《Above All》 The Beginning Chapter 001 - The Beginning ... ... ... ''Learn from the first, compromise the second, then make the third one a success!'' These were the words of the first ancestor of the White Alyssum City. Soon, the generations that followed made an attempt to live it out to the point where 3 became the city''s concordant number. Although it sounds weird and rather strange, such a thing really exists in this city. Even the normal people who lived here were all influenced by it and thus, adapted to it without them realizing it. And at this time, in the Vermillion Family''s main hall, a banquet was being held for the current Patriarch''s first-born son. The Vermillion Family was once the most illustrious and revered martial artists'' family in White Alyssum City. They were the eldest, if not, one of the oldest martial artists'' family in White Alyssum City and made numerous contributions. For almost half a millennium, the Vermillion Family continued to retain their position as one of the Three Great Families. However, even those who soared at the top for a long time will inevitably get tired and have no other choice but to fall. These words greatly suited the current situation of the Vermillion Family. For years, under the Patriarch''s and the various elders'' leading, they kept on producing disciples who had absolutely no chance of succeeding the Patriarch. Although there were few that are acceptable, they still fall far from the standards of the Vermillion Family''s Patriarchal seat. The reason for this was well known throughout the city. And it was a reason that the Vermillion Family felt very gloomy of. Back in the days when the Vermillion Family basked in glory, even lower disciples would be treated with a great amount of respect. However, now, that they have hit rock bottom, most of those people left. Only a few stood by the side of the Vermillion Family. And all of these people have gathered in the banquet. Almost all of these people received favors from the Vermillion Family. The Jade Family, for example, is one of such. The Jade and Vermillion Family''s founder were close brothers at the time. The Vermillion Family''s founder, Big Flame, once helped Blue Jade, who is the Jade Family''s founder. According to the story of the elders, Big Flame rescued Blue Jade at a crucial time. Since then, they became sworn brothers that helped each other in times of need. All the following patriarchs of their respective families seemed to have followed their footsteps as they have also been close with each other. And at this moment, the current Patriarch of the Jade Family arrived. His patent dark green robes and domineering aura attracted the gazes of all the people present. Some of the people even slightly bowed to him to show him their respect. But, that is only natural since they are also one of the three major families in White Alyssum City besides the declining Vermillion Family, and the Bluan Family. Roose Jade is the current patriarch of the Jade Family, he is greatly known for his powerful defensive move, ''High Shine'', it is allegedly said that when this move is used, his body will gain a temporary ''enlightening state'' which will render whatever the enemy does, useless.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. "Congratulations, Patriarch Jiu Vermillion." His gaze wandered off for a bit, then it stopped at a youth who was merrily eating his fill, he suspired deep and added, "Seeing him like this, I can definitely tell that your son will soar to new heights in the future!". Roose Jade retracted his eyes, cupping his fist to the current patriarch of the Vermillion Family, Jiu Vermillion. "You''re being too overconfident with my son, Patriarch Roose Jade," Jiu Vermillion guffawed. "Although I could say that I have put every last bit of my hope to that son of mine, I''m afraid that my lacking talent would be inherited by him..." Jiu Vermillion heavily sighed. It has been a bit more than two hundred years since the start of the Vermillion Family''s decline. If they fail to produce an acceptable genius that could change the bleak path that the current Vermillion Family is heading, then... "Patriarch... no¡ª Brother Jiu, stop worrying about these stupid things." There was a moment of silence between them, "You old fool, I never thought you would change like this..." Jiu Vermillion remained silent. Being the patriarch, no words will ever pacify the burden of a declining family. "Oh, right. Brother Jiu, I have an important matter to talk with you about. "As you already know, I have a daughter... she''s about a year older than your son.." It was then that Jiu Vermillion listened somewhat attentively. "What do you say, uhh... we arrange a marriage for them?" Roose Jade said in a tempting manner, his face was full of smiles and he made a thumbs up sign with his right hand. Although he knew of the gradual decline of the Vermillion Family. He still trusted that his brother-in-arms, Jiu Vermillion, wasn''t someone who could raise a talentless child like the previous generation''s patriarch. He and Jiu Vermillion also have an unbreakable bond like Big Flame and Blue Jade back in their days. They suffered the same misfortunes and experienced the same blessings. Thus, Roose Jade thought that it was only right for their children to be wed. Obviously, Jiu Vermillion knew how much of a risk it would take to reach this kind of decision. Every parent wishes to have their child marry someone deserving. So he did not even think twice before accepting his proposal. He silently planted this favor deep in his heart. "Roose, I truly am grateful for meeting a friend like you," Jiu Vermillion said with deep sincerity and patted Roose Jade''s shoulders. "I promise that I won''t disappoint you." Subsequently, Roose Jade turned his head around to his back. There, a little girl with an apprehensive look written all over her face as her hands clasped tightly on Roose Jade''s clothes as she looked curiously at Jiu Vermillion. Jiu Vermillion also called over his son, Arthur Vermillion, the celebrant of today''s banquet. Arthur was leisurely eating his food when suddenly his father called him over. His face suddenly wrinkled, showing displeasure. However, he still obliged and walked to Jiu Vermillion''s side. Every time Arthur took a step, a person or two would greet him with a face full of smiles. Arthur Vermillion and Rose Jade stood by their father''s side facing each other. Staring at the other''s eyes, thinking that if they stare long enough, they would instantly figure out the other party''s secrets. Rose was indifferent about this so she slowly drifted her eyes away from Arthur. Arthur, however, stared at Rose for a couple more seconds before also slowly withdrawing his gaze back. This action was noticed by the two middle-aged men beside them, they instantly revealed a pleasant smile and laughed heartily. ..... The banquet lasted for a couple more hours until people started to go, sent their goodbyes to Arthur and Jiu Vermillion, and left the main hall. When Roose Jade and Rose Jade finally sent their farewell did Jiu Vermillion accompany Arthur to his room. Just before Arthur opened the door, a large hand suddenly patted his shoulders. Jiu Vermillion was about to say something but no words came out of his mouth. After that, he shook his head, said some good night words to Arthur, and left. This action greatly confused the three-year-old Arthur. Why would you touch someone''s shoulders only to shake your head? After going in, Arthur changed his clothes to more comfortable and convenient clothing. Then, he dove right onto his bed like a child who experienced a very long day and slept like a log... A couple of hours later after Arthur went into a deep sleep. A mysterious ball of light appeared out of nowhere above Arthur''s head. This light is sometimes bright and sometimes dim. Indeed, it was flickering. "Y... You will suffice... I just n... need a decade...", the mysterious light said weakly. After the mysterious light said these words. It went directly inside the body of Arthur. As soon as the ball of light touched Arthur''s body, it caused unbearable pain to be felt by the three-year-old Arthur. He struggled as the mysterious light went deeper into his body. The pain worsened and his complexion became completely twisted. However, as soon as the mysterious ball of light reached the part where his heart was located, it came to a sudden stop and there weren''t any more movements that occurred. Moments later, the pain disappeared like there was nothing that happened, and Arthur continued his rest. The morning after this event caused many doubts to appear in Arthur''s mind. After he woke up, his body mysteriously felt very numb and tired. Later on, he asked his father for some low-grade healing medicines. As the pain subsided, Arthur only thought that the numbness he felt was probably the after-effects of yesterday''s banquet and concluded to pay no heed to it anymore. ... Arthur Vermillion Chapter 2 - Arthur Vermillion ... ... ... This morning''s sunrise was a breathtaking display of radiant colors. Bright streaks of red, pink, and orange slowly overcame the dark blue and purple of the twilight sky. The sky resembled a prism; all the colors blended perfectly into each other. The sun itself was just peeking out of the horizon, and its brilliant rays already shined brightly and began to warm the air. Staring at this entrancing view is a youth sitting on a roof colored deep red. This astonishing scene, along with the youth, perfectly resembles that of a famous master artist''s work. The youth who was sitting is Arthur Vermillion. It will be 2 days from now until his birthday. But instead of a face full of excitement and anticipation. His face shows that of a man whom all the problems of the world seemed to pay him a visit. "Arthur!" A gentle and familiar voice breaks the train of thoughts that were wildly rushing inside Arthur''s head. He immediately got up and his expression suddenly took a 180-degree turn as his original depressed and worried face became a joyful face. If this was seen by anyone they would probably think that his face was made by some sort of clay that he could instantaneously manipulate. "Good morning, Father," Arthur said smilingly, showing off his perfectly aligned teeth. "Don''t good morning me! What are you dawdling about up there, you are about to be late for school!" His father said with a serious but a warm attitude. This man was Arthur''s father, Jiu Vermillion. Arthur then quickly realized this and he immediately said his father goodbye and promptly left the Vermillion Family''s Residence. When Jiu Vermillion finally saw his son leave, he silently glowered. Of course, he knew what was the reason that his son was always up there alone. It is simply because of his poor innate talent. His fellow disciples had always been 2 miles ahead of him while he was still stuck at being a mere ordinary mortal. If things keep going on in this way, the Vermillion Family might be removed from the 3 major families of the White Alyssum City. And this was something that Jiu Vermillion didn''t want to see ever occur. -White Alyssum Martial Institute- Arthur Vermillion was just on time for school. However, he was bound to gather some attention since he was the last person to come. ''That retarded instructor isn''t the one teaching, good.'' Arthur thought to himself. When he was about to take a seat, he immediately heard someone say an insinuation. "Humph! Since when did a failure such as you become so important that you dare to be arrogant?! You are such a disgrace to our¡ª"If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The youth, who was insinuating, was immediately halted by a cold and icy eye. When he turned around he noticed that the gaze fixated on him was a beautiful girl wearing a long green dress. If she stared at him a little more gently, he might even declare her love to her immediately even if he gets rejected. However, reality is not as benevolent as there''s not even a single shed of gentleness that can be seen in her eyes, only terror. This was a combination of both background and power being used at the same time. This girl was the daughter of the Jade Family''s Patriarch, Rose Jade. Not only is she the most outstanding student in the class this year, but her appearance and allure also reach the top. Only Luna Bluan, the daughter of the Bluan Family''s Great Elder, can slightly match her. Upon recognizing who she was, he immediately apologized, "I-I apologize. I w-was only joking, o-only joking!". When Rose Jade saw how this man acted cowardly in front of her, she immediately turned her gaze away from him, completely disregarding him. After that, she turned her head to Arthur Vermillion and patted the seat beside her, hinting him to take a seat there. Arthur Vermillion, on the other hand, lightly smiled and shook his head. Thereafter, he chose an inconspicuous seat and rubbed the surface of the wooden desk with his right hand. He placed his left fist below his chin and proceeded to listen to the lecture the instructor was giving. On the other hand, Rose Jade was feeling a bit disappointed and thus, couldn''t really focus on the class. Although she had already expected Arthur to have that kind of response, she was still unhappy about it either way. ........ After the class had ended, Arthur walked towards the Vermillion Family''s residence when a gentle and warm hand suddenly touched his shoulder, halting his movement. He turned around and saw Rose Jade lightly smiling at him. "You should listen to your fiancee once in a while." Looking at Rose Jade, Arthur could only quietly sigh. His eyes locked onto hers'' but no words ever came out of his mouth. Realizing that he was at a loss, he slowly turned away from Rose Jade and continued to head back towards the Vermillion Family''s residence. Rose Jade was about to stop him again but as soon as her hand reached the back of his fading back, she changed her mind when he recalled how his eyes looked when he was talking to her. When she was about six years old, she and Arthur became close friends. A year after that, her father carefully explained to her that she and Arthur would become much closer when they grew up, to the point that he would have a grandchild to play with, after that, he started laughing boisterously. She didn''t understood it at first but when she grew up, she realized the meaning behind his words and later that day she angrily went into her father''s room, then she threw everything in his room at him. Her father never understood why she did that up until now. But, instead of being shy whenever she was with Arthur, she became closer to him instead. Arthur also realized what he was feeling and he also began to become closer to her. However, everything swiftly changed after both of them stepped into the path of cultivation. -Vermillion Family''s Residence- "Pah! Pah! Pah!" The sounds of wood and flesh rang in the silence of the night. Red blood were scattered all over the wooden dummy in front of him and dripped onto the ground. Arthur would occasionally burst out with an explosive strength that would shock even a veteran mortal fighter. After a series of moves, his fists and knees which were now as red as a ruby, were shaking visibly. Realizing that he couldn''t continue anymore, he decided to sit down and meditate to recover a bit of his energy. After a couple of minutes of rest, he started swinging his fists and his legs again at the two wooden dummies. His moves were already flawless and inculcated. However, if someone was to point out what was missing from him... Then, it was power. Arthur has already reached what an ordinary mortal thirteen-year-old kid like him could do. It is the utmost limit of what his body could take. If he wanted to improve, then he will need to cultivate. However, in his case, that is where his problem lies. When he first started cultivating, a some sort of force was impeding him from reaching the first step towards the Body Strengthening Realm. And that was something that he couldn''t remove much less understand. That is the reason why he is stuck at being a mortal while everyone was already at the beginning and even the middle stages of the Body Strengthening Realm. This greatly depressed Arthur, however, he was not willing to surrender. He worked harder than everyone else and trained harder than his peers, he wanted to become someone at the same level as Rose hence be able to get close to her while disregarding the judging eyes of the people. But as it stands now, he still falls far too short to be doing that. It is no more than an unreachable dream. Subsequent to his training, he went directly to his room and immediately fell into a deep sleep. ... Mysterious Light Chapter 3 - Mysterious Light ... ... ... Birthday. This day would be a memorable occasion for any young mortal or even martial artist that would grant them the feeling of extreme contentment. But this doesn''t seem to be the case for the thirteen-year-old Arthur. Instead of waking up early and rushing out of his room, seemingly too impatient to open the gifts he would receive... He was dozing off on the roof... Deeply contemplating as he watched the sunrise on the horizon. A tinge of sadness yet unswerving look was constantly appearing in his eyes. The more numbers add up to his age, the more he realizes that the gap between his peers is getting larger. For that reason, he had begun to hate himself for not being able to stand up to those who oppress him! He hated himself for not having the strength to be close to the person whom he wants to be close with! He hated himself... for being weak. The weak could only obey. It is a cruel reality that no one can resolve. But instead of being disappointed, Arthur firmly resolved himself to overcome his shell of weakness. He even had some thoughts to become someone like the legendary Empyrean Sovereign Fleeting Chaos who was said to be an ordinary mortal at first but, suddenly, he underwent a heavenly transformation and became an unparalleled existence that no ordinary man could ever reach. Of course, Arthur did not believe in such a ridiculous legend. Nobody can become a God in a year or even thousands of years. He believed that transcendent beings such as gods were born since time immemorial, it is not a rank where one could just attain by just talent and hard work. "Was my brain accidentally crushed during my sleep? Why am I even thinking of these foolish things.", Arthur said inwardly to himself, then he jumped down from the roof. ........ Night. Even though it was Arthur''s birthday, except for receiving gifts and eating extra delicious food, it wasn''t any different from any other day of his life as a martial artist¡ª well, to him, at least. The morning after he finished dallying up on the roof. He actually had thoughts of going to school despite his birthday. Upon noticing this, his father quickly roared at him from behind, almost scaring the guests that were around, and told him to stay and enjoy the day. He agreed rather tentatively. However, upon spending a few minutes with such a crowd, he decided to leave. He sneakily walked towards the door, avoiding the sight from his father, and went directly to the school. Although he is thankful for his father, staying still while doing nothing is not really Arthur''s strongest point. Well, forget about those things for a while, he wants to do something! Entering the classroom, Arthur inwardly frowned, ''Oh, right...'' Just as Arthur guessed, a loud rambling of a ''worm'' immediately resounded throughout the room. "Ha! It''s you again!! When did you start acting so important that you actually dared to be late again! In aunty''s class on top of that!", this was one of the idiots Arthur was referring to, Pao Bluan.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Yesterday, as he knew the relationship between Arthur Vermillion and Rose Jade. He told someone to ''take care'' of Arthur once he goes inside. Now that Rose Jade was missing from class, he surely would not have missed the chance to personally shout a few harrowing words to his childhood enemy. When they were little, they were actually the best of friends and they would always run around the city with Rose Jade. However, once they grew a bit older, Pao Bluan suddenly began hating Arthur. Arthur wasn''t entirely sure of the reason, but he has some guesses and he decided to let the things stay as they currently are. "If I remember correctly... I think it''s this guy''s birthday! I passed by their residence and saw a banquet!", this idiot who spoke this time was the one who was repressed by Roose Jade. Falling onto Pao Bluan''s trap and Rose Jade''s bad side. He blamed it all on Arthur. "Oh? Is that so? I was thinking of donating a few coins to the Vermillion Family. But it seems that they still have enough money to throw feasts to a trash such as him. Hmph.", said Pao Bluan with a mocking tone. "That was a good one Brother Pao!", the two companions of Pao Bluan including the one who was repressed by Roose Jade, broke into a fit of laughter. ''So you decided to take it that way...'' Arthur thought inwardly. Arthur snickered, "A bunch of monkeys laughing at their own jokes. I pity you now." The entire class went deadly silent. "What? Is it that surprising for you to suddenly discover what you look like?" Arthur sneered again. All of them were used to Arthur not retorting back even when he was being spat on in class. Now that they finally realized Hence, they threw surprised gazes and gasps towards Arthur. "Why don''t you stop annoying me with your frightful faces and mind your own business. You four''s grain-sized brains combined cannot even do that much?" With these last sentences of Arthur, the whole class then went into a fit of laughter. The four youths smile has long been frozen cold. If Rose Jade were here, she wouldn''t just humiliate the four for making fun of Arthur, she would instantly pound them to their deaths. It is indeed their luck that Rose Jade was currently at Arthur''s birthday banquet. "You!" Pao Bluan couldn''t bear the anger and shame anymore as he had been the one making fun of Arthur from the start but he suddenly became the laughing stock of the class. The three who were laughing also grimly said, "You''re courting death¡ª" "Silence!" A single word broke the fight that was about to break out. The one who spoke was Shai Bluan, a licensed instructor at the White Alyssum Martial Institute and also a relative of Pao Bluan. Pao Bluan looked hopeful at Shai Bluan. He thought that she would refute Arthur for him, however, she ignored him and waved her hand signaling Arthur to take a seat. ........ After recalling the events of what happened earlier in the day, Arthur suddenly had the urge to train but there was something that was bothering him even after the class ended. After contemplating for some time, he decided to skip training tonight. His thoughts were too heavy and his heart was not calm, training now would be wasted. He was just about to sleep when suddenly¡ª An indescribable feeling surged within his body with his heart as the center of it. There was pain that could be felt and the sensation was similar to his heart being poured on by a hot water. This continued for less than a minute. At this moment, a mysterious sphere of light gradually emerged from his body where his heart was located. Seeing this, Arthur was astonished. He immediately recalled the nightmare he had when he was about three years old. The image was so vivid since the pain he felt at that time was indescribable. The mysterious light suddenly spoke amidst his wildly running thoughts. "Hey kid. Finally, we meet.", the light said with a hoarse voice followed by an even more hoarse laugh. Arthur then looked at him with surprise. His words were no different from assuring that the nightmare he had when he was younger was real. Then, he stared at the mysterious light with evident anger. "Don''t look at me like that, you might regret it later." Arthur did not reply. The light''s voice seems to not have minded it and continued. "I was too naive... I made a mistake," the light said, sounding somewhat grim. "What?", Arthur asked, perplexed. "No need to know about it now kid. You will be able to know this kind of stuff later in the future." "What future?! You have been inside my body, so how come you don''t know anything about me.", said Arthur, there are no ''future'' in his cultivation because he can not even step into it. "That''s not entirely true... However, do you know? Why can''t you advance? Why can''t you even start in your cultivation? Judging by your expression, you''ve probably guessed it but I might as well say it now to clear up any confusion... I have been extracting your energy." Arthur guessed right. He might not be a talented cultivator but he knows what his body feels. The reason why he cannot break through the first stage of the Body Strengthening Realm is that whenever he accumulates enough Genesis Energy, it would suddenly disappear. ''So it was this thing all along...'' Yet, he was not angered by this as it was useless. However, he was indeed curious about this mysterious light''s origin. "To make this short... An incredibly powerful existence is on the search to kill me. He is an absolute tyrant, if he finds me, this whole city, the whole continent, the whole planet... it would be turned to ash. However, even if you gather all the heroes in the world and multiply it by a billion to attack him... "You would only probably scratch the dust on his feet." ... What are you? Chapter 4 - What are you? ... ... ... Perplexity is not even enough to describe how greatly confused Arthur Vermillion was when he heard what the light said. Gathering all of the martial artists and not defeating an enemy is crazy enough, but multiplying them by a billion and still not defeating it is almost ridiculous and farcical. This mysterious light also said ''this world'' which puzzled Arthur Vermillion, ''What does he mean by that?'' "Listen, kid, I have an hour or so before this enemy find and comes for me, so hear me out. I had no choice but to recuperate inside your body... It was going well. But I made a mistake." The light stopped for a while before adding, "Forget it, you won''t understand me even if I explain it to you a hundred times so just remember ''Great Empyrean Abyss'', that''s that motherf*cker''s name! Don''t forget it!" Arthur Vermillion felt his hair on his body stand when this mysterious light mentioned its blood enemy''s name. So he unconsciously lowered down his head so that he could withstand the aura that this mysterious light is releasing. "I will give you back what you''ve lost this past ten years. Hehe, it''s actually even better... But you have to promise me that you avenge us! Kill that long-headed son of a b*tch!" ''What did he mean by us?'' When Arthur Vermillion heard this, his eyes lit up but he is still half-doubting this mysterious light. Why did this mysterious light choose him? And more importantly, what even is this mysterious light? "Haha, your expression gives away all your doubts. I ripped through space randomly and found myself inside your room. I needed pure innate energy so I had no choice but to choose you." Arthur Vermillion lightly nodded after hearing this. Although he couldn''t understand most of the part this mysterious light just said, he still grasped what it was pointing out. But the main question is still not answered by him so he asked... "What are you?" The mysterious light''s laughter can be heard throughout Arthur Vermillion''s room. It''s hoarse voice grated the ears of Arthur Vermillion. "I''m an Item Spirit of some item, you''ll figure it out once you have the strength and ascend from this world." ''Item Spirit?! Those things from the legends actually exist...'' Arthur Vermillion inwardly exclaimed. But he was much more curious upon hearing ''this world'' again so he immediately asked the mysterious light...Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. "You kept mentioning ''this world''. Are there any other worlds besides ours?", asked Arthur Vermillion. This was one of the questions that were running rampant in his head. Hearing this, the mysterious light laughed again, but this time it is more grating to the ears. It seems like he forgot that he has an enemy that is tracking him that could kill billions of masters, sneered Arthur Vermillion. "There are countless worlds out there. Speaking of which, head to the Divine World once your strength has risen. You''ll get there eventually, no worries at all." "It''s about time... Kid, this will hurt a bit, bare with it for a few seconds. And remember what I''ve told you." Without giving Arthur Vermillion a chance to respond. The mysterious light went inside Arthur Vermillion''s body. The pain it gave was similar to someone being poked by hundreds of thousands of needles that was soaked in alcohol. It was very painful even for a martial artist, especially to those who haven''t broken through the first realm and still building up their foundation. ........ After that intense torturous experience, a black smoke slowly emerged from the body of Arthur Vermillion. This black smoke was a spell to weaken the mysterious light. This was also the one that the mysterious light was painstakingly trying to remove, but ended up failing in the end. Arthur Vermillion, who was lying weakly on his bed, was not aware of this black smoke emerging from his body. --- A man with a long face wearing an exquisite red robe was currently sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed. He was profusely sweating and lightly gasping for air. This man was the mysterious light''s blood enemy. Great Empyrean Abyss. "He''s gone... The Holy Ring''s Item Spirit is gone...", a voice was heard as soon as Great Empyrean Abyss opened his eyes. This voice belongs to the spear beside Great Empyrean Abyss. This was surprisingly an Item Spirit! "Hehe..." Great Empyrean Abyss lightly smiled. If he was in his prime condition. He would have located the mysterious light, or rather, the Holy Ring''s Item Spirit. But he was severely injured despite attacking Great Empyrean Thousand Lives with a very timed sneak attack. So he could not find his exact location and can only roughly trace it. But unexpectedly, the Holy Ring''s Item Spirit decided to kill itself, hence, saving him a lot of trouble! He was very confident in his abilities. Therefore, he could confirm that the Holy Ring''s Item Spirit wasn''t faking it. ........ It was already afternoon when Arthur Vermillion woke up. When he looked at his body, he heaved a sigh of relief. He actually thought that he was literally being needled to death last night. He was planning to go to the market to buy a few medicinal herbs, he consumed a considerable amount of mental energy to withstand that pain. His father, Jiu Vermillion, was really worried about him when he saw him. Arthur Vermillion was deathly pale and looked like he just experienced thousands of Samsaras. "He must have been training all night long...", Jiu Vermillion heaved a deep sigh. At this time, Rose Jade was on the way to the Vermillion Family''s Residence. She was worried about Arthur Vermillion not attending the class earlier so she decided to pay him a little visit and encourage him or something... As soon as Rose Jade saw the deathly pale Arthur Vermillion she was greatly shocked but upon examining a little more closely. Her mouth curled upwards and she started smiling radiantly. "You broke through!!!", exclaimed Rose Jade. Arthur Vermillion who was staring blankly at Rose Jade was suddenly startled by her loud exclamation. Thereafter, he regained his composure and realized that she was talking about him. Subsequently, he started to check his body. Then, his face suddenly distorted in a weird way and after using his brain for a minute to think. Afterwards, he cried out even louder than Rose Jade. "Holy f*ck! I broke through!" ... Decision Chapter 5 - Decision --- Jiu Vermillion was paying close attention to Arthur since he saw his deathly pale face. When he saw Rose Jade come, he quickly hid himself to listen to their conversation. When he heard his son Arthur Vermillion exclaim, he was stunned. But when he looked closely at him, Jiu Vermillion himself also wanted to exclaim in delight! However, Jiu Vermillion can see that there''s something slightly wrong with Arthur Vermillion''s body but he can''t accurately discern what this was which made him frown a little. At any rate, everything would be fine as long as he gives him some medicinal herbs later. Jiu Vermillion was too happy to worry about anything, because... Arthur broke through! ''His hard work finally bore fruit...'', Jiu Vermillion thought to himself. Although he is still behind his peers by a couple of steps, it is fine as long as Arthur is following closely behind. ''I will surely throw him another banquet.'', he inwardly said to himself again. With that, Jiu Vermillion returned to his own room quietly with his face full of smiles. ........ Arthur Vermillion''s mind went blank for a couple of seconds when he found out about his breakthrough. He guessed that this must be that Item Spirit''s doing from last night. This was already expected by Arthur Vermillion but he still felt joy in his heart. "Brother Arthur, you broke through!", Rose Jade cupped her fist. She was genuinely happy for Arthur for breaking through. Arthur Vermillion on the other hand, is finding this scene a bit silly. In spite of the fact that he too was happy for breaking through. He is still a bit short to catch up to his peers. The Body Strengthening Realm is divided into five stages. Vigor Stage, Superior Body Stage, Altering Bones Stage, Cleansing Marrow Stage, and Meridian Opening Stage. Most of Arthur Vermillion''s peers are at the second stage of Body Strengthening Realm, the Superior Body Stage. Whilst some geniuses are at the third stage of the Body Strengthening Realm, Altering Bone Stage. Pao Bluan is included in the ''genius'' category. Other than that, there are also those who are at the fourth stage of the Body Strengthening Realm. They are all monstrous geniuses without peers. For example, Rose Jade, she can make a Superior Body Stage martial artist scared out of his wits just by releasing a bit of her genesis energy. "Sister Rose is too polite, it was just luck.", Arthur Vermillion also cupped his fist while laughing awkwardly. He does not want to include her to his troubles. Therefore, as long as he is still weak as f*ck, he would avoid Rose Jade for the time being.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Arthur Vermillion invited Rose Jade to come inside but since Rose Jade came here to inquire why Arthur Vermillion didn''t go to school earlier, she declined and hurriedly went home. He was a bit stunned at first but upon realizing her intentions. He lightly smiled at her fading back and proceeded to go to the market. He was planning to buy a medicine called ''Hundred Year Old Ginseng''. Just as the name implies, it is a herb that was grown for a hundred years. It can be used by Meridian Opening Stage martial artists or below to recover their depleted or expended Genesis Energy. When the quality is high enough, it could help cultivators heal minor injuries. Although the Vermillion Family have plenty of these kinds of medicine. Arthur Vermillion decided to keep anything related to that Item Spirit from last night a secret. Hence, preventing unnecessary future troubles. The process went out very smoothly, he even received an extra package called ''bootlicking'' which slightly annoyed Arthur Vermillion. Even though Arthur Vermillion''s family is declining as the time goes by, They can still thrash a lowly man like him without batting an eye. Therefore, he has to be careful to not offend this child in any way that might result in him having to pave a bleak path. ........ With the ''Hundred Year Old Ginseng'' in hand, Arthur Vermillion can slowly recover his Genesis Energy and heal the minor injuries his body sustained when the Item Spirit entered his body. Speaking of which... where the f*ck is that Item Spirit?! The pain almost made him forgot how that Item Spirit just entered his body without telling him anything. He spared no time and immediately started to meditate to probe where that Item Spirit is hiding in his body. Whilst under the effects of the ''Hundred Year Old Ginseng'' that was still running wild in his body, he would be able to meditate much more efficiently. He felt as though he can feel everything within his body. Although he did not know whether if it''s because of his breakthrough or if it is because of the effects of the ''Hundred Year Old Ginseng''. He remembered one of his teachers talk about breaking through the Vigor Stage, but he wasn''t sure if scanning your whole body is part of the benefits that a Vigor Stage martial artist could have. Anyway, he has to focus on finding that Item Spirit. After its brief introduction and the situation it was in. Arthur Vermillion had his interest piqued and wanted to throw it a couple of thousand questions. He wanted to know where Item Spirits could be found or made. Basically, an Item Spirit is the Spirit of an Item that has gained intelligence. It could be either natural or if the Item survived a heavenly tribulation. This is only what Arthur Vermillion knew about Item Spirits. Actually, everyone only knew this much. In essence, Item Spirit is just a legend since no one has witnessed a heavenly tribulation let alone a weapon being forged by it. He also wanted to know more about the ''Divine World'' that the Item Spirit mentioned. Based on its name, it should be interesting, especially the part where he would travel from one world to another. It could broaden Arthur Vermillion''s horizons. After he finished fantasizing his imaginations about people destroying planets with just a push of their hands and other ridiculous stuff that a 13-year old would think. Arthur Vermillion now seriously started to meditate. However, he soon discovered that the Item Spirit was nowhere to be seen which greatly disappointed him. But when he thought back to the words the Item Spirit said last night. It became clear to him eventually and enlightened him. If he was still here, wouldn''t that enemy of his come to whoop his ass? Nevertheless, Arthur Vermillion made up his mind and he decided that he would still go to the ''Divine World'' even without the guidance of the Item Spirit. He''s not even at the realm where he could fly so he should forget about traveling to the outer space for now. --- Enlightened Chapter 6 - Enlightened ... ... ... Even before the effects of the ''Hundred Year Old Ginseng'' was used up. Arthur Vermillion already felt his body bursting with energy. He started to shadow box whilst the ''Hundred Year Old Ginseng'' was still under effect. "This kind of training is not enough for me after breaking through.", Arthur Vermillion muttered. Now that he officially stepped onto the path of cultivation. He needed a suitable cultivation technique, which could make cultivating for him a lot faster. Although there are thousands of cultivation technique in their family''s treasure room. He didn''t like every single one of them including his family''s treasured cultivation technique, the ''Sacred Vermillion Manual''. Notwithstanding the fact that he would have liked the fact of burning his enemies to death. This technique requires a lot of time to practice. If he chose this technique then he would fall farther behind his peers which is the outcome that Arthur Vermillion does not which to see. If it was him 3 days ago, he would gladly practice this cultivation technique. But after broadening his horizons by listening to the Item Spirit about the wider world outside, he decided to set his goals higher than before. For that reason, he would like a cultivation technique that is much more suited to him and is a bit faster to practice than the ''Sacred Vermillion Manual''. This is one his reason for trying to find the Item Spirit, but since it was gone there''s nothing he could do about it. He could only stick with the ''Sacred Vermillion Manual'' or look for a cultivation technique similar. ''Should I try and go for a solo expedition?'' However, he immediately rejected this idea. There are a lot of powerful beasts roaming around outside the city so going out will do him more harm than good. It would be fine if there was an expert accompanying him but he would need a valid reason for hiring one. Besides, his father would immediately throw him to a cage if he knew that his son is courting death by leaving the city. Anyway, he still has some time before he could start practicing a cultivation technique. He needs to stabilize his foundation first so it would be much smoother for him to break through the next realm. ........ After shadow boxing for quite a while. Arthur Vermillion felt his body brimming with energy. He didn''t expect that the effects of the ''Hundred Year Old Ginseng'' were formidable to this degree! But this refreshing feeling didn''t last that long for Arthur. He soon felt a throbbing pain coming from where his heart is located. It was the same kind of pain that he experienced when that Item Spirit was drilling through his body but this time it was concentrated in the most sensitive part of the body which is the heart. ''Is it that Item Spirit again?!'', Arthur thought inwardly, this time he would surely try and torture that bastard when he comes out.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. This was Arthur''s last thoughts as he soon dropped to the floor, falling in a deep sleep. This was the Item Spirit''s ''compensation'' to Arthur. In truth, the Item Spirit cannot bring back the pure innate energy that he extracted from Arthur. He was running out of time so he had no other choice but to smooth talk him and get him distracted, that way it would be easier for the Item Spirit to get into his body. In Arthur Vermillion''s dream, he saw two silhouettes fighting with each other in the sky. The fight seems like it just started but in actual fact, one of them is extremely exhausted whilst the other is unconscious and just barely fighting with his will. Arthur cannot be blamed for thinking that it was just beginning, this is a fight between two true masters. Even when they are heavily injured they could still move around this fast. After a series of loud rumbles and sparks that were a result of their clash. They finally started to slow down. Arthur Vermillion can now barely make out the figures of the two who were fighting. One is a long-headed man holding a dark spear with a vicious smile plastered on his face. His inelegant demeanor and the dark aura he is emitting perfectly defines what a villain should look like. A deep sword slash was inflicted upon his chest. Large amounts of blood are also leaking out of his body. He seems to be close to collapsing but he still wore that arrogant smile. On the other hand, a graceful looking man holding a sword kneeled coughing a considerable amount of blood. Spear slashes can be seen all over his body but the one that made Arthur Vermillion gasp in surprise and horror was the hole on the man''s chest. It was a deep wound made by a powerful spear strike. The man''s heart was nowhere to be seen. Subsequently, a ring from that man''s finger suddenly emitted a dazzling light and it shot through the sky with amazing speed, leaving its owner behind. After seeing this, the long-headed man tried to catch it by throwing his spear but to no avail. The ring flew up at even a faster rate. With the long-headed''s man current pitiful condition, he wouldn''t be able to catch it so he decided to cast a powerful spell in a bid to trace it. It might accidentally destroy it in the process but taking this risk is better than losing it. When the Item Spirit sensed this powerful spell coming closer and closer to it, the Item Spirit left the ring. The ring was made from a very hard material so it was not destroyed but if the Item Spirit stayed in there, it would instantly evaporate into nothing. However, he was still very close to the ring so it still received a considerable amount of damage in the process so it decided to rip a part of space to escape from here. The only downside of using this technique without its body, the ring, is that it would greatly reduce its lifespan. Moreover, the Item Spirit ripped a space with a great distance from here, hence, preventing the long-headed man from tracking him quickly. The consequences of this action could be imagined. After witnessing this scene, the long-headed man''s face grew dark. He received a minor backslash upon casting that powerful spell but even with that slight injury, it still caused him a lot of pain given his current condition. Afterwards, he turned around to look at the owner of the ring. He was the one who ordered the ring to escape from here immediately. Thereafter, the long-headed man suddenly whipped his spear... The graceful man''s head came rolling on the ground. Arthur Vermillion didn''t even have the time to digest the events he witnessed as the scenes around him began changed abruptly. Then he saw a light flying at a high speed, the scenery around them changing at a very fast rate. It was the same mysterious light that appeared last night. In actual fact, the Item Spirit does not have the energy to fly anymore, this was the effect of ripping through space at the cost of burning most of his life. Now, it could live for about a hundred years at most. The changing scenery gradually slowed down and the Item Spirit arrived at its destination. Now the Item Spirit needs to find how a way to get rid of the energy inside the Item Spirit. For that reason, he searched for a child with a very pure innate energy, great potential, and talent. The former is for it to remove the energy inside the Item Spirit and the latter is to make him its new future owner and possibly defeat the enemy who caused him to flee from his beloved master. The following events should be already apparent. ... Being Flirted By The Heavens Chapter 7 - Being Flirted By The Heavens ... ... ... A piercing pain in his head jolted Arthur Vermillion awoke. It feels like something is desperately trying to invade his mind! He tightly gripped his head, hoping that the pain would lessen even by a bit. However, he could not resist! He felt as though it could swallow his mind. "I have been suffering pain for 2 straight days!" "Whatever the f*ck you are, I will rip you into trillion pieces!" Arthur Vermillion howled. Truly it has been a tragedy for him. Imagine a thirteen-year-old kid having his body hammered for 2 days. It would be an inexplicable experience for anyone. After who knew how long, the inhumane torture that Arthur Vermillion experience finally came to a gradual halt. He slowly opened his eyes to see that the floor was already soaking with his sweat. He calmly thought back to the dream that he experienced. He wasn''t even sure if it truly was a dream, it all felt so realistic. The strong atmosphere and the killing intent that the attacks of the two masters released after their attacks were deeply engraved in his mind. How could it be a mere dream! It was truly tragic witnessing that scene. After being pushed to a dead end, the Item Spirit''s master had no choice but to command the Item Spirit on his ring to flee for his life. Although the Item Spirit hesitated, it was indeed the best course of action to take, which resulted in him abandoning his owner. The long-headed man that was holding a black spear should be ''Great Empyrean Abyss'' that the Item Spirit mentioned. And as for that graceful looking man... It was most probably the Item Spirit''s owner. This was all Arthur Vermillion''s hypothesis so he too wasn''t too certain if this was exactly what happened. However, he was sure that it was the Item Spirit''s memory... a very important one at that. Although Arthur Vermillion is an ignorant youth who had not even yet step on the Yellow Blood Realm. He could faintly sense that the graceful looking man was slightly stronger than the Great Empyrean Abyss so how could... how could he be wounded that badly? It seemed that he was already heavily injured before the two of them fought... "Huh?". After contemplating about this matter for quite a while, his face suddenly changed. "Are these the Item Spirit''s memories?" He quickly probed his mind, trying to find out what the Item Spirit left behind in his mind. He was hoping that it was some kind of a key to the ''Divine World'' that he mentioned, he wanted to rush there as soon as possible. However, what he discovered wasn''t something connected to the Divine World... "Cultivation techniques... they''re actually cultivation techniques!!!" His face suddenly changed into one of the most elated faces in the history of White Alyssum City. Well if others were to see what Arthur Vermillion is seeing they would not just be elated, they would not just be elated, they would even run amock the whole city for 3 months and 3 days.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Because the cultivation techniques were was at least a High-grade Mortal-rank technique or even higher! The White Pavilion of the White Alyssum City might even want to covet this treasure if he released it. He calmed his mind and read the cultivation techniques in his mind one by one... ''Holy Flame Undergird''. A supplementary technique for flame-type cultivation techniques. Not only would it make cultivating the said cultivation technique faster, but it would also multiply the original damage of the skills within the technique if practiced correctly! Truly a marvelous and heaven-defying supplementary technique! ''Sable God''s Movement Technique''. A movement technique that can easily be learned by anyone, even a mortal could cultivate this. However, a special type of pill called ''White Lunar Meadow'' has to be consumed by the cultivator regularly, for three days. The ingredients are very easy to find. They are almost everywhere in the city but, the problem lies in how to concoct it. Arthur Vermillion has never touched anything about alchemy in his life so he would need at least 2 years to learn the basics of alchemy. However, it seems that the heavens are being overly generous to Arthur Vermillion. Apart from the two cultivation techniques, there is also a huge section from the memory inside his sea of consciousness that almost made Arthur cough up blood. Inscriptions... arrays... alchemy... and various auxiliary techniques... "!!%@!%*!@!" Arthur Vermillion couldn''t help but curse out loud: "HAHAHAHA! FOR ALL THOSE WHO HAVE OFFENDED ME, THIS DADDY WILL NOT BE MAGNANIMOUS!! I WILL FUCKING GOUGE OUT YOUR EYEBALLS AND MAKE YOU EAT THEM!!!", inexplicable feelings surged out from within Arthur Vermillion. He has been holding in the urge to ruthlessly smack those who have offended him greatly. There was once a time when Pao Bluan invited a whole gang of delinquent that have cultivated up to the fourth stage of the Body Strengthening Realm, Cleansing Marrow Stage. Fortunately, when he went home, his father was away for a mission so he did not saw the miserable state of his son. Aside from revenge, Arthur also wanted to revive the relationship he had with Rose Jade and maybe even further it. He always had some lingering feelings whenever he is with Rose Jade however he has to put a great distance between them to keep harm away from the Vermillion Family, she is a rough gem that is yet to be cleaned so there are a lot of powerful youths which have a background similar to that of the Vermillion Family that are eyeing her. The Vermillion Family is already declining moreover his father cannot keep up with the pressure coming from the various family. Not removing the fact that the Jade Family is supporting them, they still have their own matters that they have to tend to. Aside from those two auxiliary and cultivation techniques, most of the section from the memory of the Item Spirit within his sea of consciousness is in a locked state. He couldn''t inspect the contents much more see it. He would have to figure out a way to open those once he learned all of what he currently has. There are no memories about the ''Divine Realm'' or anything related, all of them were techniques, nothing more. Arthur was not in the least disappointed because of this, knowing something out of your strength may cause him more harm than good. His impression towards the Item Spirit changed greatly. ........ Arthur immediately asked his father for the ''Sacred Vermillion Manual''. He would practice it together with the ''Holy Flame Undergird'' and personally experience the greatness of a High-grade Mortal-rank treasure! When Jiu Vermillion saw his son ran frantically in front of him, he was pleased: "Little Arthur, after breaking through, you should first consolidate your foundation first before practicing this cultivation technique.", he made a swift movement with his hand and the ''Sacred Vermillion Manual'' appeared afterward, he handed it over to Arthur. "Father, with the way I am now, I can probably make a breakthrough again after a week.", Arthur was certainly joking about this. He just broke through earlier, how could he have another breakthrough? The techniques must not be heaven-defying to that extreme, right?! ... Preparing To Become An Alcemist Chapter 8 - Preparing To Become An Alchemist ... ... ... Consolidating one''s foundation is not a very difficult process. They should either go out and fight or they could sit and wait until their body gets used to the sudden rise in strength. This is especially true for those who are only at the Body Strengthening Realm and building their foundation. Fighting with others is obviously the most appropriate choice for Arthur at the moment but currently, his peers are almost two realms if not a realm above him which would undoubtedly make him the laughing stock of the people around him. Despite the fact of having a treasure that makes almost all youths turn their eyes red with greed. He still needed a sufficient time to cultivate and raise his strength. If only the Item Spirit considered this much, but he couldn''t blame him, he was already being good towards him by giving him these wonderful cultivation techniques. Arthur was lost in thought for a moment but he could only choose the latter and wait until his foundation consolidates and then he would attempt to breakthrough. He could always ask his father to help him find a suitable sparring partner but he would undoubtedly choose someone who is younger than him by at least two years or two which would lower Arthur''s pride by a great degree, it would also make his "fan club" scorn him even more. Since Arthur couldn''t cultivate at the moment, he couldn''t just sit still like an idiot and wait until his foundation stabilizes. He immediately wore a 50-kilogram belt around his waist and he started doing push-ups. After a mortal breaks through the first stage of the Body Strengthening Realm, they would be ten times stronger than ordinary humans. A Vigor Stage martial artist would have a strength rise up to 50 kilograms or higher. Superior Body Stage has 200 kilograms of strength. Altering Bones Stage, 400 kilograms of strength. Cleansing Marrow, 700 kilograms of strength. And lastly, Meridian Opening Stage, after a martial artist breaks through this realm, their strength would dramatically rise up to 2 tonnes of strength!! So Arthur currently, could lift objects of 50 kilograms of weight. This would make consolidating his foundation a bit faster however it would at least take him 3-4 months at most. Sunset. Sunrise. This time, Arthur fell asleep without training himself to death. Arthur planned to buy materials from the market, he wanted to make the ''White Lunar Meadow'' as soon as possible so that he could learn ''Sable God''s Movement Technique'' before his foundation consolidates. As for the cultivating the ''Sacred Vermillion Manual'' along with the ''Holy Flame''s Undergird'', he will move on to that after. Thinking of these things that he couldn''t even dare to imagine three days ago, he devilishly grinned. He has been waiting for a chance to counterattack to those who oppressed him, and now, even the heaven''s couldn''t wait any longer and assisted him. How could he not be happy?This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. When he was about to go for a walk towards the market, he suddenly saw the figure of someone very familiar and afterward his mouth suddenly curled upwards. "Brother Arthur!! I have a very pleasant surprise for you!" It was indeed Rose Jade, she was walking towards Arthur with a very fast pace that seemed like she''s running. And on her left hand is a green jade box that carried a slight vibrant luster, on its top is the mark of the Jade Family. If it was the past Arthur that saw her, he would immediately think of 333,333 reasons to escape from her. But now, he even slightly moved towards her as if he didn''t saw her for a lifetime. This slightly caught Rose Jade off-guard quite a bit, she was used to him running frantically away from her. But she soon beamed with happiness after she saw him also take the initiative to move closer to her. Arthur slowly stopped in his steps and asked: "Sister Rose? Is there any matter that I could help you with?", when he said this, his face was still smiling and his eyes never moved away from her for a second. "Ah, I... I was only giving you this small gift for your breakthrough. When my father heard that you finally stepped into the first stage of the Body Strengthening Realm, he was elated and he quickly prepared this congratulatory gift for you...", after that, she handed over the green jade box to him. When she said that her eyes immediately averted away from him, her cheeks also had a faint shade of red. Arthur stopped for a moment but he accepted the gift nonetheless and said: "Then I must thank Sister Rose for this." Rose Jade regained her usual composure and replied: "It''s nothing... Oh, and, may I ask where were you going?" "To the market, I am going to buy some materials." Arthur Vermillion. "M... May I join you? We don''t have any classes today anyway and am about to go to the market sometime." Rose Jade. "Sure! I would love to accompany Sister Rose." Rose Jade was really starting to doubt if the Arthur she is with now, is the Arthur that she knew in the past. She was very happy at the moment but she needs a bit of time before she can adjust to Arthur''s 180-degree change of attitude. Arthur Vermillion on the other hand, after receiving the Item Spirit''s death gift along with the recent breakthrough he had, was very satisfied at the moment. The reason why he has been distancing himself from Rose Jade was exactly because of his non-existent talent. But now, everything has changed! He has the memory of an alchemist grandmaster and various auxiliary techniques! He is not afraid anymore of those powerful youths that took a fancy to Rose Jade. He just needs time and he would soon become a dragon amongst his peers! After walking for a couple of minutes, they''ve reached their destination. Arthur purposely slowed down his steps to have more time chatting with Rose Jade, whilst Rose Jade replied to him with her head down, her cheeks red. At the moment, the White Alyssum Market was bustling with people. Arthur looked at Rose Jade and nodded his head, signaling her to follow him. They stopped at a shop that Arthur went when he bought the ''Hundred Year Old Ginseng''. It''s a pretty well-known shop and some of the product''s price here is lower than the other shops which is why a lot of customers come here. And at this moment, a medium built man came rushing towards the direction of Arthur Vermillion and Rose Jade. This was the same person who attended to Arthur when he came here, and also the owner of the shop. The medium-built man was leisurely reading a newspaper and drinking a coffee when the two youths pushed open his shop''s door. He immediately threw the cup he was holding, spilling the coffee all over the floor and ran towards the direction of them in a flash. "Two young masters, is there anything that I may need my assistance of?" Although he mentioned "two" young masters, his eyes clearly locked on to Rose Jade and only glanced at Arthur once. Thick bulging veins appeared on Arthur''s forehead when he saw this and said coldly: "I am the one buying." ... Arthur Vermillion Is Dead... Chapter 9 - Arthur Vermillion Is Dead... ... ... ... The medium-built man finally snapped to his senses as he turned towards Arthur. Earlier when he discerned the identity of Rose Jade, he completely disregarded Arthur and paid very attentive to the words that Rose Jade might say. This was completely understandable, one was the patriarch''s daughter of the powerful Jade Family whilst the other is a good-for-nothing son of the declining Vermillion Family''s patriarch. If it was only Arthur who came here, he would casually show him a bit of respect but Rose Jade''s limelight completely overshadowed Arthur. It was very evident to whom he would pay special attention to. "P...Please forgive this l...lowly man''s attitude towards Young Master just now.", the medium built man said, his face suddenly flashed a hint of worry. His shop became distinguished ever since it was established in the city, so he definitely hasn''t made any foolish business mistakes. The Jade Family''s halo has been too bright recently. Prior to this, his usual demeanor and keen eyesight that could differentiate people from whom he could offend and could not has been blinded. Arthur withdrew his cold gaze and voice and carefully instructed the medium built man the ingredients that he wanted. Every time Arthur finished reciting an ingredient, the medium built man would nod and kept his smiling face all the time. All of the ingredients that Arthur recited were very common herbs that can practically be found by anyone if they put in a little bit of effort. When Arthur Vermillion finished saying all the ingredients, Rose Jade gave him a muddled look saying ''Why didn''t you just pick them on your own?''. However Arthur only returned a smiling face saying ''I have money, why would I do that?''. After that, Rose Jade only helplessly laughed. When the medium built man returned, he was holding a plastic holding the ingredients that Arthur bought. Arthur also gave the money to the medium built man. Just as Arthur was about to turn his head back and leave, a burst of resounding laughter echoed throughout the shop: "HAHAHAHA!", both Arthur Vermillion and Rose Jade simultaneously turned their heads towards the source of the voice. It was precisely Pao Bluan! The one who mercilessly stomped on Arthur''s face two days ago. Behind him are two servants staring at Arthur disdainfully and on his right is a blue-clothed man who has an indifferent expression plastered on his face. Arthur''s face twitched a bit when he recognized who this man was... Luke Bluan!! He is the Bluan Family Patriarch''s eldest son and the elder brother of Pao Bluan. When the medium built man saw them, he immediately scattered away from Arthur Vermillion and Rose Jade''s front and said to them: "S-S-So its Young Patriarch Luke Bluan and Young Master Pao Bluan. I thank these two Young Dragons for granting these l-little shop of mine your presences...", the medium built man had his back running with a cold sweat when talking to them. When Arthur and Rose Jade arrived, the customers around gave Arthur a momentary glance, but when they recognized who Rose Jade was, they immediately stopped what they were doing and gave her a respectful bow. Now, however, when Luke Bluan appeared, the atmosphere turned tense almost subsequently and after giving their respectful bow, some of them even left the shop frantically. The fear that they showed does not come from Luke Bluan''s background or his talent. What caused this fear is his personality! Although he''s calm on the surface, you will never know what he will do in the next moment! There was a rumor that he deliberately took half a life of a competitor in a friendly competition! Yes, friendly competition!! This was also the reason why Arthur''s face twitched, although he''s not scared of him, he doesn''t have the strength to contend with him.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Pao Bluan ignored the words of the medium built man and faced Arthur: "Did the Vermillion Family got robbed of all their money? You are actually buying grasses that people step on every day! HAHAHAH!", his roaring laughter immediately dispersed a bit of the tense attitude that came from Luke Bluan. The two servants behind him also laughed loudly. "This Young Master suddenly had an interest towards the materials you bought. Come here and give it all to me right now." Pao Bluan said with mockery and equanimity. Facing Pao Bluan''s mockery and unreasonable request, Arthur Vermillion''s face did not even flinch. He only took a look at the ingredients in his hand and looked at Rose Jade meaningfully. Then they started walking towards the exit of the shop. "Arthur! You dare disobey the Young Master''s order! Come here this instant!" "Did you hear him?! Get over here right fucking now!!" Arthur''s calmness disappeared and a trace of fury can be seen on his face. He slowly strode towards the direction of the two servants. This action greatly pleased Pao Bluan and the two servants behind him: "Heh! So you are indeed scared of this Young Master. Good! Come here a little faster..." Pao Bluan slowly extended his right hand, ready to receive the plastic bag that was holding the materials but his face suddenly distorted afterwards. Arthur raised both of his arms and with his hands on a fist manner, he slowly turned it over raised his middle finger directed respectfully towards Pao Bluan''s face and the two servants. "YOU!!!" Pao Bluan and the two servants almost shouted in unison. Both of their faces red and at least five bulging nerves appeared on their forehead. It was also at this moment that Luke Bluan showed a hint of emotion in his indifferent face. "You''re courting death!" Both the servants and Pao Bluan raised their fists towards Arthur. The rage and fury in their face can be clearly seen. At this moment, a green light suddenly appeared in front of Arthur and stopped the simultaneous attack of the three. The two servants and Pao Bluan both fell on the ground while gnashing their teeth: "Rose Jade! What is the meaning of this!!" Rose Jade didn''t reply, she only overlooked the three of them and sneered. Arthur stepped up front Rose Jade and said: "So the Bluan Family is only this much and nothing more.", Arthur heaved a sigh and silently shook his head. "Arthur! You weren''t even the one who stopped us yet you act so daringly! You better kneel in front of this Young Master and..." "Shut up!" Before Pao Bluan could even finish his sentence, a cold voice interrupted him that gave everyone chills. It was Luke Bluan that spoke, glaring viciously at him. "I... I..." Pao Bluan wore a face that as if he''s been wronged. His entire face was red and his teeth almost fell from gnashing it. Luke Bluan only coldly snorted at him and turned to face Rose Jade: "This Junior Sister... my idiot brother was indeed in the wrong so I must ask on behalf of this idiotic brother to forgive him." Almost all the customers dropped their jaws to the sequence of these events. But they still tried to suppress their emotions from showing it to Luke Bluan. Rose Jade thought for a while before turning her head to Arthur. Arthur slightly nodded to her and smiled. "Since Senior Brother Luke asked, then considered this matter like it didn''t happen." "Then I must thank Junior Sister Rose for this favor!" Afterwards, Rose Jade and Arthur left the store with leisure while the customers around were still discussing the events in a low voice. When the two of them finally left, Luke Bluan''s face changed drastically, from the humble face of a scholar to a vicious demon of hell. The surrounding customers also stopped talking and didn''t even dare to breath too loudly. "This matter, all of you will forget it..." Luke Bluan carefully looked in the eyes of all present and added: "Otherwise, you might be the one forgotten..." All of the people present felt their hair stand when he finished speaking. After that, he left before Pao Bluan and the two servants followed, everyone breathed a sigh of relief as they all simultaneously thought: ''Arthur Vermillion is dead...'' ... Bluan Familys Dreadful Plan Chapter 10 - Bluan Family''s Dreadful Plan ... ... ... The two youths that were part of the occurrence that happened inside the medium built man''s shop were completely unaware of the incident happening. They are still casually strolling around the White Alyssum Market enjoying the revered gazes of the people around them. Though only one of them was really enjoying them. The glum-looking Arthur secretly said in his mind, ''Three months from now... no, two months from now, all of you people will be looking high up to me!'' After finishing Arthur''s self-pity, he suddenly remembered the reason that Rose Jade came with him, he turned to her head and said, "Didn''t you said you were also here to buy something? Let''s get to that first since we are just going around here." Arthur stopped for a moment and added: "I am also a person who doesn''t enjoy people''s gazes, it makes me uncomfortable." Unwillingness can be clearly seen on Arthur''s face with that sentence. No one has ever not enjoyed the praise and admiration of others and these can be said the same to the thirteen-year-old Arthur. Instead of chuckling and ridiculing Arthur''s immature attitude towards the attention that she''s getting, with her head lowered, she froze. That is because she didn''t have something to buy in the first place, she took advantage of the moment that Arthur finally interacted with her earlier and at the spur of the moment, she hastily accompanied him without giving too much thought into it. With her head still lowered, she casually said, "I... I forgot..." If Arthur Vermillion were to see the face of Rose Jade whose head was lowered, he would immediately see the bright streaks of red covering her cheeks which clearly showed how embarrassed she was. As a Fourth Stage Cleansing Marrow Body Strengthening Realm cultivator at the age of fourteen, almost everyone who has the same age as her were completely outstripped by Rose Jade, even older disciples of White Alyssum Martial Institute were also suppressed which resulted in her placid and serene personality. Only Arthur Vermillion can cause her mind to be turbulent which clearly shows how she deeply rooted Arthur is in her heart. Facing Rose Jade white lie and the reaction she gave impacted Arthur Vermillion''s heart with a thud. Numerous thoughts flashed through his head as he secretly said to himself: ''O Great Item Spirit, why have you not imparted me the ways on how to conquer a woman''s heart...'' When Rose Jade regained a tiny bit of her composure, she snuck a glance at Arthur only to find him dazedly staring at her with thoughtful eyes. She instantly misunderstood it as him mocking her while imprinting the scene on his mind and said while pouting her lips: "Hmph hmph! You sure are loosey-goosey. You just offended the most eccentric and merciless man in the city, I am guessing that he threatened the people inside the store earlier to never speak of the matter that happened there. However, he does not let any person who has offended him pass so he would surely harm you a hundred times over! Hmph!" The last words that Rose Jade said finally woke Arthur Vermillion up from his train of thoughts. He was well aware of the consequences of him offending the son of the Bluan Family Patriarch whose fame and strength is equal to his father or even better. After finally coming out of his desolate shell which prevented his growth for thirteen years, he couldn''t be much more pleased with himself, however, pressure has always been the good friend of growth so for that reason, he is willing to offend even the king of the heavens just so his strength can rapidly grow. If it was him in the past, he won''t needlessly offend someone like Luke Bluan who has a very bad reputation in White Alyssum City.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Arthur held up his chin and thought for a bit before looking at the pouting Rose Jade and said in a humble tone, "Luke Bluan''s cultivation has reached the early stage of Yellow Blood Realm, he won''t take action against someone like me who is only at the Body Strengthening Realm, a Vigor Stage at that. He will most likely send Pao Bluan or someone whose strength is similar to him so there''s no need to fret over this matter Senior Sister Rose Jade." The confident words that Arthur said made Rose Jade''s heart which was full of worries to suddenly calm down, as though she has been convinced by Arthur she let out a soft nod, "Mn..." It was also at this moment that she remembered the mocking gaze that Arthur released earlier so her cute and lovable expression instantly turned into slight anger and she pouted again, looking away from Arthur. "..." Arthur Vermillion The sun slowly went down as the bustling people walking around the streets gradually dispersed. A youth dressed blue casually walked through the hall with his arms behind his back. The surrounding guards that saw this youth dared not to stare for too long at this figure and their foreheads quickly dripped with cold sweat. The youth suddenly slowed down his steps as he kneeled with one knee, his head facing downwards, "Luke Bluan greets Father" In front of Luke Bluan is a middle-aged man whose expression was calm and indifferent. However, upon seeing the youth that came towards his direction it was immediately replaced by a warm and affectionate gaze that is visible to the eye. This man was none other than the current Patriarch of the Bluan Family... Mue Bluan!! "Rise, my son, there''s no need for such courtesy.", said Mue Bluan. Luke Bluan immediately stood up and he looked up towards the figure of Mue Bluan. He paused for a moment but after some hesitation, he slowly said, "Father, its about the matter of destroying the Jade Family..." Mue Bluan was surprised for a moment after hearing Luke Bluan mention about these plan of his. The matter of overthrowing the Jade Family was no secret to the upper echelons of the Bluan Family including his children, obviously, they are trying to keep this dreadful plan a secret. However, his eldest son, Luke Bluan, has always been indifferent when hearing this so he was surprised after he suddenly mentioned it. "Continue." The eyes of Luke Bluan shone an odd light and his aura suddenly became violent. The surrounding guards whose cultivation levels are higher than Luke Bluan still felt their entire bodies go numb from the aura Luke Bluan released, some of them even dripped with cold sweat. However, Luke Bluan had no plans on retracting this aura before he suddenly said, "I want that Rose Jade obediently crawl to my bed after it and I also want to add another victim..." The aura he released suddenly became more fierce, before he suddenly continued, "I also want the Vermillion Family destroyed and that Arthur Vermillion crippled!" The corners of Mue Bluan''s mouth curled up while his eyebrows knitted, "Oh? The matter about Rose Jade is completely fine. However, the Vermillion Family are already greatly suppressed by us, they will be completely suppressed by us after we destroy the Jade Family after a year so why would we waste unnecessary strength on them? That Arthur Vermillion is no different from a cripple, do you have some grudge with him?" "Yes!" Luke Bluan said with force before adding, "I hope Father can grant my request." Mue Bluan sighed for a while before saying, "Fine.", he was completely aware of Luke Bluan''s extreme personality, he is sensitive without limits that even he, the Patriarch has to be wary of. Although destroying the Vermillion Family which has a thousand-year history of prestige might bring about additional problems, it is completely fine as long as it''s not something major so he agreed to Luke Bluan''s request without much thought. After hearing Mue Bluan''s agreement, the aura released by Luke Bluan gradually relaxed and a smile hung across his face. Arthur Vermillion was completely unaware of the discussion of the duo, he was currently sitting on his room staring at the materials that he bought, a gleeful smile on his face. Mue Bluan would soon realize in the future the consequences of plotting against Arthur Vermillion who has received heavenly knowledge of the Item Spirit. ... Author''s Note: Body Strengthening Realm: Vigor Stage -> Superior Body Stage -> Altering Bones Stage -> Cleansing Marrow Stage -> Meridian Opening Stage Yellow Blood Realm: Early -> Middle -> Late -> Peak -----> I must say that my naming skills are pretty good. (not) Confused about the decline of the Vermillion Family? No worries, I will provide additional info about them in the future chapters. Immortal Body Holy Scripture Chapter 11 - ''Immortal Body Holy Scripture'' ... ... ... Arthur Vermillion was sitting cross-legged with his hands on his lap and his eyes closed. Deep concentration can be heavily felt as the aura beside him grew more and more tranquil. Cultivators who could achieve this state are not few but it definitely does not mean that it is not hard to achieve especially for young cultivators who have yet to reach the age of maturity such as Arthur Vermillion. With the thirteen years of patience through hardships and mockery of others, his state of mind could be said to be very calm and tempered. Coupled with the fact that he has an alchemist, inscription master, and other auxiliaries'' experience of god knows how many years. His state of mind couldn''t be higher than everyone else. Speaking of these memories that he has received, he still has some doubts and worries over these. After all, no one would be able to calm down if they instantaneously learn all the auxiliary jobs that is greatly beneficial to anyone who walks towards the path of cultivation, it''s not even an exaggeration to say that without the former, the latter should not even try to think of pursuing the path of cultivation. Aside from that, Arthur Vermillion is also slightly perturbed of the cultivation techniques that the Item Spirit "gave" him. There was no reason for the Item Spirit to specifically choose him to be his indirect successor. If what he said is true, that there are countless planets out there then why didn''t he go to somewhere else with a higher cultivation than him, most people in the Vermillion Family is tens of times greater than the current him so it would be an understatement if someone said that this "gift" of the Item Spirit is undoubtedly wasted on him. Perhaps this is... fate? Sigh... In any case, the Item Spirit still chose me so I will definitely perform my best to satisfy his request, I will also benefit from it so it is useless to think about something that does not need to be thought of. There is still also the matter of the large portion of memories sealed within my sea of consciousness, I am guessing that it cannot be unsealed forcefully but will open when my strength reaches a sufficient level. With these thoughts in his mind, his closed eyes slowly opened and the tranquil atmosphere suddenly turned into a fierce one. His gaze containing a determined and resolute look. He slowly stretched out his hand and reached for a plastic containing the ingredients that he brought over from the store with Rose Jade... He slowly scattered all the ingredients in front of him and carefully move in front of him the already prepared small refining furnace that will be used to refine the ingredients. According to the memories inside his sea of consciousness, refining these pill is as easy as turning one''s hand, however the process has to be perfect with no mishaps whatsoever or the final outcome of this is just a pill that was concocted by different types of useless grass that couldn''t be more common than common. It seems unbelievable at first but Arthur Vermillion slowly understood the reason for this ridiculous process. The ingredients might be very easy to find but the process is almost as difficult as climbing the heavens. ''After concocting and eating the ''White Lunar Meadow'' and then cultivate the ''Sable God''s Movement Technique'', the cultivator would feel as light as a feather and as sturdy as a grass. Anyone with the same cultivation who is chasing after the cultivator who practices this technique could forget about catching a glimpse of his shadow, they are not even qualified to eat his dust!''. After four or so hours, Arthur Vermillion''s hands finally left the refining furnace. His back was drenched with sweat and the previously determined look was replaced with a drained and exhausted face. However, he still kept his smiling face because inside the refining furnace was precisely the ''White Lunar Meadow''!!If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. He succeeded! Arthur Vermillion let out a self-satisfying smile as he finally expended his last bit of consciousness and collapsed on the floor. Concentrating for so long is an arduous and taxing process to oneself. Arthur Vermillion has the "memories" but he obviously does not have the body to back it up. Refining for a full four hours not only took a toll on his mind, but it also took a toll on his body. If any alchemist in the White Alyssum City sees a thirteen-year-old refine a pill for a full four hours their mouth would have long ago dropped to the ground from shock. The night was dark as ever and the lights that lit up the streets of White Alyssum City became obvious as the bright white moon gradually rise. When the sun finally came and shined over the horizon, it was also the same time when Arthur Vermillion woke up and slowly sat up from the floor. Beside him is the refining furnace containing the pill that he arduously concocted, ''White Lunar Meadow''. Its appearance was plain and it couldn''t even compare to those pills that you get from dilapidated pharmacies. However, the effects of this pill is a hundred, if not a thousand times more useful than the latter, which is the requirement to cultivate the ''Sable God''s Movement Technique''! A movement technique that came indirectly from a foreign realm that far surpasses the world in which Arthur Vermillion currently resides in, or so the Item Spirit says. After marveling at the sight of this "divine" pill, Arthur Vermillion stretched out a hand and carefully pinched it with his two fingers and placed it on his mouth. There weren''t any heavenly insights flowing through Arthur Vermillion head as he assumed. Nonetheless, it was still within his expectations since he only swallowed a pill which was made by different kinds of ordinary grass that every single living thing steps on. He was even beginning to doubt if concocting this kind of "divine" pill is even necessary to cultivate ''Sable God''s Movement Technique''. Time passed by quickly as Arthur Vermillion finally felt something happening to his body. An undetermined energy began to surge inside his body, passing through every single one of his meridians that has yet to be opened. Normally, this kind of phenomenon wouldn''t happen on cultivators who are below the Meridian Opening Stage of the Body Strengthening Realm, only heaven-defying divine pills that can forcefully overcome bottlenecks has the capability to do something similar like this, the cost of this kind of pill is much more gargantuan than your ancestors'' wealth combined. After another hour or so, the energy flowing through Arthur''s body eventually calmed down. The aura that Arthur Vermillion emitted can be clearly seen to have changed by a great margin. Still sitting cross-legged, he unhurriedly opened his eyes while an undying faint smile hung on his mouth. He promptly scrutinized his own body and subsequently, his smile became even wider and sharper. At this moment, he suddenly checked his own sea of consciousness, there he found a portion of the memories sealed suddenly emit a dim light, it seems that it was about to be unlocked. After waiting for an unknown time, it finally unlocked itself fully and he hastily investigated the contents of the memories. "''Immortal Body Holy Scripture''. A basic cultivation guide for cultivators who are at the Body Strengthening Realm." ... ... Huh? The beaming smile that Arthur Vermillion was wearing instantly disappeared the moment he finished reading the description of the ''Immortal Body Holy Scripture''. It wasn''t because he was disappointed in the ''Immortal Body Holy Scripture'' itself, it was just that the description was a bit too... peculiar. He expected that the cultivation techniques from the ''Divine World'' would be thousands of times more abstruse, but he never expected that... "I must not complain... Maybe this body strengthening technique is much more profound than what it looks like." Now that Arthur Vermillion can start learning the ''Sable God''s Movement Technique'' anytime, and he has the pressure needed for growth emanating directly from Luke Bluan and Pao Bluan. He can now begin his training to grow to a strong and dominant figure as quickly as possible to alleviate the current status of the Vermillion Family. Although his means are a bit extreme and slightly unnecessary, it is actually the most efficient way for him and for anyone to grow. "If the environment is dangerous and violent, then I can grow much more quickly! Hahahaha", this was the exact same thought that came across Arthur Vermillion even before offending Pao Bluan and Luke Bluan, the former was deliberate and the latter was indirect, but judging by Luke Bluan''s eccentric personality, he would surely take it something very personal and will certainly move against him in secret. ... White Alyssum Citys Mayor, Bai Juan! Chapter 12 - White Alyssum City''s Mayor, Bai Juan! ... ... ... Arthur Vermillion did not waste any time as he started to fully cultivate the ''Sable God''s Movement Technique'' for almost 8 hours straight. He did not eat nor drink during this period, only the sound of his breathing and the whistling of the wind through the curtain could be heard. Everyone in the Vermillion Family even Jiu Vermillion didn''t disturb Arthur Vermillion throughout this time, it was not they did not dare but it was because they were very used to this kind of behavior. Arthur Vermillion has always worked two if not a hundred times harder than his peers in everything, however, he was always a step behind them and it was also growing further, it is also the very reason why he had to distance himself from Rose Jade in the past lest he implicates her. But now that Arthur Vermillion has the memories and experience of an ''experienced master'', if all things keep going as they were before, then he might really leave behind his peers and even the older generations in the dust in a short span of time. After he finished cultivating the ''Sable God''s Movement Technique'', he realized that he underestimated on how easy it is to cultivate. He almost instantly understood the rudimentary stage as soon as he finished reading it, then the first, second, and third. There are a total of 5 stages written in the ''Sable God''s Movement Technique''. The first stage is called "Immortal Eyes", after a practitioner comprehends this, they would far surpass cultivators who relied solely on the Body Strengthening Realm''s Superior Body Stage to temper their body. For the second stage "Heavenly Plume Overhaul", the weight of your body would be almost reduced to the weight of a feather, the strength exerted wouldn''t be affected by anyway because of this. Third stage, "Shadow Thunder''s Celerity", greatly increases the speed of the cultivator. The fourth and fifth stage wasn''t comprehended by Arthur Vermillion so he had no way of knowing what their effects are. He has already learned all three stages of the ''Sable God''s Movement Technique'' so afterward he has to consolidate it through real-life combat, practicing it is also good but it would also take less time the latter. Subsequently, he placed the refining furnace underneath his bed and changed his clothes soaked with sweat to a red long dress with an embroidered Vermillion Bird emitting fiery red flames at the back. Casually walking by and glancing precipitously at the dazzling flowers scattered around, he suddenly felt a familiar blazing power coming from the main hall which was a few meters away from him. Arthur Vermillion stopped his footsteps and dragged his legs over in that direction. "Originally, I thought your Vermillion Family would still be able to retain the position of a member of the White Alyssum City''s Three Great Families with my help, however with the current progress your family is showing, I''m afraid that even I won''t be able to help you anymore within a year or two''s time.", the man said lamentedly. "Sigh... Don''t say such words, City Mayor. If it wasn''t for you and the Jade Family, my Vermillion Family might be loitering around the outskirts as of now.", Jiu Vermillion said with wrinkled eyebrows. The blazing power that he released also gradually subsided. The man that Jiu Vermillion is currently talking to was surprisingly the City Mayor of the White Alyssum City, Bai Juan! Even when Jiu Vermillion unintentionally released his blazing aura, the man beside him was not the least bit fazed, only the strongest person in the city could have this strength which is precisely Bai Juan!Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Bai Juan shook his head sensing Jiu Vermillion downcast, "Truly regrettable, I thought you and your wife who stood at the peak in your youth would produce an outstanding youth in the future. But who would have thought that..." "Father! City Mayor!" A cheerful voice interrupted the words that Bai Juan was speaking. Jiu Vermillion had also changed his attitude the moment this figure showed up. "Junior greets the City Mayor," Arthur Vermillion cupped his fist, "Father, this child has a matter to speak with you, I wonder if you would be willing?" Jiu Vermillion did not have the despondent look anymore as he answered Arthur Vermillion, "Ask away," He turned his head towards the direction of Bai Juan and added, "But it might be a bit inconvenient to the City Mayor so-" Before Jiu Vermillion could even finish speaking, Bai Juan interrupted him and said, "Brother Jiu Vermillion is too courteous. I''ve sensed that this child of yours is already about to break through the second level of the Body Strengthening Realm, Superior Body Stage. So if the matter he talks about is related to it, I might be able to help him." When Jiu Vermillion heard what Bai Juan said, he was a bit of a loss. Just two or three days ago, he broke through the Vigor Stage of the Body Strengthening Realm. How did he consolidate his foundation so soon? However, Arthur Vermillion only showed a pleasant smile when he heard Bai Juan as he turned his head to Jiu Vermillion, "I was actually planning to go to some place with a lot of beasts with the strength of at most, a Superior Body stage martial artist. I was hoping that father knows of a place." "This... I indeed have some places in mind, however the beasts have already formed some kind of intellect and thus have avoided contact with humans in their own initiative, the weakest beasts which have the strength of a Superior Body stage martial artist always stays at the middle parts of the forest and won''t come out until they have fully grown. If you are willing, I could send someone to accompany you." Arthur Vermillion already expected this kind of answer so he lightly shook his head, declining Jiu Vermillion''s idea. It wouldn''t be a life-threatening situation anymore if his life is not threatened, it was also not possible for him to send himself towards the death''s door. Beasts also practice a cultivation technique that is similar to the human race''s Body Strengthening technique. Most beasts can only reach the strength of the Meridian Opening Stage in their entire lifetime due to their low intelligence, but the weakest among them has the strength of a Superior Body Stage martial artist. That means that after being born, the beasts would automatically have the strength of a Superior Body Stage martial artist! At this time, Bai Juan''s voice has entered at the ears of the two. "Child, actually there might be a place that has a couple of Superior Body stage beasts." "Hm?" Hearing this, Arthur Vermillion immediately stretched out his ear to listen attentively. "There was a report earlier from a mortal village that a dozen or so Superior Body Stage beasts have been spotted near their village and requested us to exterminate them. How about this, I will send 2 middle stage Yellow Blood Realm experts to protect the village and you will be the one to kill the beasts. If you feel that your skills are lacking and aren''t a match for them, you can just notify the 2 experts to directly kill them." Arthur Vermillion was delighted upon hearing the City Mayor''s proposal. "Then I must thank the City Mayor for this" Arthur Vermillion cupped his fists once more. "Haha, I can see a steadfast will towards cultivation in your eyes, work hard and bring glory to your father!" With that, Arthur Vermillion bowed and immediately rushed out of the main hall heading straight towards his room. "Hahahaha, that kid didn''t even ask when he is going to depart and immediately continued his cultivation. I must say, I underestimated the determination of your son, Brother Jiu Vermillion." Jiu Vermillion only gave a wry smile to Bai Juan, he was still slightly stunned when he learned Arthur Vermillion is on the verge of breaking through again after having two days pass. ... Nether Devouring Flower (1) Chapter 13 - Nether Devouring Flower (1) ... ... ... Three days passed in an instant. Jiu Vermillion already notified him of the time when he and the other 2 Yellow Blood Realm experts would depart from White Alyssum City which is exactly today. When Arthur Vermillion was about to leave an alluring figure suddenly appeared at the gates of the Vermillion Family. A green long dressed beauty was currently on the way where Arthur Vermillion was standing. Seeing Rose Jade come here on her own, Arthur Vermillion couldn''t help but let out a satisfied smile. He also started advancing towards her with unhurried steps. "Younger Brother Arthur, why should you be the one to deal with 12 Superior Body Stage beasts? They are stronger than you by a realm! And there are even 12 of them!!" Rose Jade. Hearing Rose Jade become so direct and ranting threw Arthur Vermillion slightly off guard. He was indeed a bit numb to Jiu Vermillion''s previous scoldings and persuasive words, he was really against him in dealing with a dozen Superior Body Stage beasts. But in the end, he gave up and told Arthur Vermillion of the date of when he was going to depart. He didn''t really hope for Arthur Vermillion to personally deal with them, but instead the 2 Yellow Blood Realm experts accompanying him. "You should calm down, Sister Rose Jade. I have two Yellow Blood Realm experts accompanying me, and they''re even in the middle stages. What could possibly go wrong?" Arthur Vermillion said without any pensiveness. "B-But..." How could Rose Jade possibly calm down? Even for her, an Altering Bones Stage martial artist, would find it very very hard to kill 12 Superior Body Stage much less Arthur Vermillion who was weaker than her by two stages. Suddenly, Arthur Vermillion strove forward as he lowered his face right in front of Rose Jade''s face, between them is a space that is no less than 1 meter! (Author: Oh? Mn, a very good move, mn, MN!) Arthur Vermillion looked directly at Rose Jade''s eyes and said, "If you''re really worried about me then I can just cancel my journey and spend my night... with you.", the last words of Arthur were spoken very slowly. Rose Jade was evidently stunned upon Arthur Vermillion''s words. As an innocent and manless fourteen-year-old girl, this casual sentence would without a doubt, cause them to think immoral and bad things which is indeed what was on Rose Jade''s mind right now. Her cheeks blossomed red and an indescribable feeling swelled up in Arthur Vermillion seeing this scene. Rose Jade finally couldn''t take it anymore while she few steps back and said angrily, "W-Who''s worried with you! Fine, see who will be laughing when you come back heavily injured! Hmph!" Arthur Vermillion looked at the departing figure of Rose Jade as he sighed in his head, ''Truly a woman worth conquering.'' (Author: what conquering?! kid, you are thirteen years old!!) ........ Behind the gates of White Alyssum City, four figures could be seen discussing with a slightly serious expression on their faces. The one with a large build body and a bit of color gray in his hair and beard was the City Mayor of White Alyssum City, Bai Juan!The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "Bai Fuah, you must properly protect Arthur Vermillion from any harm, if it ever comes. Remember to not show yourself until it is needed." Bai Fuah sternly nodded, he has never been disloyal to his uncle Bai Juan even until now. Even though the mission given to him this time was a bit unusual, he still complied without any hesitance. This was why Bai Juan has complete confidence to this nephew of his, he has never shown arrogance towards the weak and has always been a very justified person. "Heina, Darriel, protect the village until Arthur Vermillion requests for your assistance to kill the Superior Body Stage beasts. You are to leave when he wants to leave, the same goes for you Bai Fuah. I will surely reward you all after." Heina and Darriel didn''t hesitate anymore after hearing the rewards and immediately answered, "We receive the City Mayor''s order!" At this time, the voice of Arthur Vermillion was heard by the four and Bai Fuah immediately hid away from Arthur Vermillion. Bai Juan also disappeared from sight and only the two Yellow Blood Realm experts were left to greet Arthur Vermillion. As per the request of Arthur Vermillion, the three of them must go to the village only by foot. The distance between White Alyssum City and the mortal village was a bit more than 7 kilometers so walking there would be a trifling matter for the two of them so they didn''t decline Arthur Vermillion. ''I feel like... someone''s watching me?'' Arthur Vermillion. ........ "Reporting to the Chief, the honorable cultivators will arrive in the village within a few more minutes!" An old man wearing gray robes said hastily while kneeling. The Chief got up from his seat and immediately ordered, "Then hurry up and receive them without delay! Bring with you a few horses to escort their carriage here, I must see no mishaps lest we get into trouble!" The old man scratched his head for a moment before saying, "T-this... Chief, they did not bring a carriage, they traveled by foot. If we use a horse while they walk..." The old man stopped his words here, his meaning was very obvious. Although the distance between the village and White Alyssum City was only a bit more than 7 kilometers, it was a bit tedious for humans, "Truly, they are sedulous cultivators. Then we will promptly run to them to escort them," the Chief kneaded his knees for while before adding, "Damn, I''m too old for this..." Three silhouettes appeared at the eyes of the trio. One of them was surprisingly the Village Chief of the mortal village. They greeted Arthur Vermillion and the others with utmost respect and politeness. The Village Chief also explained to them the situation of their village while they walk. Apparently, the beasts were encircling the farming land of their village, and now they can''t harvest their crops which greatly affected the lives of their people. Their farming land was also close to their village so once the beasts start to move and find their village, unthinkable consequence would befall their village and thus they requested the help of White Alyssum City. Arthur Vermillion sank into deep thought after learning their circumstances, but there are still some questions that he couldn''t help but ask, "Old Chief, the Superior Body Stage beasts are always in the middle parts of the forest, so why are they here? Are you certain that they encircling the farming land, and not roaming around?" The Chief also started to wear a serious expression after this, "I also know that these young beasts stay inside the forest until growth, so it is indeed very unusual for them to come out without accomplices. I don''t know what use it will be for Young Master however they are indeed encircling our farmland and not roaming around." At this moment, identical rock houses surrounded by thick sharpened wooden walls could be visibly seen. Countless greeneries and full bloomed flowers stuffed the eyes of Arthur Vermillion and the others. Trees high enough to block the light of the sun encompassed the surroundings of the village that formed a crescent moon. "What a beautiful village." Darriel couldn''t help but admire and imprint these scene. If one was to focus clearly on his eyes, one could discern a glint with the reflection of the village. The other two also had similar faces. "Three esteemed cultivators, we have arrived." ... Author: The namings, erh... I really can''t name so I''ll just write whate''r Nether Devouring Flower (2) Chapter 14 - Nether Devouring Flower (2) ... ... ... The afternoon was spent with the Village Chief mostly explaining about all the details that happened before the beasts encircled their farm land, then it led to how the village was founded. Before the Village Chief finished, Arthur have already became impatient, hence, he stopped him with the excuse of training, Heina and Darriel also followed him afterwards. The Village Chief didn''t understood their true intentions but he still followed suit and personally escorted them in their rooms, along with some servants for their convenience. Arthur was already informed by Heina and Darriel that he can go to the farm land anytime he want, they will be staying here to protect the village if something unusual occur. Since that was the case, Arthur planned to go immediately tomorrow afternoon to gather information first. The activity of these beasts were very suspicious and abnormal so Arthur plans to investigate them, not just merely kill them. "The night is still young, I will cultivate for a few hours before I sleep." Arthur thought to himself. With that, he deeply concentrated and focused on consolidating his foundation. But before he even started his meditation, he promptly came into an abrupt stop as he suddenly remembered something important. ''Immortal Body Holy Scripture''! He completely forgot about its existence since the explanation it has sounded like a counterfeit from some dilapidated shop. Anyways its still one of the memories given by the Item Spirit to him so he mustn''t casually judge it by its appearance. Everything that the Item Spirit has given is very useful for Arthur so far. He remembered that ''Immortal Body Holy Scripture'' can be used by Body Strengthening Realm cultivators so it must be a foundation building technique from the Divine World. He spared no time anymore as he directly entered his sea of consciousness and located the ''Immortal Body Holy Scripture''. Subsequently, his body began to emit a faint glow with his forehead as the center. Countless words and strange symbols continuously appeared in his mind without any signs of stopping anytime soon. Strangely enough, the process was very smooth and even has traces of comfort, though there weren''t any significant changes in his body. As the time gradually pass, the faint glow he released also got dimmer and dimmer as it finally became fully extinguished. All of the scenes that occurred inside was seen by a figure outside his room. This figure is Bai Fuah, since the City Mayor strictly ordered him to protect this Vermillion boy in the shadows, he must completely conceal himself whenever he is around him. Originally he was about to go share a room with either Heina or Darriel, ignoring the fact that they were here at the order of the most important and powerful man in the city which is the City Mayor, the three of them were also the best of friends since childhood so they would be more than willing to help him get a place to rest. Bai Fuah was always a sensible and loyal person, moreover, he owes a great favor to the City Mayor so he wouldn''t show even the slightest bit of irresponsibility with any of the latter''s orders. And for that reason, he would not casually leave behind someone whom the City Mayor sternly ordered him to protect until he could ascertain their absolute safety, especially in this barren village with a middle aged mortal man as a guard.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Just as he was finally satisfied of this Vermillion boy''s safety, the latter''s forehead suddenly emitted a glow that even he was unsure of. "Mn?! What..." The faint glow that was being emitted gradually became even more brighter and the shock on Bai Fuah''s face became just as much. "T-T-T-This i-is..." His facial features slightly contorted before he reluctantly added, "...Enlightenment!!!" ..... -Vermillion Family''s Patriarch Hall- The patriarch of the Vermillion Family, Jiu Vermillion, is currently sitting on the front seat in the hall. The two columns beside sat a total of six middle aged man. They are the brothers of Jiu Vermillion and Elders of the Vermillion Family. The expressions on their faces were somewhat solemn, it seems that they were previously discussing something heavy. At this time, Jiu Vermillion broke the silence and said, "Elders, as you all may know, the Vermillion Family has been performing very poorly at defending the beasts'' siege on the city every time they attack." The various elders'' solemn faces didn''t waver in the slightest, it seems that their ears were numb to it as they didn''t even show a but of pity. However, there were some elders who were confused about the Patriarch''s words. One of the elders finally couldn''t help but ask, "What is the Patriarch getting at?" Jiu Vermillion inhaled deeply. He swept his eyes past the six elders and said, "The decline of our family is mostly because of our disciple''s very little talent. Moreover, the resources that each of them receives are only enough to satisfy the City Mayor''s pet. So in that event..." He trailed off for a moment and continued, "We should focus only on nurturing one disciple! Most resources should go only to him and no one else... As for the matter of whom, I would like my son to be that disciple! Are there any objections?" All the elders present nodded their heads in agreement but the last sentence of Jiu Vermillion shook nearly all of the elders present. Especially the ones who knew what situation Arthur Vermillion is in and detested him. "As expected of the Patriarch, this will indeed give us more chance of producing a talent capable of holding our family for a couple of years more, however... Why should it be your son who gets to receive such a treatment?" An elder immediately retorted, his meaning clearly obvious. He have already heard the circumstances of Jiu Vermillion''s son since the beginning, therefore, he has a very negative and cynical perspective towards him. The idea that Jiu Vermillion proposed was the most approppriate and proper way for the Vermillion Family to survive. Dividing the scanty resource they have would benefit all the disciples temporarily, but once they fall from the position of the Great Families... Falling from the Great Families would be a massive talk in the city for atleast a couple of months. It would also mean the deaths of many who are part of that family. The previous elder''s words represented all the elders present current thoughts. Although all of them, without exception, were loyal and respectful to Jiu Vermillion, it was only to him and not to his ''crippled'' son. That is why the tone of the elder who spoke earlier contained a trace of disdain and mockery, that was how infamous Arthur Vermillion was in the Vermillion Family. "Elder Giu, if you are worried about little Arthur''s cultivation, then you must not worry," Jiu Vermillion said softly, "my son have already broken through Vigor Stage and is on the verge on breaking through the Superior Body Stage." As expected, the faces of the elders present were full of shock and disbelief. "Impossible! I bumped into that kid last month and he wasn''t releasing even a mouthful bit of Genesis Energy." "I also happened to chance by him some time ago and am also of the same conviction." The various elders, both the ones who loathe Arthur and not, began to recall their recent encounters with Arthur. The dates that they have spoken were very close to each other, the latest one being two weeks earlier. When the noise finally started to die down, an elder seated at the front of Jiu Vermillion stood up and said, "All of you, stop talking. What the Patriarch have said is true, I inadvertently saw the City Mayor and the Patriarch with his son conversing and learned of Arthur''s cultivation, he did indeed officially step into the Body Strengthening Realm." ... Author''s Note: sorry for the late upload. Storm hit us bad and the flood got inside, had to clean it up first. .... hehe, ill probably introduce more characters here and there. Nether Devouring Flower (3) Chapter 15 - Nether Devouring Flower (3) ... ... ... "Is what the Great Elder Xie saying really true?" Giu Vermillion asked, his expression stayed the same but there were few hints of wavering. "Yes." Xie Vermillion The five elders gasped in surprised. They weren''t shocked about Arthur''s breakthrough but rather his speed of cultivation. Logically speaking, an average martial artist could break through the Superior Body Stage from the Vigor Stage with an interval of eight months with adequate resources. Anyone with the same resources but only took a month less to break through signifies a genius, any month lesser than that would be an extraordinary genius capable of succeeding the position of the City Mayor. However, there hasn''t been any records in the annals of history of someone breaking through Superior Body Stage. And Arthur, logically speaking, would take about a month at most if he really is on the verge of breaking through. In that case, Arthur would become a Superior Body Stage martial artist from an average mortal in a bit more than 1 month!! The speed it took was five times much faster than an extraordinary genius!!! Although it was only one small leap of a stage, it was still the sole five stage realm known by mankind so it was evidently a very important stage. So if that was really the case, then forget about giving most of the resources to him. They would forcefully make the current Patriarch resign and give the position to him. That was how exaggerated Jiu Vermillion''s words were. The remaining elders sat in a daze for a while. They felt that all of this was impossible. However, they were considered good friends with the Patriarch and thus have a great understanding of his personality so it wouldn''t make sense for him to make a ridiculous story up, only to save face for his useless son¡ªwho is probably not useless anymore. As a matter of fact, none of them have any hostility towards anyone, perhaps it was strengthened by the fact that their family is declining. However, as the old men they were who would be half-step in the grave in a couple more years, their offsprings are the only pride that they have left. That being the case, for a Patriarch''s son to be useless than an outer disciple was truly a disgrace for the Vermillion Family especially the Elders, thus they unconsciously and consciously released their disapproval and abhorrence towards Arthur. "S-Should we call in that boy, Arthur?" An Elder said, slightly stuttering. Silence still remained inside the hall. This wasn''t a simple breakthrough to the second stage of the Body Strengthening Realm anymore. It was now a huge matter for the Vermillion Family that might overturn the situation they are currently in. Elder Giu spoke up, breaking the silence that lingered the room, "We should... we should not make any hasty decisions, respected Elders. That kid still hasn''t broken through the second stage which means that his talent is still not ascertained. If he can really break through before a month has passed... then, the previous agreement will be his for the taking." Giu Vermillion trailed off for a few moments and added, "However, if a heavenly gifted genius is weak then he is no genius at all! In that case, all the young members of the Vermillion Family¡ªshould first have a competition!"This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Every elder looked at Elder Giu with brilliant eyes. This suggestion was indeed very apt. It would be a test for Arthur if he is indeed worthy. If he can keep up the rate of speed of his cultivation, then they wouldn''t hesitate to nurture him with all their wealth and effort. Having said that, if he was still beaten by the other disciples, then they would just abandon the thought and nurture a more useful candidate. Although it would probably be a pity, they do not have any other choices at the moment, they have to do whatever they can to keep their position. Only Jiu Vermillion was slightly frowning over this. He was already convinced that Arthur would shock all the elders including Xie Vermillion, but it seems that he underestimated Giu Vermillion. Giu Vermillion''s son was the only Altering Bones Stage in the entire younger generation of the Vermillion Family, so it would only natural for Giu Vermillion to be taking pride on that. At this moment, the still standing Great Elder Xie, spoke up again, "Very well. All is going to be what Elder Giu said. Anyone with a problem?" All the Elders nodded their approval. Xie Vermillion looked towards the direction of Jiu Vermillion, "Patriarch?" Jiu Vermillion closed his eyes for a moment. Thereafter, he also nodded and said, "We will start once my son goes back, he is currently on an outside mission in a nearby mortal village dealing with some things." Again, all the Elders looked at him, this time meaningfully. "Once that child returns, we will immediately start the competition for the young disciples!" Xie Vermillion "Mn, all of you are dismissed!" Jiu Vermillion. ........ Still dazed and dumbfounded, Bai Fuah remained motionless. He carefully probed Arthur from head to toe and afterward, he took in a deep breath. The kid in front of him at the moment is indeed in the state of enlightenment. It was different from the "enlightening state" of the Jade Family in White Alyssum City. The "enlightening state" of the Jade Family''s Patriarch is a unique ability to calm one''s mind to a certain degree, making them be able to read the movements of an opponent. However, enlightenment is something that is much greater than the latter. It is a state where the cultivator would feel his comprehension level heightened, meaning that his cultivation speed would be much faster than ever. The people who can reach the state of enlightenment can be totally be numbered to zero. Which is why Bai Fuah was really astonished¡ªno, flabbergasted at the sight of this. ''N-no wonder uncle p-put such great importance in him¡ªhe''s actually a genius! ''Such a person... Whose name I have actually forgotten, tch. I should go and tell the others to keep a distance from here lest they disturb him, such news would definitely bring glory to our city!'' Unbeknownst to everything around him. Arthur, nevertheless, was in deep concentration. Bai Fuah mistakenly thought that Arthur reached the state of enlightenment when in reality, he was just scanning through the contents of the ''Immortal Body Holy Scripture''. His soul was greatly shaken everytime he read a sentence of the ''Immortal Body Holy Scripture''. That''s because what is held within this technique was essentially an upgrade for Body Strengthening! Besides the five fundamental stages of the Body Strengthening Realm technique, ''Immortal Body Holy Scripture'' states that there are actually supplemental stages that is much stronger than the fundamental stages. ''Holy shit!'' Arthur couldn''t help but curse. The amount of good luck that has befallen on his laps just kept increasing day by day. Although he called it a supplemental stage, it can actually be treated as a whole new realm. Based on the ''Immortal Body Holy Scripture''. Before a cultivator breaks through from the Body Strengthening Realm, it is ideal to start tempering their blood marrow to avoid a future weakness. The ''Immortal Body Holy Scripture'' calls it¡ª¡ªHeavenly Blue Marrow Tempering. As expected, no one can temper their body without any external help. Thus, pills that are aggressive in nature are necessary to cultivate Heavenly Blue Marrow Tempering. Therefore, money would be undoubtedly burned as they go on the path of ''Immortal Body Holy Scripture''. ... Nether Devouring Flower (4) Chapter 16 - Nether Devouring Flower (4) ... ... ... ''Immortal Body Holy Scripture'' is indeed truly superior to the human race''s Body Strengthening Technique. Or it could also be interpreted as the new and refined version of the Body Strengthening Technique... Just by reaching the first stage of ''Immortal Body Holy Scripture'', it would grant the practitioner the strength of ten thousand tonnes, that is akin to having the power to lift a ten million kilogram object! Not only that, if one continues to open the hidden stages of the ''Immortal Body Holy Stage'', then that said practitioner would reach unimaginable body strength in the future! However, the prerequisite for all of these is to temper the practitioner''s blood marrow into the Heavenly Blue Marrow. The Heavenly Blue Marrow Tempering isn''t just some fancy words to be used, it is an extremely painful and exorbitant process. Replacing a bone marrow is no joke. You would have to somehow crack open your bones, deep enough to reach the bone marrow inside of it. Cracking a few bones won''t really be a torturous experience for cultivators, it''s extremely common for them to the point where it''s terrifying for normal people. However, to temper a bone marrow, much less in a leisure pace, would produce a grinding or tingling sensation all over your body. It''s not much different from using a hammer to carefully but painfully to smash your bone. Since it is done by the practitioner himself, with no external help whatsoever, it would be extremely uncomfortable and it might lead to unwanted accidents. Let''s say that there are treasures capable of assisting a practitioner to temper their own bone marrows in a much-hurried pace. But the problem lies on where to find them. Techniques that require a cultivator to temper their blood marrow are almost non-existent, at least in this continent. So for the ''Immortal Body Holy Scripture'' to require the practitioner to transform their blood marrow first was truly a great shock for Arthur, he has never heard from others or read any technique as anomalous as this one. After completing the Heavenly Blue Marrow Tempering, the cultivator''s blood would now carry Genesis Energy within them. And as we all know it, the blood carries nutrients and such to the body. If Genesis Energy is added on top of that, then there would be numerous advantages to it! In Arthur''s opinion, however, the enormous strength and defense it would give to the cultivator''s body would be the most advantageous benefit. Also, if the cultivator reaches the Meridian Opening Stage, the body would be able to suck Genesis Energy continuously from the outside world, thus, the blood would have an endless supply of Genesis Energy without needing to take it from the practitioner''s own. So in the most simplistic way possible of explaining, it is the massive improvement of the human body''s circulatory system and the human body itself. After reading this much, Arthur''s eyes blazed intensely with fervor even more. He didn''t really care about the pain it would give the cultivator in the process. All he cared about was the massive strength, amplified recovery ability, and massive strength! If someone had the ability to peek inside Arthur''s head, they would undoubtedly be thinking of the same words coterminously... a strength-fiend. Arthur is not the typical dumb clod who witlessly seek strength for absolutely no reason at all. He is sensible, astute and sometimes scheming, but some of these qualities did not have the slightest bit of a chance to be performed. The reason for that is obvious, he''s lacking the pillar to back all of these aspects... strength. He lacked strength. Everything that has to be done with certainty needs to be accompanied by strength. Struggling in vain would not do you any good, it''d only put you in a greater precarious situation which would contradict what you wanted in the first place. Arthur was aware of this up to the beginning. Since he was weak, he had no choice but to act like one, lest he gets more trouble that would be difficult to handle. A man would rather die than be subservient; but, a wise man would swallow his pride to seek revenge. To let yourself get killed without reprisal is not anything but a coward, those who are truly dignified will abstain until they get a heart, for an eye. Looking at his devious grinning face right now, it seems that he is actually serious about making those who offended him eat their own eyeballs. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.(AUTHOR''S NOTE: Okay, you might have to burn a few brain cells in this paragraph. I swear I wasn''t sounding to be profound or anything) Arthur left his own sea of consciousness. The ''Immortal Body Holy Scripture'' was truly a big surprise for him. It sounded too casual that he thought it was some kind of a prank. Sable God''s Movement Technique, Holy Flame Undergird, Sacred Vermillion Manual, and lastly, Immortal Body Holy Scripture, the geniuses in the city didn''t even have the privilege to borrow two Low-grade Earth-rank cultivation techniques, however, Arthur actually has four of them! And the Immortal Body Holy Scripture could possibly be even higher! Once again, Arthur felt a deep sense of gratitude towards the Item Spirit who granted him these. Now, he can''t even wait until the day he departs for ''Divine World'' that the Item Spirit spoke of. Arthur slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he''d do tomorrow is to inform Heina and Darriel that he would scout the area around the farmland first before dealing with the beasts surrounding it, his inference is telling him that something important might be happening there. Also, ever since he entered the village, he has been getting an unfamiliar gaze on him either intentionally or unintentionally, Arthur might also tell them about it, although he didn''t feel any malicious intentions, its best to be cautious since it might be a high-level flying beast roaming around the village. Given their cultivation levels, they should have also sensed it, however, in the case that they didn''t, reminding them will be taking no sweat at all, being prepared won''t do any harm to anyone. ........ Bai Fuah is currently inside Heina''s room. The space and decorations inside were identical to Arthur''s, a slightly damaged wooden chair in the corner of the room which is currently where he was sitting, his left hand supporting his chin, beside him is a silky white bed laying a soundlessly sleeping Heina. When he asked Heina who the boy was accompanying them, he gasped with incredulity. He can''t believe that the useless inept scion from the Vermillion Family is the same youngster as the one from earlier, the boy who gained enlightenment! He had no grudge nor ill intentions towards Arthur Vermillion, however, the distinction between the two is too large to think of the same person. ''Was he deliberately hiding his talent?''. This thought popped into Bai Fuah''s mind. However, he immediately rejected this idea. The Vermillion Family is gradually declining. If such a talent appears within them, they would spend whatever they have in their pockets to nurture him as fast as possible. Thus, his cultivation level would soar to new heights, but Arthur is only at the Vigor Stage of the Body Strengthening Realm. It''s too slow of a cultivation speed to be labeled as a genius who gained enlightenment. No matter what the reason is, he would report this to the City Mayor as soon as he returns to the city. He would surely be delighted to have a disciple capable of being granted with insights by the heavens. This might be the Vermillion Family''s solitary rope to climb on to escape their inevitable fate. It will also be favorable for him to have a close relationship with Arthur. "Even if he''s a genius, killing those Superior Body Stage beasts might be too difficult for him with his Vigor Stage cultivation... I must protect him with all I''ve got!" ... Author''s Note: I apologize for not uploading a chapter last week, had so many things to do at school and stuff. I''ve also polished the plot for this arc so I only have to write in the future and not wander off, pondering, while I write. Nether Devouring Flower (5) Chapter 17 - Nether Devouring Flower (5) ... ... ... Bai Fuah is currently tailing Arthur from the shadows. Just earlier, he eavesdropped on Arthur and the two of their conversations. It seems that Arthur would scout the area around the farmland first before taking any drastic action. It was a coherent decision, the two agreed and advised him to be careful. Afterwards, Arthur told them about the strange gaze he has been getting ever since he entered the village. Bai Fuah was astonished to hear this, he was certain that his concealing method wouldn''t be detected by a kid with a Vigor Stage cultivation, however, it was somewhat acceptable, he is, after all, a genius. That is why, currently, he is twice as far from Arthur compared to before. It would be awkward if Arthur discovered that some big brother was secretly protecting him from the shadows. At this moment, six new silhouettes appeared before their eyes. Upon getting a closer look, they can discern that they have green, dry, scaled skin, a long tail, clawed feet, short neck, and dark brown eyes. All of them were very identical to each other. Arthur silently stopped walking and gazed at the six silhouettes, "''Fuck, what rotten luck, these things are Green-scaled Lizard beasts!'', he viciously cursed on his mind. Bai Fuah has also stopped walking and is gazing at the six figures. He murmured, "Green-scaled Lizard beasts... they are fast and agile, and their scales are also hard to break through even with an Altering Bones Stage cultivation. Heina and Darriel would have no problem taking care of them simultaneously, however, this kid... "It''s a good thing that they are newly born, or else he could just forget about his beast hunting," he hopped skillfully at a nearby tree and sat on the branch, he then added, "Wish you luck, Arthur." At the present, Arthur''s right hand is supporting both of his temples, deep in contemplation, "According to my retarded instructor, Green-scaled Lizard beasts are extremely protective of their kin, especially the young, such as these six before me...", he contemplated even more for a long period of time until beads of sweat started dripping down his forehead. "I apologize, mortal villagers, you might want to eat some bread or something in the meantime. I really want to investigate this unusual matter for a while..." Arthur sneakily circled the surroundings for a couple of hours. He was checking to see what was something special about this farmland that these Green-scaled Lizard beasts got them to stay. However, he couldn''t find or feel anything in particular. In his couple hours of circling, he also found out that the Green-scaled Lizard beasts must have been fighting amongst each other, it is evident by the wounds on their bodies. He was slightly ecstatic to learn this, there might be a possible scenario where he doesn''t have to fight all of them at once. However, the possibility is extremely slim, they are protective in nature, to begin with, whatever be the reason they pummeled each other, they may gang up on him once a common enemy appeared. Subsequently, he surveyed his surroundings around the area for possible predators that are preying on those six green-scaled Lizard beasts. The six of them combined would be hard enough for him to deal with, so he doesn''t want any interference while dealing with them.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. After observing his surroundings, he stood, once more, fifty meters away from the closest Green-scaled Lizard beast to prevent them from noticing him. As soon as he was about to stand up, he suddenly had an epiphany, ''Yes, that''s right, Green-scaled Lizard beasts are extremely protective, they would never leave their own unless something too great occurs within...'' his head tilted sideways, lush greeneries came into his sight, his mouth arced upwards and he continued, ''...the forest.'' For the old Green-scaled Lizard beasts to leave the young, there must be something happening in the forest. It might be a large group or sect massacring their way deep into the forest. If he could carefully avoid attracting their attention, he might reap some benefits by collecting the bodies of the fallen beasts, he might even collect a few herbs that grow only in the inner part of the forest! ''It''s decided then. There aren''t really any benefits in killing these few guys, I will be greedy for a bit this time and try to harvest as many benefits as I can!'' Bai Fuah was still sitting above a large limb of a tree. Besides meditating for some time, his eyes were still fixated on Arthur the entire time. Currently, he was in the middle of meditation, he was rather feeling uneasy about not doing anything, thus, he started to cultivate while waiting for Arthur to finish what he''s doing. After finishing his short meditation, he immediately scrutinized for Arthur''s figure but he discovered that he was gone! ''Shit! Where did he go?!'', Bai Fuah swore on his mind, ''Did he go back before me? No, the path towards the village is below me, half of my consciousness is still active while I was meditating so I would immediately notice him...'' ''Obviously, he didn''t get eaten by those Green-scaled Lizard beasts since I had not heard anything...'' ''Did he... go deep into the forest?!'' Bai Fuah immediately launched his movement technique and went directly towards the forest, his perception multiplied by a few meters as he jumped on the large boughs of the trees. ''Shit, shit, shit! O'' younger brother of mine... Indeed you have talent but why must your brain be lost?! Your cultivation level is not even enough to walk freely in the wilderness yet you actually dared to enter this large of a forest?!?'' The speed of Bai Fuah was his fastest so far, but he still caught no sight of Arthur. Only after several minutes did he managed to catch after his silhouette. ''His speed is actually slightly half lower than mine!'', Bai Fuah was greatly dumbfounded to figure this out. The speed at where Arthur was going is half of his, a middle stage Yellow Blood Realm cultivator! His cultivation level is a realm and a stage below his, however, he was running with such a speed... Bai Fuah decided to stop thinking about this matter. It would only give him a headache if he thought about it too much. What was important currently is to protect this boy from getting any real harm! Arthur was just as shocked as Bai Fuah with his own speed. The ''Sable God''s Movement Technique'' was actually this powerful! It''s a pity that he can''t use a mouthful bit of Genesis Energy or else he would even be much faster! Judging by the heaviness of aura that was permitting through the air, he should already be somewhat deep into the forest. However, not a single beast have appeared before him. His inference was indeed correct, but, there has been no sight of any corps of beasts yet. Arthur gradually stopped running, he spotted a familiar looking herb from the memories in his sea of consciousness. He crouched down and gently inspected it. Arthur was shocked to encounter such a rare poisonous herb. According to the memories, it should be able to paralyze a Yellow Blood Realm cultivator for a bit more than five hours. It''s a pity that the same herb in front of him is completely desiccated! The leaves are completely gray in color, and it seems as if Arthur exhaled for a bit, it would entirely crumble before him. The only thing that made it recognizable is owing to the fact that its structure is identical to a completely grown plant of this particular poisonous herb, which is rather unique. However, this poisonous herb is not the only thing that is wholly dried up, tilting his head to the right for a little bit. What lies before his eyes might make an eloquent man bereft of words. In contrast to the view of the exuberant trees outside the forest, the scene ahead of him is most likely similar to the garden of Asura. ... Author''s Note: I was supposed to upload this yesterday, however, I had to go to the hospital since I had like 38.5 degrees of temperature... The rest could explain itself. Anyways, as I''ve said before, now that my plot has gotten clearer and more detailed, I could (probably) make chapters much faster compared to before. Nether Devouring Flower (6) Chapter 18 - Nether Devouring Flower (6) ... ... ... The trees that are supposed to be exuberant and ebullient, were now exanimated. The supposedly greeneries that the birds flew over were now colored gray and ash. Bai Fuah was also looking at the scene ahead. His mouth is agape for some time now. He had already suspected since earlier after some skillful deductions, that there must be something going on in this forest, and it seems he must have been right, somehow. As he was thinking things, Arthur had already walked a few steps over this death-scented forest. ''I''m going to personally beat the fuck out of this little brother.'' After contemplating for quite a while, he decided to let Arthur be. The reason why the mayor sent Arthur here was to train. Stopping him now is wrangling. As long as no danger that he couldn''t handle appear, he would continue to protect Arthur. He is, after all, a genius the city had never seen. Surprisingly, there hadn''t been any particular sensation crept over Arthur after stepping on this gray colored trees part of the forest. Which he was rather feeling subtle about, earlier, he faintly surmised that something ominous might happen if he walked a step on this part of the forest. However, it seems that he might be overthinking things. He quickly scoured through the memories in his sea of consciousness, there might be something that is related to this strange occurrence that will be useful to him. Yet, his efforts were useless in the end. The Item Spirit has indeed only granted him specific cultivation techniques and the grandmaster''s proficiency in some of the auxiliary jobs. He was not surprised, they only met by chance in the first place, the Item Spirit paying Arthur back more than what he has lost is already a gargantuan favor, although he is greedy, he is not greedy to that extent. (Author''s Note: If you somehow forgot, auxiliary jobs are alchemy, inscriptions, and arrays... etc.) Speaking of favor, Arthur was supposed to pay the Item Spirit back by getting strong enough to kill his... or rather, the owner of the Item Spirit''s mortal enemy, Great Empyrean Abyss. The scenes that he saw in his "dream" after the Item Spirit vanished and after officially entering the first stage of the Body Strengthening Realm reappeared in Arthur''s mind... A figure hiding behind a tree was still watching Arthur closely, he still remained on the same spot when Arthur was still in the lush part of the forest. Suddenly, he saw Arthur halt his movements and seemed to be in deep thought while maintaining his standing position. But upon a closer look, Bai Fuah was astonished to see that his eyes were even closed. ''Seriously, this little brother...'' Bai Fuah was now starting to have doubts about Arthur, the place they are currently in can be considered a danger zone, an extremely dangerous zone with little to no information on it. And this thirteen-year-old younger brother of him is dozing off in the middle of it. After a few minutes, Arthur finally started to have some movements and walked forward. The trees and flowers that he passed by all have the same characteristics, dead and gray. Not a single living thing could be seen as he trudged slightly due to irritation. Not long after he walked a few steps, he faintly sensed something baleful up ahead. The grayness of the trees around him can also be visibly seen to have been darker in contrast. The wood even had a few small cracks on it. He immediately slowed down his pace and increased his vigilance. Originally, he was to survey the area around the farm land and gather information about those Green-scaled lizard beasts, so he did not bring his borrowed sword with him. Only a small low-grade Mortal-rank dagger is in his possession, it was given to him by his father, Jiu Vermillion, as a gift when he was little, which is currently on his back with his right hand strongly gripping the hilt. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. At this moment, the scent of blood quickly entered his nose. It was strong enough to the point where a mortal would just faint on the spot if they ever encounter such a strong scent of blood. His speed has even become noticeably slower by this. He slowly unsheathed his dagger. It was rather bigger than the common dagger, and it wasn''t something to marvel at. The only thing that makes it stand out from the rest is the marking above the hilt, which is a crimson flame that resembles a Vermillion Bird. Not much time had passed, but the scent of blood grew even stronger in comparison to before. And the source of this scent made Arthur a bit unsteady... Countless corpses of dead beasts lay scattered all around this area. Some even had their limbs separated from them, while some had parts of their bodies devoured. The dark gray color of the dirt and trees accented the scene of this massacre with blood spurted all over. It was something that a famous grandmaster sadist painter would make, beautiful yet disgusting. As for Arthur who was seeing this up close, he only felt a bit uncomfortable by the strong scent of death. He carefully walked past the corpses of these beasts, slowly becoming closer to the baleful aura that he faintly sensed. However, at this moment, one of these "corpse" hand suddenly grabbed Arthur by his left foot. He quickly reacted and sent that beast a powerful kick. He then moved his right hand holding the dagger above him to gather momentum and furiously slashed at the beast''s wrist. "Pa!" Its hand came plopping on the ground. Arthur steadily scanned his surroundings, after confirming that there were no more beasts that were alive, he carefully plodded once again. It was a relief that the beast who clung on to his feet was already on his last breath. If his guess wasn''t wrong, then that beast''s former strength is equal to an Altering Bones Stage cultivator! That is a whole two stage above him. If it wasn''t for it having been half-step onto the grave, Arthur wouldn''t even have the chance to say his last words. At the same time, numerous questions popped into his head. The corpses of the beasts here must have died not too long before he arrived here, it could be proven by the fact that one of them still had the strength to move its hand. Also, since he was very close to the corpses, he could see that their wounds were not caused by humans at all, it looked more like they were caused by their fellow beasts themselves. However, this almost never happens since beasts are somewhat similar to humans. Since they can cultivate, they also have a tiny intelligence even if its only minuscule. They would not unnecessarily attack their own for no reason unless someone provoked them or they are running out of food and must cannibalize. Arthur felt that the former wasn''t really the case, the latter seems highly probable, but if that were the reason, then he would have wasted a trip here. However, Arthur''s inference is telling him that something greater is happening here than some mere cannibalism. The baleful aura that Arthur has been sensing became even stronger with every step he took. He was not sure why he was feeling this aura, but he did so now, he is still currently following it. ... Nether Devouring Flower (7) Chapter 19 - Nether Devouring Flower (7) ... ... ... At this moment, a guttural sound resounded throughout the forest. It was not really loud but it was enough for a Vigor Stage cultivator to slightly tremble. Arthur kneeled in one knee and did his best to withstand the pressure emanated by that growl. After a couple of seconds, Arthur was finally able to stand up again. Although the growl sounded rather distant from him. The pressure alone was enough to make him kneel. It definitely came from a very powerful beast, it was something that he would not be able to deal with. For the first time today, he was now sensing a slight feeling of fear within the deepest part of himself. However, having come this far, he simply could not bring himself to give up. Furrowing his eyebrows, he suddenly came up with an idea, he turned his whole body around and walked a step over. The scene before him had never changed, only the gray trees and flowers covered the whole area. Yet Arthur unstirringly had his expression relaxed, his mouth curved with a meaningful smile. "Come out." These words were spoken by Arthur with extreme calmness. Yet, the response that came to him was none other than the rustling of leaves and the lilting wind. "You have been following me since this, you must be tired. Come out for a bit and take a rest here with me." Arthur extended his right hand towards a nearby tree, beside it are two large stones big enough for a person to sit. The gentle smile on Arthur returned into a calm expression, however, the friendly atmosphere that he was exuding remained. Not long after several moments have passed, a figure wearing a white robe with a sword strapped to his waist walked out behind a tree. His hair was short and a small wound cut can be visibly seen on his left chin. When Arthur squinted his eyes to inspect this person, he immediately felt a sharp feeling coming out from him as if he were some treasure being contained in a hidden box. Bai Fuah was feeling somewhat awkward ever since Arthur had discovered him. However, what mostly occupied his mind right now was much more important than this. A child who was half his age, a realm and a stage below him, a "crippled" scion from a declining family, has discovered him! Moreover, it was a him who was seriously concealing himself! He felt that his reaction from this trifling matter was highly immature, however, he was, nevertheless, greatly depressed about it. As one of the few geniuses who has reached the Yellow Blood Realm before the age of 30, he was confident about his strength when facing others even stronger than him, much less some brat with his half body still in his mother''s womb. Under the scrutinizing eyes of Arthur, Bai Fuah scratched his head and revealed a fiddly smile, "This, little brother... I know you may not completely believe me, but I must say that I am actually just protecting you from the shadows..." Arthur remained unmoved. After seeing the person in front of him, he was instantly astounded in his heart. That was because he was completely ignorant of this person''s identity! His age must be in the middle or late twenties, yet the cultivation level suppression he was getting from his aura is actually comparable to Heina and Darriel, which were both at the age of late forties. This kind of talent in White Alyssum City is already considered extraordinary. In that case, for a man half their age to have the same cultivation level, it must only mean that he is a rare genius! Such a person must have been given quite a lot of limelight when he was in his junior days. So Arthur must have heard of him somehow. However, even after juggling his head countless times, he was still not clear about this man''s identity... Arthur ignored his previous words just now and went directly straight to the point, "Who are you?" Bai Fuah''s brows immediately perked up upon hearing this question, "My name is Bai Fuah. The mayor specifically assigned me to protect you from the shadows," his eyes focused on Arthur''s calm expression, and he continued, "but, as you can see, I have made a ''slight'' mistake." If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Underneath Arthur''s calm and tranquil behavior are thoughts that are rapidly appearing one after the other. ''Bai Fuah... Bai... Fuah... Nope, never heard of him, just who the f*ck is this guy?!'' Unchangingly since a child, Arthur has never strayed his eyes off of training. With the exemption of his father and a few others, he rarely interacted with anybody else unless it was something important. It was even more so in class, he seldom talks to anybody even when they are talking bad behind his back or even on his face. So unless the man themselves introduces himself to Arthur, or, if his deeds and talent are bright enough for him to be seated in the throne of attention, which should the man in front of him is getting. Arthur would never know that person''s existence even if he, in all seriousness, is right beside him. Stopping his wildly running thoughts, he replied, "I apologize, but I don''t seem to recognize who Senior Brother is,". He shook his head slightly, and then he added, "Don''t worry, I know that you have good intentions. With a man of your cultivation, it would only take you a single glance to kill me ten thousand times over." Bai Fuah seems to have already expected Arthur to not recognize his identity, he smiled and said, "There''s no need to apologize, I am actually not that famous in White Alyssum City... By the way, Little Brother Arthur. I was more than a kilometer away from you, it should be hard for you to detect me, how did you do it?" It was not just a matter of being "hard" or not, it is basically impossible for Arthur''s senses to detect Bai Fuah a kilometer away. Arthur mulled it over for a bit and said in return, "Actually, I have already confirmed your existence since the moment we left the village. It was only a faint premonition at first, but it became stronger and stronger until I have finally confirmed that it was indeed not just some mere hallucination. I would not have dared to enter this death forest if my chance of survival is non-existent." Twisting his words slightly, Arthur had already known of Bai Fuah''s existence from the start. He also knew that Bai Fuah had not followed him with the intention to harm. This was much more incredulous compared to simply discovering Bai Fuah''s presence! "As for how I did it... It was probably because of a cultivation technique my family practices." Arthur is smart and extremely cunning, he would never tell anyone about his encounter with an Item Spirit that gave him its memories. And it wasn''t just some ordinary memories. If the current him were to be discovered to have the memories and experience of countless peerless auxiliary masters. He would be kidnapped, locked up, tortured, and might live a life worse than death, all of these just for them to extract whatever is in Arthur''s head. So of course, Arthur lied when he said "a cultivation technique that my family practices.". The reason why he was actually able to detect a powerful hiding entity is because of the first stage of ''Sable God''s Movement Technique'', Immortal Eyes. There are tons of enhancement that would be received upon comprehending the first stage of ''Sable God''s Movement Technique'', and one of that is the ability to perceive extremely small details. Coincidentally, the level of Bai Fuah''s concealment wasn''t exquisite enough to the point where he can move swiftly without having to affect his surroundings. Upgrading the superior inherent perception of Arthur even further, Arthur was able to detect the abnormalities of the rustling leaves and other factors caused by the hidden Bai Fuah. Furthermore, when he activated the second and third stages of the ''Sable God''s Movement Technique'', Bai Fuah was forced to use at least a quarter of his full strength to keep up with him, thus affecting his concealment technique which made it a bit easier for Arthur Vermillion to discover him. ... Nether Devouring Flower (8) Chapter 20 - Nether Devouring Flower (8) ... ... ... Bai Fuah has no way to prove Arthur''s words wrong. Although the Vermillion Family is declining, their history and background run deep, so it was not impossible for them to collect a few amazing cultivation techniques that enhance their perception and senses to a certain degree which makes even a brat like Arthur discover someone an entire large boundary above him. Of course. he had some doubts, he did not completely believe that Arthur would be bored enough to learn such a useless cultivation technique when he is not even strong enough to make an enemy deliberately conceal himself in his presence. In his opinion, a talented individual like Arthur who has gained enlightenment should cultivate powerful cultivation techniques. And of those that exist in the White Alyssum City, there are currently several of those powerful ones. One of those at the peak, and within Arthur''s reach, is his family''s ancestral manual, the ''Sacred Vermillion Manual''. Although his cultivation level is not even close to actually start comprehending the rudimentary stages of the ''Sacred Vermillion Manual''. Once he reaches the Meridian Opening Stage, making him able to absorb the Genesis Energy of the world, it would allow him to have a speed in comprehending the ''Sacred Vermillion Manual'' much faster than the others, since he now has a grasp and insights from before. It might sound like Bai Fuah is overly praising Arthur, but the truth is, he is not. In the thousands of years in the history of the White Alyssum City, never did they have a disciple that attained enlightenment. So, him being nice to Arthur, it can be considered to be within the categories of ''as expected''. Arthur was not attaining enlightenment and was experiencing something else did not even cross Bai Fuah''s mind. First of all, Arthur does not even have a spoonful of Genesis Energy running in his body, it is impossible for him to evoke such a phenomenon without using Genesis Energy. The only thing capable of producing such a phenomenon, without using Genesis Energy would be the heavens itself. Furthermore, he is a hundred, if not, a thousand times stronger than Arthur, it is impossible for him not to know what a hairless brat such as Arthur is doing. Strength sees through everything. "Alright, little brother. You calling me here now must somehow be related to that roar earlier, right?" Bai Fuah asked, after some slight pondering. There are no other reasons for Arthur calling him out just now even after confirming his existence for some time. "Senior Brother Bai Fuah is very smart. Indeed, I want Senior Brother Bai Fuah to investigate this matter together with me. Just that roar alone made my whole body numb, I would probably die if I faced the aura of such a beast." Bai Fuah nodded in understanding. However, in his heart, he was already tempted to strike this little brother known as Arthur to the ground.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ''This brat just wanted me to be his playmate.'' The mayor did not deliberately assign Bai Fuah to assist Arthur in his little adventure, he volunteered to accept this job mostly for himself. A long time has passed since he became the personal disciple of the mayor, and this would be his first time ever going out of the city gates of White Alyssum City. At just a mere 26 years of age, Bai Fuah has already broken through the middle Yellow Blood Realm. Such a feat would surely cause countless waves among the mortals and martial artists that live in White Alyssum City. Many of those people would surmise that he relied on his luck to travel a part of the world, accumulating his destiny, to achieve what his achievements currently were. Yet, it was actually just this time that he went out. "Don''t worry, Senior Brother Bai Fuah. If there ever appears any danger that exceeds that of what you can grasp, I will immediately leave." Areas with rich and abundant Genesis Energy attract numerous beasts to inhabit it. These typically exist in young forests with plentiful spiritual flowers to absorb the energy of the world. The area around these spiritual flowers would then be baptized by it, making that area a haven for martial artists and beasts. However, that''s just one of the many births of spiritual areas. For example, if one were to trace back the origins of every single spiritual area, then they would find out that they are extremely diverse from the other. Spiritual areas are also divided into categories which evaluate their overall quality. Those areas with a low accumulation of Genesis Energy are many in number. Many young martial artists of small and even large influences are thrown there by their elders to gather experience and grab their own lucky chances. The forest that Bai Fuah and Arthur is currently in is one of those many low class spiritual areas. With Bai Fuah here, Arthur would surely have a great amount of danger placed on him lessen. In this world, however, it would only lessen but not disappear. Once a mortal becomes a martial artist, danger would always be by their side. It is not something that is shaken off. That''s why, although Bai Fuah is strong. The beasts living in this forest might have someone stronger than him, so they could not be completely sure. Bai Fuah understood and agreed to Arthur''s request with a great amount of hesitance. The task he accepted was to protect Arthur from any danger, except for absolute danger that even he would not have a chance against, he would let Arthur run free without restraints. "You must remember your words." Arthur was overjoyed upon seeing this mysterious Bai Fuah''s agreement to his request. Viewing it on a larger picture, he is actually risking his own life just to protect him. Although it is his mission, it would still be a bit excessive to bet your own life on the line for such a junior like him. He was well aware of his past self. Everyone that caught sight of him even for the first time would immediately think of him as a wastrel, none was an exception. However, now, in his eyes, this senior brother in front of him treated him equally. He slowly closed his eyes and quietly marked this person''s name in his heart. In the future, he will surely make friends with him, such a rare character is worth him doing so. The two carefully walked further and deeper into the forest. After walking for an hour, not a single beast was sighted. "Senior Brother Bai Fuah, have you any idea why there are no beasts in this area?" Arthur tried to ask him this question several times earlier, but it was only now that he did so. Because he knew that his answer would leave him feeling disappointed. And indeed, he was. Upon hearing Arthur''s question, Bai Fuah actually shook his head. It was obvious that even he does not know what kind of phenomenon is happening deep within this forest. "This part of the forest is too strange. Earlier it was extremely faint so I did not dare to believe it, but upon coming this deeper into the forest... I can feel that there is a strange existence sucking in the spiritual energy of this forest." Arthur sucked in a cold breath. He was only but a mere Vigor Stage so it was impossible for him to feel the various energies of the world. But at least, he knows that it should be an unordinary existence to suck in the entirety of spiritual energy of this forest. ... Nether Devouring Flower (9) Chapter 21 - Nether Devouring Flower (9) ... ... ... Upon hearing Bai Fuah''s words, Arthur unconsciously lessened his pace by a great deal. This action was obviously noticed by Bai Fuah, he lightly smiled and said, "If you want to give up, now is just about the right time to do so." Arthur did not reply and continued walking forwards. He indeed has thoughts of backing up now since he was truly fearful of what is coming up once they reached the core of this forest. However, his greedy mind kept pushing him and telling him that there is a great treasure hidden within this forest. Although it might be impossible for something like that to happen in this almost decayed spiritual area, he still listened to his mind and marched forwards. Keeping in his mind that he might greatly regret this decision, he would still firmly resolve himself after seeing the outcome no matter how bad it is. The pressure of his declining family and his poor talent is just that great. With his current strength, it would be incredibly difficult for Arthur to obtain any treasures that would quickly raise his strength by a great deal. So he could only take risks. Now, such a mysterious place suddenly appeared before him, not only that but there is an extremely good chance that there might be a treasure being born, or perhaps it was already born and is just waiting for someone to come and take them. Most treasures are incredibly difficult to find. If they weren''t, then treasures wouldn''t be called treasures, they might be called cabbages if that were ever the case. So, if a martial artist was to discover a treasure, then that is their own good fate and luck. If Arthur passed by a place where a supreme treasure is possibly being kept because of his faint-heartedness, wouldn''t that be the greatest joke played by himself? Based on his current knowledge, spiritual flowers evolve from sucking the spiritual energy from other spiritual species. If his inference doesn''t lie to him, then the potential treasure being kept in this forest might be a spiritual fruit of some sort. Spiritual fruits could be eaten by a martial artist, there are many various types of spiritual fruits and their uses are also numerous. However, all of them have a common similarity, and that is to improve a martial artist''s cultivation! Moreover, that supposed spiritual fruit sucked the spiritual energy of this forest by over half. It had to be known that cultivating in a spiritual area would be beneficial to a cultivator. And for the two of them who were currently inside such an environment, Bai Fuah was barely the only one who could actually gain something from it, however, it is already sufficient to prove this point and thus it can''t be wrong. Now, for a spiritual fruit to absorb the energy of this spiritual area. It is both unbelievable and thunder-clapping to the ears. A spiritual fruit might not even be eight inches in size, to compress the spiritual energy of this tens of kilometers wide forest to a mere eight-inch fruit, what kind of concept was that?! Not only would it be the purest fruit in maybe the whole continent, but it would also have an exhaustible amount of Genesis Energy that even the city mayor of White Alyssum City, the strongest martial artist in that area, might take several hundred years to refine. After thinking this, Arthur completely removed the weakness in his heart and brimmed with excitement. He was already full of anticipation and regained his composure. However, it seems that Arthur was the only one thinking along these lines. Actually, these kinds of thoughts also flashed through Bai Fuah''s mind. However, he almost instantly rejected this idea because... It was too unrealistic. Not only was it unrealistic, but it was also impossible to happen. Even if he died ten thousand times over, he would still not admit that such a thing would ever exist. Genesis Energy is independent and singular. Although martial artists could absorb and store it in their body, freely controlling and manipulating them is extremely difficult. And while it is indeed in the categories of "difficult", it is not something that could be achieved even when you pour thousands of your effort. It is because it is only a step away from the realm of impossibility. And to compress a massive amount of Genesis Energy into a tiny fruit. One does not even need to think to realize how insane a concept was that. It would defy common sense and the beliefs of many people. Bai Fuah was one of these many people, that''s why he immediately disregarded this idea. This thought process only lasted for a few seconds before Bai Fuah became vigilant again. His senses were still raised to the limits and would occasionally glance at Arthur. His hands never left the sword''s hilt and his posture was fixed to a pre-fighting position.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. From time to time he would use a bit of his Genesis Energy to scan his surroundings for any abnormalities. His consumption of Genesis Energy was minuscule but he was actually having a hard time restoring it back. Hence, he would only use it again once his Genesis Energy recovers to the maximum again. Everything he did was cautious and done in an orderly fashion. If there were someone who was paying attention to him, then they would probably not even think that this is his first time stepping in the wild. Arthur said that he was hungry so they stopped by a nearby tree. Earlier, several corpses of beasts that were speculated to be fighting amongst themselves until their deaths were happily poked at by Arthur and took some of the clean parts of their corpses and decided to bring it along with him. In front of them is exactly that, slowly being roasted by a small fire with stacked branches found around the area. In normal times, even the branch of a random tree inside a spiritual area would be incredibly hard for a mortal to break. That was because they were tempered by the spiritual energy flowing throughout the forest, therefore, it would take some effort to break them. However, now that the spiritual energy is gone, they were no different from and were even weaker than a normal branch. Hence, it didn''t exert any arduous task for the two of them to burn the branches. The meat of beasts is hard to chew but they were beneficial to the martial artist who is still at the stage of tempering their body. The nutrients inside would loosen up the various meridians of a martial artist making it easier for them to break through the last stage of the Body Strengthening Realm. Even some of the few wealthy families in White Alyssum City would find it hard to consistently provide their upper disciples a meat of a Superior Body Stage beast. So Arthur didn''t hold back and bit the living soul out of this precious meat. It''s a pity that Arthur''s pockets weren''t large enough, otherwise, he would have taken all the corpses earlier and brought it home. The two of them didn''t exchange much words during their little break. Arthur thought of starting a conversation with Bai Fuah but he didn''t after a few thoughts. He was a smart boy and he knew that there are certain dangers in talking with someone in a place where you have to keep full vigilance of, disturbing Bai Fuah by this time is a bit careless. After a few minutes of satisfying their stomachs. They were now prepared to leave. By this time, it was almost dawn and the beauty of the flowers would be much more mesmerizing at this point in time. However, inside this deathly forest, there wasn''t the slightest bit of beauty to be viewed, it was as if a great undead army would soon rise underneath this gray colored land. "We do not know much about this land. It''s best if we completely avoid any potential risks. So, before the moon centers itself above, we will leave." Arthur nodded rather hesitantly. Although he really wanted to say that there should be no problem going deeper and longer, he didn''t really have much confidence. He knows what kindness is and what is not. Bai Fuah accompanying him here is already a favor that he would not forget, being overly greedy is not favorable to him as of now. For an hour, they slowly kept walking and soon, just a mere hundred steps separated them from the core part of this forest. If this were an ordinary spiritual area, even Arthur might feel the pureness of the spiritual energy in this area, he would feel every many parts of his body being slowly tempered by the energy, the sensation it would give was similar to bathing at a divine spring in a holy land. Not a single moment could be wasted, but even if it was, the spiritual energy would still stubbornly temper their body. However, there wasn''t anything similar happening to him. Although he expected it, he was still left disappointed. This spiritual area should be quite high in the lower spiritual areas, reaching this deep into the forest should already be quite a rare feat for them. Because in normal times, many stronger beasts would gather to enjoy the pure spiritual energy here. Soon, only a short ten steps separated them from the core of this forest. Bai Fuah raised his senses to the utmost limit and was ready to take Arthur away anytime. Five... Four... By this time, it was already hard for Arthur to conceal his nervousness as a bead of sweat traveled from his side of the face down to his chin. "Little brother Arthur, quickly get behind me." Arthur did what he was told and slid over to Bai Fuah''s side. His hands now gripped the short dagger on his back to provide some sense of safety. Both of them were tense, afraid of what''s going to appear underneath their eyes. Based on the distance of the roar that they heard earlier, it should have originated around here, thus, another reason for them to tense up more. Finally, they took one last deep breath and stepped over the core area of the forest. Even though the forest is dyed gray like a lifeless withered leaf. They still recognized the core part of this spiritual area by the gigantic trees that measure up to a two hundred meters. That''s basically twice the size of the normal height of the trees one can encounter. Therefore, it''s fairly easy to recognize the core area. Upon stepping here, both of them did not stop and continued onwards. This time they did not walk straight but circled around it. They didn''t encounter any beasts as they proceeded before but it doesn''t mean that it''s the same here. The roar from earlier can be a proof to that. If they still continued straight then that is no different from a sheep amongst feral wolves. Dawn had arrived but there were still no signs of lifeforms around which made Bai Fuah frown. "This place is just too strange.", he muttered. With things coming this far, even he would find it a slight pity to not find just what kind of a phenomenon is happening with this spiritual area. He made a conceptual argument within himself on whether or not he should use his large-scale perception skill. However, once he used this, it would consume a quarter of his total Genesis Energy. If he were to do that and they suddenly encountered a beast that is on his level, then he would surely be at a great disadvantage and both he and Arthur would be in grave danger. Gritting his teeth with his eyes emitting a firm resolution, he activated the large-scale perception skill that covered almost a kilometer of the area with him as the center. He felt his head going slightly dizzy upon seeing so many things at once abruptly. Since they do not know what they are looking for, Bai Fuah randomly searched the area, looking for unusualities. This continued for a hundred breaths of time. Within this period, Arthur obviously noticed Bai Fuah''s actions and barely guessed what he was doing. All of a sudden, Arthur saw Bai Fuah stop walking so he bumped into him which startled him, "Senior Brother Bai Fuah? What''s wrong?" Bai Fuah did not respond, his expression was distorted and it was evident that he was struggling. ... Author: Haha! Starting from here, all future chapters will have at least a 2.1k word count. Also, all updates will be posted on my patreon, so do take note of that. Little spoiler, the next chapter would be a bit shocking to a few of you due to the ''misleading'' title. But, I actually wanted it to be exactly what the title is but Arthur would have tons of boost if that was the case. Obviously, you do not know what I am babbling about, after the 22nd chapter, surely you will understand . Powerful Chapter 22 - Powerful ... ... ... As Bai Fuah was randomly sensing the various things in the core part of the forest within a distance of a kilometer. An unbelievable scene that astonished him suddenly appeared. While he was using his perception to probe the area within a kilometer. He saw something unbelievable that made him immediately halt his movements. He made an attempt to probe that specific area to confirm his suspicions but his senses did not even reach a hundred meters before it mysteriously vanished. Everything happened instantly so Bai Fuah had no way to react. Bai Fuah face grew somber. That wide-scale perception took him a quarter of his Genesis Energy, and he was clearly unsatisfied with the way it turned out to be. If he had summoned another of that wide-scale perception, then counting the previous wide-scale perception in total, he would have consumed half of his total Genesis Energy. In a potential battle against a beast, he would undoubtedly lose. So he firmly decided against it, as for the other method, it was clear that they have to personally go there and investigate. Bai Fuah opened his eyes and turned to Arthur. By this time, Arthur was attentively watching Bai Fuah. He faintly guessed what Bai Fuah was doing so he was worried as to what kind of scene Bai Fuah saw. Now that Bai Fuah looked at him calmly, he was agitated so he instantly asked, "Senior Brother Bai Fuah! What were you doing?" Seeing Arthur''s shimmering eyes, Bai Fuah couldn''t help but let out a small smile before turning serious again: "Little Brother Arthur, I must ask you. Do you still want to continue?" Bai Fuah asked with a grave tone. This would be his second time asking Arthur this question, but this time, it was much more serious. Arthur nodded. "Good. Let''s go." Besides Bai Fuah being dissatisfied due to his perception suddenly vanishing, his curiosity was also further piqued. If not, he would rather walk away than face an unknown danger. But if it truly came to that, he still had some confidence he could escape its grasp along with Arthur. Every step they took was careful and slow, however, the unpleasant feeling they were getting increases that much more. It was unknown where this feeling was coming from, but they are indeed getting it which even made Arthur''s foundation of resolution shake. It was at this time that Bai Fuah suddenly came to a gradual stop. Arthur, who was walking behind him also stopped. This time, Arthur was not confused, he immediately drew out his short dagger and assumed a defensive stance. "Is a beast in sight? Senior Brother Bai Fuah?", Arthur asked with a firm face. It was only a couple of seconds before Bai Fuah responded, "There is not." "Then, what is it?" "Look for yourself." Arthur obliged and slowly left Bai Fuah''s shadow. What he saw there was something that he would not forget for months. The trees that were gray previously, were now colored black. It was as if every single ounce of living cells from them were sucked dry by an ancient phantom of an Asura. It was a state that was much worse than withering and more pitiful than decaying. There were no signs of life to be seen anywhere. Well, maybe there was since countless corpses of formidable beasts were stacked upon each other. Each one of them might be able to compare to the beast who loudly roared earlier. If Bai Fuah were to face any one of them in a one on one fight, then he would be able to barely win with the amount of strength he has on him. However, those mighty beasts are now dead. And sitting on top of these previously powerful beasts but now dead is... a black-haired little girl. This black-haired little girl is also wearing a beautiful dark dress. With her silky white and flawless skin, she was no different from a seductive demoness that would make many women grit their teeth in jealousy. Her body was rather small and petite, but it was sure that once she was given enough time to grow, she would be a blooming flower that would arouse the greed of countless men, throwing each of their marriage proposals at her doorstep.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. It was at this time that the black-haired little girl took a glance at the duo below him. Both Bai Fuah and Arthur suddenly felt weak after receiving a glance at the black-haired little girl above the pile of corpses of beasts. Arthur even felt like kneeling but he barely stabilized himself by gritting his teeth. "W-what?!" Bai Fuah stutteringly said, his face devoid of anything but fear. His previous calm demeanor was replaced with evident apprehensiveness, sweat protruding through his back. It was only a mere glance but it felt like a mountain that fell from the sky struck his entire body. "Senior Brother Bai Fuah!" At this moment, the black-haired little girl seemed to notice that her glance caused the two men before her to feel extreme pressure. She slowly lifted her own left arm and slightly waved in the direction where Bai Fuah and Arthur is. The pressure that the two of them felt immediately vanished. They took deep and long breaths and after a couple of minutes, they were now able to calm down. However, the fear they felt was greatly increased in those minutes. The black-haired little girl continued to stare at the duo. It was as if this was her first time going out into the world and everything that she sees, seems attracting to her. If one were to focus more, he could see that the one he was actually focusing on was Arthur. Upon seeing this, Bai Fuah seemed to gain some idea and took half a step back as he took a large gulp of saliva. He closed his trembling eyes and turned to look at Arthur once again, who was also exchanging glances with the black-haired little girl above. It was at this time that the black-haired little girl spoke for the first time: "You, where are you from?". Her voice was a bit high-pitched and pleasing to the ears, however, at the same time, it was cold and icy, making it hard for someone to regard her as a little girl. The corpses beneath her even further solidified that idea. Arthur was startled after hearing the black-haired little girl''s sudden curiosity about his background. He had his doubts but after turning his head below and seeing the mountain of body which he thought was impossible for someone to do. He reaffirmed his thoughts and answered honestly, "I-I come from the White Alyssum City. It should be south-west from here". Finishing the last word he spoke, the black-haired little girl suddenly turned into a wisp of mist. He was startled yet again because he appeared right in front of him in that instant. ''S-s-such speed!'' Bai Fuah alarmedly thought, his previous idea immediately plummeted to the ground after seeing the black-haired little girl''s capabilities. However, the black-haired little girl seemed to know nothing about Bai Fuah''s existence as he proceeded to take a step closer to Arthur and closely inspected him. "Hmm... A mere city boy? Am I actually imagining things?" The black-haired little girl whispered to herself but since she was very close to Arthur, he could hear what she was saying and he was confused. Arthur couldn''t bear the awkwardness that he was feeling and he couldn''t help but say, "M-miss, how about you? Where are you from?" Analyzing the conversation that he had just started, he instantly turned green again. The way this was heading to was just like he was trying to woo her. On the other hand, the black-haired little girl seems to not have mind and replied rather casually, "Nether Devouring Palace." Both men drew a deep gasp. Who wouldn''t know the name of something as colossal as the Nether Devouring Sect? Among the Four Great Sects that rule over the entire Purple Sun Continent, the Nether Devouring Sect is the strongest. Anyone who hadn''t heard of their fame and prestige has surely been living inside the bottom of a well. Not only are they the strongest, but they also have the most influence. The disciples they have are numerous, they couldn''t stay at one place or else they will be squeezing with each other. Therefore, the palaces, cities, and land they own are many. However, only one palace can be ranked number one in the entire Nether Devouring Sect, rather, the entire Four Great Sects, and that is none other than the Nether Devouring Palace. Besides being the training ground of elite youths and the sons and daughters of the various elders of the Nether Devouring Sect, Nether Devouring Palace is also the home of the Patriarch and many other high-level figures of Nether Devouring Sect. ''No wonder, no wonder'' Bai Fuah seemed calmed himself down after hearing the black-haired little girl. White Alyssum City is subsidiary to a small sect who is allied to the Nether Devouring Sect. Based from that point, the little girl before him kind of stands as an ally. After realizing something, Bai Fuah asked rather hesitantly. "Then... miss''s name?" The black-haired little girl expression finally changed a little, her eyebrows were furrowed as she answered, "Nether Devouring Flower." Arthur still caught in surprise, saw Nether Devouring Flower''s expression, and he immediately became apprehensive again. He doesn''t know that the White Alyssum City was indirectly an ally of Nether Devouring Sect so he did not put his guard down in front of Nether Devouring Flower. ''Damn. Clearly, she showed a hint of displeasure earlier, is she going to kill us now?'' Before he could do anything, the black-haired little girl spoke, "Despite my cute appearance, I also know the workings of my sect so I understand that you are my ally, therefore, I will not harm you," Evidently, Arthur was confused, ''Allies? This powerful black-haired little girl is our ally?''. But before he could clear his confusion, Nether Devouring Flower added, "However, I must ask you one thing. Do you by any chance, saw what I was doing here? Your survival will depend on your answer." The temperature dropped by more than a degree. This was not a sudden climate change but it was the manifestation of Genesis Energy through killing intent. Such fierce killing intent appearing within the body of a twelve or so little girl frightened Bai Fuah once more. Arthur wasn''t much worse, he knew that if they answered incorrectly, they would immediately lose their lives right here and then. Bai Fuah responded first while restraining his fear, "N-no, before I-I had tried to investigate w-with my perception. However, it vanished b-before I can get a glimpse." Nether Devouring Flower stared right at Bai Fuah''s eyes like a prey. ''He seems to be not lying. Indeed, I detected a little energy vanish under my barrier. It must have been his.'' Nether Devouring Flower looked satisfied and closed her eyes. "Alright." Again, she turned towards Arthur. ''His soul really is...'' The black-haired little girl shook her head as if she was trying to deny something. With their eyes still staring at the other, she said to him whisperingly, "We will meet again." Nether Devouring Flower disappeared without a trace after that. The two looked around them once more to find her shadow, but to no avail. After that, Bai Fuah immediately told Arthur that they should get out of here fast. ... One Down, Five to Go Chapter 23 - One Down, Five to Go ... ... ... Along the way, Bai Fuah explained to Arthur why that black-haired little girl recognized them as allies. ''So there are actually things like this, huh. It seems I have been slacking on my education a little bit.'', Arthur thought wryly. A couple of hours have passed and they finally reached the village. It was already the darkest hour of the night and the villagers were sound asleep when they came. Only Heina and Darriel can be seen standing there. Since it was very late at night and the activity of beasts gets livelier at this time. The two of them were a bit worried that something must have happened to Arthur. However, knowing that Bai Fuah is accompanying him, they relaxed a bit and instead just waited for them to return. But now that they saw them running side by side, there must obviously be some kind of danger that the kid encountered which made them lightly sneer in their hearts. ''Hmph, the mayor must have been blind to let this hairless kid kill those beasts.'' ''Even just scouting the area actually endangered him that he needed Bai Fuah''s help.'' However, at the same time, they were also confused. Although they knew that it was Bai Fuah''s first time gaining experience and coming out of the city, he was wise and quick enough to rescue someone like Arthur from whatever danger he faced. So how come they have only arrived now? Upon reaching the city''s gates, Heina and Darriel immediately checked on Bai Fuah and Arthur. "Are you two alright?", Heina asked. "What have you two encountered that made you return this late?" If they told the truth, the two doubted that they would believe them. Furthermore, the black-haired little girl faintly hinted from her words earlier that the event that occurred there must not be known or else their life would be lost. And to top it all off, she was also an indirect ally of theirs, a very powerful at that, they could not bring themselves to suddenly betray her. Hence, Bai Fuah chose not to spread any word of their encounter, "It''s nothing, I''ll tell you later. But first, little brother Arthur and I have to talk a little." With those words said, Bai Fuah patted Arthur''s shoulders lightly and tilted his head, signaling where they should go. He was in a little daze when Bai Fuah patted him. The image of Nether Devouring Flower that was burned in his mind was still fresh. In the eyes of the two middle-aged men in front of him. His reaction was no different from a traumatized little kid who has experienced something really bad. They snickered at their hearts. Arthur followed Bai Fuah to the front of his own room. It was a far from Heina and Darriel''s room so eavesdropping would not be possible. With a quick turn look around, Bai Fuah faced Arthur with a serious expression, "Listen, little brother Arthur. The events that happened inside that forest¡ªno one must know about it. Do you understand?" Arthur nodded. He didn''t know the magnitude of encountering someone as high as a core disciple of the strongest sect, and he didn''t want to know, even now, so he could only agree to Bai Fuah. "Senior Brother Bai Fuah, just before that Nether Devouring Flower disappeared. She said something about us, meeting again..." Bai Fuah contemplated and said, "Then you have to be careful, extremely careful. Although she seems to be a good person, the people around her... we can''t say the same about them." After that, Bai Fuah bade farewell to Arthur and went to his own room. Now that he was discovered by Arthur, there was no need for him to act too low. However, the fact that Arthur discovered him earlier was too great of an impact on him. He could not believe it, or it was safe to say that he already accepted it but he could not admit it. Just a day with that good-for-nothing scion from the Vermillion Family, and so many things have already happened that went past beyond his horizon of understanding. ''I have a feeling... that soon, a powerful man surpassing even the City Mayor, will be born.'' Arthur sneezed. It seems that the continuous exposure of that black-haired little girl''s aura made him sick. However, for a martial artist ordinary diseases such as these won''t ever affect them so he wasn''t worried.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Thinking along these lines, he remembered how he acted before meeting Nether Devouring Flower. He actually thought that there was a supreme treasure being born there. How laughable. He was too greedy, if they were greeted by someone else other than that black-haired little girl, then he wouldn''t even be standing here. This time, they were saved because both of their origins could be indirectly be interpreted as allies. But in the face of absolute strength, none of those trivial things matter. If she was a bit crueler, then she could immediately take their heads without batting an eye for their alliance or whatnot. It has always been strength that decides a person''s worth in this world. The weak obeys and the strong orders, it is a cycle that has been engraved throughout the hearts of the people. A weak man being greedy is just that and nothing more. For him to become that kind of person earlier... he didn''t like it. A person held his life during that time, after all. ''I have to train harder.'' The closed eyes of Arthur greeted the rays of the sun. He was in a meditating position when morning came. Through the whole night, he cultivated, only having an hour of sleep. He improved his comprehension of the ''Sable God''s Movement Technique'' and ''Immortal Body Holy Scripture''. Although he didn''t really gain new things but only solidified his previous understanding. Today, he would attempt to kill one of those six Green-scaled Lizard beasts. He stood up and left his room. Then, he went straight to the gate of the village. However, upon realizing something, he stopped and said, "Senior Brother Bai Fuah, please don''t follow me this time. I came here to temper myself and gain experience, so you, protecting me... it will defeat the whole point." Suddenly, Bai Fuah stood right next to the gate of the village with his arms crossed, "You know I can''t really do that, since the city mayor ordered me to protect you from harm, "But sure, you''re my little brother anyway. I trust you can defeat those lizards." Arthur cupped his fists and slightly bowed, "You have my thanks, Senior Brother Bai Fuah.". Then he immediately went out with his fastest speed, seemingly afraid that Bai Fuah might break his promise and still continue to protect him from the shadows. A fierce glint appeared in Bai Fuah''s eyes after seeing the departing Arthur, ''His speed rose... after only a day had passed.'' Then, his lips curved into a meaningful smile and he vanished. Not an hour has passed and Arthur finally arrived at his destination. The six Green-scaled Lizard beasts stood there with their heads turning left and right from time to time, searching for prey they might encounter. They seemed to have their own territories and they are quite far from each other which would make it easier for Arthur to kill one of them. However, he has to be careful not to prolong the fight for too long lest the other Green-scaled Lizard beasts interfere, if that were to happen, he would be in grave danger. Therefore, he has to fight quickly and smartly. There aren''t any useful skills in his arsenal that could release explosive damage so killing one will rely solely on his fighting ability. In this battle, he would probably rely on ''Sable God''s Movement Technique'' the most. ''Looks like I really have to learn an offensive cultivation technique as soon as possible.'' He took deep breaths and steadied his state of mind. The hilt of his dagger was already tightly gripped by him, ready to attack at any time. The only thing he was looking at, for now, was a chance, an opening that the Green-scaled Lizard beasts would expose. As of now, he would not be able to face a Superior Body Stage martial artist head-on much less a beast one at that, so he could only resolve to this strategy. At this moment, a Green-scaled Lizard beast closest to him suddenly moved, it was heading towards a wild rabbit that appeared and was approaching it steadily, it was only a matter of time before the Green-scaled Lizard beast reached it. Arthur found an opening. The moment the Green-scaled Lizard beast launched an attack on the wild rabbit, he would take that chance and attack it. Suddenly, the Green-scaled Lizard beast ran at an astonishing speed, his claws reaching the neck of the wild rabbit. On the other hand, Arthur also moved, his speed much faster than the Green-scaled Lizard beast. His dagger was also reaching for the Green-scaled Lizard''s throat. The lizard beast also noticed the approaching Arthur and it immediately shielded his throat with both of its arms. Slush. Blood gushed out of the Green-scaled Lizard beast''s severed right arm. Arthur frowned, in terms of speed he was clearly much faster than the Green-scaled Lizard beast, however, it still managed to avoid a fatal strike. Arthur rushed towards the Green-scaled Lizard beast again, this time he would not miss. The lizard beast also moved, its expression was distorted and it made high-pitched roaring sounds that showed his anger. ''This is bad. If this keeps going on, the other Green-scaled Lizard beasts will notice what''s going on. I have to end this!'' Clang! Clang! Clang! Dagger and claws clashed. It was just several exchanges of moves but it was already evident that Arthur was getting overwhelmed. Even with a severed arm, Superior Body Stage beings would not go down that easily. At this moment, the Green-scaled Lizard beast gathered momentum and charged towards Arthur at an extreme speed. Arthur dodged but the distance between them is too close, and the claws of the lizard beast still reached Arthur''s left shoulder. The fight continued, with Arthur''s speed he was able to avoid most of the lizard beast''s attack. However, if he could not launch a counter-attack then as the fight continues, they would attract the attention of the other Green-scaled Lizard beasts. That is not the outcome that Arthur wished for. And that''s not all the problem that Arthur faced. He was already getting tired. His body cannot sustain long fights such as these. If this goes on, then his speed would drop, losing the only advantage he has. Arthur parried the lizard beast''s attack and jumped backwards. ''There''s no other choice'', Arthur thought. His goal was to activate the Sable God''s Movement Technique'' to the maximum. He assumed a sprint position and holding his dagger with his right arm, he placed it beside his left chest. The eyes of Arthur emitted a fierce gleam that closely resembled that of an unrelenting dragon. Then, he moved. From the perspective of a mortal, it would seem that he suddenly disappeared, leaving nothing but dust behind. The Green-scaled Lizard beast, who was known for its speed and agility, had also seen Arthur suddenly disappear. Only a fragment of Arthur''s shadow could be seen by the lizard beast. Bewilderment immediately spread across its face. In the next moment, the Green-scaled Lizard beast suddenly discovered that the head of the human boy he was staring at earlier was already beside him. It was surprised to discover that a cold sensation could suddenly be felt on its throat. It was about to touch it, but it was already too late for him. Plop. The head of the Green-scaled Lizard beast came rolling on the ground. "That''s one down." ... Heated Fist Chapter 24 - Heated Fist ... ... ... Arthur wiped the sweat off that ran through his cheeks. ''Phew, that was too tiring. Just one of them took me all of my efforts, this is troublesome indeed!'' If there were other people nearby who could read Arthur''s thoughts. They would undoubtedly rush up to him and beat him up badly! Defeating someone else a stage higher than you, that was a rare feat that no ordinary man could accomplish. To kill one is ten times more difficult than defeating one. However, Arthur has broken that point and accomplished that feat! Moreover, it was not a human but a beast! Any beast that goes up against a man with the same cultivation, obviously, the beast will be stronger! For Arthur to say something that arrogant, many people would immediately burn their eyes with disdain and jealousy. After all, any man powerful enough to jump ranks would inevitably be a supreme figure in the future! Arthur stretched his neck and said, "I have little energy left, it seems like I have to go back tomorrow to kill off another one." Just as he was preparing to leave, he suddenly had an idea. ''Wait, this Green-scaled Lizard beast should be edible, I should give it to the villagers.'' Green-scaled Lizard beasts are agile and fast in nature, therefore their muscles and tendons are rather soft. If they were boiled and made into a soup, it would be a mouth-watering experience for a mortal village. With that, he carried the Green-scaled Lizard''s corpse on his back and went back to the village. It was already afternoon by the time Arthur got to the village, and many children were still playing. When they saw Arthur head towards their village with a large beast on his back, they feared him and ran away from him at top speed. Darriel and Heina, who were appointed to guard the village in case of incidents, were walking around the village and were about to head back to their own rooms. However, they suddenly heard a large commotion from the children beside the gate so they immediately headed towards there. "Who goes there?!" After scrutinizing who the figure was and the beast on his back, they were dumbfounded and couldn''t speak for a while. "T... t... this, a Green-scaled Lizard beast?!" Heina was shocked, even the weakest of a Green-scaled Lizard beast has a cultivation similar to that of a Superior Body Stage martial artist. Although they excel in speed and agility and do not really pose much threat to a cultivator with the same strength. For a Vigor Stage martial artist, it is impossible for them to defeat it and even touch it, much less kill it! But, in front of them, it seems that it is not impossible. ''What tricks did this kid use?!'' ''Impossible! Him, killing a beast of that level?!'' Neither of them could still accept it even after the evidence was laid before their eyes. At this moment, Arthur noticed the two men in front of him and waved at them, "Oh, greetings Senior Darriel, Senior Heina." Then, he tossed the corpse he was carrying behind him in front of them. "Seniors, Junior wants to give this to the Village Chief, but it seems that he''s not around so I''ll leave that up to you!", Arthur cupped his fist and walked towards his room. But as soon as Arthur went past the two of them, Darriel interrupted him and said in a disbelieving tone, "Kid, how did you kill this?" Arthur pouted in his heart, from the city until here, he obviously noticed their disdainful attitude towards him even if they tried to restrain it. Part of the reason why he chose to bring the corpse of the Green-scaled Lizard beast was to impress these two fools and drop their pathetic act right here. However, it seems that in the eyes of the people, a lowly man doing an impressive feat will not draw praise and astonishment but only disbelief and ridicule.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. It is this part of the nature of humans that keeps them away from flourishing. Arthur thought about it for an instant and replied, "Mm, luck? In any case, Senior, I really am tired so I must be going. Farewell." After that, Arthur went back into his room. Although he used training as an excuse, he really was tired from the fight earlier. The move he used at the end took a great toll on his body. To completely recover, he would have to skip cultivating tonight and rest. ''My time is more precious than the two of you old lizards'', Arthur thought to himself. When Arthur was out from their sight, Darriel''s face immediately darkened, "That kid! Using cheap tricks and acting all mighty! Hmph!" Heina remained silent. The following day, Arthur went back again to the forest and repeated the same process as he did yesterday to kill off a Green-scaled Lizard beast. Since he now had a grasp of the Green-scaled Lizard beast''s abilities, he killed the second Green-scaled Lizard beast a bit faster than before. Afterwards, he carried its corpse back to the village again to give it to the Village Chief for a meal. The night of that day, Arthur was cultivating inside his room when he heard a sudden knock on his door. The one who knocked was the Village Chief. Yesterday and today, this young man in front of him whose age might not even be 15, slew the beasts who were occupying their farm land. If he did not thank him today, then it would become his greatest regret. However, since they are but a mere mortal village with no hands to offer. All he could do is to at least give him a meal using the meat of the corpse of the Green-scaled Lizard beast. Arthur accepted it while the Village Chief gratefully left. After that, Arthur resumed his training. Only four Green-scaled Lizard beasts remain on the farm land. Through the days of him battling the Green-scaled Lizard beasts, he would learn more and would execute his learnings the day after. With that, he gradually solidified his comprehensions in ''Sable God''s Movement Technique'' and tempered his foundation. The night before he finished the last Green-scaled Lizard beast remaining on the farm land. He actually managed to comprehend the first skill listed in the ''Sacred Vermillion Manual'', "Heated Fist". He decided to try it out during his battle against the Lizard beast. And it turns out that it was quite powerful when partnered with the dagger given to him. He defeated the last Green-scaled Lizard beast twice as fast as the previous ones. And with that, he finished his mission. Once the villagers, especially the kids, saw Arthur bring back yet another corpse of a Green-scaled Lizard beast, they were ecstatic and shouted in high-spirits. The meat of a beast is a rare delicacy for them and they were thankful to Arthur for giving it to them. "Village Chief!" The villagers split and made way for the village chief, appearing before Arthur. "Village Chief, this is the last one of those beasts," Arthur dropped the corpse of the last Green-scaled Lizard beast he slew, then he added, "now you can go back to your farm land." All the villagers instantly shouted in unison, some even started crying. The loss of their farm land almost led them to a great famine. If not for the help of Arthur and the two others, they would undoubtedly die of starvation. The Village Chief approached Arthur with teary eyes and said, "Young man¡ªno, Young master, my words weigh nothing in front of you but I must express my deepest gratitude for helping our insignificant village." The Village Chief bent his body forward deeply, and soon, all the villagers followed him and bowed to Arthur. They were silent throughout the time but the feelings they conveyed were loud enough for Arthur''s heart to hear. "All of you, there''s no need to be too courteous," Arthur waved his hand, and he continued, "I''m a bit hungry, so we might as well start cooking this lizard." Before Arthur knew it, it was already dark. However, the cheers and loud chattering of the villagers continued as they danced around a bonfire. Large chunks of logs were laid around it to serve as a substitute for a seat. Arthur was sitting on one of these. Across from him are the duo Heina and Darriel. Right now, their face was covered with an expression of disbelief. In truth, in the early days when Arthur returned from the farm land with a corpse of a Green-scaled Lizard beast on his back. They only felt slight disbelief and would conclude that Arthur must have used some trick to kill one. However, day after day, Arthur would bring one back again and the time it took him also got lesser and lesser. Until finally, earlier, they decided to follow Arthur to have an understanding of what kind of cheap tricks he must have been using. Yet what they have witnessed made their self-esteem instantly drop. The speed, power, and precision, all of that could not possibly exist within a Vigor Stage kid''s body! Especially the speed, if they were to compare theirs with Arthur, then Arthur would only reach half of their full speed. However, that in itself is more than worthy of praise. Even a Meridian Opening Stage might not have achieved that feat! ''A good-for-nothing scion of the Vermillion Family my ass! He''s fiercer than my grandfather!'' ''Even the mayor as a child might not compare to a half of that kid!'' The two drowned in deep lifeless thoughts. The long night ended and the villagers slept with their hearts filled with contentment. As Arthur walked, he remembered the power of the first skill he learned from the ''Sacred Vermillion Manual''. After using it in an actual fight, he comprehended it completely and he was certain that the next time he used it, it would be much fiercer and more powerful than before. He got all excited just thinking about that. At this moment, a familiar figure appeared in Arthur''s line of sight, his face brightened and he greeted him, "Senior Brother Bai Fuah!" Bai Fuah nodded, "Mn, good job taking out the beasts. Honestly, you have not failed to give me surprises ever since I met you." he sighed. "Senior Brother Bai Fuah is too polite. It''s just that my luck was good that I was able to defeat them," Arthur laughed. Standing on another viewpoint, luck has indeed played a great part in Arthur and he really meant what he said. But from Bai Fuah''s perspective, it was just Arthur being humble and modest: "It''s good to be humble, but be more confident in your abilities." "Mn. I understand." "Very well. Rest well tonight, tomorrow at dawn, we shall leave!" ........ The sun arrived. Arthur, Darriel, Heina and Bai Fuah were already at the gate bidding farewell to the Village Chief and the other villagers. "Young Master Arthur, once again, I must thank you for saving our village." "It''s fine, it''s fine. Village Chief must be careful from now on. "Let us go, Seniors." Subsequently, the four left the village to return to White Alyssum City. During his time here, Arthur learned more than what he did within the confines of the city. However, the dangers that he encountered had also not been few. ''Nether Devouring Flower...'', he mumbled. ''I wonder when I''ll be able to reach that level of power.'' ... AUTHOR''S NOTE: Did I just make a poem? I jest. Return Chapter 25 - Return ... ... ... The four walked for almost an hour. And along the way, only Bai Fuah and Arthur seemed to be the only ones capable of speaking. The other two, on the other hand, would only occasionally snuck a glance at Arthur, their reasons obvious. Time flew by really quickly, and in the blink of an eye, the sun had already centered itself above the earth. It was also at this time that they finally reached the gates of the city. Darriel and Heina were considered slightly above average amongst cultivators, they were rather popular amongst commoners. The guards then quickly opened the gate and tried to pull a few pleasant remarks as they passed. Right after they''ve gone some distance away from the gate. Heina and Darriel said that they have some official matters to attend to, they bade farewell to Bai Fuah and left. Not even glancing an eye towards Arthur. After that, Arthur also turned towards Bai Fuah and said, "Then, Senior Brother Bai Fuah, I also must be going now." "Mn. I will report everything that happened there to the city mayor. Of course, excluding those that occurred within the forest" Bai Fuah looked meaningfully at Arthur, then continued, "it''s a pity that I wasn''t able to witness how you''ve managed to kill off those Green-scaled Lizard beasts, it would''ve surely been a feast to his ears." Arthur dryly laughed. ........ -Vermillion Family''s Patriarch Hall- "Patriarch! I have come to request an audience with you!" A man with a frantic appearance shouted at the door outside the hall. He had run for quite a bit of a distance, hence, his slightly disheveled face. However, he did not care about that now as he tirelessly shouted the patriarch''s name. Seeing how this man behaved, the guards stationed there were enraged and were about to use force to suppress this crazy individual when a voice stopped them. "Let him enter!" Walking speedily towards the center of the hall, the man knelt with both of his knees. His upper body down while tears flowed from beneath his eyes. "Speak," Jiu Vermillion said. "Patriarch, I... we... we must not let them have their way!" the man said with his voice shaking. "What is the matter?" Jiu Vermillion asked. Confusion written across his face. However, in his heart, he already knew why this man came to him. "Patriarch, just earlier, people from the Bluan Family suddenly..." the man paused, it was clear that he was finding it hard to keep himself composed, then he continued, "they suddenly stormed into my store... and told me to pack my personal things up and get out! They said that it was an order from Patriarch and theirs! I don''t believe it! Patriarch, there must be some sort of misunderstanding! They are going too far!!" The man explained everything in vague details. Right now, his breath was agitated and it became even harder to keep himself composed in front of the Patriarch. Jiu Vermillion, on the other hand, only sighed. His guess was right on the mark. A few breaths of silence fell between them. "Give it up." "Patriarch?" The man felt his heart tighten when he heard Jiu Vermillion''s words. "What they said wasn''t wrong. Indeed, I and their Patriarch engaged in a negotiation, with your store as my chip. Hence, that store, is no longer in your management." The Vermillion Family wasn''t just a powerful martial artists'' family. They are also well-known for their art of blacksmithing. Back at the time of their prime, many nobles from other cities would even traverse many miles just to buy a weapon made by the Vermillion Family. Even now as they decline, the weapons they made were still rather above the average blacksmiths. Although the quality is rather lacking compared to when they weren''t weakened. However, the majority of the Vermillion Family took blacksmithing as their auxilliary jobs. Furthermore, blacksmithing, albeit an infrequent profession, there are far too many in this city. And over half of those belong to the Vermillion Family.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Hence, while it might be a good way to quickly raise their money. They technically are having half the result with twice the effort. That''s why the blacksmiths at the lowest tier from the Vermillion Family, with their profit not increasing in the slightest, were just a burden upon the family and thus, Jiu Vermillion decided to just forcefully sell those stores off. Doing this might be against Jiu Vermillion''s character. However, there is nothing else he could do... As the Patriarch, he has to be decisive and cruel, especially at a time like this. The man''s face turned white and roared, "I beg of you, Patriarch! I have 2 children that I must feed and a wife to medicate! Just half of my original salary would suffice! I will do anything!" Realizing that what he has done might anger the Patriarch, the man immediately kowtowed as he snivel. Jiu Vermillion sighed yet again. "Fine. I will arrange for you to work under Go Su. As for your salary, he decides. Now, go!" Rising, the man looked gratefully at the Patriarch. "Thank you, thank you! May the heavens bless the Patriarch!" With that, the man immediately left. Jiu Vermillion slumped directly to his seat. A bit more than a week has only passed since Arthur left yet he has done almost twice as what his work originally would have. Especially the negotiation between him and the Bluan Family''s Patriarch. Surprisingly, that sly old fox was rather amiable during their discussion. This is a great contrast to what he originally acted on more than a century ago. In exchange for some of their stores that did poorly, the Bluan Family bought their land at a fair price. Jiu Vermillion was expecting to get less due to the fact that his impression of Mue Bluan was as such. However, it seemed that even people like him could change. ''It''s the eighth day today. I wonder when Arthur will be back.'' The reason why he was working twice as hard these past few days in the first place was for Arthur. Just after Arthur left, the higher-ups of the Vermillion Family decided to hold a martial contest between their disciples. The final victor will get the full support of the whole family. Even the personal possessions of the various elders and the Patriarch itself will be at his disposal, with a few limitations, obviously. The full support of the Vermillion Family focused on a single disciple! Even though their declining, as a family that stood for over 1000 years. They have accumulated many resources that the other families could only dream of. To focus all of that accumulated wealth and effort on a single disciple... even an idiot knew what would happen after that. Not only that, besides that, the victor will also directly inherit the position of the Patriarch once his age reaches the appropriate number. However, he would also have to carry the burden of leading a declining family. But once he manages to survive this impending catastrophe, then he would have the chance to bring back the golden era of the Vermillion Family and be respected by all. That''s why, right after the meeting a week ago, Jiu Vermillion decided. That he will go all-out in assisting his son, Arthur Vermillion, to break through and get stronger. Right now, his son might possibly a late-blooming monstrous genius. Due to the laid out facts before him, he has come to this conclusion. As his father, how could he not be excited? He immediately thought up ways to get sufficient money to buy herbs and pills that assists a martial artist in their cultivation. He even skipped his own cultivation just so he could earn more money. And now, he has already bought quite a lot. Looking at the massive amount of pills and herbs just sitting at the corner of the hall. He couldn''t hide his excitement and prevent the smile on his face. ''If he''s really about to break through, then this will be a great boost to him.'' The only thing left now is for Arthur to return home and give it to him. Although he doesn''t want to force Arthur to work too much. In his heart, he really wished for Arthur to break through as soon as possible. In the martial contest that would soon be held, the strongest of them is an Altering Bones Stage martial artist. Arthur''s current strength would not be able to fight this kind of opponent. Much less defeat them. But Jiu Vermillion still supported Arthur without hesitation. He only wished for his son to have a bright future. Arthur winning or losing doesn''t really matter much to him. However, if the minuscule chance of Arthur winning ever comes true. Then he would be beaming with pride for his son that much more. At this time, rushed footsteps could be heard outside the hall. For a powerful martial artist like Jiu Vermillion, he could easily hear something like these even from a hundred meters away. Jiu Vermillion frowned, in the middle of the day, bothersome people just keep on coming. A servant in long robes knocked on the door thrice. "Patriarch! Good news!" Hearing the familiar voice. Jiu Vermillion''s face has now started to lit up. "Quickly, come inside!" The servant in long robes cupped his fists. "Is he back?" Jiu Vermillion asked. His excitement was clearly visible. "Yes, Patriarch." Jiu Vermillion suddenly laughed loudly. Then, suddenly, with a stern voice, he ordered that servant in front of him. "Quick, hide those pills and herbs at the corner. Don''t Arthur see them yet, I want to surprise him!" Jiu Vermillion laughed again. ... Walking in calm footsteps outside the Vermillion Family''s Residence. Although Arthur was only away for a bit more than a week. It was still enough for him to miss his dear home and the people within it. He was, after all, only a 13 year old child. Familial affection is cherished greatly at ages like these. "Big Brother Arthur!" A cute childish suddenly called out to him. Arthur turned around. There, he saw two kids running over to him. The one on the right had a bigger size, while the one on the left has a smaller one. Clearly, the one on the right is older. "Oh, you two." The two kids immediately widened their arms in a bid to hug Arthur. He reached out with his arms as well. "Haha, you two brothers, were you out playing again?" Arthur looked at the dirty clothes that the brothers were wearing. A smile couldn''t help but escape Arthur''s lips. These two brothers belonged to the Vermillion Family. And Arthur, in his spare time, would sometimes play with these two. However, the two brothers and Arthur, even though they were members of the same family. They lived in different homes. The Vermillion Family''s Residence that Arthur was currently residing in, is only for the main branch of the family. But, of course, elders can also come freely here as they''d like. The two brothers in front of Arthur, were sons of an elder in the family. Being the sons of an elder, of course, these brothers could come here as they like. But their father was too strict. He would rarely let these two travel all the way to the main branch to play with their Big Brother Arthur. So, in truth, Arthur never really had that much interaction with them. "Haha, Big Brother Arthur. Actually, we only wanted to play with you. But upon arriving here, we were told that you actually left! We brothers were extremely dissatisfied." "Big Bro is right. We had no choice but to play with those other kids." The two brothers snorted. However, Arthur only laughed. "Since you have come. Then, did Elder Bo come as well?" Right before the two brothers could respond. An excited jubilant voice suddenly shouted behind Arthur. "Arthur! Haha, good, good. You''ve returned!" ... Learning The Past Chapter 26 - Learning The Past ... ... ... Seeing Jiu Vermillion walk up to him. Arthur couldn''t help but smile. "Father." Seeing Arthur about to bow. Jiu Vermillion waved his hand, "Forget it, forget it. Come, it''s about time to have lunch. You two kids come as well." "Yay!" Arthur, the two kids, and Jiu Vermillion enjoyed a tasty meal. The two kids also left the two of them afterwards. As sons of a high-ranking Elder, of course they knew their manners. Although they wanted to play with their big brother Arthur, now was not the right time to do so. "Father, I heard that Elder Bo and those kids have been here for quite some time now?" Arthur asked. It was indeed rare for an Elder to spend so much time here. Normally, they would be secluded in some hidden place not too far for news from the city to come to them. Only if there are some major affairs in the family, or sometimes, if there are unexpected beast swarms attacking the city, would they ever come here. Jiu Vermillion replied, "It''s because there is a major event that would soon be held. An event that would decide the fate of our family." He looked meaningfully at Arthur. Confused, Arthur asked, "What major event?" "A martial competition," Jiu Vermillion began to explain, "Every disciple within the Vermillion Family, from even the lowest servants, to the core disciples, would all fight." Arthur was shocked. Count everyone from the servants up to the core disciples. Then, in total, it would be an astonishing number of a bit more than 1,500. Such a large amount of contestants, it would surely take a very long time to finish. However, this wasn''t an unbelievable concept. Martial competition is not a rare sight, in truth, it happens almost every month here in this city. Although the number of participants there would only amount to less than a quarter of this soon-to-be held martial competition. Hence, with the exemption of the once-a-decade White Alyssum Grand Martial Tournament. This should be the second most numbered contestant participating in a competition. This fact alone should be more than enough to discern the significance of this competition. However, in Arthur''s opinion, the higher-ups of the Vermillion Family, specifically all the Elders and the Patriarch, might be overreacting a bit. So what if the family is declining? At most, they will lose the thousand-year honor that their ancestors built up, some of their money, and a few of their lands. At this time, Jiu Vermillion continued: "After the victor is decided, then that person will receive the full benefits of the family. In other words, his status is even more than that of a normal Patriarch." This time, Arthur was now absolutely bewildered. He couldn''t believe what he was hearing right now. This is more than just the family overreacting, this is too absurd! This idea would have many implications for the family in the future! Arthur couldn''t help but feel unhappy about this. "Father, I''m a bit confused. Although our family is indeed prideful, and we would not let our glory be allayed. This... isn''t this too unreasonable?" Jiu Vermillion could tell how Arthur was feeling right now. He knew that his son was rather benevolent and would not let others suffer unjustly. This course of action might indeed result in some severe repercussions towards the disciples and the others alike. After all, the reward for the victor is, basically, everything the family has. That''s why he even invited the servants to come and participate in this event. After the conclusion, if there were some unsatisfactory remarks from them, Then the one to blame was themselves for having insufficient ability. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Jiu Vermillion''s face was very dim, the aura he was releasing startled Arthur. "I suppose it is now the right time to tell you this secret," Jiu Vermillion sighed, his face returning back to normal, "Arthur, what I am about to tell you must absolutely not be informed to others, especially the members of our family." Jiu Vermillion''s tone went up an octave when he said his last few words. "The decline of our family... it''s not as easy as you think." ''I suppose it is bad timing if I say now that I do not have a single clue why our family declined in the first place...'' Arthur secretly said to himself. "As you already know, 200 years ago, the Patriarch of that time gathered elites from the various families, leading them to a high-ranked spiritual forest and take control over it..." At this point, the nearby Arthur could feel an indescribable emotion surge throughout Jiu Vermillion. "However, they never returned! The Patriarch, along with those powerful elite martial artists... most likely died! Upon hearing the news, all those families who followed the previous patriarch vented their rage and grief towards our Vermillion Family. Hence, the first internal war occurred within the city. "If just a few major pillars of our family went missing, then we could still even completely fend off the attacks of every martial artists'' families of the city. Unfortunately, one hand is enough to count the powerful figures that remained here. As a result, they were completely overwhelmed by the joint force attack of the other families, hence, they also died." Arthur, listening to this story, was utterly shocked and speechless. Even as a scion of the Vermillion Family, he never really pried about anything nor could he care. He was just a desperate mortal up until a few weeks ago and wouldn''t unnecessarily poke his nose at any point. Many questions popped into his head. Of course, anyone suddenly hearing such a tragic family story would have many thoughts popping up. Arthur was no exception. Jiu Vermillion, seeing this, couldn''t help but chuckle, "Alright, child. That''s why you must always be grateful for the City Mayor. If not for him, we would also be lying below with the previous patriarch." Jiu Vermillion laughed. "Yes, Father. I understand," Arthur nodded solemnly. "Mn. For now, focus on your training, but don''t push yourself! I have a lot of faith in you!" A hand suddenly clasped Arthur''s shoulders. Then, Arthur replied, "That''s only natural, Father." Arthur chuckled. "Oh, I forgot to ask. Have you made a breakthrough?" Seeing the hopeful gaze of his father, Arthur only shook his head and sighed, "Not yet. But, I feel that soon I will be able to. I don''t exactly know when however." Jiu Vermillion''s eyes gleamed for a second and he said with a laugh, "That''s more than enough! Come, I have some things I want to give you." In a hidden corner of the Patriarch''s Hall, several mid-sized sacks lay in place there. Each of them is filled with herbs, pills, and even medicines. Arthur''s eyes brightened and he meekly asked, "Father... this..?" "It''s all yours." Arthur felt his body brimming with excitement and immediately, he reached out his arms towards Jiu Vermillion''s waist and hugged him tight. In the eyes of Jiu Vermillion, it was just an expected reaction from his excited son. However, in Arthur''s perspective, this many herbs and pills is the key to further concocting advanced pills. So not only would his cultivation improve, his soul would also be tempered as he concoct pills. But for the current Arthur, he was unaware of the many marvelous advantages his body held. "I will definitely beat all of my fellow disciples up, Father." Jiu Vermillion chuckled, "Mn. Sure, I believe in you." ... Rules Chapter 27 - Rules ... ... ... A week has passed since Arthur returned. Over the past few days, the people within the city have been in a bit of an uproar after hearing about the Vermillion Family''s family-wide martial contest. An uncountable number of people are currently surrounding the city''s martial stage. They all came to watch the Vermillion Family''s disciples fight with each other. Although it will still take several hours to completely prepare, none of these people were willing to catch a scene that might only happen once. After all, this contest is basically the same as revealing the might of the Vermillion Familly in this current era. It could also serve as an entertainment for these people, either as a passing time or to experience an aging family''s strength. Not only mortals, cultivators were also present in this area. However, they didn''t come their way merely for entertainment, they came to watch, as they call it, their final struggle. Their decline is as clear as day, even a blind man would know if they''ve hit the bottom. It was just about time to make their huge final gamble and now is just about the right time to do so. And it seems that this martial contest was their choice. Nonetheless, their presence was only a sign to show some respect. They didn''t care about the results. Some of these people even felt happy in their hearts. Some of them were pressured by the mighty presence of the Vermillion Family. They felt threatened. They made many shady and dark deeds in the past. On the other hand, the Vermillion Family is extremely righteous and virtuous at heart. Once the Vermillion Family knows what kind of actions they have made, it would be very bad for them. However, since the start of the Vermillion Family''s decline, they weren''t really able to do anything drastic to them. They may be weak, but there are still so many people that support them, especially the city mayor. But now that the Vermillion Family decided to make the last huge gamble on their future, of course they would be happy. ........ These past few days, Arthur has been painstakingly cultivating and performing alchemy in his room. Arthur didn''t even bother to bathe anymore. His bed was still glistering white. However, the floor was charred black and a pungent smell ran across the room. This was the result of having to concoct numerous pills over and over again. He was basically a pill-creating machine with the amount of pills he made in a single day. Even all the alchemist in the city combined might not compare to him. And even if they did, the quality of that pill would be 10 times much worse than a perfectly made one. This is one of the reasons why alchemy is considered to be only practiced by extremely patient people. However, not only could he make a pill 10 times faster than average, the resulting quality has even nearly doubled! What was talent? This is a talent!You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. What was even more shocking was that Arthur was concocting a cultivation enhancing pill! Which is considered the hardest and one of the longest pills to make even for a capable alchemist! Normally it takes more than a week to concoct such a pill. But he was able to make three in 3 days, costing him most of the materials given to him by his father. Which is a rather small price to pay, considering the value of his work. Using those three pills in hand, he made an astonishing amount of progress in his cultivation. Breaking through three stages at once. And now, he''s already reached the fourth of the Body Strengthening Realm, Cleansing Marrow Stage! Arthur only spent 5 days in his room, but he instantly reached the level of the few geniuses within the city. Even calling him a genius now might be an insult. To become a formidable Cleansing Marrow Stage cultivator in less than a week... Just the thought of that might not even exist within the peoples'' mind even after broadening their horizons. "So this is what it feels like to step on the fourth stage of the Body Strengthening Realm...", exclaimed Arthur. Since being born, Arthur received all kinds of pity and insult from others. And that only worsened after people found out that he was a talentless trash. Even some people in the Vermillion Family felt a bit of a grudge to him for being so useless. And that only worsened after he wasn''t even able to step into the Body Strengthening Realm. Thud. Arthur stood up. Raising his fist, he could feel an astounding power coming from within his body. Rising through so many stages at once, Arthur wasn''t completely sure of his strength. But he is absolutely certain that his power as of now wasn''t merely increased by tenfolds... it was even more than that! "I guess it was about time that I finally stopped hiding behind my Father''s back..." Arthur laughed, "But first, I''ll win this little martial competition and slap some senses to those simple-minded old fogs." Arthur evilly smirked. ........ The day arrived for the Vermillion Family''s Martial Competition. A lot of people gathered in the city''s martial stage. The number of competitors almost rivaled the amount of people that were spectating. It was really a sight to behold. However, most of the competitors were just at the first stage of Body Strengthening Realm, some were even mortals. Many spectators were also surprised by this, unconsciously making them look down on the Vermillion Family. "Are the Vermillion people crazy? Why would they even include these little ants?!" "It can''t be that they want to weed out the weak from the strong, right? That''s so cruel!" It wasn''t known who spoke those words. But when the people heard this, they immediately expressed different kinds of emotions. "Heh, so the Vermillion Family is so poor now that they dare to use these kinds of methods!" "Don''t say that, they really don''t have much of a choice..." "I''ve read that the first ancestor of the Vermillion was able to fight amongst peers with higher cultivation levels. Maybe they are looking for that kind of talent?" "Laughable! How can those legends possibly be true? I''ve travelled far and wide, and have never encountered someone as stupid as you!" "You!" Amidst the clattering noise of the people above, were the participants of the martial competition of the Vermillion Family. Currently, over a thousand disciples circled the martial arena. Those disciples were divided into two groups, one being the young cultivators of the Vermillion Family, the other being mortals. Clearly, the latter being extremely small in numbers. Although they are mortals, they were still placed in this ridiculous tournament that they absolutely have no chance of winning. They were unsatisfied but with their mere status as slaves, how can they possibly rebel in front of their masters? ''Whatever, I can just surrender right away and be done with this...'' That was what these mortals were thinking at the same time. At this moment, a scholarly old man suddenly appeared right on the center of the martial arena. His long red robes swayed in the air as he stood before the eyes of all present with his clasped hands behind his back. "Everyone." The people around gradually became silent as they turned and listened to the old man. Giu Vermillion looked around and continued, "As an Elder of the Vermillion Family, I express my gratitude to all of you for bearing witness to our little Martial Competition. And since we have little time in our hands, I will just keep this short... There are three rules in this competition. First, the participants must only fight inside the stage. Therefore, as long as they don''t step anywhere outside, then they can continue. Second, one must only fight with their bare fists. No weapons must be used during the fight. Those who violate this rule will be severely punished. Third... due to some assessing reasons, one can only surrender after a hundred breaths of time. However, if one is able to touch the opponent at least once, then he can surrender at any time. That is all." The last part of Elder Giu''s sentence instantly calmed down the spectators who heard him. It was evident that the words spoken before that almost caused an uproar. "So it was like that... This entire martial competition is so strange. Why would they go to such lengths? Just what is the purpose of the Vermillion Family?" "Damn it, shut up! Can''t you see it''s about to start?!" "Y-you again! I swear I will fight it out with you today!" ... AUTHOR''S NOTE: Greetings once again. My laptop broke so I had to get it fixed, just got it now and immediately made this chapter. Updates will now continue as usual! Conflict Chapter 28 - Conflict ... ... ... When Arthur arrived, the competition was already about to start. By his side is the Patriarch, who is also his father, Jiu Vermillion. As they went through the martial arena through the back, not much people actually saw and recognized them. When they reached where all the participants were supposed to gather, Arthur asked Jiu Vermillion, "Father, why must you include those poor mortals in this harsh competition? They will undoubtedly lose anyway." Jiu Vermillion answered him with a laugh, "Supposedly, when our ancestor was a mortal, he could defeat a first stage Body Strengthening Realm cultivator bare handed. His blood runs through ours, you''ll never know, there might be some disciple capable of doing that." If that were true, then that particular disciple would long ago be famous throughout the country, and he would instantly be recruited by those gargantuan Sects and Families. Such an absurd reason. Arthur thought to himself. "Is our family really that desperate to cling on to that impossible hope?" Jiu Vermillion only replied with a loud laugh. Clearly not intending to answer Arthur''s question. At this moment, Elder Giu spoke with a loud voice. "Now! Those two participants who were called just now, please come up to the stage!" ........ It was already midday when the "underdog fights" nearly came to an end. Just one more match and it will be completely over. The crowds watching were almost bored to death, with some even leaving, clearly not entertained. Now, mostly, only those normal people remain. "F*ck all my ancestors. What is this dogshit martial competition?!" "All the matches so far ended with the other surrendering! Not even a little exchange of moves!" Finally, the last "underdog fight" came, two figures came up to the stage. When both reached the center. Words came from the other man that piqued some interest from the onlookers nearby. "This junior''s name is Lin, I have a humble request to Senior if I may be allowed to ask." The man cupped his fist while bowing his back slightly. "Ho?" the second stage Body Strengthening Realm disciple calmly replied, then he continued, "What is it?" "I wish to learn and exchange a few moves with Senior." The second stage disciple could barely hold his laughter when he heard those words. But as if remembering that he was in a place where there were a lot of people. He only muttered to himself: ''This stupid ant...'' He gave a dry cough and replied, "Fine..." With a signal from Elder Giu. The match began. The second stage Body Strengthening Realm disciple didn''t move from his position. On the other hand, Lin dashed towards him with a fierce look. He only ran slow at first, but when he reached a certain distance from the second stage Body Strengthening Realm disciple, his speed suddenly exploded!Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Although he was going at a speed that was fairly easy to follow for second stage Body Strengthening Realm cultivators. But currently, his opponent has all his defenses down! This was the best moment to strike the enemy while his guard was off! And then, it happened... PAH! A reverberating punch landed on the second stage Body Strengthening Realm disciple''s face. It was exactly right at the point of his nose. Normally, such a punch would be futile since it could easily be dodged by a cultivator on his level. However, his cultivator is too low to produce Qi Energy that can deflect physical harm to a certain extent even while his body is relaxed. Furthermore, his muscles right now were too relaxed to reduce the impact of the force from the punch. At this moment, a small deep red blood leaked from the second stage Body Strengthening Realm disciple''s nose. This was caused by the enemy''s cunningness and efficiency, and also his overconfidence, stemming from his arrogant attitude. Rage welled up in his heart. The contempt he long had for those beneath him immediately exploded forth right at this moment. "YOU! LOWLY! FUCKING! ANT!" He quickly moved behind Lin''s back. He then made a grabbing motion aiming towards Lin''s head. Terrified, Lin tried to run away but it was already too late. BAM! Lin''s face hugged the ground. From the impact alone, it was too easy to guess that he would obviously be knocked out from that. But the second stage Body Strengthening Realm disciple didn''t stop there. Pah! Pah! Pah! He kept on kicking the already unconscious body of Lin. "Lowly trash!! You dare put your dirty hands on my face! I will make your life miserable!" Then, as if unsatisfied with his current actions. He tightly grabbed Lin by his neck, then slowly lifted him up in the air. Unbeknownst to him, a figure appeared by his side the moment he finished uttering his earlier words. The figure calmly looked down upon him, his eyes calmly radiating a ferocious killing intent that seemed to burn the very existence of the second stage Body Strengthening Realm disciple. He realized it too late. Before he could stretch his hand which was holding Lin up, the silhouette of an arm appeared before his eyes. SLAP! Another reverberating sound was heard. But this time it wasn''t a punch, but a slap. The figure spoke grimly: "Stop it. I will surrender on his behalf." He unintentionally let the body of Lin go after being slapped. Thereafter, he turned towards the figure. In his eyes, pure rage could be visibly seen. He was humiliated yet again! In his mind, he swore that he would tore whoever it was who hit him to shreds. But then, when he recognized who the figure was, he hesitated for a bit. "Isn''t that the infamous Arthur of the Vermillion Family?" "Is that him? He looks... frailer than what I''d imagined." The onlookers derided Arthur. They were a bit displeased after having a "fun spectacle" interrupted before them. Meanwhile, the person beside Arthur on the stage looked at Arthur with a slightly apprehensive expression. He was, after all, dealing with someone whose status is higher than his. However, when he heard how those people surrounding them curse Arthur on his face. His unvented rage began to boil once more. "Why is it a failure like you meddling with here?! Interruptions between matches are obviously forbidden!" He pretended to ignore Arthur''s existence as he walked towards Lin who was now lying limply on the ground. But after taking a step, his wrist was abruptly gripped by Arthur, with him saying in a sinister voice: "If you take another step, I will break all your limbs." This was a threat that the second stage Body Strengthening Realm cannot ignore. Because he knew that the one who uttered those words had the capability to do so. Even then, as he was reminded by the cultivation stage of his opponent, which was a stage lower than his own. Adding to the fact that this was a legal competition. The punishment he would receive upon "accidentally" hurting Arthur would surely be less. "You forced me to do this! Let''s see whose limbs are going to be broken by whom!" He threw a fist at Arthur after saying those words. His expression confident, as if he was sure that his punch would absolutely land on Arthur''s face. However, before his fist could even get near. Arthur stretched out his right leg and kicked him on his groin! His body bent forwards, but Arthur didn''t even give him a chance to moan in pain. With Arthur''s hands still gripping the man''s wrists, he landed a barrage of kicks on the man''s body. And when he felt that the man was about to pass out, he stopped... "No, no. I am not done. Wake up." And then... a snapping sound was heard. The onlookers, which were mostly composed of mortals, felt their scalp tingle when they heard that. "AHHHHHHH!!!!" The second stage Body Strengthening Realm disciple which was on the verge of collapsing, immediately went wide awake. The pain in his arm being intensely dislocated, being the case. "Ah, you''re too loud. There are a lot of people nearby, don''t you have any shame? "Hey, your other arm looked a bit injured from all those punches you threw. Here, let me help you..." CLACK! "AAGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" Yet another sound of broken bones sounded out. The second stage Body Strengthening Realm disciple''s eyes were red from all the tears that passed through it. His face, thoroughly distorted, it was clear how much agony he was feeling right now. In a desperate pleading voice, he said: "S...Stop... P...Please..." The onlookers'' breath was now ragged after witnessing this scene play out. ... Enter, Julius! Chapter 29 - Enter, Julius! ... ... ... "All right, stop." With the scene playing out like this. Elder Giu can''t not interfere. He turned towards Arthur with his knitted eyebrows, it seems that he was mentally communicating with Arthur to tell him what to do. Since an Elder interfered, although his status as the son of the Patriarch should only be slightly beneath if not on par with Elder Giu''s, he should at least give him some face and let this matter rest. Arthur nodded in understanding, and said: "Alright,". He walked off the stage quietly, as if he was not in the least exhausted from thoroughly trashing a second stage Body Strengthening Realm cultivator. After he took a few steps, he stopped, pointed at Lin and said, "This man named Lin is our gardener. If you dare touch him again or his family, I will cut off your balls and shove it up in your mouth." The second stage Body Strengthening Realm disciple heard this, and he could help but tremble. All the malicious ideas he thought of instantly evaporated. He wanted to quickly agree with Arthur and kowtow at the same time, but his body wouldn''t even permit him to do so. Meanwhile, the spectators had become noisy once again. "It seems those rumors about Arthur weren''t true at all! Just who could humiliate a Superior Body Stage cultivator to this extent?!" "Even my great grandfather won''t be able to do that..." "Aren''t your parents mortals? Just what do you expect of your great grandfather to do?" "You!!" Elder Giu''s voice shut them up, he said: "Since the winner of this match has been... exhausted. He will not participate in the following matches any longer." Up above the seats of the spectators, sat the various figures of high-ranking families that came to watch. Martial competitions such as what the Vermillion Family is holding aren''t really uncommon. It is a way to show the might of a family. It is actually rare for other families to personally watch an exclusive competition such as this. Even more so if it is held by some meager or a declining family such as the Vermillions. At this time, several Elders from different families that were seated murmured to themselves. "That good-for-nothing son of Patriarch Jiu, he actually have this much strength?" "It''s impossible to improve this much in just a few weeks time. I think he hid his strength and deceived us all!" "But why would he do that? That is just stupid!" On the following days, the competition between over the thousand disciples continued, only stopping at dusk and continuing a little over at dawn.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. The matches Arthur fought went like a breeze. He would exchange a few moves with them, then once they had contact with him, they would immediately surrender. During those days, the news of Arthur trashing a Superior Body Stage disciple spread. Those who knew him laughed it off at first, however, as time passed, they have no choice but to believe it. And now, they came here to watch Arthur fight. This was the seventh day of the Vermillion Family''s martial competition. Among those thousand disciples that were forced to participate, now only 16 remained. These people are the hope of the Vermillion Family, the pillars that will shoulder their decaying home, with one of them leading the rest. With Elder Giu''s signal, the match started. The first match was between two third stage Body Strengthening Realm disciples, it was a decent fight to watch since both of them were evenly matched. But, one of them suddenly made a small mistake, the other immediately took advantage of it thus ending the fight. The second match started. Next, the third... The fourth... ... Then, the seventh match started. It was between two fourth stage Body Strengthening Realm, Cleansing Marrow stage disciples. The two of them assumed a stance. Looking at each other fiercely, they both simultaneously shot out their fists. At the surface, it seemed that both of them were even in strength. However, an expert would clearly see a little bit of scratch on one of the disciple''s fist. It was obvious that the other is stronger in terms of strength. Then, as if the weaker disciple knew that he was bound to lose this clash of strength. He suddenly moved backwards, possibly trying to exhaust his enemy. Brimming with confidence, the other disciple followed the retreating disciple. He seemed to know that he held the upper hand so he obviously took advantage over that fact. Whenever he reached a certain distance between them, he would throw a fist and land a hit. This continued for a couple of minutes. Everyone watching could already tell that he was winning. However, at this exact moment where he carelessly lowered his guard down. The disciple who was getting pushed back abruptly stopped and changed his stance. Previously, he was full-on defensive and seemed to have no intention of launching an offensive attack. He very quickly and violently punched his opponent''s lower chin, making the latter almost stumble and fall from being suddenly hit on this weak spot. He took advantage of this moment and launched a barrage of attacks. From the way he was going, it was possible that he wasn''t planning on stopping any time soon. It was only after his opponent limply fell unconscious on the ground did he barely managed to stop himself. Plop. Since they fought a bit too fast for the majority of the audiences'' eyes. They didn''t really noticed the disciples'' state and could only watch impressively at the unfolding scene. But now that they got a close look, they could see that this "weaker" disciple from earlier who they thought were receiving a ton of hits from his opponent, was uninjured. He was completely out of harm at all. He shook his head while looking at the person on the ground and said, "Just a little lamb act and you get worked up. Aiya, you should practice more, Senior." The way he said those words weren''t masked with mockery or condescension at all. It was pure and sincere. Elder Giu announced the results, "The winner of the seventh match, Julius!" "What a sinister young lad!" "He actually has no family name at all... He is not related to the Vermillion Family!" Meanwhile, Elder Giu and the others were also having the same question in their heads. Just who and where did this disciple come from? They have never knew that this servant was hiding such formidable power. However, no matter what, they must pull this kid into their ranks. With these much strength and talent at such an early age, he surely would become an extremely sturdy pillar of their family in the future. The eight match. It was between Arthur Vermillion and Wang Vermillion, the son of the sixth elder. "Hehe, Arthur. Seems like you''ve finally improve a little since the last time I saw you. Unfortunately, this is as far as you can go. Of course, there''s no need to worry since we''re both families, I will go easy on you. Now, come!" The match didn''t even last a minute and all the people watching had no time to react. As soon as Wang rushed forward towards his direction, Arthur also unleashed his full strength, nearly having five times the speed of the man in front of him. He jumped forward, gathered momentum, and kicked at the spot where his opponent''s neck is located. Wang immediately kissed the ground after that impact. He immediately got up but unfortunately for him, Arthur kicked him yet again, this time on his stomach. A picturesque one-sided beat down happened this day. ...