Chapter 30

Sitting in a meditative position, Jasper circulated his Spirit Qi, relaxing his mind and body. Originally, he was concerned about circulating his Qi because he was worried that Grant might find out about it, but after conducting a slight test by circulating his Qi while performing martial arts, he realized that it wouldn't pose a problem.

It took quite a long time, but eventually, someone knocked on the door and opened it, revealing an elderly man. Recognizing him as Elder Han, Jasper rose from his seated position and performed a courtesy bow. "Hello, Elder Han," he greeted.

Elder Han smiled lightly in return, bowing at Jasper. "Yes, hello Young Master Jasper." His gaze then shifted toward Grant, who stood by the side of the room. Elder Han gave a slight bow to Grant, which Grant reciprocated. As a guest of the Village Chief and Jasper's guardian, Grant was given a certain level of respect, even in the Martial Hall. While he might not have been as well-known in the Hall as he was in Spring Village, his position and status were still higher than those of a lower-ranking elder in the Martial Hall. Even though Grant was only a low-stage practitioner and Elder Han a mid-stage practitioner who had unlocked Innate Aura, Grant still held a higher status.

Returning his attention back to the center of the room where Jasper was standing, Elder Han inquired, "I heard from Flay that the Young Master wants to take the Practitioner realm test?"

Jasper nodded in response, saying, "Yes, I would like to take the Practitioner realm test, but I don't want to take the early stage test. Rather, I will be taking the mid-stage test with Innate Aura."

Elder Han, who was initially in a leisurely state, straightened up and widened his eyes. "Innate Aura?! Young Master, are you sure-" Before he could finish his sentence, Jasper wrapped his index finger with Innate Aura and displayed it to Elder Han.

"I-see..." Elder Han stuttered, clearly taken aback by the revelation. However, after his initial shock, realization dawned on him and a wide smile spread across his face. "Young Master Jasper, a hero like you with immense talent and bravery doesn't need to take such a test. Honestly, this entire testing thing is just icing on the cake for the Young Master."

With these words, he moved closer to Jasper, placing an arm around his shoulders and guiding him to sit and relax.

Seeing Jasper settle down, the Elder's grin broadened even more, his hands rubbing together like a merchant trying to curry favor. He quickly moved towards the door, opening it and shouting, "Flay, come here quickly!"

After a moment, Instructor Han popped his head in through the door, looking puzzled. The elder directed him, "Come on, boy. Didn't you notice that the Young Master is visiting? Go call someone to bring tea."

Although he didn't fully understand what was happening, he followed his elder's orders promptly. Soon, a fine tea set was brought in for Jasper's enjoyment.

Jasper couldn't help but smile at the unfolding situation, equally baffled. He knew that achieving the mid-practitioner realm was quite impressive from his father's words, but he hadn't expected it to create such a significant impact. 'I mean, isn't Elder Han also a mid-stage practitioner?' he wondered.

Jasper's advancement to the mid-practitioner realm was indeed a momentous occasion. Not only did it showcase his prodigious talent, but it also elevated the status of his family within the village. After all, his father was the Village Chief and the Head Master of the Martial Hall, and his own achievement was a reflection of his family's lineage and standing.

With the arrival of the tea, Elder Han personally poured it for Jasper. He then sat across from him, holding his tea cup in his hands. "Young Master Jasper," he began, his voice brimming with warmth and admiration, "Your achievement today will be written in the history of our Spring Village. At such a young age, you have attained the mid-practitioner realm and condensed your own Innate Aura. This is truly a cause for celebration."

Instructor Han returned to the room just as Elder Han finished speaking. He looked at Jasper with newfound respect. "Young Master Jasper, you truly are an exceptional talent," he said, joining in on the praise. "I am sure the chief must be quite proud."

After having his fill of tea and pleasant conversation, Jasper decided it was time to leave. "Elder Han, Instructor Han," he addressed them both, standing up from his seat. "I appreciate your time and hospitality, but I must be heading back. I still have a lot to prepare for."

Elder Han, who had spent the better part of the last hour engaging Jasper in conversation, nodded understandingly. "Of course, Young Master Jasper," he said, getting up to see him off. "We understand. You have a lot on your plate right now. But remember, the Martial Hall is always open to you. You are always welcome here."

Instructor Han also stood up and added, "And if you need anything, feel free to ask us. We will do our best to assist you."

With that, Jasper bid them both farewell and exited the room, leaving behind the scent of tea and a room filled with a sense of anticipation.

The elder and Jasper didn't talk about anything too extreme, mostly it was the Elder introducing Jasper to different aspects of the Training Hall and some of his troubles. Like how the Training Hall didn't have enough Instructors and funding.

Grant, who had been silent throughout the whole exchange, followed closely behind Jasper. They left the Martial Hall together, a sense of purpose emanating from them both.

After they exited the Training Hall, Grant turned to Jasper and asked, "What are you planning to do now?" Jasper was silent for a moment before responding, "For now, I'm going to focus on training." Looking at Jasper, Grant nodded before saying, "While training is indeed crucial, as the future Vice Head of the Martial Hall, having only strength won't be enough. You need to have people you can trust to delegate tasks to."

Upon hearing this, Jasper had a spark of realization. Grant was right... but at the moment he didn't have those kinds of people. His current team was hardly close-knit. In fact, they could barely even be considered a team. He had never once participated in a mission or made an effort to lead them. Expressing his concerns, Jasper looked to Grant for advice.

Grant paused for a moment, before offering a thoughtful look. "Jasper, building trust and camaraderie doesn't happen overnight. It's something that comes with time and shared experiences. As for your team... well, maybe it's time you get to know them a little better. You could start by training together, maybe even going on some minor missions. It's not just about leading them in battles, but also being there for them. Trust is earned, Jasper, and it goes both ways."

Jasper took in Grant's words, nodding in understanding. It made sense, he couldn't expect to have a loyal team without putting in the effort himself. "Thank you, Grant," Jasper finally said. "I will take your advice to heart." After thinking for a while Jasper decided that he will start training his team. Maybe the system could provide some help with this too.

Turning back to Grant, Jasper asked him for a favor. "Grant, can you go back to the manor and ask Father if I can bring Alexa here?" When considering trusted aids, the names that immediately came to mind were Alexa and Grant. Both of them had been with him for a long time, and they had built a solid relationship together.

Nodding with a smile of understanding, Grant agreed to his request. He was, in fact, very pleased with Jasper's choice. He understood the dynamic between Alexa and Jasper, and he knew that having her by his side would greatly alleviate a lot of Jasper's tasks and stress.

The next day, Jasper sent a message to his teammates to gather. Under the same tree where they had first met, the group once again gathered. But unlike last time, today there were only five of the six. The missing member was Alaric, the grandson of the River Village's chief. He was currently out on a mission to gather herbs.

Such missions were considered safe within the Martial Hall, with minimal chances of encountering monsters or beasts. Most of these areas had been cleared well ahead of time by the higher-ranking students or instructors. While not many, there were a few students who had reached the Practitioner realm. In the past, there was even a student who reached the Innate Practitioner realm. But of course, these students were much older than Jasper, ranging from 16 to 20.

Twenty was the oldest one could be as a student because if someone reached the age of 20 before graduating, they would be expelled from the Hall. The only way for a student to graduate was to reach the 5th class, but in Jasper's case, reaching the Innate Aura was plenty enough to warrant graduating early.