018: End of Seclusion
"What is it?" Wendy was curious at Thea's answer, especially seeing the gloomy expression on her face.
Thea sighed and answered truthfully, "When the Lady stayed at the Inn, she always gave away gifts to me. One of these gifts is a Low-Grade spirit stone. Little Miss should know that me and my family is just a mortal, a piece of Low-Grade spirit stone is very precious, even for cultivators. So my family decided to exchange the spirit stone with our previous master."
Thea paused, "This matter must've spread, otherwise, I don't really know the reason why cultivators will pay attention to me and my family that is just a group of mortals."
Wendy didn't expect the reason to be like this at all.
She knew her master loved giving gifts, this generosity is said to be rare in the world. It was not a bad thing, it's just that the gift may be too heavy that the receiver can't protect it and become a danger at the end.
This is what Thea and her parents thought so they chose to exchange the spirit stone for other items that are useful and fitting for their status.
It's just that no one expected that this decision led to a more dangerous scenario.
Wendy sighed, "Let's tell this to Master after her seclusion."
Thea nodded, "Then we'll handle the other matters while waiting for the lady to end her seclusion."
**
While Zemirah is in seclusion, she doesn't know the happenings outside. She only focused on her cultivation and her mental state after her first murder of a cultivator in Azar.
She pondered over her views in life, the fact that she's in a new world now with completely different rules. She knew she needed to fix this quickly before she entered the Foundation Building Realm or else it might become a thorn in her heart and hinder her path of cultivation.
In other words, it may become her heart demon.
It took her two days of constant meditation before she finally opened her eyes. Her beautiful fox eyes were clearer than ever, it was not the usual laid-back her that only goes with the flow.
Zemirah fixed her mindset in this seclusion after her first kill.
She will fight her way to the top. She won't provoke anyone but she will also not be polite to her enemies. Even if her hand will be stained with blood.
She has her disciple now and her friend.
She's not a stranger to this world anymore.
"Sia, let me see the reward I got from gifting away the old man's belongings," Zemirah said in her mind.
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for triggering 7,000 Fold-Back and getting a Celestial-Quality Mid-Stage Grade 2 Artifact Weapon [Bone Severing Dagger]
Details: A dagger that aimed to dismember the enemy's bones. It has a special effect when specifically attacking bone parts. The dagger can also be used for medical purposes, it's effective.
Then the pills she gave to Thea.
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for triggering 9 Fold-Back and getting a Supreme-Quality Grade 1 Medicinal Pill 10x [Energy Rejuvenation Pill]
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for triggering 6 Fold-Back and getting a Rare-Quality Grade 1 Medicinal Pill 5x [Major Healing Pill]
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for triggering 7 Fold-Back and getting a Rare-Quality Grade 1 Medicinal Pills 10x [Minor Poison Antidote Pill]
Lastly, the spiritual herbs that she asked Wendy and Thea to give Riya.
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for triggering 99 Fold-Back and getting a Supreme-Quality Grade 2 Spiritual Herb 3x [Hard Moon Root]
Details: A rare spiritual herb that can be used in artifacts. Main ingredient of Moon Bone Pill, a pill that can let a person have strong bones with the power of Moon Energy.
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for triggering 50 Fold-Back and getting an Outstanding-Quality Grade 2 Spiritual Fruit 5x [Blood Grape Fruit]
Details: The main ingredient for Grade 2 Blood Nourishing Pill.
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for triggering 40 Fold-Back and getting an Uncommon-Quality Grade 2 Spiritual Herb 2x [Dragon Yang Root]
Details: A spiritual help that helps male vitality. The main ingredient for Grade 2 Dragon Yang Nourishing Pill.
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for triggering 80 Fold-Back and getting a Supreme-Quality Grade 2 Spiritual Herb 7x [Bright Soft Leaf]
Details: (Dearest readers, help me fill them)
Zemirah looked at the last notification and asked Sia, "Sia, why does the one from Riya seem to have a higher fold back?"
[Ding! Riya became Host's friend so the Fold Back is higher than acquaintances.]
"Oh, that's good news." Zemirah's mood lightened after hearing Sia's words.
"The lowest is acquaintance, the fold back is 1 to 10. The second is friends, the fold back is 11 to 100. Then the disciples 1,000 to 10,000." Zemirah summarized.
"Sia, can you tell me what's higher from disciples and friends?"
[Ding! Acquaintances = 1 – 10 Fold Back. Friends = 11 – 100. Close Friend/People = 101 – 1000. Disciples = 1001 – 10,000. Lover = 10,001 – 100,000. Family = 100,001 – 1,000,000.]
Zemirah looked at the family and felt sad, she knew that the original owner of this body had no more family. Zemirah left her family in her original world. It seems that the family foldback is not possible.
Then the lover… Zemirah isn't averse to finding herself a lover but she knew that Dao Companions in Azar may even betray their partner for a treasure. She's quite afraid of being betrayed so forget it for now.
Disciples are more safe, especially adorable disciples like Wendy.
Zemirah summoned the dagger artifact. A white light flashed, and after the light faded, a dagger lay on Zemirah's hand.
The dagger is small and white blade, with a lustrous hilt. It looks clean and pure, but on a closer look, one can see that the dagger is made from bone.
"This dagger… what is it made of?" Zemirah muttered. She doesn't want to use it if it is made from human bones.
Although she already killed one and is not averse to killing anymore, she can't accept making use of a dead person's body.
[Ding! [Severing Bone Dagger] is made from the bone of [Bone Melting Insect]. An insect famous for eating bones that made its body bony and tough. The spiritual forger made use of a Body Refining Realm mutated [Bone Melting Insect] bones to make the dagger, it successfully became Celestial-Quality thus the special effects.]
Zemirah sighed in relief and then admired the dagger in her hand. "This is good stuff, maybe I can gift it to a medical doctor when the time comes or trade it."
"Though, the quality is a problem. I'm not sure if Celestial-Quality is so rare that the world will kill for it."
"Whatever, I'll just use it myself for now. Though I'm just a Talisman Master."
Suddenly, Zemirah thought of something. "Hey, Sia. Do I have something like a status panel or what, I think most systems have that."
[Ding! Yes, Host. There are Status Panels for the host and others too. The Host can access it in one thought.]
"So you have really had that function! Great." Zemirah cheered as she excitedly thought of her own Status Panel.
[STATUS PANEL] Potential: (White, Green, Blue, Purple, Red, Golden) (Light, Normal, Dark)
[Name]: Zemirah Eve Montes
[Age]: 19 years old
[Cultivation Realm]: Late-Stage Energy Refinement Realm
[Spiritual Roots]: Metal and Fire (Normal Blue)
[Talents]: Talisman-making (Dark Blue) | Swordsmanship (Blue)
[Physique]: Normal
[Luck]: ??
[Innate Ability]: ??
[Cultivation Techniques]
[Breathing Technique]:
[Starry Sky Sea Breathing Technique] | Celestial-Quality Black-Grade (GREATER MASTERY)
[Weapon Technique]:
[Twelve Constellations Sword Moves Technique] | Celestial-Quality Black-Grade (LESSER MASTERY MOVES)
[Starlight Wrath Sword Skill] Outstanding-Quality Yellow-Grade(LESSER MASTERY MOVES)
[Coiling Star Whip Skill] Outstanding-Quality Yellow-Grade
[Footwork Technique]:
[Blink Star Footwork] yellow-rank outstanding-quality (LESSER MASTERY MOVES)
[Property]
[Artifacts]: [Click to Expand]
[Pills]: [Click to Expand]
[Talisman/Arrays]: [Click to Expand]
[Relationships]
[Disciple]: [Wendy]
[Friend]: [Riya]
[Lover]:
[Family]:
The previous owner of this body reached the Mid-Stage of the Energy Refinement Realm, at the same time, Zemirah also advanced to the Late-Stage of the Energy Refinement Realm in a few months upon transmigrating to Azar.
It was already on the level of a normal genius to reach this stage, but not enough to be on the same level as monstrous talents. Those prodigies can reach Foundation Realm before their teenage years. Some were even prompted to suppress their cultivation because of their young age, thinking that holding that power at a young age may not be good for their character development.
She knew that her Talisman-Making Talent was enhanced by Sia, she guessed that it was Green in the past. A talent that barely allows her to make Peak-Stage Grade 1 talismans.
Zemirah saw that most of her attributes were normal except for the Luck Attribute where there was a huge question mark displayed like it was something the system couldn't estimate or couldn't be shown to me.
With this in mind, she asked, "Sia, what's up with my luck?"
[Ding! The Host doesn't have enough authority]
She frowned, "Then can I know it someday?"
[Ding! When the Host reaches a satisfactory realm, the system will let the Host access it]
Only then Zemirah was satisfied, she didn't ask more questions regarding this part and studied the other attributes.
It was interesting to see her attributes in a game-like panel. She was getting used to life in Azar where technology is in another direction far from Modern Earth.
She didn't crave phones or the internet anymore as she was satisfied with the magical world she transmigrated into.
She saw the properties under her name, mostly artifacts, pills, and talismans. The ones she gave Wendy were not listed anymore, while the ones given by Sia were in there with a special mark to remind her so she wouldn't mix them up.
It's a good thing since Zemirah doesn't want to gift them away while expecting a reward, she can trade them though.
"Show me Wendy's Status Panel, Sia." Zemirah was curious about her disciple. She only knew that Wendy had talent in the way of the sword and had Dual Earth and Wood Spiritual Root.
[Ding!]
[STATUS PANEL]
[Name]: Wendy Jace
[Age]: 10 years old
[Cultivation Realm]: Low-Stage Energy Refinement Realm
[Spiritual Roots]: Dual Earth and Wood Spiritual Root (Dark Green)
[Talents]: Swordsmanship (Dark Blue)
[Physique]: Normal
[Luck]: (Light Blue)
[Innate Ability]: ??
[Cultivation Techniques]
[Breathing Technique]: [Starry Mystery Breathing Technique] | Yellow-Rank Supreme-Quality (Lesser Mastery)
[Weapon Technique]: [Starlight Wrath Sword Skill] | Yellow-Rank Outstanding-Quality
[Footwork Technique]: [Blink Star Footwork] Yellow-Rank Outstanding-Quality
[Property]
[Artifacts]: [Click to Expand]
[Pills]: [Click to Expand]
[Talisman/Arrays]: [Click to Expand]
Wendy's properties are quite a lot compared to her peers, especially the talismans that Zemirah has been making. Zemirah will lack anything but talismans, the most outrageous is the quality that is so high it almost gives people the illusion that making talismans is not that hard.
Wendy once wondered if making talismans is easy when watching her master make talismans. The way her master sat for a few minutes and then a high-quality talisman was created after.
"I'm quite excited about the monthly auction and the reward I'll get from the next batch of talismans." Zemirah happily started to think about the things she wanted.
"Well, I'll think of those later. It's time to end my seclusion and check on my disciple." Zemirah stood up and stretched her body.
The cracking sounds of her bones sounded in the quiet room, it was satisfying to Zemirah after sitting in a lotus position for a few days. One can see a graceful body stretching that makes her curves more prominent.
The dreamy curves from her hips, her bust, and her butt. It was something anyone could only dream of in the middle of the night.
Zemirah changed into a new dress artifact, [Lavender Smoke Dress], an Uncommon-Quality Low-Stage Grade 1 dress artifact.
Paired with the black boots - [Black Abyss Snake Boots], an Uncommon-Quality Late-Stage Grade 1 shoe artifact.
Zemirah felt beautiful as she straightened her dress which flowed smoothly on her skin.
"The fashion style of Azar is very good," Zemirah stared at herself from her mirror artifact. She can see a beautiful lady wearing a lavender dress paired with black boots. Her fox eyes get more attractive as a different light shines on them, something confident, provoking, and fearless.
It was Zemirah after her killing.
Zemirah used some normal makeup from the previous owner's belongings. It's fine but Zemirah isn't quite satisfied. She was getting used to having her items be an artifact and a high-quality one at that.
"I'm becoming more picky than when I'm on Earth," Zemirah said to herself in amusement.
She tied her hair in a low ponytail, making her look more elegant with a mysterious vibe from her dark-colored outfit.
"That's it. Now, let's see what happened outside after that mess." Zemirah doesn't have the subconscious urge to hide after killing like before.
She was not scared of being turned away, locked up or anything since she fully understood that killing in Azar is common. Though killing in broad daylight without a proper reason is immoral still in many people's heart.
On the other hand, it actually depends on the person's strength and background. If you are powerful enough, no one will question your actions. If you have a powerful background, people will cover up for you or even make an excuse for you.
This is something Zemirah understood long ago, that nothing is truly fair and just, especially if it involves humans.