"Say Ryū," Yan Xiāo's eyes darted to a tailoring shop and pulled the sleeves of Ryū's robe, "Do you happen to know how to tailor clothes?"
He walks back a few steps so he stand align to Yan Xiāo and eyed the robes her eyes are fixated to then replied, "I know how to stitch but that's it. Why?"
"Then can you be my partner and join a small competition? The entrance fee is only a silver coin, the reward is a discount to tailor shops and a gold coin each participant."
'To be honest, this girl is aiming for something else entirely,' he looks at her eyes then to the flyer that was posted close to it, 'But since it seems incredibly important to this girl, might as well give her some confidence.'
Such a thought only occurred to him for a tiny fraction of a second before he answered, "I'll be your partner, but I'll take fifty silver, the rest of the fifty is my tuition fee."
She turned to him in surprise and stared at him for a good amount of time, making him think if he read her expression wrong.
"Sorry. I didn't expect you, who only talked to me today, would accept my selfish request so easily," she had a smile on her face and took out a flyer similar to the one they saw.
"I'll teach you how to make clothes, but the ideas of your works is your own. Participating in this competition is simply a training for me.
My goal is to make a name for myself, the one that made a Titled Douluo's or even a God's attire chosen among many. Do you still want to be my partner after hearing such a childish goal?"
Ryū shrugged, "Everyone has their own goal and, as such, have their own path to thread. I may not be around when you reached your goal but I can, most defintely, say that I will be someone you walked alongside you on your path."
"As expected," Yan Xiāo smiled, "You, indeed, are mature for your age. Makes me think you are a spirit beast that gained human form or a reincarnated being."
He waved his hand and walked towards the shop, "I didn't even know a spirit beast could turn into a human, but everyone is a being that undergo reincarnation according to the cycle of life. Therefore I am indeed a reincarnated being, any complaints?"
"None," she giggled and waited for him to walk out of the store before both of them returned back to their hall.
The next day.
'I received intel from my clones and it would take three days to reach Star Dou Forest as a Scholar, if we were Masters then it would take around two to three days depending on their spirit essence.'
He purchased a backpack yesterday (as much of a semblance as a backpack would be) and placed vials of solutions meant as medicine and explosives learned from a book given by a wandering alchemist.
"Looks like you all are ready," Yan Xiāo stood in front of the Scholar VI and saw her group equipped with their weapons while she also understood her members' skills.
"We're prepared here Xiāo Chuō," she said with a hint of ridicule in her voice, teams Scholar V and Scholar VI understood why and could not help but let out a snort.
Xiāo Chuō literally translates to Little Stick, the older ones (those who know of adult terms and acts even as kids) laughed while those little innocent kids remain in the dark.
Of course, Xiāo Chuō knows why and he could only sigh. Even he didn't wish for such a name but his father and mother were adamant on keeping it.
He felt a tap on his shoulder and saw Ryū giving him a teasing grin who he tried to give a punch but the latter moved away without any sign of movement.
"You're just making it worse."
"Oh please. For all I know, you're far stronger than I am and you're just being lazy," he saw him roll his eyes before returning back to his team since Xiāo Chuō is the leader of V while he is a member of VI.
He was not being sarcastic on his comment. Chuō was most definitely the strongest and most talented Master before Yan Xiāo who's second in talent.
After all, in the age of six Xiao Chuō and Yang Xiáo are about to get their second spirit ring and in his estimation, the right age for them is around eight hundred years old depending on their mental power.
"I sense a good harmony between your two teams, you all will go a long way from here."
An old man appeared before them wearing a dark robe with a paper fan covering his mouth but it does not hide his eyes that contain a hint of relief before it turn serious.
"Good. I will only accompany you all from the shadow and act only when you need. I sense promise in all of you, don't let this old man in the dirt by betraying my expectations."
"Understood, sir!"
As for Ryū, he felt endangered around the old man so he was cautious but not enough that he'll be mentally exhausted, just enough that he wouldn't show too much of his abilities as well as scatter his clones farther.
[ We've masked ourselves. We can infiltrate many industries such as tailoring and some restaurants as servers or chefs. Proceed? ]
'Yeah. As long as he does not make even a hint of connection with us then we'll probably be fine. Make some fame, we'll see more into the world with more connections.'
[ Understood. Get us a good ability. ]