Chapter 15: Preparation

2 hours passed and Teo opened his eyes

A confused look was on his face

‘This is weird, how come I cant hear anything?’ he thought to himself

Dina who had been watching everyone saw Teo opened his eyes.

“Teo, you should take out the elemental stone. At your level, you won’t be able to feel the pulse without it. Don’t rush, I know you must be worried about your growth rate evaluation, just keep a steady pace. Remember, ‘slow and steady wins the race’ ”

Dina tried to encourage Teo. With Teo’s growth rate evaluation, it would take a long time for him to feel the elemental pulses unaided, and even longer mastering the Sensing stage. But once he could completely sense the elemental pulses for at least 5 different elements, he would be considered as an outstanding figure even if he has reached it when he is older.

What Dina wanted to do was to encourage him and guide him while he was still in the academy, so that even after he graduates he would know the what to do in the future.

Teo pulled out the void stone and resumed his meditation.

….

After class

Instead of going to the library, Teo headed home

He needed people to believe that his injuries were real so he should change his habits at least until a week had passed.

As he was walked he mentally asked “Mr Cien, can I ask you a question?”

“Aren’t you already asking me one?” Cien was snappy as always

Teo continued “I was wondering why I couldn’t feel any pulses during class today. Last night I felt many very easily”

“Silly kid, how can you compare my inner world to that world out there” Cien bragged

“This inner world of mine is very special. Unlike the world outside, my inner world has a very dense world Qi, almost a thousand times as dense compared to the outside world. Which is the reason why you can sense the elemental pulse more clearly when you are in the inner world”

Teo somewhat understood the old man Cien. Though he could not feel the world Qi, it must be something like water and honey. Water is much thinner compared to honey, so it was much harder to grasp, while honey was thicker and it does not easily flow out of your hands.

“If only I can bring my elemental stones inside..” Teo said to himself

“Who said you can’t?” Cien asked

When Teo heard Cien’s question his face fell…

‘I can bring stuff inside the world?’ Teo realized what it could mean

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Teo asked

“Well.. you never asked, besides if you keep bring stuff in and out again and again it would be too annoying. I am not your servant” Cien answered in a carefree manner

“Besides, once you get to the second stage in your class, only then can you freely move things into the inner world on your own, but before that you shouldn’t get your hopes up”

Cien suddenly thought of something and smiled “…hmm I can let you bring in things once, but you will owe me a favor that you can’t refuse. Of course it will only be something you can do”

Teo contemplated. ‘One favor.. it could be anything.. it might be even something dangerous’

He hesitated but then recalled ‘Well he did save me once, with his mysterious power I’m sure that he won’t let me do anything dangerous, and even if he did, he should protect me…..right?’

Teo was trying to convinced himself. A favor in exchange for advancing through the sensing stage. “One item for one favor?” Teo asked

“Yup, do you agree?” Cien confirmed

“Okay, but you can’t ask me to lose on our bets on purpose” Teo agreed.

Teo covered his back. Although he was starting to believe old man Cien, he still had to stay cautious

“Its a deal then” Cien agreed

‘Though I don’t think I’ll ever become a craftsman, learning at least the sensing stage might be useful in the future’ Teo thought to himself

…

He arrived at his cave

“So kid which item do you want to bring in?” Cien asked. He was impatient to seal the deal. Once he performs this action, it would mean that the kid will owe him

“I’m still deciding, but I have another request to ask you”

“You’re rather bold today aren’t you, but I don’t hate it. Let me hear what you want and I’ll see what we can work out”

“Can you teach me how to make an array?”

“Hoh.. finally interested in arrays huh? Well sure I can teach you how to make an array. Hmm since you are already going to owe me a favor, why don’t we make this into a bet of sorts” Another smile appeared on Cien’s face

“Bet of sorts?” Teo wasn’t sure what Cien meant

“I will help you in making an array, with the book's help you should be able to make one. But in 1 year, I’ll need you to make a medium level array. If you fail we can cancel our previous bet conditions, if you succeed then you won’t owe me anything”

“Previous bet conditions?”

“Yes, If you fail, I will stop answering your questions and neither help you with understanding the book.”

Cien felt that he was forgetting something else. Something very important. But before he could remember what it was Teo responded “Okay deal”

“Okay very good. Now which array do you want to try to make?”

Teo suddenly felt that his consciousness was fading. He was forced to enter the world within the shell and without warning a thick scroll was thrown towards him.

He had barely manage to catch the scroll in time.

“Here is a list of some commonly known arrays ranging from the very basic to the advance and a brief explanation on what the arrays do”

Teo opened up the scroll, there were an uncountable amount of arrays listed on the scroll.

“Mystic fog array, traps people into the array, making them lose direction”

“Vanishing array, conceals any objects within the array”

“Teleportation array, allows anything to be transferred to a specified location”

“Temporal array, slows down enemy’s perception of time”

Teo looked through some of the medium and advance level arrays.

Cien was curious what kind of array Teo wanted to make. He thought it would be hilarious if Teo tried to make an advance array right from the start.

Teo moved to the basic arrays and found an array he was looking.

“I choose this one” Teo announced

As expected, Teo wasn’t a complete idiot. Although Cien really want to win the bet, he had an even bigger bet that was riding on Teo right from the start.

“Okay first you will need to have these 7 symbols, as for the shapes you must at least have this one and this one, as for the patterns, at least try to figure it out yourself”

A few symbols and shapes were drawn into the air. Teo quickly memorized them. Cien’s “help” seemed vague but there was no singular way to create a single type of array. Of course there are many well documented arrays, but a person can create a different array with the same function. Old man Cien only gave the very basic of the basic of “help”

“Oh I almost forgot, you will also need elemental powder to see that your array works” Cien concluded

‘Elemental powder… I guess I have to go make some preparations’ Teo thought to himself