Another One

"Welp, it is a shame, but I am going to have to pass over the torch to someone else" towards the end of today's lesson, Ku Xing put her hands up on her hips and announced.

The targets were riddled with arrows, the torture tools were still bloody, training dummies bore the marks of lacerations inflicted by the repeated strikes of a whip, others having been pierced right through, and more having been absolutely destroyed by concussive force.

Ku Xing had tested everything Edrick knew today.

Anoteros certainly looked like a fast learner, his two body cultivations had improved by leaps and bounds in very little time, especially the Mountain Sasquatch Body who was reveling in its practitioners latest nature venture, and also thanks to his system, who had quickly taken notice of the opportunity and issue missions relating that secret identity of his.

*As a sasquatch, ravish ten people*

*As a sasquatch, ravish five people and leave them alive to tell the tale*

*As a sasquatch, instill fear for the woods and cause not a single person to dare venture into the forest for at least an entire week*

That later had promised some especially juicy rewards, although the system was a bit enigmatic when it came to quests of higher value, as the greatness of what was handed out to him after completion was calculated based on performances and certain factors.

Rewards for these quests had included improvement to his ability to cultivate the technique or even direct improvements on the spot, which was why Mountain Sasquatch Body had left Guardian Hippopotamus Physique in the dust despite both being greatly compatible with him.

So, his status as a genius, whilst not completely fake, was also to be attributed to the fact that he had some sizable help, and when it came to wielding weapons, he already had prior experience as well.

Though, when it came to the other cultivation techniques he had picked up, their improvements were much more mild and moderate, but to Ku Xing, the simple fact that he didn't seem to have any problem cultivating so many technique i parallel to one another was an incredible feat, it didn't matter if he was average at cultivating them, cultivators gained extended lifespan anyways, they had plenty of time to spare.

"I was expecting you to be my teacher for a while longer" he responded, it had been something of like a month or two, since she had first began mentoring him, that didn't seem like a very long time at all for this sort of thing.

"The other old fogeys noticed how fast you were progressing and could tell that I was fully committed to actually teaching you- They want to get in on your training as well before they become superfluous… After all, you are an Elt, ZIxu, they want you to have a good impression of them, when you are still a beginner, their teaching is much more likely to be effective and impressive"

She shrugged.

"It isn't that bad of a thing, although you are very compatible with me, you are very much suited as a body and weapon cultivator as well, they can actually show you a few good things… Though-"

"-The next elder you'll be training with is one of my good friends, Ting Zhenniao! She's lovely, and she was also here when you were born, you know? She could have also been your godmother, actually… Your family has a good relation with the Zhenniao, she is very thrilled to see you again, but don't tell her that I told you that" as Ku Xing spoke, Edrick tried to scan Zixuan's memories to see if that guy had a memory of that Ting lady laying around somewhere.

And indeed, she had showed up on his tenth birthday.

"Ting actually stays in the basement of the tower, in fact, she has the entire place to herself, just walk down there and knock on the door and she'll be there, go and see her when you leave- But first, show me your right hand" she said, and Edrick did so, watching as she grabbed his much larger hand with both of hers, inspecting it with interest.

Ku Xing's blood red eyes studied his hand intently, as though capable of discerning each and every detail about it.

"All of the phalanxes of your hand have properly healed as they should have, that's great! I'll really have to make sure to hook you up with Bai, you're pretty compatible with the pain sutra, keep using the Encyclopedia Of Rending To damage your bones, , use the Encyclopedia Of Self-Infliction, heal them and then damage them in another manner until it's done, remember, you are always welcome here for assistance in anything!"

As uncharacteristically formed a rather bright smile, which would probably be considering the creepiest thing ever by most, but Edrick returned the smile, Ku Xing was very much dependable and a great ally, he hadn't had any godmother or godfather in his previous life, so he wasn't quite certain if they were supposed to be so helpful, but he welcomed it.

Not to mention that Ku Xing was herself a gateway to influence due to being from a prominent family, but that she was even meaning to get him to marry her great niece, which would be tremendous if that were to happen.

"Oh, by the way… You wouldn't happen to know anyone by the name of Xiao?" she asked, seemingly just remembering something.

Considering that this could hardly be a coincidence, Anoteros nodded.

"I do know someone named Xiao, about this tall, with brown hair and crimson eyes?"

"Exactly, I don't know what he did to you, but it's gone"

"Mmh?"

"The stuff you carved onto his face, I could still sense the lingering pain, but visually, it was completely gone" she elaborated, naturally, when seeing the initials, E, L and A had once been carved on the boy's face, she had naturally thought of Edrick Lucien Anoteros, her lovely godson.

"Would you like me to make his life miserable?"

"No need, I'll take care of him myself… He isn't aware that I am here?"

"Probably not, you aren't the talk of the disciples anymore, he might not realise before a while"

"Good to hear… Thank you for your guidance, Senior Ku Xing, I'll be sure to come back again for help, I will be going to greet Senior Ting Zhenniao now" bidding his goodbyes, Edrick left Ku Xing's quarters, currently, it was the middle of the night as these very last lesson had been especially long as she had wanted to truly see how much he had improved.

Not encountering a single soul, he descended toward the basement, as apparently, his next teacher was also something of a night owl.

He knocked on the door, and it didn't take long for him to lay eyes on Ting Zhenniao, who had not changed one bit since Zixuan had been ten years old.

"Elder Ting Zhenniao" he greeted with the usual pose with one fist against an open palm.

She tilted her head a bit as she looked up.

"ZIxu? You've grown so much!"

"Come here and give your auntie a hug!"

Truly, these women did not seem phased that the little child had turned into a hulking mass of muscles.