Core Elder Limick (2)
"I see. And that thing in his body?"
Shui was surprised that Limick knew about Nathan's condition. Though it didn't possess the strength of a Master, the evil spirit was still extremely difficult to detect without special methods.
"It perished along with him."
Shui gave his answer, prepared to face backlash from Limick, but instead he received silence. Limick still faced forward, but it didn't seem like he was looking at Shui. Instead, he appeared to be looking at someone who wasn't there, replaying their conversation as if it had happened yesterday.
"Nathan, why do you train so hard? I can sense your desire for strength, but you don't seem to have much ambition."
"There's someone I want to beat. And for that purpose I'll do whatever it takes to get stronger. As for what becomes of me after our battle, I'll leave it to the victor to decide."
At the time, he thought it was just the shortsightedness of youth, but now he wondered if Nathan had foreseen this result. Perhaps the victory he wished for was not against someone else, but against the entity within himself. Limick was never able to figure out the true identity of this being, only that it was more powerful than him when it was alive. Perhaps Nathan could have been saved if the hibernating elders took action, but the fear that the being would kill its vessel in desperation made him hesitate. He had taken Nathan as his disciple because of his tireless pursuit of strength, but he felt that he was never able to be a proper master to him.
"That's all. You can leave."
When Limick finally spoke, it was to dismiss Shui. This was unexpected to Shui, as it didn't seem like Limick lost his concern for Nathan. After all, if he hadn't cared about him, why would he summon Shui?
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, your answer is enough. Hurry up and leave before—"
Suddenly, the office door was pushed open.
"Limick!"
Gerald appeared from behind the door and charged at Limick. Limick sighed at his appearance, but he wasn't surprised. He moved Shui out of the way with mental control and then caught Gerald's fist.
"Gerald, you haven't made much progress since last time. Do you really think there'll be a difference in the outcome?"
Though Gerald had a higher rank, the last time they fought, Limick had been the victor. The two joined Storm Sky Manor in the same generation, but Gerald was never able to defeat Limick. After becoming Storm Commander, he thought he had finally beaten Limick and challenged him to a private duel, but the result was the same as before; he lost.
In terms of fighting strength, likely only the head of the War Department could defeat Limick, but Limick had no interest in politics. When Gerald realised that the position he had worked so hard to attain was insignificant to Limick, the rage he felt toward him grew stronger.
"I'll pummel you!"
Shui left in the midst of their fight. He still wondered why Limick let him go after hearing his answer, but he didn't feel motivated to interrupt this battle. Perhaps they would have a longer conversation another day.
After leaving the War Department, Shui quickly returned to his residence, constructed a protection array, and created a sign stating that he was in seclusion. He then entered the house and waited for the time to meet his friends.
While Shui took a short rest, news of his meetings quickly made its way around the core section. As one of the top geniuses of the manor, there were many people who wanted to keep an eye on him even if there was no grudge between them. Few knew about the connection between Nathan and Shui, so most focused on the meeting between Shui and Pon. Although Pon was no longer the eldest brother, he was still the second most powerful disciple in the manor. Even compared to elites of other forces inside the city, he would be among the top ten. Many thought that he had given up on reclaiming his former position, but his meeting with Shui seemed to say otherwise.
Within Mater's faction, many speculations arose. Mater was in seclusion preparing for the opening of the Spirit Nest, so the elders took the lead in controlling the faction. Previously, this job would have been Tark's, but his recent failures cost him much of his influence and Mater's trust. One more slip-up and perhaps he wouldn't even be a disciple of the manor anymore. Many in the faction celebrated his fall from grace, but few wished that he was present at times like this.
"I knew we were too lenient. We can't allow Pon of the Xin to join forces with Kate."
"There's no need to get riled up. What can a loser and a little girl do together?"
"You fool! Do you think that the former eldest brother of our manor can be taken that lightly? I knew we should have finished him off when we had the chance."
"The manor lord was watching us, so we had no choice but to restrain ourselves. He's lost a lot of influence, but he's still the heir to the Xin clan."
"Even so!"
Some were genuinely worried that this meeting would lead to the creation of a powerful threat, while others wanted to take the opportunity to gain achievements. It was a bit laughable considering that most of these people were stronger than Mater yet were so eager to seek his favour. The eager ones came from lesser backgrounds and were hopeful that riding the coattails of Mater would allow them greater prestige and resources. When Tark still had sway, he would cleverly soothe their spirits, but in his absence there was only one other method.
"Silence."
Elder Carver, the head of the War Department, commanded the room by unleashing his aura presence. It was hard to say who was the strongest among them, but none could confidently claim that they could defeat him in battle. Though the manor rarely required his strength, he often travelled to fight strong enemies so that his skills didn't wane.
"There's no need to make such a fuss. The young lord will sweep through all opposition upon exiting his seclusion. As elders, it would be uncouth to interfere."
Opposing his opinion would show a lack of trust in the young lord, and few had the courage to oppose him in the first place. In the end, they decided to wait. By the time the core disciples left the Spirit Nest, the victor would be clear.