The Martial Unity

It wasn't long before Rui left Breathing Sect after bidding Master Vericita goodbye. She left a lasting impression on him, she was just like a dotting grandma, the type that could grow intimate with just about anybody, closing the distance between them very fast.

At the very least, if any other Martial Artist called him a 'good boy', he would have assumed that they were trying to provoke him with a condescending manner of addressing him. But when Master Vericita did it, he strangely didn't feel any displeasure at it.

Her age and experience dwarfed his even when he added up both lives. She had truly lived for a long time and it reflected in her insights.

Regardless, he had gotten what he came for and more. Naturally, he had gotten many notes and pointers from her regarding the roaring blood potion.

In addition, he won over a good ally. The Breathing Sect was undoubtedly powerful with the sheer number of Martial Artists that used breathing techniques. With their support, the Martial Union was bound to invest in Rui's Martial Art to a much greater extent than before.

There were conditions, naturally. The Breathing Sect's support would be varied based on merit. If the techniques that he created and presented were not meritorious, then the support from the Breathing Sect would be minimal.

Of course, Rui had his commitments as well. The Breathing Sect required him to openly support the Breathing Sect's motion to instate and officially recognize breathing Martial Art as a fundamental field of Martial Art.

While a single vote from him was disproportionately lesser than the many votes from the Breathing Sect, the prestige of gaining the support of the most dazzlingly prodigious and youngest Martial Senior in history was something that was important.

Rui was the strongest symbol of the future. Gaining his open support added more gravitas and weight to the movement of the Breathing Sect which compensated in the disparity in votes.

But it was a great transaction as far as he was concerned. Both sides gained a lot and didn't lose much with what they were giving. Every motion in the fiscal committee meeting gave every constituent a new opportunity to vote on the matter. There weren't a limited number of votes that Martial Masters had to use wisely. On top of that, votes for a particular motion could not be used for any other motion, thus nothing was gained by abstaining.

Thus neither Rui nor the Breathing Sect lost even the slightest bit of political capital by voting in favor of each other.

Perhaps that was why both sides came to an agreement rather rapidly, the risks were low enough that it wouldn't matter. As long as Rui was not lacking in a bare minimum amount of merit, he would earn their full-fledged support.

He felt the royal envelope in his pocket weighing him down. The corporate princess had taken the opportunity to contact him through one of her supporters. He was curious about what this special proposal was. It didn't seem like it was the regular offer like Princess Raemina gave him.

He didn't see it appealing to him though.

He never had a desire for wealth, land, authority or anything else that they normally used to rope in supporters.

None of that worked on him.

Regardless, he would definitely hear her out.

"Now then," Rui heaved a sigh, shaking his head. "Let's get back to the business at hand."

He needed to quickly undertake the roaring dragon blood potion treatment that was reserved him the next day, thus he did not want to get bogged by any other matter.

The rest of the day, he followed through the various instructions that were given to those who would be undergoing the roaring dragon blood potion treatment. He wasn't allowed to consume alcohol within twenty-four hours of the treatment, not that he intended to.

He also wasn't allowed to consume any liquids on the day of the procedure, among other things. He was also advised to pass motion before the procedure.

He carefully followed through every instruction until the day of the procedure came about and he found himself in the designated medical procedure early in the morning the next day.

"Welcome, Senior Quarrier. I am Doctor Frunhein and I will be personally overseeing your procedure." An elderly doctor with an air of seniority welcomed him in. Around was a large team of assistants, more than Rui had seen for any of the other times that he had relied on the Martial Union to service him with their medical services.

"I am in your hands, doctor," Rui replied before glancing around. "It reassures me that such a large team will be overseeing my procedure."

"I hand-picked them myself, rest assured they are the best of the best," He remarked. "I too was personally appointed by someone extremely high up in the Martial Union to oversee this procedure to make sure that there is absolutely nothing that could go wrong with it even the slightest."

"I am grateful for the Martial Union's prudence," Rui replied, unsurprised.

He had already expected that the Martial Union would go above and beyond with this procedure. He was far too important for anything less.

"Please change into this attire, we will shortly begin the procedure." The doctor remarked, handing a him a medical gown which Rui quickly stripped and changed into then and there.

It wasn't long before a set of doors opened automatically, leading down to a distant chamber where he would be undergoing the treatment. Behind him, the corridor squeezed shut as the ground and ceiling behind extended towards each other, squeezing the way behind him shut.

By the time he reached inside, he was completely locked in imprisoned by long and thick walls of pure esoteric reinforcement.

"Now then, Senior Quarrier," the doctor's voice was projected inside the chamber. "Be absolutely certain not to employ the power of the Senior Realm no matter what. Please harness the gas mask on the bed in the chamber and lie down."