Advice

Shu just sat on one end of the relatively-not-pitiful table of the common living spaces within his dormitory inside of the inner portion of the sect, seemingly attempting to look as closely as a statue right now, feeling like weights were pressing on both his shoulders.

'Seriously… How is he so damned stealthy? The entrance isn't even wide enough for him to fit in without pressing his shoulders against his body, yet he somehow manages to sneak into here, whilst I am inside!' the inner disciple felt like the temperature was high as he sweated like a pig being rotated on the roast.

Edrick glanced at the nervous young man, made a facial expression that clearly meant : 'Heh, that's funny' and then spoke his first words since his presence had been discovered.

"Why so nervous, Shu? You make it seem like I had a knife to your throat… Honestly, if I weren't so thick skinned, I might actually take offence! I merely came by to congratulate you for your services, the stuff you've been smuggling in for me- Very good quality, never any additional delays, exactly what I asked for, in the right quantities, honestly, I have to admit, you have some talent, from making and maintaining connections, to always getting your way in the deals you make, somehow knowing exactly where to look, and who to speak to for anything… You should start a career as a merchant"

Shu was taken aback, it didn't sound like the lead-up to anything else.

'What is this feeling? Is my hard work being recognised?'

"Well… Huh, you know… I am sort of stuck in the sect for now, I have quite a few problems with some people in the town… Well, they aren't in the town per se, but I have some problem that only being a part of the Myriad-Arm Sect can help me evade" he said, feeling the tension on his bones lessening as he spoke openly.

Meanwhile, Anoteros pulled out a cigar from one of his pockets, an item that had been smuggled in, great quality stuff, although the medical herbs used in making it were far from the top of the casket in anything, they were still good stuff and wouldn't clog anyone's lungs.

Lighting a match against his rough palm, Edrick lit the cigar up and took a big puff from it, exhaling much smoke in the air, which would not be evacuating as the windows and doors were all shut in here.

"Might I ask what the problem is exactly?"

"Huh…" Shu swallowed his saliva and rubbed his nape "...It might sound a bit silly, but although I lived a major portion of my life inside of Oie, I was born in one of the many villages spread in between the plains and such in between the capital and its satellite cities, they are from impoverished as they greatly benefit from the constant stream of merchants, adventurers, et cetera… But they aren't quite as tightly guarded or regulated as the cities, the towns are alright, but anything smaller than that? You can find actual criminals operating in there"

"They hide naturally, but they exist and they get down to all sorts of business, mostly petty stuff, as even though there are only a handful of guards in villages, which aren't really trained, anything serious could actually get them in trouble with the capital, it's still within the crown's turf after all…"

"...But anyways! When I was a little guy, something like- I don't know, barely a teenager I think? Well, I… I was briefly in a relationship of sorts with a girl my age, but like, it was just imitating the grown-ups, you know? So nothing serious since neither of us actually understood the actual point of a relationship… But somehow, that still made her older brother stupidly mad, a pretty weird guy now that I think about it… And the antagonism began, until it evolved into him wanting to murder me"

"That's it?"

"That's it!"

"And so, this brother has ties with some criminal group over there?"

"Indeed, his father was the leader at the time, but I think he took over"

"That's fucking stupid, he could have just admitted that he wanted to bed his sister and saved some trouble…" Anoteros shook his head, but he quite appreciated that sibling-obsessed idiot, this had brought Shu to the sect after all.

He took another puff from the cigar, slowly filling the dormitory with an herbal scent that made one a bit drowsy.

"Why don't you write down his name, and where that village is for me?"

"Hum… For what purpose?"

"No reason- Hey, I didn't give you advice for dealing with Yin yet, did I?" he changed the subject in the least subtle way, but the new topic was far too interesting for Shu to make any mention of it.

"If I recall… I mentioned that she pitied you instead of disliked you, and that it was a worse starting position, well, have you tried anything since then?"

"I have not" admitted the inner disciple.

"That's no good… You need to be a bit proactive, you can be the head of a whole smuggling operation in one of the most respected cultivation sects of the country, but can't even speak to the girl you like? One is much more dangerous than the other, you know?"

He leaned on the table, making it creak as it endured his weight of muscles.

"It is very simple, she already has her eye on you- Not for good reasons, but at least, she actively pays attention to your existence and what you do, that's more than most who are in your situation already… So you don't actually need to seek Yin out and try to seduce her with your lacking charm, you can just work on yourself, and let the girl notice on her own that you are improving, no longer a lazy bastard who ascended to the position of inner disciple through connections and does nothing but break rules whilst not cultivating in the least, but a someone who grasps upward at power- Like herself"

Edrick grinned, Shu too engrossed in his words and wide hands movements to pay attention to the disturbing sight.

"That is the first step, get to cultivating and improve"

"But… I am quite lacking in that department, I am bad at everything except stealth and techniques for running away!"

"And? That's even better! You are lacking, but you are still making efforts to stand amongst the strong? She'll respect you for that, I can guarantee! Besides, what's so bad about running around and using sneak attacks to win a fight? Honour is only for fools and those who can afford it, as long as you aren't a little prick, only idiots will give you shit for fighting like a rat" somehow, Anoteros was actually saying some pretty inspiring stuff.

Edrick leaned forward, the cigar somehow already halfway consumed.

"You and I, we are in a sort of partnership, it might have been intended as temporary, but I do actually respect your skills now that I have a better grasp on them, you have my commendation- The praise of a pure-blooded Elt, keep going and I might just recommend you to my family for business"

"And as a sign of goodwill, you surely already learned about my third wife, Hui? Go ask her for assistance at the library, she'll let you get access to techniques your status normally wouldn't allow, I spoke to her already, you can go right now"

He rose up from his seat, clapped his hands and then snapped his fingers.

"Before I forget, I made a little deal with an inner disciple, you surely know him since he had been making great progress, I'll fight him at the tournament, and if I win, I'll take him out of town, and you are invited as well"

"If you win?" Shu didn't even comment on the invitation part, it was pretty clear to him that one did not deny an invitation from Edrick.

"I am confident that I'll beat his ass, but remain hopeful that he can surprise me, anyways, see you for the next delivery"

Shu remained still for a few minutes after his interlocutor left, then stood up to open a window and have the smoke evacuate.

'I didn't take him for that kind of person, but he is right, that makes perfect sense… There could actually be a chance for me to get in Yin's good graces… I just need to train hard!"