"I suspect I am the product of one of these legacies?" Amon asked. They wouldn't have wasted time telling him about all this history lesson otherwise.
"Yes," Hei Pho nodded. "our Lord stage ancestor made a deal with the demon cult and learned their practices. But he was found out, this caused almost all the forces in the country to turn on us. Even the kingdom interfered. Our clan was ransacked to the ground, many of our clansmen died, and even our Lord stage ancestor was executed. What is left of us now is just a splinter of the shadow of our past glory."
"Yet, even through the purging, some of the dark secrets bequeathed from the demon cult are still with us," Hei Gong said. "We didn't want to use them, but with our continual decline, it was only a matter of time till our clan vanishes from the face of this world. In desperation, we turned to one of these secrets. The forbidden art to create a Demon body."
Demon body, one of Amon's brows lifted. He could see where this was going.
"The tome and notes containing the information of this demon body depicted that we can create a cultivator that possessed the power of an ancient demon. If we are successful in creating such a cultivator and raised him, we might gain back our glory."
"We studied the tome and gathered the materials needed. We can only try the process six times, because out of the materials that are required to create this demon body, one was a particular material not attainable in this world. It was a demon seed. The demon cult had bequeathed our ancestor with six of these seeds. It was said that these seeds were parts of the body of a very powerful demon cultivator from the distant past. Only by using these seeds combined with the other materials and incantations described in the tome, we can create a demon body."
Sounded a lot like cloning, Amon thought. Except in his past world, it was using science. Here, it was magical cloning. So, this body of him was a copy of an ancient demon cultivator?
"We failed three times when attempting the process. We followed the instruction to the letters, but the resulting infant bodies we created were unresponsive. Their bodies were breathing and alive, but they were still, as if one that was in a vegetative state. No matter what we do to them, the babies did not give any response. It was as if they had no soul. We did not know what went wrong."
"Only after the fourth attempt, did we catch a break."
"That fourth baby, it's me?" Amon asked.
"Yes," Hei Gong answered.
"You can't imagine our elation when we saw your baby eyes look up at us inquisitively," Hei Pho said. "Even though you didn't cry, we knew at least you are not empty like the ones before you."
Without a soul, eh? That was exactly what had gone wrong with the others, they were just empty vessels. While he would also be the same if his soul from his past world didn't go into this body. He doubted these two old geezers know why his soul had come to occupy this fourth body they had made. It must have been completely coincidental. Probably he died at the same time as when this body was created? Was the time between his past world and this new world even running at the same pace? It didn't matter, the result was simply that his newly departed soul had found a new vessel in this new world.
"At first, we were worried about your cultivation. We planned to survey your progress once you formed your energy core. Imagined my surprise when Madam Lin's people found out first," Hei Pho said. "It's a good thing your cultivation still turns out normal. It will be a disaster if otherwise."
"Why? Are you worried there will be something abnormal with my cultivation?" Amon asked.
Hei Gong nodded, "Yes. Every demon cultivator projected particular demon energy. We were worried since you have a demon body, your cultivation will also have that demon energy. If it is so, then we are doomed. We planned to put you into secluded cultivation if that is the case, and keep you secluded until you are strong enough to face the world."
Amon was skeptical. In his opinion, it would most likely he would be disposed of if that happened. It would save them from the trouble if his demon origin was found out. His thought suddenly went to the black core inside the other energy space in his body. Could that be the demon core? Was the reason he didn't exhibit any demon energy because he didn't cultivate that black core?
"You have to make a promise," Hei Gong said with a serious tone.
"A promise?" Amon was puzzled.
"Yes. You have to promise that you will never divulge the secret of your demon origin to anyone outside of this clan. If someone finds out and reported you to the authority, you will face certain death. And all of us that had helped you come to existence, will be hunted and punished with death. Do you understand the severity of this matter?"
Oh, I understand it very much.
"Who knows about this? Do all the ones in this mansion know?" Amon asked.
"Yes, they also know the gravity and consequence of this issue. Their fates are tied with us and they will keep this secret. I just want to make sure that you do as well."
"Do not worry, I understand the significance of this secret. No one will find it out from me," Amon said.
"Good. This secret is very dangerous. We can only live our lives on the run if this gets out. But since you have understood, then I have no worry," Hei Gong said.
"Is there anyone else outside of this mansion that knows?" Amon asked.
"No, we have always been careful to keep this secret within the clan. It is too dangerous otherwise."
Amon was silent as he pondered the information he had just learned. After a while, Hei Gong and Hei Pho decided to leave him alone to think about it.
Amon lifted his gaze at their backs as they left the room.
'Well, this changes everything,' He thought.
*
In the following days, Amon continued doing his usual routine. Cultivating in the night and training martial arts during the day as he studied medicine with Hei Pho. His progress was rapid. His energy core was almost half-filled for the mortal stage. While for martial arts, since his Bone Shattering Shadow Fist and Silent Swift Stab had reached skilled mastery, he decided to focus on Hardened Bronze Body which was still in beginner mastery.
It took him several more months until he managed to reach that mastery. Once he did, he could turn his skin into bronze with a thought, this instant effect allowed for better use during combat. He could also maintain it for a much longer time of ten seconds and do simple movements while in that state, like walking or running. He could not attack thought, focusing the aether for an offensive strike would instead dispel his Hardened Bronze Body and reverted his defense to normal.
He had also started taking sparring practice with Hei Gong. Learning to apply his martial arts in practical combat. Although Hei Gong was limiting himself to defending, he could not help but be impressed by Amon's instinct in battle. When he fought, Hei Gong did not get the feeling as if he was fighting a three and half year old kid. Instead, he felt like the one in front of him was an experienced combatant who had gone through numerous bloody battles.
Of course, he simply dismissed it as a weird illogical feeling in his heart.
On one occasion during his medicine study with Hei Pho, Amon had asked her about Madam Lin. He inquired about her eagerness to get the madam to become close with him. She commended him for noticing and noted again that his sense of awareness as a young kid was astounding.
She then explained to him that the reason she was trying to get the madam to become fond of him was due to sooner or later, Amon would need someplace else to further his way of cultivation. Their clan possessed no means for him if he was to become someone great. If he could join the Lin clan, even as a helper, he would have a better chance.
If somehow Madam Lin treated him as her own child, that would even be better. Although the clan won't provide resources for an outsider like him, there was a chance that they could recommend him to the royal academy.
"The royal academy?" Amon asked, intrigued.
"Yes, that is the place for talented cultivators to learn more about the way of cultivation. It was founded by the kingdom. Any talented cultivator can apply to join, but they will need a recommendation from respectable clans or sects."