[We all know that cultivation is a path to power, but it would be beyond foolish if one doesn't realize it's true purpose. And that is to gain knowledge about the intricasies of the universe and how it works. A popular proverb says that Knowledge is power, that's very true, and with power you can acquire even more knowledge to grow even more stronger. There's plenty to be learnt in the Wulin, and each additional knowledge, no matter how long it takes to learn would always be a power that solely belongs to you. Take every chance gained as a cultivator, and learn, and learn, and LEARN!!!]
THE UNDEAD KING'S PERSONAL JOURNALS
Alex trudged behind his teacher as they made their way towards a high rise building located on a small hill. The day was slightly overcast, and after his rather inhuman display of talent yesterday, his teacher; Scholar Fan had decided that Alex needed another outlet to focus his energy and also refine his Qi.
"I've had a little talk with your grandfather, and we both believe that it's a little too dangerous to leave you practicing on your mountain peak. There has to be something else that would keep your focus, and then help you refine the energy that's in your body. That's why we've both decided to hand you over to elder Nie Zhou; the elder in charge of the Hall of Convocation. He's also a purple grade alchemist, and a blue grade array master. His the in the top three alchemist in the entire world, and ranked seventeenth worldwide when it comes to the arts of formation and array. You're going to be learning from him for the next one and the half months.
But you should keep a tight schedule, so from sun up till three hours after noon, you're to report to the hall of convocation and learn everything you can. Then after that you're to return to your mountain peak and practice your martial arts for the rest of the day until two hours after sundown. After that you go to sleep, then rinse and repeat. You get Sundays off, you should understand that sometimes it's not the quantity of Qi that you have that matters, it's the quality."
Alex nodded his head in agreement with his teacher's words, even though he still found the entire situation a bit awkward, he had no choice but to go with it for now. Alex followed elder Fan into the sixty floors building dedicated solely to the practice, understanding and creation of pills, weapons/armors/technology, and arrays. Alex didn't know much about the cultivation world, but he doubted there was another building as extravagant as this.
As they went into the building, drawing attention from the other disciples and elders who were also training or working here, Scholar Fan explained that; each main branch of auxilarry cultivation has 20 floors accorded to it. The blacksmiths had the first twenty floors, followed by the array masters, and then finally the alchemists which took the top twenty floors.
The arrangement of the floors were actually just for show, and it did not mean that the three departments were competing, especially so since the array and alchemical department are ran by the same person. However each department still try to come up with the best possible products that they can, so as to get more resources allocated to them by the sect. So while there was no official or open air competition, each department still wanted to be the best.
When Scholar Fan brought Alex to the top floor and requested to meet elder Nie Zhou, even citing that it was on request if the former sect master Zhang Sanfeng, but the elder refused to see them. It left Alex very shocked and annoyed Scholar Fan to no end. Alex had no idea what was going on, but there's a possibility this elder was on equal standing with his grandfather, and they were not in good terms.
Left without any other choice, Scholar Fan had to rent a study room with contribution points, and then gather quite a few theoretical knowledge on both alchemy, arrays and blacksmiths. Alex thought that this was indeed the best course of action, the only problem was that each thoeroetical knowledge came in ten inch thick books with no less than fifteen volumes each. Meaning Alex had to absorb knowledge from forty five books, and this were all just theories and introductions, not techniques or methods about how to forge, create pills or arrays. Even with his ridiculous ability to absorb knowledge, this was beyond ridiculous.
"You don't have to look so traumatized Young Master Alex, I don't expect you to learn everything. Just study a few volumes and then experiment by trying to create something. Also you will have to earn the contribution points needed to buy your materials yourself, this are your grandfather's orders, he wants you to be resourceful. There quite a number of ways for you to get contribution points, when you need then, you would eventually find out how. But get knowledge, knowledge is power, it will help you grow. See you later."
With that said Scholar Fan left the room and the automated sliding doors closed with a click. Alex shook his head and gave the training/practice room a glance, it was the size of a penthouse apartment, there were three rooms that seemed catered to the practice of alchemy, arrays and blacksmithing. Then there was a bathroom and what looked like a bedroom. He was in the main area that had a set of white and gold furniture, and the window opened out into the view of the mountains around him. This training room was on the 45th floor, so it was quite a ways up, and seeing how extravagant it was, Alex was Sure Scholar Fan had paid a hefty price for it.
He didn't mind anyway, but since this was what he's been given, he would try to make the best of it. So Alex turned and took a seat, picking up the first book that his hand touched.
(INTRODUCTION TO ALCHEMY FOR DUMMIES! VOL.1)
"Well then, here we go."