Chapter 29. Master Raz Beg

- The only thing, - the Patriarch thought for a moment, - is that I have never purposefully practiced mental. So you will need another teacher for that area. There are two Great Elders in our sect who practice mental techniques. Hmm, Master Raz Beg is more apolitical.

The Elder pulled out a jade of communication and sent a message. Then opened a portal. A moment later a one eyed old man with grey hair, wearing the robes of a Grand Elder and a Discipline department patch, emerged from it.

- Raz Beg greets the Patriarch.

- Master Raz Beg, - the old man said with a small smile, - would you mind examining this young man?

The old man turned his gaze to the young man. A cold wave of mental energy coursed through Yee Rhys' body. Strong. Then a pleasant chill of Qi energy rolled over. And again a mental one.

The Grand Elder stepped forward and placed his fingers on the young man's temples. This time the mind was probed gently and methodically.

- Hm. - Master Raz Beg seemed a little puzzled. - Talented young man. One wisp of Qi. The third stage of the body. There seems to be some kind of protection on the mind. Not quite sure of the nature of the latter.

After listening to the one-eyed old man's verdict, the Patriarch smiled contentedly.

- Remove the cloak. - The old man ordered the young man.

And Rhys unmasked his mind. If the Patriarch had wanted to unmask everything, he would have said so. And he wasn't about to reveal his ancestry before he was pinned down.

Master Raz Beg raised an eyebrow in surprise and did another inspection.

- The first current. - He exhaled in surprise. - One wisp and a first current! Genius! You wish me to train him?

- Yes. - The old man nodded. - But be warned, my boy. He will not be your follower.

The Grand Elder grimaced. It seemed to him that the Patriarch wanted to give him a gifted apprentice. That would be a good thing. Natural born mentalists are few and far between and hard to find. Especially in light of the fact that they rarely possessed decent talent in Qi.

- One moment. - The object of the discussion spoke up. - I'm not suited to the usual mind cultivation techniques. I have my own. And spells of my own as well.

- Yes, you yourself have reached the first current and created a cloaking spell. - Realised the old man. - Don't you need a teacher?

- Not really. I have a sort of tutorial for beginners, but it can't replace real experience. I think the elder Raz Beg and I could very well exchange knowledge.

- Exchange knowledge? - The one-eyed old man couldn't stand it. - What can you offer me?

- If I'm not mistaken, the elder is in the Seven Rings Sphere, approximately the second ring.

The Grand Elder nodded involuntarily.

- As far as I can tell, the Seven Dreams sect is unlikely to have mental techniques above the third sphere. I have information on the five spheres. I don't understand this knowledge well, but perhaps an elder would be more understanding.

- Five spheres?! - The Patriarch and Master Raz Beg exhaled simultaneously. The young man is a storehouse of surprises.

Yee Rhys was a little surprised by such a strong reaction. After all, there were a lot more spheres. Five was just the beginning.

The lady frowned slightly. Since the merge, the youngster had not been in contact with anyone. At least the workers and apprentices certainly could not present him with such information. All of the young man's objects had also passed through her delicate hands. So he got this information from the merge? Hmm, he had said something similar about body techniques...

- At that rate, one might as well exchange. - With a twinkle in his eye muttered the one-eyed old man.

- All the obtained information is the property of the sect. - Hastened to clarify the old man, who suddenly realized that the insolent youth had once again turned the situation in his favor.

- Of course. - Without hesitation the Great Elder agreed. It is not difficult to make a copy. And the first to put his hands in it would be him.

Watching the reaction of the elders, the young man realized that he had made a cheap price. Four spheres would have sufficed. Or maybe three.

- Shall we go then? - Master Raz Beg happily rubbed his hands together.

- Eh? - Yee Rhys was confused by the speed of the events. - Actually, I've got the Beginners Ranking Tournament coming up. Maybe it's not too relevant, but I still want to do well in it. Can we have an exchange of information after the tournament?

The patriarch thought for a moment. The tournament really wasn't of interest. But if HIS instrument performed poorly, that wasn't good either. Besides, the boy would be better off concentrating on cultivation. Information could be obtained later. And if you keep distracting the boy from cultivation, when will he reach the Soaring Core?

- You can exchange information after the tournament. - The elder decided. - You will dedicate to this two hours a week thereafter.

The young man exhaled mentally. Two hours are not a great loss.

- As you command. - The one-eyed old man did not look pleased, but he kept his opinion to himself.

- Good. You may go.

With a wave of the Patriarch's sleeve, a portal opened before each of them.

Yee Rhys stepped into his without hesitation.

***

When the superfluous ones had left the hall, the elder turned to his apprentice.

- Dra Jae, do you think the boy is loyal?

- From all indications, yes. - Nodded the Lady. - Apart from refusing to give up his secret and attempting suicide, he wasn't suspicious. He's been arrogant, cheeky at times. But not so much as a betrayal. On the other hand, we've always kept the boy on a short leash, and this boy is too clever to take risks without a chance of success.

- Could he be a spy?

- Extremely unlikely. - The apprentice shook her head. - Given the circumstances of your meeting. No one was expecting you. Besides, a spy has to be able to be trusted from the start. Not brash, like this young man.

- Yes. The patriarch nodded. - I've done some research on the boy. His family has the strongest practitioner of the Flowing Core. In the Crystal Core sect, and only one. They wouldn't dare provoke us. They would have given us the boy, if we'd given them a hint, and they would have been honoured.

- You are right. - The Lady nodded.

- In any case, the boy needs training. - Smirked the old man. - I will not let a weapon slip in my hand.

There was a silence.

Suddenly the beauty made a surprised face and pulled out a jade of communication.

- What is it?

- It's from the young man. - The Lady smiled. - He asks for the suicide ban to be lifted from him. That one interferes with his cultivation.

- Just this one? - Smirked the Patriarch.

- So far, yes. - Nodded the apprentice. - We've already discussed that the ban from leaving the sect won't interfere with him until the beginner hunts in a month's time. He hadn't mentioned the others to me.

- He's right, in principle. - Reluctantly, the elder admitted. - It is more of a hindrance than a necessity when the seizures are over. But you can't just undo it, can you?

The old patriarch crossed his gaze at the Lady.

- When is this hunt? - He asked.

- A month or so.

- He's on the first wisp now. I will take it off when he reaches three wisps before the hunt. If he can't, means that a ban doesn't bother him that much.

- That's an excellent solution. - Beauty squeezed the communication jade and sent a message. She wanted to get rid of the troublesome boy as soon as possible. And for the Patriarch to get him.