《SEEING BEYOND》


 Chapter ONE

    <u>Seeing beyond</u>


    Man possess five senses originally. One of them is sight. However, can he utilizes it fully? Can man grasp the full worth of his eyesight? What we see, is it really what it is? ¡­ This is the story of a man who cursed his eyesight for not seeing things as they were and, upon receiving a second chance, ask to see.


    This man was named Martin. He was more than fifty years old and had seen many things throughout his life. Yet, something he never saw was the truth. When everything was right and his life was smooth sailing, he was surrounded by friendly people and a pleasant atmosphere. However, when he started to encounter difficulties, one after another, his friends, coworkers, family members, all of them left him one after another. The change of expression on their faces was something he would have never expected to see. After all that he did. He truly believed in those people, each one of them were precious and important, he cherished them. But they didn¡¯t. and not once did he see the truth through their faces with his eyes. Their smiles, laughs, talks, looks were fake but he failed to see that. Now, he was alone and in a dire situation. The world is cruel. After losing one¡¯s job, there aren¡¯t many people one can turn to. He didn¡¯t have one of such people and so, he was at his ends. He made a choice. Good or bad, he was too affected by what happened. He was mentally unstable and he couldn¡¯t go on anymore. He just didn¡¯t have the heart to try again from scratch alone at his age. It was better to give up. Rather than feeling this ever again. So, he jumped. From a building. But as he was facing death, it was not sorrow that he was feeling, nor regret. It was blame, self-blame to be precise. He was cursing himself for his inability to see.


    Of course, the story doesn¡¯t here. The end of something is merely the beginning of a another and his death was the same. It was but a beginning. He awoke in a white space, he was floating. He looked around and found out it was white just upon everywhere. The strangest part was that he was no more but a gust of smoke now. That was the horrible truth he was facing. He inadvertently screamed to the top of his lungs, though he didn¡¯t have any anymore since he was mere smoke. He still managed to scream to his surprise and screamed once more due to that fact. He was shocked and panicked. Then, a bright light shone in front of him and a beautiful middle-aged woman in a white dress appeared. She had white skin purer than snow, golden hair more precious than gold and an atmosphere holier than any religion. She really gave the vibes of a goddess. And then she spoke with a voice more melodious than an orchestra:


    ¡°I am One. The only. I represent all and all is me. I am here to guide you to your next life.¡±


    He was unable to answer her. Not because he was smoke but because he was speechless. Her beauty was too frightening, otherworldly, godly. He couldn¡¯t recollect himself to speak a single word. the woman continued:


    ¡°However, since you were wronged, you will be given a blessing from us. We saw you and how you lived your life. Righteously, for others. Loving all and hating none. Yet, you stumbled upon misfortune once and others turned their backs on you, leaving you with but your grief. We heard your last thoughts. The pain and anger you felt. It was not even directed towards others but to yourself. Since this one life repaid your kindness with pain, we shall give you the tools to make your next one filled with true happiness. You can make a single demand out of us and we shall guarantee to comply to it for your next life. Speak. What do you desire?¡±


    This was going too fast for him to collect himself and regain his composure. It was just too much to take in. So, he did the only thing he could do. If you can¡¯t understand something, acknowledge it and go over. He pondered a few seconds before his pain forced his mind and he answered as such:


    ¡°I want to be able to see through everything and comprehend it.¡±


    Surprised, she asked him:


    ¡°Are you sure about it? You could have asked us to make you be born rich, strong, famous or anything.¡±


    He was so furious he couldn¡¯t think straight so he shouted ¡°Yes¡± to the goddess. And she answered with a ¡°so be it¡± as if fed up with the man. That is how a righteous man who had been wronged was rewarded for his life deeds.


    In a different world called Martea, in the continent of the five countries, there was a small village. It was in the southeast country, The Sea Walker Empire. The village didn¡¯t have a name, it was too small for that. However, it was an important day to this village. It was because one couple was having their first born. And it ended up being a male. Strangely, his eyes were peculiar. They weren¡¯t like others with a black ball and a circular color around it. It was a rectangular black pupil and a white diamond shaped iris. Because of this abnormality, he was named ¡®MIR¡¯. Nonetheless, he was born surrounded with love. Everything processed smoothly for a year, he was a normal baby. But then, the strange power sealed in his eyes awoke. The baby was screaming non-stop. He feared everything. It made people feared him as well and believe him to be the son of the devil. It was that difficult for his parents to control him. After a few days, they left the house to calm the other villagers. The baby, Mir, timidly walked around the house. He was extremely scared. And, he stumbled across the family¡¯s mirror and saw his reflection for the first time since his eyes awoke. Something strange happened then. He was captivated by his reflection. His eyes were active and he was looking at himself. What he saw, however, was strange. To a one-year old even more so. It felt like memories were flooding his small brain. Soon after, a disgusting wide grin appeared on the baby¡¯s face and he laughed out loud like a demon. It was truly a peculiar scene as if the child was possessed. And that wasn¡¯t far from the truth. What the child had seen in his reflection wasn¡¯t just his physical body. He had seen himself all the way to his past life, Martin¡¯s life. And now, because of it, in the body of a one-year-old boy was the soul of a fifty or so year old man. The man who wished for his reincarnation to see through anything saw all the way to his previous life and enabled him to come back to life. This was truly a blessing from heaven. To Martin that is. The memories he had were fresh, as if everything happened a few days before. Even his own childhood was perfectly recorded in his mind. He tried a few more times to see through himself. He wanted to know if he could see through his own previous life as well and earn even more memories through the process but it failed. Strangely, he felt it wasn¡¯t impossible but that he couldn¡¯t do it now. Then, Mir¡¯s parents entered the house. They saw the young boy in front of the mirror. Standing while pondering with a hand on his chin. He didn¡¯t look like his age at all. That wasn¡¯t something some young born would do. However, Mir was doing it. His parents were dumbstruck and had their mouths wide open in shock. They really thought for second their son was just too strange compared to others. And what happened next terrified them. The baby turned around, frowned upon seeing them and spoke: ¡°What¡¯s up? Seen a ghost or what?¡± The couple was so shocked, they both fell unconscious. That made Martin realize.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°Crap. I¡¯m supposed to be one year old aren¡¯t I? Ah¡­Seems like I will have to act like a child for a time.¡±


    Time went on. When he was five-year-old, Martin had completely accepted his new life as Mir. Though he remembered his past life, he understood quickly he wasn¡¯t in the same world. After all, where he came from, martial cultivation didn¡¯t exist. At least, the practitioners of fighting sports couldn¡¯t break boulders, fly through the sky and much more. This world was vast, boundless even and it was composed of many absurdities and incoherencies. But since he couldn¡¯t change any of those facts, he could only accept them. As he was basking in the sunlight outside in the garden enjoying a life without cares, his father appeared in front of him. His father was called Boras. He was tall and muscular from his work in the farms. He had short black hair and brown eyes with a decent complexion. He was your average farmer. And right now, he was smiling towards his son and asked him:


    ¡°Mir, do you want to accompany us old folks to this year¡¯s genius tournament?¡±


    What is the genius tournament? As its name implies, it is a tournament where geniuses compete. It is organized by the Sea Walker Empire and existed to demonstrate the might of the younger generation of each martial school in the empire. There were three leagues in which one could compete during this event. The young seed battle, the young adult battle and the genius insight competition. Merely participating in a single contest was an honor for both the contestants and the martial school they came from. The reason for it is simple. While everyone could participate if they were from the empire, only those fitting special conditions could contest on the stage. Those conditions were so difficult to achieve that only a handful of youngsters could participate every time. And those people were geniuses amongst geniuses, the future of the empire might. Thus, it was considered an honor to participate. But more than that, to your average commoner, this was an occasion to witness the greatness of martial geniuses. It became a festival. But the territory of the Sea Walker Empire was vast and even though this tournament was held every five year, it wasn¡¯t hold just everywhere. Only the most important and powerful martial schools had the privilege to hold such an event. That is because the imperials would be presiding the event. And this time, it would happen not far from this small village. Two weeks of walk from it. And was organized by the Imposing Thunder Mountain school. One of the biggest martial schools of the empire and one close to the village.


    Obviously, Mir didn¡¯t care much about anything. He had been enjoying four years of laziness as a child. However, in his previous world, martial cultivation and such didn¡¯t exist and up until now, he had yet to see a single true martial cultivator. That¡¯s why curiosity appeared inside of him. He looked to his father and answered him with a big smile. Did he want to go? Of course. It wasn¡¯t something he could see many times. Even his father had only seen it once in thirty-six years. How could he miss such a show? What¡¯s more, while it¡¯s true he had been lazy all those years, he still managed to grasp the power behind his eyes. He was hoping he could use them to see what was the difference between a martial cultivator and a non-cultivator. And even more so, if there was a way for him to become one. After all, even to an old man, flying through the skies and diving to the depths was still attractive. He wanted to see for himself the true value of those cultivators.


    Two weeks and a day later, they arrived in the territory of the Imposing Thunder Mountain School. While it was composed of many peaks, until the first ones would be open to the public during the tournament. This zone was called the outer court. It was the poorest yet the one with the most disciples. The reason being that it was where every ordinary disciple would be staying. There were three more zones to this school. The inner court was composed of the outstanding disciples and while they numbered less, they were all superior to the outer court ones. Their treatments in the school as well. And finally, the core court. That was the most spacious and luxurious zone yet were there were the least number of disciples. They were the cream of the cream, the best, the true geniuses and future hope of the school. The participants to the tournament would be coming from such places. Of course, there is one more court but it is a forbidden area to disciples. It is named as the ancestor court and only the elders with the highest statuses are allowed there. Mir would only be able to stroll in the outer court of course. He was with his father and a few others from the village. They were farmers so they were poor. They couldn¡¯t just go for so long and sustain their needs alone, they didn¡¯t have that kind of money. Only by forming a group, were they able to go. They ended up having to share a single bedroom together. Counting Mir and is father, they were nine. And it was obviously not the greatest of inns¡­ In such a place at such a time, the prices were quite high and the number of clients was astonishing. Mir had never seen that many people in one place before even in his previous life. There were tens of thousands of peoples, maybe hundreds of thousands. It was that big of an event and this Imposing Thunder Mountain School was that great of a power to be able to host it. Of course, Mir had his sights somewhere else. He wanted to study those so-called martial cultivators. And sure enough, at such an event, it wasn¡¯t hard to find one. It was full of such people.

 CHAPTER 2

    CHAPTER 2


    After using his eyes, he discovered the difference without trouble. Those martial cultivators all had one more organ. Fortunately, Mir had trained his eyes and controlled them perfectly now. More than just seeing through everything, he was also able to comprehend it all. The name of this organ and all kinds of information related to it entered his brain as if it had always been there. This organ was named as the Core. It was under the heart and existed to stock the martial power of an individual. It was close to the heart so that using the veins, the core could send the martial power through one¡¯s body. It was very fascinating. Thus, Mir was amazed by this organ. After a day of looking for an inn, he had observed many different cultivators, be they young or old. He found out that there were many realms and levels of cultivators. There were also many ways for one to temper with this core. However, when he arrived at the inn and looked at himself through a mirror, he discovered he had no core¡­ Just like his dad and the other farmers. It made him experience the sadness of reality once more. There are things one will have from the start while others will only be able to dream of it till the end without ever grasping it. He felt dispirited. Seeing that, his father took him outside for a night stroll. Of course, Boras didn¡¯t know the reason Mir was feeling down but as his father, he wanted him to be happy. So, experiencing the bustling night of the festival couldn¡¯t be too bad. They walked and laughed and enjoyed the atmosphere for hours. And, at a time, they stumbled across something rare. An ¡®awakening¡¯. A little girl around seven years old was growing a core. That¡¯s when Mir learnt that everyone was born without a core and it only appeared later. as for when it appeared, it was random. Or was it? Through his eyes, Mir observed the phenomenon. Even after an hour, he refused to go back so his father decided to let him watch a bit longer. After all, his son¡¯s eyes were shining like never before. And he was smiling more than ever. Of course, such an event was bound to attract a crowd but not that many people were interested. Most of them had already seen and admired such a sight previously. Not Mir. And compared to them, he could comprehend it to the utmost level. After thirty more minutes, a bright light shone from the little girl¡¯s body and the awakening had ended. She now passed the requirements to cultivate. Everyone around showed her smiles and congratulated her. It wasn¡¯t much to become a martial cultivator in the crowd¡¯s mind. After all they were inside a martial school right now and an important one. But it was still a joyous event. And the little girl was quite happy about it as well. Then, Mir, stood up and walked out from the crowd to the girl. Then he bowed and said: ¡°Thank you for letting me witness your awakening¡±. Then he walked back to his father and they returned to their inn. It left the little girl quite awkward. While receiving a few applauses for it was ordinary, this little kid younger than her had been so courteous it was a bit of a shock. But she soon forgot about it and bathed into the joy of awakening with her parents. It was a time to party.


    After going back to the inn, Mir didn¡¯t go to sleep. He went out of the room and went to hide in a locker room of the inn. Then, he began his work. He decided to awaken. Right now. He grasped the way to turn this random luck into a sure happening. His eyes had seen through it. He stripped and started to draw on his naked body with some pencils he found around. He traced strange symbols all over his body. He had no idea what they meant nor their use but he knew the combination of it all would awaken his core. It was a scriptural formation called the ¡®Awakening Origin Formation¡¯. It was something present inside the DNA of every martial cultivator. They were most likely descendants of a previous cultivator and so on. However, the first ones used the scriptural formation. It meant that what Mir was doing was akin to tampering with his DNA and directly twisting fate. He was forcibly integrating the scripture DNA inside himself. And sure enough, once he had finished writing everything, it started. For one hour and a half, he was struggling on the ground subject to atrocious pain. It felt as if he was being crushed repetitively in the chest by a very strong pressure. He spitted blood many times from his small and frail body. Then, he passed out. He woke up the next morning with a small pain in the heart section of his body. Looking down, he used his eyes and discovered that it worked. He had managed to forcefully develop a core for himself. Overjoyed he jumped around for some time and then went back to his room in the inn. He was lucky no one found out about what happened during the night.


    As soon as he entered the room, his father took him in his arm, he was on the verge of crying. Then, an elderly man laughingly said:


    ¡°See? What did we tell you Boras? The kid would come back. You probably just went to the bathroom right kiddo?


    -Ah¡­Yeah.¡±


    After getting ready, they decided to go out. The genius tournament would go on for a whole three-weeks¡¯ time and it is not like they had enough money to assist to every match¡­So, during the day, they would go and enjoy the festivities around. There are many events held all around in the mountain to entertain the guests that came from far and couldn¡¯t buy a ticket for the day¡¯s matches. It was also to liven up things and the school itself was going to reward the disciples who would create the most entertaining event so there were many things to do. The group was going to go their separate ways for the day and they would meet up later for dinner. It was still morning and Boras asked Mir:


    ¡°So, Mir, what do you want to do? The Air Pool maybe? Or, the sandcastle?


    -Can I see the pamphlet for today¡¯s activities?


    -Sure, here you go Mir.¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Every day, the inn would receive pamphlets to distribute. On them, the activities proposed for the day would be written. And from there, one could decide on where to go. Mir looked at the pamphlet:


    GENIUS TOURNAMENT 3<sup>rd</sup> DAY


    Activities Planning


    Casino Games : Be rich! ¨C Zone 3, Allegiance Group Casino


    Astral Divination : Discover your fate early ! ¨C Zone 5, Star seeker¡¯s Caf¨¦


    Martial Bowling : Using a boulder and trees to bowl, come join us ! [Rank 1, fifth realm minimum] ¨C Outside zone, East Gate


    Waterfall Diving Contest : Enjoy the dive ! [Rank 1, second realm required] ¨C Outside zone, North Gate


    MARTIAL QUIZ : Great prizes ! ¨C zone 2, herbalist group Maple tavern


    ¡­


    Mir only looked through the first activities mentioned. There was no need to go further. He had already made his choice: the casino. When he was in his world, he always loved to play cards and betting was always enjoyable. However, as soon as he turned around and saw his father¡¯s smile he remembered.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right, in this life, I¡¯m starting as a poor sap¡­ Can¡¯t go to the casino with no money¡­Then¡­Let¡¯s see¡­¡±


    In the end, one must start with something small. After looking through all the morning activities, Mir ended up making a new choice. And this time, he turned around with a grin on his face. Then he said to his father :


    ¡°Let¡¯s go do the Martial Quiz !¡±


    His father was stunned for a moment. Then, he scratched his head and looked at the pamphlet himself. He looked at the price of entering the contest¡­He sighed. It was a lot of money to him. He hoped his son would go for something free. But when he was faced with the cute smile of his child, he could only give up. He wouldn¡¯t eat today¡­ He smiled in return, took his son¡¯s hand and said :


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Mir¡±


    It took them one hour and a half to reach the Maple Tavern where the quiz would be hosted. The Imposing thunder mountain school had a vast territory. And even though this was just the outer zone of the school, it was immense. They still managed to arrive on time and register for the quiz. It was obviously organized by disciples from the Imposing Thunder Mountain School. They were wearing their brown robe with the yellow lightning on the back and looked very amiable. What¡¯s more, all the disciples from the Maple Tavern had an armband with a green leaf on it. One of the disciples stopped Mir and his father at the entrance of the tavern and smiling, he asked them :


    ¡°Would you be perhaps interested in participating in our Martial Quiz ?


    -Yes, we saw it on the pamphlet.


    ¡°Really ? That¡¯s great ! Welcome ! So, it¡¯s free for children under nine so you don¡¯t have to pay little boy ahah and for you, uncle, it would be one silver coin please.


    -¡­Here.


    -Thank you ! Just wait a second please !¡±


    Mir couldn¡¯t do as if he did not see the reluctance on his old man¡¯s face when he handed the silver coin. It was a lot of wealth to a farmer. A whole week of work disappeared just like that¡­ Mir had lived for a long time but he was never poor. When he became poor, he didn¡¯t even bother trying and ended his life after all. However, right now, as a child, he was seeing his father being poorer than poor. It was heart tearing. He swore he would get back his father¡¯s money. After a few seconds, the disciple came back and handed Boras a small sign with the number fifty-five on it. Then he led us to a table with a few guests and sat down with us, the table was full. There were ten people at the table and only one disciple out of them. The disciple started speaking :


    ¡°Good morning again everyone and welcome to the Maple Tavern. First, let me introduce myself. My name is Gabot. I am obviously a disciple of the Imposing Thunder Mountain school. An outer disciple to tell the truth. You probably already know this but the school authorize the disciples to form groups and compete. During this genius tournament, for us who can¡¯t participate, the school organized a group competition. The ones making the greatest events are rewarded. And so, here you are going to participate at such an event ! We are the Herbalist Group and you are here inside our tavern, the Maple tavern ! That¡¯s about it for the introduction. Is there someone with a question regarding what I said ?¡±


    Gabot was quite young. Around thirteen years old. He was quite the excited type and it felt like he was a warm person. He seemed like a nice kid and he was enthusiastic. His introduction was also more than enough to get Mir a better understanding of the situation. It seemed like Boras was also quite excited about it all. However, an old man sitting in front of the kid asked him :


    ¡°Kid, your Herbalist Group, what¡¯s his rank in the Group Rankings ?


    ¡°Ah, senior, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    The kid furrowed his brows for a time, then smiled again and started :


    ¡°Senior, I don¡¯t think everyone here is as knowledgeable as you so let me first explain the Group Rankings to all. It is simply a system to class the groups depending on their powers. There are two classification. One for outer disciple¡¯s groups and one for inner disciple¡¯s group. As of now, there are millions of disciples in the Imposing Thunder Mountain school. Most of them are in the outer zone and they are outer disciples. Because there are so many people, there are also many groups. Because there are too many groups, the ranking only goes down to fifty. So, only the fifty greatest groups are part of the rankings. Unfortunately, our Herbalist Group isn¡¯t one of them. We¡¯re only a small group composed of plants lovers. We have 53 members from the outer zone and two from the inner zone but it is not enough to take part in the competition to enter those rankings.¡±


    The kid was depicting it as if it was incredible to be part of the fifty first groups. And considering the number of disciples, it might just be like that. After the disciple had spoken, the old man didn¡¯t say anything. It was obvious he had a look of contempt in his eyes. He probably didn¡¯t put the kid in his eyes anymore. The kid might have felt it and he was rather awkward but he soon came back to life and continued with a smile :


    ¡°Now, I will tell you all about what the quiz is and its rules ! at the entrance, I gave you a sign with a number. When you have the answer to the question, you need to place that sign on top of the stone in front of your seats. It will light up and synch with the stone over there on the scene. The stone on the scene will display the number from the fastest one to place his plate on the rock and he will be able to give an answer. If he fails, the stone will display the number of the second fastest and so on until we have the right answer ! As to what the questions will be¡­ You will all see when it starts ! But please, remain calm and make sure you don¡¯t offend anyone, it is a fair competition after all ! ¡­ We should start in an hour so let¡¯s wait until then. You can order any drinks you¡¯d like, it¡¯s free during the event!¡±

 CHAPTER 3

    CHAPTER 3


    At those words, Boras turned to his son and he asked him:


    ¡°What would you like to drink Mir?


    -Soda dad please.


    ¡°Disciple Gabot, could we please have two sodas then ?


    - Of course !¡±


    After that, the other men at the table started ordering drinks as well and everyone at the table chatted merrily for some time. They asked many things to Gabot regarding the school and such. Mir was enjoying himself as well and learning lots. It had to be said that all those men at the table were at least forty years old. He felt like he was surrounded by colleagues. To the men, however, he was only a five-year-old child with weird eyeballs. None made a fuss about it. He learnt that there were many people with strange appearances and even beast folks so appearance didn¡¯t mean shit to martial cultivator. Time passed by and the tavern became crowded. Before it even began, the whole place was filled with people so much so that they had to close the doors and refuse entries. There was a total of twenty table for ten people and it was full. There was one disciple at every table so in total, there were one hundred and eighty participants. Quite a few challengers. Because there were so many people, the atmosphere inside the tavern was lively to say the least. After some time, a young girl went up on the scene. She was quite the little beauty. Around seventeen with good looks. She had brown long hair and brown eyes but a sweet smile. She wasn¡¯t an incredible beauty but she was a cute young girl. She faced the crowd and using some martial skill or something, she loudly said :


    ¡°Hello everyone !¡±


    Everyone stopped talking under the solicitations of the disciples and all eyes were fixed on her. She didn¡¯t seem to mind it but rather to enjoy it. And so, she went on :


    ¡°My name¡¯s Lyla and I am a member of the Herbalist Group. I will also be your host for today¡¯s quiz ! I would like to welcome you all in our maple tavern as a representative of our group !¡±


    There were some cheers and she kept going :


    ¡°It is earlier than scheduled but since we already have the number of players, what you say we start the show ?


    -Hell yeah !¡±


    Many old men answered her with loud cheers once again and that made her smile. She was cute, no wonder the old men kept cheering louder. After a few seconds, she went on :


    ¡°So, you probably all guessed it by now but since we are the herbalist group, we are obviously related to herbs. We are a group focusing on the growth of plants¡­And mostly martial plants ! This means that¡­The prizes for today¡¯s games are going to be related to martial plants : Martial Pellets !¡±


    After she said those words, the cheers were endless. Many old men got up and even clapped their hands. It was as if they had already won the lottery. But who could blame them ? It was their incredible luck that had led them to participate in this quiz. One must know that single martial pellet of the lowest quality is already worth a few gold coins. And today, they could play a game to earn some after having paid an entry fee of only a silver. The girl giggled and said :


    ¡°Uhuh, while it¡¯s true that a single pellet would be worth more money than all the entrance fees together, to us, they aren¡¯t valuable at all. And that is because we can craft them ourselves. However, it is true that we would generally not give them out like that. This is a special event to celebrate the genius tournament, everyone, be sure to enjoy yourselves !¡±


    Cheers, again and again. But now, rather than feeling annoyed, Mir was also cheering. Those pellets were really too valuable. He had never seen one but he knew by his father that they were worth a lot of money and they were the only tools to improve martial cultivation. The demand was high and the prices as well. If he could get a single pellet and sold it, he would have turned his father into a rich man back in his town. And soon, the game was going to start. The young girl took out a small white ball from her bag. It was perfectly circular and was somehow strange. Mir looked at it with his eye power and instantly breathed in a mouthful of air. This was no ordinary circular ball, it was a rank 1 first realm pellet of high quality. A 1.1 martial pellet. As it appeared in the hand of the cute girl, everyone was stunned and silent. The girl was grinning and said :


    ¡°This is our first prize for today and obviously the smallest one. It is a way to start things ? Anyway, we will be playing for this pellet first. The rules are simple. When you have the right answer, place your sign on the rocks in front of you. The rock on the stage will display a number, if it¡¯s yours, then, you will have a chance to answer. If you fail to answer, a second number will appear and so on until we find a winner. Also, if you fail three times to give the answer, you are game over and your ability to participate is revoked. Make sure you think twice before using your plate !¡±


    After that, everyone¡¯s expression became serious. After all, it was one thing to fail but they couldn¡¯t bear to reach game over. They were going to play for real. It would be dumb to use the plate and failing to answer. What¡¯s more, if the rules considered the game over to appear after three failures, then, it meant that it was hard enough so that people might end up failing three times¡­ They were all concentrating. Then, five men walked on the scene. They were all disciples of the Imposing Thunder Mountain School. They were of different ages though. The girl looked at them then to the crowd and she said :


    ¡°The first question is : What cultivation levels did those five reach ?¡±


    After the question was spoken, one would think people would quickly try to answer but no one dared to right now. The reason is simple, it¡¯s not that easy to find out the martial cultivation of someone if he is hiding it¡­Even more so, right now, they had to guess five of them right. Then, a man from a different table asked :This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they going to show their auras ?¡±


    And the girl laughed at him then answered :


    ¡°Of course not ! This is a quiz. Did you think it would be that easy to get the prizes ?¡±


    Many people were frowning upon hearing her answer. Apparently, they thought it to be difficult. Too difficult. Then, the cute girl spoke once more :


    ¡°However, after someone answer, if he fails, I will let you know if he had a right answer out of the five.¡±


    And an old man then said :


    ¡°Oh, so this isn¡¯t really a quiz but rather a game between us guests and your herbalist group in the form of a quiz. Interesting indeed !¡±


    She answered him :


    ¡°You¡¯re right elder. While the prizes are incredible, it doesn¡¯t mean you will be getting them. All our questions are rather difficult and every guest can only fail three times. We believed it would make for a far more interesting challenge this way ! So please, dear guests, try your best to find the answer to our questions !¡±


    Some commotion arose but everyone was more excited than angry. After all, this turned out to become a game far more enjoyable than they thought it would be. However, even though everyone was rejoicing, no one dared to answer the question. The reason is, no one knew the right answer and they didn¡¯t want to lose one of their three chances.


    The elder who previously spoke then broke the silence and discussed with the member of his table :


    ¡°Dear friends, I believe it is fate that brought us together at this table. What do you say we team up to guess the answers ? When alone, one can only have three chances but together, we would have twenty-seven. How about it ?¡±


    After his words, the people at his table began to think and ponder on his words. Th people at the other tables were also reflecting on his words. But in the end, it would not be possible. One of the member at his table told the elder :


    ¡°And how are we supposed to share a single pellet among us nine ?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t. We only work together to get closer to the answer and the one who manage to reach it first shall earn the reward himself. To prove my fairness, I shall be the first to answer.¡±


    He placed his number sign on the rock in front of him and the rock on scene lighted up. A number in yellow appeared. It was 134. The old man¡¯s number. He was going to answer. The girl on scene smiled and said :


    ¡°Mister 134, your answer ?¡±


    The old man got up and said :


    ¡°I would say that they are all from the rank 1 first realm.¡±


    It was obvious it was the wrong answer. However, it brightened the atmosphere and everyone inside understood the old man¡¯s intent. He was only trying to reduce the possibilities. The girl on stage smiled mischievously and said :


    ¡°You are quite smart old man. Trying to restrict the number of possibilities is indeed the right choice. However, don¡¯t forget that you will have to guess to whom the cultivation belongs to. However, I will keep to my word and tell you. While you are wrong, there is indeed someone on stage who is at the first realm of the first rank.¡±


    The old man sat down under the applause of the crowd. From then on, people started doing the same as the old man and after five more men gave a wrong answer, the people present knew that there was one rank 1 first realm, two rank 1 third realm, one rank one fourth realm and one rank one sixth realm. However, they still had to guess which realm belonged to whom. At that time however, many people tried their luck. But even after they had tried all combinations, the right answer had yet to be given. The old man who spoke first was frowning. He had kept the tab, like many others, and what possibilities were left. There was no one anymore trying to answer as they all knew they tried every possibility. Mir was grinning from the start. Thanks to his eyes, it wasn¡¯t difficult to find out the five men¡¯s cultivation. However, he wanted first to have the people inside lose some chances. It was a competition after all. And it was obvious to him they would never get it right. The old man hadn¡¯t given up though and after some time, he had a flash of insight. He talked to a man near him and the man tried to give an answer :


    ¡°There is one rank 1 first realm, two rank 1 third realm, one rank one fourth realm and one rank one seventh realm¡±


    She said :


    ¡°There is no rank one seventh realm on scene.¡±


    That made Mir frown. The old man had guessed the answer to the riddle. It wouldn¡¯t be long now until he found out the right answer. Mir had to start now. He took the number sign from his father and placed it on his rock. It surprised his father and angered him a bit. As the number appeared on the rock, the cute girl said :


    ¡°Mister fifty-five, please.¡±


    And Boras answered :


    ¡°Ah sorry, it¡¯s my son, he¡¯s still young, he played with the sing¡­¡±


    That¡¯s when Mir said :


    ¡°No, I want to play, I know the answer !¡±


    His father reprimanded him :


    ¡°Mir, don¡¯t be spoiled. This isn¡¯t a game for you to play¡­¡±


    However, the cute girl on scene said :


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even if he is a young child, it remains that he is sitting on one of the player¡¯s chairs. He has the right to participate as well and has his own three chances. So, young man, what¡¯s your answer ?¡±


    It went as Mir hoped it would go. Then, he smiled and pointed his finger to the first disciple on the left. He said :


    ¡°You are a rank one third realm.¡±


    He pointed to the next one :


    ¡°You are a rank one third realm as well.¡±


    He pointed to the next one :


    ¡°You are a rank one first realm.¡±


    To the fourth he said :


    ¡°You are a rank one fourth realm.¡±


    And to the fifth he said :


    ¡°You¡¯re a rank two second realm.¡±


    At those words, all the disciples were speechless. However, a few guests were laughing at the child¡­ But then, the girl said while laughing :


    ¡°It seems like this young child is today¡¯s smartest guest. Congratulations little guy, this pellet is yours !¡±


    At that many people were perplexed and angered. They couldn¡¯t believe Mir got it right. After all, he was a five-year-old child ! Even his father, Boras, was stunned. Then, the old man who first spoke started clapping his hand. Then, his table joined him and after a time, everyone applauded the child. The girl on stage smiled and said :


    ¡°Little guy, who¡¯s the disciple at your table ?


    ¡°It¡¯s Gabot !¡±


    ¡°Alright. Gabot, come here and deliver the pellet to the young winner.¡±


    ¡°Yes, right away !¡±


    After a few seconds, the pellet was in Mir¡¯s hands. He was examining with a great smile on his face. Then he turned to his father and said :


    ¡°Here dad. That¡¯s to pay for today¡¯s activities. Let¡¯s have more fun !¡±


    ¡°Sure son ! Let us enjoy the festival !¡±


    His father was smiling like never. This pellet was worth so much money¡­They would no doubt be able to entertain themselves a lot more during this festival.


    The girl on stage then continued :


    ¡°Everyone, here, let me present you your host and our Herbalist Group head, Tang Sa. Rank two second realm.¡±


    ¡°Good morning everyone and welcome to our Maple Tavern. I hope you enjoyed our first question and will enjoy yourselves throughout the rest of the event. I can see that a few of you are still quite perplexed about the result of this first quiz. Young friend, would you like to explain to your uncles how your reach the answer ?¡±


    Mir was drinking his soda in happiness when this man disturbed him. But there was no reason to not disclose the truth. He had won anyway. So, he spoke :


    ¡°Sure. Thing is, the sister over there said every time ¡®on scene¡¯. But she¡¯s also on scene so there were actually six people on scene. I believe she is the rank one sixth realm.¡±

 CHAPTER 4

    CHAPTER 4


    After his words, the people in the tavern discussed it together and could accept that explanation. Even though it came from a five-year-old, it was the reality. They had been too focused on the numbers and failed to notice the words. This was in a way an important lesson they would remember. Many uncles went and took it upon themselves to congratulate and praise Mir. Boras received a few praises as well for having raised such a bright child. After some time, the herbalist group head left the scene with the other and the quiz continued.


    Once all eyes were again on her, the girl took out something from her bag. This time, there were ten pellets like the previous one. Ten. The crowd became agitated again. The girl said :


    ¡°You aren¡¯t mistaken. We¡¯re now entering the real martial quiz. This next question goes for ten pellets 1.1¡±


    The crowd was overexcited, they were jumping on their seats. Many ordered beers at the same time. It was an enjoyable event for those old men. Even Mir was incomparably impatient. Then, a disciple brought a small table on scene and a pot containing a plant. The plant was one meter tall and abundant in various kinds of leaves. There were also many flowers of distinct colors. Once it was on the table, it started spinning on itself so the crowd could take a good look at the plant. The girl then said :


    ¡°For this second test, we ask you this : What plants were used to create this plant here¡±


    An herbalist group for you. That plant was so big with so many different shapes. It was actually a question even harder than the previous one. Even the old man frowned upon seeing it. Boras was sighing :


    ¡°Ah¡­I¡¯ve been a farmer all my life and I can¡¯t even guess a single one of those plants. What a shame.¡±


    Mir was smiling broadly again. With his eyes, he already knew all the plants contained inside that pot. However, he wasn¡¯t planning on answering right away. He wished for the players to exhaust their chances once again¡­ That¡¯s when, during this silence, the old man asked :


    ¡°Is there a part under the soil ?¡±


    And the girl replied :


    ¡°You really are wise, elder. However, I can assure you that there is nothing hidden in the soil. All the plants can be found from the upper part outside the soil. I guarantee it on our group¡¯s honor.¡±


    The elder nodded a few times and started observing the plant while writing on his paper. Many other men had also started writing plants names. Mir wasn¡¯t alarmed. He knew they probably wouldn¡¯t get them all¡­


    After long minutes, a man tried to answer. He failed. Seeing that he still managed to get quite a lot of them, the girl said :


    ¡°Like before, since it is a puzzling question, I will be giving you hints whenever someone fail. I will tell you how many plants left to find there are. Considering what this uncle said, there are still 23 plants to discover¡±


    Some people were speechless. The man who had tried his luck was even more surprised. He was himself an herbalist. It came as a shock to him. But being surprised is being surprised. He came back to his senses and began to observe more cautiously the plant. And soon, he wrote something more on his paper. Time was flying by but the players were only concentrating their gazes towards the plant. They weren¡¯t fools. According to what the precious failure revealed, there was a total of 35 plants composing the one in front of them. Obviously, this had been done through a long time and meticulous herbalism techniques. After all, to incorporate the genetics of 35 plants to form one is not an easy task. But in the end, there was someone who tried is luck. The old man. He went ahead and began saying the names of rare plants one after another. He said 34 in total and then:


    ¡°While I could find out about those 34, I have no idea what the last one could be. That is why I thought it could be the dandelion. After all, it is a very basic plant capable of fusing with others and shouldn¡¯t be recognizable. The 35<sup>th</sup> plant is a dandelion.


    -You¡¯re wrong, elder. But you were close. The first 34 plants were right. However, while it is true that the dandelion would have been easy to mix in, we didn¡¯t use it.


    -What a shame ohohoh, this old man failed again.


    -Yes. Let¡¯s continue then¡­Oh, someone else placed their signs on the rock. Let¡¯s see. Number fifty-five.¡±


    Under the gazes of all those old men, Mir was smiling. Though this time there was some sweat on his forehead. The old man had made him worry quite a lot until the 35<sup>th</sup> plant. It is obvious that this elder is quite knowledgeable in herbs. Out of fear of losing the tasty meat in front of me, he had rushed to use his sign. In the end, he succeeded in being able to answer after the old man. But he wouldn¡¯t have been able to make players lose their chances. However, he decided not to miss the prize in front of him out of greed to make others lose. So, he answered. Of course, the first 34 plants were right just like the old man. But to finish he said :


    ¡°I can¡¯t find any traces of the 35<sup>th</sup> plant so I¡¯ll guess too. I¡¯ll say it¡¯s the raging thunderous herb.¡±


    It created uproar in the room and the eyes of many disciples flashed with a hint of surprise. A 5-year-old kid knew about that herb ? That was unprecedented. That¡¯s when the old man laughed and applauded with a smile on his face. The girl on stage smiled as well and said :


    ¡°Correct young brother. Congratulations, those ten pellets are yours !¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    This made the crowd rage again. After all, it was a bit too much for this young boy to get that question right when they couldn¡¯t. and the raging thunderous herb ? How did he even thought about that? Being frustrated, the first man who tried his luck for this question asked him loudly :


    ¡°How did you found out it was the raging thunderous herb ?¡±


    Mir didn¡¯t quite like the tone of that man but he knew that if he didn¡¯t explain, then he might face accusations of trickeries. He answered :


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know the last herb so I was thinking. Then senior got 34 of them. It meant you guys could just go and try your luck for the remaining one and it would end sooner or later. I decided to be the first taking the chance because I had a hunch. I mean, she said we could find out from seeing the plant but¡­We can¡¯t. Not now at least. The raging thunderous herb can only be differentiated during a storm when there¡¯s lightning. At that time, it¡¯d turn yellow with fluctuating lightnings on it. The fact that we can see it yet can¡¯t meant it was likely to be that plant. As for why this one precisely and not another one¡­The symbol of their group is a raging thunderous leaf. I still had my three chances so I tried my luck. And I was right !¡±


    This stunned the crowd once more. Their opinion of this youth took a profound change. They were astonished about his knowledge and his ability to analyze. The truth was however that Mir saw through the 35 plants with his eyes and their mystical power. His explanation was only a big lie he made up easily thanks to years of being a businessman and politician. Being able to come with satisfying answers on the spot was a requirement to his job. This was a piece of cake. And sure enough, he received his pellets. This time, he didn¡¯t give them all to his father. He gave him only two of them and kept the remaining eight. His father was startled by everything but he didn¡¯t poke much into it. The fact that he got 3 pellets worth a few gold coins was enough to make him forget the world¡­


    And time passed. The next questions were regarding herbalism as well. But Mir couldn¡¯t answer them. They were words testing the player¡¯s knowledge. And he didn¡¯t have any. He was only relying on his eyes. It was impossible for him to answer them. Time passed like this and many players started to give up. After many hours, there were still sixty players left, Mir and his father included. This time, the girl asked a question related to a typical herb given to animals as nutrients :


    ¡°How much Valianty herbs can a blue-skinned pig eat in a day ?¡±


    For the first time, the rock on scene lighted up right away. And the number was fifty-five. But it wasn¡¯t Mir. It was his father. The girl on stage asked him :


    ¡°Uncle 55, please, your answer.


    -Blue-skinned pig can eat 400kg of food a day and they are fond of Valianty herbs. So much so that sometimes they lose sight of their appetite and eat too much¡­Going as far as 500kg. But the thing is, the Valianty grass isn¡¯t something that can be eaten in such quantities. If the pig ate that much, he¡¯d dead by the next morning. While it depends on his size and age, that kind of pig should be able to take in between 100 and 180 kg of that herb without risks. 200 being the very limit.


    -Correct ! A perfectly detailed answer ! Congratulations, uncle. How did you know about this ?


    -I¡¯m a farmer. Been one since birth.


    -I see. Well, you won this space bag and ten 1.2 pellets so congratulations.


    -Thank you.¡±


    When his father received the reward, he placed five pellets in the bag and handed it over to his son. Then he said :


    ¡°Here is your present son. You¡¯re wise so don¡¯t waste those precious treasures, alright ?


    -Yes ! Thank you, daddy, !¡±


    While it felt weird for this old man in a body of a young boy to call someone that should be younger than him, his daddy, it remained that in this life he was Boras¡¯s son. Anyway, Mir was more interested at the present. The pellets were of course very valuable but the bag even more. It was a space bag. As its name implies, it is a bag connected to a martial space. They were made through martial techniques very difficult to grasp and rare materials. It was very small. One hand was enough to support it. However, it could contain unlimited amount of everything. It was a magnificent item worth dozens of golds. A true treasure. Of course, to martial cultivators, this space bag wasn¡¯t a luxury but a requirement so the bag itself didn¡¯t mean much to most people here. It remained that it was a treasure for a farmer¡¯s son. The quiz continued and after some time, Boras tried again on a question related to mighty earth cows and lost his three chances on it. He reached game over in a single question. The game continued with no possibilities for Mir to participate and finally¡­ The last question. It was already late in the afternoon and counting Mir, they were only eleven players left. Except for Mir, all ten men had a single chance remaining. The old man was one of them. He managed to get a few wins during the day and never failed again when he chooses to answer. The cute girl smiled and said :


    ¡°For our last question, the reward will be this, a 1.9 pellet. The highest first rank martial pellet.¡±


    Everyone was excited. Even though they had lost the ability to participate, the players had stayed to enjoy the show and sure enough it was worth it. A 1.9 pellet used as a prize in a one-silver entry quiz. Some had their heads in their hands, feeling foolish for having lost before reaching the last question. After all, the value of this pellet was far more than everything else. If you added all the previous prizes, you wouldn¡¯t be able to exchange them for a single 1.9 pellet. As everyone was ecstatic by the sight, the girl said :


    ¡°And now, for the question you¡¯ve all been waiting for : Do you remember when I presented you our group¡¯s head on the morning ? Well, he was one of our two inner court disciple. The second one is somewhere in the room. The question is, who is it ?¡±


    That was a very difficult question. There were twenty tables. And only eleven players left. What¡¯s more, they only had one chance each except for Mir. But in the end, there would be only thirteen answers given. The possibility that the pellet would not be won today existed. Turned out that the quiz was truly hard. Enough so that at the end, it wasn¡¯t sure if all the prizes would have been given. If not for Mir, Boras, the old man and a few others having answered questions while others had no clues, the result might have been even worse for the players. Still, Mir was rejoicing. This was a question he could answer easily. His eyes couldn¡¯t let him see things like who was an inner court disciple or outer court but he could see one¡¯s martial cultivation. And obviously, the one who would have the highest cultivation would be that disciple. Mir stood up on his chair and started observing around calmly. He was focusing himself. A few men laughed at his actions, some sighed and some were expecting a miracle. A man with a chance left placed his sign on the rock and answered first :


    ¡°Since I can¡¯t find out another¡¯s cultivation and I don¡¯t know your group, I can only try my luck. I will put my bet on you little lady. Your cultivation is the highest of those I know from your group after all.


    -Thank you for your praise, uncle. Unfortunately, you are wrong. I¡¯m ashamed but I am still an outer court disciple. It seems like it is a game over for you.


    -Bah, it¡¯s fine, it was fun.


    -Glad to hear it.¡±


    After that, the old man placed his sign on the rock and answered :


    ¡°I am the same as you my friend ohoh. Since it is fate that brought me to this table, I will place my bet on the disciple sitting with us here, Jallof.


    -Sorry elder, he is an outer court disciple as well.


    -Too bad ohoh. I still enjoyed myself greatly today, thank you for this wonderful quiz game ohoh


    -It was a pleasure, elder.¡±

 CHAPTER 5

    CHAPTER 5


    From here on out, the remaining eight players tried their luck as well and failed too. Just like their fellow rivals, they thanked the herbalist group for this fun competition. It seemed like they had resigned to the defeat and the fact it was impossible to get that answer right. At that time, everyone was watching the young Mir. The kid was still surveying the crowd. Everyone was hoping he could just finish quickly. No one believed he could win. Even his father asked him to choose one randomly. However, Mir didn¡¯t and took his time. Six minutes later, light flickered in his eyes and he smiled. Then he placed the sign on the rock.


    ¡°Young mister 55, have you finally made your choice ?


    -Yes.


    -Who is it ?¡±


    Mir got down from the chair and walked to the bar. Then he tried getting up on the chair. He had to wait until a disciple near helped him. The chair was high and he was still too small¡­ But he was now in the high chair. Behind the counter, there were four people. Three waitresses and a barman. Mir pointed to the barman and said :


    ¡°It¡¯s you !¡±


    To the surprise of the crowd, the barman laughed a bit and exclaimed :


    ¡°Kid, you¡¯ve got good eyes ! Congrats !¡±


    It turned the whole place into an uproar. Everyone was incomparably excited. They never suspected it to be the barman. In the end, Mir received the precious pellet. After thanking the Herbalist group and some basic courtesy, everyone exited the Maple Tavern.


    It was night. The father was walking with his son. They were both overjoyed. Then, the old man appeared in front of them and said :


    ¡°Sorry for troubling you two, I would like to invite you to dinner, would you be willing to accompany this old man for a meal ? On me, of course.


    -Yes ! It would be our pleasure !¡±


    Boras was overjoyed. While he earned a lot at the quiz, it was night and shops were mostly closed. He couldn¡¯t sell the pellets and thus, he was broke now. While he had resigned himself to skip a meal, not Mir. And seeing as the old man didn¡¯t seem like a bad guy it was fine. Even if he was evil, he would still want to eat a free meal off someone else. In the end, the elder brought them to a fancy restaurant and was led to the VIP room. Then he let them order whatever they wanted. While boras remain courteous and only asked for a middle-range meal, Mir went all out for the priciest dishes. It made the old man smile. Once the orders were placed, the old man began :


    ¡°I forgot to introduce myself, I am Quin Lan.


    -I am Boras and this is my son, Mir. You have our thanks for treating us to such a lavish dinner, senior Quin Lan.


    -Lan is enough, mister Boras.


    -Then Boras should do, senior Lan.


    -Good, good. Then, Boras, let me get straight to the point. I am an inner court management elder at the Burning Sea School. And I find your son to be incredibly talented and promising.


    -T-that¡¯s¡­Thank you for your praise, senior Lan !¡±


    This piece of news came as a shock to both Boras and Mir. They thought he was a rich martial cultivator or herbalist of sorts but an inner court management elder ? What¡¯s more, at the Burning Sea school ! The elder saw the surprised looks on the father and son¡¯s faces, coughed a few minutes and went on :


    ¡°Our Burning Sea school is a first-rated martial school just like this Imposing Thunder Mountain School. I can see the potential inside your son. After all, it is incredibly rare for one to awaken this quickly. He might just become a promising genius if nurtured correctly.


    -Wait, what ? Mir has awakened ?!¡±


    Boras was stupefied. This was too much surprises. Generally, a child would awake between nine to eleven. it was rare that it happened later but it could. However, for it to happen before¡­And in Mir¡¯s case, four years earlier, was too incredible. Mir was stunned to discover that the old man had perceived his awakening. The old man understood his gaze and said :


    ¡°While I can¡¯t discover one¡¯s stage of cultivation young boy, I can at least figure out whether one has awakened or not. Boras, I can say with certainty that your son has grown a core. He can start martial cultivation.


    -Great¡­Great¡­This is great Mir ! Did you hear ?! You can become a martial cultivator !¡±


    Boras was overjoyed. After all, martial cultivators were dragons among men. There were billions of people living in the continent of the five countries. In the end, there were many martial cultivators but compared to average people, they were considered rare. And talented ones were even fewer. Some would never go further than rank one during their whole lives. The strongest in the continent were in the rank three. As for highest rank, they were legends and myths. It is no wonder that this farmer was happy. Becoming a martial cultivator meant a chance to live a fulfilling life, it was better than being a commoner from far. Boras was happy for his son. It seems he wouldn¡¯t have his son inherit the farm in the end. But it was fine. Having him become a martial cultivator was better. Mir was pleased as well. Though he knew he could become one from the start. After all, he was the one who forcefully awoke himself. He knew better than anyone his abilities. Then the dishes arrived and they ate merrily while discussing banalities. After a time, elder Lan came back to the subject :


    ¡°So, Boras, I will be direct. I¡¯d like to invite little friend Mir to enter my Burning Sea School.


    -That¡¯s a bit ¡­¡±


    While Boras was happy for Mir and he never expected such a chance encounter and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, his son was five. He was relatively young even if he felt older due to his smarts. And the Burning Sea School was far. Too far for Boras to ever travel there. What¡¯s more, sending a son to martial school wasn¡¯t free and he surely had not enough spare change to afford a third-rate school, then a first rate ? It was just an impossible dream. Elder Lan understood his worries and said :This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°I wish to invite him. This meant I¡¯d personally take care of nurturing him. Of course, there would be no fees. In our Burning Sea School, we value talent higher than anything. And Mir has exactly that. I know that parting is difficult. Even more for a father with his son. And Mir is still very young. However, it doesn¡¯t mean that you won¡¯t be able to see him again but more than anything, he awoke four years earlier than many. Four additional year of cultivation when young isn¡¯t something one can overlook. If he entered the school right now, he would no doubt have more chances to reach high success in cultivation. I can only provide this offer, please do consider it.


    -Father, it¡¯s fine. What elder Lan said is right. I don¡¯t want to part with you but it¡¯s true that if I began early, I might have more successes in the future¡­


    -I know Mir, father knows. Still, I can¡¯t agree. His mother needs to give her approval as well. Mir is both our sons. While I am reluctant to part, if it¡¯s to give a brighter future to my son, I can only agree. But I want his mother to agree as well before anything. I am sorry elder Lan.


    -No, I understand. And you didn¡¯t refuse after all ohoh. Are you going home after the tournament ?


    -Yes, we planned it this way.


    -Then, would it be alright for me to join you? I sincerely wish for Mir to join my Burning Sea School.


    -Yes. Yes ! Of course, elder Lan !


    -It¡¯s settled then, wonderful ohoh. Then, what are your plans for the remaining days ? There are still seventeen days left.


    -We successfully secured places for the semi-finals of the young insight battle.


    -Oh ? Well, would you like to assist to the rest of the tournament as well ? We have reserved seats for our Burning Sea School. Here are two pass. Just show them at the VIP entrance of the stadium and they will lead you to the seats near mine !


    -Elder, this is too precious, we couldn¡¯t possibly¡­


    -Please Boras, give some face to this elder and accept those passes. I believe it would be a wonderful experience for Mir to witness the tournament and I¡¯d enjoy some company myself ohoh.


    -Then thank you very much elder Lan !


    -Thank you, elder Lan, !¡±


    Both Boras and Mir were overjoyed while returning to their inn. They would be able to watch all the tournament ! And from the VIP seats of a renowned school!


    The next morning, Boras got up early and went to sell the few pellets. It was enough to leave him with 21golds 12 silvers. An amount he never had before. And he never thought he would. Overjoyed, he woke up Mir earlier than scheduled. Of course, seeing this father of his so happy because of some money, Mir felt good and proud of his previous actions yesterday. Drunk on this feeling, Boras decided to take Mir to a clothing store. Since they were going to watch the matches from the VIPs, he didn¡¯t want his son to be shamed because of his clothes. Mir ended up finding a nice red and blue robe for his age and decided upon it. Boras was glad to see him like that, he looked like a proud son of the heavens. A mini-mighty-man. However, he didn¡¯t expect Mir to force him to get something for himself. He wanted to spare the money at first and he surely wouldn¡¯t mind being mocked for being poor, that¡¯s what he was after all. But his son didn¡¯t budge and in the end, he bought the very same robe as his son. Having matching outfits of such quality made him a in an incredibly great mood. Now, walking on the streets, no one was looking at them with disdain. It was a strange feeling to the middle-aged farmer, a new experience. Seeing his father like that, Mir was grinning and enjoying the silliness of the situation inside. Back in his previous life, this feeling was an everyday occurrence in his childhood and later, it turned to people displaying respect and such, even on the streets. It couldn¡¯t compare to feeling happy because you were ignored. Anyway, it was probably the first time his father had bought such an expensive item and wore it. While they were walking towards the arena, he said to his father:


    ¡°Let¡¯s make sure to get one for Mom too.


    -Definitely.¡±


    Answered his father with a serious face. It wasn¡¯t that he felt the need to or guilt but rather, that he wanted to give beautiful to his wife. He loved her and if he could have he would have drowned her in luxuries but he was poor¡­Now, he had a tiny bit of money. He wouldn¡¯t come back empty handed. He would make her smile with a magnificent gift. It was determination to make his wife feel special. Mir felt it as he himself had once had this look in his eyes. Unfortunately, his world hadn¡¯t been right for this kind of pure feelings.


    They arrived at the arena. It was a giant circular structure, just like one from the roman empire back in Mir¡¯s old world. It was far bigger than those though. Ten times ? Maybe more? There were already tens of thousands of peoples here, awaiting their turn to enter the arena and securing better seats. The whole arena was made from black stone that were being illuminated by the daylight, making it a beautiful contrast. There were four doors, one at each side. There were giant lightning sculptures to signal them. Those sculptures were hundreds of meters high and looked as if they were coming down from the heavens. They were the mark of the Imposing Thunder Mountain School and this Imposing Thunder Arena of theirs. To put it simply, it was magnificent and awe-inspiring. Mir had seen many complex architectural buildings in his previous life and yet, this single arena far outshined them all. Boras was smiling at the sight of his child being impressed. He had forgotten for a time that Mir was just a child but with him opening his eyes so wide for the arena, it made him remember and he felt silly because of it.


    Opposite to the average commoner, Boras and Mir didn¡¯t wait in line. They went straight to the entrance and showed their pass. That is the power of being a VIP. A disciple came and led them to their seats. They were in the forefront of the seats and closest to the arena. And obviously, it was the zone arranged for the Burning Sea School. Elder Lan was already there with many other old men and behind were around a dozen or so disciples. Seeing Boras, elder Lan was smiling widely. He was moving his arms towards Boras and Mir, a move quite strange coming from such an old man. As Mir and Boras approached, he said:


    ¡°Boras, Little Mir, I am glad to see you today!


    -Elder Lan, it is our luck to be your guest.


    -Ahah, don¡¯t be like that Boras. This is just my way of showing my interest towards young Mir! Please, come it with me! Let us enjoy the show of my Burning Sea disciples trashing those from other schools! Ahahah!¡±


    Boras sat Mir between him and Elder Lan. Seeing this, elder Lan was really pleased. After all, his goal was to get Mir as a disciple. It would be profitable for Mir¡¯s experience if he could explain him what was happening on the ring. Mir was quite happy about this placement as well. Mir was the first to continue the chat:


    ¡°Elder Lan, you seem really excited today. Is there something good?


    -Ahahah, indeed! Little Mir, do you know how the tournament works?


    -No, elder, I do not


    -Let me explain. It is divided in three challenges. The first one is a battle between the youngsters under fifteen, the second one is a battle between the young adults under twenty and finally, there is a showdown of abilities in insight. Every day, the insight competition starts in the morning and finish at night. It will be going on until there¡¯s only one disciple left. In the morning, they give everyone a skill scroll and by the end of the day, only those who mastered it can go to the next day¡¯s challenge. This is an exciting way to measure whose disciples are the most talented! And our Burning Sea has two disciples in the competition left. As for the rest of the day, and the reason why I am in such a great mood, it is the youngsters battle!


    -Does that mean the disciple from your school are going to battle?


    -That¡¯s right! There will be ten matches in total today. One every hour. And out of those ten matches, there is two with disciples of ours. I am rooting for them with all I have!


    -I wish them the best of luck too then!

 CHAPTER 6

    CHAPTER 6


    -You¡¯re a good kid Mir! But the show itself isn¡¯t that great. To old foxes like us, it lacks excitement so there is a special system to make things more enjoyable. And it is one of the reason I invited you. It is the joy of betting!


    -Betting?


    -That¡¯s right! We bet on who we think is going to win the duel! I was really impressed when you got the cultivation levels of the disciples previously, even more when you found the second inner court disciple. I wish to see whether this old man¡¯s eyes are no good anymore. Will you play with this old man, little Mir?


    -I don¡¯t mind but I have nothing to bet elder Lan.


    -Do not worry! I prepared us an amount of golds to play today. The maximum amount one can bet at once in a battle is 100 golds so I prepared a thousand golds for each of us, Boras as well. The more players, the more interesting it gets!


    -Elder Lan, I¡¯m very sorry, but I can¡¯t be betting¡­A thousand gold is just¡­


    -Dad, let¡¯s play!


    -You heard your son, Boras, just play with this old man here. Don¡¯t worry, even if you lose it all, it won¡¯t matter. When you get as old as me, a few coins don¡¯t mean much! Ahahah!


    -Well then¡­¡±


    Playing with a thousand golds was something a bit too difficult for Boras. He who never had held more than one gold in his life was going to bet with a thousand¡­Mir however was overjoyed. It was exactly as he expected. And now, he had a choice to make heaps of money for his family. But just to make sure, he asked:


    ¡°Elder Lan, if I win money, will it be mine?


    -Mir!


    -Don¡¯t reprimand him Boras. He is right to ask. I will say it only once, little Mir: this money is your capital, it belongs to you. Whatever is left by the end of the day is yours to keep! It is the same for you Boras. But I hope to have you play with me till the end.


    -Yes, elder Lan!


    -Good, good, good¡±


    Elder Lan was enjoying himself. He discussed with a few other elders and Boras while waiting for the beginning of the competition. It began with a ceremony like every day and the insight division. Hundreds of disciples from everywhere were given a scroll and they went outside the arena to cultivate and learn its contents. Then, a commentator walked on the giant arena. It was so big that he looked like an ant. However, his voice was that of a lion yet had a nice ring to it.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, welcome for the fourth day of our Genius Tournament. Once more, we give our thanks to the Imposing Thunder Mountain School for hosting this event this year as well as the Royal Cin family for presiding over it. And now, what you have all been waiting for: the fourth day match-ups! For our first match, we will have to young men battling it out. From the south, disciple of the Wide Green Valley, Jun yan! At twelve years old, he is already at the sixth realm, a genius between geniuses! And opposing him, from the Calm Torrent School, Al din! Fourteen years old and at the sixth realm as well! And now, please welcome the contestants on the ring!!!!¡±


    After that, two young men wearing different colored robes jumped on the stage. They were facing each other. They both looked eager to go at it. Elder Lan was stroking his white beard as he observed the both. He was trying to get insight on the future of the duel. After all, he was here to bet. Mir only gave them a glance. After they jumped on the ring, the commentator spoke:


    ¡°Now, ladies and gentlemen, you have five minutes to place your bets!¡±


    Elder Lan looked at Mir and said:


    ¡°Young Mir, which one will you root for?


    -I¡¯m not rooting for anyone. I¡¯m betting 100golds on Al Din because he is going to win.


    -Oh? You seem to be quite sure of yourself. Very well, I shall play against you and bet on Jun Yan! What about you Boras?


    -I¡¯ll believe in my son¡¯s judgement and bet on Al Din as well.


    -Very well. You! Take our bets!¡±


    A disciple from the Imposing Thunder Mountain School took the bets and then, we discussed on the contestants. After some time, the duel began. The reason why it was one hour long being so that both youngsters can show off their skills. It is a way to showcase the value of the school and for the youngsters to bath in the spotlight a bit. A way to reward them for their success in cultivation. This tournament is a way to honor and respect their diligence. After a dozen of minutes, the true battle began and attacks were sent from everywhere. It was the first time Mir saw a battle between cultivators and he liked it. It was fun to watch and it seems like the child were enjoying themselves as well. It was a great sight to behold. And in the end, it was as Mir predicted, Al Din won the match. Mir and Boras earned 31 golds each from their bets. While Elder Lan lost it all.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    The second match opposed two more men in the same way as the previous battle. This time, again, elder Lan bet on the opposite contestant of Mir and lost again.


    It went on again and again until the match with a Burning Sea school disciple. His name was San Chi, eleven years old and sixth realm. His opponent was thirteen and at the sixth realm too. Elder Lan was excited and bet directly on Sa Chi. However, he was surprised to see Mir bet on his opponent even though he had praised San Chi for long minutes. And in the end, San Chi lost. Elder Lan was beginning to be suspicious of Mir. He asked him:


    ¡°Little Mir, those eyes of yours, can they actually predict the future?


    -Of course, they can¡¯t, elder Lan. However, I can see their battle powers and mental state¡­ Basically, I can see who is going to win since I know which one is stronger.


    -That¡¯s¡­Incredible. I have never heard of such eyes. I really wish you will accept to become a disciple of our school. What you mean is, that you can bet and win your bets every single time, right?


    -That is right, elder Lan.


    -Hum¡­Are you 100% certain?


    -100%. Yes, elder.


    -So be it then, we will base our bets on your insights.¡±


    He got up and turned to everyone from his burning sea school. There were nine elders and eleven students. He said:


    ¡°Everyone, from here on out, we shall bet as one and follow my guest¡¯s insight. I will guarantee success and bear the responsibility of failure, what do you say?


    -Yes, elder Lan!¡±


    Mir saw thanks to his eyes that most of the people here were reluctant. However, elder Lan must have a prominent position in the school because they were going to do as he said whatever the cost. The next match-up was very peculiar as well. It was a nine-year-old girl against a fourteen-year-old boy. They were at the sixth realm though but the age gap was five whole years. It wasn¡¯t much to admit the girl to be a genius. However, nearly no one believed in the young girl. She was after all, young and her battle experience couldn¡¯t be too good. This turned out into a huge gambling stake towards the young man. Every bet was on him so the odds fluctuated. A winning bet on the girl would pay loads. And of course, Mir decided to bet on the little girl. At those words, elder Lan was shocked. Even he was having a tough time believing that the little frail girl could beat this muscular teenager. Yet, he made up his mind and said to his group:


    ¡°Everyone, bet it all on the little girl.¡±


    And they all bet on the girl. And the girl won. And everyone from the Burning Sea School won their bets and got more than three times the amount they betted. 100 golds turned to 315golds for each of them. Obviously, they rejoiced. To the elders, 100 golds was nothing much. To the students, it was already quite an amount that could help them buy resources to help their cultivation. But, in any case, to each of them, they wouldn¡¯t refuse 215golds. They didn¡¯t have to do anything and got so much money? Who wouldn¡¯t be happy? The one that was the most pleased was still Boras though. Such amounts of wealth were incredible to him. Elder Lan was satisfied as well. He looked at Mir and said:


    ¡°Little Mir, thank you for your insights. You gave a large helping hand to our students. Would you mind keeping on sharing those insights of yours with us?


    -I don¡¯t mind. I¡¯m still earning my own keep after all.


    -Ahahah! I am glad to hear that! Everyone, did you hear? Little Mir said he is fine with sharing his insights. What you say to keep following his insights?


    -Yes, elder!¡±


    Everyone rejoiced and it went on with wins. Until the last match. It contained a Burning Sea disciple. However, Mir said he was going to lose. This made the people from the Burning Sea School reluctant. Mir didn¡¯t care and bet anyway on his opponent. However, Elder Lan said:


    ¡°Everyone, I won¡¯t ask you not to bet on Tuan nor will I belittle those that will follow little Mir¡¯s insights. However, I, myself, shall abstain from voting this turn.¡±


    It was understandable. After all, elder Lan was from the Burning Sea school. He couldn¡¯t just go and bet against his own disciple. He knew however that Mir was going to be right once again and his disciple was going to lose. Golds didn¡¯t mean anything to him but that doesn¡¯t mean he was willing to spend them on nothing. So, he decided to abstain, a wise decision for someone in his position. And his disciple lost as predicted. It left the Burning Sea school zone quiet. After some time, everyone started leaving. Elder Lan turned to Boras and said:


    ¡°Boras, would you mind accompanying me for dinner and then some more fun?


    -What sort of fun do you have in mind elder Lan?


    -The Casino. I think that with Mir, we could have a wonderful time gambling through the night!


    -You really enjoy gambling, elder. Mir is still young, I don¡¯t think that it would be proper to have him go betting at the casino¡­


    -I want to keep playing!¡±


    Mir said it like an innocent child and it made both elder Lan and Boras sigh. They knew that Mir faked it but he wanted them to. In the end, they decided to eat and go to the casino.


    The casino was big. At least the same size as the arena. And it was made from the same materials. In bright lightning-like characters were written the words ¡°Allegiance Group Casino¡±. It was the biggest disciple alliance in the Imposing Thunder Mountain school and they were running the greatest entertainment zone for this year¡¯s tournament, the casino. Elder Lan, Boras and Mir entered and were directly guided to the second floor. There were three floors in total. The second one was for VIPs as for the last one was for super VIPs and high gambling stakes. Even though elder Lan could go up to the third floor, he believed the second one to be enough for some fun. He looked around. There were many types of games being played. He looked at Mir and asked:


    ¡°Mir, which one is your favorite?¡±


    Obviously, Mir was familiar with most of them thanks to his previous life. He knew for a fat that even with his eyes, some games were impossible to be won. For example, slots or roulette. You can¡¯t predict the result from seeing it before it starts. Such games are impossible for Mir. However, there are games easy to win. That would be cards. To Mir, it doesn¡¯t matter if they are face down, he can see which number card it is. And so, card games are the best. Next would be to decide on one. The card game with a high rate of stakes¡­Poker. Five cards to determine who wins. Many players and so, higher stakes. But there was something even better. Black Jack. After being given two cards, the goal is to reach the closest to 21 as possible. Basically, for someone who can see the cards, the winning odds are extremely high. Mir decided to pick black jack.


    ¡°Elder Lan, can we play Black Jack?


    -Hum¡­Sure. We can.¡±

 CHAPTER 7

    CHAPTER 7


    CHAPTER 7


    They went to a table where a seat was left open. Basically, when playing black jack, players must place an initial stake. They are then being given two cards. They can increase the stake after every player has been given a card. There are eight players around the table in total. The goal is to get the closest possible to 21 with the cards dealt to the player. With Mir¡¯s eyes, it went smoothly and they were racking in the big bucks. After some time, a disciple member of the Alliance group came to the table and asked for Elder Lan to go to the third floor. He was reluctant. After all, he was making a lot here on the second floor. In the end, he had to go up. He couldn¡¯t be a sore winner and a bad guest. It would be a deterioration of his image. So, he, Boras and Mir were sent to the top floor after having earned thousands. There were only two types of games on the third floor. The martial dice roll and the martial poker. Martial poker was basically poker where the cards had different weights depending on their value. It made it harder for players to look at them and keep their poker faces while doing so. Obviously, it didn¡¯t mean much for those who reached a certain realm like elder Lan. It was the same as normal poker. Martial dice roll is different. The dices were big and weighed each a ton. The glass was even bigger and harder. The ceremony master needed to be at the second rank fifth realm to be able to roll the dice. The players however could be non-cultivators though. But it was still impressive to see one-meter square dices being thrown in the air and having a young man shaking them inside a giant glass/pot. It was quite the sight. The disciple leading the group asked elder Lan:


    ¡°Elder Lan, would you like to try your chance at martial dice roll or martial poker?


    -Hum¡­Mir?


    -Dice roll is easy.


    -Then dice roll it is to begin. How much can we bet on that?


    -There¡¯s no limit on bets here at the third floor, elder. Please enjoy yourself.


    -Then, so be it.¡±


    Elder Lan was grinning. He took a sit with Mir and Boras near him. Then, the ceremony master started one more round. The dice were thrown, the glass shaken and placed facing the ground. The dices were inside. They were down on the ground as well, hidden by the glass. Then, the ceremony master said:


    ¡°Place your bets!¡±


    Everyone was speaking their minds and placing bets. The goal of this game was clear: what was the number on the dices. There were four dices so one had to get the four numbers right. And if one did, he would get double his stake. Elder Lan looked at Mir and asked him:


    ¡°What do you say Mir?


    -How much will I earn, elder?


    -Hmm¡­Half of the earnings.


    -Then, it¡¯s six, four, three, four.


    -Are you certain?


    -100%


    -Good, good.¡±


    Then, he got up and said:


    ¡°100000 golds on six, four, three, four!¡±


    It stunned everyone, even Mir. One had to know the other players had placed bet around hundred golds. Needless to say, all the attention ended on Elder Lan. If he was right, he would be given 100000golds. It wasn¡¯t a small sum. The next players also placed their bets. Many betted on the same thing as elder Lan, thinking he wouldn¡¯t bet so much without being sure. And, when the dices were revealed, it was six, four, three, four. Elder Lan won 100000 golds on his first try. It stunned everyone and all the disciples in charge of the third floor were speechless. Once the golds arrived, elder Lan was overjoyed, he laughed like a mad man. He didn¡¯t forget to give half to Mir and that shocked Boras. Everything that happened this days was too much for his brain to process. He could only remain here with his mouth open. 50000golds. It wasn¡¯t a small amount. It was a giant fortune. The ceremony master went on for a second round. Once more, the show was perfect. And once again, elder Lan turned to Mir. Mir understood and smiled before saying:


    ¡°Four, one, one, two.¡±


    Elder Lan got up again and said:


    ¡°150000 golds on four, one, one, two!¡±


    The players behind him all betted on the same as him with high stakes and¡­It was four, one, one, two. Mir was given 75000golds this time. That¡¯s when a disciple from the Imposing Thunder Mountain School appeared in front of everyone and talked:


    ¡°Everyone, I am Shen Tu, the head of the Allegiance Group and director of this casino. I thank you for your participation today in our martial dice roll and congratulates all our winners. Unfortunately, we will be closing this game temporarily. In the meantime, I invite you to play some rounds of martial poker, thank you very much for your patronage.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    Elder Lan grumbled:


    ¡°Tch! He saw us winning big and closed it right away. It¡¯s the second time we¡¯re driven out of a game.


    -125000golds is a nice sum elder though.


    -Hum¡­You¡¯re right, little Mir, you¡¯re right. How about some martial poker then?


    -Sure.¡±


    However, before they reached a table, someone called out to elder Lan.


    ¡°Oh my! If it isn¡¯t my dear friend Quin Lan!¡±


    As they turned around, they faced a group of four elders. They all had white hair, white beard and the same types of green robes. They were from the Wide Green Valley School and obviously, elder Lan knew them as he answered back:


    ¡°Din Joris from the Wide Green Valley, I didn¡¯t know you were into this type of entertainment.


    -Let us not waste our time, Quin Lan! It is time to settle my debt with you! Tonight, I shall get back my weapon!


    -Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have it on me.


    -Tch! Then, come, do you dare to bet with me once again?! It is your weapon that I will be taking this night!


    -Hum¡­¡±


    After glancing at Mir and seeing the kid¡¯s smile, elder Lan smiled to Din Joris and answered him:


    ¡°I might have some time to accompany you for a few rounds of martial poker if you wish.


    -Good to hear! Let us get a separate room for our showdown tonight! Ahahah!


    -There is no need. Let us play here. I would not be satisfied with only you. If there are other people wishing to play with us, let them come. If not, let there be witnesses!


    -Witnesses?! Sure! Then let us go here!¡±


    And so, they both sat at an empty table and awaited more players. After a few seconds, some elders joined in. They knew each other very well too. There were three men and a woman. They introduced themselves as:


    ¡°Tin Jar from the Bright Crypt School shall join you two gentlemen.


    -Arbi Brid, UnderSky Temple School shall join as well


    -Delfi Alisia from the Black Willow School.


    -Will Helm from the Big Tiger School.¡±


    And from there, a poker game with five school elders began in the allegiance casino. A game with unprecedented stakes in a gambling poker round with five prominent figures from the kingdom¡¯s best schools. The five elders sat down and they discussed the minimum betting amount.


    ¡°Since we¡¯re between us, how about starting with 100 golds?


    -Are you that poor?! Let us start with 500 golds, like real men!


    -Humpf! I won¡¯t settle for less than 1000 golds!


    -Damn woman, you shouldn¡¯t be speaking rubbish!


    -My friends, what are we debating for? As true elders of our respective schools, how could we be playing with such small stakes?


    -Then what¡¯s your proposition, Joris?


    -10000 golds minimum! A true amount worth our standing!¡±


    After this old man said the minimum stakes, there was a long silence, Mir signaled at elder Lan that it was fine and, with the support of Elder Lan, the minimum stake ended up at 10000 golds. As they were going to play, the disciple who previously forced Quin Lan out of the dice game arrived with an elder. The elder smiled and said:


    ¡°Dear friends, how could you play such an entertaining game without having your host, me, Tuan Len, participating? Please let me entertain my guests correctly. This here is a disciple of mine, Shen Tu, and is responsible for the casino, would you give the honor to have him deal us the cards?


    -Oh, Tuan Len! Come, come! It is always a pleasure to rip an elder from the Imposing Thunder Mountain of his belongings! Ahahah!


    -You¡¯re the same as ever Din Joris. If I were you, I would rather not speak too early.¡±


    And so, a sixth elder came and sat at the table while the card dealer changed. It was in fact just a matter of honor. For a game with so many elders, the role of host was given to the favorite disciple and that¡¯s all there is to it. However, before they could start, a group of armored men approached. Out of them, a young handsome man walked out and the elders bowed to him. He dismissed that action with a move of his arm and smiled, then he said:


    ¡°It might be presumptuous of me as I am not a school elder but would you mind me joining you for a game?


    -Oh, prince, please, it would be an honor. However, don¡¯t expect us to go easy on you, ohohoh.


    -That¡¯s exactly what I want. I will be going with ten million golds for this game then.¡±


    After he said ten million, not just the table but everyone in the room got quiet. While a few thousands were nothing to all those elders as they lived long lives and had lots, when it becomes millions and finally ten million, it is different. It is a huge amount. Not something you casually bet with. Elder Lan was frowning. However, they couldn¡¯t get out of it now that they were sitting with a kingdom prince and they agreed to play beforehand. Some of the elders who sat down were regretting their choice. They only wanted an entertaining game with their old rivals, a group of tigers¡­ And they had been forced to play with a dragon. Mare Reg Nio, the ninth prince of the Sea Walker kingdom. They fished a shark while looking for a dolphin. And as they were already feeling their scalp tingling, one more man surrounded by guards appeared.


    ¡°My name is Bolores Dreco, owner of the company Bolores. I can see an empty seat at your table, would you mind me joining in on the fun?


    -Of course not, come, come!¡±


    And so, the CEO of one of the three biggest companies in the kingdom was sitting at the table as well. There were now eight players, the maximum amount possible. It was a full table. Elder lan wasn¡¯t that confident anymore. The stakes had been elevated. Everyone was playing with 10 million golds on the line. A table with 80 million golds in-game. This wasn¡¯t going to end well for most of the players. And between all of this, Mir was there smiling. A five-year-old was betting against five old monsters, a prince and a businessman.


    And so, the game went on. Of course, it didn¡¯t matter who he was against, Mir could see their cards and the cards in the pack. The cards that would be revealed. He could grasp the five cards that would be placed on the table and all the cards in the player¡¯s hands. There was obviously no way for him to lose. However, it didn¡¯t mean he could easily win. The minimum stake was 10000 golds but they all had 10 million golds. It would take too long to go at it once at a time. So, Mir, decided on a strategy he knew from his experience. He was going to bait them all at the same time. And for that, he was waiting for the right cards to go out. The perfect arrangement. Eight hours later, everything was nearly the same with all players having nearly 10 million golds. However, not once did Mir go further than the original two cards he received in hand. It was enough to have many people distrust elder Lan and curse at him. However, it was time. The perfect card setting was going to be given out. in elder Lan¡¯s hands, a six and seven of hearts. In the three first cards returned, a nine of hearts, a nine of clubs and a eight of clubs.

 CHAPTER 8

    CHAPTER 8


    Mir told elder Lan:


    ¡°Elder, this one, we win everything at once.¡±


    Elder Lan nodded and looked at everyone else. Elder Lan was the last to speak and the first was his old rival Din Joris. He had in his hands a nine of spades and a queen of clubs. He was confident on this one. He said:


    ¡°Let¡¯s not doodle around anymore or we won¡¯t be going anywhere for days. I¡¯ll bet a third of what I own. 3.5 million golds.¡±


    It was the biggest amount seen yet. Next to him was elder Tin Jar. He had an eight of spades and a king of clubs. He was confident too. He followed. Next was Arbi Brid with an eight of diamond and a jack of clubs. He followed. And so on. they all followed. Truth is, they all had a chance at this one. There were still two cards to show on the table and they could possibly get either a full house, a flush or even a straight. To all the players, the odds were in their favor. Elder lan followed as well as if it was obvious. His rival, Din Joris, didn¡¯t miss that for the first time Quin Lan went on. so, he said:


    ¡°This seems to be the final round my friends. I shall bet all I have. The remaining 6.5million golds or so.¡±


    This was enough to startle all the players. Sure, the possibility of them winning existed but¡­It was nothing set in stone yet. After all, no one could know the two cards left unturned on the table. Except Mir. The five-year-old kid that was smiling brightly while sitting side to side with elder Lan. Even elder lan frowned once before dismissing that attitude and getting his poker face back. He had faith in Mir. The kid had proved his abilities. The elders took their time before all ending up following. The prince played as well and the businessman joined in. So, did elder Lan obviously. One more card was revealed, an eight of hearts. There was only one last card left to uncover. And everyone had placed all they had on betting. However, before the kid could uncover the last card, elder Joris stopped him:


    ¡°Stop! I want to bet more!


    -Joris, this isn¡¯t a game where you can add after you played everything!


    -Then, let us bet between ourselves, outside of your casino rules! This should be fine, old sack. My dear elders, prince and businessman. I wish to bet my biggest treasure on this one. Is there anyone willing to join me?


    -Interesting, what are you planning on betting elder Joris?


    -My greatest weapon: The Wide green bow! A rank 4 weapon!¡±


    This left people speechless. If 10 million golds were the equivalent of a rock, then a rank weapon was a mountainside. It was priceless. One must know that there aren¡¯t a single rank 4 martial artists in the continent of the five kingdoms. However, a few rank 4 weapons exist. Needless to say, the worth of such item for a martial artist isn¡¯t small. So, him betting this is not something trivial. It could very well place his whole school in danger. After all, it is not like conflicts do not exist between schools and factions. As everyone was hesitating, the prince was first to speak. He said:


    ¡°Since it is a bet outside of the casino rules, there is no need to wait for our turn to speak, right?


    -Of course not, ninth prince. Go ahead if you have something to say.


    -Then, Elder Joris, I will be taking you on in this bet. My bet will be, let¡¯s see¡­ A rank 4 item¡­ This golden sparrow armor!¡±


    Their breaths were accelerating. This was unprecedented. Betting rank 4 items, priceless treasures, on cards! As elder Joris was rejoicing, the business man spoke. He had, in his hands, a six and seven of clubs. With a bit of luck, he might just win it all. He said:


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a rank 4 item unfortunately but I am willing to bet my company, the Bolores International, to replace it. How about it my friends?


    -Of course! It is more than enough; this bet is welcome!¡±


    While it is true that a company is far from having the value of a rank 4 weapon. The dolores company is big and earns incredible amounts of money daily. Because both the prince and the elder believed in their hands, to them, this was only one more piece of meat for them to eat. That¡¯s when the other elders, one after another, started betting as well. They got greedy and forgot the possible losses. This made Mir incomparably rejoice. Elder Lan saw the kid smile. An evil grin that came from his heart. It made elder Lan smile in the same way as he said:


    ¡°I shall bet as well! My Burning Sea Gantlet, a rank 4 item!¡±


    Seven rank 4 items, Ownership of one of one of the three biggest companies, 80 million golds. That was the bet of the century. At that time, everyone had placed their items on the table. It was a sight to behold. Everyone on the third level stopped playing and went to witness this final showdown between great figures. Nine of hearts, nine of clubs, eight of clubs, eight of hearts and finally, the disciple was uncovering the last card¡­Ten of hearts! Every player had a different facial expression, it was impossible for them to keep their poker faces. The first to speak was elder Joris. He was rejoicing and jumping around with his full house. From here on out, they all had either a full house, a flush or a straight except the businessman, he had nothing. And finally, it was time for elder Lan. With the biggest smile of all, feeling like a scammer who successfully deceived all, he revealed his cards and the only straight flush. The winner was decided. It was elder Lan. He took his spoils of war and was going to leave with Mir and Boras when Elder Joris screamed:Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°You must have cheated! You old bastard!¡±


    Angry, Elder Lan refuted:


    ¡°Fuck your old eyes mongrel! What a sore loser! If you didn¡¯t want to lose, then don¡¯t play in the future!¡±


    It also made the prince angry:


    ¡°I saw no cheats whatsoever, as a respected elder of a great school, you should accept defeat in the same way as wins, with humility!¡±


    The Imposing Thunder Mountain school elder was greatly enraged too, it was, after all, organized by him:


    ¡°Do you dare to say that my casino is prone to cheatings?!¡±


    This was turning into a heated argument. But it was comprehensible. After all, the losses were high. The only one who wasn¡¯t screaming was the businessman. He had lost his everything on a card. He was unable to accept it and was on his knees. While everyone was screaming, Mir talked to elder Lan:


    ¡°Elder Lan, I would like to make a deal with that businessman, would it be alright?


    -Hmm! Sure! You are the one who let us win so much, little Mir, after all!¡±


    He was so glad he won, he would agree to nearly anything Mir wanted. Elder Lan went to the businessman and asked him to follow to a private room, ignoring the other losers. There, elder Lan, Mir, Boras and the businessman were discussing. Mir was going to make a deal. He said right away:


    ¡°Bolores Dreco, I will go straight to the point, let us make a deal.


    -What kind? You are the owner of my Bolores International already¡­


    -I will give back that ownership in exchange for two things.


    -Name your conditions.


    -One, I want you to send 5000 golds to my father here, every month and you to guarantee my family¡¯s protection.


    -Agreed.


    -Two, one day, I will ask you to get something for me and you will get it however the cost.


    -Agreed.¡±


    This surprised elder Lan. He didn¡¯t think the businessman would agree so quickly. He said:


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you agreeing too quickly? You don¡¯t even know what he wants.


    -It is better than losing it all. 5000 golds a month is easy. As for a single item, whatever it is, it is more than worth my company. I agree to those conditions.


    -Mir, you should have requested more.


    -No, it is enough. I will secure my family¡¯s lives and earn a favor from a successful businessman. And we both know, elder Lan, that we wouldn¡¯t have the time nor the ability to manage such a company anyway. It is better this way. Let¡¯s make a contract.¡±


    And so, a contract was made. From now on, every month, Mir¡¯s parents would get 5000 golds without having to work. Also, they would be relocated in a mansion near the Bolores¡¯s one, in the capital city. Boras was already out of it. He was no more than a standing pole of flesh. He couldn¡¯t comprehend the situation anymore. After that, they exited the room. All the elders had long disappeared. The shame was intense after losing a priceless artefact. What¡¯s more, it took some long minutes to make the contract. However, the prince was still there, waiting. He smiled upon seeing elder Lan. The businessman left in a hurry. He swore not to bet again. The prince walked towards elder Lan and said:


    ¡°Elder Quin Lan from the Burning Sea school, congratulations on winning tonight. I didn¡¯t introduce myself previously as I thought everyone knew me but¡­Let me do it as a form of politeness. I am the ninth prince of the Sea Walker Kingdom, Mare Reg Nio. I would like to invite you to a second game during the sixth night of the tournament.


    -We refuse.¡±


    Said Mir. This stunned everyone. They didn¡¯t think the five-year-old kid would speak on behalf of the elder who had lived hundreds of years. However, the elder smiled and nodded. The prince kept insisting:


    ¡°Why would you want to refuse little friend?


    -We won big time tonight. You want to get your stuff back but why should we bet again? It is not worth it for us. It is better to stop on a win than keep playing and losing it all.


    -Wise words coming from a young man. Then, what if I placed an even higher bet then? I will be betting two rank 4 items and you will be betting the one I lost, how about it? The odds are even and you could earn triple. Why not play a round of poker?


    -No. We won¡¯t play poker again.


    -That¡¯s¡­ Elder Lan, what do you say?


    -I only played to entertain my little friend here. If he wants to stop, then we will not continue I am afraid.


    -¡­I see. What¡¯s your name little friend?


    -Mir.


    -Young friend Mir, is there a game you would be willing to play against me with the bets I proposed previously?


    -No.¡±


    It was obvious the prince wanted the armor back. It was no doubt important and valuable if he was willing to bet two more rank 4 items against this single one. And so, Mir was playing him. It wasn¡¯t easy to beat this fool of a prince in a bet. However, if there was only a single round, poker was out of question. It would be depending on luck and the cards. Mir would never make a bet he is not 100% sure to win. This was placing the prince in a tight spot. However, to the prince, this was just a child throwing a tantrum. So, he pushed:


    ¡°Then little friend Mir, is there something you want?


    -I don¡¯t know.


    -Then, let us do it this way. In two days¡¯ time, I will send an envoy to elder Lan. Just name something you want and we can bet on it, how about it?


    -Hum¡­No. I don¡¯t want to play poker anymore, it is too long!


    -I see¡­Then, how about a different game? Why not play martial dice roll?¡±


    At those words, both Borias and Elder Lan understood Mir¡¯s scheme. Though they couldn¡¯t believe such a young child was that wick, they knew that the prince was being made a fool by the child. And it didn¡¯t miss, the child said:


    ¡°Humm¡­Alright! Uncle prince, let¡¯s play a round of dice roll later then. I will think of something I want today and tell you tomorrow!


    -Good! Can you promise this uncle you won¡¯t lose the armor until we play again together?


    -Sure! I promise, uncle prince!


    -I shall be promising as well. As an elder of the Burning Sea school, you have my words, ninth prince.


    -This makes me relieved. Then, I will be awaiting your answer little friend Mir. Let us meet again for a game later. Good bye little friend Mir, elder Lan.¡±


    And so, the prince had been baited. After he disappeared, Mir laughed like a mad man and elder Lan couldn¡¯t help coughing a few times to prevent himself from laughing as well. They both knew the prince was bound to lose on this one.

 CHAPTER 9

    CHAPTER 9


    They played through the night so the tournament fifth day was going to start soon. Mir decided to go. He might be a child but a single night missing sleep is still okay. Since he awakened a core, the toll on his body wasn¡¯t that violent. Once more, the Burning Sea School was betting as one with Mir and they won every bet. They were all rejoicing. The students even more. To them, this was a great fortuitous event to have met this betting god of a kid. After the tournament, this time, Elder Lan invited Boras and his child to sleep in the Burning Sea School area. They ended up becoming guests of guests. They were treated as VIPs inside the reserved mansion. Mir didn¡¯t care much. In his previous life, he had been served by many in such ways. Boras however was still not sure whether he was dreaming or not. However, as soon as they got to the bed, they slept without care. The next day was the same. They went to the arena and started betting. However, something strange happened during the fourth match. It opposed a young thirteen-year old girl to a thirteen year old man. Both at the seventh realm. But the young girl had something special. Her core was strange. Rather than it being a simple blue circle, it was a red rectangle. Mir was frowning. Even though he could see what it was, he didn¡¯t know what it referred to. And behind him were around thirty people awaiting his betting orders. Of course, the lady was going to win but¡­He was questioning her core. Feeling something amiss with Mir, elder Lan asked:


    ¡°Mir, is it difficult to determine the winner in this duel?


    -No, elder. The girl will win but it¡¯s strange.


    -Strange? What is?


    -Her core. It¡¯s different. I¡¯ve never seen one like that. They were always blue and circular but she¡¯s got a red rectangle.


    -Oh? Then, this must mean she is a bloodline owner. What can you see exactly, little Mir?


    -Her core is fused with the Raging Inferno Squirrel bloodline. But I don¡¯t know what it is.


    -Hum¡­Raging Inferno Squirrel bloodline. She must be from the Squi clan in the east. A bloodline is basically something earned by an ancestor. By making a contract with a beast or eating thousands and thousands of them, a bloodline develops. It is the fusion of the power between men and beasts. It is extremely rare as the method to make such contracts disappeared with time and there aren¡¯t enough beasts of the same race to go for the second option. Even more so when it comes to powerful bloodlines. The stronger the beats, the less they exist in numbers. However, having a bloodline is an incredible help to martial artist. It enables one to be far stronger. For example, here, you can probably see the difference in both their powers. They are both geniuses, yet, because of her bloodline, her future will be brighter and she will be far stronger.


    -I see.¡±


    Indeed, the power she had was far higher. She could contend with eight realm artists while being in the seventh realm. That¡¯s how powerful the bloodline was. However, Mir was still curious.


    ¡°Elder Lan, what¡¯s this Raging Inferno Squirrel?


    -Little Mir, you do know about the rank and realms we use to determine a cultivator¡¯s level, right?


    -Yes. In each rank, there is nine realms.


    -And yesterday, you learnt about weapon¡¯s rank.


    -Yes.


    -Well, beasts are the same. We rank them so we can have an idea of their races value. Beasts have their own strength measured the same way as ours, in ranks and realms. However, depending on their races, they have strength bigger inside the same realms. To rank them, we used letters. It starts from the weakest ordinary (E) to the (A). There are two more ranks though. (S) is just higher than (A) but it refers to a beast that can become strong enough to destroy a kingdom, a ¡®Special Beast¡¯. And finally, higher than that is (M). It encompasses all beasts able to become strong enough to destroy the whole continent. This is their bloodlines rankings. This squirrel is no more than a (D)-rank. But it¡¯s already incredible. If that girl ends up reaching the third rank, with that bloodline, she would no doubt have the brightest of futures!


    -Bloodlines uh¡­Thank you for the lesson elder Lan!


    -Hmm, Hmm, you¡¯re welcome little Mir! So, should we bet on the girl then?


    -Yes.¡±


    Mir could see the bloodline and just like for the core, he understood the principles behind it. Now, with the knowledge related to it, he could create bloodlines. So, of course, his next step was to get the required ingredients. And for that, what best is there than a prince? The envoy arrived to meet Mir and elder Lan after the day¡¯s competition. Mir told him:


    ¡°I want 20L of a (M)-rank beast or I won¡¯t play!¡±


    This was enough to surprise both the envoy and elder Lan. While the blood of such beasts was rare and priceless, it wasn¡¯t worth the rank 4 armor. At least, in this period, the blood had no real use. It was hard to make weapons and this blood was too valuable to try to use it so it ended up being useless. Except for its value as a treasure and a rarity, it didn¡¯t mean much. The rank 4 armor however could be used! If the prince had enough blood, he would agree is what they thought and he probably had that much blood. If a prince didn¡¯t, then who would?A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Days passed and the night of the tenth day, Elder Lan and Mir went to the casino once more. Boras decided to go with his village friend drinking for once so he left Mir in elder Lan¡¯s care. He had absolute trust in elder Lan after everything that happened. After all, elder Lan had given him 35 million golds already¡­ He was fine with having Mir play at the casino a bit with the elder. And so, at the third floor of the casino, the ninth prince was waiting for Mir and elder Lan. There were dozens of high-ranked individuals here, with the desire to witness this second monstrous bet. The prince walked towards Mir and elder Lan and welcomed them:


    ¡°Elder Lan, little friend Mir, I am glad to see that you¡¯ve come to play with me! I reserved the whole dice roll for us tonight, let us enjoy ourselves. Please take a sit.¡±


    Both the prince and Mir sat shoulder to shoulder facing the giant glass and dices. They were going to have a showdown. A 5 year old kid and a crowned prince. The prince said:


    ¡°You do still have the armor, right?


    -Yes.


    -Good. As little friend Mir requested, I prepared 20Liters of blood from a (M)-rank beast. Please feel free to see for yourselves. This blood comes from an Ancient Divine Mammoth. I don¡¯t have to tell you how precious it is. Rank5 beast when alive, extremely dangerous and user of the light element. Despite its weight, this monster was fast and could fly through the sky without wings. He was defeated more than a hundred thousand years ago yet his blood remains, pure, as you can see.


    -Mir, what do you think?¡±


    In a huge tank, there was a red liquid that had hints of yellow. Mir got up and looked inside. This was indeed the blood of an Ancient Divine Mammoth, a (M)-rank beast race. This w as going to be a good harvest. Mir turned around to elder Lan and nodded. Then elder Lan took out the rank 4 armor, the golden sparrow armor. The prince heaved out a sigh of relief then he turned around and said:


    ¡°Elder Tuan Len, would you mind being our ceremony master for this small bet of ours?


    -It is my honor, please let me. ¡­ Are both sides agreeing to the bet? From Elder Lan, the rank 4 golden sparrow armor.


    -Yes.


    -From the ninth prince, Mare Reg Nio, 20 liters of blood from a (M)-rank beast, the Ancient Divine Mammoth.


    -Yes.


    -Very well. The rules are simple. We will be playing martial dice roll until one side guess the numbers right and so determining tonight¡¯s winner. As per my name Tuan Len and my honor as your guest and an elder of the Imposing Thunder Mountain School, I guarantee a fair match. Now, let us begin!¡±


    As he said that, he took the dices one by one and sent them in the air. Then, he took the giant cup and got the dices inside. He shook the cup and finally placed it down on the ground. The dices were hidden and the game could start. Elder Tuan Len spoke:


    ¡°As the challenger, the ninth prince, Mare Reg Nio, is first to speak for this first round.


    -Five, six, four, one.


    -Contestant Quin Lan.¡±


    Mir was speaking with Quin Lan and told him about his strategy. This would really be making a fool out of the prince and elder Lan liked it very much. So, with a laugh, he said:


    ¡°Five, six, four, two.¡±


    Doing this, copying three numbers out of four, was making fun of someone in this game. It was a way of saying, let¡¯s have a draw first, I can win whenever I want anyway. The thing is, to martial artists, their perception and sight are far greater than your average man. So, this kind of dice roll is not that hard to play. The difficulty level of guessing the numbers on the dice ends up being related to the ceremony master¡¯s level and ability. Elder Tuan Yen was a rank three fourth realm just like elder Quin Lan. And the prince was rank three second realm. Basically, the odds were in favor of Quin Lan even without Mir. It was dice roll. A game where perception rules. The prince didn¡¯t think he would lose. Since he had talked with Mir previously, he thought he would be playing against Mir and was confident. However, facing elder Lan, he would have to get serious. He might be a prince but a rank 4 armor and 20liters of Ancient Divine Mammoth blood lost in gambling wasn¡¯t something he could brush off easily. It would remain as a stain on his image.


    In any case, the first round ended with both player guessing wrongly and so, a draw. It was time for the second round. It went the same way. This time, it was elder Lan¡¯s turn to guess first. With a laugh, he said:


    ¡°Five, six, four, one.¡±


    He repeated the prince¡¯s previous guess. It was clearly a provocation. A technique. Since he didn¡¯t guess it, he was teasing his opponent. But his opponent was a prince. How could a prince not return the tease? What¡¯s more, the prince was unsure about the dices numbers. If he teased back, he would save his face but would have to play one more round. If he tried a different combination and failed, he would lose face. It would be the same as saying that elder Lan let him a free chance and he refused it. He couldn¡¯t take such risks so he went for the back-teasing. He said:


    ¡°Five, six, four, two.¡±


    It ended once more in a draw. The prince was faking a smile while elder Lan was enjoying himself greatly. He and Mir were laughing and having fun. The third round started. It was the Prince¡¯s turn. He didn¡¯t get the numbers so he said:


    ¡°Five, six, four, one.¡±


    Elder Lan laughed and answered back:


    ¡°Five, six, four, two!¡±


    A draw again. The fourth round was the same and so on until the twenty-first round. It was the Prince¡¯s turn. He said once again:


    ¡°Five, six, four, one.¡±


    However, this time, elder Lan didn¡¯t go for a tease. He said:


    ¡°We¡¯ve been playing long enough. Mir, what numbers did you see?


    -Four, Three, One, Six. I saw those elder Lan.


    -Very well. Then I will say four, three, one, six.¡±


    This was the same as degrading the prince to the level of a five-year-old child. Everyone thought he went too far with the teasing and this old man didn¡¯t want his head anymore. However, to everyone¡¯s surprise, when the cup was lifted, the dices numbers were four, three, one and six. Mir was right, the kid was right. Elder Lan got up, took the tank containing the blood and with Mir, they were starting leave while everyone was still stunned, unable to accept the result. Mare Reg Nio was first to react and as he got up he screamed:


    ¡°Wait! Stop!


    -Why for?¡±

 CHAPTER 10

    CHAPTER 10


    He stopped them but he was at a loss as to what to do next. After all, he never thought he would be losing. The possibility of them giving up, to give him face and get on his good side, even crossed his mind as the highest possible outcome and yet, he lost? This was too hard for his brain to process. He was speechless. Unable to comprehend the situation and unable to devise a new move. He was at a loss in all aspects. It was the first time he, as the ninth prince, had lost in such an unsightly way. His face was down the drain. There was nothing left of it. He lost both a rank 4 armor and 20 liters of rarest beast blood. But he couldn¡¯t leave it at that so he said:


    ¡°Let¡¯s bet again.¡±


    Mir turned around with a grin and answered him:


    ¡°What do you have left to bet with us, Mister ninth prince?¡±


    He was ridiculing him, clearly. But the prince was powerless. He couldn¡¯t just bicker with a child in front of so many powerful characters. He sighed, relaxed and said:


    ¡°How about a rank 4 weapon for my armor?


    -What weapon?


    -This one.¡±


    At this moment, he took out a spear. It was a gold spear with decorative wings throughout the whole thing. There was a total of ten set of wings on the spear and both extremities were sharp murderous ends. It was a magnificent weapon. Clearly, it was a powerful one. it looked good and screamed nobility from its entire being. Every man, be they young or old, is interested in weapons. And right now, in this place, every individual was fascinated by the spear. The prince took his time to take in the sight of the spear and with a sigh he said:


    ¡°This is my last property I can gamble. It is the Golden Sparrow Spear. It comes from the Golden Sparrow set, just like the armor I lost to you guys previously. They were both made with the bones and feathers of a Divine Gold Sparrow long ago. This beast was personally killed by one of the previous kings and the set was made on his orders by a master craftsman. All items were then given out to cultivators who played an active role in subduing the beast. They are worth more than your average rank 4 items. I had a tough time collecting just those two¡­ I wish to get back the armor and the only thing I can bet against it is this spear of mine. So, what will it be?


    -Alright! Let¡¯s play one more round!¡±


    Mir was excited. He wasn¡¯t the only one. elder Lan had stars in his eyes. However, seeing Mir, he understood something. Mir wanted the spear for himself and as an elder, he was only here as a bystander. He was there so Mir could play but he himself was just earning profits without doing anything. He swore to give the golden sparrow armor and spear to Mir, even though he coveted them. He also decided to take in Mir as a personal disciple, whatever the cost. So, he went back in front of the dice roll game and sat down with Mir. The prince sat down as well. The spear was placed at his side. It was giving off a beautiful light. Mir was captivated by that spear. It was so beautiful and its aura was incredible. He wanted it.


    The game began. This time, after the pot was down, Mir said first without wait:


    ¡°Six, Three, One, One¡±


    He didn¡¯t leave a second for the Imposing Thunder Mountain School elder to ask elder Lan. He answered. The prince was shaken but after elder Lan nodded, he gave his own answer:


    ¡°Six, Three, Two, Four¡±


    However, once the dice faces were revealed, the prince¡¯s expression turned grim. He had lost the spear. One must know, the prince, while looking like a thirty or so man was more than two hundred years old. It took him a few dozen years to get that spear and he had lost it in a gamble with a five-year-old child. What he felt is impossible to describe in words. Mir took the spear from him without the prince moving. He looked at the spear while licking his lips and placed it in his space bag. Then, he went back to elder Lan and said:


    ¡°Let¡¯s go elder Lan!


    -Hmm.¡±


    The both were leaving for good this time. The prince was on his knees in front of the revealed dices, paralyzed from grief and cursing at his own stupidity. The spectators were slowly dispersing as well. They had witnessed the fall of the ninth prince.


    After some time, he was the only one left inside the third floor. There were still his guards but they would never disrespect him anyway. A few tears dripped down his face then he got himself back on track and said to one of his guard:


    ¡°Investigate that kid. I want to know everything there is to know about him. Don¡¯t leave a single detail unraveled.


    -Yes, prince!¡±


    Then, he walked out and went to his personal guest pavilion.


    The next morning, Boras was dead drunk so Mir left him sleep and went with elder Lan to the tournament. They left him a note. At the tournament, it was the same as before. Youngsters sending rows after rows of strange elemental attacks at one another in hope to demonstrate their worth and shake their opponent¡¯s foundations. It was a show of strength. And today as well, Mir was betting and winning alongside the Burning Sea school students and elders. It was a bright day.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    The prince however wasn¡¯t enjoying himself. He was inside his pavilion and looking through files on Mir. There were no more than a few pages on the guard¡¯s report. It wasn¡¯t a surprise. After all, how much could a five-year-old kid have done? Still, there was more than enough. Particularly, the contents mentioned the kid winning through every bet he made. That¡¯s when the prince got the hint. A small kid with peculiar eyes and an incredible luck at gambling¡­Basically, his eyes can see something that makes it sure for him to win bets. The prince wasn¡¯t dumb. He had been fooled but he now understood the gist of it. He couldn¡¯t help but laugh at his own rashness. He murmured to himself:


    ¡°I have lived so long as a prince that I became too complacent. I should remember this as a precious lesson¡­ Now, how can I use this to profit myself?¡±


    Time went by and a few days later, elder Lan and Mir received a dinner invitation by the Prince. Obviously, they were still rejoicing in their hearts about fooling this old prince into losing precious stuff so they didn¡¯t think twice before accepting. And they ended up being led inside the inner court of the Thunder Mountain School. There, it was a place only the true VIPs could enter. Even elder Lan wasn¡¯t supposed to. His status was high but not that high, only the headmasters had the rights to go there. Yet, here he was, with Mir, being led to the most sumptuous restaurant of the inner court. Kept by inner court disciples, the plates were full of delicacies. And here they were, dining with the ninth Prince. He was giving him off a different vibe than previously. He was smiling. Even though he should have been grieving¡­ It made Mir shudder. He knew this expression. It was one of someone who was up to no good. And he was right. The prince said:


    ¡°I admit my losses. After thinking, I was a true fool. Your eyes, little friend Mir, are quite incredible. What power do they contain I wonder? And as for you elder Lan, you are quite cunning. To use a kid to gamble¡­But I lost so let the past stay in the past. I invited you today for something else. I wish to turn this previous misery into an opportunity.¡±


    This was giving off a bad vibe to Mir. He knew this was going to be a pain. In the end, the fact that he was a weak child right now remained. He only acted like that previously because he had elder Lan protecting him. Still, it might have been a bad idea to mess with royalty so soon¡­ If something bad happened, no one would be able to save him. Elder lan was however fine and eating to his heart¡¯s contents. When the prince talked about an opportunity, he looked at him seriously and said:


    ¡°What are you scheming?


    -Oh, elder Lan, we both know that you¡¯re even more cunning than I am. That being said, it is true that I devised a nice scheme. In a few days, for the finals, a few brothers and sisters of mine are going to come to watch. I want to gamble with them and, I want to win. For that, I wish to receive little friend¡¯s Mir help.


    -You want to implicate a child in the royal family¡¯s matters?! I can¡¯t let it happen. This child has a bright future ahead of him, I am against it. It is too dangerous.


    -Dangerous? It is only a few rounds of dice roll¡­


    -Still. Assassination is not something new in the royal family matters. If I am not mistaken, you plan on betting the royal tokens, don¡¯t you? This would be too big a burden on my shoulders, let alone on Mir¡¯s!


    -I am aware of the risks. That is why I prepared a mask. This can hide both your identities and conceal your auras. No more risks. What do you think, little friend Mir?


    -¡­What are those royal tokens?¡±


    The fact is, Mir was from another world and in this world, he was a farmer¡¯s son. There was no way he would know about a royal token so he had to first ask about it. Seeing that, the prince frowned but nevertheless patiently explained:


    ¡°The royal family is big. Because our father, the king, like every previous king, is a powerful martial artist, he lives long. And so, he has lots of children. I am the ninth prince but there are more than fifty of us¡­ The reality is that we can¡¯t just decide on the future king by age only as our lifespans are in the hundreds, even thousands. So, a rule was invented. The token rules. A single royal token is given to every boy and girl at their birth. They are the symbol of their royalty. To be eligible for the candidacy as the next king, one needs to get ten of them. There are three ways. The first one is to get those from their brothers and sisters. The second one is to achieve something great enough that the king himself will reward a token. The third one is to be deemed worthy by an important figure of the previous generation as they have kept their own tokens. As of now, only the first, second and third sons are deemed eligible. I planned on gambling those tokens with my brothers and sisters and win, to become eligible.


    -Why don¡¯t you achieve something rather than tricking your family? Or get recognized by your peers?


    -Elder Lan, please don¡¯t joke. Our father has never handed a single token for achievement in a thousand years¡­ And regarding being recognized, those old fools still believe they themselves can become the next king. I am the ninth. My only way is to get them from my brothers and sisters, even if sounds bad. Anyway, what do you think, little friend Mir, will you help me?


    -Why should I? What do I get in return?


    -Whatever you want.


    -That¡¯s too intangible. I won¡¯t help you with just words.¡±


    The prince was shaken. It is true he believed he would face some resistance from Elder Lan and maybe from Mir but he believed he could win over him by promising him the moon and the stars. However, this child was bulletproof. He was so wise for a kid it was terrifying. The prince decided to negotiate with him as if he was a grown-up since considering him a kid was what led him to a loss in the first place. The prince braced himself. It wasn¡¯t easy for a conceited member of the royal family to place a kid as an equal, but he swallowed his pride and did it. He said:


    ¡°Then, tell me, name your price.


    -What can you do for me? What do you have that I don¡¯t and can¡¯t get no matter how hard I try?


    -¡­A handsome appearance? I can arrange for a master alchemist if that¡¯s all there is to it.


    -Elder Lan, did he just insult me? He did, didn¡¯t he?


    -Ahahah, sorry little friend Mir but I had to. It made me feel better to tease you a bit. Now, to answer your question, I believe it would be status, right?


    -Exactly. I am no more than a farmer¡¯s son. I want more.


    -Hum¡­Right now, I can¡¯t do more than give you the lowest nobility title, knight.


    -That would do. I want it for elder Lan as well.


    -For me? Little Mir, I thank you for your intention but it doesn¡¯t mean much to me. As a school elder, a nobility title doesn¡¯t mean much¡­¡±


    Elder lan was glad. Seeing Mir seeking benefits for him made him have an even better impression of the kid. A five-year-old able to scheme with a prince¡­This kid, if he matures safely, what kind of monster would he become? Elder Lan was impatient to witness his growth. He stroked his beard ina delighted way. Then the prince spoke:


    ¡°Alright. I can name you both knights.


    -My father too.


    -Three knights¡­I can do it. So, do we have a deal?


    -Of course not. That¡¯s only the first requirement.


    -What else do you want?

 CHAPTER 11

    CHAPTER 11


    -Blood and parts of high-ranked monsters. And rank 4 items. I want a few of them. And cultivation resources.


    -Don¡¯t you already have lots of them? And can¡¯t you easily win them?


    -It would be easier to get everything at once. And I believe this price is small for what you would earn yourself.


    -Hum¡­You are right. Unfortunately, those things don¡¯t grow up on trees. I myself don¡¯t have any left. But my brothers and sisters do. Once I get the tokens, they will be willing to do anything to get them back. How about I give all the additional profits to you and agree to keep betting till you are satisfied?¡±


    One must say that this was a particularly interesting deal. The possibility to bet with royal children unhindered. It isn¡¯t something you can do every day. Mir was thinking hard. The benefits of such a game could be tremendous. It wasn¡¯t something wealth could ever compare to. A five-year-old kid had the possibility to become a noble and the chance to bet without limits with royalty. If this wasn¡¯t a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, then what was it? Mir knew from his past experience. Once you let it pass, the opportunity doesn¡¯t come back again. It¡¯s not a circle. You take it or lose it forever. He sighed and relaxed himself on the chair. Then he thought hard about it again. The benefits, yes, they are abundant. But the risks¡­They existed as well. As the saying goes, there is nothing free in this world. But the possible gains were just that valuable. In his previous life, Mir was a businessman, an entrepreneur. How could he be fearful of a few risks? You have to give in order to receive, that is a basic. He looked at the worried expression made by elder Lan and sighed again. However, he had made his choice. He had always been greedy after all. He looked straight into the Prince¡¯s eyes and said:


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    Time passed. It was the fateful day of the youngster¡¯s final. There were many princes and princesses here to assist at the final and see a good battle. But it wasn¡¯t all. They didn¡¯t all come here for a simple young talent battle. They were here for something bigger. A few days ago, they received a letter signed by the ninth prince. On it, those words were written:


    High stake MARTIAL DICE ROLL


    You are by the present invited to a night of gambling by the ninth prince, Mare Reg Nio.


    It will be taking place at the Allegiance Group Casino¡¯s third floor In the Imposing Thunder Mountain School after the young genius division finals.


    Authorized bets: Royal tokens, Rank 4 Items, Rare species blood and parts.


    There is no restriction to the entourage of the guest.


    Mare Reg Nio


    This was enough to get the interest of all those royals. Royal tokens aside, even rank 4 items and rare species parts were enough as baits. The fact that the host was the ninth prince made it more than authentic. He was renowned for his liking of entertainment. The prince had been meticulous in his choices of guests. He sent the invitation letter only to a few royals and important personalities he knew would be interested. What¡¯s more, with the backing of Mir, he wasn¡¯t the slightest bit perturbed. He had organized everything to the millimeter. It was going to be a slaughterhouse and he was the butcher.


    The night fall upon this soiree. At the third floor in the Allegiance Group, there were dozens of people. All of them were the cream of the cream of the kingdom. Except for Mir and elder Lan. They were wearing masks and following silently behind the ninth prince as he walked around chatting and exchanging courtesies with others. After an hour or so of the basic useless talk, he went to the center of the room and jumped on a table. Then he asked for some silence and began:


    ¡°Thank you very much to everyone to be here tonight. I am delighted to see so many familiar faces. Now, let us partake in tonight¡¯s main event, the high-stake gambling: Martial Dice Roll! Please, may the participants take seats around the cup.¡±


    After he spoke, he was the first to take a seat right in front of the cup. Mir and elder Lan sat behind him. Then, different people of diverse backgrounds sat around here and there. All in all, there were twenty-two players. All of them were owner of one or more royal tokens. They were the prince¡¯s brothers, sisters, uncles and aunts. And behind them were their aides. Remarkable people from all fields and backgrounds. The prince couldn¡¯t help but secretly laugh at the sight. He was indeed on the verge of turning his previous misfortune into the greatest of opportunity.


    He had tasked Elder Tuan Len to be the master of ceremony once again. As an elder, his status was below everyone in the room, however, his fairness was acknowledged by all. he started the game and took his role to heart. It was an honor to have so many distinguished guests playing at his own casino. The first dozen or so games were played betting some small stakes, (S)-rank beast parts. Of course, they were very valuable but their worth was the lowest out of the authorized bets. And now, it was finally time for the ninth prince to talk first and have the chance to decide on the stake. Up till now, he had followed the plan. It was to lose every round so as to let the others let down their guards. However, it was time for him to speak. In dice roll, there was a very nice rule. One can¡¯t bet on the same numbers as another contestant. That is why being first to speak is an advantage. To Nio, this was a sure win situation. With Mir¡¯s abilities, and him speaking first, what was there to worry about? So, he said:This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°We¡¯ve enjoyed the warm-up for long enough, let us not waste too much time. As the host, I will be making the first step. I am betting a Royal token on this one round. Who will join me?¡±


    Even if royal tokens were mentioned on the invitation, they never thought the ninth prince would be foolish enough to really bet one. it was far too valuable. However, this was exactly the opportunity they came to look for. Up till now, it took no more than three rounds to finish a game. And not once did the ninth prince win. Even more so, they heard about his crushing previous defeats and his loss of two rank 4 items. His precious golden sparrow relics were taken. They believed he organized this gambling night in hope to go back on tracks. They thought he was desperate. And him betting a token was proof enough. However, the players here were reluctant to bet something that valuable. It wasn¡¯t something they could earn or find again if they lost it. After a long silence, an old granny said:


    ¡°Nephew Nio, I came here precisely for this gamble, I will be taking you on.¡±


    And as she said that, she placed a royal token in front of her. Here was the first fish baited. And soon after, more placed their tokens as a bet. While betting one token to get one felt hard to do, once there are a few tokens to be won at once, the urge to play goes stronger and it is harder to resist one¡¯s greed. In the end, out of the 23 players, 15 had placed a royal token as bet. There was no record of such a bet in the history books. It would no doubt be recorded for years to come. Whoever would win this round would earn the qualifications to be a king¡¯s candidate. It wasn¡¯t a trivial matter. And it was all going to happen through a single bet. What were the odds?!


    The one feeling the highest amount of pressure however wasn¡¯t any of the players. It was elder Tuan Len. Whatever the result would be, he, as the ceremony master, would be in a really tight spot. He knew he had the fate of the kingdom in his hands. Or at least, that¡¯s what it seemed like. The reality was cruel. Everything was already settled as soon as the other fourteen players placed their tokens as a bet. It was already decided. The fate of the kingdom was in Mir¡¯s hands and no one else¡¯s. and of course, his goal was far from just some tokens¡­


    Elder Tuan Len sent the dice in the air and got them in the cup then, for longer than before, he shook the cup and finally put it all down. It was time for Nio to speak, all eyes were on him. That¡¯s when, for the first time, one of the people beside him murmured something in his ears. Nio smiled and said with confidence:


    ¡°Four, One, Two, Five¡±


    After him the fourteen others guessed the numbers as well. The dice were revealed and Nio was deemed winner. He got the tokens and left everyone speechless. It felt great to be the one fooling others. He felt bliss like never before. Out of his two hundred more years of life, this was the peak. He was bathing in the limelight like never before. He would be able to receive the acknowledgement of his father and officially enter the crown competition with his three older brothers. This was a memorable day. He was living the dream. So, he got up and faked leaving. That¡¯s when his aunt who had lost a token screamed:


    ¡°Nephew, don¡¯t be in such a hurry after a single game! Why not keep playing with us for a bit?


    -Hmm¡­Alright. But I already earned everything I needed. What else is there for me that I would have to remain here?


    -How¡­How about another token nephew?


    -Sorry, I already have enough of them.


    -Then¡­What do you want to bet?¡±


    They had planned all this beforehand. It was going perfectly according to plan. And so, the next step was this:


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind betting a token, I have a few spares after all now. But the bet has to be worth it you know. If you want to play with me, you have to put out three items for each game. They have to be at least rank 4 items or (M) rank beast parts, no less!


    -That¡¯s¡­¡±


    To people, this token was their future. But the items and parts were very valuable too. They knew that if it was a one-on-one, they might have a chance but facing so many people, winning was a distant dream¡­ as they were all considering whether to laugh or cry, a prince stepped up. He was the thirteenth. He said:


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind playing a game with you brother! How about three rank-4 items for a token, are you in?¡±


    The thirteenth prince was cunning. He didn¡¯t bet a royal token previously so he didn¡¯t suffer any loss and now, he wanted to bet for a token using items that were valuable in their own way but far less than the tokens. This felt like a joke to the observers. However, what stunned them even more was what the ninth prince answered:


    ¡°Sure, as long as you got the three items, I¡¯ll gladly play. However, as I am betting something more valuable as a favor between family members, I ask to be the first to speak.¡±


    Be they those that lost their tokens or the opportunists that didn¡¯t, everyone placed bets this time. They didn¡¯t even care that the prince would be first to speak. Sixty-six valuable items were placed on this bet. Forty-four rank-4 items and twenty-two parts of (M)-rank beasts. It was a fortune impossible to imagine. Enough to establish a top rate school even. The dice were shaking inside the cup and the hearts of people were beating like crazy. The excitement was real. With a loud bang, the cup shot down and it was time to speak. After Mir told him the number, the prince repeated them with confidence:


    ¡°Five, Five, Three, Three¡±


    Everyone else guessed and the numbers were revealed. It left people without words. Once more, the ninth prince, Mare Reg Nio, had guessed right. He won everything, again. This time, however, even after his family members asked him to keep going, he refused. Mir had been clear, only one more game to retrieve lots of items in one-go. But no more so as to not be suspected of cheatings. Winning twice in a row is already suspicious, if it happened three times, it might get really dangerous. They left and directly went into a private room inside the famous inner court restaurant. Mare Reg Nio was overjoyed and laughing with enthusiast with elder Lan as they drank beers after beers. Being martial artists, they wouldn¡¯t get drunk unless they wished to and they only wanted to party this time. Even with age, there are some things that don¡¯t change. Celebrating a tremendous success is always a pleasure. They were eating and drinking as if they had been starving and laughing about their successful scam. Mir was forbidden from drinking because he was after all a child. The old man inside him was sulking. He too wanted to get drunk on the success. But since he couldn¡¯t, he was looking at his spoils of war with a smug face as he stuffed his mouth with chicken legs. The night raged on. the lights never had any time off. It went on and on. They partied like young men fooling around with beers and the young disciples from the Imposing Thunder Mountain school. It was quite the sight. Two old men who had lived hundreds of years teasing young girls. Mir was teasing them too and using his age as an excuse, he enjoyed himself greatly that night. It was a well-deserved party to celebrate their evil deeds.


    After some time, elder Lan and Mir left. They were accompanied to the door by the ninth Prince. That¡¯s when elder Lan and the prince both noticed the glaring eyes of hidden people. Mir however didn¡¯t feel anything wrong and was still drunk on the adrenaline from the party. The prince murmured to elder Lan:


    ¡°Should I have someone to look after you guys?


    -No need. They wouldn¡¯t do anything in this school during the tournament. And it¡¯s probably just this dumb Din Joris anyway. We¡¯ll be taking our leave, Prince Nio.


    -It was a pleasure, elder Lan, little brother Mir, have a safe trip back.¡±

 CHAPTER 12

    CHAPTER 12


    The elder nodded and took Mir¡¯s hand. While it felt somehow weird as he never let his own father take him by the hand in this life, he decided not to protest over it tonight. Only tonight though. They both entered the inn and elder Lan left Mir once he was sure he had gone to his bedroom. Then, rather than going to sleep, he got outside again after depositing his space bag on his desk. The eyes were still there, monitoring his every move. He walked fast, faster than any man running could. And walked far enough that he left the Imposing Thunder Mountain School premises. He was several kilometers away, in a desolate land. There were trees everywhere around. He had stopped in a plain with small green grass. He was standing in the middle of the area. After a few seconds, he calmly said:


    ¡°Get out. we¡¯re far enough that there¡¯s no need for you to hide anymore.¡±


    Chuckles were heard as several people got out of the forest and appeared in the plain. They were facing the elder that has turned to see who they were. He was quite surprised. There was indeed the Wide Green Valley elder Joris. But he came with a few other elders of his school. Though they were weaker, they weren¡¯t weaker by that much and he was alone. To deal with Joris would have been tough enough but with the other elders there¡­The prospects were grim. Still, it was better to face him now and lose than to have him target the kid. He readied himself and took a fighting stance. He had his knees slightly bowed, ready to propels himself forward. With his hands clasped into a fist and a pam respectively. However, Din Joris only laughed at the sight and said:


    ¡°There¡¯s no haste, elder Lan. Everyone has yet to come out.¡±


    Elder Lan frowned as the forest whistled and figures got out of it and walked on the plain, stopping around elder Joris. There were many people from different factions but they were, for most of them, easy to discern. They were people sent by royals. They had the armor with the princes and princesses crest on them. Elder Lan sighed and put his hands up in the sky. He said:


    ¡°How did this happen? I understand you being there Joris as you always had a grudge against me and our last bet is enough reason for you to go out of your way to arrange a nice rendez-vous with me. But did you have to treat me to such a fancy party? How did you get royals to stand up for you?


    -Humph! Don¡¯t you dare do this, old fox! I was there that night when you stood behind the ninth prince and used your tricks to have him win all bets!


    -Yes, I saw you there...But I was also watching the show, with the spectators. Sure, I have ties to the prince and his winning that night is something I rejoice at. But! I have no part in the matter!


    -Humph! You dare! Old fool! I, for one, could recognize your aura from miles! And those people are no different. You can¡¯t hide the fact that you were there!¡±


    Elder Lan chuckled to himself and thought ¡®Well, not a bad night to die, is it? The moon is beautiful, the scenery as well and I had the time of my life at a royal¡¯s party. What¡¯s more, dying while fighting alone so many prominent characters¡­ Not bad at all.¡¯


    He was ready to go all out if need be but he decided to ask one thing before:


    ¡°Why did you come for me tonight?


    -As much as I hate to say it, we still need the items back and we would like for you to confirm the identity of the third person.


    -Ahahah! What a joke! Those are both things I shall take with me to the grave!


    -Yeah, that¡¯s what I hoped for to be honest. I¡¯m glad you are not being a disappointment to my expectations. Men, capture this old fool! We have much to ask him!


    -Try it if you can, you bunch of mongrels!¡±


    It was one against many. But elder Lan was serene. He started channeling his energy and began using a skill at the same time as his opponents did. They shot him all kinds of weird energy skills. It was as if dozens of fireworks with different shapes and colors collided together to go straight towards elder Lan. He condensed energy into his fist and turned into the fire element. His fist was encompassed in violent energy, ready to go out and erase all. He paced himself and threw out a fist, tearing out the ground under his feets and destroying everything in his way. This was one of the three secret skills of the Burning Sea School and the one they were most proud of, the [Great Burning Sea Fist]. By condensing incredible amounts of energy and element of fire in one¡¯s fist then discharging it all in one great punch. The fire was unending and burnt even the air. This skill was named as such because it was rumored the school founder succeeded in burning the sea with this fist attack when he used it. And tonight, elder Lan would have made him proud. His mastery in the skill was high and he carefully used his energy and the element to reach a perfect mix. His martial art was used to throw the punch in the most efficient way and the fire was forming a fist itself as it travelled towards the incoming bunch of attacks from his opponents. The fire trail it was leaving behind making look like a fire arm extending. The skills colluded and a devastating explosion unfolded. Elder lan was projected hundred meters away while his opponents didn¡¯t budge. As he got up, he laughed. Elder Joris laughed as well and praised him:


    ¡°You are indeed worthy of your titles, elder Lan of the Burning fists! This was a wonderful use of your school heritage and demonstration of your mastery. I praise you for it! However, it seems like it won¡¯t be enough. I don¡¯t think you have any trump cards to use and even then, I doubt they would change much of the current situation. Why don¡¯t you just give up and do as we say?


    -Ahahah! What a beautiful night to die a warrior¡¯s death! Come! Let me have the time of my life!¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Elder Joris laughed and murmured to himself:


    ¡°You¡¯ve always been such a crazy man, but I liked that about you, you wouldn¡¯t have been a worthy rival otherwise.¡±


    Then, he turned to his men and said:


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, we will end this.


    -But, elder Joris, didn¡¯t the royals asked to bring him back alive?


    -Can¡¯t you see this old fool? He is resolved to die tonight. Let us grant him his wish as a way to honor his position and his life.


    -Yes, elder!


    -Now, go!


    -Yes, elder!¡±


    The battle began once more. As the different cultivators from the different factions began concentrating their energies, elder Lan did the same and took the same pose as before. He was going to unleash his secret skill again. Though it consumed a lot of his energy and mental awareness, he had no other choice if he wanted to stall for time.


    After a few more exchanges, he was hardly able to stand on his legs. At least, he couldn¡¯t take a step. He was bleeding all over, had bruises everywhere and his clothes were torn in so many places it would be easier to name the places they weren¡¯t. he was in a bad state. And it was his last time standing back up. The opponents were fine, if a little exhausted. They were only battling from afar because it was less risky for them. Individually, they might lose to the elder and to fight together, they needed to be spaced out. To not interfere and endanger their comrades. That was the reason it was taking so long. But as the fight was nearing its end, elder Joris, that was in charge, stopped them. He said:


    ¡°Lan, won¡¯t you admit defeat and follow us? This is me giving you one last chance.


    -Ah, guess life would be boring without your old rival, wouldn¡¯t it? Unfortunately, I don¡¯t plan to ever surrender to anyone.


    -That is a shame, indeed. I honor you for the life you lived, Lan. Now, you die. Any last words?


    -Screw you.¡±


    At those words, rows of flashing attacks were fired towards elder Lan. He was unable to face them anymore and closed his eyes. Death was accepted. But just as he thought it would happen, an explosion that shouldn¡¯t have happened saved him. He opened his eyes again and saw the ninth prince, Mare Reg Nio, on his right and the Imposing Thunder Mountain grand elder Tuan Len. Next to him were four other elders, Tin Jar from the Bright Crypt School, Arbi Brid from the UnderSky Temple School, Delfi Alisia from the Black Willow School and Will Helm from the Big Tiger School. The first to speak was elder Tuan Len. He screamed to elder Joris:


    ¡°What the hell do you think you are doing, Din Joris?!


    -None of your business, Tuan Len! Get lost! And you all old folks as well!¡±


    The next one to speak up was elder Delfi. For a woman, she had quite the charisma as she screamed:


    ¡°Idiot! Of course, it is our business! You are trying to kill Quin Lan over an item! One that you lost fairly! And you are doing all this during the Genius tournament! You damn imbecile!


    -Tch. So, what if I am? Get lost! Or I shall add you all to the list!¡±


    At those words, the prince chuckled and answered him:


    ¡°Try it if you want!¡±


    Then, hundreds of soldiers appeared from the forest, standing behind Mare Reg Nio. They were all wearing golden full-plate armor with the ninth prince crest in them, on their torso. They were willingly letting out energy so others could feel their power. They were all rank three warriors. Such an army wasn¡¯t to laugh at. Elder Joris had been proud that he could rally a few royals to launch the attack but there were only four dozen of them on his side. Facing a few hundred monsters was suicide. The grand elder and the ninth prince himself would have been enough to prove a hard fight but a whole army? Impossible. Elder Lan laughed as he said:


    ¡°Ahahah! It seems like it isn¡¯t yet time for me to blow my last fire!¡±


    Then he passed out and fell to the ground. This made a few of the grand elders on his side laugh. Elder Delfi was the one to approach him and said:


    ¡°I guess it falls upon me to look after him since I am the only one with herbal knowledge here. You men fight out between yourselves.¡±


    She got on her knees and looked over elder Lan. She started taking out medicines and items from her space bag and began treating him. At the same time, the prince walked forward. He said:


    ¡°Elder Joris. I know that most people think of me as a prince that enjoy luxuries and fooling around more than anything. And, due to that, most are forgetting about that simple fact. The one that my personal army is the most powerful out of all the royals except those my father has already recognized as potential successors¡­Though I will soon surpass them too. Anyway, choose. Get lost and never appear again or die. This is the same for you all and your employers. Tell my brothers and sisters not to mess with my friends or there will be consequences.¡±


    Everyone felt shiver down their spines. This threat wasn¡¯t empty. The sight of the hundred soldiers was not a joke. It was serious business. The people here were going to depart when the prince went on:


    ¡°You heard me too, Cassius.¡±


    There was a slight pause from anyone as they all turned around to face east. From there, a man stood out from the forest. It was a tall and burly man wearing violet armor. He had the helmet on his hand and was revealing his scar-filled face to all. He had a bright smile on his face. He was Cassius. The second son of the king. Mare Reg Cassius. He stopped a few meters away from both sides and laughed before saying to his brother:


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like this, little brother, I only thought it might have been fun to play with you all for some time.¡±


    Everyone present frowned at his words. If Mare Reg Nio had a big army, Cassius had a huge one. but the difference was that Cassius didn¡¯t need it. He was strong. All the people present were rank 3 but they weren¡¯t at the same realms. The elders were around the sixth and seven realms and the soldiers fourth to six realms. But Cassius? He was at the ninth realm. He was a powerhouse. A monster. No one doubted that he could slaughter everyone that was here. He had that power. A single expert can take on hundreds of amateurs. This saying doesn¡¯t come from rumors. However, at those words, one person laughed whole-heatedly. It was Mare Reg Nio. He knew his brother quite well. After so many dozens of years living with him in the palace¡­ His brother probably came here to make sure nothing happened to elder Lan too. He was a man that strived for justice and he wouldn¡¯t stand by if his own family had tried to assassinate someone for winning a bet fairly against them, no matter the stakes. That¡¯s when Mare Reg Nio remembered one of his brother¡¯s advice and said:


    ¡°If you can¡¯t afford to lose, then don¡¯t bet. Was it?


    -Ah, found out, am I? Well, it was a nice show that they gave. I enjoyed myself enough for tonight. I will be going back first since the festivities are ending. Goodbye everyone.¡±


    Mare Reg Cassius then disappeared with a strong gust of wind. It was him taking off at full speed through the forest. Mare Reg Nio was right. He came here in the first place because he heard of the betting invitation his brother sent and had been curious. Then, he thought there was going to be a nice battle and followed the scent of hatred to the plain. He would have stood out for elder Lan too. He didn¡¯t like injustice. Even if he was a prince, he had never been once unjust or abused his position.


    As he left, many sighed in relief. But gasped as Mare Reg Nio fixed them. He said once more:


    ¡°All of you scram. And don¡¯t you dare try anything again.¡±


    They ran away. All of them but elder Joris that left after a few words:


    ¡°I shall have revenge in a different way then. When he wakes up, tell Lan I will surely find him for a new bet.¡±

 CHAPTER 13

    CHAPTER 13


    They took back Lan to the Imposing Thunder School then his inn and room. By that time, only the ninth prince and elder Delfi were with him. The soldiers were forbidden to enter the school grounds as they were a personal army. The elders didn¡¯t have anything left to do with elder Lan, only elder Delfi as she was healing him. The ninth prince just made sure he was brought back safely. Then left. Delfi ruffled through elder Lan¡¯s grey hair as she murmured into the ear of the unconscious old man. After she finished healing him, she gazed once at him, sighed, and left as well.


    The next morning, elder Lan and the ninth prince were so fucked up, they had to stay in bed. They said it was due to heavy drinking¡­Mir went with his father to tour around the stalls. Today was a break after the finals. They enjoyed a calm and relaxing trip alongside the roads of the Imposing Thunder Mountain school outer court. It was a nice bonding time between father and son, though the father was oblivious to the evil deeds of his son, scammer of royalties¡­ And finally, the true competition was going to start, the under twenty division. Basically, the true genius was going to fight it out and the final winner would be crowned number one genius of the Sea Walker Kingdom. To Mir it didn¡¯t mean much, at most, it meant a few thousand golds more earned through bets. But that was about it. However, to elder Lan, it was a very important time. The dozen or so disciples that had been waiting and betting alongside him for the past month were going to compete. It was a crucial time. As Mir was sitting beside elder Lan, he could feel his heartbeat as it was so loud. The old man really was excited. However, Mir knew his school had no chance to win. In this division, the Royal Palace School was taking part and they had always won. It was a fact and everyone had talked about it during the past month, they awaited the true geniuses entrance. But before that, there was the opening ceremony. It was done by the king himself.


    An old man wearing gold came on the scene. He was tall and stood straight. His face was reflection of age itself yet his eyes were fierce and determined. As he stood there alone, no one dared to utter a single word. the tens of thousands of spectators were quiet, it was overbearing. This old man¡¯s aura really was something else. Mir couldn¡¯t help but gasp at the scene. Everyone had a solemn expression and waited in silence for his words. And he began:


    ¡°Dear friends from all over the kingdom and further away, welcome to the Sea Walker Kingdom and our Genius tournament final division. This is the 12630<sup>th</sup> edition and I, Mare Reg Ichi, with my title as king, declare this competition open!¡±


    He opened his arms and the screams were without break for minutes. However, the king wasn¡¯t moving. After a time, it became quiet again and he went on:


    ¡°However, before that, I will be taking the opportunity to announce a very important matter. I ask for my son, Mare Reg Nio, to get up on stage.¡±


    Mare Reg Nio, wearing gold like his father, got up on stage. He wasn¡¯t looking like the drunkard from two nights ago¡­ And elder Lan didn¡¯t forget to joke on that with Mir:


    ¡°Look at this guy, not fooling anyone! Clothes don¡¯t make the monk! Ahahah!¡±


    However, once he got on stage, the elder shut up, like everyone else and the king spoke:


    ¡°Yesterday, my ninth son, Mare Reg Nio, brought me ten royal tokens! Everyone here should know what this means. I declare, right here and right now, with my power as king, that the ninth prince, Mare Reg Nio, is qualified to contend for the throne!¡±


    This caused a huge tsunami of discussions from people. It wasn¡¯t anything trivial, they were talking about the future of the country. And this ninth prince, he was renowned for drinking and gambling and enjoying life¡­How did he get ten royal tokens?! People were debating and discussing however, they were shut by the king¡¯s words.


    ¡°Everyone! Now, I shall announce the beginning of the competition! May the first contestants come in the ring!¡±


    After that, the king and the prince got off and let two young men go up. It was an honor in itself to be the first stepping on the ring after the opening ceremony. They were both powerful martial cultivators at the second rank seventh realm. What¡¯s more, their battle power was nearly identical, at least they were very similar. It was a very enjoyable battle and a fitting start for the competition. During the fourth match, an envoy from the ninth prince left a message for elder Lan. He and Mir were invited to a diner, a celebration for the ninth prince recognition.


    The party was complete and filled with high personnel. However, the guards and such were also partying alongside them, regardless of ranks. This night, every worker affiliated with the ninth prince was allowed to enjoy himself and bath in the glory. It was his way of thanking them for their support. Mir understood easily that this was all just for show, a businessman way of making sure the sheep keep working from now on. as expected, it went on with formalities and greetings, all useless talks and stupidities. It was saddening to see it from the side. Before, Mir was in the position of the prince or at least one of the executives. Now looking at it from an external point of view, he only felt pity and disdain. Even some shame towards his past self. After a few hours of party, the prince went to see elder Lan and Mir, they were enjoying themselves with a few maids at that time¡­ They went to the private office of the prince and closed the doors behind them. The prince had not drank yet which was rare. He said:


    ¡°Thank you for everything. Meeting you was a misfortune but we turned it into our greatest fortune. To my newly-found friends. No. To my new brothers-in-arms!¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    It was his first coupe of Champagne of the night and he exchanged it with Mir and elder Lan, going as far as to call them brothers. It meant a lot. After he finished his glass, the prince said:


    ¡°I¡¯ll go straight to the point. It worked well once, I want to go for it again.


    -Ninth prince, that¡¯s¡­


    -Please, brother Lan, call me Nio, we are brothers now!


    -¡­Then, Nio, I would prefer it if we could refrain from taking such huge risks. Haven¡¯t you earned enough already?


    -Oh? It¡¯s not for me this time. It¡¯s for little brother Mir. Have you heard of the king¡¯s challenge before?¡±


    Elder Lan knew and so was taken aback, however Mir had no idea what this was about so he asked:


    ¡°What is it?


    -To put it simply, little brother, it is as its name implies, one challenges the king. If he wins, then he earns glory and a unique title bestowed upon him by the king himself. He becomes someone protected by the kingdom itself. One can challenge the king as long as he has two things. First, he needs to be referred by a prince qualified for the succession; here, there is me. Second, he has to sacrifice a royal token. I have a few leftovers so we¡¯re good there as well.


    -What if he loses?


    -He dies. His family die. His friends die. And the prince is beheaded alongside his guards and servants. Considerable risks, high returns. If you were able to win, we would be legends.


    -No, I won¡¯t bet using something that doesn¡¯t belong to me and all those lives are not mine to play with.


    -Hum¡­That¡¯s too bad but then I guess it is understandable. Anyways, we won so let us enjoy the party. From now on, you can consider me your brother till death! Let¡¯s go back!¡±


    The party was nice, even more so after most of the girls got drunk. Profiting from his age, Mir did all sorts of lewd things and they were brushed off as a child¡¯s play. No one was even questioning how a five-year-old kid got to be at this party, that¡¯s just how messed up they were from drinking. Most people weren¡¯t martial artists and even those who were let the alcohol take effect. After a few hours, even Mir was able to get his hands on some booze in secret. And when he woke up, it was still the night¡­The second day. It had been a violent party. He roamed around the villa looking for elder Lan and found him snoring in the giant bathroom alongside a dozen young people from both genders. He partied hard as well. After Mir woke up, he was complaining non-stop about his head hurting. But they had their fun.


    The competition went on with Mir winning every bet and a disciple from the Royal Palace School winning the overall competition. After that, it was time to leave. They went to pick Mir¡¯s mother and headed to the capital. There, they bought a mansion, hired servants and guards and finally Mir left. He took 10 million golds with him and left the rest to his parents. Elder Lan had offered him to enter the Burning Sea School. He had accepted and his parents consented. After receiving millions of golds, how could a farmer not trust in someone?... And they knew their son was fated for more than cultivating potatoes. So, Mir departed for the Burning Sea School.


    On the way to the school, Mir asked something he had completely forgotten:


    ¡°What kind of place is the Burning Sea School?


    -Oh, that¡¯s right, we never really talked about it¡­ Hum. Let¡¯s see. It is about the same size as the Imposing Thunder Mountain School. The number of disciple is different though and so are the rules. We have three distinct categories of disciples. Outer, Inner and Core. They are the same as the other schools but the eligibility rights are different. For outer disciple, one must be under ten with an awakened core. We accept nearly everyone in as long as they can cultivate. Because of that reason, we have more than ten million outer disciples¡­To get into the inner court, one must reach the second rank before 20. It is quite difficult considering the talent required and the resources needed.


    -What do you mean elder?


    -To martial artists, there are two ways to cultivate. One is to meditate and absorb the energy between heaven and earth. Everyone can more or less do it but the effects take time. A very long time. Most artists only meditate to recuperate their stamina and only the poor ones are forced to use this method to break through. The second method is to absorb the energies from medicine and such, like the pellets you earned in the quiz. It is far faster and the results are greater by a large margin. However, it has a cost. Not everyone can start like you with ten million golds and a supporting elder ahah. And because of the high number of outer disciple, resources are sparse and the competition for them is harsh. Only the most talented are then able to distance themselves from the crowd. That being said, we still manage to have more than two hundred thousand inner disciples. Since disciple can stay and learn until they finish their first century, most inner disciples are quite old compared to you. They enjoy great resources while in the inner court so they generally stay until they reach the hundred years of age. Those are our pride. They either become elders of the school and stay to nurture future generations and benefits from our facilities or go back to their families and such. Well, they end up as strong individuals. And finally, the core disciple. Only the most outstanding talents are given the authority as core disciples. It isn¡¯t about ranks and age but rather strength, achievement, backgrounds¡­Many things are considered. They are the top of our school. As of now, we only have four such core disciples.


    -They must be incredible then if they are only four of them qualified.


    -They are indeed. Core disciples are those who will achieve wonderful things without doubts. They either become grand elders, like me or even headmasters. For the most outstanding, they are hired by the royal palace¡­Only good things await them.


    -So, elder Lan was a core disciple then?


    -Ahah, that¡¯s right! Are you impressed?


    -Yes¡­ Anyway, what will I do there?


    -Hum. I thought about it for a while. At first, I wanted to send you I the outer zone like anyone else because even if you had talent in awakening, it doesn¡¯t mean much if it doesn¡¯t blossom. However, after everything that happened, I changed my mind. You¡¯re still too young. For the next two-three years, you will be staying with me as my ¡°assistant¡¯¡¯. It is just a way to keep you close for some time until you mature enough to be sent in as an official disciple. I will also be able to nurture you better this way. What do you think?


    -I am grateful to elder Lan!


    -Good, good.¡±


    Obviously, it was better to stay close to elder Lan for now. As he said, Mir was ¡°young¡± and weak. If he entered the outer zone, he would be bullied and his talent might never have a chance to blossom. It was better for him to remain hidden for a while. Mir understood that fact very well. He knew from experience that children were evil. And if it was a place of severe competition, the violence would be increased. Even with rules, he would become a target since he looked and was officially so young. He was really grateful to elder Lan. The old man had thought this through and didn¡¯t disappoint Mir.

 CHAPTER 14

    CHAPTER 14


    The Burning Sea School was located in the far south of the Sea Walker Kingdom. Basically, as its name implied, it was closed to the sea. But more than Mir expected. The school was actually in the sea. Not far from the beach, there was a mountain range coming out of the sea, this was the Burning Sea School territory. A total of forty-one peaks that were towering through the sky and piercing the clouds. Around each peak were walls blocking the waves from the sea. It felt like the mountains were floating on the sea. They were linked to each other¡¯s by stone bridges with the same walls on each side. It gave the feeling of walking in the middle of the water. The stones were bright red and Mir guessed that the name of the school came from there. The mountains were full of red bricks making it feel like flames protruding from the ocean. It was actually a beautiful sight. Elder Lan got down from the horse and took Mir down as well. They were on the beach. How long had it been since Mir had walked on a beach? In his life, never and in his previous life¡­He couldn¡¯t remember. Ever since he started high-school, he had worked hard without true breaks. The sand was brightened by the sun and he couldn¡¯t help but taking his shoes off to enjoy the feeling of walking in the sand. It felt good and relaxing. He nearly wanted to lay down right there and take a nap but elder Lan told him:


    ¡°We still have a long way to go. The horse can¡¯t go further so we have to cross the bridge ourselves.¡±


    The only way to get to the school territory was by crossing the giant bridge that went there from the beach. It was long. A width of a hundred meters with walls on each side, around five meters high. It was an impressive architecture. But Mir was more curious about something else.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t the horse go further?


    -Only beings with an awakened core are able to walk on the bridge. That is the reason why our Burning Sea School has never hosted the genius tournament until now even though we are one of the best schools. Don¡¯t ask me how it works, I have no idea. And if you¡¯re wondering how the bridge ¡®floats¡¯, the reason is simply that they aren¡¯t floating. There are pillars supporting them. It¡¯s said that when the school was founded thousands of years ago, the ocean was further away and the school was actually in a valley. It only became the Burning Sea School years later and obviously got its name because of the red stone.


    -That¡¯s incredible.


    -Isn¡¯t it? Well, there are many more surprises awaiting you further ahead, let¡¯s go little Mir.


    -Yes, elder.¡±


    Mir put his sandals back on and followed the elder. They were silently crossing the giant bridge. It was infinitely long so it would take time, he could only see red bricks stretching to the horizon. What¡¯s more, as child, he couldn¡¯t walk really fast. As he was following silently, he noticed the emptiness of the bridge even though it was that wide so he asked:


    ¡°Elder, how come there¡¯s no one on this bridge?


    -That¡¯s because the doors are closed at this time. Our Burning Sea School has a policy. Our doors only open once every month for the disciple to go out except in June where it is time for disciple¡¯s recruitment. Since we¡¯re in October, there is no one allowed in or out.


    -Won¡¯t we be blocked outside then?


    -Do you think the disciple rules apply to the elders? Ahah. I can come and go as I please. And since I want you to get inside as well, you will.


    -That¡¯s great. What about this then?¡±


    After discussing, he noticed something in the distance. It was still only a black dot though. The elder sighed as he saw that. Because of his attainment in cultivation, his senses were sharp and he could easily see what this black dot was. He turned to Mir and said:


    ¡°You¡¯re young but you are quite wise so there is no need to hide it. ¡®This¡¯ is the truth of humans. Greed.¡±


    At first, Mir didn¡¯t understand the elder¡¯s words. While they were profound and he could grasp on the concept, since he couldn¡¯t see that far, he didn¡¯t know how it could be related to such a truth. However, as he grew closer, he understood. There was a giant black pot on a side of the road and from there, a tree that was four meters high had grown. It wasn¡¯t impressive as it looked like a basic tree. What¡¯s more, because of the season, there wasn¡¯t a trace of green on it. But there was still something there, something peculiar. Something hanging down from a branch. Hanged by the feets, there was a young man, no older than fifteen, a teenager. He was out of breath, nearly naked except for briefs and had bruises and scratch all over his body. It was obvious he had been mutilated and left there in a near-death state. The elder¡¯s words, Mir could know understand their link with the sight. Under the tree were some words. It said, ¡°Enemy to the Outer Fire Alliance¡±. Mir didn¡¯t know about the Outer Fire Alliance but he knew what this meant. This guy offended some group of people and they dealt with him. Mir looked towards elder Lan for explanation. He was also frowning at the sight and told Mir:


    ¡°During the quiz, the host were some herbalist group, right? Well, our school is authorizing the foundation of groups too. It strengthens the minds. This poor sap probably angered this Outer Fire Alliance and they got revenge on him when the doors opened at the start of the month.


    -Aren¡¯t they going to be punished?


    -No. if it was inside the school, they would. But this bridge is considered ¡°outside¡± and everything that happens outside is out of our jurisdiction. Or rather, we don¡¯t bother with it. The outside world is a dangerous place, we try to teach that to our disciples. That being said, I am not too proud of this. I don¡¯t approve of this. But what is there to do? Ahh¡­ This poor kid is finished.


    -What do you mean?


    -He can¡¯t move. He¡¯s been lucky to survive this long after the gate closed. As soon as a flying beast spot him, he¡¯s dead.


    -You won¡¯t help him elder?


    -Hmmm¡­ What can I say? After you¡¯ve lived as long as I did, life doesn¡¯t hold the same value. I¡¯ve seen so many people die after all unfairly at that. This world is cruel. Even if you help one, there will be a second and third¡­And the one might need help again. If you can¡¯t see something to the end, there is no point in trying.


    -Basically, if you don¡¯t have the power to help everyone, don¡¯t waste time helping any?¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    What Mir said was a philosophical truth from his previous life, it definitely wasn¡¯t something elder Lan would have expected from this child. He thought the child wouldn¡¯t understand and ask to save the hanging kid. Elder lan would have done it, if only to give the child some happiness and left him with a clear mind but he didn¡¯t expect the kid to understand him and not plead for the hanging child. But the words Mir said after were even stranger. He asked the elder:


    ¡°Can we bring him with us as a test subject then? I need to test stuff regarding martial arts cultivation and he probably doesn¡¯t want to die.¡±


    To think a five-year-old child could talk so seriously about human experimentation was something unexpected but after so long, elder Lan swallowed his surprise. Mir was just too strange and wise for his age. He was a monstrous child with a devil¡¯s mind. However, elder Lan nodded. Mir had earned many items back during the tournament, he would want to test them obviously. Having a test subject then wouldn¡¯t seem idiotic but rather smart, it was rationally a clever idea but still, to have a small kid say that and think it through¡­ It was still hard to accept. That¡¯s when the hanging kid spoke:


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with being a test subject as long as I can survive this one time¡±


    The kid was barely hanging on to his live yet, he was still conscious of his surroundings and able to talk. It seemed like he wasn¡¯t just a dead punching bag. The elder and Mir looked at him curiously once more. They both saw that the injuries didn¡¯t all come from a single time. This kid had been bullied for some time. But Mir also saw the kid¡¯s cultivation. He was a peak fourth realm. For his age, it was average but it would be enough for Mir to test things. Mir asked the hanging kid:


    ¡°Do you want revenge?


    -Yes.


    -Good. You¡¯ll do. Elder Lan, can we?


    -¡­Hmm¡­


    -You said you could do as you pleased for the entrance to the school, didn¡¯t you? Please, elder Lan.


    -Alright. Let¡¯s get him down first. Mir, you don¡¯t have any healing medicines, right?


    -I don¡¯t.


    -Then consider this a present from me.¡±


    After that, elder Lan got the hanging kid down and fed him a green pill. Then Mir saw something unbelievable. The injuries on the kid¡¯s body were rapidly disappearing and healing. It was going on at a tremendous speed. After a few minutes, the dying teenager turned healthy. He opened his eyes, got up and clapped his hand while bowing:


    ¡°I thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving me, as I said previously, you can use my meager life as you see fit.¡±


    Mir was stunned speechless. The eyes of the kid in front of him were full of determination and the strongest will to live he ever saw. It felt strange. What¡¯s more, the kid was fine with giving up his live for some time if it was enough to repay his savior. This world was filled with strangeness to Mir. But he was someone who could adapt to things, so he nodded at the bowing kid and asked him:


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?


    -I am an orphan, people here called me ¡®dog¡¯.


    -And what¡¯s the real name?


    -I don¡¯t have any.


    -Then, let¡¯s find one. how about Oka Mi?


    -Okami?


    -Yes, I think it would fit you quite well. It¡¯s up to you though.


    -Okami is fine. I will go by this name from now on.


    -Good, then let¡¯s go, Oka.¡±


    Elder Lan looked at Mir as if he found it dumb to give a name to a test subject but he brushed it off and led the way for the two kids. Oka was following behind Mir like a servant, it was quite the sight since he was quite tall. Around 1.80meters. He was also fairly good looking now that there were no more bruises on his body. He had short black hair, they probably cut it for him before hanging him down¡­It seemed like people here liked to have long hair for some unknown reason. He had piercing brown eyes and was quite muscular, what you would expect from a young martial artist basically.


    They walked for a long time before arriving to a dead end, or rather, to the school gates. They were big enough to cover the whole bridge. There were people wearing red and blue robes in front of the door and some were standing on a tower post, keeping watch over both the bridge and the ocean. They were the gatekeepers of the school. As elder Lan approached, they respectfully clasped their hands and bowed while saying:


    ¡°Salutations to elder Lan!¡±


    He only nodded in response and asked:


    ¡°Open the gate, I will be going home with those two.


    -Yes, elder! Open the gates!¡±


    Mir thought they would be opening the whole thing, having the giant bridge gates completely open. He was wrong. Only a small section, no more than ten meters in length, opened and folded itself on the other part. Elder Lan laughed at Mir and explained:


    ¡°It¡¯s a folding door type. We can open it in different width. This is the smallest and the one used generally. Now then, let¡¯s go, we have a long road until we reach my mountain.¡±


    Mir frowned at the thought of the elder owning a whole mountain but thinking back, it was possible, he was a grand elder after all. They passed through the gates and they were closed behind them. They were in a small square with a few houses. It was around 100 square meters. From there were three bridges leading to the three closest mountains. Elder Lan went on the middle bridge and was followed by Mir and Oka. As they walked further and further down the bridge, they crossed paths with hundreds of disciples. Most of them were polite towards elder Lan but disdainful towards Oka. The rest were polite towards elder Lan and didn¡¯t even glance at Oka. This showed how much respect elder Lan enjoyed in the school and how hated Oka was. Mir started to wonder just how much this dumbass had messed with others and who he offended. It¡¯s true that he needed someone to test his stuff and theories on but if he had to shoulder grudges because of that, it might have been better to find a different test subject¡­ While they walked, there were many intersections as bridges connecting all mountains were linked together. It formed a true labyrinth of path inside the ocean. From the sky, it must have looked incredible. But they were inside the bridge so all they could see was red bricks and hundreds of disciples wearing the same robe. Mir didn¡¯t like this type of cloths. Truthfully, in his previous life, if he had worn such a thing, he would have been a laughing stock for others. He was the type to wear expensive black suits to sleep. A true Richard. Where on earth would you find a rich man in a robe? Not where he had lived at least. So, it felt weird to see hundreds of people of both genders wearing the same robe. He asked elder Lan:


    ¡°Elder Lan, do disciples here are forced to wear the same robe?


    -No. This is the ancient robe of our school. According to the rules, you can wear whatever you want as long as our emblem is on your back. They are wearing this robe because it is our official ancient cloth, it¡¯s to show their respect towards the ancestors. Don¡¯t you like it?


    -Honestly, I don¡¯t like robes. They aren¡¯t practical¡­


    -Well, you¡¯re young¡­¡±


    Elder Lan sighed and Mir nearly told him to screw off with his ¡°you¡¯re young¡±. He wasn¡¯t young, only his body. It really was a pain to be considered a child. The biggest difference between this world and Mir¡¯s previous world was the value of honor. It was higher than anything, even life. People could kill to escape humiliation. They wouldn¡¯t mind suicide as well to not shame their name. it was a strange world and Mir had a tough time accepting the value of honor. In his previous life, honor was worth nothing, only by discarding it early on could one rise in ranks. By the time he jumped, he had long since given up on his honor and his pride. But here, people were honest and cared about honor. It felt strange to him. To the point of not understanding why they would wear this robe to honor dead ancestors. In his previous life, you would go to a ceremony once, a burial, and that¡¯s it, the deceased had been honored. Here, they were honored even thousands of years after they passed away and by people that didn¡¯t even knew and cared about them. He couldn¡¯t grasp the concept. Not yet at least.


    After more than two hours of walking, they took a turn in a secondary bridge and headed towards a green mountain. The sight was slightly different from the previous mountains as there were a lot less houses but a lot more fields. Elder lan said with pride:


    ¡°This is my personal mountain! It¡¯s named the Herbal Mountain and only the members of my herbalist association are allowed to step in. the reason are those fields! Here, we cultivate all sorts of rare and precious grasses and plants. From now on, you guys will be living there with me, at the very peak, of course.


    -Awesome¡±


    Mir was really expecting wonderful things from this. His goal in this life was simple: live greatly and lavishly without care for others. This place would be the first step to reach that goal.


    <u>First Part - END</u>

 Chapter 15 - Beginning of second part

    <u>Chapter 15</u>


    <u>Second Part ¨C Martial Debut</u>


    They walked up the mountain and reached the highest building. It was a radiant palace made from red bricks as well. However, it had plants and moss growing everywhere on it. They were fluorescent and lighting the building even in daylight. The building itself wasn¡¯t anything impressive, just like a big apartment complex. There were a few statues around it in the front. They were the busts of the previous owners of the place. Since only grand elders were eligible to own a mountain in this school and they all had high cultivation, they lived for a very long time, hence, there weren¡¯t many statues. There were six of them. Except for the old man¡¯s faces, there were a few words written under stating their names, cultivation and accomplishments in herbalism. It was a way to honor the ancestors again. However, this type of honor wasn¡¯t giving Mir a sense of idiocy or such. Having a statue of yourself was also a mark of respect in his previous life. Only for the greatest men and women though. Obviously, he didn¡¯t have one even though he was very rich. One needed much more than that there. Here, they needed a single thing: talent. Unfortunately, it was obvious that he himself didn¡¯t have any. The only reason he awakened wasn¡¯t due to talent or abilities but because he saw how to forcefully awaken through his peculiar pupils. He had seen many more things along the way, and here on this mountain, he would test how effective they could be. But there were orders to everything. As they entered the building, they saw many old men discussing and debating on topics related to the genius tournament results, herbalism or the school. As they saw elder Lan entering, they all got up, bowed, cupped their hands and said:


    ¡°Welcome back to grand elder Lan!¡±


    It was a type of respect even greater than the previous disciples. After the greeting, two elders came to the group of three. Mir had seen them before at the tournament. They saw him and welcomed him with a smile:


    ¡°If it isn¡¯t little friend Mir! Your accomplishments during the genius tournament didn¡¯t go unnoticed, we are very grateful for your help then. You provided a great amount of resources for our younger geniuses, thank you.¡±


    They smiled brightly at Mir and he smiled back saying:


    ¡°It was a pleasure to be of help to the Burning Sea School.¡±


    The two elders nodded. They were obviously satisfied and had great opinions towards the child. Because of that, the other old men present became curious. One of them asked elder Lan:


    ¡°Elder Lan, won¡¯t you present us those two kids you brought in? It is very rare to see you bringing in disciples after all.


    -You are right. This child here is Mir. I met him at the genius tournament and we enjoyed ourselves in many rounds of gambling together. Rounds that we won thanks to his incredible talent. You probably already heard about him before I arrived. I will add that he is five years old and has already awakened. I invited him to join our school and he accepted. However, as he is still so young, I fear for his wellbeing in the outer zone and I don¡¯t wish to see such talent withering away so he will be staying here for some time. To that end, I plan to give the official position of my assistant.¡±


    This raised quite a fuss. While it was true that they were happy to welcome Mir in, the position of the grand elder¡¯s assistant wasn¡¯t something trivial. Even the two welcoming elders were slightly disapproving such a treatment. However, elder Lan then said:


    ¡°This little friend helped me win a few rank-4 items during the tournament, he deserves the greatest of treatments. What¡¯s more, his insights are particularly good and he would be a valuable help to my researches.¡±


    By stressing the insight word, elder Lan suggested to the other elders that Mir had a strange power in his sight. They were all smart and experienced old men, they understood what elder Lan meant. Mir helped him get his hands on rank-4 items. This would be enough to make him worthy of the VIP treatment but he also had strange eyes with a valuable power. Adding those, it was no wonder he could receive such treatment. But the elder¡¯s words also meant that if the elders here were to disrespect the kid, elder Lan wouldn¡¯t stand by and watch. They got the message clearly. But then, they looked to the other kid. He was only wearing a pair of briefs. They were frowning at this. Elder Lan had forgotten about this. He looked at Okami and asked:


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have any clothes to put on?


    -They stole my space bag.


    -I see. Elder Lo, go fetch two robes for the kids.


    -Yes, grand elder Lan!¡±


    As Elder Lo rummaged through his bag and took out two robes before handing them to the kids, the other elders got closer to elder Lan. The kids wore the robes. They adjusted themselves to the right size in a magical way that surprised Mir. He didn¡¯t like wearing this but right now, he could only bear with it. Everyone was wearing it¡­ It would be dangerous to not do it with his status. He was a VIP only if elder Lan wished it. He couldn¡¯t make too many waves from the start. At that time, noticing the curious glares from the crowd of elders, Elder Lan sighed and continued:The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°This kid was named Okami. He¡¯s here as little Mir¡¯s aide. From here on out, please treat the both like personal disciples of the herbalism mountain. If they need pointers or helps, don¡¯t hesitate to provide it if you can. If a single problem occurs related to them, contact me right away, understood?!


    -Yes, grand elder Lan!


    -Good. Then, Little friend Mir, Okami, let me show you your new rooms.¡±


    Elder Lan directed both kids to the second floor of the large building. From here on out was a long hallway stretching in both directions. There were tens of doors. As Elder Lan walked in the corridor, he said:


    ¡°The ground floor is used as a gathering place to discuss discoveries and such, the first floor is used as the elder¡¯s lodgings, the second floor is reserved for the disciples and the third floor is mine. Please refrain from going wherever you want, be respectful towards the elders and cordial with other disciples. Here, those two rooms are yours. You will be neighbors. If you need me, Mir, come to the third floor, I will try to always be available to you. You can also ask the other elders for help when needed. Do you have any questions?


    -If people are living here, what are the other buildings on the mountain?


    -There are four others ¡®big¡¯ buildings as you call them. The storehouse. We stock many herbs, plants and such since this is the Herbal Mountain. It is located at the base of the mountain, it is a commercial zone. We sell herbs and medicines to the disciples and elders from there. If you want to buy or sell things, just go there. The second one is the Lab. It is a place to research and produce pellets, pills and such. If you go there, you can rent a room to experience that. It has a giant flask statue in front, easy to find. If you go in while wearing the herbalism armband, they will give you a reduction.


    -Armband?


    -In your rooms, there is a bag containing necessities and presents given to new disciples of this mountain. There¡¯s an armband inside, the motif is a leaf, not much thoughts were given on the design but it does its part. Wear it whenever you go out. It is proof of your status. No one will dare mess with you if you wear it. Now then¡­The third building is a training center. Even us old folks still try to breakthrough in martial cultivation and learn new skills. This is the place we use. And finally, you¡¯ve seen a few houses and fields, they are considered one. it¡¯s the herbal grounds. Only people from this herbal mountain have access to them, mostly elders. We use them to grow plants obviously. Some are keeping animals as well. If you need some space, tell me and I will arrange it but don¡¯t expect too big of an area!


    -Alright, thank you very much elder Lan!


    -Good. Then, I will be going now. I have to report to the headmaster and deal with the state of the mountain, I¡¯ve been away for some days after all ahahah!¡±


    After that, elder Lan left and Okami was staying still behind Mir. It was like a soldier awaiting his orders. in fact, he really felt like a dog¡­ He probably lived toughly till now. But Mir wasn¡¯t going to pity him. The kid didn¡¯t have eyes showing that he needed to be pitied. Mir told him:


    ¡°First, check your room and the bag. Then, come into my room and we will discuss things.


    -Yes, master Mir.¡±


    Being called master felt weird to Mir. Even in his previous life, even though he was respected, it wasn¡¯t going further than chairman. So, he turned around and said:


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever refer to someone as master. Your only master shall be yourself.


    -Then how should I call you?


    -¡­ Boss, no, Young boss should be fine?


    -Then, young boss, I will do as you ordered!¡±


    After that brief exchange, Mir entered his room. This Okami kid was going to be his first lackey. However, he couldn¡¯t have a weakling as a right hand, he was going to turn him into a monster. But that was for later. First, he looked at the room. It was spacious. As big as his previous home. Around 15 square meters with a big bed, a wide closet, a safe and a desk. There were a few things on the bed. First, there was the armband elder Lan mentioned previously. It was small, blue and red and had a white leaf on it. The symbol of the Herbal Mountain was a white leaf. The contrast with the colors blue and red made it easy to see at least. Mir put it on his left arm right away. He was probably the youngest ever to wear this armband. He didn¡¯t care much about that though. The next item on the bed was a backpack with the same colors as the armband. It even had the white leaf on it. Mir looked it up but didn¡¯t get what was impressive about it. So, he checked the rest. There was a small box containing ten pellets. They were rank 1 ninth realm pellets; they were precious. He put the box in his space bag. And finally, there were two books. Or rather, there was only a few pages on each book. And they were blank. It was weird since the titles were ¡°All herbs¡± and ¡°All Beasts¡± but there were no contents. Anyways, he put them away in his space bag and that was it. Then, Okami knocked on the door while saying:


    ¡°Young Boss, may I?


    -Yes, come in.¡±


    The fourteen years old boy came in and stood in front of Mir. Mir was observing him through the mysterious power in his eyes. This kid was in the fourth realm and at the peak, he would soon be able to try to breakthrough. Before Mir said anything, Oka took out the box with pellets in and handed it over to Mir while bowing:


    ¡°To the young boss.


    -Keep it. I received my own box.


    -I can¡¯t, they don¡¯t belong to someone like me. It would be better for young boss to use them instead!


    -No, I need you to get stronger so use them well. Anyway, here, sit down, I will share my plan with you.


    -Yes, young boss.¡±


    Oka sat down next to Mir and turned to him. It was laughable to see a fourteen years old being so serious and respectful towards a five years old but no one was inside the room to laugh at this situation. So, the atmosphere remained tense. Mir asked Oka:


    ¡°What is your goal?


    -I want to be strong. Enough so that no one will ever disrespect me and I will be able to have my own family!


    -I see. Mine is similar. I want to live in luxuries without a care and for that I need to be strong. But I also need to have strong allies. Truth is, I don¡¯t need a test subject.


    -Then, why did you save me, young boss? Do you want me to become your ally? I am not strong so I can¡¯t be of any use.


    -Don¡¯t worry, I can make you strong. Right now, I am weak too. Because I am too young. It is already a miracle that I was scouted by grand elder Lan. But since it happened, I will be making the most of it. I want to make a deal with you: swear loyalty to me as my right hand and I will give you power. Not just enough to be respected but enough to be feared and worshipped. How about it?


    -Young boss, your proposition sounds very good but¡­ It¡¯s hard to believe. As much as I respect you and am grateful, you¡¯re only a five-year old child. I¡¯m not that old but I know for sure it¡¯s impossible for you to do what you¡¯re claiming.


    -I like your opinion. It is better to have someone able to question me rather than a dumb follower. Then, let me do it this way: if I can make you stronger, will you reconsider my offer?

 CHAPTER 16

    CHAPTER 16


    -If you can really provide what you offer, my life is yours, young boss.


    -Good. Then, let us not waste time. The Lab was in the middle of the mountain, wasn¡¯t it? Ah, wait, we need to go to that storehouse first. Let¡¯s go down the mountain.


    -Young boss, aren¡¯t you taking your backpack?


    -I have a space bag though?


    -The space bag can stock many things, true, but this backpack can keep them in their state when they entered. It is a special item used to preserve the energy inside things.


    -Is that so? Then, I will take it. Thank you for telling me, I¡¯m still new to this martial thingy. By the way, do you also know what the books were about? The pages were blank.


    -You need to channel energy into the book for it to reveal its contents, young boss.


    -Oh? What an interesting thing. Well, let¡¯s go. We got much to do today.¡±


    They walked down to the ground floor and were stopped by one of the two welcoming elders. It wasn¡¯t planned but they still showed him respect and listened to his words. He looked amiable and said:


    ¡°Little Mir, Little Okami, where might you two be going?


    -To the storehouse to buy things, elder.


    -Oh? Will it be your first time there?


    -Yes, elder.


    -Then, would you like me to guide you there?


    -We wouldn¡¯t want to trouble elder.


    -Don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t have much else to do today, I am taking a break!¡±


    Mir had never seen someone being so proud of being on a break but he kept that to himself and answered with a smile:


    ¡°Then, we will be troubling.. elder?


    -Ah, that is right, I didn¡¯t introduce myself yet. You can call me Elder Bu.


    -Then, thank you elder Bu.¡±


    Elder Bu was in a great mood. Today was his break and he could meet again the young betting prodigy. He had seen for himself the worth of the kid¡¯s sight so he was very pleased to see him join the Herbal Mountain. As an elder of this place, he felt happy every time a talented kid joined. Even more so, this was the youngest ever and he had been scouted directly by a grand elder. He also had a good impression of the polite kid. He wished to get closer to him as a mentor of sorts. It was of course an investment until Mir became older and achieved things. But he was still enjoying himself. Being an elder was fun to him, it was like a game. So, he guided the kids to the Storehouse. It was a giant building longer than any other on the Herbal Mountain. This was the place to buy medicines, pellets and pills in the school so of course it was crowded. However, as an elder, he didn¡¯t have to wait in line, even more so since he was an elder from this Herbal Mountain. Though he had a reduction on the prices, he would still have to pay if he wanted to buy things but the reduction itself meant a lot. This was after all the place where people could buy the pellets necessary to cultivate. Because of this, every disciple of the Burning Sea School was dreaming of becoming a member of the Herbal Mountain. Even some elders had such a desire. He was enjoying influence and he loved it. What¡¯s more, today, he could show off in front of the two new disciples. This was a bright day to be an elder for Elder Bu. As he arrived at the counter, a disciple rushed to him and bowed. The place belonged to the Herbal Mountain but it was handled by a few elders and disciples that came from diverse backgrounds. Of course, the disciples working there weren¡¯t from the Herbal Mountain, they were those hoping that by working diligently here, they would have more chances to be brought in as disciples. This one was no different. As he politely welcomed elder Bu, this one nodded to the disciple making him smile widely. Then, elder Bu turned to the two kids that were behind him and began:


    ¡°This here is the storehouse, the pride of the Herbal Mountain. Here, you can buy and sell anything related to herbalism. So, little friend Mir and Okami, what did you need to buy here?


    -I need medicines and something to reduce the pain.


    -Hum¡­You heard them. What do you have in stock?


    -Let me check, elder Bu¡­ We have many medicines that would fit those criteria if it is for ranks one. Would you like me to show you a list? Or maybe you could add more specifics to the request?


    -What do you think, little friend Mir?


    -I need things to dilute the pain from core manipulations.¡±


    After he said that, it left some cold in the air. This wasn¡¯t what the people here expected. They thought it would be medicine to take care of bruises and such because Mir would be training but core manipulation and pain related to that? They had never seen or heard about that¡­Elder Bu looked at Mir and said:You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°Little friend Mir, such things, they don¡¯t exist.¡±


    Mir was slightly stunned upon hearing that. In a world with so many strange things, core painkillers didn¡¯t exist? What the hell did it mean? It meant those guys never manipulated their cores. And didn¡¯t even research it. Mir sighed, it was a shame. If there weren¡¯t any painkillers, his plan would fail. Then, he thought of something and asked elder Bu:


    ¡°Elder Bu, are there rank-4 herbs stored?


    -Yes, there should be a few. The oldest elders cultivate them after all.


    -Can I see them?¡±


    This was a strange request coming from a kid. After all, those herbs were rare and expensive. Even if they had some of them because it was their forte and it was easier to raise plants than beasts, it was still rank-4¡­ Elder Bu hesitated but then remembered how Mir was high-regarded by the grand elder. Then he turned to the disciple at the counter and said:


    ¡°Bring us inside zone 4-A. We want to check the goods


    -Elder, that¡¯s¡­


    -Those kids are important disciples of the grand elder, are you going to not give him face?¡±


    This was hard on the poor disciple. He was only here because he hoped to enter the Herbal Mountain. Yet, here he was, faced by a threat to get on the wrong side of the grand elder. He couldn¡¯t let them in but couldn¡¯t let them out¡­ If what elder Bu said, he would lose his future after having angered a grand elder but if elder Bu lied, he would be punished and maybe fired from this work. At least, his future wouldn¡¯t be entirely forfeited. So, he let them in and guided them to the area 4-A. It was where the most precious plants were stored. There were hundreds of types and each had various effects. Elder Bu looked around and then stayed at the entrance. Okami didn¡¯t move from the entrance. From the start, he had no idea what was going on. Mir was looking at all the different grass. After some time, he came back and said to the disciple:


    ¡°I need Divine Watery herbs, Deity Carrots, Plump cylinder Petals and High Grade Demonic melon seeds. How much do they cost?


    -They would all cost you around ten thousand golds each. It isn¡¯t something one can afford easily I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    Mir laughed. Ten thousand golds? He had ten million. He took out his bank card and said to the disciple:


    ¡°Ten of each.¡±


    Since moving with millions of coins wasn¡¯t practical, he placed them on the Global Bank and was given a credit card in exchange. It was easier and only through his fingerprints could payment be done. The disciple wavered at the sight of the card. It displayed the wealth of someone. And on this kid¡¯s card, the number was ten million golds. Even elder Bu couldn¡¯t help but gasp for air. It was an incredible amount. Saying the kid was wealthy would be a euphemism. He was loaded. The salesman disciple looked to elder Bu and elder Bu coughed a few times before turning serious again. Then, he nodded a few times and told the disciple:


    ¡°We¡¯ll buy them. Tens of each.


    -Uh? Yes, elder Bu! Right away!¡±


    After a few minutes, Mir exited with the forty herbs in his backpack. Elder Bu was impressed by the kid¡¯s wealth but he didn¡¯t quite get why he wanted those herbs so he asked:


    ¡°Little Mir, why did you want such herbs?


    -Well, elder Bu said there wasn¡¯t core painkillers medicine so I can only make them myself.


    -What?!¡±


    Before elder Bu had the time to be surprised, Mir continued:


    ¡°That makes me remember, can I trouble elder Bu once more?


    -What do you need, little friend Mir?


    -I don¡¯t know how to form a pellet. Can elder Bu show me how to do it?


    -You want me to use those precious herbs you bought for a pellet of unknown worth?!


    -No, of course not. I just want to witness how a pellet is made in the Lab. It can be whatever pellet elder Bu would be nice enough to show me. I only wish to spectate over the skills of an expert!


    -Hum¡­Is that so? Well, then, I guess I could show you a bit uhuh.¡±


    Praise. People were always weak to praise. Even more so if it came from the innocent mouth of children. Of course, Mir was only one in appearance but it was enough to trick the old Elder Bu that was weak to praise. They headed towards the Lab and Elder Bu rented a room. There were many tools there but more than anything the giant cauldron in the center was what grabbed the most attention. Elder Bu went towards the cauldron and asked:


    ¡°Little friend Mir, little friend Okami, have you ever done herbal alchemy before?


    -No.


    -Never.


    -Then, I will be explaining. This here is a cauldron, obviously. It is the number one tool for herbal alchemy and a must-have. Basically, we mix a dough made just like the one for bread inside with water and the treated ingredients. All this while cooking it at the right temperature. And after a designated time, all the ingredients fuse together. Then, all the water will evaporate and one or more pellets will be formed. What I will show you now is the basic rank 1 realm 1 pellet. It is the base of herbal alchemy when it comes to cultivation pellet. For this recipe, you need a dough and a rank 1 realm 1 herb. We will be using this one, the Small Gomphocarpus Abyssinicus. It is a plant growing deep into the water so a specialty of our school. If you ever want to make pills in the first rank, this is the herb I advise you guys to use. As for the dough, it is made from grains. The only one we use for herbal alchemy is made from wheat. Now, we first start the heating of the cauldron. Using energy to power it, the fire will start. You should check the heat by looking at the cauldron measurement tool incrusted on the cauldron, here. For this, let¡¯s go with 320 degrees.¡±


    A big flame appeared under the cauldron while elder Bu smiled and proceeded. He then took a small tube and placed it in the cauldron then said:


    ¡°Turn the lever here and water will flow from the tube. You need to have 1/3 of the cauldron filled with water.¡±


    The water flowed and after this step was done, he went on.


    ¡°Now, you pour in the dough. There are recipe books to help you measure the amount needed. It depends on how many herbs you¡¯re going to throw at once. However, don¡¯t be too greedy. This process can fail! This time, with just one herb, we will make ten pellets. Here!¡±


    He threw some dough in the boiling water and then threw the herb. After that he said:


    ¡°Now, you just watch over it until the water becomes vapor and only pellets are left. It should take a few minutes for this. Come here, take those ladders and look inside the cauldron.¡±


    After they got to the top of the ladders, the two kids watched the inside of the cauldron. The herb was being disintegrated while the dough was being separated. Slowly, things were changing and fusing. And then, ¡°boom!¡±, with a big sound, the water started to evaporate. Elder Bu took the kid back and said:


    ¡°It is heated vapor, it would be bad to be burnt so be careful when doing herbal alchemy. It hurts to fail so don¡¯t forget to open the ventilation.¡±


    After a few seconds, there was no more vapor. Elder Bu stopped the fire and checked the cauldron. He nodded and took out ten pellets from it. They were white with a single golden glistening line going around it. They were rank 1 first realm pellets.

 CHAPTER 17

    CHAPTER 17


    They had been made in matter of minutes. Yet, they were treasures worth a few gold coins. To think it was that easy, Mir was stunned. Elder Bu laughed frantically and gave five pellets to each kid then he said:


    ¡°So, how was it? Did you learn something little friends?


    -Yes, thank you very much elder Bu, this disciple Okami is impressed by elder Bu¡¯s talent!


    -It was awesome elder Bu! Thank you for showing us!


    -Ahahahah! I am glad! If there¡¯s anything else you need help with, come to me! Ahahah!¡±


    Elder Bu was weak to praise, even Okami understood it. Even if they faked the praise, it remained that they were both grateful towards the elder Bu that had been nice to them.


    After some discussion, elder Bu left them. He had reserved the room for 24 hours so he gifted them the remaining time. After elder Bu walked away Mir sighed and looked to the cauldron. He had seen everything with his eyes. He knew what to do and how to do it but he couldn¡¯t. He didn¡¯t have any energy. He awakened a core, true, but it was empty. The thing is, he wasn¡¯t a martial artist yet. After awakening a core, people needed to cultivate to reach the realm 1 rank 1 and only from there could they be considered martial cultivators and use energy. For those who weren¡¯t at that state, they were considered at the awakened stage. Such people only had the possibility to cultivate. It didn¡¯t mean they were cultivators. But to make the fire lit up, energy was needed. Mir sighed again then he turned to Oka and asked:


    ¡°Oka, you think you can produce the fire and maintain it?


    -Yes, it is quite easy to handle if you can channel energy.


    -Is that so?¡±


    Mir was lost in thought. The truth is, even if he had a core, he couldn¡¯t cultivate. He forcefully awakened his core. This core of his needed time to be assimilated to his body. Basically, it was too early. So, he would have to rely on Oka. He told him:


    ¡°Alright, stay here. I¡¯ll be back soon, I need to get something first.


    -Yes, young boss.¡±


    Mir went to the elder responsible for the management of the place. The elder smiled and asked him:


    ¡°Little friend Mir, is there something you need help with?¡±


    By this time, everyone knew about Mir and Okami, disciples brought in directly by the grand elder. They were obviously being treated with respect. Mir liked that and he respected them in exchange. He politely asked the elder:


    ¡°Elder, earlier, elder Bu showed us how to make pellets so we wish to try it. But we don¡¯t have any dough, do you know where I can get some?


    -Hum¡­There are two ways. One is to make your own yourself by purchasing grains and the other is to buy the dough directly at the storehouse. I can give you a few kilograms if you want?


    -Disciple Mir thanks elder! But, is it possible to get a dough different from the one made from wheat?


    -It isn¡¯t impossible but wheat is the best for the herbal alchemy. What do you have in mind?


    -I wanted to try it out myself with different doughs. I want to experiment! I would like to test dough made from sesame seeds. Is it possible?


    -Hum¡­Wait here a second.¡±


    The management elder went behind the curtains and discussed with another elder. That elder went out while smiling when he passed Mir. Then, the management elder came back and said:


    ¡°I sent an elder to get the seeds, I will make you 10kg of sesame doughs, it should take less than an hour.


    -Thank you very much elder! How can disciple Mir repay you?


    -Ahah, there¡¯s no need! I appreciate to see hard working and questioning disciples. The fact that you want to see things for yourself is good, I only wish for you to remain diligent!


    -Yes, elder!¡±


    After cupping his hands and smiling, Mir decided to sit in a chair while waiting for his dough to be done. Being a child had its perk, it was easier to deceive people. He didn¡¯t care about what the elder thought and didn¡¯t mind lying to them. In the end, as long as he got what he was after, it was fine. They were happy and he had his dough, no issues. Forty-eight minutes later, the elder handed Mir 10kg of sesame seeds dough in a container. Mir thanked him and rushed to the room. Okami had been meditating while waiting. They didn¡¯t waste time and proceeded. Mir took out one of each of the plants he bought previously and cut a kg of dough. Using his eyes, he determined that it was the optimum quantity. It was the one used by elder Bu. 1kg for ten pellets if the number of herbs was one of each type. Not hard to get. Anyway, Mir had Oka start the fire. He heated it up at 1424 degree exactly. His eyes weren¡¯t for show, he knew precisely what he had to do and how. The heat was concentrated on the inside of the cauldron so there was nothing to fear. They also started the ventilation and proceeded. They took the tube and filled the cauldron up to 1/3 with water. Then, Mir threw the dough and the four types of herbs. From then on, they waited an hour, then two, then three and finally after 3 hours 12 minutes, it happened. Water turned to vapor and only pellets were left. They turned down the fire and waited a bit. Then Mir took out the pellets. They were circular and gray. They had many lines. They were so thin and concentrated that he didn¡¯t know how many there were. However, using his eyes power, it became obvious. There were forty-one lines. A rank 4 realm 1 core painkiller had been created. And ten pellets at that. He showed one to Oka and said:Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°What do you think?


    -T-this¡­¡±


    Oka was unable to speak. Because of his greater eyesight from cultivating, he could see the number of lines clearly. He identified the rank and realm of the pellet but couldn¡¯t believe it. He stared at Mir with a dumb expression of incredulity. Then, Mir said:


    ¡°Now, why don¡¯t we turn you into a powerhouse? Let¡¯s go to the training center.


    -Yes, young boss.¡±


    There was now a hint of respect and admiration in Okami¡¯s eyes when he looked at Mir. And Mir grinned seeing it. Inside, Mir was thinking: ¡°If just that makes you speechless and admirative, wait for what¡¯s to come¡±.


    They arrived at the training center and got a room. This place was reserved for the Herbal Mountain members and since they were new members, they could enjoy the place. The room they got was spacious. Hundred square meters. It was strange since it didn¡¯t feel like it could be this big from the outside. Then, Okami, noticing the questioning gaze of Mir, said:


    ¡°Young boss, they used a spatial technique to make the room bigger. It is the same principle as for the space bags.


    -Oh? Thanks for the explanation, Oka. Well, then, let¡¯s go in the center. ¡­ Do you know about core bloodlines?


    -Yes, young boss. They are powers issued from the fusion of a beast bloodline and a cultivator¡¯s core. it is only passed down from generations to generations. It is hereditary and those with it are destined to great achievements.


    -You¡¯re not wrong but you¡¯re not that right. It¡¯s actually possible to assimilate a bloodline if you don¡¯t have any yet.


    -Young boss, if it was possible, then how come cultivators with bloodlines are so rare?


    -Then, Oka, tell me, how did a bloodline start?


    -That¡¯s¡­


    -The ancestors had a method to assimilate the beast bloodline and fused them with their own, is the right answer. So, what if I told you, I know the method and I will grant you a bloodline as proof of the deal I offered you before?


    -This¡­is impossible.


    -Here¡¯s the reality. There¡¯s an opportunity in front of you. Are you going to take a risk to get it or will you let it pass you by?¡±


    This was the basics of business, placing a time limit to an offer. It was a way to disturb the ¡®buyer¡¯ and having him rush his thoughts. The fact that Oka wanted vengeance and so, power strongly, meant he was even more akin to be swayed by the proposition. And he ended up being swayed. He said:


    ¡°Alright, young boss, I will try to trust you. If you can really create the miracle of giving me a core bloodline, I would indeed become stronger and possibilities would open. If it works, I will agree to your previous deal, wholeheartedly.


    -Good enough. Let¡¯s start then.¡±


    Mir took out a container. It was transparent and there was a red and silver liquid inside. Oka was frowning at the sight of the box. There was around twenty liters inside. Previously, during the genius tournament, Mir earned many liters of blood from rank(M) beasts. This was the blood of such a beast. Seeing the perturbed Oka, Mir explained:


    ¡°This is the blood you will assimilate. It comes from quite the powerful beast so the pain from assimilating it should be astronomically high. Enough to kill I think? That¡¯s why I went out of my way to make those pellets.¡±


    As he said that, Mir took out one of the pellets he made previously. A rank 4 realm 1 pellet. Oka said:


    ¡°So, this was a painkiller? Then, young boss, may I ask what beast¡¯s blood this is?


    -Since it¡¯s going to be your bloodline soon, there¡¯s no harm telling you. It is the blood from a Violent Flesh-eater Giant Silver Alpha Wolf.


    -That¡¯s¡­I¡¯ve never heard of such beast. What rank is it, young boss?


    -Doesn¡¯t matter, now, does it? After all, even the weakest bloodline would make you incomparably stronger.


    -You are right, young boss. So, I have to drink this and eat a pellet?


    -Of course not, imbecile. It¡¯s not that simple. If it had been, many individuals would have developed bloodlines if only out of luck¡­ First, you need to take of your clothes. I need access to your skin where your core is.


    -Yes, young boss.¡±


    Oka took off the robe and ended up in his briefs once more. Mir approached with the container and had Oka stand straight. Then Mir opened the container and placed his finger on the blood. Then, he started tracing lines and curves on Oka¡¯s body with the beast¡¯s blood. After drawing for a dozen minute, Mir stopped and sat down. He had Oka do the same. They were facing each other cross-legged. Mir placed the painkiller pellet between them and said:


    ¡°First, drink a liter of the blood. Then, I will do hand signs and you will copy them. After that, take the pill when you think you need it, okay?


    -Yes, young boss.¡±


    He drank the liter at once and then, Mir started making hand signs. Oka was copying them faithfully and, once he finished, the drawings made from the beast blood brightened and produced a red light. It was illuminating the whole space. It went on for a few minutes then entirely stopped. The drawings started moving and being absorbed inside Oka¡¯s core zone. The process looked incredibly slow and Mir guessed it would take a few hours. Just as it began, Oka took the pellet and ate it. It was a painkiller of rank 4 first realm. One of the greatest and strongest that could be found in the kingdom yet Oka was still screaming and convulsing in front of Mir. Obviously, Mir didn¡¯t expect that. He thought with a single pellet, it would be fine. It wasn¡¯t. He knew that even if Oka took a second one, it wouldn¡¯t change anything. this medicine wasn¡¯t a one plus one makes two but a one plus one makes one for a longer time. And since it was a rank 4 first realm medicine, the painkiller would be in effect for a long time. Even if the merging process was slow, a single pellet should be enough time-wise and since there was no way to deal with the pain, Oka would have to endure. Mir sat down a few meters away and observed.


    It took five hours twenty-three minutes before everything was absorbed. The poor Oka had suffered for a long time. He was drenched in sweat. The floor was like a pool. At that time, Oka was finally free from the suffering and was breathing deeply. Then, a ¡°boom!¡± sound came from inside of Oka and an energy wave was emitted from his body. It swept pass Mir and blew him a few meters away. He got bruised a bit. When he got up, he rushed to Oka and looked at him¡­He had broken through the fifth realm. But that¡¯s not all, Mir was overjoyed for something else. The merging succeeded. Oka had a second core! There was his original normal awakened core and there was a second core colored silver. It was the bloodline core. He had the bloodline of a (M)rank beast inside him. The experiment was a success.

 CHAPTER 18

    CHAPTER 18


    And now, by observing it, Mir understood many more things. First, he needed painkillers for the whole body, not just the core. Secondly, it was possible to add one more core every five realms however each core needed to be filled with energy before one could breakthrough. It meant a higher consumption of energy was required but that was worth it. And finally, by seeing a breakthrough, he knew everything about it. From now on, as soon as his own core would be one with his body, he would never fail in breaking through as long as he could get enough energy. It was enough to be delighted for days. But Oka wasn¡¯t delighted, he passed out from the pain after a few breaths.


    Mir had to ask help from elders to bring back Oka to his room. After all, with his five-year-old body, he had no way of moving Oka. The elders obviously asked how it happened. Mir said that Oka broke through and he lost consciousness and after speculating, they believed it could be normal if he over exhausted his mind to breakthrough. It was a lie. It didn¡¯t matter. However, when grand elder Lan came to check on him, Mir couldn¡¯t lie the same way he did, elder Lan wasn¡¯t stupid and he knew why Mir asked to bring Oka here. Elder Lan, after entering Oka¡¯s room where Mir was, asked him:


    ¡°What did you experiment on him?


    -This.¡±


    Mir threw a pellet to Elder Lan and elder Lan checked it. He was dumbstruck after seeing it. It was a rank4 first realm core painkiller pellet. Such a thing wasn¡¯t supposed to exist. Even he never heard of this. His expression turned serious and he asked Mir:


    ¡°Where did you get such a pellet?


    -I made it after we bought ingredients with elder Gu and he showed us how to make a pill.


    -He showed you a rank 1 first realm pill! This is a rank 4 realm 1 pellet!


    -Yeah, it¡¯s the same way of production. Wasn¡¯t too hard. I got a few lefts if you want elder. Maybe I should gift one to elder Gu to thank him as well.


    -You!... This is too much. This pellet doesn¡¯t ¡®exist¡¯ you know. It shouldn¡¯t.


    -What do you mean?


    -Ah, little Mir, you are really giving me a headache¡­ In herbal alchemy, there aren¡¯t many rank 4 recipes and they are generally near-impossible to succeed. Because of the difficulty and rare resources needed, there are a very small number of them. They have the same worth as treasures. And you, a child, just made a dozen unknown such rank 4 pills as your first herbal alchemy? This is too much to be brushed off as talent¡­


    -In the end, it means that we can¡¯t tell people I made those, is that it?


    -That¡¯s right. But it also means that the very existence of those pills is a danger. The worth of a pill is fixed, the worth of a recipe is fixed and even higher but what is the value of the creator of such a recipe? You are the sole person who can boast about creating a rank 4 pill recipe in the kingdom. This is too much for your shoulders.


    -Then you just say you made them, elder.


    -I can¡¯t. it would be too much even for me. I would likely be forced to devote myself to herbal research in the royal palace, living a life in a golden cage. Little friend Mir, you did something dangerous just by creating your first pellet, ah, what a headache. Your eyes are truly atrociously powerful.


    -Hum¡­I won¡¯t do it again and I will keep the pills hidden.


    -If they ask you about the ingredients, tell them the furnace exploded with everything inside because you had flushed everything in at the same time. This lie coming from a child like you should pass. They will only feel sad about having wasted so many rare ingredients¡­And your image might be lost but, oh well, this is the only way I can think of little friend Mir.


    -Then let us do this elder Lan. I don¡¯t really care about honor anyway and, you said it yourself, I am a child so, it¡¯s fine to make mistakes.¡±


    The accent on the child part made elder Lan suspicious but in the end, as Mir was no doubt the child of his parents, there wasn¡¯t anything that would make him guilty of something. He was just a mature child? After sighing, elder Lan turned to Oka that was snoring in his bed. Then, he turned back to Mir with a serious expression, as if he was a father reprimanding his son, and said:


    ¡°What did you do to him? And don¡¯t even think about telling me it¡¯s a side-effect due to the pellets.¡±


    Mir frowned upon hearing this question. If he revealed what he did to the elder, what would happen? The fact that the painkiller pellet already caused such a reaction was making Mir really hesitate. Even if it was elder Lan, people¡¯s greed wasn¡¯t something to laugh at. However, seeing that Mir wasn¡¯t going to answer, elder Lan snorted and went to Oka. He placed his palm on Oka¡¯s forehead and channeled his energy through his body. If Mir wasn¡¯t going to speak, then he just had to find it himself. But as soon as he discovered what happened to Oka¡¯s core, he turned to Mir with an expression of unbelievability extreme. He knew Oka¡¯s cultivation. When they met, he was a fourth realm untalented child. But now? He was a fifth realm with dual core and one with the bloodline of a beast. And not any beast, it was a Violent Flesh-eater Giant Silver Alpha Wolf. Elder Lan was familiar with this beast since Mir earned the blood of that beast during the genius tournament. It was a (M)-rank classed beast. And now, Oka had its bloodline? This couldn¡¯t be a coincidence. This pointed to a single conclusion, Mir gave Oka a second core with the beast¡¯s bloodline. This brought the greatest disbelief elder Lan ever experienced. What was a rank4 pellet compared to this? Elder Lan, from the height of his hundreds of years was for the first time in centuries at a loss as to what was going on and what to do. He was looking at Mir with empty eyes. Mir was at a loss too, he didn¡¯t plan to explain the truth¡­This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    After more than twenty checks, elder Lan finally calmed down and asked Mir:


    ¡°Did you do this?


    -Yes.


    -Follow me, let¡¯s speak somewhere else.¡±


    They went to the third floor. There was only a single door, they entered. It was elder Lan personal quarters. However, it wasn¡¯t how Mir expected. It felt like he was in a whole new world. There were plains, lakes, forests and many cultivated grounds with different herbs and plants. It felt like this was stretching for kilometers. Elder lan walked to a small pavilion in the middle of the fields. Once there, he started brewing tea and served a cup to Mir, then they both sat down in front of a small table and elder Lan began:


    ¡°Did you really grow him a core with the bloodline of an (M)rank beast?


    -Yes, elder Lan.¡±


    The grand elder drank a lot of tea before pursuing:


    ¡°How did you even do this? It has been unheard of for dozens of thousands of years.


    -We~ll, elder told me about bloodlines before during the tournament. I found it nice so I looked at it intensely and I found a way.


    -You found a way by watching those battles?


    -Yes.


    -How can that be? ...Those eyes of yours aren¡¯t just atrocious anymore if it¡¯s true. Just how much can you see, Mir? To be honest, I am at a loss as to what to do right now.


    -Then don¡¯t do anything. Elder Lan, let us just enjoy the benefits ourselves and keep it secret.


    -Ahah, I didn¡¯t think a child so young could be this wicked! Mir, your eyes are a talent with immeasurable potential. However, with great power come great responsibilities. Maybe I should have told you the reason why the ¡®merging of bloodlines technique¡¯ was lost through the ages, ah, the fault lies with me.


    -The reason why it was forgotten¡­¡±


    Elder Lan was right. While Mir went further by digging out the technique and bringing it back to life, the truth is that he didn¡¯t consider the past, only the future. He thought about it and determined he could handle it with the elder¡¯s help. However, while he thought a bit of the future, not once did he question the reason why such a technique was forgotten. His curiosity grew. Elder Lan began his tale:


    ¡°Long, long ago, a talented man studied beasts. He was fascinated by the power they displayed. Even while being at the same cultivation rank as humans, they were stronger. How? Why? And more than anything, could it be possible to get this power? He worked hard for hundreds of years and before he died, he found a way to merge the beast bloodlines and the human¡¯s cores. However, he was too old. It was too late for him to use it, it would be useless. So, he spread the technique around the continent. From then on, beasts were slaughtered relentlessly and all cultivators were striving to get the beast¡¯s powers. It became a race to get the best bloodline and a slaughter began. This went on for a millennium. Then, a wise man got out of isolation and learnt about the state of the continent. This man was said to be unparalleled under heaven. He traveled the continent and saw the damages done, the chaos and desolation. The beasts were tracked, hunted and slaughtered without consideration. He was crying as he traveled. And after many encounters, he came back to his origin. He had thought for a long time and ended with a conclusion: as long as this technique and the bloodlines existed, then there would be carnage. A carnage more violent and barbaric than any. So, he started his own massacre. He killed every cultivator who had merged with beasts and destroyed all the copies of the technique to merge and its derivate forms. After thousands of years of slaughter, as he was on the verge of dying, the continent was cleaned, there were no remains of the technique and the people were beginning to strive again. As he died, he smiled with relief. The devil¡¯s technique had been purged. ¡­ Mir, what you did, it is pure atrocity. If the technique were to be leaked, you wouldn¡¯t just be caged. And the world wouldn¡¯t just sit by either. It would lead to war, maybe wars.


    -Isn¡¯t it fine as long as it doesn¡¯t leak, then? I don¡¯t plan on showing off, elder Lan.


    -How could it not leak? You gave a damn (M)-rank bloodline to a bullied orphan from the outer zone?!


    -Then, let us just turn him into a member of a clan with a (M)-rank bloodline, a powerhouse core disciple.


    -¡­What did you just say?


    -I believe this bloodline of his is a blessing. My family is only me and my parents. I want to create a clan. For that, I need powerful subordinates. He was a bullied orphan with no future and near-death. The perfect first subject¡­ Anyway, now, with his second bloodline core, and my help, do you think he will remain a nobody outer disciple? Now, what if he became a core disciple? He belongs to the herbal mountain right now¡­


    -Ahahah, I am being bribed by a five-year-old! Little Mir, I understand perfectly the advantage such a talent would be for both the Herbal Mountain and the Burning Sea School. But! This technique of yours is too dangerous. I need you to swear on your life that you won¡¯t ever use it again!


    -I refuse!¡±


    Elder lan was shocked. He never thought little Mir would go against his words. He frowned and became slightly angry then said:


    ¡°Why won¡¯t you swear, little friend Mir?


    -I will give myself a bloodline as well. And maybe to future comrades worthy of my future clan. I will only say this: what I give, I can take it back!


    -What?!¡±


    Elder Lan didn¡¯t know what to say or what to do. This kid was too much, he was even thinking he might be dangerous. Sometimes, in this world, too much talent was a problem. Elder Lan was weighting the options: let him live and nurture him, let him live and throw him away, kill him. There was one thing elder Lan was sure, Mir was a monster and he was going to be extremely powerful if he matures. As such, it is obvious that letting him live and throwing him away would be bad. It might force Mir to come back for revenge one day and that wouldn¡¯t be good. That being said, he didn¡¯t want to kill a promising student, but the risks of letting him live were incredibly high¡­ The real question was whether elder Lan would be able to protect him. He was absorbed in deep thoughts. At the same time, Mir¡¯s heart was beating faster than ever. He didn¡¯t think it would become such a dangerous situation. But that¡¯s what it was. With his old soul, it wasn¡¯t hard for him to guess what the elder was thinking. He knew his life was on the line but he had said everything he could. it was up to the elder to decide. From then on, he would either be protected and his future would be bright or, there would be no future at all. People were greedy. Even more as they grew older. And elder Lan was old, Mir was betting on that. In this world, he experienced first-hand the excitement disciples brought to the older generations. Mir himself wasn¡¯t talented but his eyes were incredible. As a disciple, he would make any teacher proud, he had no doubts on that one. he waited for long minutes before elder Lan sighed and asked:


    ¡°Little Mir, I will ask you a question, please answer me faithfully. I am unable to reach a conclusion right now so your answer will decide it.


    -Yes, elder.


    -You really are a smart kid, ah, well then¡­Little friend Mir, what¡¯s your dream?


    -I want to live in luxury surrounded by beauties without having to work.

 CHAPTER 19

    CHAPTER 19


    -Hum¡­What is luxury to you?


    -A big house with everything I want inside and enough to eat whatever whenever.


    -I understand. please, let me ponder a bit longer.


    -Alright, take your time elder Lan.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t like Mir could escape anyway. If the elder decided to kill him, he was finished. It was better to tell the elder his thoughts without hiding anything. Elder Lan was thinking. If Mir had a grudge or an ardent desire to rule, he would have had to end his life but now? Mir answered truthfully that he just wanted to be strong enough to laze around without care. That¡¯s not the kind of ambition that could bring disasters. He was going to become strong, maybe the strongest? But he would only use this strength to be able to laze around? Honestly, there isn¡¯t much to that. Elder Lan was sighing in his heart. Truth is, he really wanted to nurture such a talented child. He would probably never ever meet a second Mir in his life. There might never ever be one at all for all he knew. And so, he made a decision that would change the fate of this world. He looked to Mir and said:


    ¡°Little Mir, I made a decision. From now on, I will side with you. Whatever happens. But in exchange, I want you to do as I say when it comes to concealing your abilities and talent. Can you at least promise that?


    -I will promise to do as much as I can to respect elder Lan¡¯s words!


    -Ah, well, it¡¯s better than a complete rejection at least. Now, we need to deal with Okami accordingly. It is a shame but he has to disappear.


    -Wait elder Lan! There is no need!


    -Hum? Did you not just promise¡­


    -Wait elder! Hear me out! Oka¡¯s an orphan. If we just say that his bloodline revealed itself only after he reached the fifth realm due to it being so powerful, wouldn¡¯t it be enough?¡±


    The elder pondered for some time before nodding. It was indeed possible to do it this way. There were cases when bloodlines were only discovered and usable after reaching a certain realm or clearing particular conditions. He smiled brightly at Mir. Today, he got two students with heaven-defying abilities. If he nurtured them well, ah, he wasn¡¯t able to even dream of it. He took Mir back and they went to check on the sleeping Oka. Elder Lan asked:


    ¡°Do you know how long this one is going to sleep?


    -No. it was an experiment after all.


    -Hum¡­I see. I¡¯ll post an elder to watch over the door, if he wakes up, we¡¯ll be meeting him first. In the meantime, don¡¯t do anything too reckless again.


    -Yes, elder Lan!


    -Nothing higher than rank 3 or I will be mad!


    -I understand elder Lan!


    -Good, good. By the way, do you want an elder to help you cultivate? You are still not at the first rank after all.


    -Actually, elder Lan, I can¡¯t cultivate yet¡­


    -You! Did you also play with your own core?!


    -Well~


    -Y-You! No wonder you awakened so early!


    -Ahah~


    -Ah, what am I going to do with you I wonder, ah¡­ When will you be able to start cultivating then?


    -I don¡¯t know? Once my core merges with my body. None of my ancestors ever had cores, this can¡¯t be done in a matter of days.


    -It is such a shame...Wait! Does this mean that you can grow cores?!¡±


    Seeing the surprised expression on the elder¡¯s face, Mir thought ¡°not this again¡­¡± yet still nodded affirmatively with a smile. The elder pondered for a moment and asked:


    ¡°Little friend Mir, do you think it is possible to re-grow a destroyed core?


    -I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never seen a destroyed core.


    -Then, if you see one, would it be possible?


    -At least, I would be able to tell you if a possibility exists.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    -Good, good. I will be leaving for a few days, you handle Okami. Don¡¯t do anything too eye-catching. I will ask elder Bu to watch over you two, he will probably rejoice.


    -Thank you, elder Lan! Have a safe trip!¡±


    After that, elder Lan left the Herbal Mountain and headed for the Burning Sea Head Mountain. The place where the school headmaster resided and assemblies took place. There was something urgent he needed to report. He wasn¡¯t going to talk about Mir¡¯s talent though¡­


    On the other end, Mir was facing elder Bu at the ground floor of the Herbal pavilion. They were having a disagreement. Mir wanted to go outside but elder Bu was told to keep both Mir and Okami in check. However, Okami was still deep asleep. If he went outside, he wouldn¡¯t be able to watch over the sleeping child and vice versa. Then Mir told him:


    ¡°Just post a different elder to watch over this lazy idiot!¡±


    After minutes of heated debate, a different elder, friend of Bu, told him he didn¡¯t mind watching over Okami since he was also having a break. In the end, elder Bu and Mir went outside. As they were going down, elder Bu asked Mir:


    ¡°What do you plan to do, little friend Mir?


    -I¡¯ll buy herbs and make pellets, then I¡¯ll sell them and make money.


    -Hum¡­That might prove difficult.


    -How so?


    -Last time, you were able to buy herbs because you were with me. Do you remember, we used my school token to register the purchases?


    -That¡¯s right! But I don¡¯t have such a token elder Bu.


    -Exactly. This is a school token, it contains the identity of an individual, it is unique and lists everything that happened to the bearer. It is like an auto-recorder of one¡¯s life inside the school. However, only members of the school own them and only those with a token can use the facilities normally. Yesterday was an exception since both the purchase and the room renting was done by using my token.


    -Then, why don¡¯t I have one?


    -That¡¯s because you aren¡¯t officially a disciple of this school, little friend Mir. You haven¡¯t passed the entrance exam!


    -Oh? But aren¡¯t I elder Lan¡¯s assistant?


    -That¡¯s right. This status enables you to walk around in the school and use the reserved facilities on this mountain. The pavilion and the training house. But that¡¯s it. Okami is a disciple though so there are no restrictions for him.


    -Hum¡­But the recruitment is in June, isn¡¯t it?


    -Exactly, ah, that¡¯s why I was trying to stop you from going outside. The thing is, there isn¡¯t much you can do right now.¡±


    The entrance exam took place only during a single month of the year and even though Mir satisfied the conditions, being under ten and having an awakened core, he couldn¡¯t pass the exam! And he couldn¡¯t get a school token! This gave him a headache. If he couldn¡¯t do anything by himself then wouldn¡¯t he be wasting his time here? This was a pain. He looked to elder Bu and asked:


    ¡°Elder Bu, are there other ways to get a school token?


    -There are. Of course. We are, after all, a martial school focusing on talent. If one¡¯s talent is high enough, rules can be bent.


    -Tell me more, elder Bu, please!


    -Alright¡­ We have many mountains composing our school however, only grand elders have the rights to make a mountain their own. For example, after elder Lan became grand elder, he chose this mountain and turned it into the mountain specialized in herbalism. Other grand elders turned their mountains into different specialties. Each one had the right to give out school tokens as long as one cleared the requirements of a genius talent regardless of the date.


    -Then, can¡¯t I get a school token from here?


    -You could, theoretically. For that, you would need to succeed the mountain challenge.


    -The mountain challenge?


    -That¡¯s right! If you succeed a mountain challenge, you¡¯d get a school token but that¡¯s not all. most of those attempting the challenge already have one after all. The reward is a core disciple title.


    -Core?!


    -That¡¯s right! Until now, there hasn¡¯t been a single disciple succeeding a mountain challenge! Those challenges exist only to say that we give everyone a chance, it isn¡¯t really made so one can pass it.


    -Elder Bu, what is the Herbal Mountain¡¯s challenge?


    -Hum¡­ It is divided in three parts. Do you remember the two books that were in your room?


    -I do!


    -The first test is to be able to learn it all. It is a written exam based on your knowledge of those two books. Only by reaching 95% or higher can one pass the first test! As of now, I¡¯ve only seen no more than ten disciples succeed the first test.


    -Incredible! Elder Bu, what about the two other tests?!


    -Ahah, don¡¯t be so impatient, I will tell you! The second test is even harder. It is to recognize a modified herb. There has never been anyone to pass this second test! Being able to find all the different plants composing one without knowing exactly how many were combined is near-impossible! And there is only one chance to guess it right!¡±


    Up to there, Mir was smiling widely, this would be too easy for him. If the third test was also simple, there wouldn¡¯t be anything left for him to fear. He waited patiently for elder Lan to continue.


    ¡°As for the third test, the challenger would have to create a rank3 pellet in front of the audience in one try. We would be providing the resources but it would still be incredibly difficult.


    -Elder Bu, what if the challenger can¡¯t use energy? Would he receive help from someone?


    -Hum¡­Yes. If he can¡¯t get the fire on, then someone should help. Well, such things never happened since no one reached the third test anyway.


    -Elder Bu, I can¡¯t read the books because I can¡¯t yet use energy, is there a way for me to read it?


    -Oh? If someone channel energy in the book and in you at the same time, you would be able to read the contents. Would you like me to help?


    -Can you?!


    -Of course! But we would have to sit down for that.


    -Please, elder Bu!


    -Alright, come with me then, ahah!¡±


    Elder Bu was pleased to find a diligent disciple and one so young at that. They sat down under the shadow of a tree and opened the book pertaining to herbs. Elder Bu channeled the energy into Mir then into the book and the contents appeared directly in front of Mir¡¯s eyes. He could use his peculiar sight to comprehend everything he saw. It meant that as long as he could flip the pages, he would remember all of their contents. However, there were more pages than he guessed, it took the entire day to finish one book. As the moon was already in the sky, Mir asked elder Bu:


    ¡°Elder Bu, can we read the second book tomorrow?!


    -Sure!¡±


    Elder Bu was pleased with the child¡¯s attitude. He didn¡¯t expect him to learn much but just to be more familiar with the contents of the books would help him later on. He had a good impression of Mir. The next day, Mir read the second book entirely. With so much knowledge, both the first and second test would be a piece of cake. As for the third one, since he now knew the plants, he could make whatever kind of pellets he wished to. Basically, he could succeed the challenge anytime.

 CHAPTER 20

    CHAPTER 20


    The third day, Okami was still sleeping, and Mir asked elder Bu:


    ¡°Elder Bu, where are the disciples doing the mountain challenge?


    -To the Lab. The management elder there is in charge of the mountain challenge. But no one really attempt the challenge. It has a cost to participate as well. If you win the challenge, they give you back the money though. But it never happened so there are nearly no challenges being done. There hasn¡¯t been one in a few thousand years in the Herbal Mountain. Well, where are we going today, Mir?


    -The Lab!¡±


    Elder Bu thought Mir wanted to check the records of previous challengers and due to that, his expression when Mir told the management elder he wanted to challenge the mountain was priceless. Both elders looked at each other, they didn¡¯t know what to do. Mir was five years old; how could he challenge the mountain? This was just a joke. However, Mir was serious, he handed his card full of gold coins to the management elder and added:


    ¡°I¡¯m serious, I¡¯m issuing a challenge here.¡±


    The management elder frowned but turned serious as well. Challenging the mountain. Even if the words came from the mouth of a child or a VIP, they weren¡¯t things one could joke about here. The management elder nodded and said:


    ¡°Very well, we¡¯ll be taking one million golds as a fee to participate. If you succeed, it will be given back to you ten times. However, if you fail, don¡¯t come crying later on. You may be young but challenges aren¡¯t to be taken lightly.


    -Exactly what I want, elder. When can I start?


    -Tomorrow, at the challenging mountain first arena, when the sun rise!¡±


    Elder Bu brought Mir back to the pavilion. He fell down on a sofa in the ground floor, Mir sat in front of him. Soon, a waitress brought tea for them. Elder Bu had been silent for a while and now he was hanging his head between his hands. This kid was bringing him too many problems. And he did that while the grand elder was away at that! He had been ordered to watch over the kid so he didn¡¯t mess around and yet, he let him challenge the mountain! He was going to be severely punished for that, the situation was bad. He looked at Mir angrily. In the end, all his affection towards the kid had vanished in a matter of minutes. Mir felt the angriness behind elder Bu¡¯s eyes but didn¡¯t care in the slightest. He did that because he couldn¡¯t get a school token in a different manner. Sure, he promised elder Lan to not do eye-catching stuff but, hey, it¡¯s not his fault if he has no other choice, right? Elder Lan will forgive him. Probably. As he was awkwardly being fixed by the angry elder, a younger elder ran from the first floor and screamed to elder Bu:


    ¡°Elder Bu! Okami woke up!¡±


    Mir smiled and ran towards Okami¡¯s room. He was followed by the elders. Though they didn¡¯t run, it was to keep their image. Truth is, they really wanted to run. As he arrived in the room, Mir saw something unexpected. In the room, Okami was sitting on his bed. He was calm. However, he was in briefs and had silver hair growing on his legs and arms. He had bloodshot eyes. Also, his nails had turned into claws. His ears were higher on his head and they were pointed. His hair was longer and silver, it went down to his ass. He looked like a werewolf. As he saw Mir enter, he smiled revealing a range of sharp fangs. Then he said in his normal voice:


    ¡°I never thought it would work, you have my eternal gratitude, young boss. From here on out, consider my life yours. I accept your deal!¡±


    Mir smiled brightly. He had his first loyal clansman. After the words were uttered, the elders arrived and saw Okami. They all had perplexed looks on their faces. Wasn¡¯t this child a normal cultivator, how come he was a bloodline owner?! And they could feel the strength of this bloodline, it was far from normal. Elder Bu also noticed the state of the room. Everything was destroyed and there were marks of claws everywhere. Mir was already sitting with Okami. Elder Bu asked:


    ¡°Okami, what clan do you belong to?


    -I am an orphan, I am young boss¡¯s servant since I owe him my life!¡±


    This left the numerous elders shocked. Most clans with bloodline were famous. They were showing off most of the time after all so every single bloodline in the kingdom were known. But they never heard of one like that. Okami¡¯s appearance had changed so much and he exuded some kind of strange aura. Elder Bu frowned and asked a second question:


    ¡°Okami, what is the name of your bloodline, you should know since you awakened to it.


    -It is the silver alpha wolf.¡±


    This stunned the elders. Basically, Okami¡¯s true bloodline was the Violent Flesh-eater Giant Silver Alpha Wolf, a rank(M) beast. However, Mir had talked with elder Lan and they decided to hide that fact. Before the elders entered, Mir had told Okami to say that his bloodline was from a silver alpha wolf. It was a distinct species that possessed similar appearance though far weaker. The silver alpha wolf was a rank (D) beast. It would mean that his bloodline was one of the strongest in the kingdom! From only this, his status turned from a nobody to a genius that was worth giving their all to nurture. He was a blessing to the Herbal Mountain. Elder Bu rejoiced. He lost value in Mir but now he found some in the beggar kid, Okami. His smile came back as he looked at Okami. The other elders were the same, they were making plans and dreaming of the future of the Herbal Mountain. After some chatting with everyone, Okami suppressed his bloodline and his appearance turned back to normal. Then he put on the official ancient robe of the school and on Mir¡¯s orders, he went to the training center. From here on out, it was important that he became familiar with this new ability of his. Mir didn¡¯t have anything left to do so he did what he enjoyed most since he was birthed in this world: lazing around and doing nothing. He found a nice spot under the shadow of a tree and laid down. He stayed there until night came. The next morning, before the sun set up, the door to his room was forcefully opened. The Lab¡¯s management elder was there with a dozen others. Mir was only half-awake. The management elder smiled and said:If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t forget about the challenge, did you child?


    -¡­Hum¡­I didn¡¯t. Do I have time to change?


    -Be quick.¡±


    Mir got up, stretched and put on the school robe and the leaf armband. Then he got out and followed the elders. They went down the mountain. As they walked down, many elders joined in the procession. Elder Bu was there with Okami. They crossed the bridge and went to a different mountain. It was the challenging mountain, named from the fact that there were only arenas on this mountain and its grand elder was a fan of fighting and such. They led Mir to the biggest arena, the first one. He was led to the central platform. There was a chair and a desk. The arena was strangely deprived of people. Only elders from the Herbal Mountain were there. However, in the VIP zone reserved for grand elders and such, there were four people. One of them was easily recognized by Mir, it was elder Lan. As he saw Mir going up on stage, elder Lan was furious. This kid said he wouldn¡¯t do anything too eye-catching and here he was doing the most eye-catching thing he could have done! He screamed from his seat:


    ¡°Mir! What do you think you¡¯re doing?! Why did you challenge the mountain?!¡±


    His voice was so loud that people heard him from all over the school. Discussions began everywhere in the Burning Sea School and slowly, disciples were heading towards the challenging mountain. Facing the elder¡¯s voice, Mir could only turn his head and started humming as if he didn¡¯t notice the elder. It made elder Lan even more furious, he was nearly ready to jump on the stage and take Mir away. At that moment, the three other old men started laughing. It was a rare sight. They were respectively, the headmaster, the challenging mountain grand elder and a previous grand elder. The headmaster told elder Lan:


    ¡°Quin Lan, why don¡¯t you calm down. This child that you brought back from the genius tournament is really gutsy! Ahahah!¡±


    The challenging mountain grand elder added:


    ¡°You should rejoice! Your mountain earned a million golds at once! Ahahah!¡±


    They were laughing at the disciple taken by elder Lan. A few days ago, when elder Lan went to see the headmaster, it was to tell him officially that he planned on taking Mir and Okami as his personal disciples. He had also requested to go fetch the third person sitting here, an old friend and previous grand elder because he thought he had a way to cure him. And right now, his mountain had been challenged and by whom?! By the five-year-old kid he said he was taking in as a disciple a few days ago. This was like a slap to his face. What the hell was this kid thinking?! But elder Lan wasn¡¯t angry because of that. He was angry because he knew. He knew that for Mir, this challenge, he might just win it. He feared that a five-year-old child would succeed a Mountain Challenge. That was because he knew Mir¡¯s abilities. However, the other three didn¡¯t know and thought it was just going to be a big joke. They were here because of the school rules but since they came, they wanted to see a nice show. They were going to laugh at elder Lan and his impressive new disciple. It was hopeless. In the end, elder Lan sighed and screamed once again:


    ¡°Mir! Since you didn¡¯t pay any attention to my words and did this, you better win it! Don¡¯t make me lose any more face or I swear you¡¯re going to suffer!¡±


    The three old men laughed even more frantically and Mir¡¯s actions didn¡¯t disappoint. This time, he turned around and with a smug look, he made a ¡°V¡± sign towards elder Lan. The great elders had never laughed so hard. Mir was sat down in the only chair and the management elder took out a bunch of papers and a pen. He said:


    ¡°Here are ten thousand papers talking about herbs or animals related to herbalism, you have four hours to guess correctly as many of them as possible. By my honor as a management elder, I swear that there will be no cheatings whatsoever and will assure the fairness of the challenge. To that end, twenty elders are also going to stand watch and the contestant is forbidden from wearing anything but the formal ancient school robe. Now, contestant Mir, please start!¡±


    Mir took the pen and the papers. On every paper, there was a drawing of a plant or an animal and a few characteristics were written as hints. He didn¡¯t even need them, with just the drawing, he knew what they were. One after another, he filled in the names of the plants and beasts. Forget four hours, an hour and a half later, he had finished and started lazing on the chair. Even if he had finished early, they wouldn¡¯t check before time was up, those were the rules.  As he was lazing in his chair and actually fell asleep, all the elders couldn¡¯t contain their laughter and were teasing elder Lan to no end. What¡¯s more, there were an increasing number of disciples and elders coming to the arena to see what the fuss was about. This wasn¡¯t going to end well. The teasing went on until the four hours were finished. Mir was still snoring on the chair. The management elder sighed and said with a loud voice:


    ¡°Time for grading!¡±


    He had to, even if it was a humiliation. There were so many people, he had to uphold the rules even if the whole situation felt like a joke and everyone was laughing their ass off. He took out the two herbal books and started grading. He took the first page from the pile and compared it. He was shocked yet still managed to say it loud:


    ¡°First page: Bacteria Adinhytlick, Correct!¡±


    He kept on taking the papers and they were all correct. Soon, the faces of the people turned from mocking to seriousness. Mir was still snoring and elder Lan had his hand over his face, he couldn¡¯t bear to watch it happen. He knew it, Mir had made a perfect. And it didn¡¯t miss. In the end, it was a perfect score, 100% right. It was entirely quiet in the arena. Someone then screamed:


    ¡°He cheated!¡±


    And the whole stadium turned into a rage. This woke Mir up and he didn¡¯t know what was going on. Confusion lasted for only a few seconds as the management elder smiled to him and explained the situation.


    In the Vip area, the headmaster sighed and got up. He looked towards elder Lan and told him:


    ¡°No wonder you were so angry. It wasn¡¯t because you would lose face, rather it¡¯s because he was talented enough that it was best to conceal it.


    -Indeed, headmaster¡­¡±


    The headmaster nodded and turned towards the arena:


    ¡°On my honor as headmaster, I proclaim that there were no cheatings during this challenge! Disciple Mir proved his worth! He can now challenge the second test! Bring the plant!¡±


    Ten elders came while supporting a giant pot on their shoulders. It was big because it contained an enormous tree. The second test was similar to one of the quiz questions during the genius tournament. However, it was on a whole other level. Just with a look Mir could see hundreds of plants were composing this tree. It wasn¡¯t going to be that quick.


    The management elder gave Mir a bunch of blank papers and a pen. Mir began writing as he walked around the tree. It took him an hour to go over all the plants used. There was even some blood from a beast to link it all¡­No wonder it would have been impossible to clear. With only the knowledge from the books, it would have been impossible. Anyways, he succeeded again and became the first in history to do so.

 CHAPTER 21

    CHAPTER 21


    For the final test, he had to make a rank4 pill. The management elder asked Mir to write him the name and quantity of the ingredients he needed, cauldron and water exempted. He wrote only two ingredients:


    Asediknock Seeds Dough ¨C 5Kg


    Heliradios Sunflower Petals ¨C 10


    Then he handed back the paper to the management elder. This one frowned upon seeing its contents. This wasn¡¯t any recipe he knew or heard of. He never had learnt about anyone making a pill from this dough. Originally, it is a dough made from wheat. Just what is in that kid¡¯s head? He was so close to succeeding the impossible, why would he screw it up deliberately at the end. The management elder was standing still with the paper and Mir was fixing him. He could see that the elder was perplexed and probably thinking the ingredients were a child¡¯s joke, that it was all a waste or something along those lines. He inadvertently sighed and the management elder came back from his thoughts. He looked in Mir¡¯s eyes and asked him:


    ¡°Are you sure about this, little Mir? You are so close to success, why don¡¯t you decide on a basic recipe, hum? If you don¡¯t know any, elder here can tell you one! How about it? Won¡¯t you reconsider?


    -I won¡¯t. This one is good enough.


    -Little Mir, are those your final words?


    -Yes, yes, my final words.¡±


    The management elder sighed but handed the paper to the other elders after announcing the contents to the crowd of spectators. Most disciples weren¡¯t herbal alchemist and didn¡¯t know much about it, they only benefited from their works and used their products. However, they at least knew that herbal alchemy was mostly done with wheat dough. That was common sense. But this kid was going for a different dough, people started discussing. Some thought he was foolish, others thought it was his limits but some believed the kid might know a new or peculiar recipe. Either way, everyone was awaiting with excitement this last test.


    On the VIP seats, the four old men were discussing Mir¡¯s talent. The headmaster was approving of him previously but turned sceptic after he heard the announcement of ingredients for the last test. He turned to elder Lan and asked him:


    ¡°Is this one of your secret recipe or a recipe from his family?


    -It isn¡¯t one of my recipes. I only use wheat dough after all. As for his family, he only has his parents and before we met, they had been your average non-cultivator farmers.¡±


    This made the three elders puzzled and as they looked with curiosity towards the arena, the challenge mountain elder asked elder Lan:


    ¡°Are you saying this is an original recipe he made?


    -That¡¯s what I believe, yes.


    -Isn¡¯t he too young? Just how long did he study herbal alchemy?


    -He never did.


    -¡­What did you just say?¡±


    The old men couldn¡¯t help but gasp after hearing elder Lan¡¯s words. If succeeding in crafting a rank3 pill was already hard, just how difficult would it be to invent one and successfully make it? Regardless of the result of the third test, the three old men witnessing this show had very good impressions towards Mir. One needed guts to challenge a mountain, diligent work to pass the first test, talent in the domain to pass the second and finally abilities for the third. Yet, this kid was adding a second level of difficulty to the third test by trying his own recipe? And he was so young. He was going to be a promising student regardless of the result. The headmaster said to elder Lan:


    ¡°Make sure to nurture him well, he has a lot of talent. You sure picked a valuable disciple, I must apologize for my previous taunts, I was the one with eyes yet unable to see. This shall be a lesson to remind us: judging by appearance isn¡¯t something we should do.¡±


    After that, they kept discussing the prospects of Mir, the Herbal Mountain and the Burning Sea school. And finally, around an hour later, the elders came back to the scene with the materials for the third test. There was a cauldron, a ladder, water buckets, the martial fire engine and the two ingredients Mir asked for. It took time because the elders had to make the dough themselves. It is mostly wheat dough used in Herbal Alchemy so they don¡¯t stock other types of dough. Mir went to the cauldron and placed the ladder there. Then, he turned to the management elder and asked:


    ¡°Elder, I can¡¯t use the martial energy, can you help me with the fire and the water?


    -I can follow your instructions as per the rules, yes.


    -Then, can you fill the cauldron with water. Up to 1/3 please.


    -Sure.¡±


    The management elder took the bucket of water and one after another, versed their contents inside the cauldron. The water level soon reached 1/3 and stopped perfectly at the mark. The management elder was no doubt experienced. It is to be expected from someone of his position. As he saw this, Mir nodded in satisfaction. Having the older man work as he said, even if it was just filling a cauldron with water reminded him of his days as a corporate CEO, a time where he could order people around. This was an enjoyable time and he could only admit he liked to be in charge. After reminiscing for a few seconds, he asked the elder again:A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Elder, can you light the fire for me? 867,5 degrees please.


    -That is quite a precise instruction. Alright.¡±


    The management elder channeled his energy into the martial fire engine and soon, a fire burnt under the gigantic cauldron. It was at the exact temperature of 867,5 degrees. And since it was an herbal alchemy tool, only the inside of the cauldron was being heated. Mir waited for the water to boil, then sent 1kg of dough inside and 5 petals of Heliradios Sunflower as well. As for the rest of the materials, they were Mir¡¯s bonus. Since he could get free ingredients, why should he not do so? But if he had asked for too much, they might have refused his list of ingredients so he settled on this small amount for his bonus.


    Then, they could only wait for the water to turn to vapor. Time passed. After an hour and twenty-one minutes, vapor began to form and escape from the cauldron. And finally, there was no more vapor inside. Under Mir¡¯s command, the elder stopped the fire and after waiting for the temperature to be down, they went to see the result. It was as expected by Mir. There were ten pellets inside. They were circular and red with orange lines on them. The management elder took them and placed them on the table for everyone to see. Let alone Mir with his peculiar sight, everyone around were martial cultivator, their senses were sharpened. Even though they were seating in the arena and so, a few dozens of meters away, they could clearly see the number of lines on the pills. There were thirty-five of them. Not only did Mir pass the test, he made a pill better than required and ten of them at the same time. And they were unknown. A new type of pills! He had won the Herbal Mountain challenge. On this day and for the first time, a disciple of the Burning Sea School succeeded a mountain challenge.


    After the management elder announced his success, it created quite the wave. The elders had to take Mir away quickly. There were tens of thousands of curious disciples watching, it was better to run from it so Mir wouldn¡¯t be burdened. They ended up at the ground floor of the Herbal pavilion. Mir was surrounded by elders congratulating him. Elder Bu was the only one sitting in a corner not far yet not close, he had mixed feelings about this. After some time, elder Lan approached with two other old men that were previously with him. The elders made a path and respectfully bowed towards the two. Elder Lan approached in front of Mir and introduced the two:


    ¡°Little Mir, this is headmaster Song and this is the previous Tailor Mountain Grand Elder Fin. We came to congratulate you for your victory.


    -It is an honor to meet you headmaster Song, elder Fin!¡±


    The headmaster got closer to Mir and gave him a space bag, then he told him:


    ¡°Congratulations, little Mir. Inside this bag, you will find the special core disciple robe that you won. There is also a ten million golds card.


    -What about a school token?


    -¡­A school token?


    -Yes. I did the challenge because elder Bu said I couldn¡¯t buy and sell anything if I didn¡¯t have one.¡±


    After those words, everyone turned to an escaping elder Bu. Before he reached the door, he turned around with a fake smile on his face and said:


    ¡°How can I be of help elders?¡±


    He was obviously going to suffer. And even though he is no coward, he knew he went against elder Lan¡¯s orders and let¡¯s not talk about the headmaster. He feared those stronger monsters. The headmaster laughed and asked Mir:


    ¡°Little Mir, did you really challenge the Herbal Mountain for a school token?


    -Yes.¡±


    This brought even more laughing to everyone this time. Except elder Lan and elder Bu. Elder Bu was feeling the cold emitted by elder Lan¡¯s piercing gaze. At that time, the headmaster said to Mir:


    ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you come with me, little Mir, there are still a few rewards to give you and we can make you a token on the way, how about it?


    -I¡¯d love to! Thank you, headmaster Song!¡±


    As Mir was going out with Headmaster Song, elder Lan stopped intimidating elder Bu and was going to follow, but he was stopped by the headmaster¡¯s spiritual message:


    ¡°Lan, you have to take care of Bu first and don¡¯t forget that you brought back elder Fin!¡±


    A spiritual message is a way to send words in the form of energy directly to someone. It is a way to communicate between martial artists without having strangers or enemies being able to listen in. Every martial artist can do that much. And as he received this transmission by the headmaster, elder Lan stopped following him. Then, he turned back to elder Bu with a ferocious look. This was enough to have elder Bu scream in fear and run for his life. Elder Lan cursed and was going to run after him when elder Fin placed a hand on his shoulders and said:


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it fine? He might have gone against your orders but the result is not bad at all. You showed the whole school that you picked up a genius, you should be rejoicing instead.


    -Ah¡­That¡¯s not it. It would have been better for him to remain low-profile. Too much talent generates greed, jealousy and much more.


    -You fear for your disciple, that is normal. But remember, this place wouldn¡¯t be able to contain him for too long anyway if he is that talented. And, since he is now a core disciple, even with his age, he won¡¯t be bullied or anything¡­ inside the school, at least.


    -What about outside? There are no disciples that stay entirely inside, he would soon have to go out, be it for missions or something else¡­


    -You can¡¯t protect him forever but, if I didn¡¯t guess wrong, didn¡¯t your disciple already planned for that by bringing in this second kid with him here and doing all this?


    -What? You mean Okami? ...Mir might be smart for his age but to think things through this far ahead would be too much.


    -Would it? Ahahah!¡±


    In the meantime, Mir was walking with the headmaster. They went down the herbal mountain and began walking on the red bridges. They walked a few kilometers and arrived at a mountain further inside the school territory, Mir had never gone that far. As they closed in on the shore, the headmaster said:


    ¡°This is the Sculpture Mountain. There is only a grand elder here, there is his shack there.¡±


    There was a small wooden house on the shore of the mountain. It wasn¡¯t big but it might be like the training center, with compressed space. As he became curious about this shack, an old man appeared from the opposite side. As he saw the headmaster, he was quite surprised.


    ¡°Oh, headmaster Song! What brings you to my modest sculpture mountain? It has been some time since we last met.


    -Indeed. But let us not waste both our times, you surely know why I came here.


    -Yes, yes, as always: a new core disciple, is it? Who?


    -Little Mir here.

 CHAPTER 22

    CHAPTER 22


    -Hum¡­He is only at the awakened stage and seeing how you called him, he isn¡¯t anyone with high status so, what did he do?


    -Your insights are as sharp as ever, elder Raj. This kid is the first to succeed a mountain challenge, the Herbal challenge, to be precise. And from that, he also became the youngest ever to become a core disciple.


    -Really? This challenge was supposed to be impossible, I recall a few grand elders tried and failed their own challenge. How old is he to have such abilities?


    -Five.


    -Right, no wonder you came here. Every core disciple has that right after all. So, little Mir, was it? Do you know why you are here, kid?


    -I don¡¯t, elder Raj.


    -This is the Sculpture Mountain. Only I live here and guard this place. It is where the sculptures of all the important individuals that have been studying here are displayed. Basically, every core student has the right to have his own statue repose on this mountain. If you¡¯ve been brought here, it¡¯s because according to the rules, I must make a statue of you.


    -A what?¡±


    Mir was stunned for the first time in a while. He never expected such an outcome. His only goal was the school token. While it is true that he had always dreamed of having a statue of himself, now that it was about to happen, it felt weird. Even more so since that piece of stone would look like his five-year-old self. He was led to a pedestal after having to change into the core disciple robe. It was basically the same as the others except there was a gold inscription on the back, it read ¡®core¡¯. Mir was told to take a pose and as a matter of course, if he had to be sculpted, he wanted it to be stylish, imposing and respectable. He decided to take the robe off his shoulders so his bust was shown, he also took out the Golden Sparrow Spear. Its appearance here made the sculptor elder delighted, it was indeed a nice choice of weapon for a sculpture. He had that spear held in his right hand but as things goes, this wasn¡¯t enough to satisfy the greed of this old man. He also took out a second rank 4 weapon. As if one wasn¡¯t enough. It was a red glowing gantlet. It seemed made of metal and gave off a feeling of incredible might. As he tried to put it on, the gantlet adapted itself to his child¡¯s hand, it was as if the gantlet was made for him. Mir nodded in satisfaction. He had the gauntlet on his left hand and the spear on the left. He placed his body perpendicular to the pedestal and looked straight ahead, to the sculptor. His face facing north and his body facing west. He took a pose as if he was ready to throw the spear with his left hand in front of him, palm open. If he hadn¡¯t been a child, it would have looked like an impressive pose. However, right now, it was just enough to be a joke. The elder sculptor could stay calm and serious as he did his job. He was memorizing every detail of Mir as he was walking around him. After having walked in circle for a few times, he nodded and told Mir:


    ¡°You can get down, I have all I need, I¡¯ll go make your statue now. It was a pleasure meeting you, little Mir, feel free to come back to see your sculpture in a month or so.


    -Thank you, elder Raj.¡±


    The elder nodded and walked away. As he did so, Mir put the spear and gantlet back in his space bag. The headmaster walked to him and asked him:


    ¡°Are your parents really farmers?


    -If you refer to those weapons, I got them by gambling alongside elder Lan.


    -Hum¡­Those eyes of yours must be the origin of your abilities. It might be good to hide them from now on.


    -That is planned.


    -Hum¡­Then, let us go get you a school token and have you get the last reward.¡±


    They went to the very first mountain of the school and into the first building there, an elder that looked even older than all others took Mir¡¯s right hand and¡­slashed it a bit with his nail. Blood came out, it frightened Mir. This old man had never been attacked before and no one had ever sprayed his blood before. Even if this was just a scratch, reflexively, Mir tried to move backwards but was stopped by the power of the old man. He placed a piece of wood in Mir¡¯s hand and left it to soak in the fresh blood. After a few seconds, the piece of wood turned into the school token Mir was after. It was rectangular, small and ¡®Mir¡¯ was written on it in his own blood. The old man let go of Mir and gave him the token. From beginning to end, this old man never uttered a single word.


    As they got out, the headmaster sighed. Mir didn¡¯t quite understand why he would sigh so he asked:


    ¡°Is there a problem headmaster?


    -No, don¡¯t worry about it. Just an old man feeling old. Anyway, for your last reward, you have the right to learn one of our three secret skills. I will take you to the headmaster mountain and you will be able to choose one there.


    -Wait, headmaster Song, that reward, can it be put on hold?


    -Hum? Why would you?


    -I¡¯ve never heard of those secret skills but they must be incredible. However, I haven¡¯t learnt a single skill yet, hell I am not even able to use energy. I lack knowledge and ability for it to be worth it and not make the wrong choice. Is it possible to put in on hold?This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    -Your concerns are real. It is possible to put in on hold, of course. You can come to the headmaster mountain to claim this reward whenever you feel ready. Then, it is here that I will be taking my leave. I have high hopes for your future, little Mir. Let us meet again after you mature a bit more.


    -Yes! Thank you, headmaster Song!¡±


    The headmaster left. It was so fast that Mir only saw a blur. The headmaster only walked until now so he could accompany Mir. As there was no more need for that, he could just use his speed to travel. But Mir still had to walked back to the Herbal Mountain. He was swearing at the heavens during the walk back. With his tiny legs, this was a nightmare. He was determined to invent cars in this world.


    Once he finally got back, it was already quite late. At the ground floor of the pavilion, only elder Lan and Okami were left. Okami went towards Mir and said with a serious tone:


    ¡°My congratulations on becoming the youngest core disciple in the history of the school, young boss!


    -Thanks, Oka. Next time, we will make you one as well.


    -I wouldn¡¯t dare!¡±


    As they were smiling at each other and discussing the future with the occasional praise from Oka, elder Lan coughed and interrupted them. He turned to Okami:


    ¡°Go sleep, I need to talk with little Mir.


    -Yes, elder Lan! Good night elder Lan! Good night, young boss!¡±


    Okami ran away to his room. The words of an elder had weight to them. Those from a grand elder? There was no need to mention it.


    Elder Lan asked for Mir to take a sit and they both faced each other, once more. Elder Lan began:


    ¡°Why did you do this?


    -Isn¡¯t it obvious?


    -¡­I don¡¯t think it is.


    -I am sorry then. I can¡¯t completely trust grand elder Lan. You said it yourself previously: with great power come great responsibilities. I can¡¯t just leave my life in someone else¡¯s hands, even if I respect you a lot, elder Lan.¡±


    With just those sentences, everything made sense. But can the truth be accepted? Elder Lan had deemed Mir¡¯s power to be dangerous but ultimately choose to let him live. However, he wanted him to remain hidden and had elder Bu watch over him. His goal was to nurture Mir himself but it was also to monitor him so he could end his life if anything threatening the school or more happened. As Mir said, by doing this, Mir¡¯s live was in elder Lan¡¯s hands and Mir would have to obey him. However, now, with the status of a core disciple, Mir was protected by the school itself. As a grand elder of the school, he would never go against the school. As such, Mir¡¯s life wasn¡¯t for him to control anymore. In a matter of days, Mir found a way to break from his shackles. He broke out of the grand elder¡¯s control. It was enough to leave grand elder Lan perplexed. He was looking at Mir with eyes filled with many emotions. As he saw that, Mir grinned and continued:


    ¡°Elder Lan, do not worry, I don¡¯t plan on showing off too much and as you said, the technique to awaken bloodlines is dangerous. So are the recipes for pills and pellets I can create. I plan to use them for myself and a few people I will choose as my underlings, just like Oka. I won¡¯t let myself be controlled by anyone and I won¡¯t give benefits for nothing to anyone either. However, if you ask me, I only made sure to show enough to be safe when it comes to today¡¯s events.


    -Little Mir, it is true that I tried to monitor you as I considered you to be a potential danger and I am now convinced of it. And you are also right in that I can no longer do anything to you, nothing that could endanger your life. But you misunderstand one thing I wish to correct: Not once did I thought or considered taking advantage of you for my own personal benefits!


    -Pfft, Ahahahah!¡±


    Mir laughed at elder Lan¡¯s serious words which angered a bit the elder. It was true that he would not attack Mir and had no more way to restrain the kid but being laughed at like that? He had lived for hundreds of years yet this was a first. He couldn¡¯t tolerate it and as he was about to react, Mir stopped and calmly said with anger in his voice, which actually made it cute and funny because he had the voice of a child:


    ¡°Is it because I am a young child or a son of farmer that you think I am stupid? That I can¡¯t see through people¡¯s actions?! You dare say that you didn¡¯t want to use my eyes for your benefit?!


    -Mir! That¡¯s enough! I won¡¯t sit by as you accuse me of such things!


    -Elder Lan! You used me to gamble many times since we first met! While it is true that I earned my share, you earned a lot without doing anything but standing there! And if you want more proof, then tell me! Why did you bring elder Fin here? A dying old man with a damaged core! And after you questioned me about my ability to restore a core at that! Don¡¯t kid yourself, elder Lan!¡±


    Elder Lan was unable to retort. Mir was right. The child was wiser than him? No, it is just that he failed to see through his own greed. Mir was right, he had been blinded by the power, and the possibilities had clouded his judgement¡­ As he was depressing over his own failure, Mir went on:


    ¡°I¡¯ll repeat it once more: with great power come great responsibilities. But elder, this power is mine and clearly, you are not fit to bear its responsibilities. That being said, I forgive you. It is human to be mistaken and greedy, I am too. You need to be honest about it though. I just hope all of this won¡¯t affect our relationship from here on out.


    -Ah¡­ You completely saw through everything, didn¡¯t you?


    -I did.


    -Fin predicted it. As soon as he saw you in the challenge, he told me that you had grasped everything in your palms. As to your previous question, it was because of your age. I never thought you could be so smart, cunning and scheming. But since it has come to this, I might as well be true to myself. I want you to restore elder Fin¡¯s cultivation, can you?


    -I can.¡±


    Mir answered casually but it brought a genuine smile on the elder¡¯s face. A smile that disappeared with Mir¡¯s next words:


    ¡°But I won¡¯t.


    -What? Why?!


    -Rather than asking me why, let me ask you why I should do it.


    -That¡¯s¡­¡±


    Mir was right once again. He had no ties with elder Fin so why would he go out of his way to save him? Elder Lan looked at Mir and said:


    ¡°If you can help someone, you should.


    -Really? I thought it went along the lines: If you don¡¯t have the power to help everyone, don¡¯t waste time helping any. Maybe I heard Elder¡¯s wise words wrong? But did I, now?


    -You¡­That¡¯s¡­


    -That¡¯s reality elder, and it¡¯s cruel. That being said, I don¡¯t mind helping him if I get something valuable in exchange.¡±


    This was the manifestation of Mir, no, Martin¡¯s vow. He wouldn¡¯t help anyone but himself. It is impossible for people to have a pure heart so why trust in people? It is better to use them. Honestly, being in the body of a child was a major help to Mir. It helped him have the others let down their guards. And since there was no more danger to his life, why should he fake his true self anymore? It was time to act for real and stop the game. He had been playing the fool far enough.

 CHAPTER 23

    CHAPTER 23


    And at that time, elder Fin walked down the stairs and sat down with Mir and elder Lan. He turned to Mir and said:


    ¡°We haven¡¯t officially been introduced, I am Quin Fin. The previous tailor grand elder and also, Lan¡¯s elder brother. A pleasure to meet you, little Mir.


    -In those conditions, a pleasure?


    -Well, you did say you could heal me and you didn¡¯t mind doing it if you received a compensation. That¡¯s more than enough for me to be overjoyed. As for the rest, it is my younger brother¡¯s fault.


    -Elder Brother Fin, I¡­


    -It is fine, Lan, it was probably meant to be this way. You weren¡¯t one to contain little Mir, that¡¯s all there is to it. Now, let us get down to business. Little Mir, what do you want in exchange for curing me?


    -First, I won¡¯t cure you directly. I will tell you the ingredients needed and how to make the pill that can do the part.


    -That is more than enough.


    -Second, I won¡¯t say what I want but rather, I¡¯ll ask you, what do you have to offer in exchange?¡±


    Elder Lan was outraged. His elder brother¡¯s life, previously condemned to end, finally had hope to go on and yet¡­ He got up and pointing his finger at Mir he said angrily:


    ¡°How dare you?!¡±


    At that moment, his elder brother grasped his finger and looked at him angrily. He told him:


    ¡°Go sleep. I am going to do business with the kid.


    -But elder brother, this¡­


    -I said go sleep, you idiot!¡±


    Frowning, elder Lan left. He was vexed and furious. After that short interruption, elder Fin turned back to Mir and continued:


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be faster for you to tell me what you want?


    -I want to see how much value you accord to this fleeting life of yours, elder Fin.


    -You can see that I don¡¯t have long, right?


    -Yes.


    -Those eyes of yours are really astonishing. Fair enough, here¡¯s what I have to offer: knowledge. Everything I know. You know that I was the precious tailor mountain grand elder but do you know what we did there?


    -Wasn¡¯t it clothing?


    -Wrong. There are three types of external items martial artist always rely on. Herbal alchemy¡¯s products that you already know of. Weapons, obviously. And finally, tailor-made items. They are used as support items. While they encompass clothes, it is much more. Jewelry, Clothes, Vehicles, utilities¡­ Everything that can be used by a martial artist, we are the ones manufacturing them. I offer you the knowledge from one of the best tailor in the continent.¡±


    Knowledge. A single word filled with importance and value. Only he who knows can succeed. Mir knows it very well, the more information he had, the stronger he would be and the closest to a life of laziness and luxuries he would be. As a businessman, information was crucial. In this world, it was vital. And of course, the kind of knowledge offered by elder Fin was tempting. There was a problem though. Elder Fin was dying and had no more cultivation. He couldn¡¯t use energy anymore so how could he transmit his knowledge. As Mir found this problem, elder Fin smiled and answered:


    ¡°I can only pass this knowledge onto you if you restore my cultivation. You understand it too, I know. But then again, do you think I would impart such valuable knowledge without assurance? What if after you learnt, you admitted there was no cure for me? In this continent, it is unheard of for someone to repair his damaged core yet you proclaim that you can while having me back to my prime strength. It is hard to believe even if you are prone to miracles.


    -Eh, you know how to bargain, elder Fin. But things remain that I hold your only hope to survive in my hands. What holds true for you holds true for me, what proof is there that after your core is healed, you won¡¯t just ¡®forget¡¯ that promise of ours? Consider the reality that I can live to see tomorrow while it is unsure for you.


    -Tough Negotiator, aren¡¯t you? How about I give you an artifact first as proof of my trustworthiness?


    -An artifact?


    -An earring to be precise. It is one of a kind, impossible to reproduce. Its power is simple: to attract the energy between heaven and earth to its wielder. Do you understand what that means?


    -A valuable cultivation treasure.


    -Exactly. So, now, how about it?¡±


    Mir was thinking. Elder Fin was smarter than elder Lan. He knows that the knowledge would benefit Mir greatly and that this treasure was indeed worth it for Mir to help him. He was trying to set a ¡®not so bad¡¯ relationship as business partners by offering it. He hoped that, after receiving the earring, Mir wouldn¡¯t lie about the way to cure him. After all, the possibility of Mir sending him to his death wasn¡¯t zero. This old man was smart and cunning. But the deal itself was truly benefiting Mir¡¯s future. Even if he didn¡¯t get the knowledge later on, just because of the earring, it would have been worth it. So, Mir extended his hand and smiled:Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    Elder Fin looked at the hand curiously and understood the kid¡¯s intentions. He smiled as well, shook Mir¡¯s small hand and confirmed:


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    This was settled so Mir went to sleep. It had been an exhausting day.


    At lunch, he received, the earring from elder Fin. Through his pupils, he completely grasped the item as it was:


    <u>Abyss Pearl Earring</u>


    Effect: Increase by ten times the amount of energy received by the wielder during meditation and produces a state of constant passive meditation.


    Bio: A unique earring made from mithril and an abyss pearl by a Master Martial Tailor. It is part of the abyss set, made to increase the cultivation speed of any wielder.


    This earring was simple, it was rectangular with a sapphire in its center. It was small, like a rice grain. Yet, it was incredibly attracting. That being said, Mir was no fool. He knew the might of energy and the fact that his core had not merged with his body made him as vulnerable as a non-cultivator. This meant his body couldn¡¯t absorb energy. He ate a martial pellet previously and was lucky enough to only suffer from some stomach pain and time wasted in the bathroom.


    At that time however, the energy contained in that pellet was small and weak. Putting on the earring was equivalent to gathering the energy from heaven and earth at all times in an unknown amount. Of course, it is an incredible treasure but to the present Mir, it was poison. Still, elder Fin honored his part of the deal and this earring would no doubt be a huge help to Mir later.


    Mir had been a businessman in his previous life. And businessmen have one, out of many, rule that they must abide to: when a deal is made, you stick to it. He grabbed a pen and a paper and started writing. After a few minutes, he handed the paper to elder Fin. Elder Fin frowned slightly and asked him:


    ¡°Are you sure about this recipe, little Mir?


    -I am. You¡¯ve proven your good faith so this recipe is yours. I would suggest you destroy it after use though. If this were to spread¡­


    -I know the implications. However, little Mir, I can¡¯t help but feel as if you are deceiving me. There are more than fifty rare rank3 ingredients on this list. Most known recipe are composed of only a handful.


    -There is always a sky above the sky. Do you seriously believe that because there is no precedence, it is wrong? Elder Fin, growing a new core would be easier. But you asked me to grow back a destroyed one and bring it back to its former glory. You weren¡¯t the weak one either. So, of course, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to do. Now, you can either try it or die. Anyway, I held my part of the deal as soon as I gave you the recipe. That being said, I hope you will come back cured to teach me what you promised.


    -If your recipe work, don¡¯t worry, I will teach you whatever you want. Then, I¡¯ll be taking my leave for some time to gather those materials. I will take Lan with me so if you need anything, go to Bu.


    -Alright, have a safe trip, elder.¡±


    Elder Fin left. Soon after, elder Bu went to Mir accompanied by Okami. Elder Bu sat down and asked Mir:


    ¡°Little Mir, I was thinking about having Okami going to the challenging mountain and do some sparring there but he keeps retorting that he won¡¯t do anything without your direct approval!


    -Well, I don¡¯t approve of it. Good job refusing, Oka. By the way, Elder Bu, why is everyone using Oka¡¯s full name rather than just his first name?


    -Hum¡­Isn¡¯t Okami his first name?


    -No, no. Oka is the first name, Mi is the family name.¡±


    Elder Bu and Oka were both surprised and as they turned at each other, elder Bu asked Oka:


    ¡°I thought you were an orphan?


    -I am?


    -Then what is this about a family name?


    -I don¡¯t know. Young boss gave me the name, I thought it was a first name.¡±


    This time was Mir¡¯s turn to be surprised and now, they were all facing an issue of misunderstanding. Then, elder Bu had a flash of smarts. He laughed and explained:


    ¡°Little Mir, you probably don¡¯t know this because of your background but, here, in the Sea Walker Kingdom, only the King himself can give a family name to someone. Family names are proof of High-nobility after all! Every being you meet who has a family name is someone coming from an impressive background! It is no wonder we misunderstood Oka¡¯s name as Okami in the light of this fact.


    -I understand! Sorry, Oka! I didn¡¯t know anything about this.


    -It is fine, young master! More than anything, I am grateful! You thought of giving me a family name even though you don¡¯t have one yourself!¡±


    That¡¯s when Mir realized: ¡®Oh, that¡¯s right, I forgot. I do not have a family name either¡­Guess that will have to be one more thing to add to my must-get list¡¯. After seconds of silence, Mir turned to Elder Bu:


    ¡°Anyway, elder Bu, can you spread the information regarding Oka¡¯s name?


    -Of course, leave it to me! Now, will you agree to let him go to the challenging mountain?


    -No.¡±


    Elder Bu didn¡¯t like to be refused by a student, even more so by a child. He was after all an elder, he had his pride. Mir was a rare genius, yes, and he paid the price for his lack of insight once. While it was a second bite to his pride, he swallowed his saliva and asked the kid:


    ¡°Why won¡¯t you agree to it, little Mir? With Oka¡¯s silver alpha wolf bloodline, he should be able to contend against many that are at the same realm.


    -It¡¯s not about that elder Bu. Do you know how we met Oka?


    -Yes, I heard. It is truly unfortunate. To think our disciples can be so cruel to their own. I apologize in regard to this event. As an elder, I am powerless to stop them from occurring, it shames and pains me greatly.¡±


    Oka was touched and while smiling, thanked the elders for his kind words. However, Mir wasn¡¯t going to. Words are mere words, they don¡¯t do shit.


    Saying that you regret, that you couldn¡¯t and so on, they are only excuses, made-up so that one doesn¡¯t feel guilt. It is worthless. For a moment, Mir¡¯s face twisted as he heard the elder¡¯s fake sorrow but he recovered quickly and went on:


    ¡°Elder Bu, Oka might be able to contend against someone of the same realm but what if he had to face those that nearly killed him back then? I don¡¯t know them and won¡¯t ask, nor do I plan to help him get revenge on those Outer Fire Alliance peoples yet. However, if he does, and I know he will try, to take revenge, I don¡¯t plan on having my first follower walk to his death because he was in a hurry. I am sorry Oka, I need you to be patient until we¡¯re both strong enough to protect ourselves. And that¡¯s the reason why I would like Oka to focus on cultivating for now.¡±


    Truth is, Mir was actually thinking "Fuck you, you just want to show him off so you can upgrade your own image as an elder" but he would never admit it with words.

 CHAPTER 24

    CHAPTER 24


    As he said that, Mir took one more paper and began drawing a complex symbol on it. Once he finished, he handed it over to Oka and told him:


    ¡°As an apology. Use martial ink to inscribe this pattern on your chest while you integrate a pellet¡¯s energy. It will increase the speed and amount.


    -Thank you, young boss! I will be cultivating diligently then!


    -Call for me once you¡¯re ready to try for a breakthrough.


    -Yes, young boss!¡±


    After he got the paper, Oka bowed respectfully to Mir and left. He was going to cultivate. He had enough pellets for some time. Elder Bu sighed. He could understand the reasoning behind the refusal but he wasn¡¯t willing to accept it.


    His herbal mountain finally earned a talented disciple that could earn them some wins at the challenging mountain yet he refused to go sparring? What sorts of martial artists do not spar?! This was absurd and too rational at the same time. Elder Bu could only sigh at Mir¡¯s awareness.


    Since he couldn¡¯t do anything with Oka now that the teenager went to cultivate, he turned to Mir:


    ¡°Little Mir, what do you plan to do next? Surely not challenging a second mountain ahah.


    -Well¡­Maybe later. For now, I must build myself some capital. And learn of some school rules¡­Maybe elder Bu could help me on this second one.


    -Of course, this old man is after all a true elder of this school. State your questions, little Mir. It will be my pleasure to answer them.


    -I want to know about those groups and alliances formed by disciples.


    -Hum¡­It¡¯s quite simple, really. Anyone can create a ¡®faction¡¯ in this school. They are divided in three types. Mountain factions, like our herbal mountain. Those are managed by grand elders and their only purpose consist in prospering in a single domain, all for the school. Next, we have the Outer Factions and Inner Factions. They are created respectively by outer and inner disciples. As for why they are made and their purpose, it varies from one to another. It is mostly a way for disciples to get stronger by surfing on other¡¯s achievements. It is easier to do tasks and such as groups and so, they earn more resources.


    -Then, there must be many of them.


    -Not at all. While we encourage it, there is a restriction. We couldn¡¯t have just any and every disciple making their own faction. It would be a great waste for both us and them. There are a few requirements prior to create a faction. One needs to own a Manor on a mountain and the Faction must contain at least two people for an Inner one and twenty for an Outer one.


    -That¡¯s quite a gap! And what is this Manor?


    -The gap is wide because there are far more outer disciples. But it is the Manor requirement that is the hardest to reach. One would need to buy a piece of land in the school and build a Manor there, some sort of a faction headquarters.


    -Isn¡¯t it all about money then? Always is.


    -No. While money is indeed needed, you would need to find a piece of land for sale. And there are none left.


    -Since I am an inner court disciple, can¡¯t I get one in the Herbal Mountain?


    -No. it is not that we don¡¯t want to. Rather, we can¡¯t. All spaces have been bought long ago. And before you ask, we can¡¯t create more. The rules are against it.


    -Then how do I get one?


    -Challenging a faction and defeating it. Battling against all the members in chain, without breaks. Only then would you be able to claim a territory and then, create your own faction. Obviously, it isn¡¯t something you can do at present.


    -You¡¯re right. I will have to leave it for later then. For now, I will be going to make money. See you later, elder Bu and thank you for the lecture.


    -Where are you going?


    -To buy ingredients then make pellets. Until I can cultivate, there really isn¡¯t much else for me to do besides preparing for when that time comes.


    -Alright. But nothing higher than rank 2. It was ordered by grand elder Lan!


    -Of course, elder Bu.¡±


    Inside, Mir was laughing. As if he would limit himself to rank 2 pellets. And since when did elder Lan became able to order him again? He did not. Since Mir was now a core disciple, he wasn¡¯t going to abide by any orders or bend to someone else¡¯s will. Still, he wouldn¡¯t sell any rank 4 medicines.


    Since the herbal challenge, he proved his abilities with a rank 3 pellet. Everyone probably knew of that fact so it would be pointless to try to cover it up. At the same time, there were more disciples in the first rank so he would first test a batch of each type of pellets and sell those that brought in the biggest profits. Such is the way of the businessman.


    The plan was set: make medicines until he was richer than rich and get himself a large stock of martial pellets to use as soon as his core fused with his body. He was already wealthy but he wished for more.


    TWO YEARS and a few days LATER


    Mir was seven. His core had not merged with his body yet and he was starting to despair about it. He knew it would happen without doubt but not knowing when was killing him. If this went on, he might lose more than just ¡®time¡¯ but also ¡®status¡¯. And while he couldn¡¯t do anything but make money through medicines, Oka on the other hand became strong.Very strong.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    He was now sixteen and had already reached the second rank first realm. This martial cultivation prowess earned him the right to become an inner court disciple. Coupled with his bloodline, if he showed a bit of his true strength, he would be deemed worthy of the core disciple¡¯s mantle. However, Mir ordered him to keep low. Mir knew that he wouldn¡¯t be able to have that go on for much longer.


    As he was stressed, time flew by and a few days later while he was lazing under a tree as per habit, it happened. It wasn¡¯t his core merging with his body but a new core was being born inside of him. This startled him greatly as he didn¡¯t do anything for it to happen.


    This phenomenon came abruptly and unexpectedly. For more than an hour, Mir suffered and felt the pain of a growing core for the second time. A pain he never thought he would have to relive. He did have to. When the pain faded, his whole body felt different but its exterior as well. The world in itself wasn¡¯t the same anymore.


    Mir could see more than before with his eyes. This was strange. Until now, there had never been any upgrade in his sight but this time, it happened. He could see mystical floating blobs of light of different shapes and sizes here and there. He knew they were the representation of the environmental energy. His eyes weren¡¯t just able to see but enabled him to comprehend the sights as well after all.


    He was going to return to his apartment in the Herbal Pavilion when his body started hurting again. He just got up to fell down. The pain came back, amplified. This time, it was so violent that he couldn¡¯t stop himself from screaming and crying. Nothing can prepare you to endure such pain. Fortunately, it did not go on for too long. Just a dozen minutes¡­


    This time, there didn¡¯t seem to be any obvious changes to his ability to see. But were there? Mir ran back to his apartment. There was no more incident along the way except for a rush in adrenaline. As he entered his room that now contained a mirror, he saw through himself.


    It was still impossible to watch further than his previous life so he gave up on that. He concentrated on his core area. There were two cores, linked together and to his body, merged with it. He could begin martial cultivation, he was finally a martial artist!


    But that¡¯s not all. He wasn¡¯t just a martial artist, he directly reached the second realm of the first rank. Something that could have taken him a few days if not weeks were he to cultivate normally. Of course, this would have been the time considering his pellet¡¯s stock and the use of inscription patterns to help digest the energy.


    Now however, he didn¡¯t have to and could start preparing for the third realm directly. This was a huge first step. But he wasn¡¯t going to stop at that. He looked intensely at his cores until he grasped them entirely:


    <u>TWIN STARTER AWAKENED CORES</u>


    RANK 1 ¨C 2<sup>nd</sup> realm


    Bio: Cores are the origin of energy. Every being with a core can direct the energy from heaven and earth inside his body, cultivate it and become stronger through this action commonly referred to as cultivation. It is possible to awaken a second core when reaching the first realm and then once every five realms, provided the core balance* is not broken.


    Starter Core: the first core to be awakened, the one controlling them all and active every time energy is used. Impossible to modify. Destruction of the starter core induces destruction of all cores and cultivation.


    Twin cores are a rare genetic modification; the cultivator will have the worth of two cores strength as if there was one for his starter core. it becomes possible to deactivate half of the starter core¡¯s power. As long as one of the twin core is not destroyed, the starter core is not and the destroyed part can be restored.


    Twin starter awakened core counts for one unit of core.


    This meant many things but all in all, it was something to rejoice at. Patience rewarded him greatly. Maybe he could have even created a third core and have a triplet core? Though experimenting on this was risky¡­And painful. He would leave that thought aside for some time since he himself would not benefit from it.


    Now, he could start the next part of his masterplan. He rushed to the training center and rented the biggest room available. Then, he took off the clothes on the upper part of his body. He took out many rare rank 4 painkiller pellets he had created during the previous two years. Then, a few flasks. Each contained the blood of a rare (M)-rank beast.


    There were seven of them. He reached the first rank and twin cores count as one unit of core so he could awaken a third core directly. And why would he deprive himself of this chance? While he was at it, why not awaken a bloodline core? Of course, he would. But now, he had to take this ¡®balance¡¯ into account. That is the reason he only took out seven flasks.


    In this world, there are seven elements. Fire, Water, Earth, Wind and Thunder are the basics and with Light and Darkness, it makes for the seven. Keeping the balance means only a single thing: not have one element overcome the others.


    If there are two cores of different elements, they must be of the same might or one will be devoured by the other and result in a weaker core being born, a weak version of the stronger core. Of course, right now, it didn¡¯t mean that much to Mir as his twin awakened core were neutral and would not disturb any balance. Since he would only have one elemental core, he would be fine for some time.


    But he would soon reach the fifth realm. He knew himself and his pellet¡¯s stock¡­ At that time, he would be able to awaken a fourth core and the balance would be crucial. So, he had selected seven beast¡¯s bloods of similar might. If combined inside him as cores, they wouldn¡¯t break the balance and could coexist safely.


    But a choice remained to make: which one should be the first? Obviously, he had thought this through hundreds of times already but now that it was time, he felt the famous last-minute hesitation. But he was previously a businessman. A calculator. He already knew which one to take and he took it in the end. The fire element beast. This was the Burning Sea School and what kind of school was it? One with preeminent fire skills. It was an obvious choice but still.


    He took back the six flasks and left only the fire elemental one. He breathed in and out a few times. He knew the pain felt when a core is grown, that he did, so he was quite reluctant to do it in a way. He had to brace himself.


    And finally, he began. He drew strange symbols in the beast¡¯s blood all over his body. They were different from the ones he drew on Oka previously. It was a different specie after all, the way to merge it was different and just as complex. If not for his eyes, he would truly have lived the life of a farmer¡­


    He sighed at his previous life while drawing. The fatality of his previous life gave him a second chance. It was a blessing, truly. He swallowed a mouthful of saliva and drank the blood. Then, it started. The flickering red lights, the absorption of the blood drawings inside a new forming core, the blood he drank being directed to this new core and the pain. It didn¡¯t take long for him to reach for a painkiller pill and eat it. Then a second one and a third one¡­And a ninth one.


    After the ninth one, while he still felt the pain, he could bear it. It was more of a burning warmth now. He was sitting down crossed-legged and heavily breathing as he concentrated. It took him three hours and ten minutes to finish the full process. And then, as always, he passed out. It had been rough on him, he was still a kid in body and this isn¡¯t something the mind can get used to.


    When he awoke, it was time to go. The renting time was almost up. But he was too curious. He rushed to the management elder and rented the room for one more day. As he went back, he noticed a few changes. He felt far stronger but by how much exactly, he didn¡¯t know. That¡¯s why he did the most rational action. He took out a small mirror from his space bag.

 CHAPTER 25

    CHAPTER 25


    In two years, it had been obvious that having one on himself at all times would be useful. Just so he could understand his own state better. He directly placed it so he could see his core area. And he ended up quite surprised. While the presence of a third core was expected, it had led to a breakthrough to the third realm.


    In a single day, he went from awakened core to the third realm. Something that took years to most people. Even Okami, before becoming Mir¡¯s followers, only reached the fourth realm after five years of cultivation. This showed the gap between Mir and others as well as the true worth of his eyesight. After rejoicing over his breakthrough, he intensely looked at his new core:


    <u>VENERABLE GOLDEN SUN KING DRAGON BLOODLINE AWAKENED CORE</u>


    RANK 1 ¨C 3<sup>nd</sup> realm


    Bio: Cores are the origin of energy. Every being with a core can direct the energy from heaven and earth inside his body, cultivate it and become stronger through this action commonly referred to as cultivation. It is possible to awaken a second core when reaching the first realm and then once every five realms, provided the core balance* is not broken.


    Second Core: A core awakened after reaching Rank 1 Realm 1. Can be activated and deactivated at will.


    Bloodline Core: A core merged with the bloodline of a different being. Provides a part of the being¡¯s power by extracting its DNA from the bloodline. By activating the bloodline core, body modifications and a change in the emitted energy might be induced.


    Balance: FIRE ELEMENTAL CORE (4.0)


    Venerable Golden Sun King Dragon bloodline: The activation of this bloodline induces a body modification, an emitted energy change and provides different additional abilities.


    <ul style="text-align: center">


    <li>Body Modification: The body skin is replaced by golden scales. This provide additional defense and attack power in melee battle.</li>


    </ul>


    <ul style="text-align: center">


    <li>Body Modification: Add-on small dragon gold mustache. Provides additional awareness of surroundings.</li>


    </ul>


    <ul style="text-align: center">


    <li>Body Modification: Muscle Mass expansion. More muscles for more attack power.</li>


    </ul>


    <ul style="text-align: center">


    <li>Emitted Energy Modification: The energy color is turned from neutral to gold for all skills. Visual Style Benefit: ¡®Dragons are noble and stylish¡¯</li>


    </ul>


    <ul style="text-align: center">


    <li>Additional Elemental Benefit: 50% more damages when using fire-elemental skills.</li>


    </ul>


    <ul style="text-align: center">


    <li>Additional Elemental Weakness: 50% weaker to water-related skills.</li>


    </ul>


    <ul style="text-align: center">


    <li>Additional Skill Benefit:</li>


    </ul>


    <ul style="text-align: center">


    <li>King Dragon¡¯s roar: Induce Paralysis to weaker opponents.</li>


    </ul>


    Status: UNLOCKED


    <ul style="text-align: center">


    <li>Golden Sun Dragon Breath: A long-range attack originating from the mouth. Fire-elemental attack. Might indulge an explosion depending on the energy used. Can take time to charge depending on the energy used.</li>


    </ul>


    Status: UNLOCKED


    <ul style="text-align: center">


    <li>Venerable Golden Sun King Dragon image summoning: Summoning of a spiritual Venerable Golden Sun King Dragon in all its glory to help during battle.</li>


    </ul>


    Status: LOCKED (strength insufficient)


    That¡¯s more than expected. He knew from his trial with Oka that it would be something incredible but he had no idea about the skill and elemental benefits. It was something he didn¡¯t see when looking at Oka¡¯s core before.


    Did he unlock more of his eyesight abilities? Probably. One more thing to rejoice about. Today was a wonderful day. He was eager to try all of those new abilities.


    He concentrated and activated this third core of his. Soon, golden light was emitted blurring the surroundings and he felt warmth running through his body. Where it passed, he felt the change. As the light decreased, he began to see his reflection. It was hard to accept this new body of his. First things first, he grew. From a meter fifty, he reached a meter sixty. Ten whole centimeters. For a seven years old, this was quite the height.


    Also, his skin was nowhere to be seen, replaced by scales. Gold everywhere but on his frontal bust where it was golden white. Also, the scales only went up to his neck without modifying his face. The only place where skin still existed. His hair had turned from brown to golden and he had a mustache. It was just two strands of golden hair that grew from between his nose and mouth but it felt weird. Even in his previous life, he didn¡¯t have one. However, as a seven-year-old, he had a long golden one. A few centimeters long and freely floating in the air. At the very least, it didn¡¯t go too bad with his actual morphology.


    He could also feel the muscle bulging in his arms and legs and his newly earned six-pack. That one was the most shocking. More than scales replacing skin? Yes. He was prepared for the scales but such muscle growth was unexpected. He never worked out. Be it in this life or the previous. Even more in his previous life, he was a bit fat¡­A bit¡­ Seeing himself so muscular was shocking. And invigorating. He loved it. For the first time in two lives, he fell in love with himself.


    Who was the dumbass who said appearance didn¡¯t matter? No doubt a rich playboy. If he could meet him, he would most likely insult his stupidity and punched his face with a brick or something. Appearance was all that matters, that and money and in this world, power. Still, he was happy. This was more than worth the pain. He looked awesome.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    This was far from your average seven-years-old appearance. He couldn¡¯t help but laugh crazily at his reflection. After indulging in his newborn narcissism for longer than any sane man would have, his old man¡¯s mind woke up as he wondered: ¡°Did my jewels also grew? Maybe they became muscular as well?!¡±¡­


    After discussing whether checking was a good or bad idea, he couldn¡¯t bear the curiosity. Since there was no one else here anyway, he checked¡­ And wasn¡¯t disappointed. He inwardly screamed:


    ¡°This ain¡¯t no 7-year-old for sure!¡±


    For a time, he also wondered if he earned a dragon¡¯s vigor but decided against checking that far. There was a limit.


    After all this trivial nonsense, he returned on the right track. It was time to check his strength. He concentrated and began to send energy outside his body. He was turning his close surrounding into a giant energy whirlpool. A golden one at that. And in the center, he opened his eyes. It felt awesome. He was the one emitting this energy. His power was surging.


    He decided to try the first skill, the King dragon¡¯s roar. He knew how to by instinct. He concentrated power in his lungs and roared. If he wasn¡¯t the one roaring, this sound would have scared him shitless, no doubts. It was powerful, noble and fear-inducing. Truly wonderful.


    Then, he tried the second skill. Golden Sun Dragon Breath. He had to redirect all energy towards his mouth and stock it until it reached the highest point possible. In a matter of seconds, it was filled with too much energy. It was burning his lips and tongue so much he had to open his mouth.


    From there, a ray of golden light shot forth. It went on for two seconds before reaching the end of the room and exploding. It created such a blast that Mir was forced a few step backs. Afterwards, the room was clean no more. The place hit was destroyed. There were rubbles everywhere and cracks in both the walls and the ground. It was devastated on many meters around the explosion epicenter. This was violent. Such an attack wasn¡¯t intended for a light spar. This was a skill to kill, to slaughter.


    For the first time, Mir became conscious of what having strength meant. There were responsibilities coming with strength. And in this world, the reason people were after strength was not to play around. They wished for strength to kill their ways to the top. For the first time, he became conscious of the brutality of this world and his belonging to it. This was no more a game or a lazy run. It became dangerous. From now on, he had to be even more cautious. He was wielding a power able to kill, this was not a small matter. It changed everything.


    After pondering for some time and testing his ability to move around in this upgraded body, Mir deactivated the second core, the fire core, and exited the training center. He went to see Elder Bu first. Then, he asked him:


    ¡°Elder Bu, can you take me to Grand Elder Fin?¡±


    Elder Fin. He was elder Lan¡¯s brother and a grand elder of the Burning Sea School. Due to a misfortune that led him to be crippled and lose his awakened core, he lost his martial artist status and had to forfeit his standing in the school. However, after a deal with Mir, he received a recipe to bring back his core to life. He went on a journey with his younger brother and in a matter of months, he came back with his core regrown.


    He earned back his cultivation and was reinvested to the position of Grand Elder. He still owed something to Mir. He had promised him to teach him about martial tailoring. However, when he came back first and he tried to show Mir, Mir was unable to see and comprehend anything.


    Martial Tailoring was all about influencing the energies and bringing new powers to life in objects. At that time, Mir couldn¡¯t see and use energy. Now that he could, he believed it was time to learn martial tailoring and time for Elder Fin to uphold his part of the deal.


    With elder Bu leading the way, they reached the Tailoring Mountain soon. They went up to the tailoring Pavilion and asked for elder Fin. After a few minutes of waiting in the main hall, they were joined by the grand elder. Only elder Bu bowed respectfully. He was ignored. Even worse, dismissed by elder Fin.


    He directed Mir up to the third floor, his personal quarters. Just like his younger brother¡¯s, it contained an entire world. Though it was plainer. They discussed as they entered this world:


    ¡°So, little Mir, what brings you here after so long?


    -You didn¡¯t forget our previous deal, elder Fin, did you?


    -I didn¡¯t. Does this mean that you have finally become a martial artist?


    -That is right. And I am here to try learning martial tailoring once more.


    -Congratulations. And regarding me teaching you, I did not forget, let us go right now if you want to. I will show you once more.¡±


    They walked for a few kilometers before reaching a lake. There was a small bridge leading to a small island in the middle of the lake. Once they were on the small island that was no larger than twenty meters and completely flat with small green grass growing everywhere, a dark desk appeared.


    Maybe it wasn¡¯t a desk? Mir didn¡¯t really know. It was just a big rectangular dark mass. It was around one meter fifty, the size of Mir. He couldn¡¯t see anything on it. Elder Fin chuckled and made a chair appear. Mir got up on that chair and he could now see the rectangular mass. It was flat and plain black. There was nothing on it. Mir wasn¡¯t impressed. Elder Fin said:


    ¡°This is my workplace. If I want to work on an object, I place it on this dark desk and start the process. This desk looks like this because I liked it, don¡¯t question it too much. We did not even go this far last time since you couldn¡¯t sense energy at all but, now, I can feel your ability to do so myself¡­


    -Isn¡¯t that actually just a big rectangular dark ebonite rock?


    -¡­It is. Anyway, let me show you some martial tailoring.¡±


    He took out a small crystal, a hammer the size of a hand and a small knife. He placed them on the dark mass and said:


    ¡°This here is a martial crystal. It is formed from the condensation of monster cores. The more cores are fused, the bigger the martial crystal. You need to imbue energy inside it first. This is a martial hammer and this is a basic knife, the object we will tailor. So, how does this work you ask?


    -I didn¡¯t.


    -I will still answer. You infuse energy into the crystal. You place the crystal on the object and hammer them both at the same time until the crystal is fused into the object. That¡¯s it. Of course, you need to imbue martial energy into the hammer and that energy must be stronger or equal to the one in the crystal. This will then turn the object into a martial item. Here, I will show you.¡±


    Elder Fin took the crystal in his hands and focused. A strong wind blew from him and entered the crystal. It was him merging energy into the crystal. Five minutes later, the crystal turned white. Elder Fin satisfyingly nodded and turned to Mir:


    ¡°When enough energy has been merged, the crystal will become colored. That is a sign of when to stop. If I went further, it would have blown up and everything would have been lost. It would have just been turned to ash without causing any damages anywhere though so don¡¯t think you can use them as weapons: you can¡¯t. Now, we place the crystal on top of the object. Then, take the hammer and while constantly giving energy to the hammer, we strike on them both.¡±


    From then on, elder Fin stopped talking and focused on the task. He hammered away at the knife and crystal. With each strike, the crystal was absorbed a bit more into the knife. In the end, it glowed brightly and the crystal had completely disappeared.


    A small gust of wind was emitted by the knife and that was it. It didn¡¯t seem to be any different than before. However, Mir knew it was a success by the satisfied look on Elder Fin¡¯s face. He turned to Mir and said:


    ¡°This is a success. You know, little Mir, when I was crippled, I couldn¡¯t work like this anymore. Now that I can finally go back to it, I truly understand the value of this art. You only understand the value of something after you lose it once, it is sad but true. I am eternally grateful to you for¡­


    -It was business, let us not mention it anymore. That being said, elder, I find myself with a question. What does this change to the item? It doesn¡¯t seem any different to me¡­


    -Try swinging it a bit then.¡±


    Mir took the knife and swung it a few times, slashing the air. He was perplexed. The feeling was entirely different from a normal knife. It felt like slicing the air was possible. Mir turned to the elder. Even with his sight, he had no idea what changed. He understood the process but not its benefits. This was a first.

 CHAPTER 26

    CHAPTER 26


    What¡¯s more, he couldn¡¯t see through the knife itself. He could only hope for the elder to have the knowledge and he did:


    ¡°Feeling the difference yet unable to grasp it, are you? Strange. Even though you have been betting and earning many rank 4 items. Don¡¯t you understand why they are worth so much?


    -I do not. I only knew they were precious and worth a lot. Since I was poor, that was enough.


    -I see. Well, then, do not worry for I can teach you. Listen closely. There are four ranks known in this continent, from 1 to 4 of course. Upgrading a normal object through martial tailoring like what I showed you can upgrade it to the first rank. Now, what does it change? It becomes a weapon imbued with energy. It earns the ability to be infused with energy of all elements without risks of being destroyed. As an example, think about the fire element. If I channeled fire elemental energy in a normal weapon, it would melt. This knife however won¡¯t ever be burnt by fire elemental energy.


    -Then what¡¯s the point in having you fill the crystal with rank three energies rather than me with my rank 1 energies?


    -Resistance. This knife is a rank 1 weapon that can be used by martial artists up to the third rank. It means that no one under the fourth rank could break it by using it. Obviously, since we don¡¯t have anyone at rank four, having a weapon with a resistance of rank three is the top. It means that this knife is a top-tier rank one weapon.


    -Alright, I understand. But then, what makes the difference between item ranks?


    -Now that is the right question to ask. From what you saw, it is obvious that anyone can make something like this knife as long as they have the materials and some knowledge. However, to reach rank 2 is another matter entirely!¡±


    The elder turned back to the black desk and placed the knife there again. Then, he took out a bigger crystal from his space bag. It was a cubic crystal, fifty centimeters wide.


    Then, he took a different hammer. This one was bigger, way bigger. As big as the elder himself. He placed it near the desk. The sheer weight of the hammer was enough to make the ground cave in a bit. The elder smiled and said:


    ¡°The process is the same in theory. There is just one more thing to add to it.¡±


    As he said that, he took something else from his space bag. It was a small brush like one of a painter. The elder smiled widely and said:


    ¡°This is a martial pattern brush. It is a rank three item. Only with this tool can someone attempt to tailor a second rank item and do actual tailoring.


    -What does it do?


    -Don¡¯t be so impatient, young Mir. Let me show you the complete process. First, the crystal. This one is as you can see, bigger. Both are energy crystals but they are able to store different things. For example, this one here can stock a skill rather than energy.


    -So, you attack it and it turns white?


    -No. Attacking it would break it into pieces. It is just a stone, Mir¡­ So, what do we do? We first forge a link with the stone by placing one hand on it and sending some energy in it. It will forge a link between us.¡±


    As he was talking, he had already forged the link. The cubic crystal had turned white.


    ¡°The fact that he is white means that the link is made. Now, I only have to use the skill myself. Let¡¯s see, something that is easy¡­A basic fire spell it is. I¡¯ll demonstrate Fire Shot.¡±


    As he said that, the elder turned towards the distance, extended his arm and pointed a single finger towards the horizon. Energy concentrated on his fingertips and turned to flame, then shot out furiously where he was pointing. It was instantaneous. And, just as the shot was produced, it disappeared.


    Mir frowned. Curiously, he had been able to see through the skill. More than ever before. He saw multiple skills used at the genius tournament but he never understood so much as right now. It was at a level where he would be able to use the skill right away himself.


    This was a welcome upgrade. His eyes were becoming even more cheated. Yet, he had no idea why the ¡®bullet¡¯ disappeared. It was a complex feeling. As he turned around, he could see the crystal had changed. It was now fire red. That was enough for him to understand what happened. Elder Fin told him:


    ¡°Yes. The skill was absorbed into the cube and so, it turned to the color red, representative of the fire element. Now, however, before going for the hammering, there is one more step. And it involves this famous martial pattern brush. Through it, I transform energy into ink and engrave it on the crystal. Its second function comes later on. it is a combined function with that of the crystal. I will use the brush to write an activation pattern. Let¡¯s see¡­we will go with ¡®ORAL ACTIVATION: fire bullet¡¯. It should do the trick. In case someone miss to place an activation pattern, it activates in automatic and that is very dangerous.¡±


    As he said that, he started writing on the crystal with the brush that turned the energy it was provided into a deep black ink.


    After he finished writing it, he placed the crystal on the knife and started to hammer at it with his oversized hammer. It took much longer this time. And once it finished, the breeze of wind became a violent one that made Mir take a step back. If he hadn¡¯t reach the first rank, he might have suffered heavy injuries if not worst. But Mir had a question.


    ¡°Elder Fin, if you need a brush to inscribe a pattern, then how was the brush made in the first place?


    -Oh, a very wise question. The answer is simple, the brush was not inscribed. It acts automatically upon contact with the crystal. The man who made the first ones was able to inscribe without of course, but his technique is long lost as he never passed it on; only those brushes.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Elder Fin was smiling sadly as he took the knife. It had a line of red glowing symbols on the iron blade. Elder Fin pointed it to the sky and said:


    ¡°Fire Shot¡±


    The inscription glowed and the tip of the blade shot out a small but powerful bullet made of fire towards the sky. Elder Fin gave the knife to Mir and looked like he was asking him to try it out.


    Mir did. He just said the same words, really. And the same fire bullet shot out from the tip of the knife and it was exactly the same as when Elder Fin used it.


    What was even more surprising was that the knife absorbed forcefully the energy from Mir rather than him giving it out. The elder told him:


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, this kind of items are dangerous. Some have auto-type activation pattern. As you just felt, they forcefully take the user¡¯s energy. In the end, even the most impregnable rank 4 armor can be broken if you exhaust the wearer¡¯s energy. And, as you know, if you don¡¯t have any energy left, you pass out if you¡¯re lucky. If you¡¯re not¡­Well, keep it in mind.


    -I will. Elder, how do I get a brush?


    -Only a rank 3 martial artist tailoring master can make one. they are only handed from a master to his disciple. That being one of the reasons why it is so rare to find rank 2 and higher items. It has a low rate of success as well to tell the truth¡­And those crystals are incredibly expensive and hard to make. Anyway, normally, you would need to find a master but here, take this one. I made it for you. Today was its test run. You can keep the knife too.


    -Thank you elder! But why so much generosity?¡±


    Even though Mir didn¡¯t wait long before taking the two presents, he still questioned the elder¡¯s reasons for giving them to him. However, the elder only chuckled and answered by:


    ¡°It is nothing but me honoring our deal, little Mir.¡±


    Then, he dismissed the kid. Mir got out and was going back to the Herbal mountain. At the same time, elder Lan got out of hiding and joined his older brother sitting on the chair in front of his black desk. He asked him:


    ¡°Are you sure about this? Giving him a brush?


    -I guess. What he did for me is more than enough. Someone else might have asked me to become his slave till death ahahah!


    -But this brush¡­ It is incredibly hard to make one, isn¡¯t it?


    -Yes. It takes more than a hundred years. If you¡¯re lucky enough that it succeeds. It is the only one I have been able to make myself to tell the truth but, oh well, I think he deserves it and it was supposed to be this way.


    -I do understand about the gratitude you have for this kid but¡­a martial pattern brush? It is something as valuable as a rank 4 weapon if not more.


    -You don¡¯t have to tell me, I am even more qualified to know about its worth than you are, little brother. But have you seen the kid? The power contained in his eyes, his achievements so far¡­ And it probably didn¡¯t escape your grasp but he reached the third realm from the state of awakened core at seven years old. He is a genius; however we look at it. No doubt the most talented kid I have seen so far.


    -His eyes are his only redeeming feature. Without them, I doubt he could do anything.


    -Probably. But you know just as much as I do that except for the heart and brain, anything can be regrown and healed for a martial artist. The core was supposed to be impossible to regrow too yet he found a way. I begin to wonder if he could regrow a heart or a brain as well¡­ Anyway, he would surely be able to get back his eyes if something happened. It is a part of him. And as such, it is his power.


    -That is right. But by doing this, you are giving up on taking a disciple for many years to come.


    -Isn¡¯t it fine? And you, little brother, should forget about this grudge you have. Sure, he tricked you once but then what? He remains the most promising student your mountain ever had since its founding.


    -¡­I will have to think about it.¡±


    On those words, elder Lan walked away as elder Fin sighed. Once elder Lan was gone, he laughed to himself:


    ¡°Who said I wouldn¡¯t take in a disciple?! According to the tacit rules of us martial tailors, by accepting this brush, he is my personal disciple, ahahah!¡±


    Mir was back in his apartment in the Herbal Pavilion. Oka was with him. He had told him about what happened with elder Fin and was wondering what to do next. He asked Oka for his opinion but the adolescent only said he was fine with anything Mir ordered him to. This was displeasing so Mir said:


    ¡°Oka, I remain the boss but I¡¯d rather appreciate it if we could become more like close friends than coworkers. If you want something or think something is wrong, say it.


    -Alright, young boss.


    -Good. Then, let me ask one last time: what do you want to do?


    -Slaughter those that bullied me two years ago.¡±


    This was expected but it still brought coldness to Mir¡¯s body. The adolescent in front of him had just said seriously that his wish was to murder other kids. And now, Mir knew Oka had the strength to. He thought for a while then said:


    ¡°Alright. We will go with this next then. Since you want to kill them, it will have to be outside. I need a few months to plan it, will it be fine to wait just a bit more?


    -It is fine, young boss.


    -Then, it is settled. Tomorrow at dawn, we go to the market mountain, don¡¯t be late.


    -Yes, young boss.¡±


    Three months and ten days later, the Burning Sea School was opening its doors. Thousands of disciples were exiting at high running speeds. It was the only time of the month when the doors would be opened.


    For those with missions related to the outside or some who only wished to go home and such, it was the day. There were only a small exception. Groups of people that were walking leisurely on the bridge. They were the alliances and groups with missions that would take more than a day.


    Since they were going to be out for more than a month, they didn¡¯t need to rush. Out of them, one group was bigger than others. It was composed of exactly 1532 disciples. It was a group made of the elites of the Outer Fire Alliance; the faction that had left Oka to die outside the gates. Originally, this was a faction with more than fifty thousand disciples, one of the leading groups in the outer region.


    But the truth is, out of them all, only a handful was really making the alliance¡¯s power. Those were the 1532 disciples that got out together. The weakest was rank 1 8<sup>th</sup> realm, a top disciple in the outer region as once one reached the second rank, they could become inner disciple and from there, couldn¡¯t stay as member of an outer alliance.


    Today, they were going out for one thing: a special mission they received from a grand elder. They were to meet him at an appointed location at lunchtime this day where he would explain them the task. The grand elder had specifically sent the mission to their faction and asking for the best members to take part. The leader of the Outer Fire Alliance, Hilm, decided to go with everyone capable.


    And so, he brought out nearly all his faction¡¯s power out with him. He didn¡¯t know what awaited them but the thought of being given a task directly by a grand elder¡­ And a personal task at that! The benefits would no doubt be incredible. He wasn¡¯t the only one thinking this way. Everyone in the crowd was drooling to the prospects. A brighter future with more resources and the potential protection of a grand elder? Heck! Maybe even becoming a personal disciple or at least a mountain disciple would be worth it to do whatever the elder asked for!


    They walked with smiles on their faces discussing together, making a lot of noise as they travelled through the land. By lunchtime, they had reached the designated location. There was only a small teahouse in the middle of the forest. Hilm had his companions wait while he entered the teahouse accompanied by his two most loyal aides. The three of them were peak rank 1 9<sup>th</sup> realm, just a step away from reaching rank 2 and becoming inner disciple.

 CHAPTER 27

    CHAPTER 27


    They cautiously entered the tea house and were surprised to find it empty except for a young kid sitting in a sofa in the back of the main room. There were two sofas and a table in-between. The kid was no older than nine yet Hilm and the other two could sense that he had awakened to his potential as a martial artist.


    They thought he might be an expert in disguise. Changing one¡¯s appearance while rare wasn¡¯t unheard of to martial artists. The kid was wearing strange clothes as well. He had black straight pants, a white shirt and a black straight jacket of sorts. What¡¯s more, he was wearing something to cover his eyes, a black item made of glass. It was strange.


    Then, the kid motioned for the group to come and sit in front of him. The trio walked confidently and sat in front of him. The kid, with a childish voice, said:


    ¡°Thank you for coming so far. I was the one to request your services through Elder Lan¡¯s help.


    -It is our honor to be of help to the grand elder and a friend of his! How can we be of help to you today, Sir?


    -Two years and a few months ago, do you remember trashing a co-disciple of yours and leaving him half-dead hanging on a tree on the bridge to the school?


    -Hum¡­Well, yes, we did it for a few disciples though? Which one do you refer to?


    -None. I just wanted to ask you if you would mind doing the same for a few others, for me? Obviously, I would reward you greatly from the intermediary of elder Lan.


    -Of course, we would be glad to help, Sir! Just state their names!


    -There are quite a few of them though, would it be fine still?


    -No problem! We brought out all the elites of our Outer Fire Alliance!


    -Is that so? How many of you are there?


    -1532 in total Sir! All of us either at the eighth or ninth realm, Sir!


    -Well, that is something to rejoice at!


    -So, may I ask you, sir, who are the targets?


    -They are an outer faction of the Burning Sea School. I heard they gathered their elites and got out today.


    -Oh? Which one would that be?


    -They call themselves the Outer Fire Alliance.¡±


    As the words got out of the kid¡¯s mouth, two arms got out of the sofa the trio was sitting on. Each one had pierced through the hearts of one aide, killing them on the spot. The arms and hands that shot through the sofa were covered in silver fur and blood. They retracted as Hilm was stupefied and horrified.


    His two most trusted aides and great friends had been killed in less than a second. He was still trying to digest it when the kid moved and a normal knife was headed towards his own heart.


    That being said, he was a martial artist, and a peak 9<sup>th</sup> realm at that! The knife heading his way was too slow and weak. Before it pierced his heart, he grasped it and laughed:


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what tricks you used for this to happen but don¡¯t you think you will be able to walk away alive from this!


    -Fire Bullet.¡±


    As the kid muttered the two words, Hilm felt a burning sensation to his chest. He looked down and saw a hole in his body. A burnt hole. His heart had been pierced through and he had no idea how. He died without understanding anything.


    The kid took the knife back from Hilm¡¯s dead body and slashed once in the air before putting the knife away. He turned back to the corpse and said:


    ¡°You can get out now.


    -Yes, young boss.¡±


    The sofa was broken through and a figure emerged from it. It was an adolescent wearing the same clothes as the kid. However, there were no more sleeves to his. His arms were covered in silver fur and blood from the two aides he had murdered.


    However, he wasn¡¯t moved at all by his actions and was even grinning. The adolescent had bloodshot eyes. Also, his nails had turned into claws. His ears were higher on his head and they were pointed. His hair was long and silver, it went down to his ass. He looked like a werewolf. And the blood on his arms made him look dangerous, very dangerous.


    But the kid in front of him wasn¡¯t fazed by his appearance. This young man was Oka and the kid was Mir, obviously. Oka asked Mir:


    ¡°Young Boss, how did you even think of this plan?


    -What do you mean?


    -Having me hide inside the sofa where they would seat? And the fact that only three of them would enter?


    -They were coming to greet an elder, it wouldn¡¯t be proper to have many enter a teahouse for that. Though, I thought more would have entered. But, does it really matter? Shouldn¡¯t you start going out and take your revenge instead of wasting time on past events?If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    -That¡¯s¡­You¡¯re right, young master! I will be going then.


    -Have fun¡­ I¡¯ll activate the barrier.


    -Thank you, young boss!¡±


    Oka darted out of the teahouse, surprising all the Outer Fire Alliance disciples. But being surprised is being surprised. Once the first few disciples that were the closest to the teahouse got slaughtered, they regained their senses and started to either run for it or jumped at the strange man.


    Of course, the strange man was killing them all easily, regardless of what tactics they used. This led to more and more disciples trying to escape. After a time, the disciples that had ran away reached a wall made of energy, in the forest. What was that? What¡¯s going on? They were scared shitless.


    After some time, Oka had eliminated all the disciples that stayed closest to the teahouse. The barrier was triangular and went on for a kilometer in each direction with the teahouse as the center. A few had decided to stay and fight to avenge their comrades. They were more experienced as they took positions to trap him. One began the assault from the right, throwing a punch full of energy. Oka moved a few centimeters and dodged easily. He used that time to grab the arm of the opponent and ripped it off.


    The disciple who lost his arm was screaming while convulsing on the floor. Oka just throw the arm away like it was some used tissue. Chills ran down the spine of all the disciples that remained there and a few more decided to flee. The ones that stayed changed tactics and rushed to Oka all at once.


    Of course, it did not matter how many there were. They were weaker in rank. This was a kind of gap that you can¡¯t climb. As a member attacked, he was dodged and grabbed by either his arm or leg. This led to a one-sided dismembering done by Oka.


    He was not even blinking as he teared apart dozens of disciples his age and older. Once they were all writhing in pain on the ground, he began finishing them off. A martial artist, as long as their brains and hearts are both safe, can survive if healed correctly. Oka made sure they would not be saved by crushing all their brains with his feet. One after another, he turned their faces into soup.


    The ground was soon died with organs, body parts and blood.


    There was no one left around the teahouse but it did not mean there were no more disciple to kill. He wasn¡¯t going to waste time chasing all the cowards. He activated one of his bloodline skills. He roared and energy projections of wolves appeared around him.


    They were two meters tall and looked the part of a silver wolf. They had the same cultivation level as Oka though they were a bit weaker when it came to defense abilities. They were just projection after all. But they would be enough to deal with the cowards left. The wolves split up and ran through the forest.


    Soon, cries of agony starting to be heard. The forest had turned into a hunting ground. The disciples were being devoured and toyed with by wolves. The wolves were cruel and enjoyed hunting, they were a representation of Oka¡¯s mind and he wished to inflict pain. The wolves were biting off arms and legs until only torsos were left before finishing it by destroying the brain. It was a violent massacre. Barbaric to no end.


    Mir got out of the teahouse and impressively looked at Oka:


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had such a skill.


    -It¡¯s called ¡°Rallying the pack¡±, young boss. It¡¯s my only unlocked one. As you saw, I can summon small version of a Violent Flesh-eater Giant Silver Alpha Wolf. Though they are a bit weaker than even myself.


    -Still, this is a nice unique skill you¡¯ve got. Makes it easier on us to chase them down.


    -This is only thanks to the young boss barrier set-up!


    -Not at all, Elder Fin helped me. Just like for those clothes. Though you ripped them already.


    -Sorry, young boss.


    -It is fine. When you¡¯re done here, let¡¯s go back. We wouldn¡¯t want to be left outside for a month. Though I doubt they wouldn¡¯t let me in if I came back a bit late.


    -Of course, young boss.¡±


    After the 1532th disciple had been killed and the last scream heard, Mir and Oka went back to the school and the Herbal Mountain leaving an incredibly quiet forest. They were welcomed by a stern elder Lan that said in angry tone:


    ¡°Mir, come with me!¡±


    Mir shrugged his shoulders and walked behind elder Lan as they entered his floor in the pavilion. He was led to the same table as always. This time, elder Fin was there as well. They sat down and after having sipped some tea, elder Lan broke the silence:


    ¡°What the hell have you done this time?!


    -Nothing much, elder Lan.


    -Nothing much he says?! You slaughtered a whopping 1532 promising young talents of our school! Using my name to set a trap! And Fin¡¯s teachings as well!¡±


    Mir didn¡¯t quite know what to say. For once, elder Lan was right. He used both grand elders to do something evil. It was the first time he had killed directly by himself as a fact and it strangely wasn¡¯t too bad a feeling. Though it was far from a good one.


    For the first time in dozens of years, Mir was feeling bad at what he did. As a businessman, through his job, he destroyed many other men¡¯s lives but never that directly and straightforwardly. What¡¯s more, seeing the massacre done by Oka affected him quite a lot. He was responsible for the death of 1532 kids¡­Cruel deaths close to torture.


    This was something he would have to live with. That sight was horrifying. Even in old horror movies he saw in his previous life, there weren¡¯t that many limbs torn and not as much blood spattered. The ground there had turned red for real. And he knew that the weight of his actions would soon break down on his mind. He turned to elder Lan and said:


    ¡°I am not sorry but I do regret what I did. There might have been better ways¡­


    -Of course, there were! How am I supposed to explain that so many elite outer disciples died on the way to a meeting point with me?!¡±


    In the end, surprisingly, Mir was calm enough to understand that elder Lan was more worried about saving his ass than the deaths of those disciples. Elder Fin saw the change in Mir¡¯s expression and laughed a bit before talking with him while elder Lan was cussing at the world.


    ¡°Mir, we don¡¯t mind you killing people, our own hands are far from clean. However, we believe that violence isn¡¯t always the way to resolve a conflict. Though most of the time, it is. By the way, unlike Lan, I wasn¡¯t there spying so would you mind telling me how you used my teachings and devised your trap? I want details.


    -Oh..Uh..Sure. Well, it started a bit more than three months ago¡­¡±


    And Mir began his story about what he did during the past three months:


    After deciding on claiming revenge for Oka, the two of them had planned to go to the market mountain. As its name indicate, it is where trading was mainly done. The Herbal mountain was an exception as it dealt with special products.


    However, on the market mountain, you could find anything and everything.It was a place bustling with activity at all times of day and night. There, Mir first went to a clothing store and asked them to make special custom-made clothes. The ones he and Oka were wearing right now. He called them ¡®formal suits¡¯ and obviously, they were something unheard of in this world.


    Or at least, in this part of the world. But the shopkeeper wasn¡¯t a newbie and easily grasped the concept behind the clothes. The reason Mir wished for those was simple. He lived his previous life wearing them day in day out. It was the type of cloth he was the most familiar with and he liked their looks as well.


    He missed his bright businessman past in a way and those clothes would constantly remind him of it.

 CHAPTER 28

    CHAPTER 28


    Mir and Oka left after that and searched for an ophthalmologist. After an hour, Mir didn¡¯t find any and a thought crossed his mind. What if there were none in this world?


    After all, he had not seen anyone wearing glasses since he was reborn. He also remembered how every martial artist had its sight enhanced as he progressed through realms. No need for glasses if you can see an ant a kilometer away, right? He still asked Oka and got the answer he expected: there were none. So, he settled for a jeweler and explained the basic concepts behind sunglasses.


    The jeweler grasped it and told him he would try. Later, he went to a builder shop. He asked if there were any construction workers available and soon hired a group of disciples to make him a small teahouse in the forest outside the school once the gates would open this month.


    He also asked them to take care of the furniture. Finally, he went to a shoemaker and asked for leather black shoes. This went smoother, it wasn¡¯t a revolutionary design that he was asking for after all. Finally, they went back to the pavilion.


    Before sleeping, Mir took the earring given to him by elder Fin and put it on cautiously in his left ear. The Abyss Pearl Earring proved to be even better than his wildest hope. It was concentrating the energy around and leading it inside Mir¡¯s body in a constant slow flow.


    It had the same effect as meditation except Mir didn¡¯t need to do anything. it would no doubt help a lot. And so, he slept with the earring gathering energy for him. Of course, the energy amount would become too small after reaching a higher rank and realm but that is a problem for another day.


    Days later, he went back with Oka to the market mountain and checked the suits, the leather shoes, the sunglasses and asked for fifty of each for both him and Oka. Mir was rich so he couldn¡¯t care less about a few thousand golds. He had millions. He still haggled with the merchants on the prices.


    You can become rich but to remain rich, you need to be cautious and try to spare every coin you can. By giving an advance, he could cut the prices nicely. His status as a core disciple helped too. And his experience as a successful businessman in his previous life wasn¡¯t for show either.


    Time flew by. Mir trained and reached the fourth realm while Oka focused on learning new skills. The items he ordered were made and received, the teahouse built. Now, he had to prepare a way to attract the targets and find a way to minimize the risks to himself even more. For that, he went to elder Fin.


    He asked his help in tailoring the clothes. He had them reach rank 2 with the additional effect being an hardening type. ¡°Iron body¡± was a simple body hardening skill but making it into a pattern on the suit turned out to transform the suit into something useful. He didn¡¯t need to tamper with the sunglasses or the shoes though. He only worked on them so they reached rank 1. That way, they wouldn¡¯t be destroyed that easily.


    After that, he bought two sofas and worked diligently to create space wide enough in one so that Oka could get inside and hide. He had the idea while dreaming a few nights before. It was something he saw in a movie once and left a deep impression on him as it was one of the things he least expected to happen in this particular movie. He thought it might just get the same results here¡­And it did.


    After that, he realized that the earring was enough to have him keep breaking through for some time so he stopped cultivating and searched for a way to gain skills and battle experience. He had after all never fought before. He went to the challenging mountain. Except for the large open arena, there were many small ones around but they were empty and reserved for special events.


    The true arenas were actually inside the buildings. He entered one and greeted a management elder. The old man wasn¡¯t really caring about him. There were so many disciples going in and out of this place on a daily basis¡­However, his attitude changed when he saw he was dealing with a core disciple. He presented the arena to Mir with great details:


    ¡°Here, we supply the disciples with a way to fight death battles without receiving injuries. We use a special space/time martial pattern and more complicated ones to have disciples fight against each other. Here, your school token will register all defeats and wins. It will also be used to register your strength so that you can¡¯t abuse the system and challenge weaker opponents.


    -What does that mean elder?


    -If you¡¯re at the ninth realm, you won¡¯t be able to send a challenge to anyone under the ninth realm. However, they can. And if someone challenges another who is supposed to be in a higher realm, then the stronger one can¡¯t refuse. Here, the most victorious ones are rewarded! Let me show you to a room.¡±


    They walked up and Mir found himself into a never-ending hall. It seemed surreal as the building wasn¡¯t much more than a small house from outside. Curiously, Mir asked:


    ¡°How many rooms are there?


    -Always one.¡±


    The elder¡¯s answer was mysterious but Mir didn¡¯t peak into it further. He knew when to stop and guessed it was due to some martial tailoring of sorts. It was probably some complex martial inscription again and he could just ask Elder Fin if he wished to know. He had a more important matter to attend to at the moment though. A matter called revenge.


    They entered a room. It was small, with a bed, a closet and a rectangular crystal laying on a desk. There was also one more door that led to a second room. The elder said:Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ¡°A bed to rest for those who are going to spend more than a day here, a closet to stock your space bag and anything else you want so you aren¡¯t hindered when in battle and a crystal console. By using your energy, it will light up and from there, you will be able to see the interface. From there, you can challenge others, see the rankings, watch previous fights and much more¡­Once a challenge is accepted, you have five minutes to prepare. Then, this second door will automatically open and you have a minute to enter it. If you don¡¯t, you are considered to be forfeiting. Once you¡¯re in, it will close and you will enter a state of sleep. Your body will remain here while your spirit will be sent in a random arena. There, you will be able to experience a fight to the death with your opponent. True battle experience without damage to the body! I must warn you though, damage to the mind might happen since you will feel the pain. As soon as you start the crystal console, your name and information will appear to all and you might get challenged.


    -Basically, it¡¯s a simulation...


    -A what?


    -Never mind. But how does this even work? Is this building martial tailored or something?


    -Not the building. There are so many functions that no martial tailor could make that work by tempering with the building. No. There are thousands and thousands of pieces that have been tampered and placed together to build this facility. But you don¡¯t have to think too much of this and just enjoy yourself with some fighting.


    -Alright¡­Thank you elder!¡±


    After that, Mir proceeded to watch many records of previous matches from powerful disciples so he could grasp their skills. If he was challenged, he would just ignore it and leave it as a forfeit, he could not care less about rankings.


    Still, there is a difference between theory and practice. Even after watching many records and learning many skills, if he knew how to use the skill, it didn¡¯t mean he would be able to use it efficiently in battle. He soon understood that he wouldn¡¯t be ready on time to help Oka. So, he devised a new battle plan.


    He went back to see elder Fin and asked him for a rank 2 item. Something that would act as a tri-point barrier. That is how he got the rocks needed to activate the barrier that trapped all the Outer Fire Alliance disciples. Unfortunately for them, they were far too weak to dent the energy of the rank 3 grand elder Fin.


    Strangely, the item stored the power of the crafter and only needed a part of the user¡¯s power to activate it. Learning of this, Mir decided on using the knife during the battle. the fire bullet from a rank 3 would be a more potent weapon than any skills he could manage to learn in the time left. He kept going to the challenging mountain and broadened his skill list while he waited for the date to arrive.


    Then, the day arrived and the deed was done. Mir could only use the knife and barrier once though; the activating costs were just that high in energy consumption.


    Elder Fin had listened intently to Mir¡¯s tale and couldn¡¯t help but gasp at the kid¡¯s mental abilities. He even complimented him for his success. Then reprimanded him a bit, just for show. Elder Lan was still walking around in circles cursing the world and his bad luck. They waited for him to calm down and then, he said:


    ¡°Mir, this is a genuine problem.


    -Elder Lan, aren¡¯t you just worried about you own face?


    -No. Well, yes, a bit but No! What do you think will happen when their families learn of their child¡¯s death? If it was just one or a dozen. Maybe a hundred. But all the elites of an outer alliance at the same time? And while on their way to a rendezvous with a grand elder? There will be protest!¡±


    This was true. Mir was a businessman and obviously was someone who had a long-term vision of things. However, in this world where science itself was an aberration, what was to fear? He chuckled and answered the elder:


    ¡°So, what? It¡¯s not like they will know we did it, right?¡±


    Both elder Lan and elder Fin looked at each other¡¯s with expression of surprise. They couldn¡¯t believe that a kid as smart as Mir would not know about such a wide-known fact. And looking at them, Mir felt slightly disturbed. Then, elder Fin said:


    ¡°Mir, have you heard about Rollbackers?


    -No.¡±


    Both elders sighed with their hands hiding their faces. That¡¯s when Mir understood something was wrong. He asked with a slightly apprehensive tone:


    ¡°What is it?


    -What are THEY? Rollbackers are martial artists with a special skill. They can see the past events by the fluctuation of energy. Though they can¡¯t go back in time too far. There are many of them as anyone can, more or less, get the hang of it as one gets stronger. The more accustomed to energy you are, the easier you can see. As a matter of fact, if anyone were to go there, even if we cleaned up the place, it would mean nothing, they would easily know who did it. Since they went out on Lan¡¯s orders, they will consider the threat from inside the school first. And then, what do you think will happen?


    -I¡¯m so fucked¡­


    -Exactly. Now, let me ask you, who did you kill?


    -Only the leader, Hilm.


    -That¡¯s a relief then. His family won¡¯t do anything to you. You are safe, congratulations.


    -¡­And for Oka?


    -He¡¯s doomed. An orphan, still considered outer disciple of the school¡­The prospects are dark. If a single kid from the batch you slaughtered came from a decent family, he¡¯s dead.


    -Isn¡¯t there anything we could do?


    -¡­¡±


    After a brief discussion, they all left the pavilion. Mir went to the challenging mountain and began watching old records again. He had to act as if nothing happened. This was hard but the best way to make it seem like nothing was going on. Elder Fin was the same. He went back to his pavilion and worked on some of his projects. Still trying to break through the rank 4 items¡­Without success and much money loss.


    Elder Lan however had much to do. He was the one holding the only hope to save Oka. He went to the mission mountain. The ones tasked to do all the paperwork and such. He greeted the grand elder, elder Oln. They sat down and began to discuss the matter:


    ¡°Lan, I will go straight to the point. Did you kill those kids?


    -No, I didn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t even send a mission request¡­


    -I understand. you know the protocol about this, right?


    -You won¡¯t act since it happened outside the school. But if a family comes in asking for revenge¡­


    -We deliver the guilty ones to them, outside schoolgrounds. This rule only applies when it comes to inside-killings. And this is what happened this time. You have your part on this too though.


    -I know.


    -Then, why did you come today?


    -Can you overlook it?


    -Surely you jest. I never overlooked anything before and never will. I thought you hated in-fighting as much as I did.


    -I do. But this time, the situation is different.


    -Why? Because it¡¯s one of your disciple we¡¯re talking about? Lan¡­The situation is the same. Only the parties involved are different. You can¡¯t be fair only when you aren¡¯t involved, Lan. I am disappointed.


    -I know. And I understand your point. Still, I would rather lose my face than lose those two. Is there nothing to be done?


    -There are always possibilities. If you could find them a protector strong enough, it would be dealt with easily. If you are asking if there¡¯s something you, yourself, can do, then there is nothing.


    -As I thought, a backer is the only way. Yet, I can¡¯t bring myself to go for this solution. It would only drag out the problem.


    -If you want it resolved, then just kill the two kids.


    -¡­I¡¯ll be taking my leave Oln, it was nice.


    -As if. Have a safe trip back, Lan. And don¡¯t do anything too crazy.¡±

 CHAPTER 29

    CHAPTER 29


    Elder Lan went back to the pavilion. He was grinning. It was sad that he had to trick one of his old friend but, as he said, those two were more important. It was time for the plan to begin. He sent a letter to a new acquaintance of his and waited.


    Nearly at the same time, a group of twenty men and women arrived at the teahouse in the forest. They were all martial cultivators. Each of them came from a different clan but they all shared one thing in common: they had one of their youngest die here.


    By honor, the Burning Sea School is bound to call the families of dead disciples. They provide the family with both the location and reason of their child¡¯s death. This time, they sent the location of the tea house as well as the mission notification. A mission that had been delivered directly on orders from a grand elder. Of course, this smelled fishy so they got together and went to investigate.


    It is not rare for one or a few disciples to die in missions but for more than 1500 at the same time? And during a mission provided by a grand elder? This was a bit too much and screamed ¡®set-up¡¯.


    As they arrived, one of the men came in front of the teahouse and started screaming. The kid he lost here wasn¡¯t just one out of many of his clan, it was his own child. His only one at that. The sorrow he bore ran deep. A woman walked up to him and slapped him hard.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a disgrace Uri Drin. We all lost someone important here.


    -You are right Na Eli. Rollbacker, do your job. Q-u-i-c-k-l-y.


    -Yes, senior Drin.¡±


    A man slightly older than all others moved forward and sat down. Then he began concentrating his energy around. An inoffensive whirlwind of energy started and encompassed the perimeter around the teahouse. Then, just like ghosts, figures appeared. They were the dead disciples.


    The scene of their deaths was played again through the understanding of energies. This was done by the sitting man, a rollbacker. Seeing their child being slaughtered like livestock in such brutal ways made their hearts violently shake from anger. Their fists were clenched so hard that many had blood gushing out of them. Uri Drin was enraged as he tried to grasp his child dying body. Unfortunately, it was only a representation created artificially by manipulating the residual energy.


    Tears were flowing down everyone¡¯s faces. A few of them put on hoods to hide their sadness. After it happened, all the people there knew the ones responsible for their child¡¯s deaths. And they knew exactly where to go to enact revenge. But first, they had to go back to their clans and report. This corresponds with the time left to live for both Mir and Oka.


    The next morning, a golden carriage was driven through the bridge connecting the Burning Sea School and the land. He was guarded heavily by ten powerful martial artists. Inside of it, there was a man. He was the one elder Lan contacted previously by letter. As soon as he received it, he made time to visit.


    As he arrived at the front gates, they were opened even though it wasn¡¯t the scheduled day. This showed how important a figure this guest was. And, awaiting him behind the giant door were two grand elders. Elder Fin and Elder Lan. The carriage stopped inside in front of them and the passenger door was opened by a guard. A man in shining golden armor got out of it. He exuded a noble air¡­Until he saw elder Lan. He grinned and said:


    ¡°Elder Lan! It¡¯s been so long, I missed you! We should go gambling again soon!


    -Ninth Prince, Mare Reg Nio, I am overjoyed to see you again. I am glad that you could take your time to come today.


    -Yes, your message was¡­Felt like I should come right away. So, I did.


    -I still offer you my thanks. This is my elder brother and a grand elder as well, Quin Fin. We will be discussing what I wrote in the letter together if you don¡¯t mind.


    -It is an honor to meet you, Ninth Prince.


    -Likewise. Anyway, we should go someplace else.


    -Of course, ninth prince, if you could follow us, please.¡±


    The prince told his guards to wait for him at the entrance with the carriage ready to depart at any given time. He followed the elders back to the herbal pavilion. They went directly to the third floor and led the prince to the table they so often used.


    There, Mir and Oka were slurping tea. The prince smirked at seeing the kid that enabled him to reach the highest status he could ever have had. All three of the old men sat down and the prince broke the silence directly:


    ¡°Little brother Mir, I am glad to see you well. The letter mentioned that you were having some complications so I am relieved.


    -We really have some complications as you say though.


    -Why not brighten my lantern? The letter was very succinct.¡±


    As he said that, he looked towards elder Lan. Getting the hint, elder Lan stated:This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°It was not a matter to be discussed by letters, please forgive my action ninth prince.


    -Sure. But did you have to write that little Mir was dying?


    -That¡¯s¡­¡±


    There was a brief period of silence before Mir began:


    ¡°It does not matter. I am just glad that you came for me, ninth prince.


    -Of course, I would. You gave me so much. I don¡¯t forget my patrons, ever. I guess you contacted me in such a way because you had an urgent need of my help, what is it? Spill it out.¡±


    Mir turned to elder Lan at that time. They had decided it would be better if it was the elder who spoke the facts. After all, elder Lan was the only one here who knew the prince, the events and a way to save both kids. And he spoke:


    ¡°This kid here is Oka, Mir¡¯s friend. He was bullied before and left to die on the bridge when we first reached the school two and some years ago. At that time, he was a rank 1 fourth realm and in this small period, he reached rank 2. He was also able to awaken his bloodline.


    -What¡¯s your bloodline, kid?


    -Silver Alpha Wolf, prince.¡±


    The prince nodded at Oka who spoke and turned back to elder Lan who started speaking again:


    ¡°A few days ago, they both went outside. They laid a trap for one of our outer zone alliances and exterminated 1532 elite outer disciples. In this school, we don¡¯t bother with what happens outside the gates but, in case a disciple kills a fellow disciple outside, while we won¡¯t act ourselves, we won¡¯t interfere with outsiders asking for revenge and justice.


    -Basically, the kids are in imminent danger due to their rash actions.


    -That is right.


    -Can¡¯t you two elders do something about this trivial situation?


    -Unfortunately, we are to not interfere in this kind of cases. As school grand elders, we are bound by some rules and we can¡¯t act.


    -You are powerless to protect them from outsiders? Well, that¡¯s a nice school there.


    -It applies only because they killed fellow disciples themselves.


    -Who are targeting them?


    -Out of the 1532 disciples, there were 142 coming from named clans.


    -The kids are doomed then. No wonder you called me. What do you expect from me anyways?


    -To save them.


    -I will not slaughter a single named clan. Even as a prince running for king, such actions would be impossible. I am not taking a single risk to my new status.


    -We wouldn¡¯t want you to either. What we would like is for you to organize a school transfer.¡±


    A school transfer. In martial school, it is a rare occurrence. It means to send a disciple to a new school and cutting ties with him, most of the time. No martial school would want to have a transfer done, even more so when it came to important disciples. They are, after all, the future of the school itself. It is a taboo to all. Because of this, the prince furrowed his brows slightly. A taboo would not be well seen if orchestrated by a prince. He asked:


    ¡°Where do you want to transfer and why?


    -To the Royal Palace School. If they went there, no one would dare to go after them, even named clans.


    -No. They can¡¯t. Only the high-nobility and distinguished figures are allowed in. They aren¡¯t.


    -But, you are, ninth prince.¡±


    This sentence meant it all. They made the prince rush here because they needed his status to get Mir and Oka to safety. And the only way to protect them was to send them somewhere no one would dare attack. The Royal Palace School was the number one school in the kingdom for all aspects.


    Only the best wasn¡¯t a motto but a truth. But the requirements to enter were the highest. As the prince said, one must be from an influential background. But that¡¯s just the first requirement. They need to be talented too. However, in exchange, they would have access to the vastest amount of resources a disciple could hope for and the pointers from the greatest martial instructors. It was a dream school for all martial cultivators in the kingdom.


    Going there would be the best for Mir. He was a talented child in other¡¯s eyes. Oka was a bit more average in talent but his bloodline was compensation enough to have him meet the requirements. And that was when considering him saying his bloodline was a Silver Alpha Wolf and not a Violent Flesh-eater Giant Silver Alpha Wolf. If his true bloodline was known¡­And if Mir¡¯s bloodline was known as well¡­ It would put them as more than just talented.


    But it would also attract far too much attention. They are already in danger, there was no need to add more complications, that Mir understood. If only he knew about Rollbackers before he planned Oka¡¯s revenge, then he wouldn¡¯t be in a tight spot. And now, his safety and future relied in someone else¡¯s hands. Humans just don¡¯t learn.


    In his previous life, this situation happened and led to his suicide yet, once more, he was reliving it. Humans, they accept your help with open arms but when it is time for them to help you, they close them. He could only pray that the prince would help him.


    The prince wasn¡¯t up for it to say the least. He was thinking hard. Sure, using his name, he could get them into the school. He knew they were talented enough and his name would be enough to bypass the status requirements. But to what price? He would be selling himself as one who protect murderers of fellow disciples.


    To someone running for the highest position in the kingdom, it would be a heavy burden. Sure, Mir is the only reason he has what he has but so what? Mir earned a lot through it too and the deal was done. What left does he owe him? Nothing.


    He came here because the letter said Mir was dying and it would have made for a nice image promotion to go pay his respect to his dead corpse. He would have owned the opinion of the Burning Sea School and as a major martial school, it was worth the trip.


    But now what? Using his name to bring in murderers into the Royal Palace martial school? As if. It does not matter how talented the kids are, it is not worth it. Helping to receive a loss? Of course, he doesn¡¯t want to. So, he answered:


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t use my name to have them enter.¡±


    As he said it, elder Lan jumped out of his chair and screamed:


    ¡°How could you?! After everything he did?! Don¡¯t you remember how you earned everything thanks to him?!¡±


    The prince wasn¡¯t fazed by elder Lan in the slightest and snorted a laugh then answered him:


    ¡°We had a deal then, we are now. The deal was honored and we have no more deal going on.


    -Then, let us make another one.¡±


    Was what Mir said, interrupting the discussion between old men. The prince looked at him and a crooked smile appeared on his face. He said:


    ¡°State the terms.


    -You bring us to the Royal Palace martial school and make sure we become disciples there, both Oka and me. What do you want in exchange?¡±


    The prince chuckled. This was better. If he could get something out of it, then it would be worth it. It was at least better to stay and negotiate till the end, seeing this through in order to not have regrets later. He had time on his side so he answered Mir¡¯s question slowly. He already knew what he wanted since the beginning:


    ¡°I want the both of you to pledge loyalty to my faction.¡±


    Mir had obviously known what this meant. It was definitely like a contract of sorts but what were the obligations? He didn¡¯t know. So, he faked a smile and dealt with it making others think he was clueless. Seeing the expression on Oka and the elders faces, he was sure of one thing. He had to ask.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

 CHAPTER 30

    CHAPTER 30


    The prince was surprised a bit then remembered Mir was relatively young and from a poor background. It wasn¡¯t inconceivable that he didn¡¯t know that so he smiled and explained.


    ¡°It means that you swear on your life to live to serve under me, sharing both ups and downs. More ups than downs, hopefully. Doing so, you would earn the title of Royal Prince Guard and from then on, benefit from my name and status. Entering that Royal Palace School? Easy.


    -My whole life?!


    -That¡¯s right. You are asking me to save your asses. What better price than your life itself?


    -I refuse. The rest of my life is not worth being saved once.¡±


    A life of servitude under someone? As if! Mir would never work for anyone but himself ever again. Still, he had to find a way to get the prince¡¯s help. He breathed hard and said:


    ¡°How many rank 4 items do you want?


    -So, you saw through it right away, uh? Then, let us not waste time. I want them all.¡±


    The prince was smart. He wished for Mir and Oka as his subordinate but no one in their right mind would agree to pledge a lifelong oath of loyalty. Even Oka would rather die. If Mir and elder Lan asked him to when they met him, he would have chosen to die.


    The reason he decided to ask for this was because this was a negotiation. He is the one in power so he asked first for an impossible amount. A life of slavery is the most one can sell, whoever they are. From there, whatever he asks for will feel as if it was reasonable even though it is not. And of course, it is not.


    All rank-4 items Mir had? He had 44 from his bet alongside the prince, two he got from the prince and two from his betting alongside elder Lan. This was a lot. Worth enough to hire martial artists to deal with the problem without having to change school.


    Even the prince believed it was too much and hoped to end with a portion of them. If he could get ten of them, it would already be more than worth it to help the kids. Hell, it would be worth it for two of such items. He was already planning his next move after Mir¡¯s rejection and he did not predict wrong. Mir told him:


    ¡°Impossible, that¡¯s far too much. I could just sell a few and hire someone else to deal with the problem.


    -Probably but you would not get the chance to enter the number one school in the kingdom.


    -Ah¡­You¡¯re right. Fine, let us do it this way then. But, I want to make an oath. It would be too easy for you to end us after I gave you the items.


    -Not trusting me, are you? I can¡¯t blame you though. Very well. Do you know how to make an oath, little brother Mir?


    -No, I don¡¯t.


    -We shake hands and as we pledge, we channel our energies into each other¡¯s.¡±


    Mir and the Prince got up and stood in front of each other. They extended their hands and shake them. At the same time, Mir said:


    ¡°I pledge to give all the rank 4 items I own presently to the Prince in exchange for him making sure Oka and I enter the Royal Palace Martial school safely.¡±


    And the Prince repeated:


    ¡°I pledge to make sure Oka and Mir enter the Royal Palace Martial School safely in exchange for all rank 4 items owned presently by little brother Mir.¡±


    A ray of light enveloped their hands and the oath was completed. Then, everyone but the Prince started laughing like crazy. What was going on? The prince was perplexed and then, Mir, between two laughs, handed him his space bag and said:


    ¡°Here is all that I own presently, please pick any rank 4 items there is.¡±


    The Prince took the bag with a greedy heart and as he swept through the contents, began laughing like everyone else. After some time, he took a seat and said:


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you tricked me that easily. To think a single word would change everything. Presently. Damn it all! This is one hell of a lesson. What did you even do with the items?


    -I gave them for free to Oka. You were so focused on your assumption that I owned the items that you failed to predict anything. I thought I would negotiate a bit more with you first, to reach a fixed number of items but then you asked for all of them. No need to count the goods if you get them all, right? So, it became easy to trick you.


    -Congratulations. You just earned a free trip to the Royal Palace School from a prince. But, don¡¯t you think I would rob you of the items after slaughtering you kids? I mean, you asked for an oath to dodge that risk, didn¡¯t you?


    -I did not ask for an oath to dodge that risk. First, the presently and second, the safely. You can¡¯t hurt us, rather you pledged to protect us. We are both safe.


    -What a cunning kid you are. Ah, I guess the blame is on me for trying to trick kids. It doesn¡¯t cost me much to get you there anyways.


    -I thought your image would go down because of us?This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    -Yes. But you will make it go back up and reach higher soon when you guys get to the school so it would have been fine either way.


    -You really tried to trick me out of my items, didn¡¯t you?


    -Ahahah, yes... I can¡¯t believe I tried to rob a newborn¡¯s lollipop. Well, I am getting vile with time. Whatever, you guys pack your stuff. We depart whenever you are ready.


    -We are.


    -Perfect. Then let us not waste time. As a prince, I am a busy man even if I don¡¯t look the part, ahahah!¡±


    Few moments later, Mir and Oka were going inside the golden carriage with the Prince. They took their belongings and bid their farewells to both elder Lan and elder Fin. While Mir was speaking as if it was the last time they would meet, both elders, eager to see him again, were joking around with it. They thought he was only a child that was going to miss them. They had, after all, nurtured him for a few of his youngest years. It wasn¡¯t like that however, yet only Mir knew about the truth¡­


    The carriage left the school with two young promising kids inside. Mir asked the prince:


    ¡°Elder Brother Nio, how long will it take to reach the school?


    -Around fifteen days I guess.


    -That much?! But you came here so fast after receiving elder Lan¡¯s letter!


    -I was visiting a clan close by. However, now, we must do all the distance from the burning sea school to that clan¡¯s homeland and then, from there to the school. Obviously, it won¡¯t be instantaneous. But don¡¯t worry, my guards aren¡¯t for show and I am not a pushover either. You two kids just relax and enjoy the scenery.¡±


    Since they had long days of travel ahead, both Mir and Oka decided to cultivate.


    ¡­


    The same day, elder Fin went to dispose of all documents related to Mir and Oka, gave an explanation to the headmaster and finally, went to the Sculpture Mountain. There, he had the sculpture mountain grand elder destroy the statue of Mir. This settled everything. There were no more physical evidences of Mir ever coming here.


    ¡­


    4 Days later, at the Burning Sea School, came a delegation of small clans. They were small clans but clans nonetheless and if so many came, it was not for a small matter. As they entered, they were received by the headmaster himself. The next day, elder Lan was beheaded in public. He was accused of treachery, murder and treason to only name a few of the charges. And just as elder Lan got his head chopped off, elder Fin started suffering from his core and died as well a few days later. It was deemed due to mental pain from the loss of his brother.


    ¡­


    10days after Mir departed, the news of both elder¡¯s death came in. Everyone was surprised, except Mir. The thing is, it was part of his plan from the start. He was the one behind those deaths.


    At the time, he had to submit a mission order to the Outer Fire Alliance for the plan to work. Being officially the grand elder¡¯s assistant, he had the rights to do so. But he didn¡¯t only submit one mission order. He submitted two. The first one was for the Outer Fire Alliance but the second one was different. On it were written assassination orders:


    <u>MISSION ORDER </u>


    Eliminate All disciples coming to the teahouse in the forest (coordinates 0.2/0.5) the fifth of the second month after this order is submitted.


    Disciples Required to perform the task: Core disciple Mir, Outer zone disciple Oka


    Conditions: Grand elder¡¯s direct order


    GRAND ELDER LAN


    This was a valid order submitted to the mission department. Because of this paper, even though Mir and Oka were the ones doing the killings, the responsibilities lied with elder Lan. Of course, the poor old man had no idea this paper existed and never did. He died without knowing he was framed by the kid he tried so hard to help¡­


    What¡¯s more, he dug his own grave. He went to see Elder Oln previously. The grand elder responsible for the mission mountain. He thought he went there to show his stance on the matter, in hope to dissuade the clans but it turned out that Mir tricked him. He sent the elder there so that he would make sure elder Oln ¡®s opinion of elder Lan crumbled.


    Mir heard lots about all elders in the years he stayed in this school. He knew elder Oln was the serious and honest type, the kind who disliked injustice the most. By sending the elder there to have him show his stance, he made sure that elder Oln wouldn¡¯t hide the second mission order. Oln either sent the second mission order because he lost faith in elder Lan or to respect elder Lan¡¯s wish to protect the kids.


    Either way, the old elder Lan killed himself unknowingly.


    For elder Fin, it was even easier. Mir was the one who gave him the recipe to restore his core. It was more than that. The recipe was having him regrow a core, sure, but it was also linking him to another. The recipe stipulated that two pills had to be made and one should be eaten by the patient while the other by a member of his family, blood-related. What wasn¡¯t written was that this link created through the consumption of pills meant that if one died, the other would follow. They unknowingly swallowed pills that linked their lives.


    As to why Mir killed them, it is obvious. They were the only ones who knew about the real power inside his eyes and what he could do as well as Oka¡¯s true bloodline¡­ Except for Oka but Oka is a pawn and he presents no risks.


    Elder Lan already showed his true colors a few times. He once thought about killing Mir when he discovered his ability to grow cores. Mir couldn¡¯t let him live for both reasons. One, he could not have someone who knew about his power remain alive, it was an insecurity. And Two, he already showed that he might kill Mir if needed.


    Mir did not have a choice or rather, he chose the rational way. If there is a problem, the best way is to dispose of it rather than find a solution. From now on, Mir would not have to worry about the two elders and he would never have to worry about the clans either since they had their vengeance by seeing elder Lan to his death.Everyone knows that a task from a grand elder cannot be refused so the clans didn¡¯t bear any grudges towards the kids, only the elder.


    The burning Sea school case was closed.


    They were already far from the Burning Sea School and both funerals had been held properly already so they kept going towards the Royal Palace School. And soon enough, they reached the place, a day later than the prince hoped for. However, they managed to arrive on-time.


    The prince told them that even though they met the status requirements thanks to him, they still had to demonstrate their abilities. The recruitment was once every month and the next time was in three days. They would not have to wait too long. It was good for the prince as well. Because of his oath, he could not leave until the kids were in¡­ Until then, they cultivated.


    And finally, it was time to take the entrance exam. The prince came in their hotel room with a bright smile and said:


    ¡°Today is the day, kids! Put on your best outfits! Make sure to pass those tests with flying colors! I don¡¯t want my name shamed because of you little twerps, ahahah!


    -You seem to be in a great mood, elder brother Nio.


    -I am! I got wind of some great news.


    -Don¡¯t tease us, what is it, elder brother Nio?


    -Ahah, four of my brothers are presenting their own people to the entrance exam this time! Make sure to give them hell! Now, let us depart! Ahahah!¡±


    The prince was jumping of joy, expecting to see his brothers shame at the incompetence of their disciples. Sure, Mir and Oka weren¡¯t his disciples or even from his faction..yet..But he remained their parrain, their benefactor. And to others, his name would be associated to the kids. Their results would affect him in one way or the other. At least, in this school, it would.

 CHAPTER 31

    As he went outside to wait for the kids, Mir sighed. What was he going to wear? He only had two possibilities. The Burning Sea School robe? Impossible. It would be rude to wear that. The only other outfit that was not one of a ¡®poor¡¯ kid was his special suit.


    In the end, after pondering for a while, he decided it was better to put on a suit rather than some loose pants or shorts. He told Oka to wear his own as well though his didn¡¯t have sleeves anymore. But it still looked stylish. They got out of their room wearing the suits and put on their glasses. It startled the prince as he never saw these kinds of clothes before¡­But he liked them. The mix of black and white and the materials, it looked stylish and noble. At the same time, it looked practical. At least, the one without sleeves did.


    Of course, it would not be something he would wear just like that, he would have to modify the design a bit first¡­He was already thinking about the business prospects of this outfit and couldn¡¯t help but let it show on his face as his smile curved upwards. Mir did not miss it and told the prince:


    ¡°Do you like them, elder brother Nio?


    -I do. I am thinking of making one for myself, though a few modifications would be needed. Who should I ask for it?


    -The design is mine.¡±


    One of the prince¡¯s eyebrows rose and he said:


    ¡°I will give you a percentage.


    -Thank you, elder brother Nio. Just send it all to my parents.


    -I will, you have my words.¡±


    The prince might be the type of people that enjoyed fooling around but he was also honest and just. He was a man with values like those of a businessman and that was the reason Mir could be at ease with him. They shared principles and it was enough for them to understand each other¡¯s intended meanings.


    Mir knew that the prince was also someone who kept his words and believed the prince would not break his words. His parents would most likely start receiving a steady income in a few months.


    The prince led them outside where a dozen guard in shining gold armors were waiting. They all had the number nine carved on the front of their armors. Mir did not remember the armors having this detail before so he asked the prince:


    ¡°Elder brother Nio, did you have your guard¡¯s armors changed?


    -That¡¯s right. You have a good eyesight, little Mir. It¡¯s easier to have this symbol. I can¡¯t really keep the sparrow since a little brother of mine took my golden sparrow items, ahah. With this, at least, anyone will know what is coming.


    -Elder brother Nio, I wouldn¡¯t mind giving you back those items if you asked. We¡¯re brothers after all!¡±


    The prince was startled and coughed to stop himself from agreeing. He was royalty, well-placed to know that nothing in this world is free. It only took him seconds to understand the hidden meaning behind Mir¡¯s sentence. He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle while thinking how this kid was so cunning for his age.


    If he agreed to receive the items back, it would mean him officially accepting Mir as a sworn little brother. It was an oath. It would make Mir his equal. There is a difference as vast as heaven and earth between calling another one¡¯s brother and being officially known as his sworn brother. He laughed as he answered Mir:


    ¡°You are a really smart child, little Mir. I won¡¯t ask you to give it back. You earned it fairly. Make sure to use it wisely though.


    -I will, elder brother Nio.¡±


    As he said that, Mir laughed and the prince joined him. During all this time, only Oka was left out of the fun as he did not grasp a single thing from their exchange of words. But he did not really care, he was too focused on the sights of the town, the Palace town.


    It was the biggest commerce hub in the kingdom. If you were looking for something, this is where it would be. The richest, the strongest, the evilest¡­ Everything was here and every martial artist in the kingdom had to come here at least once. But the reason why it was such a major place and it developed to be what it is come from the presence of the Royal Palace School.


    The place where all the geniuses of the richest clans and families come to cultivate. Obviously, they would have money to spend and due to their status as disciples, they needed vast amounts of resources. Simply enough, there was a high demand and so, businessmen flowed in the town. It is said that whoever dreams of making a name as a businessman had to come here and it was not an exaggeration.


    As they walked through the crowded roads, people were scurrying out of their way. The guards weren¡¯t here for show. And thanks to this, they could have a good look at the stalls and the city itself. There were all kinds of shops selling all kinds of goods, it truly was a business heaven and Mir couldn¡¯t help but gulp.


    Just seeing this was enough to birth back his businessman spirits. He was checking every corner of the city as they walked and calculating possible profits from what he saw. This place really was the best. He knew he could make hundreds of thousands here, without having to do much more than sightseeing.


    After he died, the angel or god or whatever it was did not lie. For the first time, the hope of living a life in happiness became more than just hope. He only wished his body was older¡­


    After walking for an hour, they arrived in the center of the city. There was a giant palace there. The city itself was immense and this building was not out of place. It was the biggest building Mir had seen. It went like a castle towering to the sky and reached a few clouds.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    It was a palace growing to form a tower. There were so many diverse types of architecture and colors that it was hard to describe and its sight itself was strange. Of course, they had seen it since the beginning and before they even entered the city but now, by being just under, they could finally admire its true majesty. The prince chuckled as Mir and Oka had their mouths wide open and gasping at the beauty of the building. Mare Reg Nio then said:


    ¡°This is The Royal Palace School. It is far from your average school where a lot of land is used. There is only this single building yet it is vaster than any other schools. It looks more like a tower now but at first, there were only three stairs. It was a palace used to train the royals. Then, with time, more was added and it became the tower it is today. Its name however did not change and remained the Royal Palace School. Its fame only grew as well. Even considering other kingdoms, this is a top school. I am glad to be the one saying it, welcome to the Royal Palace School, Mir, Oka.¡±


    There was silence for minutes as both Mir and Oka took in the sight with excitement climbing up in their bodies. The prince waited for them to calm down but since they didn¡¯t and got more and more heated up instead, he decided to give up on the idea and led them to the entrance.


    Giant doors, ten meters high, golden with beautiful carving of all kinds of beasts and men fighting each other. In front of the doors was a long table where five old men in golden robes with a dolphin image on the front. It was exuding an air of intense valor. They were imposing even though they were sitting down.


    They didn¡¯t even move as the prince and his guard reached them. One of the five old man spoke:


    ¡°Good day to you, Mare Reg Nio, Ninth Prince. What can we do for you today?


    -I would like to register these two kids for the entrance exam, in my name.


    -Very well. What are their names?


    -Mir.


    -Oka.


    -Family or clan names?


    -None.


    -Then, think of one.¡±


    Everyone was startled by the old man¡¯s words. He was probably used to it and answered the question on everyone¡¯s faces:


    ¡°In cases when kids are brought in for the examination by a noble and they aren¡¯t from any clans or families themselves, they have to think of a family name for themselves. If they succeed on their entrance exams and are admitted as disciples, by royal decree from the founder of the school, those family names are bestowed upon them and their clans are officially created. Though, they will only become official once the kids graduate and only if they survive until then.¡±


    The prince coughed a few times. He did not remember this. He knew the two kids would succeed the examinations and it meant he would indirectly be responsible for the creation of two new clans. Something only the king should be able to do was accessible to anyone?! This was shocking. Mir and Oka were overjoyed. The prince was curious about this and asked:


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember this rule.


    -We do not have to mention it if no one ask. It would be detrimental to have this information spread.


    -Then, why is this rule still valid?


    -Because sometimes geniuses are born from commoners and talent is what we value most. We nurture the best and keep our elite standing this way. However, the examination is that much more difficult for commoners.


    -Alright. Then, little Mir, little Oka, choose a family name for yourselves. It would only become official after you graduate though.¡±


    Mir did not really care about it. He had lived until now without it and using his name from his previous life was out of question as only hate remained for it. He thought about it and pondered seriously. What did he want his name to be? How many people received the chance to decide their own name?


    He was not only bearing the weight of his name but all his future descendants name on his shoulders. What did he want it to be like? He thought of a few things. He felt like a pioneer. ¡°I want it to highlight our power, to highlight our honor, to highlight our abilities¡­¡±.


    It was hard to settle on one thing as there were so many things he wanted to emphasize¡­ In the end, he wanted to show the worth of each future descendant in this name, a challenging task. Then he thought ¡°Why not settle on a name that would highlight any surname then?¡± and then, he grinned as he said to the elder:


    ¡°Mea. I want it to be ¡®Mea¡¯.¡±


    The elder nodded and turned to Oka. The young kid told him:


    ¡°Me as well, I shall become part of young boss¡¯s family.¡±


    The elder told him:


    ¡°Kid, this means that if he failed, you would automatically fail as well. Are you sure about this?


    -I am.


    -Very well. Mea Mir and Mea Oka, please go inside to take your tests.¡±


    The giant doors opened to show them a beautiful hall of white stones and luxurious decorations. They entered. It was beautiful outside but the inside was not losing to it. There were many people as well. Everyone was sitting here and there at different tables.


    The prince walked with his group to one empty and they sat there in silence. Thousands of tables were full and many more were empty. It felt like it was bigger than it should. Mir turned to Oka and he nodded then said:


    ¡°The space is altered young boss.


    -I knew it. This place lives up to its reputation and we¡¯re not even truly inside yet.¡±


    The prince turned to the kids and asked Mir:


    ¡°Why ¡®Mea¡¯?


    -I wanted to highlight so many things that there was nothing that fit in so I settled on using a highlighter. ¡®Mea¡¯ is an acronym for ¡®Mise en avant¡¯. It means ¡®to emphasize¡¯. Basically, this name will highlight everyone¡¯s surname and who they are themselves.


    -That is a good name.


    -Thank you.¡±


    They patiently waited. It took the whole day. They were having the people enter the first day, had the tests the second and the opening ceremony was on the third. Then, school was on. At the end of the day, they were served a feast and ate to their hearts contents.


    Next, an elder came on stage and explained the next step: the test. It was a battle race. In four hours, they would have to eliminate a maximum of dummies adapted to their ages. If they were to be killed or heavily injured, they would fail. And, if they didn¡¯t kill enough, they would fail too.


    Then, there was a ranking and rewards were given accordingly. To that end, every challenger would have to step through a door. They would be transported to a separated space and the challenge would start. They would be the one to decide whether to add or not more dummies and when.


    It was a test of strength, endurance and wits. It encompassed it all and was so that the challenger¡¯s ages mattered. It would be stupid to have the same contest for a seven-year-old and a twenty-five-year-old after all. It was well-thought.


    One after another, the challengers were called on the stage and stepped through the black marble door. They disappeared as though they walked through a membrane. It was one of the most magical sights Mir had seen and he had seen quite a lot in such a brief time. So much that sometimes he couldn¡¯t quite keep up with it.


    He had a few questions regarding the test though and asked the prince:


    ¡°Elder brother Nio, why didn¡¯t the elder say how many dummies we have to kill?


    -The number is different for everyone. And they want you to challenge yourself, go as far as you can without going too far. They are testing your limits you know.


    -If you don¡¯t know how many to kill, you can only keep killing in fear you don¡¯t reach the number, young boss.¡±

 CHAPTER 32

    CHAPTER 32


    As Oka said, not knowing how far one needed to go was challenging one¡¯s resolve. This test was really well-thought, Mir couldn¡¯t help but admire it and respect whoever made it this way. But there was still one really important question:


    ¡°Elder brother, can they see what happens inside?


    -Yes. But they don¡¯t ever disclose any information so you guys go all out and don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Mir was not really liking the idea of being observed. He suppressed elder Lan and elder Fin to hide his abilities not to have everyone here aware of them. He resolved himself not to use his dragon bloodline core whatever happened.


    When the elder called for ¡°Mea Mir¡±, he got up and walked to the stage, bringing many stares onto himself. He passed warily through the gate and arrived in a white square room. The door disappeared and a monotonous man¡¯s voice was heard:


    ¡°Eight years old Candidate ¨C Difficulty set to ¡®lowest R1R1¡¯ ¨C Begins¡±


    At that time, a metal-like humanoid figure appeared from a wall. It was 1.60-meter-tall and stared at Mir. Using his eyes, Mir could tell this was the dummy he had to destroy and it was only rank 1 first realm. But he couldn¡¯t see through anything else. He had no idea what it was made of or how and what it could do skill wise. He did not need to wait too long to learn about it.


    The dummy did not have any martial skills, it was just fighting with the energy in its body. That being said, even though Mir could easily evade everything and saw through its moves, he had no idea what to do himself. Even if you know the theory, it is not easy to put it to practice.


    The thing is, Mir never fought once before in both lives¡­ So, he ended up dodging instead of counter-attacking. He knew he was strong enough to beat that dummy, and far stronger at that but he just did not know how. The same way a bird won¡¯t know how to fly until it tries.


    He punched out and his fist met the dummy¡¯s head. But that was it, the dummy didn¡¯t get destroyed or anything. It just kept throwing its own attacks at Mir. This startled Mir.


    After dodging a few more attacks, it hit him. Not the dummy, the obvious. He was not channeling any energy in his body at the moment! When it comes to cores, they are inactive most of the time. They are a very weird organ, one that needs to be consciously awoken to work. As soon as one starts to lose his concentration, the core stops working.


    With each passing realm, the body grows stronger, faster and tougher but the energy itself doesn¡¯t flow through one¡¯s body unless they consciously make it happen. This is why it is so difficult to see through someone else¡¯s power normally.


    While Mir learnt many skills through his sight, he never practiced them himself and he did not really battle yet. He killed someone, sure, but using a tool as a one-shot sneak attack. It doesn¡¯t count as battle experience unfortunately. But fortunately, he also knew the theory behind it.


    He had a twin-core and a M-bloodline core. He decided to activate the twin-cores. It would be a pain if the ones testing him could get datas on him through the battle and found out about his bloodline. He would already be deemed quite the monster just from his being in the fourth realm at eight¡­


    He concentrated and made the energy flow from his twin cores throughout his body. He focused slowly on his hands and formed fists. After dodging one more hit from the dummy intended to reach his stomach, he threw his own towards the dummy¡¯s face. The hit connected with a loud bang and the dummy¡¯s head exploded while the rest of its body was thrown meters away.


    Instant kill, without using any skills. This is the difference between a fourth realm and a first realm. There¡¯s a gap impossible to cross as soon as energy is being used. While it isn¡¯t impossible for a being of a lower rank to kill one of a higher rank than his, it is not short of a miracle and extremely rare, at least in a true open battle. Sneak attacks are something else entirely¡­


    Anyways, Mir rejoiced as he had destroyed the dummy so easily. He shouted in happiness and didn¡¯t think about the words he screamed: ¡°Fuck yeah! It¡¯s too easy! Send some true opponents to this genius! Ahahah!¡± and much more insults were said.


    After some time, there was a gong and the mechanic-like voice answered his pleas: ¡°Mode unlimited opponents activated ¨C Upgraded opponents to realm 2¡±. That made Mir stop doing anything and he stood there with his mouth open. He had only a single thought left in his mind ¡°Dammit¡±.


    From there, dozens and dozens of dummies started to appear and rush Mir. Of course, since they were only of the second realm, it did not mean anything to him. He dodged one on his left and sent a punch on his right, that was enough to destroy a dummy and disrupt all others around if not destroying them as well. After a time, the voice spoke once more ¡°Upgrading opponents to realm 3¡±.


    The difficulty changed a bit but the results were not that different. It was taking a bit longer though. And finally, the voice said, ¡°Upgrading opponents to realm 4¡±. The worst is that the dummies were not alive and so, Mir couldn¡¯t grasp their power level with his sight. He was forced to find it out by himself¡­


    They were slightly weaker. Though it needed more than one punch to end one now, he was able to deal with the incoming army of dummies. He did not need to use skills though they would have helped him a lot. The reason he chose not to is simple: energy is limited.


    At his fourth realm, if he started to use skills without care, he would run out of energy and this would mean the end of the test, probably in failure. Not being able to pace oneself is really bad. Acting without thinking only brings failure after all. He believed that being unable to battle through to the end of the timer meant failure. Was it?The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    No. The test was far simpler than that. Dummies were sent out to fight you and you had to take them down. As many as you could. That¡¯s it. The time limit was set so that the guests would not have to wait for too long. The school itself, with this test, could not care less about how long one could battle.


    Even though it was a very important aspect to consider, they did not. They only see the number of kills and power of those killed. But Mir did not know that and was fighting the test as if he was the one who had designed it. Basically, he was giving himself many more aspects to consider than necessary. In all aspects, it was good training. The voice was never heard again.


    Oka had a different approach. He activated his bloodline right at the beginning and his body changed alongside the fluctuation of energies. From then on, he slaughtered hundreds of rank 2 realm 1 dummies. Tearing their limbs with his own and roaring at the world. He was like a bloodthirsty monster.


    After the time limit was reached, they were sent out. One after another in the order they entered. They went to sit back with the Prince. He was trying hard not to laugh at the two kids. He told them:


    ¡°Congratulations on not tarnishing my name kids¡±


    After a few minutes, all the kids were seated back to their original seats with their respective patrons. The Palace School Elder went up on stage and took out a table from his space bag. Then, he took out a crystal screen and said:


    ¡°I will now show you the results of this test. Only those with their names on this crystal are admitted to our school.¡±


    The crystal lit up and names formed on it in black ink. Everyone here was a martial artist, they could easily distinguish the scribbled names. Mir and Oka were there. They passed. Both smiled, looked at each other and nodded in satisfaction.


    The Prince was unable to contain his laughter anymore when the numbers of dummies slaughtered appeared. Mir was third with 1206 dummies destroyed. Oka was first with 6512 dummies destroyed. The gap was incredible but understandable if you considered that Oka used his bloodline from the start and fought at 100%.


    Only Mir was surprised that he was not second. Someone else had taken out a high number of dummies. A certain Ary Josh with 1531. Mir did not know him but he surely would keep an eye on him. Or maybe not. There are so many powerful people, why bother with one out of them all?


    Right now, it was a time to celebrate and the prince was doing just that. He was even forcing Oka to join him by placing his arm over Oka¡¯s neck and laughing between slurps of beer. It felt strange since most people here had seen their prodigies fail.


    Out of them all, only thirteen names appeared on the crystal. The weakest had dealt with 689 dummies. A number already high. Whatever the minimum amount was, it was too high. This really was a high-class school. One needs to remember that Mir and Oka were no average jacks and their scores were extreme. To think there were others with similar strengths¡­Meant the world was vaster than Mir thought. There is surely a man beyond every man.


    Once the party ended, the guests had to leave. Obviously, the Royal Palace School was a boarding school so Mir and Oka would be staying. They had to say their goodbyes to the ninth prince. He looked at the kids and said:


    ¡°You did good to succeed the test. Both of you. I had this strand of fear that you would humiliate me even though I heard of your abilities. I will be able to tease some brothers of mine with this. Make sure to do good in the school. They will explain you the rules tomorrow I think so I won¡¯t go there. It only slightly differs when compared to the Burning Sea school anyway. You were probably familiar with the intern-alliance system?


    -Oh yes, we are, elder brother Nio.


    -..Of course. Well, go and join the ¡°Followers of the Ninth¡±. It¡¯s the one containing my followers as the name implies.


    -We will think about it.


    -Do more than think. They will probably contact you as soon as they hear about me bringing you in personally, they will treat you nicely, I swear. So, I will see you next time. You two kids take care and don¡¯t do something stupid again, alright?


    -Sure. Thank you for everything, elder brother Nio.


    -Thank you for everything, ninth prince.¡±


    Both Mir and Oka bowed while cupping their hands to show their appreciation and the prince pat them on their heads. Having brought those two in meant his name was linked to theirs. But they did good, very good, on the test at least so, he had high hopes. What¡¯s more, there were many candidates coming from his brother and sister¡¯s factions and most failed.


    It is a rare feat to succeed this entrance exam on the first try and that is the reason why the exam is opened every month. This would be enough for him to enjoy some fame and do some teasing for a while. He left in a great mood with his guards. One of the guards said to the two kids before following him:


    ¡°Make sure to enter the Followers of the ninth, don¡¯t waste the care the Prince showed you.¡±


    Basically, it was a threat hidden as an advice. He did something nice for you so you have to repay him kind of thing¡­


    The Royal Palace elder led the thirteen kids inside the school once everyone else had left. They were all around nine years of age except for Oka. Mir didn¡¯t know which one was which so he looked at them all and soon, found Ary Josh. It was a kid at the third realm with a (E)-rank bloodline. No wonder he made such a high score. He would not need to be wary of him in the end. As the elder arrived at the first level, he said as he walked:


    ¡°You will all be granted a room on level one. Someone will come pick you up tomorrow morning, until then, don¡¯t wander around and don¡¯t leave the level one.¡±


    Mir and Oka had rooms next to one another. They were very simple and like the ones they had in the Burning Sea School, except it was more luxurious. A bed, a closet and a desk with a chair but the materials they were made from felt like they were of a higher quality. And most likely, they were.


    However, compared to the Burning Sea School, there was nothing on the bed. Mir looked around and except for the furniture, there was nothing: no robe, no bag, nothing. That¡¯s when someone knocked on his door.


    It was easy for him to see that it was Oka. Seeing through things isn¡¯t an ability for show¡­ He told him to enter and Oka sat down. He was quiet so Mir sighed and asked him:


    ¡°What¡¯s bothering you?


    -Elder Lan and Elder Fin¡¯s deaths. Are you behind it, young boss?


    -You already know the answer¡­Yes.


    -¡­Why? They were good to us.


    -We need to keep a low profile. Those two old men were the only ones who knew about my true abilities. There would have been risks sooner or later. Rather than find a solution, I would rather eliminate the problem.


    -¡­Will you also eliminate me if I became a problem?


    -¡­Yes. I would.¡±


    Mir decided to be honest. A silence ensued and Mir continued:


    ¡°I doubt you will ever become a problem Oka so, I want to remain honest with you. I told you before about my goal. I won¡¯t let anyone hinder me from reaching it, that¡¯s all there is to it. To me, you are far from a potential risk but rather, an asset. No, a partner!


    -A partner?


    -Yes, you work alongside me so we can both achieve our goals.


    -Alright. But anyway, how did you even kill them, young boss?


    -I laid a trap. At first, it was just a security to save our asses as a last shot but, well, it worked better than I planned. It does not really matter since it¡¯s done. Let¡¯s talk about the future.


    -I understand. Are we going to join the Followers of the Ninth, young boss?


    -Of course not. Who would be dumb enough to willingly side with someone for the royal selection or whatever. I don¡¯t want troubles so we won¡¯t reach out to any factions, let¡¯s keep a low profile.


    -I do hope so too...¡±

 CHAPTER 33

    CHAPTER 33


    The next day, someone knocked on every thirteen doors. It was a young man in his twenties, wearing a golden robe. Once every kid was outside in the hall, he introduced himself:


    ¡°Good morning everyone, it is a pleasure to meet you. I will be the one in charge of your promotion, my name is Glaic Alo. Please do call me elder Alo, I may not look the part but I am an old man and a respectable elder of this school. All of you should understand what this means.¡±


    Mir turned to Oka expectantly and Oka answered his silent plea with a spiritual message:


    ¡°Martial Cultivators bodies stop aging when they reach the third rank.¡±


    Mir nodded and turned back to the elder who smiled at the gesture. He had seen It all and grasped what happened. It was enough to have him chuckle. Strange kids enter this school as well sometimes. He remained composed on the outside and continued:


    ¡°We will be first going to our dedicated land and then I will explain everything to you kids. Follow me.¡±


    The elder led them through the hall. They walked for an hour before reaching the stairs. It felt strange like a space distortion of some kind. The elder said:


    ¡°This tower itself is a treasure. It is an infinite building and the only one of its kind. The way to make such a prodigious construct has been lost but we know at least how to keep it active and add to it. There are thousands and thousands of rooms. The reason it took so long to get to the stairs is my way of warning you. The way will only appear if you know where you want to go. If you don¡¯t, you might end up walking eternally without reaching a destination. ¡­ Now that this is out of the way, let us go to the level two. Please, everyone, concentrate on this as your destination. Repeat it in your mind ¡°I want to go to the second level¡± and it will work just fine. Understood?


    -Yes, elder Alo!¡±


    Mir and Oka walked without care thinking about it and both arrived in the center of a giant plaza filled with hundreds of people in gold robes. The stairs were coming out in the middle of a plaza! The eleven other kids and the elder arrived a few moments later. It was a fascinating sight for the kids, even more so for Mir.


    The previous level was luxurious, like a hotel but this one, it was like a damn town. Since when could you place a town in a tower? This was a mystical sight. And this town was bigger than the one outside, surrounding the tower. But the elder was not going to let them sightsee longer:


    ¡°Let us go, we¡¯re going to our class building. Follow me.¡±


    The kids followed the elder and were surprised that absolutely everyone, be they vendors or buyers, were wearing golden robes of various types. After a few hundred meters, they reached a wooden and stone building named ¡°ALO CLASSROOM¡± and entered.


    There were no stairs leading up but there was no need for such, the inside was wide and long; one more space distortion. There was a basic classroom inside, an amphitheater-like one with crystal screens on each desk. And there were dozens of desks. The elder motioned for the kids to go and take a seat then went to the front and began:


    ¡°All spaces in this school are adjusted with space distortion crafting techniques so get used to it. Now, let me explain about the general rules. As you can see, you guys are of different ages and power levels yet in the same class. How does it work? Basically, being a class just mean that you guys entered at the same time. That¡¯s it. Where do I come in? I am the one in charge of you kids, this class. If you need anything, go find me here. Is it okay up to here?¡±


    It seemed fine since no one was asking him any questions so he went on:


    ¡°In this school, we do not care about your positions outside. Only what you do inside matter. So, do not expect that you will be revered or something because you hold status outside. In here, it means nothing. I will give you a few things now.¡±


    He walked and gave a basic golden Royal Palace School Robe to all kids as well as a golden card with their respective names on it. He told them to put on the robe and nodded as they did. Since there were no girls in this class, there was no need to set a zone to change. Soon, the thirteen kids wore the robe and the elder went on:


    ¡°In this school, you are to wear the robe at all times or your particular alliance outfit if you have one. The restriction is that it must harbor gold and white as well as the Royal Palace Insignia, this little crown on your right arms, near the elbow. The card I gave you contains your points. It is the currency used inside school grounds. You can earn them through business or missions and such. You start with a thousand of them and that¡¯s it. You need points to buy anything here ranging from access to a lecture, to a technique scroll, to a training room and so on¡­Even to access upper levels of the tower. As of now, you cannot go higher than the sixth level. You can go outside whenever you want to buy things as well. Most disciples don¡¯t though as it is deemed taboo and a sign of lower standing.¡±


    He paused to see if there were any questions and spoke once more:This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°The second level contains all classrooms and a few basic businesses related to the school. You might find a few students selling stuff on the road too. But the true dedicated level for business is the third. Go there if you want to buy something. There are items you would not find anywhere else. The fourth level is the battle arena and it is also where the skill building is located. You can go there and fight to earn points. Of course, you can lose them as well. A training area can be rented too. The fifth and sixth levels are areas dedicated to alliances and conquest. If you want to know more about this, go to the alliance office on this floor, it is not my job.¡±


    ¡°Finally, regarding lectures¡­I advise you to decide on your martial path early on so you can focus on the right lectures. If you want to register for one, go to the lecture office that is on this floor too. That¡¯s all I had to say, you are free to leave. If you need anything, come ask me.¡±


    Mir got up and left, followed by Oka. The others stayed in. Oka asked Mir as they got out:


    ¡°Young boss, shouldn¡¯t we have asked him a few things?


    -What did you want to ask him?


    -That¡¯s¡­I don¡¯t know?


    -Exactly. We don¡¯t even know enough to ask pertinent questions. Then, why should we be wasting time there? Let us check out their skill building.


    -Yes, young boss.¡±


    After walking a few meters, Mir remembered something very important, he didn¡¯t know the place he wished to go to¡­Or rather, he was walking without walking. As if he was going nowhere. They went back inside the classroom much to everyone¡¯s fun. Even elder Alo couldn¡¯t help but laugh then placed his hand on their golden card. They shined and a map was likely installed. He told them:


    ¡°I always wait like that. Remember well, you should not be in a rush to do things unless you want to forget some¡­ I activated the map-like feature on your respective cards, you should be able to walk freely up to the sixth floor now. Without this feature, you¡¯d just end up stuck in the first two floors. Wouldn¡¯t it have been a shame?¡±


    Mir was cursing him in his head. Of course, he could not have expected the old man to be a prankster¡­ He decided to wait until the end this time.


    Oka was fine all along and couldn¡¯t care less about all this. His life already turned for the better and he was not really worried about the future. And humiliation, well, there was not much he hadn¡¯t been subjected to yet in this domain so he was alright.


    Hours later, the elder finally let them go, for real. They were taught through every single rule and everything there was to know. It was a very complete lecture. As they got out, Mir stretched while Oka asked him:


    ¡°So, young boss, what should we do now?


    -Hum¡­Let¡¯s go outside and get something to eat. I am hungry.


    -Why don¡¯t we eat inside the school, young boss. The elder mentioned many nice restaurants.


    -Because they cost points. We only have a thousand each, let us not waste them. I don¡¯t plan to risk my life on missions after all. I don¡¯t know the prices here either¡­ Well, we have lots of gold coins, let us spend some of those first instead.


    -Indeed, young boss is smart.¡±


    At that moment, one of the other kids laughed at the two. He said:


    ¡°Pfft, bunch of peasants. Eating outside is a shame for a disciple of this school. Let us go, tonight is on me, my friends!¡±


    As he finished, he was followed by five others. Mir could only laugh at him inside himself. This kid had no idea what he was losing by acting this way. Being arrogant here would probably be a very bad idea. In a school full of monsters, it was better to keep it low if one didn¡¯t wish to get into trouble. Mir wished for a peaceful school life.


    As the group got away, one kid stayed behind and asked Mir:


    ¡°Can I join you two?¡±


    Mir¡¯s right brow got up as he felt curious. To think one of the kids would rather give up on a free meal inside the school offered from the popular kid in the group¡­He answered him:


    ¡°Sure, I am Mir and this Oka.


    -I am Stohn Endge. Fourth young master of the Stohn clan.


    -Stohn Clan?


    -You never heard of it?


    -No. What about you Oka?


    -It is one of the clan in the north border part of the kingdom, young boss. They have quite a lot of specialized earth martial artists. It¡¯s a middle-sized clan and a very old one.


    -Is that so? Well, nice to meet you, Endge.


    -Same here, nice to meet you guys, Mir, Oka.¡±


    They both got out of the school easily. They only had to keep thinking of going outside to be led to the exit door on the first floor.


    Once outside, it was dark, nighttime. Strangely, there is no day or night inside the school. It was made this way so that the school would work 24/7. But at the same time, it was messing with the disciples and elders sense of time.


    The city was still bustling with activity and street lights were on. They settled for a restaurant called the roasted bear. Inside were dozens of tables filled by people of all ages. A few disciples were there as well. They were led to a table and given a menu.


    There were many interesting dishes but the trio ordered the one thing that decided them on this restaurant: Braised Bear Chest. Mir was the one who wished to try it. He never ate this type of meat before and it seemed quite popular here.


    He wasn¡¯t disappointed when the waitress brought out three giant plates. The amount of meat would be enough to calm a pack of wolves. Fortunately, martial artists have big stomachs and great appetite. The meat was eaten till there was nothing left on each plate.


    Then, they began to discuss as they sipped on their cocktails. Non-alcoholic ones, of course, to Mir¡¯s disappointment. Endge was quite curious:


    ¡°Wait, if you¡¯re both not from a clan, then how come you were brought here by the prince?


    -I gambled alongside him and an elder from the Burning Sea School back in the previous genius tournament.


    -Y-You gambled with him¡­? That¡¯s incredible! Did you win?!


    -Let¡¯s not talk about the past, why don¡¯t we rather talk about our bright futures? What brought you to this school, Endge?


    -That¡¯s the number one school in the kingdom. I think that¡¯s reason enough! Ahahah!


    -Indeed! Ahahah!¡±


    After some laughter and a few jokes, they began to discuss seriously again:


    ¡°So, Mir, Oka, what are you two going to do from now on?


    -What do you mean?


    -Alliances. The elder told us, remember, we must enter an alliance in the next week.


    -Yes, well, I am not sure yet. We plan to go to the alliance building tomorrow though.


    -You are not going to enter the Ninth Followers group?


    -No. We do not have any political ties and do not plan to. What about you? Were you hoping to join them alongside us?


    -That¡¯s¡­Yes, I was. You saw through me quite easily.


    -You refused a free meal inside the school even though you must be aware of what it means to eat outside.¡±


    There are a few explicit taboos inside the Royal Palace School. Since everything there is decided by the number of points you own, those going outside to buy things are deemed worthless and considered just like beggars. A true elitist school. Mir could only sigh at their dumb mentalities.

 CHAPTER 34

    CHAPTER 34


    Endge would have never gone eat outside if he did not have something in mind. Of course, the eleven kids from their ¡®class¡¯ knew who brought them in. They knew Mir and Oka had the ninth prince as their patron. And since those kids came from important backgrounds, they had degrees of knowledge about the inside of the school. Obviously, they knew about the Followers of the Ninth and other such groups.


    Being able to join them would mean earning the favor of a prince. A member of the royalty might take interest in them and so on. It was a dreamy opportunity for many kids here. But Mir couldn¡¯t care less and Oka was following Mir blindly anyway. The poor Endge placed a bet on the wrong horse, or did he?


    He couldn¡¯t help but laugh and answered:


    ¡°It is fine, I was planning on eating outside anyway. I won¡¯t be wasting my points like them and regarding my status, well, it is fine too. I am not going to succeed to anyone in my clan after all. Would it be fine if I join you tomorrow to check the alliance building?


    -Sure.¡±


    They enjoyed the remaining of their meal chatting merrily about all kinds of things and laughing most of the time.


    The next morning, Endge met up with Mir and Oka directly in front of the Alliance building. It was relatively crowded, probably with a space distortion to it considering the flux of people going in and out. It was relatively easy to spot the building. It was the only one made from white stones and having a giant letter ¡°A¡± in blue in the front.


    Endge was smiling today too. This was intriguing to Mir. The kid failed his attempt to get a free pass in the Ninth Followers Alliance yet was still happy. Leaving that thought aside, Mir greeted him with the same type of wide smile. After some idle chatting, they entered the building.


    As expected, it was a lot bigger inside. There were dozens of counters and dozens of disciples awaiting in lines. Mir could not help but ask aloud:


    ¡°Just how many disciples are there in this school?...¡±


    He wasn¡¯t expecting an answer but earned one nonetheless. Oka was the one to give it with the pride to be of use:


    ¡°Young boss, there are more than thirty million students in the school. That is because people come here from all over the kingdom and even from outside it. Also, there is no age limits to remain a student here.


    -No age limits?¡±


    This was surprising. You could remain a student for eternity? Mir was skeptical regarding this point and strangely, while Oka knew it was possible, he did not know the specifics. That¡¯s when Endge entered the discussion:


    ¡°Oka is right yet wrong. There is an age limit. The same as every other schools in the kingdom, it is 100 years old. But this school has many particularities. One of them is the system of points you guys learnt of yesterday. Well, in exchange for points, it is possible to add to the age limit. I don¡¯t know how much points are required to add a year but many are doing it. Or hoping to.


    -Why would they do such a thing?¡±


    Mir was curious. This school was the best so graduating meant most likely a high-ranked position later. Why would they want to stay inside?


    That¡¯s when insiders entered the conversation. A group of four men and a woman wearing gold armor with a roman number nine (IX) etched in the front. The woman was the one to answer Mir:


    ¡°Because this school provides more resources than you could ever hope to get outside, young friend Mir.¡±


    It didn¡¯t take much for Mir to understand who she was. The armor itself was a giveaway¡­ She also knew his name and appearance obviously. The prince network was accurate and quick. She saw him frown and started speaking once more:


    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet the both of you, young friend Mir, young friend Oka. I am Ma Liuya, you can call me Sister Liuya if you want. I am here to..¡±


    Before she could finish, Mir interrupted her:


    ¡°I know. You want us to join the Ninth Followers, right?¡±


    The look in Mir¡¯s eyes was disdain and displeased the four followers of the woman. She looked to be around thirty but was still beautiful, her followers probably weren¡¯t just following her for her brains. One of them at least wasn¡¯t as he threateningly said in a deep voice:


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too cocky, kid. Even if the prince himself wish to offer you a place within our group, it doesn¡¯t mean we will stand by while you insult our leader¡±


    The woman wasn¡¯t bothered by her subordinate action, rather, she was pleased. She probably was the type to enjoy attention. Not like this was a demerit. But still, Mir did not have a good opinion of the man who spoke. At least the woman had been courteous.


    Mir sighed and the woman got the clue that it was her time to speak. She coughed a few times and went back to business:


    ¡°We would really like for you two to enter our alliance. What do you say about it?¡±


    There was tumult inside the building. Many closed-by people were starting to murmur. It seems like being invited by the Ninth Followers was a rare event.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Even more reason for Mir to sigh, he didn¡¯t want any attention at all and was once more attracting the crowd to him. Was he born to be famous or what? He told the woman:


    ¡°May I invite sister Liuya and her followers to dinner tonight so we can discuss this matter? I am still new to all this and came here precisely to understand more about alliances before anything.


    -Sure, little friend Mir. I would love that. Where would you like for us to eat, then?


    -There¡¯s this place, outside, called the roasted bear that serves astonishing plates of meat. How about there?


    -T-That¡¯s..¡±


    Mir brought even more commotion in the building. He was inviting a lady to dinner outside. For those prideful clansmen, going outside was a taboo, a mark of the poor. And now, he was trying to bring a group of the prince¡¯s followers to eat outside. This would likely bring them great dishonor and come back to hit the prince later on.


    Ma Liuya was pondering deeply on the situation. The kid was smarter than she thought. This wasn¡¯t as simple as recruiting a kid anymore. Her boss lied to her? No, he probably dismissed warnings about the kid¡¯s potential.


    Still, the fact remained that the prince told them that they must get him in the alliance. But to go as far as to dishonor the group itself?... This kid was dangerous is the impression she got after less than five minutes around him.


    Mir was enjoying the sight. Four men puffing their chests in anger, a crowd gasping and gossiping and finally, a woman lost in thoughts. And it had only taken a single sentence for it to happen.


    Why were they even so against going in and out of the tower? He would need to find that out later.


    Still, first things first, he needed to deal with the group sent by the prince in an appropriate way. Since the woman understood where this was going, he didn¡¯t have to wait for her to find the solution to his riddle and insisted:


    ¡°Well, sister Liuya, what do you say? Didn¡¯t you say that you wanted to eat dinner with us so we could discuss your offer to have us enter your alliance?


    -T-That¡¯s¡­I wouldn¡¯t want you to buy us dinner when we¡¯re the ones trying to recruit you. That¡¯s right! Why don¡¯t you come to the restaurant ¡°golden ninth senses¡± that we manage instead? I assure you that we have the best of meats there.


    -No, no. As a man, I have a duty to be the one paying when asking a lady to dinner. I can¡¯t afford much yet but, I can vouch for the roasted bear! Oka, tell sister Liuya, isn¡¯t the roasted bear a lovely place to eat?¡±


    He said that with the face of a kid who didn¡¯t understand the situation. Using his age as a mask of ignorance. He even stretched the ¡®nice¡¯ in his sentence. As he was asked, Oka answered firmly:


    ¡°Yes, it is, young boss! The meat was delicious! What did you think Endge?¡±


    Mir did not think Oka would drag Endge in the game. This was a mistake. If Endge decided to side with the ninth followers, then Mir would have to go eat at their place¡­ Rather than the number of advices, the last one is the one with the biggest weight and after Endge, there was no one else to ask¡­


    If Oka had not brought him in the exchange, he would never have entered it. After all, neither Mir or Liuya had mentioned him previously. But Mir couldn¡¯t blame Oka. He was a real kid without a soul that had experience from a previous life. Mir could only await Endge decision.


    Would he try to be on Liuya¡¯s good side or Mir¡¯s? Mir wasn¡¯t hoping much and began preparing a counter when something surprising happened. Endge played the ignorant kid too.


    ¡°I loved it too! It was very juicy and the ambiance was just right!¡±


    Mir was surprised but beyond that, relieved and glad. Endge was someone smart and it seems like he wasn¡¯t just obsessed by status. While a smug smile appeared on Mir¡¯s face, there was only sadness and disbelief on Liuya¡¯s.


    Why would this second kid choose the party of Mir? Was he worth that much? More than the Ninth Follower¡¯s alliance? No way. She was beginning to question that very fact, the value of Mir¡­And it hit her. She had been fooled.


    She laughed slightly, quite cutely with a hand over her mouth and Mir joined her. This was the sign she caught on to his plan. But it was too late for her. If she had discovered it before¡­But now? She could only go on with the flow. She answered Mir:


    ¡°Very well, young friend Mir. I will be seeing you tonight at the Roasted Bear, outside, as you asked. Don¡¯t make sister wait too long, alright?


    -Of course! See you tonight, Sister Liuya!¡±


    Liuya exited the alliance laughing slightly while her four followers were glaring daggers at the kids. Kids that were laughing like mad. Mir told Oka why he did this:


    ¡°Did you not see the crowd? They reacted to us receiving an invitation from the Ninth Followers. It was something calculated by Liuya. Do you seriously think we could have ended up here both at the same time as a coincidence? No way. She waited for us to go inside. Why? Because she knew the impact her group would have here. She comes from a very famous alliance and we are in the alliance building: reactions guaranteed. Then, what did I do? I used it to my advantage. I made her invite us, I invited her outside, made sure to ask you and to say your name loud¡­This was publicity to our names. I was selling the fact that we were important. Important enough that the Ninth Followers would do as we requested when they were the ones inviting us. Important enough that a high-ranked alliance would want us at the price of going to eat outside, violating a taboo. I upgraded our worth. And it worked. When she caught on to my plan, it was already too late for her so she could only go with it. Fortunately, the prince probably asked them to get us at all costs. If not, it would have failed majestically. But that too would have been fine. People would have left us alone.


    -But we¡¯re alone right now, young boss?


    -That¡¯s because everyone that was here considered gossiping about us a more pressing matter than anything they were here to do¡­ Let¡¯s go, this counter is free.¡±


    They went to a counter on their right and a young woman in gold robe was there to answer them. She welcomed them and waited for their questions. Mir asked:


    ¡°Is there an alliance ranking?


    -There is. You can consult it here and in every town from the 5<sup>th</sup> level on.


    -What is the Ninth Follower¡¯s Rank?


    -In this school, 7<sup>th</sup>. In the global ranks, 453<sup>th</sup>.


    -¡­Global?¡±


    This brought more questions than answers. How come there were two different rankings?! Endge saw the expression of incredulity on Mir¡¯s face and whispered him:


    ¡°From the 7th level, the tower is connected to all the other important schools in the continent. It is the number one school because it pitches us against people from everywhere, constantly.¡±


    This was a brand-new piece of news that changed everything. It was even more reason not to get involved with the Ninth Followers. He asked more:


    ¡°Why do we need to enter an alliance?


    -You <u>must</u>. That¡¯s because every missions are done inside the tower and are group-oriented. The same way, they impact on the rankings¡­ It is for the school and the kingdom.


    -Can I create my own alliance?


    -Sure, you only need 1000 points to register and a constant 100 points per month. There is also a quota of one mission per month to be done by the alliance. Failure in one leading to expulsion.¡±


    Mir made a mental note that he had to check on the missions before anything. If they were a pain or too hard, he would have to join an alliance that already existed and was functional enough that he could laze around¡­The ninth followers weren¡¯t that bad in the end¡­Still, he asked:


    ¡°Are there conditions to join an alliance?

 CHAPTER 35

    CHAPTER 35


    -It depends on the alliance, but there can be.


    -What about the Ninth Followers?


    -You can only enter through invitation by a member and you become life-contracted to the Ninth Prince army.


    -Well, fuck.¡±


    This was enough deterrent. No need to think about it longer, he would refuse Liuya tonight. They asked if there was a way to know both the rankings and the requirements to enter alliances. Unfortunately, while it was possible for everyone to access the rankings at all times, it wasn¡¯t for the recruitment requirements.


    You would need to know exactly which one you want to register with beforehand. That being said, it is not like Mir had any alliance in mind. Neither did Oka, he would just follow. Endge probably had a few but the requirement to join the Ninth Followers brought a chill down his spine. Sure, there was the honor, status and pride but, was it worth it? A whole life of servitude? Probably. But for him? He was too young to sign up for something like that.


    Feeling quite sad, Mir decided to go for the market on the third level. It was important to know if he had a way to make points easily. Sure, he could probably craft some martial tailored items but would it be worth it? The crystals to make them were incredibly costly. It would probably be better to sell pellets. He had quite a lot left as well. And maybe there was a way to convert gold coins to points? There was no demerit in looking for it later.


    He was surprised to see the bustling activity in the streets. There were around the same number of people as in the second level but they were all shouting and discussing wildly. Most of the zone was outside space where elders as well as disciples sat with different wares in front of them, showcased. The people were moving through the astonishing number of shops settled on the street.


    Here and there were also buildings belonging to alliances and selling their own stuff. Mir was thinking about going to a shop selling pellets and followed the strange insight he was provided by who knows what in his mind. It was the same feeling he got every time he moved towards a specific location.


    It was most likely something provided by the tower itself. Some kind of mental GPS of sorts.But as to how it worked, he had no idea. And he probably would not be able to come with an answer by himself. It was not something he could see. Still, he was trusting entirely on this system. He felt the distortion of space under his feet from time to time as well.


    He was turning towards Oka and Endge in-between, making sure they were there. They were. Either they were thinking of going to the same place as Mir was or they were thinking of following him. Whichever one it was didn¡¯t matter as long as they weren¡¯t getting lost.


    Fortunately, they arrived in front of a beautiful building made of wood. They entered and even though the space was distorted so it was bigger inside, the place was crowded. Mir walked around and took on the sights. Most things here weren¡¯t cheap.


    Pellets ranking from the fifth realm to the third rank. The prices were high as well. Mir did not know for sure what the amount of points meant but if 1000 was only enough to register an alliance, then what was the worth of a point? This was the true question and hopefully would help him in planning the next steps to take.


    A single pellet of the lowest ranking here was a few hundred points. Considering the number of people buying here and the fact he had been directed here first when thinking of the ¡°cheapest pellets¡±, this meant a lot.


    Next was a search in materials. Pellets did not pop out of thin air. They arrived at a small space in the plaza this time. There was an elder selling some plants.


    So, this was the cheapest? The difference was huge. If he bought the materials from this elder, he could make a very big bonus. He asked the elder that was sitting:


    ¡°Good day to you, elder. My name is Mea Mir and I am a new disciple of the school. Is Elder selling those materials in bulk?


    -A pleasure to meet you, disciple Mir. I am Elder Bor Nor and yes, I am selling in bulk.


    -Thank you very much for the information elder Nor, I will be coming back.¡±


    The elder waved him away like he did not care much about whether he would be back or not. It was not surprising. Considering the number of disciples, this was surely not his first time dealing with customers.


    Mir didn¡¯t bother with it as it was normal and walked towards the next destination. Back to the second level, at the herbal lab. He asked how much it would cost to rent a room and the answer pleased him. He could see the benefits coming in already. Maybe he could reconsider creating his own alliance.


    He asked Oka to buy the materials and was going towards his next destination when he was interrupted by Endge:Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Mir, is there something you would like me to do?¡±


    Why would Mir want Endge to do anything? They weren¡¯t connected in any way. Mir frowned and told him:


    ¡°Sorry Endge but we aren¡¯t in partnerships or something so, just do whatever you want?¡±


    Then, Mir left the surprised Endge.


    Endge was from the Stohn clan. They were specialists in earth martial skills and a respected clan. Unfortunately, he was born too late so he wouldn¡¯t succeed any positions but he was still nurtured to the utmost of the clan¡¯s abilities.


    Then, sent to the Royal Palace school and accepted ultimately. It was an honor to his clan and to him. As he saw the record Oka settled in the test and how he was only a follower, he was curious and wanted to get close to them. If they were this powerful, maybe they had a secret that they would share with him later?


    But now what, he was left like some used tissue in the street of the school. True, they weren¡¯t in any official relationships and had just met but he thought that he would at least earn enough trust to be a friend¡­It seems like he misunderstood.


    But he wasn¡¯t going to give up just yet. He didn¡¯t know why but something inside him was whispering in his mind that those guys would lead him to greatness¡­He began to walk on his own path.


    Mir did not dislike Endge, he would have made a nice friend but in the end, he was just like the others, only here for the benefits. What¡¯s more, Mir¡¯s goal was to get people under him and grow his newly formed clan. Endge was already a member of a respectable clan, there was no reason for him to deflect from it for a new unknown one without evident benefits to it.


    And Mir would not spread his abilities to give a bloodline and such to anyone he did not know perfectly or had a special reason. It was better to be cautious with this thing. Still, he wouldn¡¯t refuse offer of partnerships from Endge later if he asked and would not mind lazing around with him from time to time, he was a funny yet wise kid after all.


    Mir¡¯s next destination was the lecturing hall. He waited for some time and once it was his turn asked a clerk:


    ¡°How much does it cost to assist to a lecture?


    -Which one, young disciple?


    -¡­The cheapest and the most expensive.


    -The cheapest cost 10 points to attend while the most expensive cost 5000000 points at this precise moment.


    -Thanks for your time, see you.¡±


    Mir walked away. Time to go to the next destination, the skill hall. There, in the same way, he asked about buying a skill scroll. It was a bit more expensive. When he asked for the reason, he was answered by ¡°a scroll can be physically moved¡± which is true and understandable. However, the prices there were reaching far higher heights. There were surely rare skills hidden in the building. But it would be for another time.


    Still, through all this, he learnt that life inside was expensive. He went to the mission hall next and sure enough, the rewards were high for each missions and achievements but they were far from easy too. No wonder they required a few members. While Mir could likely succeed some alone, he would have to go to the 5<sup>th</sup> level and that would be dangerous it seemed.


    Making business was the best option in the end. Trading has lower risks and higher profits. Hopefully. He went back to the herbal lab where Oka was awaiting him. Oka got up and said:


    ¡°I bought all the ingredients on the list, young boss. I don¡¯t have any points left though since I didn¡¯t know how much you needed.


    -Don¡¯t worry, it is better like that. Let us work right away.¡±


    For the next hours, they worked inside the lab and made hundreds of pellets. Mir had calculated that he would earn at least 135 points per pellet considering every cost so this would work well for him. He wanted to sell them right away but had a date outside with Liuya so he went there first.


    He was surprised to actually see her sitting alone inside the Roasted Bear. She wasn¡¯t wearing the school robe too. Mir and Oka walked to her and she invited them to sit. They were on time. Mir was going to ask her when she told him, as if reading his mind:


    ¡°I could not have forced the others to lose honor for my failure to see through your trap.


    -And this outfit?


    -Hopefully, no one would recognize me.¡±


    Mir nodded in approval, her reasons were rational. Oka nodded too but not for the same reason. He was just enjoying the sight of a beautiful woman in casual clothes so close to him, and she smelled nice as well. Tonight, it would be a great meal: Roasted meat shared with a babe. He could only nod and would thank the young boss later.


    Mir asked for a waitress to bring the meat and they exchanged small talk as they waited. Once the meat was there, Liuya was surprised to find it was delicious but she kept the fact hidden and remained poker-faced. She had her pride. She began discussing the true issue next:


    ¡°So, young friend Mir, will you join us?


    -I learnt about the requirements to join. Swearing to serve the ninth prince all your life, right?


    -That¡¯s¡­Yes. It is an honor given to all of us.


    -Well, we don¡¯t want this honor so I will leave it to you guys.¡±


    She was expecting it. She knew it was not going to be easy and had acknowledged the fact that the kid in front of her saved her face in the morning. He intended to refuse from the start. By dragging her outside to say it, he made sure she wouldn¡¯t be refused publicly.


    This would mean not dishonoring the alliance. This kid had enough respect to act honorably. Still, her orders were clear, she must bring him in.


    ¡°Please, do reconsider. We can provide you with high numbers of points, a high status and many resources. We can also help you progress in every area you would like, we have many experts.


    -I do not doubt the benefits, sister Liuya. I am against the demerit. There is only one, sure, but it is too much. I do not intend to serve anyone, ever. And my life belongs to me. That being said, I do owe the ninth prince so I would like to offer your alliance a partnership.


    -A partnership?¡±


    She wasn¡¯t prepared for this. She wasn¡¯t hoping for much but as the kid brought out a rank three pellet like it was nothing and even tossed it to her¡­ Her eyes bulged. He chuckled and said:


    ¡°I can make them by the hundreds. I will register my own alliance tomorrow, then we can make official partnerships. That way, you guys will benefit from my abilities while I benefit from yours without this demerit that I reject. What do you think?


    -That¡¯s¡­¡±


    She stayed still for some time and pondered. If the kid was indeed able to produce those pellets in high quantities, then it was no wonder the ninth prince wanted to recruit hm. But if that was it, then surely, having this partnership would be enough¡­ She answered him:


    ¡°I will have to discuss it with our leaders before giving you an answer. I believe this is your only compromise?


    -Yes, it is. Now, still, would you mind answering a few of my questions?


    -I don¡¯t mind, depending on the questions.¡±


    Building a good relationship is essential in business. She had been named an alliance ambassador because she knew how it worked. She didn¡¯t mind answering the kid¡¯s questions either. He asked her something surprising though:


    ¡°Can we exchange golds for points?¡±

 CHAPTER 36

    CHAPTER 36


    This brought her some anger. This was against the school rules. If it was that easy to get points, wouldn¡¯t the richest pupils outside turn out to be the richest inside too? The goal of the school was equality in chances, to that end, it was forbidden to trade golds for points. So much so that only expulsion would result from this foolish act. She scolded the two kids:


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever ask such a thing! It is against school rules! You could be expelled for doing that!¡±


    Mir didn¡¯t think she would raise her voice that loud even though he had a vague idea this would turn out to be impossible, he only wished for a confirmation. He earned one, a barbaric one but clear.


    He hurriedly made her calm done by saying he was just curious and wouldn¡¯t do it. He even swore on it. Anyway, he wouldn¡¯t do it now that he knew the consequences, he wasn¡¯t dumb. Having a pawn do It for him though¡­This was going to be kept inside his mind.


    Next, he asked her:


    ¡°Why are people staying in this school for so long?


    -For the treasures, obviously. You will understand if you reach the 7th level. Politics, economy, environment¡­Everything is linked to this tower. Also, the energy is many times denser in the school.¡±


    She said mysteriously pointing to the tower-part of the school that was strangely magnificent under the moonlight. They discussed a few more things in a good mood and went back inside the school after an enjoyable meal.


    Oka nearly never talked but was the one who enjoyed it the most¡­He also enjoyed going to bed¡­ This night, he was going to have good dreams.


    Mir went to bed with many thoughts, there was much to do from now on. He was still perturbed by her words though but he would leave it for later, keeping it in the back of his mind.


    The next morning, he sat with Oka and began to sell all the pellets they made and a few of those he had in stock. His supply was enormous. But the demand was bigger than expected. They sold most of what they planned to when Liuya arrived with a dozen others from the Ninth Followers.


    This time though she was not the one in the lead. It was a different woman. An older one. Likely one with a higher standing in their alliance. She smiled at Mir and waited her turn. Once she was next, Mir grinned and said:


    ¡°How can I help you?


    -I am Ma Huang, I would like to discuss the partnership you offered to my sister yesterday.


    -Alright. Oka, you stay and manage the stand. Once you run out, go buy some supplies, double yesterday.


    -Yes, young boss!¡±


    Mir got up. He was shorter than Ma Huang, she was around 1.75m with her heels. They were both standing still, grinning. Ma Huang was a woman with the appearance of a mid-forties and looked quite like her sister, as an older version would. It was Ma Liuya who broke the silence:


    ¡°Big sis, how about we move to a different location?...


    -Right, young friend Mir, did you have lunch already?


    -Not yet.¡±


    As he said that, his grin became even bigger while Liuya¡¯s face distorted in fear. As she saw Mir¡¯s grin, she thought he might bring them outside again¡­Seeing her expression only added to Mir¡¯s own grin though. But this time, he wasn¡¯t going to force them to go outside. There was no reason. Ma Huang told Mir:


    ¡°How about going to the golden ninth senses then?


    -I would love to.¡±


    As he agreed, the fear in Ma Liuya¡¯s heart eased and she heaved a sigh of relief. They walked to the golden ninth senses. It was a giant restaurant looking like a traditional Chinese palace. One thing to mention was that it was made from white stones and bricks only.


    Also, there was a golden nine in the front as well as the name of the building written beautifully throughout it. At the entrance were two heavily geared young men. They did not even blink as Mir and the group crossed the giant white golden doors and entered.


    Inside was exactly as you would have expected it to. Sumptuous and Luxurious. White and gold were the standard with some red here and there. Ma Huang told the dozen armored followers to wait on the first floor and have their own meal here. She then led Mir and Ma Liuya to the topmost floor. It was just under the roof and they were the only ones there.


    They sat at the only available table and were served the greatest of delicacies. Nine different plates came one after another before the dessert. All contained a different meat or a fish and strange vegetables and pastries. Nonetheless, it was excellent. Mir enjoyed it as he made sure it was a free meal. Eating something good for free had always been one of his most enjoyable moments as a businessman.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    They enjoyed the feast and discussed a possible partnership after. Ma Huang was more vicious than her sister and clearly well-versed in the art of business. She went straight to the point:


    ¡°What do you have to offer?


    -Pellets, all types up to rank 3 realm 5 in bulk.¡±


    Mir could make pellets of higher realms but he deliberately concealed the fact. A true businessman never shows his whole hand. Still, this was enough to have Ma Huang interested. After all, pellets were sold by many but the prices were high and as a top-class alliance, they needed lots of them.


    If the kid had something good to offer, there was no reason to refuse. She smiled flirtingly even though she had the looks of a forty-something years old woman and was surely older than that and said:


    ¡°We can already secure pellets. What do you have to make your offer more interesting?¡±


    She was making a point. Clarifying the fact that her standing was higher, and as a powerful faction, they could already secure substantial amounts of supplies. She didn¡¯t expect Mir¡¯s answer though:


    ¡°Because of my relationship with elder brother Nio, I am willing to give your faction a ten points reduction on every pellet. And you already saw that my prices were attractive enough as they were.¡±


    Mir was no amateur either. So, what if she came from a higher background outside and had a significant role in a big faction inside? He had a good enough relationship with the prince that he could refer to him as elder brother publicly.


    What¡¯s more, his offer was very tempting as it was. Ma Huang couldn¡¯t help but shiver at the thoughts of the economies this deal could lead to. Truth is, ten points on a pellet isn¡¯t much but when it comes to hundreds or thousands of pellets¡­


    There were many strong individuals in the faction and they required massive amounts of high-ranked pellets, it was not hard to supply it but it was not easy either. She asked him:


    ¡°How many pellets can you provide?


    -At least a thousand a week of whichever ones you need.¡±


    Her eyes and her sister¡¯s eyes nearly got out of their sockets. A thousand pellets per week?! This was an insane number. The most talented member of their faction needed at least three weeks to consume a single pellet and this kid could produce a thousand of them in one? This was hard to believe but both women did.


    The kid in front of them was dead serious, they could see it in his eyes. The way he looked straight into them, the fact that his voice was calm and steady and the assurance he had when he said it made it clear that he believed in his words. He was someone the prince himself wished to keep close and that only heightened their own beliefs that he told them the truth.


    He was offering to give them all the pellets they would need for the lowest price they would ever get. Every week. This made Ma Huang frown. Such a good deal obviously had its own demerits. She asked:


    ¡°What are you after?


    -Many things. First, I wish to keep a good relationship with the ninth prince without having to join his little faction. I don¡¯t intend to play a part in politics.


    -That is understandable. It is fine.


    -Second, I am weak right now and the school forces us to enter an alliance and do missions¡­ I will create my own alliance today or tomorrow. I want help in finishing the required mission quota from you.


    -That is possible as it is quite easy. As long as you select simple missions, we can agree to it.


    -Third, I want your faction to publicly declare your intent on shielding us and do it.


    -Asking us for protection, aren¡¯t you? This is fine as well. We have enough fame to. We can also spare a few members to stand guard for you.


    -Fourth, I want you guys to build me my own lab.


    -No.¡±


    Mir frowned and was slightly angry inside. Why would she refuse this one? And so sternly. She saw the look on Mir¡¯s face and explained herself, still smiling:


    ¡°It costs too much and we can¡¯t be sure of your trustworthiness yet. What¡¯s more, to own a lab, you need to own ¡®land¡¯ and everyone can challenge your rights to a ¡®land¡¯. If you need our help just to finish a mission, you won¡¯t be able to keep a ¡®land¡¯. We would lose both massive amounts of points and some of our image.¡±


    This explanation was clear enough that Mir could now comprehend her rejection. And since he understood why she was against it, he could make a comeback with a what if:


    ¡°How about building and lending me a lab from your ¡®land¡¯ then?¡±


    Ma Huang thought a bit only a brief second before she asked:


    ¡°What would we earn from doing this?


    -You would not lose the building or the land for one thing. Also, you would cut the cost and delay of deliveries since I would be making your goods at your place. And whenever you become unsatisfied, you can stop our contract, without loss.¡±


    She reflected on Mir¡¯s proposition. Truth is, it was feasible and realist. She made a few calculations in her mind and answered:


    ¡°Fine. We can agree to this much.¡±


    Mir heard it loud and clear. ¡®this much¡¯ meant no more than that. He didn¡¯t need more though but it is true that he would have requested more if she would have let him. He smiled and straightened his arm towards Ma Huang, opening his palm. She took it and they shook hands while both saying with a bright smile: ¡°Deal¡±.


    Business is simple. As long as you can provide something that the other party believe is enough, you can get your hands on what you covet. Here was the same. Through a promise, Mir earned protection, fame, money and a building. He wouldn¡¯t need to provide them with anything until the building was available either.


    They discussed the design after sealing the deal. It would take at least two weeks to build it. In the meantime, Mir would have to use the school facilities but it did not matter. He had enough points to keep going.


    He went back to see Oka who was sitting in the third level where Mir had left him. Oka was sulking and Mir understood why quite easily. He gave him a sandwich he got from the restaurant. Oka ate the sandwich but was still sulking. Mir sighed and said:


    ¡°Come on, Oka, if you want to eat there that much, we can go¡­


    -No, that¡¯s not why¡­I want to eat with beautiful women too!¡±


    Mir was extremely surprised at Oka¡¯s answer and so were all the onlookers. This was the same as Oka saying he wanted some¡­But yeah, now that he thought of it, Oka was at that age. In this world, some kids were marrying at fourteen so it was no wonder Oka would be interested by the opposite gender.


    The onlookers brushed it off as a funny joke and kept walking away but Oka was seriously reproaching Mir for his action. Mir told him:


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you will be surrounded by beauties if that¡¯s your only wish. I will make sure to take you if I know in advance there will be some.


    -Don¡¯t you forget that, young boss! I am dead serious on this!


    -Yes, yes. But still, weren¡¯t they too old for you?


    -Age doesn¡¯t matter.


    -That¡¯s true but¡­Ah, whatever, let¡¯s go.¡±


    They went to the alliance building in the second level after this awkward exchange. As they were queuing, they were discussing the name of their faction. Though it was a one-sided chat:


    ¡°Oka, seriously, don¡¯t you have a single interest in what we will call our faction?


    -None. I believe in young boss. And you promised me women, so anything else is of no importance.


    -Really? What if I decided our alliance would be called Pussy Team?


    -Sounds good. Makes it clear what we are after. Young boss is clearly wise!

 CHAPTER 37

    CHAPTER 37


    -No, no, no! It was a joke! I was trying to express the fact that some names are terrible.


    -Then you failed. ¡­ Young boss?


    -Hum¡­I did not expect you to be¡­Whatever, second chance. If I said we would be calling ourselves the Weaklings association?


    -That would be fine, young boss. A subtle way to make opponents lower their guards.


    -I give up, you are too positive. You sure you don¡¯t care what we call ourselves?


    -Yes. You can decide yourself, young boss.


    -Alright. Then, at least help me. What would you think could be a good name?¡±


    Mir was an old fox. If he couldn¡¯t have Oka¡¯s opinion by asking him in a way, he would try a different one until he would receive it. Oka gave him one next:


    ¡°How about ¡®Mir and Oka¡¯s harem¡¯ then?¡±


    Mir wasn¡¯t disappointed and got a great laugh out of every proposition Oka made. They were both perverted and childish, it provided a great distraction until it was their turn. But Mir had already decided. He was just feigning interest. The desk clerk respectfully asked them:


    ¡°How may I help you disciples today?¡±


    He was a man in his mid-forties and wore the basic alliance guild clerk outfit. A gold and blue robe. Mir did not like the woman clerk¡¯s attitude before so he tried someone else. He answered the clerk:


    ¡°I want to create my alliance.


    -Of course, a fee of a thousand points is required for you to do so.¡±


    Mir signaled to Oka and he gave his card to the clerk who took out a thousand points before handing it back. The clerk then asked:


    ¡°I need a name and a symbol for your newly created faction first.


    -The name will be ¡®Club ROI¡¯. As for the emblem¡­ Make it the shape of a shield, pattern full black with the symbol being a bull head in white and under ¡°ROI¡± written in gold.


    -All right. Just give me a few minutes.¡±


    The clerk took out a pencil and began drawing on a paper. A few minutes later, he showed it to the two kids and they both smiled widely. The clerk was good at drawing and he made the bull with smoke from his nose giving it an air of anger. It was perfect.


    Both kids nodded many times in appreciation which made the clerk smile too. After creating the emblem, he asked them:


    ¡°You need to settle on the conditions to enter your alliance too.


    -My and Oka¡¯s approval.


    -So, approval from the 1<sup>st</sup> and 2<sup>nd</sup> of the alliance?


    -¡­Yes.


    -All right, it is recorded. Here, hand me your cards.¡±


    Both kids handed him their cards and he passed them through a crystal. When they exited, there was the emblem of their new faction on it as well as a number under it in the back side that had been plain gold. Mir was one and Oka was two. Their faction was officially created. The clerk said:


    ¡°Now that your faction has been created, you need to pay 100 points fee every month to sustain it as well as finish at least one mission every three months.


    -Can we pay the fees in advance?


    -You can.


    -Then, we will pay for a year of fees.


    -1000 more points then.¡±


    Oka handed his card once more and it was done. Just like that. The clerk bid them a good day as they left the building. Oka asked Mir:


    ¡°What does ROI mean, young boss?


    -Oh? Well, it is the most important principle in business from where I come from. Just consider it as a cool name to bear.


    -Sure. I really like the emblem, young boss. A bull for the symbol of fertility, right? A very good choice! I expected nothing less from you, young boss.


    -Fertility? I was thinking of valor and magnanimity though? Ah, whatever, it looks badass.


    -Indeed, it looks badass, young boss.¡±


    They still had a few thousand points left from their work today so they went once more to elder Bor and bought materials from him. Mir rented two rooms in the school lab and began making more pellets. He used the time for the pellet to form to meditate.


    As a martial artist, sleeping could be cut off and replaced by small amount of meditations. It was also a way to gather the energy from the heaven and earth and cultivate. One stone, two kills. Thanks to his earring, he was ever closer to the fifth realm so much so that he knew that a single pellet would be enough for a breakthrough.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    It was time to plan for it. He needed a secured place.


    Once a few batches of pellets had been made, he told Oka to go with him outside. He was going to attempt a breakthrough and he couldn¡¯t do it inside the school. Why? Because he was going to develop his bloodline as well and it was better for this fact to remain hidden.


    They rented a whole inn for themselves and Mir began while Oka was standing guard outside the room. Mir took out a pellet and a pen. He took off his upper cloth and drew forms on his body. Then, he took the pellet, began making hand signs with his hands and slowly, the markings glowed and were absorbed inside Mir¡¯s core zone. Once they had all been disappeared, he broke through successfully.


    A small wave of energy erupted as he spasmed in ecstasy. Breaking through was making one feel refreshed and it was a feeling even better than sexual orgasms. Mir loved it and precisely because of that fact, he had to be alone. But more than that, if it became known that he could make any breakthrough successful on first attempts, he would end up with some unwanted attention. It was not the time to spread that information.


    Once he had broken through the fifth realm, he told Oka and returned to the room. He took out six flasks of blood and pondered which one would be used to form his second bloodline core¡­


    Six elements to choose from: Water, Thunder, Earth, Wind, Darkness and Light. If he had remained in the Burning Sea School, he probably would have taken a complementary element like darkness or light but now that he was in the Royal Palace School, a school that was not specialized in any but efficient in all¡­ It was tougher to decide.


    Light and Darkness would both strengthen fire, no doubt. But it was true for every other element¡­Since Mir considered all elements equal and an asset, he could only decide based on the possible benefits they could provide when paired with his first bloodline core, fire. The thing is, they were equal except for Water.


    By going the water path, he would stop his weakness towards this element yet at the same time destroy his bonus in fire. It could only lead to hardships. He needed something to boost him only. Earth was out, he did not need it since Oka¡¯s bloodline was Earth-based.


    Wind and thunder were both interesting as they could provide good buffing effects though Wind was weak to fire and would lead to a demerit so no. It was down to three: Thunder, Light and Darkness.


    But out of them, which should be taken? This was driving Mir crazy. It was a very important point to his future and he needed to choose the right path. Initial stages mean everything, a solid base is what everyone must thrive to get. Now, which solution will give him the best start?


    He made up his mind and stocked the five flasks he wouldn¡¯t use. He began drawing strange patterns on his body with the blood from the sixth flask. He also brought out many powerful painkiller pellets. He was already shivering at the thought of the pain to come¡­


    He drank the blood, made the hand signs and the patterns began glowing and entering his core. He ate pellets after pellets until, hours later, every blood writings had disappeared. A strong wave of dark energy was emitted before Mir¡¯s body settled down, and his mind became calm. Then, he passed out. Again.


    When he woke up, he took out his hand mirror and looked at his new bloodline core.


    <u>CURSED BARBARIC GHOST MINOGOAT BLOODLINE AWAKENED CORE</u>


    RANK 1 ¨C 5<sup>nd</sup> realm


    Bio: Cores are the origin of energy. Every being with a core can direct the energy from heaven and earth inside his body, cultivate it and become stronger through this action commonly referred to as cultivation. It is possible to awaken a second core when reaching the first realm and then once every five realms, provided the core balance* is not broken.


    Third Core: A core awakened after reaching Rank 1 Realm 5. Can be activated and deactivated at will.


    Bloodline Core: A core merged with the bloodline of a different being. Provides a part of the being¡¯s power by extracting its DNA from the bloodline. By activating the bloodline core, body modifications and a change in the emitted energy might be induced.


    Balance: DARKNESS ELEMENTAL CORE (4.0)


    Cursed Barbaric Ghost MinoGoat bloodline: The activation of this bloodline induces body modifications, an emitted energy change and provides different additional abilities.


    <ul style="text-align: center">


    <li>Body Modification: Hair growth throughout the body induced.</li>


    <li>Body Modification: Add-on goat beard. Visual Style Benefit: ¡®Respect yourself, a true man wears the beard¡¯</li>


    <li>Body Modification: Add-on pair of dark purple goat horns. Special perception enhanced.</li>


    <li>Body Modification: Muscle Mass expansion. More muscles for more attack power.</li>


    <li>Emitted Energy Modification: The energy color is turned from neutral to dark for all skills. Visual Style Benefit: ¡®Goats are noble and stylish¡¯</li>


    <li>Additional Elemental Benefit: 50% more damages when using darkness-elemental skills.</li>


    <li>Additional Elemental Weakness: 50% weaker to light-related skills.</li>


    <li>Additional Skill Benefit:


    <ul>


    <li>Ghost MinoGoat Cursing Stare: Induce Paralysis to weaker opponents.</li>


    </ul>


    </li>


    </ul>


    Status: UNLOCKED


    <ul style="text-align: center">


    <li>Ghost MinoGoat Phasing: User turns to a ghost and become invulnerable against all elements except light and darkness. Additional 100% weakness to light and darkness attacks. High amount of energy consumed every mili-second.</li>


    </ul>


    Status: UNLOCKED


    <ul style="text-align: center">


    <li>Cursed Barbaric Ghost MinoGoat image summoning: Summoning of a spiritual Cursed Barbaric Ghost MinoGoat in all its glory to help during battle.</li>


    </ul>


    Status: LOCKED (strength insufficient)


    A goat wasn¡¯t the most incredible animal out there but hey, this was nonetheless a powerful bloodline. As for why he settled on darkness, it is because he believed curses would be a nice asset to his battle power. Light was there to heal but he was in a safe place so it did not matter yet. He was not disappointed by the result. A phasing skill seemed incredible. He had not seen one until now and he watched a genius tournament and many records of elite fighters from the Burning Sea School. It seemed promising. But Mir wouldn¡¯t test it out right here. He put his clothes back on and exited with Oka. The inn owner opened his business back and everything went to how it was, as if nothing ever happened.


    Mir and Oka went back to the school and Oka asked him:


    ¡°What did you do young boss?


    -I gave myself an upgrade. A second bloodline.


    -A second? That sounds incredible. You are going to be as strong as you said then.


    -I do my best to reach my goal. Since money can¡¯t assure safety, I can only turn to brute strength.


    -Brute strength is good.


    -Yes, it sure is. Makes everything simpler.¡±


    The next day, they made official their partnership with the Ninth Followers and soon the news became widespread around the Royal Palace School. It reached the ears of many important disciples and factions. After all, the emergence of a new pellet supplier and his affiliation to a different faction was valuable information. This could change the tides of power in the school.


    With no interest in rumors, Mir and Oka were doing business as usual in the streets of the third level. Business was booming and they were making points after points. Whatever they wished to get in this school, they most likely would be able to. Only time would be the determining factor.


    However, it did not take long before they were bothered by disciples hoping to join the faction that was making heaps of cash. Of course, Mir was having them go away. It is not that he wasn¡¯t going to recruit people but rather, whoever was dumb enough to go disrupt him during business hours was OUT.

 CHAPTER 38

    CHAPTER 38


    One day, Oka asked Mir:


    ¡°Young boss, don¡¯t you want to grow our faction?


    -I do.


    -Then, why do you refuse every disciple asking to join us with such disdain?


    -Hm... Oka, have you ever heard about the elevator pitch? No, of course not. There are no elevators¡­Let¡¯s see¡­ Let¡¯s name it, the stairs phenomenon.


    -Eleve-elevator? Stairs phenomenon?


    -Right. In business, to show respect to the busy workers, you do not ever disturb them during their work. Even more so when they are selling and buying. So, how and when can you discuss with a true businessman?


    -That¡¯s¡­When he is finished?


    -You think? Let me tell you something: A true businessman never has enough time to waste on listening to any and every one that want to speak with him. The only lapse of time available to discuss with a businessman and not disturb him, showing him real respect, is when he travels from point A to point B. If they can¡¯t even respect our business, then how can you even expect that I would hear them out?


    -I understand, young boss. Then, what do we do about this guy?¡±


    And that¡¯s when he saw someone walking alongside them. A man in his twenties with a business smile on was looking at them as they walked. The man said:


    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, young brother Mir, I am Bolores Davon, son of Bolores Dreco.


    -Oh? Nice to meet you, Davon. How is your father¡¯s business faring this days?


    -Very well, thanks to your generosity.¡±


    Mir couldn¡¯t help but grin. Out of all the people he could have met, it ended up being one of the sons of Bolores Dreco. He was the businessman that gambled against him and lost back when Mir and elder Lan were at the genius tournament.


    Mir decided to show respect towards Davon as Davon showed him respect as well. Mir started walking more slowly. The only time to speak with a businessman is between travels but this time can be stretched by the businessman if he becomes interested by what he hears. This was such a time. Bolores was a big name in this kingdom when it came to commerce. There was more reason to listen than to ignore.


    And so, Davon spoke:


    ¡°I come here on his orders as well. Your deal with him, I am here to fulfill it.


    -Fulfill it? How so? I have yet to ask him for something.


    -I am this something. He sends me to serve you in exchange for the debt.


    -Oh? Well, I refuse. Get lost and tell him that I will contact him when the time comes.¡±


    Mir didn¡¯t need a servant like that and it was better to have someone owe him than anything else. Even more so when he could ask anything out of that person. Who the fuck did this old man thought he was? Trying to force a deal on Mir? He was a thousand years too young! Mir scoffed and was going to accelerate when Davon retorted:


    ¡°I guessed you would say that. My sentiment remains, I wish, personally, to enter your services. I believe that it would be entertaining to follow someone with the abilities to outdo my father in his specialty.


    -We will think about it.


    -Thank you very much. When do you think you will be able to give me an answer?¡±


    Davon was not a pushover either. Asking for a definite time is one of the most key point a businessman needs to ask. It means that he will make sure to meet you again and it demonstrates his interest. The best way to handle this is obviously to remain vague:


    ¡°I do not know as we have more pressing matters to attend to. We¡¯ll be the ones contacting you. Have a good day.¡±


    And that was it. Truth is, Mir wished to get this man under his services. It would be a hindrance to manage his business himself. It takes time and he needs time to cultivate and such. But it is better to make the man think he is unneeded. That way, it is possible to negotiate his work at a lower price. Making him feel indebted to the employer is the right way to employ people. They will work hard.


    But how did it come to this? Simple. Bolores Dreco is a merchant. A powerful one. He has ties to many clans and nobles obviously. It is not hard to think someone sold him the information on Mir.


    Then, he sent the message to his son, Davon, and asked him to get in touch with Mir. If possible, end the deal and regain the clan¡¯s honor. If not, at least get close to the kid because he left a very big impression, still vivid, in Dreco¡¯s mind.


    Davon is the third son. The first one succeeds, the second one is married to a partner and the third one is lucky. He is sent to learn martial arts so as to create ties with the future leaders of the country. Davon earned his share of training and displayed talent, it was easy for him to enter the Royal Palace School.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Since he entered twelve years ago, he has already become an influential businessman inside and makes deals pertaining to all kinds of goods, as a broker. He is one of the key players in the school business and established his name and his worth as a true descendant from the Bolores Clan.


    Though he has no reason to work for a kid and despised his father¡¯s orders, now that he had met the kid face to face¡­There was indeed something. The rumors, the meeting and more than anything, his market study regarding the kid¡¯s business made him sure of one thing: his father was right to keep an eye on him. He could become someone if he successfully grows up.


    Time passed and Mir¡¯s building in the Ninth faction¡¯s territory was finished. It was located on the safe conquest area. On level six. Mir never went that high before. He was excited. Ma Huang and Ma Liuya were waiting for Mir at the fifth level.


    Unfortunately, to go to the fifth level, even if it was possible to all, it required disciples to pay a fee. Only 500 points per head. Every single time. Clearly, it was not something just anyone could do. Or, was it? Anyways, Mir and Oka paid and past the stairs, they arrived in the middle of a citadel. In the middle of a plaza even. There were even more disciples here but something was completely different from the other floors: none were in robes. Mir asked Oka:


    ¡°Why are they all wearing this, aren¡¯t we at the entrance?


    -I do not know, young boss¡­¡±


    As they stared bewildered at their classmates who were walking around in heavy armor, weapons out, they were found by the Ma sisters. Ma Liuya was the one to speak:


    ¡°Hi, younger brother Mir, younger brother Oka. How are you?


    -We¡¯re good¡­Why is everyone wearing armor?


    -Because we¡¯re in the conquest area? Rather, why are you two not wearing any? Don¡¯t tell me you have none?


    -We do have some¡­


    -Then, come. First, we¡¯ll have you guys get geared up. Then, we¡¯ll go to the meeting with the others and go towards the sixth floor.¡±


    Of course, Mir and Oka had armors. Fucking rank 4 items, that is. The Ma sisters were wearing the gold armor with the symbol of the ninth on them. But their weapons were different. At first sight, Mir could see that both were rank 3 items. Not too shabby and expected from prince followers.


    They led Mir and Oka to a small tavern with the ninth symbol on it. once they entered, everyone went silent. Everyone inside was wearing the ninth armors. They went back to their talks as soon as they saw the two girls. They were home. Mir and Oka, however, were not.


    The girls brought the guys behind the counter to a long hallway, probably space alteration again. They stopped in front of door number nine. Well, every door had the number nine on it. Mir asked:


    ¡°How do you know which room is which?


    -We do. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Clearly, some weird functions but who cares? The girls had the two kids enter the room and change into some armor. Mir took out the golden sparrow armor and golden sparrow spear for himself. He gave a dark TigerBear of doom armor to Oka.


    Armors, what are they? They cover you from your tiptoes to your head. Protecting you from everything else. But ranked items are different. Rank 4 items even more. The first rank gives the possibility to infuse energy and renders the item stronger.


    The second rank and onwards add abilities to the item. What are the basic abilities you want from an armor? Self-reparation is most of the time the second one. For those items, however, it is sustainable-adjustment. It is a higher tier of self-reparation. The item will always regenerate itself, it will adapt to the wearer and more than anything, gives the possibility to the wearer to alternate between modes. Either wearing as a full-armor or only a few parts, even just one part.


    Mir decided to wear his black suit and have the golden sparrow armor remain as just a gauntlet covering his right forearm and hand. Oka did the same with the black armor. Next, the weapon. Mir had it at his belt. Of course, the spear has the same feature as the armor: sustainable adjustment. A spear you can retract and allonge, what a wonderful weapon already. But, that¡¯s only the very first true option¡­and it costs energy like all thinkable options would...


    Anyway, once they were geared up, they exited the room and both girls were surprised to see their appearances. Ma Liuya was the one to speak:


    ¡°You guys¡­Don¡¯t tell big sis that you don¡¯t understand where we¡¯re going¡­¡±


    Both Mir and Oka shrugged and made the sisters sigh. They went back to the caf¨¦ and sat at a table on the second floor. Ma Huang was the first to speak:


    ¡°While we wait for our escort to arrive, let me explain it. to go to the sixth floor, we need to cross the crawling forest first. It is a trial. Every time. There are many who never get outside the citadel. And many more who never step in the sixth floor. It is near impossible to cross the forest for people under the second rank fourth realm.


    -Why?


    -Because there are monsters in this forest. There is much, much more to this whole tower than just a school.


    -I guessed so. It feels strange that people are trying to remain here longer than necessary yet they can¡¯t. Well, it is hard to explain but I feel like there¡¯s something weird about this school.


    -There are many secrets. We do not share much with those who would be hindrances but you guys are vips so, I will give you a bit of insight on this school.


    -Thank you so much, big sister Huang.


    -Fufu, you¡¯re welcome. So, you know about the level zero to four. They are free of access. 80% of the disciples are there at all times. It¡¯s the school. The level five and six are officially considered to be used for alliance¡¯s battles and such. It¡¯s not. The fifth level contains around 11% of the disciples. Out of them, there are a lot of alliances created with the purpose to kill their own and rob them. Infightings here is legal. Politics and business is very important here. Factions related to clans and such are very active. However, only between the citadel and the forest.


    -Why?


    -The citadel is still part of the school. It is a safe zone. The forest is too dangerous to roam in so it¡¯s a big no-no. Only the road is left. There are a few alliances that have their headquarters along the way and around too but they are bottom-feeders. The true alliances are on the sixth floor. It¡¯s a place to gather the items and prepare for the higher floors, the shared zone.


    -Wait. I do not get it. What is there that make it so worth it to stay and participate in all this?


    -¡­The seventh floor is the first shared zone. It is linked between schools from all the continents. Being in this school means access to this zone for all of us. If you had remained in the Burning Sea School¡­Only fifty students are allowed in every year. Even less for smaller schools. The seventh floor exists mostly for politics and business. But there is a very high rivalry and lots of battles. It is extremely dangerous as everyone attacks each other. You can get precious items from all over the continent there. Though, it exists to protect the entrance to the higher floors, where the true treasures remain hidden.


    -And what are those treasures? Is my question.


    -Skills, relics, artifacts¡­ From floor eight to higher, it is unknown territories left by the oldest generations of cultivators. It is said to be filled with treasures.


    -Wait. Said to be?

 CHAPTER 39

    CHAPTER 39


    -Yes. Said to be. It¡¯s been eons since someone reached the eighth floor. You need to get a pass for that and the materials you need are five. Each one is controlled by one of the continent¡¯s nations. And while we¡¯re at peace, we are not friendly either and those treasures could very well affect the power balance in the continent. Whoever gets their hands on it first would change our world! So, we¡¯re at a stalemate and it has been this way since forever.


    -Is that so? It doesn¡¯t really matter then. Oka, it seems like we won¡¯t need to work too hard trying to go higher. Let¡¯s hire people to work for us on the sixth floor later.


    -Alright, young boss.


    -Wait, little brother Mir.


    -Yes, elder sis Liuya?


    -Aren¡¯t you interested in those treasures?


    -No. I have enough treasures as it is and would rather focus on mastering their uses. And more than anything, I do not wish to risk my life if I don¡¯t need to. Even more so when benefits are not assured.¡±


    Why should Mir waste his time Why should he invests time, sweat and money in something that might be useless and unattainable? Who would bet on a possibility when there were many bets with sure wins available? The first six levels were more than enough to reach a stable power level.


    Then, Mir would graduate and live his life in luxury, surrounded by delicious dishes and delicious girls. Why should he try to gamble his life on some uncertainty? He should not. As a businessman, you must limit the unknowns. And this was a full-blown unknown of unknowns. There was no way he would try his hand at that. None.


    But the sisters seemed surprised at this. Ma Liuya asked him:


    ¡°But, little brother Mir, do you not wish for your name to go down in history? To live a life of fame and grandeur?


    -No! I want to live lazily surrounded by beauties and delicious feasts. I¡¯ll become strong and rich so I can laze around!¡±


    At that, Oka applauded. And the sisters looked a bit rebuked. Ma Huang said:


    ¡°Do you not thrive for honor? Don¡¯t you want to honor your family and clan?


    -My family is only my mother and my father. They were no-named farmers and are now living a lavish lifestyle in the city. There is also Oka and he¡¯s the only one bearing the surname Mea alongside me. I do not want honor, nor fame. I want happiness.¡±


    Happiness. A single word full of meaning. People have different views on what happiness is but one thing remains: all want it but none succeeds. This is the paradox of humanity. One can never reach happiness. Why? Because there is always more to earn, more to experience, more to discover¡­More of everything.


    In Mir¡¯s view, happiness has changed vastly. In his previous life, he did his best to reach it and failed. He thrived for more and more and ended up with less. In this second life, he would not waste his time chasing after more and he will find happiness.


    That was his plan, at least. Obviously, it is not something those two little girls coming from a rich place could ever comprehend. They do not know about the cruelty of the world. Not yet. They are still too innocent to get it. Basically, they still had dreams.


    That¡¯s exactly what made Oka so convenient and easy to be with for Mir. Oka did not have dreams anymore. His dream was to get revenge and he did. Now, Oka is free to enjoy life. It¡¯s only once you let go of everything that you can find it all. Strange, right? But true enough.


    Still, it did not matter. Not now. There was still so much to do before his goal was reached. In the end, Mir¡¯s dream was to not have any.


    He was brought out of his thoughts by a group of gold-plated armored men. The one leading was a man in his far-forties. Though he no doubt was older. He was rank three realm four. And since one stops aging once reaching the third rank¡­Well, that¡¯s that.


    The man had dark long hair in a ponytail and his redeeming feature was a scar under his right eye that looked like a bullet had passed through his skin. The men with him, ten, also had similar scars here and there on their faces. One thing they had in common, a badge on their chest. It looked like a forest and was made from emerald, no doubts. Valuable jewelries were some of the things Mir knew very well. He could only gasp in awe at the magnificent craftsmanship.


    The man spoke:


    ¡°Ma Huang, are they the ones we have to escort? That club ROI?


    -Yes, elder brother Zhi. This is little brother Mea Mir and little brother Mea Oka. Little brothers, this our elder brother, Ma Zhi. He is also the leader of the forest crossing squad and will be the one to help us cross to the sixth level.¡±


    Ma Zhi looked displeased. Mir got up and clasped his hands as he said:


    ¡°It is an honor to meet elder brother Zhi. I am Mea Mir, founder of the Club ROI. I will be under your care for this journey.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    -Hmph, you better do as we say if you want to survive kid. This forest is not a playground.


    -Of course, elder brother Zhi!¡±


    Ma Zhi was now smiling. Mir was smart. Flattery always works. It is the greatest tool ever made and works wonders on fools. Even if Ma Zhi might be strong, there had to be a reason why he was tasked only to deal with the forest crossing between the fifth and sixth levels. And that reason was obvious to Mir: this guy was dumb. Strength without wits is useless so it is better to leave a simple task to someone like that.


    Also, the ten members of his squad were only rank two realm five. Compared to him, they would be garbage. So, why would he oversee such a useless group and have such a small-level task? This screamed dumbass. But, no. It was not and Mir would soon understand why.


    A day later, they were ready to depart. There were more than ten people in the forest-crossing group. They were twenty-five plus their leader. And Mir would not be the only one escorted this time. Five caravans full of goods and three outsiders that payed a fee. Ma Liuya was discussing battle techniques with Oka behind while Mir was sitting in the front next to Ma Huang. She told him:


    ¡°Elder brother Zhi is not the smartest. You must have already discovered this truth. But do not think his position as the leader of the forest crossing is something degrading or such. It is one of the highest positions.


    -How so?!


    -He bears the weight of the whole alliance on his shoulders. See those caravans? They contain all the goods we bought and everything we need to reinforce our forces. Without those, we would suffer great losses on the eighth level. By the way, no one under the third rank seventh realm is authorized to cross to the eighth floor.


    -Are you serious? No one under third rank, seventh realm?


    -Yes¡­ It¡¯s mostly the oldest that can go up there. When you¡¯re in the first rank, it is not unheard of for geniuses to beat people of higher realms. Even in the second rank, it can happen. But in the third rank? Impossible. The gap between realms is as vast as a world. That¡¯s why, there is no use in sending someone under the third rank seventh realm there. They would just be killed. So, for those who still don¡¯t meet the requirements to go there, which positions are the highest?


    -I understand. There is at least someone tasked to overview everything. But in the end, the core position truly does belong to your elder brother. A battle can¡¯t be fought on empty stomachs, was it?


    -*giggle* That¡¯s an interesting analogy. But, yes. His duty is of utmost importance.


    -Still, why would it be needed? Is it not just about crossing one forest?


    -The forest itself is not the problem. It¡¯s what lives inside that poses a threat. Originally, the fifth and sixth levels did not exist. You won¡¯t see something like this anywhere else in the continent. It was made after the rest. Shall elder sister teach you some history?


    -Please, elder sister Huang~


    -The very first floor created is as vast as a dimension. It was not made to help but imprison. It is said that the worst and most dangerous of monsters and men were sent there. However, as time passed, the way to enter and exit it was lost. So, the wise men decided to create a new way. But it was far from easy since it had been created by their ancestors to trap. In the end, they succeeded by creating a second dimension under it. The entrance restrictions on the first dimension was towards reality, not towards a second dimension, you see. The men lacked knowledge and the dimension they created had a flow. No one older than his first century could access it. That¡¯s when the wise men decided to create schools and impart their knowledge to their descendants so that, one day, someone could be strong and young enough to get to the first dimension from the second and get back with all the treasures left from the corpses of the prisoners.


    -So, I guess, no treasures remained?


    -Unfortunately, though the treasures were there, some prisoners were still there too. And a single man came back. He said but one thing: ¡®You fools, close this dimension right away for you made them an exit¡±.


    -Ah¡­


    -We do not really know what happened next. History was lost in parts. We know, however, that the dimension could not be closed. Only restricted. Then, they began to create more and more dimensions with even more restrictions, one after another. Just to keep the prisoners from escaping. After the sixth dimensions were made, it became impossible to reach the first one. Near impossible, to be exact. But still, the strongest tried, blinded by greed. Thousands and thousands of expeditions were sent with none coming back. And the question left was, where did they go? And, how much wealth and relics were left behind?


    -I see, so that is why everyone wants to reach the ninth level and so on?


    -Yes. But there is a reason.


    -Please, go on elder sister. Don¡¯t leave this younger brother in the mist.


    -Sure. They built more and more entrances to the sixth dimension which is our eighth floor. They built them all over the continent and schools were founded around them. Both to guard and protect them as well as to explore them. The sixth dimension was emptied of treasures very quickly but infightings began in the dimension as to who would get what. In the end, schools began to oppose each other. To reach the fifth dimension, one needed to form a relic using five materials, growing solely at one different place in the sixth one. The five strongest alliances of schools took over those five places and safeguarded them. It became impossible to reach the fifth dimension.


    -What a tragic depicture of human greed.


    -Indeed. But it does not end there. After a time, the continent became fragmented into five. But do you know how it happened?


    -No.


    -Someone cheated. He manipulated his way into the five zones and made the pass to the fifth dimension. He entered it and came back with one single thing. An item. An armor. A rank five armor. This changed everything. The whole continent was turned upside down by this single man. He united the schools and forbid anyone from entering the dimensions. Before his death, he made a kid enter the fifth dimension again with this armor and the kid never got out. It is said that he died there. From then on, the continent crumbled again. The schools fought to the death between themselves sending heaps of talented young men to hell. A few wise and strong young men found it foolish and once they graduated, they made countries. There were fluctuations along the way so that we could reach our standing today with five countries. The true battles being fought inside the sixth dimension. But obviously, the reason everyone fights to get to the fifth dimension is solely to get that legendary item and maybe more of those.


    -But no one really knows anything, right?


    -Exactly.


    -¡­This is useless greed. I don¡¯t need none of that.


    -Maybe not right now, but who knows about later? Things change quickly, little brother. Once you grow up, you might see things differently.¡±


    Mir began laughing. He could just not help it. when he grows up? What a joke, he was older by a whole life. He is this way precisely because he grew up and lived already once. Ma Huang did not know how silly her sentence was. And she could not understand Mir¡¯s laughing except to attribute it to a child tantrum. Stubbornness of the young.

 CHAPTER 40

    CHAPTER 40


    However, at that moment, they entered the forest and everyone but Mir and Oka became tense. Ma Huang told Mir:


    ¡°Activate your armor, put it all on quick.¡±


    Mir did as told. He did not know what would be coming from there but he knew that Ma Huang did and she was stronger than him. If she feared it, then he better fears it too. As they entered, the pace quickened. Ma Huang spoke:


    ¡°Two days to cross at best. I will keep up the history lesson until we get attacked. Where were we?


    -Run for the rank 5 item.


    -Right. Well, we lost the knowledge to make new dimensions so, we built under the access. We used space dilatation to create the floors you know of. Unfortunately, the mix between both floors and dimensions and the addition of many ¡®rules¡¯ and ¡®effects¡¯ led us to a few errors. One of them is this forest and its inhabitants. We call them crawlers.


    -Crawlers?


    -Failed dummies. There are two types. Balls and Humanoids. You had to beat on dummies during the entrance exam, they are basically the same but stronger and not restricted to a rank and realm. They can also mimic skills and it is a real pain if they met people before. Though they rarely come out. Balls are different. There are thousands of them created every day. It¡¯s a big ball with spikes floating in the air and attacking by launching them. A pain to deal with and the reason why it¡¯s so dangerous to cross the forest. There are too many. One on one, they are useless but when there are a few hundred¡­A real danger.


    -Is that so? Even with all this people?


    -Yeah. We can kill them easy but we can run out of energy. That¡¯s why we need to take extra care crossing it. There are also what we call deviants from time to time¡­Those are very dangerous. It¡¯s one of them that dealt this scar to my elder brother. He decided to keep it as a reminder¡­


    -When will we encounter them? Those crawlers?


    -Can¡¯t you see? They met us already.¡±


    Mir looked up and saw grey balls of size varying between a baseball and a basket-ball. They had spikes and they looked sharp. And then, they started spinning and launching those spikes everywhere. but the spikes were hit by skills from the ninth followers and destroyed mid-air without doing any damages. Strangely, the men weren¡¯t trying to kill the crawlers. Seeing Mir¡¯s questioning gaze, Ma Huang said:


    ¡°If one dies, ten comes. It¡¯s better to run while avoiding them. We don¡¯t want chaos. Though, to reduce their numbers, the school is issuing quests. Even for elders, those things are quite the nasty shit.¡±


    And so, the two days trip went on with the group running while dodging hundreds of attacks from crawlers. They did not meet a single humanoid type or variant. They were lucky. And so, Mir learnt a lot of history from Ma Huang during the trip. Once they exited the forest, they were at the sixth floor.


    In front of Mir were dozens of giant castles and fortresses. It was quite the sight once again. Ma Huang told him:


    ¡°The hundred best alliances headquarters are here. There are also a few dozen mid-level ones and some like yours, in partnerships with those big ones. It¡¯s also where the entrance to the sixth dimension is and so, schools from all the country have been granted access to this level, though limited. You¡¯ll find some buildings belonging to other schools, like one from the Burning Sea School for example.


    -To sum it up, this school has access to the five floors. All schools in the country have access to this sixth one and all school in the continent can access the eighth floor which is the sixth dimension and a battlefield.


    -Right. And this floor here is used for negotiation and creation of alliances. It is where this very country prepares itself before entering the battlefield.


    -What would happen if someone from a different country found the door to here from the sixth dimension?


    -We would kill him here? While it is possible for them to come all this way, it would not mean much. The elders can access this place too, you see. It goes the same for us, we don¡¯t try to enter their schools. Whoever would be dumb enough to reach this far should rather go to the fifth dimension.


    -¡­I guess.¡±


    They traveled a bit more than one hour and reached the gate of a giant structure. It was more than a castle, it felt like a castle on a castle. It was that big. And near it was one small rectangular building that seemed to have three floors. On the door was written ¡°Club ROI¡±.


    Guess it was to be expected. They would not have wasted points and resources on building some giant castle for strangers. Even having the favor of a prince had its limits. After all, every single one of those people had the prince¡¯s favors. Still, for a start, this was a monstrous step.


    In the whole history of the Royal Palace School, this was a new record. Record on time before having established one¡¯s alliance¡¯s headquarters on the sixth level. It¡¯d go down on history though Mir and others were unaware and only elders took note of it. it¡¯d be important at graduation though, if he ever graduated that is.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Back to the present, Ma Huang and Ma Liuya gave Mir and Oka a tour of the building. Three floors. One made to accommodate outsiders and discuss partnerships. It was decorated in black and red with the emblem of the ¡°Club ROI¡± on every tapestry. There was also a statue of a martial artist riding a bull and pointing a spear towards the heavens in the middle of the room. Mir asked for it. Personal tastes. Oka certified.


    The second floor contained twenty labs where one could make pills. With this much, it¡¯d be easy to do what was needed to be done, quantity-wise. The third floor had ten private rooms that could be used however Mir and Oka wanted.


    Once this was done with, Mir had to meet with the overseer of the Ninth faction. He left Oka to play with Ma Liuya. What they¡¯d do, no one knows. And so, Mir followed Ma Huang into the castle. Just how much luxury do they have in this world? Was the first thought in Mir¡¯s head.


    His farmer years and his cultivating years were so far apart, it wasn¡¯t even enough to laugh at that difference. The further he went inside, the more luxurious and noble it got. Just the fact that this was possible was world-breaking.


    Mir¡¯s view on what it means to be wealthy was shattered for good. And by the time they entered the overseer lounge, he had switched into unfazed mode.It reminded him of his time as a young entrepreneur, astonished by everything he saw. This was even more incredible as he had been quite the wealthy one back in the day. Ma Huang¡¯s words of introduction brought him back from his trance:


    ¡°Little brother Mir, this is elder brother Luo Zedong, overseer of the Ninth Faction.


    -Nice to meet you, elder brother Zedong!


    -The pleasure is mine, little brother Mir. I have heard lots about you.¡±


    He was an imposing man by his stature. Particularly, his height. He was more than two meters tall and bulky as it can get. Bald and dark eyes making him the very definition of a scary middle-aged man. He looked violent yet his smile was real. What¡¯s more, he was rank 3 seven realm, something befitting of his position in such a faction. Most likely, this man was old. He could be Mir¡¯s grandpa, even taking both Mir¡¯s lives into account.


    They discussed the details of the partnership and reviewed them. It was just some useless procedure but necessary. It was supposed to be a warning. Beware for we are the strong and you are the weak. Of course, to Mir, this was just powder to the eyes. Nothing to keep at heart. As they exited, Ma Huang told him:


    ¡°You could have at least faked some fear or gratitude, you know?


    -Why? You guys are the ones benefitting the most from this. I could just have gone to another faction. I went with you guys out of respect and gratitude towards elder brother Nio. But, honestly, whoever it was, it did not matter.


    -So long as you could get such a lab, right?


    -Yeah, well¡­A lab in the sixth level to be precise.


    -I thought you were not interested in politics?


    -I am not.


    -Then, what¡¯s the point?


    -I want to make partnerships with other schools, of course. What else?


    -Oh! I get it. We¡¯re only a tool to broaden your business and secure it.


    -Bingo. You¡¯re pretty smart, elder sister Huang. How about leaving the ninth and following me instead?


    -What a flatterer for a kid. Little devil, do not think you can tempt me. I am devoted to the ninth prince and only him.


    -Eh~ Too bad, then. By the way, when can we get back to the fourth?


    -Tomorrow. Though, after that, we won¡¯t help you cross the forest.


    -I know. It¡¯s fine.¡±


    As they came back, Ma Huang and Mir hoped to surprise Oka and Liuya while they were being naughty children¡­Turned out they were discussing battle tactics and skills¡­What battle freaks. The sisters left Mir and Oka alone in the lab after they ate together. As Mir entered his lab once more, he said aloud:


    ¡°I¡¯ll forgive it for this one time but do this again and I¡¯ll consider it a breach of contract. You¡¯re warned.¡±


    As he said that, he destroyed a piece of furniture, a beautiful ornate wooden desk. Oka asked him:


    ¡°Young boss! What are you doing?! What did I do?!


    -You did nothing wrong, Oka. It¡¯s those Ninth followers fuckers. They placed some spying device inside this. I do not want none of that.


    -It¡¯s pretty common though? We¡¯re on their land so, of course, they don¡¯t want to take risks with us.


    -Yes, Oka. But remember well: trust is essential in business. If you can¡¯t trust your partners, then don¡¯t make them your partners from the start. And I plan to backstab them anyway so, it¡¯s better that they don¡¯t see it coming.


    -But, young boss, why would you want to backstab them?


    -Simple: they think they¡¯re stronger, better, than us. Those kids are playing the monopoly board game in this fake world. They are going to be a pain so I¡¯ll deal with them. In time. No need to be hasty though. For now, we¡¯ll go and strengthen ourselves.


    -Yes, young boss. The fourth level, right? We¡¯re going to the arena, right?!


    -We are!¡±


    And they drank the night away.


    The next morning, they departed and crossed the forest back. Then, they separated from the ninth followers. Oka was full of excitement, expecting to go to the fourth level and battle. Mir sent him there first. He still had some things to take care of.


    And first of all, the weekly quota in pellets for the Ninths. So, his first stop was to send a message to Bolores Davon to ask him to come to a bar on the third level. ¡°The drunk Tiger¡± was a famous and popular bar. Of course, crowded. But Mir easily got himself a table. Partnerships with a big faction helps. Then, he waited.


    At the same time, Oka was on the fourth level. This was the place called the battle zone. The reason why is easy to guess: Arenas. This was the place to train and fight. And bet. But Oka was there to fight. It had been some time since he could let out some steam and his chat with Liuya had brought him some clues on how to better himself further.


    So, he was walking on the street of the fourth level, sightseeing but with a destination set. There are three big arenas watched by the elders on this level and available to use by disciples. The Hyenas Arena, The Lion Stadium and the Ring of Dragons.


    Just like Hyenas in the wild, in the arena, there are no rules. Items allowed, skills allowed, going for the kill is also allowed. Though there are never any real deaths: it was made to create battles using the soul rather than the body. Before going up, the body will be put asleep and the soul itself will go up to the fight. It follows the same rules as the simulations in the Burning Sea School.


    The Lion Stadium is special as it forbids the use of skills and items. A fist-fight. A brawl. A true battle of men. The place to hone your martial arts and close combat techniques. The place to upgrade your control over your energy. This was the only place where one had to fight for real, with risks. Of course, there were elders to supervise every single duel and medical teams prepared. A whole lot of them. The only place in the four first levels where you could be crippled or worst.


    And finally, the Ring of Dragons. Only items are banned. It is the best place to train and use skills in fights. It is also where many official competitions are taking place and at this moment, there was one. A tournament to decide the representatives for the next Genius Tournament that would take place in no less than a few weeks. It was in its latest stages.


    But to Oka, it did not matter. His goal was the Lion Stadium. As a true man, this was the place to go train. He did not need to train in skills too much for now. He had a bloodline. A very strong one. What he needed was to learn how to control it better.

 CHAPTER 41 (C2 - First Arc: Bat Assassin Clan)

    CHAPTER 41


    The Stadium was as one would expect it to be. A giant dome. One thing to mention was that there was a giant Lion surrounding this dome as if the dome itself was just a rock used by the lion to laze around under the sun. The whole building was white except for the lion¡¯s mane that was made of pure gold. Or seemed to be. But to be honest, Oka could not be sure. There was just so many luxuries everywhere in this school that the whole mane might really be made of gold.


    That aside, he entered full of excitement. Inside, the stadium was not that incredible. Hundreds of rings and battles going on. It was enough to build some more excitement in Oka. He walked around the rings. Most fighters were men but there were a few women as well. The place was divided by ranks and realms so one could only fight someone his level or challenge one of a higher level. As he reached the five rings reserved for rank 2 first realm, he was incredibly surprised. There was only one battle going on even though there were hundreds of people. They were all watching that one ring. Inside it were a woman in her early twenties and two topless men in their late twenties. The woman was beautiful and had a bountiful body. Just what you¡¯d expect when thinking about a woman practicing the arts. She looked with disdain at the two men and said:


    ¡°Just because you can¡¯t hope to beat me one on one, you believe ganging up on me will be enough? Have you no shame as men?!


    -None!¡±


    They both replied vigorously. This made the girl sigh then grin as she said:


    ¡°I do not mind fighting both of you but heed my words. I¡¯m going to cram your head in his ass if you really go through with this farce.¡±


    They both gulped but their resolve stayed strong. They looked towards a man in his late forties at the side of the ring. He was an elder. He sighed himself and said:


    ¡°Do you two idiots really wish to challenge her to a one against two?


    -Yes!¡±


    Their resolve was truly firm. But to Oka, this seemed stupid. What kind of men would team up to fight against a single woman the same level as them? This felt lame. The woman would lose. But she accepted the challenge.


    ¡°Milly, do you accept their challenge?


    -Sure~¡±


    She seemed too calm. What happened next surprised Oka tremendously. As the elder gave the okay and began the battle, it lasted but a few second. A dozen slaps later and one of the guys had his butt torn open and the other had his head crammed inside it. This was shocking. There was a long silence before the elder sighed and screamed:


    ¡°Need a medic here! Asap!¡±


    A few seconds later, the mix of the two defeated men were driven out by two elders who sighed to the sight. The woman laughed for the whole time. It only brought loads of discussions amongst the excited crowd. Oka asked a group close to him:


    ¡°Why is no one using the other rings?


    -Are you new?


    -Ah, yes. A pleasure to meet you, I am Oka.


    -Nice to meet you too, I¡¯m Tai. To answer you, this place has a special rule to make things more challenging. For those who reached the second rank, once you step on a ring, you are forced to accept all challenges. And you can¡¯t back off a ring until no one else wants to challenge you. Obviously, there are points earned for every duel won. And more for consecutive battles but it¡¯s particularly difficult and whenever you step on a ring, you know that you¡¯ll have to spend some points. But this girl is different. She¡¯s been up there for more than thirty matches in a row and she accepts even two against one. She¡¯s a brute. And she challenges anyone stepping on one of our five rings.


    -So, no one steps on the rings because they fear to fight her?


    -Yeah¡­And since whoever goes up must bet 3200 points on his fight. If you won, it would only amount to 100 points and every next fight, your initial gamble of 3200 points would be challenged. It¡¯s not worth it.


    -What a bunch of chickens! There¡¯s a formidable opponent in front of you guys and rather than take this chance to train with her, you stay down? I am a true man and I shall prove it!¡±


    Oka got into the same ring as the woman with a smile on his face. The girl grinned and the elder sighed. The woman said:


    ¡°So, who¡¯s your partner for the brawl?Stolen story; please report.


    -I, myself, am enough!


    -A newcomer, is it? Fine! Don¡¯t blame your weakness later when you¡¯ll be eating your own dick!¡±


    Oka¡¯s first fight in the stadium. Between him and Milly, a famous brawler in the second rank first realm circle. With an initial bet of 3200 to 100. This was a fight that would be remembered by all who watched.


    As soon as the elder referee gave the go, Oka transformed. The transformation startled the crowd, not the girl. Though she could not move closer due to the energy wave sent by the transformation.


    Oka was the same as always. Silver hair growing from his muscular body. He turned into his semi-human semi-bloodline state. He had now access to his normal core pool of energy as well as his Violent Flesh-eater Giant Silver Alpha Wolf core pool. He feared none. But the woman remained calm while the crowd was gossiping like crazy. She said:


    ¡°You¡¯re not the first one coming up that had a bloodline. Don¡¯t think this is something that¡¯ll change the outcome.


    -The outcome was set on my win from the start. This is only practice for me to control this form.¡±


    Both smiled at each other then jumped at each other with murderous intent forcing many watchers to open their eyes wider just to see. Oka and Milly were exchanging blows at fast speed. Truth is, Milly was not stronger but she controlled her energy better. She was moving it and using it at times in particular spaces while Oka was just covered everywhere in his own. She was fighting smartly while he was just overwhelmingly strong.


    Still, Oka was learning a lot from this. He could see his way was wrong. She was able to go toe to toe against him at full power when she was just an average fighter. Average genius fighter maybe, but that can¡¯t compare to a bloodline. She was showing incredible fighting prowess. As an example, if she punched, her energy was concentrated on her fist. While Oka¡¯s energy was shared throughout his body, hers was concentrated where and when it was needed the most. It was an impressive display of her fighting abilities.


    And so, it went on like this for but mere seconds before they broke the stalemate and gave themselves some space. Then, the woman said:


    ¡°I give up.¡±


    Which shocked the crowd. Oka was even more shocked and sad as he screamed:


    ¡°Why?! We only just started?!


    -I¡¯d lose in the end. You don¡¯t know how to use your energy correctly but you have just too much of it. Even as we are evenly matched, I¡¯d lose in endurance and it¡¯d lead to injuries. It¡¯s better for me to admit defeat and retire here, while still perfectly fine and having earned many points.¡±


    She was right. Oka understood her point. She got down. He was going to go after her when the elder told him:


    ¡°If you get down, whoever would come up next would earn your 3200 points.¡±


    Oka knew that he and Mir would make heaps of points but it did not mean he could waste high amounts of them so reluctantly, he had to let the woman leave. A few minutes later, he was allowed down as no one had the balls to confront the one who forced Milly into giving up¡­What a bore¡­


    At the same time, far away. The Ninth Prince, Mare Reg Nio received a message from the man overseeing his faction inside the Royal Palace School. He said to himself with sadness:


    ¡°So, little Mir refused my invitation to go watch this year¡¯s genius tournament¡­What a shame. We could have made so much more with his betting abilities. Truly, what a shame¡­Guess I¡¯ll just take little Huang, then.¡±


    In the Royal Palace School, at the ninths headquarters. Ma Huang was discussing with Luo Zedong about the message they sent to the prince:


    ¡°Huang, do you think we did the right thing?


    -Little Mir did refuse the prince¡¯s invitation. There was nothing much else to be done. And we were in the wrong when it came to the spying too.


    -I know but I feel like I did not live up to the expectations of the prince.


    -Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll ask him during the tournament about that if you really want me to?


    -No, it¡¯s fine. I feel like I am more in the wrong to think that the prince would react this way, like a child. Let¡¯s leave it at that.


    -So, what did you think of the kid?


    -Dangerous. I understand why the prince want him as an ally.


    -We won¡¯t try to spy on him again, then?


    -That device was well-hidden and made by an expert martial tailor with the function of being undetectable. He found it so easily though. I was skeptical about his eyes ability but now, I think it¡¯s real. We won¡¯t spy again. Not for now, at least.


    -Because he can¡¯t threaten nor betray us, is it?


    -Yes. He¡¯s a newborn chick in a new world. He¡¯ll supply us pills in great quantity and quality at a low cost. We don¡¯t need to be too wary of him as things stand.¡±


    A bit further, in the headquarters of the number one faction of the Royal Palace School, the Royal Hunters. A new member selection was ending. The selection for members in this group was particularly strict. They bring a monster from the outside and have the disciples face it. Only disciples under the First Rank Fifth realm can participate. It is done once every three months and anyone can subscribe as long as this requirement is met at the time of subscription. Once subscribed, the disciples are considered part of the faction and allowed to roam around until the test begins. They are then pit against a violent rank one sixth realm beast. The test is being done in the sixth level for a reason: so that only two outcomes exist. Either the challenger dies or he succeeds and becomes a member of the faction. There aren¡¯t many members in this faction but they are the strongest.


    This time, there were fifty-six challengers facing a Sand Tiger-Snake chimera. Upper body of a tiger, lower body of a snake. Full body made of scales. This beast is one considered violent and savage. The faction does not care about weaklings so it sometimes happens that all challengers die. They expected it to happen this time since the beast was that much stronger. But in the end, the beast was killed.


    Under the eyes of every member of the faction, two young men were still standing up, alive, in the arena. And one was laying down covered in his own blood but still alive too. The faction leader got down on the arena. It was a handsome looking man that was near his hundred years. Rank three realm eight. One of the strongest student but also one of the strongest in the continent. He Yahzu. Reached rank 3 at twenty-three years old, a genius. A true genius. From the He family, he was also the owner of a rare bloodline, a white feathered peacock. This man was smiling brightly at the three youngsters covered in blood. Blood but whose? Their own mostly. The blood of their fallen comrades as well and some from the beast itself.

 CHAPTER 42

    CHAPTER 42


    He Yazhu went closer and using a skill, his voice reverberated throughout the arena:


    ¡°I believe that none of us would have expected such an outcome! The beast was particularly strong this time but three young men managed to defeat it! Please, welcome them the way only us can, our three new members!¡±


    There was a tremendous amount of cheering before He Yazhu went on:


    ¡°From the Stohn Clan, Promo 359 620, Stohn Endge!¡±


    More cheering.


    ¡°From the Ary clan, Promo 359 620, Ary Josh!¡±


    More cheering.


    ¡°And from my He clan, Promo 359 620, He Long!¡±


    Even more cheering.


    Those three kids were familiar with Mir as they belonged to his class. Ary Josh was the one who got second place at the entrance exam. Stohn Endge is Mir and Oka¡¯s friend that ate with them at the Roasted Bear and finally, He Long is the kid that mocked them as beggars for eating outside that day. The world is vast yet small.


    Back to Mir. He was finally joined by Bolores Davon at the Drunk Tiger tavern. Davon sat down with his smile on. he predicted this outcome long before. It was the obvious course of action and the best one for Mir in his opinion. He was right. Mir reached that same conclusion. And here they were, face to face. Mir initiated the conversation:


    ¡°A pleasure to meet you again, Davon.


    -Pleasure shared, Mir.¡±


    No more courtesy needed between businessmen. They were of equal standing. Mir said:


    ¡°I wish to offer you a job.


    -I know. You want me to take care of your business for you.


    -Yes. Nothing less from someone like you, I guess. It makes things easier.


    -Let¡¯s go right to the point then: what do I gain from this?


    -A percentage on the sales as well as the right to sell the surplus to your old man, outside.¡±


    This surprised Davon. He was expecting the percentage and thought he would have to negotiate on that, the right to sell to his father outside was something unexpected.


    The kid was making him an offer he could not refuse. No one in this school can produce as much as the kid in front of him. The rumor of his incredible 100% success recipes were particularly growing strong. If it was real, the prospects for his family business was incredible. He answered:


    ¡°What kind of surplus?


    -I¡¯ll let you plan the quantity made and the recruitment of employees. You¡¯ll have to manage the supply of goods and travel through the forest. But you¡¯ll be able to use my unique recipes. 100% success rate.


    -Is that for real?


    -It is. Now, you are smart. You understand the weight of this offer. I¡¯ll say it but once: 5% on profits from what you sell inside on points and half the profits to share between you and your father for what is sold outside. I just hope you¡¯ll be smart enough to not make too much at once and induce a price drop.


    -I would not.


    -Very well. Before I go into details, there is one more condition: leave the business faction and enter Club ROI.¡±


    Davon frowned. If he left the business faction, he¡¯d lose many benefits. Yet, if he went with the kid, just how much profits would it make him? What¡¯s more, there would be profits outside the school. This was very interesting even if he had to give up his status inside the business faction. Davon smirked and said:


    ¡°You are really a crooked kid.


    -Thanks. So? Your answer?This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    -I agree. To everything you said.


    -Good, let¡¯s have you make an oath first: you won¡¯t spread any intel on my recipe, what it contains, our goals and how we work unless required for you to do your duty as the manager of my business.¡±


    Davon made the oath. He swore to not spread and divulge any intel on recipes or what it contains or how it¡¯s made. He swore to not speak about the Club¡¯s goals and how they worked unless required to do his duty as the manager. If he broke that oath, he would die. And Mir, in exchange, agreed to let him become the business manager. Then, Mir handed him a folded paper and said:


    ¡°This contains the recipe for all pills from rank 1 first realm to rank 3 ninth realm.¡±


    Davon placed it directly into a space bag to make sure no one would sneak a peek. Then, they went to the alliance building. Davon left the business faction and entered Club ROI. They went to Davon¡¯s shop. It contained all sorts of rare and miscellaneous goods. Mir was led upstairs to the third floor. There was only Davon¡¯s desk. They could enter the details here. Davon said:


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the deal with the Ninths?


    -We provide them a certain quantity every week. I wrote it on the paper. They pay at a fixed price every week. In exchange, we have their protection as an organization and still make a high profit from it. you can see the prices we use with those guys written on that paper too. You must never sell for less to others. And obviously, the high-rank pills are to be sold at the auction.


    -Of course. Alright, I get this. What¡¯s your strategy in all this?


    -I need millions of points to get the greatest secret skills this place has. Then, I¡¯ll graduate and live life surrounded by babes.


    -What a naughty kid~ But I meant¡­


    -I know, what is the next step to this business, right?


    -Yes.


    -First, we need to build our reputation. Two months should be enough. Recruit workers, have them make an oath and make them create pills on the sixth floor. Recruit whatever is needed to cross the forest and transport the goods. You¡¯re free to sell the pills however you see fit as long as the prices don¡¯t drop too much and the profits keep going in.


    -I¡¯ll use this shop. It is already famous and there¡¯s enough space. It won¡¯t be too hard to make a partnership with a few auction houses either. For transport, I¡¯ll just hire some people strong enough to make it easy. What should I do in two months?


    -Buy more land around this shop. Make a bar. Name it ¡°ROI Club Bar¡±. First floor will be a normal bar. Make sure there is roasted bear available.


    -Roasted Bear, isn¡¯t it a common dish?


    -I love it.


    -I see¡­


    -The second floor will be used to receive guest and discuss our own strategies: a meeting place. And the third floor will be used for the special service.


    -Special service?


    -Helping crossing realms.¡±


    What was that? Did he hear it good? Davon could not believe his ears. He asked:


    ¡°What did you say?


    -Helping crossing realms.


    -What do you mean? I don¡¯t understand.


    -Ahah, bet you don¡¯t. You know how hard it is to breakthrough from one realm to another, even more so to another rank. And martial artists, they fail many times crossing those boundaries each time. Sometimes, they reach a point where it just becomes impossible to cross. Are you following me this far?


    -Yes.


    -Well, what would you do if I said there was a very simple reason behind these failures?


    -I would not believe it.


    -Try to. Because it¡¯s the truth. The true method seems to have been lost along the way. And so, in this age, people aren¡¯t breaking through but forcing it. And it results in those failures. Now, what would happen if someone knew the right method and could insure a 100% chance of breakthrough at all realms.


    -Are you for real?


    -I am.


    -I don¡¯t believe it.


    -Don¡¯t worry, once the bar is built, you won¡¯t be far from having enough energy stored to try for a breakthrough. At that time, you will be able to see it for yourself.¡±


    Seeing is believing but using himself as a sample for this test? No way. Sure, he did not care that much about his own martial prowess, he was not here for that. But still, he wouldn¡¯t let it all disappear because of a failed experiment done by a kid. He said:


    ¡°I will find someone else to test it soon. There are many desperate individuals in this school. People who have been stuck in a realm for ages.


    -I¡¯ll do it for free this one time then. You¡¯ll be able to see it for yourself. Make sure that they¡¯ll agree to an oath of secrecy though, I don¡¯t want it to spread too much. Now, I¡¯ll be leaving, I have much more to do. I already talked about you to the Ninths. Just go meet their overseer first and begin managing the business. I have grand expectations from you, Davon~¡±


    Mir left Davon¡¯s shop and went to the fourth floor searching for Oka.


    In the meantime, Oka had been quite active. Since no one would battle him anymore in the Lion Stadium, he went to the Ring of Dragons. A giant dome with four dragons battling on top, each made from a different precious jewel. Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire and Onyx.


    There, he battled countless opponents of his level. He lost a few times too. He had made up his mind to learn to control his energy like Milly and thus, he forbids himself from using any skills. This placed him at a disadvantage compared to his opponents but he was still owner of a M-rank bloodline. He won more times than he lost. As he was finishing one more fight, he saw Mir in the crowd and decided to forfeit the next match before going down.


    ¡°Quite the show you put on there, Oka. Did you learn some good things?


    -I did, young boss.


    -Do share then! Don¡¯t keep me in the mist~.¡±


    And from there, Oka told Mir about everything and this weird and impressive control the girl Milly had on her energy. Mir pondered and considered it for a while before he nodded and said:


    ¡°Indeed, you need to learn about that. Keep at it. I went and hired Davon for our business so we¡¯re free to do whatever we want now.


    -Awesome!


    -I¡¯ll be going down to learn skills and look for good lectures to assist. I¡¯ll see you later. If you need more points, go to Davon¡¯s store.


    -Yes, young boss!¡±


    Mir left Oka to the Ring of Dragons to enjoy some fights. He was more interested in the concept of control and rather than try to learn it by himself, he could just go look for a master at control and observe him. With his eyes, he¡¯d learn from it faster.

 CHAPTER 43

    CHAPTER 43


    Mir went to the second level and to the lecture hall. There, he searched for a lecture about control over energy. He found one interesting called ¡°Energy Concentration and Fast Processing during Battle¡±. It was written as an advanced course that would spawn on for a hundred days.


    It was a one to one lesson between an elder and a disciple and the cost was high. 15 000 points per day. Luckily, Mir had made more than enough profits in the last days to buy himself this course for a few days. He asked for a single day though. He did not need more, probably.


    The lecture was scheduled for tomorrow at 3pm and would be 24h long with elder Wu. In the meantime, Mir decided to rest. Something he hadn¡¯t had the chance to do much since coming to this school.


    He found a tree on some hillside in the level three. There was a park with some beautiful scenery in this level. It was calm and perfect for a nap. So, he fell and slept. All this struggle was solely for this single moment of bliss. A nap. The true meaning of life¡­


    Once he woke up, it was already time for the lesson to begin. It ended up becoming more than just a nap. Mir ran with all his might towards the school ground to be on time¡­Or not. He strolled there, slowly waking up and still made it on time. It was 3pm and he entered the building named ¡°Wu¡¯s fighting classroom¡± in level two. Inside was a simple hall and a single door at the end. Mir stayed in the middle of the room for a few second before screaming:


    ¡°Disciple Mir greets Elder Wu!¡±


    He waited for a few seconds before the only door opened and a man as big as the opening exited. He was wearing the elder¡¯s robe. This man had the physics of a man in his mid-twenties. Of course, he was far older than that. Long dark hair unruly coming down his back and fiery dark reddish eyes. He had a dark beard covering his chin and a bit of mustache. He looked at the kid in front of him and smiled brightly before saying:


    ¡°Hello kid! So, you¡¯re the one who requested a single day of teachings from me?


    -That would be me, elder Wu!


    -Good, good! You¡¯re right on time! Let us not waste time and go at it! Come, don¡¯t be shy and follow me!


    -Yes, elder Wu!¡±


    Elder Wu opened the door again and walked through it, Mir behind him. They arrived in a vast wasteland. There was nothing. Just earth going through the horizon. Mir was taken aback. Everything had been so luxurious up till now and yet there was nothing here? Was it a joke or some illusion? Elder Wu sensed the questioning gaze and answered the unspoken question:


    ¡°Everyone is free to organize their classrooms as they want. I do not need anything flashy. My expertise is in battle, melee mostly. It¡¯s better to have a wide space for what I teach. Everything would be destroyed otherwise. Anyways, welcome, disciple Mir to the lecture ¡°Energy Concentration and Fast Processing during Battle¡±. You requested for a day of teachings so I¡¯ll be teaching you 24 hours! I¡¯ll not count breaks in that time. Now, before we start, I¡¯d like to know your reasons for choosing this lecture and only a single day, even though I made sure to write that it should be at least hundred days.


    -Because I do not have that many points yet and I want to know what I send myself into first.


    -A good reason. I looked at your file. Quite impressive. Fifth realm at eight, is it?


    -Yes, elder Wu!


    -Made your own alliance with a friend from your newly established clan, supported by the Ninth Prince faction and the famous Bolores son. A magnificent start. I wonder why you need to assist to a course as hard as this one and making it your very first lesson here.


    -I heard from my friend about his first fight in the Lion Stadium where he fought someone who could concentrate her energy in places and maxed out its use. I thought this course would be teaching how to do that.


    -Well, you¡¯re right in a way¡­ What you¡¯re talking about is what we call ¡®Energy Point Control¡¯. Before I go into details, do you know the name of his opponent who used it?


    -She was called Milly, elder Wu.


    -Oh? So, it was Milly! No wonder, no wonder¡­ That girl was talented, indeed. Now, let us start by a true lecture first, then some demo and finally practice.¡±


    As he said that, he took out two big boulders from his space bag and placed them in front of each other. He sat on one and made a gesture for Mir to sit on the second one. Mir sat down cross-legged, trying to imitate elder Wu. Mir hated this position but by now, he got used to it. Elder Wu began:


    ¡°This course was supposed to teach about Energy Point Control in battle as you guessed right. But more than that, you decided on the advanced class. It was supposed to focus on Energy Point Control when using skills. And mostly elemental ones at that. Since you do not know the basics, I¡¯d like to start there first, if you do not mind?The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    -Please do so, elder.


    -*Nod* Then, let me explain about Energy first. You are familiar with it since you are already at the fifth realm but do you know the difference between the energy you absorb and use to breakthrough between the one you use in battle?


    -Not much, elder Wu.


    -*Nod* Honesty is good, I commend this attitude, kid. The Energy we absorb to cultivate is the energy that exists between Heaven and Earth. You can consider it part of the world and what makes it exist. It is a raw energy that we can absorb but not use as it is. We call it outside energy. Simple, right?


    -Yes, elder Wu.


    -This outside energy is absorbed inside our core and will revolve around it, in its first layer. Once the first layer is filled, one will be given the chance to breakthrough to a higher realm. If he fails, at least half of that energy will be burnt away and the cultivator will have to absorb more outside energy to have a second chance. If he succeeds, all this energy is converted into the second type of energy: Inner Energy. Are you following me this far?


    -Yes, elder Wu.


    -*Nod* Inner Energy is energy that belongs to us. With each breakthrough, the quantity we can have goes up. Even if we use some, with time, our core will regenerate it. This is one of the most key role of the core: producing Inner Energy and the reason only those with a core can cultivate. Breaking through enables one to develop his core. Making it bigger and stronger. This results in a bigger quantity of inner energy and in faster regeneration of this energy too. We cultivators use our Inner Energy to fight and use skills.


    -I understand, elder.


    -Alright. Then, have you ever fought before?


    -Once. During the exam.


    -Those dummies? You lack battle experience, kid. Go to the lion arena later.


    -Yes, elder Wu.


    -So, when you fought, how did you use your Energy?


    -I channeled it through my body?


    -*Nod* Right. That is what most cultivators do. But it is wasteful! ¡®Energy Point Control¡¯ is the technique to limit this waste.


    -So, it is the Kaizen of energy?


    -Oh? You know of the Kaizen technique?


    -Uh¡­No¡­ Just the name.


    -That is a good start.¡±


    To Mir, kaizen was a business term from his previous life. He blurted it out instinctively. It meant to reduce costs wherever it was possible to limit wastes. He did not expect this word to exist in this world too. With a similar meaning at that!


    ¡°Disciple Mir, Kaizen is the last stage of ¡®Energy Point Control¡¯. There is a total of five! The first one is the most important as it is the base of it all. It is called ¡®Channeling¡¯ and it is what we will learn today. I won¡¯t tell you anything about the other stages until you reach the first one. Do you understand?


    -Yes, elder Wu!¡±


    Mir did not mind. He¡¯d learn it with just a sight like everything before anyway. He believed he would get to Kaizen in a day if Elder Wu was good enough to be at that stage himself.


    Elder Wu placed his arm towards Mir and opened his palm, facing him. He said:


    ¡°Look closely!¡±


    Mir looked of course. Energy started being emitted from the palm of elder Wu and only his palm, then, it disappeared. It reappeared covering a single finger, then a single articulation of that same finger and finally only the very tip of the nail of this finger.


    With his peculiar eyesight, Mir could grasp everything happening and could not help but be amazed. This was truly worthy of being called mastery over one¡¯s art. To have so much energy concentrated on such a single small area¡­Monstrous!


    Elder Wu smiled at the kid in front of him while showing him his own mastery of the ¡®Channeling¡¯ stage. This is also the stage he showed Milly previously. Though she learnt alongside him for hundred days to grasp her current mastery¡­


    Well, at least, the kid looked amazed. He¡¯d no doubt try to learn this as well. As long as one can grasp the concept, they should be able to practice by themselves. Sure, with his advice, it¡¯d go faster but not anyone owns so much points that they can use them on 100 days of teachings.


    Milly did receive 2400 hours of teachings but the lesson she chose encompassed only the first stage and so, was relatively cheaper. Fifty times cheaper for a day. Yet 300 points a day was a hefty sum for young disciples. To think there was a kid who was ready to spend 15 000 points on a single day to learn basics¡­


    He was soon taken away from his reminiscing once the kid in front of him decided to try his hand at ¡®Channeling¡¯ and succeeded on his first try. And not just any success. The final success proving one¡¯s mastery: the very tip of the nail.


    Elder Wu could not believe his eyes. He already considered Milly who learnt the first stage in exactly a hundred days to be a monster and this kid did it on his first try? Wait, was the kid mocking him and already knew about the technique?! He got up, angry and screamed:


    ¡°Are you mocking me?! You already knew this technique?!¡±


    That sudden scream surprised Mir so much that he lost control and jumped from fright. Regaining his senses, Mir said:


    ¡°I did not! I just imitated what you showed me, elder Wu!¡±


    Elder Wu was not expecting the kid to rebuke him with strength. He stared at him and did not see any lies in his eyes. Wait, his eyes¡­What kind of pupils were those?! What if¡­


    ¡°Disciple Mir, those pupils of yours¡­Do they have some kind of special power?


    -Uh¡­¡±


    Mir frowned. Indeed, his eyesight was special. His pupils were so weird that using his eyes as an excuse, he could probably bypass everything but was it truly a clever idea? He killed two good old men previously to keep his secret and now, one more man discovered it so easily. Though of course, it was the obvious reasoning to explain something that talent enough could not cope with. And many more people would discover it or think about it¡­


    Mir knew it¡¯d come to this and sighed in his heart. He said:


    ¡°No, elder Wu. It is due to my bloodline. I¡¯ve got a particular skill that lets me learn from observing or makes it easier at least.¡±


    Mir had thought of this excuse for some time and discussed its viability with Oka. Using his talent as a faker, he could easily convince anyone. Elder Wu was no exception this time, he said:


    ¡°Very interesting! *Nod* I have heard of a few clans with secret techniques to sharpen one¡¯s senses *Nod* and seen a few *Nod* but you, kid? That¡¯s a first for me. I never met someone who could grasp the first stage so quickly and master it at that!


    -Wait, elder Wu. I¡¯ve yet to master anything. I know how to concentrate it on one place but not how to fight and use it in battle.


    -Right! You do not. Yet that is! But first, I¡¯d like to know. What is this bloodline of yours and how did you awake to this technique?


    -I was born with it. I could see better than others and when I crossed paths with the Prince, he told me it was a gift from heavens.


    -A gift indeed! I thought I might be able to learn it, what a shame. But never mind! What one can¡¯t have, one should not envy.¡±