Mountain's Folly

4.Home sweet Home

Going up to a podium in the center of the building, Chu placed his hand on the podium, which was an archive array, but due to my country bumpkin status, I had to put on a sufficient guise of awe. Chu turned to me after a few seconds of waiting.

"place your hand on the array to be assigned your cultivation abode, it is on a fair merit system basis, so you will have to work your way up if you want one of the really good spots"

Placing my hand on the array I deftly infiltrated the system, which was child's play with my soul capabilities. I was naturally assigned 3500 points, of which the breakdown was joining the sect worth 500 and being a disciple of an elder 3000 off the bat. With that amount of points, I could get a pretty nice place around the middle of the outer Sect. I helped my odds out a little though and got myself assigned to the best place in my bracket. Chu looking at the information and key talisman that were printed out by the array was quite impressed.

"You are one lucky guy, this is pretty much the best place you could possibly get"

"What's the differences between them?"

" Qi density mostly, also some have been renovated more recently than others, meaning some with this green tick like the one you have has far more modern formations and arrays inside to assist with daily life"

"That's Great"

Chu nodded in agreement as we made our way to a teleportation Array that brought us to the outer sect living grounds. I was basically put bang in the centre of the Outer Sect which put me off the radar of quite a number of people who might expect me to be up in the top of the outer sect sometime soon. Arriving at the quaint living area was a small home surrounded by a nice zen garden. A very private affair, the arrays that blocked the view from the outside were easily circumvented, but still they were appreciated. My spiritual sense went throughout all the formations and arrays of the property, and apart from one small blip that I would deal with later, it was all in very impressive order for an outer Sect cultivation abode, I was impressed.

"I will leave you to it, I expect to have heard you have visited the library, as although we aren't as bloodthirsty as those demonic sects, we do still hold bi-annually tournaments, so a lot of eyes will be on you when those come, good luck in your journey to becoming a core formation expert, It won't be easy."

With his well wishes Chu quickly disappeared, his golden core power fuelling his flight that I couldn't track so just like that he was gone. Leaving me be. That was annoying that I would have to learn techniques and arts that were earth attributed, although I knew my body would react very well to such practices due to its innate talent, I was more worried about my mind and spirit, as they didn't perfectly align in beliefs. Still I would be able to use less steadfast techniques than the normal Earth cultivator, unfortunately my innate body type doesn't give any benefits to gravity arts or else that would be my focus. So i would have to sort out the best option for that as well.

My goals were pretty clear. Get to core formation and a become a prominent member of the sect, feed my prime information that would help slowly destabilise a lot of their infrastructure and power, see what weaknesses I could exploit. Grow to Nascent Soul, become an elder, create a spymaster faction hopefully but we shall see what powers my cultivation in the earthen arts may bring, but something to destabilize the sect even more, forcing the Grand Sect Leader to take action, forcing him out of his super safe location in the sect, where my prime, now an infant transformation powerhouse can take him out. Nothing too complicated I thought.

Moving around my new home for the next while I felt a sense of false peace wash over me. An effect from the array that I found quite troublesome. It's meant to bring a sense of calm and aid in meditation, but for me all it brings are deadened senses and inability to cultivate somewhere with an actual threat. Both terrible weak points causing me to seek out that certain string of array and crush it. The barely furnished place also incensed me. I was not all about minimalism like theses holier than thou folk. I like a comfy place to relax as much as the next guy. Not some simple rattan length of wood in which to relax. Maybe that was to promote cultivation. Sleeping isn't comfortable, cultivate instead, if that was the mindset then I had to say I respected them a little more after that.

The garden was simple and comforting as well, reminded me a bit of my grandma's garden growing up. Of course missing the murderous plants and poisonous pond of acid, still its quaintness had some sense of nostalgia attached to it, which I also found nice. Meandering slowly out of my abode, nodding at a few of the other disciples as I walked past, they looked slightly confused at my friendliness but nodded back all the same. Until I saw what my options were in the library I was going to have a good day. I had successfully infiltrated the largest Sect in the region, all it would take now is time to grow in power an get into position. Something I luckily had a whole lot of practice of.