I refused to linger at Healer Hall and Herbal Hall, but I still tried to maintain some dignity in my rush to leave. I managed to grit my teeth and deliver an apology as well as one seedpod to each Elder as painful as it was. The Elders were quick to agree to an Oath not to share the pods with Elder Dill or Alchemy Hall. I knew it was a stopgap measure. He would get access some way, but it satisfied my lingering desire to get even for how I had been treated.

Perhaps my words in the Sanctum had struck a chord with the Elders, or at least they resented how an Oath had been used to manipulate one of their own. In any event, I had conveyed the apology with enough reluctance that each of the Elders was certain that Elder Shadow had somehow managed to convince me to change my mind.

Once that task was finished, I stopped at Contribution Hall to inform the Hall Elder of my actions and deliver another ten seedpods for the Hall to utilize. I would leave it to them to decide if any were sent to the Emperor. I was sure some would at some point, but probably not until our own Herbal and Alchemy Hall had exhausted their examination of the plant. They would need some time to exhaust their own efforts to extract the purifying qualities of the plant well enough that it could be converted to pill form.

Elder Satida was as gracious as the other Elders had been, more so, because she awarded me contribution points for the discovery of the plant as well as for each specimen I handed in. The points she awarded were more than generous, enough for me to purchase the construction arrays I'd researched and decided to purchase.

I would need to commission more. The kind that could be used to build a house could be reused, but only a dozen times. The Hall only had twelve arrays patterns in stock, enough to get started on rebuilding, but only a start. The business array was even in shorter supply. There were only two available, each only able to create six buildings. I still planned on joining the buildings together. I decided that instead of one long line of twelve buildings, I would create two rows of six buildings facing each other.

The only other errand I ran was to visit the Array Hall. I had the jade tokens that contained the knowledge of how to create an array, but I hadn't bothered to purchase any of the tools or materials I would need to actually begin practicing. The more I had traveled the streets of Xiwang, the more I had realized how important arrays were for a thriving town. I wasn't sure when I had decided to focus on Array construction as my secondary profession, but I needed my town and people to prosper, so it seemed a good fit.

I would continue to develop my skills in Alchemy despite Elder Dill's obstruction. I had the books and resource notes I had gathered at Flowing Water Sect. The knowledge contained in those instructive jade tokens was enough to see me easily through journeyman level to adept.

The largest reason I had decided to concentrate on arrays was one of distance and availability. Four Element Sect was too far away to address any of our concerns on a daily basis. They could be counted on to provide defensive arrays and technical support. But most of the array construction that the town required would have to be done by people that lived in the town, or pre-formed arrays like the house and business arrays I had purchased.

The Array Hall had none of the impediments to entry that Alchemy Hall had. There were no guards positioned to challenge anyone desiring to enter, and no barrier that sanitized everyone that entered. Other than that, the architecture of both Halls appeared the same. The servant stationed at the entry desk gave me directions to the requisition desk, where I was able to purchase the items that would allow me to begin creating arrays of my own.

"Would it be possible for me to speak with Elder Tum," I asked the requisition servant that had helped me purchase the engraving tools I would need to etch arrays, as well as the metal flux that would be needed to fill the engraved lines. It was this metal flux that would gather Qi and activate the pattern the etching had taken. The engraving determined function, the flux gathered power and allowed the array to work.

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"I can ask," the young woman offered, "if you could explain the reason you wished to speak with the Elder?"

"The capital of my territory has a badly damaged eight trigram formation that is barely working. I was hoping to find someone that might be able to repair it and restore it to full functionality," I explained.

With the computer-like system the Sect had installed, there was no need for a runner to be sent, a quick message was sent and the Elder was either using his system at the time or had notifications turned on so that he was alerted when he received a message. In any event, he soon replied, instructing the young woman to have me escorted to his office.

Elder Tum's office had the same freshly constructed feeling that Elder Shadow's office had. Even the slight smell of fresh paint lingered within, a smell no amount of incense had been able to completely nullify. There was also the strong smell of curry, the remains of Elder Tum's lunch that almost overpowered the paint fumes, but that smell hadn't been present in the office long enough to seep into the walls and furnishings. I had a feeling that would change.

"Elder Tum," I said, bowing once he had given me permission to enter his office.

"The young woman that was the cause of so much excitement earlier," he said, recognizing me.

"I apologize for my words," I said meekly. This was the fourth time I had to issue an apology, and it hadn't gotten any easier. "I allowed my anger to influence my actions and deeply regret any embarrassment or insult you might have felt or taken from my words."

"I thought your words rather refreshing, to tell the truth," Elder Tum admitted. "You weren't wrong, although I doubt any real change will come from you pointing out our failings.

"No matter. Consider your apology accepted, and we can move on to what brings you here. You mentioned an eight trigram formation in need of repairs?"

"If possible," I agreed. "The person in control of the town before this allowed most of the formation to atrophy, any damage taken was ignored. The real problem is that he bastardized the controlling part of the array to use beast cores and siphon Qi from people to power the central part of the formation that was still working.

"I thought someone might want to examine what he has done, to see if there is anything to be gained from the changes to the array. Once that examination is completed, I would like the formation restored to working order, and the outer parts of the array repaired."

"Bastardizing arrays has been done before," he mused. "But it sounds like whoever made these changes was using a type of blood sacrifice. Certain cultists and cultivators are known to practice those types of techniques, but they are rare.

"My core disciple might find this a suitable project," he said thoughtfully. "She is on the cusp of advancing her skills, stuck between journeyman and adept. This might be enough of a challenge to push her over the edge. She is certainly qualified to affect repairs.

"If the changes to the array are unique, the knowledge she gains might give her the inspiration she needs to advance her ability to the adept level.

"What are you willing to pay, if she agrees?" He asked.

"Ten tier-two cores without any impurities," I answered as I withdrew one of the cores I'd harvested from the Golden Lodoicea growing within Storm's Aerie.

I had read enough of the instruction manuals for arrays to know that the array material I had purchased, the metal flux, needed to be mixed with beast cores that were ground into fine powder. The fewer impurities each core held, the more effective the array. The cores I was offering had no impurities, the effectiveness of the arrays created with these cores should have a quantitative difference in efficacy.

Elder Tum spent a few moments examining the core, his disbelief transforming to wonder as he understood just what kind of changes to array creation access to these cores would herald. I could tell from the gleam in his eyes that he was reluctant to return the core, and if he could get away with it, would accept the commission himself.

"Elder Korn has a sample of the seeds," I said, gaining his attention. "I don't know how long it will take him to grow these, but cores of this purity should be available once he understands how to nurture the plants.

"Cinder will be available to join you tomorrow," he decided. "You will need to supply the cores and metal flux required to repair the formation. But ten cores of this purity are an acceptable fee."

His decision and offer meant I had to spend another night in the Sect, but it couldn't be helped. I agreed to meet with Sect member Cinder at first light at the landing field, before returning to Training Hall. As long as I was here for the day, I might as well fulfill my duty to the Sect and hold a demonstration class. It would give me something to do and allow me to vent some of my frustration.