《Godking Ascending the Heavens》


 -1 Prologue

    [The Year of Sealing, Age of the Ascendant Sun]


    Scarlet lightning slammed into the celestial platform.


    It had once been a magnificent testament to the glory and power of the immortals. Now it was destitute. Corrupted.


    Illuminated by this maleficent light was a throne, upon which a hunched figure could vaguely be seen.


    Below the throne, a man appearing about thirty years of age kneeled, head bowed. His long red hair spilled across the ground, forming a scarlet smear against the pristine white of the platform.


    He was bound by thick chains.


    Blood, like tears, dripped from his wounds.


    The figure on the throne laughed, slow and deliberate, "So this, this is the end of the Ascendant Sun...!"


    "Such a tragedy....such a comedy! You thought you could change this world single-handedly?"


    "The realms will curse you!"


    "Your descendants will spit your name!"


    "Your world will erase you! Your billions of years of cultivation, refined by me! Your immortal body, made into a weapon!"


    "That is the consequence!"


    Surrounding them, mighty flood dragons writhed in agony. Their struggles formed thunderous rumbles that reverberated through the realm below.


    The figure on the throne raised a shriveled hand. A torrent of vicious dark energy streaked towards the kneeling figure.


    On the platform, the kneeling man was calm in the face of death.


    His lips curled into a small, mocking smile.


    [I win.]


    His crimson eyes flashed.


    On his finger was a black, crystalline ring.


    ____________________________


    [The 182,546th Year, Age of the Fallen]


    Thunderous applause and deafening screams split the air of the Great Capital.


    A young man, less than twenty years of age, stood victorious atop the Azure Battling Platform, chest heaving and muscles glistening with sweat. His features were sharp, and his dark eyes shone. His red hair was bound behind his back.


    On his finger was a black, crystalline ring.


    The young man grinned, shark-like, and thrust the medal up into the air.


    The crowd went wild.


    On the stage, the drums pounded out a furious rhythm. A sound so loud that it could be heard throughout the Great Capital.


    Van looked downwards. Multitudes of people were crammed into the space below. They screamed his name, voices hoarse and eyes shining fervently.


    Suddenly, he laughed. To the onlookers, they simply felt that this was a vigorous, lively laugh of delight. Only Van knew it was a derisive laugh, mocking the heavens.


    [How fickle fate is...!]


    He thought of his mundane life as an orphan in Mountain Village, a place that felt realms away.


    How did he come to stand upon this stage?


    Well, it all began when he was thirteen...

 1 Van from Mountain Village

    The country of Cloud River was a very small nation in the Eastern Lands. Unlike their glorious neighbor, the vast Great East Heaven country, Cloud River had little to boast of. It could only be said to be pure and untouched, with beautiful natural sceneries that stirred the souls.


    It could also be said to be a tiny backwater country with no hopes of producing anyone or anything great.


    This story begins in a backwater nation''s even more backwater village.


    A young boy, no greater than thirteen years old, could be seen running as if his life depended on it. With a middling height and a skinny frame, Van was really nothing to look at. Several meters in front of him, several boys were surrounding a small girl with golden hair.At their lead was a young boy with grey eyes and an expression of contempt. It was Ryan, the Chief Hunter''s precious son.


    Van''s expression was ugly; dark brows furrowed and teeth clenched. He gave off the aura of a wild beast, thirsty for blood, as he ran towards them.


    "Get away from my sister, you little shit!" He shouted.


    Blind with rage, Van leaped at Ryan and shoved him to the ground. He managed to get a few solid whacks at Ryan before someone kicked him off.


    The tables turned.


    Ryan''s followers held his shoulders down as Van struggled in the dirt.


    With a dark expression, Ryan sat on Van''s back. He was ready to deliver a vicious blow.


    "Stop!" Finn, his little sister cried out. She ran forward, stumbling, and tried to shield her older brother.


    Ryan''s fist shifted too late.


    Finn flew into the dirt, a crumpled ragdoll.


    Ryan turned back and struck Van across the face. His grey eyes were accusing.


    With aching teeth and a mouth full of blood, Van fought back. He twisted violently, trying to loosen his attacker''s grip, his face and chest burning in pain.


    The bullies surrounding him jeered. They kicked him, but it was their words that hurt the most.


    "Dirty orphan!"


    "Your parents abandoned you here ''cuz they didn''t want you!"


    "Human trash, just like their son!"


    "F**k off! Don''t talk shit about my parents!" Van shouted and swang wildly at his attackers. Kicks rained down on his sides and the fishy taste of blood burbled up at the back of his throat.


    Finn had clambered back up, her wispy blonde hair a halo around her face and her apple cheeks an angry red.


    This angelic girl screamed like a demon and jumped into the fray, slamming a boy onto the ground. The boys around her scattered, confused and a little terrified.


    Van grinned and redoubled his efforts. Somehow, a fist slipped out of someone''s sweaty grasp and he clocked a bully across the cheek. Hard.


    The boy wailed like a banshee, that, plus Finn''s terrifyingly unholy shrieks finally got attention from the rest of the villagers.


    Van might be the target of most villager''s apathy, but his little sister Finn was a bright, cheerful girl who no one disliked. On most days, she spent her time with the village aunties, who braided her hair and slipped her snacks and treats when they thought no one was looking. The village chief''s wife, Sherpa, who was childless, fancied taking her in if she could, but she immensely disliked Finn''s older brother, that Van, who ran about like a wild child and always responded to elders with a sullen look in his eye. His temperament was too stubborn, and his age, almost thirteen now, was too old to be re-educated under her wing. Trying to figure out a way to separate little Finn from her elder brother had been giving her a huge headache and made her toss and turn at night. Finally, her husband the Village Chief, Leif, put his foot down ¨C Finn was inseparable from her brother, and he would not tolerate that brat under his roof. That was that, and Sherpa had no choice but to swallow down her loneliness and endure the empty household.


    Luckily, Sherpa and the other women were close-by, harvesting blackberries along the waterway that ran alongside the village. Hearing the blood-curdling screams, they dropped their baskets, hearts in their throats.


    Were bandits attacking? Was there a murderer?


    They looked at each other in horror.


    Sherpa arrived first on the scene.


    She took in the disorder, and the dirty, bloodied form of tiny Finn as she wrestled with a boy almost twice her size.


    She could not believe her eyes.


    But a few moments were all she needed to grasp the whole situation. Even as the other women arrived with their husbands in tow to beat up the so-called ''bandits,'' Sherpa dragged Van and Ryan away by the ear.


    Van struggled futilely in her strong grip. Ryan, also unsatisfied, gave him a sharp kick to the shin.


    Van gritted his teeth and glared daggers at his nemesis.


    Soon enough Sherpa''s husband, Leif, appeared. He was a somewhat fierce-looking, middle-aged man with a livid scar that ran from his bicep to wrist. A souvenir from a fight with a bear, legend told.


    "What is the meaning of this?" Leif questioned, taking in Van''s state and Ryan''s belligerent expression, already grasping 80% of the situation. Unfortunately, he was too biased to make a just decision. Firstly, Ryan''s father, Blade, was his best friend, and secondly, he disliked Van.


    Ryan stood up and pointed accusingly, "It was him! He attacked me first!"


    Leif''s expression was unreadable. He looked towards Van.


    "Shut up! You were hurting Finn!" Van shouted, rage at uncontrollable height.


    "Did anyone see that? Huh?" Ryan taunted.


    Shaking, Van pulled Finn protectively to his chest and pointed to her injuries, "How do you explain this then?"


    The villagers tittered and cooed, feeling sympathy at the sight of the scrapes that marred tender porcelain skin. Finn''s stony, trying-not-to-cry face was adorable and caused not just a few villagers to glance disapprovingly at Ryan and his gang.


    Ryan stiffened his jaw, "She fell. It has nothing to do with me."


    Leif stepped in, "It is not okay to baselessly slander people like that, Van. You are accusing him of a serious deed without any evidence at all."


    Van barely reigned his temper in.


    The villagers disdained him, he knew beyond doubt, for what reason, he had no idea. The lack of justice frustrated him.


    Finn reddened and let out a loud cry, burying her head into his dirty chest.


    "V-v-VaaAAN," she wailed sadly, pudgy hands thumping into his bruised sides, "I-I-I was so scared¡­"


    Van winced, his little sister''s fists sure packed a lot more force than they looked. He glanced around the village square and noted that Finn''s crying face was earning her much sympathy. Seeing her disheveled state, even Leif sighed and retracted some of his fierceness.


    After a while, the village elders came to a consensus.


    Ryan and his cronies were ordered to forage in the forest for a week for ''causing a disturbance in the village.''


    What they had to do was simple and easy, and there were no consequences for failure.


    Van, on the other hand, was accused of''attacking another villager unprovoked.'' He was to collect herbs from the mountain - the one full of fierce beasts that could rend you to pieces with one bite.


    If he failed, he and his sister would be evicted from the village. They didn''t need to feed extra useless, hangers-on.


    Van shook his head, burning with disgust.


    Getting evicted from the village was nothing for him, he would happily have left on his own. However, his little sister was treated very well here, and in the bigger towns, little girls are in more danger.


    Luckily for him, Van spent most of his time on the mountainside anyway, foraging and hunting.


    The crowd dispersed, leaving Van and his little sister alone in the village square.


    Blade, tall and wide as a mountain, with a sharp spear strapped to his back, dragged his protesting son away, ignoring Ryan''s dark glares and futile struggle in his grasp.


    Van sighed and patted Finn''s soft golden hair.


    "Sorry I didn''t come to protect you sooner," he said regretfully, lips stained with his own blood.


    Finn shook her head violently from side to side.


    "No sorry," he heard her muffled voice from his chest.


    She peeked upwards, eyes guileless and glimmering with the adoration of her strong, best big brother.


    Van beheld the hero-worship in her eyes. He could let himself down, but he could never let down Finn!


    "Big brother will be okay, in the big mountain, right?" She asked softly, cutely tilting her head to the side. Her thin arms clung to him as surely as an octopus would.


    "You know I will," Van replied, assured of that at least, "What do you want me to bring back?"


    Hearing this, Finn immediately perked up.


    "Pretty scale, pretty scale!" She implored, eyes big and glittering with excitement, "Make necklace!"


    Van immediately got a headache, not knowing whether to tell his little sister that the Rainbow Carp were the most elusive creatures to catch on the whole mountainside. Last time, he''d managed to fleece two glittering scales off a baby carp''s back and did not see hide nor hair of another one for months.


    He looked at the hopeful look in her eyes and did not say no. She deserved all the nice things he could get her.


    The next morning, Van was up with the sun. Out of some old hemp cloth, he crafted a tunic for himself and Finn.


    They were roughly shaped, but wearable.


    Soon after, he left the tent.


    In the village square, a hunter passed the elder''s foraging requirements to Van, with strict reminders that he needed to deliver everything on the list by the end of the week.


    At least the forage items weren''t rare or difficult to harvest.


    The only difficulty was the sheer number needed.He might need to go a bit deeper than he usually did, as the areas he usually roamed would not have such high amounts of Iron Grass or Mooncap Mushroom.


    _____________


    The hunter that had given Van his requirements watched him leave with a glint in his eye.


    Shortly after he left, Blade appeared, his large frame blocking out the sunlight. He watched Van''s thin figure leave the village. Eventually, he spoke:


    "You did as I instructed, hunter?"


    "Yes, sir."


    "Hmph," said Blade, a derisive look in his eyes.


    "He won''t survive a week. We''ve made sure of that!"

 2 Sabotage

    Perfect silence reigned.


    Van crouched in the low foliage by the lake, muscles tense, ready to fly into action at any moment.


    An opalescent fin sliced through the surface of the lake.


    The boy sprang into action.


    Sou!


    The spear hurtled forwards.


    By a hairsbreadth, the Rainbow Carp slipped past, sliding back into the depths of the lake.


    The spear stuck deep into the mud.


    Hopeful, Van pulled the spear back. There, at the tip of the spear was a perfectly conchoidal, rainbow scale.


    This time the scale was significantly larger. Its color was milkier, pearl-like. Van quickly set it aside.


    He felt incredibly lucky.


    Large Rainbow Carp hardly ever appeared and were even harder to pin down. Though he was unable to catch it, he felt he had not wasted the countless hours he had spent on the mountainside.


    Satisfied that he''d fulfilled Finn''s wish, Van turned his worries to the items he was supposed to be gathering.


    The situation was grim.


    The so-called areas of ''easy pickings'' where he usually foraged were completely cleared of all Iron Grass and Mooncap Mushrooms. Both herbs were easy enough to pick, if you knew what to look for.


    Iron Grass looked like any ordinary grass, except that they flashed a silver-grey with the right angle to the sunlight. They grew in large swathes in areas where red soil was exposed to the air. This soil was found in pockets throughout the mountain.


    Mooncap mushrooms, on the other hand, had perfectly circular, white caps and at night, they faintly glowed. During the daytime, the easiest way to identify them was to visit fallen, rotten logs in clearings, where at night they had plenty of exposure to moonshine.


    But all these gathering areas were cleared!


    At first, Van wondered if a large herd of beasts from another region had migrated to the mountainside - but careful inspection revealed traces of human intervention.


    Besides, which grazing animals ate only one or two species of plant, without touching all the plants around them?


    Van spent the rest of the day at the base of the mountain, but his search yielded little results. By the time the sun started to set, he was hungry, tired and suspicious.


    His basket contained only twenty clumps of Iron Grass and eleven Mooncap Mushrooms.


    The thing was, he needed over five hundred clumps of Iron Grass and four hundred Mooncap Mushrooms by the end of the week!


    Van returned to the village after dark, his brows knitted and discontent.


    Clearly, someone was trying to trip him up. His foraging harvest yielded under one-third of the ordinary.


    The only choice was to venture into the dangerous depths of the mountain.


    Reaching his tent, he lifted the entrance flap to see his little sister fast asleep, her cherubic face peaceful in sleep. A bun laid, half-chewed, in her hand.


    Affectionately, he threw his blanket over her as well, before blowing out the candle.


    Wide awake, and staring into the darkness, Van seethed and plotted.


    Someone wanted to see him fail, and that was the last thing he was willing to do!


    Lets see how I''ll slap these ignorant villagers in the face!


    ________________


    In the darkness of the night, a hunter slipped into Blade''s cottage and reported his findings.


    "He almost caught me a few times." Blade''s subordinate commented, sounding almost impressed.


    The Chief Hunter grunted, "His progress?"


    "There''s no need to worry, I was a step ahead of him at every moment. He wasn''t able to gain much"


    "Good. Now he will have no chance but to venture into the deeper mountain. "


    "Do you think he will survive?"


    "Even full grown hunters like us fear to tread in the higher mountain. Let alone a boy orphan who hasn''t grown a single hair yet."


    The big man suddenly laughed, "Let''s put it this way... If he can possibly survive this trial, I will consider forgiving him for attacking my son!"


    He chuckled to himself for the whole night, obviously not believing that a mere 13-year-old boy was going to come out of this ordeal alive.


    ________________


    The next day, Van packed for a much longer journey.


    The Rainbow Carp scale, he placed inside Finn''s wooden bowl, so she would find it in the morning.


    Van directly began to ascend the mountain.


    Half a day later, he was traveling cautiously through regions he had barely ever wandered into before. Along his way, he had been able to harvest a solid fifty Iron Grasses and thirty Mooncap Mushrooms.


    Unfortunately, this was still much less than what he needed to be gathering.


    The worst part? He was nearly at the edge of the lower mountain.


    Past here, rumours abounded of fierce beasts with an appetite for human flesh, wailing ghosts that latched onto you and fed on your soul, small furry creatures that put on a cute appearance before swallowing you whole.


    Van progressed on, extra cautious and sensitive to his surroundings.


    Eventually, he reached a towering pine tree that marked the start of the higher mountainside.


    The pine was the tallest around for many miles each way. It''s thick, upright trunk if hollowed, could fit at least fifty villagers inside. High above, large pinecones decorated the foliage, too high up for Van to consider harvesting. Rather, he was worried that a pinecone would fall from great height and smash his skull open.


    Fate works in funny ways. Did Van know that this pinecone would change his life forever? Obviously not.


    Van''s ears twitched as he heard a crisp sound from above.


    Instinct taking over, he tumbled out of the way just as a massive pinecone the size of two fists held together slammed into the earth.


    BAM!


    A cloud of dust obscured all from sight. When it cleared, the gold-brown pinecone lay in the middle of a crater. Van stared at it, baffled.


    What was this luck? For an unlucky thing to happen to him just as he thought about it!


    He wandered over and picked it up, grunting at the surprising weight. Looking at its slightly opened state, Van grew excited, it seemed the pine nuts inside were already ripe and could be eaten.


    Happily, he stuffed it in his bag.


    Just as he did, a sharp caw from the pine tree above caught his attention.


    Far above, a Red Pinion bird was dancing about in the branches of the tall pine, watching him with a ridiculing gaze.


    Red Pinion birds were usually medium in size and commonly found in the lower mountain. However, this one had an intelligent, wily gleam in its eyes.


    As he stared at it, it mockingly raised a taloned claw and rested it on a pinecone. It''s beady, intelligent eyes seemed to jeer at him.


    "Don''t you dare," Van warned, glaring at the smug bird, who, as soon as he said this, wiggled its claw.


    A massive pinecone, heavy enough to smash open a skull and falling from great height, hurtled downwards.


    Straight for Van''s unprotected skull.


    ****!

 3 Strange Hole

    [Damn bird!]


    The bird, as if it could hear his mind''s curse, hopped to another conveniently placed pinecone. It lifted its leg.


    "Stop," Van warned, his hackles raised.


    The red bird cawed mockingly.


    A third pinecone hurtled downwards. Van rolled away in the nick of time. A crater formed behind him.


    Before the dust settled, he picked up a rock and with all his strength, hurled it at the cocky bird above.


    With great accuracy, the stone hit the bird''s taloned claw. Although it did not harm the bird, it still became enraged.


    The Red Pinion bird drew its wings close to its body and shot downwards.


    Gritting his teeth, Van held his ground. At the last moment, he threw his body sideways.


    It''s razor sharp beak hurtled past him.


    The red bird was caught off guard. It had underestimated this puny human! It screeched to a halt.


    This moment of confusion was enough for Van.


    Grabbing a fistful of tail feathers, he dragged the bird towards him.


    The bird screeched and raked a sharp talon across his arm, splitting flesh and spraying blood.


    Van was secretly shocked when could even a bird slice through flesh with just its talons? A feeling of fear flashed through him. Not good, he needed to kill the bird immediately, before it could do the same!


    Van ignored the pain and slashed with the dagger. The blow glanced off the bird, whose feathers were unusually hard. His successive blows were the same, unable to make an injury on the bird.


    In the chaotic trade of blows, somehow Van was able to land a blow on the tender flesh of the bird''s neck. This time, blood flowed from the wound. The boy was elated, he had found a weak spot!


    Doggedly, he kept hacking at the Red Pinion bird''s neck, who had weakened due to loss of blood. One more time, his dagger sliced across the bird''s neck.


    It weakened and then dropped to the ground.


    Demon bird, Van cursed it.He examined the deep gash in his arm.


    Luckily, Iron Grass was precisely praised for its ability to staunch wounds and promote blood regeneration. Removing some from his basket, he chewed on one clump. One half he swallowed and the other half he smeared on his wound. Then, he bound his flesh together tightly with some cloth.


    He started to remove the valuable parts of the bird, which were the vibrant red feathers and kept the carcass for a roast dinner that night. The feathers could sell for a few coppers in the next town over, where its scarlet red color was prized for making women''s accessories. However, they were a lot harder and sharper than any feathers he''d gotten his hands on before.


    He found a dully gleaming round stone within the Red Pinion Bird''s stomach.


    A low thrum of energy was felt when he held it in his palm. Curious, but clueless of what this fingernail-sized pebble was, he put it up into the air and rotated it around in the sunlight.


    What could it be? I''ve never seen something like this!


    Suddenly, a twig snapped.


    A low, threatening growl rumbled from behind him.


    Van whipped around, only to see the red, glaring eyes of an enormous black bull. It was at least twice the height of Van, and its eyes were fixed on the stone in his hand greedily. It had been attracted to the area due to the scent of blood and had found a treasure. Unfortunately, there was a human in the way. But, it thought arrogantly, that was simple to solve.


    Rrrrumph...rrrrummph!


    The bull pawed the dirt and tossed its head threateningly. The pointed tips of his horns gleamed in the sunlight.


    It charged.


    Van''s face paled.


    First a demon bird, and now a demon bull? It seemed the rumours about crazy beasts on this mountain were true. Van smiled grimly, hatred flashing through his dark-brown eyes. Whoever''s targeting me, you really got me good this time!


    Calming his heart, he turned and ran into the trees. Using his experience in traveling through mountain terrain, he hoped the dense trees would slow down the massive black bull.


    Rumbling hoofbeats followed!


    The boy leaped into the gaps between trees, curving and weaving through the trunks. He looked over his shoulder and saw a terrifying sight.


    The bull charged through the trees, heedless of its path. It directly destroyed everything in front of it with its sheer charging force.


    Van only grew more determined. In this life and death situation, he was deadly calm. He drew on his hunter''s mindset ¨C prey was prey, hunter was hunter, but at any moment, that could reverse!


    The bull, even though it had to bulldoze through dozens of trees, was just as fast as he. Either they competed on stamina, or Van had to do something. But what?


    He considered the buzzing stone in his hand. In the end, he did not let go of it. If the bull wanted it, it must be something good.


    The pair continued upwards, one flitting between obstacles and the other domineeringly destroying everything before it. As they traveled upwards, the trees grew denser and denser, and thicker and thicker. This slowed down the rampaging bull. Van calculated that over time, the bull would slow down and the gap between them would increase, but Van would also get tired!


    What to do!


    Van gritted his teeth. He had no solution. After giving chase for almost an hour now, Van was sure that even if he gave up on the stone, the bull would still kill him out of vengeance.


    At an impasse, Van continued to weave through the trees, knowing that his stamina was fast running out. He had to think of something, quick!


    Unfortunately, the vegetation ahead started to clear. The huffing breaths of the massive bull behind Van were getting louder and louder. Perspiration beaded on his neck, but doggedly, he continued forwards.


    Van was first to emerge into the strange, fog-filled space. The bull was only a few dozen metres behind him at this point. He dashed forward, but a strange instinct made him glance down.


    Hu!


    Van skidded to a halt, teetering over the edge of a gigantic hole. If he had not looked down at the ground at this precise moment, he would have fallen straight in because the fog was so pervasive and thick!


    The hole''s depth could not be seen, and its width was tens of metres wide.


    Van smiled. The prey was going to turn the tables! He turned around and shouted, as loud as he could.


    "Catch me if you can, stupid lump of meat!"


    The bull heard the taunting shouts of the puny human in front of it and shook its head side to side in anger. It renewed its speed, crushing the landscape in front of it. Soon, it thundered into the clearing full of fog.


    The strange, dense air didn''t even cause it to pause. All it could see through its rage and greed was the thin human boy and the stone in his hand!


    Pah!


    The human boy lightly threw the stone. The bull made to dash past the human boy, uncaring, it would deal with the brat later!


    Van was slightly regretful, but in the end, his life was still more valuable than the stone!


    Three things happened in quick succession:


    The bull charged past Van in pursuit of the stone.


    The bull, watching the stone, saw it start to plummet down below ground level, and realized he had been duped.


    The bull, unwilling and vengeful, made a final play!


    Van felt something tighten around his ankles.


    Our poor hero Van, standing by the hole, feeling victorious few moments too early - was pulled in by the bull''s tail!


    The pair, one remorseful human, one gleeful bull, plummeted downwards into the hole.

 4 Flame Inheritance

    Dense, stale air billowed past Van as he fell.


    Face down, medium black hair streaming behind him, he was free-falling in a spread-eagle position.


    Below him, in the declining light, he could see the faint outline of the black bull, falling at the same speed. And just beyond the bull, the stone.


    At this point, they had been falling for over an hour now, with no end in sight.


    The space around them grew darker as they plummeted. Until only pitch blackness surrounded them.


    Gradually, faint amber markings started appearing on the craggy walls.


    Mysteriously, the stone leading the way started to respond to an unknown signal. It pulsed orange. Bright, then dim. Bright, then dim.


    Van watched with a numb, detached curiosity. He''d fallen into the Hell''s gaping maw, resigned himself to his death, and yet, it seemed that the Heavens were playing with him. It had been over half an hour and he still had yet to die!


    His initial fear had long worn away into a cold, heavy stone in his chest. Still there, but numbing. Waiting for your death for that long tends to have that effect on you.


    In fact, with the pretty glowing markings whizzing past and the ethereal dancing glow of the stone below him, Van perked up. A light show before the death! Superb, he thought sarcastically.


    What lay down there?


    Probably death. And a messy end when he splattered against something hard. Or maybe the bull''s bulky mass would soften the blow. And then he could die slowly, instead of instantly.


    Van clenched his fists. Unreconciled.


    He imagined his little sister''s devastation, her being kicked out of the village, her living harsh days without her elder brother by her side to protect her ¨C No, he could not die here!


    He was not allowed to!


    The air slowly warmed. Below, the stone had become a tiny, iridescent flame. Brilliant rays of light scattered in all directions, and the wall patterns ¨C which had become denser and more intricate ¨C responded with excitement.


    A steady thump, thump, thump emerged above the white noise of air rushing past. The sound started off a steady, faint sound that Van rather thought sounded like a heartbeat. But no human''s heartbeat could be that loud.


    As they descended further, it slowly grew into a reverberating boom, boom, boom that rattled Van''s eardrums and knocked his ribs. The markings on the wall began to change from a light amber to a startling deep orange.


    Below him, the bull let out a miserable groan.


    It had never experienced this kind of heat before. The hot, dry air was thin and unsatisfying to breathe in and scorched the lungs painfully. It was uneasy, and never more uncomfortable in its life ¨C after all, its habitat was the cool, lush forests of the mountain side, not a volcano! The great, mighty bull flailed about crazily. It could not control itself - deep within its hind brain was an instinctive fear of fire.


    The heat was oppressive, smothering, but Van could barely feel it.


    Since young, he had had an unnatural affinity for fire. He had never been burned.


    To him, the licking of flames against his palms felt dog-like, eager to greet him. A funny and pleasant sensation. In the past, he liked to stroll up to a campfire and stick his hands inside flames just to watch Finn''s eyes and mouth turn into little ''o''s of wonder and astonishment. But after that, she had burned herself trying to copy him. He had been half-expecting that she would share his ability, and was shocked and confused when she cried out in pain. Cradling the little white hand and the painful-looking red blister on it, he could not forgive himself. So, he never did it again, and slowly, his strange ability to resist flames became just a quirk of his he paid little attention to.


    Well, it was coming quite in handy now.


    The walls thundered. The orange glow deepened into a blood orange.


    Boom. Boom. Boom.


    Van''s heart beat to the rhythm as he fell.


    ________________


    Softly, from far away.


    A boom, boom, boom.


    The lotus shivered. A fractured mind. Curled within.


    A bright spark. Coming nearer.Nearer.


    [...could it be...?]


    Softly. Closer now. A resonating heartbeat.


    ________________


    Burning air seared Van''s eyes and nostrils. Falling below him, the bull tossed its head a few times in misery before slumping down in a dead faint.


    Van tossed it a disgusted look ¨C we wouldn''t be here if you weren''t greedy!


    Although Van maintained a constant slew of insults towards the bull in his consciousness, he knew himself that, even if the bull had not come, another beast would have. A stronger one would have killed him in one strike.


    The dense wall patterns glowed and pulsed vermillion. Van felt as if flames were dancing on his skin.


    The stone shuddered. Rainbow light spilt from it as if it was releasing all of its energy in a final act.


    Far in the distance, a speck of seething red appeared.


    [Not good!]


    Van''s expression paled.


    The speck of red grew larger, closer at an impossibly fast rate. Soon, Van could see and feel it for what it was ¨C a roiling mass of seething molten magma.


    The boy instinctively knew that the vermillion magma was not something he could resist. If he fell into it he would be nothing but ash in a matter of seconds.


    Far below, the stone stopped and hovered just above the magma.


    Weng weng weng!


    Pulses of energy radiated outwards from it.


    At first, nothing happened.


    Then, with a great shudder, something began to rise up. An indistinct, but massive shape could be seen within the vermillion magma. A strong pressure squeezed Van''s lungs.


    Suddenly, a brilliant blue edge sliced through the red. Then another. Slowly, a diamond-like blue lotus emerged from the magma. Like a sacred Buddha, it seemed untouchable, immovable.


    The stone pulsed again.


    Weng weng weng!


    A pause, then, the lotus responded. Crystalline petals started to unfurl. It seemed to communicate with the stone. As Van watched, the stone floated downwards. The stone and lotus seemed like two long-lost friends, glad to be greeting each other. One by one, massive crystal lotus petals opened outwards. The stone maintained its steady downwards descent, seeming to want entry into the lotus.


    At the precise instant, the stone softly touched a petal - a small object shot out!


    As if fleeing, the object made a wobbly, mad dash upwards. But even as it did, a scaled figure flew out of the boiling vermillion magma and intercepted it! The menacing, black, dragon-like serpent opened its fanged mouth wide and gnashed its teeth at the small fleeing object.


    There was a faint, desperate cry.


    The object barely managed to evade the sharp teeth of the scaled beast, still shooting upwards. Its flight was still wobbly, but quickly stabilising. Bizarrely, it seemed to be aiming for Van.


    And following right behind? The wide-open maw of the menacing dragon-serpent.


    By now, Van was so bewildered, shocked and in awe of the situation that he didn''t know what to think.


    Thinking of events up to now, it was incredible!


    Incredibly stupid!


    First, he''d been unjustly attacked by a red bird, which mocked him. Later, he killed it but bizarrely found a pebble in its stomach. For this pebble, he was chased by an angry powerful bull that smashed through trees like mashing potatoes, and just when he thought he''d won, the stupid bull dragged him into the strange hole in the ground!


    If that wasn''t crazy enough, the random stone he''d found started magically glowing and pulsing, and summoned some kind of lotus. And now, from out of nowhere, there was a fearsome, flying dragon-serpent with its jaws wide open for Van to fall into!


    Van wondered if he had hallucinated the past couple days.


    [Boy!]


    Yep, he was hallucinating. He was even hearing a human voice where there was no one else but himself! He didn''t know whether he should laugh or cry.


    [Boy, save me! I can help you escape from here!]


    The voice was a bit louder.


    Really, his wishful mind was really taking it too far - as if he could be saved in this situation! He was falling at great speed and just a few hundred metres below was fearsome boiling magma, and flying up towards him was a serpent grim reaper! Really didn''t know which option was better.


    [Down here, you f*****g ****!]


    Van froze.


    He would be an idiot if he didn''t realize by now that the voice wasn''t his imagination. What the heck came after f*****g?


    ****? He didn''t know that was even a word!


    [Down here!]


    Van looked down. The scaled figure was chasing after the fleeing object as it snapped its jaws.


    [OUCH! Ow! G-get this - ow - death wyrm off me! Oi - are you listening, down here!]


    Van blinked. The only thing ''down there'' was the two figures down below happily dancing away. Could it be...? Well, a talking inanimate object was hardly much in the scheme of the last couple of days. He felt oddly jaded.


    [I swear to the First Heaven, if you stall it, I can rescue us both from this shitty place!]


    A chance at life?


    Van dared to gamble.


    Sharpening his vision, he quickly drew out a fire-starting rock and aimed it at the death wyrm with all his strength.


    The stone struck with determination. Thwack! It hit the eye of the death wyrm. It flinched in surprise. It had not seen the small human plummeting down towards it, only the large mass of the bull in front. Hatred flickered through its eyes.Just this one moment was enough to lengthen the distance between it and the small object in front.


    The object flew upwards with lightning speed, the death wyrm only a few metres behind.


    [Brace yourself, kid!]


    The small flying object flashed upwards and with no warning, rammed itself into the space between Van''s brows. There was no pain, only a brief scalding feeling.


    [Allow me!]


    A small, black ring appeared in his mind.

 5 A Legend Begins

    The little black ring floated in his blank mindscape. Silently, it considered him.


    [Your body''s constitution is remarkably compatible with my powers.]


    [Look, the aftereffects are going to hurt like a b****, but it''ll get us out of here. You understand?]


    Van felt like he was five again, his mother trying to explain that he shouldn''t be making mud pies and throwing them at the little bastard next door ¨C both then and now, Van just didn''t understand, not one bit. He nodded anyway.


    [Here it comes].


    Thin strands of thrumming, red power emerged from the ring.


    With a roaring river''s momentum, hot energy flowed into Van''s body. Scalding, but exceedingly comfortable, it settled into his muscles, tendons, pores. The feeling was euphoric, it was like he could lift mountains and split the seas.


    He stopped falling. Hovering stably in the air, Van''s eyes glowed an intense red and his hair began to float mysteriously behind him.


    A voice sighed.


    [This is nearly the extent of my abilities already. If I had more time¡­]


    [But this is not the moment to think about that - Van!]


    Van snapped to attention, "Yes! "


    [I need you to focus for me].


    [Imagine all this power, travelling through your body, and gathering in your palms. Think!]


    Van nodded, sweat beading on his brow. His back was drenched with perspiration. Frowning, he imagined the swirling hot power inside him calming, gathering into a single stream and flowing towards his palms. It kind of worked, but it kind of didn''t. The clear majority of the power ignored his will and stayed a swirling morass within him. But a large enough portion obeyed, travelling down his wrists and pooling into his palms, which grew red-hot.


    Literally, red hot.


    [Now, when the death wyrm gets closer, you need to focus all your thoughts on ejecting the power! We only have one chance to kill it.]


    "How close?" Van asked through furrowed brows, continuing his quest of gathering power in his palms. Through his stinging eyes, he saw the black death wyrm approach.


    [Closer.]


    The dragon-serpent hissed, writhing through the air as it flew towards him. Its yellow eyes glittered as it locked onto its prey. With superb acrobatic movement, it landed upon the bull and used it as a platform to leap from!


    Suddenly, it was only ten metres away.


    Van trembled. He did not know if it was out of fear or excitement, or the sheer agony of feeling one''s life hanging on a single thread.


    8 metres.


    5 metres.


    [Almost...]


    The heat in Van''s palms grew to impossible heights. His two palms seemed molten hot, and burned fiercely with repressed energy.


    3 metres.


    The death wyrm was so close now, that Van could count the many small, criss-crossing scars that covered its body.


    [You must do exactly as I say]


    2 metres.


    The wyrm''s muscular body coiled, gathering power, and sprang forward, its teeth glinting in the amber light. Its eyes were focused on Van, delighting in the final desperate moments of its prey''s life.


    Suddenly, it was right before Van. With a savage hiss, it leapt forwards, fangs extended and dripping with saliva.Van''s sweat was dripping into his eyes. He was so on edge that his brain felt swollen. Why hadn''t the ring given him the go yet?


    So focused on hearing the command was he, that he couldn''t even spare the brain cells to tell if he was still gathering the energy in his palms or just stupidly letting the energy disperse.


    Surely this was close enough! Van could count all the individual ridges on the wyrm''s nostrils and the number of baby teeth it had behind its fangs, for god''s sake.


    The wyrm reared up.


    [There!], the ring cried out urgently, tension clear in its tone.


    Through his dripping sweat, Van glimpsed a tender, pale spot on the death wyrm''s underside.


    [You have ONE chance!]


    Van filled his lungs with burning air and steeled his body. As the wyrm''s fangs struck, he dodged - a young bamboo stripling bending back and whipping forth in the wind - and thrust his hands forward.


    The violent ejective force slammed him into the rock wall.


    The world exploded.


    And went dark.


    ________________


    A loud rumbling sound spread outwards from the mountain range.


    In the surrounding land, farmers, with their arms deep within the paddy fields, plucking weeds from between the rice plants, shouted in fear as the water around them trembled. Then, they heard the eardrum-shattering rumbling. They held onto their straw hats and ran for their wives and children, fearing that an earthquake was imminent. They wished that somehow, they could have four legs instead of two, so they could reach their loved ones faster.


    A peddler, travelling between villages cursed as his mule startled, thus dislodging several jars of spices and sauces, which tumbled onto the well-travelled dirt path. He twisted his neck towards the source of the rumbling and saw a terrifying sight ¨C hundreds of crows taking to the air, circling, above the mountain. The superstitious type, his face blanched and he wondered if he should just return to Clear Water Town and take a few days off work.


    Further from the mountain, a few young boys could be seen, trudging back to their village from the forest, each holding baskets full of nuts and berries. In their midst, a grey-eyed boy with a permanent scowl on his face walked, hands empty. While the others chattered about catching this fish or that fish, that girl''s looks or that girl''s legs, he was silent. Always, he thought about ways to get stronger.


    When the deep, shuddering rumble reached them, the lot shouted in awe. The scowling young man looked silently backwards at the raucous murder of crows above the mountain. The orphan boy was still in there!


    Further outwards the sound spread. By the time it reached Mountain Village, the rumble had considerably gentled.


    Inside a well-kept but bare-bones courtyard, two men were drinking tea with their wives. Leif and Blade were deep in discussion about the village''s affairs, occasionally throwing down a few cups. Meanwhile, Sherpa and Blade''s wife chatted about the girls in the village and how to arrange their marriages fittingly. Satisfied with that, they discussed the matter of how to sell and market the village''s specialty blackberry jam, but this matter was quickly taken up by the two men, who ham-handedly rattled out a strategy they thought was very good. Sherpa and Blade''s wife raised their eyebrows at each other, but each refrained from speaking, happy to keep their husbands pride in themselves intact.


    All four''s attention was briefly distracted by the sound of thunder. It was the hot season though, andthus the right time for thunderstorms and heavy rain, so they soon put it aside.


    Finn, sitting patiently under a crooked tree as a young village girl tried to messily braid her hair, heard the noise and frowned. It seemed to be coming from the direction of the mountain!


    [Brother¡­?]


    [You better be okay, or this Finn will hate you forever!]


    Her little face, already round with baby fat, puffed up further, until she resembled a round steam bun. If you looked closely, you would see her lips trembling, as if on the verge of tears. She hated the Village Chief, and the hunters for sending her brother on that stupid, stupid, bad mission!


    Her little friend, who had given up braiding by now, was combing her golden locks with a bone hair comb. She looked into the sky and gave a little hushed gasp of shock, dropping the comb. Finn caught it. Her friend pointed at to something in the distance.


    "Crows¡­! Uuu, Finn, I hate crows!"


    Finn was very young, just barely over five summers old, but could grasp things accurately from a very young age.


    Where her big brother was!


    Her friend gasped, realising something.


    "Finn, isn''t that where your brother is? Is he going to be okay?"


    "Be fine!" Finn snapped, petulant, "My big brother very strong ''n brave. That''s why ALL the girls in village like him."


    The girl looked doubtful. Which girls? You''re one girl, and you''re his sister, you don''t count!


    Finn gave her a little glare, but with her wide rabbit-like eyes, it was cutely disobedient, rather than the scathing glare of a fierce tigress Finn was going for.


    [Van, you must be okay!]

 6 Drawing Attention

    When Van woke, the first thing he noticed was the taste of smoke in his mouth and then the feeling of hard dirt and twigs beneath him pressing into his soft flesh.


    He was lying flat on his back, face pointing upwards. The air was filled with smoke.


    Propping himself up on his elbows, he coughed, short and sharp. It was grey as far as he could see. The vague, dark shapes with jagged edges in the distance might have been trees, but they could also easily be ghosts or lurking beasts. Strange shapes loomed out every so often. But above all, the most disconcerting thing was the silence.


    The events of the last couple hours crashed into Van. As if he''d been kicked in the backside, he sprung up.


    "I''m alive!" he shouted to the smoke.


    "It was all a dream?" he tried, tentatively, as of it would make it true. The smoke did not answer.


    A dry chuckle sounded from somewhere close by.


    [You wish, boy].


    [You owe me a favour].


    Van blocked his ears with his hands.


    [I''m in your head, you twit].


    "Oh," Van replied, dumbly.


    "But how can you be inside my head? What was that power earlier? What are you, how can you exist? You''re a talking ring!"


    [¡­]


    [You can''t be serious].


    Van got the distinct impression that the ring was nervously spinning.


    "Deadly."


    [¡­how must spiritual energy has been drained from the Ninth Realm¡­? How many years have I¡­?] the ring mumbled, it''s tone growing desolate.


    "Spiritual energy?" Van tasted the word in his mouth, "Is that what I felt earlier?"


    [Yes]


    "I never thought something like this could exist. I have never seen or heard of anything like ''spiritual energy.''"


    [You''re just a villager. I doubt you can even read]


    Van was offended. He could read, not well, but he could.


    How fearsome would it be, if the world contained beings with supernatural abilities?


    [And you have seen spiritual power at work. The bull that chased you down, it had cultivated to the first Qi Distillation realm. That''s why it had a greater intelligence and physical strength than ordinary beasts.]


    Van considered that and remembered the unusualness of the cocky Red Pinion bird that had attacked him.


    "What is the Qi Distillation realm?"


    [Qi is a form of spiritual power. The most rudimentary first level of gathering spiritual energy is called the Qi Distillation realm¡­ the bull''s cultivation was pitiful. Barely half a cupful of spiritual energy had ever been circulated.]


    "And yet, that was enough to smash through trees like mashing potatoes."


    [You think that is impressive]


    Van nodded emphatically.


    [Your sights are too low. How pitiful. I did not take you for a young man who could not see past the front of his shoes!]


    [You have seen what spiritual power can do ¨C and that was barely a drop in the vast ocean of what you could do if you started to cultivate. What you did to the death wyrm was the crudest use of qi I have ever had the displeasure of seeing! No technique, no Dao, no form. No nothing. If you thought that was the height of power. You are sorely mistaken]


    Van felt chastised. Indeed, he had been thinking about how nice it was that one blast of well-aimed qi had killed such as sinister and dangerous death wyrm and feeling rather impressed with himself. Now it seemed he was truly but a pitiful frog at the bottom of the well, looking at the bricks around him and thinking himself the king of the world.


    [Do you want to become strong, Van?]


    "Yes." He did. Van wanted to be strong. Strong enough to slap the villagers in the face. Strong enough to protect his sister, be her guardian and knight. He wanted to be strong enough to rise, get out of the village, and see the world. He wanted to see the world, and he needed to know why his parents had left him, and his sister, at ages 9 and 1, in the village to fend for themselves.


    He needed to become strong.


    "Yes!" He shouted, heart full to bursting in his chest. He imagined himself becoming strong and triumphing over those who looked down on him.


    [Very good. I did not choose a coward. A short-sighted buffoon, but not a coward.]


    Van didn''t make a peep in complaint.


    "You can really do that? Make me strong?"


    [Fool. I can do that, and more! With me by your side, I can lift you out of your mundane, meaningless, bottom-of-the-food-chain existence and raise you to the top of this continent, and beyond!]


    Top of the continent? What was a continent? And what could be beyond it?


    The ring revised its little elevator pitch, seeing the incomprehension in Van''s eyes.


    [Even the top of the nation would not be difficult, if you had the determination to succeed]


    It directly lowered its words to suit a villager''s level.


    Van did know what a nation was, but he had a hard time imagining being strong enough to be the foremost expert. Afterall, a nation was just an imaginary concept in his mind. In his entire life, he had been in several large cities when he was very young and with his parents. Vaguely, he recollected the scent of spices and sewerage, mixed together in unbearably pungent scent, too many people all gathered in one place, screaming, shouting, laughing. Big lumbering oxen, dragging wagons fill of strange goods through city streets. But since he was eight, he had lived his life inside Mountain Village. He only went to the nearest town, Clear Water, which was over 10 hours away by mule-drawn cart, once every year.


    "How?"


    [I will show you the way, but I cannot make you strong]


    [That is up to you]


    "Please, teach me!" Van said seriously, fists clenched by his sides.


    [Then you must fulfil my request]


    ________________


    A vast distance away, a robed figure landed on the front steps of an immense pagoda. With over one thousand eaves it was the tallest structure in the Divine River continent, and the centre of power. It punctured through the clouds above, unnaturally seating itself amongst the heavens.


    The robed figure hurried into the pagoda and ran to the one-hundredth level. His superior was within, barefoot and murmuring a chant in front of a bust of an ancient god.


    "Division Leader!" the figure said respectfully, bowing, "There has been a report of unusual spiritual flux in one of the countries under our jurisdiction, sir."


    His superior ignored him, taking his time to complete the chant. The time of an incense stick later, he put down his prayer beads and turned to aim a steady look at his subordinate.


    "What could it be, that it would make you directly report it to me, rather than take action?"


    His subordinate felt sweat bead on the back of his neck, if he had made the wrong choice to directly report, his neck would be on the chopping block.


    "A demon-level fluctuation, sir."


    A brief look of annoyance flashed through the Division Leader''s face. The level of spiritual flux could be categorised into ten levels from weakest to strongest: human, beast, demon, spirit, sage, disaster, catastrophe and calamity.A demon-level fluctuation was notable, but even spirit-level fluctuations weren''t easily brought up directly before him. He considered his subordinate with a cooler eye.


    His subordinate felt it and quickly expressed the key point.


    "Sir, the fluctuation was caused by an extremely pure flame-aura, the likes of which we have not encountered in decades!"


    "What!" The Division Leader shouted, jumping up.


    "Flame-aura?"


    "Yes," his subordinate nodded vigorously, relieved.


    "When did this occur?"


    "Just a few hours ago, sir. We were having a hard time deciding if this should be reported, sir."


    "That long?" The Division Leader regretted that he had wasted time praying! A flame-attribute fluctuation had many implications, and the gods above his head in the higher levels of the pagoda had a keen interest in flame-attribute fluxes. They would put thunder and rain upon his head if he didn''t investigate the source and write a report for them immediately!


    "What country?"


    "Cloud River, sir!"


    The Division Leader''s expression darkened, "Gather the rest of the Silver Marks, we are going to go on a little trip."


    "Yes!"


    ________________


    Van considered the ring''s response. He was a little wary. The ring''s existence was already beyond his understanding of the world, any request it had would naturally not be easy to complete.


    [My request¡­is not easy to complete]


    It was confirmed. Van felt his glorious dreams of becoming a strong expert wither, almost as quickly as they had formed. If he couldn''t complete this request, how could he bargain with the ring and become strong?


    [But I do not require success. Only that you try]


    Van perked right back up, "I will do my best to fulfil whatever your request is!"


    [Good.]


    The ring pulsed faintly in his mind as it pondered. When at last it spoke, it struggled through its words.


    [My memories are very¡­disjointed and¡­ unclear]


    [I do not know why I was in that Sapphire Dream lotus, nor when I was placed there, nor why I can speak¡­but I do know that I was made for a purpose]


    [I am looking for someone. Someone important to the fate of this realm. But as I am, I am powerless]


    [Seeing your situation¡­the thinness of the spiritual energy around us¡­ I suspect millions, no, billions, of years have passed since I was placed within the lotus. My power, though impressive to you, is not worth a fart in comparison to what it used to be. Unless I regain strength, the chances that I will ever find the person I seek is slim]


    [Yet I must try. For it is the purpose for which I was made]


    [My request for you is simple. Become strong. That way, I will also increase in power. Whatever your goals are, I will use my strength and scattered memories to help you fulfil them]


    [But, you must help me find this person!]

 7 Thousand Saint Sacrifice

    "It''s a deal."


    [Swear to the First Heaven]


    "I swear to the First Heaven, that I, Van, will do my best to fulfil this request."


    The ring was satisfied. It was nearly 99.9% sure that the young boy had no clue of the enormity of swearing this oath, but it was happy to keep it that way.


    Van turned his attention back to their surroundings. The forest around them was filled with smoke, Van couldn''t even see three metres in front of him. How was he going to find his way around the mountain, let alone resume his mission of gathering the Iron Grasses and Mooncap Mushrooms?


    A thread of amusement leaked out from the black, metallic ring. It was silently disdaining his mission and the herbs it was collecting.


    [Well, of course]


    [Anyone can tell this so-called mission is just a blatant attempt at trying to get you killed. A kid with not a speck of cultivation to him, sent to a mountain filled with demonic beasts! And yet here you are, earnestly trying to complete it]


    Van scratched his head.


    "I have to. Finn and I, it''s safest for us in the village ¨C If I don''t deliver the herbs, we''ll be forced out."


    [Hmph. I haven''t seen your village yet, yet I doubt it''s any better than just living in the wilderness on your own. I guess your little brother], the ring paused, [might have a tough time].


    "Finn''s a girl," Van rolled his eyes, "and some people aren''t a bit of metal who can spend thousands of years in the stomach of a great big lotus without dying."


    The ring considered that. Inside his mind, it floated gently downwards.


    [I wasn''t in the lotus'' stomach...] it started, and then trailed off, as if unwilling to speak further.


    Van wondered what unsavoury place the ring had been stuck in and thought it better not to ask. He changed the topic.


    "So, uh... do you have a name?" he probed, "I can''t keep calling you ''The Ring,'' that''s weird."


    [It is?]


    "Yes," Van said stubbornly, "People have names. It makes you a person, an individual."


    [Am I a person?] The ring questioned. It suddenly fell quiet. Van felt the depressive silence and decided the rectify the situation.


    "Yes. You are. You can speak, you have your own thoughts and memories. You are your own person."


    The ring was startled. It had always just thought of itself as a tool, a means to an end. It knew its mission in life and was content with that. Now, it questioned its outlook on existence. It also felt, now, that it should have a name.


    [One Ring...]


    [to Rule Them All?]


    Van took that in. He felt that name sounded funny, and a little familiar, but wasn''t sure why. Well anyway, it was taking it a little too far, rule them all? Heh


    In the end, he shook his head, "It still has the word, ''ring,'' in it!"


    "How about Jet, for your colour? Little Jet!" Van suggested.


    [Master Jet] The ring pushed.


    "Lil'' Jet," Van said, straight-faced but sniggering on the inside. He felt a great sort of superiority over the ring for the first time ¨C calling a millions-of-years-old ring ''Lil'' Jet'' was rib-cage rattling fun.


    [Master Jet], The ring insisted angrily, hopping up and down in Van''s blank white mindscape.


    [Don''t make fun of me or I''ll ruin your cultivation!]


    "You wouldn''t dare," Van said, cleaning his ear, "Otherwise you can''t find the person you looking for."


    With a nonchalant shrug, he flicked the earwax away.


    Indeed, the ring would be hard pressed to find anyone with a constitution as suitable for its habitat as Van.


    [¡­]


    [Jet is okay.]


    Van grinned, "Nice to make your acquaintance, Jet!"


    [Can''t say the same, brat] Jet sounded peeved, but happy at the same time. It felt as if its millions of years, stagnating in the dark, feeling itself start to pull apart at the seams, its memories losing colour and substance¡­were almost worth it. It had come out of the other side, and become its own existence, a person, a Jet!


    "So, when I start training?" The young boy eagerly asked.


    Jet, still in a happy mood, responded thoughtlessly, [Well, your meridians are near-ruined by our little fun with the spiritual energy earlier, so not until they recover. Really, it''s a miracle you''re not on the ground, screaming and rolling around in pain! Remarkably elastic meridians for a mortal!]


    "Ruined meridians?" Van''s expression grew black, if he could reach into his own mind-space and throttle the little bastard, he would.


    [Yep, the meridians are the pathways that qi travels through, that''s why yours are wrecked¡­but for a mortal who''s never cultivated before, I expected them to be in a worse state. People with ruined meridians can''t cultivate spiritual energy you know¡­oh], Jet paused.


    [I wasn''t supposed to tell you that].


    Van smiled bitterly, "And how do we fix my meridians?"


    Jet said slowly, [Since yours seem quite flexible and well-formed¡­a few weeks or so worth of rest combined with some gentle spiritual nourishment should be sufficient. Normally, this would be almost impossible, but no fear, Jet''s here!] Jet was growing more comfortable in its name.


    For Van, weeks were an agonisingly long time. The biggest factor in his impatience was the fact that he still had to complete the mission of collecting five-hundred Iron Grasses and four-hundred Mooncap Mushrooms! He needed to quickly get stronger, so he could travel into the deeper parts of the mountain and collect those herbs. He told Jet so.


    [That''s an easy problem to solve. You can still get stronger without cultivating internally.]


    Van perked up, his dark eyes gleaming. If he had a tail, it would be wagging furiously.


    [There''s a branch of spiritual energy users who cultivate externally. They do not channel spiritual power through their meridians].


    [Instead, they allow qi to permeate and penetrate their skin and muscles, to strengthen them. At the pinnacle, the strength of their bodies is enough to be undamaged by a hit from an equal realm, internal cultivator, and their fists alone enough to crush that equal realm cultivator underfoot!]


    Jet heard Van''s soft gasp of awe and continued, imperiously.


    [Of course, reaching the pinnacle by external cultivation is manifold times harder!]


    [Body cultivators grow more powerful by engaging continuously in battle and making their hearts indomitable. Not everyone has the willpower or temperament to become a body cultivator¡­ Only time will tell if you do.]


    Jet''s metallic body shook in Van''s mind, and a sloppy sheaf of notes materialised in his hands.


    [What is this?] Van thought, staring at the poorly written notes. In the smoke, he had to lift the sheaf to just in front of his eyes, where he could see big, chicken-scratch writing slanting down the yellowed pages. Even he, with his rudimentary understanding of letters, and beginner''s shaky handwriting could tell the situation with this sheaf of notes was not good.


    [Fool. Don''t be so shallow. This sheaf of notes contains the body tempering techniques of an unrivalled master in the art of body strengthening. He was acknowledged by gods and apostles as the foremost expert! If he wasn''t tragically lacking in internal cultivation, he might have survived his Heavenly Tribulation and ascended to godhood. Alas.]


    Eyebrows raised, Van peered down at the chicken-scratch and tried to think of it as being a heavenly gift, but still saw what could fool someone into thinking was a child''s scribblings at school.


    [That sheaf of paper is details that expert''s development of the Thousand Saint Sacrifice body strengthening method. There may be better external cultivation techniques, but his one is most suitable for you, since he, like you, started life as a humble mortal].


    All mentions of godhood and apostles flew right over Van''s head. It all sounded so wondrous and fantastical that Van that is was just that, a fantasy.


    "This can make me strong enough to defeat the demonic beasts in this mountain?"


    Jet snorted.


    [For the last time, boy, yes! Did not hear? He was unrivalled, unrivalled!]


    Van rifled through the pages. Though yellowed, they were supple and flexible, not feeling like they had been written millennia ago. In those pages, he saw crude sketches of a naked man in many different poses.


    Slowly, he pieced together the sentences. Luckily, the words were similar and the vocabulary simple.


    "Through day and night stood on waterfall seven days, no sleep, no eat or drink. But due to dumbness, cannot find the meaning. Sat under falling water for sixty days, cannot think, forgetting life and death. Consciousness clear. Finally found the way! Too excited, lost balance. Twenty broken bones, bedridden for a year¡­"


    Crazy!


    Van''s hands shook. This expert was obsessed, a lunatic! But Van wasn''t a masochist. He suddenly had a foreboding feeling and realised why the technique was called ''Thousand Saint Sacrifice!''


    "Opened body and heart, qi follows the pain, pain follows qi! I name this the Thousand Saint Sacrifice technique!"


    Head down, closely reading the papers, Van did not notice that Jet was unusually silent as if acting low key. Around him, the smoke started to clear from the area, revealing the shape of trees and shrubbery around them. But even as the smog faded, another one rolled in, slightly pink and sweet smelling.


    The mountain around them showed signs of life again, not as deathly silent. Soon, the rustling of leaves and snapping of twigs was too close for comfort.


    "Arooooo! Ao! Ao! Ao! AROOOOOOOO!"


    Van jumped up in fright, almost dropping the sheaf.


    A dozen, large, snarling wolves were running towards him through the pink fog.


    Pink fog?


    It seemed to be coming off from Van himself!


    Inspecting himself, he finally realised that Jet had been secretly leaking the sweet-smelling fog into the air around him. Pink wisps drifted off the black, metallic ring.


    Suddenly, Jet gave a ''he-he'' laugh full of schadenfreude.


    [Qi follows the pain, pain follows qi! Hopefully, the wolves won''t chew you up too hard.]


    Then, Jet went silent, and the little black ring in his consciousness dimmed as if it had gone asleep.


    Van gnashed his teeth.


    Bastard!


    The wolves howled, and chased after his fleeing figure.

 8 Wolvess Den

    Van crashed through the undergrowth, unheeding of the small scrapes he was accumulating from the branches of the trees that whizzed by him. Behind him, the sound of heavy pants followed.


    Huff. Huff. Van''s lungs worked desperately. His back was drenched with sweat, and his hair matted to his forehead. His dark eyes scanned the mountainside in front of him. Where to run?


    [That damn piece of scrap metal!]


    This moment of indecision cost him, and behind, the wolves drew unbearably close.


    "Ao!" A large, grey wolf barked, and the rest growl-barked in response. They continued forth, aiming straight for Van''s thin back, their loping strides covering distance faster than wind blowing through a forest.


    A twig snapped under the heavy weight of a paw right behind the fleeing boy, and his heart thundered in his ears. He was done for!


    Grim, Van steeled himself, pulling his courage from the pit of his gut, and turned, his bamboo spear in his right hand and his stone dagger in the left. He pointed them threateningly at the advancing jaws of the wolf-pack. He would go down with a fight!


    But what he saw in the next moment was beyond expectation. His eyes popped out of their sockets in shock.


    The wolves, like silver arrows, swerved and passed him by! With nary a second''s pause, they continued on their way as if drawn magnetically to something in the distance.


    Would it be weird, if Van said that he almost felt jilted, at that moment, as the wolves drew further away from him, streaking through the mountain terrain? You were meant to be chasing me!


    Fine. Apparently, his little portion of meat and flesh was not enticing enough to warrant a dozen wolves chasing after him.


    Van thumped himself on the chest, [I might be thin, but this is pure muscle, pure nutrition, I tell you!]


    The ring in his mind gave a little shake. It sounded amused.


    [Even if you were the tastiest morsel of meat they''d ever set their sights on, they still wouldn''t be fussing with you at this moment.]


    [Not under the influence of the Soft Fragrance powder.]


    Jet made another ''het-het'' laugh that was fast becoming a trademark.


    [Did I give you the impression they were chasing after you?]


    Van groaned and pressed his palm to his sweating forehead. He wondered if this was what the rest of his existence would be like, being misled and messed around by a stupid imaginary ring in his head.


    "So, what''s happening, why are they in such a hurry?"


    [The scent we were emitting earlier is something that would only affect male demonic beasts¡­]


    Van blanched. He had an inkling of what Jet was suggesting.


    "You mean," he spluttered, "You set a bunch of desperate, horny wolves on me?!"


    His eyes grew wide, imagining a terrible scene where he was XXXed by a bunch of wolves. There would be nothing left of him afterwards!


    Jet was unimpressed.


    [What, do you think you''re a jade beauty or something? The wolves want a beauty with thick luxuriant fur, big paws, with a vicious temperament. Not a skinny, hairless monkey like you!]


    Van sighed in relief.


    [Don''t lose them boy, quick, run!]


    Against all logic, Van moved forwards. Running after the wolves, he could now see how abnormally excited they were. While wolves normally ran silently through the forest in an attempt to spring a nasty surprise on their prey, these were occasionally growly, and barking loudly in a dog-like manner.


    "Why?" Van started to suspect Jet of being a pervert of the worst kinds.


    The ring said, patiently.


    [Think, Van. Why would we want to know where a bunch of wolves are? You''ve had experience hunting on this mountain, think!]


    Lungs starting to squeeze again, Van tried to think. In all honesty, the areas of the mountain he''d prowled around before, they were all near the base. The most fearsome beast he''d ever actually hunted was a small deer, for heaven''s sake.


    The wolves were running straight to their women¡­ and their dens! Undoubtedly, there would be resources nearby. But, so what?


    "Are we looking for something that the wolves have?" Van tried but was unable to think of what wild wolves might have, that they would want.


    [Yes.]


    [If you look at their leader, at the head of the formation, and a few of the bigger wolves around him¡­they''ve been in contact with spiritual energy. I cannot sense any internal cultivation from them, but the fur all over their bodies is harder, tougher and their vitality much greater than the rest. From this, I suspect they''ve been in contact with something good for body cultivating.]


    "And you want me to take this treasure? Won''t they kill me?"


    [Hmph. Don''t look down on my ability. With that dose of powder, they''ll be preoccupied for at least three days and nights nonstop! They won''t even have the mind to look for food or water!]


    [In the meantime, we will reap the benefits.]


    After half an hour, they neared the wolves'' dens. Van heard them, quite far ahead, yipping and howling excitedly.


    A while later, Van cautiously arrived at the spot where the wolves had run to. Leaving the cover of the forest of trees, he saw a large circular clearing, several hundred metres in diameter. On the other side of the clearing was the mountain''s exposed slope, a crumbly looking grey rock. On the rock wall were dozens of large holes, dug out by the wolves to be their homes.


    Wary of any wolves that might still be outside, Van stilled his breath and dialled his senses as high as possible. Which was a terrible mistake, he soon realised, as he caught the whimpers and vigorous scrabbling noises emitted from the dens. He coloured red from head to toe, and looked down at his feet, not knowing what to do with himself.


    [Keep you eyes on the prize, boy], Jet reminded.


    Van lifted his head, colour still unnaturally red, and carefully walked around the edges of the clearing. He was looking for spiritual treasure but had not a clue what such a thing would look like, or where in this area he should look! On his left was the clearing, a grassy expanse dotted with the occasional fallen log and several large rocks that looked like they''d fractured off the side of the mountain and fallen here. On his right was the forest. In this fashion, he walked for the time it takes for an incense to burn.


    [This is it.]


    Van stopped walking, confusion etched on his young features.


    [Below], Jet instructed.


    Looking down at his feet, Van saw that he had been an inch away from walking into a small pond. He took a smart step back, wary of what hidden danger might lurk within. He''d quite learned his lesson from the strange hole he''d fallen into with the bull, thank you very much.


    The pond was quite nondescript. If Van was on his own, he would not have given it a second glance. Round, and about wide enough to fit ten villagers, standing, it looked like any random watering hole on the mountain. The water was dark, murky.


    [Remember, the expert who invented Thousand Saint Sacrifice, started off by using the force water to temper himself. Element of death, and yet protection and healing, it is most suitable for a mortal body.]


    [If I''m not mistaken, this pool contains the spiritual energy of a descendant of the Xuanwu, a legendary beast from the primordial times, born of snake and turtle. It''s descendant, of very diluted Xuanwu blood, lived in this pond for a very long time and died within.]


    [It is perfect for our purpose here.]

 9 Bald Man Saves the Day

    So, some descendant of a mythical beast had died in this pond?


    Van crouched down and put his hand in the water. At first, it felt like ordinary pond water, but within seconds, a dark, cold energy penetrated his palm. Shocked, he withdrew his hand, which stung with a needle-like pain.


    "I''ll be training in that?"


    [How far you push yourself is up to your willpower and your comprehension.]


    [Those at the peak forge their own way there. Though I can give you cultivation techniques, and advise you, you walk the hero''s path alone.]


    [That is what my creator felt.] With that, Jet concluded his speech, feeling a little exhausted.


    Van contemplated this with solemnity writ in the stance of his body and the set of his jaw.


    If Van had confidence in anything, it was his own willpower. This was coupled by a strong faith in himself ¨C not due to arrogance, but due to a deep-set stubbornness and belief that whatever others could do, he could do too! Whether that would be in a year''s time, or ten years'' time, didn''t matter!


    He had decided to become strong. He had decided to grasp his fate into his own hands. Therefore, he would not be scared off by this puny little pond. He stared it, almost glaring. [You are my stepping stone], he told it firmly in his mind, [You''re the bathwater collecting the dust from my body!]


    In his mind, Jet emitted a weak glow of approval.


    [For some reason I¡­I feel more faint by the second¡­ I think¡­ I think I need to go into deep meditation¡­ for a while. Take care, Van.]


    The ring dimmed.


    "Jet!?"


    There was no response. Van was worried, but tried not to show it. That strange, idiotic, condescending teacher of his was his ticket out of this village. If any of his concern stemmed from a strange, faint feeling of camaraderie had started to form, Van would rather swallow his tongue than admit it.


    __________________________________________________________________________________________________________


    The first time Van attempted to submerge himself fully, he nearly drowned.


    The previous day, he had spent his time around the shallow edges of the pond, acclimatising various parts of his body with the bone-piercing, dark, cold waters. Each time, he endured the pain - like thousands of needles pricking his skin - and by the end of an hour-long session, that body part had become somewhat more resistant. What allowed him to keep enduring, however, was the strange feeling that each pulse of pain was followed by a slight sting of warmth, as if his skin were being forged anew.


    By the time the sun had set, Van went from yanking his hand back in pain from one second of contact with the icy qi within the pond, to being able to endure a full minute. Of course, this was a miraculous speed, and only achievable because he had an expert''s records of cultivation by his side as a guide.


    Naturally, Van''s attitude towards the water became more relaxed. Throwing all caution to the wind, he closed his eyes, and waded into the water in the middle of the pond, where it was deepest. Below his foot, something soft and slimy gave way. He fell, and there was nothing below him.


    Immediately, he knew he had made a terrible mistake that could cost him his life.


    Having your whole body exposed to the dark, icy energy of the pondwater, without the sun''s energy to balance it was a vastly different matter.


    The pond water''s dark iciness seemed to penetrate through his skin and pierce into his muscles and bones. The cold pressure that stabbed into him was relentless. Sharp, it hammered against his fragile skin and muscles and left Van in agonizing pain.


    Underwater, he struggled soundlessly, muscles spasming and mind numb from the excruciating hurt. His body grew heavier, continuously sinking into the deep, dark depths of the pond. The chilling water flowed up into his nose and mouth.


    The outside world had been blocked off, his every heart beat echoed in his ears like a death knell. This one is the last one, each squeeze of his heart said, growing colder and colder.


    His consciousness grew faint, he was suffocating, and accompanying that feeling of suffocation was a terror that uncontrollably arose. He tried to calm himself. Suppressing the fear, he tried to recall the Thousand Saint Sacrifice manual. But like slippery beans, the words were hard to grasp, and jumbled up in his mind.


    Fear swelling again, he was completely unaware of the fast that his legs were instinctively moving, trying to rise out of the water. But he was now too far from the surface.


    [Think, Van, think!]


    It was no use, the only thing that stuck in his brain was how the crazy creator was bedridden for half a year trying to comprehend his method under a waterfall¡­ and those stupid shitty drawings of that bald, naked man.


    But maybe¡­?


    Van, out of ideas, pushed himself to the limit, and moved his limbs into the same pose as the first crudely drawn figure. One hand in a prayer position in front of his chest, and the other hand in a lotus position, resting on his knee.


    Suddenly, everything seemed more manageable. The water less cold. His mind became sharper, and he suddenly noticed something he had been too panicked too see before!


    In this pose, he could sense the strands of qi within the water. Like sparks of black lightning, they buzzed, suspended within the water. The strands nearest him would attack, resulting in his crippling pain. However, he could now see that ¨C although it seemed that they were piercing to his bones, in fact, they weren''t even penetrating the skin! The qi attacks reflected off the thinnest, topmost layer of his dermis and back into the water.


    But what was the core of the Thousand Saint Technique? Pain follows the qi, qi follows the pain!


    He felt the pain deep into his bones, but the qi was just reflecting of the topmost layer of skin! A feeling of enlightenment sparked through Van. He grew excited. Clenching down on his mental state, he carefully extended his senses throughout his whole body. Consciously, he relaxed his pores.


    Recalling, the feeling of moving spiritual energy towards him, he pulled at the dense, icy qi.


    Znnn!


    Like tiny sharks, the tiny threads of spiritual energy around him aligned and attacked with speed. However, now that Van had been exposed to the pain, he was unafraid. What he was afraid of was the chilling numbness, the suffocation. Now that he vaguely had an idea of what was going on, he had the courage to survive!


    The qi struck his skin, but unlike previous times, it didn''t stop there. With determination, Van pulled the strands of energy into him. His control weak, the experiment failed, and the chilling energy bounced back of his body, leaving only the painful soul-freezing feeling Van detested.


    Not accepting this result, Van repeated the process.


    Znnn!


    This time, Van timed it so that his pores opened the moment the black qi struck. Success! He felt with excitement as a few strands of black lightning sank into his skin, following the pain, about half a millimetre in. He watched with fascination as the qi tried to escape but was trapped. It bounced about wildly, giving off metallic pinging noises as it did so. Eventually, the qi strand wore down to nothing and dissipated into his flesh, suffusing him with a faint warmth.


    He distinctly felt his flesh regain vitality.


    So this is tempering the body!


    Van''s eyes gleamed.


    Although it seemed like a long time had passed, in fact, the time it took for the spiritual power to penetrate that half-millimetre into his skin, and for Van to use it to temper his flesh, all happened in less than an instant.


    Van repeated the process several times, allowing a few more strands of energy to permeate that first layer of skin and temper it. Warmth was starting to return to his body.


    Knowing his limits, Van did not linger, and pushed his way back to the surface of the water.


    Collapsing onto the moss on the side of the pond, his gasping breaths causing his sides to heave up and down like a horse that had run a marathon, a wide grin split his face from side to side.


    "HAHAHAHA!"


    Was what he wanted to shout victoriously.


    But what really came out was a weak, choking "H..hh..h¡­"


    He continued to lay there, panting, on the side of the pond like a struggling fish. But Van was beyond gleeful ¨C he was euphoric! He could distinctly feel that his flesh brimmed with the vitality of dragons and tigers, and that the cells in his skin had somehow intrinsically become stronger. Van was filled for a vast new respect for the obsessed bald man who created the Thousand Saint Sacrifice method. He was surely a masochist to the extreme, but the method yielded clear results!


    When Van finally recovered his breath and some semblance of sanity, he felt his stomach rumble in hunger. Stumbling over to his rucksack, leg muscles feeling a bit tender, he pulled the pinecone out of his rucksack.


    Prying open it open, he extracted over a dozen finger-nail sized pine nuts and devoured them. Suddenly, his face changed.


    Newly sensitive to spiritual energy, he could feel a soft, thrumming power release from the pine nuts as he digested them. This was good stuff! The qi was gentle and warm, too faint to be useful in cultivation, but had a nourishing effect. He felt as if his insides had been slightly purified, and the microscopic tears in his skin began to heal at a faster rate.


    The Heavens were taking pity on him!


    Grinning, Van picked up the sheaf of papers and found the yellowed page with the crude, ugly drawings of the bald man cultivating the Thousand Saint Sacrifice technique. He was tempted to give it a great, big slobbery kiss, but wondered if that would be greatly disrespectful to an ancestor and controlled his urge. Instead, he placed the image of the bald man face up on the grass and knelt down.


    Hands together in front of his head, he bowed his head until his forehead reached the ground.


    Then, in a flash, he was up again, and thanks to the pine nuts, raring to go for a second round!


    "You may have been a maniac, but your technique is pretty effective!" Van gave some sincere praise from the bottom of his heart and went straight back into the pond of water.


    If one were watching closely the expression of the crudely drawn bald man laying on the bank of the pond, they would have felt that it was a bit dark and brooding.


    [Calling me a maniac!] The three lines of ink that made up his features seemed to say.


    [Just take a good look at yourself, brat!]

 10 Treasure

    Five masked figures descended from the sky.


    Without a sound, they landed upon a wide, dirt track used for hauling carts between villages. Far off in the distance, towards their right, several small villages dotted the otherwise plain grassy slopes. On the left was the hulking mass of the mountain they were here to search.


    They had flown in an arrow-head formation, with one man leading at the front and two people flanking him on each side. While the others wore plain silver masks that covered their entire face and hid all their features, the man at the arrow-tip wore a mask that exposed his chin.


    It was a gleaming silver and embedded on the forehead was a black crystal that emitted a strong spiritual power.


    The Division Leader, Silver Sign, turned to his subordinates and barked out an order, his demeanour imposing.


    "Silver Marks Two to Four, you will follow me to Mount Steady, One, you will head to the villages nearby and ensure nothing escapes our attention! Understood?"


    "Yes, sir!"


    The formation split, four robed figures veering off towards the mountain and one zooming towards the villages to the west.


    ________________


    Van emerged from the pond, steam rising off him in billowing waves. It was the last day before the effect of the Soft Fragrance powder would wear off, and he was making the most of it.


    He was able to and deeper and deeper in the water, and for longer periods of time. Somehow, instinctively he felt that he would be able to reach a new level once he reached the bottom of the pond.


    Hu!


    He breathed in and punched out.


    Pak!


    A fist-sized indentation appeared in the solid wood of the tree before him. His fist was completely unharmed.


    Van grinned but drew his fist back again.


    PAKK!


    This time, a hole formed in the wood. It penetrated to about halfway through the thick trunk of the tree. Van''s fist stung. When he inspected it, his skin was red and tender-looking. But over the past day or so, Van had started to grasp the essence of the Thousand Saint Sacrifice method.


    The qi seemed to follow the same pathways as the pain did, and the more pain he was in, the better the effect! This applied to whether he was absorbing qi into his flesh or utilising his bodily cultivation! The only limit to his strength was how far he could push himself.


    Quickly chewing a few pinecones, he flipped through the Thousand Saint Sacrifice manual. Several images of the bald man sitting down in a meditative pose could be seen. Van had already memorised these but had yet to try any out beyond the first one. He kept flipping, and eventually saw another type of crude sketch. This time, the man was in various fighting stances, a fierce expression on his face.


    Heartbreak Palm, Van was able to read from the chicken-scratch handwriting. Immediately, he became excited at the thought of having a move. However, he was not an idiot. This miraculous pond would only be freely available to him for one more day, and after that the area would be under the guard of tens of vicious wolves. He knew his priorities.


    Calming himself, he returned to the meditative stances and memorised the second one.


    With barely a change in his expression, he leapt into the pond and sank down.


    1 metre


    2 metres


    3 metres


    At 4 metres, Van moved his limbs into the second meditative stance. The buzzing qi around him, in a much larger radius than before, spun and turned towards him. At a much superior density and speed, they struck viciously. Their bloodthirstiness made their behaviour under the first meditative stance seem like little puppies running up to give him licks!


    Brows deeply furrowed, Van readied himself for their impact. Unerring in their accuracy, they pierced his skin. Instantly, they penetrated over two millimetres into his flesh, over four times deeper than he was able to achieve with the first stance!


    Van gritted his teeth as the cold energy bounced around violently under his skin. Much more vigorous, and much more painful. When it finally absorbed into his flesh, the effect of the tempering was much better too!


    He was only able to repeat this one more time before the level of qi in the water grew to levels he could not endure.At 7 metres depth, he released his meditative position and swam back up to surface.


    Two hours later, he was able to last until the 9th metre, but the day was quickly ending, and he had still yet to reach the bottom!


    Van stared at the dark waters. He was convinced that such a mysterious pond had to have some good things within it, and surely, they would be at the bottom!


    Gritting his teeth, he came to a decision.


    This time, upon reaching the 7th metre, he resolutely changed into the third stance. Like spears, the dark qi within the water rushed towards him, as if sighting an enemy they would fight to death. Face pale, Van opened his pores and prepared for the pain. The spears of qi slammed into him, penetrating a full four millimetres into his flesh. Van shook silently. If he was above ground, one would see sweat drenching his forehead. A moment later, it was over, and Van felt as if his muscles would collapse at moment.


    Upon reaching dry ground, Van fell into a heap and dry heaved, his guts roiling. For ten minutes, he lay there. Eventually, he felt better, and sat up. After the nausea passed, Van swallowed down the nuts from the last remaining pinecone and inspected himself.


    The training in the pond had visible results. Although he''d had muscle before, from his scavenging around the mountainside, his faster growth in the last year had left him looking a bit thin and stretched upwards. Within the group of boys his age in his village, he was not particularly tall, but about average height.


    Now, his muscles looked a bit firmer, his frame slightly more filled out. His skin was no longer dull but brightened with a faint inner glow that gave him a vigorous, spirited aura. Though he couldn''t see it, his medium-length black hair had grown shinier and thicker.


    Van was satisfied with his improvement, but unsatisfied with his results in the pond. The bottom was no where in sight, after all.


    He returned to the pond''s depths. Over four hours later, after the sun had set, he had reached a depth of 11 metres with the fourth meditative stance. When he reached the twelfth, he finally spied a faint round object deep below in the gloom.


    So, there was something there!


    Unfortunately, the qi at the last few metres of the pond were much stronger, and even though the toughness of his flesh had greatly increased, especially after the use of the fourth stance, Van was only able to sink another half a metre beyond the 11th metre mark before he had to return the surface.


    However, now that he knew that there was something down below, and that he was only a few metres off the bottom of the pond, Van was reinvigorated.


    Pulling out the Red Pinion bird as a reward for himself, he unwrapped its carcass and roasted it over a campfire he made using his fire-starting stone. It''s flesh was soft and juicy, and spiritual energy overflowing. Unlike the pine nuts, its spiritual energy was in a greater concentration and was less gentle, but no less easy to absorb.


    He felt much reinvigorated afterwards and went to throw away the bones. As he did, a small object fell out. Picking it up, he saw it was a crystal about the size of his thumb nail. It emitted a strong buzz of qi, but with a slightly animalistic edge. Van had no clue what it was but put it away.


    He continued through the night, reaching the 13th metre at the break of dawn.


    By now, the object was just beyond his reach. If he could descend just two metres further, he could reach out and grab it with one hand! However, no matter how hard he tried he was unable to progress further down below the 13th metre mark. He was also hesitant to progress to the fifth meditation pose, as switching to the fourth last time had left him wrecked. He was still unused to the torrent of attacking energy after many hours in the fourth stance, as the increasing depth increased the pain just as fast as his flesh could toughen.


    However, he had no choice. The sun had risen, and any moment the wolves would come out of their dens.


    Jumping in once again, he descended to the 13th metre and switched to the fifth pose. Immediately, a sense of danger filled his being. As if sentient, the qi in the water started to swirl around him, gathering inwards in an immense whirlpool of water. Just this physical whirlpool was enough to threaten Van''s pose. The boy shuddered underneath the buffeting of the water, he knew if he lost the fifth stance he would be pulverised by the water alone, let alone the spiritual power. Filled with the sense of peril, Van locked his muscles into position and braced himself for the tornado of icy qi. Like a roaring dragon, the qi leapt for him, and thundered into his body. Immediately, the spiritual energy easily penetrated ten millimetres into his skin. For body cultivation''s sake, this was a good thing, but at this moment, the sheer amount of energy and the depth at which it was going was a threat to Van''s life. Like a beast come to life, the spiritual power thundered below his skin, going on a mad rampage in his flesh.


    Van''s veins bulged out, stark against his skin. Blood leaked out of his nose, ears and eyes.


    He couldn''t last long.


    Without his coercion, the spiritual power coiled around him again and slammed into him. This time, one of his palms got knocked out of position. The repercussions were severe, Van''s veins swelled and turned black, his muscles bulged out, as if about to burst from his skin.


    Struggling, he regained his position. This lessened the effect of the qi, but it was still unbearable. Like this, Van lasted two more attacks.


    But it was enough.


    He had breached the 14th metre!


    Steeling himself, he broke from the meditative pose and reached down below him. Like an ancient predatory beast, all the remaining qi in the pond gathered and rushed towards him.


    His hand touched the object.

 11 Top Dog

    The moment he grasped it tightly in his chilled hands, with a sucking noise, the spiritual energy in the pond was channelled into the item in his hands.


    Instantly, the water calmed.


    Van kicked his way upwards.


    Above water, he inspected the object in his hands.


    Under the morning sun, it was a small, lustrous green turtle shell criss-crossed with gold veins. It was completely empty.


    Despite now containing all the energy in the pond, the turtle shell lay docilely in his hands. The dark, icy qi roamed across the surface but did not react to Van''s touch. Faintly, Van could sense that the shell accepted his aura.


    As he watched, it started to become translucent. Then, it completely disappeared.


    Van felt rather than saw small green turtle shell now appear in his mindscape, floating just below the ring.


    It seemed harmless enough.


    It wasn''t like he could do anything about it though, he couldn''t reach into his mind and just pull something out, that was absurd. If Jet was awake, it would have shaken its body disapprovingly and wished it could smack the boy upside on the head [Stop thinking like a mortal!].


    In the distance, something thin and ragged stumbled out into the clearing.


    Van looked up, alarmed.


    A skinny wolf, dehydrated and starving from three days no food or water and plenty of exercise, gave a piteous groan and collapsed, muzzle-first, into the dirt.


    The young man watched with amusement as several others wobbled out of their dens and slumped onto the grass, weak and exhausted.


    That amusement quickly turned into alarm when a large figure flew out of the biggest den and leapt straight for his throat!


    F***!


    A massive, snarling wolf pinned him to the ground. It raised an enormous paw and slashed at Van.


    Adrenaline coursing through him, Van reacted quickly by flinging himself to the side.


    The paw crashed down onto the ground next to him.


    Clumps of grass and dirt went flying.


    Picking himself up, he dashed forward and slammed a fist into the wolf''s side.


    Hard fur rippled outwards from the centre of impact, but there was no damage.


    Van''s expression turned grim, this wolf must have bathed in the pond its whole life!


    The wolf was similarly shocked, no human had ever been able to land a blow on it before! It snarled and returned the blow, claws extended.


    Van ducked, but too slowly, and the sharp claws raked over his back. His tunic was immediately shredded, and bits of it went flying across the clearing.


    The wolf snarled in victory, but it was short-lived.


    Van''s back, now exposed, was unharmed, with only four pink lines to indicate where the wolf had clipped him. There was a dull, radiating pain, but the skin had not broken.


    Van grinned.


    Taking advantage of the wolf''s shock, Van ran forwards while channelling his fleshly power. His next punch hit the wolf with great momentum and force.


    This time, the wolf shuddered and had to take an unwilling step back.Van''s fist was burning, but he continued to relentlessly pummel the wolf and press his advantage.


    Slowly, Van was able to control the flow of battle!


    Each of his fists hit the wolf with greater force than a skinny human boy should have been able to produce.


    The Wolf King was astonished. As the strongest member of the pack, and with the greatest achievements in the pond, it had a greater vitality and body mass compared to the other wolves. After three days and three nights of relentless activity, it was worn and tired, but much better off than the others.


    Knowing clearly that they had been set up by the human boy, the Wolf King had run out at first chance to take its revenge.


    Now it felt as if it had bitten into a soft, fragrant meat bun and found that it was stale and rock hard!


    But the Wolf King was not worried, earlier it had only given a casual swipe of its paws, convinced the boy wouldn''t last a second. It was surprised that the boy could be unharmed, but not to the point of being afraid.


    Growing over its shock, it started to retaliate. Changing its rhythm abruptly, it lunged for Van with its open jaw, snarling and flinging saliva everywhere. Sharp teeth, like swords, descended upon Van.


    Similarly, Van was also not afraid. Opening his pores further, and clearing his heart, he channelled the power of his flesh and rammed another fist into the Wolf King''s jaw.


    BAAAMM!


    ________________


    Silver Mark Two, on stand by near the rim of the hole, twitched as she heard a struggle drifting on the wind. The accompanying spiritual flux was very weak, but the fact that there were beasts still fighting on this mountain was odd.


    This was because during their whole journey to the top of the mountain their surroundings were eerily quiet.


    The beasts on the mountain were on the low, avoiding conflict until the situation on the mountain stabilised.


    Obviously, whatever happened three days ago had shocked them into cautiousness. They did not dare to fight or make noise, lest they trigger another event.


    Deciding it was worth investigating, she nodded to Mark Three and flashed away, leaving him to guard the rim on his own, while the Division Leader and Mark Four descended further downwards to investigate the hole.


    _________________________________________________________________________________


    The Wolf King''s jaw was knocked to the side from the impact. Its eyes widened comically.


    It was shocked! Shocked and unwilling!


    How could a human boy have this strength?


    Van rubbed his fist, which was showing signs of the pain he was inflicting himself and his opponent using the Thousand Saints Sacrifice method. The skin on the knuckles had split. His finger joints were purple and swollen.


    Van pressed on. Pulling back his fist again, he aimed for the Wolf King''s exposed throat!


    The Wolf King instinctively shrunk its neck, narrowly avoiding Van''s powerful hit.


    Caught off guard, Van stumbled forwards. The Wolf King''s eyes sharpened, and with speed it bit down on Van''s extended arm. Its sword-like teeth lodged into the boy''s arm but were unable to piece past the first few millimetres. It chomped down harder and was only able to sink another millimetre in.


    But now Van had the perfect angle. With his left arm, he gathered as much power as he could and slammed his fist into the space between the Wolf King''s brows.


    BAMM!!


    The Wolf King frantically dislodged its teeth but was dizzy from the blow.


    BAMM!!


    Van was unforgiving and relentless. Every hit caused his bones to groan and creak in protest, but there was a fierce, daring determination in his eyes.


    Again.


    BAMM!!


    Again.


    BBAAMM!!!


    His last fist, channelling the essence of the Thousand Saint Sacrifice method, opened a massive crack in the Wolf King''s skull!


    The Wolf King, shocked and unwilling, perished!


    Van''s left arm fell to his side.


    It dangled numbly. Van was sure that it was broken, but he was thrumming with adrenaline, and could barely feel the pain.


    He had won!


    Won over a massive wolf, over twice his size!


    The emaciated wolves, collapsed all around the clearing, were shocked and couldn''t believe their eyes! Their leader, strongest of all the wolves, had been killed just like that! If they hadn''t truly been to weak and drained to stand up, they would have gathered together to tear this human boy to shreds. Unfortunately, they were genuinely unable to even stand, and so could only watch tearfully.


    However, wolves were the type of animal which valued strength and hierarchies the most.


    Now that their leader had been defeated, they were at a loss. On their side, there was no one who even came close to their ex-leader''s strength. Did that mean¡­? But to take a human boy as their King was too humiliating!


    They had regained some strength now but shut their eyes and pretended to be dead. Hopefully this deity of death would go away soon.


    There was no such luck.


    Van, humming from victory, ignored the pain in his arms and channelled more fleshly power cut into the Wolf King''s fur with his bone knife. Slowly, he peeled off the fur.


    Slice.


    Slice.


    Sliiiiiceee.


    The fake-dead wolves trembled in fear. What was this? We get it, you are the leader, you are the leader! Do not threaten us like this! Unfortunately, these follower-wolves did not have hearts of steel, and hearing the ending of their glorious King, some quickly caved.


    Slice.


    SLIIICEE!


    Van was peeling off the pelt on the Wolf King''s backside when the first skinny wolf cautiously came up to him. It rested its wet nose on his palm and it blinked upwards at him, pretending to be cute.


    Van was amused. He had not stopped skinning the Wolf King, despite its approach, because he was genuinely not afraid of the wolves at this point. They were so dehydrated and weak from their three days of fun that there was not a chance in Hell that they could pull a fast one him.


    [Traitor!]


    There was an outcry from the playing-dead wolves.


    Van amusedly patted the wolf''s snout and continued his work. The wolf triumphantly returned to its brethren, nose up high in the air, proud of itself and disdainful of the wolves that were crying traitor. Did they even want to live?


    Seeing his warm reception of that first wolf, the other ''dead'' wolves changed their minds. Slowly, more and more of them gathered around Van, wagging their tails as if they were pups instead of full grown, giant wolves. Following the first one, some acted cute, rolling around, displaying their pure-white, fluffy bellies, and whining softly.


    One lay its head in his lap.


    Gently, he pushed its head aside, focused on skinning the Wolf King.


    It was precisely this type of unbelievable scene that Silver Mark Two stumbled upon.

 12 Grandly, Like a King

    When Mark Two arrived at the clearing, she had to rub her eyes to make sure she was not hallucinating. It was the type of scene that made one''s jaws drop ¨C she hadn''t stumbled into some idiotic scholar''s fantasy novel, the type of tripe that was popular in the capital city, right? This was real life, right?


    Then why were dozens of giant wolves rubbing themselves on one young boy, acting cute and wagging their tales? As said boy was skinning an even larger wolf, she might add!


    She approached, giving a small cough as warning.


    Instantaneously, the wolves turned deadly serious. Ears pinned back against their skulls, they turned their ferocity full-throttle.


    Mark Two smiled. She was not even the slightest bit intimidated. With a cultivation of the second level of Sea Establishment, she would flatten them with a sweep of her palm.


    Inspecting the child, she noticed his aura of vitality first. He had dark eyes, slightly tanned skin and dark shiny hair, and for some reason, was shirtless. He had noticed her as soon as she landed in the clearing, which was not shabby for a mortal.


    "Young man," she said sharply, "what are you doing on this mountain? Do you not know that something dangerous has happened here recently?"


    The young man tilted his head, looking confused, "What happened?"


    She rolled her eyes behind her mask, "The mountain shook, and crows circled the peak for days, you must have noticed."


    Patience, she said to herself, he might have some clue of what happened here.


    His expression cleared.


    "Ah, that."


    He did not speak again, head down and skinning the wolf at his feet. Silence ensued. The wolves around him glared at her.


    She frowned but was too curious to resist.


    "Why did you kill this wolf?"


    He paused.


    "Fight to the death." He mumbled later.


    Mark Two thought this was rather obvious. But he was not forthcoming with more information. He was probably unused to speaking to humans, she thought to herself, raised by the wolves or some such.


    "Did you grow up on this mountain?" She probed.


    He nodded his head, locks of hair concealing his face.


    Inspecting him further, she found something incredibly suspicious.How was he able to kill this wolf? It was clearly larger than the rest, and its fur looked tougher than normal too! How was an ordinary boy able to kill that?


    Her expression changed, and her hand crept towards her weapon. Perhaps he was a hidden disciple of some sect, and they were involved with this matter!


    "How did you kill this wolf," she said through her teeth, "and don''t lie boy, or I will slit your throat right here."


    The boy''s dark eyes watched her warily.


    Mark Two touched her weapon.


    He pointed to something in the distance.


    Turning, she looked far into the distance and saw a small watering hole.She moved towards it and was able to sense an aura of an ancient beast. She could not identify the exact beast but knew that it was powerful. Unfortunately, the aura was way too weak. She dipped her hand into the water and felt the unnatural chill, but there was barely any spiritual energy within. She sighed, she had almost found a treasure.


    But it did explain why the boy''s body was full of vitality. Perhaps he had bathed in this pond all his life, then, some of the power would slowly assimilate into his body. At this weak level of spiritual energy, this was probably the most powerful his fleshly body could get.


    Having constructed this whole story in her head, she was satisfied. Her hand fell away from her weapon.


    "I would advise you do not linger around here, boy. Lest the next disaster catch you."


    She flashed away.


    Mark Two did not remotely suspect him of anything at all.


    Despite his vital aura, she could tell that he had not cultivated spiritual energy. Adding to that, his meridians seemed slightly stretched out and thin ¨C he might never be able to cultivate.


    He couldn''t be the reason the flame-aura had been released either, as he would have been blasted into bits if he had been near during the event. She reasoned that this would also be why it was highly doubtful he had any useful information.


    How wrong she was.


    Mark Two arrived by Mark Three''s side and nodded to him in greeting.


    They remained in watchful silence over the mysterious hole.


    _________________________________________________________________________________


    Despite his relaxed skinning of the wolf, Van knew immediately when someone intruded on the clearing.


    Immediately, his hackles were raised ¨C anyone who could arrive so silently and skilfully was a threat until they proved themselves friendly.


    The person watched silently for a few moments before stepping forth and coughing lightly.


    A masked, blue-robed figure was revealed.


    The gleaming silver mask was striking, and slightly sinister due to the crescent-like slits left for the eyes to see through. They walked forwards with an arrogant confidence.


    They spoke, revealing them to be a woman.


    "Young man," the lady said, with a demanding tone of voice, "what are you doing on this mountain? Do you not know that something dangerous has happened here recently?"


    Van, who was already wary, immediately put a strike next to this masked-lady''s name. Although he was curious to know for what reason she was here, he had a feeling it was to do with the ring and the lotus in that strange hole in the ground.


    The ring was now on him, so Van was going to feign ignorance all the way.


    The best way to do that, he reckoned, was to emulate that dumb, idiot neighbour he had when he was five. The one who he threw mud pies to get a rise out of because he was so damn tight-lipped and expressionless.


    Keeping his face locked in a dumb, vaguely listening expression, he responded curtly.


    He could see her growing frustration, but from her approach so far, could tell she had no intention of harming him.


    That was, until she placed her hand on the weapon at her waist, then Van was forced to listen to what she was saying.


    "How did you kill this wolf," the lady gritted out, "and don''t lie boy, or I will slit your throat right here."


    Thinking quickly, Van decided to be half-truthful, and pointed in the direction of the pond.


    With a huff, the silver-masked lady stalked over to the pond and dipped her hand in it.


    Van felt very lucky. He had pulled the green turtle shell out of the pond, which had absorbed much of the qi, leaving just faint traces of what was originally there.


    The turtle shell was now in his mind, and he knew that she couldn''t see into it, otherwise she would have discovered the Jet as well!


    As expected, she discovered that the pool, despite carrying traces of ancient aura, was much too low in energy to be useful.


    From her silence, Van was somehow able to feel that she was constructing little stories in her head about how he had been able to kill a wolf three times his size. He stayed silent, encouraging the wild tales she must have been making in her mind. He didn''t even need to speak.


    At last she spoke.


    "I would advise you do not linger around here, boy. Lest the next disaster catch you."


    In leaps that took her metres away at a time, she disappeared from his sight.


    The wolves relaxed.


    "Fat lot of use you lot are," he said to the wolves, "I sensed her first!"


    The wolves, who had returned to acting cute and dumb, whined. In all fairness, their senses had dulled to nothing due to their gnawing hunger, thirst and eagerness to act like puppies to earn his favour.


    Understanding their ingratiating behaviour, Van waved them off. But as he did, a spark went off in his brain and Van grinned.


    "Go, go hunt some food, rest and regain your strength. Tomorrow, you lot will be plucking herbs for me!"


    _________________________________________________________________________________


    Van''s fourth day in a row living on the mountain was his most relaxed yet.


    Comfortably lying on his back and eating a roasted peafowl leg that his wolf subordinates had offered him in the morning, he directed them to do this or that and go here and there to fetch this thing or that thing.


    Not even three hours later, four groups of wolves had returned with the bamboo baskets Van had made that morning, filled to the brim with Iron Grasses and Mooncap Mushrooms.


    Van was immensely cheered. Imagine, just a few days ago, Van was running around like a headless chicken in a panic looking for these things and getting mocked by a measly Red Pinion bird and chased down by a massive black bull!


    Now he had wolf-subordinates to do these things for him.


    Giving them all affectionate scratches on the ears and chin, he praised them up and down.


    He looked at the herbs within the basket.


    They were slightly gross due to wolf-saliva, and not plucked very well because they were literally just pulled out with teeth, but they were mostly whole, and very healthy-looking. Probably because they were taken from areas where humans rarely intruded upon and had time to grow big and strong.


    Hm?


    Van spied a few bunches of Iron Grass that seemed different from the rest. Larger, and with a serrated edge, they also gave off a slightly spiritual aura.


    He plucked them out decisively and shoved them in his rucksack.


    Van whistled, and a wolf emerged from the pack. With a black patch of fur on his chest, this was the good-for-nothing wolf that had approached him first yesterday, pressing his nose into Van''s palm.


    Fittingly, Van named him "Blackheart," for his traitorous, cowardly ways - and proceeded to use him as his second-in-command.


    "I will ride you down the mountain," Van declared grandly.


    With the ex-Top Dog''s pelt on his shoulders and sitting on top of a large silver wolf twice his height, Van descended the mountain, as if a king.


    He was followed by a parade of four dozen menacing wolves. The mountain watched in wary silence.


    He was returning to the village!

 13 That Boy is Back

    Sweat dripped off Ryan''s brow. Trembling, his hands gripped the wooden sword held before him. His sweaty palms slipped off the hilt. Full of fear and panic, he could see nothing around him.


    A heavy force hit his side. He was sent flying to the ground. His face burned with humiliation and shame.


    Quickly, he scrambled to regain his feet.


    "Pathetic."


    Blade, wide as a mountain, strong as an ox, the strongest huntsman in these parts, stood before him, wooden sword pointing at his son''s fallen form.


    "You will not leave the yard until you perfect this.Do you understand, boy?"


    Ryan, heat burning behind his grey eyes and a stone lodged in his throat, nodded jerkily.


    "I said, DO YOU UNDERSTAND!?"


    "YES, SIR!"


    He did not even last three moves before, like a sack of flour, he was again thrown to the ground.


    "Useless," his father spat, "Useless!"


    "I thought you wanted to become strong?"


    "I thought you wanted to bring glory to this family?"


    "When I was your age, I was killing bears three times my size! What have you done, hmm? Wandering around with your little followers thinking your something! They wouldn''t be hanging around you if you weren''t my son!"


    Ryan ducked his head, unable to speak.


    He knew these things!


    He knew!


    But!


    He just couldn''t stand her, that stupid little girl everyone liked, and he hated Van to the bones! He envied! He hated! Oh, how he hated! What he hated the most ¨C was himself!


    Through foggy eyes, Ryan saw his trembling arms. Gritting his teeth, he raised the wooden sword.


    The door opened - it was his mother. Hands dusted with flour, eyes cold and hard on Ryan, as if disappointed in his weakness, she spoke indifferently to his father:


    "That boy is back."


    Blade''s face changed. With a clang, his sword fell to the ground.


    [Impossible!]


    Ryan saw the look on his father''s face.


    His heart, like a stone-cold rock, fell to the pit of his stomach.


    _________________________________________________________________________________


    Maya thought Finn had some sixth sense when it came to her brother.


    Having been forlorn and wistful the past three days, Finn had spoken less and less to her whenever she was braiding her hair. Maya, who wasn''t really the extremely talkative sort enjoyed her days hanging around the younger girl anyway.


    Finn had taken to wandering around the little stream by the village, like a lost dandelion in the wind. While Maya sewed, she kept a watchful eye on her and made sure she never strayed too far in the waters. Finn liked to play with the colourful pebbles in the stream. Occasionally, she talked to them, as if they could understand her.


    Being ten now, Maya had a good four-five summers on Finn and had outgrown that kind of overly imaginative play.


    But today, Finn seemed a little more intense than usual. She gestured to the rocks and giggled and clapped. Suddenly, golden hair flying, she leaped up. Short little legs pumping as fast as she could, Finn ran towards Maya.


    "MY BROTHER''S BACK!" she screamed, eyes shiny. Her cheeks were apple-red from the exertion.


    Maya was doubtful.


    "But how do you know?"


    Finn grinned, showing her tiny, pearly white teeth.


    "Not tellin''!"


    While Maya wasn''t looking, Finn quickly hid something in her sleeve. Cutely, she sidled up to the bigger girl and looked up at her with shiny eyes.


    "Let''s go!" Impatiently she hopped up and down, pulling at Maya''s sleeve in excitement.


    The older girl nodded reluctantly.


    _________________________________________________________________________________


    The village was congregated at the square, where a young boy sat upon a giant wolf and was feeding it from his palms.


    At least twice the height of the boy, the wolf had a feral aura and a black patch on its chest. It was docile beneath Van''s touch and gave him dog-like licks whenever it was fed.


    The villagers were incredulous, rubbing their eyes. What kind of scene was this? Was that boy with the heroic aura, riding on the wolf¡­ Van? It couldn''t be, right?


    The son of the adulterous couple? Five years ago, they''d come to the village with two kids that were obviously unrelated, and then dumped them in Mountain Village! Everyone in the village knew the true story ¨C that cheating woman and man had an affair while they were married with children and dumped their children in this village so that they could go off and make their own family without baggage! And they depended on the villages'' charity and food to survive!


    The son raised by one of those shameless, disgusting people were sure to be no good.


    The only thing that slightly redeemed him was that he had an obedient, cute little sister. Having been only months old when she was abandoned in the village and was not corrupted by her parents loose morals - the villagers had pretty much raised her themselves.Van, on the other hand, always looked sullen and moody. Early on, when some sympathetic aunties had tried to help him, he''d look at them belligerently ¨C even the kindest heart would turn to stone when met with that face. An ungrateful brat.


    But now, that boy had come back riding a giant wolf like a heroic general in the stories!


    The adults were shocked, but the children in the village felt as if their world had been tipped upside down and violently shaken.


    What was going on?!?


    Ryan''s followers stared at each other and then back at Van astride the fearsome wolf. To think that that was the same boy they had been beating up just three days ago! If they even dared to approach now, the wolf was sure to tear off their heads with one bite!


    Maya, who''d just run into the square with Finn, stopped in her tracks. She was stunned.


    How did that lightly smiling boy atop the wolf even remotely like her impression of Finn''s brother? In her mind, Van was a thin, dour boy who always seemed to have something weighing on his mind. As such, he never smiled or joked around with the other children, save for when he was with Finn. But then again, the other children gave him the widest berth possible. His enmity with Ryan probably just made it worse.


    As she watched, he spilled some more bean-looking things into his palm. The black-patched wolf slobbered over his hand as it gulped the bean-things down. Then it wagged its tail and pressed its great big head against his hand. Van chuckled. Below their feet were dozens of bamboo baskets filled with grasses and mushrooms.


    She opened her eyes wide and took the sight of him in. He looked different. Somehow, fuller of life, with a feeling of fierceness between his stern brows. She began to feel a sliver of admiration.


    How cool was it to tame and ride a giant wolf? Its fur was silver and looked like it would be silky smooth to touch. Surely, Van would let her pet it? Look how cute its ears were, and its fluffy tail!


    Maya was, after all, a young girl of ten, and this was the most exciting thing she''d seen in her life!


    She took another peek at Van''s radiant grin.


    As Finn ran forth, she followed quietly, uncomplaining.


    "Brother!"


    Finn yelled surprisingly loudly for her tiny body. Golden hair a mess around her face, she doggedly swerved the crowds. With nary a second thought for the giant silver wolf, she made a flying leap for her brother.


    She only made it part way up. Like a starfish, she stuck to the big wolf''s fluffy side. She smashed her face into its fur, clearly delighted, and rubbed it all around. Surprisingly, neither she nor Blackheart were perturbed at all by each other''s existence.


    Van lifted her up onto the giant wolf''s back. She giggled, burrowing into Van''s embrace. Happily, she patted the wolf.


    "Good woof!"


    Blackheart''s face turned blacker than his heart.


    [Woof!!??]


    [WOLF!!!]


    Van laughed.


    _________________________________________________________________________________


    Blade thought he was dreaming. He tried pinching himself, but only left a big red welt on his arm.


    He was walking ¨C almost running ¨C towards the village square, still in shock and disbelief.


    [None of this makes sense!]


    Suddenly, a figure descended from the sky.


    A chill ran up Blade''s back. His self-preservation instincts screamed, and in an instant, he had drawn his spear.


    In front of him, a tall thin figure wearing an imposing silver mask laughed.


    "That won''t work on me, hunter."


    A blue light flashed.


    Blade''s spear ¨C his life-long companion ¨C clattered to the ground.


    The masked man in front of him casually withdrew his hand.


    Blade''s expression blanched. He kneeled without hesitation.


    Sweating, Blade pressed his forehead to the ground.


    "Sir Immortal! Please, do not take offense!"


    The man chuckled, true thoughts undecipherable from behind the two crescent slits.


    "Relax, hunter. If you comply with all my demands, no one will get hurt."


    Blade did not relax. He hit his forehead on the ground a few more times and did not try to get up. He stayed in that position for at least five minutes. The masked man was amused.


    "You may rise."


    Blade did.


    "I am here to inspect your village. You will assemble all the villagers."


    A pause.


    "How many people have exited or entered the village within the last week?"


    Blade felt a drop of sweat trickle down the nape of his neck. The hunter had no idea why an immortal would be interested his tiny village.


    "All the hunters enter and exit the village daily. We go to the forest and mostly kill deer and fowl¡­ and some boys have been traveling with us to forage for foodstuffs."


    The knot between Blade''s brows cleared.


    "But there has been someone¡­"

 14 Silver Mark One

    Van swung off Blackheart''s back as the Village Chief approached.


    The scarred man was not excessively cautious, but neither was he completely dismissive. Staring Blackheart in the eye, he walked towards them. The wolf and human of regarded each other silently.


    "Well done, Van," Leif managed.


    He gazed at the herbs within the bamboo baskets.


    "I see you have completed the mission to satisfaction."


    "Would you like to inspect the baskets, sir?" Van asked, his eyes probing into Leif''s reaction. Was the Village Chief the one who had sabotaged his mission? It didn''t seem like it, but then again, it was hard to see into the human heart.


    Leif shook his head. He shifted his eyes from the wolf, who was satisfied that for the moment Leif meant no harm. The older man inspected Van from head to toe. The boy was brimming with vitality and the expression on his face seemed looser and less solemn than Leif had ever seen on him.


    It seemed as if the boy had encountered some fortune on the mountain?


    Leif stared at Blackheart again. This was no ordinary wolf. He recalled the golden bear that had given the scar that ran from his bicep to forearm. Perhaps this wolf was similarly different.


    To be able to tame such a fearsome beast¡­ the boy had some measure of talent and skill.


    The boy''s gaze was clear and steady.


    Leif sighed internally. Perhaps they had all misjudged him? A boy like this was not simple, and may contribute greatly to the village''s prosperity in the future¡­


    "Leif," a gruff voice sounded behind him.


    Leif turned to see his old friend, Blade.


    Then he saw the figure next to him. With crescent eye-slits, the silver mask made a forbidding sight.


    Leif spoke warily, "And who is the honorable guest beside you?"


    He saw Blade hesitate to speak. Something was wrong.


    "You may call me Silver Mark One," the masked person said. His voice was not loud but seemed to float straight into your eardrums.


    "Conveniently, it seems the whole village is here."


    [Conveniently?] Leif looked worriedly at his friend.


    Blade gave him a tight little shake of the head.


    The Village Chief grew alarmed. What deity stood before them? The masked man was taller than Blade, who was the tallest man in Mountain Village, and seemed thin for his height. But if one underestimated him, they''d be drinking the Dream Hag''s soup down in the Yellow River faster than they could blink.


    After a period of silence, Blade spoke up.


    ___________________________________________________


    Blackheart''s stance stiffened as soon as the masked man closed in.


    Van, now sensitive to the feeling of spiritual power, could feel it emanating off the tall figure. Instinctively, he knew this person''s cultivation was much stronger than the woman who had interrogated him on the mountain.


    Suddenly he saw Blade point at him. The silver mask turned slowly to face Van. The black crescents seemed to peer into his soul.


    Van''s heart pounded in his ears.


    Sh*t.


    Van couldn''t make out what they were saying. The sound of his blood rushing through his veins was deafening. Would the masked figure be able to sense Jet, sleeping in Van''s head? What about that mysterious turtle shell? The man holding precious jade is the one that gets killed first!


    And the masked man would undoubtedly kill him as easily as killing a fly.


    Underneath him, Blackheart whined, reflecting Van''s turbulent state of mind.


    Abruptly, the masked man raised his hand.


    A purple glow spat out from his palms.


    A small disc spun. With each spin expanded in size until it encompassed the entire village. The sun dimmed. The world quietened. An oppressive weight crushed down on the villagers.


    The villagers, mere mortals with no hope of resisting the power, became dizzy under the disc''s influence. A little girl cried out in pain. An older man collapsed to the ground, eyes bloodshot.


    "What is the meaning of this!?"


    Van finally heard someone''s angry shout through his deafened ears. It was Leif. The older man was shocked and angry ¨C these were his people! How could a leader not care about the lives of his people?


    The Village Chief''s face was ashen. He had braced himself by locking his muscles into place. Otherwise he would be in a similar state to the rest.


    "Be glad I am using the Searching Dark disc," the silver mask said coldly, "My mental intent would pulverise your mortal brains into paste. You would become like the walking dead, alive, but unable to see or speak, unable to think. Drooling in your own excrement until you starved to death."


    Van felt sick to his guts. Leif looked about the same.


    The Village Chief clenched his jaw and shot a dark look at Blade. The bigger man averted his eyes. He may have brought the masked man to the village square, but this god of death had come to the village for the specific purpose of interrogating them all! All he had done was purposely point out Van, that was all!


    Van felt the purple glow encroach. Energy surrounded him and sank into his skin. The boy struggled, channeling fleshy power and trying to strengthen his skin using the Thousand Saint Sacrifice method so that the purple energy could not penetrate. Unfortunately, the level of his body cultivation was too low in comparison. The dark energy barely paused.


    But Van did not dare to use the meditative poses of the Thousand Saint Sacrifice technique. Although he instinctively felt that it would help him absorb and divert some of the power of the Searching Dark disc, he knew it would also reveal that he had practiced a body cultivation technique and bring him more suspicion.


    What to do?


    Van gritted his teeth. He could only be crude and use the most basic method possible.


    Decisively he strengthened his palm and struck his chest.


    Crack!


    Several bones in his ribcage shattered.


    As pain thundered through him, Van channeled the responding release of locked fleshly power and forced it to strengthen his skin.


    The energy passing into him reduced by half.


    It was not enough!


    Van despaired.


    Silver strands of power reached into his mind. Like worms into an apple, they wriggled through.


    Van felt with growing horror the crawling energy reaching towards the centre of his mind space, where the ring and the turtle shell floated, dormant. A thin tendril of purple touched the first object it could reach - the green turtle shell.


    Silver Mark One felt a response in the disc. His gaze sharpened. With unerring accuracy, he found Van, atop on top of the wolf.


    So, it seemed the boy the hunter had a grudge against did indeed hide some secret.


    Mark One manipulated the disc.


    Van felt the dark energy pushing upon him triple. Purple worms of power twisted through and reached inwards.


    Suddenly, the turtle shell trembled.


    Van felt the cold, dark qi within the green turtle shell annihilate the approaching purple energy and absorb it within itself. Pulsing, it expanded slightly.


    Mark One frowned. The disc did not respond again. Was it a mistake? No one else in the village had moved the Searching Dark disc. Mark One manipulated the disc again.


    The power upon Van tripled. He groaned, skull feeling tight from the encroaching power. But like last time, before the purple power could reach the ring, it was all ''eaten'' by the green shell. Each time, it grew a little bigger.


    There was again no response from the disc. Mark One inspected Van with his eyes.


    For such a thin boy, he seemed to emit a determined, serious air. Further inspection would reveal signs of having been in contact with a body strengthening item. This was not suspicious ¨C the kind of treasure found in this kind of small country with its meager spiritual atmosphere was not worth a second thought.


    However, if he had cultivated a body strengthening technique¡­ Mark One narrowed his eyes, then that was an entirely different kind of story.


    Decisively, he stopped the disc.


    The sun reappeared.


    Slowly, the villagers supported each other to stand. Leif regained his posture, fists clenched by his side.


    Blade shuddered back to life.


    Mark One waved his sleeves. The purple disc flew in.


    "Thank you for your cooperation," He said calmly. As if he had not just held the lives of hundreds of villagers within his hands.


    With a flap of his sleeves, he disappeared from sight.


    The village heaved a sigh in relief.


    Van felt his heart drop back into place.


    He took a breath a breath in. Jet had led him to a treasure! Van knew that without the turtle shell he and Jet would have had their lives put into the masked man''s hands.


    Blackheart also calmed down. Atop the wolf, Finn was pale and wan. She had heard a cracking sound earlier and saw her brother''s stern face contorted into a fierce grimace. The crack had come from his body! Scared and worried, she leaned over and pressed her tiny hands into her brother''s chest. He flinched. Gently, he took her hands away. "I''m okay," he reassured.


    Expression frozen into a semblance of a smile, he pretended the sharp pain in his rib did not exist. As for his fractured left arm? He had grown used to the aching hurt already.


    But while he was in front of these villagers, he would not show an iota of discomfort or weakness.


    Not one single bit.


    Smiling, he regained his standing posture beside the giant wolf. Finn buried her head into the wolf''s fur. He comforted her.


    Leif regained himself, the purple receding from his face.


    A howl of anger and fury abruptly rang through the square.


    Blade was crouched down next to his wife. Her face was bloodless, almost green. She was clutching her stomach.


    Like a wild beast, his eyes found Van''s.


    ___________________________________________________


    From far away, standing imposingly atop a cottage''s thatched roof, Silver Mark One watched silently.


    He tapped his fingers slowly against his leg, staring at the boy next to the giant wolf.


    If there was even the tiniest chance...

 15 Young Master Playing

    Blade was crouched down next to his wife, whose face was bloodless, almost green. She cradled her stomach.


    "T-the baby," she gasped.


    Blade stood up, shaking. Gripping his spear tightly, he advanced towards Van.


    Blade''s wife gasped out, "Blade, no¡­the baby is fine¡­!"


    She was unable to stand up.


    Blackheart growled threateningly, aggression in every movement. Van placed a placating hand on his side. He had sent the other wolves back to the den earlier because he had not wanted to intimidate the villagers or cause them to fear he had been possessed by a demon. But it seemed like the villagers would never be on his side anyway ¨C he had wasted his time thinking about those who did not care.


    Van stood his ground.


    Even as a full-grown man over twice his age, and with three times the body mass in pure muscle advanced towards him.


    An inner confidence radiated outwards from the dark-haired boy. He stood quietly, back straight, brows sternly drawn together, giving off the atmosphere of a treasured blade sharpened for battle. He did not even draw a weapon.


    The villagers hushed. They gazed upon his figure as if gazing upon a stranger. Where did his confidence come from? Did he have some strategy to stop Blade?


    They looked at the Chief Hunter, that hulking mass of strength, and looked back at the thin figure of the boy.


    Although they had been slightly affected by Van''s indomitable spirit, they now returned to reality. That was the strongest hunter around, the pride of Mountain Village! There was no way a small boy could defeat that. Just compare the size of the biceps ¨C one was thinner than a reed and the other was the thickness of a tree trunk! Facts were facts, after all. Someone tittered, should they stop the fight? It was a bit unsightly for a senior to be fighting with a junior. Someone else interrupted with a huff, stop the fight how? Are you going to stop Blade with your puny strength?


    Indeed, there was nothing much the other villagers could do apart from watch, even if they felt that Blade was going a bit overboard. Afterall, although Blade''s wife''s situation didn''t look good it was still obvious the harm was done by the silver masked man. How could Van have anything to do with an immortal like him?


    Some looked away, feeling that the outcome was inevitable.


    Off to the side, Maya felt her heart pounding. Somehow, Van''s figure was incredibly heroic! She blushed red. She prayed for him in her heart. She prayed that he wouldn''t be beaten up too badly.


    With a shout, Blade explosively lunged forward, the tip of his spear tracing a gleaming line through the air.


    Van met him halfway, taking advantage of Blade''s wild, angry lunge to sidestep him.


    Blade''s fury intensified. This boy thought he could fight back?


    In that split second, his twisted his stance until the spear was slicing sideways on Van''s exposed side. This was the advantage of tens of years of experience and muscle memory, as well as an instinct for battle he was born with.


    Van''s expression changed.


    The villagers'' gasped. Half the mothers were covering their children''s eyes. The other hunters cheered ¨C but then their voices stuck in their throats.


    Impossible!


    That beastly spear had stopped in its tracks.


    A hand gripped the spear just below the head! The gleaming spear tip was millimetres from piercing into Van''s body.


    The entire town square was quiet. No one could have imagined this skinny young man capable of stopping a spear in its tracks with his bare hands. They looked at each other in shocked silence, confusion in their eyes.


    Blade relentlessly pushed forward, muscles flexing and bunching beneath the skin, giving off the aura of tigers and dragons.


    The spearhead barely shifted.


    Van looked mockingly at Blade. A light danced in his dark eyes.


    "Were you the one who tried to ruin my mission?"


    Blade ignored him. He gathered all his strength. The spear head didn''t move.


    "Did you think I would die on the mountain, starved to death or be eaten by a wild beast?" Van continued at leisure, "were you surprised when I came back, alive?"


    Blade gritted his teeth, "How did you survive going so deep into the mountain?"


    Van laughed then.


    "So, you admit!"


    Suddenly, Van twisted his hand and the spear went flying to the side.


    Without even channelling fleshly power ¨C just directly using his strengthened body ¨C he launched himself at Blade and clocked him across the jaw. How could a man, however strong, be harder to defeat than a giant Wolf King with a strengthened body and three times his size? If Van circulated Thousand Saints Sacrifice, he could kill Blade with a single blow. But now that he knew Blade was the one seeking Van''s death, he would not spare his pride!


    He was going to pummel Blade into submission with nothing but his bare fists!


    The hunter shifted too late. Van''s knuckle caught him under the jaw and sent him stumbling to the side.


    Blade''s face finally turned. He realised the depth of Van''s unknown strength.


    Van was unrelenting. Fist after fist, he sent Blade''s way. Slowly, he was pushing the older man which ever way he liked. At first, Blade was able to block a few blows and return a fist occasionally. But Van''s hits were heavy, and each blow numbed Blade''s blocking arm.


    The villagers opened their eyes, trying to burn the sight into their eyes. It was just upset after upset! First, the boy was able to stop Blade''s spear in its tracks and now it seemed like he was winning in the exchange of blows, continuously suppressing the older man.


    "He hasn''t even used his left arm yet!" Someone pointed out in awe, "And he''s been using the same movement since the beginning!" The villagers sucked a deep breath in. Was Van just playing around, they wondered, is this fight not even worth a serious effort?


    Of course, Van couldn''t use his left arm even if he wanted to. Although he had rested and treated his fractured left arm after his fight with the Wolf King, it was still sensitive, and he did not want to risk leaving a deformity in the bone. Additionally, his broken ribs meant that he could not move any way he wanted to. He had been limited to the same move using his right fist since the beginning.


    His left arm was loosely held to his side as he fought, unintentionally giving him the appearance of a heroic young master playing around with an inadequate ruffian on the streets!


    Blade was struggling. Sweat drenched his back and his every breath burned.


    BAM!


    The hunter felt his numbed arm finally give way.


    BAM!


    Van pressed on.


    The next blow sent Blade stumbling to the ground. He knelt there, catching his breath.


    Van drew back his fist, a dark look in his eyes.


    Suddenly, a figure appeared in his way.


    It was Leif, a determined look in his eye. Van considered whether he should stop his fist, considering that the Village Chief had been against him so many times in the past.


    Van thought of his little sister, eyes wide open on Blackheart''s back, watching him, and he decisively pulled back. For her, he would be the best he could be.


    "Please, Van. I ask you to end this meaningless fight."


    Leif was clearly asking for mercy in behalf of his old friend. The Village Chief was more than a little miffed at Blade, what was going on in his head? Why was he acting to aggressively towards Van? Surely, he couldn''t blame the masked man''s appearance on this young man?


    He put down his pride as a leader and continued.


    "He is angry and panicking because of his wife''s accident, please show mercy."


    Van looked impatiently at Blade.


    "You should ask Blade what he thinks, or is he going to hide behind someone else''s coattails and not admit his wrongs?"


    The hunter snorted. But Blade knew he was thoroughly defeated. What was the most terrifying was the Van did not seem to tire!


    He gritted his teeth.


    "I admit...I was wrong to attack you."


    But he was not wrong.


    Blade knew something that only his hunters also knew ¨C that they had removed all the Iron Grasses and Mooncap Mushrooms from the lower regions of the mountain, forcing Van to enter the higher regions, filled with dangerous beasts that could kill with a look. He had survived, come back stronger and tamed a wolf! He knew not how the two were linked, but his gut knew that the masked man''s appearance did have something to do with Van!


    Leif was satisfied. He turned back to Van.


    "He has apologised. I hope that you can forgive him, to return the peace to this village. I do not wish to see our best hunter and a promising young man like you fight each other until your grievances are irreconcilable."


    Van smiled, baring his teeth.


    "Of course, as long as Blade vows that he will also no longer act out against me."


    Leif leveled a stern look at his old friend.


    "I vow so," Blade said, expression unreadable. Inside, he was furious, but also starting to regret.


    In a fit of anger, hearing of his son''s reckless stomping about the village and public humiliation for being caught bullying Van with a bunch of cronies, Blade had devised a method to humiliate Van or get him to be banished from the village to remove his son''s shame.


    Admittedly, that plan could have also killed the boy.


    Over-confident that he would get the result he wanted, Blade was shocked and unwilling to hear that Van had returned, victorious. It felt like a vicious slap to his face! With wounded pride, he happened to encounter the masked immortal, and tattled on Van in the spur of the moment. Somehow, all this led to the immortal''s magic artefact wounding his wife''s belly and his unborn child.


    Filled with anguish, confused and guilty, he channelled his anger and pushed it all onto the shoulders of the young man before him.


    Now he was utterly humiliated. Worse, he had lost some respect as Chief Hunter of Mountain Village. He turned to see his wife in tears, and his son looking at him woodenly.


    Blade gazed complicatedly at Van. Even if he were somehow responsible for drawing the masked man to the village, so what? The person to harm his unborn child was that immortal, not Van.


    Finally, he lowered his neck.


    "My previous actions were unwarranted."


    "I apologise."


    Leif smiled.


    Van was surprised. He was sceptical, but at the same time the older man''s tone did not seem like he was lying.


    Van nodded and accepted the apology. He stepped forwards and helped Blade up as a show of agreement.


    The village finally relaxed.


    Uncontrollably curious, people old and young sidled up to the massive wolf. With Finn''s weight on his back, and Van''s stern instructions, Blackheart stood like a wooden statue, allowing the villagers to coo and pet.


    Blade returned to his wife''s side.


    Her face was wet with tears. With gentleness he had not felt in a long time, he took in his wife''s drawn face and his son''s sullen look. Sighing, he gathered them to him.


    "I am sorry," he said finally, "for not being a better man."


    Blade''s wife''s characteristically cold face seemed to thaw. Ryan sneered in contempt, but rested his forehead against his father''s chest, tired of everything.


    "Good woof," Finn giggled, hugging Blackheart partway around his neck.


    Blackheart pretended that he heard nothing.


    ____________________________________


    That night, outside of his small tent, a slight shift in the wind caused Blackheart to perk up his ears from where he was laying the ground. His intelligent eyes stared into the night.


    Van was lying next to the wolf, arms behind his head and gazing at the stars in the night sky above. The breeze was cool and comfortable.


    Van had tried multiple times tonight to speak to Jet, but the ring was unresponsive, and its aura dim and weak.


    A tall figure blocked the moonlight.


    Blackheart growled threateningly.


    "A rather impressive display today, young man."

 16 Leaving Mountain Village

    "A rather impressive display today, young man."


    The silver masked man stood above him, moonlight edging his mask with a sharp light. His posture was confident but casual, almost lax. Still sharp - but a far cry from the cold, blade-like aura earlier.


    Van scrambled to his feet.


    Blackheart growled aggressively, teeth exposed, but Van pulled at his ruff. The man was not someone the wolf had the ability to chew.


    "Thank you, Sir Immortal," Van replied cautiously.


    The masked man considered him.


    "You have an unusual grit within you that is hard to find. Training the body is not easy or painless¡­you have been lucky to encounter a treasure in this type of lowly place."


    Van tried his hardest to not react to the word ''treasure.'' The masked man was watching his expressions carefully.


    "¡­It is quite admirable."


    A small coin-like object flew towards him.


    Van caught it. It was a metal disc with a pattern of spiraling leaves along the edges.


    "The Cedar Sect," the man explained coolly.


    "They have a small outpost in Clear Water town. A friend says they are looking for strong-bodied servants to bring back to the capital."


    Van''s mind was blank. The token was heavy and solid in his hands.


    A sect? Was that for like a religion of some kind? Why was this man inviting him to be a servant of a sect? From the man''s tone of voice, he evidently felt like he was giving Van a great boon.


    "Normally you need to undergo some strength and aptitude testing, but with that token, you can be considered a person of the Cedar Sect already," the masked man continued without pause.


    "Moreover, that stamp on the edge is my personal stamp. With that, you have some room to haggle for a better role at the sect."


    The masked man paused, expecting fervent thanks.


    He received nothing but a vacant stare.


    The masked man frowned unhappily.


    "What, do you think you can have gotten into another immortal sect on your own meagre ability? Your meridians alone mean that you would never be accepted!"


    He softened his tone.


    "I saw your strength of mind and body and felt you had the right qualities to become a reliable servant for a great immortal sect. Hence I gave this token to you."


    Van didn''t whether he should laugh or cry. Here was this full-grown man trying to convince him that being a servant was a glorious matter!


    Seeing Van beginning to shake his head, the masked man hurriedly added:


    "Although being a servant doesn''t sound glorious, the servants of great sects get to live on spiritual power-rich ground and are treated well. Furthermore, those servants who achieve the circulation of inner energy and advance to the third level of Qi Distillation are promoted to outer sect disciples. Outer set disciples are trained in the sect''s inner arts and have access to greater cultivation resources."


    Van acted as confused as possible. It wasn''t hard, because although he knew about Qi Distillation and inner energy, he hadn''t the foggiest clue about sects or what the heck a disciple was.


    The masked man kept lauding the benefits of being able to become a disciple of a sect.


    In the end, a blank stare greeted him.


    "What''s qi?"


    "What''s a sect?"


    Mark One felt an incredible headache coming on.


    The next half-hour continued in this fashion until the tall man was exhausted.The boy knew nothing! Although it was expected of a tiny village like this one, it was still astoundingly annoying for a cultivator like him to have to explain every little term to a pleb.


    However, Mark One was now satisfied. He was nearly ninety-nine percent sure that Van could not be some hidden disciple of a rebel sect. During the fight earlier, Mark One had stayed to see if the heat of battle would cause Van to reveal any secrets. However, the boy was able to defeat Blade using the power of his strengthened body only. Since the treasure Van encountered couldn''t have been very high-leveled, this meant that the boy had endured hardship over many years to achieve this kind of bodily strength. Mark One was indeed admiring of this. However, he had other reasons for offering this token to the boy.


    Van accepted the token. It seemed joining a sect did seem to be the next logical step in his journey to become strong. It also satisfied his desire to leave the village.


    Mark One regained his sharp, aloof aura.


    "This humble one thanks Sir Immortal." Van performed a full bow, "But I have one reservation."


    "Oh?"


    "If I enter the Cedar Sect as a servant, will I be allowed to bring someone in?"


    The masked man shook his head wryly.


    "Not unless they also had the qualifications to become a servant for the sect."


    Van frowned, his little sister was only five years old ¨C how could she possibly work as a servant?


    "But it would be easy enough if you became an inner disciple. Inner disciples have their own abodes within the sect and can, of course, bring in as many people as they like. As long as they are cleared by the Elders of the Sect."


    Van''s frown cleared.


    Mark One thought it was funny that Van was so easily appeased by this. This village bumpkin probably thought that becoming an inner disciple was easy! However, he was happy to let the young man delude himself into joining the Cedar Sect¡­


    "The Cedar Sect representative will be in Clear Water town for four more days from the end of today. He will be expecting you."


    Van nodded.


    "Very good."


    Silver Mark One felt that his mission was completed to satisfaction. He had thoroughly investigated the five villages in the area and none of them were out of the ordinary. The only outlier was this young boy. Though Mark One was ninety-nine percent confident that Van was just an ordinary boy with a little luck, he was not in the habit of being stupid ¨C so he gave Van this token in hopes that placing him in the Cedar Sect would allow him to keep a watchful eye over him.


    "Entering an immortal sect, even as only a servant, is a privilege and status countless people would envy you for. Do not waste my good intentions."


    With that, Mark One made to leave.


    Van stopped him, "Excuse me, Sir Immortal. Might I know who you are?"


    Mark One could care less whether an insignificant mortal knew, so he spoke carelessly:


    "Silver Mark One. Of the Divine Sense Pagoda."


    Van burned the names into his mind.


    "Thank you, Sir Immortal. I will not waste this opportunity."


    Behind his mask, Mark One smirked.


    The next moment, he was gone.


    Van stared at the dark space where he had been. Blackheart rubbed his head against Van''s torso.


    The young man knew that Silver Mark One must have had impure intentions when giving him this token. He did not give him this token out of kindness of heart or pure admiration.


    Van suspected that him entering Cedar Sect was a way for Silver Mark One to keep an eye on him. It seemed that the masked man was not one to carelessly overlook clues. If he did not enter the Cedar Sect, the man''s suspicions would certainly be raised. Perhaps Van would be suspected of having a secret to hide.


    But Van slowly smiled. He was not afraid.


    It would be all the sweeter to rise from under his enemy''s nose - and he wasn''t about to reject entering an immortal sect ¨C an opportunity like this does not come along often.


    The only problem was that he could not bring Finn with him until he became an inner disciple.


    Despite Silver Mark One not saying anything, Van did understand that this would not be the easiest feat in the world. But he had confidence that he could do it! After all, he still needed to become strong enough to help Jet find the mysterious man he was looking for.


    ________________


    Finn wailed as pearl-like tears fell from her eyes. Her small face was scrunched up and red.


    They were standing in front of the village gates - Van, Finn, Sherpa and Leif. Van stood beside Blackheart, a small bundle of personal items slung over his right shoulder.


    Finn was in Sherpa''s arms, screaming up a storm.


    "You p-pwomised!"


    Her intense upset caused her to wail with a lisp.


    Van felt his heart ache. He walked forward and wiped the tears from her eyes gently. Finn''s sobbing intensified. She cried until she was hoarse. She grabbed onto his tunic with snotty hands.


    Even Leif, normally stoic, had an expression of pity for the little girl.


    "I''m sorry," Van said, his heart breaking at the sight of his beloved little sister''s inconsolable sadness and fear.


    Slowly, her wails quietened to hiccupping sobs. He soothed her by patting her back. Her trembling eventually died down. Limply, she rested in Sherpa''s arms, worn out and tired.


    Then through her sweaty blonde fringe, she peered angrily at him.


    "Still hate. Stupid brother. Don''tcome back."


    Her transformation from pitiful waif to terrifying tigress was highly amusing.


    "I promise you Finn, I promise to the Heavens above, I will not leave you behind,'' Van said solemnly, "But I want to become strong. Strong enough to protect you, and strong enough to find our parents. You want that too, don''t you?"


    Finn reluctantly nodded ¨C she knew finding their parents was important to her brother. But to Finn, her big brother was many times more important to her than the foggy impression of two parents whom she had not seen since she was a few months old.


    Van pushed the hair from her face.


    "I promise that within five year ¨C no, within one year, I will return and take you to live with me. Okay?"


    He determinedly switched his original goal of reaching inner disciple in five years to one. For her, he could do it.


    To Finn, whose entire life consisted of only five years, one year sounded like an infinitely long time. She almost started crying again but bit her lip.


    "Nn," She jerkily nodded her head and then hid her face in Sherpa''s neck, not wanting Van to see her expression.


    Van showed a conflicted expression. He knew he shouldn''t drag out their farewell, but his heart was tied to his sister''s happiness and well-being.


    He looked to Leif and Sherpa.


    He trusted them to look after Finn and keep her safe.


    Sherpa was a foregone conclusion, her longing for a child had transferred onto Finn, and she genuinely treated Finn as if she were her own daughter. Leif quite liked Finn''s bright and fun personality but had had no wish to shelter two children under his roof ¨C one of them being a sullen-looking boy with a bad temper. Now, having seen for himself that Van was not the type of person he had suspected him of being and seeing Van''s determination to do right by his sister, Leif no longer had any objections to Van''s character. He was quite admiring, even.


    Since they heard Van was going to become a servant in an immortal sect, they had even fewer reservations. Although being a servant did not sound glorious, it was not an ordinary, run-of-the-mill sect ¨C it was an immortal sect! I.M.M.O.R.T.A.L. How glorious was that? Immortals could change the skies with a flip of the hand and split the seas with a stomp of the feet!


    In actuality, Finn would be kept quite safe. Van had chosen a strong-looking male-female pair of wolves and instructed them firmly to keep her safe. To impress this on them, he had briefly channelled his fleshly power to give off a strong, authoritative aura. However, this was mostly pointless, as the wolves already took his every word as holy gospel. They wagged their tails and licked his hand, showing him with their eyes [We understand, Big Boss!] Van was satisfied with this.


    Van nodded to Sherpa and Lief.


    "I will be leaving Finn in your hands. Please, take care of her."


    Sherpa nodded, "We will. Do not worry."


    With a complex look in her eye, she wished him a good journey.


    "All the best, and good luck to you Van," Leif said.


    Hiding his wet eyes, Van nodded. Quickly, he swung himself onto Blackheart''s back. He hardened himself against the urge to turn around.


    After a few hundred meters, four dozen wolves emerged from the forest and ran behind Van.


    When he finally looked back, the village could no longer be seen.

 17 Senior Ruskel

    Mark One was rather bored. He floated above the villages on his cloud summon, twiddling his thumbs and waiting impatiently for the other Silver Marks to appear, as well as his Division Leader, Silver Sign.


    Mark One felt the Division Leader arrive before he saw him.


    The Division Leader had the appearance of a stern and refined middle-aged man. As soon as he arrived, an oppressive aura doused Mark One to his bones.


    So, the operation was not successful, he thought to himself.


    Silver Sign''s aura was heavy. His characteristic silver hair was out of its usual careful style and were singed at the ends. He was not wearing the same robe he came in.


    Mark One met him in the sky and performed a half-bow atop his cloud in greeting.


    "It was a disaster," Silver Sign said quickly, cutting off Mark One before he could make a sound.


    "We are returning to the Divine Sense Pagoda, now."


    The older man slapped his steed and disappeared speedily into the clouds.


    Mark One looked in askance at Mark Two, who had just arrived. She shook her head.


    "Division Leader went down with Mark Four on the first day of arrival, but Four couldn''t stand the savage Devouring Scarlet Magma and came up on the second day. Division Leader spent the whole three days three nights within the magma with nothing to show for it."


    She paused for a breath.


    "He said that there were traces of a Sapphire Dream Lotus, but now it had retreated too far down into the heart of the magma. Perhaps it had come up for pollination purposes ¨C but as you know, it is notoriously hard for the Sapphire Dream Lotus to breed. To our best knowledge, there were no Sapphire Dream Lotuses in the continent - and suddenly one shows up in some backwater country, lured out by the pollen of another Sapphire Dream Lotus?"


    "Division Leader said that this case might be less coincidental than we think... It might be linked to the Apparition that appeared five years ago."


    Mark One inhaled sharply.


    "How certain is he?"


    Mark Two shook her head.


    "There is no evidence at all. This whole thing could just be a miraculous coincidence. The Heavens work in strange ways, after all. Division Leader is just the cautious, deep-thinking sort, that''s what I think."


    Mark Two was clearly not too concerned. With a whistle, her eagle took off after Silver Sign. She quickly disappeared into the skies. Mark Three followed close behind.


    Mark One was most similar in temperament to Silver Sign. Like his superior, he also preferred to think ahead of time about all outcomes or possibilities. An image of a thin, dark-haired boy flashed through his mind. But it was impossible. Mark One shook his head as if to dislodge his niggling instincts. Anyhow, precautions had been put in place. If something unusual happened, he would know.


    Mark One nodded at Four before zooming into the distance and returning to their arrowhead formation.


    Within an hour, they had left Cloud River country behind them.


    ____________________________________


    It took Van and the wolves six hours to arrive at Clear Water.


    When they arrived near the town, Van sent the wolves to lurk in the woods. Cloud River country was dominated by forests, meaning that the wolves would be able to follow Van to the capital at a distance.


    Clear Water town was very orderly and much cleaner than the villages. It had stone pathways and proper brick houses ¨C rather than ramshackle huts. In this region, Clear Water was the center of commerce. Traveling merchants from other parts stopped at Clear Water before going to the villages to peddle their wares. As he walked towards the Grinning Goat - the biggest tavern in town,that the Cedar Sect representative was staying at ¨C he saw numerous merchants promoting their goods on the side of the road.


    Entering the tavern, he saw a young man wiping the tables.


    "Excuse me, I''m looking for the Cedar Sect representative."


    The young man''s eyes grew wary. He shook his head.


    "Senior Ruskel isn''t here. He''s at the herb market."


    He gave Van some detailed directions before resuming his duties.


    Van made his way to the herb market, a large square with waterproof cloth stretched between tall trees for rain protection. It was filled with herb peddlers with their goods in an array of displays.


    At a glance, he spotted many people selling Iron Grasses, which were a common but still hot commodity. A copper tael for twenty bundles! Van''s teeth ached. He thought about how he''d collected five hundred bundles of the herb. That was twenty-five coppers taels! That was enough to feed himself and Finn for three months at least.


    He did still have the spiritual Iron Grass he had found mixed in within the other ordinary Iron Grasses the wolves brought him. It could be something decent - maybe he''d sell it at the capital for some money.


    As he walked through the stalls, Van spotted ''Senior Ruskel,'' straight away by the eye-catching embroidered Cedar on the sleeve of his robe.


    Ruskel was a long-necked man with a sallow complexion, wearing a plain brown-colored robe. Despite its plain appearance, the quality of the material was of a higher quality than most of these people had seen in their lives. The sallow-faced peered down at a merchant''s neat display shelves while imperiously pointing his finger here and there and complaining about the quality of goods.


    "Look at the atrocious garbage you are calling ''herbs''!" Senior Ruskel shouted, finger quivering. Spittle flew. There was a wily look in his eye.


    "Ripping off innocent citizens and scamming them into buying inferior products, you should ashamed of yourself! Your ancestors are rolling in their graves, mortified to have a descendant such as you. Despicable. Utterly shameless!"


    The merchant looked as if he were about to cry ¨C he was being wronged! His stall was one of the more well-known and reputable in the town, and now this man was undoing his ancestor''s hard work to set up this reputable brand!


    "Are you sure you aren''t mistaken, sir? My customers have never reported any problems," the merchant tried.


    The sallow-faced man grew incensed.


    Pak!


    He hit the wooden table with his hand. The herbs upon it jostled.


    "Are you calling this Senior Ruskel, of the illustrious Cedar sect, a liar!?"


    [Yes!] thought the merchant.


    "No!" said the merchant.


    "Then if I say your herbs are crap, they''re crap. Understand!?"


    "This is a misunderstanding, sir!" The merchant was ready to spit blood. No matter how much he wanted to strongly refute this man, the merchant did not want to offend an entity that could exterminate him and his nine generations! That is, on the off chance that immortals existed. But it was better to be safe than sorry, this Senior''s clothes did not look cheap!


    "A misunderstanding?!" Senior Ruskel''s voice went dangerously high.


    "I have overseen herb cultivation in the Cedar Sect for decades, do you think the immortals enjoy subpar goods!?"


    "No, no!"


    The flustered merchant wrung his hands.


    Suddenly, Ruskel changed his tune. With a scheming ''he-he'' laugh, he leaned forward and gestured towards the merchant, as if to tell him a secret.


    The merchant leaned forward.


    Van watched with fascination as his face went red, then white, then blue, and then back to white.


    The merchant was utterly humiliated. Shaking, he grabbed bundles of herbs and packed them away. He tossed them at the wily old man ¨C the way one would toss bricks at a hated foe.


    Senior Ruskel laughed cheekily.


    In an exaggerated manner, he bellowed: "Oh my, dear sirs and madams, it seems I have made an atrocious mistake! My eyesight is terrible, and I mistook quality goods for trash!"


    He thumped his chest in distress - an entire one-man-show was being acted out in the square.


    "Oh, woe is me, woe is me!"


    Senior Ruskel sneaked a wink at the merchant.


    Van watched the merchant begin to sway on the spot. Someone steadied him before he could fall onto his wares.


    Senior Ruskel, whistling, hoisted the bundles of herbs and walked away.


    Van followed immediately, like a duckling following his mother.


    In this comical formation, they walked in silence for about half a street. Finally, the long-necked elder turned and peered down at the young boy behind him.


    "Go away!" He barked. His eyes were full of suspicion.


    "I don''t do charity!"

 18 Take Me to the Capital

    "I don''t do charity!" The sallow-faced man said, making a shooing motion with his hands.


    Van blinked. This old codger sure was a funny fellow.


    Senior Ruskel moved forwards.


    Van followed.


    Senior Ruskel stopped.


    Van stopped too.


    The older man turned around, brows drawn together angrily, "Do you want to get beaten?"


    Van innocently shook his head.


    Senior Ruskel hmphed. He turned around and started to whistle again. He took a step forward.


    Van took a step forward.


    He took a step to the side.


    Van took a step to the side.


    He hopped forwards.


    Van hopped forwards.


    He twirled on the spot.


    Van twirled on the spot.


    Spectators began to gather. They watched curiously as the pair, one old one young, began to do an ugly dance in the middle of the street.


    Senior Ruskel was without shame, moving his butt this way and that to see if he could dislodge this annoying follower.


    If this Senior could be without shame, Van resolved to be the same. Blank-faced, he also moved his butt this way and that.


    The spectators clapped. Performances became stranger and stranger every year. But at least the dancing seemed to be in rhythm with the whistling.


    Senior Ruskel dropped his head into the bent crook of his elbow, while raising his other arm out in a sharp movement. It was a masterful dab.


    Van copied the dab.


    The duo pranced about the stone-paved street for a good minute, to the reluctant clapping of the audience.


    "Mama, that old guy is moving his hips weirdly. Does he need to go poo-poo too?"


    "Shhh! Let them do their work. It''s like the rain dance, honey. I think they could be shamans encouraging good bowel movements for us! You know your father needs it."


    Van''s cheeks bulged with the effort of holding his laugh in. He felt as if he would explode.


    Senior Ruskel got creative - he slapped his face and waited for the sound of another slap from behind him.


    Van wasn''t an idiot.


    Dissatisfied, Senior Ruskel looked back to see the young boy looking back at him blankly.


    "Why didn''t you slap yourself?!" He demanded angrily.


    Van put on an innocently blank air, "Why would I slap myself? I''m not an idiot."


    Senior Ruskel felt he had lost all face.


    "Brat!!" He bellowed. He lunged forwards.


    Van sidestepped Senior Ruskel''s clumsy grab.


    Quickly, he pulled out the token Silver Mark One had given him and flashed it smartly in the old guy''s face.


    Senior Ruskel squinted. He recognised the pattern like the back of his own hand.


    "Is that a Cedar Sect token?"


    "Yep," Van said.


    Senior Ruskel spotted the personal mark on the corner of the token. He hmphed.


    "So you''re the boy he''s sending me. Hmph humph," Ruskel said, flicked imaginary dust off his wide sleeves.


    The older man glanced at his new charge up and down. At least he looked reasonably strong for his age.


    Van was perfectly at ease. He had instinctively felt that this old man did not have a very high cultivation, and with the token, had not been afraid of a physical confrontation. Instead, he had found the high-and-mighty, scamp-like behaviour of the old man quite humorous and cute.


    Although he did feel quite sorry for that poor merchant.


    Together, they went back to the tavern.


    Senior Ruskel told Van that they would be leaving Clear Water the day after next, as he was waiting for other potential servants to take to the capital. In the meantime, Van was free to do whatever he liked.


    Van really had nothing to do. He wandered about the streets until dark, content to watch the busy lives of the town people.


    It was quite dark outside when Van decided to return to the tavern for a rest.


    It was at that moment a hooded figure rushed out before him.


    "Van!" A young voice shouted.


    Van was shocked. This voice was very familiar.


    A pale hand lifted the hood. Familiar grey eyes stared out at him.


    It was Ryan.


    Van was surprised - it must have taken him the whole day to get here if he came on a wagon.


    He looked at his bully. He still resented the boy. Ryan''s scorn for Van fanned the flames of the villagers'' dislike of him. Admittedly, it was not the cause of it.But after the tumultuous events of the past few days, Van felt as if his past grievances were no longer as sharp. Still painful, but lesser somehow. He had set his sights beyond his life in the village.


    Van did not speak. He waited for Ryan to reveal why he had come to find him.


    Unhesitatingly, Ryan knelt and pressed his head to the ground.


    Van could not lie ¨C he felt a sense of satisfaction at his bully down on his knees before him. He remembered the past years when he was excluded and disregarded by the other village children. The victory was sweet.


    "I beg you. Van. Please, take me to the Cedar Sect with you!"


    For a moment, Van was tempted to cruelly reject him.


    Ryan hit his forehead against the hard pebbles on the ground.


    "Please!"


    The younger boy was ruthless to himself. Again, and again, he repeated the kowtow.


    "Please!"


    The sound of his forehead knocking against the ground echoed through the streets. People were ducking their heads outside of their windows to see what was going on.


    Ryan did not stop. He kowtowed for another ten minutes.


    Finally, Van relented. He roughly pulled the younger boy up.


    Ryan''s forehead was scraped raw. Dirt was mixed into his bloody wound. The younger boy looked hopefully up at him.


    Van tried not to sneer. He reckoned Ryan deserved a little pain for all the hardship he had put him through.


    "I cannot guarantee you anything," Van warned harshly but truthfully, "Bringing you to the capital is the limit. You can only rely on yourself to pass the Cedar Sect''s tests."


    Ryan''s bowed his head, grateful, but awash with shame. He looked at the boy before him. If it was himself, he could not have been so generous to his bully.


    At length, he spoke:


    "I understand. But I must take any chance I can. I want to prove my father wrong."


    "Did you leave the village without telling them?" Van asked, frowning.


    Ryan bit his lip. He nodded his head.


    "I will not allow you to set one foot closer to the capital until you tell your parents." Van put his foot down, ignoring Ryan''s grimace.


    "But¡­" Ryan weakly protested. He thought of his father''s disapproving look and the lashing he''d get if he ran back with his tail between his legs.


    Van''s forehead creased.


    "If you do not say goodbye when you can¡­"


    "You will regret it. Forever."


    Van''s chest was tight. He was dredging up painful memories.


    One morning, when he was eight, he had woken up one morning to find that his parents had disappeared from his world, leaving him alone with his months-old baby sister.


    What had happened? Where did they go? Why had they gone? Were they alive?


    For three years, not one day went by where Van did not distress himself over their disappearance. He wished he could have at least said goodbye.


    Ryan saw Van''s sorrowful expression and gave a small, tight nod.


    "You must let me come with you to the capital if they allow me!"


    Van agreed.


    Ryan looked as he wanted to say something. But at the last moment, his lips closed again.


    He hung his head.


    ________________


    Ryan returned two days later, lugging a large bundle on his back. He was wearing a new tunic and sandals, lovingly crafted by his mother. A bone-handled dagger from his father was strapped to his waist.


    Ryan stopped before Van, scratching his head awkwardly.


    "I think my dad finally accepted that I can''t be strong the way he is."


    He laughed softly, miming his father''s massive biceps and mountain-like body.


    "But. I still want to become strong. I believe there must be many different definitions of ''strength'' in this world!"


    The younger ¨C but taller ¨C boy spoke enthusiastically.


    After a while, his expression changed as if he remembered something. His foot traced lines in the dirt.


    "Um¡­I meant to say something to you two days ago, but I was too chicken"


    He mumbled something unintelligible.


    "What did you say?"


    The grey-eyed, grey-haired boy mumbled something else. He looked up to see Van''s confused expression. He cleared his throat.


    "I said¡­I''m sorry."


    "For all the stupid crap I''ve done to you."


    "I used to get annoyed by you because - it''s so dumb, but -" Ryan took an extremely large breath and his next words came up like a gust of wind, "Iwasjealousbecauseyoudidn''thaveanyparents."


    Van was astounded. He thought he heard wrong.


    "You hated me because of what!?"


    "Because you don''t have any parents!" Ryan cried out, ashamed of himself. His pale face was blotchy red.


    Van felt his body shake. He felt ready to clock this bastard across the face again.


    "I''m not good a talking, f**k," Ryan mumbled, "I was jealous because my parents are always on my back about everything!"


    Van thought he was delirious. Either he was, or Ryan was. This was ridiculous.


    He told Ryan so, fists clenched by his sides.


    The grey-haired boy shook his head.


    "You don''t understand ¨C my dad. He¡­he never beat me but ¨C every single day, he tried to make me stronger, teach me how to fight but, but I''m just hopeless at all that."


    Ryan shook his head, "I just never did a damn thing right."


    "Every day, I lived in fear that he resented me for not being more like him, for being so weak. I started to hate myself. My only dream was to become strong but I felt that I was hopeless. Every day, I wanted to scream - I hated the world, but mostly I hated myself."


    Van felt his anger cool. He suddenly pitied Ryan.


    The other boy continued:


    "And when the other kids started gathering around me and encouraging me to do bad things, I never said no. I just did whatever I wanted so I could feel strong and powerful for once. And because I''m an idiot, I saw you and your sister, living every day so carefree¡­I¡­"


    Ryan''s head hung even lower.


    "I am a terrible person."


    Van didn''t deny that. He unclenched his fists.


    Though he still couldn''t stand the bastard, through Ryan''s blabbering, Van started to feel an odd sense of understanding. He had first-hand experience of how intense and angry Blade could get when things did not go to his expectations. He imagined living every day of his life under that kind of anger and expectation.


    Still.


    "This does not excuse any of what you did to me and my sister," Van said harshly.


    Ryan flinched.


    "If you are determined to become strong, you must rise above your past mistakes. I will not forget what you did to me in the past - but I will give you this one opportunity to redeem yourself."


    Ryan''s eyes became wet. He surreptitiously wiped his eyes with his elbow. He nodded his head jerkily, fervent.


    "¡­Thank you¡­" Ryan squeezed out of his clenching throat, "Thank you for taking me to the capital¡­ I swear no matter what happens there - whether I''m successful or not, I will always be grateful and help you if you ever need it! I won''t forgive myself otherwise!"


    Van solemnly accepted the pledge.


    A slow, sarcastic clap rang out from behind them.


    "My, my, my. What a touching little show."

 19 Dragon City

    "My, my, my. What a touching little show," a voice said mockingly.


    Van and Ryan turned to see a long-necked old man with a sallow face standing behind them with his hands clasped behind his back. It was Senior Ruskel, and behind him were two girls and a boy dressed in plain clothes. They looked to be similar in age to Van and gazed upon the scene with disinterest. One of the girls raised a lazy hand and yawned.


    "Almost interesting enough to keep me entertained for the entire FIFTEEN MINUTES I''ve been waiting here for your lazy ass to show up!" In anger, Ruskel ran forward and tried to kick Van''s butt.


    Van rolled his eyes, easily sidestepping.


    Ruskel was frustrated ¨C he did not get the satisfying revenge he imagined in his dreams!


    He crossed his arms and hmphed.


    "Well, if you''re quite done with your little reconciliation with your little girlfriend, get your backside onto the cart!"


    "Shoo!" The older man ushered the other youths onto the cart.


    The cart was drawn by two stocky horses and was very primitive-looking. Bits of straw covered the inside of the wooden cart. It looked just large enough for them all to fit in.


    Ryan clambered on after Van. Ruskel squinted his eyes at him.


    "Since when do you get to come with us!?"


    Van glanced at Ruskel, "Since my esteemed patron said he could," he bluffed.


    Ruskel knew this was nothing other than a big fat lie ¨C but, he had been given strict warnings that he was to ensure that Van was retained by Cedar Sect. Not allowing his friend on the cart did not seem like a good way to get Van to come with him back to the capital¡­


    "Hmph. Well, get on then! We must leave within the next half-hour."


    The youths settled themselves in.


    As they did, a few burly looking men showed up in front of the cart with sacks on their shoulders.


    Seeing them, or rather, the precious cargo they held, Senior Ruskel''s grin grew so wide the corners of his lips nearly touched his earlobes. He slapped the men on their shoulders, filled with glee. His precious herbs had arrived! Hallelujah!


    Turning to the muscular men, he instructed them.


    "Just put them o-"


    The Ruskel''s face abruptly became black. He stared at the kids sitting in the cart.


    He stared at his precious herbs.


    He stared back at the kids sitting in the cart.


    Van and the others were beginning to feel uncomfortable.


    "You!"


    The only other boy apart from Van and Ryan was a rather nondescript looking fellow. He paled as Senior Ruskel''s scheming eyes lock onto him. Already, he began to shake his head.


    "Off!" Senior Ruskel said imperiously, indicating with his thumb.


    The poor boy shook his head more vigorously. He would be the shame of his family if he did this! He knocked his head onto the cart''s wooden floor, pleading. Besides him, the two girls exchanged glances and chimed in, asking for him to remain with them. The three of them shared the same last name, after all.


    Ruskel''s face grew uglier.He owed the girls'' father a big favour, but he was also unable to disobey Silver Mark One! The only thing he could do was sacrifice his herbs!


    Ruskel showed an unwilling face.


    He paced back and forth in front of the cart.


    Pah pah pah pah!


    His quick, erratic footsteps reflected his state of mind. Suddenly, he slapped his thigh.


    "That''s it!" He shouted.


    Countless large bags of herbs were roughly dumped on top of the sitting youths. They were completely disregarded. The youths quickly disappeared, buried.


    It wasn''t all bad ¨C the herb-filled sacks made for very comfortable cushions along their ride.


    ________________


    That evening, they set up tents on the bank of a small river.


    Inside their shared tent, Ryan pulled the bundle off his back and rummaged around. Finally, he withdrew two sets of clothing. One was a clean cream-colored tunic made from wool and the other was a set of linen undergarments.


    "My mum made these for you. She didn''t know your sizes, so she just made it the same as mine. And-" he withdrew a second bone-handle dagger, "this is from Dad."


    Van accepted all gifts gratefully.


    "Thank you."


    There was an awkward silence.


    "How is your mother?" Van inquired. Although it wasn''t entirely his fault, the suspicion on him had indeed inadvertently caused her harm.


    "She''s fine. So is the little brother in her stomach," Ryan said happily.


    They sat for a few moments longer before Ryan blowed out the wax candle. He was snoring within moments.


    In contrast, Van was wide awake.


    His body, ever since his practice of Thousand Saints Sacrifice, possessed a strong vitality that meant that he needed sleep less and less.


    He peered into the darkness within the tent and within his mind.


    [Jet?] He tried, probing cautiously.


    Floating in the dark emptiness, the ring trembled.


    Van sat up in excitement.


    This was the most response he''d gotten in a week!


    [Jet!?]


    The black ring shuddered again. Then stilled.


    He was unable to incite another reaction from the dormant ring for the rest of that night.


    It was the same every night after that ¨C the ring could only give the faintest response before falling silent again. Van worried but could do nothing about it. At least it seemed that Jet was alive.


    The days passed quickly.


    Flat landscape became rolling hills and then turned back to flat landscape. Rivers curved towards them, and then disappeared in the distance. The forest was constant - though sometimes close and sometimes very far.


    Van often heard the faint, far away howls of a wolf pack. Blackheart and the rest kept pace with the two horses and the cart easily, although they were limited to travelling within the forests to evade others.


    Finally, the one-month mark arrived.


    Six weary travellers disembarked at Dragon City, Cloud River''s grand capital.


    It was named so due to its unique architecture ¨C the city was surrounded by curved walls that seemed nearly as tall as the clouds and sinuously twisted through the landscape. Another notable sight was their man-made river, in which the mysterious image of a great dragon could sometimes be seen when the sun shone bright enough.


    Large gates blocked the entry to the city, and the line to enter was immense. It seemed as if the world''s population were crammed into this space.


    "I''ve never seen so many people in my life," Ryan said, intimidated. The other three were similarly shocked, despite their significantly better family backgrounds.


    In comparison, Van was more at ease, having been to the capital before when he was younger.


    The sight of the gate filled Van with nostalgia. He remembered clearly the sensation of holding his mother''s hand as they walked out of this gate, on their way to Mountain village.


    Senior Ruskel was considerably more low key in the capital. He was, after all, only the Deputy Head Servant in charge of herb cultivation in the Cedar Sect. In the mundane world, this was a glorious existence, but in the capital, he was a dime a dozen. That was not to say that he did not have any influence ¨C the Cedar Sect was still one of the foremost sects and thus demanded respect.


    When their turn arrived, Senior Ruskel sidled up to the guards and began his over-familiar routine to butter them up. Chatting and laughing with them, he greased their palms and entered the gates smoothly.


    When they passed through, Senior Ruskel frowned.


    "Was it just me, or were they a bit harder to schmooze up to today?"


    He thought of his ten coppers and felt his stomach hurt. It didn''t usually take this much ''sincerity!''


    At a street corner, they caught a coach, which carried them through the city.


    The other youths gazed around them with open mouthed amazement.


    The population of the capital city was evenly split between cultivators and non-cultivators. Even with this low concentration, Dragon City was considered an immortal city ¨C the only one in Cloud River, in fact. Most mundane people would live their entire lives in Cloud River without knowing about its existence.


    Due to the influence of its cultivators, many magical things could be seen dotting the streets. Paper cranes flew in the air above, dropping flyers every so often. Small toads squatted on shop doors and croaked out slogans. A man in the distance painted on a slip of cloth vigorously and shouted ¨C the cloth burst into flame.


    This time, even Van was watching in awe. He did not quite remember this ¨C it seemed his parents had not passed through the central district of Dragon City, only the mundane outskirts. Which made sense, since they were ordinary mortals.


    A paper flyer fluttered down onto their coach. Van paid it little attention.


    In sharp contrast, Senior Ruskel made a flying leap for it. Opening and scanning the scrunched flyer in his hand, he shouted in shock.


    "How is this possible!?"


    The youths craned their necks over, curious. Senior Ruskel saw their gazes and hastily threw the flyer overboard. He kept mum.


    Van looked at him suspiciously.


    The older man avoided his gaze, opting to demand the driver to speed up instead.


    Soon enough, they arrived in front of a grand structure.


    An imposing plaque was erected in front of the main gates. The Cedar Sect, it said, in bold but naturally flowing script. The atmosphere it gave off was natural but forceful, like the relentless flow of a river. Physically, the sect encompassed an entire district within Dragon City.


    As they disembarked the coach, a man in grey robe greeted them.


    "George!" Senior Ruskel greeted loudly. The man in the grey robe did not react. Ruskel gave him a sold whack on the back and made a ''he-he'' sound.


    "Same old, same old, my friend. Some fresh meat to be tested into servanthood."


    The youths felt black lines descend down their foreheads.


    Um, senior, can you please not call us ''fresh meat?'' You make it sound like we''re about to get eaten!


    "I will need to take them to the testing grounds."


    George nodded slowly. He reached into his robe to hand over testing tokens to the youths.


    An odd feeling descended over him.


    He looked up and saw five puzzled youths staring back at him.


    Ruskel was nowhere to be seen.


    In the distance, a long-necked figure was frantically running as if his life were on the line. His robes flapped wildly, making him look comical in his escape.


    George''s usual deadened expression sunk even further.


    Silently, he handed over the tokens to the five kids.


    Neither George or the youths spoke. They made their way to the testing ground in a stunned silence.


    What in the world¡­?


    They looked at each other, uncomprehending.


    Something floated down from the skies.


    George made a sound for the first time since they met him ¨C a small, angry choking noise like someone was strangling him.


    In his trembling hands was a flyer.


    The youths peered over his shoulder. Brilliant red script greeting them.


    [BUXOM and SLENDER BEAUTIES on sale at the market today for HALF PRICE!]


    [That''s right, we''re talking about your FAVOURITE freshly plucked - the sweet and elusive Mist Bloom herb! HALF-PRICE ENDS AT END OF BUSINESS DAY. XXX Don''t miss out, luvvie!]


    George quietly threw the flyer onto the ground.


    He stomped on it with vengeance.


    Then, expressionlessly, he continued forwards.

 20 The Cedar Sec

    George silently led Van, Ryan and the other three youths to the examination hall.


    A sizeable crowd of both old and young waited outside. They buzzed with nervousness- to the point where it started to affect the group of youths that had just arrived. Ryan''s grey eyes darted from side to side, inspecting the other examinees. His fists were white by his sides.


    From the other side of the hall, people could also be seen emerging. Some were skipping as they walked, deliriously happy and yet others looked like death warmed up. Seeing their ashen and dazed expressions, others yet to enter the examination hall grew nervous.


    Everyone wanted to be accepted into the Cedar Sect!


    Within the top five sects of Cloud River, the Cedar Sect had the most renown and possessed the largest number of cultivators. Its people were also known for their uncommon loyalty.


    Why?


    The sect''s success and abundance of people were highly related to a ground-breaking announcement they made some decades ago: Servants could automatically become outer disciples if they were able to reach the 3rd level of Qi Distillation!


    To show how momentous this was, the situation in those times need to be explained.


    Decades ago, sects accepted outer and inner disciples upon their annual entrance examination. The tests were hard and disadvantaged the illiterate. Adding to that, those who failed had to pay another set of fees to take the exam the following year!


    Who had that kind of money to spend, and how many years did they had to repeat the test before they got in?


    As for becoming a servant, they were either hired or kidnapped off the streets. They were not treated as real members of the sect, nor provided with cultivation opportunities.


    In contrast, the Cedar Sect provided a spirit stone upon entry to servantship and a basic cultivation manual. This kind of manual was only the most rudimentary, but it was still up to one gold tael in price in the mundane world!


    The provision of a spirit stone was even more generous. An ordinary man could work for his whole life and never scrape together enough for a spirit stone. Only the insanely rich could, and at a steep price.


    For ordinary folk, it was clear which was the better choice.


    It was this sort of mind-blowing opportunity that saw people from all over the country gather and knock on the sect''s doors. By the time other sects realised that this kind of a promise caused thousands to apply to be servants, the Cedar Sect''s name had already imprinted its name into the name of ordinary cultivators as the gold standard. This was because - unlike other sects ¨C its entrance rules were more relaxed, and it paid more attention to the growth of those outside of the inner disciples!


    It could be said that the old Head of the Cedar Sect was very shrewd. Although it lost many spirit stones, they also gained thousands of willing servants. With the hope of rising to outer disciple, these servants were not only very willing but also very hard working. The sect''s outer businesses in herb cultivation, beast raising, alchemy and so on boomed from the extra hands.


    As a side effect of being treated considerately, these servants ¨C of whom many became disciples ¨C were steadfastly loyal to the sect.


    Famed for its knowledge in herb cultivation, the Cedar Sect was also well-endowed with resources. This fact alone attracted countless talented outer and inner disciples. Furthermore, notable alumni, such as the Frost Pill Sage attracted others in droves.


    Outside the hall, Van placed a calming hand on Ryan''s shoulder. The younger boy shuddered and regained some colour in his face.


    ''Thanks,'' he mouthed.


    The line moved forwards one by one.


    An hour later, they finally reached the entrance. Their names were taken down and their tokens stamped with a colour. Van and Ryan received different colours, meaning that they did their tests in the reverse order.


    The group entered the spacious hall. The tests for servants appeared very basic - only evaluating spiritual potential and body strength.


    Body strength or spiritual potential were preferred depending on which type of service you wanted to enter. For example, those who chopped lumber would require better strength, while alchemy servants required enough spiritual potential to have a basic control over flames.


    Van was to test his spiritual energy first and then his strength. Ryan went in the opposite direction.


    The spiritual energy test was overseen by a round, portly middle-aged man. He had an expression of utter boredom as he stood upon the raised platform. Beside him was a tall table with a clear stone containing swirling mists within it.


    As each examinee went up, they held the stone tightly for several seconds. They trembled with the effort, feeling as if their whole lives had culminated to this moment. For the majority, the mists within the stone would thin a little bit, with a very subtle difference in the amount of mist within for each person.


    This rock was called a miasma stone, a special rock in which a very low-level miasma was trapped. Upon contact with spiritual energy, the miasma was destroyed. However, due to the nature of the clear rock it was trapped in, the miasma would regenerate quickly. This made it a very effective tool for measuring spiritual cultivation.


    After the examinees put down the stone, the examiner would call out their result. Those who were unable to affect the stone wailed and cried desperately. They clung onto the table even as security guards tried to drag them away. Finally, the examiner raised a hand. A gust of wind later, the examinee was loosened from the table. They were taken away.


    The assessments continued.


    "Number 239, 1st level Qi Distillation, mediocre potential with a low-grade affinity for metal. To pass the exam, your mark for this test will be considered with your physical strength test. Next."


    Each result was spoken like this. Van noticed that only about ten percent of applicants had reached the 1st level of Qi Distillation. He was surprised, thinking that such a renowned sect like this would only accept those with better qualifications.


    "Number 240, please ascend the platform."


    It was his turn.


    Calm, Van stepped up.


    The examiner was surprised by his lack of expression. Normally, people would be so nervous that they nearly pissed their pants. He couldn''t help but be more curious about this ordinary-looking young man.


    As Van walked towards the table, he felt seven spiritual auras suddenly converge upon him.


    Shocked, he almost took a step back.


    Only now did he notice circle drawn around the table and the rock. It seemed that the auras were coming from it.


    Van realized that the testing contraption was not just the miasma stone, but the entire platform itself!


    As the auras approached, Van sensed that they differed slightly from one another. One seemed to give off the feeling of roaring hot flames and the other of a sharp metal sword. He further identified an aura of water and ice, an aura of wood, an aura of earth and one of lightning.


    Like arrows, they sped towards the token in his hand. As they neared, the two auras of fire and water suddenly diverged and started speeding towards Van instead! The flame aura gave off the most comfortable feeling and traveled towards Van the fastest as if magnetized to his body.


    Van paled. He had a feeling that this was how the man was able to assign everyone''s spiritual affinities.


    Not good!


    Van instinctively knew that he possessed an extremely strong flame affinity and knew that he would be in danger if he revealed it ¨C it would suggest a link between him and the fire-attribute disaster back on Mount Steady!


    Gritting his teeth, Van shut his pores tight and strengthening the layer of his skin the moment the flame aura tried to penetrate.


    Blocked, the flame aura returned followed the other auras into Van''s token.


    "Number 240, no cultivation whatsoever. Very low spiritual potential with a medium to a high-medium-grade affinity for water."


    Van''s heart dropped back into place.


    His flame attribute was successfully hidden, and he was even lucky enough to attract the water attribute using the green turtle shell. It would throw off Mark One''s suspicions for a while.


    The examiner was greatly disappointed.


    In his view, the young man had calmly picked the stone up and put it back down. His expression was just as calm and serious as it was before ¨C even though the mist didn''t clear at all. Somehow it made the others looking at him feel as if his result didn''t reflect his true abilities.


    But how could the stone lie?


    The examiner shook his head in disapproval. Just another young man bluffing and trying to seem mysterious and deep to hide his uselessness. The only thing unusual was his rather high elemental affinity. After all, it was very rare for those with low cultivation potential to possess an attribute. But such a good affinity would be wasted if he never even made it to Qi Distillation.


    Already bored again, he spoke: "To pass the exam, your mark for this test will be considered with your physical strength test. Next."


    Van wasn''t surprised by the rest of his result at all. Although he had rested for over a month already and his meridians had healed somewhat after rest and the nurturing energy from eating those pine nuts, they were still not healed yet. Thus, he expected for his spiritual potential to be low. As for cultivation? Of course, it was zero.


    However, it must be recalled that Van really didn''t need to participate in this exam. He already had the token from Mark One, which directly gave him the status of a servant of the sect. However, Senior Ruskel had disappeared and had told George nothing. Curious, Van did not reject coming to the hall and being tested.


    Since the Cedar Sect was so generous as to assess examinees using a combination of spiritual and physical testing, Van was confident that he would have passed on his own merit anyway.


    He was confident that he would crush everyone in the field of physical strength!


    After all, he had not wasted that one month of traveling to the capital city. Every day, when everyone was asleep, Van snuck out of the tent and contemplated the Thousand Saint Sacrifice method under the moonlight. With Jet in a coma and the body refining qi absorbed by the turtle shell in his head, Van had little choice but to read through the bald man''s entire life story up to the day he died.


    Night after night, he diligently practiced, until¡­


    But Van doubted that he would need to even go that far. Van did not feel that he was overconfident after all the method was made by an expert who had almost ascended to godhood.


    As he made his way over to the other side of the hall, thunderous applause suddenly erupted. It came from the direction of the strength test. The other examinees were crowded tightly into the space surrounding it, clapping heatedly.


    "Well done, boy!"


    "You deserve it, congratulations¡­!"


    "I wish I could have persevered as long as that kid¡­sigh."


    Similar comments entered Van''s ears. He grew curious.


    "He looked so weak and frail, I can''t believe he managed to lift that rock."


    "That''s not the impressive thing, the impressive thing was that he could hold onto the rock for so long¡­ did you see his face?"


    "I''ve never seen someone so determined in my life. He''s a good seed. If the sect isn''t blind, they would accept him regardless of his spiritual potential." This particular comment was made by a much older man. This old man wasn''t an examinee ¨C he was a spy from another sect, taking the opportunity to scout for potential good seeds overlooked by the Cedar Sect!


    He was already looking at the red-faced boy on the strength platform with an excited look in his eye.


    Van looked up at the stage, peering over the crowd.


    He recognised the exhausted boy immediately - it was Ryan!


    Looking at the examiner''s face, Van could tell he was immensely moved. He patted Ryan on the back and asked for people to help the boy, who was too weak to even stand, up. The two helpers took Ryan off the stage.


    Van intercepted them.


    In the grasp of the two big men, Ryan looked especially young and weak. His grey hair was matted to his forehead and his face was so red from exertion it looked like he was bleeding.


    Looking up, Ryan saw Van standing before him.


    He weakly smiled. His eyes were red at the rim.


    "I-I tried my best¡­."


    He said it again as if to reassure himself.


    "I did my best!"


    Van was moved. He moved forward and thumped Ryan on the chest.


    "You did. You made your father proud."


    Ryan throat bobbed up and down silently. Finally, he weakly returned the thump to Van''s chest.


    "Go¡­ make our village proud."


    Van smiled.


    He gazed confidently up at the platform above.


    The corner of his lips twitched upwards.


    "I will."

 21 They Said It Was Impossible Bu

    The strength-testing platform possessed an aura vastly different from the spiritual test. It was imposing, and struck fear into the weak-willed.


    Why?


    That was because, stabbed into the wall at the far end of the hall, was a lone black sword with an extremely terrifying aura.


    This black sword was infamous.


    Known as Hatred''s Bite, it had been put there by the Cedar Sect forefather, who killed the terrible evil spirit that wielded it in a battle to the death. Since then, no one had been able to remove it.


    Hatred''s Bite had a unique property ¨C it could manipulate the strength of the gravitational field around it, and selectively ''bend'' this field to only envelop a single person. Of course, without a proper master the sword could only perform its most basic functionality - which was a fixed heavy gravitational field that exerted a greater force for each step you took towards it.


    Combined with an enormous boulder, this made the perfect strength test.


    The man in charge of the exam had an elevated mood due to Ryan''s performance. He was satisfied by this year''s examinees in general, and even happier that they were able to find such a good seed! The Cedar Sect''s speciality after all was to polish even ordinary gems to brilliance.


    But with each subsequent examinee his elation wore away.


    Earlier, there had been several girls and boys who had performed well in the exam, managing to walk eleven metres towards the sword. This was pretty good for the servantship entrance exams.


    Then that Ryan boy was impressively able to achieve eight metres with no cultivation whatsoever! The examiner was excited, wanting to see more miracles occurring.


    But unfortunately he was disappointed again and again.He had just sent off two examinees who failed in the very first metre!


    Clouds gathering over his brows, he finally called out Van''s number.


    A young man of approximately thirteen years of age walked out.


    Something about him seemed familiar ¨C Ah! He was wearing the same villagers'' clothing as the impressive young man from before.


    Both the other examinees and the examiner in charge realized this. They inspected Van from head to toe.


    Hm¡­it didn''t seem to likely that there would be another miracle?


    This boy was slightly shorter, but his expression was far calmer than the previous boy.


    The examinees murmured amongst themselves. They wondered if one tiny village could produce two monsters. Surely not. A puny village? Someone replied arrogantly. An insignificant village was already beyond lucky to produce even one freak!


    The examiner cleared his throat.


    "Please proceed to the platform and stand beside the boulder. When I give the signal, you will have five minutes to walk as far as you are able to. Understand?"


    Van nodded, stretching his muscles.


    He leapt up onto the platform with a sense of heroism in his air. Without fear, he stood beside the boulder. He was ready for the signal.


    "Ready, steady¡­lift!"


    A fierce aura suddenly shot to the skies.


    Van''s muscles bunched up underneath his skin. There was a moment''s pause. And then -


    Hu!


    The massive boulder was hoisted into the air!


    The murmuring audience were silenced. They looked at him, completely stunned.


    This contestant continued forwards. Unlike the other boy, he did not shake or teeter about.


    The spectators looked at the thirteen-year-old kid and at the gigantic boulder he was holding as if it were a giant pillow.


    There was no sense of pressure or stress on his face at all!


    If they could not hear his heavy and dull footsteps on the platform, they would have suspected that the rock had been switched or some other foul play. But in fact, this was the reality!


    The examiner nodded his head as he watched Van. This was on par with some of the examinees from earlier. Nothing ground-breaking, but still exceptional for a villager if they had reached first level of Qi Distillation.


    Van proceeded stably.


    He easily passed one metre.


    Two metres were a breeze and the third metre was no harder.


    The fourth? Not worth a second''s thought.


    Like this, Van continued smoothly passed the fifth metre.


    The audience sucked in a cold breath.


    Five metres was the average stopping point for the applicants and yet he had passed it just like that! Not even one minute had passed yet.


    Everyone was watching with bated breath.


    Some examinees who had failed in the first metre gnashed their teeth. Wasn''t this exaggerated performance just slapping them in the face?


    At least the other boy had exerted himself to the fullest - face red and limbs shaking as he advanced determinedly down the path. His sincere efforts pleased the audience, causing them to cheer him on. Everyone wished to see him succeed.


    But this boy?


    He was proceeding so smoothly, so unhurriedly it seemed as it were a stroll in the park! Then what did that make them? Those people in the audience felt as if they had swallowed a fly.


    At least pretend it is difficult, okay?


    The examiner watched with crossed arms. This one had reached the fifth metre without a single pause. This was indeed worthy of note.


    Van wouldn''t have cared one bit of what they were thinking, even if he had been able to hear them. He continued forwards and enjoyed the pleasant burning sensation in his arms and legs.


    Truthfully, he wanted to push himself and see how far he could go. Twenty metres, twenty-five, thirty? Could he make it to forty out of the one hundred?


    Distracted by his thoughts, Van did not pay attention to how fast he was walking.


    The crowd was utterly silenced by now. They watched his progress with eagle eyes.


    He began to slow down at the seventh metre.


    The audience sighed with relief.


    The eighth metre was passed at an even slower rate.


    Then the ninth.


    The examiner already had his brush in his hand, ready to write down ''ten.'' On par with the rest of the examinees. It seemed like the fortune the village these two hailed from was not shallow.


    The boy stopped at the tenth.


    The other examinees murmured to each other again. So, it seems he wasn''t some kind of amazing freak genius after all. Still good, but not anything special.


    Suddenly, they heard another footfall.


    It echoed through their minds like a clap of thunder!


    What!?


    Impossible!

 22 Breaking the Record

    What!?


    Impossible!


    The sound of that footstep was a clap of thunder in their ears.


    The kid on the stage had just taken a step past the tenth metre!


    They stared at him.


    The young man''s expression was neither strained nor exhausted. With his placid eyes and calm expression, it seemed weirdly like he was contemplating something deep and meaningful.


    How was this the expression of someone being pressured by the famed blade''s gravitational forcefield?


    Van nonchalantly lifted his foot.


    And placed it down.


    The audience were shaken.


    It was a simple motion, but to the audience, each footfall was a revelation. The sound reverberated through their ribcages. What was this kid''s limit?


    The originally sceptical spectators felt as if they had been backhanded. They avoided each other''s'' gazes, faces burning.


    The examiner''s excitement had grown to new heights. Half-disbelieving, he rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn''t hallucinating.


    He wasn''t.


    The gravitational force bearing down on Van was now extremely oppressive. If the spectators watched more closely, they would have seen steam wafting off Van as he dredged up more fleshly power to hold up the enormous boulder. It grew heavier and heavier the closer they got to Hatred''s Bite. Van''s discomfort had only just started to rise.


    However.


    The bottom of that pond on Mount Steady was still much worse!


    Van easily passed the eleventh metre.


    The spectators grew heated. The naysayers lowered their heads even more.


    No one else had yet been able to reach twelve metres this year! They had to see this! Audience members leaned forward, wishing they could climb onto the stage themselves, and fixed their eyes on his feet.


    Step by careful step, Van advanced.


    Lugging a massive boulder, he crossed the twelfth metre.


    The audience gasped admiringly.


    To them, Van was like the inexorable tide. Nothing would be able to stop him from shattering all their expectations.


    The final 30-second warning blared out.


    Van had reached the fourteenth metre.


    The examiner jumped on the spot. Astonishing, simply astonishing! One kid was already impressive enough but there was an even better one - this kind of physical talent was the type that appeared once a decade at most! The examiner was so happy he felt like his soul was about to fly away.


    And if the kid made it to the fifteenth metre...!


    Van blinked. He woke up from his daze. Face blank, he looked around him. Then he looked at his feet.


    Hm?


    Didn''t that mark on the ground mean he had reached the fourteenth metre? Van raised his head and peered out at the crowd. He saw the hilarious expressions on everybody''s faces.


    What had he done to deserve such gape-mouthed expressions of shock? He was extremely puzzled.


    Was his underwear showing?


    He turned his head and inspected his backside. Nope. He turned his head and looked in askance at the examiner.


    ...


    From the examiner''s shining eyes and red face, Van thought he had an inkling of what was going on.


    A drop of sweat trickled down his temple.


    It was not from the exertion ¨C but rather the cold realisation that he might have gone overboard and shown something he shouldn''t have. Silver Mark One had precisely invited him to the Cedar Sect to be monitored!


    He decided to take a leaf out of Senior Ruskel''s book of theatrics.


    Van staggered on the spot, drawing exaggerated screams from the audience.


    Their hearts pounded, was he about to fail so close to the fifteenth metre!? If he made it that would be breaking a three-decade-long record for the servantship exams!!!


    Like small, solitary sailboat on the stormy seas, Van swayed from side to side. His movements made the hearts of the audience go up and down.


    "You can do it!" They cried as he teetered about drunkenly.


    "Don''t fail here!"


    The boy showed an exhausted and painful expression.


    He drew close to the fifteenth metre as he staggered about.


    Suddenly, he tripped!


    Someone screamed. People in the audience closed their eyes. When they opened their eyes again, they realised- a miracle had happened.


    He had fallen over the fifteen-metre mark!


    The time ended. There was total silence for a whole minute. Then, deafening noise broke out.


    "Oh, shit! He did it!"


    "Fifteen metres? Fuck, he''s monster!"


    "What do they eat in that village!?"


    "I don''t understand? How did they do it? I couldn''t even last past the fourth metre!"


    "Oi, trash, take a good look at yourself! Don''t even mention yourself in the same sentence as those two!"


    The fervent audience clapped until their hands looked like they were bleeding.


    They had witnessed a big event - a thirty-year record had been broken! And this had happened right in front of their eyes!


    In everyone''s heart that thin young man''s back grew larger.


    Booming with laughter, the examiner ran up to the collapsed boy and gave him a hearty slap on the back. It made Van feel like he was going to cough up a lung. This examiner''s cultivation was not low!


    "I''ll say! Well done, young fellow!"


    "This result is precisely what I want to see - what the Cedar Sect wants to see!"


    Over the din, someone in the audience scoffed loudly, displeased.


    Van smiled politely.


    Enthusiastically, the examiner grabbed Van''s token to imprint his result onto it. As he did, he was able to access the previous exam''s results.


    His face changed.


    Hadn''t ever cultivated? Holy shit, what kind of amazing constitution did this kid have? The others who made it to the eleventh metre had cultivated to the first level of Qi Distillation! He almost wanted to hug Van - was this the type of kid the sect had been waiting for?


    Then, the examiner''s face changed again.


    He sighed with pity and shook his head as he read onwards.


    Tsk. The Heaven''s were unkind. Such a good physical body was wasted!


    The examiner sent Van off to the exit of the hall but he continued to shake his head even after Van disappeared from view as if he were deeply saddened. His gusty sighs caused the expressions of some of the petty competitors below to relax. So, it seemed like that young man wasn''t that big a deal, after all?


    A few of them glanced at each other and came to an agreement.


    They slipped off.


    Van saw Ryan off in the distance and ran to join up with him. The other boy was still unsteady.


    "How did it go?"


    Ryan shook his head.


    "Mediocre potential. No attribute."


    Ryan''s eyes were full of worry. He did not think either of his performances were great.


    If he didn''t get into Cedar Sect, what was he going to do?


    Mediocre potential was still better than the judgement Van received. He wondered what his score would have been if his meridians weren''t still recovering.


    They handed their tokens to the young female teacher at the exit of the hall.


    She passed a hand over the tokens and closed her eyes.


    Her brows furrowed. Like there were something difficult about their result. Eventually, she spoke:


    "¡­Congratulations, you have both been successful in your application for servantship."


    "As your overall mark is low, we hope that you will push yourselves to the utmost to improve your results.Oh yes, you must sign this contract."


    Ryan closed his eyes, relief evident.


    Van had a look at the contract. Everything seemed fine until he saw the fine print at the bottom.


    A minimum period of twenty years as a servant if he did not rise to outer disciple within that time?


    Van finally realised how good Mark One''s plan was.


    He conveyed the conditions to Ryan. The other boy was resolute. So was he. He had only 11 months left to reach Inner Disciple!


    "I will sign."


    They both marked an X on their contracts.


    ________________


    Senior Ruskel was happily eating his sausage-skewer when he suddenly froze. The skewer dropped to the ground. Ruskel''s mouth was opened into a comically perfect ''o.''


    Fuck fuck fuck!


    He knew he had forgotten something.


    Senior Ruskel felt nervous sweat drench his robes.


    In anger he smacked himself upside on the head. He took off, running madly back towards the sect.


    Not one second later, the sausage stall owner saw Ryan running back a second later, limbs akimbo.


    "My beauties, forgive me!" Senior Ruskel cried. Like an eagle, he swooped down and grabbed a wrapped parcel he had accidentally left at the stall in his rush.


    The stall keeper blinked.


    And Senior Ruskel was gone.

 23 Do You Think Yousre Something Special?

    Senior Ruskel had forgotten something important.


    He had forgotten to tell George that Van should not be sent to do the servantship exams! If the kid took them and failed, and was then sent away... Fuck, how was this old man going to explain to that deity Silver Mark One???


    Senior Ruskel felt nervous sweat drench his robes.


    He smacked himself and scrambled to get back to the sect as fast as possible.


    He screeched to a halt, retrieved his precious package, and flew back to the set''s gate.


    When he arrived, he was gasping for breath. His normally sallow complexion had worsened into a greenish hue. He lifted his head and spotted his grey robed friend in the distance.


    "George!" He hoarsely shouted, crooking his pinkie finger. It wriggled to and fro like a worm.


    A moody George shut his eyes and ignored Ruskel''s ''come hither'' sign.


    The old man huffed as he ran towards the head guard. With the last of his strength, he gave him a swift kick to the butt.


    It hit with all the force of a mosquito.


    George opened his eyes and glared at him.


    His expression screamed [If we didn''t grow up in the same town, I would have punted you into the next realm by now, you annoying piece of crap!]


    Ruskel ignored his friend''s annoyance.


    "Oi, listen to me, Georgie-boy, where did you send that kid, Van?" Ruskel gasped out.


    George was matter-of-fact.


    "Where else? The examination hall."


    Ruskel face-palmed. He felt his small life flash before his eyes. He saw the silver mask peering down at him just before...


    "Fuck!" He exclaimed again.


    George showed him a confused face.


    "We have to make sure he doesn''t leave!" Senior Ruskel dragged George along with him.


    "This is all your fault!"


    "Why is everything always my fault? You are clearly the one who did something wrong. Why are you so desperate to find him anyway??"


    Ruskel explained.


    Then George became worried too.


    They rushed to the examination hall and the immense queue in front of it.


    The boy wasn''t in it.


    They went inside the hall and searched every nook and cranny.


    The boy was not there.


    They looked in the bushes and behind the trees. He wasn''t there.


    They went to the toilets. Aha! They found a suspicious looking character sneaking out. Excited, they apprehended the person. It turned out to be a perverted girl taking spiritual recordings of the men''s toilets!


    Black lines running down his face, George slapped a provisions penalty and detention onto her token and sent her to be disciplined.


    Ruskel then got the bright idea to check the man-made waterway that ran past the hall for dead bodies. He made a "he-he" sound.If the boy suicided after his tragic failure, that was fine too ¨C Silver Mark One could not blame this old man for that, right?


    Much to his disappointment, no water-logged corpse of a teenage boy was found.


    "The only place we haven''t looked is the provisions hall. Maybe we should look there?" George suggested.


    "What!? Why would he be there?"


    Ruskel was genuinely confused. After all, the provisions hall was where new servants would go to retrieve their new uniform and other promised items. Since Van obviously failed the entrance exams, why would Van be there?


    George held his ground.


    Ruskel sighed. Well, since they had already run out of ideas¡­


    Maybe the kid was wandering around and got lost there?


    The duo closed in on the provisions hall and saw and usually large crowd.


    It seemed to be a huge group of new servants. They were gathered around a few people in the centre.


    Curious, Ruskel tried to see above the crowd. But even his long-neck was not enough for him to peer over their shoulders.


    George, on the other hand, had a strange expression on his face.


    "What?" Ruskel demanded.


    The larger man silently picked his friend up.


    Ruskel gaped soundlessly.


    That dark-haired figure over there, wasn''t that Van?


    Why were the servants surrounding him?


    Hm? What was he holding in his arms? A bag?


    Wordlessly, Ruskel used his index finger and thumb to widen both his eyes.


    He saw the jade slip in Van''s palm.


    Ah, heck!


    He''d underestimated the stinkin'' brat!


    _______________


    After signing the contract, Van and Ryan made their way towards the Provisions Hall, where they would receive their new servant''s robes and their allocated resources.


    A middle-aged female servant was handing out large cloth bundles and other items.


    When their turn arrived, she handed them each a big parcel of clothing and then a small pouch to be hung around the waist.


    Then she pulled out two milky crystals. With a curious tool, she tapped them. It caused the crystals toflare in brightly for a moment.


    Van and Ryan stretched their necks out as far as possible to see better.


    She saw their inquisitive expressions.


    "This locks the spirit stone to your signatures. Only you can use it now, but we only do this for the first spirit stone you receive from us."


    Van was impressed. He accepted his crystal with solemnity.


    As the crystal entered his grasp, Van''s eyebrows lifted. He had felt something remarkably like this before¡­?


    He racked his brain and finally recalled the crystal he had found in the Red Pinion Bird''s skull. It had also emitted this kind of feeling, albeit with a more animalistic aura.


    Could they be a similar item? Did this mean he could use the bird''s stone to cultivate as well?


    Van decided that he would inspect that crystal carefully that night.


    "In your pouch is a jade tag - it is your new identification. There is also a bamboo scroll inside that will tell you all you need to know about your upcoming days at the sect. It also contains a map of the sect and the servant''s quarters. Please inspect it carefully."


    "Your cultivation manual is within the bundle with your new robes. Good luck." She gestured for the next in the line to move forward.


    The two boys went to the side and had a look at their new items.


    Van withdrew the small green jade tag from his waist pouch.


    [ID:541769. Van. Servant of the Woodcutting Division]


    Van looked at Ryan.


    "Herb farming," the grey-eyed boy said simply.


    Considering their performances in the exam, Van thought these assignations were fair as they mostly involved hard labour.


    Of course, Van did not really care he was placed.


    This servant''s role was but a fleeting stepping stone on his way to power!


    His goal was to reach the status of inner disciple as soon as possible. He had no time to waste worrying about this kind of small thing.


    Van then took out the bamboo scroll. The map was rough, but serviceable.


    The Woodcutting and Herb Farming divisions were contained under the umbrella ''Resources'' unit, which also included the Bestiary and Mining divisions. Due to their need to travel outside of Dragon City early in the morning, the servants'' quarters were in the part of the sect that was closest to the outskirts of the city. At 5am each day, the servants travelled outside of the city begin their activities, returning to the sect at 6pm to rest.


    Van memorised the map. Satisfied, he nodded to Ryan and they left the area to find their new sleeping quarters.


    A group of people drew near. Van recognised that they were new servants just like them by the bundles they held. At their helm was a smirking young man of about fifteen years old wearing a deep turquoise robe. His compatriots whispered in his ears.


    The young man''s pale blue eyes landed on the pair and his thin lips curled at the edges. His look was cold, predatory.


    "My my, isn''t it the two villagers that surprised us with their un-believable performance today?" A low voice drawled out.


    Imperiously, the pale young man raised a hand. With a flick of his fingers, Van and Ryan were surrounded.


    Van''s expression darkened. Ryan''s jaw clenched. He made a motion to run forwards. Van restrained him with a hand. For some reason, the voice seemed a little familiar.


    Looking at that figure, Van supposed the older boy must be one of those so-called ''noble young masters'' who had grown up in the lap of luxury.


    The older boy stepped forwards, steps as slow and steady as a leopard.


    "Klaus," he introduced himself while smiling, "of the Noble House of Bayer."


    As he came closer, Van finally placed his voice. So Klaus was the little bastard who had scoffed loudly earlier! Van couldn''t help the reflexive roll of his eyes.


    Klaus caught Van''s eye roll and became irritated. But instead of flying into a heated rage, he smiled a cold smile. His blue eyes seemed to contain an endless blizzard that could tear skin to shreds.


    He drew closer with a smile sharp enough to cut glass.


    "I imagine you feel quite proud of yourself, after your little...performance, today."


    He said this with a raised eyebrow, tone mocking.


    Van was not in the mood to exchange pointless barbs. He disregarded Klaus and tried to move around him, but it was impossible to leave the enclosed space ¨C wherever he moved, people would block his exit.


    Van wasn''t going to lie - he was beginning to feel annoyed, but he faked a calm and unaffected expression. He tapped a foot on the ground, as if impatient to leave.


    Klaus was watching Van carefully. His smile became even colder.


    [Let''s see how much longer this scum continues to act so uppity in front of me!]


    He spoke with voice full of ice.


    "But I''m here to warn you, lowly villager... If you keep acting like you''re some kind of hot shit in front of me and keep lording it about with only your pitiful, pitiful potential¡­" Klaus'' pale eyes flashed meaningfully, "Then you don''t have many happy days left in the sect. I''ll make sure of it."


    He flapped the sleeves of his robes, "We are leaving."


    His posse followed after him, heads held high.


    Others in the area watched them with trepidation.


    After a brief silence, the sound of someone hacking up copious amounts of spit in their throat entered Van''s ears.

 24 Return of the Ring

    "Ptooey!"


    Van whirled around to see a long-necked old man wiping his mouth on the back of his sleeves. His sparse eyebrows were drawn together in a grimace of dislike as he looked into the distance.


    Senior Ruskel saw Van looking at him.


    He put his hands on his hips.


    "What are you looking at, huh? You little rascal!"


    He shook his fist at the boy but did not make a move. Instead, he frowned as he looked off into the distance.


    At length, he sighed.


    "Ai. You''d be better off if you stopped offending that Bayer fellow."


    Van thought it was just a smidgen too late for these words.


    Besides, what had he done? Existed? Fine, he''d rolled his eyes at a bad moment, but Klaus had disliked him from the start, when he''d decided that Van was ''acting above his station.''


    [We''re all servants now. What did he have stuck up his backside?]


    Senior Ruskel saw Van''s unconcerned expression. He frowned again, looking uncharacteristically solemn.


    "Kid. Don''t underestimate that fellow."


    "The Noble House of Bayer is foremost house in Cloud River. In the last century, it seemed to be on the verge of collapse, but with the birth of Klaus'' two older brothers ¨C their fortune changed. Those two are the pride of Cloud River''s nobility."


    "Adding to that, the Bayer''s wealth is not shallow. I have heard that Klaus is already in the 2nd level of Qi Distillation. Rumour is he started to cultivate late, and narrowly missed becoming outer disciple because of this. We''re all expecting him to break through to the 3rd level within months."


    When Ruskel mentioned Klaus'' cultivation level, Van finally started to pay attention. So it seemed that prat did have some basis for his arrogance.


    Senior Ruskel continued in his unusually solemn tone.


    "Due to his background that there will be people willing to act against you in the sect. You should take care that your back is never exposed. You two can only rely on each other."


    Van glanced at Ryan. Ryan shot him a look with his grey eyes which seemed to say, ''We can''t take this sitting down!''


    Van smiled.


    "Yes, of course, Senior Ruskel. We will lie low."


    _______________


    The Resource servants were lucky that their sleeping compounds lay at the outer edges of the sect grounds. The buildings were more spacious and spread further apart from one another. It was also considerably quieter than the centre of the sect.


    Of course, this had other perks ¨C including the ability to slip out easily at night.


    Having shucked his servant''s uniform and put his old clothing back on, Van had snuck out of the compound and found a deserted area in the sect. He was not the only one who did this ¨C when he left, over half the sleeping mats were empty. It seemed everyone was earnestly putting their efforts towards cultivating. Van had checked on Ryan and found that the boy had also disappeared. Van very much liked this kind of hard-working, studious atmosphere.


    Underneath the pale moonlight, Van was sitting with his legs crossed in front of a small banyan tree. Even in this corner of the sect, the spiritual energy within the air was much better than outside of the sect. This little banyan tree also seemed to give off a faint nurturing aura. Two dilapidated and unused buildings ¨C an old shed and bathhouse ¨C conveniently shielded this little spot from casual sight.


    With no small amount of anticipation, Van drew out the spirit stone.


    Except, it wasn''t there.


    Van''s increasingly desperate hand rummaged around his rucksack. There was a faint rattling sound in his mind. And then-


    [Ow-ow! Bloody fuck!]


    Van face-palmed. A gusty sigh escaped his lips.


    On one hand, he was happy. On the other hand ¨C his precious spirit stone had disappeared!


    Van suspected.


    He peered into his mindscape and saw the little black ring trembling, frozen in the space just above the green turtle shell. Small arcs of black lightning bounced around its body.


    Jet cried out mournfully.


    After a few moments, the black lightning died down and the ring was finally released from its hold.


    Jet swam back up to its customary spot in the middle of Van''s mindscape.


    It sulked.


    Van felt this emotion as distinctly as he felt his face under his palm.


    "Are you okay?" He queried carefully.


    It was not okay.


    Jet nearly spilled its grievances to Van but then realised - doing so would make it lose all face.


    It was very not okay!


    Jet had finally woken up after absorbing enough spiritual energy to sustain its consciousness and guess the first thing it saw ¨C Some green bastard occupying its real estate!


    Deeply offended but trying not to alert Van, the ring drifted silently downwards. At the final centimetre, it gathered its speed and rammed into the green bastard, trying to punt the guy into some dark corner of Van''s mind.


    Unfortunately, Jet was met with the painful jolt of dark, icy spiritual energy. Severely lacking in stored qi, Jet was paralysed by the green turtle shell. Due to the special nature of his body, Jet was not harmed in anyway ¨C in fact he had absorbed the little bit of power the green turtle shell had given off ¨C but the cold energy had been very unpleasant.


    The ring turned on Van.


    [Give me more power!] It arrogantly demanded.


    Van''s face blackened.


    This scheming bastard!


    "You absorbed my spirit stone and you still dare to demand more?"


    [Hmph.]


    After a silent cold war between the two of them, the ring relented.


    [It wasn''t like I wanted that paltry bit of contaminated qi in the beast core anyway.]


    Van rolled his eyes. Ignoring the ring, he pulled out the cultivation manual. It was divided into two sections, one called ''Sensing and Opening the Meridians'' and ''Levels One to Three.''


    Van occasionally struggled with a few words, but there seemed to be a compulsive force on the manual ¨C after looking at the words once or twice, they would magically start to make sense.


    "The first step to spiritual cultivation is the sensing of the meridians¡­


    All people are born with twelve meridians. In an ordinary mortal, their meridians contain only the tiny amounts of qi they breathe in the moment they were born. After that first contaminated breath, the meridians close forever. According to theory, one born surrounded by pure spiritual energy- whose first breath contained nothing but pure qi ¨C would be able to cultivate since birth. However, this is only a suspicion and has never been proven. To our knowledge, every cultivator in existence has begun with a mortal body.


    Cultivation begins with the reversal of the closing of the meridians that occurred when you were born. The meridian''s opening at the surface of the skin is found and targeted. Upon opening the meridian, qi can now be collected within the body and you can be said to have entered the 1st level of Qi Distillation.


    The first step is to clear the mind and allow yourself to sense the spiritual power around you. By doing this, you will eventually identify where on your body the natural power within the atmosphere is drawn to¡­"


    Van''s absorption was completely shattered by a loud snort. Jet bounced about his mind, as if laughing.


    [How many meridians???]

 25 Healing the Meridians

    Van''s concentration was shattered by a loud snort in his mind. He distinctly felt as if Jet were laughing.


    [How many meridians??? Twelve?!!?]


    [Is this sect trying to sabotage your cultivation? This is fucking ridiculous!]


    Jet sobered.


    Van really didn''t think that a prestigious and honest sect like the Cedar Sect would bother circulating false cultivation manuals to its servants. After all, they had all signed a contract, and who didn''t want better students and servants?


    [Don''t tell me¡­ they really think there are only twelve meridians?]


    The ring tsked.


    [...I suppose with the low concentration of power in the air¡­ it would be hard sense the other meridians, let alone activate them.]


    [Listen, brat. In the human body, there are a total of ninety-nine meridians. The first, primary twelve are the easiest to sense ¨C they are the largest and contain the least resistance. However, your cultivation will be extremely slow if you only have twelve channels to use!The remaining eighty-seven meridians are smaller and harder to sense. Opening all of the minor meridians will increase your cultivation speed by to three times faster than someone who has only opened the twelve major ones.]


    [Once you have opened your minor meridians, you can also widen them slightly. Doing so will allow you to reach a cultivation speed of four times the normal. You should know that people with brittle meridians find it extremely hard to expand the other eighty-seven meridians. Some will only damage their meridians attempting this. Others are only able to expand a few.]


    [Seeing as you have very elastic meridians, you will not have this problem. I have high hopes for you, boy. You must open at least sixty of them when your meridians recover!]


    It was Van''s turn to snort.


    "You think too little of me."


    Next to the banyan tree, the young man sitting cross-legged was smiling. His dark eyes glittered.


    "I will open all ninety-nine!"


    Jet was silenced.


    Finally, a thin feeling of approval emanated from his small body.


    [You better not disappoint me then, brat.]


    _______________


    The next morning, Van was woken by a hellishly loud noise. As he stretched his muscles, he felt supremely comfortable and relaxed.


    Last night, he had begun the process of healing his meridians. They had already begun to recover over the month he''d spent travelling to Dragon City. The remnant energy from the pine nuts had helped with that. If they hadn''t healed at all, Van''s performance in the spiritual potential test would have been even lower than ''low''!


    Jet taught Van a breathing technique known as the Cicada''s Breath. It was a well-known but lowly breathing technique in ancient times, chosen due to its simplicity and similarity to the Cedar Sect''s own Cedar Respiration technique. While the sect''s technique encouraged a gentle qi to locate someone''s meridians from the outside, the other technique sank tiny amounts of qi through the skin to find the meridians from within. This was only possible due to the extremely gentle and nurturing nature of the qi, which was unable to cause harm.


    Once on the other side of the skin, this qi could be manipulated to both heal and open the meridians ¨C of course, the knowledge to do this was exclusive to Jet.


    Instructed by the ring in a detailed manner, Van had been able to heal his first meridian. Locating it had been simple ¨C after all, Van had forcibly channelled power before and knew what it felt like.


    Healing one meridian had taken a whole night, but Van was optimistic. He was confident that once he became used to the process, healing 5-10 meridians per night would be easily achievable. Once they were all healed, he would then begin the process of opening and tempering the meridians.


    You might be wondering why did Jet not give Van some sublime, heavenly breathing technique?


    The answer was simple.


    Despite Jet''s wealth of knowledge, none of the ancient, higher calibre breathing techniques were suitable for Van.


    Intrinsically, the bodies of ancient cultivators and the bodies of modern cultivators were as different as Heaven and Earth. Many ancient cultivators were able to cultivate at birth and by the time they wished to practice breathing techniques, they only desired techniques that strongly gathered and absorbed spiritual power. A gentle method such as the Cicada''s Breath would have been disregarded.


    But just because it is basic, doesn''t mean it should be overlooked. The Cicadas'' Breath technique could improve cultivating potential and was compatible with almost all other breathing techniques. If Van practised it now, nothing would prevent him from taking up a higher level technique when his cultivation improved.


    As Van sat up, a grin stretched across his face.


    He was now closer to entering the ranks of cultivators!


    When his bleariness finally wore off, he saw a tiny, wizened woman, holding a gong at least twice her height, banging on it with great force.


    Clang! Clang! Clang!


    Other servants sleeping next to him rolled in their blankets, unwilling to rise. Most of them were sitting up, however, with pale faces and deep eyebags. Everyone inspected each other, realising that they had all had the same bright idea last night.


    The tiny old lady continued to bang the gong.


    Eventually, everybody was assembled in a straight line in front of her.


    It was 4 am.


    In a paper-thin voice, she sternly addressed them.


    "For all you newcomers¡­" she took a breath, "I expect that this is the last time I will see¡­" another breath, "¡­such a disgrace."


    All the servants waited in silence for her next words. She breathed in deeply once more, trying to bolster her thin voice with added volume.


    "From now on, every morning, regardless of what you were doing the night before¡­"


    "You will be assembled before me like this, within five minutes of the gong¡­"


    "With your bedrolls tidied up and put away¡­ do you understand me?"


    The new servants glanced at each other. It had taken over ten minutes for each of them to drag themselves out of bed, and of course, their bedrolls were still untidily scattered across the wooden floorboards. They ducked their heads.


    The older servants all replied sharply, "Yes, Head Servant Jinyi!"


    The wrinkled Head Servant Jinyi nodded slowly.


    "Hm¡­very good. Breakfast will be in the servant''s victuals hall. The donkey-carts will leave at 5 am sharp. If you are late¡­ you will be penalised¡­" she warned them.


    Van and the rest of the servants gave a half-bow as she left.


    Kindly, the older servants demonstrated how to properly put away a bed roll. This itself took some time. Van watched carefully as he had never used a bedroll before, but being a fast learner, he ended up being neither slow nor fast.


    Some fifteen minutes later, they rushed to the victual''s hall. A large bowl of fragrant porridge and a hard-boiled egg greeted them. Many servants had never seen such a delicious-looking meal in their lives. As they salivated, they thought in their heart that they had made the right decision to join a sect!


    After wolfing down their food in record speed, they ran to the sect''s back gate. A couple of hundred servants were waiting to be taken either to the forest, plantation, farm, or stable.


    The donkey carts arrived. Van goggled.


    What donkey?


    A massive beast with a shoulder span at least six-person wide stood in front of each cart. Steam jetted out of its massive nostrils. It had the head of a bison, with the big hairy paws of a bear. Each of the carts were massive and could fit dozens of servants.


    In no time, several hundred servants were loaded onto the carts. Van saw Ryan sitting upon a cart meant for the herb plantation and waved. Ryan, who looked extremely tired, gave him a slow wave back.


    The forty-minute journey took Van through Dragon City''s main gate and to the nearby forest.

 26 The First Level of Qi Distillation, Get!

    During the ride to the forest, some of the new servants recognised him from the strength test. Without Klaus'' gang around, they came up to him and chatted warmly with him. Van reciprocated cordially but kept in mind Senior Ruskel''s warning.


    At the entrance to the forest, the burly head servant handed them each a blunt-edged axe. With only one eye, he was an intimidating looking fellow.


    He assessed each of them with his one eye before finally grunting.


    "Eight."


    The thin but athletic-looking girl in front of Van nodded sharply. She headed off into the forest.


    Van wondered what the number meant.


    The one-eyed man looked Van up and down, arms crossed. The boy was of mediocre height and although he wasn''t muscular, he looked decently toned. He decided he would push the kid a bit.


    "Ten"


    Seeing his confused look, the one-eyed man added, "per day."


    Van wandered into the forest. He saw several servants with their sleeves rolled up, hacking away at the trees. Of course, they weren''t crazily cutting down all the trees, but rather a specific type of tree with extremely pointy and sharp looking leaves.


    Going further in, he found himself one. He heaved the axe up and swung at it. It was a clean hit and dug several centimetres into the wood.


    Van whistled ¨C after his training in the pond, the trees on Mount Steady could be felled by him with one punch. This meant the wood in front of him right now was extremely hard.


    Channelling his fleshly power, Van swung the axe again.


    Sou!


    The axe cut into the wood a few centimetres deeper than the last swing.


    Van stepped back and inspected the tree. Hm¡­its trunk was very wide. This was going to be harder than he thought.


    Shrugging, Van lifted his axe again and fiercely hacked into the tree. The impact shook the leaves above.


    A few minutes later, the tree started to topple.


    "Watch out!" Van shouted. The loggers nearby heeded his warning and scattered.


    The gigantic tree swung downwards.


    Dust flew up.


    Grabbing one end of the tree, he dragged the tree to the supervisor. The one-eyed man was shocked. It had only been ten minutes since the kid had gone in! The boy had even brought the enormous tree out of the forest himself!


    The one-eyed man marked Van''s tree down in his running tally for each servant. With a finger, he pointed to the wheelbarrows in the distance.


    Van got the idea.


    He returned to the forest with a wheelbarrow and went back to where he was working earlier. With his hands firm on the axe''s handle and his two feet panted stably on the ground, Van pulled the axe back and drove it into the wood.


    The impact shook the enormous tree.


    Van continued his work while using the pain from the overexertion of his muscles to consolidate his bodily cultivation.


    Minutes later, he shouted "Watch out!"


    The other servants were too stunned to respond. What? Hadn''t this guy just finished off another tree moments ago?


    The tree came crashing down. They dived out of the way just in time.


    Van was in a state of complete focus. He unrelentingly hacked into tree as if possessed by a demon. Each swing cut deeper into the hard wood.


    The scalps of the other servants grew numb.


    Van left to convey his tally to the supervisor and returned to find the area he was working in was devoid of other human beings.


    He scratched his head.


    Hm?


    "Is it lunch break or something?" He questioned a thin young man who was fleeing the area.


    The young man ran away faster. Tears were streaming out of his eyes.


    Who would still had the motivation to continue with this demon beside them!?!?


    _______________


    A few nights later, a young man could be seen meditating deeply under the moonlight. His face was set in a look of deep concentration.


    [That''s it, boy. Now, slowly¡­]


    Van focused. In his mind''s eye, he saw a thin thread of light within him. Tentatively, it roamed about his meridians.


    He controlled it to move towards the hairline fractures within his meridians. As the light travelled, it dissipated warm heat and power. Upon reaching a fracture, it pulsed softly and filled the gap. A few seconds later, the fracture was gone and the light grew a bit dimmer.


    [Congratulations, kid. That was the thirtieth meridian you''ve healed.]


    Van relaxed, wiping the sweat from his brow.


    He circulated the Cicada''s Breath technique and felt soft particles of qi from the air travel towards him, like snowflakes through the winter air. After locating his meridians, they melted into his skin and latched onto them.


    Half an hour later, he had healed another one of the twelve major meridians!


    With only a breath of time between each circulation, Van was able to finish healing the remaining major meridians in one night.


    Jet spoke with a faint sense of pride in his voice.


    [Well done, Van. At this rate, your minor meridians will be completely healed within a few more days. I have to say I am impressed by the speed at which you learn... you seem to have some natural skill with manipulating spiritual power.]


    Van smiled thinly, exhausted.


    "I had a good teacher. Thank you, Jet."


    The ring glowed faintly.


    The rest of the week passed by in this fashion.


    During the day, Van chopped wood like a man possessed, earning him the praise and admiration of the Woodcutting Division''s one-eyed Head Servant. The other servants either sincerely admired him or disliked his ability to make their achievements pale in comparison. Van continued to use his duties to improve his bodily cultivation. Using his new knowledge of spiritual energy, Van was able to consolidate his gains from the pond as he hacked at the trees. By the end of the week, the power he had gained from the Thousand Saints Sacrifice method had well and truly been assimilated into his body, as if he had been born that way.


    During the night, Van sat next to the Banyan tree, absorbing Jet''s knowledge the way a sponge soaks water. He made good progress, healing fifteen to twenty minor meridians every night. Some meridians were harder to heal, and some easier. The meridians through his arms were very damaged due to his forceful ejection of spiritual power back on Mount Steady and took the longest to fix.


    Finally, one night a few days later, Van leapt up from his sitting position. His eyes shone as he looked up at the pale round moon high above. The pale light lit his medium-length black hair until it glowed silver. His somewhat sharp features were softened by his radiant smile.


    He was completely healed!


    He nearly laughed out loud in delight.


    "I''ve done it, Jet!"


    [Hmph. A minor achievement.]


    The ring scoffed.


    [Don''t get too excited just yet. Until you open your meridians, you are but a mere mortal.]


    However, compared to healing his meridians, opening them was easy. Van had grown used to manipulating the Cicada''s Breath qi and was very familiar with the location of all the meridians within his body. Because of this, Van directly skipped the one step that stumped countless would-be cultivators over millions of years ¨C sensing the meridians.


    Van now manipulated the qi into a spear-like shape and aimed it at the blockage between the inside of the meridian and the open air. The qi-spear rammed into the barrier. Nothing happened. Van repeated the motion. Again, there was no response. Determined, Van directed the spear again and again. Finally, with a crisp sound, the blockage was punctured through!


    A cool wisp of qi entered.


    Van nearly couldn''t control his excitement.


    He had done it!


    He had opened his first meridian!


    With this, Van could be considered to have become a cultivator that harnessed the power in the realms to defy the heavens, never again to be a mortal!


    He had entered the 1st level of Qi Distillation!

 27 Be Still, Peanut Gallery

    From a serene building in the innermost area of the Cedar Sect, steam rose up and curled through the cool morning air. It was one of the buildings under the sect''s pill refining division.


    Within the building, a tall young man''s back could be seen.


    Klaus rolled his sleeves up to his elbows and carefully lifted a ceramic pot from the steaming water. His pale brows were knitted in concentration.


    The door opened loudly, and several uncouth figures rushed in.


    "Junior Bayer, you have to do something!"


    Klaus did not shift his eyes away from his task.


    Carefully, the pot was placed on the table and the lid lifted. At the bottom of the pot lay a bowl''s worth of aromatic, blue liquid.


    The refining process had gone extremely smoothly - the tincture had been successfully made. His heart dropped back into place and the knot in his brows relaxed.


    Finally turning his eyes to the figures that had so gracelessly rushed in, Klaus raised a pale brow.


    "What''s got your pants on fire, Hans?" He drawled as he poured the blue liquid into a jade vial.


    The two that had rushed in looked at each other in deliberation.


    One was a girl of about fourteen years of age with a pixie-cut and the other a brawny fellow about the same age as Klaus. The two of them were from well-known merchant families who had had the funds to support them to the first level of qi distillation.As soon as he entered the sect, their families had pushed them to latch upon him the way one hugs a golden thigh.


    Klaus didn''t mind too much¡­ but only if they could prove themselves useful.


    In truth? Merchants were just presumptuous low-bred citizens who thought they had become something just because they had been able to make some chump change. He was quietly disdainful of them, but not stupid enough to reject an ally.


    The girl, Freya, stepped forwards. She turned her deep brown eyes onto Klaus but froze when she met his icy gaze.


    "U-um¡­" she stuttered, suddenly unsure of what to do with herself.


    "It''s about that boy¡­ the one who broke the thirty-year record¡­"


    Klaus'' eyes twitched as soon as he heard the words ''broke the thirty-year record.'' So, that eyesore was acting up so soon? How annoying.


    It had to be known that, despite Klaus high potential for cultivation, his physical strength was on the low side. He had always been extremely dissatisfied with that, especially since his older brothers¡­ Well, it was just disgusting how that village boy''s little display of strength had made the whole examination hall almost break out into a frenzied celebration.


    Freya saw the look of irritation on Klaus'' aristocratic features and immediately continued, "He''s been doing exactly what you said he would¡­ acting all high and mighty just because he has some strength¡­ you should have seen what happened today! The head servant was praising him up and down as if he were some god from Heaven¡­"


    The burly young man, Hans, stepped forwards now, nodding angrily.


    "It really is too unfair! The rewards for the most trees felled in a week are not low quality, as you know, and he''s snatched them all for two weeks consecutively! What''s worse, the head servant has deliberately increased the rewards because of the kid, leaving the rest of us with only low-level trash! That kid is stepping all over us and restricting our cultivation progress!"


    Of course, Hans was over-exaggerating.


    How would the one-eyed head servant be so biased as to leave only trash for the other servants who had performed well? He might have slipped some extra goods into Van''s hands, but he certainly wasn''t neglecting the rest of them!


    The burly young man''s envy and jealousy had gotten the best of him ¨C before Van arrived, he was the strongest servant in the Woodcutting Division and the one who had been receiving the top rewards. Now that his seat had been stolen by a brat a few years younger than him, he felt a simmering disgust that wouldn''t go away.


    He wanted to teach that brat a lesson!


    Klaus saw clearly Hans'' fury. Freya''s expression was also filled with annoyance - she had been second on the Woodcutting Division''s ranking before being pushed down to third.


    Some village kid sitting on her head made her feel very dissatisfied!


    Klaus tapped a thin finger against the vial in his hands, thinking.


    In the end, his head cooled.


    That kid was just a lowly existence. With his low spiritual potential, he wouldn''t amount to much more than another low servant in the sect, working for decades on end until he was finally released as a decrepit old man.


    Although he was extremely annoying - like a large, buzzing fly that wouldn''t go away ¨C his level of existence hardly required Klaus'' personal interference.


    Catching the other two''s gazes, he gave a slight tilt of his head.


    "Do as you like."


    As they left, Klaus looked down at the still-warm jade vial between his fingers.


    His thin lips curved into a satisfied smile.


    Indeed.


    He had better things to be doing.


    _______________


    Zing!


    After three tries, the thin spear of qi finally pierced through the blockage.


    A comfortable feeling suffused Van. He felt a thin strand of qi flow into the newly opened meridian in his hand.


    Two weeks had passed since Van opened his first major meridian, and now he had only twenty or so minor meridians left to open. As they were smaller, they were much easier to unblock. But he did also need to spend time widening them.Of course, this was only if one wanted to achieve the mythical ''perfect'' foundation for Qi Distillation.


    However, to stretch them like this required resources - as the simplest way to make them larger was to flood them with just the right amount of Qi. Luckily enough, the prizes for the top-performing servant in the Woodcutting Division had been able to fill this gap.


    The herbs awarded brimmed with vital spiritual energy and were very good quality prizes ¨C especially considering they were only servants. From this, the Cedar Sect''s generosity and forward-thinking could be felt.


    Chewing slowly on these herbs as he cultivated gave him the amount of energy needed to continuously flood his meridians for several hours, eventually widening them slightly. After they were widened, Van was required to meditate to consolidate the change.


    Satisfied with his progress for the night, Van returned to his sleeping quarters. There were only three hours left til Head Servant Jinyi would come with her gong and wake them all up.


    He climbed, sleepy and exhausted, into his bedroll.


    If he were less worn out by that night''s exertions, he might have noticed the two dark figures lurking just outside the window.

 28 Suspicious

    The two shadows waited until Van was deeply asleep before making a move. One figure crept up to the slightly opened window and inserted a narrow tube of bamboo in the gap.


    Pu!


    A small, round ball sailed silently through the air.


    With an almost inaudible thump, it landed upon the scattered robes beside Van''s sleeping form. A strange miasma seethed out from the pores of the ball and soaked the robes. At the final moment, the small ball disintegrated. No evidence was left.


    Mission successfully performed, the pair withdrew into the night. The sound of their footsteps faded into the distance.


    Van opened his eyes.


    In the dim light, he stared at the robes that lay on the ground beside his head.


    Senior Ruskel was right. People were acting against him already.


    _______________


    Van purposely wore those same robes for several days in a row. And before you ask, yes, he did change his linen underclothing every night.


    During the daytime, the boy walked around more than he usually would. He roamed around the sect grounds in the evening, waiting for shadows to jump out at him from behind pillars, bushes, trees - anything. Each of his senses was on high alert.


    He wanted to see what kind of cunning plan these idiots would concoct, and who they would be. He didn''t doubt that they had some connection to that haughty Klaus Bayer fellow, who seemed to have some unremovable stick up his backside.


    Unfortunately, no one ever jumped out from to give Van the jump-scare he desired. After a few days with nothing happening, Van slowly put it to the back of his mind. It would happen sooner or later, he just had to wait for it. He didn''t think they would have the patience to wait several months or even weeks to act. In the meantime, he would take advantage of the time they gave him.


    Van trained with renewed vigour.


    The improvement in his body cultivation caused by consolidating his past efforts finally reached a limit. Jet told him that he needed to find another treasure if he wanted fast results. But did these treasures grow on trees? Sadly not.


    Now Van was stuck at the last step - opening the final ninety-ninth meridian.


    While at peak speed, Van had been able to heal over fifteen meridians every night ¨C mostly because he had grown used to the process. However, each of the final twenty meridians took a long time to puncture through. This was because the last 20 minor meridians were thin and required the most spiritual power to widen to an acceptable level.


    Unfortunately, the herbs given as a reward by the one-eyed head servant had run out and Van was stuck, unable to open the final meridian.


    Van frowned under the moonlight.


    It seemed all his current problems stemmed from a lack of resources.


    A sigh left his lips. He knew the problem - but how could he fix it...?


    Mentally, he poked Jet.


    The ring spluttered awake.


    Recently, it had liked to take many naps throughout the day. It was an old and ancient existence, and although it was a ring with a small physical body, the lack of spiritual energy in the air left it in a constant state of exhaustion. It was almost worse within Van''s body since the kid had yet to cultivate to any significant level. The naps it took were the only way it could conserve its energy without having to fall into a month-long coma, the way it did after it gave all its power to Van.


    Due to the way it''s Master designed it, it was forever unable to cultivate spiritual energy purely on its own. It could only collect power by existing in someone''s spiritual sea, where it could siphon off spiritual power. That said, its special body meant that it needed less power to cultivate to higher levels.


    Recently, Jet had made an extra effort to sort out its memories. Unfortunately, its endeavours could only be likened to a blind man fumbling through a forest - every so often, a sharp branch would smack into it and send Jet tumbling down the wrong trail.


    After weeks of this clumsy investigation, Jet slowly came to understand that his Master had left many items within him, and that these things could only be unlocked as Van grew in power.


    Who knows what was hidden within? Skills, treasures, books - anything was possible.


    Jet told Van about its discovery.


    But oh how Jet regretted - it was just rudely awakened from its beauty nap!


    And worse, the little brat was now prodding him as if he were a treasure box ready to spill out its glittering guts. The arrogant ring could barely restrain itself ¨C it wished it had teeth, or anything other than this stupid ring-body, so it could bite off Van''s mental finger.


    It cried out.


    [Do you want to die!]


    "No," Van replied stubbornly, "I want is treasures."


    The ring hmphed.


    [I don''t have any. Go find something yourself. Isn''t this a sect? There''s probably nothing good in this lowly place anyways.]


    Van rolled his eyes again, already used to the ring''s lofty sights. But he considered its words. He suddenly realised he needed to be more proactive in gathering resources from the sect.


    Hn. Van stood up.


    He had a new goal - to find out how and where to get more resources!


    Van grew excited thinking about precious herbs, magical treasures and fantastic beasts ¨C and where to find them. His imagination went wild. The short little sticks people could wave around and perform magical feats with. Somehow, Van was certain that these things existed somewhere.


    If Jet had eyes, they would have rolled.


    Still a village bumpkin to the core!


    Van recalled the special-looking Iron Grasses he had found back on Mount Steady. They had long fallen to the bottom of his rucksack, along with his wolf-pelt. Now he pulled them out.


    The serrated edges were still sharp, gleaming brightly despite the darkness of the night.


    "Do you know what these are?" Van asked, prodding Jet again. The ring wished it hadn''t taught Van how to manifest mental energy. Dodging Van''s second mental finger, it replied:


    [Trash. As usual.]


    Van rolled his eyes again. It was becoming a habit when it came to this annoying ring.


    [Seriously. How can I, an ancestor with lofty origin and billions of years of existence possibly remember a tiny, insignificant blade of grass?]


    "Precisely because you''re an ancestor with billions of years of experience?"


    [Would you name and remember every single particle of dirt you stepped on since you were born? I didn''t think so.]


    [Hmph. By appearance, its just a low ranked spiritual herb. What''s so special about that?]


    So it was a spiritual herb!


    The original Iron Grass was good for staunching wounds and regenerating blood. Van wondered what this one would do.


    [I suggest you restrain yourself from eating it for now. It would be better for you to collect several more items before you assail your last meridian. It will be difficult.]


    Van nodded. He put the herb away and dusted off his robes.


    For now, his cultivation was stuck until he could find more spiritual items to blast through that final blockage. Then he could be said to have achieved a flawless foundation for cultivation.


    Van returned to his sleeping quarters spiritedly.


    _______________


    The next day, as Van was getting into the swing of things in the forest, a soft cough sounded behind him. Focused, as he usually was when he was on the job, Van ignored it.


    There was another cough, this time a little louder.


    With great force, Van swung the axe into the tree


    DAK!


    The axe''s blade was lodged into the tree firmly. Satisfied, he finally turned around. His dark hair was matted to his forehead.


    When he looked up, he saw a young woman of about fourteen years of age standing between two trees. A smile hung awkwardly on her face and she had short hair that curled softly around her ears.


    "Hi, I''m Freya," she slowly said, "It''s nice to meet you."


    Freya extended a palm to Van.


    He smiled. A brief flash of an incisor glinted in the sunlight.


    "I''ve been looking forward to meeting you, Freya."

 29 Casting the Line

    When Freya arrived at the area Van was working in, she was slightly mesmerised by the sight that greeted her eyes.


    In front of her, a young boy was hacking away at a tree many times larger than him with great focus. His hands on the axe were firm and his swings clean and powerful. Each blow caused the tree to shudder from the impact.


    Through his robe, the outline of his back muscles as they bunched up could be seen.


    Hidden behind a tree, Freya collected herself and put on a warm and congenial smile before stepping out. She coughed lightly to get his attention.


    DAK


    DAK


    DAK


    The axe made steady progress inward, eating into the wood. Freya frowned unhappily.


    This brat, was he ignoring her? Annoyance flickered across her face.


    She thought he was trying to act cool and mysterious in front of her.


    The young man continued to hack into the wood at a fast pace. Sweat flew off his perspiration-slicked skin. Freya coughed again, angrily.


    DAKK!


    The axe went deep into the wood and suddenly, the boy spun around. Caught off guard, Freya had to immediately adjust her expression, but the speed of changeover was too fast, and her ''natural and friendly'' smile became an awkward grin that didn''t quite reach her eyes.


    She introduced herself hastily to cover the mistake, "I''m Freya."


    She extended a hand and saw Van smile. It didn''t quite reach his eyes.


    "I''ve been waiting to meet you," he said slowly. He did not reach forward to shake her hand. Awkwardly, it dropped down to her sides.


    There was a long moment of silence. Freya struggled to keep her frown hidden.


    [How rude. Also, what did that mean¡­he''s been ''waiting to meet'' me?]


    Freya saw Van watching her carefully. His dark eyes seemed like bottomless pools of swirling water ¨C they could suck you in whole and leave not a single bone remaining.


    Under the dappled sunlight below the trees, a young girl''s charming smile glowed.


    "You''ve heard of me¡­?" She looked at the ground, as if suddenly bashful.


    The boy was direct.


    "I''ve seen you around. You''re the girl in third place, on the division rankings."


    Freya nodded, as if happy to hear that he knew of her.


    There was a silence again, as both waited for the other to speak.


    On the inside, Freya''s irritation grew. This kid, why did he have no tact at all? Forget about the fact that she was a girl, he probably was this dumb and unresponsive to anyone and everyone. It was like working on a rock!


    "I''ll get out of your way," he suddenly said, pulling the blunt axe out of the wood and walking unconcernedly away.


    Freya felt a tingle of panic run up her spine. She intercepted him.


    "Actually¡­! Um, I''m here to speak to you."


    The boy raised a brow. The intensity of his gaze did not lessen.


    Freya had no idea what to say. Was she about to fail her mission? She would lose all face in front of Hans, and he would undoubtedly report back to the clan that she was useless and did not deserve the family''s sponsorship. Her relations with the some other servants ¨C all based on material exchange and flattery ¨C would be lost overnight.


    She regained resolve.


    As Van watched, Freya''s cheeks blossomed with a pretty red colour. She stepped closer, eyes flickering and shyly twisting her hands.


    "Um, can we speak somewhere else¡­? Maybe further in?"


    She looked around, ears red.


    "There''s so many people here."


    Indeed, just about ten metres to their left were a few other loggers hard at work.


    With the guts of a tiger, Freya stepped forwards and pulled Van''s sleeve.


    Reflexively, the young man tugged his sleeve out of her grasp. His gaze was apathetic.


    Embarrassed by his action, Freya blushed genuinely for the first time that day.


    [Are my tactics not working?] She worried. She had never done this before, let alone on a brat a year younger than her!


    [Unless¡­this brat has no clue about the matters between men and women?]


    She looked into his clear eyes.


    Just as she thought there was no hope, she saw Van nod his head and walk further into the forest. She followed him in.


    Behind him, her charming smiling face warped.


    What a cinch.


    This village bumpkin had no chance at all under her wiles!


    The musty smell of the forest thickened as they went deeper in ¨C it had recently rained.


    Van lead the way, his gait relaxed and assured. Freya followed calmly behind him, her smile was back on her face.


    Behind her back, Freya withdrew a talisman from her sleeve and pinched it.


    The song of a small bird warbled through the air. It was almost indistinguishable from the sounds of the forest.


    The two kept walking through the gaps between trees big and small. Leaf-litter crunched below their feet.


    Van''s pace slowed down. They had reached a secluded spot.


    Freya listened carefully to the forest around her. Her ears perked, she heard a soft rustle to her right. Subtly, she reached for her sleeves again.


    A large figure with a fierce, bestial air burst into the clearing, just as Van turned around to look at Freya.


    An expression of alarm crossed his young face.


    Now that the time had come, Freya no longer hid her vicious glee. Eyes gleaming, she turned her head.


    Hans stood in the small clearing; an intimidating mass of muscle and intensity. Held in his thick fingers was a metal staff that was decorated with a simple carving. Despite its mundane appearance, it gave off the atmosphere of unrestrained ferocity.


    "Hello, village brat," Hans greeted Van, with teeth exposed. Like rumbling thunder, his deep voice boomed in the space between the trees.


    "How lovely of you to obligingly come so deep into the forest to meet with us."


    Grinning, he twisted the staff around and domineeringly pointed one end at Van''s throat. A sharp intent pierced through the air. The staff seemed to gain blood-thirsty intent.


    "We have only a simple question for you, Van," Freya interjected. She withdrew a cat-o''-nine tails whip from her sleeve, enjoying the moment. Her pretty smile from earlier was replaced by an eerie grin.


    "Which bones would you like us to break first?"


    In front of them, the young man paled. His knees shook. Abruptly, he turned and sped off, running deeper into the shadows of the forest.


    Hans and Freya gave chase.


    ______________________


    Unseen, Van''s lips curled up mockingly.


    His eyes flashed brightly as he ran, luring them deeper into the forest.

 30 Sticky Situation

    In a forest close to Dragon City, two figures were chasing after a third. They thundered over the forest floor, ducking and weaving through the trees.


    Though they had gone about two kilometres deep by now, this was still considered the outskirts of the forest. Strong demon beasts did not like to wander so close to the cultivator city as the outer and inner disciples of Dragon City''s various sects were often led into the forest for training exercises or to capture beasts for taming. Though these disciples did not amount to much, they were often accompanied by a team of strong experts. So, unless the three servants ran over nine or ten kilometres deep into the forest, they were unlikely to be attacked by a demon beast.


    Eyes pinned on the fleeing boy''s back, Hans and Freya were running at speed.


    Though the boy in front was not running extremely fast, he always seemed to be just out of reach.


    "You little bastard! Just wait ''til I get my hands on you!" Hans roared, face red from the exertion of running. With his big, lumbering body, he was finding it difficult to keep up with Van''s fleet footedness. Freya was doing much better in contrast, but her face was still flushed and her lungs uncomfortably tight.


    Hans'' and Freya''s intent were to threaten the boy, and maybe cripple him if he didn''t comply with their demands to hand over his weekly reward to them.


    With a few broken bones here and there, he wouldn''t be able to wield an axe for months and they would monopolise the top rewards. It was an extremely attractive scenario; due to their mediocre potential, this was Hans'' and Freya''s fastest path to reaching the 3rd level of Qi Distillation and becoming an outer disciple!


    That was what Hans and Freya had agreed on, but Hans thought this was being too lenient, especially since...!


    Unwillingly, Hans remembered his utter humiliation a few weeks ago, when he had impatiently demanded his customary weekly reward at the herbal hall ¨C only for the surrounding servants to burst out into raucous laughter. The elder servant in charge of distributing the herbs shook his head.


    "I''m afraid those herbs are not for you."


    Hans'' face turned white, then red. He nearly grabbed the elder servant by the throat to shake him violently. The sarcastic words around him entered his ears.


    "That beef-for-brains still thinks he''s the strongest around...Look at him strutting around showing off his amazing first place rewards¡­oh wait, that''s right, they''re not his anymore¡­"


    More laughter.


    "I heard the new first place is a thirteen-year old kid. Unbelievable. What kind of trash do you have to be to lose to a brat."


    Ears burning with the words "beaten by a brat," Hans'' face had turned white and then red. The words burned into his mind. For nights, he tossed and turned well into the night, until his obsession with regaining first place nearly became an internal demon!


    Hans'' pride in himself had taken a heavy blow, he had never been so humiliated in his life!


    Hans'' narrowed his eyes, simmering hatred overflowing from his aura.


    For that humiliation, this kid was going to take all the frustration and anger Hans had built up over the past few months! Leniency was not a word in Hans'' vocabulary!


    Filled with sadistic glee, Hans chased after the fleeing figure.


    In front of them, Van''s breath imperceptibly sped up.


    Before he had strengthened his body, Van had been a good long-distance runner. Now that he had? His endurance was on another level compared to the two behind him, who could only gnash their teeth from afar.


    Their footfalls behind him grew heavier and less regular.


    Hans started to slow down. His breathing was laboured, and his every step heavy. Sweat tricked down his temples, through his close cropped hair.


    Hans shot a look at Freya. The girl nodded back.


    Hans'' eyes focused on the boy in front, his concentration sharpening.


    At that moment, Van swerved past an extremely wide tree.


    Hans reacted immediately.


    SOU!


    He hurled the staff with all his strength. Itstreaked through the air, gleaming wickedly. Something small was attached to one end.


    Van dodged easily with gazelle-like steps. The staff whooshed passed him.


    BANG!!!


    It hit the bark of the tree. Van continued forth, unconcerned.


    But themoment the staff hit the tree, a gloating smile twisted Hans lips. Beside him, Freya smirked, her brown eyes flashing with schadenfreude.


    A thick grey fog billowed outwards from the tree, thick and pervasive. The running figure in front of them was obscured.


    Hans and Freya stopped running. They coughed; the smoke stung the eyes and clogged the lungs. Telling themselves to remain calm, they waited for the smoke to clear.


    When a few metres each way became visible, they smiled at each other and confidently strode forwards.


    A magnificent sight greeted their eyes.


    An enormous, glistening structure was attached to the trunk of an extremely wide tree. Thick gossamer threads stretched across rugged bark. Ensconced within the shining threads was a vague human-like figure trapped between the mysterious web and the tree.


    Hans burst into laughter. His mirth boomed through the forest. All around them, the forest was eerily silent. The small critters had long fled. Larger animals in the far distance heard the bang and drew closer, curious.


    The surface of the web rippled outwards as if something inside was struggling and hitting the web from the inside. After a moment, the struggle became less violent, but the structure continued to shudder every so often.


    A desperate shout could be heard.


    Grinning, Hans advanced forwards while emitting a dangerous air. He picked up the silver staff and continued forwards.


    ________________


    Pinned to the tree behind him by the sticky web in front of him, Van was not happy.


    The moment the grey smoke was released, his robes had reacted violently. Shuddering, thick, white strands of webbing formed wherever the smoke touched his robes. He had tried to rip his robes off him, but only managed to tear off the back before the smoke completely surrounded him. The threads kept spewing out from his robes, flying towards the tree beside him.


    A few moments later, he was trapped. The threads were strong, flexible and absorbed every blow he aimed at it. No matter how much fleshly power he channelled, he could not puncture it at all ¨C it would distort only momentarily and settle back into its original shape, unperturbed.


    There was a muffled, booming laugh.


    "I''m afraid no matter how much you struggle, you won''t be getting out any time soon."

 31 Knock Knock

    "I''m afraid no matter how much you struggle, you won''t be getting out any time soon," Hans said tauntingly. He watched the trap with dark eyes, anticipating his prey''s pleas for mercy.


    Silence was his only reply.


    Dissatisfied, Hans circled around the tree. Let''s see how much longer this brat can act tough for!


    With a gleeful tone, he paced around the space between the trees, waxing lyrical about the numerous ways he was going to crush every single little bone in Van''s hands, until he couldn''t even wipe his own ass. On an on he went, in vivid detail.


    And yet, the web was quiet and still, unresponsive.


    Hans'' glee turned into a silent fury, his hands tightened on the staff.


    This brat was looking down on him!


    Very well, then.


    Hans displayed a blood-thirsty smile. He squeezed a drop of qi into the staff in his palms.


    It responded hotly. A fierce and righteous aura spilled out. It gave off a haughty air, as if a divine judge passing judgment on all evil.


    Hans dashed forwards.


    Weng!


    A fierce intent pulsed off the staff. Hans leapt and swung the staff to deal a devastating blow on the trapped figure.


    CRACKK!!


    Hans'' mouth curved into a vicious grin, but in the next moment ¨C his face went pale.


    He staggered backwards.


    His eyes were wide, disbelieving.


    I-Impossible!


    In front of him, the thread-trap had sagged inwards under the blow from his staff, as if there were no one inside!


    Hans'' mind whirled. The boy had clearly been trapped inside. He was wearing the clothes that had been contaminated, otherwise the thread-trap would not have appeared.


    But if he was inside, how had he gotten out?


    It was impossible unless he possessed some extraordinary treasure or had reached the 2nd level of Qi Distillation!


    Hans'' face became white as a sheet. How could a villager who came to the sect with nothing but the clothes on his back possess some miraculous treasure? As for such things as body cultivation techniques, that was disregarded by Hans immediately. Firstly, body cultivation techniques were relatively unpopular. But due to that, they were also rare to find ¨C rumours were that the Cedar Sect only had one or two in their vast library of techniques. A village kid having something like that was laughable, impossible!


    If the kid had reached the 2nd level of Qi Distillation¡­ that meant the kid had gone from being a non-cultivator to the 2nd level in only three weeks!


    If it was true, then the kid wasn''t a mere genius ¨C he was a monster!!


    Hans'' stomach twisted into a cold hard ball. Cold sweat formed on the back of his neck.


    He himself was barely in the 2nd level of Qi Distillation, and that was after having reached the 1st level when he had yet to enter the sect. After entering, the spirit stone provided and the abundant spiritual power in the air had allowed him to finally reach the 2nd level ¨C but it had taken him a whole year!


    Not good! By now, they had threatened the boy and offended Van thoroughly. If they didn''t get rid of him while he was still at their level, he''d come back to bite them in the future. His cultivation speed was simply too frightening.


    Hans steeled himself, killing intent flashed through his eyes. From the time that he had hit the web to now, only a few short moments had passed.


    "Freya," he called, eyes locked on the empty web before him, "The brat has escaped. We cannot return to the sect until we are sure he is dead!"


    There was no reply. Hans'' whirled around, hand already on the staff, a foreboding feeling welling up in him.


    He saw Freya standing close to the middle of the clearing, her face pale. Her throat worked soundlessly as a single shaking finger pointed to something in the trees.


    Cr-ack


    A twig snapped.


    A snarling beast leapt out of the trees.


    The girl was thrown onto the ground. She screamed, a blood-curdling sound full of fear. The beast above her snarled again, teeth dripping with thick saliva. She swung her whip at it, but it evaded easily.


    "FREYA!" Hans shouted, running towards her. He channelled qi into the staff again.


    Weng!


    The staff revolved its power. The attention of the beast above Freya was caught. It watched the staff warily.


    At that moment.


    BAMMM!


    A heavy force slammed into him from the side. Hans crashed into the ground like a sack of potatoes. An iron taste filled his mouth. There was a dull pain in his spine.


    A thunderous growl echoed through the trees.


    Full of terror, Hans scrambled onto his knees.


    A giant beast with yellow eyes loomed over him. It was over twice his height and snarled at him viciously. Like the other, it was a giant silver wolf ¨C but this one had a black patch of fur on its chest.


    Hans forcibly calmed himself. This was still just the outskirts of the forest; this beast couldn''t be that strong!


    A massive paw swung downwards.


    Hans rolled away, fingers outstretched. He nearly touched the staff, which had fallen to the side. His sweaty fingers slipped off the handle.


    The massive demon beast knocked it away. It turned it''s eyes on Hans and straightened its neck. A powerful howl rose to the skies.


    Hans rolled away and leapt to his feet. He snatched the staff from the ground. But the next moment, a feeling of instinctive terror washed through him.


    Not good!


    Hans turned just in time.


    TENG!


    The wolf''s massive claws bounced off the staff held horizontally across his chest. It snarled, foiled.


    He swung the staff threateningly. The wolf watched him with intelligent eyes.


    Hans leapt forwards and swung the staff at the wolf. Due to its larger body, it was slightly slow to react. The staff hit the giant foreleg of the beast. It yelped and hopped backwards. Hans regained confidence. The wolf was intimidating, but it wasn''t that strong! With time, Hans was sure he would win.


    "Stupid animal. I''ll kill you!" He screamed.


    Angered by his blow, the wolf bounded forwards lopsidedly. It raised its uninjured paw.


    Hans was ready.


    The demon beast narrowed its yellow eyes. Its claws rocketed through the air.


    "Same old tricks!" Hans yelled, and moved the staff to block.


    But suddenly, the wolf''s descending paw curved to the side.


    It slammed into the side of Hans'' head!


    Shit! Hans thought, as he was swatted onto the ground once more. The taste of blood in his mouth grew thicker.


    He scrambled back up to his feet, eyes pinned on the wolf in front of him. In the corner of his eyes, he saw Freya struggling with the other wolf. Her arm was bloodied, but she seemed relatively fine. The wolf in front of him stared coldly back.


    The sound of rustling leaves filled the small space. Four dozen glowing eyes lit the gloom between the trees.


    Hans stumbled backwards.


    Four dozen large shadows slinked into the clearing; they glared at him with eyes full of malevolent intent.


    Hans gritted his teeth.


    One or two wolves he could handle, but suddenly four dozen? Even if he killed one, another would just take its place!


    While he was in the 2nd level of Qi Distillation, Hans had yet to practice any skills. This was sect protocol ¨C only upon reaching outer disciple was one allowed to pick three skills from the library to practice. Prior to that, the focus of cultivation was on building a stable base. It all made sense, but in this moment, Hans wished he had a skill in his repertoire.


    The only thing he could use staff in his hands. It was a good treasure, but could it deal with four dozen wolves at once?


    Hans felt wronged, absolutely wronged.


    This was not how things were supposed to turn out! What deity had he offended, up in the Heavens? How could it be like this!? Why had these wolves suddenly appeared here, and why had the villager been able to escape from their meticulously sprung trap?


    Three of the largest wolves advanced towards him.


    Moments later, Hans'' arm was sliced into, causing it to drip with red blood. He fought with all his strength, and yet was only able to injure one wolf with the staff. That wolf limped back and was replaced by another. Sometime during the chaos of the fight, Hans was thrown to the ground once more. A snarling wolf snatched the staff out of his hands with its jaws and threw it to the grass.


    It lay just beyond his reach. Shakily, he reached forwards and tried to pick it up.


    As the tip of his fingernail scratched the metal surface - a bare foot stepped painfully onto his fingers, pressing them into the metal.


    Hans nearly fainted from the pain.


    With trembling neck muscles, he looked up.


    "No, no... " he cried out.

 32 Unfinished Business

    "No, no... " the figure at his feet cried out.


    Van looked downwards. Inside, he was sneering, but his expression remained stoic. His lack of clothing did not bother him at all.


    "Please¡­mercy¡­!" Hans begged.


    Van raised a brow. Mercy?


    This person had the gall to ask Van for mercy?


    By nature, Van was not a ruthless person, but he was no saint either. The person at his feet had gleefully taunted him, threatened him, mocked him ¨C how could he remain calm? Not to mention¡­


    Van inspected Hans with a lazy eye. Indeed. It was there in the slant of Hans'' eyes, the subtle clench of his jaw and the fist tucked into his side ¨C Hans'' killing intent had not lessened in the slightest!


    A small smile curled Van''s lips. Fine, then.


    Others, for good reasons, he had the strength in him to forgive. But Hans? Would Hans have been merciful as he crushed every single bone in Van''s body and then left him a useless cripple unable to ''wipe his own ass''?


    Like hell!


    An expression of distaste flickered across Van''s features. He felt a small flame begin to burn in his chest.


    "Plotting to kill someone just because of your lack of ability¡­how unsightly!"


    Hans flinched back as if he had been slapped. Van mercilessly ground his foot down. The older boy below him winced as his bones began to creak.


    Van was relentless with his words.


    "They have a special phrase for people like you, Hans. Weak of heart and mind. Unwilling to bear suffering but also unwilling to sincerely push towards the top with their own abilities - only able to endlessly scheme against others. A petty villain in a child''s play!"


    Hans'' expression twisted. Van continued; each word a sword that sliced past the tender skin and into the bleeding depths of a heart.


    "You''re being used as a disposable chess piece in someone else''s game, and you don''t even know it!"


    Like a bitter elixir, shame and anger mixed into Hans'' swirling emotions. His expression morphed between anger, humiliation, regret and viciousness.


    "You...!" He spat, face red and the veins in his forehead starkly bulging out.


    Van''s foot pressed down harder. He remembered the countless taunts that had been tossed his way.


    Snap!


    Hans howled. The sound echoed loudly between the trees. His face scrunched up; he was barely enduring the pain.


    "How does it feel?" Van narrowed his eyes, "This is less than a tenth of what you promised me! Surely, you can withstand more than this!"


    There was another snapping sound.


    On the ground, Hans convulsed. Van stood above silently. Seeing Hans'' writhing form, the flame of anger in his heart calmed slightly. He ran a shaking hand over his face and told himself to calm down. To not let his emotions get the better of him.


    He took a deep breath in and out.


    At that moment, a slim figure was tossed carelessly to the ground.


    Freya tumbled onto the grass; her face was bloodied, and her hair tangled. Seeing Van in his complete state of undress, she grew timid and looked down and did not raise her head again. The whip was gone.


    The large wolf that had unceremoniously dumped Freya settled a heavy paw onto her back and perked its ears. An eager look and a wagging tail were aimed at Van.


    The boy smiled.


    To Hans, Van''s serene smile seemed full of hidden daggers.


    True fear had long settled into Hans'' stomach.


    Not only did this kid possess an astonishing physical body and an inhuman cultivation speed - his personality was decisive and calm. Although he wasn''t a genius, he wasn''t an idiot either. Somehow, at every turn, they had been foiled. Hans'' broken fingers throbbed painfully with each circulation of blood.


    His will to fight started to dwindle. Hans'' head hung lower into the ground.


    All he wanted was for this endless nightmare to end already. Death? He thought he could almost face it. Living would be nice, of course, but anything was better than the beating his pride was taking. Above all else, Hans'' pride was the one thing he could not bear for others to step on! It was his greatest weakness and yet the source of his will and strength.


    Being humiliated in front of the Herbal Hall the other week had already tested the limits of his heart ¨C nearly resulting in an internal demon. This¡­? The fog in his heart and mind were so dense and heavy he felt as if were drowning.


    The staff was kicked out of Hans'' numbed fingers. He could only watch as it was picked up casually by the figure in front of him.


    Van inspected the metal staff in his palms with an admiring look. The metal felt curiously alive in his grasp, giving off a feeling of haughty righteousness. The staff was white-silver in appearance, and its overly simple carvings gave it a strange feeling of incompleteness as if its creator had hastily sent out an unfinished, unpolished product. However, the quality of the material was undeniable and the workmanship impeccable despite its simplicity.


    Van spun the staff in his hands, finding it a bit on the lighter side. Ah, but that''s right, both Hans and Freya were the rich scions of a famous group of merchant families in Cloud River. This staff probably costed nothing to them.


    Remembering his need for treasures and resources, Van gave the older youths at his feet an appraising look.


    Keeping with tradition, he poked Jet. The wide-awake ring easily evaded, huffing in annoyance as it did so.


    [What?] Jet demanded, [Just kill them and be done with it!]


    Van shook his head.


    [They will be of much more use to me alive. Look at this.]


    Jet swam closer to the forefront of Van''s mind and peered through his eyes.


    [Eh?]


    There was a note of surprise in it''s tone.


    Excitement filled Van''s belly.


    [It''s a good item, isn''t it?]


    The ring pulsed. Grudgingly, it spoke.


    [¡­It''s even better than what you think. If I''m not mistaken, this incomplete weapon was made from starsteel¡­Even incomplete, it is not something a mere merchant family from a small country like this can buy.]


    [How could it end up in this kid''s hands? It doesn''t make sense.]


    Van frowned, uneasy. He looked down at the staff and ran a hand along the carvings along the sides. The staff responded with warmth.


    Such a nice gift had been placed in his hands¡­ it was hard to let go of it. Van turned his attention back to the two figures in front of him.


    "This staff," he barked, "where did you guys get it from?"


    Hans'' head lifted. His eyes flickered to the side uneasily.


    "It was stolen."


    "From?"


    "I''m not sure. I didn''t do it, a friend did. He is¡­following Klaus as well. All I know was that he got it from within the sect."


    Van narrowed his eyes. That wasn''t much to go off, but at least he knew he would need to be cautious within the sect.


    [What do you think, Jet?] Van asked, touching the staff thoughtfully, [If this was stolen from someone important, I will be in serious trouble if they sense its aura on me.]


    Jet spun lazily.


    [That is something you don''t have to worry about. For a certain price in spiritual power, I can store it within my body.]


    [Oh? I thought I could just stick it my mindscape?]


    The ring was affronted.


    [What, you think any old thing can manifest in your spiritual sea?]


    Van nodded sheepishly. The only two treasures he possessed had had this ability, after all.


    The ring tsked, [Idiot. That green bastard is not simple.]


    [Anyway, I can store the staff within me, but to do this I must siphon off more power as you cultivate. At your level, I only have the capacity to store one item. Though I can hide the staff, you must also hide me from prying eyes.]


    The boy nodded and held up the silver staff. Under the sunlight, it grew translucent and disappeared.


    There was a shocked gasp from below.


    "H-how!?" Hans stuttered.


    Van calmly turned, listening to Jet''s instructions within his head. When his eyes met Hans'' and Freya''s, they were fathomless pools of swirling energy.


    __________________


    A golden-haired figure wearing green robes, reclined lazily on the branch of a large tree, watched as a young boy of about thirteen years of age led another two servants out of the forest. Over forty low-level demon wolves trailed their exit.


    The blonde figure, bored, yawned and patted his mouth with a hand. He closed the little black book in his hands.


    "My quiet napping spot wasn''t so quiet today," he complained, tickling the chin of a small golden monkey with intelligent black eyes.


    It scampered about the figure''s robes, a look of deep disapproval on its tiny face. In its hand was a small black badge embossed with insignia containing five intersecting triangles. This particular badge was rather bashed up, and weary-looking. It was clearly not well-loved. The tiny monkey poked its finger rather deliberately a few times at the script printed below the insignia. ''Inter-Sect Patrol Team A,'' it read.


    The golden-haired man nodded sagely, "Indeed, he''s lucky he didn''t do anything too extreme in front of me, or I would have had to actually do something."


    The monkey threw up its tiny hands in anger.

 33 Inter-Sect Patrol Team A

    Between two tall trees, a tall young woman with a sword strapped to her waist stood silently, waiting the hour to pass. She wore long black robes with a single white star embroidered on the back. Her black hair was tied up into a high ponytail, giving off a stern and sharp aura.


    Watching the trees, Althea pulled out a small thin whistle and blew lightly. Despite there being no audible sound, the reaction in her surroundings was immediate.


    Shuah!


    Shuah!


    Ta-ta-ta-ta


    Shua!


    Fhwump!


    Robed figures appeared in the small clearing. Wearing various coloured robes, their only similarities were the badges on their chests. They were all inner disciples of the various sects within Dragon City. In appearance, they ranged from being young teens to their mid-thirties. Quietly, they arranged themselves into a straight line in front of her. Soon, a total of eight patrollers were assembled.


    "Anything to report?" Althea asked.


    Someone came forwards.


    It was a young man wearing the same uniform as her, the black robes of a Star Cutting Sect disciple.


    "Yes, Team Leader! One hour into our shift I noticed a disturbance in the demon beasts. Many were fleeing into my territory."


    Althea shook her head, "That is quite a common occurrence. They may have been chased out by a rival group or have been chasing their prey."


    The young man shook his head.


    "That was what I thought too until I noticed an extremely large pack of unfamiliar, low-level demon wolves moving through the area. They moved quite quickly in one direction and were not interested in the demon beasts around them at all. It seems suspicious."


    "You did not investigate?"


    The young man from the Star Cutting sect turned slightly and looked pointedly at someone in their midst.


    "They were moving within someone else''s area of responsibility, so I did not."


    The word ''someone'' was stressed so heavily, and the look so pointed that one could hardly miss the message.


    She turned her gaze to the edge of their formation. A young man with long blonde hair with a sleepy look on his face was patting a small golden monkey on his shoulder. As she watched, he opened his mouth wide and let out a prolonged, gusty yawn. When he noticed her gaze, he blinked his watery blue eyes and sent her a flirtatious wink.


    Althea crossed her arms, unimpressed, "Do you have anything to report, Dieter?"


    The young man tucked his hands into the sleeves of his green robes and tilted his head, considering. The small golden monkey aimed a look of expectation at its owner.


    Long seconds passed.


    A crow cawed in the distant sky above.


    Dieter opened his mouth.


    Everyone leaned forwards, their curiosity piqued.


    Why was he hesitating for so long?


    Had he seen something out of the ordinary?


    "¡­Nope. Saw nuthin''."


    Someone fell over.


    The golden monkey on Dieter''s shoulder buried its little face in its hands.


    Althea frowned, her dark brows drawing together. She really didn''t know how to deal with Dieter.


    Though his capabilities could not be doubted, as he was an inner disciple like her, but he was so ridiculously unreasonable!


    The last time another team member attempted to intrude into his patrolling area, he had lured an enraged Trumphant into their territory, causing a mess that took days to clean up. Countless complaints from the sects had ensued, bitter and resentful that their disciple training excursions had to be cancelled.


    Just remembering the stacks of paperwork and the countless number of placating speeches she had to give were giving Althea a bitter headache.


    She narrowed her eyes and inspected Dieter''s expression. His fair eyebrows were relaxed and his eyes half-lidded as if he were on the verge of falling asleep.


    "What about the demon wolves were seen travelling through your patrol area?"


    Watery blue eyes blinked slowly.


    "Do you think the migratory habits of a few low-level demon beasts are worth reporting?"


    Althea''s frowned, "Are you doubting my competency?"


    "Are you doubting mine?" Dieter asked archly, an eyebrow raised.


    Althea didn''t know how to respond.


    Dieter continued nonchalantly.


    "What would I report? That they decided my patrol area was nice to live in?


    I''ll be honest, it''s a nice little spot. There''s a little spring I like to visit occasionally, plenty of small game and a nice hillside for sunning on. If I were a demon beast, I''d live there too!


    It''s not like wolves hunting in packs is anything out of the ordinary. For all we know, they could have been chasing a rabbit."


    Dieter paused and spread his arms. He turned to the rest of the patrol team.


    "Does anyone NOT from the Star Cutting sect think that this insignificant event is worth further attention?"


    There was silence in the clearing. Other patrol members averted their gazes. Indeed, they had seen a few demon wolves here and there occasionally in the last few weeks. Like any other wolves, they chased after their prey in packs. Obviously, they had decided that they were nothing worth reporting. No action had so far been taken, and so it was evident that other patrol teams had thought the same.


    Who knew that their new leader would be so detail-orientated and cautious?


    The team members glanced at each other, wishing to save some face for themselves.


    Finally, a young girl wearing the light blue robes of the Zephyr sect stepped forwards. With an apologetic tone, she spoke:


    "That is¡­ um¡­ well, traditionally patrol teams only report or interfere with things that might affect our sects'' safety and reputation. You know, like preventing fights to the death, or tracking the movements of the really strong demon beasts¡­" She trailed off, "I think¡­ this kind of thing is a bit small to be investigated further¡­"


    Althea''s sect mate had an ugly expression on his face. Like Althea, he was new to the patrol teams. How was he to know that the reality of their operations was different from his expectations?


    He had pointed the wolves'' movements out because he wanted to expose Dieter''s lackadaisical ways ¨C how could he have known that this would backfire so spectacularly. Not only had he lost face, but Althea and the Star Cutting sect had as well!


    He glared daggers at Dieter''s back, pissed off but unable to vent.


    Althea smiled stiffly. She turned an unhappy gaze at her sect mate. He ducked his head, avoiding her gaze.


    "It seems that it is our Star Cutting disciple''s mistake."


    She waved a hand. When she spoke again, she had regained her professional demeanour and tone.


    "Our next patrol shift will be in three days'' time. As usual, we will gather here for a briefing before and after the change of shift. Latecomers will have their sect contribution points deducted and their hunting rights suspended until further notice."


    "You are all dismissed."


    ____________________


    Three unkempt figures emerged into a small forest clearing.


    Van could be seen first, naked except for a large leaf that conveniently covered his bits. He walked up to the tree and casually pulled his axe out from the tree he had been working on. He heaved it onto his shoulder.


    Behind him, Hans and Freya walked into the clearing. Their faces were pale and dirty, but at least their robes were still intact.


    Van handed them a small gourd he had just filled with water and made them wash their faces. Then he instructed them to fetch some clothing for him.


    "Remember the consequences if you disobey me," he warned.


    In front of him, the duo nodded solemnly, hearts heavy. They thought about how just two hours ago, they had chased after this fellow with high spirits and sprung their trap. They were clearing standing in the same space they started in, but how had the world changed so completely in so short a time?


    Now they were bound to Van''s every word and whim by his mental brand in their minds. Disobedience meant instant death! Or so said Van.


    However, neither were foolish enough to test Van''s handiwork. They nodded stiffly and left the forest.

 34 Vengeful Ghos

    That night, underneath the starry sky, Van sat in a meditative pose in front of a small banyan tree. Despite the serene atmosphere, sweat dotted his brows. His teeth were clenched.


    His absorption of qi that night was slow and difficult. It had been a few hours and yet his cultivation had not progressed at all.


    Van stood up and stretched his muscles, hoping to refresh himself.


    [You need to relax,] Jet instructed.


    Van sighed.


    "Tell me more about the phantom brand we placed on Hans and Freya," he requested, acknowledging the source of his worries.


    The duo''s status, resources and connections as the scions of a merchant family were very useful. If they remained undercover by Klaus'' side, they would also allow Van to keep an eye on him.


    Adding the fact that they knew about his wolves, it was imperative that they remain under his thumb.


    Jet spent a moment gathering its thoughts.


    [Even in the old days, the phantom brand was considered obscure. Few people deigned to understand it. Now that millions of years have passed, it''s impossible that someone still possesses the knowledge and skill to remove a phantom brand.]


    Van tilted his head.


    Even if someone did not have the knowledge or skill, what about brute force? Surely something that a 1st level Qi Distillation cultivator could place would not be too difficult to destroy.


    He conveyed his doubts to the ring.


    Jet gasped dramatically, [The single brain cell has finally split into two!]


    [Yes, well. Incredible things often come with fatal flaws ¨C that is the Heaven''s way. The phantom brand is unrivalled in the lower cultivation levels as it requires little spiritual power and only a moderate level of mental ability to pull off. Under its influence, the victim cannot disobey the will of the inflictor in any way.


    [But it can be broken quite easily.]


    Van nodded. His suspicions were correct, after all.


    Jet continued.


    [An external party cannot do so unless they understand the ''trick'' behind the brand. However, the victim themselves can break it easily.]


    [Once the victim''s cultivation exceeds the inflictor''s by more than a single cultivation level, the brand will dissolves by itself. This also happens if the victim''s mental energy exceeds that of the inflictor''s.]


    Van paced around the banyan tree with brows furrowed.


    Hans and Freya were already in the 2nd level of Qi Distillation. If either rose up a level before Van broke through, he would lose control over them and they would no longer be bound to the oath he had forced on them.


    His footsteps halted.


    "It seems the 99th meridian cannot wait."


    Jet pulsed in agreement.


    Van closed his eyes. Not including Jet, there was the turtle shell, the beast core, some spiritual iron grasses and the incomplete starsteel weapon. Of these, only the beast core would help in unblocking 99th meridian.


    Van sighed. However, recalling the starsteel staff improved his mood.


    According to Jet, starsteel was prized for its chaos attribute, which meant that it simultaneously favoured all elements and yet also none. When paired with another material, it had the effect of tremendously amplifying that material''s strengths and reducing its weaknesses.


    Consequently, in conventional weapons-making, starsteel was always paired with a more aggressive metal. The lack of a second metal in the staff was the thing that allowed Jet to conclude that it was an unfinished product.


    Sadly, Van could do little other than reminisce about the staff. If he dared to pull it out in the middle of sect grounds, there was little doubt that he would be in deep shit with the person it had been stolen from.


    Van lightly petted the banyan tree''s bark.


    On the upside, he had made some gains from this little run into the forest.


    Now, anything Hans and Freya owned belonged to him, including their rewards for ranking in the top three of the Woodcutting Sect. This would almost triple the number of herbs he would receive from the Herbal Hall at the end of the week. This was very nice indeed.


    "Let''s see what they bring me tomorrow morning," Van said. He had ordered them to turn over their personal belongings to him. Perhaps he would find some nice things that could help his cultivation.


    _______________


    At the break of dawn, the servants woke as per usual and were ushered into the victuals hall for breakfast. Despite having had porridge for weeks on end now, Van was yet to tire of the taste. Sitting next to Ryan, he shoved spoonfuls of food into his mouth without pausing.


    About halfway into the bowl, Van noticed that Ryan had altogether stopped eating. He looked up, only to see an unusual on the boy''s face. While he usually looked tired and overworked, today his eyes were bright.


    Van swallowed his mouthful of porridge and looked questioningly at the other boy.


    Ryan, engrossed by the conversation occurring at the table, placed a finger on his lips and pointed to his ears. Van shut his mouth and listened carefully.


    Immediately, the sound of two high-pitched, prepubescent voices reached his ears. These two voices came from the young twin brothers sitting across the table, Shin and Lim, who both recently turned ten. They were well-known amongst the servants due to their young age, mischievous natures and adorable faces.


    The servants sitting around them were engrossed by the twins description of their terrifying discovery the previous day.


    "We were just minding our own business when suddenly we stumbled upon a giant spider''s web in the forest. Frightened, but curious, we circled around the tree only to find a giant tunnel on the other side of the ginormous tree¡­there were deep, worm-like gouges in the sides of the tunnel¡­as if a vengeful ghost had used its fingers to claw its way out of the tree..."


    "Despite our fears, our curiosity carried us forwards. With our hearts in our mouths, we advanced through the hole in the tree''s trunk¡­


    "...and scariest of all, we found a set of torn up servants'' robes inside the tree! There was even underwear!"


    The audience gasped.


    "A vengeful ghost is haunting the forest, we''re sure of it! It lures passing servants into its tree lair and then eats them, leaving only their clothes behind!"


    Van choked on his porridge.


    The total mess he had left behind yesterday in the tree was being interpreted as the remains of a vengeful ghost''s victim!


    Ryan looked at Van with an expression of deep concern on his face.

 35 The 99th Meridian

    Thick fragrance wafted into Van''s nose.


    In a basket before him, lay sixteen herbs that radiated an aura of spirituality. In appearance, they differed greatly; they ranged from vibrant flowers to grasses, leaves and barks. Some were shrivelled or dried, others appeared freshly plucked. In delight, Van ran a careful finger over their carefully preserved edges.


    These sixteen herbs were Hans'' and Freya''s entire personal collection.


    If they had not fallen in Van''s hands, ten of these herbs would have been distributed to other servants, including Klaus, in order to curry favour. The other six were split between Hans and Freya for personal consumption.


    For the sake of maintaining Hans''s and Freya''s existing networks, Van put aside a few of the highest quality herbs. That left just over six herbs for Van.


    Under the moonlight, Van''s dark eyes shone. As he picked up and admired a small white flower, his mood dampened. If only Finn could see these! In his mind''s eye, he saw Finn''s bright, dimpled smile. She loved pretty and cute things above all, and mystical light emitted from flower-herbs heightened their beauty.


    Thinking about his sister made Van''s expression grow solemn. He remembered his vow to her as he steeled himself and walked out of Mountain Village.


    Van pushed all unnecessary thoughts away and focused on the moment before him.


    The final meridian was his first real cultivation bottleneck and was what was preventing him from reaching the 2nd level of Qi Distillation. Once he broke through, his cultivation speed would have become four times faster than an ordinary cultivator''s.


    Though this increase in speed sounded small, if one thought about it, it bordered on being a heavenly advantage.


    The difference between cultivating for 1 day vs. 4 days might be small, but the difference between 25 years and 100 years was vast.


    [Are you ready?]


    "As I''ll ever be," Van said as he closed his eyes.


    He took a deep breath and picked up a somewhat shrivelled leaf. From its appearance, it might once have been quite fleshy. He bit into it and a fruity taste spread through his mouth. Fiery energy spread outwards from his oesophagus and downwards into his stomach.


    [Do not let the energy dissipate,] came the stern reminder.


    Concentrating, Van gathered the energy into a rotating ball all the while cramming the rest of the herb in his mouth and chewing it quickly. Soon enough, his forehead was dripping with sweat from the effort.


    [Now, the next one.]


    Blindly, Van fumbled for another one of herbs laid before him and shoved it in his mouth. This time, the influx of qi held a distinctively cooling sensation. Like ice, the energy melted and dripped slowly into his body. Once more, Van channelled the energy into a constantly rotating core.


    This process repeated until Van had chewed and condensed the spiritual power of over almost all the low-level spiritual herbs within himself. The spiritual power was a quickly spinning whirlwind of energy within his centre. It grew large enough that it almost slipped out of his control several times. The moment it did, was the moment that Van would need to start all over again ¨C all the energy he had painstakingly gathered would chaotically tear through his body.


    Finally, Van reached for the last herb, a tough piece of bark that tasted faintly of metal. Sharp energy swirled into his body. The boy grimaced as he chewed, feeling the rotating core within him spinning furiously. As the new energy flowed into it, it showed signs of collapsing.


    A strand of energy detached from the core.


    [No!]


    Van''s heart leapt into his throat.


    [Control it!] Jet shouted.


    The core continued to unwind.


    [Control it now!]


    Van chewed furiously. Gambling, he channelled energy from digesting the bark and threw bolts of it at the collapsing core. The momentum of the energy forced the core to hold together. A shaky equilibrium was reached.


    Worried, Van tore off another section of bark with his teeth and quickly chewed it. Soon enough, the herb had been completely consumed. Its energy rotated within the unstable core.


    Van''s brows finally relaxed from their tense position. Now all that''s left was to attack the meridian. Just as he attempted to shape the energy, he was stopped by Jet.


    [There is still not enough energy to unblock the 99th meridian.]


    "What!?"


    Van, face red and sweaty, showed an incredulous expression. The swirling mass of energy within him was barely within his control and yet Jet said this was not enough? If any more energy was added, Van would possibly implode!


    The ring was half-amused, half-scornful.


    [If perfection were so easy, half the world would be walking around with the cultivation of a god. Now buck up and pull out that demon core.]


    Ultimately, Van nodded. He pulled out the fingernail sized beast core he had obtained way back on Mount Steady.


    [The input of energy from the beast core will be less than from some of the herbs, but its nature far more vicious. However, it is exactly that viciousness that will help you.]


    Van nodded again.


    [Quickly! Each rotation of that core causes a slight loss in energy. Do not waste this, lest you must wait another month or more to collect such an optimal bunch of resources again!]


    Pa!


    Van tossed the crystalline core into his mouth.


    The moment it touched his tongue, it let off a sizzling noise. Thick spiritual energy dripped down into his gullet like hot gravy. As the qi neared the rotating core, its bestial nature erupted. Wild and unrestrained, the qi rampaged around his centre. It penetrated the rotating core and started to tear it apart like a hound set upon prey.


    Van''s veins bulged out. The blood vessels in his eyes burst. His eyes were dyed a scarlet red. It seemed that this attempt would be a failure.


    Van gritted his teeth. He refused to accept this outcome! Once more, Van restrained the power from the beast core and tried to force into the swirling ball of energy within him.


    [Yield!]


    The power from the beast core gave off a rebellious, vicious aura as it struggled against his control.


    [We are close to losing energy faster than we can assimilate from the beast core,] Jet warned.


    Van clenched his teeth. He drew inner strength from deep within himself.


    YIELD!


    HZZZZZT!


    The beast qi was sucked into the rotating energy core! Van saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Fiercely, he condensed the collected spiritual power within himself and forced it into a condensed, needle-like shape.


    Biting his lips so hard that they bled, Van pushed the needle towards the final meridian between his brows.


    Ommmmm!


    The qi needle, vibrating due to the sheer amount of compressed energy within, sped upwards.


    It pierced deeply into the blockage. But unlike the other meridians, a fearful pain radiated outwards.


    Van nearly screamed. His vision blackened. He clutched his head, groaning.


    Nevertheless, he continued to force the needle through.


    It moved slowly, as if stuck in mud. Pulses of pain shook Van''s body.


    Just as Van thought he would lose his mind from the drawn-out, excruciating pain, the needle shook.


    A vicious, bestial air - reminiscent of the qi from the demon beast core ¨C emerged as the dominant force within the mix of energies.


    HZZZZZT!


    With a buzzing sound, the needle zapped the blockage. The radiating pain abruptly stopped.


    The barrier had disintegrated.


    The final 99th meridian was opened!


    Between Van''s brows, a small black vortex appeared.

 36 The Second Level of Qi Distillation, Get!

    The moment the black vortex appeared, Van felt as if a dam within him broke. The small stream of power within him pulsed and widened. Immediately, his aura of spirituality strengthened.


    He broke through to the 2nd level of Qi Distillation!


    A grin stretched across his face.


    No longer in pain, Van let go of his head. As his vision cleared, he noticed that the spiritual energy within a five-metre radius seemed to be sucked towards him very quickly.


    Soon enough, he was sitting in the middle of a miniature whirlpool of qi. Thin strands of power whipped through his hair, pulled by the black hole between his brows.


    Van felt each strand enter his newly opened meridian and become purified at an extremely fast pace. Quickly, each purified strand joined the spiritual stream within his conscious. The stream condensed qi visibly grew wider.


    Van felt his jaw drop open.


    What was this speed!?


    At this rate, he would be able to break through to the 3rd level of Qi Distillation in no time at all! He estimated he would be able to do it in a week, tops, even without the aid of spiritual herbs.


    Van''s heartbeat accelerated. So, this was the power of a perfect foundation!


    By his side, his fists clenched. He saw himself donning the robes of an inner disciple, the pale green robes with the cedar tree embroidered at the back. He imagined himself riding back to Mountain Village, victorious, swooping down to scoop Finn into his arms and then taking her to live in an idyllic cottage within the sect.


    Soon!


    Van turned his attention inwards.


    All the meridians in his body seemed to breathe like a living organism. As the meridian between his brows drew in the energy and consumed it, the other meridians fed off the slower currents of qi also drawn towards Van.


    Van himself was giddy off the inrush of power. The feeling of all his meridians sucking in energy and refining it, making it into his own, was heady. It had been worth spending a month focusing on opening and widening his meridians only.


    High on the feeling of smooth and fast cultivation, Van suddenly wondered why the strong reduction of spiritual power around him had not caught the attention of a higher-up. In his mind, he fantasised about how a fellow with a long white beard would point at him and choose him to be his personal disciple.


    [Ha ha.]


    Jet drawled sarcastically.


    [There are hundreds of cultivators within the sect, whether they are servants, teachers, outer disciples or whatever. Although, opening all the meridians has dramatically increased your cultivation speed; at only the 2nd level of Qi Distillation, your speed is still only par with a cultivator of the 5th level.


    Of course, considering that is a three-level difference, such a speed is quite impressive.


    However, 5th level Qi Distillation disciples are not rare in the Cedar Sect. Unless someone personally monitors your cultivation and notices you, any drainage of power you cause would easily blend in with the other disciples in the sect cultivating at night.]


    Van sighed.


    It was a nice dream while it lasted. In the end, the reality was that he must ultimately rely on himself to get to where he wanted to be!


    ____________


    [The next day, in the afternoon.]


    The donkey-cart rocked from side to side as it travelled over the wide dirt path, on the way back to the Cedar Sect after a long day.


    Staring at the bits of hay and dirt scattered over the cart, Van thought about Hans'' and Freya''s report to him earlier in the day:


    Klaus had, in quick succession, broken through to the 2nd level and into the 3rd level of Qi Distillation - all within the span of a week.


    Van sat with a solemn, ruminating expression on his face. Beside him, Ryan''s characteristically silent and dour air doubled the depressive atmosphere that hung over their corner of the cart.


    As a result, the other servants on the cart were quieter than usual - even those that usually made small talk with Van chose to tactfully remain silent.


    A sneer curled Van''s lips as he recalled the pale aristocrat''s contemptuous smile and threat to destroy Van''s time at the sect.


    Van''s dark eyes flashed dangerously.


    So what!?


    Although it was shocking that Klaus'' cultivation speed outpaced his own, Van was not intimidated. The desire to win burned hotter in his chest.


    "Wotcher!"


    A nasally voice called out. The speaker was a tall thin man with a moustache who was pinching his nose with two delicate fingers.


    Van and the other servants in the cart blanched when they heard his warning. Futilely, they shielded themselves with a raised sleeve. Everyone''s eyes were closed, praying that they would be less ''lucky'' today.


    A pile of steaming shit arced towards them.


    Splat!


    The massive poo splattered all over the dirt ground.


    Someone sighed loudly in relief. They had emerged unscathed from the attack.


    "Madge had a lot to eat for lunch," the moustached man explained, shrugging.


    In front of them, the massive beast hauling the donkey cart gave a low moan in response, tossing its head.


    Van saw Ryan''s grin and cracked up.


    The donkey-carts continued steadily down the dirt path, back to Dragon City.


    __________


    The sight that greeted the servants'' eyes when they disembarked the donkey-carts at the back gate of the Cedar Sect was not a pretty one.


    From far away, Van spied a young man dashing towards the exit. He was light and fleet-footed, able to swerve and dodge bystanders as easily as running in a straight line.


    Despite this, hot on his heels and not giving an inch, was an older man in severe grey robes. An expression of thunderous fury was etched in his features.


    "Get back here, you little wretch!"

 37 The Infamous Elder

    "Get back here, you little wretch!"


    The young man pumped his skinny legs faster in response. His eyes darted left and right. From his plain brown robes, it was clear he was also a servant.


    The crowd parted around him as he ran.


    Following close behind was the old man in severe grey robes. With thick white brows that swept sharply upwards and a section of his hair in a top knot, the old man emitted a stern and intimidating aura. At the moment, his gaze was full of killing intent. Despite his advanced age, he was amazingly spry; he was slowly catching up to the kid in the front!


    "Stop running away!"


    The young man didn''t even blink. He continued to run forwards, eyes still searching the crowd.


    "I just want to talk!" The elder shouted at the top of his lungs.


    The onlooking servants showed wry expressions.


    Was this the actions of someone who just wanted to talk? Somehow the shaking fist, the fierce expression and the staff that was being waved in a threatening manner didn''t make this statement too convincing!


    None of the servants believed the elder''s words, and neither did the young man in front. He continued to scan the crowd. As long moments passed, his breathing became more laborious, his steps heavier, and his eyes redder. No matter how many faces he saw, none of them was who he was looking for. His eyes started to blur.


    Van stood with Ryan, somewhere at the back of the crowds, furthest away from the commotion. He watched the scene with arms crossed as if it were a play being acted out in the village square. His dark eyes followed the thin young man as he twisted through the crowds.


    Abruptly, their eyes locked through the crowd.


    The hairs on the back of Van''s neck raised.


    A short moment seemed to stretch out into eternity. Then, the young man''s red eyes slid off him like water off a duck''s back.


    Van''s shoulders relaxed. Instinctively, he felt that the target of the young man''s search was not him.


    However, the young man''s eyes did not slide very far. A split second later, an expression of extreme hatred crossed the young man''s face. His footsteps lightened as if a wind was aiding him. With a vicious expression, he charged forwards, shoving people aside.


    He was making for Van''s general direction!


    Once more, Van tensed. His eyes quickly darted to the side, following the fleeing young man''s line of sight.


    Somewhere behind him and off to his right was Hans. The big servant was frozen and wan. His pupils shook; guilt and fear warred within him. Beside him, Freya''s face was bloodless. Her eyes darted between the fleeing young man and the old man in the grey robes.


    As he took in their expressions, Van realised this so-called ''play'' had more to do with him than he originally thought. Or rather, it was all to do with the starsteel staff he had stored within Jet!


    The fleeing young man, Van surmised, was the ''friend'' who had nicked the staff from its rightful owner! It didn''t take much to surmise who this rightful owner was - that elder looked like he was ready to kill!


    The young man stumbled - a large gaggle of servants who had been slow to get out of the way.


    The old man was onto him in a flash. With a dark and malicious expression, he swung his staff at the young man.


    There was a horrendous cracking noise that echoed through the area.


    The young man''s eyes rolled upwards, showing the whites. Like a ragdoll, he slumped to the ground and stilled. On the large footpath, his crumpled form was small and pitiful.


    The surrounding servants gasped, horrified. They drew back, wary of drawing this grey-robed old man''s wrath.


    Behind Van, he heard a young woman''s shaking voice.


    "Oh god. I-I recognise him now. That senior is t-that elder. The one rumoured to have... to have killed a student. The one whose probation period just ended."


    There were sharp breaths.


    "The Disciplinary Elder?" Someone inquired tremulously. There were nods.


    Another voice spoke up.


    "That rumour is utter rubbish!


    The Cedar Sect has had a stellar reputation for centuries. Its safety is one of the reasons why it has the most people out of all the top sects in Dragon City!


    If something like that happened there would be public outrage. Other sects would be clamouring and shouting the news over every rooftop, dragging the Cedar Sect''s name in the mud! The fact that we are still in the top three proves this rumour is false."


    "I heard he didn''t kill the disciple. He accidentally crippled him while in a blind rage.His probation period was only a year in light of his decades of exemplary service to the sect."


    There was dissatisfaction in the crowd at these words.


    "The elder should have been removed from the sect."


    Another servant joined in, voice hushed.


    "That''s the thing. It was a very odd incident.


    Before it happened, this elder was very popular! They said he treated everybody fairly and upheld the sect''s rules with a kind, but firm hand. His even temperament was praised even by the Sect Master! Him suddenly crippling a disciple in anger ¡­ I think everyone in the sect was so shocked that they didn''t know what to do with him¡­and his actions today¡­"


    There was a collective sigh.


    "I just hope that kid is okay."


    As the conversation died down, Van absorbed what he had learnt from the hushed whispers behind him.


    Kind? Fair?


    The Disciplinary Elder standing in front of him right now didn''t possess any of these qualities at all!


    Van''s emotions were messy. On one hand, he couldn''t deny that the young man''s incapacitation solved a lot of problems for him. On the other hand ¨C this elder was not to be taken lightly! If Van did not tread carefully, the next person to be on the floor would be him.


    A vicious light gleamed in the Disciplinary Elder''s eyes, he raised the staff above his head, ready to deliver the final blow to the fallen figure on the ground.


    The servants, of whom none were above the 3rd level of Qi Distillation, were helpless to watch as this sect elder killed one of their own. They closed their eyes, unwilling to witness it. Somewhere behind Van, a girl wailed. Tears welled up in her eyes out of terror. She, like the other servants, suddenly realised their powerlessness in this vast world.


    Van watched with dry eyes. The young boy from the countryside stood numbly as the scene before him burnt itself into his brain.


    Suddenly, an immense pressure crashed down.


    "STAY YOUR HAND!"


    The world went a blinding white.

 36 No Peace Without Killing You

    The moment the black vortex appeared, Van felt as if a dam within him broke. The small stream of power within him pulsed and widened. Immediately, his aura of spirituality strengthened.


    He broke through to the 2nd level of Qi Distillation!


    A grin stretched across his face.


    No longer in pain, Van let go of his head. As his vision cleared, he noticed that the spiritual energy within a five-metre radius seemed to be sucked towards him very quickly. This was due to the dominating suction power from the vortex between his brows!


    Soon enough, he was sitting in the middle of a miniature whirlpool of qi. Thin strands of power whipped through his hair, pulled by the black hole between his brows.


    Van felt each strand enter his newly opened meridian and become purified at an extremely fast pace. Quickly, each purified strand joined the spiritual stream within his conscious. The stream condensed qi visibly grew wider.


    Van felt his jaw drop open.


    What was this speed!?


    At this rate, he would be able to break through to the 3rd level of Qi Distillation in no time at all! He estimated he would be able to do it in a week, tops, even without the aid of spiritual herbs.


    Van''s heartbeat accelerated. So, this was the power of a perfect foundation!


    By his side, his fists clenched. He saw himself donning the robes of an inner disciple, the pale green robes with the cedar tree embroidered at the back. He imagined himself riding back to Mountain Village, victorious, swooping down to scoop Finn into his arms and then taking her to live in an idyllic cottage within the sect.


    Soon!


    Van turned his attention inwards.


    All the meridians in his body seemed to breathe like a living organism. As the meridian between his brows drew in the energy and consumed it, the other meridians fed off the slower currents of qi also drawn towards Van.


    Van himself was giddy off the inrush of power. The feeling of all his meridians sucking in energy and refining it, making it into his own, was heady. It had been worth spending a month focusing on opening and widening his meridians only.


    High on the feeling of smooth and fast cultivation, Van suddenly wondered why the strong reduction of spiritual power around him had not caught the attention of a higher-up. In his mind, he fantasised about how a fellow with a long white beard would point at him and choose him to be his personal disciple.


    [Ha ha.]


    Jet drawled sarcastically.


    [There are hundreds of cultivators within the sect, whether they are servants, teachers, outer disciples or whatever. Although, opening all the meridians has dramatically increased your cultivation speed; at only the 2nd level of Qi Distillation, your speed is still only par with a cultivator of the 5th level.


    Of course, considering that is a three-level difference, such a speed is quite impressive.


    However, 5th level Qi Distillation disciples are not rare in the Cedar Sect. Unless someone personally monitors your cultivation and notices you, any drainage of power you cause would easily blend in with the other disciples in the sect cultivating at night.]


    Van sighed.


    It was a nice dream while it lasted. In the end, the reality was that he must ultimately rely on himself to get to where he wanted to be!


    ____________


    [The next day, in the afternoon.]


    The donkey-cart rocked from side to side as it travelled over the wide dirt path, on the way back to the Cedar Sect after a long day.


    Staring at the bits of hay and dirt scattered over the cart, Van thought about Hans'' and Freya''s report to him earlier in the day:


    Klaus had, in quick succession, broken through to the 2nd level and into the 3rd level of Qi Distillation - all within the span of a week.


    Van sat with a solemn, ruminating expression on his face. Beside him, Ryan''s characteristically silent and dour air doubled the depressive atmosphere that hung over their corner of the cart.


    As a result, the other servants on the cart were quieter than usual - even those that usually made small talk with Van chose to tactfully remain silent.


    A sneer curled Van''s lips as he recalled the pale aristocrat''s contemptuous smile and threat to destroy Van''s time at the sect.


    Van''s dark eyes flashed dangerously.


    So what!?


    Although it was shocking that Klaus'' cultivation speed outpaced his own, Van was not intimidated. The desire to win burned hotter in his chest.


    "Wotcher!"


    A nasal voice called out. The speaker was a tall thin man with a moustache who was pinching his nose with two delicate fingers.


    Van and the other servants in the cart blanched when they heard his warning. Futilely, they shielded themselves with a raised sleeve. Everyone''s eyes were closed, praying that they would be less ''lucky'' today.


    A pile of steaming shit arced towards them.


    Splat!


    The massive poo splattered all over the dirt ground.


    Someone sighed loudly in relief. They had emerged unscathed from the attack.


    "Madge had a lot to eat for lunch," the moustached man explained, shrugging.


    In front of them, the massive beast hauling the donkey cart gave a low moan in response, tossing its head.


    Van saw Ryan''s grin and cracked up.


    The donkey-carts continued steadily down the dirt path, back to Dragon City.


    __________


    In his new room, Klaus knocked the bottle of ink to the floor in anger. His hair was in disarray around his face and his cheeks were red.


    The black ink spread across the floor and stained the letter lying on the ground. Soon enough, the words on it were completely obscured.


    Once his rage calmed, he neatened himself and called a servant in to clean the mess.


    Now that he was an outer disciple, the way forward would be much smoother. His pale eyes grew frosty as he looked out the window and at some distant sky.


    [Eldest Brother. I cannot live in peace if I do not kill you with my own hands!]


    As for Hans and Freya, those two wayward minions of his ¨C who had ownership of them, he couldn''t care less.


    He withdrew a skill manual from his sleeves and began to practice.

 37 The Elder Has Gone Beserk

    The sight that greeted the servants'' eyes when they disembarked the donkey-carts at the back gate of the Cedar Sect was not a pretty one.


    From far away, Van spied a young man dashing towards the exit. He was light and fleet-footed, able to swerve and dodge bystanders as easily as running in a straight line.


    Despite this, hot on his heels and not giving an inch, was an older man in severe grey robes. An expression of thunderous fury was etched in his features.


    "Get back here, you little wretch!"


    The young man pumped his skinny legs faster in response. His eyes darted left and right. From his plain brown robes, it was clear he was also a servant.


    The crowd parted around him as he ran.


    Following close behind was the old man in severe grey robes. With thick white brows that swept sharply upwards and a section of his hair in a top knot, the old man emitted a stern and intimidating aura. At the moment, his gaze was full of killing intent. Despite his advanced age, he was amazingly spry; he was slowly catching up to the kid in the front!


    "Stop running away!"


    The young man didn''t even blink. He continued to run forwards, eyes still searching the crowd.


    "I just want to talk!" The elder shouted at the top of his lungs.


    The onlooking servants showed wry expressions.


    Was this the actions of someone who just wanted to talk? Somehow the shaking fist, the fierce expression and the staff that was being waved in a threatening manner didn''t make this statement too convincing!


    None of the servants believed the elder''s words, and neither did the young man in front. He continued to run.


    Van stood with Ryan, somewhere at the back of the crowds, furthest away from the commotion. He watched the scene with arms crossed as if it were a play being acted out in the village square. His dark eyes followed the thin young man as he twisted through the crowds.


    Abruptly, their eyes locked through the crowd.


    The hairs on the back of Van''s neck raised.


    A short moment seemed to stretch out into eternity. Then, the young man''s red eyes slid off him like water off a duck''s back.


    Van''s shoulders relaxed.


    The young man stumbled - a large gaggle of servants who had been slow to get out of the way.


    The old man was onto him in a flash. With a dark and malicious expression, he swung his staff at the young man.


    There was a horrendous cracking noise that echoed through the area.


    The young man''s eyes rolled upwards, showing the whites. Like a ragdoll, he slumped to the ground and stilled. On the large footpath, his crumpled form was small and pitiful.


    The surrounding servants gasped, horrified. They drew back, wary of drawing this grey-robed old man''s wrath.


    Behind Van, he heard a young woman''s shaking voice.


    "Oh god. I-I recognise him now. That senior is t-that elder. The one rumoured to have... to have killed a student. The one whose probation period just ended."


    There were sharp breaths.


    "The Disciplinary Elder?" Someone inquired tremulously. There were nods.


    Another voice spoke up.


    "The Cedar Sect has had a stellar reputation for centuries. Its safety is one of the reasons why it has the most people out of all the top sects in Dragon City!


    If something like that happened there would be public outrage. Other sects would be clamouring and shouting the news over every rooftop, dragging the Cedar Sect''s name in the mud! The fact that we are still in the top three proves this rumour is false."


    "I heard he didn''t kill the disciple. He accidentally crippled him while in a blind rage.His probation period was only a year in light of his decades of exemplary service to the sect."


    There was dissatisfaction in the crowd at these words.


    "The elder should have been removed from the sect."


    Another servant joined in, voice hushed.


    "That''s the thing. It was a very odd incident.


    Before it happened, this elder was very popular! They said he treated everybody fairly and upheld the sect''s rules with a kind, but firm hand. His even temperament was praised even by the Sect Master! Him suddenly crippling a disciple in anger ¡­ I think everyone in the sect was so shocked that they didn''t know what to do with him¡­and his actions today¡­"


    There was a collective sigh.


    "I just hope that kid is okay."


    As the conversation died down, Van absorbed what he had learnt from the hushed whispers behind him.


    Kind? Fair?


    The Disciplinary Elder standing in front of him right now didn''t possess any of these qualities at all!


    Van''s emotions were messy. This elder was not to be taken lightly! If Van did not tread carefully, the next person to be on the floor would be him.


    A vicious light gleamed in the Disciplinary Elder''s eyes, he raised the staff above his head, ready to deliver the final blow to the fallen figure on the ground.


    The servants, of whom none were above the 3rd level of Qi Distillation, were helpless to watch as this sect elder killed one of their own. They closed their eyes, unwilling to witness it. Somewhere behind Van, a girl wailed.


    Van watched with dry eyes. The young boy from the countryside stood numbly as the scene before him burnt itself into his brain.


    He recalled the bloodthirstiness of Hans and Freya when they had been out to kill him.


    The world of cultivation was a harsh place. Van clenched his fist. To survive it, and conquer it, he must grow stronger.


    An immense pressure suddenly crashed down.


    "STAY YOUR HAND!"


    The world went a blinding white.

 38 Esteemed Sect Master

    "STAY YOUR HAND!"


    The sharp flash of light delivered with it an immense pressure that sent servants stumbling backwards. Van grunted as he was forced back several metres. His head pulsed with painand his ears rung.


    A plain-looking metal staff clattered to the ground.


    The Disciplinary Elder coughed; vermillion trailed down his beard and robes. But the enraged look in his eyes seemed to lessen.


    Squinting, the elder looked up at the shining figure before him.


    High above, a heroic man with long black hair and purple robes was stepping lightly down a cloud path. In his hands was a glowing purple sword with a fierce aura that penetrated the skies. If not for the fine lines around his temples and mouth, one would mistake him for a man younger than 30 years of age.


    The purple-robed man''s gaze was stern. He pointed his sword at the elder kneeling down on the ground; his robes billowed out.


    "Elder Lang ! How dare you raise a hand against a student?!" The purple-robed man thundered. The sky rumbled.


    "S-sect Master¡­" Elder Lang, the Disciplinary Elder, gasped through bloody teeth.


    The Sect Master looked coldly down at him, expression unreadable.


    "I-I¡­" Elder Lang''s twisting expression betrayed his fierce internal struggle. One moment his expression was piteous and tragic, then furious and bloodthirsty. These two warring expressions caused a hideous grimace that made the Sect Master frown.


    At that moment, the elder''s expression stopped changing. The furious and bloodthirsty grin won. Snarling, he lunged towards the prone body of the young servant on the floor.


    The Sect Master did not let Elder Lang act recklessly. Raising a hand, he sent strands of purple energy wriggling through the air. They coiled around the elder''s body and constricted him.


    Bzzzt! Bzzzt!


    Elder Lang struggled in his bonds. The purple ropes bound his arms tightly to his sides. His bloodshot eyes focused on the servant''s body.


    "STOLE!" he yelled hoarsely.


    "STOLE!"


    Elder Lang threw his body from side to side. Bzzzt! The purple ropes responded by zapping him. The elder grimaced from the pain.


    The Sect Master thinned his lips.


    Even if that servant had stolen something, as a lofty elder of the Cedar Sect, chasing that servant down and beating him to within an inch of his life in front of all these people was disgraceful! It threw the face of the Cedar Sect!


    The Sect Master was very dissatisfied. He had no idea why Elder Lang, known for his even temper and impartial judgement had become this hissing and spitting wraith standing before him! They had released him thinking he had regained his mind, but who knew that his saneness was all an act. The


    very day they decided to release him - he turned back into this!


    The Sect Master''s temples throbbed.


    He shook his head, perplexed. His long black hair billowed out behind him.


    "Disciple greets Master."


    Tiredly, the Sect Master nodded his head. Without turning around, he spoke.


    "Master will leave the clean-up process to you. Do as you will, Master trusts your judgement."


    Behind him, his disciple performed a shallow bow.


    The Sect Master waved his hands and the white light that hid them from sight began to thin. With a graceful stride, he stood atop the cloud path and disappeared quickly from sight.


    His disciple watched in silence as the purple figure became a small dot and then vanished into thin air.


    If this was a normal day, the Sect Master would definitely not have left so hastily. However, there was an extremely important meeting being held at Dragon City''s famous Summer Pavilion.


    Several Sect Heads were waiting there to discuss the important inter-country event happening in the next year.


    The Sect Master thought about the state of his sect and gritted his teeth. However, the moment they showed weakness was the moment they would lose! Those vultures from the other sects of Dragon City wouldn''t wait to bite off some flesh off the wealthy Cedar Sect.


    He increased his speed.


    There was no time to waste!


    __________


    When the light finally dimmed enough for the crowd to see, they spied a single youth standing in the middle of the crowd. Apart from him, there was no one else in the clearing.


    The servants surveyed the scene with puzzlement. Where had that crazy, bastard elder gone? More importantly, what was the fate of the servant who had been clobbered on the head?


    Their curiosity unsatisfied, they could only turn their gaze to the youth standing in their midst.


    Long golden hair and a flirtatious smile dazzled their eyes. When they finally recovered themselves, they noticed the little monkey perched on his shoulder. With its little round, black eyes and red cheeks stole the hearts of several girls in the crowd instantly.


    This could only be...!


    "It''s the Sect Master''s direct disciple!" Someone shouted.


    Immediately, the other servants grew excited and spread the news. They gazed at that golden figure with admiring eyes. Everyone envied and wanted to be him!How glorious was the position of the Sect Master''s direct disciple?


    Even Van was moved. He looked quietly at the golden-haired youth. He appeared just slightly older than Van and had a lopsided smile that said he found the situation entirely all too amusing.


    ...The golden monkey on the youth''s shoulder was staring at him.


    Van thought it looked rather intelligent and cute. His little sister would love it. But why was it staring at him so intently?


    If the golden monkey had heardVan''s internal monologue it would have spewed blood. ''Cute''? It was a noble descendant of the Monkey King, it was not ''cute''! It was fearsome, a killer, a bloodthirsty warrior¡­definitely!


    As Van watched, the little monkey narrowed its eyes and tilted its small chin in a gesture of challenge. It seemed to recognise Van, but Van had definitely never seen it or its owner before.


    At that moment, the young man spoke.


    At this point, even remembering the bloody event that had just happened before couldn''t dampen their spirits. Everyone was thinking of what they could do with their newfound time and money!


    Van was also excited. Finally, he had a chance to visit Dragon City!

 39 What!? I Just Want Some Cash!

    In front of the crowd, the young man finally spoke.


    "Greetings, all."


    "Please, be assured that the injured young man is currently being treated and in no danger. Disciplinary Elder Lang has been imprisoned and will wait for an audience with the Sect Master, who will deal with him impartially and according to the long-established rules of the sect.


    We, the Cedar Sect, do not tolerate any violence towards our people."


    At that, the golden-haired youth smiled with great radiance.


    "On that note, the Sect Master has generously announced tomorrow will be a sect-wide rest day! No one will have to do ANY work!!!"


    The golden monkey let out a scandalised squawk.


    The crowd of servants looked at each other excitedly. A day off!


    "In addition, mmpph-" Dieter glared at his pet and pulled it off his face, freeing his mouth temporarily, "In addition, everyone is granted ten silvers as a reward!"


    OOOOOHH! The crowd roared.


    With tomorrow off and the Lantern Festival being a national holiday, didn''t that mean they only had three working days this week? And adding to that they were being given ten silvers? That was the amount of money an ordinary person earned in a month¡­! As expected, the Cedar Sect really treated their people the best!


    The golden monkey made a crying face. The Big Master would definitely blame it for not controlling Little Master! But what could it do? It was just a small monkey!


    Some of the servants in the crowd got so excited their faces went red. They could go home and show off to their relatives!


    As if he knew their thoughts, the youth smiled once more.


    "Spend it however you wish. The Sect Master only hopes you all refresh yourselves!"


    At this point, even remembering the bloody event that had just happened before couldn''t dampen their spirits. Everyone was thinking of what they could do with their newfound time and money!


    Van was also excited. Finally, he had a chance to visit Dragon City!


    __________


    [That night]


    Under the moonlight, Van was sitting in his usual meditative pose.


    Hu!


    Van exhaled sharply then inhaled slowly, carefully controlling the flow of his breath according to the manual.A black vortex spun between his two furrowed brows, a vortex that seemed to inexorably suck in the spiritual energy within the surrounding air.


    Through experimentation, Van discovered that when he cultivated with the black tornado ¨C or rather when he cultivated with his 99th meridian, he could reach ten times the average speed!


    The tornado state could not last long ¨C ten minutes was his limit.


    Van was not discouraged. He was confident that he could improve how long he could keep his 99th meridian open with practice. Besides, in only one night, he was already one-fourth of the way to the 3rd level of Qi Distillation!


    It was the cultivation speed of a monster genius!


    Van continued to cultivate into the early hours of the morning ¨C until his fatigue overwhelmed him and his eyes could not stay open.


    Two hours later, he rose with the dawn sun. He visited Hans and Freya.


    "I will enter the 3rd level of Qi Distillation within the next 3 days," he said simply.


    The older youths were quiet. However, they couldn''t hide the glimmer of awe they held within their hearts. Having been thoroughly beaten by Van, and having his seal on them, they did not doubt his mysterious strength.


    "You know what this means," Van followed, "I will soon become an Outer Disciple."


    Hans nodded; his heart swung between feeling light and heavy. On one hand, having a strong backer was good. On the other hand, this backer held their lives in his palm. Once they were not useful, would they be disposed of like broken toys? His arm and leg had been healed now thanks to the support of his family, but they still twinged ocasionally.


    Van understood the struggle in their eyes. The phantom brand ensured their obedience, but Van knew that the power gained from convincing their hearts could not be underestimated.


    He looked them both straight in the eye and pulled himself up.


    "I will become an Inner Disciple within the year. I will not treat you as Klaus has¡­ If you perform well now, you will not be disappointed later."


    Freya and Hans looked at each other, and then back at the young man who stood calmly before them. He was only thirteen and had the thinness of a youth being pulled up by their growth spurt.


    Although they did not believe Van would be able to become an inner disciple within a year, they nevertheless nodded their heads,moved by the young man''s overwhelming confidence. They put aside their past greivances.


    They performed a deep and ceremonious bow.


    "Master, your wish is our command."


    Van nodded sagely.


    The duo waited in silence for his next words.


    The longer it stretched, the tenser they felt. What monumental task was he about to give them? Assassination? Framing? Kidnapping? Whatever it was, they would give their best. Then, they would earn Van''s trust.


    Despite their painful backs, they held their bow.


    A-hem!


    Van cleared his throat.


    "I am going shopping," he declared grandly, swishing a long sleeve, "and I need some money."


    Hans and Freya fell face-first into the dirt.


    What killing? What kidnapping? Their Master just wanted some cash!


    __________


    Riding in a cart full of other servants, Van ventured off into Dragon City with exactly three hundred and ten taels of silver in his pockets.


    If he knew he would meet that annoying brat today... he probably would not have come out. How unlucky!

 40 Super-Strength Body Fortifying Powder

    Riding in a cart full of other servants, Van ventured off into Dragon City with exactly three hundred and ten taels of silver in his pockets.


    Thinking that he and Finn had survived on the three taels he was able to earn per month from selling the meat and skin of animals from the forest, Van couldn''t help the sigh that escaped his lips.


    Soon, the sound of voices and clanging bells filled the air.


    Van had arrived in the inner-city shopping district.


    The smell of smoke was strong, emitted by a shop in the far end of the street which was throwing slips of paper to the ground. There would be a muffled bang as each paper hit the ground and smoke would spill out. The small audience gathered around clapped politely before some went up to the shopkeeper to enquire the price.


    Van disembarked the cart and travelled slowly down the cobblestone path. He walked with his hands behind his back and gazed at the colourful shops that lined the streets.


    Because of the declaration of a sect-wide rest day, the robes of Cedar Sect servants and disciples seemed especially numerous. They travelled in groups of two and three, making Van feel conspicuous for being completely on his own.


    In his defence, Van had visited Ryan and asked him if he wanted to join Van''s little excursion into the capital. However, the grey-eyed boy had shaken his head. Surprising Van, he pulled out the ten silvers they had just been awarded and put them into Van''s hands.


    "Please, take it. I can sense that I am about to break into 2nd level of Qi Distillation¡­"


    "Thank you¡­I could never have come this far without your kindness."


    At that point, Van had scratched his head awkwardly and felt guilty. He then pressed the coins back into Ryan''s palm. Although he had helped Ryan come to Dragon City, he had been so busy with his own cultivation the last few weeks that he had not paid too much attention to Ryan''s progress.


    "Friends, do not talk about money."


    Van had silently vowed that when he returned from his shopping trip, he would take a look at Ryan''s condition. Making it to 2nd level Qi Distillation all on his own and using the basic cultivation manual meant that Ryan had some instinct for cultivation and was worth nurturing.


    There was then a moment of silence.


    Seeing Ryan''s struggling-to-respond face, Van had laughed heartily and clapped him on the back.


    "Yes, you knob-head. Friends! Now get back to cultivating, I want to see you in the 2nd level of Qi Distillation by next week!"


    Ryan had nodded hastily, like a hen pecking at rice.


    "I won''t disappoint you."


    The grey-haired boy had not questioned Van''s lofty words at all. He did not even ask Van what cultivation level he was at. In his mind, this was the boy who had rode a wolf down the mountains and broken the sect''s thirty-year record! Asking Van would be throwing dirt in his face. So, Ryan had kept quiet and kept his happiness at being called a friend to himself.


    Van had laughed once more, before waving good bye.


    A sudden bark beside him startled Van out of his reminiscence.


    "TWENTY-YEAR GINSENG FOR SALE! TWENTY-YEAR GINSENG FOR SALE!"


    "NO ENERGY TO KEEP CULTIVATING? WORRY NO MORE, BUY SOME TWENTY-YEAR GINSENG NOW!"


    Feeling that he was about to go deaf, Van covered one ear and hastily moved away. Unluckily, he caught the eye of the apothecary''s sales assistant as he moved off. The sales assistant, who was shouting at the top of his lungs, turned to Van and continued loudly:


    "LITTLE FRIEND. THIS TWENTY-YEAR GINSENG REJUVENATES THE BLOOD AND SHARPENS THE MIND. IT WILL ALSO HELP YOUR LITTLE FRIEND ''DOWN THERE'' SO YOU STOP DISAPPOINTING YOUR WOMAN!"


    The man''s booming words caught the attention of some people in the street. Van''s face turned red enough to drip blood. Quickly, he merged into the crowd and moved far away from that obnoxious sales assistant. He would not be visiting that apothecary, ever!


    When he finally slowed down again, he was near the talisman shop that had been creating smoke with slips of paper. He learned they were called ''smoke-bomb talismans.''


    A few of those would be useful for distracting opponents or escaping pursuit.


    It seemed like he wasn''t the only one to think so, for inside the shop was a long queue of people waiting to buy the smoke-bomb talismans. The shop owner''s smile was so wide it split his face from side to side. He had been able to cut manufacturing costs to half and now the shop was dominating the market for smoke talismans.


    He was making an absolute killing! The fat shop owner was giddy with his own success.


    He nodded jollily at Van as he neared the shop-front.


    "Five taels per talisman!" The shop owner said, holding five fingers up. Van nodded and handed over the money without hesitation. He bought five.


    The owner''s smile shone brightly.


    "And may I be able to interest you in a life-saving talisman, young man?"


    The owner pointed to the wall beside him.


    "We have all sorts. These can block a killing blow from an expert! The more powerful the talisman, the higher the price! For example, this one. For the price of five hundred taels, you can block a blow from an 8th level Qi Distillation expert! Your life for the price of five hundred silver taels, it''s extremely worth it!"


    The shop owner''s chin wagged so fast it was clear this was a speech he had practiced countless times. Because the price of the life-saving talismans wasn''t particularly competitive, he spent pretty much half his day advertising it to his customers, regardless if they were rich or poor.


    Although Van was interested, the price was simply outside of his capabilities now. He shook his head and left with his five smoke-bomb talismans.


    He continued down the street, looking for an alternative apothecary and found a much larger and impressive shop further down. Built with green tiles of jade-like sheen and possessing three levels, the apothecary loomed over the shops below. It was an eye-catching sight.


    ''The Grand Botanica,'' Van said, reading the sign.


    Sliding his hands into his sleeves, Van walked in calmly. Used to all different types of clientele, the shop assistants did not stop him from entering. They saw that he wore the robes of a servant from the Cedar Sect, they believed he must be on an errand for an outer disciple. Still, he was largely ignored for the wealthy-looking patrons walking in.


    A hopeful assistant saw that the pouch on Van''s waist looked a bit full and walked over with a friendly smile.


    "How may I help you, young man?"


    Van looked around.


    "I''m looking for items that strengthen the body."


    Since activating the 99th meridian had allowed Van''s cultivation to progress smoothly and quickly, he had felt that the cultivation of his body was now lagging. The biggest goal he had today was to find some items to improve his bodily cultivation.


    The shop assistant felt he had wasted his time, but his smile did not fade. He suspected that the kid''s pouch was full of copper taels - at twenty silver taels apiece, it was most likely that this kid couldn''t buy it. At most, this kid might buy one bag.


    "This way."


    They walked towards a corner of the floor. Hidden behind a pillar was ten fist-sized parcels of ''Super-Strength Body Fortifying Powder.'' They were coated with a thin layer of dust.


    "This is the best body strengthening powder you will find for this price," the shop assistant asserted confidently.


    Van was not impressed.


    "Please, find me if you need any help," the shop assistant said insincerely before quickly leaving. His speed was so fast it was as if he was being blown by the wind.


    Van shook his head and turned to the display.


    [Such a big store only has ten old bags of body strengthening powder? They might be growing mould and yet are being sold for twenty silvers apiece! What a rip-off!]


    Despite it, Van still reached forwards and took all ten parcels from the shelf. If even a big and reputable store would only sell these ten old bags, it seemed it would be unlikely that a smaller apothecary would have anything at all for body cultivation.


    Pealing laughter entered his ears. It clear and delicate, clearly from a young girl.


    "Are you sure you want to take those?"


    Despite the immature voice, the undertone of ridicule was obvious!

 41 Treasure Hound

    "Are you sure you want to take those?"


    A girl''s lilting voice said. Her immature voice could not hide its ridiculing undertone.


    Van''s hand paused.A puzzled expression crossed his face.


    "Am I hearing voices?" he mumbled. He scanned his surroundings but there was no one even remotely close to him.


    "Down here!" The voice said crossly.


    Van looked down and finally saw a young girl in pink robes glaring at him with her arms crossed. Her shiny black hair was twisted into two buns on the sides of her head. Strangely, the big eyes somewhat resembled a cat''s. But no wonder he couldn''t see her at first, she was a head short than him!


    "I wouldn''t buy those if I were you!" Short-stuff said imperiously, pointing at strengthening powder in his arms, "Not if I knew what was good for me."


    Van gave her a look of challenge and then proceeded to empty the shelves of body strengthening powder. One by one, the parcels fell into his grasp. Finally, there were none left on the shelf and the only evidence that they had ever been there before were some circular spots bereft of dust.


    "You!" Short-stuff interjected in disbelief. Her cat-like eyes were wide. How did he do that so quickly!? And how dare he?!


    "Put those down right now! Listen to me!" Short-stuff demanded angrily. She looked at the empty shelf and her heart ached.


    "M-miss Delphine¡­" The timid girl beside Short-stuff picked at her sleeve nervously. Short-stuff or ''Miss Delphine'' shook the timid girl''s arm off angrily. She needed to get some powder!


    "Why should I?" Van asked with an eyebrow raised. Inside, he was guarded. Don''t think he didn''t see her sneaking glances at the parcels when she thought he wasn''t looking!


    "I am warning you out of kindness. That powder is only useful for body cultivators!" the young girl said, "Without a body cultivation technique you will never be able to extract its true usefulness!"


    Van tried not to roll his eyes.What did she think he was, a fool? Of course he was a body cultivator!


    "And, the effect is very, very strong!"


    Van''s expression changed into placating smile - as if he were tolerating a child''s temper tantrum.


    Delphine stamped her foot and changed her tack.


    "Just listen to me! You absolutely cannot use all ten bags!"


    "When I say its very strong, I mean many foolish people like you have died to try to use this powder. The pain you must endure when using this powder is unbelievable. Not only that, the effectiveness decreases to less than one per cent after the 3rd bag!"


    Van simply looked at her as if she were a fool.


    Cannot use all ten bags? And although the effectiveness probably did decrease after each bag, would it be as drastic as to be only 1 per cent effective after the 3rd bag? She clearly just wanted some for herself!


    He turned around as if he were about to leave.


    Delphine was so angry she bit her lips til they bled. Obviously, she had another silly fool in front of her who did not try to heed a kind Samaritan''s warnings!


    But she really wanted a bag! Even just one would do. She only wanted to research the recipe! Finally desperate, Delphine softened her tactic.


    "Wait, young servant!"


    "Only one sect in Dragon City, the Boulder Sect, practices body cultivation... and they produce all their medicines and powders themselves."


    "Thus only the biggest apothecaries make body strengthening powder, but there is limited supply as the demand is not great. The Grand Botanica is the only place has this powder in stock right now¡­ in other words, it''s very hard to find¡­"


    "So¡­" She looked at Van with her big cat-like eyes and blinked.


    "Can I please have a bag? Just one?"


    Van turned around with his arms crossed. The smile on his face told Delphine that he was not about to say something good.


    "So you finally reveal your true colours, Ms ''I''m Just Being Kind.''"


    "You could have just asked nicely from the start. But instead, you try to lead this big brother around and around in circles, wasting my valuable time. What a dishonest little girl!"


    Delphine went red to the tips of her ears. How dare this servant...!


    Van spoke carelessly.


    "Rest assured, this big brother won''t die! And losing effectiveness? This big brother has plenty of money and doesn''t mind buying all ten bags just to waste! Oh, and he certainly won''t be giving you a bag!"


    Without another word, Van swagged up to the counter and purchased all ten packets of body strengthening powder. That little girl had kept calling him ''servant'' this and ''servant'' that, pissing him off more and more. Did she eat the guts of a leopard? Or did she think her idiotic tricks were sufficient to cheat him out of good stuff?


    Van sneered. Being trod underfoot was not his style!


    Stunned silly, Delphine watched as the young servant boy walked nonchalantly out of the Grand Botanica''s doors. Her brain couldn''t process the humiliation she had just suffered.


    Similarly, the sales assistant that had led Van to the strengthening powder watched with red eyes as Van left the store. If only he had stayed on - he could have gained a 10% sales commission on those 200 taels of silver!He sat down on a chair, dizzily.


    "Miss Delphine!" Her friend shook her out of her dazed stupor.


    She blinked. When she finally regained herself, she stomped her feet angrily on the wooden floorboards. Steam came out of her ears.


    "That stupid-!"


    "I just wanted one little bag!" She couldn''t vent her anger enough. Like a little emperor, she stomped about and ranted.


    "Trying to use all ten bags ¨C he''ll die! That fool! If I ever see him again, humph humph!" The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. She turned to her friend.


    "What are you waiting for? Find out which sect he is from! Just wait ''til I get my hands on him...! ARGH!"


    __________


    Two hundred silver taels lighter, Van stepped out of the Grand Botanica with ten parcels of powder in a big paper bag tied with string under his arm.


    He wandered the district for a few hours more, trying a fragrant meat bun that melted in his mouth and buying a colourful lantern for his sister. Later, he found a small post office and sent his package ¨C containing twenty taels and the paper lantern ¨C off. A small red bird, appearing like a pigeon but entirely made from paper, took off with his package in its claws.


    Van tried not to look dubious, but it must have shown for the young man at the post office grinned and said:


    "Don''t look too sturdy, do they? But rest assured, they can carry a lot of weight and they never, ever get lost! Only, they lack a bit of common sense.


    I''ve seen one fly straight into a tree and set a garden on fire! BAHAHAHA!"


    Van smiled weakly as he left the post office.


    Soon, the sky began to dim. The streets glowed softly as the lanterns were lit up. Some pulsed green, some blue. A whole rainbow of colours illuminated the faces of the people in the streets. Many storefronts had put extravagant and large lanterns at the front of the store as part of their preparation for the Lantern Festival.


    Having nothing else he wanted to buy, for now, Van boarded a small single-person donkey cart and paid the fee to be taken back to the sect.


    At that moment, something landed on his head. Startled, Van discovered a big square flyer had fallen on him. As he pulled it open, he saw big bold lettering.


    [MOST POPULAR EVENT AT THE LANTERN FESTIVAL ¨C THE MYSTERY OBJECT SALE!]


    [Thousands of mysterious treasures have again been extracted from The Forgotten Tomb!]


    [For only 5 coppers, buy treasure, or for 100 spirit stones, buy trash! What you get is up to Your luck, skill and judgement!]


    [Will you be the next GAUNTLET MASK, who rose to fame and fortune after discovering a legendary mask from an ancient urinal?]


    [Will you be the next FROST PILL SAGE, who became the foremost pill master in Cloud River after they discovered that a stained bowl was the Snow-Spirit Cauldron?]


    [Visit the MYSTERIOUS OBJECT SALE in Pearl-Blossom Avenue on the night of the Lantern Festival to find out!]


    [BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!]


    Van considered the piece of paper with a thoughtful smile on his face. He suddenly had an idea¡­if it worked¡­


    "Oi, stupid ring!" He called. The black ring trembled to life.


    [-N-no! It wasn''t me¡­!] Jet shouted. It had just woken from a hideously realistic nightmare.


    "What wasn''t you?" Van asked suspiciously. The ring was startled.


    [Huh? What do you mean?]


    "Just then you said¡­ never mind. Check this out. There''s going to be a mystery object sale during the Lantern Festival."


    Van showed Jet the flyer.


    "Buy treasure for 1 copper or buy trash for 100 spirit stones. A game of perception and luck that could change your fortunes¡­I recall Jet, you once said you possess an encyclopaedic knowledge of treasure¡­"


    The ring laughed.


    [Kid. After billions of years of existence I''m confident that no matter if it is covered in dust or deformed beyond recognition ¨C the unique smell of a treasure cannot be hidden from me!]


    Van chuckled. The flyer was folded and tucked into his sleeve.


    "Perfect."

 42 The Outer Disciples Will Compete!

    By the time Van arrived back at the Cedar Sect the sun had long set. He had a quick dinner by scraping the bottom of the cold pot of rice in the victuals hall and then went to the old abandoned bathhouse near his little cultivation spot.


    The old wooden door creaked open. Cautiously, Van went in. The moonlight that streamed through the cracks in the roof was enough to illuminate the place.


    Eventually, he found a small basin that was slightly less cracked than the rest. Satisfied, he left the bathhouse and returned with a big bucket full of boiling water he had made in the kitchen. He poured that in, then poured in a half-bucket of water he had drawn from the well.


    Then, as per instructions, he poured in a packet of the Super-Strength Body Fortifying Powder and stirred the bathtub with a giant bathing ladle. Immediately, an extremely spicy and pungent smell filled his nose.


    Van considered the tub.


    [I guess I''ll just get in.]


    [Here I go!]


    He went in with a splash.


    __________


    [Earlier the same day]


    Once the Sect Master left the situation for his disciple to handle, he dismissed Elder Lang from his thoughts. When he returned to his quarters, he dissipated the cloud path with a wave of his hand and summoned a mighty steed with starry eyes and a mane of moonlight. He gently fed it a crystal carrot. Without another word, he floated up onto its back and they galloped through the clouds.


    "Here!"


    The mighty steed reared back and then plummeted downwards.


    The faint specks below them grew larger. One of them expanded into the sprawling Summer Pavilion.


    As one, the heavenly steed and rider floated gently down, prancing through the misty air.


    "The Master of the Cedar Sect has arrived!"A servant watching the sky announced with great respect and admiration. His eyes were stuck on the figure above.


    Out of all the top sects, the Cedar Sect''s Master was the most handsome. He was also the youngest in the history of Cloud River to have achieved the vaunted role of a Sect Master! Rumours said that his cultivation was at the peak of the Sea Establishment and on the verge of breaking through to the legendary Island Formation stage!


    What kind of expert was an Island Formation stage cultivator?


    It had to be known that Cloud River had never produced an Island Formation stage expert in its entire existence!


    Only Cloud River''s largest and most formidable neighbour, the Great East Heaven Country was rumoured to harbour such a beastly cultivator.


    Alas, Sect Master Musheng had been unable to break through it in the two decades since he had reached the peak of Sea Establishment. Why? Well, many ugly rumours flew around. The ugliest one was that he had been fooled by a demon woman and cruelly backstabbed, causing his cultivation to never advance again!


    However, that was obviously just a rumour.


    The servant shook his head.


    Ignorant people making and believing evil rumours. Tsk tsk. If entering the legendary Island Formation stage was that easy then how come there was not a single person in that realm? Hm? It takes, time, time I say!


    Sect Master Musheng walked into the Summer Pavilion calmly and with great dignity. As his elegant purple-robed figure stepped into the pavilion, the expressions of the people inside changed.


    The first to approach was a slim figure in light blue robes. It was the Zephyr Sect''s Master.


    "Brother Musheng," she greeted.


    "Sister Butterfly," he responded in kind. The graceful woman dipped her head and displayed a shallow smile. He politely gestured for her to re-join the table. She acquiesced, and he followed.


    As he drew closer, the Master of the Boulder Sect greeted him with a few simple words. He did not get up from his seat. Sect Master Boulder was a thin old man with long wispy eyebrows. Despite being the oldest, he brimmed with vitality. Hidden behind his robes was the physique of a body cultivator!


    Only the Star Cutting Sword Sect''s Master did not deign to greet him. He appeared to be slightly older than Musheng and was glaring him with a hostile look. He wore pitch black robes with a long sword sheathed by his side, and his peppered hair was tied into a braid behind his back. A gleaming silver eye patch over his left eye added to his aura of danger.


    Old Man Boulder coughed.


    "Shall we begin?"


    __________


    Half an hour later, Musheng stood up in fury and hit the table.


    BANG!


    The musicians and dancers inside the pavilion were badly frightened. Musheng looked at that one-eyed bastard''s face.


    "You-!" He said, itching to draw his sword, "This has always been our arrangement! In exchange for using our resources, the Cedar Sect reserves a larger portion of the quota to enter the Windswept Realm!"


    The Star-Cutting Sword Sect Master did not lose in the magnitude of temper, "Sect Master Musheng, face the bloody facts. We all know the strengths of our top disciples, and your Cedar Sect loses by long shot. Why should we allow our more talented disciples to eat a loss? We are generous for giving you twenty spots for entry!"


    Musheng felt as if he had swallowed a burning rock; a ball of hot anger burned in his stomach. The Star-Cutting Sword Sect Master was not giving him any face!


    There was only one ugly worm in the apple of the Cedar Sect''s tale of prosperity - they produced too many good disciples. Too many good disciples - and to date, not one single ''unsurpassable genius''!


    In the glorious Six Nation Azure Battling Record, a record of great talents aged twenty and under, over twenty of the top one hundred talents were from the Cedar Sect. This was by far the largest number of any sect in the Six Nations.


    However.


    No Cedar Sect disciple had ever breached the sacred top fifteen!


    The elders racked their heads for years but to this day was unable to breach that glorious top fifteen in the Azure Battling Record. Countless resources were spilt into grooming their students, and yet they were still unable to produce a talented genius whose brilliance could put all others to shame and snatch a position in the top fifteen! And yet slowly over the decades, their competitors had been able to achieve such a feat!


    It could be said that the Cedar Sect had become too caught up in their businesses and money-making schemes and had forgotten their very roots in the martial way!


    Thus in recent years, the Cedar Sect put more effort into their recruitment process. They opened their entrance exams twice a year and secretly changed some of their recruitment requirements. Those with willpower and battle sense were noticed and had an advantage over those that didn''t.


    It was precisely in this kind of transition period in which Van and the rest arrived at the Cedar Sect''s doors. It was also why they were allowed into the sect as servants despite their low qualifications in terms of spiritual potential.


    So the Star-Cutting Sword Sect Master''s words were based on facts.


    Who didn''t know that these last few decades the Star-Cutting Sword Sect had producing more and more talented geniuses of the sword? The Sect Master''s own daughter, Althea, had reached the 11th level of Qi Distillation before eighteen and was in the top fifteen of the Azure Battling Record!


    Though it was enviable, Sect Master Musheng was not as angered or worried as he appeared.


    Although his anger was not truly fake, it was also not from the heart. They were not as numerous, certainly, but he did not believe that his inner disciples lost to the Star-Cutting Sword Sect''s.


    If he revealed his hidden aces too soon, the other sects would strategize against them in the Windswept Realm!


    Pretend to be the pig to eat the tiger. Let''s see who has the last laugh!


    He spoke again, as if full of anger, "You want the Cedar Sect''s resources and medicines to support our venture into the Windswept Realm and yet are asking us to accept twenty spots when we have been traditionally allowed fifty? Stop talking shit, you one-eyed bastard!"


    Even the serene Lady Butterfly momentarily lost her composure when she saw how the normally elegant and graceful Musheng started cussing.


    The Star-Cutting Sword Sect''s Master raised his voice, "It is because of the Cedar Sect providing resources that we are allowing you twenty spots! If you had to compete fairly your trash sect would be sending even less!"


    Musheng had a ridiculing smile on his face.


    "And somehow you think that it is also reasonable for your sect to take sixty spots while the rest of us have so few? Isn''t your Star-Cutting Sword Sect acting a little too high and mighty?"


    Musheng looked at the Star-Cutting Sword Sect Master with a look of challenge in his violet eyes.


    "You want fair? Who doesn''t know that the Star-Cutting Sword Sect has some great talents... But without those talents, would you be half as strong?"


    "A sect is much more than just a few inner disciples."


    "We each have hundreds and hundreds of outer disciples who represent the majority of our fighting strength! They are the true representation of a sect''s strength."


    "The outer disciples will compete! That is how we will determine the quota for the Windswept Realm!"


    There was a moment of silence.


    The Star-Cutting Sword Sect Master laughed.

 43 The 3rd Level of Qi Distillation...Get?

    "The outer disciples will compete. That is the fairest way!"


    Hearing this, Old Man Boulder and Lady Butterfly became thoughtful. Old Man Boulder shot an unreadable look at Sect Master Musheng, "I think this is indeed the fairest way."


    Lady Butterfly saw a chance and nodded without hesitation, "I second this!"


    "We will compete for entry to the Windswept Realm based on our outer disciples!"


    Old Man Boulder nodded. Secretly, he was very happy. Strategically, for both the Zephyr Sect and Boulder Sect, it would be most advantageous for their outer disciples to compete.


    Firstly, unlike the Star-Cutting Sword Sect, both the Zephyr Sect and Boulder Sect had not had a disciple rank in the top fifteen of the Azure Battling Record in decades. Those glorious days were all in the past and their current disciples were not nearly as good. Of course, this was still better than the Cedar Sect, which had never had a disciple place that high in its entire existence.


    Secondly, the Star Cutting Sect''s inner disciples were too strong; but what about their outer disciples? The strength of each sect''s outer disciples shouldn''t be too far apart. Although it was risky, it was still better than letting the Star-Cutting Sword Sect hog all the spots for themselves!


    If their outer disciples competed the quotas might shift in their favour!


    The Star-Cutting Sword Sect''s Master looked at the three before him. Under their combined pressure he was unable to turn over their decision. But that mattered little. He chuckled slowly. Inside he was thinking that they were utter fools.


    "Good. Very good!" He said, his one eye flashing.


    Sect Master Musheng sighed.


    Although this was better¡­he really didn''t have much confidence in those darned outer disciples of his¡­


    __________


    [Back to the present. In the abandoned bathhouse.]


    Van gritted his teeth as he entered the bath.


    Sweat drops the size of beads rolled down his forehead. The potent energy swirling within the water charged at his body, turning his skin turned an alarming shade of red. He immediately moved into the third stance of the Thousand Saints Sacrifice method and felt his mind calm. His skin burned and tingled as strands of qi from the bathwater penetrated in and tempered his flesh.


    Van grinned, relishing the pain. This body strengthening powder was not bad!


    For three hours, Van remained within the cracked bathtub. His skin was being constantly tempered by the potent energy within the powder. When the final drop of energy was sucked out, he clambered out. Steam rose off his body and his muscles seemed firmer and is skin full of vitality. He believed his body cultivation was close to rising by another level!


    He was determined to level up before the morning came, so he boiled some more water then he tore open two packets and poured both into the cracked bathtub. The high concentration of powder turned the water a milky colour. The herbal smell assaulted his nose and stung his eyes. But Van smiled.


    The concentration of powder in the bath was now twice as high. No doubt the effect would be twice as good!


    [That''s more like it!]


    He submerged himself once more. The effects of the powder near-doubled. Van entered a meditative state and spend the next four hours tempering his body.


    This time, as he exited the water, the steam roared upwards like a dragon. Van could feel that his body was undergoing change. He was levelling up!


    His muscles spasmed and popped.


    Van thought he heard the distant roar of a dragon. And then! A quiet cracking sound echoed through the abandoned bathhouse. Van watched as his skin fell away from him in cracked sheets. The new skin below was revealed. It flashed the colour of polished copper, before returning to his normal skin tone.


    Van grinned, he knew he had reached the Copper Buddha level of the Thousand Saints Sacrifice method. According to the manual, his skin could now deflect ordinary blades. Mortal weapons could no longer hurt him!


    Van went outside and casually punched the ground.


    CRAACK!


    A fissure about a meter deep and three inches wide opened the ground. Van pulled his fist back and inspected his knuckles. They were smooth and unmarked. He did not feel any pain at all. The youth grinned and then went about filling the crack with dirt.


    When Van finished filling the crack in the ground, it was dawn. He grabbed breakfast and returned less than two hours later.


    After levelling, the powder was less effective on him. He used another four bags of powder ¨C two at a time ¨C and then stopped. Combined, the final two packets together were about 1/5 as useful as the first single packet he had used.


    However, this still proved that that snooty miss at the Grand Botanica had been lying through her teeth! He had already used seven packets of powder, and the effectiveness of the powder was still around 10%. Whereas she said that it would only be 1% effective after three bags.


    And at no point had he been anywhere even close to dying! Sure, it was a little painful but nothing life-threatening. What a dishonest little brat!


    Van recalled her haughty tone and was still annoyed.


    If Delphine heard his words, she would have spat blood. When had she lied! Although she really did want a packet of powder for her own research, she had told the truth! How was she to know that Van was some kind of body cultivating monster who could extract all the efficiency from the medicinal powder!?


    Somewhere in the distance, a young girl with her hair tied into two buns sneezed. Luckily for her, she couldn''t hear Van''s words.


    There were three packets of body strengthening powder remaining. Van planned to mix it into a bath for the wolves. Although he had no clue how he was going to bathe over four dozen full-grown wolves. One at a time? A single wolf is still taller than the average man though!


    _______


    [Two days later, in the morning]


    Eyes closed serenely and his hands resting in his lap, a young man of about thirteen years of age was meditating next to a small tree. Shining through the leaves, the sunlight left dappled light over his eyelids. At that moment, the leaves shuddered.


    Wooooosh!


    An invisible wind rippled through the area. The spiritual energy in was sucked into a small spinning vortex between the young man''s brows.


    Van felt the qi trickle along his meridians and join the spiritual stream within his core.


    30 seconds.


    1 minute.


    3 minutes.


    8 minutes.


    10 minutes.


    Van''s expression shook. The tornado thinned. The 99th meridian wanted to close. Stubborn, Van held on, trying to extend the time it remained open. After all, when it was open he could achieve 10 times the absorption speed of an average cultivator!


    10 minutes and 5 seconds


    10 minutes and 10 seconds


    10 minutes and 15 seconds


    10 minutes and 20-!


    The vortex collapsed.


    Van''s forehead was full of sweat. If only he could keep it open longer! In just ten minutes, his cultivation had increased by what he could normally do in 2.5 hours!


    However, he had already been able to extend the time it could remain open by 20 seconds! Van inspected himself internally and instinctively knew he was close to breaking through, so he settled down and continued to cultivate with his other meridians.


    Time passed by.


    Sometime late in the afternoon, Van felt as if he were chock full of spiritual energy. He had already used his 99th meridian that day and was just drawing wisps of power as usual ¨C however, no matter how hard he circulated the Cicada''s Breath technique, no more spiritual power would enter his body.


    After a while, he started to feel heavy and full, swollen. The gathered spiritual power inside him started growing in pressure, pushing his insides.


    Van felt worried and excited at the same time.


    [Am I...breaking through?]


    Inside him, the spiritual stream seemed as if it were expanding. The pressure built. Van felt sick and uncomfortable.


    [Brat!] The dormant ring inside him suddenly woke.


    "Jet. What is happening?"


    The ring hmphed.


    [You are breaking through!]


    "But why is it like this? This didn''t happen when I broke into the 2nd level!"


    [The 3rd level of Qi Distillation marks the first qualitative change in the state of your core.


    From levels 1 to 2, the focus of cultivation is the gathering of the impure qi within the air. This will form a mist-like stream in your core.


    To break into the 3rd level, this stream must become a river!]


    Van gritted his teeth and endured the pain.


    "A river?"


    [Yes. If it cannot become a river, the qi you have gathered so far will push out of your body and you will die with blood flowing out from all orifices!]


    Van did not want to die in such a pitiful way. He was still young, he still had someone he wanted to protect! He pushed down the pain.


    "What do I do?"

 44 Getting Martial Skills 1

    [If it cannot become a river, the qi you have gathered so far will push out of your body and you will die with blood flowing out from all orifices!]


    Van pushed down the pain.


    "What do I do?"


    [The wandering stream seeks the ocean and dreams of becoming a river. These are the only words I can give you.]


    Van shut his eyes.Within his core, he saw a misty stream.


    This was the result of his months'' worth of cultivation.


    As it was made up of gas-like particles, the stream held no shape of its own. As he watched, misty strands of qi left the bigger body and began to drift away. The strands of qi that left the stream then started to push against Van''s meridians, trying to escape.


    So, this was the cause of his bloated feeling!


    The spiritual stream was undefined and lacked purpose. As he watched its mist-like passage, he felt that it indeed resembled a lost and wandering stream on the mountain.


    Van thought of the flowing water inside a river and realized something. The spiritual stream right now did not actually ''flow''!


    Van thought of something.


    He would compress the foggy spiritual energy until it became a spiritual liquid! And to do that he needed something to help compress the power!


    A small black tornado formed between his brow.As it had already been opened that day, the meridian resisted strongly.


    Van pushed harder. His 99th meridian remained open but only by a fraction. But due to its immense attractive force, this was already enough. More spiritual energy was sucked into him.


    Yes!


    Van concentrated. He sent all the newly drawn in spiritual power into himself and used it to compress the spiritual stream. The stream writhed. It had had less and less space to move in to. Finally, it began to shrink and compress.


    At the critical moment, the misty stream collapsed in on itself. The pressure within Van immediately disappeared.


    He let out the breath he had been holding.


    The black tornado on his forehead also collapsed. He had only managed to open it for the second time that day through sheer force of will power.


    Shhhhaaaaaah!


    The collapsed stream started to expand. It rushed outwards and grew until it exceeded its previous size. The sound of flowing water filled the surroundings. Then finally, it became a river with a vague embankment.


    Van looked closer within himself.


    The substance within the river had a crystalline sheen and flowed as water would. It glowed with an inner light. It was different from the substance within the spiritual stream! The spiritual energy had condensed into something vastly more powerful.


    Van could feel that his internal power had grown by an immense amount!


    [Congratulations, kid. You are now a cultivator of the 3rd level of Qi Distillation.]


    Van couldn''t help the blissful smile that crossed his face. He had done it! He was now qualified to become an outer disciple!


    Once he was an outer disciple, it wasn''t too far off before he became an inner disciple. Once he reached inner disciple he could go and fetch Finn from Mountain Village!


    His heart immediately felt lighter.


    [Now that there is a spiritual river within your core, you will be able to project qi outside of your body. Like we did that day on Mount Steady. Do you understand what this means?]


    Van nodded enthusiastically, "I can now learn martial skills and techniques!"


    [I have something for you.]


    Van''s ears pricked up.


    A small dog-eared book appeared in Van''s hands. It had small golden lettering and was bound in leather.


    "The Book of Origin," Van read the title out slowly, "What does this do?"


    [I don''t know. Open it.]


    Van lifted the cover. The first page was blank.


    [¡­]


    "¡­"


    One ring and one boy made identical gobsmacked faces. Or at least, Jet would if he could.


    [Cough cough]


    "All the pages are blank," Van said as he rifled through the remaining pages.


    [Um. Yes. Maybe there was a mistake?]


    "Where did you get this from?" Van asked.


    [It just. Appeared inside of me.]


    Van raised his eyebrows.


    [Well. Don''t ask me I don''t know what it does. You''ll have to find out for yourself.]


    Van scratched his head, a little disappointed. He had just broken through to the 3rd level, and he wanted a cool skill. Yes, it was slightly immature to be impatient but he was only thirteen!


    "Would you ah, have something else you can give me."


    [¡­]


    "¡­"


    [¡­]


    "¡­"


    [Call me Granddaddy Jet.]


    Van''s face went black.


    "Forget it."


    "Outer disciples get to pick three skills from the Misty Tree Library anyway," huffing, Van walked away.


    [Call me Granddaddy. All your problems will be solved~]


    Van kept walking.


    [Are you sure~]


    Van stopped. He poked the ring mentally.


    "Stop teasing unless you never want to find that person that you are looking for!"


    The ring tsked.


    [What a child. That book definitely has some more secrets to it. This is the only other thing I have on me. It appeared a while ago. It looks pretty basic...


    But I have something to tell you, Van. Remember how I gave you Thousand Saints Sacrifice manual before? There seems to be a block on what I can give you, Van. It''s like that section of my memories has been sealed away since I slept.]


    Van barely registered Jet''s words. He was too excited by the idea of learning an offensive skill!


    A sheaf of papers landed into Van''s hands.


    ''Fists of Devouring Flames''


    Van quickly started reading. Spitting flames from your fists? Setting a mountain ablaze with a punch? This was right up his alley!


    The manual showed images of a youth practising several moves, and the methodology was simple and direct. Van sat down and absorbed it quickly. By late afternoon, he was ready to try it the first move.


    Standing up, Van took a deep breath.


    "Flaming Bull Fist!" He shouted and punched out. A thick column of flame charged out of his fists and set a patch of flowers on fire. The feeling was amazing!


    Smoke curled up into the sky.


    "Ah, fuck!"


    Hurriedly, Van doused the burning flowers with some water.


    Despite the damage to the garden, Van was elated. The flames had come out naturally and effortlessly as if Van had practised this skill countless times. Van thought that his affinity for fire must have something to do with it.


    He finally had a martial skill!


    Van grinned. Now that he had arrived at the 3rd level of Qi Distillation, he no longer had to hold back. With the status of an outer disciple, his destiny would once again change!


    "Let''s go to the Misty Tree Library!"


    ________


    The Misty Tree Library was a very important ground in the sect.


    Thousands of years of martial arts skills collected from far and wide could be found there. Most impressively, the library existed upon the branches of an immensely old Cedar Tree under which the Founding Father had nurtured from a seedling.


    Being as wealthy and rich as the Cedar Sect was, the tree''s massive and winding branches held the biggest private collection of martial arts in Cloud River. It was just one of the reason''s why many cultivators chose to enter the sect.


    The Misty Tree Library could be roughly split into three portions.


    The lowest branches were the widest, and they held the most variety of techniques. However, the majority were low ranked.


    The middle portion had fewer branches and fewer books but had many precious martial arts that could only be loaned for a few hours at a time. However, to enter the middle branches of the tree one had to be at least be in the 6th level of Qi Distillation.


    The highest branches were lofty and high; often they were covered in mist. Rumour was that those few branches at the pinnacle held the sect''s most precious techniques. However, who knew if this was the truth, for nobody had ever been permitted in there.


    Van stood calmly in front of the foot of the tree. He held his jade tag in one hand and gazed upwards through the shining leaves.


    One could almost see hearts in his eyes as he drooled over the countless martial arts that were in there.


    Okay, he couldn''t help himself. He was a martial fanatic!


    He sighed and sobered slightly. Although he now qualified for outer disciple,he was only from a small village and had no background in the sect. Someone with a background like him and with low cultivation would not be permitted into those vaunted branches.At least he had his Fists of Devouring Flame skill, which apparently was a high ranked martial art.


    [Small steps!] He thought to himself, [One day I will make them scramble to give their skills to me!].


    Now that he had broken through to the 3rd level of Qi Distillation, Van had the right to enter the lowest branches and take three martial arts for himself!


    Van clenched his hands once more around his jade tag and then went up to the old servant at the entrance of the library.


    "Senior," he greeted, "This one''s name is Van. Please test my qualifications."


    The old man blinked his eyes at him and gestured for Van to place his hand on a misty crystal ball. Van recognised it. It was a miasma crystal, the same type of object they had used in the servant''s entrance examinations.


    Under his palm, the fog dissipated rapidly until only a clear crystal ball was left. This confirmed that he indeed had the qualifications to enter. The elder raised his brows and confirmed Van''s jade tag. He gestured for Van to continue in.


    "You have one hour to select three skills and bring them back to me. You will only be able to access the lowest branches ¨C the fog at the higher levels will cause anyone not of the appropriate level to suffocate, so the best advice is to steer well clear. Good luck."


    Van climbed the stairs around the base of the tree and stepped onto a branch that was as wide as a building. His breath was rapid in his chest. Further down, he could see other people absorbed in selecting their martial art skills.


    "I have one hour, and I need to choose three suitable skills from the thousands in front of me!"


    Van took a deep breath and began to scan the bookshelves, heart beating at a galloping pace.


    ___________________


    [About two hundred metres away.]


    A servant carrying basketfuls of dried herbs stopped and stared dumbly. He turned to his side,"Did you see who just went into the Misty Tree Library!? It was that kid!"


    "...Do you expect me to believe that? That meat-for-brains went into Misty Library?"


    "Brother, I swear!"


    "Hahahaha. He went in there to dust the shelves and tidy the place. So, what? Unless... you think he broke into the 3rd level and has become an outer disciple?"


    The other servant laughed so hard he felt as if his stomach was about to burst. He thought he had just said the most ridiculous thing in his life. He had to put down his basket of herbs, "Bahahaha¡­!"


    The servant who originally spoke looked embarrassed. Finally, he started to chuckle as well.


    "Haha... You''re right. What was I thinking? How could a country bumpkin advance so quickly? Pigs would fly before such a ridiculous thing happened..."

 45 Getting Martial Skills 2

    Van took a deep breath and scanned the bookshelves.


    Tome upon tome greeted his eyes. Bookshelves perched precariously on the branches, which were long and twisted. One might not be able to explore even two of the branches in the entire hour they were here ¨C and there were tens of them.


    "I just need to go steadily."


    There must have been thousands and thousands of books. To find three that suited him from such a large amount was not easy. Luckily, he already had three things in mind.


    First, he needed a body cultivation skill to mask his own. That way he could start openly practicing.


    Secondly, a water, ice or dark technique to fully utilise the strange powers of the green turtle shell inside him. Although he had no idea what it was, it had yet to harm in and had in fact given him a medium-grade water affinity. He would be a fool if he didn''t put it to use. If he was to cultivate this technique his main skill, his foes would surely get a nasty surprise when they then got burnt a crisp.


    Thirdly, Van wanted a movement skill. Imagine being able to run circles around your opponents, them unable to land a single finger on you. How delicious and satisfying. Plus, running away, quickly, from enemies too powerful to beat was never a dumb option.


    "Sand Stirring Whip, Ten Bolts Fist, Ghost Mirage Palm¡­" The multitudes of names made Van''s excitement grow.


    This feeling only intensified when he started to read some of the descriptions.


    "Ghost Mirage Palm. Decreases speed of the opponent, can cause them to become confused and fail to return an attack. Uses trickery to win. Minimum requirement is the 3rd level of Qi Distillation. Easy to train. Rank: Low."


    Van continued this way before he found something suitable.


    "Copper Knight Wall. Absolute defence at the expense of speed. Under full activation can withstand a single killing blow from an opponent of the same rank. Those who train it to the highest level will be able to passively deflect mortal blades. Minimum requirement is the 3rd level of Qi Distillation. High difficulty to train. Rank: Low."


    Van took it off the shelf, "My Copper Buddha level of the Thousand Saints Sacrifice Method is already enough to deflect mortal blades passively. But it seems that this Copper Knight Wall can only do that if trained to a high level. Plus, it decreases your speed. It is clear which one is superior."


    Van had a clear idea of what he wanted next, but he still felt moved several times as he went through the martial texts.


    "This Piercing Wind Finger is not bad¡­oh, and this Smiling Locust''s Kick¡­"


    "Ah. You are only allowed one trip into this library, Van," he whispered to himself, "just get what you need!"


    However, this pace was truly too slow. Half an hour had already passed, and he had two more skills he needed to find.


    [Surely there is a smarter way to do things.]


    Van stopped and scanned the shelves around him.


    [How can I find something specific in here?]


    As he pondered, Van recalled the way that they had tested them for spiritual attribute at the servant''s entrance exam. Now that he was able to project qi¡­


    Van concentrated and tried to emit the tiniest strand of qi possible from his finger. A tiny thread spilled out but then dissipated. Van was not discouraged, once more, he squeezed a strand of qi out ¨C this time a little thicker.


    Sure enough!


    The strand of qi immediately was attracted to something in the bookshelf.


    It was a fire-type sword skill. Van shook his head and continued to use this method while walking quickly down the aisle. Soon enough he found that he could just hold the strand of qi at his fingertip and the attributes of the martial skills would cause a tugging sensation at the finger-tip. If there was a strong reaction, it was probably flame-attribute, if it was weaker it was a water-type¡­


    He stopped in front a bookshelf and pulled out a book of about 1 centimetres thickness.


    "Dark Seas Palm. Good offensive power with the ability to freeze an opponent''s movements and disrupt the flow of qi at higher levels. Minimum requirement the 3rd level of Qi Distillation. Rank: Middle. Difficulty: High, requires some natural affinity for water."


    Van stroked his finger down the page. This was it! Now what he needed was a movement type skill.


    He continued to use his little technique of leaving a strand of qi at his fingertip and letting it sniff around like a dog. Soon, it started to pull excitedly in a single direction. Unlike the other times, it didn''t shift to a different target when Van moved along.


    "Eh? What''s going on?" Van followed curiously. Eventually, he arrived in a gap between the bookshelves.


    [There''s nothing here.]


    There was only darkness where the strand pointed. Game, Van stuck his hand in there. It went further and further in until it touched something smooth.


    !


    There was a thin black book with charred edges. Why was it tucked into this little gap between the bookshelves? It made it feel like someone had picked out this skill and then hid it here so no one else would find it¡­


    "Scattering Smoke Steps," he read aloud, "A movement skill not based on absolute speed but absolute evasion. Minimum requirement: 4th level of Qi Distillation. Rank: Middle, requires extremely high comprehension skills to understand the essence."


    Van grew excited. Scattering Smoke Step''s smoke attribute was closely related to his flame attribute ¨C this movement skill was a perfect fit.


    But why had someone hidden it away in that crevice?


    Van shrugged. He had found it fair and square, and using his own ingenuity. It was fair game!


    He wrapped his arms tightly around the three tomes he had drawn out and went quickly down the steps. The old man saw him coming.


    "I would like to borrow these three, please, Senior," Van said politely, handing the skill books over.


    The old man was expressionless as he stamped the Dark Seas Palm manual, but a small crease appeared between his brows when he stamped Copper Knight Wall, "Body cultivation, eh¡­It will be arduous and time-consuming¡­"


    When the old man reached to stamp ''Scattering Smoke Steps'' his hand halted stiffy in mid-air.


    The old servant''s expression was pale, Scattering Smoke Steps¡­? It has been a very long time since I have heard this name¡­"


    Van''s brow crinkled. That was the skill he wanted the most! Quickly, he asked the old servant, "Is there something wrong with it? I can borrow it, right?"


    The old man frowned disapprovingly, "The last time I heard of this Scattering Smoke Steps was fifty years ago when a young man destroyed his cultivation over it. They said he became obsessed with trying to understand the essence of this skill and stood above a smoking bonfire for ten days and ten nights. When the smoke caused him to become blind in both eyes, he did not want to let anyone else achieve what he failed to do!"


    "We thought he had destroyed it, but who knew that he had hidden it in plain sight!"


    The old servant turned to Van.


    "Do you know who that boy was? The previous Sect Master''s younger brother! He was a genius of unsurpassable talent, and yet he was unable to understand this skill!"


    "I advise that you return this book immediately. I will even turn a blind eye and allow you to pick out another skill. This ''Scattering Smoke Steps'' is not worth it!"


    Van smiled. His heart had been set on that skill a long time ago.


    "I can feel your kindness, senior. However, blame me for being stubborn, but I have decided that I will train ''Scattering Smoke Steps!''"


    The old servant seemed to age another decade.


    "Very well, young man," he stamped it.


    "Not only are you hard-headed, you are also foolish. Two of your skills time-consuming and arduous to train in. Adding to that, your offensive skill also requires innate affinity for water¡­without this, you will not even be able to progress past the beginning level. Don''t come crying back to me in three days, asking for a second chance in the Misty Tree Library. I will not be so kind a second time."


    The old man shook his head.


    Once ''Scattering Smoke Steps'' passed from his hands to the young boy''s, the elder servant shut his eyes and no longer spoke. His disapproval emanated out from him in waves.


    Van received the books, unable to push down the excitement in his heart. Carefully, he put them away. At that moment -


    Crash!


    Startled, Van looked up, only to see two pale faces staring at him. A big empty basket rattled back and forth on the ground. The duo clutched at each other, struggling for words.


    "V-V-V-van," one of the pale faces stuttered, "W-we didn''t know we would be seeing you here?"


    Their eyes darted to peek at the tomes in his grasp.One subtly and swiftly pinched the other on the arm.


    "Oh?" Van replied with a small smile on his face. He tilted his head.


    "Funnily enough, I did not expect to see you two here either."


    "Last time I checked... servants weren''t allowed in the immediate vicinity library. Unless, of course, you were here to sweep the floor and dust the shelves, that is. I won''t get in your way."


    Van hoisted the three tomes onto his hip and whistled as he strolled away.


    The two servants were left shaking in their boots. His words had sounded courteous, but why did they seem full of thorns?


    Though he had yet to wear his outer disciple robes, the three skill books in his arms meant that he had qualified to enter the library!


    This was big news.


    The village kid had been one of the fastest to advance to outer disciple, only narrowly losing to Klaus!


    The young man''s back seems to grow bigger and bigger in their eyes.


    When they finally calmed enough to speak, the boy who had seen Van walk into the library initially spoke in a depressed tone of voice, "He must have heard us earlier¡­"


    "Now we''ve angered an outer disciple for no reason. We are so screwed¡­"


    The other one did not answer - he was counting the lucky stars that he had not said something even dumber!

 46 Mission to Exterminate

    With the three books tucked under his arm, Van went to get his jade tag upgraded at the Provision''s Hall. The old servant lady was quite surprised.


    "Ah, young fella! Coming here for your outer disciple''s robes already, you must be quite talented!" The old lady praised.


    Van smiled. The old lady shattered his jade tag and gave him a circular piece of jade with spiralling leaves around the edges. His name and the words ''outer disciple,'' were engraved on it.


    "With this jade name tag you can access exclusive areas such as the Martial Field and the Missions Hall. It is your unique identifier, and the only key to your personal room.When you come to collect your monthly allowance of half a spirit stone, you must present it. This tag must not be given to any body else. If lost, you must come and get it replaced immediately. Do you understand?"


    Van nodded. He tied his new name tag securely to his waist and took the parcel full of new robes.


    Van went to find his new living quarters.


    With a map in his hand, Van arrived in an area of the sect that was neither in the centre nor on the outskirts like the servant''s quarters had been.


    Flashing his tag, Van was led inside a large building and to his room. Inside was a simple bed, table and stool.


    The person who let him in was a fat middle-aged uncle who had been an outer disciple for forty years now. This uncle explained that the rooms provided for outer disciples were designed for closed-door cultivation.


    "The material in the walls minimize the leakage of qi to the outside your room, so you can cultivate all night without worrying about your neighbours. The concentration of spiritual power is also better here than in the outskirts of the sect."


    "Thank you," Van said before tipping the fat man three silvers. Though it was not a huge amount of money to the fat uncle, he still felt happy. Seeing that the young man was a servant who had become an outer disciple through hard work, and seeing that he was so considerate, the fat uncle leaned forwards and gestured for Van to come closer.


    "Boy, if you want to earn money and recognition quickly in this sect you should check out the Missions Hall. It is also a good way to gain fighting experience!"


    With that, the fat man left him to his devices.


    Van entered the small bedroom. Despite its tiny size, he felt immensely proud. He had earned the privilege to be here.


    Van put on his new robes. They were deep green and made of soft but qi-resistant material. On the back, a large silhouette of a cedar tree was stitched. With it on, he felt as if his back grew straighter.


    After settling into his room, Van excitedly began to practice his three new skills.


    ________


    [One hour later]


    A copper glow emanated from Van''s skin before dulling and fading away. The young man exhaled slowly and jumped up. His experiment had been a success! He could emulate Copper Knight Wall''s appearance and effects to 95% similarity with his Copper Buddha state.


    Van then began to practice Dark Seas Palm.


    Immediately he could feel that the power exited him much more sluggishly compared to when he practiced ''Fists of Devouring Flame.'' He had to repeat one move dozens of times before an effect would appear.


    Despite this, Van''s progress was not slow. Within two hours he had learned the first move, ''River Splitting the Rocks.''


    Hah!


    Van thrust his palm forwards. A whip-like surge of dark, chilly water gushed into the air and attacked the table.


    It cracked into two halves.


    Van inspected the damage with a satisfied smile. Despite holding the majority of his power back, Dark Seas Palm had still been able to do a lot of damage.


    As Van was unable to practice Scattering Smoke Steps before the 4th level of Qi Distillation, he simply read the skill manual and tried to understand it. Though his understanding was foggy, Van thought he was able to grasp the essence of the skill.


    Whether he was correct or not he could only find out once he reached the 4th level.


    One day later, Van was still practising Dark Seas Palm.His proficiency in using the skill increased at a rapid pace. But no matter how hard he practised his room,he knew he lacked practical experience.


    Plus, he had to keep withholding power from the move to prevent serious damage to his room. Van was worried that doing this would later affect the performance of Dark Seas Palm.


    Van packed his things and headed straight for the Missions Hall.


    ___________


    The Missions Hall was not a tall building, but it was very long. Hundreds of posters decorated its walls and many disciples milled about inside. They were mostly discussing the pros and cons of various missions.Some advertised their experience in order to attract others to their team and undertake riskier missions with better rewards.


    When Van walked in, a few outer disciples turned and saw that there was an unfamiliar face.Two disciples in the corner murmured quietly to each other.


    "This must be one of the six servants that reached the 3rd level of Qi Distillation this month¡­"


    "¡­I heard four of them were from the latest batch. They only entered a month ago¡­"


    "Seriously¡­? Their cultivation speed makes us outer disciples look bad¡­"


    Though they did not recognise him, they had an inkling of who Van was.


    Fact was - although the Cedar Sect elevated servants who reached the 3rd level of Qi Distillation to outer disciples ¨C only 10% of outer disciples had previously been servants and almost no inner disciples.


    Van could feel the stares on him as he walked but he thoroughly ignored their existences. With his arms clasped behind his back, he inspected the posters on the wall. After perusing for half an hour, he decided which mission he would take.


    "This disciple would like to take the mission at Threadspinner Town."


    The clerk at the back of the hall looked up at him.


    "No problem. Please give me your personal token to record this."


    Van handed his name token over.


    "As you would be aware of by now, there is a demon pest control mission for Threadspinner Town. Although killing pests does not sound attractive, you will be rewarded based on the number of beasts killed ¨C not level. Any materials from the beasts that you find are yours to keep."


    Van nodded. The open-endedness of this mission was precisely why he picked it. The mission did not say that he had to eliminate the root cause of the infestation. All he needed to do was rack up the kills and collect the rewards.


    "If I were you, I would go there quickly," the clerk advised, "The later you leave it, the more likely that other disciples from the Cedar Sect, or even other sects, will hunt the pests to extinction!"


    Van nodded.


    Five days from now was the day of the Lantern Festival. Recalling the exciting words on the flyer, Van was highly anticipating the Mystery Object Sale.


    That meant he had four days to wrap up this little mission to Threadspinner Town!


    ________


    As soon as Van left Dragon City, he stood near the forest and whistled. A giant wolf tumbled out and tackled him to the ground. Blackie slobbered all over him enthusiastically while wagging his tail, showing his usual brown-nosing ways. Van rolled his eyes and leapt onto his back. The giant wolf''s speed was much better than most normal horses.


    Four hours later, Van arrived at his destination ¨C Threadspinner Town. The town was small compared to Dragon City but still many times larger than the miniscule Mountain Village.


    Threadspinner Town was well-known for the fabric it produced.The fabric was of good quality and made from the fur of tame, woolly demon beasts.


    To the despair of the people of the town predatory demon beasts began to take up in the woods near the farmland two years ago. These pests multiplied quickly and would prey on their woolly demon beasts, who were domesticated and unable to fight back.


    In the midst of their despair, the Mayor of Threadspinner Town had pleaded for help from the biggest sects in Dragon City. Luckily for him, this type of mission was accepted easily as the sects felt it would be a good training ground for disciples.


    Van was an eye-catching sight as he rode into town. He quickly put down his name at the mission register. Next to his name was a blank space that would record the number of pests he had put down once he emerged.


    "Excuse me."


    Van turned to see a group of three standing behind him. They wore the robes of Zephyr Sect outer disciples. From their aura, Van guessed that they were all also of the 3rd level of Qi Distillation.


    "We saw your wolf pet and couldn''t help but admire it. Would you consider joining us?"


    Van was thoroughly uninterested. Plus, don''t think he hadn''t heard the hidden barb in those words. These people didn''t think he would be of any help ¨C they just admired Blackie!


    Indeed, the three of disciples of the Zephyr Sect saw the giant wolf and thought it would be a convenient method of transportation in the woods¡­


    "Not interested," Van said coldly.


    In a flash, both wolf and human disappeared into the forest.


    The faces of the three Zephyr disciples left behind were unsightly.


    "What a bastard!" One of them cursed, "I hope he gets killed by a demon beast!"


    __________


    Van entered the woods with no sign of pressure in his expression. In front of him, the giant wolf scented the air and then darted off in one direction.


    Van followed. His eyes sharpened and his heart slowed as entered hunting mode.


    There!


    An angry screech filled the air.

 47 Thermocycling Fis

    An angry screech split the air.


    Van reacted immediately and rolled to the side. Something large and heavy crashed into the tree beside him, shaking the ground.


    Van regained his feet and came face to face with a giant insect with a dark, segmented body. It lifted a razor-sharp leg and sliced it through the air.


    Blackie growled and knocked the insect''s leg away. However, this insect had a thick, hairy looking shell that absorbed the impact instantly. The giant bug''s attention was now focused on the wolf.


    Van acted immediately.


    "Flaming Bull Fist!" A thick column of flame burst into the air and scorched the hide of the bug. It screeched in pain.


    Angered, the giant insect raised four of its razor-sharp legs at once and stabbed at Blackie.


    Van threw himself forward and blocked two of the legs with his arm. The other two legs pierced through his robes and into his skin. At that moment, he activated his Copper Buddha state. His skin flashed copper.


    CLANG!


    The razor-sharp legs impacted his body loudly. A thin slice of red appeared on Van''s skin before the legs slid off his body.


    Van channelled his fleshly power and forcefully ripped a leg off. It stabbed into the ground beside them with a dull thudding noise.


    Blackie snarled viciously and ripped off its antenna, following his Master''s actions.


    The giant segmented insect ripped its legs out of the dirt and viciously lunged forwards with its mandibles wide open.


    Not good!


    Caught off guard as he was trying to move Blackie out of harm''s way. Van had no time to activate his Copper Buddha state. The giant insect''s teeth sank a centimetre deep into Van''s skin.


    Furious, Van slammed his fist against the insect''s head.


    BANG!


    A cloud of fire billowed out from Van''s fist and burnt the insect''s head. Screeching, the insect opened its jaws and tried to move away but Van held onto its face and kept hitting it with his Flaming Bull Fist.


    A dense and sour smell emitted from the insect''s head as Van''s burning fist started to melt through its exoskeleton. With one last screech, it died.


    Van pulled his fist from the gooey internals of its head and heaved the body off him. The giant carcass fell onto its back; its legs twitched and spasmed.


    "Fuck!" Van exclaimed, looking at the teeth marks on his arm. They were red and angry looking, but little blood spilt out.


    He reminisced about the fight and realised that he would have been dead meat without his body cultivation. His inexperience in using his martial skills had really shown. If he had been able to instinctively and fluidly use his Fists of Devouring Flame, the result would have been vastly different.


    Van even estimated that the strength of this giant ant was on par some weaker 3rd level Qi Distillation cultivators.


    Brooding, he patted Blackie on his snout and went to inspect the carcass. Van tipped the carcass over. The creature appeared seventy to eighty per cent similar to an ant.


    Van chipped off a piece of its head armour to use as a token of the kill.Then he ripped off the rest of its exoskeleton. He carved two of the largest pieces into two large bowls and began to scoop out the meat from the inside of the ant. Putting the two bowls in his lap, he yelled:


    "Flaming Bull Fist!"


    The flames spat out. The ant meat inside the bowls sizzled. Blackie drew near and sniffed curiously.


    "This fella sure knows what good stuff is," Van commented as he saw his wolf look at him with big eyes. The young man put the bowl of cooked ant meat down and watched as the wolf snaffled it down happily.


    He himself looked at his pile of steaming ant flesh and gulped nervously. It smelt¡­unpleasant to say the least ¨C but it was still the flesh of a creature that had some cultivation!


    Van shut his eyes tightly and gulped it down.


    Surprisingly, the taste was not as bad as it appeared. There was a slightly nutty aftertaste.


    The rest of the meat from the giant ant was scooped out and eaten. Van found a tiny, pea-like beast core inside its skull.


    With their bellies full, Van and Blackie rested on a rock. A warm buzz filled them as qi gently dispersed from the ant meat inside their stomachs.


    Van took out the little pamphlet he had gotten and read through it again.


    "Every ten demon beasts slain gives you 10 points, with bonuses given if you destroy their nests. Evidence must be provided to attest to the kill. Points can be traded in the sect for valuable goods and materials."


    The list was accompanied by a few images of the various pests that preyed on the town''s dwindling population of domesticated woolly demon beasts.


    He found a picture of a large ant.


    "Brown King Ant, large beasts with extremely thick exoskeletons that are resistant to physical attacks. Possess sharp mandibles and razor-edged legs that are known to cleave 3rd level Qi Distillation adventurers in two with one strike. Their mandibles are the most valuable part of their bodies and are often used as garden shears for herb-cultivators."


    Van whistled.


    "That was a difficult first enemy, but I''ve learnt a lot. I must pay attention to identify the weaknesses of the creatures and consider their natures."


    After a brief rest, Van rode on Blackie''s back and continued to find demon beasts using the wolf''s keen sense of smell.


    This time, Van jumped lightly off the wolf''s back and decided to observe the enemy before engaging. In the woods ahead of them was a small rabbit. It hopped back and forth while twitching it ears, listening for danger. When it was satisfied there was none, it dashed forwards and picked up something on the ground.


    Giant fangs protruded from its mouth and its eyes turned red. The rabbit tore into the squirming snake it held in its paws.


    At that moment.


    "River Splitting the Rocks!"


    A spear of dark water pierced towards the rabbit. It flattened its ears and hissed at Van.


    A Fanged White Rabbit, only the size of the palm of his hand, was extremely famous in Threadspinner Town. Its strength was well on par with normal third rankers and it possessed an extremely high speed.


    However, it was the king of cowards!


    The Fanged White Rabbit felt the freezing water pierce towards it and ran. The attack ripped its back open. A cold qi entered its body and caused it to slow down slightly.


    This slowing effect was enough for Van, who withdrew the bone dagger from his waist and threw it while channelling all his fleshly power.


    Sou!


    The dagger pierced accurately into the rabbit''s back.


    It died.


    Van collected the valuable Fanged White Rabbit fur and extracted a large thumb-sized beast core from its body. He smiled happily, the soft and silky fur of this rabbit was worth five to six hundred taels of silver.


    Adding it to the mandibles of the ten or so Brown King Ants he had killed he estimated his wealth now exceeded nine hundred silver taels. He was the wealthiest he had ever been!


    Although Van was excited, he calmed himself down.


    "This is still not enough!"


    _______


    For the next two days, Van relentlessly scoured the woods around Threadspinner Town, striking down every beast he came across.


    He soon learned a very effective technique for fighting against beasts with strong exoskeletons:


    First, he would hit them repeatedly with his Dark Seas Palm skill. The dark, cold qi inside the attack would cause a slight freezing effect and slow the beasts down. After they were sufficiently sluggish, Van would blast them with his Flaming Bull Fist.


    The extreme change in temperature cracked their exoskeletons. The Brown King Ants all died with their entrails spilling out of their shells.


    It was a terrifying few days for the local population of Brown King Ants.


    Extremely pleased with his finding, Van named thenew move ''Thermocycling Fist'' and spent a few hours piecing the two skills ''River Splitting the Rocks'' and ''Flaming Bull Fist'' together. Thermocycling Fist did not do as much damage as Flaming Bull Fist, nor was its freezing effect as good as River Splitting the Rocks. However! It was able to switch between fire and water quickly and smoothly, changing temperatures rapidly and causing extra damage to beasts!


    The result was crude and inelegant but very effective.


    Every time Van pulled his fists back, screams of terror followed.


    "Twenty Brown King Ants, one Fanged White Rabbit¡­"


    "Forty Brown King Ants, one Fanged White Rabbit, ten Black-Spotted boars¡­"


    "Eighty Brown King Ants, two Fanged White Rabbits, twenty Black-Spotted Boars and two Gatling Swallows¡­"


    To kill as many demon pests as possible, Van perfected his Fists of Devouring Flames and Dark Seas Palm by using them to the highest extent he could.


    Fists of Devouring Flames was trained to a low-level of achievement while Dark Seas Palm was trained to a medium level. This was because Fists of Devouring Flames was a higher-ranked skill with more moves to learn while Dark Seas Palm was limited to the Qi Distillation Realm. This made the higher levels of achievement in Fists of Devouring Flames harder to achieve.


    In the process Van learned one more move from Dark Seas Palm ¨C ''Tide Swallows the Earth!"


    When used, a giant tidal wave would block the sky. The immense wave crashed down on the victim with crushing force and carried a vastly more brutal dark and cold qi. However, this move drained Van far more than ''River Splitting the Rocks'' did.


    With ''River Splitting the Rocks,'' Van was able to extend it''s reach to a few tens of metres further ¨C making it a good probing attack.


    The impact, temperature of the flames and power of ''Flaming Bull Fist'' was also vastly improved.


    "With this many killed, I should have one-hundred and four points. Plus, the materials I have collected add up to over three thousand silver taels."


    There was one and a half days left and Van felt the itch to hunt something more challenging and valuable. At this point he felt that the sect contribution points were a little less important compared to the sheer wealth he could receive should he find and kill a rare beast.


    "I must hunt one!"


    The problem was that the increasing number of other cultivators that Van had to compete with. As the days rolled past, the number of demon pests within the woods dropped dramatically.


    Van returned to a spot he had had much success finding and killing Brown King Ants and saw an interesting sight. About fifty Brown King Ants were carrying fragments of food in a well-organised line.


    "Baaaaa!" A domesticated woolly beast complained. It was being carried by a giant ant to god knows where.


    Van counted; twenty woolly beasts had been pinched from the farmers by the King Brown Ants. They baaed and struggled helplessly.


    Other items Van spotted in the ant''s mandibles included other small demon beasts and, grotesquely, a severed arm.


    Van followed them at a distance and eventually arrived before an enormous mound. As he watched, the Brown King Ants marched up the mound and dropped the food in their mandibles into the hole.


    "Could it be¡­?"


    Van''s eyes gleamed with excitement.


    This was the big game he had been waiting for!

 48 Killing the Queen 1

    Van followed the marching ants at a distance and eventually arrived before an enormous mound.


    As he watched, the Brown King Ants marched up the mound and dropped the food in their mandibles into the hole.


    "Could it be¡­?"


    A loud scuttling noise was heard. A massive head poked out of the nest and revealed a body that was at least five times bigger than the ordinary Brown King Ants! The giant ant''s exoskeleton was red and shinier than the rest. The razor-edges on each of the legs protruded further and looked deadly.


    An ear-piercing screech rent the air when the bigger demon insect opened its mouth.The workers anxiously gave it their food.


    Van''s eyes gleamed with excitement.


    This must be their Queen!


    The Queen''s terrifying aura told Van that it was much more powerful than any beast he had encountered before. The noises it made caused all the beasts within a five-kilometre radius to stiffen.


    Van looked over its gleaming red shell. His eyes lit up as he quickly calculated.


    "The exoskeleton of the Queen Brown King Ant is worth ten thousand silver taels. Physically strong but also able to reduce the effect of martial skills by over twenty percent, the exoskeleton is highly sought after by cultivators to make armour!"


    He quickly hatched a plan.


    "Even though it is much stronger than me, I must kill it!"


    ________


    [Four hours later]


    Van slowly killed off all the worker ants that had been feeding the Queen ant by luring them away in pairs of two or three. He then found some large and sweet-smelling fruits ¨C knowing that ants love sugar ¨C and placed them at the bottom of the mound. The gluttonous Queen was sure to be lured out by its hunger!


    However, just luring the Queen wasn''t the full extent of the plan.


    He had also laced the fruits with a herb that weakens the flesh and causes sleep.


    Without its workers to feed it, the Queen finally got hungry enough to venture out of the nest. A massive antenna poked out of the hole, followed by an immense head and segmented body.It screeched loudly in excitement to get its little sugar treats.


    Despite being far away, Van was pressured by the aura that the Queen ¨C equivalent to a 4th level Qi Distillation exuded. With a body three times as wide as Van was tall, the Queen could crush him with a single leg!


    The Queen drew its large body out of the nest and went towards the fruits. It picked them up and swallowed them up in one bite!


    [Yes!]


    [Now I just need to wait for it to weaken and then fall asleep. Then I will pummel it with my Thermocycling Fist and collect the rewards!]


    Van grew excited. His dark eyes watched the scene carefully.


    At that moment.


    A group of four people ran into the clearing. The Queen startled and reared back.


    Van swore.


    [Who dares to steal my prey!]


    However, it was soon clear that the four people that had run into the clearing had no idea that the Queen ant was in it. Upon spotting the giant insect, they paled to a deathly colour.


    "Q-Q¡ªQueen Brown King Ant¡­It is on par with a Fourth Rank Qi Distillation cultivator¡­Run!"


    They ran away. The Queen chased after them. Although the fruits had been satisfying, they could hardly fill her belly! The four morsels in front of her were bound to be tastier!


    BOOM!


    Everywhere the Queen Ant passed, destruction soon followed. Her immense mass and sturdy exoskeleton pulverised everything.


    "Miss Delphine. Watch out!" One of the people yelled.


    [Delphine? Why does that sound so familiar?]


    Van looked closely and finally realised that he knew all four of them¡­


    The three guys were the three Zephyr Sect disciples that had tried to team up with him before, and the girl was that chick who had pissed him off at the apothecary!


    As he watched, the pink-robed girl turned around and raised her hands. A big transparent green wall appeared between the fleeing figures and the giant insect. She said something sharply, and a giant branch extruded from the ground and speared through the ant.


    The Queen Ant veered away at the last moment. The wood spear was rendered ineffectual. With two mighty slashes the green transparent wall was destroyed.


    As Van watched, he realised that this Delphine girl was strong. Normal disciples would have fainted from fear. Plus, both of her moves seemed to be high ranked martial arts.


    "Her shielding skill looks like its good quality and the wood spear that came from the earth could probably kill a 4th level Qi Distillation cultivator. Unluckily, the Brown King Ant species are known for their incredible physical defence. Worst of all, the Queen Ant''s exoskeleton resists martial skills!"


    "Save Miss Delphine!" One of the disciples took out a sword and started to attack the Queen.


    However, their attacks only felt like tickles to the giant demon insect.


    Seeing the futility of their actions, they exchanged glances and ran away once again.


    The Queen ant gnashed its mandibles and followed closely.


    Van sped towards them while riding on Blackie''s back.


    [These people don''t know that the Queen Ant has been dosed with a weakening and sleep-inducing herb juice. They cannot find out!]


    [If I can kill it myself, all ten thousand silver taels will belong to me!]


    Sha!


    Van leapt off the giant wolf and leapt into the space between the giant ant queen and the fleeing figures.


    "Flaming Bull Fists!"


    A giant pillar of flame burst into the air. A strong sizzling sound was heard as the ant''s shell was scorched.


    The four fleeing people heard fighting noises behind them.


    "Someone is actually fighting the Queen of Brown King Ants?"


    Even as she ran, Delphine couldn''t help but sneak a look over her shoulder as one of her companions spoke.


    "¡­What fool¡­?"


    She turned her neck and her eyes nearly fell out. That was the annoying bastard that refused to give her even one packet of body strengthening powder at the Grand Botanica!


    [Hmph!] she thought, her desire to turn back and help cooled.


    She continued to run.


    CLANG!


    The sounds of battle continued to drift into their ears.


    "Somehow¡­that kid is holding up against the ant queen!"


    A furious screech pierced the air. The giant ant queen opened its mandibles and leapt towards Van. The young man rolled to the side.


    Internally, Van was still furious.


    These bloody fools had interrupted the carefully planned trap he had made and now he was fighting the Queen while she was still near her full strength!


    A razor-tipped leg grazed past his ear. Van''s heart pounded. Fuck!


    Van fully exerted Thousand Saints Sacrifice and remained in his Copper Buddha state for as long as possible. To the onlookers, it looked like he was using Copper Knight Wall.


    Delphine recognised the skill and shook her head.


    "It''s only a low-ranked body cultivation technique, it cannot withstand a killing blow from a beast with a higher-realm strength!"


    "He''s doomed!" She judged. The other three Zephyr sect disciples paled. They unconsciously sped up; they wanted to be as far as possible from the ant queen!


    Van continued his fighting charade. Each time the ant queen lunged at him, he would somehow dodge out of the way just in time. It was a dramatic show that would cause any audience''s hearts to go up and down.


    Of course, Van was not seriously fighting! He had only one goal ¨C stall for long enough that the herb juice''s effect would start to occur.


    However, he also needed to prevent them from finding out that the Queen was getting weaker and slower!


    Therefore, he acted dramatically and purposely showed that he was using a low-level body cultivation technique.


    However, he did not expect that in the next moment the Queen became so enraged that it went berserk. It had watched the little morsel of food in front of it evade its hungry jaws time and time again and had had enough!


    Van''s expression changed.


    His skin flashed copper just as the Queen slammed its massive head into him.


    Not good!


    Van flew several metres back. He regaining his feet unsteadily. Van thought he tasted iron in the back of his throat; his ribs were definitely broken.


    So, this was the strength of a beast of the 4th rank!


    He had sorely underestimated it. It was a good thing that Van was not actually using Copper Knight Wall, if he had been, he would have been snapped into two just then!


    There was a scream from one of the Zephyr Sect disciples as Van flew back like a broken kite.


    Despite herself, Delphine felt a flash of worry in her heart as she heard the battle behind her.


    She told herself the only reason she was concerned was because if he was defeated, they would be next to be eaten by the ant Queen!


    In grave danger, Van had no choice but to square up.


    Hu!


    He took a deep breath in and exhaled loudly. The qi within him began to swirl and gather.


    His eyes flashed.


    "Thermocycling Fist!" he shouted. Due to the immense physical defence of the Queen''s exoskeleton, and its special ability to resist spiritual skills, Van knew that using either Fists of Devouring Flame or Dark Seas Palm on their own was unlikely to produce any good effect. His best bet of killing the Queen was if he could destroy her tough exoskeleton. Only Thermocycling Fist could achieve this!


    However, against all expectations Thermocycling Fist had no effect on the Queen''s exoskeleton.


    The giant ant reared up and flung Van away. The young man rolled as he landed and got to his feet immediately.


    Van was undaunted. He had spotted a tiny hairline crack in its shell!


    Hope was not lost. Once more he attacked.


    "Thermocycling Fist!"


    Van drove his glowing fist into the same spot it had hit previously. Under the rapidly changing temperatures, the ant Queen''s exoskeleton rapidly expanded and contracted. The strain caused the hairline fracture to become a little bit wider.


    Van clung on to the Queen''s antenna and drew his fist back.


    "Thermocycling Fist!"


    When he used this move, onlookers would see a spinning vortex that briefly flashed red and blue.


    The hairline fracture widened once more.


    With this, the ant Queen began to feel discomfort. It groaned and full-body charged at Van, swinging its legs wildly. The speed at which it charged at was beyond Van''s ability to judge. He could only steel himself and brace for the impact.


    A deep laceration appeared on his chest.


    Van just grit his teeth and ducked below the next leg that came swinging his way.


    "Thermocycling Fist!"


    He aimed an uppercut at the crack in the exoskeleton.


    At the same time, the weakening and drowsiness effect of the herb finally kicked in! The ant Queen became more sluggish, and the power behind its blows lessened.


    Van''s eyes sharpened. He had passed the most critical period. Now all that was left was to lure it away and kill it himself!


    All that needed to happen now was for the four people to leave him alone and let him kill the Queen in peace. Then all the spoils would be his!


    In his eyes, the Queen was not a demon beast ¨C it was a walking money box holding ten thousand silver taels!


    _________


    Up ahead, Delphine was biting her lips as she ran. Her eyes showed doubt and uncertainty.


    [Should I help him or not?]

 49 Killing the Queen 2

    Up ahead, a young girl in pink robes was biting her lips as she ran.


    [Should I help him?]


    As she pondered, one of the other''s spoke up, "What move is he using against the ant queen''s shell? It seems like he is actually breaking it!"


    "Hmph. He is just hitting the same spot again and again. The Queen has almost killed him several times already. He''s just been lucky enough to get away in the nick of time¡­!"


    Delphine rolled her eyes, "If he can roll and dodge that many times it''s no longer just luck, it''s skill."


    They ignored her. One of them stopped running.


    "I''ve just had an idea. Why not use the kid as a softener and then kill the ant queen ourselves? Then we can harvest its valuable shell!"


    "But none of us is in the 4th level of Qi Distillation, and you clearly saw the result when we tried fighting just then. We couldn''t even land a blow!"


    The one that spoke first was a thin youth with a sharp chin; hearing the words of his fellow disciple he scoffed.


    "But now we have that kid as a buffer! You have already seen that he has some mysterious skill that can crack open the ant queen''s shell. Although he can''t kill her with just that, us four can! Plus, with four of us, we can take the exoskeleton for ourselves!"


    Green began to show on the faces of the Zephyr sect disciples. Ten thousand silvers¡­ that was a lot of money.


    "You''re right, brother. That person wouldn''t have found the Queen if we had not accidentally bumped into it and led it here!"


    "Francis, Serci, Marcus. That person saved our lives by taking the Queen''s attention away from us!" Delphine said crossly. However, her words were ineffectual. The other three looked at Delphine with discontent in their eyes.


    "You may not agree with us, but we have made up our minds."


    Just at this moment, a deafening shriek echoed through the woods.


    That shriek¡­ the kid had somehow badly harmed the ant queen!?


    "Quick! Before he kills her first and takes all the good stuff!" Someone said.


    They charged towards the direction of the sound. Delphine followed.


    ________


    BANG!


    An immense wave crashed down from the skies. The ant queen roared. Invasive, cold qi seeped into its flesh through the numerous fractures in its shell. It started to feel pain. It looked at Van angrily and roared again.


    Van leapt back just as a giant leg stabbed into the ground beside him. Sweat dripped from his brow.


    He had just his most powerful skill¨C ''Tide Swallows the Earth!''


    It was very effective. The destructive power was higher than ''River Splitting the Rock''s and it''s slowing ability much better too. The only problem was that it consumed way too much of his spiritual reserves! He estimated that he could only use the move two more times.


    However, this may not be too much of a problem!


    The herb juice''s effects were beginning to show. The ant Queen stumbled forwards as it tried to attack him and missed.


    Van saw that the fissure he had created in her shell was right before him. He did not miss the opportunity. He pulled back his fist. His muscles bunched up beneath his skin and a ferocious aura emitted from him. His skin turned a crystalline copper.


    BANG!


    His fist blasted through the crack in the exoskeleton and deep into the squishy flesh.


    The Queen shrieked. It tried to fling itself violently to dislodge Van.


    [Flaming Bull Fist!]


    Blazing flames directly entered the Queen''s flesh. The giant insect was being cooked from within!


    Tortured screams emitted from the giant insect queen. It was in so much pain! It writhed and snapped its mandibles. As it writhed, it managed to hook a mandible around Van''s leg.


    Immediately, Van jumped off and landed on his feet.


    His eyes locked in on one of the Zephyr Sect disciples who were now less than two kilometres away. In front of him, the ant queen was not yet finished!


    Despite its burning flesh, the Queen rallied herself and ran forward once more.


    "Tide Swallows the Earth!"Van calmly waved his palm.


    An enormous tidal wave blocked the sunlight.


    It crashed into the Queen. The sudden drop in temperature caused a massive crack to form in its abdomen!


    The ant queen was furious. It had never been in so much pain in its life! All it usually did was sleep and eat lazily as her workers served her.


    At that moment, the Zephyr disciples arrived.


    "Kid. Move quickly! This Queen of Brown King Ants is ours to kill!" Francis, who was at the front, arrogantly shouted. He was also the guy who had spotted Blackie and wanted Van to join their team.


    Van ignored him.Dashing forward, he once more channelled his fleshly cultivation and slammed his fist into the cracks in the ant queen''s shell.


    Francis was affected Van''s intimidating aura and felt wary. However, he told himself that Van was only a third ranker like them. Francis didn''t put Van into his eyes. There was four of them and one of him! Although Delphine might not help them, they still had three people of the 3rd level of Qi Distillation!


    Van finally deigned to speak, "Haven''t you forgotten about someone?"


    At that moment, Van leisurely turned his body and ran straight towards the three Zephyr Sect disciples.


    Francis was confused at first, but as he saw the giant form of the ant queen following right behind Van, he paled. Not good!


    The Queen roared and barrelled forwards.


    "Shit!" Francis tried to move away but he was nowhere near as nimble as Van. He could only watch helplessly as his arm was sliced right off! With a spray of blood, it disconnected from his body and tumbled to the ground.


    Van smirked. He mockingly looked at Francis. The only person he was wary of was Delphine. He felt instinctively that she had yet to display her true skill.


    At that moment, the young girl spoke. Her eyes were unreadable.


    "Francis! This young man is the only one able to penetrate the Queen''s shell. With this, we have a chance of winning if we all work together. We can discuss how to split the exoskeleton later!" She said slowly as she arrived at the scene.


    Van looked at her oddly. What was going through this girl''s mind? ''We can have a chance of winning if we all work together?''


    Little girl, I could have won easily if you pests hadn''t disrupted my plan!


    However, what came out of Van''s mouth was different. After so many run-ins with unreasonable and arrogant people, he had learned some skills.


    "Sure. If we can kill the Queen, that is. The shell is massive, and I do not have the tools to cut it or the equipment to take it away."


    This was the truth. His bone dagger may not be able to slice through the shell. However, if they thought he was giving them anything substantial they were kidding themselves!


    Van felt no need to disrupt the beautiful image they had in their minds. At maximum, the four of them would get one part out of ten!


    He thought of the girl''s mysterious skills and strength and then adjusted the figure slightly. Hmph, maybe two pieces in ten then!


    On the other side of things, someone else was having similar thoughts. Marcus was excited by the thought of having a cut of the ten thousand taels despite Francis losing an arm.


    [We''ll let him think we''ll give him an equal share, but he''ll be lucky to get two parts out of ten!]


    Meanwhile, Francis gazed at Van with a smile full of rage and killing intent.


    The two groups faced each other with strange looks on their faces.


    _______


    "Beam Spear!"


    A golden spear of light stabbed into the ant queen''s eyes. Momentarily blinded, it flailed about, swinging its head from side to side wildly.


    Two of the Zephyr Sect disciples were knocked away. They touched their broken ribs and winced painfully but ran back to resume fighting.


    Van took a step back. He only occasionally used Thermocycling Fist to form fractures in the Queen''s shell and let the three Zephyr Sect disciples do the heavy work. They were quickly expending their qi as they hurled their strongest attacks at the Queen. In the meantime, Van was slowly recovering his internal power.


    He and the girl in pink were coldly ignoring each other.


    Like Van, Delphine suspected that the other was a lot stronger than they let on. An ordinary person could not survive so many clashes with the giant insect queen, nor could they could they so easily damage the extremely resistant exoskeleton!


    The duo let the three in front of them tackle the giant ant queen while they watched.


    The ant queen by this time was fully enraged and was attacking everything with impunity. Her strikes often went wild and accidentally tackled trees or rocks instead of its attackers.


    The three disciples were immensely cheered.


    However, a faint crease appeared in Delphine''s brow.


    There was something wrong with the giant queen ant in front of them. As she observed closely for a few more seconds, she realized:


    It had been drugged!


    Delphine recognised the effects of the juice of the Nightsoft Leaf.


    Chilled, Delphine turned and looked at the young man beside her and saw the mysterious smile on his face. A shiver went through her. She had not seen him drug the ant queen...that meant¡­


    This had all been a pre-planned event!


    The four of them had interrupted this young man''s attempt to drug and kill the Queen of Brown King Ants ¨C alone!


    Delphine thought to herself that this young man was absolutely not simple.


    A scream tore the air.


    Van''s expression subtly changed. The Queen was dying!


    Delphine also reacted quickly. She waved an arm.


    An enormous green vine emerged from the ground and restrained the enraged Queen.


    Van ran forwards and waved a palm. An immense wave blotted the sky and enveloped the cracked shell of the Queen.


    Dense, icy qi entered the cracks and ravaged the Queen''s flesh. With a final ear-piercing scream; it perished!


    The green vine receded into the ground.


    "We killed it!" Marcus enthused; his face was pale and his breaths short and sharp. The other two were in a worse state. Francis had been bleeding from his arm the entire time.


    Van leapt up onto the still corpse. He stood upon the highest point and looked down at the four below him.


    "I will take eight-tenths of the loot."


    The three disciples were enraged.


    "Get fucked! Eight-tenths of that corpse belongs to us!"


    Van stood his ground.


    One had lost an arm, the other two were extremely exhausted and had wasted all their qi. Exactly as he had planned.


    The only person he was wary of was the girl in pink.


    Delphine looked up at him with a complex expression on her face, "We can discuss how to split the tiger."


    Van looked at her approvingly, "I will give you two-tenths of the corpse if you guys dissect the corpse and organise transport for it."


    "Like fuck, we will! That exoskelton belongs to us!", Francis angrily shoved Delphine aside with his intact arm. Marcus came to his side and pulled out his golden spear threateningly at Van.


    The remaining disciple, Serci,stood quietly behind Delphine. She was unwilling to get involved.


    Francis sneered, "Arrogant bastard! Do you think you have the qualifications to decide the rules? Only the winners do!"


    Franci and Marcus ran up.


    "Stop!" Delphine tried to stop the two Zephyr Sect disciples, but it was too late.


    "Beam Spear!" One shouted.


    A flash of bright light lit the gap in the woods. The attack was headed straight for Van!

 50 Beat You Up to Prove My Poin

    "Arrogant bastard! Do you think you have the qualifications to decide the rules? Only the person who wins, does!" Marcus shouted. He swung his golden spear and lunged forwards. Francis drew throwing knives from his sleeve.


    "Stop!" Delphine tried to halt them, but it was too late.


    "Beam Spear!"


    A flash of bright light lit the gap in the woods.


    The Zephyr Sect disciple who decided not to act, Serci, shook her head softly. She had a sympathetic expression on her face.


    [That kid is dead now. Marcus has already reached the low-level of expertise in his Beam Spear art. An amazing achievement for someone only of the 3rd level of Qi Distillation.]


    Van did not move.


    The bright spear shot through the air.


    CLANG!


    It impacted Van''s body with a loud noise. His skin flashed copper. The spear was diverted away from his body and thudded loudly into a nearby tree.


    He moved.


    [River Splitting the Rocks!]


    Van concentrated his spiritual power into his palm. A whip-like surge of icy qi rushed through the air. Marcus did not dodge in time. The attack hit him.


    Icy energy entered his body.


    [Why do I feel so...sluggish¡­?]


    Van saw his movements slow and dashed forwards. His fist glowed copper.


    BAAMMM!


    Van''s fist slammed directly into the other''s stomach. Marcus flew backwards.


    His body smacked into a tree several hundred metres away. A trickle of black blood leaked from his lips. He coughed and fainted dead away.


    "So strong!" Serci felt as if a dragon had erupted from Van''s fist.


    "His Copper Knight Wall is surprisingly powerful¡­He must have already practised it to the middle level!" Delphine commented.


    Serci was shocked, "The middle level at the 3rd level of Qi Distillation? The boys will be in trouble!"


    ________


    BANG BANG BANG!


    Several loud explosions sounded. Francis watched as the three daggers he threw in quick succession exploded. An explosion talisman had been tied to each of the daggers. His eyes gleamed with bloodthirsty light.


    [This brat took my arm. I will take his life!]


    The dust settled. He licked his lips, anticipating the sight of his enemy in a bruised and bloody state. Dead was even better. He lifted his hand to throw another dagger -


    BANG!


    Francis was pummeled into the ground. He felt his whole body ache and shudder. His vision went white. The impact of his body on the ground formed a deep crater.


    [...What...!?]


    He scrambled up. Weakly, he tried to draw another dagger. At that moment -


    BANG!


    Van punched him across the face.


    The Zephyr Sect disciple fell back into the dirt.


    He did not get back up.


    Francis could only crane his neck and look disbelievingly at the person above him.


    "...But h-how¡­?"


    Van smirked, "My Copper Knight Wall. Your little explosion talismans were easily blocked¡­At the middle level, my skin can deflect ordinary blades passively and can withstand killing blows from cultivators of the same level when activated!"


    "M-mid-level? ...So fast..."


    Van had prepared this explanation long ago, after reading through the Copper Knight Wall''s manual.


    Francis clenched his fists painfully. His eyes roved. Can withstand killing blows of the same level ¡­ when activated? So that bastard had such good reaction speed. He had anticipated Francis throwing the three daggers and activated Copper Knight Wall ahead of time¡­


    His blood-shot eyes flashed meaningfully.


    [I just need to catch him unprepared!]


    Van stared him down as if he could read his thoughts. Francis was cowed. He had already lost an arm¡­


    [Then. I will wait and retaliate when I have recovered my arm!] He vowed in a cowardly fashion.


    Serci watched silently. She never thought that someone of the 3rd level of Qi Distillation could beat two people of the same level in so few blows. Delphine was silent.


    Marcus regained consciousness at that moment. He saw Francis'' state and glared at Van angrily.


    "Kid! You fucking lucked out this time. All of us had our spiritual reserves drained by the fight with the giant demon insect queen!"


    Van smiled as if he had just heard the most ridiculous thing.


    "Luck?"


    "You think it was luck that caused you guys to run out of spiritual power while I am still completely fine? Hah! A bunch of dumb animals!"


    Although Marcus had exhausted his spiritual power, Van was confident that he could have beat him at full strength.The only one he wasn''t confident in defeating was the dishonest little girl standing beside him!


    She had also held back her strength during the fight with the ant queen ¨C who knows how much spiritual power she still had left?


    Marcus heard Van''s mocking words and his face darkened. He reached in his waist pouch and withdrew a green pill.


    Delphine saw his actions and barked loudly.


    "Marcus. You are not his opponent! Don''t you dare swallow that spirit-returning pill! If you lose anymore face for the Zephyr Sect, I will not hesitate to report you to my Grandfather!"


    Although she had been acting quiet and docile this entire time, she suddenly turned to Van and gave him a penetrating gaze. Her serious eyes warred with her outwards appearance of a small, cute girl. Her body gave off an intense aura.


    Van''s heart skipped a beat. Did she want to fight?


    He quickly calculated.


    He still had about 40% of his spiritual power in reserve. She would be slightly more than him as he had fought the queen for longer on his own. The odds seemed to be about fifty-fifty.


    "Your Copper Knight Wall has reached impressive level considering you are only in the 3rd level of Qi Distillation. Your fighting instinct and reaction speed are also admirable. The mysterious fist skill you used to damage the ant queen''s shell¡­ I can tell that it is not a perfected technique. You must have come up with it yourself."


    "Next time," the two hair-accessories on the sides of her head shook, "I will spar with you."


    Van looked at her queerly. Was this the same dishonest little girl that had thrown a temper tantrum at the apothecary the other day?


    "Sure," he replied.


    Delphine nodded and turned to look at the corpse of the ant queen.


    "We will split it six-four. You six, us four. This is in consideration of the fact that only your fist skill was able to break open the queen''s shell and allow us to hurt it. Otherwise, we provided most of the power needed to kill it. We will also be as cutting the body and organising transport to Dragon City. You must also compensate us for severely injuring one of the Zephyr Sect disciples."


    Van haggled," Seven-three. Without me we wouldn''t even be here discussing how to divide the loot. "


    Van saw that she was acting so decisively and decided to cut his losses. Firstly, he didn''t know her background. Secondly, her little comment about reporting to her grandfather made him wary. In the scheme of things, he still had too little power to make a mess of things.


    She looked coldly at him. Van returned her gaze silently. Finally, she nodded.


    Delphine attended to the injured. With a pot of medicine in her pouch, she staunched the blood from Francis'' wound and healed it. A foul-smelling pill was put in Marcus'' mouth. His complexion improved, and his ribs recovered.


    The Queen of Brown King Ants was slowly dissected using a set of sharp treasure swords owned by Delphine.


    Van took most of the exoskeleton. Though it was cracked in many places, that was fine ¨C the shell would be cut into many smaller segments to make human-sized armour plates anyway.He took the purple crystal core in the Ant Queen''s forehead and left everything else to the other four. Though he was filled with regret at having to leave the meat to them, he did not push the boundaries.


    After all, he and Blackie''s physical and spiritual gains after eating three days of demon beast meat were not small ¨C Van felt that his physical cultivation was on the verge of another breakthrough. His spiritual cultivation was also around one-fourth of the way to advancing. After breaking through to the 3rd level Qi Distillation, the speed of progression had dramatically decreased.


    "I will take my leave now," Van said a few hours later. He sat atop Blackie.


    Delphine looked up at him with a complex expression on her face.


    The fact that he had attempted to kill the Queen himself showed that he had strong confidence in the power of his martial arts. A weakened 4th Rank beast is still a beast of the 4th rank!


    [If I had drugged the Queen, I would still have brought a team in case something went wrong.]


    The last time she saw him he was wearing servants'' robes but now he was in the robes of an outer disciple of the Cedar Sect. What was his real identity? Or were both simply disguises?


    They locked eyes.


    Delphine became momentarily speechless. She simultaneously remembered the incident back at the Grand Botanica where he scolded her and called her a ''dishonest little girl.'' Immediately, her face went red. The heat spread to her collarbones. She took a moment to recover herself.


    "What is your name?" She inquired. Her tone had regained some of the imperiousness she had used before.


    Van rolled his eyes secretly. What was this dishonest little girl up to now?


    "Van." He did not lie. He felt that if the girl wanted to harm him, she would have acted from the beginning.


    "My name is Delphine Delafosse," she said. From the fact that he lacked a last name, Delphine concluded he must be from a poor village.


    "Mm," Van responded disinterestedly.


    The young girl showed a slightly disappointed expression.


    [Why was I expecting a reaction?]


    The two buns tied at the side of her head shook lightly. Her cat-like eyes shuttered.


    "Goodbye," she said, "Do not worry. Your share of the materials will be at Dragon City by the time we arrive back."


    Van nodded. The young man and the giant wolf ran into the distance.


    Serci came forward and stood next to Delphine.


    "The Cedar Sect seems to have a new genius."


    The young girl in pink nodded slightly.


    "Even Dieter''s battle sense wasn''t as good as him when he was in the 3rd rank. His skills were also not as polished."


    Serci looked at Delphine with a shining light in her eyes, "Dieter!?"


    "Have you ever spoken to him? He is rumoured to be the most handsome man in Dragon City ¨C and he is also one of the Four Suns!"


    Delphine nodded, "We have met."


    Serci was incredulous, "Dieter advanced to the 11th level of Qi Distillation one year ago. How can he compare to some 3rd level Qi Distillation brat?"


    The Four Suns were the great geniuses of Dragon City. They were the most talented in their respective sects and could defeat cultivators many levels higher than them. Their names were famous and spread throughout the capital.


    Althea, from the Star-Cutting Sword Sect.


    Shigeru, from the Zephyr Sect.


    Vulf, from the Boulder Sect


    ¡­and Dieter from the Cedar Sect!


    Serci shook her head, "Pu-lease. Don''t compare that kid to Dieter. It depresses me to hear you compare such a stunning man to a brat like him. Was his name Van? You could defeat that brat with a flip of your hand if you tried!"


    Delphine crooked the corner of her lips.


    Could she?


    ______


    Van exited the woods while riding on Blackie''s back. The other adventurers avoided the giant wolf as he had the plague.


    The duo walked through Threadspinner Town and rocked up to the mission register. It was time to grab some Sect contribution points!

 51 Such Wealth!

    Van exited the woods while riding on Blackie''s back. The other adventurers avoided him as he walked through Threadspinner Town and to the mission register.


    Van pulled his rucksack off his back and dumped it on the table. The clerk was about to complain about Van''s rude attitude, but his eyes boggled in as an endless river of kill tokens spilled onto the table.


    The clerk put his glasses on and counted the fragments of shell and beast tails in front of him. Each represented the death of a demon beast in the woods.


    "One-hundred¡­ one hundred and ten¡­ o-one hundred and sixty-four pests killed¡­"


    Van nodded, "There''s one more thing."


    He tossed a small red chip onto the table. The clerk''s eyes widened.


    "A face plate from the Queen Brown King Ant!"


    The clerk peered up at Van''s young-looking face. He couldn''t have been more than thirteen years old!


    Van folded his arms, "An entire nest of Brown King Ants was destroyed. I believe that means extra points and rewards."


    The clerk nodded quickly, as if a chicken pecking a corn.


    "Yes, yes. There is an extra ten percent rewarded. That rounds up the total contribution points earned to two-hundred and ninety-one points!"


    There were hushed gasps from the outer disciples of the various sect''s present. Two hundred and ninety-one points!


    Van ignored them. The clerk put his pen down and peered around him.


    "Young man, bring your teammates over. I will distribute the points equally and report it to your sects."


    Van looked at him silently.


    The clerk looked back at him with a puzzled expression. What was he waiting for?


    ¡­


    ¡­


    The audience were silent. They waited in anticipation. Which extraordinary team had gathered to wipe out so many beasts at once?!


    ¡­


    ¡­


    One boy and one middle-aged clerk stared each other down.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    The audience were still waiting.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Pak.


    Van put his hand down on the wooden table.


    "I killed them all myself."


    It was as if he didn''t say anything.


    The clerk paused for the punchline of the joke to come.


    The audience continued to wait in silence.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    The clerk grew angry.


    [Don''t tell me this kid is trying to take all the credit for the work his entire team did! What a crook! How shameless!]


    He opened his mouth to scold but was interrupted by the arrival of a young girl to the crook''s side. She wore pink robes and was quite short for her age. Her black hair was tied into two buns on the side of her head that gave her an innocent and precocious aura.


    "I can vouch for him. He killed all of them himself."


    The audience were stunned. They looked at each other and tried to clean their ears. Had they heard wrong¡­? Someone came closer and read the inscription off Van''s jade name tag.


    The clerk was baffled. Absolutely baffled!


    Van looked appreciatively at Delphine. She refused to look at him.


    "Miss Delafosse. Are you sure?" The clerk questioned.


    The young girl gave the clerk a sharp look with her cat-like eyes and he shut his mouth. Once more he was a chicken pecking at corn.


    "Yes, yes. It is done!"


    She turned her head and looked up at the boy standing beside her. He looked back down at her with his dark eyes; for once they were not filled with contempt or anger. Actually¡­he was not that bad looking.


    Her heart stuttered in her chest.


    "You owe me now," she said quickly. She walked away, flustered.


    [What is wrong with me!]


    Back at the register, the clerk hastily shoved the point certificates into Van''s hands.


    "Hahahaha¡­young man, sorry about that! I didn''t realise that such a talented young genius was in front of me¡­Hahahaha¡­"


    The clerk leaned forwards.


    "Hehe. Take this."


    A small pot was shoved into his hands.


    Van looked puzzled.


    "It''s from Miss Delphine. She gave it to me just then!" The clerk winked, "I believe it''s one of her famous medicinal creations! Favor like this is really hard to get."


    The clerk''s implication passed right over Van''s head.


    ¡­


    Famous medicinal creation¡­?


    [Why would she give me something like this¡­?]


    ______


    When Van returned to Dragon City, he sent Blackie back into the forest. Patting his pet before he left, he noted that the wolf''s muscles were far more solid than before, and his fur had taken on a healthier sheen. He was sure that the wolf''s physical strength and defence had been dramatically increased after feeding on the flesh of demonic beasts for three days. He reminded himself to bathe all the wolves in a solution containing the body strengthening powder when he had time.


    When he passed through the gate, Van picked up four heavy sacks from the agreed meeting place.


    Putting the goods in a donkey cart, he grabbed the handles on the wooden cart himself and took it to a reputable dealer.


    He took the bags to the scarred old man at the counter. His eyes gleamed as he took in the sights within.


    "One-hundred and forty Brown King Ants. Mandibles, razor-edged legs, shell. Worth a total of four-thousand and nine-hundred silvers."


    "Two White Fanged Rabbit Furs. Good condition. I''ll offer you one-thousand one-hundred silvers."


    "Twenty Black-Spotted Boars. Meat, trotters, horns. Five thousand silver for the lot."


    "Two Gatling Sparrows. Shame they are not whole. Stuffed ones are popular as mantlepiece decorations. For their feathers, two hundred silvers."


    The scarred man opened the last sack. A gleaming red shell peered out at him. An excited gleam entered his eyes. He jumped up.


    "The exoskeleton of a Queen Brown King Ant? For this many pieces and because I really need it right now¡­I will give you nine thousand silver."


    The shop assistant, his son, sucked in a cold breath. That was a lot of money!


    "Or rather, I would if I could," the shopkeeper shook his head, "I desperately want to take it off your hands, but I only have five thousand silvers left¡­"


    Van frowned. The old man continued.


    "See, the reason why I want the Queen Brown King Ant''s is because I have a dear friend who is a famous armour smith. He needs this shell to complete an urgent order. That customer is both rich and of importance to the realm."


    The shopkeeper grabbed Van by the hand.


    "How about this: I will pay you five thousand silver for the shell up front and my friend will make up the missing three thousand silver by making you a set of armour. You are still a young fella, so the left-over pieces should be enough for your size. Many people can only dream of having armour made by my friend!"


    Van was silent as he thought.


    He would be earning twenty-thousand and two-hundred silvers if he sold everything. Receiving three thousand silver less in exchange for armour crafted from a famous smith out of such a good material was definitely worth it.


    Van nodded. The scarred old man cheered up. Although he knew he had made a loss in the exchange ¨C a full exoskeleton was worth ten thousand taels, the amount in front of him was probably only worth seven thousand ¨C he was still satisfied as his friend would be saved from being in a difficult situation.


    "Good, good! Let me take your measurements. The set of armour will be finished and here before the day of the Lantern Festival. Just pick it up from here!"


    The shopkeeper gathered all the shiny red plates of the exoskeleton and got his son to wrap them up. He immediately closed his shop and travelled to his friend''s armoury.


    Van left the store with very heavy pockets. He was keen to change a lot of it into goods quickly ¨C carrying loads of cash around with you was not an intelligent idea. Unless you wanted to be robbed, that is.


    He walked purposefully down several shopping streets despite not really knowing what he wanted to find. This was to discourage any opportunistic thieves. Eventually, he saw something that piqued his interest.


    Ding dang ding


    The wind chimes at the top of the store rang when Van opened the door.


    The shopkeeper, a round woman with thick arms came forward.


    "Can I help you?"


    Van gazed with quiet awe at the sight of dozens of sharp and glinting weapons. He could see exotic-looking weapons further in the back.


    Van felt excitement grow in his belly.


    "Yes, you can. I am looking for a weapon."

 52 Getting a Weapon

    The shopkeeper led him in further. She surreptitiously looked him up and down before taking him to the middle of the store ¨C where all the mid-range weapons were displayed. The way the store was set up, the further into the store you went, the more expensive the items became.


    Van did not have any obvious reaction as he walked into the store, making it hard for the woman to guess his reactions. Seeing that he wore the robes of a disciple of a famous sect, she had taken a gamble and lead him here.


    How embarrassing would it be if he couldn''t pay!


    Van walked quietly along the weapon racks. None of the weapons really caught his eye. Swords, sabres, bows, spears, fans ¨C you name it, they were there. So, he kept walking further in.


    The shopkeeper had an awkward smile on her face. She wanted to stop him from walking in further and embarrassing himself, but the right moment never came.


    Van walked in further. The materials on the shelves began to change, looking more exotic and precious. They also started to emit their own distinct aura.


    Van''s expression grew warmer as he looked around.


    He saw a polearm with a long blade at the end. A buzzing noise entered Van''s ears as he approached it. He inspected it closely and noted that if gave off a faint aura of the metal element.


    "What type of weapon is this?"


    The shopkeeper smiled politely, "That is a guandao, also known as a naginata or a glaive."


    "And how much is it?"


    "One thousand silver," she said. She saw him calmly put the glaive back onto the rack. Van put his hands behind his back and continued forwards deeper into the shop.


    The shopkeeper''s face twitched. Didn''t he just put down the glaive because he couldn''t afford it? Why was he going in further? She almost wanted to cry out in frustration, he was wasting her time!


    Actually, Van thought that it was too cheap.


    He currently had seventeen-thousand and two-hundred silver taels on him, after all. If it was something as important as a weapon, Van was prepared to pay. He needed something that would last a long time and be useful even when he levelled up.


    So he kept walking in.


    "What''s are these?"


    "Venomous Fangs. They are a pair of fanged throwing knives that absorb weak poisons and strengthen themselves based on the type of poison you give them. Two thousand silver taels"


    "What is this?"


    "Little Lightning Tail. A halberd forged from the tail bone of an Electric Alligator. Good attack, good speed. A little on the heavy side. Two thousand silver taels."


    Van picked the halberd up and tested it curiously in his palms. Vertical, it was taller than him. Mounted on the end of the pole was a metal head that had a small axe-like edge and a long pointy bit at the top. Compared to the glaive, he thought it felt a lot more natural in his hands.


    But it still wasn''t the one.


    "What''s this?"


    The shopkeeper was exhausted but kept going. Even if he didn''t buy anything, she was hesitant to offend a sect disciple.


    "Yellow Moon Beam, a bow made of the tendon of a young Moon Calf. Possesses a very powerful range and accurate to within 2 kilometres. Not as powerful as some of the other bows on display. Three thousand taels."


    "What about this one?"


    "Sun-stealing Whip¡­"


    "This one?"


    "Sword Feather Fan¡­"


    "This?"


    "Platinum Hammer¡­"


    In this fashion, the duo arrived at the very back of the store.


    Van stopped abruptly.


    The shopkeeper nearly stumbled into him.


    She faced him and was about to tell him to turn back when she saw his shining dark eyes. He looked obsessively at something in front of him. She chuckled and put her hands on her hips.


    "So that caught your eye, ey?"


    "You have keen eyes young man. That weapon very rare and one of the strongest we have in this shop! Few cultivators can wield it to its fullest potential."


    In front of Van was a massive, pitch-black battle axe. it was double-sided, and the two keen edges glittered brightly in the lamplight. One of the blades was slightly longer than the other. Van imagined that it allowed the user to hook it onto an enemy''s armour or flesh and then tear it open.


    He leaned forwards and touched it. An intense and focused aura emanated from it. His blood boiled.


    "How much is this battle axe?" He asked, supressing his excitement.


    The shop keeper smiled queerly.


    "The Mysterious Obsidian Battle Axe is worth ten thousand silver taels."


    Van raised a brow, "Ten thousand silvers only? I will take it."


    The shop keeper didn''t know how to react. Was this kid joking? Ten thousand taels didn''t grow on trees!


    However, even if the kid had the means¡­


    "Young man, I will not stop you from buying it. However, there is a reason why I haven''t been able to sell the Mysterious Obsidian Axe for so many years. It is simply too heavy for Qi Distillation cultivators to handle! It weighs approximately five hundred kilograms. Not many in Dragon City are capable of wielding this axe, let alone interested enough to buy it."


    Van walked forward.


    He casually lifted the giant axe with one hand.


    The shop keeper''s jaw fell to the ground.


    She quickly picked her jaw up and gave him an excited look. She might finally be getting rid of that unsellable axe!


    Van walked over to an empty space in the room and spun it one-handedly. His muscles bulged with the effort and his skin turned red. However, the axe was extremely domineering!


    A sharp and heavy aura exuded from the black axe and made one instinctively afraid. It''s blades seemed impossibly sharp, and its immense weight meant that any blow was incredibly hard-hitting!


    The tyrannical axe seemed to be declaring its strength to Van!


    The young man grinned.


    "I''ll take this axe!"


    The round woman started to treat Van is if he were her elder. At the counter, she waited patiently for him to present the money.


    Ten thousand taels of silver spilt out on the counter. The shop keeper''s face was wreathed with bright smiles. She forcefully held in her desire to laugh like a madman.


    "Ah. Before I forget. I will give you this for free since you are buying such a big item."


    Van looked curiously down at the thing she put on the counter.


    "This is a harness that you wear across your shoulders. The battle axe will sit nicely between your shoulder blades and can be easily drawn out when you need to fight. However, it is recommended that you have the axe in your hand when you think you will be fighting."


    Van stayed still as she strapped it onto him.


    "Ah, one more thing you might be interested in."


    The shop keeper passed him a small box.


    "This case contains two Silver Dart Harpoons. They are only small but are very sharp and can hook deeply into prey''s flesh. They are attached to two extremely thin silver chains that can extend several tens of metres. These two originally came with the Mysterious Obsidian Axe and I feel that they should be sold together. The price is around three thousand silver taels for one, but I will give both to you for two thousand silver taels. That is a two thousand tael discount."


    She demonstrated how to use it. Van''s eyes were bright. Those two harpoons would be very useful when hunting demon beasts and could even be used in many ways as well - Climbing cliffs, picking fruit off trees, etc¡­


    He picked them up and tried wielding them. They were light and felt comfortable in his hands.


    "I will take them!"


    The shop keeper was still surprised by how decisively Van spoke. She never thought when he walked in that he would be such a wealthy customer!


    "Good!" She put the two harpoons back into the wooden case and helped Van put the Mysterious Obsidian Axe into the hoop in his harness.


    After exiting the weapon''s shop, Van went back to the sect to consolidate his cultivation. He wanted to solidify his gains from the forest as soon as possible!


    _______


    [Inside his room]


    "The effect of these ant cores is quite low," Van commented. He swallowed three at once. In his lap, there were over a hundred ant beast cores remaining. Their cores were small and round, like pebbles at the bottom of a stream.


    Van guessed that the worker Brown King Ant''s low intelligence and preference for physical strength over spiritual power meant that the amount of qi in their cores was quite low. Their flesh, however, was good for boosting bodily cultivation. Blackie''s physical body had clearly levelled up, while Van was on the verge of breaking through to the 5th rank. Once he reached the 6th rank, he would upgrade his Copper Buddha into an Iron Buddha!


    Van consumed the next hundred ant cores and felt that he was approximately one-third of the way to the 4th level of Qi Distillation.Over the next three days, he slowly consumed the beast cores of the Black-Spotted Pigs, Gatling Swallows and Fanged White Rabbits. When all the power had been sucked into his spiritual river, Van concluded that he was two-thirds of the way to the 4th level of Qi Distillation.


    The requirement for training ''Scattering Smoke Steps'' was to be in the 4th level of Qi Distillation! Remembering the skill manual that he really wanted to train in, Van grew determined once more.


    He pulled out the ant queen''s giant crystal core and placed it in his hands. Strong energy with demonic traces within it leaked into the air.

 53 Smoke Devil

    Over the next three days, he slowly consumed the beast cores of the Black-Spotted Pigs, Gatling Swallows and Fanged White Rabbits. When all the power had been sucked into his spiritual river, Van concluded that he was two-thirds of the way to the 4th level of Qi Distillation.


    The 4th level was the minimum requirement for training ''Scattering Smoke Steps''! Remembering this, Van grew determined once more. The one thing is was really lacking at the moment was a good movement skill.


    Van pulled out the ant queen''s giant crystal core and placed it in his hands. Strong energy with demonic traces within it leaked into the air.


    Van opened his meridians. The power got sucked into his spiritual river.


    Like this, he slowly absorbed the energy within the core over the next three days.


    Due to the sheer amount of energy inside the giant core, Van could feel that the suction capacity of his normal meridians wasn''t enough to absorb all the spiritual power.


    About ten per cent of the qi in the beast core escaped too fast for him to absorb. Therefore his absorption was only ninety per cent efficient.


    Van could absorb at one hundred per cent only if his 99th meridian was opened ¨C and that would last for 10 minutes 30 seconds.


    When Van had nearly absorbed the entire crystal, he felt that there was only a thin barrier before he could level up to the 4th level of Qi Distillation.


    He could only calm himself and quietly prepare for his breakthrough.


    ______


    [Two days later]


    The pressure within Van''s spiritual river had slowly grown higher and higher, until finally with a small ''pop!'' the barrier between layers broke.


    The spiritual water gushed forth uninhibited. It looked a few degrees clearer and more liquid-like than it had before.


    Van eyes finally opened. His dark eyes gleamed.


    [The 4th level of Qi Distillation!]


    [Finally, I can train ''Scattering Smoke Steps.'']


    The young boy took out the small black book and opened the first page. A strong scent of smoke emanated out of the book. Instead of coughing, Van felt as if the scent were familiar and homey. It relaxed him.


    "Scattering Smoke Steps," he read aloud, "Be not like the lightning, quick and loud, but be like smoke, intangible and unreachable. Focus not on speed, but on making oneself impossible to percieve. Like smoke, you are everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Like smoke, you cannot be held down!"


    Van''s eyes shone.


    "To learn this skill one most, have a flexible mind and exceeding patience. The first step is to understand the ''essence of smoke'' and the second step is to tread as if upon scattering smoke!"


    [But how do I understand the essence of smoke?]


    Van scratched his head. His affinity for flame did not directly translate into an understanding of the essence of smoke. It was like saying a duck should be able to communicate with a chicken just because they were both birds!


    [Fuck it. Let''s just do this the dumb way!] Van thought to himself.


    The young man picked up the book and walked over to his small fireplace. He went outside to gather some wood and then placed it in the earth.


    "Flaming Bull Fist!"


    Van punched lightly at the air. Fire spat out of his fist and lit the wood. The flames crackled and hissed.


    He sat in front of the fire and began to watch it. Or rather, he focused his attention on the grey smoke that billowed upwards.


    _____


    [Two days later]


    Van stared, red-eyed at the smoke. His eyes were ringed with exhaustion and his hair and clothes smelled of nothing but smoke. Undaunted, he continued to stare at the billowing grey cloud.


    ¡­


    Hours passed. The only times he ever left the room was every few hours to chuck in a massive pile of wood.


    ¡­


    Van kept staring mindlessly at the smoke.


    He grew more and more exhausted. His eyes started to blur. Half-asleep, Van''s head drooped lower.


    Black tendrils started to flow out of the little book. They crawled out of the pages and started to permeate the air like thick black oil.


    A hideous face appeared in the air.


    Sinister cackles filled the room. The hideous face grinned and spoke in a gleeful tone.


    [Eheeheehee! Another tasty morsel falls into our clever trap. Eheeheeheee¡­]


    The hideous face loomed closer. Two swirling grey eyes appeared. They were like swirling water, taking you around in circles and circles, numbing your brain and making you more susceptible to its wiles.


    [Succumb, little one. Succumb¡­let me in¡­Eheeeheeeheee¡­.]


    Like a gently lullaby, smoke drifted towards Van and curled around his face. It was very comfortable. The smoke began to intrude into his mindscape. Grey drifted across the darkness and into the central space where the ring and green turtle shell lay.


    [Eh¡­? Whatsa this¡­.] The hideous face said curiously.


    Van''s red-rimmed eyes finally snapped open.


    [Get out of my head!] He screamed internally.


    Jet woke up. The ring immediately noticed the intruder.


    [Who the fuck are you? Riff-raff are not allowed inside this Granddaddy''s sleeping-place!]


    The hideous face drew back, shocked.


    [Who are you!? Why are you inside this boy''s head?]


    Jet spun angrily. It did not address the hideous face.


    [Green Bastard. Earn your rent. Now!]


    ZZzzzt!


    A sharp aura emanated from the green turtle shell. A bolt of icy, cold energy shot out.


    [What!?!?]


    The hideous face tried to run. This bolt of energy would send it to the Yellow River!


    The dark bolt struck accurately.


    [Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Noo!]


    A tortured scream emitted from the hideous face. The tendrils began to dissipate. The smoke-like body disappeared from Van''s mindscape and reappeared in the real world.


    Van watched the hideous face writhe in pain. Finally, with a silent scream, it vanished.


    Thunk!


    A small grey ball fell onto the floorboards.


    Van picked it up.


    He held it to his eye and saw swirling smog within. What was this marble-looking thing?


    [You just killed a low-level Smoke Devil. That''s probably it''s spiritual core.]


    Van rolled it his palm. He felt that the appearance of this devil inside the book was too suspicious.


    "Is it safe to consume?"


    [There''s no problem physically. Mentally, there may be side effects. However, eating it will increase your understanding of the ''essence of smoke.'' It will help you learn Scattering Smoke Steps several times faster ¨C hey!]


    Van had directly just thrown the core into his mouth and swallowed it.


    As the energy burned in his belly, a kaleidoscope of the Smoke Devil''s memories flashed through his mind.


    A few minutes later, Van''s eyes cleared.


    He frowned.


    According to the Smoke Devil''s memories, it had been planted inside that skill manual for many decades now.


    The previous disciple that had tried to learn ''Scattering Smoke Steps'' was possessed by the Smoke Devil as he tried to cultivate the movement skill. However, the young man''s willpower was too strong. Instead of succumbing to the demon, he chose to kill himself and die honourably. Alas, the Smoke Devil''s compulsion powers were too strong. The young man was still forced to return the book to the library before he suicided!


    For decades now, the Smoke Devil had been biding its time, waiting for a new victim¡­


    ¡­It had a mission to complete!

 54 Scattering Smoke Steps

    For decades now, the Smoke Devil had been biding its time, waiting for a new victim¡­


    ¡­It had a mission to complete!


    Van briefly glimpsed a snake-like silhouette in the devil''s memories. He stood somewhere off to the side in his mindscape, looking upon the devil''s memories like watching the moon''s reflection in a pool of water. As he watched, he realised the silhouette was not of a snake but of a slender figure.


    The memory was tinged with sour notes of panic and fear. The Smoke Devil was extremely afraid of the figure before it.


    Van thought that the silhouette was the one to order the Smoke Devil to infiltrate the Cedar Sect. However, he could not confirm this.


    All Van heard was what sounded like the hissing of countless snakes. So numerous and loud that nothing else could be heard.


    A chill suddenly ran through him. His heart pounded in his chest.


    The person...the person was looking straight at him.


    Van took a step back.


    Bright yellow eyes stared him down through the dark fog of the memory.


    [This is a memory!] Van told himself, holding his trepidation back.


    The scene dissolved away. The yellow eyes vanished as well.


    The devil''s memories faded away. Van emerged from his mindscape to find himself back in his room.


    He was not able to discern what the Smoke Devil''s so-called mission was and who had given it. He felt frustrated.


    Could this Smoke Devil''s appearance have any link at all to Elder Lang''s crazed state? Could the Disciplinary Elder have had contact with ''Scattering Smoke Steps''?


    Was there something bigger afoot?


    Countless questions bombarded Van''s mind.


    [Whoever planted it is much stronger than you, Van. You cannot do anything about it, only be cautious and wary about demonic influence from here on out. I advise you to put off solving this mystery until you are strong enough to handle the consequences.]


    Van considered Jet''s words. He nodded and put the incident out of his mind.


    [A Smoke Devil is born from the essence of smoke. Eating its core will have increased your understanding of ''smoke'' by a lot. Calm yourself and focus.]


    Van turned his eyes to the smoke coming off the fire place.


    ________________


    Time passed.


    Van slowly felt as if he was becoming familiar with the patterns within the smoke. Sometimes it danced, sometimes it drifted, sometimes it faded in and out of sight. The patterns were normally very fast and hard to pick out, but now that Van had consumed the Smoke Devil''s core, he felt that each of these patterns were obvious and easy to spot. Although these patterns were numbered in the millions and seemed to be random, in fact the movement of the smoke followed patterns that repeated all the time!


    When he considered it further, he felt as if the patterns within the smoke shared vague similarities with the flickering flames in the hearth. It was as if one gave rise to the other, like a phoenix from ashes.


    He stood up. What if these mysterious patterns were the ''essence''?


    "I must move like the smoke¡­"


    Van felt the world become shadowed and vague. His body flickered.


    A moment later, the darkened world became bright again.


    Thunk!


    [Huh?]


    Van turned his head and looked around. He stood there, dumbfounded.


    [I was facing the bed before but now I''m right next to it¡­!}


    He had disappeared and reappeared on the other side of the room!


    "So, this was the power of ''Scattering Smoke Steps!''" Van enthused. His blood hummed with excitement.


    Although training ''Scattering Smoke Steps'' was hard, Van did not let himself slow down the pace.


    In three days, he finally learned the skill to a low level of completion.


    Techniques and skills had five categories that showed how familiar you were with it. The higher the level of your skill, the greater the strength of the skill. Higher levels could also unlock successive moves.


    These levels were: Low, Middle, High, Expert and Pinnacle.


    Van had trained Fists of Devouring Flame and Scattering Smoke Steps to the low-level. Dark Seas Palm was his only middle-level skill.


    "Scattering Smoke Steps!"


    Van''s body disappeared. His body was as light as a feather as he stepped lightly across the room. He moved erratically like the smoke, reappearing and disappearing at odd speeds. It was extremely hard to pin down his form and almost impossible to predict where he would appear next.


    "I have only trained Scattering Smoke Steps to the low level and yet it is already so effective!" He enthused.


    Van spent one more day training Scattering Smoke Steps. By the end of his training, he felt his movements in the air had become easier and smoother. The erratic patterns that he needed to form with his steps became almost instinctive.


    The young man stood up and dusted off his robes.


    "It is time to redeem my sect contribution points."


    _____


    [Inside the Cedar Sect''s Missions Hall.]


    A young outer disciple carrying a large battle axe on his back strode in through the double doors


    He pulled out a sheaf of certificates and dumped them on the table.


    "I would like to redeem sect contribution points!"


    The clerk at the back of the Missions Hall looked up at the young fellow in front of him. He vaguely recognised him.


    "You picked up the mission at Threadspinner Town five days ago, right?"


    Van nodded. The clerk smiled, "Well, how did it go? I heard it got pretty crowded at the end of it all."


    Van didn''t quite know how to respond, "I think it went pretty well."


    "Oh?" The clerk chuckled, "Well most people struggled to get more than eighty points. A couple people have been hospitalised by those Brown King Ants. Apparently, they have a fierce bite."


    Van scratched his head.


    The clerk saw that he was a bit awkward and picked up the sheaf of certificates. He rubbed his eyes.


    ¡­


    What the!?


    He looked at Van as if he were an alien.


    "What cultivation level are you?"


    Van told the clerk he was in the 4th level of Qi Distillation. Of course, this was not true at the time he had completed the mission.


    The clerk smiled.


    "Man, that is some solid effort, kid. Remember me when you''re an inner disciple, hey. My name is Ebenezer."


    Van felt warm from Ebenezer''s words. This was the first person he had met at the Cedar Sect that had talked to him so sincerely and without hidden barbs, completely unprompted.


    "I will," he promised.


    The young clerk stamped the certificates and then charged the points to Van''s account.


    "Alright, Van ¨C if I may call you by your name ¨C if you go outside and to the left, you will see a large round, white building. That is the Point Exchange Centre. I hope you find something to your liking."


    Van nodded. Ebenezer waved him off.


    _______


    The Point Exchange Centre was an old temple-like building with several levels. It was not as large as one would think it would be.


    Van went inside and saw a circular room filled with shelves. However, there was a circular glass wall that went around the circumference of the room, negating any possibility of theft.


    A white marble counter stood in the middle. Behind it was a shadowed figure. It appeared ghostly ¨C as if you could walk right through it.


    Van walked up to part of the glass wall and discovered that whenever he looked at an object on the shelf beyond, a price in terms of sect contribution points would pop up on the glass. A short description would also follow.


    Enjoying himself, Van walked around the room and inspected many objects. Several times he was tempted by the spiritual herbs and treasures on the shelves ¨C many of them were worth between twenty to fifty contribution points. However, Van reminded himself that he could buy those in Dragon City with his silver easily and moved on.


    A plain black ring caught his eye. He thought of Jet.


    A description in faint glowing writing appeared on the glass.


    [Ebony Dimension Ring. A ring that contains a 3 by 3-metre cube of storage space that can be locked to your spiritual signature. Will feel as light as a normal ring regardless of what it contains. Cannot carry living items. As it is made from the wood of a one-hundred-year-old Ebony tree cultivated by the Cedar Sect, it imparts a slight resistance to poison attacks. One thousand sect contribution points.]


    Van whistled. It was very expensive ¨C it was also very worth it. A shame that he had a long way to go before he reached one thousand sect points.


    He kept walking.


    [This is what I was looking for!]


    _____


    [In a room nearby].


    "A new disciple just entered the Exchange Centre," a nervous figure reported.


    "Keep watching him, then! You should know what to do by now" was the scathing reply.


    "Yes, Boss." One figure left.


    "¡­These dumb fucks better hurry¡­" The young man who had been called ''Boss'' looked poisonously at the Point Exchange Centre. His fingers tapped impatiently on the mahogany table. He must get his hands on those herbs!


    He imagined going to his cousin and pleading for support. Bile rose up in the back of his throat.


    "Fuck that shit!"

 55 The Blood Crow Gang Part 1

    [This is what I was looking for!]


    Van looked through the glass to see a delicate purple flower with a soothing scent.


    [The Blue Mist Ivy.]


    The writing on the glass confirmed it. A smile spread across his face. This solved all his current problems.


    Why was Van so keen on getting his hands on one of these flowers?


    The Blue Mist Ivy had one very famous property ¨C it could cleanse and purify any demonic or evil taint in someone''s cultivation.


    After Van had consumed all the demon beast cores and the Smoke Devil''s core, he had felt that there was a taint of demonic energy in him. When he cultivated, his progress seemed wobbly and unstable. Jet told him if the demonic taint in him continued to grow unchecked, he would be highly susceptible to an irreversible injury to his cultivation or could go mad and become a demon himself.


    The Blue Mist Ivy grew in rare pockets of pure spiritual power and required careful nurturing to grow. In fact, the process of seeding, germinating and farming the Blue Mist Ivy was a Cedar Sect trademark and a highly kept secret! It was one of the herbs that competing sects salivated over.


    For an outer disciple with sect contribution points, fifty points was enough to trade for a single flower. Outside the sect? A single flower could sell for seven thousand taels! The sect was generous to their disciples to protect them from demonic deviation. However, this also meant that there were students who exploited this and used the flower to farm silver taels.


    Van looked at the price. According to Jet, Van needed at least three of the Blue Mist Ivy''s to cleanse himself of demonic influence. That would cost him one hundred and fifty sect contribution points ¨C bringing him down to one hundred and forty points.


    He continued to look around the Exchange Centre but nothing apart from the Ebony Ring caught his interest. He thought there might be pricier items hidden in the draws, but he probably wasn''t qualified to see them.


    Van''s new goal was to obtain an item like the ring; that could store large objects inside a small space.


    Satisfied with his decision, Van walked away from the glass and towards the centre of the room where the spectre stood. A list of items within the store unfurled across the table.


    "Three Blue Mist Ivy flowers, please."


    Van handed over his token for the points to be deducted.


    Two ghostly hands extended out from the sleeves and made a cupping motion. Slowly, three faint objects began to appear.


    A fragrant smell spread through the centre. In the ghostly palms lay three light purple flowers.


    _____


    [In a room nearby.]


    "Boss. The kid inside just exchanged for three Blue Mist Ivy flowers. Do we act?" A young man with a pockmarked face asked nervously.


    His boss, a young man with curly black hair and an unhinged aura picked up the table and threw it at his subordinate.


    CRASH!


    "Do we act?" The vicious man with curly hair asked in a mocking tone, "YES YOU DUMB FUCKS! DO YOU HAVE DOG SHIT FOR BRAINS? GET THEM TO ME, NOW!"


    The young man who had just been called ''Boss'' pulled up his sleeve and watched as the black web-like pattern on his arm spread further. His fist clenched.


    The subordinate slammed his head on the floor in agreement and left in a hurry. He gathered the rest of the Blood Crow Gang.


    "Surround him as soon as he leaves the hall. The boss wants those Blue Mist Ivy flowers!"


    "Yes!"


    ______


    [Inside the Point Exchange Centre.]


    Van looked admiringly at the three purple flowers before lifting them out of the phantom''s hands. He gently placed the three flowers in a small bamboo box. Next, he placed his jade token onto the stone table. It pulsed with a soft light as points were deducted from his for the exchange.


    Van bowed to the spectre and left the Point Exchange Room.


    As he stepped out of the doorway, he felt six malevolent intents pierce him.


    Fwump!


    Figures wearing crow masks descended from the air.


    Van''s eyes sharpened but his smile was cold.


    [The black crow masks. Ambushing me outside the Exchange Centre¡­]


    The dotted lines were joined.


    [These people must be the notorious gang known as the ''Blood Crows.'']


    The Blood Crows were a gang of outer disciples who used their advantage in numbers to snatch goods from new outer disciples barely in the 3rd level. They took advantage of the fact that the Cedar Sect rules did not forbid stealing between disciples and made a fortune from selling sect specialities at the Black Market. Only killing was not allowed!


    Though they could not be considered strong in the sect, the Blood Crows had a stable position as they knew their limits and did not target anyone who could fight back.


    Van''s expression loosened. Hmph. Just a bunch of 3rd and 4th level Qi Distillation cultivators.


    "Hand over the bamboo box!"


    From their auras, Van knew that two of them were in the 4th level of Qi Distillation while the other four were in the 3rd level. Those four were basically a joke. Even the two 4th level Qi Distillation disciples might not be a challenge, after all, Van had been able to hold up against the Queen of Brown King ants when he was only in the 3rd level!


    Van would only be concerned if a 5th level Qi Distillation cultivator turned up. Considering the small-time money the Blood Crow Gang received, he doubted that they had any significant backer.


    Anyway, Van had been biding his time for long enough. He was in the 4th level of Qi Distillation now, a pretty stable position. It was time to strike fear into those who wanted to act against him in the future.


    Van looked mockingly at the gaggle of disciples.


    "You want this box?" He lifted his hands and dangled the box in front of them. Their eyes followed the box like chickens staring at a tasty worm.


    He drew a circle in the air and watched their eyes spin in their sockets.


    He laughed.


    The group of peoples'' faces turned red with humiliation. How dare this kid laugh¡­!


    They were only so intensely focused on that box because their Boss was being extremely unreasonable today!


    One of the figures spoke up, "Don''t let him faze you. He is only a weak 3rd level Qi Distillation cultivator.We can get him easily without even trying!"


    The masked figures looked at each other and nodded.


    The 3rd level disciples ran forwards with quick steps. The 4th level Qi Distillation disciples disdained to move. This was going to be an easy job,


    A queer smile crossed Van''s lips, [You guys will regret underestimating me.]


    His body flickered out of sight.


    The gang member''s eyes went wide. They skidded to a halt and looked around themselves in confusion. Eventually, one of them called out. He thought he saw a brief flash of a foot.


    "Over here!"


    "No, over there!" Someone else called out. They had seen a smoky image of a figure vaguely to their left.


    One of them charged forwards and punched the smoky figure. Their felt their fist touch something. But in the next moment,they fell forward as they struck air.


    Sou!


    Suddenly, two bright silver objects shot out of the air. They pierced into a disciple''s wrists.


    "AAAAAAAAAAAH!"


    Van reappeared in the open. He yanked his harpoons back.

 56 The Blood Crow Gang Part 2

    Two bright silver objects shot out of the air.


    "AAAAAAAAAAAH!"


    They pierced into a disciple''s wrists.


    Van yanked his harpoons back.


    They sailed through air, legs kicking wildly and faces bloodless with fear.


    Van estimated that the strength of the harpoons was probably only 10% of what they could perform if he had a proper skill to go with them. His skill with the harpoons was limited to this grabbing and pulling motion. The damage of the harpoons was still better than they should be due to Van''s high level of body cultivation.


    The harpooned disciple shot through the air. Van pulled back a fist, ready to deal a powerful blow.


    At that moment, one of the other 3rd level Qi Distillation disciples intervened. He dashed forwards and raised a hand.


    "Wind Palm!"


    A gust of air blew against the harpooned disciple. He was trying to dislodge the two silver weapons. However, the pulling motion caused the injured disciple to scream louder. The reverse barb on the harpoon tip ripped his flesh as they exited.


    Blood spurted.


    The other 3rd level Qi Distillation disciples paled from seeing the blood splatter everywhere.


    The harpoons were dislodged. However, the injured disciple was still flying towards Van!


    Van retracted the harpoons into his sleeve. He stood still.


    The other disciples glanced at each other.


    [Who is this kid¡­?]


    They communicated with subtle sign language. Quickly, they decided to attack Van all at once while he still stood still.


    Van saw them gather up into a formation and smiled.


    [How convenient that they bunch up like that.]


    He sent the harpoons back up his sleeves, "Tide Swallows the Earth!"


    A freezing cold qi emanated from his raised palm. The air chilled. The sun disappeared.


    A massive wave crashed down.


    Dark, cold qi attacked the four 3rd level disciples.


    [Not good!]


    The strength of this kid''s Dark Seas Palm seemed to have already reached the middle level! This strength seemed way to strong for a 3rd level Qi Distillation cultivator ¨C he must be in the 4th level!


    As the two 4th level disciples watched this scene, their expressions became ugly.


    The 3rd level gang members did not get away in time. First, the cold power in Dark Seas Palm slowed their reaction speed and then weakened their limbs with the cold. Then the sheer power of the wave hit them.


    One of them screamed.


    The four disciples were knocked to the ground. None got up again.


    The remaining 4th level Qi Distillation disciples looked at each other. Their thoughts were the same:


    [Who the fuck is this kid?]


    Van ran forward.


    A chill ran down the backs of the two remaining members of the Blood Crow Gang. They stiffened their spines and put on an expression full of bravado.


    "Kid! I''m warning you now, don''t be too overconfident. There is one of you and two of us! You won''t get hurt as long as you hand over that bamboo box!"


    Van sneered. So, he should just roll over and let them do whatever they want?


    "Stop talking shit," he said, "Only the winner can decide the rules!"


    At that moment, the two disciples threw two talismans at him.


    BANG! BANG!


    Just as the talismans reached Van, his body seemed to flicker and disappear.


    One of the disciples looked hesitant.


    "Isn''t this¡­Scattering Smoke Steps¡­?"


    The other 4th level disciple sucked in a cold breath. A sheen of sweat formed at the back of his neck.


    A strong blow to his back flung him forward. He crashed into the stone pavement and coughed. Blood splattered onto the ground. His thoughts went wild.


    [It really is Scattering Smoke Steps! This is very bad; the last person who tried to train this skill was the late Sect Master''s genius little brother ¨C and he failed!]


    [In other words, this kid is a genius that surpasses the late Sect Master''s younger brother!]


    Van laughed. He pulled out the big axe from its shoulder harness.


    The other disciple paled when he saw the deadly black axe. They had not seen it before because it had been hidden behind the kid''s back.


    In the boy''s hands, the obsidian axe seemed to give off a ferocious aura.


    Van held the two-handed axe before him. From the thrumming energy he could feel, he sensed that the axe was keen to sink its teeth into some flesh.


    [Not yet,] Van thought to it, [We cannot kill in sect grounds.]


    Van hefted the axe and dashed forwards ¨C right at the two 4th level Qi Distillation disciples.


    "Aqualight Shield!" One shouted before leaping backwards.


    A large blue shield appeared in mid-air.


    The other disciple grinned. Aqualight Shield was a shielding skill with an affinity for water. It was known for its ability to absorb shock and repel damage. Most importantly, this skill was very compatible with his own skill.


    "Boulder Cannon!"


    Five boulders about a metre wide and tall appeared mid-air and hurtled towards Van''s position.


    The two gang members shared a smug look.


    The advantage of this coordinated attack was that they could hide themselves behind the shield and still attack ¨C the projectiles had a heat-sensing ability. Best of all, the shield was perfect for using Boulder Cannon with as Van would not be able to see from where the attacks were coming from.


    BANG!


    BANG!


    BOOM!


    The 4th level disciples smiled. That last one sounded like it had crashed into their target!


    SUAK!


    Their expressions changed. That didn''t sound right¡­they poked their heads out.


    Van smiled at them mockingly. By his feet lay two boulders cleaved cleanly in two with the axe. Behind him lay the fragments of the one he had stomped with his feet. The copper glow was just fading from his skin.


    "Mid-level of Copper Knight Wall?"


    They were flabbergasted.


    They themselves were 4th level Qi Distillation cultivators, and yet all their skills had only been trained to the low-level. This kid was on the same cultivation level as them and yet he had been able to train Scattering Smoke Steps AND had trained a skill to the mid-level!


    They were on the same cultivation level, but their movement skill was trash compared to Scattering Smoke Steps. They would never be able to land a blow on him!


    The two disciples glanced each other and unanimously decided to escape.


    "Not so fast!"


    Two silver harpoons shot through the air and caught onto the fleeing figures'' clothes. Van''s channelled his bodily cultivation and forced them back into his direction.


    Thump!


    The two 4th level Qi Distillation cultivators fell to his feet.


    Van looked down at them with a mocking look in his eyes.


    "Tell your boss that he should directly face me if he wants something next time, instead of hiding somewhere like a coward!"


    The two disciples felt chilled to the bones. If their boss heard this¡­! He was surely going to lose his mind and beat them up tragically later.


    "Yes, yes!" They nodded their heads up and down furiously. They scrabbled to their feet, dragged their unconscious colleagues and ran away.


    ______


    The pair of disciples faced their master with guilty expressions. A precious jade vase slammed into the wall and shattered into jagged pieces. They trembled where they knelt.


    "USELESS FUCKWITS!"


    Their boss, a young man with curly hair and wild eyes cursed. They should all just die! Anyone. Everyone. All of them!


    His rage simmered in him, but he had no place to vent. The old codgers in the Cedar Sect would banish him if he killed anyone!


    Furious, he stood up and opened the door.


    The strange web-like mark on his arm was growing bigger and bigger. He needed the purifying effect of the Blue Mist Ivy flower NOW!


    His eyes went a strange red colour. He felt his head grow woozy.


    His subordinates panicked.


    "Boss. It''s acting up so soon?! Quickly, you must go see your cousin!"


    Their boss growled. It was an inhuman sound.


    His subordinates looked at each other and restrained him. They took him quickly to another place in the sect. There was no time to be waiting around for another disciple to redeem Blue Mist Ivy flowers!


    _______


    After scaring off the Blood Crow Gang, Van returned to his room in the Outer Disciple dormitory. A few disciples that had seen him around were surprised by his cultivation level.


    "Hm? When did Van reach the 4th level of Qi Distillation?"


    They knew he had disappeared for a few days to do a mission, but even when he returned, he was still in the 3rd level! Somehow in the five days since he had been back, he had already advanced by another level!


    "Shh! I heard he received nearly three hundred sect contributions at Threadspinner Town. My friend went there too and said he saw him give the mission register a part of the Queen Brown King Ant''s shell!"


    The gossips were shocked.


    "I heard the Queen of Brown King Ants had exoskeletons that were impossible to penetrate and resistant to spiritual power attacks?"


    "That''s right. Even though its level is not high, it is very tricky to deal with. If not for its extremely valuable shell, no one would ever bother with it!"


    Another gossip nodded sagely.


    "The exoskeleton is worth over ten thousand silver taels! If made into an armour, it''s value would increase tremendously."


    "The kid must have used the money to purchase cultivation-increasing pills. The beast core would have helped as well. That''s why he rose another level so quickly!"


    "But I heard beast cores take an incredibly long time to digest. Especially for a big core like the one in the Queen Brown King ant¡­ He must have an incredible absorption rate¡­"


    Another gossip shook their head and hushed their voices even more.


    "Plus, if he was at the 3rd level of Qi Distillation at the time, the efficiency of absorption would have only been around 60%..."


    They looked at each other quietly.


    "So, not only does he have a very fast absorption rate, he also has an incredible efficiency?"


    They felt both envious. Unanimously they decided to stop their gossip in case Van heard them. A few of them even secretly decided to become friendly with him if they had the chance.


    Van didn''t hear them gossiping, but he would not have expected that he had gained a level of fame in the outer sect already. His deeds at Threadspinner Town had spread like wildfire.


    Van finally reached his room. As he walked down the hallway, he saw a large poster stuck on the wall.


    "Hm? A senior tutor is opening a public forum¡­?"

 57 Public Forum Part 1

    Van finally reached his room. As he walked down the hallway, he saw a large poster stuck on the wall.


    "Hm? A senior tutor is opening a public forum¡­?"


    Van grew excited. He checked the date and saw that it was happening this afternoon! He had not noticed the posters earlier.


    [Perfect. It does not clash with my plans for the Mystery Object Sale at the Lantern Festival tomorrow.]


    _____


    [At the same time, elsewhere in the sect.]


    "Please, Cousin Master, we beg you take pity on him!"


    Klaus looked down coldly at the bedraggled figures before him.


    A sprawled body lay on the floor between them. Klaus stuck out a foot and turned the body over.


    Pale face and crazed eyes. Shaking pupils.


    It was his cousin alright.


    "Nathaniel," he drawled, "how the mighty have fallen."


    Nathaniel, the figure being restrained on the ground, seemed to sober slightly. He saw his cousin''s haughty features and growled.


    "Who has fallen!?"


    Klaus lifted a pale brow.


    "Oh? Then what do you call this? Throughout my childhood, I recall Aunt bragging countless times about your talent for the martial way¡­and yet here you are with a severe case of demonic overdose! What kind of fool are you?"


    Klaus did not feel an ounce of pity for this cousin of his.


    Most Cedar Sect disciples watched their level of demonic influence carefully. If they consumed beast cores, they would immediately take a much lower level herb known as Angel Grass and dispel any impurity immediately. This was the cheapest and most logical option as Angel Grass cost only one hundred taels for one dosage. Smart cultivators never had a single incident with demonic influence even if they consumed hundreds of beast cores.


    There were two scenarios, however, in which it was common for cultivators were caught out unawares.


    One, if they consumed a very large beast core. Even if the concentration of demonic energy was low, it could accumulate inside the body and overwhelm the cultivator.


    Two, if they consumed a high-ranked beast core with high levels of evil energy. This was self-explanatory.


    If a cultivator encountered either of the above scenarios, they were at high risk of going crazy or being infected with demonic energy. No amount of Angel Grass could solve their problems even if they ate hundreds of kilos.


    That was where the Blue Mist Ivy flowers came in. They were more expensive, yes, but if you wanted to go hunt higher level beasts and consume their energy safely then they were a must.


    Obviously, someone who wasn''t brain dead would have had some on their person before they attempted anything foolhardy.


    Klaus figured that the Blue Mist Ivy flowers were why Nathaniel came to visit him today.


    Indeed, Nathaniel lifted his head and crawled forwards. He grabbed onto Klaus'' shoes.


    "Cousin! I beg you, out of the fondness we had for each other in our childhoods, please, help me! I just need some Blue Mist Ivy flowers. I know you have been stocking up!"


    Klaus pulled his foot out of his cousin''s grasp and kicked him away.


    "Fondness? That''s funny. All I remember is you sucking up to my older brothers!"


    Nathaniel crawled back.


    "Please, cousin. I was blind and did not see Mt Tai. You have more talent in your pinkie finger than I have in my whole body. After all, you have only been here for just over a month and you are already in the 5th level of Qi Distillation¡­!"


    Klaus smiled coldly. He knelt and grasped his cousin by the chin.


    "Let me guess¡­ you were so afraid of me surpassing you that you went crazy and then ingested all these demonic cores? And now you need my Blue Mist Ivy flowers too?"


    He laughed loudly, his pale hair shook.


    "You didn''t even advance one level¡­!"


    He laughed harder.


    On the floor, Nathaniel''s ingratiating expression froze. A flash of hatred appeared in his eyes. This cousin of his¡­! What right did Klaus have to lord it over him now? His older brothers were the geniuses and Klaus was just an afterthought.


    Nathaniel was unwilling to accept this situation. Somehow, he was now below the level of this afterthought!


    [How did Klaus advance his cultivation so quickly?]


    Nathaniel had been certain that Klaus had been doing the same thing as him, and that''s why he had such a large stock of Blue Mist Ivy flowers. And yet, Klaus seemed completely fine!


    Nathaniel grit his teeth and continued to beg. Behind him, his subordinates had their forehead to their ground. They blocked their ears, unwilling to hear their Master begging.


    Klaus looked coldly down at him.


    "I thought your little red crows struck fear into the lives of the fresh outer disciples¡­Surely they could have robbed someone and gotten you the flowers. Or¡­ did you finally overreach yourself? Did you bite into soft tofu only to find out it was a rock?"


    Nathaniel lowered his head, "It is as you say, cousin."


    Klaus found this all too amusing.


    "Pray tell, who was it that batted away your little red crows and foiled your daylight robbery?"


    Klaus imagined the Blood Crow gang being defeated by someone they thought they could bully and was amused.


    "I-I don''t know¡­" Nathaniel said.


    Klaus looked at the Blood Crow gang.


    "Do any of you know his name?"


    "Y-yes, Cousin Master. His name tag said his name was Van."


    [Van¡­?]


    Klaus'' eyes flashed with an unknown emotion.


    "Good, good!" He said with no inflection in his tone. He might disdain this moronic cousin of his¡­but this was still his cousin!


    "That pesky fly has been buzzing around since the start and now he''s actively trying to humiliate me¡­" His pale eyes narrowed.


    "What cultivation level is he now?"


    The Blood Crow gang looked at each other.


    "He easily defeated the 3rd level members and was able to destroy my Boulder Cannons with his axe.


    He should be at the pinnacle of the 4th level, about to break into the 5th level of Qi Distillation."


    When Klaus heard this, he was shocked.


    One month ago, Van had no cultivation whatsoever. Coming from a remote village, he would never have encountered any cultivation ideologies before.


    He did not have the benefit of growing up in a cultivator city and encountering aspects of cultivation in his every day like Klaus had growing up in Dragon City.


    Klaus had also already broken into the 1st level of Qi Distillation before entering the sect. This first hurdle of understanding qi was the biggest wall for aspiring cultivators. Having passed it beforehand, Klaus had the advantage of being able to put his head down and exclusively concentrate on advancing his cultivation level. However, there was a big difference between successive levels. Advancing to the 5th level and beyond was much harder than the early levels.


    [His cultivation speed is only second-best to mine in the outer sect.]


    Klaus'' expression darkened.


    [He is growing fast.]


    [I must watch out for him as well as the top outer disciples during the Monster Mausoleum. To gain attention from the sect master, I must all beat them all. I will become the strongest disciple in the Cedar Sect!]


    Klaus clenched his fists. He looked down at his cousin.


    "Only in the 4th level and you, a 5th level, could not defeat him?"


    Klaus smiled at him. It didn''t reach his eyes.


    "Trash."


    Nathaniel''s eyes flashed, "I could have beaten him easily if I was not in this state! The demonic energy has made the flow of my spiritual power unstable. I''m afraid if I tried anything I would explode and die!"


    Klaus hmphed. He withdrew bamboo box from his sleeve and threw it to the ground.


    Clatter.


    The bamboo box spilt its contents over the floor.


    Nathaniel was delighted. He crawled all over the ground and picked up the flowers like they were his precious children.


    "Thank you, cousin!"


    He managed to get on his feet.


    Klaus watched him leave but his mind was elsewhere.


    [I cannot let anyone catch up to me!]


    His eyes narrowed.


    [Van!]


    _______


    [The next morning]


    Van arrived at the site of the public forum. The space was open to the sky; a large stage stood at the far front with rows of seats arranged in a half-circle around it.


    He had arrived half an hour before hand and already the seats were all packed. He walked over and stood quite close but left of the stage, so he wouldn''t block anyone''s view.


    "Tutor Zhang has arrived!"


    Excitement rippled through the audience.


    Tutor Zhang walked slowly onto the stage. He was a very tiny, very old man with a walking stick. Despite his stature, only respect could be seen on the audience''s face. After all, Tutor Zhang had been the tutor of countless geniuses and famous figures. Most famously, he had tutored the Frost Pill Sage!


    Tutor Zhang had been in the Cedar Sect for over a hundred years and was very popular within it. He was almost the mascot of the sect!


    [So this is Tutor Zhang,] Van thought. He stood a little straighter.


    The little old man reached centre stage. He suddenly hit his walking stick on the stage.


    BANG!


    The audience felt a heavy vibration pass through their chests. A strong gust of wind nearly blew them away.


    Van was the least affected; mostly because his five-hundred-kilogram axe was weighing him down. His body cultivation helped as well.


    Tutor Zhang slightly opened his eyes and looked across the crowd. Seeing the flustered disciples ¨C some of whom had to go run after a hat or fan that had blown away ¨C he cackled.


    Van smiled wryly. Why did this old man bear a similar feeling to Senior Ruskel?


    Tutor Zhang was having a great time until he spotted a disciple smiling near the front. His wrinkled face squinted down.


    [He''s still calm enough to smile? Hmph!]


    Van had no idea that the old tutor had already taken notice of him.


    Tutor Zhang turned his attention away from the smiling brat. From his scan of the audience just now, he knew that there were around five disciples that were worthy of attention. Those had reacted quickly and summoned a treasure, or had erected a shield.


    The trash had tumbled away in the air blast like tumbleweed in the desert.


    As this was a lecture focusing on those in the earlier stages of the Qi Distillation stage, Tutor Zhang did not have high expectations of this crowd. However, he had been pleasantly surprised by a young man standing right at the back of the crowd. He was stood alone; cold and aloof.


    As for that smiling brat near the front ¨C who knew how he had been able to resist!


    Tutor Zhang looked at the audience.


    "Welcome, disciples. I can say I am very impressed with all of you so far¡­"


    The audience felt warmed by this sudden praise. Tutor Zhang continued on:


    "Especially you fools who got blown out of your seats - You would make terrific comedians! HAHAHA!"


    His barking laughter rang through the shocked audience.


    Van couldn''t help his chuckle. Tutor Zhang heard he chuckle and felt a little bit annoyed. This brat kept laughing!


    He peered at the kid but quickly turned his head away.


    "Alright. So, you guys are the dregs the Cedar Sect scraped from the bottom of the pot, eh? Time for this Old Tutor to whip you guys from tasteless, watery milk into thick and satisfying cream!"


    Silence.


    The disciples gave each other weird looks. Was this Tutor Zhang¡­normal?


    "Ahem. I will start with an introductory lesson on the history of this continent¡­"


    Van perked his ears and listened carefully.

 58 Public Forum Part 2

    Tutor Zhang stroked his long wispy beard as he spoke.


    "But before I start our history lesson, I will refresh your memories."


    "As you all know, the first step to reaching ''immortality'' is to perceive and manipulate the spiritual power in the air. This first stage is known as Qi Distillation. Out of one hundred thousand people, only one will succeed in this first step."


    "In our sect, the cultivation of our outer disciples range from the 3rd level to the 7th level of Qi Distillation."


    "Once a disciple reaches the 8th level of Qi Distillation, we examine them once more in a ranking tournament. Every year, only the top five will ascend to the status of inner disciple."


    "From then on, the sect''s resources and knowledge are freely provided to you. Our inner disciples range from the 8th to 12th level of Qi Distillation."


    "Past the 12th level of Qi Distillation is the Sea Establishment Realm. There are ten levels in this stage. When you enter it, your life span increases to three hundred years. In the Sea Establishment realm, your attunement to spiritual power is much greater, allowing you to experience true flight."


    Tutor Zhang began to drift above the stage. He floated gently above the wooden boards, about half a metre high.


    The audience gasped. They looked at him with admiration. Elder Zhang smiled.


    "True flight has many advantages. You will become able to travel long distances and over a variety of terrains, such as rivers, lakes, lava flows and quicksand. There are many other useful applications, I''m sure."


    "Everyone who is in the Sea Establishment Realm has a high status. Even the Cedar Sect does not have many of them."


    "Past the Sea Establishment stage is known as the legendary ''Island Formation'' stage. No records exist in Cloud River that explains what this means or how to achieve it.Our esteemed Sect Master Musheng is of the peak of the Sea Establishment stage, on the verge of breaking through to Island Formation. If he advances once more, he will be the first person in Cloud River to have ever achieved this feat."


    Tutor Zhang smiled when he saw the fervent faces of the disciples below. Their mouths were wide open and their eyes shining.


    Tutor Zhang coughed, "The definition of a ''continent,'' does any one of you know what this word means?"


    The audience looked at each other in silence. No one knew.


    Van looked thoughtful. Hadn''t Jet talked about ''continent'' way back when they first met in Mount Steady?


    He closed his eyes and tried to remember. Something about raising Van to the top of this continent? And beyond?


    However, the meaning of the word ¨C Van truly did not know.


    Tutor Zhang had not expected anyone to know, "The definition of a ''continent'' has been debated by scholars for centuries. From ancient records, we understand it means land surrounded by sea."


    "However, if any of you have seem a map of our Divine River Realm, you would know that our realm consists of sixty-four countries and completely surrounded by sea!"


    "So, is a ''continent'' the same as a ''realm''? And what is beyond this sea?"


    "Those are the questions that we must all ask. That is your responsibility as the next generation!"


    The audience were silent.


    Tutor Zhang chuckled.


    "You lot do not know it, but we are truly frogs in a well. Dragon City may seem to be a great city to you lot, but we are insignificant in the scheme of things. The Great East Heaven country, which we are allied with, is only one of the three Great nations of the realm. To our north lies the Great Sun Seizing country and to our west the Great Shadow Azure."


    "All these great powers, and somehow we can still not understand what is beyond the sea that surrounds our realm."


    Tutor Zhang sighed.


    "Anyway, I''m afraid I have digressed," he said as he regained his poise, "First we will talk about the fundamentals of martial arts skills¡­"


    "Though they seem disparate, with many different effects and usage, actually the core remains constant¡­"


    As Van listened and watched Tutor Zhang move about the stage, he felt his mind drift. The fluid movements of the old man were putting him into a serene and empty state of mind.


    Through molasses, he heard the old tutor shout something like ''Swift Striking Palms'' before demonstrating the move. His movements were fluid and unhurried, the spiritual power within his body¡­ the spiritual power within his body flowed smoothly through his body at the right speed and in the right proportions¡­


    Van suddenly remembered his two attack skills, Fists of Devouring Flames and Dark Seas Palm. His natural affinity for fire and lesser affinity for water had greatly helped him gain a basic understanding of both, but Van had hardly done any work in trying to understand the essence of the moves. He had been riding on the strength of his natural affinities the entire time¡­


    As Van watched, mesmerised by Tutor Zhang''s flowing movements, he began to see the pathways of qi within the old tutor''s body. This was because Van was particularly sensitive to spiritual power. It was why he was able to perceive other people''s cultivation levels much better than they could perceive his.


    As he watched the old man on the stage, Van felt the spiritual power within him started to move in sympathy.


    The longer he stared, the more the spiritual power within himself was moved. It circulated through his body in a very similar flow and motion as inside Tutor Zhang. But it was not the same.


    Van started to enter a meditative state. He did not know how long the state lasted for, only that the passage of qi within his body became faster and faster and more fluid as it travelled.


    When Tutor Zhang finished his palm skill demonstration, Van awoke. He recalled vividly how the qi had flowed through him as he mentally simulated both Fists of Devouring Flame and Dark Seas Palm while watching the old tutor''s moves.


    [Did I just fall into a meditative state?] Van asked himself.


    He was shocked and did not know what it meant.


    Why did he feel as if he had just spent two months practising his fist skills? Wasn''t he just standing in the martial field listening to a lecture?


    Tutor Zhang was old and liked to play tricks, but he was also very skilled. He was very generous and did not skimp on his explanations. All the skills and moves he showed had been trained to the Pinnacle-level and were either medium rank or high rank.


    "Lastly¡­" Tutor Zhang''s eye focused on the youth standing near the front with a goofy smile on his face. [What an idiot.]


    "You. Get your ass up here!"


    Van suddenly felt the people around him grow silent. They shifted away. He was quite obviously singled out.


    "Eh¡­?"


    Suddenly, a strong gust of wind picked him and threw him onto the stage!


    Tutor Zhang looked out into the crowd once more. He saw the cold and aloof young man he had been impressed with before.


    "You. Please come up!"


    Get your ass up here vs. please come up¡­ it was clear who had more regard from Tutor Zhang.


    Van stood up and brushed the dust off his knees. As he straightened, he locked eyes with a haughty young man walking up to the stage.


    The instant their eyes met, they both showed dark expressions.


    [Klaus!]


    [Van!]


    The pale aristocrat stood up onto the stage. His blue eyes slid of Van''s and turned to Tutor Zhang. It was as if Van was invisible.


    Van clenched his fists.


    Tutor Zhang saw this curious little interaction between them and cackled internally. One he had called up because he wanted to give pointers. The other one he had called up to teach a lesson for repeatedly laughing and smiling goofily during his lecture!


    "Come here," Tutor Zhang gestured to the young man that had caught his eye, "What is your name?"


    "Klaus Bayer, of the Noble House of Bayer."


    "Oh? Very good," Tutor Zhang said, it could be seen that he was not moved by Klaus'' invocation of his family lineage, "Please demonstrate to the audience a particular martial skill you are familiar with. I will observe and give pointers as an example to the audience."


    Klaus raised a pale brow. He turned to the empty side of the stage and took a strange stance.


    "First Stance. Claw of the Sand Scorpion!"


    A vicious gust of wind burst out into the air. A howling noise accompanied it. It carried razor-sharp particles of sand-like qi that savagely tore into the wooden boards of the stage. A big hole was made in the ground.


    Tutor Zhang''s eyes shone, "Bravo, bravo! Excellent execution! I can tell that you both grasp the essence of the move and have practised it countless times, making it muscle memory."


    Tutor Zhang was truly happy ¨C he had found a good seed!


    The old tutor beamed, "Also, you deserve to be congratulated. After all, you have achieved expert-level in Seven Stances of the Sand Scorpion while only in the 5th level of Qi Distillation!"


    The audience gasped.


    "Did you hear that? The five categories that describe how proficient you are, are: low, middle, high, expert and pinnacle-level. He is only in the 5th level and yet he has comprehended a skill to the expert-level!"


    "That''s fucking insane¡­"


    "¡­I heard the Seven Stances of the Sand Scorpion is one of the hardest skills to train in¡­"


    "You guys don''t know the half of it. That guy up there, he called himself Klaus, right? From the Bayer House? They said he entered the sect as a servant only one month ago, in the 1st level of Qi Distillation!"


    The audience''s faces showed a wide array of expressions. Some were envious, some bitter, some astonished and others showed only admiration.


    "This is unbelievable¡­!"


    "If he continues at this speed, sooner or later he will become the king of outer disciples¡­"


    "I think so too¡­"


    "Shh! Watch your words! Do you think the current king will be pleased with your words? Have some self-awareness!"


    "Our current king, upstaged by him? Haha! This Klaus is only in the 5th level of Qi Distillation. There is still a long way to go before he nears the strength of the likes of even Mystra, Jester and Mad Horse!"


    "That may be so, but his momentum looks unstoppable."


    The chatter started to die down.


    Tutor Zhang turned to Klaus and gave a single piece of critique, "I can tell that you have practised incredibly hard to polish the Seven Stances of the Sand Scorpion to this level. Your understanding of the essence of the move is also good, however, your affinity with both wind and sand are a bit lacking."


    "The wind lacked flexibility and the sand was not as sharp as it could be. However, this is not a major problem. The best method for you is to visit desert locations and experience windy and sandy conditions. You may consider taking missions that involve hunting down demon beasts with affinities for wind or sand as well."


    Klaus took Tutor Zhang''s words seriously. He looked the old tutor in the eye and performed a half-bow in thanks.


    "This disciple thanks Tutor Zhang for the enlightening advice."


    The old tutor was very pleased. This brat had seemed quite haughty in the beginning, but it seemed he still understood gratitude and courtesy. There was good potential!


    Satisfied, Tutor Zhang turned his wrinkled face to the other young man on the stage.


    "You!" He barked.


    Van became alert, "Yes, Tutor Zhang!"


    The old tutor hmphed, "Alright, show us what you got."


    For this kid, Tutor Zhang had no expectations at all. He just wanted to point out some flaws and humiliate the kid a bit. Maybe then he would take this public forum seriously!


    Van walked over to the empty side of the platform with a calm expression.


    Tutor Zhang''s interest was piqued.


    [Oh? This young man seems quite confident!]

 59 Birth of a Martial Genius

    Van walked serenely over to the empty side of the stage. His manner was calm and dignified. When he stopped, he folded his sleeves up and took a fighting stance.


    The audience watched his actions in silence. If the tutor picked him to demonstrate, his skills couldn''t be too bad, right?


    Tutor Zhang raised an eyebrow.


    [Oh? This young man seems quite confident!]


    Van raised his palm. His hair gently floated up as cold energy leaked from his body and entered the air.


    His gaze sharpened.


    "River Splitting the Rocks!"


    BAM!


    A dark whip of icy qi pierced the air.


    Tutor Zhang''s was sueprised. Hm? It seemed like this kid''s talent was better than he expected.


    His motions were smooth and unhurried, his attunement with the water element was excellent.


    Only his attack power was a little restricted by his lack of experience and practice with Dark Seas Palm. However, the correct way to manipulate the energy was something that could only be learned with experience.


    "Not bad, kid. You have clearly grasped the essence of the water element. Your movements were smooth and relaxed ¨C that comes from your natural athleticism and physique. For a 4th level Qi Distillation cultivator, achieving the mid-level is very respectable."


    The audience nodded. It was not an astonishing result, but still pretty good. With this level of talent, he would be poised to become a martial teacher at the Cedar Sect when he reached Pinnacle-level. Martial Teacher was a dream job many disciples wished for!


    But not Van!


    Van was not satisfied.


    Just then, he had been adjusting the flow of qi - trying to match the rhythm and fluidity he had achieved in the meditative state.


    In his haste, the rhythm became unstable. This decreased the power of River Splitting the Rocks!


    It was not his true strength!


    Tutor Zhang saw Van begin to move again and spoke quicky, "Young man, stop! You have already achieved a good result ¨C do not humiliate yourself-"


    "River Splitting the Rocks!"


    Van pushed the air forwards with his fist. In his mind, countless pathways appeared in his body. They glowed with bright lights as spiritual liquid flowed through his meridians.


    An enormous jet of water blasted through the air. A cold chill filled the area.


    BAMM!


    Multiple floor boards lifted off the platform and were blown into the air. The chilling qi swept through the crowd.


    The audience shivered in their seats. Why had it suddenly gotten so cold¡­?


    Tutor Zhang''s mouth dropped open.


    [What?]


    The old tutor rubbed his eyes. The boy''s movements, his understanding of the essence, the power of the move - why did it seem like the boy suddenly became twice as skilled compared to before?


    The difference between attempts were significant ¨C one seemed like they had practiced for a month and the other like they had practiced for six!


    [Why did his skill level suddenly increase so much? Just a little more, and he could be considered in the high-level of the Dark Seas Palm¡­!]


    Tutor Zhang stroked his beard thoughtfully.


    [Could I have underestimated his potential?]


    Meanwhile, Van''s brows were furrowed.


    [Not yet! This is still not it!]


    [I have not achieved the same fluidity and power that I felt from Tutor Zhang! ]


    Van closed his eyes.


    In the darkness of his mind, the old tutor''s calm and smooth actions reappeared in as a hologram. The hologram moved about in his mindscape, tracing the pathways taken by the qi in his body.


    Whooooshh¡­


    The qi within Van''s body started to heat up in sympathy. It moved as if pulled by the tide. Unknown to him, a cold wind suddenly started to blow through the stage.


    Fwwoooomm


    Van''s eyes snapped open. His hair whipped back in the cold wind.


    "River Splitting the Rocks!"


    An unstoppable torrent of dark water exploded outwards. Dozens of wooden floorboards went flying.


    The audience gasped.


    "S-so cold!" A young girl shivered in her seat.


    "My limbs feel numb!" Someone complained.


    Tutor Zhang copped a large gulp of frigid air.


    [His skill has risen again! How is this possible? If he told me he had been practicing this skill for 12 months I would believe him! However, he did not look this experienced the first time he demonstrated the move. What is going on? ]


    "T-this is the high-level of Dark Seas Palm!" Tutor Zhang said loudly.


    The audience hushed.


    I-Impossible!


    This kid was only in the 4th level of Qi Distillation!


    The outer disciples gathered looked at each other in shock. Some despaired.


    Why is life so unfair?


    One disciple in 5th level with an expert-level of Seven Stances of the Sand Scorpion was enough!


    Now there is also a 4th level kid in the high-level of Dark Seas Palm!


    Tutor Zhang recovered himself. He walked forwards with his cane.


    "Young man, you have astonished me. Only in the 4th level, and have achieved a high-level of training in one martial skill already¡­ this is very impressive!"


    The old tutor did not skimp on the praise when it was deserved.


    [However, this is still not as impressive as reaching the expert-level in the 5th stage of Qi Distillation. After all¡­ the gap between each skill level was as vast as the distance between the earth and the sky.]


    Standing to the side, Klaus was surprised ¨C but not shocked. This was about what he expected if Van was able to solo the Blood Crow Gang on his own.


    [So, he had trained a skill to the high-level. This explains it¡­]


    Van''s eyes flashed. His muscles tensed.


    Tutor Zhang''s eyes widened. The kid was acting once more?


    [Will his skill level rise once more¡­? It can''t be, right¡­?]


    Weng!


    A bright light shone from Van''s eyes. Invisible winds caused his robes to flap in the wind.


    "T-this is! This young man is experiencing a sudden epiphany! He has reached the State of Enlightenment!" Tutor Zhang was truly astonished this time.


    The audience had no idea what this meant, but they felt the old tutor''s shock and awe.


    Klaus clenched his fists. How¡­!? How was this brat so lucky, time and time again!?


    Tutor Zhang began speaking to himself, "The State of Enlightenment¡­ a mysterious state that is activated whenever a cultivator experiences a moment of sudden and great realization."


    "When it is activated, their thoughts are clearer, problems easier to solve and their ability to sense the essence of the world is amplified. Difficult bottlenecks are solved. However, it is very hard to activate."


    "Even the most intelligent of cultivators may not be able to achieve the State of Enlightenment more than a few times in their lifetime!"


    "And yet this young outer disciple has managed it! I simply cannot fathom it. I simply cannot¡­"


    Hearing the old tutor''s mutterings, the audiences'' gaze towards Van went through a great transformation. They were full of awe and amazement ¨C as if they were watching the birth of a great genius!


    Van suddenly roared. The light in his eyes pulsed brighter.


    Within his mind, his actions finally merged with the hologram of the old tutor!


    BBBAAANNNGGGG!!!


    An enormous water dragon shot out of his palm and lashed out.


    Over a quarter of the stage was decimated!


    Klaus was forced to take a quick step back.


    Tutor Zhang felt the cold press on him.


    [!]


    [This kid''s affinity for the dark and water elements is better than the Bayer kid''s affinity for wind and sand!]


    The audience groaned in discomfort. Near the stage,the weaker 3rdand 4th level disciples felt as if they had become living statues. Even the 5th level disciples felt a uncomfortable chill.


    Tutor Zhang waved a hand and the cold immediately dispelled.


    Van''s eyes returned to their normal brown. He slumped onto the ground, breathing heavily.


    Tutor Zhang''s gaze was curious.


    [In that last moment¡­why did the boy''s movements feel so familiar? The fluidity and rhythm of the power he was channelling¡­]


    The old man suddenly realized something.


    [He was emulating me! He had a moment of epiphany after seeing my demonstration of ''Swift Striking Palms''!]


    Tutor Zhang felt his appreciation of the boy grow once more.


    [He saw the way I moved the power within my body and was able to copy it perfectly, allowing his Dark Seas Palm to reach another level. A true genius of the martial way!]


    [And he is only in the 4th level of Qi Distillation!]


    Tutor Zhang was extremely moved. He turned to the crowd.


    "This young man has just achieved an incredible feat. During the State of Enlightenment, his skill rose another level. He has reached the expert-level for Dark Seas Palm!"


    The outer disciples sucked in a cold breath. They looked at the two young disciples on the stage.


    Both were monsters that had achieved expert-level in a skill before the 7th level of Qi Distillation!


    "The twin dragons of the Outer Sect!" Someone called out fervently, full of admiration for the two heroes.


    "The twin dragons! I like it!"


    "The outer disciples have two new geniuses!"


    A chant began in the audience.


    "Twin dragons!"


    "Twin dragons!"


    Van''s head was woozy, but he still heard the chanting. He stood up and faced the crowd.


    [Twin Dragons¡­?]


    He turned and saw Klaus staring right back at him.


    The displeasure in their eyes mirrored each other''s.


    [Twin dragons?]


    [There should only be one!]


    Tutor Zhang saw the two good seeds glaring at each other and felt unhappy. To him, both were very good!


    One dragon had achieved a high cultivation level quickly, while the other was slightly better in the martial way.


    Both were geniuses!


    "Okay young men calm down. You are both treasured outer disciples of the sect. As disciples of the same sect, you two must learn to be harmonious and forgiving."


    "From now on, the Cedar Sect has recognized you. As long as you cultivate diligently, the position of inner disciple will be yours!"


    Van heard Tutor Zhang''s last words and couldn''t stamp down on the happiness in his heart at hearing these words.


    To become inner disciple within the year seemed to be within his grasp!


    Klaus was also moved.


    Tutor Zhang saw their reactions and smiled. He ruffled both of them on the head as if they were little kids.


    "You have both impressed me very much. I look forward to seeing you guys soar into the skies in the future."


    Soon after that, the public forum was dismissed.


    When all the disciples had left, Tutor Zhang wiped his brow and pondered as he stared at the afternoon sun.


    [Their cultivation is a bit low for our purposes¡­]


    After a long deliberation, the old man shook his head.


    [I will let Sect Master Musheng make the final judgement!]


    ____


    [The previous evening.]


    When Nathaniel returned to his room, he dismissed his subordinates and prepared the Blue Mist Ivy flowers for consumption.


    Over the next four hours, his complexion regained some pinkness and the black spidery marks on his arms disappeared.


    [I''ve removed 90% of the contamination. The last 10% should be solved by Angel Grass if I eat it daily for about a week.]


    Nathaniel grinned. His eyes looked less crazy than before, but there was still a strange gleam in them. He went to the mirror in his room and looked at himself.


    [So that kid''s name is Van, huh? Making me degrade myself and beg my cousin like a disgusting sycophant¡­]


    Nathaniel growled. He picked up another jade vase and threw it at the wall.


    CRASH!


    It exploded into a cloud of fragmented pieces.


    "That fucking loser better prepare his fucking ass for the reaming I''m about to deal him!"


    _______


    [Present moment. Van''s room.]


    Hah!


    Van thrust his fists forwards once again. Sweat dripped off his brow.


    He was currently training his Fists of Devouring Flame - and he could feel that he was about to have break-through!


    Looking at the angle of the sun, he didn''t have much time before the Lantern Festival began. And that meant the Mystery Object Sale!

 60 Fragments of a Forgotten Pas

    Van closed his eyes. Once more, the old tutor''s moves appear in his mind. He breathed in.


    [Flaming Bull Fists!]


    As he channelled the move, he felt his spiritual power flowing through him in a way he had never experienced before. When the column of flame died down, Van was ecstatic.


    Now his Fists of Devouring Flame had risen to the mid-level. He had also learned a new move!


    "Searing Serpent Strike!"


    Three twisting elongated flames extruded out of his fist.


    Hsssst!


    The three cobra-like flames leapt forward into the air at extreme speed. The atmosphere immediately became extremely hot. The flames in the fireplace jumped up in response.


    Van recalled his power quickly, afraid of damaging his room.


    [This Searing Serpent Strike is extremely fast and hits multiple times in quick succession. Its reach is also a few metres better than Flaming Bull Fists. Flaming Bull Fist''s raw power is better.]


    [Searing Serpent Strike will be very useful against more nimble enemies as it takes less time to use again compared to Flaming Bull Fists.]


    Extremely satisfied with his new move, Van practiced Searing Serpent Strike for another two hours.


    When he finished practicing, he immediately turned his attention back to Dark Seas Palm. Now that he had reached the expert-level in Dark Seas Palm, he had unlocked another move!


    "Depths of the Dark Seas!"


    An invisible, icy wind moved his robes as a chilly qi filled the room. In the centre ¨C just above his bed ¨C a tiny spinning vortex began to grow and grow.


    The windows rattled, and the glass frosted over.


    Seconds later, an enormous spinning whirlpool of dark, icy water filled with vicious qi encompassed the room.


    Van felt the power of the whirlpool getting stronger and started to struggle to control it.


    [Such attractive power¡­! I feel as if my whole body is being pulled towards it!]


    Van grimaced and forcefully cancelled the move.


    The whirlpool collapsed into a tiny dot.


    Van breathed heavily. He pulled out the Dark Seas Palm manual and flipped to the relevant page.


    [''Depths of the Dark Sea.'']


    [Unlike ''River Splitting the Rocks'' and ''Tide Swallows the Earth,'' which are mainly focused on damage, the focus of ''Depths of the Dark Sea'' is the isolation and entrapment of the enemy.]


    [Inside the whirlpool, they will be surrounding by high walls of rushing, icy water. If they do not resist, they will slowly be freezing to death and their minds will become muddled. Even if they successfully escape, the act of moving through the extremely rapid water causes significant damage.]


    Van was thoughtful.


    [This move has many tactical usages. It is probably most effective when fighting groups of enemies in order to isolate them.]


    Van sat down and meditated on the move. He familiarised himself with it by envisioning the flow of energy and the rhythm at which he needed to channel his qi.


    After that, he stood up and practiced it for two hours. When he was satisfied with his progress, he grabbed dinner with Ryan and then returned to his room to cultivate.


    Van did not sleep until it was nearly morning.


    ____


    "Sect Master Musheng," Tutor Zhang said as he bowed deeply.


    "Old Zhang," Sect Master Musheng hurried forwards and lifted Tutor Zhang from his bow, "No need to be so courteous with me, old fellow. A teacher for a day is a teacher for a lifetime. You may not be my Master, but you have taught generations of disciples. You are worthy of my respect."


    Tutor Zhang tried to resist only for a moment. When he relented, he straightened his back and pretended that he had not been moved by Sect Master Musheng''s words.Although he had only tutored Musheng once or twice when he was a child, and could not be considered Musheng''s Master, seeing how grown up that little brat Musheng had become nearly brought a tear to his eye.


    [Late Sect Master!] Tutor Zhang called out in his mind, [You would be so proud to see your son like this!]


    Musheng tilted his head. With his purple eyes, he looked quizzically at Tutor Zhang, "Why have you come to find me today, Old Zhang? Is there something urgent?"


    Tutor Zhang was shaken back to the present. He dipped his neck, "Indeed, Sect Master. I was under the impression that you were having a headache regarding those outer disciples of yours?"


    Musheng''s elegant smile sagged a little. He sighed.


    "It is not that my outer disciples are weak, it is just that there seems to be a big gap between the new disciples and the older ones. The top outer disciples and the other famous ones are strong enough, but there are no stand outs in the cultivation levels below the 7th¡­"


    "Besides that, they also lack good leaders¡­I''m afraid they''ll be a disorganised mess in the Monster Mausoleum. Then our chances of sending more disciples to the Secret Realm will decrease."


    Musheng sighed again. His black hair blew lightly in the wind as he looked contemplatively in the distance.


    Tutor Zhang smiled.


    "Actually, I may have a solution for you, Sect Master. You see, during my public forum today I bumped into two very interesting outer disciples. I believe they may be the gems you have been longing for."


    Musheng heard the old tutor''s words and looked curiously at him, "It is rare for you to heap praise upon disciples, Old Zhang. Who could have impressed you this much?"


    Tutor Zhang chuckled, "Two outer disciples, one in the 4th and the other in the 5th level of Qi Distillation!"


    Musheng''s curious expression faded somewhat, "Oh. That''s very good. However, their levels are a little low¡­"


    Tutor Zhang felt Musheng''s disappointment, "Do not worry about their current cultivation levels."


    "One entered the sect a month ago and has shot from the 1st level to the 5th, as well as achieved the expert-level in their ''Seven Stances of the Sand Scorpion''. The other is only in the 4th level of Qi Distillation and has achieved expert-level in their skill ''Dark Seas Palm''!"


    "A cultivation genius and a martial genius! They have already gained fame in the outer sect as the ''twin dragons!''" Tutor Zhang told the Sect Master.


    Musheng had regained some excitement in his eyes, "Is this truly as you say?"


    "Yes! Swear on my life!"


    Musheng nodded, "This is indeed very good. If they are as talented as you may them out to be, reaching at least the 6th level should qualify them to enter the Monster Mausoleum in two months'' time."


    The Sect Master looked up into the clear blue sky, "If they can enter the 6th level of Qi Distillation in two months'' time, I will let them enter the Monster Mausoleum¡­"


    Tutor Zhang was surprised, "Eh?"


    Sect Master Musheng smiled, "Tell them that if they are willing to lead a group of thirty disciples during the Monster Mausoleum and ensure not a single casualty occurs, I will directly grant them the title of ''inner disciple''!"


    Tutor Zhang felt his mouth drop to the ground, "S-Sect Master! Leading a battalion of thirty disciples? Directly entering the inner sect without passing any of our exams? All of the protocols will be broken!"


    Musheng smiled, "So be it. I have a good feeling about those two."


    The old tutor shook his head, "They are only young, that is a heavy burden!"


    The old man continued to shake his head, but several moments later he realised something, "Did you say achieving 6th level of Qi Distillation in two months? That is impossibly hard as well!"


    Musheng''s smile deepened. His eyes felt fathomless.


    "A true genius will not back off from a challenge."


    Tutor Zhang heard these words and felt them knock him on the head. Eventually, he sighed.


    "That is true, Sect Master. That is true¡­"


    In the end, Tutor Zhang still felt a slight discomfort in his heart. He struggled to put this discomfort into words, but eventually realised the cause of it.


    "Sect Master¡­ May I ask you something?"


    Musheng nodded, "Speak, Old Zhang."


    Tutor Zhang explained his thoughts, "This time, the opening of the Secret Realm¡­ I feel we are placing much more weight on it this year compared to ten years ago!"


    Sect Master Musheng''s face darkened. He drew the old tutor to a corner of the pavilion they stood on.


    "It is as you say, Old Zhang. I am indeed placing much importance on the opening of the realm this time¡­ And I''m afraid that¡­"


    Musheng narrowed his eyes and spoke quietly, "What do you know about the sea that borders our realm, Old Zhang?"


    The old tutor shook his head, "Barely anything. It surrounds our realm and we cannot pass through it. It is the end of the world."


    Sect Master Musheng leant closer, "What if I told you¡­ it''s not?"


    "What if I told you that beyond the sea is a wall, and beyond this wall is a vast space beyond our wildest imaginings? What if it is filled with dangerous beings who could kill us with a look, who were waiting for the chance to enter our realm and plunder it?"


    Tutor Zhang felt shaken, "All the scholars have dreamed about the space beyond the sea¡­are you telling me that we actually have known all along what is beyond it?"


    Musheng nodded, "The Late Sect Master told me a tale that had been passed on to him by his Master, and his Master before him, and his Master''s Master and so on."


    "The mystic sea surrounding our Divine River Realm. It has always been there. But the barrier? Someone put it there, hundreds of millions of years ago. Master guessed that it was to protect this realm from the world beyond. The barrier in the mystic sea has been opened before, however."


    Tutor Zhang gasped, "It has been opened before?"


    Musheng nodded, "It has been opened multiple times. Each time, it was opened with a very special key. A singular key. The person who held this key was known as the ''gatekeeper,'' and he controlled who entered and exited the realm."


    "From ancient records handed down in the Cedar Sect, we know that people have only ever entered the Divine River realm. Never the opposite."


    "Do you know what is even more shocking?" Musheng asked.


    The old tutor shook his head vigorously, his heart was beating fast as he listened to the Sect Master''s outlandish story.


    "The last person to enter our realm from beyond¡­ they came here only a couple hundred years ago. They are still here, and they are still alive!"


    Old Zhang gasped, "Still alive? Then we could ask them what is beyond the barrier in the mystic sea!"


    Musheng shook his head, "That person''s identity is unknown. They have been in hiding since they arrived!"


    Tutor Zhang found one curious point, "You said that this person who entered our realm¡­ you said that they are still inside the Divine River realm. How do you know this?"


    Sect Master Musheng leaned forwards once more. His purple eyes flashed, "Because I know they could not have left our realm. They could not have. The precious key was destroyed into three fragments and hidden all over the Divine River Realm!"


    Tutor Zhang suddenly felt that he had learned something deadly, he couldn''t help the patter of his heart.


    "Sect Master, you are telling this old man that not only was there a key that could allow one to enter or exit our realm, it was also split into many pieces? And they have been hidden so well that no one could find them for hundreds of years?"


    Musheng shook his head, "It is not that no one could find them. It is that they could not be found."


    "However, all signs are pointing to the opening of the Secret Realm. Not only does it open rarely, but only those under the Sea Establishment realm can also enter and survive within it. This cunning hiding place is probably why the fragment has not been found for hundreds of years."


    Tutor Zhang was worried, "Why can we not just leave the fragment within there? If it only opens every ten years, isn''t it quite safe?"


    Musheng smiled grimly, "In an ideal world, I would leave it there and it would be safe. However, we are not the only ones who know that the fragment might be in there. I suspect that the Star-Cutting Sword Sect Master also knows this secret. He wishes to grasp this fragment and eventually open the barrier!"


    Tutor Zhang was frightened, "But didn''t you say that evil beings of vast might roamed beyond these barriers? Wouldn''t opening the barrier be leading the tiger into our midst?"


    Sect Master Musheng looked deeply at him, "Indeed. That is why we must stop them at all costs!"


    Tutor Zhang continued to press, "Then why do they want to open the barrier? Do they not know the dangers?"


    Musheng raised his neck and stared once more at the blue sky. It was just slightly beginning to darken.


    "I suspect there are other forces working behind the scenes. Perhaps the Star-Cutting Sword Sect believe that untold riches lay beyond the barrier and untold opportunity. Perhaps they have been blinded by their greed¡­" The Sect Master trailed off.


    He looked down at Old Zhang in front of him and felt a little bad for revealing such heavy secrets to such an old fellow.


    [This guy should have retired a long time ago, yet here I am sharing my burdens with him¡­]


    "Old Zhang, I shall not trouble you further. Just tell your disciples what I have told you. I must increase the number of people we can take within the Secret Realm and stop the Star-Cutting Sect''s nefarious plots at all cost!"

 61 Crimson Monarch Armour

    [Morning of the Lantern Festival]


    Van woke up feeling chipper and alert. He donned his robes and combed his hair. The Lantern Festival was a day in which everyone took care to look their best and most presentable, so he was putting in extra effort into his appearance.


    After Van put on his shoes, he wrapped his harpoons around his arms and hid them with his sleeves. Then he slung his axe on his shoulders.


    Van left the room and went to grab breakfast with Ryan. When he saw the other boy, Ryan was beaming from ear to ear. Van smiled.


    "Congratulations!"


    The grey-haired boy shook his head, "I should be thanking you. The five Brown King Ant beast cores allowed me to push straight to the 3rd level of Qi Distillation!"


    "It was like you said. If you swallow them the spiritual power assimilate faster, but you will also get a lot of demonic impurities. If you hold them in your hand while you cultivate, the results take longer but the energy is much purer. Due to that, I progressed smoothly. Thank you, Van. Becoming an outer disciple¡­ You have changed my destiny twice."


    Ryan knelt to the ground and tried to kowtow, but Van quickly pulled him up. Van felt slightly embarrassed.


    Van scratched his head. What to say? How did people have friends?


    "It''s fine. Um. I will be glad to have someone I trust in the outer sect," he scratched his head again, "Get strong quickly and fight by my side."


    Ryan felt as if there were a burning flame inside him, "I will train harder so that I can fight at your level."


    Once Ryan spoke these words, he felt immensely relieved. As if a knot within him had loosened. His goals now were simple.


    Van smiled, "I am going to the Mystery Object Sale today. Fortunes are changed there. An item bought for even three coppers may turn out to be an ancient treasure worth millions of spirit stones."


    Ryan looked intrigued, "Really? That sounds¡­ almost like a scam¡­"


    Van shrugged, "Probably will be. But it''ll be fun to have a look anyway."


    Ryan smirked, "Sounds like a plan."


    Van smacked his head, "First things first, I need to pick something up!"


    ____


    [Goldman''s Forge, Leyra District, Dragon City.]


    Van left Ryan at the small restaurant they were having dinner at and headed for Goldman''s Forge. It was a large, hulking affair with massive plumes of black smoke emitting from it. The door was lined with silver and gold ¨C but no one dared to chip pieces of it off for the money. Afterall, the forge was protected under Imperial Decree.


    Van pushed his hand against the shiny metallic door and entered a blazing forge.


    Inside, hot air assaulted him. Van, due to his affinity for fire, felt extremely comfortable in this type of environment. He breathed in the fumes unique to a place that smelted and shaped metal daily.


    A wiry young man saw him and nodded to a female shop assistant standing near the door. Then he resumed his work hammering at something inside the forge.


    The young girl walked up to him, "How may I help you, sir?"


    "I am here to pick up an item," Van replied.


    "Then may I have your order number please, sir?"


    Van raised an eyebrow, "I don''t have one!"


    The girl stuttered, "Umm¡­ that is¡­ If you do not have an order number, I cannot help you!"


    Van tried to remember what the shopkeeper at the trade store had told him but did not recall an order number.


    The young girl became flustered. She looked pointedly at the wiry young man at the forge.


    The young man saw her look and took his mitts off. When someone replaced him at the forge, he approached Van and inserted himself between Van and the young girl defensively.


    "What is the problem here?"


    Van looked at the other young man, "I am here to pick up a promised item, but I do not have an order number!"


    The wiry young man was angered, "This is a famous and reputable armoury, and my grandfather is the Royal Armourist here. If you do not have an order number, we do not owe you any items!"


    Despite wanting to be calm, Van was beginning to get ticked off.


    "May I talk to someone more senior, please."


    The young man did not like Van''s attempt to diminish his authority, "There is absolutely no need for that! If you want something you must order it, pay and then wait a few weeks. Since you cannot divulge your order number, do not make this difficult for me."


    Van replied simply, "I am simply asking that I be able to speak to someone more senior. I am not making this difficult for you."


    The wiry young man''s face grew red, "Still talking back?"


    He puffed up and was about to angrily push Van away, "Leave! Before I call security on you!"


    Van sidestepped his pushing motion and simply walked away. The wiry young man''s face went livid purple.


    "You! Stop!"


    But Van was too fast. In a few seconds, he was very close to the inner forge where more experience masters were working on pieces of armour. As he closed in, shadows dropped down from the ceiling. They restrained him, but Van called out loudly in a calm voice.


    "Let me see the Royal Armourist! His grandson is trying to kick me out, but I am only here to pick up an item that was promised to me!"


    No one responded. The security guards tried to drag him away.


    Van took a harder stance, he yelled to the back: "Is this how you treat your benefactors? Your friend told me you desperately needed the shell of the Queen Brown King Ant and I generously sold it for a higher price in exchange for a set of armour! Are you ignoring a promise that you made to your old friend?"


    The security guards continued to drag him. However, for some reason this young man felt heavier than a hundred ingots of steel! Their progress was extremely slow.


    The wiry young man was glaring at Van with hatred in his eyes.


    At that moment, a very tall and round shape emerged from the back forge. When they removed their breathing mask, Van saw a wrinkled but jolly face.


    "What is this commotion about? Is my grandson making trouble again?"


    Van saw his opportunity. He immediately adjusted his attitude and performed a full bow.


    "Senior! This disciple here is from the Cedar Sect. Last week, I sold a large segment of a Queen Brown King Ant''s shell to a friend of yours, who informed me that you were urgently seeking this material would be happy to supply me with some plate armour in exchange for a lower buying price. He told me his name was Luther!"


    The old man''s blue eyes widened, "So, it is you the armour is intended for, young chap! I am Reginald, but everyone calls me Reggie. I am Cloud River''s Royal Amourist, and you indeed saved me from a pinch by quickly supplying me with that quality specimen. Come, come!"


    Reginald beckoned for Van to follow him to the storage room.


    Van nodded and followed.


    Behind him, the wiry young man''s face paled, "W-what?"


    Reginald chatted happily about his memories with his best friend Luther as he and Van walked to the storage rooms.


    "You know, that fella has saved me more times than I can count now. It is really great you know, when you are an armourist and your best friend trades materials, really convenient! Plus, he''s a great fella. Did he tell you about the time we were chased by an angered tiger across three mountains? We both thought that was the end of the rope you know, we were going to die¡­. Oh, we are here!"


    Reginald, despite the significant fat he had around his body, also had some serious strength and physique. He pulled open an immense-looking steel door with a complex locking mechanism on the front.


    Reginald walked in quickly and soon returned with a set of gleaming red armour.


    "I did a good job," Reginald said, admiring his own handiwork, "This is just as good as the larger set I sent to the general''s son! I am calling it the ''Crimson Monarch Plate Armour.''"


    Van was immediately taken with the Crimson Monarch plate armour. It looked magnificent!


    "It is just thin enough that you can comfortably wear this beneath your robes," Reginald said, beaming, "You might want to try that out!"


    Van nodded enthusiastically, "May I put this on now?"


    Reginald laughed with great booming sounds, "So passionate! I like that you like it so much, young man! There is a space where you can change back in the front of the store, I will take you back there."


    They returned to the front of the store. There were several fitting rooms to one side.


    Van went into a secluded room and changed into the Crimson Monarch plate armour.


    It fitted perfectly like a second skin and moved fluidly with him. Its weight was barely noticeable to Van.


    Satisfied, Van directly threw his robes over the top and left the store.


    Behind him, the wiry young man was gnashing his teeth.


    [That bastard!! He made me embarrass myself in front of the girl I like!]


    SMACK!


    A strong force suddenly hit the young man on the bum! He turned around angrily but came face to face with the stormy face of his grandfather.


    "Grandad, he-!"


    Another strike to his butt.


    "Still making excuses! Haven''t I told you countless times to try to understand a situation more thoroughly before you begin to angrily shout again? Can''t you be a little more patient? Or were you too busy worrying about how good you looked in front of that girl? Well guess what, you look a right fool right now!"


    The young man was mortified. He ducked his head down and could do nothing but helplessly take his grandfather''s verbal lashing.


    ___


    Van retrieved Ryan from the small restaurant and they emerged onto the street. The sound of hundreds of people''s chatter filled the evening air.


    Van walked around the streets with Ryan, sampling a few snacks for dessert here and there and buying tiny lantern-holding figurines for Finn.


    Eventually the sun set and the only source of light were the thousands of glittering lanterns in the sky.


    Van perked up, "The sun sets at six. That means the Mystery Object Sale is starting in half an hour!"


    As the duo walked to the street the Mystery Object Sale was held in, Van spotted a very familiar figure up ahead. Wearing pink robes, her distinctive buns had been changed into a flying fairy''s knot. Two dangling pearl earrings added an elegant and mature aura to her childish face.


    Van was curious, "Is that Delphine girl going to the Mystery Object Sale as well?"


    It seemed to be true, for she seemed to be ever-present as they navigated the streets.


    Van pulled out a ragged map he had bought from a street vendor and checked the address, "That''s strange. It should be really close by now¡­ Ooft!"


    There was a girlish scream. Then the sound of two bodies hitting the pavement.

 62 The Mystery Object Sale 1

    Two bodies hit the pavement.


    "Aaaah!" A girl screamed, "Get this pig off me!"


    Her voice was muffled as she was buried underneath another body. The weight lying on her was so great she thought her spine would snap.


    Moisture tickled the back of her neck. She freaked out.


    "Noooo!"


    Van was not offended by her calling him a ''pig.''


    In fact, she wasn''t talking to him at all.


    There really was a pig lying on top of her!


    A giant, slobbering pig with black spots on its pink body.


    But how had this happened?


    ____


    [Flashback Start]


    Nose buried in the map, Van didn''t notice the big cart moving in front of him until it was too late. He bumped straight into it.


    BANG!


    The cart tilted steeply due to impacting Van''s body.


    Suddenly, a giant, grunting pig with black spots was ejected from the big cart!


    Van rubbed his eyes. He saw a small girl up ahead and had a bad feeling.


    [Uh oh].


    Oink Oink!


    There was the sound of a girlish scream.


    [Flashback End]


    ____


    [Shit,] Van thought, [Did I do that?]


    Oink Oink!


    The pig panicked and struggled to heave itself up.


    "My pig!" The pig-seller yelled, horrified. He ran over and tried to rescue it.


    Van was guiltily aware that the whole thing was his fault. He rolled up his sleeves, strode forwards heroically and seized the massive pig by its two back trotters!


    Oink Oink!


    The pig squealed wildly. It was lifted high into the air.


    Delphine was revealed beneath. Her hair was slightly messy, and her pink robes wrinkled. She looked ruffled and displeased. She eyed Van suspiciously.


    [Why did this guy suddenly appear when this happened...? Did he do this? To get back at me negotiating a higher share in the Threadspinner woods?]


    The pig continued to flail wildly in mid-air.


    "You! Get your hands off my pig!" The red-faced pig-seller yelled at Van angrily. He had his hands on his hips, "My prize-pig weighs eight-hundred kilos and is going to win at the Pig Championship tonight!"


    The crowd was shocked. They were already awed by the sight of the young boy holding a giant pig above his head, but now it was also an eight-hundred kilo pig?


    The kid had lifted an eight-hundred-kilo pig to rescue a young girl!


    Glimmers of admiration could be seen in the eyes of the crowd. What a gentleman!


    Van had no idea that the crowd''s thoughts were running wild and missing the point. He folded his arms and looked at the pig-seller with contempt, "Eight-hundred kilos? Your prize pig isn''t even six-hundred kilos, who are you trying to fool?"


    The pig seller''s face grew red with a mix of anger, embarrassment and indignation.


    Van did not allow the pig seller a chance to speak, "So clumsy as well. You better watch your steps carefully from now on, lest you harm another young girl with your carelessness!"


    Van hurled a flurry of unkind words. Why? He was trying to deflect the crowd''s attention to the pig-seller and make the other guy into public enemy one of course!


    After all, Van was the real culprit!


    Like a gentleman, Van stepped forwards and extended a hand to Delphine. She grasped his proffered hand with her small fingers.


    "Thank you," Delphine said. Her ears pinked.


    Oink Oink!


    The massive pig suddenly started acting wild on the cart. The pig-seller immediately went to calm the distraught pig.


    Van tightened his hold on Delphine''s hand and dragged her away from the scene.


    Ryan followed. He was incredibly amused with the whole situation.


    The trio soon left the sight of the crowd.


    "My hand¡­" Delphine said. She felt embarrassed because they had held hands for so long. Plus, there was another person here!


    Van dropped her hand immediately.


    Delphine was stunned. He had flung her hand away so quickly¡­!


    After a few moments, she regained herself, "Who is this young man beside you, Van?"


    Van slapped Ryan on the shoulder, "This is my friend, Ryan. We both came from the same village. He''s a hardworking fella. Bit hard to talk to sometimes because the only thing that he cares about is training, training and training."


    Delphine and Ryan awkwardly greeted each other.


    The grey-eyed boy looked surreptitiously at Van and then back at Delphine. One was clearly interested in the other, but the other one¡­ was like a brick wall.


    Ryan shook his head.


    Delphine turned her cat-like eyes to Van, "I apologise for showing you such a shameful sight. The pig was ordinary and did not have an aura, and I did not expect it to suddenly fly my way. I reacted too slowly¡­"


    "Anyway," she continued, "Where were you guys off to before? I have lived in Dragon City all my life, so I can give you directions and sight-seeing tours. Think of it as thanks for rescuing me from further embarrassment just now."


    Van exchanged a glance with Ryan, "Actually, we were going to check out the Mystery Object Sale."


    Delphine was surprised, "I am going there as well. Follow me, then."


    ____


    The trio soon arrived at Pearl-Blossom Avenue, the most decorated and festive street in the inner city.


    It seemed as if the entire city were crammed into this tiny space. People waited patiently with expressions of hope and anxiety on their faces.


    Who hadn''t heard about Gauntlet Mask? That gallant hero who had discovered that the thing stuck under layers of ancient crust in an extremely old urinal was in fact, a legendary mask?


    What about the famous Frost Pill Sage, the foremost alchemy expert in Cloud River? She had used a chipped bowl she bought from the Mystery Object Sale as an incense holder, and one day discovered that it was the mythical Snow-Spirit Cauldron!


    Who didn''t want to rise to fame and change their fortunes over night?


    The rhythmic sound of drums began to fill the air.


    People''s faces glowed with excitement.


    "It''s starting!"


    Boom boom boom boom


    Over a hundred figures dressed in white emerged from the far end of the street. They wore torn and ripped robes that flowed eerily in a non-existent breeze. Many of them were bloodstained. Their faces were pale and drained of colour, as if they had spent hundreds of years without sunlight. The ghostly figures cried out in a strange language and held mysterious pieces of wood in their hands that they shook in the air.


    Woooo woooo


    Ghostly cries filled the street.


    "This is the famous Hundred Ghost Procession. It is always performed before the opening of the Mystery Object Sale," Delphine told Van and Ryan, "This dance wards any evil intent aimed at them from angry ghosts they offended by raiding their tombs."


    Boom boom boom


    The procession slowed and stopped.


    Fireworks lit the sky. A massive shadow appeared in the sky above. It began to descend.


    With a loud thud, a large hall decorated with golden tiles landed in the middle of the street.


    Dazzling yellow light spilt from it as the doors opened.


    In concert, the one hundred ghosts stripped off their costumes to reveal neat golden uniforms. With a wave of their hands, their makeup disappeared. Figures in the same uniform emerged from the doors of the golden hall and placed ten massive chests in the street.


    "The ones in golden uniform are the auctioneers," Delphine explained.


    The auctioneers bowed in unison and shouted:


    "The Annual Mystery Object Sale will now begin!"


    The crowd cheered.


    A slender woman in gold stepped forwards and spoke loudly, "As usual, twelve separate auctions will be held in different rooms within the golden hall. The largest items are auctioned in the 1st room, while the smallest items will be auctioned in the 12th room. Mystery objects smaller than the size of a finger will be sold in the streets."


    "Generally," the golden lady explained, "The bigger the mystery item it, the more it is auctioned for. It is more likely for a large mystery object to turn out to be a treasure."


    Delphine turned to Van, "Where will you go?"


    Van picked his ear, "Eh. I''ll check out the street sale."


    "I will accompany you then," Delphine asserted. She worried that he would get duped by the auctioneers and pay a thousands for a bag of useless ancient pebbles. Besides, if she was lucky, she might find an ancient pill or something.


    Van had a good reason for wanting to go to the street sale over the auction rooms.


    Firstly, they were bound to pay less attention to the people buying on the streets. This was perfect for Van''s purpose of making a killing from nothing.


    Plus, the stuff in the auction rooms were much more likely to be overpriced. The auctions will also proceed slowly. I will be better off quickly going through the goods in the streets and then looking at the auction rooms later.]


    You might ask why the people who conducted the Mystery Object Sale didn''t just scrape off this crust themselves and find out what was below them.


    The truth is, they would be complete and utter idiots if they did!


    After all, if they simply left the crust on, they could even sell trash worth absolutely nothing!


    The occasional loss from selling a superb treasure for less money, was insignificant compared to the amount of money they made simply from selling ancient trash items for 1000 times their true value.


    The probability of gaining something good was only 0.0001%!


    Even Van couldn''t help but praise their business model.


    The auctioneers were already hard at work on the streets, talking loudly and advertising the things they extracted from the chests.All the objects they pulled out were covered in ancient crust that obscured their true appearance and dulled the spiritual power they might emit.


    "Esteemed customers! Look at the shape of this mystery item! The way the crust is shaped is very familiar¡­I have sold many of these mystery items before, and 8/10 times they yielded ancient bronze statues. These statues calm the mind and clears internal demons!"


    Immediately, a few customers rushed forwards and began to tussle for the item. When a bald man finally was the winner, he triumphantly bought the mystery object. He wanted the ancient bronze statue!


    Impatient, the bald man immediately cracked the ancient crust. His expression sank.


    "Aiyah. Just trash," he complained to his friends, "But I will not give up until I find a true treasure tonight!"


    His friends cheered and egged him on.


    The auctioneer watched them walk away with a broad smile on his face.


    [These types of idiots are exactly why we make so much money. What a fool.]


    The auctioneer looked at the massive bags of pebble-sized mystery objects he still had to sell. From experience, the size and shape of the mystery objects indicated that they were 100% worthless trash.


    He felt a headache coming on.


    [I need to find some gullible people to sell these to¡­]


    The auctioneer spotter two very young cultivators walking towards him. One was a young boy with dark hair. He wore the robes of an outer disciple of the Cedar Sect. The other was a young girl with expensive looking clothes and expensive pearl earrings.


    The auctioneer smiled.


    "Young couple! Over here!"

 63 The Mystery Object Sale 2

    [I need to find some gullible people to sell these to¡­] The auctioneer thought.


    At that moment, he spotted two young cultivators walking towards him. One was a young boy with the robes of an outer disciple of the Cedar Sect. The other was a young girl with expensive looking attire.


    The auctioneer smiled. He waved his hands in a friendly matter.


    "Young couple! Over here!"


    The two people looked at him. The boy''s expression was unreadable. There was a slight trace of haughtiness on the girl''s face, as she disdained to speak to him.


    The auctioneer did not let go of his smile, "Young man, are you looking for treasures for this young lady, today? Let me tell you, I have been an auctioneer for the Mystery Object Sale for over ten years now, and I am very experienced at identifying treasures."


    He led them over to the chest and picked out a few objects covered in ancient crust, "Look at this object here, doesn''t this shape remind you of something? This teardrop shape could be hiding a Brightmoon Pearl, a legendary pearl capable of keeping a person''s skin supple and smooth for over a hundred years. I will teach you another trick, this kind of object ¨C shaped like a star, you see ¨C is far more likely to contain a precious treasure."


    Van was inwardly sneering. All the objects Van could see were very low in quality or trash. There were only one or two that seemed that it might contain an ancient, precious pill. However, it was rotten and would have no effect!


    As the auctioneer spoke, more and more people drew closer. They crowded around and sighed with amazement as the auctioneer practised his craft. It seemed as if the more he spoke, the more compulsive his voice became and the more the customers were drawn into his spell.


    The mystery objects in the street weren''t expensive, after all, only 1-10 silver taels apiece. Some were even only a few coppers! Even the smartest of people became as dumb as sheep in front of the lure of cheap treasure.


    "Is that true, sir?" One man said eagerly, his eyes gleaming.


    "Yes," the auctioneer nodded, "No one knows why, but you are far more likely to pick a precious object if you look for this distinct, star-like shape."


    The man grew excited, "I just picked a hundred of them because I thought they looked quite unique. I never knew I had such a good eye! Let me buy them right now." He held out a sack full of them and showed the auctioneer.


    Van had a look. The coldness in his expression spread.


    [This auctioneer¡­ he is quite cunning. These star-shaped objects are actually 100 times more likely to contain trash than everything of the other items!]


    The auctioneer''s smile grew wide, "Perfect! I will sell them to you for ten silver taels apiece!"


    The enthusiastic man handed over one thousand silver taels to the auctioneer. Excitedly, he opened all of them.


    As he looked at the results, his expression became disappointed, "The only thing here that is not trash is a half-chewed ancient pill. From the smell, it is clearly rotten and contains no effect anymore."


    The auctioneer saw his sour expression and shrugged, "You are simply very unlucky. If you think about it, however, the presence of a half-chewed ancient pill means that some might contain intact ones!"


    The man felt doubtful - he had just splurged one thousand taels in the heat of the moment and yet he had nothing to show for it, "Should I try again¡­?" he mumbled to himself.


    "Aaaaaaah!" Someone shouted shrilly.


    Van and Delphine, who had been standing silently the entire time, turned their heads as they heard a cry of joy.


    A red-faced woman stood in front of another auctioneer with tears in her eyes, "T-This is¡­!"


    The female auctioneer in front of her smiled, "Congratulations, you have discovered an ancient Serene Flower Pendant. Not only does it increase the defence of the wearer, it also imparts resistance to poisons and an affinity for nature. If it was sold in an auction, it might reach over six thousand taels."


    The woman was ecstatic, "And I only spent one silver tael? Am I dreaming!?"


    The crowd immediately gathered around her, amazed and envious.


    Van saw the object in her hands.


    [Not a bad item,] Jet commented lazily, [But not worth our time, either.]


    Van turned back to the chest in front of him and saw the enthusiastic man busily picking out more mystery objects. Despite having already wasted 1000 taels, he was clearly inspired by the luck of the woman who had just bought an expensive treasure with only one silver tael!


    Van shook his head. Another fool had taken the bait.


    The auctioneer smiled happily and turned his attention back to Van and Delphine, after all, they wore the most prestigious and expensive clothes in the crowd, "You saw that lady just then, she spent only a single silver tael and yet was able to-"


    Van cut him off, "Cut the blather. I will look in the chest myself."


    The auctioneer''s face turned ugly. The customers usually tried to flatter and cosy up to him in hopes that he would give them advice. When had he ever been so maltreated!


    "Hmph! Do as you like!" The auctioneer ignored Van and continued to speak to the crowd.


    Van walked up to the chest.


    [Let''s get to work, Jet.]


    [Finally!] The ring shouted. It spun excitedly, [Let me sniff out these treasures!]


    ____


    Half an hour later, Van had searched through the entire chest. He had seen many items worth between 50-1000 silver taels. However, they were mixed with thousands and thousands of worthless items.


    After being there a while, he noticed that most other customers were finding treasures, but at a rate in which they were losing money overall. For example, they would spend 2000 taels only to find several objects worth 100 taels or a single item worth 300.


    Only occasionally did a customer walk off with something worth more than 5000, and most of them had spent well over 10,000 taels to do so. Of course, there were those that were extraordinarily lucky and managed to score a treasure without spending significant money.


    Van shook his head. Still, what an impressive money-making scheme!


    Currently, Van held five items in his hands. They appeared ordinary and nondescript ¨C the same as hundreds of other mystery objects within the chest. Individually, they were worth between 5000-9000 taels.


    Van turned away, satisfied.


    Delphine felt curiosity chewing a hole in her stomach. She couldn''t hold it in, "You searched for half an hour, and yet you only chose those five?"


    Delphine couldn''t fathom it. Only people who felt that they had some talent for identifying treasures would bother to do that, ordinary people just grabbed a handful or listened to the auctioneer!


    [Is he just posing in front of me?] She couldn''t help but wonder.


    Van smiled, "These five are treasures worth a couple thousand taels each."


    "Pfft!"


    Delphine laughed.


    Then she saw Van''s stoic expression, "What? You are trying to tell me that, despite the tiny chance of picking treasures, you have somehow picked five? There is not a single item of trash in there? Don''t make me laugh!"


    Van''s face became cloudy, "Brat. Just watch."


    Delphine followed him with a disbelieving expression on her face.


    Van walked up to the auctioneer, "I will purchase these five objects."


    The auctioneer saw that it was the kid who dismissed his words as ''blather'' earlier. Immediately, his face was unpleasant, "One hundred taels for each."


    Van didn''t blink. He shelled out the silvers. The treasures were worth enough that he didn''t feel it was worth arguing with the auctioneer.


    The auctioneer was stunned. Was this kid a fool? Who would pay a hundred silvers like that? Damnit, he should have asked for more money!


    The auctioneer smiled and said, "Young man, why don''t you choose some more mystery items? Only five seems too little, how about another hundred items? That''s 10,000 taels, but I''ll reduce it to 9500 for you!"


    Van laughed, "No need!"


    The auctioneer''s face became ugly again, "Very well! Don''t complain to me when your little handful of five doesn''t yield a single treasure."


    Van raised an eyebrow, "Want to bet?"


    Delphine grabbed his sleeve.


    Van looked mockingly at the auctioneer.


    The auctioneer was angry, this kid was looking down on him! In fact, the kid had been looking down on him since the start. He quickly scanned the five crusted objects in Van''s arms and scoffed. Relying on his experience, he knew that there was a 90% chance that none of them were treasures.


    He was willing to bet on a 90% chance!


    "Fine, I bet! I bet 1,000 silver taels that all of your items are worthless trash!" the auctioneer shouted.


    Van raised an eyebrow, "Such a little amount of money? Raise the stakes."


    The crowd heard this and went silent. They were shocked that someone could make such an audacious statement! They gathered around to watch the spectacle.


    The auctioneer''s eyes narrowed. Where did this kid''s confidence come from? He felt uneasy but didn''t want to look like a wimp so he put on an arrogant face.


    "Hah! I will raise the bet. 15,000 taels if a single treasure in your arms is worth more than 5,000 silver taels!" He didn''t think that a lowly outer disciple of the Cedar Sect would have that much money on him. He bet the kid wouldn''t dare to bet!


    Van saw the auctioneer''s arrogant expression and held in his laughter.


    [Fuck! This guy is a gift that just keeps on giving.]


    The auctioneer crossed his arms, "Well? Feel free to start humiliating yourself. Crack open the ancient crust if you dare!"


    The crowd leaned closer. Did the kid dare to take the bet?


    No one believed that the kid could have found something worth 5,000 taels in one shot. They secretly wanted to see him be humiliated and shamed to vent off a little steam! They shuffled closer with gloating looks in their eyes.


    Van smiled serenely and picked up one of the pebble-sized mystery objects in his grasp.


    Delphine closed her eyes. She couldn''t bear watching.


    Cr-ack!


    There was an awful silence.


    ...


    The sound of many people gasping filled the air.


    "N-no way!"


    Delphine''s eyes snapped open.

 64 The Mystery Object Sale 3

    In Van''s palm was a round blue object emitting a brilliant glow. The blue light cast a weird shadow on the multitude of people in the crowd staring at it.


    The crowd was flabbergasted. Their mouths gaped open as they witnessed the miraculous scene in front of them. Just its appearance was enough to show that it was definitely high quality goods worth several thousand taels.


    That meant¡­ the auctioneer had lost the bet. The auctioneer would have to give the kid a whopping 15,000 silver taels!


    Delphine was even more shocked than them.


    [Could Van have been telling the truth when he said all five contained treasures?]


    The auctioneer fell to the ground, legs weak. He recognised that pill.


    A knowledgeable person in the crowd pushed forwards and screamed hoarsely, "The ancient Brimming Spirit pill! It really is the ancient Brimming Spirit pill!"


    "It is super effective for people below the 6th level of Qi Distillation has a 25% chance of raising cultivation by one level. In today''s market, it is worth 9,000 silver taels!"


    There were still people who were sceptical, "How do you know so much about an ancient pill?"


    The person who spoke up before replied, "Someone found one last year too!"


    Van stowed away the Brimming Spirit pill. The strong fragrance remained in the air.


    The crowd were disappointed they couldn''t look at it for longer. Though they were bitter and jealous, they weren''t stupid enough to try and steal it.


    The people who operated the Mystery Object Sale tolerated no criminal behaviour. They had many people guarding the surrounding streets. It was of utmost importance to them that their customers felt safe ¨C otherwise, how could they make money?


    The collapsed auctioneer bitterly pulled out 15,000 taels and handed them quickly to Van. His appearance was like a defeated rooster.


    The auctioneer couldn''t bear to see the boy for a moment longer, "J-just take it!"


    "Thank you!" Van said brightly. He ignored the auctioneer''s bitter laugh.


    Whistling, Van moved on to the next chest.


    Delphine followed, "Wait, Van!"


    Van stopped and turned his head.


    "Do you have a talent for identifying treasures? Do you have a master who taught you? Is it the way they look or smell? How did you know?!" Her mouth did not stop spewing questions.


    Van felt a headache coming on. To stop her from speaking, he nodded, "I only discovered it just now, but I have a strange talent for identifying treasures. It is too hard to explain what I know."


    Delphine was impressed, "Um, I''m sorry I laughed at you earlier."


    Van accepted her apology. As he moved down the street and approached the next large chest, he saw Ryan running towards him.


    Earlier, the grey-eyed boy had expression his wish to go exploring on his own and Van had acquiesced.


    Ryan had wanted to go and try his luck. He felt that Van had helped him so many times in the past month; he knew he should be relying on himself more, instead of burdening Van.


    "Van!" Ryan shouted as he ran forwards. His grey hair was messed up and his eyes gleamed. A mystery object was clenched in his fist.


    The ring in Van''s mind became alert, [That treasure¡­ it''s pretty good! Interestingly, it has picked that kid and won''t accept anyone else.]


    Van was surprised, [Treasures can pick people?]


    Jet scoffed.


    [Dumbass! If I didn''t choose you why am I stuck in your stinking teenage mind!?]


    Van scratched his head sheepishly, [You have a point.]


    The ring spun, [Damn right I do! Should have chosen a brighter fella, sheesh.]


    Ryan showed Van the crusty ancient artefact, "When I was walking around, I felt a strange tugging sensation in my navel. Before I knew it, I was already buying it. I feel like it has a strong affinity with me. Should I open it?"


    Van closed Ryan''s fist, "No. If it is something that good, we don''t want to attract undue attention."


    Ryan calmed down, he nodded.He cast a look around the street. There were still thousands of people milling about, making noise and exchanging coins.


    "You are wise, Van. I will refrain from opening it until we return to the outer sect dorms," Ryan said as he put the object away.


    Van nodded, "If you open it and it contains something very good, don''t show anyone else."


    With the Brimming Spirit Pills, he had made a calculated risk to earn 15,000 silver taels in one shot. If the pills weren''t effective only for those under the 6th level of QI Distillation, Van wouldn''t have shown it for any amount of money. This was because Van had confidence, he could deal with anyone in those cultivation levels. Anything higher was risky.


    Hearing Van''s advice to keep his treasure secret, Ryan nodded seriously. Delphine was curious but didn''t press.


    The trio continued forwards. As they approached the next big chest, a new auctioneer approached them - a middle-aged man with slanted eyes.


    "How can I help you, sirs and madame?"


    "There is no need. We will look for ourselves," Van said.


    Unlike the other auctioneer, this one had far more sense and tact. When he saw that they were uninterested in his services, he backed off and spoke to other people.


    Van walked up to the massive chest. There were already many people around it, so he had to squeeze in between a fat man and a frantic lady. Behind them, steely eyed assistants made sure no one was running off with the goods.


    Van peered down; a dull mass of crusty artefacts greeted him. He began to sift through.


    Ten minutes later, his eyes noticed an object in the very bottom corner of the chest.


    Jet clamoured in his brain.


    [A Myriad Light Dimensional Ring! You fool, pick it up before someone else does!]


    Jet shouted and hollered, spinning violently around in Van''s mindscape and generally being a terror.


    Van''s heart beat fast as he looked at the crusty object in the bottom corner. He sidled up to a thin hook-nosed man standing closest to it and squeezed himself into the right spot. His hand closed over it.


    A that moment, another hand reached for it at the same time!


    Van was alarmed


    [Who?!]


    "Shit. Sorry, kid!"


    The thin hook-nosed man apologized for accidentally grabbed Van''s hand.


    Van smiled thinly. His heart was still beating at a hundred kilometres per hour. He thought that someone was trying to snatch this precious treasure from him!


    Jet kept making a racket, [Yes! This Myriad Light Dimensional Ring was rare even in the ancient times. It is undoubtedly one of the top objects they would have been able to extract from a place like the Forgotten Tombs!]


    Van held it tightly, [Is it really that good?]


    Jet continued, happy just thinking about treasure, [Of course. Unlike most dimensional rings, you can store living beings in it! Why? Because it can store small amounts of spiritual energy, the most basic form of sustenance for living spiritual items. Plus, the inner storage space is rather large, being 10 x 10 x 10 metres.]


    Van was shocked. 1000 cubic metres was many times more than the Ebony Dimensional Ring in the Cedar Sect''s Point Exchange Centre.


    Plus, this ring could store living items! Wasn''t it just too powerful?


    Van could carry pots of living herbs to cultivate wherever he went, and he could put Blackie in there if he ever needed to hide him.


    Jet was smug, [You should say ''thank you'' to this granddaddy! If not for me, this treasure would have fallen into someone else''s hands!]


    Van rolled his eyes, "Thank you, Jet."


    The ring spun, [The Myriad Light Dimensional Ring requires blood to accept you as it''s new owner. You will have to spend time refining it to remove the old owner''s imprint. There might be some old treasures in there, but you should be careful in case there are any traps.]


    Van nodded. He continued to look through the chest but found nothing worth note.


    The five items he had found in the first chest were Brimming Spirit Pills of varying quality. He had only opened the lowest quality one to show the auctioneer.


    Van randomly grabbed a few more pebble-sized mystery objects and bought them from the auctioneer for one hundred taels total. He did this so decrease attention towards himself.


    "Let''s go," he said to Ryan and Delphine, who were casually perusing the chest. Delphine had something in her hand.


    "That''s trash. Just throw it away," Van told Delphine. She bit her lip but acquiesced.


    [Why is he so rude!]


    Van felt that she strongly resembled Finn on a bad day just then. He felt slightly bad so he picked up something from the chest and threw it her way.


    Delphine brightened, "What''s in this?"


    "Ancient children''s'' toy," Van replied blandly.


    Steam rose off the top of Delphine''s head, "You!" She shouted, her face red with embarrassment.


    Van and Ryan laughed.


    "Ugh! I can''t deal with you guys!" Delphine said petulantly.


    She bought the mystery object; Van could not fathom why.


    They continued to look through the remaining chests. Van did not end up finding anything as good as the Myriad Light Dimensional Ring or even the Brimming Spirit Pills.


    Van turned to the others, "Let''s visit the 12th auction room."


    _____


    [Inside the Golden Hall.]


    A lady in golden uniform directed them into the 12th room in the Golden Hall. It was furthest to the left.


    As they walked in, a furore of noise greeted them.


    "Going once, going twice ¨C Sold to the senior over there for four thousand silver taels!"


    The auctioneer standing on the stage banged the gavel. A young boy wearing a small golden hat ran over to take the goods off the stage.


    "The next item is a mystery object just less than the size of a palm! This shape of object we at the Golden Hall are very familiar with, it resembles the shape of bottle or a vial. Bottles and vials often indicate a priceless ancient potion or pill bottle. Extremely precious items could be inside. The starting bid is 1,000 silver taels!"


    "Two thousand!"


    Someone quickly raised the price for the mystery object.


    [Hm?] Jet swam off his usual place in the centre of Van''s mindscape and moved to the forefront as if to peer through Van''s eyes.


    [That vial seems to contain a bloodline inheritance from an ancient beast! It''s worth is immeasurable ¨C ancient beasts were bigger and more powerful compared to the pitiful demon beasts today. It''s worth at least 100,000 spirit stones¡­]


    Van heard Jet talk in terms of spirit stones for the first time. As far as Van knew, even 1,000 silvers could barely buy a single spirit stone. That meant that vial up there was worth more than one million silver taels? These were crazy numbers!


    "Which bloodline does it contain?" Van asked.


    [I cannot tell from here. However, the bloodline signature is potent despite its dilution. I highly recommend you get your hands on it. You can use it to upgrade the bloodline of your pet wolf!]


    Van heard the price of the vial continue to rise. It was currently being auctioned for 6,000 silver taels. No one was bidding. After all, six-thousand was a lot to pay for an object that might contain nothing at all.


    Van squeezed his way into the crowd below the stage, "I bid 8,000 silver taels!"


    The crowd hushed. Everyone turned to look at him. They were stunned by how young he was!


    "This young kid must have been kicked in the brains to bid 8,000 taels ¨C didn''t he know that the probability of it containing a treasure is only 1:1000?"


    "Shit, how rich is he? I wish I could afford to gamble so much money."


    More comments rumbled through the crowd.


    The auctioneer brightened, "This young man bids 8,000 silver taels. Does anyone challenge this?"

 65 Mysterious Orb

    Van squeezed his way into the crowd below the stage, "I bid 8,000 silver taels!"


    The auctioneer brightened, "This young man bids 8,000 silver taels. Does anyone challenge this?"


    The person who previously had the winning bid was a middle-aged woman with a severe frown on her face. After a fierce internal struggle, she conceded.


    She did not raise her hand!


    Van sighed in relief.


    "Going once¡­ going twice¡­ sold to the young gentleman over there for 8,000 silver taels!" The auctioneer declared.


    BANG!


    Van immediately made his way over to the back room, where a small boy wearing a golden hat was waiting for him with the crusted vial that contained a dilute droplets of ancient beast bloodline.


    Van handed over the money and received the item. He put it away carefully. Quickly, he assessed his gains that night:


    5 x Brimming Spirit Pills


    1 x Myriad Light Dimensional Ring


    1 x Ancient Beast Bloodline


    Van still had 23,650 silver taels left on him. It was enough to buy several more items in the Golden Hall.


    Delphine looked curiously at Van, [That must have been something good, otherwise he would not have bought it. I wonder what it was¡­?]


    Twenty minutes on and Van was bored. The objects brought out after the ancient beast bloodline were all being auctioned for more than they were worth.


    "Should we go to a different room?" Van asked the other two. They nodded.


    As they drew close to the 11th auction room, Van felt the green turtle shell in his mindscape tremble in excitement. He felt something tugging at his feet, trying to drag him to the 10th auction room!


    "What the hell-?"


    Jet was surprised, but not worried, [The green bastard likes something in there. Let''s go check it out!]


    They entered a much more spacious room. There were fewer people, and the items on auction were set at a higher price benchmark. Merchants and noblemen abounded in the space. Van saw a few sect disciples as well.


    On the stage, a mature lady with a jade pin in her hair hit the lectern with an elegant gold gavel.


    "Sold for 11,000 taels ¨C congratulations to the young miss in green!" She shouted. The audience clapped politely.


    "Not a bad item, it is worth the 11,000 taels," Van commented lightly.


    They took a seat somewhere in the back of the crowd and watched. With the help of Van, Delphine purchased an ancient rusted cauldron for 13,000 silver taels. If it was intact, its value would be much higher than that. Delphine wanted it anyway for research purposes.


    This made Van curious. Was she studying to become a pill-maker or alchemist? The last time he had bumped into her at the apothecaries she had wanted a packet of body strengthening power. Since she clearly wasn''t a body cultivator, she might have wanted it for research purposes.


    Time passed. Many items were auctioned. Despite the devious nature of the auctioneers on the streets, it was clear that the Golden Hall did have some skills. Most of the ancient artefacts that were put onto the stage were revealed to be treasures. Most of them were low-level, but a few were better in quality.


    Van won a bid for a medium-sized jar of ancient pills. The jar contained ten Fiend Blood Restoration Pills ¨C capable of instantly restoring 80% of a cultivator''s health and spiritual energy. If the lady auctioneer knew she had sold such priceless treasures for only 9,000 taels she would have spat blood.


    Delphine and Ryan were feeling a little bored. They were just waiting for Van to do something or leave.


    "How much longer?" Delphine complained, yawning widely.


    Van''s eyes sharpened, "Shush!"


    The tugging sensation had just intensified by a hundred times!


    Delphine shut her mouth quickly but pouted unhappily. Ryan became alert.


    At that moment, the lady auctioneer brought forth a round artefact lying on a golden pillow.


    Jet chuckled, [Ah, so it''s this kind of thing! No wonder the green bastard likes it so much.]


    Van was extremely curious, [What is it?]


    The ring didn''t respond.


    The auctioneer spoke, "Our next item is quite mysterious ¨C we have never found something like this shape before. This could mean a unique, never-seen-before treasure! Our extraction specialists found this mystery object deep inside a deep underwater tomb. The starting bid is 3,000 silver taels ¨C do I hear a 4,000?"


    Van scanned the crowd to gauge interest in the object. From the expressions of the crowd, it seemed like this mystery item was not too popular. When he thought about it, it made sense.


    There were two interpretations of the lady''s words:


    One. It could be unique treasure.


    Two. This item is not of a shape we have ever seen before, and we cannot guarantee there is anything precious inside.


    The audience were all leaning to the second option!


    Van waiting for the initial bids to slow down.Then he stood up, "6500 taels!"


    He only increased the bid by 500 taels.


    The mature lady on the stage smiled softly, "We have a 6,500 from the young man at the back. Do I hear a 7,000? 7,000 taels to purchase what could be an exclusive treasure we will never see again¡­"


    She waited expectantly, "Going once, going twice¡­Sold!"


    Van felt his heart settle down. He got it! The turtle shell urgently pushed him towards the treasure, yearning for it. Van felt unsettled so he immediately went to the back of the stage to collect his items.


    Another small boy in golden uniform passed him his two items ¨C the bottle of Fiend Restoration Pills and the round artefact.


    Van was satisfied. Now he had:


    5 x Brimming Spirit Pills


    10 x Fiend Blood Restoration Pills


    1 x Myriad Light Dimensional Ring


    1 x Ancient Beast Bloodline


    1 x Mysterious Round Artefact


    Delphine tugged on his sleeves, "Let''s go see the 1st Auction Room. I want to see what kind of treasures they might sell in there!"


    ___


    The 1st Auction Room was an entirely different kind of beast compared to the rest. It''s loft ceiling stretched high enough that one could imagine clouds floating at its heights. The room was wide and spacious, and most of the people that could be seen were either extremely wealthy or blue-blooded. The walls even contained private seating rooms where the even members imperial family liked to sit with a pair of binoculars.


    As soon as he walked in, Van felt a chilling sensation soak through his body.


    [I don''t have a good feeling about this place¡­]


    ___


    [In a private space, the 1st Auction Room.]


    "My child," a husky voice said, "Why were you so focused on that boy who came in just now?"


    "What boy?" a cold voice replied.


    "Oh¡­?" A raspy chuckled filled the air.


    Following it; a heavy silence.


    A lady''s hand suddenly appeared in the gloom, wearing an exquisite red velvet glove. The gloved hand pressed heavily on the owner of the cold voice. An oppressive feeling filled the small space.


    "You can''t fool Mother¡­.tell Mother everything¡­" The woman''s raspy voice turned almost sibilant as she hissed her words. Her dressed rustled in the darkness as she moved forwards.


    The person in front of her struggled silently, "He¡­he''s advanced too quickly¡­ I feel threatened¡­"


    "Threatened?"


    "...I give you one task, and this, weak, pathetic expression is what you show me...?"


    The young man sitting in front of her felt bitterness well up within him.


    [No, do not get angry at mother. Be angry at eldest brother!]


    Mother''s raspy voice floated out of the darkness, "Yes, child. Be angry¡­. Use that anger... Get stronger... Kill him... Mother will help you!"


    At his mother''s words, Klaus felt dizzy. He clenched his fist, "I must enter the Secret Realm. I will kill him there!"


    Mother chuckled.


    "Yes... my son!"


    ___


    [Below, in the 1st Auction Room].


    BANG!


    "Sold to the distinguished gentlewoman in room 13 for 500,000 taels! Congratulations!"


    The auctioneer was beaming radiantly.


    Van and Ryan looked at each other, completely shocked by the extreme amount of money the mystery object was being purchased by.


    Delphine did not seem uncomfortable at all. She spoke excitedly as her head swivelled left and right to take in the sights.


    "The last time I came here with my granddad we saw someone purchase an ancient horse chariot! Everyone was jealous and amazed. Granddad even bought an ancient pill recipe-"


    Ryan was surprised, "Your granddad bought something here? How wealthy is he?"


    Delphine blinked her cat-like eyes innocently, "Huh? Didn''t Van tell you, my last name is Delafosse!"


    Neither Van nor Ryan had any reaction to her invocation of her last name. Van even picked his ear.


    "Hmph!" Delphine said, "My grandfather is the Royal Alchemist for the Cloud River Imperial Family. And I am his star pupil and lovely granddaughter!"


    Van rolled his eyes, "And what rank are you?"


    Delphine''s face went pink, "I am a Rank 2 Apprentice."


    Van chuckled.


    Delphine wanted to hit him. Instead, she gritted her teeth and forced out, "But if I pass one more examination then I will be able to become a Tier 1 Alchemist!"


    Van had to admit that this was pretty good. By the looks of her, she could only 12 years old. To be on the verge of entering the Alchemist Rank showed she had good talent. Good talents were always useful.


    Van absentmindedly patted her on the head like a dog. He imagined she was his little sister and said, "Well done, kid."


    Delphine''s haughty expression melted somewhat. She turned around and hid her face.


    Ryan watched all this expressionlessly, [These two¡­]


    Van felt the strange chilling sensation pass through him again, "Let''s get out of here, this place is giving me an uncomfortable feeling."


    ___


    [Simultaneously, at a sausage stall in Pearl-Blossom Avenue, across from the Mystery Object Sale.]


    The same moment a certain trio left the Golden Hall, a shadowed figure turned and ran into a nearby alley. His steps hit the pavement with a rhythmic tap, tap, tap. Soon, he arrived at a hidden room.


    Panting, he took his hood and faced the room.


    "Boss! The boy has come out."


    Thunk!


    A knife stabbed into the wooden table. A crazed chuckle was heard. Bright eyes glinted through the gloom of the room.


    Sha!


    A bright silver sword was unsheathed. Nathaniel ran a finger along the keen edge and watched as his blood dripped to the floor.


    "Yes, my beauty! It''s time to rip him a new one!"

 66 Defeating the Blood Crow Gangs Boss

    Van and Ryan bid farewell to Delphine at the mouth of Pearl-Blossom Avenue. Apparently, her granddad had told her to come home early that night.


    With nothing better to do, the duo remained at the Mystery Object Sale.


    Van hung around the chests and spent an hour picking out some more items. This time, his only requirement was ¨C


    Profit!


    If the pebble-sized artefact was selling for 5 silvers but contained a treasure worth at least 500 silvers, Van would take it.


    Half an hour later, Van and Ryan each held just over one hundred items each. Van paid approximately 1,400 silver taels for the lot.


    Ryan held out the bag.


    Van pushed it back, "Those are all for you. When we get back to the sect, crack them open and clean them up a bit. A man needs funds! You could send them back to your family too."


    Ryan nodded and simply put it away. After so long together, he knew that Van was awkward at ¨C and somewhat disliked ¨C receiving people''s thanks.


    Van stashed his own haul away.


    The duo continued to sight-see and chatted while doing so. Despite having a lot of fun, however, both were itching to open the items they had purchased in the Mystery Object Sale!


    Unable to hold back his curiosity, Ryan was the first give up, "It''s getting late. Should we return to the sect?"


    Van smiled sheepishly, "Yeah! Let''s go back and check out our stuff."


    The duo began to make their way back to the Cedar Sect. The further they got from the centre of the festival, the quieter the streets became.


    Thunk thunk!


    Thunk thunk thunk!


    Five shadows dropped down from the street''s overhanging rooves. They stood quietly and menacingly in the middle of the street.


    Van was alarmed, "Who''s there?"


    Ryan''s eyes narrowed. He immediately took a fighting stance.


    A figure stood in front of the rest, "The Boss of the Blood Crow Gang is here to wreck your fucking ass, that''s who!"


    The figure lifted their hood to reveal a pale face, curly hair and a slightly crazed smile, "How dare you beat up my subordinates and make me humiliate myself in front of my cousin!"


    Van had not recognised his face; but he knew that the boss of the Blood Crow Gang was out for his blood.


    "Watch out!" Van shouted. He leapt forwards and shoved Ryan to the side.


    A sharp metallic intent sliced Van''s arms. A red line appeared, but no blood came out.


    Nathaniel was astonished, "What!?"


    His subordinates gathered around him, "Boss! Let''s fight him together. We also want to regain our pride!"


    Nathaniel nodded. He brandished the sleek silver sword in his hand once more, "Brat! I''m warning you know, you will regret going against me! Last time, you won only because you surprised my subordinates with your footwork."


    "Today, my 5th level Qi Distillation cultivation is going to destroy your measly 4th level of Qi Distillation! I''ll get payback for the loss I made outside the Point Exchange Centre!"


    "Boss! Let''s take him down quickly in case something happens!" A subordinate urged, wary of the tricks Van might play.


    All the subordinates simultaneously kicked off towards Van.


    Van laughed, "Hahaha! A bunch of dogs who still don''t know the meaning of defeat!"


    ''Scattering Smoke Steps!''


    His figure disappeared and reappeared erratically in the street.


    "This move again!"


    Nathaniel narrowed his eyes, "Release the arrows!"


    "Yes!"


    All the subordinates drew out bows and began raining arrows.


    Van reappeared.


    "Over there!" They ran after him.


    Van leapt onto a rooftop and kept running. The only reason he had used ''Scattering Smoke Steps'' just then was to lure them away from Ryan. Now he had achieved his purpose.


    The chasing subordinates made frenzied attacks with their bows and arrows. Van simply channelled his fleshly power and felt them bounce off his flesh. They only left little pink marks.


    The people chasing him gritted their teeth. Was this guy inhuman?!


    "Follow him tightly. Don''t let him run away!" Nathaniel roared, his face the colour of puce. Suddenly, his feet glowed with a bright silver colour.


    "Windborne Steps!"


    His speed increased by a factor of ten times.


    Van abruptly stopped. He turned around and looked coldly at Nathaniel.


    "You try to steal my possessions and now you are trying to kill me. The one who should be running away¡­ is you!"


    A massive, dark, tidal wave spewed out from his hand and roared as it fell. It crashed violently into the bodies of three subordinates, who were thrown off the roof. They hit the streets with a loud noise.


    The remaining two were alarmed.


    Nathaniel gritted his teeth, "Do not be afraid of him. He is just trying to scare you. There is no way he can defeat me! Charge!"


    Van smiled. He waved a palm and a small twisting whirlpool started forming over Nathaniel''s head.


    His subordinates looked at the whirlpool and stuttered, "B-Boss¡­above¡­"


    Nathaniel narrowed his eyes, "What?"


    At that moment, the small pinprick roared and became a massive vortex that swallowed Nathaniel within a second.


    Nathaniel felt an icy cold chill enter his bones. His teeth chattered, "S-so cold¡­"


    He was surrounded by twisting walls of dark water filled with qi. He pressed his hand into it and felt his flesh being lacerated.


    "Fuck!" He shouted angrily. He was completely isolated from the rest of the world inside the whirlpool.


    Nathaniel slashed the whirlpool with his sword. It''s power lessened. He smirked.


    [Although his level of skill is frightening, I win in terms of raw power. I can break through this in a few moments!]


    Nathaniel raised his voice, "This kid''s skill is very high and his skills tricky to deal with. Be careful!"


    However, just as he finished his warning, he heard a scream from his left.


    Shortly after that, a scream emitted from the right.


    There were two dull thuds.


    Nathaniel felt his blood chill to ice. The swirling walls of water abruptly dissipated. He came face to face with Van.


    Van smiled, "Still not running away?"


    A whip of violent water lashed out through the air and hit Nathaniel''s stunned body.


    BANG!


    He was thrown back several metres.


    Nathaniel heaved himself off the ground, blood dripping from his lips. He gripped his sword tightly and ran forwards.


    "Silver Shark Light!"


    His sword traced out a bright line resembling a shark''s fluid movement in the water. A powerful aura full of oppression and bloodthirstiness filled the air.


    Van disappeared as he used ''Scattering Smoke Steps.'' Using its absolute evasion, he managed to miss getting hit by a hairsbreadth. When he dismissed the footwork skill, a corner of his sleeve was cut.


    Nathaniel was shocked once more.


    [How is his Scattering Smoke Steps already so well practiced? I cannot even land a blow!]


    Van pulled his Obsidian Batteaxe from the shoulder harness and dashed forwards. His body flickered.


    Nathaniel''s eyes flickered warily. He felt anxious and afraid. Where was Van going to appear next?!


    [Not good!]


    Nathaniel felt an unbearable pressure coming from behind. He was barely able to turn his body when ¨C


    SLICE!


    Nathaniel was flung back dozens of metres. Blood spurted from his mouth and from the fresh gash in his side. He pressed a hand into the wound to staunch the blood but the red liquid just kept spilling out and staining the ground.


    [If I didn''t use a shielding charm just then, I would have died. The force behind that axe was simply too great¡­!]


    Nathaniel looked up. He saw Van walking towards him like a god of death and felt immense fear filled his his being, "H-how? How are your skills so powerful when your cultivation is so low¡­ I don''t understand¡­"


    Van stood above him.


    "You don''t need to understand."


    He lifted his obsidian axe. This man was ready to kill him for a simple offense, this wasn''t like Freya and Hans, where he felt that they could have use for them. He immensely disliked Nathaniel and everything the Blood Crow Gang stood for.


    [This kind of human scum who robs peoples, threatens them with violence and kills people for petty things does not need to remain on this earth any longer!]


    He swung.


    Nathaniel''s crazed eyes flashed. He pulled out an escape talisman.


    Van saw the talisman and knew what was about to happen. He tried to swing his axe faster, but in the next moment, the Blood Crow Gang''s leader had vanished.


    Van kicked the roof tile in frustration, "He better lay low inside the Cedar Sect, because if I see him outside the sect''s protection in the middle of Dragon City again, I''ll be sending him to the next realm myself!"


    Van returned to find Ryan anxiously pacing back and forth. The young boy rushed forth.


    "Van! Are you okay?"


    "I''m fine," Van replied with a smile, "They were hurt far more than I was."


    Ryan still looked worried.


    Van hopped off the roof and saw that the Blood Crow Gang subordinates were all laying unconscious or close to death after falling from height.


    [Unlucky bastards. Who told you to work under such a shitty master?]


    He shamelessly crouched down and went through all their pockets.


    "Only 1,000 taels between 5 people¡­? This is ridiculous!" Van whistled. Despite feeling bad for them, Van stripped each naked as the day were born just to humiliate them (and gain a few copper for selling clothes).


    Task complete, Van patted him on the back, "Let''s go back to the sect and see what good stuff we got today, eh?"

 67 The Blizzard Plains

    In the safety of his room, Van withdrew all the crusted ancient artefacts he had bought in the Mystery Object Sale. He was most curious about the strange round artefact that the green turtle shell had wanted.


    Holding the round object in his hands, Van found that it was actually quite heavy. He smacked it with his palm using a reasonable amount of force and it cracked open.


    The crust fell to the side and revealed a lustrous orb filled with swirling mist. It was a beautiful blue-green that made one think of the ocean.


    Suddenly, the green turtle shell in his mindscape vibrated violently. A yearning feeling emitted from it once more.


    The swirling blue-green essence within the orb began to leak out. The strands of essence that leaked into the air were sucked straight into Van''s mindscape. The green turtle shell greedily sucked it up.


    A second later, Van held an empty husk in his hands.


    "Gee thanks," Van muttered sarcastically. A moment later, the husk disintegrated into fine dust.


    [Perverted bastard,] Jet said in a contemptuous tone of voice.


    Van''s eyebrows raised, "Are you talking to me?"


    [No, I''m calling that horny green bastard a perverted bastard. You should know, that orb contained a female Nine Dark Turtle''s essence. Where do you think that comes from? The sick, perverted green bastard is getting his rocks off. Yuck!]


    At that moment, the green shell pulsated. It grew larger.


    Jet was grossed out, [Stop swelling up!]


    The green shell pulsated again.


    Weng!


    A strange glowing symbol appeared on the lustrous green shell.


    Van inspected the symbol; the symbol somewhat resembled the shape of a shield. What did this mean? Did the green turtle shell have another ability beyond eating spiritual power?


    Van poked the turtle shell with a mental finger. It did not respond.


    Jet complained again.


    [Fucking layabout! Doesn''t pay rent, doesn''t pay respects to this granddaddy. Fucking useless!]


    The little black ring tried to punt the green turtle shell. Once again, it was shocked with freezing qi and paralysed.


    Moody, Jet went to a corner of Van''s mindscape and muttered to himself.


    Van was highly amused by the whole situation. He took one last look at the marking on the turtle shell. Since Jet was not alarmed, Van would trust him.


    "I''ll unlock its meaning sooner or later."


    Van now withdrew the Myriad Light Dimensional Ring. With much gentler force, he cracked open the crust.


    A translucent ring was revealed. It glimmered with subtle light. When Van moved it, the light reflected softly around it in a rainbow of colors.


    Van bit his finger and a droplet of his blood hit the ring. It was slowly absorbed until not a single trace of red remained.


    The ring began to react when it realized that someone was trying to change its allegiance.


    Purple mist spread into the air.


    Van smelt it and felt ill ¨C this was poison mist! He sealed his lips and stopped breathing.


    [Quickly, burn it with your Fists of Devouring Flame!] Jet instructed.


    Van did not hesitate. A plume of fire immediately engulfed the ring and young boy.


    The poison mist sizzled as it was devoured by the flames. It was once extremely potent, but millions of years had caused it to weaken. Slowly but surely, the pace at which it was burned exceeded the rate it was emitted from the ring.


    Hours later, the poison was removed completely from the ring.


    It took another day for Van to refine the ring with his blood and transfer ownership.


    Finally, he was able to open it with his mental intent.


    Ka-cha


    Within the 1000 cubic meter space, the only thing Van found was a rusty old watering can and a pot plant. The plant in the pot was withered and dead.


    Van gingerly picked the pot up. The movement immediately caused the withered plant to disintegrate.


    Ding dang ding!


    Three small objects hit the ground.


    [Hm?]


    Van picked them up.


    Three rice-grain sized seeds rolled around in his palm. They were round and shiny despite the lack of water.


    Thoughtful, Van pulled the dead roots of the old plant out of the soil in the pot and planted the seeds within. He used his Dark Seas Palm to place some water inside the watering can. The icy water was poured on the plant.


    Van realized only after watered the seeds that the amount of hostile qi in the Dark Seas Palm move might be damaging to the seeds.


    "They''ve survived many years in a hostile environment, they''ll be fine," Van reasoned.


    Then Van worried about the amount of spiritual power in the dimensional ring. He debated fiercely within himself, but then finally grit his teeth and crushed a Brimming Spirit Pill.


    Van threw the crushed pill into the dimensional ring. Potent spiritual energy began to mist up the dimensional space.


    [To be the only thing within a precious ring, the plant cannot be a useless object!]


    Van remembered he could ask Jet about the seeds. He tried to communicate with Jet but for some reason he could not sense him from within the Myriad Light Dimensional Ring.


    [That''s weird¡­ Jet''s within me, so I should be able to communicate with him even if my consciousness is within the Myriad Light Dimensional Ring¡­]


    Van''s consciousness exited the dimensional ring. Immediately, Jet''s voice entered his ears.


    [So, kid. What was in there?]


    Van described the withered plant.


    Jet was uncertain of what it could be with Van''s dodgy description. In Van''s defense, the leaves had disintegrated within seconds of him lifting the pot so he did not have a good look.


    [It does not sound like a poisonous plant. The poison mist must have been put there by its last owner,] Jet concluded.


    Van nodded. He remembered his inability to speak to Jet from within the Myriad Light dimensional ring.


    "Hey, Jet? Aren''t you part of my consciousness? Why can I not communicate with you when I insert my consciousness within the dimensional ring?"


    Jet was silent. After a long silence he spoke in a weird tone, [I don''t know, Van.]


    Van heard the tone of distress in Jet''s voice and stopped questioning him.


    ____


    [Early the next morning.]


    Van heard a knock at the door.


    Van, who was meditating on his bed, sprang up and put his robes on. When he saw who was on the other side of the door he was very surprised.


    "Tutor Zhang?"


    The old tutor smiled warmly at him. He passed a jade scroll to Van.


    Curious, Van unrolled the jade scroll.


    "Permission to be fast-tracked to Inner Disciple," he read aloud. Van''s eyebrows shot up in surprise. He read the jade scroll quickly.


    [If Van, outer disciple, can:


    ?Advance to the 6th level of QI Distillation within 2 months


    ? Lead a group of 30 outer disciples between the 5th and 6th level in the Monster Mausoleum, without a single casualty.


    Then, Van will be accepted as Inner Disciple without further examination¡­]


    Van''s heart did acrobatics in his chest, "Tutor Zhang, is this true?"


    The old tutor chuckled, "It was inscribed by Sect Master Musheng himself; all of it is true!"


    Van gripped the jade scroll tightly; his opportunity was right here. If he didn''t say yes he would be an utter fool.


    "I accept!" Van declared hotly. He immediately knelt down and kowtowed to Tutor Zhang, "Thank you Tutor Zhang for speaking favorably of me to the Sect Master!"


    Van knew that without Tutor Zhang''s favor, Sect Master Musheng would never have known he was! This meant, he owed Tutor Zhang!


    Tutor Zhang was pleasantly surprised by Van''s perceptiveness, "You are welcome, boy. If you have any doubts at all, come and find me. I will be happy if our Cedar Sect gains two new geniuses."


    "Two?" Van had a bad feeling.


    Tutor Zhang saw Van''s sour look and chuckled, "Yes! The Sect Master has given the same mission to Klaus."


    "In fact, I spoke to him yesterday afternoon. He is already halfway to the Sambara Desert, two countries away, in order to temper himself and his martial skill."


    [Already halfway there!]


    Tutor Zhang shook his head, "We tried to find you yesterday but you were not in your room. I suggest you get to work quickly ¨C your task is far more challenging. Two cultivation levels in two months is no mean feat."


    Van bit his lip. However, he did not regret going to the Lantern Festival and participating in the Mystery Object Sale.


    Van looked Tutor Zhang in the eye, "I will do it!"


    Tutor Zhang smiled.


    [Sure enough, a genius will have a genius'' mindset.]


    "Good, good!" Tutor Zhang said, "I will leave you to your preparations. Oh, before I leave, I would like to remind you that your role in the Monster Mausoleum revolves around leadership and teamwork. I suggest you take a mission which will allow you to practice these skills."


    "The Monster Mausoleum is an inter-sect competition in which disciples from each sect compete as an army of two hundred. Each sect provides a certain number of disciples in the 6th and 7th levels of Qi Distillation."


    "Each sect''s score is based on how many waves of monsters they can withstand before defeat. The moment all disciples are defeated is the moment the sect stops earning points."


    "At the moment, information about the Monster Mausoleum is under wraps, so please do not reveal this information to anybody else."


    Tutor Zhang smiled once more at Van and left with a swish of his robes.


    Van sat quietly on his bed and organized his thoughts.


    [No matter what, I must excel in the Monster Mausoleum and enter the inner sect as soon as possible!]


    [The first step is to level up to the 6th level of Qi Distillation and gain leadership and teamwork experience!]


    ____


    [A few hours later.]


    Ebenezer looked up from his desk to see a familiar face standing in front of him. Immediately, a smile spread across his face.


    "Van!" He exclaimed, surprised and happy to see the young disciple, "You know you''re famous around these parts now? They kept talking about the two ''Twin Dragons'' of the outer sect ¨C then I found out one of them was you!"


    The dark-haired boy in front of him smiled.


    Ebenezer calmed himself down, he tapped his ink quill on the desk, "Hehe. What mission are you after today?"


    "I would like to take the mission in the Blizzard Plains."


    Ebenezer''s eyebrows nearly touched his hairline, "Are you sure¡­? I know you are very capable, but the mission''s recommended cultivation level is quite high¡­"


    "Plus, it is recommended that all mission-takers go in teams. If you are going to solo this, I''m afraid I will have to decline your request."


    Van understood why the mission had to be done in a team.


    According to the mission giver, the Blizzard Plains started off a few months ago as a lower level quest like Threadspinner Town. In particular, the quest related to a series of ice caves in the Blizzard Plains. However, several weeks ago the disciples of various sects who went there for training started to report experiencing hallucinations and dizziness while in the ice caves. It is suspected that a high-level demon beast has taken up residence in there.


    The new mission - issued by the Prime Minister of the Lihnrest, the country in which the Blizzard Plains were located - was requesting the big sects to send people to investigate the matter. Rewards will be issued for eliminating demon beasts as well as investigating the root cause of the problems.


    Van explained to Ebenezer that he would be taking to other people with him.


    Ebenezer''s expression cleared, "That is the minimum suggested by the quest-giver. There is a local militia from which disciples can request extra fighters, but they cannot make up the team of three."


    Van nodded.


    Ebenezer pulled out three round pendants from his drawer, "Since this is a team mission, it is required by sect protocol that disciple''s wear a signal pendant. You must also give these to your team mates. This ensures that if any of you get into trouble, the rest will receive your location."


    Van accepted the three pendants.


    Ebenezer then passed him a slip of paper, "Please sign here, this document acknowledges that you will complete the mission as a group of three and that you understand the risks that come with accepting this mission."


    Van scrawled his name in his scratchy handwriting.


    Ebenezer watched him silently. When the paper was handed back, he spoke.


    "Good luck, Van. The Blizzard Plains are a place where even some inner disciples fear to tread. Do not wander too far from the ice caves, the demon beasts that wander out in the open plains are the ones that are unafraid of human cultivators. Prepare well and do not hesitate to escape if things go awry."


    As Van walked away, Ebenezer couldn''t help but call out.


    "And make sure that you make full use of the local militia!"

 68 Preparing to Embark

    [A few minutes earlier, in an outer sect dorm room.]


    BANG!


    Ryan fell to the floor of his room.


    [Prove yourself!] A cold, androgynous voice demanded. The sound was disembodied and thin, as if coming from a great distance.


    Above Ryan''s prone body, a silver half-mask hovered in the air. Metal qi buzzed on its surface.


    Ryan gritted his teeth. Once more, his consciousness entered a strange dimension filled with silver lights and fearsome shadows.


    The first blurry metal golem charged at him.


    [Endure it!]


    ____


    [A few hours later, in a grand mansion within Dragon City.]


    Delphine''s mouth gaped wide open as she looked at the person standing at her doorstep.She wondered if she was hallucinating.


    "Did the guards let you in?"


    "Nope."


    Delphine crossed her arms, "Then how are you in here?"


    A pause.


    "Your grandfather let me in."


    "What¡­!?" Delphine yelled. Shocked wouldn''t even begin to describe her emotions now ¨C her grandfather was Cloud River''s most famed recluse. He disliked people in general and hated letting people into his home!


    "Why!?" Delphine asked. She struggled to understand why her grandfather''s personality suddenly did a one-eighty!


    Van shrugged, "Dunno. He wouldn''t, at first, but when I told him my name he seemed really happy to let me in."


    Delphine became flustered.


    [I tell granddad too much!]


    After an awkward moment of internal struggle, she spoke again: "W-well, what do you want?"


    Van explained his request.


    Delphine was floored, "You want me to come with you to the Blizzard Plains? Do you understand how dangerous, cold, miserable and wretched that place is?" Her voice raised in pitch at the end.


    "I''ll be asking Ryan as well."


    Delphine was still doubtful, "So we will have one 3rd level and two 4th level Qi Distillation cultivators? Somehow, I don''t like our chances."


    Van rolled his eyes, "There''s one more person coming along. Don''t worry."


    Delphine''s eyebrows rose, "Oh? Who?"


    "My pet wolf, Blackie."


    Delphine nearly fell down, "Your pet!?"


    Van ignored her and continued, "Don''t look down on Blackie, his strength is on par with the 4th level of Qi Distillation."


    [And even better once he absorbs the ancient beast bloodline.]


    "Oh, really¡­" Delphine said, scoffing, "Next you''ll be telling me you''re secretly in the 5th level of Qi Distillation!"


    Van crossed his arms, imitating her posture, "Not secretly. But I will be, very shortly."


    Delphine was surprised, "How? The Brimming Spirit pill? Don''t tell me all five of the treasures you got were Brimming Spirit pills! That''s cheating!"


    Van shut his mouth and looked at her quietly.


    Delphine became goggle-eyed, "All of them were Brimming Spirit pills!? You''re joking!"


    Van rolled his eyes, "So, will you come? We will leave in a week."


    Delphine bit her lip, indecisive, "Let me ask my grandfather. If he agrees, I''ll send you a message via fire-post."


    "Wait a minute," Delphine realized something, "How did you find out where I live!?"


    Van blinked, "The address of the only Royal Alchemist in Dragon City is hardly a well-kept secret¡­"


    Delphine hmphed, "Anyway, if you don''t get a fire-bird from me within three days, I''m not coming."


    She slammed the door in his face.


    Van shrugged and left. He felt that he had grown used to her strange ways already.


    ___


    As soon as she closed the door, Delphine ran over to her grandfather''s research room and saw him holding a set of binoculars. He was peering through the gap in the curtains.


    "Grandfather! What are you doing!?"


    Delphine ran forward and covered the binocular''s line of sight.


    Her grandfather turned to her with a twinkle in his eye, "Hm, not bad, not bad. Could well turn out to be a handsome lad in a few more years¡­ I like the straightforwardness in his eyes, not a hint of deceitfulness¡­"


    Delphine felt steam rising from the top of her head, she stomped her feet.


    "Stop! He came here to ask me if I would go with him to the Blizzard Plains for a mission!"


    Her grandfather turned his blue eyes to her and stroked his white moustache, "Oh? That is quite a dangerous area¡­but it should pose little danger to you. If you want to go, go!"


    "Actually, there is a particular herb found there called the Winter Fairy Root that I would like to get my hands on, if you would be so kind my dear¡­"


    "Fine, I''ll get some. But stop teasing me!" Delphine said, ears red. She ran from the room.


    Alvis, Cloud River''s only Royal Alchemist, looked thoughtfully at his granddaughter''s fleeing figure.


    [From eavesdropping on their conversation, it seems as if the boy was able to identify pills even through ancient crust¡­? He might have some innate potential for pill-making or alchemy¡­]


    ___


    [An hour later.]


    Van knocked on Ryan''s door but there was no response. When ten minutes passed, Van punched the door in and rushed into the room.


    He fount Ryan collapsed on the floor; dry heaving.


    "Ryan!"


    He seized his friend and dragged him to the bathtub.


    Ryan leaned over the bathtub and vomited. Van passed him a wooden cup of water and fed it to him so he could wash his mouth.


    "What''s going on? Why are you like this?" Van was worried by Ryan''s pale complexion and the coldness of his hands.


    Ryan looked at him; Van noticed the vigor in his eyes and relaxed.


    "T-the treasure, Van. The treasure I found in the Mystery Object Sale¡­"


    Ryan pressed a hand to his face. A silver mask bled out of his skin and covered his forehead and eyes.


    "I can feel my control over the metal element increasing¡­The spirit within me¡­tells me that I should be able to learn the first skill¡­with a few more days of training¡­"


    Van was genuinely happy for him, "Congratulations, Ryan!"


    The grey-haired boy smiled.


    Half an hour later, Ryan was in a fresh set of clothes and no longer smelt like puke. As he listened to Van describe the mission to the Blizzard Plains, his eyes became bright.


    "Of course I will come. I only hope that I don''t drag you down."


    Van smiled, "We will leave in a week, train yourself well. The stronger we are before we go to the Blizzard Plains, the better."


    Ryan nodded seriously.


    _____


    [Four days later.]


    A powerful aura burst through the room.


    Van furrowed his brow ¨C it was the critical moment! He had just consumed the 4th Brimming Spirit pill and the surge of spiritual energy into his qi river was pushing against the barrier to the 5th level of Qi Distillation.


    After four days of cultivating sleeplessly, Van was finally knocking on the edge of success! The first three pills had increased his reserves of spiritual power. This fourth one had erupted, making a strong attempt to breach the barrier!


    Van endured silently as the pressure built up. Time passed.


    The veins on Van''s forehead swelled. Unbeknownst to him, the skin over his whole body turned an ugly puce.


    Suddenly, the stream of power from the Brimming Spirit pill stuttered. The pressure dropped away.


    Van clenched his fist.


    [No!]


    But no matter how much he pushed, the barrier to the next level wouldn''t break. He had failed to level up to the 5th level of Qi Distillation!


    Van sighed, [I will just have to work harder and be more cautious for this mission.]


    [There is three more days before we leave for the Blizzard Plains in Lihnrest Country. I want to give Blackie the ancient beast bloodline, but I can''t bring it out into the open. People would kill for it¡­]


    [Plus, I need to make sure Blackie can withstand the effect of the bloodline. I should bathe him in the Body Strengthening Powder now.]


    Van put on his robes and left his room with the packet of strengthening powder.


    When he entered the forest, his wolves slowly trickled through the trees to meet him. Van was surprised to see that a few of the wolves had round bellies. Then he remembered that Jet had fed them all aphrodisiacs way back when, making them go at it like rabbits.


    Blackie bounded out and slobbered all over him. A shyer and smaller wolf with a round belly came towards Van and pushed its nose into Van''s palm.


    Van laughed, "Is this your lady, Blackie? You bastard. You''re going to be a father soon!"


    Blackie''s tongue lolled out of his mouth. He tried to make an innocent expression.


    Van rolled his eyes. He pressed his forehead onto the wolf''s.


    "Will come with me to the Blizzard Plains?" Van asked.


    Blackie looked back into Van''s eyes steadily. He gave a low woof and turned to look his lady in the eye. The she-wolf lowered her tail but nudged Blackie with her snout.


    Blackie rubbed his giant head onto the front of Van''s robes enthusiastically.


    Van laughed, "I take that''s a yes, then!"


    The giant wolf barked.


    Van warned him, "To go there, you will have to endure some pain, my friend. Only a strong wolf can come with me!"


    Blackie looked at him, tail wagging, [Bring it on, Big Boss!]


    ____


    Van snuck Blackie into the sect by placing him in the Myriad Light dimensional ring. He let the giant wolf out at the dilapidated bathhouse and filled up the largest bath with boiling hot water. Then he poured the strengthening powder in.


    "Well, it''s now or never," Van told the giant wolf.


    Blackie showed a nonchalant expression and dipped a white paw into the water. The wolf yelped. Shrinking back, he saw Van''s expression and made big puppy eyes.


    Once more, he was showing his cowardly and black side!


    "In!" Van kicked the wolf''s backside.


    Arp!


    The big wolf fell into the steaming bathwater.


    Van folded his arms, "You already agreed to this, you rascal. Just endure it!"


    Blackie felt depressed. He struggled for a few moments in the water but finally started to feel the strengthening effects of the powder above the pain. The wolf endured.


    Two hours later, the wolf was happily paddling in the cooled down bathwater. Van had to wade in and physically drag the puppy-like wolf out. It was clear that the powder''s effect had been consumed a while ago, Blackie just didn''t want to stop playing in the water.


    Van began to wonder when he began to live the life of a dog trainer.


    "Bad wolf!"


    Blackie barked joyously. He felt the newfound strength within his body and howled, [Me strong!].


    Van face palmed.


    _____


    As Van was practicing his Dark Seas Palm skills the next day in the martial field, a red paper bird circled in the air above him. He stopped to look at it ¨C there was a letter in its claws.


    The moment the red paper bird dropped the letter into his hands, it tried to combust into flames.


    Van immediately snatched it from the air and blasted it with some icy cold water. The flames were extinguished.


    The folded paper bird squawked indignantly in his grasp.


    Van ignored it and opened the letter.


    [Grandfather says yes.]


    Van returned to his room to find a quill and some ink. He scribbled some words on the other side of the paper and gave it to the red paper bird.


    "Well, go on!"


    The red paper bird wobbled and then took off.


    On the other side, Delphine received his letter.


    [Good. You''re an apprentice alchemist right? Bring some healing solutions.]


    Black lines ran down Delphine''s face.


    [Am I a cash cow?]


    Still, she resigned herself to brewing some medicinal solutions.


    Delphine saw the paper bird still sitting there. It still hadn''t combusted?


    [Hm? Why does this one look exactly the same as the paper bird I sent out? They''re single-use items - how did he get it to do a return journey?]


    Delphine inspected the bird and saw that it looked a bit soggy.


    "He forcefully stopped a one-use fire-bird it from combusting?" Delphine was surprised, "The old guys in the post office will be frothing with anger if they found out about the loophole in their product!"


    ____


    [Two days later.]


    Three figures and a wolf met just outside Dragon City. Each wore different clothes from the usual.


    Van had purchased grey travelers robes and sturdy boots for both he and Ryan. Once more, they wore their village''s tunic and trousers underneath. Their outer disciple''s jade tags tied to their waist and the signal amulet was tucked underneath their shirts.


    Delphine wore a soft silk travelling robe in pink. Her hair was in the customary double-bun style. There was a small pouch on her waist that Van had not seen before. He surmised it would be a dimensional treasure that had a large space within it like his Myriad Light Dimensional ring.


    They greeted each other.


    "Are we ready to head off?" Van asked.


    Ryan nodded solemnly.


    Delphine was excited for an adventure, "Yeah!" she enthused.


    Van summoned a large object from his dimensional ring that made his companions lost for words.

 69 Killing Inten

    Van pulled out a hefty wooden structure from his storage ring. He whistled, "Blackie!"


    The giant wolf saw the harness in Van''s other hand and tried to run away.


    Sha!


    Van grabbed Blackie''s ruff and dragged him back to the wooden carriage. He strapped the wolf securely into the harness without doing it up too tight and hopped onto the driver''s seat.


    He turned to Ryan and Delphine, "Well? Get on!"


    Blackie showed a suffering expression. Van turned to the wolf and scolded him, "Stop acting so pitiful. If this is heavy for you even after I bathed you in body strengthening powder, I will ask some other wolf to come with me!"


    Blackie instantly threw away his suffering expression. Instead, he licked Van''s palm and acted cute, [You love me the most, Big Boss!].


    The other two climbed up and sat in the two seats behind Van and they set off.


    _____


    As soon as they left Dragon City, three shadows flashed by the city gates.


    "They are going to the Blizzard Plains. Now that they have left Dragon City, it is prime time to deal the killing blow!" One of the people said urgently.


    "The client said to ensure the kill occurred outside of Cloud Riverto reduce suspicion. We will wait til they cross the border to Lihnrest."


    "Or even further. The more isolated the place, the better!" The third person said, their voice dripping with killing intent.


    The trio nodded. Whatever way they ended up going with, one thing was for certain ¨C that kid was going to die!


    _____


    Five days later, the three humans and wolf arrived at the border between Cloud River and their neighbouring country Lihnrest.


    Lihnrest was a very large country with a very small population, mostly concentrated at its borders. Due to its large expanse, its northernmost reaches were known for its extremely icy weather and year-long blizzards.


    Van realised that they had been on the road for five days already and grew worried.


    [If it takes us a week and a half to travel to the Blizzard Plains, it will take us another week and a half to return to Dragon City. That means I only have a month in the Blizzard Plains.]


    Van looked around the border town, "It would be best if we could find a faster form of transport to the Blizzard Plains."


    Delphine pointed to a giant fluffy white creature in the distance, "I think we''ve found it!"


    The large creature had a pavilion-like structure on it''s back. It was being directed by a person sitting on its head.


    The trio ended up paying over a hundred silver taels per head for a ride to the biggest town near the Blizzard Plains. It cost slightly more to bring Blackie on board, as the great white beast felt uncomfortable with him on its back.


    ____


    They disembarked the back of the great snowy beast three days later.


    The town closest to the Blizzard Plains was called ''Pollog." It had a population of less than 3,000 people.


    However, there was a bigger town about two hours away from it which had a larger population of 20,000 people. This town was known as ''Griever''s Fort,'' and was owned by a distant relative of the previous King of Lihnrest.


    Griever''s Fort was the last place that the great snowy beast stopped. From here on out, Van, Ryan and Delphine had to make their way to Pollog and then the Blizzard Plains themselves.


    "Final stop! All yez passengers should disembark ''ere unless yez wanna go back to the border!"


    The trio stood up to descend from the great snowy beast.


    As Ryan gripped the soft rope ladder to descend, a strong force pushed him off. He fell the hard earth below.


    Van was immediately incensed. He grabbed the offender by the collar and heaved him up, "Apologize, now!"


    The young man in his grasp struggled frantically. He managed to free himself and dusted his robes off dramatically, "Who should apologize!? You rabble should be grateful to be stepped on by Cyrus the Great! Move aside, now!"


    Van suddenly felt a strong aura approach. He turned a saw a large, rugged-looking man with a scar down his left eye. He was flanked by a large contingent of people ¨C there were probably 50-60 of them.


    Van narrowed his eyes; they were all cultivators. Not only that, the leader of the group, Cyrus, was in the 6th level of Qi Distillation!


    Cyrus came forwards.


    Van and Cyrus locked eyes. Van felt a heavy spiritual pressure push down on him. He clenched his teeth and held his ground.


    Cyrus'' face was expressionless.


    [This ant in front of me refuses to admit its weakness in front of my magnificent glory¡­ how boring.]


    Cyrus floated lightly of the great fluffy beast''s back and summoned a large treasure in the form of a ship, "My followers. Come aboard."


    Excited chatter burst out in his contingent.


    "Cyrus the Great is allowing us to board his legendary Spirit-Walking Ship? What amazing deed did I perform in my previous life to deserve this?"


    "Disciples from the Star-Cutting Sword Sect are really different, hey¡­"


    Van''s ears narrowed. Star-Cutting Sword Sect? This was one of the sects he might have to compete against in the Monster Mausoleum!


    Cyrus'' followers directly jumped from the back of the great fluffy beast to the enormous ship-treasure.


    Van went down the ladder and helped Ryan up. The other boy''s face was blotchy red from shame and humiliation.


    Behind Van, Delphine''s was indignant, "By insulting my team, that bastard Cyrus fellow was also insulting me!! No one is allowed to insult me!"


    Delphine suddenly recalled her humiliation at Van''s hands in the Grand Botanica. She decided to wipe it from her memories.


    Van re-strapped Blackie into the giant carriage and the trio set off for Pollog.


    ____


    [That night.]


    Van stood up from the campfire and stretched.


    "Guys, I''m just going to go to the bathroom," he said as one usually would. With nothing in hand, Van left the relative safety of the camp to pee by a tree.

 70 The First Blooding

    Van walked until he could no longer see the camp and found a convenient tree. As he reached for his pants, he felt a sense of foreboding. HIs body tensed.


    [Something is wrong!]


    Van turned around. Immediately, his skin broke out in goose bumps.


    A cloaked figure wearing a bone-white mask appeared. They were perched atop a tall tree, a slender shadow in the darkness. If Van had not instinctively turned around, he would never have noticed him.


    Van''s heart thumped rapidly. The person in the tree was in the 6th level of Qi Distillation!


    The shadow with the bone-white mask stood silently in the darkness of the chilling winter night. They did not seem in a hurry. In fact, their eyes were fixed eerily onto Van the entire time.


    For them, victory against a measly 4th level Qi Distillation cultivator was completely assured.


    Van''s body was tense -he was ready to take flight at any moment. However, he knew if he did, they would instantly take action.


    Van secretly prepared to use Scattering Smoke Steps in an instant.


    However, time passed. Van became wary.


    [Why are they not making a move?]


    At that moment, Van heard rapid and light thumping noises behind him. He turned around to see two bone-white masks staring back at him with gaping black holes where the eyes and mouth should be.


    "Hehe!" One masked figure laughed. The other pressed closer.


    [Shit. There were two more of them. No wonder they waited!]


    "Who are you guys!?" Van took several steps back.


    "Who are we? Who are we¡­?" One of the two masked figures asked. They laughed once more, "There''s no need for a dead person to find out¡­hehehe!"


    Their eyes flashed behind their mask. Their hands came out of their sleeves.


    Van felt ¨C rather than saw ¨C two hidden blades heading straight for his heart!


    [Not good!]


    At that moment, Van senses turned sharp and time slowed as adrenaline burst through him.


    [Scattering Smoke Steps!]


    His body faded into the winter night.


    The two assassins'' blows hit the empty air. They cursed, "The client wasn''t exaggerating. The target is highly skilled in a high level evasion art. Not only that, the target''s battle senses are very good ¨C he was able to sense us drawing our daggers!"


    At that moment, Van''s vision was filled with smoky shadows that vaguely represented the assassins before him. His body flitted about the area, his speed and place of appearance varied wildly.


    Sou!


    Van''s blood froze. There was a murderous intent piercing straight towards him.


    Van paled; the man atop the tree had finally acted!


    Through the smoky haze, he seemed to see a razor-sharp arrowhead shooting straight towards him. Just as Van thought he might be able to dodge the arrow, it seemed to sniff out his location and changed directions.


    Van grit his teeth and cancelled Scattering Smoke Steps. The world lost its smoky appearance. A murderous arrow was flying straight towards him!


    [Searing Snake Strikes!]


    Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!


    Snakes made of burning flame flew out of Van''s fists at an extremely fast speed and hit the head of the arrow. With each hit, the speed of the arrow dropped. However, Van was still unable to avoid it!


    BANG!


    The arrowhead drove with immense force into Van''s body. The arrow drove five centimetres deep into Van''s flesh! It was enough to do serious damage!


    Van winced.


    [So this is the power of the 6th level of Qi Distillation!]


    He gripped the arrow tightly with one hand and pulled it out. A burst of blood splattered onto the white ground below.


    Van''s eyes glowed with anger.


    At that moment, the two other masked figures arrived and surrounded Van. The figure atop the tree drew another arrow. The gleaming arrow tip pointed straight at Van.


    Van felt an immense feeling of danger well up from within him. He could really die tonight.


    Van roared.


    From a tiny speck, an immense whirlpool of icy water suddenly formed around the three figures.


    The cold air became even colder ¨C even the masked figure standing atop the tree was affected. His fingers on the bow felt slightly numb.


    [This kid is scary¡­ his affinity with the fire and water elements are no joke. Despite the level difference between us and him, his moves are still able to affect us! The longer he stays alive, the more chances he has of escaping¡­]


    [However, even if he does run away¡­. My arrows will find him soon enough¡­ there''s not many places to hide in a frozen wasteland like this!]


    The masked figure on top of the tree calmed down. However, when he looked down he realised he had been outplayed. The whirlpool had obscured them all from sight!


    [If I shoot carelessly, I might kill Two and Three¡­ I will not sacrifice two teammates just for a brat I can easily kill. Plus, Two and Three will be able to kill him in there easily. After all, the brat''s movement skill will be less effective in such a small space.]


    [I also refuse to believe that the brat can maintain his skill for eternity!]


    ____


    Inside the whirlpool, the two masked figure''s teeth were chattering loudly. Because of the high walls of fast, swirling water around them, they could not see Number One. Without the protection of his arrows, they felt warier of Van. They circled around him despite their numb fingers and toes.


    Van stood silently inside the whirlpool with them. His eyes were filled with gloomy anger.


    [These guys¡­ only the boss of the Blood Crow Gang would have the influence, funds and motive to send assassins after me! When I get back to Dragon City, I will make sure I deal with him properly!]


    Van suddenly flashed a brilliant copper. The two white-masks were startled.


    A sharp aura shot to the skies.


    Van shot towards his attackers and seized one by the neck. They struggled, attempting to slice him with their blade. Unlike the man on top of the tree ¨C who was in the 6th level of Qi Distillation ¨C their 5th level blades did no more damage than Nathaniel''s arrows had a week ago. Thin pink lines formed on his skin.


    The assassin that was not in Van''s grip decisively threw away his ineffectual dagger, "Ten Changes of the Tiger ¨C Tiger''s Second Claw!"


    The assassin''s hooked fingers came towards Van. The illusion of a vicious tiger filled the air above their heads. The illusion tiger roared.


    Van did not let the assassin''s skill hit him. Muscles bulging, he swung the assassin in his grasp like one would swing a bat.


    The assassin saw his ''Ten Changes of the Tiger'' was about to his colleague in Van''s grasp. He debated whether he should pull his blow. Less than a second later, he had decided - kill or be killed!


    The second assassin did not cancel his move. In fact, he channelled even more power into it!


    [I might kill Number Two, but I will kill the target as well. Forgive me!]


    Van''s eyes flashed. He channelled all his fleshly power and swung the assassin he was holding by the neck. Hard.


    BANG!


    There were two screams.


    The assassin being used like a bat felt all his bones break. He fell to the ground and clutched at his ribs, struggling to breathe.


    The other assassin was thrown backwards into the swirling water of the whirlpool due to the impact. Instantly, the vicious qi within the water sliced his body. Red filled the water. The assassin felt their body growing colder and colder, and their breath becoming very faint.


    Van yanked the assassin out of the water and delivered the killing blow. A strike to the temple was all it took. Their head lolled and they slumped to the ground.


    Van turned to the remaining assassin.


    Assassin Two, who had been swung like a baton, held his broken ribcage and faced Van fearfully.


    [Our client gave us false information! This brat''s body cultivation technique is not some trashy Copper Knight Wall¡­ It''s a much higher-level technique¡­!]


    Van crouched down.


    The next moment, the assassin fell sideways. Dead.


    Van''s breath echoed loudly in his ears. The winter air blasted his face ¨C he felt he would never be warm again. Van looked down at his bloodied knuckles. The blood glistened wetly under the moonlight.


    Van turned his eyes to the two assassins. The two dead bodies inside the whirlpool were still, never to move again. Killing beasts was not a big deal, but these were living people. Seeing the collapsed bodies and smelling the stench of blood and death¡­


    Van stood in silence for some time. At length, he sighed. He knew he was not a mindlessly bloodthirsty person at heart. He did not see people as objects that should be annihilated just because they got in his way¡­ However! Everyone had their limits ¨C and his had been well truly reached.


    [The strong prey on the weak. Kill or be killed.]


    The young boy wiped his knuckles on the snow; a dark smear in pure whiteness.


    [I won''t go out of my way to offend or kill others, but if they offend and try to kill me ¨C From now on, I will never hold back!]


    [To be merciful to the enemy is to be cruel to myself!]


    Van''s eyes turned cold. He walked to the two corpses and rummaged through their pockets. They were completely empty. Van was not expecting anything anyway ¨C assassins were people on a mission to kill anonymously, they would not carry their personal belongings on them.


    Bright flames burst out of Van''s fists and burned the two corpses. Plumes of smoke drifted into the winter night.


    [There is still one more assassin to deal with.]


    Van dismissed the whirlpool.


    _____


    [A few minutes ago.]


    Assassin One waited quietly at the top of the three for the whirlpool to dissipate.


    One minute passed.


    Two minutes passed.


    Four.


    Six.


    Nine.


    The assassin standing atop the tree began to feel antsy. What was happening in there? Why was it taking so long to kill the boy?

 71 Between Life and Death

    Assassin One waited quietly for the whirlpool to dissipate.


    One minute passed.


    Two minutes passed.


    Four.


    Six.


    Nine.


    The assassin standing atop the tree began to feel antsy. What was happening in there? Why was it taking so long to kill the boy?


    Ten minutes passed.


    Ten-and-a-half


    Eleven¡­


    Assassin One felt something was very wrong. He picked up his bow once again and notched his steel arrows. His gazed intently at the whirlpool far below.


    At twelve minutes, the walls of the whirlpool shook as if something made impact with it.


    At fourteen minutes, grey plumes of smoke emerged from the top of the whirlpool.


    Assassin One relaxed.


    [They must be burning the kid''s body right now.]


    The whirlpool fell and Assassin One smirked.


    [That was too easy.]


    At that moment.


    A young man with cold eyes appeared in the cold night; his dark eyes seemed to stare into the depths of the assassin''s soul.


    [I-Impossible!]


    Assassin One was shaken to the core. However, he did not show it.


    The assassin tightened his grip on the bow.


    "Little kid¡­ you''ve been hiding your skills quite deeply¡­ Despite your cultivation of the 4th level of Qi Distillation, the effectiveness of your skills is equivalent to that of someone in the 5th level. Whatever your little secret is, I will find out once I have your corpse at my feet!" The white-masked man said sharply.


    The two opponents faced each other coldly.


    ____


    [Back at the camp.]


    Delphine and Ryan started feeling worried when Van did not reappear after some time had passed.


    Delphine put down her skewer of hare-meat. Ryan looked into the snowy night, worrying.


    Blackie was standing at full alert. His intelligent eyes stared into the night as his ears swivelled back and forth. At that moment, a faint bloody scent drifted over the wind.


    "Arroooooooo


    The giant wolf howled, startling the two humans besides the campfire.


    Blackie shot off into the darkness.


    Delphine and Ryan exchanged glances. Delphine immediately ran after the wolf.


    Ryan grabbed Van''s battle axe from the fireside but was stunned by its sheer weight. Helplessly, he could only give up his task and grab the two harpoons instead.


    A moment later, the camp was completely empty.


    ______


    Van stared up at the bone-white mask of the assassin perched atop the tree. Anger was clear in his tone as he spoke, "Who sent you? Was it the Blood Crow Gang''s Boss?"


    He only had one enemy in Dragon City that had already tried to kill him once ¨C and that was the mastermind behind the Blood Crow Gang, the young man with the curly hair and crazed eyes!


    The assassin''s eyes were hidden by the shadows created by the eye-holes of the mask, "Hahaha¡­ what is the point of knowing? You will not survive the next five minutes!"


    The assassin''s body warped in a strange and unnatural way. His arms grew grotesquely, and his eyes bulged out.


    The assassin lifted his bow high up into the air and pointed it at the space between Van''s brows.


    SHUA!


    An arrow shot with deadly strength flew towards Van at breakneck speed.


    Van moved quickly.


    [The assassin has a transformation skill that increases his strength and the accuracy of his arrows!]


    As Van dodged, he noticed that the figure atop the tree had disappeared.


    [Where did he go?]


    A cold breeze ruffled the back of Van''s robes. He immediately activated Scattering Smoke Steps. The world turned grey.


    Within the smoky world, Van turned.


    He saw hideous mask of the last assassin just behind him.


    [In less than a second, the assassin teleported to a different tree several hundred metres away. How terrifying!]


    Van realised that the enemy had a high tier movement skill just like him.


    [His arrows are also fired with super-strength and immense accuracy. Some of them can home in on my position whenever I reappear for a moment.]


    Van felt cold. If it were someone else in the 4th level of Qi Distillation, they would have died tragically underneath this assassin''s arrow a long time ago.


    [Despite hitting the arrow several times with me ''Searing Snake Strikes,'' the assassin''s arrow was able to pierce five centimeters into my skin. If I enter the Copper Buddha State, I should be able to reduce the damage to less than two centimeters. However, the assassin has yet to show their full strength.]


    [If they simply keep attacking me with their homing arrows, then the moment ''Scattering Smoke Steps'' makes me appear for a second too long¡­ that is the moment I die!]


    ''Scattering Smoke Steps'' was a skill based on the idea of absolute evasion. When Van used it, it seemed to his enemies as if he appeared and reappeared in random places within a 20x20 meter area. The duration of time he spent in those random places were totally random.


    Shua! Shua! Shua!


    The assassin sent arrow after arrow. The homing arrows chased Van''s hazy figure around. Despite the fact that the arrows were unable to directly hurt Van, the assassin had a light smile on their face.


    Shua! Shua! Shua!


    More arrows were released. They joined the fray. It appeared as if Van was surrounded by a cloud of metallic arrows.


    Van was getting flustered. As the fight continued, he realized that he was bleeding more and more from the arrow wound he had previously sustained.


    [I am quickly losing vitality and spiritual power¡­ If I keep using Scattering Smoke Steps, I can only keep dodging. The homing arrows will accumulate around me and I will die the moment I exit the movement skill.]


    Van counted the arrows that chased him like murderous bees. There were ten of them.


    Van''s eyes flashed.


    [I gamble my life on this one chance!]


    Van''s hazy figure disappeared.


    The assassin coldly kept shooting his homing arrows.


    [His qi reserves cannot match up to a 6th level Qi Distillation cultivators. Once his movement skill cannot be maintained, my arrows will tear him to bloody shreds!]


    Van''s body reappeared a about ten metres closer to the assassin.


    In the next instant, he was gone again. The arrows following him changed direction.


    The assassin shot another arrow lazily.


    Van''s body reappeared. He was only visible for a millisecond before he faded once more, like a ghost.


    The assassin began to feel a sense of disquiet.


    [That brat¡­ he is moving closer towards me!]


    [Hmph! What does he think he can achieve? I will stand my ground¡­ the moment he tries to attack me will give my arrows the time to hit their target!]


    The assassin stayed in his position and nocked another arrow. This time, the assassin channelled the spiritual power within himself.


    Van reappeared.


    The assassin''s eyes sharpened, [Silent Killing Shot!]


    The arrow that flew out of the bow was qualitatively different from the rest. A grey flame surrounded its tip. The aura that it gave off was small and contained but was filled with murderous delight!


    Snap!


    The assassin whirled around. The snapping noise had come from somewhere very close behind them.


    [Don''t tell me. The brat moved so close so quickly?]


    Teng!


    The assassin immediately used their own movement skill. He reappeared about twenty metres away from his previous spot. He peered at the spot where he heard the snapping sound.


    "Gotcha," a young man voice floated through the air.


    The assassin felt a strong sense of danger. The voice was way too close!


    [Fuck. He threw the rock to make me think he was behind me. I fell for his trap!]


    Van smirked. The assassin had instinctively moved away from the snapping sound¨C and straight towards Van!


    Of course, the snapping sound was created by Van throwing a rock. In fact, it was one of the small mystery objects Van had purchased during the Lantern Festival that he had yet to sell.


    Van snickered, "Falling for such an elementary trick. How stupid!"


    Van immediately exited ''Scattering Smoke Steps.''


    Weng!


    Intense copper light radiated outwards from Van''s body, making him appear as if he were a mini copper-coloured sun. It lit the dark night.


    The assassin cursed.


    [This is 100% not Copper Knight Wall. It should not be able to give off this kind of intense light!]


    Ting! Ting! Ting!


    With the Copper Buddha state fully exerted, Van felt three of the assassin''s arrows sink two centimetres into his metal-like skin. Although it was shallow, it still hurt like a bitch. Blood spurted out from his body.


    Van gritted his teeth.


    [There are still nine more!]


    Ting! Ting! Ting!


    Three more arrows inserted themselves into Van''s glowing torso. Light dribbled out.


    "¡­.Hee-hee," The assassin suddenly laughed.


    Van ignored him. He began to circulate the spiritual power within his body.


    [I will knock him off the tree with ''Tide Swallows the Earth'' and then hit him with ''Flaming Bull Fists'' for maximum damage!]


    The assassin saw him preparing to attack and laughed again, "Have you still not noticed¡­? Hee-hee!"


    At that moment, Van sensed that something was very wrong.


    [Shit. One of the arrows is not the same as the rest!]


    Van finally realised that one of the arrows was surrounded by a grey flame. This arrow radiated the aura of an assured, deadly killer.


    BANG!


    It hit Van''s copper-skin with immense impact. Instantly, it sunk over ten centimetres into Van''s chest. Blood burst out of his wound like a geyser.


    Cough!


    Van''s flew back from the impact and coughed out blood. The red droplets splattered all over the white snow, making a brilliant contrast.


    The assassin floated closer. They pressed a booted foot against Van''s bleeding chest and drew another arrow. This one was also surrounded by subtle grey flames.


    Van saw the assassin''s mouth move in slow motion. Van could only watch helplessly. His life was bleeding out of him¡­ this assassin''s skill had some effect that caused unstoppable bleeding!


    "Silent."


    Their teeth flashed.


    "Killing."


    Van''s head felt fuzzy. The arrow just then was only a centimetre away from his heart. If the assassin aimed the next arrow right on top of the first one, it would force the first arrow straight into his heart. He would die right there!


    "Shot!"


    The assassin released the grey-flamed arrow.


    Van struggled to wriggle out of the way, but the blood loss made him extremely weak. The copper glow faded from his skin.


    "Heehee!" The assassin cawed, "GO TO HELL!"


    The arrow was only tens of centimetres from Van''s face. Van''s eyes drifted shut. He had lost too much blood.


    A wolf''s howl split the night.


    WENG!


    A shimmering blue-green shield appeared in mid-air.


    TENG!


    Van''s eyes snapped open.


    [What?!]


    The blue-green shield shattered into countless pieces.


    [The shield¡­the shield just reduced the speed and power of the arrow by 30%.]


    Van''s eyes grew bright, [There is a chance!]


    Van mustered the last dregs of his consciousness.


    [Thousand Saints Sacrifice ¨C Copper Buddha State!]


    Weng!


    A flickering copper glow once again emanated from Van''s body.


    Roaring, Van snatched the grey-flamed arrow from the air and stabbed it into the assassin''s foot.


    The assassin stumbled back in shock.


    A massive snarling shadow leapt through the air. Blackie latched onto the assassin''s ankle and bit through his Achille''s Heel!


    Surprised, the assassin shrieked in pain and fell to the ground. The tendon was destroyed ¨C he could no longer walk with that leg!


    The assassin''s eyes grew red. He drew out a dagger with glowing red symbols on it and stabbed at Blackie.


    "Tide Swallows the Earth!"


    A massive wave crashed into the assassin and sent him stumbling backwards.


    The assassin''s eyes became more crazed. He pulled out a purple pill from his pocket and put it into his mouth.


    "Don''t let him swallow the pill!" Van heard Delphine scream, "Once he eats it, he will be enter a berserk mode and be twice as strong for fifteen minutes!"


    "FUCK!" Van shouted.


    The pill was already halfway down the bastard''s throat!

 72 Lesson Learnt and Militia Troubles

    The assassin''s eyes became more crazed. He pulled out a purple pill from his pocket and put it into his mouth.


    "Don''t let him swallow the pill!" Van heard Delphine scream, "Once he eats it, he will enter berserk mode and be twice as strong for fifteen minutes!"


    "FUCK!" Van shouted.


    The pill was already halfway down the bastard''s throat!


    [What to do?] Van thought.


    Shua!


    At that instant, another figure ran into the area. Two thin metal objects flew.


    "VAN, CATCH!" A familiar voice shouted.


    [Ryan!] Van exulted. He snatched the harpoons out of the air.


    Weng!


    Van exerted the full strength of his Copper Buddha state and brilliant copper light filled the snowy night. His muscles bulged.


    The harpoons sailed through the air.


    Snkt! Snkt!


    The two harpoons stuck into the assassin''s throat!


    The assassin felt two sharp pinpricks of pain in his throat.


    "Rggaaaah¡­!"


    The pill was pincered between the two harpoons. It could not go down!


    The assassin panicked. At that moment -


    A massive wolf slammed into the assassin''s back.


    "Hurrk!" The assassin''s face changed colour.


    Pu!


    A purple pill came flying out of the assassin''s mouth!


    "Good boy, Blackie!" Van shouted. The wolf howled.


    The assassin was going crazy, [No! If I don''t go into berserker mode, I won''t be able to fight with my torn Achille''s Heel!]


    Van yanked back on the harpoons.


    "AAAAAAAAAAAAH!" The assassin screamed through his ruined throat. He flew for several metres before he forcefully yanked the harpoons out from his own throat. Blood rushed out of the big artery in his neck, forming a puddle of red in the snow.


    The assassin rolled to Van''s feet. He pulled out his dagger once more and stabbed at Van''s feet.


    Van had experienced too much blood loss to react fast enough. The dagger stabbed into his leg.


    At that moment, a grey-haired boy appeared in the assassin''s peripheral vision. A silver-half mask covered his face.


    BANG!


    A silver bullet shot out of Ryan''s fingers and impacted the assassin''s temple.


    Despite his high cultivation, the assassin felt dizzy from the impact. This was because he was not a body cultivator ¨C he might have resisted the damage from the qi, but he could not resist the momentary disorientation. Adding to that, he had lost of a lot of blood and was extremely pained by the torn Achille''s heel.


    Van did not miss the opportunity.


    "Look away!" Van shouted. He grabbed the assassin''s head with both of his hands. The copper light surrounding him grew brighter and brighter. It made his skin appear orange and almost transparent.


    The assassin''s hands came up and grabbed Van''s wrists, trying to pull them off him. The two of them duelled silently.


    Van grit his teeth.


    [More. I need more power!]


    Van suddenly felt his flesh responding to his call.


    [Something''s happening!]


    WENG!


    The copper light abruptly turned a cold silver. Van knew the moment had come; a single twist was all it took.


    There was a sickening crack. The assassin took his last breath.


    Silence.


    Van looked away. He saw his two hands. The last of the silver glow was just fading from them. It was as if Van''s arms had been coated in a layer of liquid mercury.


    [Is this¡­ the next stage of my Thousand Saints Sacrifice body cultivation technique¡­? The Silver Buddha state¡­?]


    Van looked up and hazily saw two figures standing some distance away. Delphine''s eyes were shut tightly, and Ryan was looking at him with a pale face.


    A large shape bounded towards Van and slobbered all over him. Blackie enthusiastically licked Van''s face.


    Van tiredly batted the tongue away.


    "Go away, Blackie¡­I''m so tired¡­"


    Blackness edged his vision.


    Van slumped into the icy snow.


    His name was the last thing he heard.


    ____


    [A few hours later.]


    Delphine stared worriedly at the fire.


    Van had still not woken up.


    The bleeding had been stopped and the relevant herbal solutions had been applied to the wounds. Delphine had treated Van herself.


    Despite seeing Van''s mostly-naked body, she had felt too numb to blush. What if¡­ he didn''t wake up?


    Delphine bit her lip. She didn''t even know if Van had already lost too much blood or not. She was an apprentice alchemist, not an apprentice healer!


    Sniffling, Delphine lifted the lid of the cauldron she was brewing a solution with. If she made it correctly, it would replenish his blood. If she didn''t¡­ the results weren''t worth thinking about.


    She thought about the ready-made solutions in her waist pouch and wanted to hit herself. She was really dumb!


    [I made all those poison-cancelling solutions, tiredness relieving solutions and hunger relieving solutions¡­why didn''t I made a single blood-replenishing one!?]


    Delphine was ready to tear her hair out.


    Ryan saw her pitiful appearance and felt even worse. He sat heavily upon the wooden sled. The silver half-mask was in his hand.


    [Why am I so weak¡­? If I had noticed faster, reacted faster¡­ we might not be in this situation¡­]


    The silver masked gleamed.


    The two figures were silent; they did not exchange a single word throughout the night. Each contemplated their failures and shortcomings before the bright glow of the campfire and in the coldness of the snowy night. Each swore that they would become better and improve themselves.


    Sometime later, Delphine succeeded in making the blood-replenishing solution. After she fed it to Van, she collapsed into a tired heap.


    Ryan placed her under the blanket on the sled and then returned to his seat to stare at the camp.


    He kept vigil the entire night.


    ____


    When Van woke up, he had a pounding headache. He opened his eyes only to shut them a split second later ¨C the brightness of the snow in the daylight sent painful stabs into his brain.


    The sound of something dropping entered his ears.


    "Van!"


    Van heard Ryan exclaim. The grey-haired boy had dropped a bunch of wood meant for the campfire onto the snow. He knelt at Van''s side.


    Van blinked blearily at him.


    "Van!" This time, a girlish voice.


    Delphine''s face appeared soon after. Her face was pink from the cold.


    "Arf!"


    A moment later, Blackie appeared in Van''s vision.The giant wolf leaned close and tried to lick his master.


    Van squinted.


    [Hn. When I squint my eyes, it really looks like I have three dogs of various sizes looking at me eagerly.]


    He opened his eyes wider and once more saw Ryan, Delphine and Blackie peering at him with eager looks on their faces.


    [Yep. A grey dog, a pink dog, a woof dog.]


    "I''m fine," Van said, before standing up. He had to shake his crazy thoughts from his head.


    Ryan was alarmed when Van tried to stand up. He immediately went to Van''s side and helped him stand.


    At that moment, Van noticed that the deepest wound over his heart had been stitched. He looked at Delphine and saw her face grow redder.


    "Apart from my headache, I feel good," he assured them, "My mouth feels a little dry though."


    Delphine nodded sharply, "Your headache is from the dehydration. Here."


    She passed him a bowlful of melted ice. As she watched him drink, she remembered something. She pulled out a cloth-wrapped dagger and gave it to Van.


    "We took this from the assassin''s body."


    Van recognised the dagger with red inscriptions. He took it into his hand and inspected it. He was only interested in its monetary value.


    "Ryan has the bow," Delphine explained when Van looked in askance at her. Ryan nodded and showed him the silver bow.


    Delphine''s eyes suddenly narrowed.


    "Why were there assassins after you?"


    Gulp gulp


    Van kept drinking until his belly was full. He passed the bowl back to her when it was empty.


    "Another outer disciple in the sect tried to steal something off me and I beat up his little gang pretty hard. When he tried to go after me himself, I thrashed his ass so hard he had to use an escape talisman to get away."


    "I guess he was so angered he wanted nothing better than to see me dead," Van said nonchalantly.


    Ryan''s brow rose, "¡­It wouldn''t be the Blood Crow Gang, by any chance?"


    Van nodded, "Precisely them. The Red Chicken Gang''s Boss was probably the one who sent the assassins."


    Ryan choked. Red Chicken Gang?


    Red Chicken Gang!


    Half an hour later, Ryan finished roasting some snow hare over the flames.


    The trio ate and drank quietly.


    At length, Van coughed, "Well. Time to hit the road again. Time waits for no cultivator."


    "Are you sure you should be moving so soon?" Delphine asked.


    Van rolled his eyes. He showed off his muscles.


    "See? I''m a body cultivator. We heal faster than most. I''m fine."


    A few minutes later, the campsite was emptied. A sled being pulled by a giant wolf could be seen disappearing in the distance.


    As they rode away, Van stroked his red armour and his obsidian battle axe. He was darkly amused.


    [Fucking hell. Wore it the whole bloody day in case someone attacked out of the blue, took it off to piss by a tree and got caught without them with me!]


    [What''s a bloke to do?]


    Van felt Jet take amusement from his situation.


    [ You can cut a hole in the front,] Jet said snidely, [And the back as well, just in case you need to do a big one.]


    The ring spun, [In all seriousness, kid. That was atrocious. Do not underestimate the lengths your enemies will go to in order to catch you unprepared and unawares. This must not happen a second time!]


    Van nodded.


    [I understand, Jet.]


    ___


    Two hours later, the trio pulled into Pollog.


    It was a small township consisting of squat houses constructed entirely out of logs. The roofs were covered in dirt to keep the heat inside the homes. Grass had been planted in the dirt as their roots compacted the soil and prevented it from eroding away.


    From a distance, the first thing Van saw was the numerous columns of thin black smoke that emitted from the township''s chimneys. As Van and the rest rode into the town, the townspeople stopped their activities and looked at them curiously.


    The trio continued until they arrived at a thin, long building in the middle of town. This was the local garrison.


    ____


    [Inside the garrison.]


    "Sir! Your father might be the Great General of Cloud River, but that does not mean you can run roughshod over the rules. I can not give you all of our militia!"

 73 The Ice Caves

    [Inside the garrison.]


    "Sir! Your father might be the Great General of Cloud River, but that does not mean you can run roughshod over the rules. I can not give you all of our militia!"


    BANG!


    A large man with a scar over his left eye slammed his fist on the table. The wood rattled against the stone flooring.


    Shrieking, the middle-aged garrison keeper leapt to the side to avoid the shards of wood, "Please, sir, be reasonable¡­! I was told the militia were to be distributed fairly among those that accept the missio-"


    "Shut up!" Cyrus bellowed. His scar twisted.


    The garrison keeper mimed himself sewing his lips shut.


    Cyrus narrowed his eyes. The big man turned to the silent militia that were sitting around a long table at the garrison.


    "My name is Cyrus the Great, son of the Great General of Cloud River! Those who follow me will be following a leader amongst men, a person who will lead them to the light!"


    The militia looked unenthused.


    Cyrus lunged towards a thin man sitting near the front, "You! What is your name?"


    The thin man trembled, "Kris¡­sir!"


    "You are in the 3rd level of Qi Distillation, correct?" Cyrus bellowed.


    Kris nodded his head jerkily, "Y-yes¡­"


    "And you have been a rogue cultivator all your life?"


    Kris nodded his head once again.


    Cyrus slapped Kris on the back, "A cultivator with no sect to call their own, eh? All this time, you have struggled bitterly in the vast work, eking out a living¡­ finally you became a member of the Lihnrest King''s militia, earning twenty silver a month¡­ how pitiful!"


    Kris frowned. Twenty silver a month was already enough for a whole family to live comfortably!


    Cyrus laughed, "My friend! Forget about living comfortably! I can make all of you rich enough to live like kings!"


    The attention of all the militia was caught.


    Cyrus saw this and grinned, "Resources. Recognition. Training. Two thousand taels per month ¨C all you have to do is join me on my mission to the Blizzard Plains!"


    The militia''s eyes grew bright. They could not help themselves ¨C most of them were rogue cultivators who had struggled their entire lives to get to where they were now. When they heard that they would even get paid 2,000 taels each month they thought their brains were exploding.


    "I will come!"


    "Me too!"


    "Count me in!"


    The militia left their seats and flocked around Cyrus.


    ____


    [Half an hour later.]


    Van and co. entered the garrison.


    They saw a forlorn garrison-keeper crouching down and drawing circles on the stone floor. Apart from him, there was no one else in the room.


    Van''s eyebrows rose, "Sir Keeper, why is your garrison empty?"


    The garrison keeper kept his eyes on the circles he was drawing on the ground, "Sob. They all left¡­"


    "Your men left? Where did they go?" Van asked.


    The middle-aged garrison-keeper suddenly started talking to himself, "It is not my fault ¨C the person who came in just before¡­he took all of them!"


    [All the militia were taken by one person? This is against the mission rules!]


    Van came closer, "Who took them all?"


    The garrison-keeper suddenly leapt up from the ground. He peered about the room and leaned close to Van''s ear.


    "Cyrus. The son of the Cloud River''s Great General!"


    Van was shocked.


    [So that arrogant man on the snowy beast''s back is also taking this mission in the Blizzard Plains!]


    [Cyrus. There are now two strikes too many against your name¡­]


    Van looked at the guilty garrison-keeper, "Is there no one at all left in the militia?"


    The garrison-keeper looked thoughtful, "It''s not like there isn''t¡­it''s just that, well, you''ll see for yourself. I''ll take you to meet them."


    They entered a room in the back of the garrison.


    The first thing Van saw was three thin, dirty men wearing scruffy uniforms staring back at him. One of them picked his nose and flicked the booger to the ground.


    By Van''s side, Delphine let out an almost inaudible squeak. Ryan was disgusted, but you would not be able to tell from his stone-faced expression.


    The garrison keeper leveled a stern look at the three gentlemen in front, "Ahem! Ed, Gef, Phern! Some manners, please. We have another sect disciple here to take the mission!


    The three members of the militia looked at the garrison keeper. Varying levels of incomprehension showed on their faces.


    "Van, a disciple from the illustrious Cedar Sect in Cloud River, has decided to investigate the strange occurrences in the Ice Caves within the Blizzard Plains. I have decided that you three will be going with him!"


    All three maintained their confused looks. After a moment, Gef raised his thin, grubby hand.


    "B-but¡­ he''s a kid!"


    Ed looked Van up and down.


    Phern nodded vigorously, "Phern can''t follow a brat that hasn''t finished growing all his hairs!"


    The garrison keeper became cross. Today, his men had disobeyed his orders again and again! He raised his voice, "You three better listen to me and escort him around the Blizzard Plains, or else!"


    The three men grumbled but clambered to their feet.


    The garrison keeper turned to Van. His beamed, "They''re a bit thick, so Cyrus didn''t want them! Luckily for us, that means you got to take them!"


    ____


    After registering the team at the mission desk, Van and the rest set off to the entrance of the ice caves.


    To get to the ice caves ¨C a series of intertwined and interconnected tunnels within the ice ¨C they traveled several hours over the Blizzard Plains.


    Howling wind and abrasive ice made everyone''s faces pink and raw. Van and Blackie were tougher, owing to their strengthened bodies. Van felt the coldness least of all.


    As it was a well-traveled path, they encountered very few demon beasts. The only ones they bumped into were in the 3rd level of Qi Distillation. Although Van was only one level higher than them, killing the 3rd level demonic beasts was as easy as flipping a hand for him. A simple slice of the battle axe - using all the force of his body cultivation - chopped their foes into meat perfect for roasting over the fire.


    After several hours of one-handedly blasting away the foes, Van earned the grudging respect of the ''thick'' militiamen. They became more willing to listen to his suggestions.


    Van was in a rush to get to the ice caves as soon as possible. He felt that if he waited for too long, something bad might happen¡­


    "I think I see the caves!" Delphine said excitedly. She peered through her telescope and saw several cave mouths in the distance.


    Suddenly, Delphine cursed.


    The entire sled-full of people looked at her.


    "Cyrus is using the militia to intimidate people into paying a hefty entrance fee to get into the Ice Caves!" said Delphine, "One, two, three, four, five bags of silver taels. That''s fifty thousand silver taels per head!"

 74 The Back Entrance

    "Cyrus is using the militia to intimidate people into paying a hefty entrance fee to get into the Ice Caves!" said Delphine, "One, two, three, four, five bags of silver taels. That''s fifty thousand silver taels per head!"


    Van didn''t even hesitate. He pulled Blackie''s reigns and turned them around. The group of five people and a wolf moved away from the mouth of the ice caves.


    "Where are we going?" Delphine asked curiously. Her face peered out of a fluffy coat made with the skin of some beasts they had killed on the way through the Blizzard Plains. The rest wore similar coats.


    "To find an alternate way to enter the ice caves," Van said. Cyrus clearly wanted to dominate the mission by himself, but Van was not about to let him.


    Delphine and Ryan nodded. Ed, Gef and Phern looked less sure but nodded as well.


    After being led by Van for the past few days in their journey to the ice caves, they trusted his direction. He had even saved their lives several times when they accidentally stumbled into a wild demon beast. Adding to that, Van also showed care and warmth to them.


    Though they weren''t the smartest of the bunch, they still had their own morals. If they had sworn to the garrison-keeper that they would follow Van for his journey, they would follow!


    "Lead the way, boss," the trio said, "We trust you."


    Van signalled for Blackie to take them away.


    ____


    In front of the gigantic dark mouth of the entrance to Ice Caves stood a large man with a scar over his left eye. Cold winds blew past him, bringing the faint mournful howl of demon beasts in the Blizzard Plains. Cyrus did not flinch.


    Beside the large man, about 50 militia completely blocked access to the caves. The icy wind whipped their faces, but they were unfazed. They gripped their iron swords and shields tightly. They wouldn''t move even if the King of Lihnrest ordered them to.


    At that moment, a female sect disciple and her teammates approached. The girl at the lead was tall and slim. Her eyes were a bright green colour and her long black hair flowed loosely down her back. She wore lilac robes with an unfamiliar symbol on them.


    Cyrus and his group of militiamen surrounded them.


    The girl immediately frowned, "Who are you to prevent me from passing? My name is Synthia and I am the top outer disciple of Lihnrest''s Cold Moon Flows Sect! Your 6th level Qi Distillation cultivation cannot stop me!"


    Immediately, Synthia drew out a flute and began to play an aggressive tune will with dangerous qi.


    Cyrus felt a sense of immense danger when he looked at her purple flute. However, he chuckled.


    "Men!"


    Instantly, the militia around him grabbed the girls in her entourage and forced them down into the snow. His two teammates, Abel and Cain, drew out their weapons and pointed them threateningly at Synthia''s teammates'' necks.


    Synthia was enraged, "What is the meaning of this?!"


    Cyrus sneered, "You might be able to defeat me, but I assure you ¨C your teammates lives will be snuffed out the moment you lay a hand on me!"


    Synthia''s green eyes glared furiously at him. The two locked eyes for several minutes.


    At the final instantly, Synthia put her flute back into her sleeve.


    "I will not harm you."


    Cyrus smiled and told the militia to back off.


    Synthia swished her lilac sleeves, "But I will not obediently pay your exorbitant 50,000 taels either. Girls, we are leaving."


    Synthia and her entourage silently left the entrance of the Ice Caves.


    Seeing the outcome, the other teams seeking to enter the ice caves were now hesitant to approach. Even those who had enough money to enter the caves wondered if it was worth it.


    They felt chilled by more than just the weather.


    The militia had an average cultivation of the 3rd level of Qi Distillation, with a 4th level member here and there. Although these cultivation levels were low, the sheer numbers were intimidating. Especially because Cyrus and his teammates ¨C two other disciples of the Star-Cutting Sword Sect ¨C were all in the 6th level of Qi Distillation!


    Fifty thousand silver taels was simply too much! Even the richest of young masters felt that it was not worth the money. The majority turned away and could only watch helplessly.


    Cyrus saw this and smirked.


    Some hours later, the amount of people coming towards the entrance of the Ice Caves dwindled to zero. A few spectators still remained but they lingered at some distance away from Cyrus and his men.


    Satisfied by his haul, Cyrus turned to Abel and Cain. These two were his teammates from the Star-Cutting Sword Sect. Abel was a thin youth with pitch black hair cut sharply at the chin. Cain was quite tall, with red hair and blue eyes.


    They both nodded sharply when Cyrus gave them the signal. The large man turned to the militia.


    "It is time!" Cyrus shouted. He pointed his sword to the frosty sky.


    The militia cheered loudly.


    Cyrus entered the mouth of the Ice Caves first. Cain and 30 men followed. The darkness soon swallowed them up.


    Abel and 20 members of the militia kept sentry. They would enter the Ice Caves in two days'' time.


    ???___


    When Van and his team left the vicinity of the ice caves, Van immediately pulled back on Blackie''s reins. They slowed and then stopped.


    Van hopped off the sled and started looking around in the snow.


    All aboard the sled looked curiously at Van. What was he looking for? All around them was nothing but a vast expanse of white! Fine, there was a patch of frosted-up grass every so often or a boulder here or there, but there was really nothing of note.


    Delphine couldn''t hold in her curiosity, "What are you looking for? Is it the alternative entrance to the Ice Caves?"


    Van nodded, "Yes."


    "What?"


    Everyone''s faces showed expressions of surprise, "The alternative route is here?"


    "How can this be?"


    Van smiled at the five dirty faces looking back at him, "Did you take a careful look at the entrance to the Ice Caves just then?"


    Everyone shook their heads. Delphine bit her lip.


    "I was too focused on Cyrus and his militia. I barely glanced at the ice cave itself."


    Ryan frowned, "I looked at the entrance. But didn''t notice anything unexpected¡­"


    Van smiled. Their responses were not unexpected. Unlike Van, they had not spent most of their childhood in the wilds, hunting and tracking small animals for food and a living. They did not pay special attention to the details in their surroundings. It was not surprising that they failed to notice what Van had.


    Van looked at Ryan, "The entrance walls didn''t seem unusual to you?"


    Ryan was puzzled, he felt Van was trying to move him towards a conclusion, but he couldn''t figure out what.


    "No. Why?"


    Van turned his attention to Ed, Gef and Phern. They looked back at him puzzedly.


    "What do you three know about the formation of the ice caves?"


    The three militia men admitted that they knew very little. Although they were stationed in Pollog, they were originally all from different places.


    Phern however, had heard some rumours, "The ice caves were formed naturally a few hundred years ago. The first explorers reported that they found large nurseries of demon beast eggs in there. After that, other demon beasts migrated in to prey on these eggs. More and more beasts populated the caves, until the amount of demon beasts became too much to handle. Then the Lord of Griever''s Fort decided to make clearing the caves a mission for the sects."


    Van''s eyes gleamed, "As I expected."


    The five humans stared back at him curiously.


    He turned to the group, "The first demon beast we fought upon entering the Blizzard Plains, do you remember how we found it?"


    "The big white worm?" Delphine asked.


    Van nodded.


    Phern answered, "We accidentally fell into its nest and enraged it!"


    Van nodded, "Don''t you think that the entrance of its nest looked remarkably similar to the entrance of the Ice Caves?"


    The five people frowned and racked their brains.


    Suddenly, Ryan sprang to his feet, "The blue markings. The markings on the walls of the nest were exactly like the ones on the entrance to the Ice Caves!"


    Van nodded, "Yes! The Ice Caves must have been created by a large demon beast similar to that worm."


    Van pointed to the ground. The crew followed his finger and saw a large trail on the snow - as if something had dragged itself along the ground.


    Delphine''s face became bright. Her cat-like eyes gleamed, "A giant worm''s trail..."


    Van smiled and patted her head, "Indeed. What Phern told us just then confirmed my suspicions. The worms tunnel through the ice to lay their eggs inside the Ice Caves."


    "Their tunnels will be our path into the Ice Caves! That is our alternate route!"


    Ed, Gef and Phern were filled with admiration.


    "Not bad, kid! Now let''s see if your theory is correct!" Phern commented.


    Van chuckled, "We''ll soon find out."


    ___


    The group followed the giant worm trail for over thirty minutes before Blackie sensed danger and stopped. In the swirling snow ahead of them, the faint outline of a giant body could be seen. It snowed sluggishly but powerfully.


    Van indicated for everyone to stay silent.


    "There is a giant ice worm ahead," he explained.


    Delphine looked over his shoulder and her eyes widened dramatically. "Van!" she hissed quietly, "That worm is five times bigger than the one we killed!"


    Van nodded, "It is also large enough to create a tunnel that we can fit through."


    Ed, Gef and Phern gulped. Their hands gripped their swords and bucklers tightly.


    Ryan''s grey eyes narrowed, "Look! There is something in its mouth!"


    Van focused his attention on the shadow in the distance. He could vaguely make out a struggling shape in its toothless maw.


    Ryan''s expression changed, "It''s a cultivator!"


    Everyone immediately looked at Van for direction.


    Van narrowed his eyes, "The giant ice worm we killed last time only attacked us because we had intruded into its nest. I suspect this cultivator was doing the same. I suspect I was not the first person to come up with this alternate plan of entry!"


    Van made a decision, "Let''s go and have a closer look!"


    As they neared, they saw a frightened girl in lilac robes shrieking hysterically. The giant ice worm had the girl in its toothless maw and was shaking her from side to side to knock her out.


    "Don''t be frightened. We will kill it quickly!" An elegant voice shouted. Van saw a slender woman with green eyes and a flute in her hands. She played a tune full of killing intent.


    Notes full of qi attacked the giant ice worm and gouged out its flesh. However, the giant worm was unfazed. Its wounds were only small in comparison to the rest of its body mass.


    Two other girls stood by, they each played a different musical instrument. Their attacks had little effect.


    Angered, the ice worm swung its giant body at the woman with the flute.


    "Lament of the Siren!"


    A haunting tune floated out of the flute. The ice worm shuddered, as if miserable, and shrunk away. It shrieked in a miserable tone and did not attack again.


    The girl with the flute''s eyes flashed.


    [Success!]


    At that moment, a second giant worm emerged from the tunnel entrance. Roaring, it threw itself forward and was about to crush the three girls beneath it.


    Synthia paled, "This is bad. The Luminous Ice Worm had a partner!"


    This second giant ice worm was even larger than the first. It''s massive body was going to crush her into smithereens!


    Synthia circulated her movement skill but she knew that it was not fast enough to rescue her followers from the giant ice worm''s attack.


    [If they die it is my fault!]


    A strong sense of guilt suffused her. She saw the giant ice worm fall onto her followers.


    Suddenly.


    A bright copper-colour dazzled Synthia''s eyes. The next moment, she saw an astonishing sight ¨C a young man was holding up the giant ice worm''s body with his bodily strength alone!


    "What!?" She shouted, astonished.

 75 Sp-EGG-tacular

    [If they die it is my fault!]


    Synthia saw the giant ice worm fall onto her followers.


    Suddenly.


    A bright copper-colour dazzled her eyes. The next moment, she saw an astonishing sight ¨C a young man was holding up the giant ice worm''s body with his bodily strength alone!


    "What!?" She shouted, astonished.


    The young man suddenly looked straight at her, "What are you waiting for? Kill it!"


    Synthia jolted. She picked up her flute but hesitated, "Young man. I know you mean well, but you are only in the 4th level of Qi Distillation. I will deal with this on my own!"


    Van rolled his eyes.


    [Silly woman. I told her to kill it and all she does it waste time!]


    "The giant ice worms move too slowly to be able to harm me. I will distract them. All you need to do is focus on dealing damage!" Van shouted.


    At that moment, his body shone silver.


    BAM!


    The giant ice worm was thrown dozens of metres into the snow. Its injured partner roared and burst through the snow. It reared up and tried to strike the young man down.


    Van''s body suddenly flickered and disappeared.


    Synthia''s green eyes widened.


    [What a high-level movement skill. It seems he might be able to distract them after all!]


    A moment later, Van reappeared several meters away from the enraged giant ice worm.


    Synthia quickly picked up her flute, "Thank you, young man!"


    Quickly, she focused her songs on attack and damage. Big gashes appeared on the giant worm''s body. Blue blood dripped onto the white snow.


    The giant worms attacked Synthia several times. Each time, Van would momentarily appear and deal them a heavy blow. As the giant ice worms had somewhat low intelligence, this move was enough to pull their attention away from Synthia. This also allowed her to focus all her energy on attacking and dealing as much damage as possible.


    After half an hour of this strategy, both the two giant ice worms lay silently in the snow. Their massive white bodies were covered in their congealed blue blood.


    Synthia finally put down her flute. Her breath puffed out of her raggedly. She turned her gaze to the young man in front of her and smiled thinly, "Thank you for helping me. Without your ability to distract them, I may not have been able to defeat both injury-free."


    The dark-haired boy in front of her shook his head, "No need to thank me. I had my own reasons for helping you."


    Synthia blinked, "Oh?"


    Van smiled, "I also wanted to kill those two giant ice worms."


    Synthia was silent for a moment, "I see. You also realized that the giant ice worms are the ones that created the Ice Caves in the first place, I assume."


    The young man nodded.


    Synthia''s face became somewhat colder.


    [This young man only helped me kill the worms because he realized they guarded an alternate entry to the Ice Caves.]


    [It seems there are no more people in the world who help a stranger out of the goodness of their hearts. Only those who use each other for their own ends.]


    "Since your assistance was instrumental to killing the two giant ice worms, I will share this entrance to the Ice Caves with you," Synthia said at length.


    The two figures in the snow looked silently at each other.


    Van smiled, "How will we split the materials from the two worms?"


    Synthia glanced at the two corpses, "I don''t care much for the materials from the Luminous Snow Worms. Let''s split it fifty-fifty."


    "Deal," Van said.


    Synthia gathered the bodies of her critically injured teammates and a few materials from the Luminous Snow Worms.


    Together, Van and Synthia moved aside the giant corpses, revealing the mouth to a dark tunnel. The tunnel''s diameter was tall enough for an adult human to walk into.


    "I will enter the caves first¡­?" Synthia waited for the young man to introduce himself.


    Van supplied his name, "Van. An outer disciple of the Cedar Sect."


    Synthia nodded, "My name is Synthia. I am an outer disciple of the Cold Moon Flows Sect. I will enter the caves first, Outer Disciple Van. Those are your teammates I can see in the distance, I assume?


    The level of your cultivations is a bit low so I will give you some advice: There are five levels of tunnels in the Ice Caves. The deeper you go in the ice caves the stronger the enemies. There is no pain in spending some time in the upper levels to get stronger. I don''t recommend you enter the final level before you enter the 6th level of Qi Distillation."


    Synthia summoned a fox-like creature summon and placed her injured teammates on its back. She disappeared into the gloom.


    Van''s teammates quickly drew closer.


    Delphine was pouting, "Why did you help that ungrateful girl? You saved her life and she didn''t even offer to help us in the Ice Caves!"


    Van, who was hacking away at the flesh of one of the Luminous Snow Worms, rolled his eyes.


    "I was only using her anyway. Didn''t you notice that she was in the 7th level of Qi Distillation? Without her strength, we could not kill such a high-level Luminous Snow Worm and find another pathway into the Ice Caves so easily."


    Delphine''s pout did not go away, "I know¡­ Hmph."


    Van patted the giant corpses of the Luminous Snow Worm. Like well-trained puppies, Delphine, Ryan, Ed, Gef and Phern immediately came closer. They withdrew small bone knives Van had crafted for each of them and began sawing away at the flesh of the Luminous Snow Worms.


    Van watched his little material-gatherers work hard and felt satisfied.


    Within an hour, the two corpses had been disassembled into their most useful parts. At Ryan''s feet was a pile of succulent flesh slices into steak-sized pieces. Further away, Ed, Gef and Phern were grinding the horns on the worm''s head into a fine powder.


    Van himself held one giant, jelly-like beast core in his hand. As both Luminous Snow Worms had been in the half-step 7th level of Qi Distillation, this core was extremely valuable.


    [With this, I should be able to break into the 5th level of Qi Distillation.]


    Satisfied, he packed all the materials into the Myriad Light Dimensional ring.


    He whistled and gathered his teammates up, "We will stop for a quick lunch and then head down into the Ice Caves."


    Ed, Gef and Phern were delighted by the news.


    Big, fatty slices of Luminous Snow Worm steak were thrown over a fire. The entire group had a hearty meal and felt their energy replenish.


    Van could feel that the spiritual power inside the Luminous Snow Worm''s was plentiful and heady. The only downside was that the spiritual power within was not forceful enough to cause a breakthrough.


    [I should break into the 5th level soon as possible. Otherwise the flesh of the Luminous Snow Worm will be wasted.]


    Although the effects were minimal for Van, the three militia men were delighted by the inrush of power from eating the flesh. Gleefully, they clung onto each other and almost wept.


    "The power is flowing into my body!" Ed cried out.


    "One more worm steak and I swear I will break through!" Phern said hysterically.


    Delphine felt the spiritual nourishment from the Luminous Snow Worm''s flesh directly increase her cultivation to the peak of the 4th level of Qi Distillation. She smiled happily.


    Ryan was quietly meditated over his meal. Suddenly, a sharp energy emitted from him.


    Weng!


    Ryan stood up excitedly, "The 4th level of Qi Distillation. I''ve done it!"


    Van grinned. He was happy to see his followers gaining strength. After all, them getting stronger meant the team was stronger too!


    The five people in front of Van were extremely happy as they had all made significant gains.


    A few minutes later, the sled was disassembled. The five humans and a wolf descended into the large tunnel created by the Luminous Ice Worms.


    ____


    [Five hours later.]


    Van knew that they had entered the true Ice Caves when the walls of the tunnels visually changed. The blue spots on the walls became bigger and a faint luminous light emitted from them. The tunnels also became much larger- about eight metres wide and tall.


    At that moment, the five humans and a wolf encountered a fork in the tunnels. Four different tunnels diverged from the path they were currently on.


    Inspecting the ground and seeing faint footprints, Van saw that Synthia must have travelled down the left-most one.


    Van inspected each of the entrances before deciding to take the right-most tunnel.


    Delphine at him questioningly, "Why this one?"


    "This tunnel was the only one that was not slanted up or down," Van explained. He was taking Synthia''s suggestion to put off entering the lower levels until a sufficient amount of strength was gained.


    Van entered the right-most tunnel and was greeted by icy walls that gave off a subtle blue luminosity. The air inside was chilly and caused a coldness that seemed to stab straight into the bones.


    Everyone shivered. Their steps echoed oddly in the cavernous tunnel.


    Tink.


    A small icicle detached from the ceiling and fell lightly onto the ice in front of Van''s feet.


    Van tensed. Blackie growled.


    The air grew colder. Instinctively, Van summoned his battle axe from the dimensional ring.


    At that moment, inhuman shrieks split the air.


    "Human!"


    "You have come to die!"


    Five figures detached from the walls of the tunnel. Vaguely human-looking, they had large ears like the frills of a salamander and gills. Their skin was a deep blue colour and had the texture of fish scales.


    Van''s expression changed.


    [Not good. They were camouflaged with the walls!]


    The five fishmen charged towards Van, brandishing their tridents. The level of each fishmen was low, but their high number made fighting them difficult. If Van was encircled by them, things could get dangerous.


    "Ed, Gef, Phern! Formation!"


    The nervous militia men gathered their spirits and formed an arrow-shaped formation with Ryan at the head. Blackie took a position beside the grey-haired boy. Delphine was safely ensconced in the area behind the arrow-tip. She pulled out a vial full of powder and threw it into the air.They all felt the cold recede from their bones.


    "Ready!" They shouted. They each readied their weapons and shields.


    Van briskly plunged into an opening between the five fishmen.


    "Watch out, Van!" Ryan screamed. He immediately put on the silver mask and shining silver bullets shot out of his palms.


    Van immediately implemented ''Scattering Smoke Steps.'' His figure flickered and reappeared in unpredictable and eccentric locations.


    Suddenly, he reappeared just behind a fishman.


    "Flaming Bull Fists!"


    A massive ball of flames with the vague shape of a rampaging bull charged out of his fists and crashed into the fishman.


    A sizzling sound was heard. It was accompanied by the tortured screams of a fishman. However, it was not enough to completely kill it.


    The fishmens'' power wasn''t particularly high, but their colour-changing skin was resistant to physical and spiritual attacks. However, their affinity for ice and water made them weak to Van''s fire-type skills.


    Three fishmen saw Van''s Fists of Devouring Flames and disentangled from the arrow-formation. They rushed towards Van.


    Van did not hesitate.


    "Searing Serpent Strikes!"


    Pah pah pah pah!


    The fishman Van had already hit with ''Flaming Bull Fist'' dropped down to the ground and writhed pitifully.


    Ryan and Delphine saw Van''s extreme killing speed.


    [I must keep up!] They thought.


    Delphine lifted her arms and two giant thorny branches pierced through the icy ground. Due to the cold, they were smaller and weaker than usual, but they were still highly effective. One fishman was immediately trapped by the branches.


    Ryan aimed his finger at the entrapped fishman.


    [Mysterious Silver Bullet!]


    The fishman within the thorny branches fell to the ground. Ryan''s bullet had penetrated its brain!


    The remaining three fishmen were cautious. They attacked Van at the same time, cutting off his escape routes.


    Van''s body flickered like a candle in the night. Three tridents stabbed towards him but were deflected by his Crimson Monarch Armour.


    Suddenly, Van roared.


    Van''s axe sliced viciously through the air ¨C the blow was aiming for the neck of one of the fishmen.


    Blood spurted.


    Van drew back the axe and sprung away just in time to miss the attack of the other fishmen. Since he lacked practical expertise in his martial skills, Van fought all the enemies with his axe or with his fist skills. He counted on his teammates and persisted in trying out his combat skills.


    Van''s axe attacks ¨C fuelled by fleshly power ¨C took care of the fishmen in the blink of an eye.


    When the skirmish was over, his teammates looked at Van in a daze. Five fishmen had seemed intimidating, but the fight ended before Ryan or Delphine had been forced to fight too strongly.


    Van took the fishmen''s weapons and armour and checked their pockets. Finally, he extracted the beast core from their foreheads.


    "Let''s move on," Van said.


    The group of people walked further into the tunnel.


    "Hm?" Van suddenly entered a large space filled with hundreds and hundreds of round objects, "This must be a Luminous Snow Worm''s egg nursery!"


    But the more he looked, the more Van felt something was not quite right. Red channels criss-crossed the floor of the ice cave....almost as if they were massive veins and arteries carrying blood to the monster eggs...


    "V-Van..." Delphine said weakly, pulling at his sleeve.


    "Over there... isn''t that...?"


    Van looked and felt the blood drain from his face.


    A slumped human figure was half-submerged into the ground. Big pulsing veins on the floor ran from that figure to the hundreds of eggs in the nursery.


    [The eggs are being nourished by the blood of a cultivator!]


    Van drew closer and saw the figure was a young man with red hair. His eyes were shut, and his lips were blue.


    Delphine cried out, "That''s one of Cyrus''s teammates from the Star-Cutting Sword Sect. They must have run into trouble!"

 76 Giving Blackie the Bloodline

    A slumped human figure was half-submerged into the ground. Big pulsing veins on the floor ran from that figure to the hundreds of eggs in the nursery.


    [The eggs are being nourished by the blood of a cultivator!]


    Van drew closer and saw the figure was a young man with red hair. His eyes were shut, and his lips were blue.


    Delphine cried out, "That''s one of Cyrus''s teammates from the Star-Cutting Sword Sect. They must have run into trouble!"


    Van gripped his axe tightly, "I can sense faint demonic taint on these Luminous Ice Worm eggs. We should eliminate them all immediately."


    Van knelt beside the figure that was half-submerged into the ground. There was no pulse.


    "He is dead," Van pronounced to his teammates. He held out his palm.


    Red, flickering flames filled the massive chamber. The fire devoured everything until only black char remained.


    [Van. It seems that the rock behind these ice walls have a strong suppression effect on spiritual energy¡­ if I am not mistaken, the Luminous Ice Worms lay their eggs in such a rock in order to protect their eggs from being detected by predators¡­this would be a good space to rest and cultivate in before moving on.]


    Jet''s voice reminded Van.


    Van stopped and turned to his group, "We will rest in this chamber for the night and consolidate our cultivations."


    Five pale faces stared back at him. Delphine was first to shake her head, "We just found a corpse being drained of blood here! No way! I won''t stay here for longer than I have too¡­"


    [There will be smaller chambers around this one,] Jet supplied.


    Sure enough, several smaller chambers surrounded the main one. These ones only contained the old, cracked shells of eggs that had long hatched. The red veins that ran along the ground were absent.


    Van chose a medium sized chamber for himself and Blackie and blocked the entrance with a big boulder.


    "Knock if you need anything for me," he told the rest before shutting himself in.


    Blackie licked excitedly at Van''s face.


    Van laughed but pushed the wolf away, "Be serious now. After you consume the Ancient Beast Bloodline, your life will never be the same!"


    The large wolf wagged his tail.


    Van nearly pulled out the vial of blood but then decided to be cautious.


    [If Blackie''s level exceeds mine by too much, I worry that his loyalty will stray¡­ I cannot say that the addition of the Ancient Beast Bloodline will not affect his mood and temperament¡­]


    Van decided to increase his own cultivation first.


    Crunch.


    Crunch.


    For the next two hours, all that could be heard was the sound of someone chewing and swallowing.


    Van''s stomach complained but he continued to consume the giant core from the Luminous Ice Worm. Hot energy spilled into his stomach and gushed towards his spiritual river.


    Ka-cha.


    A balmy wind lifted Van''s hair and tousled his robes. When Van opened his eyes, a misty veil seemed to hang over them. His eyes twinkled; as if hiding the mysteries of the world.


    Van grinned.


    [Finally. The 5th level of Qi Cultivation!]


    However, Van continued to ride the momentum. Countless monster cores descended into his gullet. The spiritual energy flowing into him was so potent that the air within the chamber itself grew thick with power.


    Three hours later, Van ran out of monster cores.


    "I should be halfway to the 6th level of Qi Distillation," Van said to himself.


    Blackie, who had been sitting patiently in a corner of the chamber came up towards Van and nuzzled his hand.


    The young man patted his pet absent-mindedly on the snout.


    "You know what, Blackie? Life is too short for doubt. I trust you."


    A small vial, about the size of thumb, contained a droplet of dark blood within it. It could not be larger than a baby''s tooth.


    As soon as Van uncapped it, a forbidding and heavy aura spilled out from the vial.


    Jet peered at it through Van''s eyes.


    [So that''s who the blood belonged to. Not bad. Not bad at all.]


    "So, it is safe for Blackie to consume?" Van asked.


    [Yes.]


    [But do tell him he will be in excruciating amounts of pain.]


    Van felt pity for the big wolf. He gently grabbed Blackie around the ruff and gave him a soothing chin scratch.


    "Do not be afraid. The pain will go away quickly," Van said unconvincingly.


    The large grey wolf barked.


    Van walked forwards and tipped the contents of the vial into the giant wolf''s mouth.


    A dark red droplet rolled out of the glass and fell onto the wolf''s tongue.


    Van saw Blackie shudder. The young man and his wolf locked eyes. The wolf began to tremble slightly. As time passed on, the shudders became more violent.


    Van clenched his fists. Blackie did not make a single sound, but his eyes showed that he was in immense pain.


    At that moment, the giant wolf''s grey fur began to change. It darkened and turned into a pitch-black colour similar to that of a starless night.


    The white patch on the wolf''s chest became blood red. Blackie''s incisors glinted sharply in the faint light from the luminescent walls. They were now twice as long as they were before.


    The giant wolf lifted its head and howled joyously.


    "Arroooooo!"


    Van was curious to understand what mutation had occurred.


    [It was the bloodline of a member of the ancient Vampire race,] Jet explained, [Blackie now possesses the ability to steal lifeforce from his enemies in order to heal himself. He is now extremely hard to kill.]


    [His strength would be equivalent to the 7th level of Qi Distillation. However, as the bloodlines assimilates further, his strength will increase exponentially.]


    ___


    As Van and his teammates travelled deeper into the Ice Caves, the number of monsters falling their way increased rapidly.


    Because of his intense use of his martial skills, Van was able to learn a new move from his ''Fists of Devouring Flames.''


    "Blazing Meteor Rain!"


    Each time he waved his palm, several demon beasts perished. None of them could withstand the extreme heat from the martial skill.


    Van and his teammates rested often to recharge their spiritual power. They wasted no energy or time. Every meal consisted of the flesh of demon beasts. Of course, they periodically drank tonics brewed with the Purple Mist Flower to cleanse themselves of demonic taint.


    "We have been in the Ice Caves for so long, and yet the only other person we''ve seen was dead," Ryan observed one day, "There were so many people in Cyrus'' crew...something definitely happened."


    Van nodded, "I''m afraid something bad must have happened to Cyrus and his followers. I can only guess that they have all been captured to feed the eggs in the nursery. Whatever is down there¡­Maybe it has been planning this for a long time¡­"


    His teammates shuddered.


    Van narrowed his eyes, "We must kill it before the eggs in the nurseries hatch. There must be demonic entity down there that has been corrupting the eggs of the Luminous Ice Worms and then feeding them human blood¡­I suspect they might be building an army of abominations."


    They went deeper in the caves.


    Far in the distance, Van saw a group of fishmen pass by.


    After a while, the group left and one of them wandered off alone. These fishmen were different from the ones Van had killed before ¨C these ones seemed larger and deadlier.


    Delphine quietly sprinkled powder onto them, "For 20 minutes, physical abilities will be enhanced."


    Van summoned his giant obsidian battle axe.


    At that moment, the fish man''s attention was caught. It sniffed the air and caught scent of Delphine''s powder.


    "Humans!" It shouted shrilly.


    Something flickered in the air before it.


    Clang!


    The fishman blocked Van''s axe swing with his strong forearm.However, Van''s strength ripped through the enemy''s defense.


    "Aaaaiyaaa!" The fishman saw its own blood drip onto the ground. However, it did not budge from Van''s hit.


    "I''ll kill you, human!"


    The fishman grabbed at Van. The young man grabbed and held onto the fishman''s chest. They dropped and rolled on the snow covered ground.


    Van heard the sound of running footsteps, [The other fishmen heard the commotion and have come back!]


    Sure enough, three fishmen rushed back into the tunnel.


    GROWLLL!


    At that moment, a giant black shadow leapt onto one of the fishman and sunk its fangs into the fishman''s neck.


    The other two fishmen gathered around Blackie with knives and tried to get the wolf off the last fishman. However, the wolf was healing the injuries even as they formed.


    The fishman screamed pitifully and then died minutes later.


    Blackie leapt off the desiccated corpse below him and ripped off the heads of one of the other fishmen.


    The final fishman had a look of absolute terror on its face.


    Van rested his axe on its throat, "Lead us to the bottom of the Ice Caves!"

 77 A Well-Oiled Machines Final Assaul

    The final fishman had a look of absolute terror on its face.


    Van rested his axe on its throat, "Lead us to the bottom of the Ice Caves!"


    The fishman''s big round eyes blinked rapidly. He opened his mouth.


    BANG!


    Abruptly, the fishman''s head burst open.


    Van was splattered with brain juice. Recoiling, he dropped the corpse onto the ground. Vaguely Van heard the sound of retching from behind him.


    Ryan came up and peered at the fishman''s corpse, "Did you see that? It seemed as if there was something planted in the fishman''s forehead. The moment he tried to tell us how to get to the bottom."


    Van nodded, "There is something afoot. This mission is not as simple as there being a simple higher level demon beast at the bottom. Something is controlling the fishmen in the Ice Caves and I suspect they are the same entity behind the corrupted Luminous Ice Worm eggs."


    Delphine shivered.


    Blackie cleaned his paws and came back to Van. His black fur glittered.


    Delphine instinctively took a step back at the newly transformed wolf approached her, "There, there Blackie¡­such big teeth you have!"


    Ryan looked at the wolf warily, "What happened? Why does Blackie seem so much more powerful?"


    Van told them that he had found an ancient beast bloodline during the Mystery Object Sale.


    Delphine showed an expression of envy, "Why wouldn''t you use it on yourself?"


    Van shook his head and smiled mysteriously.


    Delphine saw this and felt that Van was simply too enigmatic.


    [Maybe the level of the bloodline didn''t reach his eyes¡­ so he gave it to his pet instead¡­]


    She shook her head and tried not to think about it anymore. Van was too mysterious ¨C it seemed he was always able to achieve things and do things ordinary people could only dream about. The Body Strengthening Powder, the 5th level of Qi Distillation only 3 months from first circulating Qi, high martial ability, ability to identify ancient treasures, high leadership ability, an impressively loyal and powerful pet subordinate, a powerful and loyal friend who would follow him to death and back¡­


    As Delphine kept thinking about it, a small glow of awe filled her chest.


    [Sure enough, he is unordinary.]


    Van saw her misty thinking expression and shook his head. Actually, he first thoughts when he saw the beast bloodline was to consume it himself, but Jet had told him that absorbing it would not be possible. There was something in Van''s blood that would immediately attack impure bloodlines.


    [Apparently, I can only assimilate pure, ancient bloodlines. Anything else will simply be eliminated from my bloodstream by the will of flame in my blood.]


    Van felt hungry thinking about the immense improvement Blackie had shown upon assimilating the Vampire bloodline.


    [I wonder when I will be able to find a pure bloodline that I can assimilate myself. What would it be like¡­?]


    "What do we do now?"


    Ef, Gef and Phern looked at Van questioningly. The young man in front of them looked thoughtful. He was not in a rush to go rescue Cyrus or his arrogant cronies.


    Smiling, he handed them some unmarked beast hide he had made from the beasts they had hunted. Then he passed them some charcoal.


    "Let''s make a map of the place. We have about three weeks of time to explore the place and prepare for the final attack at the bottom of the Ice Caves."


    Van wanted to train everyone and increase their cultivations. Most importantly, he wanted to increase their battle experience. Of course, improving his leadership ability was also a must.


    [I will be leading a group of 30 disciples into the Monster Mausoleum. From Tutor Zhang''s tone, I know that the sect''s performance in the Mausoleum is close to the Sect Master''s heart. I must perform well in this. Then I can become an Inner Disciple and bring Finn to come live with me!]


    Van was filled with renewed vigor when he pitched his little sister''s cherubic face and messy blonde tresses.


    A week passed.


    Van and the team had explored everything but the lowest three levels of the caves.


    That night, they began to sort through the materials they had gathered from fighting off the various demon beasts inside the caves.


    "Two-hundred Ice Lizard Claws, Sixty Frost Dandelion Seeds, Ten Luminous Ice Worm cores¡­"


    Van split the loot into their respective portions. He got 40% of the loot while Delphine and Ryan each got 20%. Ed, Gef and Phern got about 7% each.


    At the end of that week, Delphine reached the 5th level of Qi Distillation. Phern was the only one of the militia to enter the 4th level.


    Van consumed a large amount of beast cores and was getting closer to breaking through once more.


    [I must spend my time fighting and practicing my martial skills to consolidate my cultivation. If I level up to quickly between stages, it can cause a shaky foundation that will make problems in the future.]


    Van''s days were filled with leadership training and martial practice.


    Soon Van and his ragtag teams became a well-oiled machine that easily slaughtered 6th level demon beasts and could handle weaker 7th level beasts.


    Their map of the Ice Caves became more and more detailed. The leather maps contained details such as were demon beasts were more likely to be sighted, or where they liked to sleep and eat.


    There were quite a lot of interesting findings from their explorations.


    First, there was an unnaturally high amount of demon beasts in the Ice Caves.


    Secondly, not all these demon beasts had something planted in their brains. Only the humanoid beasts with some intelligence were corrupted. Each time they tried to interrogate one, they would immediately explode.


    Thirdly, a few more of Cyrus''s gang were found. All were dead or recently dead and stuck in the centre of an egg nursery. Some were dried corpses. Some were fresh. Van hypothesised that Cyrus and his followers were not all dead ¨C they were being kept alive as blood supplies, and only killed when the corpse in the egg nursery was depleted of blood.


    Thirdly, there were a few hotspots of activity.


    For example, there was an underground spring which contained an enormous number of Ice Salamander. They were 5th level Qi Distillation beasts but their extreme numbers made probing the underground spring a difficult job. In the worst cave, there were more than 100 beasts in the underground spring at once.


    Though it was dangerous, Van and co. were able to clear the underground spring over a period of 2 days. Extreme use of his area attacks ¨C such as ''Tide Swallows the Earth'' and ''Depths of the Dark Seas" ¨C as well as copious use of his ''Scattering Smoke Steps'' movement skill ¨C was implemented. All while his human troops blocked the entrance to the underground spring so that the prey could not escape or find back up. The plan just managed to work at the neck of the entrance to the cave was too small to fit more than two Ice Salamander''s side by side. This allowed his troop to concentrate their attacks and slowly whittle down the numbers. Blackie was used to thin the crowds as well as take away some attention from the human troops if too many monsters were trying to flee.


    Two days later, they cleared the underground spring. It was discovered that the spring had healing properties. The water was gentle and mildly nourishing.


    The chamber containing the underground spring quickly became their new base camp. Every night, the crew enjoyed a thorough bath, healed their wounds and improved the strength of their bodies.


    Delphine was the one who showed the most improvement in battle ability and sense. Every fight, Van would instruct her.


    "Shielding!"


    "Yes!"


    "Use your thorn ability to create space between us and the enemy!"


    "Yes!"


    "Throw some fatigue-lessening powder!"


    "Yes!"


    "Pass me a healing sol-"


    "Here!"


    "¡­ Well done¡­"


    Delphine became better and better at watching the state of her comrades and anticipating the flow of battle.


    Ryan, unlike Delphine, had more instinct when it came to fighting. His silver mask gave him a skill that shot silver bullets that were able to travel hundreds of metres. Van had also seen him use some sort of confusion-inducing ability that would reduce the strength of the enemies.


    Van dragged the crew back and forth through the Ice Caves in order to hunt and gain experience.


    Another week passed.


    A large number of monsters were killed. Ryan reached the 5th level of Qi Distillation. Ed and Gef entered the 4th level of Qi Distillation.


    With the consumption of an incredible amount of beast materials, as well as a few Pure Snow Lilies in the coldest parts of the Ice Caves, Van achieved the 6th level of Qi Distillation.


    "Finally!" Van exulted. He stood up and felt the roaring power within his meridians.


    [I have reached the cultivation requirement for the Monster Mausoleum.]


    Delphine and Ryan came over to congratulate him.


    "Jumping 2 levels in 2 weeks¡­" Delphine shook her head, "Even if I consumed as many beast materials and herbs as you, I still wouldn''t have half the increase in cultivation. Your absorption efficiency is too astonishing."


    Van smiled, "Surely not. I just don''t sleep as much as you guys do." He tried to blame his fast cultivation speed on training even while the others were sleeping.


    Delphine accepted his answer. She had indeed woken up many times while sleeping to see Van dedicatedly cultivating even late at night. However, she wasn''t so na?ve to think that this alone would allow him to make such a fast advance in cultivation!


    "The 6th level of Qi Distillation is the level in which your identity as a cultivator is taken seriously. You are no longer a rookie. Only 20% of disciples in Cloud River''s top sects are a higher cultivation level than you," Delphine informed Van.


    Van smiled again and patted her on the head, "20% is 20% too many."


    Delphine huffed, "So arrogant!"


    Soon, there was only one week left before the time limit for completing the mission was up.


    Their cultivations were thus:


    Van (6)


    Blackie (7)


    Delphine (5)


    Ryan (5)


    Ed (4)


    Gef (4)


    Phern (4)


    At this point in time, Van decided to start preparing seriously for the final attack. If he was honest with himself, he would have admitted the he seriously questioned investigating the final level of the Ice Caves at all.


    Was it worth risking his life? Undoubtedly the foe on the lowest level would be incredibly tough to kill ¨C they all might lose their lives.


    Although Van doubted, he was also unwilling to give up.


    [If I give up here, how will I ever become an undefeatable hero? Giving up one time is a slippery slope that may lead to more failures in the future.]


    Van turned to his troops, "What say you?"


    They looked back at him. Each had a steely look of determination in their eyes. Over the past 3 weeks, they had all developed a healthy respect for their young leader. They were also no longer the inexperienced fighters they were at the start.


    "We are confident in this team and your leadership ability, Sir," Phern said respectfully. Starting from the first week, Ed, Gef and Phern had adopted the habit of calling Van by ''Sir.''


    "Together we can get to the bottom of this mystery. We will find out what has been terrorising the Ice Caves and return victorious!"


    Delphine and Ryan were no less determined.


    "We have confidence," Ryan said.


    "Let''s do it!" Delphine enthused.


    "Arf!"


    The intimidating black wolf barked enthusiastically, shattering his fearsome and devilish image.


    Van was warmed by their reactions.


    [I did not waste my investment in their training. Few people can say they have such a loyal and well-trained team!]


    "Let''s go!"


    ___


    They travelled back to the five-way split they found in the beginning and took one path they had not investigated. It was the left-most one which Synthia had gone down.


    "The slope is quite steep, be careful," Van commented. They descended in silence.


    Soon, the tunnel plateaued out.


    The crew saw a tunnel branching off for the main one and peered into it. Their faces went pale white.


    "A-another egg chamber¡­" Delphine whispered, "but this time¡­"


    "This time...!"

 78 The Tri-Divine Blood Flame

    ____________________


    Search for this symbol: ***EDIT*** to find new/reworked material. This is a repost.


    ____________________


    Van and the rest of his team once more traveled by a Blackie-drawn sled. They traveled all the way back to the five-way split they found in the beginning and took one path they had not investigated. It was the left-most one, which Synthia had gone to first.


    "The slope is quite steep, be careful," Van commented. The group descended in silence.


    The walls of the tunnel glowed faintly with luminescence. The air inside was freezing ¨C as usual. There was the occasional demon beast that they had to kill, but none of them were particularly difficult to kill.


    A few hours passed, and the slope of the tunnel started to become less steep.


    The crew saw a tunnel branching off for the main one and peered into it. Their faces went pale white.


    "A-another egg chamber¡­" Delphine whispered, "but this time¡­"


    "This time there a hundred time more eggs¡­!"


    Van looked inside and was immediately chilled. This egg nursery was the largest they had ever seen.Pale blue eggs were lined up neatly up the walls of the immense chamber. Red, pulsing veins ran between them, feeding the eggs with blood extracted from the corpses in the middle of the chamber. There were three recently dead. Van thought he vaguely recognized one. A shame that it wasn''t Cyrus.


    Crash!


    There was a loud noise.


    Van''s head whipped around. He saw a pale figure staring at them. It was a thin woman with a confused expression on her face. Suddenly, she hissed and ran towards them.


    "Attack her!" Van bellowed.


    The troop immediately got into formation. Ed, Gef and Phern knelt. They lifted their shields.


    Bang bang bang!


    Standing over them, Ryan shot his silver bullets.


    The thin woman swerved the streaking silver lights. The last one hit her on the leg, but she kept running.


    Delphine''s expression was full of revulsion, "The bullet broke her leg but she''s still standing. What in the Nine Heavens!"


    "Ready. Sword Slash!" Van bellowed.


    In unison, Ed, Gef and Phern swung their swords.A brilliant blue flash emitted from their blades and combined. The strike swept towards the running figure. The moment they spent preparing to strike again, Delphine used to attack the running woman with thorny vines.They wrapped around one of her legs.


    Riiip!


    With one hand, the woman bent down and ripped the thick vines in two. She drew back her hands. Long black fingernails sprouted from her fingers. The demonic energy around her increased.


    Van narrowed his eyes. This power¡­ she was in the 7th level of Qi Distillation!


    "Blackie, now!"


    A massive snarling shadow pounced at the woman and slammed her to the ground. Shrieking, the woman struck the large wolf. A wound was created on Blackie''s shoulder.


    The giant wolf retaliated by sinking his fangs into her arm. The wolf''s wound began to slowly heal.


    The woman screamed.


    BANG!


    An invisible force lifted Blackie off her and threw him to the side.


    A flickering in the corner of her eye alerted her to an attack. She threw up a pale arm just as Van swung at her with his obsidian axe.


    Thunk!


    A thin, severed arm fell to the ground.


    The woman looked at her arm and some clarity returned to her eyes. She tried to run.


    "Depths of the Dark Seas!"


    A giant whirlpool of icy dark water surrounded the woman, Van and Blackie. The large wolf circled around her and occasionally nipped at her heels. She was cowed.


    "What is your name?" Van said, his axe at her throat.


    Her large eyes stared at him. No noise came out of her mouth.


    Blackie growled.


    Van narrowed his eyes, "Why are you here? Who told you to take care of the eggs?"


    The thin woman continued to look searchingly at him. Finally, she put a palm out and gently dropped it a few times.


    [Calm down?]


    Van wasn''t sure if he interpreted it right. Or maybe¡­


    "Drop the walls of the whirlpool?" He tried.


    She nodded.


    Van scoffed, "You will just run away! Tell me where the mastermind of these demon nurseries are, and I will let you live."


    He did not mention the fact that all the humanoid beasts they had interrogated thus far had died the moment they tried to tell him anything.


    Looking at her face, Van knew that she knew.


    The thin woman looked at him and did not open her mouth. However, she lifted her remaining hand and crooked her pinky finger.


    [Follow.]


    Van contemplated it for a moment.


    "You are not fast enough to run away from us completely, anyway," He said at last. Both him and Blackie could outrun her, judging from the speed she displayed previously.


    He dropped Depths of the Dark Seas.


    Blackie and Van watched her quietly. She darted her eyes to one side of the chamber and started screaming in a strange sounding language. She ran.


    "Chase her!" Van instructed. He leaped for Blackie and clung to the giant wolf''s back. The wolf ran past the troop and Van swung them onto the giant wolf.


    Van watched the fleeing figure in front. Her running pace was somewhat slower than when she was attacking them.


    ***EDIT***


    [She is leading us somewhere!]


    The thin woman pressed something, and one side of the chamber indented, revealing a rough door. She immediately ran through it.


    The crew chased after her on Blackie''s back.


    Half an hour later, they arrived into an extremely large chamber. A strong demonic atmosphere suffused the air. The smell of blood was so strong you could taste it at the back of your throat.


    The thin woman suddenly vanished, leaving Van and the rest in the entrance to the chamber.


    Miserable shrieks filled the air of the chamber. Their howls and wails traveled all the way to Van''s ears despite the distance between them.


    "Let go of us!"


    "No, not my child! Take me instead, I beg you!"


    "Shut up," A voice coldly replied, "Slaves. Take her away!"


    There was the sound of footsteps. Another voice spoke up.


    "Demon!!! Let me out of here!! "


    Van recognized Cyrus'' voice. Immediately, he indicated for the rest of the team to tread carefully.


    But it was too late.


    "Who''s there!?" A cold voice barked.


    In reaction, Cyrus immediately began screaming.


    "Save me! Please, whoever''s there. Save me! This demon wants to kill me and feed me to grow his demon army. He is a traitor to humanity, he wants to destroy the Divine River Rea-"


    There was a choked gargling noise.


    Cyrus did not speak again. There was a soft noise, as if someone wearing robes was walking around.


    "Come out, come out wherever you are¡­" The cold voice teased. The sound floated in the air and entered Van''s ears as if the speaker were right next to him. The effect was both chilling and eerie.


    Van tensed. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up stiffly. Delphine gripped her weapon tightly.


    Flicker.


    A tall emaciated man with a blue eyes and long white hair suddenly appeared in front of them. His skin was stretched and pale ¨C as if he had not seen the light of day for years. If he were less gaunt, he might have been considered handsome. A smile crossed the emaciated man''s thin lips.


    "So some more experimental subjects have decided to deliver themselves to me¡­Hahahaha!"


    Van heard this and was alarmed. However, he did not hesitate, "Blackie, attack!"


    GROWLL!


    The giant wolf leapt forwards.


    "Oh? An ancient bloodline lies within this beast. How interesting¡­ but it can''t quite compete with¡­mine¡­!"


    The emaciated man''s cold blue eyes suddenly turned a shocking black that covered even the whites of his eyes. Two white horns sprouted from his forehead. A terrifying aura filled the massive chamber. It caused a nauseating fear to fill their bellies. The emaciated man''s power suddenly quadrupled.


    "Those who try to stop us will die!"


    BANG!


    A black light filled the chamber.


    Grimacing, Delphine reacted quickly and summoned her Aqua Light Shield.


    Weng!


    A green-blue shield shimmered into existence above Van''s head. It only blocked about 10% of the damage, but the moment was enough for Van to shove them all out of harm''s way.


    "Good reaction speed, Delphine!" He praised as the black light headed straight for him. However, he soon realized that the power contained within the black light was too much for him to withstand.


    Gurrgle.


    At that moment, the green turtle shell within Van''s mindscape began to tremble and vibrate. The dark power within the emaciated man''s move was being eaten by the turtle shell!


    Van remembered that it had done something similar in the past. Grinning, he capitalized on the chance and lifted his palms.


    BANG!


    Red hot flames billowed out of Van''s palms and attacked the black light emitted by the emaciated man. He committed every fiber of his being to maintaining the flow of spiritual power from his fists.


    Szzt!


    The black and red lights battled.


    The emaciated man became puzzled.


    [Why is he not dead yet?]


    [¡­The power of darkness is being¡­consumed. The kid''s flames are devouring the dark qi in my move!]


    Of course, the emaciated man did not realise that it was Van himself that was consuming the dark qi. This was because the flame was indeed quite effective at combating dark attribute ¨C the only things that could compete with it would be the lightning and light attributes.


    The emaciated man narrowed his eyes.


    [I don''t believe a low-level brat will be able to withstand my power for long.]


    Weng!


    The emaciated man''s aura flared out. The power of darkness immediately doubled.


    The green turtle shell in Van''s mind grew excited. It greedily sucked in the dark qi in the atmosphere. Soon enough, another shield symbol appeared on its lustrous viridian surface.


    The emaciated man was both startled, annoyed and furious, [What is going on? This brat is actually difficult to kill. He seems to have some ability to consume dark power!]


    As Van continued to battle, he felt a strange pull to something in the back of the chamber.


    [What''s over there¡­?]


    Van finally saw a large dais a few hundred metres away from them. A bloody aura emitted from it, saturating the space around it with a crimson colour.A bloody red crystal about the size of a fist was embedded into the ground. Large pulsing veins emerged from it. A small flickering flame lay within it.


    Van''s eyes narrowed, [That red crystal must power the blood demonification of the Luminous Ice Worm eggs. We must destroy it!]


    Scattered around the dais were a few cages filled with starved mission-takers. They saw Van looking shouted. Their thin faces were red from excitement - they all wished to be free.


    "Save us!"


    "Kill him!"


    BANG!


    The emaciated man loosened Blackie off himself and threw the wolf to the ground. The wolf yelped but stood up again.


    Van''s hair flew up behind him. The harder he forced the flame energy out of him, the more lightheaded he felt.


    [This is the hardest I''ve ever pushed to channel fire qi¡­ my head¡­ugh¡­]


    Something in the large chamber responded to the aura of fire Van was emitting.


    The emaciated man suddenly felt an extremely pure aura of flame emitting from somewhere behind him.


    [This aura¡­! Could this be¡­? The Tri Divine Blood Flame is reacting to this kid¡­!]


    The emaciated man grew frightened.


    [If the Tri Divine Blood Flame is removed, my plans will be for naught! I need the power of the Blood Flame to build my demon army!]


    The emaciated man''s worst nightmare came true ¨C the crystal containing the Tri Divine Blood Flame suddenly emerged from the ground.


    Like a comet, the fiery crystal shook itself and shot straight towards the two battling figures.


    The emaciated man immediately canceled his next move and tried to capture the Tri-Divine Blood Flame.


    Van didn''t let him.


    [Scattering Smoke Steps!]


    Van''s body flickered.


    The burning object collided with Van''s palm and immediately sank into his flesh.The young man felt his blood turn molten. Time slowed. His hair slowly started to turn red.

 79 My Name is Altemuller

    [Scattering Smoke Steps!]


    Van''s body flickered. He appeared only a metre away from the flying crystal.


    The burning object collided with Van''s palm and immediately sank into his flesh. The young man felt his blood turn molten. Time slowed. His hair slowly started to turn red at the tips. Moment''s later, his black locks had turned a crimson shade reminiscent of a bloody sunset.


    The power from the crystal melted into Van''s bloodstream. Van felt the quality of his spiritual power increase by several folds!


    Van admired the effect of the crystal.


    [With the addition of the Blood Flame, my strength is on par with a 7th level Qi Distillation Cultivator! However, this won''t be enough. The strange man in front of me is in the 8th level of Qi Distillation¡­]


    A dark red flame appeared in his mindscape. It was the Tri-Divine Blood Flame. It emitted a bloody aura that stung the nose. Jet floated closer to it.


    [Not bad. The Tri-Divine Blood Flame seems to be able to increase life essence. Those who are on the verge of dying may be renewed, and those who are being infected by demonic energy may survive if they are sustained by the blood flame¡­ it is much sought after, as it can resurrect a person within three seconds of them dying.]


    "What?!"


    Van was astonished in the ability of the Tri-Divine Blood Flame.


    Due to the removal of the Tri-Divine Blood Flame crystal from the dais, the bloody aura in the air of the chamber diminished by half. Van saw the large red veins criss-crossing the ground start to blacken and shrivel away.


    The emaciated man saw the veins blacken and felt hatred sink into his bones. He turned his ice blue eyes to Van, they were filled with a bright, manic hatred.


    "How dare you interfere with my work!" The emaciated man shouted.Without the power of the blood ritual, the demonic eggs within the nurseries would die. His demon army would not come to fruition!


    His army would not hatch, but he still had soldiers!


    The man bellowed, "My children. My little experiments, free yourselves from your human shackles. Come to your Master!"


    Rattle.


    Horrified screams filled the air.


    "What is happening?"


    "Cyrus, Cyrus! Snap out of it ¨C ah!"


    "Why are they attacking us!?"


    "They''re being controlled. It''s not them anymore. Kill them with no mercy!"


    Two bloody figures emerged from the cages around the dais.


    Van immediately paled. He recognised two of them.


    "Synthia?"


    The figure on the left was a slender woman with elegant features. However, now, her eyes were a blood red and her movements eerie and unnatural.


    Beside her stood Cyrus. His appearance was thinner than before, but the rest shared similarities with Synthia''s state.


    Van turned to the emaciated man, "What have you done to them!?"


    The emaciated man chuckled, "Don''t you like the effect? All I did was plant a little demon inside their brains and look how they''ve turned out! When I''m not controlling the demon, they appear and behave as if everything were fine. Apart from the occasional dizziness and hallucinations¡­When I activate the demon inside them they would kill all their friends and loved ones if I ordered them to!"


    The emaciated man laughed, "Sadly my little experiment only worked on the stronger cultivators, so I had to use the rest as a blood supply for my demon army."


    Alarm bells rang inside Van''s head. He thought about the strange things he had experienced and discovered over the past month. The jigsaw pieces began to come together.


    [¡­ they experience dizziness and hallucinations¡­he can control them using a demon they planted in their brains¡­ the original mission was cancelled¡­]


    Van felt his stomach turn cold.


    [This is bad. Very bad.]


    [The disciples that undertook the original mission started to report memory loss and hallucinations. They must have had a demon planted in their minds. Disciples from many different countries and sects participated in the original mission. Infected disciples are present within too many sects!]


    Van stared at the man coldly, "Why are you doing this?"


    The emaciated man smiled smugly, "What is my purpose? To eliminate humans from the Divine River realm!


    My demon eggs¡­ you have destroyed them by taking away the Tri-Divine Blood Flame, the source of the ritual''s power. If I do not kill you tonight, my name is not Altemuller!"


    "Altemuller?" In the distance, Delphine had a puzzled expression on her face, "Why does this name sound so familiar?"


    The emaciated man spread his pale fingers, "My children. Kill him and retrieve the Tri-Divine Blood Flame for me!"


    With a snarl, the two demon-puppets leapt forwards.


    Synthia arrived first. Black nails sprouted from her hands. Her expression was vicious and ugly.


    Van immediately led her away, leaving Cyrus to his troops.


    Van coldly instructed them, "You guys must hold Cyrus here. It doesn''t matter if he dies. In fact, if you can kill him, that''s even better. I will deal with Synthia and Blackie will hold off Altemuller!"


    Delphine nodded sharply, "Yes, team leader!"


    Blackie howled and with a few swipes downed some stray


    Ryan tapped his silver mask, "It would be my pleasure to kill this bastard." Ryan still remembered his humiliation the other day when he was kicked off the back of the great snowy transport beast.


    A hissing Cyrus descended upon them.


    Van turned to the silent Synthia. She pursued him doggedly despite his constant use of ''Scattering Smoke Steps."


    Unlike Cyrus, Synthia was someone Van didn''t hold a grudge against. She had been instrumental to them being able to enter the Ice Caves in the first place.


    As he watched her, her expressions flickered rapidly. Sometimes she looked confused and lost, at other moments vicious and bloodthirsty.


    Van was suddenly reminded of Elder Lang.


    [The symptoms are the same. This means that the Cedar Sect has also been corrupted¡­!]


    Synthia lifted her flute to her lips. A devilish melody emerged. Van felt his mind blur.


    [This is bad! Her melody can affect the mind!]


    Synthia change the melody. This time, barbs of spiritual power stabbed down at Van.


    Van used Scattering Smoke Steps but was still hit by a barb. Her martial arts was both skilful and powerful ¨C her cultivation was in the 7th level of Qi Distillation after all.


    Van stumbled.


    Immediately, Synthia arrived in front of him. Viciously, she snarled. Then her expression turned bewildered and frustrated. She looked at her clawed hands as if they were not her own.


    Van saw a chance and shouted, "Synthia. Wake up! Don''t let the demon control you!"


    Synthia looked at him with her blood-red eyes. Her facial muscles spasmed. She was clearly warring with herself.


    "You must fight against it''s control. The man who planted it within your mind killed your fellow disciples and fed them to grow his demon army. Do not let yourself become a puppet!"


    Synthia emitted a tortured growl. At the same time, her hands flashed outwards and grabbed Van by the throat. A killing intent leaked out from her. However, her hands did not apply pressure.


    Van kept talking.


    [The demon is still controlling her body, but she is regaining consciousness!]


    Van bit his lip and grabbed her wrist.


    [Hopefully the pain will bring her to her senses!]


    He channelled his fleshly power and broke her wrist. Synthia screamed. As her screaming died down, Van saw new clarity in her eyes.


    "V-Van?" Synthia said weakly, "What is happening? What am I doing here?"


    Van shook his head, "There is no time to explain. You were being controlled by Altemuller to kill your fellow disciples. If we don''t kill him now, more disciples will die. The goal is to kill him ¨C your power would be much appreciated!"


    Synthia''s eyes flashed.


    ''Very well," she said, "but how will we kill him? His cultivation is higher than ours and his skills have not been fully displayed yet."


    Van turned back to the fight. He saw that Cyrus was slowly being weakened and whittled down by troop. Blackie was injured, but still viciously attacking Altemuller, who was unable to shake the wolf off himself.


    Van had an idea. He turned to Synthia, "We only have one chance for this plan to work. If we fail, we will be first to die."

 79 Altemuller

    [Scattering Smoke Steps!] Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    Van''s body flickered. He appeared only a metre away from the flying crystal.


    The burning object collided with Van''s palm and immediately sank into his flesh. Immense pain radiated from his palm. Van''s blood turned molten and his skin began to sizzle.


    Van screamed. He was cooking from the inside out!


    Time slowed.


    Van''s hair slowly started to turn red at the tips. A moment later, his black locks had turned a crimson shade reminiscent of a bloody sunset.


    The fire within his blood enveloped the red crystal. The power from the crystal melted into Van''s bloodstream. His pain lessened.


    Van circulated his qi. His spiritual power had doubled in quantity just like that!


    [Congratulations on absorbing your first Blood Flame, kid!] Jet said, pleased.


    [With the addition of the Blood Flame, my strength is on par with a 7th level Qi Distillation Cultivator! However, this won''t be enough. The strange man in front of me is in the 8th level of Qi Distillation¡­]


    A dark red flame appeared in his mindscape. It was the Tri-Divine Blood Flame. It emitted a bloody aura that stung the nose. Jet floated closer to it.


    [Not bad. The Tri-Divine Blood Flame seems to be able to increase life essence. Those who are on the verge of dying may be renewed, and those who are being infected by demonic energy may survive if they are sustained by the blood flame¡­ it is much sought after, as it can resurrect a person within three seconds of them dying.]


    "What?!"


    Van was astonished in the ability of the Tri-Divine Blood Flame.


    Due to the removal of the Tri-Divine Blood Flame crystal from the dais, the bloody aura in the air of the chamber diminished by half. Van saw the large red veins criss-crossing the ground start to blacken and shrivel away.


    The emaciated man saw the veins blacken and felt hatred sink into his bones. He turned his ice blue eyes to Van, they were filled with a bright, manic hatred.


    "How dare you!" The emaciated man shouted. Without the power of the blood ritual, the demonic eggs within the nurseries would die. His demon army would not come to fruition!


    His army would not hatch... but he still had soldiers!


    The man bellowed, "My children. My little experiments, free yourselves from your human shackles. Come to your Master!"


    Rattle.


    Horrified screams filled the air.


    "What is happening?"


    "Cyrus, Cyrus! Snap out of it ¨C ah!"


    "Why are they attacking us!?"


    "They''re being controlled. It''s not them anymore. Kill them with no mercy!"


    Two bloody figures emerged from the cages around the dais.


    Van immediately paled. He recognised two of them.


    "Synthia?"


    The figure on the left was a slender woman with elegant features. However, now, her eyes were a blood red and her movements eerie and unnatural.


    Beside her stood Cyrus. His appearance was thinner than before, but the rest shared similarities with Synthia''s state.


    Van turned to the emaciated man, "What have you done to them!?"


    The emaciated man chuckled, "Don''t you like the effect? All I did was plant a little demon inside their brains and look how they''ve turned out! When I''m not controlling the demon, they appear and behave as if everything were fine. Apart from the occasional dizziness and hallucinations¡­When I activate the demon inside them they would kill all their friends and loved ones if I ordered them to!"


    The emaciated man laughed, "Sadly my little experiment only worked on the stronger cultivators, so I had to use the rest as a blood supply for my demon army."


    Alarm bells rang inside Van''s head. He thought about the strange things he had experienced and discovered over the past month. The jigsaw pieces began to come together.


    [¡­ they experience dizziness and hallucinations¡­he can control them using a demon they planted in their brains¡­ the original mission was cancelled¡­]


    Van felt his stomach turn cold.


    [This is bad. Very bad.]


    [The disciples that undertook the original mission also experienced memory loss and hallucinations¡­ If they went back to their sects suspecting nothing¡­]


    [Countless sects have now been infiltrated by demons!]


    Van felt cold down to his bones. This was no longer a small issue. He needed to make it out of here alive and inform the Sect Master right away!


    "Why are you doing this?" Van demanded.


    The emaciated man spread his arms and proclaimed grandly, "What is my purpose? Hahahahahaha! Why, to eliminate humans from the Divine River realm, of course! You have stolen the Tri-Divine Blood Flame from me¡­ If I do not kill you, my name is not Altemuller!"


    "Altemuller?" In the distance, Delphine was puzzled, "Why does this name sound so familiar?"


    Altemuller spread his pale fingers, "My children! Kill him and retrieve the Tri-Divine Blood Flame for me!"


    The two demon-puppets made from Synthia and Cyrus leapt forwards, snarling.


    Demon-Synthia arrived first. Her expression was vicious and ugly, black claws extended from her fingertips.


    Van flickered several steps away and Synthia followed. Slowly, he pulled her away from Cyrus.


    Van coldly instructed his teammates, "You guys must hold Cyrus here. It doesn''t matter if he dies. In fact, if you can kill him, that''s even better. I will deal with Synthia and Blackie will hold off Altemuller!"


    Delphine nodded sharply, "Yes, team leader!"


    Ryan tapped his silver mask, "It would be my pleasure to kill this bastard." Ryan still remembered his humiliation the other day when he was kicked off the back of the great snowy transport beast.


    Cyrus attacked.


    Blackie howled and rushed towards the white-haired Altemuller.


    Van continued to dance around the silent Synthia. She pursued him doggedly despite his constant use of ''Scattering Smoke Steps."


    Synthia was someone Van didn''t hold a grudge against. She had been instrumental to them being able to enter the Ice Caves in the first place.


    As he watched her, her expressions flickered rapidly. Sometimes she looked confused and lost, at other moments vicious and bloodthirsty.


    Van was suddenly reminded of Elder Lang.


    [The symptoms are the same. He must have participated in this mission in the past¡­ the Cedar Sect has also been corrupted!]


    [I must return to the sect and inform the Sect Master. All of Cloud River is in danger!]


    Synthia lifted her flute to her lips and blew a devilish melody.


    Van immediately felt his mind grow blurry. Very quickly, his movements became jerky and unnatural.


    Synthia changed her tune and barbs of spiritual power stabbed at Van.


    [Fuck!]


    He stumbled, unable to dodge the barbs with his movement skill compromised.


    Van felt a sharp pain in his abdomen and spat blood. The dark red liquid splattered against the cold blue ice floor.


    Synthia''s vicious expression turned bewildered. She looked at the blood on the ground.


    Van saw a chance and shouted, "Synthia. Wake up! Don''t let the demon control you!"


    He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her.


    Synthia looked at him with her blood-red eyes. Her facial muscles spasmed. She was clearly warring with herself.


    "You must fight against its control. The man who planted it within your mind killed your fellow disciples and fed them to grow his demon army. Do not let yourself become a puppet!"


    Synthia emitted a tortured growl. At the same time, her hands flashed outwards and grabbed Van by the throat. A killing intent leaked out from her. However, her hands did not apply pressure.


    Van bit his lip and grabbed her wrist.


    [I must shock her into reacting!]


    He channelled his fleshly power and snapped her wrist. Synthia howled piteously. As her screaming died down, Van saw a spark of clarity return to her eyes.


    "V-Van?" Synthia said weakly, "What is happening? What am I doing here?"


    Van shook his head, "There is no time to explain. You were being controlled by Altemuller to kill your fellow disciples. If we don''t kill him now more will die ¨C I need your assistance."


    Synthia''s eyes flashed.


    ''Very well," she said, "but how will we kill him? His cultivation is higher than ours and his skills have not been fully displayed yet."


    Van turned back to the fight. He saw that Cyrus was slowly being weakened and whittled down by troop. Blackie was injured, but still viciously attacking Altemuller, who was unable to kill the wolf due to Blackie''s regenerative ability.


    "We only have one chance for this plan to work. If we fail, we will be first to die."


    Synthia looked carefully at Van.


    "Tell me."

 80 Fatal Weakness

    Synthia looked carefully at Van.


    "Tell me."


    Van licked his lips and began to recount, "This is something I discovered 15 minutes ago¡­"


    ______________________________________________


    [15 minutes ago]


    A dark flame appeared in Van''s mindscape. Jet floated close to the flickering flame in Van''s mindscape.


    [Not bad. The Tri-Divine Blood Flame increases life essence, renewing those on the verge of death and sustaining those infected by demonic energy. It can even resurrect a person within three seconds of dying.]


    "What!?"


    [But that''s not all. Now that you have absorbed a Blood Flame¡­ you have gained an ability called ''Blood Vision.'' Look closer at the enemy.]


    Van focused his eyes on the emaciated man and saw something strange. A pale red light was leaking from the emaciated man''s chest.


    "What''s that?" Van asked Jet softly.


    [''Blood Vision'' allows you to see the blood qi or life essence of a person. This will help you identify any critical weaknesses in a being that possesses life!]


    "His blood qi is leaking from his heart¡­does that mean that''s his weakness?"


    [Indeed. He must have sustained a grievous wound there previously or he possesses a terminal disease of the heart.]


    Van nodded. Altemuller wore robes that completely covered his chest. If not for his new ability ''Blood Vision,'' Van would not have been able to tell that Altemuller had such a weakness!


    However, it was now clear what the next plan of action would be. They needed to target Altemuller''s heart to land a critical blow!


    But¡­how?


    Van clenched his fists.


    [We have no way of getting close enough¡­]


    At that moment, the emaciated, white-haired Altemuller screamed with rage as the veins in the ground shrivelled and died.


    "How dare you interfere with my work!"


    ____


    [The present moment]


    Van finished recounting his discovery and turned to Synthia.


    "We only have once chance."


    Synthia''s eyes were serious as she nodded, "I will not fail."


    He quickly explained to her what she had to do.


    ______


    Altemuller was growing frustrated. Between the two white horns on his forehead, his brows were deeply furrowed, and his teeth bared.


    This damned dog simply kept persisting. It was like a cockroach ¨C it simply refused to die!


    Altemuller eyed it with distaste.


    The vampiric wolf was riddled with wounds and limping. It was extremely tenacious and was able to regenerate its wounds whenever it absorbed blood. Although it was unable to seriously harm the white-haired man, it prevented Altemuller from being able to focus his attention on his two experimental puppets.


    The worse thing was¡­ the longer he fought, the more uncomfortable Altemuller''s heart felt.


    [Without the Tri-Divine Blood Flame¡­the wound is getting worse. I must finish this quickly!]


    "Dark Crescendo!" Altemuller lifted his palms. A massive black crescent of power emitted from his hands and slashed at the wolf.


    Blackie barked and dodged nimbly out of the way. He was still full of vitality. The wolf was aided by his good physicality as well as his new bloodline ability. This was in clear contrast to Altemuller, whose power and endurance fell considerable with the removal of the Tri-Divine Blood Flame from the dais.


    Annoyed, Altemuller was only soothed by the sight of one of his puppets returning to his side.


    "Synthia, darling," Altemuller cooed, "You have defeated your opponent?"


    The girl nodded slowly. Due to demonic influence, her ability speak was non-existent. She pointed to something in the distance.


    Altemuller turned to look. There was bloody corpse on the ground with a black axe next to it. Altemuller vaguely remembered that the boy who had stolen the Tri-Divine Blood Flame had wielded a black axe.


    "Well done," Altemuller praised Synthia sincerely. All he had left to do was extract it from the boy!


    GROWLLL!


    A massive black wolf charged towards them.


    Altemuller instinctively grabbed Synthia by the wrist and moved out of the vampiric wolf''s attack. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    A sharp pain in his chest stopped him in his track.


    "W-what¡­?"


    Altemuller looked down and saw a sharp silver flute sticking out of his chest. Sticky red blood trickled down his robes.


    "A-ah," Altemuller stuttered. He turned to his puppet and saw that her eyes were clear.


    Synthia viciously injected an overwhelming torrent of spiritual power into her silver flute. She forced all the power she possessed as a 7th level Qi Distillation cultivator into his fatal weakness.


    Altemuller dropped to his knees and screamed with the pain.


    "You bitch!" he shouted, "How dare you betray m-"


    Blackie''s jaws closed around Altemuller''s wrist. The emaciated man had been critically weakened by the injury to his chest.


    Crunch!


    The giant wolf''s large white fangs sank deep into Altemuller''s wrist and wrenched the hand off from the arm. Blood spurted out in great arcs of red.


    Blackie slurped it down. The wounds on the wolf''s body began to heal.


    Blood was rapidly drained from Altemuller''s body from the wound in his heart and his torn arm.


    "NOO!" Altemuller shouted fearfully. He could not die here! He could not. He could not!


    "HOW DARE YOU!"


    Altemuller drew on his reserves of strength and ripped himself away from the giant wolf. A blast of dark energy flung Synthia away like a ragdoll.


    Altemuller stood up with difficulty. He swayed on the spot.


    Crunch.


    Altemuller whirled around.


    "Who''s there!?" Altemuller shouted. He clutched at his heart with his good hand.


    A boy with crimson red hair appeared in front of him.


    "You!" Altemuller gritted out, "How are you not dead!?"


    ____


    Van smiled frostily at the emaciated man in front of him. Altemuller was bedraggled and dripping blood all over the icy blue ground.


    "Blackie, Synthia. Gather yourselves for a final attack!" Van shouted, "His life essence is already rapidly draining away from him. His weakness is his heart!"


    The white-haired male was shocked, "How do you know about my heart!?"


    Van, Synthia and Blackie rushed Altemuller at the same moment.


    Altemuller was shaken. With his life force rapidly draining from him, his strength was crippled. At best, he was on par with a 7th level Qi Distillation cultivator. His puppet had betrayed him, and the boy was difficult to handle.


    [I cannot die here!]


    Altemuller decisively tried to flee.


    Van saw Altemuller''s intentions and immediately used Scattering Smoke Steps. Blackie managed to snag a tooth into Altemuller''s ankle and pulled the heavily bleeding man back across the icy ground.


    Under the heavily concentrated attacks from Van, Blackie and Synthia, Altemuller grew weaker and weaker.


    The white-haired man laughed softly, blood running down his cheeks. When he turned his eyes to Van and the other''s they were no longer filled with black.


    The two white horns on his forehead slowly receded back into the skin on Altemuller''s forehead. Suddenly, he appeared awfully human.


    "Ha ha ha ha ha!" Altemuller gurgled, even as his heavy wounds caused him to cough up blood.


    Blackie placed a heavy paw on Altemuller''s back and pressed him into the icy ground. The injured man could not move at all.


    "What are you laughing at?" Van demanded.


    Altemuller stopped. He turned his icy blue eyes to Van, "Don''t you want to know? Don''t you want to know who is behind this? Someone made me into this, this thing. Someone very close to me¡­ They are the one who deserves to die!"

 81 The Hero Has Returned

    "Ha ha ha ha ha!" Altemuller did not stop laughing, even as his heavy wounds caused him to cough up blood.


    Blackie placed a heavy paw on Altemuller''s back and pressed him into the icy ground. The injured man could not move at all.


    "What are you laughing at?" Van demanded.


    Altemuller abruptly stopped. He turned his icy blue eyes to Van, "Don''t you want to know? Don''t you want to know who is behind this? Someone made me into this, this thing... They are the one who deserves... a thousand deaths! I never wanted any part of this!"


    Van recoiled, "What do you mean?!"


    Altemuller squinted at the young man standing above him. A long-suppressed memory pushed its way to the forefront of his mind.


    _____________


    [Memory start]


    A small boy, hardly six years of age, thin and gaunt, stood in front of a figure wreathed in darkness.


    "No¡­no, please¡­" The small boy whimpered. His pale eyes were full of unshed tears. He looked pleadingly at the figure before him, the one person who should love him the most in the world, the nurturer, giver.


    The monster that stood before him.


    "I can''t eat any more¡­They make me feel bad¡­wrong¡­A-and they taste bad!"


    The shadowed figured drew closer trailed a pointed claw down one soft cheek. A gentle press was all it took for a bright red bead of blood to well up. The boy whimpered piteously.


    "Dear oh dearsss...." The voice hissed softly, "Whatever shall we do¡­.?"


    "How about I let you off, pat you on the head and let you go play with your little friends¡­?"


    Altemuller hiccupped. He looked up; eyes full of dim hope.


    "Or how about¡­I bring your little brother in¡­hm? If one little rat doesn''t want to do the work, another rat will do the trick very nicely¡­" The shadowed figure said gloatingly.


    Altemuller felt himself fill with terror.


    "No! No, you can''t!" He cried out, "Not him!"


    The shadowed figure in front of him smiled victoriously, "Then you will keep eating, won''t you little rat?"


    "Let the darkness slide down your throat¡­corrupt you¡­ taint your soul¡­! Let the power breed within you, until it takes over¡­!"


    The shadowed figure threw its head back and laughed.


    Altemuller crawled forwards and he picked up his plate once more. A half-decayed demonic heart filled with dark blood lay upon it. Trembling, he bit into it and forcibly swallowed even when all he wanted to do was throw it all back up.


    The demonic essence trickled into his bloodstream. Like a disease, its influence spread through his blood cells.


    "Yes¡­you will do very nicely, my dear! Eat up! Eat until you can eat no more!"


    [Memory end]


    ____________


    [The present moment]


    Altemuller looked pensively at the flame-haired boy in front of him; searching. Now that he was looking, he noticed things that he hadn''t before. They say that the eyes are a window to the soul. In this young man''s eyes, he sensed an indomitable power. A strength of will. Though his eyes were dark, they seemed as if an eternal flame flickered within them.


    "What is your name¡­?" Altemuller asked at length.


    The young man crossed his arms, "Van."


    "Van¡­She won''t let this offence go. I am only but one general in a vast army¡­and the demon nurseries that you destroyed here are not the only ones¡­"


    Altemuller tried to continue, but at that moment he felt a terrifying presence from afar trying to breach his mind. Blood started dripping from his orifices.


    "WHY WON''T YOU LET ME GO!?" He screamed, clawing at his face. With the last of his strength he forced Her out of his mind.


    Gurgle. Cough cough.


    Altemuller was choking on his own blood. Pale-faced, Van could see Altemuller''s lips becoming blue and the time between each blink growing longer and longer. The white-haired man weakly drew out an object from the sleeve of his robes. A small box with a strange design clattered to the icy ground.


    "She will mobilise the armies when the Six Country Alliance is distracted. If you want to save Cloud River..."


    Van looked sharply at the dying man. Altemuller pushed the small box forward.


    "Give this¡­ to my brother¡­he will know what he must do..."


    Altemuller focused a blue eye onto Van''s dark gaze, "¡­ only the Mind Bore Beetle can¡­remove¡­the demons in the sect disciples...!"


    The last thing the emaciated man felt was a sharp pain in his mind, and the vision of a pair of bright yellow eyes filled with venomous hatred staring right through him.


    Altemuller smiled weakly.


    [I forgive you¡­Mother.]


    Then everything went black.


    ___


    Van stared at the corpse at his feet. At the last second, he had felt a terrifyingly strong aura emanating from Altemuller before he died. The power was accompanied by a feeling of hatred and viciousness so strong that Van felt an uncontrollable need to run far away.


    Jet''s sigh echoed in Van''s mindscape.


    [Poor thing. He was only able to resist the person controlling him in his final breaths.]


    Van shook his head, "The amount of deaths Altemuller is responsible for¡­ the amount of havoc he has created¡­ that cannot and should not be forgiven. If he had the courage and conviction, he may have found a way out."


    Jet acknowledged Van''s words.


    [It may be so. But we cannot truly judge his actions when we do not know the full story.]


    Van shook his head but did not continue to argue. His eyes lit upon the small box on the floor of the chamber.


    Van knelt and picked it up. He turned it slowly in his hand.


    The box smaller than the size of his fist and quite light. It was made of light brown wood. Interlocking pieces formed the four sides.


    "That looks like a puzzle box," said a girlish voice somewhere to his side.


    Van turned to see Delphine, who looked slightly worse for wear.


    "You have dealt with Cyrus?" He enquired.


    Delphine pouted, "Of course! We have beaten so many tough 6th level demon beasts already, how could be not even deal with a puny 6th level Qi Distillation cultivator? Pew! That icky man even called himself ''Cyrus the Great.'' What was so ''Great'' about that ugly fellow? In my opinion, you''re a hundred times better than him- oh!"


    Delphine suddenly realised that she had spoken the last bit out loud. Her small face turned bright red. She quickly changed the direction of the conversation.


    "Um¡­ that is¡­ that stinky Cyrus fellow just relied on his father''s fame and title of ''Great General''¡­ maybe that''s where he got the idea to add ''Great.'' Hehe!"


    Van watched amusedly as Delphine''s eyes darted from side to side.


    Moments later, Ryan appeared along with several freed prisoners. They were thin and dirty, but their eyes lit up the moment they saw Van. They rushed forward to give their thanks.


    "Thank you, thank you! You saved us from the horrible monster."


    "He was going to kill us and bleed us dry¡­ I owe you my life!"


    "Saviour, please, tell us your name so we can tell every one of your heroic deeds!"


    Van smiled, "Van. Of the Cedar Sect."


    The disciples that had been saved engraved that name into their hearts. They also turned and thanked the troop, causing Delphine to blush. Ryan smiled, a vast change from his usual dour face. Ed, Gef and Phern were bright red from head to toe. They had never been so fervently thanked their entire lives! They felt proud that they had been involved with such a heroic mission.


    Van looked around, "Hm? Where did Synthia go?"


    Van asked around but no one had seen her. It seemed that the elegant girl had vanished as soon as the battle ended.


    The young man turned back to the crowd of twenty or so people and addressed them.


    "We will take you guys to our temporary camp in the Ice Caves. There are hot springs and plenty of food. Once you have all rested up, we will begin our return journey out of the Ice Caves. You are safe with us."


    A starved-looking girl began to weep with joy. Others, including men, sniffled and looked to the side as tears ran down their faces.


    Van smiled warmly, "Do not cry. You have all endured a lot. Remember your deceased friends and fellow disciples in your hearts, they live on within your memories."


    ___


    Van''s return to Pollog was greeted with much fanfare. Ed, Gef and Phern had left ahead of them and had rushed to inform the Garrison Keep of what had transpired within the Blizzard Plains. Soon, the Mayor was informed, and a letter immediately sent to the Lord of Griever''s Fort.


    The news that a great devil had been building an army of demons by corrupting Luminous Ice Worm eggs was shocking. Luckily, the great devil had been killed and the remaining eggs burnt. The Lord of Griever''s Fort was immensely relieved.


    Apart from Van, no one else knew that disciples from the surrounding countries had had demons planted within their minds. And that they were still at large.


    Van knew that there was an entity with more power than Altemuller, a ''She'', moving in the shadows. If this entity found out that their plan had been found out, they might force their hand and immediately unleash the full force of the corrupted disciples onto their unsuspecting sects. Van would be better off discretely telling the Sect Master, who could then decide whether to inform the other sects. They might then decide to secretly monitor suspect disciples and take actions to research the ''Mind Bore Bugs'' and remove the hidden demon from the disciple''s minds.


    ["She will mobilise the armies when the Six Country Alliance is distracted."]


    "The Six Country Alliance...?" Van asked himself, "Another thing I must ask the Sect Master."


    And there was the issue of finding Altemuller''s brother - who may be key to saving Cloud River according to the dead man. Van felt a headache brewing behind his eyes.


    Van and company walked down the streets, crowds of townspeople gathered and cheered. Baskets of items such as bread and fish were shoved into their hands. Confetti fell from the air. Every man and woman were delighted that such a great evil living near them had been eliminated. They would sleep sounder in their beds at night without having to worry.


    The younger children stared gape-mouthed at the heroic young man standing in the centre of the procession. Although he was not the tallest person, his bright red hair was quite eye-catching. His dignified and calm demeanour caught the attention of many people.


    "Don''t you know?" A middle-aged woman chuckled as she gossiped with her friends, "They say the hero who vanquished the great evil inside the caves is known as the ''Crimson Mist.'' He must be that young man at the head of the group. Look how handsome he looks despite his young age!" Her friends nodded their heads in agreement. Their impressionable teenage daughters watched with awed eyes.


    The group continued through the main street of town.


    The Mayor of Pollog was waiting for them with the garrison keeper. The Mayor was a short, fat man with a friendly face and a warm disposition. As soon as he saw Van, he walked up to him and enthusiastically shook his hand.


    "Well done, young chap, simply well done! You have done this town a great favour and have earned our respect."


    The garrison keeper nodded and interjected: "We were all extremely worried when a month passed by and not even one of the mission-takers returned."


    The Mayor nodded enthusiastically, "When your three militiamen came by and informed Tomas, he informed me. I am the happiest I have been for weeks! Come, come! Let me treat you all to a hearty supper to prepare you for the long journey back!"


    So excited was he, that after he went around and shook everyone''s hands, he even went boldly up to Blackie and patted the snout of the hulking black wolf. Blackie blinked confusedly and looked at Van with a question in his eyes.


    Van chuckled, "No, Blackie. You can''t do that."


    The giant black wolf whined.


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    [A vast distance away.]


    In an immense desert plain, a young man with silver hair and cold blue eyes stood upon a large sand dune. A large scorpion with glittering eyes stood beside the young man. Small whirlwinds of sand churned up the landscape in the distance.


    "Let''s see if we have any luck today, Hellebore. The moment the Great Sand Dragon shows itself is the moment that its destiny becomes death by my hands!" Klaus said viciously.


    [After fighting it, my comprehension of the essence of sand will go up another level. Ingesting its core will allow me to break into the 7th level of Qi Distillation!]


    Klaus'' eyes narrowed, [I cannot fail!]

 82 A Dumb Animal

    The Mayor laughed loudly. His chin jiggled as he rocked back and forth in mirth.


    "Very good, very good! Young hero, you have done excellently with the militia we lent you. Not only have they gained valuable battle experience, but they have also increased their cultivations by a whole rank! With this, we should have three new corporals in our militia. The Lord of Griever''s Fort shall be most pleased¡­"


    Van smiled, "It was nothing. Those three men were instrumental in our task this time. They were eager learners and very loyal."


    The Mayor beamed from the praise.


    Of course, the three men had been disdainful of Van at first, but the Mayor didn''t need to know that.


    After finishing their enormous boar roast dinner, Van and company were invited to stay the night at the Mayor''s house.


    It was the best sleep Van had had in a month. There were no strange sounds in the middle of the night and no fear that a demon beast might attack them while sleeping.


    Early in the morning, Van arose and efficiently packed his things away. Delphine spotted him as he walked through the hallway. She hastened to catch up with him.


    "Van! It''s so early, where are you going?" Delphine asked. She looked down and saw that he was wearing his hard leather boots.


    "Are we returning to Dragon City in a hurry?"


    Van shook his head, "I am returning to the Blizzard Plains. Alone."


    "You ¨C WHAT!?" Delphine shrieked. She immediately grabbed Van''s sleeve and dragged him to another door further down the hallway.


    "Ryan. Ryan, wake up you dour-faced bore!"


    There were several thumps as if someone rolled out of their bed and hit the ground. Moments later, Ryan opened the door to his room. His sleepy face was filled with annoyance.


    Delphine dragged Van''s hand up by his sleeve, "Van was trying to sneak out of the Mayor''s estate WITHOUT US! He says he''s going straight back to the Blizzard Plains. Look at him, he''s all dressed up and everything!"


    A crease formed between Ryan''s brows. He looked at Van accusingly.


    Van felt the weight of their glares and didn''t know whether to laugh or cry.


    [These loyal fools¡­]


    Van berated them in his mind but felt warm within.


    "You guys can''t follow me," Van laid down the rules.


    "Why not!?" Delphine stomped on the ground. Ryan folded his arms.


    "It''s too dangerous. I can look after myself just fine, but if I have to look after you both then I can''t guarantee anyone''s safety."


    Delphine was extremely cross, "I can handle myself!"


    Van cocked his eyebrow, "Oh, really?"


    Just as Delphine opened her mouth to retort, Van cut her off, "No matter how many times you ask, I won''t let you come. The reason I am going back to the Blizzard Plains is to hunt a high-leveled beast and to find cultivation resources. I want to reach the 7th level of Qi Distillation if I can. But I cannot advance so quickly without taking risks. I''m sorry but having to protect two 5th level Qi Distillation cultivators will only drag me down."


    Adding to that, Van felt he had to hold back his true strength in front of other people. No matter how much he trusted Delphine and Ryan, there were some things he must keep secret. For example, Jet and the turtle shell inside his mind. If he wanted to explore the extent of his powers, he must absolutely be alone.


    Delphine could not retort. She simply glared at him were her cat-like eyes and pouted unhappily. In the end, it was Ryan who sighed and pulled back.


    "Stop it, Delphine. Van was given a mission by the sect master to enter the Monster Mausoleum at the end of the month. Reaching the 7th rank will help him immensely. If he fails to reach it, he may not be able to outshine the other disciples there."


    Delphine turned her head away. The two buns on her head jiggled as she sniffed forlornly.


    "What did you say?" Ryan asked, looking puzzled.


    "I SAID, ''FINE!''" Delphine shouted. She kicked Ryan on the shin and then ran to her room.


    Bang!


    The door was slammed shut.


    Van shook his head.


    Ryan sighed, "I can understand her feelings. I will not follow you, but I also wish to train in the Blizzard Plains. The inheritance within the Mysterious Silver Mask has not been fully unlocked."


    Van nodded, "Very well. However, you must not stray from the outskirts. The monsters in the wide-open plains are far more dangerous than the ones we fought inside the Ice Caves."


    Ryan nodded seriously.


    "We''ll leave at daybreak."


    ___


    [Three days later.]


    Van huddled down into the snow as the cold winter breeze lashed at his cheeks. A small flame in either hand helped keep him and Blackie warm.


    Van had spent two days traveling deep into the Blizzard Plains. Then he spent one day just scouting out the area. The reason why he had decided to venture out into the Blizzard Plains once more was because of Ebenezer''s words.


    [The strongest monsters are the ones who live out in the opens of the Blizzard Plains¡­ not the ones within the Ice Caves.]


    [The strongest monsters have little to fear, and openly prowl the plains looking for prey to eat. Most of them are hundreds of years old. They are not to be taken lightly. The only thing I must be wary of is attracting the attention of the so-called ''Kings'' of the Blizzard Plains. They say the Kings are thousands of years old, and can kill a cultivator just by looking at them...]


    Using his new ability ''Blood Vision,'' Van could detect where large demon beasts lived by sensing for extremely potent sources of blood essence. The next step was to tiptoe carefully around those beasts'' territories and carefully find their traces.


    Van was able to identify that three high tier demon beasts lived in the area. Two of them possessed fur, and from their paw prints were probably some kind of large bear. The last one had the fewest traces to find. A shed skin told Van it was reptilian and was only as large as a horse.


    [Although they all have a level corresponding to the 8th level of Qi Distillation, the reptile has the faintest blood essence. Perhaps it is older and on the verge of dying.]


    Van decided to hunt the reptilian beast.


    Two hours later, Van cautiously approached the area where he sensed the reptilian demon beast''s blood essence. It was quiet and still. He looked around the vast snowy plain and only saw a few hillocks close by. There was no sign of anywhere that the beast might conceal itself.


    "It must be sleeping in its burrow," Van said softly. From the faintness of the blood essence, it could have an underground burrow. If the beast was hibernating, there was nothing much Van could do.


    Still, Van drew closer to the blood essence. He thought he saw a faint depression in the hillock before him. Climbing the hill, he inspected the depression with a critical eye.


    [Perhaps there is a secret way to open the beast''s burrow?] Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    Right at that moment, a slight tremble came from the ground.


    A powerful aura shot to the skies.


    [Not good!]


    The amount of blood essence Van detected suddenly went to infinity.Van scrambled back; but it was too late.


    ROOOOOAAAAARRRRRRR!


    A frightening howl sounded throughout a twenty-kilometre radius. Dozens of weaker demon beasts immediately shuddered and hid away.


    Van clung helplessly onto the ground as it shook violently. His eardrums rattled from the aftershock of the roar.


    Slowly, the white hill beneath his feet changed into a red-brown hue. The small mountain stood up. A nearby hillock lifted itself from the earth.


    As the snow fell off, Van realised that the hillock he had been standing on was in fact the demon beast that he had been hunting!


    The beast roared again and Van was flung off its back.


    "Hst hst hst¡­ a dumb animal has come to deliver itself to me¡­!" A long reptilian tongue flickered through the air. Two small red eyes looked at Van mockingly.


    Van knew he had made a terrible mistake.


    [This demon beast has a chameleon-like ability. It changed its colour and purposely suppressed its blood essence to lure people in! It''s true blood essence vastly exceeds those other two 8th level demon beasts!]


    The giant lizard-like demon beast in front of Van was eight to nine metres high and tens of metres long. Van had never encountered such a large demon beast. Its size made him tremble with awe. The most terrifying part was the extremely strong and deadly spiked tail that swung down with bone-crushing force.


    The earth shattered and ice flew wherever the lizard swung its tail.


    Van suddenly recognized the demon beast. His heart thundered loudly in his chest.


    [I didn''t suspect that the first beast I hunt here would turn out to be the extremely rare and hard-to-find King of Ice, the Blizzard Wyrm!]


    The Blizzard Wyrm casually opened its jaw and showed off its rows of glistening, sword-like teeth.


    "Die!" It roared.


    Van felt his terror escalate.


    [I must run! If I don''t run, I will die immediately!]


    Van''s survival instincts kicked in. Under the frightening pressure behind his back, Van desperately used Scattering Smoke Steps. As he flashed through the snowy landscape, he slowly regained a measure of calm.


    Sizzles of heat emerged from the Tri-Divine Blood Flame and released warmth that spread evenly through Van''s body. His muscles relaxed and became limber. As a result, his speed increased significantly.


    However, Van could still feel a deadly aura crashing through the ice behind him.


    [The Blizzard Wyrm is one of the Kings of the Blizzard Plains¡­Its power is unmatchable¡­It is lucky that the Blizzard Wyrm is not a true dragon and so it''s two wings are simply vestigial and do not allow it to fly!]


    For an 8th level demon beast, the Blizzard Wyrm only had average speed. This was the only reason why Van was still alive now.


    ROAAR!


    Van suddenly felt a freezing breath on his back.


    The Blizzard Wyrm opened its maw and breathed out. Deadly icicles each thicker than a human torso shot through and stabbed into the ground below.


    Terrified, Van just managed to avoid the onslaught of icicles. He desperately increased his speed. The high pressure caused him to exert Scattering Smoke Steps to a higher level than he ever had before.


    Weng!


    Van''s speed suddenly exploded as he made a breakthrough in comprehension. Now, his movement ability became even more bizarre and random. No one could predict where and when Van reappeared. The amount of time he reappeared also became shorter.


    "My cultivation is consolidating from the pressure¡­If I survive to get the chance, I would be able to smoothly enter the 7th level¡­"


    Van couldn''t feel any happiness. The King of Ice was extremely powerful. Despite its slowness and inability to fly, its senses were extremely sharp and would be able to track Van from many kilometres away. Even at his top speed, Van was barely outrunning the beast.


    "What do I do?" Van desperately racked his brain.


    Experimentally, Van threw out three smoke bombs, one behind, one below and one in front. With the presence of smoke, the quality of ''Scattering Smoke Steps'' immediately improved. Within the smoke, Van''s speed and erratic movement became even harder to follow.


    However, soon enough, Van exited the area affected by the smoke. His Scattering Smoke Steps immediately exited its momentarily enhanced state. Seconds later, the Blizzard Wyrm also exited the smoke.


    The King of Ice had an expression of devilish delight on its reptilian face.


    "Ssstupid human¡­ Obediently become thissss onesss dinner!"


    Van saw that the distance between them had only increased by tens of metres.


    "This bastard!" Van swore. He once again racked his brain for an escape route.


    As they ran over the icy plains, Van saw a deep imprint in the snow. It was a giant bear paw.


    Van used ''Blood Vision'' and was able to sense two powerful demon beasts dozens of kilometres ahead.


    "Perhaps¡­"


    Van quickly adjusted his direction and sprinted towards those two auras.


    The Blizzard Wyrm arrogantly roared and breathed out more icicles.


    Van dodged and doggedly ran towards the two auras. He made a beeline for the two giant silhouettes ahead.


    Two Golden Ice Bears looked up and saw the giant Blizzard Wyrm furiously charging towards them. They were alarmed but they did not attack.


    Although it seemed that the three demon beasts shared the local territory peacefully, actually the territory of the Blizzard Wyrm was ten times the size of theirs!


    The Blizzard Wyrm was the undisputed King of the Blizzard Plains!


    Van saw the Golden Ice Bears timidly draw back and knew he had miscalculated. He desperately revolved his movement skill.


    [They won''t attack, what do I do?]


    Without the aid of the two 8th level Qi Distillation Golden Ice Bears, Van could not guarantee that he would be able to kill the King of Ice unscathed!


    Van suddenly saw something between the paws of one of the Golden Ice Bears.


    "That''s-!"


    He charged forcefully into the space between the bear''s paws.

 83 Lie Down Obediently

    "That''s-!"


    Van charged into the space between the bear''s paws and grabbed the item on the ground. With Scattering Smoke Steps, he immediately vanished from sight.


    A moment later, the Blizzard Wyrm barrelled into the two giant bears. White snow was flung in every direction by the impact.


    In that brief instant of confusion, Van used Scattering Smoke Steps to get close to the Blizzard Wyrm and rappelled up its neck using a harpoon.


    As the Blizzard Wyrm was recovering from the dizziness of the impact, Van tied himself securely to the top of its enormous head and started waving the object he had snatched through the air.


    The two giant Golden Ice Bears immediately roared with fury. Their eyes turned red with anger.


    The object Van was waving around was precisely one small, chubby bear with big round eyes. It giggled as it swayed back and forth, dangling from the human''s grasp.


    On top of the Blizzard Wyrm''s head!


    ROARR!!!!


    Powerful killing intent radiated from the bears'' large and muscular bodies. Both Golden Ice Bears were taller than five metres when fully standing, and their muscular bodies were filled with vitality. They made an extremely intimidating sight.


    Van gulped. The little bear in his grasp squealed with delight, enjoying the sensation of swinging back and forth.


    Van looked at it''s cute but dumb face and sighed.


    [Your parents are in danger, be a little more solemn!]


    Unlike the Blizzard Wyrm, which had high intelligence from being the distant descendant of a dragon, the Golden Ice Bears had low intelligence for their size. Blinded by their rage, the two bears felt that the Blizzard Wyrm and the small human were in cahoots. Otherwise, why could that small human sit on the Blizzard Wyrm''s head?


    Ordinarily, the Golden Ice Bears avoided and respected the Blizzard Wyrm due to it being a descendant of a dragon, but the wyrm''s dilute bloodline was no longer a big enough deterrent for them.


    The bears roared. It was time to attack!


    The two Golden Ice Bears lunged forwards.


    The Blizzard Wyrm was shocked at their sudden change in behaviour. These two Golden Ice Bears were normally respectful. What happened?


    "Woah. Steady there!" A faint voice said somewhere just above the Blizzard Wyrm''s head.


    The giant lizard-like beast paused.


    [Waitsss a minute¡­]


    ¡­


    Giant icicles sprayed through the air as the wyrm roared with anger.


    "HOW DARESS YOU STAND ON MY HEAD!!?!?!?"


    One-handedly waving the small bear, Van stomped on where his harpoon just to double-check that it was securely lodged between the Blizzard Wyrm''s scales


    The King of Ice tried to dislodge Van, but the wyrm soon realised that it couldn''t even see the brat. The human had positioned themselves in their blind spot!


    Soon, Van was forgotten. The Blizzard Wyrm was too busy fending off the two enraged parent bears!


    On the wyrm''s head, Van hugged the small Golden Ice Bear to his chest and prayed that he wouldn''t get killed in the crossfire. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    The ground trembled violently as the fight escalated.


    Due to their immense rage, the Golden Ice Bears powers were unusually heightened. The Blizzard Wyrm possessed the better firepower, but the bears were landing far more blows as they had the advantage in numbers.


    A Golden Ice Bear raked their claws down the Blizzard Wyrm''s scales and tore off a section. In retaliation, the Blizzard Wyrm swung its barbed tail and knocked the Golden Ice Bear to the snowy ground. It whined and struggled to regain its footing.


    The bloody scene made Van''s heart jump.


    Sometime later, the movements of the three beasts became slower and slower as the fight dragged on.


    The two bears were on their last legs and the Blizzard Wyrm was exhausted and weakened.


    The fight continued.


    An hour later, the giant body of the Blizzard Wyrm toppled to the ground.


    Van was alarmed. He was still tied to the back of the Blizzard Wyrm''s head! The young man couldn''t react quickly enough, for in the next second -


    BANNGG!!


    The Blizzard Wyrm slammed into the ground. A flurry of snow kicked up and obscured the sky. There was dead silence in the snowy plains.


    Van and the little bear were suddenly pressed into the snow by the wyrm''s immense wait.


    Suddenly the Blizzard Wyrm moved. The large lizard-like beast staggered dizzily to its feet and flung the two bear corpses away from it.


    Lifted from the snow, Van was immediately able to breathe again.


    "BRAT!!" The King of Ice hissed. The wyrm''s voice was weaker and raspier than before. Sometime during the fight the two bears had damaged its throat.


    Van quickly put the little Golden Ice Bear into his Myriad Light Dimensional ring and pulled out his axe.


    "What?" Van asked casually, hefting his axe with one hand, "In this weakened state, you have no chance of surviving a blow from my axe."


    "Just lie down obediently!" Van smirked.


    [!?]


    The Blizzard Wyrm''s anger rose to such heights that it nearly died from a stroke. It had to forcefully take deep breaths to calm itself.


    As the only creature in the Blizzard Plains with a trace of an ancient and noble creature bloodline, it was used to being treated with respect and awe. But now a tiny, insignificant human was telling it to obediently lie down and be butchered for a meal!


    Even as it grew dizzy with anger the wyrm had to forcible tamp its emotions down. After a moment is spoke.


    "Whatsss do yousss want¡­?" The wyrm asked in a restrained, polite tone of voice.


    Despite its immense pride, the wyrm did not want to die. It still wanted to live a full, long life and have lots of children!


    The young man on its head was silent.


    "If you want treasuresss¡­." The King of Ice said suggestively, getting desperate, "There are many in my den¡­"


    Van smiled, revealing a row of glinting teeth.


    "That''s all I need to know. Thank you!"


    Without further ado, Van used ''Blood Vision'' and saw a bright red plume of leaking Blood Qi on the Blizzard Wyrm''s skull.


    [I found your weakness!]


    Van entered the Silver Buddha state. His red hair flew behind him as the cold winter wind howled through the snowy plains.


    "Die!"


    Van''s obsidian axe lodged deeply into the Blizzard Wyrm''s damaged skull.


    There was a cracking noise as the wyrm''s skull broke apart.


    The King of Ice roared with pain.


    The large wyrm went insane ¨C it repeatedly slammed its head on the ground to dislodge Van, but all it did was worsen its injuries. Van was still tied securely due to the anchorage of the harpoons!


    Van was merciless. He wrenched the axe from the wyrm''s skull and swung once more.


    Something gave.


    C-RACK!!!


    The obsidian axe sank into the gooey softness of the wyrm''s brain.


    The giant wyrm swayed.


    Van immediately removed his harpoon and jumped down to the snowy ground. A moment later, the Blizzard Wyrm crashed into the ground. The snow on the ground was thrown into an enormous flurry.


    The King of the Blizzard Plains was no more.


    Satisfied, Van pulled his axe from the wyrm''s skull and surveyed the situation. Through a little bit of luck and a little bit of cunning, three enormous demon beasts were dead and their corpses ripe for the harvesting.


    Van licked his lips. Arriving in front of the dead beasts, Van had to summon the little Golden Ice Bear from his dimensional ring - so it wouldn''t have to share space with random body parts of its dead parents.


    Van felt bad for the dumb little bear, so he also summoned Blackie from his dimensional ring and got the large wolf to distract the bear while Van dissected the corpses. He started with the Blizzard Wyrm. The scales, teeth, heart, liver ¨C everything was useful and would fetch a good price! Most importantly, Van extracted the Blizzard Wyrm''s beast core, a blue-purple crystal filled with mysterious light that was the size of two fists put together. The heavy aura of spiritual power made Van salivate. He quickly put it away.


    Discretely, Van removed the beast cores from the two Golden Ice Bears and quickly dissected their bodies. He might have felt bad for the little bear, but there was no need to be wasteful.


    When Van was done, he returned to see Blackie enthusiastically playing with the little bear in the snow. The dumb little bear had white fur and golden eyes. It''s two round ears twitched happily as it played around with the giant wolf.


    Van wondered if the dumb bear was too young to understand what was going on. Perhaps it had only been born a few days ago? It did look very small compared to its parents¡­


    Satisfied with this conclusion, Van buried the less valuable beast remains under the snow to avoid attracting more demon beasts.


    "The treasures that the Blizzard Wyrm spoke of must be in its lair. Let''s go back to where I found it," Van patted Blackie on the snout and scooped up the little bear.


    With the help of Blackie''s nose, Van found a large cave just over a kilometre away from where he had encountered the Blizzard Wyrm.


    As Van entered the cave, he immediately felt cold.


    The deeper he walked into the cave, the more spacious it became. There were some low-level demon beasts within, but they were all weak. As Van could sense their blood essence from afar, he used his silver harpoons to reel them in. Once they got close, a simple swing of his axe was all it took.


    Soon Van entered a central chamber. The walls were no longer ice, but of some type of stone. Underneath this stone wall was a frozen pond that extended to each side of the chamber. There was a large hole in the centre of the pond, roughly the same size as the Blizzard Wyrm.


    Van didn''t know what type of liquid was in the pond, but it gave off a chilly atmosphere like the Blizzard Wyrm.


    "Snow Crocus, Snow Spirit Ginseng and Snow Bamboo Shoots¡­ each over eight-hundred years old. The ginseng is even one thousand years old¡­!" Van laughed as he saw the treasured medicines and herbs growing along the sides of the pond.


    In Dragon City, the normal value of these medicines could exceed a twenty thousand silvers each. As for one-thousand-year-old Snow Spirit Ginsengs, there weren''t any to be found in even Dragon City''s most respected herbal halls!


    Van could barely contain his happiness. He had been in so many life-or-death situations, but he had survived and arrived in this treasure-filled chamber.


    As Van walked towards the pond, he didn''t immediately pick the precious plants. His eyesight focused on the icy pond. A freezing aura emanated from it.


    There were a few sloughed off pieces of wyrm scales lying next to the pond. The Blizzard Wyrm had clearly visited and enjoyed bathing in the pond a lot.


    "If the Blizzard Wyrm wanted to bathe in that pond, it must not be normal. Plus, such precious medicines were able to grow because of it," Van''s excitement heightened once more. He cautiously bent down and touched the icy water. His skin was immediately attacked by the freezing intent of the qi within the water.


    "If I''m not wrong, the tempering effect of this liquid is even better than bathing in the Body Strengthening Powder!"


    Without hesitation, Van jumped into the pond.


    Splash!


    Van immediately felt cold energy flowing into his body and entering his bones. He immediately shivered ¨C he had never felt colder in his life.


    The icy qi continuously hammered at Van''s skin, turning it redder and redder as it tempered it.


    Van took one of the poses of the Thousand Saints Sacrifice method and began to meditate. His body was continuously gaining strength.


    However, Van noticed something strange.


    [This icy water ... Not only is it tempering my body, it is also increasing my spiritual cultivation!]


    After he acclimatized to it, Van retrieved Blackie and the little bear and encouraged them to enter the water.


    Time passed.


    With the help of the icy water, Van felt his bodily cultivation rapidly improve.


    [I can feel that the Tri-Divine Blood Flame has increased my resistance to the cold... my internal temperature has risen. This makes it easier for me to absorb the energy within the icy pond.]


    Two days later, over seventy per cent of the energy had been absorbed into his bones, blood and skin


    A few hours later, Van felt his body cultivation break through another level.


    "Thousand Saint Sacrifices has reached the sixth level. My Silver Buddha state has upgraded, doubling my defence and increasing my physical strength by another three hundred kilograms. My resting state alone can stop a blow from an ordinary 4th level Qi Distillation cultivator. A 6th level cultivator would be completely unable to leave a mark if I activate the Silver Buddha state."


    "In other words, only 7th level cultivators and above can even hope to injure me."


    Van was very satisfied.


    After reaching the sixth level of Thousand Saint Sacrifices, Van left the remnant energy in the pond for Blackie and the little bear.


    Sitting on the edge of the chamber, Van started to cultivate with the Blizzard Wyrm''s beast core.


    The large, blue-purple beast core took a lot of time and effort to absorb and process. The spiritual power within was potent but bestial. It still possessed a strong will due to the wyrm''s faint dragon bloodline. Extra effort was needed to purify and assimilate it.


    Unfortunately, the wyrm possessed too little dragon''s blood to congeal a bloodline essence.


    Three days later, Van broke into the 7th level of Qi Distillation. Van stood up and felt the power rolling off him in subtle waves.


    "I have exceeded the sect master''s demand for the 6th level of Qi Distillation by an entire level. I will succeed within the Monster Mausoleum."


    Van started to perform his various martial techniques. The power of both Dark Seas Palms and Fists of Devouring Flames vastly exceeded their former selves.


    The most startling improvement was in his Fists of Devouring Flames. Due to the improvement of his cultivation and the addition of the Tri-Divine Blood Flame, the power behind his fists was immense.


    There was also a strange effect that Van attributed to the Tri-Divine Blood Flame ¨C the bull that emerged from his ''Flaming Bull Fists'' and the vipers from his ''Searing Snake Strikes'' seemed to gain a real quality, as if they were alive. It could almost be said that the martial art had transformed itself.


    "I have reached the time limit. If I do not rush back to Dragon City now, I will miss the deadline set by the Sect Master."


    Van quickly picked the precious medicines growing by the icy pond and left the cave.


    ______


    [Twelve days later.]


    Van approached the towering gates of Dragon City with Delphine and Ryan in tow. The crowds seeking to enter the city were immense, as usual.


    Delphine looked around the city and beamed, "We''re back!"


    After a month in the desolate cold of Lihnrest, Delphine was nearly brought to tears at the sight of the large gates of Dragon City. She gazed up at the curved walls with watery eyes.


    Once they entered the gates, Van walked quickly through the crowds.


    The Sect Master himself had promised Van he could directly become an Inner Disciple if he could reach the 6th level of Qi Distillation within two-months¡­ on the condition that he lead a battalion of 10 disciples within the inter-sect tournament within the ''Monster Mausoleum.'' If Van missed this opportunity, he would not be able to enter the Inner Sect for another year and four months, breaking his promise to his little sister.


    He could not bear the thought of her disappointed face.

 85 New Challenger

    "We''re back!" Delphine exclaimed in excitement.


    After a month in the desolate cold of Lihnrest, Delphine was nearly brought to tears at the sight of the large gates of Dragon City. She gazed up at the curved walls with watery eyes.


    Van was too pre-occupied with his thoughts to share her joy. As soon as they entered the city, he pushed his way through the crowded streets. Delphine and Ryan followed in his wake.


    The Sect Master himself had promised Van he could directly become an Inner Disciple if he could reach the 6th level of Qi Distillation within two-months¡­ on the condition that he lead a battalion of 10 disciples within the inter-sect tournament within the ''Monster Mausoleum.'' If Van missed this opportunity, he would not be able to enter the Inner Sect for another year and four months, breaking his promise to his little sister.


    He could not bear the thought of her disappointed face.


    As the trio passed through the streets, the small golden bear on Delphine''s back lifted its round head and peered around. Frightened by the unfamiliar smells and sights, the little bear shrunk back and hid its face in the young girl''s hair.


    Delphine giggled and scratched the little bear on the snout. She fed him a snack.


    "You''re so cute, Stu!"


    The little bear happily chowed down on the snack and soon forgot to be frightened.


    Roused from his thoughts, Van glanced over.


    He gave the golden fluff ball a dubious look, "You named it already? I hope you''re not planning on keeping it. It doesn''t have a very high IQ¡­"


    "That''s why I named it ''Stu,''" Delphine smirked, "It''s short for ''Stupid''!"


    Delphine proceeded to tickle little Stupid under the chin.


    Van choked.


    Cough!


    Cough!


    A dopey look spread over Stu''s little face; he drooled around the snacks in his mouth with happy little pants.


    Ryan thumped Van on the back with a fist.


    "Huh," Van said after he regained his breath.


    It fit.


    Ryan''s eyes were wide as saucers.


    Never mind naming a bear ''Stupid,'' Ryan was more concerned by the fact that the ''snack'' Delphine had just fed Stu was most definitely a Lunar Nightingale pill - a rare and valuable pill that only the Grand Alchemist of Cloud River could make!


    Delphine nonchalantly pulled out another handful of rare and expensive pills.


    Cronch. Cronch. Cronch.


    The little golden bear snaffled them down.


    [!]


    Ryan felt as if his heart was stabbed.


    If the Grand Alchemist''s noble customers knew that the vaunted alchemist''s rare and valuable creations were being used as pet food by his granddaughter¡­ they would have spewed blood and fainted on the spot due to overwhelming jealousy¡­ Jealous that they weren''t born a bear!


    Speechless, Ryan trailed after his friends.


    ____________


    [Simultaneously, in front of the Cedar Sect]


    A large group of outer disciples wearing the orange robes of the Boulder Sect swaggered up to the elegant front gates of the Cedar Sect. Loud and obnoxious, they caught the attention of the guards manning the gates. At the helm of the group, a well-built young man was directing disdainful looks at the sweeping calligraphy above the gate. A scar down the youth''s left cheek gave him an air of danger.


    The youngster was surrounded by other young men and women wearing the orange robes of the Boulder Sect. They were of varying cultivations, the highest being the scarred youth himself at the 7th level of QI Distillation.


    The guards at the gate approached the youth. One of his entourage produced a parchment from his sleeve and handed it over.


    The guard skimmed quickly over the contents before nodding.


    "The usual rules of a fair challenge will apply. The sect will not interfere with the match unless the stipulated rules are broken. Punishment for breaking the rules is severe and within the sect''s rights," the guard handed the parchment back over.


    The pair of guards resumed their normal positions, blank-faced and stiff.


    The scarred youth turned and surveyed his entourage. He addressed the group behind him with a loud and sweeping voice.


    "The Cedar Sect has long called itself one of the Great Four of Dragon City¡­but who doesn''t know that it is all bark no fruit?" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    "Who doesn''t know that the current Cedar Sect is a garden full of useless ornaments? They can make all the profits they like, but it won''t negate the fact that their disciples are the weakest of the Four Great Sects of Dragon City!"


    "Today, we have come to put them in their place!"


    Each of the outer disciples grew in cockiness as they heard their leader''s words.


    "They''ll foul their pants the next time they see disciples from the Boulder Sect!" A thin girl on the scarred youth''s left said.


    The retinue sneered in agreement.


    "They''d be better off becoming farmers and just concentrating on making more money for their sect!"


    "Shigeru would thrash Dieter''s ass any day," someone commented, "That pansy is the weakest of the Four Suns."


    "Indeed," The scar on the youth''s face pulled his cheek into an ugly grimace when he smiled.


    The scarred youth suddenly barked, "Oi, you!"


    In front of them, a young girl in the dark green robes of an outer disciple of the Cedar Sect startled and dropped her handful of parchments.


    "W-what do you want?" She asked softly, eyes darting from face to face.


    The scarred youth sneered, "Tell your top outer disciple, Wang Hao, that Rhogar of the Boulder Sect has come to humiliate him in his own sect and prove that the Cedar Sect is trash that doesn''t belong the title of one of the Four Great Sects!"


    _________


    [At the outskirts of Dragon City.]


    Van, Delphine and Ryan stopped walking at a familiar street corner and hailed a carriage.


    As the beast-driven carriage stopped before them, Stupid poked its little head out and eyed the beast curiously. The dumb little bear tried to wriggle off Delphine''s back for a closer look, but the young girl restrained it.


    "Behave!" She hissed.


    Van and Ryan just smiled.


    Delphine''s expression was hesitant as she spoke to them, "I''m really glad I came with you guys to the Blizzard Plains. Thank you for looking after me."


    Her ears were pink.


    "I hope we will see one another again soon," Delphine said, "And um¡­ if you guys find something fun to play, remember to bring me along too!"


    Van smirked, "Sure, pipsqueak."


    Delphine''s eyes narrowed. With a final ''hmph!'' she waved goodbye and stepped up onto a carriage that would take her back to her grandfather''s estate.


    Van turned to Ryan, "We need to return to the sect quickly."


    Ryan nodded.


    Just under an hour later, the duo arrived at the sect''s gates. A loud booming voice greeted the duo when they stepped off their carriage.


    "Haha! Is this all your worthless sect has to offer?"


    Van''s expression turned gloomy as he took in the sight.


    The crowd blocking the gates was composed of green and orange robes. The crowd was dense and big, with a small space in the centre. Within that small space, a disciple wearing orange robes was fighting a disciple wearing green robes.


    [Such a dense crowd. It''s going to take a long time to push our way through it¡­ what a bother!]


    Van was annoyed that he couldn''t just teleport into the sect and kick in the door to the Sect Master''s room.


    "The guys in the orange robes are outer disciples from the Boulder Sect," Ryan said with furrowed brows, "I recognise the symbol on their back. It''s one of the top four sects of Dragon City, which includes the Cedar Sect, Zephyr Sect and Star-Cutting Sword Sect."


    "But what are they doing here?" Van said with crossed his arms. Darkly, he thought about pulling out his Mysterious Obsidian Battle-axe and just cutting a path down the centre. He had a feeling that wouldn''t go down well with the authorities.


    Ryan shook his head, "I have no idea."


    Van frowned.


    The loud voice boomed again, "Where is Wang Hao?"


    Immediately, a deathly silence greeted his words.


    "What, is your top disciple too afraid to stick his neck and fight for the face of his sect? Or is he too scared to face me!?"


    The Boulder Sect disciples roared with laughter.


    The Cedar Sect''s disciples went pale and green. Within their midst, a few of them had been beaten black and blue by the Boulder Sect disciples and were being supported by their friends. They all looked at each other.


    Where WAS Wang Hao? If he didn''t come out now, then the face of Cedar Sect''s outer disciples would be completely lost. Within hours, news of this humiliating result would be spread throughout Dragon City and no disciple of the Cedar Sect would be able to hold their heads up high again! There was a lot at stake here!


    The Cedar Sect disciples felt embarrassed and queasy.


    One brave disciple stepped out, "We already told you. Wang Hao is in secluded cultivation. If he exited just for this pointless challenge then his cultivation could be severely damaged!"


    His friend chimed in, " Unlike you scheming bastards, Wang Hao is upright and noble. If not for being in seclusion, he wouldn''t back away from a fight like a coward. Nor would he barge into another sect and challenge them when they clearly knew their opponent was in secluded cultivation!"


    None of the Boulder Sect disciples batted an eyelash. Of course, they knew Wang Hao was in secluded cultivation! The whole point of coming today was to rub the Cedar Sect''s nose in the dirt - it would be much easier to humiliate them if their top disciple did not turn up.


    And, if Wang Hao actually did cancel his seclusion to defend his sect''s honour and damaged his cultivation...


    Well, that would be just what the Sect Master ordered!


    Rhogar boomed with laughter, "Your Wang Hao is a spineless turd who can''t even face me! Actions speak louder than words. Who knows if he is really in secluded cultivation or not? He''s just a coward like the lot of you!"


    On the inside, Rhogar was reading the crowd''s expressions and quietly calculating.


    [I must stir them up so much that Wang Hao has no other way than to come out!]


    Hearing Rhogar''s incredibly insulting words, Cedar Sect disciples became full of suppressed indignation and rage. Even if they denied his words, they couldn''t shut him up ¨C they didn''t have the strength to!


    "I''ll fight you!"


    The crowd hushed as a new challenger appeared from the Cedar Sect.

 86 Daddy

    "Since Wang Hao can''t come out, I''ll fight you!" A new voice declared angrily.


    Van and Ryan saw a young woman with dark red hair step out to face the Boulder Sect disciples. She looked about seventeen years of age and possessed a courageous air.


    At the moment, her expressive face was dark and full of anger, "I''ll teach you a lesson for running your mouth like that!"


    The Cedar Sect''s outer disciples cheered.


    "It''s Mystra!"


    "Show ''em, Mystra. Knock their teeth out!"


    Despite his annoyance with the situation, Van was impressed by her feisty spirit. She has guts!


    Ryan finally recognised her name.


    "Mystra. She''s the third-ranked disciple in the outer sect!"


    Van raised his eyebrows. Her cultivation was at the early stages of the 7th level just like Van himself.


    "Macabre Dance: Sixth Form!" Mystra shouted.


    A spiked ball-and-chain flashed through the air; it was a vicious and lightning-fast attack!


    The crowd shouted excitedly.


    "It''s her famed Macabre Dance! Extremely powerful offence and hard to predict."


    "I heard it''s a martial technique passed down to only the female heirs of her family. It''s a level above the kind of generic techniques we have in the Misty Tree Library."


    Ryan looked on with interested eyes.


    After a few moments, Van sighed.


    "Hm. She won''t win," Van shook his head, "Come on, Ryan. We cannot be distracted. We need to see the Sect Master and tell him the news as soon as possible."


    Ryan was puzzled, "How do you know she won''t win?"


    Van pointed at the two fighting figures, "Her cultivation is the same as mine, but her physique not powerful enough to utilise the full effectiveness of her family''s Macabre Dance martial technique. It''s a shame that she has neglected her bodily cultivation."


    Ryan turned his head and inspected the fight scene. After a while, he realised that Van''s judgment was correct. Her martial technique was excellent, there was no doubt about it, but the power behind her attacks was lacking, allowing Rhogar to suppress her attacks with a simple fist again and again.


    Ryan turned back to his friend, "And what do you think of Rhogar?"


    Van shrugged, "In terms of cultivation alone he is slightly better than her. I would guess that he is in the middle of the 7th rank while Mystra just entered it recently. His spiritual power reserve is larger than hers ¨C this would be an advantage in a drawn-out battle. Notably, he has yet to show his martial technique - "


    At that moment, Rhogar grunted. A shimmering glow emanated from his flesh and his aura shot to the skies.


    Weng!


    Van smiled, "Here it is."


    The golden light flared. A giant apparition of a Golem appeared behind the scarred youth''s back. The apparition opened its giant mouth and spiritual power flowed from it into Rhogar. His skin turned golden and his eyes glowed with power.


    Despite himself, Van''s interest was piqued as he and Ryan slowly pushed their way through the crowd, "This does not seem like a martial technique¡­ is it some kind of bloodline¡­?"


    Hut!


    A giant golden fist slammed down from the sky.


    The Boulder Sect disciples cheered while the Cedar Sect''s disciples took a few steps back.


    Mystra paled.


    "Immovable Golem Smash!"


    The giant golden fist opened its fingers and descended on the red-haired girl.


    Quickly, she pulled her ball-and-chain back and tried to dodge the move.


    The Cedar Sect disciples were worried.


    Mystra''s Macabre Dance was known for its powerful, ranged offence and it was hard to predict where she would strike. However, Rhogar''s attack covered a large area almost 10x10 metres wide. Her area of movement and attack was entirely covered by just one palm!


    Mystra had also just realised this.


    The giant golden palm descended like a heavenly temple from the clouds; unstoppable.


    Mystra attacked the apparition directly with her ball-and-chain, using all her cultivation, but as soon as one giant palm dissipated, another one was formed.


    Bang!


    Another golden palm was shattered.


    Expression barely changing, Rhogar lifted his palm again and slammed it down. The Golem apparition did the same. Another giant palm descended from the sky.


    As Van expected, Mystra ran out of spiritual power before her opponent did. Gasping for breath and exhausted, she doggedly continued to fight. The glint in her eyes showed that she had not given up in her heart!


    Van felt moved.


    [Does she truly feel so much admiration for this Wang Hao that she would fight bitterly to the end like this? Or is it her pride as a disciple of a sect?]


    Van slowed his pace of walking.


    Rhogar cackled. He clenched his fingers so that the open palm was now a fist!


    Power built up in the air behind him ¨C he was clearly going all out for a finishing move!


    In front of him, Mystra was panting heavily.


    She stared at him challengingly, her hand on her weapon. She still had one more move!


    Van narrowed his eyes as his Blood Vision saw the flow of blood qi within her body become unusually erratic.


    [This crazy girl ¨C what does she think she is doing!??!]


    The onlooking Cedar Sect disciples shut their eyes. In her exhausted state, Mystra''s cultivation would take an irreversible hit that could potentially leave her crippled for life!


    "Stop!" A green-robed disciple cried out, "It''s illegal to continue when the opponent has been defeated!"


    Rhogar cackled, "The defeat is not valid until she says it with her own mouth!"


    The giant golden fist slammed down with brutal force.


    Mystra was unable to dodge in time.


    ______


    PAKKK!


    Beneath the giant golden fist, a crater appeared. Dust billowed out from it in great waves.


    The crowd coughed, holding their sleeves to their moves. After a moment ¨C the cheers began.


    "Rhogar! Rhogar! Rhogar!"


    Grinning, Rhogar lifted his fist and shouted victoriously.


    "HAHAHAHAHA!" Rhogar laughed, "Quickly, another! Bring me another! Crushing you ants is so very fun!"


    The Cedar Sect disciples'' blood had drained from their faces. They felt cold to the bone.


    "I can''t watch any more¡­" One whispered, "I feel sick¡­"


    "Why hasn''t Wang Hao come¡­?"


    Rhogar''s entourage laughed raucously. The second-ranked Boulder Sect outer disciple basked in the cheers of his fellows.


    Abruptly, the cheers quietened. Fervent murmuring filled the silence.


    "¡­There''s something moving¡­!"


    Rhogar''s face changed.


    [She is still able to stand after taking the brunt of my attack?]


    Through the golden dust, the faint silhouette of two people could be seen.


    "Look! There''s two people. Wang Hao must have saved Mystra at the last moment!?"


    The crowd grew excited.


    Cough! Cough!


    Both figures spluttered and coughed.


    "Fuck me!" One of the figures exclaimed loudly.


    As the dust cleared, the figure was revealed to be a young man with dark eyes and flame-red hair loose about his shoulders. He nonchalantly patted the golden dust off his robes and helped Mystra to her feet. He seemed totally unaware of the gravity of the moment.


    The Cedar Sect disciples deflated ¨C it wasn''t Wang Hao!


    Rhogar was shaken nonetheless, "Who are you!?"


    "Your daddy!" The red-haired youth snapped. He looked down and seemed intensely annoyed, "Mother fuck. What''s with all this dust!?"


    The crowd choked.


    Who was this crazy kid!?


    And had he eaten the guts of a leopard!?


    ______


    [Milliseconds before the fist had descended.]


    "Who are you!?"


    Mystra stared in astonishment at the red-haired youth who had suddenly appeared in front of her.


    Suddenly, he grabbed her face. His dark eyes looked at her seriously.


    "Don''t use it!"


    Mystra glared at him and flung him off her.


    "If I don''t use it, the Boulder Sect will win!"


    The red-haired youth shook his head and smiled, "They won''t. Trust me!"


    Mystra searched his eyes and saw only earnestness.


    [Since he was able to interfere without anyone noticing, he cannot be weak. I will trust him!]


    ______


    Words could not describe just how ticked off Van was.


    Initially, Van had already been disgusted by the Boulder Sect disciple''s behaviour ¨C he felt enough pride as a disciple of the Cedar Sect to be riled up by their baseless slander. However, he had been willing to stay uninvolved in his haste to see the Sect Master. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    But now, seeing Mystra''s courage and integrity, Van felt ashamed for being less than a girl.


    [Since I have benefitted from being a disciple of the Cedar Sect, I should at least return the favour by crushing the fools that scratch at our door!]


    Without thinking, Van had used Scattering Smoke steps and appeared under the giant golden apparition a split second before it hit. In their brief conversation, Mystra had trusted him and her chaotic blood qi settled.


    Van turned his dark eyes towards Rhogar, feeling nothing but disgust.


    "Who are you?" Rhogar demanded, looking at him warily.


    "Your daddy!" Van said with a sharp smile. Theatrically, he looked down and swore at the dust on his robes.


    The stunned, open-mouthed expressions of the crowd around him was highly satisfying.

 87 Fighting Rhogar

    Van felt that the stunned, open-mouthed expressions of the crowd around him was highly satisfying.


    He nonchalantly continued to pat the dust off his robes.


    Beside him, Mystra was looking at Van with confused eyes. To be able to break the golden golem fist, he had to be quite strong. Even stronger than her. But she had never seen him before¡­?


    The Cedar Sect''s outer disciples looked the red-haired youth up and down.


    "I know all the top disciples in the outer sect¡­but I''ve never seen this kid before¡­" one of them whispered.


    The Cedar Sect possessed over five hundred outer disciples, and of them, only eighteen were in the 7th rank. As a result, each of them enjoyed fame within the outer sect. The 6th rankers were also admired - although their numbers significantly larger - their names and appearance were also famous in the outer sect.


    "If he''s not a top disciple, then who is he?"


    "He even dared to talk back to Rhogar! He must be of the 6th rank at least, otherwise, how would he have the guts?"


    "He looks only thirteen or fourteen. Realistically, he can''t be that strong."


    "When I was his age, I was only in the 3rd rank of Qi Distillation. I''m at the peak of the 5th level now."


    "Maybe he used a talisman to rescue her?"


    The crowd''s hopes dropped lower and lower. They did not believe that some unknown disciple would be able to defeat Rhogar.


    Rhogar''s face darkened as he looked at the red-haired brat in front of him.


    [Who the fuck is this uppity trash? Does he think he can talk to me like that just because he was able to save her from one of my attacks?]


    The Boulder Sect disciples were incensed by Van''s words.


    "How dare he!? That bastard just got lucky that''s all! "


    "He wouldn''t last against you in a proper fight!"


    "Beat him until his own mother won''t recognise him, Rhogar!"


    Van looked at the Boulder Sect disciples and saw a crowd of little monkeys in orange jumping up and down.


    He could not help the smirk that formed on his lips.


    Van chuckled, "Hehehe! How stupid!"


    Rhogar heard Van''s words and blistering anger grew in his belly.


    "Hmph! From your attitude you seem to think your pretty strong. Do you think you can stand up to me!?"


    Rhogar himself was at the late stage of the 7th level of Qi Distillation. Unless his opponent''s level matched his, he really was not concerned!


    "You better run off and get Wang Hao to come out instead!" Rhogar spat.


    Van started to retort but Mystra suddenly grabbed his sleeve.


    "I don''t know who you are, but Rhogar is the second-ranked outer disciple in the Boulder Sect. He beat three of us with one palm-strike earlier, and completely overwhelmed my Macabre Dance," she warned, "He cannot be beaten easily!"


    "Yes, yes," Van patted her hand as if placating a small child.


    Mystra looked at him weirdly.


    [He is totally ignoring everything I am saying, isn''t he?]


    Annoyed, she withdrew her hand.


    [If he is not going to heed my warning then I don''t care!]


    "There''s no need to get Wang Hao," Van addressed Rhogar simply, "I will crush you myself!"


    His arrogant words cut through the noise of the crowd.


    ¡­


    He would crush Rhogar himself?


    Whether they wore orange robes or green robes, each disciple looked at Van as if he had completely lost the plot. Where did this kid''s confidence come from? Mystra, another 7th level cultivator had been defeated by Rhogar with just one move, what chance did this unknown disciple have?


    Mystra took one more glance at the situation before leaving the centre of the crowd.


    [I need to get Wang Hao!]


    Van let her go.


    The crowd rumbled with discussion.


    "He''s definitely joking."


    "Obviously."


    Rhogar''s smile tightened.


    "Ho? You think you can take me on yourself? I''ll tell you now, apart from Wang Hao, no one here is my opponent!"


    Van''s smile did not waver. His dark eyes flashed.


    Rhogar was vaguely able to perceive a terrifying aura emanating from Van''s slim body. This was the killing intent he had been able to accumulate during his various life-and-death battles.


    The scarred youth instinctively took a step back. A moment later, Rhogar realised what he had just done and stepped forwards again, ignoring his instincts.


    [This kid¡­ I can''t see through him. At first, I thought he was just posturing¡­but the more I look at him, the more that I feel like¡­ he genuinely does not take me seriously at all!]


    The Boulder Sect disciples saw Rhogar''s behaviour and were slightly surprised, "Rhogar is taking him seriously! Did the Cedar Sect have another notable outer disciple apart from Wang Hao?"


    Rhogar addressed Van coldly, "You are courting death!"


    A loud hum filled the air as the apparition of a giant golden golem shimmered into existence around Rhogar''s body. The giant golem spread its fingers.


    Van readied himself.


    Weng! Weng! Weng!


    Three golden fingers detached and shot through the air like ballistic missiles.


    Van disappeared. Pushing his spiritual power around his body, he disappeared and reappeared randomly for indeterminate amounts of time.


    Not a single golden finger even came close to touching him.


    This was the power of absolute evasion!


    "What!"


    "That move¡­!"


    The Cedar Sect disciples opened their eyes wider. No matter how hard they tried, they could not pin down Van''s body for more than a millisecond. This movement skill seemed really familiar!


    "It can''t be!"


    "Is that ''Scattering Smoke Steps''?"


    Only the Cedar Sect disciples recognised the infamous movement skill. Looking at each other, they suddenly realised that this unknown disciple could turn the tides of the match around!


    Filled with new hope, they leaned forward with excitement.


    "I don''t know who you are, kid. But kick that idiot''s ass for us!"


    Van smiled.


    Rhogar was perplexed but he did not show it.


    "Hmph! Even if your movement skill is good, you cannot escape the territory of my fist!"


    "You''re right," Van chirped, "I will just stand right here!"


    He immediately stopped circulating Scattering Smoke Steps and just stood there with his arms held behind his back.


    The crowd was flabbergasted.


    Rhogar grew truly angry, "I don''t know what you are playing at, but this goes no further!"


    A giant golden palm shimmered into existence above Van''s head.


    Without hesitation, Van''s skin turned a vibrant copper colour and he aimed a punch filled with might at the palm above his head.


    BANG!


    BANG!


    BANG!


    The golden palm did not even last for one minute before it shattered.


    [What explosive strength!]


    Rhogar spat blood. His strongest attack had now been cancelled twice and the effect that had on the circulation of his qi was not minor. He felt his right hand go numb.


    "You use a physical cultivation technique? You will never go far with that!" Rhogar spat.


    "Oh?" Van said, "I seem to be beating your ass with my Copper Knight Wall though!"


    Rhogar gritted his teeth. He quickly moved backwards.


    His opponent''s physical cultivation was high and possessed incredible weight and power. In addition, every punch had been aimed at the weakness in Rhogar''s attack.


    [He hasn''t even used any Spiritual Arts yet¡­]


    Rhogar felt a trickle of sweat down his neck.


    The mirage of the Golden Golem behind Rhogar''s back pulsed. Its eyes glowed white before it suddenly shrank down and encapsulated Rhogar''s body.


    Van felt Rhogar''s power rise significantly as he merged with the power of the Golden Golem. The young man''s muscles bulged with power and his hair billowed behind him with an invisible wind. Golden light emitted from his open mouth.


    The expression of the spectators changed.


    "Not good!"


    "We need to get out of the way!" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    Van saw Rhogar''s movement and saw that he was charging up for a big attack. However, he did not retreat.


    BOOM!


    A giant beam of golden light shot out of his opponent''s mouth. Filled with power, everything it touched vaporised.


    [Scattering Smoke Steps!]


    Van dodged the attack.


    BOOM!


    BOOM!


    Van was impressed that Rhogar was able to spam this beam attack so often.


    [He has a formidable reserve of spiritual energy¡­ but mine is better! He will not be able to wear me out this way!]


    Thanks to the effect of opening all 99 meridians, Van''s spiritual reserves were unparalleled amongst people in the same rank. However, also meant that it took more spiritual energy for him to advance in level. It could be described by likening his spiritual reserves as a dam. If the dam is big, it can hold more water. However, it also means that it takes a lot more rain to fill it up! Additionally, Van had recently absorbed the Tri-Divine Blood Flame, which had vastly increased the quality of his spiritual power.


    Rotating Scattering Smoke Steps, Van''s body flashed closer and closer to Rhogar.


    Rhogar felt Van''s presence a millisecond too late.


    There was a loud boom as the figures collided with each other. A large shock wave swept everything up in a ten-metre radius.


    _______


    [Cave within the forests behind the Cedar Sect]


    "Wang Hao! Wang Hao!"


    A battered-looking outer disciple burst into a secluded cave in the forests behind the Cedar Sect. He was followed by a rag-tag group who all looked decidedly worse for wear. There was a rip across the front of one''s robe that was unmistakably from a sword slash. They were accompanied by a young woman with red hair.

 88 Wang Hao

    [Cave within the forests behind the Cedar Sect]


    "Wang Hao! Wang Hao!"


    A battered-looking outer disciple burst into a secluded cave in the forests behind the Cedar Sect. He was followed by a rag-tag group who all looked decidedly worse for wear. There was a rip across the front of one''s robe that was unmistakably from a sword slash. They were accompanied by a young woman with red hair. It was Mystra.


    In front of this group, a young man in his twenties with close-cropped black hair was in the middle of an intense spar with a training dummy. He had a medium build and a handsome but inexpressive face. His movements were fierce and unrelenting, with waves of sharp energy emanating from the young man''s long silver sword. Sparks flew about the training field.


    Hearing his name urgently shouted, Wang Hao stayed his hand. He looked towards the speaker.


    "...Has something happened?"


    Mystra nodded sharply, "I came to find you earlier but you were still in seclusion."


    "You awoke just in time. It''s the Boulder Sect. They came and challenged us¡­ or more specifically, they challenged you, Wang Hao!"


    The other disciple chimed in, "My brothers and I all lost horribly¡­ A young kid rescued Mystra when Rhogar tried to cripple her cultivation. He''s fighting with him now, but I don''t think he will last very long. You need to go immediately¡­!"


    Wang Hao gripped his sword. Fierce intent radiated out from the long silver sword in his hand.


    "So Rhogar has come to make trouble with us. Good, very good!"


    ____________


    [At the gates of the Cedar Sect.]


    There was a loud boom as the figures collided with each other. A large shock wave swept everything up in a ten-metre radius.


    When the dust cleared, the two opponents were both still standing,


    Bizarrely, the scarred youth smiled. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    Van''s expression changed.


    Rhogar''s body was resisting the strength of his fist!


    "Surprised?" Rhogar asked, smirking.


    There was a tense moment as the two opponents stared each other down.


    [Rhogar''s spiritual art of the Golden Golem imparts him some physical strength that mimics a physical cultivation technique. I won''t be able to break it using only my Copper Buddha state¡­Fine!]


    Van smiled.


    "Not very, no."


    His right fist flashed a brilliant silver.


    Immediately, the physical power of his right fist increased by tenfold. He drew his fist back and punched Rhogar. Hard.


    The scarred youth was knocked backwards, spewing blood as he went.


    Rhogar scrambled to regain his footing.


    After tasting his own blood, the scarred youth''s attacks became wilder and more ferocious.


    In contrast, Van grew colder and colder. His opponent''s moves were starting to become full of flaws. Rhogar could not even compare to a single Golden Ice Bear.


    BOOM!


    BOOM!


    The two figures continued to exchange blows.


    When Rhogar could not longer sustain the merge with his golden golem, his eyes returned to their normal colour.


    Van''s eyes flashed. The red-haired youth landed a powerful punch on Rhogar''s chest.


    BAM!


    Rhogar flew through the air several tens of meters and crashed into the ground. The scarred youth groaned once and then slumped into the ground. It was clear ¨C


    The battle was over.


    The faces in the crowd were full of shock. They couldn''t believe their eyes. In their eyes, Van had just punched Rhogar and sent him flying with one fist using Copper Knight Wall. Van had kept his right fist low and close to Rhogar''s back ¨C no one had seen it change colour.


    Everyone knew that body cultivation techniques were the lowest of the low, only practiced by manual labourers ¨C and yet, if this kid''s hands this lowly cultivation art seemed god-like!


    "He must have reached the perfection realm of Copper Knight Wall. That is the only explanation for why such a low-level body cultivation skill is so domineering!"


    "During that battle, it seemed like Rhogar was the only one getting affected. The red-haired youth was never harmed. He didn''t even seem to have broken a sweat!"


    The outer disciples from both sects were extremely disturbed. Just who was this kid?


    Van wiped his slightly bloodied fist on his robes.


    Neither the Boulder Sect nor Cedar Sect disciples could move, stupefied by the battle they had just witnessed.


    "The name''s Van, by the way," the youth in front of them commented as if he could hear their thoughts.


    The crowd drank in the sight of him greedily.


    "He beat Rhogar using only a movement skill and a physical art¡­"


    "I don''t think he even used a spiritual art. He''s incredible."


    "He beat a late stage 7th level cultivator just like that. Has the outer sect gained a new genius¡­?"


    To beat a late stage 7th level cultivator using only a movement skill and a physical art after only just entering the 7th level himself¡­ not only was it difficult, but it was also unheard of.


    Obviously, Van had been holding himself back in his fight. He had not even used his Dark Seas Palm skillset, let alone his Fists of Devouring Flame.


    There was a spluttering noise as Rhogar regained consciousness. The Boulder Sect disciples immediately surrounded him and lifted him onto a pallet to be carried away.


    Rhogar weakly lifted his head as he was being carried away, "I-I admit defeat¡­"


    The Boulder Sect disciples carrying Rhogar shot looks full of animosity towards Van. Their chests felt tight and uncomfortable. They had marched to the Cedar Sect bursting with confidence, thinking that they would be able to stomp all over some trash and lord it about. Instead, they were brutally slapped in the face. Not only had their strongest man been defeated, he hadn''t even been defeated by the so-called top outer disciple, Wang Hao ¨C he had been defeated by some no-name small fry instead! How could they feel good? Each of the disciples was red with embarrassment and full of indignation.


    "Don''t think it''s over!" One shouted, his face the colour of puce, "Our top outer disciple won''t let this humiliation go. We will return everything you dealt to us two-fold!"


    "Tell your top outer disciple that he is welcome to taste my fist as well!" Van said nonchalantly.


    The Cedar Sect disciples chortled with laughter.


    "Well said, Van!"


    "Hahahaha! I don''t know where this guy came from, but he''s got my respect!"


    "That''ll teach them to look down on the disciples of the Cedar Sect!"


    "Keep running away, little rats!"


    The Cedar Sect disciples were extremely lively as they jeered at the fleeing Boulder Sect disciples. They all felt as if a dark shadow had lifted. Their hearts were now filled with the sweetness of victory!


    A few of them stepped forward and vigorously shook Van''s hand.


    "You did a good job, Van, we thank you!"


    More of the crowd gathered around and complimented Van on the fight. They were curious about his fighting techniques and skills. While exchanging small talk, Van spotted Ryan in the crowd looking unimpressed and grinned sheepishly.


    "It seems that the fight has already ended," a calm voice said from behind Van.


    The crowd''s attention shifted. There was a chorus of sharp gasps and excited whispers.


    In everyone''s view, a young man with close-cropped black hair and a silver sword slowly walked out. His every step was filled with an indescribable sensation of sharpness - as if he were an unsheathed sword himself.


    "It''s Wang Hao!"


    "Wang Hao finally came!"


    Wang Hao smiled faintly.


    Mystra saw Van unscathed and was perplexed. The words she heard next was a lightning bolt from above.


    "¡­Rhogar''s already been beaten by the Van kid¡­"


    [What!?]


    Mystra looked at Van and was completely boggled.


    [Even if he had a high-levelled movement skill like Scattering Smoke Steps, he would have run out of spiritual energy sooner than Rhogar did. How on earth did he win!?]


    Van inspected Wang Hao.


    [Hm?]


    Van used Blood Vision to inspect Wang Hao and saw that the other youth''s vitality and spiritual power was extremely potent.


    [It seems he has just broken through to the 8th level of Qi Distillation! It seems the Boulder Sect''s challenge today was destined to be futile. Wang Hao''s secluded cultivation may have been a ruse to disguise the fact that he had already advanced to the 8th level. But why would he want to hide it¡­? Ah, of course. The Monster Mausoleum. Sect Master Musheng must have instructed him to do this.]


    At that moment, Van felt a cold sensation on his skin, as if an incredibly keen sword was pressed against his skin. A shiver ran down his spine. He looked up and saw Wang Hao looking at him with an unreadable expression.

 89 Debriefing the Sect Master

    At that moment, Van felt a cold sensation on his skin, as if an incredibly keen sword was pressed against his skin. A shiver ran down his spine. He looked up and saw Wang Hao looking at him with an unreadable expression.


    Although Van had just met Wang Hao for the first time, he gamely stepped forward and cupped his hands. In front of the strong, play nice!


    "Congratulations, Senior Disciple Wang Hao, on entering the 8th level!"


    There was a series of gasps from the spectators.


    "It''s true. Wang Hao has entered the 8th level!"


    "Doesn''t this mean he was in the 7th level for only four months¡­?"


    "Incredible!"


    "If he wasn''t only in the 6th level during the last Inner Disciple Qualifying tournament, Wang Hao would be an inner disciple already."


    "Well, he''ll definitely get in the next one!"


    "There''s only five spots. I wonder who else will advance to the inner sect?"


    The chatter continued.


    Though he was not impressively built, Wang Hao could sense that young disciple in front of him had hidden depths.


    "Hn," Wang Hao said in reply.


    There was an extended silence that neither Van nor Wang Hao felt the need to fill. From the outside, this seemed an incredibly awkward first meeting. All the disciples felt a keen sense of second-hand embarrassment. After all, Van had just taken the glory away from Wang Hao.


    "You are Van?" Wang Hao asked at length.


    The duo continued to look calmly at each other.


    "Mm," Van acknowledged after a long time.


    Mystra, who had been listening with a keen ear, nearly fell over. What was this incredibly dry conversation?


    There was a longer silence.


    Van blinked.


    There was a long pause.


    The crowd leaned closer. They all wanted to hear the words that would fall from his lips!


    Wang Hao''s mouth opened slightly.


    "How many ribs?"


    [¡­]


    The spectators were confused.


    "Only eight," Van commiserated, "The others got away."


    Silence.


    A tiny smile cracked Wang Hao''s cold visage.


    The crowd was stunned. The infamous ''Ice Statue'' had cracked a smile!


    The girls in the crowd swooned. Who knew when the Ice Statue smiled, he became even prettier!?


    "Good," the elder disciple said. His face was once more impassive.


    Slap! Slap! Slap!


    Faster than Van could react, Wang Hao patted him on the back three times.


    "You did well, Junior Brother."


    Van was taken aback by Wang Hao''s speed. But more than that, he was stunned by his words.


    [¡­This is probably the first time someone within Cedar Sect has genuinely called me ''Junior Brother''!]


    A small warmth curled up behind Van''s ribs.


    Wang Hao turned to the crowd and bowed stiffly, "Apologies, Junior Sisters and Brothers. I exited seclusion too late to be of use. You must thank Junior Brother Van for saving our Cedar Sect''s face."


    The crowd gathered close. Everyone wanted to meet and talk to Van after his spectacular performance.


    Overwhelmed, Van threw a look at Ryan but found that his friend had already started snoring as he napped against a tree.


    "A-actually¡­I must really go now," Van said as he pushed away a rabid fangirl by the face, "I just returned from a mission in the Blizzard Plains and need to urgently report the results to¡­ uh to get the rewards before the deadline."


    Wang Hao nodded. He gave Van a pointed look that seemed to say [watch this!]


    Van raised a brow.


    Wang Hao coughed to get everyone''s attention.


    "I have developed a new sword art, is anyone interested?" he asked loudly.


    The crowd''s attention was immediately captured.


    "Me!"


    "Me!"


    "I want to see!"


    They pushed towards the top outer disciple.


    "First, you must give me some space¡­" Wang Hao said as he drew his sword.


    The crowd was enraptured.


    Van threw Wang Hao a grateful look and yanked Ryan away from his tree.


    __________


    The moment Van and Ryan disappeared, a thin young man with mousy brown hair sidled up to Wang Hao as he was doing his demonstrations and whispered in his ear.


    "Senior Brother!" The brown-haired youth hissed, maroon eyes flashing, "You must deal with that brat as soon as possible!"


    Wang Hao''s expression remained unchanged. His hand flicked his sword as if it were merely a feather, sending silver sword lights through the air. The crowd oohed and ahhed.


    The youth continued fervently, "Don''t you see how he just upstaged you? The only thing the sect will remember is Wang Hao was too cowardly to show up, and how brave he was when he challenged the Boulder Sect. Don''t think he acted out of the goodness in his heart, he just wanted to grab some attention and show off. The entire outer sect will echo with his name for days! If you don''t put up your guard against him, sooner or later that upstart will try and take your position from you!"


    Wang Hao finally looked at the brown-haired youth. The sword lights dissipated.


    "Mad Horse, it is not that easy to defeat me."


    The mousy-haired youth, Mad Horse, narrowed his eyes, "You are too na?ve, Wang Hao! You know as well as I that there only five disciples are allowed into the inner sect every two years. If you want to ensure your place, you should nip problems like this in the bud. There is still over a year until the next Inner Disciple Qualifying tournament, the worst thing to do during this time is to let these upstarts freely spread their wings!"


    Mad Horse sneered at Van''s distant form.


    Wang Hao inspected Mad Horse carefully. After a moment, the top outer disciple nodded to himself.


    "I do not think I am the one afraid of being upstaged, Junior Brother¡­You should watch out for yourself."


    Mad Horse''s eyes widened.


    "You!" He spluttered.


    Wang Hao lifted a brow and swished his sleeves. A fierce aura exploded from his sword and a flurry of sword lights sliced through the air.


    The crowd cheered.


    Frightened, Mad Horse took a step back.


    It was clearly a warning.


    ______


    Sect Master Musheng was roused from deep contemplation by polite knocking at his door.


    "Come in," the elegant sect master said as he stowed away the map he had been inspecting. His lilac eyes were red at the corners, showing just how long he had spent poring over the musty files in his chamber.


    Tutor Zhang came in. He had a pleased look on his old face.


    "Outer Disciple Van has returned from his endeavour and wishes to speak with you!"


    Musheng raised a brow, "From your pleased expression, I garner he has been able to fulfil the first requirement?"


    Tutor Zhang just smiled again, "I''ll let you see for yourself. It seems my eyesight was pretty good this time!"


    Musheng smiled, "Very well, bring the young man in."


    Tutor Zhang returned briefly outside and ushered a young red-haired disciple in. Presumably, this was Outer Disciple Van. His youth showed in his relatively slight frame and his dark eyes were clear and bright.


    A brief look was all it took for Sect Master Musheng to understand Tutor Zhang''s seemingly cryptic words.


    "It seems some congratulations are in order, young man," Musheng said lightly, "Reaching the 7th level of Qi Distillation in two months is no small feat."


    The young disciple immediately knelt and paid his respects, "Sect Master flatters. Without the opportunities the sect afforded me, a lowly servant would not have been able to come so far."


    The Sect Master appraised him with warm lilac eyes, "Outer Disciple Van, you are too humble."


    "I asked only for you to reach the 6th rank, but you have exceeded my expectations. Being in the 7th rank shall help you immensely in the Monster Mausoleum."


    Van felt a sense of pride suffuse his body.


    [I have come a long way since Mountain Village!] Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    "You have fulfilled my first condition, but you must remember that there is a second: During the inter-sect competition in the Monster Mausoleum, you must lead a battalion of ten other outer disciples and perform exceptionally. And when I say exceptionally, I expect that you will at least endure until the 5th wave. You will be the captain for a battalion of 6th and 7th level disciples. Including yours, there will be twenty teams in total. The most important thing will be strategy and teamwork," Musheng advised Van.


    Below him, the kneeling young man nodded.


    "I will not disappoint you, Sect Master!"


    Musheng nodded, "You may rise."


    Van stood up.


    "Your cultivation has advanced greatly in a short amount of time. There is still a week left before we embark for the inter-sect competition. I suggest you use this time to consolidate your cultivation and make ample preparations."


    Musheng smiled, "If there is nothing else, you may leave."


    The young man in front of him spoke up, "Actually, Sect Master. I have something important to report about my experience in the Blizzard Plains."


    Musheng''s eyebrows rose, "Pray tell."


    ______


    Sect Master Musheng looked incredibly weary when Van was done recounting the events of the last month or so.


    "He said that they would attack when the Six Nation Alliance was distracted? This general?"


    Van nodded, "Altemuller¡­he said that the only way we can remove the demons infecting the disciple''s minds is with Mind Bore Beetles."


    "Altemuller? I cannot place the name but it seems passingly familiar," Musheng said, "As for the Mind Bore Beetles - they are not hard to find, but to breed the numbers we need will not be easy¡­"


    The Sect Master tapped his elegant fingers on his knee, "I must ask - do you have proof of your claim? I do trust you, Disciple Van, but to mobilise the sects require enormous resources."


    Van frowned, "I believe that the Ice Caves in the Blizzard Plains contain ample proof. Perhaps a someone could be sent to investigate the matter? Alternatively, I believe any disciple who has returned from a mission and experienced dizzy spells afterwards should be checked for demonic possession. If indeed, such a demon is found, isn''t that proof enough?"


    Musheng nodded slowly, "I will send an Elder to check the situation. It would be impossible to know the extent of infection but I''m afraid it is far more widespread than we would like to believe."


    "Once the results come back, I will have to communicate with the other Sect Masters in Dragon City to coordinate a cleansing. Secrecy is of the utmost importance, Van. I trust that you will keep these events in your confidence?"


    Van nodded, "I only want Cloud River to be safe."


    Sect Master Musheng''s face smoothed, "As do I. Do not worry, Van. You have done a great contribution to the sect and Cloud River by bringing this information to me. Once we have cleansed our disciples, I will also examine our teaching staff. With all our sects cooperating, this mysterious enemy''s plans will be cut off before they can even be started."


    ______


    Once the young disciple left, Musheng sat back in his chair with a deep look on his face.


    When Tutor Zhang returned, he sensed the Sect Master''s disquiet and couldn''t help but enquire if anything was the matter.


    Musheng looked at the old tutor, "You have been one of the pillars of the sect for a long time, Old Zhang. What I have learned today ¨C if true ¨C is concerning. It could explain some of the incidents that have been occurring in the sect for a long time. Not only Elder Lang''s crazed behaviour, but also older events¡­"


    Tutor Zhang was surprised, "You mean¡­ you think those things have a connection with Disciple Van''s discoveries?"


    "It is not likely, but what if¡­?" Sect Master Musheng shook his head, "How goes the preparations for the Windswept Realm?"


    "They are going as we planned," Tutor Zhang responded.


    Musheng relaxed, "Good. We cannot allow any mistakes to be made."

 90 First Avenger

    Van stepped out of the Sect Master''s audience chamber lighter than he had felt for a while. From the Sect Master''s response, it seemed that proper actions would be taken, and the situation would be dealt with speedily.


    [After all, although Altemuller was in the 8th rank, the Sect Master is the closest to reaching the Island Formation realm in Cloud River. Not to mention that the Elders of the Sect are all within the Sea Establishment realm as well. With all the sects cooperating once they find proof, all will be well.]


    The stone that had been in Van''s heart finally dropped.


    _______


    The Boulder Sect disciples shrank back in fear.


    In front of them, their top outer disciple was beyond furious. His appearance shared about eighty-percent similarity with Rhogar''s ¨C it was clear that they were closely related.


    "How can you be so totally useless!?" Viggo shouted at his older brother. Rhogar was lying down on the pallet they had carried him in, face red with shame.


    "B-brother!" Rhogar protested, he scrambled forward and grabbed his younger brother''s robes, "Please, the Cedar Sect has gained a new genius in their outer sect. He was stronger than I expected ¨C I swear!"


    Viggo kicked his older brother away, "The Sect Master himself entrusted with this task! You couldn''t even get Wang Hao to show his face! What, exactly, is the point of you?!"


    Rhogar whimpered.


    Viggo looked out at the large group of shame-faced disciples. None of them could meet his eyes.


    BANG!


    Viggo slammed his hand against the wall in rage.


    "I will go there myself!"


    ______


    [A small room in the Cedar Sect.]


    "Before I leave for the Monster Mausoleum, I must ensure that I am fully prepared for the battles ahead. I need to assess the state of my cultivation and fighting arts and see if any improvements can be made," Van judged.


    "I will start with my cultivation."


    Van sat down on the floor of his tiny room in the outer sect and closed his eyes. His brows were tranquil and his breathing slow and controlled. He inhaled deeply.


    Hu!


    As Van exhaled, he focused his mental energy on the spiritual river within his core. Within his centre, the glowing silver river flowed through the landscape, twisting and turning.


    Compared to when he was in the 4th level of Qi Distillation, the river had expanded greatly in size and flowed much more rapidly. Back then it had been more like a small, wandering mountain stream. Now it was a true river that churned over the landscape.


    Van felt satisfied by how large it had grown.


    [The Sect Master warned that ranking up too quickly can lead to shaky foundations. I will take a closer look to double-check that there is nothing wrong.]


    Van drew closer to the spiritual river and inspected it with a critical eye. To his shock, he found numerous murky areas within his spiritual river. In those murky areas, the flow of the river was sluggish and slow.


    Worried, Van searched his spiritual river in more detail and realised that although it had become much larger in size, the edges of the river were now blurry and less defined.


    [Because I rapidly increased my cultivation from the 4th to the 7th rank, my spiritual river has gained size at the cost of quality and definition. Wherever the spiritual river is murky or blurry, is where the spiritual energy was too hastily absorbed. The murkiness is caused by the spiritual energy resisting being compressed into a liquid and trying to form back into mist state.]


    Van shook his head. His brows furrowed ever so slightly.


    [If I had not heeded the Sect Master''s words, sooner or later the spiritual river may have imploded. The implosion would be powerful enough to cripple my meridians and render me unable to cultivate for the rest of my life¡­!]


    Van''s intuition was correct ¨C many cultivators who rose through the ranks quickly and neglected to properly consolidate their foundations, found the flow of their spiritual energy becoming choppy and unstable. If they continued to cultivate without fixing this, they would eventually find themselves crippled.


    In the warm afternoon light shining through his small window, the red-haired youth''s breaths gained a steady rhythm once again.


    Van''s closed-door meditation continued for three more days. When the 4th day broke, Van opened his eyes and stood up.


    "Flaming Bull Fists!"


    A brilliant red plume of flame ejected from his fist. The room blazed with heat.


    Van grinned. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    [The flow of qi through my meridians is now much smoother and more stable. The difference between now and before is as clear as night and day.]


    After two days of consolidation, Van''s spiritual river had decreased in size. However, it no longer contained murky areas and flowed strongly. The edges were defined once more, the spiritual energy flowing within had the appearance of a glossy silver liquid.


    Van was satisfied.


    Next, he turned his attention to his martial techniques.


    Van spent the afternoon reading through his Dark Seas Palm and Fists of Devouring Flames manual to see if he could improve the quality of his martial techniques to the next level. While there was still more to be unearthed about his Fists of Devouring Flames which he had received from Jet, Van knew that he was reaching the upper limit of what he could get out of Dark Seas Palms.


    "In the end, Dark Seas Palm is only a Middle-Rank skill. Even a cultivator of the 3rd rank can practice it if they have a strong enough affinity for water. I am currently in the expert-level of the Dark Seas Palm technique, once I reach the pinnacle-level, I must either find a higher rank skill or try to transform the technique in some way."


    Van''s eyes lit upon his Obsidian Battle-axe, which he liked to leave outside of his dimensional ring. He thought that the imposing black axe added a nice atmospheric touch to his otherwise drab and nondescript room in the Outer Sect.


    The black axe''s sharp and heavy intent was scary enough to deter other outer disciples hang around his doorstep for too long ¨C exactly the effect Van was going for. The number of overly eager fans who had knocked on his door during his seclusion was truly too numerous to count. Van had no doubt that they had all come to satisfy their burning curiosity about him, but he had no desire to waste his time chatting.


    "Hm. When I have the chance, I should find a suitable axe skill to train in. So far, I have just been hacking at my enemies with brute force. Although it has worked so far, I''m sure that eventually, this approach will seem laughable to my enemies."


    Van picked up his Obsidian Battle-axe and placed it into his spatial ring.


    "It seems that I am overdue for a visit to the mercantile district of Dragon City. I still have some things from the Mystery Object Sale and loot from my trip to the Blizzard Plains to sell. Then I will see if I can find suitable skills for my axe and harpoons."


    ______


    The sound of frantic knocking jerked Van out of his contemplation.


    Alert, he cautiously opened the door.


    The gaggle of disciples in front of him looked relieved when they saw him.


    "Van, it''s the Boulder Sect. Their top outer disciple has come to take revenge for his younger brother''s humiliation!"


    Van cracked his neck by tilting his head side to side.  A smile drifted over his lips.


    "Bring it on!"


    [I can use this opportunity to get used to my skills after the improvement in my cultivation.]


    ________


    The news spread through the sect like lightning and soon an enormous crowd formed at the sect gates to watch the spectacle.


    Viggo stood silently in the space in the middle of the crowd. The Boulder Sect''s top outer disciple was taller than his older brother and with a stronger aura. His eyes were closed and the space between his brow gentle, as if he were in deep meditation.


    When he heard slow deliberate footsteps draw close, Viggo knew his opponent had come. His eyes flashed open.


    His opponent, this Van, stared back at him calmly with his hands folded in front of him.


    Viggo''s lips quirked up but his eyes were full of thorns.


    "I challenge you, Van of the Cedar Sect. Do you dare accept!?:


    Van''s expression was completely neutral. This top outer disciple, Viggo, was apparently Rhogar''s younger brother and their relationship was close. He was not surprised that Viggo had come, just that he had come so soon.


    "What''s there to fear?" Van said slowly, raising an eyebrow.


    The onlookers felt the deadly chill in the air and started to quiet down. They felt as if they were standing near two fierce beasts fighting in the wild; the atmosphere was tense and predatory.


    One was the top outer disciple of the Boulder Sect, a mighty position that indicated he was stronger than hundreds of disciples. The other was a newcomer who was here since he had defeated the other''s younger brother. The orange-robed disciples were wary of being overconfident like the last time; the green-robed disciples didn''t know what to think at all ¨C they wanted to stay hopeful but Rhogar was not as strong as his brother. And so, the crowd remained quietly watchful, their fists clenched by their sides.


    An intimidating qi started to flow out from Viggo. It heightened the bestial air between the two opponents, causing the audience members'' to take a step back.


    The Cedar Sect disciples were full of worry and doubt.


    "Viggo is challenging Van, not Wang Hao?"


    "It''s obvious that he''s here to take revenge for his brother and regain the honour of his sect. Wang Hao is secondary at this point."


    "Van is strong and may even have hidden depths¡­but he''s not Viggo''s match."

 91 A Clown, or a Monster

    A cold wind swept through the robes of the gathered outer disciples. In front of them, two figures stood ten metres apart from one another.


    One, Viggo, was the pinnacle of hundreds of outer disciples in the Boulder Sect. The other, Van, was a newcomer who had yet to display the true extent of his skills.


    The Cedar Sect disciples didn''t know what to think or feel. They whispered quietly amongst themselves.


    "Why is Viggo is challenging Van, not Wang Hao?"


    "Isn''t it obvious? He''s here to take revenge for his brother and regain the honour of his sect at the same time ¨C two birds with one stone. Defeating Wang Hao is secondary at this point."


    "I didn''t think about it that way¡­but it makes sense."


    "Who do you think will win?"


    This was the question that they were most anxious to have answered.


    "Van is strong and may even have hidden depths¡­but he''s not Viggo''s match. That man is the top outer disciple of a mighty sect for a reason."


    "Viggo is a beast clothed in the skin of a human," someone whispered quietly, "The rumours are enough to give you nightmares for weeks."


    A threatening, animalistic aura started to flow out from Viggo.


    The audience members immediately shut their mouths. They felt jittery and on edge; as if they stood in front of a predator who could snuff their lives out with one bite.


    Although Van was over ten metres away, he felt his limbs instinctively start to lock from the power of Viggo''s bestial aura.


    "What a strong killing intent! His aura is stronger than most peak 7th rankers," the crowd whispered.


    "Viggo killed a Sabre-Toothed Winged Lion a few months ago, allowing his martial experience, cultivation and intent to develop immensely," the Boulder Sect disciples whispered amongst each other.


    "No wonder his killing intent is so sharp."


    "He was already unbeatable before that, but now his is absolutely the undisputed King of the Outer Disciples."


    The Cloud River continent was a vast expanse of land filled with mysterious wonders and unknown territories. Despite millennia of human occupation, it seemed that the knowledge humanity held about the land they lived in was limited. If that knowledge had once existed, someone had made sure that it had been irrevocably destroyed. Even with this limited knowledge, there were many miraculous places and strange items that turn the lucky cultivator into the carp that leapt over the dragon''s gate and transformed.


    Those willing to risks their lives by battling terrifyingly strong demon beasts could also find themselves transformed by their experiences. Obviously, Viggo was such a person. Through his intense battle with the Sabre-Tooth Winged Lion that lasted over five days and five nights, his martial arts had been honed to the extreme and his focus sharpened to a deadly point.


    Viggo increased the pressure of his killing intent once more and the atmosphere became stifling.


    "I will let you have five moves. I won''t retaliate until the fifth move is over," Viggo said softly, taunting. Though his eyes seemed calm, Van could sense the dangerous beast that lurked behind.


    The green-robed disciples felt a cold chill settle into their bones.


    Five moves¡­?


    Only someone who was completely confident in their overwhelming strength could say something like that. How domineering!


    After all, Viggo was at the peak of the 7th rank and had been the top outer disciple of the Boulder Sect for a while. His skills could not be less than someone who had just shot to the 7th rank. It was only expected that he could afford to give away five moves!


    The green-robed disciples looked worriedly at their fighter. However, the red-haired youth still displayed an impassive expression.


    Van suddenly smiled.


    "Hahaha!"


    His barking laughter took them all by surprise. His next words made their jaws fall to the ground.


    "You wish to further ensure your defeat? That seems unfair -how about this: I give YOU five moves instead!"


    The silence that dropped over the crowd was so absolute one could hear the cicadas in the trees.


    Viggo was frozen with disbelief. He couldn''t believe his ears.


    The crowd''s eyes dropped out of their sockets. They didn''t know how to look at Van ¨C was he a clown, or a monster?


    "He''s crazy. Who let this fool represent our sect?"


    "He''s telling Viggo to attack him five times without retaliation?"


    "Shhh! He must have a reason for saying that!"


    "He''s going to lose anyway. Him giving Viggo ten moves doesn''t matter anyway, but at least he''ll be able to have his fifteen minutes of fame."


    Viggo''s veins were popping out of his forehead. A furious rage burned in his chest.


    "Giving me five moves for free!? You will rue your choice!"


    HUUU!


    A giant lion with a vicious snarl materialised into the air behind Viggo. The young man shouted, and his aura merged with that of the beasts. Two cutlasses appeared in his hand; they were short and curved, like a lion''s front teeth.


    A layer of orange light appeared on the cutlasses as they swept towards Van. The power of the flying cutlasses could easily kill anyone of the 5th rank or lower and seriously disable a 6th ranker.


    Van smirked and disappeared. His image shimmered and he was instantly standing 10 metres from his previous spot.


    The cutlasses swerved around and returned to Viggo''s hand.


    Van reappeared.


    "One," the red-haired youth teased.


    Viggo growled, "Coward! Face me like a real man, instead of running around like the pansy you are!"


    "If that''s what you want!" Van started to circulate Thousand Saint Sacrifice. His skin took a copper sheen.


    SLICE!


    The figures clashed together


    Viggo''s left scimitar left a red line across Van''s forearm but was unable to dig deeper as the red-haired youth floated away and strengthened the skin in his forearm.


    One of the figures flew back. The other staggered slightly before regaining their footing.


    Viggo dug his cutlasses into the ground and regained his footing.


    Van looked coldly down at him. The red line on his arm turned pink and disappeared.


    "Two."


    The crowd was in awe.


    The person who had been pushed back was the top outer disciple of the bloody Boulder Sect!


    Viggo quickly attacked again but Van dodged nimbly.


    "Three," the red-haired youth said.


    Viggo felt a spike of unease.


    [How are his body cultivation and movement techniques so advanced?]


    When Rhogar had spoken to him about Van''s abilities, he had said that the other youth''s body cultivation technique was merely a measly Copper Knight Wall. Even at the perfection realm, could it possibly withstand the might of his cutlasses, which he had forged from the fangs of the Sabre-Tooth Winged Lion?


    There was only one explanation ¨C in the day since Van had fought Rhogar, he had improved vastly yet again!


    Indeed, Van''s control over his circulation of spiritual power had grown by leaps and bounds after a night''s contemplation and purification of his spiritual river. Combined with the integration of the Tri-Divine Blood Flame into his body, Van''s sensitivity to spiritual power had grown to new heights. The extent to which he was able to activate and execute his martial arts was more like a seasoned 9th ranker than a 7th ranker.


    Van saw Viggo''s wary look and smiled, unleashing his battle intent at the same moment. A terrifying aura emanated from his body and swept over the crowd. In the air around him it was as if you could sense the desolation of an immense ice dragon.


    Viggo''s gaze sharpened, "I see. You love battle, just like me. Good!"


    The Boulder Sect disciple raised his voice, "However, that body cultivation technique you are showing, it far exceeds the Copper Knight Wall technique!"


    Murmurs spread through the crowd.


    "Body cultivation techniques are not very popular, so good ones are extremely rare, like a goose laying a golden egg. If Van''s technique is not the Copper Knight Wall, what is it and where did he get it from?"


    Van did not show any discomfort at this line of questioning. He smiled enigmatically, "Yesterday''s fight was very eye-catching¡­what if it was a gift?"


    Van purposely kept his answer vague to encourage the idea that he may have caught the eye of a sect elder in the last couple days. He had technically not spoken any lies ¨C fighting Rhogar had been eye-catching, and the Thousand Saints Sacrifice Method could be considered ''gifted'' to him from Jet!


    "Don''t be too full of yourself ¨C I have yet to exert all my strength!" Viggo interjected, annoyed at the crowd''s amazement, "My martial technique has been passed down to the most talented youth of each generation of my family!"


    "Swift Biting Fang!" Viggo leapt up into the air and a mirage of flying lion appeared behind him. It leapt onto a cutlass.


    The cutlass shot towards Van carrying the heavy vicious aura of an ancient beast. The speed was lightning fast and contained extremely condensed qi. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    Van almost reacted to late. He circulated Scattering Smoke Steps and barely avoided being hit.


    A red strand of hair floated onto the ground.


    Van was slightly impressed; Viggo frowned deeply.


    "Four," Van said simply. His tranquil eyes betrayed no thought.


    "Your next move is the last. Use it carefully!"


    Viggo gritted his teeth and the winged lion behind him roared furiously. It leapt onto Viggo''s cutlasses and disappeared into the silver blades, which blazed with orange qi.


    "Slicing Twin Fangs!"


    The two cutlasses became super-fast heat-seeking missiles. They shot furiously towards Van.


    Like a predator locking onto prey, they could sense where Van was every time, he used Scattering Smoke Steps and would find him in a short amount of time.


    Van calculated and briefly lingered at one spot. The heat-seeking cutlasses pinpointed his location and shot towards him. The red-haired youth waited.


    The crowd shouted for him to get out of the way.


    Van felt the tip of a cutlass part the air in front of his skin. Then, he heavily rotated Scattering Smoke Steps and appeared five metres away just as the two cutlasses stabbed into the ground of the sect and became lodged there.


    The orange qi that powered the cutlasses returned to Viggo. The recoil made him cough blood.


    "Five," Van announced gravely. A corner of his sleeve was missing, and a red line could be seen on his arm. Unlike the previous injury, it was slow to heal.


    "You''re five moves have finished. Not bad, but not good enough!"


    His voice was soft and yet filled the hearts of everyone around him with ice. They had laughed at him when he said that Viggo would need the five-move head start and yet here they were and Viggo was nearly kneeling on the ground from the recoil of his finishing move and Van was perfectly fine.


    Whether they wore orange robes or green robes, the crowd was extremely disturbed. What would happen now that Van could fight back?


    A deep cobalt colour appeared on Van''s palm.

 92 Hidden Strength of the Cedar Sec

    "You''re five moves have finished. Not bad, but not good enough!"


    Van''s voice was soft and yet filled the hearts of everyone around him with ice. They had laughed at him when he said that Viggo would need the five-move head start and yet here they were and Viggo was nearly kneeling on the ground from the recoil of his finishing move and Van was perfectly fine.


    Whether they wore orange robes or green robes, the crowd was extremely disturbed. What would happen now that Van could fight back?


    A deep cobalt colour appeared in Van''s palm.


    "Tide Swallows the Earth!"


    A massive tidal wave filled with cold qi blacked out the sky.


    The crowd backed away quickly; Viggo couldn''t dodge in time.


    The Boulder Sect disciple''s movement skill was not skilful enough for him to dodge such a large area-of-effect move and the tidal wave engulfed him. Immediately, he felt the cold qi try slide through his skin and enter his system.


    [Not good! The qi in this move is not very damaging, but it is so cold it has a slowing effect!]


    Viggo felt his movements become sluggish. The spiritual energy within him seemed to be attacked by the freezing qi in the move, causing his reactions to slow down.


    "River Splitting the Rocks!"


    An angry lash of water knocked Viggo backwards. It hit his chest so forcefully that blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.


    Viggo''s face became more solemn.


    [Thousand Saint''s Sacrifice - Copper Buddha!]


    Van changed up his attacking style and moved into the close range while his opponent was still affected by the coldness of the qi. This time he didn''t use any fancy spiritual art, he just used his most basic attack - his tyrannical body cultivation!


    When you wanted to catch someone off guard, the simplest and fastest attack was the best attack. Van''s fists were the most used attack from his villager days.


    But Viggo''s renown from being a demon beast slayer was well-earned; his senses picked up the slight movement in wind. The instant Van was upon him, Viggo crossed his cutlasses in front of him.


    TENG!


    Van''s glowing copper fist collided with the metal cutlasses with a ringing metal noise and knocked Viggo backwards - Viggo could block all he wanted but the sheer force behind Van''s youth''s attacks was too extreme!


    The Boulder Sect top outer disciple''s back hit the ground painfully and coughed up more blood. The impact worsened his internal injury.


    Van was immediately upon his opponent, materialising out of thin air like a ghost. He pressed his advantage.  Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    BANG!


    Replacing any flashy moves, Van directly kicked Viggo in the stomach and sent him flying backwards before his opponent could react.


    The crowd gasped.


    Van did not let up.


    He attacked.


    Again.


    Again.


    Viggo was fighting back doggedly but it was clear who was controlling the flow of the fight!


    The thrill of battle sent Van''s bloodlust soaring. With Blood Vision, he could clearly sense Viggo''s internal injury, so he unmercifully gave his opponent no rest.  A dark whip formed from his qi shot through the air and cut a deep wound in Viggo''s arm.


    Viggo gritted his teeth and forced down his groan of pain. The blood dripping down his chin was still flowing.


    "Are you ready to admit defeat?" Van asked calmly. The wound Viggo gave him on his arm had healed to pink line.


    The contrast between the two of them was startling: one was bruised and bleeding, the other perfectly fine except for a rip in his robes.


    Viggo did not reply, his eyes were full of unwillingness.


    Van respected his choice but lifted his palm, once more a cobalt blue light appeared


    The Boulder Sect disciples couldn''t stand it any longer; they could not bear defeat, but if their top outer disciple was crippled by the Cedar Sect that would be an even greater humiliation. Adding to that, they also had immense respect for Viggo and couldn''t watch him suffer.


    "...Viggo...!" They said quietly, eyes burning.


    Viggo''s shoulders slumped.


    "I admit defeat."


    The cheers from the Cedar Sect were deafening. The Boulder Sect disciples went white. Some of them looked like they might empty the contents of their stomaches.


    Van''s lips lifted into a smile.


    Viggo looked up through the blood in his eyes and saw a red-haired god of war behind his eyelids.


    Then, he blacked out.


    The Cedar Sect disciples rushed forwards and hoisted Van onto their shoulders. The red-haired disciple had not expected this and wobbled unsteadily on his shoulders, debating whether he should just rotate Scattering Smoke Steps and remove himself from this precarious situation.


    "Va-an! Va-an! Va-an!" They chanted giddily, high on their victory over the bullying Boulder Sect.


    The bewildered Van tried to ignore the girl enthusiastically groping his butt.


    After a while, the crowd let him down.


    Van gamely spent around an hour explaining his adventures in the Blizzard Plains and how he had trained his Dark Seas Palm to a high level. He skilfully ignored questions about his body cultivation by simply responding to whoever he wished ¨C if they were asking about something else.


    Eventually the satisfied crowd dispersed.


    Happy but a bit tired from talking, Van decided to return to his dorm room for some quiet.


    ______


    Far in the distance was a lone figure partially hidden behind a wall. It was Klaus, who''s robes were still filled with the sand and debris he had picked up in the Sambara Desert. He looked upon with an unreadable look in his icy blue eyes.


    A few months ago, the red-haired youth was utter trash compared to him. Van proceeded to get stronger and stronger, showing himself to be a martial genius at the Martial Field and stealing away some of Klaus'' spotlight. The silver-haired noble had pushed himself to the utmost limit at the Sambara Desert and exulted in being able to achieve the 7th level of Qi Distillation in such a short amount of time¡­!


    And yet!


    Klaus felt red tinge his vision. His pearly white teeth clenched together; a muscle in his jaw ticked.


    And yet¡­ it wasn''t enough!


    Klaus suddenly shook; as if he had briefly lost control. The silver-haired youth leaned heavily against the side of the wall he was next to. If he wasn''t careful; Van may just well become a knot in his heart.


    Scaring himself with that train of thought, the icy aristocrat wiped any sign of anger from his face and regained a deadly calm.


    Klaus watched the far-away scene for one more, long moment, before lifting his sleeves and walking away.


    ______


    The news spread quickly through the sect; elevating Van''s name to new levels of fame. He gained a new nickname ¨C the ''Sentinel'' of the Cedar Sect''s Outer Court. The news reached Wang Hao, Mystra and Mad Horse quickly.


    Wang Hao''s expression didn''t even twitch, but Mystra had a shocked expression on her face. Mad Horse glowered darkly and shot a pointed look at Wang Hao, which was ignored in favour of the game of mah-jong they were playing.


    "A-ah poong!" Mystra shouted, distracted from the news quickly by the ivory pieces in front of them.


    "Too slow!" Wang Hao chuckled.


    ______


    [Within the Boulder Sect.]


    Viggo fell to his knees heavily. Swiftly, Rhogar followed. The duo banged their heads onto the marble floor and cried out.


    "Sect Head, we have failed you!"


    The Master of the Boulder Sect''s long wispy eyebrows drew up as he eyed the first and second-ranked outer disciples, Viggo and his brother, Rhogar.


    After a moment, he cleared his throat and spoke.


    "You mean to say, that you two were unable to draw Wang Hao out from his seclusion? Even if we could achieve that objective, the fact that you defeated their top outer disciples and won the challenge is still good. After, all what we really want is to lower their morale in the Mausoleum," Old Man Boulder said.


    The two brothers'' heads dipped even lower.


    Sect Master Boulder gripped the arm of his seat tightly, "You mean to say¡­?"


    Viggo suddenly thumped his head onto the marble floor.


    "We did not win!" he cried out, face-red, "Both of us were beaten by an outer disciple we had never heard of before?"


    Sect Master Boulder was surprised, but he did not show it.


    "The Cedar Sect has gained a top-ranked outer disciple that is at least on par with Wang Hao?"


    Rhogar nodded vigorously, "Yes. The strength of his cultivation and his understanding of martial technique was extremely good! He defeated me in only a few rounds ¨C I''m afraid even Wang Hao might not beat him!"


    Old Man Boulder turned to Viggo.


    Viggo stepped forward, "It is as Rhogar says. In addition, I felt like I couldn''t sense the depth of his strength. I had a distinct feeling that he did not take me seriously!"


    Old Man Boulder rubbed his temples.


    [It seems that the Cedar Sect is not the soft persimmon we thought it would be¡­]


    The Sect Head raised his head, "And this genius outer disciple, what did he look like?"


    Rhogar replied first.


    "Sir! The disciple who defeated me was a young lad named Van who looked thirteen years of age. He had flame-red hair that reached his shoulders and defeated me based on his movement skill and body cultivation alone! I did not see him use a single spiritual martial art at all!"


    "Sect Master¡­ I¡­ the youth told me to take five moves!" Viggo said.


    Old Man Boulder sharpened his gaze, "And did you?"


    Viggo shut his eyes, "I did. And I still lost."


    There was a tense silence as the three people in the room processed the news.


    "It is clear, I think," Sect Master Boulder said heavily, "That the Cedar Sect''s outer court has gained a new genius ¨C one that surpasses the both of you, adding to their chances in the Monster Mausoleum."

 93 Pinnacle-Rank Ar

    Old Man Boulder suddenly slammed his fist onto the armrest. He sprang up.


    [Musheng!]


    With his significant cultivation, not only did the seat he was on shatter, the marble dais gained a deep crack down the centre.


    The trembling of the Sect Head''s wispy brows quietened down.


    "Wang Hao entered secluded cultivation nearly two months ago. However, in all this time, no one from outside of the Cedar Sect has seen him¡­"


    [I can now only feel that this was done so that they could hide Wang Hao from our eyes. If Wang Hao has truly entered the 8th level, and this new disciple surpasses my two top outer disciples¡­]


    Old Man Boulder sighed heavily. An elder hurried forwards and procured a jade seat from his dimensional pouch. After dusting it off with his sleeve, the elder replaced the broken debris with this new jade chair. The old sect master settled onto it and pondered the situation.


    [The Boulder Sect must now tread carefully. Pleasing the Star-Cutting Sword Sect will anger the Cedar Sect, who cannot be underestimated anymore.]


    ______


    *Knock knock*


    Van stood up from his cross-legged position on the ground and opened the door, bleary-eyed.


    A messenger thrust a bamboo scroll into Van''s palms, it was accompanied by a slip with a large 10 printed on it. He had no idea what it was for.


    "What is this?" Van asked the messenger''s retreating back. A moment later, they were a speck in the distance. Van blinked.


    He unfurled the bamboo scroll and read the flowing script.


    Van was immediately alert. It was from Sect Master Musheng!


    When Van reached the end of the scroll, he let out a breath.


    The sect master had found enough proof to back Van''s claims about his misadventures in the Blizzard Plains. In the last few days, all members of the sect who were found to be infected were put into confinement and the demon inside their minds forced into a temporary stasis condition. The Sect Master explained that he would be informing other sects in Cloud River shortly and has been discussing how Mind Bore Beetles might be cultivated successfully. Lastly, he had gifted Van 10,000 sect contribution points for his services to the safety of the Cedar Sect.


    Van held up the token and saw that the large ''10'' was followed by a marker than implied 1000 units, making it a symbol for ten thousand points.


    The youth whistled. He remembered that the Ebony Dimension Ring he had been eyeing the last time he was at the Point Exchange Centre was about 1000 sect contribution points. With this token, he could exchange for 10 Ebony Dimension Rings! Of course, the ring was far inferior to the Myriad Light Dimension Ring Van had discovered during the Mystery Object Sale.


    [Guess it''s time for a trip to the Point Exchange Centre!]


    Van neatened his robes and went to the door. He opened his door a crack and peered out with one eye, making sure that there were no rabid fangirls or fanboys hanging around his door before stepping out. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    There were disadvantages to being so famous¡­


    ______


    Van approached the Point Exchange Centre and looked around cheerfully. When at length, no one showed up, the red-haired youth was disappointed. His dark eyes conveyed a sense of woefulness.


    The Bloody Chicken Gang had not shown up! In fact, neither had their boss, Nathaniel, who Van was of half a mind to wipe from the surface of the realm.


    [Maybe he''s learnt self-preservation and is lying low?]


    Van chuckled at the thought. It was highly unlikely. Nathaniel was probably busy terrorising people elsewhere in the world.


    [When I see him again¡­!]


    Van couldn''t help the slightly sadistic smile on his lips. He lifted his foot and entered the white, temple-like building. The room inside was circular and filled with shelves behind a circular glass wall.


    Cautiously, Van approached the ghostly shadowed figure standing just behind the white marble counter in the middle of the room. He slid the slip with the printed ''10'' on it onto the counter. When the shadowed figure touched the slip of paper it disintegrated.


    The shadowed figure tilted its head. Van had the feeling it was waiting for him to speak.


    Had ten thousand points been successfully added to his existing contribution point balance?


    Wary of annoying the ghostly assistant, Van spoke quickly.


    "I''m looking for a weapon art ¨C oh!"


    A list of weapon arts that could be redeemed was displayed on the white marble counter in response to Van''s utterance.


    "Uh... I''m looking for something suitable for an axe," Van said, scanning the list.


    The glowing names on the list decreased dramatically. Each item was accompanied by a short description. Van pored over them carefully; his brows were furrowed as he busily read their descriptions. Eventually, his eyes lit up.


    It was perfect!


    "I''d like to see that one!"


    The ghostly phantom cupped its palms and a hologram of a jade tablet appeared. Van gently plucked the jade tablet out of its grasp and looked greedily at its contents. He knew it was the right choice right away; a sense of belonging to the weapons art in his hand.


    Van nodded to the phantom, "I''ll take this art, please."


    The ghostly shadow dipped its head and the hologram solidified in Van''s palms.


    Van looked down.


    [Heavy Axe Art.]


    The name of the art was extremely simple, but Van liked it. His Mysterious Obsidian Battle-axe''s primary feature was its incredible heaviness after all. It also tied in with his body cultivation.


    However, it also cost exactly ten thousand sect contributions points.


    Van couldn''t complain. The arts he had picked upon entering the Outer Sect were middle-rank martial arts. This [Heavy Axe Art] was a pinnacle-rank weapons art. The weapons arts available to disciples from lowest to highest were low, middle, high, pinnacle and apex. Pinnacle ranked arts were highly sought after by the inner disciples. As for the apex arts? In the entire sect, it was rumoured that only the direct disciples of the Elders and Sect Master could glimpse an apex-ranked martial art!


    Van rubbed his fingers over jade tablet and tried not to salivate. He wanted to rush back to his rooms and pore over its contents for hours but unfortunately the departure for the Monster Mausoleum was the next morning and Van really needed to make a trip to Dragon City and sell off some of the loot he had accumulated over the last few months.


    ______


    [A shop within Dragon City.]


    Luther beamed as a familiar young man entered his shop, "Young man, thank you for helping my friend last time! Reggie told me that the royals were very happy with the armour made from the Queen Brown King Ant''s exoskeleton."


    The red-haired youth looked surprised by Luther''s enthusiasm but nevertheless smiled back.


    "What is your name?" Luther continued, eyeing the heavy looking bags in the youth''s grip. The last time he was here he had brought with him some very nice beast materials!


    The young man responded politely, "You can call me Van. I am an outer disciple of the Cedar Sect. Your friend''s craftmanship is excellent, I was more than happy to trade the exoskeleton in in exchange for an excellent set of armour."


    Luther rubbed his hands together as Van hefted the sacks onto the wooden counter, "And what have you brought for me today?"


    Van loosened the ties around the necks of the sacks and spread the contents over the wooden counter.


    Luther''s jaw dropped to the floor. He looked at Van, rubbed his eyes and then looked at the pile of items on his counter.


    The old man pointed a shaking finger at a sharply glinting object.


    "Y-you killed a B-Blizzard Wyrm!?"


    Van grinned, "And these too."


    A pile of golden bear claws cascaded over the counter. The golden shine of them dazzled the eyes.


    "Heavens!"


    _____


    [One hour later.]


    Van walked out of Luther''s dealership with pockets 50,000 silver taels heavier. He had been able to offload the miscellaneous goods he had acquired in the Mystery Object Sale and sold a bunch of teeth and claws from the Blizzard Wyrm and Golden Ice Bears.


    For the other things that Van had salvaged, such as the herbs and some parts of the demon beasts, were best sold to a herbal hall as they had medicinal properties and were very popular in pill-making.


    Van walked down the street and saw a familiar shop - a three-tiered building with jade-like tiles.


    Without hesitation, Van swished his sleeves and marched into the Grand Botanica.


    A young shop assistant saw Van''s outer disciple robes walked towards him quickly with a smile on his face, "Young sir, could I help you with anything?"


    Van looked around the shop neutrally, giving nothing away.


    The shop assistant was hesitant, "Have I met you before?"


    Van eyed the shrewd shop assistant. The last time he had been here, he was still a small servant in the sect with the cultivation of only the 2nd rank. At that time, the shop assistant had looked at him with thinly disguised disdain. He had quickly ditched the lowly servant who he felt was beneath his notice.


    "I am here to sell some high-quality herbs," Van said coldly.


    The shop assistant was quite uneasy under Van''s frigid gaze. He felt ill-at-ease; as if he had done something stupid. But what? He didn''t think he had met this outer disciple before...


    [He does seem a little familiar...]


    But his red hair was quite distinctive, and he didn''t think he would forget an outer disciple of the Cedar Sect! After all, sect disciples liked to spend their allowances buying pills and potions to enhance their cultivation.  A good salesperson never forgets the faces of their best spending customers!


    Little did this shop assistant know that the disciple before him had had black hair until very recently!


    "Yes, this way, please," the shop assistant smiled thinly and lead Van up onto the second floor.

 94 Cerise

    When Van entered the second floor, he was greeted by the sight of a middle-aged man in brown robes sitting behind a large ebony counter. He was slowly flicking through a thick tome, one hand propped under his chin. As he flicked through, he yawned with his mouth so wide open that a fly might accidentally find itself within.


    When the two entered, the lazy middle-aged man looked up slowly. He was disappointed by what he saw.


    [I had hoped for an inner disciple to appear¡­ adding on the fact that he still looks like a brat, he probably doesn''t have anything good¡­ It''s probably not even worth my time. I''m going to guess that the total value of what he wants to sell doesn''t even reach 5,000 silver taels.]


    The lazy man put his book face-down on the counter and waved an indolent hand at Van, "Hurry up, will you!? For Heaven''s sakes, we don''t have all day."


    The middle-aged man tapped his finger impatiently on the counter.


    Van approached the counter slowly, "Is this your attitude towards all of your customers? Because I don''t mind taking my wares somewhere where they''ll be more appreciated¡­"


    Van could hardly be blamed for being pissed-off at his treatment. One, you''d think the Grand Botanica would know how to conduct its business professionally. Two, after going through the life-and-death experience of battling a giant frost wyrm with swords for teeth and icy storms for breath, the last thing he expected was to be greeted this rudely by a middle-aged man who spent most of his day reading trash like¡­ Van tilted his head to the side¡­ like ''Miss Kitty''s Sexcapades in the City.'' Titillating.


    The middle-aged man showed the surprised Pikachu face.


    Suddenly, he threw his head back, "HAHAHA!"


    The middle-aged man laughed until tears squeezed out of the sides of his eyes, "You want to leave?"


    There was a long frigid pause.


    "Go ahead!" He barked, slapping the desk in front of him. He looked at the youth in front of him as if he were nothing more than some dirt under his shoes.


    [Has this kid been knocked on the head? Does he think the things a small outer disciple from the Cedar Sect has wares so valuable that we, the mighty Grand Botanica, must beg for? Only goes to show, the bar for becoming a disciple of the Cedar Sect is getting lower and lower, letting in idiots like this one!]


    Van''s smile grew several degrees colder.


    "I always thought that the Grand Botanica was upright and full of integrity, who knew that their people could be such low quality!"


    The middle-aged man was unperturbed, "Hmph!"


    Van continued coldly, "What a shame, I heard that a one-thousand Snow Spirit Ginseng was the rarest among the rare. None of the herbal halls in Dragon City has had some in stock for a while. I''m sure that the Harvest Pill Palace will be happy to strike a deal with me. Have a good day."


    With that lightning bolt of information, Van turned his body and left the room.


    The middle-aged man''s face was extremely pale.


    [The Snow Spirit Ginseng is indeed incredibly rare although it is only a medium-ranked spiritual herb. If he is telling the truth, then I am in big trouble from up above! The Harvest Pill Palace is one of our biggest competitors if they gain hold of what we don''t have, the favour may swing in their favour!]


    The middle-aged man was at a loss. He had no idea what to do to make this situation before.


    At that moment -


    BANG!


    There was the sound of someone slamming open the door.


    "Wait! Young man, stay for a moment!"


    Van heard a woman''s voice, slightly panicked, float into his ears. He turned around and saw a mature woman with a curvaceous body and long black hair down to her waist. She wore a pair of spectacles on her face, giving her a bookish atmosphere.


    Van raised a brow.


    The mature woman leaned forwards gave Van a flirtatious smile, "The one-thousand-year-old Snow Spirit Ginseng, if you really have it, the Grand Botanica will pay you 40,000 silver taels."


    Van thought he could get more for it, so he shook his head and gave a rueful smile.


    "Sorry, not interested. The service here..." he trailed off. Van began to move backwards as if he had decided to leave.


    The curvaceous woman blocked his path with a friendly smile on her face, "If 40,000 isn''t high enough, how about 50,000?"


    Van paused, "I think that the Harvest Pill Palace will be willing to give me a higher price."


    Van purposely incited the name of the Harvest Pill Palace as he knew that they and the Grand Botanica were major rivals in Dragon City.


    The mature woman''s face stiffened, "I haven''t yet introduced myself; I apologise."


    She drew herself up and her flirtatious smile faded away, "My name is Cerise, and my uncle is the owner of this establishment. So, I ask again, what price are you willing to part with the Snow Spirit Ginseng?"


    Van raised a brow, "And I am Van, an outer disciple of the Cedar Sect. This Snow Spirit Ginseng was¡­ very difficult to collect. The question is not how much money that I want, but how much money you are willing to spend in order to have something that others do not have?"


    Cerise stared at the youth in front of her. This thirteen-year-old boy who was still wet behind the ears was sounding her out with barely a change in expression his face.


    The youth smiled, "Oh, and I also have some sprigs of Snow Crocus and several Snow Bamboo Shoots. I heard they can be used to improve the efficacy of the Snow Spirit Ginseng."


    He loosened the tie around the neck of a sack and showed her the pale icy flesh of the herbs he had collected in the Blizzard Plains. Dense icy spiritual energy curled off the herbs, showing that they were of high quality and at least several hundred years old.


    Cerise couldn''t help it, she was impressed.


    "160,000 for the lot," she said with a practised smile, "but I will give you a silver membership card that will allow you to purchase things from us at 20% off in the future. There are various other benefits, including access to tutorials or lectures our alchemical experts hold every month. We also have an alert service, where you can ask us to keep tabs on a herb you desire and let you know when it is in stock. Usually, only those who have purchased over 100,000 silver taels worth of goods from us can apply for a membership here."


    Van considered it; he was a bit interested in the alchemical arts. He instinctively felt that not only would he enjoy it, he would also be rather good at it. His affinity for flame would surely help with his fire control, which was a key component of the alchemical process. Being able to keep an eye on herbs that he desired was also a plus.


    "170,000 and the membership card."


    Cerise narrowed her eyes. She turned her eyes to the lazy middle-aged man behind the counter and shot him a look that promised death.


    [That lazy fucker! If he hadn''t pissed this kid off, we may have been able to get our hands on these quality goods for around 105,000 silver taels at a maximum!]


    "Fine," Cerise huffed. She snapped her fingers and the middle-aged man hurried forward with a pouch that held a gold tael and several pieces of solid gold that were the equivalent of 170,000 taels. A silver disc the size of Van''s palm was given to him.


    Van smiled. It was the smile of a cat who had gotten the canary.


    "Oh," he said casually, "I also have the heart and liver of a ferocious Blizzard Wyrm. Heard you can make an elixir of strength with those."


    _____


    Cerise watched the red-haired youth walk out of the Grand Botanica whistling a jaunty tune and felt slightly annoyed. However, when she looked down at the rare Snow Spirit Ginseng in her hand her mood immediately lifted.


    [Snow Spirit Ginseng have never been cultivated successfully by humans to be beyond fifty years old. One that is over one hundred years old can only be found in the wild, and even then, it is incredibly rare to find an environment that it can grow to such an age in. For a thousand-year-old herb, in the nearby countries, I''m afraid that the only place suitable for its growth is in the Blizzard Plains!


    People from Cloud River rarely adventure there, and our suppliers prefer to spend their time in areas with nicer climates that produce an abundance of herbs with less ferocious predators lying about.


    Giving that kid a silver token is also a strategic move. It guarantees that he will prefer our herbal hall over others, and so what herbs he can find in the future will benefit us!]


    With this one-thousand-year-old Snow Spirit Ginseng, our Grand Botanica has the edge over the Harvest Pill Palace in the upcoming battle. We cannot lose!]


    When Cerise raised her head, she saw the middle-aged man shoot her a wronged look from behind the counter. Cerise temper rose. She pushed her glasses up with one finger.


    "What are you looking at?" she barked, "If it weren''t for you, we wouldn''t have had to raise our buying price by tens of thousands of taels! I will be reducing your salary to only 50% for the rest of the year. Hmph!"


    The middle-aged man could only weep silent tears as Cerise left the room.


    ______


    [3 hours later.] Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    Van finished reading the theory behind the Heavy Axe Art and put away the parchment scroll. The technique was direct and forceful; it reminded Van of chopping wood. After felling countless trees during his time in the outer sect, this action was familiar to him.


    Standing with feet firmly planted on the ground and his hands holding the giant battle-axe, Van closed his eyes.


    [To grasp the concept behind Heavy Axe Art, I must grasp the essence of heaviness.]


    Van tried to envision the meaning of the word, but his mind was blank. Frustrated, he opened his eyes. He went to the window and unlatched it. Taking a deep breath of air, he turned his head and looked up at the sky.


    The stars twinkled back at him; the distance between the youth in the room and those heavenly bodies impossible to cross.

 95 Day of the Expedition

    [To grasp the concept behind Heavy Axe Art, I must grasp the essence of heaviness.]


    Van tried to envision the meaning of the word, but his mind was blank.


    Frustrated, Van opened his eyes and walked to the window to unlatch it. He took a deep breath of air and then turned his head to look up at the sky.


    The stars twinkled back at him; the distance between the youth in the field and those heavenly bodies impossible to cross.


    Van focused on the sky. It was filled with stars that emitted infinite light and contained boundless energy. The starlight that fell seemed to give off faintly discernible waves.


    Van felt the warmth of the light against his face and shut his eyes.


    An image of bright shooting stars and flaming meteors flashed across the back of his eyelids. Then, moments later, the quiet hulking mass of giant planets and suns rotating in space filled the darkness. They exuded a grand and sombre atmosphere that pressed down on the youth standing with his eyes closed, in his small room in the outer sect.


    Van tensed.


    [Is this¡­?]


    The more Van focused on the rotating planets in his mind, the more he felt a faint understanding of the sensation of ''heaviness.'' There was an indescribable presence; an immense grandeur.


    Van slowly opened his eyes. He leaned out of his window to feel the night breeze against his face. He looked up at the sky and let his mind drift upwards into the sky, flitting past countless stars. His spiritual sense was tiny as it extended outwards, like a drop of water sinking into the thirsty sands of a dry desert. At the furthest point he could reach, he saw a giant black sun rotating slowly in a galaxy of stars. A deep hum filled Van''s ears; it was all he could hear.


    Van held onto that image of a black sun within his mind. A weighty presence settled over his shoulders like a cloak. Van quaked.


    The battle-axe under his palm trembled as the material at its core resonated with that image in his mind.


    Van shouted and swung with the motion written in the [Heavy Axe Art]!


    A powerful, singular intent pierced through the room.


    SLICE!


    Wood splintered as metal slid through the floor panels like a knife through butter.


    Van was shocked; his fingers went lax. The several-hundred kilo axe thudded heavily against the floor.


    Van''s dark eyes were wide with shock. His mind still buzzed; it was an aftereffect of the deep hum he had felt from the black sun far away in the sky.


    The obsidian axe had gouged a deep slash into the floor of Van''s room ¨C a room designed to withstand the heaviest of punishments from overzealous outer disciples practicing their martial arts.


    What had just happened¡­?


    Van''s comprehension of the essence of the word the essence behind the Heavy Axe Art already exceeded the person who had conceived of it in the first place.


    This result was brought about by many factors: Van''s mysterious connection at that moment with the heavens above him, his bond with the Mysterious Obsidian Battle-axe and the resonation between the axe''s will and the Heavy Axe Art.


    Van could not believe his eyes. He did not know that the Heavy Axe Art could yield such a powerful result.


    [Is this the tyrannical strength of Pinnacle-Rank Art?  The resonation between the axe''s intent and the Heavy Axe Art has already multiplied the power a single swing by 200%. And this was only my first time using the Heavy Axe Art!


    Van picked his axe up and inspected it closely. The gleaming black surface told little, but Van was starting to suspect that there was another material hidden beneath the surface of the obsidian. Perhaps this material was responsible for the heaviness of the axe, for it resonated strongly with the concept in Heavy Axe Art.


    Van was scared that if he continued to practice within his room, he would have no bed to sleep in later, only a few splinters which may have been a bed before it was chopped into pieces ¨C so he snuck out of his room and headed to the Martial Field.


    The Martial Field was a training area set aside for disciples of the sect. Technically, it was open to both outer and inner disciples, however, most inner disciples preferred to train within the privacy of their own estates ¨C which were given to them upon achieving the title of an inner disciple. This meant that the Martial Field was an exclusive spot for outer disciples to train themselves. During the day, lectures and demonstrations were performed here. It was also a social gathering place for friendly sparring matches between disciples.


    When he arrived there, it was already late at night. The number of disciples on the vast training ground could be counted on one finger. Each was practising diligently in their own corner of the field. Van was sure that he would not be disturbed.


    He sank once more into contemplation.


    By the time another hour had rolled passed, Van was able to increase the power behind each swing of his Battle-Axe by another 50% just by simply rehearsing the movement again and again. This made the power behind his axe reach 250% of what Van could achieve by swinging the axe using his physical cultivation alone.


    The grassy turf in front of him was now scarred with deep gouges made by Van''s strikes.


    [I can still extract more power. Think, Van! If it is not the movement that needs to be refined, maybe it is my understanding of the essence.]


    The youth turned his face to the sky and let the starlight bathe him. Once more, he felt a strange connection to that black sun he sensed in the vast expanse of the starry sky. That sensation of ''heaviness'' returned to him once more. Van held it in his mind.


    HUT!


    Van shouted. The power rolled through his muscles and into the Obsidian Battle-axe. The black axe vibrated, and an intense aura radiated out.


    BANG!


    The axe made a heavy impact with the ground and send clods of earth flying through the sky.


    The ground shook with the force of Van''s strike.


    The other cultivators in the field were shocked by the impact of Van''s training. They timidly moved further away from the maniac in the training field, who was tearing up the grass as if he had a personal vendetta against it.


    Van rejoiced.


    The power behind his strike had just reached 300%.


    Time passed.


    Van continued to hold the image of the slowly burning black sun in his mind. Each time he felt himself sink into its image, he felt his resonance with the Heavy Axe Art and his Obsidian Battle-axe increase to a higher level.


    350%


    400%


    After another hour of practice, Van felt his progress slow to a crawl. He was exhausted. The pinnacle-rank Heavy Axe Art was powerful but took a lot out of him physically and spiritually.


    Van wiped his hand across his forehead to remove the sweat dripping into his eyes. When he looked around the Martial Field, he saw that most of the other disciples had left, but a few remained. One of them saw Van looking and gave a sharp nod of acknowledgement, impressed with the red-haired youth''s intense training.


    Van nodded back.


    He had only a few more hours before sunrise. It was time to visit a special friend before he left for the Monster Mausoleum in the morning.


    _____


    "Hey, hey, down b-!"


    Standing in the dark forest, Van laughed as Blackie tumbled into him and knocked him into the dirt. The large wolf shoved his wet nose into Van''s palm and slobbered over it. Blackie''s tail was a blur. The youth petted the vampiric wolf affectionately.


    "Did you have fun spending time with your pack these last few days?" Van asked, craning his neck searching the pack for Blackie''s lady friend. A moment later, three small heads poked out from behind her.


    Van''s eyes lit up. Their small tufty ears, bright eyes and white patch on the chest meant only one thing¡­.


    They were Blackie''s pups!


    The mother wolf nudged the three wiggling pups towards Van. Blackie ambled over towards them and snuffled at them from the side to encourage them to go to the red-haired youth.


    One of the baby wolves was braver than the others and stumbled over to Van.


    The youth extended his arms and picked the fluffball up. A little pink tongue licked his nose. Van laughed.


    The fluffball wagged its short tail happily.


    The other two arrived and whined, pawing at Van''s robes for attention. Van placed the first one down and petted them all affectionately.


    "You have some stiff competition for favourite wolf right now," Van said to Blackie jokingly. The big bad wolf narrowed his eyes.


    Blackie tolerated his children''s antics gamely for a few more moments before he gently pushed his pups out of Van''s lap and replaced them.


    The red-haired youth mock-groaned; he was being buried alive by a giant vampire wolf! The weighty woof-dog blinked up at Van as if it had no idea how large and heavy, he was.


    The rest of the pack gathered close, eager to reunite with their Big Boss. They licked his face excitedly. Van gave them all affectionate scratches while rubbing Blackie with the other hand.


    "Oh yeah, I have something for you guys¡­" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    Van pulled large chunks of Golden Ice Bear flesh from his dimensional ring and held them out.  Excited snuffling greeted his presentation of juicy snacks.


    An hour later, the fat wolves lay around the clearing in a comatose state. One of them burped. They had gorged themselves on not only bear flesh, but the wyvern flesh Van had saved as well. Though they ate a relatively small amount due to sharing amongst four dozen wolves, the demon beast flesh was chock-full of spiritual energy and left the wolves bloated. They would need a few days to fully digest the flesh and make gains. Van expected that the pack would rise by at least two levels, making the pack''s average rank to be from the 3rd-4th rank. At their rank and number, they would become a force to be reckoned with inside the forest.


    "You guys need to lie low until I come back," Van warned seriously, "Once I enter the Inner Sect and have my own estate I will bring you guys to live with me but until then some people might attack you if you seem like a threat to the safety of forest around the sect."


    Blackie whined; he wanted to go with Big Boss!


    Van considered it for a moment but finally shook his head.


    "No pets allowed inside, I''m afraid," Van scratched Blackie''s ruff to comfort him, "I will be back within the week. Be good!"


    The wolf looked conflicted.


    Finally, Blackie gave his Big Boss one last lick before re-joining his pack.


    Van watched them disappear into the forest with a smile on his face.


    _____


    [The next morning. Day of the expedition to the Mausoleum of Monsters.]


    Van stared at his reflection in the mirror.


    A young man with serious dark eyes and flaming hair that reached his shoulders looked back at him from the silver glass. His face was paler than it had been in Mountain Village, his tan fading in the cold Blizzard Plains and from the months in the sect. The set of his jaw, while still tender with youth, suggested a certain stubbornness in his personality.


    Silently, Van turned away. He packed his battle-axe into his dimensional ring and took one last look at his room in the outer sect. At the small bed, the table, the stool.


    Van breathed deeply and bid the room farewell. The next time he returned to the Cedar Sect, it would be as an inner disciple.


    [Big brother will not disappoint you again, Finn.]

 96 Arriving at the Monster Mausoleum

    It was a big day for the outer disciples of the Cedar Sect ¨C it was the day that their elite set off for the inter-sect tournament that would decide the quota of disciples the Cedar Sect could send to the Windswept Realm at the end of the year. There was a tension in the air that was almost palpable.


    At this moment, a large number of people was congregated at the front gates of the Cedar Sect. Two figures in gold-trimmed robes stood sternly before them. They were academic staff.


    The taller figure was a woman with her silver tied neatly in a bun. Tutor Lumia''s age was hard to determine. Her cultivation was in the 1st level of Sea Establishment.  Her grey eyes silently assessed the crowd before them.


    The figure standing beside her appeared to be in his mid-30s. He was slightly shorter than her but equally slender. With sharply glinting green eyes, he gave of a crafty and sinister air. Desire his thin frame, this person was in the 6th level of Sea Establishment which placed him in the upper echelons of the sect. This green-haired man was known as ''Elder J.''


    ¡­Why was his name simply the letter J, you ask? Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    Legend told that this elder hated his full name so much that anyone who dared call him by his full name was immediately targeted by pranks and tricks so unbearable that by the end of the week they''d run home crying for their mothers. What kinds of pranks? Teeth falling out, pustules on their bums, warts all over their faces, uncontrollable gas and erectile dysfunction. No, no one enjoyed crossing Elder J.


    Regardless, all the sect disciples knew that Elder J was a bit odd and unpredictable. To face his notorious wrath was to experience a fate worse than death. They were immensely glad he was being accompanied by the much more reasonable Tutor Lumia, who was a stickler for the rules.


    Assembled in front of Tutor Lumia and Elder J were neat columns adding to two hundred outer disciples from the 5th to 7th rank of Qi Distillation. Each column held ten disciples, and at their head was a battalion captain. Amongst these twenty captains were a few familiar faces, namely Wang Hao, Mystra and Mad Horse.


    Elder J lifted a brow and eyed the crowd. He raised his palm.


    The gathered crowd of outer disciples hushed. They looked at him with cowed, wary eyes. The Elder nearly rolled his eyes. Really, how dull! It seemed like no one these days appreciated a good joke!


    A strong pinch to his side caused Elder J to yelp. Tutor Lumia glared at him with her brown eyes.


    Pouting, Elder J slicked back his green hair and pulled a fake smile onto his face. The effect was gruesome enough to cause several students to look away.


    "Okay, here''s the deal, you lot. Don''t embarrass me, don''t embarrass the sect, and we''ll be golden. Do you hear me?"


    There was a smattering of quiet ''yes''s in the crowd. Elder J blinked. The green-haired Elder stuck his pinkie finger in his ear.


    "Is it just me, or is it a little QUIET, around here!?" He said dramatically, as if fearing he had become deaf.


    "Yes, Elder J!"


    Frightened, the outer disciples hurriedly shouted their agreement.


    Elder J settled back onto his heels, smiling a Cheshire-cat smile. He rubbed his pinkie nail on his gold-trimmed robe.


    "If we are in agreement, then let''s be off ¨C Ow!"


    Elder J rubbed his side indignantly. Tutor Lumia looked at him coolly. The green-haired Elder wilted like a spinach plant left in the sun.


    "Yes, yes. Ok!"


    "Ahem, this trip to the Monster Mausoleum will be a great learning experience for you lot. Make sure to utilise your time inside the mausoleum to its greatest extent as the disciples who can remain within the longest are rewarded handsomely.


    The Sect Master believes that we can, as a sect, achieve first place. You know as well as I that the other sects think we are merely greenhouse flowers who will be trampled within. I''m not su- Ow! Okay, fine, I AM sure that you lot can do what you set your mind to. Besides, you have Wang Hao."


    Elder J smiled wanly at the dark-haired disciple who was standing quietly in front of him. In his heart he was counting how many times had he been pinched already. The green-haired man was near tears. Why was he being bullied this way? Why was the Sect Master being so mean as to stick him with this boring stone-statue, Lumia?


    The outer disciples looked at their top outer disciple with some warmth. Everyone knew by now that Wang Hao had reached the 8th rank. If not for bad timing, he would be in the inner sect already!


    Tutor Lumia smiled spoke up.


    "All disciples are now to be issued their signal talismans. If you encounter trouble during this journey, either me or Elder J will be alerted. Once inside the Mausoleum, we cannot follow you. At that time, a special token will be given to each of you that will teleport you outside of the mausoleum. It is activated when you are dealt a fatal blow by a demon beast within the mausoleum. Do not worry, the talisman will transport you out safely and without sustaining any harm."


    Tutor Lumia suddenly frowned; what was that chatter in the background?


    Her dark brown eyes zeroed in on two battalion captains standing some columns away. Really! As captains chosen by the Sect Master, she expected better from them.


    "You two, your lack of respect for my authority and insistence on conducting your playground squabbles here is childish and will not be tolerated!"


    ______


    Van folded his arms across his chest with a scowl on his face. Next to him on the giant flying bird, Wang Hao was looking at him with puffed cheeks.


    Van squinted his eyes. And no, it wasn''t because of the wind streaming past their faces.


    "Do you have something to say to me, Senior Brother?"


    Wang Hao shook his head, cheeks still puffed. His glittering eyes told a different story. Mystra couldn''t help herself; she burst out laughing. Mad Horse snorted.


    "How is your butt-pfttt!" Mystra guffawed.


    Van sank deeper into his seat.


    "It''s fine," he ground out. The giant bird''s movement through the air gently jostled them and the red-haired youth winced.


    It was not fine.


    Van''s butt was on fire.


    On fire.


    Tutor Lumia has a strong hand, okay? She''s in the 1st level of the Sea Establishment realm, Van was like a small puppy being held up by a giant Godzilla. All he could do was hang his head and take the spanking.


    Jet''s loud giggling in Van''s head was not helping the situation.


    [Heehee! That was the most entertainment I''ve had in the last few weeks!]


    Van saw Wang Hao looking like he was about to pass out and clapped his Senior Brother on his shoulder. It''s okay, just laugh, he said with his eyes.


    Wang Hao finally wheezed; not able to decide if he should be laughing or breathing.


    Mystra wiped the tears from her eyes, "Oh god, I love Tutor Lumia!"


    Van shook his head, "You guys don''t understand. Klaus is a complete and utter prick. Once I saw his face, all I wanted to do is smash it in. I couldn''t help myself!"


    "Starting a cat fight in front of Tutor Lumia was the absolute worst thing to do, though," Mystra pointed out, "She''s a real stickler for the rules. Seeing you guys hissing at each other really rubbed her the wrong way."


    Van flattened his lips.


    Mystra looked at him sympathetically, "A public spanking is still better than being put in detention for a month. They make you sweep the cellars until you drop ¨C for a month. You know how much cultivation time you are wasting if you are in detention for a month?"


    "I''d take the sweeping," Van said darkly.


    Wang Hao patted Van on the back.


    Having finally regained his coolly handsome visage, the older disciple finally questioned him.


    "Tell me about Klaus."


    Van recalled the first day he had stepped into the grounds of the Cedar Sect. At the end of his tale, Wang Hao was frowning and Mystra downright furious.


    "That jerkwad!" Mystra hissed, "If he didn''t have the support of his incredibly wealthy family, he wouldn''t be shit!"


    Van was taken aback, Mystra was the first he had met who was so¡­vocal. He was unused to it; slightly charmed, nonetheless.


    Mad Horse was silent.


    ______


    Flying at the apex of the formation, Elder J sensed something in the clouds ahead and turned to Tutor Lumia, communicating with his eyes. The female tutor nodded and whistled lightly.


    The giant birds that were transporting the students on their backs warbled a reply. They began to dip beneath the clouds. Streams of cold mist passed them. Eventually, the land came into sight.


    Except, this was not a type of landscape that any students had set eyes on before. Where there was usually green, was a dark grey matter. The sky was gloomy and overcast below the clouds.


    In the distance, a strange sight appeared. Amid the bleak, empty landscape, a giant open-air coliseum had been built. It was truly massive, dwarfing anything the sheltered disciples had ever seen before. It seemed that its diameter could be as wide as one kilometre.


    It seemed like it could fit half the population of Dragon City. After all, the inter-sect competition was an event that the cultivators of Dragon City looked forward all year to spectating. The tickets to view the event in person were sold out in a matter of seconds, leaving most people having to watch live mirage-casts of the events in the pubs and taverns in Dragon City.


    As the Cedar Sect disciples watched, various flying creatures or artefacts filled with people landed near the coliseum and streamed into the grand structure. It was nearly at full capacity.


    From their aerial view, the Cedar Sect disciples could see the inside of the coliseum.  Five stone gateways stood in a circular shape. Each of the gateways was crudely made and filled with strange markings. Between them was an empty space hundreds of metres wide.

 97 Clash of the Titans

    From their aerial view, the Cedar Sect disciples could see the inside of the coliseum.  Thousands of spectators could fit on the stone benches. In the central space ¨C a wide area hundreds of metres wide ¨C five stone gates with strange markings were placed. Crudely made, they were erected in a circular shape. The doorways were arranged such that they seemed to lead into a building, but the space between them was disquietingly empty.


    Elder J looked closely at the space between the five stone gateways. The air shimmered and the empty space seemed to momentarily bulge outwards.


    The green-haired elder turned around and addressed the disciples gathered on the backs of the giant birds.


    "There are still a few hours before the mausoleum materialises," Elder J said with his voice amplified by a talisman, "This gives us time for my favourite activity - mingling with stupid assholes!"


    A long silence greeted the green-haired elder''s sarcastic words.


    Elder J giggled, "Whoops. Did I just say that out loud? Assholes? I meant the other three of the Four Great Sects, of course. Hehe!!"


    Van pursed his lips. Next to him, Wang Hao shook his head while smiling.


    Mystra snorted, "Elder J is not wrong. Those pompous assholes from the other sects are gonna come and size up, as per tradition. They think they''re such a big deal."


    The birds descended through the skies.


    The ground shook as giant carrier birds landed. They spread their wings to let the disciples descend.


    ______


    With a false smile plastered on his face, Van was standing in the central part of the giant coliseum and standing tens of metres away from the nearest of the five runic gates.  This central pit was bounded by magical wards that only allowed the participating disciples and their supervisors to enter.


    Spectators were unable to enter the pit, but they could see and hear everything. In fact, the small dragonfly-like creatures that flew around the edges of the stage were broadcasting what they saw into large mirages high above in the air.


    Looking around, the red-haired youth saw that most disciples were from the Four Great Sects of Dragon City. The number of rogue cultivators and disciples from the smaller sects amounted to around two hundred. Van surmised that each of the Great Sects would take one of the gates, with the rogue cultivators and small sects taking the final, fifth gate.


    "Look! That''s the top outer disciple of the Star-Cutting Sword Sect, Yun Hai!" Mystra exclaimed in a low tone.


    Following her eyes, Van saw a young man of fifteen years of age with an intense and sharp aura. He was in the 8th level of Qi Distillation.  Yun Hai stood proudly at the centre of the Star-Cutting Sword Sect disciples like a crane among ducks. His hair was pure white and tied in a loose ponytail. His eyes were feverishly bright. With a charismatic and dominant personality, the other disciples of the Star-Cutting Sword Sect admired him like a god; the other sects avoided him like the plague.


    Van sensed Wang Hao stiffen beside him. He turned his head slightly and saw his Senior Brother locking eyes with Yun Hai from across the distance.  Yun Hai''s eyebrows twitched slightly ¨C he did not hide the disdain in his eyes. Wang Hao smiled. The distance between them suddenly seemed filled with sharp swords that could slice you open.


    All around the pit, similar scenes could be found. It was an arena filled with proud disciples with no shortage of talent. It was only natural that tensions ran high as inter-sect rivalry was ignited. A few fights broke out.


    "Elder J, I see you''ve arrived."


    At that moment, a refined woman in blue robes approached the Cedar Sect delegation with a smile on her face.  Behind her stood three disciples, two girls and one boy. They were each of the 7th rank of QI Distillation.


    "Hehe, Madam Sophia, it''s nice to see you again," Elder J responded politely. He had expected that the relatively neutral Zephyr Sect would be first to approach the Cedar Sect on friendly terms. They would not openly support either them or the Star-Cutting Sword Sect. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    Madam Sophia was elder that the Zephyr Sect had sent to accompany their outer disciples. She held the equivalent of Elder J''s role in her sect.


    Madam Sophia''s face was filled with gentle kindness, but Van felt no sincerity in her gaze.


    There was a moment of silence as they each inspected the disciples standing behind one another.


    "I see Wang Hao has reached the 8th rank. Impressive," Madam Sophia said courteously after she cursorily scanned the twenty-odd battalion captains the Cedar Sect had brought, "The rest look¡­ promising."


    Madam Sophia had no real interest in the disciples from the Cedar Sect. Her approaching them was just a polite show. As a result, she did not seriously inspect all the disciples. The only one she had heard about was Wang Hao, who ¨C if he was really in the 8th level ¨C would make the Cedar Sect a more worthy opponent.


    Elder J could hear the dismissal in her tone. He controlled his urge to roll his eyes. Tutor Lumia was watching him like a hawk!


    "These are my twin nieces, Cordelia and Daphne," Madam Sophia introduced the two female disciples with her.


    They were quite young, only around fourteen years of age, with identical faces. They had thick, straight bangs across the forehead and short, collarbone length hair. They were at the peak of the 7th rank. While both were fearsome, Cordelia had the upper hand on her sister. She had beaten the Zephyr Sect''s top outer disciple at the time with just one finger, replacing him when she was just eleven years old. It was said that she alone was able to pose a challenge to Yun Hai, the top outer disciple of the Star-Cutting Sword Sect.


    Van was watching the twins quietly; trying to scope them out without drawing their attention.


    Mystra saw him looking at them and whispered in his ear.


    "Those twins possess a unique talent for wind-element arts, which is the specialty of the Zephyr Sect. Together, they have the ability to summon immense tornados with a huge area of effect. They are highly valued in the sect and are expected to be shoo-ins for the Inner Sect. There is expectation that a high-ranking Elder will take them as their direct disciples."


    Van looked at those two innocent-looking girls, who looked barely a day over eleven years old but had such immense talent and backing, he couldn''t help but sigh.


    "Elder J!"


    Suddenly, a large man with a smiling, weathered face lumbered over. Wearing blazing orange robes trimmed in black, it was clear he was the Sect Representative from the Boulder Sect. Two young men followed him closely.


    Madam Sophia''s tranquil face suddenly changed. Her eyes flicked between the smiling man and Elder J in quick succession.


    Their surroundings quietened. The other sects were watching the exchange between the Boulder Sect and the Cedar Sect closely.


    Elder J tilted his head curiously, "Elder Holt. How can I help you?"


    The green-haired elder was quickly calculating on the inside. It was well-known that the Boulder Sect and Star-Cutting Sword Sect had some kind of loose agreement. It was not the sort of thing that was written down in contract, but implicitly understood by both parties. Why had the Boulder Sect changed their tune? Elder J wracked his brain but could not come up with any solutions.


    Elder Holt chuckled. Without answering the green-haired cultivator''s question, he flicked his eyes quickly to the side. The two young men behind him quickly stepped up and bowed their necks slightly.


    "This disciple inconvenienced the Cedar Sect the other day. It is our hope that there will no bad blood between our sects."


    Elder J blinked slowly. The Boulder Sect had inconvenienced the other day? When? Who? What? Why? He had so many questions.

 98 Start Praying

    Elder Holt chuckled. Without answering Elder J''s question, he flicked his eyes quickly to the side. At that signal, the two young men behind Holt stepped up and bowed their necks.


    "This disciple inconvenienced the Cedar Sect the other day. It is our hope that there will no bad blood between our sects."


    Elder J blinked slowly. The Boulder Sect had inconvenienced the other day?


    When?


    Who?


    What?


    Why?


    He had so many questions!


    Despite this, Elder J decided to accept the apology. He did not know exactly what event triggered it, but the Boulder Sect was obviously offering them an olive branch. They were announcing a cooling of the animosity between the two sects.


    [Can it be then¡­? If they are warming to us, it may mean that their allegiance to the Star-Cutting Sword Sect is weaker. This is a good thing for us.]


    It was only natural that Elder J did not know of Van''s heroic status within the sect. Not only was he a bit of an eccentric, he was also not popular among disciples. As the main vector for gossip were chatterbox disciples, sect gossip was simply unable to reach the elder''s ears.


    It was slightly different for Madam Sophia. As a lofty elder in the Sea Establishment realm, she spent most of her time training her direct disciples and less time concerned about the outside world. And although Van''s antics were hot news in the outer and inner courts of the Cedar Sect and Boulder Sect, in the Zephyr Sect it was restricted to about a quarter of the outer disciples. After all, the Zephyr Sect was second to only the Star-Cutting Sword Sect in Dragon City. The quarrels of the two bottom feeders was less interesting than the top-secret news that not only had Yun Hai of the Star-Cutting Sword Sect recently broken through to the 8th level of Qi Distillation, he had also gained a unique insight from an Apex-level martial art.


    Van was pleasantly surprised by this scene, but you could hardly tell from his face.


    At that moment, Viggo and Rhogar made eye contact with Van. Slightly shamefully they nodded; a slight and furtive moment. Unless you were paying close attention, you would not have noticed.


    But Madam Sophia did. She flicked her eyes over to the red-haired youth. With hooded eyes, she gave him a brief once-over but could not see what the fuss was about. He was slightly young to be in the 7th rank, but then her twins were in the peak of the 7th rank! There did not seem to be anything special about his constitution either. For a moment she entertained the thought that this youth was involved with incident that caused the Boulder Sect to come over and apologise ¨C but she quickly dismissed it. It was far more likely that they were simply acknowledging an acquaintance.


    ______


    [Five hours later.]


    A dark spot appeared in the arena. Gloomy rays shot out from each of the five doors and coalesced into the spot at the centre. The shape of a ghostly mausoleum appeared, but the dark mists surrounding it made it hard to see what it looked like exactly.


    A deep foreboding feeling settled into Van''s gut. That building was a place of death.


    "The doors are opening!"


    A huge cheer emanated from the crowd sitting in the stands.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, the Mausoleum of Monsters will open soon! To those who have come to watch this thrilling spectacle for the first time, we would like to remind you of the rules:


    Firstly, all sects or groups will compete in teams of 10, helmed by a battalion captain. As each battalion enters, they will be randomly allocated to one of five different areas of the mausoleum. It does not matter which gate you enter in! Which battlefield they enter, and which teams from the other sect they face are completely up to chance. Within this battlefield, each team''s goal is to accumulate points for their sect by killing as many monsters as possible. A tip ¨C use your surroundings to your advantage!


    Though you may be tempted to eliminate your competitors early, you will need numbers to survive as the monster hordes are vast and never ending. If you eliminate your competition early, you may be able to monopolise the points from the early rounds but miss out on the monster''s with higher point value in the later rounds!


    Finally, the most important thing: Only ONE sect or group in each battlefield can claim the ''Last Standing'' medallion! This medallion will multiply all points earned by that sect within that gate by 20 times! This is the goal every sect wishes to achieve!


    There are fifteen waves of monsters, or fifteen rounds. No sect in historical record has survived past the ninth round! Will we see a change of history today? Will we!?"


    The announcer incited the crowd, causing roaring cheers to emit from the stands.


    "As per usual, the points a sect accumulates allows them to withdraw various treasures from the Monster Mausoleum when the battle ends. However, this year we have even higher stakes, as the points accumulated in the Monster Mausoleum are also going to be used to determine the number of inner disciples allowed into the Secret Realm at the end of the year!"


    "Now make some noise, the gates are opening!"


    The audience cheered and stomped their feet. The disciples standing in the pit felt tension build in their bellies. This was it.


    For their pride!


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    "Take your places!"


    With a shudder, the runes on the fives gates lit up.


    Teng! Teng! Teng!


    The disciples of the various sects rushed in.


    The crowd chattered excitedly as the mirages in the sky shimmered. They were preparing to transmit images from within the Mausoleum. As they waited for the images to appear, they gossiped excitedly with one another.


    "Who are you rooting for?"


    "The Star-Cutting Sword Sect, of course! Whichever battlefield Yun Hai is in will surely be dominated one-sidedly by them. Not only that, I believe he can break the record and make it to the 10th wave!"


    "Yun Hai is way too cool!"


    "What about the twin girls from the Zephyr Sect? Both the twins going up against Yun Hai - That would be a showdown worth seeing!"


    "Hm, but with the random battlefield selection chances are that Cordelia and Daphne will be separated."


    "True. The Star-Cutting Sword Sect is basically guaranteed at least one Last Standing Medallion."


    "Their 2nd and 3rd ranked disciples are really fearsome too. In any other sect, they would be first-ranked!"


    "Oh, you''re talking about Tetsuya and Sinclair, right? Tetsuya specialises in illusions and misdirection¡­ he scares the crap outta me¡­"


    "Hah, I just pity for whoever else lands in the same battlefield as any of them¡­"


    "Right? Not only will their sect lose the chance to gain the ''Last Standing'' medallion, but those geniuses'' prides will also be totally crushed too. Hahaha!"


    "But what about the Boulder Sect and the Cedar Sect? Have they got anything up their sleeves?"


    "Hm, the only one I would watch for is Wang Hao. Apart from Yun Hai, he''s the only other disciple in the 8th level of Qi Distillation."


    "Wow, the Cedar Sect might actually be able to win one battlefield then. That''s surprising. With their reputation, I wouldn''t have been surprised if they were totally suppressed in the Mausoleum-!"


    "Hm, they just better hope that Wang Hao doesn''t have to go up against Yun Hai. Otherwise, the Cedar Sect''s only chance to gain a Last Standing Medallion is obliterated.


    At that moment ¨C


    WENG WENG WENG


    The mirages began flashing. The dark interior of the mausoleum could be seen. Within the gloom, several hundred disciples could be seen within each battlefield.


    "Oh shit!"


    The crowds went frantically discussed as they saw the battlefield configurations for the first time.


    "Incredible!" The MC''s booming voice exclaimed, "It seems like the Star-Cutting Sword Sect will experience overwhelming victory today!"


    "If all goes to plan, they stand to walk out with at least three Last Standing Medallions, with the Zephyr Sect and Boulder Sect set up perfectly to gain one medallion each. Things are looking dire for the Cedar Sect. They better pray to the Gods above, although I don''t think that will help. Ha-ha!"


    Far down below, Elder J was looking up at the mirages with a strained expression his face.

 99 The First Wave

    The second Van passed through the black swirling mists; he felt a cold sensation drip down his neck.


    In the next instant, his feet touched upon a tiled black floor. The darkness stretched from side to side ¨C there seemed to be a pervasive black fog that restricted one''s view to only 300 or so metres.


    Van turned his head and saw that the members of his battalion were all present and accounted for. The other four battalions from the Cedar Sect also appeared. Van wasn''t familiar with any of the captains, but as the highest levelled captain, Van was the default leader.


    At that moment, a disembodied voice spoke in their heads: "The gates of the Mausoleum of Monsters have opened, and the trial has begun. The Monstrous Token you are about to be presented will be used to record your score. It also serves another function ¨C it will block one life-threatening blow and teleport you out of the Mausoleum. Once you are teleported out, you cease accumulating points."


    In the gloomy darkness, a circle of light appeared in front of each disciple before merging into their chests.


    "The longer one stays; the more time bonuses are rewarded. The number of monster waves passed as well as individual monsters killed will also affect your final score. The Last Standing Medallion will be granted to the last participant remaining in the battlefield, granting their sect or group a 20x point multiplier."


    "The first wave will commence in 10 minutes and last 10 hours. Find your standing ground," the ghostly voice continued, before going silent.


    Van looked around saw the other battalions talking amongst themselves. Many of them looked a bit lost.


    Van''s mind worked quickly.


    [''Find your standing ground,'' this must be a clue!]


    Van turned and addressed the disciples from the Cedar Sect for the first time, "We have ten minutes to find a suitable place to defend. It can''t be too eye-catching; we don''t want to catch the attention of the other sects too early in the game. The location should also be a little further from other groups, so we are not competing for the same monsters. We were told to use our surroundings to our advantage ¨C we should see if the area we are currently in has any secrets that can help us."


    After Van said this, he wracked his brain. It was impossible to see beyond 200 metres, and yet they needed to scan the entire battlefield in just 10 minutes to find a good position!


    [Simplify. Simplify the problem, Van!]


    "People. We need to base our location based on where other people are within this battlefield right now," Van said, "The problem is the black mist!"


    An honest-looking lad in his battalion raised his hand, "Um. My cultivation skill is based around sound, so I can pick up very quiet noises. There are people in that direction."


    The lad pointed his finger to the one o''clock direction.


    Van nodded, "Good. Your name?"


    "Johnathon, Captain."


    "Your abilities will be very useful in the Mausoleum, Johnathon. We will be counting on you!"


    The Cedar Sect battalions sped off in the direction that Johnathon had pointed. As they drew closer, Van noticed their surroundings begin to subtly change. Objects began to appear in the gloom with increasing frequency. He saw what seemed like a giant coffin with its lid partially open, as if the corpse within it had escaped. The thought was unsettling. Other things that appeared were giant stone statues of snarling beasts.


    At that moment, Johnathon stopped.


    "We are about 300m away from the closest battalion right now. How should we proceed?"


    "We will draw closer slowly. There must be a reason why there is a high concentration of people here," Van said.


    As they proceeded forward, they reached an area almost 1000 metres wide which was cleared of mist. The cause was a slowly spinning crystal the size of a person high up in the air. As it spun, the light emitting from it dispersed the mist. The clearing was mostly filled with people from the Zephyr Sect and the Star-Cutting Sword Sect. From this distance, Van couldn''t make out their identities.


    "That crystal is dispersing the mist and increasing the visibility of the area¡­ but the amount of light that it is giving off is suspicious. It will definitely also lure the beast hordes in."


    The other battalion captains looked uneasy, "Isn''t that a bad thing?"


    Van shook his head, "The reason why we are here is to kill as many monsters as possible. Standing in front of a lure is perfect for that. The problem is¡­ I feel like this isn''t enough. The voice wouldn''t have reminded us of where we are standing for no reason¡­"


    [''Standing ground.'' The place that I''m standing on¡­]


    Van looked at the tile below his feet and inspected it carefully. It was made of hard and cold material. The tile was a 10 metre by 10 metre square that fit the entire battalion.


    [Hm?]


    Van crouched down and dusted off the centre of the tile. A faint symbol had been engraved into it.


    "It looks like the character for ''water,''" Van murmured to himself.


    Van immediately instructed the battalion captains to investigate nearby tiles. They rushed back within the minute to discuss their findings. It seemed that each tile was engraved with a different symbol. The ones they discovered were air, fire, light, dark, water, earth and lightning.


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    "It should be the ''earth'' tile," Van decided.


    Within the remaining two minutes, Van''s battalion found themselves an earth tile on the edge of the clearing. He had instructed the other battalion captains to do the same. It was just in time, for the next moment, bestial chattering and screeching noises filled the air.


    The earth symbol on the tile flashed briefly.


    Van felt a tingling in his spine. He wasn''t sure what it meant.


    The first wave of monsters was coming!


    "They''re coming. Get ready!" Van shouted, red hair flying behind him as he wielded his battle-axe.


    "Yes, Captain!" The battalion shouted.


    At that moment, a giant mass of demonic bats swarmed into the clearing area, lured by the light from the giant crystal.


    Van''s back went cold as he saw their sheer numbers. They were so numerous that they seemed to be a writhing mass of black in the distance. It was easy to imagine a disciple getting swallowed by that swarm and being left as a pair of clean white bones.


    Van used the power of the Tri-Divine Blood Flame to extend his Blood Vision. His heart somewhat settled.


    "Their numbers are huge, but they are only in the 1st rank. This will be an endurance test. Don''t waste your spiritual power by using flashy moves. Be quick and effective!"


    "Yes, Captain!"


    The swarm closed in.


    Hut!


    Van punched forth. With a single fist, the air surged forth and immediately killed a few dozen demonic bats. For Van, this type of punch was so well-practised that it consumed minimal energy for maximum efficiency. Like him, his battalion was each carefully conserving their energy dispatched the bats in their vicinity. Seeing Van single-handedly blow apart dozens of demonic bats with a single fist, they felt immensely invigorated. Things would be fine with Van here!


    Samuel was fighting near Van. Seeing his captain''s incredible punches, he couldn''t help but comment.


    "You could kill so many more if you actually used a spiritual skill though!"


    Van flicked his eyes to the side, "This first wave. Do you know how long it is?"


    Samuel looked sheepish, "I wasn''t really paying attention."


    "It''s 10 hours long," Van said calmly, "And we''ve only been fighting for 20 minutes."


    "What!?" Samuel groaned, "I''ve been fighting forever!"


    "Exactly," Van said, "Can you use your spiritual power at full power for 10 hours straight?"


    Samuel shook his head, "I would run out of spiritual power in the 2nd hour."


    Van casually blasted away a couple of dozen demon bats.


    "If we want to last until the end, the worst thing we can do is deplete our spiritual power in the first wave."


    Samuel immediately tried to control his power more so that he was only using the minimum amount of power to eliminate the bats. He couldn''t help but admire the red-haired youth in front of him more. His Captain''s insight and calm were incredible!


    As Van predicted, things were not going so smoothly for the other battalions in the area. When the swarm of demonic bats descending, many battalions were consumed with fear by the sight of their numbers. Despite knowing that the bats had low cultivation, they fought wildly without conserving their energy. Some people used giant, flashy, area attacks that killed many demonic bats but also expended a lot of energy. As an hour passed, they grew more and more exhausted, until they needed to take a rest. This dramatically reduced the firepower of the battalion, causing them to kill fewer monsters overall.


    When the eighth hour began, the demonic bats suddenly grew enraged.

 100 Diabolical Twister

    As the eighth hour struck, the demonic bats suddenly whipped themselves into frenzy. Their bloodlust rose as they saw their brethren annihilated.


    Van - who had been pummelling the demonic bats as if they were dough to make bread with -suddenly stopped his movements. His dark eyes scanned the horizon. The hair on the back of his neck rose.


    "Not good! " He barked out.


    "Brace yourselves!"


    Just as Van spoke this warning, the bats coalesced into the shape of a giant demon bat several hundred metres wide and filled with screeching darkness. While they were weak individually, this combined being had enough power to send fear into the base of everyone''s spine. The giant combined form lifted its wings menacingly and pushed forwards with the might of hundreds of thousands of demonic bats.


    FWOOMMMM!


    A giant twister tore through the crowds. Screams were heard as other battalions were wrenched apart and scattered over the battlefield. The unlucky, the unprepared and the unwitting who were pulled away from their battalions were immediately descended on by the angered demonic bats.


    Bright flashes told Van all he needed to know ¨C several disciples in the 5th rank were eliminated just like that.


    [This is insane. How can the difficulty of the first round be so high?]


    Van''s face tightened.


    [I must protect the battalion!]


    Van''s first priority was to protect his battalion from the attack. While he knew would sustain little injury, the same could not be said for the disciples in the 5th rank. The twister would fling them several hundreds of metres and immediately break their bones.


    Just as Van was preparing to take action, a brilliant green glow erupted around the Cedar Sect disciples.


    Weng!


    Their bodies lit up with a green aura.


    Van''s eyes widened. His feet suddenly felt weighed down by steel ingots. He had the strange feeling that he was an ancient tree, old and gnarled, but rooted so deeply and firmly into the earth that nothing could ever shake it. Was this the effect of the ''earth'' tile that they were standing on?


    FWOOM!


    The vortex finally reached the five Cedar Sect Battalions.


    But then a mysterious thing happened. It was as if it was buffeting uselessly against immovable objects. The strong winds had no choice but to blow uselessly through the Cedar Sect disciples who stood firmly with both feet on the ground while their robes fluttered in the wind.


    It had to be noted that the other sects had people screaming as they were pulled away by the demonic bat''s combined attack! Meanwhile, these green-tinged disciples were standing there safe and sound.


    The Cedar Sect battalions were astonished. The terrifying cyclone had passed just like that? Could it be... it had something to do with the tile they were standing on?


    Samuel turned to his battalion captain and stared at him, eyes agog. His jaw open wide enough to catch a small bird. Finally, his lips moved up and down.


    "C-captain! You are brilliant! Too smart!"


    The other four battalion captains were similarly amazed. While they had let Van lead without too much jostling ¨C due to his cultivation being the highest, and his good reputation as the ''Sentinel'' of the outer sect ¨C they still had not anticipated that Van was also incredibly intelligent and a good leader. They felt admiration bud in their hearts. Even if they didn''t get the Last Standing Medallion, they were sure to gain many points in this battlefield!


    Van saw their admiration but didn''t let it faze him. He suddenly understood something: The first round seemed to already have immense difficulty, but in actuality the Mausoleum lets you decide how hard you want to make it for yourself!


    Van rallied his troops.


    "The bats use a lot of energy to create this combined attack. They should be briefly weakened in this state. Take advantage! Kill!"


    "Yes, Captain!"


    The battalions leapt forwards and cut swathes through the weakened bats, which had now dispersed from their formation to recharge their batteries.


    In this way, the Cedar Sect quickly racked up points. Van himself was responsible for more than 30,000 demonic bats over the last eight hours. Of course, the benefit of the location Van had chosen was that it was in the outer reaches of the light provided by the giant crystal. The rest of the sects were too busy fighting and dealing with the situation to pay attention to them.


    Of course, Van and company weren''t the only ones to benefit from the protection provided by standing on the earth tiles. There was one other battalion who happened to have half their members standing on an earth tile, however, on their part it was purely accidental.


    However, as they stood quite close to the Zephyr Sect and Star-Cutting Sword Sect, the other two sects noticed the effect and quietly began to send scouts over to investigate. Of course, they didn''t manage to find the cause before the demonic bats coalesced for the second time!


    FWOOM!


    The results were just as devastating as the first time.


    Weng! Weng! Weng!


    Several low-leveled disciples were eliminated from the battlefield just like that.


    Van and the rest continued to rack up the kills with smiles on their faces. Quietly and smoothly they eliminated demonic bats with minimal energy expended. Their morale was high and so the disciples'' fighting and coordination skills improved quickly. They capitalized on each of their opportunities, slowly and surely increasing their kill margin.


    By the time the third combined attack happened, the other sects had caught on. The number of disciples being eliminated lessened.


    The tenth hour ended. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    ______


    "The first wave... has ended!"


    The broadcaster''s booming voice roused the crowd.


    The spectators sitting on the coliseum''s benches jumped to their feet and started applauding and cheering. Their faces were flushed with excitement and the adrenaline in their veins high. The giant coliseum echoed with the sounds of their approval.


    "Incredible!"


    "What an exciting round. When those demonic bats combined I nearly fell out of my seat!"


    "The combined attack was incredibly strong. What a diabolical twister!"


    "I saw disciples being teleported out in every battlefield when that happened."


    "See? I told you that buying better seats to view the Mausoleum of Monsters wouldn''t be a waste of time! The waves and types of monsters change each year, but stay just as exciting!"


    The crowds eventually settled back into their seats. The giant mirages in the air showed the disciples in the five battlefields were having a brief rest between the waves.


    "And now, what you have all been waiting for ¨C the current scoreboard!" The MC''s voice boomed over the crowd.


    A fervent discussion was raised once more.


    "Were you watching the first battlefield? I couldn''t take my eyes off of Yun Hai ¨C he was like a holy knight, whatever demonic bat he touched simply vanished. It was a spectacle!"


    "The score of the Star-Cutting Sword sect in the first battlefield is going to be crazy ¨C I bet they''re going to outclass the next highest score by at least double the number of points."


    "Yun Hai was good, but did you see the Zephyr Sect''s twins? Their focused attack literally blew everything away. I don''t think a single demonic bat touched them. They simply overpowered the wind element in the bats'' combined attack with their own, superior version. I''d never seen anything like it."


    "Damn. I wish I saw that."


    "Me too. I was too busy staring at Yun Hai."


    "Tsk. Open your mind brother, there are so many more interesting things to see than Yun Hai. He''s going to utterly dominate the first battlefield, I''d much rather watch something less predictable!"


    "The Star-Cutting Sword Sect''s power is undeniable. I was watching the fourth battlefield, Tetsuya''s illusions allowed him to control hundreds of bats at a time. He used his confusion attacks to prevent the demonic bats from actually coalescing into the combined monster!"


    "Guys. Look, the individual scoreboards have appeared!"


    Above each gate, a brilliant white light flashed. A shimmering scoreboard appeared above them.


    The audience pored over the scoreboards. Some pulled out their binoculars so they could read as accurately as possible.


    Oh yes, yes. The Star-Cutting Sword Sect is doing well, as expected.


    ...


    Hm? That was an unusual result for that battlefield.


    Maybe it was a fluke. Check the next one.


    It''s the same...


    ...


    What about that one?


    ...


    A bizarre quiet descended over the coliseum. Everyone''s faces were white with shock. It was a result they couldn''t have predicted in their wildest dreams!


    "I can''t believe my eyes. But it''s true - !"


    Upon the MC''s announcement, the crowd descended into chaos.


    It was the upset of the century!

 101 The Second Wave

    "I can''t believe my eyes. But it''s true - The Cedar Sect is leading the score!"


    "One¡­ two¡­ three! Ladies and gentlemen, the Cedar Sect is leading the score in THREE separate battlefields!"


    The crowd descended into chaos.


    How was this possible!?


    Everyone''s faces were white with shock. Their mouths hung open as they tried to process what they had just heard. Quickly, they turned to the people sitting next to them and tried to find out what had happened. But no one had been paying attention to the Cedar Sect ¨C they weren''t the favourites in the match ups, at all!


    "I don''t understand what''s going on at all. I saw Tetsuya''s skill in controlling the bats with his illusion skill. The amount of kills he racked up was insane ¨C there is no one who I can think of from the Cedar Sect with the skill to beat him!"


    "Wang Hao could. He''s in the 8th Rank!"


    There were murmurs of agreement around the speaker.


    "It would make sense if it was Wang Hao. Only someone with high skill and higher cultivation could possibly suppress Tetsuya. That guy''s illusion skills are too tricky for anyone of the same rank."


    Someone gasped, "¡­I just checked - Wang Hao isn''t in that battlefield!"


    What?!


    The crowd buzzed.


    If Wang Hao wasn''t in that battlefield, then who was? The Cedar Sect didn''t have anyone else!


    "No fucking way! Cordelia AND Daphne are in that battlefield! Just how was the Cedar Sect able to surpass their score!?"


    The Cedar Sect was suppressing the Zephyr Sect''s deadliest combo?


    Frenzied discussion heated up the coliseum.


    "Together Cordelia and Daphne have enough firepower to defeat Yun Hai. It just HAS to be Wang Hao this time!"


    The crowd busily scanned the battlefield. As they searched their faces grew paler and paler. None of the names in that battlefield were remotely familiar. It didn''t make sense at all.


    "Wait a minute. If Wang Hao isn''t responsible for suppressing Tetsuya or the Zephyr Twins¡­ then where exactly is he!?"


    The crowd searched the score boards and felt their world tilt on its axis.


    They had found Wang Hao.


    ¡­


    "Either the Cedar Sect has teamwork or we have seriously underestimated them¡­.even Wang Hao."


    "This is just the first round, guys. Wang Hao and Yun Hai are both in the same rank, it makes sense that they would have a similar performance as this first round was a test of endurance. Once the waves become stronger, the truly skilled one will come up on top. I don''t believe that Yun Hai will lose!"


    The person who had spoken was clearly a staunch fan of the Star-Cutting Sword Sect and of Yun Hai in particularly. He spoke effectively and with conviction, bringing the crowd over to his perspective.


    "That''s right!"


    "The first round is just a taste of the full strength of the mausoleum. I don''t believe that a weakling like the Cedar Sect can suddenly beat the top two martial sects in Dragon City!"


    Nevertheless, a burning curiosity filled the hearts of the audience. They wanted to know what was going on with the Cedar Sect. They would definitely be paying much more attention to the Cedar Sect in the second wave!


    AH! Could the second wave just START already!?


    We want to know what happens next!


    ______


    Madam Sophia surged upwards and stared at the scoreboard above the second gate with a frozen smile on her elegant face.


    She just couldn''t believe it. Her nieces'' performance was perfect, beyond exceptional. She had seen every movement with her own eyes and approved. When the scoreboards materialised, she had been fully confident that battlefield two was in the bag.


    But reality had slapped her in the face.


    Madam Sophia was burning with embarrassment - she had already been upset that the twins had been placed in the same battlefield. After all, Cordelia and Daphne would have had a strong chance of bringing home two Last Standing Medallions if they had been put in separate battlefields. But it was what it was, so Madam Sophia had swallowed her grief and comforted herself with the fact that at least one Last Standing Medallion was pretty much assured with them together.


    But now this! This was worse than she could have anticipated.


    Just how in the hell had the crummy Cedar Sect beaten her girls'' score?


    The handle of the delicate tea cup in Madam Sophia''s hand snapped.


    If it was the Star-Cutting Sword Sect, she would have at least understood. But it was the Cedar Sect. Madam Sophia couldn''t push down the anger in her heart.


    She quickly threw the shards of the teacup into her dimensional ring as she starting searching for the Cedar Sect''s battalions in battlefield two.


    When she finally found them, they were lurking near the edges of the large clearing created by the giant crystal. As they were located so far away from the Zephyr Sect, it was only expected that Madam Sophia had not paid them any attention during the first wave. The only time she had looked at the Cedar Sect was right in the beginning when they were teleported in - and then she was only interested in finding out if Wang Hao was in there with her girls. Since he was not, she had let down her guard.


    Due to her high cultivation, when Madam Sophia extended her full concentration, she was able to take in the composition of the Cedar Sect''s five battalions in an instant. No one at all stood out or caught her interest. Just as she was about to give up, her eyes landed on a certain young man.


    Her eyes considered him carefully. And yet, she could still not see it. She simply refused to believe that the young man she had casually dismissed earlier could have any part in the Cedar Sect''s score.


    [He doesn''t have the capability.]


    Madam Sophia''s eyes narrowed.


    [This is only the first wave. The Cedar Sect has managed to get lucky so far, but it won''t last. I''ll be watching as Cordelia and Daphne bring victory to the Zephyr Sect!]


    ______


    Slightly further away but also in the area of the coliseum where only the distinguished guests could sit, two figures sat side by side on a bench. The first wore a large black hood, showing only the bottom half of his chin, which was clean and sharp. Next to him was the Star-Cutting Sword Sect''s academic representative, Elder Malkovich. The elder had a refined look, embodied by the goatee he favoured. He shot a sideways look at the hooded figure next to him.


    For a moment it looked like Elder Malkovich was going say something - but the moment passed. He turned to the scoreboard with a cold smile on his face.


    [Do you think this is enough, Cedar Sect? Your disciples'' prides will only end up crushed beneath the feet of ours in the end!]


    ______


    Of course, there was no way for the disciples inside the mausoleum to see the current scoreboards. They were dead silent in stark contrast to the furore outside.


    At this point, most battalions had lost a member or two at this point. Those that had not conserved their energy well were now running on the last dregs of their spiritual power. If they did not get an opportunity to rest, they would be food for the monsters.


    Van inspected his own battalion and then the other four from the battalion. No one from the Cedar Sect had been eliminated yet. Due to Van''s warning earlier, they had conserved their energy and were in a lot better shape than the other competitors.


    At that moment, the ghostly voice spoke once more:


    "The second wave will begin in five seconds."


    Van, who had been listening carefully for any clues that the voice might drop, was perturbed to hear it finish its sentence so casually. It seemed that there was no easy way out in this round!


    The disciples from the other sects were panicking.


    The second wave was starting so quickly!?


    Damnit! There was no time to recover their spiritual energy!


    The ground started to tremble. Loud scratching noises filled the air. Thousands of red eyes suddenly appeared in the murky black.


    Giant rats suddenly leapt from the darkness.


    "Here they come!" Van shouted. He nodded to the other four captains and they immediately organised the battalions so that Van''s battalion formed the tip of an arrow. This was the formation that they had trialled to success in the first round.

 102 Grim Reaper

    The ground started to tremble.


    Loud scratching noises filled the air as thousands of eyes appeared in the murky darkness.


    "Here they come!" Van shouted.


    Immediately the battalions around him rearranged themselves so that Van''s battalion was the tip of a spearpoint, with Van acting as the penetration point. This was the formation that they had trialed to success in the first round.


    Giant rats suddenly leaped from the darkness.


    Like a tsunami, they poured into the light-filled space. The rats were black and hairy; their incisors long and sharp. The rat horde consisted of rats in the 1st and 2nd rank. They had fewer numbers that the demonic bats but made up for it with their intelligence and sheer ferocity.


    Screams filled the air as unsuspecting disciples were targeted and pulled from their battalions by the strongest rats. The instant they were separated from the safety of their battalion, the disciples were submerged by the rat horde and mauled to death.


    Flashes of light went off as disciples were eliminated from the mausoleum.


    Even the stronger disciples were frightened ¨C who wanted to go through the experience of getting mauled to death by rats, even if they didn''t die for real?


    Van dealt death as if he were the grim reaper himself. Occasionally strengthening his body with copper light, he moved decisively and mercilessly. He acted as the spearpoint and kept the front of the formation stable. This lightened the load on the battalions at the back.


    At that moment, a giant rat leaped through the air with its incisors bared. As it was somewhere to Van''s right, he lowered his guard, expecting that his battalion would be able to take care of it.


    Suddenly, another rat joined in.


    Van realized something was wrong ¨C he turned his head just in time to see that there were now three giant rats trying to tear Samuel away from the battalion.


    The red-haired youth didn''t hesitate. Using the fastest and crudest method possible - he grabbed the giant rat''s top and bottom jaws with one hand each. Muscles flexing, he violently tore the rat in half.


    Its bloody guts fell to the ground in a steaming heap.


    The Cedar Sect''s battalions gulped.


    [S-Scary!]


    Van surveyed the battalions. They looked pale and peaky from being under significant mental strain. It was understandable - for many of them, this was their first time in such an exhausting and terrifying situation. In no other time in their life had these sheltered disciples battled countless waves of demonic beasts with no rest, for ten hours and counting. They weren''t like Van, who had purposely ventured out into the wild and lived there for weeks and weeks on oftentimes scarce rations.


    "Keep each other close and protect each other!" Van said loudly, "The rats only attack when they sense a gap in the formation. If we stay calm and collected, they will not be able to pick us off. If things start to go south; just yell my name, I will take care of it!"


    I will take care of it!


    Just hearing this phrase settled the queasiness in the Cedar Sect''s battalions. Subconsciously, they already treated Van as their rock. They couldn''t help but feel that if Van was here, everything would be fine. Such was their confidence in him!


    As the swarm of rats reached them, Van leaped out and fired off a warning punch. The giant rats squealed as six were killed in one shot. Behind him, the battalions grit their teeth and bore down on the demonic rats in front of them. Slowly and surely, they thinned the crowd of bloodthirsty rats around them.


    As the battle wore on, Van began to understand that the second round was an extension of the first. It was a one-two punch designed to pick off the participants with low mental fortitude and those who could not effectively conserve their energy for long fights. The first wave was designed to wear them out and drain them of spiritual energy, the second wave was the killing blow.


    Copper light burst forth from Van''s fists as he tore through the giant rats.


    It was a situation where participants like Van had the greatest advantage ¨C their real-world battle experience.


    Weng! Weng! Weng!


    Bright flashes of light amidst the fierce fighting showed that participants were being eliminated faster than ever.


    The hours wore on.


    Despite himself, Van felt his heart rate was high and his palms sweaty. They had been fighting for nearly twenty hours straight now. Although he was pretty much fine, the disciples in the battalion behind him were starting to weaken. Samuel''s little face was starting to grey and his movements became more sluggish. Van was worried on the inside, but he didn''t show it on his face.


    It was lucky that the ghostly voice spoke soon after.


    "The second round has ended. The third round will begin in one hour."


    After the ghostly announcer spoke, the remaining rats drew back into the inky darkness.


    Relief spread across the faces of all the participants. One hour wasn''t much, but it wasn''t nothing. It was enough for some meditation to recover some of their energy.


    The remaining people on the battlefield had their first opportunity to take stock of the situation. Unsurprisingly, the big sects still retained over 90% of their members. The battalions formed of rogue cultivators and cultivators from small sects were in the worst shape as they lacked team coordination skills and decisive leaders. Overall, around 30% of participants had been eliminated in just the 1st and 2nd rounds.


    The battalions from the Star-Cutting Sword Sect were slightly worse off than the Zephyr Sect but doing better than the Boulder Sect, who had suffered severely in the first two rounds. Although the Star-Cutting Sword Sects battalions were strong, this battlefield contains any of their notable disciples and so they could not compare to the twin geniuses from the Zephyr Sect. However, they still contained the arrogant pride of being a disciple of the Star-Cutting Sword Sect! When they saw how Cedar Sect''s battalions had yet to lose a single disciple, they felt as if they had swallowed a giant fly. They wanted to rush over and slap the smug smile off their faces!


    Van saw their sour glances and grinned.


    "If any of you want to fight me, come on over!"


    His shout rang loudly over the battlefield.


    The silence in response to Van''s daring shout was so thick you could hear a pin drop.


    The people who heard him shook their heads.


    Was this guy crazy? Who wanted to waste their energy on a pointless fight? They had only passed the first two rounds of the Mausoleum of Monsters, and so far, the theme had been endurance and willpower. Fighting here was the last thing they should do! Besides, how shameful would it be if they got eliminated during a pointless brawl?


    Despite their silence, Van could see that there were some disciples in the Star-Cutting Sword Sect that wanted to take him up on his offer. Their faces were dark with anger. When they saw Van looking at them, they clenched their fists.


    Van smiled and made an ''L'' shape with his thumb and forefinger.


    You!!


    The Star-Cutting Sword Sect''s disciple''s faces swelled with anger. They wanted to rush over and beat him up, even if they would waste their energy. Their pride was on the line! Just as they tried to rush forth, their sect mates pulled them back.


    Van felt slightly disappointed.


    The Star-Cutting Sword Sect was a bit of a villain in his eyes. Don''t think he forgot about that jerkwad who called himself ''Cyrus the Great'' when he was only in the 5th rank.


    [Just another brat relying on his father''s rank and status,] Van thought darkly.


    He just wanted to bash a few of their faces in to vent, alright?


    [Ah, if they had rushed here to fight me, I would have a good excuse to send them out of here early. If I just go over there and attack, I might be vilified by the other sects when we exit the mausoleum.]]


    [They''re bound to snap at some point. Later!] Van comforted himself.


    At that moment, Van felt a sharp gaze on the back of his neck.


    When he turned to look, he saw two familiar faces sending him icy looks from a distance.


    Ah, it could only be the twin girls from the Zephyr Sect, Cordelia and Daphne. Their expression was somewhat unpleasant; as if they couldn''t believe that Van''s battalion was still alive and kicking.


    Van''s expression was carefully calm. Out of all the disciples here, the only ones he was wary of were these two girls from the Zephyr Sect. He had heard that Cordelia, the older one, was strong enough to hold her own against Yun Hai. With her twin, they might even have the force to topple the undisputed Yun Hai, the strongest of the top outer disciples from the Four Great Sects. Van was incredibly curious about Yun Hai.


    How strong am I in comparison to him? Could I win?


    ¡­Maybe these twins would be a good measuring stick!


    Van at the two glaring twins with a sly expression on his face. He began counting the number of disciples in one of the twins'' battalions with great drama; mouthing the numbers with exaggerated and large movements.


    One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight¡­ Oops! Lost one already!?


    Tsk!


    How about you?


    Oh, one little piggy is missing from your battalion too. What a shame!


    It was a credit to Van''s dramatic skills that his message could not be missed.


    Cordelia was practically apoplectic with rage. There was no one in the Four Sects who dared to make fun of her like this! She had only ever been treated like a jewel in a priceless crown by her aunt. This kid¡­!


    At her side, Daphne was trying to calm her down. She leaned into her Cordelia''s ear and whispered something. Whatever she said, it proved effective for her sister''s face returned to a normal color.


    They shot poisonous glances at him before turning away.


    Van dusted his palms on his robes.


    A timid voice piped up from behind him, "I-Is it wise to provoke those guys? I heard that they look like angels but are as vicious as demons on the battlefield¡­"


    Van turned to Samuel and affectionally ruffled his hair. With a patient tone of voice, he explained, "Young Samuel, mental attacks are just as effective as physical ones, remember that!"


    Samuel scratched his head before nodding quietly, "You want to make them angry so that¡­ so that they go crazy?"


    Van chuckled, "Something like that, yes."


    Then Van closed his eyes and quietly meditated on the spot. He opened his meridians and sucked in the spiritual qi in the area to boost his reserves. The spiritual energy here was strangely thin, but it was better than nothing.


    The rest of the Cedar Sect followed suit.


    Sometime later, the crowd hushed.


    One hour had passed.


    "The third wave begins now." the ghostly voice announced.


    Van opened his eyes and his expression turned solemn. He scanned the area around him. The other participants were doing the same.


    Their surroundings¡­ had changed!

 103 The Third Wave

    "The third wave begins now." the ghostly voice announced.


    Van opened his eyes and his expression turned solemn. He scanned the area around him. The other participants were doing the same.


    Their surroundings¡­ had changed!


    The black mist had been pushed back by several hundred meters. The cause was probably the increased brightness of the giant crystal in the sky above them.


    The strange objects Van had journeyed passed earlier were now exposed to the light. Ghostly wails and moans filled the air.


    The participants waited tensely, but nothing happened. No demon beasts jumped out of the dark and swarmed them. It was bizarre.


    Van narrowed his eyes and examined the structures that had been exposed. In just the area that he was looking at there were half-opened coffins, gargoyle statues, giant broken vases and a collection of shredded tapestries.


    "I will go and investigate," Van said, "You guys stay here and watch your backs."


    Van used Scattering Smoke Steps and lightly appeared on top of the half-opened lid of the largest coffin he could find.


    A glowing skeleton lay at the bottom of the giant coffin. The skeleton was perfectly intact with no signs of damage on the shining white bones. The skeleton was humanoid in shape, but the strange protrusions in the legs and arms showed that it had not been human when it was alive.


    The skeleton was grasping a dull-looking key in one hand and an ancient tome in the other. A softly shining locket lay innocently against its neck.


    Teng!


    Van was not surprised to hear that he had been joined by others. Lightly twisting his neck, he saw the Star-Cutting Sword Sect disciple that looked like he had wanted to fight him earlier.


    The Star-Cutting Sword Sect disciple looked at him arrogantly and pointed his finger at his own chest.


    "My name is Richton; you better remember it!"


    Van picked his ear. Looking down at the skeleton, he speculated that it was about 20 meters below them. These treasures all had a powerful spiritual aura. Despite their allure, both Van and Richton stood still.


    [Jet!]


    Van called out in his head. He wanted to consult the treasures expert. When the ring didn''t respond instantly, Van sent a strong mental poke that caused the ring to splutter awake.


    [What on EARTH are you interrupting my beauty sleep for?!] The ring said snidely.


    Van focused his gaze on the treasures below.


    [What do you think?]


    The ring was curious despite himself.


    [Hm, the age of the skeleton is at least a few hundred years old. The pristine condition means that they were quite highly ranked when they passed, maybe even in the Sea Establishment Realm. The treasures are genuine.]


    Van''s eyes started to glitter. Hm, treasures sounded mighty fine to someone who still had the mentality of a poor country bumpkin at his core.


    Teng! Teng!


    "Hmph! Move aside!" A young girl''s voice said sharply.


    Van was annoyed but not surprised that Cordelia and Daphne had now turned up. Like Van, they had decided to target the largest looking structure that had appeared since the third round started.


    The four disciples stared at the shining corpse and its treasures down below. Greed showed in their eyes but they stood still. None of them were idiots; who would casually put out priceless treasures without there being some kind of trap!?


    Van started to inspect the sides of the coffin. Richton started mumbling to himself.


    "If that skeleton was in the Sea Establishment Realm when it was alive, then that manual must contain at least an Apex-Rank skill¡­With my skills and talents, I would be at least second or third-ranked in another sect, but in the Star-Cutting Sword Sect, I am like tumbleweed drifting by. No one cares. If I got that manual for myself; I would be much better off than If I performed well in the Mausoleum for the sake of the sect¡­!"


    Richton looked at the ancient book with greedy eyes.


    [The amulet around the skeleton''s neck looks powerful but is the most useless treasure. It only has an ornamental value. However, it is pretty enough that it has some value for those who enjoy collecting beautiful items. You could probably sell it for a few tens of thousands of silver taels,] Jet commented.


    Van gulped. Tens of thousands of silver taels could be in his pocket if he took that amulet and sold it!


    Jet continued to speak in Van''s head.


    [It''s hard to say what skill the ancient book contains, but if we go by the skeleton''s cultivation, it''s probably at least a Apex-Rank skill. Nothing special, really.]


    An Apex-Rank Skill!


    Van''s eyes glowed. An Apex-Rank skill was a skill that inner disciples competed viciously over!


    [Actually, that little key is the most interesting thing here. The material it''s made of is quite unique, I can''t place it.]


    As the four disciples stared down at the precious treasures, they couldn''t help but start to feel that the items in the coffin surpassed even the rewards they might get from excelling in the Monster Mausoleum. Afterall, getting points for the Sect would allow the Sect as a whole to withdraw items from the Mausoleum, benefitting the Sect''s coffers but none of the disciples directly!


    Van saw the other''s hands twitch by their sides. They stared at the treasures with conflicted expressions.


    [What is the trap!?] Van asked Jet anxiously.


    The ring spun.


    [Each of the items is cursed. The person who touches it will immediately be chased by a demonic beast until they and their entire battalion is eliminated from the Mausoleum.]


    Van narrowed his eyes. The stakes were high!


    However, some treasures could be extracted as long as the beasts'' ranks and numbers were too overwhelming.


    [Can you tell the rank of the demonic beasts that are cursed to guard each treasure?]


    Jet floated up and down.


    [All of the treasures in this coffin are cursed with demonic beasts of the 8th rank and above.]


    Van immediately felt the blood drain from his face.


    Dangerous!


    If he was alone, he would have risked battling an 8th rank demon beast on his own. The problem was, he was not alone. He could not protect his entire battalion against an 8th rank demon beast!


    Van decisively floated off the coffin; he would not be risking his result in the Mausoleum.


    Cordelia and Daphne looked at each other and rotated their movement skill. They were elite disciples and could control their greed; there was too much uncertainty!


    Shuah!


    Richton leapt into the coffin. His trembling hands grasped the ancient book. Streams of powerful energy seeped into his palms.


    Richton laughed happily.


    [I will rise now!]


    Suddenly ¨C a terrifying aura descended over the coffin.


    Growl!!!!


    A giant black dog with demonic eyes peered into the coffin.


    Richton saw the 8th rank demon beast and dropped the ancient book in his fright. Growling, the giant demonic dog scooped Richton out with its claws and slammed him to the ground.


    Richton''s screams rang through the crystal-lit space.


    Van saw this scene and escaped the vicinity quickly with Scattering Smoke Steps. The rest of the participants watched the scene with growing horror.


    Weng!


    Only a few seconds later a bright light teleported Richton out of the Mausoleum. He had been eliminated.


    But it didn''t end there.


    The giant demonic dog threw its head back and howled. Suddenly, two dozen demonic smaller demonic dogs appeared from the murky darkness. While the first demonic dog was the size of an elephant, these were the size of a large horse and were in the 5th rank.


    Van returned to his battalion and raised his hand ¨C do not act!


    The other participants braced themselves, but as they watched, the demonic dogs only targeted the battalion that Richton had been in.


    Weng! Weng! Weng!


    Bright flashes of light went off.


    Less than a minute later, the entire battalion had been eliminated. As the last disciple was teleported out, the 8th ranked demonic dog howled once more. Then it ran back into the darkness. The rest of the dogs followed.


    The remaining disciples stared at the darkness with pale faces. An entire battalion had been eliminated just like that¡­


    They stood stiffly in the brightly lit clearing. Many decided then and there that they wouldn''t examine the other structures for treasures. They were afraid if they tried something like Richton had, they would cause themselves to be eliminated.


    The best way to get through round three was simply to ignore the treasures and wait for the time to be up!


    Van shook his head.


    These people didn''t get the point. If they didn''t attempt to grab any of the treasures, they wouldn''t be able to trigger a monster wave. If they didn''t trigger a wave, then their score in this round would be a big fat zero.


    No monsters killed ¨C no points scored!


    Van turned around and determinedly investigated the other structures. Inside the giant broken vase, he saw a gold medallion the size of a palm.


    [It''s an ancient token made of pure gold. It had monetary value only. Triggers a 5th rank beast accompanied by twenty 2nd rank lackeys!]


    Van''s eyes gleamed. Easy A!


    He swooped into the vase without hesitation.


    The participants from the other sects watched him with critical eyes.


    This fellow was too stupid ¨C didn''t he see what just happened to that fellow from the Star-Cutting Sword Sect? Just sit this one out like the rest of us, will you!?


    They shook their heads; he was doomed.


    A moment later, Van emerged with a gleaming golden coin in his hands. He shot through the air victoriously.


    Caawwww!


    A large raven in the 5th rank with intelligent eyes suddenly appeared. A few seconds later, twenty smaller birds appeared, forming a cloud of feathers around the first bird. However, they were only in the 2nd rank.


    The other participants were in total shock. What was this!?


    If the highest leveled demon beast was only in the 5th rank, then wasn''t the treasure achievable!? Why did one treasure trigger a terrifying 8th rank monster and one trigger a 5th rank?!


    Van rotated Scattering Smoke Steps and disappeared.


    The largest 5th rank raven zoomed towards Van, twisting around like a torpedo. As it twisted, the wind force it created was enough to break bones.


    Van brought the 5th ranked raven and its cronies to his battalion before he killed the leader raven with a swing of his obsidian battle-axe. The heavy aura allowed the axe to slice through the raven''s neck like a knife through butter.


    Van killed five more 2nd ranked ravens before leaving the rest to his battalion. He was more than confident that they could handle it.


    Whistling, he tucked the gleaming golden medallion into the standard-issue waist pouch that they had been provided upon entering the Mausoleum. They had not been allowed to bring their own dimensional storage items. Instead, they were allowed to bring only a weapon of choice in the standard 2mx2mx2m wait-pouch space. For Van, it was his Mysterious Obsidian Battle-Axe of course.


    The groups watched Van cheerfully tuck the medallion away and felt as if they had eaten sour grapes.

 104 Too Cool, Captain!

    The groups watched Van cheerfully tuck the medallion away and felt as if they had eaten sour grapes. The acidic taste burned the back of their throats.


    "Hmph! He just got lucky," one sneered.


    "Just you watch, the next time he goes for a treasure, he''ll trigger a 9th rank beast and be wiped from the Mausoleum," another commented.


    Ignoring the vicious glares of the people around him, Van cheerfully pulled a brightly-colored feather duster from an ancient treasure box.


    A 5th level raccoon demon beast appeared. It''s eyes were rimmed with inky black and filled with ferocity. However, it was more cowardly than the raven Van had drawn out before. Seeing that Van was in the 7th rank, it hesitated and decided to attack his battalion instead.


    Van calmly stepped back.


    A beast in the 5th rank was easy to deal with for a battalion with members in the 5th and 6th rank. It would be good training for them for the later rounds as well.


    The onlooker''s who had felt acid in their throats now choked with anger.


    What was with this bastard''s unholy luck?! Two fifth-ranks in a row?


    ¡­


    So what if he got lucky twice?


    The crowd couldn''t wait to see this cocky red-haired fellow bite off more than he could chew and doom him entire battalion!


    Fifteen minutes later.


    They watched with red eyes as Van casually picked a pearl necklace off a skeleton laying in amedium-sized coffin.


    Surely this time!


    The crowd was praying for his misfortune.


    Please, can a 9th rank beast appear and smack him to death!?


    The moment Van''s finger touched the glistening surface of a pearl -


    SCREEECH!


    A demon beast with the horns of a ram and the body of a snake appeared. With vigorous muscles and an ugly face; it''s appearance alone struck fear. It hissed and summoned over fifty baby demon beasts. It was the largest horde that Van had triggered so far.


    However, Van''s face was taunting. He fired a smug look at his onlookers before leading the beast horde towards the Cedar Sect''s battalions.


    Despite the demon beast''s hideous look, it was only in the 6th rank, and the minions it had summoned in the 3rd rank!


    The onlookers were ticked off once more; which one of their battalions couldn''t handle a 6th rank demon beast? That treasure could have easily been theirs....


    Van dodged a vicious swipe from the ram-snake''s horns. While a 6th rank beast could easily be taken down by Van, it would take the entire battalions concentrated efforts to deal with it. Van decided to let them gain the experience of dealing with a 6th rank beast and slayed the entire horde of 3rd rank minions with a casual tidal wave of qi.


    The pearl necklace went into his waist pouch.


    The other sects stared at Van''s waist pouch with red-eyes. They watched unblinkingly as countless treasures disappeared into his waist pouch.


    They felt envious of the Cedar Sect, who was gaining treasures and accumulating points like crazy!


    Seeing this provoking scenery, Cordelia and Daphne couldn''t stand it any longer. They decided to take action. They ordered their sect mates to carefully investigate the other structures that had emerged during this round.


    There must be some kind of clue that would reveal what type of monsters were cursed to protect which treasures!


    The other groups couldn''t stomach Van''s provocation any longer either. They mobilized quickly. Staring at Van jauntily roving about, pinching treasures, they felt like the biggest idiots in the world. It turns out triggering 8th rank and above monsters were quite rare, and Richton had simply been an unlucky bastard. The majority of demonic beasts were probably only in the 5-6th rank!


    They had been scared of fighting a 5th rank monster and its ten or so lower-level cronies? Annoyed, the participants immediately began scouring for treasures.


    Not even ten minutes later, terrified screams filled the air.


    Van watched silently with a smirk on his face.


    Idiots. Did they think he just got lucky?


    Someone had triggered a 9th rank demon beast!


    In the distance, a giant 9th rank gorrilla with glowing red eyes and silver fur barrelled into a battalion of disciples. It''s giant muscles bunched up as it swung its fists powerfully.


    Weng! Weng! Weng!


    A battalion composed of rogue cultivators was wiped out just like that.


    The participants in the room were scared.


    Wasn''t triggering a beast in the 8th rank and above meant to be rare?


    Hadn''t that red-haired kid stolen five treasures in a row, only triggerding beast hordes in the 6th rank and lower.


    How come someone already stumbled into a 9th rank?


    Were they just too unlucky?


    Or¡­


    Did that boy actually have some skill?


    Pale-faced, the disciples from various sects sent each other worried looks.


    In the end, they continued to seek out treasures despite the massacre caused by the 9th rank beast. They could not resist the temptation of the treasures. After all, evidence still showed that triggering such a high levelled beast was rare...


    Over the next hour, quite a few battalions were able to gain treasures and points just due to good luck. This built the morale in the battlefield.


    However, one more battalion were wiped out in the same amount of time due to triggering an 8th rank beast. Another battalion lost over half it''s members to fend off a monster horde that contained two 7th rank beasts.


    At that moment, Cordelia and Daphne raided a tomb and pocketed a jade pendant with victorious looks in their eyes.


    They had figured it out!


    After carefully investing the areas that Van had looted already, they symbol near the treasures that seemed to repeat over the various locations. They copied these markings and consulted a battalion member with some skill in ancient languages. It turned out that these symbols indicated the type and rank of monster that were cursed to guard each treasure!


    With this information, the Zephyr Sect gained wind under their sails. They aggressively targeted suitable treasures and took down the monster hordes quickly. Their high pride meant that they could not stomach Van''s parading about. They needed to steal even more treasures and kill even more beasts than the Cedar Sect!


    Van saw their movements in his peripheral vision.


    Heh.


    He continued at his own pace, pilfering treasures as he liked. His battalion were slightly worried, but when they saw their leader''s calm demeanor they relaxed and continued on. The Cedar Sect''s gains increased as steadily as a tortoise moving over land.


    [Idiot. If you don''t speed up, we''ll catch up to you in no time!]


    Cordelia''s icy blue eyes pierced daggers into Van''s back. She exchanged a glance with her twin sister and nodded.


    Teng! Teng!


    They circulated their spiritual power faster and blasted through the monster hordes they had triggered. Violent winds killed several 2nd rank beasts in an instant.


    The Zephyr Sect''s pace was rapid and violent. They grabbed treasures with one hand and fended off monsters with the other. Swirling wind qi sliced through the necks of the squirrel demon beasts around them, killing them swiftly.


    At their speed, they would exceed the Cedar Sect''s gains in no time!


    Van smiled gently as he landed on top of what appeared to be a giant statue of a woman with three eyes on her head. Her stone ears were heavily decorated with beautiful gemstone earrings. Each earring gave off an aura of spirituality.


    [That gem sure is a pretty azure color! If I turn it into a necklace, Finn will like it very much!]


    Van put off grabbing the treasures for now. Instead, he opted to observe the battlefield around him from his higher viewpoint.


    Gee, those twins from the Zephyr Sect sure are working hard!


    Van sat casually atop the stone statue, legs swinging off the side. The Cedar Sect''s battalions appeared around him shortly after, having just finished dispatching the last horde of monsters Van had triggered.


    When Samuel saw the red-haired youth sitting casually on top of the stone bust he immediately became anxious. He turned his head to the side and saw the twin girl demons blasting monsters away with impunity. The monster''s guts splattered over the ground as the gale-force winds threw them down.


    Samuel''s face went grey.


    Those twins were the scariest girls he had ever seen!


    "Sir Van! We should quickly get more treasures or the Zephyr Sect will catch up to us soon!" Samuel said with a panicky tone of voice.


    Van just chuckled. He pulled his obsidian axe out and started using it''s edge to cut his nails. Occasionally, he buffed them against his robes.


    It was a relaxed display designed specifically to annoy his competitors - while they were out there busting their asses, he was just relaxing with his treasures and five completely intact Cedar Sect battalions.


    "Don''t worry, Samuel," Van said simply, "They cannot catch up to us - unless they want to ensure their elimination."


    Samuel blinked. The battalions had looks of confusion on their faces.


    Didn''t this round still have 2 hours to go?


    What was the battalion captain plotting?

 105 The Treasures are All Mine

    "Don''t worry, Samuel," Van said with a blas¨¦ attitude, "They cannot catch up to us ¨C unless they want to ensure their elimination!"


    Samuel blinked. The five battalions looked at Van with confusion writ on their faces.


    Didn''t this round still have 2 hours to go?


    Just what was he plotting?


    ______


    Madam Sophia finally relaxed when she saw that Cordelia and Daphne had figured out the trick behind the third round of the Mausoleum. During the second and third rounds, she had focused all attention on the performance of her twins, applauding them internally when they made the same decisions she would have in their situation.


    As for that red-haired youth? Ah, he seemed to have some knowledge in ancient languages, but his martial skill was average at best. He seemed to rely overly much on his Copper Knight Wall, a lowly body cultivation technique that proper cultivators scorned. His preferential use of his body technique caused Madam Sophia''s interest in him to plummet to the depths of the ocean.


    She turned her gaze to Cordelia and Daphne.


    [As expected, my girls'' power is undefeatable. With their power and speed, they will quickly exceed the score of the Cedar Sect. That youth might have some ancient language skill, he cannot match them!]


    Madam Sophia hid her smirk behind her hand; she had to maintain her tranquil and elegant fa?ade after all.


    However, in the next moment, her expression changed dramatically.


    ¡­


    She slammed her hands onto the small table in front of her.


    Her narrowed eyes scanned the image broadcasted upon in the sky.


    Just why had they stopped?


    ______


    Elder Malkovich was startled by a sudden bark of laughter from the hooded man sitting beside him. He looked away from the mirage showing Yun Hai''s battlefield and turned to his side. In this round, their sect''s score had overtaken the Cedar Sects, so he was in a congenial mood once more.


    "May I enquire as to what is amusing you?" Elder Malkovich said, stroking his neat goatee.


    The owner of the sharp chin smiled, but did not say anything.


    Elder Malkovich followed the hooded man''s eyesight and was perturbed. Had someone in the second battlefield managed to catch this guy''s eye? But the second battlefield didn''t exactly have the Star-Cutting Sword Sect''s strongest disciples¡­


    Had a new diamond formed under pressure?


    Just as Elder Malkovich opened his mouth to enquire, he heard the guest beside him chuckle once more.


    "Keke. Calculating fellow...!"


    After this single utterance, the hooded man was utterly content to gaze upon the second battlefield in complete silence.


    Elder Malkovich followed his line of sight but was disappointed to find that the current scene showed how the Star-Cutting Sword Sect was performing rather lackluster in this battlefield.


    The middle-aged elder smiled and quickly tried to catch the hooded figures'' interest.


    "Esteemed Guest, actually, if I may direct your attention to the first battlefield, our best disciple Yun Hai is¡­"


    A pale hand cut him off.


    The hooded figure was concentrating on the scene in the mirage and did not want to hear the other''s inane chatter.


    Elder Malkovich felt the vein in his forehead throb.


    This guy!


    _______


    Van leaned his chin on his fist.


    Standing below the bust he was sitting on; Cordelia and Daphne were glaring at him with barely concealed hate. They had completely halted their attacks on the treasures, and were now helplessly standing below him with anger in their eyes.


    Van blinked innocently. He touched his face to see if their was soot smudged on it. Finding his finger come away clean, he tutted.


    "Alas, it seems my incredibly handsome face has enthralled two more young ladies!"


    "Pfft!"


    Samuel couldn''t help the air that escaped his mouth.


    [Too cool, captain!]


    The twin demons swung their heads and turned their icy glares on the young boy. Samuel felt his knees lock from their icy gaze.


    "Cat got your tongue?" Van said lazily, bringing the twins'' attention back to himself.


    Cordelia folded her arms over her chest.


    [Ugh! If I hadn''t already expended so much power, I would peel his face off his skull¡­!]


    Daphne, normally the less volatile of the two, was so incensed that her nails dug bloody crescents into her palms.


    "Do you think you are clever?" She asked in a low tone.


    Van considered this for a second.


    "Cleverer than you two, at least," He replied at length.


    The heavy silence between the two parties was thick enough to slice.


    Cordelia laughed, "You better watch yourself! Your schemes may have worked on us this time, but you cannot hope to match up to our power and skill. Try and attack us, and I will have your head off in an instant!"


    "Daphne, we are going!" Cordelia said while shooting a disgusted look at Van.


    The arrogant twins were forced to retreat!


    Samuel''s eyes were full of hero-worship as he looked at Van. He couldn''t believe it ¨C it was exactly as the battalion captain had said!


    Van watched them retreat, smug. He stood up and brushed his robes off.


    Samuel was amazed, "I don''t understand ¨C what happened!? Why aren''t they chasing after the treasures anymore!?"


    Van laughed softly.


    "If you inspected the remaining treasures, Samuel, you would find that they are all cursed by 7th ranked beasts or higher. They thought they could catch up to me, but they did not realize that I had already taken everything!"


    Samuel''s brows furrowed, "But those two are both in the 7th rank. Surely they would not be worried about a 7th rank beast?"


    Van ruffled the smaller boy''s hair, "Don''t you remember what I said before?"


    The younger boy shook his head. But suddenly, his eyes gleamed.


    "Oh, you said you would make them so angry that they would go crazy!"


    Van chuckled.


    "Alas, this captain''s taunting skills are simply too good. They lost sight of their long-term goal in their short-term desire to step on me," Van commiserated, "If they had just conserved their energy, rather than go all out to catch up to me, they would not be in such dire straits right now."


    "Hehe, Young Samuel, having too much pride is no good!" Van patted Samuel on the back.


    With Cordelia and Daphne exhausted, the Zephyr Sect would be wary of going up against a 7th ranked beast as the main bulk of their battalions were in the 5th and 6th rank.


    Actually, very few people in the battlefield had the cultivation rank to steal the treasures guarded by 7th rank or higher beasts. The big sects had the most 7th rank disciples, but the Boulder Sect had lost half its people and the Star-Cutting Sword Sect had yet to figure out the ancient symbols. Both were wary of accidentally triggering a 9th rank or higher demon beast that could wipe the entire battalion out and eliminate them from the competition.


    This left Van as the sole person able to exploit the third round!


    Grinning, Van pulled the azure earring he had been eyeing out of the stone woman''s earlobes.


    SCREEEECH!!


    A massive 7th rank purple demon lizard with red markings along its belly appeared. Over twenty 3rd ranked lizards appeared behind it.


    It swung its heavy tail threateningly.


    Full of vitality, Van rotated his spiritual power and used a spiritual art for the first time that night. A torrent of dark water burst from his palms. Its icy energy was anathema to the cold-blooded lizard, who needed external heat to survive. It''s movements instantly slowed.


    Van moved quickly.


    [Heavy Axe Art!]


    An immense aura appeared around Van''s body.


    BANGG!!


    The axe ripped into the tough hide of the 7th rank beast, who was shocked by the power and aura of the small human before it.


    Blood splattered everywhere.


    The participants watching gulped. This guy was actually this powerful?


    "Assemble and attack!" Van shouted.


    The Cedar Sect''s battalions took formation and rushed forwards. With the demon beast critically injured, Van wanted to use this as an opportunity to improve the strength and skill of his sect mates.


    [It''s a shame that defeating these demon beasts don''t release their crystal cores.]


    It took over thirty minutes for the 7th ranked beast to be defeated. However, in this battle, Van saw that his sheltered team mates started gaining confidence in their martial techniques. Finally -


    Weng!


    The lizard''s body flashed brightly and disappeared. The leaderless 3rd ranked lizard minions took another 10 minutes to dispatch.


    When the horde was cleared, the Cedar Sect''s battalions cheered. They all knew that such a large horde meant that they had accumulated many points!


    Van rested his axe on the ground. He surveyed the scene.


    [There''s still 1.5 more hours left in this trial. To recover their spiritual power, Cordelia and Daphne will need at least 1 hour of meditation. More if they can''t calm down enough to meditate effectively ¡­]


    Van smirked.


    [I''ll make sure they can''t calm down, alright.]


    The red-haired youth stared at the giant coffin in the clearing below the crystal. He couldn''t help thinking about the mysterious key in the skeleton''s grasp. It had even intrigued Jet.


    The problem was it was cursed by a 9th rank monster. Even the fearsome Blizzard Wyrm had only been in the 8th rank!


    Van was not sure how strong he was at the moment since he had improved again since his battle with the Wyrm, but he was unwilling to risk compromising his result in the Mausoleum to gain a treasure. He had promised to bring the Cedar Sect to at least the 5th wave if he wanted to become Inner Disciple. However, after that¡­


    Van narrowed his eyes; his fingers made a marching beat against his sides.


    ¡­He still wanted that key!


    Van floated lightly to the top of the coffin and peered in. The dull key lay in the skeleton''s grasp.


    [Perhaps...!]


    His eyes shone with greed.

 106 Ghost White Rabbi

    The red-haired youth stared at the giant coffin in the clearing below the crystal. He couldn''t help thinking about the mysterious key in the skeleton''s grasp. It had even intrigued Jet.


    The problem was it was cursed by a 9th rank monster. Even the fearsome Blizzard Wyrm had only been in the 8th rank!


    ______


    Samuel saw Van float down from the top of the coffin was surprised.


    [Hn. From the battalion captain''s reaction, it seems like he really wants one of the treasures in the coffin but can''t obtain it?]


    Samuel wondered what glorious treasure lay within that even their illustrious captain could not pilfer. A dragon''s egg? A phoenix''s tail? What was it guarded by? Perhaps a nine-headed hydra with the ability to spit flames¡­


    Samuel''s active mind conjured up a million colourful scenarios. Little did he know that the treasure his captain was most interested in obtaining was a little dull key!


    The next one and a half hours, the Cedar Sect''s battalions trailed the red-haired youth as he carefully targeting 7th ranked beasts. He chose them based on the level of their followers and how many they had, which he was able to find out due to Jet''s ability to read ancient languages.


    In this time, the Cedar Sect dispatched four 7th ranked beasts, and gained three treasures. The Star-Cutting Sword Sect and Boulder Sect finally figured out the trick behind the beast hordes and managed to defeat just one 7th ranked beast each. The Zephyr Sect was severely crippled with Cordelia and Daphne out of action, but that did not mean that their combined strength was weak. They defeated two 7th ranked beasts and obtained two treasures.


    None of the teams were willing to go up against an 8th rank beast before even reaching the 5th round, allegedly the ''chokehold'' point of the Monster Mausoleum, which usually eliminated over 70% of remaining disciples in one shot.


    The fifth wave''s exact format changed each time, but it always emphasised one thing ¨C the more people remaining in the battlefield, the greater everyone''s chance of making it to the sixth round. It was always a large-scale battle in which every able-bodied person present was valuable.


    In previous years, some sects had grown cocky and decided to eliminate the others'' groups before the fifth wave so they could monopolise all the points. However, in the fifth round, they could not cope with the flood of monsters and were eliminated.


    This was a good precautionary tale ¨C despite getting the Last Standing Medallion for that battlefield, the sect did not win first place in the competition. This was because they only accumulated points up to the fifth round, other sects advanced several stages past that, earning them much higher points. When multiplied by a factor of twenty, the gap between scores grew bigger.


    This was the biggest reason why each battalion was careful to preserve their numbers at least until the fifth round. It was also why every sect''s focus was to advance through as many rounds as possible, and not interfere with other sect''s progress unless it was critical.


    [Heavy Axe Art!]


    The 7th ranked python''s eyes went dim as the immense force behind Van''s obsidian battle axe cleaved its head off its long torso.


    The battalion cheered loudly, waving their weapons in the air. After fighting alongside Van for so many continuous hours, they had gained experience and confidence. They felt that most beasts weren''t that difficult to defeat as long as they coordinated well and kept calm. Additionally, if anything went wrong their captain would be there.


    Van smiled shallowly; his expression showed that he was not entirely present. Occasionally, his eyes drifted over to the largest coffin in the clearing.


    Samuel saw his captain''s faraway look and slightly shook his head.


    [When I asked the captain earlier, he said the treasure he wanted was cursed by a 9th rank beast. 9th rank! It''s just impossible unless he wants to be made into shrimp paste.]


    Samuel saw the red-headed youth suddenly sit down in a cross-legged position. With his hands lying open in his lap and his eyes closed, he started breathing in a slow and rhythmic pattern.


    [The captain is meditating to prepare for the next round, he must have given up on obtaining more treasures in this round. A wise decision.]


    The other Cedar Sect battalions followed suit. They sat down on the ground and began to meditate. They were glad to have an opportunity to catch a breath and consolidate their experiences.


    The other sects had already been inactive for a while. When they saw the Cedar Sect stop and rest, they felt better. They just wanted the next wave to begin already.


    [The tenth hour is drawing to a close.]


    The space between Van''s brows was calm and tranquil. His breath and heartbeat were steady and loud in his ears.


    Ba-dum.


    One.


    Ba-dum.


    Two.


    Ba-dum.


    Three!


    Samuel felt a gust of wind brush past his face. When he turned his head, he saw that the red-haired youth had disappeared. His heart dropped down to the bottom of his stomach.


    He had a bad feeling¡­


    The young boy''s eyes shot to the top of the coffin, and sure enough, the flame-haired youngster was dashing within.


    _____


    Cordelia sensed the moment that Van suddenly rushed towards the half-opened coffin. Her concentration was immediately broken, halting the progress of her meditation but she did not care. A cynical grin stretched across her youthful face.


    Fool!


    What did he think he could achieve, facing off against a 9th rank beast on his own!?


    Laughing on the inside, Cordelia turned her eyes to watch the spectacle that was about to occur.


    ______


    A soon as Van''s fingers closed around the dull black key, his body rattled from the force of energy that suddenly poured out from the small nondescript key.


    Immediately, Van sensed the immense presence of the 9th rank beast behind his back. The skin on the back of his neck prickled; he knew immediately that the fearsome monster behind him outclassed him in every way. He had never felt the full power of a 9th rank beast focused on him before, and now that he had, he felt fear slide up his spine.


    [Van, move!] Jet shouted.


    Van didn''t hesitate. He revolved Scattering Smoke Steps and instantly vanished from his position.


    But it was too late.


    Red sprayed out of his mouth. A hot sensation seared his back.


    Van''s body cultivation was the only thing that downgraded the lethal blow into a long wound about 4cm deep that stretched from his left shoulder to right hip bone. Red blood trickled out.


    Van''s expression was grim.


    [A 9th rank monster sure is different. I reacted so quickly and yet it was still able to injure me even as I rotated Scattering Smoke Steps. Just what kind of beast is it? It must be some sort of cheetah-like beast¡­]


    Van spun around.


    RAAAAAAAOOOOOORRR!


    A tiny white rabbit with intensely glowing red eyes appeared in front of him. The fearsome roar that sounded like it was being emitted from the mouth of a dragon was actually coming from its small mouth!


    However, Van didn''t dare laugh at it. The stinging wound on his back was deadly proof of its strength!


    The 9th ranked Ghost-White Rabbit beast was only about the size of two palms, but it possessed a domineering and arrogant aura. With such an immense cultivation, speed and intellect, it didn''t believe it couldn''t annihilate the red-haired boy in front of it!


    The red-haired youth looked back at it with an odd expression on his face.


    The Ghost-White Rabbit roared again. Suddenly, it''s two front teeth lengthened into shining sharp sabres.


    Van''s blood chilled in his veins.


    [Why did I have to trigger a speed-type demon beast! If it were any other type of monster¡­]


    ______


    From far away, Cordelia was looking gleefully at the scene. Her bloodlust was at an all-time high. How dare that brat scheme against her and her sister, perfectly baiting them so that they lost face in the third round? If he didn''t get slapped to death by this 9th rank beast, then she would die unsatisfied!


    The 9th ranked demon beast''s body blurred. Its speed was so fast that it was almost invisible to the naked eye.


    There was no way that the red-haired youth was going to be able to avoid it without suffering a fatal wound this time!


    Cordelia clenched her teeth. Yes!


    I want to see his guts spilled across the ground!


    Cordelia''s ears suddenly picked up on a noise nearly obscured by the loud rushing of her blood.


    Her face turned a ghastly colour when she realised what it meant.


    "NO!" She shouted loudly, losing her composure, "I won''t accept this!"


    _____


    Van stared gloatingly at the 9th rank Ghost-White Rabbit that had suddenly frozen mid-attack. Its red eyes betrayed its furious inner struggle.


    "The third round has ended. The fourth round will commence in six hours."


    The ghostly voice rattled the eardrums of everyone present.


    No way¡­ was that kid really about to get away with this? Was stealing a 9th ranked beasts'' treasure from under its nose really this simple?


    Half the sects admired Van''s cunning; the other half were full of vinegar.


    Van saw the muscles of the Ghost-White Rabbit bunch furiously as it tried to resist the will of the ghostly voice. Its powerful aura grew more potent by several times.


    Suddenly, the Ghost-White Rabbit moved forwards a few centimetres.


    Van''s smile was wiped clean off his face.


    This was bad...

 107 The Fourth Wave

    The ghostly voice rattled the eardrums of everyone present.


    "The third round -," it began.


    The 9th ranked Ghost White Rabbit was suddenly frozen mid-attack; its red eyes betrayed its furious inner struggle to ignore the weight of the ghostly voice''s authority.


    Van stared at the furious rabbit with a smirk on his face. Ha-ha, hadn''t he calculated it all just perfectly? He had been counting down the seconds since the start of the 3rd round, counting on the fact that the waves of monsters were forced to withdraw from the field at the end of each round when the ghostly voice spoke. It was as he expected ¨C that ghostly voice commanded authority over the monsters and they could not disobey.


    "-has ended-" the ghostly voice continued neutrally.


    The Ghost White Rabbit''s little nose twitched ¨C then it wiggled its fluffy tail. It was resisting against the command to withdraw!


    "The fourth round ¨C"


    The spectators saw the 9th ranked demon beast frozen in place, unable to attack the red-haired youth and were speechless.


    No way¡­ was that kid really about to get away with this? Was stealing a 9th ranked beasts'' treasure from under its nose really this simple?


    Half the sects admired Van''s cunning; the other half were full of vinegar.


    Van saw the muscles of the Ghost-White Rabbit bunch furiously as it tried to resist the will of the ghostly voice. Its powerful aura grew more potent by several times. Suddenly, the Ghost-White Rabbit burst forwards a few centimetres.


    Van''s smile was wiped clean off his face.


    Not good!


    [Scattering Smoke Steps!]


    Lightning-quick, Van leapt several metres back. The fearsome aura of the rabbit sent his stomach plummeting.


    The 9th ranked rabbit demon snarled, giant sword-like teeth suddenly filling its mouth.


    Van saw its muscles bunching up to leap forwards and he immediately pre-empted it.


    [Scattering Smoke Steps]


    Van leapt back tens of metres. An instant later, he reappeared only to see the 9th rank demon beast had followed him. It was only a metre away. Cold sweat filled his back.


    [Even while resisting the voice the rabbit''s speed is on par with mine. If I reacted just a second slower¡­ I will be eliminated right here and lose the right to advance straight to the position of Inner Disciple within the year. After all, the Sect Master specified that I must at least survive til the 5th round.]


    "-will commence-"


    Suddenly, the Ghost-White Rabbit spasmed violently. An ear piercing, voiceless scream filled the air.


    Van winced. The sound was so high-pitched that some of the spectating disciple''s felt blood trickle from their eardrums.


    The rabbit demon tried to move forwards, but as it did a great, invisible power pulled it back into the darkness.


    "-in six hours," the ghostly voice said with a strong tone of finality.


    The sound faded away.


    The last thing Van saw of Ghost White Rabbit was its glowing red eyes; which were focused unerringly on him.


    Then the darkness swallowed its small white form.


    The minute it vanished, the fog closed in again, returning the clearing to the smaller size it had been initially. The strange structures that contained ample treasure were swallowed back up again.


    The disciples near the edge of the clearing had to run back into the centre.


    Finally, Van''s hammering heart finally settle back into his ribcage. Elation replaced his anxiety.


    He had done it!


    The taste of victory was honey-sweet on his lips. His still blood buzzed with the adrenaline caused by a close brush with death. Since the beginning of the round, he had started counting down the minutes and seconds that passed by. He had rushed to the coffin to steal the treasure a split second before the end of the trial so that the 9th rank beast would come out just as the 3rd wave ended. He had hoped that this would force the beast to withdraw like what he had seen in previous rounds. However, Van was seriously in trouble near the end there, as his count had been off by a few seconds.


    Quickly, he tucked the little key into his waist pouch, disguising the action by suddenly sneezing and doubling over, hiding his waist area from onlookers. For some reason, he felt like he had to hide the existence of this little key from other people.


    Using a sleight-of-hand, Van replaced the key in his hand with another treasure he had obtained earlier. It was a small black inkstone. Van made a big show of inspecting the inkstone before placing it deliberately into his waist pouch, looking suspiciously at the onlookers as he did so.


    The onlookers were successfully convinced that this was the treasure Van had obtained from the 9th rank demon beast. They inspected the small black inkstone with a critical eye and were disappointed ¨C and relieved ¨C that it seemed like a pretty crappy treasure. Most of them were convinced that it was legitimately what Van had obtained, after all a lot of the treasures they had obtained in this round were decorative or worth monetary value only. Thus was the nature of the types of things people placed in mausoleums. However, a few were not convinced at all, and at the top of this list were Cordelia and Daphne, who were the only other people in the room who had seen exactly what was in that largest coffin.


    Van turned and grinned at the Cedar Sect''s five battalions. Shocked and gaping mouths greeted him. Five seconds later, his battalion had run forward and bowled him over. Their excitement and pride were infectious.


    "V-an! V-an! V-an!"


    The cheers from the Cedar Sect contrasted with the silence of the battlefield.


    Everyone in the Zephyr Sect wore ugly expressions. Cordelia in particular looked like she had swallowed a lemon; her lips were pursed and her eyes unwilling. The Boulder Sect was gazing at Van with admiration with their eyes, and the remaining Star-Cutting Sword Sect disciples felt grudging respect.


    Daphne sidled up to her sister, her eyes were full of discontent, "Just how many treasures has he stolen from us now?!"


    Cordelia was furious, "I need to know what he stole from the 9th ranked demon beast! If he has the saint-ranked skill, we must obtain it no matter what!"


    Daphne made eye contact with her sister. Their expressions mirrored each other''s.


    ______


    [6 hours later.]


    "Be alert, the fourth round begins¡­ now."


    Van''s eyes flashed open. He stood up from his meditating position, vigorous spiritual power rolling off of him. The six hours between the last round and this one had given him enough time to refill his batteries and also consolidate the insights he had made into his [Heavy Axe Art] after using it against many enemies now. He estimated that the strength of his blow had increased by at least 10%.


    [''Be alert.'' That is the first comment the ghostly voice has made since the first round. It must be another clue again¡­but I have no idea what it could refer to¡­]


    Van turned to the five Cedar Sect battalions, who looked at him expectedly. Looking over them quickly, Van was pleased to note that they all seemed refreshed and ready to tackle the next round. Due to the better utilisation of their power, they were fully refreshed after six hours of rest.


    Other sects, especially those who had lost a lot of members already, looked dispirited and uneasy. As the air in the mausoleum contained little spiritual power, they had only been able to recover an additional 30% of their full power. Ending the 3rd round with about 10% spiritual power remaining, they were now sitting at about 40% full power. This was low enough that they worried intensely about how they were going to cope with the 4th wave, where the monsters would again be stronger.


    The battalions of rogue cultivators and smaller sects were doing a bit better, ending the previous round at about 30% as they had declined to attack any treasures guarded by the 7th rank beasts or higher. At the moment their faces looked a lot more healthy than the other three Great Sects, sitting at 60% of their full power.


    At that moment, a rustling noise could be heard. It was the noise you would hear when the leaves of a tree are jostled by the wind.


    At the edges of the clearing, strange winged-humanoid figures appeared. The rustling noise was caused by the flapping of their paper-thin wings behind their backs. The Night Fey were like nothing Van had ever seen. With dark indigo skin and black, pupil-less eyes, they gave off an eerie and unnatural vibe.


    Van was immediately on guard.


    "Formation!" He barked. The five battalions assembled around him.


    [Blood Vision!]


    Van''s eyes glowed red as he activated the skill.


    The power of the blood within these monsters told Van that they were all in the 4th rank. This was just one rank below the average battalion member. Starting from this round, skill and tactics would become more important than just minimizing energy usage.


    The first of the monsters attacked and Van''s eyes were dazzled by the sparling purple light bursting from their spindly finger tips.


    Van''s eyes felt heavier, but he shook his head and ignored the feeling.


    [These are the first monsters in the mausoleum who have preferred to use qi attacks over physical strength. I suspect they will be relatively weak in the physical department, but we should not underestimate them¡­]


    As the first wave of Night Fey hit the ranks of the battalion, purple energy sizzled through the air. The battalion members handled the situation surprisingly well, having enough experience fighting alongside each other to know how to protect each other''s backs. On occasion when the numbers seemed too high, a giant wave of icy water qi would sweep away a large swathe of the Night Fey.


    The battle raged on for another thirty minutes in this fashion, until Van began fighting one particular Night Fey that seemed different from the rest. It''s physical appearance was not different in any way ¨C small pointed face and chin, with large black pupil-less eyes - but for some reason, Van''s felt his eyelids grow heavier each time he exchanged a blow.


    [That''s strange¡­ it''s only in the 4th rank¡­ how is it able to exchange blows¡­ with me?]


    The Night Fey sprinkled glittering purple power through the air.


    Van''s movements slowed without him realising it. The flow of spiritual power through Van''s fingertips thinned to a sluggish trickle.


    Van finally felt that something was not right. He struggled to find the answer.


    [My eyelids¡­feel so heavy¡­?]


    The last thing Van saw before his vision went black was the face of the Night Fey, he had been fighting. It''s large, black and pupil-less stared straight into his soul.


    It cackled.


    Then the blackness took him.


    ------


    "Van... Van, darling. It''s time to wake up," a woman''s warm voice said. Gentle fingers ran through his hair.


    Hearing this voice, even with his eyes closed, Van''s heart started thundering in his chest.


    [M-mum?]


    Waves of joy and sorrow crashed over him.

 108 Painful Memories

    "Van¡­ Van, my darling. It''s time to wake up," A woman''s warm voice said. Gentle fingers ran through his hair.


    Hearing this voice even with his eyes closed, Van''s heart started thundering in his chest.


    [M-mum?]


    Waves of joy and sorrow crashed over him. He didn''t dare open his eyes even though he yearned to see her.


    [¡­It must be an illusion!]


    Van''s heart was on guard, and yet he couldn''t control his reaction to hearing her voice after so many years. Despite his high mental energy, despite Van''s mature mind, suddenly the feelings that he had suppressed all this time burst forth - triggered by hearing a voice he that sometimes echoed faintly in his dreams and oldest memories.


    [Why?]


    [Why did you leave us¡­?]


    A million questions battled for dominance in his mind.


    [Where did you go¡­?]


    An even weightier question settled onto Van''s shoulders, adding to the desolate feeling already filling his body. His eyes twitched behind their lids.


    [Mum, tell me¡­ Why are there so many blank spaces in my memory? What happened, and what have I forgotten?]


    It was only as Van grew older that he realized he had lost some of his memories before living in the village. There were large spaces filled with only silence and darkness. But the holes in his memories were not what hurt Van the most ¨C it was the other memories.


    Memories of growing up with his little sister and having two loving parents who doted on them in every way. Memories of sunlight and laughter, of running around in a large garden with his sister and throwing mud at their annoying kid neighbor, who tried to climb over their fence so many times¡­ Like broken glass, these memories had sharp edges that pierced you when you came too close.


    So, Van tried to think about them as little as possible. As the years passed the memories grew less vibrant. Sometimes they felt like the events of a well-loved storybook, rather than his own memories. It was better that way.


    Light laughter reached his ears, two gentle palms placed themselves on either side of his face.


    "Van," His mother''s voice teased, "I know when my boy is just pretending to be asleep. The sun has been up for ages, and Finn wants to play with her big brother!""


    An unbearable ache spread through Van''s chest.


    Van''s eyes fluttered open.


    Warm brown eyes gazed at him with a loving expression. His mum''s hair was in her usual long braid, tossed over her shoulder. If not for the fine laugh lines around her eyes, she could be mistaken for young woman in her early twenties. She wore elegant white robes, her typical attire, although she favored white colored clothing in general.


    She was sitting on a vast grassy plain with his head resting on her lap. A warm wind blew past, bringing the scent of spring flowers.


    Van''s nose felt sour.


    "Mum!" He choked out, unable to control himself.


    Immediately, his mother''s face filled with concern. She wrapped her arms around her son''s shaking form and soothed him.


    "What''s wrong honey?" Her soft voice said, "Did you have a bad dream?"


    Van''s eyes met hers. He could only see the unconditional love that he had been spoiled to receive his entire childhood. He found himself struggling for words. What could he say? That he wished his life was all a bad dream, and he was finally waking up now?


    His mother drew him closer again. She leaned her cheek against his.


    "My darling, your father and I¡­ what we did was for you and your sister''s good. If we didn''t leave-"


    [Van!] Jet shouted, [Push her away, now!]


    But Van had reacted even faster than Jet did. The dagger of purple energy from his mother''s hand never pierced his skin.


    Blood spurted out in a great fountain of red.


    Van stared coldly at his ''mother.'' His hand was still deep in her chest cavity, clenched around her heart.


    She stared back at him, horror filling her brown eyes.


    "W-what have you b-become?"


    She screamed.


    Van was beyond furious.


    "Shut up, demon!"


    The moment he said these words, the illusion shattered. The grassy plain filled with wildflowers on a mild spring day was replaced with the darkness of the battlefield, with the light from the crystal far above casting sharp angles over his mother''s face. Quickly, her gentle expression melted away.


    "So, you don''t want to know?" She said lightly, blood trickling down the side of her mouth.


    Van froze.


    "What do you mean?"


    His mother ¨C no the demon ¨C looked sorrowfully at him.


    "I can show you," she said, "I can show you what happened that day¡­ just take my hand. I can show you¡­"


    Van stared at her.


    It was odd.


    The day that Van and Finn had entered Mountain Village was one of his clearest memories.


    [Why would she say that she can show me what happened that day? Does she think that I don''t remember?]


    Jet shouted at him.


    [Van. That is just the demon beast talking. It cannot reveal what you do not already now ¨C it uses your memories of her to construct this illusion.]


    Van could feel the Jet''s agitation clearly. The ring was genuinely worried about him.


    Van steeled himself once more. This is nothing, he reminded himself, the past is the past. The only way I will ever know what really happened is by gaining the strength to seek the answers!


    [This is just an illusion! The Night Fey is just trying to draw this situation out. The longer I remain in this illusion, the weaker I get and the stronger it gets!]


    "Die, demon!"


    Van tore out his mother''s heart. The organ flopped to the ground, staining it red.


    His mother''s face slid away and was immediately replaced by the strange alien appearance of the Night Fey he had been fighting. It gurgled at him before shattering into motes of light.


    Immediately, the sound of the battlefield reached Van''s ears.


    He turned around urgently and saw that the battle had grown fierce and messy. Large swathes of people were staring blankly into space, their minds totally taken over by the Night Fey. They simply stood they''re as the Night Fey inserted glowing purple daggers into their hearts.


    Weng! Weng! Weng!


    Disciples were being eliminated from the battlefield without them even realizing they had been trapped in an illusion.


    Despite being deeply shaken, Van was still the fastest to wake up in the entire battlefield.


    At that moment, a shrill scream of anger split the air.


    Van turned his head slightly and saw Cordelia split the Night Fey in front of her with a strong slice of wind qi. A second later, Daphne awakened, intercepting the Night Fey''s dagger and killing it with a single blow.


    Van turned his attention away from them. He immediately began freeing his sect mates from the monsters that held them in thrall. One by one, they regained their senses. They were horrified to know that they had been so easily convinced by the demon''s illusion. Of course, not all of them needed Van''s help. About fifty percent freed themselves from the illusion without any interference, the rest were freed by Van. Fortunately, Van was able to get to everyone in time. This was mostly due to the fact that he had been able to get rid of the Night Fey attacking him so quickly.


    Luckily, the biggest hurdle in the fourth round was simply the Night Fey''s illusion skill. The Night Fey themselves were in the 4th rank, and while they possessed this powerful skill, they were physically weak and so it was not difficult to kill them.


    Saying that, the Night Fey''s illusion ability had greatly damaged the morale of the participants. It seemed that nearly every battalion had a great deal of members - save for the Cedar Sect. The Zephyr Sect was also doing better than average due to Cordelia and Daphne snapping out of their trance relatively quickly.


    Two hours later, the round came to an end.


    "The fourth round has ended. The fifth wave will begin in six hours," the ghostly voice announced.


    Van watched the Night Fey retreat with a look of distaste on his face. He had not allowed a second Night Fey to capture him within an illusion after that first one ¨C he had learnt his lesson!


    Samuel plopped down onto the ground next to Van''s feet, sighing.


    "God! I saw the scariest illusion today, my uncle barged into my house and started lecturing me about not eating my carrots ¨C ugh!"


    _____


    [6 hours later.]


    Van''s open meridians were sucking in the thin spiritual power in the air to refill his spirtual reserves. After the last wave, he had dropped to about 80% of his full power.


    In stark contrast, most 5th rankers had about 10% of their energy remaining while the 6th rankers were doing better at 30% of their full power. The other 7th rankers were averaging around 50% of their power left. The six-hour break was greatly needed for them to recover their spiritual power.


    If anyone knew that he had only spent 20% of his full power to defeat endless waves of the tricky Night Fey, who were all in the 4th rank, they would have spat blood. What a monster!


    Why was there such a large difference?


    Naturally it was because Van''s spiritual reserves were the largest out of all the disciples present in the battlefield. Not only had he unlocked the legendary 99th meridian, which allowed him to accumulate spiritual power at an insane rate when activated, his absorption of the Tri-Divine Blood Flame had expanded his capacity once more. While the quality of his spiritual power was a level better than an ordinary 7th ranker, the size of his spiritual wells rivalled a 9th ranker!


    If the size of his spiritual reserves were to get out, countless people would praise him as a one-in-one-thousand-year heavenly genius.


    But Van was happy to lie low. The best thing for him was to be underestimated by his enemies.


    While Van meditated for six hours like everyone else, he had actually recovered 100% of his power in the first hour. For two hours after that, Van replayed his movements in the battlefield to gain a deeper understanding of his martial techniques. The final three hours Van spent building up his cultivation with more spirtual power. While he only gained 0.5% of the spiritiual power needed to advance to the 8th level, it was still time well-spent.  Van concentrated on the tranquility he felt while cultivating to shut out any unnecessary thoughts.


    HUMMMMMMM


    The giant crystal ''lamp'' in the sky vibrated suddenly.


    Then it plummeted downwards!


    Van looked up, alarm crossing his face.


    It seemed that the fifth monster wave was going to be quite different!

 109 The Fifth Wave

    HUMMMMMM


    Without warning, the giant glowing crystal started to descend from the darkness above. It threw dazzling light around the dark battlefield as it descending slowly downwards, eventually hitting the ground with a resounding thud.


    Everyone stared at it quizzically.


    The crystal embedded in the ground was far larger than it had seemed up in the air ¨C about twenty people would need to link hands to surround it once. The translucent white walls pulsed gently with light.


    The light and warmth it gave off were two things that were incredibly inviting to all the monsters in the mausoleum.


    The crowd buzzed.


    "What does this mean?"


    "Wasn''t the crystal up in the sky because it was some sort of a lure for the monsters?"


    "That means it is bad that it came down, now, right?"


    "Yeah ¨C the reason we came here in the first case is because the light from the crystal seems to repel the black fog somewhat. If the crystal gets attacked by monsters and gets destroyed, our line of sight will shrink from 1000 meters back to 200 meters. We will be seriously screwed!"


    The crowd''s anxiety spiked.


    "What do we do?"


    The repelling effect of the crystal allowed the disciples a large space to coordinate fighting as a group. If their vision was restricted to only 200 meters, they would lose the protection of the wider group of participants. Weaker battalions would be picked off by the monster waves easily!


    Meanwhile, Van was staring at the crystal with a scheming look in his eyes. He didn''t know exactly what it did apart from make light and lure monsters, but he still wanted a piece. His poor villager mentality arose once more ¨C letting a treasure go was akin to pulling teeth.


    If only it weren''t so big, he might have tried to lug it away!


    [I could give a nice polished piece to Finn. She can use it as a bedside night-light when she comes to live with me!]


    Van''s fingers itched. He wondered if his axe would be able to chip a piece off.


    A familiar voice suddenly spoke up.


    "Congratulations on reaching the fifth wave. This is the first checkpoint of the Monster Mausoleum and as such the difficulty is higher by a level."


    The voice paused, but to Van''s surprise continued:


    "Humanity has survived til this day by standing together in times of darkness. It is Our desire to see this admirable tenacity once more. The first wave will arrive in fifteen minutes. Do not disappoint Us."


    With that cryptic message, the ghostly voice faded away. It was the longest it had ever addressed the participants.


    Van mulled over its words. The clearest meaning that he had cleaned was that it wished for them to ''stand together in times of darkness.''


    Van inspected the light-giving crystal with his eyes once more before understanding dawned.


    [The goal of this round is to protect the crystal! Not only that, the voice is implying that ''humanity'' or all of us regardless from what sect we are from, must cooperate to do so. Without the crystal, we will really descend into ''darkness.'']


    Van cleared his throat and stepped forwards.


    Heads swiveled his way.


    "The voice is telling us that the only way to pass this round is for all of us to cooperate and protect the crystal. We are the ''humanity'' that must ''stand together'' to protect the light and prevent darkness from falling.''"


    When Van finished talking, he saw nods of agreement from the listeners. They felt that he had really hit the important points of what the voice had been saying.


    "You are saying that the Mausoleum wants us to fight alongside each other? I''d rather fight alongside a donkey than fight with you!" a high-pitched peal of laughter rang through the air. A young dark-haired girl with a contemptuous look on her face emerged from the crowd.


    [A donkey, huh?]


    Van''s face twitched with a not-quite-there smile, "Cordelia," He said softly.


    Cordelia''s eyes flashed.


    "If we cooperate, then I am to be the leader of this coalition!" She snapped.


    Daphne flicked her eyes over to the side, "We will be the leaders of the coalition, you mean, sister."


    Cordelia was unperturbed. She waved her hands, "Of course!"


    Van was smiling serenely.


    Cordelia had expected him to fly into a rage, but his serene smiling face pissed her off even more than if he had.


    "Well? Say something!" She pushed. Her face was serious.


    Van shook his head.


    "No," he said while picking his ears.


    No!?


    Cordelia felt so angry she might puke.


    "You don''t think the person with the highest cultivation here should lead the defense of the crystal in this round?"


    She spread her arms out, addressing the crowd. Obviously, she was referring to herself as ''the person with the highest cultivation'' on the battlefield.


    Van just smirked.


    "Highest cultivation doesn''t mean highest skill."


    Cordelia laughed coldly, "You think you have the highest skill here?"


    Suddenly her aura surged outwards. An invisible wind whipped the robes of the gathered participants, pressuring them with the weight of her rank of the 7th level of Qi Distillation and her incredible innate skill with the wind element. The disciples in the lower ranks turned pale as her power threatened to cause internal injuries.


    At the center of this wind blast, Cordelia and Daphne stood with matching cold faces.


    The pale-faced disciples who looked at them with reverence in their eyes. That aura was too powerful! If Cordelia was that strong, her twin would be at least on par with her. The Zephyr Sect had too much firepower in this battlefield!


    Despite the admiration in some of their eyes, Cordelia was unsatisfied.


    Why?


    Because in the outer edges of the cleared zone, Van was standing there serenely, completely unruffled by her aura! It had to be known that the previous top outer disciple of her sect had pissed their pants when she unleashed her full aura.


    Cordelia grit her teeth.


    Ever since she had established herself as the top dog in the Zephyr Sect''s outer court, she and her sister had been praised up and down by their tutors and their Aunt. They were idolized by all the disciples in their generation. Van was the first person their age with similar cultivation, who dared to talk back to them and not give them any face!


    While Van appeared calm, his eyes were more serious than before.


    [Her strength is indeed abnormal for the 7th rank. On her own, she is already powerful, but she has a twin sister too. This could become a big problem if her twin is anywhere near her level.]


    Van stared at Cordelia with calculations running through his mind.


    [If I have to fight them together¡­ I might lose!]


    The gathered participants looked at each other to gauge the situation. Eventually, they agreed - It seemed that the best idea was to go along with Cordelia and Daphne as the leaders of the defense fifth monster wave! They had a simple line of reasoning: Two 7th rankers were definitely better than just one!


    Van did not say anything but the glint in his eyes said it all: he was not satisfied with this result.


    The more cautious and detailed-oriented participants who inspected the Cedar Sect''s battalions and the Zephyr Sect''s battalions at that moment were astonished.


    There had yet to be a single loss for the Cedar Sect!?


    The person who counted the disciple numbers rubbed their eyes and counted again. However, they received the same result ¨C all fifty disciples, which were made of five battalions of ten - were still present. In contrast, the Zephyr Sect had 35 disciples remaining in their five battalions.


    They immediately felt consternation. The twins of the Zephyr Sect might be powerful¡­ but this red-haired youth had yet to let a single Cedar Sect member be eliminated!


    These people were conflicted yet they did not act in fear of offending the twins,'' who seemed like they would abuse the ones who did not agree with them.


    Fifteen minutes passed. During this time, the battalions of the various groups arranged themselves to surround the large glowing crystal. Cordelia and Daphne were stationed on one side of the crystal, with Van and the Cedar Sect covering the other half of the crystal.


    Neither party really wanted to interact with each other more than necessary. However, Cordelia and Daphne were still ''in charge'' of all the battalions.


    Next to him, Johnathon tensed.


    "They''re coming!" he said urgently.


    Van nodded, trusting Johnathon''s extremely sensitive hearing.


    Sure enough, a few tens of seconds later, sleek dark shadows bounded into the open space.


    With yellow eyes and gleaming sharp canines, these panther-looking demon beasts were in the 5th rank. If they were able to coordinate an attack then a group of them would easily take down a participant in the 6th rank. It was lucky that these demon beasts did not seem inclined to make combined attacks.


    The battlefield quickly started to get noisy as the disciples battled against enemies that were in the same rank as them for the first time.


    SCREEEECH!


    Van looked up and saw an enormous silver bird with a giant wingspan gliding through the sky. When it screeched, the soundwaves that travelled through the air sent vibrations that rattled your ribcage.


    With curved metal talons and beak, the Silver Cutter Eagle was an intimidating 7th rank beast.


    Van looked up at the giant silver bird with greed in his eyes.


    [Free points!]


    However, the Silver Cutter Eagle did not pay Van any attention.


    Screams echoed through the battlefield as the Silver Cutter Eagle swooped in and eliminated disciples as if it were picking out tasty worms from the soil. While the panther demon beasts focused mobbing battalions, the Silver Cutter Eagle simply chose a disciple to eliminate before swooping in.


    Weng! Weng! Weng!


    "Another one bites the dust," Van said, chuckling to himself.


    He threw a smirk at the twins in the distance.


    "Participants are being eliminated because of your inattention - what will you do!?"

 110 Single-Handed

    Screams echoed through the battlefield as the Silver Cutter Eagle swooped in and pulled disciples from their battalions like picking out tasty worms from the soil.


    Weng! Weng! Weng!


    Bright flashes of light went off as participants were teleported out of the battlefield just as they were being ripped to shreds by the demon beast''s vicious claws. One Boulder Sect disciple who was actually in the peak of the 6th rank was eliminated simply because he didn''t even see the Silver Cutter Eagle diving down from above his head.


    Tsk, Van mouthed, shaking his head. He threw a smirk at the twins in the distance.


    "Participants are being eliminated because of your inattention ¨C what will you do?"


    Cordelia and Daphne had leapt ahead and targeting the stronger monsters in the incoming waves, thinking little of holding the defensive position around the glowing crystal in their desire to get ahead. Sharp wind blades flew through the air and killed a 7th rank Thorned Viper hiding amongst the crowd of 5th rank panther-like demon beasts. They used their wind powers arrogantly and flamboyantly against it ¨C as if to show off their skill and strength to the viewers outside in the coliseum.


    Van narrowed his eyes.


    [The twins are focusing on the 7th ranked Thorned Viper right in front of them, but neglecting the Silver Cutter Eagle.]


    Van looked upwards at the giant Silver Cutter Eagle, which was circling up in the sky like a shark in blooded water.


    [They probably want to take care of it later, as it seems content with picking off weak disciples¡­However, it has an incredible advantage if it wants to attack the crystal!]


    Van flicked his eyes around the battlefield and then monitored the Silver Cutter Eagle''s path through the sky.


    [!]


    Van knew that his guess had been right.


    The Silver Cutter Eagle was flying in smaller and smaller concentric circles, trying to get everyone''s guards down before making a dive for the giant crystal!


    He saw the Silver Cutter Eagle''s wings fold inwards.


    Van didn''t hesitate.


    HUT!


    His body glowed bright copper and black ray of light suddenly shot out from the crowd. It any body was looking closely they would have realised that the black light was actually an obsidian axe!


    CLANG!


    The axe impacted with the Silver Cutter Eagle''s beak and sent it hurtling sideways away from the crystal. The Silver Cutter Eagle was shocked silly by the immense force. It flapped its wings frantically to regain a stable position in the air.


    After shaking its head side to side to clear the dizziness, it screeched loudly in anger.


    Teng!


    Van appeared next to his fallen axe and picked it up.


    Seeing this, the Silver Cutter Eagle''s eyes went red with rage.


    [So, it was you who foiled my plan!] Its vicious red eyes seemed to say.


    Teng! Teng!


    Van suddenly felt two powerful auras bracket him on either side. Cordelia appeared at his right; her sharp black eyes narrowed in anger as she perceived Van to be acting out of his turn. After all, she and her sisters were voted to be the leaders of this round ¨C naturally this duty came with the perks of first dibs on the highest ranked and highest point kills!


    "Hands off, this one is ours!" She said.


    Van laughed.


    The ridicule in his voice was transmitted clearly through the air.


    Cordelia''s face turned ugly.


    Van turned one eye onto Cordelia, "Scuh good leadership skills. You didn''t even notice it was attacking the crystal until I prevented it, single-handedly. Piss off!"


    He sneered.


    Like hell he was going to give away a juicy free point ticket like this one!


    Once more a sharp black light shot out of the crowd and impacted the Silver Cutter Eagle.


    CLANG!


    This time, the obsidian axe greatly damaged one of its wings. The Silver Cutter Eagle''s left wing fell limply by its side. It flapped furiously with the remaining wing, struggling to maintain its position in the sky.


    Van disappeared.


    "You-!" Cordelia swallowed the rest of her words. Her sharp eyes narrowed and she nodded at her twin sister.


    They had the advantage in this battle as their affinity for wind gave them better aerial mobility than most at this cultivation level. It was not until one reached the Sea Establishment realm that they could experience what was known as ''True Flight.''


    Two blue-robed figures shot into the sky.


    However, at that moment ¨C


    ROAARRR!


    The loud thundering noise of rushing water appeared as a dark twister of moving water suddenly surrounded the struggling Silver Cutter Eagle. With a despairing shriek, the Silver Cutter Eagle was consumed by the twister.


    The icy spiritual power that emanated off this mighty twister was chilling and numbing. The twins were still over ten metres away but felt their muscles seize from the coldness.


    Cordelia''s expression changed as she inspected the wall of icy water.


    [Just by looking at the manifestation of the move you can tell that the person behind it is highly skilled. The quality of the qi is superb, and they have an almost perfect comprehension of the skill if they have been able to incorporate secondary effects such as the slowing and numbing effect to such a high level. Who did this!?]


    Cordelia and Daphne''s eyes hardened.


    [Is there another hidden 7th rank in this battlefield?]


    Just as they readied themselves to break the move in front of them - a loud screech echoed mournfully through the air.


    The twisting walls of water dropped away and the giant form of the Silver Cutter Eagle plummeted to the ground. Its body was slightly blue and had clearly been severely lacerated by the vicious qi in the water tornado. A red-haired figure closed their palm and the last of the icy qi disappeared.


    "You!"


    Cordelia, for the first time since the Mausoleum opened was shaken to her core.


    Impossible! This boy actually had this level of skill? Wasn''t he meant to be nothing more than a lowly body cultivator with small skill in ancient languages? It turns out he had been hiding his true skills this whole time.


    Daphne bit her lip. Her pride in her exceptional observation skills took a hit. How had they underestimated him so much?


    ______


    "A-Amazing!"


    The few people in the crowd who were watching the Cedar Sect''s progress in the second battlefield gasped excitedly. Ever since the surprise of the first round ¨C where it was revealed that the Cedar Sect had unexpectedly managed to score the highest points in not just one, but three separate battlefields ¨C they had kept an eye on the interesting disciples they saw in the Cedar Sect.


    While the results of the ensuing rounds varied, with the Star-Cutting Sword Sect overcoming the Cedar Sect in two of the battlefields, upon the commencement of the 4th round this changed again! Two battlefields were dominated by the Cedar Sect once more.


    The crowd was gagging to see what comes next. Would the Cedar Sect be able to overthrow the Star-Cutting Sword Sect?


    Then the fifth wave happened - and this show of skill took them by surprise!


    "I saw that kid using a few spiritual attacks earlier but since he seemed to prefer using his body cultivation and movement skill, I just assumed that his talent in the spiritual arts were rubbish. Who knew that he was actually a talented martial genius who has reached the Perfection Realm of a Middle-Ranked Martial Art!"


    The growing number of people interested in the Cedar Sect''s progress against the Zephyr Sect in the second battlefield increased steadily as this fervent discussion reached more ears.


    "That''s right. Reaching the perfection realm of any martial art is like catching a qilin to make it into your pet. It takes immense mental fortitude, resilience, hard work and most importantly martial talent!"


    "Keep in mind that the highest rank that outer disciples have access to are Middle-Ranked Arts, or extremely degraded High-Ranked Arts. What would he be able to achieve if he was an Inner Disciple and could access High-Ranked and Pinnacle-Ranked arts?"


    "Heh. The Cedar Sect has pulled out three interesting disciples this time but they are still rookies. The geniuses from the other sects have already established themselves and gained the support of the sect''s resources for a long time. They definitely won''t lose out!"


    Multiple people agreed fervently.


    "Yeah, this kid seems pretty talented and has a good grasp of battle but he is still a green horn. For example, butting heads with the twins from the Zephyr Sect so early on in the Mausoleum!"


    "But did you see the looks on their faces when he stole the Silver Cutter Eagle''s points from right under their noses? The kid has a sense of humour!"


    "Mm. He''s interesting enough to keep watching but I still prefer the silver-haired kid who''s in the same battlefield as Tetsuya. In the fourth round he looked each Night Fey directly in the eyes and killed them a millisecond later with barely a twitch of an eye. His haughty and cold personality is quite attractive too, hehe," A middle-aged lady joined in.


    They continued to watch the scene playing out in front of them with greedy eyes.

 111 The Power of the Crystal

    The icy spiritual power that emanated off this mighty twister was chilling and numbing. The twins were still over ten metres away but felt their muscles seize from the coldness.


    Cordelia''s expression changed as she inspected the wall of icy water.


    [Just by looking at the manifestation of the move you can tell that the person behind it is highly skilled. The quality of the qi is superb, and they have an almost perfect comprehension of the skill if they have been able to incorporate secondary effects such as the slowing and numbing effect to such a high level. Who did this!?]


    Cordelia and Daphne''s eyes hardened.


    [Is there another hidden 7th rank in this battlefield?]


    As Van closed his palm, the last of the icy qi disappeared and the Silver Cutter Eagle''s corpse plummeted downwards. It disintegrated into motes of light before it could hit the ground.


    "You!?"


    Cordelia, for the first time since the Mausoleum opened was shaken to her core.


    Impossible! This boy actually had this level of skill?


    Daphne bit her lip. Her pride in her exceptional observation skills took a hit. How had they underestimated him so much?


    Loud cheering erupted from the battlefield below. The participants elated to see the Silver Cutter Eagle defeated before it could attack the light-emitting crystal. The Cedar Sect battalions cheered the loudest.


    Van smirked and threw a challenging gaze at the two twins from the Zephyr Sect, who were gazing at him with stunned and unwilling-to-believe expressions on their face.


    "Cat got your tongue?" Van teased.


    Cordelia''s expression turned ugly. If her eyes could shoot daggers then Van would have been pierced through all his organs right now.


    Van tsked and then smiled broadly.


    "Seems that the so-called ''leadership'' ability of the person with the highest cultivation here is just this much!"


    Van said this sentence loudly and deliberately, broadcasting the statement to the people fighting below. While they were concentrating on fighting the hordes of beasts coming towards them, these words still incited the emotions of the people who were fighting with one ear listening. They felt it was somewhat hilarious and true, after all, Cordelia had claimed the leadership position so confidently and yet showed herself to be extremely short-sighted. If Van hadn''t intervened just then then the crystal would have been attacked!


    A hidden smile lifted the edges of Daphne''s lips. Deep down she felt it was refreshing for her sister to be ridiculed like this. Daphne often felt that Cordelia treated her like another lackey rather than an equal, and lorded it about the place just because her cultivation was slightly better. However, Daphne''s lapse in composure was so brief it was almost undetected.


    Listening to Van''s words, Cordelia felt her blood pressure rise to the sky. Her face turned the colour of puce and she nearly spat blood. She remembered how she had said that the person with the highest cultivation should lead the defence of the crystal in this round.


    [Isn''t he just throwing my words back at me and giving me a big slap on the face?!]


    "How dare you!?" Cordelia was so angered that she briefly lost control of her composure. She swiped her palm through the air and a giant blade of wind swept towards the red-haired youth.


    Van''s expression changed.


    [Is she crazy!?]


    He had said the words to purposely enrage her and embarrass her but he didn''t expect her to actually attack him. But when he thought about it for a moment longer it made sense; he had been pushing her buttons since the first few rounds after all, and her high pride as a top genius caused her to be unable to tolerate a single grain of sand in her eye.


    [Scattering Smoke Steps!]


    Van disappeared just as the blade of wind passed through the spot he had been standing in.


    "Sister!" Daphne chastised, shocked by her twin''s actions. She was worried about the repercussions this would have on their Zephyr Sect''s image.


    "Shut up!" Cordelia hissed. She waved her hand and another giant blade of vicious wind qi swept towards the red-haired youth. She completely ignored her sister''s words.


    Daphne paled.


    Van saw the interaction between the sisters and calculations filled his heart. It seemed that the twins'' relationship had some cracks¡­


    The wind blade swept passed him and Van dodged nimbly. As he did, his gaze landed near the giant crystal.


    There was a small shadow on the ground. At first, Van thought it was just an irregularity but then the black shadow shifted.


    Alarm bells went off in Van''s head.


    As he looked closer, he realised that the small black shadow was actually a 7th ranked Midnight Oil Scorpion! It raced towards the giant crystal. Because of its small size and slippery movements, it had actually evaded the detection of the participants in the battlefield.


    Van''s instinct was to race towards it and prevent it from reaching the crystal but then a thought raced through his mind.


    [Jet!]


    The black ring was actually still awake this time, having been observing the battlefield with its mental energy. Unlike a cultivator, the mental energy of the ring was almost undetectable and the amount of power it used incredibly small. Unfortunately, the store of energy the ring contained after all this time was still low and so it could not use its mental energy for long. When Jet was awake, Van basically had a 360-degree surveillance system. Albeit a crabby one that liked to throw around sarcastic remarks.


    [The crystal - can it withstand a blow from the 7th ranked demon beast?]


    The black ring inspected the crystal critically.


    [It was designed to withstand five blows before breaking. However, the most important thing is not this. By striking the crystal, a demon beast can instantly increase its rank by one.]


    Van was shocked.


    The crystal could actually increase a demon beast''s rank! It didn''t sound so bad if a 3rd ranked beast levelled up into a 4th rank beast, but the difference between an 8th ranked beast and a 9th ranked beast was the difference between Heaven and Earth! Van realised that protecting the crystal was much more important than just sustaining a source of light.


    Jet continued, [The light emitted by the crystal is actually just a side-effect of the high amount of spiritual energy contained within it. That is also what the demon beasts are attracted to.]


    Van''s eyes darted between the Midnight Oil Scorpion and the crystal.


    He turned around and faced the twins, his body angled in such a way that the small form of the Midnight Oil Scorpion was concealed.


    In front of him, Cordelia was still furiously slinging wind blades. As before, they were unable to hit the red-haired youth.


    Van smirked, "You missed again."


    A vein pulsed on Cordelia''s forehead. She laughed coldly and gathered the energy in her palm.


    [Let''s see how much longer he can keep smiling for!]


    However, at that moment -


    WENG!


    A loud ringing noise echoed through the battlefield.


    Van knew in his heart that the 7th ranked demon beast had reached the giant crystal. He turned around and staggered back as if extremely shocked and surprised by what he saw.


    Cordelia and Daphne finally noticed the 7th ranked Midnight Oil Scorpion and paled. A fine hairline crack had formed on the surface of the crystal and a bright beam of light shot out of the crystal and landed on a small shadow on the ground.


    As the beam of light hit it, the Midnight Oil Scorpion visibly swelled. Its glossy black exoskeleton became laced with red and it went from the size of a mouse to the size of a small pony. Its aura grew denser and suddenly shot to the skies.


    It was the aura of an 8th rank demon beast!


    The Midnight Oil Scorpion lifted its barbed tail and screeched loudly. The tails stabbed forwards with the speed of light and instantly eliminated a disciple.


    The crowd was shocked ¨C how did a 7th rank monster suddenly become an 8th rank monster? They were filled with shock and unhappiness, after all, an 8th rank demon beast was no joke and somehow it had slipped past all of them, including Cordelia and Daphne.


    The gazes they shot to the twins were full of unhappiness.


    Gritting her teeth, Cordelia shot Van a poisonous glance before going to deal with the 8th rank Midnight Oil Scorpion. Daphne followed.


    Van smiled.


    [Do you think I''m letting you two get all the points?]


    Van rotated Scattering Smoke Steps and appeared behind the 8th rank beast just at the same time the twins did. They immediately launched the offensive. Wind qi whipped through the air and sliced the air around the Midnight Oil Scorpion.


    Enraged, the demon beast stabbed its tail forwards with flickering movements. Afterimages of its tail appeared in the air. The twins were kept on their toes as they dodged the lightning-fast attacks from the Scorpion. As they fought, the twins realised that the 8th rank Midnight Oil Scorpion''s shell was particularly resistant to spiritual power.


    Van looked at the glossy exoskeleton and licked his lips.

 112 Too Good!

    [Do you think I''m letting you two get all the points?]


    Van rotated Scattering Smoke Steps and appeared behind the 8th rank beast just at the same time the twins did. They immediately launched the offensive. Wind qi whipped through the air and sliced the air around the Midnight Oil Scorpion.


    Enraged, the demon beast stabbed its tail forwards with flickering movements. Afterimages of its tail appeared in the air. The twins were kept on their toes as they dodged the lightning-fast attacks from the Scorpion. As they fought, the twins realised that the 8th rank Midnight Oil Scorpion''s shell was particularly resistant to spiritual power.


    Van looked at the glossy exoskeleton and licked his lips. His red hair floated behind his back as he burst forwards.


    Red and blue lights rotated in his palm.


    Then he clenched his hand!


    [Thermocycling Fist!]


    A hair-raising screech split the air as a massive crack formed in the exoskeleton of the Midnight Oil Scorpion.


    Cordelia clenched her teeth. She hated that she couldn''t just kill him and eliminate him from the competition right this second. He was like an annoying fly that wouldn''t stop buzzing around and ruining her mood. Worst of all, he kept stealing her thunder and making her look bad.


    Daphne was looking at Van with complex eyes.


    [How is he able to damage it so easily when me and Cordelia combined are struggling to make a dent?]


    In fact, the reason that the twins seemed to do so little damage compared to Van was due to the characteristics of the Midnight Oil Scorpion. Like the Brown King Ant in Threadspinner Town, it possessed an exoskeleton that was resistant against both spiritual and physical attacks. Adding the fact that it was in the 8th rank, any 7th rank cultivator would struggle against the Midnight Oil Scorpion.


    However, Van was not ''any'' 7th rank cultivator. He had a move that was the absolute bane of any hard-shelled demon beast - Thermocycling Fist! This self-made fist used the opposites of extreme cold and extreme heat to crack the impenetrable exoskeleton of these types of demon beasts.


    With this one fist, Van grasped the weakness of the Midnight Oil Scorpion!


    One might be tempted to scoff and say Van was ''just lucky'' to have a skill that countered the strength of this 8th ranked Midnight Oil Scorpion.


    However, do you think Van would have allowed the demon beast to attack the giant crystal if he hadn''t calculated it all clearly in his heart?


    Of course not!


    Van pressed his advantage. Copper light emanated from his body as he used his fists to pummel the crack.


    The 8th rank beast immediately turned its attention to Van. The agile and fearsome tail flickered through the air.


    Van immediately disappeared and the tail was unable to pierce him. He reappeared several metres back.


    The 8th rank beast stared at him menacingly.


    Cordelia saw that the scorpion was now using its tail to protect the crack in its exoskeleton and frowned. She and her sister specialised in long-range spiritual attacks. However, they had already seen that their spiritual attacks were somewhat weakened by the resistant shell of the demon beast. The problem was that close combat was not their forte. If they got in close to target the crack in the Scorpion''s shell, they would definitely suffer losses. Their only option was to just keep slinging powerful attacks at the demon beast in hopes of breaking through its defences.


    While the twins hesitated, Van dashed in again.


    The enraged scorpion suddenly stabbed its pincers into the ground. The earth trembled and then giant boulders shot out of the ground and shot towards Van.


    Van lightly floated up. His image flickered as he stepped through the air as if he were made of hazy smoke. The boulders were easily evaded.


    A heavy and forbidding axe suddenly appeared in Van''s hand.


    The black scorpion screeched. The glinting tip of its tail was like a snake that coiled and whipped around in the air. It jabbed forth!


    [Heavy Axe Art!]


    A heavy and immense aura suddenly flooded the battlefield as Van gathered the power into his axe. In his mind, the silently rotating black sun appeared once more.


    Shk!


    A shiny segmented object fell to the ground.


    The Midnight Oil Scorpion screeched in agonised pain.


    Its venomous barbed tail disarmed, Van nimbly avoided its pincers and attacked its broken exoskeleton.


    Cordelia and Daphne realised at this moment that Van was about to steal the points for the 8th ranked beast right in front of their eyes. Angered, Cordelia pointed a slender finger towards Van''s unprotected back.


    "Wind Bullet!"


    Jet warned Van and the red-haired youth was able to activate his body cultivation just milliseconds before the air bullet hit his back.


    A trace of red appeared at the corner of Van''s lips.


    [Even more vicious than I expected!] Van thought.


    In the next second, Van''s obsidian axe slipped between the crack in the Midnight Oil Scorpion''s exoskeleton and tore through its soft insides. Screeching, it toppled over.


    Van wiped his slimy axe on the ground before turning his head to the twins.  He pinned Cordelia with a baleful eye.


    "Very good!"


    His words were filled with sarcasm.


    "The conduct of the top disciple of the Zephyr Sect is really exemplary and should be admired!"


    ______


    In the large coliseum, a large segment of people interested in the twin phoenixes from the Zephyr Sect were watching the scene with ugly expressions. In contrast, those who were interested in the Cedar Sect''s performance were grinning.


    An audience member who was an expert at lip-reading was interpreting Van''s every word.


    "The conduct of the top disciple of the Zephyr Sect is really exemplary and should be admired!"


    Even with the audience member dutifully interpreting the words without any intonation, the audience members could feel the sarcasm dripping in every word.


    "First you were blind to the intentions of the Silver Cutter Eagle, then because you were busy attacking me for dealing with the Silver Cutter Eagle, you did not see the Midnight Oil Scorpion making a move on the crystal."


    The audience tittered. Indeed, it had happened like this!


    The lip-reading expert continued.


    "Finally, when I tried to protect the crystal by quickly dealing with the scorpion, you dare to launch a sneak attack. Did you forget that the reason the beast was able rise from the 7th rank to 8th rank was because of you? Indeed, the Zephyr Sect''s conduct is very good!"


    Muffled laughter filled the stands.


    Indeed, the Zephyr Sect''s conduct was too good!


    The audience members weren''t stupid ¨C they could see that the red-haired youth had been taunting the Zephyr Sect''s twins from the beginning, however those two ''twin phoenixes'' really put on a good show and humiliated their sects'' name!


    Tsk, tsk. They were still too green!


    In the higher stands, Madam Sophia''s face was frozen into a stiff smile. If one looked closely, her skin appeared just a touch green.


    [How dare he!]


    She widened her eyes and glared at the red-haired youth shown in the mirage above; the venom within was enough to poison an entire city.


    ______


    Elder Malkovich had just uneasily got used to the silence of the hooded man beside him when a low chuckle emanated from the person''s mouth.


    Sighing, Malkovich followed his gaze and was unsurprised that it was the second battlefield once more. The hooded man spoke for the first time in six hours.


    "He knew it was there¡­Cunning boy."


    Elder Malkovich detected a pleased undertone to the hooded man''s words but had no idea what he was talking about because his attention had been purely focused on the first battlefield.


    The Star-Cutting Sword Sect''s Elder looked back at the first battlefield with a crinkle between his brows. He couldn''t help but touch his goatee in concern.


    Why was the gap getting smaller¡­?


    ______


    Van looked coldly at the twins. He felt the stinging pain in his kidney and was reminded of the viciousness of the twins before him. He was afraid that now they had lost their sect''s face, they wouldn''t hesitate to act even more deplorably to get the top prize.


    However, Van was no soft persimmon.


    "I will be taking charge from now on," Van said loudly, "If there is anyone here not from the Zephyr Sect who opposes this then speak now!"


    The battling figures below were already unhappy with the Zephyr Sect''s twins when they had neglected the Silver Cutter Eagle and now this matter of the Midnight Oil Scorpion had cemented their dissatisfaction. They were afraid that ¨C since the twins gave no thought to the defence of the crystal and only pursued points for themselves ¨C that the crystal would fall sooner or later and they would all lose out.


    No one spoke up.


    Cordelia and Daphne looked at him with angry gazes but they felt that their mouths were stuffed with cotton; they could not refute his words.

 113 Netherworld Gate

    "I will be taking charge from now on," Van said loudly, "If there is anyone here not from the Zephyr Sect who opposes this then speak now!"


    The battling figures below were already unhappy with the Zephyr Sect''s twins when they had neglected the Silver Cutter Eagle and now this matter of the Midnight Oil Scorpion had cemented their dissatisfaction. They were afraid that ¨C since the twins gave no thought to the defence of the crystal and only pursued points for themselves ¨C that the crystal would fall sooner or later and they would all lose out.


    No one spoke up.


    Cordelia and Daphne looked at him with angry gazes but they felt that their mouths were stuffed with cotton; they could not refute his words.


    Van did not pay them any more attention. He gathered his battalions and gave them firm instructions. They assembled neatly around the crystal.


    From then on, the flow of the battlefield was completely controlled by Van.


    Cordelia and Daphne were not stupid enough to incite further hatred from the other sects so they settled down.


    A strange equilibrium fell over the battlefield.


    Now that Van had unleashed his second-most powerful move within his Dark Seals Palm manual, he was not afraid to show off his power. The beast horde was an opportunity for him to ignite his potential while earning points for the sect at the same time, after all.


    Cordelia, Daphne and the disciples from the Star-Cutting Sword Sect and Boulder sect who were in the 7th rank could easily wipe out large swathes of enemies but there were just too many beasts in the 5th monster wave. If they were all just in the 5th rank like the panthers they might have been okay, but every time a 7th ranked beast appeared their focus was consumed by it. This caused large gaps to form in the defensive ring around the giant crystal.


    [Tide Swallows the Earth!]


    A dark tidal wave swept over the battlefield and immediately killed about a dozen 5th rank beasts with one shot. The most shocking part was that each was slightly blue ¨C as if frozen ¨C and covered with lacerations.


    With Van at the helm, the rest of the fifth wave passed by in a far quieter fashion. No beast reached the crystal a second time. Not only that, Van was far more magnanimous and attentive than Cordelia and Daphne were in terms of the other sects in the battlefield. When a particular area of the formation around the crystal was struggling, Van would send use ''Tide Swallows the Earth'' to clear several monsters as once. For Van, this was one stone killing two birds. Not only was he able to rack up the points, he also was able to protect the integrity of the formation.


    The participants who were bloodied and exhausted from struggling against endless waves of demon beasts felt gratitude in their hearts as the last thing they wanted to do was be eliminated. Who didn''t know that the points earned in later rounds were double or triple those earned in the first five waves?


    Jaded participants recognized Van''s actions as those looking out for the reputation of the Cedar Sect above all, but in their hearts, they felt this was already better than the Zephyr twins who did not know how to coordinate a battlefield. The knowledge and experience Van gained leading a small troop of people in the Ice Caves really started to shine through. After learning from Van for five rounds now, the Cedar Sect''s battalions were calmer and obeyed orders obediently and efficiently. Those from other sects saw this and could only sigh in their hearts that good leadership really made a difference.


    ______


    Outside of the battlefield, the audience was praising the performance of this unknown youth from the Cedar Sect. He did not have Wang Hao''s indomitable sword spirit or Yun Hai''s sophisticated power, nor did he have Tetsuya''s unpredictability or the straightforward firepower of the Zephyr Twins. However, on the virtue of his leadership ability and foresight alone one could see that this young man was worth nurturing. After all, firepower alone is not enough to continue the legacy of a Sect.


    Elder J''s lips were pursed as he looked at this red-haired youth but his eyes held a glimmer of appreciation. Earlier, when those two twin''s words were stuffed back into their faces - he nearly leapt up and danced a little jig. Elder J remembered Madam Sophia''s barely hidden disdain for the Cedar Sect and how she had brought out those two little girls to show off to him - and felt even happier with Van''s actions. Kekeke, this kid''s schemes were precisely his taste! After all, those who benefit from the sect''s resources should naturally uphold and defend their sect''s honor.


    Tutor Lumia was not paying Elder J''s crazed cackling any attention. She was gripping the edge of her seat, staring at Wang Hao''s bloodied face with worry in her eyes. In front of the upright swordsman, a white-haired youth stood with a dark look on his face. Yun Hai leaned forwards and his lips were concealed behind the curtain of his hair. Tutor Lumia could not read his lips but she saw Wang Hao''s face drain of blood.


    "The fifth monster wave has concluded!" The announcer shouted.


    The crowd in the coliseum buzzed.


    "The fifth round is just too tough. Did you see? The fourth battlefield was almost completely wiped out because they let an 8th rank Steel Drone Wasp touch the central crystal. A 9th rank demon beast is just too fearsome!"


    "Sigh. If they all cooperated with each other they might have been able to handle the 9th rank Steel Drone Wasp¡­ but it is just too difficult to coordinate such a large battlefield when everyone is from a different sect. When the 7th rank Gloom Hydrangea attacked the crystal and ranked up, the formation topped and the fourth battlefield lost over 70% of the remaining participants. Now they have less than thirty people in the entire battlefield."


    "That''s just too little. Who''s left?"


    "The Star-Cutting Sword Sect''s Sinclair and his battalion, as well as a few from here and there."


    "That''s a good thing for the Star-Cutting Sword Sect, isn''t it? All the points from the ensuring rounds will be theirs!"


    "Indeed, it''s not bad. Starting from the 6th wave, the other battlefields will all face a big dilemma!"


    "A big dilemma?"


    "Yes. To kill, or not to kill."


    "Killing?"


    The crowd gasped. They pondered this fellow''s words and couldn''t really understand. So far, it seemed that the Mausoleum rewarded those who were able to cooperate and strategize well with others.


    "Yes. The first five waves can only be survived with many people fighting against the monster waves. After that¡­ the resources and points become more concentrated in fewer, higher-levelled monsters. The more people there are, the less resources you are able to obtain. Hence, the only solution is¡­ to kill!"


    The crowd''s anticipation hiked up a notch. They wanted to see these proud disciples face off against each other in order to gain the highest prestige in the Monster Mausoleum!


    The announcer''s voice broke the cacophony of noise in the coliseum.


    "The current point leaderboard is-!"


    "The Star-Cutting Sword Sect, the overall leader with 1003 points!"


    "In second place, the Cedar Sect with 950 points!"


    Once more, noise filled the mausoleum. The Star-Cutting Sword Sect''s result was not surprising, but the fact that the oft-ridiculed Cedar Sect was still hanging onto such a high rank was astonishing and unbelievable. Not only that ¨C the point difference was only 53!


    Those that had belittled the Cedar Sect previously could only shut their mouths obediently in the face of the facts. When the Cedar Sect had shown such a stunning result in the first round, they had accused the Cedar Sect of cheating or manipulating the results. They even credited the result to sheer dumb luck. Now they could only watch while gritting their teeth!


    Some were still not resigned ¨C especially those that had bet money against the Cedar Sect. They sat with their hands folded across their chests, just waiting for the Cedar Sect to fall back down into the mud. After all, the Cedar Sect''s points might look good now but the situation in the first and third battlefields were still unclear!


    ______


    [In the second battlefield.]


    The moment the ghostly voice announced the conclusion of the fifth wave, a faint speck of dark light appeared in the giant crystal. A moment later, the giant crystal became completely black.


    Hummmm


    The crystal vibrated and slowly began to pulse, bright then dim. The pulsing became faster and faster until at last a dark gate appeared in the middle of the battlefield. It seemed that all the spiritual power remaining in the crystal was used to open this big, obsidian gate.


    "The first five waves of the Mausoleum of Monsters have been completed. Competitors will step through the Netherworld Gate and enter the second stage, the "Underworld Labyrinth." The Underworld Labyrinth is an infinitely large space where rewards and traps are plentiful. The longer you can survive, the better your score. A monster wave will try to kill you at the end of each day. Therefore, each day you remain in the Underworld Labyrinth counts as another wave survived. As the days increase, so shall the strength of the monsters. "


    As the voice faded away, the dark crystal gate opened with a deathly creaking noise. Swirling darkness was the only thing that could be seen.


    Van looked at the Netherworld Gate. The ring in his mindscape analyzed the arrays on the gate and quickly informed Van of its purpose.


    Van turned to the Cedar Sect battalions standing behind him, "From now on, we will all be separated. Take care."

 114 Underworld Labyrinth

    Van turned to the Cedar Sect battalions standing behind him and spoke.


    "From now on, we will all be separated. It is all up to your own ability now. Take care."


    The Cedar Sect disciples showed signs of apprehension but smiled gratefully at Van, "The reason we have come so far is thanks to you, Van. We will not forget!"


    Van smiled, "No need to flatter. I naturally want our Cedar Sect to do well. You must remember what I have taught you over these last few days and keep calm in the face of danger. If you can find each other and fight together, that is the best. Do not trust those from other sects no matter how sweet their words seem. I wish you all luck."


    Van saw Samuel''s teary face and felt a sour feeling in his nose. Ai, over the last few days of fighting together it seemed this annoying little monkey had become a little brother in Van''s heart. Next to Samuel, Johnathon was staring with reddened, unblinking eyes at the air next to Van''s face as if this would prevent the tears from falling.


    Van shook his head but felt warm in his heart. If he was able to find these two guys in the Underworld Labyrinth, he would definitely do his best to protect them until the end.


    "Captain," Samuel sniffed out, "I learned a lot from you these days. I will try my best in the next waves to do you proud!"


    Johnathon, a honest and straightforward character, just stared at Van with intense eyes. His eyes expressed the same feelings that Samuel did.


    Van smiled, "I understand."


    Van felt that these two had indeed gained a lot of fighting experience under his tutelage. If they were able to find some treasures and rank up in the next days, they would be able to get a good score.


    Shuah!


    One by one, the participants in the second battlefield entered the Netherworld Gate.


    ______


    Klaus descended from the sky and found himself standing in front of a large, twisted forest full of dark auras. The spiritual energy within the forest held an evil tinge but was thick and powerful.


    A small smile lifted the corner of his lips. His eyes flashed.


    "Not bad," the prideful aristocrat murmured.


    He extended his senses and could not find any cultivators nearby. Satisfied, Klaus turned his attention back to the forbidding forest in front of him. There was definitely a powerful treasure in there, otherwise the spiritual energy would not be so strong!


    [A monster wave will try to kill me at the end of each day. However, it seems that the dangers in the Underworld Labyrinth are already abundant. It will not be good to fight the monster wave within the forest, lest I attract the attention of the beasts within. This means I can only explore for a few hours of each day.]


    The youth''s elegant silver eyebrows slightly hooked up. He gazed at the tall and twisted trees with a satisfied smile.


    [Testuya was only temporarily able to suppress me with his Art of Transient Thought. With the treasures in here, let''s see who suppresses who in the end!]


    ______


    Wang Hao fell through the air and landed in the middle of a vast desert wasteland. The howling wind tore through the dark grains of sand, bringing with it a menacing feeling.


    Wang Hao gripped his sword tightly and straightened his back. However, doing this aggravated his internal injury and he coughed violently.


    [Yun Hai!]


    Wang Hao grit his teeth when he remembered how his internal energy came about. Yun Hai had ''magnanimously'' blocked a dangerous blow from a 8th ranked Flame-Spitting Cobra while actually shooting a needle of concentrated power into Wang Hao''s side. Unprepared for such an event, and not realizing that the Star-Cutting Sword Sect had the gall to take such underhanded methods, Wang Hao could not evade the needle. He had reacted quickly and tried to force the spiritual needle out with his own spiritual power, but had still sustained a severe internal injury as the concentrated spiritual energy in the needle disrupted the flow of his own spiritual power. Yun Hai somehow knew the position of the monitoring bug in the battlefield and actually angled his body in such a way that an observer would not be able to tell any foul play had occurred.


    Coughing, Wang Hao''s grip on his long silver sword tightened.


    It did not matter how unfavorable the conditions where he would persevere. Surpassing all obstacles with a single sword ¨C this was his martial way!


    With this staunch determination between his brows, this youth straightened his back once more and staggered through the shifting sands.


    The spiritual energy here was too thin, if he tried to heal his internal wound here it would take days.


    He needed to find an alternative quickly before the day ended.


    ______


    Cordelia landed in a patch of twisting demonic vines and her shriek was so loud that it nearly pierced the heavens.


    "Disgusting thing!" She spat. Powerful blades of wind emitted from her palm, quickly slicing the 7th rank demonic vines to pieces. Those pieces wriggled on the ground before finally dying.


    The young girl wiped the sweat under her bangs. As she inspected the area around her, she heard a shrill scream from somewhere maybe one kilometer away.


    Her eyes brightened. Daphne was near!


    _____


    "Wah!" Samuel said with delight, eyes shining as he took in the meadow in front of him full of fragrant and swaying flowers. Saliva dripped out of his mouth.


    "What luck! This meadow is full of spiritual herbs!"


    After a moment of thought, the young boy decided that this must be due to the abundance of spiritual energy here. Samuel dashed forwards, excited to collect the treasures. His luck was actually extremely good as he had already found a place filled with treasures.


    ______


    All the participants that had landed in the Underworld Labyrinth had met something good or bad, or neutral. Some, like Samuel, encountered great fortune right away. Many were eliminated the moment they appeared. The majority found themselves in a predicament similar to Wang Hao, landing in a space that contained no fortune.


    At the bottom of a deep canyon, a red-haired youth stood with a calm expression on his face. The canyon was at least 5km deep, with sheer and steep walls. The light in the Underworld Labyrinth was dim, emanating from a sickly-looking sun in the sky. This sickly light cast sharp angles onto the youth''s face, making him seem like a vengeful wraith.


    [How unlucky!] Jet exclaimed.


    Van inspected his surroundings critically. There was no way to get out.


    Van walked to over to the walls of the canyon and touched the rock. Faint heat sizzled his fingertips. He drew back, surprised.


    "This¡­ this is not an ordinary canyon," Van muttered.


    [It is a naturally-formed entrapment array] The black ring explained.


    Van''s ears perked up. He had never heard of this mysterious thing before.


    "What''s an array?" He enquired.


    The black ring spun as it explained.


    [An array is created when natural or man-made elements are arranged and combined with spiritual power to produce a certain result. Arrays can be defensive, illusive, for attacking, for creation. Natural arrays are the most difficult to detect as they are formed from the spiritual energy of the environment. They can only be created with extreme luck and the right environmental conditions.]


    Amazed, Van looked over the canyon walls again.


    Jet continued to speak.


    [This canyon is one such natural array, and its purpose is to trap and contain those that fall within it. It compels those that fall within to climb up its walls but no matter how far you climb you will never reach the top. Due to the accumulation of spiritual energy over hundreds of years the level of this array is not low. With your cultivation, your chance of breaking through with force is zero.]


    The red-haired youth became anxious. Being trapped in this canyon was the equivalent of giving up on all the treasures in the outside world. There was no way he would be satisfied with this!


    Van''s mind raced as he sifted through the information. Something Jet had said before stuck in his mind and Van brightened.


    "You said that breaking through with force would be impossible. But what if I don''t use force?" Van asked.


    The black ring in his mindscape hummed with approval.


    [Correct. All arrays have a unique solution that can neutralize its effects. If your rank exceeds the array''s rank significantly, then naturally breaking it with force is most effective. Otherwise attempting to use force will cause a rebound effect that will harm your cultivation.]


    Van sucked in a cold breath.


    [While it sounds simple, solving an array is not that simple. It requires focus, sensitivity and intuition. Those who are unskilled and attempt to solve high ranked arrays will find themselves adrift. At the highest levels, the complexity and profundity of an array can cause even the most powerful of ancients to lose their minds and be turned into mindless fools.]


    Van clenched his fists, "What if I neither attack it or attempt to solve it. And if I simply ignore it and wait out the remaining days?"


    Jet hmphed.


    [If you ignore the array, then you will have to deal with all the monster waves in this tiny crack in the ground. Besides, are you willing to give up the treasures and opportunities inside the Underworld Labyrinth?]


    "Guess I just have to solve it correctly then," Van said with a cold smile. Actually, he had never intended to ignore the array. He scanned the walls of the canyon trying to find a clue about the array but could not see anything apart from the natural lines and cracks in the rock.


    Seeing Van''s tension, Jet chuckled softly.


    [This kind of low-level array, it is actually quite simple to solve.]


    Van raised an eyebrow. An incredibly powerful natural array with the power to trap and suppress talented geniuses was dismissed as ''low-level'' by this arrogant little black ring.

 115 Firestorm Abyss Entrapment Array

    Van scanned the walls of the canyon trying to find a clue about the array but could not see anything apart from the natural lines and cracks in the rock.


    [This kind of low-level array, it is actually quite simple to solve.]


    Van raised an eyebrow. An incredibly powerful natural array with the power to trap and suppress talented geniuses was actually dismissed as ''low-level'' by this arrogant little black ring.


    "Oh?" The red-haired youth replied dryly, "How do I solve the array then?"


    As he spoke, he looked once more at the steep walls of the canyon.


    [There''s no use staring at the walls. Using your eyes is pointless.]


    Van smiled sarcastically, "Gee. I guess I''ll just search with my nose then. See if I can smell the solution to the array."


    [Don''t take that tone with me, young man.]


    If Jet had eyes, he would have rolled them.


    [There are more senses than just the five you are born with, idiot!]


    Van looked doubtful, "Sight, smell, taste, hearing, touch. Apart from these five there are still more?"


    [Yes. Have you ever heard of the spiritual sense?]


    Van furrowed his brow, "No, I haven''t."


    The black ring spoke unhurriedly, as if talking to a dunce.


    [A powerful mind is the key to creating an array or formation, and naturally, a powerful mind is required to break arrays as well. However, a powerful mind is not enough. You must also have the ability to extend your mental energy outside of your body to observe the hidden aspects of the world around you. This ability is known as the ''Spiritual Sense.'']


    Van was listening with a pensive expression on his face. Spiritual Sense¡­if one could extend their senses outside of their body with their mind, then they would be able to see more of the world and be able to protect themselves better.


    [A spiritual sense is usually not developed until the Sea Establishment or above. With your spiritual sense, you can notice abnormalities in the flow of spiritual energy in the world around you and monitor things that you cannot see with your eyes. For example, it can allow you to perceive the hidden aspects of an array or ''see'' things extremely far away. You may also be able to perceive the surface thoughts of others. A powerful spiritual sense is an important tool in the cultivation world.]


    Van''s eyes gleamed. A spiritual sense ¨C he wanted it! This ability seemed too powerful!


    Jet sniffed.


    [Of course, everyone wishes to have a powerful spiritual sense but not all can achieve it. If cultivation is like pouring water into a cup, developing a spiritual sense is like pouring water into a sieve. For 1000 hours of effort, you would be lucky to develop even one strand of spiritual sense. Those without fortitude or perseverance will never reach the top. Due to the difficulty, possessing an underdeveloped spiritual sense is a common mistake in the world of cultivation.]


    Van nodded solemnly. It was only human nature to always take the smoothest and easiest path. It was the same situation with body cultivation, the majority of cultivators would not bother with it due to the extreme dedication and fortitude needed to attain results.


    Jet emanated a sense of approval.


    [It is good that you understand the follies of humanity. Good things do not come to those who wait. Remember that.]


    "I will remember," Van said with his fists clenched.


    [For you, being stuck in this Firestorm Abyss Entrapment Array is actually a blessing in disguise. I will guide your meditation in the array for the next few days. First, I will guide you to strengthen your mental energy, then to extend it outside of your body and form your spiritual sense. It will be arduous and tiring but your foundations are already superior to the others in this battlefield. You have this granddaddy after all!]


    Jet said with a pompous tone. Despite losing most of his memories, this little black ring had arrogance engraved in its body.


    Van just nodded. Although his expression was calm he was actually very excited on the inside. He was not afraid of hard work, just afraid that he could not achieve what he wanted to achieve!


    "Then once I have developed my spiritual sense, I should be able to perceive the array''s foundations and solve the array."


    [That is correct. The Firestorm Abyss Entrapment Array is easy to solve because the energy supply is an object hidden somewhere in the array. If you can locate this object and remove it then the array will lose power and become ineffectual] Jet explained.


    "Ah, that easy?" Van asked brightly.


    Jet tsked.


    [So happy, huh? Do you think you will be able to develop your spiritual sense so quickly? With your ability, you will need several days. Additionally, this canyon extends over 100km. Do you think searching the entire 100km will take no time at all? Hmph. As the days pass and the strength of the monster waves get stronger, you might get chewed to death by the increasing strength of the monster waves before you find the energy source.]


    With every one of Jet''s rebuttals, Van grew increasingly sober. It could potentially take him days to be able to search the entire canyon, by then the power of the monster waves might already be too high for him to handle. If that happened, Van would not only be unable to escape from the canyon, but he would also not be able to grab any treasures.


    Unbeknownst to himself, Van''s expression became stubborn and unwilling.


    [Finally woken up,] Jet said smugly.


    "I will not disappoint you. This array will be solved by me within three days!" Van said staunchly.


    At that moment, a heroic aura flared out between his brows. As the sickly light from the sky far above shone down, it could be seen that the thin youth standing in the murky canyon was no longer an ignorant village child but a budding genius with his own pride.


    Without another word, Van sat on the canyon floor and closed his eyes.


    Jet hid his delight.


    [Calm yourself and listen to my instructions.]


    [Envision your mind as a calm ocean. It is gentle and calm, lapping at the sand but never breaching land. If you do not push, these waves will never extend far from their bounds. But you must push. Envision a wave forming from the ocean. It builds larger and larger, creeping towards the land. With a rush it suddenly spills over the sand, on and on it flows until it touches the land. But you cannot stop there, the wave pulls from the ocean and it extends forth, swallowing everything before it, encompassing the world¡­]


    The red-haired youth''s breathing slowed down. His face was blank and tranquil, showing no signs of the struggle within.


    ______


    [Outside of the battlefield.]


    Sighs filled the coliseum.


    "What bad luck¡­!" a young man sighed. He had previously been admiring this unknown red-haired youth but it seemed the Heavens were unfair. The red-haired youth was courageous and insightful, but his luck was simply terrible. To have landed straight into a powerful entrapment array!


    "It''s too bad."


    "I wanted to watch him face-off against those bratty twins again in this round, but he is just too pitiful."


    "Luck is also a skill. Ah, my money¡­"


    It was clear that even those who admired Van''s exploits in the Mausoleum of Monsters did not believe he could escape the entrapment array. After all, the Mausoleum was a several thousand-years-old spaces filled with mysterious and powerful things. Breaking the array with brute force was an impossibility, and solving it equally unlikely.


    "At least he is smart enough to avoid the trap. If he climbed the endless walls, he would tire himself out and eventually be swallowed by a storm of flames," a cultivator with some expertise in arrays said softly.


    The audience hushed.


    "What a vicious array!"


    The young man who admired Van spoke up, "You said that he avoided the trap. Doesn''t this mean he has a chance of surviving into the next stage if he can defeat the monster waves at the end of each day?"


    The array master stroked his beard, "Hm, that is so. However, during this time the Cedar Sect will suffer a great loss in terms of points. Without this red-haired youth, the other Cedar Sect disciples in this battlefield are like a flock of sheep without a shepherd. They will be attacked by the other sects¡­especially the Zephyr Sect."


    "So that''s how it is¡­" the youth muttered. His spirits dropped once more.


    In contrast to the youth, many people in the audience were excited to see Van in dire straits. Without the Cedar Sect''s point lead in the second battlefield, along with the lagging performance in the first and third battlefield, the Cedar Sect''s rank was going to drop sharply from its current position in 2nd place.


    ______


    Madam Sophia''s normally elegant and refined expression faltered for a moment, showing a cold smile full of satisfaction, like the cat that had gotten away with killing the canary.


    [The Heavens have eyes!] She thought to herself.


    [That brat will not be able to escape from that Firestorm Abyss Entrapment Array. Even I was only able to escape from a similar array when I had reached Sea Establishment. He has no chance¡­]


    She looked at the mirage high above and saw Cordelia and Daphne battling against a large herd of 6th rank monsters. The points on the scoreboard rose steadily.


    She cared little that Cordelia''s actions in the previous stage had earned the Zephyr Sect some ridicule. It would all be worth it if they emerged victorious in the end!


    ______


    When Elder Malkovich saw Yun Hai successfully carry out his secret attack on that annoying pest ¨C Wang Hao or something ¨C he felt immediately gratified. Over the next few hours, his satisfaction only grew as he saw that single-minded, sword-loving simpleton wandering about the desolate desert within the Underworld Labyrinth. One look at those endless sandy plains showed that the spiritual energy was scarce. With his internal injury, one was afraid that he might not last the next few monster waves¡­


    Elder Malkovich felt his suppressed breathing due to the last few waves smooth.


    [With this, there is no longer anyone in Yun Hai''s way. The Sect Master will be immensely pleased with him, and he may even be granted the position of a direct disciple! And as for me¡­ I will get the glory of discovering and nurturing such a gem!]


    Elder Malkovich was very happy. Sinclair''s battlefield was already a done deal, all they needed was for Testuya to pull through. The Star-Cutting Sword Sect''s representative peered over at the hooded figure with the corner of his eye and noticed that the other person silent and seemed to be pondering something.


    Due to his good mood, Elder Malkovich spared the hooded figure a few words about the youth meditating at the bottom of a canyon.


    "Don''t worry, although that kid is unlucky to be trapped by the Firestorm Abyss Entrapment array, he seems to be a little smart. Probably he is building up his cultivation as the spiritual power in that region is quite good. If he can get closer to the 8th rank, that is better than nothing - even if he won''t be able to gain any points or treasures¡­Ah, the Cedar Sect''s disciples will not last long without him to protect them."


    Elder Malkovich''s words seemed comforting on the surface but was actually contained a strong undertone of annoyance. Of course, he had been unhappy that this hooded figure still preferred to watch that unknown red-haired youth over the Star-Cutting Sword Sect''s top outer genius, Yun Hai.


    The hooded figure did not deign to respond.


    His silence was even more of an affront to the prideful Elder Malkovich. With great difficulty, he tamped down on his annoyance and put a pleasant smile on his face.

 116 Gathering Spiritual Inten

    In a deep canyon, a youth sat quietly as he meditated. If not for the slight breath that could faintly be heard within the deep valley one would mistake him for a statue. The space between his brows were calm and tranquil.


    The still air suddenly vibrated.


    The youth shuddered and his jaws tightened. For a few moments he struggled internally but he could not capture that feeling. His mental energy dissipated as soon as it left his body and the air stilled once more.


    A faint sigh was heard.


    Van did not dwell on the failure but tried once more. He was getting closer and closer to succeeding. It had already taken him three hours just to form a strand of mental energy and now the critical point was making sure it did not dissipate as it left his body.


    The red-haired youth inhaled and let his worries go as he exhaled.


    [Once more!]


    A thin strand of mental intent formed in Van''s mindscape. As small as a ripple within the ocean, it travelled to the centre of his forehead. The silver strand of mental intent surged forth.


    A blurry image of the outside world formed in Van''s mindscape.


    Van''s heart pounded. His eyes were closed, that means this image was formed purely from his mental energy.


    Just a little bit more¡­!


    Clap clap clap


    At that moment, a sarcastic clapping noise echoed through the canyon.


    The small strand of mental intent that had formed suddenly collapsed. Van''s deep concentration had been broken by the loud and annoying clapping noises.


    The red-haired youth got up slowly to his feet, glaring upwards.


    Standing far above him, at the ledge of the canyon, two small figures were looking down at him disdainfully.


    Realising who they were, Van was immediately uninterested. He sat back down and closed his eyes.


    Cordelia stared down at the helpless ant far down below in the canyon and was filled with vicious glee. He could pretend indifference all he liked, but he had already lost! She stood at the edge of the canyon, full of superiority and smugness.


    Actually, when Cordelia originally stumbled upon this valley and saw the red-haired youth within, her immediate instinct had been to rush down there and beat the crap out of him. Then she and her sister would steal the treasures within his pouch. However, Daphne was pulled her back at the last moment, recognising that the canyon was in fact a powerful entrapment array. If not for her Aunt''s warning before the Monster Mausoleum, Daphne would not have known that this canyon could actually be such a vicious thing. Luckily, a crisis was averted. If Cordelia had really rushed down into the canyon then she would also be trapped inside the array and have to miss out on the treasures in the outside world.


    Although Cordelia felt that it was unfortunate that she couldn''t personally beat him up and rob his things, the thought of him rotting helplessly in this dark and depressing canyon was too sweet. She looked eagerly down into the canyon, hoping to see the youth''s despairing expression as he realised his path to victory had been cut.


    However, when Cordelia looked down, she saw Van looking up coldly for a few moments before closing his eyes and starting to meditate again.


    Her blood pressure raised a few degrees.


    How dare he look at her like that¡­!


    A soft hand landed on her shoulder.


    "Sister," Daphne shook her head, "He is just trying to get a rise out of you. He has no way out of this situation. Even Aunt was in the Sea Establishment Realm before she could deal with such a powerful array. Forget about him. He is only a loser with no way out anymore."


    Cordelia''s rage instantly cooled as she considered Daphne''s words. After a moment, she giggled and pressed a small hand over her curved lips.


    "It only makes sense that dogs have dog shit luck!" She said loudly, hoping to get a rise out of the meditating youth down below.


    When he did not respond to her taunting, her smile faded. When she spoke, her voice was sharp and unpleasant.


    "Still so arrogant. Let''s see how arrogant you are when all your little Cedar Sect disciples are bullied by us. Daphne, we are going!"


    With a wave of their sleeves, the twin phoenixes of the Zephyr Sect disappeared.


    Down in the canyon, Van opened his eyes. A glint of anger was seen within their dark depths. Their quarrel was with him and yet they dared to bring others into it. Simply too disgusting!


    [Van, your mental energy is getting unsteady,] Jet warned.


    The red-haired youth forcibly calmed himself down. When he inspected his mindscape, he saw that his mental energy was indeed unsteady from his emotional turmoil. He drew in deep breaths and a few moments later his mental energy was smooth once more.


    [Try once more. You were nearly there,] Jet encourage.


    The youth nodded. In the split second before Cordelia and Daphne arrived, he had already grasped the sensation of extruding his mental intent into the outside world.


    ______


    [8 hours later.]


    Kssstttt!


    Van felt the change in the air before he heard the hissing noises. Immediately he leapt up onto his feet and disappeared like smoke.


    Ten strange creatures suddenly appeared out of nowhere and attacked Van as a coordinated group. If not for the fact these dark, golem-like creatures were all in the 5th rank Van was afraid he would have sustained a severe injury.


    As it was, Van stood about 50 meters away from the golem-like creatures with a cold look in his eyes.  Despite his uncaring appearance on the inside he was actually quite anxious¡­ but not for himself.


    [Samuel and Johnathon will have to work hard to survive in the Underworld Labyrinth. Although the level of these dark golems is not high, unlike the monsters in the first 5 waves, they are intelligent enough to coordinate attacks and only attack one person. In the previous waves, it was a lot easier to survive as we could fight in groups and defend each other''s weaknesses.]


    Without a change in expression, Van waved his hand and a giant wave of freezing water crashed down onto the ten 5th rank monsters that were running towards him in an eerie movement style.


    The lashing water was so cold it immediately slowed down the running pace of the dark golems. Half of them were eliminated immediately due to the tyrannical strength of Van''s perfection-realm Dark Seas Palm and his affinity for water which was caused by the shell of the Xuanwu descendant in his mindscape.


    With another brush of his palm, a swirling tornado of icy water picked up the remaining 5 and within the next minute they were also eliminated.


    In less than 5 minutes, Van dispatched the 10 5th rank golems without a change in expression.


    Those watching in the outside world could not help but cluck their tongues in admiration for his efficiency. However, they could not help but feel even more pity for the youth in the canyon. If he were not so unlucky and did not land in this array¡­ Ah, it''s not worth going over again.


    When the red-haired youth calmly sat down once more to meditate, they felt that it was even more of a pity. Such calmness in the face of despair was really rare and admirable. He was even meditating carefully and trying to make the most of his imprisonment by cultivating.


    A shame, a shame.


    Only a few observers saw the secretive smile that spread over Van''s lips.


    At that moment, a thin strand of silvery mental intent flowed out from between Van''s brows and floated through the air. It sensed the spiritual energy in the canyon and headed for the faint glimmer in the air that was the formation of the array.


    In just one day, he had succeeded in forming spiritual intent!


    Van meditated without resting. After tasting success with his first strand of spiritual intent, he worked relentlessly and by the time the morning sun arose, there were now ten strands of spiritual intent.


    With these ten strands, Van was able to search more of the canyon around him. However, their range was too limited. If he only had this much, he would need several months to search the entire 100km length of the canyon, let alone in two more days.


    Luckily, due to Van''s bountiful mental energy and strong will of mind, he quickly increased these ten strands into a hundred strands by the late afternoon.


    By the evening, these one hundred strands turned into five hundred. Thanks to perfecting the process of manipulating his mental energy to produce spiritual intent, he was becoming faster and faster.


    When night descended, he had created 1000 strands of spiritual intent.


    Van''s brows were tightly furrowed and his eyes slightly glassy when he opened them. He had been working at full throttle without rest and was finally feeling exhaustion. However, he could only be cruel to himself and continue on doggedly.


    At that moment, ten dark and bulky shadows appeared in the deep canyon. It was the same type of golem that had appeared the previous night, except now they were split evenly between the 5th and 6th rank.


    Van dispatched them quickly and efficiently - his mind was completely preoccupied with thoughts on how to improve his spiritual intent quickly.


    Without another wasted movement, he closed his eyes again and spread his hundreds of strands of spiritual intent into the air. They gently spread away from him, scenting the air around him for traces of the array like sharks smelling for blood in water.


    By the time the sickly sunlight spilled down from the top of the canyon, Van had increased his spiritual intent to 2000 strands. If anyone in the outside world knew of his quick progress in spiritual intent, they would have shivered in fright and immediately proclaimed him a heavenly talent.


    However, Van was very clear in his heart that this 2000 strands was not enough for what he needed to achieve.


    Van tried to open his eyes but found that his eyelashes were crusty from having meditated so long. He rubbed his eyes and cracked them open. He stared at the top of the canyon somewhat at a loss of what to do next.


    When he calculated, he felt that if he used all his energy to search the canyon, he would be able to cover 30km if he were lucky, no where near 100km.


    Van sighed.


    At that moment, the black ring within his head shook. Jet had woken up from his beauty nap.


    The ring was immediately shocked.


    [Such a crude and basic method, and yet you were able to create so much spiritual intent already!?]

 117 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

    [Such a crude and basic method, and yet you were able to create so much spiritual intent already!?]


    When Jet woke up and noticed Van''s progress it was immediately shocked. The ring''s surprise was not faked in any way at all. He had imparted Van with just the most basic fundamentals of creating spiritual energy strands and yet the kid had taken it to such extremes!


    Van had no idea what Jet was on about, "I just used the method you taught me."


    The ring suddenly laughed, it was unknown if it was out of delight or incredulity.


    [Creating the strands of intent is only the first step of achieving true spiritual intent. You were only meant to make a few hundred strands at the most. Instead you created two thousand, I don''t know if I should praise you or kick you.]


    Van was lost but he was intrigued by Jet''s words.


    "If it is only the first step, then what is the second?"


    [Right now you have created 2000 individual strands of power. Controlling that many individual pieces ¨C don''t you feel that it is tiring?]


    The red-haired youth thought about it and nodded. Indeed, controlling so many strands of spiritual intent took a lot of concentration and made him feel drained. A human brain wasn''t meant to split its attention into so many parts after all.


    [The second step is to take all the strands of intent you have created and weave them back together. If you had reached the Sea Establishment stage your spiritual sense would form naturally but since your cultivation level is too low we can only do this the crudest way possible, which is to individually extrude strands and then re-join them outside of your body. Only then will you form one singular and powerful spiritual sense resembling an ocean wave. Remember the image I showed you in the beginning.]


    Van nodded and closed his eyes once more. He felt the thousands of strands of spiritual intent around him and drew them closer towards him.


    [Start with just two,] Jet instructed.


    Two silvery strands of intent touched and fused together at one end. The joined entity pulsed for a moment. Van was able to control these two joined strands as just one strand, however the power was not lessened at all.


    Over the next two hours, Van weaved a large and brilliant spider-web of spiritual intent that formed a dome around him composed of countless crisscrossed strands. This dome could be controlled with a single thought and within its domain, Van could sense everything. His breath, the flow of spiritual energy around him and the slightest pulse in the ground below.


    Van was filled with wonder and elation. His dark eyes shone when he opened them. So, this was the power of having a spiritual sense!


    [This is too ugly and unrefined,] Jet sniffed.


    Van opened his lips, ready to defend the creation that had taken him days of effort but Jet just hmphed.


    [Let me show you what the real deal looks like.]


    The black ring fell silent.


    ¡­


    Woooooosh


    As the moments passed, a light breeze teased the dust at the bottom of the canyon.


    ¡­


    Van scratched his head.


    Was there something he was meant to see?


    ...


    [Did you feel that?]


    Jet asked proudly.


    "Nope."


    The red-haired youth replied honestly. However, the ring emitted a satisfied aura.


    [You did not sense anything, and yet now I know that 50km to our right, there is a small tuft of Yellow Spirit Grass halfway up the canyon wall. What does that tell you?]


    Van shook his head, he did not know.


    [That a good spiritual sense should be gossamer thin and undetectable! Why do you think there is the phrase ''crouching tiger, hidden dragon''?]


    Van pondered the words ''crouching tiger, hidden dragon'' and understood what Jet was saying -


    Survival was above all else in the cultivation world, hiding your strength from others and preserving the element of surprise cannot be underestimated. Do not fear being underestimated, but of being overestimated!


    The ring saw Van''s understanding on his face and continued.


    [Your spiritual sense is still too rough. The strands are too thick and the weaving uneven. You must create a spiritual sense that is as thin as gossamer and as light as air. Only then will your spiritual sense stand a chance of reaching 100km of range.]


    [I will only show you once more, pay attention!]


    This time, when the ring fell silent Van used all his nascent spiritual sense to sense Jet''s spiritual intent extend through the air. Only the faintest ripple was detected when he concentrated with all his might. If Van did not know that Jet was doing this, he might have mistaken that faint rippled for a slight variation in the wind flowing through the canyon.


    This observation caused the red-haired youth sighed in admiration.


    Compared to that invisible, almost-air spiritual intent, his was truly too rough and inelegant!


    [The sun rises in a few more hours. I must refine my spiritual intent to be as thin and light by nightfall. I refuse to waste another day in here!]


    The red-haired youth took a deep breath and closed his eyes. In his minds eye, he saw the slivery woven net he had formed with his strands of spiritual intent.


    Ting! Ting!


    Faint metallic noises were detected in Van''s mindscape as he hammered and stretched those silvery strands into thinner and longer pieces. When they were as thin as a strand of hair he was still not satisfied.


    Ting! Ting!


    Van''s brow was full of sweat. With fierce determination, he hammered and stretched each strand of mental intent into the thinnest gossamer thread before weaving it with the others. By sunrise, Van had refined 100 of the strands, with 1900 strands to go.


    1800


    1500


    1000


    By late afternoon, Van had to acknowledge the fact that his refining rate was a too slow but there was nothing he could do. The red-haired youth could only put away all useless thought and pour all of his energy into refining his spiritual sense.


    900


    700


    500


    Van''s pace picked up.


    200


    All two thousand strands of spiritual intent were now thin as silk and light as the clouds in the sky. Once all strands were woven together, Van saw a strange phenomenon. The delicate web of spiritual intent pulsed gently before coalescing into a transparent, see-through layer. The individual strands had completely disappeared.


    Van knew he had finally succeeded in creating his spiritual sense Instinctively he pulled his spiritual sense back into himself. The giant transparent, shimmering layer of spiritual intent shrank down and sank into the space between Van''s brows.


    A breath.


    Van''s shimmering gossamer spiritual intent burst from between his brows and spilled into the air like a dam that had burst through the walls that confined it. The thin layer spread quickly across the breadth and width of the canyon.


    5km


    10km


    20km


    30km. This had been Van''s previous limit but now, the thin and powerful wave that was Van''s spiritual sense raced on, engulfing the canyon.


    40km


    60km. The silvery layer of spiritual sense spilled forth relentlessly.


    80km


    90km. Van felt the momentum of his spiritual sense slow gradually. His brows pinched. He was so close to 100km. If he could reach 100km then the entire Firestorm Abyss Entrapment Array could be comprehended.


    The silvery dome kept expanding.


    95km


    97km


    99km


    Digging his fingernails into his palm, Van forcefully stretched his newly formed spiritual sense to the limit.


    100km!


    At that moment, a miniature model of the canyon appeared in Van''s mindscape.  This was the image that he had captured using his spiritual sense. Although Van''s knowledge of arrays and formations was low, the Firestorm Abyss Entrapment Array''s advantage was its power, not its complexity. Therefore, Van was able to see the faint flows of spiritual energy that allowed the array to maintain its power. These faint flows of spiritual energy all emitted from one location in the canyon.


    [So, there you are!]


    The red-haired youth sitting quietly on the canyon floor suddenly displayed a brilliant smile that made one forget about his sweat-damp hair and the dirty state of his robes. His slightly opened eyes glimmered with satisfaction.


    [Cordelia, Daphne, just you wait!]


    ______


    It was getting late in the evening and the audience in the coliseum had begun to trickle over to their accommodations. The most important guests were provided complimentary lodgings on the backs of powerful flying beasts that were tethered to the coliseum. This prime arrangement meant that these important guests could continue viewing the events displayed in the mirages in the privacy of their accommodation. Whether they wished to view the event without sleeping, or if they wished to have a brief nap was all up to them. Of course, ordinary audience members could not afford these luxuries. The poorest of them stayed in their seats in the fear that someone would take it from them, they slept in these seats and only left them briefly to go to the toilet with a friend watching their seat for them. Others with a bit more background set up large tents in the grounds just outside of the coliseum. Obviously, they would have servants or friends keep an eye on the situation inside the five battlefields so if anything, exciting happened they could immediately go and take a look.


    At this moment, a snoring audience member sleeping with his head thrown over the back of his seat was shaken awake by his next-door neighbor who happened to be his good friend.


    "Big news! Big news!" His good friend hissed, "He actually started to move!"


    The snoring audience member jolted awake with a loud snort. Seeing his friend, he rubbed his eyes sleepily, "Who, what big news¡­"


    "That red-haired kid! I know you gave up on him after the first day, but I was curious and took a look just then. He moved! I think he''s figured out a way to escape the Entrapment Array!"


    "How is that possible!?" The audience member was excited to the point his face went red and yet at the same time full of doubt.


    "Would someone lie low for three days and suddenly run around like this if they hadn''t figured something out? Originally, I thought he was cultivating to pass the time, but what if he actually used these three days to actually solve the array?"


    The audience member''s mouth dropped open at his friend''s words. He wanted to shout that this idea was preposterous but the longer he thought about it, the more reasonable his good friend''s words seemed. Maybe the red-haired youth was actually a talented genius in the Dao of Arrays? The Cedar Sect was rich and had deep foundations after all!


    The audience member and his good friend turned to look at the mirage up above in silence. In that deep dark canyon, the thin back of a youth was seen dashing quickly forwards. His path was straight and true as if he had long decided where he was going.


    ______


    Madam Sophia was resting on her bed with a small cup of celebratory wine when she suddenly felt the urge to check on the situation in the second battlefield. She took one last sip of the wine before standing up and gliding over to the window of her accommodation, which was on the back of a large gryphon-like creature.


    The Elder of the Zephyr Sect glanced over at the giant mirage above. Her eyes narrowed and her mood soured. The sweet taste of the wine suddenly lost its flavor.


    She thought he had decided to obediently stay in the Firestorm Abyss Entrapment Array and endure the next few rounds in bitter silence, unable to obtain the treasures in the Underworld Labyrinth.


    But now he was running around again, full of energy and without the signs of depression or hopelessness that anyone else would display.


    ¡­ Had he figured something out?


    Madam Sophia considered the situation more carefully but still came to the same conclusion.


    It was impossible.


    She knew personally how difficult it is to deal with an array like this without reaching Sea Establishment first. He must have reached the end of his patience and was just trying to stir the nest. Despite his calm exterior, he was definitely full of panic inside. After waiting for a few days, he couldn''t wait any longer and decided to throw caution to the wind and try anything that might work.


    Yes, that would be it.


    Madam Sophia took another sip of her wine and found it sweet once more.


    At that moment, the red-haired youth suddenly stopped running. Walking calmly over to the side of the canyon, he leaned over and plucked something casually out of the craggy wall.


    RUMBLE!


    The cup of wine slipped from Madam Sophia''s fingers.

 119 Blazing Will

    Van saw Grey Wolf stagger forwards, red dripping from his lips. The tall and broad man grabbed onto the sharp stick sticking out of his chest with an appearance of disbelief on his ruddy countenance.


    "Brother!" The three in the peanut gallery shouted.


    The stabbed man turned his head with the last of his strength, "W-who?!"


    Grey Wolf was shaken.


    [I am at the peak of the 6th rank, a half-step 7th ranker. It shouldn''t be possible to sneak up on me like this!]


    The red-haired youth he saw was not who he expected. The youth''s eyes were full of simmering anger. With a frosty tone he said:


    "No one is allowed to touch my people!"


    At that moment, Van grabbed the sharp stick he had stabbed into the older man''s chest and pulled it out swiftly.


    Shk!


    The bloodied stick exited Grey Wolf''s body accompanied by a spurt of bright flood.


    Grey Wolf fell forwards, a disbelieving expression on his face. If he knew that this would happen, he would not have come here...!


    "You call yourself Grey Wolf?" Van asked coldly, "You don''t deserve that name!"


    Weng!


    Grey Wolf''s body was teleported out of the Monster Mausoleum.


    The three cronies that had followed Grey Wolf saw the red-haired Asura in front of them and shivered in fright. One of them ran over to Samuel''s shivering form and held a knife to his throat.


    Van''s eyes narrowed, "What do you think you are doing?"


    "D-Don''t come any closer! I-If you agree not to attack us, we will not hurt the boy!"


    Van looked at Samuel''s pale and bloodless face and the bright red bloom on his robes. Then he looked back at the three cronies, all in the 5th level, in front of him. A mysterious smile spread over his lips.


    "Oh? I''ll make sure you never have a chance to."


    With three quick movements of his arm, three lashes of freezing water qi jetted through the air, knocking the three cronies away from Samuel.


    In the next second, a dark twisting wall of qi scooped the three cronies up. Their screams echoed through the space as they spun around and around in the freezing water, being lacerated by the icy energy.


    Weng! Weng! Weng!


    Three glowing lights appeared in the middle of the icy twister and flew up to the sky.


    Van curled his lip.


    "C-captain..."


    Hearing Samuels weak voice call out for him, Van immediately rushed over.


    The red-haired youth kneeled down next to his junior disciple; whose face was pale from the blood loss. Now that Van was up close, he realised that the wound was much more severe than expected. Samuel had lost a lot of blood, which was now a dark and sticky pool around his body.


    Without hesitating, Van ripped a corner of his robe and pressed it to the open wound, hoping to staunch the blood.


    The younger boy smiled thinly. A thin hand he grabbed onto his.


    "I''m sorry I didn''t come sooner," Van said with a heavy heart. He saw his junior brother''s wan smile and felt deep disappointment with himself. If only he had moved faster, then this kid wouldn''t have had to suffer the taunting and bullying of Grey Wolf and his cronies.


    "Y-you''ve already done a lot for me, Captain...This small one is thankful. I couldn''t have made it to the 6th rank without you... "


    Van was too distracted to notice it before but indeed Samuel had ranked up from the 5th to the 6th level of Qi Distillation in the last few days.


    "I j-just ate a few of the herbs I found... Too greedy... I nearly exploded," Samuel giggled weakly.


    If it weren''t for him finding the herbs on the first day he wouldn''t have ranked up so quickly. Too excited by his discovery, he immediately stuffed his face. Moments later, with a red face and steam coming out of his ears Samuel fell into a coma. His body was unable to handle the overwhelming intrusion of spiritual energy from digesting the herbs. When he finally woke up, it was night time and the thing that had woken him was the shrill cry of the strange golem-like beasts that were rushing over to him. With his new found strength, Samuel was able to survive two nights on his own.


    Van cracked a smile imagining Samuel''s silly face.


    "T-take...these"


    The small boy opened his waist pouch and pulled out the herbs he had stashed within. Each looked pristine and emitted powerful spiritual energy, as if they hadn''t been plucked and stored for several days already. He weakly stuffed them into Van''s lap.


    Van frowned and pushed them back, "What is the meaning of this? Your senior brother doesn''t need these things you worked hard for on your own. You should keep them and cultivate with them in the next few rounds."


    Samuel''s eyes shone briefly when he heard Van address himself as his senior brother. He felt even more touched that Van did not want to take the herbs, but at the same time he shook his head.


    "I want you to take them and build your strength, Senior Brother. You must... Bring glory to the Sect and beat those scary twins."


    Van''s expression remained unwilling, "Junior Brother, you will not die here. You must hold on, there are still so many treasures and fortunes to be gained in here."


    Samuel gently continued.


    "M-my wound is too serious; I can already feel my consciousness weakening. Besides, it''s not like... I''m really dying. I''ll keep a few of the herbs and cultivate with back in the Sect, waiting patiently for the good news."


    With the last of his strength, Samuel pushed the herbs back into Van''s lap. With this action done, he took a deep shuddering breath.


    "Samuel!" Van shouted, but his hand that was pressing onto Samuel''s wound felt his heartbeat stutter and stop. His last breath left him.


    A moment later, Samuel''s body glowed and was transported outside of the Underworld Labyrinth.


    Van''s hand was still holding onto the bloodied cloth.


    But the person was gone.


    His heart suddenly felt a bit desolate. Even though he knew Samuel was still alive and was only kicked out of the Monster Mausoleum, he had felt the other''s blood seep out from between his own fingers and witnessed his last breath.


    Van did not know it but his most primal fear had been triggered. In his mind''s eye, he saw Finn''s small and delicate face transposed onto Samuel''s.


    Helplessness as he watched her bleed out in his arms. Anger at himself for not coming to her rescue sooner. Soul-choking despair when she breathed her last and went limp in his arms.


    Van imagined that it was Finn he had been unable to save instead and felt his desolation grow more potent.


    Why did he not know a single healing technique?


    Why wasn''t he stronger?


    Van knew if he were stronger and more powerful, he would have broken out of the array earlier, gotten here faster, beaten Grey Wolf faster.


    If this happened in real life, would he have the strength to protect Finn? Or would he have to watch her bleed to death in front of him like he had to watch Samuel?


    Van clenched his fist so tightly that his nails punctured the skin of his palm. Bright red droplets welled up but the pain felt relieving.


    [Strength! Without strength I cannot protect those that mean the most to me.]


    "I will not let something like this happen to anyone in front of me, ever again!" Van declared with clenched fists. A blazing will be emerged from his eyes. It was as if the pure flame aura from the Tri-Divine Blood Flame and the Abyss Storm Flame floated behind those two orbs, irradiating the world with their burning intent.


    Van gathered the herbs and placed them in his pouch.


    These herbs had been gathered and protected with the blood, sweat and tears of his junior brother. Samuel''s last wish had been for Van to use them to ensure his victory in this battlefield.


    In Van''s mind, a brief image of two haughty twins appeared. The red-haired youth''s lips tightened but the determination between his brows did not waver.


    He already knew what he was doing next.


    To repay his junior brother''s sincerity ¨C he would ensure that victory is his!

 120 Ancient Abandoned Manor 1

    In the side of a hill, within a small cave that had been dug out then blocked with a large boulder, a red-haired youth was quietly meditating. Upon closer look, one could see his jaws slightly moving as if he were chewing something at an excruciating slow pace. Nine pristine and fragrant herbs lay on his lap. The scent in the air was thick and pungent, but refreshing and full of spiritual power.


    After Van had dealt with the golem-like monsters that signaled the end of the 3rd day, he immediately sought out a peaceful and secluded place which he could meditate in. This place was dug out by himself personally and then the entrance covered with a rock for privacy. It was simple and wouldn''t hold up to intense scrutiny but it was better than cultivating while exposed.


    Drip.


    Drip.


    Van''s brow knitted together. He was completely focused on siphoning the dripping of spiritual power into his stomach to the roaring river at his core. Each droplet of spiritual energy from the herb was hot and seared his body. The energy was incredibly potent ¨C Van could see why Samuel had immediately fallen into a coma after consuming just two herbs a too quickly.


    Since Van was in the 7th rank compared to Samuel''s initial 5th rank, he needed to consume more herbs in order to level up.


    Van''s mouth moved faster. The hot energy drizzled like flowing lava into his gullet, where wisps of spiritual power then travelled to his spiritual river. Van saw in his mind''s eye that the river was growing bigger and bigger.


    As the last piece of the herb was fully consumed, Van''s hand flashed out and picked up another herb from his lap. Without ceremony, it was stuffed into his mouth, leaves and all.


    The amount of spiritual energy entering his body was significant, but due to the gentle nature of the spiritual power contained within the herbs, it was remarkably easy to cultivate.


    Five hours passed.


    BAM!


    The boulder acting as the door to the cave blasted off its place as a strong force hit it from within.


    A red-haired youth fiery eyes emerged from within. The small scuff on his leather boots suggested that he was responsible for the sorry state of the boulder that had been sent flying. Despite the dust on his clothes, his heroic demeanor could be seen.


    Van stepped out of the cave. He clenched his fists.


    [The half-step 8th rank!]


    The herbs were potent but due to Van''s higher rank compared to Samuel, he was only able to reach the peak of the 7th rank, also known as the half-step 8th rank. Obviously, the gentle nature of the power from the herbs wasn''t enough to help Van break through the blockage that separated the 7th and 8th ranks.


    Van needed something more powerful!


    At that moment, Van suddenly heard Jet''s voice.


    [Mm, my resting spot just got another little fireplace. Nice and cozy, I like it!]


    The black ring spun slowly around the small tyrannical amber flame in Van''s mindscape.


    [I suspected that such a powerful natural array would have been powered by a flame essence and I wasn''t wrong. It''s even the Abyssal Storm Flame. Very temperamental, but powerful in a fight.]


    Van couldn''t help his surprise.


    "You call it the Abyssal Storm Flame, too? I just made a name and it turns out it''s the real one!"


    Jet was unperturbed.


    [Its real name is not significant to me, I just called it the Abyssal Storm Flame because you did when you thought about it. Don''t get that excited.]


    "Oh," Van said dumbly, "Then what does it do?"


    "Enhance the effect of your flame-type martial skills. The Tri-Divine Blood Flame increased your life essence to beyond the ordinary, while the Abyssal Storm Flame has increased the power of your flames. You should see a distinct difference when you practice your Fists of Devouring Flames."


    Van immediately dropped into the appropriate stance.


    "Searing Serpent Strikes!"


    Pah pah pah


    Van punched forwards three times in quick succession.


    Three scarlet-red serpents formed entirely of flame shot through the air in quick succession. The heat they emitted scorched the air and caused the nearby rocks to sizzle.


    Van was astonished.


    Absorbing the Tri-Divine Blood Flame had made the mirages created by his fists more realistic, but the Abyssal Storm Flame had raised their power to another level. Van could sense the will of the tyrannical amber flame in the manifestation of the serpents. When they finally fizzled out, he could still feel the remnant heat on his face.


    A smile finally spread over the red-haired youth''s lips. Naturally one would be happy to learn that their combat power had just increased significantly.


    "Good."


    Van did not say anything more.


    The red-haired youth extended his spiritual sense outwards, a thin gossamer-like web that expanded rapidly outwards and swallowed everything in its path.


    "There!"


    Van sensed a powerful spiritual fluctuation about 95km west from his current position, almost at the limits of what he could detect.


    "If I''m not mistaken, then there is a powerful treasure there that should help me break through to the next rank!"


    Van began moving towards his target, his steps gaining a smoky quality as he sped over the landscape.


    Two hours later, Van arrived in front of what appeared to be an ancient manor complete with a large stately garden surrounding it. He stood a few hundred meters away, wary of approaching due to the powerful auras that he could sense within. Adding to that, the garden was not simple either ¨C those blue flowers looked tame and pretty but Jet told him that they could spit acid that was powerful enough to melt a 9th rank cultivator if it touched even just the corner of their robes. The manor was probably an incredibly elaborate trap, however, he could also sense that there was a powerful treasure hidden within this ancient manor, more powerful than the other treasures he had sensed in the 100km radius he had searched earlier.


    Van stared at the ancient manor for a few more seconds, expression unreadable. The manor was blackened and overgrown with vines in some areas but the material it was made of seemed to not have degraded with time.


    Once more, Van extended his spiritual energy outwards.


    "There are participants in there!"


    Van could sense the aura of several cultivators within the manor. At this moment, the auras were flaring brightly, suggesting to Van that they were in the midst of an intense battle.


    "Not good. I cannot let them take off with the treasure after coming this far!"


    Van dashed forwards.


    Peng!


    The blue flowers in the garden of the manor responded to vibrations in the ground.  If one could somehow walk through the garden without making a single noise or vibration in the ground, they could avoid triggering the acid reflux of the flowers.


    [Scattering Smoke Steps!]


    A smoky and hazy image of a youth flickered through the garden. Not a single footstep could be heard or felt.


    Thanks to his movement skill, Van defeated the first obstacle easily. He landed on the front doorstep of the manor and went within.


    The sight that greeted him caught him slightly off guard.

 121 Ancient Abandoned Manor 2

    Van landed lightly on the doorstep of the ancient manor and stepped within. The sight that greeted him caught him slightly off guard.


    Clang! Clang! Clang!


    There was a party of five or so cultivators from small sects battling with empty suits of armour. The levels of these cultivators were not low, with two of them in the 7th rank and the rest in the 6th rank. The terrifying thing were those silver suits of armour ¨C they were unafraid of pain and could not bleed or be crippled. Even if you chopped off the head, the rest of the body would keep swinging at you with their sharp axes or hammers. The rogue cultivators were understandably at their wits end fending off these suits of armour.


    After a moment of observation, Van understood that these seemingly empty suits of armour were actually ghost guards stationed in the ancient manor to defend its treasures. When he extended his spiritual sense out, he could sense many dormant ghost guards stationed all around the manor, their numbers were frightening and some were even the equivalent of a 9th rank cultivator.


    [It is important to avoid triggering them as much as possible].


    At that moment, Van was spotted.


    "Hey, you! Please help us!" A young man with rather timid looking features shouted. Despite his appearance he was one of the cultivators in the 7th rank.


    Van wasn''t an idiot ¨C to be from as small sect and yet have achieved the 7th rank this rather timid-looking youth would still have the pride of a genius. To ask for Van''s help like this stunk of an ulterior motive. This was especially considering the fact that the group of five people, given enough time, would probably be able to defeat the ghost guards they had triggered. Van had been able to detect this within milliseconds of entering the scene, owing to his new spiritual sense which allowed him to grasp the entire battlefield within a breath.


    The group of cultivators probably didn''t expect that Van would see through the situation so clearly. They continued to shout and struggle, shrieking occasionally as legless suit of armour fell down but continued to hack at their ankles.


    A condescending smile lifted the corner of Van''s lips; but it was gone too quickly for any of them to see it.


    Van''s figure vanished like smoke and appeared in the midst of the battle. The group of small sect disciples were elated.


    CLANG!


    A black axe swung tyrannically forwards and cleaved a ghost guard cleanly in half, crushing the spiritual core of the suit of armour and immediately rendering the ghost guard dead.


    The two halves of the metal suit fell loudly to the stone floor.


    The small sect disciples exchanged looks. They gulped.


    "Thank you for helping us, fellow cultivator. What is your name?"


    "Van," The red-haired youth grunted.


    CLANG!


    His obsidian battle-axe cleaved another silver suit of armour in half.


    The group of small sect disciples watched silently as they continued to fight the remaining suits of armour.


    The timid-looking youth shot Van a weak smile, "My name is Timothy. My teammates and I are from the Broken Cloud Sect."


    "Brother Van, if it weren''t for you appearing now, we would have been overrun by these nasty ghost guards. This ancient manor is full of treasures but unfortunately these treasures are defended by too many ghost guards. How about you team up with us and we''ll split the treasures evenly between us? We are only a small sect so we are happy gaining any treasures at all."


    Van tried not to roll his eyes. If he ''teamed up'' with them, it would be him doing all the leg work while they reaped the benefits of clinging onto a golden thigh.


    What ''happy gaining any treasures at all?'' An equal split would mean that their Broken Cloud Sect made massive gains on the back of Van''s hard work.


    Van still had the niggling feeling that this situation was not all that it seemed. These cultivators from the Broken Cloud Sect still had another motive that they had not revealed yet.


    "Sure," The red-haired youth said.


    Timothy''s placid brown eyes flashed but he smiled broadly, showing a slightly different temperament than the timid persona he had been projecting.


    "We have already been here for a day now, and identified that the most valuable place in here is located behind the central area of the manor, we believe that it is the treasury. It should contain many valuable items. However, there''s a few guards there who are in the 7th and 8th rank," Timothy explained.


    Van hid his sneer. Clearly there were even 9th rank ghost guards near that area, yet this Timothy fellow lowered their level by an entire rank to entice him to go there.


    Very well, this daddy would go along with it!


    Van nodded magnanimously, "How generous of you to share this discovery. Let''s go to the central area and see if we can find a way to enter the treasury safely."


    Having defeated all the ghost guards in the entrance way, the group consisting of the Broken Cloud sect disciples and Van moved to go towards the central area. a vast hall filled with dusty portraits along the walls. No matter how hard Van looked, the faces depicted in those dusty portraits faded out of his memory as soon as he tried to remember them. He shook his head.


    "The entrance to the treasury is down the stairs," Timothy suddenly came to Van''s side.


    The red-haired youth nodded. At the moment the ghost guards stationed at the bottom of the stairs were dormant, but Van knew that they were actually in the 8th rank. There was two of them there, but Van suspected that originally there was more as there were areas bereft of dust in the shape of their footprint. It seemed that the Broken Cloud disciples had been here for a few days already, rather than just the one day they claimed. Over these few days they had slowly but steadily whittled down the guards that remained guarding the treasury.


    His spiritual sense extended into the treasury. The chamber was small compared to the great hall, but filled to the brim with treasures. Each and every treasure gave off a profound aura, indicating that they were high-ranked treasures worth fighting for. Even Van''s heart started pumping when he saw what was within. It was a shame that the waist pouches could only contain so much ¨C he would have cleared the whole place out himself if he could. At that moment, Van spotted two hulking figures at the back end of the treasury. His hackles raised.


    As he had sensed before, there were two 9th ranked ghost guards concealed within the treasury. With gleaming golden armour and gleaming great axes, they were an intimidating sight to behold.


    Van now realised that the Broken Cloud disciples didn''t know that inside the treasury itself, 9th ranked ghost guards waited ¨C otherwise they would have given up from the get go.


    With this new knowledge, Van felt that the scenario was off once more. It could be that the Broken Cloud disciples wanted Van to distract the 9th ranked ghost guards while they legged it with the treasures¡­ but it was alarming that they believed he would be capable of defeating a 9th ranked ghost guard.


    Secretly in his heart Van believe he would be able to do so where he to exert his full abilities, but the concern was that no one in the Monster Mausoleum knew the true depth of his skill.


    Had he been seen through?


    Or was there a third player here, machinating both his and the Broken Cloud disciple''s actions?


    At that moment, a new figure ran into the front hallway. From the colour of their robes, it was another Broken Cloud disciple. Who knew where they came from, but it was clear that Timothy and the others were familiar with them.


    "Not good! Incoming!"


    The group cursed, but to Van''s ears they sounded hollow.


    Hot on the heels of this new figure, four ghost guards appeared. Their armour was clearly a grade higher than the ghost guards they had fought before ¨C a shiny silver with gold trimming.


    Van''s eyes narrowed. These ghost guards had the equivalent rank of a 7th level Qi Distillation cultivator.


    Timothy turned to Van with a pleading look on his face, "Brother Van, we are so close to reaching the treasury. If we fight those 7th rank ghost guards here we will wake up the 8th ranked ghost guards in front of the treasury, potentially killing us all. I saw that you have a good movement skill earlier, it would be easy for you to distract the 8th ranked ghost guards and lure them away so that we can quickly kill these 7th ranked ghost guards and take some things from the treasury. We will find you afterwards and give you an equal share!"


    Timothy smiled, "How does that sound?"

 122 Finger of God

    "Brother Van, I saw that you have a good movement skill earlier. If you distract the 8th ranked ghost guards and lure them away and we will quickly go in and take some things from the treasury. We will find you after and give you an equal share," Timothy smiled, "How does that sound?"


    Van hid his frown. The way that Timothy had explained the situation made one want to directly oppose the suggestion. After all, most people would choose to take the treasures themselves and let other people distract the guards. If Van chose to enter the treasury, it was highly likely those 9th rank ghost guards would wipe him out ¨C this could be the ulterior motive.


    Van thought about letting the Broken Cloud Sect disciples enter first, but if they triggered the 9th rank ghost guards and got wiped out, the two ghost guards would definitely come after Van next. Wouldn''t it be better to at least risk getting the treasure?


    The red-haired youth''s expression tightened. He needed more information.


    Van powered up his spiritual sense and pored over every inch of the treasury. This time, he noticed something he hadn''t before. A slight shimmer in the corner of the treasury and a slight susurration in the air.


    The wrinkle between Van''s brows disappeared.


    So that was what the game was!


    Too bad Van''s spiritual sense wouldn''t be fooled twice but such a simple array like that.


    "No. I will enter the treasury; you guys distract the guards," Van said placidly.


    The Broken Moon disciples showed unhappy expressions but Van could sense an underlying sense of satisfaction. This was the result they had apparently wanted.


    Timothy frowned and said slowly, "I don''t think that''s a very good idea. After all, if you go in alone all the treasures will belong to you. What if you decide to run off, won''t we take all the heat and get nothing in return for our troubles? It would be better the other way¡­"


    Van tried not to roll his eyes. Really, this Timothy should be given a medal for ''Best Actor.'' His words were saying one thing but his meaning was completely the opposite. Anyone who was weak minded would hear ''all the treasures belong to you'' and ''run-off'' and immediately decide to do just that, further cementing their desire to be the one to rush into the treasury.


    Van cut off Timothy''s soliloquy, "I insist. Since you already said that my movement skill is the highest here, I might be able to move past the two sentry ghost guards without triggering them. If I do trigger them, I still have enough time to pick a few treasures. Just lead them on a merry chase around the mansion, I will meet you outside after two incense sticks worth of time."


    After hearing this detailed explanation from Van, Timothy''s doubting expression gradually faded away.


    "You have the highest cultivation here," the timid youth said grudgingly, "We''ll go with your plan."


    Van nodded. Without another word, he lightly dashed down the stairs. Like a puff of smoke, he disappeared and reappeared behind the two 8th rank ghost guards.


    Click!


    With a light tap, Van disabled the locking array on the door and opened it. Behind him, the two 8th rank ghost guards didn''t so much as stir.


    In front of him, a dazzling array of treasures greeted Van''s eyes. The red-haired youth didn''t appear moved. Instead he suddenly shot forth for the shimmering patch of air.


    BANG!


    A tyrannical kick with the full force of his body cultivation was aimed on the shimmering patch.


    Two screams filled the air. Van sneered.


    The air warped.


    Cordelia held a hand to her forehead, which had a red print the shape of Van''s foot on it. Her eyes were shiny with disbelief and anger that Van had found them out before they could spring their plot. Daphne crouched beside her sister, pale-faced.


    "I''m flattered," Van said with his arms crossed, "That you would set this up just for little old me."


    "Shut up!" Cordelia shouted, "You''ll die here! Everyone, fall in!"


    Van heard the rush of footsteps behind him. When he turned his head to look, he saw that the Broken Moon disciples had spilled into the treasury. Each of them held up their weapons threateningly. Timothy''s expression was smug and satisfied. When he saw Van looking, he sent him a ridiculing smile as if to say ''in the end you''re just too gullible.''


    Van couldn''t be bothered to look at them for a second more. The Broken Moon disciples were just a dagger being used in the Zephyr Sect''s hands.


    With Van''s exit blocked, he was trapped within the treasury.


    "All these people ¨C you two have spent a lot of time and effort to set this up for me. Am I that scary?" Van taunted lazily.


    Cordelia smiled imperiously, "So what if we set this up to capture you? All that matter''s is who wins in the end!"


    Van nodded, "Indeed, that is all that matters."


    Daphne frowned. Why did she feel that this fellow''s reaction was not quite right?


    Cordelia''s grin widened, "It''s good that you agree. I don''t think there''s anything more for me to say. It is only your bad luck that caused you to face off against us. Your time in the Mausoleum ends here!"


    "Captains of the Ghost Guard, activate!"


    Nothing happened.


    Cordelia stamped her feet, "Captains of the Ghost Guard, activate!"


    Neither the two sentries outside of the treasury doors nor the hidden 9th ranked guards inside the treasury activated.


    Van suddenly laughed. He bent double and wiped the tears from the side of his eyes.


    The twin''s smiles dropped.


    Van''s figure went hazy. When he finally reappeared, he was holding something in his hand.


    "Looking for this?"


    Cordelia''s face paled. She patted the area around her waist.


    Fuck! When had she dropped it?


    Her eyes darted side to side. Eventually she arrived at an answer ¨C it had been knocked out of her hand when Van suddenly rushed up and drop-kicked her on the head.


    "Give that back!"


    Van rolled his eyes, "No."


    Did she think he was retarded?


    Cordelia puffed up, "You don''t even know what it does! It-it actually curses the person who uses it to have rotten teeth for the rest of their life!"


    Van smiled mysteriously.


    "I think I know exactly what it does."


    Cordelia and Daphne felt a chill run down their spines.


    The more powerful twin suddenly shouted.


    "Broken Moon Sect, like we said before, our Zephyr Sect is willing to welcome you with open arms as outer disciples if you help us out here. Snatch that command medallion from his hands!"


    With this rallying cry, all the disciples in the treasury rushed for Van all at once, however the red-haired youth was like the calm at the centre of the storm. They watched, completely unable to do anything as Van''s lips opened and moved.


    "Captains of the Ghost Guard, activate!"


    BANG!


    BANG!


    Two immense golden suits of armour with gleaming axes suddenly dropped from the ceiling. Their impact with the ground sent dust billowing upwards in great plumes of grey. Suddenly, the overwhelming aura of two peak 9th ranked Ghost Guard Captains shot outwards.


    Van smiled. He lifted a finger and pointed it to the gathered disciples. With these two 9th ranked monsters under his command, this finger was the finger of a god.


    "Kill!"


    Their hollow eye sockets flared red. The two Ghost Guard Captains nodded and set upon their duty.


    Horrified screams filled the air.


    Cordelia and Daphne exchanged a glance.


    The twin''s auras suddenly merged to form one singular, thrice more powerful one. A giant blast of wind hurtled towards the Ghost Guard Captain that was charging them. The giant blast sent the Ghost Guard Captain back two metres but didn''t make a single dent on the shining golden armour. It gave the twins only a half a millisecond gain in distance between them and the Ghost Guard Captain.


    "Not good, we need to escape now!" Daphne shouted.


    Cordelia was unwilling but her head knew that the logical decision was to escape. With the Ghost Guards in his command, Van was now invincible within the Ancient Abandoned Manor.


    Cordelia grit her teeth ¨C they should have attacked him with all the Ghost Guards as soon as he entered the manor! The reason they had lured him into the treasury was to make extra sure that Van would be eliminated. They needed him to be trapped in the treasury with no exit and incredibly powerful Ghost Guard Captains. They had gotten what they wanted, and yet the result was completely wrong.


    Cordelia finally felt a small fissure open in her heart. From the beginning it was like the red-haired youth in front of them was always a step ahead, predicting their moves and reading their intentions as if he were flipping a book. Could it be that he was more talented than her?


    Daphne grabbed Cordelia''s hand, "Move!"


    Van grinned, "Not so fast!"


    With the Undying Guard Command Medallion in his hand, Van could sense the life force hidden within each ghost guard stationed within the manor. With this medallion, he controlled who they attacked and if they awoke or remained in slumber. Cordelia and Daphne had come to the Ancient Abandoned Manor at least 24 hours before Van had and powered through to the treasury. Then they had hidden themselves in there with a concealment array that even tricked Van''s spiritual sense when he had scanned the treasury. It was only when he looked more carefully a second time that he had sense the fine and almost invisible array that hid two annoying brats. Once he identified the location of the array, he soon was able to see through it. The curious thing was that there was a glowing circle of energy emanating from Cordelia''s hand ¨C thin streams of power emitted from this glowing circle and stretched to every corner of the manor. Within a few milliseconds, Van realised that each strand emanating from the circle was connected to a ghost guard in the manor. The youth immediately guessed that this medallion was able to control the ghost guards in the manor, and that the twins'' plan was to trap him inside the treasury before making him mincemeat.


    Bang! Bang!


    The two 8th ranked Ghost Guards standing sentry at the doorway shuddered to life. Immediately they sensed Van''s intentions and blocked the doorway to the treasury.


    Clang!


    Their giant axes crossed over each other - the meaning was clear: You shall not pass!


    The remaining Broken Moon disciples were frightened out of their wits. In front of them were two 8th ranked monsters, behind them two 9th ranked monsters. There was simply no way out apart from death!


    Weng! Weng! Weng!


    Bright flashes of light went off as they were eliminated from the battlefield.


    The two twins rushed towards the exit. Compared to the 9th ranked Ghost Guard Captains these two 8th ranked monsters were much more manageable.


    Van suddenly appeared in front of them.


    "Not so fast!"


    Both twins suddenly felt like they had made a terrible mistake. Madam Sophia, their aunt, had activated the Illusion Wind Flute to send a message into the Monster Mausoleum just once. They had thought their aunt wouldn''t use the Illusion Wind Flute until a critical moment, but in her message, she expressed her with for the twins to eliminate Van as soon as possible. She even implied that this red-haired youth was their greatest threat in the Mausoleum, causing the two twins to feel greatly disturbed. They had listened to their elder and acted according to the plans. Not only did Madam Sophia predict that Van would head for the Ancient Abandoned Manor, she used her previous experience here to help them find the item that would allow them to control all the Ghost Guards within the manor.


    That was precisely the Undying Guard Command Medallion that Van was now using against them!

 123 Reap What You Sow

    The two twins rushed towards the exit. Compared to the 9th ranked Ghost Guard Captains these two 8th ranked monsters were much more manageable. However, Van wouldn''t let them escape so easily.


    "Not so fast!"


    The red-haired youth suddenly appeared in front of them. A whirlpool of dark icy water rushed towards them.


    The twins lifted their hands simultaneously, creating a gust of wind so strong that it seemed to push Van''s whirlpool away.


    Dark blue clashed with white as the two martial arts clashed.


    Van grit his teeth. The slowing effect of the icy qi was minimal as it was unable to come into contact with their skin. He had to do something, quickly!


    A giant black axe appeared in his hand just as the whirlpool dropped away.


    [Heavy Axe Art!]


    A heavy and overpowering sensation filled the air. The twins were too close and could only dodge abruptly to the side. However, this small amount of time was enough for the two Captains of the Guard to catch up.


    Cordelia and Daphne were trapped between Van, two 8th rank Ghost Guards and two 9th rank Captains.


    Cordelia panicked until she saw Daphne''s fearful face. The stronger twin gritted her teeth, "Forgive me, sister!"


    Cordelia stuck her hand into her waist pouch and withdrew a talisman.


    Van''s eyes narrowed ¨C it was a powerful teleportation talisman!


    Daphne''s face paled, "Sister¡­!"


    Cordelia''s face hardened, "This talisman would be powerful enough to carry the two of us 10km away in an instant, but 20km if it carries only one person. Remember what Aunt said ¨C victory here is the most important!"


    Daphne''s lips moved up and down silently. After a moment, she hung her head but her heart was filled with resentment. The talisman could carry them both to safety but her sister was selfish and only wanted to use it for herself. Did she not consider Daphne''s feelings? If she was eliminated here, she would not be able to gain any treasures or benefits, greatly stunting her future growth.


    Daphne''s expression soured.


    This selfishness was just so typical of Cordelia.


    [Why did I ever expect anything different? I am her sister but she treats me like a lacky and does not care for me at all. I have to always cater to her needs without any complaint, because she is the golden child ¨C not me!]


    In the milliseconds that passed since Cordelia spoke these words, Van was watching the two sisters like a hawk. When he heard the righteous hypocrisy that Cordelia spouted and Daphne''s unwilling expression, he couldn''t help but snicker.


    The sound of Van''s laugh was like a lightning bolt striking Daphne on the head. She grits her teeth and her hand suddenly shot out, grabbing the talisman from her sister''s unsuspecting hands.


    Cordelia paled, "What are you doing!?"


    Daphne smiled sadly, "Looking out for myself without regarding anyone else ¨C I learnt it from you!"


    FLASH!


    A bright white light filled the treasury. When the light dimmed, Daphne was nowhere to be found.


    Van saw Cordelia''s wide eyes and her pale complexion and laughed again, a deep throaty laugh that came from the bottom of his ribcage.


    "Do you understand now?"


    The young girl looked up at him with a somewhat lost expression. She acknowledged that she treated Daphne badly, but she never expected that¡­


    Van raised his palm, the Ghost Guards and the Captains surrounded Cordelia but did not attack. He had a few words for this pompous little girl.


    "Whether it was leading a battalion or trapping me today, your greatest downfall is your overinflated ego and lack of empathy. Your skills may be good and your talent sky high, but without these skills the events of these last few rounds will repeat again and again. You are only young; it is not to late to learn some emotional intelligence. To push your sister, who is patient and self-sacrificing into this kind of action¡­" Van sighed.


    With every word he spoke, Cordelia shrank in on herself. She was obviously still shell-shocked by her sister''s betrayal.


    Van saw her expression and shook his head. Cordelia clearly planned on sacrificing Daphne, why was she so surprised when her sister intended the same?


    "Any last words?" Van said in jest.


    Cordelia looked back at him, her dark eyes were dull at first but the longer she looked upon him the brighter they got with anger. In her heart she still felt that the person who had caused her and Daphne the most problems was this red-haired youth in front of them.


    It couldn''t be helped, for such an arrogant person to admit they''re wrong and wanting to change is extremely hard.


    "Just do it!" She shouted.


    "Captains!" Van pointed at Cordelia, "Kill her."


    The gleaming golden Ghost Guards rushed forwards. Despite her talent as a top genius she could not last long against to 9th ranked Ghost Guard Captains. Within a few exchanges, she was thoroughly defeated.


    Weng!


    Van watched her body being teleported out of the battlefield.


    A few moments later, he remembered the fact that he was in a room filled with priceless treasures. He scanned the area but there were just too many things to take in at once ¨C weapons, armour, clothing, books ¨C making it difficult for him to pick just one out of several hundred.


    There was another problem too. Each treasure was encapsulated within an array more complex than the Firestorm Abyss Entrapment Array. Due to his spiritual sense he was able to see through the arrays easily, seeing that some were empty due to having been dismantled by previous generations of disciples.


    Van hissed suddenly, feeling his spiritual sense being sucked into a high-level array.


    [These arrays are not so simple to solve. With your current mastery of your spiritual sense you will not be able to solve these lest you risk losing your mind. Your best bet is brute force ¨C these small arrays are more complex but require less energy to be maintained. If you attack the array and drain its energy slowly you can probably attain the treasure within] Jet explained.


    [Looking at the average level of these arrays, they should take 2 days of persistent effort to crack open.]


    Van scanned all of the treasures once more with his spiritual sense before landing on a desirable target.

 124 Need for Speed

    [Looking at the average level of these arrays, they should take two days of persistent effort to crack open.]


    Van scanned all of the treasures once more with his spiritual sense before landing on a desirable target. It was a pair of leather sandals with a metallic symbol on the heel. They gave off ethereal aura that caused Van''s heart to beat erratically when he looked at it. These sandals were hidden behind a strong array that seemed to have been cracked slightly already.


    Van guessed that a previous participant had found it and spent several days attacking the array to create that crack but unfortunately, they could not finish the job as the monster waves got too strong for them to endure. Despite the crack, this array was one of the strongest in the treasury, requiring at least ten days of continuous effort if it had been without flaws.


    It was a good thing Van had the two 9th rank Ghost Guard Captains under his control!


    Jet saw the sandals through Van''s eyes and spoke excitedly.


    "A pair of Palladium Wind Nymph Sandals! They grant the wearer the ability to flee from the fastest of foes, multiplying your natural speed by at least ten times. It can even allow you to achieve flight by gliding on the wind currents. The Palladium Wind Nymph Sandals is only one of three treasures that can grant cultivators below the Sea Establishment realm the ability to fly."


    One of three treasures capable of granting flight to those below Sea Establishment! They would also increase his speed to insane levels. The red-haired youth gulped the saliva that suddenly accumulated in his mouth.


    That pair of worn-looking leather sandals with the palladium symbol on the heel were actually such a powerful treasure. There was no way he was letting them go now!


    Van lifted his palm and a burst of flame attacked the array.


    Weng!


    A silvery blue glow emanated from array as the array fought back. Van was pushed slightly backwards from the force. The red-haired youth watched the array heal the damage he had just created.


    "An attack from a peak 7th ranker only caused the light to glow a little bit. It''s a good thing someone tried to open this array before. The crack means that this should take me two days only."


    Van appeared in front of the chest that contained the Palladium Wind Nymph Sandals. In the few moments that had passed, the effect of Van''s burning fist was already nowhere to be found as the array had healed itself.


    Hut!


    Van pushed his fists forwards and a powerful jet of flame attacked the array, causing the table that held the chest to sway slightly with the impact. Once more a silver blue glow emanated outwards.


    Van thrust his fists forwards once more but this time the flames that emitted out were streaked with blood red and a bright amber color ¨C this was the effect of pulling on the Tri-Divine Blood Flame and the Abyssal Storm Flame to power his martial arts.


    WENG! WENG!


    Van''s attacks weren''t fast but they were powerful and carried the weight of his half-step 8th rank cultivation and the backing of two powerful flame essences. The red-haired youth could feel the will of the flames in every palm he exchanged. The array glowed bright and dimmed after each of Van''s blows.


    The array would heal itself and negate some of Van''s work but on the overall, the array''s power was dropping slowly.


    Naturally, Van''s stamina was limited. He called out the two 9th ranked Captains of the Guard and the two giant golden suits of armor swung their weapons at the array, greatly whittling away at its power.


    In the blink of an eye, night time fell. With the sunset came the monster hordes. This time there were five rank 7 golems and five rank 6 golems. This was the strongest monster horde any of the participants had seen so far but Van''s expression barely changed.


    "Kill!"


    With a single sentence, the two golden 9th Ghost Guards charged forwards.


    BANG!


    CRASH!


    SLICE!


    The overwhelming strength of two 9th ranked doctors was enough to completely subdue the monster hordes.


    In the blink of an eye, two days had passed.


    A few hours before sunset on the third day ¨C


    CRACK!


    A brilliant kaleidoscope of blue and silver tones burst outwards as Van''s fiery palm impacted the sides of the array. The two Ghost Guard Captains halted their movements as the array finally broke after two days of continuous attack from one half-step 8th ranker and two 9th ranked demon beasts ¨C it was clear that this treasure was heavily protected.


    Van''s expression turned to joy as he rushed forwards and cradled the sandals in his arms. In his arms they were lighter than they appeared. The palladium logo was of a Pegasus with its wings extended.


    [Well?! Try them on!]


    Van placed the Palladium Wind Nymph Sandals on the ground, took of his own rough shoes and then slid his feed into the sandals. The sandals were softer than expected and immediately resized themselves so they fit Van''s feet perfectly.


    [Now insert your spiritual power] Jet ordered.


    Van concentrated and inserted his spiritual power in the sandals along with his spiritual sense. Suddenly, the sandals emanated an ancient aura. Van felt the wind start rushing below his feet and whip his hair.


    Van looked down and saw that he was actually hovering 2 to 3 centimeters above the ground.


    "I''m not touching the ground ¨C this is amazing!" Van enthused.


    "Time to test the speed boost."


    Van concentrated and rotated [Scattering Smoke Steps.] While the movement skill was activated, Van could actually feel a huge increase in the speed at which his afterimages could appear. He now appeared randomly at millisecond intervals.


    As [Scattering Smoke Steps]'' primary weakness is that it is focused on absolute evasion rather than absolute speed. This means that it is very good for battles but very bad for escaping enemies.


    Van was not someone who was ashamed of running away when the situation called for it.


    Shua!


    Van kicked the ground and felt the world rush by him at top speed. His figure flashed and appeared several meters away in the treasury.


    [With this if I had to fight the Ghost White Rabbit again, I might actually be able to outrun it.]


    Now that Van had achieved his goal he was naturally elated, but he hadn''t forgotten his original reason for attacking the Manor ¨C he needed materials that would help him level up to the 8th rank!

 125 Waste Not, Want No

    Although Van was elated to have gained the Palladium Wind Nymph Sandals, he hadn''t forgotten his original reason for attacking the Ancient Abandoned Manor ¨C he needed materials that would help him level up to the 8th rank.


    Van looked around; there were hundreds of treasures concealed and protected by complex arrays. Any one of them could be the second item he targeted.


    "I need cultivation resources. Pills are the most powerful, but if I can find an elixir or potion that would be good too. A powerful herb will also do the trick, but the harmonious compounding effect when herbs are combined into a pill or medicinal item is far better."


    The red-haired youth was smiling widely as he drank in the sight of the treasures in the room. There were quite a few cultivation items in the treasury that were very highly-ranked. For example, that moldy-looking lump was actually a portion of Dragon Grass Root that was extremely prized for its ability to revive a man suffering from a reluctant little brother. Due to its ability to cure a sensitive matter as well as its ability to greatly increase someone''s Yang qi, this Dragon Grass Root could be sold for 500,000 silver taels in Dragon City.


    Van was not interested in this herb. He kept looking, nose turned up as if he could scent a powerful medicinal treasure.


    The red-haired youth''s eyes landed on another item ¨C it was an enticing purple flower with delicate thorns all along its stem.


    [The Five Venom Orchid. Each part of the flower can cause death, whether you are pricked by a thorn, ingest its petals or inhale its pollen. For Poison Art cultivators, the Five Venom Orchid is almost a holy treasure] Jet explained.


    Van listened to Jet''s words and was impressed but also thoroughly afraid of this sweet but deadly flower.


    "Surely there must be some suitable things in here," Van said to himself. He was neither in need of Yang qi or wanted to practice the Poison Arts. He just needed something that would help his cultivation.


    The youth had spoken too soon for he was then able to spot three suitable items in quick succession. In the corner of the room was a vial that contained a few small droplets of liquid. Over there, lying inside a chest was a bottle containing three cracked medicinal pills. A few steps over was a large wine jar that seemed to still contain a cupful of sweet-smelling alcohol.


    [Take the Pure Celestial Dew. The Brimstone Grape Wine is known to riot around one''s body in a tyrannical manner. The three cracked medicinal pills have lost over ninety percent of their efficacy and would be less useful then paying money back in Dragon City to buy some pricy pills.]


    Van cocked his head.


    "But there''s only three drops left in the vial of Pure Celestial Dew," he said peevishly, "Surely that''s not enough to push me into the 8th rank!"


    Jet really wished he had legs so he could kick this stupid peasant in the backside.


    [Say that again after you have a taste!] The black ring snapped.


    [If you don''t trust this granddaddy, then this granddaddy doesn''t mind finding someone else to carry him around. Humph!]


    Van was amused by the ring''s indignation. Of course, he trusted Jet!


    There was a saying: "Do not use the one you don''t trust, and trust the one you chose."


    It could be considered that Jet and Van both ''chose'' each other way back when they had met in a strange hole on the mountainside. Since it was already this kind of situation what was the point of not trusting?


    Van smiled and without another sound dashed towards the cabinet holding the small jade vial of Pure Celestial Dew.


    The two 9th rank Ghost Guard Captains swung their weapons.


    BANG!


    Slash!


    A day later, the array cracked and the faint aroma of the Pure Celestial Dew drifted upwards. Van deftly plucked it out of the cabinet and rolled it in his palm.


    Suddenly.


    In the middle of the treasury, a ripple formed and an intimidating aura spread out.


    Van sucked in a deep breath. This time there were ten 7th ranked golems! With rock-like bodies and glowing red eyes, the stone golems were a fearsome sight to behold.


    The red-haired youth frowned. Ten 7th ranked demon beasts were no joke ¨C if he did not have the two 9th ranked Ghost Guards by his side he would have had to fight for a few hours just to defeat them.


    Counting quickly, he realised that this was already his 5th night in the Underworld Labyrinth. This meant that he was already in the 10th round of the Monster Mausoleum. It was well-known that the current record was the 15th round.


    "Attack!" Van ordered.


    The golem-like creatures leapt forth and collided with the imposing Ghost Guard Captains. The sound of rock striking steel filled the air. The battle was fierce but concluded quickly. It couldn''t be helped, the gap of two ranks was simply too large to overcome ¨C Van didn''t even need to lift a finger.


    When the golems disintegrated Van breathed a sigh of relief. He sat down on the dusty ground and took a meditative stance. Deftly, he uncorked the vial.


    A bright, glistened droplet of dew slid onto his tongue.


    Another two followed.


    The three droplets slid down his gullet while releasing potent energy. Streams of power entered Van''s spiritual river. The power was so pure that the impurities within Van''s body started to excrete from his pores.


    The youth shook; his face turned bright red from the pain.


    Too powerful!


    The spiritual energy in those three drops of Pure Celestial Dew was simply too condensed and powerful. The pressure in his veins quickly built up as the spiritual energy rushed in.


    The red-haired youth clenched his teeth and endured. However, his body started to shake uncontrollably from the pressure build up. Then ¨C even more terrifyingly ¨C his vision started to blacken at the sides.


    [I must hold on!]


    Van was unwilling to let the spiritual power overwhelm him. He forced himself to take deep breaths. As he concentrated his mind on his breathing, the pain seemed to become lesser.


    The potent spiritual energy was continually sucked into his spiritual river. The banks of the river grew wider and wider.


    Breathe in.


    Breathe out.


    Breathe in.


    Breath out!


    CRACK!


    Van heard a deafening roar in his core as the spiritual river burst its banks. The river flowed vigoriously into the distance, emitting an aura of endless power.


    The red-haired youth smiled.


    He finally broke through to the 8th level of Qi Distillation!


    With this power, Van was now more confident in his ability to survive in the Underworld Labyrinth. With the two 9th rank Ghost Guard Captains he was even more powerful. Those monster hordes could chase him all he liked but with the Palladium Wind Nympth Sandals on his feet he didn''t believe anything below the 10th rank could keep up with him now that he himself had achieved the 8th rank.


    Didn''t they say that the current record was making it to the 15th round?


    A smirk lifted the corners of his face.


    [Just you wait and see what result this daddy recieves!]


    Besides, there were still countless treasures and mysteries to be found in the Underworld Labyrinth.


    After a moment''s consideration, Van exerted all his strength and cracked the jade vial. Then he greedily licked the moisture off each piece. The spiritual energy flowed into his spiritual river.


    Waste not, want not!

 126 The Human Heart is Fickle

    [Three days ago. Inside the Coliseum.]


    The crowd had been unusually subdued as they watched the red-haired youth walk into the Ancient Abandoned Manor. Through the mirages in the sky, they knew that the twins had prepared an elaborate trap to get rid of this red-haired youth.


    But the most amazing thing happened.


    At the most critical moment the control of the two 9th rank Ghost Guard Captains was snatched from the Zephyr Twin''s hands by that red-haired youth.


    The tides were turned unexpectedly yet spectacularly. The following scenes got the entire audience''s blood pumping through their bodies. Their eyes glittered ¨C they had long gotten sick of the twin''s arrogant and despicable actions.


    When Daphne used the escape talisman and Cordelia was struck down, the crowd who were watching the second battlefield couldn''t help themselves. They jumped up in their seats.


    "He did it!"


    "He really did it!"


    "The unknown Cedar Sect disciple used his cunning and insight to defeat the Zephyr Sect''s top disciple, that fierce and arrogant Phoenix!"


    Many people were satisfied by the show. With Cordelia''s defeat, the interest people had in the red-haired youth increased by a hundredfold. Previously he had played around with the twins a bit but his true skill level was unknown ¨C now that he was the vanquisher of the top disciple of the Zephyr Sect, people suddenly enquired all manner of details about him. If the people who were his fans numbered around one hundred before now, they were inching close to one thousand. This sounded impressive but in reality, there were over fifteen thousand people crammed into this giant coliseum. Despite this, the interest was genuine and rumors about him spread quickly.


    Within minutes they all knew that the red-haired disciples name was Van, and he was not even the Cedar Sect''s top outer disciple. Even more astonishingly, a few months ago he had been a servant working in the Wood-Cutting Division!


    "To rise up so quickly¡­ what kind of determination and persistence did he have?"


    _____


    [Simultaneously, in front of the gate to the second battlefield.]


    Madam Sophia watched with a complicated gaze as the portal to the second battlefield pulsed. Her usually graceful and calm smile was somewhat faded at the edges. It was unknown if the emotion in her eyes was disappointment or regret.


    Standing alongside Madam Sophia were other people who were waiting for an eliminated disciple be teleported out of battlefield. After a disciple''s body inside the battlefield was encapsulated by bright light, their body would be teleported out of the battlefield and spat out of the entrance gate that they had entered in. The other people waiting included worried parents or close friends, some were also recruiters who took fancy to a cultivator and wished to draw them over to their sect.


    As the darkness swirled, slowly, a point of lightness emerged in the gate to the second battlefield. Only a few milliseconds later the swirling dark spat out a young girl around twelve years of age.


    Cordelia stumbled forwards, her face was pale and wan. The last thing she had seen was a 9th rank Ghost Guard Captain swinging its axe at her and blinding pain. The moment she saw her aunt, her eyes brimmed with tears and she ran forwards. She sobbed into the older woman''s robes.


    Madam Sophia stood stiffly. After a moment, she closed her eyes; she had nothing to say.


    "How could she!?" Cordelia cried out, "I''m the more talented one, of course she should be the one to step aside!"


    Madam Sophia gripped Cordelia tightly.


    "Pull yourself together. What kind of shameful face are you making now while everyone is watching you!?"


    The red-faced girl wiped her eyes and looked down.


    Madam Sophia drew her close and quickly took Cordelia to her private lodgings where she could cry to her hearts content.


    Inside her own rooms, the elegant woman sipped her cup of tea silently as the girl in front of her hiccupped. Madam Sophia''s gaze became cloudy as she thought of the past.


    When her sister passed away and left her with a pair of twins, Madam Sophia treated them as if they were her own daughters. Cordelia was a lively child while Daphne was quiet and docile even at that age.


    Madam Sophia bonded easily to Cordelia, who most resembled herself when she was a young child, and felt it harder to take care of Daphne who would rarely speak of her own needs.


    Yes, the inexplicable human heart is that easily biased. Humans are not logical creatures even when we try to be. Just like that, two twins who were born identical began to travel different paths.


    As Madam Sophia adored Cordelia''s bright and lively personality, she naturally spoiled her a bit more and even began training her personally as she grew up. Daphne could only watch quietly on the sidelines and gain knowledge when she could. Madam Sophia was not heartless, she tried to train Daphne for a while but soon discovered that Daphne truly was not as gifted as Cordelia as cultivating. When she realized that she did not have the talent her older sister had, Daphne''s sensitive personality caused her to become more unhappy and she withdrew from the training program. As time passed, the power dynamic between the identical twins shifted to the extremes ¨C one was tyrannical and arrogant, the other one quiet but full of dissatisfaction. With such careful nurturing and excellent natural talent, Cordelia shot up in the ranks and soon became acknowledged as the top outer disciple of the Zephyr Sect. Cordelia''s glory enhanced Madam Sophia status in the sect and everyone felt that this young girl could one day be a pillar of the sect. Every time Cordelia succeeded, Madam Sophia was immensely gratified and spoiled her even more. It was only expected that Madam Sophia''s overindulgence led to Cordelia''s temperamental and arrogant personality. The young girl expected everyone to be in awe of her and lacked the ability to be kind and sympathetic to those who were weaker than her.


    In the meantime, Daphne faded into the background ¨C she never went against her older sister and did everything Madam Sophia told her to.


    Madam Sophia sighed. She always thought that this was because Daphne was a kind and obedient soul who preferred to stay out of the spotlight, but it turned out that Daphne''s dissatisfactions were hidden deeply and suppressed to the bottom of her heart.


    Until they exploded today.


    [I was wrong, ah.]


    Madam Sophia admitted in her heart. No one would be happy living in someone else''s shadow forever. If she had treated both sisters equally and given them both opportunities to grow, maybe the shameful events of today wouldn''t have happened. To show such a disharmonious scene between two twin sisters would only place the Zephyr Sect into a bad light.


    Maybe if Cordelia was less arrogant and treated her sister better, these shameful events wouldn''t have happened.


    "The older sister was too cruel and arrogant, causing the younger sister to revolt against her."


    "Is this how the Zephyr Sect raises their disciples ¨C with no respect for familial ties? Even a wild animal knows not to hurt its own brethren!"


    Similar jeers still rang in Madam Sophia''s ears. She put down her cup and gathered Cordelia''s hands into her own; stroking them.


    "Cordelia, love. As the older sister you should be able to show more magnanimity towards your younger sister. You could have shared the talisman and worked together to shake off that Cedar Sect. What Daphne did was wrong but understandable, we can only cheer her on now. When this competition is over you two need to properly reconcile and put aside your enmity. After all, you two are sisters and share the same blood."


    Cordelia couldn''t believe her ears. Her hiccups subsided as waves rolled through her. Even Aunt? Even the aunt who had spoiled her the most was taking Daphne''s side?


    It couldn''t be helped ¨C Madam Sophia had realized her mistakes too late and at this stage saying words like this were only throwing oil onto the flames. After all, Cordelia had never learned to be kind to Daphne, asking her to show more magnanimity now was like asking a fish to climb a tree. Adding to this, Cordelia felt like she was losing the person who loved her the most to the sister she usually treated like a slave. Her world was turning upside down.


    Cordelia''s face twisted.


    "Shut up! All of you only take her side, you think I''m useless and don''t want me anymore!"


    With this shouted, the young girl turned on her heels and ran out of the room.


    Madam Sophia became alarmed, "Cordelia!"


    However, the young girl had disappeared easily ¨C flown like the wind. Madam Sophia sighed.


    [She probably needs time on her own to cool down. I can only pin the hopes of the Zephyr Sect on Daphne now. At the very least, she is sensible and knows how to strategize more than her sister.]


    ______


    Wang Hao landed heavily onto his knees, choking on the sand that billowed up around him. He had been walking for days with no respite in sight and finally his legs had given up on him.


    He chuckled lightly but it turned into a hacking cough.


    Even though he was in the 8th level of Qi Distillation, the last few days had not been easy.


    Each day at dusk he fought off those ten strange golem-like monsters and every day they grew stronger and stronger. He fought them off despite extreme thirst and starvation. If not for his tenacity and the sharpness of his sword; he would have fallen long ago. Towards the end, he walked and fought on autopilot. Those sword strokes were neither light nor heavy, simple and direct, done without thought. And yet these simple sword strokes began to take on a profound meaning over time. The golem-like monsters were cut no matter how strong they were. This was an effect that not even Wang Hao himself noticed.


    Wang Hao coughed again. His mouth was so dry that his tongue was brittle sandpaper. He looked up into the distance but still did not see a single sign of green or blue, just endless yellow.


    Wang Hao no longer had the strength to rise from his kneeling position but he still had the strength to pull out his sword and lay it before him.


    The dark eyes that looked at the sword held no regret. The youth laid his palm on his beloved long silver sword. The soft sigh he let out was immediately carried away by the whipping sand.


    "Ow!"


    Just as he thought he was breathing his last, Wang Hao discovered something extremely painful was digging into his buttocks. He instinctively reached under and found his fingers grabbing onto something.


    "¡­What is this?"


    In the youth''s thin and dirty palm, a smooth stone with several ancient engravings of a sword could be seen.

 127 Concealed in the Name

    [Three days ago. Inside the first battlefield.]


    The thin and dirty young man sitting in the sandy desert picked up the sword inscription and inspected it carefully. Although the stone the engraving was on was a very common type of stone in this desert, the inscriptions were full of powerful intent. Wang Hao could not comprehend all the concepts contained within the stone in such a short amount of time, but it was profound and vastly exceeded the level of anything he had ever studied in terms of the Dao of the Sword. Realizing this, the young swordsman''s eyes gleamed. The vitality that had been sucked out of him by the desert suddenly seemed to pour into him from this sword inscription.


    Wang Hao was a simple sword enthusiast ¨C put such a powerful and profound sword inscription in front of him and he would feel as if he had been injected with chicken blood. The color returned rapidly to his face.


    [I want to read it!]


    He staggered upright and dragged his tired body over to a large boulder a few hundred meters away. The boulder''s size was helpful in blocking out the baleful wind and the harsh sand that blew across the desert. In this sheltered spot, Wang Hao pulled out the sword inscription and began to contemplate the profound mysteries within.


    Soon the youth''s brows began to furrow. With an innate talent for the Dao of the Sword, Wang Hao soon began to feel that the aura within the inscription seemed familiar to him. He delved deeper and realized that the sword strokes being shown in the inscription possessed a 60% similarity to the sword strokes he had unconsciously been using for the last few days.


    The dark-haired youth contemplated the engraved stone. It seemed that his stumbling onto this great fortune wasn''t just an accident. After all, how impossible was it that Wang Hao would sit down and accidentally sit onto a powerful item like this sword inscription?


    It was far more likely that this sandy desert was a trial or some sort ¨C after all, the Monster Mausoleum is a place designed to test and reward talented disciples.


    Wang Hao, this sword-loving lunatic, persevered over treacherous terrain with no food or water for five days and nights with no sight of green or blue in the distance to give him hope. The only thing that kept him going was his dedication to the sword in his hand and his desire to improve himself. When his body finally couldn''t handle it anymore and he finally collapsed, Wang Hao still felt sorry to his beloved sword ¨C I''m sorry that I could not bring you to the end with me.


    The Underworld Labyrinth section of the Monster Mausoleum was a fluid and strange place. Its rewards were not always pre-determined. The appearance of the sword inscription was a direct result of Wang Hao''s performance over the last five days and nights in the desert ¨C it definitely wasn''t just laying there in the sand.


    [This sword inscription contains extremely powerful sword intent that is very compatible with my personal style. I feel like if I contemplate this for longer, my sword skills would jump up by an entire level at least.]


    The rather stern-faced youth placed his hand on the pommel of his sword and his face towards the sun.


    "Yun Hai, you despicable bastard. You better watch out for yourself now that I am back!"


    ______


    "It''s time."


    Klaus set his gaze to the center of the dark forest he had been exploring since he had been teleported into the Underworld Labyrinth five days earlier. Originally it had been full of evil auras, but over the last few days the silver-haired youth had steadily defeated the demon beasts that roamed the forbidding forest in front of him. Now that the coast was relatively clear, Klaus felt that he had reached the prime time to journey to the center of the twisted forest. There was something there that called to him on a cellular level.


    Klaus narrowed his eyes. There was just one problem ¨C the beast that guarded the center of the evil forest was 9th ranked!


    The silver-haired youth mulled over the situation for a few more minutes.


    [Hm, yes. That should work.]


    ______


    [Present moment.]


    Van exited the Ancient Abandoned Manor soon after he stabilized his cultivation. While the treasures and resources remaining in the manor were tempting, they took too long to extract even with the two 9th rank Ghost Guard Captains to help out. Besides, Van had seen something strange earlier¡­


    Shuah!


    With the Palladium Wind Nymph Sandals on, Van travelled extremely quickly over the terrain. It was as if the wind was supporting him from below his feet. The youth sped towards a medium-sized hill that he had found using his spiritual sense.


    From that vantage point, Van closed his eyes and extended his newly-developed spiritual sense 100km in each direction. As the spider-web of his spirtual sense extended over the landscape, Van began to form a strong mental image of what the land inside of the Underworld Labyrinth was like.


    [As I thought!]


    Van grew excited. He had felt that the landscape looked a bit strange last time, and now his suspicions were confirmed. That river that flowed through the landscape, those mountain ranges, the valley, the field of flowers and that strange murky area ¨C the arrangement of all these areas was just like an extremely large, natural labyrinth.


    [The clue was in the name, ''Underworld Labyrinth''!]


    Now that Van was looking closely, he could see were various natural formations used to construct the labyrinth so it looked as natural as can be.  They might look innocent, but the way they were arranged made it almost impossible to navigate through the labyrinth without getting lost once or twice.


    [The goal of a labyrinth is to confuse those who enter it and prevent them from both reaching the center or escaping the labyrinth.]


    The red-haired youth''s gaze sharpened. This entire place was made to misdirect people away from the center ¨C presumably something incredible would be hidden there!

 128 A Game of Chicken

    [Present moment. The 11th night in the Monster Mausoleum.]


    Van travelled smoothly over the landscape in the Underworld Labyrinth with the Palladium Wind Nymph Sandals on his feet. The wind beneath his feet was like a friendly spirit, giving him a nudge here or there to support him.


    The terrain in the labyrinth varied widely due to the influences of powerful treasures or creatures in the area. This quickly varying environment was one way in which you could tell that the Monster Mausoleum was man-made or at least not completely natural.


    Earlier, he had deducted that the various natural formations in the Underworld Labyrinth were constructed to look natural. Actually, they were designed to confuse those who enter them and prevent them from reaching the center of the labyrinth. This thought got Van''s blood boiling ¨C he felt that there was definitely something important hidden at the center of the Underworld Labyrinth.


    While Van was skimming over the surface of a swamp, he felt the air tremble. The hairs on the back of his neck instantly raised.


    SNAP!


    Shua!


    Van darted away just in time to avoid being bitten by a gigantic 9th ranked Stone-Armored Crocodile with teeth the size of swords and a body that was at least 20 meters long and 5 meters wide.


    Its jaws closing in on nothing but air, the Stone-Armored Crocodile receded into the muddle swamp water. Its dark beady eyes watching Van keenly.


    Van glanced at his metallic sandals and felt thankful in his heart. Disaster had been narrowly missed ¨C however, it seemed like the giant crocodilian demon beast was still watching him.


    "So aggressive!" Van exclaimed. His heart rate was still elevated.


    At that moment, he spotted a nest containing three large emerald green eggs in the middle of the swamp. The brown swamp water churned as the 9th ranked Stone-Armored Crocodile swam protectively around its nest. But where there was one parent, there would be another.


    Van''s eyes rested for a moment longer on the three eggs in the nest.


    [Such a vicious and powerful protector¡­]


    The red-haired youth pursed his lips. Suddenly, an idea popped into his head.


    The beady dark eyes of the Stone-Armored Crocodile stared back at him.


    Van smirked, "Maybe I''ll have a little rest here."


    In the entire Underworld Labyrinth, spread across the five battlefields, only Van was so carefree at this moment. Empowered by his high-level spiritual sense and incredible movement ability, he could freely travel over the landscape and do whatever he liked.


    In stark contrast, other disciples were running around still battling stone-golems from the previous night''s monster horde or just plain evading them. They didn''t have the time to look around the Underworld Labyrinth and see what treasure caught their fancy. In fact, there was a disciple in the fourth battlefield who was already a popular figure in the Coliseum and was given the nickname ''Road Runner.'' Why?


    It wasn''t a glorious reason but simply because he was actually running away from the thirty golem-like monsters chasing after him. Obviously, this Road Runner fellow didn''t have the strength to deal with so many monsters at once so he decided to rely on his movement ability to evade being eliminated. It was actually a respectable achievement that he had lasted this long on only a 5th level of Qi Distillation cultivation.


    It was the 11th night of the Monster Mausoleum and the vast majority of disciples simply couldn''t take it anymore. Run this way and there was a demon beast, run this way and there was an entrapment array, run upwards and there was an 8th ranked Sun-Mountain Lion, run downwards and there was a graveyard filled with evil spirits. To top it all off ¨C at the end of each day, 10 golems at the 7th rank would start chasing after you! These stone golems had endless energy and strong defense. Their only weakness was a slightly slower speed than average due to their bulk ¨C a 7th rank golem had a speed that was on par with an average 6th ranked monster.


    Despite their slower speed, these golems never ran out of energy ¨C but the participants did. Those at least in the 7th rank had an easier time as they had larger reserves of spiritual power, but even then, they would eventually run out. Once they ran out of spiritual power they would need to stop and meditate to recover, exposing them to the risk of getting attacked by the stone golems whereas cultivators of the Sea Establishment Realm would be able to run endlessly due to the ability to recover spiritual energy as they ran or flew.


    It was the 11th night of the Monster Mausoleum and there were only around 20 cultivators left in all five battlefields combined.


    "Ugh! It got me!" Mystra spat blood out of her mouth as two 7th ranked golems overpowered her Macabre Dance, which made significant cracks in their rock-like bodies but not enough to kill them. She had already killed five of them but there was still five more.


    BANG!


    A golem swung its fist at her spiked ball-and-chain and it was ripped from her grasp.


    "Fuck! If only I had a little more time¡­" Mystra closed her eyes.


    For someone in the initial stages of the 7th rank she had truly done quite well to have lasted to the 11th night. Remember that only 20 out of the initial 200 disciples remained, that was only 10% of the initial participants.


    A bright white glow enveloped Mystra''s body the instant the stone golem hit her.


    When she opened her eyes again, she was spinning through a dark space. After a few minutes she emerged from the portal to the sight of Tutor Lumia and Elder J.


    "Mystra," Tutor Lumia acknowledged with a light nod, "You have conducted yourself impressively. With a final score of 241, you are in the low-upper ranks."


    From Tutor Lumia''s perspective, Mystra had only broken through to the 7th rank recently and her martial skills had yet to catch up. The rewards she could redeem with her 241 points was already quite good.


    Mystra nodded her head but felt somewhat dissatisfied within. She could have done better if only she had more time! This was because she had managed to produce the rare movement skill, ''Swallow''s Flight'' while travelling through the Underworld Labyrinth. It had only been two days since then - not nearly enough time to understand it fully - and then the monster hordes had became too strong for her to resist.


    "How is Wang Hao doing?" Mystra asked with a wrinkle between her brows.


    A small smile spread over Tutor Lumia''s lips, "Your Senior Brother has incredible fortitude and was able to unlock the Swordstorm Desert''s secret inheritance ¨C the Solitary Sword Script. If he has the ability to comprehend it then his sword skills will become unrivalled in the Cedar Sect."


    Even Elder J''s usually bored expression seemed to have been replaced by a slightly livelier look, "It''s all very INTERESTING, isn''t it? If he can achieve the minor perfection realm of the Solitary Sword then he should put up a good fight against Yun Hai."


    Mystra''s eyes gleamed and her red hair flared up behind her in her excitement. Her Senior Brother was doing well, good, very good!


    Suddenly, the image of another youth flashed across her mind. It was a red-haired youth with a steady expression.


    Mystra''s expression showed that she felt a bit embarrassed, "And V-Van?"


    Tutor Lumia and Elder J exchanged looks.


    Mystra was astonished.


    "You mean he has the highest score in the Cedar Sect!?" Her voice was so loud and piercing that some people sitting in the stands turned around to send her a disapproving glance.


    "How is that possible?"


    Tutor Lumia shook her head, "I have been watching him ¨C he has great instinct and has been gaining points proactively throughout the waves of monsters. Not only has he killed every golem-monster sent after him, he has also taken control in previous rounds to kill additional monsters. While others are surviving, he is thriving and even hunting."


    Mystra''s gaze turned complicated. While she had admired Van for defending the Cedar Sect against Rhogar and then Viggo, in her heart she had always felt that the gap between her and Van was not that big. After all, he was also in the 7th rank of the Qi Distillation realm when they met.


    Mystra sighed. She looked at the ball-and-chain weapon in her hand. This weapon was one that was handed down the female heirs down the generations and the Macabre Dance was a technique that only the most compatible and talented could learn.


    [I need to work harder!]


    The fifteen-year-old girl clenched her fists. Her straight back and fierce expression radiated a heroic aura.


    Tutor Lumia smiled warmly, "Come, we have set up a camp for returned participants just outside the coliseum. You must be exhausted."


    Elder J snapped his fingers and a diminutive servant came forward to show Mystra the way to the camp.


    The red-haired girl twisted her neck back and saw a familiar youth in the mirages high above. With glittering metallic sandals on his feet, he was smoothly whizzing over the landscape with a tranquil expression on his face. After a few minutes, she saw him enter an area with a giant Stone-Armored Crocodile and almost grew a few white hairs. Her heart leapt to her throat but fell back down when he escaped easily. However, he did not leave, opting to enter a death stare match with the hostile Stone-Armored Crocodile instead.


    [What is he planning?]

 129 Crocodile Hunter

    Van and the 9th ranked Stone-Armored Crocodile stared at each other without blinking. There was a small smile on the youth''s face despite the fierce and aggressive aura being emitted by the crocodilian beast, who watching the youth with its dark beady eyes.


    The red-haired youth was hovering about half a meter off the ground on the edge of the swamp, a few hundred meters away from the Stone-Armored Crocodile.


    A few minutes passed in tense silence.


    The Stone-Armored Crocodile was tense but also slowly getting bored. After another twenty minutes without movement it''s guard relaxed by a tiny amount. The little human was entertaining bad thoughts but didn''t have the guts to do anything. It was possibly waiting for friends to join them, but the Stone-Armored Crocodile''s partner would soon be back from hunting for prey.


    At that moment, ten powerful auras dropped out of the sky. From their auras alone it could be told that 5 of them were in the 7th rank and 5 of them in the 8th rank. They shot menacingly towards the swamp, following a red-haired blur that was dashing towards the nest of eggs.


    The crocodilian demon beast''s protective instincts instantly roared to life. It lunged violently towards the largest of the 8th ranked golems and clenched its incredibly powerful jaw over a stone leg. With a powerful death roll, the stone leg was ripped off the 8th rank golem, which fell to the swamp with a large splash!


    ROARR!


    The 9th rank Stone-Armored Crocodile attacked the golems aggressively.


    Van saw its powerful jaws and sharp teeth slice into the golem''s as if they were made of butter and gulped.


    It was lucky that crocodilian-type beasts had small brains relative to their large and fierce size. If it figured out that the golem-type monsters were actually aiming for Van, and not their eggs¡­


    Shuah!


    Van sped through the air, a tiny speck compared to the giant sizes of the golems and the crocodilian demon beast fighting above him. With his incredible speed he was able to evade the relatively slower golems and keep leading them in circles around the enraged Stone-Armored Crocodile that was getting increasingly incensed. It rapidly killed off four of the 7th ranked golems but was getting injured by the combined attacks of the remaining four 8th ranked golems.


    Van landed lightly on the edge of the nest and looked down at the three emerald green eggs. His eyes gleamed and he rubbed his hands. The stone golems kept trying to run forwards to where Van was and kill him but they were blocked by the incredibly aggressive Stone-Armored Crocodile who slammed its giant snout across the legs of any golem that tried to move towards the center of the swamp. Due to being attacked, the golem''s reflexively fought back, dealing significant damage to the crocodilian monster.


    The three green eggs rapidly disappeared into Van''s waist pouch.


    ROARRR!


    At that moment, a powerful aura crashed into the area. The hairs on the back of Van''s neck raised. Without hesitation he revolved [Scattering Smoke Steps]. In combination with the Palladium Wind Nymph Sandals, Van seemed to instantly teleport several hundred meters away.


    A second, larger Stone-Armored Crocodile also in the 9th rank, charged through the bushland surrounding the swamp. It''s black eyes pinned Van with a furious and blood-thirsty gaze.


    At that moment, due to Van changing his position, the golems that were chasing after him stopped trying to move to the center of the swamp and ran off to the side. The bloodied and injured Stone-Armored Crocodile breathed heavily but did not chase after them. However, a split second later it saw its partner charging in and realized that the eggs in the center of the swamp were gone!


    Van picked his ear ¨C it was time to high tail out of here!


    Shuah! Shuah!


    The wind below his feet picked up and whisked him rapidly away. However, the larger crocodile that had just appeared was full of energy and rage after it stumbled onto the scene. It immediately began to chase after Van, its bulky body crashed through the landscape. Being a predominantly aquatic creature it''s speed on land was slow and ungainly but its immense size made up for it.


    Van whistled as he travelled over the landscape. He ran in a straight line, prioritizing speed over evasion.  While he was running, he slipped his hand into his waist pouch and withdrew a familiar jade tablet.


    The larger Stone-Armored Crocodile did not notice Van''s sneaky actions. The red-haired youth shot a look over his shoulder and saw that the Stone-Armored Crocodile was falling behind somewhat and deliberately slowed his speed to make sure it kept chasing him.


    Suddenly, an ear-piercing and mournful shriek was heard.


    The giant Stone-Armored Crocodile behind Van trembled in response. It stopped chasing Van and actually turned its heavy body around to go back to the swamp.


    Van landed lightly on top of a large boulder.


    The red-haired youth watched the giant crocodile waddle furiously away and smirked.


    "Tsk tsk, a man''s first priority should always be to protect his lady."


    Van pulled out the jade tablet and pressed his palm into it. The two 9th ranked Ghost Guard Captains were the only Ghost Guards that he was able to take out of the Ancient Abandoned Manor. With the Ghost Guard Captains, he could control all the subordinate guards in the manor but only these two could be removed from the manor due to the arrays that had been set up. After dripping his blood onto the jade tablet, the Ghost Guard Captains could be stored inside the jade tablet and only released when needed.


    Earlier, Van had summoned the two Ghost Guard Captains and sent them to kill the Stone-Armored Crocodile that was already severely injured due to its fight with the ten golems. Not only did he get 50 points for defeating a 9th ranked demon beast, he was also able to get the second crocodilian beast off his tail.


    Two 9th ranked Ghost Guard Captains may not be able to easily defeat two 9th ranked Stone-Armored Crocodiles. But two Ghost Guard Captains would be able to easily defeat a Stone-Armored Crocodile on its own!


    Van opened his waist pouch and looked at the emerald eggs. A satisfied smile spread over his lips.


    "Don''t worry, I will give you a good life," he declared, "Just without your parents."


    Ah, it seemed cruel but it was only the way of the cultivation world.


    ______


    The 11th night caused a significant culling in the remaining participants due to the five 8th ranked golems that appeared. The majority of the remaining disciples were in the peak of the 7th rank, with only a few in the 8th rank. Each of these disciples could now be acknowledged as geniuses for lasting this long, but if they did not increase their cultivation, gain a powerful treasure or new skill then they would never reach the legendary 15th wave. The 8th ranked disciples had a good chance of making it to the 13th round based on cultivation but after that survival was based on a combination of luck, insight and ability.


    In the depth of a twisted forest, as silver-haired youth emerged with a cold expression on his aristocratic face. Interestingly, there was a new addition to his usual look ¨C a plain black eyepatch now covered his left eye.

 130 If Thou Gaze Long Into The Abyss

    From the depths of the dark, twisted forest, a silver-haired youth emerged. His panther-like steps prevented his footsteps from producing any noise louder than the rustling of the leaves up above. The youth''s naturally noble air was diminished by the dirtied state of his robes.


    Klaus lifted his hand to gingerly touch the eye patch covering his left eye and immediately winced as pain shot through him. Warmth trickled slowly out from the sides of the eyepatch and left tear-like tracks down the side of his aristocratic face. When he removed his hand, a black tar-like substance was smeared onto his palm.


    Klaus'' face paled but he gave no other reaction, expression inscrutable.


    [It''s being rejected...]


    The silver-haired youth''s expression was unwilling.


    [Obey me!]


    Klaus breathed deeply and drew upon the power hidden underneath the eye patch. Undulations of power trickled into his body from his left eye, soothing any of the remnant pain he felt from his fight with the King of the Twisted Forest. The tension slowly drained out of the youth. A faint smile touched the edge of his lips.


    Klaus'' remaining ice blue eye scanned critically over the landscape. Suddenly, his left eye trembled.


    The silver-haired youth''s expression changed. He raised a thin brow.


    "I see."


    "So, there is a reason this place is called the ''Underworld Labyrinth,'' after all."


    The youth''s figure blurred.


    _______


    Van was humming a bright little tune as he polished an emerald green egg that was twice the size of an average human head. He sat at the top of a small hill, waiting.


    A few minutes later, the sound of metallic clinking noises could be heart.


    Van got excited.


    Two giant golden suits of armor trampled over the landscape, dragging two large corpses behind them. Van had not been sure if the two Stone-Armored Crocodiles would disintegrate when killed but as luck would have it they were still intact.


    "Good job!" Van patted each Ghost Guard Captain on the arm.


    When Van lured the male crocodile away, the injured female was killed by the two Ghost Guard Captains. When the female cried out for help as it was dying, the male Stone-Armored Crocodile ran back to save her but unfortunately did not arrive in time. The enraged crocodile tried to get back at the two Ghost Guard Captains but was still defeated after a long and drawn-out fight.


    Van touched the scales of one of the crocodiles and revealed a pensive expression.


    "Hn."


    "A bit too rough and thick to make a nice crocodile leather jacket."


    "Ah, I know. Use to soft underbelly to make a leather jacket and the harder back scales to make some light armour."


    Van inspected the two bodies as if he were a butcher circling a slaughtered pig. After he was satisfied by his judgement, he used his Mysterious Obsidian Battle-Axe to cut out a relatively small portion of crocodile hide that was intact and unblemished. It was almost a difficulty to do this because of the scars and cuts made by the two Ghost Guard Captains.


    "I''ll take a few sharp teeth as well, to make a selection of daggers for Finn."


    Van stuffed his loot into his waist pouch but was dismayed to find that there was very little space remaining in there after he put everything in. After all, the waist pouch was only 2mx2mx2m.


    The red-haired youth pondered for a moment and then shrugged. There was no use getting upset about a lack of space.


    He clambered onto the crocodile''s snout.


    [Heavy Axe Art!]


    Weng!


    A heavy, suffocating aura surrounded the obsidian axe as it swung down and brutally cracked open the skull of the 9th ranked Stone-Armored Crocodile. Van was impressed by the combination of the Pinnacle-Rank weapon art and his physical strength.


    He quickly rummaged through the crocodile''s parts but could not find a demonic core.


    "That''s strange ¨C none of the monsters inside the Monster Mausoleum have beast cores. There must be a reason behind this."


    Van quickly dismissed his pesky thoughts. It wasn''t a question that needed to be answered right now.


    Since Van couldn''t take away the crocodile meat, he decided to quickly have a barbecue on the side of the road. He sliced off the most tender meat and placed it on top of a flat piece of rock. Then he went to collect a bunch of dry sticks and logs to build a fire. He pretended to rub the sticks together for a few moments before sneakily using a strand of the Tri-Divine Blood flame to get the flames to start.


    Without salt the meat was quite bland but the spiritual energy stored in the flesh of the Stone-Armored Crocodile''s was quite rejuvenating.


    Van smacked his lips. He felt much better after eating.


    "Eh, time to move on."


    Van thought it was a shame but he could only leave the bodies of the crocodiles behind.


    "The level of the monsters wandering in the central areas keep increasing. Sigh. At least I''m getting closer."


    The red-haired youth sent his spiritual sense outwards again, a thin web of mental energy that spread over the landscape. Now that he had travelled further in, he could also sense what was closer to the center of the Underworld Labyrinth. The image was still blurry but the central structure seemed to be a dilapidated tower. When Van tried to concentrate on the image more, he got the strange feeling that he was being watched back. It was deeply unsettling.


    In a flash the Van''s figure had disappeared, leaving only a slight mark on the soil which was soon erased by the wind.


    ______


    A black-haired young man around fifteen years of age was puffing as he ran over the landscape. With his hair cut short and rather ordinary features, this disciple would have been quite unremarkable but for one thing ¨C his eyes, which were a strange lilac color.


    His name was Tetsuya, the second-ranked outer disciple of the Star-Cutting Sword Sect. Although his name did not ring as loudly as Yun Hai''s, the highly ranked outer disciples of the Star-Cutting Sword Sect were all well-known and popular. This was unlike other Sects like the Cedar Sect, where even their top disciple was only somewhat known.


    Beads of sweat trickled down Tetsuya''s forehead as he focused his mental energy on the world around him. His specialist skill was mental energy swords and illusion techniques.


    Don''t be fooled by his harmless and ordinary appearance ¨C even those several ranks above him would think again before crossing him. Few people could guard their minds effectively below the Sea Establishment realm and his ability to warp their minds could affect their ability to cultivate in the future.


    Tetsuya was highly skilled and routinely defeated cultivators two ranks higher than him. Anyone who lost against Tetsuya would not readily agree to battle him again, shuddering each time they remembered the torture they had suffered in their own minds.


    But Tetsuya was currently experiencing some difficulty in the Monster Mausoleum. His strong mental energy and illusion skills were ineffective against the stone golems sent by the mausoleum as they were externally controlled and possessed no mind of their own.


    Tetsuya was frustrated as he could not see a good way for him to kill the golems without risking his life. The only good thing was that he was quite agile and quick for his rank and could continue to evade the accumulated golems for a few more rounds.


    [There shouldn''t be many people left now. If I can make it just a few more rounds then I can break the one-thousand-year record of making it to the 15th wave¡­ Even if I can''t, Yun Hai definitely can.]


    When Tetsuya thought of the glorious and haughty being that was Yun Hai and bitter feelings welled up from within him. The taller and larger a tree is, the more sunlight it takes up and the less sunlight the plants living in its shadows received.


    If Yun Hai was the tree, then all the other stellar outer disciples of the Star-Cutting Sword Sect were like the plants suffering in its shadow.


    Tetsuya bit his lip, "Just four more days to beat the record!"


    If he could beat the record, he would be sure to gain the attention of the sect elders. Tetsuya''s biggest wish right now was to be chosen by a sect elder to become a Core Disciple.


    Lilac eyes flashing, the black-haired youth continued forwards. Only a few minutes later he bumped into someone he wasn''t expecting.


    "You?" Tetsuya said, taken aback.

 131 The Abyss Will Also Gaze Into Thee

    Tetsuya saw a figure and his heart skipped a beat. He hadn''t expected there to be others still in the trial apart from him!


    As the figure drew closer, the space between Tetsuya''s brows wrinkled. This person seemed familiar but wasn''t someone whose name instantly came to mind. Where had he seen him before¡­?


    "You?" Tetsuya said, taken aback. He had finally placed the face before him but he was as puzzled as ever. He had already fought this person before and found his cultivation to be lacking compared to his own. He really didn''t expect that this person would be able to last this long.


    "Tetsuya of the Star-Cutting Sword Sect. We meet again." The opposing youth''s voice was silky yet filled with ice.


    Tetsuya''s heart became unsettled but his expression did not change. Instead, he smiled lightly.


    "You barely managed to throw off my mental attack last time, almost taking away half your life. Think carefully about what you want to do next."


    As he said this, Tetsuya''s unusual lilac eyes flashed threateningly. A killing intent rose from him. His heart was unwilling to accept that this person that he had dismissed was still in the Monster Mausoleum ¨C and worse, this person seemed much more relaxed than even himself!.


    After a moment, the youth standing opposite him chuckled. It was a soft and cold laugh that somehow made you feel like a mouse trapped under the paw of a leopard.


    Tetsuya shook his head to dislodge the imagery. Just what on earth was giving him this impression? Even if the other had gained a few treasures since they last met, so had he! After clearing his mind for a bit, Tetsuya analysed the situation in front of him. This youth was clearly also heading towards the centre of the Underworld Labyrinth¡­


    Tetsuya made a decision. Two tigers cannot share a mountain! This time he would not be so lenient and let the other party escape. His smile became warmer.


    "What is your name?"


    The silver-haired youth opposite him raised a pale hand to his eyepatch, tapping it lightly.


    "You don''t need to know who I am."


    What happened next was incredibly strange and inexplicable to anyone who was watching the scene from the coliseum. The angle that the two young men were captured by was from an aerial view a tens of metres high in the sky, where the flying insect drone was hovering. As such the audience in the coliseum only saw the two youths stop to talk to one another. What they talked about was hard to discern due to the distance which they were recorded from.


    There was a bit of anticipation in the audience as the two youths greeted each other. Everyone wanted the top talent Tetsuya to show his powers again. No one in the coliseum thought for even a second that Star-Cutting Sword Sect''s number two disciple would lose if they fought. Would his opponent simply drop to the floor, dribbling saliva from the sides of their mouths as they lost their minds, or would this youth resist and fight back? Even if he resisted ah, there was bound to be fountains of blood as his internal qi reversed due to the infernal nature of Tetsuya''s illusion art.


    Those with good memory recalled that these two had clashed during the later waves of the Monster Mausoleum over a treasure, before they had entered the Underworld Labyrinth. The silver-haired youth had shown an above-average resistance to Tetsuya''s mental arts but did not fight back. The exchange only lasted a few seconds but Klaus had stumbled a few steps backwards, a red stain appearing at the corner of his lips. Tetsuya was satisfied that his opponent had been thoroughly warned and did not pay him any more attention ¨C there were treasures to be won, after all. He failed to notice the calculating look in his ''defeated'' opponent''s eye.


    At that moment, the mirage high in the sky showed the two youths exchanging words.


    Who knows what was said next, but the audience saw Tetsuya''s shoulders suddenly stiffen. The silver-haired youth curled his lips, turned around and walked away. The Star-Cutting Sword Sect''s number two disciple followed.


    Tens of minutes later they entered a dark, twisted forest and the drone lost sight of them.


    ______


    Owing to his Palladium Wind Nymph Sandals, Van was the person closing in on the centre of the labyrinth in all five battlefields. He sped calmly inwards. As he travelled further in he saw that the natural formations became denser, such that it was impossible to not accidentally bump into a treasure-filled place. The only problem was whether these places were easy to solve or extremely difficult.


    A few hours of travelling later, Van saw a sight that honestly shocked him into silence. He rubbed his eyes to check if he was seeing the right thing.


    About one kilometre ahead of him, a bustling town could be seen. He could vaguely see men, women and young children playing around in the town square. It was a bizarre sight after days spent struggling against the rock golems sent every day as evening came.


    "How can there be people here?" Van asked himself, "This place should be called the Monster Mausoleum for a reason ah, that''s why we fight against monster hordes on the daily. Just why would a human town suddenly appear here?"


    Despite his misgivings, Van was very curious. He knew that apart from the other participants there could absolutely be no other humans in the Monster Mausoleum. This meant that the entire town must be a construction - an illusion or array.


    Van sent his spiritual sense out. The gossamer threads spread out but he couldn''t see through the strange town even when he used his full power.


    Van tucked his hands into his robes, "Guess I''ll just have to go in and take a look myself."


    Van said this, but actually the human town could not be avoided. The mental map he had made of the Underworld Labyrinth showed that the centre could only be reached by passing through this area. The red-haired youth decided that this was definitely a trial set by the Underworld Labyrinth and did not think too hard.


    He straightened his robes, patted off some of the dirt so he wouldn''t look too much like he had just crawled out of a swamp and walked into the town.

 132 The Meaning of Life

    Van stepped casually into the bustling town. The sight of a stranger entering the town barely drew any attention, contrary to Van''s expectations.


    Van relaxed a little bit and looked around. The houses were constructed well, clearly a step-up from the village level and the streets were lined with stones. The people in the town looked exceedingly ordinary - there were rich and poor, young and old, men and women were busily conducting their own lives. Over there, two young children played on their front door step with dolls made of straw. A thin and tanned middle-aged man was leading a donkey down the main road, calling out to any friends he passed on his journey.


    Van followed the main road with no particular aim in his mind. Further in, the town became busier and appeared more prosperous. Stores selling various wares lined the sides of the streets. A street vendor waved sticks of barbecued meat through the air, sending the smell of lightly spiced beef into Van''s nostrils, greatly arousing his appetite despite him being stuffed with crocodile meat.


    "Just half a copper tael for a skewer of this Eight-Herb Spiced Beef, one bite and you will never forget the deliciousness!"


    Van found that he could understand what the townspeople were saying perfectly. If it weren''t for the fact that he couldn''t read the characters on the signboards, Van would have suspected he had stumbled into an ordinary town in Cloud River country. The red-haired youth narrowed his eyes and inspected the strange symbols on the shop signboards. After some intense scrutiny, he found that the symbols shared about 20% similarity with the characters used in modern language.


    ''Could this be the language of a nearby country? Or perhaps an ancient form of the modern-day language¡­''


    The streets got noisier and more crowded. Van was hemmed in on all sides by the tide of people walking down the main street but he didn''t mind.


    ''The people seem so realistic. This scenery even reminds me of Clear Water Town.''


    Despite being somewhat charmed by the sights of the bustling town he could see; Van was under no illusions. The people and the town might seem real but it was undoubtedly the construction of a giant and intricate illusion array. Van estimated that the Firestorm Abyss Entrapment Array was merely the scribbling of a toddler compared to this array. The youth had the thought of inspecting the illusion array to learn from it but found that his spiritual sense was not powerful enough to see into the details of the array. He could only give up on breaking the array and just focus on the trial that it would undoubtedly contain.


    As Van walked, his eyes were attracted to a small bookstore that gave off a humble but scholarly feel. He was immediately intrigued, curious about the type of literature and ancient town like this would have. He lifted his heels and entered the store. Unexpectedly he was immediately bowled into by two small blurs.


    Even Van with his study body cultivation was caught by surprise and had to stabilise himself from the impact. His hand flashed out and caught the collar of a girl child about six to seven years of age.


    "Watch where you''re going!" He chastised. However, any harsh word Van was about to give the girl died in his throat when big tears started rolling down her eyes. He felt awkward; it was only a small child bumping into him after all, there was no need for him to raise his voice.


    "Don''t bully my big sister!" Another voice piped up. The second small blur was a little round-faced boy who couldn''t have been older than four. He immediately ran towards the skinny youth holding onto his sister''s collar.


    Pah! Pah! Pah!


    The little boy''s fists rained down on Van''s robes.


    Van felt helpless. What to do in a situation like this?


    "Who''s there!?"


    Van heard a hoarse voice shout from within the store. He looked up with difficulty, feeling guilty for making the two children cry despite the fact that they had been distraught before Van had frightened them. An old grandfather came slowly out of the depths of the bookstore. His back was hunched from old age and he held tightly onto the walking stick in his right hand.


    Van dropped the little girl and coughed lightly. He looked around the store casually.


    "I am interested in your wares. You sell books?"


    A glance over the shelves showed that they were slightly old but they were indeed full of scrolls, books and even a few slips of jade. One section had writing tools such as brushes, inkstones and papers.


    "Oh, a guest?" The grandfather seemed to cheer up a little bit.


    As the old man drew closer, Van was startled to find that his eyes were red-rimmed and his hands trembled continuously .


    Van looked between the two children and the grandfather and felt that the atmosphere was a bit desolate and suffocating. Clearly all three of them had been crying their eyes out just before Van entered the store.


    At that moment, loud footsteps sounded out. Five men suddenly stormed into the bookstore with cold looks in their eyes.


    "Trash everything!" The man at the helm shouted. The other four immediately took action; they picked up a table and used it to smash the shelves violently.


    The grandfather paled; his eyes shook as he scanned the space behind the intruders.


    "M-my son, where is my son?!"


    "Move aside, old geezer!"


    One burly man kicked the grandfather''s walking stick, causing the old man to fall to the ground. The two children cried out and rushed to their grandfather''s side.


    Despite this bookstore having little to do with him, Van felt indignation and anger flame up in his chest. Who the hell were these people and why in god''s name were they smashing the shop?


    Van looked at the grandfather and the two small children. One was frail and the other two were too little to do anything. This act of bullying the weak was just too extreme!


    "Stop!" Van shouted.


    The head of the gang that had just stormed in finally saw the stranger in their midst. His small, mean eyes flashed.


    "Who the fuck are you!?"

 132 The Vicissitudes of Life 1

    Van stepped casually into the bustling town. The sight of a stranger entering the town barely drew any attention, contrary to Van''s expectations.


    Van relaxed a little bit and looked around. The houses were constructed well, clearly a step-up from the village level and the streets were lined with stones. The people in the town looked exceedingly ordinary - there were rich and poor, young and old, men and women were busily conducting their own lives. Over there, two young children played on their front door step with dolls made of straw. A thin and tanned middle-aged man was leading a donkey down the main road, calling out to any friends he passed on his journey.


    Van followed the main road with no particular aim in his mind. Further in, the town became busier and appeared more prosperous. Stores selling various wares lined the sides of the streets. A street vendor waved sticks of barbecued meat through the air, sending the smell of lightly spiced beef into Van''s nostrils, greatly arousing his appetite despite him being stuffed with crocodile meat.


    "Just half a copper tael for a skewer of this Eight-Herb Spiced Beef, one bite and you will never forget the deliciousness!"


    Van found that he could understand what the townspeople were saying perfectly. If it weren''t for the fact that he couldn''t read the characters on the signboards, Van would have suspected he had stumbled into an ordinary town in Cloud River country. The red-haired youth narrowed his eyes and inspected the strange symbols on the shop signboards. After some intense scrutiny, he found that the symbols shared about 20% similarity with the characters used in modern language.Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    ''Could this be the language of a nearby country? Or perhaps an ancient form of the modern-day language¡­''


    The streets got noisier and more crowded. Van was hemmed in on all sides by the tide of people walking down the main street but he didn''t mind.


    ''The people seem so realistic. This scenery even reminds me of Clear Water Town.''


    Despite being somewhat charmed by the sights of the bustling town he could see; Van was under no illusions. The people and the town might seem real but it was undoubtedly the construction of a giant and intricate illusion array. Van estimated that the Firestorm Abyss Entrapment Array was merely the scribbling of a toddler compared to this array. The youth had the thought of inspecting the illusion array to learn from it but found that his spiritual sense was not powerful enough to see into the details of the array. He could only give up on breaking the array and just focus on the trial that it would undoubtedly contain.


    As Van walked, his eyes were attracted to a small bookstore that gave off a humble but scholarly feel. He was immediately intrigued, curious about the type of literature and ancient town like this would have. He lifted his heels and entered the store. Unexpectedly he was immediately bowled into by two small blurs.


    Even Van with his study body cultivation was caught by surprise and had to stabilise himself from the impact. His hand flashed out and caught the collar of a girl child about six to seven years of age.


    "Watch where you''re going!" He chastised. However, any harsh word Van was about to give the girl died in his throat when big tears started rolling down her eyes. He felt awkward; it was only a small child bumping into him after all, there was no need for him to raise his voice.


    "Don''t bully my big sister!" Another voice piped up. The second small blur was a little round-faced boy who couldn''t have been older than four. He immediately ran towards the skinny youth holding onto his sister''s collar.


    Pah! Pah! Pah!


    The little boy''s fists rained down on Van''s robes.


    Van felt helpless. What to do in a situation like this?


    "Who''s there!?"


    Van heard a hoarse voice shout from within the store. He looked up with difficulty, feeling guilty for making the two children cry despite the fact that they had been distraught before Van had frightened them. An old grandfather came slowly out of the depths of the bookstore. His back was hunched from old age and he held tightly onto the walking stick in his right hand.


    Van dropped the little girl and coughed lightly. He looked around the store casually.


    "I am interested in your wares. You sell books?"


    A glance over the shelves showed that they were slightly old but they were indeed full of scrolls, books and even a few slips of jade. One section had writing tools such as brushes, inkstones and papers.


    "Oh, a guest?" The grandfather seemed to cheer up a little bit.


    As the old man drew closer, Van was startled to find that his eyes were red-rimmed and his hands trembled continuously .


    Van looked between the two children and the grandfather and felt that the atmosphere was a bit desolate and suffocating. Clearly all three of them had been crying their eyes out just before Van entered the store.


    At that moment, loud footsteps sounded out. Five men suddenly stormed into the bookstore with cold looks in their eyes.


    "Trash everything!" The man at the helm shouted. The other four immediately took action; they picked up a table and used it to smash the shelves violently.


    The grandfather paled; his eyes shook as he scanned the space behind the intruders.


    "M-my son, where is my son?!"


    "Move aside, old geezer!"


    One burly man kicked the grandfather''s walking stick, causing the old man to fall to the ground. The two children cried out and rushed to their grandfather''s side.


    Despite this bookstore having little to do with him, Van felt indignation and anger flame up in his chest. Who the hell were these people and why in god''s name were they smashing the shop?


    Van looked at the grandfather and the two small children. One was frail and the other two were too little to do anything. This act of bullying the weak was just too extreme!


    "Stop!" Van shouted.


    The head of the gang that had just stormed in finally saw the stranger in their midst. His small, mean eyes flashed.


    "Who the fuck are you!?"

 133 The Vicissitudes of Life 2

    "Stop!" Van shouted.


    The head of the gang that had just stormed in finally saw the stranger standing in their midst. His small, mean eyes flashed. He exchanged a glance with his fellow gang members and saw that they also did not recognize the stranger. Looking at his strange robes and their dirty state, the head of the gang did not bother being polite.


    "Who the fuck are you!?" He sneered.


    Van smiled and calmly said, "I just found it unsightly that five big men like you were harassing an elderly man and two small children. Tsk tsk, how shameful."


    The man at the lead flushed red. He turned around and barked, "What did you stop for? Keep smashing!"


    The four other men resumed their vigorous beating of the shelves. The tablets fell off the shelves and smashed into shards. The ink bottles clattered onto the ground.


    Van couldn''t keep the smile on his face any more.


    The head of the gang smiled in response, "Not so brave anymore, huh, kid?"


    The red-haired youth saw the other''s satisfied expression and felt disgust well up within him. He lifted his fists, ready to settle things with force. Just at that moment, the old grandfather rushed over and used his walking stick to push down Van''s fists. Van could only unwillingly lower them.


    The old grandfather kneeled down and sobbed, "Please, don''t smash anymore. We will do whatever you want, please just return my son! I am already old and cannot live for much longer. For these two small ones, please, return their father!"


    The grandfather knocked his head on the wooden floor again and again until it bled.


    The little round-faced boy suddenly ran up and hugged the lead gang members tightly.


    "Please, return my daddy!" His tears soaked his red face until it was completely wet.


    His older sister''s face was pale white and pinched as she stared at her grandfather who was begging so pitifully.


    Even the hardest heart would be softened by this combined scene. The gang leader hmphed and pulled the little round-faced boy off his leg.


    "You want your father back? Then have him! Let him tell you personally what a wonderful thing he''s done!"


    The leader of the gang nodded sharply at his colleagues. Two of them went outside and shortly returned with a limp figure dangling between them. The figure''s face was bruised and dirtied, making it hard to recognize the person but the two children would recognize their father anywhere.


    "Daddy!" The little boy ran forward to rug his dad but before he could get there the two men let go and the slumped figure fell onto the wooden floor.


    The leader of the gang drew a slip of paper from his sleeve that had several red stamps and a finger print on it. The grandfather''s expression sunk ¨C that slip of paper was too familiar!


    The grandfather felt extremely faint but he still mumbled a few words.


    "How can this be? Impossible!"


    The gang leader sneered, thrusting the slip of paper into the old grandfather''s hands.


    The grandfather read the black words on the white paper. His hands trembled.


    Two hundred silver taels. Two hundred silver taels! The family of four only earned 2 silver taels a month if business was steady. Now they wanted two hundred silver taels! A coppery taste welled up in the old man''s throat but he swallowed it down.


    The gang leader aimed a sneer at the figure on the floor, "Remember the deal, Little Crow. Smashing your shop is just the first warning. If you can''t give us what we want in three days'' time, the consequences will be worse!"


    With those parting words, the gang leader and his goons left, leaving desolation and silence behind them.


    The little boy crawled to his daddy''s slumped over form and tapped his cheeks. A weak groan answered him. The round-faced boy smiled happily. What was most important was that the person was still alive! Daddy had returned!


    His sister came up to him with a damp towel and started cleaning up their father''s face carefully.


    The grandfather watched the men leave with dull and lifeless eyes. A minute later he looked at his son slumped on the ground. As if suddenly reinvigorated, the grandfather leapt up onto his feet and kicked his son in the gut. "Wastrel! Useless son!" He spat angrily, spittle flying.


    Van had an odd expression on his face. The scenery had simply changed too fast - he had no idea how to react!


    The sharp pain from the kicks caused the figure lying on the ground to splutter loudly and crack open his eyes. The little boy was elated to see his dad wake up.


    "Stop kicking, grandpa. Don''t kick Daddy!" The little girl pleaded, shielding her father from her grandfather''s kicks.


    The grandfather''s wrinkled face was turning red and purple with rage, "Making us worried sick for two nights before returning like this. What a filial son I raised! Have you left our Chen family with any face left? Have you thought about your mother in heaven?! Your wife!? If you weren''t my son, I would have told you to scram! Ungrateful bastard!"


    Van saw the grandfather suddenly sway from side to side. He rushed forwards and smoothly supported the elderly man, preventing him from injuring himself.


    "Grandpa!" The two children yelled. They were now torn between their dad and grandpa. Neither knew what to do.


    Van saw the grandfather''s complexion was not good and hurriedly lowered him into a chair.


    The elderly man wearily thanked him, one eye still glaring belligerently at his son.


    "Tell me!" He barked, "What good thing did you do this time to bring down the wrath of Signor Lu''s cronies onto us?!"


    Under his daughter''s careful ministrations, Little Crow''s facial features were gradually revealed from beneath the caked-on dirt. He shared about four tenths of his father''s features, but while the grandfather had fierce eyebrows and a hard mouth, the son''s features were softer ¨C resembling his mother. One could easily see that if Little Crow''s skin wasn''t so yellowed and his body less wasted away that he could have been a decently handsome man once.


    Little Crow''s eyes were filled with shame. He bowed his head down.


    "Water," he rasped out. His daughter rushed off and brought a cupful of water back. Once he had wet his lips, he began to tell his story.