Chapter 52: Biding Their Time

‘Mes? It’s not his communicator ID’. Grandmaster Kartion was confused when he suddenly received a transmission from an unfamiliar communicator.

He was reclusive, uninterested in the world outside his two caves. Laivien, his Martial family, his refinement technique and the Krikitory tribe were the only things which merited his affection – to varying degrees. And the upshot for having so few things in his heart was that each of them had meant more to him than how other may perceive.

‘Supreme Ruler Ar Yen and the creator of Scarlet Armor, Elijah?’ He was surprised to hear both exalted names mentioned in the same sentence by his youngest male apprentice. ‘Elijah wants to commit an insights exchange and Mes think that I should listen to what he has to say’.

He opened his eyes and stood on his brown hooves, pondering what action to take.

‘Little brother Kartius, Simel, come to my blow tower!’ He ordered through the communicator.

Kartius was in the Essence Cave and Simel was out, somewhere in Valgarel. It took roughly an hour for all three of them to converge.

“Listen to this”. He sent them Mes’s transmission.

“Master, why would they turn to Mes and not come directly to meet you?” Simel asked with a silvery gorilla frown.

“Elijah want to peek at your refinement technique, big brother”. Kartius noted. “It’s possible that they felt apprehensive to come and demand this in your home and therefore selected to catch and compel one of your apprentices to do the dirty job...”

“I thought of it, also”. Simel nodded. “Master, you probably considered this as well”.

“I did. Myself, Elijah and Yurnal are the creator of the most reputable bodily refinement techniques in New Earth. Sharing our insight is akin to giving away custody to one own progeny. Then again, insights aren’t flesh and blood. Without the tradition of mutual exchanges, how else are we supposed to teach and be taught? Now may not be the time for me to seek the knowledge and experience of someone else, but by this affair it seems, Elijah had reached an impasse he must exceed”. Grandmaster Kartion deduced.

“You intend to assent, big brother...” Kartius guessed. “You don’t have to. We can try to call my Martial son for assistance on this matter”.

“No”. Grandmaster Kartion bluntly refused. “He remained in seclusion when Anet went to see him. His closed doors season may be in a crucial point. Let’s not disturb him”.

“If that is the case ... let’s all go together”. Simel suggested. “Elijah wants to benefit from Master’s insights, so we should also squeeze him dry for every enlightenment he ever had”.

“That’s reasonable”. Kartius concurred.

“Then it’s decided”. Grandmaster Kartion said. “However, they will have to come to us”.

...

Yet another hour later, in the blue tower.

“Thank you for accepting the exchange”. Elijah held Grandmaster Kartion with probably the highest regard he had for anyone. Yes, the humanoid Brown Stag before him was much inferior to him on the cultivation path, but he was none other than the creator of the most prominent bodily refinement technique in Ercas Mir!

Grandmaster Kartion accepted the gratitude tacitly and gestured on the floor of the base of the blue tower. “Sit”. He paid no attention to Supreme Ruler Ar Yen or the two men he carried and only signaled Mes to either join them or go.

“Master”, Mes greeted. “I know what you think, but you need to hear the things he told me”.

“I will”. Grandmaster Kartion said solemnly.

“From now on, let Master or Martial uncle do the talking, Mes”. Simel interjected.

“Obviously. I just meant to say that I alone could not deny or confirm Elijah’s claims”.

The five of them sat in a circle on the cold floor, while Supreme Ruler Ar Yen watched from the entrance.

“Kartion”, Elijah opened. “For the sake of New Earth, please hear me out...”

And so, Elijah personally disclosed his stance for the second time. He mainly spoke to Grandmaster Kartion, but here and there answered Simel and Kartius’s inquiries.

Grandmaster Kartion was quiet the entire time, and when all question had been answered and Elijah voice subsided, without voicing his thoughts on the matter, his lips parted and the insight exchange commenced.

...

Since Simel and Kartius were involved with the creation of the Three Stages Of Hyper Physique, the exchange lasted twice as long as it was with Yurnal.

When it ended, Elijah and Grandmaster Kartion were the only ones who remained seated, while all the others had left. Mes and Simel took Supreme Ruler Ar Yen to see the Krikitory tribe and Kartius stood on guard outside the blue tower.

The small bear people were quite snooping. The young and the adult could not understand why a grown human was carrying two people around. The cubs even poked Yimin and Mernug, but were hastily pulled back by their mothers.

Like this, a month that felt very long passed.

Since Elijah got the foundation insight of both Yurnal and Grandmaster Kartion’s bodily refinement techniques, he was not in a hurry to meet anyone else and left Supreme Ruler Ar Yen to assure Yurnal of his son and apprentice’s health.