Chapter 5: It Was a Cheat Skill

After the judgment from the Illusory Heart Mirror was finished Ace was accompanied by a Punisher into a room. Fatty and Greed were no longer with him as they were personally guided by Elder Li somewhere else.

'So both of them were geniuses? Well, that's something you don't see in normal days.' He thought after they were separated. Ace wasn't saddened in the least even if he's not called a genius.

Ace's body was average in quality same with his comprehension but his Soul Seed was different. The Soul Seed inside his body was not ordinary, base on its appearance alone Ace knew how different he was from the others and with the System inside his head Ace didn't want his secrets getting discovered.

"Hand me your medallion." The Punisher demanded.

Ace handed his black medallion over, that Punisher did some strange things to it. The Punisher fiddled with his black medallion for a while before giving it back to him. Ace took the black medallion from the Punisher and a voice spoke inside his head.

'Ding… acquired 'Black Medallion of the Outer sect"

'Black Medallion of the Outer sect: Crafted using high-quality minerals that changes in color in regards to the holder's cultivation level.'

Ace was startled a little bit but after he thought of the system Ace immediately calmed down.

"As instructed by Elder Li I linked your medallion to the records of the sect, so you are now an official outer sect disciple of our sect, the current color of your medallion is black but that is because your cultivation is at Core Formation but after you advance in cultivation the color will also change." The Punisher member then took a slip from his sleeves and passed it on to Ace.

Ace nodded his head, "Thank you for explaining senior brother."

"Here, take this." The Punisher member handed over a leather bag and a red paper to Ace.

Ace look inside and saw various things that he needed like clothes it also contained a white bottle, the address of his new house, and some low-quality crystal essence, as for the red paper it contained 2 words "Martial Pavilion."

"Take that red slip to the Martial Pavilion and you will be allowed to enter the first floor to pick some Martial Skill, they will only let you pick one Martial Skill that you will take with you so decide well, the map to the Martial Pavilion in the back of the red paper."

After that was done the Punisher member stood up and beckoned Ace out of the room and the two of them head out they didn't utter a single word even after coming out of the Judgement Palace no one tried to start up a conversation.

After thanking the Punisher member who guided him, Ace was left to decide what he should do for himself. Fatty Yuan and Greed will most definitely enter the inner circle of the sect and join the ranks of the geniuses so without them by his side Ace didn't have anyone he could call a friend in this place.

Ace started thinking of what he should do and after thinking for a while he was surprised when he realized how many things he should be doing right now 'I need to get a Martial Skill, find my lodgings on my own and find out more about the System.'

After Ace leveled up yesterday he discovered many new things like how his body was referred to by the system as 'Character'.

'Ding… character level up' is what it said after the experience points reach one hundred. The system inside his head is still full of mystery so he wanted to learn more about it, but this thought was overwritten by his drive to get his first Martial Skill so he checked the red paper and look at the map written on the back.

Ace followed the map and he found himself passing different places but he didn't see many disciples walking about on the way. Ace used what was left of the morning into finding the Martial Pavilion and when the sun hits its highest point Ace finally stood in front of a Towering Pavilion.

He confirmed that he was in the right place after he saw the carved out sign over his head and after taking a deep breath Ace entered the Martial Pavilion.

The inside of the Martial Pavilion was truly spacious and was had a simple design but the walls painted in black color made it give a heavy pressure.

There was a spiraling staircase that leads up the second floor but from what the Punisher member said earlier he can at most look around in the first floor to get his Martial Skill.

Ace walked up to another disciple and asked some questions then he showed the red paper.

"So you're someone new in the sect, it's easy you just have to go and pick a Martial Skill and show this paper to the person in charge." That disciple was kind and had a soft tone when he explained how things work in the Martial Pavilion.

"You only need the red paper once, in the future you only need to show your medallion to the person in charge and he will let you take the Martial Skill of your choice, well us outer sect disciple normally only have authority to enter the first floor so our actions are not monitored that much."

After the Sect disciple explained various important points that should be observed in the Martial Pavilion Ace bowed and thanked him before heading to the first floor to find a suitable technique for himself.

Ace walked leisurely and entered the first floor where books of the lowest levels can be freely taken by anyone with a black medallion.

He took a book from one of the bookshelves and opened it then began reading. Ace read one of them but found that all of these were basic instructions to the skills or a brief description of what it can do.

"<<Blazing Finger>> a technique that lets the one who practiced it burn their enemies by using only one finger. "

"<<Three Tiger Claw>> rip your opponents to shreds by strengthening all your fingers until they are comparable to steel, it has three levels of mastery but once trained to the peak one will be able to dig through a mountain by using only your bare hands."

"<<Fleeting Song>> a movement technique that will let you move in the air as if you are dancing in the biggest stage."

Ace shook his head as he couldn't find any appeal to the Martial Skills he just read. Its names and descriptions were all domineering but nothing stuck out to him enough that he wanted to train in that skill.

'If I can't find any offensive Martial Skill I'll go with body tempering or defensive techniques?' He thought as he considered many possibilities, but when he was about to go over to the section where the body tempering techniques and the defensive techniques were placed Ace saw a thin red book that rests in the middle of one of the rows of Martial Skills.

Ace took that book and saw the worn out, almost ancient looking cover with four words written on it, '<<Flame Serpent>>'.

"<<Flame Serpent>>: create a serpent out of flames and burn everything to ashes, in the early stages the Flame serpent it will only be as big as a half an arm but after reaching its peak it will become a meter long serpent that will burn anything."

The description was too over the top but Ace could not care less because he was attracted by the idea of summoning a serpent made of flames and devouring everything and fighting with it. One man controlling a serpent made of flames whilst flying in the sky was the awe-inspiring image Ace drew inside his head.

With much glee and excitement, Ace went to the reception and placed it over the table then took out the red paper from his leather bag and passed it to the disciple in charge.

"So you're a new face, if you want to borrow another manual in the future first return the one you first borrowed then you can proceed to find another Martial Skill that suits you, and show your medallion for confirmation." The receptionist explained to Ace and then the <<Flame Serpent>> manual was given to him.

Ace then looked at the Flame Serpent manual;

'Ding… acquired <<Flame Serpent>>… learn?'

A flying translucent board appeared and a voice announced what was happening, Ace stood there unmoving. In the eyes of many Ace was just looking at the manual he was holding but in fact, he was looking in the translucent board.

"Are there any problems?" the receptionist asked in concern.

"Yes learn." He mumbled under his breath and information how to utilize the <<Flame Serpent>> appeared inside his mind and he didn't even need to spend a single second but he was able to comprehend the deep meanings it had as if he had been practicing it for years.

'Ding… Learned <Flame Serpent>>… 1st level (0/50).'

"Junior brother are there any problems?" the receptionist once again asked in concern.

Ace noticed the concern the receptionist had so he said while laughing, "haha, senior brother can I please change my choice time? I just change my mind that I actually want a body tempering technique first so can I change this <<Flame Serpent>> for one?"

Ace asked as he tried to make his lie believable as much as possible. The receptionist smiled and answered him.

"It's no problem, many new recruits are like you so it is allowed to change your choice once more so go and pick another one, and however, this will be the last."

This receptionist has been stationed here for two years already and liked he had just mentioned many youths change their mind in the last second and want to change their choices in the last minute so the sect gave those who request a chance to change their choices.

But the sect only gave them one more chance so they won't take advantage of the confusion this is also the reason why a regular outer sect disciple can only carry one manual at a time outside the Martial Pavilion.

Ace nodded his head and return the manual to the hands of the receptionist. The receptionist took it from his hands and left that place so he can return the manual.

After giving the book, Ace hurriedly went to the place where body tempering techniques were placed and tried to calm himself down and checked the system.

Name: Ace (no surname)

Level: 1

Experience Points: (0/200)

Stored Experience: 0

Martial Skills: <<Flame Serpent>> 1st level (0/10)

Cultivation: Core Formation (To be unlocked: Minor Saint)

Extra Jobs: None

Ace had seen the change that occurred to the system yesterday and he was surprised to see those changes. From what was written on the system, Ace already had an idea that this system may not be a bad thing for him after all and that it might have been something good, but instantaneously learning a Martial Skill like that was simply cheating.

At this moment Ace wanted to go and try the <<Flame Serpent>> but he suppresses the urge after thinking that there were too many people. Ace turned around and started checking the body tempering arts in order to take his mind off the <<Flame Serpent>>.

Ace was prepared to take a long time of browsing through the many Martial Skills but after randomly picking a Martial Skill from the many body tempering arts present Ace already found the one he was trying to find.

He quickly came back to the reception and handed over the Martial Skill he had taken, the receptionist saw the Martial Skill he had taken and nodded his head in agreement to Ace's taste, he now knew why Ace had a change of heart.

The receptionist handed Ace the manual and said, "Junior Brother you have chosen a good one."

Ace nodded his head and took the manual from his hands;

'Ding… <<Lighting Demon Body>>… learn?'

"Learn."

"Ding… Learned <<Lightning Demon Body>>… (0/50).'

Just like the <<Flame Serpent>>, Ace absorbed the knowledge and comprehension needed inside his mind and as Ace was heading out of the Martial Pavilion his face possessed the brightest smile out of everyone.

'Two Martial Skills learned.' Ace was smiling from ear to ear.