The last few weeks had been extremely busy.

I spent most of the time on my assignment with Senior Brother Cui. I was steadily getting better and gaining experience. He didn't let me forge anything, but many steps, like grinding or polishing, were executed by me. Still, while I couldn't do some things, I was able to observe. Besides, while he wasn't interested in teaching, he was passionate about his craft. If I asked some questions when we had a break, he usually explained.

I was still learning plenty.

All the free time I had outside the smithy, I used it to train or study strategies. Books could not substitute a teacher, but I could still learn plenty from them. Also, it was better to have some basic knowledge before undertaking a course, to avoid wasting too much time on banalities. In fact, many lessons required one to have some prior understanding of the subject or directly said to read determinate books.

I chose what to study based on those requirements, and in the meantime, I worked to pay off my debts.

Senior Brother would soon enter into isolation to cultivate, so I would be out of a job. Still, I waited to search for something else. I was too busy at the moment.

I almost paid everything, so I would still have some credits left by the time I had to find another assignment.

Unless I got too hurt in the meantime.

I had to find a way spend less on pills, but I didn’t have a fast solution. I didn't think an alchemist would concoct me a less effective pill unless I bought a batch, and many wouldn't bother even with that, probably. I also couldn’t afford it at the moment.

I wanted to learn myself, but I didn’t have any time at the moment, so I could only postpone it.

Besides, there weren’t any more courses I could take. Both because I lacked the credits and because many weren't available in the short term. The Elders had their own matters to attend to, so some lessons were days or even months away.

A few weeks had passed in the meantime, and it was about time for Li Chu to search for me – if he wasn’t already.

I didn’t see him until now, but I also hadn’t planned for him to find me. I prepared as best as I could, so it wouldn't be easy to catch me, but it was better to hit first. Someone else probably wouldn't put too much effort into the search, but I was sure he wouldn't let me go so easily.

Therefore I decided to show him how things would go if he kept pressing me.

I didn't plan to harm him too much. Just what he did to me, plus some interest. Never forget interests.

I already had an idea of the approach method. But I needed to find a good spot. One where we wouldn’t find anyone to interrupt us.

I knew where he lived, but I couldn’t carelessly go there. It had been my first idea, but I discarded it after trying once. It seems that there were a few people as lookouts in various places. I didn't know why they were there, but after I walked around, I heard two of them talking. If I stayed too much, they would come to “greet” me.

They didn't know I heard them, since I was too far away, so I acted like I didn't and kept walking normally, leaving the place. I wouldn't go near that area again unless absolutely necessary. Still, I needed to find him, somehow.

I didn't know what places he frequented, but I figured it wouldn't be hard if I wandered around the Food District. Practically, everyone in the sect ate there if they couldn't go to the city or lacked a personal cook. He might be one of the few exceptions, but I doubted.

The food district contained the mess, which had the cheapest food, and restaurants and taverns run by a few Elders.

There were also places, like the Wine Houses, where you could taste a single product or just a few of them.

I had never met him there on the days I ate there with Senior Brother Cui, so I could only hope for a stroke of luck on one of my off days.

In the end, I didn’t find him, but I did hear his name being mentioned.

After I learned the two Martial Techniques, I used them constantly when I was outside. I would only drop them when I was in the smithy or when I slept.

Most of my effort while I walked around, or ate, was spent trying to filter out the unneeded sounds or hear specific things. When I was at the mess, I mostly used it to listen to the conversations of people around me. Not one of the best things to do, but it was good training. Besides, a book on info-gathering also said that the best places to listen were where people had meals, like taverns or inns, if one could hear over all the voices. I figured it would be the same here.

As soon as I heard his name, I tuned out all the rest and listened. I had become quite proficient due to my constant practice.

“… Li Chu is getting quite bold these days. It must be because of that,” said someone a few tables away.

“That’s most likely the case,” said another, “I heard he is trying to expand the First Disciple faction in the sixth district. He’s hitting the houses in the third section, now.”

"Bah, not everyone is going to roll over to his demands. The seventh district is one thing, but they already have their hands full with the lower sections' of the sixth. The higher he tries to reach, the easier he will find someone capable of fighting back. It would also not be too strange to find someone with friends in the inner sect. I doubt they would protect him if he provoked them – he is good at what he does but not indispensable."

The others seemed to agree. “He is getting too greedy. Things have gone too well for him, until now.”

"The Second Disciple faction will also not let them do as they please. Besides, the actual First Disciple is not something to be feared cultivation-wise. He still can't be challenged for the next two months, and the previous First Disciple is guarding the place day and night, but they'll find an opportunity sooner or later… unless he manages to breakthrough, of course."

"I'd be surprised if he doesn't. I heard that he's super-wealthy and has some talent. It wouldn't take much to enter the Foundation Establishment Realm with those premises. His wealth will cover where his talent doesn't reach. Lucky bastard." I heard him sigh. Then he stood up.

"It all depends on how fast he will be. If he enters the Inner Sect he will be untouchable. First Disciple will then have a firm and wealthy backing," said another, also preparing to leave.

"Well, I don't think untouchable would be the right term. The disciples here still have some friends inside. Still, with his wealth, I don't think things would be too difficult for him."

"If you say so. By the way, I heard you want to participate in the tournament…"

After that, they went too far, and it was getting harder for me to hear them clearly over all the voices, so I stopped listening. It didn’t matter anyway – I had what I wanted.

I also gained useful information on the Outer Sect politics, if they could be called that.

It seems that asshole that joined the sect with me has yet to advance…

I had half-expected him to break through the moment his ass landed on a meditation mat, from how he bragged to the Elder.

As I left, I went to wander in the sixth district.

The section I was walking in had mostly disciples in the middle or late Qi Gathering Realm, though some were still in the early stage. In this Realm, which stage you were at wasn't indicative of your battle prowess since the qi in the Dantian shouldn't be used.

What made the difference was the size of the meridians and their ability to convert the ambient qi. The first indicated how much qi you possessed, the second how much you could endure with what you had. If a cultivator could use one or two more Techniques than the opponent, it was a great advantage, considering that around five or six was the limit, usually.

I could barely use one, and that was if it didn’t require much qi to begin with.

Still, the more one cultivated, the better his handle on his qi, so it was better not to fight people of a higher stage.

I didn't find him in the beginning since I was often busy with work. He also wasn’t always there, probably.

After that, though, Senior Brother Cui had to go in isolation. He had been in the Early Foundation Establishment Realm for a few years already and wanted to reach the middle stage this time. He had accumulated enough resources to last him for a while.

“Good luck, Senior Brother,” I said to him the last day I worked with him.

“Thank you, Junior Brother Gongsun, but I won’t need it. I am fairly close to the next stage, so I just need a final push to get there,” he said confidently.

In the Foundation Establishment Realm, cultivation didn't only require accumulation of qi, so it wasn't always certain one could progress. It still shouldn't be a problem for someone as talented as Senior Brother Cui.

"Junior Brother, I wanted to let you know a few Disciples did come to ask me for the assignment, but I refused them," he suddenly said.

I was surprised by this. He was probably visited at home or on one of the few times I wasn't around.

“You have been dedicated, and you learn fast,” he explained. “I also found it easy to work with you. If you keep it up, I'm sure it wont take much time before you start forging your own weapons. You should still work more with other smiths before you try your hand at the forge, but I'm sure they’ll be glad to have you as an assistant."

Senior Brother rarely praised, so this was totally unexpected.

It unbalanced me a bit, but I was happy with the compliments. "Thank you, Senior Brother. I will do my best."

“I’m sure you will. Take care, Junior Brother.”

"You too, Senior Brother."

After that, we parted ways.

I was jittery as I went back to my tent, but in the short term it didn’t matter.

I’ll soon find Li Chu and settle our score. Then I’ll have to deal with the aftermath.

That thought was enough to calm me. Things were soon going to become hectic, and I had to be prepared for everything.

I thought I’d be more scared, or at least nervous, and I was, in small measure. But what I felt the most was excitement. I was eager to apply what I learned, like when I searched for herbs in the mountains after memorizing all those books. I wanted to prove that I could do it.

I may have a handicap, but that will not be enough to stop me.

That was what I felt the most.

I was also excited to beat him up.

That’ll be so satisfying, I thought, a smile unconsciously emerging on my face.