenty years; what did you think the age is?"

"Eighteen years."

"Why do you think that?"

"It is what the envoy said to us in our village when she came to recruit us."

"The envoy said that? Do you remember who it was?"

"Hmm, I remember my village chief addressed her as Lady Amelia. When we arrived here, I remember even you are respectable towards her."

"Lady Amelia? Are you sure?"

"Yes, Elder, I even remember that we arrived here on a Blue Thunder bird."

The Elder fell into thought and then laughed out loudly, "I remember it; it was three years ago. Hmm, you don't need to know what happened, but at that time, she was angry and vented out on you, it seems. Whatever happened, forget it, and now you know you have till twenty to become an inner sect disciple."

"So, I think you should first ...," Elder suddenly remembered something and said, "Forget it, give me your ID for transfer. Take this and cultivate it vigorously. Remember, no one knows what happens next, so don't slack off now that you have made it into the outer court. You'll always find something higher than your intended target."

Erik is happy with the Elder's advice; after he got his advance points, he bowed again, this time with much more respect than before, and said, "Thank you, Elder."

Now his thoughts were on the skills hall, where he could now get a free technique. He couldn't before as he lacked points, and now he has three hundred and a token for free technique.

He smiled inwardly and walked out of the building, making his way to the skills hall.