"Hey geniuses, I have a question. Where are you going to train your disciple?"
The cold and sarcastic voice of the 3rd cut short the jubilant voices of the other mountains. Mane could not see their true appearances but he was very sure that they were blushing in shame. After all, they had agreed to teach him, but they did not have any idea as to where the boy was to train.
"Little Mane, doesn't your school have a gym." The calm voice of the 3rd rang out once more, looking for a way to answer her own question.
Mane thought about it for a bit. It was indeed true that the academy had a gym. This gymnasium was equipped with cultivation rooms and countless equipment that made it possible for one to cultivate and strengthen themselves. Unfortunately, since one could only awaken their bloodlines at the age of eight or nine, the gym was only made available to students who were above the third year.
"That is not possible. Though the school has a fitness centre, I am not authorised to employ its services. It's for only fourth year and above students". Mane shook his head as he replied.
"However, the school does allow its students to go home on the weekends. I could just grab a few of the stiff that I need and we can leave today. We will have to return before Monday though."
The nine seemed content with this solution. Even though they would get to train the boy for just two days a week, it was still better than starting three or four years later. It was also convenient since Mane's home was not far from here.
"So kid, how do you get a leave of absence?" The 1st asked, eager to begin training the young boy.
"You have to receive one from your class teacher. Normally, on Saturdays it will be impossible to acquire one since most teachers do not stay in the school. But Mr. Aikens is different. He comes to school around ten o'clock am and leaves just around the stroke of three. It's now two- thirty pm. If I rush, I can make it there."
Mane parted the curtains of the carriage which had been provided to ensure privacy and spoke to the coachman who was currently steering the horses towards the direction of his dormitory. "Sir, if you don't mind my asking, do you by any chance know where Mr. Aikens' office is?"
The coachman was a little startled. The boy he had picked up seems to be about only six or seven years old. Yet this little yellow haired boy had great manners. Normally, it was royalty that behaved this way due to the training they received in their early years. However, he did not link this boy to any prominent family. He had never heard of a family with yellow hair. Fortunately, the coachman was a man with good vision, able to discern the extraordinary from the ordinary. He could tell that though the boy may not be from a prominent family, he may have influential parents. He understood that there were some individuals with power that could rival several kingdoms, and maybe the empires. It may be that this child was the offspring of one such individual.
"I do know where his office is young chap." The coachman smiled genially as he answered the young boy
"Great. Could you be so kind to take me there?" Mane asked eagerly as he looked into the man's eyes.
Inwardly, the coachman was groaning. As a coachman, it was his duty to oblige by the wishes of his passengers. He had no right to say no. But the way the little kid looked at him, with those big blue eyes of his, he felt that he may end up agreeing to kill someone if the boy made such a request.
"Of course young chap. I guarantee that we'll be there in fifteen minutes."
Glimpsing at the middle aged man who was spurring the horses on, Mane closed the curtains. He sat down in a comfortable position, and entered his inner psyche again.
"Kid, we have some techniques for you to choose from. For now, you can only pick two. One, will be a meditation technique, to control your emotions and get you at peak condition for cultivation. This technique will increase the strength of your soul. You will need another, to develop your inner qi. You will select one more when you awaken your bloodline- a bloodline technique- to develop your bloodline. But that is not all. When you are thirteen, you can start training in body strengthening techniques. For body strengthening techniques, its best to start in your teenage years. Anything before that will cause a stunted physical growth."
Listening to the voice of the 1st, Mane looked doubtful. He was wondering how he was going to receive these techniques. "So how do I get these techniques?"
"About that… it's pretty simple actually. We have already transmitted the techniques to the 3rd. She will transmit them to you. First, you have to pick a meditation technique and then an inner qi cultivation technique. Are you ready?"
Mane nodded his head in affirmation. A bright light was produced from the 3rd mountain. So blinding was the light that Mane had to close his eyes and instinctively shield his face. When he opened his eyes, he could see several books floating around him. Each of the books had their titles written boldly on them. Mane reached out for one of the books to read its contents. He understood the manual, but he felt it wasn't for him. He kept browsing through the books to find that right one.
"I think I will go with this one." Mane was an intelligent child, a fast reader with even faster comprehension. He had only used about ten minutes to browse through the books. The manual he had settled for was called, the 'Void Meditation Technique'. Practicing this technique allowed one to empty themselves of distractive thoughts, putting only what is relevant before them. Using this technique, one could practice for days without realising it. In a sense, it was very similar to the spell of clarity. Mane was not sure of the value of this technique, but he was sure it was priceless. Since, the spell of clarity was highly sought after, a similar technique would be just as important.
In fact, Mane was half right. Indeed, this was a precious technique. However, the requirements to practice it were stringent. One had to start practicing before they were eight. This may seem like a very lax requirement, but that wasn't the case. The complexity of the manual would leave many teenagers at a loss. How much more a six or seven year old. Mane was an exception however. Even most of the nine could not compete with him on that level.
After Mane picked that manual, the other books disappeared. A bright light was once again released from the 3rd mountain. This time, a prepared Mane did not have to close his eyes. When the lights faded, there were a cluster of books hovering around him. Unlike before, he did not read their descriptions before making his decision. No, his hand reached for a manual before he could even think.
The book he had picked was the 'Supreme Transcendental Technique'. Unlike the meditation technique that he chose, this was different. He did not have the luxury of reading through the manuals. He was drawn to the technique. It was as though he did not pick the technique. The technique had picked him.
"This is impossible!!! This cannot be…no it's impossible!!!" The voice of the usually quiet 5th rang out. Mane was startled by his hysterical shout. Was the technique so amazing that it caused the usually proud 5th to be filled with such shock?
"Forgive the 5th. This technique belonged to his clan. Their ancestor came stumbled upon this manual during one of his travels. This technique is a bit special. One can never cultivate it unless chosen by the technique itself. 5th is a supreme genius. Even in his clan, a genius of his level, had not been seen in the past ten thousand years. However, the 5th, just like all those before him- including his ancestor- failed to receive the acknowledgement of this technique. It had been waved off as an untameable technique. He is just astonished that you were able to gain its approval. Why don't you read the description? I am curious to know more about this book."
Mane nodded his head in understanding. The 1st was right. The 5th was a proud and aloof figure. According to the others, he had great talent and skill. It was no surprise that he was shocked that someone had succeeded where he and his ancestors had failed.
He turned his attention toward the book in his hands. It was a very thin book with just seven pages. Each page had a pattern of cultivation for each stage of strength. He looked at the description that had been given and was stunned. "Embark on the road of cultivating as a Supreme! For one who is picked by this manual, know this. From here on out, gods shall be your enemies. Deities would seek your downfall. Devils would seek to devour you and demos would crave your body, seeking to possess you."
"But it matters not…For with the power of the Supreme, you shall slay them all!!!!"
When Mane read the last sentence, a wild, uninhabited aura was emanated from the young boy. An aura so domineering that even the nine found their breaths stifled. It was a good thing that this happened in the boy's mind space. If it was the outside world, this aura would have caused a huge stir. Luckily, this state did not last for long.
Mane was awakened from his trance by several knocks on the door of the carriage, shaking him out of his mind space. He realised that the carriage had finally arrived at Mr. Aikens office. It seemed that the coachman had been knocking for quite a while. It was fortuitous that the driver only assumed that he was asleep, and did not enquire any further.
Back in Mane's mind space, the rampant laughter of the 5th could be heard.
"This….this is the aura of a Supreme!!!"
He seemed to have regained his composure. The boy was a supreme! That explained a lot. This book was meant for only Supremes! It was no wonder that no one could cultivate in that technique. It was never meant for them! Now he was very eager. He was very eager to see what the future had installed for the boy.
"Oh I pity those who stand against him. What a great foe they have made. HAHAHAHAHA!!!"