Master Darian, don't worry. I'll quickly submit your task and mark it as complete. With your authority level, you can claim your rewards directly without going through lengthy procedures.

"Make it quick," Master Darian replied to the shopkeeper. As he glanced around, he noticed Arya looking at him. Frowning, he asked, "What? Do you have a problem?"

Arya, who had been wondering about the man's powerful cultivation, snapped back to reality at Master Darian's question. "Oh… no, sorry. I was just curious about something. I didn't mean to offend you." He apologized because he had unknowingly been staring at this powerful figure for quite some time, which was not a wise thing to do.

"Oh… I thought even little brats had started growing dragon hearts and looking for a beating," Darian said with a smirk.

Noticing Arya's batch pass, which marked him as unranked, Master Darian raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so you're a newbie here? But from your aura, I thought you were at least a ranked cultivator."

As Darian spoke, people around them started whispering and pointing at him.

"Yes, that's him—the famous cultivator who became a private cultivator for the alliance."

"I heard that only unaffiliated cultivators can become private cultivators for the alliance."

"Yes. Master Darian comes from the Zephyr family, a well-known third-grade family in this region. Just to join the alliance, he broke ties with his family."

"You can't blame him. Becoming a private cultivator for the alliance comes with great perks."

"Hmm… but the restrictions on private members are what keep most cultivators from joining."

Arya listened to the conversations buzzing around him. It was clear that someone of Darian's level was not common in this place, and his reputation preceded him.

Darian, now receiving his reward from the attendant, turned to Arya and patted him on the back. "Be careful, kid, or you won't even know when trouble finds you." Without another word, he left.

Arya watched Darian's retreating figure and exhaled. He had the feeling that, had it not been for his young age, Darian might have done something to him. Retracting his gaze, he turned to the attendant, who was also looking at him expressionlessly.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"I need to purchase information," Arya stated.

"You may ask any question, but the price will depend on the information you seek," the attendant replied.

"Yes, I understand. My first question is: What causes a person to emit a strong bestial aura and manifest the illusory image of a beast?"

Arya was still thinking about the first real enemy he had faced—the one who displayed strange and powerful abilities. To counter him, Arya had been forced to reveal both of his elements, despite the risks.

The attendant considered his question. "Hmm… this information is neither rare nor common. One could learn about it in academies. How is it that you don't know?"

Arya smiled. "For certain reasons, I didn't join any academies and decided not to."

"Oh… I see. Then your information will cost ten white coins."

Arya handed over the money, and the attendant continued, "Based on your description, I can only think of Spirit Beast Possession. It's very rare in this region. Any Weapon Master possessing a spirit beast enjoys the same status as a Silver-rank cultivator, like Master Darian. They are hard to find here because most of them easily join mid-level powers and gain high status."

"Hmm? Spirit Beast Possession?" Arya repeated. "And you say it's connected to Weapon Masters?"

"Yes, you heard correctly. But deeper knowledge about this topic will cost more coins. How did you come to know about this power? Did you see a Weapon Master using it?"

Hearing the attendant's question, Arya fell into thought. If the man he fought had a strong background, why was he staying in that place? And if someone discovered Arya had killed him, trouble would surely follow. Luckily, there had been no witnesses, so the chances of his opponent's faction finding out were slim—except for Kane...

"Yes," Arya finally replied. "I saw a cultivator at level 28 or 29 using that power."

"So that's how you came to know," the attendant mused. "Interesting. If he possessed a spirit at level 28, he should have joined a major organization… or he got lucky and managed to obtain a spirit somehow."

"I want detailed information about the connection between Spirit Beasts and Weapon Masters. Money is not an issue." Without hesitation, Arya purchased the information.

"Good decision. Money can be earned again, but lacking knowledge can make one throw away diamonds, mistaking them for stones."

The attendant began explaining: "First, Spirit Beasts primarily use magic attacks, while Monster Beasts rely on brute force. However, there are exceptions—some Monster Beasts excel in magic, and some Spirit Beasts favor physical combat, but they are rare.

"Second, let's talk about Weapon Masters. As you know, Seed Masters gain new Seed Stones every ten levels, granting them unique elemental skills. Weapon Masters, however, possess the ability of Spirit Possession, which does not conflict with Seed Stones.

"But here's the difference—unlike Seed Masters, Weapon Masters cannot obtain a new spirit every ten levels. They can only acquire one spirit every twenty levels. For example, a level 59 Weapon Master can possess a maximum of two spirits. Upon reaching level 60, they can acquire a third. Of course, possessing even one spirit is incredibly difficult."

"Is it that hard to acquire a spirit?" Arya asked, realizing this was a crucial point.

"Let me give you an example to help you understand," the attendant said. "As you know, Weapon Masters and Seed Masters are equally powerful in the cultivation system." Seeing Arya nod, he continued, "But did you know a Weapon Master can possess a maximum of four spirits and still fight evenly with a Seed Master who has eight to nine Seed Stones and Ring Skills?"

Arya's eyes narrowed. "That's the difference Spirit Possession makes for Weapon Masters?"

"Yes. However, there are clear restrictions. A Weapon Master can only possess a Spirit Beast of equal rank. For instance, a Weapon Master's first spirit must be from a beast level 20 or below. If the beast's level is too high, they won't be able to form a contract.

"But there's an advantage. Unlike Seed Masters, who cannot upgrade their Seed Stones' quality, Weapon Masters can continuously enhance their spirits throughout their lifetime."

Arya absorbed this information, realizing the implications. Weapon Masters wielded great power, but their path was equally fraught with challenges.