After some time in this world, Connor understood that if he wanted to study its laws, he needed to start from the beginning. On Earth, everything was already built, the world was filled with schools and Universities, there was a complete, not perfect, but complete structure for science and scientific activities. But in this world, there was nothing! If he wanted to do science here, he needed to build the whole structure himself from the bottom. And, if everything goes well, the Jarvinen clan will be his starting point.
First of all, he needed to gain control over the clan. Right now, he was probably the one and only person who knew how to build an academic environment in this world. Secondly, he needed to make the Jarvinen clan rich, science needed a lot of resources, and nothing could be done without them.
There were many more steps, but first of all, Connor needed to do this. Only after completing the first two steps, he would think about the next steps.
Returning to reality, Alrick was astonished by Connor's request. The 4-year old kid, who only achieved stage four of the Body Refining realm, wanted to control the whole Jarvinen clan? Even if he agrees to it, who in the clan would listen to the weak child?
-I can't do that! You are only a kid. You don't have the ability to rule over the entire clan!
Connor predicted that answer and prepared his reply.
-But, If I make the clan rich again, would you change your opinion?
Alrick once again showed a face full of confusion.
-How are you going to do it?
"Yes! Now he would listen to me! That's a big step!" Connor thought.
-With the help of arrays you mentioned earlier, of course.
-What? How? They are a useless waste of resources, just toys. Only rich and wealthy clans can spend resources on them.
-Is every clan in this city think the same?
-As I know, yes.
Slowly, a wide grin appeared on Connor's face.
-Then, I will prove that all clans are wrong!
Such arrogance! Alrick clearly didn't expect to hear something like that from a young and, as he thought earlier, naive child.
-And still, how exactly are you going to do this?
Alrick was interested in Connor's plan.
-You mentioned your array formation master earlier, Vermand If I recall correctly, I want to meet him and learn from him how to make arrays formations, If it isn't possible, then I will learn from his books, but it'll be better If I have an opportunity to learn directly from him.
First of all, he wanted to learn about array formations because it was a way to turn his purely-theoretical knowledge into applied technologies. If everything goes well, he will do two things simultaneously. Invent something that the Jarvinen clan could sell, and by that earn money, and because of the money, he would gain control over the Jarvinen clan.
Of course, it was just an assumption. Reality could differ from Connor's expectations.
-Well, if you want to meet him, you need to know that he is quite eccentric, all day he works in his workshop and rarely comes out, so he won't treat you nicely.
Well, even if he was the world's greatest evil, he couldn't be worse than his school PE teacher, so Connor was ready for anyone.
-I understand. On which stage does he live?
-On 13th floor, but before, let's go to the 12th stage and eat there.
-12th floor is the canteen?
-Exactly.
-Then, let's go.
With that being said, they proceeded to the 12th floor.
The canteen, as every part of the tower, wasn't quite lively, there were only some people sitting in the corners and eating something that looked like salades. In the kitchen worked four people who were lazily making food for everyone.
Alrick told him that usually, every member has their schedules assigned to him by clan. In this schedule, breakfast, lunch, and dinner were usually at the same time for everyone, and at that time canteen was crowded to the limit.
He didn't know if a red-haired man was exaggerating or not, but it didn't really bother him at the moment.
Right now, Connor is eating bread and some kind of soup. It wasn't tasty but edible. Yes, edible was the best word to describe local culinary.
The food in this world wasn't nearly as delicious as in his previous world, but he had already started to adjust his tastes. It would be a disaster if he couldn't even eat properly, but on the other side, Alrick said that in the higher realms, Connor wouldn't need any food at all. He would only use Qi to provide nutrients to his body. Well, there was a curious question about it. Will his body even need nutrients in higher realms? How his inner organs would work in the higher realms? How much would his body change?
Interesting questions, but he couldn't answer them right now, so he decided to concentrate on the current situation.
After finishing his not-so-tasty meal, he said.
-Can we go now?
Alrick, who also finished his meal some time ago, replied.
-Yes, let's go
They left the canteen and, finally, proceeded to the 12th floor, to the workshop where Vermand, master of the array formations, lived.
When Alrick and Connor entered the workshop, the first thing they saw was a lot of shells filled with chunks of materials, some herbs, fancy-looking mechanisms, not-so-fancy-looking mechanisms, and a lot of other unknown stuff. After they observed everything, a loud clap came from the other end of the room.
A strained red-haired man and a young scientist ran to the place from where the sound came. There they saw an old man who was intensely looking at some strange structure.
The old man turned at them and looked with curiosity at a young boy. After it, he said.
-Alrick, what are you doing here? I don't have anything at the moment, but I'm very close!
"He says that every time I ask him about the progress..." Alrick silently thought.
-I'm not here for that, Vermand. There is a clan member who wants to talk with you.
Alrick clarified his intentions.
-Huh, a child? I don't have time to play with you. I have more important tasks right now!
"I don't even say a word, but he already doesn't want to talk with me, huh..." Connor thought.
-I'm here not to play but to learn about array formations from you.
Connor did the same as Alrick and clarified his intentions. When Vermand heard that, he froze for a few seconds, and after it said.
-Don't waste your time kid, array formation is a hard craft that gives practically nothing to you in return. You are in stage four of the Body Formation realm at such a young age, so better use your talent and continue cultivating.
"How did he figure out my cultivation level? I didn't say it beforehand, and Alrick didn't have time to tell him." Connor thought, but that wasn't the main thing now. The main thing was that he needed to convince him to become his teacher.
-I... I think array formation can give us a lot in return. I think with the help of it Jarvinen clan can regain its strength and go even further!
Verman looked with interest in his eyes at Connor.
-What makes you think so, child?
"Yes! I picked up his interest!" Rejoiced a young boy.
-Alrick told me that you once said one with enough mastery could build an array formation that can shatter the earth and split the heaven. But I think the true power of arrays lies in their diversity. One array could split the heavens, while the second could heat a family home during the winter, the other could protect people from strong wind. That variety of applications made them so beautiful.
Everything that Connor said was his honest opinion. Back on Earth, he thought that engineering made science truly precious to ordinary people. For him, the knowledge itself was a thing of the highest value. Still, for ordinary people who weren't scientific freaks, the application of the theory was precious and not the theory itself. And array formations were the engineering of this world.
-Ha....haha....hahahahahahahhahahahahahahaha!
Vermand laughed loudly. Alrick looked at this laughter with a shocked expression, Connor didn't know that at the moment, but it was the first time Alrick had seen Vermand laugh so loud! No, Alrick, for the first time in his life, had seen how Vermand laughed! He was a grumpy old man who hated everything except his arrays. And that man laughed so hard right in front of him? Unbelievable!
"Why is he laughing so hard? Did I say something funny?" Connor also was confused, he spoke honestly, and everything he got back was laughing? What?
After a while, Vermand ceased to laugh and finally said.
-What an interesting kid you are. I recall myself when I look at you. I, too, was stubborn and naive about arrays as you when I was young...
"That means no?" Connor started to become nervous.
-Very well then, I accept you as my apprentice, but beware, the path you want to take is full of troubles, you will probably achieve nothing and drop it, or stuck with it till the end of your life, are you ready for that?
"Yay! I convinced him!" Connor was screaming in joy inwardly right now!
-Yes, I'm ready, master!