Cultivation System: Elder Edition

Chapter 308

Secrets of the Lake (V)

[Word of Shadows]

[Type: Shamanic Art]

[Rank: low-Myth Tier]

[Host Comprehension: None (Fails to meet minimum requirements)]

[...]

[Uniquely concentrates mana in a way that allows for tracking of individual bits even at great distances, without expending too much energy. Though difficult to comprehend innately, once mastered, it would allow the Shaman to track a million people with ease. Increasing mastery not only increases how many motes of mana can be tracked but also greatly increases distances at which they can be tracked]

[...]

[Creation Points Value: 400/400]

[Comprehension Difficulty: ???]

[...]

[Creation Bonus: Ink of Elements (1x bottle)]

[...]

[Ink of Elements: a special ink curated by the Ancient Shaman Clans that enhances the quality of the written word twofold. One bottle is enough to write anywhere between 3 and 40 Words, depending on their complexity]

Huh.

Ain't that a beaut?

I've spent all night coming up with a way for Rayce to track people, and this was the end result of it--it was somewhat crude and simple, but it did cost full 400 points, and did precisely what I wanted it to do. One worry was that it'd be difficult to master, but Rayce is nothing if not a genius in his own right, so it should be fine.

The bonus was a bit of a surprise, though a welcome one, of course; I've seen the potency of Words firsthand, and if any one of them can be doubled in efficiency... well, it'll be big.

Phew, time to stretch these old bones.

It's still before dawn, 's far as I can tell looking out the window, but that mattered little for the city. There was a hubbub going on day and night, mirroring somewhat the few months I spent in New York.

As I stepped out to take in some fresh air, I immediately noticed something strange--ground was kind of... wet? And slippery? But it didn't rain, nor did it feel like water-wet dirt.

... hm?

What's this thing?

HOLY SHIT!!!

"Long Tao!!" I snapped to my knees and pressed my fingers against his neck; luckily, he was alive, though looking at him... yeah, he certainly didn't look alive. Blood had poured out of his eyes and dried on his face, and he was as pale as a ghost.

Sending some Qi into him, I realized that his body was an absolute wreck--honestly, I'm pretty sure if it were anyone else, they'd already be dead. His meridians were in shambles, and there wasn't a clear passage for Qi to go through so that it could heal his body.

My startled yelp must have woken up everyone as they bolted out like thunder out of the house, weapons drawn.

"Master, are you alright?!" Dai Xiu asked.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine; Lao Shun, get over here! Help him!"

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The old alchemist appeared, too, crouching next to me and assessing his situation as well.

"... how in the damn hell is this kid still alive?" he grumbled while taking out a pill from one of his rings--it was pearlescent, glowing in dull golden, and almost throbbing on the surface.

Lao Shun's expression distorted heavily as he fed it to Long Tao, closing his mouth and using Qi to force him to swallow it.

"Let's get him inside."

We carried him back in while the kids stayed outside to clean up the blood. Even by the time we got him to the bed, his condition had improved visibly; there was some rosiness in his cheeks, and his breaths weren't nearly as shallow anymore.

"What'd you feed him?" I asked.

"Two years' worth of Spirit Stones," Lao Shun grumbled.

"How did his body get so wrecked?" I mumbled, more so to myself than as a question to him.

"He doesn't look like he was beaten," Lao Shun said. "All of his wounds are internal."

"Hm? Really?"

"Yes. Unless somebody who underwent Nirvana fought him, there would be no way to leave no external traces. And if somebody who underwent Nirvana fought him..."

"... what would be the point of doing it?"

"Precisely. My guess is that he exerted himself through some technique." makes sense. I know that he's likely planning for how to face the Sage, though what goes into that plan... I don't know.

If I had to hazard a guess, it was probably the cloaking art I made for him--by now, considering what we are up against, it's probably pretty useless. But I imagine that he took core concepts from it and evolved it from there, and, somehow, found a way to stay hidden from somebody in the True God Realm... though, the cost looked to be quite considerable.

"But..."

"But what?"

"No. There's no way it's that."

"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"

"A little bit," he shot me a grin, but it was kind of forced; whatever it was, it truly did bother him. "I... I've seen something like this before."

"Oh?"

"When I was an apprentice," he said. "Late at night, while I was cleaning the room, a group of people appeared out of nowhere carrying somebody that looked dead. My Master was the only qualified Alchemist there, and there was nobody else but me to assist him. I was mostly just carrying herbs as fast as I could while my Master was desperately trying to help the man. That's when I saw it--a trace of something that I shouldn't have seen."

"..."

"A trace of Dao Law. But that's why I say it's impossible. The man in question was at a quasi-Nirvana Realm, and even that seemed to shock my Master greatly. Long Tao, monstrous though he is, is nowhere near that."

"..." yeah. Nowhere near that... now. Knowing the crazy bastard, he probably did do precisely that. "Don't tell anyone about it."

"... you believe he actually did it?" He looked at me in shock.

"I don't know," I replied honestly, looking down at the finally calm face. Looking at him like this... he really did look like an ordinary boy and not the monster he was. "But it doesn't matter whether he did or not. On the off chance that he did, though... it's probably best to pretend otherwise."

"... even months later," he said. "I still can't quite grasp either you or your Disciples. I've met many monsters in my five centuries of living--some so grand that they left a permanent scar in my psyche. And yet... why do I feel like any one of the kids here would put most of them to shame?"

"You're just imagining things." 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"Aha. It's a boon to have such talented disciples, no doubt, but it's also a curse, Lu Qi. Truth be told, even Holy Lands would not have the means to support all of them--it's simply impossible. Lack of resources, greed from other Sects... things would compound and, eventually, there would be one or two remaining, others buried in some grave somewhere, left to be forgotten. And you are no Sect--the word will spread of a man who goes around with monsters beyond ken, and once it does, there will not be a day of peace for you."

He left soon after.

I knew he was right... but so what? It's pointless to think about, as there's no solution. I will not abandon any of the kids, I will not sacrifice any of them, and I will not ask them to be something against their will. If it truly comes to that day where running away is impossible... I will do everything in my power to let them escape and live whatever lives they can muster after.

Until then...

... I need to create a Healing Art. Right now.