128 Just Around The Corner
"Now naturally, the real owner of the Authority Tablet is still the sect master and he has the power to take it away from the Sun Elder whenever he wants. However, the thing is... the sect master has left the sect for years now and hasn't returned ever since."
"Furthermore, before departing.. he seemed to have imparted the Authority Tablet to the Sun Elder, thus making him the temporary highest authority of the sect at least until the sect master returns." Finally finished with his words, the pagoda master went quiet as he seemed to have sunk into deep thought like he was remembering a particular memory regarding a specific day a couple of years before.
"I see..." Saying that Virus went completely silent for a while as they walked side by side toward a direction while the pagoda master continued to be lost in his thoughts.
Finally, pointing at the main pagoda, Virus opened his mouth and began to inquire about what he had been wanting to ask since the moment he had stepped into the sect, "What's that big pagoda... and why is it bigger than the other pagodas?"
Snapping out of his daze by Virus' voice, the pagoda master looked at the gigantic pagoda before replying, "That's, of course, the first and the most important pagoda in the entire sect, and it's usually the inhabiting place of three people, with the sect master and the Sun Elder being two of them."
He continued without any pause, "When the sect master was around, he would live on the highest floor of the pagoda all by himself while the other two would inhabit and guard in the first floor of the pagoda."
Then, a short frown appeared on the pagoda master's eyebrows, but it disappeared quickly as he proceeded, "However, after the sect master left and gave the Authority Tablet to the Sun Elder, the Sun Elder occupied the highest floor...and this situation will continue at least until the sect master returns."
Listening to his explanations and seeing none of them was the thing he really wanted to hear about, Virus pretended to be casual as he began to talk once more, "Is that so? That's truly an interesting and gigantic pagoda... it's almost penetrating the sky... what's on the other floors by the way? For example... the most middle one?"
Not suspecting anything, the pagoda master explained, "Hmm... the most middle floor is the main treasury of the sect which is only accessible by the sect master and the possessor of the Authority Tablet... which means...currently, the Sun Elder also has access to it..."
'Oh... so the Brisk Balance Fruit is in the Main Treasury of the sect... hmm... in worst case scenario, I should use the Sun Elder and this elder to somehow gain access to the treasury to obtain that fruit...let's think...' Listening to the pagoda master's description of the treasury, Virus pondered about it for a short moment.
After explaining that, the pagoda master was about to pass on and explain the other floors when he was interrupted by Virus.
"Oh... then no one other than those two can access the treasury... then what's the point of having a treasury if no one can gain access to it? There really isn't any way for the disciples to benefit from the treasury?" He inquired in a casual tone.
"Well, it's not like that... it's just that the disciples and the other elders can hardly gain access to it and each time they have access... they can only take away a limited amount of treasures from it."
"... How can a disciple gain access exactly?" Virus inquired with intrigued eyes.
Realizing his curiosity, the elder replied, "Now that you ask... actually you're in luck... as you would be able to witness two disciples gain access to the treasury soon... one of which will most likely be your own senior apprentice-sister..."
Listening to his words, Virus was a little excited inside as he smelled an opportunity right in front of him unlike his previous expectations which he thought that most likely only the sect master and the Sun Elder would have access to it, so he asked calmly, "Is that so? How is that?"
At this point, they had arrived in front of a pagoda, when the pagoda master stopped, then turning to look at Virus, he uttered, "I need to go somewhere as I'm in a hurry, if you have any further questions about the sect, you can ask your senior apprentice-sister or wait for me to come back..."
"Oh, that's your senior apprentice-sister..." Then, pointing at the entry of the pagoda, the pagoda master voiced, as he soon disappeared without waiting for Virus' reply.
'He really seems to be in a hurry...' Virus thought as he looked in the direction the pagoda master had pointed at.
But seeing the target in his line of sight, Virus was surprised, because he saw someone he had just seen a while ago in the library. She was the girl that even Virus had thought she was beautiful.
After being a little surprised though, he promptly put that feeling aside and began to walk toward her as he had questions he needed to be answered.
Soon, arriving in front of her, Virus stopped and spoke, "Hello, I'm Vee, the new disciple of your master. Before leaving, he said you would be able to guide me and answer my questions regarding the sect..."
Listening to the way he talked, Astes couldn't help but frown a little, because he didn't say 'Master' while calling the pagoda master, but used the word 'He' which made her quite annoyed for some reason.
Nevertheless, she replied without any kind of expression showing on her face, "Hello, I'm Astes, your senior apprentice-sister, what's your question?"
"The elder was just about to explain how two disciples soon would be able to gain access to the main treasury... and that one of them will most likely be you... can you clarify the situation regarding that to me?" Inquired Virus.
Listening to his inquiry, Astes glared at Virus for calling her master 'Elder' at first, but not stating anything about it for now, she turned around and began to walk as he uttered, "Okay, I will explain while I guide you and your servant to your room inside the pagoda."
"She's not my servant, she's my family." Virus replied promptly hearing Astes call Bella his servant as both of them began to follow her.
"Alright, so regarding your question... actually... there are two contests just around the corner, with the first one being the Alchemy Contest which only the Superior Disciples can participate in... and the second one is the Martial Contest... but unlike the Alchemy Contest, it's not limited only to Superior Disciples, and other than them... the Normal and Inferior Disciples can also participate in it." She began providing the answer Virus was after.
"As I'm sure you can already nearly guess, the prize for the champions of each contest is an entry ticket to the main treasury and the right to choose one item, ingredient, etc. From there." She explained without any emotion apparent in her tone.