" I see. " I replied, totally ignoring the look my father gave me as he told me the story. " It doesn't matter to me. I have enough to work with. "
" Very well. Aside from searching for that nugget of gold that will help me. Why does the Mantra attract you so much now than it did before? " Father questioned me.
He had that look that told me he would not let me go without me saying it.
" There are two ways of envisioning myself doing something with the Mantra if the theory proves itself. " I told him. " The first is to give my phantom Roots like every Cultivator has, only these would be Jade variant Roots. "
" Strangely after having seen you build that Ability of yours, I am not that surprised. " He chuckled a bit at that fact.
Shaking my head I said the second thing. " The second thing is to make myself a Magic Item or its equivalent as an Ability. "
" What kind? "
" Umm, has Elder He told you anything about my past life and the world I lived in? " I asked him. If he did it would let me skip some explanations.
" He did mention a few things. What do you want to say? " He questioned me.
" Ah, good. I had told him how people there got bored easily and invented tons of new stories. " I stated. " Many interesting storylines, many interesting cultivation methods, many powers, and many many and oh so many Magical Items. We genuinely loved Magical Item-based stories. "
" Go on, you have my interest. "
" It was called The Gauntlet of Infinity and it had these gems of varying colors embedded into it. " With a nostalgic tone, I continued. " Each of the gems was a facet of the Universe and anybody that held possession of them held great Power. "
" And you want to use that as a mold for your Magical Item or Ability? "
" Something like that. " I said. " I have a general direction in which to go. To test it out I would need to acquire jade of each possible color and texture that exists. After that, I would need lots of theorizing and testing its might and functionality. Either it will work just like I want or it will fail. Either way, it will come after I finish my phantom since only then will it show its might. "
" Alright, leave that to me. We are a clan famous for its Jade mines aside from the Mantra. " He said.
I on the other hand only realized a faulty line of thinking. ' I never actually bothered to ask where all the mercantile power comes from, at least not in detail. Speaking of money? '
" Say, father, now should be a good time to ask you something? " Giving me an inquisitive look I spoke on. " Remember how I said I want pocket money? "
" Yes, I do. How much do you want? "
' Now that I think about it, actually, I never bothered to ask how the monetary system worked, either. ' Shaking my head at that, I went for the main part. " I need you to set aside a monthly allowance for me. So that when I leave this place for the capital I have enough money to play around with. It's not like there is much in this place to spend it on. "
" Alright, it can be done. " Smiling as he agreed, I could already imagine myself on what to spend on. " Do you have any number in mind? Seeing your face I can already guess. Fine, I will set aside 100 Bronze Coins for you. By the time you leave, a very nice amount should gather. Anything else? "
" Aside from finishing what that meeting was about? No, I don't think so. " I replied.
" Good then let's get back to that topic. " He proposed to me. " The part of your combat strength, specifically how and when your strength will platoon so that we have a better idea of what we are dealing with. "
" Hmm, where will my strength rise to? " That was an excellent question. " Father, I will be honest with you. I simply have no idea. In theory, I have no limit, it's one thing to have a limit and one thing to not know how to reach the limit. "
" And what about that Mantra of yours you keep mentioning? "
" That… is a bit hard to explain since it works differently than Cultivation Mantras. " I replied in return. " Because of the harsh conditions to activate it, think of it as if I reached Immortality right as it activated. Do you think I would have the power of somebody who has reached that stage? "
" Ah, I understand now. Your argument is raw Power against expertise acquired over Time while cultivating. " He quizzed me.
" Yes. That is why you can ask me the same question when I honestly am able to activate it. Before that, you will deal with the ordinary me. " I said.
" Haa. " He sighed before I heard him go on. " Very well, let's leave it at that. One more thing, your First Uncle has covered up the incident we all participated in and dubbed it an assassination attempt of the Xia Clan. "
" Assassination? " Flabbergasted at the coverup, it took me a while to find the right response. " Is there any chance of them doing it here in this place? If they are determined, that is? "
" Possible, yes, but unlikely to happen. " He answered with a smile that said, he did not care if it was or not. It would be so. " I have talked with your Uncles and we decided to spread the rumor that it happened, anyway. That way it will be easier to justify our retaliation when it happens. "
" Well, I have no experience in those things. " I admitted for a second. " But if my history of reading is of any indication then a simple rumor is not enough? "
"You are right. They will know that the rumor is fake so we will need to find a different way to make them move but there is time for that. " I heard him say all the while his expression delivered zeal to the listener, which was me.
Done with it, I spoke. " Father, you mentioning this right after asking for my combat strength means you wanted to involve me somehow? "
" You're right. " Straight out admitting it, he went on. " Seeing as your strength is following a different path, we all wondered if there was something you could contribute. "
Hearing him I had no choice but to scratch my neck in wonder. ' Them asking me is obvious, kinda. As I would be benefiting from it. So the question is do I want to get involved and if I am going to get involved how would I contribute? '
For a few moments, I pondered on those topics and my father let me tinker with them.
Ultimately there was only one answer. " Father, since I am asking for a piece of the loot, I mean treasure, of course, I have to contribute. " I told him. " The question becomes how do I do that? Is there any timeline for it, otherwise as I am right now, I will be dead within seconds of the hunt? "
" Hehe. " He chuckled at my response. " Silly girl, I am not asking you to help directly, unless you can prove to me you can stand equal to me in combat. No, what I meant was, with your strange knowledge there is bound to be a way to indirectly help to increase the odds of success without detriments. "
Gaping my mouth at the steep strength requirement I shook my head only to deny that denial in my thoughts. ' Maybe there is a way to make a consumable Ability like a bullet or arrow. Shoot it and be done with it. Only it would need steep requirements, to trade away flexibility for strength. '
" Maybe there is something, but I can't tell you without testing it. " I finally admitted. " Is there a timeline for this trap? "
" No, the Xia Clan has stood at the top of this Empire for so long, that its roots are deep and the tree is even harder to shake. " He said. " We need to give them a good shakedown, otherwise there is no point in even attempting this, and most of all I refuse to let them go without paying the appropriate price. "
" I see, then the only thing I can say is that I will think of something, and when I do have something, I will tell you. " With that agreement, I switched the topic.
" Can I keep this? " I ask as I point at the Jade strip holding the non-binary digitally stored knowledge but before he can refute me for asking even though I knew I could not I clarify my intent. " Of course, I do not mean the knowledge stored inside, I mean the Jade strip itself. "
" No. " Came, the stern reply. " I will not take the chance that something stays inside by chance. That one will be destroyed. " The next second he took out a similar one and gave it to me.
" Nice. " I commented. " Are they rare by any chance? "
He shook his head and denied it but then nodded as if confirming it. That only confused me more. " Sooo, rare and not rare? "
" Rare for those without enough capital to order them made but for us, it is cheaper since we provide the raw Jade for it. " He explained. " Still even for us, it's not something that is to be spent as we want. Despite our mercantile might, we simply do not have anyone in the Formation Guild. "
' Ah, formations? Another profession that is very famous in all cultivation stories. ' I had no choice but to shake my head at them.
Their rarity of it in this Empire is staggering because you need an exceptionally strong Divine Sense to make use of them.
Not only are they complex, taking many years to learn but you need to start with the rare Mind Mantra or a double core one that has it.
Yet, there is more to it than that. Formation Master can designate a place and make it cultivation heaven, so to speak.
It's so heavily praised that the old man told me that I would sooner find a Phoenix feather than see somebody connected to the Yu Clan inside the Guild.
The Formation Guild belongs to the Royal Feng Clan and there was no arguing about it.
Shaking away those, I place the empty Jade strip on my forehead and store something inside, only to delete it seconds after.
' While formations are intriguing, best I shelve it for the future when I find a way to make use of Qi, instead of just using it as fuel. '
Once I was done examining it I returned the one with the Mantra to my father, who promptly shattered it.
" Well, father, I think I am done with my part here. " I said with a bit of hesitation. " How long will you stay here? I want to at least have a deadline by which to present my idea to you? "
At my prompting, he got that look that considered everything. Probably had to do with all those interruptions he did to his enlightenment.
" I will meditate for at least a week. After that, I will be going back to the capital. "
" A week, it is, then. " I said and got up.
Before opening the door and leaving I looked back at him and gave him a small bow. It was the least I could do.
Leaving right after, I found Tao Fang beside the door meditating.
Poking her the same way as this morning, she woke up after the third received cheek poke.
" Miss, you're out? " She said before unlocking her meditation pose and standing up.
" It took longer than I imagined but let's go back to that ruined house. " I say and make my way there and my servant/maid follows.
***
Two days later, when the little town calmed down.
What could be cleared was cleared, and what needed to be rebuilt was started.
One thing did have to be left alone for the time being.
Gao Junjie's half-destroyed house had to be left for after the winter. There just were no supplies stockpiled to rebuild the house.
Most of the houses here were built on local wood, and from what I had been told, Gao Junjie was not satisfied with just that. He had imported quality wood from the capital to have his house built.
That left me without a kitchen for the whole winter, which sucked.
It is for that reason that I along with Tao Fang will be moving to the Internals Dormitory after the senior recruits have left back to the capital for their jobs.
By chance, they too will leave with my father, so that is when we will move there.
Today on the other hand, after having breakfast at Uncle's mansion alongside everybody else, Gao Junjie brought me to his house for a different purpose than just staring at half a house.
Today was the day that I made good on a promise that I had given to my First Uncle.
Today, I would send some kids into a fake Void.
The promise or deal that I agreed on was that I would test it out on the ten lowest placing kids at the annual tournament.
Five from the Internals and five from the Externals.
We were behind the house on the designated practice ground and waiting for all the kids to arrive.
Specifically for three kids from the Internals side.
Two of them were the ones that placed lower than the others, but one of them was special.
As we waited for that one special, the special soon announced itself.
" Nooooo. " I heard the shout steeped with terror.
Moments later two kids arrived as they carried the chubby, like a log with a dead pig attached to it on their shoulders.
" Nooooo, Mao Zhong, please don't do this. This is a mistake. " Shouted chubby with the name Chang Niu. " Instructor Kang said I would not need to meet Master Gao. Please let me go! "
The first kid carrying the upper part of the chubby scowled and replied. " I keep telling you, Niu, that may have been the case before, but not anymore. Not after that stunt, you did on the stage. "
" Nooo, that's a lie, I did no such thing. " Denied Chang Niu only for him to be refuted by the kid carrying his legs.
He laughed for a second before speaking. " Chang Niu, there is no use denying it and it's too late. We are already there. "
" What? " I saw the chubbies eyes open wide as he stilled and shifted his head here and there. When he recognized where he was, he started struggling even more.
Almost like a fish out of water, drowning without air, the boys could no longer hold him down and he made Thud sound as he fell to the ground. Not that it bothered Chubby, he just stood up and looked for the exit before dashing for it.
" Hmph. " I heard beside me. Gao Junjie's hmph traveled in a second the distance between him and Chubby. His body stilled even more as the sound reached his ears. " Chang Niu, where do you think you're going? "
" I, I, I. " Was what I imagined his mouth kept uttering as his mouth kept repeating the same movement only for now sound to reach me.
" Hmph, Kang told me about your laziness and stubbornness. I found it hard to believe yet… it seems he was right, I will need to be extra strict with you. " Gao Junjie declared with the same emotionless voice he always had.
" Eeeepppp! " I heard as the kid in question paled from what I imagined fright. His eyes rolled for a second and like a doll without its strings, he collapsed back to the ground.
I thought such things only happened in fiction. For a second I could not believe what I saw.
' Did he really lose consciousness from the fright? ' To find an answer for that I made my way to his collapsed body.
Not too far from him I stopped and had a hand appear on his chest, of course, invisible to everyone but Gao Junjie, I scanned his body before confirming it for myself.
" Gao Junjie, he just collapsed from fright. " I told him as I looked at him in particular. " Second Uncle told me a bit about you, but he never mentioned that your reputation is so bad that it could frighten a kid like him? "
" It's not, the boy is just too lazy. Kang had to flame his motivation somehow and I was the perfect excuse. " I heard the reply as he pointed at the two boys that brought him here. " Mao Zhong, Zhen Ling, drag him towards the others and just leave him there. "
" Understood. " The boys said as they looked at me for a second before each one of them grabbed the chubby by one arm and dragged him to everybody else.
Making my way back to Gao Junjie's side, I spoke out my thoughts. " Soo, how will you work with him, if his fear had been stoked so high. There is a possibility that the same happens when he wakes up? "
" If it does happen, I have a way to deal with him. There is something else I am curious about. " He said to me. " These kids gathered here because of you. Will there be a problem with that one? "
Seeing him point at chubby, I shook my head. " Umm, probably not. But I will pay more attention to him. "
" Good. Since all of them gathered, the stage is yours. " He said.
Nodding, I stood in front of them all.
Looking at each of them for a second I spoke. " I probably don't have to introduce myself but I will do so anyway. I am Yu Jiao and all of you here are gathered because of me. Has anybody told you why that is so? " I ask them.
They stayed silent for a second before one of them replied. It was the kid Gao Junjie called Zhen Ling. He had a face that betrayed his eager look to know the answer.
" No, Young Miss, we have not been informed. " He replied.
" Alright, before I tell you that I have to say a few things about myself. " I said to them. " I will be concise. A bit less than half a year ago, I died. " That brought confusion to their faces. " It was only for a short while but that fact is undeniable. Due to that event, I have lost almost all my memories, but in exchange, I have regained memories of a different life. A past life to be precise. "
Shock replaced the confusion but I did not let it stew and continued. " Alongside the memories of my past life, I have received some interesting facts about cultivation alongside a few skills here and there. Today all of you have gathered to experience one of them. "
" What kind of skill? " Asked the eager kid. There was no denying it, this one was hungry for knowledge.
" You will learn soon. " I replied. " Every one of you is here because you fought poorly and once my First Uncle learned of this skill, he wanted to test out its benefits. That is why you who placed the worst get this opportunity but make no mistake, you will need all your resolve to gain the benefits. With that said, who wants to go first? "
I eagerly looked at them but none stepped forward. " Well, no volunteers, a shame. " I commented.
" You? " I pointed at the eager one. " Zheng Ling, was the name right? Since you wanted to know about it, you get to be the first one among your peers. Well not first-first, that Bai Hui kid did go before you all. " Looking at the Externals this time I question them. " Now that I am remembering him, do any of you have an idea of how he is doing? I don't think I have broken somebody of his kind but it never hurts to ask? "
" Umm? " I heard one of them whimper and focused on him. " Young Miss, I was there when you did something to him. We left him lying there just like you asked, but after he woke up… he was different. "
" Different? How, different? " I ask him. " Be more specific. "
" Ever since that day, he has gained this absent gaze. " He explained. " He is fine when he converses with others, but the moment that he is alone it's as if his spirit is gone. Whoever asked him what he experienced, he refused to say, only that his meditation trance has increased drastically. "
" Hmm… he'll be fine then. I did give him a stronger version than you guys will receive since yours will be split into multiple appointments. " Ignoring the Bai kid and his problems, I focused on these.
" Well, you kids heard. The benefits await you for participating." I said and added. " And let's not include my help during this. My First Uncle wants to see the results so, Zheng Ling, are you ready? "
" Umm. " He murmured as turned anxious from the unknown.
Yet before he could answer properly his friend Mao Zhong stepped forward. " Young Miss, if it's true that I will receive benefits from this, then I would like to volunteer. "
" Do you? Alright, I don't care who will go first. " I say. " At the end of the day, all of you will get this. That being the case, take the most relaxing position you know and take my next words to your heart. Remember who You are. Understood? "
With the volunteer nodding, the job went by a lot faster. With a tap on his forehead, I injected him with Life Essence, in a specific place and order and with a specific intent, and he was gone.
Leaving a gift for after he woke up I was done with him I looked at the others.
" Less hesitation and this will go sooner. " I heard Gao Junjie say to them.
Not soon after all of them had been sent to the fake Void, well all but one.
Looking at chubby, I taped his forehead and realized something. He was awake, just pretending to be unconscious.
Chuckling, a thought arose in my mind. ' I doubt his fake behavior got past Gao Junjie. Either way, he probably heard what I said to the others so there is no need to repeat it for him. '
With him gone I stood up. " Now all that's needed is to wait. "
After a little chat with Gao Junjie about my Second Uncle and if he had decided to undergo the Dream of the Void, I received a negative answer.
' Maybe I should point it out to him again and ask just to be sure? It's not like I can test the Dream on Core users whenever I want. ' Leaving the thought for later, I focused on the kids.
" What are you brooding now? " I heard a certain man ask me.
" Many things. Mainly on the kids and remembering how I felt when I went through it. " I replied." They are lucky that I will not let them stay there for too long. Compared to me who literally stayed in there for a little eternity. "
" Say, Jiao. There is one thing that has been bothering me. " He spoke. " The name of that Dream of the Void, you are making them experience currently, contains the same word as Void Step that those at the Soul Creation gain. Do you think that there is a connection between them? "
" Hmm? Are you bothered because soon you will reach it yourself? " I ask him.
" Bothered? No, I don't think so. " He replied quite sure of himself. " I am curious how it feels, though. Whenever I asked Qiao about it he kept refusing to answer me. Always said that I should just ascend to the stage myself as if I was dumb to believe him. I know the reason he never answered. "
" Oh, the reason being? "
He just shook his head at my prompting for the answer. " He just can't describe it without using poetry and if he does use it, he knew I would just make fun of him. "
" Haha. " Laughing at my uncle for a second at being bad at poetry, I refocus on the topic without mentioning poetry to anybody, after all, I was bad at it too. " In his defense, cultivation is about feeling stuff because of the way it works. As for The Void, that is harder to answer. My best guess is that there is some connection but at the same time I doubt it's that profound. I doubt they enter the real Void just to teleport around. "
" Why not? "
At that question, I had no choice but to tilt my head a bit and look at him strangely. " Ugh, because it is a stupid thing to do? " I sent my response with the most obnoxious expression that I knew.
From the impassioned look, he gave me back, it was obvious he did not quite get me.
" Okay, look. I will show you why after I bring these kids out of the Dream. " Seeing his agreement I focused on the main reason we all gathered here today.
Not long after the time came and I woke them up one by one in the same order I sent them.
When Mao Zhong came, his disorientation was quite evident, as it was on the others.
It was only after all of them woke up, including the chubby, that I spoke to them.
" Good, I can see that some of you weathered it up better than others but let's focus on the next part since everything is still fresh. " I told them. " This time I want you to enter your usual meditation trance and use it to go deep within yourself and search for a gift that I have left you. "
Seeing them do just that I focus back on Gao Junjie.
" Here let me show you why skinny dipping into the Void is a bad idea. " With that declaration, I focused on the next part.
' I've not done this before, let's hope it works as it should. ' I thought while materializing my phantom in full.
For what I was about to do I needed to interact with Reality as much as possible.
This was also the first time I showed him my female version of the phantom. When I glanced at him all I saw was the rise of an eyebrow.
At the same time, I increased my Ability to the highest gear, being five.
Truly focused on this part. I could not let my mind wander if I was to do it.
Bringing forth the memory of the Void that I had experienced, even though it was fake, was enough to bridge the gap. Using that image as a medium I focused on the right forefinger and imagined it piercing Reality.
Once the image and intent were right I stabbed the finger forward.
Pop
Sounded out in my mind, as I was the one that did it, but I was sure Gao Junjie had also felt it.
Leaving my finger in the place I stare at him. " Use your Divine Sense through that finger and look beyond it. "
Not taking my gaze from him I saw the surprise on his face.
But that was not the end. Oh, not at all.
The next second he paled beyond anything I had seen on him and the next second his body began to wobble around as the mixed signals his Divine Sense told him interfered with those felt by his physical body.
Once I saw that he began to experience a version of seasickness, I pulled out my phantom's finger and immediately the gap closed behind but not without taking its toll on something from this world.
In this case, being Qi.
With it closed, Gao Junjie steadied himself and I addressed him. " The Void is the Space between Spaces. There is no up or down, left or right, forward or backward. In truth, there is no center at all. Our physical senses are useless there. If you get stuck inside without a beacon upon which to orient yourself, you will get stuck in there and even if you had a body that did not need sustenance at all, it won't take long before you will go mad from the isolation in that nothingness. Once that madness settles in you there is no getting rid of it and you become your own worst enemy. "
" Understood. " He said as he took a deep breath to steady himself.
" When you reach Soul Creation, you will receive a mark of Reality. " I explained. " Think of it as coordinates on a map, only far more complex in structure. My guess is, that when you guys make the Soul of Qi you become aware of the inherent Reality you live in within, and using that as an anchor you can skim the Void, almost like a boat traveling upon the water. "
As I was explaining this for his benefit, a thought did strike me. ' If I consider the Soul of Qi as a boat then obviously I can tinker with it, just like using sails on a boat. That being the case I could probably sabotage the metaphorical sails, or in other words, I can interfere with the inherent sense of Reality that anchors Cultivators at that stage. Best case scenario, I will inhibit their Void Step altogether and worst case I will be able to reduce the distance they could travel. '
Nodding at myself and my brilliance, I completely ignore everything around me and focus on this enlightenment. ' The problem will be figuring out how to do it in the first place. I have no AoE spells and I don't think I want to make them regarding this, considering what Transcendence will grant me. '
As my brain went into overdrive I paced around for a clearer thinking process. ' That leaves me with a single target Ability. I don't think something ranged will do either. Too many things can go wrong. Which leaves me with close combat. Yet even that will not be enough, as the Ability will need to be inside the target to work since it's not AoE, I think. '
Once more I nodded at myself for a good job. ' Soo, a hidden weapon, like a poisoned dagger. Only this one will not be poisoned but cursed. '
' Now I only hope my test targets will let me use them as guinea pigs. Should I go after the old man or First Uncle? Nah. The more the merrier is a perfect expression, I will go after both of them. '
Another nod at myself I shift my gaze on Gao Junjie but deny that thought.
' Best I don't aggregate him, or he will put me through hell in return. '