Ten Jin of Exercises

"Sorcerer Supreme, I don't quite understand..."

Strange stammered. He knew his words might offend Russell, but he still had to ask clearly. Taking a master was a lifelong matter; he could not be careless about it.

"What else don't you understand?"

"Regarding the previous Sorcerer Supreme—my teacher, that is—the old man in that... portrait, who is he?"

"Oh, him!"

Russell curled his lip slightly and snorted. "He's just a janitor. He unclogs drains now and then. You don't need to care who he is."

Strange: "..."

That confirmed it. The old man on the wall was Master Gu Yi.

"Then, Sorcerer Supreme, logically speaking... I'm not questioning anything, I just... well, you're the Sorcerer Supreme, with such an esteemed status. Isn't it a little... too absurd for a janitor to be placed beside you?"

"What, do you look down on janitors?"

"No, that's not what I meant."

Smack!

Russell slapped the coffee table, making Strange shudder. He said sternly, "Watch your tone, Strange. You're getting arrogant again, lacking reverence for the world around you."

"I'm not..."

Strange felt utterly wronged. He just wanted to know what his teacher actually looked like. Was that wrong too?

"No, you are!"

"Sorcerer Supreme, I'm not..."

"Hmm!?"

"Fine, I am. I lack reverence. I was wrong."

"Good that you know. It's not too late to change."

Russell raised a hand and pointed at the portrait. "Look carefully. The man on that wall is no ordinary janitor. In all of Kamar-Taj, he swept the cleanest floors and unclogged toilets the most diligently!"

That was fucking impressive indeed!

Strange was speechless. Russell had seemed like such an exalted master just moments ago, so how had things gone off the rails into this bizarre mess the instant he turned around? It was as if Russell had suffered