As I look up, Elder Gu is still awaiting my answer patiently. A gracious, but understandable, action because of the seriousness of the situation.

To show my gratefulness for his offer and patience, I bow and decline.

“My apologies, Senior, but my cultivation method has a few restrictions on it. One of which is the usage of sword arts. Such a wonderful show of skill would be wasted on one such as me.”

I can see his face fall, but he nods in understanding as the others gain some valuable knowledge.

Things like restrictions, constitutions, and features can help pinpoint the cultivation method a person uses. Not only that, but it can provide insight into what to and not to offer a person.

But it’s time. There’s really only one sure way to get them to step aside without issue. Even if I don’t like the approach.

Before they can say anything, I actually deepen my bow and apologize further.

“I’m truly sorry, Esteemed Elders, but there’s actually one that has already stolen away my thoughts.”

They look at each other, as my wordage was weird.

Elder Yin is once again the one to speak up first, after a pause.

“Who would this person be, Young Master?”

I summon all the admiration in my heart and direct it to my far right… towards Elder Song.

I continue with passion.

“Since I first saw her, I couldn’t keep my eyes off her. After taking the exam and issuing my challenge, I then knew there was only one Elder’s side I’d want to stay by.”

I literally hear a pen drop from one of the hiding students.

It’s so silent.

Senior Song is practically frozen in place. The other three were slightly less so, but only by a little.

… I’ll need to add the bait for Senior Song, as she’ll likely not want to be involved.

“In fact, I’ve worked so hard since that time to figure a real answer to what might be ailing the person who I admire so… And finally coming to an answer.”

The air shifts as real attention from her now shines palpably around us.

Although the three elders before me are likely Nascent Soul, the strength of Senior Song is clearly higher, even being at peak Core Formation level. An unthinkable occurrence, as the strength gap between those two levels is massive. The reason she could become an Elder at such a young age becomes more and more apparent.

Sweat shines on the other’s brows as she steps forward.

“My my…

“I didn’t know I had such an admirer in you, Young Master James. With such words, I guess I just have to take a better look at you.”

Slowly, she steps towards us and even the elders creep backwards subconsciously. But her only focus is on me as she moves.

All until she arrives in front of me. She leans in close, staring me directly in the eyes.

And despite her body’s advanced age, the beauty of her past appearance shines through, like the elderly women from my world, that got (excellent) plastic surgery to recover some of their youthful looks.

And for me, who prefers older women, I’m able to look a little past that sort of thing because she still keeps that beauty at such an age.

As she gets closer and closer, I can feel my cheeks redden from her attention. And I can’t help but look away in embarrassment.

And her eyes go wide. But a strangely happy smile crosses her face.

“… Well, I’ll be.”

In this world of eternally youthful women, women of her ‘age’ and looks are viewed as truly unattractive. Disgusting even.

My words denoted something worth challenging. Which I passed with flying colors, as she can read how I truly feel from my subconsciously actions.

While the others elders’ faces are full of surprise and shock, only Elder Gu’s is full of complete disbelief and some jealousy.

Despite feeling extremely good about passing this major test in her eyes, there’s a creeping feeling in my heart.

… I may have made a mistake.

But it is far too late to regret, as I quickly find myself literally swept onto a sword.

She speaks domineeringly to the others.

“Since my disciple has decided, I trust you all have no complaints?”

As I look at them from my new position, rather than anger, I feel looks of pity towards me… even from Elder Gu.

Even Ai, Lin, and Mei Lin, who I spy peeking around one building, are looking at me like I fucked up.

… I really might have made a mistake here.

What kind of reputation does this woman actually have?!

But I have no chance to complain, as the millisecond they nod, we shoot off into the distance, past the nearby residential towers, past the inner city and court, and straight into the core disciple towers. Within this area are multiple mountain peaks and what I recognize as Senior Song’s area.

Why was it so easy to recognize? Because the symbol on the towers was the same as the ones on her clothes. Ones that I quickly could identify as a symbol representing her specific position as an elder.

I see a large peak, and two smaller ones. On each of them is a massive pagoda, with floors reaching into the skies.

If I’m not incorrect, the big one should be for her most senior disciple, with the others being for the ones that come after.

Although they’re smaller, they’re still far larger than the biggest skyscrapers in my world.

Nonetheless, she lands us on a balcony on the tallest one. Basically pushing/throwing me in.

Immediately after, she closes every window and performs a complex series of motions that seemed to change the structure of the tower itself, moving the room we are in deeper and deeper into the structure.

Even the space itself seems to wrap and change with it the movement. Rather than a technique of her own, this appears to be more of a formation that was built into the tower itself as a security measure against unwanted listeners.

For good reason, too. As after we had left, some other figures discreetly followed along.

After this dizzying series of actions, things finally went silent, and she slowly turned to me.

Her aura seems to have calmed down, now that we’re in a location where no one else can hear. While I have an instinctual reaction to fill the silence with words, my instincts indicate this is the time for silence.

She continues moving towards me, but instead of stopping, moves right past me and drops into a chair. Turning to face me, she takes a relaxed posture and asks a question.

“What do you know about what ails me? As a forewarning, if you’re too far off, I’ll send you back into the outer court for wasting my time and energy. Regardless of your potential.”

From just these words, it’s easy to see that she doesn’t hold much importance for the spirit root. I don’t believe would have taken me in if I hadn’t had thrown out the bait of healing her.

Since I can’t directly use the scan on her, I’m not totally sure that my findings are correct.

98% sure, since the scan ran through multiple scenarios and this was the likeliest one from the combination of information. But, there’s still a chance I’m wrong.

She’s losing her patience, though. It’s time for an answer.

“You are cursed with massively accelerated aging, or at least something that mimics its effects.

“From what I could figure out, your lifespan has been extended by upgrading your cultivation realm to this point.”

She thinks about it for a bit, making me quite nervous.

“Hmm… That’s close enough to the truth, but how did you find this out?

“There’s been a lock on this information for quite a while and the plant shouldn’t have given enough indicators for that…”

She pauses her words and then shakes her head.

“Disregard the last question. Your ways of finding that out are your own. What can you do to fix this beyond what I have done?”

A simple question, but with many answers.

How deep should I go?

I definitely won’t go as deep as I did for my closest allies… But I have a good feeling that I can give inferences to my actual abilities with her. A compatibility with taming creatures, an increased ability to heal myself and others. A sixth sense.

I certainly won’t be able to hide them completely if we’re going to be working together closely.

Either way, I should start with what she’ll care most about.

“I can heal your curse.”

I can tell she’s been watching me carefully for every physical reaction sent from my body and anything that could be an indicator that I’m lying to her.

After a moment or two of this, she asked another question.

“Will you allow me to use my spiritual sense on you? Before we begin, I want to know my disciples better.”

I don’t see a problem with it. I’ve already been cross-examined by the other three elders.

The cat is already out of the bag, at this point.