Chương 39: A QUEST TO ANSWERS.

Navi's tier two package affords him six hundred normal lessons per year. With three hundred and sixty-five days in a year, he could go to two lessons almost every day.

With the addition of his seventy five elite lessons and twenty five practical lessons, he can distribute two lessons per day to almost every day.

This is perfect for him as his growing body couldn't withstand the burden of more than two lessons per day.

Today, Navi isn't at all interested in training until he can barely stand instead his interest lies in a special offer called consultation.

He have learnt that for the exchange of two elite lessons, he can get a one-on-one consultation with one of the three elite Rank 2 cultivation masters in the Academy!.

Without pause in his steps, he navigates his way through the Academy to another building. It was a two storey Eastern styled complex with dropped banners that say 'MASTER CHEN BIA'.

The sun has already fully risen so more and more students were already filling up the campus as they head to their stations. After ringing the entrance bells for a while, Navi enters the building calmly where he sees an older female in a distinct staff robe sitting on a pillow behind a short wooden desk with her eyes closed in meditation.

Not daring to break her concentration, Navi humbly waited with a calm gaze as she keeps on meditating for a dozen more minutes before finally opening her eyes.

The moment her gaze landed on him, Navi immediately gives a polite bow, "Good morning senior, I'm here to see if I can meet with the master of this hall for an exchange..", Navi says while sounding as polite as he can. He knows his strenght and weakness and have noticed that his calmness can sometimes come out as rude and he definitely cannot afford to be viewed as rude in this situation.

The pretty miss smiles brightly seeing his politeness and knowing he patiently waited till she is done with her round of meditation.

"Of course,.. I'm his right hand disciple I will go and check if he's free", The woman says with a smile while Navi nods back politely in response.

The woman soon hurries up the wooden staircase to the second floor.

As expected, a few minutes later she comes back down with a brighter smile on her face.

"He's available now..", The woman says to Navi.

"Go upstairs, he's waiting for you..".

Bowing politely once more, Navi moves up the stairs and immediately finds the consultation room with his door open and he immediately walks in.

The consultation room is rectangular, small and as simple as they come with two sitting pillows on each side of a viel that divides the room into two equal parts.

The figure of a man sitting cross-legged on his pillow reflects through the veil. Although he couldn't see the man's features properly, Navi is sure that the man in front of him is Master Chan Bia.

"This disciple offers his humble greetings to Master Chan Bia..", Navi cups his hands to the master who remains silent for a few more seconds.

He feels a small wave of energy washing over his body with such an intensity that his body hairs all stood on their ends but he remained bowing while inwardly uncomfortable by the show of power just displayed.

"Sit..", Master Chan Bia says while his hand behind the veil points to the other pillow sitting pillow.

Navi bows once more politely before taking his seat cross-legged.

"What do you want in this consultation?, I can see you haven't unlocked mana so you cannot possibly need cultivation directions. If you are here for help regarding sensing mana then I suggest you save your lessons. Only alchemy can truly help you with that.

"You are still very young and most people just sense mana in their twenties so my advise would be to stay patient. Whatever patience doesn't fix would definitely not be fixed by impatience.", Master Chan Bia says in a mature voice from behind the veil.

"Thank you for your wise words master but I'm only here to seek answers to one question..", Navi says calmly but a bit of nervousness leaks in his tone.

Master Chan Bia pauses the he nods from behind the veil as if casually encouraging him to ask whatever he wants answers to.

Navi hesitates for a bit more and then he finally asks in extreme confusion..

"What truly is balance?.."

...

***In Consort Tamara's Palace within the Imperial Dynasty.

Three long weeks,..

The longest even weeks of her life. Tamara has been attending one high profile event regarding the treaty signings to another with each one taking more out of her than the last.

These three weeks have been very stressful and draining but it has proved worth it. Apart from the minute connections she've managed to forget with the powerhouses within the Continent's borders she has also managed to find an even ground for striking a deal with the elves.

Though they weren't at all direct or indirect about it, Tamara has been able to pick up clues that led her to the conclusion that the elves were intimidated. They were scared about their slipping control over the Continent's development and even further terrified that their alliance with Eclipse of the Oceans will be completely neutralized.

The oaths between the two Continent's made sure that they strictly watched each others back during times of crisis and war and this bond has helped in intimidating other stronger Continents who were hungery for battle and conquest.

Although the beginning of the oath tradition started in a time where 'Eclipse of the Oceans' were in crisis the tradition has been very beneficial to both sides over the late millenniums.

But this benefit is not enough to get the elves so shaky when it's getting close to being dissolved. Lothlòrien(Continent of Elven Kin) has resources but not wealth while Eclipse of the Oceans has both excess wealth and resources.

Over the millenniums, Lothlòrien has accumulated enough wealth front their oaths with Eclipse of the Oceans so regarding this factor, The elves should at most be shaky but not scared.

Tamara has raced through her knowledge and conversations for the reason the elves were so persistent in holding up the oaths to the extent of considering lending her daughter(Seflim) a hand to the throne in exchange for the continuation of the oaths yet no matter how hard she racks her brain she couldn't find the reason why.

Lothlòrien and Eclipse of the Oceans were almost unbreakable equals in power, wealth, strength and resources so it makes completely no sense, she is even beginning to think they have ulterior motives other than what they proposed.

Tamara sighs as she pushes her curiosity to the back of her mind. She would ask the more knowledgeable people like the Ambassadors of the court on her side later.

As usual, the doors of the Imperial carriage she's riding opens up with guards bowing and her Palace showing its brilliance under the moonlight. Indifferent to the protocol, Tamara keeps her Imperial bearing as she slowly walks her way into her Palace just wishing to teleport herself into a refreshing Spirit-elixir bath.

Unfortunately for her Teleportation was completely disallowed by arrays in some parts of her Palace and only few people were allowed to teleport in the parts it is allowed. This is done for security reasons but Tamara only finds the restriction upsetting as she believes nobody, Not even the Saint ranks could break into Imperial Grounds talk-less of into her Palace.

She's just that confident in her or rather, the Emperor's level of protection. Whether she'll be proven wrong or not in the near future remains to be seen.