Chương 394: A Vow (VII)

The stones were rather pretty, making for even prettier walls, Lao Shun thought. The floor, too, was rather nice; not too rough, not too soft. Even the sounds-- --it wasn't helping. His mind was in utter disarray yet again, and his recently created 'technique' to help against precisely this was utterly failing across the board. No matter how hard he tried to think of something else, his mind kept circling back to the new art the damned Master of his brought out of nowhere. Shocking? No, that's too mild.

Otherworldly? Still not quite good enough. Should not physically exist --now, that one seemed the most appropriate. Lao Shun had gone through it about ten times now, expecting to have misunderstood something each time... but he didn't misunderstand. He understood it perfectly, in fact, and that was precisely what was causing his sides to chill and contract. It was unnatural. Though, in fairness, everything about that kid was unnatural in ways that defied description.

Since the moment Lao Shun met him, he'd not known a day of peace and nothingness. It was always something. This art, merely, was the latest something. That's right. Just the latest something, and nothing more.... as if. He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose and battling back the headache--something he hadn't experienced in hundreds of years. He'd be an idiot if he hadn't realized by now that Lu Qi can straight-up conjure arts out of thin air. Whether he was making them or simply 'pulling' them from someplace...

Lao Shun wasn't even certain which would be a more horrifying scenario. Extracting perfect Qi, combining it, upgrading lower-quality stones into higher-quality ones... in reality, that alone made this art priceless. In fact, if the word of it spread, they'd be hunted down to the ends of the world.... then again, if the word spread of a lot of their arts, it'd be the same.

As far as he knew, the entire combined wealth of Alchemy Tower and all its branches, in terms of Divine Grade Stones, totaled around 100, give or take a few. They were used extremely rarely, either to buy rare and priceless artifacts or to concoct pills that are otherwise impossible to concoct. And now, in his hands, was a way to just... make them. Yes, it required almost 1, 000 high-grade Spirit Stones, but that was quite literally nothing.

In fact, if somebody offered the Tower ten million high-grade Stones for just one Divine Grade Stone, they'd probably say no. They were that rare. Well, not anymore, he mused. He had about 2, 000 high-grade Spirit Stones in his reserves, which meant he could produce two Divine Grade Spirit Stones. And with them, he could probably buy just about anything he wanted. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Third uncle's second cousin's ex-wife's heritage?" That would be Lady Shuren, her fingers trembling as she sat down by his side.

"... uhm, yes," Lao Shun replied awkwardly.

"He has, uhm... an extensive family tree, you'll learn."

"How extensive?"

"Very extensive."

"Fellow Daoist Lao."

"Hm?"

"I think I've died."

"E-eh?"

"I think I've died at the top of this mountain, and this is my mind desperately trying to cling to life."

"... I can assure you, you are very much alive," he said with a faint chuckle. Lady Shuren was well regarded among both cultivators and alchemists, and to see her brought firmly to her knees...

"I understand, though."

"How... how is an art like this even possible?" she asked.

"It defies practically everything I was taught about properties of Qi and its relations to the physical."

"I don't know," he replied honestly. He truly didn't know the answer, possibly even less so than her.

"I just know it can't ever be known."

"Oh, I'd sooner die," she said.

"Hardly even due to my loyalty and such. I genuinely believe, though, that should the art ever become known, it would lead to wars that would never end. No power would rest unless it knew that it was the only one to have it in possession. It'd either end when the world was ashes or the art itself was." Lao Shun nodded, agreeing.

"I must admit, I envy you."

"Envy me?"

"I'd spent just shy of two months with him," she said.

"And I felt more alive than I have in centuries. That dullness that overcomes... I haven't felt it. As though I'd fallen asleep to rest after years of failing. But I know we shall soon part, and I will go back to my dull days, wondering where you all are and whose minds are you rendering into sludge."

"Ha ha," Lao Shun laughed, glancing over at her; she held a peculiar expression, one between a smile and melancholy.

"I understand," he added.

"Though I'm many years your Junior--""--hmm?"

"Though I'm some years your Junior," he said, almost rolling his eyes.

"Better," she cracked a mischievous grin, as though she were many years his Junior.

"He does make the days feel... different. As if I'd gone back to the very beginnings, where every new day was more exciting than the last and when there were always new things to learn. Truth be told... I do not think I could do it. Go back to the way it used to be."

"Hm. Rub it in, don't you?"

"Apologies," he smiled as she shook her head.

"You could always join us. I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

"I wish," she said, taking a rather deep breath.

"But I'm afraid that I must go back. Though Father may have abandoned me, I still have unfinished business there. One day, perhaps, I might come begging, too."

"Will you be alright?" he asked.

"Though you weren't the one to harm him, judging by his character that I--admittedly--only met for a moment, he might still put all the blame on you."

"Oh, he most certainly will," she chuckled.

"But even if he whines to the high heavens, he won't be able to incite anything short-term."

"If you need any help, let me know," he said.

"I may be able to convince him to locate yet another treasure of a long-lost relative."

"... I appreciate it," she said, her smile widening as she stood back up.

"But I've more than abused his goodwill already. I fear, if I seek it any further, heavens might smite me for my greed." Was it truly greedy, he wondered? That strange Master of his never seemed to think so. Rather, it was as though he couldn't give away things fast enough. He stood up and faced the kids who were all studying the art rather seriously, wondering just how severely he'd underestimated this lot.

Though nobody spoke of it explicitly, they all bore witness to that Demon--Lao Shun was certain it was the strongest creature he'd ever seen in his life, and it wasn't even particularly close. And yet, while everyone else was frozen in time, that man came out... unscathed. Whether he made the deal with the Demon, whether he defeated the Demon... regardless, the mere fact he came out alive spoke to the fact he could do things that nobody else could. Even that freak he called a 'child' and his 'first disciple'.

Just how many life-altering things, Lao Shun wondered, would he experience in the coming years of his life? And just how many would his poor heart be able to endure before imploding?