'What?? There is a slave trade system here?! I thought the kingdom of Venus banned such unnatural organisations!'
[Alls seems to have an independent slave trade system hidden from the eyes of kingdom's investigators. This underground trade center could be anywhere. I think you might need to take a stroll around the city.]
'I will do something about it later. Now, place the Attribute points in Resolve.'
[Done.]
'Pull up the Status panel.'
Lee commanded and his complete status came in front of him.
==========
Name: Lee
Age: 20
Title: Grim-reaper, Soul Liberator
Fame: 2789
Essence: 48558 (2 P.M.)
Money: 952 Gold, 00 Silver, 31 Copper
----------
Partner: An
----------
Health: 320
Strength: 320
Vitality: 320
Agility: 320
Defense: 320
Endurance: 320
Sense: 320
Intelligence: 320
Resolve: 325
----------
Immunity:-
• Greater Poison Immunity (1887/1000000)
• Medium Lightning Immunity (3229/10000)
• Medium Air Immunity (200/10000)
• Lesser Sedative Immunity (35/100)
Affinity:-
• Greater Poison Affinity (11885/1000000)
• Greater Lightning Affinity (12393/1000000)
• Medium Fire Affinity (0/10000)
• Medium Water Affinity (0/10000)
• Medium Ice Affinity (0/10000)
• Greater Rock Affinity (11975/1000000)
• Greater Metal Affinity (11974/1000000)
• Medium Sand Affinity (286/10000)
• Greater Nature Affinity (11984/1000000)
• Medium Air Affinity (1165/10000)
• Greater Sound Affinity (12371/1000000)
• Greater Dark Affinity (11797/1000000)
• Medium Light Affinity (0/10000)
• Medium Death Affinity (286/10000)
----------
Mastery:-
• Absolute Blade Mastery
• Absolute Nunchuck Mastery
• Medium Bow Mastery (793/10000)
----------
Cultivation: Peak stage Core Formation realm
Qi: 0/1100
Mana: 0
----------
Innate Skills:-
• View
• Foresight
• EsGen
• EsConv
• Flight
• Spotless
----------
INVENTORY:-
QUESTS:-
MAP:-
SHOP:-
ALTER:-
==========
'I still have not paid for the room. Do you have any idea on getting some change, D?'
[Would you like to spend 2 Essence to break down a gold into 100 silver coins?]
'If you can, please do!'
[Done. But the bronze coins will not be enough to pay for the rent. Are you ready to spend 1 Essence to break down a silver to 100 copper coins?]
'Looks cheap. So, yes!'
[Done. You currently have 951 Gold, 99 Silver, 131 Copper coins.]
(A.N. I mistakenly used 'bronze' instead of 'copper' in a previous chapter. I hope you guys can forgive me.)
'Use the Skill Token.'
=====
Offense
Defense
Agility
Auxiliary
Mastery
Perception
Deception
Non-Combat
Lifestyle
Mental
Spiritual
=====
The Skill section of Shop opened up and the categories appeared. The 11th subdivision knitted his brows as he asked what it was.
[This skill was unlocked as you became aware of the existence of Amortals and the ancient continents. Spiritual skills are offensive or defensive skills that target's one's soul itself. No matter how strong your body is or how resolute your mind is, if your soul is damaged, you are a cripple!]
Lee went into 'thinker' mode as he could not pinpoint a skill he needs at the moment. He had many things to weigh and evaluate before selecting one.
Lee's filial love, An, was his primary concern. Even though she has the longsword, her cultivation had stagnated at 7th stage Core Formation realm. D remembered him about the pendant. He assured that the pendant will help her grow much faster in cultivation.
[I suggest you select a Mental skill. Be it offense or defense, your mind is vulnerable to mental attacks.]
'What about a Spiritual skill? Am I not susceptible to a spiritual attack?!'
[The possibility of a Soul attack is very narrow. But, a mental fight must always be anticipated.]
This revelation made Lee nod in agreement as he selected Mental skill. A series of Mental skills came up like a waterfall.
=====
Name: Psy Scream
Description: A skill that can produce a high pitched scream inside the target's mind. Can cause intense pain and disorientation. Weak ones get knocked out.
Cost: 5400 Essence.
=====
Name: Banshee
Description: An AOE version of Psy Scream. Can indiscriminately attack hostile and friendly units. Victims lose their physical balance.
Cost: 6210 Essence.
=====
Name: Radar Shield
Description: A skill that can resist mind reading, disable mental beacons and nullify hypnotism.
Cost: 17085 Essence.
=====
Name: Mentempest
Description: An AOE skill that can scramble any mental probing inside a range. Useful for protecting companions and tamed beasts.
Cost: 13509 Essence
=====
Name: Map Stamp
Description: A skill to put a beacon on anyone's mind. The beacon can be observed through the Map. If the person allows, his/her auditory and optical reception can be shared over a long range with very less interference.
Cost: 29000 Essence.
=====
----
---
--
-
An elongated list of Mental skills came appearing in a panel. Lee reluctantly scrolled down through the list. Some skills had overlapping properties. Some were stackable with other skills. Some skills had weird names and bizarre effects. For his surprise, even Calculus and Parallel thinking were present. Lee had a whole ocean of expressions on his face as he scrolled further.
The name 'Information Transfer' paused his marathon. Till now, Lee was searching for a skill whose name is unknown and its properties verbally unexplainable. Even D inside Lee's consciousness was looking at a suspended blob of interlinked symbols and extremely complex diagrams, with his hand rubbing his chin!
=====
Name: Information Transfer
Description: A skill for transferring information between the user's mind and another person's memory completely silent and unnoticed, within a range. Memory extraction is also possible with an unconscious victim at very close range.
Cost: 31080 Essence.
=====
Lee felt an unknown urge to buy it. When D enquired for a reason, Lee sounded reasonable.
'The Map can only view the things above the surface. We are talking about the underground slave trade. Since this trade center does not exist outside this city, their entrance may be found anywhere and anytime. People associated with the trade deals could be in the streets in city resident's disguise. This skill can help me to continuously probe into the minds of the passersby, and I'll knock out and extract information if I come across any.'
[Still…..why this skill? Isn't Memoread enough?!]
'Yes, Memoread can help me read minds. But it cannot transfer the entire information cluster into me. Plus, it is on the Skill Token. I do not have to spend a single Essence!'
Without giving ears to D's opinions, Lee paid and acquired the 31080 Essence worth skill named 'Information Transfer'.
Lee stood up and took An's longsword in his hand. He held it in front of it vertically and scanned it top to bottom. He walked towards the table and chairs and moved it away from the center of the room. Lee slowly swung and waved the longsword with great caution. He was very careful as the Cold Nyx Silver can cut through walls like butter, because D reminded him.
=====
3 P.M.
3870 Essence harvested.
=====
Lee was in a familiar trance until the panel popped up. Contrary to his continuous motion, his breath was normal and did not show any signs of acceleration. Lee ran his fingers over the blade of the sword and felt it's texture, as he turned around.
An was wide awake and was observing Lee moving with slow and graceful movements. His 'Black' was shorter than the longsword, hence he had to retract his hands before continuing flow. His careful mind was so absorbed in the process, that he did not see her awake and sitting up.
An gave a wide grin as his eyes met hers. He scratched his head as he gave back her sword.
"I think I have seen your moves on an old parchment at an auction. It is very clear that those moves are not for a jian sword, but for a dao sword, like yours!"
An spoke as she stood up and took the sword from his hand. The unexpected comment twitched Lee's brows. The sword moves he just exhibited were taught by his grandfather, who was a Shaolin master! To see a parchment of the moves from the Earth..…...even D had his jaws dropped.
"Are you sure that they both are the same?"
Lee asked his doubt without a second thought. He was curious as to how something of Earth's origin can be here. The answer was known to him. He simply was not ready to believe it, yet!
"The parchment was very old and brown, and the ink had already diminished to a great extent. But the drawings on it are unmistakably the same. If I remember correctly, the auction took place in the capital city about 2 years ago. I was escorting a young mistress to the auction."
An spoke as her eyes aimed at the ceiling and her hand at her chin. From her expression, Lee confirmed that her account was true.
[If Shaolin art is here, then you are not the first earthling. But that person could not have entered here without the Dimension Sovereign's notice or immense power.]
'Maybe the third dimesions's Sovereign?!'
[Possible.]
"Anything wrong?"
An asked Lee as he had his hands crossed in front of him. Lee raised his head and replied that there is nothing to worry about. He additionally informed her of the Sovereign's 'gift', Information Transfer. As D instructed, Lee extended his hand and pressed the thumb on her forehead. The very instant, the information and memories regarding his nameless sword technique was transferred into her brain. Lee retracted his hand as it only took a second to transfer. Before Lee's eyes, An brightened up as she nearly screamed-
"It is the same technique. I can affirm it!"
[Then I really hope it touches the depth of the fissure!]
Lee listened to both of the comments and gave a single nod as a response. Lee guessed that D had his own reasons to wish so!