Chapter 25- A Straight Answer to a Simple Question

Tian thanked Sister Su and sat back at the desk, looking over the picks. There were solid arguments for each of them, and especially for using them in combination. But any art worth a damn would take time to practice, and he had noticed that while the Brothers were familiar with a lot of arts, they only regularly used a few favorites. For decades. Getting good at one thing might be more practical than being mediocre at a few things.

“Grandpa, which would you pick?”

Imperial Heavenly Swallows, ten times out of ten, no question about it. You have the merits for it, and after your last few missions, they are going to be very willing to let you hide out in the Depot for a long while. You probably will have time to get it to a usable level by the time you are deployed into the field again.

“Why? I get that the darts are more powerful-”

Don’t underplay that. The power difference is unreal. Just… not remotely on the same level. Dart Tricks is a joke. It’s party tricks and street performer games tweaked for cultivator use. It couldn’t take down a chinchilla. Little Nippers is a proper killing art but it’s only going to be effective against the weakest enemies you face. Either that, or you will have to compensate by buying high end darts by the bushel. Yes, yes, earth hardening technique, I know. She’s Level Nine, and I get the feeling making darts is her major hobby. It’s useful at medium to long ranges where there are few to no obstacles or people you want to keep alive in the way. It’s too limited. But the best reason to pick Imperial Heavenly Swallows is the control technique.

“Control technique?” Tian asked, wondering what a chinchilla was. But Grandpa always refused to answer if he asked about those kinds of things.

Mmm. It is really not easy to use vital energy outside of the body, let alone use it agilely. That already puts this art miles ahead. Then there is the growth potential. An art that lets you evolve from vital energy to qi and still be relevant? Very special indeed. And… the summary is leaving things out, I think. I smell opportunity.

But it’s simpler than that. You wanted direct, forceful and penetrating? This is that. Massively that. Imperial implying a forceful yang aspect, if you insist on thinking of it that way. Emperors not being known for their conciliatory nature.

Really though, it’s my opportunity detection instinct. The author of Imperial Heavenly Swallows was an absolute genius. It would be a shame not to take advantage. Whoever is running this library has a good brain too. Things cost enough to be valuable, but not so much that it actually keeps them out of the hands of people who will use them properly.

Tian nodded. He did have enough military merits to buy it. He had worked an awful lot of shifts at the hospital, and his work as a field medic earned him even more. There were various bonuses and awards along the way. The bonuses were never very much, but since he didn’t spend his merits on anything, they added up. He would learn the spell, then refine his new darts when they were ready. He would be that little bit more lethal.

He sighed and asked “And am I being used properly?”

Hmm? By the monastery? By yourself?

“At this point, I don’t even know. I don’t want my brothers hurt. I can’t stand the idea of running away and leaving them to fight. I’m not some specially cultivated genius of the sect, I’m an upper second class talent with a very generous senior brother. This isn’t the monastery taking special care of my training. This is…” Tian groped for the words. It just felt wrong. The whole situation felt wrong, especially for an orthodox sect.

Why the hell was he finding himself in combat so often? The only person other than Hong who was even remotely near his age was the rich second generation working the front desk for Sister Li. And even he was at least in his twenties.

Well. About that. You definitely qualify as a first class talent by now.

“Eh?”

Tian, you have been double-refined, and you are running a very high level body refinement art. You are subtly stronger, take less damage, and your base condition is approaching perfection. Your body eats curses and turns them into your strength. At least, curses up to a certain point. Poisons are considerably less effective against you too. All while your vital energy and qi is becoming increasingly pure and dense. Do I really need to explain how insanely powerful and useful that is? And I’m sure that isn’t everything.

“Hooray.” Tian waved the green stick and called the librarian over. Building for the long haul. Very Grandpa, and apparently optimal for Tian.

New art safely tucked into his storage ring, Tian stepped out of the library and into an unexpected blessing.

“Brother Fu!” Tian spotted the old man as he walked through the gates of the base and bolted toward him. Tian stopped short of hugging him. Instead he bowed very, very properly. Brother Fu wouldn’t want to be hugged, especially in public. But he would appreciate a very polite bow. “When did you get back? How long are you back for?”

“It is very good to see you too, Junior Brother Tian.” Brother Fu stroked his white beard and smiled. “I returned an hour ago. As for how long I am here? Just for the night, but at least I am here now. Isn’t that good?”

“Very good! Very, very good.” Tian nodded strongly.

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“Come, let’s have some lunch and you can tell me everything you have been up to.”

“That might take longer than lunch, Brother Fu.”

“We have the time we have. Let’s see how it goes.”