Array Master

Rather than worry about how to handle Tin, there was something more important to Shui.

'I hope it hasn't ended yet.'

Shui went towards a one storey building near the centre of the campus, that seemed to be made of jade and fascinated anyone who laid their eyes on it. Usually, this place would be sparsely populated despite it's beauty, but this time there was a long line in front of the building. Today was when a famous array master would select disciples who would inherit his craft. In the long line, there were both ordinary students who wished to try their luck and the core students who were confident they would be chosen.

Shui wasn't surprised by this sight since he was aware of how prestigious the title of array master was. Even with just a decent cultivation, even major-level forces had to be cordial to array masters since they were essential to making a force more powerful. Additionally, similar to alchemists, array masters were well known for having great wealth. Shui knew that firsthand.

The long line would have made Shui sigh if he had to join it, but since he knew he didn't he strolled past the line and went towards a small wooden structure that was nearby the building. When he entered this building, there were four other people there. Unlike what those waiting in the line believed, the building they were entering wasn't the right one. It was a decoy that was beautified with an illusion array. With a quick look, he could tell that the building he was in was the right one since the illusion array was also diminishing its presence.

Shui quickly realised that the array master wasn't in this room yet, so he went to a corner and closed his eyes. However, one of the four people in the room approached him. The rest were looking at each other like fellow competitors but only this one thought to go to him.

"Hi, do you remember me?"

The one who approached him was a cute girl about his age, who wore a luxurious magenta dress and spoke while exuding confidence. She was the same girl who Shui had stopped from falling the day before.

However, since Shui honestly did not remember her, so he took one look, shook his head and then closed his eyes. But the girl took this a sign that he was expressing his disapproval.

"Hmph, and I was going to thank you too. I'll make sure to get back at you for this!"

As she stomped away from him with puffed up cheeks, the other competitors shook their heads and snickered at Shui. Since they were core students and all familiar with the local cultivation community, they knew that she was the little princess of the Valet merchant family, Emily. Although she wasn't known for being cruel, anyone who got on her bad side was also on the bad side of her family, and Shui definitely wasn't someone who the Valet merchant family couldn't afford to offend.

'The poor brat.'

Shui and Emily were the youngest ones here, but while Emily was the top contender, Shui was the exact opposite. They weren't even sure how he managed to find this place.

Soon after, a kind-looking man with a neat black beard and dressed in simple but refined clothes decked with glittery jewels entered the room from another entrance. Once he stepped in, the room went quiet and all of them focused on him. Although his aura wasn't particularly impressive, anyone familar with arrays would be able to tell that he was highly skilled.

The man stopped in front of the five of them and a chair suddenly appeared for him to sit on. Once he sat, the five looking at him bowed and said, "Greetings, great sir."

The man rubbed his beard before signalling them to stop.

"Since you managed to see through the array I laid, you've all already met the basic requirements for being my disciple. Now, I want you to introduce yourselves, impress me."

After hearing him, three out of the five of them gulped. They knew that what they said next would determine whether or not they were chosen.

The first to speak was a tall girl with a good figure, long black hair and a cold expression.

"Carla of the Rin clan. I'm fifteen, second level in the Soul Realm and I've mastered all basic arrays. My-"

"Okay stop, next."

The man's sudden interjection while still wearing a smile, stunned the girl, but before she could ask what she did wrong, one of the boys got in her way.

"...third level in the-"

"Next."

After seeing both of them get rejected, the last of the three core students thought that he would definitely get accepted so he confidently started introducing himself, but was also quickly stopped as well. The three of them were stomped by why they were stopped but their confusion and failure had no effect on Shui or Emily. When Emily stepped up, her introduction was short and effective.

"My name is Emily, and I can enter the Still Heart state at will."

Everyone who heard this stopped whatever they were thinking and stared at her. For the first time, Shui looked at her with wide open eyes and had his jaw hanging open along with the three core students. Even the array master couldn't hide how astonished he was by what she said. Before waiting for them to calm down, Emily even went on to prove herself.

She closed her eyes for about a minute, and when she opened them again, she seemed unfocused and in a daze, but everyone knew that was not the case. Shui had entered the Still Heart state once before at an even deeper level than she seemed to be in, but he could barely use that to console himself since that was only one time. Even if it wasn't as deep as the one he experienced, being able to enter the Still Heart state at will almost made Shui feel inferior to her.

While she was in this state, the array master took out a spoon and threw it at her. Since he had mental control there was no fear that it would hit her, but that concern wasn't necessary. Even though the spoon moved so fast that even the core students were barely to register it, Emily managed to dodge it by moving just before it was thrown.

"Well done! Come here child, you shall be my first disciple."

The smile that was always on the man's face finally seemed genuine as he welcomed Emily to his side. Emily accepted this offer without showing much emotion, but when she went behind the man and turned to look at Shui, she placed her right index finger under her eye and stuck out her tongue.

'This little...!'

While Shui got a bit annoyed by this act, the hearts of the core students actually melted from it. The irritation they had from failing went away and they quickly rationalized it. They knew nothing about them could compare to what Emily had shown so it wasn't odd for her to be chosen while they were not.

"Well, there's one left but I'm already satisfied with this disciple, so if you don't think you can compare to her then don't bother opening your mouth."

The array master focused on Shui and said this without any malicious intent, and Shui also understood that after seeing a talent like Emily, he wouldn't want to put her on the same level as anyone too inferior. However, Shui didn't lack confidence, he only thought it was unfortunate that he would have to expose more of his abilities than he planned.

When Shui stepped up, the core students scoffed at his 'bravery'. Although they were already rejected, they stayed in the room so they could see Shui embarrass himself. Emily also had a smirk on her face since she didn't believe he could do anything that was as impressive as her.